#i dunno has anyone else had this experience?

[rainbow-fairylandsystem]

oh my god. oh my god, what if i’m not stupid? what if i just have brain fog?

i’ve spent years thinking about how much slower i’ve gotten since i was a teenager, i used to be so quick and sharp. i was never good in school, but i was always good at stuff like literary analysis and debating and languages. at the very least, i could devour chapter books in a matter of hours

now, i can’t even get through a few pages of a book without just giving up. i just thought, wow, am i just getting stupid now that i’m older? my brain can never keep up with conversations and it takes me ages to come up with an answer for anything.

what if this isn’t my fault?

[revasserium]

Hey, can I request zoro x reader (established relationship) where the Strawhats end up going to reader’s home island (unknown to anyone in the group aside from reader), and the reader is super nervous and refuses to leave the boat, so the crew goes out and walk around and they find a missing/wanted poster of the reader and find out she’s a run away princess that needed to be. Later they coke to find out that reader ran away cause her parents and the servants mistreated and was about to marry her off to a violent prince

opla requests are: open

lips on every cross

opla!zoro; 5,989 words; fem!reader, semi-established?? relationship, posessive!zoro, strawhat!reader, no "y/n", reader gets kidnapped, fluff and angst, very brief! mentions of past familial abuse and trauma, nicknames ("Princess"), slow-ish burn???, more plot than not

summary: zoro has never thought himself a holy man. but he'd kiss every cross if it meant finding his way back to you.

a/n: idk why every opla fic i write is like... more plot than i bargained for but here we are. literally, this fic was just supposed to be "zoro calls the reader 'princess'".

01. when love arrives

(“Hey Princess —“)

The nickname starts, as almost all things do on the Going Merry, as a joke. And, as with most jokes made amongst the rag-tag crew, it sticks. He’d said it because he’s sure you’d mentioned your name once or twice already, but he’d been napping or eating and he didn’t feel like looking like an asshole right that moment.

The ribbon in your hair had caught the light in just the right way, pale pink satin — such a strange, soft color amidst the careening, careless ocean, and the word just… slipped.

“Why’dyou call her that?” Luffy asks, lounging back against the main mast as Zoro works through the umpteenth rep of single-armed pushups.

Zoro puffs out a breath and switches arms.

“Dunno. Seemed like it fit.”

Luffy slates you a long glance, blinking owlishly.

“Really? Eh — I guess… well, she is really pretty.”

Zoro only grunts, jumping up and stretching both arms over his head with a long, steady breath. His eyes flicker towards you as well, laughing with Nami on the foredeck, sipping on cocktails, Sanji probably simping somewhere nearby.

He thinks back to where they’d found you, hood pulled low over your eyes, the tell-tale signs of distress carved into every line of your body, from the curve of your spine to the bend of your shoulders.

Luffy hadn’t asked questions, so Zoro hadn’t either.

Curiosity, the fatal flaw that runs so sharp and obvious through the entirety of Luffy’s being, hasn’t always been rewarded well in Zoro’s experience. And he’s learned by now that “truth will out”, or so they say.

(“C’mon, Princess, I thought you said you could drink.”)

Caution, on the other hand, is Zoro’s oldest friend. You are cautious, if nothing else, and the first time he sees you relax in his presence, he wonders to himself if there’s a drug in this world strong enough to induce this feeling.

Later, he would learn that this is simply called falling in love.

He isn’t the only one who notices how you casually dip a silver fork or knife into every single drink before you take a sip, or that sometimes, you blurt out the word “no’ like a promise to yourself, and “sorry” like a plea for help.

And he’s spent long enough being a hunter to know what being hunted looks like. So he doesn’t ask, and you don’t answer, and somehow, you still manage to make yourself a home in the dark caverns of his chest, curling up there till he can’t count his heartbeats without it sounding like the shadow of your name on the midnight wind.

02. a study of light and dark

The drinking game starts off innocently enough (and don’t they always), but it takes half a round for the questions and subsequent answers to devolve into loud laughter and debauchery, delirium and debasement.

“Alright, alright —“ Sanji holds up a hand, tossing back his shot to raucous cheers, “worst thing you’ve done in a closet. Go —“

Zoro rolls his eyes and takes the shot, foregoing his answer. Nami simply grins, catlike, swirling her own drink around her glass.

“In your wildest dreams, cook,” she says before taking her shot as well. Sanji lets out a contemplative whistle, followed by a good-natured wink.

“Define worst, cause… I mean, I’ve puked in like… most of them back in Syrup Village,” Usopp says. Sanji only chuckles, shrugging.

“We’ll take it, we’ll take it.”

Luffy hums, frowning for a second before smacking a fist into his open palm, grinning, “I took a nap!”

Everyone laughs, helpless and buoyed up by the casual effervescence of a night like this — when the moon is dark and the stars are bright and thin wisps of silver clouds mar the sky like tendrils of lost daydreams, caught on the wrong side of sunset.

When the laughter settles down, everyone turns to you.

You purse your lips, feeling the weight of your answer pressing down on the tip of your tongue — I hid. And I waited. And I tried not to listen.

As the silence stretches on, Zoro leans forward and uncrosses his arms, reaching out to nudge a full shot glass towards you.

“Times up, Princess — drink,” and though there’s nothing soft or even forgiving in his voice, but you feel yourself relax as everyone boos and you take your shot.

The heat of Zoro’s gaze only lingers on your skin for a moment longer before he leans back again, that familiar almost-grin tugging lazily at his lips as he turns half-lidded eyes towards the rest of his crew.

(“Talk to me, Princess.”)

When you find him later, fumbling in the dark of the hallway just outside his room, you kiss him without saying “thank you” and he doesn’t question it when, pressed beneath him on the rough linen of his sheets, you ask to keep the lights on.

03. etymology

Princess — it’s a nice word, Zoro muses to himself. The light pop of the ‘p’ rolling into the warm, round ‘r’, thinning out into the sensual layering of the double ‘s’s, till you’re left with nothing but a hiss, a shadow, a memory.

It’s a regal word; a pretty word. Though its origins might be anything but.

From the Latin primus “first” and cept “catcher”, or so Robin had told him over the pages of an ancient book he hadn’t bothered to ask the name of, because Princes and Kings have always obtained their powers through taking, and never asking. Reaping, and never sowing.

Zoro thinks then that this, too, is a form conquest — you over him. The totality of your power stunning to behold, if only because he has to let you take it in the first place. And he does so willingly.

He wonders if you, too, are as multifaceted as his nickname for you — delicacy and desire wrapped around a darker something, lace laid over a knife’s unforgiving edge.

The first time he dares to kiss you, he feels you kissing him back, the sharp canines of your teeth catching on his lower lip, drawing out a soft grunt from him. You’d paused, and then you’d bitten down harder just to hear him gasp into your mouth.

He knew then, without ever having to ask, that you are.

04. tip of the iceberg

It is winter when they arrive — but then again, it is always winter here. Here, the cold runs so deep it drives frost crystals into the marrow of your bones. Here, the wind howls like a wounded animal and the night falls with a savage, carnal vengeance, all black velvet and a blood-tinted moon.

Here, the snow storms turn living, breathing heroes into song lyrics and poetry rhymes.

You inhale a single breath before turning and heading back below deck.

Zoro frowns, and at a single look from Luffy, he follows you beneath, only to find you rummaging around the kitchen, tugging a bottle of moonshine out from under the sink.

“Whoa,” Zoro says, reaching out to stop you from uncorking the bottle, an eyebrow raised. He doesn’t miss the way you shiver, “bit early, isn’t it?”

“Bit rich, coming from you,” you snap, eyes sharp, voice stinging.

Zoro only cocks his other eyebrow in tandem and pulls the bottle from your hands before turning and grabbing two glasses from the cupboard. He takes his time filling them both with ice, and then pouring a finger into each glass.

You don’t meet his eyes as you reach out for your glass, but he catches your wrist.

“A drink for an answer,” he says.

You pause, your lips pressed into a thin, white line. And he knows it’s unfair, to turn this game around on you, because he can tell from the hard set of your shoulders that this is so much more than a drinking game but if this is what it takes to get the truth — then so be it.

“Fine,” you say, glancing away, voice clipped.

You move to take a sip, but Zoro pushes down your hand again.

“No lying.”

You scoff, narrowing your eyes, “Obviously.”

He eases off, picking up his own glass and clinking it against yours before taking a light swig, “You know this place.”

This time, you’re the one who turns around with a cocked brow.

“Got a question in there somewhere?”

Zoro’s lips twitch, “Yes, or no.”

You sigh, tapping a finger against the edge of your cup, “Yes.”

Zoro hums, “Your turn.”

You chew on your lips before taking a sip, “Why do you care so much?”

Zoro ticks his tongue against his teeth, “Stupid question. Next.”

You huff, “That’s not how this game goes.”

Zoro swirls his glass before setting it down on the counter with a loud clack, “Because I care about you.”

You pause with your own drink halfway to your mouth and look up. Zoro doesn’t shy away from meeting your gaze and for a moment, time statics to a halt around you.

Then, Zoro sighs, unclenching his jaw as he attempts a lopsided smile.

“Hey, talk to me,” he reaches out to trail a finger along the high of your cheekbones, up to the shell of your ear.

The ‘please’ hangs silent in the air between you; the ‘Princess’ is implied.

And for the first time, he thinks he sees you flinch. He makes to pull back but you tug his hand forward, pressing your cheek against his palm.

“This island,” you say, finally, the tremor in your voice like a hairline fracture snaking through a porcelain vase, “it’s… well, it used to be… my home.”

05. the secret history

It is the most beautiful place any of them have ever been.

The castle is made entirely of ice, the cold winter sun refracting the light into a million and one unseen colors. Giant ice-carved sculptures dot the crystal-flower gardens, and it takes them all a few minutes to realize that the gorgeous, delicate blooms are made of glass, blown and shaped to mirror real-life snowflakes — each unique, glittering, and eternal.

“Dude… how long do you think all this took to make?” Usopp asks, his head turning as if on a swivel, his jaw hinging off his face in awe.

Robin sighs, “Too long, perhaps.”

Zoro stays quiet, and beside him, so does Nami.

You’d insisted on staying back, to guard the ship, you’d said. But the space you usually fill in the group hangs solid in the air, a gaping hole of lack when there should be none.

Luffy hums and he marches out in front of them, ever the dubious, fearless leader. Though most of the crew has now come to terms with the fact that “courage” and “sheer bull-headedness” are often two sides of the same coin for him.

It’s Sanji who pauses first, causing Chopper to ram into the back of his knees.

“Ouch! What’dyou do that f —”

“Look,” Sanji says, pointing at a poster pasted to the slick outer wall of the castle gates.

And they do, leaning in, crowding too close. Zoro grunts as Chopper jumps and scrambles up his back to peer over his shoulder at the face plastered on the dew-soaked poster, the words LOST PRINCESS: 120,000,000 FOR ANY INFORMATION THAT LEADS TO HER WHEREABOUTS printed in giant, familiar block letters along the bottom.

Beside him, Zoro can feel Nami swallowing. Hard.

“A hundred and twenty million berry…” she murmurs, her breath going shallow as they all stare, dumbfounded at the poster of what is unmistakably you.

You, with your exquisite features schooled into something like solemnity, your usually wind-swept hair twisted up into a tight braid across the crown of your head, a diadem of ice-white silver and light-cut jewels jutting up from your severe updo like so many broken teeth, sharp and unforgiving as stalagmites.

If none of them had known, it’d be impossible to reconcile you with this cold, distant portrait, your eyes rendered lifeless and dull by the depthless black ink.

Luffy, however, only blinks and turns to stare at Zoro.

“Did you know?”

“What?”

Luffy continues to stare, “When I asked why you always call her ‘Princess’.”

Zoro sighs, turning his eyes back to the WANTED poster before shaking his head.

“No. Like I said… I thought it just… fit.”

06. eternal day

Zoro is itching to get back to the ship. There’s a fish-line sliver of worry tugging at the place behind his chest where his heart should be, and he knows implicitly that something is wrong.

“Don’t worry, she can take care of herself!” Luffy says, smiling bright, his confidence unwavering.

“No Luffy, Zoro’s right — someone should be with her. What if —” and here, Nami glances at Zoro before turning her attention back to Luffy, “— she might need the backup,” is what she finally settles with. And to Zoro’s great relief, Luffy agrees.

And then, to everyone’s horror, off in the distance, your voice rises over the wind in a blood-curdling scream.

07. endless night

By the time Zoro makes it back to the ship, you are already gone.

08. torn asunder

Gone, gone, gone. The word echoes like an ill-fated alarm bell, ringing through Zoro’s entire body as he catapults himself through the ship, slamming open every door, checking every nook, corner, and crevice. Signs of a struggle, that much is clear, scuffs on the freshly waxed planks of the aft deck, nail marks along the railings, and —

Zoro’s breath freezes in his chest.

A smear of blood that drips over the side of the ship, trailing down the ladder.

A flash of pale pink catches his eye.

Your satin hair ribbon lies abandoned on the wharfs’ boardwalk, the faintest splatter of red soaking its ends.

He picks it up between gentle fingers and tucks it deep into his pocket.

His vision blurs red as he thinks about the things your captors might’ve done to you before dragging you off. He’s seen you fight and it wouldn’t have been easy to bring you down.

And by the time the rest of the crew reach him, he’s already sprinting back towards the castle, his jaw set, his teeth gritted.

It takes the combined effort of Sanji, Luffy, and Robin to stop him from charging through the castle gates and tearing the whole place down.

“Runnin’ round like a headless chicken’s not gonna do her any good, mate,” Sanji says, a smoke already caught between his teeth. A pre-fight ritual of his.

Zoro jerks his arm out of Sanji’s grasp, stalking down the street with a huff.

Robin strolls after him, somehow keeping pace, looking unhurried as Zoro tamps down the blind urge to slash the entire island in half.

“We’ll find her,” Robin says, her voice level, even as her sharp eyes scan the white-specked horizon, the usually amused half-twist of her lips laid flat by worry, “and she’s stronger than you think.”

At this, Zoro whips around, “I know —” but he bites down the venom threatening to surge up the back of his throat with a sigh. Robin doesn’t flinch, and Zoro attempts a steadying breath before repeating himself in a slightly softer tone, “I know… I’m just…”

Robin nods, and Zoro is thankful that he doesn’t have to finish his sentence.

09. the tower and the throne

The cold greets you like a scorned lover— a spiteful, savage mistress. Tendrils of frost creep along the walls of your old bedroom to caress your cheeks. You shiver and wrap your arms around yourself, sitting on familiar satin sheets.

“Dinner is soon, darling,” your mother’s cool voice calls from outside your bedroom door, “and make yourself presentable — we’ve got guests.”

The sadistic lilt of her voice as she says the word ‘guests’ makes you jerk your head up, staring at the door as if you might be able to bore through the thick wood with nothing but your eyes. And, almost as if she can feel you staring, you hear your mother’s cold, tinkling laughter.

“Hurry now… I had your favorite dress put out for you. It should still fit — and we don’t want to keep them… waiting.”

The slow, sanguine pause before her last word makes you want to rip out your hair and scream into the wind till your voice gives out.

Instead, you push yourself up and reach for the dress laid out at the foot of your bed with shaking fingers.

The dress fits you like a second skin, the delicate lace trim barely sweeping the floor as you adjust the bodice, grimacing at your reflection in the large, floor-length mirror. It is as if the last ten months had never happened, as if you’d never escaped this terrifying hellscape of a winter wonderland. As if you’d simply dreamed every single sun-filled afternoon, every star-strewn night spent laughing and singing amongst your new-found crew.

Here, in the fragile glass reflection, you are once again a girl trapped behind her own ribcage, with a destiny carved into stone and ice, with no hope of summer in sight. You take a long breath and tighten the ribbons of your dress.

You are still and silent as the maid slips in through the door after a single knock and begins to twist up your hair. Tighter and tighter, till it sets your teeth on edge. When she pins the crown in place, it takes everything inside you not to fall apart, to shatter at the weight, the sight of it sitting on your head. You swallow as the maid dips her head and backs out of the room with a murmured dinner is served, Princess.

For the first time, you wince openly at her words.

10. waiting for the rain

The hall is just how you remembered it, huge and cavernous, gaping like the empty maw of some petrified monster, the ceiling hanging with so many cold, sparkling chandeliers, ice-carved statues jutting up from the floors like teeth.

You’re marched in like a show animal, the great marble doors swinging open before you as you step forward and feel your breath freeze in your chest.

There, strung up on a massive statue of some long-forgotten saint, is Zoro, cuts and bruises marring his already scarred and puckered torso. But he smirks as he sees you come in, his eyes bright as he spits a mouthful of blood onto the seemingly endless white floors. Around him, the rest of your crew sits, tied and slumped over in chairs like so many sleeping mannequins.

“Hey there, Princess. Just in time for dinner.”

You nearly wince at the raspiness in his voice, the faint trickle of blood that leaks out the corner of his mouth.

“Silence,” your father’s voice echoes out from the high-backed chair at the head of the ludicrously long table. You don’t have to see to know his face is as smooth as just-applied plaster. But Zoro only has eyes for you — and he continues to talk as if he hadn’t been interrupted.

“If you’d told us we’d be welcomed like this, we might’ve packed differently.”

You bite down on your bottom lip so hard you almost taste the metallic tang of blood.

“Our daughter has always been a skillful liar — though it’s a habit we tried to… rid her of in her youth. The lesson never seemed to have stuck.” Your mother this time. And now, you can see the muscle ticking in Zoro’s jaw as he scoffs.

“Really? And here I always thought she was shit at lying.”

You swallow down a whimper as the maid wordlessly leads you to the far end of the table, where Zoro is still tied. You drop into the seat between a snoring Luffy and an eerily still Nami, and it’s all you can do not to turn around and retch onto the silk embroidered rug.

“Be that as it may…” your mother’s voice drops a few degrees — an admirable feat, as her voice is usually just on the other side of frigid, “it’s bad luck to kill on the eve of a royal wedding.”

At this, Zoro’s head snaps around and you shrink back in your chair, your eyes fixed on your fists, clenched in your lap.

“Mother,” you grind out, finally forcing your head up so as to meet her piercing, blizzard-bright gaze, “I’ve told you, I’ve no intention of getting married. At least not to the mongrel you’ve decided to set me up with.”

You spit out the last sentence, trying to remember all the snark, all the confidence that’d built up inside you over the past weeks and months. Away from this dreaded castle and on the sun-soaked bow of the Going Merry, it was the first time you’d begun to discover who you are — the things you liked, the ways of life that you yearned for.

Your father slams a hand on the table at the same moment that Zoro lets out a bark of laughter.

“Insolence!”

“Damn, Princess — you never told me you could bite.”

And, to your horror and perhaps deep-seated pleasure, a blush works its way into your cheeks at Zoro’s words. Your eyes snap towards him, catching his gaze as he smirks at you. And even though his shirt is slashed, his sword hilts hanging woefully empty at this hip, his hands twisted painfully behind him on the statue, he still manages an easy, condescending air.

You seize at this tiny tendril of normalcy as you force a wane smile.

“I might be persuaded to do more than that… if you ask nicely.”

Zoro’s snicker is drowned out by your mother’s sharp gasp. But you don’t look away, holding Zoro’s gaze for as long as you dare — in it, you find an entire abyss of barely concealed rage (and is that… amusement?), his entire body straining against the shackles that hold him. Then, his eyes slip from you to a point just over your shoulder.

It’s then that you realize: Luffy’s not snoring anymore.

11. to reap and to sow

You’re never quite certain of how the Merry’s crew seems to always just wriggle out of frankly gruesome and untimely deaths, but here you are, racing for the docks like your lives depended on it. Because, well, it kind of does.

“Remind me —” you shout between pants, one hand clutched firmly in Zoro’s, the other doing its best to lift the ridiculous dinner dress they’d put you in — a confection of lace and tulle, the bodice laced with pale pink satin ribbon, “how the hell did you guys manage to trick my parents into thinking you’d eaten the spiked food?”

Sanji flashes you a toothy grin, “Ah love… you know how it is — ask us no questions, and we’ll tell you no lies!”

Luffy, however, whoops as he launches himself from a pair of solid brick buildings, catapulting himself over your sprinting crew.

“We just — pretended to eat! I mean — I did kinda actually eat a bit — but — it wasn’t that bad!”

You resist the urge to pinch your nose bridge at the nonchalance with which Luffy is talking about consuming poisoned food, but you’ve only got two hands and both are equally occupied at the moment. You settle for an exasperated sigh.

“That was — really stupid! — What if — they’d — poisoned the food — with something — other than — sleeping medicine?!” you ask, forcing air into your lungs as finally, you all round the bend onto the bustling pier, the Going Merry’s unmistakable shape silhouetted against the misty horizon.

“We can talk when — we’re all back — on the ship!” Nami calls as she sprints passed you, reaching out a hand for Luffy, who’s elongated arm grabs her and slings her onto the deck of the ship. You barely have a second to breathe before Zoro’s arm loops around your waist and you’re being pulled tight into his side.

His breath is hot against your collarbone as he smirks, “Hold on tight, Princess.”

It’s all you can do to listen as you’re suddenly whipped through the air like a doll on a drunken marionette’s string. A bright peal of Luffy-tinted laughter later, you thud onto the deck of the Going Merry, the breath knocked clean from your lungs as the world spins and spins. You’d expected to hit solid wood, or maybe even the railing or the mast but —

Zoro groans beneath you, and it takes you a long second to realize that he’d cushioned your fall, your bodies pressed chest to chest, hip to hip, your arms still wrapped around his shoulders, his still steady around your waist.

“O-oh! Sorry —” you try to pull away but Zoro’s grip on you only tightens.

You freeze as he blinks up at you, eyes slightly narrowed.

“Crown’s crooked,” Zoro finally says, that tell-tale smirk twisting the edge of his lips as his gaze flickers upwards. Your hand jumps to the crown, somehow still clipped into your now disheveled hair, lopping to one side as the braids start to come loose. You purse your lips.

“I never liked it anyway…” You make to tug it out but Zoro reaches up to right it, though he lets his hand linger as he falls along the side of your face.

“Nah, looks good on you.” His voice is so low, and suddenly, air is such a language that you’re certain you’d forgotten how to speak. Slowly, he pushes up till you’re both sitting, you still pressed against him and him still pressed against you. Distantly, you can hear shouting, Usopp’s voice raised high over the wind as the Merry careens out of port and towards the open sea.

But strangely, no one makes to pull you away from him, or him from you.

“I should’ve told you guys…” you say, eyes casting down as you rest your palms against his chest. Beneath it, you can feel his heart — pounding, pounding, pounding. There’s a light sheen of sweat glimmering on his honeyed skin as you swallow, looking back up even as he chuckles.

“Sure, but we should’ve asked.”

You bite your lips, “I think you did.”

Zoro grins, shrugging as he helps you up, somehow managing to keep his arm slipped around your waist.

“Well. Should’ve asked better, then.”

12. lost stars

It takes you a while to tell them the story — the real story, the whole story. And there’s drinking involved, but it’s mostly just you clutching at your half-filled glass, Zoro’s knee pressed comfortingly against yours, even though his eyes are closed, his head leaned back, his arms crossed loosely over his chest.

You tell them about the dark underbelly of royalty that everyone knows but no one wants to talk about — the blood and teeth beneath the silk and silver. You tell them about being raised a bargaining chip, of being sold and promised like a prized heifer on auction day.

You tell them about the moonless nights when the only thing you had to keep you company was the cold, about the “lessons” your mother would teach you, about how the maids would be instructed to hide the bruises just so, about the Prince who you were set to marry and the rumors that plagued his castle —

“They say that he’d take the prettiest girls from the surrounding town as his maids and that none of them ever walked out of his castle again,” you say. The moonshine burns on its way down your throat as you finish your drink.

Wordlessly, Zoro reaches over to pluck the glass from your hand and set it on the table. It’s only then that you realize your fingers are white and trembling.

“Did he hurt you?”

Zoro’s voice is not loud, but everyone turns to look at him. You shake your head, clasping your hands in your lap.

“No. I only ever… met him once, at a dinner party. It was after that that I… ran away.”

Zoro hums, leaning back again, “Good.”

Across the room, Sanji blows out a series of smoke rings and frowns.

“Were you about to offer to hunt him down?” Robin asks, sounding amused.

Zoro shrugs, “Wouldn’t have offered — would’ve just done it.”

“He sounds like the kinda guy we should hunt down anyway, no?” Luffy asks, cocking his head as he looks back at you, “I mean, I’m glad he never hurt you but… he’s still hurting people!”

“Luffy’s got a point,” Sanji says, stubbing out his cigarette.

“For once, I agree with Sanji,” Nami says.

There’s a light squabble during which Sanji makes an aggrieved noise and Nami rolls her eyes, and then everyone is laughing and chatting and more drinks are being poured. Next to you, Zoro reaches out to wrap his arm around your waist again. It’s something he’s been doing more lately, and you can’t honestly say that you mind it much at all.

“We don’t have to,” he says, leaning forward, almost as if to brush his lips by your ear, “if… if you don’t want to.”

You shiver at the base rumble of his voice, at the way his eyes are so warm and full of some uncertain promise.

“No, I… I do want to. It’s just…”

Zoro’s fingers trace small, absent-minded circles into the skin of your waist and you fight down another shiver.

“I don’t plan on letting you get kidnapped again, Princess.”

Your gaze snaps up to meet Zoro’s, and there’s a faint smile kissing the line of his lips. And suddenly, the lightness of his touch doesn’t feel so thoughtless as heat curls out from the place where his palm meets your skin, radiating out till you’re breathless with it.

“Oh?”

“Never liked people trying to take what’s mine.”

And the dark possessiveness with which he says mine leaves little room for interpretation, even as you lick your lips and try to think of something witty to say.

“I don’t remember agreeing to be yours.”

It’s the best you can come up with; Zoro’s only response is a soft, contemplative grunt.

“What’s that saying? ‘Actions speak louder than words’?” he flashes you a satisfied grin as you narrow your eyes at him, swatting at his chest as he laughs.

“I meant it though,” he says, a moment later, as the rest of the crew all chatter around you, “about calling it off if you don’t want to. But…” he reaches up a free hand to tug a strand of your hair free from the ponytail it’s tied up in.

“Figured you might sleep better at night knowing he’s gone.”

You let out a breath you hadn’t been aware you were holding, your whole body softening as you lean into him, pressing your palms to his chest as he looks at you.

“Yeah… I think I might. And… like you said… it’s not like I’m gonna get kidnapped again.”

You smile, letting your eyes flicker down to Zoro’s lips. His smile is pleased and just a little jagged as he tugs you up by the hand and the pair of you slip from the room.

Above deck, the sun is setting, and the warm, slanted light casts the entire ship in a glaze of gold that looks almost gilded. You lean against the railings, closing your eyes and letting the warmth of the sun seep into your skin, chasing away the chill that’d been lingering at your fingertips since you’d all made your spectacular escape from your home island.

You feel rather than hear Zoro join you. You take your time breathing in the salty tang of the humid sea air before opening your eyes and slating him a side-long look.

“Thank you,” you say.

“For what?”

“For coming after me.”

Zoro scoffs, turning away from the roiling waves to lean back against the railings, his head cocked as he looks you over.

“Like I said… I don’t like it when people try to take what’s mine.”

But this time, you laugh, nodding, “So you’ve said. But still… thanks.”

“Hn.”

Zoro closes his eyes, seemingly enjoying the last vestiges of the setting sun as it sinks ever-lower along the horizon. Then, he opens one eye to peer at you.

“Though I’ve been meaning to ask —”

“Hm?”

“What’s this about doing more than biting… if asked about it nicely enough?”

You try to duck your head but Zoro catches your chin in his fingers.

“I — I just… knew it would piss off my mother if she —”

“Mm, sounded like more than that to me.”

Your breath hitches as Zoro’s thumb traces a rough line along your bottom lip.

“How about… I show you?” and the offer is barely out of your mouth before Zoro is kissing you, his mouth seeking out yours with a soft groan that betrays all the lightness in his touch as he trails his free hand down your arm to pull hard at your waist.

And it’s not the first time you’ve kissed. It’s not even the first time a kiss with Zoro has become more than just a kiss, though you’d always been careful before to make sure that he knew (though thinking back, it might’ve just been an ill-fated attempt at lying to yourself) that the pleasure shared between bodies was just that — pleasure and bodies.

But this — this kiss becomes, and becomes.

It becomes breath and heartbeats, pleasure and heat. It becomes truth and promises and the tantalizing taste of fairy-tale endings.

“Z-Zoro…”

“Yes Princess?”

You hiss as his teeth grazes along your pulse point and your fingers fist in his hair.

“Y’know…” your voice comes out as nothing more than a soft pant as Zoro tugs you over to one of the reclining chairs beneath the orange trees and pulls you over his hips, “I’ve never liked being called that but…”

“But?” his thumbs inch beneath the material of your shirt, circling your hipbones as he smirks up at you.

“I don’t mind it when it’s you.”

Zoro’s grin goes wide and wolfish. Above him, the first stars spark into being as the sun finally sinks beyond the far horizon. For a second, his smile softens as he reaches up to toy with the end of the pale pink ribbon in your hair. Then, he gives it a single, solid tug, and your hair falls open around your shoulders, tumbling down in waves.

Zoro leans up to press a light kiss to the blood-stained satin before letting it flutter off in the wind, twisting into the rapidly darkening night.

“Good… cause I ain’t about to let anyone else call you that either.”

[followerofmercy]

I think Freminet has some of the most interesting dissonance in his self perception of any Genshin character.

Like, of the Hearthlings we know, he's one of the most emotionally mature and intelligent. Lynette might still have him beat, but after playing her hangout... I dunno. I think they're tied. Lyney is Crumbling, Alrecchino is. Well. Arlecchino. Everyone else is a deeply traumatized child or adult and Freminet seems to pretty regularly be people's emotional support. His character stories talk about getting his vision by saving a bunch of other kids on a dive that went bad. The Selkie event literally had him being a therapist for a grownass woman, citing his past experiences with all the other Hearthlings that have died or killed themselves. And he handled that situation WELL. Yeah, he seems to live in a fantasy, but goddamn he's alive and a lot of people in his position aren't so clearly something is working.

Either his or Lyney's character story talks about the time Freminet had reached out to Lyney to try to ease his burdens, which resulted in Lyney blowing up at him. That probably contributed to Freminet thinking he's not good at it, but I think the reason Lyney reacted so badly was BECAUSE Freminet is actually a good support. He can't allow himself that from the little brother he's supposed to protect.

Freminet seems to both cry and dissociate often, but like... Kiddo you are in fact the only person in this family actually processing your emotions. Lynette dissociates 24/7. Arlecchino. Lyney lies and tells everyone he's fine and would literally rather die than admit otherwise. In comparison, Freminet is doing FANTASTIC

Freminet also gets a lot out of helping people! Like anyone, he needs to feel useful and needed. He seems to be an excellent mentor to the younger Hearthlings and perfectly competent on his own, but when you put him in a room with Lyney and Lynette who baby him and insist that THEY take care of HIM, he withdraws into himself.

Like, Freminet by himself feels like a young man and Freminet with the magician twins feels like a teenager. I have no idea how old he actually is. Logically, he would be OLDER than them! He's been with the House much, much longer and his experience shows. I think it's fascinating that they love him SO MUCH and yet, they just Cannot let him help them. Which is hurting him.

(Lynette is much better about not babying him and that is probably why their relationship is so much better than Freminet and Lyney's. Also why she keeps having to mediate between them. Because Lyney charges off trying to Fix Everything and that just makes Freminet feel useless and he doesn't want to get in the way and- you get the point)

Idk. It's hard to tell what things the previous director said to him vs what Arlecchino has said to him. I'm inclined to think our Arlecchino was the one that said he cries too much, but in a "crying in front of your enemies will get you killed" way and she herself is too fucked up to realize how "you cry too much" could be damaging.

Also I try not to consider gameplay stuff when it comes to story, but Freminet also has some of the most BRUTAL animations. He SMASHES HIS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT METAL PENGUIN INTO HIS ENEMY'S FACE. He doesn't think he's the most amazing fighter, and by Fatui standards he probably isn't, but he is winning fights against most grown men.

Tldr Freminet thinks he cries too much and is a burden and isn't good at helping people when he's actually the most mentally stable Hearthling send tweet

[fallow-hollow]

Heyo! I came by to ask if it’s possible that you could write a Chilchuck x non binary! Reader who has a stutter and hasn’t gotten any help for it since childhood? Like not being able to say sentences properly without suddenly pausing by accident and having moments where the reader struggles on just one word? It’s mostly because I have irl and I don’t see a lot of books about readers that have a stutter as I think it’s used mostly to be cute or uwu- so maybe Chilchuck could try to help them?

cold reading

ft… chilchuck tims x nonbinary! reader

tags… pre-relationship, pining, reader has a stutter, fluff

word count… 882

notes… hope i did a good job! i had a friend who stutters be my beta reader to make sure i did alright, but further notes are always welcome! also fun fact, a ‘cold read’ is a read through or performance of a script or text with no prior practice, so i thought it would make a cute title !!

This may have been your idea, but you were already starting to have some second thoughts about this plan.

Chilchuck was well aware that you often had some trouble speaking, but it was never something he wanted to intervene on without your permission. The man had his own fair share of experiences being babied by those around him, so the last thing he wanted to do was belittle you by acting as if he knew more about what would help you than you did. So, naturally, reaching out about wanting assistance was up to you.

If there was anyone you trusted to help you with this vice of yours, it was Chilchuck. It wasn’t even that he himself was particularly well spoken or collected — no, it was your trust in him from a personal perspective that made it so easier to confide in him. The two of you had always been pretty good friends, and plus, it was rather nice how he never judged you for things you couldn’t control.

Truth be told, seeking help from someone like Falin likely would have been equally as helpful, but if you had to be honest with yourself, you also just enjoyed spending time with the man. Something about his presence put you at ease, despite the standoffish demeanor he had most of the time.

That’s how you found yourself here, trying to read from a book while he sat patiently beside you.

However, this may have been far less embarrassing for you if the book you borrowed for this little practice session wasn’t one of Marcille’s romance novels.

“She tr- trekked across th- across the muddy dirt path, her, her boots… boots covered in…..” Even when reading completely inoffensive narration, you still tripped up on certain consonants and found yourself repeating certain words. Sometimes, you’d even lose your place or space out, and end up unconsciously repeating the end of a word when you ‘picked up where you left off’, so to speak.

Chilchuck stayed silent, of course, not wanting to be rude by calling you out or correcting you in the middle of your sentences, but the long periods of yourself speaking and nothing else did make you feel rather awkward at times. After you sighed and shook your head, signifying that you had given up, he allowed himself to speak.

“Maybe try reading some dialogue instead. It could feel more natural if it’s something you could say to an actual person instead of just narration.” At his suggestion, you nodded, letting your eyes scan the page to the closest piece of dialogue you could find.

…Ah.

Well, it wasn’t that embarrassing. Compared to the other things one might find in a novel like this, it was really rather tame. Yes, you could make this work.

When you glanced up, the half-foot was still meeting your gaze, looking as if he had something to say. You murmured a quick “Yes?”, to which he responded promptly.

“You’ve mostly been looking at the text while you’ve been talking.” One hand gestured briefly to the book you were holding. “I dunno if this is the case, but focusing too hard on the written words could trip you up.”

The statement did ring true, at least somewhat. You’d been very fixated on matching the written words to the pronunciations in your head so as to not mess them up, but maybe that was contributing to this unnatural sort of feeling you’d had while you were reading. Talking to Chilchuck certainly did help you calm down most of the time, so maybe you’d feel more relaxed if you tried that instead.

He didn’t directly tell you to, but you chose to look at Chilchuck’s face while you talked. After reading the words and trying to internalize them the best you could, looking at him was almost a way to relax your eyes. Without focusing on a particular point or feature, you let yourself just… take him in. Register that this was the person you were speaking to. Allow the words to be fully and wholly directed at him.

In hindsight, the method may have been a bit too effective, judging from how the sentence came out almost immediately and with great fervor,

“You have no idea the lengths I’d go to just to see you!”

Hey, why did the man across from you look ever so slightly pink…?

Oh.

“Oh no, no I’m so- s-so sorry! Sorry!” Your hands shot up in an apologetic yet defensive behavior, which seemed to ease Chilchuck’s nerves, judging by the small laugh he let out.

With a wave of his own hand, he responded, “You don’t need to be. Just surprised you’d get so bold all of a sudden.” He then shot you a wink and a point, something that threatened to make you melt entirely. So easily could he touch your heart, yet at the same time it was hard to falter when he smiled at you like that.

“Did a good job on that one, though. Sounded great!”

Either way, if you can one day manage to speak your true feelings to him, then maybe you’ll be able to say all the other things you want to as well.

“Tha…thank you, your help, it, um… it really means a lot.”

[kamatha]

I love the idea of leafling scars!! Such a cool idea but I’ve never seen anyone draw anything life that! Maybe I’m biased because I like Bernard.

Had this idea brewing since the game came out and there are SO many ways it could be applied to imply extra stories for Bernard and the castaways! I have no idea when else I'll be able to talk about this in length so thank you for sending this I can finally ramble!!!

To summarize:

Cured castaways are left with vine stitches that protect and keep together any internal or external injuries (may or may not disappear once the injury is fully healed)

The pikmin parasite potencially focuses on the head to control the host

The longer they're a leafling the more vibrant the hue left on the skin is. (I wasn't sure how much of a tomato Olimar would be)

Flowers can bloom in their leafy coats

Despite being brought into the same Onion they have different types of leaves/vines/flowers

I left it ambiguous whether or not castaways are still being healed after they've been turned into leaflings

Other info and ideas I didn't include:

A lot of times the plant grown will be poisonous ie. a yellow leafling grows buttercups. This is to protect them from predators.

Marks resembiling their leafling eyes might be visible on their corneas

Drinking nectar gives them a similar effect to the pikmin; blooming flower, faster speed (maybe strength? forgot if that's boosted), they also get "extra lives" but their pain receptors are more sensitive than the pikmin so they get temporarilly incapacitated for longer

Keeping it ambiguous if castaways are straight up revived from the dead or need to be brought in while they're still hanging on (there's so much story potential if theres a time limit tho!)

They might be able to use the vines as a second limb (I accidentally drew Olimar's vine too low so he probably has a vine tail now)

Dunno if I did Yonny's speech pattern justice here (still experimenting) but-

I REALLY wished we could've gotten notes from Yonny about this since he got to see them up close. And dang it I'm really curious about how the leaflings work, I get that they're all dandori n stuff but what if the pink ones can fly or the purple ones are stronger. Maybe all of them except blue leaflings get hurt by water.

So many questions and no answers, and so much design and story potential!!!

I cut the image in case tumblr's compression kicks me.

This was a pretty fun way to start drawing the castaways too. Now I'm really tempted to draw everyone's leafling forms (I may have already picked flowers for the rescue corps team based on their symbolism)

[polaris-stuff]

Hey Noffy again

These last three episodes. Honestly I am still in shock.

As someone that was in the middel all the time. Right now at least the fandom seems United in being pissed (at what part certainly different, but i don't see anyone really liking this arc)

Right now...I don't think I gather my thoughts enough to say anything about the track the celestial family's arcs are going. Just that I am disappointed.

I am trying to find a way they can safe this arc.

Wich lies with that last but in the mgafs episode. The 'this all feels very orgistrated, moon losing his mind. Killing bloodmoon'. Or something along those lines.

If based on that. There is a sort of 'virus' reveal that some people have been speculating. I want something else to happen.

It still needs to hurt. That earth and lunar gave up on moon. Like it's the virus that made it all so quick and violent? (If that's what they are going for)

But still keep that part of the angst? I dunno. Something along those lines (still don't want old moon back without new moon. Answering for whats going in or the family trying to help. )

Gosh and I hate that sun wasn't here. People saying he needs to make a decision and then he isn't here?

I am afraid of next episode and what they are gonna tell sun. Sun is gonna be so utterly broken.

Uugh I think I am gonna join everyone in the fanfic reading.

I am still holding a sliver of hope they can fix this.

Or more I WANT THE SHOW TO FIX THIS.

I have not been in this community long. (Got introduced just around when Bloodmoon came back. ( A little before that))

I have not interacted with people much except in comments on ao3. Or asks where I can be on anon as I can't use my main. Or in the comments of threads.

But the people have been kind to me. Even if I held a different opinion. I've seen the joy this show gave. The art that it creates. And I am scared this arc is gonna destroy all that. Because people lose motivation because of this arc.

I really really hope not.

I hope the show brings it back. I hope they can do something. Even if for right now it feels like shit.

-noffy

I missed your asks, Noffy 🥺💖

Tbh I had no idea people were speculating about a virus until yesterday, and honestly, if it all ends up being about a virus (or the Ruin virus on Moon) I'll still be so upset. Because I won't be able to stop thinking about how Moon changed a little, became more aggressive and his family abandoned him at the first "No, I don't want help."

This whole arc only confirms the worst fears of all Moons: they will never be loved. They will always be the bad guys. << Which is btw what New Moon feared and talked to Earth about in therapy.

This arc feels rushed, gross, and not only did destroy the family, Moon's entire development was thrown in the trash. They butchered Moon's character. How are they going to fix this? Why tarnish the name of one of the show's protagonists so badly? Someone they're going to need later?

And you know what I hate more than everything? Sun doesn't know anything about what's going on. Puppet went, told him "you have to make a decision", Sun couldn't do it and Puppet went and sent Moon into space. Without authorization from Sun. And I hope Sun is really upset about it in the next episode.

Oh! And by the way! Earth comparing Moon to the creator felt like a stab in the back. The creator is a horrendous being who killed children for his own benefit, who does horrible experiments, and who planned and killed many people. New Moon has never killed anyone, New Moon was always helping his family, New Moon bought a house so Sun could have a place to relax, New Moon helped make Earth's new body with love, New Moon was so concerned about Lunar's well-being (when Eclipse came back) that he asked for and helped build a bodyguard for him.

New Moon was there ALL THE TIME for everyone.

But no one was for him.

I propose that the entire fandom pretend that this arc never happened :3 💖

[metalheads-trash-bin]

Good morning everypony, the trolls fandom needs to handle different opinions better 😀

I can think he’s a silly ass goose while also knowing he’s a loser !! It’s called a complex character! Creek is extremely complex to me because I have hyperempathy, a minor in psych for multiple reasons, a hyperfixation on trolls, and understand there’s only so much you can do with a character in the length of a movie 😭

People are allowed to headcanon Creek as a severely mentally destroyed person if he lived, and how he most likely regrets what he did.

He’s also, surprise surprise, a living being!! Living beings are inherently selfish creatures. I argued with this dude about a makeshift trolley theory bc he couldn’t handle me calling the guru “silly”. Creek begged for his life, saying he’d do anything out of desperation and fear. I don’t believe he expected that to go how it did, with him having to lure the village out or else he’d be devoured. I dunno about you, but i don’t think any being that has baseline selfish desires would pick themselves to die if they were in that situation. Creek was a young adult, he had a lot of life experience that still needed to happen. And on top of that, I don’t believe he was very content with his life if he was so quick to “drop the mask” and sacrifice others. He was seen as a god in the village, do you understand the mental effect that can have on someone? Especially if his whole “perfect guru” thing was a facade. All eyes were on him everywhere. From beliefs, to help, to practically worshipping him.

Saying to me how he joked with poppy doesn’t do shit, because if we’re digging into my headcanons then i have an idea about that too. I feel Creek did that so she’d stop fixating on him and actually do her damn job as queen: saving the kingdom. Poppy was a childish person, love struck and obsessed with Creek. She wanted him safe, and that meant ignoring the impending doom the kingdom was going to face if chef found the trolls in the village. For her trolley problem, she picked him first and assumed she could run back and protect the rest after.

In the end, the plan she executed worked out. But it’s understandable for people to be frustrated with her saving Creek and prioritizing him.

If he knew the situation, which he at the least did when confronted by her, he was most likely frustrated and disappointed she cared about him more than anyone else. She risked the lives of the entire snack pack for him. If he had baseline empathy and the “perfect guru” thing was a facade, he’d of felt guilty and a bit embarrassed he was put above everyone. All those lives were blood on his hands if any of them died while saving him.

Creek did technically do what he did for her, forcing her hand to hate him and focus on the kingdom. And he wasn’t lying when he said he’d have to live with what he did for the rest of his life.

But thats just a theory!

A trolls the-

[daenerysstormreborn]

Actually I’m making a separate post about this. Before you read, please understand that when I use the words “feminine” and “femininity” I am exclusively talking about the patriarchal stereotypes, aesthetics, gender roles, and other expectations ascribed to the female sex in a given culture. I do not mean “the intrinsic aspect of being female/a girl/a woman/however you wanna phrase it.” The concept of femininity is a construct. It’s a set of traits and roles and expectations and aesthetics that anyone can have. So when I say that some female characters are more or less feminine, I am not commenting on identity, I am commenting on presence or absence of traits ascribed to girls and women and conformity to sexist expectations. I am making this distinction because in the past it has been assumed that when I said that a girl was less feminine, I was saying she was less of a girl, which isn’t at all what I was saying. Anyway.

I have a knee-jerk reaction to the idea that the only reason Arya didn’t like “ladylike” activities is that she had bad experiences with them with Sansa, the septa, and her mother. Like the one exception to this is that I love the idea that she’d be good at embroidery if she was able to use her left hand. But otherwise I think it risks treading into gender essentialism. Like “the only reason a girl wouldn’t like and be good at “feminine” things is if she had bad experiences.” I know that’s not what most people mean to imply but I dunno I just think it would be really boring if it was like oh turns out Arya loved dresses all along like it gives Allison getting a makeover in Breakfast Club.

Like oh the girl who was insecure about not quite conforming? Well turns out that the answer to her insecurity is to conform! She just needed people to be nicer to her so she could become a feminine girl just like everyone else! No. There’s no power in that. The answer should be that social acceptance allows her to embrace who she is and have confidence in that! I want Arya to wear pants that allow her to run and play with children and a long cloak she’s embroidered with wildflowers. I feel like people generally understand that it’s sexist to have the resolution to the “I’m insecure because I’m not as feminine as other girls and have been mistreated for it” be “now that people have been kind to me I have become as feminine as other girls.” Like Chie in Persona 3. 

It undermines the criticism of the people who were doing said mistreatment. Like “You were right to be insecure! The answer is to change yourself! People bullying you for being different? Never fear! If you simply experience true kindness and acceptance, you can stop being different! No more insecurity because you can be just like everyone wants you to be and society itself doesn’t have to change!” There’s this dissonance in some fans where they can recognize that the way Arya was judged was wrong, but they still want Arya to end up being traditionally “ladylike.” And for me it’s just like. Why. That’s so boring. I don’t hate it as much as Arya growing up to be a ruthless killer but it seems like a betrayal of themes. My ideal end for Arya is that she’s home, she’s loved, she gets to be who she is. She has a family. She’s beloved by all the children in the Winterfell, not just her own. She teaches them about the wildlife and gives water dancing lessons to girls AND boys who want to learn. She braids her hair against her head to keep it out of the way and decorates the braids with flowers. It’s a very “happily ever after” sort of ending of course and not exactly what I think WILL happen (I do not have any idea what her endgame will be, to be clear, I’m just clarifying that I’m not theorizing I’m just imagining the best happiest ending for her I can think of that fits her character).

I just think that Arya doesn’t need to actually like dresses and be good at all the “feminine” activities and hobbies in order for her to be a beloved Lady, and it feels like that’s the undercurrent to the notion that Arya only dislikes traditionally “ladylike” pursuits as a result of trauma

[comicallylargemango]

Senku I. X Reader! !!

Fictype: songfic

Genre: fluff

Warning: none

A.N: h IM BACK!! With a Senku Ishigami fic!!! He has been plaguing my mind for a month so ermm ywah

Aslso N/n means nick name

HAPPY STONE DAAAYYYYYYYY

★I've rejected affection, for years and years.

At this point everyone knew Senku ishigami was a man of science, he had no time for such illogical things like love. but fate disagreed.

★Now I have it and damn it, it's kind of weird.

When you had first told Senku the words, "I Love You" he was quite shocked, in a good way, of course. a feeling of warmth and affection rose from the dark, mechanical depths of his heart. No one had ever told him that directly, though he knew from their actions and and body language, everyone had their own way of saying I love you, be it platonic or romantic.

It was only natural that he'd be tongue tied when he heard the words "I Love you." Come from your lips. He was hesitant to say it back, the three words feeling foreign 'n weird in his mouth. Never would he have thought he'd say them.

★He tells I'm pretty,

He however, is indifferent to to looks. He doesn't care about the way someone dresses, or how he dresses for that matter. He knows he looks fine.

But for some reason, whenever you were around, he found himself more conscious of his looks and mannerisms. At first he thought it might've just been hormones but never had he felt that way before, so his second thought was you. At the beginning, when you two had first met, he was... Uninterested, to say the least. But as time grew on, he found himself hyper aware and overly embarrassed whenever he did something even just slightly off character Infront of you.

★Dont know how to respond.

When you complimented his knowledge in science, it... Made him feel better, more confident. It wasn't the first time someone had complimented him before but hearing it from you just sounded better, sweeter in his ears. So much so that whenever he'd finish his projects or experiments, he'd always look for your opinion first, his first thought when making something amazing was you.

★I tell him that he's pretty too,

So it was only natural he'd start reciprocating, after all. He isn't some self centered prick, he knows feedback and constructive criticism is important. Though he was a bit hesitant of saying it out loud at first.

"Yo. Y/n." He greets you from behind. Looking at the project you had finally finished. It wasn't overly amazing or perfect, it was fine, it was... You. (In his own words.)

"Heya, Science Guy." You looked over your shoulders to greet him, smiling softly as you wiped your sweaty forehead.

Senku stood beside you, examining it for a while before turning to look at you, hesitating for a while. "Good job, N/n. I'm ten billion percent sure you're getting an A."

★Can I say that? don't have a clue.

He was patiently, (nervously, though he'd never admit it) waiting for your answer. It wasn't usual for him to give out compliments or anything of the sort.

But the way your eyes lit up, the upward curve of your lips, and the way you puffed out your chest and stood straight with confidence?

Yep, he'd have to start complimenting you more often.

"Thanks! Senku."

★With every passing moment, I surprise myself.

At first he doesn't notice it, all the acts of service and words of affirmation he gives to you completely fly over his head. It was only when Gen pointed it out that he finally realised.

"Isn't it so strange?" Gen nudges at Senku with his elbow.

Senku looks up at him in confusion. "What's strange?" He raises an eyebrow.

"Mmm, I don't know. Maybe the way you're a lot more affectionate towards Y/n-Chan than towards anyone else?" He teased, feigning innocence and curiosity.

"Dunno what you're talkin about." Senku shuts him off bluntly.

Gen has an evil smile on his face. "Oh? Then what about that gift you gave them two days ago?Or the week before that? Or when you complimented their technique despite everyone else doing just as well?" He smiles wider.

Senku facepalms, looking at Gen with an uninterested expression. "That's because it's important to reward people for their hard work, Gen."

"And it's because they have been working harder than others."

"Hmmm, is that so~?"

★I'm scared of flies, I'm scared of guys.

When Senku first acknowledged his feelings, they were small, like the bud of a flower waiting to bloom.

But when the petrification happened, the dark void gave his feelings time to ferment and grow stronger. Aside from counting every individual second, you were constantly plaguing his mind, despite his best efforts, sweet images of you and Him constantly threatened to reset the count. But somehow, he managed.

★Someone please help..

And as he broke out of the stone prison, his condition only worsened, (by condition; I mean him wanting to see you again so badly) the many memories you both had together had been modified by his feelings for you and turned sweeter, overly romanticised, if you will.

★Cause I think I'm falling inlove this time,

And it didn't help with the fact that practically everything reminded you of him.

Whenever he needed flowers for dye, boom bam a million memories of the few times he touched your soft skin.

Whenever he saw the sunrise, it reminded him of your smile, the way your eyes would shine whenever he complimented you.

★i blinked and suddenly I had a valentine. (Valentine)

It was all so surreal to him, how he managed to fall in love. someone like him, falling inlove? If you told the Past Senku he woulda laughed in your face, and then go on a rant about how illogical love is blah blah yada yada yada.

But he wasn't complaining, who would complain about having a valentine?

♪ ♪ ♬

★What if he's the last one I kiss?

You remember it like it was yesterday, the first time you'd have kissed Senku. Though it wasn't hot and steamy like how the forbidden part of your brain thought it'd be. It was more or less, awkward. But sweet nonetheless.

"Sseeeeeeeennnnnkkkuuuuuuuuuu. . ." You poked at his face, trying to pry his attention off of his experiment.

"aaaaaaAAAAAAAAA. What is it now, N/n." He groaned exasperatedly. Carefully setting down the glass jar.

"I have a question." You smiled deviously.

Senku groaned even louder, glaring at you with the most uninterested face ever. "No a car will not pull itself if you attach a magnet Infront of it, My hair-"

"No— Senku that's not—"

"—my hair stands up because I style it that way, and—"

"sENKU" you shout exasperatedly, finally getting his attention.

"What?" He stares at you annoyedly.

"Can I kiss you?" You finally ask, suddenly seeming very serious, as if you were playing mario cart with Senku's competitive ass.

Senku's eyes widened in shock, though he immediately resumes his calm, uninterested expression. "Mmmmh.. Nah." He turns back to focus on his work with a smug smirk on his face.

Already imagining the dumbstruck expression on your face, nearly doubling over laughing as he can basically hear you pout through your voice.

"wHy not?" You ask, nudging his shoulder until you get his attention.

"Because I'm busy." He deadpans.

"Too busy for just a little peck?" You tap on his shoulder to get him to look at you, then using the most girly voice you could muster:

"Pretty pleaseeeeeee??" You put your hands together to seem more convincing.

It's effective! Senku ishigami loses -10 billion willpower! (Cmon now we all know he's soft on the inside)

Senku Inhales deeply before letting out the most obnoxious exhale you've ever seen. "Fine." He grumbles. He turns his body to face you, still slightly hesitant.

He leans in slightly, waiting for you to reciprocate. When you finally get over your inner fan-girling, you lean in a little too fast and end up bumping foreheads with Senku.

He rubs the place where you two bumped in a an attempt to sooth it.

"I—im sorry! I didn't mean to. ." You look down shamefully. Little did you know that, as soon as Senku recovered, that awesomely big science brain of his conjured a devious plan. (His words not mine)

When you least expected it, he brought his hands up to your cheeks, gently making you look at him. Before he leans in and kisses you softly on the lips.

It was short but sweet. When he leaned away, he took a moment to admire your starstruck expression, smirking at his accomplishment.

Before you could respond, he tries to lick his lips as sneakily as possible so you wouldn't see. (You saw it)

"That good enough for you?"

★What if he's the only one I'll ever miss?

You knew what love felt like, (mostly from TV shows but anyway) and it was nice. But, you'd never chase it, yeah sure it makes you feel all nice and warm and cozy. You'd miss it for a little while, all the affection n sappiness. But life goes on,

That is, until you met Senku.

As you grew closer to him, you had the strong urge to be near him, closer to him. He plagued your thoughts 24/7, him and his stinky, unique, Leek hair, it was quite obvious you loved him. How could you not?

The way his eyes lit up whenever he talked about science, the determination in his eyes to finish some project of his, his... Brash and oftentimes rude personality, though you knew better. He only cared.

★Maybe I should run? I'm only 21.

Sometimes it was hard, Loving Senku. Not because he made it hard, No No, in fact it was all too easy to love him. Before you confessed to Senku, thoughts of rejection constantly plagued your mind.

Senku was a man of science, no way he'd reciprocate your feelings, right?

And so you thought just blocking them out was the right way to go, though it only allowed your feelings to get stronger and stronger until it overpowered you.

★I don't even know who I want to become.

Senku was a straightforward guy, that's one thing you admired about him. This feeling only cemented when he proudly and confidently declared he was gonna revive the human race. Despite knowing Senku for a long time, it still shocked you. Though, it would throw off anyone really.

★I've lost all control, with my heartbeat now.

One thing was for sure though, you both loved eachother. Despite Senku being a bit stiff about affection sometimes, it was clear he loved you in other ways.

whenever he looks at you, so softly, so lovingly. And that smile you knew was reserved for you and you only. It never failed to make your heart race. Whenever he complimented you, or, use the teasing banter you two always had to indirectly say "I love you"

★Got caught in a romance with him, somehow.

It was all so surreal to you, Senku? Loving you back? If you told anyone that they'd look at you as if you were insane, probably because it was an insane statement by itself. Never thought it'd say Senku and Love in the same sentence unless it was "Senku loves science".

You weren't complaining however, a life without Senku would be utterly, thoroughly, mundane.

It was already late at night, you were both laying on the grass, enjoying the stars in the sky that were previously covered by light pollution 3700 years ago. You and Senku were laying down silently against each other, enjoying this brief moment together before the morning came and Senku had to go back to his duties as the chief.

"Hey, Senku." You turn to look at him, he sighs quietly as if to prepare himself for your shenanigans once more.

"Hm?" He hums, still staring at the sky,only tilting his head ever so slightly towards you to let him know he was listening.

"Why is it that love makes you "dumb"?"

"Because, N/n, the feeling you get around someone you love is actually the brain producing the hormones called, 'serotonin', 'dopamine', 'oxytocin', and 'endorphins'." He turns to look at you to see if you're still listening, instead he finds you staring at him Intently, with the most loving gaze ever.

He freezes for a moment before continuing, a tiny of pink on the tips of his ears.

"So when the brain inevitably gets accustomed to releasing chemicals around that person it will do nearly everything to be around them, making the person do or think irrationally and illogically."

"No wonder why I'm so "Stupid" around you." You smile cheekily.

Senku scoffs before looking back up at the sky, "nah, I'm pretty sure you're just stupid in general."

"Not nice, You leekhead!"

"Since when was I nice? And stop calling me leekhead."

★I still feel a shock, Through every bone.

It still shocks Senku to his core that he managed to fall inlove, someone like him? Inlove? He even took such serious measures to insure he'd never fall inlove.

But he's glad he's let his guard down this time, cause if he didn't? He would never have gotten to Love you.

★When I hear an "I love you" cause now I've got someone to lose.

When he first (directly) said I love you, it nearly short-circuited your brain. He rarely said it, usually because he saw no reason to since he knew you knew he loved you already.

Despite it only being three words it held a deep meaning in both of your hearts, a reminder that no matter what happens you're both there for eachother.

★The first one to ever like me back,

It wasn't the first time you've had a crush before, though you haven't been through alot of romantic relationships, or any at all.

So when you decided to finally confess to Senku, him accepting the confession was the last thing you'd thought he'd do.

★I'm seconds away from a heart attack.

It never failed to catch Senku by surprise whenever you'd outwardly state you loved him,

Not to say he didn't enjoy it, of course he did. Though he'd rather die than admit it.

All those times you'd randomly bombard him with affection and praises, it sent butterflies to his stomach.

"Bill Nye the science guy! Whatcha doin?" You'd exclaim as you walked towards him.

He sighed before looking back at you, "was "Science leek", "leekhead", or "leek-haired" not enough?" He stares at you with the most tired face ever, though it was actually quite the opposite of what he was feeling.

"Shshhshhhhhsh, anyway, whatcha doing?" You playfully put a finger over his lips to shut him up. Chuckling when he sends a glare your way.

He slaps the hand away before finally talking, "I'm making a robot from scratch. It's ten million percent hard and ten billion percent exhilarating." He smirks.

He rants about all the parts and materials he's gonna need and all their uses, what they do, and how exhilarating this is.

"And then-" he gets briefly cut off when you place a soft kiss on his forehead, then his nose, and his cheek. As his brain slowly starts realising, he can feel his face heating up. Though he immediately recovers and instead the tips of his ears become red.

"Oops, my bad. You're just so cute when you rant yknow?" You smirk smugly, aware of what you just did. The smirk on your face only grows wider as you take in Senku's confused face.

As you were lost in the blinding bliss of finally managing to catch Senku off guard, he suddenly leans in close to you and presses a soft kiss to the edge of your lips, missing your lips entirely.

He mirrors the expression you had as he gives you a taste of your own medicine. "Oh sorry, you're just so adorable when your all confident and proud like that, couldn't help myself."

"You're lucky I love you, Leek boy."

"I must be the luckiest Leek in the world then."

★How the hell did I fall inlove this time? And honestly I can't believe I get to call you mine.

He still can't believe he fell inlove, especially with you, no offense, he loves you and would probably die for you but he always thought he'd be most likely to date someone with more knowledge in science,

But, he'd much rather have your curiosity and enthusiasm to learn over someone who already knows.

★I blinked and suddenly I had a valentine.

He stands there in awe, wondering what he could've done to deserve you. He thinks about all the time you've done something for him even though you didn't have to. All those times you've listened to him rant during a phone call, all those times you'd help him carry some "heavy" stuff. Even though it was actually light and Senku just has the muscles of a twig.

He looks at the telescope and the gift you made personally for him, a little star carved out of wood. You two would spend forever in his room gazing at the stars through his old telescope. He smiles softly at the star before looking back up to meet yours.

"Happy birthday, Senku."

[artheresy]

Dan Heng, Dan Feng, and Unreliable Narrators

WARNING: Some Leaks Discussion, don’t read if you don’t want to know any leaks

A bit of a rant regarding Dan Feng and Dan Heng and where I think their story might go if Hoyoverse doesn’t contradict in their lore hopefully ?

No because let me tell you how this recent animation is all setting up to an eventual reveal of how Dan Heng is an immensely unreliable narrator and the story then at that point will want the players (at least those who havent yet read every little bit of lore) to come to question the Vidyadhara Preceptors and the Ten Lords Commission because THINK, THINK WITH ME GUYS

First off, the whole image we see of Dan Feng is absolutely not the real Dan Feng, but people who aren’t looking into lore leaks and story leaks and looking in every single crevice won’t have that point clear to them. Think of the description of the literal animation:

“Never a person with love, hatred, sorrow, or joy like everyone else in this world.”

The view Dan Heng has of Dan Feng has only ever been shaped by the consequences of the sin he committed that condemned Dan Heng as well despite being a different incarnation of him. That sin was the reason for his imprisonment for much of his childhood until he was eventually banished once again due to that sin. Even once he had left the Luofu, the reason behind being pursued and hunted down by Blade IS their shared sin. All that he knows of Dan Feng is a curated by the Higher Powers of the Xianzhou Luofu, he does not truly understand the man who came before him. (Something he has admitted to by the way, but let’s also look beyond just his own admittance.)

Fundamentally, the biggest evidence of such comes from how Dan Feng appears in his mind in the Animated Short that was just released. In it, Dan Feng haunts him, and specifically when he speaks, he talks of the High Elder succession. He speaks of it as something that cannot be broken, something that he cannot run from. That death is the only redemption for those who defy it.

But the thing is, this doesn’t sound like Dan Feng AT ALL. (Specific warning for Jingliu voiceline and character story leaks)

If you have kept up with leaks, you’ll see that Dan Feng would never EVER say such things as he did in the animated short to his next incarnation. And why you may ask? Because it is evident from the VLs and CSs that… Dan Feng himself seems to have longed to escape his role as High Elder. There is not any firm confirmation of either what the sin he and Yingxing committed nor what his motivations exactly were. However, there is a strong case to be made that the sin committed could be related his attempt to create a new high elder with the possible motive of wishing to escape his role of High Elder and the loss of identity he had to experience due to that role.

But of course… Dan Heng doesn’t know this, he is unaware of whatever gripe or distain Dan Feng may have had for the role he carried out, the one he couldn’t escape. He only knows the words of the Preceptors and anyone else he was allowed to have contact with while imprisoned after his rebirth. And y’know… when you listen to what Dan Feng says in the animated short, it sounds more like something the Preceptors would say instead. Those words read more as Dan Heng’s projection of them instead placed upon Dan Feng who he has always been taught to view as a traitor, a sinner, rather than a person.

And hmm, who could stand to benefit the most from Dan Heng viewing Dan Feng as a villain…

HMM I DUNNO, PERHAPS THE PEOPLE WHO LIED TO DAN FENG AND PURPOSEFULLY SET HIM UP!!! The same people that Dan Heng has confirmed were his primary source of information regarding who Dan Feng was just as I said before.

Additionally, I’m tryin to find screenshots of it, but there are memories that come from certain Vidyadhara eggs when you interact with them that further suggest that the Preceptors sabotaged Dan Feng likely for the goal of wishing to maintain control over him/fear of the fact that he was becoming to powerful, that he was wavering from his role. So of course again, who else could benefit quite as much as them from Dan Heng hating Dan Feng? It is a way they still exercise control over his next incarnation. They control the narrative of his past self, they control what he knows about him to paint a specific picture that they want him to see. And once he is old enough, they further take care of him and exorcise a last bit of control by banishing him from ever returning. Sending him out into the universe having shaped his views and behaviors and of course what not to be like through their propaganda.

I just want to emphasize here how deeply important Dan Heng’s view of Dan Feng is for shaping his character as well as through the insight into him from that angle, we gain information on the Judges and the Preceptors.

With all of this known, I want to talk about where I think their story could be heading! Of course, please note this is strongly speculation and I don’t think my interpretation and prediction of what could happen is the objective truth or only way to view things. I could be very wrong honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised lol! But I think, at some point, we will in fact get an event where Dan Heng will realize the truth of who Dan Feng was. What he wanted, what he truly did, and why he did it. With the continued emphasis on what he was taught and how his perception is based upon what he learned in his imprisonment, I think it would simply make sense to have a turning point where he learns the truth.

A turning point that shines suspicion upon the Preceptors and Ten Lords Commission. However, I don’t think such a thing will happen for a LONG while given a few different reasons that I will outline here! So I don’t think this realization will be anytime soon due to the following:

1) We like literally just helped the Luofu. Its the beginning of the Xianzhou story as a whole given us being in the beginning of HSR, there are other ships to look into as well. Highly doubt they would cast suspicion upon the higher powers of the Luofu through Dan Heng’s lens so soon. It wouldn’t make much sense when there’s a lot left to work with

2) We know for Kafka that we will definitely come back or be back in contact with the Xianzhou Luofu given the whole reason she had us come to the ship in the first place being that she needs them in debt to the Astral Express for a future plan. Of course, they might not coincide, but in the cast that they do, I think it gives more justification to push back such an occurrence since the order would likely be Kafka’s thing first and then the realization? Of course again, I could be wildly wrong, time will tell in the end

3) and lastly, I think that Dan Heng having a realization of the truth of Dan Feng, his motivation and most of all his sin, especially if that would include finally having a true reveal and confirmation of what his sin exactly was, could very well relate to the relic lore line, “Pairs of objects are destined for an eventual reunion. The long years of grudges and hatred between them should be savored, like ice-cold aged liquor, one slow sip after another until the bottle of resentment is finally empty.” involving Blade. I mean think about it, Dan Heng finally having the full picture could very well lean into the event that the line is foreshadowing. And paired with the finality of that line, plus Dan Heng and Blade’s importance each individually as a Nameless and Stellaron Hunter respectively… yeah no way in hell would they get a conclusion so soon.

So yeah, I’m convinced Hoyoverse will absolutely stretch out and drag out the story, keep up waiting keep us on the edge of our seats, but I think eventually Dan Heng will be given the chance to realize the truth and not only will his view of Dan Feng change, but the view of those who had taught him and punished him as well. Or at least, I severely hope he will get the chance. To end his character so soon would be a true shame.

And for anyone struggling to understand my rant because I tend to go on tangents and become incoherent (I get it and I’m sorry!), here’s a tl:dr! From officially posted sources as well as some leaks, it can already be seen that Dan Heng is a unreliable narrator regarding Dan Feng. His perception of him in the animation directly contradicts the desire Dan Feng is shown to have to escape his role. I think at some point in the story, he will be given the chance to find out the truth given the continued emphasis of his lack of understanding regarding who Dan Feng truly is as well as the fact that he learned who Dan Feng was from the very people that punished him. Given the fact that different sources directly hint to the fact that Dan Feng was set up by the Preceptors to fail for the sake of maintaining control, Dan Heng’s realization about Dan Feng would likely be utilized to cast suspicion upon the Ten Lords Commission and the Preceptors.

Even that was still long but, I tried to condense as much as I could. Please forgive me if I make any spelling mistakes in this post or if the whole post itself seems completely weird or smth. Im writing this at 3 am after hours of brainrot. I am unwell to be true, anyways! Night night!

[dont-offend-the-bees]

WIP Wednesday

I was tagged by @justafandomfollower - cheers, m'dears!

Posting a lil sneak peek of my fic for day one of Painland Week! It's gonna undergo some re-writing/editing before the whole thing's ready to post but this is 600 rough words of a uhhhhh 4k-ish fic. No idea if I'm gonna manage fics for every day since I'm having a big pain flare-up right now but I can at least polish up the three drafts I have so far! So here you go, some sweet nonsexual dom/sub therapy for Charles for day one, love languages💛

I'm gonna tag @kieren-fucking-walker, @firstaudrina, @coloursflyaway and @theflirtmeister, plus anyone else who feels like sharing some WIP sneak peeks, consider yourself tagged!

~~

“Charles,” said Edwin again, softer this time. It was important not to go on the offensive; in his current condition, Charles was liable to take any careless word as keenly as a knife in the back. “Please tell me what’s on your mind.” After a moment’s consideration, he added: “I promise I won’t be angry.”

It felt like utter nonsense to say out loud, a patronising placation as one might give to a child. But Charles, in Edwin’s experience, responded well to directness. His panic thrived in the mires of ambiguity. 

Releasing a ragged breath, Charles rubbed his eye with the heel of his hand. “Just… dunno what to do sometimes. When you two go off at each other.” He peered at Edwin with his uncovered eye, and tried for a smirk. It fell decidedly short of the carefree, playful expression it was aiming for. “Dunno what side to pick, do I?”

He voiced it like a joke, but Edwin was listening carefully and he knew an incomplete sentence when he heard it. He stepped closer and, slowly, giving him time to step back, took Charles’ free hand and squeezed the fingers. 

Charles closed his eyes, dragging his hand down his face. “Can’t keep you both happy,” he admitted on a low mumble, like it was a shameful secret. 

Guilt sank sour and heavy in Edwin’s stomach, but he carefully kept it from his face. Any indication that Charles had made him feel bad was liable to make him shut down further. “It should not be your duty to keep the peace,” he said, choosing his words carefully. “I will speak to Crystal later, clear the air.”

Charles nodded, but he still stood propped against the desk and hunched unhappily in on himself. Edwin could see his brain turning itself over and over in miserable little spirals — wondering if he should have stepped in earlier, said something else, wondering what he could have done differently to make everything better. To make everyone happy. 

Edwin swallowed tightly, and placed his hand upon Charles’ shoulder. “Charles. Look at me, please.”

He did so, without question or hesitation. Responding as easily to the polite command as if it had come from his own consciousness. 

Edwin, with great care, hooked a finger through the gold chain aroudn Charles' neck, and tugged.

The effect was instantaneous. Charles’ wide, hunted eyes softened, slackened, his lined eyelids drooping. His lips parted around a quiet sigh, smoother than his last ragged exhalation, and his shoulders slumped as if a great weight had been dropped from them.

Charles was an ever-unfolding and expanding area of study; but to Edwin’s expert eye, on occasion, his needs were remarkably simple to interpret.

Meeting his now somewhat unfocused gaze, Edwin leaned in. “Put Crystal out of your mind for now,” he said, quietly commanding. “In fact, put everything out of your mind.”

“She’s upset,” Charles mumbled in protest.

“Yes — and she will continue to be so for a while longer, regardless of what you or I could say.” Edwin smoothed the collar of Charles’ polo. “When the dust has settled I will find her and smooth things over. I promise. For the time being, you’ll do none of us any good with your overthinking.”

Charles snorted. “Overthinking? Me?” he joked.

With another gentle, recriminating tug of the chain, Charles gasped and quieted.

Edwin sighed and leaned close, ‘til his nose grazed across Charles’ cheekbone. “Granted, your tendency to underthink before making dangerous choices borders on the pathological,” he teased. “But I strongly suspect you're thinking a lot of very unkind thoughts about yourself right now, and I'd like for you to stop. Please.”

Breath shuddering, Charles’ hands lifted, fisting in the front of Edwin's shirt. 

“That what you want?” He asked, his voice a small and broken thing. For all his strength of body and character, he felt as vulnerable in Edwin's hands as a baby bird.

“How about I tell you exactly what I want for a while,” Edwin offered, breathing it across the shell of Charles’ ear. “And then all you have to do is listen." He delivered a swift, dry kiss to Charles' cheekbone. "No detective work required."

~~

Full fic coming to a blog near you on August 5th! Go check out the Painland Week blog and also lmk if you wanna collab on anything, assuming I get pain flareups under control I'm hoping to write lots and lots! Already got a little collab lined up for day 2 which I'm soooo excited about 💛

[ashysmultifandomcatdump]

another roleswap AU (because i have lost control of my life)

these things. are all i know how to make now.......

ANYWAY it's my take on a wander<-->sylvia roleswap AU!!! i didn't Properly draw sylvia here because i couldn't get her to look right, and she's basically the Same anyway. just without her saddle and with the hat tied around her neck. i don't know if i'm entirely happy with these designs (struggled with the colors for wander and i'm not sure i really like them) but they're all i could think of....and i didn't wanna just copy anyone else's. so that's how they Are for now until i think of something better! (general stuff about the AU and additional doodles under the cut)

for sylvia, i was thinking about her differences in reforming people compared to wander's. while we don't exactly see her do that in the show, she does get Somewhere with villains that wander can't/hasn't tried to do anything with: dominator and peepers. the fact that she almost got dominator to appreciate the beauty of life, someone who is Definitely irredeemable—yeah, i think she could definitely redeem someone, if she tried. how does her method differ from wander's?wander's is precise, time-tested, and based on his analysis of the other person's character; he constantly pushes their buttons to see what makes them tick. while sylvia, from what we see—it's just to mostly...treat them normally. like, relate to them: she has fun brawling with dominator, she and peepers find similarities in Their Idiots. she talks to them. basically, sylvia works from common ground and wander works from uncommon ground. if that makes sense

so, i imagine in wander's place, sylvia's just kind of. Chill! she doesn't have wander's thousands of years of experience, but she has her own down-to-earth attitude, and it's not like her less than thousands of years experience isn't valuable at all. she probably hasn't redeemed a villain before, but she's definitely helped people, and well if they cross paths grop darn it she's going to try. who knows? it could work! it worked with wander, at least. (and like, this is just a small thought that i'm not sure would apply but: mini hater and peepers swap perhaps, not in the complete roleswap way, hater's still the boss, but more like. maybe swapping who's the Main Guy to be redeemed? sylvia's way of relating to people might work more with peepers than hater...but i don't know, i could see it either way)

and speaking of wander: how's our non-violent do-gooder make it to the point of being The Fighter? what got him to abandon his carefree attitude to be The Protector? well! nothing!! he simply never had it in the first place!!! instead of learning to go with the flow and take things as they come...he kinda just Didn't. he never got the hat which to me is what allowed him to start doing that (i have a whole backstory about this but it's a bit long so i'll just move on) instead for the rest of his life continued living in a constant state of anxiety. which is, you know, Not Good for a guy, especially when this lasts thousands of years. i think he still has to help people, but he hasn't gained the courage to go above and beyond or confront villains like in canon. Wander With Survival Instincts, basically. and his main reaction to fear is to run away; but i think, over time, that might not be sustainable, or he might meet someone that convinces him to start fighting back just a bit.

yes, i am sneaking in just one other swap here: screwball and lil bits. this might seem strange and it kinda is. i'm still kinda workshopping it, like maybe screwball should swap with ryder instead...but i dunno, i've always just associated screwball and lil bits with each other. two villains specific to wander and sylvia respectively, whom the other is not able to understand as a threat throughout their debut episode. i think it would be funny. and screwball being a bounty hunter when swapping with bits just Fits, since wander eventually ends up as a bounty hunter before meeting sylvia...of course lending to the idea that they were partner bounty hunters in the past. which works really well, i think

and considering comedy and horror are two sides of the same coin, and that this wander is primarily focused on his Fear, it'd be fun if he had more of a horror theme. a really campy, goofy one. my thoughts are maybe that screwball helped guide wander to lean more towards a Fighting fear response, but eventually scared him away somehow. i don't know how yet, but i'll figure it out. here's a visualization:

and as for how wander and sylvia met, i still have to figure out some parts, but i think that sylvia would notice how anxious wander is, ask him if he's okay, and he would promptly break down, as such:

and from that moment on, wander solemnly swore that he would protect sylvia for the rest of her life, and she's been stuck with him since. (not that she's mad about that)

of course he's still energetic and hyperactive...i think his fighting would reflect that. he's a feral little creature

oh, and for sylvia's relationship with The Hat: she probably found it beat up and bruised one day, with no one around (wander not stealing the hat all those years ago meant a happy ending for No One). yet another thing i have to figure out fully is how she ended up taking it with her, but she did. i don't think she fully understands it, she hasn't realized that it gives you what you need, but she does know that it dispenses items that are sometimes useful (it's a sassy little thing to her) and might somewhat realize its sentience, so she keeps it around, though she's still building trust with it

anddddd yeah that's basically it so far :) i'm always up for questions and suggestions! i hope people like it hehe

[britcision]

I dunno if I touched on this already but I am Obsessed so you’re stuck with it

Just

Idk the Adventurer’s Bible calls it “cruel” that Mithrun told Thistle that Delgal wanted him dead in the end, but… it just doesn’t read that way to me

No one questions that Laios and co didn’t want to start a fight and just wanted to talk, but I feel like Mithrun was coming from a pretty similar place

He gives every prospective dungeon lord a chance, speaks to them more readily than anyone else, and always offers them a chance to back down despite clearly believing they won’t take it

And I mean I can’t 1000% cite it so I might be wrong, but… I think it’s also the only time he openly empathizes? He’s more emotive, with more facial expressions, but I can’t really think of another time he openly talks about what other people want

He’ll drop all his own trauma without batting an eye, but with Thistle and then with Marcille he tries to work out what their motivations are, what they want to wish for, and use his own experiences to warn them it can’t work and they won’t actually get it

It’s kinda cursory, but much less than Lycion asking Laios to give up on Marcille; he’s seeking a connection to spare them his fate, and while seeing Thistle catatonic doesn’t noticeably phase him, he’s pretty disinterested in the dungeon lords when you compare it to his reaction to the winged lion

(Full feral, 30 seconds flat, not a word before it’s peanut butter murder time)

The dungeon lords are ostensibly natural enemies as much as the demon is, and all the other Canaries are pretty focused on eliminating the dungeon lord as the first priority, and I dunno if any of the rest would even bother asking them to stand down

Lycion sure as hell doesn’t bother trying to justify to Laios why he shouldn’t go side with Marcille; he just asks him to abandon his friend, no, entirely expected, and he’s pretty clearly just humouring Kabru

Officially, they have to kill the dungeon lord to get a shot at the demon, and with a direct shot Mithrun loses his shit

But either dungeon lord alone? He doesn’t even try to seriously hurt them until he’s made the offer, he gets them temporarily incapacitated at best and he’s perfectly happy to let Laios free Marcille if he thinks he has even a vague shot at it

And sure, it might all be calculated to throw them off their game, to find weaknesses and rattle them before the fighting starts, but then why would he agree to let Laios help her stop being a dungeon lord without a fight?

The other captains sure as hell aren’t buying in, but Mithrun signs off without question, and it also might be that he just doesn’t care about the dungeon lords; any way he can get to the demon works

But he could have killed Marcille instead of trying to restrain or search her

He’s a fucking madlad, the time he used tackling her and starting the pat down could have begin with cape-decapitation to solve the problem before it occurred

He could have sent the plank into Thistle’s chest, not his arm to make him drop the book - that’s even a bigger target

They’re the Canaries. They already heard Laios say he wanted to be the dungeon lord. If they’d tpk’d the entire party there, it’d have been their job description, and we only got a dramatic final showdown because he gave Marcille a chance to just hand the books over… or let him take them

(Bet Pattadol and Lycion regretted pulling him off her, optics be damned, for at least a couple hours there)

Idk I just think it’s interesting that despite being the character with no wants or opinions on most things… he really does try to save the dungeon lords, and his squad follow his lead until they can’t even in his absence

(Talking to Laios and Chilchuck even after he’s fucked off, giving Laios even a cursory chance to quit)

It just… doesn’t add up that he told Thistle what Delgal wanted to be cruel, not on top of everything else

It wasn’t fucking tactful, but it was true, and if Thistle had believed him and realized that what he was doing was pointless…

That woulda been the fight. Wrap on Dungeon Lord Thistle, just a hop down for the other book, the status quo is mostly intact but the Island is saved

I don’t think it’s necessarily cruel to not want to kill someone

(But then the Golden Country woulda had to deal with King Mithrun Who 10000% Is Leaving To Find Another Demon Murder Opportunity, so like it was never an option narratively… which makes it all the more interesting that he tried)

[imtrashraccoon]

I have a…. Request?

I dunno, what would your ideas be for a dragon nm, like he turns into a dragon and has horns and stuff.

(MAKE HIM PETTABLE PLEASE)

Wow, I guess some of you really like dragons? I don't blame you cause I like them too lol. I assume you were asking in general and not necessarily about the recent Dragon AU for The Dark Fortress?

Dragon Nightmare Headcanons

Every couple of centuries, Nightmare gets bored of doing dragon things like pillaging the countryside, napping on his horde, fending off foolish adventurers, etc. When this happens, he likes to disguise himself and walk among mortals as one of them. Sometimes he looks like a human and other times he chooses to appear as a monster or beast.

Usually, he prefers forms that are regarded as conventionally attractive and where he can look important, such as a wealthy traveller. Although, he has on occasion decided to take on the form of an outcast from society, such as a beggar. Because of these experiences, he is well aware of the stark differences in how appearance plays into how people perceive you. He despises those who take advantage of their positions of power to step on the less fortunate, but he isn't one to go out of his way to call them out.

Well, that's what he likes to think.

On occasion, he's met a few individuals that stood out from the rest of the mortals. Maybe they were so persistent to be friends that he couldn't say no or maybe he found it in his cold, dark soul to help them. He does have a lot of gold after all and if that won't work, he's a powerful ancient dragon for crying out loud! So what if a pesky politician goes missing? They didn't deserve to live if they were going to treat people like that.

One of the issues with essentially being immortal is that he'll outlive everyone else. He tries not to get attached for this reason but sometimes he can't help falling for someone. He treasures the memory of each individual and he has a space in his horde dedicated to personal items from them. Most of the relationships he's had with mortals were platonic, although romantic relationships are possible if the person is extraordinarily special as he doesn't like letting people see his deepest emotions or secrets.

If you've been seeing the same mysterious stranger around town for a while, maybe show him some hospitality? Kindness is the easiest way into his soul, with possessing unusual skills a close second. He'd be rather touched if you made something specifically for him, especially if it took a long time to make like baked goods, although he also enjoys meat dishes.

You could also impress him with knowledge or proficiency with a weapon. If you're also a fan of riddles or manage to trick him, he would pay more attention to you. There isn't much that he doesn't know considering how long he's been alive but not every mortal knows about the obscure parts of history or how old weapons are best wielded.

You probably won't see his true form for a very long time as he doesn't want to ruin your friendship by scaring you. It's possible that you could witness him in his dragon form and not recognize him as the mysterious stranger. If he realized that you saw him, well, I suppose he's not going to finish raiding this town since he doesn't want you to get hurt.

When he trusts that you won't hate him or be terrified of his dragon form, he'll willingly show you what he really is. It certainly explains how he was able to give you expensive gifts! It probably also explains some of his more concerning behaviours...

He tends to act...possessive of you. People you thought were your friends start avoiding you and if anyone starts to pay attention to you, he gets irritated. If they're lucky, he'll just convince them to never talk to you again, but if not, well, he is a dragon...

He's only looking out for his favourite mortal. He doesn't want to upset you of course, but those people don't have your best interests at heart and he just wants you to be happy. If you notice that he's doing this behind your back and alienating you from your friends and family, it would be best to call him out on it. The last thing he wants to do is make you upset with him, so nipping these behaviours in the bud before they become a problem is a must.

He isn't above taking you away from your troubles after all.

On the topic of his true form, if you somehow find him cute or even attractive, he'll think you're joking at first. Although, once he realizes that you're being completely genuine, he's rather flustered. He's an ancient dragon who's laid waste to countless civilizations and killed thousands! His appearance alone has struck fear in the hearts of kings and yet you find him cute?! No! You may not "pet" him! He is not a mangy mutt nor is he soft!

If you insist on petting his head or back, he'll eventually relent, if just to prove his point and get you to shut up. Just don't touch his wings or his tail...and be careful around his eyes...

...

He didn't tell you to stop... No, it's not because he likes being pet. Your fingers are just a lot more nimble and are good at getting in the grooves of his scales that he can't reach, that's all...

You will end up in a cuddle pile later now that the barrier of touch has been breached and don't expect to be allowed to leave any time soon, especially because dragons are known to take long naps...

[lakesbian]

lisa is such a Character. "the undersiders aren't friends, but they are each others sole replacements for every single support system and human connection they're missing, and that's actually Significantly More Intense" applies to her too, but the only reason she's lacking any other support systems or human connections is because she's being forced to be there. we see in her interlude that before she was kidnapped she had shitty dyed hair. was she enjoying being rebellious, once? getting to express her identity and experiment outside of the thumb her parents were keeping her under for profit? that ended when someone else started doing the exact same thing to her that her parents were, treating her like a tool and not a person. she has to be the smartest person in the room, she has to be untouchable, because if she isn't, she's fucked.

and everything about her behavior scans as such a desperate attempt to pretend that there's no gun to her head or leash guiding her--not just to convince the other undersiders (who aren't thinking that deeply about it anyways), but to make the fantasy so real that it's something taylor can live in. the act doesn't have to be that good for the team at large to buy into it, so at what point is the act more for herself? i dunno man. i think she cares about her team, obviously. i think she really enjoys when they get to be like silly regular teenagers going out for shopping and dinner together, and anyone knowing what's happening to her would be counterintuitive to that. i think the facts that alec's opinion on coil is "it's weird but a good deal, so whatever, back to video games," and brian outright says "family > undersiders" in response to seeing dinah, and rachel is, well, rachel, are all relevant to lisa never really opening up to anyone on the team but taylor. (who has such a strong moral compass that lisa has to lie to get her there, who storms out when she thinks lisa is being willingly complicit in dinah.)

rereading the early arcs is just like. man. Lisa Wilbourn Torment Nexus. if i think too hard about how she reflexively smiles, reflexively tunes the mask up harder, anytime something bad happens, i explode and die. i don't understand her yet but i want to. girl who has so many fucking layers of masks on it's like a clown-pulling-scarves trick but for self-consuming coping mechanisms. and i'm not sure if there's anything actually left under the last mask anymore. a girl in an impossible situation can build a mask to get out of directly participating in it the mask can consume the girl this is the nature of a borrowed face

[allwormdiet]

Gestation 1.6

Took like an hour and a half nap after work, hell. Time for the good guys to make an appearance

Yeah I'll fucking bet she's exhausted. Girl's out in the middle of the night and coming down from a near-death experience where she mauled people with insect swarms and got cornered on a roof by, what, the strongest cape in the city? It's incredible she has enough space left to even think.

Here we get more lore on the big dogs I was thinking about previously, and of course the local big dog himself. I wonder if he would be galled at Taylor's narration describing him as one of the wing members in the V formation, feel like a lot of capes would have an ego thing

Thank you Armsmaster, now I get to holler about my stance on polearms. Polearm are the best melee weapon in most scenarios, simple as anything. Tight quarters and CQB, sure, not so much, but that's what sidearms are for. Swords, axes, hammers, whatever, that's for people trying to be cool. Polearms are for people trying to fucking win. I dunno if Armsmaster is good people but he has reasonable taste in primary arms so that's points in his favor.

On the one hand, poor Taylor, she's gonna be dealing with that first impression for a long time, but on the other hand lol and also lmao. I told you that costume design was gonna come back around as being too scary.

Armsmaster underwear is like, so distracting as a concept, actually. Honestly any underwear that's got real people on it. What a fucking weird product to sell, like I get Spider-Man undies but Spider-Man isn't real, y'know? Does Taylor get underwear made about her down the line? Does owning Taylor's merch after a certain point in the timeline get you weird looks?

This kind of thing must be such a pain in the ass, I've mucked around with my own original superhero setting and names were such a fucking dilemma with so many characters. Having to deal with that but like, as your own self? You're the super? And you gotta worry if taking a name is gonna get you sued or assassinated by someone who already has that name? Fuck that noise.

Couple things here, take it one at a time.

This is legitimately a huge moment of vulnerability for Taylor. She can't tell anyone about the night she's had, there's nobody in her life that she can trust with this massive weight on her entire soul. She almost died, and she knows how it would've happened, and she knows that it wasn't even her own play that saved her life in that final moment of the confrontation. A sympathetic moment from someone else who's lived this life and faced this danger could be such a balm for her right now.

So obviously what Armsmaster does is softball a recruitment pitch. "That's rough buddy" would have actually been way more tactful at this point, for real. I don't know if this is who Armsmaster is as a person or if this is the kind of party line you're supposed to hold as a Protectorate member, nudging scared teenaged capes into the Wards so they stop running around unsupervised, but either way it's such a bad read.

And then yeah, of course Taylor doesn't want to be a Ward, it's just being a high schooler but even worse because now the other hormone-addled teenagers you're locked in with have trauma and superpowers. Not only no, not only hell no, but fuck no. Especially knowing about Shadow Stalker, like Christ.

These two lines are a minor detail in the grand scheme of things, but girl you almost died, nobody in their right minds would blame you for being in a bit of a mood

God the Undersiders are so cool. Like yeah they're criminals but they're criminals with an underdog flair. Good on them for managing to come out on top when they're outgunned, I know that like Bitch is basically the only one with an offensive power so the fact that they've won fights is impressive as hell.

The vulnerabilities that get shown by these characters feel so critical. Taylor, the Undersiders, and Armsmaster all show their underbellies over the last two chapters in conversation, admitting to fears and failures. Like even setting aside the masks and the bravado, that's the real stuff.

Also that costume thing is gonna haunt Taylor for at least as long as she has it, and maybe longer.

In a fight, righ*gunshots*

Jokes aside, good on Taylor for understanding some of her limits. Enough to realize antagonizing the Undersiders was a bad call (although that's assuming she would even think to do so with how shaken she'd been in the immediate aftermath of the fight with Lung), but she still went and picked a fight with fucking Lung so partial credit.

Beyond that, didn't expect the "flip the negative" trick to come back up from Armsmaster of all characters. Might have expected it from Taylor's dad maybe, I dunno. And of course Taylor immediately envies his ability to do that better than she can, because that's just kinda where she's at.

Taylor finally gets praise from a hero for doing hero shit, and of course there's strings attached. Fucked up. Let's see where this goes.

Don't know why I thought the ABB were restricted to operating in the Bay, but I guess it makes sense that they have connections and operations outside.

Anyway, this and everything we learn about Bakuda being a bomb Tinker makes me think that someone at the Protectorate isn't doing their fucking job. I think if there's someone in your city whose specialty is fucking super bombs, you maybe put out like some public service announcements? TV, radio, fucking posters up on a wall? "If you see this woman fucking leg it and call the cops" kinda stuff, what are we doing where a Brockton native doesn't know there's a bomber in the city.

Armsmaster rolls up to the aftermath of a cape fight to find an unconscious Lung and a shivering, exhausted teenaged hero who almost died taking down one of the beefiest villains in the whole town, and he has the nerve to ask "are you gonna finish that?"

Joking aside, this sucks. And I get it, and Taylor gets it too obviously, and I'm certain that Armsmaster is legitimately concerned about an indie hero getting blown to fucking pieces by a vengeful ABB, but Armsmaster getting credit is at least partly a factor. Maybe 60% concern 40% opportunism, I dunno, it's hard to gauge just meeting the guy.

...Actually knowing that he's angling for the credit on Lung I'm more willing to bet that "in the wings of the V formation" line earlier would have gotten under his skin.

Taylor is walking away from tonight with favors owed from a minor villain team and the Protectorate's local honcho. All it took was throwing down with the leader of a major gang and staring death in the burning metal face. Good job, kid, now go fucking sleep.

Current Thoughts

It strikes me as very deliberate that Taylor's first non-hostile interaction with villains and heroes are back to back with notable contrast. The Undersiders, who know full well that Lung wants to kill them all, find out that some random cape decided to take the fight to Lung for them and immediately jump in for the assist, expressing their gratitude as they go. Armsmaster rolls up after the dust has already settled and congratulates Taylor for a job well done, saying he owes her a favor even, but only after securing the credit for himself in the doing, and being just that much less delicate with an obviously shaken rookie.

This isn't to say "villains good heroes bad" because I don't think that's true, I'm absolutely certain the Undersiders have hurt people and will hurt more people down the road, and Armsmaster is operating within what I guess is a pretty inflexible organization. This isn't The Boys, where every alleged hero is a huge piece of shit and all their good will is propaganda consumed by mindless sheeple (I haven't actually watched The Boys but I don't enjoy the vibes and am not really in a rush to see it for myself). Capes are people here, warts and all, and sometimes the career criminals are easier to get along with than the career law enforcement officer.

Was kinda shocked this little arc is already over, but I guess it's interlude time. Get a glimpse into the head of someone who isn't Taylor.