#i had to put some form of gunslinger

[wackarat]

I made a Engie Medic fusion from @lenny-link TF2 X Steven Universe AU, I was looking at the gems before and BloodStone fits them perfectly me thinks

[pinescent-and-gingerbread]

✧ Fantasies in the dark - II

✦ Pairing: Arthur Morgan x Female!Reader ✦ Summary: Arthur's obsession with you intensifies and reaches a point of no return when you catch him red-handed... ✦ Warnings/tags: SMUT 18+, MDNI! Masturbation (again), Arthur is still a little pervy, stripping, p in v, Arthur's self-esteem's still shitty, sub!Arthur at first then switches into dom, Reader is a BIG tease. Mainly Arthur's pov. ✦ Words: 5k (oops) Arthur's pic is mine, others are from Pinterest. And as always, as English isn't my first language, prepare for some possible misspellings. Read on AO3

Part I - Part II

 A ruby, squared, soft form.

His eyes are stuck on it as his thoughts unthread and tangle endlessly in his brain. 

Arthur was a damned man. He had been for a while now and this fatality had settled into his head for a few years already. His sins were so numerous and varied that he hadn’t even considered the thought of going to rest in Heaven when the Grim Reaper would finally put an end to his sufferings. 

But even considering all of this, the gunslinger had definitely not planned on adding a new sin to his list by jerking himself off while watching you almost every night for more than half a month. Oh, the same old speech was still playing in his head; his gesture leaking with shame and muscles sweaty from fear of getting caught. The adrenaline and depravation of the act, the sweet, sweet relief of his orgasm, and the momentary satisfaction he was pulling out of it every time was a very dangerous cocktail; he knew it.

He knew, knew, knew everything of that, of course he did. And still, his fingers opening his fly carelessly. Still, his eyes searching for this sublime silhouette of yours. Still, his cock hardening, itching, burning, begging to be grabbed. And still, his hands taking the doomed responsibility of answering the call. Still his muffled groans, his lips bitten, his silent words spoken in his head, your body joining him. Still, your hand, instead of his. His spend, less and less consistent, spurting quickly and spreading on his dirty clothes, the silence following, the emptiness, the shame, the guilt, the coldness amplified by his intimate fantasies. Like those dark loud nights of storms, air charged with electricity, and left in heavy disturbing quietness after the last lightning struck. Still, dreaming, wanting, longing. 

Still you.

He felt insatiable, like an enraged, mad dog, pathetic bastard. And paradoxically, as he finally had found sleep again after allowing his body what it needed, he felt weaker than ever. Weakened by you.

You hadn't left him after the first night he had succumbed to temptation. You had branded his spirit with a red-hot iron. Damned him to a lifetime of ache, a mortal succumbing to a Mermaid's melody and sailing in search of her on an infinite sea.

 A ruby, squared, soft form. 

It’s your shawl lying on a chair. You forgot it a few minutes ago, but he didn’t say anything about it. He’s still looking at it, hands fidgeting, mind pondering. What’s good and what’s bad. The ugliness of his self and soul. The risks, the benefits. 

He thinks back to the day you and him just shared. A job in Rhodes, “needing to be taken care of by two people”, Dutch’s words. He had sent him, which was predictable —the gang’s workhorse rarely knows rest. But you? It surprised him a whole lot more. Something about the job requesting some “feminine charm”. He hadn’t complained. Not when he had realized he would be able to spend some time alone with you. 

And his gaze had been wandering way more than what common decency was allowing him to. Staring and dreaming were all he had been doing lately, anyhow.

Looking at the delicious cleavage your fancy dress was offering when you got out of your tent and joined him back at camp, your breasts pressed up and round, almost impossible not to devour with his eyes. All he could do was make a sarcastic comment about it as the only defense against his urges. You moron Morgan, just say something nice for once. Luckily -or not- for him, you had wrapped your appealing shoulders in the sophisticated cherry-colored cape to prevent the coldness of the night.

Looking at your back as you both rode into town, looking at your neck when he helped you off your horse once into Rhodes. Looking at your lips as you two were sat in one of the Parlor’s house boxes, the job long-forgotten when he had noticed this little wrinkle next to your lips, that one you have when you laugh and find something funny. He would have to add it to his endless sketches of you.

Looking at your thin, sneaky hands from afar as they were slipping into that wealthy gentleman’s pocket to steal the papers you were both here for in the first place. It all felt distant and insignificant to him now, as a forgettable theater play set in the background. 

Later, you had been the one looking at him when he had come to your rescue. The “gentleman” was being insistent with you. As you both had crossed eyes from across the reception room, Arthur had read your apprehension and silent call for help in just a split second. And here he was, puffing out his chest, look dark and intense, muscles tensed. The perfect look of a man you don’t want to cross, that look he and Hosea had worked hard on building, scars and broad shoulders gained after all these years of intimidation. He was so used to it by now he wasn’t even sure he knew how to be anything else. His pointer finger tapping threateningly on the shiny Deputy Star he had on his jacket and his deep, menacing tone had acted as the final details. You should leave the lady alone and get some fresh air, pal. The fool had dropped the case and returned with his tail between his legs without any clue what had actually happened.

And then, your sweet voice asking for a drink. “Come on, we got to celebrate! Finally, a job well handled without a drop of blood.” How could he ever say no to that? It was almost too good to be true. Spending the evening with you, laughing, talking, philosophizing.

Arthur didn’t know he could be that talkative. Maybe it was the whiskey. Maybe it was your presence. Maybe a bit of both. And he had paid for everything. A good hot dinner for both of you, your drinks, and two rooms the moment you told him you were too tired to ride back to camp. Oh, he could have given you all the Wolrd’s treasure if that meant you would keep looking at him with these pretty playful eyes.

As the evening passed, the gentle flow of your endless conversations had led you from the bar to the stairs, to the second floor, to the hallway, and eventually to his room, naturally and serenely, like a rowboat ride on a summer lake.

And finally, after a few yawns exchanged, some delicate eyelids rubbed by you, you had left him to sleep, completely forgetting about your shawl, hanging on one of his room’s chairs. And you had greeted each other goodnight. As friends. This was all he would ever be to you, he knew it. And it was better that way. Like this, he was preserving you from having a pathetic man and a pathetic life being his. He was like an infertile soil, anyway. Any seed you would plant and try to harvest with him would end up rotten, corrupted. Fruitless.

And now left in the stillness of the room, in this deafening silence without the sound of your voice, his vision fixated on your abandoned piece of clothing, the most sinful of all thoughts is digging its way through the fibers of his brain, fed by need and alcohol, gnawing at his neurons, eating up any rational reasoning. 

A ruby, tempting garment of yours.

He wants to grab it. To smell it. He wants your perfume to completely fill his nose, so much it would be like drowning in your scent. You wouldn’t be coming back for it anyway, considering how tired you looked a few minutes ago. And you’d never know about it. Just like you didn’t know he was watching you all this time through the fabric of your tent. After all, he was already so deep down into this rabbit hole of lust, what would it change?

And just like that, before he can even think about it more, his arm is already extending, his fingers wrapping around the forbidden fruit.

A descent into Hell he is not able to stop nor control. And at the same time, it feels like getting closer to Heaven.

He lays on the bed, back against the coarse sheets that still felt better than his cot back at camp, and brings your stole to his nose, almost covering his face with it. He closes his eyes.

And he breathes in.

Hell. If God wanted him to stay virtuous, why did he create such a temptatious woman like you? Your scent is without any surprise just as irresistible and bewitching as your whole self.

The fruity notes of it remind him of your skin and lips he wants to taste so badly, a mouth-watering gourmet scent. The floral and fresh ones, of this sparkling mischievousness in your eyes. And in the end, as he exhales, warm and spicy aromas rain on him. They fill his mind with a deep sense of comfort, as if scenting directly your hair. It’s intoxicating, spellbinding. Driving him deeper into his madness. He doesn’t try to resist, not anymore, this delightful fresco of fragrances painted just for him.

Naturally and almost subconsciously, his vicious right hand reaches his crotch. He’s already hard. Just by smelling your shawl.

This time you’ve really hit rock bottom, old bastard.

He doesn’t even bother thinking about it more, he already knows he’s too deep in; already knows he won’t be able to stop himself. 

Ah shit, screw it, jus’ a quick wank.

He quickly unbuckles his holster belt, then unbuttons his pants, and snakes his hand between the folds of his union suit. A silent swift dance he is used to repeating by now. 

He breathes again a long, deep whiff, and wraps his fingers around his cock thinking of you, once more. 

He sees you and your perfect body, and everything blends and blurs in his heated psyche. The form of your breasts and ass through the tent's canvas he knew by heart at this point. Your smirk, your eyes looking back at his, only his during this night spent together. Your heady, addicting scent surrounds him and fuels his fantasies even more, making them more vivid than before, the soft fabric of the stole against his skin a light caress he imagines yours.

He strokes and strokes and strokes, he needs it more than ever, even if, truth be told, every time is more than ever. His pinkish cock’s head is reddened and swollen from having been rubbed so many times lately, sensible and almost pained. But he doesn't care. It makes him feel even more alive. Even more here. Simply better.

He wants his body to feel pleasure. Pleasure, for once, instead of pain. Pain all the time, pain everywhere, bullets through his muscles, knives on his skin, cutting through his flesh, fists against his bones, breaking his jaws, his nose, his cheeks. Broken, used, beaten, ripped, bruised, overworked, abused. Oh, he’s tired of it. Only in those prohibited moments, he can experience pleasure. No matter how wicked and profane.

The room is now filled with those wet, fast-paced sounds, his rustling against the sheets, and the smallest of grunts coming from his unholy lips as he fucks his fist. Your name escapes him from time to time, muffled by your shawl he's still holding all against him with his left hand, and breathing the air from.

As if all the World’s oxygen would never be as good as breathing through it. As if everything else would feel thick and fusty in his lungs. No Mountains, no Oceans, no flowers, not the tastiest food, nothing could ever compete with smelling your scent. 

Stroke, stroke, stroke. Goddamn it, she’s perfect. A big, hard stroke. Oh God, yes, just a bit more…

Too absorbed by his delirious daydream, he doesn't notice right away the creaking of the door as you enter his room again, searching for the very thing he's using to masturbate right now.

“Arthur, I’m sorry to bother you again but I think I forgot my sh—”

You freeze.

SHIT! He instantly curses loudly and jumps from the bed so suddenly that he almost falls to the ground. A stumbling mess, his holster crashes on the wooden floor with a loud percussive sound as he shoves his member back into his clothes as fast as possible, looking like a disjointed chaos of limbs. He is mortified. There is no way in the world you won’t understand what was just happening. He ends up standing next to the bed, after having thrown your cape at the other corner of the room with such force it looked like the damn thing was made of burning iron. And he doesn’t even know why. Maybe to distance himself from his sins. To try and erase this horrible vision from your pretty eyes. His labored breath and fast-beating heartbeat are now ruled by panic instead of lust. For all his life he had never experienced such shame and felt so utterly stupid. 

There is a small moment of silence, heavy and embarrassed. A little time of denying. No, this can’t be happening. But your look turns in circles from the bed, him, and the scarf, circling him like a cornered animal. That’s it, his pride is dead right here in this stupid hotel room. You see right through him, he’s sure of it. Your piercing beautiful gaze lands on his ears a few times, and he knows they’re crimson just by the heat he can feel on them. But the worst thing of all is his bulge, obvious and raised up as a flag right in the middle of his thighs, under his badly buttoned fly. Like a Mausoleum to his Dignity. The damn thing refusing to shrink and obviously screaming loudly his offence to the whole World. All the contrary, your gaze falling on it produces the exact opposite of what he wants, his cock almost twitching in return. 

Damn it!

Damn it, damn it, damn it!-

“Where you… Hum…” You start, before clearing your throat slightly.

“ ‘m sorry, Am… I didn’t mean to… ‘m such a goddamn fool.” This is the best he can come up with. What excuses could he have anyway? Nothing could justify what he did.

You had never heard his deep asserted voice so chagrined. Utter fear and shame. You didn’t even know he could feel that way.

His gaze is fixated on his dirty boots, refusing to cross yours. Just as goddamn dirty as me. 

“Were you pleasuring yourself, Mister Morgan?” You ask, your tone slightly playful. He doesn’t see it, but a mischievous grin settles on your face.

He takes your tone as a mocking one. You would have all the right to mock him. That’s all he deserved.

He tries to answer but doesn't even dare to admit it verbally, as if it would aggravate his situation. He just nods slowly, as seriously as if he was at a funeral. 

“With one of my clothes?” You ask again, your grin widening.

Another nod, his eyes shutting as if he had been hit by something, your sentence making the whole thing even worse. Oh, just a few seconds ago, he was feeling more present and alive than ever, and now all he wanted was to disappear or die.

He hears more than he sees your steps on the parquet. Every stomping sound hurt him a bit more. He doesn't even dare to move. As if everything he would do from now would offend you. Even breathing, no, even existing is too much.

She’s going to slap me. A step. She's going to yell in my face. Another step. I’m dead. A final step.

You’re so close to him now he’s holding his breath, eyes closed, ready to face the well-deserved punishment of your choice for his trespass.

But he's only met with stillness until you speak again.

“Arthur, do you really think I was that hot in my tent, every night?”

The words reach his ears but his brain refuses them. His mouth opens in astonishment. He closes it to swallow loudly and opens it again as if trying to speak in utter confusion.

“You… I… Wait, really?”

“I never thought you could be that naive, honestly.” You answer, a little chuckle escaping you. One of your hands slowly reaches the side of his face, but he still shivers slightly when it touches him. You guide his head back up for him to finally look you in the eyes.

Arthur's two blue sapphires are topped with anxious brows. A bright confusion and a soft vulnerability. They don’t settle too long on one point of your face out of nervousness, as if they could burn you.

“M-me neither.” He simply whispers, a bashful, nervous smile settling on his mouth. He still doesn’t move.

“Do you really think I wasn’t aware of what I was doing, mmh?” You continue, your fingers traveling from his face all the way down his neck, gently caressing the base of his hair.

You can’t be serious right now.

“I… I don’ know…” And he really doesn’t. This is all so unbelievable to him that he’s persuaded this is all a dream and he’s going to wake up any moment.

The only thing anchoring him to reality is your fingers exploring him, making him slowly let out the breath he had been holding in his chest.

“Let me help you finish what you've started…” You murmur, voice low and obvious to what you’re implying, sultry, suggestive.

He feels his shaft pulsing again instantly in answer, his body once again taking the lead. He’s about to say something, to ask you if you’re sure you want to do this with an old bitter moron like him, but one of your hands is already reaching straight to his crotch, palming his warm, needy erection.

“Anh…!” The moan turning into a groan he lets out duplicates your own arousal.

His hips rock against your hand involuntarily, the need for contact of any sort getting more powerful than his shame. He still doesn’t dare do much to you though, not wanting to cross any more limits. He lets you handle him just like you want. He lets the flow of life take him instead of fighting against it, for once. The only gesture he allows is settling his big hands on your back, sweaty and almost shaking.

Oh, your sneaky fingers. They touch and grope and palpate, and he sighs louder. It feels so much better, to have your hand touching him.

After a few more teasing caresses, you sway in a smooth motion and playfully push him backward, making him fall on the bed. He sits there, looking up at you with those two adoring cerulean pupils, as if you were the Sun itself. A distant magnificent star, impossible for him to reach, condemned to only contemplate.

“Get your clothes off.” You order, his reactions making you more confident and straightforward than usual. 

He is quick to obey. You could have asked him to jump off a cliff and he would have done it without even thinking. His clothes fall one by one on the floor and you feast on every area of skin he’s offering you. He ends up entirely naked for your eyes. This Titan, cascade of virile hairs everywhere, prominent scarred muscles carved into stone by Ares himself, gorged with raw powerfulness and designed to kill. To survive. And between those open thick thighs, his aroused member. The one he thought of as the triumph of his shame a few minutes ago, is now the Apotheosis of his Glory. Thick, long, hard like him, surrounded by a crown of tawny curls.

“Look at you…” You let out, almost licking your lips. But he doesn’t answer. He doesn’t see what you do at all. Instead, he let his gaze wander on your chest, and you can almost hear the silent plea in his gaze for you to join his nakedness.

Standing right in front of him, you begin to strip yourself out of your clothes, agonizingly slowly, your face displaying this provocative grin that turns him on so much. It’s purposeful, and you feel your own arousal rising as you notice the red coming back to his cheeks and ears.

First, your boots and socks, discovering your delicate legs. Then your blouse, showing your shoulder and chest, then your skirt. He stays silent all the while, enjoying your little show more than you could imagine. Your hips swaying, your arms gracefully dancing, each piece of clothing falling on the ground, this is all a trance he's getting hypnotized by.

Seeing you undress just for him after all those nights spent on his cot touching himself watching your shadow is like adding all the missing color from a masterpiece, enhancing and fulfilling.

“That’s what you’ve been thinking about?” You purr proudly, now in your undergarments.

“God yes. Yer a real’ angel.” He praises in a fevered-like whisper.

You smirk as all answer. “Come on now, show me those dirty things you’ve been doing.” You speak while nodding at his crotch in an almost challenging way.

His hand instantly reaches for his cock. It was itching him to since you had looked at it earlier. He presses his fingers hard around it and he grunts softly, the sound incredible to your ears. Obeying you and surrendering fully to his depravation, he slowly starts stroking himself again while watching you intensely. What did he do to deserve such a splendid spectacle?

That’s when you decide to slowly bend inward and undo the last pieces of clothing you still have. Just a few gestures and your breasts are bare and hanging for him to look at. Jeee-sus. You see and hear his hand speeding up. 

Lastly, you reveal your own sex to him, a pearl between those gorgeous thighs of yours, and he curses out loud this time.

“You're so goddamn beautiful. I could... Damn, I could finish right now jus' lookin' atchu.” He confesses, his cheeks, ears, and chest getting even redder at his own words.

“Really, uh? You're quite easy to tease, Mister Morgan.” You tease, before turning around and bending again, wanting him to see your bottom, taking a more than suggestive position with your ass up.

“Oh, for God sake.” He nearly chokes, his rhythm accelerating again; almost frenetic. This is all he ever wanted during those cold lonely moments. All he ever needed to see. And he can’t help but engrave every little detail in his mind; the little scars you have here and there, the different tone and grain of your skin, your hairs, your body’s hollows and bumps. Every little imperfection. And they make it all even better. Better than any fantasies he had ever pictured in the past few weeks. Because they are making you yourself.

You turn again to face him and straddle his lap, unable to resist your own urges that had been building and building since you had found him touching himself to the thought of you.

That’s when something finally lights up in his mind. The moment he feels your soft, warm thighs around him, and how you’re soaked in between them, it hits him. You’ve been wanting him just as badly as he wanted you. As odd and surprising as it sounds to him. This new reality is right there against his tip as you start rubbing your entrance against it, teasing, playing, pressing just a few inches in, gently praising how big he looks and how good it would be to have him inside of you. 

That thing inside of him explodes.

Suddenly his hands are all over you. Touching everything they can, discovering, molding your curves under his fingertips. Hands on your thighs, hands on your hips, waist, neck. Each part of you touched is breaking every chain that was holding him back, one by one. These perfect sensations blind him to any reasoning, any sense of restrain, and push him to palm your breasts. God, the softness, the warmth. He sighs in appreciation as he kneads both of them and you join his pleasured breathing.

More.

One of his hands leaves your chest to grab your ass, roughly, and he squeezes, hard, while he sucks on the breast that has been abandoned. “Arthur!” You moan out in return, pleasured and surprised voice, mouth left open in delight. Oh, he will satisfy you. Those renewed vows appear as clear as day between the mess of his head as he keeps devouring your nipple endlessly, almost suckling at it. He will push that voice of you to its limit, break it until you won’t be able to scream.

“That’ what you wanted all this time, uh? Drivin’ me insane?”

You search for something clever to throw back at him but the calloused hand on your breast suddenly reaches your cunt and you gasp instead. 

“That’ what you do? Torture poor devil like me until they can’t help but fall for you?” He asks again, his confidence heightened by your sweet sounds, his tone getting darker and darker. Touching your folds pleasures him almost as much as you, his brows furrowing into a needy and intense expression.

“J-just you… ‘Just wanted you to notice me…” You admit, your hips rolling on his lap and against his hand. His fingers part your cunt and trace their own way through this little Heaven, exploring this place he had craved so much; and it makes him more excited than any thoughts he could have had on his own.

“Well, that sure worked, girl.”

He lets go of your pussy and you squeal in protest, almost ashamed of your own sound. He smiles triumphantly at you, feeling satisfied to give you a taste of your own medicine. He wraps both of his arms around your waist, your chest ending up pressed against his face; his nose is shoved in it and he sighs louder this time. 

He can’t wait any longer. Not when he has been dreaming of this for weeks. Not after discovering your unforgettable perfume. Not after having felt this wet, warm promise of your entrance. He looks up at your face, searching for any trace of disgust or apprehension but you're completely free from any. Mouth agape, breaths deep and hips shamelessly searching for his, you're even more gorgeous than before, and he snaps.

He guides you carefully, his hands warm and hard against your bare skin. And he pushes.

His sex entering you slowly is deliciously hard and hot. His cockhead is big, way bigger than what you’re used to, and feels so good already. His arms hold you in place as he pushes again, wanting to be completely stuffed in, a long, low growling sound accompanying his movement. Oh, Christ Almighty. He had never felt so good than buried like this in your warm, silky, divine cunt right now.

Once fully settled, you both sighs and breath loudly for just a few seconds, your gazes meeting and silently agreeing on how fucking delicious this feels. Then you move up, wanting to ride him, feeling his shaft pull out as you do, but his arms grab you tighter and put your hips back in place.

“God!” You whine as you feel his length plunging again and hitting that spot inside of you.

He starts to buck his hips up against yours, unable to resist anything anymore. His rhythm, he wanted slow and meaningful at first, is quickly turning fast and hard, a remnant of how incredibly frustrated and needy he had been all this time.

“I’m gonna -Ohh, shit- I’m gonna show ya what ya get teasin’ me like that.”

Arthur's southern drawl is even more prominent, his voice hoarse and deep from effort. His thrusts up are more and more powerful, making you jump up and down on top of him and for the first time in days he thanks himself for having pleasured himself so many times lately, otherwise he would have come instantly right there in your heat. Your breasts bounce in this erotic, unresistible dance that he’ll remember for every future night he'll spend alone.

“Oh Arthur, don’t stop!” 

His cock pulls out and shoves into your cunt so fastly it's rubbing perfectly how you want it deep inside and you reach for his shoulders, needing to hold onto him, already so close. “Yes, yes, yes, right there!”

He hears your accelerating breathing, your higher-pitched moans turning into screams and he searches for your lips with his. Your tender petals against his dirty mouth. But he doesn’t care, there’s only your pussy right now, and your incredible smell he’s filled with once again, just like you’re filled with his tongue and his dick inside of you.

Both his hands grab your ass and he fucks frantically, his balls slapping against it with each thrust, making your plump flesh jiggle and those hitting and smacking sounds resonating throughout the room. Again, and again, and Damn it again.

It’s too much for you. 

You cry out loudly as your fingers dig into his shoulders and your head tilts backward, and his big, solid arms keep you pressed against his chest, completely wrapped around you; and he finally, finally feels it. Pleasure, pleasure, pleasure, instead of pain. This irresistible release, your pussy clenching and squeezing all around his cock. “-Ngh, s-shit yes angel, give it t’me!”

You give it all to him without any resistance and in a obscene scream. And it’s too much for him.

“Ah, God…” He hisses as he feels it coming, quickly pulling you up —as effortlessly as if you weighed nothing— and pressing his cock against your clit, well nestled between your lips.

He reaches your lips again, needing to finish while kissing you, both of your bodies almost sewn together, his moans sounding more and more like primal growls and hisses at every rubbing movement against your core, movements getting faster and faster, impossibly faster, So fucking good, Jesus so goddamned perfect, Perfect, perfect!- Until he finally comes, translucent cum leaking all the way down his shaft and spreading on your lower belly, all panting and grunting, a complete mess; a satiated beast.

It’s better than any of the dreams he ever had, waking or sleeping. And it’s not just the release of this one and only time, it’s the pinnacle of all these lonely pleasures shared with no one in regretful secret.

For the second time that night, he thinks he’s dead. 

He falls backward, back against the mattress, and you follow, unable to stand without him. In that silence only disturbed by your exhausted breaths, he turns and grabs the first piece of clothing that he has at hand’s reach, his flannel. He gently uses it to clear your belly from his seed and seeing it, on your smooth and soft skin, makes a wave of culpability crash onto him once again. Shouldn't have done all of this. Should have taken care of her properly.

A dark, glum expression settles on his face and he wraps himself in a deep silence instead of your arms as he finishes to clean the both of you. God, did that man ever know rest for more than a few minutes? At this thought, you bend over to put a small kiss on his forehead, as a thank you for his aftercare.

“Satisfied enough?” You finally break the silence, getting up from the bed –not without stretching your back slightly and swaying your hips before bending to reach for your clothes on the floor.

Arthur cannot help but think of a Nymph as you do all of this still naked. Those irresistible, divine beauties that lure men with a simple move of their finger, as they say in books. He knew it was all stories from another time, but he was more and more convinced they would look exactly like you if they did exist.

“More than in a long time. You?” He replies, voice neutral and features closed as usual. He stays on the bed and put only his pants back, his cock finally softening under the coarse fabric. He never stops looking at you all the while.

“Couldn’t be better”. You assert, your blouse falling back on your upper body. You then roughly fix your hair in this casual, impish way that was yours.

That was driving him insane.

“You’re a little minx, ya know that? Gettin’ naked on purpose every night…”

“Oh, please. You didn’t really complain as far as I know.”

“Nah, but ya did make me insane. Teasin’ littl’ thing y’are.” He says with a fond voice he would have preferred less obvious.

You innocently shrug your shoulders, cheeky grin on your face. The way you're playing with him that easily should have been shaming to him, but he doesn't feel any shame anymore, not after what you have shared.

"Goodnight, Arthur." You throw as all answer, leaving him as you walk through the door of his room. He greets you back, the trimmest trace of longing in his rough voice.

Once again alone, once again cold, Arthur grabs a cigarette from his pocket to smoke before falling asleep; maybe to keep this lingering warmth just a bit longer, the sensations of your body, and especially your sex squeezing around his, still remaining on his skin. Lying completely in the bed, he smiles to himself as he notices you have forgotten your shawl —again. Or maybe you had left it on purpose. Maybe you had both times, now that he is thinking about it. The ruby fabric had landed wrapped all around his old, worn-out leather jacket, like a flame dancing around, enveloping, lapping at a tree.

It looks great that way.

Maybe you were only playing with him. Maybe this was only a one-time thing. But who cared? Tonight, Arthur had been taken care of by a Nymph. And no other mortal pleasure, no other solitaries delights, not even the most lustful and depraved images he could have pulled out of his tormented mind could ever compete with that slice of Olympe you had given to him.

a/n: Yeah, 5K words, I knooow! I'm hopeless. It's quite a lot, but I didn't feel like cutting, nothing felt right. What can I say except thank you, so much, for everyone's interest in the first part, for your notes, comments and reblogs, and for reading all of this! I am in utter PANIC rn because I feel like nothing I could write would be as good or as well received as the first part, but here it is! I really hope it didn't disappoint!

Also, to give Caesar what belongs to Caesar, the holster falling was completely inspired by my dear @zae-heeyyy's Piquancy (II)! I thought it would fit the comical aspect of the scene eheh (go check it out)

tag list: @a-court-of-valkyries, @redwritr, @cassietrn, @esquilone, @starlightt180, @narcoticv3nus, @thoughts-of-bear, @emjiroki, @prettyundeadgirl, @eternalsams (I tried to tag people who had shown interest in a part2, really sorry if I missed anyone!)

[milliesfishes]

so yk how there has been a lot of you or your kid getting kidnapped WHAT IF instead, it was Billy or Coryo that got kidnapped and like you want to go out and hunt down those who would even THINK about taking your man away from you but like maybe you can't because you have your daughter to take care of or you have other responsibilites

just didn't know if anyone has thought of this yet but anyways I LOVE YOU SM MILLIE ❤️❤️❤️ !! KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!!

omg I love you!!!!! this is so sweet, please rp with your own thoughts on it if you want to! ౨ৎ꣑ৎbilly is kidnapped౨ৎ꣑ৎ fem reader x billy the kid

He was taken.

Those are the words emerging from the mouth of one of Billy's men, the words you're hearing. But they are some of the last ones you've ever wanted to hear.

You nearly drop the baby perched on your hip, stunned into stiffened pose. The man before you appears nervous, and you thank him for delivering the information before retreating inside the house.

In your husband's line of work, danger lurked around every corner, breathed down the necks of everyone he loved. It revealed itself in the form of men with sneers painted on their lips, in anxieties whispered into your ear late in the throes of the night by your lover. Though he was the picture of a fearless protector, he was scared.

Billy's fear never was directed at himself. No, he only sook to protect you, you and your daughter named for his mother. The arrival Kathleen, Kat as he called her, had only heightened his protective instincts, spurring them into action.

Your home was a location of utmost secret, known only by a select few of his gang when it was absolutely necessary. He guarded you and your daughter under lock and key, determined to keep you hidden from any sign of danger even hinting in your direction.

But he hadn't been attentive enough toward himself. And now your stomach was plummeting as you imagined Billy bound and gagged in a dark location, gun removed from his side, blood spattering his face.

Kat babbled, tugging on a strand of your hair, and you looked down at her again, breaths shallow. She had dark hair just the same as Billy's, winding into stubborn curls. And her eyes... the color of forget-me-nots, just like his.

The one desire at the forefront of your mind was one to mount your horse and ride north, where the man had said your husband was being held. Under Billy's tutelage, you were proficient in gunslinging, and your small size was an advantage in a fight, he'd said.

With the amount of pain and passion you felt right now, taking on an army of a thousand men was child's play. For your love, the father of your child, there was hardly a thing you wouldn't do to see him return home safe. To be nestled in his arms soundly as he assured you that everything was okay.

But as you looked down at Kat, you knew you didn't have a prayer of leaving. Billy wouldn't want you to abandon your daughter to come running after him, no matter how much danger he was in. Having to choose between your husband and your daughter was an impossible road you hoped you would never be forced to venture down again.

For the rest of your waking hours, you did your best to stay distracted, entertaining Kat to the best of your ability and hiding any sign of fear or worry from her bright eyes. No need for you to know her beloved father was twisted in the web of fate once again, in a danger you could hardly imagine.

Putting her to bed, you kissed Kat goodnight, watching her sleepy eyes flutter shut, tiny fist clutching the corner of her favorite blanket. Turning around, you shut the door behind you, hand flying to your mouth as your eyes squeezed shut, tears escaping despite the motion. Stifling the awful sob you wanted to release, your chest tightened and horrifying thoughts played before your eyes in the form of images you prayed would never come to life.

Your Billy was strong and steadfast, and he was more than capable of handling himself. He'd done it all those years before settling down with you after all; gotten himself into life-threatening conundrums and emerging virtually unscathed.

What if this is the one time out of a hundred?

Stumbling to your bedroom, you were helpless once the door was shut, closing your own arms around yourself in an attempt at comfort and dissolving into tears. The way your body shuddered crescendoed into a quiet cry, eluding your attempts to keep quiet as not to disturb Kat. The last thing she needed was a desolate mother.

You had the foolish thought that maybe now that your baby was asleep you could make your way in Billy's direction, but it was quickly reasoned with. What if she woke up and needed you? What if you never came back?

Helplessly, you brought yourself over to the bed, collapsing into the warmth of Billy's side. His scent engulfed you, making it nearly plausible to pretend he was there. Beside you, about to sheath you in his arms and mutter that he'd been wanting to hold you all night.

Minutes disguised themselves as hours, tormenting you with the length of them. Every second was like squeezing honey from a bottle, watching the thick golden drops lazily make their way down the side, in no hurry to appear when you wanted them to.

Surely his gang had infiltrated where he was being held. And now they might be cutting his ropes, tossing him a gun and telling him to hurry on home. It was a childish fantasy. The rope of possibility had tendrils that wove into a thousand different destinies. The chances of everything happening your way were slim to none, and you braced yourself for news that he wasn't ever going to come back.

Any minute now the same bearer of bad news from earlier would return, hat both real and proverbially in his hand as he delivered information you could never be ready to hear. A series of thoughts about life without him revealed themselves, and you tried to push them aside. Sleeping alone beside his empty spot, raising Kat without him, telling her about her brave, kindhearted father whom the world misunderstood-

Loss overwhelmed your being, and you muffled your sobs in his pillow, determined only to cry in the darkness where your daughter's eyes would never find you.

You were unsure of how long it had been when you stopped. It was too dark to see the clock on the bedside, and your emotion had weakened you too much to check, anyways. Face sticky and damp with tears, you pulled the sheet up around your body in a gesture you hoped would be comforting. But the only thing that would truly calm you was tied up in a faraway unknown place.

Lost in the cavern of your discouragement, you allowed the cold, hardened fingers of grief drag you deeper into the depths. Though it was springtime, you knew without him life would be forever winter. The ghost of his memory would trail behind you like a second shadow with every one of your breaths. Kat would be the only thing to stop you from crawling beneath the earth to join him, his grave your new lover's bed.

Senses numbed, you were too long gone to hear the door open. But when warm fingers grazed your skin, you leapt up, whipping your head around and preparing yourself to attack whoever had broken in. There was a knife hidden in the bedside table that you were willing to use.

But the silhouette blurred by the night was familiar. You'd lost track of how many times you felt that touch, whether the intention be domestic or passionate. It was always loving.

Reaching over to the bedside, you fumbled for a match, striking it and holding the flame to the melted candle. Lifting the burning light, features revealed themselves as you moved it upwards. A time-worn gun belt, brown leather suspenders, dotted stubble...eyes bluer than the sky on a summer's day.

Lips parting in shock, you set the candle back down, hands moving of their own accord to cup his face. The prickle of his half-beard scratched at your soft palms, and his warmth exuded outward, drawing you in just as it always had.

"Billy..." you breathed, gasping in disbelief. Your fingers grasped at his face, as if checking to see if he wouldn't crumble under your fingers like some cruel vision.

His roughened hands came to your own cheeks, and your lower lip trembled, his next words a catalyst. "Oh, baby...baby 'm here."

You threw yourself into his arms, instantly surrounded by the warmth and love that could only come from being held like this by him. Home. He was home and this was home. All was right with the world.

"You're alive," you croaked into his chest, the sound and feel of his heartbeat a steady song proving he hadn't departed into the next realm yet. It nearly made you hysterical- the knowledge that Billy had been ripped from you and sewn back at your side within a day.

"I'm here my love," he promised, voice cracking barely as he buried his face in your hair. "I'll always come back to you...'m so sorry..."

"I wanted to come after you." Voice hitching at those words, you shuddered, your body's leftover tension from fear of his absence releasing. He was the one person in this life you could let your guard down with. "I wanted...but Kat..."

"Shh," Billy soothed, sitting down on the bed and keeping you right against him. His body began to rock back and forth, an immediate response to your distress. "You did exactly the right thing, darlin'. My brave girl...havin' to go through all this by yourself..."

"You were the one in danger," you whispered, lifting your head from the comfort of his chest. "And you...did you...?"

"Hush now," he murmured, hand petting over your hair in a way that melted you. "I'm here. I'm safe and I've gotcha again. That's all that matters."

There it was again. The protective streak, the curtain of iron that separated his two worlds. You did not press or ask further questions. Whatever his reasoning, it was likely for the best.

Billy gently positioned you to lie down before reaching below and tugging his boots off, kicking them aside. He stripped himself of his work clothes, and you imagined the state of them. Bloody, likely, dusty most definitely. Tomorrow you would scrub the substance from them and ignore the circumstances, merely happy he had come home.

The haven of his arms was yours once again as he crawled in behind you, kisses pressed to the back of your head as he settled. You knotted your hand with his resting on your stomach, filing the worries of tonight away where they wouldn't disturb you until the next morning.

Tucking his chin into the space between your neck and shoulder, Billy nosed a careful kiss into the space, his quiet last assurances echoing in your mind long after the words escaped his mouth.

"You're safe, my love. I'll keep you safe."

[the-name-is-z]

SKELETONS | ch. 13

daryl dixon x f!oc

masterlist

a03 link

Summary: Shane's role in the group comes into question, Carl is up and healing, and everyone seems to be pissed off at something. Warnings/Information: AMC's The Walking Dead OC Insert | 18+ Advised | strangers to lovers; the slowest of slow burns; gore; angst; horror; humour; m/f; carl learns how to whittle, writer mentions whittling ducks (inescapable halsin reference), carl steals a gun, a few group members learn to shoot, maggie gets pissed after a close call, mentions of pregnancy, (suggestions of) infidelity and abortion (copious amounts of morning after) pills, death threats

Chapter 13 - Gunslinging

Carl was up and walking the next morning, taking it easy and helping Lori feed the chickens with Patricia. He seemed to be doing okay, but Iris noted a few cynical comments from him that raised some eyebrows. 

Glenn was hiding something, and it almost amused Iris more to follow him and watch him try to keep it to himself than to get him to come clean. He brought some fruit over to Dale and T-Dog while they were setting up the RV’s awning and had practically told them there was something dreadfully wrong.

Daryl was back in his tent, relaxing, though slightly annoyed he wasn’t out and about with the others. He knew better than to strain himself further. He’d forgiven Andrea already for trying to protect the group, but Iris was still annoyed that Shane gave her a gun in the first place.

Rick and Shane entertained Jimmy around their search map, Shane looking for spots for them to start training the others with guns. Even Patricia and Beth seemed interested in learning how to protect themselves.

Iris watched the interaction from the RV stairs, Carl standing beside her as she taught him how to whittle. He was mostly skilled in sharp, pointy sticks so far, but learning how to work the knife was the first step. He wore Rick’s hat around now that Rick’d ditched the uniform, and it suited him, despite being a little big.

“How’s it coming?” She asked, pulling her own knife away from the slowly-forming duck shape in her hand. Carl showed her the stick and she nodded. “See if you can make rings around the wood, try to make ‘em even.” He accepted the challenge, holding the knife carefully as Shane meandered over from Rick and their map.

“Nice lid, man.” He commented on the hat. “What’s going on?”

“We’re whittling.” Carl said with a grin. Shane nodded, observing the stick. He took a seat nearby, stretching out his legs. Carl put the knife into his pocket, turning to Shane. “I want to learn to shoot, too. Can you teach me?”

“Well, man, that’s up to your parents.” Shane replied with a chuckle.

“He asked me, too.” Iris stated, giving Carl a pointed look. 

“Can you talk to them? They’ll listen to you.” Shane laughed.

“We’ll see, okay?” He answered. Carl nodded dejectedly, turning away

“Hey. What you got there?” Iris asked as he turned, a flash of black peeking out from under his shirt. Carl lifted the shirt, displaying the small revolver he’d found somewhere tucked into his pants. Iris and Shane looked to one another, the former holding out his hand expectedly. 

They told Carl to go sit down at the camp and wait while Shane and Iris brought the gun to Rick and Lori. 

“How the hell did this happen?” Lori asked, checking the ammo before tucking the gun into the waistband of her own jeans. Dale had his hands shoved in his pockets, glancing over at the young boy.

“It’s my fault, I let him into the RV. He said he wanted a walkie, that you sent him for one.” Dale explained. Rick sighed.

“So on top of everything else, he lied?” Lori asked, looking to her husband expectantly. “What’s he thinking?”

“He wants to learn how to shoot.” Shane stated. “He asked me and Iris both to teach him, separate times. Now it’s none of my business, but I’m happy to do it. It’s your call.”

“I’m not comfortable with it.” Lori replied with a humourless laugh. Rick didn’t say anything, looking up at Shane. “Oh, don’t make me the unreasonable one, here, Rick.”

“I know. I have my concerns too, but—“

“There’s no but. He was just shot.” Lori interrupted sternly. “He’s just back on his feet and he wants a gun?”

“Better than him being afraid of ‘em.” Rick countered.

“Maybe you could tide him over with a little gun safety.” Iris suggested. “As a start. Once he shows he’s responsible enough, he knows the rules, you can decide if he should learn more.”

“There are guns in this camp for a reason, he should learn to handle them safely.” Rick agreed. Lori scoffed and shook her head.

“I don’t want my kid walking around with a gun.” She stated plainly.

“But how can you defend that?” Rick asked. “You can’t let him go around without protection.”

“He’s as safe as he’ll ever be, right here.” Lori snapped. Rick sighed and she put up a hand. “Look, everything you’re saying makes perfect sense. It just feels wrong. I mean, I didn’t feel good about him following you out into the woods and I wish I’d said something. I should have gone with my gut.”

“He’s growing up— thank God. We’ve got to start treating him more like an adult.” Rick protested.

“Then he needs to act like one.” Lori said loudly, turning to her son. “He’s not mature enough to handle a gun.”

“I’m not gonna play with it, mom.” Carl said, standing and walking over. “It’s not a toy. I’m sorry I disappointed you, but I want to look for Sophia and I want to defend our camp. I can’t do that without a gun.”

“Shane’s the best instructor I know.” Rick said quietly, turning back to Lori. Iris smiled down at Carl, giving him a wink. She was proud of him for saying that. “I’ve seen him teach kids younger than Carl.” Lori blinked at her husband, staring for a moment before clamping her jaw shut and walking over to Carl. She gripped his face in one hand lightly, turning him up to face her.

“You will take this seriously.” She said firmly. “And you will behave responsibly. And if I hear from anyone in this camp that you’re not living up to our expectations—“

“He wont let you down.” Rick said, looking to his son pointedly. Carl nodded, looking up at his mom.

“Yeah.” He agreed. She squeezed his face before walking away.

“Now if you’re gonna do this, you listen to Shane.” Rick said.

“Okay, Dad.”

“Alright? You be careful.” He sent him off toward the cars as Shane and a few others started loading up the SUV and station wagon. Guns, ammo, things they could use for practice.

“You coming?” He asked Iris as she followed Carl.

“Yeah, I can be on walker duty.” She replied and he nodded.

“Glenn?”

“Nah, I told Dale I’d help him… clean the spark plugs on the RV.” Glenn replied, clearing his throat to hide the nervous tremor. Iris snorted loudly. “He’s gonna teach me mechanics. I should probably go look for him.”

“You found me.” Dale said, leaning against the small bench swing near the RV, raising an eyebrow. “He’s a good learner.” Iris and Shane exchanged a smirk as they got into the car, Shane starting up the engine.

They drove quickly to the spot Shane had scouted with the others following, and Shane quickly set up a line of old wine bottles, some filled with a bit of water, along the fence. Each one of them had a gun, holding them forward and shooting to the best of their ability. Shane walked along behind them like a sergeant, correcting form and straightening posture. Rick came out to watch for a while, mildly impressed by a few of them.

“Jimmy. You’re not a gangster from New Jersey. Hold the gun straight.” Iris called, noting the fact that the boy on the end was holding the gun with one hand, and sideways. He glanced back at her, putting both hands on the gun and holding it up and down before firing. The bullet shattered the glass of the bottle and she nodded. 

Andrea was particularly enjoying the shooting lessons, with good enough aim. She mostly liked showing off in front of Shane, it seemed.

“I’d say she’s got the hang of it.” Shane stated.

“I’d say she’s ready for the advanced class.” Rick joked. “Might be worth your while after the rest of us head back to camp.”

“Sure, why not?” Andrea agreed, though Iris could see how giddy she was. 

“Better watch your back, Shane. She might shoot you.” Iris taunted. Andrea turned around.

“You got a problem?” She asked, annoyed.

“Yeah, a little bit. I got a problem with the fact that everyone apparently forgot that you shot one of us yesterday. You need glasses or something?” Iris spat.

“Oh yeah? Since when are you one of us?” Andrea retorted. “Daryl forgave me, okay? I said I was sorry, and I am.” Iris scoffed, shaking her head.

“Whoa, whoa, ladies, c’mon now.” Shane interrupted, coming to stand between them. Andrea backed off a little, but in all honesty she was somewhat frightened by the fire in Iris’ eyes. 

“I’m heading back.” Iris mumbled. “Gonna walk.”

Iris needed to cool off, that was for sure. She was irritated. To be fair to Andrea, Daryl did forgive her. But Iris had a hard time with it. She was frustrated that they weren’t making progress, toward finding Sophia, toward Fort Benning, any of it. She’d heard Hershel and Rick arguing, she knew that Hershel wanted them all to leave. That they weren’t welcome. Except Rick kept that to himself, and Iris was growing impatient. 

There were things all of them needed to learn. Things Iris had to do the hard way. She lost everyone, and they didn’t know what that felt like. Maybe Andrea did, but she still had her group. And she almost threw them away like they were nothing, giving up, opting out. Iris had had plenty of opportunity to kill herself. But she wouldn’t. She felt an obligation to the world, to these people, now.

Maybe this was all just pent up emotion coming out. It probably was. But when Iris returned alone to the farm, she stuck to herself. She spent a few hours throwing her knives into a target she carved into a tree. Dale and Glenn asked if she was alright a while ago, and took her silence as an answer.

After a while, she started to sweat in the hot Georgia sun, and reached for her bandana to tie her hair back. She realized then that it was gone. She’d used it to prevent Daryl from bleeding to death in the woods. Iris would never said she regretted it, and she didn’t, but she did miss the bandana. It was Felix’s. 

-

Iris looked up from helping Lori fold laundry as Glenn and Maggie stormed through the camp. Well, Maggie did the storming and Glenn followed her sheepishly. Everyone else had dispersed across the farm, and apparently Shane and Andrea were out looking for Sophia.

“Hey! We got your stuff.” Maggie snapped, slamming the gate behind her, right into Glenn. Lori looked up, somewhat alarmed.

“Maggie, hang on, please.” Glenn pleaded. Lori looked around frantically for other people, glancing nervously down at Iris, who was very confused.

“Come on in here.” Lori called, gesturing for Maggie to follow her into her tent, but Maggie was not having it.

“Why? Nothing to hide, we got your special delivery right here.” She yelled, shoving her arm into the paper bag. “We got your lotion, got your conditioner, your soap opera digest—“

“Maggie—“ Lori breathed.

“Next time you want something, get it your damn self. We’re not your errand boys.” She hissed.

“Honey, I—“

“And here’s your abortion pills.” Maggie snapped, throwing them into the dirt before shoving Glenn away, storming off. Iris’ mouth fell open, and she stayed silent as Lori scrambled to pick the pills up off of the ground. Glenn shot Lori an apologetic look before running after Maggie. Lori had tears in her eyes as she crouched, a hand to her mouth. She turned to Iris with a pleading look.

“I won’t say a word.” Iris whispered, shaking her head. Lori’s tears slipped down her face. “No judgement whether you take them or not. I’m here for you.”

“Thank you.” Lori murmured. She practically collapsed into Iris’ arms, breathing deeply. Iris rubbed her back comfortingly, staring after Glenn and Maggie. Something must have happened. Maggie had blood on her shirt, but they both seemed fine. Hopefully Glenn could make her feel better.

Glenn came back a little while later, Lori and Iris sitting at the table inside her large tent. 

“The blood on Maggie’s shirt?” Iris asked.

“She was attacked.” He confirmed.

“Are you guys alright? How bad was it?” Lori asked.

“It was pretty close.” He replied, stepping inside and taking a seat next to Iris, running his hands through his hair. She put a hand on his shoulder.

“I’m so sorry.” Lori said, shaking her head. “I should never have asked you to go.”

“I offered.” Glenn replied, shaking his head.

“I thought the town was safe, but if you hadn’t come back—“

“But we did. I always do.” He assured. He had another bag in his hands and he messed with it as he looked down. “The morning-after pills— will they even work?”

“I don’t know.” Lori replied. “And I don’t know if I want them to.”

“Then, I got these too, just in case.” Glenn said, putting the paper bag on the table in front of her. She unwrapped the bag, pulling out two bottles of prenatal vitamins. Iris couldn’t hold back her small smile, and neither could Lori.

“That’s a hell of a choice.” Lori murmured.

“I’m glad it’s not mine.” Glenn stated honestly. “Lori… we’re friends, aren’t we?”

“With everything we’ve been through— yeah.” Lori replied quickly. He shook his head.

“I can’t tell you what to do— I could never tell you something like that. But your choice… maybe you shouldn’t make it alone.” He said nothing more before standing, putting his hand on Iris’ shoulder before ducking out of the tent.

“I’ll leave you alone for a bit. I’ll be nearby if you need me.” Iris said softly. Lori nodded, putting her head in her hands as Iris left her to think.

Shane and Andrea returned a little while later, with no sign of Sophia. They looked a little tired and had some walker blood on them, but no worse for wear. Yet, Iris could have sworn she saw a hickey. Dale seemed as equally suspicious of them. Iris nodded to Shane as he walked past, but Dale followed after him.

“Shane, I was thinking, you’ve got that nice new ride of yours, plenty of fuel, more than enough for you to get far from here.” Dale said sharply. Iris’ eyebrows shot up. Shane was… problematic, sometimes, but no one yet had outright asked him to leave. 

“What, you telling me to leave?” Shane asked, glancing at Iris before looking back to Dale. It appeared that Iris would witness many a-private argument today.

“I know you’ve been planning to.” Dale said simply. “Maybe now’s a good time.” Shane looked to Iris, who stayed frozen, before huffing a laugh.

“Is this about Andrea?” He asked, narrowing his gaze.

“I’m looking out for the group.” Dale answered.

“You think the group would be better off without me, Dale? Why don’t you tell that to Rick or Lori? Their boy would be dead if I hadn’t put my ass on the line.”

“They’d be pretty disappointed if they knew you were using that as an excuse to save your own ass.” Iris said lowly. She wouldn’t let Carl become a bargaining chip for this bullshit.

“You risked yours, and Otis’s.” Dale pointed out. Shane said nothing, shaking his head and turning away. “Yeah, you’ve been vague about that night, about what happened.”

“Otis died a hero.” Shane said simply, turning back around.

“So you’ve said.” Dale replied accusingly. 

“A little boy lived because of what went down that night.” Shane glowered. “I think you oughta show some gratitude.”

“I wasn’t there.”

“No, man, you weren’t.”

“But I was the time that you raised your gun on Rick.” Dale continued.

“What?” Iris asked, standing up.

“Come on. Jesus.”

“You had him in your sights and you held him there.” Dale continued. “I know what kind of man you are.” Shane stared down at the ground for a moment before looking up through his eyebrows. Iris had no love for the look in his eyes. His voice was barely above a whisper.

“You think I’d shoot Rick?” He breathed. “That’s my best friend. That’s the man that I love. I love him like he’s my brother. You think that’s the kind of man I am?”

“That’s right.” Dale replied confidently.

“Well, maybe we ought to just think that through.” Shane replied lowly. Iris stepped toward them slowly, her hand moving to rest on the handle of her knife. That sounded an awful lot like a threat. “Say that I’m the kind of man who’d gun down his own best friend. What do you think I’d do to some guy that I don’t even like when he starts throwing accusations my way? What do you think?”

Dale’s eyes were wide as Shane got close, looking down at him dangerously. Iris stepped forward, behind Dale, so she could remind him there were witnesses. And honestly, she would be much harder to kill. Shane stood there for a few seconds, hopefully contemplating what he just said, before turning away. Dale shuddered as he turned meeting Iris’ gaze.

“I’ll keep an eye on him.” She muttered. He nodded, refusing to turn his back on Shane’s retreating silhouette.

-

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[bluegalaxygirl]

Celestial Wedding (ZoLu X Reader) P2

Plot: Reader gets taken as revenge for Luffy and Zoro's defiance against the Celestial Dragons, they were just going to kill her to make an example but now theres a wedding????.

Warning: Bad language, Blood, Violence, Drugs, kidnapping, forced marriage and salivary.

Thank you to @herwritingartcowboy for the suggestion. Reader is Female and a gunslinger, Zoro X Luffy X Reader, Poly relationship, established relationship.

P1 - P3 - P4 - P5 - P6 - P7 - P8 - P9 - P10 - P11 - P12 - P13 - P14 - P15 - P16 - P17 - P18

The cold breeze felt nice but the blinding sunlight hurt the captains eyes, with a groan Luffy opens his eyes only to shield them with his arm blocking out the bright morning sun. "Luffy" Chopper runs over seeing the captain finally awake, Luffy turns his head at the noise and sits up noticing Zoro laying next to him just starting to wake up too. "Are you ok?" The Doctor asks stopping in front of Luffy who places a hand on his head realizing his hat is gone, jumping up he looks around soon spotting it on the floor close by so with a sigh of relief picks it up and putting it on "Yea i'm good. Is everyone ok?" The captain asks looking around the deck seeing most of the crew awake. Robin sat with Nami as they watched over a sleeping Usopp who had quite a few cuts and bruises while Sanji sat close by a bandage around his head while smoking a cigarette. Franky was repairing the ship while Brook brought over some equipment for him, a groan caught the captain's attention looking down to see Zoro sit up and rub his head starting to look around as well. A sniffle made the two look over at Chopper who had his head down trying not to cry while he clenched his fists to his side "They took Y/N" Their breath caught in their throat making Luffy scan the deck again seeing your not on the deck, how did he not notice you were gone? Zoro stands up and scans the deck as well putting his swords back on his side before noticing Robin walking over.

The black haired woman stops next to Chopper with a sad look "Where is she? what happened?" The swordsman asks remembering you were with Robin most of the fight, Luffy steps closer his fists clenched to his sides as anger boils inside him, not only did they attack his crew, damaged the sunny, but they took you too. "I'll explain it to everyone" Robin sighs with a sad look before walking back over to the others who have finished what there doing and sit down to listen and figure out a plan. The only person still not awake was Usopp who along with Brook weren't knocked out by the gas but by physical force. "Robin" Luffy sits next to Zoro crossed legged his fist resting on his knees becoming impatient. "I'm sorry Captain. Those men took Y/n, i'm sure they were bandits but some of the things they said where odd and their weapons had symbols on them, I know i'v seen them before but i can't put my finger on it" Robin places her finger on her chin as Nami pulls out a piece of paper and a pen from her bag handing it to Robin "Can you draw it?" The navigator asks watching as the woman nods and starts to draw the best she can. "Oh no my Y/N-chan" Sanji holds his hands to his heart earning a growl form Zoro who more than hates the cook fawning over you "What the hell happened?" Zoro growls turning his attention to Robin, those guys gave no indication of who they where, he couldn't tell if they were pirates or bounty hunters, so they didn't have much to go on if they were going to find you.

Robin hands the paper back to Nami who looks it over, Brook bending down behind her to have a look at the drawing of four circles each one having a star in the middle. "Me and Y/n were't fully out so i heard quite a few things. Their goal seemed to be only Y/n and it seemed like they need her in one piece and unharmed" It brought a sense of relief to Luffy and Zoro hoping you wouldn't be too badly hurt "But i... I don't want to believe it but some of the stuff they said indicate that they might be working for slave traders" An eerie silence fell over the ship, most of the crew in shock but Luffy clenched his fists tighter and gritted his teeth in anger, he remembers what happened on Sabaody and how they treated slaves. If looks could kill the people who did this too you would drop dead even though their miles away while Zoro glares at the ground, his eyes burned with the desire to kill. The silence was broken by Brooks gasp, Nami jumped at the sudden sound and turned to smack the skeleton for scaring her only to see the terrifying look on his face "Urm guy... That symbol is part of the Slave traders but, I remember seeing it on Punk Hazard too, they were responsible for taking the kids and giving them to Caesar" Franky looks up in surprise before standing a look of shock mixed with anger " Wait a minute man, marines took the kids not Bandits" Luffy stands stopping the upcoming argument "I don't care who they are, all i need to know is where they are" Zoro nods at his captains words standing up and placing a hand on Luffy's shoulder.

The crew knew their captain was beyond mad so nodded and stood along with the swordsman "The Marine Commodore in charge is part of the G-5 if i remember correctly" Nami places a finger on her chin trying to remember as much as she could as Luffy's hand goes to her shoulder "Then thats where we're heading" The captain lets a big smile show causing the navigator grab him by the shirt "What?" she yells in his face as Chopper cowers behind her "We can't attack a marine base that big" The doctor yells earning a laugh from Robin and Zoro "We're going to get Y/N back." Luffy's stern voice stops Nami form shaking him anymore, she stares at him hoping it was a joke, but she knew it wasn't, with a sigh she lets go "Ok, I'll set course" Luffy nods at her before turning to the rest of his crew "Lets get our strength back and find Y/N" The captain yells getting the rest of the crew to nod, with a small chuckle Sanji nods and heads off to the kitchen to start cooking. Once everyone had left the deck Luffy sits down next to the still sleeping Usopp, he hated seeing his friends hurt, but he's confident in their skills and even though the sniper can be a cowered he's still willing to fight for the crew. Zoro watches his captain for a minute before sitting down next to him and taking the mans hand "Luffy" The swordsman manages to get the captain's attention, Luffy prying his eyes away form his injured friend to look at his first mate with a small smile.

Seeing the worry on Zoro's face Luffy knew he had to say something. "Y/n's strong she'll be fine" The captain was mainly reassuring himself with those words and the swordsman knew it but nodded and wraps an arm around Luffy pulling him into a hug "I know" Zoro whispers rubbing the captains back, the Sunny starts moving changing course to head to the G-5 base, it'll be a big battle but their main goal is to find those with the blue stars and hopefully they will have information. Luffy sighs and moves to sit on Zoro's lap letting the green haired man hold him form behind, the captain relaxes against the swordsman's chest "Everything's gonna be ok" Zoro whispers into the captain's ear before kissing his neck and laying his head on Luffy's shoulder. Usopp groans while rubbing his bandaged head and sitting up, the snipers eyes land on Zoro and Luffy "Hay, your awake" Luffy smiles over at his friend who looks around the ship "What happened?" Zoro groans into his captains shoulder not wanting to answer the question but Luffy filled the sniper in on what happened and where their heading "What? a marine base? are you sure about this Luffy" Usopp asks getting closer to his friends face, Luffy nods with a smile but that smile soon fades as Usopp tries to convince the captain not to do it. "Where getting her back." The sniper tenses at Luffy's tone and demeanor change, feeling a heavyweight wash over him as his captains eyes go almost black. Usopp simply nods knowing there's no way of convincing Luffy, he just hopes he doesn't have to fight.

With a swift kick the bandit that tried to get closer flew into the metal bars hitting his back and yelling out in pain. The other bandits growled watching as you stand ready to hurt anyone who gets too close. You were almost at the Red line, and they wanted to make you look presentable but now that you've regained your strength you refuse to do anything they tell your or at least make it harder for them to do anything it. "What is taking so long?" The captains voice calls out walking down the steps before sighing at the mess you've made, several men where either knocked out or groaning in pain while others where standing around trying to find an opening. "Can't you do anything right? Just sedate her" The captain yells making the few who are still left standing jump in fear at their captains angry tone "We already used two needles" One speaks up as the Captain walks into the cell eyeing you, the man was right, the first guy managed to stab you in the leg with a needle but luckily not much went in, the other guy got you in the arm but you didn't react fast enough. Despite feeling tired and weak, the adrenaline running through your veins helped you stand your ground and fight off anyone who got close. "Give it here" The Captain holds out his hand to one of his men who hand him their needle and taking a step back as to not be in is way. "Now be a good girl and do as your told" The captain smiles gripping the needle in his hand.

Glaring and letting a slight growl leave your lips you back up pressing your back against the wall mainly so you can push off and kick him if he gets close enough. The captain steps closer his eyes scanning you over trying to see what your next move is but stops just far enough away to where you can't kick him, the thought of charging at him did cross your mind but you knew you wouldn't be able too with the short thick chain your currently attached too. "I'm guessing you know where we're going then... you should learn early on that defiance isn't acceptable" The captain takes a few steps closer but you wait until he grabs your arm to pushing off the wall you kick will all your might, your foot landing on his stomach but to your surprise he grab your leg and turns to the side pulling you closer. You gasp at the feeling of a sharp needle going into shoulder as his other hand lets go of your leg and grabs your neck slamming you back against the wall knocking the air out of your lunges. While trying to get some air back you try fighting him off you, grabbing is hand thats around your neck and trying to pull it off while using your foot to push against his stomach. Despite your effort the captain keeps his tight grip waiting for the drugs to kick in, it doesn't take long for your arms and lets to feel tired and weak along with your head starting to feel fuzzy. "There we go.. that wasn't so hard now was it?" The captain asks letting you go and watching your legs give out form under you, sitting on the ground you pant a little trying to regain focus as a fogginess clouds your mind.

The captain turns glaring at his men before leaving the cell "Hurry up, we're almost there" His men nod rushing over to you to start their work, one grabs your arms pulling you away from the wall while another un-cuffs your hands, this would be the perfect opportunity to escape but there's no way you can run let alone stand with your legs feeling numb. They wash your skin and hair before dressing you in a white short dress and finally put shoes on your freezing cold feet "What do you think?" One man looks you over before turning to the other who hums while thinking his eyes scanning your figure. "Tie her hair up, they seem to like it more when their neck is exposed" The man finally speaks putting new cuffs on your hands before holding onto the short chain its attached too. The cuffs aren't as thick as the last ones but with how tired your body is, it feels heavy making it hard to hold your hands up for long. The other man nods tying your hair up before helping you stand and making sure your steady on your feet, your legs where still weak but luckily you can stand and regain your balance quite easily. With a growl you elbow the man holding you in the side making him yell out in pain stepping away and holding his ribs, the one holding your chain pulls you towards him knocking you off balance, but he grabs your neck shoving you back into the wall. Their eyes burn with anger but you can't help but let a small smile show, even in your tired state you can still somewhat fight back.

Managing to catch his breath and rubbing his side the bandit glares at you "Gods lady do you want to die? You know who your going to right? a celestial dragon" The man rubbing his side grows threw gritted teeth, you knew where you are going but it didn't matter, you had to get back to your crew, to Luffy and Zoro. "I belong to no one but my Captain and my crew" you glare as the mans hand tightens around your neck pushing you harder into the wood, his eyes burn with anger before letting you go watching as you take a much-needed breath and bringing your hands to your neck to rub it. "Stupid girl" Both man growl the one holding your chain pulling it hard forcing your hands away form your neck before walking out the cell dragging you along with them. Walking up the steps you shield your eyes from the blinding light until they can adjust, the cool sea breeze sends a shiver down your spine and your exposed logs but it feels a lot warmer up top despise the cold wind. "Much better" The captain smiles walking over to you and placing a thick black collar with a blue ball embedded in it around your neck, you try to step back but the man holding your chain shoots you a glare while pulling you closer so the collar can close and lock around you. "Listen closely, girl" The captain grabs your face while holding a black detonator with a big red button on top of it bringing it closer to your face and waving it a little.

You gulp a little knowing it's a bomb collar but you didn't know there were different ones. "This collar works a little different, since your being difficult and are fighting back i have no chose but to put this one on you. I won't get paid if your dead so a chained collar is out of the question." You know the type he's talking about, all the slaves have them, if the chain is broken the collar around their necks explodes, It stops the slaves from running away. Since you have a tenancy to fight them every step of the way even knowing who your going too it makes sense not to have one on you, in case you deliberately brake the chain. You wouldn't do that though, you want to get back to your crew alive and in one piece, but they don't seem to be taking any chances. "It doesn't matter where you go or how far away you are, this will be able to tell your new owner where you are and if he decides that your no longer worth the trouble then they'll just press the button and BOOM" The captain yells in your face before shoving your face away making you stumble a little, the man around you laugh a little but your focused on the detonator in the captains hand, it has a small screen on it with a blue dot. So far you've been focused on only getting out and getting back to your crew but now it doesn't seem possible at least not on your own. "So don't go running off ok?" The captain smiles grabbing your chain walking you off the ship pulling you along behind him, with a sigh you nod knowing you need a new plan but the only thing you can think of is survived until your crew finds you.

Stepping off the ship and onto the red port you look up to see the large red line that splits the earth in two, the red earth so high it goes beyond the clouds. You didn't get a good look at it the first time you passed under it, having to go under and to Fish-man island in order to get over to the other side, being pulled along you soon stop at strange looking yellow elevator with the world government's symbol on it. It makes you sick that this place is home to the world government and the celestial dragons, how can they preach about justice and saving lives while slavery and torture are going on right next to them. Stepping into the elevator the Captain forces you to sit by pushing you down by your shoulder while some of his men follow. "Now be a good girl and stay quiet" The man glares waving the trigger around as a reminder, you only nod in response and look down at the floor as the elevator doors close. Getting higher and higher into the air your anxiety and fear raises up with it, your leg starting to shake a little but you as your dress moves up your leg a small smile appears on your face. The tattoo on your thigh brings you hope knowing your crew will always be there for you even if their miles away, it helps you stay calm and remind you that your strong, you can get threw this you just have to not show any emotion around the dragons. You can't let them see how your feeling and you can't give them any bad looks, If you want to live you have to turn it off, it's going to be hard at times and you'll want to scream at them or cry but you can't, once your crew comes to get you then you can fight them but for now you just have to stay calm.

[yuri-is-online]

Your fantasy AU sounds fun… Do you have any other thoughts?

Mostly just world building if I'm being honest. The real spicy thoughts could count as spoilers so I'll try to put some fun things first before the building block stuff.

Yuu has a lot of physical damage on their body, and a pendant they're extremely protective of but don't remember why. I had a specific idea for that pendant was in the first outline but since I'm not 100% on this being a JadeYuu fic anymore I'm keeping it vague.

Yuu has some vague memories of being in a coma and several people talking to them, but they don't know who they were or what they talked about. It really hurts their head to think about, but they truly trust Idia and aren't afraid of him or Ortho. Somehow they know neither of them are responsible for what happened... or maybe they just don't blame them?

Idia is the one who brought Yuu to his and Ortho's house, but not everyone who should knows that they're there. Ortho doesn't know how Idia knew where to find them and has decided to not ask questions.

Ramshackle Party currently consists of Ace, Deuce, Yuu, and Ortho! Jack, Epel, and Sebek might join later but I'm undecided if they'll be permanent or temporary members. Ace is meant to be a rogue, Deuce used to be a barbarian who has been training under Trey to try and be a proper knight, Ortho is an alchemist, and Yuu is a mechanist a la FFXIV. Or gunslinger if you prefer that. Grim still follows them around and insists he's a great mage but his magic is... well you know.

Oh and Jack is a druid, Epel is an unwilling palidan/squire, and Sebek is also a palidan sworn to the oath of the crown.

Speaking of Trey, he and Riddle are influential members of the Queendom's royal guard, with Riddle being the Commander and Trey being his Second. Cater used to be a freelance information broker who has settled in the Rose Court as the chief of it's spy network, but he's publicly known as a semi famous bard. Neither Ace or Deuce know his real job ha.

Speaking of information brokers, Azul is still a merchant. He doesn't have a monopoly on physical goods since Sam is still here, but his information services can't be beat. He's actively involved in mapping the labrynth floors and has a lot of pull within the Adventure's guild. The twins still work with him but Floyd like to run off and explore the labrynth on his own for funsies sometimes.

Leona is actually a fairly influential politician in this AU, he's lacking the color scheme but he's in his Duke of the North era. He's known for being the first real adventurer in the labrynth, but how that came to happen, and all of his current personal life, are unknown to the general public. He sends Ruggie to bother Idia a lot.

No one knows how many floors the labrynth has, the S.T.Y.X. keeps detailed track of the known floors and assigns them a difficulty ranking based on things like terrain, monsters, weather etc. The Charon units are stationed at all known entrances to check if people trying to enter have the proper adventurer rank and to keep an eye out for dead mages.

Speaking of that, only mages can be resurrected if they die in the labrynth. Magicless people do occasionally venture in, but usually as merchants and never past floor 10.

The Adventure's Guild has a ranking system that determines how deep into the labrynth you're allowed go. Idia is an Obsidian ranked adventure, which prevents him from forming a party with Ortho who is only Bronze rank. Idia's party he gained that rank with has since disbanded, which makes things annoying for him as adventures are required to form a party with a minimum of four people before adventuring. Ortho has only really met one of Idia's previous party members, but he looks up to him a lot. Idia never talks about the other ones.

I have an idea for what I want to do with Malleus but it's a bit... weird? And I'm not 100% sold on it yet. I need to think more. But I know Briar Valley doesn't have much of a presence in the Labrynth or it's nearby town as they have been able to prevent it from spreading into it's territory. Silver and Sebek do occasionally participate in some of the exploration of the lower levels S.T.Y.X does though.

[hoetachi]

U GOT IT BAD — G. REYES

i saw this and i immediately wanted to write a little more on that scenario because it was absolutely hilarious // sorry for any mistakes

two months. you’ve been here for two months and the blackwatch commander finds himself already infuriated by you. he thought you was a simple soldier that was going to be the part of the rest of the growing overwatch society, however your skills surpasses any other person in your rank which cause you to gain the attention of strike commander morrison. now here you were, taking small teams on recall missions and as well as being present in debriefing meetings along side with other commanders. the grim commander wasn’t one to be comfortable with feelings like these and it was so hard to avoid you with your newfound popularity

what really made avoiding you harder was the fact around this time, ana was in her second trimester of her pregnancy and decided you would be the perfect fit to take over her current position. so as ana was close to gabriel, you as well was close to gabriel which left him off his game… alot

you came in during one of his drills with ana explaining what was the drill for and just having you watch him with such interest caused him to mistakenly crank up the difficulty until the training bots went haywire and basically chase his entire team in circles and up the walls. he felt the questionable looks coming from you and ana and cringed hard internally

then he had fellow agents boasting endlessly about you to him did a number. normally he’ll get real pissed hearing about some random’s personal information unwilling, yet every time he heard something about your life or things your interested in, it made him intrigued. he wanted to be the only source knowing these things about you, if he was being honest with himself

now who he didn’t want talking his ears off about you was cole…

“everyone seems to be takin’ a likin’ to that smokin’ commander already” the gunslinger kept paced with the mildly busy commander

“she’s not a commander cass, she’s just a commandant studying ana’s position before she heads off for maternity leave “ he corrected the young outlaw whilst skimming through files for an upcoming mission for his team

cole coolly shrugged his shoulders before placing his arms behind his head. “either way i feel like she’ll be good for you” he said which was followed by a teasing smirk as he watch the tips of the his brooding commander’s ears turned to a deep rue color

gabriel grew even more irritated with the young cowboys he knew his reaction would only cause more teasing from him which was making things worse, “good for me? w-what are you talking about cassidy?”

“you need a lady like that. strong, intelligent, not afraid to speak her mind…” he listed on his mechanical fingers as they walked side by side

gabe didn’t say anything else yet he agreed on everything with cassidy, however he’ll never let the gunslinger know due to his loose lips

“plus she got a nice ass in shorts” blurted cole which immediately catch gabe off guard making his instant swing on cassidy for his inappropriate comment

“whoops too slow jefe” cole snickered as he dodged the sudden attack swiftly

before gabe could stop himself from putting his full weight into his punch, it already connected with something else.. well someone else. turning his head to see what he hit instead of cassidy, he felt his stomach fall out his ass as his heart stopped

you sat on your elbows weakly as you watch your nose gush with blood while ana asked if you were okay. both the women looked towards him and he felt a deer in headlights, he couldn’t form a coherent thought which didn’t make his situation any better when his words were faster than his thoughts

“ARE YOU FUCKING SORRY?!”

ana’s face was split between confusion and anger, “come dear, let’s quickly get you to dr. ziegler” he watched as she helped you up and usher you past him as she glared daggers into him while mouthing ‘i’m going to kick your ass in 9 months’

“real smooth commande-“ this time he didn’t miss with hitting cassidy. “suicides until you drop dead, cassidy” he spat as bruised cole sat flat on his butt rubbing the back of his head

“YOU PUNCHED HER!? WHAT THE FUCK GABE!?” jack expressed, beyond shocked from the information his longtime just shared with him

“it wasn’t on purpose! stupid ass cole kept running his mouth and i didn’t know she was behind us— FUCK! what am i supposed to do now?” gabriel felt defeated. he knew he definitely blew things out the water this time and completely understood if you didn’t want to be around his presence anymore

jack stared at his friend with a sympathetic smile as he shook his head, “my friend.. i have never seen you so off guard before… you got it bad for y/n”

“i do not!” gabriel denied

“oh really? so you’re just out and about punching women who happens to make you more nervous than a virgin at prom?”

“no.. she just… so many people have such good things to say about her and actually being around her… i see why she’s a showstopper— christ sake i got into tea so i can have something to talk about with her”

jack gave him a giant smile, amused at his friend’s crush. “just apologize and be direct because the gabriel reyes i know was never the guy to be standoffish with how he’s feels” jack placed a hand on his slumped shoulder and handed a bouquet of flowers to him

“tell her how you feel man..” he encouraged

gabriel stared at the various colors amongst the bouquet, his stomach swelled up with butterflies and that’s when he knew he had to do this now or be a coward.

so striding along the empty midnight hallways of the base, he found himself in a internal battle with if he was making the right call. ‘the worst she could say is screw you, reyes’ he tried to make himself feel better about it but the twisted feeling in the out of stomach seemed never ending and only intensified once he realized he was now approaching her quarters

he stared at the name plate saying your last name. he gave himself one last prep talk before knocking and clearing his throat whilst pressing the flowers into his chest.

“y/n? a-are you up?” his voice cracked a bit as he waited for an answer. He soon heard footsteps approach the door for a moment, probably looking at the camera who was at the door. Taking a guess she figured it was him, he heard the steps start to retreat causing panic in him

he reached for the door as he was reaching for her to stop her from disappearing. “y-you don’t have to open the door, but don’t walk away… please” he pleaded quietly. his heartbeat was basically the only he could hear at this point. it was now or never to fix things even if he felt like he was unprepared for this interaction, however he took a shaky breath before laying everything out on the table.

“look y/n.. we got off on the wrong foot, but i promise you i have no ill intentions towards you. i’m just…” he struggled to finally admit to these feelings that reeked havoc over his being for the past couple of months, but he knew he had to set the record straight.

“i’m just not used to having.. i guess a crush on somebody, you can say”

“you’re all everyone talks about and just hearing about your interests— the things you like, dislike or find amusing— you’re special, interesting and dead gorgeous a-and i’m sorry for being a complete idiot towards you” he finally admitted. it felt like a pressure has finally been lifted off of his chest

there was a silence and at this point gabe was fine with just the simple confess, at least he man’d up and no one could take that from him. he sighed defeatedly, softly placed the flowers by the door as he turned on his heels to head back his side of the base to sleep off this nightmare

suddenly he heard the sound of the automatic door opening, he turned around to see you dressed in silk royal blue robe as you bend down picking up the flowers. a small smile graced your full lips as your eyes flickered from the flowers to his being and never in his life he felt so exposed before

you held the flower close to your chest as you leaned against your doorframe with hand on your hip. “it took you elbowing me in my nose to finally confess to me? you got it bad commander” you shook your head before signaling him to come back with your index finger, “care to share a glass of taylor port? i heard it was your favorite.” you raised a brow, which caused a short chuckle to leave the speechless man as he made his way back

[steambot-shenanigans]

I’m making a post about some fanbots I haven’t discussed much on here!

I made them originally so I could have more characters for the spg rp server I was on, but I would like to revisit them sometime.

Basically, they are 3 yellow matter bots created by the direct descendants of Rex Marksley. For the purposes of this, yellow matter represents time. Here’s a lore dump about the three of them!

The first bot to be built, representing the past, is Milo Samuel Marksley (Milo coming for the greek word for speak, and Samuel coming from Samuel Morse). He was invented in 1850 by Roy Marksley, the son of the legendary gunslinger himself, who was inspired by the telegraph. It is a very old bot and is very worn down. They keep getting more rusted and straight up loosing parts.

It was built before voicebox technology, so it can only communicate outwardly through the beeps of morse code. Its younger siblings worry that one day it will get so worm down they will stop working alltogether. Its appearance is very rough, having no mouth, or exterior plating, so their simplistic mechanical insides are on display, aside from a few places. Their clothes are very much outdated, it breaks down frequently, and is generally fairly slow. Despite that, they still manage to keep the peace between its bickering siblings.

Its antenna is centered, coming out of the back of it’s head and going through its top-hat. It is curled at the end and has a small ball at its point. It plays percussion (mostly drums and piano).

In December 1906, a second bot was invented by Roy’s youngest daughter, Ray Marksley, inspired by the existence of the radio. Named Echo Reginald Marksley, this bot has stayed in much the same condition as when he was first built. (Echo comes from the greek word for sound, and Reginald comes from the first name of the violinist who played the first song to be broadcast on the radio- O Holy Night).

He doesn’t upgrade well, as his chassis will accept nothing but identical parts and his systems reject any software updates, much to his dismay. He hasn’t gotten any new malfunctions and is a pretty durable and consistent bot. He is most at home making radio broadcasts, as he knows his best feature is his voice. It’s low, velvety and melodious, despite the slight staticky quality that worsens when he is feeling strong emotions. He tends to act confident, composed, and a bit flirtatious, which is how he naturally is on the radio, but is less natural and more facade when talking to people face to face. The biggest hit to his confidence is his physical appearance, as his inventor, Ray, cared more for function than form. So while he was painstakingly programmed with intellect, creativity, great memory storage, and an extensive vocabulary, and the best voice possible for his purpose as a radio bot, his exterior was not afforded the same care. His body is fine when covered in clothing (which it almost always is), but his face is harder to hide. It’s asymmetrical, and the features are not quite right, looking almost more like a radio than a human face in such a way that puts him squarely in the uncanny valley. He once had a listener who fell in love with him because of his voice, and then quickly fell out of love and ran away when he saw the bot’s face.

Because he is quicker and more charismatic than his older sibling, and more experienced than his younger sister, He generally considers himself the leader of the siblings, both in taking care of them, and in matters of the band they are in. His younger sister takes issue with this. If you think he’s abnormally flirtatious normally, you should see how mushy he gets when he genuinely falls in love with someone! Echo has one antenna above his left audio receptor (which really looks nothing like an ear). It can fold down across his head, or retract and extend as needed to broadcast radio signals remarkably far considering he’s not as tall as a broadcast tower. He does occasionally climb things to get better signal if he’s trying to communicate with someone far away.

In 1941, Ray’s eldest and only daughter Rue Marksley goes on to complete the trio with Cathode Ray Marksley. (Cathode comes from the cathode ray tubes original tvs were built with and Ray was her grandmother’s name).

Cathode, or Cathy as everyone calls her is inspired by a tv, and as such has one for a head, her screen almost always showing her pretty face. Rue had wanted to make Cathy since 1930 when she was a little girl and found out about TVs, but due to not being old enough, and the Great Depression, it had to wait. When first built, people didn’t understand why Rue would build a feminine robot, and so Cathy presented as male for a while, about until the early 2000s. Cathy is stylish and modern, always getting their current caretaker to upgrade her with the latest things, whether its color television, more modern displays, more pixels, or a flatter screen. Beyond her chassis, she also cares about the clothes she wears. Though her siblings usually always wear the same thing every day, Cathy is constantly changing her style based on what’s trendy, and she is not stopped by what gender clothes are associated with.

Being the youngest and being spoiled with upgrades and shopping trips has caused her to be a bit bratty and prideful, but she still cares for her siblings even though she can’t go a day without getting into squabbles with Echo. She’s quite flirtatious and even if she complains a lot, she will still get the job done if it’s something that needs doing or is for a friend. She plays electric guitar, rhythm guitar, saxophone, and trumpet. Her antennae are two classic bunny-ear tv antennae that she kept around despite her upgrades so she could still transmit and receive radio signals from her siblings.

The Marksley bots have a radio/video show together of playing music, a combination of old and new, covers and original songs. They mostly live off their family’s fortune, as they aren’t incredibly well known, and they’re not affiliated with the Marksley Weapons Company (though they could be if they wanted to).

Also in case you were wondering, Cathy is a lesbian, Echo is bi, polyamorous and asexual, and Milo is aroace and agender

[star--joy]

Inspire

Vex doesn't understand why Percy keeps giving her arrows, but she's sure there's some ulterior motive to the whole ordeal.

-

Prompt: “You really inspire me.” (creativepromptsforwriting.tumblr.com/post/673924497584291840)

-

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Warnings: Arguments

Words: 1644

Originally posted: 8/11/23

Ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49274167

The first arrow was a simple thing.

Well, that’s not true. The first arrow was complex in construction, delicate and complicated enough that it kept Percy tinkering for weeks. Crafting one that explodes upon impact is no small feat. In that way, it hadn’t been simple at all.

Perhaps a better way to phrase it is this: the first arrow was nothing important.

Yes, Vex was pleased to have such a weapon at her disposal, and yes, she was flattered that Percy spent so much time creating it, but that was it. A small gift between friends.

Except not much time passed before the second arrow was presented to her. Similar to the first, but more fine-tuned, according to Percy.

Well, fine. Vex can handle that. She knows how their gunslinger likes to perfect his inventions, to improve them until they can’t be anymore. That’s what she’d assumed it was. He’d simply wanted to create it for his own benefit.

The third arrow, yet another advancement, was considered the same.

Sometime around the fourth one, however, Vex hears a warning bell sound off in a deep corner of her mind.

“It’s a siege arrow,” Percy explains, ignorant to her sudden caution as he hands her the weapon. “Maybe now we’ll have more luck getting through doors.”

“Indeed,” she hums, testing the feel and weight of it, though her mind is elsewhere. “Thank you, Percy. I have to say, you’ve been spoiling me with all these gifts.”

The unspoken question of why hangs over her head, but apparently, it goes unheard to the gunslinger. He just grins. “Yes, well. I do hope you enjoy them.”

And then, just like that, he’d walks away. Vex watches his retreating form, lip caught between her teeth, before retreating back to her room for a night’s rest. Sleep does not come easy as she ponders the motives of his kindness.

The fifth, sixth, and seventh arrows come and go, each one sparking more confusion in Vex. Barely a week ever goes by without a new creation finding its way into her hands, and a part of her is going mad with it. If he wants something so desperately, why doesn’t he just come out and ask? Percy never struck her as particularly manipulative, at least to his friends, so why the fuck is he desperately trying to suck up to her?

Perhaps he had done something terrible, and this is his way of apologizing. Yet even then, Vex can’t figure out what he might have done to warrant such profuse gifting.

Well, she’s done with it. No more beating around the bush. Steps firm and steady, she finds herself marching down to his workshop, fully intending to put this whole ordeal to an end.

Percy meets her halfway down the stairs, another fucking arrow in his hands. “Oh, Vex, I was just about to come find you,” he says.

Vex looks down at the arrow in his hands, looks up at his proud expression, then grabs him by the collar of his soot-covered work shirt and drags him down into the workshop once more. Percy yelps. “What in the hells—?”

“What are you playing at?” Vex demands, all her careful composure thrown out with the force of her frustration. “What’s the goal here? And don’t lie to me, Percival. I’m not in the mood.”

Slowly, he reaches up to fix his shirt collar from where Vex had snatched it. “I’m afraid I don’t follow. Have I done something?”

“You know what I’m talking about! What do you want? Money, is that it? You want me to be looser with your funds? Fucking— fine! Here,” she snarls, unclipping her personal coin purse and chucking it at his feet. The anger coursing through her is more potent than it’s been in years, boiling her very blood in a way that’s almost alarming. Percy has no right to play her for a fool. Vex thought he’d respected her more than that, but apparently she was wrong, and it fucking hurts.

Percy stares at the coin purse on the ground, mouth open and eyes wide. “Vex, I— are you alright?” He’s stepping closer, arrow still in hand but long-forgotten. 

“I’m fine. Take your money. And next time, just ask. Don’t play these games with me.” Her voice is wavering and she hates it, hates how much she cares.

“What in Pelor’s name are you talking about?!” he asks, sounding so genuinely baffled that it gives her pause. Then, “Vex’ahlia… Vex, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”

Teeth grinding together, Vex snaps, “The fucking arrows, Percy! I don’t appreciate your bribery.”

Percy looks at her, looks at the arrow in his hand, looks at the coin pouch on the ground. His face twists, but not with guilt or anger. Instead, he just adopts the expression of a kicked puppy, all furrows and pouted lips. “Bribery? That’s what you think I’m doing?”

“You’re denying it?” Vex asks, arms crossing over her chest as if that could shield her from the way his sadness is wringing her heart.

His mouth opens and closes several times. Slowly, he picks up the coin purse and hands it back to her. “I apologise. I hadn’t realised that you— that I was giving that impression.”

Vex twitches. She couldn’t have been wrong. What other reason would he have to be so fucking kind to her? And, Gods above, if she is wrong, then why is he handling it like this? “What impression were you trying to give, then?”

Percy’s hand ruffles through his hair. When he speaks, it’s little more than a murmur. “It’s— I spent a long time creating things out of anger, Vex. Horrible things that I had no right to invent.” It’s clear that each of his words is chosen with a great deal of thought. He won’t look at her.

Stepping forward, Vex lets her hands uncross from her chest and fall to her side. “So, what, is this some kind of penance? Your way of apologizing?”

His jaw flexes. “No. It’s more selfish than that, I’m afraid. I… when I made the things I did, the firearms, I was inspired by rage. When I make arrows for you, it’s different. Rage isn’t my inspiration.”

“What is?” she asks, breath held.

He looks up at her, all gentle and sad. “You are. You really inspire me to create something better. To be something better.”

Oh.

Vex swallows, breaking his gaze to stare at the arrow in his hand. Her heart withers with guilt as the reality of the situation sinks in. Gods, she’d been screaming at him, accusing him of such terrible things, when his whole motivation was that? “I’m— Fuck, I’m such a dick. I’m sorry,” she whispers, burying her face in her hands.

“No, I’m sorry. I should have been more clear with my intentions—”

“Shut up, you did nothing wrong. I’m so sorry, I don’t know what’s wrong with me, why I assumed—”

“Nothing is wrong with you, Vex’ahlia,” Percy interjects, voice still quiet, but with a firm, passionate undertone. His footsteps approach, and then his hands are gently pulling hers away from her face, exposing her distressed expression. “Of all people, I understand not knowing what to do with kindness.”

Vex breathes in, inhaling his unique scent of soap and metal. He’s very close, and she feels utterly exposed to his eyes, but it’s not such a horrible feeling when he understands. “Percy… do you still want to make the arrows? I understand if you don’t, but… I really do love them.”

His lips curve into a smile. “I’ll make as many as you want.”

And then, somehow, their lips are connecting. Vex doesn’t who leaned in for the kiss first, or if they were both in sync, but either way, it’s wonderful. Soft and slow, like nothing she’s ever experienced.

Her hand finds purchase on the back of his neck, idly stroking through the baby hairs there, smiling against his lips when he melts into her touch. His own hand is on the small of her back, holding her close to him, thumb rubbing mindless patterns.

“That was…” Percy whispers when they finally break apart for air, coming to rest their foreheads together. “Wonderful.”

Vex laughs, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Agreed. Do you think you can pull yourself away from the workshop for the rest of the day? I would like to spend some time apologizing for… everything. I really am sorry.”

“I’ve already forgiven you, Vex.”

“I’d still like to make it up to you. However you like. Besides, I’m not exactly getting the short end of the stick here, darling. Your company is a lovely bonus.”

Percy’s throat bobs. “I would enjoy a dinner with you, if you’re offering. But I don’t want you to do it as a payment, or an apology.”

Vex sighs, pushing through her instincts in order to be honest, peel back some of her armor, exposing her vulnerable underside. “That’s not what this is. Not in your case, anyway. I… I care for you, Percy, and I am going to keep apologizing for a little while, because I feel really fucking bad. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t also enjoy a dinner together. Genuinely”

His smile is radiant as he leans down to kiss her once more, if briefly. “Alright. I’ll ask Laina to cook something for us. There’s not much privacy to be had in the dining room, but we’ll make do—”

“Oh, don’t be silly. My room is big enough for us both. Meet me there with the food, yeah? Don’t keep me waiting,” Vex hums, pressing one last teasing kiss to the corner of Percy’s lips, quite enjoying his blush as she flutters out of his workshop. 

She’s sure of one thing: this is going to be a lovely dinner.

[absolutely-normal-about-x]

Axl and X

Okay so a bit of another idea since I revealed that Aero and Barrett are Axl’s apprentices that’s gonna leave me with Axl’s relationship with his apprentices and X himself since ...

He's the first person that X reunites who’s from his era after THOUSANDS of years after the elf wars, especially that HE died in the elf wars. It’s more emotional for him. Axl missed out so much, the aftermath of the war, creation of Neo Arcadia, the events of the zero series, etc… so he’s gonna have a hell of a recap of everything that went down before they became Biometals.

From Axl’s perspective it felt so short from his Death to waking up on Terra just as displaced as X, unlike him since he woke up earlier allowing him to adapt to this new era better. Axl has been wandering and learning so much of Terra to the point that he’s aware of a lot of stuff. Another thing is that he’s basically a dad now…kinda he didn’t expect it since taking in Barrett and Aero after saving them from a dangerous situation. It was supposed to be just him taking care of them and once they’re old enough he’ll part ways with them. But nope there are his kids now. His partners in crime, his students, they basically remind him of his younger years with their energy and ambition.

God is this how X and Zero (By extension Red) felt when they took him in all those years ago? Now he sorta understands them now…he’s not ready to be called dad yet if he was called then he’ll explode. Also of how much of a huge pain in the ass they can be at times but he’ll either drag them out of trouble or let them solve the problem (if the threat isn’t dangerous). He’s not the greatest dad but he’s sure as shit tries at least. If you hurt them I hope your ready for the fucking mercy of the shapeshifting gunslinger.

He hides his past from them of course because how the HELL can you explain to them that you're from ANCIENT HISTORY, bro he can’t be called old yet! plus he’s waiting for the best time to tell them…but he can tell them snippets of his past without revealing the truth. In forms of absolute batshit stories that no way in hell that happened. Barrett thinks that he’s bullshitting them while Aero thinks that it’s the coolest shit ever at the same time kinda curious of the context.

ALRIGHT GETTING BACK TO THE MAIN TOPIC

But then that all changed when he reunited with X and god that reunion was fucking emotional…X couldn’t never believe to Axl again and how much he’s GROWN. Look at him he isn’t the same happy go lucky kid with assassin skills that he picked up years ago. Compared to how Axl felt, X’s reaction was stronger since he had been through so much shit after the elf wars, enduring so much but also holding on to the guilt of the friends and family that didn’t survive, especially Axl. He crushed Axl with that hug; he was a sobbing mess. Axl also was an emotional wreck too since he apologized to X from dying in the war. It’s just nice to have someone familiar again after so long…

And then Axl finds out that X has 5 kids and one of them is Barrett’s Friend…actually looking back it was kinda obvious that kid was X’s kid since he suspiciously looks like him the most compared to the guardians. And now he not only has to catch up with what he missed from the Elf wars but also finally coming clean about his past to Barrett and Aero too.

X was confused at first only for Axl to explain that…He’s kinda a Dad, then explains that Barrett and Aero are his kiddos. Coming to the realization that…Oh…just like Axl, X should've also put the pieces together cause some of Barrett and Aero’s skills and mannerisms were suspiciously similar to Axl’s. It was so obvious that these kids picked up the traits of their respective parents. It was almost fate that their Kids meant to be close friends like their parents.

Axl definitely starts to visit the flutter to hang out with X. Catching up like old friends, the conversations last for whole hours. It was kinda a shock to see X this happy and healed after everything that he went through. But to be honest it’s for the best, X earned this anyways. Plus he can come towards him when it comes to parenting advice. The same goes for X seeing Axl mature and grown makes him proud of him. But deep down he’s still the same troublemaking kid from before. In both ways they changed for the better…however he still judges Axl for that little Incident involving Barrett calling Volnutt Nutsack.

Axl: In his defense, Volnutt is a pretty weird name that can be used for really creative nicknames.

X: Axl, please it was incredibly rude to say that to my son! Fefnir almost blasted him!

Axl: Okay! Okay! It was rude but at the same time it’s really funny.

X: ASIMOV AXL!!

There's moments that they banter like the old ways before everything went to shit. It’s a bit of a shock to see these old geezers acting like this to be honest it’s for the best….

It would have been completed if Zero was around but the question is…Where is he?

[endless-bunny]

Pathfinder Iconics Update: I should really read the freakin books

I have owned Guns & Gears since it came out in 2021 and only now noticed that the one of the Gunslinger quick builds is Lirianne, the Iconic gunslinger from PF1. This puts her in the same column as Rivani and Alahazra, as characters who are no longer the Iconic for their class but who are still representatives of some aspect of their class.

Here she appears as the Pistolero and all her key components are here. She's got the scarf, the long coat, the chaps, the dual holsters, the dagger, powder horn, sabre... the brim of her hat is even covering the same eye. It's a powerful look.

This just leaves Damiel and Balazar from the list of characters who a) used to be Iconics and b) whose classes still exist in the same form. And when I found Lirianne you had better believe I went back and checked. But no.

The three quick build Alchemists presented in the Core Rulebook are the Chirurgeon (p.74), the Bomber (p.78), and the Mutagenist (p.80). The PF1 Alchemist didn't have to specialise in the same way that the PF2 Alchemist does; PF1 has a general version of the class, without an option of subclasses, which can be made more specialised with archetypes. Damiel uses bombs, elixirs and mutagens in roughly equal measure.

Similarly, the quick build Summoners are the Angelic Vessel (p.68) and the Godcaller (p.72). I find it interesting that most of the Quick Builds are pretty setting-agnostic, but the Godcaller is very much entrenched in the lore of the Lost Omens setting.

Also side note, but whenever I think of an angel summoner, I can't help but be reminded of this sketch from Mitchell and Webb.

I always use this video to illustrate the disparity between high-level casters and martial classes. 20th-level Cleric and 20th-level Rogue.

This might be the last update for a while. I've gone back through the books with a moderately-toothed comb and I can say with reasonable certainty that the remaining Iconics do not appear in them.

[auxiliarydetective]

If you could form a crew out of any one piece character from any media consisting on ten people, who would you chose and why?

Now that I have more or less calmed down from the boop war, here we go!

You want me to make a One Piece crew out of 10 people from different media, right? I'm gonna give myself the little rule that I'm only allowed to take one character per fandom, otherwise my crew might end up being, like, half LXG or something. Also, another thing I'll be taking into account is how well the characters I'd pick would do in the world of One Piece because some people would just not have a good time there. And we're assuming that everyone gets more or less isekai-ed into the OP world, so they're not taking any technology stuff or fandom-specific powers with them (sadly). SO! Here we go!

Every crew needs...

A captain

A navigator

A doctor

A chef

A carpenter/shipwright

... and would benefit from having...

A swordsman

A gunslinger/sniper

A helmsman

fun people

10 people you say? Alright, here are my picks!

The Captain

You might not know who this is, but I pick Lukas from the Jim Knopf und Lukas der Lokomotivführer series.

(no gifs, how sad...)

Why? Because a good captain needs to have leadership qualities. People need to trust them and they need to be able to hold the crew together. And Lukas can definitely do that. Also, he can kick ass if he wants to. Generally, I think he'd thrive in the world of One Piece. And he knows a thing or two about fixing steam engine locomotives, so... Submarine pirate ship??? Steampunk-esque? Even if not, I'm convinced he could figure out how to work on a regular pirate ship as well. He's an engineer, he'll figure it out. Also also we need someone to babysit the rest of the crew and he is Dad™

The Navigator

So, this was actually tough, but then it hit me: DATA! MY BELOVED!

Someone let Data go to the world of One Piece, he would love it! And he would make for an excellent navigator, so his spot here is very deserved. Lukas can teach him about humanity and the beauty of life - they'd be such a perfect duo. Also, can definitely kick ass. And probably fix a ship. Also would hate the World Government despite the fact that he "has no emotions".

The Doctor

Some of you might call me stupid for this, but I picked none other than Doctor Henry Jekyll. His LXG version specifically.

LXG Henry is actually a medical doctor, as suggested by most scenes he's in, and he's got Hyde for when he needs to kick ass. I feel like he'd do well in the world of One Piece once he gets used to it. And the fact that he's a Victorian era doctor is actually helpful because the One Piece world doesn't have modern-day medical equipment widely available but that won't bother Henry because he never had it to begin with. Also he could probably mix together some substances to give his crew a strength boost once he gets over his guilt and fear of creating another HJ7. Also also I think talking to Lukas and/or Data would fix him.

The Chef

My pick would have to be Louis LeBeau from Hogan's Heroes.

I was originally considering Julieta Madrigal from Encanto, but LeBeau especially probably knows how to work with limited or sub-par rations and that's very helpful as a pirate. Also, he's small, so there's less space for the anger to go - which is bad news for the World Government, the Marines, and any hostile pirate crews.

The Carpenter/Shipwright

Okay, hear me out: Justus Jonas.

I think he could do it. My man knows how to tinker, he can probably work out how to fix a ship and have fun with it. It would be a challenge for his mind to learn it, which he would appreciate, and just generally the social climate of this little pirate crew I'm building would be good for him. Multiple parental figures, fellow autistic people... Fantastic! He'd get along with Data, right? Right??? Probably. And I'm convinced he could kick ass if he wanted to.

The Swordsman

At first I was a bit stuck with who to put here. I considered my beloved Diego Hargreeves (for the "get loved on, idiot" of it all) but then it hit me. We need the swordsman of all time... We need Link!

If Link is mute, that's not even a problem. Data will teach him sign language in no time. Easy! Just... don't let him into the kitchen.

The Gunslinger / Sniper

Okay, hear me out on this... My pick is the one and only Templeton "Faceman" Peck. Could technically be either the 80s or 2010 version since both have the potential to be silly, but the 80s version just fits in better here.

I mean, look at him! Tell me he wouldn't get along with the likes of Sanji. Also, he needs to see Momoiro Island, for reasons. I feel like a lot of people don't know that Face is the main sniper of the A-Team but he is! And his con-man abilities are a HUGE added bonus.

The Helmsman

This position was the first I filled and it has to go to the one and only Gordon Malloy.

Gordon can fly anything, so I'm convinced he could 100% learn how to steer a ship too. After all, we're in the world of One Piece. Not all ships are steered with steering wheels. And especially if it's actually a submarine this crew is on, it might have controls more similar to ones he's familiar with. Fighting-wise, I actually don't know if he'd be any good. He's a wild card. But I am convinced that he'd have a devil fruit, because my man has a history of eating things he's not supposed to because they look fun/tasty. He probably would kick ass with that devil fruit since he has the imagination needed to make it work.

Now, since I still have two spots left on my crew, time for...

Fun people!

Fun person #1 has to be George Luz.

He's here for the chaos, and I'm here for that. Him in combination with any of the people on this list is what I want to see. Silliest of all silly geese.

And for te tenth person... I honestly don't know! You know, just for the hell of it, get one of the Hargreeves siblings in here. Actually, this spot belongs to Diego, simply because he got beaten out of the swordsman spot by Link.

One sentence: Get loved on, idiot! That's why he's there.

There we go! That's it! This was really fun :)

(I don't have the energy to proofread this, I hope you don't mind)

[crossroadsdimension]

Okay okay okay okay. I’ve had some time to go do irl stuff and just chew on this episode so I think I can come in swinging.

With how fast-paced Stampede is, Studio Orange did a really good job with holding Vash’s secrets over our heads, as well as establishing plot and the world.

This’ll get into Ep 7 spoilers (as well as Maximum and Trigun spoilers up to the point Ep 7 ends, along with some of the plot points Stampede covers already), so I’ll put all this under a readmore. That, and this got Very Long.

I’ll be referring to each source as:

Manga/Maximum

90s anime/Trigun

‘23 anime/Stampede

I think firstly, they’re treating this as a half-FMA Brotherhood, half-original work. I say that because it doesn’t entirely follow the original manga (or the 90s anime for obvious reasons), but it does seem to assume you’re coming in knowing these characters from somewhere first. My dad said the two shows “sharpen each other,” so if you approach Stampede knowing that it came from somewhere else and you have that knowledge, it’ll make Stampede all that more enjoyable.

Which is part of the reason why they make clear part of Vash’s origin -- that he was on the spaceships when they crashed -- and that he is a Plant that much sooner than the 90s anime did.

But to get back to Stampede’s episodes -- we have 12 episodes this season, and they wanted to get the groundwork of the plot done as quickly as possible to make sure we’re hooked for what’s coming. That means establishing setting, characters, conflicts, and all the good good world-building that makes people go nuts for characters.

So telling us right off the bat “hey, we’re on a desert world where colony ships crashed” makes sense for episode 1. Get that out of the way, establish setting. Get us introduced to Meryl and Roberto -- the eyes of the new and old fans respectively -- and get us introduced to Vash, in a new form but still the lovable pacifist gunslinger who uses his goofy side as a thin mask to hide his true, quiet, sad, serious self. This gives us most of our main characters for the season.

Then we get Vash’s philosophy in Episode 2 -- save everyone on the planet, no matter who they are or what they do, and no matter how difficult it is to do so.

Episode 3 introduces us to Knives and his cronies, even if we don’t get the name for the organization here. We have established conflict -- Vash’s fight against Knives, and his fight to figure out and hone his philosophy further, to establish the side he fights on.

Episode 4 gives us Wolfwood, and hints that “hey, he may not be here for entirely good reasons.” But it’s good to establish all the main characters early in the plot. That, and this is the start of Act 2 according to Studio Orange, which is a perfect time to bring in someone who represents Vash’s conflict with his philosophy and act as a foil for his character.

Episode 5 establishes the plant cult, their experimentation, and one of the larger hints about Vash and what he is. We had hints before, with the circuitry pattern on his child self in Ep 1-3, and his superhuman sight, excellent marksmanship, and superhuman hearing. But here, it shows us that he hasn’t physically aged in the last 20 years, and this is the first time Meryl and Roberto realize “Oh, we may be in over our heads.” Or, at least, Roberto does. Meryl just smells more of a story than what she’s been told or has heard.

Ep 5 also establishes the conflict between Vash and Wolfwood as foils -- whether or not you have to kill someone, or if you can let them live. This is what Wolfwood is here for. He is a kind man who doesn’t want to kill people, but sees that he has no choice. Vash, by contrast, is a kind man who doesn’t want to kill people, and thinks he has other options, doing everything he can to make them reality. Both are going to show that their outlooks on life are right and wrong, and they’re going to rub off on each other.

Ep 6 goes to establish further information about the plant cult (now given a name, the Eye of Michael), using the “monster of the week” (sorry Livio), and his connection to Wolfwood. More world-building, more fights, and a nice juicy amount of backstory about our traveling undertaker (including Legato’s first appearance!). Not to mention more establishment for Vash’s strange abilities -- I mean, you saw him punch Livio across the deck without winding up for the punch. Skinny plant boy is strong, stronger than the average human.

And then we get to Episode 7 this week, giving us more backstory for Wolfwood and Livio (hence the episode’s title), on the backdrop of the Bad Lads clamoring onto the ship for a robbery and safely bringing Meryl and Roberto on board. Which likely failed because 1) Vash came in and beat them all up in hand-to-hand and 2) they likely saw the ion cannon charging up and decided it was better to skadoodle. At least they have more of a desire to stay alive this time than in Trigun. All episode, we continue to get hints that Vash and Wolfwood are more than the sum of their parts -- pushing the ion cannon away from Hopeland, Vash’s knowledge of Lost Technology, and Vash’s acknowledgement of Wolfwood’s connection to Livio and his eagerness to help Wolfwood “wake Livio up.”

Oh, right. And more development for Legato, who decided he wanted to force Wolfwood to kill Livio and watch his home die because he wanted to make Wolfwood lose his ability to love others and decide that “my home is dead, might as well destroy everything around me and take the world down with me.” Trying to reel a loose cannon in line with that idea is only asking for trouble -- for the instigator. I see Legato getting his head blown open the first chance Wolfwood has.

And to wrap it all up, we end Episode 7 on the reveal that “Oh yeah, by the way, Vash is a Plant. We’ve been dropping hints about his inhuman nature, and it makes sense to confirm it here -- both for the newbies, and the old fans who already know. Time to wrap up this act and start a new one!”

Now, If you’ve read Maximum, they do show Vash talking with a Plant on the sandsteamer, like they did with Stampede’s episode this week. It even happens during a Bad Lads invasion of a sandsteamer, when it goes wild and is about to crash (except in Maximum and Trigun they’re sending it off a cliff). They don’t show this scene in Trigun, however, instead focusing on Kite as he’s using his dad’s plans to save the steamer, redeeming himself for his earlier actions. This artificially lengthens the amount of time folks have to question how Vash knows stuff -- like the robots in Trigun’s Ep 9, where he made a comment about them being well past their expiration date, and knew how to shut down the facility.

I think, when people complain about Stampede showing things “right away,” a lot of it comes from what they remember of the Trigun anime, rather than Maximum. We get larger hints in Maximum, so they give us larger hints in Stampede. Especially when you take into account the “hey, we’re remixing the plot of an old anime and an old manga that people already know.”

All in all, I think Orange is doing a very good job working with what they have, and that will only become more clear the more we move forward, and the more we have to look back on.

And I am very much looking forward to having more of the full picture.

[beestriker015]

Ashe x male gunslinger s/o

Ashe first met s/o when she and the rest of the Deadlock Gang began hearing rumors of some mysterious gunman causing trouble all across the southern states.

Intrigued by this fellow outlaw, Ashe began searching for s/o in the prospect of having him join up with her gang.

Word traveled quickly as s/o caught wind that the infamous Deadlock Gang is looking for him, much to his amusement.

“Interestin’. Well then…”

He grabs his weapons and twirls them around before putting them in their holster.

“If they’re lookin’ for me, it’d be mighty rude of me to ignore ’em.”

He says with a grin before saddling up and heading off on his trusty horse.

Later on after a successful heist, Ashe finally comes face to face with s/o, who cautiously has his hand near his revolver in case things go south.

“Howdy there ma’am, I take it you’re the leader of the Deadlock Gang? The name’s s/o, I heard it through the grapevine that you were searchin’ for me?”

Ashe is immediately taken with s/o due to his smooth southern drawl and charm, not to mention his incredible good looks.

Trying to maintain her composure and hide her blush, she explains that she wants to offer s/o a place in her gang.

S/o hesitantly pulls his hand away from his gun and thinks for a moment.

After taking Ashe’s offer into consideration, he turns to her with a smile.

“Alright. I reckon joinin’ up with y’all sure as hell beats being all on my lonesome. You got yourself a deal darlin’, s/o is at your service!”

He says as he tips his hat to her, making her chuckle and blush faintly.

“Excellent, you made the right choice. Welcome to the family s/o.”

As months pass since s/o joined up, Ashe’s attraction to him grew stronger and stronger, eventually leading her to fall in love with him.

Eventually, Ashe decided to confess her feelings to s/o and called him to her quarters to discuss something privately.

“Hey boss, is there somethin’ you needed from me?”

“Yes s/o, please take a seat. There’s something I need to tell you.”

Ashe proceeds to take a swig of bourbon before staring directly into s/o’s eyes.

“I’m not going to beat around the bush, I’m in love with you s/o. I was attracted to you ever since we first met, and my feelings for you continued to deepen since you first joined up with us. If you don’t feel the same way that’s ok, you’re a valuable member of this gang and nothing short of betrayal will ever change that.”

Ashe looks at s/o in anticipation of his response as he processes everything he was just told.

“W-wow boss, I certainly wasn’t expectin’ no love confession when you called me in here. I’m gonna be honest with you boss, I feel the exact same way. I’ve had a crush on you for the longest time, but I never spoke up because…y’know…you’re the boss and I didn’t wanna make things weird. What I’m tryin’ to say is that I love you too boss, I mean…Ashe.”

She blushes slightly before a seductive smirk forms on her face as she pulls s/o into a passionate make out session.

After that, Ashe and s/o spend the night together, officially announcing their relationship to the rest of the gang in the morning.

As a couple, Ashe and s/o work well together during heists and always have the other’s back.

Despite s/o being a really skilled fighter and gunslinger, Ashe is still protective over him and if he were ever to get injured, no mercy will be shown to whoever hurt her boyfriend.

Likewise, anyone foolish enough to try and make an attempt at taking Ashe down, whether it be a rival gang or an Overwatch agent wanting to take her into custody, will quickly be dealt with by s/o’s pinpoint accurate shots.

Ashe also has a huge soft spot for s/o’s horse, always helping him with feeding and washing him/her when they have free time, leading to her and the horse forming a close bond.

Dates often include spending alone time and drinking together in Ashe’s quarters after successful heists, as she and s/o can’t really go out for dates due to being wanted criminals.

On their second anniversary of becoming a couple, s/o suddenly gets down on one knee in front of the entire gang as B.O.B. hands him a tiny ring box, causing Ashe to gasp in surprise.

“S/o! W-what are you…”

He cuts her off by opening the box, revealing a very beautiful looking ring.

“I’ve been savin’ up for a long time to get this here ring, and I feel that now’s the perfect moment to do what I’ve been preparin’ for. I love you Ashe, and I wanna spend the rest of my life with you darlin’. With all that said, will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?”

Tears form in Ashe’s eyes as she nods rapidly.

“I love you so much s/o, of course I’ll marry you!”

She kisses him deeply as their fellow gang members clap and cheer for the two.

Ashe puts the ring on her finger and looks at it with a warm smile, happily reminiscing about the day her gunslinger s/o came into her life.

[bruisedconscience-reblogs]

wishing you a Happy October 2024 Next Fest from me & my steam deck!

Games I kept in my wishlist: (5/5)

Botworld Odyssey: IMMEDIATE 10/10 the vibes are stellar. Poké reference immediately? GOTY 2024. Literally grown in a lab for me. (Only one I have 100% the Demo for!)

Windblown: 10/10, played for far too long (apparently it was only 30 mins but bro it’s 1am now so I call…falsehood!). Felt fair and I still think I am capable of changing my weapons around during expeditions, so I can keep the not-default one forever as a starting weapon right? RIGHT???

Usual June: The simlish scared the heck out of me cuz I expected voice acting or nothing, but this game seems stellar! Combat took me a minute to sort out, I kept using items instead of fighting lmao. 10/10!

Graveyard Gunslingers: Absolutely immaculate time sink game. Vampire Survivors-Forager lookin’-ass-stupid, addictive masterpiece. (I think this one needed Experimental Proton?)

30 Birds: Awesome art & style! Atmospheric and entertaining point & click vibes, will return.

I’m not a pro gamer/I’m bitter but wrong about it: (4/5)

Enci’s Solution: dripping with class & polish, but after the 15th time not hitting the narrow window to progress, I got tired. Reminds me of Hob. I hope this becomes somebody’s favorite game from when they were a kid tbh. (Maybe this one needed Experimental Proton?)

Prospector: I wanted to love this one. But I couldn’t like find the EXACT ore the TUTORIAL wanted (I found 2+ others?) and that felt a little counter intuitive… It’s everything I want in a game (Satisfactory Forager) but… I dunno. I am keeping it probably, not uninstalling!!

Permafrost: I played this game singleplayer for 35 minutes. The game defaults to Gamepad no matter what even after I changed it, and this led to me stuck in the main menu in Desktop Mode. I soon got frustrated that head-sh*tting a deer wasn’t enough to k*ll it… But I’m sure somebody else playing KBM (I had to re-map a lot, no built-in controller support) would have more fun.

Toads of the Bayou: This one played “Ok” after I changed the resolution & the default controller scheme to WASD/Mouse. I had a tough time navigating outside of battles (menus, environments), but the battles were satisfying. I also couldn’t spend my final piece of gold on an item that costed 1 gold, which was weird & I reported using their bug report form. I might pick this one up once it’s been ironed out! Into the Breach/Slay the Spire, except I am not too simple for it.

Games that were fine or good/not for me/I uninstalled: (3/5 - 2/5)

Hail to the Rainbow: Absolutely BEAUTIFUL dripping with atmosphere and frighteningly easy to get the mechanics down with limited cues or guidance. Love the AI (speaking russian?) in my eyeball giving me hints. I am a WIMP and this game didn’t seem to have a Horror tag or I wouldn’t have tried it. But beautiful!!

Broken Alliance: The voice acting was stellar, but the pacing was way too slow & I skipped lots of the wonderful voiceovers. Battling seems fair, traversing the map is slow. This is a game for board game lovers, I think, which I so totally am not to be fair.

Chrono Sword: Right in, the vibes are nice. Why am I dressed and then putting on other clothes though? Also, pixel Dark Souls/Elden Ring. edit: found myself wanting to play this one hours later. Hm!

Great God Grove: This has awesome art, unique gameplay, and has lots of polish and style and heart. However,,, I’m still on the fence about it, solid 4/5 though!! Might not just be my speed/current kinda game I’m into.

Wild Planet: This game was awesome, don’t let it being in this section fool you. It took me forever to build a campfire using a controller— you need to double-click the item in the build menu to be able to place it in the world!! What a frustrating 5 minutes I had lmao. Really cute game. Some janky physics, not worth reporting as a bug. It has some charm, the style isn’t my fave personally. Stellar music though!

Floridale Man - The Joy of Chaos: I am just not chaotic enough! I picked up some items, talked to folks, didn’t combine anything successfully…and left! ✌️

Tiny House Sim: This one ran pretty well, which was a surprise. (Even after I quit to main menu suddenly on accident!) The game didn’t have native controller support & I found it pretty cumbersome, but it seems well-made, for KBM.

Games that didn’t run: (1/5 - 0/5)

Keep Driving: Really upset I couldn’t play this one. I created my character just fine with WASD/Mouse controller preset, but couldn’t do anything else. No controls listed in the game options to manually input. The grapevine says it needs KBM to play.

Cube Hero: I got the “Choose Language” screen and selected UK, then I got an error code, even tried Experimental Proton. No dice (no cubes?).

New Arc Line: This one technically ran. With SD Overlay, I had it: capped at 30 fps, Allow Tearing and Half Rate Shading. I made my character and skipped the cutscene (it usually went by too fast for me to read completely & there’s no voiceover) and…the game stopped moving. I tried to open my Overlay (using my external controller’s shortcut) and then this game crashed my Deck. Didn’t respond to my hitting the power button for a while. Had 3 scary vertical lines light up when I held down the power button. Then turned back on when I pressed it once. Will not play again until others verify it won’t crash using default settings/no Cryo Utilities!

Anterris: This one eventually booted (because I pressed random buttons after the Unity screen? Coincidence?) but I had to map several of the controls, and I could not capture any creatures. I was riding on one I owned randomly before understanding why I would need to do that. The creature screen was zoomed in on my TV and I couldn’t really play the game. Not made with Deck (or even a controller!) in mind.

[bluegalaxygirl]

Trouble Makers P2 (Zolu X reader)

Zoro x Luffy x Reader. Reader is GN and a gunslinger of the crew. polly relationship, established releatinship.

Plot: The new island you docked on seems peaceful until a strange rumble catches you all off guard. The secrets of the island will be relived as you try to make your way back to the surface while the boys raise a little hell.

Warning: Bad language, Violence, Blood, injury.

Part 1 Part 3

Your head pushes out of the cold water taking in a sharp breath your hands reaching to grab the rocks on the dry ledge in front of you. You struggle to move your body up onto the rocks panting once your whole body has left the water, a white haze leaving your mouth and body shaking uncontrollably. You were in pain form your shoulder and chest knowing you needed to move if only to get your body temperature up. Sitting up you took a look at your shoulder seeing it out of place, the pain getting worse with the shock wearing off. "Fuck" you let out under your breath, you were lucky though, a long time ago you dislocated your shoulder and Chopper showed you how to put it back in, those memories come back. Manipulating your arm was painful but needed to be done, gritting your teeth as not to scream in the echoey cave, one more lift and it popped back in the pain stopping immediately. Rolling your shoulder a few times you let out the breath you were holding taking in your surroundings, the cave wasn't too big, water taking up most of it except the ledge you were on. The only sores of light coming from a small gap in the wall, too small for anyone to fit through. Sharp stalactites hanged in random places from the ceiling dripping water form time to time onto the rocks around you and the water. As you looked around you noticed blood on some stones behind you, you remembered what happened and hitting something before rolling down, this prompted you to stand up and look yourself over.

You couldn't find where the blood would have come from until you touched your lower back, Pain sprang threw you body a piece of sharp rock was lodged in your back. The adrenaline flowing threw your body must be blocking the pain and there was no point in removing it. you'll let chopper do that once you get out of here. A loud cracking sound almost defining as it bounced off the walls of the cave cause you to cover your ears. light filling the whole cave as the crack in the wall opened up, the cracking sound stopping soon after being replaced by foot steps and male voices. Panic hit you, you had to hide and the only place you could was the water, not thinking to much about it you slipped into the water trying to be as quirt as possible. Your head just making it bellow the water line as five men walked in "Gods i can't wait for a beer after work", "oh shut up about that already." "Quirt you two now where did they go?". Their voices where muffled as you swam under the water deep enough as to not disturb the water line. Your gun was socking wet and unusable so fighting these guys wasn't an option, instead you intended to give them the slip. slowly rising above the water you saw four guys looking around the rocks one examining your blood. The least guy was blocking your exit standing in front of the opening but he was distracted looking up at the ceiling.

Carefully climbing out the water you snuck up behind him and locked him in a chock hold, he struggled but even hurt you were much stronger than him. pulling him back through the opening he fell limp in your arms so you let him drop to the floor. a switch on the side of the wall caught your attention a smile forming on your face as you pushed it, it did exactly what you thought it would do, the opening in the wall closing and that same cracking sound catching the other men's attention, they yelled and ran to you but you only waved as the opening slamming shut. It didn't echo though so that meant there was a big area near you. Taking the man's cloths you put them on replacing your old socked ones. Light blue overalls covered your body the collar fanning out in a deep blue and around your waist was a black work belt with all kinds of tools on it. You had to adjust it so it wouldn't touch the rock still in your back. making your way down the path, rock flooring was soon replaced my metal until you reached a huge white room, people wearing the same outfit as you walking around talking, pushing carts and pulling things up scaffolding. It differently seemed like a mine but there was no indication of that on the island. Something was going on here but the most important thing now was getting your gun dried off, you mentally scolded yourself for only bringing one. you had four others on the ship so why did you only grab one?

---------- Surface level

Luffy and Zoro made their way into the town finding a bunch of villagers gathered around a fountain a small statue of some strange creature in the middle. Some villagers where crying with glee and others where cheering in joy, the only person who stood out was a youngish man wearing dirty cloths, he didn't say or do anything just stand there and smiled looking over the crowd. he soon noticed the two boys their stares burning holes in him. The young man gulped and ran off, Luffy stretchs his arm wrapping around the mans waist and forcefully pulling him back. Luffy let the force carry the mans body into a shop wall catching everyone's attention, the wall cracking and falling apart. The villagers yelled behind them, some in fear and others yelling treats, it took one look form Zoro for them to shut up.

The man sat up slowly from the rubble Luffy now standing over him. "Your... straw hat?" he man asked looking up at the angry pirate in front of him "Where?" Luffy simply asked his hat shading his eyes. his anger boiling, people where cheering and happy while people where missing, he had a feeling it wasn't just Y/N that was taken but the villagers too. "I... I dont" the man barely got out before a sword was thrust into his face "Yes you do" Zoro's eye burned with a fury like no other "The... The mountain... The rest of the v- villagers are t- there" he says almost chocking on his words, as Luffy started walking away the man sighed feeling like he escaped death only for Zoro to grab his neck "Your coming with us" Zoro smiles dragging the man along with them.

On the way to the mountain they headed through the forest, the young man gave them directions hoping these two wouldn't kill him. he tried to explain what was going on but Luffy stopped him turning to face the man being dragged by Zoro, The captains eyes now showing, red rage is all that could be seen "I dont care, i want Y/N back" Luffy hardly gets angry but when he does its scary, if looks could kill many people would be dead before him. "B-But.... you don't know what your getting into." the man stutters looking at the two only for Zoro to let out a laugh throwing his head back before looking at his captain "It doesn't matter" the smile on the sword mans face made luffy smile and laugh "Lets cause some trouble"

---- Bellow

As you walked around no one seemed to pay you any attention, the metal in this place was crazy, pipes lined the ceiling, wires dangled and metal grids covering big wholes in the floor. As you looked around you realized it wasn't the metal that made the room white it was the rocks, pure white lined the rocks, they seemed to be digging them out, it wasn't anything you have ever seen before. Getting distracted you bumped into some one, a little girl fell to the floor, Dark brown hair parted in the middle two short braids on each side of her, her face round and cheeks red. She was wearing the same uniform as you but why would a little girl be here "I-im sorry" the girl stuttered fear in her bright green eyes "no no, i should be the one to apologies, i wasn't watching where i was going" you bend down holding out her hand to take "Your- your" her eyes widen, before she could let out a scream you covered her mouth with you hand picking her up into yours and making your way into the nearest room, which so happened to be a closet. "Hay hay, its ok. im not going to hurt you, i just need you to be quirt ok? can you do that?" you ask looking down at the little girl, she nods as you set her down on the floor making sure your in between her and the door. you slowly let go of her mouth and sign "Your not going to hurt me?" she asks looking up at you with wide eyes "Why would i hurt you sweetie and how did you know i wasn't from here?" the little girl shrugged then pointed at your shoulder "You dont have a number. see" She pulled her overalls revealing a number, 79. It hit you, very hard, the shaking, the small amount of villagers, they were taking the towns people to work in their stupid mine. you sigh and stand up zipping your jump suit up more so your shoulders are covered.

"Do you know a way out of here?" you ask only for the girl to nod and stand up with a smile only for it to drop "Yes but its closed off. only master Lilitu can open it. he uses his devil fruit powers to do so" you ponder for a minutes "So thats how the ground opened. Kid, is there a weaponry here?" you ask the girl nodding "If you take me there, ill make sure i get you and everyone else free form this place" the promise of freedom was too much for the young girl to pass up. She took your hand with a big smile "Im Em and you are?" she asks shaking your hand with a bunch of energy, just like Luffy. "Im Y/N." you answer walking out the closet with her heading to the weapons room. Thinking of Luffy made your heart hurt, you didn't know where he was and what happened to him, You dont think him or Zoro got captured too otherwise you would differently hear it. "Where are you two?" you whispered under your breath gaining the little girls attention, she didn't ask not wanting to talk out in the open but she was wondering if you had more people with you.

The weapons room was much bigger than you thought, guns lined the walls and there was two guys in there cleaning weapons. they noticed you two and glared "What are you going here brat?" One of the men asks, before the girl could answer you walked in with her closing the door behind you "Im so sorry she was showing me around" you say letting go of the girl and looking around the room "Wow this place is amazing" you say walking over to them "Your not meant to be here either?" the same man spoke up putting his gun down. you took the chance grabbing him around the neck and kicking the other guy into the wall. Body slamming the guy onto the floor knocking the wind out of him. the other man tried to get up reaching for the gun he dropped but you were quicker grabbing the rifle on the side and butting the man in the face knocking him back into the wall and passed out on the ground. you did the same on the guy below you just in case he was faking before grabbing some rope on the wall "wow that was so cool" the little girl almost screamed. you laughed a little and tied the two up. "Thank you." you pulled out your gun and placed it on one of the table starting to clean it and replace the gunpowder and bullets.

"Where are you from? Your not from the village" the little voice form the door chirps out making you smile "Im from the sea." you state not wanting to scare the girl by telling her your a pirate, as soon as people hear that word they think the worst. "Then your a pirate" you gasp and look over at the child, how did she know and why was she smiling "My daddy's a pirate he's Birudingu Suneiku, do you know him?" that name is so familer to you and then it hits you, Luffy talked about him "You mean Building Snake of the Red haired pirates?" the girls face lite up running over to you and hugging your waist. You met that man once and he was super nice, if this was his daughter then you needed to protect her with everything you had. it sparked a fire in you, placing a hand on the girls head she looked up at you "Im gonna get you out of here. i promise". your moment was cut short when the door bursts open "What the hell man your taking too long." One of the three men outside said only to see you, a little girl and two tired up men. They drew their swords only for a loud bang and an alarm going off. this gave you the prefect opportunity to grab your gun and fire hitting two of them in the chest and the other in the head.

-------- Surface level

The large mountain before them seemed normal no doors or hatches "Have you been lying to us?" Zoro asks the man who was still being hold by the neck "Im not i swear. the master can control rocks. he covers over the door." It didn't convince Zoro too much but Luffy nodded "Ok step back Zoro i got this" Luffy placed his hand on his bicep and blew on his thumb making his hand and arm bigger and bigger before using his Haki to turn it solid "Gum-Gum… Elephant Gun!" he yells as his fist hit the solid rock braking it into big chunks, the rocks fell away to reveal a massive metal door. Zoro threw the guy to the side placing his third sword in his mouth and holding the other two before widening his stance and slashing the door " Ultra Tiger Hunt" with a flash the door was distoryed pieces flying into the mountain, the bang of both their power sent shock waves threw the facility inside, alarms rang out as Zoro cracked his neck "Think we went too far?" he asks Luffy walking to stand next to his swords man, his arm now back to normal "Nah..." a laugh leaving the captain's lips.

The dust starts to settle the two men walking forward using their Haki to scene around them. the dust cleared revealing stairs and lots of them. The two ran down hearing foot steps running up the stairs to him. Lots of men and women in jump suits ran up the stairs guns and swords in hand firing and swinging as soon as the two where in site, Luffy dodged punching his way through while Zoro cut through the blades, bullets and people that got in his way. it wasn't long until they made it into a big room. metal pipes covering the ceiling, mine cards, rails and white shiny walls all around. metal walk ways up above where people stood aiming guns at the two "Who the hell broke my door?" a large booming voice came out form bellow. Heavy foot steps slowly climbed the stairs at the other end of the mine. Soon a man emerged, he was big almost 7 foot tall and heavy set. His suit was fancy too fancy for a mine and gold rings gripped around his chubby fingers. "Where Y/N?" Luffy yelled out making the large man raise his eyebrow looking at the two, running a hand threw his think black hair he signed "I have no idea who your talking about but you will pay for braking my door. do you know how much that is going to cost me?" the mans voice boomed through the cave making some workers cower in fear and others grip their weapons harder.

Zoro closed his eyes for a second taking in everything around him "Luffy... their here. down there?" Zoro points out feeling your aura. Luffy looked to the man and the large stair case behind him "We'll lets go then" Luffy walked Zoro right next to him "The hell? dont come any closer your both filthy." They took no notice of the large man until he spoke again "Keep them away form me, kill them" The men and women above firing immediately. Luffy dodged with ease, Zoro running over to the platforms and slicing their supports causing it to fall along with the people. Luffy ran at the man pulling back his arm and using his armament hardening before bring his first towards the man "OUT OF MY WAY" the captain yells only for the man to raise his arm, a hand of rock rises up and smacked Luffy away form him and into the wall, the rocks around him pinning him to the wall slowly pulling him in "LUFFY" Zoro yelled running to help a wall of rock rose form the ground, even though zoro cut through it the rocks didn't fall instead shot up hitting him up into the air.

This is way longer than i though but i wanted to make it good. Part 3 will be up later today :)