#but it was worth the effort considering this is my first original pose lol

[zedtae]

🪩

the perks of befriending an ambivert #6259: she'll drag you into long-dead discotheques and show you how to roller skate

[liketheinferno2]

Do you have any types for new artist with aphantasia? You're the first ever artist i've met who has it like me and i find myself struggling a lot ):

Tips? Mostly just use a lot of reference and don’t be afraid to work through a sketch a lot to get it to look the way it’s supposed to, I’ll often grab a whole limb and rotate it with the transform tool then draw over again. Drawing like this feels like... you get better at packing on the pieces and finding the combinations that work instead of trying to realise an idea that was already formed, at least for me.

I only have digital tips but it might be worth learning to photobash your references -- photobashing is taking prexisting photos, textures and stock, then putting it together and painting over to get the image you want. It’s used a lot in concept art but I’ll use it to make location references for my stories because I can’t visualise the locations at all. Like this, and after I’ve done this I can just reference the final image instead of bashing my official art (never posted this pic btw, only refer back to it) --

Another thing to try is I know that it’s very hard to think in 3D when you can’t think visually at all so it might be worth trying to stylistically lean into the flatness and make use of the fact that you’re drawing on a 2D plane. One of my favourites I’ve done is this (below) where there’s not REALLY an in-front or behind in a fully realised way but I tried to stack/overlap different features like I was laying thin slices over each other, then differentiated it through values instead of perspective. 

It might be good to put some extra attention into the light and dark balance of your stuff because Things Being Different Colours (Or Textures) is usually something the aphantasic brain can grasp better when it comes to differentiating parts of your piece.

The other thing with this particular piece is I couldn’t grasp the composition so I ASKED FOR HELP. @xxtrashcatxx​ and I share these characters so I simply asked her for direction and she sent stained glass windows and a pose she’d drawn of two people hands clasped. When we work on the official Dies Irae illustrations she outright draws the thumbnails for me because collab powers with someone who can make mental images. So connecting with artist friends can be a great help. 

Scaling down a bit, it also um might take longer than average to grasp art basics because you’re basically training your hands to think for you instead of just drawing. Finding your Aesthetic might be more a conscious choice you have to make, I know when my visualisation skills were GOING (because I used to have them, just a little bit, when I was younger, then developed brain issues lol) I spent a while artistically lost because the idea of drawing cool things didn’t occur to me when I could no longer see the cool things in my head. Sometimes you need to look at other art to be reminded of what you’re allowed to DO. Or maybe I’m just boring inside LOL

Now I very intentionally keep reference folders, pinterest boards, inspiration hoard, got my reblog sideblog, just as much intentional guidance as possible. Running theme here is if you need the help, use it. Look at to tutorials. Do studies or appropriations when the original idea just won’t come, there’s a reason my therapy art is highly-referenced adaptations of classical art or just a plain portrait sometimes. Original Idea Original Pose Original Composition is what I consider a high effort piece, but to chill out and draw for fun I’ll often just reference stock photo poses or magazine covers instead, it’s lower stress that way and I still get the practice in.

I don’t know a lot of artists with aphantasia besides @iliothermia who does the most delicately and lovingly detailed transmasc art I’ve seen and is a massive inspiration to me, in part BECAUSE of his aphantasia; the fact that someone with the same kinda brain as me is already making the kind of art I love the most and doing it such a tender and well-realised way gives me ARTISTIC HOPE FOR THE FUTURE WOOOOO

Thanks for the ask, keep at it, I hope this was ANY? Help? Good luck too.

[sseunbean]

I feel like a lot of people ask to know more about Nari (which is the best thing I love talking about my characters) so I just wanted to compile what has been revealed thus far for people who are interested! It is..very very long:

» Nari was born and raised in a very remote village in Koryo called Seorak. It’s a super isolated place that is so high up in the mountain range that it’s almost perpetually winter aside from a brief spring when lilies bloom for a short spell (Nari was actually named after these flowers). Common is also not extensively used since there was no need.

» She is mostly fluent in Common but still has hiccups now and then when she can’t remember the right word. Nari’s incredibly smart (and she knows it!) but she can get a little frustrated knowing that she can’t communicate precisely what she would have been able to say in her own native tongue.

» The Seorak Clan is actually an assassin specialized village (all the details haven’t been revealed yet!) but Nari has always been more interested in tinkering. She built her own prosthetic leg and consequently has a particular interest in biomedical engineering.

» The Trauma: the village was completely eliminated five years before the start of the campaign, leaving Nari as the only survivor by chance. She had convinced her younger brother to cover for her while she went to look for tinkering materials. Nari was too focused and went out farther than she normally would and by the time she returned, her clan had been wiped out and burned down (she develops an extreme fear of uncontrolled fire). She has intense survivor’s guilt and is crushed by the thought that if it weren’t for her foolish hobby, she might have saved even one person-- particularly her brother. She believes she had unknowingly sent her brother to die in her place that day.

» Nari doesn’t know why her village was destroyed (or does she) but all she really knows is a scrap of cloth with a silver snake emblem as the only clue as to who did it. We’ve learned in the campaign that the group is called the Righteous Order and they’ve conducted a coup in Koryo, killing the current king and overthrowing the dynasty. 

» She is fiercely protective of the other members of Misfourtune and considers them her new family in lieu of the one she lost. 

» Thoughts on Bayani: she’s closest to him out of the group! She sees him as a friend she can trust with her life and has an easy banter going with him. She often asks him questions about the world like certain slang phrases (which he purposefully gives her the wrong answers to).

» Thoughts on Van: doesn’t know much about her but Nari can sense that they are more similar than she would have originally thought. Nari doesn’t ask questions but neither does Van so she sees them as in mutual agreement of unknowing. Nari respects Van deeply and holds her input in high regard.

»Thoughts on Dau Do: a gremlin she needs to protect! Dau Do is close in age to Nari’s brother and initially was drawn to her because of that but she has since noticed very large differences and now sees her as she is-- a younger sibling who is more trouble than she’s worth but wants to guide Dau Do in the right direction.

»I get more questions about K than anything else so I will just list it all now:

» Nari first got close to K to get info from him, so she posed as a new student at K’s temple who needed talisman lessons under the pseudonym Erina. K reluctantly (rolled a nat 20 lol) offers his assistance and holds! her hand! to teach her.

» K is part of a group of enigmatic individuals that we don’t really know about but we’ve met two other members of that society: Q (who gave us the quest to destroy the shards scattered across the continents) and Ami (a deceased member who has been appearing in a lot of our dreams and visions and is uh scary). He helps Misfourtune out and gives them the opportunity to destroy the shard in his temple.

» While they were apart, K and Nari have been writing to each other pretty regularly via a raven (who Nari nicknamed Riceball) 

» K actually has an ability to see a person’s past or future and so he knows exactly who Nari is despite her best efforts to disguise herself. At first Nari was distressed by the knowledge that he knew everything (she was taught to never tell anyone about herself and her home) but she comes around to it and now is more relieved that at least someone KNOWS-- she feels less alone with this secret that had been left on her shoulders. 

» K is actually snarky and snide to literally everybody except for Nari. Gave Bayani an unfavorable fortune reading and made a poor impression on Bayani (Bayani once punched K so hard he flew across the room). He also exorcised Dau Do at one point which made DD hate him with an intense passion (he is enemy number one in her eyes) which means it’s constantly on SIGHT for K (got kicked in the shins in front of a royal entourage by a twelve year old ghost). Van is neutral but is generally wary of him.

» Nari thinks he’s really nice and is more or less moved by the fact that he is still kind to her despite all her deceptions. She has a pretty big crush on him but she doesn’t really know what to do with her feelings. (She also thinks he smells nice and likes his handwriting and he makes good tea and-)

This was all I could think of right now/all that’s been revealed, but if you made it to the end... you are so strong thank you so much.. let me know if you read everything..let’s talk about Nari i’m always! down to do that !

[heavensentgohansrage]

Sunflower Marimo

PG-13, 4958 words

Fluff and Crack, Magical Seeds

AO3

So in this post on my main blog I gushed over this adorable work by @kingofalltsunfish​ and sorta made a promise to write it for her lol

It may have happened almost over two years ago, and the art itself is even much older than that, but I knew I had to do it.

Even if the outcome is all over the place for so many reasons, it’s better now then never.

Sanji has been howling with laughter for the last half an hour, as he keeps understanding more and more the reason behind Zoro’s strange behaviour.

Ever since returning back to the ship at almost the middle of the night, Zoro has refused to leave Chopper’s infirmary, where he has spent the night instead of the boys’ quarter. Then, all throughout breakfast, he proceeded in arguing with Nami about his mysterious need to turn the Sunny against the location of the sun - or, in words of people who actually know how direction works, to turn west - even though the Log Pose is directing to north-east.

Nami eventually agreed, even though he refused to give any explanation whatsoever. Then, it was only when he checked - through more than one window, because, you know, safety first - that the shadows outside were stretched in alignment with the ship’s structure that he rushed from the galley and through the short way that the infirmary created to the backside of the ship.

The crew’s excitement as they followed right after him was short, though, as it turned out he simply had to pee. Looking at each other, the group asked Franky to check if there was something wrong with the ship - although it did not explain Zoro’s secrecy about it - but he quickly found out that everything was just fine.

It was just then when Zoro finally went out, but slowly so, as he opened the door way too carefully, and even then took his time to look around, clearly making sure the ship was still facing the same way as he had asked for. Weirdly enough, it suddenly was not good enough for him to get out, but just shouted that they could now turn it back.

Before Sanji could tell him once more that Nami-san is not one to order around like that, though, Luffy stretched his hand all the way to him, assuring that he would make it quicker for him- and pulled Zoro’s shirt back to him without sparing him a moment to object.

Zoro, as usual, crushed right at Luffy and most of the rest, like Robin-chan, who Sanji had the utmost pleasure to pull away; but as he was bathing in the delight for having her thanking him that, suddenly he heard Zoro grunting.

The instinct to stand guard for his Nakamas overcoming any other nature of his as usual, Sanji cut his blessings off right away and turn to the Marimo-head, who was gritting his teeth and shaking with effort, although there was nothing visible to be affecting him.

Usopp and Luffy were arguing with one another, seemingly sensing nothing themselves, but Sanji activated his Haki anyway, in case some Devil Fruit power was casting on him from afar.

“What are you doing, dumb Cook?”

Sanji blinked back at Zoro, who, weirdly enough, looked completely fine as he was standing quiet and still. Had he seriously stolen his attention for nothing? Was it all just about some stupid bet he filled, considering Zoro never backs down from a promise he makes?

Sanji frowned. “You gotta be kidding me- you weren’t okay just a second ago! Just what’s wrong with you today that you’re acting more weirdly than usual?!”

There was a flash of realization in Zoro’s eye, and suddenly he was giving him the kind of smirk he always has when he uses Sanji to his advantage, although usually it is only for his amusement. “Me? I’m completely fine. You’re the one who imagines things. See?” He stretched his arms to the sides and walked backwards, as though to give Sanji a better look of his entire body.

But then he walked right into Nami, who had returned from the helm on the front of the ship to their side.

“Not only you didn’t watch your mouth that entire morning, but now you don’t even mind crossing others’ paths?!” She rebuked him.

“Yeah, how dare you running into Nami-san so carelessly?” Sanji followed with a yell of his own.

Zoro tsked and scratched his head in annoyance, but Sanji cared even less than the indifferent he would have been anyway about him being sandwiched between the two of them.

“Look at me when I’m talking to you!” She demanded, holding Zoro’s sides and turning him to her.

Zoro grunted again, this time like she was straining all the muscles in his body just by rotating him on his axis. Startled, Nami let go of him- but simply realizing her hands was like letting go of a swing that was spun 180 degrees, as in an instant he was turning his back on her, facing against the backside of the ship.

Everyone silently stared at him for a while, until Chopper started freaking out of the blue.

“Is it- Could it be- Th-that’s bad! Where’s the doctor?!”

“Calm down Chopper and tell us what’s wrong!” Usopp entreated him tiredly.

“Ahh, sorry!” Chopper circled Zoro, who still did not bother to change his position back, to be able to face him. “Zoro, yesterday when we split in the island and you wandered by yourself, did you come across sunflower seeds, or something similar, while exploring the island?”

“Yeah, I helped some old lady carrying her groceries, then the garden kept leading me to her backyards where there were flower plots, so it tempted me to try some. Why?”

Sanji felt a squeeze inside his stomach, but just like every time Zoro’s words affected him like that, he made himself to ignore it. He should know better than react that way to such an idiot who would not admit he got lost in a porch, for fuck’s sake.

“Then it is serious!” Chopper squealed and put both paws on his face.

Sanji patted him on his head, trying to soothe him as much as he could. “What it is then?”

“I’ve noticed the sunflowers here are a rare species of a clan-type.”

“Clan-type?” Robin parroted him with an inauspicious voice.

Chopper nods. “It is kind of plants which try to make other living beings to become like them instead of naturally reproducing. Luckily, this species is too weak to actually make a human into a flower, and maybe this is why the locals allowed themselves to grow them for their beauty. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t succeed to leave any effect at all.”

“Eh? But he still looks normal!” Luffy wondered as he searched for anything outstanding all over Zoro’s body, who was losing his patience by the minute.

“Didn’t you notice? As long as he sees it, Zoro can only face the sun!”

Sanji cannot help himself but losing it.

  -

  For the following days, Zoro spends even more of the day in the crow’s nest. He even stops looking for booze, too, as he has to make sure he drinks just as much as his body needs to deal with the amount of sweat he perspires during his workout, so unlike the first morning he will be able to hold it until the sun is down, when he finally can go out.

Since Nami asked Sanji so, he prepares breakfast for Zoro earlier than everyone, just before the sun is up, and delivers him lunch while everyone eats inside the galley.

Sanji understands it is serious, especially as out on the sea, the next battle can happen at any given moment; not only everyone will have to have Zoro’s back, the proud bastard will not even let them cover for him that easily himself.

In the meantime, though, he still takes advantage of that to make fun of Zoro every time. He cannot be blamed for not being able to stay quiet with a - now literally - moss-for-brain guy, who could not even figure out himself that the sunflower seeds he has eaten just before it all started were the reason for it.

As the sunflowers act the way they do because they know what is best for themselves, even without consciousness, that man is officially dumber than a plant.

“Enjoy your meal- unless you’re already full by photosynthesis,” he wishes him the first time he brings him lunch.

“It’s exactly noon, so make sure to warn us when you sense a Knock-Up Stream, South Bird,” he cheerfully remarks another time as he brings him a snack.

“Maybe you should consider renaming this one after Thousand Sunny instead,” he notes at one of the time he comes back to take the dishes, while Zoro was practising the movement of the 1080 Pound Ho technique with weights.

For the last bad pun Sanji actually has to dodge an attack directed at him, and each time it is still worth it. After all, if he has somehow spent the entire first day under the effect of the seeds facing the sun, which allowed him to find the right path back to the ship even later than usual, without getting his face burn- then at least Sanji can amuse himself by attempting getting his face red himself.

Although while not finding it as cute as it is amusing, of course. Not at all.

At any case, the rest of the crew takes their part in toying with the current member to get into an unfortunate situation, so Sanji is afraid he will soon run out of original good material himself - only Usopp, for example, has used up anything clever you could make with a comparison to the Sunlight Tree Eve -  but that until Chopper gets concerned about the lack of vitamin D Zoro will soon suffer from, as it is not clear when the effect will go away, and orders him to take his naps outside.

Luffy and Usopp get bored of it quickly, as the sun moves too slowly for the direction Zoro’s head leans to noticeably enough, but Sanji still manages to entertain himself with trying to guess the time according to the direction Zoro’s head is tilted to.

But that also means he stares at him more as he sleeps, and perhaps Sanji does more damage to himself than good while suddenly noticing how beautiful Zoro’s face are, once he is too peaceful to distract Sanji with some sort of annoyance. It even exposes some of his soft side he usually does not show, well hidden behind the stiffness the usually carries himself with.

Sanji is reminded of one of those rare times, where they got stuck with each other as circumstances made them split together from the rest of the crew; as they walked by a small waterfall, Sanji’s eyes caught a small rainbow it created. He got closer to make it illuminate over his hand, and only by luck Zoro was still not that far away once he raised his head to look for him. He called him, intentionally to warn him to not drift away- but was then surprised when the swordsman not only was marvelled once he noticed Sanji’s his finding, but was interested enough that he got closer to take a better look, touching Sanji’s hand in the process. Sanji somehow avoided jerking away, but it did make his gaze to lock on the full exposure of Zoro’s long, moss-green eyelashes as he was looking down. The way their arcs were as perfectly round as the sincere, more unalloyed than his katanas smile stretching beneath them caught Sanji’s breath. He had seen him smiling astonishedly like that before, like when they arrived at Water 7, but had never thought he would have ever care to share it with him.

Then the singular hazel eye looked back at him, which may have carried less variety of shades than a rainbow, but the natural phenomenon still had nothing in comparison to the depth and strength of the overall tone.

Okay, that is it, he should stop wasting time on bittersweet memories and focus on important issues, especially those which will actually grant him happiness, like making drinks for the ladies.

He manages to actually lose those previous thoughts in his new occupation, that he even manages to not pay attention to Zoro as he leaves a drink beside him, and passes him to Nami and Robin- the only targets that should matter.

And that is why it takes another whole day for anyone to notice that he became the one according to whom Zoro’s body changes the angle it is facing, overcoming even the sun’s position, whenever he is near him.

  -

  “Best. Development. Ever!” Usopp cries, rolling on the ship’s lawn while holding his sides.

“How the hell having our Swordsman losing control over his body is a good development?!” Nami scolds after him.

Luffy, who has been crossing the grass back and forth just like Usoop, suddenly clashes into the other- but it does not stop the two of them to bark out in yet another wave of laughter.

“We should find a yellow ball on the next island to throw at the Marines so he could fight them,” their Captain finally suggests.

“Great idea, so very helpful,” Nami sighs as she walks up to the duo to give them their justified punches.

Sanji has never had any special thought about his hair, really - unlike someone else’s, it is actually a completely normal one - but that situation makes him to actually wish it was not yellow.

Not that it means he plans to dye it to anything else, of course.

“Why doesn’t anyone listen to me?!” Chopper waves his arms helplessly, and jumps for a good effort. “It can’t be about Sanji’s hair resembling the sun!”

Zoro groans. “Either way, Cook- why don’t you go there too so I can give them a piece of my mind too!”

“Tch, good-for-nothing Marimo.” Sanji lights up a cigarette as he remains standing. “Now I won’t be able to stand close to either Nami-san or Robin-chan, for who knows how long, in case you’ll hurt them accidentally.”

“Won’t happen as long as you don’t give me a reason to try going after you, Ero-Cook.”

Sanji jumps in front of Zoro at once, pressing him against the wall with his foot on his chest. “You mean you actually won’t even try to control yourself when you have a lady in view?!”

Zoro holds his leg and tries to shove it off of himself, but that also means he has to try incline to another way; as he is physically not able to face a point even a little skewed from the one Sanji is at, an attempt like that is clearly utterly impossible- or at least looks to be as painful as trying to twist one’s hand beyond its maximum flexibility point.

Sanji smirks triumphantly. “Well, at least you finally won’t be able to ignore the truth anymore while it is standing right in your face.”

“What truth? That your women-obsession is a much more ridiculous sickness than mine?”

“What was that - ?!“

 “ - Didn’t you hear me? I told you to stop it!” Chopper, in his grown Heavy Point form, comes to stand aside them and force Sanji to step back. “I finally figured it out- it’s adrenaline!”

“Huh?”

“His body can't absorb light, so it searched for the next closest thing- something that drives itself to accelerate energy creation through cellular respiration, and I think it found it in the rush of adrenaline Zoro has been triggered to experience during all the times you angered him recently. You’ve teased him more than everyone when you came every day to bring him his meals.”

“That might be true,” Brook comments, “but when we tried earlier, Zoro was back to being attracted to the sun whenever Sanji was gone out of his sight. Even while searching for alternatives, it still doesn’t solve the original problem.”

“That’s true,” Chopper nods, “but I still think that it’s still progress. Soon his body will understand that the best way to get energy is through food alone, and will teach itself to get over that added instinct, just like there are a lot of instincts the human body forgets as we grow up.”

All the while they discuss this, Zoro has his eye closed so he will not have to stare directly as Sanji, who knows that he will not be able to get on with it for long himself. While he is currently not the one to be stuck in a state he cannot get away from, it can soon be him if Zoro will start finding things he could use to his disadvantage, like that time he caught him off-guard by the waterfall.

“Anyway, I’ll go hang back at the galley, where I better keep staying out of the zone of staring creepers,” he declares as he starts making his way back to the kitchen, even though it is too early for any dinner preparations.

“Like having to look at your swirly eyebrows the entire day doesn’t creep me out,” Zoro murmurs as his body spins in accordance with Sanji’s advance, which Sanji senses on his back way too well. Another roar of laughter commences, but is cut short as Sanji finally closes the door behind him- living the two boys in the direction of the sun fully exposed to the Swordsman’s range of attack.

Sanji puffs out smoke in relief. Being away from a compassionless eye constantly following and judging him, now he can finally think clearly: while he does not turn down Chopper’s speculation completely, Sanji still has a feeling there is something else that Zoro’s instincts connect between the sun and himself, even if not the shared colour.

Going over any association he has about the sun which he can somehow be also linked to him, he finds quicker than he would think an idea with a considerable possibility, and he is not happy when the solution he comes out with intensifies it on his face.

Unless he comes out with a better idea, though, or somehow he will be miraculously proven wrong even before that- he knows he will have no choice but to try it.

  -

  He waits until the next day’s sunrise, since the last dinner’s attempt has proven that Sanji still affects him even after the sun has sunk completely below the horizon, to the point the cook had to go out of his own kitchen to let him eat in peace.

While Zoro technically can get around with his eye closed whenever Sanji is visible to him, his lack of sense of direction for sure will take a disastrous turn.

Chopper volunteered to carry his next meals - Luffy tried to too, but everyone was too smart than letting him touch food that is not on his own plate - and Sanji hopes that it will not be the only excuse to not have to see Zoro, well, just about ever again in case he is wrong.

Sanji takes his morning preparation slower than usual, but inevitably, the time eventually arrives.

Despite peeking inside his pack of cigarettes, to make sure it is not empty, he throws the one he has smoked until that moment without taking a new one; he will have to face this situation head-on.

Getting out, he moon-walks his way to the crow’s nest.

Probably sensing him in advance, Zoro is standing where he can match the line of the sun, shining through the window, while having his back to the entrance when Sanji makes its way through.

“There’s no need to test it again every day, so just leave,” Zoro asserts.

Sanji sighs, as he for once wants to listen to Zoro so much. “Not before I try something I’ve thought about.”

“And since when do you have good ideas?”

Sanji crosses his arms. “When I rescued you from Crocodile’s cage? When I delayed Enel’s ark by attacking his engines before facing him? When I opened Enis Lobby’s Gates of Justice? Starting to find a pattern yet, human-plant? ”

A few beats pass, but finally Zoro’s shoulders slump with a sigh. “Fine, you have good strategies, but only when you’re unseen. Isn’t that part of the pattern too?”

“There’s no point if I don’t return to the light again, as much as you hate it.” Sanji rounds Zoro to meet a suspicious, unwelcoming eye that hopefully only hides the truth he has once witnessed from it, back at the waterfall.  “Supposedly.”

“Eh - ?” Zoro opens his mouth to utter, luckily, and by that makes the task easier for Sanji, as he can immediately use it to grab his face and meshed his own mouth to his.

Zoro tries to hum something, but Sanji has to make sure he acts as thoroughly as possible before he is thrown away through the window, and with each press of lips tries his best to make a profound contact, so the instinct holding Zoro captive will not be able to miss it.

Once overcoming his initial surprise, Zoro starts to react back with just as much force, not willing to let him take full leading so easily.

Instead of relief, like any normal person would feel for the cooperation, Sanji actually enjoys it. Thanks to becoming breathless, though, he does not have to face the painful temptation stretch it further than needed.

He somehow remembers then that he should check the results, as it was nothing but an experiment, and start jumping between different spots around Zoro.

“What the hell?” Zoro gasps, his head moving back and forth as he tries to catch a glimpse of him.

Grinning, Sanji stands right behind him and shifts him around. “It worked!”

Zoro blinks, but then stares out of the window he is now facing, which is finally not the wrong one to him, but just another window. A smile that only a free man can make is slowly drawn across his face, and he even releases a rare laugh that pulls at Sanji’s stomach much more than it should.

“How did you know what to do?” Zoro asks him.

Sanji slowly lets go of Zoro, eyes darting elsewhere. He clears his throat and lights up a cigarette, at long last.

“Unlike what Chopper said, I don’t think I annoyed you to the point your instinct will see me as a trigger to create energy, but that your body made it figure out that this is a human body, and you need the sun mainly for warmth- although it is something you get more effectively by a contact with someone else.” Sanji walks over to a window, although not one where the sun is seen; he is not that cold. “I’m the one who happens to touch you the most, during our quarrels, so I figured that was the reason you fixed on me, so I wanted to make sure you felt my warmth as effectively as possible.”

“Body warmth, huh…” Zoro mutters behind him.

They fall into silence, which Sanji desperately wants to get away from, but has no idea how to get out. Going near Zoro, ironically, has become intolerable.

“No, it’s both,” Sanji suddenly hears the other man says behind him, following by footsteps coming closer.

Sanji takes a long drag on his cigarette, and closes his eyes.

“Whether I liked it or not, you’ve been central in my life on this ship. All the times you got me to heat up, you influenced me to train even harder. I don’t depend on it, but by this point, it is almost as vital for me as the sense of Nakamaship I’ve developed."

Sanji huffs. “The point was that you’re a muscle-brain anyway.”

“Shut up, dumbass. I’ve simply persisted to one specific path - ”

This time, Sanji snorts.

“ - which made it hard for me to see alternative ones,” Zoro finishes explaining his insight, although a bit too annoyed for someone who has experienced one. It is not like Sanji want to ruin this moment for Zoro, but he has to get back on track, right after messing with their status quo.

This is how they communicate, and this is how it shall stay. Being able to fantasize a much more meaningful future with him than with anyone he has ever attempted to attach himself to does not matter.

“But since you keep trying multiple ones for no reason,” Zoro suddenly continues, “maybe combining to find a balance it will make you finally stop pretending like another person is better than you just by being born with the right set of milk glands.”

Sanji snaps his eyes open at that, forgetting all about his discomfort he has felt until just a second ago and coming forehead-to-forehead with Zoro. “Oi, just because you don’t appreciate that doesn’t mean you can talk about it like its speciality is unadmirable like that green head of yours.”

“It doesn’t matter what it is- you can keep pampering women, if it makes you happy like cooking for anyone regardless of gender. But you can’t let this cost your self-worth.”

The smoke from Sanji’s cigarette blocks his view, so he takes it out of his mouth for now. “Well, you did help to raise it during the last few days while I was constantly reminded of that stupid mistake you’ve done on a whim that I’ll never do, and I don’t see how cherishing women is beneath that. Then what do you suggest?”

“Blocking your path and see what you do about it.”

Before Sanji knows it, Zoro’s palms are on the back of his head and he is being pushed forward until their lips meet again, though this time for something simpler that still leaves the both of them frozen to their spot for the few seconds it lasts.

Shocked, Sanji tries to connect the different points that brought them to this- because if he has kissed Zoro to help him break through the seeds’ effect, Zoro has to have his own legitimate reason for this. He may not be dumb enough to force him like that to stop his so-called women problem, but it is too surreal for him that it could be what it looks to mean. How could anyone want him and yet trust him so much that they will not care about his admiring attitude toward others?

But Zoro’s eye, while not looking at him as tenderly as one would expect from someone with sentimental meanings behind this kind of action, is assuring it in his own way by staring at him with his frank, unreserved expression.

“Finally it looks like I'm the only one who was warmed,” Zoro smirks as he trails his fingers on Sanji’s burning cheeks.

“Shut up, shitty bastard,” Sanji murmurs as he flicks his hand away, but ultimately let Zoro’s fingers to comb some of his shiny hairs.

“Same to you, asshole.”

  ~~~

  Finally able to enjoy the sun properly, Zoro thinks back to the period of his life as a wanderer, where many times he had to walk under the warmth of the sun with hunger eating him from the inside.

Later, soon after joining Luffy’s crew, not only he did not have to worry about that- but he could actually build muscle more effectively, with no worry that his body would resist it- all thanks to one pesky, obnoxious cook coming abroad.

Even if there was a proper way to truly return him the favour, Zoro is not one to express that deep kind of gratitude directly, obviously, but since he happens to be the first one to get back to the ship from a stroll, for a change - even while the sun already barely presents in the sky - and only Sanji is there, as he stayed to look after the ship, he still wants to communicate it somehow.

He finds him leaning against the railing, watching the sea, and does not turn around as Zoro gets closer. The latter embraces him from behind with one hand, and turning his hair aside with the other so he could mouth the skin behind his ear.

Sanji sunk in a sharp breath, but his voice is mostly levelled when he speaks. “Are you bored?”

Despite Sanji is still uncertain about what they have started, as it is still too fresh for him- Zoro keeps being patient about it as usual: “No.”

“Then what's that about?”

Zoro smirks into his skin. “Isn't it clear by now? Disturbing you is always too tempting.”

“I thought you prefer doing that by picking on me until we start fighting.”

“Maybe, but that's when your mood is neutral.” He slowly nips his ear shell. “Now you're peaceful.”

Sanji is right by most probably figuring out that Zoro does not really have romantic moods, where all he wants is to be the man who initiates nice settings. He is a spontaneous kind of guy: he lets life lead him to find in a new island’s market something that the cook would like to receive only by a chance, and will not pull him to a place with unconventional, noteworthy settings, whatever that counts as, as letting it naturally occur around them is much better.

Just like waterfall creating a rainbow.

But when something reminds him of Sanji, he simply cannot help but look for him, no matter whether they end up trying to tear each other’s throats - and no matter what, there are still times where the cook makes him see red - or other behaviours that have to do with their proximity which feeds his satisfaction.

Because, as great as watching the sharpness in his eyes every time he uses an opportunity to drive him up the wall- being absorbed in the warmth of his smell and taste is quite remarkable, too.

“Sun's coming down,” Sanji mentions latterly.

Zoro hums into his shoulder agreement, even though he could care less about it so long Sanji is still there.

[canonicallyanxious]

this is soo selfish of me to ask but can I please ask what your thoughts are to how simon and bram find each other in the 'we fell like rain' au?? Like do you think it'd happen the same, because I guess they cant give away all that much away about one another without the other one guessing, bc they know a lot more about each other, being best friends? Like Simon could mention one thing about an oreo and I can imagine bram guessing it, haha. But Id really love to hear your thoughts on this! (1/2)

(2/2) bc that fic you wrote is sooo beautiful, I'm so curious as to how everything would play out in that world. I wonder if Simon might have been able to guess it in this verse?? Ahh, so many questions haha sorry! Love your writing

Hi friend! first of all thank you so much for your kind words and for thinking about we fell like rain!! It honestly means the world to me that you would want to know more about this verse like idk it’s just beyond amazing to me that anyone would want to?? second before i proceed i just wanted to say i believe very firmly in death to the author so if you have your own hcs and ideas about what happens next you are 1000000% free to have them and they are totally, completely valid - as I most likely won’t be continuing this verse, your guess is honestly as good as mine! having said that, here are some of the thoughts i have [with a cut bc yikes this got long]:

so first of all i think it’s worth mentioning that unlike Bram, i don’t think Simon would be quite as aware of his feelings for Bram; in simon vs, he’s very adamant about having a “policy of not falling for straight guys” in relation to Nick and so i feel like that would kind of carry over to Bram too if they happened to be close friends, especially considering Simon is much more oblivious and less self aware than Bram is; the feelings might be there, but would he recognize them as such? that’s harder to determine. i feel like he’s the kind of person who’d take his thoughts of how attractive Bram is and be like “but obviously everyone thinks that of him” kind of similarly to how Bram was with Simon in the fic lol

i can see it going a lot of ways, of course, but in my head the trajectory of the plot at least is pretty similar [at least in terms of their relationship developing through email, the blackmail plot, Simon being outed, etc.; one would have to imagine in addition to this their irl friendship would be developing, too - think of the pining!]. i’m not sure that i think Bram would figure out who Jacques was sooner than he did in canon [although you could maybe make the argument that he might have figured it out pretty soon in canon], mostly because he would probably try not to get his hopes up even more fiercely than in simon vs. i feel like his self-preservation instincts are pretty strong, so he’d be trying to protect himself from himself if that makes sense? in that sense, i feel like for him there would be an added dimension of, like, first of all trying really hard to get over irl simon [and maybe not being able to] and seeing similarities between jacques and irl simon as himself projecting his feelings onto jacques, subsequently resulting in lots of guilt and stuff. which could potentially cloud his perception a lot! but after a while i feel like even Bram wouldn’t be able to ignore it.

On Simon’s end, i’m not sure he’d be able to guess it either. It’s conceivable that he would! in my head though the fact that Bram actually mentioned the person he has feelings for in his original post would probably cause him to be even more careful about the information he divulges; it’s a big school but i’m sure Bram is well aware of the fact that most people would know who his “group” is. also there’s all the aforementioned not really in touch with his feelings and probably would make a conscious effort not to assume it was anyone he actually knew stuff

with all that in mind, in canon the emails were very much the one place these boys could be really open about themselves and talk about being gay, and that would still be a big thing in this verse, but i find the idea that the emails are the one place they can be open about being gay but not really much else about themselves to be compelling when juxtaposed with how Simon and Bram share lots of themselves with each other but they feel like they can’t be open about this one big thing. it would certainly be interesting to explore the feelings of that! 

and then you have to wonder how Bram would react to Simon being outed. if he hadn’t figured it out already he would DEFINITELY know then, but i don’t think he’d be ready to tell Simon that he’s Blue. there would probably be a lot of guilt there that he knows all this stuff about Simon that he feels like he shouldn’t know, because would Simon have told him if he’d known it was Bram [i mean, debatable that this doubt of Bram’s is all that founded, but you have to imagine the tumultuous heightened emotions of this situation]?? so maybe that would fracture their irl friendship too a little, if Bram was too overwhelmed with, like, the guilt of knowing all this stuff, plus the guilt of not being able to be there for Simon in the way he really wants to be [i.e - not posing as a straight ally], plus confusion over Simon potentially being into Cal. Blue pulling away in the emails - would Bram pull away in real life too? Hm. Maybe.

anyway, obviously i never got around to figuring out a proper outline so i really don’t know what else i would have changed if i had decided to continue with this verse [and honestly the fact that i figured the endgame at least would be the same made it easy to make the decision not to; i can’t write canon better than becky can!] but i like to think of the weight “it’s you” would have in this verse. like, maybe it wouldn’t have occurred to Simon before that very moment, at least not on a conscious level, but at the same time it wouldn’t surprise him at all. it would just make sense, on a level he wouldn’t even be able to articulate. and the relief that both of them would probably feel that they can finally be completely, 100% honest with each other? Fucking unreal, I would imagine.

in light of all that, i don’t think much would have to be changed from canon to make an interesting story. The interesting part [to me] would be how just this one change in the story could affect the complexity of their feelings. Same story, more or less, but a host of different emotions driving it!

Anyway. that’s pretty much all i’ve got on this subject. i hope this satisfies you, anon, though if you want to keep discussing this i’m honestly more than game. thank you so much for this opportunity to talk about this verse

[thathpheadcanongirl]

Reckless (Romione One-Shot)

((So, now, I start my journey looking at Ron and Hermione a lot more. This story is set in 2014 or 2015. I’ve been writing my own version of the Cursed Child because I didn’t like that there wasn’t really enough of the Golden Generation lol! I won’t get into too much detail on this post, but Hermione has been working with Harry on a very top secret mission regarding a potential threat to the Wizarding World. In doing so, she has been engrossed in the case and spending less time with her family. Ron notices a shift in her focus, and usually he can bring her back down to Earth, but it’s been getting next to impossible by this point. I was in a real angsty mood writing this, and I thought I’d share lol!))

She was proud. And excited. And nervous. And quite terrified.

Her efforts to eradicate the old laws constricting the liberties of all magical creatures were finally taking effect. And finally, something in the papers about the Golden Trio that was worth talking about. Hermione Granger’s dissertation, Magic for All, was so compelling that it was transcribed into a book. She was asked to go to Flourish and Blott’s to celebrate her being on the Best Seller’s list for three consecutive months back in 2010. She saved the article and the photograph that came with it: Ron kissing her on the cheek with a proud arm around her.

While completing that, she was also working on updating the Muggle Relation laws. She and Percy fought the Wizengamot diligently for years on this touchy subject. Their platform was to make it easier for Muggleborns and Muggle relatives of magical families to access the Wizarding World. Eventually, they thought it was a lost cause, until Hermione published her second book, Muggle This, Muggle That, from her lengthy paper back in 2003.

Publishing her book could have jeopardized her career, knowing that it was an unpopular opinion. Ron was there for her when she was afraid that her efforts were all for naught because of a possible reckless decision. He supported it. He supported her.

And when it was received with high acclaim in 2014, Ron was by her side to celebrate her accomplishment. They and their children were in the paper then. Rose looked absolutely in her element, with her toothy grin and “accidental” posing. Hugo clung onto Ron’s hand, a small, confused smile upon his face.

But this was different.

Hermione had a press conference in three hours. She had a decision to make. But she didn’t want to do it alone.

“Hey, love,” Ron greeted her from her door. Hermione was grateful for Ron’s lunch breaks, but not today. “Ethel just let me in. Helps that I made her a sandwich as well.”

He kissed her on top of her head and plopped down on the other side of her desk.

“I’m sorry, Ron, I’m really busy…”

Ron took a bite of his sandwich. “I see that,” he replied sarcastically.

“Where are the kids?”

“Both at Mum and Dad’s.”

Hermione nodded. She started to ruffle the papers on her desk, but Ron stopped her with his free hand. His face was full of concern.

“I haven’t seen you in days,” he said seriously. “The kids barely see you. I know you’re busy, but if something is wrong, you can tell me.”

She considered him, and then glanced at the clock. She was losing time.

She began stacking her papers once more rather hurriedly this time. “I’m telling you I’m extremely busy.”

“Fine,” he said crossly, leaning back in his seat. “I’ll wait. Some more.”

“I know you’re upset,” she began. Her heart was pounding. She needed to make a decision soon. “But I have a conference.”

“You’ve skipped conferences before.”

“This is different, and I can’t have you here right now.”

“Why not?”

“You’re stressing me out!” She was on the brink of a panic attack and they both knew it. Ron immediately stood up and jumped over to his wife’s side.

“Hey,” he whispered, holding her close. “Breathe, love. Just breathe.”

Hermione did as she was told. As her breathing slowed, her mind cleared. But there was still a pain in her chest that she couldn’t quite shake. Ron had been there for everything. And they’ve always talked about what would happen if Hermione became Minister of Magic. At the time, it was just a “what if” situation. But now, this was a very real possibility.

Breathing under control, she braved through an inevitable conversation. “What if I became Minister?”

Ron sighed. “We don’t have to play this game again,” he said softly. He sat her down in her chair while he took to the side of her desk. “I know how much that scares you.”

“Please, can you humor me?” Hermione searched his eyes desperately.

He disliked when she got this way: she’d think up these scenarios and they’d argue them, just in case these opportunities became a reality. But to Hermione, it was easier. They’d already have an answer to something that wasn’t an opportunity yet. He remembers the Minister of Magic argument very well, as it lasted for about a week. Afterwards, they had come to the conclusion that it would be best if Hermione declined the offer. Against his better judgment, he opened up the wound again.

“It’s a magnificent opportunity, we’ve already established that.”

Hermione nodded, biting the inside of her lip in thought.

He continued. “But the workload would be far too much. Rosie and Hugh miss you after a few days now. Just imagine how they’d feel if your gone for weeks on end.”

“You’ve done the same,” she robotically argued back. “When you were an Auror, going on missions all the time.”

“But, as you recall, I quit when they were very young. So I could take care of them full time while you took your promotion.”

“You make it seem like I never took care of them.”

“Off track,” Ron said sternly, getting red all the same. “Stay on track.”

Hermione took a deep breath and changed her rebuttal. “The severance is substantial. Rosie and Hugh would have full benefits-”

Ron laughed, “Like more than they have now? Hermione, the only benefit to you being Minister is that England will be ruled under a reliable, headstrong, brilliant witch. Screw everything else that comes with it. We both know the kids already have enough money inherited for their own kids!” He leaned in, and Hermione began to feel tears forming. “Family comes first. That’s always been the rule.”

“But what if I’m doing this for my family?” Her tears fell freely now.

Ron stood up slowly, realization hitting him like a ton of bricks. “What if you are doing this…?”

“I really don’t want to fight about this-”

“Clearly you do,” he said, rounding on her. “Why else would we be having this conversation for the hundredth time this month?”

Hermione gained some strength to retort. “I’m just running for office,” she reasoned, stroking Ron’s biceps. “There’s no guarantee that I would be Minister.”

Ron smiled sadly at his wife’s chance at affection. “We both know you’ll get it,” he whispered.

Her heart dropped. “I won’t do it if you say no.”

And now, Ron was full of dark laughter. “I have said no. You have said no. If you wanted to run for Minister, you should have just been honest with me from the beginning.”

They stood there, both looking at each other in defeat. How did they get on opposite sides of her office so quickly?

Hermione glanced at the clock, fear creeping over her again. She sat back down in her chair, closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. After taking another deep breath, she opened up the sandwich Ron had made her. It tasted like home, and love, and care. And she took it for granted.

“I’m sorry for not being honest with you,” she admitted. “You don’t deserve that.”

Ron took her apology as a sign that it was safe to resume his original seat. He also took a bite of his sandwich. They ate in silence for a while.

“How much longer do you have?” Ron asked.

Hermione’s eyes found the clock again. “About two hours.”

The defeat in Ron’s posture was heartbreaking. “In some ways,” he said, looking into her eyes yet again. “I always knew you’d do it anyway.”

They smiled, but it was painful, strained.

And they talked the rest of those two hours as if nothing was wrong. Hermione wasn’t about to have a press conference confirming or denying her running for Minister of Magic. Ron wasn’t going to tell Rose and Hugo that their Mum has to be at work just a little while longer, and have to see their disappointed faces. It was all light and jovial and amicable. They talked about nothing of importance, making sure not to make passive aggressive remarks.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Percy came in, clipboard in hand.

“Oh, Ronald, thank goodness you’re here,” he said. He surveyed him up and down. “You’re going to wear that?”

“Perce-”

But Percy ignored him and walked over to Hermione. “It’ll have to do. We don’t have much time.” He handed the clipboard over to Hermione, who signed it swiftly, wiping crumbs off of her face.

Percy took the clipboard back and clapped his hands together. “Alright,” he smiled. “Ready?”

The pair followed Percy out of Hermione’s department, onto the elevator, and closer to a huge room full of reporters. Before they reached the room, Ron pulled Hermione aside.

“Deep breaths,” he said calmly, although his eyes remained unfeeling. “You can do this.”

Hermione nodded. “I love you.”

“I love you.”

“Quickly, you two!” Percy’s voice rang.

It’s now or never…

Ron followed his wife onto a small stage with a single podium. Lights flashed immediately as reporters called out both of their names.

Hermione grabbed both sides of the podium and thought, for a millisecond, of what would happen if she decided not to take the job? Would her credibility be tarnished? Would people not think of her as a leader? Would she settle for a job that she’s already topped?

It’s always been her dream to be Minister, even if she never admitted it to anyone. She knew she could do it. She has proven herself worthy of the position time and time again, even when she was a teenager fighting Voldemort. She could help Harry out more with this blasted case that’s been keeping her away from her family. And if everything goes to plan, she’d be a hero to many and she’d be able to spend much needed time with her children.

But then, what would happen if she did take the job? Would she miss Hugo’s first bits of magic? Would she have to skip Rosie’s first day at school? Would she have to pass on the Quidditch World Cup Final that Ginny had given everyone tickets for? Would her marriage hang in the balance?

No. She could never let that happen.

“Hello, everyone. Thank you all for coming here today.” Her hands shook as her decision became more and more concrete in her mind. “I have been working. Although, when have I not been working?” Some of the reporters chuckled. “But I have been working very hard for equality within our world. I have established a pay rate for House Elves, implemented an initiative to stop wizards and witches from hunting magical creatures for sport, and now, the laws separating us and the Muggle community are being updated as I speak. I have done a lot for our community. And would love to continue my service the best ways possible.” She paused only for a second, preparing for the worst that was yet to come. “I am Hermione Granger, and I am running for Minister of Magic.”

Applause, camera lights, and shouting came from the congregation of reporters below. This should have felt better. This was everything Hermione had ever wanted. And yet, the only person she wanted to make happy was currently behind her, not happy. He didn’t place his arm around her proudly. He didn’t kiss her cheek. Her children were not there.

But she was proud. And excited. And nervous. And quite terrified.

END