#and I don’t know if he cares about birthdays

[evanbi-ckley]

Buck walks through the automatic doors on autopilot and freezes. It hits him then that the last time he stood here, he was meeting Tommy for Maddie and Chim’s wedding. He had stood almost in this very spot and kissed his boyfriend who was covered in soot after fighting a wildfire all night and most of the day.

Now his boyfriend is somewhere else in the hospital, and Buck can’t kiss him or touch him, and his hands are shaking, and he thinks he’s going to be sick.

He turns toward the nearest bathroom and makes it into the stall just in time. He hasn’t eaten yet today, so he’s only throwing up bile mixed with panic and regret, but it’s just as bad.

It’s Hen who finds him, which -

“Why are you in the men’s room?” he asks, his voice weak and still creaky.

“I thought you might need a medical professional.” When Buck just looks at her, she continues with a sigh, “We could hear you in the waiting room. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Oh.” That’s a little embarrassing. “Sorry. And thanks.”

He gratefully accepts the wet paper towel she hands him to wipe his face.

“Any news yet?”

“Not yet. They took him back for surgery, and it’ll probably be a few more hours before we hear. Bobby and Eddie are in the waiting room if there’s an update. Chim went to pick up Jee from daycare, but he’ll be back later with Maddie.”

Then she produces a water bottle from somewhere behind her.

“How long have I been in here?” Buck asks. Hen seems way too prepared for it to have been just a few minutes.

“About half an hour,” she says. “Actually closer to 45 minutes now.”

“Right.”

So time is still moving awkwardly. He can’t get his bearings. He feels untethered, like he’ll never be on solid ground again.

“Why don’t we get you up and out to a chair?” Hen asks gently. She’s not treating him with kid gloves, but she is being more careful than necessary.

He decides to accept it for the time being. Maybe he does need the softness in her voice and the kindness in her eyes right now.

“Yeah - yeah, that’s a good idea. Thanks, Hen.”

She smiles with something like relief and then stands, offering Buck a hand up.

The waiting room is blessedly empty save for their morose party. Buck tries to sit down, but before he can, Hen is pulling at his turnout coat, trying to yank it off his shoulders. She manhandles the coat off and tosses it to Eddie who adds it to the growing pile of coats on an unused chair in the corner. He’s too tired to fight it or question it, plus it was getting heavy with all of the rain still soaked into the fabric. 

After that, Hen leaves to call Karen, and Ravi goes to get food for them all at a little cafe just up the road that they’ve come to know well. 

Buck sits between Bobby and Eddie, almost a mockery of them standing at the crash site, holding him up. Best not to think about it.

Eddie holds a phone in his hands that Buck recognizes, but it’s not Eddie’s phone. The screen is cracked at the upper corner, spider-webbing its way diagonally down the length of the glass.

“Is that -?” He can’t even bring himself to ask.

“It’s Tommy’s, yeah. A nurse brought out the personal items he had on him a while ago. I was going to see if he has any family in his contacts, but I don’t know his passcode.”

“Oh,” Buck swallows roughly, “it’s um - it’s my birthday. But,” he continues before Eddie types the digits, “he doesn’t have any family in his contacts. At least, not anyone he would want here.”

“Ah,” is all Eddie says before handing the phone over to Buck. He pockets it and tries to think about anything other than his boyfriend a few rooms away getting his arm put back together.

He spends the next few minutes staring off into space thinking of nothing other than his boyfriend a few rooms away getting his arm put back together.

“He’s gonna be okay, Buck,” Eddie says into the heavy silence.

“Eddie’s right,” Bobby adds. “His arm will be fine, and the cuts and scrapes will heal. He’ll be back up in the sky before you know it.”

Buck feels his stomach churn threateningly at the thought, but he does his best to nod and smile. 

When Ravi returns with food, Buck can’t handle the smell, let alone eating anything. But he tries. He can hear Tommy’s low voice in his head warning, “Evan, you need to eat something,” and that convinces him more than Eddie’s prodding.

When Karen shows up along with Chimney and Maddie, Buck feels the need to pull her and his sister off to the side.

He tries to keep his voice steady as he says, “I didn’t get it. Before, I mean. I didn’t get what it felt like to be on this side.” He’s oddly proud his voice only cracked once.

Maddie grabs his hand. “Buck, you’ve been on this side a lot of times. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the 118 isn’t very good at staying out of the hospital.”

He lets out a wet laugh.

“I think he means on the worried partner side of things,” Karen says. “You’ve never had someone you’re in a relationship with get injured like this before. Is that right?”

“Y-yeah.” He chuckles sardonically. “When I saw the helicopter - and his - his hand hanging out the window - I thought - he wasn’t moving, y’know? It took us so long to find him. We were too late. I thought -”

“You thought you’d lost him,” Maddie supplies. He can only nod. “Yep, welcome to the Worried Partners Club.”

“It sucks, but it’s worth it,” Karen adds.

Later, when Athena gets off shift, she arrives at the hospital bearing coffee for everyone. Buck nods gratefully when she hands him one, and the understanding look in her eyes nearly sets him off again. Although, he thinks he might be too dehydrated for tears by now.

“Family of Thomas Kinard?” a voice calls from the doors leading to the OR.

Everyone looks up, but Buck is on his feet before the nurse finishes saying Tommy’s name. He feels people behind him, and the nurse’s eyes widen a bit at everyone gathering around, but Buck’s glad for them.

“He’s out of surgery. Everything went well. He’ll be in recovery for about an hour, but as soon as we get him in a room, you can see him.” 

The last part is directed toward Buck. Maybe he now looks like he’s part of the Worried Partners Club, but that’s fine. He’ll see Tommy soon. That’s what matters.

He catches the end of the nurse’s spiel as he says, “...still be under some sedation, so don’t expect much conversation.”

Buck nods, and the nurse leaves, and then Maddie is dragging him back to their chairs, handing him his coffee, and plopping down next to him to wait until they can see Tommy.

“He’s going to be insufferable,” Eddie says suddenly. He looks at Buck and says, “Remember that time he sprained his ankle while we were sparring? God, he was the worst patient.”

Buck genuinely laughs for the first time since they got the call. “He’s so stubborn, he wouldn’t even let me open doors for him. He just struggled to balance on his crutches so he could do it himself. He almost fell into the bushes twice outside the physical therapist’s office.”

Then everyone is laughing, a sense of lightness settling over Buck. He still doesn’t feel grounded or right necessarily, but laughing with his family helps.

They keep telling stories after that. Most of them are about Tommy, but some are stories or updates about kids or parents or a new recipe gone wrong. They all avoid the topic of work.

“Family of Thomas Kinard?” It’s a different nurse this time, but she doesn’t blink an eye at the number of family Tommy has. “He’s resting in his room. You can go back to see him, but we ask that you keep it to 4 or 5 people at a time. He’s still pretty groggy and probably won’t remember what happened right away, so keep conversation simple.” Then she turns and starts walking down the hallway, not waiting or looking back to see if anyone follows.

Buck grabs Chim and Eddie and gestures at Bobby to come, too. At the last second he grabs Hen’s hand, and the five of them hurry to catch up with the nurse together.

“Breathe, Buck,” Hen whispers.

He can’t. Not yet.

part 1

part 2

part 4

[2amriize]

˚⟡˖ RIIZE angry confessions

ᡣ𐭩 masterlist genre angst, fluff pairing riize x reader

ᯓ★ SHOTARO

Shotaro had been in love with you for a while, but he always felt that you only saw him as a good friend. Because of this, he decided not to confess his feelings. You two had known each other for years, and although he only realized his feelings a few months ago, he had always felt a bit strange when he saw you with other guys. Back then, he didn't admit it, but he was jealous. He couldn't understand why, despite laughing with him more than anyone else, you still seemed to prefer other guys. Deep down, he felt like he wasn't enough.

Since he realized he was in love with you, you hadn’t mentioned liking any other guys, so Shotaro hadn't felt jealous in a while—until it happened.

One day, while you were having an afternoon snack at a café with Shotaro, something you did often, you spotted a guy from your class who you thought was really cute entering the café. You couldn’t help but feel nervous.

"Oh my god..." you murmured, trying to look away.

“What’s up?” Shotaro asked, turning to see what had caught your attention.

“It’s that guy from my class… He’s…”

“Oh, do you have a crush on him?” Shotaro glanced at the guy for a few seconds before turning back around and letting out a small sigh. “He’s not good for you.”

“Huh? Why do you say that?”

“He looks like trouble. And I don’t think he’s right for you.”

Shotaro had never said anything like that to you before, and it made you a bit angry. What was he implying?

“Since when do you care about what's good for me, Shotaro?” you asked, giving him a serious look, clearly upset by his words. He looked back at you in silence for a few seconds.

“Since I…” He bit his lip and shook his head. “Nevermind.”

“Since what, Shotaro? Why do you suddenly care about the guys I like? It’s none of your business…”

“Because I’m in love with you, Y/N!” Shotaro cut you off, standing up and looking at you intensely. “That’s why, alright? Are you happy now?” He grabbed his things and stormed out of the café.

ᯓ★ EUNSEOK

It was the way Eunseok looked at you that made everyone else realize how much he liked you. Well, everyone except for you. From the moment he met you, Eunseok knew he had feelings for you, but there wasn’t much he could do about it because at the time, you were dating someone else.

When you broke up with that guy, Eunseok was there for you whenever you needed him, supporting you. But that was all he could do—be by your side—because he felt like you didn’t see him the same way he saw you. Even though everyone always mentioned how Eunseok looked at you, you would always reply with, “I don’t know why everyone keeps saying that, Eunseok looks at everyone like that…”

To be honest, sometimes you had thought about it—whether Eunseok really had feelings for you like everyone said—but it didn’t make sense to you, so you would quickly brush it off. On the other hand, Eunseok was finding it harder and harder to contain his feelings. It never seemed like the right moment to confess, especially since you had been going through an on-again, off-again relationship with the same guy for a while, something Eunseok couldn’t stand.

“You got back with him again?” Eunseok asked with a sigh as you both sat on the grass at a friend’s birthday party. You had stepped outside to get some fresh air.

“Yeah… I feel like it’s what I should do.”

“Why, Y/N? Sometimes you make the dumbest decisions…”

“Excuse me?” You looked at him, surprised by the way he spoke. Eunseok had always supported you, and this was the first time he sounded frustrated. “It’s not dumb…”

“Isn’t it? To keep chasing after someone who doesn’t treat you the way you deserve?”

“What do you mean, Eunseok? He treats me well… we just have a few little fights sometimes. Besides, I go back to him because he’s the only one who cares about me at the end of the day, because…”

“Oh my god, Y/N, how can you be so blind?” Eunseok interrupted, looking at you with clear frustration.

“What…?”

As he stood up to go back inside, he murmured, “I don’t understand how you can’t see that the person who loves you the most is right in front of you…”

ᯓ★ SUNGCHAN

Sungchan had been looking out for you since day one. You had known each other since elementary school, and ever since then, you had always been together. He was always by your side, making sure you were okay and safe. You two spent so much time together that people who didn’t know you well often thought you were dating, something you always denied immediately to avoid awkwardness.

Sungchan never took it personally when you denied it—he tried to brush it off quickly—until it happened in a situation unlike any other before. You had never had a boyfriend, mostly because you hadn’t really been interested in any guys… until now. There was this one guy you’d been noticing lately, someone you found intriguing, but you hadn’t told anyone about it because it made you a little shy.

To your surprise, your friends invited this guy to a lunch gathering that you and Sungchan were also attending. When you saw him approaching with your friends, you couldn’t hide your nervousness, which Sungchan immediately noticed. And, as usual, the guy asked how long you and Sungchan had been together.

“No, him and me? We’re not a couple. Not at all. Never,” you said quickly, letting out a nervous laugh.

Sungchan stared at you in silence. He couldn’t believe what you had just done. Normally, you would simply say, “No, we’re just friends,” but this time, it felt like you had overreacted, and it hurt him. As you continued talking more with the guy, Sungchan started to feel left out (and jealous), so he let out a small laugh and walked away to another spot.

It took you a few minutes to realize Sungchan was no longer there, behind you, where he had always been. Confused, you quietly excused yourself from the group to go find him. After searching for a bit, you finally found him leaning against a tree, sipping his drink. You approached and touched his shoulder, and he looked at you with an expression you had never seen on him before.

“Why did you leave, Sungchan? Did something happen?”

“It seemed like you didn’t need me there anymore,” he said, turning his gaze away from you.

“What do you mean?”

“I didn’t know you hated the idea of people seeing us as a couple… or rather, that he saw us as a couple.”

“Sungchan, you know that’s not it. We’re not dating, you know? I always say the same thing. I don’t get why you’re acting like this now…”

“I’ve been following you around like a lost puppy since the day we met, yet you couldn’t see?” Sungchan turned to face you, locking eyes with you for a few seconds.

“What… what do you mean…?” you murmured, feeling your cheeks heat up.

“It’s… nevermind,” he said, walking away.

ᯓ★ WONBIN

Wonbin was a friend of one of your friends, and although you had met him several times before, you didn’t really start talking until a few months ago. To both of your surprise, you had a lot of common interests, which meant you had been talking more and more lately.

Whenever you hung out with your group of friends, it wasn’t unusual for you and Wonbin to spend the entire time together, which led to people starting to suspect there was something going on between you two. However, everyone knew that you had been interested in another guy for a while, a guy who constantly gave you mixed signals. But you were so blinded by the way he treated you that you couldn’t see he was just playing with your feelings.

This was something Wonbin knew, and it was starting to bother him more and more. At first, he didn’t care much, but the more he got to know you, the more frustrated he became with how this guy was treating you. And that’s when he realized that maybe he didn’t see you just as a friend anymore. The moment he came to that realization, he regretted it, knowing that you only had eyes for someone else, and he felt like you’d never notice him.

One evening, you were hanging out with your friends, and for some reason, you all decided to drink. Wonbin wasn’t very good at drinking, so it didn’t take long for him to get tipsy, his cheeks flushed. When Wonbin got drunk, he became even more affectionate than usual. You had also been drinking, but it didn’t affect you as much.

At one point, Wonbin went outside to get some fresh air because he was feeling a bit dizzy, and you followed him to check if he was okay. While outside, you started talking about the guy you liked, and unlike usual, Wonbin didn’t respond or pay much attention. When you noticed he was staring off into the distance, you looked at him.

“Wonbin? Are you okay?”

He stared at you for a few seconds, and just when it seemed like he was about to say something, he sighed and buried his face in his hands, muttering, “Do you like that guy so much that you can’t see what he’s doing to you?”

“Huh? What are you talking about, Wonbin? He treats me really well…”

“Yeah, that’s what you think…”

“You don’t have the right to talk about him like that when you don’t even know him,” you said, getting annoyed at how Wonbin was speaking badly about him.

After a few seconds of silence, Wonbin looked at you and shook his head.

“…This is why I knew I shouldn’t have gotten close to you.”

“What are you talking about, Wonbin?”

“I just… wish you wouldn’t keep seeing that guy.”

“You don’t have the right to say that.”

“I wish I did.”

ᯓ★ SEUNGHAN

Everyone, even you, knew how much Seunghan liked you. But you always ignored his feelings because you preferred not to face that reality. You had been friends for so many years that you didn't want to risk your friendship over it. Still, you couldn't deny that you treated him differently from everyone else, being much more affectionate and always relying on him when you needed someone. Seunghan was always there for you, no matter what. It didn’t matter if you were on the other side of the city and only needed a pen—he would come and bring it to you. That’s how much you meant to him, and everyone could see it.

That’s why, when he heard from others that you were starting to get to know another guy, he felt his heart break a little. He knew you two weren’t a couple and that he had never confessed his feelings, but it still hurt to find out from someone else, especially when you knew how he felt. The thought of you with another guy was something he couldn't stand.

He tried to distance himself from you for a while after hearing the news, but he just couldn’t. He couldn’t say no when you asked him to pick you up from class to take you home, even though he knew you probably had an important date. Despite knowing this date might be with the other guy, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse, so he picked you up just as you had asked.

The whole ride, he was quiet and serious, something you found odd since Seunghan had never behaved like this around you. He was always so sweet and cheerful when he was with you.

"Seunghan, is something wrong? You seem really serious," you asked when he parked in front of your house after the silent ride.

"No, don't worry," he murmured without looking at you.

"I know something’s bothering you…"

"Don't you have to go get ready for your date?"

The way Seunghan looked at you and the tone he used when mentioning your date made you realize he knew about it, and he seemed quite upset.

"Seunghan, you know I care about you a lot, but it’s just…"

"You know. You know I love you and took full advantage of the fact that I'd do anything for you. And I know that. I just kept at it, hoping that one day you'd value me just as much."

You froze after hearing Seunghan’s words. You couldn’t help but feel bad for making him feel this way, though it was never your intention. Before you could even respond, Seunghan spoke again.

"Just… get out. You’re going to be late."

ᯓ★ SOHEE

There had always been a sort of romantic tension between you and Sohee. Both of you were playful and touchy with each other, but that was all—just tension. Even though you both probably had feelings for each other, neither of you had confessed.

In fact, you were always waiting for him to confess, but that moment never seemed to come. The longer you waited, the more tired you grew of holding onto hope. Yet, despite that, you couldn’t seem to let go of the idea of him.

Knowing all of this, you still couldn’t ignore the guy who approached you at the party. You had come to the university party with Sohee, but he had gone off to talk to his friends. The guy, someone you hadn’t seen before, wasted no time approaching you once he saw Sohee wasn’t by your side.

You two talked for a while, and the guy even brushed your arm occasionally while locking eyes with you. You couldn’t deny feeling a bit nervous around him. He was charming and very attractive. After chatting for a bit, you excused yourself to go to the bathroom, promising you’d be right back.

You didn’t expect to find Sohee waiting for you outside the bathroom. You quickly noticed he’d had a few drinks.

"Sohee, have you been drinking?"

"Who was that guy?"

"Are you talking about the one I was talking to earlier? He’s a new guy at our faculty. He’s pretty nice. I was about to go back and talk to him."

"Don’t go back to him," Sohee muttered, lowering his head.

"Sohee, you can’t decide what I do."

"I know I can’t, but I don’t want you to talk to him again."

"Sohee, you’re just drunk and saying things that don’t make sense," you said, walking past him, heading back to the party.

"Y/n, I love you," you heard Sohee murmur as he grabbed your wrist, only to let it go after a few seconds. You looked at him, stunned, for a moment. "Is that what you wanted to hear? Are you happy now?" he said before walking away into the party, leaving you standing in the hallway, unsure of what to say or do.

ᯓ★ ANTON

You and Anton had been best friends for as long as you could remember. You went to the same school, and your mothers were close friends, so you spent many summers together. Even after graduating, you both ended up attending the same university, so you still saw each other daily.

It felt like you two were inseparable—until you started getting to know another guy. It took you a while to tell Anton about him since you’d never really talked about that kind of stuff before. When you finally did, you thought he took it well at first, but you noticed him starting to act strange, becoming more distant.

Although he said nothing was wrong, he always had excuses to avoid walking home with you, claiming he had plans to study with classmates in a café, something you found odd since he didn’t like studying in public. Even so, you decided to trust him and give him the space he seemed to need.

One day, as you were heading home, you spotted Anton walking in the distance. It had been a while since you’d seen him in person, so you decided to catch up with him. He smiled briefly when he saw you, but then quickly looked away and started walking faster.

"Anton, I feel like you’ve been acting weird these past weeks. Is something wrong?"

"Huh? No, you know… exams, new people… It’s just that. Nothing’s wrong."

"Are you sure? I feel like you’re pulling away from me, and if I’ve done something wrong, I want to know."

"Nothing’s wrong, y/n. You’ve just got other friends now, and I get it," he mumbled coldly. You stood there, thinking for a moment. In high school, you’d made new friends, and yet you and Anton still acted like you always had. Why was this time different?

"I feel like you’ve been off ever since I told you about Ricky…"

"Y/n. I just… don’t want to talk about it."

"Well, I do, Anton. I feel like you’re being selfish, only thinking about how you feel and not about how you’re making me feel," you said, frustrated, stopping in the middle of the street. Anton turned to look at you, serious.

"Well, I’m sorry I fell in love with you, okay? But it happened, and I can’t do shit about it."

"You… what?"

Anton stared at you for a few seconds, pressing his lips together before turning his back on you.

"Forget it, y/n. I’m just tired from all the studying."

ᡣ𐭩 masterlist taglist: @regularsuh @gacktsa @totheseok @kkumistars @taroddori

[trees-for-aidan]

THURS

SEPT. 19th

2024

7:25AM

🌿 A Late Birthday Tribute to Aidan Gallagher & His Father: Help Plant a Tree for Free 🌿

As a late birthday gift to Aidan Gallagher and his father, I invite you to join me in honoring them by planting a tree for free. 🌱 It would mean the world to me, and I’m sure it would to him as well, knowing who he is and what he stands for. Aidan has been doing incredible work for the planet, and if you care about the Earth—even just a little—this is a simple way to help.

In a cosmic sense, how can we expect kindness for ourselves if we don’t extend it to each other, or to the Earth? The planet needs us to show up for it, just as much as we need it to show up for us. So please, pledge to plant a tree in honor of Aidan and his father. 🌍💚

This cause is especially important to me because, when I think of the state of the world, sometimes it’s hard to find hope. But knowing people like Aidan are out there fighting for the future gives me a reason to keep believing. Sure, he’s just one person making a dent, but with enough support, that dent can become a full-on collision of change. 🌱✨ I believe in what he’s doing, and one day, I know the world will be greener because of him.

Aidan is incredibly passionate, well-spoken, and intelligent. If you’ve ever heard him speak, you know he talks with a sense of certainty and security, even if he doesn’t realize it himself. It’s comforting. He genuinely cares about the future of the planet, and his actions show it. He’s not just an entertainer, but someone who truly gives a damn about whether we live or die—and whether the planet lives or dies. That’s why I admire him.

I don’t have to do any of this, but I’m doing it because I see his vision. 🌍 I believe in it. I admire the work he’s doing. If we don’t take action now, who will? Every moment counts, and we can make a difference, right here, right now. We can live healthier lives that help both our bodies and the planet.

So here’s my pledge to Aidan’s mission. I may be new to his family, but I’m proud to be part of a community that stands behind someone who genuinely cares about the future of this Earth. It’s rare to find someone so mindful, so aware of their impact, and so committed to making real change. 🌿

Let’s help make that change. Let’s plant a tree for Aidan. 🌳

#PlantForAidan #AidansFamily #EarthFirst #GreenerFuture #PlantATree #AidanGallagher #EcoWarrior #BirthdayTribute #SustainableLiving

[lieslab]

Are you with me?

꘎♡━━━━━♡꘎ ꘎♡━━━━━♡꘎

Pairing: Chan X gn reader

Summary: After struggling with being underweight, you binge out of desperation to gain weight and that's when your boyfriend finds you.

Genre: Comfort/hurt

Word Count: 1.6K

Trigger warning: Insecurities, implied underweight reader, mentions of weight, weight loss, binging, calorie counting, and a mention of nausea.

A/N: I believe that this is the final request I had. I'm so sorry for making you wait forever, life has been hard and this topic is a bit too real and relatable. Please know that your weight doesn't define you. Whether you are thirty pounds, three hundred, or three-thousand, you still deserve love and respect. You are allowed to love yourself no matter what you look like.

Society can be really fucking shitty and harsh. Don't let it tear you down. This is your life and maybe we do only get one. Eat the slice of cake on your birthday. Indulge in your favorite coffee. Weight can fluctuate and be lost or gained, but good memories last a life time. Don't let yourself miss out on experiencing them because you think your weight and the way you look is holding you back. It's easier said than done, but it's entirely possible <3

_ _ _

The brain is a chamber and each thought is a bullet. A complex system full of neural pathways that define who you are. The brain controls your entire being. Your personality, your motor skills, the cognitive ability to retain information, and pull it out later. 

Beneath the skin, we’re all just bones. Chipped and withered skeletons that will one day disintegrate into nothingness. They say life is a blessing. We should cherish it to the best of our ability. We only get one life, supposedly. If that’s true, then why is it so hard? 

Bodies. Bodies. Bodies. Bodies. Thick and thin. Taut skin stretched over hollowed cheekbones. Round cheeks full of facial fat. Sharpened and softened jawlines. No matter what yours looks like, you only get one. 

A random genetic lottery thanks to your parents. You might hate yourself or you might love yourself. No matter which one wins, there always seems to be hiccups. Those times of turmoil where you just can’t seem to go on another day because you are trapped inside your body. The machine that causes you to breathe, it feels like a burden to some. 

You cannot control how the outside world perceives you. You cannot make everyone like yourself. Chasing idolization and devotion is a great bomb of self-destruction. Feelings can be fatal and if you’re not careful, they will be. Drowning in insecurities and letting them weigh you down while the days pass you by isn’t a good way to live. 

Yet…you just couldn’t help it. The way you looked was just overwhelming. You were a mess. Physically, nobody could see it. Mentally, you were overwhelmed and falling apart. Unraveling at the seams and spiraling out of control. 

The whispers of your insecurities had turned into a sympathy of screams. Scorching hot tears streamed down your cheeks in the kitchen. Your weight has always been an issue. People don’t second guess the things they say at times. 

“Gosh, you’re so skinny, you need to put some meat on your bones.” 

“Is that really all you’re going to eat?” 

“One blow from the wind and you’re going to fall over at this rate.” 

Some people are blessed with rapid metabolisms and some are cursed. No matter how much you consume, your body works it off. Over and over and over and over and over. Just when you think you’ve gained a pound, the scale says you’re down another half of a pound. 

What does your boyfriend think about it? He always says you look wonderful, but does he really mean it? What if he’s lying? Members of your family have stated that you look like you’re on your deathbed. 

What if you’re not good enough? What if this body isn’t great? What if nothing changes? What if you’re cursed to be this weight forever? What if? What if? What if? 

It was a spur of the moment decision. Ever since you lost another two pounds within the last week, something inside of you seemed to snap. That’s when you found yourself tearing through kitchen cabinets. 

Thoughts were swirling as you ripped open the package of oreo cookies you bought. It was one and then it was two and you blinked and half the row was gone. Crumbs caked your lips and all you could do was wipe them along your sweater sleeve. 

As much as you were spiraling, you were desperate to gain control. Surely, if you ate enough, you could put on a pound or two, right? Right? You had to. 

Crinkling filled the air as you opened a bag of brand new chips. The kind that were too salty and you knew they weren’t healthy, but you did it anyway. Life felt better with the occasional unhealthy snack. People weren’t perfect and neither were you. 

Staring at the back of the calorie contents, you lost track of how many chips you placed in your mouth. People didn’t seem to binge on the fruits and vegetables. 

It was the sugary sweetened foods that stuck to your sides. The salty chips and pretzels. The kind of food that was full of empty calories, but you didn’t care. You were desperate to gain a pound. 

People don’t understand what it’s like until they’re there. You will never understand what it’s like to be skin and bones until it’s all that you are. You will never understand what it’s like to carry around a pudgy stomach that bounces with every step until you are there. 

Weight fluctuates and bodies are different. We only get one, but it’s so easy to abuse it. To never eat enough. To over consume and eat too much. You didn’t think you were doing anything wrong with your body. 

You ate your food and that was that. It wasn’t a ton of food, but it wasn’t like you were starving yourself either. Yet, at the exact same time, your body seemed to stay thin. 

The more you spiraled, the more you lost track. You didn’t remember what you put in your mouth. Everything tasted like defeat, even the oreos. 

It kept going and going. Your stomach began to ache with the amount of food you consumed, but you couldn’t stop. It was overwhelming and all too much. Everything hurt and you just wanted to break down and sob. 

When you caught the reflection of yourself in the microwave, that’s exactly what you did. The lump in your throat pulsed and the tears welled up again. The box of crackers in your hand dropped to the floor and you grabbed the counter top for support. 

Your body caved and slumped over the cold marble top. With a forehead pressed into the marble, you cried. You cried because it wasn’t fair. You cried because you hated what you were doing to your body. You cried because you were worried about how you were perceived. You cried because everything was overwhelming and too much. You hated yourself and it hurt like hell. 

Piercing sobs racked the empty kitchen and bounced off the walls. They reverberated back to you and you were left alone with the heart-shattering reality of what you were doing. You ate so much, you were nauseous. 

Your stomach twisted and churned. A fresh layer of saliva coated your tongue. The queasy feeling caused you to squeeze your eyes shut. All you could do was just cry harder. 

Your sobs were the first thing that Chan heard when he unlocked and pushed the door open. Fear struck his heart and he ripped off his bag. Not caring that his laptop was in it, it dropped to the ground with a heavy thud. 

He rushed into the kitchen and found you slung over the counter. “Baby? Baby?” His hand went to your back and he tugged you into his arms. 

The warmth of his chest made you cry harder. You hated that this was who you were. Why couldn’t you have another body? Why did it have to be this way? Why couldn’t it just be different? 

“What’s wrong?” His eyes scanned your face. “Why are you crying? What’s going on? Are you hurt?” His hands gently cupped your cheeks. He positioned your face up towards him. “Please talk to me.” 

“I-I hate myself,” you uttered hoarsely with a hiccup. “I’m not good enough. I can’t gain weight and I’m a walking skeleton and I-” 

His eyebrows pinched together in confusion. “Sweetheart, what are you talking about?”  A reassuring thumb ran over your cheek. 

“My body isn’t good enough. Not for you. Not for me. Not for anyone.” 

Knowing that you thought so negatively of yourself, it stung. It shoved an arrow through his heart and he shook his head. “Listen to me, you’re perfect the way you are. Just because y-” 

“You don’t get it!” You snapped angrily. Your hands shoved at his shoulders and he stumbled back in shock. “You don’t get it because you’re perfect! You can gain weight and you can lose weight. You can do whatever you want and I-” Your voice cracked and cut off. 

He didn’t utter a word. He knew you were struggling, so he just opened his arms. With a quivering bottom lip, you let yourself fall forward. Sturdy arms grabbed you and he pressed your head against his chest. 

The steady lull of his heart made you burst into tears. A weak and hoarse apology fell from your lips. All he could do was quietly shush you as he rubbed your back. 

“I know that it’s hard. I know what it’s like to struggle with your self image. Maybe I don’t know exactly what it is, but I’m right here and I love you. Please don’t push me away just because you’re struggling. I might not understand, but we can figure it out together. I’m not going anywhere and you know that.” 

That last reassurance was the final straw. Your knees buckled and your fingers dug into his cotton shirt. Down the both of you went and you landed on his lap. 

He pressed you against him as tight as he dared. With your eyes shut and your forehead pressed into the nape of his neck. He soothed you softly while rubbing your back. 

Even if he didn’t understand exactly, he’d wait here for as long as he had to. He’d be here until the kitchen was pulled into darkness and the sun went down outside. He didn’t care if he had to be here all night. 

He’d do whatever it took to remind you that no matter how you saw yourself, you weren’t entirely alone.

| ♡.﹀﹀﹀﹀.♡ | ♡.﹀﹀﹀﹀.♡ | ♡.﹀﹀﹀﹀.♡ |

Taglist: @lina-linny @straykidsstanforeverandever @seungnishi @stellasays45

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[sencrose]

— WHO ARE YOU, REALLY?

pairing: naoya zenin x f!reader, implied feelings involving naomaki

tags: dead dove do not eat. dubcon, angst?, reader is described as having a similar appearance to maki (mostly in hairstyle), incestuous undertones, physical abuse (against maki, sorry queen) established relationship, throatfucking, no prep, rough sex, pain during sex, (condescending) praise, hair pulling, internalized misogyny

wc: 3.2k

summary: You do not know what your husband sees in you. For better or worse, you learn.

a/n: back on my writing horrible things about naoya bullshit!! ngl this was weird to write but i also had a lot of fun with it. big thank you to @blueparadis for beta reading this for me <3 please read the tags and proceed with caution. ao3 link here

tagging: @pixelcafe-network @jellyfishsart

You do not know what your husband sees in you. 

It is not that you are without merit, but you are, simply put, plain. A weed in a field of flowers in full bloom. The diet that follows after a bad bout of the stomach flu. A satellite in the night sky that might be mistaken for a star — until it glides past far too quickly to be one, much to an onlooker’s disappointment. 

You know what power the Zen’in clan holds. The kind of power where even the most upstanding of sons will poison their fathers just for a taste. The paranoia that comes with it, the rumors of potential traitors whispered between paper doors is enough to keep anyone on edge. 

With all of that in mind, you know in your heart of hearts you are not the type of person the next head of the clan would pursue. 

Yet you were told he picked you out by hand, out of the dozens of matchmaking papers given to him. Applicants that began and ended on ink, their names, birthdays, and occupations, were discarded without a care of who they were, or who they could have been. 

What an honor, you were told. 

So you packed up your things with a judgemental eye, preparing yourself for the worst when you arrive. Would they let you keep a stuffed animal that was a birthday gift from a friend, or is that too childish? What about this shirt — is it conservative enough or will it bring unwanted attention?

You left most things behind. 

—

Every now and then, you recall a conversation you had with your mother shared over a plate of cut fruit, shortly before you received the news from the Zen’in clan. It comes to you whenever you see the young girls rushing through the corridors, hands holding a stack of sheets that tower over them. 

“Do you have any dreams?” she asked, carving the skin of an apple, the crimson peel spiraling under her skillful thumb, “Ambitions?”

She tended to ask this now and then. It’s natural, you assumed; a mother’s desire to know anything and everything there is to know about their child. 

It’s hard to remember or keep track of all the answers you’ve given her. All you know is that they’ve become less ambitious over the years. From huffing your chest out and saying you’ll be an astronaut who lives out in the stars with the profound confidence only a child could have, to something less spectacular, more mundane. 

You didn’t have much luck becoming a sorcerer, which shrunk your options. Maybe you’d go to school. Maybe get a degree, get some kind of corporate job, waste your life away in a gray office cubicle. 

But none of those are dreams. Obligations, perhaps.

“No, not really,” you replied, detached from the conversation. It was the truth. 

She patted you on the back, comfortingly. “Ah, that’s a good thing. You don’t want to be greedy.”

You still don’t know what she meant by that, but you also made no effort to ask for clarification. The words simmered low and steady until it burned and branded itself in your head.

As if to pull you out of your thoughts, your mother handed you a slice, an offering. Despite her words, you wondered if it was consolation. 

—

Even after some time has passed since your arrival, you do not know what your husband sees in you. You’re not sure he sees you at all. 

His touch is few and far between. 

To your surprise, on the night of your wedding you did not consummate your marriage. It happened two weeks after, and it was not what you expected from someone who had supposedly picked you out on his own accord. 

It was anything but gentle. You learned quickly that Naoya Zen’in is not a patient man.

Rough hands were grabbing anywhere, everywhere. If you didn’t know any better, you would think he was trying to devour you. 

Nothing placated him. When you gazed up at him teary-eyed with soft pleas to go slower, you only made things worse. Hands grabbed onto your form to flip you over, push your face into the sheets so he didn’t have to hear your protests. Fingers pressed deep into the dip of your waist, so hard you worried about bruises forming (they did). 

Once he got what he wanted out of you, he tossed you to the side. As if you were some random girl he just happened to pick up for the night, someone he hoped would be gone come morning. 

As if you weren’t his wife. 

It was the first time in a long time that you realized, maybe, you had wants. Desires. To do something instead of having something done onto you. 

But your mother’s words haunt you. 

You don’t want to be greedy. 

—

For the first time since arriving at the estate, you have a hint of what your husband sees in you.

You don’t think you’re supposed to see it. You don’t think you’re supposed to be here at all.  

A girl lies on the floor of the open courtyard, her head underneath Naoya’s heel.

It’s like looking into a mirror, though a bit distorted. The image is similar, but the puzzle pieces filling in the gaps are all different.

Her hair is much like yours, though the strands that frame her face hang like blades, sharpened, ready to cut anyone who gets too close. 

You don’t have that type of intensity around you. The pieces of hair that frame your face soften your features. Wispy, uncertain shapes that blow away with the slightest puff of wind. 

The similarities start and end there. 

Though she’s younger than you, she wears a hardened expression, one you always thought would come to you with age. You realize now that you must’ve had it easy when you see how she wears it like it’s all she’s ever known. 

Although you go unnoticed by your husband, the girl acknowledges your presence. Her gaze meets yours, fury ablaze in her eyes, along with something else you don’t recognize. Your legs react before you even realize, taking a step back. 

Even with her body pressed into the ground in submission, you can tell she is anything but. It’s written candidly on her face, teeth bared to the world, begging for flesh to dig into.

Your husband must be a blind fool. Even you can see from a distance that she’s a wild animal in human form, just waiting for a chance to break the chains of her enclosure. You feel it in her stare, how she strips you down to a state even Naoya hasn’t witnessed. You don’t like it. How her eyes hone in on you like a lion staring down its prey.

Then again, would you even be considered prey? Even a rabbit has a fighting chance at running away. You do not know how to run. Not towards a goal, and certainly not away from danger.

But you can still walk. Walk while you can and you can forget you’ve ever seen this. Stuff it back in the recesses of your mind, back where you wrote off wants and desires and greed all those years ago.

You don’t walk away fast enough.

When you hear her name slip from your husband’s lips, your stomach freefalls. 

You haven’t been at the estate for long, but you know of her. Everyone does. You just never had the chance to put a name to a face. Maki Zen’in, one half of the clan disappointment, alongside her twin sister. It goes without saying that you also know of the ties that connect them.

You know your husband is a cruel man. He has to be; it’s practically a requirement for someone of his power and status. But it’s hard to watch when it’s laid out so plainly in front of you. Even so, you stay.

You watch with a tightness in your chest as he pulls her up by the base of her ponytail before throwing her back onto the ground, gravel and dust dispersed in the air from the impact.

Anger lights a fire in his eyes. No matter what he does, he doesn’t seem to get the reaction he wants, or much of a reaction at all. She takes it in stride, only emitting hushed grunts when he kicks her. While you flinch at the volume of his voice rising, she boldly sneers at his frustration.

You meet her eyes again. 

She laughs. 

It isn’t to piss off Naoya. No, it’s directed at you. The bystander who’ll go on with her day like nothing ever happened, even after witnessing the horrific abuse doled out at the hands of her husband.

Even though she doesn’t hold an ounce of cursed energy in her veins, you know what she thinks of you. You hear it in the dry chuckle she lets out before Naoya kicks her again.

You’re cursed. 

How pitiful. 

—

You’re sure he’s ranting about something, maybe something Naobito did, but you can’t bring yourself to listen to him. All you can think about is the girl in the courtyard, with an ire in her eyes you’ve never seen before. When was the last time you looked like that? Felt something so intense it radiated off of your very being, so bright and radiant it couldn’t be ignored? Have you ever had that kind of fighting spirit in you?

A stagnant silence brings you back. You vacantly stare back at your husband. It was your turn to speak for once. You perk up at the opportunity, though you’re unsure how to seize it.

“Sorry. I just don’t know what I’m supposed to say.”

“Well that’s the thing, isn’t it? You don’t need to say anything. C’mere.”

He pulls you in closer, his hand petting your head. It’s the only time he shows any semblance of gentleness, a cruel way of lulling you into a false sense of security. You know what comes next. His hand presses against your head, lower, lower, until you’re nestled against his crotch. Naoya looks at you, expectantly. 

Your fingers wrap around the cotton ties that hold his hakama pants, pulling with a tug. From there, the fabric falls easily, more so once you reach around his waist to undo the tension from the straps. 

You steel yourself to do what you’ve always done, though something sits in the back of your mind. 

You get him to groan with a long stroke of your tongue on the underside of his cock. Build yourself up to taking his entire length into his mouth, inch by dreadful inch, but it’s hard. By the time you swallow him whole, you can feel his tip pressing against the back of your throat. You do your best to service him at a pace he’d be satisfied with, one you know is out of your skillset, dribbling spit and coughing softly whenever you go too deep.

But Naoya isn’t satisfied. He’s impatient, his fingers weaving through your hair, pulling tight before he quickens your pace to his own liking. It’s something you still haven’t gotten used to. The burning in your eyes, the gross wet sounds that leave your mouth as he bobs your head up and down like a toy.

“Fuck, you’re perfect. Take me in so well, don’t you?” His grip around your hair tightens.

He continues recklessly fucking your throat, ignoring all of the choked cough and garbled yelps you let out whenever he hits the back of your throat. All you can do is take it, ball your fists and fold your thumbs in, and hope that trick you learned about reducing your gag reflex isn’t just some urban legend.

Naoya removes yourself from him as roughly as he places you onto him. The rush of air is both a welcome one and sudden change, and you gasp and cough at the sensation.

“Wife,” He brandishes the title like a weapon, the blade of a dagger pressed against your neck.

“Tie your hair up for me, won’t you?” he poses it as a question, but you know you have no choice in the matter. 

Time freezes.

Your eyes shift and you find yourself fiddling with your fingers, hoping he will change his mind if you look up at him with a disarming plea in your eyes, but his gaze does not falter. His eyes only get darker, a dangerous amber that glows like a warning sign in the lowlight of your shared chamber, as he awaits you to fulfill his request. 

Maybe your husband doesn’t see you, but you have always seen him for who he is, even if you didn’t want to admit it. It shines more than ever, when he tilts his head and the corners of his lips upturn. A snake carefully wrapping itself around a rat, just one good squeeze away from keeping you in his clutches forever. Once again, you’re trapped and frozen with nowhere to go. Unfortunately, you play your part well without trying.

You shouldn’t be surprised. It probably runs in their blood.

Slowly, you tie your hair up, strands spilling between your fingertips as you pick them up again, gathering and pulling through the hair only halfway through the elastic, an unstable, floppy bun.

You don’t want to be greedy.

A ghost of unspoken words from your mother whispers against your ear, and maybe if you caught on a bit sooner, things would be different. What was she trying to tell you? What did she hold behind her tongue so cautiously?

Because that’s not how I raised you?

Because that’s not a woman’s place?

Because that’s not what makes a good wife?

But none of it sounds quite right.

And though the thoughts swirl and cloud your head, something else rings bright and clear through the murkiness. 

You want. You want to be wrong. You want it with an intensity you’ve never felt before in your life, a desire clawing its way out of your chest, desperate to see the light of day. 

It’s a good thing. You don’t want to be greedy.

Naoya gently tugs on the loop of hair with his fingers, almost intimately, and it makes your stomach curl. He pulls apart the strands in half to tighten it, until a ponytail reminiscent of the one you saw earlier today sits on top of your head. 

It is only in this moment the clouds in your mind disperse, the addendum your mother wanted to add clear as day.

Because all you will be left with is disappointment.

Even though you’re filled with unease, you follow his lead because it’s all you’ve ever known. He pulls on the waistband of your skirt before pushing his hand against your back, getting you in position to arch for him. 

His fingers drag against your slit, before sliding two of them inside your hole, ignoring any initial resistance. Another thing you learned about your husband is that he’s a determined man; to your dismay, it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t fit, he’ll make it fit. Even the stretch of his digits is uncomfortable, scissoring them inside you just to hear you whine under his touch. You wince when he withdraws them, tighten up when you feel something hot and hard pressed against you.

There’s no getting used to his size. Even if he took the time to prepare you properly, you’re sure it would still hurt – if not at the initial penetration, then at the frenzied thrusts that come shortly after. His plump cockhead nudges teasingly against your hole, poking and proding before pulling away. He likes to keep you on your toes, hear you whimper when he surprises you a rough thrust. 

Something about him seems more impatient than usual.

He pushes himself into you, and you bite down on your lip as he splits your walls apart in one swift movement. Over the course of your marriage, you’ve learned to wait out the pain, keep your breathing steady until he starts to move. But his pace never stays slow for long. It’s only a short moment before his hips slam into yours faster and you have to weave through the sheets and grip for stability.

“Naoya, ‘s too much,” you whine, voice high pitched and on the edge of sounding needy.

Without warning his hands wrap around your ponytail and he pulls tight. The sharp pain makes you wince, arch your back until you’re pressed flush against his chest.

“Talking back, are we?” he quips back.

“No, no, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” you say, hushed and quiet. 

You don’t think he accepts your apology, not when he tugs a bit harder and gives you a thrust so deep it knocks the air out of your lungs. Whether he accepts it or not, he’s still enjoying himself. You hear it in the groans he lets out whenever he hits you deep inside and you moan at the impact, feel it in the way his other hand kneads your breast before giving your nipple a tug.

“You like this, don’t you?”

You wonder if his words are actually directed towards you, but you don’t think too hard about your response, falling back on your default mode of placating him.

“Mhm,” you hum softly.

“Then you won’t mind if I go harder, right?” he asks, but he doesn’t give you a chance to respond. There’s no smooth transition, he simply goes straight into fucking you harder.

His pace is dizzying, the slap of skin-to-skin echoing throughout the room as he fucks you.

He only gets louder and more desperate as his hips slam into yours. You’re not sure you’ve ever seen him like this before. It makes your mind race, makes you wonder if he’s holding back his tongue to call out another name whenever he hums a bit too long in pleasure. Each sound he makes causes your heart to skip in terror and anticipation, but you never hear it. Still, it trembles. 

“Be a bit louder for me, ok?” he whispers in the shell of your ear. His hand traces down from your chest to your waist, lower until it reaches your aching clit. “I’ll even treat you tonight.”

The unexpected contact pushes you further into him, sends a shiver of tension up your spine. You don’t want to admit the pleasure boiling up in you, not like this, but your body doesn’t give you much of a choice. Your lips are the first line of defense to fall, high pitched moans you don’t recognize spilling so easily, naturally, as if it’s water leaking from a faucet.

Maybe he thinks you’re enjoying yourself just a bit too much, because the grip on your hair tightens once again. But it doesn’t stop the rush of warmth building up in your stomach, from your muscles tightening to prepare for your impending climax.

“Nao, I’m close, I’m close-”

Shame washes over you along with your orgasm, walls fluttering against his cock, as he fucks you through it. Naoya’s own climax follows shortly after yours, his hips thrusting harder until he stills with a shaky groan. 

Only once he removes himself from you, you collapse on to the bed, body spent. You cautiously reach for the hair tie, looking over at Naoya as you pull it out with a soft tug. He doesn’t stop you. 

You know what your husband sees in you.

You wish you didn’t see it too. 

[jasntodds]

Penance [7]

Pairing: Jason Todd x Fem!Powered!Reader

Words: 8,230

Chapter Warnings: Swearing, fluff, mentions of death, hurt/comfort, mentions of scars, small description of jason's autopsy scar, smut, 18+ mdni

Summary: ❝Thesus: Stop. Give me your hand. I am your friend. Herakles: I fear to stain your clothes with blood. Thesus: Stain them. I don’t care.❞

It’s been a month and a half since Crane’s reign of terror was stopped, leaving Gotham to finally return to normal. But, what is normal? After everything Jason and you have been through, it seems normal might be some unobtainable dream state. But that’s not going to stop either of you from trying and maybe, you’ll get lucky in the end. At the end of it, the two of you have suffered enough, right?

Right?

A/N: It was my birthday a few weeks ago and 2 days later I was in the ER with a bad kidney infection so that's why this is late lol I'm sorry!! lol You can add yourself to the tag list below, ask me to be tagged, or you can follow my library blog @jasntoddslibrary  and turn on notifications if you prefer that!! I love feedback, I swear it keeps me posting on a weekly basis 😭

series masterlist | masterlist | tag list

Jason and you patrol together and it feels like old times. You work well together just as you always have and it’s something the both of you really needed. Patrolling with Tim was different because you had to and you couldn’t really do it how you were used to because it was about training Tim and showing him the ropes. But this? This is like it always was, fighting side by side, teaming up and taking turns interrogating people. You stop at Excellent Gotham halfway through and park yourselves by Jason’s favorite gargoyle to eat.

You think tonight is healing parts of you. You felt hopeless before and now you're sitting here with your favorite person as if nothing has really changed. Maybe you don’t need to punish yourself all of the time and maybe this can be good. Maybe you can let yourself heal from everything. If Jason can, don’t you deserve to try?

“Wasn’t too boring tonight, was it?” Jason quips, the both of you back in your street clothes as you stand outside of your apartment building, Jason having rode home with you to make sure you got home safe.

“Eh.” You shrug. “It was alright I guess.” You scrunch your nose at him.

“Alright?!” Jason scoffs. “Bullshit. I’m a fucking trip.”

“You’re something.” You let out a cackle and Jason is relieved to see you look so happy. You looked lost earlier. “Can I ask you something?” You ask.

“What’s up?” Jason shifts his weight to his left leg, resting the helmet on his hip.

“When do you go see Leslie again?” You look down, tugging your sleeves over your hands before your eyes come up to Jason's.

Jason's brows raise slightly before he shrugs. “Uh…few days, why?”

“Can you, uh, a-ask her if she…ya know…maybe I need…to go.”

Jason nods his head with a warm smile. “Yeah, I’ll ask her and give her your number.”

“Thanks, Jay.” You give him a small and shy smile.

“Of course.” Jason smiles softly. “Hate fucking admitting it, but it’s been helping a bit again.”

“Good. I, uh, that’s why I wanna go. Might be for the best.”

“Good. Can’t hurt.” Jason nods his head.

“Yeah.” You smile softly. “Well, I’m gonna head in but thanks for tonight.”

“Do it again?” The corner of Jason's tugs into a hopeful smirk.

“Hell yeah.” You laugh softly. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” You beam before spinning on your heels and entering the apartment building.

A smile is stretched across your face as you make your way up the three flights of stairs to your apartment. No part of you believes going to see Leslie is going to be easy but if she’s helping Jason who literally died, surely she can help you. And it feels really good to finally feel like you and Jason might be falling back into some sort of normal after everything.

You enter your apartment, pressing your back against the door as it shuts behind you. The TV is playing quietly from the living room, the rest of the apartment is dark. You're so stuck on how well the night went, you almost miss the sound of Molly’s voice coming from your living room.

“Molly?” You question, pushing off the door and walking the few feet into the kitchen, looking into the living room thanks to the open concept layout.

Molly is leaning against the arm of the couch holding her phone against her thighs. A wide smile splits her face as Jurassic Park is playing on the TV. Molly is still rambling on about the first time she saw the movie, completely ignoring your presence. You roll your eyes and walk over to the back of the couch, looking at her phone screen.

“Hey.” Gar chimes.

Molly jumps. “When did you get back?” Molly ask.

“Just now?” You question. “Hey, Gar?” Your brows furrow, looking between the two of them.

Nothing going on, sure.

Molly looks at the time on her phone. “Did it go okay? You’re not mad are you?” Molly questions.

“What happened?” Gar asks.

You look between the two of them and maybe nothing is going on but from where you're standing, it definitely looks like it. You aren't even upset about it, but if something is going on, you think it's weird and confusing neither one of them would just say something but you aren't going to push. It's not really your business or your place. So, you decide, you're not even gonna say anything. You'll sit back and see what happens with them.

“Nothing?” You shake your head. “We patrolled together, grabbed some food, and came back.” You shrug your shoulders. “So, I’m gonna shower and head to bed.” You reach over the couch and steal a handful of popcorn from Molly’s bowl. You glance to the TV, watching the water in the cup on the dash of the Jeep start to vibrate. “You guys are missing the best part.” You state as you start walking away. “Get it together, guys.” You make your voice cheery, making sure they know you're joking and you can hear Molly laugh quietly as you enter your room.

You grab your change of clothes before heading to the bathroom and hopping in the shower. Music plays through the bathroom until it's interrupted by a ding from a text. You peek out of the shower just in time to see your phone screen still on with Jason’s contact on your screen. He’s texted you a quick ‘made it home’. You smile to yourself and continue washing your hair while your phone chimes again. This time when you look over, it’s a second text from Jason telling you you should just meet him at his place around noon and you can go to Home Depot together. You roll your eyes but your smile is glued to your lips while you finish your shower.

You take a seat on the toilet seat with a towel draped around your body. You pick up your phone while your stomach bubbles and twists.

You: What? Don’t trust my driving?

Jaybird: No ☠️

You: Fuck you 🔪

Jaybird: I’m really shaking in my boots babe

You: You suck

Jaybird: 🤤

You: 🤮

Jaybird: 🖕

You: Ill see you tomorrow I do like to be chauffeured around

Jaybird: How many times did it take autocorrect to get that word right?

Your jaw drops before you burst out laughing. He’s such an asshole but it did take more than a few tries to get that damn word right and he would know.

You: I will walk over to your apartment and fucking stab you so fucking help me jason todd

Jaybird: You’d have to catch me first babe

You: That a dare?

Jaybird: I dare you

You: Okay

You toss your phone and immediately start getting dressed in sweats. You don’t bother with makeup or anything else. You get the bathroom tidied up before you exit the bathroom, phone in hand before you go for your backpack. Molly is still peaking over the couch on her Facetime call with Gar.

“What’re you doing?” Molly asks.

“Going to stab Jason.” You answer casually while Molly looks to her phone at Gar.

“She’s doing what?”

“He dared me, Gar!” You yell but Molly and Gar can tell by the airiness in your voice it's really not that serious.

“He dared you to stab him?” Molly asks, unsure if she really heard you correctly or if she really wants to any sort of context.

You widen your eyes at her, nodding your head quickly. “Yeah! And I’m not gonna back down. It’s a dare.” You scoff with the furrow of your brows.

“Were they always this weird?” Molly asks Gar.

“Hey!” You yell.

“Yes.” Gar answers with a nod.

“Okay, I’ll be back!” You call with a smile as you kick your shoes on and head out, locking the three locks on your way out.

Jason prepares for you to get there, knowing you take dares seriously. He unlocks the door and shuts every light off in the place. If you want to come for him, he’s not going to make it easy. That ruins the game. It’s silly and he knows but at this point, he doesn’t want to miss even a single opportunity with you. Yes, he shouldn't have wasted a month and a half and neither should you but he’s thinking maybe that was for the best. It did give you both space to start to healing. It gave you both space to start setting up your own lives and finding out who you are today. It seems to have helped and there’s nothing saying you can’t continue while trying to get back what you once had. Optimism is not something that ever came easy to Jason Todd but he’s letting himself feel optimistic about you for just a second.

You pull up to Jason's place, seeing it’s completely dark. At first, it almost scares you, thinking maybe something happened and this is a trap. That would be something that could happen. But, that thought fades quickly because you don’t have that pit in your stomach and Jason would never have played along with anything to endanger you. This is Jason being a shit.

You dig in your bag and pull out your phone, using the flashlight as you enter the building, keeping light on your toes.

“Finally.” Jason's voice rings through the speaker system. “Usual rules?”

This was something you did at the Manor when Bruce was out. You blacked out the entire house, the only light would come from the moon outside. Other than that, it was just you two and a black house trying to locate each other. The only rules were not to permanently injure the other one -- don’t shove each other down the stairs and no lethal weapons. First person to disarm the other wins.

“You’re on, Jay.” You call as you shut your flashlight off, pocketing your phone.

You have your hands at your sides as they start to warm and glow a vibrant shade of green. Your steps are careful, using the glow to guide your feet. Back at the manor, you didn’t even need the light from your hands at one point. You had the whole place memorized from doing this with Jason which did kind of defeat some of the purpose of the blacking out the building but it served enough purpose. Plus, there are more stakes. It has the same premise as Dick’s whole thing with the blindfolds but this is more fun.

Jason is positioned at the end of the hall, carefully listening. He can see the glow of your hands which he said was cheating at first, until he realized he can also find you. He doesn’t need the glowing but it’s definitely not a bad thing to have on his end. So, he stands against the wall, watching and listening to you walk closer. His eyes track you, knowing you’ll search the full hallway before attempting the stairs. A part of him wants to dodge around you and essentially play a weird game of hide and seek but instead, he keeps his feet planted. The idea is to disarm, not to find.

Your hands stop glowing the further down the hallway you get. Jason's brows furrow, still listening to your footsteps. They echo softly no matter how light on your feet you try to be. If you know anything, it’s that Jason likes to play games. He’s going to make finding him easy the first time because that’s the point. And then you’ll have to spar it out until one of you backs off and runs off. He’s done this before so you keep walking with soft feet until you reach the end of the hallway. Jason is like a radiator. He could heat up an entire room if left there long enough so as you stand right in front of him, you can feel the space between you growing warmer.

You strike first, just missing his head as Jason grabs your arm. He spins you around as you kick your leg around his, sending you both to the ground. Jason falls on top of you, barely catching his weight on his hands to not crush you and you don’t miss a beat, crawling from under him only for Jason to grab your ankle and yank you back. Jason hears your laugh through a squeal.

“That’s a fucking ego boost.” Jason laughs with you.

“You’re not scary, sorry, Jay.” You tease, yanking your ankle free.

“Lotta people'd beg to differ." Jason defends as he hears you run off down the hallway.

“Not to me!” You sing-song, your voice echoing off the walls and staircase.

A smile stretches across Jason’s face as he shakes his head. He starts walking after you, not hearing your footsteps anymore and he knows you've hidden yourself behind some sort of corner so he’s careful with his steps.

A large part of him thought the good parts of him died and the pit kept them. It kept them in exchange for his life, maybe that’s just the price he was to pay in order to live. Someone can’t come back to life without sacrificing something. Look at Ra’s. But, over the last few days, he’s learning that may not have been in the case.

His bones still ache and something still feels hauntingly different but the good parts of him are still there. Tim didn’t even blink when Jason showed up in the alley, he was so unbothered by all of Jason’s training methods that even got you to pitch a fit every once in a while. Jason had a good time training Tim and him and you are back to doing this stupid game in the middle of the night with laughter bouncing off of the walls. He’s smiled more the last few days than he has in two months. Maybe the good parts of him aren’t entirely gone. They were just covered in guilt and remorse.

You're tucked away in a corner and you always wonder how Jason manages to be so silent as he walks. You can be quiet but you can’t even tell when he’s moving until it’s almost too late. It’s for his own protection, he’s been doing this longer, but it’s always fascinating to you and it'd be a little scary if you didn't know him. One second he’s down the hall and the next, he’s standing in front of you without ever making a sound. It’s his most intimidating quality.

But you're careful anyway, listening, focusing on your surroundings and then the hairs stand up on the back of your neck with a subtle throb starting to your right. You dodge just as Jason's fist flies through the air and you grab his arm, elbowing the inside of his arm. Jason lets out a groan and you twist it around before Jason laughs.

“It’s cute you think you still stand a chance.”

“I’ve taken you before.” You quip, holding his arm behind his back.

“You’re out of practice.” Jason chuckles, pulling his arm away before he spins back around, going to grab you but you jump back.

“So are you.” You quip.

“You sure?” Jason asks making you nearly scream. He’s right in front of you now and you didn’t feel him that time. His breath is fanning over your face and without needing to see him, you can tell he’s smirking, cheeks probably that pretty shade of pink.

“Uh-huh.” Your voice catches in your throat.

“Right.” Jason gives you this chuckle that makes you want to kiss the smirk off of his face but you know you can’t very well do that now so instead, you make your move.

You quickly slide to the right before kicking his feet from under him. Jason lands on a knee and he swipes his leg across the floor, knocking you down just as you try to run off. It’s Jason’s turn to get to his feet and find a new spot.

The two of you go back and forth like this and it’s different this time. Usually, you spar hard and you both make solid efforts to disarm the other but this time, you’re spending a lot of time hiding and running. It wasn’t so much intentional at first from either of you but the more you do it, the more you realize this is just more time to spend together. Tomorrow comes eventually and tomorrow always has some sort of surprise in it. Tonight, you don’t wanna worry about that. You spend your time in the dark, finding each other and going back forth with fists and quips.

Two hours in, Jason is hiding out on the landing of the first staircase, tucked away in the corner. The window is two feet away from him, the city lights cascading through the pains and onto the wood flooring. His eyes stay trained in front of him, hearing you from downstairs walking around. You've been looking for a few minutes and Jason is wondering if you’ll give up. And then he hears a smack and a groan from down the stairs. Jason has to stifle his own laugh, far nicer than you who burst out laughing when Jason hit the doorframe. You seem to recover okay, your steps picking up a few seconds later and he can hear you ascending the staircase.

Your steps stop right at the top.

You roll your eyes and you know damn well Jason is right behind the light of the window. He’ll be able to see you before you can see him. And if you know anything about him, you know he’s standing right in the corner, right foot lifted and pressed against the wall with his arms crossed and that stupid smirk on his lips. This game was never very fair from your perspective. You've never won. Jason’s senses have always been better, Bruce trained him well. As much as you hate the thought. You let out a sigh, take two steps forward and stand directly in the light, a taunt telling Jason to get it over with.

Jason pushes off the wall with his right foot and makes his move but he’s cautious. You do not give up, especially to him when there’s a game like this in play. He strikes first, you block him in an instant, using the light to drag him from the shadows and you get him with your knee right in his side. Jason doesn’t even flinch, throwing another hit, this time hitting you on your side. The two go back and forth, breathing turning heavy as you use the city lights to your advantage. But, it’s Jason who gets the upper hand as he almost always does, grabbing both of your wrists as you use one to try to punch him and the other to block his hands. His grip is tight and unwavering.

Jason’s chest is nearly touching yours as you look up at him. There’s a devious gleam you can make out even in the low light, the corners of his mouth perked into a subtle smirk. Your heart jumps into your throat.

“Giving up so quick?” Jason questions.

“No.” You let out a soft pout but you aren’t fighting him.

Jason can feel his heartbeat on his tongue. His grip loosens on your wrists but he doesn’t let go. Instead, his thumb rubs your skin softly, not even realizing he’s doing it. It’s been hours and he’s been having a blast and he knows she is, too. For the life of him, he can’t figure out why you both let time go by. He does know why, because it all hurt but maybe it was just getting over the hump of it all. He thinks it must be just as hard for you to overcome as it is for him. But, you both always seemed to be able to cope better around each other. It’s the understanding of every action and word that leaves your lips. The feeling that you’ll both never be alone.

Jason nods once. “Not trying very hard.” Jason whispers softly.

Last night felt so good and cathartic. Maybe you just want to live in another one of those moments for a few minutes.

“You’ll just tighten your grip.” You whisper back, watching a cheeky smirk grow on his lips.

“Doesn’t seem to bother you much.” Jason quips and his eyes glance to your lips.

What if he kisses you anyway? Just one more time. Then you can do this friend thing with the game and the banter. What if he kisses you anyway?

“No.” You answer back, glancing to his lips.

What if you kiss him? Just one more time and then you can do the whole friend like you did before. What if you kiss him?

“How’re you gonna get out of this then?” Jason quips.

Fuck it.

You lunge forward, your lips connecting with Jason’s. He groans and immediately drops your wrists as his hands come to your cheeks, pulling you closer to him. Jason melts right into you, nearly exploding at the seams with the very thought you were thinking the same thing he was.

His mouth moves with yours and you push forward until Jason’s back hits the wall. Jason grabs your hips, turning you both around so your back is pinned against the wall. He kisses down your neck, nipping and biting at the flesh. Your heartbeat skyrockets as your hand tangles into his messy hair. Your eyes are closed as a soft moan escapes your lips. Jason bites down, sucking a mark into your skin.

You pull his head back to your lips, the kiss turning sloppy and wet. Jason slides his hands under your thighs, picking you up to pin you against the wall as his knee slots into between your legs. His thigh hits just the right spot making you let out a moan into his mouth immediately followed by a groan.

You pull his hair back, getting a pretty groan from Jason before you go to his neck, leaving your own purple mark. Jason holds your hips helping you grind down against his thigh. The sound of your desperate gasps makes him want to lose his mind. He wants to surrender all control he has ever had and forget anything bad ever happened. His head is lust drunk and all he wants is you. His bulge is growing and throbbing through his sweatpants, desperately wanting free.

You feel yourself growing closer and wetter but more desperate. There’s not quite enough friction and he knows it. He knows this only ever gets you teetering on the edge but it’s never quite enough. He knows exactly what he’s doing and you want to bite him. Your pussy throbs and aches for something to fill you up.

“Jay.” You pant desperately into his mouth.

He fucking snickers.

And stills your hips.

“Jay.” Your brows pinch together as if you're in pain.

“What’s that?”Jason teases.

“Fuck. You.” You nod your head, trying to move your hips but his grip keeps you steady.

Jason leans forward, nipping up your neck making you whine. He can feel your pulse against his lips as he kisses his way up to your cheek. You feel him grin against your skin and you think your skin might set the both of you on fire.

“Say please.” Jason mocks you, whispering in your ear, his voice deep and graveled.

You think you've melted into the palms of his hands.

Jason loosens his grip slightly, allowing you to get some friction for just a few seconds before stilling your hips.

“Didn't hear ya, babe?” Jason’s eyes lock on yours with the quick raise of his brows, using all of his self-control not to cave himself.

There's a sliver of you that wants to push him, see who can actually outlast the other because you know it'll be him begging for you in about ten minutes. But, your head is swimming and your body is erupting in goosebumps. The desperation of wanting him all over you makes you lose every other thought that was once there.

You kiss him, keeping your lips close to his, pulling away just enough to speak. “Please.”

Jason doesn’t waste a single second to dropping his knee as his lips connect back with yours.

Jason pulls you with him, his back towards the second set of stairs as you both walk up them, unsteadily with your lips connected. Once you’re up the stairs, Jason is grabbing the hem of your hoodie, tugging it over you and tossing it on the floor. Jason’s hoodie is next, tossed somewhere in the dark hallway. By the time you reach Jason’s room, he’s tugging your top off and tossing it to the floor.

It’s all hasty and hot, desperate and needy as Jason pulls you to his bed. He lands on top of you, catching you to mind your fall and your hands are under his shirt. They’re warm and soft. They make him feel whole again.

The words ‘i need you’ circle his brain but never quite make it out. He needs you like he needs air. You're the breath of fresh air on the first day of spring. It’s the first day the air doesn’t hurt his lungs. You taste how the word cathartic sounds. He needs you like he needs the oxygen in his lungs.

You scratch up his back and Jason arches his back right into you. His head spins. His lips trail down to your cheek and then your neck. He leaves a second mark in his wake and your head falls fuzzy. You aren’t even entirely sure you're even here anymore. All you know is that you want him and your skin is on fire. You can’t form a single coherent thought as Jason makes his way down to your collarbone, leaving yet another mark. All you can think about his him. His mouth and his the way his teeth graze over your skin, how warm his hand is as it trails up to your breast. All you can think about is the pretty moans and groans that leave his lips as you claw his back again. You've turned to mush all over again.

He presses some kisses around where your braw cuts off, just enough to tease you before he comes back up, kissing your lips. And all you know for certain is how badly you need him. You need him today and tomorrow and every day after. Every moment with him is worth every bit of pain and agony. Every moment without him is boring and lackluster. Jason walks into a room and it’s like a color bomb explodes through the room. His laugh could light up the darkest of hallways and his eyes are the prettiest shade of green, they could convert anyway to love the color. Breathing is easier whenever he's around.

Your hands go to the hem of his shirt and try to tug it off of his head but Jason stops you, shooting up immediately. Your high immediately vanishes seeing the look of panic spread over his feature. Jason’s head comes back, still spinning but down in panic and his chest heaves. What’s he supposed to do?

“I-I’m sorry.” You shake your head, leaning up on your elbows. “I-, uh, I thought…well…I…I should have asked--”

“No.” Jason shakes his head, looking down then back to you. “It’s not…that.” Jason nearly chokes on his own words.

“What’s wrong, Jay?” Your brows tug together and even though you're the one half-naked, he’s the one feeling exposed.

Jason’s teeth grind together and he didn’t really think this far ahead. His mind was clouded with the thought of you and the desire to just have one more fucking night. His mind was clouded with the idea of chasing the feeling you shared just a few months ago. He didn’t think about this step. This part of the whole sex thing. You don’t care. You never care about scars but it hurts him.

Jason clears his throat as he brings his hands back to your hips, watching your chest quickly rise and fall with every breath. He's running through everything he could say. How is he supposed to tell you he has a thick, protruding scar from his collarbones all the way down his abdomen? That can't possibly be some sort of turn on and if anything, he's almost certain it'll send you into a spiral because it nearly does to him every damn day he looks at it. What's he supposed to say? What's he supposed to say without making you feel worse or feel like you need to push to make sure he's okay?

What's he supposed to say in order to keep this moment intact without it being just another moment tainted by painful memories?

“We can just keep doing this. Um…I-I don’t mind…if you don’t.” You try to pull in a breath. The guilt chews at your stomach. “I, uh, I don’t—“

“Y/n.” Jason cuts you off, not wanting you to spiral. “It's not that, I fucking swear.” Jason squeezes your hips and his brows twitch up with reassurance. He's just not sure if he's ready to reveal that part to you. It makes him feel guilty. He's supposed to be able to share everything with you but the shame eats at him. “I want to.” He clarifies, earning a nod from you. “It’s just…” His eyes go distant for a second before coming back to yours. “Stays on.”

You offer him a large nod and you thought it was odd he turned around before to change. Jason has never been very modest about anything ever. He has worked very hard for his chest and abs and he doesn’t mind showing off a bit, especially in front of you because he’s still a shithead. But, last night he didn’t and sitting here now, you're putting the pieces together while a piece of your heart breaks for him.

“I, uh…I know.” You nod softly, pushing yourself up to sit up fully.

Jason sits on his knees, his knees on either side of your legs.

You can't know.

“What?” Jason’s brows tug together.

“The night Crane kidnapped you, you, uh, you couldn’t get out of your gear so I had to help you.” You offer him a soft shrug. “So, uh…I just want you to know that I already know. It’s completely fine, I get it, but I wanted you to know that I already knew.”

Jason can feel his throat wanting to close and his world feels like it's closing in on him. It feels like a nightmare. He doesn't want you to know. It's embarrassing.

“You saw it?!” Jason’s voice cracks as his cheeks burn a vibrant red as he bites his own tongue to try and hide and his shame.

You nod again. “Yeah. You, uh, you were really high and I figured it would not be something you would want brought up.”

Jason shakes his head looking down. He feels tainted, ruined, a mess of broken and damaged pieces piled on the floor to be discarded and forgotten about. He's not even sure what's worse. The fact you knew and then never said anything or the fact he didn't even get a chance to make peace with it before he told you. He hates it so fucking much and it just makes him feel like the biggest failure there is. What more proof does anyone really need? He failed at being Robin, failed at taking down the Joker, failed at being a good son, failed at being a good boyfriend, he even failed at staying dead. It's just embarrassing and shameful.

You can see the gears in his head working overtime. He's going to spiral and the scar doesn't mean shit to you. Your entire back is riddled with them. Any one of those could have caused massive bleeding and killed you. The way you see it, his scars were better because most of them were just part of the job. He got them putting himself in danger for the greater good.

"I don't care, ya know?" You state with the raise of your brows and all Jason does is shake his head. "I don't fucking care about it, Jay. I know you do. Whatever the fuck you're thinking about it, you're wrong." You rest a hand on his cheek. "You don't have to take your shirt off around me if you don't want to. I get it."

"I fucking hate it." Jason states, taking your hand in his, his fingers delicate over your skin. He uses both hands to rub circles into your palm, massaging the muscles.

"For what it's worth," You let out a breath. "I don't. I don't care and I don't mind. That shit doesn't matter to me, Jay."

"I know." Jason nods his head because he knows you don't. It's something in his own head. It's just really difficult to move on from.

"So, whatever you wanna do, I don't mind." You offer him a tender smile.

Jason lets out a breath. “Thank you.” Jason says back. “Did you know? That Bruce had it done?”

“Yeah.” You pull in a breath, biting back your bitterness for Bruce. “He didn’t say why though I was screaming at him when I found out so he didn’t have much chance, I guess.”

Jason lets out a quiet but sad chuckle because even in death, you will fight tooth and nail for him. “You were screaming at him for it?”

“Well, yeah, I thought it was pointless. I figure it’s just legal reasons, maybe.” You shrug. “But I didn’t wanna hear it then.” You chuckle softly. “So, yeah, I uh, I knew he did and I knew the Pit didn’t take it away.”

It's something he's going to need to find a way to make terms with but at least, you're understanding about it. He wishes he had the opportunity to tell you himself but...he's thinking maybe this was easier. You've known and never batted an eye or said a word about it. Maybe he doesn't have to feel all that shame and embarrassment around you.

“White hair, kept all of my scars, and got the one my chest.” Jason lets out a scoff.

“Least it fixed your face.” You quip back with a cheeky smile in hopes it'll help cheer him up a bit.

You see the flash of something kind and cheeky cross over his face.

Jason drops your hand, leaning in. “What’s wrong with my face, huh?” The corner of his mouth perks into a grin and you always have a way to make him feel better about anything and everything.

Your name might as well be synonymous with catharsis.

“Did you want a list?” You raise with a smirk as you tilt your head to the right.

Jason lets out a laugh. “Fuck you.” Jason shakes his head at you and his eyes go to your lips before traveling back up to your eyes.

“Say please.” You lean in closer to him, brushing your nose against his.

Jason shakes his head, bursting at the seams with a devilish grin. His hand comes up to your cheek before he kisses you, pushing the both of you down to the bed.

“Please.” Jason nearly growls into your mouth.

Jason leans up and tugs his shirt off quickly before coming right back to your lips. Your hands tangle in his hair and give the strands a light tug. You push on his shoulder, signaling for him to roll over. You get on top before you trail down and press kisses to his cheek and then to his neck, leaving your second mark of the night.

The words ‘i love you’ bounce around Jason’s head like a pinball in a pinball machine. He’s so in love with you he thinks he might have lost all of his sanity. He did not know it was possible to feel so strongly for another person but he does. And he wants to live here forever. You make him better and he is so certain of that if not for everything that has happened but the reason that Jason doesn’t want to self-sabotage with you. It’s not worth it. You’ll fight and make up and it’ll have been for nothing. All it would do is hurt the both of you and haven’t you both been hurt enough?

You can feel Jason's hardening bulge beneath you. Without breaking the kiss, you slide your fingers into the waistband of his pants, helping him tug them down. Jason sits up, helping you get the rest of his clothes off before he flips the two of you so you're back on your back. You let out a laugh just as you always did and Jason thinks he'd never grow tired of it.

Your hands are in his hair and he can feel you smiling against his lips despite the haste of your kiss. Jason slides his hand under your back, undoing your bra before he helps you get off. His hand goes right to your right breast, pinching your nipple between his thumb and finger. You moan into his mouth as your head starts to go fuzzy all over again. You squirm under him and a grin comes to Jason's lips.

You snake your hand to his cock, wrapping your fingers around the shaft before you start pumping him slowly. Jason's mouth opens against you as his hips stutter for just a second. You start moving your arm faster and Jason's mouth trails back down to your neck. His teeth graze the skin and you think you'd let him mark every part of your body without ever putting a thought into it.

He sucks a mark into your neck.

And then another.

And another leading down the scar on your shoulder from the bullet wound.

He stops there, switching to a kiss and your stomach twists while your brain starts to turn to goo. He presses kisses back up to your lips and you're squirming under his touch as you can feel yourself growing wetter by the second. 

"Condom." You mutter against his lips before removing your hand from his cock, precum leaking from the tip.

Jason wastes no time in reaching for his nightstand to tug out a condom. You're already stripping the rest of your clothes by the time Jason has the package in his hand. 

Jason smirks down at you. "Not wasting any time, huh?"

You shrug, almost taunting him as you keep your eyes locked on his, careful not to look down at the scar. "Been a while."

Jason chuckles as heat runs over his neck. "Having withdrawal?"

"I could just do it myself." You quip back.

"Can I watch?" Jason questions and a part of you thinks he's serious.

You roll your eyes. "Maybe next time."

Jason has to clear his throat as his cock twitches with the remark. "Hold you to it." Jason mutters as he finally gets the wrapper open.

"Then I get to watch you."

Jason's eyes flash over to you as his stomach drops and spins. "Whatever you want, princess." Jason finally gets the condom on and you pull him back down to you.

His lips connect with yours, hot and fast at first, hungry as if he hasn't eaten in a month. His cock is lined up with your soaking pussy but the kiss slows and deepens. Jason's hand trails down your right thigh, delicate fingers running over your skin as goosebumps erupt over your body. You run a hand down his shoulder and to his arm, his bicep twitches under your touch.

Jason is warm and sturdy, an unwavering force that you find yourself so intertwined with, you really aren't sure how you've managed to live so much of your life without him. It always feels like he's meant to be around you like someone out there made him just for you and you were made just for him. In some ways, that's scary and feels like a big responsibility, but in others, it's comforting. It's the reassurance that it's just you and him in the end of it all. You'll get there one day. That's how it's supposed to be.

Jason pulls away, resting his forehead against yours before he starts sliding his cock into your aching pussy. The pit in your stomach grows as you start to see stars. Jason's eyes are shut and he's thinking he's left this whole plane of existence. He sinks into you slow and steady until he bottoms out.

His eyes open, locking on yours. Your fingers are lightly running up his arm and the words of 'i love you' almost spill from his lips like an overflowing cup of water. His nose brushes yours and he almost says it. He doesn't want to scare you away with piling too much on you at once. Last night and the scar tonight, he knows you're worried the Titans.

He'll tell you later.

Instead, Jason settles for something with the same meaning.

Your eyes close and the words of 'i love you' almost escape your lips like an easy breath. You brush your nose with his and you almost say it. Jason has been through a lot. You don't want to add to it, not right now. You don't want to add more pressure if he can't say it back yet. You don't want to scare him off.

You'll tell him later.

Instead, you settle for something with the same meaning.

"You and me." Jason whispers to you as he goes to kiss your cheek.

A tender smile pulls at your lips as your heart stutters in your chest. "You and me."

A smile rips through Jason's lips as his heart feels like it's just burst through his ribcage.

Jason pulls out and pushes back in, just as slow this time before he starts picking up the pace. Your mind starts swimming with his quick movements. His mouth is on yours again and you can barely keep up. Your mind is flooded with how full he's making you as your pussy clenches around him.

You try to form words, anything to tell him to keep going but nothing can form quite right, giving Jason the ego boost he doesn't exactly need. He gets the idea and doesn't lighten up. His hand grips your thigh, tugging your leg up near his hip. With the new angle, he's tapping the patch of nerves inside of you. You gasp against him, your nails digging into his back.

"J-Jay." You nearly whine into his mouth and Jason nearly finishes right there with the first word you're able to get out being his name.

"Hmm?" He hums, trying to hold his composure. "Gotta speak up, babe." Jason teases.

"H-harder." You get out.

Jason grins wickedly against your lips, doing as you asked but only for a few thrusts before he stops entirely. "Like that?"

Your eyes shoot open, pupils blow with desperation and lust. "Please."

You don't have to ask again.

Jason thrusts his hips harder and faster than before. You groan louder below him almost immediately. Your pussy is clenching around him more and more and he can tell you're getting close. He slides a hand between you, rubbing tight circles around your clit. You nearly scream with the new sensation.

You grip his hair and pull his neck closer to you just as Jason gets you to reach your high. You let out a mixed whine and moan of his name before you bite down where his shoulder meets his neck, desperately trying not to scream. Tears prick your eyes as your stomach tightens and your whole body shakes and twitches beneath Jason.

It takes everything in him not to lose himself until you're finally finished, panting below him. His hips stall against you as his head hangs in the cook of your neck, his cock twitching as he shoots his load into the condom.

Jason leans up, chest heaving and he places a kiss to your cheek and then your forehead before he rolls off of you to dispose of the condom in his bathroom.

You sit up, wrapping the blanket around you with your chest still heaving and you give Jason a tender smile as he walks back towards the bed. He grabs his clothes as you watch him and you're getting your first full view of the scar. It doesn't bother you but you understand why it bothers him. Seeing it in full, it's a harsh scar, not something that looks like it'll even fade. You think if it were you, it'd bother you, too.

Jason makes his way back to the bed, plopping back down before he leans against the pillow. His eyes are still lustblown as he gives you a soft and tired smile, and you think his eyes are filled with something you became so accustomed to. Your hand goes to his hair, brushing the white streaks away from his face. Jason’s hand grabs your hand before bringing your palm to his lips and he presses tender kisses over your hand.

“For the record,” You start as Jsaon places your hand back down. “I don’t care what scars you come home with.” You say so easily and your word choice doesn’t go unnoticed by Jason. “I know you do but I don’t…” You pause, chewing the inside of your cheek. “Just as long as you come home.” You nod a few times as your brows pinch together.

Jason sits up, his face coming just a few inches from yours. “I’m sorry I didn’t.” His voice is rough and this is a different apology than the one you got on the roof. The one you got at his safe house. There are no stakes in the apology.

“It’s not your fault.” You place a hand on his cheek and Jason leans into it. "I forgive you anyway, though."

He still wonders how you were ever able to bear it. Despite his general feeling of self-doubt and self-loathing, he knows your feelings have always been very real for him. You didn’t cope, that he knows for certain and he’s not entirely sure if you ever will. It’s something you have to make peace with just as much as he does. And he thinks about how maybe that’s an important part of you both moving forward. You forgive him for some reason but Jason doesn’t think you've accepted it yet. A part of him has, it happened to him and he’s alive. He went through it. One second, your world is moving at a steady pace and the next it’s halted, suddenly stopped with no warning and then it’s thrown in the other direction. It sounds more like whiplash. So, Jason wonders if you’ll ever hit the acceptance stage. He wonders how you were ever able to bear any of it. He knows for certain if it were him, he’d never be able to.

Your eyes are soft and tired and there’s the tiniest, adoring smile on your lips. A look Jason is privileged enough to be the only one to receive. And he thinks about he’d never be able to bear the loss of you. It rips him to shreds. It would take all of the remaining good parts of him and shatter them. He’d never recover if something happened to you. Even if it's beyond his control. It’s terrifying feeling that way about another person.

Jason nods against you before he presses a kiss to the palm of your hand. “Yeah…” He lets out a breath. “Thanks for sticking around.”

“Thanks for letting me.” You smile softly. "You and me?"

Jason offers the same smile back. "You and me." Jason confirms. “You still gonna talk to Leslie?” Jason asks as you pull your hand away.

You nod softly. “Yeah. If she has anything open.”

Jason gives you a soft smile. “Good.” He nods softly. He sits back up all the way, looking to his doorway. “Gonna grab your clothes.” Jason chuckles softly, tossing his shirt over his head before he gets up.

You watch Jason disappear through the doorway and you're quick to grab his pillow, checking to see if he’s replaced the knife with a gun. Your chest warms with the sight of your blue switchblade still locked and lying under his pillow. It’s a relief he hasn’t put the gun back. Your thoughts are jolted as fabric hits your face.

“Hey!” You yell through a laugh, your clothes falling into your lap.

“Fucking nosey ass.” Jason nods his head at you, making his way back to the bed with his hoodie in hand.

“You’re an interesting person to be nosey about.” You shrug as you get the blanket off of your shoulders. You can feel the tiredness weighing on your bones and you know if you don't head home soon, you'll end up staying here. As much as you really want to, you do not want to overstay your welcome. “Well,” You sigh as you tug your shirt over your head. “I should probably head home.” You laugh softly, seeing the orange light of sunrise seeping through Jason’s window.

“Guess so.” Jason nearly pouts at the thought. He never wants you to leave but he doesn't want you to feel obligated to always stay just because you're here late. You'll be back here later anyway. “Still gonna help me today?” Jason’s eyes are hopeful and big.

“Of course.” You laugh softly, feeling the heat rise to your cheeks. “I’ll just sleep for a few hours and how about we like one?” You ask. “We’ll both be out of it if we don’t get some sleep.”

“Yeah, yeah, alright.” Jason says in agreement. “Want an escort home?” He asks but you can tell by the way he raises of his brows and the way he's already moving to get up, it's not really an offer. He's going to do it anyway.

“Thank you.” You stand up, putting the rest of your clothes on. "Just get some sleep when you get back, okay?"

Jason nods with a grin. "Of course. Gotta be well-rested hanging out with you."

"I can not help you." You quip as you grab your bag.

"Sorry." Jason lets out a chuckle.

"Let's just go." Your eyes widen at him to tease him before Jason gestures towards the door for you to lead the way.

prev. chapter

series masterlist | masterlist | tag list

Tag List: @fairyofshampoo // @italiana-20 // @jasontoddsmentaldisorders // @purplerose291 // @lovelessamai //

@makaelaseresin // @lenidaslenchen // @mayfieldss // @ghostkingblake // @im-done-with-this-im-out //

@velvetskies // @lilylovelyxo // @cryinghotmesss // @yesimwriting // @vivian-555 //

@stainedstardom // @baebeepeach // @legend-o-zelda // @harleycao //  @somehow-lovable-trash  // 

@xx-all-purpose-nerd-xx // @deyja-the-duck // @jasontoddslover // @captainmarvels-blog // @totallynotkaibiased //

@scarlovesyou // @whydoyoucare866 // @littlemeowmeow1000 // @ginger24880 // @urmomsgayforme5 //

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@bbiaa420 // @todorokiskitten // @krishavania

[herejusttosufferalong]

Common sense dosis! If L is coordinating posts with A because he wants us to know anything or using their socials to clap back at the breakup rumors, why would he not go public with her? Him coordinating with her would mean that he cares about people knowing that she is with him, so why launching her on that shady shitty way?

He can literally do as Jonathan or Corey, that use their socials only for work but had been clear on interviews that they have partners but no, Luke has his team declining to comment on every single insinuation of a girlfriend and does not care about the media still calling her unconfirmed or rumored.

If he is using his hotels posts as an excuse to coordinate with her, why he only posts about certain trips that were endorsed and not about all of them? His Italy trip is the one we for sure know it was not an endorsement, because we know it was on the occasion of R’s birthday and casually that one is absent from his grid even when A posted multiple stories and a dump, but the other ones posted by him all were endorsements (GQ heroes, LA , Marbella).

It is very interesting that instead of beginning to be more public with her, he is hiding her even more. Didn’t you notice that A has had to erase almost everyone of the hints she had of L from her grid? Her paris post, the first LA post, part of the pictures of the second LA post, all gone. The captions on some of them were changed from hearts and love emojis to shells and palm trees.

If she is coordinated with him, why her shady behavior of posting stuff and erasing it? Why did she post the old Cyprus video on her tiktok stories (That she knows that L is not very active on) instead of on ig stories if she has permission from him to do that?

As per the hotel stories that she posts before he posts his endorsed publications. Don’t you know that you can literally block whoever you want from viewing a story? Would you be surprised that the girl that posts, erases, shares an old picture the day he was seen on a wedding without her to make people believe that she was there, shares an old video from a hotel on Cyprus on a social media he was not that active, checks to like the posts he is mentioned on ig even from accounts she doesn’t follow, can be shady enough to post stories and hide them from him? how are you so sure that he knows she is posting that? What would be the logic of him carefully removing her of everything he is posting but then allow her to go and insert herself thru shady stories?

I know that you are disappointed with him relating with that kind of girl but I swear that some of the things you allow your mind to torture you with are ilogical.

Remember that guys are not as clever to clock bitches and shady behavior as us, give him time.

✌🏻✋🏻

[differentpostrebel]

Lost and Found: A Pirate's Promise

Chapter 33: The Unseen Battle: Allies, Rivals, and the Quest for Justice

A/N; We are back with another chapter! I promise you guys I wasnt holding these chapters hostage, Its my birthday today! I officially turn 27!. And we are getting two new chapters!. I cant wait for you guys to read these.We starting off with that Sanji POV. As always thank you guys so much for everything! As without further a do let the adventure begin! 

Word Count: 7.3K

Sanji X Reader, Sanji X Y/N, One Piece X Reader 

Sanji POV.. 

I must have dozed off in Y/N’s room, because suddenly the ship’s motion changed and we had arrived at Zou. The familiar sound of Brook’s voice roused me from sleep. “Sanji? Where are you?”

I stretched my arms and got up from the comfort of your bed. The room still smelled faintly of you, and I took a moment to tidy up your bed, leaving it just as you had it. Sighing, I glanced around one last time before heading out to the deck.

“There you are,” Brook greeted me, still holding his tea. “Get changed. We’re heading out to explore.”

I nodded and made my way back to my quarters, my thoughts consumed with worries and hope for you. As I changed into my usual attire, I muttered to myself, “Mosshead, I can only hope for your sake, I get Y/N back.”

After getting dressed, I joined the others on the deck, ready to explore Zou alongside Caesar. 

Y/N POV… 

As we dashed through the chaos, Zoro glanced at me. “Luffy, is that squawking peacock guy a friend of yours?”

“Oh, you mean Cabbage?” Luffy answered, clearly unbothered.

“Yeah, Cabbage. What an odd name for someone too!” I said, trying to catch my breath.

“He’s a real weirdo, huh? I met a whole bunch of people at the Colosseum,” Luffy said.

“Well, at least we aren’t being chased—that’s a relief,” I said. But just as I finished my sentence, our path was blocked by a swarm of citizens and pirates hunting us down.

“Damn, spoke too soon,” I muttered.

“There they are! Make sure the princess is caught too!” one of the men shouted.

“Don’t let them get away!” another yelled.

Grabbing one of my blades, I activated its power, the electrical current mixing with the bright yellow light. Luffy used his Gomu Gomu Whip to kick attackers away, while Zoro employed his Two-Sword Style Rhino Cycle to blow his opponents back. I focused on my attackers, and with a determined smirk, I drew on my blade’s power. “What’s she going to do? She’s surrounded!” one of the men said.

I grinned, clenching my left hand to activate its power and forming a circle. “Now, Rush!” I commanded. A surge of electricity shot through the crowd, causing them to fall one by one.

“We’re still dealing with more!” we shouted in unison.

“What’s the plan, Luffy?” I asked.

“If we handle this mob, we’ll be here all day,” Zoro said, knocking down another opponent.

“He’s got a point,” I agreed, taking down another attacker.

“There you are, Strawhat!” a voice called out from the debris.

“Luffy, do you know him?” I asked.

“Uhh, thought so! We need to go!” Luffy said urgently.

As we fled, I struggled to catch my breath. “We’ve got more company!” I yelled.

Looking at Zoro, I tried to lighten the mood. “If we get out of this one, I’ll work out with you and spar for a week,” I said with a smile.

Zoro smirked. “Looking forward to that!”

Just then, Luffy turned around. “Just go away already!”

“Hey, stop all three of you!” the man shouted as he lunged toward us. “Y/N, look out!” Zoro yelled, pulling me out of harm’s way to avoid being crushed.

The man began to laugh. “Just hear this old man out for a moment. I wanted to let you know I have forgiven the grudge I held against your family,” he said.

“Luffy, I didn’t know you and him go way back,” I said.

“We are here for one thing: to eliminate Doflamingo’s immoral business. We don’t care about the money. A puny bounty like that is mere change for us,” said the man next to the old man.

I let out a breath of relief, placing my hands on my knees. “Well, that’s a relief.”

The old man placed his hands on Luffy’s shoulders. “I must thank you and your friend God Usopp, who rescued me in my darkest hour.”

I turned to Zoro. “Looks like Usopp really outdid himself.”

“That’s why I’ve decided to repay my debt to the Straw Hat crew by obliterating Doflamingo and his monarchy,” the old man said.

“Huh, you too? The only guy kicking his ass is me!” Luffy retorted.

The old man’s expression darkened. “Speak up. What did you say?!”

“You heard me. I said don’t bother!” Luffy shot back.

Just then, the floor rumbled beneath us. “Strawhat! I was searching for you,” a giant’s voice boomed.

“Oh, the giant guy,” Luffy said.

“I say we bury the hatchet between us. As a proud warrior of Elbaf, I’ll slay Doflamingo for God Usopp,” the giant declared.

“Huh! Get lost, I said I got this!” Luffy insisted.

“Now, boys,” I said, as Zoro grabbed my wrist, halting me. “Just wait one moment. I’m here from the Providence Kingdom. We long owed King Riku an enormous debt. I’ll bring down Doflamingo with my own two fists!” he vowed.

More people began to approach us, eager to take down Doflamingo thanks to God Usopp.

“You really attract some oddballs, huh Luffy?” Zoro and I said in unison.

“You’d be a fool to forget about me!” Cabbage said, riding in on his horse.

“Ehh, not this guy again?!” I said, moving closer to Zoro.

“Hey, are you all serious about helping?” I asked, stepping forward.

“Ah, Princess, might I say you look dashing in red,” the old man said.

I raised an eyebrow. “Uh, thanks?”

“Alright, now this is getting annoying,” Zoro said, scratching his head. “What if we do it this way!” he yelled. “Us three will handle taking down Doflamingo, while you guys watch our backs. Sound okay?”

“Absolutely not!” they all yelled in unison.

“This might be a tough negotiation, Zo,” I said, giving him a playful nickname.

“Forget it, there are way too many egos involved,” Zoro said, clearly frustrated.

I agreed with him. “Alright, everyone, listen up! I’m making the call here!” Luffy said, raising his voice. “If anyone’s going to kick Doflamingo’s ass the way it needs to be kicked, it’s going to be me!”

“What did you say?!” one of the men barked, grabbing Luffy roughly.

As I moved to intervene, a spear flew through the air and stopped me mid-step. “What the... a spear?!” I exclaimed, looking in the direction it came from.

“That’s where they were!” one of the voices said. “Splitting up all those bounties could be quite the haul!” said another.

“And the princess is looking rather good for someone with that high of a bounty,” another man added, making me step back uneasily.

“Let’s get that bounty!” one of them shouted.

“Weren’t they the toys from the factory?!” another man exclaimed. “Bastards, how dare they!” said another.

“You ungrateful swines, I’ll see you in hell!” roared the giant as he dealt with the hunters.

“Let’s go, guys!” I urged, turning to Zoro and Luffy.

“Yeah,” Zoro agreed. Just then, a bull charged out of the alley.

“It’s Ucy!” Luffy shouted. “I’ve got an idea!” With determination, Luffy led us to climb onto the bull’s back, and we started racing through the streets.

I clutched the tiara tightly as it began to slip. Zoro noticed and moved closer, his hands finding their way to my legs to secure me on the bull. His touch was firm and reassuring, and I could feel his warmth. “Hold on tight,” he said with a teasing grin. “Wouldn’t want you falling off now, would we?”

“Thanks, Zoro,” I said, trying to suppress the blush on my cheeks. “I appreciate the support.”

Law, still in sea prism stone handcuffs, glared at Zoro from a distance. His eyes were filled with frustration and jealousy. “I should be the one protecting her,” he grumbled under his breath, unable to hide his irritation at seeing Zoro so close to me.

"Master Pika! I spotted the Strawhats! They came right to us! Don’t let them get away!" one of Pika’s subordinates shouted as they began firing at us.

“What, Strawhat!” the old man’s voice boomed.

I turned slightly, still gripping my tiara, Zoro's arms tightening around me for security. “Looks like they followed us here, huh?” I said with a sigh.

“Huh, I told ya, I got this! Get lost!” Luffy shouted, as more and more of the group caught up, trying to attach themselves to the bull.

I shook my head, placing a hand on my forehead. “Well, this is... eventful,” I muttered.

“Luffy, what should we do with all this extra weight?” Zoro asked, his grip still firm on me.

“You bonehead, stop talking trash!” came Pika’s high-pitched voice, which caused all of us to burst out laughing in unison.

“Why is he so squeaky?!” we chorused, unable to hold back our laughter.

Pika’s face twisted with rage, launching a massive attack toward us. “Hope it was worth it! You’ll be laughing in your graves!”

Just then, two of our new allies sprang into action, managing to shatter Pika’s arm with their attacks. Zoro and I exchanged impressed glances.

“Way to go, guys!” I cheered, a smile spreading across my face.

But the celebration didn’t last long, as the bickering resumed almost immediately. The arguing over who would kill Doflamingo first started again, their voices rising over the sound of the crumbling debris.

“Why does it always come back to this?” I said, rolling my eyes as I looked at Zoro, who shared the same exasperated expression.

“Yeah, well, at least they managed to break something useful,” Zoro added with a smirk, still holding onto me as if it was second nature.

As the debris began to fall, Lucy (the bull) managed to dodge them with ease. "That was close. Yeah, giddy up!" Luffy shouted, excited to be riding the bull.

"Easy, boy, we’re all counting on you!" said one of the men on Luffy's side.

"Ah!" I yelped as I suddenly noticed a few more of the men clinging onto the bull. "When did they get here?!" I exclaimed, trying to keep my balance while still holding onto my tiara.

"Ah!" I gasped again, feeling Zoro’s grip on my leg tighten, his hand moving slightly higher.

"Zoro!" I whispered sharply, my face heating up.

"Relax," he said with that familiar, lazy grin. "Just making sure you stay on the bull."

I rolled my eyes, muttering under my breath, "Yeah, right."

Luffy, completely oblivious to the tension, was laughing as usual. "Zoro, hold on tighter! This ride’s getting crazy!" he shouted, clearly enjoying the bull ride and trying to get the men clinging to us off.

"Oh, don’t worry, Captain, I’m holding on real tight," Zoro said with a smirk, causing me to blush at his comment. His hand on my leg felt both reassuring and heated.

"Don’t worry, Y/N, I’ve got you. Wouldn’t want you to fall off now," Zoro said, his eyes taking in my figure with a lingering gaze. The way he looked at me made my cheeks flush even more.

"You sure it’s not because of something else?" I teased, though I couldn’t help but smile faintly at his possessiveness.

Law, clearly frustrated and feeling a pang of jealousy, shot a glare at Zoro. "Roronoa, can you stop gripping her like that?"

Zoro’s smirk didn’t falter. "Hey, I’m just making sure she’s nice and secured. Wouldn’t want her to fall off with all this chaos going on."

Law, still handcuffed and unable to join the fray, grumbled under his breath. "Yeah, well, try not to enjoy it too much."

Despite the chaos, I found some comfort in Zoro’s presence. His confident grip and protective stance provided a sense of stability amidst the turmoil.

As we continued the wild ride, I leaned closer to Zoro, feeling the warmth of his body against mine. "Thanks, Zoro. I really do appreciate it."

Zoro’s eyes softened slightly as he looked down at me. "Just doing my job. And keeping you safe is part of that."

As the allies continued their fierce battle against the subordinates, we dodged bullets and struggled with the chaos around us. The argument over who would take down Doflamingo escalated, and tensions were high.

"He’s mine! Go away!" Luffy shouted, his frustration evident. Suddenly, rose petals began to drift down around us, settling on the bull and us.

"When did these get here?!" I exclaimed, brushing one off my hand.

"Haha," came a familiar, infuriating voice. "There’s no way…" I muttered, recognizing it immediately.

Cabbage appeared, landing gracefully on the bull’s back. "Cabbage!" Luffy said, clearly irritated.

"Ah, not this guy again?!" I said, trying to distance myself from Cabbage.

"Destiny, conquested its melody, bringing me back," Cabbage declared dramatically, holding a rose aloft. His gaze shifted to me, and he reached for my hand, pressing a theatrical kiss to my knuckles. "Princess, have you reconsidered my offer?"

"What part of ‘I’m not interested’ wasn’t clear?!" I said, exasperated.

Cabbage completely ignored me, leaning closer with a smirk. "Ahhh, such a feisty young princess. I could get used to that."

Before I could react, I felt a sudden jolt and found myself seated firmly on Zoro’s lap. His strong arms wrapped around me, his grip tight and commanding.

Zoro’s eyes narrowed, and he glared at Cabbage with a fierce intensity. "What the hell do you think you’re doing, Cabbage?"

Cabbage, undeterred, attempted to pry me away from Zoro. "Princess…" he cooed, reaching for my hand.

Zoro’s grip on my waist tightened even more, his hold almost possessive. "Don’t you dare touch her," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "She’s not going anywhere with you."

Cabbage’s persistent kisses on my hand only intensified Zoro’s protective stance. His hands remained firmly on my waist, making sure I was securely held against him.

"Get off me!" I demanded, trying to wrench my hand free from Cabbage’s ironclad grip. Despite my efforts, his hold remained unyielding.

Cabbage’s gaze was unwavering, his smirk persistent. “Ah, such a spirited princess. You’re even more captivating when you’re resisting.”

Zoro’s eyes flared with anger. “I said don’t touch her. Let go of her now!” His voice was a growl, filled with authority and frustration.

Cabbage’s grip didn’t waver as he leaned in, his eyes locked on mine with an intensity that bordered on obsession. “Princess, you and I are destined to be together. Why resist such a fate?” His tone was both fervent and invasive.

I struggled to keep my balance on Zoro’s lap while desperately trying to shake off Cabbage’s unrelenting hold. “Are you out of your mind?!” I snapped, my voice a mix of frustration and disbelief.

Law, glaring at Cabbage with palpable anger, tried to intervene. “Cabbage, get your hands off her!”

Despite Law’s threat, Cabbage remained undeterred, his focus solely on me. Zoro, his protective instincts fully activated, tightened his grip around my waist, his expression a blend of concern and possessiveness.

Seeing the situation escalate, Luffy acted swiftly. With a powerful kick, he sent Cabbage flying off the bull. “Get lost!” he shouted, his irritation clear as he watched Cabbage hit the ground.

Cabbage landed roughly, his face contorted in frustration as he glared up at us.

“Thanks, Luffy,” I said, relief evident in my voice as I tried to steady myself.

“Don’t mention it,” Luffy replied, his eyes still fixed on Cabbage. “The guy was being a creep.”

Zoro, still holding me securely on his lap, looked at me with a protective concern. “Are you okay, Y/N?” His voice was soft but edged with a possessiveness that was hard to ignore.

I nodded, managing a small smile despite the chaos. “Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks to you.”

Zoro’s gaze remained focused on me, his hand still firmly around my waist, ensuring that no one else could get close.

I took a moment to check my belongings, my mind racing with the need to ensure everything was still in place. “Rings, check. Bracelet, check. Anklet, check. Swords, check,” I muttered to myself, feeling a wave of relief wash over me as I confirmed that everything was secure.

Cabbage’s grip had been surprisingly strong, and with the tug-of-war between him and Zoro, I needed to make sure my rings and other items hadn’t fallen or been misplaced. Satisfied that everything was still intact, I took a deep breath and looked around, grateful for Zoro’s unwavering support and Luffy’s timely intervention.

As we continued to ride the bull, the allies and Cabbage remained hot on our tails, their bickering with Luffy about who would take down Doflamingo only escalating. The commotion around us seemed endless.

Feeling a mix of exhaustion and frustration, I laid my head on Zoro’s shoulder. "This constant bickering is getting out of hand," I sighed, closing my eyes briefly to collect my thoughts.

Zoro’s grip on me tightened slightly, his presence offering a comforting sense of stability amidst the chaos. "Tell me about it," he replied, his voice steady and calm. Just then, our unexpected guests froze, their bickering cut short. "What is it now?" I said, clearly annoyed. We all turned to see Pika towering before us, his massive form looming over. "I won't let you get near Doffy!" Pika growled, his arm regenerating and growing back to full size again.

I sighed, glancing at Zoro. "What a pain," I said, watching Pika’s arm slowly piece itself back together. The bull, Ucy, charged faster up Pika's arm as Luffy jumped off, ready for a fight.

"Mr. Strawhat!" one of the stowaways shouted in panic.

I smirked. "Don’t worry, he's got it!" I turned my attention to Luffy, who was already in full battle mode. "Third Gear! Armament Hardening!" Luffy shouted as his fist, now enormous and hardened, landed a clean hit on Pika's head. The impact was tremendous, and Luffy laughed triumphantly as Pika reeled back.

Zoro, meanwhile, carefully released me from his grip, his eyes narrowing with that sharp intensity he always had before a fight. He rolled his shoulders, getting ready.

"You sense something, Zo?" I asked, my gaze softening as I watched him. There was something captivating about him in moments like this, the way he stood so confidently, always prepared to face whatever came next. 

"Hey, Luffy!" Zoro suddenly shouted, drawing my attention back. Luffy was running alongside Ucy, laughing as usual. "Don’t celebrate just yet, the head you shattered was a stone decoy!"

“What?" I whispered in surprise. "So, does that mean squeaky got away?"

Zoro smirked as a massive figure emerged from the stone. "Well, well, looks like somebody’s pissed off. His real body’s up ahead!"

"You mean to tell me that huge guy is Pika—and he’s got that squeaky voice?!" I said in disbelief.

"He's got a huge katana! It’s not too late to turn around!" the unwanted guests on the bull screamed, clearly terrified.

Luffy grabbed Ucy—and us—leaping into the air just in time to dodge Pika’s colossal strike. "Hahaha, that voice gets me every time!" Luffy laughed, despite the danger.

"He's going to hit again!" someone yelled. Instinctively, I reached for my blades, preparing to defend us. But Zoro’s hand was already on mine, stopping me.

"Zoro, what are you—" I began, but he cut me off.

"I got this," Zoro said, his voice steady, never taking his eyes off Pika. His grip on his swords tightened, his entire body exuding confidence.

"Zoro..." I said quietly, concerned but trusting him completely.

"Y/N, stay with Luffy and Law!" Zoro ordered, his tone firm yet protective. "I’ll handle it from here!"

I nodded reluctantly as Luffy and I settled back on Ucy, the bull charging forward. "Be careful, Zoro!" I shouted after him as his figure grew smaller and smaller in the distance.

The guests, tears streaming down their faces, looked on in awe. "God, you have such badass friends," one of them cried.

Zoro smirked, glancing back one last time. "You go get him, Captain!" he yelled toward Luffy, before turning his full focus back to Pika.

"I'm gonna give Mingo the beating he deserves!" Luffy declared with fire in his eyes.

Minutes passed, and Ucy was gliding gracefully downward, inching closer to the palace. "Woohoo! Go, Ucy!" Luffy cheered, clearly exhilarated by the ride.

Taking advantage of the moment, I clenched my left hand, activating its power. With a burst of energy, I adjusted my balance on Ucy and leaped into the air, gracefully shifting to sit beside Luffy and Law. The unexpected guests below stared in awe, unable to hide their amazement. "How did she—" one of them exclaimed, while the other murmured, "She really is lethal!"

Ignoring their stunned reactions, I focused on Law, who was still in his cuffs, lying on the bull. I gently took a seat next to him, placing a hand on his forearm with a flirtatious smile. "You don’t mind if I sit next to you, do you, Law?" I asked, my fingers lightly tracing his arm. "I thought I'd offer a bit of company."

Law’s initial surprise was quickly replaced by a soft blush as he felt my touch. He flexed his forearm slightly, trying to appear nonchalant despite the rosy tint on his cheeks. "Comfort is always welcome, even in these circumstances," he replied, his voice betraying a hint of flustered amusement. "Especially when it comes with your company."

"Just you wait, Mingo," Luffy declared, his fist clenched in determination. "I don’t want anybody kicking your ass but me."

"Hey, Strawhat," Law said, grabbing Luffy's attention. "I realize we have no choice but to kill Doflamingo now." I reached for one of my blades from the thigh halter, feeling its familiar energy channel within me.

"I know that’s not the plan we had earlier," Law continued, his voice filled with resolve, "but to be completely honest with you, I want to make him suffer with my own hands. I won’t let him defeat me again."

Law hesitated for a brief moment, and I gave him a reassuring nod with my other hand. "Thirteen years ago, there was a person I cared for deeply, and Doflamingo killed him," Law said, his voice filled with pain.

"Law..." I whispered, my heart aching for him. I couldn’t imagine the suffering he must have endured.

"His name was Corazon. He was a top executive for the Donquixote Family."

I was stunned. Glancing at Luffy, I saw he was also processing this new information. "Mingo killed his own friend?" Luffy asked, incredulity in his voice.

"Corazon was the man who saved my life," Law continued, his gaze unwavering. "Corazon was more than just a member of the Donquixote Family. He was... his younger brother."

My hand went to my mouth in shock. "He... killed his own flesh and blood?" I whispered, unable to fully grasp the magnitude of Law's revelation.

Before I could say anything more, one of the unwanted guests interjected, "This is it, Strawhat! We are about to reach the bottom, and we have unexpected guests too!"

As Ucy glided down, I slowly rolled my shoulders, wincing slightly from the bullet wound on my left. I clutched my blade tightly, ready for action. "Yeah, we are the first ones to make it!" Luffy said, his excitement palpable. "That means we get first dibs on Mingo!"

"That’s what I’m talking about, Captain!" I said with a smile.

"Fire!" Luffy commanded as another round of bullets rained down on us.

"Allow me, Luffy," I said, smirking. Clenching the blade with my left hand, I felt the familiar fire blaze around it. With a swift motion, I leaped into the air, heading straight toward the subordinates. As I swung my blade, the bullets transformed into blazing fire, redirecting their trajectory back toward the enemies.

With precise control, I guided the fiery projectiles to impact the subordinates, sending them scattering in retreat. The flames danced around me as I landed gracefully back onto Ucy, “You made it look easy!” Luffy grinned, clearly impressed.

I chuckled, brushing a stray lock of hair from my face. “It’s all about confidence and control.”

Law, his cheeks slightly flushed, watched me with admiration. His eyes were wide with awe as he took in the display of power. He couldn’t help but smile, though his face betrayed a noticeable blush. “That was... incredible,” he managed, his voice tinged with genuine admiration. “The way you control the flames... it’s something else.”

I glanced at him, noticing his reaction. “Thanks, Law. I’m glad you think so.” 

His blush deepened as he spoke, making it clear that he was both impressed and somewhat flustered by what he had witnessed. “You really have a way of standing out,” he added, trying to sound nonchalant but failing to hide his admiration.

One of the unwanted guests, still trying to process the spectacle, stammered, “Did she really just turn those bullets into fire? That was incredible!”

We finally made it to the palace, still riding Ucy with the wind rushing past us. "Only an idiot would mess with the Strawhats!" exclaimed one of the unwanted guests behind us. I turned around, glancing at them in disbelief. “And why are they still here?” I muttered to myself, shaking my head slightly.

Luffy, clearly fed up, chimed in. "The idiots behind me can hit the road too!" He shot a look over his shoulder, causing them to nervously chuckle.

“Come on, Strawhat, you don’t mean that! We’re your buddies!” they said, laughing nervously.

I sighed, turning toward Luffy. "Looks like we’re stuck with them, huh?" I said, shaking my head in exasperation.

Before Luffy could respond, a voice shouted from the front, "Die, Strawhat!"

“Gomu Gomu no Stamp Gatling!” Luffy called out as he launched into a series of rapid-fire kicks, each one landing squarely on the faces of the subordinates ahead of us.

Amid the chaos, a sudden crackle on the transponder snail grabbed my attention. "Strawhat Luffy, Law, and the princess are all at the front part of the palace!" a subordinate yelled, trying to alert the others.

Without hesitation, I clenched my left hand, the fire still blazing within me, and fired a burst of flame straight at the transponder snail, hitting it dead-on. The subordinate yelped in fear as the device burst into flames.

“We won’t be needing any of that now, will we?” I said, turning my gaze back with a smirk.

The unwanted guests stared at me, wide-eyed and stunned. “She really is lethal!” they said in unison, admiration mixed with fear.

I just rolled my eyes, clearly unimpressed by their reaction. “Alright, let’s go!” Luffy shouted, full of energy. Ucy picked up speed as we continued toward the palace. 

Sabo POV… 

The heat of the flames surrounded both me and Fujitora, the air thick with tension and embers. He stood there, calm as ever, but I wasn’t backing down. "I don’t suppose if I asked nicely you’d move out of my way?" Fujitora asked, as if this were some casual conversation.

I grinned, flames flickering around me. "I suppose not. I stand with the Strawhat Pirates and those who’ve risen up to join them. So, if you or anybody else gets in their way... you won’t be taking another step." I wasn’t just speaking for them—I meant every word. I’d be damned if I let anything happen to them. The groans of fallen soldiers echoed in the background, a reminder of the destruction my previous attacks had caused.

"Is that the Revolutionary Army’s job?" Fujitora inquired, still maintaining his calm demeanor.

"It is now," I responded with a cocky smirk, standing tall. "And I think I can say that, seeing as I’m the Chief of Staff." My voice held firm, but there was something deeper in my words. "More so, I say that as a brother."

The marines were stunned, whispers circulating through their ranks. Fujitora remained unphased, but I could tell he was curious. "I see, that begs the question of who your sibling might be," he mused, still calm, even as chaos surrounded us.

The marines began cocking their guns, preparing for another pointless assault. "Don’t bother," Fujitora interrupted. "I know he’s our enemy, but you'd only be wasting ammunition."

"But Vice Admiral—!" one of the marines protested, looking between me and Fujitora.

"You’re leaders, right?" I said, flames swirling around me. "None of you stand a chance."

Just then, a marine, not heeding the warning, fired a shot at me. The bullet was no match for the Flame-Flame Fruit’s power; my flames absorbed it effortlessly. I smirked, relishing the surprise on their faces. "Told ya," I said, glancing at them. "I ate the Flame-Flame Fruit."

The marines stood there, stunned by the revelation. A few more bullets followed, but they all met the same fate—burnt to ash before they even touched me.

"What the hell, man!? Nobody’s fingers should be that strong!" a marine shouted, his voice shaky with disbelief.

I chuckled, feeling the power surge within me. "These aren’t fingers—they’re claws." With a swift motion, I grabbed one of their weapons and crushed it like it was made of paper. Then, with a flick of my wrist, I sent a Fire Fist crashing into the marines, flames erupting and engulfing the area. Some fell immediately, unable to withstand the heat.

"Physical attacks don’t work on him!" one of the vice admirals shouted as he launched his own attack, swinging a sharp cleaver in my direction. I caught it mid-strike, stopping the blow with ease before breaking the cleaver in half with a single motion.

I smirked again. "By the way, once these claws grab a human skull, they can shatter it like an egg."

Before I could follow through with another attack, I felt something—a sudden shift in the air. A meteor. Fujitora’s doing, no doubt. The Birdcage sliced it into pieces before it could fully descend.

"Ah, man, should’ve thought that one through," Fujitora said, his tone almost amused.

I emerged from the smoke, holding onto the vice admiral’s mask. "I know admirals are nothing to scoff at, but that’s one hell of a trick." I wasn’t hiding my admiration, though I made it clear I wasn’t backing down. "I’m still getting used to my new powers," I said, flashing a confident grin.

"You’ve really caused quite the mess," Fujitora commented, though I could tell he wasn’t entirely blaming me.

"Not half as much as you," I shot back, incredulous at the destruction around us.

Fujitora’s eyes softened, as if recalling something. "You mentioned your duty as a brother. It reminds me of Fire Fist Ace. He said that Strawhat Luffy was his brother, though not by blood. Are you his brother?"

His question hit me harder than expected. Memories of Ace, Luffy, and I flashed through my mind—the day we exchanged sake cups, the bond we swore to never break. "The three of us… exchanged a cup of sake. Even in death, our bond will never break," I said, my voice steady though the weight of the memory pressed down on me.

Fujitora remained silent, listening.

I clenched my fists, feeling the familiar pain of not being there for Ace when he needed me most. But this time, I swore things would be different. "Mark my words," I continued, my eyes locked with Fujitora’s, "no matter where I am, or what I’m doing, even if I have to abandon my duties, I won’t let him down. I’ll be there for Luffy."

Fujitora seemed to understand the depth of my promise. But this wasn’t over yet. His next move was coming. I could feel it.

As his first attack launched, I readied myself, gripping the metal pipe tightly in my hands. The flames engulfed me once more, power surging through me.

"Luffy, I swear… I’ll protect you," I thought, as the battle began again.

Y/N POV… 

"Go! Go! Go!" Luffy’s excitement radiated as Ucy barreled forward, knocking down subordinates like they were nothing more than mere obstacles. I tightened my grip, not wanting to be thrown from the bull with all the chaos unfolding around us.

"Luffy? What’s that ahead?" I squinted as the debris began to clear, trying to make sense of the figure coming into view.

Suddenly, Ucy halted abruptly, throwing me forward into Luffy, while Law—ever quick—caught me from behind, softening the impact before the two unwanted guests behind us could knock me over entirely.

"Oww!" I groaned, rubbing my head, feeling the weight of my tiara, making sure it was still secure.

"Cabbage!" Luffy shouted.

I stared, completely stunned. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me!"

Before I could fully comprehend the absurdity of the situation, I felt a hand settle firmly on my waist. Looking down, I saw the familiar "DEATH" tattoo on Law’s knuckles. His touch sent a jolt through me, not just from the contact but the possessive energy behind it.

"Don’t worry, princess," Law said, his voice low and dripping with possessiveness. "Even in these sea prism cuffs, I’m not letting him try anything." His tone was both protective and slightly irritated, adding a layer of tension that made my heart race.

I glanced forward and, to my absolute disbelief, Cabbage was there, sitting tall on his white stallion, with a rose in his mouth like some ridiculous storybook hero.

"This man can’t be for real," I muttered, barely able to believe my eyes.

And then, in true dramatic fashion, Cabbage pulled out a megaphone. "Pardon me, but I'll be taking the lead!" he announced loudly, as if we were all here just to witness his grand performance.

"You mean to tell me he actually has that?" I said, shaking my head in disbelief.

Cabbage's gaze landed on me, his voice filled with exaggerated charm, "Why, princess, it seems destiny keeps placing you in my path. Could it be fate that brings us together?" His declaration was loud enough for the whole world to hear.

That was it.

I clenched my blade tighter, feeling the familiar surge of energy pulsing through it. My patience was thinning by the second.

"You idiot!" I snapped. "Why don’t you just scream it to the heavens while you’re at it? Are you trying to get me taken?!" My frustration echoed through the battlefield, as I gripped my blade, ready to unleash its energy if I had to.

Law’s hand on my waist tightened, his presence grounding me, but I could still feel the tension radiating off him. He rolled his eyes slightly at Cabbage’s antics.

Cabbage simply laughed off my frustration, as if my outburst was nothing more than a playful jest, before charging ahead on his white stallion, heading straight towards where Doflamingo was waiting.

"Damn it! I thought I was taking a shortcut for sure," Luffy groaned, his eyes set on Cabbage speeding off. "We gotta pick up the pace, Ucy!" He urged the bull forward, but the gap between us and Cabbage was widening.

Just then, I noticed the crowd we had left behind earlier was now catching up. "How are they catching up to us?" I muttered in disbelief.

"This sucks! We’re losing!" Luffy growled, gritting his teeth in frustration.

As if on cue, the subordinates started firing again. "Shoot the bull!" one of them yelled. Ucy bucked and dodged as bullets whizzed past us, causing all of us to bounce precariously. We clung to Ucy as best as we could, but the wild movement was making it harder to maintain grip.

"Damn these idiots!" I cursed, feeling my grip slipping. Just then, a figure launched himself at the attackers, throwing punches left and right.

"Hey, crapbags! Keep your paws off Strawhat!" the man shouted, knocking subordinates down with each hit.

"Luffy, you know him?" I asked, squinting at the guy in confusion.

"Not a clue," Luffy replied casually.

The man let out an exaggerated groan, clearly offended. "Why, you're breaking my heart, Strawhat! I was in Block C, remember? It's Kelly Funk!" He pouted, trying to jog Luffy’s memory.

Luffy blinked, clueless. "Who?"

Funk let out an exasperated sigh. "Your buddy God Usopp saved my tail today! Just bein' friendly!" he explained, landing another punch on someone sneaking up from behind.

"Anyways," Funk continued, "I found a shortcut you can use! It'll take you right to the Sunflower Field and straight to the palace!"

"Really?!" Luffy's eyes lit up with excitement. "That's awesome! Thank you so much!"

"Yeah, thanks!" I added, trying to maintain my grip on Ucy. But as Funk turned around and his eyes met mine, his cheeks flushed a deep pink.

"Wh-Why… Pr-Princess…" he stammered, swallowing hard. "I… I must say, seeing you in person is truly a rare sight indeed."

I raised an eyebrow, surprised at his sudden bashfulness. "Why do you say that?"

"Because… when I saw your name pop up on Doflamingo’s list, I couldn’t believe it! Might I say, red really does highlight your features more." He smiled nervously, clearly flustered.

I returned a polite, short smile, feigning sweetness. "Can you take us to this shortcut you found?"

"Of course! It’s the least I can do! Right this way!" Funk exclaimed, still blushing as he led the way.

As Ucy continued to follow Funk, I leaned closer to Luffy, lowering my voice. "There's something off about him, Luffy," I murmured, glancing at Funk suspiciously. "I don’t trust him. Keep your guard up."

Luffy looked at me, confused. "Huh? You think so? He seems helpful."

I narrowed my eyes at Funk’s back. "Just a gut feeling. Let’s stay sharp."

As Funk led the way, I was still processing the unexpected situation when Law’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Hey, Strawhat, we need to find the keys to the cuffs. There’s no point in reaching the palace if I can’t fight. At this rate, Doflamingo will just kill me.”

Luffy paused, his expression thoughtful. “Eh, it’ll all work out. Or at least I hope it does!” He said, chuckling to himself.

Law’s frustration was evident. “What if it doesn’t? If we don’t win this fight, then we’re all dead!” His voice was a mix of urgency and annoyance.

Sensing his mounting frustration, I stepped closer to Law, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. “Hey, don’t stress too much,” I said, offering him a teasing smile. “We’ve handled worse. And if anyone can get us through this, it’s Luffy. 

Law looked at me, his frustration softening slightly. “You make it sound so easy.”

I leaned in a bit, my fingers lightly brushing against his arm. “Well, it might be easier if you stay calm. I’ve heard that a little distraction can go a long way.”

His eyes widened slightly as I gently traced a finger along his cuff. “A distraction?”

I flashed him a playful grin. “Yeah. You know, just to keep your mind off things. It might help you stay focused.”

Law’s cheeks reddened a bit as he tried to maintain his composure. “And how exactly do you plan on doing that?”

I chuckled, giving him a flirtatious look. “Oh, I’ve got a few ideas.

I started, but before Law could respond, Funk abruptly stopped and revealed the passageway. “There’s something unsettling about this,” I said, eyeing Funk suspiciously.

“Luffy? Are you sure about this?” I asked, still feeling uneasy.

“It’s our only shot to the palace faster, Y/N,” Luffy said confidently.

I glanced at Funk, then back at Luffy, and sighed. “Alright, captain, if you say we should trust it, then let’s go.” I smiled, trying to push away my concerns.

“Ucy! Let’s go!” Luffy called out as we entered the narrow tunnel. The unwanted guests, who had managed to hit their heads on the entrance, tumbled off the bull.

“Ah well, we didn’t need them, did we?” Law remarked, glancing at the two fallen guests.

“Nope, no turning back now. To the sunflower field!” I said encouragingly as we continued riding Ucy.

Just then, we heard the sound of a transponder snail. “Looks like it’s coming from your pocket, Law,” I said, noticing the source.

“Get it,” Law instructed. I reached into his pocket, retrieved the snail, and handed it to Luffy.

“Hello, this is Luffy, the man who’s going to be the King of the Pirates!” Luffy announced with his usual enthusiasm, causing me to chuckle at his exuberance.

“Hi Luffy, it’s me,” came the familiar voice.

“Robin!” we both exclaimed, relieved to hear a familiar voice from our crew.

“Right now, we’re at the plateau, same as before. And you?” Robin asked.

“We’re at the bottom of that other plateau, on the way to some sunflower field,” Luffy replied, keeping his focus on the path ahead.

“Good news, Viola found the keys to the cuffs. Let’s meet up,” Robin said.

“Oh, thank goodness!” I said, breathing a sigh of relief. “Let’s hurry.”

Law, visibly relieved, looked hopeful. “This is Leo, from the Tontatta tribe. Soon, Ms. Rebecca, the rooster guy, and Robin will be heading over there at supersonic speed,” Leo added.

I couldn’t help but gush at his adorable voice. “Aww, his voice sounds so adorable,” I said with a smile.

With that, we ended the call. “It’s pretty dark down here, huh?” I said, looking ahead.

“See, it all worked out!” Luffy said with his characteristic grin.

“Yeah, by coincidence?!” Law retorted, still visibly frustrated

I gave Law a teasing smile, leaning in despite his cuffs. “Progress is progress, and you’ve definitely earned this,” I said softly before pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek, leaving a faint red lip stain.

Law’s face immediately flushed with color, and he shifted uncomfortably, unable to touch his cheek due to the cuffs. “Y/N…” he stammered, his usual cool demeanor cracking under the sudden affection.

I chuckled at his reaction, finding his flustered state endearing. “You look cute with a little blush on your cheeks,” I said, enjoying the sight of his reaction. 

I said, enjoying the sight of his reaction. As I turned my attention forward, I heard Law’s concerned voice.

“Hey! One second, feels like this passage is sloping down,” he warned.

Suddenly, we found ourselves in a flooded area. “Turn back! This place is flooded!” Law said urgently.

“Crap,” I muttered, glancing around at the rising water. “I knew I had a bad feeling about this,” I admitted.

“Huh? I thought this was a shortcut to the top of the plateau?” Luffy questioned, his confusion evident.

“It’s a dead end!” I said, trying to think quickly. “We gotta get out of here now!” I commanded, urging Ucy to navigate out of the water.

“Wait, you guys hear that?” I said, my senses alert as slow footsteps approached.

“This is nothing more than a sideways water well, more of a trap if you will,” a voice echoed through the passage.

“It’s…” I began, clenching my blade tightly.

“It’s Doflamingo!” Luffy said, his voice filled with determination.

The tension in the air was palpable as Doflamingo’s presence became more pronounced. I felt a mix of anticipation and anxiety, readying myself for whatever confrontation lay ahead.

[turkeyinnovember]

thinking abt how he spent his birthday in the inbetween

[adhd-languages]

I really wonder if I sound hyper feminine when I’m speaking japanese.

[unown]

you should be allowed to feel how you want on your birthday but my brother really pushes it every year rejecting everyone’s gifts, love and thoughts like cynical on your birthday wow I’m totally not bored of that after all these years grow up

[floral-hex]

Just canceled all of my future therapy appointments. Big fudgin’ bummer. Did I mention I lost my insurance? Didn’t even find out about that until the day it lapsed. Trying to find a way to fix it now, reapplying and whatnot, but ya know, it’s bureaucracy so who knows how long it’ll take. Just fingers crossed I don’t run out of meds first.

lol it’s underwater 🐠

[no1ryomafan]

The urge to not be the most annoying person ever when Gurren Lagann is mentioned by anyone randomly and I get the urge to scream “DID YOU KNOW GETTER ROBO IS A INFLUENCE ON IT” because every instance it’s always unprompted, probably not getting the person interested and it’s not like I even watched Gurren to make justifiable comparisons nor do I know when the fuck I will.

[milo-is-rambling]

I forget how much I hate the taste of vodka but the whipped cream vodka is so much better my god

[willowfey]

ignore this i just wanna ramble in the tags for a sec i’ll probably delete it in a bit 🤪

[ghostickle]

My favorite game am I an asshole or do my friends just suck