#he wants to take to the sea again with his mariners instead of spending his old age at home ruling his dull country | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

ilwonuu · 8 months ago

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hey can i request one where Taeyong and the reader are doing a project o smt and they spend so much time together and he develop feelings for her

thanks

yes of course. i wanted to do this idea but i didn’t know who for lmk what u think!! thank you for your request<3

steal my time

↬ lee taeyong

꧁ pairing- classmates to lovers, sweetheart!taeyong x reader

꧁ summary- pairing up with taeyong was a little bit nerve wracking at first but you quickly felt that feeling drift away. instead of focusing on the aquarium questions you’re supposed to complete. or to sum it up, you forget all about your marine biology project because you just want to listen to your partner talk.

꧁ warnings- kissing, fluffy fluff!!, flirting, awkwardness, cute little crushes, mentioning of death like once, lmk what else

꧁ a/n- i loved this. its so cute i love writing fluff for taeyong<3 lmk what u think !!’

you and taeyong are acquaintances? not really. you partnered up with him a few times. the two of you bonding over your love over sharks.(weird i know) you always blushing at the fact the he would wave you over every time a partner project or assignment is presented.

he loved being your partner. but him asking you to be his partner for the day project is what caught you off guard. you two had to go to the aquarium and write down facts about 6 different creatures you see there and new things you found out about them.

your professor stating that you had the weekend to turn it in. you were relieved at that but your thoughts quickly shifting to the sweet boy’s question.

he looked nervous. very cute as always. his glasses and his beanie making him look softer than ever. his hoodie hugging against him. “yea! i would love to be your partner.” you still feeling kinda anxious. his cheeks heat up suddenly.

his cute expression making you smile at him. can help but take a second glance at his lips. he’s pretty up close and far away to be clear.

did he think you would say no? of course not. “great..uh did you want to go today? i’m just not busy other than this but if you are-“ he his rambling cutely looking away from you. you suggest to him. he nods at your words.

“no i’m free..do you want to take the train?” he nods at your words. “that would be fun!” he smiles starting to gather his things into his bag. causing you to do the same as him. “ready?” he asks looking behind him at you. you nod and he just smiles at your face starting to walk towards the train stop with you.

when you two finally get outside he takes a deep breath. “wow- it’s perfect weather. i love fall time.” he smiles looking around as he walks in front of you.

“i agree i love fall too.” you agree looking around at the sky. smiling at your environment. especially at the soft boy who’s keeping you company.

“really? that’s great we have something in common!” he says excitedly smiling at you as he continues to walk to the train with you. you blush at his words looking away from him shortly after hoping he doesn’t see.

“we’re almost here. im so thankful it’s close to campus. i felt like i might die.” he breathes out looking back at you. you laugh quietly.

“we started walking like 5 minutes ago not even-“ he shakes his head. “5 minutes is too long.” he replies giving you a playful look as you two get to the train stop. “you’re a little dramatic.” you say as you laugh again.

taeyong loves the sound of your laugh more than he should. you two getting on the train making your way to the aquarium. as soon as you two get there, you immediately making your say the

penguins. you both more excited than you thought. sitting next to the glass to watch the penguins. the two of you feeling very comfortable with each others company. this how it was with every sea creatures you saw. you two sitting next to each other.

watching them and then getting lost in conversation with taeyong. he was really easy to talk to. making you laugh at any moment he can. this is how you two forgot to do the assignment by the time you two have left. but it was okay, you were okay with him stealing your time. you want him to have it after today.

him stopping you before you two head home. “would you want to do this again maybe tomorrow?” he asks holding his phone out so you can put your number in it. you nod.

“yea im free.” you put your number in. you smile waving him goodbye as you walk to your train as you see him wave as well walking the other way. you blush at today’s interaction hoping he feels the same.

this is how it began. you two constantly seeing each other at least five times a week. always going out to dinner or trying new coffee places. you two loved being together. you loved how he made you feel but it also made you nervous. so nervous because taeyong had invited you to watch the sunset on the beach.

him bringing extra blankets for you. which you ended up needing of course. sitting next to him laugh at something he said. “winter is coming. you excited?” he teases. “not really i like being outside! i hate being cold tho.” he nods. “i see- fall and summer girl?”

you nod at his words. “of courseee.” he just laughs at your tone of voice. “what?” you question rolling your eyes slightly.

“nothing- you’re just cute.” he says shamelessly. looking at you for your reaction.

“t-thank you. you are cute too.” his heart softens at your response. loving the sound of your voice as always. “y/n? can i-can i kiss you?” he asks as he takes in your wrapped up appearance. cute again he thinks.

“uh- yes.” you blush seeing him wasting no time to lean in to pull you into a kiss. you kiss him back softly. feeling his hand rest against your face gently. he keeps kissing you for a couple minutes before pulling away.

“i wanted to kiss you for so long.” he says as he rests his head against yours. “me too.” you say before he pulls you closer so you can wrap up in the blanket together to lay back and watch the sunset.

#nct #nct imagines #nct x reader #nct scenarios #nct fic #taeyong nct #nct taeyong #taeyong fluff #taeyong fanfic #taeyong scenarios #taeyong #nct 127 #nct u

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mmkin · 1 month ago

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Fishman friends and lovers (Siren's Shark)

Chapter 12 of Siren's Shark is now up. Link to AO3 here, also included under the silly pics I doodled at work a few days ago. IDK why but I can only seem to draw at work on my breaks instead of at home, go figure.

Content warnings - some smex (consensual) some slavery, past trauma and abuse.

Thought it'd be fun to draw when Arlong meets his siren in the first chapter lol... Ignore the words at the left, that's my grocery list. And yes, I decided on Yolande's birthday.

And Hatchan and Yolande are besties. So kawaii!!!!!!!

XII

o0o0o0o

Yolande wrung her hands anxiously as she saw several smaller fins move toward the larger one. There was no time for discussion, and she'd been left behind with the younger fishmen and Rekiin as Arlong and his crew made their way toward the Sea Beast.

If the gods were real, she hoped they listened to her prayers. It wouldn’t be the first time she prayed and despite her skepticism in a higher mystical force, the emotional part of her sought assurance in the hope that there might be a sympathetic ear out there.

Her stomach knotted and her hands shook as she tried to imagine what it was like under the water. Some of the fishmen had also gone in with harpoons and nets, but how could she not worry? After all, wasn’t this why she had agreed to go with Yoshi when he wanted to retire to Coldrock Island? So she wouldn’t have to deal with shit like this? Her heart was pounding as she looked through the telescope. There was splashing. Occasionally she’d see a fishman. The Sea Beast raised its head out of the water, bearing a strong resemblance to a bear.

She’d heard about them but this was her first time seeing one. Arlong was a mighty fishman, but no matter how big or strong someone was, there was always someone out there, bigger and badder. She felt Caten’s hand on her arm. “Can I look?” the catfishwoman asked. Numbly, she handed over the telescope before going to the prow of the ship, the wind whipping through her hair as she watched the fight. Blood came to the surface. She wanted to look away, but she couldn’t.

Arlong. And not just Arlong, but the others. The bear's head reared out of the water again, giving out an angry roar, she saw several harpoons near its neck.

Then it was over. Her heart thudded against her ribcage as Arlong jumped out of the water, traces of blood on his face and bare chest. She felt light-headed as she heard his triumphant laugh.

“Fire up the grill! Let’s not let this meat go to waste!”

Fishmen eagerly lopped off choice parts of it, and as the Sea Beast was a bear mix, it had a quite nice thick flavor to it. She sat on the upper deck, watching quietly as Arlong helped his brothers hoist slices of meat to the deck from the water, chopping it into smaller pieces to be cooked. The rest of the animal was towed behind the boat.

What would Yoshi say if he could see her here, amongst a band of fishman pirates? She’d gone from being a Marine widow to the lover of a pirate captain. Since Arlong was busy with his men, she retreated from the deck to spend some time alone in her lab, trying to distract herself from her anxiety.

“Hey Yolande, Arlong wants you,” Hachi informed her. Around him was the scent of smoke and spice. He’d obtained plenty of flavors at the market on Dreamsicle Island and it smelled like he’d put some of them to good use.

“You called for me?” Yolande asked as she approached Arlong, who had a platter of cooked meat in front of him. She was grateful to notice that he’d washed the blood off himself.

“Come, sit by me. Share our bounty.” He waved his hand to the meat in front of him, which contained quite a few choice cuts and bits. Hurrah for Captain Arlong, she thought dryly… not that he hadn’t earned it. Taking on a Sea Beast required a coordinated effort, and the fishmen trusted Arlong to lead them. None of them had gotten hurt, though a couple of them had been nearly swallowed when the Sea Beast thrashed around.

Hachi was in charge of the grilling, and the kitchen helpers assembled several sides to go with the meal. A gentle breeze blew the rich scents across the deck, but Yolande had no appetite. She simply sat there, observing the festivities, listening to the fishmen chatter about their encounter with the giant bear-fish.

“Go on, eat,” she heard Arlong urge, and she slowly turned her head to him.

“I lose my appetite when I get anxious.”

He stared at her for a moment. “Is it something I did?” he asked with mild confusion.

“Yes… No, no, I’m not angry at you. But when you were in the water with that Sea Beast, I worried about you. I was so scared.”

"Hmm." He tutted to himself a few times as he stared at her, and she looked down. He lifted her chin, rubbing his thumb along her jaw. "I suppose if you're not trying to starve yourself, skipping a meal will do you no harm. Bask in my presence and know that I am safe, let that calm you." He released his grip on her and turned to talk to some of the fishmen. She slumped back in the chair with a soft sigh, watching as the afternoon sky faded to evening stars.

o0o0o0o

“Have a drink, at least,” Arlong offered after a few minutes. “Relax.” He was gratified to see her accept the bottle that Take brought forward.

So his siren worried about him to the point where her stomach got into knots. Poor thing. Had anyone else ever worried so much about him? His mother, his sister, his nakama? He turned his head, looking down at her as she nursed her bottle, staring out thoughtfully. He reached out to rest a hand on the top and side of her head, feeling the thick bun of her hair against his palm.

“Perhaps when we retire for the night, I could help soothe away some of that anxiety, hmm?” he asked with a lecherous purr. His hand slid down, the back of his fingers against the side of her face. She did not move for a moment, and he wondered if he would be rejected.

“You think to distract me with your cock?” she asked as she finally looked at him. Her tone was unreadable.

“I didn’t think there was any harm in offering.”

"… You're right. There's no harm in that." With that, she leaned her head against his hand, nuzzling it. She lifted her head to take several gulps of her drink but lifted her hand to hold his, long, slender fingers curling around the side of his hand.

He would face another danger soon enough. Marzu Island. How was she going to handle that? Wisely, he did not mention it, and simply sat back, enjoying the feel of her small but warm hand in his large one.

What would Ajkul say if he saw his protege with a hybrid siren? Not once had he ever heard Ajkul say anything nice about humans. Doubtless, the old shark would have been incredulous at the thought of a siren having human blood. Sirens were always supposed to be mermaids or fishwomen, creatures of the sea as much as any fishman. Ajkul would say Yolande was tainted by that human blood.

Tainted. Arlong glanced down at Yolande again, squeezing her hand. He would be lying to himself if he said he never wondered what Yolande might look like if she were a full-blooded fishman. But he found himself dwelling on her human heritage less and less. A couple of months had passed by but he was still crazy about her, there were some times when the heat would overtake them and they'd just go at one another, but even when that mood wasn't on them, he still enjoyed her company.

She finished her bottle, and it was taken away.

“Feeling better?” he asked.

“A little. I have a good buzz going.”

He chuckled at that. Oh yeah, a good buzz made plenty of worries go away, how well he knew that.

o0o0o0o

Erhu rubbed the back of his head nervously as he glanced at Caten. Both of them had come from the Fishman District but had not met each other until Aiuchi and his crew captured them.

When they'd been resting and recovering from their ordeal, they'd taken the time to get to know one another, comparing their childhoods. Erhu was only a year older than her at twenty-one. He was a neon tetra fishman, giving him two distinctive blue stripes along the sides of his face and back that flashed neon green-blue when the light hit them, and Caten told him that she thought these stripes were cute.

So they started flirting, and he noticed that she was also flirting with two of the pirates that rescued them. One thing led to another, and he'd shared Caten with Ishidai and Mido. It was a learning experience, to say the least. If Caten wanted to carry on with the other two, Erhu would accept that, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to participate in that sort of group activity again.

“Something you want to talk about?” Caten said as she sipped her drink, leaning against the railing.

“I was wondering if perhaps you and I… hm.” He didn’t want her to think he was ungrateful for her invitation.

“You’d prefer a little one-on-one?” she asked. He stared at her for a moment and she smirked.

“… If that’s all right with you.” His heart was pounding as he looked down at her.

“It is,” she reassured him. “And I’ll admit, three fishmen at once can be a bit much sometimes. So, tonight, just you and me?”

He gave out a relieved chuckle. “Gosh, yeah. I’d love that. Um, thank you.”

She grinned at that and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Such a gentleman.” After a bit of time drinking and looking out at the stars and the water, he let her lead him away.

After some foreplay, she wanted to get on top, and he was happy to oblige. He nuzzled her breasts and ran his hands along her back and hips, happy for some joie de vivre after the ordeal he’d been through.

After he came into her, she leaned down so she was resting on top of him, and he nuzzled the crook of her shoulder and neck as he rested his hands on her back. Since he wasn't part of the crew, Arlong didn't ask him to be part of the raid on Marzu Island. He and the other younger fishmen, along with a few pirates, would maintain a lookout and other various duties around the boat while Arlong and his crew did the dirty work.

If Arlong had asked him to participate, Erhu would have felt obligated to say yes, considering that he would face life in slavery if not for the sawshark fishman. He hadn't been here for very long but was coming to understand that the life of a pirate was quite different than the old life he'd known back in the Fishman District as the child of one of the many poor families that lived there. He wasn't an orphan, but his parents were barely able to support themselves let alone their kids. His one role model was a neighbor who worked as a healer, collecting local herbs to make whatever medications he could for the people around him.

The healer took Erhu under his wing, teaching him the things he knew. He was not a doctor and had no formal training, but in the neighborhood, he was the closest thing to one, and his herbal remedies did work for various mild aches and pains.

The healer passed away a couple of years ago, and among other factors living in the District became increasingly untenable. Even with Whitebeard’s protection, pirates still found ways to acquire fishmen and mermaids to sell. Erhu thought of the proposal that lured him away from the District and into the clutches of Aiuchi and his crew.

He looked down, running his fingers along Caten’s hair as the fishwoman gave out a contented hum.

“Have you asked Arlong?” Caten asked. Erhu frowned in confusion for a moment before he remembered. He gave out a soft sigh.

“Not yet. He’s so busy with other things. He has a crew to run.”

"I doubt this is something he will have any difficulty agreeing to," Caten replied. "You're already doing it, might as well make it official. I'm no mind-reader, but I think it's something that might make Arlong happy, and you want to be on his good side."

He raised an eyebrow as he lifted his head to look at her, and she smiled back sweetly.

o0o0o0o

The early morning sun illuminated Yolande’s legs as she stretched out, doing her exercises while Arlong was sleeping. Her legs were splayed out on the floor as she leaned forward, feeling the pull in her back as she reached her arms out in front of her.

With a contented sigh, she rose to her feet and turned to see Arlong lying on his side, staring right at her. She gasped a bit in surprise before collecting herself.

“Did you enjoy the show?” she asked.

"It'd be a more entertaining show if you wiggle around," he replied lecherously. "Especially since you're in that," he said, pointing to the silk nightie she was wearing. He was clad in nothing but a pair of undershorts, which afforded a quite fine view of his well-toned body. One of the nice things about living in warm weather was not needing to layer up, which meant she saw more of Arlong’s body on a regular and casual basis.

… Not that she was about to complain. He did make a pretty damn nice piece of eye candy.

“If I had any artistic talent, you’d make a fine subject to draw or paint,” Yolande replied, sidestepping his suggestion. He sat up with a smirk.

“If you’re going to appreciate my body, I’d prefer you do it with your hands and mouth than with a pencil or brush,” he shot back. “… And besides, I find the skills you already have much more useful than making a pretty picture on paper.”

She shrugged in acknowledgment of that. She was very nearly done with putting together what the crew needed for the mission. She’d already demonstrated to Arlong the various explosives she was using, albeit in much smaller amounts. She remembered well the gleam in his eye as he saw the explosions, the flames shooting up, bits of debris raining down from the empty crate she’d used for the demo. He grinned to himself as he imagined it on a much larger scale, bringing the rulers of Marzu Island to their knees. That evening, he’d been especially fierce in bed.

In certain instances, explosives were used in an attack. But for this particular mission, some of them were meant to provide distraction. The fishmen had been working hard and training under Kuroobi and many of them were actively trying to develop Haki. With the intelligence Koji, Hazel, and Lew provided, Arlong and his officers were able to work out a strategy that even Yolande acknowledged was pretty solid. And not only that, but the fishmen would be turning some of Marzu’s defenses against them.

One of the ways Marzu Island kept itself relatively safe from pirates was the use of underwater mines so that there were only a few safe ways to approach the island. The fishmen would move them around to cut off escape routes in case anyone tried to alert the World Government or the Marines before Arlong was done with the island.

There was still the matter of the Devil Fruit users that were in employ on the island, but Yolande was working on something that she was certain should be effective.

Useful skill, indeed. Her ruminations were interrupted when she felt Arlong’s fingers under her chin. She looked up into his intense blue eyes.

“You truly are a credit to our race,” Arlong said with a prideful grin. She smiled thinly at that and jerked her chin from his grip before she snapped at his fingers, growling softly. He chuckled lowly.

“Snapping and growling at a shark?” he asked, his lips pulling back to reveal his trademark predatory grin. He rose from the bed, towering over her.

“Squids are predators too,” she shot back. His grin faltered for a moment at this almost non-sequitur, and he glanced at her with confusion. She grinned back.

“That’s what I am. Hachi figured it out when he took a close look at my ink. Octopuses have black ink but squids have a bluish tint to theirs.” He lifted his hands to cup the sides of her face.

“Squid, huh,” Arlong responded musingly. “And yes, they’re predators too but I think it’s obvious who has the edge here.” He ran his thumbs along her cheeks as he maintained his grip.

“Indeed,” she said dryly. He’d never threatened her air supply, but whenever he had his hands on her, it was hard to not feel vulnerable under their grip, especially if he was holding her head or neck. His eyes were cold and predatory as he studied her.

She might not be caged or chained, but she didn’t have the option of leaving. Nor would he allow her skills to go to waste.

“Little squid. I’m glad you understand.” His voice was smooth but dangerous, velvety with an edge to it that had her shivering. His hand slid from her neck and he stepped away from her to get dressed for the day.

Common sense told her that she shouldn't find that danger sexy. His nose and sharp teeth alone were lethal weapons, and she noticed that he seemed stronger than the average fishman. Not for the first time she wondered about the parts of his past that he did not tell her about. Hmm. Not that she didn't already know plenty about him simply from observing and listening to him.

She watched the flex of muscle in his shoulders, back, and arms as he pulled on a tank top. Hmph. Stupid sexy sharkman.

o0o0o0o

Capturing slaves for Marzu Island was a quite profitable endeavor for Captain Aiuchi. His father and grandfather had done the same, though their methods were refined through the generations. In the old days, they could sneak into the Fishman District and kidnap orphans and poor fishmen easily lured by a coin or two. They had to space out their raids to not be too recognizable, so they tried to capture as many as they could at a time. Sometimes there might be a pretty or particularly talented one among them, and a bit of extra profit could be made from that. Fishman Island proper was more guarded, but a mermaid from the nicer part of the Ryugu Kingdom was quite valuable.

They’re not fully human. They’re part animal, and it makes them inferior to us, his father and grandfather would say. When he’d asked about the human slaves on the island, his mentors would shrug. They got themselves into debt one way or another, so why should we care? The weak get preyed upon. Better to be the butcher than the cattle, after all. And so on.

… And now, here he was, in the position he’d put humans, fishmen, or otherwise into over the years. Aiuchi muttered to himself as he scratched the side of his face as he sat against the wall, looking through the bars. His side ached every time he took a deep breath. He’d dealt with pirates before, and humans and fishmen who resisted their enslavement. His men were well-trained, culled from the best the island had to offer, so even against a fishman’s superior strength, they prevailed. He wasn’t stupid.

He never would have invited fishmen onto his ship, but the sharkman’s bitch had him fooled, the fishmen trailing behind her like obedient lapdogs. That intrigued him, and he wanted to know more, and who knows, someone as like-minded as him could be good for a bit of fun.

Even though he was already locked in the brig, he was chained, as was the rest of his crew. Designed for fishmen, the chains were extra heavy, which robbed the humans of much of their energy when they tried to move around.

Oh, he’d certainly made attempts to escape. But the sharkman was no naif from the Fishman District who’d had little experience with humans. This one had been out in the world and dealt with humans long enough to have a pronounced distaste for them.

Aiuchi had tried some mental warfare. He'd needle at the fishmen, trying to pinpoint various weaknesses as they stood guard, but that was met with silence, threats, and even a few blows, one of which broke a rib. When he was interrogated, he'd tried various attempts at obfuscation or stonewalling. Much as Aiuchi hated to admit it, he'd developed a begrudging respect for the ray fishman that handled much of the interrogations and otherwise. He understood the resolve of a warrior.

He lifted his head as a fishman came by with a cart. His stomach rumbled as it often did but he learned to ignore it as the fishman ladled some cold stew for him. He looked down at the concoction he’d have found unappealing, but he was pragmatic enough to know that beggars could not be choosers. So he lifted his bowl and swallowed its contents.

He looked up again sometime later when Koji was dragged to the cell next to his and dropped on the floor.

"Did that fish-loving bitch want to play with her little pet again?" Aiuchi grunted. The blue-haired youth gave him a deadpan stare as he made his way to the thin mat before sitting down.

“Call her what you will, but she’s the best chance I have of getting my sister’s freedom,” Koji said flatly.

"Come now, you don't think slaves are cheap? Especially one such as your sister?" He remembered the girl, her hair a similar shade to her brother's. She had been seventeen, legally a minor, and therefore her father could sell her to settle his gambling debts. "You knew that it would take you a while to earn that money. Such is the way of things," Aiuchi said. Spike himself had started as a slave, a delinquent teen sold by his parents. But Aiuchi had seen the potential in him and channeled Spike's resentment and rage into a useful tool, paired with a Devil Fruit that made him a formidable part of the crew.

"Hah, that's easy for you to say," Koji muttered. "But now we're in the same position. You liked to lecture our crew about survival of the fittest, of making yourself strong however you could and not letting others take advantage of you. And I thought I was doing that by working hard." Koji stared at the wall angrily. Aiuchi smirked to himself. This was Koji's first fishing expedition. That's what Aiuchi and his forebears had called it… fishing. They'd go fishing every several years, collecting fishmen and perhaps a few other types of slaves along the way.

“You would have eventually earned her freedom… eventually,” Aiuchi taunted lowly. It was indeed possible to buy freedom, so the slaves could hardly complain about unfairness, but it was no easy task, and why should it be? Otherwise, where would be the profit of it?

o0o0o0o

Erhu sat in the infirmary, watching as Lew quietly mopped the floor. The petite man moved around calmly and methodically, keeping his infirmary clean. Regardless of who his master was, the doctor tended to his infirmary much as Hatchan did to his kitchen. If Omald had been working at that pace, Toma or one of the other fishmen would have been on his ass about it, but Erhu sat back as he asked Lew questions about medicine.

As the captive slave-doctor of the Arlong Pirates, Lew could hardly object to the company of a fishman who had sincere questions about his profession. So the two of them would converse, and he obliged Lew’s questions. The fishman talked about the healer who had mentored him and what he’d learned. Since he wasn’t a member of the Arlong Pirates, Erhu was little more than a passenger and found this a good way to spend his time when not helping with a chore. He’d narrowly escaped being a slave and was determined to not let this opportunity go to waste.

“I’m about to grab tea and a bite, would you like me to bring you some?” Erhu offered.

“That would be appreciated,” the doctor said with a bow of his head. Erhu smiled to himself before he brought back a pot of tea, two cups, and a generous portion of grilled sea-bear meat among other things.

“You can put down that mop and relax,” Erhu said as he gestured to the desk, where he’d set down the tray. He knew that Lew had been a slave for many years and this behavior was ingrained in him, which made him quite agreeable to his new masters, but Erhu found it unsettling at times. Would he have turned out like that too, if he’d been enslaved long enough? “Please, help yourself.” Erhu’s tone was sincere as he looked down at Lew.

o0o0o0o

Arlong watched from the upper deck as Kuroobi drilled his class, using two of his students to put on a demonstration of focusing their fishman strength. It pleased him to see the renewed fire in Kurrobi’s eyes. It reminded him of the determined boy he’d come across back in the old days. Ajkul had just died, so Arlong was alone again. He was strong and scrappy, but there were plenty of bigger fish than him and he was only eleven years old. He knew he needed nakama to ensure that he would have many more years.

Kuroobi had an abusive father, so he was on his own a lot, and he’d made friends with Hatchan who had been but one of many mouths to feed to a worn-out grandmother. The pair was a few years younger than Arlong so even if they might have one another, they were still quite vulnerable.

He’d gone from being the ward – and sometimes caretaker – of an old fishman to someone who was now responsible for two young fishboys. But Arlong saw the potential in the pair, and they saw what he offered – protection. They watched one another’s backs, and Chew becoming part of the group did not change that.

People might prattle on about growing stronger, training themselves, and so on. That was why Devil Fruits existed, to give people a shortcut.

Many fishmen disdained Devil Fruits, but Arlong knew that raw fishman strength was not enough. After all, it was that very strength that made a fishman attractive to humans in terms of exploitation.

Although Kuroobi, Chew, and Hatchan remained his core, Arlong drew other fishboys – and fishmen – to his side. Strength in numbers, he said, and that proved itself time and time again. Mess with one of Arlong’s brothers, and you mess with the whole crew. Regardless of the upheavals the crew had experienced, that remained one of his core values. One of the best ways to deal with humans was to support your brothers and sisters. See what had been done with the takeover of the White Mermaid and the eventual fate of Marzu Island.

He would be lying if he didn’t have doubts. His defeat at the hands of the Straw Hats proved that he wasn’t as infallible as he once believed. But it wasn’t as if he came to Marzu unprepared. He had strength, yes. But also explosives and other useful chemicals. And stealth and surprise.

Wonder what Brother Tiger would say if he could see me now, Arlong mused. He returned his attention to the two fishmen sparring in front of Kuroobi. If one were to go by looks alone, the larger fishman would have the advantage, especially since his opponent was one of the smaller fishmen on the ship.

Mido looked down at Erhu, but the almost-scrawny young fishman squared his shoulders, looking up at his larger and more experienced opponent. Arlong smirked to himself. He’d known Mido for years, the pink-skinned fishman was part of the Arlong Pirates before they merged with the Sun Pirates. Most people wrote Mido off as a clumsy-looking oaf, but the heavyset fishman had a quite sharp mind. He’d been good at collecting tribute and keeping down unrest back in the days.

As a newcomer, Arlong wasn't quite as sure of Erhu. He wasn't officially part of the crew, but he was a brother regardless and has thus far given no trouble.

Erhu’s smaller size gave him a certain maneuverability not found in bulkier people, but Mido defeated him nonetheless, knocking him back with a well-aimed blow. After a couple of moments, Erhu got up and resumed trying to take the larger fishman down.

Arlong smirked to himself as he watched, trying to anticipate what one or the other might do next.

o0o0o0o

Marzu Island was visible in the distance with a telescope. The initial explosives had been planted and were soon to be lit. They would take advantage of the darkness and confusion. And they'd taken the time to prepare for contingencies if the information they'd been given proved false or no longer up-to-date, but Arlong didn't think that the slaves under Yolande's care would lie to him, even if Aiuchi or his elite clients would – and did.

He smirked to himself. Turning humans against other humans… well, if humans were willing to betray one another, he might as well use it for his benefit. After all, much as he had disliked Nezumi, the rat had his uses. So the cabin boy wanted his sister’s freedom, the doctor was doing as his new owner commanded, and the maid wanted to be with her family, and that meant giving Arlong accurate information. He looked around at the fishmen getting ready. Each fishman knew their job. He smiled faintly as he saw Ishidai and Caten have a quiet conversation, Ishidai holding the catfishwoman’s face affectionately. Yolande gave Chew a bag, exchanging a few words with him before going to Hatchan, who pulled her into a hug.

Sweet siren, expressing concern for her nakama. Well, shouldn’t she anyway, since these were her brothers and sisters?

She approached him, the wind whipping several loose strands of her hair around. He reached out, rubbing his thumb along her cheek.

When he’d first taken her to bed, he tried to maintain a certain sort of distance from her. His long, painful experience with humans kept him wary despite the bond he undeniably shared with her. He would make good use of her and treat her decently, but now he knew that he had developed genuine feelings for her. Her concern touched him, but he didn’t want to admit that.

“Marzu Island will know the rage of the fishman race!” Arlong roared as his crew cheered for him. Behind him, a firework on the island went off, illuminating the sky for a moment with flashes of blue and green before fading away. The first wave of fishmen was secure on the island. He grinned to himself and joined the second wave of soldiers, diving into the water.

As he and the others approached Marzu’s shores, several explosions went off around the island, strategically placed and lit by Kuroobi and several other fishmen. He grinned as he stepped onto the beach, hearing panicked screams as the island’s security forces attempted to marshal themselves, but the fishmen had prepared well for it.

One of the ships belonging to Marzu’s security went up in flames hundreds of meters down the shore. He grinned to himself and lifted his sword, signaling for his men to move forward. He would have his vengeance.

#arlong #arlong the saw #arlong pirates #fishman #fishmen #one piece #writing #fanfiction #villain gets the girl #the siren's shark #hatchan

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throwaway-yandere · 2 years ago

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This is Esther.

Omg maid au JANBSHAGAVACG

may i add my blorbo:

Kaeya, but he’s a merMAID, yes sir!

—————

You don’t know why you keep coming back to that place; the coffee is subpar and the tea they serve is always the first pour.

“Well, if it isn’t our lovely patron. Enter, if you please, and have a seat.”

As if on cue, you then found yourself three hours late for your meeting at the estate and spending more money than you’d like in that cafe shop.

The experience itself is a blur; people serving you left and right and feeling you’re lying on ten silk blankets every time that person talks to you.

“My, my, is that all?” You break your gaze from the cold earl gray tea to face someone with a star in their eyes.

Correction. Eye.

“Are you sure you don’t want anything else? The cafe can cater to whatever you’d like.” There the feeling goes again, the feeling of another ten silk blankets piled on top of you.

It’s so comforting.

You dont want to leave.

He laughed.

“That’s what i like to hear.”

Me looking at my blog: *nervous laughter* how tf did we jump from mafia!au to idol!au to maid!au–

------------

It's a curious thing. His eyepatch, you mean.

You've heard many oceanic tales about marine life losing a few fins and eyes, but not once have you heard the same apply to someone high up in the hierarchy like merfolks. As a fae yourself, you'd rather die than have a mortal grace your eyelids with their rusted forks– what more for a merman like him who'd rarely encounter vile humans?

With that in mind, it's no wonder the unseelie court records would reference him often. His fate is brimmed with a potential for a vengeful folklore. You won't be surprised if your fellow dark faes have plans to use him as a pawn– once he dies, you're certain Barbatos would replicate Kaeya's skin to play a few tricks.

Personally, none of these sinister thoughts enchanted you quite like his laughter.

"Out of all the hosts, I'm surprised you've requested me." Kaeya said, bemused. "You know, I could help you request for my brother instead. He's a busy merman, but I can pull just the right strings for it to work out."

"I came to this host club to see you," you replied nonchalantly. "Don't tell me you're disobeying your master now."

"Wouldn't dream of it, my lord." He grinned. "Just wanted to test the waters."

"And you're a master at that, I'm certain."

"More so than a fae, I'd reckon."

"Hmm."

You giggled as you sipped your tea. It's cold. You'd be concerned if it were warmer under the sea.

"Why bother with pleasantries when you know well that I cannot refuse you, Alberich." You stated it as a fact not a question. "Just tell me what you desire and it will be done."

"And I thought I was the servant here, Master."

"I'll grant you a wish to express my... Appreciation for the night before."

"Then allow me to be selfish."

You heard the gates of the cafe close, but you did not show a hint of shock nor fear. Instead, you smiled at him as you reached your hand out.

"Take me however you see fit, dear. I'm yours."

You don't care about the danger.

Kaeya chuckled.

"How fortunate. I do need another eye to finally see the whole world again."

You relish in it.

#ansytea-talks #yandere kaeya x reader #thanks for the brainrot esther anon #esther anon #yandere kaeya #yandere merman!kaeya

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marinehero-a · 2 years ago

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And bc I am thinking about what it would mean to be the Navy’s Hero again offers to the dash ficlet-ramble wrote recently on it,,, takes place after Marineford

“Vice-Admiral Garp!”

His hand stilled on its way to his mouth, rice cracker in hand silently cracking under a spike of irritation he was barely able to catch. Eyes flickering towards the one who’d spoken and was met with the openly gaping face of a Chief Petty Officer, if he were to hazard a guess. The man recovered quickly beneath his attention, snapping to a salute. Picture of professionalism, had it not been for the blatant hero-worship gleaming in his eyes.

It took more energy than he wanted to spend to hold back a sigh. Instead forced himself to bare his teeth in a grin and continued walking, unbothered to slow down his steps for the sudden company and leaving the officer scrambling behind to keep up with him.

It didn’t take long for them to be joined by a handful of other sailors, shadowing. The man’s friends, he’d assume.

He couldn’t have stopped his heart from hardening if he’d tried, dread weighing heavy on his shoulders and swaying within the creases of his coat. A feeling long familiar, loathe he was to admit it.

Happy to delay the inevitable for as long as possible, he kept the silence uninterrupted as they continued to walk down the ruined streets of Marineford. Hoping against all reason that the brats would get the message and leave him be as he ignored the way they nudged elbows and whispered amongst themselves right behind him.

Tried to ignore, at least. It didn’t take too long for the noise to grate on his already frayed nerves, barely keeping himself from snapping as he turned with raised eyebrow, feigning curiosity with his grin still steady donning his face, voice carefully kept light.

“You navy men better not be skipping out on training.”

To his amusement, they jumped at his interruption, eyes flickering in between each other before eventually the sailor from before stepped out in front, clearing his throat and giving another impeccable salute.

“Sir! We just- we just wanted to congratulate you on your efforts during the war!” the officer announced, his companions nodding encouragingly beside him, “We were among the troops stationed here during the war, and you were a great inspiration to us! When you struck Whitebeard’s First Division commander out of the sky, we were beyond invigorated! It is of great honor to have fought in the same battlefield as you, Vice-Admiral Garp, sir!”

Murmurs of agreement and nods broke out around them. Not only from the officer’s companions, but from the lingering men eavesdropping nearby. Whispers and furtive glances all directed towards Garp in clear awe and admiration.

He didn’t need to listen closely to know what they were saying.

The Marine Hero. Garp the Fist. From the era of Gold Roger and equal to the Pirate King himself. A living, breathing, walking legend.

They stared at him as though he held the sun in the sky, giving out their honeyed praises in sweet falls so readily, so damn foolishly. Utterly ignorant to the way he was left there, choking on each word, suffocating, but he couldn’t dare let himself steal a single breath of fresh air, lest the easy smile on his face crumpled and his truth exposed like a blemish.

So he threw back his head and ignored those thoughts, his body shaking from joyful laughter before looking back down at the recruits with sharpened grin.

“Kiss-ass isn’t going to get you anywhere in this field, men!” his voice cheerful, filled with pride and mirth, “You all better get going and back to training now. The tides of the seas are changing, and we need you all to be in top shape for it. So get to work! I don’t want to see a single one of you slacking, an unprepared sailor is a dead one!”

“Sir!”

Rousing choruses of salutes given back from the starry-eyed crowd, quickly dispersing to follow his command. It was a small respite that in their haste, none of them had caught the way his heart hadn’t been fully in it. Idiots, the lot of them, though it was a sentiment not completely void of fondness.

Still, that fondness wasn’t enough to overcome the weight in his chest those days. Plastered smile cracking the moment he was free from scrutiny, quickening his pace and pointedly ignoring anyone else who might try to catch the hero’s attention.

It’d been a long time since he’d felt such a way, felt as though every possible conversation was an invitation to have his ears prattled off with stupidity.

So many foolish remarks. Incredible work. You’re an inspiration. Your presence turned the tides. It was an honor. Thank you.

Each word and every sentiment settled onto him like ashes, clinging to his skin, his hair, his clothes— coating the insides of his lungs until he could no longer find room to breathe when all he wanted to do was to scream and shout and feel some cave underneath his fists. To restore Marineford to its former glory if only for the satisfaction of tearing it apart by his own hands.

Anything to get them all to shut up.

He barely made it.

Door to his office slamming behind him, shaking the walls. Garp gripped at his desk tightly, hard enough to leave indentations in the wood, holding on and keeping himself standing as his knees threatened to buckle beneath him.

He already knew what would end up being written, what the world would be led to believe. That they’d won the war in a rousing success, when it’d been closer to a farce. The world would revel in Whitebeard’s death, as if there weren’t already innocent islands burning in its wake. The world would praise the Marines, congratulate them. Congratulate him, as if the blood staining his hands weren’t his own.

It wasn’t, he knew. It belonged to another. But Garp had claimed it all the same.

He’d been there when Ace had been born. Had held the newborn steadily, no matter his uncertainty. He’d done his best to watch the brat grow and been as proud as he was terrified and furious when that brat became a man.

A man who he’d claimed and loved as his grandson.

A man he’d stood aside to watch die.

A man he’d taken hand in killing.

With trembling limbs he slid to the floor, weathered hands rubbing at his face wearily, eyes burning though his tears were long exhausted. He was the Navy hero. He was a legend, and legends were not allowed to falter or feel fatigue.

But he’d been a grandfather as well, and his heart did not care for how tightly kept such a secret was commanded to be.

He didn’t lift his head at the sound of his door opening, hands curling into tight fists by his sides before releasing with a sigh as he thudded his head back against the oak desk. His mind was made, and he would take shallow comfort in the fact.

“Ready the ship,” voice hoarse as he gave the order to his second—ever silent, ever knowing— and sighed heavily, though he rose with steady feet, “Set course for Foosha Village.”

#tbt.#drabble.#[ simply rotating....#[ thinks a normal amount of what it mustve been like right after marineford war

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maximumwobblerbanditdonut · 2 years ago

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Ocean Conservancy is a nonprofit environmental advocacy American group working to protect the ocean from today's challenges. During Q&A live on IG with the Vice President of Conservation, Ocean Plastic. SH has no responses or a clear strategy on how to engage his fans to address the ocean plastic crisis, staring us in the face.

So, Will he send his fans off to remove ocean plastic 🌊 from miles of coastlines, beaches, and waterways in the US 🇺🇸, or will he encourage his fans to come into the UK 🇬🇧 to remove litter from beaches and coasts in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Organising and participating in a Beach or Rivers Cleanup with fans as “volunteering” willing to work for him during the MPC gala on his big day! a birthday present?

If these 'visitors' want to turn the tide on litter in Scotland, this incidental volunteering must work for a charity registered at the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. It would be very disconcerting to see them breach the law once again as a volunteer in a private company not-registered as a charity just like they did last year.

UK is lucky to have many Ocean Conservation charities and famous faces most dedicated supporters; all helping to raise the profile of the ocean emergency and inspiring change.

Maybe SH wants to create nudist recreation beaches to spend his holidays 🤷 a community for healthy oceans 🌊… Be careful this ‘activity' could spook marine wildlife!

@winston1crappy Before you have any idea, read carefully because I didn't say this has no value. Scroll down in my blog to see I considered this a good cause. This is a sustainability issue that hardly addresses the issue. When it does, it indirectly allows for a wide range of interpretations. He shouldn’t brag, he has an opportunity to support remarkable initiatives like this and spread the word about the wonderful work.

He wants to be involved with Ocean Conservancy, but first, he has to learn how to manage his goals. He acts like he doesn’t know what to do or doesn't see where to start. Its role is to transmit criteria to accomplish ecological coherence. The lack of management based on ignorance of the natural environment is an important limitation. What actions will he take, plastic will have an increasing impact on our ecosystems, health, and economies.

Cleanup efforts will help, but not solve the plastic pollution crisis in the world's seas. Cleaning can be a shock treatment, but an educational or follow-up action must accompany it. Otherwise, shock treatment can only leave a feeling of helplessness.

On the other hand, if you are not comfortable knowing something about SH contrary to your ideas, or if you are convinced that the point of view is incorrect, do not read the article. Aim for this instead. It just means that not everyone sees SH in the same light, especially when he doesn't refrain from breaking the law to get what he wants. We know what his peakers or “volunteering” did in Edinburgh last year, it’s proof, they did not meet certain specific requirements in the UK. Maybe SH wanted to hear happy birthday in several languages from his peakers.

No, you’re wrong, It was to clarify your thinking, driven by emotion over logic.

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ridiasfangirlings · 2 years ago

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Merman Munakata and marine researcher Fushimi.

Fushimi as the researcher but somehow I suspect he would be the one being researched, Munakata can’t help getting close to the shore to watch this interesting young man. Imagine Fushimi as this bad-tempered researcher, he’s a genius and knows all kinds of stuff about marine life but he also has a terrible attitude. Fushimi spends most of his time observing and making notes rather than working with others, he even only goes out on boats every now and again when he has to because he gets seasick. Fushimi prefers to do his research in a lab or at worst on the beach, and he works best when other people just get out of his way and let him do his work.

One day he’s part of a research mission and he ends up going out on a small boat on his own to collect samples. As he’s out the weather starts getting nasty and he decides to turn around and go back to shore, only to get caught in a huge wave and lose a bunch of his supplies. It also takes out his rudder and now he’s having trouble controlling the boat. The storm starts and Fushimi gets thrown out of the boat into the water, as he’s falling he probably just has this gloomy ‘this sucks’ expression, like of course this is how it ends. As he’s falling unconscious he has the strange sensation of arms wrapping around him and he wakes up later on the beach, safe and sound. Fushimi looks around but no one’s there, just some marks in the sand around him.

The next day Fushimi goes down to the beach again to do some observations and he spots someone lounging on a rock out into the water. Fushimi ignores them until he hears a voice asking what he’s doing, Fushimi looks up just as merman Munakata jumps off the rock and swims up closer to him, smiling in interest. Fushimi takes this pretty well in stride, it’s not like he believes in mermaids but he’s not going to doubt his own eyes either. Instead Fushimi clicks his tongue all ‘Really?’, a little disgusted to be the prince in this Little Mermaid setup, and Munakata can’t help but chuckle because he thought from the start that this person was fascinating.

As it happens Munakata’s been watching Fushimi for a while now, it’s only he didn’t have the chance for them to meet face to face until he saved Fushimi’s life. Munakata’s lived by this beach for ages and seen a lot of researchers come by but Fushimi immediately caught his eye because he seemed like such a singular person. He feels like he’s been proven correct by the way Fushimi just takes his existence in stride, imagine Munakata swimming up to Fushimi whenever Fushimi’s doing research and asking him about what he’s working on. Obviously being a merman Munakata knows a lot about sea life but there are also things he’s never learned by virtue of living in the same place all the time and he enjoys discussing marine biology and sea life with Fushimi (and in return he also likes hearing about the world of the land from Fushimi, when he can get Fushimi to talk). Also imagine at some point Fushimi needs to take a boat out again and Munakata tells him that will be unnecessary, wrapping his arms around Fushimi and swimming with him while Fushimi sputters and complains. Munakata just grins, naturally he wants to help Fushimi learn and what better way than hands on, especially if it means Munakata gets to swim with the person he’s become interested in.

#Reisaru #Talking K #imagine Munakata helping Fushimi with his research #leaning over his shoulder on the beach #sneaking into Fushimi's beachside apartment and lounging in the bath #discovering this fascinating human thing known as 'jigsaw puzzles'#also anytime Fushimi goes out on a boat now Munakata follows in case he needs rescuing

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vaultingfist · 10 months ago

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After seeing her happily enjoy the island more, her grapes began to extend from heart to soul. Losing made him feel like the real winner when she stated that she wanted to stay longer with him. In the long run, he knew her loyalty would always be with her captain; he had to cherish every day he had before that time came. They also belonged to the sea; asking one to give up that adventure would be like asking a bird to never take wing. He could only smile when she dressed for him like that, at long lost he could reclaim his signature look. He almost felt bad taking it with how good it looked on her.

"Hmmm?" He hummed at the sight of an empty-handed Ulti. "Oh!" Almost sheepishly, he spoke again, caught red-handed, wanting to get stronger than before. "Not the gauntlets themselves; they were just giving me an idea. Too bulky for my taste." Tossing the gauntlets back into their display case before the store owner gave them a scowl for just doing a little window shopping. He would take her hand in his as they walked out. "You're so cute, Ulti. I just want to keep making you shine that precious smile of yours all day." Unashamed of the PDA he would gush out more and more for her.

"Well, why don't we head back to my place if we're all wrapped up here? You still want to spend the night, right?" His voice is excited, giddy enough to raise her and kiss her knuckles before leading her off to the elevator. He shined a pitch-black owner card in the transportation; instead of rising, the elevator crawled down, deep down below, further than the port; his home was at a level below the sea. "It's not as nice as your room, but it's home."

The door opened to reveal a dimly lit two-story home. The floors were gray, and the walls a dark red, giving a colder and more professional vibe than the penthouse above. He had his desk, a large fish tank hosting a number of marine life, and a punching bag in the corner. The lower floor was more homey than above, with a plush king-sized bed next to a fireplace and a beautiful kitchen with hanging lights; in the room next, he had a personal hot tub to wash away the day and the standard bathroom. The air was cool but had hints of bourbon to make it feel classy. "Well, that's about it. I can turn on the heat if you're cold. Wanna order dinner? Just type in a message there, and they'll bring it."

He tossed the coat onto a hanger and jumped back first onto his bed, inviting her to join him. Wriothesley's aching body finally getting to recover from such a thrilling day. He sighed and covered himself in the fluffy sheets, holding a sheet up like an entry point for her. "I could use some company here, too."

"Wrio!" the beast pirate protested once more as she felt him sweep her off her feet. Carrying her as if she had been the injured one instead. His reassuring words soon comforting her in a way that tugged at her heart. Before she had no problem having her brother carry her each time she became too tired to walk. But this time. There was a sense of sheer adoration behind it from Wriothesley. The champion stubbornly accepted her reward draping her arms around him and letting the side of her head rest against his shoulder as she relished the occasional forehead kisses.

"I don't think it's bad at all. I would be happy to stay here, arinsu" she reaffirmed. In all honesty she was hoping that would be the case ever since coming to Spa Island. Here she could live freely as she wanted. Away from the overbearing reach of the World Government. She still had the hefty bounty stuck on herself. Being with out a permanent residence to safely go back to was too much of a risk.

And so she decided to enjoy her time with the duke whom she had quickly fallen in love with. In truth all though she had won the sparring match, it was Wriothesley who was her champion. He had managed to win over her heart, which had never been an easy thing to do considering her reputation. As soon as she was lowered back onto her feet she snuck in another kiss. This time mimicking the ones he planted on her forehead; her hands cupping at each side of his face.

For the time being they made their way through the shopping district. Her hand holding onto his so that their fingers interwove. She made a soft gasp taking in the sites. "My stars, Wri-Wri this place is perfect! ~" she happily remarked as she order herself some boba tea, opting for the strawberry milk flavor revealing that she did have quite the sweet tooth.

As the night progressed each of the clothes she found were conveniently shipped back to Wriothesley's living quarters. All except one. During her time modelling each outfit for the duke, she decided to replace the battle torn dress with a flowery print furisode. "I believe this belongs to you," she mused as she 'gifted' him back his coat right as she became distracted upon noticing the armory store.

From there she took the moment to look around. Perhaps she did need a new weapon? One that would fit her style of fighting. Her chaotic behavior didn't quite match the awkward heaviness of her morningstar. And yet... this was something she was attached to. "Not quite yet." Although she returned empty handed she couldn't help but notice his gaze toward the gauntlets.

"Wri-Wri ...were those something you wanted?" she asked gesturing back.

#🥊 ic #v: the one piece is real #shinuchiulti

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litcityblues · 1 year ago

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'Cat's Cradle' --A Review

Is it weird that I never quite know what to think about Vonnegut? I mean, Slaughterhouse-Five is a masterpiece but outside of one other book of his (pretty sure it was Timequake), I've never read any of his other stuff until now.

Cat's Cradle begins with what I'm guessing is Vonnegut's typical first-person narrator, a professional writer who is planning to write a book called The Day The World Ended about what people were doing the day the bombs were dropped on Hiroshima. As part of his research, he travels to Illium, a town in New York that was the home of the late Felix Hoenikker, a co-create of the atomic bomb and Nobel Laureate in physics.

He begins to interview Hoenikker's children, coworkers, and other acquaintances and learns that after the atomic bomb, at the urging of a Marine Corps General who wanted something that would get rid of mud forever (because his boys kept getting stuck in the mud whenever they would up fighting) and Hoenikker had obliged by created ice-nine. The substance is solid at room temperature and acts as a seed crystal when dropped into ordinary water, causing it to instantly freeze and turn into more ice-nine. Several odd things happen to the narrator while in Illium and eventually meets Hoenikker's younger son, Newt, who reveals his father was just playing the string game 'cat's cradle' when the first bomb was dropped.

Eventually, the narrator picks up a magazine assignment to the Caribbean island of San Lorenzo. There, he's surprised to see Newt again and meets the new US Ambassador to the country who provides him with a guidebook to the country's culture and history. The narrator learns of a local religious movement called Bokononism, which has a book with observations (many cynical) about God's will and life and talks about coincidence and serendipity. The founder of the movement, Bokonon was a former leader of the island that created the religion to give the people purpose and community in the face of the island's poverty and squalor- but to give it a sense of forbidden glamor and hope, it's also outlawed and people caught practicing it are threatened with punishment 'by the hook', which the narrator figures out hardly ever happens because pretty much everyone practices Bokononism.

Turns out, the dictator of the island 'Papa' Monzano is dying and wants Newt's brother Frank to succeed him. Frank gives Papa a piece of ice-nine but is uncomfortable with the idea of leading and power and offers the presidency to the narrator instead- who accepts when he is promised the Monzano's beautiful daughter Mona as his bride. Papa then commits suicide by swallowing ice-nine and then as the narrator is about to be sworn in as president, a ceremonial air show performed by the air force goes wrong and a plane crashes into a seaside palace, which drops Monzano's body into the sea which freezes all the water in the world to ice-nine and violent tornados spring up to ravage the earth.

The narrator takes shelter with Mona in a secret bunker and after they emerge they find devastation, including a mass grave of the survivors of San Lorenzo who all took ice-nine and froze. Mona follows suit and dies with her people. The narrator finds some other survivors- including Newt and Frank and spends the next several months writing the book. One day, driving through the barren wasteland, he spots Bokonon himself who is trying to figure out what the last words of the Book of Bokonon should be and decides that if he was younger, he'd place a copy of a book about human stupidity on the highest peak of San Lorenzo, swallow ice-nine and die thumbing his nose at God.

Overall: originally written in 1963, you can feel the Cuban Missile Crisis hanging over this- and many people have interpreted it as an allegory to that and the idea of mutually assured destruction. But there's also an interesting theme about technology that runs through this. Felix Hoenikker is portrayed as a man obsessed with science and not all that interested in people, which underlines the sort of danger you run into with technology- a lot of the time it's developed because it's interesting science with very little thought as to the consequences for people. You can see how this notion is very applicable to nuclear weapons-- which were probably the main focus when Vonnegut was writing this-- but you can also apply it to the technology of today as well-- though with things like social media, an analog to cigarettes may be more apt, since these companies now how harmful their products can be.

I admire Vonnegut's ability to write in the 1st person. I have never been good at that and always get the uncomfortable feeling that I sound too much like myself and that always bothers me. It's a quick read- even with its 127 chapters, but much like Slaughterhouse-Five, this book sits with you after the last page and books like that are rare jewels in my opinion. His cynicism and dark, absurdist humor are always welcome and despite reading shamefully few of his works, I'll always have a soft spot for him, since he gave some of the best writing advice I ever heard at a talk I was lucky enough to attend to hear him give: "start as close to the end as possible."

My Grade: **** out of ****

#book review #catscradle #kurt vonnegut

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erwinsvow · 4 years ago

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𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐬 | 𝐚𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐬

a/n: hey everyone! hope you enjoy these college headcanons! part two can be found here! warning for nsfw in jean's, and mentions of alcohol/partying throughout!

jean kirstein

jean shows up to college thinking it’s gonna be high school part two, and quickly gets put in his place

his old antics (for both school and girls) won’t fly anymore, so he tries his hardest at both

i personally see jean as not the smartest, most gifted kid (in college!) but definitely one of the hardest workers

this man comes in pre-law and changes to sports management real quick

he definitely plays some kind of club sport, lacrosse or basketball or maybe even both and he is way too into it

like club lacrosse is his life.

he 100% has eyes for cheerleaders, because he loves idea of someone rooting for him, and if you are one, then it’s instantaneous

he notices you at one of his games, giving a shove to conny and asking if he knew who you were

which is met with “what do i look like, a phone book?”

he builds up the courage to ask you out eventually, to which of course you agree, and it’s pretty much a happy ending after that

makes for a lot of sweaty, post-match sex, with him still in his jersey and you in your uniform hiked up

reiner braun

frat bro reiner is a business major with a focus on finance

reiner is the guy who dedicates 100% of his time to school during the weekdays, and the weekends are for the bros

he’s the first in the library, last to leave lecture because he stayed behind to get clarifications, and pretty much aces everything

halloweekend, he decides to drag annie and bertholdt to a party, because they are in desperate need of letting loose

probably dressed up as something mildly douche-y that didn’t require a lot of thought: a foot ball player jersey with eye black improvised by annie

he is a heavy-weight if you’ve ever seen one, probably on his fifth cup of cheap beer and not even slightly buzzed

annie and bertholdt are sloshed, so he keeps one eye on them to make sure they’re alright

you, on the other hand, are serving as designated-driver for the night and sipping on soda

i think any kind of sweet, innocent costume (angel, fairy, woodland creature) would get his attention immediately

he goes over to you to try to make conversation, and finds himself stumbling over his words even though he just swore he wasn’t tipsy yet

but you find it cute, and given how you have seen him before around campus, studying all the damn time, you’re pleasantly surprised to find a sweet, interesting guy making conversation with you at a halloween party

eventually, your friends take off with their hook-ups, and reiner is left behind alone too after making sure everyone had a safe ride home

with no one left besides you two and his passed out friends, you offer him and his roommates a ride back to his dorm

after dropping annie off, you arrive at the dorm and help lug a blacked-out bertholdt to their room

you say goodnight and as you leave, feeling bold, you leave your number on the whiteboard hanging on their door

so that then turns into coffee-and-studying dates, and eventually a relationship before too long

armin arlert

i think we all know what armin is like in college: marine biology major and history minor

this is an effortless genius, so unlike reiner, he doesn’t have to spend all his time studying

i think armin would be the kind of guy who has school and life figured out, and he slowly realizes a healthy relationship is the one thing missing from his life

there’s honestly plenty of people who want to date him, if he had ever cared to return any of their gazes

i honestly see him being oblivious, so when a fellow classmate asks if he wants to study together, he goes “oh, sorry, i wasn’t really planning on studying, but maybe eren wants a study-buddy, i’ll let him know for you!” instead of realizing that was someone flirting

so it’s the same for you

you’re taking the marine sci class as a last resort, everything else was completely filled up, and you just had to get out of that physics class

but all this talk about oceans and sea-creatures is even worse, somehow. to put it short, you’re struggling, and armin is the kid who raises his hand at every question without so much as jotting down a note during lecture

you know mikasa through a friend-of-a-friend type situation, and ask her if armin would be willing to tutor you sometime

doesn’t matter that part of the reason you’re doing so poorly is because you’re staring at the back of his head most of class

armin and you get together to study on a saturday evening, and what began as a recap on the history of the ocean quickly turns into laughing, talking, and then “you wanna go grab something to eat?”

for someone so smart, he’s really dense

he thinks you’re being friendly and doesn’t want to assume you’re thinking this is a ‘date’ even though you’re internally screaming

it takes you leaning in for a kiss after he’s walked you back to your dorm for it to click

needless to say, he wasn’t quite so oblivious after that

eren yeager

eren was determined to get into the same college as armin and mikasa

my man is undecided, and then sociology after he’s forced to pick

not exactly a fuckboy, not exactly a stoner, just somewhere in between

procrastinates doing work and submits every thing a day late, even though he probably would have gotten full marks if it was on time

him and mikasa decide to take a marine bio class with armin, and he ends up falling asleep during lecture

i don’t see him going for a goody-two shoes type that wants to reform him, because he just wouldn’t want to deal with that

it’s not a toxic relationship, but pretty close to one

on again, off again ever since the two of you met in a dingy frat basement, absolutely hammered, and hooked up

this boy does not want to admit that he’s caught feelings, but eventually it comes to that because he is very much the jealous type

catches you engaging in polite conversation with reiner and he is seeing white in seconds

he realizes he has to make you his

marco bott

the most wholesome nursing major with a minor in english because he is a sucker for lit

i don’t think there is any shortage of girls who want to be with marco, just given how sweet and genuine he is

that being said, i feel like the few time he’s wanted to pursue a relationship with someone, they haven’t reciprocated/just saw him as a friend

which isn’t the easiest thing to deal with, but because he’s a mature angel, he doesn’t hold that against anyone

instead, he kind of succumbs to this false idea that people want to be his friend, and not his girlfriend, which he’s a little insecure about

that’s why i think you and marco would have idiot best friends to lovers, featuring everyone around you knowing how head over heels you both are except the two of you

you two meet in a particularly challenging class, and not recognizing anyone, you both turn to the friendliest face in the room to make study-buddies with

over a whole semester of late-night cramming (and talking), scribbling smiley faces on flashcards, and good luck texts before the exam, you realize how much you’re gonna miss constantly hanging out with marco

and on his end, he’s complaining to jean about how after the final, you two won’t have any reason to keep talking

“so ask her out then, you idiot”

“she probably doesn’t think of me like that…”

“are you blind?” jean says, with a roll of his eyes

after the class has ended and you’re both headed back home for winter break, you work up the nerve to text marco one last time

“let me know if you ever need help studying for another class :)”

you have no idea that he’s over the moon, and that finally brings an end to your friendship, and starts your relationship

bertholdt hoover

mister bertholdt is structural design and architecture major

there’s basically six of those total in your entire college, so he definitely gets a bit isolated/lonely sometimes

he basically came to college with reiner & annie, and figured he didn’t really need more friends than that

so when they’re busy, he’s just by himself

annie definitely makes fun of him for not spreading his wings and flying out of the metaphorical nest, but he’s comfortable with how it is

not a huge fan of the party scene, and prefers a quiet night of studying

i feel like you and him would be the last two studying in the library most nights, and sometimes walk out together after the librarian reminds you both the building is closing

so, when reiner and annie drag him to a party one weekend, he’s shocked to see you there too with outgoing friends of your own

he’s used to seeing you in the bright fluorescent lighting of the library, so this dim, hazy room after the shots have already gone to his head is hard to take in

you two eventually end up talking after your friends push you towards him

“funny seeing you here.” “i could say the same to you.”

he already has a crush (you do too, but he doesn’t want to accept that) so the alcohol inhibits his usual caution

a little bit of dancing, a lot of sitting on the pavement outside while looking at the moon, stars, and each other, topped off with a first-kiss starts your relationship

levi ackerman

teaching assistant levi is a staple of your college

almost infamous, really

you count your lucky blessings that he’s still a year or so away from graduating with his ph.d. in molecular biology and that he’s ta’ing this microbiology class

you’ve definitely heard all sorts of rumors, but you really don’t know what’s truth and fiction

he definitely hasn’t slept with a third of his students (right?) but the lingering way he looks at you isn’t helping quell your thoughts

technically speaking, teaching assistants and students are not allowed to date, interact, etc

until the semester in which you are their student is completed, at least

it doesn’t take long after that for you two to constantly run into each other

“how’re your new classes going? any hot ta’s?” he asks, sipping his tea from the bookstore cafe. you choke on your hot chocolate.

all this being said, you’re an upperclassmen about to graduate, possibly start a ph.d. or masters program yourself. i see him teaching upper-level courses exclusively.

it’s not long after that you admit your feelings to each other, since after all, there’s no time to waste

erwin smith

you’re a second year masters program in the history department. your specialization is military history, so of course professor smith is assigned as your thesis advisor.

i mean, he’s only written several textbooks on the subject

on first sight, you can’t believe he’s a professor. because certainly, this is a some cruel twist of fate. he’s closer to your age than some of his colleagues.

you both try to keep it strictly professional

at first least. this gets gradually harder and harder

there’s a certain chemistry there neither of you can deny.

having a mutual interest in the same subjects doesn’t help too much either. suddenly, you guys are spending hours pouring over topics for his next textbook and your thesis.

the conversation continues over chinese food in his office, long after the rest of the building has cleared out for their friday evenings

“well, i won’t keep you any longer. i’m sure you have much better plans on a friday night than talking military policy with me.”

“there is no where else i’d rather be.”

hope you all liked it! :)

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sweetchup · 3 years ago

Text

Bi•valve

Noun

an aquatic mollusk that has a compressed body enclosed within a hinged shell, such as oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops.

AKA

The Most Common Seashell in the Ocean

————————

Vol. 2: Into the Deep // Ch. 7

Type: Poseidon x reader

Word Count: 3,000+

Masterlist

————————

A loud creak fills the night air as you make your way through the empty halls. You feel yourself freeze for a second, holding your breath as you listen for any signs of movement. For any signs that someone else would be in the halls as well. Thankfully no one was actually there and, once you deem it is safe to continue, you round the corner to the staircase.

Tonight marks your third day staying here. Well, technically five days but you don’t count the two you were unconscious. Even though you had asked, as well as begged, Marine to take you to see Triton on that first day he wouldn’t allow it.

“My Lady, You must stay in bed! You are still injured!”

“Please, My Lady! Master Triton is fine.”

“Lord Poseidon would behead me if he saw you up already!”

Which has led you to this. Sneaking out at the bleak of midnight to make your way to Triton’s Manor. Thankfully, yet also not, Poseidon doesn’t station knights in the Manors so you could easily make your way through the halls.

Sorry about this Marine…

You felt bad about tricking Marine like this—You could already imagine the heart attack the poor fish would get once it realized you had disappeared—But you couldn’t stay in that room for one more moment. All day, every day, for the past three days it was all about Poseidon’s and your’s picture perfect fairy tale love story.

Apparently, all of the servants, and you meant all, believed that you had stolen their dear lord’s heart and to protect you from the wicked Amphitrite he allowed you to take care of his son. So when Marissa—who was apparently Triton’s aunt on Amphrite’s side—tried to attack you, Poseidon was so worried about your safety that he made you stay in his kingdom instead. They said it was the love story of the millennium…

Honestly, they couldn’t have gotten more off from what really happened.

“Finally…” You gasp out as you see the exit in sight. Traveling across the vacant grand entrance, you stand in front of the cold stone door. It’s pure size and golden details makes you pause from grabbing onto its handle.

You can do this…

Taking a deep breath, you finally grasp the metal handle and give it a pull.

“It weighs so much…” You mumble to yourself as you put your whole body weight behind your next tug. No wonder Triton was so strong, these doors were no joke. If it weren’t for the fact you were underwater and it made things lighter, you, in no way, would be able to open this door.

If only that magical shield, or whatever it’s called, that was around the whole palace area wasn’t in place. That stupid thing that actually allowed gravity and no magic spells inside its area. You could have just swam out an open window instead of going through all this trouble.

But, what can you do... It’s not like you could actually boss Poseidon around. You were sure that you were on the last straw with that guy.

“Woah…” You gasp out as you peeked outside from the open door that was now wide enough to be able to slip outside.

Due to Atlantis—where Poseidon’s Castle was located—being on the ocean floor, the moon was able to shine down far enough. Leaving the place often dark with only lanterns or other god made items for light. Well, that’s based on what you saw from inside the manor.

Outside was a totally different story.

Angular fish, Jellyfish, Squids, Luminous Shrimps. All of them covered the night sea in a blurry of glowful colors in front of you. It looked like billions of stars in the night sky. Except for the fact they were actually closer to you.

“A Human…?” A squeaky voice calls out. Startled, you look around in confusion and it takes you a moment to realize that one of the Luminous Shrimp was calling out to you. As you raise your hand for it to latch onto your finger, making you let out a small giggle from its front antenna tickling at your skin, it gains the attention of the rest of the swarm of shrimp that were swimming nearby.

“A Human?”

“It really is.”

“Is she Lord Poseidon’s new bride?”

“What was her name again?”

“(Y/n)? Right?”

“(Y/n).” All the shrimp begin to chant as they swim over and tickle at your skin.

“H-hey!” You giggle out, twitching and wrinkling at the strange feeling. Your stomach beginning to hurt as the small giggles turn to full scale laughter. “That tickles..!”

The shrimp continue to tickle you for a couple of more moments—along with chanting words of praises for their ‘new lady’—before suddenly swimming off in a hurry.

“H-Hey where are you running off—“ Your voice pauses as your back suddenly hits something hard. “Wh—..”

As you spin your head around to take a look at what you had bumped into, you freeze on the spot. Oh what good luck you seem to have…

“P-Poseidon…”

At the call of his name, you see the said Sea God’s eyebrow twitch slightly under the light glow of the sea creatures. Ah. You forgot you weren’t supposed to address Gods so casually. Especially him.

“I-I mean, Good Evening Lord Poseidon…”

The cold look on the God’s face doesn’t change as he continues to stare daggers down at you but it at least seems less menacing now. Perhaps it was your internal survival instincts thanking you for avoiding death once again.

…

Ah, this is awkward.

“M-May I help you, Lord?” You ask Poseidon as he continues to stare at you. You were hoping for some sort of response or answer to make the atmosphere less awkward but all you got was a scoff in response. The only thing out of said exchange that didn’t make you angry was how he drifted his gaze away from you and onto the floating sea creatures instead. Just thankful to get his piercing gaze off of you.

What was this guy’s deal?

Not wanting to spend another moment with the rude fish god, you turn and walk away. As your feet tread the last couple of steps of the stone stairs and onto the path, you find yourself looking at the sea grass that stood just yonder of it.

This must have been the area that was originally meant to be used as that ginormous garden as, compared to the rest of the surrounding area, the sea grass stretched out for yards in front of you. Honestly, you guessed two whole soccer fields could squeeze inside the vast circular field in front of you.

Actually, as you stared at the sea grass that seemed to dance in the tide of the sea, you wondered if it was anything like normal grass.

“Ah!” You can’t help but let out as you place one bare foot onto the field. It was soft, extremely soft. You would even compare it to the feeling of silk with its smooth and chill-like feeling.

“Human…”

At the call you tilt your head upwards to come face to face with a giant jellyfish. When did that get there? Also, why did it come down in the first place? The rest of the jellyfish were drifting much higher up. About roof height even.

“Human…” The jellyfish calls again, this time stretching one of its tentacles out towards you. Its smooth purple like texture makes you entranced by it. Ah, was it asking you to shake its hand?

“H-Hello—“

Just as you stretch your hand out to clasp the jellyfish’s, a hand on your wrist stops you. Instantly, you freeze as you recognize the green glove that was attached. Oh god, what did you do this time?

“L-Lord Poseidon-n I wasn-n’t— Gah!”

Instantly your head flies upwards back to the jellyfish as you hear its screeching. Poseidon’s other hand was holding the jellyfish head in a death-like grip. Based on the veins popping out from his arm it was like he was trying to squeeze the jellyfish into mush.

“Lord Po—“ You are cut off as Poseidon’s chilling voice resounds out next to your ear.

“You weren’t trying to do what?” You feel yourself calming down slightly as you realize he wasn’t addressing you. Though it wasn’t by much as you were still pressed against the strong god as he berated the jellyfish in front of you, “Insolent creature. Know your place.”

“I-It was only trying to shake my hand!” You shout out as you turn your gaze up to the god. His chilling blue eyes almost making you want to back down if it wasn’t for the fact you knew you couldn’t. It wasn’t right of him to punish a poor creature that just wanted to greet you.

“Shake your hand?” Poseidon chillingly repeats, a small chuckle laced in at the end as if he finds the situation to be humorous. Slightly, the god tilts his head down. Just close enough to whisper in your ear, “Human. Open those pathetic eyes of yours and take a hard look at my hand.”

Although you were taken aback by Poseidon’s harsh words, you still turn your gaze to look at his hand. Oh. Although his hand was mostly covered by his glove, you could still see the searing red bumps and lashes that decorated across his fingertips.

“Not only that.” Poseidon whispers again, making you jump slightly, “This jellyfish is deadly poisonous for humans.”

“Lord Poseidon-n. I beg for your forgiveness. I only did this because Lady Am—“

“Shut up.” You wince and shut your eyes close as Poseidon encloses his grip on the jellyfish. Crushing its head in a grueling squish. Even though you saw Marissa decapitated less than a week ago, you still find yourself shaking out in fear. Unable to find it in you to open your eyes.

“Tch. Pathetic…”

At first you thought Poseidon was addressing the now deceased jellyfish but you soon find out he wasn’t. Letting out a small squeak, your eyes fly open instantly as Poseidon hauls you up into his arms. Though, you soon regret that decision as your gaze locks instantly onto the corpse of the jellyfish.

Shutting your eyes once again, you shakily lean against Poseidon as you attempt to dull the sickly feeling settling in your stomach. Not even bothering to question or ask where he could possibly be taking you.

It is only when you hear the loud squeak of a door being open that you open your eyes. Looking over Poseidon's shoulder as he ventures further into the building, you try to find out where you were. From what you could see, it definitely wasn’t your Manor as the halls were far too grand. With floor to ceiling grand windows, marble floors, and intricate works of art, it left you speechless.

It is only when your gaze locks with one of the many photos on the walls that you finally realize where you were.

“Are we in Triton’s Manor?”

Poseidon doesn’t give you a response but you pass by more photos and paintings of Triton, you knew your assumptions were correct.

But,…

Pressing a hand on Poseidon’s chest you lean backwards to stare at the god. His eyes continue to face forward, seeming to stare right through your torso that stood in front of him as he doesn’t even bother to gaze up at you, “Poseidon… Why are you helping me?”

Once again, Poseidon doesn’t respond, only giving you a small glance upwards as so to give a glare to show his distaste in how you did not address him properly. You swore this guy changed his mind so much it was giving you whiplash. He decides at one point to full on ignore you and the next to save you from impending danger.

“I thought you wanted me dead.”

This time Poseidon actually reacts as he pauses in his movement and his eyes turn to gaze up at you. Their cold glory makes you flinch at his emotionless gaze.

How did Triton come from this man…

“You wanted to kill me as you dragged me underwater with Triton, right?”

A long pause fills the air before Poseidon finally responds.

“I do.”

You feel the need to flinch under the harshness of his words but don’t. You knew you couldn’t. He wasn’t saying ‘I do’ because he wanted to kill you in the past. No. He would have said ‘I did’ if that was the case. Even as he saved you from the jellyfish. Even as he was currently holding you in his arms, Poseidon still wanted to kill you. He still had the desire to.

But…

Why are you still alive then?

“Stop thinking.” Poseidon coldly orders as his eyebrows twitch lightly in annoyance. As if he knew what you were thinking, he continued to answer. “You are alive because you need to be. When you aren’t worthy to me anymore, I’ll throw you away. It’s as simple as that.”

Poseidon continues to stare up at you, seeming to wait for any more peeps out of you before venturing on. He grunts a little as you fall back in his arms, your chin resting on his shoulder as you look around at the items that decorate the halls. The warmth leaking from your body through your nightwear makes him freeze slightly but he doesn’t say anything. Choosing for once not to voice his disgust outloud and instead looking at the items that decorate the halls as well.

Soft…

Poseidon’s fingers twitch slightly as he accidentally graces your warm skin that was hidden under the shirt of your nightwear.

Stupid…

His mind instantly ridiculed and pummeled down the disgusting thoughts that clogged his mind. Especially over the fact that he, of all gods, shouldn’t be intrigued over the softness and warmth of a human.

“Tch. We are here.” Poseidon grumbles out as he finally rounds the corner and opens the door to Triton’s room.

Yet, even though Poseidon thought it would all be over if he reaches Triton’s room and places you down, he comes face to face with another problem.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” Poseidon snapped out. Even though you came all this way, and caused a lot of bothersome troubles in the process, you only leave his side for a second to check up on Triton before coming right back. Did you not care about his s—

Instantly, Poseidon stomps that thought out of his mind.

“Your wounds. You’ll need help patching them up.” You bluntly told the god. Even though you had flinched at his outburst seconds earlier, you still reach forward to grab his hand. Did you want him to kill you?

Poseidon retracts his hand and glares down at you.

“I do not need your help.”

“Bu—“

“Gods… have no need for armies. No need for betrayal. No need for support. Such are the gods. Ever since the beginning, we have been the perfect beings. I. Especially. Do. Not. Need. A. Human’s. Help.”

After Poseidon’s speech, there's a long pause. Out of the corner of his eye, Poseidon watches you walk away and believes you gave up. That is until he sees you drag a chair over near him, patting the seat in a gesture to get him to sit down that makes his nose wrinkle up in disgust.

“I—“

“It’s my fault.” You state, cutting Poseidon off as you stare back at him. Your sharp fiery gaze unwavering as they stare back into his cold emotionless ones. “You don’t need my help since you are perfect but… it’s my fault. So I owe you one. So give me your hand so we are even. If Gods have no need for support then they have no need for favors as well. Right—“

“Shut up.” Poseidon barks out coldly. Giving you a harsh glare before, surprisingly, sitting down in the chair. For a second, Poseidon feels his hand twitch as he sees the surprised look on your face, wanting to wipe that fowl look off your face but stops himself as you kneel down to examine his hand.

I’m getting too worked up from a stupid mortal, Poseidon thinks as he turns his gaze up to the ceiling as you pull off his glove. Seeming to begin to treat his wounds.

Stupid…

Poseidon feels himself grit his teeth as your hands softly graze up and down his. Examining it to see what must be done to treat the many wounds. He wonders if this was how you treat Triton’s woun— Stop. So carefully and—

“Stop.” Poseidon bellows as he pulls his hand away from your grasp. This was idiotic. What in the world was going on with him?

It’s just like the time when Triton was born.

Stop.

How warm he felt inside seeing—

STOP.

“Hey. I need to—“ As you grasp onto Poseidon’s hand once more, he instantly grabs the front of your shirt and throws you across the room. Thankfully you landed safely on Triton’s bed, only the wind knocked out of you but…

“M-Mom?”

My, I’ve never seen a look like that.

Poseidon feels his body freeze as his gaze comes in contact with Triton’s. The boy that was once peacefully sleeping now wide awake as he takes in the scene in front of him.

Hmmm… You sure secretly spoil a child you don’t care about.

“F-Father?” Poseidon feels his hand balls into fists as Triton calls that title towards him.

I know you won’t divorce me unless you want something to happen to your precious so—

The loud slamming of a door cuts Poseidon’s thoughts off and he finds himself out in the hallway.

Stupid…

All of this, everything, was stupid.

A perfect being. He was a perfect being. Gods have no need for armies. No need for betrayal. No need for support. Such are the gods. Ever since the beginning, we have been the perfect beings. We have no need for the herd... no need for scheming... and no need for support.

Such… are the gods.

Author Note: Oooo a lot happened this chapter. Especially a lot with Poseidon’s character. Feel free to discuss what you thought about this chapter and Poseidon’s inner monologue. I would love to hear about your opinion or answer any questions if you are confused on some parts.

Taglist: @angeli-fucking-cat @marixxhq @sproutcorner @orophaea @anime-lover-forever-1127 @fortuna-stella @icy-spicy

#shuumatsu no valkyrie #shuumatsu no valkyrie x reader #snv poseidon x reader #snv poseidon #snv #record of ragnarok #bivalve

223 notes · View notes

ca-8 · 3 years ago

Text

Yakko x Reader Scenario: When You First Meet

'This is it. The beginning of the end.'

Gripping on the straps of her backpack, (Y/n) exited the bus and stared up at the water tower that displayed the famous Warner Bros. logo. As expected, it emitted a smug aura onto the entire area; however, surprisingly, there was a slight twinge of mystery to it as well. But she didn't have time to ponder about it, so she only gave it an uneasy look and headed straight for the entrance.

Her heart stopped. She knew the place was going to be busy, but it was like an entire New York City packed in one section! So many writers, producers, actors, large men carrying heavy sets, every type of person working in film was scattered all over the place. It was like an ocean, with the people as marine life doing what they're designed to do, and (Y/n) being the puppy that was abandoned at sea.

The moment it all settled in, an involuntary realization invaded her thoughts. 'I don't belong here.'

The young girl reminded herself to breathe and rushed over to a vacant wall, then pulled out her phone. She had already sent her mother about a thousand messages telling her she was here, but since she hasn't responded, a few more shouldn't hurt. Fingers rapidly typing away, she bit her lower lip, already wishing she had stayed on that bus.

"Oh, you're just gonna love it!" Her mother's squealing voice had already filled her skull. "You're so talented, I know you're gonna fit right in."

'Yeah, standing around all day with a bunch of people I don't know while doing something I suck at is exactly how I wanna spend my summer.' She let out a soft sigh. 'It's fine. Just shut up and make her happy, (Y/n).'

Several attempts of calling and texting later, no response. (Y/n) sighed again, and her eyes wandered over to the bustling crowd. 'No way. Absolutely no way.' But if she wanted to get the day over with, absolutely yes way.

First, she walked up to a lady looking down at the clipboard in her hands. "Um, excuse me," (Y/n) said.

The lady's head snatched up. "KYLE!" she yelled, her eyes now ablaze with fury, "YOU IDIOT! THAT GOES IN THE WAREHOUSE ACROSS THE STUDIO!" And like there was nothing but a breeze behind her, the lady stomped off to the poor soul that had to face her wrath.

The breeze took a step back and ran around the corner. 'Maybe I'll find someone else instead…!' (Y/n) stopped and spotted a man sitting on the steps that lead to the entrance of a small building. She swallowed whatever was left in her mouth and reluctantly approached him.

"E-Excuse me, sir?" she stuttered, hoping her voice was louder than the last time. As she got closer, (Y/n) noticed he was chuckling, and his gaze was glued onto a small piece of paper.

"I...I did it…!" he said. She yelped and shrinked back when he suddenly jumped to his feet. "I FINALLY DID IT! WE'LL SEE WHO'S REGRETTING THE DIVORCE NOW, MARGARET!" And with a manic laugh, the man dashed into the building.

'...Or maybe I'll just find it myself.'

It wasn't too long before (Y/n) got herself lost. Despite the help of maps that were stuck to some of the buildings, all of them seemed exactly the same. It was like a maze, and with each passing minute, she was more and more convinced that there was no finish line. Even worse, her mother was too busy to respond to anything she sent her.

'Oh, what should I do?' (Y/n) thought for the thousandth time. No matter how hard she pinched or held them, her arms refused to stop trembling. Not too long ago, the outside of the studio became deserted and she'd hate to walk in a warehouse and possibly interrupt something important, so asking for help again was out of the question.

...Or, perhaps it wasn't.

A tiny, hopeful smile crossed (Y/n)'s face when she heard the sounds of frustrated grunts around the corner. It was the first time she was so relieved to see a stranger.

And thank god that stranger was a security guard. Though she wondered why he had a giant net in his hand, she shoved the curiosity as far in the back of her mind as she could and reached up to gently tap his shoulder.

"Um, excuse me sir?" she asked as loud as she could.

His head whipped around, revealing angry eyes and a scowl that said he was ready to kill. But right as his gaze landed on her, it changed within an instant.

"Oh, hello!" he said with a bright smile.

(Y/n) blinked, cocking her head. ‘What was this guy up to?’

"I'm sorry to bother you, but do you know where (M/n) (L/n) is filming? I'm her daughter, (Y/n), and I'm trying to look for her. She's not answering her phone either."

His joyful expression slowly melted into a confused one. "Uuhhh…(M/n) (L/n)?”

“Yes. She’s a part of Animal Kingdom? Do you know where that’s being filmed?”

“Oh! I know there’s a zoo around here called Animal Kingdom! I don’t think you’ll find it in a film studio, though.”

(Y/n) frowned. “...No, I mean the show. Aren’t they filming in a warehouse today? Do you know where that is?”

“Who’s ‘they’?”

Her eye twitched, and she was just about ready to drown the entire studio in the nearest ocean. “N-Nevermind, I’ll just-”

As if the universe wasn’t satisfied with tormenting her enough, the security guard suddenly launched up into the air and flew into the sky. Right before her eyes, the heavens were coated with explosives of every color that ever existed.

“Oh my god!” (Y/n) yelled. ‘Who strapped fireworks on that guy?!’

“Oh, I knew you’d love it!”

Her eyes were ripped from the loud fireworks show as she was immediately smothered in a hug. “It’s so nice that another girl’s here! All the other ones here are either too busy or just keep shouting about a restraining order for some reason. I dunno, but anyway, I just know you're gonna love it here! Anyway, my name’s Princess Angelina Louisa Cantessa Francesca Banana Fanna Bo Besca the third! But since we're friends now, you can just call me Dot.”

This confirmed it. This was a trap set up by her mother to deliberately drive her insane, because how else can someone explain the nut jobs and talking dogs in pink dresses?

A combination of those two things happened to be clutching her head and digging her face into hers. “...Huh?” (Y/n) mumbled.

‘Dot’ jumped off of her and smiled widely. “Sorry about Ralph by the way. I figured out you were coming at the last second and I really needed someone for your welcoming gift.” she said.

(Y/n) glanced up at the sky where the fireworks were slowly dying down. “Um...Is he gonna be okay?” she asked.

“Of course he will!” her backpack said.

The teen screamed and threw her bag on the ground. A hand popped out and unzipped it with impossible ease, then a taller boy version of Dot jumped out, pulling up his long brown pants and flashing a grin.

“H-...H-H-How did you…?!” (Y/n) stuttered, pointing at him.

“What? Never heard of cartoon logic?” he said, approaching her. “And Ralph’ll be fine. His skull’s so thick, concrete’s the last thing that can kill him.”

“What-?”

“Anyhow,” he walked over to Dot and put an arm over her shoulder, “The name’s Yakko, this here’s my beloved baby sister Dot, and this is-” He stopped, staring at the empty space to his left. He leaned into Dot, whispering, “Say, uh, you don't mind looking for Wakko, do ya sis?”

Dot glanced at (Y/n) for an uncomfortable moment and suddenly shot her brother a glare. "I've got eyes all over this studio, Yakko," she warned, slowly stepping away.

Now (Y/n) certainly knew she didn't see pairs of eyes appear around every inch of her sight. 'Oh god, I didn't breath in drugs on the way here, did I? Actually, that would explain whatever the heck's going on.'

Yakko smiled as he watched his sister leave and turned to (Y/n). He walked closer to her, and she realized that his half-lidded eyes had a strange glint in them. “Sooo, your name’s (Y/n), right? A pretty name for a pretty girl.”

(Y/n)’s face heated up. ‘First I get lost, then see a guy get blown up, and now some other guy’s flirting with me? ...To be honest, this is still better than what Mom had planned for today.’

“So what brings ya’ here?” he asked.

“O-Oh, well, my Mom was supposed to give me a tour of the studio, but I’ve been giving that to myself all day. I tried finding her, but I’m pretty sure I’m nowhere near it by now.” Her eyes wandered over to the ground, but a realization made them perk back up and over to Yakko. “Hey, do you happen to know this place by any chance?”

“Know it? Please, my sibs and I live here, we know this place by heart and soul!” He mumbled something else, along the lines of “Basically made our hearts and souls”.

Her heart jumped; finally, a piece of good news. “Really?” she said, a smile spreading across her face.

He nodded. “So where do ya’ need to go?” Before she could answer, he pulled out a piece of folded paper and moved in so close, their shoulders were smooshed together. Yakko unfolded it, and it turned out to be the biggest map (Y/n) has ever seen. “Well, from here, you’re gonna need to take a right and continue straight until you get to the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts exhibit. But be careful, I heard some of them escaped, and if anyone asks if you’ve seen any of them, don’t tell them I gave one to Dot as a late birthday gift. Anyway, you take a left from there, then a right where you’ll see the lot where they used to shoot Game of Thrones. Now this is only a rumour I’ve heard, but I think some of the producers are still on that set. If you happen to see them, do not, I repeat, DO NOT mention season eight, or maybe just don’t mention the show at all. Actually, don’t even look at them. As a matter of fact, you probably shouldn’t even go there at all, just keep heading straight until you get to the D.C. Universe lot. Then you just take left there, then a sharp right over over, then you keep going straight until you get to here, turn up over there, turn right there, and then you’re there. Did ya’ follow all that?”

(Y/n) stared at his face, which was practically radiating with enthusiasm, and she felt her eye twitch again. “...No,” she said, shaking her head.

His smile dimmed, but it became just as bright as the sun again a split-second later. “Ah well, maps are gettin' old anyways,” he said, throwing the map over his shoulder. “WAKKO!!”

And, low and behold, another anthropomorphic dog popped out of nowhere, and (Y/n) was starting to question if there was an army of them hidden somewhere. But she had to admit, it was pretty cute how this one was dressed in an oversized blue sweater and red hat.

“Tablet, please,” Yakko said politely, holding out his hand.

‘You're not gonna walk me there-?'

Wakko suddenly held his head back with his cheeks puffed out, then leaned into Yakko’s hand as he forced out a small object from his mouth. After an incredibly uneasy moment, a tablet glazed in spit was in Yakko's grasp. While he praised the little guy, (Y/n) forced back the urge to vomit.

“E-Ehhhh…?” She couldn’t say anything else while her gaze frantically went back and forth from Wakko and the regurgitated tablet.

“Oh! Where are my manners?” Yakko said. “(Y/n), this is my dear little brother, Wakko. Wakko, this here’s our new special friend, (Y/n).”

“Hello!” Wakko greeted, who was suddenly in her arms. “You’re really pretty!”

“Ehh? Thank you? I guess??” she said apprehensively, and finally managed to make eye contact. Despite his...quirks, he's actually a little adorable... She let herself grin a little.

The moment of semi-peace was ruined when she took notice of Yakko’s narrowed eyes. “ALrighty, (Y/n)!” he said loudly, grabbing his little brother by the collar and gently setting him on the ground. “Animal Kingdom, right? Let’s get ya’ right over there.” He moved right beside her and taped the screen a couple times.

“Um, what’re you doing exactly?” she asked.

“Doing what every person does to get somewhere nowadays.” He grabbed her waist and pulled her against him, and (Y/n) flinched from his touch. “Please keep your arms, legs, and personal items inside the tablet at all times.”

Just when she was about to question him for the hundredth time, he pressed the screen again, and her vision became nothing but white. Her body felt like it was launched into a tornado; a strong force of wind thrusted her back, and somehow, the boy’s arm kept her from flying off from his side. A second later, her feet were back on the ground, the sky was where it needed to be, and reality was back in place.

Except for (Y/n)’s mentality.

She stumbled around, trying to find her balance as the world unbearably whirled around her. Finally, she shook her head, and quickly turned back towards Yakko, whose face tried to tell her whatever happened was perfectly fine and normal.

“What was THAT?” she yelled, staggering towards him and gripping his shoulders.

And he still had the audacity to have that 'why-are-you-freaking-out-so-much-we-do-this-every-Friday' smile. “Thank you for attending Warner’s Travel Tours! I would say my Agent Ralph’ll take your bags, but I left him alone with my sibs, so he’s probably in the middle of the Pacific Ocean by now.”

(Y/n) could only stare at him. Her mind was twisting and turning, trying so hard to make any sense of what happened but only making her headache grow larger and larger. And then, her thoughts just went blank.

She smirked. Then giggled. And a few seconds later, she had burst out laughing whilst holding her stomach. (Y/n) looked back up at Yakko, wiping a tear from her eye. “Th-Thank you…” she said, catching her breath.

His smile had grown and she thought his white cheeks were red for a moment. Yakko had opened his mouth, but whatever he was about to say was cut off by a net suddenly covering his entire body. Ralph was behind him, his skin and clothes burnt and ears practically smoking. “You’re coming with me, Warner!” he said.

And yet, Yakko only grinned. Like physics was his enemy, he disappeared from inside the net and appeared sprouting from the security guard’s back, cheerfully waving at (Y/n). “I’ll see ya’ around, yeah?” he said, then ran around the corner with Ralph sprinting right after him.

(Y/n) giggled and reached for the straps around her back. But when she only felt the (f/c) fabric of her shirt, her smile dropped, and a deep sigh escaped her lips. “Great…” she whispered.

“(Y/N)!”

She gasped as a pair of arms squeezed the life out of her. Her mother spun her around to face her gleaming smile, which was immediately replaced by an apologetic frown. “I’m so sorry I didn’t get your texts! That scene took forever, but I’m glad you found your way here! You’re so smart! Anyway, I know we don’t get as much time now, but there’s still so much we’ll be able to see!...”

She rambled on and on and on and on. Her daughter’s shoulders slumped and she followed her to where she wanted her to go, but the frown on her face didn’t last long when she remembered the fun she had just a few seconds ago. ‘Maybe this summer won’t be that bad.’

#is this how you write him lmao #i love this boi so much #animaniacs #cartoons #x reader #fanfiction #the reader in this is like 15 dont worry lol #im bored #yakko warner

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bluejayblueskies · 4 years ago

Note

seven for jontim? <3

jontim + things you said while we were driving

The tension in the car on the way to Great Yarmouth is so thick Jon could cut it with a knife. He’s not really sure how he ended up carpooling with Tim—something about old habits and the Archers and ‘time to think’ that has Basira and Daisy sharing a car—but they’re an hour in and Jon can count the number of words Tim’s said to him on one hand.

Jon wants to break the silence. He doesn’t know if they’ll get another chance to talk, if he’ll get another chance to say everything he wants to say. To apologize, to try to make amends, to tell Tim that he still—

Jon sucks in a breath and looks out the window, at the sprawling countryside as it whisks by. Once upon a time, his hand would be clasped with Tim’s on the center console and Tim would be telling him some elaborate story about his latest camping trip or the case he’d been working on that had taken a dramatic turn or the latest office gossip and his own rather strong opinions about it. That’s one of the things he’d liked about Tim—the fact that Tim could talk, and Jon could listen, and when Jon got excited about something and interrupted Tim’s story, Tim would take it in stride and listen with a smile.

God, it had been so easy, and now it’s not, and that more than anything makes Jon ache like his heart has been torn free from his rib cage.

Jon doesn’t realize he’s been tapping his fingers in a nervous rhythm on the center console until Tim lets out a labored sigh and breaks the silence as gracelessly as a bullet through a glass house. “Just say it.”

It’s too loud after so long with only the noise of the road and the low murmur of the radio, and Jon startles, his hand retreating back to his lap reflexively. “What?”

Tim’s eyes remain on the road, but Jon can see the tension in him, in the way his hands grip the wheel firmly and his mouth flattens into a thin line. “Just say whatever it is you need to say. Might as well. It’s not like I have anything better to do.”

Jon winces slightly at the flatness in Tim’s voice, at the way he sounds just- just indifferent. It cuts worse than any anger or frustration. At least those meant that Tim was still feeling something toward him, no matter how negative. Now, Tim just sounds tired. Resigned.

“I was…” Jon swallows and looks down at his hands so he doesn’t have to see Tim’s face. “I was thinking about the time we went to the coast together, to follow up on that case about the mermaid.”

Tim makes a sound that might be a laugh if it weren’t so humorless. “Yeah, I remember,” he says, and maybe Jon’s imagining the hint of wistfulness in his voice, looking for something that isn’t there. “Turned out to be nonsense, but it…”

Tim’s hands tighten on the wheel for a moment before going slack, his face twisting into something pained. “It was nice,” he says, so quietly Jon almost doesn’t catch it. “You, er. You had a lot to say about harbor seals.”

Jon flushes and rubs one thumb over the other—a nervous tic of his, one that leads to dry and cracked skin if he isn’t careful. “Yes, well. Growing up by the sea tends to foster an interest in marine wildlife. And, er. Well. Nobody else ever seemed interested, in- in the topic.” A pause. Jon worries his bottom lip between his teeth and says, “I miss our conversations.”

“Jon,” Tim says. It’s a warning and a plea and a refusal all wrapped into a single word. And Jon should just leave it at that—let them pass the rest of the time in silence, like they’ve been doing for months.

Instead, he says, “I’m sorry, Tim. For- for everything.”

“Please, just- not now,” Tim says, his voice growing sharp around the edges even as the core retains that same weariness Jon’s grown accustomed to.

He hates it. He hates that Tim doesn’t tell jokes anymore, that Tim doesn’t smile wide and easy and greet Jon with a ghosting hand across Jon’s upper back, that Tim’s shoulders sag ever so slightly as he walks like he’s bearing the weight of the world. He hates that it’s his fault.

“Then when?” Jon says, that same sharpness bleeding into the words against his will. “After this is all over? We might not—”

We might not make it out alive, his mind supplies. But the words stick in his throat. Instead, he says, “Just. You don’t have to say anything, just- just listen. I- I don’t expect forgiveness.” Jon pauses, then says, softer, “It’s not my right to ask for it.”

Tim’s quiet for a long moment. The radio is playing something upbeat, a pop song that Jon’s never heard but that sounds exactly like the rest of the music the station has been supplying. Jon wants to turn it off; it grates on his nerves, makes every second feel like an eternity.

He doesn’t. Somehow, he thinks silence—true silence—might be worse.

“Okay,” Tim says finally, his eyes still fixed on the road. “Just- just please don’t say you’re sorry. I don’t want to hear it anymore.”

“Right,” Jon says. His fingers go to the hem of his shirt, fiddling with the fabric. There’s a loose thread there, and without thinking, he pulls it. It spirals out, making a neat line in the fabric where the weave falls out of line that Jon won’t be able to smooth out again.

He doesn’t know what to say. What can he say? He can’t mend what’s broken, can’t unpull the thread that’s tugged them out of sync. In less than a day, they’ll be in the museum, and Jon’s skin will be crawling with the memory of ropes tight around his wrists and plastic fingers coated with lotion touching him over and over and over, and they’ll be executing a plan that Jon can’t shake the feeling will go horribly, terribly wrong. They have so little time. Never enough time.

So, Jon says instead, “I remember when we first met. I- I don’t know if you do, it- it was very brief, and you seemed quite occupied with whatever case you were researching, but I- I remember. You were, uh. You were wearing that olive green shirt you like, the- the one with the buttons that look like flowers. You were distraught when you ripped the sleeve on that barbed wire fence when we, uh, broke into the—”

Jon cuts off with a small laugh. “I suppose our research tactics were quite unorthodox. And more than a little illegal at times. But when I got excited about a case and decided to pursue it in a more, er, thorough capacity, you were always there. I- I don’t think I ever told you, but that was the first time I realized how much I’d grown to like you. You, lamenting about how you’d had that shirt for years, so- so dramatic about the whole situation. And I spent a frankly embarrassing amount of time finding another one just like it, an even more embarrassing amount of time figuring out how to give it to you without coming across as- as weird or what have you. But you just smiled and took it, and- and maybe it’s silly, but I think that’s when I…”

Jon doesn’t say when I started to fall in love with you. But from the pinched look on Tim’s face, he knows he doesn’t have to.

It’s like Jon’s there again, the weight of Tim’s smile making his pulse flutter hummingbird-fast in his throat, his voice slipping into the stutter he tried so hard to hide at work so that he came across as professional. He practically thrust the shirt into Tim’s hands, his cheeks burning as he did so. And Tim’s thank you, so genuine and surprised and happy, had dragged a smile of Jon’s own to his face.

Tim had liked making Jon flustered—had made it a game, figuring out what he could say to make Jon smile or laugh or flush so deeply it was visible against his skin. Jon didn’t understand why some of the things he said made Tim smile in return or press a quick kiss to Jon’s lips or give Jon a soft I love you that still made Jon’s pulse quicken no matter how many times Tim said it. But it didn’t matter, because Tim understood him.

Jon misses Tim so much he can hardly breathe, even after everything. His words come out slightly choked when he says, “I remember when you would bring me lunches because you knew I would forget to eat sometimes if I got caught up in my work. And- and when you went to that shop that had a cat and you sent me- Christ, so many pictures, it- it was really quite excessive.” Quieter, Jon says, “And when you brought me to that park with the lights, and- and you told me that you loved me.”

“Jon,” Tim says. It comes out tense, like somebody who’s trying very hard to keep their emotions in check.

“I know,” Jon says, pulling and pulling at the thread on his shirt until the fabric is bunched up completely and utterly ruined. I miss you. I love you. I’m sorry. “I… I know.”

Tim’s quiet for another long moment. Then, he exhales heavily, like he’d been holding his breath, and moves one hand from the wheel to the center console, palm up.

Tim’s hand is warm in his. He doesn’t say anything, just keeps his eyes trained on the road, even as his fingers twine with Jon’s in a practiced motion that’s still as easy as breathing.

Jon spends the rest of the car ride memorizing the feel of Tim’s hand in his, the shape of his fingers and the soft skin of his palm, and tries very hard not to think about the way it feels like a goodbye.

#tma #tma fic #the magnus archives #the magnus archives fic #jontim #jonathan sims #tim stoker #my fic #my writing #1.7k words isn't exactly a ficlet but I had a lot of emotions about s3 jontim i suppose #oops! all angst #voiceless-terror

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freebooter4ever · 3 years ago

Text

Living in close quarters for months on end with a bunch of men his own age doesn't bother Snafu a bit. It's the one part of the Marines Corps he actually enjoys. Like living on an island full of eye candy. Snafu became mostly numb to the sheer number of naked butts by the end of his second day on Pavuvu. With the heat and the sun, the men need very little provocation to strip their clothing off. It was distracting for about an hour and then it became commonplace.

Later, after Gloucester, after living for three straight weeks in rain and misery, under the constant threat of violent death, and then returning once more to Pavuvu, Snafu becomes numb to everything....

He's never been one for carousing - a trait his peers in high school picked up on pretty quick. He's been compensating ever since. Packing on the innuendo and flirtation, and studying how other men act towards women and amplifying it in his own behavior.

So even before the numbness set in, Snafu isn't sure he ever actually felt anything like what others seem to describe. Even though Snafu admires his daily fill of half dressed fellow Marines wandering around camp, he does it in a detached sort of way that makes him feel more like an observer than participant. And it's good, because while there are whispers and rumors about certain guys who will take a man into the woods and show him a good time, Snafu doesn't need to get involved. He gets himself into enough trouble without adding a court martial onto it.

A few days after Gloucester an envelope arrives. There's no letter, simply a newspaper clipping slipped inside and stamped. The clipping is from his hometown newspaper and the article is about their hometown hero - brave Merriell Shelton - who shot up the enemy with his 'mortar gun'.

It's truly amazing how in a small town such as his, one can go from being the delinquent orphan son of impoverished half crazed parents easily forgotten by polite society, to being a hometown hero in the span of one battle.

Everyone in K company teases him about the article, especially about the 'mortar gun' bit. Snafu enjoys it immensely. He takes pride in his notoriety. It adds to his carefully cultivated mystique. No one wants to fuck with the fast talking, mean Merriell Shelton, war hero.

In actuality, Snafu is no hero. He fights for one reason, and that's the fifty dollars a month being sent home to his kid sister. He doesn't want her saddled with being a burden to her adopted family. Not like Snafu was with their own parents.

Overall, aside from the numbness, everything about Snafu's time in the Marine Corps is going well. He has respect, he has the looming potential of death and relief, and he has a steady diet of filling if questionable food. He thinks he's got a handle on things.

Till his downfall arrives a few days after the envelope.

Eugene Sledge looks like a fool from the minute he steps into Snafu's tent. Something about him irritates the hell out of Snafu. To try and figure out what about Sledge bothers him so much, Snafu goes out of his way to run into the guy. But no dice. Nothing works.

It doesn't click until Snafu accidentally runs into Sledge in the showers. Normally Snafu showers on off times to avoid any accidents. But after one particularly disgusting round of coconut duty, Snafu is stuck washing the gritty stickiness off in the middle of the day.

At first there's just him and Pops in the showers. A typical sight - Gunney Haney is obsessively clean. Snafu ignores him, and ignores the new Boots who join them halfway through. Snafu requires single minded focus to fish out all the coconut pieces that mysteriously found their way into his hair.

Once finished, Snafu turns around and bends his head back under the stream of water to rinse. He opens his eyes after the worst of the suds are gone, and spots Eugene Sledge in the group of new recruits. They are huddled around the shower heads in the opposite corner as far away from Snafu and Pops as they can get. Snafu smirks at them as a greeting.

It's kinda fun being intimidating.

Except they aren't paying attention to him. Sledge's eyes are transfixed on Haney as the man scrubs his dick.

Admittedly, for the uninitiated, seeing Haney shower is quite a sight. The man uses a bristly GI brush. The working theory is that he's been doing it so long and he's so old that his skin is pickled enough to be as thick and tough as leather. Everyone stares and winces in pain when they first witness Haney washing his junk.

However, Sledge is unusually engrossed. Snafu feels a strange prickle at the back of his neck and a spike of annoyance over this.

Jealousy - a word Snafu's never related to before.

Once he recognizes the feeling, though, he starts seeing it everywhere. Sledge is genuinely kind, and cares about everyone in a way that would stretch Snafu thin enough to break. Sledge is the best sharpshooter in the company, beating Snafu's considerable score by almost an entire point. Sledge takes every work duty thrown at him without complaint and with stubborn pride. Sledge takes everything thrown at him without complaint, including Snafu's own malice.

And all Snafu wants is for Sledge to just fucking look at him.

The tipping point comes after Sledge's little buddy Philips rotates home without warning. The despondency Sledge sinks into for a few days makes Snafu ache with frustration. Sledge starts disappearing whenever the replacements get an hour or two off. Snafu makes it his mission to find him.

He eventually does. Turns out Sledge is running off to a secluded beach, but he never goes in the water. Instead he sits crosslegged in the sand and stares at crabs. Snafu shimmies up a palm tree and scoots across the rough bark until he's nearly hanging over the oblivious Sledge.

In Sledge's lap is a dog-eared notebook, probably a moonlight requisition from the officer's tents. Sledge hunches over the page, his hand scribbling furiously and Snafu cranes his neck till he can see what Sledge is working on.

It's drawings of crabs. Countless pages of them. Snafu straddles the uncomfortable palm tree for almost an hour, watching in disbelief as Sledge makes study after study of crab anatomy.

Instead of killing the damn invasive creatures with a shovel and burying them in the sand, Sledge draws them.

If Snafu could draw, maybe he'd finally be free of this strange fascination that's taken hold of him. The image of Sledge that one afternoon - showering, naked and lean and glowing in the midafternoon sun - burned itself in Snafu's brain. He doesn't know how to purge himself of it. At the time, he didn't even realize he'd been looking that closely at Sledge while they were in the showers, but afterwards his brain pieced the scraps of memory together and gave him a picture more vivid than what he thought he saw.

And now he sees it whenever he looks at Sledge.

Even on Peleliu, after everything's gone to shit, but somehow they got off the beach and somehow they're not dead yet, his mind drifts to Sledge. The boy strips off his shoes in the midst of battle. Snafu stops him, shoving Sledge's boots back into his chest with force.

It's the first time he lays hands on Sledge and he doesn't even register it because he's too busy being worried about the damn idiot being caught with his pants down and shoes off.

Sledge is a distraction. That's all he is.

Until Sledge fucking picks Snafu up off the ground even when Snafu is pretty sure he's already dead. Sledge drags Snafu out of his shock and out of danger, and proves he can keep his cool during battle. Cooler even than Snafu, who still runs hot whenever Sledge gets too close.

Naive little Sledgehammer grew up quick, but unlike Snafu, he did not grow up mean - he still saves worthless things fallen helpless in the sand and dirt. From that minute on, Snafu makes it his personal mission to preserve Eugene's goodness.

He doesn't anticipate Sledgehammer accepting Snafu's newfound loyalty so readily.

Burgie calls Snafu out on it teasingly during their ship ride back to dreaded Pavuvu. A painful bout of seasickness causes Snafu to lose track of Sledgehammer for a few hours aboard ship, and Snafu spends the time wandering the decks in search of him.

"Since when did you appoint yourself as his shadow, Snaf?" Burgie retorts when Snafu asks if he's seen the 'Hammer'.

"Just need to collect on my bet about him smoking by the end of his first battle," Snafu shrugs.

"Every nonsmoker smokes by the end of their first battle, Snafu. You already knew that," Burgie says, "Leave him be."

"No way," Snafu argues, "Someone needs to teach that rich boy that he don't know everything."

"And of course you'd be the one to do it," Burgie sighs.

Ironically, Sledge is the one to find Snafu in a random ship compartment instead of the other way around. Snafu is lying prone, trying to keep his half digested meal from rolling around.

"Here," Sledge says, shoving a small box at Snafu as hard as Snafu shoved Eugene's boots.

"What is it?" Snafu asks, feigning disinterest.

"Crackers. They'll help with the stomach," Sledge replies, "C'mon, let's get you topside."

"How the hell'd you get crackers on a ship short of rations?" Snafu asks. He obediently follows Eugene through the ship to the deck. Like a damn shadow.

"I sweet talked one of the swabbies," Sledge explains casually.

That news roils Snafu's gut. Jealousy again. It's lucky they made it to the deck. He staggers to the rail and pukes overboard.

"The swabby liked my accent," Eugene says and leans beside Snafu, "Think he was from northern Alabama. I told him how us southern boys have the best aim in the Marines."

Snafu finishes vomiting up the last of his afternoon chow.

Sledge sighs and places his hand on Snafu's upper back.

Snafu's glad no one else is around on this part of the deck to see his shame. He hangs on the rail and feels miserable.

"Get it all out?" Sledge asks, and passes Snafu his canteen.

Snafu takes a sip, swishes it around his mouth, and spits into the sea. And then guzzles as much water as he thinks he can keep down. He sticks his tongue out at the disgusting aftertaste and hands the canteen back.

Sledge runs his hand down from Snafu's back to his arm. Before Snafu knows what's happening Eugene is gently taking Snafu's hand and leading him away from the rail. Sledge sits on the deck and leans against the ship's wall. He tugs on Snafu's hand for him to sit next to him.

"Better to go down to one of the cabins," Snafu resists.

"You don't want to know how bad it smells down there," Sledge warns, "Trust me. Fresh air is best."

Snafu gives in and collapses next to Eugene. He tilts his head back against the cold metal and closes his eyes.

Sledge takes the box of saltines from Snafu's hands and Snafu hears rustling as Sledge opens the package. Sledge then nudges Snafu's elbow with the box.

"Eat," Sledge says.

Snafu groans and leans his head on Sledgehammer's shoulder instead. He doesn't want any ill-gotten flirtation crackers. It's a lot easier to close his eyes and pretend to sleep.

Sledge seems to not mind Snafu sleeping on him. He doesn't move away, at least. So Snafu uses it as an excuse to shuffle closer. Which is when he realizes Eugene never let go of his hand. He's still holding on. Tight.

"Snafu?" Sledge prompts. He uses Snafu's nickname like they're best buds, though they've hardly ever spoken.

Snafu grunts.

"On that airfield…" Sledge says, "Don't you ever dare do that again, allright?"

"Whatever you say, Sledgehammer," Snafu drawls, "Don't even know what I did."

"You just...lay there," Sledge says quietly, "Like you were...."

"Waiting?" Snafu tries to remember his own state of mind in that moment.

"Gone," Sledge says sharply.

"Same damn thing," Snafu gives up on sleeping and lights a cigarette.

"If you're not around who'll tell me what I'm doing wrong?" Sledge asks.

"Shit, Sledge," Snafu drawls with a grin, "practically anybody who's not you could do that."

Sledge actually chuckles. That's the thing about Eugene. He's not stuck up or prissy like Snafu'd expect him to be. He's humble, and willing to laugh at his own inexpertise.

"I'd rather it be you," Eugene adds quietly with a small smile.

Snafu sucks on his bottom lip and refuses to respond to that.

"So no dying," Eugene finishes, as if such a conclusion were a choice.

Snafu does fall asleep and when he wakes up a few hours later, Sledge's head is tipped on top of Snafu's. Sledge's long nose is in Snafu's hair and he's snoring loud enough to wake the enemy a thousand miles away. Snafu can feel Eugene's snores blowing his hair around.

Despite these annoyances, Snafu tries to freeze in place and jostle Eugene as little as possible.

Their hands are still linked together. Sledge's hand is wrapped tight around Snafu's. Snafu lifts Sledge's hand to examine his delicate fingers - long and gentle, but not dainty. Eugene has the calluses of an expert marksman, and painfully short fingernails. Snafu picks at the boy's ring curiously.

Sledge shifts and turns farther in towards Snafu's body. He draws his arm away from Snafu's fiddling and instead places his hand on Snafu's soft belly. "Stop moving," he mumbles.

"You stop snoring," Snafu complains. He bumps his head intentionally into Sledge's big nose to make his point.

Sledge ignores him and slumps more of his weight onto Snafu's shoulder.

Snafu accepts his fate and reaches over Sledge's body to steal the saltines. He opens the cracker package and starts snacking.

"Must you, with the crunching?" Sledge snarls after a few minutes.

"Got hungry, Sledgehammer," Snafu, "If you're gonna be using me as a pillow, I'm gonna need to generate extra padding."

Sledge sighs and holds his hand out, "Give me one."

Snafu complies, "If you get crumbs in my hair, I'll kill ya."

"Wouldn't be the worst thing in your hair right now, Snafu," Sledge gripes.

"Yeah? What else is up there? Pick it out for me," Snafu grins.

"Smells like you took a nap in seawater," Sledge says, "Or smoke."

"Get your long nose out of my hair then," Snafu quips.

"Once you get past the brine smell it's not so bad," Sledge mutters and doesn't move

"Yeah, well your shoulder smells like…" Snafu starts, and then cuts off when he realizes Eugene's shoulder doesn't smell like anything Snafu finds unpleasant. "Did you change your shirt?"

"Traded it for the saltines," Sledge explains, "The swabby wanted a souvenir that saw battle. I gave it to him. Stole this one off a supply crate."

"Fuck, Eugene, I thought you flirted your way into the galley," Snafu grumbles.

"Who says taking off my shirt wasn't a part of that?"

Snafu can't see it with his head on Sledge's shoulder but he swears Gene is smirking at him. "Should have just given him your pin," Snafu argues.

"Can't," Eugene replies, "Sid says they're good luck."

Snafu rolls his eyes at the mention of stupid Sid and settles back comfortably to sleep.

Eugene hooks a thumb in between Snafu's button holes in his shirt to keep his hand on Snafu's stomach. His fingertips barely brush Snafu's bare skin, and suddenly Snafu is no longer interested in sleeping.

And then Eugene's wandering fingers hit Snafu's shrapnel wound.

His response is immediate and a little shocking, "What the fuck, Snafu?" Without asking Eugene starts popping open all of Snafu's shirt buttons.

"What the hell, Sledge?" Snafu tries to back away from him.

"My father's a physician, let me look at you," Eugene orders. He manhandles Snafu's hips forward away from the wall to stretch him out on the deck. Snafu's thin wound runs from right beside his belly button to right over his hip. "Jesus, Snaf, that could turn infected."

Snafu is still trying to process the feel of Eugene's long hands gripping his hips, there is no room in his brain for worrying about infections right now.

"You're gonna need to lie down," Eugene tells him, "Here…" Sledge takes off his shirt and folds it up so Snafu doesn't have to rest his head on the floor.

"Thanks," Snafu says blankly.

"I thought it didn't hit you, you idiot?" Eugene asks.

"Naw, it hit me," Snafu smiles, "just didn't kill me."

"Wait here, I need a kit," Sledge gets up and walks off, leaving Snafu on his own.

Snaf uncomfortably folds his open shirt closed and crosses his arms over his chest self-consciously. He hopes no one will accidentally walk past this part of the ship while Snafu is stuck laying here like a patient. It takes far too long for Sledge to return.

When Eugene does finally return, he's holding a big medic kit that definitely is going to be missed somewhere.

"What'd you have to take off to get that?" Snafu asks, his voice mean, "Your pants?"

"I'll return it when I'm done," Sledge tells him in a no nonsense tone. He sets the kit down and flips it open. "I'll need to open the waist of your pants though, do you mind?"

Snafu looks to the sky to avoid Sledge's concerned gaze. "Don't care," Snafu says as nonchalantly as he is able. He wets his lips and squeezes his eyes shut.

Sledge gently uncrosses Snafu's arms and moves them to the side. When Sledge unbuttons Snafu's pants, Snafu takes a deep breath. His stomach constricts, and he knows his bones are poking out embarrassingly far. Sledge's hands are warm and surprisingly soft. Cleaning everything, and putting a tiny amount of stitches near Snafu's waistband area doesn't take Sledge long at all. Before Snafu even gets to fully enjoy the feeling of Eugene's fingers sliding over his most sensitive area, Eugene is already buttoning Snafu's pants back up and smoothing his shirt down. Snafu flicks the shirt back off, deciding if he's already indecent he might as well continue that way.

Snafu moves to sit up, but Sledge puts a hand on his shoulder.

"Stay down for a bit," Sledge says, "I want my shirt back though. Here." He scoots next to the wall at Snafu's head and then helps Snafu lean forward enough that Sledge can reclaim his stolen shirt. Sledge throws the shirt on and then scoots closer again, beckoning Snafu to lay back down.

Having his head in Sledge's lap is about a thousand times more distracting than Eugene touching his skin. There was a medical excuse for that. There's no goddamn excuse for this.

As if reading Snafu's mind, Sledge decides to up the ante and he runs his hand along the clean skin beside Snafu's wound. Sledge's hand continues up to Snafu's chest and then stops. Sledge picks at a brown spot of dried mud below Snafu's sternum till it pops off and he can flick it away onto the deck. He then massages away the sting and leaves his hand resting there.

Snafu daringly rests his own hand on top of Sledge's. He doesn't breathe even once till they're both settled and Eugene doesn't pull away.

"You need a shower, Snafu," Sledge comments.

"You gonna give me one?" Snafu lolls his head so he can see Sledge's face.

"Only way to do that now would be to toss you off the ship," Sledge says seriously.

"That a no?" Snafu guesses.

Sledge glances down at Snafu with his signature 'I know better than you, but I am also amused' expression, and then stares blankly out towards the sea. He sighs, "Sleep off the seasickness. I promise I won't snore."

Snafu silently watches Eugene's profile for a while before he finally closes his eyes.

Sledge keeps his promise. He doesn't fall asleep once during the entire time Snafu is out. Sledge does, however, eventually remove his hand from atop Snafu's chest and that wakes Snafu up instantly.

Snafu stays perfectly still, and tries to breathe as even as possible. He doesn't want Sledge to notice he's awake and kick Snafu out of his lap.

Snafu carefully peeks one eye open, and sees two hands hovering above his head holding a book and pencil.

"Writing again?" Snafu accuses.

"Hmmm," Sledge says.

"What about?" Snafu asks.

"You," Sledge responds.

Snafu smiles. He knows Sledge is just being obtuse and not actually writing about him, but still, "Tell me."

"No," Sledge refuses.

Snafu eyes Sledge's hands and attempts to determine how much force it would take for him to grab the book away.

"If you take this bible from me, I'll never let you sleep on me again," Sledge warns.

"What makes you think that's a threat?" Snafu teases. He sits up and tries to lean over to read Sledge's writing.

"Because you slept like a baby during your nap," Sledge says. He angles the book away from Snafu's prying eyes.

"Plenty of other guys in the company more comfortable than you to sleep on, Sledgehammer," Snafu says.

Sledge looks Snafu straight in the eye and dares him, "Then why don't you go find them?"

Snafu holds his gaze for a few breaths. And then wordlessly puts his head back in Eugene's lap.

Sledge calmly sets down his pencil and book, and threads his hand into Snafu's hair instead. "You know what I miss?" Sledge idly scratches Snafu's head as he talks, "Having an inexhaustible supply of blank paper."

"I still don't understand how you've managed to hold onto that one pencil nub for so long," Snafu comments. If talking means Sledge will massage his head, Snafu will do anything to carry this conversation.

"Writing in my bible is well and good, but nothing compares to a fresh blank sheet," Sledge states, "I can't believe that in school I used to tear pages up, or throw them away if I made even one typewriter mistake."

"We should find you a new pencil," Snafu continues his own train of thought, "Or maybe a couple."

"What a waste," Sledge sighs over his stupid crumpled typewriter pages.

"I bet the officers' tent in camp has pencils," Snafu muses.

"You need to borrow a pencil?" Sledge asks, "Sorry, I wasn't listening for a minute. Here, take mine." He hands Snafu the tiny nubby remains.

"Thanks, Sledgehammer," Snafu says and sticks the pencil behind his ear to remind himself later.

The first thing Snafu does on Pavuvu is go scrounging for paper. The constant stream of people coming in and out of the officer's tents makes it particularly easy to search. Snafu gets five pencils on only one run. He doesn't dare take the brand new stacks of paper. It would be too obviously missed. Instead he hunts through trash bins around the camp, and pulls out anything that looks clean and innocuous.

Snafu figures any important classified documents are being shredded or burned immediately anyway. No chance of him accidentally picking up something he shouldn't.

It takes a few days, but finally Snafu hits the jackpot. An entire stack of half used blank sheet notebooks. They're spiral bound, and the edges are dirty, and the covers don't look particularly pretty. But the pages inside are clean. Snafu takes his stack behind the mess tent and scrubs off some of the dirt stains.

A few of the notebooks are too gross to be salvageable. For these he carefully cleans his knife, and cuts out the crisp pages individually.

When he's finished he leaves his collection on Sledge's cot with the pencils resting on top of everything. Satisfied, Snafu takes a step back and surveys his work. Then realizes he can't let it look like he is doing Gene any favors. He sticks his hands out and musses the papers completely so the stacks are no longer neat and the pages aren't ordered by type. But he leaves the pencils on top. He doesn't want them to get lost or sat on.

At first Sledge doesn't say anything about Snafu's gift. The next time Snafu stops by the empty tent, the paper and notebooks are neatly stacked on a high shelf to keep it out of the way of crabs and vermin. It warms Snafu to see how organized the messy pile he left became. Even the pencils are safe and snug wrapped in a little handmade pouch.

Snafu takes the warm feeling with him to chow that evening.

"Did you wake up on the right side of the bed for once, Snaf?" Burgie asks.

Snafu brushes his comments off with a smile and sarcastic look.

Sledge looks up the minute he realizes Snafu is sitting down. "Hey," he says eloquently.

"Hey," Snafu says back. He sets his tray down and pulls out his cigarettes.

"I swear you smoke more than you eat," Sledge observes. He eyes Snafu's still mostly full and cooling plate of food.

"I only put things in my mouth if it's worth the bother," Snafu tells him, smirking.

"Are you saying warm mush isn't worth it?" Bill jokes as he polishes off his own bowl heartily.

Snafu laughs at Bill's graceless eating, till he realizes Eugene is staring. Not at Bill, but at Snafu. And looking very mournful for some reason. Unable to stand seeing Eugene looking that way, Snafu anxiously extends his hand to touch Sledge's knuckles, and then offers him a smoke.

"No thanks, Snafu," Sledge says, very unfriendly and possibly looking to start a fight, "I prefer to eat my meals."

"Has anyone gotten any letters from home yet?" Burgie changes the subject brightly.

Bill shakes his head.

"Nothing but my mother's usual package," Sledge says. He notices Snafu staring at him with quiet interest and adds with a sigh, "Yes, Snafu, I saved you your favorite jar."

Snafu smiles, "See, always worth it to wait." He grabs his unused spoon off the table and slips it into his pants for later.

"Sid still hasn't written to tell me if he made it home okay," Sledge says with a worried frown.

"I'm sure he did," Burgie says kindly.

"What about you, Burg?" Snafu interrupts, "You hear anything from Florence lately?"

"She's written, yes," Burgie says and turns as red as the canned beets Sledge's mother mailed last week.

Snafu whistles, Leyden begs Burgie to read any exciting bits aloud, and Sledge politely asks who Florence is.

"Burgie's girl he met in Australia after Gloucester," Snafu explains.

"I knew she liked me because she was the only girl not flocking around Snaf," Burgie jokes.

"Like flies to shit?" Bill snaps, "Snafu being the shit 'n ass."

"Don't think he slept in the stadium bunks with the rest of us even once," Jay laughs.

"I had more worthwhile places to go," Snafu says and eyes Sledge to gauge his reaction. He lazily takes a drag on his cigarette.

"Think we'll be given liberty in Australia again sometime?" Sledge asks. He holds Snafu's gaze steady.

"Don't care," Snafu shrugs.

"Unfortunately no," Burgie says, "I suspect we'll be run ragged till this war is over."

"At least she writes you," Bill interjects, "You'll just have to skip over thataway and pick her up before going home at the end of all this."

"Not sure how I'll manage that," Burgie takes a deep breath, "But it's true, I think she felt as strongly as I did. She expresses it well in her letters."

Bill whines that Burgie is holding out on his buddies by not divulging the content of said letters. He and Burgie get into a heated discussion that mostly consists of Bill begging and wallowing in self pity over not having any sweethearts.

Snafu and Eugene ignore them. Once Sledge finishes his meal, Snafu offers his cigarette again, and Sledge accepts. They pass it back and forth as they watch the sunset over the beach in the distance. Snafu wallows in every single touch of their fingers during each exchange.

"Speaking of mail," Sledge starts, "Snafu, did you leave paper on my bunk?"

"Why would I leave paper on your bunk?" Snafu scoffs.

"I thought maybe you were writing a letter and forgot it, or something?" Sledge asks, as though he isn't smart enough to put two and two together. No one accidentally leaves a jumble of notebooks lying around. Not when they're such a hard commodity to find.

Bill barks a laugh "Snafu writing? Can you imagine...that'd be the day."

"The only paper I ever concern myself with is asswipe," Snafu taunts. He dangles his cigarette out of his mouth and smirks at Leyden. Snafu throws one cautious glance over to Sledge and immediately regrets it.

Instead of being grateful, Sledge is annoyed. He snatches the cigarette straight out of Snafu's mouth. Sledge's fingers press into Snafu's lips briefly before he steals the smoke away, almost like a gentle punch. The unexpected touch and Sledge's deadly serious glare turns Snafu hot down to his toes.

Sledge finishes the cigarette in dead silence, and rather than stub it into the ashtray, he takes the nub and sticks it back between Snafu's lips. Sledge abruptly stands, grabs his tray, and stalks off without another word.

Leyden awkwardly coughs and gives Snafu a sympathetic look.

"Did you dump a bunch of papers on Eugene's bed?" Burgie asks Snafu for clarification.

"Fuck no," Snafu lies. They know he's lying. He grinds the cigarette into dust on the ashtray.

"Maybe I should have mentioned the Australian guys were buzzing around you, too," Jay suggests to Snafu, "Except there were less of them thanks to the war."

"Don't think that would've helped, Jay," Burgie says.

"Yeah?" Snafu says. He climbs over the mess hut wall and walks off.

#Sledgefu #Pining #Demisexual snafu #Bad germs

35 notes · View notes

freakygirlie · 4 years ago

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J2 Fanfic Rec List <3

In honour of all the j2 content we have recieved, and the amount of fanfiction I have read, I decided to make a rec-list nobody asked me for but EVERYONE has to read k? Capiche? Make sure to heed the warnings, and read the tags. These are some beautiful gems by very talented authors and I’ve only scratched the surface of it.

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The Courtship Of Jensen’s Co-Star{Masterpost} by qblackheart-

Summary:- Somewhere in the time between a handshake and a hug, Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki went from being reel-life brothers to real-life best friends, and complete strangers to cosmic soul mates, no rhyme or reason to it that either of them could ever see. Jared was everything Jensen was not: friendly, funny, and full of life; one in six-point-whatever billion the Earth’s population currently stood at. Life was awesome. Work was amazing. Everything was fine until Jared kissed Jensen. Everything was peachy until Jensen fell in love. With desperate times unexpectedly calling for desperate measures, Jensen called Chad Michael Murray for relationship advice – because being in love led to temporary insanity obviously – so it really didn't surprise him that he couldn’t seem to win when it came to wooing Jared. Still, Pisces must’ve been in a really good place in the night sky or something because suddenly, right smack dab in the middle of the miserable courtship of his co-star, Jensen discovered that maybe loving Jared was all he needed to do to win his heart. And luckily for Jensen, loving Jared was also the one thing he did best. ~112k~

The Play Nice Proviso{Masterpost} by qblackheart-

Summary:- When Jensen Ackles first met Jared Padalecki, it was most definitely not love at first sight. It wasn’t even like at first sight. In fact, Jensen hated him, and he had a few good reasons as to why. So what if his new co-star was oblivious to his one-sided warfare? Jensen could deal. Apart from when he couldn’t. So when it came down to picking between Padalecki and his peace of mind, the choice seemed clear. Except for the fact that The Network had his balls in a vice, leaving him stuck with Supernatural, stuck with his idiot co-star, and worst of all, stuck with a ‘Play Nice’ Proviso added to his contract. Well, he could play nice. He would play so nice that the world was going to think that he and Jared Padalecki were the bestest friends in the history of best friends. It was unfortunate then that no one had ever told Jensen what happened when an immovable object met an irresistible force; no one had ever thought to mention that there was a thin line between hate and love; and nothing, absolutely nothing, could have possibly prepared him for Playing Nice with Jared Padalecki. ~70k~

And The Rest, As They Say Is History by Raina_at-

Summary:- Struggling actor Jensen takes a job as big-shot movie star Jared Padalecki’s dogsitter. And the rest, as they say, is history. ~17k~

reinventing love ‘verse{Masterpost} by _mournthewicked-

Summary:- With high school graduation less than two weeks away, best friends Jared and Jensen find themselves scrambling to tie up a few loose ends before they’re forced into adulthood. Jared ropes Jensen into helping him get the alcohol for Sandy's graduation party, and what should be a simple night of partying ends up turning into a series of mishaps and misunderstandings that all come to head when Jensen finally tells Jared the secret he wasn't ever planning on spilling. If high school has to end, they're going out with a bang. (A J2 spin on the movie Superbad) ~200k+~

My Heart Don’t Beat The Way It Used To by Raina_at-

Summary:- Jared and Jensen have been best friends forever, and nothing’s going to ever change that, not even senior slump, or college anxieties, or even Jared getting an annoying cheerleader girlfriend. Or so Jensen thought. ~26k~

Can’t Point The Way To Your Heart by Belyste-

Summary:- AU in the vein of movies like Hitch - Jensen's an unofficial advice guru, and Jared's his latest project. Except while Jensen's supposed to be helping Jared end up with the woman of his dreams, he falls for him instead. ~33k~

Something Borrowed, Something Blue by Belyste-

Summary:- When Jared desperately needs a date for his brother's wedding, he hires an escort. Jensen's the perfect fake boyfriend, except pretty soon things get a little too real. Based on The Wedding Date. ~38k~

True Colors by muni-playground-

Summary:- Jared is a mentally challenged young man with a very special gift. Jensen is an executive with nothing in his life but work. They meet by accident and discover a connection that defies explanation. ~32k~

The Billionaire’s Reluctant Husband by house_of_lantis-

Summary:- Billionaire Jensen is a playboy and he needs a husband pronto if he wants to keep his company and his inheritance. After a chance meeting with quiet and hardworking Jared, Jensen decides that he’s found the perfect candidate. The arrogant Jensen thinks he’s got Jared in the bag, but when his new husband refuses to sleep with him and doesn’t really even seem to like him, Jensen convinces himself that he’s happy with his open marriage lifestyle. But Jensen becomes increasingly obsessed with his new husband and discovers the truth behind Jared’s dark past. ~98k~

Project Get Jared Banged{Masterpost} by soulmatecest-

Summary:- Jared's had the best stepbrother in the world in Jensen since the age of five — growing up together and more attached than usual brothers would —, only realizing that he’s in love with Jensen by the time he hits thirteen. After five more years of Jared's impossible crush, he knows his life turns and spins around his brother. Luckily for Jared, he and Jensen have always been closer than other siblings, making his feelings seem a little less hopeless. Or that is until Jensen announces he’s moving to Austin to live with his girlfriend next year, leaving Jared's perfectly built Jensen-centric world crashing to the ground. That’s when Chad and Sandy decide to convince Jared that moving on and letting go of his feelings are the only way to get through his lost love for Jensen. Yet their plan to get Jared out of his shell and over his stepbrother doesn't sit well with one person: Jensen himself, who realizes that the more Jared tries to pull away, the more he wants to get him back closer. ~120k~

Burn The Land and Boil The Sea by nyxocity-

Summary:- Eight years ago, Jared spent his entire summer on a tropical island off the coast of Mexico with Jensen. He fell head over heels for Jensen, but their lives were going separate directions at the end of the summer, and they never quite got together. Jensen left for Greenpeace and Jared went off to college—but he never truly got over Jensen. Now, in present day, Jared is a marine biologist working on a project in the gorgeous panhandle of Alaska. He’s amazed to discover the captain of the ship he’s chartered is none other than Jensen Ackles himself. Jared’s overjoyed, but Jensen is less than thrilled—he’s a changed man since that summer so long ago; withdrawn, passionless and solitary. Still something of the bond between them remains, and neither of them seem to be able to escape its pull completely. When Jared’s project leads them into danger and leaves them running and fighting for their lives, Jensen’s secrets begin to come out, drawing them back together—but can they survive long enough to figure out this thing between them? ~53k~

As This Sunset Turns to Morning{Masterpost} by _mournthewicked-

Summary:- Jensen spends his life hiding who he is from the family that would never accept him if they knew. When he’s uprooted in the middle of his senior year and suddenly becomes the new kid, his carefully placed mask begins to slip. Especially when he meets Jared – a loud, outspoken spectacle of a boy that fights for everything Jensen was taught to stand against. Jared has no problem going after what he wants, and now it’s just a matter of Jensen letting himself do the same. ~86k~

Leave My Heart Out of This by elless18- (link to the timestamps)

Summary:- AU. Jensen needs to get married in order to get his grandfather’s inheritance and open his own law firm. Jared would do anything to help his best friend. The plan is simple- pretend to date, get married, get the inheritance, get divorced. But things grow complicated when one of them starts falling for his fake boyfriend. Can they find their happily-ever-after from all the lies they’ve built around them? ~35k+~

Who Watches Over Me? by nyoxicity-

Summary:- Jensen Ackles is an ex-Navy SEAL turned civilian bodyguard with a mysterious past. Jared Padalecki is a flamboyant Hollywood star known for his action movies who's been receiving death threats. The case sounds like Jensen's idea of a nightmare, and he takes it on against his better judgment. Jared drags him to clubs and parties and award ceremonies without any care for how difficult he's making Jensen's job, and to his complete lack of surprise, they hate each other. But when hate changes into passion, it begins to reveal something deeper between them, and Jensen realizes he's in over his head. Can he still do his job and keep Jared safe? Or will he fall prey to his greatest fear and fail someone... again? ~96k~

The Billionaire’s Bidding by Raina_at-

Summary:- When idle, slacking billionaire’s son Jensen Ackles lends a helping hand to his old childhood friend, he gets a lot more than he’s bargained for. ~31k~

Hold My Whipped Cream by dimpleforyourthoughts-

Summary:- International Best Selling Author Jensen Ackles is all kinds of specific with the details of his life. He likes privacy, writing, and coffee; black, no sugar, hold the cream. He’s become a fixture at the local coffee shop, writing from his table every day for the past two years. His vices include routine, neatness, and structure. Jensen doesn’t do messes. Then there is Jared, recent post-grad basket case, who’s been coming in every day for caffeine he doesn’t need and bringing the increasing disaster in his life with him. Jared is a mess in all the ways Jensen is not and so Jensen offers to help Jared in the only way he knows how: by buying Jared a cup of coffee. ~37k~

Operation: Mistletoe by dimpleforyourthoughts-

Summary:- FBI Agent Jensen Ackles is a damn good agent, but his devil-may-care attitude, gut instinct, and sheer dumb luck have finally run out. With his job and reputation on the line, Jensen is assigned to a new partner: the overzealous and overachieving Agent Jared Padalecki. Their mission: Infiltrate a ring of drug dealers hiding out in Suburbia in the midst of the Holiday season. The only catch? They have to pretend to be head-over-heels in love with each other. ~39k~

Regaining Sense{Masterpost} by astri13-

Summary:- A vengeful crime-boss cost Jensen not only his eyesight but also a promising career with the FBI. When the man resurfaces two years later, Jensen is not thrilled to find himself taken into protective custody, even less so when the Agent in charge turns out to be Jensen's former partner and boyfriend, Jared Padalecki. Will the two men be able to overcome their differences and work together to not only stop the bad guy but also uncover the mole in their own ranks before it is too late? ~27k~

Say You’re Mine by Belyste-

Summary:- It takes his two best friends getting engaged to make Jared realize what’s missing in his own life, but once he figures it out, he’s a man on a mission: find true love or die trying. He’s not asking for much – just the perfect soul mate to spend blissful eternity with – so when a chance meeting drops Jensen into his life (and his lap), it seems like fate. But either Jensen missed that memo or fate seems to have other ideas, because nothing works out the way Jared planned. Based loosely on S1 of How I Met Your Mother, but you don't need to have seen that to know what's going on. ~56k~

Absence From Those We Love by _mournthewicked-

Summary:- Jensen Ackles led a great life. It just wasn’t the one he planned on. Now he’s newly single, stuck at a job he hates, and sharing an apartment with his lovably psychotic best friend. When he’s given the chance to go back and do it all over again, he leaps at it. Only he soon comes to realize that no matter what’s in front of him, it’s impossible to leave the past behind. Considering what he’d be giving up, he might not even want to. (17 Again - J2 Style.) ~41k~

Change The Fate’s Design by _mournthewicked-

Summary:- All Jensen has ever wanted to do is see the ocean. Unfortunately, that's kind of hard to do when your dad won't let you leave your house in the forest because of your magical powers. So, Jensen spends most of his days with no one but his pet hedgehog to keep him company. At least, until a guy named Jared stumbles along and offers to help him realize his dream. (A J2 spin on Disney's Tangled.) ~50k~

A Spotlight On These Desolate Dreams{Masterpost} by _mournthewicked-

Summary:- In high school, Jared Padalecki had it all. He was surrounded with rich, famous, beautiful friends and partied with young Hollywood's elite. As if all of that wasn't exciting enough, he used the tricks he learned from his grandfather to become an amateur sleuth with his billionaire best friend, Jensen Ackles, playing the role of trusty sidekick. But when he got in over his head and lost everything he once held dear, he knew that it was time to move on. That was ten years ago. Now he lives the lonely life of a hardboiled private investigator on the streets of Manhattan, and his fabulous past is nothing but a distant memory. That is, until a tragedy forces him to return to California and the world he left behind. Between juggling rabid paparazzi, sarcastic detectives, and a spurned ex-best friend, it's a wonder that he can possibly find the time to solve a murder that has left the city of angels reeling. ~50k~

Break Me, Shake Me, Hate Me, Take Me Over by orphan_account- (sorry, I can’t access the author’s account but the story’s link still works!)

Summary:- When recklessness, alcohol and a bullet to his hip sees his police career end in disgrace, alpha Jensen Ackles resigns himself to a life spent in the dregs of a bottle, aimless and filled with regrets, watching as the bills and eviction notices pile up. That is, until he's offered a job and lodging with beta lawyer Samantha Smith, as a pseudo bouncer/admin worker. It's a far cry from his previous life, but it might just be what Jensen needs to drag himself from the dark place he's in. Not only that, but little does Jensen realise that taking on the position will bring him face to face with his biggest regret; the person he walked away from three years ago in what was the worst mistake of his life... ~70k~

Whiskey River, You’re All I Got by whisperedstory-

Summary:- Jensen's life revolves around The Whiskey Sour, the bar he inherited from his grandfather nine years ago. But with too few customers and not nearly enough profit, things are taking a turn for the worse. And then Jared Padalecki walks into Jensen's life and changes everything. ~19k~

Out Of The Silence by annie46-

Summary:- When hardened, but lonely cop, Jensen Ackles meets Jared Padalecki in his family’s diner, he doesn’t realise that his life is about to change drastically. Jared is a complete innocent, deaf, mute and unable to communicate, he needs a friend. Can Jensen be that man? ~the word count wasn’t mentioned but if i had to take a guess, I’d say something between 20k and 30k~

The Execution Of The Last Steal by soulmatecest-

Summary:- Anyone who meets Jared Padalecki would think he has the perfect life: a college degree, a normal life and an apparently perfect fiancé, Stephen Amell, the son of a Senator with a bright future. Except for one thing: it’s all based on a lie. Five years ago, he created a new identity for himself to cut all ties to his criminal past and ex-boyfriend Jensen Ackles, a world-renowned thief. But Jared can’t run forever. A threat from his past comes back looking for him and the only person who can help him is the man he thought he left behind forever, the only person Jared’s never been able to forget. Incredibly charming and just as cocky, Jensen Ackles is a thief that is too good at his job for his own good, who would do anything to protect Jared now that his life is in danger. Years have gone by, but he has never been able to forget Jared either. And perhaps now that they are forced to escape together, Jensen might be able to do what he’s best at: steal Jared’s heart one last time and win back the only person Jensen has ever loved. ~97k~

Bring Me To Life by alienat-

Summary:- Jared’s a shy young man, whose life has never been easy. His father hates him, his mother drinks her sorrows away and his husband Paul treats him like he is nothing more than a beautiful toy. When his husband has to go away on a business trip to Europe for two months, he sends Jared away to a ranch in the middle of nowhere to keep him under control. There, Jared meets people who show him what love, friendship and loyalty mean for the first time in his life. Can he escape his life and finally find some love and happiness for himself? ~81k~

Gunpoint{Series} by felisblanco-

Summary:- Jensen got his childhood stolen away from him when he was ten years old. Along with his memory, his voice and every emotion that wasn’t fear, hatred or anger. Question is, can Jared help him get any of it back? And more importantly, does Jensen really want him to?

Election Day by morganaDW(morgana07)-

Summary:- Jensen's running for President with the deck already stacked against him. He's come out as gay while serving in Congress, his Vice President is a colorful Misha & his family has disowned him over his choice of partners. But that's not the worst of it...On Election Day when he should be focused on winning Jared ends up shot after stepping in front of a killer's gun to save some school children. Election Day is important but to Jensen nothing is more important than Jared and he doesn't care who knows it or if he loses so long as he can be with him. It's Jensen who winds up surprised in the end. ~8k~

A Boy At An Open Door by poor_choices-

Summary:- Jensen Ackles' life is all sorted out, until a blast from the past shows up and makes him realize he's not as happy as he thought. ~10k~

Beautiful Disaster by nyoxicity-

Summary:- Rock Band AU. Jensen’s the lead guitarist in the number one rock band in the country. Justin’s the lead singer, and they’ve been doing this together since middle-school, been together since just after high school. As on top of the world as they are, Jensen’s starting to become disillusioned with the lifestyle and his crumbling relationship with Justin. And then he meets a new roadie on the crew named Jared who’s got a voice like an angel and a heart to match, and everything starts to change. ~96k~

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And that’s the end of it!!! These are absolutely beautiful, gorgeous and epic fanfictions and will keep you buys for days! Hope y’all enjoy these, I’m off to read more sksksksksk. Let me know if a link doesn’t work, if you like any of these in my inbox and if y’all want a part 2! Peace and J2 5 ever!!!

#j2 #j2 fic recs #j2 recs #j2 fic rec #j2 rec list #fanfiction #jensen ackles #jared padalecki #me as a stan doing my civil duty #ENJOY IT J2 NATION #!!!

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