#Thank you Vi for beta reading!!

[stuck-in-jelly]

The Dragon Prince Fanfic: Seeking Judgment

Thank you to @youruinedmylifebynotbeingreal for beta reading and helping me out!! 🫶

Summary: Opeli finds herself face to face with Viren after he makes a request for a confessional. Unpleasant memories rise as she too is now faced with the weight of his crimes.

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“Excuse me?” Opeli didn’t bother hiding her frustration as she lifted her head from her desk. In front of her the ‘Associate’ Crow Lord squirmed, wringing his hands together as he let out an awkward chuckle, a nervous quirk of his she found exceedingly annoying.

“Viren has requested to see you-uh, High Priestess.” he repeated, swinging his arms back and forth as he bounced in place. Opeli’s lip curled as she placed down her pencil.

“And why would I do that.” her patience was wearing incredibly thin at the thought of that man feeling entitled to anyone’s time, let alone hers. Again, the Crow Lord shifted, now scratching at his nail-polish, the paint turning to black dust before drifting down to her once perfectly cleaned floor.

“Um…he said that he wanted to ask for Judgment from Lady Justice?”

Opeli felt her body stiffen in anger, eyes narrowing enough that the Crow Lord himself went still for the first time since entering her office.

In her youth, when she had still been with the sisters, her predecessor had proposed the ‘Judgment from Lady Justice’ practice. It was an initiative to grant prisoners a chance to reconcile with themselves and take accountability for their actions by speaking with the High Priestess and confessing before Lady Justice in the chapel.

For a moment her anger shot briefly to her mentor for paving her way into this situation but she quickly redirected it back to Viren.

Viren had never been a religious man, this was something she knew for a fact. He often made snide comments about Lady Justice, how if such a deity even existed how cruel they must be to leave humanity as it is.

Now he dare use her name now as an excuse? As a way to bring her to him?

But there was her oath, this was her original job after-all, before she became wrapped up so tightly within the political affairs of Katolis. With a click of her tongue Opeli opened a drawer, fishing out a form she would need to fill out.

“Fine. I will set a date. But he will get no more than 15 minutes.”

The day came quicker than she would have liked, as a whole she would have liked not to be in this position at all but Lady Justice worked in strange ways.

Standing in the middle of the empty chapel with the confessional set up, Opeli mentally recited her oath as a way of grounding herself. Regardless, whenever one requested Judgment from Lady Justice there were always precautions, but this was an exceptional case.

Guards had been ordered to be posted just outside of the chapel and she ensured she would have a means of defending herself, namely a blade.

After Soren had helped her and the others escape Katolis she decided she should know how to use at least a dagger.

Corvus had been the one to coach her, he was a good teacher. Patient, understanding, and thorough. Though she had been fortunate enough to have not needed it so far, there was a newfound confidence with the blade that now rested at her hip more often than not.

Cautiously she turned the weapon over in her hand admiring the smith-work. She often advised in battles, wars, and had many conversations with Amaya and Sarai before her but she had never considered what it meant to actually wield a blade.

There was power in it, of course, but more than that there was an itch. Whenever she felt threatened, her fingers twitched as if closing around an invisible handle.

During her training Corvus had said as much, that to wield a weapon meant to have discipline, to know when to halt and when to strike.

To have discipline.

Opeli found her eyes drifting up to the stain-glass mural in front of her. Justice stood, proud as ever, with her head held high and blindfolded, one hand raising up scales over her head, the other with her sword drawn.

At a very young age Opeli knew she had a strong sense of justice, a need to render each their proper due regardless of status or background, be it King or Servant.

As she stared, eyes drifting to the sword laying passively at Justice’s side, Opeli’s predecessor’s words echoed in her mind.

‘Your hand is far too eager for the punishment.’

“High Priestess.” The guard’s voice snapped her into reality “Are you ready?”

Taking a deep breath Opeli placed the blade back in its holster before blindfolding herself with the all too familiar red cloth.

“Not really.” positioning herself in front of the screen she’d be hearing Viren through, she clarified “Bring him in.”

Moments later she heard the sounds of the guards boots on the chapel floors but now accompanied with the clack of chains. Until they stopped before her feet. The guards' boots receded until the door shut once again leaving Opeli to her fate.

“Opeli,” a sound of gratitude echoed in front of her, a tone so unfamiliar on Viren’s tongue that for a moment she wondered if she had gotten the times wrong and was speaking to some stranger.

“Thank you for seeing me.” Her lip twitched in annoyance. The voice was no doubt Viren’s.

“Let’s make this quick.” she snapped before centering herself and beginning the speech.

Words from their Scriptures she remembers by heart by the time she got to the end she was already feeling ready for this to be over.

“So, you kneel here today before our Lady to seek Judgment and to balance your scales. Do you agree to face Justice with the truth?”

“Yes.”

“Then speak.”

There was no sound for a second until Viren cleared his throat, the soft clank of the chains being amplified by the chapel walls.

“I want to start this off by apologizing to you, Opeli, for how I had treated you for the past few years. It was...wrong.” Opeli couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at that.

If one could believe it, she and Viren hadn’t always been at each other’s throats. There was once a time they were courteous to each other, but it had all changed many years ago. With Lissa.

The name still stung whenever she crossed her mind. How she once lit up a room wherever she walked, trail of leaves and petals following her every step.

The image of her begun to burn behind the cloth of Opeli’s blindfold; Lissa shoulders bare in the cold Katolis air as if it were a warm summer day, a soft flush on her full cheeks, a dimple revealing itself upon a tug her lips, an autumn leaf she pressed sticking out of her disorderly bun, and her soft green eyes full of whimsy she herself certainly hadn’t had since she was a child.

Lissa had once told her autumn was her favorite season, that Katolis has the most beautiful autumn cycle in all the world, even Xadia.

Opeli had countered with how she could know if she had never been to Xadia.

‘I just know.’ she had teased with a soft rumbling laugh, bumping Opeli with her arm as she stared out into the courtyard from the library’s balcony.

Lissa had sounded so sure that she was right that Opeli took her word for it.

A strange longing she hadn’t felt in years clawed at her chest at their shared memories, she could almost smell her perfume and hear her snort in the library as they tried to keep their voices down.

“She told you…didn't she? A-about what I did.”

There was an itch at the palm of her hand, accompanied by the phantom handle, at Viren’s words.

“We are not here to discuss me.”

“I truly do feel awful about what happ- for what I did.”

“And what exactly did you do.” The words were bitter, but so were the memories of Lissa sobbing into her chest, tears streaming down her face, seemingly endless no matter how tightly Opeli held her in her arms.

A strangled whimper escaped the man in front of her, and Opeli felt no remorse. If he truly wished to seek judgment from Lady Justice he would need to at least have the gall to admit it, even if it was over a decade late.

“I…” a hiccuped sob caught in Viren’s throat as he pushed out the words “I hurt her…in our bedroom, I cornered her and I forced her to cry. For a spell. Even when she begged me, I didn’t stop.”

Clinging tightly to her teachings, Opeli recited what was next.

“And do you feel regret for what you did?”

“I…” Viren paused and sighed. “I don’t know.”

“Don’t know?” Opeli snapped, briefly forgetting her role in this situation, overcome with confusion.

“If I hadn’t done it then Soren...he would’ve died. And I do not regret that my son is alive.”

To that Opeli had no words, as much as she would’ve liked to shout and scream at him, she faltered, for she was also glad Soren was alive.

“Lady Justice has heard your words.”

“There is more I wish to say.” resisting a groan she nodded, a prompt for him to continue.

“I knew under regular circumstances you would’ve never agreed to meet me but take this as my confession.”

The list of crimes that began to spill from his lips further tested Opeli’s patience.

Viren was the one behind the murders of the other Kingdoms’ leaders, smokey assassins he puppeteered to make it seem as if Xadia wished for war. Not much of a surprise but her heart ached for the Kingdoms thrown into chaos, and more so for Prince Kasef, a victim of Viren’s own self righteous plot.

Kpp’ar isn’t missing, Viren claimed, but imprisoned in a coin in his basement. He is sure there is a way to get him out but it would require something exceedingly rare. Opeli crinkled her nose at that wondering if this was a ploy to convince them to allow Viren out of his cell to find said items.

Kpp’ar was a man she rarely even spotted, she wasn’t the high priestess at the time he had begun frequently visiting the chapel, but Opeli remembers that night when her mentor emerged from the chapel face pale and arms weak after speaking with him.

That night was the last night he ever set foot back in the castle before disappearing. If you asked Opeli, she would’ve said he just finally lost his mind and ran away.

“I know, this means nothing now. But Soren, he won’t accept it from me, but I want him to know that I love him. And that I am so proud of him, I had always wanted a son who would follow in my footsteps and I had once thought my son had failed me. But he has done far better than I could’ve ever imagined.”

Since the King left Soren had been nothing short of a zombie, a smile that never quite reached his eyes projecting confidence but everyone in the castle felt the shift in his demeanor, he was hardly spotted for his morning jogs anymore, his jokes didn’t quite land, and his fidgeting had only grown.

A few of the soldiers in training had complained about sparring, how he didn’t seem to be holding back all that well.

“If you could...just make sure he knows that, in some way.” As much as she didn’t want to grant him the satisfaction she nodded.

“And Claudia….oh my little girl…when she casted her first spell I had been so worried. But when she woke, I was filled with such pride. I thought I had such a brilliant young girl to take after me, but now I see it was the wrong path. I have watched her do...vile things.”

King Ezran and the others had informed Opeli of Claudia’s return, of how dangerous she was. Had Rayla not interfered, they worried what would’ve happened to Ezran.

“I knew my staying would only hold her back, I just hope it’s enough that she can find the right path just as Soren did. If she comes to Katolis, would you promise that she be granted mercy? What has become of her is my fault, I led her down this route by the hand, she does not deserve to pay the price for my crimes.”

Ezran’s words echoed in her mind. At this point it felt far too late to grant Claudia amnesty but in the end it was not her place.

“She will be granted whatever King Ezran allows.” Opeli conceded.

Viren sighed, and for a moment he remained quiet before taking a deep breath.

“King Harrow is not dead.”

Ice shot through Opeli’s veins, her breath catching in her throat.

“What.”

“I know what it sounds like what-what it looks like. The body...it was his but it wasn’t him.” Opeli’s thoughts swam uncomfortably in her head, her stance wavering. She had seen King Harrow's body, cradled his limp head on her lap as if it would somehow spark him back to life, the same head she once crowned with pride.

“He lives still!” Viren continued, his words muffled behind the images flashing through Opeli’s mind of that night. Blood staining her hands, the clamor of guards shouting, stepping over the bodies of the very people she knighted.

“In Pip, his old Songbird! I did a spell, I wasn’t sure if it would work or not but it did!” Viren rushed them to seal Harrow’s body away, her hands washed of the blood but still stained in her mind, the anger she felt for she had yet to fully grieve and Viren had the audacity to rush her.

“I swear I was planning on finding a way to bring him back but when you stormed into my office-”

Something snapped in Opeli as she tore off her blindfold, hot rage flowing through her as she stepped forward.

“Enough!” Even though the screen Opeli could make out Viren’s kneeling form as he reeled back in shock, she couldn’t make out his expression or any more details than his vague silhouette but it was enough that she got her eyes on him.

“You dare make a mockery of this chapel?”

“W-what? N-no Opeli, please, you don’t understand.”

“Oh, I understand plenty, Viren. You are a mad man, you’ve been so consumed by your guilt that you are making wild accusations to rid yourself of it! Our late king may have once entertained you but I will not have you send us on another wild goose chase.”

Opeli tossed her blindfold on the ground discarding it as she stormed away not caring where it drifted to.

“Wait! Wait, Opeli, please-” a slam of the door stiffened his pleas and she couldn’t care less, how dare he mock her, how dare he use this moment now. The guards just out of the doors gave her a confused stare.

“Take him back to his cell.” the pair nodded dutifully before entering back into the chapel. She didn’t bother to stick around to see them drag him back down to the depths of the dungeon instead she stormed back down the hall, robes bellowing behind her.

A deep dark pit stirred within her, memories of such small children with wide toothy smiles. Wrestling in the mud together as they squealed in delight, rushing down the corridors in a whirlwind of chaos, and being ushered out of the library for laughing too loud.

Those children... that whole time with him-

Her knuckles had begun to turn white, and her teeth ground together, giving her a headache, but beneath the rage she couldn’t deny the guilt.

Couldn’t deny the moments she turned her gaze believing Viren’s comments were nothing more than just words, couldn’t deny not only had Viren failed his children, but she did as well.

She had spent so long believing these children, by birthright, had been tainted by their father, destined to follow in his lead.

But Soren had grown into a kind young man. She’d watched how he had changed, how gently he now played with the castles’ children when they asked, how he treated everyone around him with love and respect. Soren carries such a big heart with him, she wondered how he can shoulder it all.

In certain lights he looked so much like his mother.

Perhaps Claudia once did too.

The next day Opeli caught Soren as he was excusing the trainees for the day, they all wore a relieved expression, covered in sweat and bruises as they stumbled off for their breaks. Soren’s expression was set and serious as he hung up the training swords on their rack, Hat chittered softly from a hay pile but Soren paid the little companion no mind, his thoughts clearly elsewhere.

Taking a breath and steadying her guilt she glided over to Soren with a smile.

“Soren! We are going to have a meeting in the council room later today. We will be uh-” Opeli mentally cringed knowing this topic wasn’t exactly one Soren would have much interest in “going over Advanced Fiscal Exercises if you wanted to join?”

The invitation instantly made him perk up, his smile that had been missing since the King departed rose back to life as he quickly placed Hat back on top of his head.

“Yeah, totally! What time?”

Who knew Soren would be so excited about finances?

Bonus Snippet:

Something prodded at Opeli’s intuition as she walked past the High Mages Office, her steps slowing to a halt a few feet away from it. Despite herself Viren's words echoed in her mind.

Most of her logic reasoned the man was lying, trying to get out of his cell so he could pull another trick on them, but a sliver of doubt was enough to pause her.

There was no way to confirm the outlandish stories of a king in a bird, or the smokey assassins that left behind only their weapons but one story lingered.

A man in a coin.

Biting the inside of her cheek, Opeli glanced around at the empty hall.

“I’m going to regret this aren’t I?” she mumbled to herself as she turned back to the high mage's office. She always had spare keys on her, and although Prince Callum was out, she had to see for herself even if it meant breaking in.

With a soft click the door gave way to her, briefly she considered locking it right back up and leaving but instead found herself poking her head in through the doors.

With the confirmation she was the only other soul in the room she hesitantly she stepped in, the door creaking loud enough she worried a guard would hear and come investigate.

As gently and quickly as she could she shut the door behind her and enveloping her in darkness. Opeli grumbled to herself, and fished around in her robes for a match. Prince Callum didn’t have any as he always had a magic trick up his sleeves to light the room in an instant.

Finally fumbling for a lantern and her matches she managed to re-illuminate the room, taking her steps towards the dungeons hidden entrance.

Standing in front of the painting, Opeli glared it down, the child holding the sheep in her arms with a far too doleful expression on her face. The painting was one she was glad was out of sight from most eyes.

As she descended the stairs unpleasant memories began to rise once more.

Gren chained at the bottom of the stairs skinny but smiling, the stench of death that hit all of their nostrils causing some of them even to gag, rusted chains splattered with dried blood, old ritualistic weapons hanging on the wall, and strange creatures trapped in jars.

Swatting a cobweb away with a groan she pushed forward, covering her mouth with her hand as she scanned the shelves lined with disturbing ingredients.

They really should just fill in this basement, make sure that it was never found again.

Searching high and low she found nothing. The light of her lantern cast flickery shadows over the basement walls surrounding her in her own embarrassment.

Opeli felt like a foolish child, hunting for monsters in the dark of her closet. How she allowed Viren’s words to burrow in her mind infuriated her to no end.

Must he always have the last laugh?

A soft metal clink on her boot froze her.

There, settled on top of a crack on the floor, laid a gold coin.

[meg-noel-art]

Sharing chapter one of my Caitvi fankid fic wherein Cassandra II loses her leg in a Hextech accident Ao3: 'the fourth principle'

[selfindulgenceisthekey]

If You Thought It Was Real Pt. IX

Pt. I Pt. II Pt. III Pt. IV Pt. V Pt. VI Pt. VII Pt. VIII

Once again, thank you @hannahbarberra162 for beta reading! Enjoy! <3

You’d like to say this was a thought-out plan. It was, at the very least, a half-thought-out plan. Maybe bordering on a quarter of a plan. Regardless, you had put some thought into it. The crew had ten people, and of those ten people, four had devil fruit powers. Which meant four of them couldn’t dive into the water after you. It was all a matter of timing after the plan started; if you were anywhere close to any of the others, then your plan would go up in flames.

Though part of you knew it wouldn’t work regardless of how much planning you implemented. Still, hope and fear make people do stupid things. 

Your strength was only back to a degree; you could stand and walk a bit longer than when you were first moving around. Though your ribs still stung when you breathed too hard, and your ankle felt seconds away from rolling again. If you continued to sit around and be complacent, who knows what would end up happening?

You knew what would end up happening; time would continue to slip by and before you knew it you will have spent your whole life on a ship with people who were supposed to be distant memories. 

You had to do this.

The storm approaching slowly gave you a perfect opportunity; most of the members were busy listening to Nami’s instructions to help steer clear of the worst parts and prepare for the rough waters ahead. Robin, and her terrifying many arms, were nowhere near you. If you managed to get into the ocean, even her devil fruit powers wouldn’t help her. 

When you were woken up that morning, sluggish and stressed from overthinking the night before, and Chopper told you he and Brook would be accompanying you for a walk today, you knew this had to be your moment. Neither of them, from what you’d seen, had terrifying reflexes, and neither of them could jump into the water after you. Sanji pranced into the sick bay, a steaming bowl of cinnamon oatmeal in his hands, as you sat silently, listening to him discuss the meal preparation that would keep him busy. To you, it was like he was gifting you the perfect opportunity, though he discussed being away from you in the kitchen like it were the most heartbreaking thing in the world.

You just nodded, eating your breakfast with shaky hands. Chopper was worried your body was being strained, and your response was a shrug, knowing full well it was a mixture of anticipation and anxiety. The oatmeal sat like lead in your stomach.

As the three of you strolled along the deck, Chopper voiced his concerns about the impending storm. . You went along, quiet and complacent as he and Brook walked slowly with you. The skeleton was discussing some composition he’d been working on, Chopper listening along intently. The sea was vast, and empty. There were no ships or land that you could see. That wouldn’t stop you, that couldn’t stop you.

The time in between you stepping out and landing in the water was a blur, words sounded fuzzy, and your eyes couldn’t focus on anything. You almost didn’t even realize you’d gone through with it until you were submerged in the water, the cold waves sending shocks through your system. It took every muscle in your being not to gasp, knowing at least subconsciously you’d inhale water.

Adrenaline was pumping through you, and as you tried to adjust to the cold all around you, all you could hear was your own heartbeat. Still, you knew it was only a matter of time before someone dove in after you. That realization had your heart freezing in your chest— someone was going to come in after you. Why wouldn’t they? Why didn’t you think of that?

You couldn’t focus on that. Using all the strength you could force into your limbs, you went against your body’s natural desires and swam down into the ocean. You didn’t know where you were or where you were headed, just determined to be away from the ship. Your lungs were burning, but you refused to resurface; you’d sooner drown.

You felt something splash near you, rippling the water against your body. You couldn’t risk turning, too focused on trying to get all your body parts to cooperate and willing your speed to kick in. All those hopes crashed the moment you felt an arm wrap around your waist. It wasn’t Sanji, judging by the size and lack of button-up.

Zoro.

Shit, this was worse. So much worse. Change of plans.

You changed focus from swimming to escaping, or at least causing him so much annoyance he’d let go. So you began flailing, making it harder for him to push upwards and resurface both of you. You hit and scratched, pushing your nails into his arm, feeling slight satisfaction every time you broke the skin. It wasn’t working, and your vision was wavering due to the lack of oxygen. Even if you had your full strength you knew it wouldn’t have mattered; you fighting against his strength wasn’t even a minor issue for him.

You two gasped nearly in sync as your heads reached the air, and your breath was quick, almost painful. Despite the bone-deep exhaustion, you felt you kept struggling, flailing in his one-armed grip around you. He was grunting, though he sounded more annoyed than strained. 

“Let go,” The words came out more of a wet cough than a threat, and you slammed your fists against his arm as hard as you could manage when he started swimming back towards the ship.

“Quit it,” Zoro’s response was sharp, and despite the fear his tone struck, you kept struggling.

Like hell you’d just lie down and be taken back to the ship. Again. The closer the ship got, the more desperate you felt. Hitting and scratching weren’t doing anything, so you leaned your head down, sinking your teeth into his forearm.

He didn’t respond; the only thing proving you had inflicted any physical damage was the taste of copper in your mouth. You bit down harder, maybe by some sheer luck, you’d be able to bite through his muscles, down to the bone. But—

“Love-cook may not hit women, but if you don’t let up I will,” His words were harsh, and they struck you to your core. So far, none of them had hurt you physically, but you were always afraid for that moment that one of them would. Looking at your position, it felt like you had created that moment. 

The fight that had been keeping you going was gone, and as Zoro climbed the ladder lowered down for him, you hung limp in his arm. What had you been thinking? Did you really think that would have worked? Even if you had been strong enough to swim farther, they had a fishman on their crew; if not Zoro, then Jinbe would have gotten to you within seconds. And if you had managed to drown yourself, or even come close, Chopper would have been able to bring you back easily. 

How could you be so stupid? 

Your legs couldn’t hold your weight as Zoro dumped you  back on board. Kneeling over yourself, dripping water, you kept your head bowed, staring down at the floorboard. Everyone was already closing in on the two of you, their voices muffled and overlapping. The familiar scent of cigarettes came close, and you didn’t have to look up to know Sanji was now next to you as he kneeled by your side. He moved to wrap a towel around your shoulders, soft and warm against your skin.

You wanted to laugh, hysterical and broken. You wanted to cry and scream. You didn’t react at all. He didn’t say anything, or maybe he did, you weren’t sure of anything going on around you.

Your name was called, a handful of times, before you finally looked up. Nami was in front of you, kneeled to be face to face with you. Her expression was blank, but her eyes were on fire. You heard the slap before you felt it, head turning sharply to the right. The crack was loud enough to silence the rest of the crew, and the stinging pain came seconds later. You were fully back in your body, bringing a hand up to cradle your now-burning cheek. Despite the mixture of feelings burning through your chest, you turned your head back, eyes wide as you stared at her.

“What the hell were you thinking?” She wasn’t yelling, but for some reason, you wished she had been.

She surged forward, grabbing you by the front of your soaking shirt, just holding you in place, “You already hurt Sanji once before! You already hurt us once before! What the hell were you thinking— are you trying to kill yourself? Are you so determined to hurt us that you’d do something so stupid?”

Her violence towards you was enough to leave you stunned, but her words rekindled that anger and that fight that had been buried. You only had so much strength, moving a hand up to grip her wrist, not able to tear it away or move it. 

“Your captain kidnapped me,” Your voice was hoarse still, raw and borderline painful in your throat, “You all act like I want to be here— like there’s no problems!”

“You’d probably be dead if he didn’t!” She wasn’t backing down, and it felt like if anything, your words only fueled her fire, “I’ve seen men like the ones from your island, I’ve worked for people like the ones you did! Luffy saved you, and you could at least act somewhat grateful for that!”

“I’m not grateful!” You were shouting now, tears flowing and mixing with the salt water on your face, “I’m not grateful— he should have left me there! I’ve known for years I’d die on that island, I’m not like you all! I’ve long since given up my dreams, I’d accepted my fate! There’s no reason for me to keep living, and you all are the ones who need to accept that!”

You could feel the motion around you more than you could hear it, unsure who was moving. Sanji was still by your side, frozen where he knelt. One of his hands hovered over your shoulder, unsure. Nami tightened her grip on your shirt, shaking you once, twice— a few more times. The soreness was bleeding back into your muscles, and you wanted nothing more than for Sanji to step in. He’d been so protective over you since you had met; surely, he wouldn’t continue to let Nami get away with her abuse. But he didn’t say anything, he didn’t step in, he just turned to look away. He was uncomfortable with what was happening, but he made no moves to stop it.

No one did.

“That might have been true before,” Despite her anger, you could see a shine in her eyes. You were struck by how uncharacteristically emotional she was getting over this situation, “But you’re one of us now. You don’t get to make that decision for yourself!”

There was talking nearby, quiet murmuring. You weren’t even sure who it was that was speaking, your attention too focused on Nami. She was nearly shaking with rage where she was knelt in front of you, not able to say anything more. You couldn’t find anything to respond with, your hand still holding her wrist loosely. After what felt like an eternity, Sanji shifted, moving to unclasp Nami’s fingers from your shirt. 

“ Nami-swan, please,” His voice was thick, it sounded like he was putting effort into even forcing the words out of his mouth, “Let’s give Chopper some space.”

Give Chopper space? Why would she need to give—

The second your realization clicked in your mind, she had shifted to stand, stepping back so the doctor could move forward. You barely had time to open your mouth before he moved, little hooves holding a needle that was quickly stabbed into your tricep. Before you could yelp or move your arm, he was removing it, whatever liquid already injected into you. It was only a quick sting, but you still flinched, clinging to yourself. He looked sad, but at the same time serious.

“I’m afraid we’re going to have to keep you under surveillance going forward.” He spoke softly, as if explaining this to a wounded animal., “You tried to kill yourself., I can’t, as a doctor, let this happen again. Until you’re deemed to be safe to be by yourself, we’re going to have to implement a stricter schedule.”

The schedule they had you on was tight enough. You wanted to argue that, you wanted to cry or scream or even lash out at one of them. But your eyelids were already feeling so heavy, your arms felt like they weighed several tons. You blinked, each time your eyes closed, your vision became blurrier. You couldn’t feel most of your body now, any movement felt foreign. You were swaying where you were kneeling, that much you could make sense of. 

“What…” The word came out more like a whimper than a question, your head spinning as you processed that you were now looking up at the sky.

The clouds were rolling in faster, the blue skies completely overtaken by gray storms. You weren’t sure if it had begun raining, too soaked to tell, too out of it to know. You were being moved, and once more, the familiar scent of Sanji overtook your senses. 

He was carrying you, face locked and hard as he looked down. You were pliant in his arms, blinking sluggishly, unfocused gaze going back between the sky and his face. The mesh of clothes on you was still soaked, and he had the nagging worry of you catching a cold if you weren’t changed sooner rather than later. Chopper was with him, a few steps ahead as they made their way back to the sick bay. Brook followed, and though he lacked the skin to make facial expressions, Sanji could tell the skeleton man was feeling guilty.

Chopper was talking, his words coming out so fast, Sanji was mildly concerned he wasn’t breathing, “I know I promised we’d move her back to your room soon, Sanji! I’m so sorry! I’m a terrible doctor, I should have helped with her mental injuries too, not just her physical ones!”

“Hey, I don’t blame you,” He did his best to keep his voice gentle, though he didn’t look away from you as they made their way to the sick bay, and he carefully lowered you back onto your bed.

He knew what he had to grab, but he wanted to delay it as much as he was able. So he turned, looking from Brook to Chopper, “Neither of you, okay? We all should have paid more attention.”

Chopper just whimpered, tugging his hat over his eyes, and Brook looked down at his feet. Sanji sighed, running a hand through his hair, “All of this is new for her. She’s stressed and in over her head. We didn’t even think about trying to tell her what happened to her old hometown either, so she’s probably worried sick about a lot of people from there. Panic makes people do stupid things, and she probably couldn’t think properly.”

From behind his hat, with a muffled sniffle, Chopper nodded. Brook tilted his head, though he didn’t argue with Sanji’s words.

“Now we know what to look for, so she’ll be fine. I have no doubts, not with the world’s best doctor caring for her.”

The little wiggle dance came as an instant response, and wet giggles came from their youngest crew member. 

“That doesn’t make me happy at all, you jerk!” He pushed his hat back up, eyes still shiny, but determined, “I promise, Sanji, I’ll do everything I can to make her better!”

“I don’t doubt it.”

“I also wish to lend a promise, though I’m not a doctor like our Chopper is, some have said that music is the medicine for the mind. I’lll draft a tune elegant enough to bring a smile back to her beautiful face!” 

Sanji nodded, glad that he was able to bring a buzz back to his crewmates’ steps. Though the comfort lasted for seconds, before his own heaviness returned. Brook, taking this as his cue to step outside, took his leave Once alone, Chopper began to fidget again.

“Um, Sanji? Do you think we should…?”

“I think it’s time,” Sanji was quick to admit, turning back to face you.

It would be easy to pretend you were just asleep, the rise and fall of your chest slow and peaceful. He winced as he realized how cold your skin was from the water, and he moved quickly. Chopper helped, grabbing clean sheets and placing them nearby, before grabbing from the pile of clothes Nami and Robin had lent. 

Though the two of you had spent countless nights together, you had never fallen intimate with each other quite yet. Sanji had hoped the first time he’d undressed you in full would be under different circumstances. He had been hoping for passion, maybe some well-lit candles. Beggars, apparently, could not be choosers. So he had to settle on this, taking in the sights of your bare skin as he changed you into dry clothes. 

Yellowing bruises still clung to your skin, and there were faint scars trailing different areas of your body. Chopper being in the room was the only reason his hands hadn’t wandered more; the softness of your skin was too tempting. 

Still, he was a gentleman. 

He gave pause, letting Chopper remove the wet bandages before replacing them with sterile ones. Once he deemed them secure, Sanji continued. Sleep shorts from Nami, a tank top from Robin, and once more, a sweatshirt that was Sanji’s. Once you and the bed were dry, he stepped back, almost admiring the work before him.

“Do, uh,” Chopper held them forward, “Do you want me to do it? Or would you like to?”

“Would you mind?”

Chopper shook his head, a small smile on his face, “Luffy said if we had to use it, you’d probably want to say when! So I trust you!”

Patting the little reindeer's head, Sanji grabbed the handcuffs from his grasp. They were lucky you weren’t a devil fruit user; they tried to limit the amount of sea prism stones they came into contact with. He rolled one of your sleeves up, enough space on your wrist to securely fasten one end of the cuffs on, before moving to attach the other to the bedrail. He tugged on it a few times, feeling satisfied with its lack of give.

“I’ll stay in here with her,” Chopper moved to hop onto his stool, sliding it to his working table, “Just for now. She won’t be awake for at least fifteen hours, and even then, she’ll be super groggy and really out of it. Nami says the storm will have passed by then!”

Sanji really didn’t want to leave the room; his skin was crawling at the idea of it. But each crew member had a job to do right now, and that included him. Chopper was watching over you, so he knew you’d be in good hands. He leaned down, lips pressing against your forehead, lingering for a moment as he took in the smell of sea salt. The reminder of what happened mere minutes ago had anger boiling up in him. Taking a deep breath, he stood, adjusting his tie as he made his way to the door.

“Oh,” Chopper called after him as the door shut, “I have some crushed-up sedative pills too, if you want to mix them into her food! It won’t be as strong as this, this was a level four, the ones for the food are more a- a level two and a half! I made it for situations like this.”

“Thank you, Chopper,” He sent the little doctor a smile, hearing the rumbling of the storm that was right overhead, “If you get a chance to drop them off in the kitchen, I’ll be using those with her next meal.”

A/N: I love schedules! Right now this is posted as I'm (probably) asleep on a plane! <3

Taglist: @hannahbarberra162 @sagyunaro @twismare @nerium21 @the-maladaptive-daydreamers @glaciuswduo @thekatisspooky @kultofkorii @cr4zybeach @ceramic-raven @theweirdgirl606 @jjsmeowthie @dinnersyummy @jetblackw1ngs @mizzhellsingsstuff @naheku @onepieceofass @zoecelestine @1sosleepyy @rururgent @flow33didontsmoke @mizzhellsingsstuff @maria-chwan @honestlywtfisgoingon @qalable

[morbethgames]

An Update On Things

Hello everybody, I'm writing this to give an update on things. So, you may have noticed that I stopped posting Love In Stasis. You may be thinking to yourself, "Why did you stop working on it?"

I didn't! It's done!

Unfortunately, it wasn't getting the reception here that I was hoping for, and with a good two months of consistent chapters, I think that's a fair run. So, I'm going over revisions now and making major changes to it. Primarily, it's not going to be in third person omniscient anymore, and is instead going to switch first person POV's. I think it'll be a great way to explore the story and let me be even more descriptive with character's emotions and thoughts. I'm going to be looking to publish it once revisions and edits and beta reading is done. Unfortunately, that does mean I have to take what little of it there is available off Patreon and Tumblr.

It's my first ever officially finished project, and I honestly am very proud of that. The first draft ended up being 89k words and around 400 pages (after setting it to 5.5 x 8.5 margins). I have paused payments on the patreon. It was one thing when I was putting out content regularly, but now that I'm not really sure what I'm doing with the patreon, I don't feel comfortable collecting people's money.

I've been thinking, and I'm not sure I'm going to do all the side stories I was planning for The Bureau, however I WILL finish it. I am going to finish it. I just hope the knowledge that I've fully completed a project is enough to show people I have the dedication to do so. I'll admit, it was much easier writing static fiction. I started Love In Stasis in later October, so it took about 5 and a half months for me to write the first draft of it. That's pretty good in my book (no pun intended).

I even have thoughts of a follow up book in mind: Love In Motion.

Thank you for your patience with The Bureau. I'm gonna reign in the scope a little bit, cut down on some of the side stories (though I'd be open to adding them in later as free DLC or something) and get it done after the revisions to my novel.

Stay Brilliant,

Vi

[faithisyours]

The List

Vi x Fem!Reader Modern AU

Summary: Vi Reads a book that touches a nerve. You come up with an idea that will hopefully heal some of her inner teenager.

CW: all fluff, some hurt comfort, that's literally it

Word count: 1.3k

AN: Howdy, this is my first fic back since summer (thanks college) and my first official Arcane fic. This is also my first chapter fic, which I will try to make regular uploads on, probably once a week, but no promises. Also Happy New Year!!! This chapter is not smutty, but upcoming chapters will be, so minors gtfo, majors, you enjoy! (Also if you have any ideas for chapters, I'm all ears).

And special shoutout to my god, the loml, my queen, and bestie forever @mythsretriever for being my beta reader on this one!

Chapter 1: The List

Ch 2 can be found here

The sun had set just a few minutes ago. Its waning peach and purple light stretched into the living room through the open window, accompanied by a breeze where warmth and chill danced together. You were on the couch, a book in one hand, Vi’s hair tangled in the other. Often you laid like this, Vi curled between your legs, her back against your belly, while you both read. It was a mindless habit that your free hand played in her hair.

You two had found yourselves in this position maybe an hour ago. Or maybe two. You couldn’t remember. But nonetheless you stayed, serene and content in each other's silence, the only sounds being the occasional page turn or the muffled noise from the street below.

You had just taken your free hand out of Vi’s hair to turn the page when you heard what sounded to you like a sniffle. Originally thinking it came in through the window from a passing car, you were about to brush it off, but then you heard it again. And this time it was accompanied by your girlfriend bringing a hand up to her face.

On instinct you froze, all focus going to hearing that sound again. And hearing it one more time confirmed it; Violet was crying, or at least on the verge of it. You eased your bookmark into your book and set it down. Only within the past year of your three year relationship had Vi started to show more vulnerability in front of you. This was still new, and comforting her about it was even newer. You didn’t want to fuck this up.

Ever so lightly you placed your hand on her arm. When she didn’t pull away, your touch became more present, rubbing and squeezing gently. You quietly cleared your throat, attempting to shake the disuse and clear the small worry forming there.

“Hey, are you alright?” Your voice was between a whisper and a normal volume. As you spoke you saw her bring her hand up to her face again, brushing off tears as soon as they spilled. She nodded and turned into the hand on her arm, giving you her side profile.

“”Ya, I’m alright it’s just…” She quickly shoved her bookmark between the pages and put it down, her now free hand accompanying her other on the front lines of battling the tears. “Just this book is getting to me.” She attempted a chuckle but it came out too tight. Her hands switched to fanning her face.

“Do you want to talk about it, maybe?” You brought your hand up to the side of her neck, caressing her cheek with the back of your fingers. “Vent about how the characters are going about their life wrong?” you lightly joked. It wasn’t received, in fact Vi dropped her head into her hands and started actually crying. Your stomach dropped. You had fucked it up, butchered your attempt at comfort. Scrambling for a way to fix this, you sat more upright and leaned closer to Vi, placing both your hands on her upper arms and gently pulling her back towards your chest.

“Hey that was a joke I didn’t mean to up-”

“No, It wasn’t what you said, it…” She sniffled and wiped her face, leaning more upright and turning back towards you. “The book just hit a nerve I thought wasn’t sensitive anymore, is all.” You thought she was going to stop there with the explanation, but she surprised you when after a moment she kept speaking. “This main character is doing all these adventurous, youthful things and I’m just…I never got to do that stuff, ya know?” Because she had been in prison, and unjustly, which always made you livid when you thought about it. “I just feel like I missed out on all these milestones. Like the 19 year old in me is mourning all these moments that I’m never going to get.” As she said this she leaned back into your embrace. You let your arms wrap around her chest and hold her, an act that comforted her as much as it did you.

After a pause of silence long enough to know she didn’t have anymore to say, you spoke.

“I know this doesn’t really mean much or take any of the pain away, but… I’m so sorry that happened to you, Violet. You were just a kid, you didn’t deserve that.” As you spoke, tears began pooling in your eyes. Thinking about young Vi, scared and alone in a prison with no one to look out for her, made your heart shatter every time. But this moment was about her, so you suppressed your sniffles and blinked your eyes clear.

Vi took in your words, nodding slightly, and then turned fully around to face you. Her eyes were quite red, and there was some snot dripping slowly from one of her nostrils. She gave you a small, sad, appreciative smile, and launched herself at you, wrapping you up in a classic Vi hug where one hand caressed your head and the other held you tight by the waist. You didn’t wait a second, you wrapped your arms around her, one caressing the nape of her neck, the other holding her strong back close.

“Stupid books, always making us cry,” you said, sniffing around a huffed out laugh you both shared. You squeezed her tight, then released her to caress her cheek, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and wiping away the last of her tears. “Do you want to keep reading or watch a movie?”

“Watch a movie,” she replied.

“Okay, you pick one you want to watch, I'll go make us some hot chocolate and popcorn.” You patted her leg then popped up and ran to the kitchen, popping a bag of popcorn in the microwave and putting the kettle on for the hot chocolate. As you worked, you thought about what Vi said, about how she felt like she missed out on certain things. How could you help her get those experiences?

You came back with the food and drinks, set them down on the coffee table, and curled yourself up around Vi.

“I picked Spirited Away,” she said, curling up against you and moving the blanket on her lap to cover yours, too.

“An excellent choice,” came your reply. The movie began to play, but what Vi said still ate at you.

“You know, you could make a list.” she gave you a confused look, a line forming between her eyebrows. “Of all the things you want to do, all the things you missed out on. Take some inspo from your book, maybe. I can come up with a couple ideas, but you should make a list. And then we can do them together, if you want.” You caressed her face. “You deserve to have those experiences, Violet. Even if you think you’re past it.”

She gave you a hug so tight you thought you might pass out from lack of oxygen. “That's such a great idea.” She popped up from the couch and ran off quickly, you heard a rustling of things being moved around, and when she returned she had a small notebook and pen in hand. That made you smile.

“Make sure skinny dipping is on that list,” you said. She grinned at you, writing it down as the first on the list.

You watched the rest of the movie in near silence, save the rustling of popcorn or the slurping of hot chocolate, and occasionally Vi would quickly jot down an idea in her notebook. But the soundtrack of the movie eventually lulled you both to sleep, curled around each other on the couch, the small notebook dangling loosely from Vi’s hand, a page already full of things she wanted to do.

Tip Jar

[notthesoup]

got a few ideas for your writers block

stoner vi and what she’s like when she’s high

athlete vi au and her reaction to you going to her games

what vi is like when she has a crush on reader like a massive one

PAIRING vi x fem!reader

TYPE headcanons

GENRE fluff

SYNOPSIS what vi is like when she has a major crush on reader (friends to lovers)

NOTES i will complete the other two prompts on a seperate post. not beta read!

© notthesoup — all rights reserved. even when credited, these works are prohibited to be reposted, translated or modified

She loves the way you laugh, and though she may not admit it in the early stages of tour friendship, she’ll often do things to try to make you laugh.

In group settings she is often seen by your side. You both are inseparable in times of happiness, preferring to share it with one another.

Vi is a big listener, and loves to hear you talk. Though, sometimes she finds her mind adrift as she gazes at your face as you speak animatedly about a subject. In these moments, her mind is blank, but there is an overwhelming feeling of affection and appreciation towards you.

When she focuses back on the conversation after you’ve asked her a direct question, she quickly flounders. She thinks that her excuse as to why she wasn’t listening is enough to tide you over, but there’s a certain glint in your eyes when you contemplate why she started spluttering. Your fixed stare at her is almost enough to make this cycle repeat again.

Vi is a very physical person, always having a hand on your shoulder or arm, holding your hand in hers, or absentmindedly playing with your fingers.

She sometimes feels guilty/anxious about this physical aspect of herself though; throughout her life, fighting has been at the forefront of her mind, so to finally be at peace is a strange headspace to be in. Sometimes you’ll walk too quietly or turn a corner to quickly and she flinches, her fists clenched in instilled preparation. It’ll take a while, but she eventually unlearns these habits and exists in a more serene state, where she doesn’t have to be constantly vigilant.

Vi loves that she’s able to talk about stupid shit with you; what qualifies as a soup, what a hypothetical second winter would look like, whether cherry tomatoes are inherently evil, etc. The both of you could discuss for hours without tiring, even though you’d eventually talk in circles. It’s never a dull moment with you.

Vi’s love language is acts of service. She realizes her feelings towards you are more than just a crush when you surprise her with something seemingly small, be it a cute note or an offer to help her with errands.

Although she has a reputation of being a smug cocky bastard (affectionate), it’s mostly a bluff. When it comes down to it, she’s a very gentle and careful lover. After realizing the extent of her feelings towards you, she tries gauging your reaction by “subtly” being more affectionate.

In the end though, it’s actually you who initiates the romance between you two. Months down the line, she’ll ask you how you knew she liked you. You’ll then laugh, a very boisterous and happy sound, and she’ll store that memory with her like a picture in a wallet.

ARCANE MASTERLIST !

ADDITIONAL NOTE! if you like my work, please consider reblogging and/or commenting! thank you if you do 🤍

[kquil]

DIVORCING ORION BLACK

SERIES SUM. : This is what happens when you, an avid Harry Potter fan, replace Walburga and have the chance to change the future, starting with improving Sirius and Regulus' childhood. You'll be getting a divorce! And you'll be the one taking the kids!

LAST UPDATED : 23/03/2025 (dd/mm/yyyy)

NEXT UPDATE DUE : .... (dd/mm/yyyy)

STATUS : HIATUS... for further planning

CHAPTERS :

I. ARRIVAL (special thanks to @thebestofoneshots for beta reading this chapter!) II. SHOPPING (1/2) III. SHOPPING (2/2) IV. BEGINNINGS V. SIRIUS : FIRST DAY VI. POTIONEER VII. INVESTIGATIONS VIII. PASTRIES IX. REPUTATION X. HOLIDAY ⌈new⌋

EXTRA :

ANON ASK : HOW THE SERIES CAME TO BE

DISCLAIMER : please read | TAGLIST DISCONTINUED...

TAGS : son sirius black/mother reader ; son regulus black/mother reader ; isekai au/transfering worlds au ; walburga black is evil ; not reader though hehe~ ; hurt/comfort ; fluff ; platonic fluff ; second chances ; reader basically adopts remus, barty crouch jr and peter pettigrew ; peter pettigrew redemption arc? ; but he never betrays the marauders in the first place so... ; remus gets a better life ; reader becomes a semi-political figure to help werewolves + house elves ; reader assumes a male alias ; alternating chapters from different povs directly effected by reader's actions ; reader is a powerful independent business woman and single mother ; reader is a milf ; reader secretly hates dumbledore ; reader hates orion black ; reader hates JKR (we all do) ; divorce ; mentions of child abuse (physical and mental and emotional) ; mentions of neglect ; angry reader ; canon jily ; mentions of wolfstar ; regulus being a precious baby ; sirius has his moments too ; reader being a powerful trio with minerva and pomfrey ; reader potentially adopting the black sisters (bellatrix, andromeda and narcissa) ; reader adopts everyone! ; there'll be ocs ; reader leaves to live her dream cottagecore life ; happy ending! ; i'll add more tags in the future

[harunovella]

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ love language (verse vi); s.g.

synopsis: you and gojo share your"first" kiss... and maybe, you become something more? content: canon divergence (teen!gojo era), fem!reader, hopeless romantic gojo, first kisses, absolute softness!!! not beta read (sorry for any errors!) note: another one shot for my gojo anthology series! thank u all for the love on this series!! wanna be tagged? lmk in the replies!

There was no lie in saying Gojo Satoru had consumed your thoughts. It was quite the recent development, seeing as he was an enigma that sort of manifested into your life. One day, you were living your apprentice life, exploring your technique, honing and developing it... then the next, this myth of a (young) man appeared before your eyes. Like an angel that fell from the sky and right into your palm. You just had no idea that he was wrapped around your finger. 

Maybe it was because you were oblivious, unaware of the subtle (but were they really subtle?) messages he sent your way. If you had known Gojo Satoru well enough, you would've known that this was very unlike him. Sparing his time for someone else? Giving them his all? Focusing on them more than himself? Practically going brain dead around them unlike the usual cocky persona he carried around. Surely it scared him, falling deeply for someone just at the simple sight of them... but, for you? You just thought it was the universe working its magic. Bringing someone new into your life to develop a bond with. That was it, right?

Just another somebody to call your friend. 

However, Gojo Satoru wasn't just any somebody. He was the honored one, the strongest (he'd eventually learn this). He was the Gojo Satoru. The once in a life time (well, thousand years) creation formed by the gods themselves. 

He was the man who fell head over heels for you when he laid his eyes on you for the very first time. Stumbled over his words before you. Unable to process a single thought when he gazed into your eyes. Rescued a cat you found in a tree that you named after his favorite treat (and the nickname he had for you), Mochi. Kissed you at Utahime's birthday party during a game of spin the bottle where both of you were tipsy—a moment he would never forget, but you sadly had. A moment that slipped through the cracks of your brain, a moment that would eventually get replaced by a memorable moment.

It had become routine for you, spending your mornings in lessons with Nanami and Haibara. Then, you'd spend mid day with Shoko, following her like a shadow as her junior. Go on the occasional mission, take down curses, squeeze in snack breaks with your dear classmates, go out in the evening for dinner... and somehow, along your schedule, Gojo would make his appearance. You could never foresee it, he would pop up out of nowhere. If it wasn't teasing Kento, or bugging Shoko for her secret snack stash, he'd show up to your favorite dinner spot you shared with the girls (this almost always irritating Utahime because he ruined girls night). Gojo never cared, at this point he showed up wherever knowing (hoping) you'd be there. Always settling himself next to you, wrapping an arm around your shoulders, sneaking a milk box onto your lap or even sharing his treat of the hour. He never shared his sweets with anyone. You were the exception. 

"I got these lil gummies next to that arcade you frequent with Yu," Satoru said as the two of you sat under your (now his, too) favorite tree. The gorgeous cherry blossom in full bloom as spring had made its way around. You almost always had a blanket set, one of your books settled to the side, bookmark slipped into the part you last read. Your iPod nestled between you and Satoru, sharing each earbud as you listened to the current track that came on. Gojo, in his infamous wisdom, was the one who found programs to download music for free, an endless catalogue filling the memory of the rectangular device. Unlike it being yours, it was now his, too. You didn't mind. You liked sharing. You liked having these gentle moments with the overly energetic Gojo Satoru. These were the only moments he sat still, only with you. Just for you. 

Always for you. 

It was the little things that started adding up. It took you a minute to realize, longer than Satoru had hoped—but he was patient. He was obvious, made it clear that his feelings for you were there, he just hoped you'd piece the puzzle together. He had hoped you'd feel the same. How couldn't you when you looked so happy around him? When you said things reminded you of him. When you bought him little sweets you knew he'd love. When certain songs he loved, you'd learn the lyrics to. Just as you started noticing the (obvious) little things he did for you, he started noticing the same for you. Except, for you, it was coming out naturally. Nothing planned, nothing decided in advance, it just happened. It always just happens and it makes Satoru's heart beat faster and faster. Faster than it did before. 

"You like 'em?" He asked, popping another gummy in his mouth as you chewed, nodding happily with the cutest smile of pure content. "I'm glad! Take some more!" He offered, waving the decorative bag of bright colors and little cartoons. 

Letting out a small laugh, you took a couple more, waving your free hand, gesturing for him to take the rest as you popped them in your mouth. The fruity flavors filling your senses with pure bliss as you looked off to the open grounds of the school before you. The gentle breeze pushing through, strands of your hair fluttering against your face as they slipped from your ponytail. Gojo leaned against the tree, a knee propped as he rested his wrist against it, holding the baggie while his other tossed more gummies into his mouth. It was quiet. It was peaceful. Nothing but the music in one ear and the soft sounds of nature in the other. 

"Oh, I love this song!" You perked up as a song ended and another started, looking at Satoru with a bright grin. 

"Didn't I show you this one?" He asked, pushing his round glasses atop his head, smiling with you as you stood up. 

"Mhm! I've been listening to it on repeat!" Grabbing the bag of gummies from his hand and settling it down, you took his hands and pulled him to his feet with a faint grunt. Sometimes you'd forget just how giant Satoru was since he loved to make himself seem so small when he was with you. "The music video is so cute! I kinda learned the dance."

"Really?" He chuckled as you guided him. 

"Yes, remember you said you learned it after a few watches?" You asked as he nodded. "Let's dance it together!"

"Okay!" The white haired young man blushed, though a wide grin still was plastered on his face. He may have been a goofball, but Satoru did not have two left feet. He actually was quite skilled, and having him sing along with you made your heart flutter as you so casually danced around your shared tree. 

It felt as if it was just the two of you, singing, dancing and entangling yourselves with the earphones, laughing and gazing at one another. As if there was nobody else in the world. As if it was just Mother Nature gazing upon two souls intertwining. All in what felt like slow motion, a scene right out of a movie. Your hand in his, his other on your lower back as your free one settled on his shoulder. You couldn't tear your eyes away from his, and neither could he from yours.

Maybe it was a moment of vulnerability—or, rather courage—but your hand gently found its way to the back of his neck, fingers gently carding through his soft locks. The gentle feel of his undercut tickling underneath your palm, sending shivers down either of your spines. The softness in Gojo's eyes faded as you gently tugged him towards you. Growing in shock as your own fluttered closed. Gentle lips meeting in the middle as his plump ones met your lightly tinted own. 

His heart was racing, faster than it had that night of Utahime's birthday. Maybe it was because both of you were 100% aware, or maybe it was because it was happening again but away from others, in your own shared comfort zone. 

Feeling you pull away, Gojo instantly placed his hands on your hips, engulfing you in his arms as he kept you close. Kissing you, once sweetly turning deep. He didn't want this to end, didn't want it to be forgotten. His lips moved against your own, testing the waters. Nerves fading away, anxieties melting at how right this felt. You were his first, and he was going to make sure you were going to be his only. He didn't want anyone else. No one but you. 

And you, after months of being oblivious and unaware, to months of development and realization, wanted him the same. Only him and no one else. Just Gojo Satoru. 

Gently pulling back and resting his forehead against yours, a sigh of relief left his lips. "You beat me to it."

"It felt like the right moment," you softly spoke. 

"Then I guess this is the right moment..." Gojo trailed. 

"For what?" You curiously asked. 

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

tag list: @bakananya @strangehuman101 @thirtykiwis @sillygoosegoose @mandysfanfics @pinksaiyans @peqch-pie @pinksaiyans @silentmajesticfox @r0ckst4rjk @nerdiel-has-no-braincells @stinkysposts @lupitalove (some of u I sadly couldn't tag!)

[aventurineswife]

Rebel Hearts and Bruised Knuckle

Summary: In the neon-lit underbelly of Zaun, you and Vi cross paths in the pit fights—two fighters with too much history and too little self-preservation. What starts as a rivalry built on fists and bravado slowly morphs into something deeper, something neither of you are ready to admit. Between late-night confessions, bruised knuckles, and stolen kisses, you challenge Vi to fight for something more than survival. But in a city that takes more than it gives, love might just be the hardest battle yet.

Tags: Vi x Reader, Punk!Reader, Pit Fighting, Enemies to Lovers, Slow Burn, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Baggage, Late Night Conversations, Kissing Under Neon Lights.

Warnings: Strong Language, Violence & Blood, Emotional Trauma, Mentions of Past Imprisonment, Bruises & Injuries, Smoking.

Thank you for beta-reading this @kaveriayyansolos115 🤭💖

The underbelly of Zaun had a pulse of its own—a thrumming, electric heartbeat fueled by neon lights, pounding basslines, and the sharp crack of fists meeting flesh. That was where you thrived.

A punk through and through, you wore your rebellion like a second skin—leather jacket scuffed from too many fights, chains clinking with every step, tattoos winding up your arms like battle scars. The people here knew you, respected you, maybe even feared you a little. But fear was just another form of admiration, wasn’t it?

And then there was Vi.

You’d heard whispers about her before you ever met her—Stillwater’s ghost, the pit-fighting legend, Vander’s lost girl. She carried her past like an anchor, wrapped in bruised knuckles and barely-contained fury.

The first time you saw her, she was knocking a guy twice her size out cold in the ring, her signature gauntlets absent but her fists just as devastating. She stood there, shoulders rising and falling with adrenaline, a grin splitting her face like she hadn’t just broken someone’s nose.

You leaned against a rusted railing, lighting a cigarette. “Not bad, Pink.”

She turned, eyes locking onto you—eyes sharp enough to cut. “That supposed to mean something?”

You exhaled smoke, smirking. “Means you can throw a punch. But can you take one?”

That’s how it started—an unspoken challenge, a rivalry laced with something deeper, something electric. You clashed in the pit, fists flying, bruises blooming like warpaint. She fought with the precision of someone who had everything to prove. You fought like you had nothing to lose.

It was a dangerous balance.

But the fights were just the surface. The real war happened in late-night walks through Zaun’s twisting alleys, where she asked about the anarchy symbols inked into your knuckles, and you traced the “VI” tattoo under her eye with your fingertips.

“You ever think about leaving this place?” she asked one night, voice rough from exhaustion, blood dried at the corner of her lip.

You shrugged. “Zaun’s in my bones. Running won’t change that.”

She hummed, staring out over the flickering city lights. “Yeah. I get that.”

There was a quiet understanding between you—two fighters, two lost souls, both too stubborn to break, too damaged to heal.

One night, after a particularly brutal match, you found her sitting on the edge of a rooftop, knuckles raw, shoulders slumped.

“You keep hitting walls like that, you’re gonna break before they do,” you muttered, sitting beside her.

She scoffed. “Ain’t the first time.”

You sighed, nudging her boot with yours. “Vi.”

She glanced at you, eyes dark, guarded. “What?”

You hesitated, then reached out, fingers ghosting over the cut on her cheek. She didn’t flinch. Didn’t pull away. Just let you touch her, let you see her—past the bravado, past the scars.

“I’m not gonna tell you to stop fighting,” you said softly. “But maybe… fight for something that won’t kill you.”

She exhaled sharply, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “And what the fuck is that supposed to be?”

You smirked, leaning in just enough for your breath to brush her lips. “You tell me, Pink.”

And then, just like that, she kissed you—hard, desperate, like she was trying to pull the fight out of you and into her.

But you weren’t fighting this.

Not this time.

[gingerteawrites]

BY THE HEARTH: SWAY

A/N: Hello hello again. I know, it's been slightly more than a week🏃🏾‍♂️. BUUUUUT, I'm really proud of this chapter and am excited to share it with you. Thank you all for being so patient with me, and please let me know how you liked this installment of BTH! Read previous chapter here.

Content:Royalty!AU, Nanami x female reader, king Nanami, Princess Y/N, Widower Nanami, Toddler Yuuji, hurt, angst. Not beta read

Word count: ~2.6K

Banner by @cafekitsune

ACT VI

The king’s arm wraps around your waist and his other hand finds yours, guiding you into a formal dance position at the center of the dance floor. The rigidness of your postures remind you of your first dance teacher, a cynical old man who thought of dance as but a formality. Something that must be executed down to the last instructed detail.

The musicians drew out a slow tune, cueing you into the beginning of the dance. You take slow, deliberate steps, flowing alongside the melody, executed to perfection. Left and right, clear and bright.

Despite your best efforts to only think about your steps, the proximity with this strange man was a difficult thing to get used to. He seemed so consuming. You found your senses filled with the earthy scent of his cologne. The shadow of his frame towered over you. You willed your mind to stay on the task. Left and right, clear and bright.

But you couldn’t help your thoughts wandering back to the last time you were this close with him. The thundering storm, the weeping stained class. The stiff hold. The kiss.

This was not the time to reminisce. You chastised yourself with a soft sigh.

Now desperate for a distraction, you looked over his shoulder, discreetly scanning the crowd. The attendees seemed to move in slow motion around you, chatting about, eating and drinking. But you did not miss the way their eyes fleeted over you, pretending not to watch. All but one engaged in this game of hide-and-seek: Yuuji, who observed your tango intently, bringing a smile to your face.

The king cleared his throat. Your distraction was caught.

“It is impolite to look away from your dance partner.” He comments, tone surprising you with its lack of accusation.

“I apologize, your majesty.” Your eyes return to the amber of his, striking in their depth. They gave the impression that he could see through you, making you simultaneously want to hide and bare yourself. The latter urge won. “You can be quite intimidating, that is all.” You added.

The tempo of the music changed, and you each crossed your arms over the others’, spinning gracefully so your back was to his chest, maintaining the rhythmic steps in his hold.

“I do apologize.” He spoke quietly, his warm breath against your neck causing an unintentional shiver to run down your spine. “Scaring you is not my intention.” He spun your around, returning to your steps face to face.

Your heart thrummed with foreign excitement. This man, whom you had spent the last few weeks pondering about only made your curiosity bloom more. Was he truly being honest? Was he not malicious in regard to you? Could you trust his words? This was perhaps your opportunities to find answers.

“I cannot help but wonder what your intention is in having me here” You ask, eyes boring into his, hands resting high on his shoulders. He twirls you around, catching you by the waist to bring you back close to him. You could feel the velvet of the cape draped across him caress your bare shoulders.

“Did you not want to attend the ball?” his voice is low, for your ears only to hear.

“Having me in this kingdom, not the ball.” You correct, mirroring his tone.

You can see him hesitate for a second. As if contemplating whether to be honest with you or not, and the flash of doubt you see behind his deep eyes makes you itch uncomfortably.

“Well, why does one marry?” His answer is a non-answer. You suddenly grow frustrated, pressing closer. Maybe with you right in his face, he would need to be honest. You were thirsty for answers. For any information.

“For a plethora of reasons my king.” Your tone hardened, emotions swelling with the music “I only wish to know which one is responsible for this arrangement.”

He looks at you with a raised brow, and you cannot tell if it is in curiosity or annoyance. Regardless, you refuse to back down. Some part of your brain registers the music swelling higher, strings spinning faster, and while your bodies match the tempo, all your attention is on the man facing you.

“I know this marriage was advantageous for my kingdom, that is a given. But what are YOU in it for?” You drape a hand around his neck, drawing closer to his ear to ask the question.

The music pulls you away, both of your spinning and bowing, before returning to your embrace, stepping in circular motions around the floor.

He draws closer to you so the side of his face almost rests against yours, his words grazing the shell of your ear. “Frankly, I ask myself the same question.” The king pulled away so his eyes found yours again, and the honesty they held did nothing to diffuse your confusion.

You wanted to ask more. To unveil what hid behind the hard shell that this man seemed to have surrounding him. But you had a feeling your king was not willing to divulge any more at this moment. It would be useless to press on.

So you kept swaying to the increasingly fast melody, letting Nanami’s hands guide you along with him, the rigid rules of dance forgotten, fingers tracing the outline of each other’s bodies, breathing in each other's scent. You lost yourself in this trance, forgetting all thoughts and anxieties, even if for just a moment. He spun you around, and the strings stopped their cry when you landed in a dip, chest heaving, heart racing after your breath.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, you register your surroundings: the sounds of claps, oos and aas from all around reach your ears. Nanami helps you up and steps away, offering an arm with a slight bow. You notice the way his own chest heaves slightly, and how his eyes don’t leave yours. You wrap your hand around the outstretched arm, and walk away from the center of the floor, back into reality.

The orchestra resumes its play, starting the melody of a festive tune. Couples fill the empty floor, their intricate garments painting the room in shades of vermillion, opulent blues and purples as they spin about.

You have no time to fully recover or untangle yourself from Nanami before a slew of people walk up to you, seeking introductions and a word with new royalty. You straighten your back, donning a polite, practiced smile when the first person approaches.

“Your majesties.” A noble decorated with too much jewelry bowed in greeting, a crooked smile pulling at his face “What a pleasure to finally see you out. We were starting to wonder why his highness had locked you away, but witnessing your beauty, we have no need to wonder anymore” He laughed at his own observation.

You chuckled, forced, awkward.

“Marquess Kamo.” Nanami greeted curtly, pulling his arm towards himself, drawing you close with the motion. A distinct sign of protectiveness. The old man’s grin faltered a bit, but he covered it with a gruff laugh, excusing himself with wishes of a nice evening.

“I look forward to seeing BOTH of you again.” He stepped away.

You looked up at the king once the marquess was out of earshot. “I take it we are not on very good terms with them?” You could swear you saw a hint of a smile play at his lips.

“He’s a cunning man. It’s better to be careful of his words.” He replied, turning towards the next group of people.

It felt like hundreds of people had come up to you to introduce themselves and offer some sorts of compliment. After some time, all of their words started merging together in your brain, and you were unsure you could distinguish between their names if you saw them again. Having been out in society since your coming of age, you thought you were prepared for formal events. But your home’s aristocracy was composed of a dozen families at most. You were positively overwhelmed.

Exhaustion tugged your body down, but the king by your side still stood straight, engaging in whatever form of small talk people approached you with. You rolled your shoulders slightly, feeling the duty to match his stature at least for this evening. Appearing weak next to a man like him felt wrong.

“It seems my wife has not had anything to eat yet. If you would excuse us.” The words reach your ears just as you call your attention back to the Countess before you, catching you off-guard.

The lady laughs, as if Nanami was the most amusing man on earth, waving her fan to shoo the both of you away. “Oh, of course your highness. As always, it was a pleasure.”

He begins to walk away with you in tow, and you look up at him in question, “I never said I was hungry.”

“I know you did not.” He beckons someone over before his gaze returns to you. “I just meant to give you a break.”

The next thing you heard was soft clanging noises, and a knight appeared before you, his ceremonial silver armor laying heavy on his shoulders. It commanded gravity, staunchly contrasted by the warmth of his grin. He exuded an almost boy-ish charm, at complete odds Nanami’s smooth allure.

The man bowed deeply, hand over his chest. “Your highness, I am royal knight Yu Haibara, at your service.”

You bowed your head in greeting, his smile causing you smile as well.

“If I may, you look absolutely radiant, your highness,” He complimented.

“Thank you, sir.” You replied politely.

Nanami clears his throat once again, calling your attention back to him. His expression, which had seemed to warm throughout the night had returned to its stoic disposition, his eyes focused on the knight.

“Haibara please find Alma and make sure her highness has some time to cool off.” You could swear he wanted to say more with the way his eyes lingered on you. But no more words were uttered.

Haibara looked at the king with a mischievous glint, before turning to offer his arm and guide you away. Despite the easy air that the knight carried around him, you noticed how alert he was, his eyes discreetly hovering around the room while he made small talk. You find Alma tucked into a corner of the room, as always, doling out instructions to the staff, and Yu relays Nanami's words to her.

She welcomes you with a smile, and takes you to the part of the huge ballroom with sofas and coffee tables set out where some ladies were already sat, enjoying hors-d’oeuvres and light drinks.

They all stand to bow when you arrive, and you greet them politely. With a social battery is already dwindling, you fail to notice the hostile looks coming from some, and wear your usual smile as you sit down. Alma hands you a flute of bubbly champagne along with some finger food, which you accept gratefully.

“Your dress is magnificent, your majesty. Pray tell, how much did it cost?” A lady, who introduced herself as just Mei inquires. Her talk of lavishness and riches are enough to fluster anyone, but another lady, countess Shoko tries to divert her attention, seeming to notice your fatigue. You smile gratefully at her.

Two glasses of champagne in, you feel the burning gaze of someone at the back of your head, and turn to see the king staring right at you. Your grow flustered, worried you did something wrong.

Am I drink too much? Does he not want me to talk to them? You’re too busy mentally going over the list of possible wrongdoings, while the ladies giggle around you, making you turn back to them.

“The king is usually so cold and uninterested.” One flaps her fan open, hiding her smile behind it. “I was convinced he could not be swayed by a woman anymore.”

The words leave you speechless, certain that the women have had the wrong idea. This man was indifferent to you, at best. Not even your exhilarating dance you shared would change that.

“Well they are married after all, so is it surprising?” Mei Mei adds, sipping the dark liquid in her glass.

“It’s not like it’s his first time married anyway.” Someone else rolls her eyes as she comments, and Shoko steps on her toes, causing her to yelp.

“So, your majesty, tell us about your kingdom. I have never had the chance to visit.” She turns to you with a slight smile.

You are conscious of her attempt at a distraction, but you indulge her, feeling nostalgic. You share with them the beauty of your homeland, the weather, the warmth. You mention your entourage; your siblings and friends. And in return, they share pieces of the workings of this kingdom. The major families and the power structure. You recognize the name Kamo, the man who introduced himself earlier, and recall a rigid man who carried the name Zenin who gave a curt introduction. Most of the ladies start fanning themselves when they talk about the Gojo family, emphasizing that their new duke was truly something to behold.

You are grateful for the conversation. You had not fully realized how much the isolation of the castle had made you miss such company. However, you could not shake the thought of the previous queen. Nanami's wife, Yuuji's mother.

How had the king had been with her? you wondered.

You are not surprised though, that no one brings her up again in the conversation.

Eventually, growing restless from sitting and some of the ladies with their shrill laughs, you excuse yourself.

“Are you feeling okay your majesty?” Alma approaches you quietly. “We can retire to your quarters if you want to.”

“Oh no,” you shake your head. “I have barely had time to talk to Yuuji. I’ll find you when I am ready to head back.” You countered. You dreaded the solitude of your quarters, and a part of you wanted to extend your time at the ball as long as you could.

Your eyes find the young prince standing alongside the knight from earlier. The urge to be in the child’s company fills you and you take a wide step towards him, eager to be near. Maybe it was the slight alcohol in your veins, or maybe it was the mental fatigue you kept pushing away, but you step on the edge of your dress and lose your balance, tumbling forward.

Great! way to embarrass myself in front of everyone. You close your eyes, bracing for the fall. And for the eventual ridicule. Of how the ladies you were talking with would probably laugh and gossip about this for weeks to come. You were exhausted.

A pair of hands slip around your waist, halting your fall and bringing you against a firm chest. You recognize the smell of sandalwood, and the softness of velvet before your eyes reopen to focus on the king's face.

“Careful,” he says, his brows slightly furrowed.

“I apologize.” You replied, now steady on your feet. But his hold on you does not falter, supporting your body.

Yuuji comes up to you running, and the king's hand slips away, giving you space to speak with the boy. Your body misses the warmth where he held you.

“Are you okay?” the child asks, touching your hand and looking up at you with the most adorable, shiny eyes that reflect a hint of worry. You coo, holding his hand and rubbing a thumb over it.

“Sorry that I worried you. I think I might be a bit tired.” You whisper the last part, as if sharing a secret. A smile returns to his face.

“That’s okay!” He reassures. “Papa said it’s almost my bedtime too.” He shared, hoping to relate to you.

“It is. I’ll say my good byes to a few people and then we’ll head back.” Nanami drew close to Yuuji, looking down at him as he spoke the words.

“Can she come with us?” The child requests immediately. He sees his father’s brow furrow and lets go of your hand, now clinging to him “Pleaseeeeee?” he makes the biggest puppy eyes, and you see the king’s resolve falter. He looks to you, and you shrug lightly with a smile, causing him to sigh. He stays silent for a few moments, trying so hard to reject the child.

“Okay.” he finally resigns, and Yuuji almost launches himself off the ground in joy. “Yes!”

And here we go once again. I promise things pick up steam from here one! Please let me know what you think :)

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@cosmicbreathe @lucreied @starmapz @tylersaiddonteatbananas @taeteddybear

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[ghost-in-the-hall]

Fall For Me (Poly! Sleep Token x Fem! Reader) - Part V

Thank you as always to @spookyghostjelly for beta reading for me, you're the best bb!! ❤️❤️

Hello everyone!! This chapter is going to be a little more plot/lore heavy. But, we still get some sweet and flirty boys. IV brings Reader dinner and II is becoming more comfortable in his flirting. Thank you so much for reading, if you would like to be added to the tag list let me know!

WARNINGS: None

Part IV - Part VI

My Masterlist! ~ AO3 Link!

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Today was one of those times where your store was absolutely slammed. "I'll be right with you Jay, just give me one second." You clap the older man on the shoulder as you round the counter.

"No worries darlin', I got all day." He smiles cheerfully at you." You hurriedly set a fresh batch of coffee to brew, quickly cleaning up the station.

"Next batch will be done in about ten minutes guys." You smile as you pass by a tow of your usuals, a group of old timers that would set up shop at the shelf along one of the windows and spend their day drinking cups of coffee and playing scratch tickets.

"Now Miss (Y/N), don't you go running off, I got a vibe to pick with you young lady." You skidded to a halt, turning in your heels to face the myriad of curious stares.

"You better make this quick Randy, I got a line out the door." You huff with a sarcastic smile.

"I just want to know what you're doing hanging around with those cultists." Your eye involuntarily twitched as he spit out the word. "I'd just hate to see you get mixed up in that crowd."

"They're nice boys Randy." You hurry up to the counter as you continue to call over your shoulder. "It might do you some good to actually get to know them before you try to crucify them over nothing.

"Why don't you try inviting them to the Fall Festival?" Jay asks gently.

"Unfortunately I don't think they'd go. I know it's hard to believe but they're just as nervous about you as you are about them." You explain with a huff.

"I think it's worth a shot at least." He leans in a bit to whisper to you. "Now I can't speak for everyone obviously, but I think if the townsfolk actually got to meet them and see that they're not some big ol' scary monster in the woods… well, they might just come around." He offers his advice with a patient smile. "If you're saying they're a good group of guys I trust your judgment. Your word means a lot more to me than some blood thirsty reporter after a story."

"Thanks Jay, I'll ask them. Who knows, maybe they'll show up." He bids you farewell before leaving you to tend to the rest of your sea of customers. After what felt like an eternity your store was finally empty. You groaned, slumping over the counter. The cool linoleum felt nice against your sticky skin. You jolted up at the sound of the bell ringing above the door, eyes flashing over to reveal II and IV looking at you curiously. "Hey guys." You give them a tired smile.

"Everything alright, love? You look exhausted." II approaches the counter, his eyes full of concern.

"Yeah, just a long day." You explain. You sit down in your chair, resting your elbows on the counter. II copies your motions, his eyes searching yours, his nose just barely out of reach from bumping into you.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" You shake your head in response.

"You boys are already too good to me as it is." You giggle as II playfully rolls his eyes. "I'll be alright, just gotta do some quick cleaning before I go upstairs. Then it's a cup of ramen cause I'm too lazy to cook and shitty movie re-runs until I pass out on my couch."

"A cup of ramen isn't a meal, doll." He tuts.

"I know that, doctor." He chuckles at your sarcastic tone. "I'll be alright, one night without a proper dinner isn't going to kill me."

"I wish we could come help more around here, I hate seeing you so tired." IV chimes in, dropping an armful of snacks on the counter.

"I appreciate all your help, but I promise you, I'll be just fine." You respond with a reassuring smile. Neither of them seemed satisfied with your answer but they could tell you weren't in the mood to argue.

II sighs, "just promise me after you finish up here you'll go get some rest."

"You have my word." You chuckle. The two of them finish their shopping, idly chatting with you as you do some cleaning up. "Goodnight guys, get home safely." You wave as they head out.

"I better not come back here and see you exhausted tomorrow." II warns playfully.

"I'll try my best." He winks at you before pushing out the door. IV wishes you goodnight before joining his companion.

You collapsed on your couch with a groan once you finally made it upstairs. Despite how much you were trying to convince yourself you weren't hungry your growling stomach said otherwise. You lay there, staring blankly at the ceiling, when suddenly the familiar rumble of a pick up truck pulls into the lot. You stood, walking over to the window and pushing the curtain aside. You saw IV fumbling with something in his passenger seat before kicking the door open. You met him at the back door, he froze when he saw you standing at the top of the landing with a smirk spread across your features. "I, uh, I brought some food." He offers bashfully.

"Come on up IV." You chuckle before heading back inside. IV steps into your apartment, eyeing you curiously.

"I'm sorry I showed up without an invitation." He apologizes. You smile, taking a couple steps closer to him.

"You're welcome here anytime." He breathes out a laugh as his eyes dart to the floor. You offer to take the food for him, setting up a spot for the both of you on your couch. "I am curious, how did you manage to get fast food without raising any suspicion?" You ask as you pop a fry in your mouth. IV chuckles in response, adjusting to sit more comfortably.

"It's a funny story actually, I pulled up at the drive through and the kid working there told me he liked my costume." You laugh.

"Really?" He nods. The thought of the Fall Festival popped into your mind; how you would love to bring the four of them because you know they would have a great time, how it would give them a chance to see the town for what it really was, and of course your little crush on the charming masked men didn't help either. "IV, do you think Vessel plans on ever going into town? You know, aside from you guys making supply runs under the cover of darkness." You joke.

"If I'm being completely honest, I don't know." He pulls his mask away from his face to take a sip of his drink. "I'm the newest of our little group so I can't give you the whole story, but from what I understand up until we reached here things weren't too great. There's a lot of people out there who want to get rid of us before they even have a chance to get to know us. We've been run out of town after town, sometimes through more… humane means… other times not so much. But, we have something good here, with the camp in the woods, with you." He pauses for a moment to smile at you. "That's something I want to try and hold onto for as long as I can."

You study him for a moment, "what if I tried to help?" You offer. "I could be the middleman for you. People in town know me, I grew up here, that has to mean something. I just… I don't want you to have to constantly be worried about someone being out to get you. I know that if they met you, if they got to know the people I know you are, they wouldn't be afraid anymore."

"I'm sure Vessel would be interested in hearing you out. Who knows, maybe you'll actually convince him." He chuckles. "Between you and me, if you bat those pretty little eyes at him, I'm sure you could convince him to do just about anything." He jokes as he shoots you a wink.

"I bet that line works on all the girls, huh?" You giggle, trying to shake off the heat that had settled in your cheeks.

"As long as it works on you I'm set." You playfully smack his arm. He nestles back into the couch cushions, letting out a soft groan as he stretches an arm over the back, the back of your neck buzzing as you feel his warmth seep into your skin.

"You're all a bunch of flirts." You smile at him.

"A bunch of flirts?" You roll your eyes at his mock annoyance. "It's not my fault that you're so captivatingly beautiful." You noticed that growing familiarity in your chest. The steady thrum of your heartbeat as you tried to hide your flustered state. IV leans in closer to you, his side pressed flush against your body. "Once I met you I understood what they were all fussing over." He chuckles before muttering, "the perfect being brought to us by Sleep." You turn to look at him, his hazy blue eyes coaxing you in deeper with every passing second.

"Who's… who's Sleep?" You whisper. IV tilts his head, a curious expression matching yours. The pieces must have clicked together because he returned to his usual smiling self a moment later.

"You'll find out soon, Vessel's probably waiting for the right time to explain." You accepted his explanation without a fuss. You trusted that if it was something you needed to know they would tell you. He glanced up at the clock, "I'm sorry to cut things short, love, but I should head back." You nod, standing and walking him over to the door.

"Thank you for bringing some food." You smile.

"Anytime." He responds with a wink. "Get some rest, alright? II will throw a fit." You both shared a laugh before IV reached out and pulled you into his arms. You froze at first, not fully comprehending that he had wrapped you in a hug. But, the moment realization set in your arms slipped around his torso. Neither of you were in a rush to let go, the two of you standing in a comfortable silence as IV held you close, gently swaying you from side to side.

"Goodnight, doll." His hand lingers in your hip, taking your hand and giving it a gentle squeeze before slipping out the door.

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[selfindulgenceisthekey]

If You Thought It Was Real Pt. VIII

Pt. I Pt. II Pt. III Pt. IV Pt. V Pt. VI Pt. VII

As always, thank you @hannahbarberra162 for beta reading this chapter! <3

Six

You were starting to believe this was some type of scare tactic they were implementing. You’d been getting more visits regularly, Sanji and Chopper still tying for first place. Nami had started in at least once a day, always carrying her bag of goodies around, sometimes coming with a new shirt or cute socks for you. You were starting to think she enjoyed playing dress up with you, you felt less like a captive and more like a living doll.

It wasn’t surprising to you when the next new face was Usopp. He looked timid as he peeked in, as if seeing you was surprising. He stepped in fully after a second, scratching the back of his neck as he stood awkwardly.

“Uh, hey, good to see you sitting up!” He gave you a thumbs up, as if being able to sit up in the medical bed was some achievement to be proud of, “I’m just grabbing a few things for Chopper.”

He stepped a few feet over, digging through boxes of what looked like files. You had been tempted to go through those earlier, but the moral part of you assumed they were medical records and you shouldn’t touch them. Clearly that was not a unanimous sentiment, as he took a few papers out, reading them before placing them back.

“Nami’s been talking about your planned girls day,” Just as you were hoping his visit would be in and out he began to speak, “She wants to wait a bit before inviting Robin to join the two of you.”

If you had any sliver of a say you’d rather Robin not be invited at all. She nor Zoro had stopped in to see you, yet, and you wished for it to stay that way. Usopp glanced your way, and you must have been making some type of face because he laughed quietly, turning back to continue his search.

“I told her you may not be too thrilled, but  she insisted. Robin’s cool, she just has a lot of… layers, so to speak. She’s very protective of the crew, as we all are.”

He seemed to have found what he was searching for, turning around with a file in his hands, leaning back on the table to seemingly study you. You were sick of being studied by them all. For a moment you visualized jumping off the bed, punching him in his stupidly long nose and diving overboard. At the rate of healing you were at you’d more than likely drown, if you even made it into the water. You wondered, for a moment, if drowning would be better than this.

“Y’know,” He sounded more hesitant now, uncomfortably shifting his gaze away from you, “Sanji hasn’t been sleeping well since you got back. Well, actually, since you left but…” 

He trailed off, and the implication struck you in the heart. How you wished it didn’t, but some traitorous part of you still ached for the soft affection from him. The bigger part of you wanted to bash him over the head with his own frying pan.

“He’s been cooking a lot more too. Which cooking isn’t out of the question for him, but he’s making enough that even Luffy leaves leftovers. I think he’s just worried though. About you and, well, everything really. He always makes extras for you too, most of the time Luffy ends up eating them after you refused a few times.”

Usopp moved quickly, standing straight so abruptly you jumped, “Well, best get this to Chopper! It’s nice out today, not too sunny, you should see if Chopper will okay you for a quick walk today. I know Sanji would jump at the opportunity to take you outside.”

You didn’t respond verbally, just a quick shake of your head. He only shrugged as he continued to the door, “Suit yourself. But with our deal doctor and our lovesick cook, you’re only going to be able to hide out for so much longer.”

He winked at you playfully, as he left. The silence after the door shut left you stewing, steaming in your frustration. 

Five

Chopper was very good at turning his questions into statements. He knew if he’d asked you to step outside you would have refused— why would you want a taste of freedom if it was tainted by the never ending babysitter’s club? So he didn’t ask, he brought you a clean set of clothes, a mixture of gifts from Nami and Robin, and a sweatshirt you recognized as Sanji’s. You didn’t want to change into it, but what choice did you have? Luffy brought you aboard with nothing but the clothes on your back.

You had to admit, for your first time stepping out of the sick bay in days, everything was a lot calmer than you had anticipated. The deck was quiet, Franky and Brook being the only two you saw, other than Chopper. The little doctor was your babysitter for this outing, however short it ended up being. He hadn’t changed into his bigger self, Breaking Point as he called it. You were curious about it, but you didn’t necessarily want to risk him changing his form.

Chopper was talking at you, mumbling things about health benefits of being out in the open air, but you had long tuned him out. The sun on your skin felt amazing after days in doors. It was warm, the heat seeping its way into the clothes you wore, gently kissing your cheeks. You couldn’t help but close your eyes, basking in the warm breeze, feeling more relaxed than you had in days. 

You stuck close with Chopper, taking small, baby steps to the edge of the railing, looking out over the never ending sea. Somewhere miles away, if not hundreds of miles away, was your home island. What had happened to the townspeople after you were taken? Would you ever know?

“Yo!” Franky’s voice was loud and unmistakable, cutting across the gentle atmosphere you had fallen comfortable in, “Look who’s out walkin’!”

He and Brook had both turned to look in your direction, walking a bit closer while keeping distance. You felt like they were treating you like a spooked animal, cowering from its hunters. Though from the way you instinctively shrunk in on yourself, that wasn’t far from the truth.

Chopper waved at them happily, before turning and noticing the look on your face, “Oh, it’s okay! They’re just happy to see you!”

“Super happy!” Brook nodded along to Franky’s near shouts, “I had become worried you’d fused to your bed in there! Chopper told me a story once of it happening when some dude was super sick, it was super gross!”

Brook laid a bony hand on his friend’s shoulder, “As fascinating as you found that story, I do worry our new crewmate may not share your sentiments.”

If you hadn’t wanted to return to the sick bay’s bed before, you certainly didn’t want to now. Your body could fuse to the bed? Chopper picked up on your turmoil easily.

“That was a very rare medical case!” He patted your leg reassuringly, “He was in his bed for years! He never even got up to use the bathroom. It won’t happen to you!”

You just nodded, trying to offer him a small smile. The two continued talking, neither missing a beat.

“It’s good to see you out and about dear, you’re a sight for sore eyes!” Brook tilted his head, and you knew one of his jokes was coming next, “That’s to say if  I had eyes.”

He and Franky laughed, and Chopper giggled beside you. You’d never gotten a good reading on Brook, you suppose it was difficult considering the man didn’t have skin to make facial expressions. When you first came on the ship, working on enacting your plan, he was one of the few you tried to avoid. You weren’t afraid of him, past the discomfort of him being a living skeleton, but you had no way of being able to tell what he was thinking or feeling. Considering what your line of work is, or was, it was a dangerous aspect. 

The two kept talking to Chopper, though much like earlier you tuned them out. Any tranquility that you’d been feeling was gone with those two as close as they were, talking like nothing was wrong. Everything was wrong. You weren’t supposed to be here, you weren’t supposed to be back on the ship with them. You could feel yourself tensing again, clenching your fists in the pocket of the hoodie you were wearing, so tight you could feel your nails biting into your skin.

“Alright, that’s enough walking for today,” Chopper’s gentle nudging snapped you out of your stupor, and he waved goodbye to the other two as he led you back to the sick bay.

“We’ll go out again tomorrow, though Sanji might insist on being with you then.”

Four

The bandages were becoming itchy. They were clean, your wounds sterile, still being hidden away to heal more, but the constant feeling of the fabric pressed to your skin was starting to drive you insane. The constant itch on top of being stuck in the sick bay with the occasional ten minutes of sunlight a day. The notion of drowning was becoming more appealing.

You found yourself absentmindedly picking at the edges of the bandages around your arm, pulling at the edges, hoping to tempt fate and have them fall off. The door creaked open, and you jumped, hand flying away from the bandages with a start. The last thing you wanted to do was tempt them into cuffing your hands to bedside railings if they caught you messing with their medical equipment.

“Don’t mess with the bandages. Don’t waste Chopper’s hard work.”

You swallowed hard, sinking as far back into the pillows behind you as you could. Zoro didn’t say anything else for a moment, his one eye pinning you in place. His arms were crossed over his chest, leaning back against the door behind him.

“Saw you walking around with the cook.”

You nodded slowly. The walk was brief, as it was before. Just long enough for you to get used to the warmth of the sun before being brought back in. Sanji had talked the entire time, cheerful and energetic as you stayed silent. You had seen Zoro for a second while you were out, but he was gone just as quick.

“He’s been… weird lately,” He grimaced at the admittance, “Looked like he’d sucked a lemon after you left. Like he was about ready to kill someone when Luffy brought you back.”

Zoro was a relatively quiet man, especially in comparison to the rest of the crew. But in this moment, the silence felt deliberate, like each pause was giving you time to reflect on his words. 

“I didn’t think Luffy should have gone after you. Not in the way he had, at least.”

You risked making eye contact, his gaze steely and cold. God, how you wanted Sanji to come waltzing through the door, ready to defend you against the swordsman. But you knew he wouldn’t, not now at least. 

“Luffy said we don’t leave our crew behind.” His voice was stern, borderline aggressive as he continued, “So I listened, and waited for him to come back with you. You looked like shit when he did come back with you.”

Despite the fear and anxiety building in you, you found your eyes narrowing at his blunt remark. You had gotten the crap beat out of you, of course you hadn’t looked your best. 

“Chopper brought you in here, tried to drag Luffy in with him. His hands looked messed up. But he said to focus on you first. He was almost as upset as the love-cook.”

That felt almost hard to believe. In your time on the ship before all this had happened, most of your time was spent with Sanji, and then after him was Nami and Chopper, occasionally Usopp and Luffy. Why would the captain care about your injuries? You had suspected, based on blurry memory from when he found you at the bar, that he had only come to get you because Sanji wanted him to. 

“He hasn’t told us what happened when he grabbed you,” Zoro continued, tone shifting, sounding almost bored as he spoke, “Not even with all the food he’s been bribed with. Kept his mouth shut for once, said you’d tell us when you’re ready.” 

You doubt you’d ever be ready. You doubt you’d ever tell them. Luffy may as well speak now.

“The cook… loves you, for whatever reason. And because of that, Luffy trusts you. At least enough to bring you back to the ship. I figured you had been hiding something, but I kept my mouth shut. I won’t do that again.”

If I find any reason not to trust you, everyone will know. You shifted, tucking your chin down to look at the bedsheets, hands trembling where they were. The threat hidden in his voice wasn’t subtle, nor was it, well, hidden. You doubt he was truly trying to hide it. 

“Oi, mosshead,” The door pushed against him harshly, Sanji, near seething, coming back in, eyes narrowed at the swordsman, “Get the hell out! She needs to rest!”

“I was just leaving,” Zoro was quick to sneer back, looking back at you for the briefest of moments, before turning and leaving the sick bay.

Three

The water was warm against your skin. If you shut your eyes, this felt nice; if you pretended you were alone, it didn’t feel like a nightmare. You’d been given permission to take a bath, nothing too hot, nothing too strenuous. It was stupid of you to think you’d be allowed to bathe alone, as well.

“Hold still, please.”

You hadn’t realized you were fidgeting on the stool you’d been given to sit on. Robin had sprouted multiple arms, you’d stopped trying to count, holding bottles of soap and shampoo, washcloths for her to use once the old ones were covered in grime and old blood. 

“The tension you hold isn’t good for your muscles,” Her voice was a hum as she spoke, soft and almost nurturing, the same tone she often used with Chopper, “You wouldn’t want to worry our little doctor anymore than you have, would you?”

You didn’t respond, but made an effort to relax your body. The humiliation played a part in your tension, and you had tried to argue that tooth and nail before coming. Chopper had expressed his concerns for you showering alone, Sanji had offered to go with you, though Chopper shut that down rather quickly. 

Robin was free and in the right place at the right time, according to her. Chopper had explained how to navigate your stitches, expressed she needed to be gentle, and ensure the water doesn’t reach over a certain temperature. 

You had to admit, she had a very soft touch. The washcloth dragged across your bare back, warm and soft against your skin. Though even her soft touches made you wince when she brushed against the healing bruises. 

“You have been healing rather well, though I do suspect that’s due to our doctor,” She worded her phrases carefully, making sure you understood her praises weren’t meant for you. Not that you’d ever think they were.

The washcloth was removed, and you could hear the dripping of water as she strained it, “I know our dear navigator’s probably beside herself having missed an opportunity such as this. But there’s a storm approaching, and she had to work on charting a new course to help us evade it.”

She gave no warning as water was poured along your head, and you shut your eyes in a hurry, trying to avoid them stinging. She repeated that process a few more times before moving on, lathering her hands with shampoo. It smelled fresh and clean, but soft compared to the sterile cleanliness of the sick bay.

“I asked if she needed anything, but she declined. She already has your measurements down for the next time we come across a town with a shopping district. Though I doubt you’ll be allowed off the ship with her. She doesn’t seem to mind that idea, she seems rather excited at the prospect of dressing you up. You should feel honored.”

Robin began lathering the shampoo across your scalp, nails digging in just enough to fight the grim and grease there. You cursed your exhaustion for finding it even the least bit relaxing. You flinched when some water splashed against your side, peeking around to see one of her arms filling the small basin with water once more. 

She continued with her movements, speaking as if she didn’t mind your silence. “You should try and rest more, Chopper has explained to you many times that your body needs an exorbitant amount of rest for the next few weeks. Sanji has confessed he hears you pacing around the sick bay at night, but he hasn’t brought himself to confront you quite yet. You’re concerning him, you know. Continuous movement, a lack of rest; those together aren’t good for your recovery.”

She grabbed the basin with her arms, the two attached to her body, before slowly pouring the water on your head once more. You did your best to keep your eyes shut, for fear of getting shampoo in your eyes, as well as avoiding looking at her body. Modesty and privacy appeared to be two things no one on this crew cared about.

“I do suppose it makes sense,” She was refilling it once more, gently scratching at your scalp as she poured it once more, “Restlessness is a common symptom of a guilty conscience.”

“What do I have to be guilty of?” You bit off before you could stop yourself, sputtering quietly as water got into your mouth. You felt she did that on purpose.

She set the basin down, moving to grab what you suspected was shampoo with a quiet hum. “Many things, I can assume, given what your past appeared to be before we found you.”

“You don’t know anything about me.”

How pathetic of a sight you must have been, sat on a stool, curled over as much as you could be given your injuries. Naked and wet, shivering from fear, with one of the most powerful women in the world cleaning your hair. 

“Not yet, but you’ll open up to us eventually. Most of us are rather patient people.”

She sat back, letting the conditioner sit in your hair as she shifted. A quick glance let you know she was washing her own hair, but you turned away just as quickly. You felt miles better than you had when you first woke up. Your muscles still ached, and your injuries were still present, but the layer of sweat and grim that was caked onto you was gone at least. 

“I’m sure at the time it felt like the only thing you could do.” How you wished she’d drop this subject, you thought. “Run away without asking us for help. We’ve all been in similar situations, I suppose.” She laughed, light and airy, as if any part of this situation was funny. 

She paused in her movements, the stillness behind your back telling. One of her hands brushed along your back, finger trailing down your bare spine. You shot up, sitting straighter on your stool, arms still wrapped across your chest. She moved her hand away, as if it hadn’t been there in the first place.

“We all learned quickly. If you’re to be on this crew, you ask for help when you need it. You’ll understand eventually,” The sound of rushing water indicated she was refilling the basin, more steam rising into the air.

She continued to bathe you, rinsing out the conditioner from your hair, applying a fruity-smelling hair mask, as she called it. You fell silent as she worked, though it didn’t seem to bother her.

You’ll learn eventually. 

And if you didn’t? If you never learned? Were they to abandon you on some island, alone, and leave you to die? Or would they kill you? Despite the warmth of the water, the heat of the bath house, you shivered where you sat, goosebumps forming across your skin. 

Two

You had been able to convince Sanji to take you on a short walk at night, a weird, desperate feeling clawing at your chest to see the stars, to feel the cool breeze of night against your skin. Admittedly, it didn’t take much to convince him. He was thrilled to take a stroll with you under the stars, his words.

The air felt different than it did in the day. You’d never spent a copious amount of time on the sea, and never at night. The breeze rolling about was chilly and strong. Sanji had insisted you wear a hoodie of his, the sleeves fell past your fingertips, but it was comfortable. You didn’t tell him that, just supplied him with a quick thanks. He beamed as if you’d showered him with praises.

He was nearly glued to your side, and part of you was grateful for his body heat against the night chill. It was the only reason you weren’t shifting away from him. 

“Do you have any requests for dinner tomorrow?”

You looked over to him, shifting so you were less leaning over the rail than you had been, answering with a shake of your head.

“I’m thinking of making stew. Luffy and the mosshead caught a decent amount of tilapias today, and we’ve got some onions that need to be used.” He was muttering to himself now, voice soft.

Footsteps had you turning your head, a momentary flash of panic that it was Zoro heading to the crow's nest, “Ah, good evening, you two.”

It was Jinbe, trailing up the stairs at a leisurely pace, gaze soft as he took the two of you in. Sanji stiffened next to you for a moment before his posture relaxed. Odds are he’d hoped for a quiet night alone, but his crew tended to make that impossible.

“I hope I’m not interrupting,” His voice was as gentle as it was before, and those quick memories were enough to have your heart constrict in your chest, “I had come out to get some fresh air before bed. I presume, the same goes for you two.”

“No interruptions, my friend,” Sanji responded, turning so his back was leaning against the railing, still pressed next to you, “She had wanted to see the night skies before bed. Who am I to turn down my beloved’s request?”

Jinbe laughed softly, deep and full-bellied at the same time. For a moment, you had wished it was him they had on babysitting duty for you; he was easy to relax around. But he was still a Strawhat; he had sat idly by as his captain kidnapped you. 

“You appear to be healing well, that’s good.”

“Yeah,” Without much else to say, you found yourself agreeing quietly.

“And tonight’s a fine night, the clouds have cleared off,” He had turned to look out at the water, the stars and moon reflecting off the calm waves.

Sanji tilted his head back, looking upwards as if realizing from Jinbe’s words that the sky was rather beautiful. Back home, it wasn’t like this; the sky wasn’t this clear, and there were little to no places to sit in silence. You wished you had been here in different circumstances. You wanted to crush that desire the second you had it. 

“Chopper’s been saying your strength is returning to you. You do appear stronger than when the captain first brought you on board.”

At the mention of how you’d been when Luffy brought you, Sanji let out a noise. Some mixture of a huff and a growl, and you could see the tension in his jaw as he ground his teeth.

“I’m… just happy to be out of bed,” You admitted, refusing to look at either of them as you spoke, “Even if I feel tired after walking, it’s nice.”

“Yes,” Jinbe sounded happier, and you felt Sanji shift, one of his hands reaching to grab yours. You wanted to stop him, to snatch your own away, but with another member near you, you let Sanji grab yours.

“Recovery for a normal person isn’t always linear,” He continued, a small smile on his face as you turned your gaze towards him, “Perhaps soon enough we can add swimming to your daily exercise. I could lend a hand, of course.”

Before you could respond, Sanji was taking over the conversation, “Oh, I hadn’t even considered that. Chopper and you could probably come up with something, though it would have to wait until she’s more healed, I’d presume.”

The two began discussing this apparent plan, not minding your silence once. You could feel your mind drifting, a fuzzy feeling overtaking your brain. It was comfortable, in a way, letting you bathe in a silent blanket in your mind. 

One

The days since you woke up had been near magical for Sanji. Sure, you were taking longer to adjust to your situation, but he was willing to give you as much time as you needed. He knew it was only a matter of time before you two were back to how you were before, and he was already preparing to lavish you with affection and gifts once you were there. Until that point, he was fine preparing simple but elegant meals just for you, willing to fight off his over-hungry captain to ensure it stayed pristine and hot. 

Today was a simple salad, though as he added some shredded cheese to the top, simple didn’t seem appropriate. He was still working hard to ensure all your meals had all the nutrients you needed to heal properly. 

Luffy was loitering nearby, drool dripping down his chin as he tried to subtly creep closer to Sanji, eyes fixed on the chopped chicken. Sanji didn’t even have to blink before sending a quick, timed kick towards the captain, stopping him from snatching your lunch. Luffy yelped, whining as he stumbled back, falling harshly onto his back,

“Sanji! I’m hungry!”

“You’re always hungry,” He grumbled, the same song and dance between the two, “This isn’t for you, dumbass. Let me finish and take it up to the sick bay when she’s done on her walk, and then I’ll make you a snack, okay?”

Luffy groaned, falling to lie on his back, glaring up at the ceiling, “I want meat now.”

Sanji didn’t budge, moving to place the bowl on a tray, “Your options are to wait alongside everyone else or wait for your snack.”

There was a dull roar of thunder from outside, quiet and far off, but enough to have Sanji pausing as he peered outside through the window from where he stood. Chopper had the idea of having you take a walk earlier, Nami having predicted a pretty intense storm coming their way. They wanted you to be able to move around before you got stuck inside once more, even though Chopper had developed a good amount of exercises you could do in the sick bay. They agreed you seemed at least slightly happier whenever you got to go outside, which was why you were outside with Chopper and Brook.

Luffy had rolled over onto his side, staring at Sanji while picking his nose. He didn’t bother hiding the look of disgust on his face at the revolting action, “Is Sanji worried?”

Sanji’s response was a scoff, though it was a poor attempt to avoid answering the question. Luffy just laughed, eyes shutting as he leaned his head back. How he found comfort in the strangest positions, Sanji will never know.

“Sanji shouldn’t worry! Everything will work out. Eventually!”

“I know that, dumbass.”

Maybe preparing a little plate of the scraps from your lunch wouldn’t be too hard. After all, he didn’t need to make more stock. They had enough frozen to last them months at this rate. He didn’t put effort into making the pieces look appetizing, but it didn’t matter. As soon as the plate touched the counter, Sanji was opening his mouth to tell Luffy, his captain was already moving, scarfing the leftovers down with vigor. 

“Idiot.”

Luffy just laughed with puffed out cheeks, and neither mentioned the small smile that was present on Sanji’s face. Another roll of thunder, a bit closer, shook the boat. Waves were starting to pick up some; he could hear the lapping of them against the ship. Perhaps he could prepare some tea to go with your lunch, he had some peppermint tea that he could—

Muffled screaming interrupted his thoughts, and both he and Luffy stopped in their tracks, turning to peer out the door. It sounded like Chopper? Without thinking, the pair had made their way out the door, no doubt feeling matching feelings of curiosity and panic. Everyone else appeared to have heard it too; doors were opening, and faces were peaking out.

Chopper and Brook were peering over the railing. Chopper was crying, wordless screaming leaving his mouth, and Brook was looking on with a deep horror, eyeless sockets seeming wider than normal. And it didn’t appear that you were standing near them—

“She jumped!” Chopper was wailing, rushing to Sanji’s legs, “She- she jumped overboard! I- I can’t go after her!”

He felt his blood turn cold, his legs feeling like lead as he stared down at the little doctor. You had— No. His eyes widened, and he raced to the railing, eyeing how the waves were slowly getting rougher with each passing second. He could make out your figure through the dark blue of the waters, and you didn’t look to be surfacing. 

Before he could throw himself over the side, Zoro had beaten him to it. Watching the swordsman dive into the water, he couldn’t even think of any snide comments or remarks to make. Too busy desperately watching as the green-haired idiot swam down after you.

“Chopper,” Robin was there, kneeling down to the wailing doctor, “You need to take a breath and calm down,  if she’s hurt or inhaled any water, you’ll need to be prepared.”

He was making efforts to calm his breathing, hooves covering his eyes as he tried to dry his tears. Luffy was leaning over the railing, eyes focused and unblinking as he stared into the depths of the water. The only movement was the waves. Nami was next to Sanji now, hands pressing to the sides of his head to have him turn to look at her. Her facial expression was calm, a clear attempt to calm him down, but her eyes were blazingly angry.

“Sanji, Zoro will get her; she’ll be fine.”

You’ll be fine, of course you will be. That was enforced by a loud splashing and two sharp gasps for air. The crew all looked forward, pressing against the railing as Zoro resurfaced, arms wrapped tightly around you. You appeared to be fighting against his grip, and on his forearms were scratch marks, shallow but bleeding into the salty water.

Taglist: @hannahbarberra162 @sagyunaro @twismare @nerium21 @the-maladaptive-daydreamers @glaciuswduo @thekatisspooky @kultofkorii @cr4zybeach @ceramic-raven @theweirdgirl606 @jjsmeowthie @dinnersyummy @jetblackw1ngs @mizzhellsingsstuff @naheku @onepieceofass @zoecelestine @1sosleepyy @rururgent @flow33didontsmoke @mizzhellsingsstuff @maria-chwan @honestlywtfisgoingon @qalable

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Next to You

Pairing: Hobie Brown x GN!Reader/ Spider-Punk x GN!Reader

Word count: 1.3k

Author's Note: I am not sorry @the-kr8tor , @yumeaoka-chan , @pleaktale. And @rexlroze , YOU have specifically kickstarted the Loser!Hobie rabbit hole, and I have now got myself into loving these losers lmao. I'd like to thank @pinksugarscrub for beta reading for me and helping me out with this piece! Also, this piece contains some spoilers for Arcane Season 2, so don't read it if you don't want to be spoiled!

Tags: Lovestruck!Hobie, Loser!R, Nerd!R, Fluff, Spoilers for Arcane Season 2, Some Explicit Language

Hobie knew what he signed up for when he asked you out.

Despite your typically quiet personality, he knew you were passionate at heart. He knew that when he jumped through the portal to your universe and landed on your bed, only to see you bawling your eyes out over an animated show before you screamed bloody murder from his sudden arrival and fell down on the floor. He knew that when he looked around your room and saw all the posters of different shows and artists covering your walls, all your favorite books and figurines lined up on your shelves, the sketchbooks filled with all of your favorite characters in your specific art style. He knew that when his eyes landed on your pajama bottoms with some cute bison-like mascot from a show he overheard you talk about with Miles at the Spider Society. 

Even if you were scrambling off the floor, too flustered to make any coherent words to him while struggling to pause your show, he knew he liked this new side of you he discovered. And he especially knew he he was smitten with you the moment he asked you about the show you were watching, watching your eyes instantly light up before you drag him onto the bed and restart the show for him, obliviously nestling against his side while you eagerly ran your mouth about the premise of the show.

Yeah, he knew what he signed up for when he asked you out after binging the whole series with you.

Which was why he was prepared for you bawling your eyes out and smearing clear snot on his shirt while he cradled you in his arms. He gently shushed you while the end credits quietly ran in the background, running his long nimble fingers through your hair before pressing his lips against the top of your head.

“ ’s okay, lovie,” he whispered against your skin as he peppered more tender kisses, “I know, I know…”

Hiccups and sobs wracked up your body as you buried your face into his chest, your voice muffled into the cotton fabric. “It’s– It’s not fair! They were– they were together again! The writers couldn’t even let them be together for one full day?!”

Hobie quietly pulled the fluffy duvet from the end of your bed over the two of you, wrapping you into a tight embrace within the blanket and in his arms. “I know, darling, I know…”

“It’s just– it hurts so much! The fact that Isha was the one who did that, and it just paralleled with–”

“Yes, I know, luv–”

“Like, they didn’t have make Isha’s last moments an alternate version of Powder’s attempt in Season One where Powder’s plan worked–”

“I know, sweetheart–”

“And the pastel colors during the memory sequence for Isha– fuck– she basically remembers the Undercity as this bright and fun place because of Jinx, and not only did Jinx and Vi had to relive the trauma of losing Vander through Warwick again, but Jinx had to basically watch her baby sister, her inner child, and a version of herself sacrifice herself in front of her eyes…”

A hiccup wracked up your body again before fresh tears flooded your red-rimmed eyes, and Hobie wrapped his arms tighter around you while you sobbed into his chest again. “Fuck– I can’t– I don’t think I’m gonna last for the next three episodes–”

Hobie shushed you gently again while brushing his lips along your hairline, his fingers gently scratching your scalp while his other hand reached out for the cup of water he set to the side before you played the new episode. “C’mon, sit up for me, lovie,” he whispered against your forehead before carefully shifting the both of you up against the headboard. “Don’ wan’cha ta turn int’a raisin on me…”

You could only nod with a sniffle in response, blinking away the bleary tears in your eyes and snorting the clear mucus back up your red nose, before you sat up and grabbed the plastic cup from him. The moment you took a sip, the cool water instantly flooded and alleviated your raw throat, and you slowly drained the cup until it turned up empty.

A small smile curled up on Hobie’s lips as he gingerly grabbed the cup from your hands and set it back onto your nightstand. Without another thought Hobie then grabbed the hem of his shirt and peeled it off, goosebumps instantly pricking his skin as the cold air hit it, before gently pushing the shirt against your nose.

“Blow.”

You instantly obliged and blew your nose into his shirt, and he carefully pinched your nose and rubbed the snot off before tossing it across the room and on top of the pile of your dirty laundry in your hamper.

“Kobe.”

“Still don’ know who tha’ bloke is, but sure, lovie.”

A shaky chortle slipped through your lips before Hobie pulled you back into his arms and wrapped the blanket over you two again.

“Y’know, you could've gotten up to get a napkin instead of using your shirt–”

“It is too bloody cold to get out of this bed,” Hobie snickered while tucking your head underneath his chin. “Plus my shirt was already your personal snot rag, so it didn’t make a difference.”

You rolled your eyes with a sniffle before you nuzzled against his chest, and he in turn pressed his lips against your forehead again with a slight smirk. Your television gently illuminated the both of you in the dark, and you glanced up to see the blue light glinting from his piercings and his warm, dark eyes. His face softened at the sight of you, with splotchy skin and red-rimmed eyes, and he couldn't help but find you adorable in that moment. His arms pulled away in lieu of cupping your cheeks with his hands, and he gently tilted your head up to brush his lips against yours in a brief, comforting kiss. Your lips reluctantly parted from each other, with you trying to chase his lips to steal another one in vain, before he wrapped his arms around you in another tight embrace.

“...was this season as good as you hoped it would be, lovie?”

“God, yes, it’s so fucking good.”

Hobie huffed out a small chuckle while you tangled his lanky legs with yours. “Like, I can’t wait for Act Three to come out in a few days, but I also know it’s going to hurt so much watching those last episodes and have to watch the conclusion of it…”

Hobie nodded along with a tender smile as he gazed back down, his chest warming up as you started your cute little rant again. One of his hands trailed up your back and lingered on the back of your neck, gently massaging it while you continued talking.

“Like, I know there is going to be a clusterfuck of emotional damage for me at the end of this season. We still gotta see Ekko and Heimerdinger, we gotta see what’s gonna happen next for Jinx, Vi and Caitlyn, and we also have to deal with Jayce and Viktor– oh my god, that fucking scene of Jayce aiming that fucking cannon at Viktor–”

Hobie’s smile grew softer the more he listened to you, your voice still slightly raw and hoarse from the prolonged crying and your eyes glinted with the same eager light he saw that fateful day months ago, and his chest warms up just the same, his heart just as smitten with you as before.

You instantly stopped talking the moment a weight pressed down against the top of your head, and you pushed your head up to see Hobie’s eyes closed and his lips parted with shallow breaths. Your heart fluttered at the sight of the sleeping man huddled against you, his demeanor relaxed and languid as his lips curled up into a small, boyish smile, before you carefully pulled the blanket over him and pressed a gentle peck against his lips and nestled against him to join him in his slumber.

-----

Song Recommendation of the Day courtesy of @pinksugarscrub

[drippingmoon]

Remains of a Night | Aberration of Sunlight: Beta stage!

Hello to everyone! I'm super happy and excited to announce that another one of my wips has reached beta stage. It's a series of two books: with Remains of a Night being the first, and Aberration of Sunlight wrapping up the story. Like before, if anyone would like to give a wee fellow writer a hand, I'd beam in gratitude☺ If not -- if you could at least boost this post, that'd be delightfully kindly of you. ❤

Sign-up period: till April 10

Genre: sci-fi horror, taking place on either an icy planet, or in the dead of cosmic space, as we're on the runnnn

Long story long (both books' blurb):

In purple fields of forget-me-nots, a broken helmet rests. It's the Fourth Dive of Procyon.

The Beast of the Deep Night has long turned into a cataclysm. Now it vies to extinguish humanity. The stars are slowly being tugged its way, and one day they will all Dive inside its void maw. This is the current outlook, in the planets' neon nights of bleakness and numbness. Alexander Madigan, police Superintendent of his planet, is definitely not where he should be. But with the world at an end, and a distress call breaking the silence of his office, he decides to investigate the truth behind the cataclysm. Even if that may draw its lambent eye his way.

He doesn't think his life matters more than the young marine's on the other end, who he wishes he could bring home.

Ages before their reality, the crew of another ship does its best to preserve their own lives. Things have become complicated though: with the addition of a new recruit, and while the Beast is merely a cautionary tale in their time, their impression is that it might have just come to their ship. Nor does it bode well that they have the most selfish human on the journey with them.

Word count: 120k, 123k respectively (RoaN and AoS)

Warnings: gore, body horror, suicidal thoughts, ableism (intentional and unintentional)

This all started out of my love for Halo, (if you share it, I salute you!💞) and for the idea of a creature that could hear the whisperings of the universe to it. Boy, were they bloodthirsty.

What am I looking for?

It's an advanced draft, I went ham on the editing!🥳🤣 so if any typos have dodged my attention... (they always do, the little fuckers), I will be super grateful if you found them. Otherwise, the standard; characters, plot, odd phrasing (this isn't 'quiv, so the writing is standardly clear. Still, if there's anything that makes you squint, I want to know). I do have lists of questions for each chapter, but you can opt out of it and comment free style.

Honestly, I just want your direct thoughts, and if there happens to be someone who's an expert on people who have had one arm devoured... that's a sensitivity beta I could use!🤩

Inconsistencies! Orrrr... if something just so feels like it used to have 5 more chapters on it and now it looks like a visitor from another timeline. Whoops.

Your emotions! Let me eat them! What moments stayed with you, and which had you feel particularly meh! More than everything else on this list, this is the most important one to me.🥹

Very preferably, that you read both books. However, it's purely optional.

What can you expect?

Two pretty word documents! We can talk as much or as little as you want. I do enjoy making friends, though🤭

No deadlines. Having been a beta reader myself more than a handful of times, I know how hard it is. Nevertheless, please do make sure you actually want to do this, and genuinely like the sound of this series.🧐 I will expect you to keep me updated about your progress (nothing fancy; once per month), so I know I'm not being ghosted. It goes without saying you can drop it whenever you want! Just inform me. That way, I'm not waiting, and I can move ahead with my baby. And you've something off your conscience. Win-win.

!! Since I've never shared snippets here, you can absolutely ask for a sample two chapters and decide.

That's it! Thanks for eyeballing this post, and I hope to see some of you! I am genuinely curious and excited about your thoughts, and hopefully someone will have the time🤩💞 for the sign-ups, you can contact me in my DMs, or comment here, and I'll reach out to you! Ta-ta, I'm out! Have a great day!

[notthesoup]

PAIRING stoner!vi x fem!reader

TYPE headcanons

GENRE fluff, angst (minor hurt/comfort)

SYNOPSIS what she’s like when she’s high

NOTES was debating if this should be headcanons or a oneshot, ended up with this. not beta read!

© notthesoup - all rights reserved. even when credited, these works are prohibited to be reposted, translated or modified

She doesn’t mind the smell of cigars (it reminds her of Vander), but she prefers smoking cannabis. She doesn’t care too much about the specifics either (wouldn’t gaf about the strain type or the terpene profile), weed is weed and she’s smoking that shit fr 🙏

She typically only smokes socially, preferring to share a light high among friends.

She’s normally a brash, “act first think later” sort of person, but when she’s high she’s a tad more patient with things. This doesn’t account to much though, because even if she allows herself a few moments to think something through, she’ll still impulsively do it. “It’s a problem for future me,” she reasons. Unfortunately, the future is near, and she wakes up the next day with small random bruises she doesn’t remember getting.

When Vi is high she’s a lot goofier and carefree. Depending on how many hits she’s taken of the blunt, she’ll have trouble focussing her eyes during conversation. Because of this, she’ll squint at you when you’re talking, trying but failing to hold eye contact. She’ll be eagerly listening, then get distracted by the way your face is moving, and start giggling. You ask her what’s wrong, if there’s something on your face, and a memory of Mylo or Claggor hits her; she starts laughing her ass off. You let her indulge herself, content to sit and watch as she tries to explain, stuttering out sentences between wheezing. When that doesn’t work she tried collecting herself. After a minute or so her breathing evens out again, your expression still a blurry smile, and she says softly, “they would’ve liked you.” You know better than to ask in that moment, so with a chuckle, you nudge her shoulder with yours and nod.

Philosophers have nothinggg on Vi when she’s high. Sure, at the beginning of the smoke session she’s a chatterbox, but as the night progresses the conversation becomes more pensive (and slightly cynical). There can be a real sense of calm hopelessness, like standing in the eye of a hurricane and watching the storm swirl around you. Then the conversation would grow quiet for a minute, the two of you overlooking the buildings on the horizon.

Throughout the night, Vi will get sentimental like that sometimes. You find yourself wanting to comfort her during those times, but know she just needs someone to listen to her.

After realizing that neither of you had talked for what seems like an hour, she’d do something akin to what Vander would do, slapping her hands on her thighs and saying “what would you say about going for some drinks, eh?”

She’s more often than not lighthearted and boisterous though, the sadder moments few and far between. She likes making outlandish claims to get the conversation started, and waves her hands a lot in emphasis.

In moments of silence when she’s stuck on what to say, she always brings it back to zucchini and how she thinks they’re evil. Don’t worry, you don’t even have to ask, she’s already launching into her reasoning.

ARCANE MASTERLIST !

ADDITIONAL NOTE! if you like my work, please consider reblogging and/or commenting! thank you if you do 🤍

[itsybitsybluesy]

THE PERFECT ROMANTIC GETAWAY: ONE WEEK FOR TWO AT SCENIC, LAKESIDE MOUNTAIN LODGE

CHAPTER 1 / ELUCIEN / EXPLICIT / 1 OF 3

There was simply so much they’d had to extricate themselves from in the middle of Solstice season, Elain thought several times that they should really just call the whole thing off. “It’s never a good time for a vacation,” Lucien told her. “Which is why you have to take them.”

🎁  🎁  🎁 

LMAO HAPPY ACOTAR GIFT EXCHANGE @huntquinlan!!! surprise surprise, i accidentally revealed myself as your secret santa AND THEN TURNED AROUND AND DOUBLE-CROSSED YA BY PRETENDING I WAS YOUR NEW, DIFFERENT SECRET SANTA... did you guess? i am selfishly super happy i didn't have to switch, because i loved writing this and i also loved getting to discover your wonderful art! my only regret is that i couldn't write you asks in gossip girl speak the entire time.

thank you @temperedink for the generous beta read and thank you @acotargiftexchange for dealing with my mistake... i'm told at least once a year someone spoils the surprise and i am not that shocked that i did it my first time. just too excitable i guess!

have a wonderful holiday season, and i really hope you like this! i tried to take your Outlander hot springs suggestion and go somewhere new on the Continent (that is, ahem, quite obviously a lakeside town in japan i once visited in my early 20s). there will be three chapters total, sprinkled somewhat evenly over the next few days of the event!

LOVE U BESTIE!

xoxo,

itsy <3

(read it on AO3!)

preview under the cut:

ELAIN

She was slightly anxious the whole carriage ride as town streets turned to farms and fields and then to hills and valleys. There was simply so much they’d had to extricate themselves from in the middle of Solstice season, Elain had thought several times that they should really call the whole thing off. Nesta was just a few months pregnant and horribly sick in the mornings, sometimes only able to keep down the soothing bone broths Elain made her from scratch; Nyx was going through his first few challenges with his schooling and consequently driving court tutors to madness; Feyre and Rhys had their hands full and heads spinning with a squabbling pack of High Lords and uneasy, bickering detente with the human queens. 

Elain had been soothing and tending and chipping in and charming her ass off anyone that needed it. “I just don’t know if it’s such a good idea for us to leave now ,” she’d said to her mate, though it pained her to rain on his parade. 

Lucien was still splitting his time between Day and the apartment they were renting in Velaris, though Elain knew the constant winnowing didn’t always help with the question of what, exactly, to do about his inheritance: the title of Day Court Prince, Helion’s pride and joy, the golden boy he would have been, had he been allowed to grow up by his father’s side. The High Lord of Day seemed to have an endless fount of ideas on what Lucien should learn about in Day’s libraries, or why it was very important for him to accompany Helion to a trade meeting, or any number of other reasons to invite the current emissary of Night to stay another day, week, month. 

Elain knew there was no reason Lucien needed to keep going on Rhys’s nosy little reconnaissance missions or put up with the polite friendlessness that faced him in Velaris - just as she knew her mate still could not take the final step into the place Helion offered to him, the path that seemed to be open after so many decades thinking he deserved so little. It was Lucien who perhaps needed to spend more time communicating with his relatives and trusted friends this Solstice, and of course it was Lucien most convinced they should leave, Cauldron boil them all, because they wanted to and because they could. 

“It’s never a good time for a vacation,” Lucien told her before they left. “Which is why you have to take them.” 

“That’s not an answer,” Elain said loftily. “I think it’s you trying to avoid a Solstice visit with Helion.” 

“Forget Helion,” her mate said. “It’s me trying to whisk my gorgeous mate away for some actual peace and quiet.” 

And in the end, she’d agreed with him, in her heart of hearts so craving a day or two to just themselves. Lucien spared no expense or comfort, ever gallant and also very dramatic about his holiday plans; he worked with court engineers to spell their carriage against the winter cold so that he and Elain could enjoy a cozy, comfortable ride to their destination, laden with trunks of likely unnecessary furs and blankets and books and tea. He knew Elain still preferred real-time travel to winnowing, and he also knew it was a simple pleasure for her to not have to pack light. Across from her in the carriage, he sat with one hand stroking her own, eyes bright as he peered out the window. 

“Tell me again,” Elain said softly, “what this place is like.” 

“I don’t want to build your hopes too high,” Lucien said gaily, clearly proud of what he’d planned anyway. “After all, it was a suggestion from Eris, of all people.” It was his brooding, severe half-brother who’d told Lucien about the town and the inn, the mountain and the springs before it, about a day’s ride Northeast into the Continent. Only the Mother knew how, exactly, Eris had acquired this information, but Eris had heard about Elain’s dreamy musings on travel, exploring beautiful places and getting to know new people. Lucien expected it was ultimately fondness for Elain and not himself that had so inspired this exclusive recommendation. 

“That’s why I know it’ll be just perfect,” Elain countered. “Any place on the Continent notable enough for Eris Vanserra must be pretty breathtaking.” 

“It’s only a town,” Lucien said, grinning. “A town he happened to know, by a mountain, populated by quiet mountain people he probably terrified.” 

Elain curled closer to him and sighed. “Quiet people, how lovely,” she said. “What if I never want to return?” 

Lucien dropped a kiss on her forehead. “I’m sure I could handle your correspondence, be your emissary.” 

“No, I’ll make sure you’re enchanted into following my every step,” his mate replied. “So you can never leave my side.” 

He turned and let himself take a deep whiff of her hair and pearled, soft skin. “No enchantment needed, mate.”