#library didn't had the book i wanted so i pirated it
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nthflower · 16 days ago
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I need to sleep but today was such a draining day I couldn't look into my phone 12 hours so I don't wanna waste my night 😞
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sen-ya · 6 months ago
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part 5/7
is it silly that this is my favorite in this series? i really enjoyed writing kaya and I wanna do it again at some point :')
[op comic masterpost]
[pg1] panel 2: Kaya: Oh! Dr. Law! I didn't expect to find you in our library.
panel 3: Law: K-Kaya-ya!
panel 4: Law: Uh. Ahem. Excuse me. I hope you don't mind me borrowing your books.
panel 5: Kaya: Oh of course not! I'm just shocked to hear we have books you don't! What are you studying?
panel 6: Law: UHHHHH
[pg2] panel 10: Kaya: Oh! Is someone on your crew pregnant? Ikkaku??
panel 11: Law (thinking): She doesn't know Ikkaku is trans. Does she not know that I am?? I just assumed Nose-ya would have mentioned it. But that makes sense. If Straw Hat didn't already know Nose-ya was trans it's not like I would have told him.
panel 12: Kaya: ...?
panel 13: Law (thinking): Fuck, I've been quiet too long. I can't throw Ikkaku under to bus. Just say something.
panel 14: Law: No. Kaya: Oh. Then why...? Law (thinking): Wait, shit
[pg3] panel 15: Law: My, uh...brother...'s...wife. Yeah, we're taking him back to Zou soon...because his wife is pregnant...and I...want...to help...?
panel 16: Kaya: Oh, how sweet! Congrats "Uncle Law" hehe. If you have any questions I could help with let me know!! I specialized in traumatic injury, but I did deliver a few babies in Syrup Village! On smaller islands like that you wear a lot of hats.
panel 17: Law: And you've...been pregnant. Kaya: Well, yeah, but I wasn't my own doctor! Could you imagine if I had tried to deliver the twins myself? Even a doctor needs a doctor, you know that.
panel 18: Law: ...right.
panel 19: Law: ...what...what was it like?
panel 20: Kaya: Oh, my pregnant patients were actually pretty fun! I suppose it makes sense that as a pirate ship doctor you wouldn't have had to know obstetrics. But it was always so lovely to hand a parent their--
[pg4] panel 21: Kaya: ...newborn...baby...?
panel 23: Kaya: ...I'm sorry, Dr. Law. If there's context I need you'll have to give it to me. I'm not good at guessing.
panel 24: Law: What do you mean, I just gave you context. Kaya: With all due respect, you're full crying. It's a new sight for me!
panel 25: Kaya: You can tell me what's going on! I'm told I'm a very good listener
panel 26: Law: ...You Straw Hats sure are a pain Kaya: Sorry, hehe
panel 28: Law: ...I...ahem...so number one, if you didn't know...I'm...I'm trans.
panel 29: Law: But not like your husband. He got the works from Ivankov-ya...I never felt the need to seek that out.
[pg5] panel 30: Kaya: ...I see
panel 31: Kaya: How far along are you? Law: ..12 weeks, give or take. Kaya: Well, I've provided obstetric care of all kinds. So whatever questions you're researching here...why don't you ask me instead of being your own doctor?
panel 32: Law: ...Same question. What was it like?
panel 33: Kaya: Being pregnant was a horror show!
panel 34: Law: A glowing review. Kaya: Oh, sorry! I can lie if you'd prefer!
panel 35: Kaya: I was just so sick my first trimester! Law (speaking over her): KAYA-YA I THOUGHT I WAS DYING FOR TWO WEEKS WHEN WILL IT STOP I CAN ONLY EAT RICE.
panel 36: Kaya: It's different for everyone. By the end it wasn't quite so bad for me, though. And I love my kids so much. They were such cute newborns!! So I was alright being uncomfortable for awhile. Because that's what we wanted, you know?
panel 37: Kaya (off screen): What do you and Luffy want, Dr. Law?
[pg6] panel 38: Law: ...We haven't decided yet. We're giving it to the end of the week. I'm trying to think about it rationally. But I just keep getting emotional any time I talk about it. It's strange.
panel 39: Kaya: An emotional decision and a bad decision aren't inherently synonymous, you know.
panel 40: Law: ...your bedside manner is impeccable, Dr. Kaya-ya. Kaya: Well, thank you! Next time let's meet in the infirmary, mine or yours.
panel 41: Kaya: I'll be your doctor through this, okay?
panel 42: Law: ...Okay...Thank you. Kaya: Of course!
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wondergotham · 3 months ago
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Love To Hate
Request: “Can you do a James Hook x reader enemies to where reader is also a vk and part of Uliana’s crew but for some reason they hate each other and fight a lot to the point the others get annoyed at them and often tease them about how they act like an old married couple and should just get together already, then something happens that make them realize they realize they do have feelings for each other and they finally do get together? Sorry if it’s a lot”
Pairing: James Hook x Reader
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In the long hallways of Merlin Academy, two people were notorious for their constant bickering: James Hook, the hotshot pirate, and Y/N L/N, the sharp-tongued VK. Daughter of Hans.
They had been rivals since they met, their competitive spirits igniting every interaction. Whether it was a simple argument over who could make a potion quicker or a debate about the best VK, their fiery exchanges were the stuff of local legend.
“Nice job making Uliana angrier, Hook!” You shouted, hands on your hips, as they saw their friend run off in a fury chasing after Bridget and Ella.
"You alright Uli? You're looking a little pink." You mocked how James had chuckled at Uliana as she transformed into a flamingo moments ago.
“At least I said something, you just stood there with your mouth wide open. Even Tick-Tock's mouth is smaller than yours.” He shot back, grinning despite the annoyance.
"Hmm I'm so flattered you were looking at my mouth." You smirked as you all continued to run behind Uliana.
Your friends, fed up with the relentless bickering, teased you. “You two act like an old married couple,” Hades would chuckle.
“Just get together already!” Maleficent added.
“Yeah, right!” You would retort, rolling your eyes. “I’d rather date Prince Charming.”
But beneath the surface, a tension simmered, one neither of you could quite acknowledge.
-
One rainy afternoon, you were flipping through your Defense Against the Dark Arts notes. A few textbooks are laid across from you. Loose sheets of paper are scattered on the desk.
You were reading about how to deflect specific hexes when a certain pirate sat down next to you.
"Studying for DADA? Never thought you would turn on your own people Villain Princess." Hook smirked.
Oh how you hated that nickname so much. And he knew it, clearly trying to get a rise out of you.
"I don't know what you're talking about." You dismissed.
Hook reached over and snatched the book holding it away from you with his good hand.
"James give it back!"
Thankfully no one was on the second floor of the library so you could be as loud as you wanted.
"I will once you tell me why you're studying so hard for this class when your father is the Prince Hans of the Southern Isles." Although Hook didn't really see an issue with it he just loved annoying you.
"Why? So you can laugh and tease me? No, thank you."
He noticed the way your eyebrows furrowed. The sharp exhale as you fought to get the book back.
It started as a joke but now it seemed like you were onto something serious.
"Is it really that bad darling?" He asked.
"You don't understand." You stood up trying to walk away but he quickly stood up and placed his hand on your shoulder.
The book long forgotten.
"Then tell me. For once don't argue with me." His eyes had a different expression. One you had never seen until now.
He was pleading for you to tell him.
You wanted to give him a sassy remark. To ask why he couldn't mind his own business. But today you were defeated you didn't want to argue anymore.
"It's my dad." You sighed. "Ever since I came to Merlin Academy his mission for me has been to come back home with a prince on my arm."
Hook stared at you intently trying to ignore the feeling in his stomach at the thought of some stuck-up prince holding you.
"Every time I come back for the holidays or when the school year ends he asks the same question."
"Have you found a prince yet? Our royal bloodline depends on it."
"He doesn't ask how I've been or how I'm doing in class. Me marrying a prince is all he cares about. But I don't want that." You whispered the last part shaking your head.
But Hook heard you, "Then what do you want darling?" He stepped closer to you.
You looked away trying to avoid his gaze. That was something you couldn't tell him. Not yet at least.
"Y/n tell me." There it was the same look in his eyes as before.
"I don't know. All I know is I do not want to marry a prince and live unhappy for the rest of my life. But I cannot tell my father. I'm afraid of what he'll do. Which is why I take DADA in the first place." You stated lifting up the book.
"If he tries to lock me up or do anything to try and force me to marry a prince I'll be more than prepared. He doesn't care enough to ask about my class schedule so he won't find out. I'll be ready if he retaliates."
"I don't know what to say." The young pirate's eyes shifted as his brain tried to find the right words. "Your father is not who I thought he was love. My problems with Tick-Tock are nothing compared to yours."
A sudden storm rolled in, dry lightning cracking across the sky. Heavy rain began to pour. It hit the stained glass windows of the library furiously.
It was time to leave. You had to get back to your dorm.
"I knew I shouldn't have told you anything." You quickly grabbed your things heading to the flight of stairs that led to the first floor.
You blew it, you idiot. Hook thought to himself as he ran after you.
Thankfully the dorms were right around the corner from the library.
As you opened the door to the common area you realized James was still following you. Once he made it inside you turned to look at him.
“This is your fault,” You said, shaking off droplets from your hair. “You always pick the most inconvenient days to bother me”
Even with your damp hair and slightly soaked clothes you looked ethereal. The small droplets on your eyelashes make them stand out even more.
He chuckled, his voice teasing. “Maybe you should learn to pick better weather for your study sessions.”
"I wouldn't have gotten soaked if you hadn't been such a jerk. I knew I shouldn't have told you anything." You shook your head tears threatening to spill.
Again you tried to walk away but James wrapped his hand around your wrist.
"I didn't mean to upset you, lass." He admitted. Your eyes softened as you looked at him.
"Look I know we haven't been the best of friends. But if this is really bothering you my best advice is to confront it. If you keep trying to deflect or trick your father it will make things worse darling. Take it from a pirate you have to face your challenges head-on."
The boy could almost see the gears in your mind turning as you let his advice soak in.
"Perhaps you could tell your father how you feel when he visits you? If you believe he'll retaliate he won't be able to do anything since he'll be on the grounds of Merlin Academy. And if he does you have us to back you up. VKs stick together."
You couldn't believe what you were hearing. For the first time, you actually had a decent conversation with James Hook. One that didn't end with petty remarks.
"I never thought about it that way. Maybe you have a point....Thanks for the advice pirate,” You said softly, nudging his side. “I didn’t think you’d care enough to stick around.”
“Yeah, well,” He replied, rubbing the back of his neck “Maybe I’m not such a jerk after all.”
The air between you both shifted, a moment of vulnerability emerging. The teasing comments from your friends echoed in your minds, but now it felt different. You were no longer rivals; you were allies, working toward a common goal.
“Hmm we'll see about that." You said causing James to chuckle.
"You know,” A playful smirk appeared on his face, “if we stopped fighting, we might actually make a good team.”
You raised an eyebrow. “Are you suggesting we team up? Like, in life?”
“Maybe,” He teased, “but only if you promise to stop telling others that I love crocodiles.”
“And you stop calling me Villain Princess.” You shot back, but your tone was light, and playful.
-
Days turned into weeks, and your dynamic with James began to change. You still argued, but the fights were laced with a newfound flirtation. Your friends noticed the shift immediately and doubled down on the teasing.
“You two are practically dating.” Morgie smirked one morning in the dining hall.
“Shut up!” You shot back, though your cheeks flushed.
Maleficent just held back a chuckle. Thankfully it was just you three because the others were still in bed.
“I think you guys look cute together.” She smiled.
-
One evening, while the group was walking to Uliana’s lair, you caught James staring at you.
“What?” You asked, smiling.
“Nothing,” He replied, quickly looking away. But your heart raced, and you realized that your feelings for him had blossomed into something deeper.
That night, James lay awake, replaying the moments with you together. He could no longer deny it: he had feelings for you. But what would that mean for your rivalry? What would it mean for your friends?
-
The next morning, James decided he couldn’t keep it to himself any longer. He marched over to your dorm, his heart pounding in his chest.
“Y/n!” He called, through the door as he knocked.
You opened it and looked up, surprise etched on your face. “What’s going on?”
“I need to tell you something,” He said, his voice steady despite his nerves.
You moved over so he could step inside your dorm room. The door closed softly.
“Is it about how you finally admit I have better Swordsmanship?” You teased, a grin spreading across your face.
“Actually, it’s about how I think I might… like you,” He blurted out, his cheeks turning pink. “Like, really like you darling.”
The teasing faded from your expression, replaced by a look of genuine surprise. “You’re serious?”
“Yes.” He said, his heart racing. “I know we’ve fought a lot, but I can’t ignore it anymore.”
You stepped closer, a grin forming on your lips. “Well, I guess that makes two of us. Because I’ve been feeling the same way.”
James’ breath hitched. “But your father love. I don’t want him to hurt you if he finds out we’re together.”
His soft hand caressed the side of your face. He held you like a delicate flower.
“You don’t have to worry about that. I told him. I couldn’t wait until next month so I made a phone call.”
James’ eyes widened in surprise.
“He was upset. But he’ll come around I know it. Plus my mom can talk some sense into him. The point is we don’t have to worry James.” Your eyes sparkling with happiness.
James pulled you into a tight but comfortable hug and kissed your forehead.
“Love you have no idea how happy I am to hear that. I always knew how brave you were.”
“Thanks to you James. I couldn’t have done it without you,” You replied, your heart soaring as you shared a tentative smile.
-
As the weeks passed, the teasing from Hades and Morgie continued, but it was now accompanied by genuine support. And the girls were very happy for you both.
You and James found yourselves laughing. Spending a lot of time together.
One evening, as you both walked through the halls, James reached for your hand. Your heart raced as he entwined his fingers with yours, a smile spreading across your face.
“Looks like we really are an old married couple now,” You said, glancing at him with affection.
“Yeah,” He replied, wrapping his arms around you. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way gorgeous.”
In the heart of Merlin Academy, amidst the laughter and teasing, a new chapter began for you and James—one filled with love, friendship, and the promise of a future together.
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theolivetree123 · 2 months ago
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Elias's Fantasmic Adventure!
My 200 follower special!
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(More under the cut!)
Event Summary
When Elias was younger, he always loved to read fairytales. Yet, there was one book that told a story that stuck with him till the present day. The story was about a creative and joyous mouse who, while asleep, dreams of himself on a spectacular journey through the depths of his own imagination. Elias loved that story, but as the years went on, the book fell into obscurity. No one in all of Twisted Wonderland seemed to know anything about this book! Elias thought he had been dreaming about it for years until he saw the same book in NRC's library. Though it was covered in dust, Eilas still felt the exact same spark that he had felt when he was little. As to not let the story fall into obscurity again, Elias begged Crowely to find a way to let people know about the book, yet Crowely couldn't help him. Elias almost ran out of ideas until he remembered a rhyme his mother would tell him.
Here in your mind
It’s magic you’ll find
When out of the night
Dark forces ignite
To blind you with frightening schemes
If you use your might
To brighten the light
You'll create night of wondrous dreams
This inspired Elias to put matters into his own hands. With funding from Kalim, Elias sought to put on a wonderful water and light show spectacular as a homage to his favorite fairytale. But, he will need actors and dancers! Help Elias create a nighttime fantasmic!
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Actors and Dress Code
In the fairytale, the magical mouse goes on a trip through his mind. In his dreams, he sees wondrous, beautiful, and dangerous things. Since this live show is supposed to be inspired by that story, Elias would like all actors to dress appropriately for whichever part you may be going for. Of course, there is still a lot of room for you to be creative!
In this show, Elias will be playing the part of the mouse, who, fast asleep, dreams that he is a mighty sorcerer's apprentice with the power to control water, color, and magic.
In the original story, the mouse sees things such as:
A vibrant jungle
Elephants on parade
A Genie who can grant any wish
A large ocean with all sorts of creatures
Pirates
Fairies
Beautiful princesses
Evil monsters
Powerful dragons
With these in mind, you can decide how you want to be perceived in Elias's dream! Do you want to be a beautiful prince or princess? Or do you want to change Elias's dream into a nightmare?
Here's some references:
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For your character's outfits, make them vibrant and fantastical! Anything can happen in Elias's dream!
If you're still stuck, then go watch the original Fantasmic! It should give you ideas for your character's outfits. (Yes, I know that the link is the outdated version, but tbh they didn't change much from the one linked and the updated one so IT'S FINE)
Rules
No NSFW!
This event will start today (September 3rd) and end on September 30th!
Anyone can participate! Whether it's an OC, canon character, or even a staff member.
You can participate by making cards, writing fanfics, or drawing fanart! Anything is cool!
If you make a card with voice lines included, please try to explain what role your character will be taking in the show.
Once you've made your entry, please tag me and use the hashtag, #EliasFantasmicAdventure!
Here’s the base if you’re making a card:
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Actors
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Elias Miel by me!
Joseph Akaba by @readsrandomstuff67
Yuya Florence by @cheerleaderman
Melione by @the-rini-rush
Flori by @bunniehunn
Zagarius Hekkate by @screamintoad
Makaria Hekkate by @blood-red-bumblebee
Mariah Amathyst by @slumberingrose-fandom
I look forward to seeing what you all create!
If you have any questions, feel free to dm me or send me and ask!
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madwomansapologist · 1 year ago
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enjoying a day off | nami
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Masterlist | Rules | Taglist | Library | More Nami | AO3
synopsis: After a hard week, all you could think about was your day off with your girlfriend. At the beach, you figured you'd spend your time swimming, looking for shells or letting the sun warm your skin. Nami was also expecting that, but her mind was unaware of a very important fact to determine how that day would end: Nami didn't know you would be wearing that bikini.
warnings: smut. exhibitionism. public sex. praise kink. degradation. free use. masturbation. scissoring. fingering. tw:use of 'pretty, pretty little girl'. dom!nami. female!reader.
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Nothing would stop you from disappearing for a whole day. No machines to create, and no Going Merry damage to repair, or pirates to deal with. What you wanted was peace. Silence. The chance to not have to worry about anything or anyone. Except for Nami, of course.
The beach was your idea. It was remote, quiet, but close enough to the port so you didn't have to walk for long. And it was beautiful. Magnificent. Just what you needed.
As soon as you arrived, Nami found a comfortable place and arranged the sheet with all your things. She lay down, her head on one of the bags, and soon sank into a fantasy book. "Aren't you going to swim with me?"
"I've had enough of water for a lifetime." Nami can stay there for how long she desire, you will enjoy the day as much as you can. You started opening the buttons on your short, rolling your eyes at her lazyness. "Shout if you need help."
You threw your shorts at her, then did the same with your t-shirt. You accidentally made Nami drop the book in her face, and it was difficult to not laugh at it. "Enjoy your boredom."
Nami held the book, throwing your clothes aside, but wasn't able to say anything. Nami could only look at the tiny piece that had been hiding under your clothes this whole time. It was almost a crime for you to dress like that in public.
It covered everything that couldn't be shown, but that was it. There was nothing left to the imagination, and yet Nami's mind managed to create so many images of you. Memories and desires mixed together.
Nami between your legs, licking without haste, squeezing your thighs. Your fingers deep into her, making her roll her eyes. Your voice. Your eyes burning with lust. Your drooling face after she tired you out. Her name coming out between your lips. All the marks on your body that came from her.
"Come here, let me bore you out", Nami throw the book. She sat on the sheet, her eyes penetrating your skin and warming your soul, tapped her lap twice. "There's your seat, pretty girl."
You always follow her orders, but this one you followed with great pleasure.
Sitting on Nami, your chest pressing against hers, you linked your arms around her neck. Nami squeezed your thighs, her nails marking your skin. "You're so beautiful. You know that, right? My beautiful girl."
The wet kisses on your neck made you close your eyes. You leaned towards her lips, squeezing Nami's shoulders just the way she likes. "You say this all the time", you whispered.
When she hold you, you feel at home. You feel safe. Like Nami could do anything to you, say anything, and nothing will never change. You're her girl. Her beautiful, pretty girl.
"Because it's true", Nami bit your shoulder. Her fingers went up to the string of your bikini, tugging at the fabric. Within seconds, even without her touching your breasts directly, your nipples were hard. "But you'd be prettier without it."
Without warning, she pulled at the fabric. She didn't undo the knot, she didn't pull it away to reveal your body: Nami tore it. With a single movement, your breasts popped out. "Hey! I still want to swim!" Even though you were still complaining, she did the same with the fabric between your legs.
Even mad that she tore your bikini apart, or that someone may see you both, you didn't even tried to cover yourself. If Nami wants to see you, then you gonna give that to her. You love to feel her gaze burning your skin.
"You can do everything you want to," Nami laid you down on the sheets. She sat on your lap, enjoying your body. She knew every little detail about it, but she still looked at you as if it were the last time. As if you were her last meal. "Just like that. Naked for me."
"We are in public, Nami!"
"Just stay like that, huh? Can you do that for me? Can my pretty, pretty little girl do what I want her to do?"
Of course you agreed.
Nami bent down, kissing your forehead. The tip of your nose. Your chin. Between your breasts. Then she licked it. The sensitive skin of your belly, your fingers that used to hold her waist, the peaks of your breasts. The licking turned into lightly biting your nipples, then squeezing your breasts until it hurt, and sucking her skin.
With her mouth full, her fingers slid into your pussy. She lightly touched your lips, a touch so delicate that it seemed ghostly. You held Nami's hair, her tongue playing with the sensitivity of your breasts, and you felt her moan against your skin. You pulled, harder this time. “You’re so good for me,” you moaned. "I want you so bad. All the time."
Just like that, she stuck a finger in you. It stung a little, you didn't expect it to be so sudden, but the teeth squeezing your nipples made the pain soon turn into pleasure. One finger became two, and soon your pussy was as wet as the sea.
"You're so loud," Nami slapped your thigh. The way your pussy throbbed against her fingers made her close her eyes. "Do you want to get caught? Do you want someone to listen to you and come watch me fucking my dirty slut?"
Nami placed one of your legs over her shoulder, and sat in a better position on top of you. "Should I let anyone here use you? You're so inviting. Is that what you want? To be fucked like a bitch?
You shook your head. "I'm your whore. Only yours."
It was exactly what Nami wanted to hear.
You spread your legs to accommodate her better. Nami touched once more your glistening lips, proud of how wet you were for her. She kissed you, her tongue exploring your mouth as if it was the first time, and started to slide herself against you.
You couldn't close your eyes. Not even blink. Because that meant you wouldn't be able to see her, and that would be such a waste. "You're so pretty", you babble praises. "So good to me."
Nami grinded against you, enamored by your words. She could feel how wet and hot you were, so ready for her. Your lips touched hers perfectly, your pelvis was made to press her clit just the way she loves.
It gets harder every day for Nami to ignore that you were made for her.
She was so slow, that your mind started to imagine all the things you wanted Nami to do to you. How you wanted her to fuck whenever she wants, however she wants. She was so good for you that you couldn't help but to starve for more.
Thrusting like that, enjoying every second, your arosal mixed with her. Your thight was so wet, you could feel the sheet cold beneath you, and you had the perfect vision of Nami's pink lips shining. It was so wet, so sticky between you both, so messy.
You would lick her clean. Drink every single tear of her sweet juice.
You could hear how wet you both were. How nasty, dirty it was. So hot. You smiled as you heard, and Nami grinded harder against you.
"Did you heard that?" Nami bit her bottom lip.
"Fuck", you couldn't breath anymore. Your Head started to burn. "You're making me... Nami, please, do something."
Faster, Nami put her thumb on your clit and pressed it. She spit on you. She didn't need to, you both were so wet, but she wanted to. And you could take anything Nami wanted you to.
She kissed, feeling you coming undone, shaking between your legs. Her nails dig into your thight's skin, making you moan. It was so hard, so good, that she couldn't control herself. With her mouth open, Nami's saliva fell on your boiling hot skin.
Nami lay on top of you, and you hugged her trembling body. “You were perfect for me,” you whispered. "You always are."
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if you enjoyed, please reblog! i promise it makes a difference ♡
@ madwomansapologist.tumblr.
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susiephone · 2 months ago
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the internet's lack of nuance in general is always annoying but one thing i see come up over and over again is people refusing the acknowledge that book piracy is different than pirating tv or movies. and it is. it absolutely is.
unlike tv or movies, where, with some exceptions, everyone gets paid an agreed upon amount for their work, regardless of how much money the end product makes, authors make royalties- meaning how much they make is completely dependent on how many copies sell. some authors get an advance, which is a flat fee you get no matter what, but you don't start making royalties until you "earn out" your advance - so if i get an advance of, say, $10,000, i don't get any royalties for my book until it's sold enough copies to make $10,000 in royalties and paid the publisher back for the advance. most books never get that far. and $10,000 is not a number to sneeze at, but when you consider that books can take months to years to write, plus editing time, plus marketing (because 95% of that responsibility falls on the author unless you are extremely lucky) - when you break it down to how much money you're making for every hour of work you put into a book, it's really not a living wage, unless you're one of the lucky few who sells a lot of copies consistently, and/or gets large enough advances that you can live on it for a year or two while you write your next book.
i've seen some well-meaning people say that pirating from indie authors is wrong because they don't have the support or resources of a publishing house, and often don't sell a lot of copies at all - which is true. but i think a lot of people don't fully realize that most authors who are traditionally published, even ones who have had overall positive experiences with their publishers, don't usually make that much either. like i said, most people never earn out their advance, and most authors have to handle marketing mostly themselves - the books everyone's talking about, most of them probably got a big marketing push from the publisher with more money behind it. which isn't a dig at those books; publishers put money behind projects they think will make money, often because those books are good! but it is a self-fulfilling prophecy, and the books that get covered by every reviewer, get goodreads banner ads, get quotes from famous authors, end up in subscription boxes? very much the exception, and that's because the publisher can't afford to do that for every book. obviously sometimes there's an underdog, a book that didn't get a big marketing push but gets great word-of-mouth and grows that way, but if you're trying to make a living writing, you have to work for that to happen.
so with all that in mind, it really grinds my gears to see authors who say, "hey, book piracy significantly hurts my income" being called greedy, selfish, or "scabs".
i think some people think, "wow, you have a publishing deal from a big 5 publisher with a five-figure advance, and you still want more money? how greedy!" because they don't fully realize how the math actually works out for most authors.
like, pedro pascal is getting his fat paycheck no matter how many people pirate the mandalorian. no one working on dear evan hansen lost a dime because of the bootleg recordings floating around. and for the big new york times bestselling authors? yeah, most of them probably won't be hurt by people pirating their book instead of buying it. almost certainly stephen king is not going to notice if a few thousand people download an illegal pdf of the shining. but most authors, it does have an impact.
obviously, there is some nuance here - not everyone can afford books to read, and not everyone can access a library. and obviously if a book is out of print, that's a different discussion entirely. but "it's fine to pirate books because piracy is always ethical and victimless and authors who are against it are just scabs who hate poor people" doesn't really hold water for me. authors are not the bad guy for wanting to be compensated for their labor, and while it's not the reader's fault the royalties system doesn't let most authors make a good living at it, it's also not the author's fault.
if you want free books that don't screw the author over, advocate for more libraries with more funding! most libraries will also take requests for books to purchase for their collection, and, at least in the USA, "interlibrary loans" will let them temporarily borrow a book from another library system if someone wants it. see if your library is part of libby and hoopla, and if they're not, suggest they join. if you have a little extra money but can't afford new books, thriftbooks is a great place for cheap used books.
like i said, i am not saying everyone who ever pirated a book is a bad person, or that there's never a justifiable reason. i just wanted to introduce more nuance into the conversation.
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usopps-devotee · 1 year ago
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Birdie
tags: fluff, shanks and Benn being instigators, Benn is not to be trusted, jealousy
wc. 900
You would never call him the nickname to his face, only ever mumbled to yourself when thoughts of him crossed your mind.
Shanks is somewhere in the castle probably driving Dracule up a wall as you talk to Benn, he seems to be one of the very few pirates that still have their heads on correctly. Leading him down to the wine cellar to put away the 2 crates of Mihawk's favorite wine brought over by the crew. Lucky for you the grey-haired man enjoyed seeing you happy and hearing you lovingly rant about the stoic man you adore.
"It was mentioned that he's given you quite the cute nickname, I didn't know it went both ways". At that statement, you freeze with a small squeak. It's almost a startling realization that this entire conversation, not once had you actually called him by his name instead of the nickname you always used when you were alone. "Please don't tell him, I don't know if he would like it."
Beckman's laugh echoes through the halls at your admission as he stores the bottles on the racks reserved for wine, "Your secret is safe with me." At that moment, Shanks and the 'birdie' in question enter the cellar: Shanks looks amused to see you getting along with his first mate, Mihawk on the other hand is anything but pleased. "May I inquire what you might be doing, little rabbit?" quickly swiping one of the bottles off the shelf, you hold it up to him with a bright smile on your face. "Look it's your favorite! It would be too heavy for me to carry it, so he offered."
It explains the current situation; although you both know that isn't what he asked it will suffice seeing as you are not hurt and seem to be happy. He wants to tell the group of misfits to get the hell off his island based on that interaction alone, but he knows his jealousy is childish and leaves the situation as is. "Would you be so kind as to grab another and put one on ice. We can open the other in the dining room." Benn hands you the last of the bottles he had to put up, following behind and spilling the secret to Shanks. Which clearly was not, in fact, safe with him. Your heart drops with every snicker that comes from behind.
It was dinner when it came to bite you in the ass. Shanks, ever the alcoholic, wanting to open another bottle. The name you so lovingly called Mihawk slipped off the slimy man's lips. What no one expects is for you to interject and cut him off. "Come on, Shanks, you guys just got here. We would hate to drink it all in one night." The twinge of hostility surprises Mihawk the most. Not only do you always give in to his drinking habit, but there has never been a moment when you two don't get along.
It's been a while since he's seen your attitude. Part of him did miss it dearly, but he would rather not be on the receiving end. "What's the deal, little lady. Now you know I wouldn't do something like that." you're starting to understand why Mihawk calls this man such a pain in the ass; there is no way he could possibly, be serious. "Maybe, maybe not. Either way, I think you have had enough." The pointed malice made Dracule huff out a small laugh, and he sipped some of what was still left in the glass; you seemed to have the situation covered.
Eventually, all is settled, and Shanks does not get the bottle that he begged for, the crew, captain included, slept on the docked boat for the night. Mihawk finds you in the library grumbling to yourself, looking at books but not looking for anything in particular. "Dearest bunny, I know the insults he may throw at me are ill-mannered and childish. I assure you; I take no harm by his falsified venom, " hearing him say childish hurts your heart, is that what he would say if he knew it came from you?
"It's not that," you always speak so softly when upset, one of the main reasons your interjection was startling. You almost don't hear the quiet footsteps as he takes a seat. "It was my nickname for you, I said it around Benn. He said he wouldn't say anything, yet he still told Shanks." he paused for a moment not knowing how to reach that information. Hearing it from the redhead it sounds insolent, knowing that it came from you makes his heart swell. "I was just scared you wouldn't like it."
you don't hear him get up, making a squeak when his chest touches your back. His hands trail down your arms, interlacing your fingers as he gently kisses the back of one of your hands. "I'll be sure to have a stern talk with Shanks in the morning. My sweet rabbit, I hope you know; I am more than appreciative of every ounce of affection you deem me worthy of." Mihawk feels you tighten your grip on his hands and lean back into his touch. He's surely going to tear Shanks a new one later but for now, Dracule is just glad that you're happy in his arms.
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pooks · 2 months ago
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straw hat!Ichiji during Whole Cake Saga, but he's having a very Bad Time™
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He was locked up, like a feral animal in a cage.
Ichiji had always known that he was running on borrowed time, that it was only a matter of time until Judge caught him and dragged him back to Germa.
Panic and anxiety grew in his chest, making it harder to breathe. Out...he wanted out of here...he needed to get out of here! Every primal instinct went haywire inside him. His heart kept banging against his ribs, trying to break its prison. His skin felt hot and cold at the same time.
Cuffs on his wrists. They were different than the ones forced on Sanji's own wrists. No, these were Germa-made and instead of blowing off his hands, electric volts would be sent through his body. Judge didn't want him to be "harmed", but to teach him a lesson about loyalty and obedience.
The bastard wasn't going to let him escape this time. Not when he got his "masterpiece" back. Ichiji was, after all, the one who was most successful. He had taken on two sets of genetic modifications and surgeries.
He was Sparking Red and Stealth Black at the same time.
Ichiji shook his head. This place was already messing with his head. He had to get out, he needed to escape...back to the ocean.
He turned and looked at himself in the mirror. His long red hair had been cut, against his will. He sported the same hairstyle he had as child...before he became self-aware...before he realized he loved his little brother Sanji and was prepared to die for him.
'I'm going mad...I'm turning insane! This cursed place is driving me crazy!'
Ichiji sat on the window sill, staring out through his bedroom window and watched the ocean in the distance. He thought of the Sunny and felt homesick, he longed for the gentle sway of the waves and the howling winds of a storm.
He missed Franky's booming laughter, how he could easily sit on his shoulder and smile softly when the cyborg talked excitedly about the latest upgrade on their ship. He missed sitting in the library, typing away their latest adventures on his beloved typewriter and Robin, sitting next to him, reading her books and inquiring about his theories regarding the next Poneglyph.
The ones he loved most in his heart, filling the empty void Ace had left in him and showered him with so much love and devotion. More than he certainly deserved.
He would never see them again.
Ichiji stared at the metal bars covering his window, attached from the outside. His bedroom door was automatically locked from the outside as well, trapping him inside four walls.
It didn't matter how the room was like he had left it. All interior made of the best material in existence, decorated with the most expensive and rare items...it was still a cage. He was a prisoner inside a golden cage.
'Congratulations, Vinsmoke Judge.' Scarlet Ichiji, the archivist of the Straw Hat Pirates, thought bitterly. 'You've finally caught me.'
After the wedding, Sanji would belong to the Big Mom Pirates. but he'd at least leave Germa for good. His hand would be the price for a piece of freedom.
But he would never leave this hellhole again.
'My dearest Robin...was this how you felt at the Enies Lobby? Shackles on your wrists and chained to tyrants who would only use you as a weapon? Stripping away your humanity...was this exactly how you felt? This agony, pain and humiliation?'
Ichiji swallowed, his throat felt thick.
'Franky. I'm sorry. I don't think I will see you building the ship of dreams, after all. I hope you and Robin can forgive me one day.'
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girlfriendsofthegalaxy · 2 months ago
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tuesday again 9/17/2024
come take this very very friendly little man out of my bathroom! he is fiv+ and we are in houston tx! i am willing to drive a couple hours for the right home! he is a good boy he's just orange! more details here!
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listening
emily jeffri's DENY off my spotify recommended weekly playlist: i can only describe it as "throbbing". immediately attention grabbing lyrics:
What kind of lover does your mother want? I'll do whatever, oh but you could not
very distinctly indie electronica. this would be the song in a cyberpunk/80s hacker movie where the chase takes you through an goth/alt fashion show where the models are actively giving blood as they walk or something.
i love the spotify daily mix for me and my bestie bc there's a guaranteed four bluey songs on it and it's a nice jumpscare. i know my mental health is taking a turn for the worse when a lot of mother mother starts popping up, i know my bestie's is taking a turn for the worse when a lot of girl in red starts popping up. suicide-watch-level sapphic angst singer-songwriter, generally. except for this song! extremely fun! didn't even recognize it as her! DOING IT AGAIN BABY is a more traditional selling-you-a-dodge-charger car commercial song and it's such a startling departure from her usual work that i wonder if it was a commercial commission? hard to immediately find out tho
I'm on a new level Something's got me feelin' like I could be inflammable And I might be I'm gonna light it up Nothing's gonna stop me if I say this is what I want
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reading
i read twilight (yes that one) at the behest of my bestie and bc my mental health could not have gotten any worse in that moment. it has led to some uncomfortable realizations about my high school experience i will save for a therapist. i am mostly putting it here to remind myself that i read this book this year.
^ this is some silly goofy nonsense. not that i think people shouldn't be recognized at their retirement, but what happened to giving people nice watches instead of a thousand dollars in plaques
Saying that, the records did reveal something actually interesting: although the individual contract I sent a request related to was for a few thousand dollars, an attached blank purchase agreement (BPA) says that “the government estimates, but does not guarantee, that the volume of purchases through this BPA will be $360,000.00 over the term of the BPA.” So, a lot more than a few thousand bucks.
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watching
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Hang 'Em High (1968, dir. Post). certainly not clint's sluttiest role but really up there. i do wish he kept the fucked-out little rasp for the whole movie :(
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When an innocent man barely survives a lynching, he returns as a lawman determined to bring the vigilantes to justice.
it has a typical bizarre shoehorned romance that (i think) deeply undercuts the theme it wants to explore, but there is no on-screen rape. the bar is on the FLOOR with westerns and yet i DNF so so so many.
hell of a whump film. literally everything happens to jed cooper. i will trumpet this again from the rooftops: that character needs cbt both ways.
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playing
youtube
HIGHWATER, a 2022 adventure/turn based strategy thing from Rogue Games, courtesy of Netflix Games, whose game library is a fucking nightmare to navigate on mobile.
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i loooove a water-based postapoc. the boat does in fact handle very poorly and like a horrible inflatable raft on mobile, which is both charming and frustrating.
i do not love a turn-based combat. despite the vibes off the charts, including a very well integrated "pirate radio" station as the game's soundtrack, i am not patient enough to muddle through complex turn-based combat. i'm sure someone had fun fighting off six guys and two bears (who aggro anyone and can one-hit anyone) and then a further three guys who show up for backup but i gave it the good old college try over two days and wasn't able to swing it. it would be nice to have either a difficulty setting or some way to spectate the ideal fight, but alas. a lot of fun environmental stuff in the fights you can use to your advantage, like the bears and these trees you can flatten your opponents with in a much earlier fight. there's a fun mix of different characters with different abilities and different weapons you pick up and keep during fights. i have no specific beef with this game's choice to make this the way you move through the game, it's just not my preferred genre.
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a lot of book and newspaper collectibles in this one that i feel of several minds about. it feels less like environmental storytelling through newspapers and just the devs telling me their opinion when they provide little book summaries like this. also i wish The Industry as a whole was more thoughtful about using the word "insurgent".
not a game for me, i have once again confirmed that i cannot tolerate a turn-based combat no matter how much seafaring postapoc you drench it in :(
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making
got a Phantom Menace era curtain panel for $4 at the thrift, and i was convinced it was fabric someone had made into a curtain panel until i got home and discovered it was an officially licensed product with bafflingly generous seams.
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it's about two-ish yards of a 50/50 cotton/poly blend, which i feel like i haven't seen in a while? i think the current fashion leans more 70/30 or 100 poly for curtains i've purchased. after i finish unpicking the seams and pinking it, i am going to throw it in the wash again with some vinegar and see if that softens it up any, or if it makes the transition between the wear lines on the seams and the body of the fabric any nicer.
thinking about what kind of dress to make that 1) shows off this extremely large scale pattern 2) does not look like i am wearing a paper bag, and 3) does not look like the late aughts craft trend of sewing a twin flat Star Wars sheet to a tube top and calling that a dress, bc that's how hard up we were for feminine merch. much to consider. maybe it Will be a maxi skirt with pockets and i can wear one of my seventy black tees on top?
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holdupjack · 1 year ago
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The Captains Princess
——————
Part 2
Pairing: Hermione Granger x Fem!Reader
AU: Pirate/Monarchy
WARNINGS: MENTIONS OF VIOLENCE/SEXUAL INNUENDOS
——————
Third Person P.O.V:
September 18th, 1655
Hermione Granger was part of a well-known and very respected royal family that looked after the island country that fell under Danish rule.
(A/N: I'm talking about Iceland btw, or Islandia if you want to be technical. If I read my history books correctly, which I probably didn't, then Iceland should have been under Danish rule at this point? I'm not sure, just go with it lol)
The island held a Volcano in the southwest, the land around it was now uninhabited, after a horrible tragedy ten years ago.
The mountain had suddenly come to life, spewing ash and molten rock onto the people below. Everyone at the edge of the city was able to evacuate at the time, but most were lost under the hardened rock or simply melted away.
Hermione was eleven at the time, and she remembered watching the smoke pouring over the mountains from her window.
Her mother had ushered her away, closing the window and cooping her up in the library for the entire week.
Yet, she saw what was happening at night.
The sky had gone dark, the lack of the sun and stars caused by ash as it was carried by the wind and into the main city. It covered everything like black paint, forcing everyone to cough and heave as they shoveled everything into wagons, sending it back into the outskirts of the destroyed town.
It took months, but eventually, Hermione was free to roam the city once more. Later did she learn how many of the people had died from the ash and eruption.
The number was staggering.
Now she is twenty-one, well almost, and the population had doubled in size since that day.
Her coronation was to be held tomorrow, on the day of her birth, and where she would take over the kingdom for her father and mother. It wasn't something she was excited about, but she knew it needed to be done.
In all honesty, she wanted to see the world.
She wished to explore the structures of Egypt and the booming colonies of America. Everything she had read in books and newspapers fueled her intrigue to extreme measures, but she had a job to do. Whether she wanted to do it or not.
Hermione now sat in the city garden, the smell of the Lupine flower filled her nose as royal guards stood close by.
Seagulls called over her as she heard the yelling of men and women near the docks, the shade of the Aspen Tree above her made it easier to read the newspaper in her hand.
'Virginia Blockaded By England After Declaring Allegiance To The House Of Stuart'
Hermione knew little about what went on around the world, but it still shocked her with the decisions people made.
"Come on Cap! Why did we even stop at this god-forsaken place?"
The Princess's eyes flickered up to find a group of three walking down the sidewalk nearby.
A woman around her age stood in the middle of them with a wide grin. Two tall men walked on either side of her, they seemed to be twins. One had long hair that was up in a ponytail, while the other kept it almost like a guard's military cut.
"I told you two, we need a new navigator since the last one died in the battle outside the British seas!" She replies as they made their way into one of the pubs. Hermione raised an eyebrow as the group disappeared into the building, the door shutting loudly behind them.
Her curiosity peaked, she wondered how this girl became a captain so young, and had so many questions about the lands outside of her own.
"Excuse me Princess, but we must get you back to the castle. Your mother wanted you to help pick out the last bit of details before your celebration tomorrow" A guard states as he had somehow snuck up beside her.
"Oh yes, let us be going" Hermione mumbled as she stood up and folded the newspaper under her arm. Her eyes stayed on the pub door a few moments longer before she ripped them away.
Yet, she thought back on the Captain.
Only had watched her for less than a minute, but now she seemed to hold her curiosity by the neck.
Maybe she would see her tomorrow?
It was an 'everyone invited' event after all.
——————
September 19th
Hermione sat on her father's throne, wearing a beautiful pure white dress that had originally been her grandmother's coronation dress. The Royal Tailor had taken in it for Hermione to update it to the current times of fashion.
She felt like she was getting married.
Well, she supposed she was in a sense? She was vowing her time, love, and dedication to her country.
The main hall was filled shoulder to shoulder with everyone around the land. Children, adults, and elderly alike all talked amongst each other as servers passed out food and drink.
The coronation wasn't till later in the night when they would crown her at exactly twelve, so she may begin her reign as queen immediately.
Hermione looked down at her lap and sighed softly, she felt as though her life was slipping through her fingers.
A soft whistle cut through the crowd.
She looked back at the party, no one else noticed the call for her acknowledgment, but it wasn't hard to find the whistler.
The Captain from the day before stood at the edge of the crowd, looking up at her with the same grin she wore in the street.
Instead of the normal attire that the women wore, she sported a nice white shirt and some black pants. Hermione could see the passing judgment people gave her as they walked by.
The future Queen raised an eyebrow, to which the Captain nodded her head over to the open balcony near them.
Hermione gave a small smile in return as the Captain disappeared back into the crowd. The royal stood up to follow after, but her mother walked up to her with a puzzled look on her face.
"Who were you eyeing in the crowd? A future husband?" She asks with a slight tease in her voice as Hermione chuckled at the question.
"A new friend, maybe" Hermione replies as she started to make her way into the crowd, her mother raises a brow at her retreating form.
"Getting some air?" She calls after, but Hermione was already too far by the time she did.
The music from the small string band seemed louder on the main floor as people greeted and smiled at her.
As she got to the doorway of the balcony, a guard stopped her with his arm.
"Do you know the woman that is standing out there?" He asks, as she peered out into the night, she could see the back of the Captain's head.
"Yes, and I would like to talk to them in private if you don't mind?" She replies to which he drops his arm and nodded.
He quickly opened the door for her and closed it as soon as she stepped out into the cold air.
"It's nice to finally meet you Queen Granger" the woman speaks as she turned around and smiled again.
"I'm not Queen yet, and please, call me Hermione" she replies as she stepped to the edge of the balcony and looked over the almost vacant city.
"Greetings then Hermione, my name is Captain Y/n Y/l/n. At your service, of course." the woman greets as she held out her hand for her.
Why did that name sound familiar?
Hermione watched her with a playful intrigued stare as she let her hand be taken and kissed upon by the sailor.
"What may I do for you, Captain?" Hermione asks as she felt goosebumps raise from the skin the women had pecked.
The Captain smiled again as she watched the Princess stand at the parapet with her.
(A/N: a parapet is a wall-like structure around a balcony or terrace, saved you guys a Google search.)
"Well, a little birdie told me that you're a prodigy at navigating and that you have helped map out this entire country with your expeditions," Y/n says and Hermione chuckled.
It was true, when she wasn't forced to be cooped up in the castle, Hermione was out mapping and exploring the country. She had journals upon journals in her room filled with sketches of plants, animals, and landmarks.
As you could guess, she had learned from the guardsmen how to use the stars when a compass would fail them in their endeavors
(A/N: btw, didn't know that compasses were invented so early. The first one ever recorded was in 1190. Omg we're learning so many things in this imagine, I love it.)
Her parents were always so worried about killers and thieves when she would plan a trip, but it wasn't like she wasn't being sent out with a small army with her.
"Yes, may I ask why you wanted to know?" Hermione questioned as she stared up at the beautiful night sky. Millions of stars poked through an inky abyss.
"I'll reveal that later on, but before I do, it seems you have questions to ask me" Y/n replied as she smirked at the beautiful royal.
Hermione hummed and thought for a moment, she had many questions, so she had to play her cards right.
"Are you part of a fleet? Or are you a...freelance type of Captain?" the Princess asks discreetly as she heard one of the Guards talking behind the glass door.
"Let's just say I have more fun without a boss around" Y/n replies as Hermione chuckled.
Great, she was talking to a Pirate.
"I'm surprised you haven't recognized me, I've been in the paper recently" the Captain states, causing Hermione to turn to get a better look at her.
Y/n poses as it clicks in Hermione's mind, no wonder her name sounded familiar.
"Wait, are you that Captain that stole almost half of the treasury of Venice?" she replies as Y/n began to snicker quietly as the Princess stared at her in disbelief.
"Ah don't look at me like that! We gave almost all of it back to the people!" Y/n says as she continued to grin at her, to which Hermione just chuckled in astonishment.
"Have you come to steal our treasury then? Distract me while your friends pillage us dry?" she asks with honest questioning, which caused Y/n to laugh softly at her conclusion.
"That's a smart idea, I might have to try it sometime, but no. We didn't come to steal any money from you." she replied as she turned her body toward the Princess, who didn't even look concerned at the fact that she was standing shoulder to shoulder with an enemy of many cities
"Then why did you come here?" Hermione asks as she turned herself towards her mysterious company.
Y/n's eyes travel down her body slowly, the royal felt hot for some reason, it wasn't foreign to Hermione to feel men undressing her with their eyes.
Maybe because it was a woman this time around that she felt...different.
Yet, it wasn't an uncomfortable feeling.
"My crew and I came here looking for the best navigator in this country since we're on a hit list in the other ones," Y/n says as she gazed back up into Hermione sight. The Captain's intrigue in her past time now made a lot more sense.
"Before you even ask, the answer is 'no'." Hermione states as Y/n rolled her eyes.
"Aw come on Princess, I've been watching you at this party all night, and you have been miserable!" Y/n sighs, which sort of reminded Hermione of an annoyed child trying to prove their point.
"I've made a promise to my country-"
"Not yet"
"-and my parents! I'm not going to run off with some pirate Captain that thinks of herself as a modern-day Robin Hood!" Hermione whispers with her own annoyance laced in her words.
"Who said you have to take over anyways?" Y/n asks as she stepped closer, forcing Hermione to take in the sea salt aroma she carried on her skin, which wasn't a surprise.
"No one said! I'm just doing my due diligence to my family-" she was cut off again by the captain's eye roll.
"You know what? Why am I even arguing with you? The answer is 'no'." Hermione whisper yells as she turned on her heel and went to step back into the party.
"When was the last time you did something for yourself?"
This made the Princess pause and turn back around. Her mouth fell slightly at the question that was just asked to her. She has never been talked to like this, and it ticked her off to see that Captain's face was still grinning.
"Excuse me?" She laughs out in disbelief as Y/n jumped up onto the wall around the balcony, and sat down.
"It's a fair question, you seem like you've had all the fun sucked out of you since you were little" Y/n hums as Hermione slightly tripped up on her dress, but walked up to her nonetheless.
"All have you know, I am very fun" she protests with a pointed finger as Y/n just playful smiled at her, trying to keep the conversation going between them.
Why was Hermione even trying to defend her personality from some grinning criminal pirate?
"Also, stop smiling!" She whispers as Y/n looked her over again, letting her lips fall from her toothy grin to a subtle rise of the corners of her mouth.
"I'm sorry Princess, I just find you very pretty" she admits, which caused Hermione to be struck dumbfounded.
Who just admits that after asking a Princess to join their gang of murderous pirates?
"Well, uh, thank you," Hermione says as she cleared her throat, and smoothed down the front of the dress. Her embarrassment from her outburst started to set in, she never got this upset with anyone, and she has sat down with political parties.
"But flattery won't get you anywhere" she states as Y/n picked at a loose string on her pant leg.
"Listen, my ship is docked at the east bay. I'll have one of my men holding a lantern on deck during his patrols, in case you want to visit me before your crowning." Y/n says as she jumped back into the floor and dusted off her pants, pulling out a pocket watch.
"You have two hours before you get crowned and we head off to some new land that people are calling the 'West Indies'. A friend of mine was even able to send us a map of its location, we'll get there with or without you." Y/n states as Hermione's interest seemed to skyrocket again.
"You said that you needed a navigator? Won't you get lost?" She replies as Y/n stuffs the device back in her pocket.
"I'm not just a ruthless Robin Hood Captain with a small army of society rejects, but I'm also a decent enough Wayfinder!" Y/n hums as she went to step towards the door, back into the party. Hermione quickly stopped her with a hand to the Captain's chest, she burned her eyes into Y/n's.
"You'll be lost within a day" Hermione states as Y/n leaned closer, causing their noses to bump slightly.
"Maybe, or we'll be right as rain" she replies as they stared at one another with glares that held different meanings. It's quiet between them as the people in the hall began to sing a drinking song.
"Too bad you'll be marrying yourself off to some child-like man" Y/n mumbled as she let her harden gaze drop, Hermione furrowed her brows at the statement.
A questionable time to bring that up.
"Why do you say that? Do you think you could do better?" She asks with a scoff as the Captain took her arm and began to move them to a secluded corner.
"Much better" Y/n whispers as they hide from any prying eyes in the main hall. Hermione hummed as the woman stepped even closer, their heads tilted to the side as their lips ghosted one another's.
"You say that, but you probably have a different girl in your quarters every night," the Princess says as her hands grasped Y/n's hips in an attempt to steady herself.
Hermione started to question her own intentions at this moment, trying to figure out how their argument turned so scandalous in a matter of seconds.
"I haven't been to bed with another in many voyages, but when I saw you in that garden yesterday, I knew that needed to change," Y/n admits as her body pinned Hermione to the wall behind her.
"You saw me?" Hermione asks as the sailor hummed and pressed a kiss to the corner of the royal's lips.
"My crew thinks I'm just asking you to be our navigator, but I have had my own intentions from the start," Y/n says as she left a trail of kisses down to Hermione's neck.
She should push her away, Hermione knew better than to let a random criminal kiss and nip on her skin like this, but in all honesty...she was enjoying this Captain's touch more than she would like to admit.
"Come sail by my side, be my Princess" Y/n whispers into her ear, sending a shiver down Hermione's back as goosebumps rose onto her arms and her hands gripped the woman's hips.
"I don't know you, or your intentions" Hermione replies as Y/n kissed her jaw, but she ultimately hummed in agreement.
"That's true, you don't know anything about me" she states as she backed away to look at the flushed girl, who looks as if she had dipped her face in red paint.
"But, we have a little bit of time before your crowning, so what would you like to know?" Y/n asks as she stepped away and jumped back to sit on the balcony again.
They could now be seen again by any snooping partygoers and patrolling guards.
Hermione stood up straight as she pushed down the wrinkles on her dress, and brushed away any lint or dirt she saw.
"You!...you should know better than to push yourself onto a Princess!" She whispers as Y/n's grin made its reappearance, almost teasing her to come closer and make it disappear.
Whether from a slap or a kiss, Hermione wasn't certain.
"You could have pushed me away" Y/n replies, making the young Granger pause and try to come up with a valid excuse.
"You caught me off guard"
"Mhm"
Y/n began to quietly snicker as Hermione just huffed and crossed her arms against her chest. She was making herself out to be a stupid bratty princess, and she was not.
"You know that asking someone you find pretty to join your crew and leave her country behind, isn't a very good way to ask them on a date" Hermione chuckles as she started to relax slightly, now finding her smile less irritating as time went on.
"I've never asked a woman on a date before, I use to only pay for their company when I was younger," Y/n says as she shrugged her shoulders and looked down at her dangling feet.
Hermione noted the embarrassed behavior she exhibited, almost like she was insecure that she had to pay for a woman in her bed at night.
"I understand when it comes to society on land, with their prejudices about two women being together." Hermione starts as she thought back on the people who had been run out of their city because of silly ideals.
"Yet, I thought Pirates didn't care? As long as they got their drinks, money, and partners out of it." She asks as she heard a clank of beer mugs and cheers from men inside.
"Of course, they don't care, it's just hard to date another sailing woman, especially if they are part of another ship" Y/n answers with a sigh as she pinched the bridge of her nose.
"You must have girls on your own crew then?" Hermione questioned as she took a step closer. Y/n look back at her with a laugh and shook her head in quick succession.
"They're like my sisters!" Y/n states, which made Hermione chuckle as well. She guessed that made sense since probably being on a ship for months on end would bring them all closer as a family more than anything,
"Also, all of my crew has lads or lasses back home waiting for them to return" Y/n continues as she laid down on the parapet, one leg swung over the edge while her other foot was planted on the stone, and her knee pointed to the sky,
"Be careful, we're high up" Hermione stated as she stepped closer, her fingers twitched as she stopped herself from grabbing ahold of the girl.
They were just one story up, but it was still high enough to break something.
"I've fallen from the crow's nest of my ship, multiple times! This is nothing." Y/n chuckles as she locked her fingers and puts them behind her head as a makeshift pillow.
"I'm guessing you drank one too many pints?" Hermione asks as her eyes scanned the Captain's body.
"See? You're getting to know me so well already!" Y/n replies as they chuckled together.
"Did you land in the water each time? Or have you somehow not died from that yet?" The Princess asks as her hand finally grasped the hem of her shirt.
"Almost all were in the water, but last time I hurt myself real bad" Y/n replies as one hand snuck out from under her head and hooked a finger around the fabric between Hermione's breasts, pulling her closer again.
They weren't hiding anymore, this was a dangerous position to be in, but maybe that was the point.
Was Y/n trying to get her shunned from the castle for engaging in scandalous behavior with another woman?
A fucked up way to force her to join her crew?
Hermione suddenly backed away and cleared her throat, pushing down her wrinkles again.
"As entertaining as this conversation has been, I must go back to my party" she sighs as her chin went back to being high and mighty, and her back as straight as a wooden beam.
"Do you have to?" Y/n asks as she sat back up, causing Hermione to smile. Her childlike questions were almost begging, like she truly didn't want Hermione to walk away.
"I must, it is my birthday party after all" she replies and Y/n hums as she thought of an excuse for her to stay just a little bit longer.
"Just answer one more question," Y/n asks to which Hermione raised her eyebrow in return as the Captain stood back in front of her.
"Will I see you tonight?"
They stared at one another for a few moments, the air around them was chilly, but a slight heat seem to burn between them.
Hermione then just walked away.
That told Y/n that it wasn't a 'no', but it wasn't a 'yes' either.
She wondered what went through that beauty's mind, and if she knew that she had easily gotten a stoic sailor on her toes.
——————
When Y/n had arrived back at the port with no one in tow, Ginny gave a loud sigh from the deck of 'The Morrigan'.
"Captain on deck!" Ron yells near the bow of the ship.
"Is she-" she starts but the Captain quickly raised her hand in a 'stop' gesture and grabbed the lantern that hung near the entrance of her quarters.
"She still has an hour until her crowning, which I told her we will leave at exactly then also," Y/n says as she handed Ginny the lantern, and smiled at her irritated expression.
"What does that even mean?" the ginger replies as the sounds of her twin brothers echo from the crow's nest.
"Look at that whale Freddie! Looks like your ex-girlfriend!"
It was funny to think that half her crew was just the entire Weasley family.
"Just keep this lantern lit as you do your patrols around the deck" Y/n states as she patted the girl's shoulder and disappeared into her quarters.
As the door shut behind her, a soft groan came from her lips as she grabbed her hat from the hook on the wall.
Placing it on her head, she took a seat at her desk and began looking at the new inventory report.
Molly has requested more fruit cabbage for her kitchen, while Draco has asked for a new pair of boots. Harry needs new glasses, and Blaise needs to go to the blacksmith and sharpen his swords.
Y/n felt a headache begin to form as she tried to figure out a way to get everyone these things. This kingdom had almost everything, but she would have to dig through the old navigator's journal entries to find out where they got Harry's glasses the last time he broke them.
She needed help, and she didn't know how to ask for it without looking vulnerable in front of her crew. Y/n was only one person, and she needed someone as sophisticated as Hermione.
Granted, Y/n still planned to make Hermione hers, but that would have to wait.
Minutes went by quicker than she had realized as she scanned through the reports of everything below deck. She eventually noticed that it was ten to twelve.
"Come on Hermione" Y/n whispers as she stood up and walked back onto the deck.
"Begin preparations for departure!" Y/n yells out as a chorus of 'Ayes' rung out around her.
Ginny still stood near the walkway with the lantern in hand as she stared out into the town, which seemed devoid of life if it wasn't for the castle that was lit up like a fireworks display.
"I don't think she's coming" Y/n whispers as Ginny just hummed.
"You've always been so quick to judge" she replied as her eyes flickered towards different corners of the streets that stood in front of her.
"Ready Captain!" Percy states from his post as he stood at the stern with his hand on his pistol.
Percy always seemed to know when trouble was headed their way, it was almost like a gut instinct for him to grab his weapon.
"There she is" Ginny chuckles as she tapped Y/n's chest with the back of her hand.
Y/n's head snapped to find Hermione bolting down the street towards them, she now wore pants and a shirt instead of the beautiful white dress she had been given earlier in the day.
The Captain quickly made her way to the walkway, but soon noticed that she wasn't just running to get to them in time. Y/n heard the yelling of guards and began to smile.
"Once she's on the ship, time to go!" Y/n called as Draco took ahold of the wheel, and barked orders at the boys on the deck.
Hermione caught the Captain's eyes as she dashed down the dock towards them, and smiled at her, to which Y/n broke out in a grin in response.
"Come on Princess! We don't have all night!" Y/n teased as she held out her hand for her to take across the board between land and ship.
As soon as their hands grasped one another's, Y/n yanked her on deck and let Ron and Harry quickly pull the wood onto the ship as well.
"Full sails! Get us out of here!" Y/n yelled as the woosh of the sails fell and took in the wind of the sea.
Tens of hundreds of footsteps pounded on the dock as they pulled away, one guard had managed to jump and grab the side of the ship, but Pansy was able to just lean over and wack away his hands with the butt of her sword.
He didn't fall into the water at first, but her threat was able to make him choose his fate.
"Let go, or I'm chopping them off"
He quickly dropped into the cold unforgiving ocean.
Y/n darted towards the stern as The Morrgian began to take speed and drift off into the night.
She watched as hundreds of guards stood at the docks watching as their future queen ran off with one of the most hated pirates in the seven seas.
"I'll kill you Y/l/n!" A man yells from his place in the troops, from the crown on his head, she hadn't had to guess that he was King Granger.
"Well, that's one way to make a first impression on the crew!" Ginny snickers as she greeted Hermione on the deck.
"It would have been a lot calmer if my father hadn't caught me sneaking away" she replies as she put her back into a ponytail with a few hairpins she had left in her pockets.
"We'll have an introduction party tomorrow, right now Hermione and I need to begin setting a course for the West Indies" Y/n joked as she made her way back to the deck, Hermione stumbled slightly as the ship swayed side to side.
"Don't worry Princess, you'll get your sea legs eventually" the Captain snickers as she gestured to her quarters, and held out her hand for Hermione to take for stability.
As she took it, Blaise began to sing a chantey proudly, to which the crew joined in as well as they began their Mundane chores around the ship.
Y/n shut her door behind them, muffling the ruffians, as Hermione took in the beautiful books and maps that were scattered around.
"These are beautiful" Hermione whispers as she walked around the space with so much intrigue.
"I would hope so, since you'll be living in here" Y/n states as points to another desk that face the window that looks out into the sea behind the ship. A small bed lay next to it, almost looking untouched since its last owner as many books and papers were scattered around the space.
She could see her home fading away as they drifted away further.
"Wait, the Captain and Navigator share the same room?" Hermione asks as she turned back to find Y/n suddenly standing almost face to face with her.
"Of course, you're my right hand now" she mumbles as her eyes flickered around Hermione's face.
"If there wasn't already evidence of this cot being lived in, I would think you had done this on purpose" Hermione chuckles as Y/n brushed past her and took a seat at her desk.
"We could always push our cots together? Make this space very lived-in" Y/n suggests as Hermione stood in front of her, the only thing separating them was the desk of the captain.
"You would like that, wouldn't you?" the former royal asks as she leaned down and restart her hands upon the wood.
"Certainly, I like to have my treasures close by me" Y/n whispers as she herself leaned closer, and like earlier in the night, they stared at one another intensely.
Hermione smirked and brushed her nose against hers in a teasing manner.
"You think of me as one of your treasures?" she replies in a hushed tone as she heard a soft shudder come from the sailor.
"Yes, I've caught myself a princess after all" Y/n mutters as Hermione pecked the corner of her mouth.
She was using her tricks.
"Did you? Or did I catch myself a Captain?"
Y/n's grin found a home on her lips once more for the night, before being wiped away with a kiss from Hermione.
The captain saw stars behind her eyes that were more beautiful than the ones in the sky.
The poor Captain tried to chase after another one as she backed away with a mischievous smile.
"As fun, as it is to fool around with you, we do have work to do" Hermione states as she walked towards her new desk, her hand squeezing Y/n's shoulder as she went by.
Hermione could feel eyes burning into the back of her head as she sat down and took a book from one of the piles.
"If you want more, you have to woo me, my Captain," she says as she whispers the last part in a sultry tone.
Even though her decision to betray her country was almost just for the fact to see the world, she also knew a part of her wanted to see how a flirty Captain would treat her during their months at sea.
She knew sooner or later she would allow herself to be taken into the Captain's arms and ravished behind closed doors.
Yet, she still wanted to be treated like a proper lady, and it was going to be fun to watch an urchin like Y/n try her best at it.
Hermione could only chuckle as she heard Y/n walk out to the deck and begin asking questions about dates to her crew, having left the door open slightly.
This is going to be fun.
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angel-maybe-alive · 2 years ago
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Today I went to the towns library (had to go to the dentist and the library was close so I decided to go because this is the first time in two years I had a excuse to go out)
And I really think it's funny how booktok people act like there's anything groundbreaking about the female gaze (misused term) spicy (I fucking hate this term) books
Because I am sorry but my towns library has mostly old books and there's a whole shelf of violently 80s erotica and it's hilarious how nothing changed from horny white women in 1985 and horny white women today
(to not say nothing really changed there's less mainstream erotica about native(they do not use the term native) fetishism and orientalist power fantasies about vaguely arab kingdoms who came direct from Disney's Alladin also they have less faes and the men are bigger and more manly(also the hair because it's the 80s and all women love a guy with neck length curls)
But it's all there the criminal porn (they seemed to be more into pirates and cowboys) the royal porn(king's knights and a Lancelot/Guinevere fanfic that I almost wanted to read) the monster fucking but not really (it seems like it's being almost 50 years of women wanting to bang wherewolves ) the rapey themes the bland self inserts all of it
It was always there and you know I respect those books (minus the racist ones because holy shit I'm not joking about the fetishism part) because they were truth about what they are it's mommy porn for lonely middle-aged women
But like booktok books seem so afraid of being just erotica like they have to have something else going on Sarah j Maas didn't wrote a bad fae porn it's a epic fantasy lightlark isn't a bad courtly porn it's a hunger games with royals (it isn't)
And I actually believe that why the authors do this (not sell their clear erotica as erotica but bullshit some feminist mcguffin quest thingy in the background to justify the porn) because they are afraid of being called what they are mommy porn authors
(literally one of the authors looked just like a older sjm )
And this is my problem there's nothing wrong with writing mindless pornography I do have a problem with trying to pass mindless pornography as something else
Anyway I'm still a little numb of the anesthesia so this is just a rambling
But I also want to say the men they put on those old covers are fucking hot maybe it's the slutty half open frilly shirts and long hair maybe it's that look of a guy who smoked a pack of cigarettes before breakfast but god they look so fine
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labyrinth-runner · 11 months ago
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On the Fence
So I decided to watch Pirates of the Caribbean and now Pirate Obi is living back in my head rent free. I'm using a starter from the cliched list here :
There's people chasing us and I pulled you into an alley and wow you're close.
Summary: This sorta is the prologue to all the other Pirate!Obi stuff. Or sorta the prologue. If I ever get around to turning this into a larger thing, I'll probably have all these pieces to string together.
Word count: ~1100
Pairing: Pirate!Obi x You
Warnings: None
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The urge to keep looking over your shoulder kept nagging at you. You kept your face trained carefully on the market place ahead of you, pretending to inspect the fruit in the stand to your right. Still, you couldn't shake the feeling that you were being watched. It was making you regret sneaking out of your father's estate to come down to the bazaar, but the vendors were having a special sale and you couldn't wait until the new year for the traders from the north to come south again. Not when you were running low on supplies.
You'd read through all the books in your father's library. You were getting tired of the mundanity of the island, and this was the closest you'd get to freedom, your whole life planned out for you already. The Count's visit coinciding with your debut ball hardly seemed to be anything but planned. Your hand brushed along the cover of a brown leather novel sitting on the table. Treasure Island. You smiled wistfully at the idea of pirates. There hadn't been a pirate in port in years. Not since the navy built a fort. You pressed two gold coins into the palm of the seller and tucked the book into your basket. There weren't many gold coins left in your purse, so you'd have to be frugal about how you spent them. You pulled your hood further down your face and moved onto the next booth when you caught a grisly looking man staring a little too hard at your face.
This vendor was selling jewelry. Necklaces with glittering gems and bracelets made of precious metal. Your eye caught on a particular ring, the gem as blue as the deep sea. With a shake of your head, you moved on. You couldn't spend your money on trinkets. Not that you needed another one, that is. As you went to move on, a hand reached out and pulled you into an alley. Their hand clamped down on your mouth to stifle a scream. It smelled like salt.
"Shhhh, lass. I won't hurt you," he murmured. His voice had a lilt to it, and an accent that you hadn't heard in a while. He turned you so you could face him and you were met with the most handsome man you'd ever seen. His sandy brown hair fell into his eyes, and you could faintly make out a dimple under his short beard. A cutlass hung from his side.
Pirate.
His eyes widened, following your gaze. "I won't hurt you, lass," he repeated the words slowly and gently. "Now I'm going to remove my hand."
True to his word, he lifted his hand from your mouth.
"Why did you pull me in here?" you demanded, poking him hard in the chest.
He waved you closer to the edge of the alley and nodded towards that grisly figure you'd seen earlier. "You see him?"
"What's so special about him?" you asked.
"That's Hondo," he murmured. "And having his attention won't do you an ounce of good. Although, I don't know what he'd want with you, lass. He typically doesn't come on land often, and when he does, it isn't for women." He sounded puzzled.
You turned to look up at him, realizing just how close you were to him, close enough to feel his breath on your cheek, and took a step back, swallowing the lump in your throat. You averted your eyes from his lips, which for some reason the close proximity had given you a very good look at. "I didn't realize a pirate would fear another pirate."
"Who said I'm a pirate, lass?"
You raised your brow at him and gestured to his... everything.
He smirked. "I don't fear him. I just would rather not engage in the defense of a lady here if I can help it." He licked his lips. "I don't need to start a fight that could endanger civilians."
"Don't pirates attack civilian ships all the time?" you asked incredulously, confused at this man's morals.
"I don't," he said, thumb pointing at his chest. "Now, lass, I'll give you a boost over the fence at the end of the alley and I want you to go straight home. Can you do that?"
"Who are you to order me around?" you scoffed.
"I'm a Captain. I'm used to giving the orders."
"Well, you aren't on your ship now, Captain," you teased.
He groaned. "Lass, please. I'd feel a lot better going to sleep tonight if I knew that that ugly devil didn't have an innocent beauty in his clutches."
"So this is strictly to ease your conscience," you said with a sigh, not quite sure why you felt disappointed by that, walking towards the aforementioned fence. You knew it would lead to the back of the inn, and from there you could cut back through the Menningson's garden and be on the border of your estate within the hour with your father being none the wiser of your disappearance if all went according to plan. You reached a hand up to grab the top of the fence. His hands came up to your waist to help hoist you up. They were warm through the bodice of your dress. He looked up at you, perched on top of the fence. You couldn't tell if his cheeks were red from the sun or something else.
"Fairwell, lass." He said, a soft smile on his face. His eyes were so incredibly blue.
"Fair seas and kind skies, Captain," you replied before dropping down to the other side. You landed with a plop, dusting off your skirts as you stood. He was a strange pirate, you thought. Not that you'd have any pirate to really compare him to. You replayed your interaction in your head, marveling at how kind he had been.
And then you remembered that he'd called you a beauty and blushed, heat stinging your cheeks.
The forest lining your estate came into view and you picked up your pace, noting the position of the sun in the sky. You'd lost time talking to the pirate, and now you were sure you'd be caught and scolded by your mother coming to fetch you for tea if you didn't hurry. Your skirts swished around you as you ran, the hood flying off your head. Branches snapped under your feet, masking the sound of the others in the wood with you.
Your father's estate rose ahead of you, white marble and imposing as it gleamed in the sun. Your window was still open, giving you hope. Grabbing the trellis like a ladder, you climbed back into your room, hiding both your purchase and your leftover money in your window seat. Closing the window, you didn't see the men hiding in the forest below, their shadows blending into the trees.
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Was I the asshole for pirating a book?
This happened back in early college, I was still living with my conservative (and lowkey controlling and emotionally abusive) parents. I heard that this new book Red, White, and Royal Blue was really good, and I wanted to read it, but it's a gay romance and I was frightened of getting caught with it. I was only recently a legal adult, so my dad was still on my bank account and library card, and could see where I spent my money and what books I borrowed (I had gotten in trouble before for checking out good omens so I knew they monitored it)
In hindsight I definitely could have gotten him removed from my accounts first and just borrowed/bought the book, but at the time I was afraid he'd ask why and I'd get caught. Or that mom would find the receipt in my trash or something (she went through it sometimes) and I'd get caught. I just wanted to have zero way to trace it back to me, zero paper trail to follow--so I pirated it.
It's been years now, but I still feel guilty. Pirating books is bad for authors, I never do it, and I know early sales numbers of debut books in particular are important. Sure I was in a difficult situation, but I also could have just...not read it. Or waited a few years til I was out from under their watch and read it then, but I didn't. And while I do feel guilty, I don't super regret it because it was suuuuuuch a good book, and I needed a pick-me-up at the time for obvious reasons.
(also, for context, I'm not lgbtq+, so it's not like i was seeing rep of myself for the first time and it was something i desperately needed. it was just a very very good story when i needed one.)
I kinda forgot this had happened til recently, but it's been bothering me, so I'm saving up money to buy like ten copies and give them to little free libraries and such.
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lyonnerileyauthor · 4 days ago
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I saw your poll abut kindle unlimited and was wondering if this was you testing out to see if you should put books on amazon into KU.
I can say as an author who had some books in KU for a long while and recently took them out of KU because I didn't like the exclusivity deal, it was not worth it. My books are in an adjacent niche to yours and I saw a small drop in income upon removing the books from KU for about a month, and then I actually started earning slightly more after that.
Since KU has the exclusivity deal in place, that also means no more than 10% of your story can appear anywhere else on the internet, and if amazon detects that it is out there (such as someone pirating the book and posting it elsewhere on the internet), they will treat it as if you intentionally went against the exclusivity contract and ban you.
Might be my general dislike of amazon and KU speaking, but I feel like KU is basically never worth the hassle and stress unless you write cishet m/f mainstream romance with regular humans.
it's a little bit of this, a little bit of that. there's a discussion happening right now around readers boycotting KU/Audible, while some authors argue that it will disproportionately hurt indies. (I have no opinion on that.)
but yesterday I posted this very simple statement on Threads:
friendly reminder to new authors that you don't have to be in KU to succeed in indie publishing.
I say this as someone who has been wide since the beginning ("wide" means not in KU/exclusive to Amazon). I got a surprising amount of pushback and rudeness in return, specifically citing the "accessibility" of KU. that's why I wanted to ask folks over here about it, because I don't agree with that argument at all. my books are available to everyone, in any country—you can even get them in libraries and on hoopla. that, to me, is true "accessibility." I think a lot of regular people don't have KU and don't even know what it is.
fwiw, my one KU book has performed very poorly compared to the rest of my wide catalog (in terms of dollars earned), so my experience aligns pretty well with yours.
I have one specific book that I plan to release to KU for a limited time next year, but I might change my mind before then. we'll see.
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bookloover35 · 5 months ago
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Book nerd.
Book nerd a nickname i've had for a long as i can remember, a nickname i got from my family.
A nickname that I actually don't mind being called.
I love books, in them you can disappear to worlds that don't exist, you can be anything.
In the world of books, you can be an explorer, historian, a pirate, a mermaid or even a witch.
And I have to admit, I'm the kind of person who loves how books smell.
( yes I am that person).
But one thing I never thought would happen was that all the monsters that are in my favorite books would exist in real life.
The hard truth I found out the day i met San and Dean.
So all of the monsters I've read about are real, yippee.
Why couldn't i just have kept my old life.
I had a good life, just me, my dog Shadow and my  books, okay I don't regret meeting Sam and Dean, but still.
My life changed completely after i met those brothers.
I met them during a hunting trip they came to my job and needed my help to find a book about a Djinn there were hunting.
After that I started to follow them and i became a hunter myself and i became their friend and library.
Sometimes I followed them on hunting trips and sometimes i stayed behind and searched for information.
Shadow luckily got to come with us, after I managed to convince Dean that i would not leave without my dog.
And it didn't take much to convince Dean to take him with us and Dean and Shadow became best friends.
Ring ring........
Oh Sam is calling, I answered him with a happy tone.
Yn: Hey handsome.
Oh did i forget to tell that me and Sam are in a relationship.
Sam/Dean: Hey love,
Hey book nerd.
Yn: Dean just because I don't mind being called book nerd doesn't mean that you have to use it all the time.
How are you Sam?
Sam: I'm fine love I'm just missing you.
Dean: hey lovers I'm here to how's Shadow doing?
Shadow woke up from his nap when he heard Dean calling his name and came running to me vary happy.
I started to petting him on his head.
Yn: He's okay Dean, misses you.
What have you done with my dog he loves you more than me.
I said laughing in the phone.
But it's true that Shadow and Dean are really best friends.
Dean: He knows that I am the best.
But you we didn't just call to check on how you are doing.
Sam: Yn we need your help, we want you to be able to bring out everything you know about hybrids.
Hum hybrids, hybrids I think a have a couple of books about just that.
Yn: Can you be a little more specific, I have a couple of books.
Sam: We are looking for a hybrid that is a mix of shapeshifter, Djinn and a witch.
Yn: wow okay i definitely have a book about that but it will take a while, but i will call you guys when I'm done.
Dean: Talk to you later Yn.
Sam: Your awesome baby, i love you.
Yn: I love you too Sammy and I know that I'm awesome.
The end.
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purplesaline · 3 months ago
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Piracy is preservation, and authors would rather have their books in front of people who can't access many books for free instead of looking those people in the eye and saying "fork over your month's earnings"
Shut up
To be clear, I'm not against Piracy in general. In fact I'm not only an advocate, I'm a prolific pirate myself.
I'm sure you can find a handful of authors who feel that way, but those I know personally (one indie author and one traditionally published) as well as those I've seen comment on the issue are adamant that piracy has caused them significant personal harm.
They'd far rather people who can't afford their books use libraries to access them or, if the libraries they have access too don't carry the book(d), they'd rather people reach out to them personally to arrange for a copy within their budget (sometimes including for free).
Pirating books is not the same as pirating movies. It's the difference between attacking a Spanish galleon and a fishing sloop.
Bigger names like Brandon Sanderson, Steven King, Diana Gabaldon, etc have a entire fleet of sloops and are unlikely to miss a couple going missing, but the less famous (and thus less highly paid) authors can have their entire career ruined by their book being pirated. It can even prevent them from getting offered another book deal, meaning there won't be any more books by that author for you to read.
We aren't entitled to the intellectual property of others. Full stop.
If the author wanted their book to be free, they'd have made it freely available (as some do!). Maybe if everyone had a universal basic income that covered the cost of living we'd see more art available at no cost, but as it stands artists need to make a living too and that means they need to earn a profit to survive. If they can't do that with their art they have to find another way to do it which means less time and energy to make art.
Not to mention the advance an author gets is usual peanuts, and unlike actors who get paid by the time the movie is out, an advance isn't a wage and if the author doesn't sell enough books they have to give back whatever amount of the advance the sale of their books didn't cover. If they get a $5000 advance and only sell $3000 worth of books they owe the publisher $2000.
Again, I'm not against piracy. I am against harming individual artists to the point where it significantly impacts their career. I want more art in this world.
I'm also not telling people they can't, or shouldn't pirate books. I'm against it but I'm not trying to for e others to believe the same as me. I'm providing information so people can make a more informed decision and better understand the consequences of their choices.
So do what you will with the info I've provided. Just be willing to acknowledge the harm you cause with those choices. Even the piracy I take part in causes harm on a smaller scale.
I have no argument against "I don't care, I'm doing it anyway" and I won't bother trying to argue it.
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