#also kind of like a pirate’s peg leg??

[camping-with-monsters]

Cinderella!! Or Captain Hook? Or both…? She’s both!

Another character design for Duck Duck Goose hehe

[moongothic]

To be honest I can kinda see how having a hook instead of a hand prosthetic has its benefits

Hook is easier to mantain than a hand with lots of small moving pats, especially when you don't know shit about it. If something happens to it and it gets broken, it's much easier to replace a hook, even with all layers and poisons

And depending on when in time Crocodile lost his hand he may have just got used to it already

But also yeah, Crocodile is just the type of guy to choose a hook instead of a new hand because looks and aesthetics lol

(sorry for typos btw)

Crocodile's hook is kind of fun because it's a reflection of so many things in the story. Like there's the in-universe lore and character stuff we can look at, but also we can look at it from a meta perspective

Like we know Oda wanted to give certain important characters in the story the Iconic Pirate Traits; the peg leg for Zeff, the hook for Crocodile and an eyepatch he has seemingly been saving up all these years for a special someone (my money's on Mr Burns but that's a different subject). And so Crocodile having the iconic hook is a part of an old pirate-y "vision" Oda wanted to fulfill with One Piece, an OG "goal" from waaay back in the day

But another thing is that Crocodile is very much from The Olden Days of One Piece, more specifically, very much pre-what I'd call the sci-fi era of OP. I'd say One Piece started truly dwelling deeper into that genre and its tropes during Punk Hazard, but Oda didn't even really dip his toes into it until the CP9 Saga (with the introduction of Franky and the namedropping of Doctor Vegapunk). Sure, Oda did already hint at the existence of Vegapunk and his scientific developments back in Alabasta (when Miss Merry Christmas explained that Lassoo was a gun that had eaten a Dog Dog Fruit, this being "the Latest Science from the Grand Line"*), but One Piece was still very much in its more classical fantasy element/genre at this point in the story, so the science fiction that was to come years and decades later was not even present at this point

*(Thinking about it, honestly, how the fuck did Mr 4 get his hands on Lassoo if Lassoo was created by Vegapunk?? Was he a gift from Vegapunk/the WG to Crocodile, maybe????? That Crocodile just secretly gave away to Mr 4????)

In other words, in hindsight it might seem odd Crocodile wouldn't have taken advantage of his position as a Warlord and gotten a prosthetic arm to replace his hook. But Crocodile is a One Piece character from a different era in the story, when advanced prosthetics, cyborgs, robots, clones and so much more were nothing but a twinkle in Oda's eyes. So expecting Crocodile to have lived up to the sci-fi future One Piece wasn't originally going to even get to would be unreasonable.

But the fun thing is that we can actually look at Crocodile and his silly little hook, and spin it in a way that does actually complement his character. We can find in-universe reasons for him to have stuck to a hook over an advanced prosthetic, and they make sense. The most obvious would of course be that Crocodile does not trust anyone. It would be very much unlike him to go to Vegapunk and/or the World Government requesting to be given a prosthetic, because that would mean 1) Leaving himself vulnerable for a period of time so that Vegapunk could actually give him a prosthetic (dangerous) 2) Knowing the WG they would not just give out something like that for free, surely they'd want something from Crocodile in exchange. And, while we know what would become of Kuma eventually (a fate so cruel I'm sure even Crocodile could not have imagined) I'm sure he could have suspected the WG could want to use him for a science experiment or two, something I'm sure Crocodile would never have agreed to. Or maybe the WG/Vegapunk would've wanted Crocodile to pay them an obscene amount of money in exchange for a prosthetic, and/or have him do some other favors. Whatever the case, I'm sure none of these options would have seemed worth it in his mind.

And yeah, what you said.

Maintaining and taking care of a hook would be easier, like if Vegapunk's prosthetics ever broke or malfunctioned for any reason Crocodile would have to make a horrifically long hike all the way from Alabasta to Marijoa, cross the Red Line (to be fair his Shichibukai Status would allow him to go over which would be more convenient than passing through Fishman Island), go to Punk Hazard (or Egghead later on), and then hike aaall the way back to Alabasta again. And Vegapunk's inventions didn't always work as intended, the man had to refine and develop his creations to get them to work the way he wanted them to.

So if the option get a prosthetic was ever brought up to Crocodile by the WG like 10+ years ago, he might've been far more cynical about Vegapunk's ability to actually create a decent prosthetic that worked and wouldn't malfunction/have issues etc. And as you suggested, by that time he probably would have become used to his hook, to the point that he didn't mind keeping it.

And yeah, it would be just a big ol' Luffyism if he preferred the giant, golden, gaudy-ass hook

[tizzyizzy]

Ed's Song vs Izzy's Song

Both scenes involve troubled leather-wearing pirates putting themselves out there to the crew of the Revenge through the medium of song. But what are the differences?

Captain Instigated vs. Crew Instigated

It is Ed who is the first to sing, much to the bafflement of the crew. He has feelings and he wants to express them to a supportive group. This leads into Buttons's experimental tone based singing and Ed's idea for a talent show. The crew are totally on board, but this is still Ed, as captain, setting the agenda.

Calypso's Birthday is an event the crew come up with, separately from the captains. In fact, the holiday itself is a kind of defiance of authority. It's a "pretend holiday" that a captain can "fall for", and Stede agrees to play along. Izzy even isn't even there for the initial planning. Izzy's role comes later; his singing is a contribution to and complement to a tone already set by the rest of the crew.

Emotional Low vs. Emotional High

Ed is at his lowest point in the narrative so far. Stede, a man he opened his heart to for the first time in his life, abadoned him. His hopes for a gentler life have been shattered. His conversation with Lucius and singing to the crew are desperate attempts to elicit the emotional support that Stede was the first to give him. And the crew are supportive, even asking him to sing again.

Izzy sings at the peak of his emotional health in the series. He is no longer obsessing over Edward. He's developed trust and friendships with the crew. The fact that Izzy is putting himself out there, wearing makeup and singing in front of these people, is proof of how far he's come.

This is reflected in their clothing choices, or lack thereof. Ed has dragged himself out of his depression pit and looks like it. Izzy is wearing makeup and a flower, and has never appeared so gussied up.

New Relationship vs. Tested Relationship

While Ed did pal around on the Revenge, and Lucius in particular offered him relationship advice, he spent most of his time and emotional energy on Stede. For everyone on the crew, except perhaps Lucius, seeing Ed suddenly being so vulnerable and open with them was something of a shock. They rallied, but from their expressions it's clear they aren't initially sure how to react. They're up for forming a closer relationship with Ed, but this is just the start.

Izzy's relationship with the crew had been developing in every season 2 episode before his solo. It started with Izzy reluctantly allowing himself to be hugged by Fang, and has included him saving the crew from a suicidal Blackbeard, a gift of a peg leg, and chats about trauma with Lucius. Izzy's song can be seen as a gift to the crew, or even a love song to them. It is his relationship with them that has allowed him to feel safe enough to come out of his shell.

Implications?

While both characters are trying to connect to the crew, when we compare Ed's experience to Izzy's, it's easier to see how Ed's actions and emotional situation were not ideal. All it takes is one conversation with Izzy for Ed to start regarding the crew with suspicious or resentment again, more of an emotional threat like Stede than a source of comfort. He swings in the other direction and attempts to kill all but two, whom he kidnaps.

While Izzy does not have an Izzy figure in his life to express disgust for his soft, unpirate-like behavior, it's doubtful that he'd pay them any mind at this point in his emotional development. If, for example, Ed had insulted him after this song, Izzy would have told him to fuck off.

It's also worth pointing out that Ed's song was followed with him suggesting a talent show and toying with the idea of giving up piracy. These actions are both out of character and that latter is a pretty extreme, impractical suggestion. Ed seems to be flailing around, uncertain about his identity and desires.

While on the surface, Izzy's makeup and singing might seem like an even more extreme change, both a appropriate for the event he is participating in: a party. While he is trying something new, he is doing so within the confines of a space and time designated for such activities. He isn't even the most garishly dressed: he was specifically emulating Wee John, who appears in even more elaborate drag. His core personality hasn't really changed much. He still says fuck and can be abrasive. He smiles when he watched Stede kill Ned Lowe, unbothered by the violence as usual. He's still a pirate.

Of course this is not me saying "Izzy good, Ed bad". It just shows the difference between two characters at different points in their story. It was good Ed was reaching out for help, but he was emotionally fragile, and overcorrected at the first challenge. Izzy had to go through hell and be forcibly adopted to get where he is.

[daandyli0n]

alright, so! some design fun facts for my versions of the Withered Animatronics

@that-darn-clown if you wanna see these

In General:

the original Freddy's Band was based off of toys from Henry's childhood.

the names have been changed heavily from the plushies, though: Teddy, Theodore, Dawn, and Cooper.

(Un)Withered Freddy:

based off of Teddy, a stuffed bear with buttons pre-sewn in.

has a pencil mustache

general vibes were supposed to be "tough guy that you might mistake for a criminal, but is actually just fatherly boss type of guy."

suffered the least amount of overall damage after being withered

the part of his endoskeleton that controlled his left eye weakened over time, causing the eye to "roll around" a bit.

voice box is very damaged, though: music and voice comes out heavily distorted and glitchy, to the point it's nearly impossible to understand.

(Un)Withered Bonnie:

based off of Theodore (the OG, not the one he made for Sammy), a stuffed rabbit that also had buttons pre-sewn in.

based roughly off of country and rock singers in the 70s (Henry's a southern country dude to me, y'know?)

vibes were "jokester rock star dude who is Definitely not gay for the lead singer (Freddy)." also meant to be kind of a dick. a likeable dick, though.

suffered the most damage after being withered. no one knows how he got that damaged. they think he was likely vandalized, though.

can't speak clearly; think UCN, voice and speech is heavily distorted and nearly unintelligible, but speech can still be made out.

shambles/limps as he walks due to his legs being more rusted, as well as having stability problems in general.

shirt was pinned down using the buttons, and then tore off; what happened is unknown

(Un)Withered Chica:

based off of Dawn, a stuffed rooster that Henry had initially believed was a hen until "corrected." still treated her as a hen though.

due to this, as you can guess, Chica is meant to be canonically transfem.

supposed to give off "young southern woman who takes no shit from anyone and cooks for everyone just because she wants to" vibes.

Henry ignored any questions about Chica being trans for years, and justified the tailfeathers on what's supposed to be a hen as a "design choice" (which isn't wrong, to be clear. he's just purposefully being vague).

eyelids + lashes fell off, giving her a permanently wide-eyed look.

"wrist" joints rusted and "hands" fell off

beak joints became weak and started falling apart, leaving her with a permanently gaping mouth.

apron 🥰🥰

(Un)Withered Foxy:

based off of Cooper, a stuffed Fox that was constantly falling apart when Henry was growing up

yellow eyes and stuff was based off of Henry's mom replacing the eyes with yellow buttons.

pirate because he asked Michael for a theme for the ""antagonist""* and that's what Michael picked.

* not really that much of an antagonist, think Rolfe from the Rock-Afire Explosion but if you mixed him with Doofenshmirtz. basically he'd just annoy everyone with his pirate schemes, but they were all buddies.

nobody knows how Foxy got that damaged.

his peg leg is straight up Ripped Off.

so is his eye

attacks by running through the hall on all fours like a dog and then propelling himself and lunging into the office.

eyes are very sensitive from his time in the dark, more so than the others somehow, which is why the flashlight works so well. no one knows why his eyes are so much more sensitive, though.

people think Foxy tore himself apart somehow (due to his more erratic behavior compared to the others post-MCI), or that someone vandalized him for some reason.

[anarchic-miscellany]

Reading "One Piece" for the first time, Part 5: So, pretty early on (about the time a murder clown nuked a village) I realised that escalation was basically a crapshoot in this series, and honestly one of its charms thus far. Now the Idiot, the Himbo, the Cartographer with a Brain Cell and Meme in Progress Usopp are chilling at this floating fish restaurant. The Giga Chad Chef they met who kicked an entitled Karen in the face has now given free food to a pirate in need, because he's a pretty stand up guy. Nice touch honestly. But now a man made of guns has arrived and declared war on the restaurant because he wants the logbook of the elderly chef who runs it (and has a pegleg, honestly I am surprised at the restraint in waiting this long for a peg leg on the author's part, though I am surprised also that it doesn't have a shotgun in it or an interdimensional portal to the food dimension, or something) so he can cross "The Grand Line" after a fuck load of his crew got their shit pushed in out there. Naturally the restaurant and old man want him to shove it, so a fight ensues. I like the wholesome army of chefs who cannot work elsewhere and will defend this place until death, it's becoming a theme. This villain is kind of meh, especially after the Cat Guy in the last volume, and he keeps doing that thing of shooting his own dudes in the face which... okay man, great tactic. Still, we get to see the Giga Chad (I think he's going to be my favourite) roundhouse spiral kick a bunch of dudes and that's honestly kind of cool. The Cartographer with a Brain Cell has pissed off with their ship and loot, which I should really have seen coming, but in my defence I was distracted by the chef pirate battle and the arrival of... I'll get to you... I'm looking forward to them confronting her and getting their stuff back, I mean: they literally only just got this thing! Anyway, the fight is fun, kinetic, vast, frantic, it's the first one which really busts free and does its own thing and isn't merely "Dragon Ball Z" showdowns (RIP Toriyama, King) between two guys in fields. But then this fucking guy arrives. "Dracule Mihawk", the man who cuts a ship in half. You can tell this series was started in the 90s, because he is cringe incarnate, he is the edgelord anime stereotype of a badass, spoken of like a whispering nightmare of death upon the wind. And honestly I find him super dull, super cliched and just not worth my time at all. Naturally he ends up stabbing the Himbo with only a small dagger and is going to be his nemesis for the series. I appreciate them bringing in a character who will be a recurring, soon to overcome villain, but for fuck's sake, can it be literally anyone else? I'll take that Morgan guy over him. I'll take the fucking Lion Tamer. But no, we get this towering inferno of cringe. Also, Usopp doesn't really have anything to do here, shame. Anyway, now they're battling a man made of bin lids who calls himself "Pearl". Sure.

[beanghostprincess]

Old man yaoi old man yaoi old man yaoi

Widow / Widower dating again is my favorite romance trop it's underrated

Zeff sometimes likes to deliver his favorite customer's food. Red hair pirates crew is one of them. Zeff personally makes yasopp's dish and always leaves a note in his bento box.

They don't really have the time to actually date. most of their dates were just yasopp helping zeff buy materials for the baratie. Just two of them carrying meat and produce while holding hands.

When the restaurant was closed zeff let yasopp cook with him. He knows the basics but he knows how to follow directions so their meals are pretty good. They usually eat alone while everyone is asleep or doing whatever.

Zeff's love language is cooking and while yasopp is gifts. He would buy things like skillets and wooden spoons if he's on a different island with him crew he'd buy different spices and herbs for his kitchen. He also bought a new peg leg for their one year anniversary.

Red hair pirates like to tease yasopp when ever he comes back from a date or a 'sleep over '. He usually yells at them especially shanks, man is sleeping with a clown and he thinks he has room to speak.

PDA is little to none. They just aren't into it the closest thing they do is hand holding the maybe a kiss on cheek and peck on the lips. In private though yasopp is being held and being smothered with affection. Yasopp doesn't use pet names but zeff calls him melon sometimes.

Yasopp talks about Banchina a lot. His good memories, his bad memories, his regrets and his mistakes. He still misses her zeff knows that and let's him express that without any jealousy or ill feelings

Sanji knows about their relationship when he came to visit he snuck into his dad's bedroom too sleal back a pack of cigarettes only to his boyfriend's dad sleeping in his bed. There were a lot of questions and a lot of profanities after

Usopp doesn't know about them. Yasopp just got used to seeing his son he's not ready to talk about his love life or his sexuality. Sanji respected his request but he still doesn't like the relationship.

Their relationship is not serious serious they ain't getting married and they usually don't see each other for months. They're not really monogamous either they could one day live together and live a quiet life or they could never see each other again and they'd be ok with that as well (mostly zeff he'd be ok Yasopp tho would be devastated)

YAY THE SANUSO FOR OLD PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!

This is,,, Really cute. They're not something serious but they enjoy being together. Yasopp doubts he'll ever feel what he felt for his wife again but he likes Zeff's company and both Usopp and Shanks wouldn't stop telling him to enjoy life as much as he can so,, And Zeff is so busy he doesn't even have the time for a real relationship, but every time Yasopp appears he makes time for him. It makes them feel young.

Okay, but imagine Sanji knowing and wanting to tell Usopp (of course) but yeah, Yasopp tells him he's not ready yet yadda yadda. And Sanji is DYING. Usually, Sanji is good at keeping secrets. If somebody does not want him to tell something to others, he just won't. But do you know how hard it is to keep stuff from your boyfriend? I would die. And it's not even that he feels guilty for that or feels the responsibility of telling him. No. He just wants to complain about their dads being kind of, sort of together. And maybe not even complain, just talk about it. He's so used to telling Usopp everything that now this just feels wrong. He's having an awful time. But actually, I think Usopp would find out somehow. Yasopp doesn't know he knows and Usopp lets him live like that until he's ready to tell him himself. And also he uses that to drive Sanji crazy because it's funny..

[galaxycunt]

He’s My Thing pt 2

Find part 1 here also on AO3 if u prefer that

Also smut warning forgot to add that on the last one lmao

He wasn’t stupid, he couldn’t have been doing what you did to him. You looked over your shoulder anyway, sleeping light. Why did you go this far anyway? Surely you had nicer romantic pursuits, were you in love with what he could’ve been?

The nights you stalked him, spying on private moments, when he’d slump his shoulders in the ways you did. Quick as ever when you’d pounce. You weren’t sure how to kill him after all these years, a puzzle you loved to solve.

That was love wasn’t it, for people like you. You watched him carefully, you knew his favorite meal. His love of drinking, the kind of villages he’d target. You had to, and you felt you knew why now.

You had to know more.

He’d share a meal with you now, answering your little questions about himself without a hint of annoyance. You told him this morning that you loved to sing, a small attempt at a connection.

”I know.”

”How’d you know that?”

He smiled, “you know the spiel.”

”But how? I don’t think I’m that loud doing chores am I?”

He looked a little sad, “I kept tabs on you. An ear tucked away, kids paid off. I wanted to stay ahead of the game.”

This made you blush, he heard everything. Since when or how much, you were too afraid to ask. You couldn’t be that surprised, the days you’d watch him in that circus tent staring at his reflection, hidden in a pile of costumes. It was like he hated himself, you knew the feeling all too well.

You carefully brushed your hand against his on the table, Buggy holding it firmly. You never spoke of your feelings after what happened, afraid to be rejected. You held his gaze, hoping you weren’t falling into wishful thinking.

”So you sing while you work huh?”

”Doesn’t everyone?”

He shrugged with a smile, “maybe.”

You slowly inched forward, enough time for him to push you away. His lips stayed still as you pressed against him.

You frowned, “sorry.”

”How can I know you won’t change your mind? Not everyone has the stomach to be a pirate. Especially where we’re going.”

You nod, eyes glued to your plate the rest of your meal. Buggy didn’t know what to say, the bitterness he felt made him sick. He could throw you overboard, slit your throat in your sleep. You claimed to love him and did all the same to him anyway. He could love you to death, by his hand only.

You avoid each other again until nightfall, your little ritual at this point. This time it’s you with your arms around him, listening to the ocean waves hitting the ship. Buggy was lonely, no matter how many betrayed him, he always let someone in. You were the same. A dangerous game you both played, no wonder you loved him.

”I never thanked you for the map, so thanks,” he said.

”I needed to make things right, even if you killed me after.”

He nodded, “I wanted to dock somewhere close. Get you something better than that peg leg.”

”Makes me feel like a real pirate,” you attempt to joke.

”I really didn’t mean it.”

”You meant to kill me.”

He smiled sadly, “no, not that either.”

Your heart raced, he always loved you. Why?

”You-why? I mean look at me even before all this, look at what we’ve done to each other.”

”You always made me feel like a big shot. I mean, shit. I got wanted posters everywhere, but you were so persistent. Couldn’t just be that bounty, I saw the real you.”

You saw him at his worst, his best. The way he’d carefully apply his mask, smudging the make up just so. A performance, one he’d flub once in awhile. And you saw that too.

”Can you trust me?”

He frowned, “can you?”

You searched his face, you had a crazy idea. Grabbing his hands you led him toward the cockpit, until you pushed your back against a wall. You reached into his jacket pocket, fishing out the knives.

”Maybe we need a do over, right now.”

A grin spread across his face, “alright. I can do that.

The deck was dark, Buggy’s eyes adjusted to your form against the ship. This was crazy, but he was careful. Always was.

”What’s your favorite color?”

A knife landed by your wrist, “you’re seriously asking that? Uh, blue.”

Another by your waist, “why’d you keep the pinky?”

You thought about it longer than he expected, “I wanted to study the chop chop fruit. But I guess…it was really to keep you close. You felt it, couldn’t you?”

”Yeah. Until you kept it in that island. Good way to avoid you for awhile.”

You blushed with embarrassment, “you occupied my thoughts way too much.”

He laughed, throwing another knife between your legs.

“What kind of thoughts?”

You supposed it wouldn’t hurt to admit it now, “one too many sex dream. Made me mad as hell.”

He laughed again, a hearty cackle that meant he was never going to let you live it down. You were thankful for how dark it was outside.

”Baby, are you blushing? Aw, don’t be like that. Hope the real thing lived up to the hype.”

”And if it didn’t?”

”Oh, I don’t believe that. Guess I’ll have to try it again, won’t I?”

Buggy glanced at the remaining knives in his hand, his heart ached at the things he wanted to ask you. You smiled gently at him, silently encouraging him to continue. This act was always about trust, and you trusted him.

Another throw, “why’d you do it?”

You gulped, “you consumed my life too much. I figured it was time. If I acted like I wanted you, you wouldn’t kill me. If my leg hadn’t been injured, I’d probably lie and say to trust me and then…well you know.”

That hurt to hear as much as it hurt you to say it. Buggy didn’t look at you, turning the knife around in his hand.

”I think…I know, the moment I let my guard down…The first time we…I knew I was in love with you. And that I always was.”

His throw landed above your head, “so why?”

A tear rolled down your cheek, “you’d do it first. They always do.”

He moved to walk toward you, you stopped him.

”Let’s finish this.”

You stood tall, and Buggy aimed carefully.

”Would you have liked me at that bar? Before all this?”

You choked on a sob, “yeah. Of course I would. I’m sorry I teased you, I didn’t know.”

”I have a temper.”

”I know.”

”You can throw in a jab now.”

You shook your head, “I’m not that clever.”

He walked over, holding your chin in his hand. The kiss he gave was tender and sweet, like either of you would break. You leaned into him, afraid to break the kiss first.

“Come on,” he whispered.

You felt like a kid again, giddy as he led you to your cabin. And it really was your cabin, already filled with your own personal items. Buggy never intended for you to leave.

He held you close as you peeled the layers of clothing off. You were taking your time, drinking each other in. He suddenly kissed you in a hurry, holding your face close to his as you lowered onto the bed. Your fingers roamed his chest down to his stomach, a soft hiss escaped as you touched his wound.

”God, I’m so sorry.”

”Hey, look at me. It’s okay. I like a girl with that kind of fire.”

He smiled at your laugh, continuing to kiss you. You clung to him to keep your bodies close, Buggy working a shuddering moan out of you. He sighed in your ear, appreciating the slickness.

“Baby, I love you.”

”I love you, I’m so sorry.”

He shushed you, “don’t say that ever again. Please.”

As he entered you, he apologized. You kissed his closed eyes, his thrusts slow and deliberate.

“You don’t gotta keep saying it either.”

He nodded, his persona stripped away in this moment. The kisses smeared his makeup, slowly revealing the man beneath the mask.

The build up was too much, you urged him to move faster. He obeyed your command, following your lead. Your hands reached for his, locking fingers tightly as your rode your orgasm together.

He rested his head on your chest, still inside you. Softly, you hummed as your played with his hair. What would have happened if that first night you met went smoother? The young, angry Buggy seemed so different to the man you held now.

You supposed you changed too. You were soft, and that was okay now. He pulled out and you missed him, Buggy keeping his hand with you as he cleaned up.

“You really like blue?”

”Don’t flatter yourself, honey.”

He laughed, settling into bed with you. He spooned you, kissing your head. You cried, only a little bit. Your heart was just too full.

”Hey, hey. It’s okay now. I promise.”

You trusted his words, and you trusted him.

[brothermoth]

See I need to share my dad's lore because someone needs to study this man like a bug. We plan to donate his body to science so a bunch of medical students can see the most brain damage a person can possibly have without losing major bodily function.

Now, my grandparents moved around a bit when their kids were little, but my dad spent most of his childhood in rural New York and the middle of bumfuck nowhere in a cottage (it's a shack, make no mistake) on the shore of lake Erie. His parents did not know what the fuck he was doing at any given moment. This guy was diagnosed with ADHD in the SEVENTIES. Do you even know how bad he had to be to get diagnosed in the 70s??

He was a menace of a child but his parents put him in tball instead of getting the little bastard some much needed Adderall. He was super athletic all his life (didn't pass those genes on to me, unfortunately) but this also went along with deeply concerning injuries in the way every boy in the 70s had at one point or another.

He has:

-had his EAR ripped almost completely off while playing middle school football — he duck-taped it back on and it just kinda healed itself

-fell into a storm cellar backwards and got knocked out when he was like 5

-been hit in the head by a hockey stick and knocked out

-had his head smash through a wooden door playing floor hockey in gym class

-broke his leg that one time and then tried out for his highschool wrestling team with the cast on (he got on and ended up being captain)

-broke his thumb and didn't tell anyone, then had to have it re broken at the doctor's

-got knocked out in at least 4 fights

-had his knee replaced in his early 30s, drove himself to the gas station to buy a 12 pack, then fell down the stairs with said 12 pack, smashed half the bottles, and popped stitches out

-broken the same toe at least twice; the nail turned black and fell off the first time

-broke his nose falling out of bed like three months ago

-lost a tooth playing hockey

-cut the tip of his thumb off with a hand saw while camping; duck-taped it and continued camping for another 3 days

-has had at least 20 fishhooks caught in his hands

-had Bell's Palsy a few years ago (he was fine he just couldn't eat soup for a while and it was hilarious)

-had too many drinks and burned off his fingerprints on the side of a mini fire pit (the kind that looks like a paint can), laughed about it, and went golfing the next day with huge blisters on his fingers

~~~~~

I'm missing so many. So many. It's a miracle he reproduced. He has so much brain damage but he's fine, he just ignores it.

~~~~~~~~~~Robert's Greatest Hits~~~~~~~~~~

[In Boston] "Oh yeah that used to be an IRA bar. I think I'm still banned for getting into a fight."

"You know my buddy REDACTED? Yeah he got electrocuted once. Almost died, I visited him in the ICU a couple times, he's fine now though."

"I went into a gas station in rural Florida once, super hungover. My buddy went in and came out with tears in his eyes saying don't go in there, so of course I had to. Guy at the counter had a wooden peg leg like a pirate, and there was a nail screwed in. Attached to the nail was a chain and at the end of the chain was a super sickly looking chicken. Weirdest thing I've ever seen, I think."

"You know that plane crash that killed JFK Jr? His girlfriend he was with—i dated her in college."

"Who's that singer? Dupa Loopa or whatever"

~~~~~~Unhinged Information~~~~~~~~

—his childhood babysitter was the actress who now voices Eda from the Owl House (I've met her twice she's very nice. I fell down the back steps of her mom's cottage once)

—He used to bring home water moccasins (y'know, the venomous snakes) and show them to his very terrified mother

—they had a golden retriever named Toby and nobody can remember if she was a boy or a girl

—while cleaning out the basement he found his ID card from the World Trade Center when he went for a business trip...ON AUGUST 10TH OF 2001

—he lived in Boston in his 20s and took a bet while absolutely hammered to run the Boston Marathon, did it hungover and placed like 200-somethingth

—ate a spider by accident one time because he thought it was a bread crumb from his sandwich

—will drive out of his way just to see car accidents

—man's a sympathy vomiter

—will pet literally any animal. If it's small and sweet he's immediately just ready to commit a crime for it

—likes to pick fights with cops but only if they're rude first. He has gone to court to fight 14 dollar parking tickets just out of spite (and somehow he always talks himself out of it)

—swears to god he's seen aliens

—has hardcore puzzle autism. He'll stay up until 1 am just to get 12 more pieces and will finish a 1200 piece puzzle in a day

—also fish autism I swear to God

—you can put this guy in the middle of nowhere and he somehow always knows where north is

[normalaboutcemeraldduo]

opinions on c!puffy

Anon thank you so much

C!puffy is such an overlooked character, in my opinion more than characters even like c!niki because she is consistently made out to be motherly and that’s it

She is one of the strongest people on the server and most likely has more power than anyone knows

Also the line “you mistake my kindness for weakness” FUCK /POS

Because it’s TRUE. MOST PEOPLE BOTH FANDOM AND IN CANON ASSUMES THAT SHE ISNT GOING TO DO MUCH ACTUAL HARM

For headcanons though:

I do honestly really like the one about her and schlatt being siblings

C!puffy transgender (real)

She was a pirate for a long time before she ended up at the smp and she was extremely respected and feared

This is more of one that’s about c!dream and c!foolish, but they both find a specific comfort in sea shanties because they spent a lot of their childhood with puffy being pirates

Puffy and techno have been friends longer than anyone knows and they both have extreme respect for one another

Puffy has a peg leg, she lost one whilst out on the seas and no one knows the real story of what happened because she tells a different one any time someone asks

She was the only one who truly grieved schlatts death

She has really curly hair and it’s naturally half dark brown and half white, but she does dye part of it rainbow

Puffy, Niki, and Technoblade have a book club together. They read a different book each week and they take turns picking. Puffys favorite books are fantasy novels

She likes to go outside in the early morning and listen to the birds

At some point she started seeing Tommy as a son

She has a collection of buttons that she keeps in her room and every so often she’ll give them to people as gifts

Ok and that’s all I’ve got for now, tysm for the ask :DD

[twink-between-worlds]

okay @astral-catastrophe indulged us so here's an entire post about the warped timeline au! we're mostly going to talk about our links in this one! going from youngest to oldest! also @fwoosheye

Siren

Siren is WW, ST + PH link! they are 14. they're still a pirate, but they make more time to visit Aryll and their grandma back on Outset. They are banned from using the windwaker unless absolutely necessary because they're a complete riot of a child. They have a pet pig who is appropriately named Chunk. Aryll made them a bracelet which they wear 24/7! they're small, so they find squeezing into small areas much easier than most others. Has a peg leg

Prince

Prince is ALTTP, ALBW, OOS, OOA, LA + TFH link! he is 16 and is the twin of Queen, his zelda. he and his sister are working royals, so while he is a prince he is also a blacksmith! there is a permanent portal between Hyrule and Lorule in the castle garden, and Ravio still leeches off of lives with him! he's autistic and semi-verbal. he uses crutches to get around. Prince also splits into King, Duke, and Princess, but it only works in Hytopia. They're trying to sort out a way to do it without the wizard

Light

Light is FSA, FS + MC link. he is 17! He splits into Vio, Red, Green and Blue at will. For a good part of his time with the other links, he does not have a shadow, since Shadow died. He's kind of a roulette wheel in terms of how he acts, what he knows and what he can do; but it's easy to adapt to whatever his “mood” is any given day. He and his Zelda are very close, to the point they think of each other as siblings. Light has a minish feather on a necklace along with four charms that represent the colours. He lies a lot, and sometimes he doesn't even realize he's lying. Threatens people to get his way sometimes. Autistic + has ADHD. Blue has OCD and Vio has severe anxiety

Moon

Moon is TP link! his wolf form is much bigger than an average wolf, so it's obviously the result of magic. He's 27 and married to Shad. He mainly looks after the kids in Ordon, but still cares after the goats when he can. He has basically no relationship with his Zelda outside of being civil. He still has a bit of heartache relating to Midna but he's getting better. Basically everyone's parent

Courage

Courage is SS link! He's 28, and married to Wisdom, his Zelda. After killing Demise he gained some of his powers, but he really doesn't like to use them. He has a small fear of storms after what happened to Wisdom and he never really forgave himself for what happened to her. He still has her harp and he's extremely cautious about time since he really doesn't want to be late ever again. His loftwing is called Crime.

Sprout

Sprout is OOT + MM link. he's still got all the masks he got during mm, but his favorite is the deku mask. He's 30! He's in a platonic marriage with Malon, and they live on a farm together. He has a necklace with a blue fairy charm because he still misses Navi :( he likes just sitting in the woods and staring off into space just...doing nothing. it's a bit creepy. Likes to steal. Might be a kleptomaniac, he isn't sure. He has a lot of facial scars due to the overuse of the masks he'd obtained.

Warriors

Warriors is HW link. he's Linkles twin brother! He's 31, and dating Sheik <3 (his Zelda is a trans king tyvm). he basically adopted Sprout during the war and he basically became a single father at that point in life. He has to use a cane to walk and he has a fair amount of burn scars. He's retired but still gives his advice to training soldiers. living his best life. Proxi speaks for him as he is completely mute. he struggles to tell the difference between left and right and uses his hands to remind himself

[storkmuffin]

A True Account: Hannah Masury’s Sojourn Amongst the Pyrates, Written by Herself

Katherine Howe

I finished this book. I listened on audiobook, and it fits in with my Black Sails theme of late. The book merits a B- from me. Competently written, engrossing enough to finish, but would not recommend to a friend.

Most favorite bit: Someone shoots John-something-or-other (never named), the peg-legged young cook on Ned Low's pirate ship, right in the gut, as he stokes the embers under the suckling pig he's cooked.

Spoiler filled thoughts under the cut:

The book structure is quite sturdy & simple: In the 1930s, a Radcliffe student brings a spinster professor an old looking manuscript she says she found, which is an 18th century memoir of a girl, Hannah Masury, who went pirating disguised as a boy in her mid teens, and describes the location of a buried pirate treasure. The professor and student go on a trip to find the treasure. The manuscript and story of Hannah Masury, girl pirate, is sprinkled throughout.

The author's note at the end states that Howe comes from sailing people, that she sails, herself, etc, and so she definitely isn't someone who watched Black Sails, the show that ended in 2017. (The author's note is dated 2023).

BUT I WONDER.

Not only does John-something-or-other appear in the Hannah Masury memoir, but the woman professor encounters a Captain Flint (whom she notes is "improbably named" that) who takes her to the place where she thinks the treasure may be buried.

The manuscript the student, Kay, finds turns out to be Treasure Island fanfiction that Kay wrote in order to scam her professor into drumming up the funds to go on this 'treasure hunting' adventure so that Kay can get a lot of media attention in order to gain publicity to jumpstart her Hollywood ambitions.

So, it's a scam artist story - which I don't like, obviously. It's a story about a liar, which I also don't like. SIGH. I guess there's no way to tell a Treasure Island prequel or fan story without this element?

It also made me think about fanfiction in general. The writing and characters of the Hannah Masury memoir is vastly superior in verve to the dull-as-dishwater boring-queer-spinster-gets-conned-by-student framing story that I kind of wish there wasn't a need for the framing story at all. It dragged me down. The author seemed to also find her boring character - the one 'pursuing' the treasure who is also the one who gets conned - a deadweight. Cut all that out and just write me an AU with a genderbending girl pirate! LIke a fanfic author would! Because in the end, the professor finds the actual treasure, which is real, hidden inside an old writing desk in an archive of a historical society - so this is a fantasy anyway, but it doesn't come by its thrills in a good faith fashion. By reaching for "prestige" the author saddled her actually inspired, fun story (about the girl pirate Hannah) with this deadweight middle aged academic who is a boring dullard.

[odd-galaxy]

ODD galaxy pilot. Pinchy Introduction Concept

EXPOSITION: Episode starts with a cold open. The Odd galaxy crew are being pursued by space pirates. Why? That’s for the audience to find out later. Space Pirate frogs let loose a barrage of bullets upon a fleeting crew. A strange marketable alien is attached on jeons head. DR-1 Returns fire with her robotic arm cannons and Sun, a yellow fluffy alien taunts the pirates. One stray bullet hits a alien like container of rocket fuel and explodes launching our heroes into the air. FREEZE FRAME. “yup , this is me, I bet you’re wondering how I got here” trope.  

CONFLICT: flashback to the crew on their ship. They receive instructions and head to a depot to pickup the payload that needs delivering. Sunn opens the package against his teammates warnings. And it turns out to be an egg covered in scales. The crew are en route to deliver the package. But in Sunns warm hands incubate the egg shaped package, It hatches revealing a small alien creature. Sunns quickly names it Pinchy after it chomps on Jeon. Hijinks ensure as Pinchy caused mayhem on the ship. The crew arrive at a giant galleon of a ship. Dr-1 explains who they are and they’re escorted on board. Cut to them in the ships captains quarters as the crew admit that the egg has hatched. The captain of the ship, Captain Lillypad, a big bad brute of a toad with a metal arm and peg legs, grows angry with them admitting that the egg is the last of its kind of baby astral worms and that it’ll make a nice omelet. The captain calsm down and is willing to still eat the baby pichy medium rare or display it as a throphy on his wall of dead aliens. When Sunn stands up protecting it, while also insulting the Captian. The crew flee as Lillypads pirate goons give chase.

RESOLUTION: the story then catches up to when the freezeframe at the beginning started. The explosion takes out the power on that side of Lillypads Galleon. Trapping the crew, Pinchy then hops off of jeon and takes a chunk out of the door allowing the Crew to narrowly escape. Back on the Ship they make accommodations for their new pet, much to jeons dismay.

[moongothic]

*gets struck with a thought and wakes up in cold sweat*

MOST COMMON INJURIES AMONG CROCODILES ARE LOST LIMBS AND JAWS

SIR CROCODILE IS MISSING A HAND AND HAS SCARRED FACE

ODA YOU GAVE THIS MAN SO MANY LAYERS OF DESIGN AND MEANING

*looses conciousness again*

I mean ngl I do think that's probably just coincidence

Like Oda is fucking insane so you can never know for sure what he did intentionally and what was by accident, but there has to be some kind of a limit to how many design choises are intentional references. Like, sometimes you do character design decision for no other reason than it looks fucking cool. Sometimes it's meant to be symbolic for one thing. And sometimes it can accidentally symbolic be for whole other thing (like the gay earring. It could be intentional or an accident)

Like Crocodile's hook is a very Iconic Pirate Thing (that calls back to Captain Hook) that Oda wanted to give to an important character in the story, a thing which Croc couldn't really have if he still had his hand (kinda like how Zeff couldn't have his peg leg if he had two feet still). The sheer size of the thing making the hook look imposing and dangerous, fitting for him as he would be the first OP villian to defeat Luffy (twice to boot (an undefeated record?)) and truly show off what the Grand Line has in store for the Strawhats, while the gaudy gold (on top of his other bling and how he dresses in general) reminds us of Crocodile's wealth/status. Meanwhile the scar, oh the scar, it has a few things going on. For one, the way it's positioned on Croc's face makes it resemble a crocodile's eyes peeking through the surface of water, fitting the animal motif amazingly. But also, it is a massive scar, going right across his face, a wound few people would survive; it shows off how battle hardened Crocodile is and how he is a mighty foe. But also, just like the missing hand, replaced by a hook does; it shows that Crocodile is still human, he still bleeds like the rest of us, and thus can be taken down.

Like that's just the Surface Level Character Design Shit I could think of at the top of my head at 4 am, this rabbithole does go deeper with what the scar and the missing limb reference and symbolize.

Not to be dismissing of you, I think that is a very cool coincidence, but I do think it's just a coincidence, it's going to happen inevitably when you do character design.

[poetaegenfur]

Simpson's Design Process

The Simpsons design is have to have the same sort look, which is also a bit round. They have to have the same features, the eyes and the nose are similar. They're all yellow and have to stick to the design rules.

Popeye: I like how he is portrayed as a strong sailor who has a unique strength.He doesn't have the same proportion from his chest and legs. He doesn't have the same sort of eyes a normal character would have (one eye is constantly open and the other is closed).

Luffy: The character eats a certain fruit that makes him stretchy. I think it's appealing to kids with the design and colours of him. I think Luffy is more appealing because he is more human-like.

Davy Jones: I like him because he is mentioned in a lot of pirate tv shows. I like that he is all one colour. I think he kind of gives you a feeling that he's misunderstood.

Captan Brineybeard: I like him because he is fearless and tough, but he has a soft side for his true love, the sea monster Cala Maria. I like how he doesn't have legs, but peg legs instead. He's drawn a bit in the old style of Popeye.

Cartman: He is the main character from South Park. I like him because he isn't for children. I like how in South Park all the children are disproportionate to the rest of the characters. The drawings are simple and stick to flat colours (not shaded).

[practically-an-x-man]

Are any of your OCs planning pranks for April Fools'?

Oooh, fun! Let's see...

Quinn's definitely the type to set up a ton of pranks (or at the very least, as many as she can get set up before the others wake up or her body quits out on her). Some of them are more benign, like putting googly eyes on the contents of the fridge, or conspiring with Billy to only speak in Pig Latin until the others grow completely sick of it. Others, particularly those cast in One's direction, are a bit more malicious, and usually somewhere in the realm of raw eggs spattered across his trailer until they start to cook from the sun.

Kestrel probably also sets up a few pranks. They love a good prank war with Seth, and April Fool's Day is their excuse to get ahead without having to worry if it's too mean. They use their shapeshifting to their advantage, transforming into Seth's grandfather and giving him harmless but very odd chores around the preserve until his actual grandfather asks him what tf he's doing.

Robin doesn't start any pranks herself (not that she doesn't want to, she just couldn't find time to set them up amid the chaos of the X-Mansion), but she is a very eager accomplice in everything Peter tries to set up lol

Nikoletta wasn't going to set anything up, partially because she's not exactly well-versed in pranks and partially because she's not sure what Abner would find funny versus just stressing him out, but I could see her stumbling upon a pack of multicolored polka-dot stickers while at the grocery store and getting inspired. It's nothing fancy, she just sticks a few in random places around the apartment (inside a cupboard, stuck to the bag of cat food, on the collars of a few of his shirts, just random places where he's likely to see them but probably won't find them all at once) and waits for him to notice them. He finds it kind of sweet, actually.

I don't imagine the others planning anything particularly elaborate, but maybe a few little jokes or annual gags - Jasper dyes the milk blue and surprises Kyle when he pours some out for his morning cereal, Ophelia spends her nighttime hero duty dressed in a crappy mock-up of a Spidey-suit just to screw with Peter, Gia swaps her usual prosthetic for a peg leg and runs her shop dressed as a pirate all day, things like that.

[shallowcoffin]

Sea of Pabu

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 : 1,777

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 : Mentions of smoking.

𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 / 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 : Tech & Kongo [oc] 

𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞 :  hurt / comfort (?)

A soft gentle breeze flowed through the dark blue stranded across her head, casually fluttering between strands and locks of her hair as she stared deeply into the ever-growing night sky. The stars were unmistakable, undeniably so much like Serenno, and ord mantell, but felt so much more like home. Just as she would have imagined her home planet of Csilla would have been. Gleaming down onto the small town, lights in huts and homes glimmered back. Some turned off, rightfully so as the sun started to set. 

Unclothed feet and legs dangled off the side of the dock, jeans rolled up far enough to keep from getting wet as the Pabu sea crashed waves into the dock. The quiet chitter of the native bugs could be heard with small chirps and chitters of other nature critters who were settling. A wave rolled over her bare feet, lukewarm and comforting as the air around became colder ever so slightly as the sunset. It was close to consuming the sky with dark blue, but just enough light from the shined through the water line. She’s never seen a sight so beautiful in her life. Even the forests and seas of Serenno could not compare to Pabu.  

There’s no ashtray, and she used to not be above littering. But she’s grown since her original trip back to the planet she’s lived a silent life on. Instead, she set her cigarette out on her own jeans, where many previous burns had been laid out, ashes gently falling as it frayed the fabric. She shoves the bud in her pocket to throw it away properly. She knows there are no vendors here, none that sell the spice-scented cigarettes half the galaxy was hooked on. But she doesn’t care much. This is the first time she’s smoked in a while. The first time in possible weeks. She can’t actually remember when the last time was. 

And now she smells like the disgusting scent of it, left on her and her clothes until she showers. She promised she would never smoke in front of Omega. And she’s kept her word. Not a single instance she can remember doing so in front of the young girl. But it had also stopped the bad habit from being a four times daily accurace to a rare occasion that she would. With most of her clothes having long left the scent behind, smelling like motor oil and, other fluids she cannot exactly elaborate. Even unidentifiable stains had littered her pants among the cigarette burns. And now, she smelled exactly how she used to when she’d met the batch.

The day had caused so much stress and memories that caused a hard-hitting reminder that Kongo had changed. Not for the worse, for the better. But it made her soft, people take advantage of soft . . . 

She wouldn’t deny it, she couldn’t. Pabu had been the most beautiful, aw-striking planet that the hybrid had come across, since Serenno. It felt like home, it felt good to be there. The wave of happiness she experienced on a daily basis while helping the town rebuild was something she had not expected, nor had experienced prior. Nothing bad of course. The natives were so kind to the outsiders. She wonders if they all were once outcasted, or hiding too.

She’d never previously been to Pabu, despite being close with Phee. The woman she once saw as only a pirate had surprised her by being vulnerable and showing the batch the peaceful planet. She knew Phee, and envied Phee and her experience. But she would never have pegged the woman to be so kind. She was like the perfect balance of kind, and rough. Something Kongo often had issues with.

She never expected the batch to stay on Pabu, Kongo had made it clear she would be staying regardless, though she hadn’t said it until today. And she knows it had hurt two members in particular. Omega, and Tech. Both knew Hunter wouldn’t be able to say yes in letting the group stay on Pabu for any longer than necessary. They had already stayed to help rebuild the city. So when she told the group of her decision, she could tell it hurt. 

She had just gotten along with Echo before he left. Something that had taken so long to do, so when he left she knew she had to step up. She tried to, but she didn’t compare to any of them. Her skills are different, not programmed. She makes errors in judgment and isn’t perfect. But she’d been part of the team for so long. Not that they don’t all make mistakes too, but she can feel the burning pressure of it. She’d barely been a member of their team since their attempt to get the war chest on Serenno. But she still felt the burning glares in the back of her head on occasion, mainly from Echo.

Hunter had respected Kongo’s decision, understanding why. Wrecker was hurt but eventually understood. Omega had pleaded with Kongo to stay. To which she had to tell the female clone that she had no business out of Pabu besides Cid. Tech was a different story entirely. His eyes displaced pure shock but spilled into a sadness she couldn’t unsee. It had been spoken that she would stay with them, with him. She was only staying for her own selfish reasons. Or so Tech had said. But he said he understood. Despite it, she knew by the way he went back to the havoc marauder that she had upset him. So she too separated after dinner, and was now sitting on the docks. Without her datapad, and without her droid companion. Just her, and the sea. Just her and her unbleeding thoughts of misery she’s undoubtedly caused. Both to the young female clone, and to the man she’d come to admire, and slowly fall in love with. This hurt her too. But, she knew her limits. 

“ You’re up late. “ A voice called out, a familiar inflection in his voice. A familiar comfort it brought with it. As his boots gently clanked on the dock, walking up to her. She continued to stare off into the deep blue of the sea. Often wishing it would swallow her whole to relieve her of the pain she’d experienced. Even with his comforting presence drawing near, her deep thoughts still consumed her like the depths of space.

“ I came out here after i helped Shep with cleaning. “ She replied. She had in fact helped put things away for dinner. Her stomach has never felt this full in her life. Her life of ups and downs, of poverty and of wealth, it had truly been years since she’d felt this happy. And yet, her heart felt nothing but pain.

“ That was over four hours ago, sarad. “ The intelligent clone responded. His boots met two feet away from the edge of the dock. She could feel him staring down at her. Her heart flutters softly at the nickname. She remembers when he first called her any nickname. It was just before his race on ord mantell. He had called her “Ner Cyare,” telling her to cheer him on, and it instantly made her heart melt. But her realization of how long she’s been there is great enough to make her stomach fill with dread.

“ Tech, i- “ She’s interrupted, cutting herself off before she can say something she’ll regret, as heavy boots are placed neatly next to her own. He rolls up his own jeans before he too, sits on the edge of the dock with her. Dipping his feet into the lukewarm water before.

“ Ch’eo, ch’acah. “ He says, her eyes looking back at him, filled with unshed tears. His head turns to meet hers, his hand softly placed above her own. They had previously spoken fluently at one another in Cheunh, but it never ceases to enamor her every time he does again. 

“ Sehn. “ She replies blinking as she lets small tears roll down her mix-matched patched skin. A soothing thumb brushes across the top of her knuckles as he takes her hand into his. 

“ I cannot leave my brothers. “ He starts, it’s clear he has more to say but he’s pausing for Kongo to take a deep breath and listen. “ But i cannot leave you either. “ His voice displays his usual tone, serious as ever, but it’s clear that he can't express every emotion he was writhing in his intelligent brain. He’s never been good at showing emotions, but he’s never been good at hiding some of them either. 

“ I spoke to Hunter about staying. There really is no need for us to leave, any time soon. “ He adjusts the goggles on his head from habit as he speaks, the hybrid woman gives a small nod. Her eyes locked on the deep ocean. 

“ We will stay and help rebuild what is left. Then we will see what opportunities arise. “ Tech explains in his ever so matter-of-factly voice of his, earning a small hint of a smile on Kongo’s lip as she finally looks over at him. She appreciates his efforts to keep his family on Pabu. The implication it was because of her made her stomach flutter once again.

“ If we do have to leave . . . “  He pauses, and for the first time he breaks eye contact, his pause is only a few seconds but it feels so much longer. Without his eyes on hers, she almost feels lost. Like she’s floating in space without his gorgeous chocolate eyes.

“ If we have to leave, will you at least consider re-joining us ? “ He asks. His chocolate brown eyes hinted with orange from the tiny of his glasses, staring hopefully onto her own red and blue. Her heart yearns to feel closer, touch closer, but she knows better than to wish for such hopeful things. Instead, she gently squeezes Tech’s hand, pulling it to her lips and placing a soft kiss as another wave splashes their legs. 

“ I just need time to process things. Decompress. It takes a while, unfortunately. “ She pauses for a moment, interlocking her fingers with his. When he doesn’t pull away she can feel her throat chock down a sob as she gently squeezes his hand. 

“ But i will if i can, Lovebug. “ Kongo replies, placing both their hands on her thigh as she scoots in closer to him. She sniffles letting what is left of her sadness slip away.  “ I can work with that. “  Tech responds, a smile gently pressed across his cheeks as he too, stares off into the deep blue abyss of the Pabu Seas.