#Rolling Mountain Captain
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Name: Eleni Anne-Louise Santiana
Nicknames: Captain, El, 'Leni (friends only) Anne (Alias)
Age: 25
Birthday: Oct 30
Sexuality: Pansexual
Description: Eleni is a tall, strong, goth pirate Captain. Standing at 6'0 even, she is a very strong, toned woman, body trained from years of tending the ship and doing heavy lifting. Her arms are very strong and she has a fairly toned six-pack. On her upper abdomen, she has a jagged scar from an incident when she was stabbed in her older teen years. Eleni has purple eyes, and her hair is black, though that is only evident by her eyebrows, because she has a fully shaved head in a buzzcut. She used to have a purple Mohawk, but cut it off after losing a close friend. There is a scar on the right side of her lip that leads up to her cheek. Her nose is tall with a high arch, only accentuated by several breaks that made it crooked. More often than not, she wears heavy, dark makeup including eyeliner down her face and black lipstick, as well as many piercings in her ears.
Personality: Eleni is an aggressive and confident Captain on the surface. Having been on the sea since she was a young child, she adopted the personality traits of her crewmates growing up, sometimes not always for the best. While she learned how to hold her own in a knife fight since adolescence, she also was never taught very much about her own emotions and how to handle them, so she is quick-tempered and angers easily. She is very sarcastic and has a quick-witted remark for almost everything. She feels no shame in flirting with others or sleeping around just for the sake of finding a brief emotional connection with somebody. Despite her brash personality and cold, uncaring demeanor, it is obvious she cares very deeply about things, usually adopting a leadership role because she feels like she can handle things easier. In those moments where she lets her walls down, she is actually gentle and attentive to loved ones, and fiercely protective of her crew and adoptive family.
Likes: Basket weaving (She'd have been a basket weaver if she was not a pirate) Creative makeup, the colors black and purple, solitude, the open sea, a good beer, honey mead, a well-kept blade, blacksmithing
Dislikes/Fears: Drowning, Failure, Harming Loved Ones, Being buried alive, Feeling trapped, Fear of being Forgotten or Not Needed
Faceclaim: Rhea Ripley
#Eleni Santiana#Oc tag#One Piece OC#One Piece#Oc bio#Oc description#OC RP#RP tag#Open for RP#Rolling Mountain Crew#Rolling Mountain Captain
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Meet The Crew! đ´ââ ď¸
I've decided it would be fun to develop Eleni's backstory a little bit, and what better way than to dive in to the people who made her the way she is!
I never thought much about doing this before, but I do love fleshing out little details like this, so I decided to pick out some Faceclaims and some personality traits for Eleni's old crewmates!
First and Foremost! The Captain!
Great Captain Klydstein, Eleni's adoptive father.
Moody but with a heart of gold, big guy, bulky. A brute who could out-drink nearly everyone. Never had kids or married, but would be damned if he let a young girl bent on revenge and determined slip away and get hurt. Not always the most emotionally supportive, but he always meant well.
Faceclaim: Ian McShane
â ď¸â ď¸â ď¸
Arne, the Captain's Right Hand Man and Helmsman.
A goofier member of the crew, more like Eleni's fun uncle. He liked to braid hair and often helped younger Eleni with braids and hairstyles. He encouraged Eleni to shave her head after she lost some hair in a battle, and helped her put it into a cool Mohawk.
Faceclaim: Magnus Bruun
â ď¸â ď¸â ď¸
Braggi, Quartermaster.
More serious, liked lurking in the shadows. Quick for a fight, Loyal to a fault. Would rather die than see a loved one injured. Hot-tempered, equal parts bark and bite. Taught Eleni how to use a sword. Also was the one who found Eleni dying in the storage room after she'd been stabbed in the gut and brought her to the doctor.
Faceclaim: Tobias Santelmann
â ď¸â ď¸â ď¸
Hjalmar, Doctor
Not one with the best bedside manner, but he tries. Can name your bones as he breaks them, but prefers to stay to the back or the side in a fight, surveying and watching. Would rather heal the injured than get into the fight himself, so is often dragging his injured crewmates to safety to patch them up quicker.
Faceclaim: Ben Robson
â ď¸â ď¸â ď¸
Arkyn, Navigator
A good sharpshooter, even when drunk, quick tempered, likes to fight out his problems, good at going unnoticed, is the person who knows a lot of people and shady deals. Often the one who 'knows a guy' when they need something done. Best not to question it.
Faceclaim: Austin Amelio
â ď¸â ď¸â ď¸
Audun, Cook
Quiet, mild mannered, prefers solidarity and alone time, often found fishing off the helm to get food for the crew. Good support in a fight, works primarily with knives.
Faceclaim: Leo Suter
#Oc tag#Oc faceclaim#Faceclaim#Eleni Santiana#Captain El#Oc Backstory#Rolling Mountain#Shenanigans on the Ship#Klydstein#Arkyn#Hjalmar#Audun#Braggi#Arne#Eleni's family#Eleni's crew#Oc family#Pirate crew#Vikings#Pirates#Rolling Mountain Crew
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I Would Climb Every Mountain With You
Alexia Putellas x Explorer!R
14K of fluff and fun
For those interested this is the song that played in my head throughout the inception of this one;
You shoved the last of your gear into your duffel, relishing in the zipping sound that pierced the silence of your sparsely occupied apartment.
This was a quick turn around, even for you.
You were back for your nans 82nd birthday which was in a few days and to catch up with your friends and family.
Youâd barely been back on UK soil for 18 hours, in your Cumbria flat for only 15, when you got a call offering you a trip as a tour guide in the Pirineus Aragonese, otherwise known as the Spanish Pyrenees, for 3 nights.
Usually youâd ignore such a request at this point in your career but for a 3 day trip there were more 0âs than you would expect on the pay packet. Too many to refuse.
You were one of the best in the business, so trampling around the low level bases of a fairley commercial mountain range was a bit novice for you.
These days you find yourself in the thin air over 6000 meters, or in a remote rainforest, or trekking through the Sahara, guiding millionaire white men who made the move from being armchair adventurers to have-a-go adventurers in the very safe manner which your expertise offered.
You did it because those IT consultants, those bankers, those surgeons, paid well.
Very well.Â
Well enough to fund your explorations.
To go to those heights that really drove you. 8000 metres. The death zone. Where the air was so thin you couldn't stay long or your brain would lose oxygen.
Or the amazon, making contact with a tribe to warn them of encroaching foresters.
Or to the arctic. To witness the last of the planet untouched by man.
As you shut the door behind yourself, barely even checking it locked. Fuck. You thought, as you downloaded the boarding pass sent to you.Â
Your mum was going to kill you.Â
But god. You loved the outdoors.Â
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âI hate the outdoors!â
Alexia growled smacking a hand against her forearm, trying in vain to swat the midgie which was trying to make her blood its next meal. She hated the high pitched zoom that travelled past her ear as it moved back through the mini bus to try and find a more peaceful meal out of one of her teammates.
��We know AleâŚâ a tired voice from next to her groaned âyouâve mentioned it once, twice. Maybe a thousand times.â Mapi rolled her head off of her girlfriend's shoulder where she had been in a light doze. Interrupted by her captain's loud complaints.
âIâm just saying.â Alexia continued to grumble âI donât know why Jona is making us do this. Team Bonding? We are a very bonded team already! I make you all pancakes on sundays!â
Mapi rolled her eyes at the blondes protests. Sheâd heard all of this before since Jona had announced the 3 day team bonding trip at the start of pre season. She could recite Alexia's complaints by heart.
âIâm excited.â She shrugs, eyes cast over her girlfriend who had moved to nuzzle into her side.
âTraidoraâ The captain replies, eyes gazing out of the fast moving countryside out of the window. She felt worse and worse the more they moved away from the city into the endless empty space around her. She could feel civilization leaving her grasp as the bars of signal went down on her phone. âYouâve been brainwashed by your nordic girlfriend.â She lets out simply. Ignoring Mapis' offended scoff and dodging the light slap sent her way.
âBehave Maria.â A tired voice let out, without opening their eyes. Like a school child who had been told off, the tiny defender backs down and settles back into her girlfriend's shoulder. And if Alexia sticks her tongue out at her like a toddler then well. Who can provide it?
âGodâ she thought to herself as she settled her head back against the vibrating glass, starting a mental countdown of when she would return to her city center apartment âI hate the outdoors.â
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âI probably should buy new walking boots.â You thought to yourself as you clambered out of the minibus which dropped you and your small team at the muster point. Your boots fit like a glove but they did look a little worse for wear. All scratched and battered. The green laces prominent against the dark brown leather.
Who are you kidding? You knew you would never buy new boots.
You could still make out the scratch deep in the leather where you hooked your foot behind a rock as you careered down a shale summit when you were still a novice. A mark against the toe protection where a dog in the Andes got a bit too friendly and attacked your foot. Nah. These boots were the closest friend you had.
A rumble of a car cut against the silence of the mountains around you and you could just make up another mini bus trudging up the mountain pass from the elevation you stood at. You had a few minutes before the clients arrived.
âWho âav we got then?â you asked and you turned to face Rio, your long-time guiding partner when you were in this part of the world.
Full name Mario he was a kind man in his 40âs who lived for bad 80s music and loved his kids more than you thought any human was capable of love.
âI am unsure, Mi Amiga. I just got the paperwork that told me it was a team of 23 ladies. They assured the operator we have no fitness issues. They have translators in the group, multiple languages so we're best sticking with English. I have all the health forms here, everything looks good. Some dietary requirements but nothing we canât handleâ
Huh. A weird group. 23 fit women with translators in the group? Weird.
âWomen. Rio. We prefer the term women.â you gibe him, âUrght. 23 women is a lot. I hope it isnât a hen party. Penis straws arenât my thing, if you know what I mean.â you knock your elbow into his ribs and let out a cackle.Â
You were very very gay. A fact that wasnât lost on Mario as he had unfortunately been witness to more than a few hook ups after expeditions over the years.Â
âSi, I know what you mean, that rock over there knows what you mean, tu idiota.â he replied, rolling his eyes and moving to help the team with the checklist of essentials.
Your knee deep in gas canisters and spare tent pegs by the time the mini bus holding the clients arrives.
You untangle yourself with a sheepish smile to Rio as you move to meet the van and he moves to tidy your mess. Heâs the practical guy. Youâre the nice guy. It's your job to go and meet the clients and explain the expedition and answer any questions.
âHol⌠Holy shit.â you start. What you intended to be a lively welcome in your best spanish quickly got lost on your tongue with each woman who exited the van.
Fucking hell. These women were gorgeous.
Specifically the last women to emerge from the van. All blonde hair and hazel eyes.
And tattoos.
And fit.
And tall.
And. Not to be a dick about it. Very gay.
You shake yourself out of it. Come on. Be professional. Stop being a gross guy. You scold yourself.
You turn to Rio whoâs finishing up with all the kit who laughs at your expression; âNot a hen party then?â
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â... so on day two we will reach the gorge, follow the treeline across the ridge, through the forest finding some good places to camp and then finally end in ArĂŠn. Where your bus will meet you and take you back to Barcelona. Is that good?â
The group lets out a murmur of agreement and an enthusiastic âFantastic!â is heard above everyone else and Alexia rolls her eyes.
âMapi, you really need to control your girlfriend. If you're not careful she's going to run away into the wilderness.â she mutters to her best friend.
âShut up Ale.â Mapi hisses back, but it isnât missed by Alexia how Mapi slowly inches herself closer to her girlfriend and hooks her fingers through the waist strap of her backpack, as though physically stopping her from leaving her, renaming herself Hedi and living the rest of her days in the mountains.
Alexia lets out a scoff of laughter, which was louder than she intended.
âThere, at the back. A question?âÂ
Suddenly Alexia finds the eyes of the team watching her, most with a glint in their eyes as they were all victims to her complaining over the last few weeks.
Listen. She's not bothered she has 22 sets of eyes on her.
She's used to it. Especially these eyes. She's their captain.
That's not what causes her mouth to dry up and her pulse to race.
No. That's you.
For the first time since getting out of the van Alexia looks up and sees your gaze directed straight at her. Holy shit. You were the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.
And she had seen a lot of women.
But you, standing there in your khaki shorts, simple vest top, hair tied up and a bandana and dirty old boots took her breath away.
You gave off an aura of cool. Dark raybans perched on your face and muscles rippling against a backpack bigger than you.
You were the coolest woman she had ever seen.
âSorry, the paperwork said everyone would understand English, or had access to a translator. That's my fault. Can someone translate? Or I can spe-âÂ
A ripple of laughter goes through the group but its Mapis cough and small kick that pulls Alexia out of her stupor.
âVaya, I understand, lo siento, no. No questions here. Just. So excited to get going! Vamos Amigas!â Alexia cheerfully ended, ignoring her teammates' confused faces at her complete 180 as she hoisted her backpack on and threw you her most dashing smile.
Maybe she could make something out of this weekend after all.
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You threw a smile past 3 of your group on the trail as you made your way down the mountain.
âHola chicaâsâ you let out cheekily, throwing a wink at the three, who had quickly become your favourites.
You loved love and you could see how much the small brunette you learned was Mapi hung onto every action of her girlfriend. Ingrid's enthusiasm was one you shared, born of a childhood spent outside and Alexia.
Well.
Alexia was a mystery. Quick to smile and eager to please but there was something there. So confident and yet you could make out the blush on her cheeks at your innocent wink.
And god. Was she gorgeous. Chiselled andâŚstay professional!
They made a very likable trio and you had been spending most of your hike with them so far but you had to share the love and you left them behind a few miles ago to go scout out the front of the pack.
This was how you and Mario worked. You would take it in turns to be at the front and the back of the group - keeping everyone together and pacing everyone so they remained in a close-enough group to manage safely whilst not hampering or rushing anyone.
Youâve got to admit.
These girls were fit.
Even you found it difficult to keep up.
Though, to be fair you had to hike double with the overlapping on the hillside and your pack that weighed about 6 extra stone.
Still, you wouldnât swap this job for the world. You thought to yourself as you spied the last team member a few metres down the mountain you halted and waited for them to reach you. Feigning that you were just taking in the view so that they didnât feel bad about being at the back.
Someone has to be.
âDonât worry about itâ you let out easily at Pina and Patris apologies, âYou guys are doing it the right way. Take in the view! Weâre hours ahead of scheduleâ.
And you were. These girls really were athletic. You really should find out what the hell they do for a living.
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âCapi, what are you doing now?â Mapi grumbled as Alexia came to a stop.
She tosses her bag down and rummages through it, picking out a small bottle and spraying herself quickly before hiding it away.
âVamos Mapi, you go up. Iâm just⌠taking a moment.â
âNo problem Alexia, we can wait with you. Is it your knee? Are you okay?â Ingrid's kind voice asked, her brows furrowed in concern for her captain.
âSi Si I am good itâs justâŚâ
âAh! I know!â Mapi exclaimed âthe sudden buen humor. The changes in pace. I canât believe it! Capi has a crush! With the mountain boss lady! Wait⌠is that perfuâŚâ
Mapi is quickly silenced by Alexia's large hand covering her mouth as the captain looks down the mountainside in concern. Youâve passed them and are out of view and she hopes out of earshot.
âCallate idiotaâ she hisses âEw!â She pulls her hand away and wipes it on her shorts whilst Mapi grins cheerfully, her tongue safely back in her mouth.
âI do not! It is good to feel nice, that's all. I am just taking a moment. Please. Ingrid. Take her away before I push her down the mountain.â
Alexia pleads to the Norwegian, who is more than happy to grab her girlfriend's hand and continue the best weekend of her life, explaining all about the different types of trees they would see as Mapi hangs on her every word.
Alexia isnât alone for long until she hears your peel of laughter as you round the corner with the two meneces that were Patri and Pina.
You say something that makes Patri laugh and she shoves you playfully to one side which makes Alexia's heart jump into her throat.
âAy! Idiota! Do not push her! She could slip!â
She takes your bark of a laugh and the soft look you give her happily, embracing the warm feeling that it makes in her chest.
âSorry Capi.â Patri mocks, saluting with a shit-eating grin on her face.
âAlright. That's it. What the hell do you guys do? Youâre all mega fit, speak about 15 different languages and now youâre introducing this insane leadership structure. Is this some sort of new-age google thing?â you ask, incredulously, hands on your hips and question in your eyes.
There's a moment of silence and then all three of them burst into laughter at the same time.
âWhat? What did I say?â you ask. âWhat do you think we do jefa de montana?â Pina asks, as you all continue your hike upwards.
âI donât know⌠really rich estate agents?â you ask, prompting more laughter from the group. âErm⌠oh! I know! Youâre all personal trainers in old folks homes but youâre taking it really, really seriously? OH! I knowâ Youâre all spies!â you exclaim, just to hear Alexias laugh again. Which you are rewarded with.
âNo tonta. We are all footballers. We are the Barcelona Femini first team!â Alexia lets out, arms wide, all three of them pausing with expectant looks on their faces in your direction.
âAh. Makes sense. Cool.â you let out, smile their way and continue leading them up the mountain.
You sense youâre walking alone all of a sudden and turn to see all three of them standing like fishes, mouths open staring incredulously at you.
âWhat? What's wrong?â you call down.
âFootballers, you strange mountain woman! Itâs more than cool! Weâre the best in the world!â Patri lets out, incredulously.
Itâs your turn to bark out a laugh. âHa! Sorry chicas, I promise I will be suitably impressed once we reach campâ you wink as you all continue upwards, a peaceful silence settling over the three of you.Â
âIâm more of a rugby person anyway.â you break the silence.
A moment of pregnant pause.
âPush her off the mountain Patri.â Alexia orders, jovially. âOn it Cap!â
You cackle as you run away from the three chasing footballers and the only thought that is running through your head is, âGod, Alexia smells good.â
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âElla es tan bonitaâ Alexia mutters to herself, as she watches you from across the clearing, after helpfully dumping herself outside of Ingrid and Mapis tent as Ingrid sets the whole thing up as well as going behind Mapi and re-clipping all of the clips and double checking all the poles, whilst ensuring Mapi doesn't see her.
âAy, Capi. Stop creeping and come help. Or set up your tent, you need somewhere to sleep.â âI will, I willâ Mapi takes a seat next to her captain who doesn't look like she's moving from her perch anytime soon.
âSo, youâre in love, si?â
âSiâŚâ Alexia lets out dreamily, âWait. No! Shut up, I didn't say that.â
Mapi opens her mouth, ready to tease the hell out of her captain before⌠âWe heard nothing Ale, donât worryâ Ingrid lets out from inside the tent. Mapis' mouth closes with a small frown at the idea of her teasing ammo being taken away from her.
âShe is so cool though.â Alexia continues, âYou know, sheâs been to the arctic three times? And climbed 4 of the worlds highest summits. 4 of them? One on her own!â
âWe know Ale,â Ingird responded, kindly, appearing from the tent âYouâve told us a dozen times. Come on. Letâs see if she needs help with anything.â
Alexia moves as though sheâs just intercepted a stray pass in front of goal.
Rapid.
You stand, ignoring the aching in your back as you put the finishing touches onto the makeshift fire pit.
Youâd spent the last hour scouting and setting up camp for the group. Mario was off helping some of the girls set up their tents for the night.
You both preferred the ease of a hammock slung between two trees with a mosquito net being the only thing between you and the stars. That meant you were both able to carry more provisions for the group and set up your camps quickly before moving on to help the clients.
âDo you need any help at all?â you hear accented english, you turn and Ingrid offers you a kind smile. âNo, no youâre good guys, make yourselves at home.â you gesture to the logs that had been moved into a semi circle around the firepit. Logs collected by Mario waiting for the night to arrive.
You're on your knees setting some water to boil as you hear an annoyed grumble and a slap of skin âmierda!â. You turn on your knees and find yourself faced with Alexia, sitting on a log near you losing a one woman battle against a thousand midges.
âYou must taste nice.â It takes you a minute of the blonde blushing and red face to realise what youâve said. You stand and move to sit next to her âNo! No sorry I didnât mean⌠I meanâŚâ you take a deep breath andâŚ. âYou smell nice.â
Mapis' bark of laughter makes you roll your eyes good naturedly, the blonde next to you still looking at you somewhat star struck.
âNo really AlexiaâŚâ you move closer and breathe the blonde in, she smells sweet, floralâŚ. Stay professional!Â
âThatâs why theyâre attracted to you. Your smell, andâŚâ you move slowly, gently and take her arm in yours⌠âsome people just react to the bites more, this looks like it could become sore.â you brush over a large, reddening bite on her inner arm.
Alexia, meanwhile, is acting as though your touch isnât setting her blood on fire. Sheâs apparently chosen to hide this by just staring at you, wide eyed. Another midgey lands on her skin and you feel her arm tense in your grasp as she moves to swat it but you hold firm.
âEy ey, there's more of them than you and weâre in their territory. Take only pictures, leave only footprints and killâŚâ
âNothing but time!â Ingrid jumps in, excitedly, âYes Ing, that's the oneâ you reply, as Ingrid sits proudly. âMascota del maestro.â Mapi teases her.
You move your attention back to Alexia, âAle, you should go and wash off, there will be a stream over there, looking at the treeline and the game track marks. Itâll take the sweetness from your skin. It will help, I have some antihistamine you should take when you get back and I'm sure I smelt some wild garlic growing just as we entered the clearing. It acts as a repellent, I will go forage some and add it to your meal tonight. It will help for the rest of the trip.â
âNo, Iâll be fiâŚ.â you move to stand, gathering your wilderness knife and attaching it to your hip. âI wasnât asking Alexia. Iâm in charge here, Captain. I know what Iâm doing, now go. Pleaseâ
Alexia isnât told what to do often.
Yes she has a coach and she has trainers but she is the captain.
The expert.
But your kind and gentle nature just became firm in front of her eyes. This was your world and it was clear you knew what you were doing in it. She felt like a puppet as she stood obediently and made her way to the stream.
As she stood there, in only her underwear in the cold water, listening to the distant laughter of her teammates and overlooking the most beautiful blue-green water of the gorge beneath the mountain side. She kind of understood this whole outdoorsy thing. It was peaceful, she could hear her thoughts. Alexia was never alone. There was always someone fighting for her attention, needing something from her.
But here, she felt like her mind had gone quiet. And she could think. And breathe.
She was feeling somewhat light and philosophical by the time she made it back to the firepit.
You look up from your pan and see the silhouette of the tall Barcelona captain making their way over. She looks lighter somehow. Hair hanging limp softens her features and her face is bare, making her look somehow more beautiful. You shake yourself out of your thoughts and start to plate up the meal for everyone.Â
You feel Mario next to you; âAy, smells goods, some of your best work Mi Amiga.â He mutters to you, shoving your shoulder gently, âooh weâve got fancy with the spices, si? Someone to impressâ he obnoxiously wiggles his eyebrows at you and you very maturely, in your opinion, ignore his teasing in order to stir some sauteed garlic through one of the bowls. âGo give that to your apalastar. Iâll hand out the restâ he orders.
âI donât have a crushâ you hiss, even as you gather two bowls and make your way over to the blonde. Alexai looks up as you stand above her, seemingly having interrupted her thoughts. You offer a smile as you pass her a steaming metal bowl.
âChicken and riceâ you state, as you take a seat next to her, âwith extra garlic, as promisedâ you smile as you start to shovel food into your mouth.
You take a moment with your eyes closed like you do before every meal before tucking in. Mario tells you that you eat like a wild dog whoâs just found an open trash can, you donât care, you love your food, especially after a long hike day cooked over an open fire.Â
âHow do you know these things?â Alexia asks. You make the universal noise of; âhuhâ? And eye her curiously. âThe garlic. The stream. How do you know?â
âAh, itâs my life.â you reply, âI grew up in rural England. Me and my brother would go for hikes for days at a time. Not much else to do. I learnt how to read the land. You get used to itâŚâ a beat of silence, âthe solution is always around.â
Now it's Alexia's turn to let out a confused grunt, around a mouthful of chicken.
âIn nature. Nature always provides what you need. If it creates a problem, it will create a solution. That's why I love it so much. Sunburn? Mud is the best sunscreen money canât buy. Stuck in a monsoon? Youâll be saved by a cave to shelter in that's carved by the same weather that's trying to kill you. Mosquitos making you their next meal? Garlic will grow and act as a repellent. You just need to learn to read the signs. That's why I love it so much.â
Alexia grows quiet, and you canât quite place the look she's giving you.Â
Itâs open, and you feel maybe you shared too much so revert back to what you know. As you scrape the metal bowl clean you pull out a blister pack and present them to the footballer. âSometimes, though, the answer is in a pharmacy in Perpignanâ you grin cheekily and enjoy the blondes blush and laugh as she pops an antihistamine and swallows it.Â
You root into your pocket and pull out some bite cream.
âMay I?â you gesture towards her arm as you see she has finished her meal. She nods and presents you with her arm where an angry looking lump had formed. You grunt in sympathy as you carefully apply the cream. Making soothing motions with your thumb making sure the cream is absorbed fully.
You struggle to remain professional with the blondes soft skin under your hands. And you struggle to pull them away. You donât know what comes over you as you gently blow on the bite to sooth it. You donât think youâre alone in your feelings as you hear a sharp intake of breath from the blonde, and feel goosebumps rise under your fingertips.
âIâm sorry, It helps to cool the area, itâs feeling a little hotâ as you pull your hands away.
Alexia seems to be in a daze but you catch her eye as she lets out âeres tan calienteâ. Itâs quiet, under her breath and you see her eyes widen as she realises she's spoken aloud. âPardon?â you ask, just to make sure you heard her.
âOh sorry, nada, nothing. Thank you for your help. It feels better already. Youâre really good at this.â
You smile at her happily, a proud buzz in your stomach at making her feel better, you're interrupted from any reply by Mario shouting your name across the fire pit. And that's when you realise you have 22 other clients all around, and you had kind of left your colleague to deal with them all.
Which makes it easier for him to convince you to fulfil his request. He always does this. And he knows you hate it. As he shakes the ukulele heâs carried up a frigging mountain at you. You canât really deny him.
âCome on chica! Show the girls what you can do!â, you take it from him as you roll your eyes good naturedly as you settle back down, closer, somehow to Alexia, you can feel your thigh touch hers as you try to pretend that is isn't setting your world on fire.Â
Alexia pretends that she canât see Mapis' eyes light up and eyebrows wiggle at her from across the campfire.
As the stars start to make an appearance you serenade the group with campfire songs you grew up on, some songs that Mario sings along with you, you strum as Mapi excitingly dances around the campfire and you continue into the night as your fingers start to ache. Lucy even teaches you the Barcelona anthem, which you murder, but it's worth it to see the laugh in Alexia's eyes.
You donât mind making a fool of yourself if that's your result.
You feel the blonde slump more into you as the night goes on, and you feel the tension between you both increase. However, when you look across to catch her eyes you see that she's practically asleep as she sits.
âHey, Aleâ you mutter as Pina takes a turn on your ukulele, rousing her from her light sleep, âcome on, the tablets can make you drowsy. You need to get to sleep.â
âOh, no. But I donât want to miss anything.â she mutters, cutely, you donât think sheâd be so open unless she was completely exhausted. âAnd I need to set my tent up.â
âDonât worry, I set it up for you when you were in the stream.â you respond, easily, and there's that look again, the one that puts your stomach into knots and makes you unsure of what youâve said, so you continue, âItâs next to Mapi and Ingrids. I thought youâd want their protection from the bears.â
âBears?!â she exclaims, which brings everyone's attention to the both of you, 23 worried looking footballers now looking in your direction as you bark out a laugh.
âIâm kidding, Iâm kidding!â you respond, to all of them, hands raised as a sign of peace. They settle down⌠âwell actually Iâm not, but what did you think the singing was for!â
Mario is the only one that snorts out a laugh.
â----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alexia wakes up hot.
And thirsty.
She opens her eyes and takes a moment to remember herself and where she is. But as she hears the light chatter and banging of pans outside it comes back to her.
Last night, sitting around the firepit by your side, one she had gotten over how hot the vision of you playing the instrument was, she was being lulled into a drowsy state by your gentle singing, the stars shining above and the warmth of your body by her side.
She remembers your hands on her skin, causing goosebumps and her stomach to flutter, somehow those hands in the middle of a literal mountain range made her feel more safe than the most experienced medical professional in the most high-tech sports facilities ever could.
She remembers finding her tent from where you had set it up. Citronella candle burning outside keeping the bugs away, everything zipped up safely, and then seeing how you had set the inside up.
Sleeping bag open and inviting, all her bags set neatly, essentials on top of her bag, hiking boots sitting on pegs she definitely did not bring to air them and stop any creepies crawling into them. Water next to her cot.
God. She was in trouble.
As she crawled into the porch area she found a small metal bowl with what looked like a cut up cactus in it, goop oozing from it. She picked the bowl up and made her way over to her best friends, who were tucking into a breakfast of granola and fruits out of similar bowls to that in her hand.
âHey, Ingrid. Nature lover. What's this?â She holds the bowl up with a curious eyebrow.
âI think you mean Hola Ingrid, How are you this morning?â Mapi grumbles, whilst her girlfriend rubs her knee and shushes her kindly, Alexia looks at her expectantly.
She takes the bowl and a smile overtakes her face, âThis is Aloe, Ale.â âAloe Ale? Are you making fun of me?â Ingrid smiles again, âNo, Ale, it's Aloe Vera, it's the gel from the Aloe Vera plant. It's got healing properties and⌠good for sunburn, reducing irritation and swelling, some may say good for insect bites?â
âOh, well thank you then Ingrid, that's really kind.â Alexia hums, happily.
âAle. I love you, but I didnât collect this.â Ingrid smiles, Mapi looks on in glee and not-at-all subtly points in your direction.
âIt was the jefa de montana!â She whisper-shouts, âI woke up early and saw her coming back with that cool knife of hers⌠Hey⌠IngriâŚ?â
âNo Maria. You cannot have a knife.â Ingrid lets out, not looking away from her breakfast.
Alexis misses Mapis' sulk, as well as the loving bickering between her two best friends, because she is distracted by you, sitting across the camp entertaining Jana and Vicky. Seemingly a boundless source of energy and knowledge. You must feel someone's eyes on you because you look up and it feels like you look directly into Alexia's soul.
She holds the bowl up with a shy smile and mouths thank you, and she re-iterates to herself how well as truely fucked she is as as you send a wink her way which makes her knees weak.
âOh estoy jodidaâ
â-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You smile as you waved the girls off from camp, it being your turn to stay behind and finish packing up the provisions and bringing up the rear of the group. With Mario leading the charge down into the gorge where you would make camp tonight.
It was your favourite day of the trek today, and you were excited about the girls reaction to the camp set up this evening. You expect that you would get there earlier than expected with these super-fit professional athletes, which would give you all more time to explore the lake. You found yourself looking forward to a certain blonde's face as she took in the view, the mountain above reflecting into the water.
It really was beautiful.
You knew yourself very well. That's the thing about being an explorer. You have to know yourself, you spend a lot of time alone and with your thoughts. You need to know your limits. Assess your feelings. Is this the half-way mark of my endurance? Do I need to turn around now? It was important for survival.
And with everything you've done you're not sure youâll survive the next two days with Alexia Putellas.
You found her disarming. She was stoic but kind. She was serious but hilarious. Strong but vulnerable. She was stern but looked at you so softly it made your heart melt.Â
She was a woman of contradictions in the best way.Â
And you wanted to wrap your arms around her and keep her safe. Yeah, it was your job to keep everyone on this trip safe. But it wasn't your job that made you trek back 2 miles this morning to harvest the Aloe you saw yesterday. Or take an extra 20 minutes to set her tent up making sure she had everything that she didn't know she needed.
You knew why you did it, but you donât think you were ready to be that honest with yourself yet.
You finished packing up camp and making sure there was no trace of your group and then continued along the trail. You thought you had a few hours before you encountered any of the famous fucking footballers you were guiding on account of most of them all being fucking olympians, but it hadnât been more than 90 minutes before you spotted the same person who was clouding all of your thoughts.
âHola Capi!â you shouted down the trail below you, you didnât want to spook her and get to close as she looked lost in her thoughts, gazing down to the lake below.
âAh, Hola Jefa de montaĂąaâ a smile overtaking her features. âI didn't expect you to be at the back, Capiâ you tease, nudging her and continuing along at her side, âthe youngâuns making you feel old?â
There's that laugh again. The one that seems to fill a hole in your heart.
âno por supuesto que no, solo soyâŚ.â she trails off as you look at her curiously.
âAh, lo siento, you donât speak spanish, Iâm just taking my time, enjoying the view, no rush, si?â she asks you, completely misinterpreting your look. You go to correct her but she speaks before you have a chance,
âSo, where's your favourite exploration been?â and if there's anything that you can yap on about. It's your adventures.
Alexia loves the way your face lights up, loves the way that your whole body thrums with excitement. The way you describe the sights, sounds, smells of your travels. Her heart drops when you tell tall tales of alligator attacks in the south american swamps, her laughter bubbles as you tell her about accidental orders of bizarre and unusual foods in china, she blushes as you describe being run out a village in mongolia for sleeping with the mayor's wife (completely accidental of course).
You tell a story with your whole body, arms flailing and actions where appropriate. The time flies and the environment around Alexia is lost to the beauty she finds in your excitement.
You finally pause for breath and the silence makes you realise how long you have been speaking for.
âOh my gosh, I am so sorry, I haven't stopped talking - pleâŚâ
âDo not apologiseâ Alexia interrupts, âI like to hear you speak, your stories are soâŚâ she struggles to find the word and takes a moment â...colourful. And exciting.â she snaps her fingers, happy with herself.Â
âExciting, me? Maybe. You though. Football, huh? That must be amazing. Free to travel the world⌠all of your adoring fans, huh?â you wiggle your brows and nudge her again, but her coy smile doesnât appear like you expected it to.
She grows quiet, hand playing with the long grass as you both stroll by.
âAh. Maybe. I thought so, but now⌠Iâm thinking, maybe I am not so free?â she poses it as a question, and eyes lift to your face, and then her surroundings.
âI love football. Football is my life. But the other things⌠ah. I donât know. Sometimes I wish I could walk down to mi Mamis without wearing a cap, or a hood. Just⌠go. You know?â
You do know. You couldnât imagine such restrictions. Your spirit is a free one. And Alexia seems caged. Caged and wanting to break free.
âI get it, Ale.â your use of her name brings a blush to her face. And a smile you want to keep there. âTell me about football.â you request, simply.
âWhat about it? It is the most beautiful game in the world! You are English, a good football nation, itâs coming home? No?â
âI have no idea what youâre talking about.â you do. âIâm from the countryside. Football is played in cities. I cannot think of any football team not named after a City.â
âFootball is played everywhere! It's the game of the Earthâ
âIs it?â you ask, âtell me.â you request again.
And off she goes, she tells you how she loves her team, the fans, Barca, how the game brought her close to her father and she feels closer to him as she continues to play. You enjoy the excitement in her voice as she makes you both stop as she uses a stick to explain the offside rule. You force a cereal bar into her hand and make sure you both drink water as you go. Seamlessly, as she continues to talk about her life's passion.
Before you know it you notice the placement of the sun and realise you have nearly completed the miles for the day. You are shocked that you havenât run into any of her teammates, though you suppose, you have both been walking slower as you chatted.
Though, that does mean you have left Mario with 23 clients. Fuck you owe him.
âThe way you talk about it, It does sound like a beautiful game, capi.â you summarise, as she finishes telling you about the football camps for underprivileged kids she visits.
She pauses and looks into your face. The moment grows less jovial than the whole day had been and you hear Alexia whisper, âEres hermosaâ. âHuh?â you let out, surprised. âOh, da nada, nothing. Sorry, I donât usually speak too much EnglishâŚâ
âAh, Capi!â you hear a third voice, raised across the clearing you had just entered, a canopy of trees above and now you are at the lake shore.
You are both shaken out of your trances as you realise you have made camp, and by the looks of it, the rest of the group had been here for a while. God, you really did owe Mario.
âAh, chica!â you hear Marios best as he makes his way towards you, âyou left me! These girls, they are loco!â you laugh as you see the sweat beading across his brow and his face still red, âthe walk and walk and walk, they walk so quick!âÂ
Jana now makes her way over, taking Alexias backpack from her shoulders,
âWe walk quickly because Capi told us whoever won she would give first dibs on shower privileges all seasoâŚ.â Jana is silenced by Alexia, who shoves her hand over her mouth. âAy, Jana, sheâs an iditoto, doesnât know what she's talking about, Si. Vamos, Jana. You can help me set my tent up.â
Jana is practically dragged away as you focus your attention again on Mario.
âlo siento mi amigo,â you tell him, âI didnât mean to.. I think I just got carried awayâŚâ you eyes follow the tall blonde as she makes her way across camp, Jana having abandoned her on route.
âDa nada my friend. I have not seen you like this beforeâŚâ he smiles at you. âI think she is good for you.â
âOh stop Mario. You know me. I canât.â
âYou wonât. That is different to you canât. And I notice you do not deny, now, vamos, help me anti-bear this place.â
Your next hour is spent helping Mario set up camp, you're close to a huge water source now, and whilst bears will only come looking for food you need to take extra steps to not spook your clients, you keep the provisions away from camp, high in trees, you sprinkle ash from the fire around and you place dry leaves and twigs around, you and Mario are light sleepers, any visitor to camp will make you up.
Alexia has been abandoned by her team. âTeam building, sure⌠you all have fun guys, Iâll be hereâŚâ she mumbles to herself as she struggles to feed the poles of her tent through the holes in the canvas. She takes a look up and sees you, lifting logs for the fire. All short, shorts and rippling muscles. Those same damn old boots on your feet so sexily rugged.
She gets lost in her thoughts, images swimming around her mind of making you sweat for different reasons, imagining being stood above you as you drop to your knees in front of her as she gathers your hair in her handâŚ.
âDo you need me to help you with your pole?â you ask. SNAP. Huh? Alexia looks up from the daydream she had embarrassingly got lost in. Ignoring the heat between her legs. She looks up, flustered.
âQ..Que?â she asks you, she looks down and sees the metal pole she was trying to thread through in two pieces in her hands.
âOh⌠oops.â she continues. âOh Ale⌠that's the centerframe pole. That's keeping the roof over your head. I can try to patch it up with some twine⌠but Iâm not sure it will hold.â you tell her, examining the two pieces in her hands.
âOh. Sorry. I donât know what happened there.â Alexia tries to distract to get out of this awkward situation. âNo problem, I will share it with Ingrid and Mapi. They wonât mind.â
You cast your eyes over to where Ingrid was walking into the lake in a two piece swimsuit, Mapi watching from the fire and almost setting her boot on fire as she paid no attention to her surroundings. You think they may mind.
âOkay Ale.â she knows her friends better than you, you suppose. âNow come, come look at this view.â
You lead her to the lakeside where most of the girls were settled, and you explain to the group some of the geography of how the gorge and lake was formed. And, to be fair to them, most of them did pretend to care. But you could tell they were just dying to jump in.
âGo on then Chicas! A few hours til dinner. Go have fun!â
The cheer that the group let out made you laugh, so did watching them as they scrambled over each other in the water as you and Mario made dinner. Lucy having produced a small ball from somewhere they all start to play in the water. Somehow, you felt like you were all of a sudden guiding 12 year old boys.
You could make Ale out, in the middle of the fray, contemplative nature fully unleashed as she laughed and played around with her teammates. You loved seeing her so free and open. Especially after your chat today.
You find yourself at the campfire again, plating up dinner for the group and you see an open space next to Alexia.
You make your way over but before you get there the seat is taken by Vicky, you miss the scowl that takes over Ales face as she slaps the back of her younger teammate's head.
âThat space was being saved!â she sulks, watching as you change direction and settle yourself next to Lucy. Quickly being drawn into conversation. âYeah, Lopez, that's her girlfriend's seat!â Mapi sniggers.
âLo Siento Ale, I didnât know.â Vicky looks so apologetic that it tugs on Alexia's heart as her gaze softens and she pulls her head into her chest in an aggressive hug, she kisses her hair. âestĂĄ bien pequeĂąaâ.
After another night of singing, card games and this time smores you get the attention of the group; âOkay girls, serious now. We are in bear country.â a gasp goes through the group, âMe and Mario have made the camp safe but there's always a chance a bear may wander into camp. Iâm not saying this to scare you. Iâm saying this to keep you safe.â you point down to your calf, where a slither of scar tissue can be seen,
âIâve been on the wrong side of a hungry brown bear before. They are good creatures, just hungry. They hate humans. If, and this is a big if a bear wanders into camp you need to just make noise. That will be enough to scare it away and bring mine and Marios attention to you. Si?â
The group is quiet for a moment until Ingrid lets out an affirmative noise.
You think your little bear chat scared them because quickly it's just you, Mario and Alexia who remain awake, as Mario tells stories of his family and the mischief his children get up to. He lets out a big yawn.
âMario, you can get to bed. I will sort thisâ you point down to the dying embers of the fire. âI owe you after today.â âYou doâ he smiles as he stands up and makes his way across camp to his hammock.
âI will go to bed also.â Alexia stands, and you offer to walk her to Mapi and Ingrids tent with your headlamp so she doesn't trip on any ropes.
That smile again. She nods and as you move closer to the tent you hear a noise. You put your hand on her arm to stop her, and cock your head to one side, that wonât be a bear, surely?
There! That noise again. Louder this time. Wait. A⌠groan?
âOh my god.â Alexia whispers, a laugh in her voice. You're confused and then you hear it again, this time, it sounds suspiciously like a groan of a name. Maria. Oh. Oh for god's sake.Â
âMaybe they took the âmake noiseâ instruction too seriously, si?â Alexia giggles into your ear. This makes you bark out a laugh, quickly hidden behind her hand that raises itself to your mouth.
âQuĂŠ fue esoâ you hear from the tent. For some reason, this fills both you and Alexia with childish excitement and glee. As you pull her hand with you as you sprint away from the tent as though you are 9 in a school yard and have just been told someone has cooties.
You guide her to your hammock, and stand there, giggles subsiding, suddenly unsure of what to do.
âMaybe they forgot you were in with them tonight?â you ask the blonde, who shrugs and replies âwith those two I donât think much can stop them.â this makes you laugh lightly and then a beat of silence.
âErm, you can take my hammock, sorry, some people don't find it comfortable but it keeps the mosquitos away and I can set up a roll matt by the fire.â
âNo.â
âSorry. I didnât mean to make yoâŚâ
âNo, I mean. I am not kicking you out of your bed. I will go on the matt⌠â
âNo Ale. With your blood youâll be eaten alive without a net⌠maybe..â
âSi?â
âMaybe we can share? The hammock is huge and it's normal for people to share in survival situations, you know, to keep warm and stuff.â
âCreo que tener calor serĂĄ el problema.â âPardon?â âAh, nothing, I just said yes we should share.â
This keeps happening, and you think it's hilarious, and you let out a coy smile, âroomies?â you ask, Alexia matches your smile as she nods.
You let her get settled into the hammock in her sleeping bag before you pull it wider, there being plenty of material to hold you both comfortably. You forgot, the design of the hammock encapsulates you both, the canvas bowing upwards forcing you both into the middle, and creating a shield around you, mosquito net a curtain around you.
Suddenly, all your senses are full of Alexia. Alexia beneath you and stars above you. God. Have you died and gone to heaven? No. In heaven you wouldn't be separated by 2 layers of polyester sleeping bags.
You shuffle around to try to take some of your weight off her and lie by her side. âSorry,â you mutter, feeling a type of embarrassment you never do when usually sharing this space, probably with another explorer, usually in some death defying situation.Â
You donât know how this perfectly safe encounter makes you more nervous than those. In those situations, you donât have time to be embarrassed by how heavy your weight is on the other person, how it's been 2 days since your last showerâŚ. How your breath must smell.
âEstas bienâ she lets out, softly, and those two words calm you more than a half a bar of phone signal after days of trekking in the Atlas Mountains ever could. One of her arms envelopes your shoulder and your head settles onto her chest. âLo siento my arm is in the wayâŚâ
âEstas bien.â you reply, softly.
Alexia has never been more comfortable in her entire life. The warmth of your body weighs on hers, the smell of you infiltrating her senses, the stars above and the gentle sway of the hammock.
Sleep is already dragging her as you whisper, âbuenas noches que duermas bien aleâ.Â
â-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alexia wakes to the feeling of movement on her chest. Before she opens her eyes she takes stock of her body. Her arms now fully wrapped around you. Hands tangled in your hair. You burrowed into her chest. She is warm.
She is happy.
She knows you're awake. But there's no springing apart in embarrassment. God no. She's not ashamed. She wants this moment to last forever.
But it canât.
You groan in her arms as you both hear Mario clanking pans to start breakfast. You pop your head up like a meerkat to take note of the surroundings. It's early. Dew still in the grass and an early morning fog over the lake. The light is dim, the sun not yet as awake as the occupants of your hammock.
âMorning Aleâ you croak, morning voice in full effect. You finally turn to her and your breath is nearly taken away by her beauty. Her face is open, hair bedridden and eyes bleary from sleep but smile tugging on her lips as she looks at you with that look.
âCĂłmo estĂĄs aĂşn mĂĄs hermosa por la maĂąana?â she asks, in a whisper trying not to break the silence of the morning, it just comes out of her mouth without thinking, and she canât stop it.
You freeze in her arms, and for a moment she tenses.
â...pardon?â you ask. Ale covers herself, âAh lo siento, I asked. Did you sleep well?â you hum in acknowledgement and she isnât sure what to make of the look that you sent her way.
âYes, very well thank you. At least youâre softer than the floor.â you joke, eyebrow arched.
âI am not soft!â she replies, affronted, âI am all muscle actually!â She sits up and begins to tense her biceps jokingly. This is the Ale that frightens you the most. Frightens you how deep your feelings will run. All jokes and soft edges and smiles. You need a moment.
âAlright alright superwoman. Go put the kettle on, will you? Iâm going to jump in the lake to wash off before your girls wake up.â and with that you lean out of the hammock and pull your shirt off as you go, leaving you in a sports bra and Alexia with her mouth hanging open.
Which is why, not 6 minutes later, Ona is awoken to the sound of her tent unzipping.
âLuciaâ she hears whisper-yelling, into the entrance of the tent. She freezes, sleep-addled mind confused⌠is that⌠Alexia?
âLucia!â more urgent this time. Ona rolls away from her girlfriend and sees Alexia's head popped through the tent. Looking around urgently.
âWhat do you want, Ale?â Ona groans. Her girlfriend is dead to the world, an atomic bomb wouldnât wake her up.
âI need Lucia!â
âWhat for. What has happened⌠it must be⌠6am?â Ona grabs for her watch, confirming her suspicions.Â
âSi, pero eso no importa, I need Lucia to translate for me.â
âYou speak better English than she does Spanish.â One is very very confused. âWhat needs translating?â
âI do not need English, I need British.â Ah. This is making sense now, The whole team had seen how love sick their capi had been over the mountain boss. It was unnerving for them, but all of them wish nothing but happiness for their well respected leader, still, itâs always fun to tease.
âAh, mi Capi. This has something to do with the jefe de montana, si?â a teasing smile enters her face, âpor favor, tell me, what's happened?â
Alexia looks frustrated, looking at something outside of the tent, but seems to accept her fate as she lets herself fall into the tent, practically on top of Ona, whilst holding a⌠kettle?
âShe asked me to put the kettle on. But Ona, I donât know what Iâm putting it on! Is it a special kettle? it doesn't do anything, look!â and with that the young defender gets a metal kettle thrust into her face as though it's a rubix cube that she has 30 seconds to solve
Her captain looks at her so urgently it would be sad if it wasnât so hilarious. Ona canât help herself as she bursts out laughing. All this does is further aggravate her captain.
âOh, olvĂdalo, idiota, voy a despertar a Kiera.â
âNo, No, No, lo siento mi Capi. You forget, I lived in England for years. She means for you to go boil the kettle. For hot drinks.â
Alexia looks at her dumbfounded, âthen why didnât she just say that!â
âI knowâ Ona looks at her with faux sympathy, as she passes the kettle back to her she looks so determined to complete the little task she's been set that offers her a lifeline.
âCapi, wait.â Alexia turns to look at her expectantly, âI have⌠experience? With the English.â her eyes dart to the lump that is Lucy sleeping beside her. Well Alexia canât argue that.
âMake her a Tea. Just trust me.â Ona continues, sagely, as though she had just passed on the wisdom of the universe.
Alexia looks at her, about to question untilâŚ
âTea? Someone's making tea?â Lucy grumbles, rolling over into Ona, seemingly awoken from her deep slumber like a dog who's just heard someone mention a walk.
Alexia doesnât have time to open her mouth when she hears from the next tent over where she saw Keira set up last night, a thick english accent,
âEy wait, Is someone brewing up?â
â-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Itâs half an hour later and, with intervention from Lucy when Alexia tried to rip open a tea bag into your cup, that you have a warm enamel mug shoved into your hands. Alexia looked at you as though she had just handed you a pot of gold, all shining eyes and happy smile.
You feel much fresher after your early morning dip, trail shorts and vest back on and in two loose plaits that fall down over your shoulders. You look at the mug curiously, before you take a heavenly sniff of the liquid inside.
You thank the blonde, bashfully, and canât help but place a grateful kiss on her cheek as you move past her. You pretend that your lips arenât on fire from the contact. For her sake you also pretend that you didnât see her stumble over a non-existent log at your action.
What you do miss though, is Ona sending her a wink, and the smug âi-told-you-so.â look at her face as she leans against her own girlfriend, who is happily drinking from her own mug.
You finish helping Mario make sure that all the girls are fed for the day before you stand in the middle of them and clap to gain their attention.
âAlright ladies! I hope you all slept well,- â a mumble of affirmation goes through the group,
âI think Ingrid did not sleep so well.â Pina shouts across the group, âSi,â Parti joins in, âDid you see a bear Ingrid? Just I heard you screa-â
A rock is then thrown at Patris head, âouch!â and you turn to see was directed by Mapi, Ingrid's face in a deep blush. The girls all burst into laughter.
God you were going to miss this group.
âOk, Ok, Ladies calm it down. So, we have a choice today. Last full day on the hike⌠if you want it to be.â a curious mumble goes through the group. âSi, so, when we plotted this route someoneâŚâ you eye your partner âfailed to mention that you are all literal athletes, so, weâre actually ahead of schedule, Iâve spoken to the bus company and if you want to then we can actually make it to the rendezvous spot today. It gives you a day back in Barcelona to yourselves before you start back at your trainiâŚ.â
âNo!â youâre interrupted as the group turns to Alexia who looks as though youâve just asked her to never kick a ball again.
She takes a moment and realises that she's on her feet in front of the group, half of which are looking at her as though she's lost her mind, and the other half are looking at her with wry grins like they know exactly what's going on.Â
âI mean, we should not. We need to bond. As a team. Si?â she asks the group âThat is why we are here, and we should do that. Yes.â She looks at her teammates determinedly, nodding, as though daring anyone to question her.Â
âBut, Ale, you said that you hateââ, you see why Alexia is the best football player on the planet as you witness the speed in which she moves over to Jana and covers her entire face with her hand, stopping her words.
âNo Jana, shhh pequeĂąo. You look unwell. Are you feeling okay?â All Jana can do is nod under her giant hand as Mapi sniggers behind hers.
Okay, maybe you wouldnât miss this group too much. They can be a bit weird. But you pretend that you donât put more enthusiasm into your next sentence.
âOr, we can take the long way round to the rendezvous point, weâll get some great views of the lake from that ridge over thereâ you point upwards and 23 eyes follow your movement, âset up camp for one more night, me and Mario can set up a Bonfire for our last night, yes?â he nods, âand then back to the bus in the morning if we would prefer?â
âSi, That we would prefer!â Alexia answers for the whole group, though the enthusiastic nods behind her assure you that they agree with her.
âOkay then, let's pack up campers, we'll have some elevation gains today!â you smile, clapping your hands together and a groan settles through the group as you move to pack up the breakfast items you hear Mapi and Alexia talking,
âTodos estamos haciendo esto por ti y por tu capitĂĄn de vida amorosa, recuĂŠrdalo el dĂa del entrenamiento en circuito.â
Alexia responds in a tone you haven't heard from her before, âLo sĂŠ, gracias Mapi. Simplemente no estoy listo para decir adiĂłs todavĂa, ella es especialâ she looks direct at you as she responds, no attempt to hide her spanish words, and the intensity of her gaze makes you look away.
â--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All you wanted to do was a repeat of yesterday, hang at the back of the group and walk with Alexia. Maybe let your hand brush against hers a few times more than necessary and learn all about her life in Barca.
But, you were the best guide on this side of Europe for a reason. And you think Mario would push you off the mountain if you left him to do it again, even if he tells you he wouldnât, you still felt bad about yesterday.Â
So today, you found yourself at the front of the group. Weirdly, Alexia by your side with a few of the older girls, as well as Jana and Vicky who were hanging off Alexia's every word. It was cute, watching her with them.
Whatever fatigue she was suffering from yesterday which slowed her down so much seemed to have lifted, as her strong legs carried her with the rest of the group upwards. The elevation not bothering any of the women.
You were just hanging back with Mapi and Ingrid for a moment. Mapis backpack was bothering her, probably on account of her trying to carry all of Ingrids kit, you were teasing her as you helped to re-adjust the weight as Mapi was grumbling about how she definitely was strong enough to carry two sleeping bags, a tent as well as two sets of clothing whilst Ingrid was literally carrying a pillow, when the hair on the back of your neck stood up.
Something didnât feel right, you looked up and could still see the front of the group, Alexia and Vicky chatting, going off Aleixas hand movements there was some deep football discussion going on.
You take stock of everything around you. In order to be in your line of work you needed to be aware of all of your senses, if one failed, another would pick it up, a smell in the air brought your attention and you turned to see droppings just off the trail. A large amount of droppings, and, oh no, green. You turned again and saw a tree bark torn up further away from the trail.
Fuck.
Bear droppings are green and quickly turn black as they oxidise, bears tear up trees and rocks as they pass through an area. These droppings were fresh, very fresh.
That, tied with your fantastic intuition, made you nervous.
The group had continued onward as you took stock and Alexia and Vicky had turned a corner just up the trail. You quickly help Mapi back into her backpack and move through the group quickly, making your way to the front.
âDetener!â you shout, wanting Alexia and Vicky in your sights. You turn the corner and your shout has caught their attention as they are both frozen, looking at you expectantly.
What they fail to notice, however, is a bear on the trail in front of them, not 20 metres away.
Itâs a young bear, that you can tell, which is good because of its size, but the worst possible situation because young bears, like humans, are stupid.Â
They are curious, they donât see you as a threat, but if there is a bear this young here, there will be a mother bear somewhere around which you definitely do not want to be on the wrong side of.
You need to separate your group from this bear as quickly as possible. But without freaking them out.
âAlexia, walk towards me.â you instruct, seriously, arm out reaching towards the two girls, whilst you hold your other arm out behind you. Stopping the rest of the group before they can move forwards.
âWhatâs the matteâ oh meirdaâŚâ Alexia has turned and seen what's on the path in front of her. Her back immediately straightens and grabs Vicky to pull her behind her. You hate the quick movement that they make as you inwardly cringe at their actions.
âAlexia, stay calm.â you slowly move towards them, âdo not make any quick movements.â you donât receive any sort of affirmation as both girls seem to be frozen in place.
âNo te muevas rĂĄpidamente, no corras. Caminar hacia atrĂĄs lentamenteâ your use of spanish seems to get through the fear as you see Alexias feet start to scramble backwards, pushing Vicky behind her, who remains shielded behind her back.
You move forwards, slowly, arms still raised and as soon as in touching distance, pull Alexia behind your back. You canât see her face as you refuse to move your eyes from the threat in front of you, but you can feel the terror running through her body.
Meanwhile, the bear is having a great old time, sniffing around and pawing at the ground. Heâs stopped on the trail and is looking at you, curiously, as he starts to move towards you, you hear a yelp of terror from one of the girls behind you.
Usually, you know, to make yourself big and back up as slowly as possible, but youâre in a group of 23 novice hikers, and you knew you had to get this threat away as quickly as possible.
So instead, you make yourself big, you raise your arms in the air and start to move forward. You feel a tug on the back of your shirt and a frightened whimper from the tall blonde who seems to have grasped onto your shirt.
You take a big stride forwards as you move a hand back to untangle Alexia's grasp from your shirt.
âOYE, OSO. LO SIENTO AMIGO, TINES QUE MOVERTE!â you continue to move forward and wave your hands around. The bear cocks his head at you, curiously, youâre still moving closer and an alarm is going off in your mind, heâs gotta start moving or youâre going to be too close for comfortâŚ
âSEGUIR. IRSEâ you clap your hands together sharply, and that seems to frighten the curiosity from the young bear, who quickly scurries off the path and deep into the bush on your right hand side.Â
The silence of the moment is suffocating. You take a moment and breathe some deep breaths. Filling your lungs and slowly releasing it. Once you feel your heartbeat settle down you turn on your heel and open your eyes to face the group behind you.
There, you are faced with 23 shell shocked faces. Mouths comically dropped as they all stare at you in awe.
The silence is interrupted as Mario catches up to the group, singing under his breath, you see his head pop up from the back of the group and an innocent smile on his face, âHey chicas? What did I miss?â
â------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Â
â...And then El jefe de la montaĂąa practically tackled this enormous bear that was virtually salivating at the thought of eating Ales pert butt as a light snack!â
Mapi dramatically, and incorrectly recites her version of events for what feels like the 5th time for the rest of the group who were hanging back with Mario during the excitement of the day.
The whole group sat together at the bonfire that you and Mario had erected, youâd gone the whole hog and dragged logs over to create a circle around the fire. Youâd cracked out the marshmallows youâd been hiding deep in your backpack and you and the girls had had an evening of jokes, stories and, after Matio whipped his ukulele out again, songs.Â
Youâre sitting with Ingrid and you miss the warmth at your side that had been present over the last two days. Alexia is sat with Vicky, and, whilst sheâs been nothing but pleasant to you since the incident this afternoon, you feel like a barrier has come up between you.
You try to not overthink the situation, who are you anyway? She's Alexia Putellas, and, over the last 3 days you've learnt that that's a big deal. Of course she isnât interested in you. God. You need to be a professional. You try to stay in the moment and stop your mind from running away. You feel the heat from the fire on your face as you close your eyes.
â... and how did you learn to do that?â you hear, and as Ingrid nudges your side, you realise Mapis question was aimed at you.
You open your eyes and see the attention of the group on you. There may be an entire football team's eyes on you but you canât help but zone in on a certain set of hazel eyes which bore directly into your soul.
âI told you, Iâve been on the wrong end of a bear in my time.â you try to joke, pointing at the scar again running down your leg, and you get a few chuckles, but you note, Alexia's face remains stoic, and her frown deepens at your words.
âWhat happened?â Vicky asks, next to her. She receives a light slap to the head from her captain, âAye, donât be rude pequeĂąo.â
âI donât mind Ale.â you say, heart warming at Alexias protectiveness, âwell, little football superstarâ you address Vicky, âI was on a 6 month trek through the Andeas, we wanted to see if we could find any further remains from the Incas. We did by the way. Anyway, I was young, and stupid and we hadnât stored our food safely, which, youâll note, me and Mario have done today.â you reach across and give your partner a fist bump, âa mother bear wandered into our camp whilst I was alone. I was an idiot and got between her and an open packet of cheetos.â
âCheetos!â Vicky asks, incredulously.
âYes! Turns out they love those cheesy snacksâ you wink at her, âshe attacked and luckily, my camp leader was just coming back and managed to deploy his bear spray just as she managed to take a good swipe at my calf. I was lucky. But it wasnât her fault. I was in her land and didnât protect myself properly.â
Vicky waxes lyrical about your story for a while, asking you a million and one questions. The conversation across the campfire moves onto the upcoming season for the team as you and Mario start to set camp up for the night around them.
âHey, Al, Me and Ing are heading to bed, I promise weâll behave tonight, but I canât promise I wonât cuddle you.â you hear Mapi address to Alexia,
âGreat, look forward to itâ Alexia replied sarcastically. Mapis retreat to bed seems to have set off a chain reaction amongst the team who all start to say their goodnights.
You canât pretend that you arenât upset that you wonât have a repeat of last night in your hammock. The sadness swirls in your stomach, but you remind yourself that the whole thing seemed to be a fantasy youâd made up in your mind.Â
You look up to the sky and with your head torch can see that it seems to have darkened somewhat. You move away from camp and string a rope above your hammock, you throw over a tarpaulin which covers your hammock and protects you from any rain.
As you move back to the fire you decide youâll wait it out instead of throwing water on to drown the fire. You have some excess energy from the excitement of the day and you know youâll just lie awake in your hammock anyway. As Mario squeezes your shoulder in goodnight you notice that Alexia seems to be hanging around the edge of the circle.Â
âNight Ale.â you say, kindly. Itâs not her fault you have a massive unrequited crush on her.
You donât know her well but she seemsâŚnervous? Hands playing with themselves and feet unable to stay still.
âNig⌠actually⌠Can we talk?â she asks, chin turning upwards and vulnerability showing on her face.
You nod and you are surprised when she sits next to you and asks, âwhy do you still do it?â
You look at her, curiously, she is so beautiful. Sharp angles of her face illuminated by the dying embers, perfect lips, the arch of her nose. She takes your breath away. You have a question in your eyes.
âThis. As a job. You got hurtâŚâ her hand moves, and god it's only been a few hours but you feel like youâve been touch starved for years, as she lightly traces the scar on your calf. Leaving behind a wake of goosebumps. âYouâre so braveâŚâ
Maybe it's her touch that makes gives you the confidence but you dont think before you reply,
âI could ask you the same thing.â She has a question in her eyes now, so you repeat her action, hand moving to touch her knee where you can see the surgery scars that pull tight against her skin.
You feel her take in a breath and you think you may have overstepped until she takes your hand in her large one, keeping your hand resting on her knee.
You look into the fire as you continue; âI love my job. I canât imagine my life without it. It gives me air in my lungs. It's my reason to live. And yeah. I got hurt. I've been hurt before and Iâll be hurt again.â Alexia squeezes your hand at that, âbut that's why we do what we love, isnât it? Youâre so brave every time you step out onto a pitch againâ you direct your question to her, âwe learn from our mistakes, come back stronger from our injuries, not just in our skills but as people? No?âÂ
There's that look again, those open eyes, that expression you canât place.
âFootball is the same for you Ale. I can tell. When you talk about it. Think of that feeling you get. That's why I carry on. I love it, and it wasnât that bears fault I got hurt, It was mine. Just as it wasnât the rocks fault as I slipped 200 feet down Mt Kilimanjaro. Theyâre all lessons on how to adapt, on how to come back stronger.â
She nods, a look of understanding in her eyes and turns her gaze towards the fire. But doesnât let go of your hand.Â
You don't know what Alexia is thinking. You don't know that she feels like every word out of your mouth feels like you've plucked it straight from her heart. You're deep. She feels like finally someone gets her.
âYou spoke Spanish today.â she lets out into the silence.
Ah, you think, she hadnât missed it like you thought that she may have done in the heat of the moment. And, as usual, you try to break the tension with a joke.
âHe was a Spanish bear. I wanted him to understand me.â
Alexia doesn't laugh but instead turns to you again, âI feel stupid.âÂ
There's that vulnerability again.
âNo. Never feel stupid Alexia, you are the most intelligent person I have ever met.â you reply, instantly, and turn your body to hers,
âYou didnât tell me that you spoke spanish⌠everything I have saidâŚâ
âI meant to! Honestly I did, I mean I told you I lived in Peru for two years.â she raises her eyebrow at you⌠âAle they speak Spanish in Peru.â âOh.â
Her eyes drop down to the floor and you canât physically allow that look of sadness to sit on her face for a moment longer.
âI think youâre more beautiful in the mornings too.â you whisper, the only noise around you the crackling of the drying embers around you.
Alexia looks up at this, eyes somewhat, hopeful? And it's that look that gives you the belief that maybe maybe she feels the same way?
âSi? Even though you made me smell like garlic?â she asks, before the syllable is even out of her mouth you reply. âSi, tan hermoso. Aunque tal vez sea mĂĄs hermoso ahora con la luz del fuego.â
You stood in front of a bear today.
But the scariest moment of your day is as you move your head towards hers, slowly, more frightened of this rejection than any wild animal.
You look deeply into her eyes and the permission you seek is gained there, she gives you a small nod as she closes the distance between you both. Her lips finally meet yours in a gentle and sweet kiss.
It's like fireworks have gone off in your stomach.Â
Your mouth tingles where it presses against hers, your lips softly encase her lower lip and you hear her squeak of satisfaction which is the cutest fucking thing you have ever heard in your life.
You kiss as though you have all the time in the world. It is gentle and slow. Until it is not. And then you kiss like a pair of horny teenagers as it deepens and you groan into her mouth as her tongue seeks permission in yours.
You would have continued all night had mother nature not intervened.Â
Youâre good with your senses and you hear the fizz of the fire going out before you feel the drops of rain on your skin. You pause your movements and look deep into Alexia's eyes.
âY hueles deliciosaâ you whisper, enjoying the way her eyes crinkle as you make her laugh.
âWill you sleep with me?â you ask, her eyes widen in panic at your question and it takes your lust-addled brain a moment to catch up, âwait. No! No Lo siento, no soy un asqueroso! I mean. Will you stay with me tonight in my hammock? No funny business, I promise!â.Â
Your hands move off the taller girls hips where they seem to have found themselves as she settled onto your lap, and you hold them high in surrender.
Alexia saw you face a bear today.
And the look on your face now is more panicked than it was then.Â
She smiles at you, god she has it bad she thinks.
âSi, I will, and⌠maybe some funny business?â
Youâre lucky that your bark of laughter doesnât wake up any of your campmates.
Content that the rain which is now falling more heavily will take care of the fire, you rush the blonde to your hammock, lifting the tarpaulin above her head so she could duck down and she settles herself into the material like a seasoned pro.
You open up your sleeping bag and turn it into a blanket which will cover you both as she opens up her arms and you settle into them. Itâs pitch black in the tent and you feel as though your other senses are working to make up for it. The rain patters against the plastic sheet above you and you enjoy the sound as you enjoy the warmth beneath you, the hammock still swaying gently.
You shuffle in the blondes hold, moving so that you can lie stomach to stomach. Your face close to hers, you exchange gentle kisses and enjoy the feeling of her hands on your back as you gently scratch against her scalp.
Your head on her chest as sleep starts to take you, still enjoying the heat of her body and the ministrations of her hands which have moved beneath your t-shirt.
âMaybe the outdoors isnât so bad.â you hear her whisper as sleep takes hold.Â
â----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Life is funny sometimes.
You think to yourself.
You think about how you got here.
Not 24 hours ago stood in Arles, a minibus packed with footballers in front of you, and, in most cases, gawking at you, faces pushed against the windows, comically, as Ingrid moved through the inside of the bus, slapping heads and pulling them back into their seats.
Youâd held Alexia's hands. Youâd followed her lead this morning and since you both woke up and made breakfast at the campfire, she hadnât stopped being affectionate, seemingly, no hint of hiding her affections from her teammates.
Sheâd hung behind with you and helped you pack up camp, as you both spent what you thought potentially was your last morning together.
It was light, you both had laughed easily and teased each other relentlessly.
Until that moment, when reality struck. You, due to fly back home to England in a few hours, and Alexia, about to board a bus which would take her miles away from you.
Youâd already scribbled your number onto a trail mix wrapper and secured it into her hand. She had promised to message as soon as she could and you had promised to keep in touch, trying to keep the tears that teased your eyes at bay as you settled your face into her warm palm.Â
But it hadnât felt right.
It wasnât fair. It was too soon. This had felt too right.
So you hadnât been able to control yourself, as you faced her back as she boarded the bus when you asked; âHey, Ale?â sheâd turned and you knew you hadnât misplaced that look of hope in her eyes, âHave you ever been to an 82nd birthday party?â
The grin that overtook her face could only be matched by yours.
So here you now found yourself. Standing in your nanâs garden under a gazebo as the English rain lightly drizzled, only 2 hours fashionably late for the event you actually arrived back in England for 4 days ago.
As your brother had opened the door earlier, you laughed at the shock on his face when he took Alexia in. All blonde, lean and mediterranean and very out of place in the middle of the drizzle of the English lake district.
Your whole extended family had popped up behind your brother, smiles and coy grins on their faces. Your mum broke the stunned silence at your arrival, more specifically, at the blonde by your side.
âIâll put the kettle on.â
Alexia's face broke out into a huge grin that literally warmed your heart.
âI know how to do that!â she had replied, excitedly, her spanish accent thick.
Well, maybe not that out of place.
fin. Â
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How it Should Be | Captain John Price
John, your husband of nine years - coming up on the big decade - who still grows pink in the face when you tap his arse and call him handsome.
He just can't quite believe it.
He knows he must be somewhat attractive because he landed you - and by God that was not an easy feat, concealing how ardently he pined for you in that dimly-lit Spoons in the centre of Hereford - despite how your brother, who joined you every time because it was the only way you could ever see John, and vice versa - had been his friend since John was twenty-five and your brother, twenty-two; he worked at the classic car garage in Leominster that John frequented to keep mint his Ford Cortina - but regardless of all of the strife he underwent to secure you as his beloved wife, he still finds himself biting back a form of childish embarrassment that forces his bottom lip between his teeth as you profess over a glass of wine just how gorgeous he is, right now, in his underwear, sipping that pitcher of beer because he ran out of Scotch.
In every other respect, he's the most stoic man you've ever met. But if you ever catch him in the kitchen, the bedroom, the bathroom, even outside in the garden and coo extravagantly about how stunning he looks, whether he be elbow-deep in grease doing the dishes, fixing his belt around his jeans early in the morning, grooming his beard before the mirror or de-weeding the patio outside, he will undoubtedly become bashful to the extent of personal ridicule, rolling his eyes or slamming his palm on the sink to exclaim that he is not, in fact, as 'beautiful' as you seem to think he is.
It's only partly a joke, but the majority of one of those parts leans towards the serious truth, which is most disconcerting, and half the reason why you spend so much of your precious time trying to convince him that he is, in fact, the most beautiful, gorgeous, stunning, handsome man you've ever laid eyes upon.
And, yes, you may be biased, because you get this one all to yourself, and no other woman can say they frequently bed a man who puts as much effort into pistoning his cock deep within you or tongueing you until you're bone-dry in thirty-Celsius weather as he does - even if the sweat on the bedsheets is beginning to pool at an alarming rate - simply because he wants you to feel loved, irreverent of his own comfort.
Oftentimes, as he is, said, knee-deep within you, you'll take him by the scalp and guide him to your neck, urging him to press his weight against you - exactly as you know he loves - just so you have him in lock and key, knowing he's unable to go anywhere until he cums, and you can - finally - whine into his neck about how handsome he is, and watch as he can do nothing but soak it in, too busy panting, grunting and blushing to respond. His face, his body, his voice, his personality, his tact, his pubic hair rutting against your clit - his everything. It's all perfect. And you'd sooner die than live in a world where he doesn't believe so.
It's why you've since taken your dedication to greater heights, explicitly professing your love for your husband in front of his boys whenever they come around, so John (and them) can see it isn't just an elaborate plot to ensure he puts his empty cereal bowl away in the dishwasher as soon as he finishes his breakfast in the morning, or to get him to wipe the crumbs from the toaster when the crumb tray gets too full, or clean the cigar ash from the ashtray on the dining room table - that he says he'll 'get round to' after he finishes his mountain of paperwork, which you know is false because it would take him weeks to climb.
It's really to make way for a kiss and a ruffle of his hair here, a hug and a grope of his butt there - just enough to let him know that, regardless of company, you think he's the most irresistible hunk of man in the room.
And, sure, the first few times are a little awkward for all of you, the boys included, as they feel they've encroached on something that best be left behind closed doors, but Kyle and Johnny - never Simon - swiftly come around to the notion that you showing your affection openly to John is a wondrous thing (Kyle truly thought, prior to then, that there might have been marrital troubles; he'd never even seen you two so much as kiss) and Johnny goes so far, himself, as to 'awh', whenever you peck John's lips, pinch his beard and call him 'cute', even if Johnny does get a sturdy bollocking from your husband back at base - it's oh-so worth it to see his Captain still madly in love after nine (almost ten) years of marriage!
And it feels like you've carried to full-term and subsequently birthed a healthy baby when you wake up to the sound of gushing water from the bathroom, to see John pat beard oil into his facial hair, stop, assess himself in the mirror, then mutter 'yeah, not bad', because Christ, it'd finally paid off.
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Break Through, Break Down / Act III
Trafalgar Law x Fem!Reader Summary: When your captain, Luffy, tells you to run from Bartholomew Kuma on the Sabaody Archipelago instead of fighting, you end up on a submarine. Takes place post-time skip. W/C: 20k C/W: Fic structure: Sabaody Archipelago â Zou spoilers, canon timeline but majority canon-divergent events, she/her pronouns, no use of y/n. Content: anxiety, descriptions of injuries, blood, mentions of torture and violence, mentions of past trauma (Law), Doflamingo.
Labyrinth Series Masterlist
â Scene 1 ��
You need to get to Sabaody.Â
You donât know how because Law sure as hell isnât going back to Paradise, not when everything is going to plan. But it must be done; you must be at Sabaody Archipelago in a month. Everything youâve done to get stronger has been to meet your family back on Sabaody.Â
You feel like youâve betrayed the Straw Hats by going to the New World before them. That was the plan after all, but you got so caught up with the Heart Pirates and helping Law that the thought of meeting Luffy at Sabaody had slipped your mind. You scolded yourself every day for it.Â
Law achieved Warlord status, and as you watch him say farewell to Bepo, Penguin, Shachi, and the rest of the crew, you mull over how much youâve fucked up the original plan.Â
Itâs been a year and a half since Law presented the ninety-eight pirate hearts he collected on Hachinosu and the two single hearts, one from Seamus Wells and the other from the noble on the passenger ship before the Navy Headquarters. He wore his usual smirk and callous facade while the rest of you stood on the deck of the Polar Tang with guns pointed at you from every angle. From what you remember, the Marines looked mortified, some sick, and others confusedâyou were used to it at that point, wearing a bored expression while Law went inside the complex to talk with someone higher up. Your anxiety that day spread like wildfire through your body, but you knew heâd get what he wanted.Â
Now, you stand before the Polar Tang on an island overrun with snow and ice on one side and fire and lava on the other. You wrap your arms around yourself, the thick jacket you wear doing nothing against the frigid wind of Punk Hazard. Law stands beside you with his jacket zipped up to his chin, his katana resting on his shoulder.Â
âBe careful!â Bepo yells, his paws covering his mouth to project his voice.Â
âWeâll be fine,â Law calls. âDonât do anything stupid.â
Penguin laughs before coughing, the winter air tightening his chest. âWhen are we ever stupid?âÂ
âBye!â Ikkaku yells, waving at you.Â
You smile and wave back. âBe safe!â
You have grown closer to Ikkaku during your time on the Polar Tang. She no longer regards you with disdain and is grateful for another woman on the sub. Itâs refreshing to have a female friendship againâand the thought makes the taste of Sabaody bitter in your mouth.Â
Law clicks his tongue and turns, making his way toward the giant laboratory in the mountains. You stand there, watching the Heart Pirates shut the door and descend back into the sea, embarking on their journey to Zou. You sigh deeply and pull the beanie further over your ears.Â
âCâmon!âÂ
You turn, your gaze remaining on when the submarine submerged. Though they arenât going in the direction you need to go, and somewhere deep in your soul, you wish you could persuade them to go back over Reverse Mountain to Sabaody.Â
Law calls your name, and you look toward him. His hand is outreached, and you rush over to him as quickly as possible in this weather and take it. You shake your head to rid your mind of the impossible.Â
âThis guy knows weâre coming, right?âÂ
He clears his throat. âHe knows Iâm coming.âÂ
âSo weâre not going to get attacked?âÂ
âShouldnât.âÂ
You roll your lips between your teeth and huddle closer to Law. Glancing up at him, the red tint to his cheeks is mainly from the icy wind, but you know itâs also because youâre holding his hand. You refrain from giggling, knowing heâd only scold you for such trivial things, but he knows you too well.
âYou better not be laughing at me.âÂ
You snort. âNever, my love.âÂ
Law rolls his eyes and says nothing, though he squeezes your gloved hand tighter.Â
âWhile weâre here, I need you to do something for me.âÂ
You nod with owlish eyes. âOf course.âÂ
âThereâs no doubt in my mind that Caesar Clown has this place on lockdown, with cameras and shit⌠So we need to do this here,â He pauses, looking toward the mountain. âI need you to keep my heart safe.âÂ
Furrowing your eyebrows, you stop, the snow squeaking under your feet. âWhy?â
Law senses your worried tone and faces you. âIâm going to give my âheartâ to them to prove my loyalty.âÂ
âYour âheartâ?âÂ
âI have an extra heart from Hachinosu,â Law says. âYouâre going to keep mine safe while I hand over this one.âÂ
You purse your lips, your own heart racing. âOkay. Right now?âÂ
âRight now,â He urges, lifting his hand to his chest. âI shouldâve done it on the sub, but I got sidetrackedâŚâÂ
You feel your cheeks warm at the connotation. âYeah, wellâŚâÂ
Law uses Scalpel, and a blue cube slides from his chest. âKeep it safe for me, sweetheart.âÂ
You open the flap of the bag you carry on your back and wrap it in a scarf crafted with Sew. âI have been for two years, havenât I?âÂ
He snorts and digs around inside his coat for the pirateâs heart. Law inhales sharply before inserting it into the empty slot, his face scrunching in agony. You place your hand on his.Â
âCareful,â You whisper, your gaze running over his face as his expression evens out.Â
âIâm good.â
You hum, swinging the backpack over your shoulder. The wind whistles through the barren land, and the laboratory looks further away than it did a second ago. âIf you could Shamble us up there right now, Iâd be eternally grateful.âÂ
Law gives a sidelong glance but flicks his fingers up anyway. âYouâre annoying.âÂ
âI love you,â You tease, leaning up and kissing his freezing cheek.Â
His gaze softens, and then youâre stumbling.Â
Before you can complain to him, Law is at the giant door, knocking. You donât think anyone will answer until it slides open and a cloud of gas emerges.Â
âCeasar.â
âTrafalgar Law,â The gas speaks before materialising into a figure. A ten-foot man with horns in a yellow stripy jumpsuit and a purple cape towers over you, and you let out a squeak of surprise. âWhoâs this?â
âMy assistant.âÂ
Caesar huffs and looks you up and down. âUgh, fine! Come with me. We have business to discuss before I let you roam around here⌠unsupervised.âÂ
You glance at Law, who looks straight ahead and follows the gas man inside. Thereâs a bad feeling swirling in your stomach, but you pay it no mind.Â
â Scene 2 â
The inside of the laboratory is unsettling, almost as much as the looming presence of Caesar as he watches over you. Law is elsewhere, performing his part of the contract, healing Caesarâs underlings while you stay in this room. You make no sudden movements and keep your breathing steady.Â
âSo, what do you do out here? On Punk Hazard?âÂ
Caesar narrows his eyes. âExperiments.âÂ
You nod, knowing you werenât getting more of an answer than that. âCool.âÂ
The scientist makes no sound, and you chew on your bottom lip.Â
âI couldâve sworn Iâve seen your face in the newspaper. Who are you again?â
You glance at Caesar, surprised he asked you a question but nervous about the former statement. âLawâs assistant.âÂ
âHuh,â Caesar mused. âMaybe Iâm thinking of the wrong personâŚâÂ
Your stomach flips, and before you comprehend the situation, Caesar has you hanging in the air by your throat.Â
âA Straw Hat,â He growls, his gas tightening around your neck. âTrafalgar Law brought a pirate into my laboratory.âÂ
You struggle to breathe and claw at the invisible hand. âNo, itâs not like that, please.âÂ
âLaw and I signed a contract,â Caesar says. âI donât remember seeing your name in there.âÂ
âIâm just here to learn,â You squeeze your eyes closed and squeak out the syllables.Â
âLearn about what?â
âCaesar.âÂ
The scientist freezes, his gas turning icy against your skin. âLawâŚâ
âPut her down. I wonât ask again.âÂ
You feel your feet hit the floor, and then you crumble. You inhale sharply, the oxygen burning your lungs as you gulp it down hungrily. Coughing, you rub at your chest. âAsshole.âÂ
âWhy did you bring a pirate here?âÂ
Law huffs harshly, glancing at you to see if youâre okay. When you are, he cocks his head at Caesar. âSheâs my assistant. If you have a problem with that, Iâll happily turn your underlings back as they were.âÂ
Caesar giggles nervously. âNo problems. None at all. Have you finished with them?âÂ
âYes.âÂ
And then Caesar flies from the room. Law rushes over to you and helps you stand, cursing under his breath.
âI shouldnât have left him alone with you.âÂ
You smile weakly, resting your palm on his cheek. âIâm fine.âÂ
âYouâre not,â He sits you down on the couch. âFuck.âÂ
He inspects your neck; his fingers light on your skin as he traces the blooming bruises, leaving goosebumps in his wake.Â
âWhat do we do now?â You ask, deflecting his attention. Lawâs gaze remains on your neck.
âWe lay low, try not to draw attention to ourselves while weâre here. I need to gain their trust.âÂ
â Scene 3 â
It's been a month since you and Law arrived at Punk Hazard, and itâs been nothing short of boring. But Sabaody never left your mind. The date of the meeting came and went, and you felt guilt deep in your stomach, the feeling making you sick. Thereâs nothing you could have said or done, though you know Law wanted you to be thereâheâd apologised every day, but it just wasnât possible.Â
Most days are the same: wake up, eat a meal of potato, rice, and curry, walk around the facility, eat another serving of potato, rice, and curry, and go to sleep. Itâs mundane, but Law ensures there is a means to the endâfind the SAD production room. Itâs why youâre required to wander around the facility all day to inspect the thousands of rooms and decipher which is the one to destroy.Â
Youâve had no luck so far; there are men in yellow suits in every direction who forbid you from going certain ways, but you arenât stupidâ you know the hallways lead to where you need to go. You just donât know how to go about it. Sure, you could use Seam, and your mind and ability have strengthened substantially since Hachinosu. Still, thereâs an unknown number of people in the facility, and anything above 300 souls would send you comatose. The limitation frustrates you.Â
Caesar and his underling, Monet, project clear disdain toward you, but itâs nothing you canât handle. The winged woman is eerie, always watching you, like she knows youâre being untruthful about your intentions. There are moments when youâre walking the corridors, and there are screams, child-like wails of terror and anguish that have your hair standing on end. You choose not to ask Caesar or Monet about it; that would be foolish. Law says heâs heard it too but doesnât know where itâs coming fromâthe cries echo like theyâre everywhere, with no one place to pinpoint them to. Itâs unsettling.Â
âLocated.âÂ
Law whispers it as he passes by you breezily. You gulp and suppress your relieved smile; the word brings you hope.Â
You know Caesarâs hazmat crew hovers over you, the surveillance snails monitoring your every movement, but you neglect to care when youâve just heard that youâll soon be leaving. You donât dare glance back at Law as he walks down the hallway you just came from and clench your fists tight to avoid doing so.Â
A faraway scream draws you from your daze, and when it continues, you look back at Law. Heâs at the end of the hall, stopped with his head tilted. You take a step, but a loud, echoing thump startles you.Â
âNavyâs here,â Law calls, and then he takes off down the hall toward Building A. You sigh, perplexed as to how he could know that. âCâmon.âÂ
Your heart races as you do, the winter boots you wear barely gripping the slick vinyl floors. As you catch up to Law, you notice heâs taken on a leisurely stroll.Â
âHow do you know the Navyâs here?â You raise an eyebrow. Law huffs a laugh and adjusts his katana on his shoulder.Â
âI heard chaos outside; looked in the surveillance room.âÂ
Your jaw drops. âHowâd you get in there?âÂ
Law doesnât respond since he knows you know the answer anyway. You give him a sidelong glance.Â
âIâve been trying to get in there for weeksâŚâ You mumble, pouting. âAnd all I had to do was ask you.âÂ
Law shrugs and takes the left hallway at the fork.Â
âWhy are the Navy here anyway?âÂ
âI donât know,â Law says, voice low. âBut I donât like it.âÂ
The knock is incessant, and it gets louder with each passing second.Â
When you get to the door, Law huffs with irritation. He presses a red button, and the thick sheet of metal slides open a few feet.Â
âTrafalgar Law.âÂ
You decide to hang back, not wanting to alert the Marines of your presence⌠besides, Law is a Warlord, and youâre not.Â
You recognise the Navy Vice Admiral when he speaks, his deep timbre annoyed. âTrafalgar Law.â
Law scoffs lightly. âWhat brings you to my vacation home?âÂ
You close your eyes at his quip, his body leaning carelessly against the wall. The wind whistles harshly, and the icy air nips at your ears. Itâs the only sound for a minute, the Navy seemingly shocked at Lawâs presence.Â
âTrafalgar! We understand youâre a Warlord, but we need to get past. Step aside!â The voice is familiar, and you comb through your memories to figure out who it belongs to. You faintly recall a woman with a sword, someone who Zoro complained about. âWe already know youâre not the only one on this island.âÂ
You bite your tongue. Thereâs no way she could know youâre here. Law narrows his eyes.Â
âWhat are you talking about?âÂ
Tashigi, you remember. Thatâs her name. When she doesnât answer, you dare a peek at her. She holds a Baby Transponder Snail in her hand, the gastropod warbling as it gains a signal.Â
âHello?ââ
Your heart stops.
âMy name is Monkey D. Luffy!â
You canât move, the icy wind blowing through the crack in the door almost tipping you over. Thereâs no way. You touch Lawâs back, begging to look at the snail closer.Â
But you physically deflate when the call goes on and realise itâs a recording.Â
âHe said cold and named the island,â Tashigiâs voice cuts off your daze. âGiven those facts, it's almost undeniable that the signal was sent from here.âÂ
Law remains silent.Â
âAnd youâve met Straw Hat before, havenât you?â Smoker asks, folding his arms over his chest. âYou helped him escape from Marineford.âÂ
You gulp and back away. If they knew you were hereâŚ
âAlright then, what now?â Law sighs. âI know you Marines are good at faking those distress signals.âÂ
Smoker raises an eyebrow, his cigar bobbing between his lips. âIf youâre insinuating that this is a trap we set, youâre wrong.â
âIs that so?â Law scoffs. âWell, I havenât got any information for you.âÂ
âYou and I both know thatâs bullshit,â Smoker growls. âNow, let us inside that lab.âÂ
âItâs my vacation home, thatâs all. Beat it,â Law says, his tone growing agitated. âThe Navy abandoned this place, so why does it matter if Iâm here? I see nobody else around.âÂ
Youâre on the verge of sprinting. The mention of Luffy and hearing his voice through the Snail has made you feel sick. You betrayed them, and now theyâre here? You donât think you can face them.
âAnd if Straw Hat does come knocking, Iâll behead him for you. Now, get lost.âÂ
You almost stumble and glare at the back of Lawâs headâempty threats.Â
Smoker and Tashigi say nothing, but they arenât leaving. You raise your hand, ready to send their souls to Seam, when thereâs a rumble behind you.Â
âWhaââ A collection of footsteps clamber down the stairs, and you furrow your brows, your heart clenching with fear. What is that?
Law looks at you, his eyes widening as he spots something you canât. You slowly turn, ignoring the chatter of confusion outside, and your jaw opens in both horror and shock.Â
There are childrenâtens of them, running toward you, all dressed in the same white gown. But what puzzles you more is that some of them are 4 times your height.Â
âWhat theâŚâ Law muses, his voice trailing off. Your chest heaves like your lungs are trying to increase the oxygen to your brain because⌠what are you looking at?
The voices that scream behind them cause a chill down your spine. âWe gotta get outta here!âÂ
âLook! Thereâs a door!âÂ
It canât be. You blink, tears pooling in your eyes.Â
Lawâs brows tug together as he tries to figure out what the hell is going on.Â
Before your eyes, a large raccoon dog throws itself past you, kicking the door wider. You recognise the hat instantly and feel your knees buckle. More people rush past, and youâre disoriented by the chaos around you.Â
âWoah! Itâs freezing out hereâŚâÂ
âNamiâŚâ You whisper with confusion. âNami!âÂ
You turn around to face the door, your hands clasped together on your chest. You hope youâre not mistaken.
Your name falls from her lips, and it's like the world is rewarding you for sticking it out and for surviving this long. She gasps, her familiar red hair a blur as she wraps her arms around you.Â
âNami,â You cry, pulling her tighter against you.Â
âWe thoughtââ
âI know,â Pulling your face back to explain yourself, Nami brushes stray hairs away from your eyes. âIâm so sorry I couldnât get to Sabaody. I was already here, andââ
âDonât apologise,â Nami exclaims, tears sliding down her cheeks. âIâm so happy to see you.âÂ
You frown, searching her eyes for any hint of a lieâyouâre sure theyâre upset and angry with you for not coming back when everyone else made the effort. But sheâs genuine; sheâs not mad.Â
Law stands awkwardly in the doorway, staring down Smoker as he grapples with the shock of seeing so many children burst from the laboratory. And as confused and irritated Law is at Caesar for keeping these kids hostage, he canât think about that when the Navy stands before him, ready to attack. Especially when youâre here, behind him, reuniting with your crew.Â
âHey, hey, hey, Franky the Tank!âÂ
A stunned laugh forces its way out of your chest, and you turn. Franky is coming toward you in a form you havenât seen, with two children and Sanji behind him. They donât seem to notice you and Nami yet, only the hoard of kids they saved.Â
âItâs the Straw HatsâŚâ You hear Tashigi call outside. Fear clings to you, and you shove Nami toward Franky and Sanji.Â
âGo!â You yell. Sanjiâs ears seem to perk up at the sound of your voice, and when he mumbles your name, heâs jumping off Franky and running.Â
Law grunts but is focused on the Marines. Sanji yells your name again, a broad grin on his mouth.Â
âMy sweet!â He brings you into a hug. âI thought I would never see you again, my love. Are you okay?âÂ
You leer and nod, your cheeks hurting when Chopper and Franky realise itâs you, too.Â
âIâm so sorry,â You repeat, taking advantage of the Navyâs shock to talk to your friends for a bit longer.
âLuffy told us everything,â Sanji reassures. âWeâre not mad at you. We could never be.âÂ
You purse your lips in an attempt to stop crying.Â
âA severed head?â A yell echoes through the wind, and you look at Franky, who holds one.Â
Youâre at a loss for words, and you donât think your heart can take this right now. Rationality takes over your emotions, and panic arises inside you. âYou have to go! The Navyâs here!â
âThe Navy?â Nami asks. The children are circled around Franky, who tries his best to distract them from the impending danger around them, face wet with tears from seeing you.Â
âIâll catch up,â You say, sniffling. âGo!âÂ
Chopper squeaks as he cries. ���I missed you.âÂ
Nami, after wiping her cheeks, grabs Chopper and Sanjiâs wrists. âSheâs right. We should go.âÂ
You inhale sharply, watching as your friends try and quickly maneuver the kids down the hallway you pointed to.Â
âHey, wait,â Nami squints in Law's direction. âWe know him.â
Chopper gasps. âYeah, we saw him in Sabaody. Whatâs his name again?âÂ
Then Namiâs expression turns into one of betrayal. âYou didnât kidnap these kids, did you?âÂ
You shake your head, upset sheâd even think of Law like that. But, then again, the only person who knows him is you.Â
âNo!â You plead. âThis is the first weâve seen of them.âÂ
Sanji makes a surprised sound that turns into a growl. âWhatâs he doing here?â
Everyoneâs attention turns to the Vice Admiral, who has moved back onto the snow.Â
âSmoker!â Sanji points at him. âAnd Tashigi! Looking goodâŚâ
Law rolls his eyes. âAre you gonna leave before they attack, or not?âÂ
âWe should go,â Chopper whines, tugging Namiâs arm. You look between your crew and the Navy, the tension in the air growing tenfold.Â
âQuick!â Sanji shouts. âWe canât get out this way. Go down that hallway!âÂ
The children start screaming while they run, following the direction Sanji pointed. Nami gives you one last smile before trailing after them, and soon, itâs just you and Law.Â
Law takes the stairs down the ice, and the Navy backs up as he does so. You follow close behind.Â
Your name falls from Smokerâs lips as a snarl. It seems heâs just noticed you. âYouâve caused us a lotta troubleâŚâÂ
Law guards your body with his own.Â
âSo there are others here!â Tashigi exclaims.Â
Law shrugs. âGuess so. Itâs a shock for me, too.âÂ
Without replying, Tashigi draws her sword. âMarines! Track down the Straw Hats!âÂ
Behind her, thereâs a collective yell, the men inching closer. You peek around Lawâs bicep, watching them.Â
âWait,â Smoker says sternly. âBack down.âÂ
But, before you or the Navy can comprehend the situation, Law sticks out his hand. âRoom.âÂ
You gape as a phantom wind pushes the Navy back, the blue dome hardly visible through the thick cloud. âLawâŚâ
He doesnât hear you. âAnd Takt.âÂ
Ice cracks beyond the cloud, and you step beside him. âSo, weâre doing this?âÂ
Law sighs. âThey wonât leaveâŚâÂ
Smoker and Tashigi look behind them, both frozen in place. Thereâs a large dark silhouette looming over the Marines. You tilt your head in wonder when you realise itâs their battleship.Â
âShit,â You murmur, glancing up at Law to see his eyes closed. âCarefulâŚâ
Law swallows, acknowledging your warning.Â
âI lied to you for your own good,â He calls to Smoker. âYou shouldâve listened. And now that youâve seen the truth⌠I canât let you leave.âÂ
The chatter of the Marines is almost deafening, and you wince.Â
âStay behind me,â Smoker growls to his subordinates. He draws the staff from his back and points it at Law. You narrow your eyes. How dare he wield that at him.Â
Beside you, Law reaches for his katana, pulling it from the scabbard. He smirks, his katana blade reflecting the glare of the snow.Â
It could be so easy for you to just send Smokerâs soul to Seam, to watch his body go limp, to defeat him. But, since he has a Logia-type Devil Fruit, itâs dangerous for you to do so.Â
âDonât get too close to him,â Law mumbles. âHe touches you with that stick of his, and itâs over.âÂ
âI know,â You sigh, matching Tashigiâs stance. âYou, too.âÂ
The battleship is suspended in the air above you, the hull of the ship to the sky. The ground shakes under your feet. Law changes his position, lowering his arm.Â
The Marines behind Smoker and Tashigi yell out, but you pay them no mind.Â
âThat was the Samurai,â Law mutters. You furrow your eyebrows and look up at him.Â
âWho?âÂ
âThe severed head.âÂ
âOh,â You frown, regretting not paying closer attention.Â
Lawâs free hand moves up again; this time, the debris from the battleship flies around, narrowly missing the Marines.Â
âGive the ship back,â Smoker deadpans.Â
Law smirks. âEh, fine. But let me make one adjustment.âÂ
Your lips form a straight line. âStop playing with them.âÂ
âYes, maâam.â And then he swings his katana upwards, the blade cutting the air. Thereâs a collective gasp, and then the ship splits into two, and the sound of wood cracking is deafening.Â
The two halves of the ship lower slowly, Law moving his finger down slightly to prompt the movement. He stares straight ahead, watching the Marines panic. You watch in awe as a giant iceberg levitates behind it, and Law quickly slashes his sword multiple times to cut the ice.Â
The chunks, plus the ship halves and the debris, start falling into the ground, sending the area into more chaos, the screams and shouts echoing far past the laboratory.Â
The inside of Room is a mess, like a snow globe just shaken.Â
âLetâs go, Admiral!â A voice bounces off the ice.
Law scoffs. âI donât think soâŚâ
You do nothing but admire the control Law has over the tonnes of wood and ice as they join together like magnets. It reminds you of a game you used to play as a child.Â
âHey! You work for the government too, Bud!âÂ
âWait until we tell HQ that you attacked us!â
Lawâs tongue pokes the inside of his cheek, a wry laugh leaving his throat. He flips the katana in his hand, pointing the blade to the ground. âScan.âÂ
He drags the blade perpendicular to the ground before propping it back up on his shoulder and closing his outstretched fist. You know the play; heâs done it hundreds of times before.Â
A collective thud sounds behind you, and you donât have to turn to know itâs the Marinesâ Baby Transponder Snails.Â
Thereâs a crazed look in Lawâs eye that excites you.Â
âWarlord or not, youâve gone too far,â Smoker says, his body turning to smoke around him. And then he takes off, speeding toward Law. Your gasp is smothered by the innate response to protect Law, your body throwing itself before him.Â
Law says nothing, knowing you hate when he intervenes.Â
âNeedles.âÂ
A large one materialises in your hand, and before Smoker reaches you, you swing it. Law jumps back, his katana out. He presses his back to yours, slashing the smoke that swirls around him. You work in tandem, cutting and slicing the air. You see Smokerâs top half in the sky, speaking to the Marines. Itâs your cue to elbow Law.Â
He faces them and swings the katana, cutting all of the Marines in half. They all scream, but you donât take your eyes off of Smoker. He lands in front of you.
âTrafalgar Law!â Tashigi yells, sprinting at him.Â
Smoker stands to his full height before you, noticing Tashigi. âStop! You canât win!â
She doesnât let up, positioning her sword beside her head. Tashigi jumps, her blade over her head, and she comes down on Law.Â
You take the opportunity to send the Marineâs souls to Seam, and the influx makes you lightheaded. They all slump, the halves of their bodies laying limply on the ice, and youâre grateful for the silence.Â
Swords clang, and you turn to see two halves of Tashigiâs sword fly through the air. They have yet to notice their Marines are unresponsive.Â
Smoker falters when he sees Tashigiâs torso slip off her hips, her legs remaining stuck in the ice.Â
The wind is the only sound; it blows harshly against your face and sneaks its way through your thick coat, chilling you to the bone. You see Law standing there through blurred vision, your eyes watering at the sting of the cold.Â
âWhy wonât you finish me? Trafalgar!âÂ
Law clicks his tongue. âWeaklings like you donât get to decide where you die.âÂ
The needle in your hand drops to the ground, and then Smoker staggers over to Tashigi, his voice tight and cautious. With the Marines quiet, thereâs nothing to be worried about.Â
Law stalks toward you, his hat-shrouded gaze darkening when he sees you shivering. Immediately, the wind stops. You inhale as he stands before you.Â
âYou couldâve done that before,â You say, noticing the wind blowing harder outside the small bubble around you.Â
Law shrugs. âWe need to get inside and figure out what the hell is going on.âÂ
You nod, swallowing thickly. âHow are they here?âÂ
âI don't know,â Law whispers, knowing youâre talking about the children. âBut Iâm gonna kick Caesarâs ass.âÂ
âLaw!âÂ
The Warlord sighs with something akin to defeat and turns. âWhat?âÂ
A cloud of smoke is heading straight for you, but Law quickly slashes it with his katana.Â
âYou may be a Warlord, but youâre still just a pirate,â Smoker grunts as he dodges Lawâs attack. âJust like her.âÂ
Another needle forms in your grasp, and you jump to the side to avoid Smokerâs staff, the end dangerously close to your shoulder. âShit.âÂ
The smoke cloud rises above you. Law is quick to swipe, but Smokerâs quicker. The katana clangs against the metal staff with a sharp zing; Law focuses on keeping the end of the staff away from you.Â
Smokerâs hand wielding the staff stays the same, and you donât realise the rest of his body turning to smoke. He rounds Law, and his other hand tightens around Lawâs neck.Â
You gasp, stabbing your needle into the space where Smokerâs body should be.Â
The Admiral materialises and uses his strength to slam Lawâs head into the ice. Law grunts and you arenât quick enough to react to how fast Smoker raises his staff and slams it into Lawâs face.
The impact is loud, but where you expect blood and flesh, thereâs only green wood.Â
âSea-prism stone, huh?âÂ
You spin, seeing Law with his katana ready. Smoker meets him halfway, the metal connecting again. Instead of staying there, the katana keeps going, the momentum too fast to slow, and the mountain of icebergs and battleship Law created before slices in half.Â
The Marines below are still in Seam, and you freeze at the realisationâtheyâre going to get crushed.Â
Youâre torn but ultimately choose to return their souls to their bodies. The cacophony of noise starts again, and the men flee with terror, confused about where they are.Â
They run out of Room, having figured out how to stay safe from Law. A lone Marine runs for Tashigi and picks her up, taking her with him.Â
Behind you, Law and Smoker keep fighting. Grunts and snarls combine with the ringing of metal on metal to create a symphony of a duel.Â
You watch the Marines leave, doing nothing to stop themâyour objective now is to find out why there were children inside the laboratory and how you didnât know after being here for a month. Where was Caesar hiding them? And for what reason? It sickens you.Â
Debris flies in Room; Lawâs ability is perfectly altered, so nothing hits you. A harsh call of your name causes you to spin.Â
Law stands behind a jagged piece of rock, Smokerâs body leaning over itâthe wild look in his eye returning.Â
âScalpel.âÂ
You run, feet slipping in the snow. With your hands outstretched, threads weave quickly to catch the heart that flies out of Smokerâs back. The Vice Admiral heaves, his body stuck in slow motion as he realises what happened. You know the look all too well.Â
You flick your finger to send his heart to Law, who catches it. Smoker falls to his knees, his cigars falling from between his teeth and extinguishing.Â
âYou can beg,â Law snarls. âBut I donât have to tell you a damn thing.âÂ
You wince when you round the rock as Smoker grunts and falls face-first into the snow.Â
âCâmon.âÂ
You trail behind Law before catching up to him. He holds Smokerâs heart in his palm.Â
âWe need to find Caesar,â You say, watching him shove the heart inside his coat. âCreepy bastard.âÂ
Lawâs jaw is set. âIâm gonna kill him.âÂ
You click your tongue. âYou told me I wasnât allowed to, so you canât. Not until the plan is done. We need him.âÂ
âIââ
âHey! Hello!âÂ
Your mouth opens slightly. âNoâŚâ
âWhatcha doinâ out here?âÂ
A smile breaks across your face, and you stop. Law keeps walking, only pausing because you do. âLuffy!âÂ
Lawâs eyes widen. âStraw Hat.âÂ
You laugh; itâs wild and full of joy. âLuffy!â
Your Captain cackles and screams your name. âHey!â
Thereâs a collective gasp, and then several heads peek out behind Brownbeardâs back: Robin, Zoro, Usopp, Brook.
You cover your mouth with your hand, the emotions youâve kept suppressed finally exploding when they all jump down and rush you.Â
Robin is the first to slam into you, her arms tight around your shoulders. âLook at you.âÂ
Tears stream down your cheeks, your cheeks hurting.Â
âHey, itâs my turn,â Zoro grumbles, waving Robin away before his arm circles your neck and pulls you into his shoulder.Â
âYo ho ho ho!â Brook laughs. âIsnât it nice to see youâŚâÂ
Usopp runs into the back of Zoro, his hands clutching the sleeves of your jacket. âYouâre here!âÂ
âI missed you guys,â You laugh.Â
âWe missed you!â Robin says, giggling behind her hand.Â
âGet off her,â Luffy yells. âMy turn!âÂ
Usopp and Zoro are yanked from your body, and you have half a mind to prepare for the impact of Luffy pulling you toward him with his rubber arms.Â
âIâm so happy youâre okay!â Luffy exclaims, wrapping his arms around you ten times.Â
You choke out a sob. âIâm happy you guys are okay. Iâm so sorry I couldnât meet you at Sabaody.âÂ
âDonât worry about it!â Usopp says. âThe only thing you missed on Fishman Island was Sanji bleeding out every 10 seconds.âÂ
You shake your head with disbelief. âWhy am I not surprised?â
You all laugh together before you notice the extra legs hanging off Luffyâs lower back. Your mouth opens to ask about it, but Zoro cuts you off.Â
âDonât ask. Itâs a long story.âÂ
You nod and point back at Law. âThatâs Law.â
âI know you,â Zoro eyes him suspiciously. âYou were at Sabaody.âÂ
Law doesnât acknowledge it; his attention is solely on you. He wonât admit it, but his chest is full of warmthâyour smile never fails to make him feel this way.Â
âThanks for helping me back at Marineford,â Luffy says, stopping his stride in front of Law.Â
Lawâs annoyed that Luffy pulled his focus away from you. âDonât mention it.â
âNami, Franky, Sanji, and Chopper were here before,â You say. âDid you get separated?âÂ
Robin furrows her eyebrows. âHere? Theyâre meant to be on the Sunny.âÂ
âIdiotsâŚâ
âOf course, they areâŚâ
âTheyâre here?âÂ
âHey, over there,â Usopp yells, his arm straight out. You turn, your attention diverted. âThereâs a Marine on the ground.âÂ
You look to where Usopp points. âThatâs Smokey.âÂ
Luffyâs ears perk up. âSmokey?âÂ
You gasp when you see Tashigi running straight for Law, tears on her face. âDamn you!â
The Marines follow close behind her, their expressions twisted with anger.Â
âReally?â Law sighs. âRoom.âÂ
He takes his katana and jabs the air several times, but itâs enough. âShambles.â
Tashigi stumbles, gripping her chest. The Vice Admiral and his Captain stay down, their bodies limp in the snow.Â
âAre they dead?â Zoro asks, his voice low. You shake your head.Â
âLuffy, we gotta go!â Usopp screams. âMarines, incoming!âÂ
âWait,â Your captain says, glancing at Law. âTraffyââ
âHead to the back of the lab. Youâll see what youâre looking for.â
Luffy nods and makes a sound of confirmation that he understands, and then he looks at you. âYou coming with?âÂ
Your eyes widen, your throat growing tight. âWhat?â
âAre you coming with us?â
Your crew is silent, the yells of the Marines inching closer with every second. âIâuh, Iââ
âNever mind!â Usopp cuts you off; his voice is full of panic. Brownbeard has already taken off with him and the others, leaving you and Luffy alone. âLuffy! Hurry up!âÂ
âIâll see you soon,â Luffy says, a smile on his face.Â
You donât return it and nod. âOkay.âÂ
Law stands in the doorway, eyes tracking Luffy as he enters the fog. You make it up the steps with a frown, noticing the heart in Lawâs grip. Smokerâs heart.Â
âCâmon,â Law turns, closing the door when youâre safely inside. âYou okay?âÂ
âI think so,â You wipe your forehead with the back of your hand. Law knows not to push further, to let you digest your emotions before he asks again. He gives you a sidelong glance when you fall into step beside him, concern swimming in his gaze.Â
âWhat now?â You ask, pulling the ends of the fingers of your gloves. You peel them off and shove them into your pocket.Â
âI need to speak to Caesar.âÂ
â Scene 4 â
âWhat have you done now, Law?â Caesar snaps. You hover behind Law, eyes darting around the room.Â
âNothing,â Law says nonchalantly. âI took care of it.âÂ
âWhy was the Navy here in the first place?â The scientist asks, eyeing Law suspiciously.Â
He shrugs, resting his ankle on his knee as he leans back on the couch. âDistress call, apparently.âÂ
Caesarâs gaze moves to you. âAre you distressed?âÂ
Law scoffs, clicking his fingers to divert the scientistâs attention from you to him. âNot from her. But perhaps from one of the tens of children youâve been keeping hereâŚâ
Monet makes a sound from the corner, her wings unfurling slightly. âWatch it.â
Caesarâs eyes widen. âYou didnât tell the Navy, did you?âÂ
âThey saw for themselves.â
âArgh! Get out,â Caesar growls. âI need to figure this out.âÂ
The door clicks behind you, and you bring the Earpiece Transponder Snail to your ear and adjust it.Â
âI shouldâve known youâd do this.âÂ
You wink at Law and press the top of the Snail. A crackling sound comes through the receiver. You planted a Black Transponder Snail under the couch Law was sitting on.Â
The call is outgoing, and you concentrate on the voices. One is Caesar, the other, youâve never heard. Itâs deep and jesty, the tone getting harsher with every request Caesar makes.Â
The call ends, and you relay it to Law when you walk down the hallway. A room moves with you, Law effectively removing all sound within the dome from the outside. Itâs helped you more times than you can count.Â
âHe says, âI can kill them all. The Straw Hats, the G-5 crew, and Firefox Kinâemon. Joker will ensure the losses are officially listed as sea accidents.âÂ
âJoker, huh?âÂ
Your eyebrows tug together. âWho is that?âÂ
âDoflamingo.âÂ
Men in yellow suits run past you, and you guess theyâre on their way to find your crew and the children.Â
âWhat?â Your voice is close to a growl, stopping abruptly. âThatâs who I heard⌠he sounds insane.âÂ
The voice on the Transponder Snail was bone-chilling.Â
Law doesnât look at you. âYou know he is.âÂ
When Law told you of his childhood a year ago, within the safety of his Room, you didnât realise just how evil Donquixote Doflamingo was. Law cut open his chest and bared himself to you, his voice raw and eyes glassy. He told you how he met Bepo, Penguin, and Shachi and found his crew. It ended with you in tears and Lawâs head in your neck, your fingers working out the tiny tangles in his hair. As he calmed down, you spoke of your childhoodâthe girl stuck in Seam, your parents, Luffy saving your island, and you joining his crew. The night was a dark one, one you donât wish to recall that often, but it was vulnerable, your souls intertwining with no way of undoing them. Youâve been attached at the hip since, challenging Bepoâs position as Lawâs favouriteâhe would never tell Bepo, but itâs you.Â
âWhat do we do?âÂ
âContinue with the plan.â
â Scene 5 â
Continuing with the plan went as you expected. Badly.
The sea prism chains around your body make you dizzy. They rub against your skin, leaving it raw. You curse whoever discovered the stone was harmful to Devil Fruit users.Â
Someone is talking, but you canât hear them, your head too full of cotton to comprehend anything. You know Law lies beside you, and Luffy is on the other side of him. Robin and Franky are to your left, and Smoker and Tashigi sit opposite them. The cell is small, from what you saw when your eyes opened for a moment before you fell back into the abyss.Â
With closed eyes, you groan, trying to shift your hip into a different positionâbeing like this is severely uncomfortable.Â
âYou shouldnât put your trust in others, Law,â Caesar taunts, and your eyes fly open. It doesnât make sense he would say that unprovoked unlessâ
âNo,â You gasp, wriggling on the spot, pushing your arms out to try and break the chains. âNo! Please!âÂ
Law turns to you quickly, seeing your panic-stricken expression. His eyes scan your body for any sign of injury, his heart racing at the possibility of you being hurt.
âI see your little assistant has figured it out, shurororo,â Caesar laughs. âIf youâre worried about your heart, Vergoâs taking good care of it.âÂ
Vergo. The name races through your mind; where had you heard that before?Â
The man stands behind the scientists on the other side of the wire, his grip around a blue cube holding a heart with an erratic heartbeat. But it canât be. It should be the heart of the pirate Law stole it from, not his actual heart.Â
But your disbelief is punctured when Law screams out in agony, his body writhing.Â
âIâm sorry,â You cry, watching Law squeeze his eyes shut. âPlease, stop.â
âI know youâre a rather shrewd man, but you never thought to worry about my secretary,â Caesar says, and you canât bear to look.Â
Itâs all your fault. âIâm sorry.â
He moans, his body slowly lengthening back to normal.Â
âItâs okay,â Law exhales, voice gravelly. âItâs not your fault.â
âAre you okay, Traffy?â
âWhatâs not her fault?â Robin pipes up, her head tilted.Â
You donât look at her; you focus solely on the man beside you. It's a silent conversation through your eyes, with a painful frown on your face.Â
Law glares at you through his lashes; the guilt of giving you the responsibility of his heart in the first place eats at him. âItâs not your fault. I asked you to.â
For someone wrapped in sea prism stone and having his heart in the enemyâs grip, Law is oddly energetic. You eye him suspiciously; indeed, if he did have a plan, heâd have told youâŚÂ
You shake your head, not hearing him.Â
âEnough domestics,â If looks could kill, Caesarâd be dead. âI thought Iâd found a friend in you, Law. Iâm disappointed.âÂ
The captain pauses the heaving of his chest, a smirk gracing his mouth. âSo, it was all her, huh? Fine, I can admit that I wasnât wary of her. That oneâs on me. I just didnât expect someone so smart to work for such a dumbass.âÂ
Caesar grunts, his fist swinging toward Lawâs heart again.Â
You shake your head, the adrenaline in your veins heightening as law keens over in pain again.Â
âYouâre amazing, Traffy,â Luffy says mindlessly. âHe has your heart, but youâre still alive. Cool!âÂ
Smoker scoffs from the corner. âPathetic⌠whatâd you do with mine?â
Caesar breaks your staring contest with the Admiral, giggling as he raises another blue cube. âYou mean this? Shurororo.âÂ
Smoker makes a disgruntled sound. âYou son of aââ
âUh uh,â The scientist smiles. âWhoâs in control right now?â
âMaster,â Monet appears behind him, and you jolt against the chains. You bare your teeth at her, pure rage coursing through you at the sight of her. She mustâve searched your unconscious body for Lawâs heart since you never parted with it. The thought makes you shiver. âThe feedâs ready.âÂ
A large white sheet dispenses from the ceiling, and a bright visual of outside the laboratory flashes on the screen. Thereâs a large blue-striped candy positioned in the middle.Â
Caesar holds a device in his hand that you assume is connected to a monstrous number of Transponder Snails. âThis is Smiley!â
You furrow your eyebrows, seeing a giant magenta slime ball moving feverishly in the snow.Â
âHeâs a living incarnation of the toxic H2S gas that destroyed this island four years ago!âÂ
A memory flashes in your mind; you sit in Lawâs office on the Polar Tang, looking over photos in a book.Â
âTwo years ago, when Vegapunk was using the island, the island exploded when one of his scientists threw a fit with his Devil Fruit, rendering it uninhabitableâŚâ
You gasp, using the limited movement of your hand to hit Lawâs bicep. He nods, knowing what youâve just realised.Â
âThat was the problem with my last test,â Caesar continues. âThey were saturated with the deadly gas, but they were still able to evacuate. Boring! Disappointing! So I made a new one!âÂ
You cringe and look at Robin, whose usually stoic expression is slightly twisted.Â
âThe candy here boosts his poisonous composition, making him one hundred times more deadly, shurororo!â
âThis is bad,â Tashigi mumbles; itâs the first time you���ve heard her speak since youâve been awake.Â
âNow, let the party begin!âÂ
On the screen, the slimy ball erupts; its face starts melting down, and the bottom of it turns gaseous. Hundreds of people are outside the lab, their bodies like ants on the video feed.Â
You watch as the gas swallows them, and when thereâs no movement from beyond the purple clouds, you balk.Â
âThis is crazy,â Smoker mumbles.Â
âEveryone out there,â Luffy says. âTheyâre all going to die.âÂ
The cage jolts and creaks. Your body sways with the movement. âWhatâs happening?âÂ
âShurororororo. Have fun!â
Thereâs a crack and metal on metal behind you, and then the cage swings backward. An icy wind hits you, and snow immediately starts pelting the cell.Â
âFucking hell,â Smoker grumbles as the cage starts rising. The swaying isnât doing you any good, the ground getting further and further away. Â
Luffy shivers, his teeth chattering. âIâm gonna be sick.â
âNo, youâre not,â Robin says. âEnjoy the ride.âÂ
You feel the cage rock, but being suspended this high isnât as scary as the impending gas.
The sudden commotion of cheering has you paying attention to the ground. There are hundreds of Marines surrounding the cage, and Tashigi gasps, throwing herself against the wall of the cell.Â
The cage lowers, and the chains holding it creak under its weight.Â
âNoâŚâ She whimpers, her eyes wide as she looks up. Above you, the purple gas looms. It moves fast and isnât showing any signs of slowing.Â
âI gotta say,â Franky chimes in, making you blink out of your stupor. âThey really built this lab as a fortress, huh?â
Robin shrugs a shoulder. âVery true.â
Tashigi makes a sound of indignation. âHow are you two so calm right now?â
âYeah,â Luffy ponders. âHow are we getting outta this?â
Law sighs, and your attention falls on him. He definitely has a plan he didnât tell you about, and youâre secretly seething about it. âI wasnât expecting Vergo, but no matter. Straw Hat, weâre sticking with the plan.âÂ
You scoff in surprise. âWhat plan?âÂ
Robin and Franky smile smugly beside you, and you suddenly feel like an outsider.Â
âTime for the counterattack.âÂ
Luffy leers, his expression turning to one of mischief.
You shake your head. âSo everyone knows about this plan but me?âÂ
âI didn't know,â Tashigi offers, but you huff with frustration.Â
You wonât ask Law here, but the idea that you werenât included stings. He gives you an apologetic look, but you remain deadpan.Â
âWe need to speed this up,â Law says. âIf anyone can burn things, now would be the time to say it.âÂ
âFranky can burn things!â Luffy laughs. âHeâs got laser beams, too!âÂ
âCan you set fire to that Navy ship down there?âÂ
âHuh? You mean half a Navy ship?â
âWhatever,â Law mutters. âYeah.â
âSweet. Sit back and be impressed, ladies,â Franky jumps to his feet and leans back. You roll your eyes but do so anyway, the back of your head thumping against the metal. âFireball!âÂ
The heat speeds past you, warming you briefly before the cold seeps back in. Marines scream as the Navy ship behind them goes up in flames.
The smoke suffocates your lungs, and you cough, the air burning your throat. The air eventually clears, and Franky is nowhere to be seen. You furrow your eyebrows as you look around the small space.Â
âNow, what?âÂ
Law sighs, standing. The chains around him go slack, clanging sharply to the ground. You blink.
âAre you kidding?â
âWhat?!â
âHow did you do that?â Tashigi asks, her voice light.Â
Law looks down at you, his hand rubbing his chest. âCaesarâs Transponder Snails canât see us, so we only have a few minutes to move.âÂ
âHowâd you get those off?â Luffy gapes.Â
âIâve been here for months. I replaced some chains about two weeks ago. I thought something like this would happen.âÂ
âAnd I didnât know becauseâŚ?â
He sticks out his hand, his katana materialising before him. âWeâll talk about this later.âÂ
Scoffing, you look away from him, feeling the sea-prism chains loosen around you. âAnd you just happened to get the normal one?â
Law tries not to take your bitter tone to heart, but he clenches his jaw and slashes his katana around the cage to cut everyoneâs chains.Â
Once Luffyâs free, he jumps up, screaming with happiness. Youâre not in the mood to do the same.Â
âHey, Traffy!â Luffy yells, prying open the wire of the left wall. âWhere do we go?âÂ
Law clicks his tongue. âWeâll start byââ
âOkay!â Luffy flings himself out of the hole, and you watch him freefall. You go to call after him but figure it's useless when he lands on a railing around the main building.Â
âTch,â Law scoffs, glancing at you. âQuickly.â Â
âIâm going to see my Sunny!â Franky exclaims. âSee ya!â
The purple cloud isnât far away, and the sight of it causes anxiety to prickle your insides. It spills over the mountain, and Law uses Shambles to transport you, Smoker, Tashigi, and Robin inside the laboratory.Â
Law directs you away from them immediately, tugging you down the hall.Â
âThis way.â
â Scene 6 â
Law walks beside you, his steps light. You donât speak but are eager to see where the SAD room has been.Â
There is a rattling of footsteps in front of you, and when the men in the yellow suits point their weapons at you, you sigh. Law quickly slices them down using Room, and then you look up.Â
A giant door sits in the wall, and Law clears his throat. âThis is it.âÂ
You look behind you. âIt was in Building D the whole time?âÂ
Law says nothing as the doors creak and a siren starts blaring. The doors start sliding open, and the alarms get louder. Thereâs nobody behind you but the severed torsos of the yellow-suited men, and you follow Law inside when he steps inside.Â
âHm,â Law hums, a smirk on his face. You glance at him and shake your head with disbelief. This is it. This is what youâve been working toward for almost two years. The realisation makes your heart race.Â
âLawâŚâ You exhale, spinning slowly as you take it in.Â
The giant SAD tanks loom ominously over you, the bubbling sounds from within them making it all the more unsettling. Now, itâs easy.Â
Law draws his katana, the blade reflecting the red lights of the tanks. Anticipation fills the space between you, and you forget why youâre mad at him in the first place.Â
You open your mouth to say something, anything to quell the tension between you when a voice echoes through the factory.Â
âIt feels like Iâve been bitten by my own dog, Law.âÂ
Law exhales softly and turns, returning his sword to its scabbard while you freeze, the voice familiar.Â
âItâs such a shame, Law,â Vergo says. âPeople like you, so smart, tend to die at a young age.â
You turn, flicking your finger up to summon Sew. A thread weaves around his neck, tightening before Vergo uses armament haki to snap it.Â
âItâd be easiest for me to kill you by crushing your heart,â Vergo continues, ignoring your advances. âBut thatâs no fun. So, Iâm going to torment you slowly. Maybe with herââ
Before you can comprehend, he appears in front of Law, slamming his chin up with a bamboo stick. You gasp, staggering away as he continues to hammer Law, pointedly ignoring you.Â
Itâs been a blur since then.Â
The memory makes you falter, a fist knocking you to the floor, your cheek numb. Heâs fast.Â
Law is across the room, on the verge of passing out.Â
âVergo,â His voice is gravelly, his tone harsh as he says the name. The man watches you heave on the ground, cocking his head and ignoring Law.Â
Vergo slinks toward you, his sunglasses obscuring his eyes. âJokerâs been interested in you.â
You clench your jaw tight to stop the shutter that goes through you. Vergo was the one who got Corazon killed. By some cruel twist of fate, this man led to the demise of your lover's best friend.
Law growls from where he lies across the room, slipping in and out of consciousness.Â
âYou and him have⌠similar abilities. He wants to meet you.â
âGo to hell,â You wheeze, gritting your teeth. Vergo scoffs a laugh as you cough, a metallic taste flooding your mouth; one of your molars is loose on your tongue, and you realise it just freed itself from when Vergo punched youâyou mustâve kept it in place when you set your jaw.Â
Law mumbles your name, his hand reaching for you. You spit your tooth out, the molar bouncing on the floor. Vergo walks back over to Law, a familiar blue cube in his hand.Â
âSeems you and Law have become close. Jokerâs going to have a field day,â Vergo laughs, tightening his grip on Lawâs heart. You cry out as Law does.Â
âStop!â You try to yell, your body curling in on itself. The room spins, and you blink away the darkness from your eyes.Â
Law grunts, his breathing ragged, and he clutches his chest. âRoom.âÂ
The heart in Vergoâs hand disappears, and when you look at Law, he holds it. You sigh with relief, moving to try and stand.Â
But heâs too quick; Vergo rushes Law, kicking him in the stomach, causing him to slam into the railing on the other side of the room. Law coughs, blood dripping from his mouth. The heart flies from the impact, and Vergo catches it.Â
âNo,â You cry, clawing yourself toward them, your hand flipping slightly to summon Seam.
But as the word slips from your lips, Vergo charges for you, his haki-laced fist punching your cheek. Seam falters; Vergoâs conscience controls his body, but you can feel his soul within you. Itâs angry and haughty, the soul struggling against your ability.
âWhaâ?â
Law goes flying backwards as Vergo hits him again, his beloved hat knocked off his head and disappearing into the depths of the laboratory. He pants, his hand covering his chest as he reaches his right hand forward. âCounter Shock.âÂ
Vergo freezes, his body twitches, and smoke erupts from his chest. âI have a message from Joker. He says itâs a shame it had to turn out this way.âÂ
You scoff weakly, pushing yourself to your feet while Law uses the railing to support himself. Thereâs blood dripping from Lawâs lip, and you doubt you look much better. But as Vergo keeps talking, you register that Lawâs attack didnât work, and from the way his eyes widen, you know heâs realised, too.Â
âI wasnât expecting to see you here,â Law cuts him off, a tactic heâs used many times. Itâs his favourite, youâve gathered after being with him for two years, to throw off his opponent. âI shouldâve known you were his lackey. Donât you have better things to do?â
âTch,â Vergo cocks his head, his hand tightening around Law's heart again. âYouâre not the only one Iâm after.â
Youâll never get used to the screams that escape Law, the sound motivating you to approach Vergo from behind. Silently, a needle takes shape in your fist, and you raise it, aiming for Vergoâs head.Â
Around you, the SAD tanks rumble, the red light of the emergency lights casting an eerie hue. Lawâs shrieks echo, and just as Vergo lets up the assault on Lawâs heart, you swing, changing course at the last moment.Â
Sew didnât work earlier, and it hasnât worked since, with Vergo using his armament haki to prevent the threads from doing any damage. But this time, instead of hitting him, you jab the needle straight into his back.Â
Law moans out with relief, his limbs weak and his body taking the brunt of the pain. He slides down to the floor, hitting it with a thump.Â
Vergo pauses, his head turning to glance at you. Your needle protrudes from him, just between his shoulder blades, but heâs not affected. You inhale sharply.
âReally? Now? Iâm in the middle of something.âÂ
You whine with frustration and step back. Vergo approaches you, his nose leaking bloodâturns out he is human.Â
You breathe heavily, your feet slipping as you stumble backward.Â
âIâm right here,â Law calls weakly. âDonât touch her.âÂ
Vergo stops his advance and squeezes Lawâs heart again. You falter, watching Vergo torment him.Â
âShut up. Lay there and wait until Iâm ready for you. Iâve got to deal with her first.âÂ
âNo!â Law pants, voice desperate. âIâm your opponent.âÂ
Vergo ignores him before vanishing. You try to even out your breathing, to balance yourself, and clear your head. You need to fight.Â
âNeedles,â You whisper, your head on a swivel. He could be anywhere. You move before he appears, your needle stopping Vergo from hitting you with the bamboo stick. You let out a sound of surprise, jumping back and preparing for his next attack.Â
He cocks his headâhe wasnât expecting you to have observation haki. You barely notice the improvement of your haki, arms burning with each meeting of his weapon on yours. Itâs fast and tiring, but you channel your ability, using Seam to suppress his soul.Â
Vergo growls, his movement getting more erratic with each swing. He ducks, but another needle emerges in your other hand when he does so. You drop the one Vergo is concentrated on and clutch the new one with both hands, swinging it directly into his forehead. You unknowingly infuse it with haki at the last minute and send Vergo flying backward.Â
Law laughs weakly, pride evident in the sound. You donât let it distract you before you vanish. When Vergoâs body slumps slightly, Law sighs.Â
You dodge Vergoâs attack as soon as you enter Seam; the man seems to know exactly where youâd be before you arrive.Â
Letting out a surprised squeal, you point a needle at his jugular before he moves again.
âIâm in control here,â You pant, a slight grin on your lips.Â
Vergo raises an eyebrow. âWeâll see about that, Dreamweaver.âÂ
You blink at the nickname, speechless.Â
âOh, you donât know what you are, do you?â He laughs, using your shock as an opportunity to punch you. You swiftly avoid it, your body light inside your mindscape. âJoker has a lot to tell you.â
You scowl, holding a needle like a spear and stabbing him. âJokerâs not telling me shit. When I see him, Iâm going to kill him.âÂ
Vergo scoffs, not bothering to check on the slash on his arm from your needle, the fluff of his white coat poking through the fabric. âI would advise against that. You are worth so much more than⌠this.âÂ
âShut up!â You shout, continuously cutting him down with the little energy you have leftâfighting inside Seam always takes a toll on you. Vergo takes the hits.Â
âIâm not allowed to kill you,â He says. âJokerâs orders.âÂ
âIf you say that name one more timeâŚâ
Vergo turns his head to spit blood. âYou could be a god.âÂ
Shaking your head, your needle pierces his stomach. âShut up!âÂ
You watch his soul go limp, hyperventilating as you process what just happened. The blood seeping onto the lush grass pisses you off. You clench your jaw to stop the emotions from overflowing and return to the material world.Â
Law cries your name, his body hunched over where he sits. You rush over to him, your hands on his shoulders.Â
âYou okay?âÂ
He nods, pointing weakly at Vergoâs body. âHeâs not dead.â
âI know,â You say, quickly snatching the blue cube from Vergoâs hand. âHere.â
âThanks,â Law gulps, taking his heart with a shaky hand. âScalpel.â
After he slots his heart back into his chest, wincing as he goes, Law brings you close to him. You wrap your arms around him and shove his face into your neck.Â
âWe have a lot to talk about when weâre outta here,â You whisper, a tear falling from your eye.Â
Law hums. âIs this because I didnât tell you the plan?âÂ
Straight to the point.
âOf course it is!â You exclaim, pulling away from him. You wipe another tear that rolls. âIf you donât trust meââ
ââyouâre kidding, right?ââ
ââI know you, Law. I know you want to protect me, and I know by not telling me the plan, you were protecting me from Vergoâs torture,â You look over at the man. Thereâs no doubt that if he got his hands on you, he wouldâve tortured you for informationâyouâre Lawâs 'assistant', after all. âI know and appreciate it; I appreciate you more than ever. But I can keep my mouth shut; I can be trusted. Iâve been with you for two years and never betrayed your trust like that.â
âItâs not about trust,â Law mumbles, tracing the bruise forming on your arm. âItâs about them.âÂ
âWho?â You ask, voice dangerous. âYou better not be talking about Luffy.â
He bangs his fist softly on the floor. âVergo. Doflamingo. Everyone from my past that can hurt you. You didnât sign up for this when we got together.âÂ
At the sound of Doflamingo, your breath hitches in your throat. Law notices immediately. âWhat did he say to you? Vergo?âÂ
âHe says Joker has a lot to tell me. He called me Dreamweaver.âÂ
Law makes a sound of frustration. âFuck.âÂ
âYou know what that is?âÂ
âNo. But Iâve heard of legends with the same name. Thereâs no wayâŚâ He trails off, seemingly deep in thought.
You shake your head, focusing on the task at hand, trying to wipe the dried blood from the corner of his mouth to gain his attention.
âAnyway, I signed up for everything to do with you when we got together,â You say. âAnd none of those egotistical assholes scare me.â
âThey should,â Lawâs eyes peer into yours. âIâm scared of him.âÂ
âLawâŚâ
âI canât lose you,â He whispers, voice cracking. âIf Doflamingo knows what you are to me, Iâm scared of what heâll do.âÂ
You reach for his arm, tugging him close again. âI get it.âÂ
âI know youâre strong, far stronger than me, and you can handle yourself. But Iâm a selfish man.â
The only sounds in the factory are those of the tanks. You move to stand, helping Law to his feet. Having his heart back has made Law return to his usual self as you watch him summon his hat and katana back. He sighs when the hat fits smugly back on his head.Â
âReady to destroy this thing?â
âNot so fast.â
You cringe, Lawâs hand tight around yours. Vergo stands there when you turn, his coat gone and body purple with armament haki. You freeze at the sight, Law removing his hand from yours to grip his katana, unsheathing it with an unimpressed look on his faceâa sure sign that he knows heâll win.Â
Vergo doesnât speak and speeds towards you, Lawâs body poised and ready, like a true fighter.Â
âDuck,â He says, and you do, watching in awe and horror as Vergoâs torso separates from his legs. It isnât until you look up that you realise the roomâthe mountainâis split in two as well.Â
You gape, tears filling your eyes. A devilish smile splits his face, and you return to your full height.Â
âYouâre incredible,â You murmur, not sparing a glance at Vergoâs mutilated body. Law scoffs, a hand on your hip as you search his grey eyes.Â
Distant screams have you looking at the entrance and Law huffs. He casts his gaze over to Vergo, a sadistic gleam in his eye that excites you. âWe have to get to Building R. But Iâve something to do before then.âÂ
â Scene 7 â
You stand against the mast of the Sunny, the celebrations on the ice below doing nothing to bring you out of your foul mood. A missing tooth with bruising and swelling has made you irritable and upset.Â
The rest of the mission went smoothly, the only problem being Caesar and the two executives of the Doflamingo family, Baby 5 and Buffalo. Franky was attacked by them before you made it to the beach; their threats of what Doflamingo would do carried away with the wind when everybody else showed up.Â
âKeep the ice pack on your jaw!â Chopper demands, lifting your arm back toward your face. You shake the memory from your head, not wanting to worsen your mood. The reindeer wears an uncharacteristic scowl, but under the guise, you see the emotions he hides. He was eager to help you when he saw you again, brushing off Lawâs attempts at helping you.
âSorry,â You mumble, pressing the bag against your face. The icy burn makes you wince, but you keep it there nonetheless. The wind picks up, and youâve missed the salty air whipping your clothes and hair.Â
âI can give you some medicine for the pain, but donât expect it to do much if you donât keep it iced,â Chopper says, his authoritative tone fading when he sees the ghost of a smile on your lips.Â
Shaking your head, you pat his arm. âDonât apologise, Chop. Itâs my fault. I wasnât paying attention.âÂ
âBullshit.â
You look up from your friend to see Law. He wears his usual irritated, unamused facade, but his eyes shine with something akin to pride when he looks at you.
Chopper moves to stand in front of you. âSheâs recovering.âÂ
âI can see that,â Law says, remaining where he is. âWhen can I talk to her?â
âTomorrowââ
âItâs okay, Chop,â You mumble, stepping around him. He looks down at you in his human form, eyes filled with concern. âItâs just Law.â
âDid you see what he did to those children? They were screaming!â
âI was removing the poison from their bloodstreams.â
âIt was terrifying.â
You smile. âHeâs harmless, Chopper.â
The reindeer spins, jaw slack and eyes wide. âHarmless?! He cut all those Marines in half!â
âThey deserved it,â Law says, his katana sliding off his shoulder. He leans it against the wall beside the door to the study. âAnyway, can I please speak to my girlfriend?â
âGirlfriend?!â Chopper almost faints. âI gotta go; this is too much for me. You two are crazy.â
As he stumbles away, Chopper shrinks to his usual size. âFoodâŚâÂ
Law keeps his eyes on you, his gaze wavering to flicker down to the bruise on your cheek. His jaw ticks, and his face morphs into a scowl. âTch.â
âIâm okay,â You reassure him, stepping forward and taking his hand in your free one. âWe just need to get to Dressrosa now.â
âIâm sorry.â
Your eyebrows tug together. âFor what?â
âI didnât plan on you getting captured. You were meant to be with Nami and the others. Thatâs why there was only one set of normal chains.â
âOh,â You whisper, looking up at him. âLaw, I forgave you for that the second we were out of there. I knew you had a plan, and I was upset that you didnât tell me, but it worked out.â
Law shakes his head. âI trust you.â
âI know.â
âIâm sorry.â
A memory flashes through your head, and you bite back a smile. âStop saying sorry.â
Law seems to understand the reference. He pulls your hand into him, your chest bumping his. âIâve got something to do before we set off. Want to help?â
It sounds sketchy, but you nod, sending him a grin twinged with excitement.Â
â
After the ship sets sail following the Log Pose to Dressrosa, your nerves start to dwindle. Law sits beside you against the wall, snow raining down on you softly.Â
You look at him. âAre you sure you want to talk to him?â
He scratches his cheek, sighing harshly. âNo, but I have to at some point.â
Humming, you watch your friends dance around the deck, admiring the falling snowflakes. With another weight lifted off your chest, you sigh, content.Â
âI didnât expect to be on this ship again,â You mumble.Â
Law gives you a sidelong glance, silently urging you to continue.Â
âWhen we got to Punk Hazard, I wanted to go to Sabaody so badly,â You confess, skin tingling with shame.Â
âI know.â
Your head whips toward him. âYou did?â
Law nods. âYouâre not very subtle, you know.âÂ
âIâm sorry,â You look at your hands in your lap. âI didnât mean to make you feel like that.â
He tilts his head. âLike what?â
âLike I wanted to leave you because I didnât. Truly.â
âI know,â He shrugs, voice quiet. âI understand.âÂ
You squint at him, considering his tone and posture. âAre you okay?â
âIââ
âHey, Law! The Transponder Snail you asked me to watch is talking!â Robin calls. âAnd Caesar is chained up in the study.â
âCâmon,â Law rises, his hand outstretched for you to grab ahold of. You take it as a sign heâs not bitter with youâlike he never could ever beâand follow him to the study.Â
The Snail starts picking up clear dialogue as you sit beside Law, anxiety pouring over you like ice water. You remain locked up in the study; Caesar Clown opposite you with his hands in sea-prism stone cuffs.Â
Law leans forward and picks up the receiver. âColour me surprised. Itâs the boss. I didn't think youâd show up in person.â
âHello, Law. Itâs been far too long, hasnât it? A real shame you didnât choose to show your face⌠or that of your assistant.â
The voice sends a shiver down your spine.Â
âI figure you wanna know where Caesar is,â Law says. âHeâs safely in our hands.âÂ
The scientist jolts at the sound of his name. âJoker! Where are you? They got me! Help me, please!â
Law shoots him a glare while you threaten him with a needle pointed at his throat. Caesar gulps and whimpers.Â
âQuestion regarding the state of my cohortâs bodies,â Doflamingo barks. âWhere are they?â
Law shrugs. âI couldnât say. Nor does it particularly interest me. Letâs negotiate.âÂ
Doflamingo hums down the line, and you pray heâll take the bait.Â
âCâmon, Law, get serious,â He cackles. âQuit pretending like youâre an adult, and letâs cut to the chase. Where are you? Where did you take that girl? Answer quickly, or I may get angry.â
You inhale sharply, ignoring the wide-eyed stares from Caesar.Â
âOh, youâll get angry?â Law taunts, but his fist turns white as he tightens on the receiver. âAnd what about your business partner⌠whatâs his name again? Oh! Kaido. King of the Beasts, right? An emperor? If thereâs anyone youâd wanna keep from getting angry, I think itâd be him.â
Doflamingo grunts as Law continues.Â
âI wonder how he might react after he finds out you canât produce SMILE anymore. Who knows?â
âAlright,â He snaps. âYouâve carried the joke far enough. What do you want to trade for Caesar? And that girl?â
Lawâs face falls, clicking his tongue. âSheâs not a part of the deal. Never will be. So get her out of your sick head.â
âPity,â Doflamingo laughs. âI was hoping to meet her, andââ
âResign from the Seven Warlords.âÂ
âHm?â Doflamingo hums, his tone dangerous now that Law is leading the conversation.
âThatâs the deal for Caesar. Resign, and you get him back.â
âCâmon!â Another voice echos down the line. âIf Joker quits, heâll be forced to leave Dressrosa!â
âYeah, well,â Law says, picking at a small hole in his jeansâheâll have to get you to fix it for him. âShit happens, and once youâre a lowly pirate once more, the Navy wonât be able to turn a blind eye to you any longer. You have until tomorrow. If thereâs a headline in the morning paper saying that youâve resigned, Iâll give you a call, and you can have your precious Caesar back. But, if I donât, my offer is as good as dead.â
He reaches forward and places the receiver back on the snail, and Caesar thrashes in his chains. âWhat? Youâre going to kill me if Joker doesnât resign?â
âI guess weâll see tomorrow.âÂ
âAnd what of her?âÂ
Law growls. âDonât even think of her. Sheâs a part of no deal and never will be.â
Slamming the receiver down on the snail, who gives a little squeak at his aggression, Law stands. You follow him, leaving the study and Caesar inside. Law blinks quickly when he exits into the sun, and youâre quick to grab ahold of his bicep.Â
âYou okay?â
âYeah, are you?â Lawâs tongue darts out to wet his lower lip. âFuck, that wasââ
âExhilarating,â You leer, pursing your lips to suppress your grin when he catches the excited look on your face. Sure, Doflamingo scares the shit out of you, but you canât help the adrenaline that runs rampant through your veins at pissing him off.Â
âYeah, okay.â
You lace your fingers with his to bring him back to you. His mind is miles away, and the simple act of squeezing his hand rids him of the faraway look in his eye. âAnd now we wait.âÂ
â Scene 9 â
Salty air swirls around you. The overwhelming scent in the breeze used to make your senses sharper; now, they lull you into relaxation. The sun is harsh, beating down on your skin, but you welcome it, missing the feeling of being on open seas.Â
Beams reflect off the deep blue, enticing you to jump in. The urge is irresistible, and you would, if you could, the soul of your Devil Fruit coercing you to dive in, to repent for the sin of eating it. But you hold back, strengthening the grip of your fingers on the railing.Â
The horizon is vast, with nothing in sight except for the light blue of the sky and the tantalising indigo of the ocean. You wonder how long it took for the first human to venture out on the seas and if you could have waited as long as they didâthe waves too mesmerising to ignore for longer than a single minute. You long to plunge into the icy water, submerge your mind, and just exist. The depths are so close you can taste it.
The steady sway of the Thousand Sunny is enough to bring you to tears, though they donât fall. You squint at the bow of the ship, the outline of the figurehead and your captain sitting atop it, a familiar sight that sends deep ripples of nostalgia and bliss through your chest.Â
Someone joins you, their forearm against yours on the railing. You already know who it is before they speak.Â
âBrought you a snack,â He says, offering you a round, plump tangerine. You smirk, watching him spin the fruit in his hand.Â
âNamiâs going to kill you.âÂ
He shrugs, using his thumbs to pierce the top of the tangerine and peel the skin away from the flesh. âWorth it if you get to enjoy it.âÂ
You turn to face him, watching his expressions with keen interest. Law isnât a man who believes he wears his heart on his sleeve, but you know better. Heâs hiding his true feelings, and with the negotiation with Doflamingo up in the air, you know that his furrowed eyebrows and chapped lips are the outcome of anxiety rather than whatever excuse he would tell you.
Law removes a segment of the fruit, holding it out for you to take. His grey eyes twinkle in the sunlight, and you ponder the true shade of themâyouâve never seen him like this, fully submerged in sunshine.Â
You pluck the tangerine slice from his fingertips and bite into it. The juice slides down your fingers, the sweet tang of citrus fresh on your tongue.Â
âSilver.â
Law raises an eyebrow slightly, offering you another piece. âHm?â
âYour eyes are silver,â You say, licking the sticky sweetness from your fingertip. âNot grey.â
Law doesnât reply; instead, he opens his mouth to accept the segment you press against his lips. Your eyes donât leave his as he bites into it, juice dripping from his chin. A smile spreads across your cheeks as he wipes it away with the back of his hand, eyeing you with faux annoyance.Â
âYou think so?â
You nod, using your thumb to dry the corner of his lip. âI know so, and theyâre gorgeous.â
He snorts and shakes his head, the tangerine peel clutched in his palm. âYeah, okay, sweetheartâŚâ
A frown takes over your once joyful expression, and Law sighs, looking to the sky. âOkay, theyâre alright.â
You laugh, the sound falling from your lips with such furore that Law inhales sharply at the mere thought of never hearing it again.Â
âYouâre gorgeous,â He mumbles, clasping his palms around your fingers and keeping them against his chest. âYouâre the most precious soul alive.â
You pout; his gaze is intense in the daylight. Your heart swells in your chest; the pressure is almost unbearable. A giddy squeal leaves your mouth, and you jump up and wrap your arms around his neck.Â
âWho knew Trafalgar D. Water Law could be such a sap.âÂ
Law's stomach turns as your lips form the letters of his full name. Itâs surprising and terrifying, but itâs you. And when you finish saying his real name, he closes his eyes. He doesnât know how to digest the truth that youâre saying it from a place of love, not malice.
When he cracks an eye open to see your wide grin, his shoulders relax, the tension receding from his body like the ocean at low tide; Lawâs glassy, silver eyes search yours, and you lean forward to capture his lips.
He hums in content, tightening his hold around your waist. The affection has been a long time coming, having been on Punk Hazard for a few months, and itâs more rewarding than anything you could dream of. You giggle, Law pinching your side.
âThanks for bringing me a tangerine,â You whisper, curling your bottom lip into your mouth to taste the remnants of the sweet fruit.Â
Lawâs eyes flicker down to your mouth. âAlways.â
A large bird flies overhead, in his talons, a newspaper.Â
âLaw,â You swallow thickly, eyes following the creature until the paper drops on the deck. You tug him along quickly, feet slapping against the wood floors as you rush for the main area.Â
The grass is plush under your feet when you jump from the third step onto it. In Usoppâs hands is the newspaper, his fingers slightly crushing the thin pages. He holds it out to you, which you take and pass to Law.Â
His exhale is shaky as he reads the headline: Donquixote Doflamingo Resigns as Warlord of the Sea.Â
âWe have to call him!â Luffy exclaims as he bursts from the kitchen. âHe resigned!âÂ
But Lawâs already got the ringing Transponder Snail in his hand, the receiver in front of his lips. It rings for a while, and youâre unsure if Doflamingo will answer.Â
Click.
âI resigned. Happy now?âÂ
âTch,â Law tuts, swerving the phone away from Luffy, who is trying to grab it. âWeâre handing Caesar over to you.â
âWell, that was the deal,â Doflamingo growls. âNow, put me onto my business partner. I want to confirm that heâs right where heâs supposed to be.â
Franky pulls Caesar out from the study, the scientistâs face alight with relief. He shuffles over, his shackled hands gripping the receiver when Law shoves it in his direction. âJoker! Iâm so sorry! You resigned from the Warlords all because of me!â
Law yanks the receiver away. âHeâs fine.â
âGreat,â Doflamingoâs voice is slimy, making you grimace.Â
âWeâll meet eight hours from now, on the southeast side of Green Bit.â
Usopp, Chopper, and Luffyâs ears perk up at the mention of a new island, their fingers inching to snatch the snail from Law.Â
âWeâll leave Caesar there for you at 3pm. Pick him up, and this will be over.â Â
A deep, rumbling laugh emerges from the snail. âDonât say that. I was hoping to meet your girlfriend. I hear sheâs got an interesting abilityââ
Law grunts and slams the receiver back on the snailâs shell. He runs his tongue over his teeth, breathing heavily. How did Doflamingo find out about his relationship with you?Â
âFuck,â He curses, tugging his hand off his head. You remain still, mind racing. âFuck.â
The crew is silent.Â
âThere were no other conditions?â Sanji pipes up. You look at him, confused, your brain swimming with apprehension. You want to pay attention to what Sanji is proposing, but the sick feeling in your stomach overpowers your ability to think straight. Doflamingo knows.Â
âWhy would there be?â Usopp asks nervously.Â
âWhat if he brings an entire crew with him?â
Usopp and Chopper scream, Nami looking slightly green beside them.Â
âThat wonât happen,â Law mumbles absentmindedly. âCaesar is a distraction. If he brings more people, that would be better for us.â
âOh!â Like a lightbulb went off in his head, Usopp stands up straight. âIf he brings more people to the tradeoff, then less people will be guarding the SMILE factory?âÂ
âExactly. The only problem is, we need to find it.âÂ
âSo, we need a plan,â You finally get a grip on reality, knowing what the word means to the Straw Hats.Â
âI was thinking we just wing it!â Luffy laughs, placing his hands on the back of his head. You were expecting this, but from the look on Lawâs face, he wasnât. âTake a trip to Dressrosa, destroy the factoryâooh! Maybe we can swing by Wano when weâre done!â
âNo,â Law shakes his head, and you know itâs useless. âWeâre going in there blind; we need a plan.â
âSanji! Iâm hungry. Whatâs on the menu?âÂ
Law growls, and you giggle lightly when you step up beside him. âI couldâve told you that wouldn't have worked.âÂ
âSandwiches.â
âOooh! I want a cotton candy sandwich!âÂ
âJust a cup of tea, please.â
âCola for me!âÂ
âWhereâd you put the booze?âÂ
âMilk for me!âÂ
âYou guys are boring. Sanjiâs sandwiches are the best!â
The rest of the crew follows Luffy up the stairs and into the galley. Law stares in disbelief as they all disappear behind the door.Â
âSorry, but I donât like bread!â Law yells after them, his expression twisted into one of anguish. You continue to laugh as he gasps at how easily the secret fell from his lips. He glances at you and tuts. âShut up, you.âÂ
âIâll tell Sanji to make rice balls,â You wink before making your way up the stairs and into the galley. Pretending like you arenât going straight into a death trap is one of your favourite pastimes, and teasing Law is more fun than stewing with anxiety in the darkness of your room.Â
Law scrunches his nose, mulling over the thought of stacks of bread before him.Â
âAre you just going to leave me here to starve?âÂ
Lawâs usual stoic facade falls back into place as he observes Caesar sitting on the grass. Thereâs no hesitation when he answers. âYes.âÂ
And then he follows your footsteps.
â Scene 10 â
The sight of land after sailing never fails to make your chest warm. Every time youâve done it, itâs exciting, daunting, frightening, confronting, and unpredictableâand every time, you leave feeling like youâve achieved something bigger than you could have imagined. Being a Straw Hat pirate is honest work.Â
After this morningâs feast of sandwiches, or in Lawâs case, rice balls, you formulated a plan. It was shoddy at best because everyone and nobody contributed to the final idea, and while you were used to it, Law was at his wit's end.Â
He watches in horror as Luffy jumps off the side of the Sunny, screaming all the way down. You donât need to check to see that he landed on solid ground; he always does.Â
âLuffy!â Usopp scolds over the edge of the ship. âShut it! Weâre in enemy territory.â
Franky is next to disembark, his voice loud as he joins Luffy in discussing what they will do on the island. Usopp is having a meltdown, his anxiety palpable.Â
âStraw Hat,â Law calls when his feet land on the island. Youâre not far behind, coddling a stressed Usopp. âWe can go into town; just donât take any unnecessary risks. We donât needââ
âOh, hey! I just had a great idea,â Luffy exclaims, running over to Nami and Momonosuke. âLet me ride you, dragon!â
Law glares at him with a frown as he runs away. âTch.â
âI canât fly!â Momonosuke yells, fear evident in his tone. You ignore the conversation after that, walking over to Law when Usopp has calmed down. Your friends continue their usual antics, egging each other on and arguing about who's more of a man.Â
You glance at Law, who has a deep-set scowl etched on his features. âTheyâre always like this.â
He doesnât answer, choosing to stand and watch them in silence. Your gaze wanders off to the centre of the island, where there is a singular, giant structure just over the tops of the trees. When you squint to get a better look, you swear thereâs a building on top of it.Â
âHere.â
The sound of Lawâs voice brings you back to the scene before you: Sanji, Kinâemon, and Brook on the ground, injured. You donât doubt it had something to do with Nami.Â
Said woman turns when Law approaches her, and you wonder how he left you alone so quietlyâyou still havenât put that bell on him.Â
âTake this.â
Nami furrows her eyebrows. âHuh? A Vivire Card?â
âYeah,â He replies. âItâll take you to that place, Zou, I mentioned at breakfast. My crewâs there.â
Nami nods, inspecting the piece of paper in her palm. âUh, okay?â
The breeze is light as you walk to them, and the rest of the crew is crowding around, too.Â
âIf anything happens to us on Dressrosa, go straight there.âÂ
Nami goes to ask a question when Law turns and crouches down. You take that as your cue to hand him the map. His fingers brush yours, and you canât help the heat rising to your cheeks at the mere contactâitâs different when people are around.Â
He unfurls Bepoâs map on the ground, pointing to a place at the bottom of the main blob.Â
âKinda sloppy,â Nami mumbles and you purse your lips; you canât but agree, the familiar paw mark on the bottom right of the paper making you smile. Law ignores her.Â
âThis is where we are,â Law says, moving his index finger to the middle of the island. âThis is where Doflamingoâs palace is.âÂ
You peer up at the tall mountain in the distance. There.Â
âThe SMILE factory could be anywhere. So just search for info and donât raise suspicion.âÂ
You side-eye Luffy, who gives you a cheesy grin.Â
âMy team is responsible for handing over Caesar on Green Bit up here,â Law moves his finger upwards to the green blob in the top left. He's talking to you, Usopp, Robin, and Caesar; all of who nod except for Caesar, who winces.Â
It isnât ideal, you being within Doflamingoâs vicinity, but Law knows better than to argue with you about your own safety. So he was at a loss when you insisted you accompany them to Green Bit.
âI think Iâve come down with âCanât Step Foot On Dressrosaâ Disease. Itâs terminal.âÂ
You slap your hand and grip tight on Usoppâs shoulder. He pales, a forced grin pulling at the corners of his lips. âYouâll stick with me, right?â
Beaming, you nod. âOf course. I think Iâve got a similar disease.â
Usoppâs wide eyes close as he cries out. âWeâre fucked!â
âAs for the Sunny Security Team, be wary of enemy attacks,â Law cuts him off. âYou may have to be our decoy.âÂ
Nami gasps. âNo! Thatâs a thing?â
âThatâs okay! Weâve got Sanji to protect us,â Chopper giggles, nudging Brook. You roll your lips inward when the cook is nowhere to be seen. Surprising.Â
Chopper screams in fear. âNo! You canât leave us here without protection!âÂ
âLuffyâs gone, and so are Zoro, Franky, and Kinâemon.âÂ
Law grunts, tilting his head toward the sky. âThose idiots. This plan is riding on them.â
âGet used to it,â You sigh, crossing your arms over your chest.Â
âNot helping.âÂ
âYouâre not seriously leaving us here on our own,â Nami quips. âHow are we going to protect ourselves?â
âNot my problem.â
â
After an argument or two, you, Law, Robin, Usopp, and Caesar leave the Sunny Security Team alone on the Sunny, promising not to take too long. Itâs a pain, but itâs the best plan you could devise, considering Doflamingoâs presence on Green Bit.Â
You start your journey, first going into the town to purchase disguises, which seems stupid now that you look at Law.Â
âCute,â You comment, mischief swimming in your eye. âIs that because you canât grow a real one?âÂ
Law dodges your hand aiming to flick the end of the fake moustache attached to his upper lip. âQuit.âÂ
Robin comes back with sunglasses and a hat for you; the two pieces are cute at first glance. The sun is bright on Dressrosa, and the summer weather is in full effect, so donning the accessories wonât make you look out of place.Â
âHowâs this?â Law asks when Robin turns away to pay for your items. You open your mouth to respond, a quip on your tongue before you notice what heâs done.
With raised eyebrows, Law stands there, arms outstretched, his Corazon jacket unzipped, and his abs and tattoos on full display. You roll your lips inwards, suppressing a cheeky smile.Â
âHm?âÂ
You bob your head, no words forming. The apples of Lawâs cheeks redden, and he goes to zip it back up. Robin leaves the vendor, joining back up with Usopp and Caesar, who already have their disguises on. Her sly laughter brings you out of your daze.
âNo!â You squeal, lunging to halt his hands. âWell, yes, youâre incredibly sexy like this, but no, donât cover up. Leave it.âÂ
Law gives you an unimpressed look, his nose scrunched slightly. âSo, good disguise?â
Sighing, you run your hand along his chest, the sparse hairs tickling your fingertips. âGreat disguise.â
Lawâs eyes flicker down to your mouth, and your chest is tight with anticipation. But then thereâs a horn, a high-pitched one and laughter. You jump, glancing over Lawâs shoulder to see a clown standing there.Â
âCome on, guys!â Usopp yells, waving at you. But youâre focused on the clown. Itâs eerily similar to a toy you had as a child, unlike the humans dressed up in costumes on your island. The clown blinks, one eye closing after the other mechanically, and you yelp.Â
Lawâs hands enclose over your upper arms. âWhatâs wrong?â
You donât say anything but blink, hoping your eyes are playing tricks on you. He pulls the sunglasses off his face and mumbles your name.Â
You shake your head, and a slight uptilt of your lips have you laughing in disbelief. âI thought that was a toy.âÂ
Law looks to where you do. âYouâre right. Weird.â
âGuys!â
You turn, your gaze on the ground, as you follow the rest of the team to the northeastern side of Dressrosa.Â
â Scene 11 â
The bridge is eerily still when you stand at the entrance. Thereâs signage everywhere, many red with STOP and KEEP OUT printed on them, but the warnings do nothing to quash the interest you have in journeying across.Â
Usopp trembles beside you, sweat dripping from his jaw. âAre you sure we need to go across this? Like thereâs no other way?â
âNope.â
He whines, covering his face with his hands. âWhy am I on this team?âÂ
Robin fills the gap between you and Usopp. âIâm excited. The only thing to worry about is the monstrous flesh-eating fish. Think about how big they are; the bridge needs a cage to protect whoeverâs on it.â
âAre you kidding me?â Usopp snaps. âI donât need your morbidity right now.â
Robin shrugs and steps forward, her foot on the first panel of the bridge. âWe better hurry, timeâs ticking.â
âSheâs right,â Law says, ignoring Usoppâs visible breakdown. âLetâs go.â
A hand latches onto your wrist, and you laugh, pulling your friend closer. âTogether. Come on.âÂ
âYour disease seems to be improving,â He mumbles bitterly. Usopp takes a shaky step, the iron creaking under his weight.Â
You follow suit, and then everybody is on the unsteady structure. Thereâs no movement in the surrounding water, and the group silently walks. The overwhelming stink of seaweed and rot is the only thing that abuses your senses. You scrunch your nose and try to focus on quelling the anxiety blooming in your chest. Youâve been walking for a few minutes, the wind howling through the iron bars.
You feel the urge to laugh bubbling in your throat, something to express the utter ridiculousness of walking on an iron bridge and being terrified of fish coming to attack you. The corners of your lips upturn as the laugh starts to escape when Law stops.Â
âOneâs approaching.â
You spin, the laugh dying on your tongue. âWhat?â
âWho?â Usopp squeaks, and his grip on your wrist tightens. You pay no mind to the pressure; it keeps your mind from thinking this is fake.Â
If Law can detect the fish with his haki, then itâs a lot bigger than you thought.Â
âThat direction,â Law points to the left, a splash accentuating his statement.Â
âThere!â Caesar exclaims with his hands pressed to his chest. Your eyes dart to where heâs looking, and low and behold, thereâs a giant fin skimming the water.Â
The fish disappears under the bridge, and your hands move to squeeze Usoppâs arm.
Something is emerging from the water before you can say âgoâ... Itâs unlike anything you imagined: thick, scarred, navy skin, mammoth, twisty horns, and rows of razor-sharp teeth widen before you. You watch as the fish flies above and over the bridge, the underside of its body just metres from your head.Â
It continues its path overhead and lands with a splash on the other side of the bridge.Â
Usopp is speechless beside you, his jaw slack and eyes bulging from his head. You look around at the group, everyone standing there watching the bubbles surface.Â
âWe should move,â You whisper, scared that if you speak any louder, the fish may hear you. It isnât until the fin appears again, and then another, and another, and Law nods.Â
âMove! Go!â
Your legs burn like they havenât in a while, the collective footfalls of the group making the iron panels scrape against one another.Â
âWatch out!âÂ
You veer to the right, a fish ramming its head directly into the iron bars where you just stood. Screaming with surprise and fear, you continue, Usopp a little bit ahead of you.Â
The fishâs red eyes follow you, its jaw gnawing on the cage before it slinks back into the water.Â
âSpecial Attack! Exploding Star!âÂ
Above you, Usoppâs bullets make contact with something, but you donât dare look up. Sweat runs down the side of your face, and you feel useless. Seam does nothing against beasts like this.Â
âMil Fleurs.âÂ
You glance back to see Robinâs giant hand punch one of the fishâs heads, and Usopp load another bullet into his slingshot.Â
âSkull Bombgrass!â
Law falls into step next to you as an explosion sounds above. The end of the bridge is nowhere in sight, and you feel your heart drop.Â
âAre we even gonna make it to Green Bit?â You pant.Â
âUsopp should be able to handle it.â
Your friend whips around at his name. âYouâre kidding! Youâre the Warlord! You do something!âÂ
Law peers back at the damage already caused and scoffs. âI canât fight right now.â
âItâs a pack, we canât fight them!â Robin yells.Â
Law swears under his breath and surges forward. Usopp keeps up his attacks, sending bullets of various abilities at the fish.Â
âNose!â Law yells. âUnlock Caesarâs cuffs.âÂ
âWhat did you call me?â Usopp growls. âAnd why would I do that?âÂ
You answer before Law has the chance. âSo he can fly us across the bridge.â
Caesar gasps behind you. âLike hellââ
âIâd reconsider.â You donât see what Law holds up, but by Caesarâs reaction, you know itâs his heart.Â
âYou bastard! Howâd you get your hands on that?â
Usopp unlocks the restraints, slipping the key back into his pocket. âHurry up!âÂ
âYouâre all going to die miserable deaths,â Caesar snaps as he turns around. A blue hue covers the bridge in front of you, and you glance back.Â
âLaw, if you could use that power of yours right now, thatâd be great!â Usopp yells, transfixed by Caesarâs power, too. The blue beam coming from him is so large it swallows up four fish at once.Â
âI canât!â
âWell, fuck you then!âÂ
Law comes to a screeching halt, and you almost run into his back. The memory isnât lost on you, but you throw it away when you realise why he stopped.Â
âOh, perfect!â Usopp cries. The bridge drops off into the water, the other side of the iron structure metres from where you stand. Thereâs no way you could jump across there unless Law uses Shambles, which he wonât.Â
âCaesar!â You scream, voice shrill to hurry him up. âGet over here!â
The scientist glares as he flies toward you. âDonât you start ordering me around!â
Youâre scooped up into Caesarâs arms, the wind slapping your skin as he speeds through the iron cage and to the end of the bridge. The wind carries away Usoppâs screams, and Law and Robin remain their usual composed selves.Â
âWhy didnât we do this from the start?â Usopp exclaims, his hands grappling for purchase on the allusive gas.Â
âBecause Iâm a hostage, and hostages are meant to be treated humanely!â
â
Green Bit is exactly as you expected: green. Giant flowers, fruits, vines, and mushrooms separate the foliage from the beach, the spectacles enough to stun you into silence. As you take in the sights before you, Robin and Law discuss the abandoned Navy ship to your left, but you donât look. The flora is magnificent, with mushrooms in colours youâve never thought possible and vines thicker than the Mangroves on Sabaody; youâre in awe.Â
Nobody notices you walking toward the foreign plants, all too absorbed with the ship. Down the beach, thereâs a rose, but one that could swallow the Sunny if it wanted to. It draws you to it, and you gladly obey its song, the red of the petals so deep it parallels the deepest blood.Â
Sand puffs up behind you as you walk, the boots on your feet long discarded. You havenât felt your toes in the sand for years; the right occasion never arose for such a thing. The grains burn the soles of your feet, but you take it in your stride.Â
A rhino beetle scuttles along the forest's edge, its size much larger than youâve seen. The sight of it should scare you, but all you can think of is how much Luffy would love it.Â
You shed your disguise, the hat and sunglasses dropping to the ground when you reach the stem of the rose. Looking up, itâs taller than the highest building youâve seen, and the thorns dotting the stem mimic steps that you could easily use. You got to grip onto the slick plant tissue, its fuzzy exterior tickling your palm.Â
You hear your name from down the beach, urgency lacing their tone. Tugging your eyebrows together, you look down the coast, a group of people running after you. Fear pricks your skin, and you begin to climb, panic in your veins.Â
Quickly, a voice whispers, heâs coming.Â
You feel your foot slip as you frantically reach out for another thorn, your body falling backwards. No noise leaves your lips as you free-fall to the sand below.Â
âRoom.â
And then your feet are back on the sand, the grains uncomfortable. Blinking, you look around. âLaw?âÂ
âWhat the hell were you doing?âÂ
You peer over at Robin and Usopp, shock evident on their faces.Â
âWhat happened?â You ask, breathing heavily.Â
âYou were climbing that tree.â
You glance behind you, the rose still standing tall in the sunlight. âRose.âÂ
âWhatever,â Law spits. âAre you okay?â
Still looking at the rose, you sigh. âI heard voices.âÂ
Usopp laughs nervously, turning around to head back to the bridge. âOkay, thatâs my cue to leave.âÂ
âWhat were they saying?â Robin asks curiously.Â
âHeâs comingâ.â
Law curses. âDoflamingo is on his way.â
âHowâd you get that from that?â Usopp exclaims, eyes moving to the forest warily. âDoes the forest speak?â
âNot quite,â Law studies you, and you wait to ask what heâs thinking. âAnyway, weâre dropping Caesar right there in ten minutes.âÂ
âSo thatâs it? She wanders off and nearly falls to her death from a giant rose, and weâre meant to act like everythingâs fine?âÂ
âYep.â
âIâm okay, Usopp. Truly.â Your friend sways on his feet, the lightheadedness of panic and disbelief catching up with him.Â
âYou two go hide somewhere,â Law regards Usopp and Robin. âBe ready to snipe if the situation calls for it.â
Robin takes off alone, leaving Usopp to complain as he follows.Â
Law says your name. âHide in the tree line. If he attacks, itâs you and me.â
You open your mouth, but the familiar ringing of Transponder Snail pins you in place. Who could possibly be calling at a time like this?
âTake my handcuffs off.â You forgot Caesar was here. The scientist has his head on a swivel, looking unsettled.Â
âShut up,â Law murmurs, fishing a baby Transponder Snail from his jacket. You swallow thickly before raising your eyes to the head of the rose again.Â
Who was speaking to you before? How did they know Doflamingo was coming?
âLaw! Itâs Sanji.â
âWhereâd you go? Please tell me you found the factory.âÂ
âItâs a trap! You gotta go right now!â
Your breath gets lodged in your throat, and your eyes widen. Looking out to the ocean, Dressrosa is in the distance, and you try to understand how this happened.Â
âHeâs still a Warlord! Right now, youâre handing over Caesar for nothing!âÂ
Law stills, his body tensing as he follows your line of vision. He eyes a speck flying through the sky, and he squints to decipher what it could be.Â
You whimper, your body tingling with panic. âWe need to leave. Right now.âÂ
Caesar breaks into a fit of giggles, and you feel your eye twitch. Expletives fall from Lawâs lips before he tells you to run, recognising the pink coat of the man flying toward you. âGo, now!â
The flying figure approaches at an alarming rate, and you race for the trees, only to be pulled backward, your arms thrown behind you.Â
Thereâs a rustling in the trees, but you ignore it, focusing on the tightening of the strings around your wrists.Â
âDreamweaver!â A voice announces. âIâve been waiting for you.â
You struggle to look at what is restraining you, but from the sharp, cocky voice that echoes down the beach, you already know. Doflamingo hangs in the air; his arms outstretched with a Cheshire grin.Â
âJoker!â Caesar yells with excitement.Â
âLet go of her,â Law says, his gaze darkening when it lands on Doflamingo. âNow.âÂ
âAnd you got a Navy Admiral to show up? Iâm impressed,â Doflamingo chuckles. You turn your head at an awkward angle to get a glimpse of the surprise arrival of the Marines, and you can tell Law is seething. âAnd since Iâm no longer a Warlord, Iâm shaking in my boots. Iâm terrified!âÂ
âFuck you,â Law bares his teeth. âYouâre a damn liar.âÂ
You wriggle around on the sand, summoning Needles in an attempt to cut the strings. Tiny prickles cover your hands and forearms in rapid succession, and when Doflamingo opens his mouth to taunt Law again, you free yourself.Â
Some Marines to your left are startled at your sudden movement, shocked to be in the presence of two Warlords and a pirate with a 650 million berry bounty. They quickly compose themselves, but the grips on their weapons are tighter than before.Â
âDonât touch me again,â You shout, hands positioned to summon your power if necessary.Â
Doflamingoâs stare pins you in your place, and though you canât see his eyes behind his sunglasses, you know he sports a wild gleam.Â
âIâm having some trouble unravelling this situation,â A deep voice says. âI donât have much experience as a Marine, so I donât want to make any baseless accusations.âÂ
You falter, blinking in confusion. The Marines chatter amongst themselves as the Admiral at the head of the bunch finishes speaking.Â
âFujitora!â Doflamingo interjects. âYouâre the famous Admiral who got recruited in the World Military Draft, werenât you? Iâve heard youâre a force to be reckoned with.â
Fujitora brushes him off. âIt seems to me, as Warlords, youâre both doing something that steps outside your boundaries. The fellow there referred to you as âJokerâ... a troubling implication.â
Your steps are silent as you hurry through the sand, nobody paying much attention to you as Domflamingoâs grin turns dangerous.Â
âI donât care what you think about me. As for Law, other here, what will you do about him?â
Lawâs eye catches you as you skirt around the back of the Marinesâ group, darting his eyes back to Doflamingo so as not to raise suspicion.Â
âIf youâre referring to his alliance with the pirate Straw Hat, should he confirm this, heâs guilty. But what comes after that depends on his answer⌠betrayal of the World Government is a serious crime.âÂ
Caesar makes a strangled noise. âAnd what of her?âÂ
Fujitora raises an eyebrow. âIâm unsure I know who youâre referring to.âÂ
âThat girl, the one with the Sew-Sew Fruit.âÂ
The Navy Admiral mutters your name. âI see. Sheâs a pirate, too, and with her strong ties to Straw Hat and Trafalgar Law, I see it fit that she should be arrested as well.âÂ
âThat wonât do,â Doflamingo snaps. âSheâs coming with me.âÂ
âLike hell!â Law yells as his calculated facade cracks. âSheâs my subordinate.â
âSo what will it be, Law?â Fujitora urges, drawing his sword.Â
âItâs true! The Straw Hats and I are equal in this alliance!âÂ
You appear beside Law, the Marinesâ looking back and forth to where you were and where you stand now. Doflamingoâs lip curls as he assesses the situation.Â
Fujitora leans over, and a purple halo shoots into the sky without warning. You keep your eye on Doflamingo, not risking him moving any closer to you or Law. Caesar gasps, his face stricken with fear.Â
The blue sky darkens to deep indigo like the sun has disappeared and night has fallen upon the world early. The tide recedes, and you spare a glance at the water. How odd.Â
You ready yourself, feet shifting into a fighting stance and hands poised before you.Â
âWhat is that?âÂ
Lawâs shocked whisper pulls you from your concentration, and you look up.Â
âIs that a meteor?â Caesarâs neck is craned back, and you nod.Â
âWhat theââ
Frantic chatter and gasps sound from your left, and the Marines sprint for the tree line.Â
âYour title has been revoked, Trafalgar Law.âÂ
A red hue covers the beach, and Law shoves your shoulder. âGo!â
The blazing rock inches closer, its speed never slowing. You donât want to follow his demand, ever the stubborn mindset, but the pure fear on Lawâs face forces you.Â
âRoom!âÂ
Itâs quick, and youâre almost into the forest when Law slashes his katana, the monstrous rock splitting in half. One side heads directly for Domflamingo, who swipes his hand. You watch in horror as the rock splits again, this time into ten slices and then twenty. The segments crash into the sand, throwing him off his feet.Â
You donât see where the second half goes, but you guess toward Fujitora by the way the leaves surrounding you go purple. With your gaze on Law, you shout after him, but your voice is lost in the destruction. The aftermath of the impact sends you flying backward, Caesar and the Marines following. You throw your hands out, Sew multiplying at an alarming rate to form a net that catches everyone.Â
Coughing through the dust, you emerge from the trees, only to be pulled back by a Marine. Before you is a giant pit that descends into the depths of the earth. Itâs an unusual sight, but your heart rate increases exponentially when you think about Lawâs whereabouts.Â
âWhereââ
âLook!â
So you do, and when the smoke clears, you feel your shoulders relax, but only slightly. Law, Doflamingo, and Fujitora stand on their own pillars of rock; the drop below them is endless.Â
The men speak amongst themselves on the pillars, and you canât make out what theyâre saying. But, without warning, they all attack at once. Your mouth is dry with fear and apprehension, and you absentmindedly move your tongue to generate saliva. Though, itâs difficult with the dust and sand coating your throat.Â
âHeâs mine to kill!â Doflamingo cackles, pointing his finger at Law. You scowl and leap from the bushes, your feet sinking into the sand with every step. Law dodges at the last second, and whatever Doflamingo sends his way slices his cheek. Fujitora stands there unmoving, letting them fight.
Law sees your figure running from the trees and escapes from the pit, making his way toward you. âRun.â
Doflamingo follows, and you watch in horror as the pink man flies at you.Â
âLaw,â He sings, his attention snagged by your sudden attack. You fling a needle in his direction, its sharp tip barely missing his face. âOh! Dreamweaverâs come out to play, too! How exciting.â
You sprint behind Law, weaving through the giant flora of Green Bit. Law tugs your hand, and you go crashing over a vine. Shambles catches you and keeps you on your toes. A quick zip goes past your ear, and you stagger.Â
âBullet strings,â Law explains, dodging said attack. You swallow thickly, the exhaustion eating at your muscles. âTheyâll kill you if youâre not careful.âÂ
His breathing is ragged as he speaks, and you send a needle behind you, the dark chuckle of Doflamingo letting you know you missedâyou wonât dare send him to Seam without knowing the full extent of his power; heâd most likely rip you to shreds.Â
âIâve been keeping a close eye on you, Dreamweaver.â
The nickname is still foreign to your ears. You donât want to know what it means and why itâs the same as legends past. Law snarls at him, grabbing your wrist and transporting you further away.Â
âIf you join me, Iâll let your little Law go free, unharmed.âÂ
His voice gets closer every time Law puts more distance between you and Doflamingo. The offer is enticing only because Lawâs safety is the only thing on your mind. As if reading your mind, Law tightens his grip on your wrist.Â
âDonât even think about it.â
Thereâs no time to dwell on the emotions that rise within you when Law flies forward, his body upside down as he slams into a tree. Almost invisible strings lace over his chest, torso, legs, and arms, and you spin around wildly to face the man responsible.Â
Doflamingo slows, his shoes hitting the ground as he stalks toward you.
âNo!â Law yells, his voice gruff as he fights against the restraints. âDonât you dare touch her!â
The King of Dressrosa observes you, his head tilting as he scrutinises you. You stand your ground, protecting Law from the man who ruined his life.Â
âGorgeous thing you are, Dreamweaver⌠tragic that Lawâs been keeping you hidden from me.â
You gulp silently but are unwavering. Doflamingo stops in front of you, his two-metre frame towering. You have to tilt your head back to look him directly in the eyesâthough his sunglasses make it difficult to see where heâs looking.Â
âDid Law ever tell you what you are?âÂ
âI donât know!â Lawâs voice is strained, the strings strengthening their hold. âI donât know why everyone thinks I do!â
âForget Law, you couldâve been a Warlord. And if you were feeling up to the task, maybe an Emperor.â
The titles heâs throwing at you mean nothing. âLeave us alone.âÂ
âLove has made you weak!â Doflamingo barks a laugh as he takes a step. He circles you, his gaze piercing. âWho knew that the one I sort was so⌠pathetic.â
âFuck you,â You growl, watching him over your shoulder. He makes no move for Law but sighs, his pity palpable.Â
âYou could be a god.â
Your finger flicks and Doflamingo makes a sound of indignation as a needle pierces his side. âStop saying that.âÂ
Turning around, you glower. Lawâs expression is painted in surprise at how easily you attacked him, the needle deepening with every movement Doflamingo takes. Blood drips from the wound, and Law gasps.Â
âInteresting,â Doflamingo regards the protruding needle, running his finger along its shining body. âJust as I expected.âÂ
Behind him, needles work to free Law, loosening the strings just enough so he can use shambles to transport to you.Â
You ignore Doflamingoâs wondrous tone and continue to impale him. He grunts with each needle that sinks into his flesh, but his smile never lets up.Â
âDreamweaver,â He mutters, arms outstretched and Cheshire grin widening. He looks like a pincushion. âYou are the only one who can defeat me.âÂ
Your power halts. Why would he say that when heâs at your mercy? When you could kill him here and now? Unless you canât. Â
You donât say anything, knowing heâs toying with you. When you glance at the tree, Lawâs gone, so you keep Doflamingoâs focus on you.Â
âCome with me now,â He mutters, voice brutally low. âOr Iâll slice Lawâs head clean off. I know heâs sneaking around here somewhere, and I wonât hesitate.âÂ
Your blood freezes in your arteries, and your body feels like it's in slow motionâdeep in your soul, you know heâs not lying. He killed his own father and brother, and Trafalgar Law is no exception.Â
âFine. But stay away from Law.âÂ
âYouâre aware of our history then? Whatâd he tell you about that traitor, Corazon?â
Silently, your hands return to your sides. You inhale deeply, calming your nerves. Law wonât forgive you for this, but youâd do anything to keep him safe. With your glare as sharp as a needle, you put your wrists together before you and shake them. âTake me away, then.â
Doflamingo smirks and cackles, the sharp sound echoing through the trees. Law freezes at the noise, knowing it can't mean anything good. With his heart in his throat, he transports himself to your location.
But when he arrives, Doflamingo is gone, and so are you.Â
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#trafalgar law#trafalgar law x reader#trafalgar d water law#trafalgar d water law x reader#trafalgar d law x reader#one piece#one piece imagine#one piece x reader#law x reader#law one piece#labyrinth series#â ann writes!
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Capri Sun
(A/N) This is just stupid, but I love this side of Cod.
Pairing: Simon x Reader (no Y/N)
Warning: blood draw, fear of needles, aggressive and oblivious reader, starstruck Simon, suggestive at the end
Synopsis: Based on this.
Simon is a soldier. A warrior. Hardened by life, by the horrors he experiences every day. He had killed hundreds, thousands of people with his hands. Scars cover his body. Scars he acquired in battle and through torture. His subordinates fear him, his superiors respect him. If anyone were to think of a âtough guyâ, someone not scared by anything, they would think of him.
But god damn, this man is scared of needles. What didnât help, was the fact that, as a soldier, he had regular health check-ups, each of them including a blood draw.
At first, he tried to face his fear alone, not telling anyone how bad it really was. Only when he eventually fainted before one of those blood draws, did Price catch wind of the Lieutenantâs phobia. And since then, he accompanied Simon to every single blood draw, just to make sure the big, scary man was okay.
But Price still tried to help Simon with his fear. While at first, the Captain would be standing right beside his colleague, he started slowly distancing himself, hoping to give the Lieutenant some independence that way.
The same was happening again. They had just gotten back from a mission and due to an injury, Simon had to go through a check-up, which would start with the oh-so-feared blood draw.
The soldier felt the anxiety from the moment he woke up, only consoled by the fact, that since he had to be sober for the blood draw, it would take place before breakfast. At least it would be over soon.
Ten minutes before Simonâs appointment was scheduled, Price knocked on his door and picked him up. Together, they walked to the infirmary and after checking Simon in, they sat down in the waiting room. Some other soldiers recognized them and started to chat with Price, not really noticing Simonâs silence. After all, he wasnât much of a talker on a day when he didnât have to get a needle jabbed into his arm.
After a few minutes, Simon was called into one of the rooms. As he got up, he glanced at Price, who just nodded encouragingly, sending the Lieutenant off. While walking to the room, Simon took slow, steady breaths, already trying to calm his nerves. But when he entered, the anxiety spiked up again.
This time, it wasnât because of the prospect of what was about to happen, but because ofâŚyou. You wereâŚadorable, sitting on a tiny stool, you could use to roll around the room.
He stood in the door for a few seconds, staring at your profile, as you routinely took out everything youâd need for this. You didnât even notice him until you swiveled around to face the door.
A surprised gasp escaped your lips, not expecting a mountain of a man to be your patient today. Sure, you were used to treating soldiers, big men and women, fit and stocky, but that manâŚhe was something else entirely.
After recovering from the surprise, you let out a chuckle and pointed to the chair in front of you.
âPlease, take a seat.â
Simon did as you asked, still staring at you. You looked so fragile and cute. And your smile. If Simon were to die and he could pick one image to see before he leaves this world, it would be that smile of yours.
You swiveled back again, grabbing a capri sun from a table behind you before you turned back to face him. As you ripped off the straw, you started to go through your standard introduction.
âHi I'm your medic and I'll be drawing your blood today.â
You straightened the straw and aimed at the small hole on the top, jamming the straw down, but missing it. If this display wouldnât have scared Simon as much as it did, he wouldâve found the way, your face pulled into a frown, adorable.
You try again, missing once more, making you grow incredibly frustrated.
âAhm, soâŚare you sober?â
You werenât even looking at Simon while asking him the question, still focused on the capri sun and the way you kept missing the hole.
âUh-hu.â
You glance at him, a smile on your face, before you glance back down at the juice pack in your hands, the smile gone.
âAnd have you ever fainted before, during, or after a blood draw?â
Simonâs muscles tensed and his eyes grew wide while he watched you jabbing at the poor juice pouch, a thin layer of sweat starting to cover his skin. His hands had started to claw at the armrests of the chair. But you were oblivious to his panic.
He muttered a quick ânoâ, wanting to save face in front of you, but in his mind, he completed it with a âbut I think Iâm about toâ.
âGood. Let me justâŚugh.â
Another missed attempt and you clearly had enough. You balled up the pouch, turned it on its side, and jabbed the straw into it with as much force as possible, a triumphant âah-ha!â leaving your lips as you took a sip.
Your display of aggression was enough for the poor man and with a voice you never expected from someone like him, he called out.
âPrice!â
You looked up, confused as to what was going on. Your confusion only grew when another big and burly soldier, even if not as big and burly as the one sat in front of you, came running up to the door.
âWhatâs going on?â
You looked between him and the man sitting in front of you, not knowing what to say. And Simon didnât say anything either, instead just reaching out his hand towards the Captain.
Price let out an understanding chuckle and closed the door for some privacy, before grabbing Simonâs hand and giving him an assuring squeeze.
âHe doesnât like getting his blood drawn.â
The way Price whispered that to you, seemed as if he was sharing an important secret with you. You nodded in understanding and sat down the juice pouch, which caught Priceâs attention, earning you a confused look.
âI couldnât hit the hole with the straw, soâŚâ
You explained it so nonchalantly, but in that moment, everything started to make sense in Priceâs head and he had to use all of his self-restraint to not just burst out laughing.
Now that you knew that your patient was afraid of the procedure ahead of him, you decided to get it over with as quickly as possible. And you did it without a hitch, placing a small bandaid over the puncture wound.
âDo keep some pressure on that, okay? You donât want a bruise to form there.â
Simon nodded and with the help of Price got to his feet. The Captain quickly thanked you, before leaving the room, but Simon hesitated. He glanced at you and you again smiled at him, making his heart melt.
âW-Would you l-like to go out s-somtime?â
He talked so quietly, it took your brain a second to catch up, and when it did, a heavy blush covered your cheeks. Was he really asking you out?
âY-Yeah. Iâd love to. Iâm done at six tonight.â
Simon nodded, not looking at you, way too embarrassed.
âIâll pick you up then.â
You nodded and smiled at him, waving as he left the room.
Letâs just say, from that moment on, you were the only medic that would draw his blood. And letâs just say that with him, the procedure required a lot longer than normal and would only happen behind a locked door. Yeah, heâd practically have you sitting in his lap while drawing his blood, grinding up into you, the only way to get his mind off of what was happening that moment. At least Price no longer had to accompany him to those appointments.
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Call of Duty - Masterlist
Master-Masterlist
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Archive: Rent-a-Cop Part 1 - 3
"Itâs supposed to do whatâŚ? âŚAre you serious Captain?â Officer Grant Johnson sighed looking at his commanding officer with incredulity.
âJohnson, remember you volunteered for this. Now if the professorâs machine works like he says it does, its value to the force will be immeasurable," The Captain typed in some more information onto the panel, going back and forth between some hand-written instructions, furrowing his brow.
âFine⌠So you scanned me in or whatever, now what?â
âJust a minute! I need to finish calibrating the damn thing or God knows what itâll do to you!â Johnson rolled his eyes but nodded, running his hand through his salt and pepper hair impatiently.
âOkay okay⌠Just remember we do well enough without some freaky gizmo though. Iâve put away some of the baddest guys in this city in my dayâŚâ Officer Johnson patted his gut with a chuckle. ââŚI suppose I have been getting a bit soft though,"
âWell why donât we see what we can do about that?" The Captain lifted what looked to be a simple wireless microphone.
âLoad profile: Grant Johnson.â The machine behind them made a small noise, Officer Johnson looked to it then the Captain and shrugged.
âReduce age by half, increase muscle mass 300%, and reduce body fat ratio by 80%ââ
The Captain cut off and gaped at the sudden change in his subordinate. Gone was the weary looking Officer with the pot-belly looking forward to an ever closer retirement. In his place was a mountain of a man, who looked half bodybuilder/half cop. Johnson just stared at the Captain.
ââŚWhat? How long do we wait?â
âWhat do you mean what? Youâre huge!â
Officer Johnson narrowed his eyes at the Captain then looked to his arm, pulling back the sleeve and flexing his massive biceps; it must have been around 24 inches.
"It doesnât look any bigger⌠definitely not 200% bigger. And what was with the command to halve my age? You trying to send me back to highschool?â He chuckled a deep, rich, masculine laugh.
The Captain stammered a moment before looking back to the hand-written notes, thumbing through them before speaking into the small microphone again.
âRecall self prior to last command," that did it. Grant yelped, looking back to his arm, giving it a small poke then looking back to the Captain.Â
âHoly shit! Captain! Look at me! I canât believe it! That machine is nuts!â The Captain frowned lightly but nodded.
âYes, yes. The possibilities are endless, but weâll need to make sure we note any Officerâs previous self to their changed self⌠I think weâll just keep this to ourselves until we can learn a bit more about it.â
âAwwâ Fine⌠Too bad though, with this thing Iâd be right back in the swing of it. All those bastards Iâve spent my career taking down would just be the beginning; I could be back on the beat full time.â
âWell, weâll see. For now lets get you back to normal, lock this place up and head back upstairs. Donât want anyone in the precinct getting nosy down hereâŚâ
-
The captain returned Officer Johnson to normal then the pair left; all without taking note of the surveillance camera silently blinking above their heads.Â
In the security room, rookie cop Noah Bartlett stared at the camera footage. Heâd been benched and given desk duty after none other than Officer Grant Johnson had accused him of being on the takeâŚÂ
Nevermind the fact that he was, afterall there were several local crime bosses who paid good money for any tip or advantage they could get against the copsâŚ.
An idea slowly formed in Noahâs mind as he looked to the wall at the master security keyring and a smile grew on his face⌠He wondered how much they would pay for a chance to rent that machine and use it on Officer Oh-So-Perfect JohnsonâŚ
--
"You understand, Captain Diaz?"
The older cop replied in a dull monotone "Yes,"
"Yes....what?" the rookie replied, smirking vindictively
"Yes Master Noah,"
"Good," he pulled the machine's microphone close to his mouth and read off a little notecard he had prepared
"Captain Diaz won't consciously remember the events of the last 10 minutes or so. Captain Diaz will return to his office, wait one hour then call Officer Johnson in, and then follow the previously given instructions,"
With that, the Captain wordlessly walked out, while Officer Bartlett quickly reset the room to how it was, before hurrying back to his desk in the security room.
Rico Antonetti was one of the mid to upper level mob figures in the city and he and Officer Noah Bartlett had worked out a few arrangements before getting caught by one oh-so-squeaky-clean Officer Grant Johnson.
Noah had reached out to the mobster and informed him of the department's prototype machine. Rico was skeptical so the two worked out an appropriate demonstration.....
Precisely one hour later, Noah looked up to see Officer Grant Johnson on one of his monitors, step into the Captain's office and take a seat
"Listen Johnson, we've got a tip off about some new little bordello Antonetti has setup downtown. It might be bogus, but I need you to go in and investigate,"
"Sure Cap, let me get a team together and we'll be able to hit the place by tomorrow nig---"
"NO! Er......no, that will be too late, these places move around and we don't know how many ears Rico has in the department. If we want to hit him while this info is good, we need to do it tonight and I need you to go by yourself,"
"Uhh....that sounds more than a little bit risky, don't you think, Captain?"
"Yes, or at least it would be, if we didn't have our department's new toy," the Captain said sternly
"Oh....yeah, I guess so then. If you think it's that serious...."
"I do, let's get you prep," quickly replied the Captain as he stood up from his seat and opened the door briskly
Noah almost giggled with glee as he watched the two depart the Captain's office and head to the storeroom where the Professor had dropped off the machine. Everything was going according to script so far
"Alright Johnson, you ready?" The Captain picked up the wireless mic, flipping the machine on
"Yes Sir," Grant smiled, giving his somewhat rotund belly a gentle pat goodbye
"Load Profile: Grant Johnson." once more the machine whirred to life, humming softly and awaiting input. "Subject will recall self following this set of commands: Reduce age by 60%, increase muscle mass by 200%....."
The Captain's voice and face then seemed to go a bit slack and he took the microphone and opened the door to exit the room
"Err...everything alright, boss?"
"Yes, wait there, I need to check something,"
Captain Diaz quietly made his way down the hall to the security room, he opened the door where Officer Bartlett sat grinning
"Welcome Cap, I'll take that," he reached out, grabbing the mic and looking back to the video feed of the new, younger, buffer Officer Grant Johnson sitting patiently
"Subject will not recall self following this new set of commands. Change sexuality to homosexual. Increase libido by 300%. Reduce work ethic by 75%. Add behaviors: narcissism, arrogance, exhibitionism, bullying, domineering, perversion, and of course, corruption," Noah watched as the posture and attitude of Officer Johnson shifted. The man in the monitor crudely rubbed his genitals through his uniform pants and impatiently checked his wristwatch before noting the mirrored window in the room and stepping up to flex in front of it
"Perfect, now reduce subject employment standing to rookie, erase all experience of previous service and update it to 3 months," the stripes on Grant's uniform vanished, "Subject will continue flexing in the storeroom until Captain Diaz returns," there was no change in the cocky behavior on the monitor, but Noah knew Grant would stay like that as long as needed now
"Load profile: Carlos Diaz. Subject will believe that Officer Grant Johnson has always been as he is now and has not been changed by the machine. Subject will load in each member of the department's profiles overnight tonight and make the same changes to their recollection as well. Subject will not consciously remember the events of the last hour and will return to scold Officer Johson for being where he shouldn't be, then send him out,"
Captain Diaz silently left the security room and Officer Bartlett returned to his monitor. He watched smiling as the Captain entered the storeroom and clearly yelled something at the now rookie Grant Johnson. Officer Johnson replied by gripping his own groin and flipping the Captain off as he left.
"Now then, tonight should go on as planned,"
--
Grant drove down the street slowly. It was dark and while he may not have given a shit about what he was doing, he was still a cop. He saw the kid on the corner signal to someone as soon as he showed up. But that was fine, let 'em get their shit out of there, it would be less work on his part.
He parked a couple houses down from the address his tightass Captain had given him for this supposed brothel and slowly approached. From the front it looked like any other kind of shared housing in one of the city's projects
He eyed the door, strangely it was left ajar. He carefully slipped inside, having to squeeze his muscular form through rather tightly so as not to risk moving the door any further
The first floor was dark but as he peered up the stairs, he saw the second level was well lit......if anything's going down, it's up there
He thought he moved quite silently but in reality he was rushing and the house creaked under his weight with each step. When he reached the top, he saw a hallway full of closed doors, save one left half open with light pouring out of it
He crept towards it, growing annoyed at what a waste of time this was turning out to be. He paused by the door when he heard a young man speaking on the phone
"Yeah....yeah he's comin' so I called like you told me to....yeah, you're sure about this?.....Naw naw, I'm good for it.... Alright, alright, then do whatever it is you're gonna do, I'll let you know,"
The young man hung up the phone, Grant furrowed his brow at what he'd heard.....it sounded like something might actually about to go down....Looks like showtime. He stepped forward, kicking the door open and entering the room with his gun drawn
"DON'T MOVE!" yelled Grant with his deep baritone voice with that hint of coarseness from his smoking habit
The room looked like a simple one bedroom unit, hardly the sex den he was expecting. On the bed seated a rather handsome college-aged jock, he had his arms raised and was watching the police officer, but he didn't seem startled. Grant frowned and looked around the room before stepping to the man and patting him down; finding no weapon, he put away his firearm.
"We got a tipoff about prostitutes working out of this address to supply the mob. You know anything about that?"
The young jock paused for a moment looking at Grant just long enough to begin annoying him, before finally answering tentatively
"Of course Officer.....that's what I'm doing here," Grant just stared a moment......did this little twunk just admit to being a whore?
"You're a hooker?"
Sensing Grant's confusion, the young man smiled and nodded. He stood and approached the cop
"Yeah.....Rico said I was your favorite after last time, so it was my job to......cover your protection fee...." the jock's hands were a bit rough but his puppy eyes really caught his attention and radiate this submissiveness Grant cannot resist. He softly stroked Grant's chest and stomach, causing the ripped Officer to moan and shudder in delight
"Oh...oh yeah, now I remember you," Grant's stated with more conviction, his memories betrayed him as it created false imagery of the time he's sitting in the mob-run nightclub with all the male strippers dancing to tease him
The rather handsome hooker simply smiled impishly, his hand caressing lower, which caused Grant to growl in beastly burst of lust, pushing the young man back onto the bed
-
An hour or so later, Grant called in to Captain Diaz, the tip had been bullshit it seemed. The Captain was pissed but Grant didn't care. Meanwhile, Officer Bartlett popped open a bottle of wine when he received a call from one very convinced and very interested crime boss....
-------
Check out my spin-off from this beloved series originally made by coyote-r
More to come later this week
#male shapeshift#male muscle growth#archive#coyote-r#older to younger#criminal tf#police tf#revenge tf#rent-a-cop series#tech tf
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Unconscious Protector
DESCRIPTION: When you suddenly lose consciousnessÂ
WARNINGS: Descriptions of fainting
CHARACTERS: Luffy, Zoro | Law, Sanji, Ace | Sabo, Killer, Marco
WORDS: 1,042
A/N: Just want to say thank you to each and everyone of you who have been reading these fics. Hope you enjoy this one
*REQUESTS ARE OPEN*
MASTERLIST
----------
LUFFY
This island was far too hot, probably just as bad as the fire side of Punk Hazard. The only reason you were struggling more this time was because you were trying to keep up with your excited Captain. Youâd drawn the short straw to be his babysitter as he explored the wilderness while the others got to stay in the town and shop. You admired Luffy greatly but he just refused to pause for two seconds to take a break. At times like this you were even more jealous of his seemingly unending reserve of energy. Youâd tried earlier to convince him to stop in the shade for a moment but then heâd spotted a mountain in the distance he was adamant about climbing it before stopping. So you had to just endure the heat if you wanted to keep pace with him.Â
You just had to keep telling yourself this was like training, just something to keep yourself motivated because if you stopped now you didnât think you would get back up. As the incline of the mountain got steeper the more your legs shook. Just a little further you told yourself while roughly shaking your head, trying to focus your vision as it blurred once more. You could make out the outline of trees at the top. The thought of lying down under the shade was your reward for trekking this far without stopping. You could do this. You would do this. Over the growing ringing in your ears you could make out Luffyâs excited cheering when he got to the top and calling your name to see the view. Shakily you let out a laugh. âComing, Luffy.â You tried to call out but could only manage a weak huff.
Only now did Luffy turn and see you stumble up the mountain towards him. He frowned heavily, finally seeing the struggle you were pushing through. As much as his hands itched to stretch out and lift you the last few feet he resisted the impulse. Youâd gotten this far and suffered because of him. To treat you like a weakling now at the last hurdle would have been an insult. You had a strength he greatly admired, you wouldnât be part of his crew if you were frail. He had to just watch. Finally you staggered to a halt beside him and doubled over, breathing heavily and eyes swimming. Forcing your head up you took in the amazing view of the town far below and you could see just how far you really came. âI did itâŚâ you cheered in an exhausted whisper only for your eyes to roll back and your body slumped over. Luffyâs arms caught you with ease and he lifted you towards the thick line of trees.
âJust rest now.â He grinned, throwing himself down onto the ground, holding you close and safe against him. When his hand lightly touched the top of your head he noticed how warm it was. That was his fault too he realised, he was too excited to go exploring he hadnât given you much time to prepare for the trek. Ah well, heâd apologise when you were awake and on your feet again. With a grin he pulled off his hat and draped it lightly over your head, letting the extra shade it created cool you down. His grin only got wider when you relaxed more against him.Â
ZORO
That had to be the last of them, please let that be the last of them. Paranoid and alert your eyes swept around the destroyed battlefield. Youâd pushed yourself too far this time. You knew that but it was necessary. The others were scattered and engaged in their own fights and that left you to protect the entrance to the building where Luffy was currently fighting your groupâs current enemy. That enemy however was a coward and kept sending subordinates to try and overwhelm Luffy to try and gain the upper hand in the fight. That wasnât going to happen, not while you had any breath still in your body.Â
You felt a sudden presence by your side and you reacted, whirling and throwing your sword out in an attack only to freeze when it was blocked by a familiar blade. Relief flooded you and a smile broke out over your face. If more enemies came now, protecting Luffy would be a whole lot easier. You adjusted the hold on your sword and pulled it away from your crew-mate, eyes returning to the battlefield in search of anyone approaching.Â
Zoro could see the dimness in your eyes, the tremble of your limbs and the shallow breaths you were taking. You were only standing and acting out of instinct and loyalty at this point. He could see the toll the exhaustion that fighting waves upon waves on enemies and using your Devil Fruit had taken on your body. While he was concerned it didnât lessen his pride and respect for you. He put his own sword away and reached out to curl his fingers around yours that still held yours in a vice grip. âHey itâs okay. The fightâs over.â He coaxed, his voice holding its usual deep rumble but there was a softness in his tone that he reserved only for you.
His words were all you needed to finally let your body succumb to what it needed most. Relinquishing your weapon and yourself into his care, your eyes slipped closed as his free arm settled around your waist, supporting your deadweight against him like it was nothing. Taking the utmost care with you, he lifted your body to cradle against his chest while he sheathed your weapon and stood to lean against the wall youâd been protecting so fiercely. Zoroâs eye moved across the destruction youâd caused and chuckled as he took it all in. You certainly were a force of nature and one that pushed him to be stronger too. He knew no one else would come by here and that it wouldnât be long before Luffy wrapped up his own battle and everything would settle once more but he couldnât help but enjoy this moment of being your protector even if it was for a little while.
#one piece#one piece fic#one piece x reader#one piece x you#one piece scenario#one piece imagines#luffy x reader#luffy x you#monkey d. luffy#one piece luffy#zoro x reader#roronoa zoro#zoro roronoa x reader#zoro roronoa x you#straw hat luffy#one piece fanfiction
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Best of Both Worlds
Yes, the title is a Hannah Montana song, it fits perfectly. Also, for the sake of fiction, Leah did in fact play at Wembley, thank you!
Possibly the most long-awaited day of Leah's life; her national team return. It was one thing to play for The Arsenal again, but to represent her country whilst wearing the captain's armband at Wembley was an experience that simply couldn't be matched. And that's why it meant everything and more to her that you were in the stands with her family and her name on your back.
It wasn't the most aesthetically pleasing match ever, a 1-1 draw against Sweden, but Leah was back in her rightful place under her rightful role, and that was a win in itself. With each step on the pitch, your heart swelled with pride, knowing the mountain she'd climbed with her injury and how hard it had been mentally with each bump in the road, especially when she had to drop out of the last camp.
But here you were, seated in the same area of the stands her family had been when she had won the Euros, watching on in awe at how seamlessly she slipped back into the team. You had missed that fateful day back in 2022, having only met Leah five months after it at a New Year's Eve party, but with the affection Leah described that day with, you may as well have lived it for yourself. Now, having experienced your first game at Wembley since you hadn't gone to that game last year, you were beaming as you watched your girl command her national team around again.
Sure, you'd been to many a game of her's before, but there was something different about this one. There were obvious reasons of course, her injury and whatnot, but seeing her lead her team out to a stadium filled with the most people you'd ever seen her play in front of, a feeling settled in your chest that was unlike anything before. And when she was back in your arms at the end of the game, you would show her exactly how much you treasured her.
So, as she made her way around the stadium post-game, taking the time to applaud all the fans that had come along to watch and signing things for some, there was a smile of admiration on your face that her cousin beside you noticed. You blushed heavily at the teasing nudge she gave you with a smirk on her face.
"I suggest you wipe that cheesy, love-sick smile off your face before she comes over and bullies you for it." The woman next to you said, the pair of you laughing as you rolled your eyes, both all too familiar with her antics.
But the absence of said smile only lasted for about a minute, because then Leah was making her way over to the area of stands where you and her family was, and she had a down-turned smile on her face, the one she always did whilst trying to suppress her actual one. You were sat on the second row behind Leah's immediate family, so you stood back and waited for her to greet them all, also doing so as to not attract much fan attention. Leah made that hard though, because when her Mum pulled her into a bear hug, she indulged herself fully in it for about five seconds before her eyes flitted up to you and the corners of her mouth finally quirked up.
She jokingly pushed her Mum to the side so that she could reach out for you, and leaned up to hug you tightly. However, you pulled away after a few moments, and she made her disapproval very clear.
"What you doing that for?" She quizzed grumpily, looking utterly unimpressed up at you as some of her family members chuckled at her.
"The fans, Leah. We're at Wembley, think of all the videos." You whispered close to her ear, not quite intelligible for the others to hear.
"Who gives a toss, babe, I've hugged all my family here and you're no different." She responded, and she pulled you back in before you could complain. You wouldn't have complained anyway, because really who were you to deny your girlfriend's hug, your favourite in the world.
"Don't throw a strop later if there's about a million different angles of this." You teased, pinching her side where one of your hands rested around her.
"Doesn't matter, it's still you I get to go home with." She murmured before quickly pecking the spot under your ear and pulling back with one last squeeze. When she leaned back, she saw the light blush to your cheeks and smirked. "A year later and I've still got it."
You shoved her away lightly so that she could chat with the rest of her family before going off to do her post-match routine. Seeing her with her family, who she was so tight-knit with, was always a joy to see and you'd never get tired of seeing it. And as she jogged away back to the tunnel, her Mum turned to you and embraced you too.
"Thanks for coming, darling, it means a lot to her and to us too." She told you, rubbing a hand up and down your back. Praise and gratitude from her never got old either.
"Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world." You said back to her, to which she smiled and kissed your cheek.
You and the rest of the group made your way around to the family area inside the stadium to wait for her, making light conversation with them all to pass the time whilst Leah carried out media duties. It was fun and easy spending time with her family, because as a result of your girlfriend's relationship with them, you had grown almost as close with them too. Ever present at family dinners, birthdays, and events like christenings and weddings etc, now it was second nature for you to follow Leah to them. Within only a few months of being with Leah, every invite had your name on it too.
In the middle of your conversation with her cousins, talking excitedly about plans for the summer vacation later that year, you were interrupted as Leah finally appeared in her tracksuit with short wet blonde hair, a soft smile on her face. She spent a bit of time talking some more with her family, before bidding them farewell and wandering over to you.
"Home time?" You wondered, reaching a hand out to brush some of her hair back behind her shoulder.
You had, rather bravely, drove to the stadium today after Leah somehow secured you a reserved parking space, with the plan of driving yourself and Leah home your flat for the night before she travelled back up north to St. George's Park with the team tomorrow.
"God, yes." She sighed, and you smiled up at her.
"Let's go then." You took the hand she offered after pulling up her hood and let her lead the way out of the stadium.
Arriving at your car, with a few curious stares from fans to see if the hooded figure beside you was who they thought it was, you helped her lift her things into the boot of your car before the pair of you clambered in.
For the time it took to drive home, you caught up with her as it had been a few days since you had seen each other whilst she had been at camp. You, ever the safe driver, weren't one to hold your girlfriend's hands whilst on the road, always with two hands on the wheel at all times. Leah teased you of course, her and her English humour never falling to banter you everytime she could, but nevertheless when she was feeling a little clingy her hand would rest on your thigh as you drove, or it would massage and stroke the back of your neck as her arm leaned on your seat's headrest.
Today was a case of her resting a hand mindlessly on your thigh, something you would smile at constantly and glance down at the sight every chance you could get. She didn't notice though, busy talking and too tired to realise. Adjusting back to playing 90 minutes was something she was still in the middle of, not that she couldn't handle them because she obviously can, it's just the tiredness afterwards was something she hadn't experienced in a while of playing professionally.
That meant you weren't exactly surprised when she flopped down immediately on your sofa when you got home, not even bothering to drop her bags off in your room.
"Want some food, love?" You offered, pushing her bags to the side of the hallway so that they weren't a tripping hazard before leaning against the doorway of your lounge.
"You don't have to cook, we can just order a Nando's or something." Leah yawned, rubbing her eyes.
"Well, I thought ahead." You smiled at her, giggling at the tired and confused expression she silently responds with. "I meal-planned for you. I can heat up a plate of that Carribbean chicken and rice and veg if you want."
She gazed at you for a few moments before her head dropped back against the pillows with a groan.
"If I had a ring right now, I'd ask to marry you."
With a laugh, you took that as a yes and headed to the kitchen to do exactly as you said. As you were gone, the blonde put Netflix on the TV and chose the sitcom you had been watching together before pausing the episode to wait for you. She sat up with a groan and slumped back heavily, going onto her phone to reply to some friends and family.
Not so long later, you walked back in with Leah's food, handing it to her before sitting down beside her. Plate and fork in hand, she twisted her body to lean her back against your shoulder and happily tucked into her meal as you pressed play on the TV.
"Thanks for this, babe, I'm really grateful." She muttered as she ate, to which you smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"It's no problem, Le. I made a plate for myself too but I had a hot dog at half-time so I'm not hungry." You revealed, giggling as Leah chuckled.
"I know it's just a plate of food but... I don't know, means a lot to me that you thought about this." With a light blush, you shrugged nonchalantly and kissed the side of her head.
"I would say I know you'd do the same for me, but everybody knows you can't cook." You jested, grinning when she grumbled under her breath.
"I was only being nice, but alright." She huffed, but you only held her tighter against you.
"I'm kidding. I just love you, s'all. Wanna take care of you, especially after the last year and especially because I know you're a bit of a bottomless pit after a game." You say, and she hums in agreement. "If I'd have known my chicken was so good, it inspired thoughts of marriage, I'd have made it more often."
"I could never say no to that."
You both fell silent at that, more than content to enjoy each other's company with the show on in the background. Spending time with you after a game, just relaxing together, was fastly becoming Leah's favourite tradition. Going to dinners with friends or partying were great, but not much could beat this. Great food with even better company, in the arms of her girlfriend, Leah was finally at peace with the silence she had to greet after a game that was anything but.
That was something not many people would guess was a struggle in women's football. Going from playing in tiny stadiums to bigger venues but hardly any fans, to then playing in sold-out game after sold-out game for both club and country, that was her dream. What she wasn't expecting was the mental challenge that came with it. Spending well over 90 minutes in a booming stadium with fans that never ceased their chants was astounding to her, but the silence that met her when she would go home to a quiet and empty apartment was difficult.
She had worked on dealing with it better since the Euros where it had really picked up, but there was one thing that made it so much easier every time without fail. And that was you.
"You know I do plan to marry you, right?" Leah piped up out of nowhere sometime later, her plate long discarded to the coffee table as your positions on the couch remained the same. At her out-of-the-blue question that took your breath away a little, you cleared your throat and nodded though she couldn't see you.
"Yeah."
"Because I do want to marry you one day. I've known that from early on, I actually know the exact moment I thought that."
"Do tell, my love." You smiled, never one to pass up on a chance to hear just how and when Leah had fallen for you.
"The second time we saw each other after the New Year's party, when you started teasing me for not kissing you again after that night."
Much to Alex's dismay, the night of that party yourself and Leah had spent pretty much all of it talking about everything and nothing, compelled by a desire to get to know each other. That was until the blonde's intake of Dutch courage lived up to its name as she kissed you a little more than what could be described as friendly once the clock struck midnight. And when the night ended, no matter how much you didn't want to leave, you both shared a taxi to your respective apartments and exchanged details. It wasn't long before you saw her again though, in fact you saw her twice in the two weeks that followed, but the defender had been a little too embarrassed at her eager act a few weeks prior to kiss you again. But when you teased her one too many times about it, on the third 'date', she huffed before firmly yet delicately gripping your face and finally kissing you again.
"I spoke to Wally after our second date and she called me crazy for knowing I'd marry you when I didn't even have the balls to kiss you again." You laughed loudly at that, a notion Leah soon joined in with as she knew her past-self had acted in a ridiculous and shy way. "But that's the truth, babe. I knew I had to have you, and what better way to show that than snogging the life out of you on a random bench in London."
"Ew, Leah! Why describe it like that? I thought it was such a sweet moment, but you've just described it like we were two horny teenagers." She grimaced at the point you made, regretting it already.
"My bad. It was sweet. If not a bit... desperate." She snickered, grinning when you swatted her shoulder. "So, would you marry me then?"
"Wow. If this conversation couldn't get any less romantic, I think you've just put the nail in the coffin." Leah scoffed and sat up, fixing you with a disapproving look.
"That wasn't my actual proposal, you knob. I just wanna know if you'd say yes when I did eventually ask. Properly, that is." The defender asked with a shy smile, and you couldn't help but giggle at her face, doing so more when she frowned in confusion.
"Yes, I would accept your proposal. As long as it's with a nice ring and a better speech." You answered to put her out of her misery. She lets out a relieved sigh but smiling again.
"Noted."
With that, she stood up, now your turn to be confused. Squealing as she lifted you up bridal style, you laughed when she lay you down on your back length-ways across the sofa. Then, she kneeled against the cushions under your knees and carefully laid on top of you, her head resting against your stomach. Her hands came up to slide under your back and she sighed contently.
"Comfy?" You asked with a smile, your own hands settling on the back of her head.
"So comfy." She hummed, eyes closed as she faced away from the TV.
"If you're gonna fall asleep, Le, we may as well go to bed."
"No." She grunted. "I won't fall asleep. I just want to lay here for a bit."
"Alright." You conceded, your attention fully lost from the TV and instead on the girl draped over you.
You admired the slight view of her face available to you, your hands combing delicately through her almost dried hair as the only sounds shared between you were the calm and quiet breaths you both let out. A few minutes passed by and you thought she had gone to sleep, but she proved you wrong.
"This is my dream, you know."
"What is?" You asked her, moving one of your hands to rest on the side of your face and stroking her skin there with your thumb.
"Going home from a game to someone I love. Who I can fully switch off with." The small explanation had you beaming, beyond happy to hear how special you were to her.
"Well, I'm glad I can help, my love." You replied, a sheepishly proud smile on your face.
"I used to find it hard, y'know... our football blew up in popularity during the Euros, and I struggled with it more than I expected." You hummed curiously, not wanting to disrupt her train of thought but letting her know you wanted her to continue. "Going from being surrounded by up to ninety thousand people, singing and chanting and cheering non-stop, to just... nothing when I got home. Just a cold, empty, silent apartment. The contrast of it troubled me a lot. I worked through it with a psychologist and coped with it better, but it was never perfect."
She paused, adjusting her position so that her hands came to rest under her chin as she looked up at you, that same down-turned smile from earlier returning. Your hands fell to clasp behind her neck, waiting for her to elaborate.
"Then you came around, and now that anxiety doesn't even phase me anymore."
Now, if that wasn't the most heart-warming thing your girlfriend had said so far, you weren't sure what was.
"That makes me so happy, Leah." You whispered, cupping her cheeks with your hands and smiling softly at her.
"One of my favourite things about our relationship is how easy it is for me to switch from Leah Williamson the footballer, to just Leah when I'm around you. Makes coming home after a game much easier."
Shaking your head, you took her hands and urged her to move further up your body so that her head rested against your chest. Wrapping your arms around her, you squeezed her tightly, desperate to convey your love to her in a way words couldn't explain.
"I'll happily welcome 'Just Leah' home all the time."
"Now you're ruining the moment."
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love that makes you sick
trafalgar law x gf!reader, established relationship
lowercase intended !
fluff, sfw, word count: 2.1k
an argument leaves law looking for you out in a blizzard where he might catch a cold
the white cast the snow left on the new found island made it one of the prettiest islands youâve seen. the submarine was docked at the shore. everyone was busying themselves with tasks such as restocking inventory, buying food, cleaning up, and so on. everyone had to finish chores before they can explore the town and island, as per captains usual orders.
you were busy with your usual task of taking count of medical supplies. you were organizing the pill drawer when law walks into the room. you greeted him with a smile which he looked past on. you noticed the tattooed figured man was looking more tense than usual. this raised a concern for you, âis everything okay baby? you look more than usually stressed.â
he looks at you and holds his hand out, âi need the inventory sheet. you did the counts wrong last time.â this was the first heâs told you of this problem, âi did the counts wrong? no im sure didnât. if they were wrong then why didnât you say anything about it last time..?â
law takes the sheet, and response as he skims through what youâve written down, âi didnât notice i was out of gauze until shaichi decided it was a good idea to see how fast he can hit a knife between his fingersâ law rubs his temples as he remembers the predicament.
you shook your head, âiâm certain i did them right! its not my fault the crew members decide to test their luck with playing with knivesâ you responded with a bit of attitude as you rolled you eyes. law tried his best to stay neutral. he picked up the job he decided you were unable to do. you wouldnât sit around and be blatantly told you didnt know how to do something youâve always been tasked with doing. you grab the sheet back and continue from where you left off.
you can feel his gaze piercing you as you try your best to hold your composure.
ây/n-ya i can do them myself. just give them to me.â he says in a more stern tone. you shook your head, âi refused to believe i messed up!â
âim not going to go back and forth with y-â
you interrupt law by shushing him. he looked at you in disbelief. he wasnât expecting you to literally shush him like he was a child. in no world would law believe that he, as a captain, would be shushed at by his subordinate.
to ease the tension in the air you try talking about the new island. you asked questions to which you received no response. after your fourth question you were fed up with his lack of responses and turned back towards him.
this time he had a look of anger he tried (and failed) to hide. he passively made a remark, âmaybe if you werent so hardheaded and actually listened sometimes i wouldnt have so many issues in the medical room.â
you were taken aback from his sudden statement, but refused to let him have the upper hand in the conversation, âmaybe if you werenât so prideful and actually communicated what you needed instead of expecting me to read your mind you wouldnât be fussing so hard right now!â
law raised a brow. it wasnt unlike you to fire back remarks. heâd seen it with the crew members when youâd all have disagreements, but heâd never expected them to be aimed at him. with his irritation growing by the second he took back the sheet, âgo help someone else. i need to be the one who does the jobs in the medical room so i can know theyre done correctly.â
you scoff, âdone correctly?? fine then! im leaving and exploring at the island. have fun being cooped up by yourself!â you pushed past your boyfriend, and exited the room without looking back at him.
you put on your winter gear knowing it would be a little chilly out, and headed out to explore the unknown. you walked through the town and into the meadow. snow capped mountains and sheets of paper white snow with blades of grass peaking through were visible to the eye. you noticed snowflakes scatter the sky and they fell. soon after though there seemed to be an influx of snowflakes falling. the windâs gusts were picking up as well. you admired the scenery unaware of a possible snow storm heading your way.
on the submarine law was busying himself with your tasks. he didnât know what came over him when he spoke with you. maybe it was the built up stress, maybe it was having to police the crew mates from fighting, or maybe he was just cranky because he missed being with you. nonetheless he still pushed you away. he figured it was at least good for you to get a break. he made mental note to apologize to you once you were back.
he continued through the tasks while making minimal progress. with every mistake he made he remembered how heâd seen you do them routinely since you joined his crew. truth be told you probably did it better than him, but thats something he would never admit out loud. he decided to take a break and go out to see if the crew had finished their tasks.
some were still working on their chores, and some were no where to be seen. law knew it had been a while since you left so he asked the crew if you had come back yet. ikkaku shook her head and penguin replied, ây/n went left a few hours ago. wouldnât speak to us. she seemed kinda mad i guess?â
at that moment shachi runs into the room, âdid you guys seen the snow outside?! its like a blizzard! its so cool!â
law was taken aback, âa blizzard?? are you sure y/n is still out there? you didnât see her come back at all?â worry slowly creeped up the captains chest. the thought of you being out in the snow storm alone tortured him. he didnât want to think about the possibility of you getting sick or hurt.
shachi shook his head, âi couldnât see anyone out there captainâ the concern was too much for the tattooed man to handle anymore. he made sure alert the crew to be on watch for your arrival. he headed out into the snow fall with urgency. he only made one mistake: he left without any proper clothing or gear to protect him against the harsh weather. the only thought on his mind was to find you and make sure you were safe. being cold was the least of his worries.
he hastily traveled through town in search of you. he called out your name and looked everywhere. he was left standing in front a cafe with lights on and smoke escaping its chimney. a man on the inside saw law standing in the snow fall. he opened the door and called out for him, âwhat are you doing out in this storm?! get in here before it carries you away!â
law ignored the man and continued to look around in search of you. the man yelled out urging him to once again take cover inside the building. the tattooed man looks at the building once more just to find a glimpse of you through the window sitting at a table.
relief flooded him like a wave. he just couldnât contain himself. he decided to shambles his way into the cafe. you jump at his sudden appearance, âoh baby you scared me! what are you doing out in the snow? uh.. why arenât you wearing a jacket..?â
your boyfriend looked as cold as a brick of ice. he hadnât notice the dangerous cold outside until he was hit with heat from the cafe that hugged him like a heated blanket. you urged him to sit down, and put your jacket over his shoulders. you put your gloves on him and placed your hot cocoa in front of him, âlaw you look like a mess..â
you ruffled snow off his hat and examined his face which was a shade of pink due to the harsh cold. especially the tips of his ears and nose. he held your hands tight in fear that youâd slip away from him again. he spoke so quiet that barely you could hear, âiâm really sorry y/n. iâm just glad youâre okay. i donât know what i would have done with myself if you got hurt out there. i shouldnât have made you leave like thatâŚâ
you squeezed his hands with a sigh, âiâm okay darling. youâre the one thats not okay. youâre bound catch a cold. it was so reckless of you to leave the submarine like it was 90 degrees. look, your nose is already running!â
you grabbed a napkin and quickly wiped your poor boyfriends nose. you couldnât help but feel bad for his current state.
he pulled you onto his lap and hugged you tight. your body felt like a heater against his ice cold state. he buried his face into your neck for the added warmth. he stayed like this until the snow storm blew down.
you both made your way back to the polar tang. once inside law immediately pulls you towards your shared bedroom. the whole way back to the submarine he was a coughing sneezing mess. it wasnât surprising to see he got a cold.
you urged your sick boyfriend into bed but he refused to without you. you huffed, âlook whoâs the hardheaded one that doesnât listen nowâ you huffed as you referenced the original conversation that started this whole mess.
your boyfriend shook his head and held your hand, âi want you to be in bed with me at least..â he stared at the ground to avoid eye contact. his pink tipped ears poking through his black ruffled hair. it was unlike him to be so straightforward when talking to you about what he wanted. maybe the recent events gave him a change of heart.
nonetheless you guided him into bed and pulled the blanket up to cover him, âlet me bring you some tea, okay baby? ill be right backâ you tell him and you stroke his hair. the tattooed man looks away from embarrassment and tries to put on his cool act again, âiâm fine y/n. go help the others with choresâ
you giggled at his attempt to recover his stoic facade, âmy chore now is to take care of my idiot boyfriend who doesnât think when stepping out into snow stormsâ
you lean down and press a soft kiss onto his lips. its the kind of kiss that leaves law yearning for more. it was the kind of kiss that could comfort the sickest person. your soft lips pressing against his repeats in his mind as you leave to bring him tea and medicine. you spend the rest of the night taking care of him and then being dragged back into bed to cuddle with him. you lost track of how many tissues youâd have to use for your sick boyfriend, but theres nothing youâd rather do than be the one to take care of him especially when heâs the one to take care for you.
not once does he loosen his arms which are wrapped around you. he refuses to let you slip away from him again. it was a mistake he would never do twice. he just avoided eye contact. you smiled at how vulnerable your boyfriend was able to be with you today. how his walls were as low as youâve ever seen them be. you couldnât help but feel so lucky to be loved by this man knowing no other person will experience law the way you get to experience him at that moment.
âhey baby..?â you spoke softly to him. he hums as he looks at you with a slightly tired expression. you cup his cheeks and lean in for another kiss; this time more passionate and deeper than before. law has a slight grip on your hips as he eases into your kiss. he never wants it to end. he pulls you closer, and as you try to separate from the kiss he just continues on by kissing down your jaw and to your neck. you giggle at his loving demeanor and stroke his hair. he nuzzles his head into your neck, and secures you to him to make sure you wont be able to slip away in the night. your warmth like sweet nectar to him.
#one piece#op#one piece x reader#onepiece imagines#trafalgar op#trafalgar d law x reader#trafalgar one piece#law fluff#law x you#trafalgardwaterlaw#trafalgar law x reader#one piece strawhats#law x reader#law x y/n#trafalgar law#law one piece#trafalgar d law x you
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Selfish risks
pairings:Â Levi Ackerman x (GN!) reader
genre:Â domestic fluff
summary: In the peaceful downtime spent together, Levi decides to risk asking an important question.
word count: 1,435
ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/54159382
The Scout headquarters is silent, most of the survey corps members have already taken themselves off to bed, greedily getting as much rest as possible before the next mission creeps up on them. Everyone has been working hard, with both training sessions and squad meetings running longer and longer each day, almost as if each scout could sense something approaching.
The wind howls outside the stone structure, rustling the leaves and causing the windows to rattle. You shiver despite the loud crackling of the fireplace inside your office, the amber flames fighting to keep the chill away.
The warmth and ambient sounds of nature do their best to lull you to sleep, exhaustion tugging on your eyelids as you force yourself to work through the night. A bad habit that you had picked up from a certain captain.
Your relationship with him over the years within the scouts had caused a few of his mannerisms to rub off onto you, for better or for worse. Youâve found that the recruits you are tasked to train tend to listen to you more after you picked up Leviâs âdonât test meâ expression. However, you have caught yourself clicking your tongue in displeasure a lot more as well, much to the amusement of all those nearby to pick up on it.
The frantic scribbling of your pen grows louder as you try to rush the piles of paperwork towering before you. A small rumble breaks the silence as your stomach protests, unhappy with the dedication to the mountain of paper causing you to skip dinner accidentally.
You are so engulfed in the moment that you almost miss the gentle creaking of the door. You raise your head only to be met with tired silver eyes cutting through the shadows of the room.Â
Levi slowly shuts the door before pausing, simply watching you sign your name and toss the pen to the side, ignoring the halfhearted glare thrown your way as it rolls across the desk and onto the floor with a small clatter.Â
You stare at him for a moment, waiting for the small lecture about making a mess, even if it is in your own space. A lecture that, surprisingly, never comes.
"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" He says instead, his voice is gentle, yet you can sense the small reprimand within his words.Â
"Curfew doesn't apply to squad leaders and higher, I thought you knew that?" You shoot him a playful smirk that only grows with the withering look you get in response.
"That's not what I meant and you know it."
"I know, there's just... so much to get through and I figured I would power through most of it while you were in the meeting with Erwin and Hange. Which seemed like a good plan considering how long it took."
Levi lets out a long sigh as he walks towards the armchair by the fire, flopping down onto the worn fabric. You smile at the sight, at how carefree and unguarded he lets himself be around you.Â
A sight some could never think to imagine when it comes to the aloof captain, but you know him better than most.
You get up from the desk, groaning slightly as your muscles scream in defiance. A sign that you have been cooped up on the uncomfortable wooden chair for far too long. The sound causes Levi's head to snap in your direction, only relaxing again when he notices you are in no real pain.
The sight makes you smile, even with everything he has to handle within the Survey Corps, he still always makes sure to look out for you as well. Even when he doesnât need to.
His eyes track your every movement and you see a myriad of emotions swirling through them: exhaustion, concern, wonder, adoration and love all mix with the flickering amber of the fire within the gunmetal of his eyes.
He shuffles to try and give you some space beside him in the small armchair, only to frown in frustration and pull you into his arms instead. You rest your head in the crook of his neck, straddling his lap as you bring your hand up to run through his silky hair.
"Interesting meeting?" You whisper into his neck, not wanting to break the peace that has settled over you both. Something you both rarely get to cherish, yet heavily deserve.
The only reply you get is a small hum, he tightens his grip around you and peppers your shoulder with small kisses.
"Four-eyes has a new experiment they want to try out. Apparently, it's fundamental that Erwin lets them capture more titans for it." Levi says with a small grumble, his voice slightly muffled by your shoulder, clearly unhappy to remember what had held up the already late meeting for so long.
You go to open your mouth to speak, only for his low voice to cut you off instantly.
"And no, you're not helping them with whatever shitty plan they have in mind. You need to stop letting them drag you into their schemes so easily." He punctuates his words with a small flick to the centre of your forehead.
You let out a light laugh, the action sending a shiver across Levi's skin.
"How did you know I was going to suggest helping Hange?"
"I know you too well."
"That you do." You kiss his jawline, slowly moving towards his lips, leaving a trail of feather-light kisses as you do. He sighs when your lips finally meet his own, his eyes flickering shut briefly as you part.Â
"Marry me."
Your eyes widen briefly, shock and excitement rushing through you, you are almost certain you had misheard him if it weren't for the slightest blush covering his cheeks and the determined look in his eyes.
"Is that an order, Captain?"
He huffs out a small laugh, his eyes flicking up briefly before he reveals a small ring from the pocket of his jacket. A proud green jewel sits atop the thin silver band, your breath catches as it glints in the firelight.
"I could make it one if you wanted. I got fed up of waiting for some perfect moment or whatever that traditional bullshit is. There are no perfect moments in this world, not when titans could eat us at any moment." He pauses for a moment, his usually stoic voice faltering with emotions as he tries to hide his face from your unwavering gaze.
"Or so I thought until you made me experience peace in these moments with you. Then I realised that every moment where we are alive together is a perfect one."
You stare at him with wide eyes, not noticing the stream of tears running down your cheeks until you feel his calloused hand brush them away with a softness you couldn't begin to imagine.
"The thought of having someone to lose scares me, but you've made me realise that marriage or not, loving you has been a risk I've been taking for a while now. Might as well make you officially mine while we have the chance."
You let out a watery giggle as your hands dance along the fabric of his shirt, smoothing out any creases that dare to cling to him.
"You know, most marriage proposals don't have the implications of a horrible death woven into them."
"That's clearly where the poor fuckers are going wrong then."
Levi's eyes are soft as he watches you, his lips finally quirking up into a small smile as you let out an undignified snort at his comment.
"Yes, I will marry you."Â
You don't miss the way his shoulders drop with relief, nor the genuine joy that shines through his eyes. He delicately takes the hand you wordlessly offer him, taking his time to slide the ring onto your finger.
âGood, I want to risk being selfish. Just this once.â
You beam at his words, heart heavy as you place a soft kiss onto his lips before throwing your arms around his neck to pull him as close as possible. His arms quickly wrap around your lower back as he holds you tightly, his head resting against your chest.Â
He can almost sense the approaching comment from the way you jiggle with pure, albeit restrained laughter.
âIs it green to match our capes? Donât get me wrong, love, you choose very well. A fact Iâm sure you already know, butâŚis that the reason?â âShut up.â
The laugh you give him in response warms both of your hearts more than the now-dying fire could manage.
#âĽ. writing#levi ackerman x reader#levi ackerman#aot x reader#levi ackerman x you#shingeki no kyojin#attack on titan#aot#snk#this is the first time i've written Levi and the man makes me nervous to do so!
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If You Need Me, Call Me
Alexia Putellas x Explorer!R Pt.2 in the 'I Would Climb Every Mountain With You' Universe.
Hi Guys, Thank you for all the love on the first part in this series. This is part 2 that I didn't expect to write. I have an inability to not write angst. TW: Claustrophobia. Injury. Events are not based on any real life events. Part two of I Would Climb Every Mountain With You. I would recommend you read that first, for some context. But you can do what you want really ;-)
You and Alexia had been together, happily, for a year. And it was happily. Though. âTogetherâ is probably being quite liberal with the word. And. You suppose. âHappilyâ is also being quite liberal with the word. You loved Alexia.Â
And Alexia loved you.Â
That was clear to both of you. You admitted it early, before sheâd even left UK soil after sheâd come back with you from your first meeting. Sheâd rolled her eyes at you and the nerves on your face as you lay in bed together in your pokey Cumbrian flat, and kissed the words from your lips; âwell duh, of course you do. And I love you.â which made you laugh and fall into her lips again. But it wasnât even 12 hours later that youâd had to separate with her season starting again and her need to be in Spain. Her teammates had teased her relentlessly on her return. How sheâd U-Hauled with the Jefa de montaĂąa and ran away to the rainey island she so famously disliked just to spend another day together. She'd rolled her eyes and slapped the back of a few heads but it was true. That is what she had done. Sheâd been overjoyed when she spotted you in the crowd on the first home game of the season. Youâd made the surprise trip to Barcelona at the last minute, employing Ingrid to get a ticket in the friends and family section for you. The smile on the Captain's face as she spotted you could be seen from space. You had winked at her and proudly gestured to your brand new Barcelona jersey, Alexias number proudly splayed across your back. As the game ended, with a convincing win for the home team, sheâd made a beeline for you in the stands. Jumping over the barrier and embracing you like you hadnât seen each other for months (oh how used to that feeling you would become), rather than a couple of weeks. âI thought that you preferred rugby?â she had teased you. âAh, I do, but no one told me how hot the captain in blue and red wasâ youâd replied, with a wink. Enjoying the blush youâd created on her face, before it was your turn to blush as Alexias eyes darted to your right and greeted, âMami! Hola!â and embraced a small women in a shirt matching yours who was definitely standing within hearing distance. Just over her shoulder a carbon-copy of Alexia was lurking, a childlike grin on her face and twinkle in her eyes. âAh, and this is mi hermana Alba!â she had introduced you. âWell, nothing like diving in headfirstâ you thought to yourself, as you were introduced to your apparently-new girlfriend's family, as that's what you had just been introduced as, with a squeeze of your hand and a kiss to the side of your head. The Putellas family embraced you with all the enthusiasm in the world. Alba kept you entertained and asked you a million and one questions as you waited for Alexia to be finished with her media and captain duties. Before you knew it you were at an impromptu meet-the-new-english-girlfriend party at the Putellas residence, sharing food with seemingly everyone who had ever been related to Alexia as well as their next door neighbours. Sharing wine, food, and lots of baby Alexia pictures. So yes. You had both moved fast. Maybe it was the speed which you were going that would soon become your downfall. You were moving a million miles an hour and the warning signs were a blur that you couldnât quite make out. Of those first 6 months, you were on an exhibition for 4. You had travelled to Patagonia to climb some of the last unclaimed peaks on the planet with the National Geographic Society. They were unreachable by road or even yak. You had to sail to the bottom of South America and then move your way up on foot. It was arduous, it was treacherous, but you found satisfaction and joy in the difficulty.
You become the first person and only woman to ever summit Orjos del Salado and, as you snapped a picture at the top, all you thought was how excited you were to share your achievement with Alexia. As youâd called her a week later from a dive-bar in a shanty town in central Argentina you could hear the pride and relief in her voice, even through the terrible connection. It was the first time you had been able to contact her in a month.
But youâd gone straight from there to leading some American businessmen through the Amazon on a 3 week river and hiking exploration. It paid handsomely, youâd explained to the disappointed blonde, you couldnât turn it down.
You returned to Barcelona in time to spend a week together before Alexia left for a two week international camp. Which was then followed by a week long trip for her to Norway, as part of their group stage champions league campaign.
Youâd joined her there, soaking as much time together as possible between her matches and training sessions. Maybe it was then that the cracks had begun to show. As you had woken early to pick her up from her hotel to go for an early morning walk and grab some coffee before her media duties. You had been walking hand in hand in the early morning sunshine. You had been half-way through a story from the day before, where you and Ingrid's mum had gone together to a lake outside of Oslo, when you felt her drop your hand suddenly and took a half step away from you. âHuh?â you looked at her and a look you hadnât seen before took over her features, âWhatâs going on Ale?â. âTrust meâ was all sheâd replied, and then it had become apparent her problem as a swarm of fans suddenly engulfed her, asking for selfies and autographs, which she gave out, graciously. She skillfully extracted herself from the situation before you both continued on your way, but now, you noticed, you were at least a foot further apart and a weird atmosphere had taken over you both. It had been when you were both safely in the cafe that youâd addressed it, âare you ashamed of me?â you asked, unable to mask the hurt in your voice. Hands safely wrapped around your Tea. âNo!â sheâd replied, aghast, as she pulled your hands from your mug into her own. âmĂrame cariĂąoâ you did, and saw the heartbreaking look in her eyes. âI would never be ashamed of you. Do not think that for one moment.â she said it with such conviction that you couldnât help but nod. âI am sorry, but it is easier. For you. The media. They will pry into your life. Itâs happened before with⌠partners and⌠I donât want that for you. For your family. I love you.â âI wonât hide Ale.â you replied. Firmly. You were a free spirit. It was not in your nature to hide yourself, any part of yourself, for anything or anyone. The thought of it made you claustrophobic. âI know you wonât.â she huffed out a laugh, âI do not want us to hide. I promise. But, maybe, if we do not make their job easy for them? Can we do that?â. The look of desperation on her face broke your heart. âBueno Ale. Para ti. Yo tambiĂŠn te amo.â Youâd gone your separate ways from there, you had explorations to complete, she was busy with the team. Sheâd managed to visit England for a few days when her UCWL matches lined up, and you started to return to Barcelona, rather than Cumbria, as a home base between trips. And that's how it had gone for some time. Your birthday had passed, youâd spent it together in Barcelona, Ale having stolen your trusty-old boots and had them professionally repaired and re-waxed. As she presented them to you, on her balcony with a cute bow on top, your heart expanded in joy. She got you. She knew you didnât want new-top of the range boots that she definitely could afford. This actually was harder, sheâd had to research the dying-art of cobblers in the area. She had to sneak them out of your duffell bag, she must have distracted you every time you went for them as your go-to walking shoes in the week. With all her money and fame. She understood that wasnât you. You loved what you had. And she got that. As you had turned the boots in your hands, taking in all of the familiarity in all their glory and feeling the waxy leather beneath your fingers she couldnât read your face. âI hope you donât mindâ sheâd taken them gently from your hands and she pulled back the tongue, which showed a piece of jersey sewn into the backing-fabric. Blue and red, with a white AP11 embroidered into it. âIt's from my first champions league shirt. I cut a swatch off, and had them sew it inâŚâ she whispered. The moment had been heavy. âI know we donât get to spend time together like most couples, but this way, Iâll always be with you.â Your throat had burned with the effort to keep your tears at bay, you were unsuccessful when you felt her warm hand cup your face and wipe a tear away,
âIâm sorry, Itâs probably way too intrusive and I shouldnât have taken your stuff, I can taâŚâ Youâd silenced her with a kiss. Intense and hungry. âThis is the most thoughtful gift I have ever had. I love you Ale. I love you so much.â âGood.â... you both take a moment to look into each other's eyes, then you feel a movement as she reaches into her pocket and presents proudly what sheâs pulled out, eyes shining with mirth âThen maybe you will consider these laces too, no?â and you burst out laughing whilst you take in the Blaugrana coloured hiking laces. Youâve not got it in you to not agree. But love sometimes isnât enough. Time passed. You continued your work and she continued hers. Valentines days spent on opposite sides of the globe. You werenât there when she won the Champions League, instead spending it watching it in a bar in Jordan. She wasnât there as you returned from reaching an undiscovered island as part of a research crew in the South Pacific, instead being in Munich to film a new Nike ad. When you were together you couldnât walk the streets of Barcelona hand in hand. Youâd kept your promise and she kept hers. You werenât hidden, but you werenât showcasing your relationship. When she came to England you had more freedom, the people of Cumbia didnât know who the Spanish superstar was, they just knew her as your girlfriend. Your fit girlfriend according to the teenage boy who lived next door to your mum. You made it work though, between you. You would send her snaps every time you saw children playing football. Pictures from south pacific islands to the mountain villages of the Himalayas, and every time you would receive the same response; âSee, el deporte del mundo, I told you <3â It was a perfect storm. What happened. Youâd spent a month in Barcelona, more time that you had been able to spend together in the year youâd been a couple. Youâd fallen into a domesticity that you hadnât experienced before.Â
Alexia would train, you would have dinner ready for her. She would wake you up with a cup of Tea from her new kettle she's bought especially for you. You would plan routes and give advice to your online contacts about expeditions they had planned. You would sleep wrapped in each other's arms, Alexia would even let you be the big spoon, very occasionally.Â
It felt perfect. Until one, simple comment.
âAy, look at you, wifey!â Mapi had exclaimed from her place at the table as you brought in the dinner you had prepared for the group, you had invited her and Ingrid for a couples night, âwho would have thought, âLa jefa de la montaĂąa. Tamed!â âShut up Maria.â Ingrid nudged her girlfriend, with a kind smile she turned to you, âThis looks delicious! Thank youâ As the group tucked in though, you were distracted. Suddenly, the weight of Alexia's hand on your thigh felt heavy. The walls, too constricting. For you, the heat of Barcelona started to become oppressive. Too predictable. You missed England, you missed not knowing what the weather would be hour by hour. The contact blue skies felt like a false--happiness was being forced on you. The ground at your feet, sun dried, felt harsh compared to the muddy grass you had grown up stomping on. Soft, flexible. The routine started to bore you. You missed the weight of your backpack and the freedom of slinging up your hammock. Alexia hadnât missed the way you had clammed up, the tenseness in your posture, the way your laugh did not reach your eyes for the rest of that evening. For the weeks following she felt like keeping you was like trying to catch smoke. Like trying to hold sand in her bare hands. She could feel you escape through her fingers for the next few weeks.
Which is why she wasnât surprised when she returned from an away trip to Mallorca to see you on the couch. Hands nervously twisting and unable to meet her eye.
âYouâre going again, aren't you?â she asked, as she dropped her bag at the door and settled next to you, taking your hands in hers. You nodded.
âIâm sorry Ale. It's just. It's not me.â youâd explained then, how you had been feeling. And she listened. Even though she knew. Of course she already knew.
âItâs okay, carino.â youâd assured you. Youâd look up then, âit is?â
âSi, Mi Vida. I would never ask you to change. And only you would be bored of the life of a professional footballer, and you must be the only English person to ever complain about the weather in Barcelonaâ sheâd lightened the mood with her joke, and rolled her eyes good naturedly.
âWhere are you going this time?â sheâd continued, and she should have known from your pause that this wasnât the usual goodbye.
âEverest.â
âEverest.â Sheâd reperated. Joy in her voice, she knew it was your lifeâs ambition to climb the world's highest summit. â...and Denali, and Elbrus...â you had continued to name the 7 highest summits on each continent that you would spend the next 18 months climbing, without oxygen, as part of an international exploration. Silence filled the apartment. âIâŚ.â âNo.â âNo?â you asked, shock in your voice. âNo, what?â âNo, you canât do that. It's too dangerous.â âBut AleâŚâ âNo. No âbut Aleâ. I get it. I have been your partner now for long enough. I understand. But this is too much. No oxygen, so many climbs⌠there is too much danger. No.â her tone firm. Final. Her Captain's voice. And that had made the walls feel like they were closing in for you. And you responded like a wild animal, backed into a corner, defensive. âI wasnât asking.â She let out a frustrated groan, hands covering her face. âCarino, please no. Listen to me. Being with youâŚâ a huff again⌠âit is hard.â âOh well, I am sorry Alexia, if being with me is such a choreâŚâ you started. âNo, stop, you are not letting me speakâŚâ but you had started at that point. âYou are not the one who is hidden away, you arenât one who has had to move countries, to miss her family, your life hasnât changed! Youâve given up nothing for this relationship.â you hiss out at her, hardly recognising your own voice. You're speaking just to hurt her. To make this easier for both of you. And that final sentence, seems to be what breaks the usually cool and calm exterior of your girlfriend and she stands and points her finger at you. âNothing! ÂĄnada! ÂżCĂłmo te atreves?â she spits out at you, the anger in her tone surprises you, you have never heard her speak like this, âI have sat here and waited. For months I have waited. For anything from you. Being with you is not like a long-distance relationship. You go, for months at a time, you go. And you expect me to sit here and wait. And I do. You do not text, you do not call. I understand that you cannot but do not say I have made no sacrifice for this relationship. When you got lost in the Gobi desert for weeks, what do you think I was doing? Sitting here! Jumping out of my skin every time the phone rang in case it was your Mami telling me you had been found dead. I did not play in The Copa De La Reinga final because I was so sick with worry. He hecho sacrificio. mi equipo, mi familia ha hecho sacrificio and I will not let you disrespect me or them and let you say otherwise.âÂ
Alexia doesnât lose any of her anger in her tirade. And the silence that settles over the apartment is heavy. She seems to have surprised herself, as her eyes go wide and she opens her mouth again⌠but you interrupt her. âNo Ale. Do not apologise.â you hold your hand up. âI didnât think. I'm sorry. You are right. I am not good for you.â This is why you didnât do relationships. You were a bad partner. You needed to be free, outside, exploring. You lived for adventure. It wasnât fair.
âNo! No Carino, that is not what I said!â tears are in her eyes now, and you knew this would be hard, but you didnât know it would be this hard. âI love you...â âI love you too,â she quickly replies. Neither of you had even been shy with your affirmations to each other. âI love you so much Ale. But I have to go and do this. I have too. It is who I am. It is my dream. It.. It is my world cup.â She huffs out a laugh as she gently nudges herself into your arms, your attempt at speaking in a way she would understand humouring her. âI know.â she replies, sadly, âbut I cannot go through that for 18 months mi amor. I cannot.â âAnd I wonât ask you to, love.â You move a strand of hair from her face as you kiss her lips, gently, there's a finality in it, you open your mouth again but she cuts in. âI canât say anything that will stop you, can i?â she asks, as you shake your head, sadly. âWhen do you leave?â You cringe as you confirm her worst thoughts, âtomorrow.â She takes a deep breath and presses her face into your neck. âCan we do one thing before you go?â she asks you.Â
Anything. You would give this woman in your arms anything she asked for at that moment. Apart from stay. And that's how you found yourself swinging on your old lightweight hammock.Â
Strung up securely in the Putellas back yard. As you lay on your (ex?) girlfriend's chest, as you both looked up at the stars. You chatted into the night, you laughed and you cried. You fumbled under the blankets like horny teenagers. She asked you to promise to contact when you could. And you asked her to not worry, to concentrate on the Olympics and move on from you. You kept it to yourself that there was no way you were moving on from her. You didn't know she was keeping the same thing to herself as she promised you she would try.
It was the weirdest break up anyone had ever had.
And, 17 months later, as you lay, trapped, entombed in your own coffin of ice, you were sure that you could still feel the sway of that hammock, feel the heat of that Barcelona evening and hear the cicadas chirping. As the ice pressed all around you, all you could dream of was being back in that back yard in Barcelona, in the arms of Alexia.
â--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Denali. Done. Vinson. Done.
Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, Puncak Jaya . Done, Done, Done and Done. Youâd faced the heat of Africa, the remoteness of Antarctica, the desolation of Russia. And here you were, finally, on your final summit. Everest. It was somewhat of a dichotomy between the mountaineering community. Everest had become a commercial hub. Have-a-go mountaineers paying big bucks to get a free ride to the highest mountain in the world. But to you, it had always been sacred. You had imagined it, as you climbed hills in the English lakes as a teenager, of one day scaling the iconic mountain. So, why? As you stood on the highest point of earth. After 3 months of acclimatisation. Were you thinking of your ex-girlfriend? Who were you kidding? You knew why.Â
Alexia hadnât been far from your thoughts on any of your summits. Her face popping into your mind at each peak. As you pocketed some rock as had become your tradition you would imagine her face as your hand touched the earth. The same earth she was on, thousands of miles away, probably in lush, manicured grass, kicking a ball around and entertaining thousands. Your group had become your family, and you had grown as close as one. Arguing when tensions got high but snuggling together to share warmth when in survival mode. Joking in bars across the globe and playing so many games of gin rummy that you sure a record had been broken. They teased you relentlessly for the old boots with silly laces you wore on the lower reaches of each summit, before you reached heights that you all had to wear mountaineering boots. Alexia, unknowingly, with you every step of the way. They had even made a game in each country you entered, to help you pick the rudest or funniest postcard to send to Barcelona, snippets of your time you sent to Alexia, keeping the promise you made over a year ago. You could have rang, you know you could. But you didnât know if you heard her voice you wouldnât high-tail it to Barcelona. So you sent postcards. It felt old-fashioned. It felt romantic. And you think that really, you liked that she couldnât reply. It felt anonymous. You took off your snow goggles as you stood at the peak. You had 3 minutes on the highest point on earth without your goggles before you would become snow blind. The sun being about 60% stronger at this elevation. You could see the curvature of the earth. It reminded you of the curvature of Alexia's shoulders as you held her from behind.
You took in a deep breath of thin air.
Your lung capacity feels like it has doubled since you left Europe.
You have done it. Without oxygen. 7 summits. Your life goal. Complete.
And now. You wanted to go home.Â
âCongratulations English Sherpa! You have done it!â Arjan, clamps a heavily gloved hand on your shoulder, his wide smile visible even beneath his snood. Ice hanging from his moustache. He had to shout for you to hear him over the wind. He was a sherpa, he had travelled all around the world with you being one of the experts in the group, heâd affectionately nicknamed you the English Sherpa after he had seen your climbing prowess on your first summit. âWe have done nothing yet, my friend. You know youâve only climbed Everest once you get back down safelyâ you reply, glee in your voice, fixing your goggles back to your face. âSpoken like a true Sherpa.â he replied, and you both embraced at the top of the world. You didnât hang around for long. Your entire expedition made it to the top of your final summit and you quickly pictured the moment before making your way down. The biggest risk on Everest is getting stuck in a crowd. It is not as technically difficult as other summits you have done. But without oxygen, a minute can feel like an hour on the highest point on earth. You heard once, it is easier to be saved from the surface of the moon than it is to be saved from the surface of Everest. Luck, however, seemed to be on your side. You had made good progress up, and were making even better progress down. With each step you became more and more gleeful, past 8,000 metres you started to finally feel safer. 7,000 metres, you let the excitement of your achievement settle into your bones. 6,000 metres you let your mind wander to finally going home but why was home seeming more like a sundrenched balcony in Barcelona rather than a green field of England? 5,000 metres, you promised yourself that you would use the satellite phone in your pocket to ring Alexia once you got back to base camp. Tell her youâd done it. Maybe even beg her forgiveness. You were alone on the mountain, ahead of most of your group and low enough now to be unattached to any guidelines, it was a usual affair. Until it wasnât.
You felt the ground rumble beneath you. It was barely noticeable. It felt more like the feeling you get when youâre lying in bed and a large truck drives past your house.
But it was enough to instil fear in you as you looked up and saw a wall of moving snow hurtling towards you. It was a slab avalanche, probably caused by the movement of the climbers above, and paired with the lateness of the day, the snow that had fallen and compacted overnight had melted enough to loosen into a wall of ice that was directed your way.
You had about 30 seconds.
You knew to go sideways, do not outrun an avalanche. It's like trying to outrun a cheetah. But this wall of ice looked wide, you ran to your side, moving slowly in the deep snow. As you ran you pulled your goggles back onto your face.
You could feel the earth beneath you falling away as the snow you trod on was unearthed by the vibrations of the snow above.
You ran. You ran for your life, but you knew this wasnât good. Your training kicked in.
You saw a boulder in front of you and you threw yourself behind it, you created a ball with your body, making sure that you created a hole around your face you would be able to use to breathe. You pulled your ice pole from your back and stuck it into the ground next to you, that would help when you were covered by snow and you didn't know which way was up. Which way you would need to dig. You put one hand in your pocket and pulled the satellite phone in front of your face.
A thunderous rumble.Â
And then.Â
Silence. Darkness. â----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alexia didnât have her phone on at half time. She never paid it any attention - playing or not she was too focussed on the game.
Today, though, she didnât know why. But she did.
She felt her phone vibrate in the bag at her feet.
And something compelled her to actually make the effort to dig into her bag and pull it out.
The number looked weird. Not a Spanish number, or an English one, she had gotten used to all the +44âs that had rang her over the year spent with you.
She stepped out of the unfamiliar changing room into the impressive corridors of Old Trafford. A post-season friendly. Barcelona Vs Manchester United. The game didnât mean anything but it was always exciting to check another famous stadium off the list. A sold out crowd and an evening game. Canât get much better.
She found a disused office room and managed to press accept on the call.
âHola?â
At first she thought sheâd missed it. Nothing on the line responded to her, as she pulled the phone away to check she saw the call had connected⌠âScammersâ she cursed in her mind, moving to hang up. But just before she didâŚ
âHola, Ale.â She couldnât believe it. Your voice. She dropped her weight onto the table behind her and held a hand to her chest that suddenly felt like it was torn in two. Heart beating faster than any 45 minutes of running could cause.
âÂżeres realmente tĂş?â
âYes, Itâs me Ale.â
Tears brimmed in her eyes and even after everything she felt just the same as she did when she stepped out of that minibus nearly 3 years ago and first set eyes on you.
âAre you okay carino? Did you do it?â she asked, breathlessly. âI did it, love.â was the response. In her pride at your accomplishment she missed how you hadnât addressed her first question.
âNunca tuve ninguna duda, I am so relieved to hear from you. The line is so quiet, are you still there?â
âSiâŚâ a pause which Alexia attributes to the poor connection, âIt must be the signal.â she notices you move on, quickly, âCan⌠can you just talk to me?â. Alexia smiles despite herself, you used to always ask her to talk you to sleep when your mind was whirring, completing your greatest accomplishment must be in that category and she can imagine you fidgeting in pent up adrenaline.
âI can amor, I have a few minutes. I am in Manchester. We are at half time at Old Trafford.â
âOld Trafford, hey?â she hears you laugh, âFinally, a football ground Iâve heard of.â She's missed your teasing lilt.
âSi, even you. It is raining. Why is it always raining here? I imagine you have better weather even at your camp.â Alexia jokes, innocently. The laugh you let out feels a little⌠forced? But she lets it go.
âI had lunch with your Mami today. We are only an hour or so away from yours, why did you never tell me we were so close?â Again, that laugh that she loves so much, but it felt more tired that sheâd heard it before, more muffled. Though. She supposed, you must be exhausted.
âBecause then, my love, you would have made us go and watch football matches and I much preferred to spend our time together in my bed.â
âAh, Si, I remember, you did.â she responds, blushing and not missing a beat.Â
âYour Mami is doing well. She is in the standsâŚ.â âTell her I love her, Ale.â you cut in. There's a desperate edge to your voice that sends shivers down Alexia's spine. She stands, âI will. Of course I will. Carino, are you okay?â she realises now, you never answered her first question. âI stood on the top of Everest today, Ale.â you reply. You havenât answered her question. She opens her mouth to ask it again but you continue, âI stood on the top of Everest and all I could think of was you.â Your words force her to sit again, her spare hand to her mouth, keeping in a muffled sob. âDonât you think that's insane? That today, Ale. You were in Manchester and someone. On top of the world. The highest point on this Earth. The highest person on this planet. Only about 4 spacemen floating around above me. Had only you in their mind? I think that means youâve been to the top of the world, Ale. En la cima del mundo conmigo. You were there with me, every step.â You sound drunk, she wouldnât blame you, thin air for months it wouldnât take more than half a pint to see you off, the thought of your ramblings makes her smile despite herself, she knows she shouldnât, but she leans into it. âEveryone here talks like youâŚ.â she pauses, âIn Manchester. Only me and Ona can understand them. With your flat vowels. It made me think of you more today. Miss you more than normal today. And now you call.â There's a knock on the office door, âAle, Vamos!â half time has ended. She has never wanted to play football less than right now. âBecause weâre soulmatesâ your voice definitely had a slur to it now, âand I miss you too. Iâll always miss you, my Ale.â you always got soppier when you drank. âYou wonât miss me for long, Carino. You will be home soon. I donât care if you decide that it's England or Spain. Whichever. I will be there. Si?... We will be together soon. We can sort all this out.â âHopefully, n..to..oo soon.â she struggles to hear you, the connection starting to fail. âPardon? Amor?â another knock at the door. She feels like she's being pulled in half as she presses the phone closer to her ear. âAmor. I have to go. Well done, Estoy tan orgullosa de ti. Call me when you can.â âI love you, AleâŚâ âI loâŚâ beep beep beep. The call drops before she has a chance to respond. â-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You feel pain all over your body. You had never felt pain like it. It was like every sinew in your body was screaming out in pain. You opened your eyes and immediately closed them again. Blinding white. You heard voices. Alarmed voices.Â
Shouting voices. âHERE, HERE!!!â You felt yourself being moved. It made the pain worse. You tried to tell them to stop.Â
Your throat couldn't make a sound. And then all you knew was black.Â
â-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More darkness. You felt something covering your face. Your body being stripped. Water. Boiling water. It burned. You were submerged. âNo no no no no noâŚâ was all you could try to vocalise. A calming hand in your hair. âIt is lukewarm water, we are trying to bring your body temperature upâŚâÂ
No, no. They were lying. The voice was lying. You thrashed. A pain in your arm. A needle? Darkness took you again. â--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- âThere is no chance, Arjan.â âBuâŚ.â âNo. You are an experienced Sherpa. You are letting yourself get lost. There is no chance. She is too far gone. Air evac is the only way. No Nepalese pilot will fly at this altitude. We need to make her comfortableâŚâ â--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You felt yourself being moved.
Less painful this time.
You felt wind on your face.
This wasnât natural wind.
The sound of blades. Air moving unnaturally. Choppily.
Your face is covered again.Â
The wind gets louder. More mechanical. You feel yourself being lifted up. âYouâve some friends in high places, English Sherpa.â you hear whispered to you, a hand on your forehead. Arjan? Your friend is speaking to you. You feel less alone. You try to open your eyes but the effort feels herculean. And then nothingness. â------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This time, when you wake up. You stay awake. Youâre in an unfamiliar room. Itâs obvious it's a hospital room. But youâre alone. You look around and see yourself wired up to all sorts of machines. But that's it. You try to move to sit up but your shoulder screams in protest. You take stock of your body. You feel a bandage wrapped around your head. Your head is banging now you think about it. Your right arm is completely immobile. Your arm wrapped across your chest and hand completely covered by bandages. You try to wiggle your fingers but. Nothing. God. You hope theyâre still there. Before you had too long to spiral the door burst open and you were faced with a smiling, familiar face. âArjan!â you try to exclaim, voice rough from underuse. âSheâs awake. My friend!â his sun-soaked face suits his smile. His bushy eyebrows make his eyes almost invisible as he crinkles them in joy. Arjan settles next to you and fills you in on everything you were present for, but missed out on account of being buried alive or completely unconscious. Your choice to hide behind the boulder had been the first thing to save your life. It had protected you from being swept away by the avalanche and was easier to locate. Before you had called Alexia you had contacted base camp. But your GPS had been knocked off so all they knew was that you were alive. And where you told them you had last been. Youâd lost consciousness fairley quickly. Brain starved of oxygen in the small air pocket you had created. Hypothermia had set in slowly.
Your hand had been left exposed after using the phone, and you remember wiggling your fingers, seeing them slowly turn black as they succumbed to frostbite. It had taken 3 days to find you. Luckily, you had been the only person caught up in the snow. You remember, now, coming in and out of consciousness. You even recall a bad spell of seeing Alexias face in the boulder your head rested against and talking to it. Maybe youâd keep that you yourself. Bit embarrassing really. Your legs were pinned down by snow. You had used your last piece of strength to thrust your ice pole upwards. You'd chosen the direction based on the way your tears fell. That was the second thing that had saved your life. Arjan had spotted the pole in the ice field. Days after everyone else had given up on ever finding you. Youâd been dragged to base camp and they started to treat hypothermia. You were more than halfway to dead. You resembled a corpse. Arjan had told you he'd never seen anyone literally blue. âPulled it off tho, my friendâ heâd tried to joke. âOf course, alwaysâ youâd winked back in reply. You'd have no chance of survival whilst still on the mountain. The air was still too thin and your were suffering from hypoxia. Problem was, the air was too thin for an air evacuation and. Well. As you knew. It was easier to be saved from the surface of the moon than it was to be saved from the surface of Everest. The third thing that had saved you. Was Alexia. âYou have someone whoâs gone to the moon and back for you, my friend.â Once sheâd found out you had gone missing she had gone to the UK embassy in London to start a search and rescue campaign. When they hadnât moved quickly enough she had involved the Spanish government. Sheâd used her resources and status to launch a media campaign which had pressured both governments. Sheâd flown to Kathmandu herself and was trying to hire a plane to Lukla when youâd been found. Then her attention turned to locating a pilot crazy enough to fly at such an altitude. Turns out anyone was crazy enough for the right price. And many, many euros later, the highest ever search flight took off from the surface of Everest, with you on board. âSheâs a force to be reckoned with, your girl.â
He told you, as he reached to the ground below you, â...and youâll be happy to hear, I saved your precious bootsâ he dumped your familiar old tattered boots at the bottom of your bed.
âAnd some stuff from your tent. But I had to hike it out so I left some of the smellier clothes.â he joked, as you thanked him, he really was a good man. â... Wait⌠hike it out? How long have I been here?â âYouâve been unconscious for a week my friend. I always told you you were lazy.â You took a moment to take stock. A week. Well. That meant that even if Alexia had been in Kathmandu, she was a million miles away now. The door opens again and youâre too lost in your own thoughts to give any care to the nurse whos been coming in every now and again checking charts whilst you and Arjan chatted. âAh here she is. La Reina herself!â You turned your head quickly and took in the face that had been the last image in your mind every night, and the first every morning, since the day you had parted. âAleâŚâ you breathed. Here. She was here. In Kathmandu. In the same room as you.Â
She looked as beautiful as ever, hair flowing over her shoulders, blonder than the last time you had seen her. She had gained muscle and her features had sharpened. But everything else was the same. Her smell invaded your senses. That smell that mosquitoes loved so much. You got it. Her eyes were sharp, and directed firmly at you. They looked tired. She held a sense of exhaustion. You wanted her to fall into your arms, but she stood at the door, and you couldn't open them to welcome her in. The moment was heavy and Arjan broke the silence and stood⌠âIâll leave you both to it. See you around English Sherpa.â and with a squeeze of your foot he was gone. Leaving you both in a heavy silence. âThank You Ale.â you said, breaking the silence.
After all Arjan told you, you owed her your life. She didn't respond. But her eyes had moved from your face and were now directed at the boots still on your bed. As battered as ever, Blaugrana laces snapped and re-tied in several places, swatch still visible on the tongue. Maybe you thought that your meeting would be a bit more romantic, not asâŚtense? She stroked one of the boots gently with her finger, seemingly lost in a trance. âAleâŚ?â âYou have a habit of not telling me important things.â Whatever you expected it wasnt that. âQuĂŠ?â âThat you speak Spanish, how you feel, I donât know⌠that your trapped in a fucking avalanche.â youâd seen her angry before, youâd seen that anger directed at you, but this felt worse. It was directed through you. She kept her distance when all you wanted to do was hold her close. âHow could you do that? How could you let us speak knowing that you were about to freeze to death and just chat to me, like it was a normal Sunday afternoon?â âIâŚI didnât want to worry youâŚâ you croaked out, you felt like a school child who was being told off by the head teacher. And you deserved it, you supposed. âI will always worry about you, por el amor de dios!!â She started to pace around the bottom of your bed, your eyes moving like they were taking in a tennis match watching her wear the ground down. â...and to think I finished that game. I slept that night at your flat. Happy, finally feeling like I almost had you back. Your mami took me home. And then, the next morning, I walked into the kitchen. And there she was, crying at the table. She could hardly tell me what had happened. And then it all fell into place. Youâd called me when you thought you were already in your grave, didnât you?â All you could do was nod, arms desperate to dry the tears tracking down her face. âIâm glad to see you.â you let out. Unsure of what else to say. âYou wonât be. I am so, so angry at you.â âI know you are buâŚâÂ
âNo, you did your speaking on that Mountain. Now you listenâ Her tears are dry now and the anger is back in her face. âI have sorted a medical flight. We leave tonight. Weâre going back to Barcelona. I donât care if you want to go back to that rainey island or not. Itâs not your choice, it's mine. You almost froze to death, you need the sun. The warm. You will come with me every day to the doctors at the club. They will monitor you. Your family will come to visit. You will go to a therapist. You will take your medication. You will not ignore your medication because you think its better to treat yourself with whatever crushed bug or mashed-up leaves you think is betterâŚ.â She stops for breath. âThat was one timeâŚâ you mumbled, referring back to the time you insisted that a crushed cucumber was better than antiseptic cream to treat a bee sting. âNope. You are still listening.â She stopped you, firmly again, but you felt her eyes softening as she took you in, â... and when we get home and you get better, we will talk. We will decide where we are building our life together, but that is one non-negotiable. It will be together. Okay?â She seems to be finished. And she's moved closer to you, close enough for you to reach out and grab her hand with your good one. You nod, and pull her hand to cup your face. âI just have one question.â you ask, seeking permission to speak. She nods as she strokes your face, tired and burnt from over-exposure. âAre these fingers still attached?â you ask, shaking your injured arm at her, âtheyâre kind of important for my plans, if you know what I meanâ you wiggle your eyebrows suggestively. Her laugh makes you think maybe you did die on that mountain, because surely, here, with her, youâre in heaven. âTe amo, idiotaâ â-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You awoke surrounded by soft sheets and sleep-warm pillows. Your once-injured arm tweaked in pain slightly as you stretched out. You had physio later this afternoon, you thought to yourself, you had better mention it. You rolled out of bed and stumbled into the kitchen, still covered in blankets, bed hair resembling a yeti. You almost tripped up over your rucksack which was laying in the hall. Where it had been since your return to Barcelona, months ago. You hadnât been ready to unpack it quite yet. You could hear Alexia on the phone out on the balcony, and you gestured the international, âwant a drinkâ sign to her, which she shook her head at. You shrugged. God, sometimes she was so Spanish. A good Brit would never let a hot kettle go to waste. It had been months of reconnection, Alexia finally letting go of her anger as soon as you entered the flat. She broke down in your arms that first night, simultaneously telling you how angry she was at you and how much she loved you at the same time. How she had never been as scared in her life. You just dealt with it by pressing kisses into her hairline.
She'd made you sit in the sun of the balcony every chance she got. Morning, Noon and Night. Moving you around to chase the rays. Insisting that you needed the warmth and vitamins of the sun to recover. The image of you pale, cold and frozen in the hospital in Nepal seared into her mind. When Mapi and Ingrid visited Mapi teased you, and had taken to calling you Bagheera. She said you resembled her cat, chasing the sun to lounge in at every occasion. She quickly stopped when Alexia slapped the back of her head. You no longer had to hide your relationship. Alexia had blown the doors off that as she went to the media in order to get the resources to save you. The feeling of claustrophobia that had made you flee from Barcelona had gone. You knew what being trapped really felt like now. And how you ever thought the love of your life and a shared life in this sun-drenched city was suffocating. Well. That was a different person to who you were now. Yeah, you would always love the outdoors. But you had an anchor now. Something that made you maybe not scale that next peak, and instead be excited to share a recipe with. Maybe not stay on the trail for an extra week, and instead pick out a good film to settle down to. Your mum was over the moon. Sheâd been a regular visitor. You thought sheâd be upset, when you decided to stay in Spain instead of going back to England but she seemed offended by the idea. âThat girl saved your life you stupid woman, of course will stay here with her.â Alexia didnât accept it so easily. She was worried you would feel trapped again, that she wasnât compromising. She would rather move with you than lose you. âAle. Barna is your life.â you had replied, simply, â...and you are mine.â âIt is not!â she had refused, aghast at the suggestion until you said, âUnited will have me, so will City, my agent has checked, I would even go to the Championship and play for Newcastle, I look great in black!â âAle, you literally have a floor tile tattooed on your back. Weâre staying here.â you said, deadpan. And she couldnât say much to that. So, much to the despair of every football fan in England. She signed a new contract with Barcelona not two weeks ago. Maybe it was how settled you felt this morning, as the kettle boiled. The soreness in your muscles after the night you spent together in bed, which must be why your shoulder was straining now. Maybe you'd keep that away from the physio. Though, maybe heâd be happy to hear that your fingers were definitely fully recovered. Not as happy as Alexia was though, you'd bet. But something about this morning made you brave enough to finally open that rucksack in the hallway. As you zipped it open your fingers caught on a single piece of cardboard. A postcard. You flipped it over as arms encircled your waist and gentle lips kissed your shoulder. âCarino?â she asked, looking at the postcard in your hands. âI never got to give you this.â you whispered, as you held the postcard over your shoulder, she let you go as she turned it in her hands. She let out a barking laugh as she moved towards the fridge where 6 other postcards sat proudly, waiting for their 7th to complete the set. A woman in a bikini, sat on a yak wearing a cowboy hat, the imposing structure of Everest in the background. A speech bubble coming out of her mouth âIâve seen biggerâ. Alexia rolled her eyes at you as she stuck it to the fridge with a magnet showing the message you wrote all those months ago.
âAle, Iâm here.Â
One more summit and Iâll be on my way back to you. For good. How can I say it in your language? âItâs coming homeâ.Â
fin.Â
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đ¨đŤđđ˘đđđđ§ đđŤđŽđ˘đ | đđđŤđ đ | đđĄđ¨đŹđ đą đđđđđđŤ (đą đĂśđ§đ˘đ )
Summary: During your stop at the abandoned building a shootout with the enemy begins. You cross your paths with injured KĂśnig who needs your help.
đđđđ đ
A/N: I'm here to feed you all, because you asked so nicely. ⥠This part contains POV of the Reader and KĂśnig's. Also, starring Gaz, he deserves more recognition! Y/C â Your Codename Poorly translated German â correct me if needed!
Warnings: dark humor, reader is eastern european coded, desc. of blood & injuries, mentions of unalived bodies, sexual pictures taken, perv!KĂśnig?
Word count: 3.2k oops
The night had fallen quickly. Faster than one might have thought. During the sunset, when the crickets hidden in the tall grass were the only sound, the manhunt began.Â
Task Force 141 and KorTac had to stay for the night at the abandoned factory of sorts, near the forest bordering the village and Austrian mountains â a fortress with many rooms, staircases, exits.
You were slowly getting ready for the confrontation with the terrorist group, the one youâve been âtrackingâ for the last couple of days. You sat on the second floor, cleaning your M4 rifle while listening to another story of Gaz. Some of the KorTac soldiers were also following the Britishman's captivating telltales. It was then when you heard the first report of strangers passing by through the radio. Then you heard the shooting.Â
Everything happened quickly, the situation was getting worse and progressing too fast. How could they sneak up on you like that? The enemy came to you first, this shouldn't have happened.
You stuck to Gaz as you gathered your weapons and began moving towards the staircase. The sounds of gunshots filled the building and the ground surrounding it. Your mind had to stay highly alert, focused on a few simple tasks â push forward, leave the factory and get to the cars. It seemed like there were too many enemyâs forces.Â
Well, at least that's what you thought, so it was hard to estimate the numbers.
It wasnât possible to count the time that had passed since you gathered your rifle and followed Gazâs lead. With his help and the Captain's instructions you managed to get to the ground floor, two of KorTac soldiers joined you on the way.
Three bodies lay limp in a puddle of blood underneath them, corpseâs hand gripping their rifles tightly. You took a quick look at their vests, or rather lack of them, and only then you were sure.
â He hired mercenaries. â You stated quietly to your companion, having in mind the man liable for the terrorist group, as Kyle carefully peeked through the closest corner.Â
â Cannon fodder.Â
His harsh answer was followed by a dead silence. Even the crickets went quiet as something loomed in the air.Â
â Gaz, Y/C, still on the way? â Ghostâs voice called out for the two of you through the radio.Â
â Almost there, sir. â Dark skinned sergeant stated, having an eye on the meeting point ahead of him.Â
Gaz would take the right side of the van, two KorTac soldiers would worry about the left, while you had an eye on your backs. Seemed easy, seemed to be a quick job.Â
When all of you got closer to the vehicle, holding your weapons high and looking out for any danger, something rolled down on the ground. Almost like a metal bin got under the carâs chassis.Â
â Grenade!Â
There was too little time to react. Your legs pushed off the ground with all of their strength, your body directed at the building. However, you werenât fast enough. So were not your companions.
Explosion illuminated the area and the fire consumed the military van in its flames. The recoil threw you a few meters away from the place of outbreak, knocking the air out of your lungs.
The squeak.Â
That fucking squeak.Â
The agonizing sound was probably the only noise you could hear at the moment as you saw the tongues of fire dancing in the corner of your eye. Right then, your body was reacting and operating on its own.Â
Some barely palpable thuds made you realize you lied with your cheek in the gravel and dirt.Â
You didnât know exactly when you grabbed the M4 into both hands or when you stood up on your shaking legs, slowly heading inside the building again. You cursed in your native language, when your head hurt like it would explode on its own.Â
There was an exchange of bullets somewhere near you, but still, dazed you couldnât precisely determine â where and how close. You continued to run towards the building bent in half.Â
Then suddenly you felt a strong grip tightening around your vestâs strap on the shoulder. A pull so powerful that made you turn around and fall onto the brick wall behind your back.Â
â Gaz? â You heard the ringing of your own voice, echoing inside of your eardrums. Wait, did you even say his name out loud? Maybe you just imagined you did?
When your back clung tightly against the cold wall (as much as it could, due to your gear), you tried to take a deep breath in.Â
First, then the second one. A cold, night breeze filled your nose. Only then you felt like you finally could think clearly again.Â
â Stay close. Weâre moving. â The strong accent helped you realize it was KĂśnig who took you out of the ambush. Now that you knew that, everything made sense â the force he pulled you with? Yeah, the Austrian colonel was like a wild bear. Â
Quickly you checked your rifle and reloaded it. Your head nodded towards the colonel and he began clearing the way to the nearby staircase. You were going up again, side by side with an Austrian soldier. Well, that probably wasnât the image of you that your grandparents had in mind.Â
You were supporting him from his behind, constantly checking the back. The adrenaline from the explosion made you feel painful tension in each limb. It felt like muscle sores after a rough day at the gym. Or sparring session with Ghost.
There was no option to go back and search for Gaz or two KorTac soldiers. If they survived the explosion, they probably escaped into the forest and were fine. Right?
With each powerful yet quiet step he took, another enemyâs soldier got terminated. With your help KĂśnig cleared the pathway and led the two of you into a more secluded area. A room, your hideout.
You pushed some old, wooden furniture resembling a cabinet over the doors, so no one uninvited entered. You and the colonel had bored up to wait for the reinforcements. The hooded soldier took a peek through the cracked window as you squeezed the radioâs button.
â Bravo 0-7, do you copy?Â
Thankfully the silence didnât last long.
â Y/C â Ghost spoke through the radio. Only you knew that he was in distress, because of his voice. Him and Price probably heard the blast from the other part of the building. â Fuckinâ Christ, what was that?
â They blew up the car. Gaz and I got separated near the tree line, I donât know where he is. â You explained as simply as possible. Eventually your eyes noticed the drops of blood on the old floor. It was fresh. Were you bleeding?Â
â Where are you?Â
Your boyfriendâs voice ripped you out of the deep thoughts. And at that point you understood that it wasnât you, who was bleeding.Â
â In the left wing, second floor. Doors locked. Colonel KĂśnig saved me from the fire. Heâs with me.
Austrian man thanked the fucking heavens he had his face covered by the dark hood. Because the moment you called out his name, his heart skipped a beat. Your pretty eyes under the long eyelashes were locked on him.Â
â Stay there until we arrive. Over and out.Â
When Ghost's voice vanished into thin air, there was a moment of silence between the two of you. He could feel how warm it got in there. Because it was a hot, summer night, right?Â
â Youâre bleeding â you acknowledged, pointing his left thigh. â Itâs your happy day, colonel. You got stuck with a medic. Sit down and let me see.Â
Oh, it was a happy day for KĂśnig for more than the reason he came across a medic while in need.
Because he came across you.Â
â I donât think itâs an emergency, schatz.Â
â Your pants are soaked with blood. Let me see.Â
You put down the weapon and reached out to grab his. He obediently gave you his rifle and sat down near the wall, slowly sliding on its surface. When the emotions began to cool down, his mind began to race. How could he let that happen? How could he, the king, let the bullet of some mercenary damage him?Â
You kneeled next to the colonel and placed the âfirst-aidâ bag on the floor. At first you tried to take a look at his wound, but a gap the size of a bullet was just too small.Â
â I have to slightly incise the pants, I canât see thâ
â Ja, itâs okay.Â
KĂśnig said in a single breath, doing everything in his power not to stare at you for too long. But it was impossible. The way your hands gently inspected the wounded area. The same palms which not so long ago were squeezing the M4 rifle until the knuckles turned white. The same fingers that were holding a child so cautiously a few hours ago.Â
You grabbed the material of his beige pants and slightly tore the opening.Â
Unknowingly you tilted your head to the side, assessing the situation. KĂśnig now knew that he was right. Your touch was as gentle as he had imagined it to be.
â Hm, I wonât lie, this doesnât look good â you retraced your hands from his leg and began preparing the essential tools. â The bullet didnât hit the artery or veins, but itâs stuck in your muscle. I have to take it out and stop the bleeding, sir.Â
â Itâs alright, Iâm in the good hands, ärztin.
â I donât know what that mean, sir. â You confessed, a polite smile twisting your dusted cheeks, when you heard unknown German word.
Did he make you blush or was he dreaming? If the colonel was a believer, he would swear to the God he saw you blushing.Â
â A doctor. Youâll learn more German during our⌠â now it was him, searching the right word â cooperation, would you like that?Â
His blue eyes roamed over your expressions, changing during the seconds passing by. It was bold of him to ask, too fucking bold perhaps. But he had you within his reach, right under his nose. He couldnât let you slip so easily.Â
â That would be useful, thank you. Now, brace yourself. Take a breath in.
With a pair of gloves you dipped your pointing finger into the wound and scooped the bullet out in an impressive timing. Â
â ScheiĂe! â Colonel cursed, clenching his teeth. During his military career he got shot, burned, bones broken, skin cut, hurt too many times to count. Nonetheless, it hurt like a bitch each time he got his wounds patched.Â
â I know, Iâm sorry, sir. Iâm almost finishing.Â
You took a brand new packaging of gauze and unwrapped it. Swiftly, you inserted the sterile material into the shallow wound with your slender fingers, until the crimson liquid stopped pouring all over his thigh and crotch.Â
â Donât apologize, schatz. Youâre doing a good job here.Â
It was a second, less perhaps, but you looked up at the colonel when he praised your work. And under that hood? He had the smuggest grin ever.Â
Finally, you tapped the outer side of his thigh, asking him to slightly raise the limb, so you could wrap a bandage around it. You leaned over his lap, two of your hands brushing against his massive legs.Â
The voices, the fucking voices, made of him a real disrupted man.Â
KĂśnig had this impossibly stupid idea of sticking his head out just to get shot, so you could patch him up. You would be his favorite nurse and caretaker. If you happened to find yourself in his arms, we would never let you go.Â
â All done. Thereâs no need to cut the leg off, sir. â You jokingly said, leaning back on your knees. The dark humor and sarcastic jokes were your favorite.Â
His thigh was bandaged, the bleeding stopped, but he needed a stiching, which you could not perform in the middle of a shooting scene. The big man will survive until then.Â
â Oh, thatâs a good news, doctor. Thank you.Â
His bright eyes loomed over your figure â neatly sitting on your own knees, clean hands (as you took the bloodied gloves off) resting on the thighs, head facing him. A single strand of your hair that slipped from the braid was stuck to your slightly sweaty forehead.
â Come here â he told you, curling his pointing and middle finger in your direction. The gesture itself meant he wanted you to come closer. So you did, barely narrowing your brows. â You have soot all over your face. â His giant palm reached your cheek and rubbed the dust and dirt away.
KĂśnig was used to most of his colleges, if not all of them, being much smaller than him. But it was the size difference between you and him that had his stomach curling with excitement.Â
â Danke [ger.: thanks].
â Bitte [ger.: please].Â
The moment you two shared was interrupted by the loud steps coming towards the room youâve been hiding. Without second thoughts, you helped the big bear stand up and handed him a rifle. You quickly pointed at the door and you waited.Â
You sucked a breath in. Hold.Â
â Y/C!Â
â Here, sir! â You stated, releasing the air with a loud sigh.Â
The familiar voice of Captain Price eased the tension. There was no need to continue fighting. Both you and KĂśnig lowered the weapons and the colonel moved the cabinet aside allowing the team to open the doors.
And there was a group of your saviors â Price and lieutenant Riley at the front. Few soldiers in dark suits followed behind them.
Captain of TF 141 moved aside to allow you to leave the small, secluded area. All of you gathered in the corridor, before leaving the building.Â
â Thanks for saving our girl. â Price said in a lower tone to the colonel. To the Austrian man who outstanded everyone else in the room. Â
â Weâre a team on this one, arenât we?Â
KĂśnigâs blue eyes met the cold, death stare of lieutenant Riley. It didnât sit right with Britishman that he was alone with her. With his girl. Simon didnât care about the context of the situation, he had a childish problem with the colonel of KorTac himself. It was about his attitude towards you.
Perhaps you didnât notice that and if you did, you saw nothing bad in KĂśnigâs behavior. But the lieutenant did and it gave him weird feelings.Â
â Is Gaz okay? â You asked Ghost full of concerns, because Kyle wasnât present with the rest of the team.Â
â Slightly cooked, but heâll be fine.Â
âShitâ you thought. First, there was a little accident involving Soap and broken ribs and now poor, smoked Gaz. Your teammates hadnât have much luck lately.Â
Perhaps, if not KĂśnig saving your ass, youâd be wounded badly too.Â
â Medevac took care of him â Price meddled between you and lieutenant, wanting all of you to gather up and move. â Weâre headinâ back to regroup, those bastards are gettinâ on my nerves. Also, Laswellâs on the line, waitinâ for report.Â
His statement was followed by a quick âyes, sirâ and the group of survivors moved through the now secured area. KĂśnig talked with one of his sergeants, trying to assess how many people he lost that day.Â
Ghost was right behind you all this time, almost like a shadow you cast yourself. But you loved your grumpy shadow with your whole heart.Â
Without any more issues you got to the untouched by the gunfire cars and left the abandoned factory behind. You took the last glimpse at the building and the lifeless bodies laying around the area through the vehicleâs window.Â
It was ironic, as a medic you were supposed to save lives, not to end them. And yet, you were surrounded by bones and corpses.Â
When you came back to the base â a part of the building KorTac company lent to Task Force 141, most of you were dismissed to get some rest before the departure at noon. But not the colonel of KorTac.
The Austrian man visited the doctor who stitched his wound up. Medic praised how well the bleeding was stopped, but KĂśnig wasnât surprised at all â he saw how skillful your hands were.Â
Only if he could feel them on his skin again. Such delicate fingertips sneaking under his shirt, running over his muscles and old scars. But for now, it was only his imagination giving him the wrong ideas.Â
You were taken, ja? It was wrong to want you for himself.Â
After the stitching, he had to fill out some documents for his superiors â those on a computer and on paper. It wasnât much, but it took around an hour or hour and a half. When he was finally done, KĂśnig walked through the empty hallways towards his own quarters.
He locked the room from the inside and neatly put his combat shoes near the entrance. At least he could have some rest. Or so he thought.Â
His phoneâs screen illuminated the dark room as a notification popped up. The number was unknown. But the moment KĂśnig tapped with his finger to read the message, he instantly knew who it was from.
His stomach dropped and his jaw slightly opened. The message was a picture with a signature saying âsee, how well sheâs taken care of?â.Â
The photo was a visual of your bare upper half pressed against the masculine torso in the way that covered most of your breasts. Your hand was splayed over Ghostâs chest as his muscular arm hugged you from behind, pulling closer. In bed.
The frame did not catch the lieutenant's face at all, but it showed your flushed (or maybe rather: fucked out) face and eyes pressed shut. You still had the remains of dirt on your face, thatâs why KĂśnig knew itâs a recent photo.
The Colonel could not help, but feel how his pants got uncomfortably tighter than before as he sat down on his bed.Â
KĂśnig felt the throbbing of his heartbeat in his ears and he pulled the hem of his hood over his nose. He had to breathe. âTake a deep breath, soldatâ he kept telling himself.
But his hand unbuckled the belt and trousers on its own and when his heavy cock sprung free from its confinement, KĂśnig knew there was no way he could stop now.Â
He began to pump his fist fast, biting on his lower lip, blue eyes glued to the dirty picture of you on his phone. The Austrian man would never get rid of that photo. Never.
Oh, how he wished it was you who helped him calm down after such a mission.Â
Ghost could never imagine that his text message would bring the opposite outcome of what he intended â to scare the colonel away.
It only fed KĂśnig's delusions.Â
TAG LIST: (apologies if I missed someone) @nijiru @squidsal @thefightingdragon @emily-roberts @btszn @ladymacbeth1987 @kingjulian0o9 @leonasbunny @bladedriot
A/N: Obviously the ending was heavily inspired by this imagine â | X |, although I planned it to be a picture before. I can't get enough of perv!KĂśnig and protective!Ghost. OhmyLord~ Thank you for all your notes, reblogs and nice comments! It means a lot to me! ૮ Ëśáľ áľ áľËś á
#reader insert#cod mwii#cod mw2#ghost cod#ghost mw2#kĂśnig cod#konig cod#konig#kĂśnig#ghost#simon ghost riley#simon riley#simon ghost riley x reader#ghost x reader#konig x reader#kĂśnig x reader#konig mw2#kĂśnig mw2#simon riley x reader
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And Comes Dawn part vi
Ships: sauron/halbrand x reader, Galadriel x Halbrand, galadriel and reader DO NOT LIKE EACH OTHER AT ALL (yet), reader x ?????
Summary: some unwanted feelings bubble to the surface.
Tags: angst ish, reader gets mad, insecurities, the love triangles are officially starting, saurons pov next part is gonna be intense after some of this stuff.
Notes: this one might be meh, I wasn't able to edit much and my mind is kinda mush. The secret third ship is revealed. I'm also adding too, extending, and overall changing some of the numenor stuff. Again it's my fanfiction, I can do what I want
It wasn't long before bright light filled the room, you and your companions heading to the deck of the ship. You squinted as your eyes adjusted to the bright light of the sun and the blue of the sky. You saw the ship captain and spoke before anyone else, âThank you, sir.
He nodded simply in a silent acceptance of your words, his attention turning to Galadriel. The two exchanged words, and you were resisting the urge to roll your eyes. You didn't like the elf. She seemed to think herself better and more worthy of sorrow. You could tell she looked down on you, fueling anger inside your stomach. Anger and annoyance were both feelings that you avoided at all costs. Your father's anger had been great and tragic. You didn't want to tempt the fates by letting your own go unchecked. This elf made it hard to feel anything but those feelings.
âNearly where?â Halbrand asked, his voice was what brought you from your thoughts, he was trying to get an answer as to where they were going.
âHome,â the ship captain answered.
âWell that tells me fuck all,â he said softly so only your ears could hear.
âHalbrand.â You gave him a look.
âSweet one,â he teased, returning the look.
Before you could reply, the words dried on your lips as you saw great stone faces carved into rock in stunning detail. You moved closer to the edge to get a better look. The hard work and detail on the face of the mountain was incredible. You were even more stunned by the giant carving above the city, almost as though it was watching over and protecting the city beneath.
âI've never seen anything like this,â you whispered softly.
âWhat is this place?â Halbrand asked Galadriel.
âThere's only one place it could be, the island kingdom of NĂşmenor.â
-
You looked at the buildings, the architecture, the people. It was all fascinating, as if there was no poverty or hunger. The buildings were gorgeous, breathtaking in the ways they were built, and you'd never imagined anything like this in your wildest dreams. A small part of you began to hope that you could stay here and not return home.
âI never imagined a man like me could build a kingdom like this.â
âBecause these aren't men like you, your ancestors sided with Morgoth. Theirs sided with the elves, and the Valar blessed them for it. Though elves have not been welcomed on these shores for many years.â
âI wonder why someone would choose to deny you entry into their city,â the words dripped with sarcasm as they slipped past your lips before you could stop them.
A bark-like laugh filled the air before Halbrand stopped himself, clearing his throat and wiping at his mouth to hide his smile.
âPerhaps you wonder, but I know why you'd be denied entry,â Galadriel had stopped to look at you, as if daring you to say something more.
âMy reasons are but one, and it is for someone else's sins. Yours would be for being an arrogant, insufferable..-â
âLet's keep going, shall we,â Halbrand placed a hand on your shoulder, and Galadriel opened her mouth to say more when the ship captain hurried them along.
When she was a few steps ahead of you. Halbrand started laughing again, softer this time. âPerhaps, sweet one doesn't suit you well after all.â
You huffed a sigh, âI should not have said that, I know.â
âI will forever sit and ponder how you were going to end that sentence,â he teased with a twinkle to his eye.
Butterflies stirred in your stomach as you looked back up into his eyes, a hint of a smile pulling at your lips.
âYou must promise me, sweet one, not to provoke the angry elf. Can you do that?â
You nodded, but he cocked an eyebrow. âUse your words,â his voice was soft and a little husky as if he might have been enjoying this exchange more than he let on, âI want to hear you say it.â
âHalbrand, I promise not to provoke the angry elf,â you said in all but a whisper.
âGood girl,â he pressed a kiss to the top of your head before continuing the journey.
~
âIf blood is the price to pay to leave this place, I will pay it.â
You noticed the guards moving closer, your eyes darting to the queen for her response to this threat. Galadriel was going to get you killed at this rate. Without thinking, your hand found Halbrands, lacing your fingers with his, and he squeezed your hand as if to reassure you before he spoke.
He was very well spoken, very convincing. He could command the attention of all in the room with his words. It was impressive, and in the end, they granted you 3 weeks. You hated the sense of satisfaction you had felt when they mocked Galadriel. You were sure there was a reason she was the way she was, but thinking she's better than the mortal races or more entitled to grief would never cease to fill you with anger.
âYou were rather good at that,â you turned to Halbrand with a relieved smile on your face.
âJust be glad I'm not your enemy,â he responded with a wink, squeezing your hand that was still tangled with his before he followed the elf.
You found the ship captain once more, âI would like to offer my most sincere thanks. I will forever be in your debt.â
He smiled softly at you, looking at you as only a father could. âI did what was right. I am glad you will find some respite in our great city. If you are to need anything, I have a daughter about your age and I'm sure she has dress and other niceties to spare. Take these, though,â he placed some coins in your hands, âto aid you in whatever ways you may need.â
âI appreciate that very much.â He was a good man, you could tell it. Of good heart and strong character. He had dismissed himself politely, and you looked for your companions.
Your eyes landed on them atop the stairs. You didn't know what they were talking about but they were close. He seemed to be earnestly defending something, you knew not what, and she seemed to be arguing against it. Just as the conversation seemed to be closing, you saw as he pulled her closer to him with that smirk and sparkle in his eyes and suddenly it all came crashing down on you.
What if you weren't special? What if you read too much into it? What if he was like this with everyone?
Or perhaps you were special, but she was just more than anything you could be. She was a beautiful elf, a commander of armies, and what were you?
The daughter of a disgraced mass murder who had yet to do anything of significance.
Your lip started trembling. Perhaps you were too sensitive, but it felt as if your heart was breaking. Did you really have such strong feelings after a week? Perhaps you had been more interested in him. Perhaps you'd allowed your feelings to become too intense when his had not. And perhaps you only thought he'd been looking that way at you.
You found your feet carrying you outside of the palace. You weren't the one that was confined to the grounds, and there was no reason for you to stay. You thought you heard a voice calling after you, but you did not care. You wanted away and to be on your own to think. To figure out what you want for the future. To figure out your feelings to figure out your plans for the next 3 weeks.
~
You sat on a bench in some courtyard, eyes watching as the sun dipped below the waves. It was nice to watch, a beautiful sight, especially now that night didn't bring worries of being cold or being attacked. For the first time in what seemed forever, you would have a place to sleep that wasn't rocking back and forth. Your stomach was growling. It was starting to gnaw at your stomach, but you didn't want to get the stares from the locals. You knew you weren't entirely welcome. So, instead, you sat and watched the sunset until it made its way beneath the waves, and the only light was that of the fires and torches. Your eyes wondered, examining the amazing architecture. It's what you had been doing all day as a way to avoid the insecurities in your head and heart.
A group of boys about your age had drawn your attention,their laughter was boisterous and almost contagious. You were reminded of what little pleasures you'd lost due to the orc attacks; laughing with friends was one of them. You were grateful to see it amongst others and know that it still exists. You must have caught one of their attention somehow because he excused himself, telling his friends to go on without him before coming to sit with you.
âIâŚsorry I didn't mean to pull you away from your group. I'm justâŚâ
âYou're one of the newcomers. One of 3 that arrived today, yes?â He asked curiously, and you nodded.
âYou match the description that was given. You seem a little lost," He smiled warmly at you. It was genuine, you could tell. He wanted to help you if you were to need it.
âI am, I admit, but I've enjoyed getting lost here. Your home is gorgeous. We don't have architecture anywhere near this in my homeland, the Southlands. It's remarkable.â
He chuckled softly, looking around him, âThis isn't even the best the city has to offer.â
âThat is impossible.â
He laughed again, shaking his head. âIt is entirely possible, I assure you.â
You couldn't help but smile. He was full of energy, but at the same time, it was calming. It was easy to talk to him because he felt relaxed and relatable.
âThere must be art and architecture where you're from. There has to be.â
You shook your head, ânot like it is here. It would be like comparing a master swordsman to children whacking each other with sticks. We have wood carvings and some words engraved in stone but nothing like a whole, giant person carved in stone. Our cities are just wood or brick. It's not carved out like this. This is all incredible.â
âThere has to be beauty, though,â he pressed his tongue into his cheek as if he wanted to say something else. âI have a lot of questions about your home. I've never left this island."
âThere is beauty, yes. In the trees, in the green of the grass. In autumn, the trees turn red and orange, and they look beautiful at dusk.â
âSo, there's beauty in the trees, in the leaves, in the womenâŚâ he watched you for a moment. You couldn't help but giggle at the comment.
âThat was horrible, wasn't it?â He asked, looking down at his hands but laughing softly as he did.
âA little bit, but the compliment is very appreciated,â You stopped giggling and placed a hand on his knee.
âIt sounded so much more clever in my head,â he chuckled with a shake of his head.
âMy nameâs Isildur. My father was the ship captain who saved you. I would like to buy you dinner as a way to say sorry for that horrendous comment I just made. "
You gave him your name with a large grin that made your cheeks hurt, âAnd I would love that, as long as you promise to tell me more about your kingdom.â
âIt's a deal.â
#halbrand x reader#sauron x reader#halbrand x oc#sauron x oc#trop fanfiction#trop x reader#rings of power fanfiction#sauron x galadriel#halbrand x galadriel#isildur x reader
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Cod Boys + Dry Humping
The 141 men + Keegan, Konig, & Alejandro
What it's like to dry hump them!
NSFW! 18+ ONLY!! MDNI!!!
(I used Google translate for the German & Spanish. If it's incorrect please let me know!)
Captain John Price
It was late in the night when you finally put your book down. John still hadn't made it to your shared room. With a quiet sigh, you'd put your book down and find him. He was obviously in the first place you looked. His office.
You close the door softly and lean against it as you watch him so deep into the mountain of pages on his desk that he didn't even know you were there. He was nursing a half-full glass as he wrote quickly across the paper in front of him.
"Are you just going to stand there and watch me love?" He would ask softly without even looking at you.
You could never figure out how he always knew you were there. Instead of thinking about it you made your way over to him. You stopped next to him so you wouldn't get in the way of his work. You'd stay silent until he finally glanced up at you.
"You need something love?" He'd ask in the soft rasp that drove you insane.
"You Captain. I need you." You'd tell him quietly.
You wouldn't miss the small smirk that came from your words. He loved hearing you say those words. He loved you being insatiably needy for him.
"As you can see I have a lot of work to get done love. I'll make it up to you tomorrow. Go get some sleep." He'd always tell you something like this.
He didn't mean a fucking word of it. He'd do whatever you asked of him. He only liked to tease you. Make you think he wasn't interested. Usually you'd plead. Beg him to touch you. Paperwork be damned and he wouldly happily give in to you but not this time.
You silently huffed before shoving him back in his chair. You climbed onto his lap perfectly sitting yourself directly on his already hard dick. He wouldn't say a word. He'd just watch you. His head tilting slightly to watch you.
You'd wrap your arms around his neck before whispering softly in his ear.
"Go back to work daddy. I won't bother you. I promise."
You couldn't see him from your face hiding in the crook of his neck but your words forced him to close his eyes. He knew it was a fucking lie. The fucking papers were already long forgotten the moment you climbed your pretty ass into his lap.
Then you started to roll your hips. A soft groan would fall from his lips at the friction. He'd try to go back to his work but you only rolled your hips faster & harder. The friction of your movements driving him fucking wild. If he let you keep this up he'd cum in his fucking pants.
Just as he went to stop you so he could fuck you properly you whined into his ear. A quiet "fuck daddy" that was barely just audible. That was it.
"God damn love" he'd breath as he pushed your hips harder against him. He rut himselt against you to ride out the sudden orgasm your sweet, soft voice caused.
And that was the start of a very often routine for the two of you. Most nights he knew he'd be working late he'd quietly tell you to come keep him company. He didn't have to say anything else. You already knew exactly what he wanted you to do.
â¤ď¸
Johnny "Soap" MacTavish
The two of you were cuddled on the couch sharing some quiet peaceful time together. You loved when Johnny was home. You'd spend every second you could like this. Both of you half naked. The skin to skin contact was absolute bliss for you. You always missed that the most when he was gone.
It was Johnny who started the switch from cute cuddles to sensual teasing. His head dipping into the crook of your neck to place light, soft kisses across your skin. He knew exactly what to do to instantly have you melting into him. He could make your mind blissfully blank in the matter of seconds. When he lifted you and placed you on his lap to straddle him you knew what his plan was.
Your hips instantly starting to move rubbing yourself against his quickly hardening dick. The thin material between the two of you didn't stop much of the friction. It was actually pretty hot. The way Johnny's head feel back against the couch. His hands grabbing your hips and squeezing. Urging your pretting hips to keep moving.
He really didn't care how he came. All he cared about was it being with you and fucking hell he couldn't deny how fucking could it felt to half you rubbing your pretty pussy against him like this. Like you were so desperate for release you couldn't bother with removing the thin barriers. No fucking way he was going to complain especially when your hips rocked faster as sweet little whimpers fell from your lips.
He pushed your hips down causing more pressure between you. He thought about moving his hips up to meet you. Add that extra bit of friction but in the end he wanted this to be all you. He wanted to see if you could make him cum just like this cause fuck it felt so god damn good.
Then you feel against his chest. Those pretty whimpers turning to louder moans. You were getting close. You locked eyes with him and that alone almost had him.
"Fuck, I missed you so much Johnny." You whimpered softly.
He cursed under his breath because fucking hell that did it. He couldn't help it. Those pretty little doe eyes. That soft, sweet voice that could make him a messso fucking fast. You had no idea the insane amount of power you had over him but fuck he loved it. The mess in his boxers was as the evidence needed.
"That's my girl. Get yourself off. You're so fucking pretty darlin'." He'd breath out to encourage you.
He knew he had just as much power over you so when you came from that sound of his voice he only chuckled softly. God how did he land such an incredible fucking woman?
â¤ď¸
Simon "Ghost" Riley
Contrary to popular belief Simon was a simple man. It was the smallest things that made him happy. That made him happy when he was home with you. He had never been much of a kinky man before he met you. Sex for him was just a way to release his tension. He'd do what was needed and go on his way but with you it was so fucking different. You had him so fucked up and you knew it.
He'd learned every little thing that would turn you on. Things that would make you go fucking feral. That was his favorite fucking thing to witness. Winding you up so fucking tight you'd attack him like a starved and crazied animal and he fucking loved it. He loved how crazy he could make you. How easy it was to get you to do anything.
So it was no surprise when you finally cracked after his endless teasing. You'd force yourself onto his lap grabbing his unmasked face and crash your lips against his. He couldn't help but chuckle against your lips. Your hips instantly rutting against him for some friction. He knew what you wanted. What you needed but he was enjoying himself far too much to let you have it.
When your hands moved to his belt he quickly grabbed your hands tossing you easily onto your back. Before you could protest he was roughly rubbing his clothed hard dick against your already soaked panties. He held your hands in place. Claiming your mouth to keep you from complaining. His body weight was all that was needed to keep you in place as he humped you like he was a fucking needy teenager.
You were whining into his mouth and trying like hell to get your hands free but no fucking way he was going to let you go. Not yet. He wanted to make you cum like this. Make you so sensitive that when he did remove all of your clothing he'd have you coming on his cock in seconds.
"Si, please" You manged to beg but all he did was swallow that pretty beg into his feverish, rough kiss.
He didn't have to say a fucking word to make you crazy. He lifted his head to lock his eyes with yours. There were tears filling your eyes ready spill. You were so fucking pretty like this. So fucking needy for him. All it took was that single heated look from Simon and you were soaking your panties so much it dampened through his pants to his boxers.
"Good girl, now you can have my cock." He cooed as he finally pulled away to give you what you needed.
And he was right. Only of a few seconds into finally getting his dick in you and you were already coming so fucking hard. Yea, he knows exactly what to do to you know. You're so fucked.
â¤ď¸
Kyle "Gaz" Garrick
Kyle was a pretty reserved man when it came to you and your love life. He wasn't one of those men who would brag about fucking you and how he'd fuck you. Most of his team assumed he was pretty vanilla in bed. Not that they cared it was just the vibe he gave off. But they couldn't be more wrong. Yea, most of the time Kyle liked to fuck you nice and slow. He wouldn't lie that missionary was his favorite position only because he could watch your pretty face.
Then there were days when he'd get back from a bad mission or one of the other guys would piss him off or get on his nerves a little too much. He'd never say anything to any of them. He'd just go straight to you. He'd never say a word just take what he wanted how he wanted it.
It had been a pretty rough day. Everything that could go wrong did. Everything that could possibly get on his nerves did. So when he came into your shared room fuming you already had an idea about what was going to happen.
What you didn't expect was for him to pull you to the center of the bed and start dry humping you like a damn teenager. He had you pinned to the bed with his body weight. His hands holding your legs open wide so he had all the room he needed to rub against you.
"Ky, what is-"
"Shush baby. I just need to cum then we can talk." He told you a little harsher then he ever had before.
It was fucking obvious he was desperate. His head hiding in the crook of your neck. His clothed dick rubbing against you fast and hard. It was almost painful but then you heard the quick sharp breathes Kyle was breathing against your neck. And fuck if the whole situation wasn't one of the hottest things you'd ever experienced. Having him hold you down and keep you still while he desperately chased his own release. You were suddenly very, very okay with him using you like his whenever he wanted.
When he came it damn near had you coming right behind him. His quiet groan of your name as his hips stuttered against you. You'd never seen him so frustrated and desperate but you found yourself silently pleading that whatever had happened to make him act like this could happen a little more often.
Even more so when he actually fucked you into the god damn mattress.
â¤ď¸
Keegan P. Russ
Keegan was your guilty pleasure. You knew you shouldn't have a thing for him. He was a broody asshole on a good day but the man fucked like a god. You had happily took on the title of his little sex toy. Always being used whenever he wanted. However he wanted you. And you were so fucking eager to please him.
When you woke up in the middle of the night to find yourself face down on your mattress with a heavy weight on top of you, you weren't concerned. You knew who it was. This wasn't the first time he'd woken you woken you up in a similar situation but usually he already had his dick in you. This time you were still clothed but you good feel his hard cock rubbing fiecely against your ass.
"Keegan?" You questioned quietly.
"Yea, it's me. Sorry little one not much time. You let me get off like this and I'll fuck you real good when I get back." His voice was breathy but just as stern as it always was.
"You know you can do whatever you want to me." You told him quietly.
He chuckled quietly as his hand suddenly landed on the bed right next to your face. You felt his body loom over your back but the motion of his hips never faltered.
"You're god damn right little one. My little fuck toy to do with as I please and you'll just be a good girl and take what I give you. Won't you?"
You couldn't stop the quiet moan from slipping past your lips. As hot as his dirty talk was you knew it was more for him than for you. So of course you played along doing and saying exactly what he wanted you too.
"Yes, Sergeant." You breathed out.
His groan was enough to make you want to beg for more. You could see his ungloved had against the bed. You thought about grabbing it. Doing anything just to feel his skin against yours but then that hand fisted the seat. He cursed under his breath as his hips stuttered out of rhythm. A few seconds later he was climbing off you.
Before you could say anything he was gone and you were left a needy fucking mess.
â¤ď¸
Konig
Anyone who looked at this man just saw a monster. Towering over everyone. Face covered and absolutely deadly but he had a secret. A secret that only you knew. He was a submissive little bitch. But only for you. Your good boy. Those two words alone were enough to make him cum. He loved to be teased. To be told what to do. For you to take his pleasure into your own hands. They way you took care of him was like nothing he'd ever experienced.
You knew when he came home from the latest mission that he was in a bad state. A place only you could pull him out of. You waisted no time taking him to your bed and stripping everything piece of cloth off of him except his briefs. You kept your underwear and that shirt you were wearing (his shirt) on as you climbed over him. You could seen in his eyes he was already eager for what you would do to him. What you would do for him.
You opted for his favorite thing. A good ole fashioned dry humping. Not only was it hot as fuck to him but god was the perfect mixture of pleasing and teasing and he fucking loved it. His head instantly falling to the side as his arms went limp at his sides. Already completely given in to you. He and you both knew he was in good hands.
You kept your pace steady as you grind your clothed pussy down on him. Even with the clothing in the way his massive cock felt so fucking good.
"ScheiĂe, baby" (Fuck, baby) He whimpered softly which only encouraged you. Watching him lay below you with no fight, completely yours, had you read to snap already. You just fucking loved him like this.
"You going to cum for me pretty boy?" You teased him as you gently scratched your nails down his stomach.
"Ja prinzessin" (Yes princess) He moaned.
"Go on then, be a good boy and cum." And of course he did. Who the hell is he to deny anything you tell him to do? You spent a few minutes after that praising him and kissing all over his bare skin until he was rutting his still hard cock up into you. You knew what your good boy needed and you'd always, always, take care of him.
â¤ď¸
Colonel Alejandro Vargas
There was nothing about Alejandro that wasn't attractive. You were in love with every beautiful inch of that man. You weren't a native spanish speaker but you'd learned enough. Mostly filthy, dirty talk. The man could make you cum just from telling you what he wanted to do to you. In spanish of course.
But when he got severally injured and ended up in the informory you were out of your mind with worry. You never left his side. And when he finally was told he'd be discharged the next day you were so elated you hopped onto the bed to straddle him. Your lips crashing against his.
He couldn't help but smile into your kiss. You'd been so worried. He'd seen it in those pretty eyes. He hated doing that to you. He hated the whole situation and the fact he hasn't been able to fuck you in damn near two weeks. It's been far too long. But when he brought the need up to you, you were hesitant. Of course you wanted to. You'd always want to fuck him. To touch him. But he was still healing and you were terrified of hurting him.
"Let's compromise" You told him softly.
"Estoy escuchando mi amor." (I'm listening my love.) He'd damn near whisper as his hands slowly massaged the top of your thighs.
"I'll help you cum gently. And in a day or two when you feel even better I'll let you do all the disgustingly filthy things you want." You told him knowing he'd agree immediately.
His loud laugh made you bounce on him slightly.
"That can be arranged mi amor. Voy a destruirte." (I'm going to destroy you) He breathed out.
You started to roll your hips against him. The instant friction making you both curse softly. It really hap been far too long.
"I look forward to it Colonel." You teased him earning a soft swaft to the back of your thigh.
In minutes you were both gone. You were rutting against each other both so fucking desperate to cum. Your soft moans and his grunts feeling the small, quiet hospital room. It didn't matter if someone would to walk in now neither of you would stop. You were both so close to that high. That pleasure you'd been denied for two weeks.
When you finally came your eyes closed in bliss as you went limp against Alejandro's chest. You could hear how fast his heart was beating. Both of your breathing was labored but you both felt a million times better. Just to share that feeling together was enough to sate you both for the time being.
â¤ď¸
Masterlist
#nothingbutfangirlsmut#fanfiction#smut#the cod boys#cod x reader#cod#cod mw3#call of duty mw3#ghost mw3#soap mw3#mw3#john price smut#captain john price#john price#soap#soap mactavish#johnny mactavish#x reader#ghost#ghost riley#simon ghost riley#gaz#kyle gaz garrick#kyle garrick#keegan p russ#cod keegan#keegan russ x reader#konig cod#konig call of duty#alejandro vargas
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Changing Seasons: The Lakes [Loki x Reader]
The Lakes Masterlist / Regular Masterlist Summary: (1) A long journey with Thor, Steve and Loki ends in a ramshackle country cottage. But really, it's just begun. (w/c 3.8k) Warnings: Minors DNI. Language. Ex-Loki. Smut references. Humour/Mild angst. Recommended Folklore Track: The 1
This is fine.
Itâs just five days. In this...cottage. With your ex. Youâll barely see him.
The tiny two story building sat before you, twisting wisteria claiming rough stoned walls. Burnt orange leaves sparked against the morning chill, rooted into windowsills and crumbling brickwork.
It was small. Really small.
You stretched your legs, observing Thor waddle from the car, laden with suitcases.
One fell.
âWatch that!â Steve snapped, on his last nerve after the drive from the Essex compound. A hand flew to his neck, massaging the twinge caused by six hours squashed in the back of a hastily acquired hatchback. âYour collection of personal toys, Rogers?â Loki drawled, letting his mirth-filled eyes slide between the two men. âYes, brother do be careful. We wouldnât want the captain to be without an outlet.â Steveâs face flushed, while Thor staggered valiantly onward to the cottage door. âI still donât understand why we didnât take the train,â Loki muttered with a theatrical sigh, a single brush down the front of his suit making every well-worn crease evaporate. âThe two of you on a train,â Steve spat incredulously, âwouldnât be great for subtlety.â
Every syllable was laden with frustration as he heaved another case from the trunk. The god nodded. âEven I must admit, this is much more entertaining Rogersâ he replied, motioning towards the cottage at the exact moment Thorâs forehead smacked against the low awning.
The suitcases fell in predictable succession. âJeepers criminey-â Steve gasped, lunging forwards.
You rolled your eyes, smiling just Loki glanced backwards. A wolfish grin ignited. Shit. With narrowed eyes, he began to glide around the Fiat like a day-walker. His hair was slicked back, falling over the shoulders of a black suit more appropriate to fashion week than training in the wilds of the Lake District. Youâd tried not to look at him much on the way here. For obvious reasons. He swaggered with resolute precision, infuriatingly erotic as he always was. It was sick, how he looked so good. Like he hadnât been in the same car as the rest of you, gorging on jelly babies and squished krispy kremes foraged along the motorway. You had practised for this moment, and to your credit; your face remained perfectly straight. Your posture, casual. Unbothered, as Steve and Thor argued further up the path.
âMy slacks were perfectly folded in New York. If there is any rumplage Odinson- then Iâll know who to blame.â
âCarry your own damn suitcases, then-â â-I wouldâve, if you hadnât been such a dandy-show-offâ
You spun away from your incoming ex, steadying your racing heart as you focused on the horizon. Mist hung over the rusted treeline, green and sienna twisting together and dipping down to a sprawling lake about a mile away, you reckoned, spread against the sunrise. Lokiâs playful scathing broke the calm. âYou havenât said two words to me in almost twelve hours, Agent,â he purred. âIâm impressed.â There was a time that kind of talk would have brought you to your knees. But not anymore, you lied to yourself, clenching. With your eyes still lowered, you tilted your chin towards him. Defiantly, slowly, you raised them; catching his inscrutable stare like a rifleâs scope. You raised your eyebrows expectantly, lips sealed. Loki scoffed, looking into the distance. His breath was fog. âI donât know what else I expected,â he muttered quietly.
You stood in silence, backs turned to the domestic carnage unfolding at the cottage door. Letting your gaze roll over the mountains. Early morning autumnal air stung the back of your throat. Fresh pine and wisps of smoke from unseen chimneys, far away. Amber hues spindled along the surface of the lake a mile below, rippling methodically. You fought the urge to look at him.
His eyes would look beautiful in this kind of light. Always had. âIt reminds me of home,â he murmured wistfully. It sank into the crisp air, the softness of the tone you still dreamt about curling around your body like smoke. Lokiâs scent mingled with the breeze, reminding you of nights spent wrapped around him as you slept in snatches. His hand never far from your own. His love draped over you like a cloak.
A shiver ran down your spine.
You felt him lean in, the warmth of his breath against your skin drawing closer before it retreated. âAsgard,â he added condescendingly. âAlthough, Asgard isnât quite as...rustic.â He lifted a foot, making a show of wiping a sole on the wet grass.
You grit your teeth. It never ended. He couldnât help himself, even after everything that had happened between you. The snake tightened inside your belly, unfurling and poised to strike; regrettable words bubbling behind your teeth. âLetâs just get through this week, shall we?â Loki snapped, before turning away. The crunch of twigs beneath his retreating footsteps was all you heard as the chill stung your eyes. Just the chill.
"I carry the paraphernalia so I shall be first across the threshold thank you very much,â Thor grumped, jostling Steve from his path and shuffling sideways through the frame. Steve grimaced, nodding at Loki to follow his brother. âThank you,â Loki said curtly; noting the captainâs gaze flicker to where you stood overlooking the lake in a valiant attempt to remain mysterious. âSheâs quite well,â he added presumptively.
Steve frowned. âShe was quiet on the drive. Even let Thor play his music. Not like herâ he said, leaning against the cottage wall before recoiling. âUrgh, itâs damp.â Loki chuckled. âOf course it is. Welcome to the northern hemisphere, Rogers. What you need, is some leatherâ he winked.
He watched the captain pat his shirt fruitlessly as a stain blossomed through the pale cotton, clearing his throat softly. âSheâs still a little...put out... by our parting of ways. Canât blame her, really. I mean-â He gestured to himself with a consillatory sigh. âSheâll warm up-â
Loki cast a glance around, realising he wasnât sure if the hallway was colder than the exterior. â-metaphorically, anyway.â
Steve nodded sagely. âTo everything there is a seasonâŚâ he mused. Loki frowned, turning away. He waved a dismissive hand. âYou know I do not traffic in colloquialisms, Rogersâ he scoffed with his back turned. Entering the kitchen, Loki immediately bumped his shin on a discarded suitcase. He wrinkled his nose.
A single lightbulb hung from the ceiling, barely illuminating the cramped space. Ageing wallpaper clung valiantly to its charge, whimsical ducks and geese parading in an inexplicable march. Thor stood hunched over the sink, running spluttering water into the worldâs smallest kettle. The ceiling was inches from his head. âTea, brother?â he chirped. Loki nodded, wondering how the hell theyâd ended up here. âRogers?â he enquired innocently. Steveâs head popped round the doorframe.
âHowdy!â Loki closed his eyes and took a breath. âRogers,â he repeated. âRemind me why this week is truly necessary?â Steve released a forced chuckle. âIâll get to that. Hang tight.â He disappeared, shouting your name down the path. By the time the two of you returned, Loki had seidred the suitcases to their respective destinations. He had secured the largest room for himself, of course. Although that wasnât saying much. Rogers and Thor would be sharing. Loki had the sneaking suspicion that was not the plan â but alas for them â it was their new reality.
Four mismatched mugs of steaming tea sat on the small square table in the corner. Loki sat in one chair, legs crossed. Thor in the other, looking decidedly squashed.
Steve closed the kitchen door while you leant against the counter-top, arms folded. âI made tea,â Thor smiled, pleased with himself as he held it forth like an offering. You accepted. Loki noted the shiver that shook your shoulders as the hot mug entered your cupped grasp. A fleeting smile of pleasure skating across your cheeks. Heâd missed that, he found. âPlease, take my s-â Loki started, beginning to rise. Habit. âIâll stand,â you replied curtly. Loki nodded, sinking down. An uncomfortable silence filled the room as an oblivious Steve squinted suspiciously out the window while closing the blinds. âAlrighty then-â he said, turning. His enthusiastic glances bounced to each of them in turn. Thor adjusted himself, rewarded with the malevolent warning creak of a chair leg.
âAs anyone who was listening during our meetings will know,â Steve paused, staring at Loki, âitâs come to my attention that our manual outdoor skills are somewhat lacking. Anything happens to our abilities or comms while weâre on a rugged mission and booyah,â he made a burst with his fingers, âpardon my french â but weâre up crud creek without a paddle.â Loki scoffed. âHardly-â âThis week weâll be getting back to basics. You two-â Steve gestured between the gods seated at the withered dining set, âespecially. Itâs all magic and brawny shenanigans until you need to skin a rabbit.â He looked to you warily, âMetaphorically, of course. Our resident expert will give us instruction, and weâll go from there-â Steve nodded to you, folding his arms. Loki rolled his eyes. âI donât think you understand how magic-â âNo weak links.â he continued, un-phased. He had his very serious face on. âAnd I count myself in this too. We need to be confident that if something happens, and weâre out in the wilds...we can handle ourselves. Survive, until help arrives.â âBut why here?â Loki whined, âwe have the facilities to simulate the environment back in-â Steve held up a hand. âNo one can know earthâs mightiest heroes are out here learning outdoorsing 101, Laufeyson. Imagine the press. No.â He shook his head. âThis is absurd,â Loki muttered into his tea.
âLetâs try and have fun. At the very least, itâs a week in the fresh air.â Lokiâs eyes rose, your words and tone clearly rehearsed. There was a weak smile on your face, but it didnât reach your eyes. Heâd become intimately acquainted with that look in the final months of your relationship.
Silence hung in the kitchen. âAnd the two of you will be alright, will you?â Thor boomed, stretching a leg which reached halfway across the floor. He took a sip of tea as Steveâs face went pink.
âI mean, with the breakup. Although I suppose its better than being kept awake by the oooâing and ahhhâing through the walls, isnât it Rogers?â He began to chortle, âremember...remember in- where was it? Oh, Columbia. Norns, what a-â
â-Brother,â Loki snarled. Hair bristled on the back of his neck. You cleared your throat. âLoki and I have an understanding. Thereâs no animosity between us-â âIsnât there? News to me,â Loki mumbled petulantly, running a finger across the plastic table cloth. He could almost hear the grind of your teeth as you spoke pointedly to Thor. âWell I intend on remaining professional. Iâm sure your brother is the same.â Loki shook his head, snorting. âProfessional?â he spat incredulously. âWhat need have I to be professional? I am a god.â âAnd there it is,â you began, temperature rising before Steve patted down the air.
âHow about we go check out the bedrooms?â he said. Everyone murmured agreement. And somewhere between Loki cursing his temper, and the babble of his brotherâs half-hearted apology- you were gone.
Ten minutes later, Loki found himself staring at the same spot on the wall he had been for the last eight. It was meditative almost. On the other side of the wall at the end of his bed, was your room. Small, rectangular. Barely space for more than the single bed. But Loki had a feeling you didnât mind.
You had settled on the mattress around seven minutes ago after unpacking, the comforting creak of springs alerting him. What were you doing, he wondered. Thinking. Feeling? He shook the thought from his mind, reminding himself that was no longer his business. But the thought crawled back with the vengeance of a dying wasp. If we were together still, Iâd have made her climax twice on this bed by now.
His clothing hung in a drab single wardrobe. When in Nilfheim, heâd surmised. The garments were simple, and perfunctory. All manner of base layers and fleece lined items in vapid shades which lacked even a morsel of style. Not a sniff of leather. And zips in the most unflattering places.
Loki shuddered.
His ears pricked as he heard a wooden board in your room creak, tracking the slow amble of five steps it took to cross the floor from end to end. Sheâs looking out the window, he mused.
âGet your hands off my undergarments,â Thorâs voice was crisp and menacing through the wall to Lokiâs left. âWell, put them in a drawer like a gentleman.â Steve snipped in response, barely muffled by the stone. âThere are no drawers! Why must we reside in such a place, Rogers!?â He has a point, Loki thought. âBecause no one would expect it.â Steve replied smugly.
There was a pause, but Loki could hear the thump of Thorâs boots as he rounded the twin beds, positioning himself for attack. His voice was low, and purposeful. âJust like you wonât expect...this.â The inhuman sound of one of his brotherâs legendary farts ripped through the wall.
Loki braced in the silence that followed, relishing the craft of his devious room organisation while Steve, he presumed, got some traction to exit through the window. âJeepers,â came the choked, disbelieving response of the captain through the wall. Jeepers indeed, Rogers, Loki smirked.
A sudden tinkle of restrained laughter perked his ears. It came from behind the wall in front of him. He froze, savouring each lilting rise and fall as you gave in to full-blown cackle. Wait for it.
He held his breath. You snorted. Loki grinned, letting himself bathe in the warmth of that laughter which used to lace his brightest moments. The nights, when you met after long days apart. He remembered when he would tickle you beneath his sheets in the Tower. When he would slide his hands over your squealing, curled form in apology, crawl on his knees beneath the covers and gently part your legs.
âI just canât help myself,â heâd purr, kissing the smooth skin of your inner thigh. âForgive me?â
And you always did. Until you hadnât. You would rake your hand through his hair, lovingly humming his name as he ran his tongue up your plump slit; settling in to his long, languid worship. Loki sighed. He looked down in his lap, realising a thumb was digging into the palm of his clasped hands. He pushed it in harder, frowning. Fool.
Suddenly the door flew open. A red-faced Steve gripped the door-frame, breathing heavily. âSwap...with...me,â he gasped. Loki shook his head, heavy with feigned sympathy. âAfraid not, Rogers. Look, I unpacked and everything.â He pointed to the wardrobe. âLike a gentleman.â
Steveâs face flushed deeper, hanging his head in resignation. âGosh-darnit,â he sighed under his breath. âBe downstairs and ready in five.â
A chorus of Blackcap birdsong fluttered and rolled over the bushes. Final frostings of morning clung to crisped leaves, slowly warming in the blast of breath-fog from three Avengers huddled around a large map. You watched with an amused smirk on your face, laughing inwardly that Steve thought a wardrobe full of Trepass could disguise their presence. Like three bears at a pigletâs tea party.
Thor held the compass, squinting. The rectangular instrument looked much like a stick of gum in his palm as he leant closer to the dial, searching for some unseen clue. You decided to have mercy.
âSo you can see here,â you said gently, tracing your finger over the map, âto get to the lake we need to follow a bearing of 79 degreesâŚ.and we need to adjust for true North. Remember?â You moved the compass slightly. âBlast,â Thor growled. He was taking this very seriously. A bobble hat was pulled low on his brow, but even then, you could tell he was frowning. Loki chuckled derisively, smoothing a strand of inky hair from his jawline. You watched as it curled behind his ear. His beautiful, perfectly formed ear. âVolunteering for the next marker, Loki?â you asked calmly, watching his smug smirk fall. You switched back to Thor, now measuring points on the map diligently. Steve stood by his shoulder, taking notes on a small pad. âA-ha!â Thor shouted triumphantly. A dozen birds took off from the nearest tree, fleeing skyward.
Steve frowned. Stealth, it chided. The blonde god whipped his face to you in childish glee. âThis way!â he pointed theatrically. You nodded, bathing in the pride spreading across the god of thunderâs face. It was Lokiâs turn to frown. âGive me that,â he snipped, snatching the compass as Thor began to fold the map and lead the charge towards the next marker. âYouâre just jealous brother. Clearly my skills of navigation are unmatched. Isnât that so, Agent?â he postured loudly, clearing a branch from your path. It wasnât often Thor truly had the upper hand. So you decided to push it a little higher. âOut of the three of you so far? Absolutely.â You beamed at him, seeing storm-clouds gather in Lokiâs eyes out the corner of your own. His brows knitted together, chin pushing down into the thick roll of his scarf.
Thor hummed as you passed beneath his arm. âI always liked you, you knowâ he chuckled in hushed tones. Clearly, heâd seen the abject annoyance blossom on his brotherâs face too.
You nodded conspiratorially, casting a glance back at your dejected ex as he picked his way over a patch of brambles, hands deep in his coat pockets. Steve followed behind, flicking through the pages of his pocketbook.
âMeh, itâs good for him,â you said diplomatically while shooting Thor a toothy grin.
He returned it.
Loki took each step carefully. He would be damned if a tangle of barbed shrubbery bested him the same day as his oaf of a brother.
He wouldnât have gotten it without her help, he fumed; stepping quickly over a freshly steaming pile of suspicious pellets. His nose wrinkled, glancing up to where the two of you were sharing a moment. Blatant favouritism.
Gritting his teeth, his jaw nuzzled further beneath the coiled wool around his throat. A smile lit up your face as you shared some sort of inside jest with his brother. Loki remembered, all too well, how you used to look at him that way. How it was to bathe in the warm of your affection, the comfort of your hallowed inner circle.
He tried not to let his mind wander to your inner circle too much. The immediate twitch of his cock beneath the ghastly slacks was a timely reminder why. Steveâs shrill caw of warning came too late. âWatch your-â Loki froze, snarling as his eyes fell to the foot now wedged in a pile of shit. âHow appropriate,â he sighed as he reluctantly pulled it free. He began to wipe it on the ground. âJust wipe it on the ground,â Rogers said. Loki's stare was daggers as he continued to do just that, cursing the Norns as you began to walk towards them. âWhatâs the hold up?â you said. Loki raised a hand to stop Steve from speaking, but alas.
âLaufeyson stepped in poop.â âThank you, Rogers. Iâm sure our âresident expertâ can see that.â Steve crouched down to his haunches, inspecting the boot-imprinted pile. âLooks like deer poop to me,â he observed diligently. âWhat do you think, Agent?â âCould be,â you said, matching his serious tone. âNice spot.â Loki felt his jaw slacken.
What portal has opened and swallowed me to this unending nightmare.
He wiped the defiled heel of his clumpy, tan boot a final time, before marching up the ridge. He should be first. He had the compass, the ultimate instrument of inter-planetary survival, apparently. âBroth-â he started, before rocking back on his heels. âWhat is your problem?â he heard you hiss as you yanked the back of his jacket. Loki whipped round, every snippy retort that hovered on his lips evaporating as he saw your flushed face; wild with undisguised irritation. Steve was bumbling slowly up the hill, oblivious. âIâŚâ Loki breathed, resisting the unfamiliar urge to tell the truth. You were still gripping a toggle that dangled from the back of his jacket. Loki looked at it, pausing a moment before refocusing with renewed vigour.
âI shouldnât have to do this. Itâs ridiculous, and you know it.â âWell why are you even here? Why donât you just bugger off at a momentâs notice like you always do? Go whine to Heimdall or something?â Loki heard white noise bubble deep in his mind, rising to a roar as his vision tunnelled to the sight of your pupils blown wide with anger; lip trembling ever so slightly as you valiantly stood your ground. There she is, he thought with bizarre satisfaction. âBecause I wouldnât want to give the impression Iâm not a team-player, would I?â he snarled through gritted teeth. You released your grip on his toggle with a scoff. âIâll believe that when I see it. If you can last the whole trip, Iâll-â
â-Youâll what?â Loki heard himself say. The tone, he noted, was dangerously flirtatious.
You eyed him suspiciously.
â-Iâll be am-azed. The prim prince of Asgard, hacking it for a week out here. It might be good for you.â You see-sawed your palm. âBut you know...low expectations.â Lokiâs eyes narrowed as Steve emerged hovering over your shoulder. He suddenly reminded Loki very much of the geese parading on the kitchen walls. âI assure you, Agent, I shall pass your tests with flying colours.â He forced a smile. It hurt his cheeks in the cold. A little bow followed. A little flourish of his hand. He paused, baiting you. âI look forward to you proving me wrong, then,â you sniffed, re-adjusting the straps of your backpack.
Your eyes caught his a little longer than youâd intended.
Lokiâs gaze fell to your lips, beginning to chap in the unforgiving English chill. How he wanted to capture them with his in that moment, moisten them with his breath and tongue and fiery adoration. To warm you, take care of you. As he should have when he had the chance, perhaps.
At the time, Loki wasnât sure why - but nonetheless he held out the compass to Steve. âYou take this one, Rogers.â âAlrighty then!â the captain quipped obliviously. His knees pumped up in a farcical jog down the ridge towards Thor, having an in-depth conversation with a passing sheep.
âAlrighty then,â you mimicked to yourself with quiet smile. Meeting Lokiâs amused gaze, the smile fell. And without another word, you set off down the hill.
The god watched you pick your way gracefully over the autumnal landscape, breeze whipping your hair. He brushed his own from his eyes, pausing to reluctantly admire the rugged peaks and cliffs that curled in on their path. Burnt orange mingled with green, a rolling wave of seasons trickling through the vale. He could feel it all around him; through him â seeping beneath his skin, whether he willed it or no.
Change.
Chapter Two: Sticks and Stones A/N: Thank you so so much for reading this - if you did! I'm having so much fun with these bunch and I'm very excited to share this kind of ridiculous journey with you :) There won't be as many POV switches in subsequent chapters - we just needed it in this one. As always - love love to hear your thoughts. Gooooo Autumn!đ
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