#last ronin and his two daughters

[sha-biest]

Wake up guys, new AU just dropped! (this is Abbey and Ingunns fault, scream at them)

[penkura]

last forever [11/13]

Summary: Zoro only offered to marry you to keep you out of an arranged marriage with a man much older than you. You agreed with the caveat of ending it via annulment once you received word from your parents regarding the original engagement, despite your growing feelings for your close friend.

Pairing: Zoro x Fem!reader, mentioned Sanami later (like epilogue later so chill)

Warnings: Marriage of Convenience, Fake Marriage, Creepy Older Dude, Mentioned Past Attempted Assault, Heavily Implied/Referenced Sex later on (NOTHING EXPLICIT)

Note: This is the one with the mentions of attempted assault in the past and reference to present relations. Again, SFW, nothing explicit, and this chapter is completely different from how I originally thought it would go. This is where I lost myself a bit and just said "screw following the manga/anime" lol. Next chapter is my original ending of the story but I split it into two chapters and chapter thirteen will have a tiny epilogue.

Taglist:

@misfits1a | @alucardsdaddyissues | @louweasleymalfoy | @fluffybunnyu | @yerrimm09 | @eyes-ofhell | @emmaiscool22 | @xenop0p | @hank88999

[Ch. 1] ● [Ch. 2] ● [Ch. 3] ● [Ch. 4] ● [Ch. 5] ● [Ch. 6] ● [Ch. 7] ● [Ch. 8] ● [Ch. 9] ● [Ch. 10]

Wano is a beautiful place with desolate areas you realize, as you walk through the city trying to find a job. Kin'emon has already worked with you all to prepare your roles and provided you clothes that let you blend in, yours matching what most of the local housewives wear on a daily basis.

You've agreed to let him, and those of Wano, see you as a newly married couple with Zoro, even as he takes the role of ronin and seems less than enthusiastic about it. Faking a marriage twice over was truly an annoyance, he was beyond done with this part of his life. You hope it's not a sign of things to come with him, but right now, your focus is on finding a job, even something at a teahouse is enough. Anything that lets you blend in the best you can.

You find a small teahouse in the Flower Capitol, the owner agreeing to hire you once you had told him you were newly married and attempting to find a job temporarily to get you both on your feet since your husband was a ronin. Everything is well, you’re happy about what you’ve found and your role in helping to recruit Samurai to the raid, until you hear a voice you’ve not heard in years, making you freeze on the spot.

He's here. Why is he here?!

You’re quick to hide behind a building, barely peeking to look and see that it is in fact the man your parents had chosen for you to marry.

A man now in his mid-thirties, Hibine Kanzaki is out with who you guess to be a servant of his, and you can hear him bragging about a newborn daughter in his house. The guy always creeps you out, hearing his voice and the fake sweetness in it makes you want to bury yourself in a hole and hide. It’s the same voice he used when he'd come to see you, trying to win you over despite Elias’ glaring and you knowing he didn’t mean a word of it.

The second he seems to look where you’re hiding you back yourself up further behind the building, taking several deep breaths and praying he leaves, praying he didn’t see your face.

Once his voice fades away, you double check to make sure he’s gone, before you leave your hiding spot and hurry back to your temporary home while you’re here in Wano. Your biggest concern right now is getting to safety and staying with Zoro again.

Zoro will keep me safe, he won’t let anything happen to me…

+!+

“I-is Zoro back?”

Law doesn't miss how you're shaking like a leaf, watching you wring your hands while he shakes his head.

“No, not yet. What happened?”

“N-nothing, don’t worry about it, I just…” You take a deep breath, turning to leave again and go find Zoro, “I need Zoro right now.”

“Hey, wait,” Law’s up on his feet and grabbing Kikoku before you get too far, “You're in no state to be left alone, I'll go with you to find him. I need to see if my crew have found jobs or anything yet anyway.”

Nodding, you thank Law for joining you as the two of you return to town, you constantly looking around for Zoro, which makes Law watch you closely. No, he doesn't know your situationship with Zoro, but he's curious about what has got you so badly worked up. He almost offers you to hold his hand if you need, mostly so you stop wringing yours or balling up your kimono sleeves to the point they’re wrinkled. Law is highly tempted to ask what’s wrong as you re-enter the shopping district of the Flower Capitol, until he hears Shachi call for him.

“Stay here, I’ll be right back.”

“Mm. Take your time, Traffy.”

Staying to the side, you keep watch to make sure you’re safe, hoping to see your green haired husband around somewhere, before someone places a hand on your shoulder and you look, your feeling of safety fleeing immediately.

“It really is you! My dear fiancée, I’ve wanted to see you for so long!”

You don’t have the chance to move away before he grabs your wrist and your voice catches in your throat, before you’re able to shake it off just enough to quietly respond.

“I’m not your fiancée…I have a husband.”

Shaking his head, Hibine steps closer and it makes you back up, your attempted glare coming off as more fearful than anything, which causes him to grin at you.

He never really loved you, you’ve known that from that start. Elias could see it when your parents couldn’t.

“Oh my dear, our engagement is still very much alive…your lovely parents have been looking for you, trying to help me find you so we can finalize our marriage. Your mother especially is anxious for us to marry and have a child already~”

“Elias has a child. I’m not rea—”

His grip on your wrist tightens and it makes you start to panic, it’s just like the last time.

Just like last time…stop touching me.

Hibine takes one step towards you and you take two steps back, while he continues to grin, one hand gripping your wrist like you’ve done something wrong.

“My cute little fiancée,” his voice makes your hair stand on end and you cringe visibly, “Let’s go home together, we’ll call your parents and tell them you've left that brute of a pirate.”

“You…” you gulp, taking another step back which he copies, and you hate how weak and pathetic you feel at the moment, this man makes you sick to your stomach, “You’re hurting me…”

You’re not Zoro.

This man disgusts you, he’s possibly the worst person you’ve ever met, you’ve felt that for the last five years since you first met him. How your parents could have chosen him, thought someone in his thirties when you were barely fifteen was a good idea, you’ve never understood their thought. Even after begging them to reconsider, you were terrified until Elias got you out of your home, away from them, away from this man who saw you as simple property. You want to grab your sword, putting your hand on its hilt and ready to do so if he makes a wrong move. He always made wrong moves around you, around Elias, even after the multiple times your brother had pulled this sword himself and told this scum to not touch you, Hibine still tried every time.

By contrast, you know Zoro would never touch you without your permission, unless absolutely needed. When he’d first taught you some sword techniques you didn’t know, he always made sure you were okay with him holding your wrists to show you the proper position for your hands, making you wonder if he noticed how you flinched the first time.

You really wish he was here right now.

I want Zoro, I need my husband.

You terribly want to throw up, but you keep stepping backwards, eyes locked onto Hibine with your hand on your sword as you wonder where the hell Law and his crew were, had they not noticed your predicament yet?

Back away, keep backing away…let me go, you’re not him.

Eventually you hear Law shout your name, he can see the fear in your eyes when you catch his, he’s about to rush over to you, but you back into a hard chest before anything else happens, an arm coming around your shoulders and it makes Hibine stop too, releasing your wrist.

“There you are,” relief washes over you instantly when you recognize Zoro’s voice, looking up at him as you finally breathe again, “Been looking for you. Where have you been, wife?”

“Z-Zoro…” you shake your head and his brow furrows before he looks at Hibine, who is nearly snarling at the two of you now. “That’s…my parents…it’s him, I…”

You turn yourself to face him better and he holds you a bit closer before looking back to Hibine.

“Sorry if my wife caused any problems, I've been looking for her all afternoon,” trying to play his part, Zoro notices you rubbing your wrist, setting a slight glare on Hibine and his other hand on his swords, maybe showing them off would scare away the creep, “She doesn’t like to be touched by strangers, she’d appreciate it if you didn’t–”

“The hell is this? You’re the brute she married over me?!”

“Yeah, got a problem?”

“This is ridiculous,” Hibine growls, attempting to grab you again, “I paid to marry this wench, she should be my bride!”

The shriek that leaves your mouth when Hibine grabs your wrist and tries to pull you from Zoro makes your swordsman husband glare even worse than he was already. He knocks Hibine’s hand off you, turning you more towards him, as he pulls one of his swords and has it at the older man’s neck in an instant.

“Guess I didn’t make myself clear,” Zoro gives a glance to you, you’re nearly hyperventilating while you grip his kimono top and he looks back at Hibine, ignoring Law yelling at him to not screw anything up, you’re more important at the moment, “Keep your filthy hands off my wife or I’ll make sure you can’t touch anyone again.”

A group of people had stopped to stare at what was happening, Hibine yelling about being threatened while Law starts yelling at Zoro that he’s going to ruin everything.

“Traffy, take [Y/N] back for me.”

“And what are you going to do?!”

“Nothing, don’t worry.”

Law wants to argue, until Zoro moves you to him and he can see how shaken up, how terrified you seem to be. You’re covering your ears and your breathing is getting faster, you need to be somewhere else now before you have a full on panic attack. Nodding at Zoro, Law Shambles you both back to your temporary residence, allowing your swordsman a moment to sigh before he looks back to Hibine with a glare again.

“Now you listen. Here’s what you’re going to do for upsetting my wife.”

~~

Once you and Law are back where you were staying, you almost instantly collapse to the ground hyperventilating and dry heaving. Law knew what to expect, he quickly pinned your hair back and gave you a bucket before he ran off to get you water while you vomited everything from your lunch earlier. Too many memories, all of them bad, had come back when you saw Hibine, when he touched you, tried to act sickly sweet while having that awful look in his eyes, trying to keep up his image. You really hadn’t meant to keep it a secret he was from Wano, that he’d intended to take you all the way here once your marriage was finalized. There was never a good tike to bring it up to Zoro. Thank God for your brother, for the Straw Hats, for Zoro saving you from such a life though.

When Law returns with water, you’ve gone from getting sick to crying over how ridiculous you feel. There’s no reason for this, you’re strong. You know you are, everyone knows, they’ve seen it. Law tries to calm you down, telling you that you’re fine now, you’re safe, your crewmates will be back any moment.

You are grateful for Law’s help, even as you finally calm down and apologize, he tells you there’s no need, while you start to explain what happened and who Hibine is. The look on his face goes from curious to concerned as you continue, and you do admit your current marriage to Zoro, which surprises him greatly. He never guessed you two were married, he figured dating or maybe even hooking up. Not a full on marriage, even though you also admit you two have started dating, it was still temporary unless Zoro said otherwise.

Once you’ve finished explaining everything, you feel like you’re about to pass out and Law finds that you have a fever, you need to be laying down. He's brought a damp wash cloth for your forehead once he helps you to your room, ensuring as little light as possible can get in before he leaves you to rest, and it's not long before you’re fast asleep.

Not even a few minutes later Zoro returns, and Law confronts him about everything.

“You didn’t think that mentioning you and [Y/N]-ya are actually married before coming here was important?! Especially when her fiancé is from here!”

“He’s not her fiancé,” Zoro grits his teeth at the thought of Hibine being anything special to you, the man was a coward who used money to get he wanted, he deserved more than just a scare, “And I didn’t know he was from here. She never told me that. The marriage isn’t something we broadcast to people.”

Law sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose as he tries to calm his own pounding head.

“At least it’s dealt with. I trust you didn’t take things too far?”

“Just scared him, that’s all. Where’s [Y/N]?”

“Her room, resting. She has a fever. Does she get those easily?”

Nodding, Zoro doesn’t say anything else and enters your room, you’re sitting up with your head in your hands, he swears he can hear you crying to yourself. He's used to this, but knowing the reasons why nearly breaks his heart for once.

Seeing how utterly terrified of Hibine you were, it worried him more than he’d ever admit even to you. He wonders what else you may have gone through that you never told him, if that man took things too far or what. He'll have to ask you later, but for the moment, he’s glad you’re okay. You’d barely slept on the trip to Wano, not being used to a submarine but also getting to know the Heart Pirates, Zoro can only recall one night you went to bed at a decent time and that was when you’d had a little more to drink than normal and found yourself in his bed, latched onto his left arm and kissing his shoulder before falling into a dead sleep.

He'll probably never tell you how much he’d like that to happen again.

“Hey.”

“Hey…”

“You okay?”

You shake your head while Zoro comes over and sits beside you, setting his hand on your forehead to see how your fever was, and luckily you don’t flinch or stop him. He’s relieved that seeing that man didn’t cause you to suddenly fear him too. Not like he’d ever do anything to hurt you anyway.

“I haven’t seen you so skittish since we met…did you know he’d be in the flower capitol?”

“No, I…I thought he lived elsewhere…”

The way you start to grab at your hair, though he doesn’t show it, starts to worry Zoro, and he knows he has to ask what he’s started dreading since he saw the look on your face when he ran into you earlier. It’s going to dredge up some bad memories most likely, but he’s not going to force you if you don’t want to respond.

“Can I ask you something?” when you nod, Zoro takes a breath before asking, “Did he touch you back then? When you still lived with your parents?”

You stay quiet for a moment, sighing as you finally bring you hands down from your hair with a small nod.

“Once,” you bite your lip hard, you can taste blood, and Zoro nearly tells you not to worry about explaining it when he sees you start to look distressed, “He’d come to see me, and Elias had stepped out of the room for something. Next thing I knew, I was on the floor and…Hibine was over me. I was sixteen, I didn’t know what to do. He had my wrists in his hands and was saying something I can’t remember, I blocked it out I think. He ended up bruising my wrists from holding them so tightly, but Elias stopped him from doing anything else. He came back and saw the position we were in, started yelling at him to get off me and had pulled his—my sword and threatened Hibine.”

“Makes two of us that have now.”

You smile a bit with a slight laugh and nod, finally looking over at Zoro. “My dad wanted to call off the marriage after hearing what happened, but my mom wouldn’t let him. Elias never left me alone with him again, up until he helped me run away.”

“That does explain the first time I taught you a sword technique. When I’d held your wrist and you flinched.”

“Oh yeah, you did notice that? Sorry.”

Zoro shakes his head, finally moving to join you in your bed, something you gladly accept, you trust him with every part of you. He lets you lead as you wrap your arms around him and lay back down, doing the same once you’re settled and comfortable, placing a soft kiss to your forehead.

“Don’t worry about him, wife. He ain’t gonna mess with you again. I made sure of that.”

Smiling, you nod and snuggle closer to Zoro, closing your eyes again before thanking him and falling back asleep. For once, Zoro doesn’t immediately fall asleep, instead staying awake for a bit to make sure you’re comfortable, while thinking about the brief summary you’d given him of that meeting with Hibine when you were still so young. He's glad you don’t remember what was said, it was likely the most unsavory things, he’ll never make you relive such things. Never put you through that himself.

If I’d been there I’d have cut his hands off. I’d have married you sooner, to keep him away from you. Your parents would’ve hated it, they’d have gotten no money from me…but you would’ve been safe sooner.

Zoro does eventually fall asleep, still keeping you close as you finally get much needed rest. Once dinner is ready he only leaves long enough to get you both something to eat, just letting Usopp, Franky, and Robin know you’re doing all right after telling them what had happened earlier. He doesn’t leave you alone very much that evening, apart from when Robin takes you to the bathhouse once your fever breaks.

You’re more relaxed when you make it back, but continue to lean against Zoro while Kin’emon and Law go into more details about the plan for the raid on Onigashima soon. He wraps an arm around your shoulders and pulls you a little closer, silently telling you to rest, you deserve it after the day you had, he or Robin will fill you in on anything you miss if you fall asleep. Once you do, and everyone else begins to turn in for the night later, Zoro is very careful to pick you up and take you back to your room, making sure you stay asleep as he gets you comfortable in bed. Part of him wants to stay with you, to be there if any nightmares of your time at home come up, but he’s not sure if you’ll be happy with that tonight

Instead, just like earlier, he kisses your forehead softly before leaving, letting you have some peace and quiet to sleep.

I’ll be damned if I ever let anyone hurt her again.

+!+

When Luffy and the rest of your crewmates make it to Wano finally, Sanji is the first one to hug you, not giving you a second to breathe which makes you laugh at him. You’re beyond happy to see he’s back, he's still himself, and it makes you return his hug just as tightly, while he tells you he fully understands your feelings about arranged marriages now. Awful things they are to him and to you.

You decide not to tell him or Nami, anyone really, about your run in with your now ex-fiancé for now. You will later, when it’s just you with them, for now you just tell Nami that you don’t have to worry about that man anymore, just about your parents reaction.

Zoro had scared Hibine enough that the older man decided you weren’t worth the trouble anymore, he rescinded the engagement and would inform your parents of it once he returned home. Whether he said anything more or not, Zoro never tells you, just that if the guy is a man of his word you should probably expect a letter from your parents soon about it.

Nami is relieved, pulling you into yet another hug and telling you so, expecting more details later on when you can tell her what you know.

For now, you all fall into your roles within Wano, you doing your job at the tea shop with your crewmates and even some of the Heart Pirates coming to visit when they can. Sanji comes in a few times to fawn over you in your kimono, he really thinks the floral pattern suits you which just makes you smile and thank him.

The next time Law comes in with Ikkaku, the manager has you take their order, and it gives you a chance to talk to them as you take your break at the same time.

“I was able to hand off a few of Kin’emon’s secret messages to more people today.”

“That’s good,” Law nods, watching Ikkaku as she gets up to leave with a slight smirk and he rolls his eyes at her, “The more the better, we’re going to need all we can find.”

You agree while you take the seat Ikkaku left, glad to be off your feet with someone you trust around. You still worry that Hibine is going to show up, but hope Zoro did more than enough to keep him from you.

“So, you and Rorona-ya then?”

“What do you—”

“You’re together, right?”

Taking a sharp breath, you let out a quiet ‘oh’ before nodding in return. Law doesn’t miss how bashful you seem to become, a small smile on your face while you briefly explain the whole thing to him. You trust he won’t use it against you, Law doesn’t seem like the type to do that, for whatever reason.

When you finish your story, as the tea shop owner calls for you, Law just nods.

“He saved you then, and you just fell in love with him over time.”

Your smile grows a bit as you nod, trying to keep your composure so your boss doesn’t think you’re flirting or anything.

“Exactly. I owe Zoro so much for saving me.”

There’s nothing really behind his questioning and listening to your story, Law’s curiosity got the better of him since he’s known the last couple days of your marriage to Zoro.

At least it sounds like you’re happy, whatever may come next.

+!+

Sanji does his best to keep you from hearing Brook tell him about where he’d found Zoro before Tonoyasu’s execution, how he’d been found simply sleeping with Hiyori and Toko by him, though the way it’s said makes it sound more scandalous than it actually was. Of course it’s nearly impossible for you not to hear it once Nami does, doing her duty as your friend to let you know, and while you’re shocked, you’re not sure if you believe it was anything salacious or not. She and Sanji offer to keep Zoro away from you once everyone is together again, but you reject that idea with a smile, saying everything is fine because you do believe that at least.

Zoro isn’t surprised you’ve heard about it, he just rolls his eye at Sanji who is convinced you’re secretly upset about it and your boyfriend/husband needs to apologize for something he had no control over. It’s not like anything actually happened, it was just like the times you’ve napped together, just nothing romantic involved.

So if you were upset, you’d have told him, he knows you would.

Sanji doesn’t understand it though, grumbling about it when you help him with making dinner one night that Luffy wants to have a feast with the Heart Pirates, Kid, Killer, and the Samurai, a few days before the raid on Onigashima is to start.

“That mosshead is so lucky to have you, I can’t believe him.”

“It wasn’t really his fault, Sanji. He already explained it.”

“Still though, it’s not fair to you…”

You shrug a bit, just giving Sanji a smile while you keep prepping the vegetables he gave you to work on.

“You give him too much credit.”

“And you are quick to think the worst of him, Sanji,” your friend makes a sound like he’s offended, which causes you to laugh, “I trust  and love Zoro, I know he wouldn’t do anything to hurt me.”

“…but does he love you back?”

Stopping your work, you shrug a bit, Sanji sighing slightly. With everything going on, you haven’t had much time alone with Zoro, not since you first got to Wano anyway. Every time you try to have any time alone, it gets interrupted by something or someone, there’s so much constantly going on, you’re running out of time before the festival and raid, it’s unlikely you’ll have any chance at any time together until after the raid is over.

So long as everything goes well.

Sanji throws an arm around your shoulders, hugging you when you lean into him.

“If that mosshead does anything to upset you, I’ll kick his ass for you.”

You laugh at the offer, shaking your head when you hear Luffy call for the two of you to hurry up because he was just starving to death out there.

“Yeah, I’ll let you know, Sanji.”

But hopefully that doesn’t happen.

~~

There’s finally time for you to spend with Zoro later that evening, once you and Sanji finish preparing everything and the feast Luffy's been waiting for all day gets going. There’s plenty of food to keep everyone fed, you and Sanji out of the kitchen for the rest of the night for once, and while you choose to abstain from drinking that night, you’re happy to bring some to Zoro, who gladly takes it before pulling you into his lap and keeping you close. Now that you have the chance to relax together, even with everyone else around, with all the stuff about Hiyori and the raid and what may happen afterwards being forgotten for now, a few moments of peace are greatly welcomed by everyone.

“You good?”

Nodding, you lean back against Zoro’s chest while he keeps his arm around your waist, silently telling you to stay there with him.

“I’m doing great, Zoro.”

Nami watches you two from the side, eventually tapping Sanji on the shoulder, nodding her head towards you when she sees you both get up and leave, almost sneaking off. No one else seems to notice, but Sanji hums a bit when he sees where she’s directing his sight.

“You think they’re turning in for the night?”

“Who knows,” Shrugging, Sanji goes to put his arm around her shoulders before Nami grabs his hand and moves it away from her, giving him a ‘not here’ look, “Maybe they just need a quiet place to talk about, you know, Hiyori and that stuff.”

“Hmm, maybe…”

Nami knows she’ll hear everything from you later on, you don’t keep things from her or Robin anymore, you’ve learned not to do that now.

She just hopes whatever goes on, it’s nothing you or Zoro come to regret.

+!+

“If you break her heart, I’ll never forgive you, mosshead.”

Zoro only wakes the next morning when you start to shift around, turning away from him in your sleep, relaxing again as you make yourself comfortable. He just watches you for a bit, wondering how last night got to this point. You and him in your room, consummating your two and a half year long marriage unexpectedly. Not a drop of alcohol in your system, a normal amount in Zoro’s of course, but, how on earth did it end up with the two of you in your bed?  

“What would you like from me? You’ve given me more than I could ever ask for.”

“I want tonight, just you and me, if you’re comfortable with that.”

“Yes,” you nod, Zoro pulls you closer, one arm around your waist as his other hand is in your hair, and you wrap your arms around his shoulders while he brings your face closer to his, “I can happily give you that, Zoro.”

Oh right that’s how. You and Zoro had slipped away from everyone else after dinner, while Luffy tried to get the party going even more and Kid started to egg him on, it became too loud for the both of you. He’s not entirely sure how things escalated from you two talking about the raid to making out, you asking him what he wants in return for all he’s given you over the last couple years, he’d first told you that he didn’t need or want anything, but he could see you wanted something, you were just too shy to ask for it. Once Zoro told you what he wanted (he did want this, it wasn’t just for you) and you gladly agreed to it, he checked on you the whole night, to make sure you were comfortable, that he wasn’t hurting you, and that you felt safe, but you always feel safe with him, telling him so between kisses and ‘I love you’s with your hands holding his face.

You love him, and it’s still something new to him. Even last night, it was all new to both of you, two and a half years later than it normally would’ve been, but your relationship isn’t normal. You may not have come together by conventional means, not even being in love at the start, but things had changed and you’d waited for him to work things out with himself. He’s still trying to figure things out, how to voice his thoughts to you, but where you two are now feels nice to him. Whether you consider it dating or actually having a marriage, he doesn’t care anymore. So long as you stay near him and let him continue to protect you, for as long as you need him.

Zoro’s about to pull you back to him and sleep again when someone knocks on the door,  making him roll his eye before he kisses the back of your head which wakes you.

“Mm, Zoro?” You rub yours eyes a bit, sitting up to look at him once he’s out of your bed, worried he’s going to sneak off so no one catches him or because he regrets the night before, “Is it morning?”

“Someone’s at the door, I’ll be right back. Go back to sleep,” he smiles just a bit seeing you look slightly disappointed, like you don’t believe him, so he kisses your forehead gently before quietly promising, “I’m not leaving you alone, wife.”

“Okay…”

Zoro is quick to dress and makes sure you’re comfortable once you lay back down, covering you with his haori to reiterate his promise to come back, which you pull around you more as you attempt to fall back to sleep. He watches you for a moment, waiting until your breathing evens out and you’re almost asleep again before he goes to answer the door. Once he opens the door to your room, Zoro sighs and immediately wishes he’d ignored the knocking and went back to sleep with.

“Of course it’s you.”

“I’m not happy to see your face this early either,” Sanji scowls with his cigarette in his mouth, unhappy to know you and Zoro never came back to everyone the night before, and he had an idea as to why which was confirmed seeing the swordsman in your room still, “You better not have done anything to hurt her, mosshead.”

“Why the hell are you here this early?”

“Kin’emon wants to talk about the raid, I’m just rounding up people who are missing. He wants to talk during breakfast so it’ll be a little while still.”

“Got it. We’ll be there soon.”

Sanji stops Zoro from closing the door with his foot, the two shooting glares at each other before Sanji quietly speaks again.

“I’m serious, asshole. That’s my best friend you’re married to and had sex with. She loves you. Don’t break her heart.”

“I won’t, and I heard you the first twenty times.”

After Sanji leaves, you surprise Zoro by coming up behind him and hugging him, making him look back at you while you smile up at him, now wearing his haori.

“I thought I told you to go back to sleep.”

“I heard Sanji say Kin’emon wanted to talk about things, so I decided to get up.”

“Makes sense.”

Neither of you say anything for a bit, though Zoro does turn around to take your face in his hands while you keep looking up at him. He still doesn’t get why you give him such loving looks, after everything you’ve been through on your own and then with him. With him, he feels like he’s treated you so badly at times, all because he didn’t want anything to do with romance at the start. But you didn’t give up on him, not on your marriage despite the way it came about, despite his initial rejection of your feelings, your fight about Robin, your first kiss in Water Seven, you worrying about him after Kuma showing up at Thriller Bark. Then when you reunited and he was willing to try a relationship with you, though neither of you knew what to call it, you never gave up on him.

And then last night, it keeps replaying in his head. He wonders if it’s the same for you, though the slightest blush you have tells him that it is. There’s nothing but happiness and love in your eyes too.

Why did you choose to love me? You deserve much better.

Zoro wonders if you’d tell him an actual reason, or something cheesy. Something about the heart wanting that it wants, he thinks, is what Sanji’s said before while swooning over some girl, or that you don’t want better, you just want him. He probably wouldn’t mind hearing that from you, only because it’s you, he’d reason.

After a few more minutes of silence and just enjoying each other’s presence, Zoro finally leans down and kisses you, making you hum a bit and smile more.

“Good morning, husband.”

“Mornin’, wife.”

You giggle a bit at his response which makes Zoro smirk as he picks you up in a princess carry, allowing you to wrap your arms around his shoulders, taking you back and dropping you on your bed, laying down with and trapping you against him. Everyone can wait a little while longer as the two of you sleep in a bit more, he thinks. Zoro tries to fall back asleep but you place small kisses all over his face, preventing him from doing so, since you know it’ll be difficult to wake him in time to see what Kin’emon wants from you all. If this is how his mornings could be, even with your touchy feely affection, Zoro thinks he doesn’t mind staying married to you.

In fact, he’s starting to think he can get used to this.

“I love you, Zoro~”

Zoro simply nods at you, pressing another soft kiss to your forehead. “I know. Thank you.”

I’ll tell you soon, I promise.

+!+

The bandage on your forehead itches and you’re fighting not to pull the same stunt as your husband would with ripping it off. Chopper would scold you, and right now, it’s one of the last things you need. With the fight against Kaido and his Beast Pirates over, Luffy and Zoro unconscious in the room you’re heading to, your prayers are going towards both of them waking soon. You want to leave Wano with them both, but also fear what may come next for you and Zoro as a couple or if he’ll put an end to your marriage once you leave this place. You try not to think about it, instead opening the door to the room where Chopper is checking Luffy and you go to Zoro, your doctor giving you a smile.

“They should both wake up soon! I think…”

Returning his smile, you nod a bit at Chopper.

“Thanks, doctor. I don’t know where we’d be without you, Chopper.”

While Chopper tries to pretend your words aren’t flattering him, you seat yourself beside Zoro, like you have the last couple days, quietly taking his hand and feeling grateful no one else is really around at the moment. Most of your new friends and allies still don’t know your real relationship, you’d like to keep it that way until you all leave, but who knows how that might go now. People are constantly in and out of this room lately, everyone it seems is taking turns to see if Luffy mostly is awake, your crewmates focusing on both your captain and swordsman.

For you, although you do want Luffy to wake quickly too, your main focus is on Zoro, ensuring he’s still alive after all the damage he'd taken. You’d gotten a basic rundown from Sanji, even hearing how Zoro had beaten King, which was right before you saw how badly he’d been hurt, how near death he was this time.

You think it must be worse than Thriller Bark.

Right now, all your hope is on his waking up. Being able to check on him, hold his hand, make sure he’s still breathing, it gives you some small semblance of peace, especially with Chopper’s comment that they should both wake soon.

When you’re sure it’s just you and them, or your other crewmates are around, you’re able to make yourself press your forehead into his chest, listening closely for his heart beat, and feeling nothing but relief each time you hear it. The few times you swear he squeezes your hand back, despite still being knocked out, give you hope they’ll be up sooner rather, that you and Zoro can finally work out what your relationship is and will be.

Truly you just hope he doesn’t break your heart.

“Please. Wake up soon, okay? I love you.”

You quickly place a kiss on his forehead, as he’s done to you multiple times lately, before contenting yourself to simply stay beside Zoro and hold onto his hand, silent prayers that he wakes up soon. After a little while, you get surprised by someone setting a hand on your shoulder, looking up to see Sanji giving you a smile.

“Why don’t you come with me, [Y/N]? I’ll make you something to eat~”

You return the smile and let Sanji help you up, him putting an arm around your shoulders as he walks you to the kitchen of where you’re being allowed to stay for now. He starts telling you everything he’s planning to make for when Luffy and Zoro wake up, before you two are stopped by a few of the younger samurai.

One of them, around your age, tries hitting on you and asking you out, but before you can even deny the invitation, Sanji steps up with a grin.

“Hey now! Don’t you know this lovely girl is our stupid swordsman’s wife? I don’t think he’ll take too kindly to you hitting on her!”

The samurai looks from Sanji to you, as you slap his arm and nearly hiss out his name.

“Is…is that…true?’

Smiling a bit, you simply say, “Zoro and I are just very close, that’s all. I am flattered, but I’m not looking to date anyone.”

It's not a full lie, you don’t know where you and Zoro stand at the moment anyway, and you aren’t looking to start dating someone from Wano anyway. Hibine be damned, you just aren’t interested in anyone here, Zoro is the only one for you, you believe.

The samurai takes your rejection well, saying he hopes you two are happy whatever happens, before Sanji starts to turn you back down the hall he was leading you.

“Stop telling people about me and Zoro!”

“Come on, you weren’t going to go out with that guy anyway.”

“You know what I mean though.”

“Do I?” Sanji shrugs, glancing over his shoulder in time for the door to the room you’d left to close, and he sighs, squeezing your shoulder lightly.

You don’t tell him that you saw Hiyori around the corner too.

+!+

“Do you think he likes her?”

For a second Sanji thinks you're kidding. You're in the middle of stitching up one of Zoro's shirts before moving to your own, while Sanji starts to work on something for you to eat, he raises an eyebrow and just looks at you. How lucky were you to make it out of that battle against the Beast Pirates nearly unscathed. The cut on your forehead and some other minor ones here and there, but you’re fine, nothing like what your husband and captain have had to deal with. Not even close to what Sanji's been recovering from, and he's already back up and ready to cook for everyone.

“You're kidding, right?”

When you shake your head, Sanji furrows his brow and sighs, taking a drag from his cigarette and moving to sit beside you at the table. He puts a hand on top of yours to stop your work and make you look at him, he's giving you the soft smile you've come to appreciate from him.

“That mosshead loves you, not Hiyori.”

“Sanji–”

“No, listen to me for a minute,” he tightens his grip on your hand for a second, before continuing, “I know Zoro better than I like to admit, and he has no romantic feelings for Hiyori, I can see that. The way he looks at you, though, there's always been something there.”

“What do you–”

“Every time he has just a bit too much to drink, he watches you. He gets this soft look on his face, like he's thinking about something. I've only ever seen that look on his face when he looks at you. He's been like that ever since I met you guys.”

“That doesn’t mean anything…”

Shrugging, Sanji gets up from his seat beside you again.

“Maybe not, but I don’t think he would’ve slept with you if he didn’t love you back.”

You nearly squeak a response, slapping Sanji’s hand off your shoulder as he laughs, shaking his head and asking how you expected him to not know by now. You’re not very good at hiding things, not from him anyway.

“Just talk to that mosshead after he wakes up. I know you two will be fine, you’re made for each other.”

You really do hope Sanji’s right. The two of you end up working in a comfortable silence that’s only broken by Chopper running into the kitchen, nearly in tears. You almost feel your heart drop as you fear the worst before Sanji speaks up.

“Chopper? What’s wrong?”

“They’re…they’re both…awake!”

[verysium]

would a beautiful young lady like you be so generous and besprinkle me with some sae itoshi thoughts

beautiful young lady? 🤭 anon you are so sweet. and for that, i present to you a writing idea that has lingered in the back of my mind for a while now. introducing......✨rōnin sae✨

he was originally the first-born son of a wealthy samurai clan but was ostracized due to his left-handed fighting style and refusal to conform to bushido. the night of his thirteenth birthday, he wrongfully murdered a man, and for that he was exiled by his family and later banished from the estate. forced to leave everything behind, he traveled on foot to kyoto to enter into the service of the daimyō at yodo domain, but no master or dojo would accept him.

after three years, he became a wanderer, a ghost identified by nothing except the incorporeal lingering of fear he left behind. no one has ever seen his face, nor do they know his name. a pair sharp teal eyes is the last thing the unfortunate souls see before they meet their end at the tip of his blade. he slices so clean it leaves no blood, only a soft body caught between the furrows of earth, lodged into eternal sleep beneath the snow.

working part-time as a serving girl between a soba shop and a brothel, you encounter him on one of the longest days of winter, the sole customer who dares to enter between the hours of midnight and dawn. as you set down his bowl, your eyes catch onto the silk tie fastened to the hilt of his katana, a rich hue of burgundy red. he must be a member of the upper nobility, you think. you've only ever seen the color on the obi of the wealthy patrons and the entrancing eyes of the madam's geisha. you politely ask him where he bought such beautifully dyed fabric, setting down his chopsticks with a sweet smile. he stares up at you from beneath his jingasa hat, so low on his face that you cannot see his eyes. a beat of silence passes, then two.

it is blood.

his tone is quiet, deep enough to send shivers down your spine. he waits to see the horrified look on your face, the crumpling of your delicate features so that he knows when to leave, where he is not welcome. but it never comes. instead you beam, blabbering on about how you figured he was a ronin with the number of bodies he left behind, and the number of days he says he's been here. he remains silent, though you see a flicker of something beneath the brim of his hat, the color so bright you do not know if it is blue or green.

you realize who he is. and you don't care.

that is enough to get sae interested in you, at least interested enough not to kill you. most people never hear the rumors let alone fathom his existence, yet you let him stay here with you, as if you expected his presence all along. at first, he coughs and refuses, standing up swiftly to find the exit. but when he lifts the noren and is hit with a face full of harsh snow, he begins to reconsider your offer, to wait until the storm passes.

you boil tea on the kettle as you lay out a spare futon on the tatami, lighting a candle in the darkness. in the corner, he sees a small misshapen bundle beneath the blankets, and he immediately pulls his hand back when two glossy eyes peer back up at him. the bundle he realizes is your mother, and the blankets he learns is a deathbed. you have no other kin left, no money to feed yourself, nowhere to hide the rotting body. only in time will he fully understand the ghosts of your past. you are the daughter of a prostitute; he is a son in exile. it shouldn't even be considered a match, but it strangely feels like one.

the storm passes, but sae doesn't leave. instead, you and he settle into the mundane expanse of cold routine, him searching for hire by day and you working by night. except one night, you do not return home by the tenth hour bell. it isn't until the sun carves a sliver into the morning sky that he sees your silhouette in the doorway, kimono slightly rumpled. you pull the ornaments out of your hair, makeup smeared as you run frantically into your room, slumping before your wash basin.

it doesn't take much from him to pry out an entire story from your lips. apparently your friend himeko has disappeared, the last you've seen of her was her entanglement with a young nobleman who promised to buy her out of the brothel. you sigh, lamenting that you are not attractive enough to be wed, much less make your way up the ranks of the maiko. sae wants to say you are foolish for believing a man's lies, but he holds his tongue when he sees your expression, the delicate features of your face crumbling, the same way he expected them to the night you met. it is the first time he sees you cry, and he cannot even hold you. he does not know why this hurts so much.

it's too late by the time he realizes.

you've buried yourself into him. stomped your muddy footprints all over his heart. left evidence in the snow. successfully haunted him in every single iteration. now he tells you that he would wed you in a single heartbeat. any sign of discomfort and he would not hesitate to kill. his only regret is that he wished he could give you more than this life of an untethered ghost, more substance than this lack of being. but your lips quell the storm that resides in his heart, his rotting fingers trembling as they find a home on the side of your cheeks. if he were to die, he would be content to be buried inside you, his stone cold body resting within the peace of your existence.

it is the hour between midnight and dawn when sae realizes the snow outside has stopped and that his life has only just begun.

[veronicaphoenix]

the unmaking of a warrior | part four

Home wasn't a place. Home was Noah.

“Nobody touches him” I declared as Ren approached Noah. Every single person present understood that I referred to my soldier—not my father’s, not the kingdom’s. Noah was my soldier. Mine. 

Pairing: samurai/ronin!noah x fem. reader

Chapter tags: royal family drama, tension from beginning to end, blade to throat, a princess defying the rules and putting her Samurai before anything else, angst/anxiety, comfort, kisses under the rain, and sexual content (bathtub sex, p in v, unprotected).

Words: 8.6k

Cross-posted on AO3. 

THE UNMAKING OF A WARRIOR 

PART IV

The maid adjusted the folds of my kimono, and a sigh escaped my lips, showing my discomfort at the tight garment. The clothing was a delicate piece in white and beige silk, adorned with exquisite embroidery. All of it seemed to tighten around me, emphasizing the weight of the anticipation at whatever that was going on. 

I didn’t know what we were getting ready for. The day had begun with my mother paying an unexpected visit early in the morning. She was followed by two maids. Her orders had been clear, and the two young women directed their efforts toward preparing me for an undisclosed event in the gardens of the castle within the next two hours. Every one of my questions regarding the upheaval that was going on inside the castle’s walls was ignored, and my mother’s silence only made my disquiet grow.  

Something was going on. She refused to offer any solace to her daughter, and the look on her face was fiercer than any time she had looked at me before. Desperation for answers led me to implore the maids, yet the women remained as quiet as usual, and their responses were shrouded in secrecy. The whole situation was exasperating. 

As the final knot of the obi was secured around my waist, the second maid attended  to my hair. With practiced hands, she wove a braid, gathering it into a bun secured at the nape of my neck, each tug of the comb and placement of the clips pulling at me and my anxiety. 

Whatever this was, it was important. This meticulous preparation and ordeal were only reserved for special occasions.  

There was a knock on the door an hour and a half later. My mother was back.  

The knocking was a deviation from my mother’s accustomed assertiveness. She was used to entering rooms without a second to think. Her entrance into rooms was typically devoid of hesitation, an expectation that mirrored her commanding presence. For her, everything was as she wanted it to be, and no one should be doing anything that would beunexpected or uncomfortable to see. 

“Your father is waiting,” she announced with an unwavering tone. 

The maids, standing silently behind me, clasped their hands at the front in display of deference. I took one last glance at them over my shoulder before exiting the room, trailing behind my mother.  

We left the opulent confines of the castle, entering the sprawling garden. The landscape of my father’s grounds boasted in a harmonious blend of Sakura trees, their delicate blossoms painting a serene tableau against the verdant backdrop and the awaiting event that was about to take place. Bushes adorned with fragrant blooms lined the pathways, weaving an aromatic tapestry that had been meticulous taken care of, for this was a sanctuary. The distant quarters of the samurai, marked by austere yet dignified structures, loomed like guardians on the horizon. Memories from last night flooded my mind. Noah’s katana blade at my throat, the drops of water covering his shoulders, the scent of the tea, the passion of each one of his kisses, his fear… The air resonated with the quietude of the Samurai training grounds as we slowly approached, accompanied by four maids and flanked by the soldiers delegated to the castle. The Samurai training grounds were occupied by dozens of soldiers, all of them standing in position. Customary fervor was replaced by an eerie stillness. In regimented rows, the samurai stood facing my father, their imposing figures frozen in a posture of reverence. 

As we drew nearer, it became apparent that my father's gaze was fixed upon a focal point amidst the tranquil assembly. A profound hush pervaded the air, heightening the anticipation as we approached the enigmatic scene at the heart of the grounds.

My father was standing in front of his army and his people, with his back to us. His gaze was fixed on something—or rather, someone close to his feet. Standing at his side but keeping a smart distance was Ren, who looked at me with disappointment, something that I had never seen before. His parents were behind him, also flanked by two huge Samurai. 

My heart pounded with dread as I approached the scene, and the source of my anguish came into view. 

Noah was on his knees before my father, his face down and his wrists tied at the front with a rope. 

A visceral scream tore from my throat before I could reach him. The agony in my voice echoing through the space. 

Even as I lunged towards Noah, two soldiers seized my arms with an iron grip. I fought against their restraint, my screams of protest reverberating through the air. 

In that moment, Noah’s eyes met mine, a silent plea for understanding and rescue at the same time. My father, seemingly unperturbed by the chaos, spoke with an unsettling calmness. 

“My dear, I was waiting for you,” he stated, his composure a stark contrast to my escalating anxiety, fear, and desperation. 

How dare he address me so casually when Noah knelt before him, hands bound on his lap? 

The realization struck me like a blow, crystallizing the horrifying truth: this was a meticulously orchestrated setup. The entire castle, from soldiers to maids, and even onlookers from the nearby towns, knew there would be a tragedy unfolding that day. My threats had meant nothing to the soldiers at my door the previous night. The moment I left the premises in the dark, they had informed my father.

"You can't do this! You can't!" I shouted, my protests fueled not only by the desperate love for Noah but also by the glaring injustice of my father's actions, which strayed far from any semblance of honor or adherence to codes and rules. Instead, he wielded his power with impunity, exploiting his privileged position to mete out punishment as he saw fit. His disregard for ethics gnawed at the core of my being, amplifying the urgency of my resistance against the unfolding event.

“This is my castle, my dear daughter, and these are my soldiers. There are rules, a code they must follow and honor, and those who deviate must face consequences. Today, we gather here so that you can be reminded of these principles, in case you forgot,” he shot me a glance. The rest of his words were directed to the audience. To Noah. “What you are about to witness is a lesson that everyone should internalize. Each person must understand their place,” he declared, chin up. His words were a chilling reminder of the authority he wielded within the confines of the fortress and even beyond, and a reminder that his most formidable swordsman and his daughter had committed a crime. 

A heavy silence hung in the air. I was aware that everyone, from my parents to Ren and his, were aware of why Noah was on his knees. The vast square's collective gaze bore down on us, and even those who hadn't heard the words could intuit the gravity of the situation by observing Noah on the ground and my visceral reaction.

In that moment, I should have felt embarrassed, sorry and remorseful for what I had done. I had engaged in an affair with my father’s most skilled soldier. I had been sleeping with him since I was of age. I had let him touch me in ways that would scandalize the country, allowed him to taste me… 

But such sentiments eluded me, for my composition differed from that of my parents and the assembly. My bones were crafted from the same resilient substance as Noah's.

As the soldiers tightened their grip on me, pain shot through my body, but I refused to yield. With watery eyes, I pleaded for mercy. "It was my fault. Leave him," I uttered, my voice fractured but resolute. Every fiber of my being strained towards Noah, a magnetic force compelling our connection.

Yet, my father's unwavering gaze communicated a stark truth–once the Bushido, the code of the samurai, was broken, there existed no easy path to restoration. The solemn acknowledgment in his eyes extinguished the flicker of hope for salvaging Noah from the impending consequences. The inevitable unraveling of honor and tradition rendered my efforts futile, leaving me entangled in a web of power and consequence within the very walls I called home.

“The man who kneels before me has lost his honor to a crime that has no name,” my father, the Shogun, proclaimed for everyone to hear. “We gather here this morning to bear witness to the Seppuku of this fallen soldier.”

A wave of dread washed over me, and my eyes widened in horror. No! I wanted to scream, but my voice lodged in my throat, stifled by the haunting images that clouded my mind.

Seppuku, the ritual of self-sacrifice, loomed over Noah like a malevolent specter. His hands were bound, and in a matter of agonizing minutes, my father would thrust a dagger into his hands, compelling him to inflict a fatal wound upon himself.

Though we had braced ourselves for the unexpected, this scenario had not been part of our contingency plans. Uncertainty gripped me as I trembled, contemplating Noah's impending future. The severity of the situation clawed at my every thought, leaving me paralyzed in the face of a horrifying fate.

I looked at him with desperate, pleading eyes, silently urging him to resist.

Resist. Don’t do it. We fight together. There’s no me without you. And if you fall, I’ll do so by your side. 

There was no fear on his eyes. Perhaps because as a Samurai he had been training to reconcile with the prospect of this inevitable end if he was ever to dishonor the Bushido. And he had dishonored it years ago. It dawned on me that he might have been coming to terms with the idea of this fate for a long time, a truth he had chosen to withhold from me.

Things were happening too fast, and we had fallen into a trap assuming that time would wait for us. 

My gaze moved to my mother, seeking for help, but the determination in her expression offered no comfort. There was nothing she would do for a fallen soldier. For an immoral daughter. I had disgraced her and the whole family, all our history brought down by one act. 

Love.

I glanced at Ren, hoping for a shred of support, only to be met with a chilling stare that told me how furious he was at me. I had chosen a Samurai over a prince. I had chosen Noah over him. My attention, though, was abruptly diverted as my eyes fell to the second katana he held in his hand. 

I would recognize those cord wraps and that saya anywhere. 

It was Noah’s katana. 

How dare he? 

The sight of it in another man’s hands ignited the fire that had been waiting to be set free inside of me. 

I was disarmed too, like Noah, and I was retained, but I was smart, and no one expected me to be so in such an emotional situation. 

My father signaled to one of the soldiers closest to him, a mere inclination of his head setting the soldier in motion. He advanced towards Noah, carrying a long dagger that was ceremoniously placed on the cold concrete before him. 

“Soldier, you are expected to do the honorable thing now. Honor the code. One more time. The last time. Cleanse yourself,” my father intoned, the weight of his words echoing through the tense air. 

My heart threatened to escape my chest as I shifted my gaze between Noah, my father, and my mother, seeking a glint of help, of hope. Noah’s eyes were on the dagger. I needed him to look at me, to tell me something. I needed a sign. 

Then he looked up. His chin lifted with a resolute grit that mirrored the fire in his eyes, the same strength and determination they had had the night before when he had told me to meet in the forest entry at midnight. 

There it was. 

I let my muscles relax for a second. The soldiers grip loosened and that was my cue. With deliberate intent, I propelled myself forward, taking two long, quick, and purposeful strides toward my father.  

In a heartbeat, I reached for the handle of his katana, securely sheathed at his waist. With a deft motion, I unsheathed the blade, the crisp and metallic sound from the friction between the blade and the inside of the scabbard echoing. The sword wind cutting through the air enveloped me, filling my ears as I pressed the blade against my father’s neck.

The world around me froze, and despite the soldiers positioning their swords menacingly at my back, a fiery determination blazed in my eyes. The tears that threatened to spill were gone, replaced by an unyielding resolve. 

Meanwhile, Noah had risen from the ground, standing tall beside me. I could feel the energy emanating from him—concern, fear, but also the bravery and resolve of a Samurai. One that was about to let that name go. 

“Father, I will not hesitate.”

He uttered my name very slowly, a warning tinged with fear in his voice. Raising a hand to signal the soldiers to stand down, my father was faced with a critical decision. 

Truth was that I didn’t know how this would unfold. Noah and I could either get away or end up dead. I didn’t know how far my parents were willing to go in order to save their daughter. 

“The man you forced to kneel is the one that owns my heart,” I declared. “I love him, father, and nothing will deter me from finding this life by his side.” My throat was dry, and I was scared that my next words would shake. “I did not want it to be like this, but I am afraid there is no other option now. You either let him, and me, go, or I rather face death alongside him.” 

“My daughter…” His words were stained with shock, pain, and anger, a mix that didn’t startle me. There was no space for it in that critical moment. I couldn’t let emotions get the best of me. I had chosen Noah long ago and I wouldn’t hesitate now. 

“I will not apologize,” I sentenced.

His eyes held mine for seconds before shifting to Noah, his oh-so-admired soldier. One of the youngest and most skilled swordsmen in his kingdom’s army. He’d had so many expectations from him…. Everything shed to pieces now. 

Father signaled something to him. 

With his hands bound, Noah deftly grabbed the dagger in front of him and skillfully cut through the ropes that kept his wrists tied. 

“You,” I motioned sharply at Ren, who still stood in position, his stance showing his readiness to strike. When my voice—and tone—reached him, shock changed his face. The blade of my father’s katana remained poised at my father’s neck, forbidding him from turning around and locking gazes with Ren. “Return what does not belong to you. Do not hand it to him,” I ordered. “Leave it at his feet.” 

I saw Ren’s anger and shame revealing on his face. He would never forgive me for that, but I had no need for his forgiveness. I didn’t need it, didn’t want it. In my mind, this marked the end of any future encounters with him—at least, that’s what I thought. We had never had a future. 

“Nobody touches him” I declared as Ren approached Noah. Every single person present understood that I referred to my soldier—not my father’s, not the kingdom’s. Noah was my soldier. Mine. 

I noticed Ren’s hesitancy as he shared a look with Noah. There was an entire book written in the eyes of these two men. When I bore my fiery eyes on Ren’s back, he bent down on one knee, placing Noah’s katana at his feet. Then, he retreated, eyes fixed at his front. I would never know if he was more enraged at the fact that I chose a Samurai over him or that I made him get on his knees before Noah in front of his parents and mine, in front of the entire kingdom. 

Turning my attention back to my father, I warned, “If you attempt to end his life, if you end his life, I will ensure that mine ends with him.”

Both him and my mother comprehended the weight of my words.

Do you want to lose a daughter? Your only daughter?

A sense of relief washed over me as I discerned a certain understanding in my father's eyes, as if he acknowledged now that, one way or another, he was going to lose his daughter that day, either at the hands of his soldiers, or at the hands of just one of them. My soldier. However, my mother was not willing to let me go, and she commanded the soldiers to restrain me. My father quickly intervened to signal the soldiers to stand still.

Only then did I withdraw the blade from his neck, letting his katana clatter onto the concrete. Taking a step back, I drew closer to Noah, feeling his towering presence at my back.

My father's jaw tightened, revealing the restraints he struggled with. "If you set foot outside the castle's premises, you know the implications you will be laden with," he warned, a hint of hope lacing his tone and eyes, as if he believed that a few more words could dissuade me from leaving with Noah.

Redemption might be a possibility for me if we gave up, but not for Noah. I rejected this inequality. Our positions in the hierarchy held no legitimacy in my eyes, and I refused to tread any path that wouldn't place us on equal ground.

"I know very well," I replied with conviction. "I grew up within these walls. I am very well acquainted with every rule."

"Yet, you broke the most important one," my father lamented.

"There's nothing greater worth sacrificing for than this."

In that moment, I gripped Noah’s hand. The squeeze he gave me made every doubt, every fear, disappear from my body for a second. 

As I began to turn around, heading towards the exit with all eyes fixed on Noah and me, my mother's voice pierced through the tension. Her strides carried her past my father, and even with anger simmering within her, her poise remained unbroken. She was the epitome of a perfect queen, a stark contrast to her little princess who had veered off her path.

"You're putting the family's name to shame," she accused.

Well aware, I thought, resisting the urge to vocalize it. No need to add more fuel to the fire.

I caught her quick glance at Noah, who, over his shoulder, met her gaze.

"You're disgracing the entire family for a man who does not deserve your company."

"What do you know about what he deserves? Have you even stopped to consider that every other person under your social status is also human? No, you haven't, which says a lot for a Queen." Noah squeezed my hand intensely, but the words in my chest refused to be silenced. "Are you ashamed of me? Are you ashamed that the princess fell in love with a Samurai?"

"He is not a Samurai anymore," she replied, her delicate chin held high. 

I sensed Noah tensing at my side.

"Answer me, mother."

It took her a while, but she finally did. "Yes, I am ashamed of you."

"Good, then I will have no problem getting rid of my title. I do not want to be a princess anymore. I never wanted to be."

Her expression fell. 

With that, I turned decisively, walking away for once and for all, Noah's hand firmly clasped in mine. A shiver ran up my spine at the fear that someone might unleash their disappointment and rage upon us before reaching the outside.

But nothing happened.

Father remained silent; an acknowledgment taken from my part that meant that this was far from over. He was allowing his most prized soldier to go, to escape—the same soldier who had stolen his daughter, the princess, and he was doing so without shedding a single drop of blood. 

There would be blood, but not for at least twenty-four hours. 

I knew to decipher the language of my father’s eyes. There had been an understanding there that this temporary retrieve was not an exoneration. I was young, but not naïve enough to think that I would have a fairytale ending with Noah. 

The entire kingdom was aware of our crime. Our love. They saw us depart unscathed, unpunished. 

My father could not afford to let his army, his people, believe that the code of honor could be flouted without consequence, and that anyone could enter the family and take away anyone from the royal family. 

There would be repercussions, justice against our crime. 

Silence enveloped us as we stepped beyond the fortress, leaving our honor and the lives we once knew behind. From this point forward, our commitment to honor would only uphold to each other.

The night hung heavy and cloaked in darkness, with clouds veiling the moon above us and the gentle night breeze caressing our skin.

I stood on top of a three-story building in a town not far enough from the castle, taking in the vast expanse around us.  

We had been walking for hours, hiding under the trees on the way, behind walls, scaling buildings to avoid the throngs of people crowding in the streets. As night fell, we sought refuge in the corners of yet another town in hopes that we wouldn’t get caught and taken back to the castle. 

If I turned around, I could see its looming silhouette in the distance, calling to me, calling me to come back home. 

Yet, home wasn’t a place. 

Home was Noah. 

Stepping out of the castle unharmed had been far from a victory. For Noah and me, it had been a respite to prove our strength and resilience towards each other. For my father, it had been an opportunity to spare my life. He gave me a chance, but I was meant to fight for it. It was a strategic move.

He allowed us to leave, a fragile grace, but in a few hours my father, the Shogun, would give green light for his army and any willing pursuers to hunt us down, drag us back to the castle, and impose whatever punishment he deemed fitting.

Not that we would let it happen.

As I stood on the rooftop facing the ends of the city below, with the cold air wrapping around me, I wondered what was ahead. I was aware that with every step we took away from the castle we were one step deeper into danger, where the odds were stacked against us, and the only certainty was that we would be fighting side by side.  

We hadn’t planned this, and we were now navigating our lives with improvisation. One thing was clear, though—we had to move as far away as possible from my father’s kingdom. We had to disappear. 

But my legs and feet hurt. I was cold, hungry, and thirsty. We hadn’t eaten anything since morning, and it had been three hours since we found water by one of the rivers we crossed. I thought I would feel a shot of freedom when the truth of Noah and me would be out, but instead, I felt more trapped than ever, and I felt lost. 

Noah’s fingers delicately grazed the side of my neck, moving the strands of hair that had fallen from the bun aside. It had been hours since I stopped looking like a pretty princess. My court dress was no longer a twelve layers piece. I had removed as many as I could to be able to move freely as we covered ground, not thinking that come night I would feel cold. The hairstyle that the maids had worked so hard on was now a mere average bun that I’d had to redo many times along the way. My skin was covered in sweat, and my lips were dry. His palm cradled my nape, then I felt his cheek on my hair. A moment later, his chin rested gently on top of my head, his hands providing a comforting presence on my shoulders. 

I shivered, his touch always eliciting that response. 

“We can’t stay here,” he whispered. “We have to move.” 

I nodded, acknowledging how imperative it was that we escaped the vulnerabilities of our current location. We needed to reach the mountains and leave the kingdom. 

“There’s a place we can go,” I suggested, attempting to give ourselves a note of hope as I turned to face him. The lines on his face were accentuated under the moonlight. He looked tired. He shook his head as he knew what place I had in mind. 

“It’s the first place they’re going to be looking for,” he claimed.

“Not if she’s in the village house. Nobody knows the exact location of that house except for me—and you. If she isn’t there, we will find a way to break in. We can spend the night there and decide what we will do come morning.”

Noah just hummed, holding my gaze until he agreed. We didn’t have many other options. We could keep moving until we were far, but we needed to eat and rest, and that wouldn’t be easy if we stayed on the streets. 

After we traced a quick plan on how to get there, we started moving again, finding our way through the connected rooftops of the buildings and houses, jumping back to the ground and ushering through shadows and against the wind, following each other’s steps and keeping up with each other’s heartbeat. 

Not thirty minutes into the night, the first drop of rain fell on my face. I looked up to the dark sky. The dark clouds threatening to cover the moon and leaving us defenseless. 

I stood like that for a minute. Noah tugged at my sleeve when he noticed I wasn’t moving, and when I lowered my head, he couldn’t decipher if the water running down my cheeks was the rain or my own tears. 

He watched me intently for a moment, his features turning into ones constrained in pain and fear. A second later, his long strides brought him back to me. He grabbed my face in his big hands and his mouth descended into mine. I melted into him, and I let him restore me. 

“I will fight until my last breath for this,” he muttered into my mouth. 

My breath caught up in my throat. I pulled at the chest sleeve of his black kimono and brought him in to seal our constant promise with another kiss.

After he asked me if I was good to continue and I nodded, we resumed our journey. We weren’t far now, but we had a long stride of path among a forest that wouldn’t provide any light. The clouds and the dense canopy of the trees were not friendly tonight. They knew we had gone against our fate, and they were angry. Or so I thought. 

Five minutes into the path, the trees seemed to open to provide some clearing, and the clouds dissipated right where the moon stood. 

Noah and I were already drenched, our boots covered in mud, our clothes heavy, but we could see the small village where my Grandma’s little house awaited. 

We shared one look, Noah’s lips tugging at one side, hinting a smile, a ray of hope. 

I was too tired to run, so we walked until we stood in front of my Grandma’s gate. 

From the outside, it looked like another typical Japanese village home, its façade embodying tranquility with a touch of minimalism. Green bushes here and there and a magnificent Sakura tree standing sentinel by the main gate. However, this quaint exterior concealed the secrets of my encounters with Noah—the innocent touches we had shared and that turned out into something more, the kisses, the pleasure we had poured into each other… and also the smiles, the laughs, our care and worry for each other, and the small gifts that Noah used to leave on the pillow come morning, reminders of his presence by my side during the night. 

I was just concerned about one thing: my grandmother. As we approached the entrance under the veil of rain, the dim glow of a streetlamp casting a soft illumination, I considered the only two fates we could face in the next two minutes: Either she would deny entry to Noah and report us to my father, or she would usher us in, becoming complicit the moment she chose to shield our transgressions. 

I shared one last look with Noah before I took a deep breath under the rain, my attention wavering momentarily to the façade of the house, its features softened by the ambient rainfall. I pressed the doorbell. 

A part of me expected her to be in her main house, in the city, though the likelihood was slim. Since the passing of Grandpa, she had been staying in the village house more frequently, embellishing in her solitude, in the only place where she had ever been happy. 

The distant clicks of locks being undone reverberated through the air. A cautious voice, carried by the wind, emanated from the entrance door to the gate in the garden. 

“Who’s there?”

“It’s me, Grandma,” I announced, rising my voice just a little. There were other houses next to and in front of her, so discretion was paramount. 

Grandma said my name in a questioning tone.

“I need your help,” I added, the rain intensifying the weight of my plea. 

The gate opened, revealing Grandma silhouetted in the darkness, shielded beneath a black umbrella. Her discerning gaze shifted between Noah and me—two young people; a princess and a Samurai, soaked and weary from the rain, a silent plea etched in their drenched appearance. 

We bowed our heads.

There was no need for me to explain. She knew. Of course she knew. Her eyes lingered on Noah, until I extricated my hand from the sleeve of my kimono and grabbed Noah’s, stating that he was the choice I would always take, whether someone would help me or not. 

Grandma, still as I’ve ever seen her, stepped aside. She let us in and subtly closed the door behind us. 

In the entryway, we took off our waterlogged boots. We didn’t say anything. We waited in the quiet space like two scared kids until Grandma’s presence guided us without the need for words. She gestured towards our clothes after taking us all in under the light in the house. We must have looked terrible in her eyes, not only due to our appearance but because of what we had done. 

Without preamble, she instructed us to get cleaned up and dry, her voice low and calm. She would leave a pile of clothes that we could change into by the door of the bedroom I occupied whenever I stayed there with her. 

We walked upstairs, her small figure close behind, and she vanished briefly as Noah followed me into the bedroom only to return promptly with some old clothes in hand. She left them on top of the vanity and retreated, only stopping for two seconds to indicate that one of us could use the shower in the bathroom at the end of the corridor. 

She slid the doors shut, leaving us alone. 

No words passed between Noah and me. As we stood there, Noah strangely out of place. Exhaustion was evident in both our postures, and yet he took charge. He guided me to the cushioned stool by the vanity, insisting that I sit. Fatigue settled into my bones, making compliance an easy choice. Noah knelt in front of me, and with utmost tenderness, his hands started massaging my feet. When I made mention that I’d do the same for him, he shook his head. 

“I’m used to journeys like this. My feet are fine.”

“But it would bring you some relief,” I insisted. 

“Not today,” he replied, a small smile playing on his lips as his fingers expertly worked on the tired muscles of my feet. “You need to change out of these clothes, have something to eat, and sleep. Or you’re going to faint.”

My shoulders sagged. He was right. While we were there, I would rejoice in the fact that I had him all to myself and that he was offering to relieve some of my pain and distress because I was aware that once the sun rose, we would be out on the run again, and I needed to be in peak condition to keep pace with him. No matter how much training I had endured and how much Noah himself had trained me; I was still a princess, raised as one, an my stamina paled in comparison to that of a Samurai like him. 

“Did you ever want this life?” I suddenly inquired. Noah lifted his eyes and looked at me from under his eyelashes, trying to decipher my expression and the motive of my question. “As a Samurai?” I specified. 

I knew Noah had been born in a family with a longstanding Samurai lineage, but like me, we’re not always content with the life that’s given to us. As a child, I thought my princess existence was perfect, surrounded by servants and having every wish fulfilled at a moment’s notice. Until I saw the Samurai training grounds from up-close for the first time, and laid eyes on the boy sparring in the center of it. That day, I learnt from my mother about the rigid social class restrictions surrounding our world. No one was allowed to marry someone from a different status, much less one below yours. My perfect life fell apart. I wanted Noah, and I couldn’t have him. 

He took a few seconds to reply, finishing his task on my left foot before shifting to the right. He placed it on his knee and said, “I wanted it for as long as I thought there was no other life. Then I saw you in the castle gardens when you were eight. I saw you growing up. I saw your smile every chance we crossed paths. I knew that smile was only for me, and I knew there was another life, then.”  

It pained me every time I thought that I had put Noah into this mess, that I had made him fall for me. No matter how many times he told me that it wasn’t like that. Despite his reassurances, my heart ached because all I wanted for him was happiness, and maybe he was truly happy with me, but were the implications and dangers that came with it worth it?

As if he could read my thoughts, he spoke, “I don’t regret a single moment that has brought us here.” 

He didn’t need to reassure me and yet, hearing his words poured liquid relief through my body. He kissed me, cupping my cheek. I held back a tear and I kissed him back, feeling the wet strands of his hair slip between my fingers when I cradled his face in my hands.

Assisting me to my feet, Noah gently guided me toward the bathroom where the water had been running and filling the bathtub. Shedding my wet clothes, I left them carelessly piled on the floor, indifferent to the possibility of never seeing them again. I had to remember to pride myself on for managing to make it so far from the castle grounds wearing that. 

I stood naked in front of the bathtub, my long, wet hair falling over my chest. The rhythmic drumming of raindrops on the rooftop lent a ceremonious tranquility to the room. I stared at my moving reflection in the water until it vanished beneath the growing bubbles.  

Noah’s fingers traced the contours of my lower back and encircled my waist, silently urging me to get in the water, worried that I might catch a cold if I continued to stand there, naked and damp. 

Still wearing most of his clothes, he took my hand and helped me in the bathtub. 

My hand tightened on his when as he attempted to withdraw, and I pleaded. 

“Please, be with me.”

A flicker of concern crossed his features. His eyes never fell from my face even though I was naked—a testament to the self-control ingrained in the warrior he was, the lessons learnt retained even after he had let go of the title of a Samurai.

“We’re not alone.”

“It never stopped you before,” I countered. 

“She knows we’re here,” he whispered, his face stern. While I understood he wanted to be respectful, I couldn’t help but stand firm on the belief that we were beyond the need for such decorum. 

His thumb stroked the palm of my hand. 

“It’s just me and you in this room,” I replied. 

My pleading eyes? He could never win a battle against those. 

He undressed quietly, placing his clothes atop mine. 

I waited by standing in the bathtub, letting the warmth from the lavender-scented water start soothing my feet and swollen ankles. Once naked, Noah approached the bathtub and stepped in, positioning himself at my back. He lowered himself down, bending his legs because they were too big to fit in the tub. His hands touched the sides of my thighs, a cue for me to lower myself, too. I would be safe there, in the relieving water, under the foam and bubbles, in his arms. 

I sank myself down until the water and bubbles enveloped my chest. I settled against Noah, his arms quickly coming around me and grazing my stomach. It took me some time, but eventually, I began to truly relax in the cocoon of warmth, bubbles, and the reassuring embrace of his arms. 

When I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, it felt as if an eternity had passed since the events from that morning.  

Feeling the weight of my body easing into a gentle descent, the tension in my shoulders surrendered to a much-needed respite. Noah’s fingers continued their dance on my skin, offering a soothing balm.

Soon enough, my head was laid against his shoulder, his lips grazing the skin on my cheek, the spot under my ear and my earlobe, his hands fondling my breasts in a delicate manner, his fingers tracing circles around my belly button, and then, moving south.

I gasped when he traced the first circle around my clit. 

“It’s just you and me in this room,” he repeated my words ever oh so quietly. “Focus on that. Just… feel me.”

I complied without a second thought. I needed to barricade the events of that morning for a while, at least while I was there in the water. I focused on the scent of the lavender soap, on the feeling of the warm water enveloping me, the floating sensation, and the masculine body behind me. His touch was making its way towards every corner of my body, soothing my skin by tracing caresses around my neck, down my chest, in my belly, my womb, and then below. 

Noah was probably battling against his own distress, but he was better than me at managing emotions, and perhaps this was for the benefit of both of us. We had made it to the village house. We were allowed a little breath before the knot was tied around our necks again. 

He worked me up so slowly. The touch of his fingers igniting a fire in my lower belly that only fueled up by the kisses he peppered down my neck and shoulder, his other hand holding my neck and guiding it towards him, forcing me to give him access. I moaned with my eyes close, giving in to him, the sounds coming from me camouflaged under the rain drops. One of his fingers slipped inside of me and I bit my lip. It was so slender and long that when he curled it and touched that spot inside of me that drove me insane, I startled, and some water overflowed from the bathtub. I heard him hum in my ear, and I felt his cock getting harder at my back. 

I was getting close, but a feeling of guilt washed over me, and I decided it wasn’t going to go like this. Struggling against him, I turned around until I could straddle him. He was surprised for two seconds. Quick enough, he understood what I was doing, and he grabbed my waist, helping me up to let me sink into his cock one inch at a time. 

I wrapped my arms around his neck and held onto him for dear life. His arms tightened around me, his face sunk in the space between my shoulder and neck, his moans swallowed by the skin on my clavicle. 

With our desperate motion, the water in the bathtub began to ripple and spill over, a minor detail we paid attention to. During those precious minutes, we clung to each other as though they were our lasts. The uncertainty of tomorrow hung over us, the future unknown. So, we held onto each other tightly, we kissed with raw emotion, our mouths crashing primally and in a sloppy way. Noah bit my lip and I sobbed against him. He was so hard inside of me that I wondered if he wasn’t just another part of me, an extension of my body and soul. 

“There, baby?”

I muffled a moan on his shoulder, the way he called me “baby��� setting me free. 

I orgasmed around him, grabbing him and holding onto his shoulders as my hips jerked up against him. A seconds after, while I was coming down from my high, his hips snapped forward with a deadly pulse, his growls kept only for my ears. His fingers dipped into my hips, he lifted me up, slipping out of me, and he released into the water, wailing a contained growl that he struggled to keep low. 

My heart raced, the rapid beats echoing the anxiety that had been simmering within me. Before I knew it, tears streamed down my face, my neck seeking refuge in the curve of Noah’s embrace, arms tightly wound around him. 

He tightened his hold on me, one of his hands moving to my hair to smooth it down with consistent brushes. He encouraged me to let it out and I did but I felt somewhat stupid. Being a crybaby wouldn’t lead me anywhere. Noah, however, reassured me that we were allowed to be honest, to show how raw we felt. We had done something unpardonable; we had taken a decision that would change—that had changed our lives entirely. I could breakdown—in fact, he was expecting me to do so, to spill tears. He was there to catch me when I became vulnerable, and that didn’t make me any less of the strong woman he was proud of. 

I had feared losing him today. 

I had feared not feeling his dear, comforting gaze on me again, the hint of a smirk on his lips as we caught each other in the distance.

I had feared not being enveloped in his warrior arms again, in his masculine scent and warm. I had feared to never again share another night cocooned in the safety of his body, hearing his angelic voice luring me to sleep.  

But that fear didn’t hold victory yet, and I was being held by my soldier while the rain poured outside, our bodies connected in the most human and beautiful way possible. 

As my breath and composure returned, Noah gently moved strands of hair away from my face, studying me for a fleeting moment before pressing a tender kiss to the tip of my nose. Returning the gesture, I planted a lingering kiss on his wet lips.

Exiting the bathtub, now properly washed and dry, I settled into the stool positioned before the vanity mirror. Noah took it upon himself to untangle and brush my hair, despite my protestations that it wasn't necessary. He should take a breath himself, but he insisted on doing my hair, and so in the end I couldn’t deny him. 

I was still wrapped in a towel, but he was dressed in an old white shirt that had once belonged to my grandfather and that appeared oversized on him. You can just imagine how big my grandfather had been. The sweatpants were grey, and they were a bit short on Noah, given that in terms of height, he was way taller than my grandfather had been. 

Noah walked downstairs ahead of me to meet my grandma and present his gratitude for her generosity. When I stepped out of the room, covered only in long white socks from Grandma and a plain, short sleeping gown that she had kept from her younger years, I could hear their voices filtering through the thin walls and open doors. 

Grandma had prepared a pot of rice and soup. In the kitchen counter there were also a couple of plates filled with recently cut vegetables. 

“May I offer my help?” Noah asked. 

Grandma shot him a glance that implied any assistance he provided was likely a consequence of the trouble he had stirred. Nonetheless, she directed him to the boiling kettle and handed him two porcelain tea cups along with three small bamboo boxes containing tea leaves. 

He eyed them with curiosity. 

“There is no… Is there Jazmine tea? It’s her favorite.”

Grandma smiled warmly, then. She was so small next to Noah. She pointed towards a high cupboard and Noah opened it. With ease, he retrieved another tea box from within.  

“So, you do know my grandaudhther, I see.”

Noah’s confusion was evident. He was smart enough to remain quiet as the Midai spoke to him. Her husband, my grandfather, had been Noah’s father’s master before he passed away in the battlefield.

“A man that pays attention to details is a man to keep,” she told him, a playful, comforting smile on her lips as she continued busying herself. “However, the only help you can provide now is by taking care of her,” Grandma stated, settling the boiling soup in two separate bowls. She stopped to look up intently at him, her voice turning stern, somewhat worried, too. “She is a princess. She has always been. That should not change in your eyes even if she’s given up the title for you.”

“I do not take her for granted,” Noah said, his voice laced with determination. Not the one of a Samurai but of a man in love.  

“You’ve been in love with her since you were a kid, haven’t you?”

The question, accompanied by my grandmother's penetrating gaze, would have unsettled most men. Not Noah. He was not ashamed of his heart’s truth. 

“Yes, ma’am.”

By the time he responded, I had made my way downstairs. I remained still in the corridor. From my vantage point in the distance, I could see Grandma’s features softening the more she looked into Noah’s brown eyes. 

“I remember how you used to look at her from the Samurai training grounds,” she continued. She stared at him as if she could travel back in time just by deepening her gaze into his orbs. “You still look at her the same way.” 

Her smile grew, as if a warmth had spread through her being. The revelation dawned on me: She had known all along. She had noticed the reciprocated interested between the kingdom’s princess and the highly skilled samurai long ago. Yet, she had chosen not to utter a word to me, never cautioning me to adhere to the kingdom’s code and my royal position. 

“Freeing her from that life’s restraints is the only time I’d put her in harm’s way. If I have to spend the rest of this life fighting for her freedom and happiness, I will, even if it costs me my life.” 

“Well, make sure you stay alive,” she put a hand on his shoulder. “She needs you.” 

I stepped into the kitchen, and the pair of eyes fell on me. Grandma’s smile was as beautiful as she was, with all her wrinkles and years. Noah was serious, but he did cocoon me to his side as I approached them. With an arm around my waist, we stood still in front of Grandma. 

“Grandma, I didn’t mean…”

“Yes, you did,” she cut me while she arranged the bowls and small plates in a wooden tray. “Not the time now. First, you eat.” 

Obliging, we followed her lead, carrying the rest of the food to the adjacent dining room. The table was set in silence, and we began to eat. My hunger was evident, and I couldn’t help but feel a tinge of embarrassment at the desperation with which I devoured the warm soup and vegetables. Noah stifled a small laugh at the sight, a subtle expression of relief at seeing me eat.Noah nearly stiffed a small laugh at the sight of me. Nevertheless, he was relieved to see me eating. 

Thirty minutes later, Noah was in the kitchen, diligently washing dishes while Grandma and I finished clearing up the room where we had eaten. As we worked, I took a deep breath, my feet still aching.

“Grandma, are you disappointed?” I asked her, holding a water jar in one hand, the other palm supporting its weight underneath. 

“I am,” she responded. She got up from the floor, where she had been kneeling to wipe the surface of the square table, and faced me. “You took it upon yourself to bring him here without my consent, breaking rule after rule just so that you could have a piece of heaven at your hands. You know how special this place is for me. I gave you shelter whenever you needed since you were a child. And you used my kindness to bring a Samurai into my house. This is my sanctuary, my dear. It’s always been.”

My eyes itched. I had never wanted to dishonor her. Anyone but her. I guess I had really been too selfish when it came to Noah. 

“But I will not blame you for what you did,” she continued, making me frown in surprise. “You liked that boy and fell in love with the man he turned out to be. I won’t reject your choices because choices set us free. I didn’t have a choice. I was forced to marry your grandfather, and I never got to experience real love,” she walked closer to me, and with her free hand, she took mine, removing it from its place under the water jar. “I am happy that you did. The sacrifice that man has made for you… The one you have made for him… It can’t be put into words, but maybe one day someone will write about it in history books. You’re changing history, my dearest girl. This man loves you beyond this life.”

“So do I.”

“Then, do not let him go.”

An hour later, I was fast asleep in Noah’s arms, tucked against his chest and covered with thick, soft sheets as I descended into a myriad of dreams. 

Come morning, dreams would turn into nightmares, and we would have another battle to fight. 

Readers tagged: @thescarlettvvitch | @girlfromrussia-universe

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[elliottjpg]

Woe! Transgender samurai be upon ye!

-pulling my old OC out of the filing cabinet and giving him a shampoo- LOOK I HAVE A NEW CHILD!! :D

I've decided to rework an old story/universe from several years ago, so here we go again, from the top:

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暁の物語 Akatsuki no Monogatari

光 Hikari

Hikari, aka Shitaikou, is a young ronin, a master-less samurai, wandering around Edo-era Japan on a soul-searching journey.

He was raised as a girl named Sayoko (小夜子) by a samurai family, and taught swordsmanship and the arts like his brothers, although he was never destined to become a warrior. When the time came to find him a husband, he stole two swords, ran away and changed his name.

He now walks the roads of Japan on a quest to find [insert as-of-yet undefined quest here], and offers his assistance to villagers on the way. In doing so, he often runs into yokais and other paranormal occurences, to the point where in time he becomes an expert on the occult underworld of Japan and is often nicknamed the Demon Samurai.

Hikari is accompanied in his travels by Chihiro (千尋), a kitsune, and by Mochi (餅), a totally normal cat with the usual amount of tails and absolutely no supernatural powers, no siree. He is also regularly involved with an onnagata (a cross-dressing kabuki actor) and a yokai-hunting Buddhist monk, both of which I have yet to name (Mochi's name is also susceptible of being changed soon), and meets all kinds of strange people on his travels.

Hikari has a kind heart and a strong sense of honour. His driving force is his desire to help others; although he is very naive at first, and misguided altruism often gets him in trouble. As the story progresses, he will grow more mature and cynical, often preferring the company of yokais to that of humans, but trying to retain hope and faith in his fellow men.

(You can see older drawings of Hikari, including different outfits, here)

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Akatsuki no Monogatari (the Tale of Dawn) takes place in the very beginning of the Edo era, in the transition years between the warring period of the Sengoku-Jidai and the two hundred years of peace under the Tokugawa shogunate. It is a story about change and beginnings, both of a person and of a country.

Some name lore under the cut!

The kanji Hikari 光 means "light". Hikari is a "public first name", sort of an official nickname. It was common practice in feudal Japan (at least among the samurai class) to go by a public name and keep your real name private. In Hikari's case, that is also because he often frequents yokais and magicians, who could use his true name against him.

His real name is Shitaikou 志泰光 . The kanjis composing it mean "aspire", "gentle" and "light". He chose it as a reminder to himself to strive for kindness and to make the world a better place.

("Hikari" is the last kanji composing this name. When used with other kanjis, it is pronouced "kou". Such is the messed-up way kanjis work. -frustrated weeb noises-)

Hikari doesn't have a last name; he gave up his family's name when he ran away and saw no use in taking a new one: as a ronin he is not tied to any family.

His birth name, Sayoko 小夜子 , is composed of the kanjis "small", "night" and "daughter". Hence the title, Akatsuki no Monogatari, the tale of dawn, or how the night turns into the light.

[anies-vocalsynthhcworld]

Kamui Gakupo's Past (My Headcanon)

He used to be a happy child at an early age, he had a nice and perfect life, together with his parents; Midori Yamamoto and Ronin Kamui. But not everything will last forever...that simple life had left since he was four years old, Gakupo had found out that his parents would divorce because Ronin ended up using Midori, cheating on her with another woman, losing everything the love for her, leading them to a strong argument to the conclusive point of separating. The jovial woman planned to keep custody of her son to have a closer and healthier relationship with him, but Ronin insisted that he could take better care of him, she questioned left and right if it would be a good idea and the end she involuntarily agreed to give him a chance believing that being with Gakupo would change his way of being and since that night...little Gakupo never saw his mother again and that Midori ideology was clearly a mistake. Ronin kept belittling and mistreating him in different ways, from simple things to scolding him for certain point of hitting him, forbidding him good things that would make him smile and even burning his toys in his presence, which that he reached a breaking point in Gakupo and that was not enough, his school life was just as bad.

Since from a time when started elementary school, he was despised in the same way by his classmates and let the bullies take him humiliate them, making this not convince Ronin for describing his own son as a coward who would never achieve anything in his life. It was because of a bad upbringing and school bullying that led Gakupo to accept the "dark side" of himself...he managed to defend himself against his bullies, at the same time that he was made the new troublemaker of his school, this apparently made Ronin proud because the way he had raised him was "bearing fruit", as Gakupo still kept his deluded child's mind, he continued with that idea in his head, slowly corrupting that sweet and innocent little boy that once it was, just to maintain the pride of his father who won. But without a doubt, the day that Gakupo graduated from elementary school at the age of twelve, was the same day that his heart was completely broken...Knowing that Ronin was "busy" enough not to attend his graduation ceremony, he went home early, only to find halfway there his father sneaking out with another woman and with her he claimed to have two daughters to whom he gave more love and attention than his own son.

Filled with anger at the news, he left his father and home to start a new life from scratch, but Gakupo was alone on the streets with no one to take care of him...feeling hatred for anyone who crossed his path for seeing them so happy with their lives, while he lost his one happiness several years ago. For days without eating food and not sleeping well, one night he was so weak that he was already about to deal with death, but miraculously his salvation came...A woman found him in his condition and with her help he managed to recover Gakupo's life, when he opened his eyes to see who his savior was, he cried with happiness because the one who saved him was none other than his biological mother, Midori, whom he longed to see again for years after being separated, she was Just as happy as he was to be back with his son, to whom, after taking into account that his ex-husband had taken him, she promised that now, being in her charge, his life would improve from now on. Settling in Midori's current home, Gakupo was in for a shocking surprise; while he lived with his negligible father, his mother remarried another man, Shigeru Nakajima, who already had a second daughter with him, named Gumi.

ᕀ . ⋆ ᕀ　♤ ⁺ . ⋆ ⁺ . . ᕀ ♤

This news that more than gladdened him, disappointed on Gakupo. He had been paranoid with the idea that Midori was also replacing him, he refused to accept his new family and a new life with them, this made him hurt his mother with the fear that her son would end up the same or worse than Ronin, but never she lost her faith and both Shigeru and Gumi did the impossible to change Gakupo. Four years later, Gakupo had become a bitter and melancholic teenager, labeling himself the "black sheep" of his current family, still living under the care of his mother, his kind stepfather, a grown up and cheerful Gumi and his new younger half-brother, Ryuuto; an infant barely two years old. At least his school life improved when he entered middle and high school, of course he did not interact with anyone and they did not mess with him because of his apparent cold, at home, he vented his time locked in the room with his loneliness, listening to music at full volume, doing homework or reading Japan's culture and history of Samurais.

One day, Gakupo, his mother and his half-siblings were invited to a meeting that would involve the reunion of the purple-haired teen with his biological father...as well as meeting Ronin's other lovers and the daughters of each of them have. The reason was because upon learning that he had more daughters, counting those that are not biologically Ronin's, that man proposed the idea of gathering them all in one place so that they could live well with each other and not end up knowing any longer to their own account that they had more siblings than each already had. Both mothers and children accepted the idea, all except Gakupo who gave him excuses not to accept the proposal and would be further away from the beings who love him. At first the children began to be cared for by Sachiko, a woman who was hired to be their babysitter, who ended up getting along with each of them, for being the only one who continued to disagree, Gakupo had to try to endure in see their new little sisters every day; Lily, Kokone, Cul, Chika and Una as well as the usual ones, Gumi and Ryuuto.

For several years later, he would enter Vocaloid as the first singer of the company Internet Co. Ltd, for the reason that listening to music of metal and rock genres, and his mother who supported him both in his musical passions and his desire to be a Samurai, they inspired him to express his emotions through the method of singing songs as most artists commonly do, of course, there he would also have to deal with his new companions that at first he saw as annoying parasites but in the future he would end up accepting their presence to the degree that because of them, they would end up being the key for Gakupo to change, if this also included that all his sisters and brother also joined Vocaloid for their reasons and of course, also to be able to stay together, but who else would change their way of being would be the new and last Cryptonloid that entered after he...a girl he once met in his teenager and never saw again...until now.

[our-happygirl500-fan]

The O’Neil Family Tree

April O’Neil has been a constant companion to the Turtles throughout the many iterations of TMNT however we rarely see much of April’s human family to the point where most iterations don’t even give April’s parents names so I tried to find names for April’s human family members across the different iterations of TMNT

Mother:

April’s mother has only been seen or mentioned a few times, however we have at least three different names for her. In Mirage her name is Bridget O’Neil, in IDW her name is Elizabeth O’Neil & in Rise her name is Carol O’Neil

Father:

Similarly to April’s mother,  April’s father has only been named a few times however he has at least three different names across the iterations of TMNT. In Mirage his name is Robert O’Neil, in IDW his John O’Neil & in the 2012 series his name is Kirby O’Neil 

Siblings:

In Mirage, April originally had an older sister named Robyn O’Neil however the 2003 series is the only other iteration that she’s appeared in, though a fun fact about this character was that she was originally going to be named June to give her & April matching names

Aunts & Uncles:

In the 1987 series April has an Aunt named Agatha Marbles her name was inspired by Agatha Christies character Miss Marple 

In the 2003 series April is given an Uncle named Augustus O'Neil, his name comes from the month of August giving him a matching name with April.

Children: 

Throughout the iterations of TMNT April has had at least two children

The first being Shadow Jones from the Mirage universe, the adopted daughter of April & Casey

The second being Casey Marie Jones who is the daughter of April & Casey in the Last Ronin universe.

Spouse:

April has ended up marrying Casey Jones in multiple TMNT iterations with Casey being her husband in mirage, the Last Ronin universe & the 2003 series & Casey is April’s fiancé in the 2007 movie

Descendants: 

Due to time travel being part of multiple iterations of TMNT there have been a few instances where we have met April’s descendants

Nobuku is April’s great grand daughter in the Archie comics & was trained by a future Leonardo along with multiple other students.

Cody Jones is the great grand son of April & Casey in the 2003 series 

[twilight-deviant]

Fisk in Echo

Wanted to make a long post detailing my personal thoughts on Fisk's representation in the Echo series. I won't comment a lot on the series as a whole. It was good. Not gonna call it my new favorite show or say it breathed new life into an MCU that seems like it wants to die. But a good watch. Even if I did hope it would break more of the MCU mold with its MA rating.

But Fisk! Put Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Grant Fisk on my screen, and I'm there, bells on.

This is just... a dumb long post I had to write for me. You can read it or parts of it if you want.

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1x01

Willie on Willie Violence

They're never gonna tells us why MCU Fisk had Ronin kill Maya's dad. Stop asking. They're not gonna say. No, they're not gonna tell us why Clint did what Fisk asked either. I said stop asking.

They really reduced what could have been an important relationship between Fisk and Willie into literally nothing. Per the comics, he was Fisk's first friend ever, his enforcer. Nothing? NOTHING?! Also they changed his last name from Lincoln to Lopez. (Apparently, heroes can only be born from a married, two-parent household? Didn't know the MCU was Catholic.) "How much agency can you remove from one man?" MCU asks and answers.

I'm not saying the comics knock it out of the park with motive. The reason Fisk kills him is still vague. (Meaning the MCU had the chance to pick up the slack but just left it there.) Vague is still better than ignoring it entirely.

I assume comic Fisk was betrayed by him in some way. And while it doesn't take much provocation for him to kill his employees, I like to assume the motive was a little more substantial for a friend.

This is why these series need to be treated like television (instead of long movies) and given more than a handful of episodes.

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Maya vs Daredevil

A pretty good fight scene, definitely. Even if it is intercut with special effects instead of practical effects. I've seen people make that complaint, and it's valid. I can't decide if the inclusion of a fight between them is meant to be a bone thrown to Daredevil fans, a nod to their fight in the DD comics with Echo's origin, or both. 🤔 But since this is a post about Fisk and I'm a Fisk/Matt shipper, moving on.

Ehehehehehehe~ 😈

"None of my men have ever held their own with him like that. You did better than even I expected."

So... in preparation for DD: Born Again, I have been (and honestly, still am) unsure of where the canon will be coming from. Disney recently pushed the Netflix-verse as legitimate, but I know it has to have a point where that will break off. There's no way it can be a 1:1 continuation. So while we can be a little more bold injecting DD canon into the MCU, I'm not getting carried away yet.

Anyway, the uncertainty of Born Again has made my shipper heart wonder where/when Fisk and Matt's relationship will be. Until Echo, I questioned if it would be scorched earth, start all over, meet for the first time again. But Fisk's line establishes he is at least aware of Daredevil. They have some form of history. I'm interested and anxiously waiting for specifics to unfold. ✪ω✪

In the meantime, it's nice having confirmation that both Fisk and Matt survived Thanos's Snap and existed in those 5 years. 😈 Not only does that play into the hand of my current fanfic, it doesn't outright contradict it either. In fact, it's kind of fun imagining an AU where Matt works with Fisk and then laying it over this Echo scene. Daredevil just so happens to be at a location stalking Fisk's competition? On the same night Fisk sends in his daughter*? Hm. Suspect. Certainly he's not ensuring her safety by sending no-kill boy. 🤔🧐 Ignore me. I'm making an AU of my AU over here. 😂

*[I actually have a hard time letting go of Fisk's role as an adoptive father in the comics versus "uncle" in the shows. I can't let this go. Maybe even... won't let this go?]

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1x04

2008

So here's a very small nod that even I missed at first. In Maya's 2007 past (in Hawkeye and Echo), she is attending a regular, non-deaf school. Her dad says it's because they can't afford better. (Surely there are programs with grants? Whatever.) Now cut to 2008. Fisk picks her up from school, showing that she is on his radar and he is taking a more active role in her life. A testament to that? Maya is now wearing the uniform (with crest) of a private school.

Fisk isn't the best at love, and there's no denying that. (Look at Richard's life.) But it also can't be denied that he immediately took an interest in Maya and improving her situation. He loves in his own way.

-

Anyway... so this scene confirmed with its "2008" that Fisk has been active in New York for yeeeears. Literally since the beginning of the MCU itself. I won't say it changes a lot since DD 1x01 mentions the Chitauri Invasion of 2012 and how Fisk grew parts of his empire with construction companies rebuilding from it. But confirmation is nice, ya know. And it shows that even though Fisk's name was unspoken in 2015, he had already been in some form of power for at least 7 years.

-

And then, of course, the whole "beat up the ice cream man" thing. 🍿 I mean, again, Fisk's methods are not always right, but he will protect those he cares about and punish those who hurt them. And he will be excessive about it. RIP Anatoly. 💐

I see people, even writers, make excuses for Maya's action in this scene, for kicking the man. "Children watch and copy everything." Sometimes, yes, but children know the difference between right and wrong. Children don't just mimic bad actions. What I'm saying is I'm not going to pretend Maya didn't have a touch of dark side in her with or without Fisk.

There's no denying she is much darker and more ruthless than her comic counterpart. My mouth was quite agape to see her hurt the woodpecker and then lie about it. (There's a certain classification of people who hurt animals as children. 🤔) Not even Fisk was prepared for that part of her. Calling for another jacket, telling her not to be afraid. He thought of how other children would react and got it wrong. He wasn't wrong to think she would have an aptitude for bloodshed in her adult life.

I love Fisk calling her out in this episode, that she always knew what he was and that she killed for him without compunction. There was no remorse in the flashbacks. Per Fisk's own words: "You knew what you were part of at every turn. All the people you killed for me, did you plead for their lives?" There was no disgust towards Fisk until she found out he had her father killed. One of the (I think) producers of the show says he considers Maya a villain. Aight. I think she's more of an anti-hero now, but I wouldn't call MCU Maya an outright hero, I don't think. Remains to be seen what she does with herself.

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2021

Me watching the interpreter taken away: "Not the plastic hallway!" 🙈😂

DD S3 Fisk really found an MO he could live with. lol. No one else can but...

This old man is adorable wanting to have weekly dinners with his daughter. (✿◠‿◠) You definitely leave a girl wondering where Vanessa (even a recast Vanessa) is, but okay. Now invite your other three kids on Sunday. Pfft.

I can't believe the MCU made Fisk switch out his beloved Bach for Schubert's Ständchen. 🤣🎧 (That's okay. I actually like it more. Shh.)

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The Man in Red

Is it such a silly stupid thing for me to grin about the fact that the first time we "officially" see Fisk in the series, he is wearing red? Yes it is silly and stupid. Imma grin anyway. 🙃

Sir, that is... that is Daredevil's color. Sir. Sir! 😆 (Fisk said, "Daredevil wore white in the comics. Something must be done.")

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Fisk Not Learning ASL

Okay so...

I think this is one of my two big sticking points in Echo's writing for him. I've already ranted to my friend about it over several texts. Fisk spoke more sign language in Hawkeye than he did in this series, and it's not like the why is some big mystery. It's sloppy writing, right? Right. It's a shortcut to contrast Maya's family in Fisk versus her biological family. Writers were like, "What's a quick, easy way we can show Maya's family does care for her more than Fisk even though they abandoned her after her mother and father died and offer nothing for it but an, 'I'm sorry'? Ooh, I know!"

Chula hated Willie enough to blame him for Taloa's death and cast him out at the cost of losing her granddaughter. "I'm sorry." Henry left her in NYC after Willie was killed, even knowing he was leaving her with Fisk. "I'm sorry." But everyone still speaks fluent sign language after 20 years, so they're better than Fisk. Did you get that? We want to make it very, very clear so you get that. 🙄

I have trouble conveying my frustration with this writing choice in words. At the very least, it's "tell, don't show." I don't need it spelled out that ordinary people are better than a serial murder crime boss. Neon sign flashing "Duh!" No one needed that spelled out!

And It was bad enough how blatant they were being, okay, but when they had Maya mention it outright at the end, word-for-word conclusion, oof. It's so... novice league. I almost get secondhand embarrassment from their ham-fisted delivery. Geez.

This man speaks Mandarin, Japanese, and some Spanish. For personal interest. He could learn ASL. You can believe the absolute worst in him and still believe he'd learn it as a method of manipulation, to make Maya think he cared. You actually have a larger burden of proof coming up with any reason why he wouldn't learn. "He doesn't care enough about her." Where's that judging cat picture saying "Pathetic"? I mean, I can sit here all day pointing over and over again at the fact he spoke more ASL in Hawkeye. So he... regressed... between series because he cares... less for her now?

Wait... he suffered a gunshot to the head. You don't think... *gasp* Maya hit the exact spot of his brain that held sign language? It's all coming together.

Uuuuuuuuuuuugh. We all have those bad writing moments we just ignore, and this is one of mine. Echo wanted a villain but they were too afraid of humanizing the one they yoinked from Daredevil. Get on their level, you cowards.

No one will ever touch your perfection, DD S1, my beloved.

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Sunday Thursday Dinner

Do not let this man into your home. 🚫 He will look at your family photos and identify all of your weak spots.

jk I do very much enjoy Fisk's wide wandering eyes as he walks around the house, observing. It's so good. It reminds me (if anyone else knows the overlap here) of Vincent's character in Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Goren goes into a room and immediately studies any picture or book or object he can, learning everything about a person. It's exactly what Fisk was doing here, even if for reasons less than wholesome. I love when you can see the wheels turning in a character's brain.

I can appreciate a subtle flipping of authority between dinners. Fisk at the head of the table with Maya to his right and then the reverse of that. Nice.

Before this, if you said, "Yeah, I think Wilson Fisk would have a floral print picnic basket," you were LYING! No one could have predicted this bag. No one! You might counter with, "Yeah, but he didn't pick it out. A goon just put everything in there and handed it to him." Would you do that? Would you risk your life handing the Kingpin of all crime up the east coast a floral bag? You are so brave. You will be missed.

-

So there actually are a few bits of the show that make me think, "Okay, maybe Echo writers did watch Daredevil." It's The Little Things (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ When he brought wine, then Maya poured it out and he asked, "What happened to the Lafite?" I was ready to go "Rawr nooo. Fisk's character is supposed to be almost wine illiterate as a nod to his poor, uncultured origin." But wow, they saved it with his very next line being, "It came highly recommended." Okay, Echo. Echo, okay. For this, you get a point.

-

Handing the knife to Maya, so... mwah. 💋 It's arrogant, sure, and I'd be lying to say I hated that. But more than that, Fisk really is good at reading and predicting people. Forget muscle strength, THAT is his greatest asset. And he's not wrong. Maya doesn't (then or later) hurt or try to kill him again. He knows what it's like to let emotion take hold in the moment. That's why he understands and dismisses Maya shooting him. But he also knows she has a clearer head now. He feels no danger from her, knows she doesn't really want him dead. And he's right.

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Casino

"I can't remember a time... when I haven't loved you like a daughter."

I'm glad someone finally said it. Boo on the uncle/niece bit. Not to mention how many motifs of this series hit better and harder with a father/daughter relationship. Tsk tsk.

-

An interesting exchange here...

Maya: "You isolated me. Told me you were the only one I could trust. But it was all a lie. Even with these contacts, you got them because you didn't care enough to learn to sign." Fisk: "I was there for you!"

✨He is not wrong.✨ Obligatory groan at the ASL mention and... He's not wrong. Like I mentioned earlier, Maya's family abandoned her. Literally the only person who tried to keep up with her was Bonnie (angel), and Maya shunned her. (Which wasn't Fisk's influence because we see her ignoring Bonnie's texts before Fisk had a hand in swaying her one way or the other.) Maya was isolated because her family abandoned her or she cut them off. And Fisk. was. there. for. her. Without him, she seemed intent on ruining her life and getting arrested.

Granted, you'd be justified saying she wouldn't have been in that particular spiral without Fisk killing her father. (Too bad we'll never know why he did it.) But Willie could have died in a manner completely unrelated to Fisk, and her family would have reacted in the same way, not reaching out or being ignored when they do. Do you see what I'm saying? Fisk legitimately was the only person in Maya's life besides her father.

-

I think about... the people Fisk has told the story of his father's death to, speaking as if this is a true continuation of Daredevil. That would be Wesley (not shown but a given). Vanessa when he wants her to understand him and his past. And Dex, as he pulls the man back from the brink in an effort to make Dex see their similarity and how no one else could understand him like Fisk. (Other people know about it, of course, but I'm concerned with those whom he trusted to tell.)

It seems like the motivation swings between intimate trust and manipulation. Or it could be both with Dex. Honestly, who can read Fisk's mind with absolute clarity? Either way, it's a very small group. It's not insignificant that he tells Maya.

-

Love Fisk doubling down on "Maya won't kill me." Tripling down? First the knife. Then leaving himself completely unguarded with the door open while she has a gun. Then giving her the hammer and daring her. It feels less arrogant than with the knife though. He still knows she won't kill him, but it also feels less... certain here. But I like him using it as a challenge, as a "Now or never." Kill him already, or stop threatening it every five minutes. Very Fisk of him. 👌

I can't... articulate what his choice of words means to me, but they clutch at my chest as he says, "Free me!" Killing him will not only free Maya to move forward in her life, it will free him. Babygirl, how much do you hate this life you're in? ಥ_ಥ

I think I need to make another Daredevil/Echo gifset. With Fisk here saying, "Free me!" against him daring Matt in 3x13, "Come on, kill me!" (Wilson, do we need to put you on a watch?)

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The Little Things (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

I like confirmation that Fisk has a jet in the MCU. There's tiny mention of it in Daredevil 1x11. I want to see the jet. Yes, thank you. I don't know what I'll do with this, but I like having it.

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1x05

Post Office

I'm sooooooooo normal about that old man. Really I am.

I like this scene. No real reason. But it is nice to watch socially handicapped Wilson try and conduct conversation like a normal person. Helping Chula pick up the mail.

I am VERY interested in a blink-and-you-miss-it line from him here. After Chula mentions losing her daughter.

"Yes, I've lost someone who I loved. It's the kind of pain you never quite get over."

*whom

I am gnawing at my keyboard. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?! Is it referencing something we should already know? Is it a nod to something yet to come, something Born Again will expand on? Is he just talking about how he "lost" Maya? Is it about his father? Is Vanessa dead in this universe??? What does it meeeeeeean?!?!?!?!

["Tell me!" Loki gif]

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Attempted Murder Spree

My second big beef.

I'm not gonna argue whether Fisk would kill people unconnected to his criminal underworld in order to hurt the ones that are. No, I think they got that part pretty accurate. Evidence abounds in comics and Netflix-verse. If he wants to kill Chula and Bonnie to punish Maya, I'd only ask why he didn't go ahead and round up Henry. This plan totally plays. (Actually, if we used only existing Hawkeye content for this MCU Fisk, it would be... less likely. He didn't threaten or go after Kate at all to get at Eleanor.)

What I find ridiculous is the notion he would attempt a massacre of the entire festival. Uh... what? Someone find me a single instance (comic or screen) where Fisk attempts such widespread death and destruction of innocents. By that, I mean with innocents as the intended target and not collateral damage.

When he bombed the Russians in DD 1x05, people were hurt, but from fallout, not intent. Though there are injuries, I'm trying to think if we get more than one confirmation of death. I don't doubt there may have been more, but... And you may want to point at the attack on The Bulletin, but, though terrifying, only three people died. And I'd posit the extra two were most likely to obfuscate that Jasper Evans was the real target. Unless we want to say Bullseye (Bulls-eye) missed a dozen times.

Anyway, I think this over-the-top plot point is us witnessing an MCU-ification of Fisk. Something they need to quash NOW. It's like... gah, they admit they want his character and want him to be a smaller scale villain, a "street-level Thanos," but they still want the high stakes of "aliens are killing citizens en masse." Well, no. You don't get it both ways. And it shouldn't be that way. Smaller scale means a smaller scale. Reduce everything but write it well enough that you still get that same feeling of anxiety and dread.

The episode plays exactly the same without that bit of OOC overreach. (All it did was give Henry and Biscuits something to do in the climax.) Like... literally. You can cut those scenes without affecting anything. Does that sound like good writing? No. Just like with the ASL bit, I think the burden lies on writers explaining WHY he would do this instead of acting like it's obvious and natural. And just because Maya turned him down? He'll massacre dozens of people? I, for one, am not convinced.

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The Trauma of It All

I already talked a bit about Fisk's experience being "healed" by Maya in this post. (By the way, was I the only one expecting it to heal his eye too? Ah well.) I could talk more on my annoyance of super powers that just do whatever the writers want them to in any given situation. But I breathe, center myself, and appreciate what I have been given.

I was pretty disappointed in Fisk's writing the whole episode (see point directly above) until this point. They got me back on board. They made a good decision with this final conflict and NOT having it be a physical one. While it makes Echo's writing feel all over the board, dehumanizing Fisk and the humanizing him again, looking at this one aspect feels so good for his character, for anyone who enjoyed his character before this series. Echo, you get... two points.

Visually, I love it so much. Except for the part where I want to take in every single detail of Fisk's childhood bedroom, but they cranked the fog machine too high. I see he is a Yankees fan (But what about those Mets, Spider-Man?) There's a toy helicopter in the window, a toy airplane on the chest of drawers, and a picture of a plane. Was anyone going to tell me little Wilson likes aircrafts or... There's a jar of marbles, jar of little animals. Very normal, cute room for a boy. Despite the disrepair and decay in the walls. This feels like it leans so much closer to Fisk's outright childhood poverty in the comics than just being lower class in DD.

OBVIOUSLY, I *chef's kiss* at the wonderful homage to the white wall/painting. High school English teachers could have a field day examining the symbolism. In DD 1x03, Fisk says the painting makes him feel "alone," and that emotion is perfectly captured here. We hear his parents on the other side of the wall, in the other room, but Wilson is alone in his bedroom, wanting it to stop.

I hate/love the despair and pain Fisk has being back here. I would never trauma dump on the internet. I'll just say Wilson Fisk continues to be a very relatable character for me. He is, all joking aside, very special to me, personally. And moments like this only strengthen the love I have for him. Also makes me want to slap around Fisk haters who refuse to take the time to understand him. Bah.

A small thing I like is that Fisk seems able to fully understand Maya in here. Whether because he just, ya know, understands ASL (she unlocked the sign language he forgot since Hawkeye ◉o◉), or because thought transcends speech inside his head, you decide.

(づ￣ 3￣)づ

I could speak for thousands of words and never finish conveying how much I love this scene. It was a very good call to go this route.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

I Am Petting the Loyal Henchman

The guy who helps Fisk, who points a gun at Maya, pulls him away, and puts him in a car before the police arrive?

This guy?

Give him a raise. He's very important to me, I decided. I'm going to call him Carl.

What are you about, Carl? Are you in it for the paycheck, or are you loyal to the boss? There is a Wesley-shaped hole in my heart that will never fill.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Mayor Fisk

Obviously excited for Mayor Fisk arc. There are a couple comic plots I've wanted to see Daredevil explore, and that's probably at the top of the list. (There is also Fisk and Matt working together in prison, but I'm less than hopeful we'll ever see it on screen.) I have so many questions about Fisk being mayor.

Do you think he'll still offer the job of Deputy Mayor to Matt??? Can he win honestly, or will he cheat? Can they show Fisk stealing an election without referencing ANY current events in the real world? Will the election be at the start of the series or mid-point, or will they save it (hopefully not) for a finale? Will they use this to set up future plots with Fisk?

I'm all abuzz with anticipation.

Only... over a year to Daredevil: Born Again! ╰(*°▽°*)╯

......................................................................................................................

On the very off chance you read all of this post or skimmed it and didn't see me address something you're curious of my opinion on, idk, just let me know. I'll ramble all day. Clearly.

[undercoverwizardninjaturtle]

As i lay with a very very hurt neck, my mind drifts to Casey as I usually do. I love Cassandra “Casey” and feel she is the Casey of the show. It was always her role and it’s who she is. Not to say I don’t love Future Casey. He’s a treasure and I adore him. And I realized something when trying to figure out the Dichotomy of Casey’s

SPOILERS FOR LAST RONIN, MIRAGE COMICS, IDW and ROTTMNT

Casey isn’t Casey Jones in the sense that we think.

Cause Casey Jones from the comics has a kid.

Actually he had two kids in two separate timelines

Shadow Jones who was his adopted daughter and appeared in the Orignal Mirage

Casey Marie Jones his daughter for the Ronin Series

So it not only becomes a question of which Casey Future Casey is (My vote is on Shadow since I HC future Casey is adopted anyway] but also the new canon that both Cassandra and Casey are trans

[tmnt-obsessed-ace]

Fuck it Venus and Jennika are getting adding to SSDF

(Leo needs more daughters, and some soul crushing guilt that he wasnt able to save them from Draxum because he didnt even SEE them they were hidden too far up to be visible and with the building collapsing he didnt have time to stick and check or he and the babies would all die.)

So lets talk about them :)

Venus is the actual eldest at 16 (she's a year older than Rafa) by the time Leo actually meets her in Many Unhappy Returns she will have just turned 17 (the same age Leo was when he suddenly became a father of six four) she's a striped mud turtle and Big Mama's assistant.

She was found in Draxum's ruined lab when Big Mama's bellhops went investigating what had happened. However there was somebody already there. A white rabbit yokai, dressed in Samurai garb. He was holding two tiny little turtle mutants in his arms, trying to gently calm them down.

The bellhops attacked the Rabbit, managing to steal one of babies and brutally injure the other. Leaving the rabbit no choice but to flee and get the remaining turtle medical attention in hopes of retrieving the other one.

By the time the smaller turtle was even stable enough for searching, Venus was the adopted daughter of Big Mama.

And she heard that there was another baby turtle, still alive and in the city. She accused the rabbit of stealing her daughter, offering a massive reward for her safe return.

Everyone was hunting them now.

So the rabbit took his new daughter and fled the Hidden City, fled New York all together.

Although she started out as Big Mama's beloved daughter it didnt last. Venus's combat skills grew more refined and stronger dhe becomes more and more useful as an assistant. Someone who can go on the more dangerous missions while Big Mama can sit back and run the Nexus. Someone who can protect Big Mama when potential nexus fighters refuse to sign the contract or try to attack Big Mama

And oh boy does Venus resent Big Mama for this.

That resentment only grew stronger over the years but there were two things that drove sweet Venus to eventually overthrow Big Mama

1. Jennika being forced to fight in the Battle Nexus in order to be spared from life in prison. Jennika was only nine years old when this happened, I'll touch more on this in her section.

And 2. Forcing Leo to watch his sons fight for their lives in Battle Nexus New York (it will be a lot more dangerous than in canon) especially when Rafa's fake out death happens. When Leo is screaming and begging Big Mama to just take him instead, leave his children alone. It breaks something inside Venus. And when Cassandra tries to take the ring to control the Shadow Fiend.

Venus takes it instead, giving the Shredder one command.

Destroy Big Mama, tear her apart. Leave nothing behind.

An immediate betrayal.

But Venus finds an Ally in Cassandra.

They team up, on the condition that they take Big Mama down for good. (Even though doing this would create a massive power vacuum. Big Mana was one of the most powerful and influential yokai in the hidden city. And Venus sure as hell wasnt gonna take up the mantle, opting to burn it all down instead so oh boy...)

Then there's Jennika.

A 15 year old diamondback terrapin. And out of all the children, she's the one that looks the most like Leo. (Except that she's got green eyes, just like Raph. And she acts so much like Raph too it hurts.) She's a few months younger than Rafa. She also has deep grooves in her plastron from the attack as a child.

The daughter of a Samurai Ronin named Miyamoto Usagi. The two wandered the world for most of their lives, either hiding in the hidden cities or using cloaking broaches to blend in with the humans.

Jennika or her father called her Hisa, became a highly skilled samurai. Although becoming a Samurai her fierce short temper couldnt be calmed. At least until the incident.

On their travels together in the human world, disguised by cloaking broaches when Hisa was only nine years old, Usagi had been badly hurt by a small gang, losing consciousness too quick. Hisa lost it, absolutely lost it. None of the gang members were left alive. She didn't even know how she did that! They were all bigger and stronger than her but she killed them all in a massive flood. (She was actually the first person in the family to unlock Ninpo to protect/avenge Usagi. But she hasnt been able to do it since)

But...so many people saw it, thirty gang members all dead on the ground, a nine year old human girl at the center of it. Hisa was arrested, dragged kicking and screaming away from her father and mentor, begging the police to help him.

Hisa was handed off to the FBI. Would've gone higher through the government. Until Big Mama took an interest in her. The girl was powerful, too powerful to end up in the hands of humans.

So...Big Mama paid them off, got Hisa out and offered the girl a deal. Because a yokai like herself killing that many humans by obviously supernatural means would bring attention to the Yokai and Hidden Cities, so it is very much illegal. And punishable by life in a maximum security cell in the Hidden City Prison.

The deal was simple, Hisa would work off her sentence by fighting in the Battle Nexus, she just had to sign the contract.

And well Hisa didnt have any other choice.

So for the next five years Hisa was a battle nexus fighter, barely surviving each battle by the skin of her teeth.

All the while mourning her father Usagi.

Hisa was gone, all thats left is Jennika.

But not all hope was lost for the poor girl, as during the Bug Busters episode, while the boys had Big Mama distracted, her father Usagi found her and rescued her.

Together the two fled to the mountains of Japan, hiding away from Big Mama while poor Jennika recovers from those five years of misery.

But when news of a powerful champion in the Battle Nexus reaches Japan and of a MASSIVE Battle Nexus tournament involving four mutant turtles...well the two Samurai cant ignore that, especially when those turtles look a bit like Jennika.

[sonicasura]

Yeah they are, and any who knew them would often say that Kafka took a bit after the pair as well. Something a very young Kafka took great pride in, much to his grandparents amusement and joy.

Now how the pair meet was a frightining encounter to say the least. Around the village Hina lived in at the time are many coasts, some of which is well hidden and hard to get to by either boat or feet. Its in one of these hidden coasts that Hina meets a very injured Proto for the very first time.

Now something I've not told you about is what Proto looks like as a kaiju. Like I've mentioned from another ask, the man is the same size as the kaijus found in the DF's entery exams at the highest. But if anyone of the DF saw him for the first time, they probably piss their pants.

Thats solely thanks to his apperance alone. Proto is what many would call a bastardisation fusion of a human, chimera, and cerberus for lack of better words.

His body is for the most part humanoid, even though he is almost 12 meters long if you count his tail, which is a thin snake/fish like thing apperance wise, 5 meters long and far more sturdy looking than it looks. He is also more build for speed than strength, unlike his daughter and grandson.

However, he also has three pairs of arms. The lowest pair is the most human looking, even with the fish like scales and claw like fingers that looks like they could cut a man in half. The middle pair consist of a tigers and wolfs paws, with the tiger on the left and the wolf on the right. The last ones are the most monstrous of the bounch, the two arms seeming being a mix of a spiders leg and a tentacle.

His legs aren't much better. They are hoves like that of a goat and a little oddly bent in the knee area that makes it painful for him to stand on them alone. Hench why he prefers to walk on four or six if you count the extra arms.

And his head is not easy on the eyes either. Or heads rather. The one to the left is that of a komodo dragon with odd glowing purple cracks along its scaly face. The one to the right being that of a black coloured lion with similare cracks like the left. The one in the middle is the most human looking, though it has certain musrhoom features as well with the same purple cracks too.

All in all, Proto is not something you want to see in the middle of the night, to but it bluntly. Proto can thanks this horrid apperance to his creator No 9.

At least Kafka didn't inherit that form from Proto because I imagine it would be a pain to move all those limbs. Also I don't know why but when I read mushroom features, what came to mind is a mushroom mimicking those straw hats ronin are often portrayed wearing. No.9 would be more wild with his creations' appearances in the early days as Proto would be one such victim.

[dark-twist-fairytales]

Kai + Nya

~~~

Twin boys were born, Ray and Ronin Smith, and parted separate ways once old enough: Ronin went to the city, while Ray stayed in the villages

Ray met his lover, Maya Jiang, in the villages. They didn't have time to marry, before they had twins. A boy and a girl, Kailor and Nyad.

Ronin found a lover in the city before Ray, marrying into the name Kognito when finding his now wife, Marenia Kognito. They had a daughter 3 years before Ray and Maya, Willow Kognito.

Ray and Maya eventually disappeared, leaving Kailor and Nyad Jiang around the time Ronin second child was born, Lilith Kognito.

After 2 years later, Ronin finds a post on both Kailor and Nyad online and rushes to take them into his care. Upon getting the two, he explains a bit of who their father was, and how the last name they dawned was not their father's last name.

Kailor, the master of fire below Ray, aka Kai, wasn't a fan of just using Jiang, and wanted to go by Smith

Nyad, the master of water below Maya, aka Nya, liked the last name Jiang and didn't wnat to change it, but also wanted to match her brother.

Ronin offered a solution: hyphen. Thus developed Smith-Jiang.

When Nya and Kai turned 12 years old, they got Marenia in on the plan to do something with their last names again. Their birthday party, they showed Ronin their names, now donning: Smith-Jiang-Kognito.

[mortallyclearwonderland]

Epic 2013 - NAMES

In this post, I would like to talk about the meaning of the names of the characters from the movie Epic.

Either people think long and hard about how they are going to name their children (or anything for that matter), while others just pick a name that they like without looking any further.

Names are especially important in stories like books and movies.

While in the real world you can have 6 girls named Olivia in the classroom (something that really happened to me), writers can give every character in their story a different name to avoid confusion.

It can be as simple as ''This character is from Japan. Let's give him a Japanese name.'' or ''My movie takes place in the 80s in the US let's give characters names that were popular at the time.''

Sometimes names can give you an insight into what is character's personality, talent, etc. Some are more subtle than others. (Dr Evil or Dr Doom)

Let me start by saying this, names in Epic are all over the place. Let's get the simple ones out of the way.

Susan comes from Persian and it means lily flower. In modern Hebrew this also means rose and a flower in general. It's a standard name for the setting and the time period, modern times (the 2010s) somewhere in North America.

Professor Radcliffe Bomba, his title is supposed to explain how he knows all this ‘’scientific’’ stuff. Bomba means bomb in most Slavic languages. It's supposed to showcase how wacky, clumsy and does things that are detrimental to his own safety. Radcliffe derives from the place-name Radcliffe meaning “red cliff.” I didn't even know he had a name but fandom has spoken and it won't kill me to include it.

Mary Katherine is named after the daughter of the author of the book the movie is based on. Mary means Star of the sea/Drop of the sea ; Bitterness; Beloved. Meanwhile, Katherine means pure. Mary Catherine is a name that signifies a freedom-loving and free-spirited individual.  

Bufo is just an American bull frog. Bufo is a genus of true toads in the amphibian family Bufonidae. Bull + Frog = Bufo

Grub and Mub. I put them together because they're a comical duo and that's why their names rhyme. Common thing. Grub is the larva of an insect. To grub is to dig or poke about in the soil. I couldn't find what Mub means, just a bunch of acronyms to stuff. Their names are supposed to sound funny and disgusting.

Nim Galuu is weird. Nim is a game in which two players alternately take one or more objects from one of a number of heaps, each trying to take, or to compel the other to take, the last remaining object. Galuu means to enter and the main characters go into a tree to meet him and even deeper into the tree to see the scrolls. Also, Nim reminds me of The Secret of NIMH. It's probably just a coincidence.

Then there's a bunch of other characters that are just names of the species/plant they're based on. Dandelion, Pinecone, Stickman, Marigold Girl, etc.

Now we get to the interesting names!

Nod, in Biblical Names the meaning of the name Nod is: Vagabond, fugitive'. At first, I thought his name, Nod, is referring to the action of nodding, agreeing with someone. Because he's a rebel, his not doing what he's told, so he's not nodding. Irony! Him being a vagabond or fugitive shows in his concept art a lot more. In the movie, he deserts the army for like 5 minutes. I'm going to go into detail about it in another post.

Ronin, is  a wandering samurai who had no lord or master. This goes with the samurai-inspired design of the Leafman. Tara is the master that he lost. Again, not executed to its fullest potential. Also, there's a huge difference between a ronin and a samurai. Many times when movies portray samurais or cowboys they're more like ronins.

Tara, in South Asia, such as India and Nepal, Tara is a word originating from Sanskrit, meaning star, and it symbolizes the light of the soul. Tara is the soul of the forest.  

Mandrake, a Mediterranean plant of the nightshade family, with a forked fleshy root that supposedly resembles the human form and which was formerly used in herbal medicine and magic. It was alleged to shriek when pulled from the ground. Mandrake lets out a loud shriek to alarm his army.

Dagda, (Celtic: “Good God”) also called Eochaid Ollathair (“Eochaid the All-Father”), or In Ruad Ro-fhessa (“Red [or Mighty] One of Great Wisdom”), in Celtic religion, one of the leaders of a mythological Irish people, the Tuatha Dé Danann (“People of the Goddess Danu”). Highly skilled and wise beyond measure, he was not only the god of life and death, but of seasons, agriculture, fertility, magic, and druidry as well. There is so much lore behind this guy's name. He had so much potential! I'm going to rant about it in another post.

I think the naming system really shows the problems with this movie. It's all over the place and there's just too much.

Inspiration from the Bible, Slavic countries, Japan, India, Scotland, Ireland, and many more.

There are so many things that nothing gets enough focus. We got:

Romance

Tara and Ronin

MK and Nod

Mub has a crush on MK

Parent-child relationship

Ronin and Nod's father-son relationship

Mandrake and Dagda's father-son relationship

MK and her father's relationship

Deaths

Nod grieving over his dad

Mandrake grieving over his son

Ronin grieving Tara 

Ronin grieving Nod's father, his friend

MK grieving over her mother  

Magic

Plant manipulation

Shrinking and biggering people

The Rot

Anything involving this stupid bud

Resurrection?

Dark Prince?

Scrolls in the oldest tree 

Other stuff

Nod not following orders and not being part of the team

Bird racing  

Gambling? Some criminal stuff

Random song number

Shenanigans with the dog

MK's parents being divorced

MK running away from home

Believing in what you can't see

WAR!

Queen dying and finding her successor

Pointless fight with a mouse

Grub wants to become a Leafman 

The people behind this project wanted to make this movie awesome, deep and mature but they wanted too much too fast.

Nothing gets properly set up. The creators had all those cool backstories for the characters but we don't get to see them. The movie throws us into the middle of the action. It feels like we missed a previous movie. This movie should've been a trilogy and it shows.  

[nicklloydnow]

“Dearest Martha,

We knew each other a very long time. Exactly a century in fictional terms, several decades in reality.

From the first discussion I had with Dave Gibbons at, of all places, the San Diego Zoo, about the two of us working together, when I didn't even know your name, I knew that you were a noble, and quintessentially American, creature.

One thing I've always loved about my country is its indomitable spirit, and you were indomitable from the day you were born. The deck was stacked against you: you were Black, female, and impoverished, but nothing ever stopped you. To date, you are the most heroic creation I've ever had the honor to write.

Dave and I fell in love with you early and often. In fits and starts, we told your tale. We hit a crisis early on: puffed-up with self-importance after the success of The Dark Knight Returns, I mischronicled your first adventure as something too on-the-nose political, too self-consciously serious, and, in a word, dreary.

Dave quit. You were almost stillborn, baby.

It took Lynn Varley to straighten my brain out and advise me to reconfigure your story, to bring absurdity and sarcasm and adventure and boyish joy to it, and to win Dave back. Dave's instincts and Lynn's wisdom brought you back from the brink, Martha. It's hardly a coincidence that Lynn shares your birthday, in day and month, if not in year.

So, Martha, my sweetheart, you've been both daughter and mother to me. You've been noble in your every decision, your every aspect, and you've been, unfailingly, a writer's dream: a character who wrote herself.

From housing-project prisoner to drugged-out victim of an insanity ward, from soldier to explorer to savior of the world, to mother of a new generation worthy of your name, you always, relentlessly, wrote yourself.

As Dave does, I miss you, Martha. And I will always love you.

Frank Miller

New York City, 2008”

“Despite being an extremely successful commercial work, and arguably the series that really put Dark Horse on the map as a home for adventurous comics creators bored with the Big Two, the Martha Washington epic is curiously underrepresented in comics criticism, generally liked but not held in anywhere near as much esteem as the creators’ other contemporary works. The character of Martha Washington will occasionally pop up in lists about strong women characters, or POC representation, or bleak sci-fi, but it’s treated as almost a footnote in the careers of Miller and Gibbons. For Gibbons, it serves as a personal and ambitious attempt to stand outside the shadow of Watchmen before the artist shifted towards more commercially inclined series. For Miller, it’s the exact line of demarcation between his classic Formalist Auteur Era (Daredevil, Dark Knight Returns, Ronin) and his hyper masculine Abstraction Auteur Era (Sin City, 300, Holy Terror). Martha Washington is the most human character Frank Miller ever wrote and the last time you can see him caring about a character more than experimentation and style, and not coincidentally it’s one of the last times he would share basically equal creative autonomy with someone.

As Gibbons and Miller both explain in the introductory text in the complete Martha Washington collection, Miller convinced Gibbons to work with him on the series by pitching him the story of Martha “on a mission to prevent an evangelical Elvis clone [from] nuking the rest of the United States from deep in the Arizona desert.” For Gibbons, this offered a giddy respite from “our recently successful dark dissections of superheroes,” so he started working on designs and plans based on that treatment. But when Miller’s script finally arrived, Gibbons was horrified by how dark and gritty it had become, missing the surreal humor and absurdity that had first caught his eye. Miller admits that the project would have been “stillborn” if Lynn Varley hadn’t convinced him to take Gibbons’ concerns into consideration and rework the entire project. The work that Miller and Gibbons eventually created is an incredible hybrid of these two spheres, brutal and unflinching yet curiously warm and tender and goofy. Not unlike life itself, in other words.

What’s especially clear throughout the series that make up the Martha Washington epic is that Miller and Gibbons and their various colorist collaborators truly love Washington as a character. And it’s not hard to see why. Washington is an epic hero with all of the tragedy and none of the hubris. If she has a tragic flaw, it’s that she has hope for humanity, but that’s also the ingredient that makes her continue long past the point her many enemies expect her to fall. As Washington herself puts it in a survival mantra, “When things get bad like this, you just keep telling yourself ‘This won’t kill me, I won’t die here, this won’t kill me.”

(…)

This is why Washington is such a uniquely potent dystopic protagonist. Gibbons draws her not as a cold superhuman brute or insensitive sex warrior (and notably Washington encounters and defeats characters who represent both of these tropes) but as a bold and powerful black woman with a wide emotional range to reflect her equally wide array of physical talents. Many of the most memorable scenes in the series are simple one page depictions of Washington crying in solitary peace after making a difficult decision (like her first foray in the senseless Amazon War between PAX and the rogue Fat Boy Burger corporate state), or multi-panel sequences showing her reaction to a trauma shifting from shock to acceptance to strength (the killing of a basically nonverbal bully who had just slain her adolescent mentor). So many dystopic and post-apocalyptic works gives us protagonists who are blank slates or emotionally cold, indicating that survival is only possible if you shut down everything that makes you human. But with Washington, Miller and Gibbons reject this premise and provide an emotionally open yet brave and strong woman who survives because of how much she values that which makes her human.

As that anecdote about Martha Washington’s gestation shows, a huge amount of Martha Washington’s humanity is due to Gibbons’ vision for what would make this project work and ability to weave that into even the most ambitious of Miller’s ideas (as well as minimize the tone deafness of Miller’s worst concepts– the less said about the gay Nazi terrorist group, the better, though it’s hard not to think of them as predecessors to the dreaded Nu Fascist icon Milo Yiannopuolos). Gibbons rightfully continues to get acclaim for the patterns and precision focus he brought to Watchmen but while that series and Washington share dystopic themes, Washington also serves as a foil to the unfeeling, repetitive nature of that landmark work. Washington is still just as ambitious and epic but there’s a chaos and looseness to it that makes it far more exciting and filling. Miller’s script gives Gibbons ample opportunity to show off his range as an artist, with issues taking place in locations as diverse as the densely overcrowded urban centers of Chicago and New York, the equally claustrophobic but less populated world of the Amazon and the far more desolate realms of the southwest and outer space. But beyond that, it also pushes Gibbons’ talent for realistically rendering human expression to new extremes, with many of its climaxes getting delivered via small panel beats and compressed close-ups of reactions. It’s a detailed work that never feels overbearing, that demands innumerable rereads but never makes that feel like a chore.

(…)

The Washington series is at its best when it focuses on these personal, human tragedies and how they spark the larger, more apocalyptic events filling out the background of the series. Though every Martha Washington release is worth reading, there is a significant difference in mood, tone and aesthetic in the initial Give Me Liberty series and what followed in its wake. The clearest difference comes with the departure of masterful colorist Robin Smith, who was brought on to the series to give it a more “European” feel. Smith’s coloring recalls 2000 A.D. and Heavy Metal but it also fits perfectly alongside the adventurous work Gibbons and Miller’s peers were doing at DC in the same era, particularly Tim Truman’s Hawkworld and Howard Chaykin’s The Shadow: Blood and Judgment, both of which utilized their painterly textures to depict grimy urban decay and freakish figures in ways that felt raw rather than realistic.

(…)

Yet the conclusion of the series, Martha Washington Dies, brought Miller and Gibbons full circle, reuniting them with the fearless and eternally optimistic Washington on her final birthday. A century old and still stoic, Washington knows death is on the way and what surprises her most is that she isn’t alone but surrounded by people she cares about. She chooses to spend last day inspiring them, not holding back about how dire their situation might seem in yet another apocalyptic scenario but focusing on the human capacity to overcome hopelessness. And in her final moment, Washington transforms into a literal beacon of hope, dying and then immediately being reborn as a lightwave leading on the troops. It’s not exactly a happy ending but it’s a perfect ending for the type of warrior Martha Washington is, eternally focused on overcoming all challenges and abiding not by law but by what’s best for humanity. In times like these, that’s perhaps better than a happier story or an unrealistically revolutionary text.”

[giveamadeuschohisownmovie]

Pitch for a video game: “Marvel’s Hawkeye”, a co-op game developed by Hazelight Studios (It Takes Two, A Way Out)

At the start menu, the two players are presented with this choice:

1) Clint Barton and Derek Bishop

2) Kate Bishop and Nicole Barton

In a standalone Marvel universe, Clint Barton is a famous circus performer under the name “The Hawkeye”. Alongside his daughter/protege, Nicole Barton, the two are known for dazzling audiences with their death-defying archery stunts. Also existing in this world is Kate Bishop, an Olympian athlete who won the gold medal in archery. She was trained by her father, Derek Bishop.

At the start, Player 1 and 2 control two different pairs; Clint and Nicole, Kate and Derek. This is to set up the tragedy that kicks off the game’s main story. While performing at one of their shows, Nicole Barton is killed when a bomb goes off in the audience. Around the same time, Derek Bishop is gunned down while driving his daughter home from the gym.

Five years then pass.

Clint Barton is now a depressed wreck, retired from the circus in order to focus solely on finding who was responsible for his daughter’s death. Kate Bishop has become a ruthless vigilante (along the lines of Ronin) who is also thirsty for revenge. The two follow a lead on their respective loved one’s murder, causing them to cross paths. Although they don’t trust each other at first, Clint and Kate decide to join forces when they realize that they’re both after the same, mysterious villain.

And that’s where the main game begins. Clint and Kate have to work as a team to avenge their loved ones. As the game goes on, the two form a father figure-daughter figure relationship, which helps them heal from their past trauma.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES:

* In case the set-up is confusing, there are two playable pairs (Clint and Nicole, Kate and Derek). The point is that both players will end up losing a character since whoever is playing as Clint will die as Derek, and whoever is playing as Kate will die as Nicole. So when Clint and Kate join forces, both players will have felt some level of loss.

* Nicole Barton is based on the Ultimate Marvel comics

* The main villain is revealed to be Kagenobu Yoshioka, a high-ranking crime boss who runs Japan’s most powerful Yakuza syndicate known as “The Hand” (Netflix Marvel, anyone?). Nicole Barton’s death was accidental since the Hand meant to kill someone in the audience. Derek Bishop was killed since he had massive debts with the Hand.

* The secondary villain is Bullseye, who is Nobu’s lead assassin and the one who carried out Derek’s murder and the explosion that killed Nicole.

* While it’d be neat to have Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld reprise their roles, if I had to recast, I’d have Jeffrey Pierce (Tommy Miller, The Last of Us) as Clint Barton and Chloe Bennet (Daisy Johnson, Agents of SHIELD) as Kate Bishop.

* Just like “It Takes Two” and “A Way Out”, there are tons of co-op minigames that the players can do. Since this is an archery-centric game, there should be minigames like darts and cornhole.

* Other Marvel characters do show up, but only as either cameos or guest appearances. Characters who I’d include for sure: Black Widow, Daredevil, Mockingbird, Elektra Natchios, The Punisher

[firelance2361]

What If...The Hawkeyes Brought the House Down?

Since we know that What If...? is coming to an end with Season 3, here's a piece I did for the rumored episode in Season 1 where Peter Parker would become a version of Hawkeye, as well as a full story for the idea, inspired by Dark Reign: The List by Brian Micheal Bendis.

Apologies again for the lengthiness and I hope you enjoy it!

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

In this universe, both Derek and Eleanor Bishop were killed in the Battle of New York. Their daughter Kate, on the other hand, was trapped underneath some rubble caused by the Chitauri attack.

Shortly after the Battle was over, she was found alive by a man named Ben Parker, who pulled her from the rubble and brought her to medical attention. Taking pity on the orphaned young girl, Ben decided to bring Kate home with him, adopting her as his own. After introducing her to his wife May, Kate eventually met Ben's nephew Peter Parker.

Although Kate felt initially isolated from the rest of her new family, Peter welcomed her in with open arms as a new sister of sorts, letting her know she's part of the family now. The two then made a promise to protect each other and their family, no matter what.

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As the two grew up together, their Aunt May and Uncle Ben inherited the Bishop Family Fortune, including the company of Bishop Security, allowing them to afford to send their kids to private school together.

- [ ] Throughout their middle and high school career, Kate and Peter - inspired by her favorite hero Clint Barton/Hawkeye - went through high amounts of martial arts training, being able to gain many medals in several competitions.

- [ ] During their time at high school, Peter designed a handful of trick arrows for him and Kate to use, as well as customizing their archery suits to be more stylish. The two of them would often joke about possible archer nicknames, with Peter's settling on Bowslinger.

- [ ] One day in 2015, during a walk through Central Park, Peter, Kate, and Ben were cornered by a mugger, who told them to hand over what they could. The siblings attempts to intervene only caused Ben to be fatally injured by a stray bullet fired from the muggers gun. Peter knocked out the robber as the pair held their Uncle Ben in his last moments.

- [ ] After Ben's passing, May accepted his position as part of the board of Bishop Security, helping steer the company in a more constructive and protective direction.

- [ ] Because of the changes to the timeline caused by Eleanors’ death, in 2018, Peter, Kate, and their family survived the Blip.

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In the summer of 2021, Peter and Kate were home in New York on break from school. During a charity gala to honor those lost by the Blip, the two accidentally eavesdropped on Armand Duquesne III's conversation with William Lopez, who left shortly after. Suspecting that something was amiss, the two of them managed to slip away from the party and grab their archer gear, following Lopez to the Fat Man Auto Repair, finding the Tracksuit Mafia members inside.

As Peter and Kate contemplated calling the police for assistance, their conversations were interrupted by screams coming from inside the shop. The two of them made their way around the building, seeing through the windows the Tracksuits being attacked by the Ronin, using his sword to cut them down and slaughter the criminals while they begged for mercy.

Peter and Kate did their best to stay out of the Ronin's sight during his rampage, until they saw through an open door the Ronin attacking William Lopez. As an injured Lopez pleaded for mercy, the vigilante was about to stab and kill him, until Kate intervened and threw his bola at Ronin's sword, knocking it away from him.

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The Ronin turned his gaze sharply to Kate, annoyed to see her and Peter interfering with his hit job. Peter tells William to run as the two archers engage with the vigilante. The three fighters engaged in a full-on fight, with Ronin managing to outmatch the pair with his experience. Realizing fighting hand to hand would be useless, Peter switched to Plan B, using his skills with geometry to make the Ronin dodge his and Kate's arrows, making it look like they was a bad shots when in reality they were setting his wire arrows in the right spots to trap Ronin.

As Ronin managed to knock Kate away and kick Peter back into a tool chest, he held his blade to his throat, telling him to stay out of his way. Peter coyly played like he was outmatched, while secretly hitting the switch for the wire arrows, activating them. Unfortunately for them, Ronin saw through the whole act, using his sword to knock away one of the wire hooks, accidentally tying up Kate, before leaping midair to dodge the rest of them.

Ronin attempts to get away, only to get shot in the ear by a stray bullet, disorienting him. The three turn to see Maya Lopez standing in the door, pointing a gun at the vigilante. She pinned the incapacitated hero to the ground, holding her gun to his face. She unmasks the Ronin, revealing himself to a surprised Kate and Peter to be none other than Clint Barton, the original Hawkeye.

She then knocks out Barton, and then points her gun at the other two archers, telling them that they are coming with her. Peter and Kate try to talk their way out of it until two Tracksuits knock them out from behind, rendering them unconscious.

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Peter, Kate, and Clint woke up in the Tracksuit's base of operations, finding themselves tied up and their weapons missing. As Kate tries awkwardly introducing herself to Clint, he just ignores it, unable to hear anything with his ear messed up from the bullet wound.

Soon, Maya, William, and Kazi walk into the room, with William demanding to know who the other two are and what the Ronin wants from them. Recognizing the Ronin was unwilling to cooperate and unable to understand them due to his injury, Maya turns her attention to Peter and Kate, asking who they are, using Kazi to translate. They reply that they are just fans of Barton who were in the wrong place at the wrong time, dragging out the conversation enough for Peter to slowly cut through the rope with a spare arrowhead in his wrist.

Annoyed by the conversation, Maya points a gun at Peter, prepared to shoot him, only for Parker to break free and redirect the gun to break Clint free of his restraints. After freeing Kate, a full-on fight ensues as the three attempt to locate their gear. Kate manages to find their bows and arrows and Ronin's sword, tossing them to the others as bullets and arrows go flying about. During the fight, One of Kate's badges from Bishop Security got knocked away from her.

Peter managed to trap most of the Tracksuits with a foamy trick arrow, allowing for him, Kate, and Clint to escape in Maya's car, but not before finding a stray dog in the back of the car and taking him with them as they escape. Kazi attempts to give chase, but Maya holds them back, pointing to Kate's fallen badge. William examines the badge, telling Maya and Kazi to contact their boss.

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After finding an audiologist to get him a hearing aid, Barton, Parker, Bishop, and the dog went to Peter and Kate's apartment in Queens. After confiscating Ronin's sword, the two of them request for Barton to tell them everything. When Clint asks why he would do that, Kate tells him they have cameras from Bishop Security installed for burglars, and that if he tries anything they'll signal for the police to arrive.

Reluctantly, Clint tells them he was following a tip from one of Wilson Fisk's informants, saying that he was hoping to find someone who could give him a lead to Kingpin. Peter inquires why, to which Barton tells him he's been making a list of things that must be done to change the status quo because of the Blip, and that Fisk is at the top of it.

After discussing the situation with each other, they agree to help Clint find Kingpin, clarifying they would not help kill him. He reluctantly accepts, figuring they'll be a part of this now one way or another. They leave the dog behind, with Kate nicknaming him Lucky.

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Later that evening, Kazi is out on patrol per Fisk's orders, looking for the trio, when his tire gets shot out. Kazi gets out to check the tire, only to be caught in a snare that suspends him upside down from a lamppost. The trio emerges from the shadows, surrounding the Tracksuit thug.

After Peter and Kate tie up Kazi, Clint orders him to tell them why they set him up. A terrified Kazi confesses that Fisk needed to give the Ronin a red herring to throw him off his trail, and William was the closest target he had.

Kazi then asks who the other two are, to which Peter says that's none of their business. Kazi disagrees, saying they know Kate is Derek Bishop's daughter, saying they found her badge at their base. Clint then tries to kill Kazi out of frustration, which makes him let slip about Sloan Ltd.; Clint then searches Kazi, finding an ID for Sloan on him. The three then flee the scene as the police arrive, with both Peter and Kate determined to find out what her father's link to the Tracksuits and Kingpin is.

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The trio then make their way to Bishop Security to obtain information about the Tracksuits. Upon entering May's office, they find signs of a struggle, with windows partly broken and the files ransacked. After Peter hacks into Sloan Ltd. through Kazi's account, they discover his employment there and that the company was a money laundering front for the Tracksuit Mafia with Fisk as its CEO.

Wanting to know more about Kate's family's link to Fisk, Peter cross references the tax transactions from Sloan with any from Bishop Security, finding tax files linking from Fisk directed to Derek Bishop. Doing some research they also discover one of the members of Sloan was listed as inactive since late 2015, which unnerves them sightly. They pull up the employee's files shocked to see it is the same man who murdered Uncle Ben in Central Park all those years ago.

Kate then puts the pieces together. Derek borrowed money from Kingpin when their family was in debt, and that debt was still unpaid after he and Eleanor died. The mugging in Central Park was an attempt by Fisk to get Kate and get what he could of the Bishop Family's fortune, and Ben paid the price for it.

As the two of them are reeling from this revelation, suddenly the laptop flickers before it goes black. It then switches on again, this time with Fisk on the other end. Wilson introduces himself to the pair, saying it's an honor to finally meet Kate. Peter shuts him up, demanding him to turn himself over for what he's done before this gets worse. Wilson ignores his demands, continuing on about how Derek owed him a great debt, a debt that Kate must now pay in full.

He then shows a captured May in the background of the frame, giving them an ultimatum: deliver Kate to Fisk to transfer their fortune back over to him by midnight, or they'll both lose the last bit of family they have left.

This is the final straw for Clint, who smashes the laptop shut and declares that he is going to kill Kingpin himself, ordering the tow of them to stay put. Peter tells him he's acting crazy and they need to think this through, but Barton justifies that they let this very evil snake its way into power and they can't let it continue.

Kate tries to appeal to his humanity, arguing that brutally murdering people is wrong and would not make things better. Barton retaliated, explaining to Bishop that hurting people is what he was trained to do, as he is a weapon, despite his time doing good as an Avenger. Kate tells them that's he's not going without them, to which Barton sadly disagrees, gassing her with the stolen head of a knockout arrow. Peter leaps to sister's defense, only be swiftly taken out by a knock to the head.

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Pete and Kate wake up back in their apartment in Queens, tied together with their weapons out of reach. Their attempts to escape are futile, only falling back against the floor. A frustrated Kate apologizes to Peter for everything that he lost because of her, feeling like she failed to keep her promise to protect their family.

Peter reassures her that what happened to Ben was not her fault, neither what has happening now. He laments that he understands what it's like to be lost and alone, but that's different now, because they have each other, and that's how they will get through it.

They then feel and look around for something that can cut the rope with; eventually they see Lucky wandering in from the other room. After getting Lucky's attention, they manages to get him to fetch one of their arrowhead, using it to cut themselves free. After retrieving their gear, and manufacturing some more new trick arrows from scratch, the two head off to save May.

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Later that evening, May sat hostage in Fisk's Penthouse, with Maya, William, Kazi and the other Tracksuits surrounding the place. Fisk's attempts to make small talk with May gives him nothing but cold silence.

Just as he was about to raise and offer her a toast, the lights went out, as members of the Tracksuits began falling left and right at the hands of the Ronin. Clint fought through each and every one of the members. Unfortunately, Maya managed to knocks Barton aside and grabs his sword, slashing him in the leg. The other Tracksuits pile onto Clint, dogpiling and overwhelming him.

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Fisk's men bring the apprehended Ronin to the Kingpin, who unmasks him front of everyone, surprised to see it is the former Hawkeye underneath it.

Fisk then asks why Barton would go on such a rampage as the Ronin, to which he informed him that it was the fact they survived and half the population did not, and he warns Fisk that he can either die quickly or slowly at his hand.

Wilson taunts Clint for believing that he could take down everything he's built and tries shooting him, only to have the shots stopped by Kate and Peter's intervention.

The two of them shot smoke arrows at they descend from the rafters, with Kate getting May clear and out of the building while Peter frees Clint and fends off the other Tracksuits.

Fisk makes a run for the rooftop as Clint pursues; Peter tries to give chase, only to be tackled to the ground by Maya. Peter manages to hold his own against her as they exchange blows, but not for long, as Maya overpowers him and pins him to the ground, trying to crush his windpipe with her prosthetic foot.

But before she can do anything, she is disarmed by Kate who shoots loose her leg with an arrow, allowing Peter to throw her off and reacquire his bow, pointing an arrow at Maya. William intervenes, telling them not to hurt her.

Recognizing that she's William's daughter, he tells them to get out his city, but not before letting slip that Fisk ordered Kazi to have Ronin kill William. The two leave the building as Peter and Kate fight their way through the remaining tracksuits, trying to get to Clint.

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Clint runs down the hall as best he can, finally making it to Fisk, only for him to initiate a security lockdown, initiating reinforced steel doors that block Clint from him. Unfortunately, this inadvertently helps Clint as in his attempts to find a way through the door, he finds an air vent in the ceiling, and a way to the roof.

Fisk manage to get to the rooftop where the chopper is waiting, telling them they need to go. The helicopter's attempts to take off are thwarted as an explosive charge hits one of the engines, grounding the chopper and sending it crashing back to the rooftop.

As a bloodied Kingpin crawls his way out of the chopper, Barton then grabs him by the throat and drags him to the edge of the building, planning on dropping him to his demise, only for Pete and Kate to appear, pointing their arrows at him, telling him to stop what's doing now.

Barton ignores them and lets go of Fisk, but not before Kate shoots a grappling arrow that catches Fisk and suspends him over the city. The two archers then engage in a brutal fight with Ronin, blades and arrows clashing over the rooftop. Despite their effort, Clint manages to outsmart the two of them, slicing off their quivers and kicking them off the roof. After dislocating Peter's ankle and kicking him and Kate back into an AC unit, he grabs one of their bows and a leftover arrow, prepared to end this.

As he marches to the ledge to execute Fisk, Kate jumps in front of him, telling him not to do this. Clint just holds up his bow and arrow, telling her to move now before she got hurt. Kate tries to appeal to his humanity once again, telling Barton about how she had witnessed the Battle of New York, and how she witnessed him fighting the aliens that day and that he had saved her from an attack.

She told Clint that he was her inspiration to become a hero, to which he just retorts that is the furthest thing from one. He then goes on a rant of how the Blip took everything he had left, his wife, his sons and daughter, and nobody cared. Things only got worse, like Fisk and his criminal reign, saying this path was the only way they could beat it.

Kate tells Clint that this isn't what his family would want, and if he wants to kill Fisk this, he'll have to kill her too. Despite hesitating and thinking desperately of his wife and three children, Barton ultimately sighs, about to release his arrow. Fortunately, his attempts to shoot are stopped by Peter, who manages to aim and throw a piece of debris that injures Clint's thumb, making him miss the shot and allowing Kate to grab the arrow and stab him in the foot, allowing her to knock him to the ground.

The duo stand over the defeated Ronin, telling him that his warpath is done. Clint just lays there defeated, lamenting to the two of them about his losses, breaking down into tears at the thought of what he's done.

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The police arrive at Fisk's Penthouse and place Barton and Fisk under arrest. Peter and Kate make sure May is safe and sound before going to see the Ronin off. Before Clint leaves, he gives Kate the notebook with the list in it, telling her and Peter to finish it, approving her as the new Hawkeye.

The cop car drive away as Kate looks on, lamenting to Peter and May about how Clint was who she wanted to be like growing up, but now with his fate as the Ronin, she doesn't know what to do know. Peter reassures her that no matter what happens, they'll do it together as Hawkeye and Bowslinger.

As Kate humorously laughs at that bit, the three of them are then surprised by the Lucky, who followed them to the scene. May immediately takes a liking to him, giving him a handful of hugs and kisses. The family then walks off into the streets of New York, determined to put the wrong things right, together.

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Sorry about the lengthiness, but since the series is coming to a close this December, I thought it would be a cool crossover idea and a possible means for explore more of the unexplored grounded levels of the Blip. Plus it would be a good way to adapt one of Hawkeye's darker storylines into the MCU without hurting the main continuity.

Hope you like it!