#minor/background ships include

[jamingbenn]

year in review - hockey rpf on ao3

hello!! the annual ao3 year in review had some friends and i thinking - wouldn't it be cool if we had a hockey rpf specific version of that. so i went ahead and collated the data below!!

i start with a broad overview, then dive deeper into the 3 most popular ships this year (with one bonus!)

if any images appear blurry, click on them to expand and they should become clear!

₊˚⊹♡ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁𐙚 ‧₊˚ ⋅. ݁

before we jump in, some key things to highlight: - CREDIT TO: the webscraping part of my code heavily utilized the ao3 wrapped google colab code, as lovingly created by @kyucultures on twitter, as the main skeleton. i tweaked a couple of things but having it as a reference saved me a LOT of time and effort as a first time web scraper!!! thank you stranger <3 - please do NOT, under ANY circumstances, share any part of this collation on any other website. please do not screenshot or repost to twitter, tiktok, or any other public social platform. thank u!!! T_T - but do feel free to send requests to my inbox! if you want more info on a specific ship, tag, or you have a cool idea or wanna see a correlation between two variables, reach out and i should be able to take a look. if you want to take a deeper dive into a specific trope not mentioned here/chapter count/word counts/fic tags/ship tags/ratings/etc, shoot me an ask!

˚　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 . ★⋆. ࿐࿔

with that all said and done... let's dive into hockey_rpf_2024_wrapped_insanity.ipynb

BIG PICTURE OVERVIEW

i scraped a total of 4266 fanfics that dated themselves as published or finished in the year 2024. of these 4000 odd fanfics, the most popular ships were:

Note: "Minor or Background Relationship(s)" clocked in at #9 with 91 fics, but I removed it as it was always a secondary tag and added no information to the chart. I did not discern between primary ship and secondary ship(s) either!

breaking down the 5 most popular ships over the course of the year, we see:

super interesting to see that HUGE jump for mattdrai in june/july for the stanley cup final. the general lull in the offseason is cool to see as well.

as for the most popular tags in all 2024 hockey rpf fic...

weee like our fluff. and our established relationships. and a little H/C never hurt no one.

i got curious here about which AUs were the most popular, so i filtered down for that. note that i only regex'd for tags that specifically start with "Alternate Universe - ", so A/B/O and some other stuff won't appear here!

idk it was cool to me.

also, here's a quick breakdown of the ratings % for works this year:

and as for the word counts, i pulled up a box plot of the top 20 most popular ships to see how the fic length distribution differed amongst ships:

mattdrai-ers you have some DEDICATION omg. respect

now for the ship by ship break down!!

₊ . ݁ ݁ . ⊹ ࣪ ˖͙͘͡★ ⊹ .

#1 MATTDRAI

most popular ship this year. peaked in june/july with the scf. so what do u people like to write about?

fun fun fun. i love that the scf is tagged there like yes actually she is also a main character

₊ . ݁ ݁ . ⊹ ࣪ ˖͙͘͡★ ⊹ .

#2 SIDGENO

(my babies) top tags for this ship are:

folks, we are a/b/o fiends and we cannot lie. thank you to all the selfless authors for feeding us good a/b/o fic this year. i hope to join your ranks soon.

(also: MPREG. omega sidney crosby. alpha geno. listen, the people have spoken, and like, i am listening.)

₊ . ݁ ݁ . ⊹ ࣪ ˖͙͘͡★ ⊹ .

#3 NICOJACK

top tags!!

it seems nice and cozy over there... room for one more?

₊ . ݁ ݁ . ⊹ ࣪ ˖͙͘͡★ ⊹ .

BONUS: JDTZ.

i wasnt gonna plot this but @marcandreyuri asked me if i could take a look and the results are so compelling i must include it. are yall ok. do u need a hug

top tags being h/c, angst, angst, TRADES, pining, open endings... T_T katie said its a "torture vortex" and i must concurr

₊ . ݁ ݁ . ⊹ ࣪ ˖͙͘͡★ ⊹ .

BONUS BONUS: ALPHA/BETA/OMEGA

as an a/b/o enthusiast myself i got curious as to what the most popular ships were within that tag. if you want me to take a look about this for any other tag lmk, but for a/b/o, as expected, SID GENO ON TOP BABY!:

thats all for now!!! if you have anything else you are interested in seeing the data for, send me an ask and i'll see if i can get it to ya!

[2dmax]

2dmax 🌻🥀 custom art commissions

PWYW & chibi special for Fall-Winter 2024

full size art examples & sorta retro chibi examples humans, humanoids, furries, ferals, robots, anthros, etc. OK read about the conditions and how to order below 👇

thanks for reblogging!

Pay What You Want, Get What You Get Full Size Commissions 💸

Can be an icon, bust, half body, full body

Higher budget means more complexity, # of subjects, and control

Lower budgets offer more control to the artist, single subject

Working digitally/traditionally is up to the artist's discretion

Materials/stylistic choices are up to the artist's discretion

Revisions, major or minor, are up to the artist's discretion

Presence of background, scene, props, up to artist's discretion

Characters/outfits/props may be simplified or slightly altered

full size art examples -- other commission types

For reference sheets, group lineups, 18"x24" posters, paperclay dolls, or comic book pages, please see "other commission types".

$10 Sorta Retro Chibis 🎨

Single character, drawn on approx. 6" x 4 1/2" paper

Materials used are typically black and color ink

Artist controls pose, outfit, props, background, simplification

You will have a chance to approve the sketch

No revisions past that point

Tips are appreciated, but do not affect outcome

sorta retro chibi examples

How To Order & What To Expect 📬

Message me, or fill out my google form

Send me visual and/or text references

Tell me about the characters personality or special meaning to you

Include any preferences or notes on important elements

Provide payment info - for ppal please provide your email!

Provide the email address I can send the finished artwork to

I will communicate with you and confirm your request!

You will be given a link to my Trello queue

Payment is due once the sketch is confirmed

Each order takes approx. 2-7 days to complete

Delays will be mentioned on the Trello

Traditional art can be shipped at-cost

Terms and Conditions 📜

Your commission is for personal use; icons, roleplaying, in your blog theme, as a wallpaper, or to print out and tape to your fridge. Commercial use can be negotiated.

Your final art is sent over Google Drive. I will either transfer ownership or delete the file after 7 days. Please download locally.

You must credit me on the platform used if reposted. Always OK to post to ToyHouse; my username is 2dmax there. On instagram and all other platforms where I don’t have an account, please credit my instagram @/maximumgroove.

You may not use my art to promote anything hateful or illegal. You may not claim it as anyone else’s creation. You may not use it for commercial uses, or to edit, adapt, trace, or directly reference, without permission. I may use my art in my own promo material.

Unsolicited advice on my pricing or how I otherwise conduct my business is subject to a $1,000,000,000 fee via personal check, made payable to Joe Mama!

This post is LIVE from Sept 15th 2024 - January 1st 2025, with a possible slight extension.

-max k.

[seangardnerxiv]

Shadow and Maria's Complex Relationship

FOR DISCLOSURE: this thread is going to be discussing the complexities of Shadow and Maria’s relationship based on many different factors. Though I will be including the romantic interpretation (NOT a sexual one – I do not support nor condone sexualizing these two, nor most of the characters in Sonic, as they are almost all minors) as a potential, I will not be arguing to assign a definite label to their relationship – I will, in fact, be doing exactly the opposite (I am also not interested in engaging in shipping discourse over Sonic the Hedgehog characters). I would simply like to disclose that that will be discussed in case the topic upsets you and you would prefer to stop reading now. I accept this post may not be received well by some.

SPOILERS FOR SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS

So I've had to break out my Tumblr for this - my usual haunt is Twitter/Bluesky, but those don't really allow for longform posts. This is also a major departure from my usual FFXIV posting, so apologies to anyone who follows me for that.

Sonic x Shadow Generations recently dropped, alongside the short animations “Dark Beginnings” as well as the (non-canonical) manga “The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog.” With it, discourse surrounding Shadow and Maria’s relationship has kicked up again, largely in two parties – that Shadow and Maria held a sibling relationship, or that Shadow and Maria held romantic feelings for one another (some people have also argued that Shadow is her uncle, or Maria is his mother, but I won’t be discussing those views). There are arguments for both drawn from a variety of sources – I will do my best to present both (if there are others I've missed, please feel free to comment and I will add them).

For siblings:

This Twitter post of artwork for Dark Beginnings has the following alt text: “Shadow and Maria reach out for one another in an infinite abyss (as long-lost siblings would) with the Moon and the Space Colony ARK in the background."

The manual for Shadow the Hedgehog (2005) describes Maria as “like a sister to Shadow.” I have also seen another screenshot of a different manual that states that Shadow as "like a brother to Maria," but I've been unable to find which manual it is. (EDIT: It’s a Prima Games manual, not written by Sega)

Gerald refers to Shadow as “son” during the climax of SxSG.

For romantic:

Maria saying “I love you” in the Japanese version of SxSG uses the kanji “ai shiteru,” whilst her “I love you” in the Japanese version of the manga uses “daisuki.” Whilst it can be used for familial relations, it is apparently very uncommon for both of these to be used outside of romantic intent.

Shiro Maekawa – the original creator of Shadow and Maria – based them (or at least parts of them) off of a romance manga known as “Please Save My Earth” (with Maria sharing the Japanese voice actress for the female lead from the anime), and has frequently supported them together, often retweeting romantic art and posts of Shadow and Maria.

In a recent interview from Sega, Maria touching Shadow’s face in Dark Beginnings was equated to Beauty and the Beast.

For Tanabata – a Japanese festival celebrating the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi, and the separation of them as lovers – Sonic Channel posted artwork of Shadow and Maria reading the story beneath the stars. Sonic Channel has also published fanart for Valentine’s Day relating to Shadow and Maria (although they publish a lot of fanart).

Before I go any further, when the topic of Shadow and Maria in a romantic lens comes up, many of the same criticisms arise that I do not believe are fairly levied – namely accusations regarding their age, species, and familial ties. I would like to address – and debunk – these three before we go any further. Keep in mind while you read these – this is not meant to convince you that their relationship was one thing over another, but only to provide validity to a subjective point of view I feel is unfairly stigmatized.

“It’s incest because Shadow is Maria’s brother/uncle(?).”

While there were notions of family stated by both Maria and Gerald, Shadow was grown in a tube with alien DNA and has zero blood relation to the Robotnik family. Whilst there are abstract labels of “like a sister” or “sibling coding” that are only ever applied in a meta sense, neither of them define their relationship in such a way within the lens of the universe. And it is not as if the topic never arises - in Shadow Generations, Maria herself likens young Abraham Tower as akin to her little brother, but she makes no such distinction with Shadow.

“Sibling coding” is ultimately a nothing statement, and unless a proper adoption is made, it does not magically turn romantic feelings towards the two involved into incest. Frames of reference are often informed by what young people are familiar with, and they sometimes lack the proper tools to acknowledge that their feelings towards each other are more complex than they first believe - to say that this is something that potentially occurred with Shadow and Maria is not outlandish, and not a concept unique to Sonic as a series.

Similar examples to this include Clive and Jill from Final Fantasy XVI (Jill is accepted into the Rosfield household and raised alongside Clive and his brother, only to later enter a romantic relationship with him as an adult), Nero and Kyrie from Devil May Cry (Nero is fostered by Kyrie's family and considers Kyrie a sister initially, only for her to become his love interest as adults) and Sidon and Yona from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Sidon grows up perceiving Yona as a sister, only to realize his feelings for her are more complex later on). None of these are incestuous relationships, nor is Shadow and Maria’s were it to be romantic.

“It’s bestiality because Shadow is an animal.”

Bestiality is applicable to regular animals that do not hold human sentience of thought, as they are unable to consent to a relationship, like a dog or cat. Shadow is not this, nor are any of the anthropomorphic characters within the Sonic games - were you to change the anthropomorphic animals in Sonic into humans, basically nothing about the series' content would change. All of them are completely sound-minded beings that are essentially just people who look different. Shadow is not Maria’s pet, he is her fully sentient friend that holds the same degree of thought as she does – given that Shadow’s entire arc is about finding his purpose in life, degrading him to simply a lab animal rather than acknowledging he is a person defeats that entire arc (something the manga also touches upon).

A lot of people also cite Sonic and Elise from Sonic ‘06 (namely the scene where Elise kisses the deceased Sonic) as a reason why Shadow and Maria should not be done - while I think it’s valid if you didn’t like watching a human girl kissing Sonic the Hedgehog, I maintain that a good chunk of that disdain stemmed from two major reasons:

Elise was very poorly characterized in her game. She existed to constantly get kidnapped and be saved by Sonic, and so both the relationship and the kiss came off more like pandering than something earned.

Sonic '06 had a bizarrely realistic artstyle for the human characters, whilst all of the animal characters retained their cartoonish appearances. This clash of artstyles looked its worst when Elise kissed Sonic at the game's climax.

Maria, however, does not fall into these pitfalls. She does not exist to be purely a love interest for Shadow - she’s certainly not someone for him to save, as the entire inciting event of Shadow's character is his inability to save her when she saves him.

For a frame of reference, Shadow is more akin to an alien from Star Wars – a setting where humans also exist. It is not bestiality for a Human to hold a relationship with a Twi’lek, as both races are fully anthropomorphic and sentient. On a similar note, Beauty and the Beast is not considered bestiality either, even though the Beast bears obvious animalistic traits. Some people have also entertained the notion of Rouge and Topaz from Sonic X, even though the latter is human. This is all the same principle, and none of it is bestiality.

“It’s creepy because Maria is young.”

Shadow – while said to be ageless – is not an adult, and to imply that he is one is a fundamental misunderstanding of Shadow’s character – whilst there are many instances where he demonstrates maturity on some levels, he has shown much immaturity since his inception in Sonic Adventure 2 (his desire to destroy the world out of revenge for Maria), and his most recent storyline in Generations involves his naïve desire to change Maria and Gerald’s fates (or rather, an initial indifference to what it will bring). Not only that, but his time on the ARK was mired in confusion over the point of his existence – Maria was the one that helped him field through his confusion, and was arguably the more mature one between the two of them. We can safely say that Shadow is not an adult character, nor is he ever presented as one in the lens of the game.

As the closest thing Sonic likely has to an equal in both body and mind (Sonic holds his own immaturities similar to Shadow), he can likely be placed mentally close to his age of fifteen. This is reinforced by the leaked transcript of Sonic ‘06 that refers to Shadow as 15 (the red squared text in this image).

Maria has no canon age established in game material, but Sonic X lists her as 12. 15 and 12 is the same age gap as Sonic and Amy respectively.

In addition to that, many people have claimed that Shadow is over 50 years old, but this is only true of his chronological existence, not the time he has been conscious and aging. He spent 50 years stuck in cryosleep, and awoke exactly how he was when he was placed in there.

A similar example would be Aang and Katara from Avatar: The Last Airbender - Aang was frozen at the age of 12, and awoke 100 years later. Nobody, however, tried to claim that he was 112 years too old to kiss the 14 year old Katara, as Aang was physically and mentally still a 12 year old upon awakening - most people who watched the show were also actively rooting for these two characters to kiss, which they did at the show's finale. It's the same principle regarding Shadow - he is 50 chronologically, not 50 in mind or body.

If we’d like to really get into it, I would point out that nearly every character in the lens of Sonic is in and around Maria’s age range (according to the Sonic Channel). As stated previously, Sonic is 15. Amy is 12, Knuckles is 16, Rouge is 18, Blaze and Silver are 14, etc. Nobody bats an eye at notions of romance between any of these people (not that I’m saying they should inherently).

Romantic intent between minors is not inherently viewed as a bad thing - see the examples of Aang and Katara or Clive and Jill above, or for an in house example, consider the canonical (to Sonic X at least) relationship between the 8 year old Tails and Cosmo - yet for some reason when it comes to Shadow and Maria, a relationship is stigmatized.

To reiterate in the wake of the last point, my discussions of romantic intent ARE NOT SEXUAL IN NATURE. As I acknowledge these are minors, any notions of that are completely off the table, and I do not agree with anyone who would imply their relationship was a sexual one. I want to make that unmistakably clear.

My major takeaway from observing both the Sonic fanbase and those on Sonic Team seems to be that in western circles, Shadow and Maria as siblings is the popular perception, whilst in eastern circles, they are more commonly perceived romantically. But ultimately, Shadow and Maria’s relationship seems to have many contradictory signals that makes it hard to pinpoint a concrete definition, especially in the most recent releases – and I believe that this is fully intentional.

Shiro Maekawa has stated in DMs has stated this regarding their relationship when asked if he saw them as siblings or love interests (translated from Japanese):

“I think they have a special bond that is unique to them that doesn’t fall into either of those categories. Just my personal opinion.”

From the way that the two are written post-Sonic Adventure 2, this appears to be a sentiment that is fully carried forward – their relationship is more nuanced than a canonical label would make it. Maria was the only person who made Shadow feel loved, and Maria unquestionably loved him back. What kind of love that was is up to the viewer, especially given that Maria died when they were both young, before they even had a chance to expand upon their relationship, if that was ever on the table – not that they needed to, given that their bond seems to have transcended both labels. Maria was the only one who acknowledged Shadow as more than an experiment or a weapon, and Shadow was her rock in an environment where she was isolated away from her family and home. Maria was Shadow's person, and still remains that in death.

To disclose for me personally (in case it was not obvious), I have always interpreted their relationship as romantic - or at least having romantic implications - ever since playing Sonic Adventure 2 Battle and Shadow the Hedgehog when I was a kid. I have both a fiancé and a sibling, and the way they treat each other is far more evocative of how I treat the former than the latter (especially in Dark Beginnings – I do not imagine my sibling through a shoujo filter while I wistfully think about cuddling them in a field of flowers). I do not take the awkwardly placed alt text verbiage from the Sonic Twitter account, used to fake-argue with the Wendy’s Twitter account, as gospel for anything, and I think that treating it as a damning disproval is silly. Had she lived, I believed the complex feelings they held would have been identified as romantic down the line. The relationship always just read as too intimately charged for me to perceive as siblings (it still does especially in the wake of seeing how she touches and speaks to him), even before I had a serious relationship. I think that arguing the nitty gritty over Twitter alt text and translations is silly, as all it took for me to takeaway that the relationship was still romantic was to play the game, watch the animations, and read the manga for Shadow Generations - but that's just me.

That said, I will concur that if you are weirded out by romantic notions between the two of them, that is completely understandable, and I would never argue that you should not feel what you feel for yourself. The sibling viewpoint is also wholly valid an interpretation, with or without word from a meta source. Though she had her grandfather and later Abe, she was largely alone on the ARK away from a family that she clearly loved and missed, and it’s not unusual to presume that Shadow filled in the role of a brother for her. I will also acknowledge that many things I have not mentioned - such as Shadow blushing at Maria calling him cool, or her saying "I love you" in general - are not inherently indicative of romantic intent, and can be read as fully platonic interpretations, and I find those that try to state that the romantic interpretation is the objective one just as irritating as those that state the sibling interpretation is the objective.

My intent is only to dispute the idea that romantic interpretations, and the people who hold them, deserve to be scrutinized. The pairing is completely innocent, and the treatment people have received for believing them to be romantic is obscene. Sweeping blanket statements have been made to insult all who do (some going as far as to wish death and harm upon them), all just based on subjective viewpoints held by people who see them platonically. The fact that there is so much discourse surrounding this topic, and that there is evidence enough on both ends to make an argument, means that Sega has intentionally left the relationship up to interpretation - including the romantic take.

Everyone unclutch your pearls.

But with all that said, I will reiterate that this post was not meant to convince anyone of one thing or another, but rather that both interpretations of their relationship are valid, as it is essentially a secret third thing that transcends both labels and is special only to them. Strictly defining their relationship as “siblings” or “love interests” (even as someone who perceives them romantically, I would never want that to be definitively confirmed for this reason) is deconstructing what is perhaps the most nuanced part of a series that does not always tend to be terribly nuanced, and a definition matters far less than acknowledging what Maria means to Shadow in the present – he is who he is because of her, and because of that, he is now living a life for himself. Shadow the Hedgehog (2005) ended in a way that had Shadow let Maria go, and Shadow Generations ends with him carrying her forward with him after accepting her loss. She was, and will always be, the person who loved Shadow - however you define that love is up to you.

Nothing has ever been hard confirmed by Sega, no matter how much either side wants to pretend it has been.

In summary, both points of view regarding Shadow and Maria’s relationship are simultaneously true and not true – it is a matter of interpretation according to the viewer what their feelings towards each other were, yet their relationship in the lens of what it is now after the tragedy of their existence (even before Maria died) is purposefully indefinable, and it should remain that way. Nobody should ever try to say that Shadow and Maria are definitively something - that goes for both points of view. I doubt it will, but I hope this goes towards removing the stigmas towards one of the more nuanced parts of this series, as nuance in Sonic the Hedgehog - frankly - does not come along very often, and it would be nice if that were encouraged rather than smothered.

Thank you for reading.

[sgnarl]

sgnarl 2024 updated comm post

helllooo. i know i updated my commissions last in january, but ive honestly improved and done a lot of work this year, so i felt the comm post needed to be updated

before we get into the details....

as always, if you're ever curious about the progress on a commission, just ask for an update and i'll send you one.

character credits: @loveaankilaq / @anaelwings, @goldencamelias, @orcapologist, @bearliquids, @hobgobbin , @too-many-muses , @mightymessenger @odiletheswanqueen

i only accept payment upfront & i will not negotiate on paying after. payment info at the end of post

you can contact me right here on tumblr dot com, just DM me!

Full Body Character - 30$

Add character +10$

Add shading & lighting +10$

Price points for the background can be negotiated based on the level of detail required, or if they are a complete or partial background

Portrait - 30$

Portraits will always be rendered

They will always have a "decorated" background (simple shapes, colors, concepts, or designs)

Portraits will always be from the bust up

Full Canvas - 70$

The full canvas option can get a bit abstract. Basically, you just sit and talk with me about your character/s, their aesthetics, occupation, their lore, specific poses or concepts you want and then I go ham on the canvas

It will always include some level of shading and lighting & some level of background, whether it is a literal setting or a decorated/abstract background

The base price is 70$. However, if you'd like to add another character (as shown in the second example), it will be +10$, just as it is with the Full Body Character option.

If you're only curious and want to discuss this option, feel free to DM me, no strings attached

Concepts I Will Accept

✔️ - some robot/cyber/mech stuff (i really determine case-by-case), furry/anthro, non-humanoid creatures, fantasy, sci fi, OCs, weapons, blood, nudity/suggestive

✔️ - some fandoms I'm familiar with are D&D, Marvel & DC comics/movies, Assassin's Creed, Disco Elysium, ATLA, Metalocalypse, The Wolf Among Us. I'm capable of doing any fandom artwork with sufficient references & have done so in the past

Concepts I Won't Accept

❌ - hateful imagery, underage/abusive/incest ships, certain fandoms (Harry Potter, Voltron, Supernatural are among these), gore, and ofc I reserve the right to deny anything

paypal: thundahouse

NSFW comm post (minors DNI this link)

Further various examples below

Furry/Creature

Full Canvas

Full Body

^ non standing poses can count as full body commissions

[raguiras]

Mionn's art & writing ship trade event

(Click the art for better quality!)

I'm hosting an art & writing event centered around ships & duos (multifandom)!

🖤 REBLOGS ARE SUPER APPRECIATED

♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤

I've recently reached 200 followers on this blog, 900 on my meme blog, and 100 on Instagram!! Honestly, I don't even know what to say... I feel so damn honored and am so grateful for the support!! 🖤🖤🙏

As a multi-milestone celebration as well as an event for the official Spade of Storms (Deuce x Allen) day, which is on the 27th of July, I decided to host a TRADE EVENT!!!

Basically, this event is going to be an open art/writing trade that's all about ships (or platonic duos).

The event starts on 7/23 (today) and lasts for rest of July as well as for the entirety of August. For every Allen x Deuce art/writing that I receive during this duration, you get one of your own ship from ANY FANDOM back!

♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤

Why am I hosting this?

it's a way to thank everyone for three different follower milestones

a contest/DTIYS/raffle wouldn't promise that everyone gets something back, so I went for a trade event

the event allows me to post more about other canon TWST characters and draw them while not having to neglect Allen x Deuce

I wanna make new mutuals & friends, get to know more ships, and strengthen friendships with mutuals I already have!

Artfight is/was tons of fun, but I only do/did colored sketches there & ships are a tricky subject. Meanwhile, I'll do ANYTHING here!

♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤

Basic information:

Make a drawing/writing/comic of Allen x Deuce. (Ideas can be found in this post's pink "starters for my ship" section.)

Post it on your blog, tag me in it, and refer to my event. (While posting is by far preferred — especially for bigger artworks and written stuff — you can also just DM it to me.)

In return, you'll receive a gift of the same type for your own ship from any fandom (OC x canon, canon x canon, OC x OC)! I'll DM you about the ship, so make sure that your DMs are open.

For example: If you submit a sketch, you'll get a sketch back. If you submit a fully shaded drawing, I'II make a fully shaded drawing for you, too. If you add a background, I'll (do my best to) do the same. If you write a drabble... You know the drill!

ANYONE can join, whether you follow me or not! However, new followers through the event are super appreciated!

EVENT TIME: July 23th (today) - August 31st

Anything submitted before or after this event duration will not receive anything back (unless we explicitly do a trade), but be held in high regard nonetheless!

♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤

Rules:

The portrayal of Allen x Deuce must be shippy/romantic.

Please keep angst at a minimum unless it has a happy ending. Comfort is allowed.

Please DO NOT add your own OC or another canon character to the submission. Including them in the background as a wingman or something is alright, though. Additionally, any kind of romantic implications between Deuce and another character/OC are NOT allowed.

Please no NSFW. Harmless implications and slight spice are okay, but keep in mind that these characters are both minors.

AUs are very much allowed! All the previous rules apply here, too, and I'm willing to give an overview of some AUs via DMs.

Please no genderbending.

Please DO NOT draw Allen or Deuce as a standalone character. This is a SHIP event for a reason.

Please don't change their appearances too much, especially when it comes to the color schemes & body types.

Giving them different outfits — especially event outfits — is absolutely cool (yes, you can draw Allen in a skirt if you wanna), and changing their hairstyles is okay as long as they still look like themselves.

This is NOT A DTIYS event, so please DO NOT redraw one of my Allen x Deuce arts. Please come up with something original.

If you have any more questions, please DM me!

♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤

What CAN you submit?

drawings // comics // writings // animatics

For drawings, anything from a quick sketch to an extremely detailed drawing with a background is allowed! You'll get something of the same quality back. The same also goes for writings/fanfics.

Animatics will receive a drawing in return.

What CAN'T be submitted?

Gacha videos // edits // memes

-> You can theoretically submit all of these and I'd appreciate them, but I wouldn't be able to give you anything back.

Memes refer to funny pictures that simply have Allen & Deuce's faces in them. DRAWN memes/meme redraws count as DRAWINGS.

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Starters for Allen x Deuce

Got no clue what to draw/write about?

Check out the few already existing Allen x Deuce posts on this blog for proper lore and facts.

Check @spade-of-storms for fun facts, shorter rambles and additional info.

In any case, you can't go wrong with simple fluffy, romantic scenarios! Dates, kisses, cuddles, whatever!

For information about Allen himself, please check my pinned post.

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Q&A:

I want to join the event, but I don't have any ship (OC x canon, canon x canon, OC x OC) you could draw/write about for me in return.

That's okay! In that case, I'll gladly draw/write about two separate characters or a platonic duo for you.

Can I do multiple submissions for this event?

Obviously, and every single one will be "revenged"!

Can I get something of another type/quality back? For example, can I get a fully shaded drawing for my sketch, or art for my drabble?

Unfortunately not, as I prefer to always give something of the same type back. There are only the following two exceptions that I AM willing to do:

you do a drabble/oneshot —> I do a sketch

you do any type of art —> I write a drabble/oneshot

Is there anything you refuse to draw/write about?

Deuce ships (other than Deuce x Allen). NSFW. Family x family. Minor x adult. Any ship considered to be problematic.

How do I tell you about the ship I want you to draw/write about for me?

I'll DM you after you post your event submissions.

Do you prefer to do OC x canon, canon x canon, or OC x OC?

I have a bias towards OC x canon and canon x canon ships. However, I'm willing to do any ship that's not problematic! In the case of OC x OC, I simply need you to provide information on two OCs instead of one only.

Will you do poly ships?

In order to keep things fair, no. But I could include the third party as a plush or chibi head.

I want to make Allen x Deuce content for you, but not receive anything in return.

That's also super appreciated anytime (and totally doesn't make me freak out /pos)! Simply share it as a gift and don't mention the event.

How long is it going to take you to finish your "revenge" on me?

It depends on the type of submission you make & what I'm giving you back. Some things can be done within a day while others may take much longer, but either way, you WILL get something of the SAME TYPE back & that's guaranteed.

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Personal notes:

My health isn't the best and I also have a job. Please be respectful and don't rush me nor get mad when I'm being slow.

Please do not start a discussion nor get mad at me if I refuse to draw/write about a ship I deem problematic & want you to pick another one instead. Preferably pick a ship that's by far NOT problematic from the beginning.

I'm unwilling to draw/write about any Deuce ships other than Deuce x Allen because I kin Deuce a ton and tend to feel uncomfortable with many of his ships, so please don't ask for any. I'm asking you to not start a discussion over this, either.

I won't post everything I make for the event on this blog. Sketches and writings will either be DMed to you or posted on one of my other blogs.

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That's it for now! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to DM me.

And again, thank you so much for 200 followers!

♤ Happy trading! ♤

[killjpeg]

Commissions Masterpost

While you can find all and more info here, I thought it'd be nice to have it also written out somewhere on my blog.

More crucial reason is, my job is not exactly paying well and I've been trying to get back to therapy (which is a lot), I need to pay rent too, so if there's a chance someone will want something from me it would be a huge help.

Everything under read more, there will be Some art examples attached, will be updated as time goes If I don't get overwhelmed, but obviously you can scroll thru my blog or other socials in my pinned for more.

I draw:

OCs and Fandom

Shipping (icluding OCxCanon)

Furry/anthro

Non-sexual nudity/non-explicit sexual acts (anything explicit will be +10$/200руб. on top of any regular price below)

Blood/light gore/horror elements

A no-no:

Ferals/animals

Anything hateful

Complex backgrounds

Fandoms: (some) characters of Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss; South Park, Camp Camp, any live action movies/real persons

> Contact me on Tumblr or Discord (kill.jpeg).

> I can reject an order if it makes me uncomfortable or I find it out of my abilities to draw.

> Payment is through Boosty, PayPal or SberBank.

> Please message me with as much reference as possible, for your character and the poses you want; or a description/idea for your order, otherwise it can take more time for me to start your commission.

> I'd also appreciate if you specified what you want your art to look like - I use many different brushes and coloring methods you will see in examples below - feel free to just send an example of my art (can look through my blog as well for it) so I will know what you want.

> Every additional character will be + 100%. Shading is +5$/100руб. to any kind of art.

> You may use art I make for you for anything, but please credit me.

Sketches (colorless/single-color)

Half-body: 15$/600руб. Fullbody: 20$/700руб.

Sketches (colored)

Half-body: 25$/800руб. Fullbody: 30$/900руб.

Lined (colored)

Half-body: 35$/1000руб. Fullbody: 40$/1100руб.

Painting/half-painting

Varies from 40$/1100руб. to 70$/1700руб. depending on complexity - ask if interested

Chibi

Generally 15$, might vary depending on the design complexity. Ask if unsure. (transformers are 17$ by default)

Icons

Varies from 20$/800руб. to 35$/1000руб., ask with an example. You can ask for a pride flag to be put as a background if you want as well.

Matching icons: 45$/1200руб.

Custom designs

I can design a character from description or a set of emojis.

Simple/chibi (includes orikero, kirby, sonic customs): 30$/1000руб.

Moderate (includes mlp, splatoon customs): 40$/1200руб.

Complex (includes transformers customs): 60$/1500руб.

Reference sheet

The base price for any reference is 50$/1300руб. (single fullbody), all the additional details: + each accessory, eyes close up, minor edit of the base drawing or any other item, a sketch - 5$/100руб. + bust, half-body, chibi from scratch - 10$/200руб.

!! The base price for a Transformers reference is 60$/1500руб. !!

Because of the image limit you can check a more detailed breakdown of pricing for reference images here.

DM me if interested or have any questions. I'll appreciate this being shared.

[clancykisser]

STATUS: OPEN!

Hey! Would you like art? I have that!

My commissions are open to help with groceries and other small necessities in my household that we need! Any reblogs are appreciated and thank-you for taking the time to consider me <3

Below are a basic set of rules and examples for my work.

INFORMATION BELOW

RULES:

- Payment is accepted through PayPal, Ko-fi, or Venmo - Payment is asked for before before starting - No art I make may be used for training AI bots or in NFTS - Pieces are for personal use only - No Proship/Comship/Darkship - I'm flexible with references, however, if you do not have any images/refs of what you want I'd appreciate it if I could get some sort of image with any physical description. Even stuff on pinterest or just general ideas is fine! - 3 revisions are offered, two in the sketching stage and one in the line art stage - Estimated time of delivery is 1-2 weeks depending on my mental health. I will always try to keep you updated!

WILL DO: ⩗ Humans /Humanoids ⩗ Furries ⩗ Oc x Canon and SI x Canon ⩗ NSFT (must be 18+ or older) ⩗ Gore ⩗ Monsters

WON'T DO: x Underage Characters x Minor/Adult Ships, Aged Up Ships x Hateful Topics x Transformers/Complex Machinery x Anything involving animal death

PRICES: [Each base price includes the cost of 2 characters, for more they wil l be an add on]

Halfbody - $15 USD

Fullbody - $20 USD

Chibi - $10 USD

Add-Ons: Complex Background - + $5 USD

3+ Characters - +$5 USD

MORE EXAMPLES:

SFW EXAMPLES

NSFT EXAMPLES [WARNING: PLEASE ONLY VIEW THIS IF YOU ARE 18+]

[olderthannetfic]

I thought it would be interesting to see if I could easily determine which ships had the most works updated in 2023.

It turned out to be fairly easy, though a little time consuming. I think these results should be reasonably accurate.

Some points to note:

I did this on my own account, and I have like 2 people muted. So I am capturing the effects of archive-locked works, but my numbers might be off by one or two works due to muting.

Works updated in 2023 is a number that constantly changes as works are deleted or updated again in 2024.

I didn't scrape the entire archive or anything like that, so it's possible I missed a ship that would bump one of these down below 100. I'd take the last few at the bottom there with a grain of salt. But I think we can be reasonably sure the top ones are accurate and that the kinds of numbers that we see at the bottom there (eighteen hundred plus works updated in 2023) are about where the cutoff will be even if we find a ship I missed.

--

As for how I did this, I went to the category tags and the rating tags, filtered for updating in 2023, then excluded ships in the sidebar till I got to 130-150 ships excluded. I also grabbed ships that are big in general from tag search, which you can use to find all relationship canonicals, ordered by frequency.

I combined those lists of ships, cleaned off the works numbers, and generated a list without duplicates. That got me three hundred and something (yes, they were mostly duplicates). I generated the relevant AO3 URLs, opened them in batches with Open Multiple URLs, and copied the works totals into a spreadsheet. Not as tidy as using a script but honestly pretty easy if you know a few spreadsheet formulas to clean up data.

The key here is that if you're only going for pretty good and not accurate beyond a shadow of a doubt, all you need to do is generate a list of likely ships, then check them.

It's possible that there's some much-updated ship that is so evenly spread across these various other tags that it just missed showing up in the sidebar. Hopefully, grabbing more than just the top 100 avoided this problem.

This method also doesn't take into account backdated works. If a whole archive was imported in 2023 but all backdated, there could be some ship that didn't have new works but where AO3 users experience in 2023 was of an influx of content.

I also did this just now, in late March/early April, so some 2023 works have inevitably been deleted or updated again. So the exact work counts don't represent the experience of using AO3 throughout 2023. A fandom active in early 2023 might not have much updating in early 2024, while a fandom active in late 2023 would. This could demote the latter a few places in the rankings since I didn't grab numbers on January 1st.

Even if a person scraped AO3 every day or was monkeying around in the databases, you also have to ask what conceptual answer you're after. Is it works a user could have read at some point during 2023, whether they were deleted by the year's end or not? Is it new-to-AO3 works or only newly-created ones, not including imported archives? Does it matter if the works are fic? If they're in English? What about accidental double-uploads or translations of a single work?

I hope this makes it clear why a definitive ranking is not actually possible.

However, despite these drawbacks, I am confident that the rankings above accurately represent the broad trends on AO3 in 2023. Just don't get too fixated on whether a ship should be at number 73 or number 74.

And, of course, I excluded these from the top 100:

Original Character(s)/Original Character(s) - 20,026

Minor or Background Relationship(s) - 16,187

No Romantic Relationship(s) - 8,052

Original Female Character(s)/Original Male Character(s) - 7,195

Original Male Character/Original Male Character - 6,283

Other Relationship Tags to Be Added - 5,618

Original Female Character(s)/Original Female Character(s) - 3,990

Original Character(s) & Original Character(s) - 3,210

Here's a spreadsheet if you want to see the actual numbers not as a shitty screencap. I left the next few below 100 for context.

[mecachrome]

landoscar ao3 stats — 2023 overview

notes

retrieved ~sometime in march 2024

methodology: scraped metadata for every fic in the landoscar tag and...... that's it. however one important constraint is that all temporal data is date updated (not posted), so the above timeline isn't exactly a true representation of fic growth but rather how many fics were last-updated at that time. of course this is still its own reflection of fandom health in a way since dead fandoms don't update old fic but well... it's just not quite the same!

this is just info about general trends, fic content, tags etc... so nothing about kudos/comments or any authors specifically

i decided to focus solely on fics last-updated in 2023 (unless otherwise mentioned) because i wanted a tidy set that i can maybe compare & contrast in a year's time, because i expect a lot of details to look different then (tho as stated above this set isn't exactly static... 🤷‍♀️)

ngl i had to re-scrape a bunch of times because i forgot about it for like 3 weeks and then there were 100 new fics 😭 so if there are some minor discrepancies across the post it's because of that halfskh.

also i wanted to include more global comparisons (aka how 814 stack up against the f1 rpf tag in general), but this is also considerably difficult in some contexts since i can't exactly scrape 31,000+ fics can i... or i didn't even want to entertain the thought of trying to do so!!!

why did i do this? who knows.

anyway here's some viz T__T

ship growth

as evidenced in the opening graph, landoscar have been a very fast-growing ship over the past year — although interestingly enough they didn't really start growing substantially until july / the ~better half~ of the 2023 season. here are two views showing their "growth" (by date updated) alongside two other ships on the fringes of the f1 rpf top 10 (sebchal & galex):

landoscar are very much on-track to surpass them and officially enter the top 10 soon, likely before mid-april ❗️ :o

ship characteristics

onto the ship content — another thing i was mildly curious about was how landoscar differs in certain areas from other f1 ships, or the f1 rpf "global" average you could say. for example, here's a breakdown of rating popularity in their ao3 tag:

seeing as explicit is their most common rating, and that i don't necessarily expect this to be true for all ships/fandoms, i compared these percentages with the general f1 rpf tag to see whether some ratings are more commonly represented in 814 fic than average, which produced interesting results:

do lando ships simply skew more HornyTM in general? is it oscar? a secret third thing??? who knows... actually i think it would be fun to do more analysis in this direction but that can wait for another time!!!

similarly i also wanted to see which ships are the most "public" on ao3, as in have the highest share of fic that isn't user-locked... i will refrain from peppering in my feelings about the 4th wall too heavy-handedly but i was curious to see whether some sort of perhaps... er, generational gap (?) of sorts between ships that are more public vs. not could be identified. however i don't pretend to have any takeaways from this LOL i conclude absolutely nothing. (for ref landoscar is currently 72% public, vs. a global avg of 63%)

note that this graph is current stats, not filtered for 2023

looking at relationship tags, i also wanted to know whether landoscar suffer noticeably from Second-Ship Syndrome, so i tallied the first-tagged ship of every fic to find out. i know this doesn't necessarily mean that it's always the "main" ship but it's a good enough approximation. the results were quite positive!

filtered to top ships with count of >1 only

i then also calculated the number of ships tagged for each fic to discern the profile of multi-shipping in 814 ficdom; i did have to do a little bit of string standardization (all instances of implied / background / hinted collapsed to hinted for simplicity's sake + removal of other redundancies), but otherwise i left everything mostly untouched.

as you can see, landoscar also have a fairly promising amount of OTP: TRUE fic:

by the time you get to the fics with 10+ ships tagged, landoscar are less likely to be the primary ship, which makes sense just on a basic statistical level... this is also a very small sample size though

i also lazily tallied the 10 most common ships that weren't NOR/PIA or NOR & PIA to diff their shares of the 814 tag vs. of the general f1 rpf tag, to see which other pairings are more represented in the 814 tag than on average (because lestappen are the most popular by pure count but this is also true of fandom in general, so it would be a misrepresentation to say that their popularity is out of the ordinary):

maxiel's gap isn't really that surprising since i think that, generationally, in terms of when both pairings were teammates there is quite a gap; with carlando—actually let me tally this again but including all instances of "implied" and "past" as being part of the same ship, since that's how ao3 tag-wrangles as well:

Aha ! obviously as a direct ship there is competition between 814 and other lando or oscar ships, but this difference is somewhat less pronounced once we include all formats. tbh none of this really means anything but i thought i'd add it anyway... (it's also very possible that there are several errors in this, in which case my b 😔)

before we move on to additional tags, there are a few more basic characteristics of 814 fic we can calculate. i realize i never offered an overview of Super Basic Stats, so here are a few:

plus, looking at word counts, here is a distribution of those in 2023-updated fic, which shows that a majority of 814 fics were under the 5k mark:

85% of landoscar fics were under 10k & nearly 97% under 25k

i don't really have any reason to believe that landoscar's wc stats differ significantly from average ? so this is kind of just Data To Have Data, and it most likely reflects normal ao3 trends in general... but i thought i'd include it anyway because i already made it lol. similarly, here are word count distributions but stratified by rating:

& same info but heat map view:

i feel like this is also probably something you'd find across fandom in general — that gen fic is likely to have a higher share of under 1k works, since Building Up to sexual content often takes... Literal & Metaphorical Foreplay ! and the longer a fic is the more opportunities an author has to include a sex scene or other explicit content (ofc, not necessarily just porn but also graphic violence & so on). but i thought this was fun to visualize haha

additional tags & aus?

back in my old f1 rpf stats post, i made a table comparing fluff/angst "ratios" (not exactly a direct ratio because of how tag wrangling works, but an approximation) of the most popular f1 ships, and now that landoscar are somewhat popular i thought i'd first do an update:

also current data, not 2023 to make things easier

just like before, simi are one of the most fluffy ships and brocedes are by far the most angsty, but it's interesting to see 814 also extremely high up on the charts, with far and away the lowest % of angst. will be exciting 2 see how that holds or changes as the seasons progress !

finally, i also wanted to do a bit of au/additional tag analysis because you can kind of see this when you use additional filters on ao3 but the previews are limited and get bogged down by the prevalence of *checks notes* Fluff, Angst, PWP, Anal Sex and what have you. which are nice stats to have and all but what of the rest !

disclaimer that the set for these tables is a biiiit outdated because by the time i'd wrangled everything i was like I Am Not Changing It Again. unfortunately i clean my data with shoddy queries and regex functions in googsheetz...

there were 48 tags with at least 10 instances from 2023 fics, shown below, with ones that are (some ~vaguely) nsfw in red just to kind of get a rough sense of which tags get commonly used in M/E fic:

getting a bit too much into small sample size / specific fic territory so if you're an author i sincerely apologize for that... do not mean 2 put u on blast... TT__TT but i also tried to tally the most popular aus people write for 814, which is a bit dubious because people tag in really different ways and i had to accommodate for a lot of string formats but ... it's close enough ! (?)

i feel like this is very little interesting info but idk what else to add so i will stop here for now... well!!! if you made it to the end i hope u learned something or even vaguely enjoyed reading T__T and most of all thank you :')

[zexapher]

Vacuan Nights, Like Vacuan Days

They’re just so great together! I’d love for Jaune and Weiss to get a little downtime in Vacuo to live out a moment like this. They really deserve it, and I’d love to see Jaune’s guitar make a reappearance.

The comic here was inspired by u/Silverstar1243’s excellent piece of art, A Serenade Under the Moonlight. Send some love to them on their twitter, commission some art if you’re willing and able, they’ve made some great stuff.

You folks may have noticed I threw in a couple of references for those in the know; the Golden Oreos behind Yang (double stuffed, I might add) for the trio’s ship, Weiss liking it rough for Mallobaude’s great fic, and of course I made a whole theme around the Arabian Nights Disney song. A song, along with its Aladdin compatriots, which I spent the better part of a day finding covers for just to listen to on repeat while I worked.

This one’s now officially my longest comic project, with 14 panels, two over the past record since I added the White Knight kiss at the end. I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. Not sure I’d say it was more difficult than my Vanity of Vanities post, but for this one I actually knew how to use my editing software going into it (at least somewhat).

Put a lot of work into this one, been working on it on and off since February. Took a few breaks for vacation, to make my memorial post for Rooster Teeth, and another five meme edits or so, but I came back around to it. First half was pretty easy, relatively minor edits inserting characters into scenes and so on. The second half with Jaune and Weiss was tougher though, with color correcting, merging poses, redrawing features, drawing Jaune’s entire head to fix some lighting issues, etc. Really like how the edit to make Jaune strum his guitar turned out.

The time it took to make the whole comic got me down a little, until I did a bit of math. Including my side projects since starting this, all the scripting and editing and all, I’ve been pumping out a panel every two days. That seems pretty good to me, that kind of accomplishment makes me a little proud of myself.

Really need to get around to watching the second part of the Justice League Crossover movies. It’s got a few Vacuo scenes that might make things a little more authentic instead of me just using Saphron’s house and pretending it’s a suite in Vacuo. I do love taking yet more character stills from Jaune and friends experiencing deep trauma and turning it into something positive, been making that a bit of a personal habit. And I’ve got to say, the background for Jaune and Weiss’ scene is really beautiful, pulled it from when Sun and Neptune hear Ruby’s message about Salem. That’s just a really good shot all on its own, I even saved a copy for my computer’s wallpaper after editing out the two.

Posting a big RWBY White Knight edit, watching not one but two RWBY Beyond episodes, and all on the trail of the news that RWBY’s found partners that they’re negotiating with and that the creative team is expected to stay on. And I'm sipping bubble tea. Life is good.

Anyway, pardon the long write up. I’m invested in this one, and am quite pleased with how the comic turned out. I hope you all get a kick out of it as well!

[back-on-my-autistic-bullshit]

Parkciv Species Headcanons Results!

It's been a few days since I closed the google form to responses, and I've finally finished consolidating all the information into an easy to read format! The post gets a bit long and there a decent amount of images beyond this point so I've put in a read more, if this information interests you - look below :]

To anyone who hasn't done the form and wants to you can find it here. After posting this I reopened it to responses but unless it gets a lot more responses I probably won't post about this form again.

Oh and, before you read:

General Info

In total the form got 42 responses, including my own. Of these 42 responses, 35 answered every question in the first two sections. Six different characters were mentioned with a headacnon that I missed, but they were only mentioned once.

I made a pie chart for each question. If your answer was a joke answer (there was a few of those, they will get honourable mentions later on - because they were funny) or not able to be easily categorised/summarised they have been defined as "other".

Major Parkour Civilization Characters Charts

Note: the "+ 2 others on pkv's chart includes: species apathetic + other, I didn't realise the image cut them off whoopsies

Minor/Background Parkour Civilization Characters Charts

Missed Characters

The following characters and headcanons were manually entered:

Fire Pro - Alien

(Amethyst) Fighter Ally - Cat Hybrid

Purple Pro(/Sonic?) - Hedgehog (with two sets of ears)

The Old Woman from The Library - Humanoid but not neccesarily human (the exact phrasing used was: "same not-quite-human as the old man")

Ice Disc Challenge Gateway Fighter Guard - Golden Retriever

Ice Disc Challenge Fighter doing the Ice Disc Parkour - Black Cat

Trivia and Extra Info

Parkour Villian/Clownpierce is the character with the most different species, ranking in with 20 different options - excluding other - and this did make the spreadsheet hell to organise but I dug my own grave with that one

From a statistical perspective (because, yes, I did the math), Evbo's Noob Neighbour is the character with the most agreed upon species - that being Human. The opposite of Clownpierce and saviour of my only shred of sanity left/silly

Cookie God is the only character who doesn't have a single answer as human. (No it's not EMF or House Selling Master, they both had one answer as human sadly)

Seawatt is the only character with a two way draw between species as a final result. Those two species are Sphynx and Human - both having 10 votes or taking up ~23.8% of the pie chart. Sphynx is also my own personal headcanon that I've never actually seen anywhere else prior to this and was the only reason it's listed, so it's nice to see people agree :] even if it might be due to a bias as the option was listed and didn't have to be typed in shhhhhhh

Honourable Mentions to:

The person who said Seawatt is a vampire. You're the only one who is right, ever (/j)

The person who put The Evil Champion down as a rooster because they hate chickens. That got a laugh from me

Similarly, the person who said The Evil Champion's species is "white" and nothing else

Whoever said "cocklit chip" for Cookie God because haha cock. My humour is very mature

One answer for The Ice Legend being "son of frosty the snowman and elsa. no im not taking criticism at this time". Understandable, but how dare you not ship Elsa with Jack frost from Rise Of The Guardians (/j)

Whoever said Deepslate with no further explanation for The Neo Legend. I respect it but what does that MEAN/lh

The answer "gleep glorp :]" for House Selling Master. Gleep glorp :]

Whoever answered "Woman😱" for Ice Block Master. Your answer lives rent free in my head, Woman😱 indeed

[glacierruler]

18 x 24 Acrylic Painting Still Life Commissions Open on Kofi!

Starting Price: $200

Includes: Simple background (solid color, pride flags, etc.) Up to 10 Items in the still life (sets of items count as 1 item e.g. knitting needles, shoes, etc.)

I will only do minor changes after completion. I will Not paint live animals or people. Stuffed dolls/animals are fine though Add Ons: 11-20 items +$10 Complicated Background (e.g lace with decorative holes, garden, etc.) +$60 Framed +$60 Wired +$5

Shipping:

Free in the US, Canada, and Mexico $44.90 in the UK $46.95 in Brazil $75.15 in Australia

What I need From You

Image of the items you want me to paint on the background. Is there anything you need me to change around? Maybe you want brighter colors, maybe you want them duller, tell me!

I will be in contact you from start to finish and will adjust as necessary.

Example Below:

[sceosource]

Get ready for Sceo Weekend 2024!!! It will be running October 19-21. We welcome all positive depictions and celebrations of Sceo–fic, art, gifsets, edits, fanvids, notfic, favorite moments, and more! For your inspirational pleasure, we’ve provided three basic prompts below, but please don’t feel constrained by them! Whatever you create, make sure to mention @sceosource or tag your post #sceoweekend2024.

Saturday, October 19th: In A Dream

Give us your yearning! We see Scott waking from a nightmare about the murder, and Theo practically dreaming of calling Scott. Show us their dreams about each other, or how they'd live the dream together, or explore the fact that each of them has been to the same nightmarish dreamscape.

Sunday, October 20th: At Home

Today's the day for all things domestic, whether it's explorations of pre-canon (did they ever visit each other's houses as little kids?) or canon (did anyone go to Theo's fake house? what's it like for Theo to be back in Scott's house?), or beyond (what happens when Scott finds out Theo's homeless? what does it look like when these two live together?).

Monday, October 21st: On the Road

Road trip, baby!! Today's the day for anything beyond the bounds of Beacon Hills, whether that's the two of them on the road, fighting Monroe, or moving somewhere new, or exploring some unknown world in an AU. The sky's the limit!

If you have any questions about the event, please feel free to submit them to this blog. General rules are below, and rules concerning adult content are below the cut.

General Content Rules:

1) This is a ship-positivity event. While dark themes, sadness, and angst are all inherent in Sceo's history and welcome, works must be positive in their overall tone and story toward the Scott/Theo relationship.

2) No character bashing or hate.

3) All submissions must have Sceo as the main focus and endgame. Background ships and characters are welcome, but please no polyships or other endgames for this event.

Adult Content

1) You must be 18 years or older to create and share NSFW content (including fic).

2) All content created must be compliant with USA laws, especially regarding the protection of minors.

3) Depictions of non-consensual sex acts between Scott and Theo are not admissible for this event.

[plounce]

rob plounce's ffxiv fic reclist

this will update as i continue to find stuff i enjoy. (it also exists as a page on my desktop blog!)

disclaimer: this is just stuff i’ve read that i’ve enjoyed! i have my own favorite characters and pairings, so my reclist skews heavily towards those. i’m not super into in wolshipping, so there won’t be much of that, sorry! i have not read everything in every pairing and character tag, so don’t take this as a comprehensive guide. these are just things that i liked and think are worth reading.

fics are noted with wordcount, pairing (or as gen), and rating (e = explicit). * means it's been recently added to the list.

spoilers ahoy!

scions

flight of an anorak (17k+, G) gen - urianger childhood backstory fic with transfem urianger! incredibly well-characterized urianger narration. breaks my heart (due to Baby Sadness) and brings a smile to my face (due to Baby Joy) with every update.

lost and found (8.8k, T). gen, light moenuri - you know how moenbryda’s parents basically adopted urianger after they basically abandoned him? this fic is about that. also urianger autism :)

while eating (2.2k, G) gen - more baby autistic urianger with bastard parents. sob. at least moenbryda’s parents are there.

foster (1k, G) gen - pre-canon, thancred overhears fourchenault and louisoix talking about him.

second impression (4.8k, T) gen - fourchenault is a bit more of a classist bastard than in canon and is a dick to thancred, but gets past it. mostly. thancred does his best.

the stars in their abundance (2.7k, T) gen - pre-canon from the perspective of g'raha’s mom in corvos!

cross (1.1k, G) gen - minfilia and thancred clean up the mess of thancred’s possession.

your song, carried onwards (4.9k, G) gen - thancred’s rescue of alisaie from the WoD in the hvw patches.

a stranger in the woods (4.3k, E) thancred/marcechamp - you know, the guy from tailfeather in heavensward? they hook up. thancred gets taken care of.

dust in your eyes (8.8k, T). background ships include wolchefant, wolcred, and haurchefant/urianger, but is mostly about thancred being a sad bastard who is always too slow, too late, and trying to be his best self but not totally succeeding. and haurchefant being a great guy. good character stuff.

how massive is the spirit in us (2.2k, G) gen - ryne character introspection… makes my heart hurt.

testing the waters (1.8k, G) gen - thancred teaches ryne to swim.

the shimmering light (2k, G) gen, light thanuri - urianger settling into the bookman’s shelves. fun il mheg worldbuilding.

almost crystal, almost ascian (10k, T) gen - minfilia and the exarch meet up a few times over the course of a century. their parallelisms. the horror of being “minfilia.”

off the hook, provisionally (974, G) gen - y'shtola talks to the exarch in the wake of 5.0 about his deception.

among the shelves (5k, G). gen - the twins and ryne hang out and talk about the other scions.

portentous news (842, G) gen - urianger’s first morning on the moon in the middle of endwalker.

adventures in unlikely friendship (23k, T) gen - wol+cred friendship! i really like these. the bozja one is delightful. passively-suicidal bestiessss

void parsley sojourn (4k, T) gen, light thanuri - urianger hotboxes the rising stones. very charming depiction of urianger as a weed nerd. makes me laugh and smile every time i read it!

there is (maybe) an ascian among us (11k, T) gen, minor side pairings - post-endwalker, the scions try to get to the bottom of a conspiracy about thancred, who just wants to grill for gods sake! comedy.

two scions walks into a bar… (26k, T) gen, but eventually thanuri - a series where the author intended to just analyze and write about thancred & urianger’s relationship as gen, but then slid into shipping lmao. covers ARR-early STB with a bit of post-SHB. great character work for both of them!

respite, despite (25k, T) thanuri - urianger pining from pre-5.0 to the close of endwalker… good pining, good urianger misery, good romance. wagh!

erasing all the lines in the sand (30k, E) thanuri - mutual pining, miscommunication, coparenting! bookman’s shelves fic.

(in parantheses) (9.9k, M) thanuri - thancred's rescuing of minfilia, time in the first, and the mental stress that emet-selch gives him due to ascian trauma during shadowbringers. also getting together with urianger.

sleepy-eyed soldier (4.6k, M) thanuri - elidibus puppetting ardbert's body brings thancred’s ptsd over having his body used by lahabrea roaring back to the surface in the form of nightmares and hypervigilance. (mind the CWs)

trouble in paradise (2.3k, E) thanuri - transfem urianger!!!! :D :D :D great kind-of-an-asshole thancred character work. hurting each other but trying to fix it.

sole conundrum (412, G) thanuri - pre-edw garlemald scouting mission. urianger autism :D

three of swords reversed (3.2k, T) thanuri, moenuri - urianger dealing with grief over moenbryda and thancred in the later half of endwalker.

another sunrise (5.8k, T) thanuri - post-edw wanderings - urianger deals with a mystery, sudden solitude, and a crisis of doubt! ends happily.

take root in this barren soil (and grow back stronger) (7.4k, E) thanuri - thancred shares what the training regimen of a sharlayan spy entails, not expecting urianger to react so strongly.

to wander is a dream (46k, M) thanuri - post-edw. i don’t tend to enjoy hanahaki fics but this fic is so so so good. thancred being an emotionally stunted asshole, urianger being the world’s most beautiful martyr (for better or for worse), lots of fae stuff, both of them struggling to not be repressed.

why do we forbear? (9.3k, E) thanuri - modern au fake dating, which would usually not appeal to me but this one’s real cute. (currently unfinished)

to care for those we love (11k, T) ryne and her parents, thanuri - ryne drags thancred to the bookman’s shelves and does her best to administer first aid in urianger’s absence. each chapter is from one of the trio’s pov - i’m usually not super into 1st person, but this fic uses it really effectively in imparting each character’s mindset. it’s very sweet!

*to care for those we love (11k, T) waters family, thanuri - ryne drags thancred to the bookman’s shelves and does her best to administer first aid in urianger’s absence. each chapter is from one of the trio’s pov - i’m usually not super into 1st person, but this fic uses it really effectively in imparting each character’s mindset. it’s very sweet!

*an ordeal, shared (6.1k, T) waters family + minor rynegaia & thanuri - canon divergent au where FRU happened and ryne was possessed by mitron. ryne deals with the psychological aftereffects of possession, and she and thancred go on a camping trip.

*waters of thanalan (78k, M) wolcred + thanuri + wolgraha - thancred accompanies a miqo wol back home to visit his family after endwalker. probably THE BEST thancred characterization ive ever read, bar none. just a great perspective on his neuroses and flaws and how unreliable a narrator he can be. great seeker worldbuilding as well. (also, transfem urianger!!)

ancients

on call (2.5k, T) hythades - emet-selch goes out of town, and hyth is asked to step in for a soul-seeing duty. and he futzes with emet-selch’s office.

mail run (840, G) hythades - “A young archival intern keeps finding completely legitimate reasons to do all the deliveries to a very specific Bureau of the Architect clerk. For no reason at all.” young love!

as stars to a sky (1.8k, T) hythades - little vignettes about life in the pre-sundered world.

the seat of destruction (13k, M) hythades - canon-divergent au where hythlodaeus is the one to take the seat of emet-selch, and the sundering still happens. my favorite ascian!hyth work.

affective memory (9.3k, T) hythades - pov from the shade of hythlodaeus as he wanders around emet-selch’s reconstructed amaurot.

for good health and opportunity (14k, T) pre-emetexarch - emet-selch visits the crystal exarch numerous times over the course of a century. frenemies!

*sonnet 116 (6.3k, T/M) hythazem + hythades + venazem - dysfunction junction in the ancient world. divorce abounds. kind of gave me emet-selch advanced misogyny brainworms. transfem hyth!

other characters

“nero tol scaeva did nothing wrong”… (5k, G) gen - a bunch of job npcs try to arrest nero for driving without a license. goes about as well as you might think.

biohazard (1.1k, G) gen - nero hates valens’ ass. not because he has “morals” or anything he just thinks valens is a dogshit project manager.

left in the dust (3.9k, T?) cidnero - ARR nero finds amnesiac marques working in the lichyard. miserable little man.

adrift in memory’s fog (16k, T) cidnero - cid’s frequent bouts of amnesia have led to a patchy memory - enough where he forgets that he and nero were betrothed as teenagers. (trans cid!)

the troubled envoy (1.3k, T) gen - maxima’s diary entries during the stormblood patches, including his thoughts on his weird boss.

the last abandonment (1.9k, M) gen - maxima wanders the ruins of garlemald and reflects on his time in the garlean left. by the same author as above - i really rec all their maxima fics.

this cathedral where your face stains the windows (2k, G) ysayle/igeyrohm - “Someone had to teach Ysayle summoning.” great ysayle heresy stuff + toxic yuri.

this blessed day (80k, M) gen - lucia’s journey from a captured garlean spy to aymeric’s right hand. lucia……

cadavre exquis (6.4k, T) gen - emmanellain helps pack up haurchefant’s things at camp dragonhead ft ishgardian homophobia and an underground queer zine scene.

the lantern jar (19k, T) cirisadu - OH MY GODDDDDDDDDDD. this fic is so good. cirina and sadu growing close. lots of development of steppe spiritual traditions and beliefs.

duet (13k, T) estivrtra - estinien encourages vrtra to live more fully as a dragon. cool dragon stuff.

a view of you (14k, M) estivrtra - estinien gets fatally wounded, and vrtra keeps him alive via a great sacrifice (sadly unfinished, but what’s there is a great read)

veteran advisor (15k, E) vrtra/estinien/gaius - really great gaius character work here where he and allie are on vacation in radz-at-han, and the impact that has on both of them. but also? it's mostly about big!varshahn getting railed. good for him!

this home wrested forth (2.5k, T) gen - sidurgu from DRK quests and alaqa from WHM quests meet up and deal with some gridanian wrongdoing.

a fervent desire (111k+, E) sanson/guydelot - an incredibly in-depth retelling of the BRD quests. great work developing these characters and giving them really in-depth motivations!

and love you shall find (9.8k, E) sanson/guydelot - BRD quests, but what if sanson journals as an accommodation for short-term memory loss?

there are also... my own ffxiv fics. if you so choose to peruse.

[xiphions]

Blog header:  View of Bregentved Forest, Sjaeeland, Artist Frederik Sødring, 1830s

𝓜𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽:

Welcome to my blog :) I have the internet savvy of an 80 year old, so I have no idea what I’m doing. Please be nice!

𝒲𝐼𝒫𝓈:

Few and Far Between - A very long,  mostly canon compliant fic following multiple povs through Hogwarts and up to the second wizarding war. Angst heavy, graphic depictions of violence and major character death. 

Povs: Remus, Sirius, Lily, Marlene, Mary, James, and Peter

Multiple ships including Wolfstar, Marylily, Dorlene, Jily, and Jegulus

This fic is already over 1.5 million words and it's only just reached the first war!

𝒞𝑜𝓂𝓅𝓁𝑒𝓉𝑒𝒹:

ᴅᴏʀʟᴇɴᴇ:

Light My Fire (68,689 words) - Fake dating Dorlene with Cheerleader!Dorcas and Soccerplayer!Marlene set in an American High School. Featuring a very queer marauders friend group.

Background ships: Wolfstar, Marylily, Jegulus, Rosekiller, Pandora/Xeno

Carnage (8,431 words) - Explicit oneshot, enemies Dorlene with Vampire Hunter Marlene and Vampire Dorcas Meadowes. They want to kill each other (erotically). Includes smut and graphic depictions of violence. Very bloody, please mind the tags.

ᴡᴏʟꜰꜱᴛᴀʀ:

Last Christmas (I Gave You My Heart) (83,799 words) - Exes to Lovers Wolfstar, set during the Christmas season. After seven years of not seeing each other, Sirius and Remus are brought back together for James and Lily’s wedding. Remus now engaged, and Sirius a famous pop star. What could go wrong?

Povs: Remus, Sirius, Tonks

Background/secondary ships: Jily, Remadora, minor Dorlene

This will update when I post something new :)

[rainbowmoonstonestories]

Why The Caged Bird Sings | Chapter 8

Chapters: 7/? Fandom: One Piece (Liveaction) Rating: Explicit Relationships Vinsmoke Sanji x F!Reader Characters: Vinsmoke Sanji, Patty, Red Leg Zeff, Original Characters, Strawhat crew. Warnings: 18+ content (minors DNI), explicit sexual content, minor POV switching. Summary: One night, you were brought to the luxurious Baratie Restaurant Ship, renowned for its exceptional cuisine that your family had been intrigued to sample. A particular blond and comely waiter captured your attention with his charming smile and gentle eyes, but while your beauty and sophistication intrigued him, Sanji also observed the profound nervousness that caused your jaw and body muscles to tense whenever your fiancé made contact with your hand or your parents delivered a humiliating criticism towards you. One dinner at the Baratie soon turned into a recurring event, and then more. As your friendship with Sanji slowly evolved into something that burned from within, you strove to make your longstanding dream come true; freeing yourself from a constricting existence. ------------------------- As Sanji looked at you curiously, the gentle smile never leaving his face, you asked him, "Do you know why the caged bird sings?" He thought about it for a moment before answering, "Because it has a song to give?" You chuckled at his response and shook your head. "You're not entirely wrong, but no."

Divider by firefly-graphics

Feel free to read this on AO3 if it is more comfortable for you due to its length. I only ask to support me with a like and reblog if you enjoy my work. ☺️

Tagging: @nerium21

Author's note: Hi there! I apologize for another delay. I hit a bit of writer's block while trying to figure out how to continue before the final part. However, I finally came up with a small idea that will be essential to Reader's relationship with the cook.

The next chapter will be the last one, covering episode 6 of the live-action series with some personal additions. This story's main focus was the main character's personal growth and her love story with Sanji, and I feel I've achieved what I set out to do. The final part will be quite emotional—I won't spoil anything, but the ending might surprise you. Maybe.

Warning: This chapter includes detailed SMUT!

Zeff granted the two of you a day off to procure fresh ingredients and essential supplies for the restaurant. This excursion, while serving a practical purpose, provided an opportunity for romantic development, during which you gained insights into Sanji's background and experience. Simultaneously, you were once again confronted with your own personal history, forced to return to your home region to source a particular ingredient.

The ambient noise from the running sink muffled the sound of breathing, while intoxication made your body tremble like a delicate flan. Soft lips traced a damp trail along your neck, as dexterous fingers reached your lace-covered breast—thumb reverently tracing the sheer fabric. 

Sanji’s touch remained gentle and respectful beneath its sensuality. You answered by loosening his tie, your nails trailing down to the waistband of his trousers. The moment was undeniably exciting, but concerns about discretion in the public venue held you back from fully surrendering to it.

"Sanji," you breathed, your voice quivering. "Our shift isn't finished yet."

He hummed, gripping your waist as he gazed at you with dark, hungry eyes. "I know, I can make this quick," he murmured. "Though I'd much rather take my time savoring every inch of you."

His tongue darted forward, licking his lower lip. His Adam's apple bobbed as you noticed the full extent of his desire; a rosy flush colored his cheeks, his breath came in rapid, shallow pants, and his obvious arousal strained against the confines of his trousers, pulling the fabric taut.

The scene was primal, heated, simply irresistible. However tempting, the busy dining room beyond made such risky behavior unwise.

You smiled, brushing the strands of hair away from his left eye. “This isn't the right place for such things. Let's try to show a little restraint."

Sanji released an amused, albeit shaky chuckle. "How could I possibly hold back when such a stunning goddess graces me with her presence?"

You arched an eyebrow quizzically. "Goddess?"

"That's exactly what you are, my lovely. A walking masterpiece. And right now, I'm struggling to keep my hands to myself."

He accentuated his statement with a gentle caress, his hands moving with admiration across your figure. The partially open shirt revealed your graceful curves, drawing his appreciative gaze to your feminine silhouette.

Though reckless, the locked bathroom door eliminated any chance of being caught in such a compromising position. His finger slipped under one of the bra cups to push it aside, and as your nipple stiffened from the cool air, his lips eagerly claimed it. You released a surprised gasp—a blend of shock and pleasure—as Sanji worshipped it like the most delectable cherry atop a cake. His steady embrace supported you, making your back arch instinctively into his touch.

“S-sanji, wait,” you moaned.

“Mh…”

It felt divine, like a heavenly chorus singing in your head. The precise way his mouth wrapped around the sensitive peak was already too much to bear, making your knees buckle beneath you as waves of bliss weakened your stance.

“Please...ah! We need to stop.”

He pulled away from your breast with a soft, wet sound, his eyes gleaming in the dim light. “I—”

With a tender, affectionate kiss, you interrupted his self-deprecating thoughts, gently holding his face in your hands. "Shh, I told you. I want the same things you do. It’s just…"

"This is not exactly the most suitable place or time for this. I know."

You nodded, pushing him against the sink while tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. "Still, you can’t exactly return to work looking like this."

Glancing down at the front of his trousers, Sanji nervously cleared his throat. "Yeah... about that."

Though a more intimate interlude wasn't appropriate given the circumstances, you couldn't deny the compromising nature of the situation.

After a moment of consideration, you concluded that a more discreet solution could be arranged.

"You know, there's something we could do to... fix the problem," you suggested shyly. "But we can't let your uniform get ruined."

He shook his head. "It’s all good, beautiful. I just need a moment to cool down."

You shrugged. "Well, since we're stuck waiting anyway, perhaps I could... help you with that?"

His expression transformed into one of intense focus as he regarded you with newfound appreciation. “You would?”

“Of course.”

“Yeah?”

His boyish enthusiasm was utterly adorable—the sweetest thing you had ever seen.

"Being a woman has its advantages. I could return to work without anyone noticing anything amiss. But you? It would be terribly cruel of me to leave you in this state, wouldn't it?"

With mounting anticipation, he silently slipped off his loosened tie and placed it on top of the folded garments resting on the sink's edge.

"Besides,” you added in a sultry tone, “I was the one who started this—teasing you, drawing you in."

You delicately caressed his ear before moving your hand downward to explore his form through his clothing. His physical response to your attention was immediate and unmistakable, his length twitching beneath your palm at first contact.

"M-mh. You could say or do anything to me, my lovely. Even if you tortured me to your heart's content, I'd still worship the ground you walk on."

You paused, your heart tightening at his words. "Why would I ever want to do that? I could never hurt you."

“I-I mean that—”

"I know what you mean. But truly, Sanji, no woman should ever mistreat a man that way. Those who do... they don't deserve someone as wonderful as you, that's for certain."

A gentle smile graced his features as you embraced him, arms encircling his neck. "You make my heart race like no other man ever has. I want to give you all of me."

With one final kiss, you gracefully lowered yourself to your knees, your eyes never leaving his as he watched, transfixed, too overwhelmed with longing to speak.

"For now, though, this is what I can offer you."

“Y/N…. Are you….?”

"Yes," you purred. "Would you like that?"

"How could I possibly refuse? Only an idiot would turn this down."

With satisfaction, you unzipped his pants slowly and deliberately, like unwrapping a cherished birthday gift. "As much as I'd love to take my time with this, I'll have to be quick," you whispered.

"I don't mind, my darling," he said huskily. "Just thinking about what you're about to do is already making my head spin."

You let out a soft laugh. "At least let me start before you lose control."

He braced himself against the sink, his knuckles whitening from his grip. His breathing came in ragged bursts—chest heaving—his eyes focused on you, unblinking and smoldering.

His refined features and elegant bearing made him a stunning sight to behold, whether fully clothed, completely bare, or in his current state of disarray. He carried himself with princely elegance in any situation, perpetually smiling, his grace and striking qualities commanding attention.

Carefully, you pushed his trousers and briefs down, his arousal springing free before you, the tip flushed and glistening with moisture. Your eyes traced its contours, taking in every curve and hue.

The words slipped from your lips, genuine and irrepressible. "So pretty…"

He gave a modest chuckle, taken aback by the sincere praise. "Really?"

"Yes, absolutely. I know it may sound daring, but everything about you is beautiful."

Your palm glided softly around the base, stroking halfway up before sliding back down. His breath hitched and muscles tensed as he rocked forward with a muffled grunt, his blonde hair falling across his eyes.

“The things you do to me…”

"I live to please," you said playfully. "And you deserve all the attention in the world, Sanji. I'll do anything you ask."

You repeated the motion rhythmically, reaching higher with each stroke, until you enveloped the sensitive tip and pleasured it with ardent devotion. Sanji was lost in ecstasy, consumed by the simple gratification your hand alone provided, his sighs and swallows wordlessly begging for more.

"You are driving me absolutely insane."

Motivated by his response, you slowly brought your lips to his waiting hardness. His flesh felt silky and warm against your mouth, throbbing eagerly at your attention. You yearned to indulge in the act and tantalize him more, an inner wildness you never knew existed awakened in your veins.

Forcing yourself to maintain control, you parted your jaw wider, taking him in as deeply as you could. With relaxed throat and steady breathing through your nose, you adjusted your position and used your free hand to hold his shirt above his navel.

His muscles rippled with pleasure as soft moans escaped him. "I'd kick everyone out of this entire place just to have you all to myself—in every room, every corner, ahh—every bed."

You pulled back slowly, hollowing your cheeks before releasing him with a light pop. "I don't think the others would appreciate that," you joked. "We should at least spare their private quarters, Zeff's office, and—well, the kitchen too."

"Eh, I don't know," he panted. "The kitchen would be inspiring."

As you massaged him with rhythmic motions, readying to engulf him in your mouth once more, you reacted with a soft giggle. "Seriously? I know certain foods are considered aphrodisiacs, but wouldn't that be taking things a bit too far?"

"Nah, You'd be like a beautiful canvas for me to paint—mh!"

Your tongue traced a sensual path along his length, following a line to the tip before taking him fully again. You moved with exquisite care, starting slow then gradually building speed, while your palm attended to what your lips could not reach.

Sanji dissolved into pure rapture, surrendering completely to your dedicated ministrations. His eyes fixed on your lips as they slid along his length, each movement both erotic and sweet, quickly pushing him closer to the precipice of resistance.

His release was building rapidly, threatening to overtake him despite his desire to relish every second of what he was receiving. "Y-Y/N... I... ugh... you are so beautiful like this. So wonderful to me."

"I hope I'm not causing you any discomfort?" you asked breathlessly, stopping momentarily to adjust your angle.

"Oh, quite the contrary. Words fail to capture just how incredible you are."

With time growing short, you flashed him a playful glance as you intensified your efforts, his length gliding smoothly between your lips as his pulse quickened beneath your tongue. His fingers threaded through your hair, more as a romantic gesture than a forceful act to push deeper into your mouth.

Ever kind and considerate, never exerting force or pressure, he remained quintessentially Sanji.

His jaw clenched tightly, his breathing grew ragged, and his expression radiated deep reverence as he held your gaze with unwavering passion. The intimacy between you transcended any notion of impropriety, feeling natural and pure—a simple expression of love for the man who had captured your heart and illuminated your once-darkened world with his boundless light and care.

“Just a little more, beautiful. I….”

With an almost imperceptible nod, you urged him onward. "Mmhmm."

The soft sounds from your mouth mingled with the noise of the sink, as his adorable whimpers barely rose above the faucet's steady flow. You could feel him vibrating and stiffening, teetering on the brink of climax, quivering and throbbing with desperate craving against your lips.

Until waves of euphoria rushed through every nerve, every muscle, every fiber of his form.

“A-ah—mh!”

His hips jerked violently, spasming uncontrollably. Without pulling back, you tenderly accepted his release, keeping his attire pristine until the last tremors of pleasure subsided, leaving behind subtle aftershocks that coursed along his thighs. His legs stood strong and steady despite the exertion, keeping him firmly upright against the sink.

Allowing him a moment to compose himself, you slowly drew back from him with utmost gentleness, and rose to your feet with your legs looking wobbly in comparison.

“I'm absolutely speechless,” he breathed. “That was... incredible. Just... Ahh.”

With a contented smile, you took the discarded tie and draped it around his neck, straightening his collar before expertly knotting it as he tidied his lower garments.

“Are you okay?” You inquired.

"More than okay, my lovely. I feel like I could touch the stars right now. I’m absolutely buzzing."

His fingers gently fastened your shirt buttons from bottom to top, his blue eyes trailing appreciatively over your torso as he went. "Words can't express how grateful I am for you."

You caught his wrists lovingly, holding them in place as his thumbs brushed along your face. "Then I'll remind you every day just how much you mean to me."

Without hesitation, Sanji captured your lips in a passionate kiss, enjoying the lingering taste of himself with a deep, possessive groan.

"Thank you, beautiful. You're an absolute angel."

"Yeah, keep those compliments coming, thanks!"

He laughed, nuzzling his nose against yours. "As if I could ever stop praising you."

"Come on, let's finish cleaning these uniforms before Zeff breaks down the door."

With reluctance, Sanji moved away from you, sighing as he turned his attention to the crumpled uniforms by the sink. He began treating the stain on his chef's jacket with running water, while you followed his example, carefully working to remove the dried blood from your own garment. Unfortunately, the extended time during which the stains had set into the fabric wasn’t helping matters, making the cleaning process far more arduous than originally anticipated.

Yet, as you exchanged smiles and even more kisses in between, neither of you could view this minor setback as anything but worthwhile.

These precious moments etched themselves into your memory, forming a collection of remembrances that you would treasure for the rest of your life.

The remainder of the shift proved demanding, as late-night patrons lingered well past closing time. With half the staff already gone, exhaustion began to set in as you maintained service for the remaining customers, barely able to stay on your feet.

After thorough cleaning, your jacket's stain had been successfully removed, appearing only as an imperceptible discoloration that seamlessly blended with the black fabric. While Sanji's jacket required additional work, persistent efforts ultimately proved effective in restoring it to the best of his ability.

At last, the final patrons settled their bills and walked away, leaving the dining hall in peaceful quietude. Despite the substantial volume of dishes that needed washing, your collaborative efforts with Sanji resulted in an efficiently tidied kitchen, with immaculate counters and meticulously polished tableware.

Sanji approached from behind, his fingers lightly grazing your hand. However, before he could voice his thoughts, the distinctive sound of Zeff's approaching footsteps—wooden peg leg tapping against the floorboards—prompted a hasty separation between you both. Moments later, the head chef entered, carrying his signature tall hat under his arm.

“Still here, eh?"

“We've just finished," you replied. 

"I see that. Good job," he said, his bushy mustache lifting with his smile. “Well, since you're both here..." he grumbled, scratching his chin. "Got something to run by ya. More like a proposition, actually."

"What's cooking, old man?" Sanji asked with curiosity.

"We need to restock our supplies," he explained. "Rare ingredients, specialty spices too. The kind that'll make your taste buds dance."

"Don't the usual suppliers handle all that stuff already?"

Zeff placed his hands on his hips, giving Sanji a reproachful look. "Listen here, eggplant. You want quality time with your girl or not?"

Upon hearing this, both of you regarded each other with expressions of mutual astonishment.

"I'm throwing you a bone here. Take the damn day off, sail around a bit, get me what I need. You get what you want, I get what I want. Simple as that."

A warm smile spread across your lips, reflecting both amusement and delight.

"I'll have the list ready at the crack of dawn. And don't you dare be late, you hear me?"

"Yes sir," you answered promptly.

Zeff's eyes held unmistakable warmth and paternal affection as he looked at you, offering the kind of fatherly regard you had never experienced before.

"Now get out of here and get some rest. That's an order, and I mean it." He exclaimed with his characteristic gruffness.

With that, he turned and strode away, his wooden leg tapping a steady rhythm down the corridor until it faded into the peaceful quiet of the kitchen, where only the soft creaking of the restaurant's buoyant frame remained.

Turning to Sanji, you observed his countenance radiating unbridled elation. 

"What just happened?" you asked with a delighted chuckle.

"Well, my lovely," he cooed with a dramatic flair. "It seems we have been blessed with a romantic adventure!"

With genuine happiness, you embraced him as he gracefully lifted and spun you in a gentle circle, sharing an exuberant moment of pure, unbridled joy.

The following morning was more strenuous than usual, with residual fatigue from the previous evening's work affecting your movements. After a gentle stretch and quiet yawn, you rose from your bed to find the adjacent space unoccupied. 

Upon awakening, you discovered a note Sanji had left earlier, detailing his preparations for the upcoming journey you would be taking together. Given his renowned culinary passion and expertise, you anticipated he would prepare an impressive selection of gourmet provisions for the voyage, enough to feed a small army.

With eager excitement, you selected an ensemble that balanced sophistication with practicality, readying yourself for what promised to be a well-deserved break from the usual restaurant duties.

The kitchen stood silent, the ship still wrapped in slumber, with only Sanji occupying its center. He was fully focused on his cooking mise en place, his skilled hands moving gracefully through each task as delightful scents wafted through the air. Smiling warmly, you made your way to him, letting your hand rest on his strong arm before leaving an affectionate kiss on his cheek.

"Good morning," you murmured cheerfully.

"Good morning, beautiful," he replied. "Our meals are almost ready."

"They smell amazing!" you exclaimed.

"I've left some pancakes with fresh fruit over there for you. I couldn't bear to let you start the day on an empty stomach."

Your eyes landed on a plate of fluffy pancakes, soft as clouds and drizzled with syrup, crowned with plump strawberries and raspberries. Your mouth watered at the sight.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're absolutely the best?"

Taking your seat at the counter across from him, you positioned yourself before the enticing plate of pancakes, fork at the ready.

"Ah, I know I am," he said with a confident grin. "Best cook in the East Blue."

The delicate flavors danced across your palate as the tender pancake dissolved effortlessly, eliciting a soft murmur of appreciation.

"Stop with all that bragging, you little eggplant," Zeff's gruff voice boomed through the room as he entered. "Here's the list. And don't you dare come back without every single item, or I'll kick you straight back out to sea with my peg leg!"

You carefully examined the document Zeff provided while finishing your breakfast. The extensive inventory list contained an impressive array of specialized ingredients, many with complex nomenclature that exceeded your current culinary knowledge and could barely pronounce.

"Kid needs supervision," he grumbled, adjusting his chef's hat. "Good thing you're going along, maybe you can keep this brat from getting lost out there."

"Are you here to actually do your job, or just to give me grief?!" Sanji countered.

"Bah! Just wrap it up and get outta here already. And for crying out loud, you're butchering that cut! How many times do I have to teach you?"

"Shut it, old man!"

While their bickering was entertaining to watch, you had observed an increasing frequency in Zeff's critiques of Sanji's work in recent weeks. The motivation behind this change remained ambiguous, stemming from genuine professional concerns, or more likely, serving as Zeff's subtle method of encouraging Sanji to venture beyond the confines of the Baratie.

As the head chef pushed the doors open to return to the dining hall's setup, your attention was drawn to a specific item on the list—the only ingredient whose origin and characteristics were intimately familiar to you.

Your fork halted midair as the piece of pancake tumbled back onto the plate. “Sanji…”

"Yes, my lovely?"

"This ingredient here," you said, tracing your finger along the written name.

"Shitty old man's handwriting looks like chicken scratch, doesn't it?”

You shook your head. "No, you see… 'Golden Saffron Petals.'"

"Zeff is obsessed with using it in one of his seafood dishes. The petals give off an earthy flavor with floral notes and a subtle sweetness. Do you want to try it?"

Your throat tightened. "It’s not that. Do you know where they're sourced from?"

"Actually, I'm afraid I don't," he replied with a charming smile.

With a heavy sigh, you placed the list on the counter, your movements slow and reluctant. "I do though. In fact, they are only produced in one place."

Your expression conveyed such profound concern that it gave him pause. Recognition dawned on his face as he ceased his actions, his expression shifting to one of gravity. "Please don't tell me it's your hometown."

“Sadly it is," you confirmed, your voice heavy with dread. "The people back home take immense pride in this ingredient."

Observing your distress, Sanji temporarily halted his preparations, diligently cleaning his hands, and making his way around the counter to join you. He positioned himself at your side, offering reassurance through a gentle touch on your back and a careful caress of your cheek as your eyes met.

"I completely understand if you'd prefer not to go."

You sighed. "No, Sanji, I don’t want to stay behind."

"I'm not gonna let you go back to a place that brings you pain."

With a gentle smile, you placed your hands against his chest reassuringly. "This is meant to be our special day. I don't want it to be ruined because of that."

"Every second I spend with you is already like a beautiful dream come true. I don't need anything else to make it special."

His words were a soothing balm, clearing the brewing storm inside you.

"You're sweet, but I promise I'll be fine. I want to go with you.”

"Are you absolutely certain, my lovely?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern. “’Cause, if you’re worried about Zeff, he will understand.”

While the prospect of returning home presented significant difficulties, avoiding your past indefinitely was neither practical nor beneficial. Sanji's presence provided the necessary foundation of support and security, and you had already taken a momentous step toward your personal growth.

The apprehension that once plagued your thoughts had diminished significantly. What remained were merely echoes of hurtful memories.

"Without a doubt," you affirmed with conviction. “We're going together, no question about it. Just promise you'll stay by my side."

With a tender smile, he brushed your hair back, his ring's cool metal grazing your temple. "As if I could ever let you go."

With a resolute nod, you leaned forward, capturing his lips in a soft, loving kiss that Sanji deepened instantly, his hands gently cradling your face. His distinctive scent intertwined with the kitchen's aromas, his breath warm and steady against your skin.

The gesture symbolized a mutual commitment, solidifying your shared understanding and determination.

The kitchen doors burst open as Zeff's thunderous voice shook the entire space, too late for you both to spring apart with any semblance of dignity.

"Bloody hell! Get out of my kitchen!!"

"Are you still thinking about it?" Sanji asked with amusement as he shrugged off his jacket and lit a cigarette on the boat's deck.

"Of course I'm thinking about it!" you sputtered, your cheeks flushed. "We broke Zeff's number one rule—and he caught us in the act!"

Sanji, meanwhile, was grinning like he'd won the world lottery. "A little kiss won't kill him."

"Well... I suppose I did get a bit carried away," you admitted sheepishly.

"You look even more beautiful when you're flustered."

Rolling your eyes playfully, you let out a hearty laugh. "Stop it. You know perfectly well that saying things like that only makes me blush more."

Sanji smirked, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Caught red-handed, love."

You settled against the vessel's railing, allowing your eyes to drift closed as you inhaled the crisp maritime breeze. "This feels wonderful. I hadn't realized how much I needed an escape from routine."

Sanji took a long drag of nicotine, expelling a big puff of smoke that disparsed in the air. "You work way too hard, my lovely. Take a breather, you've more than earned it."

"You and I both. The Baratie wouldn't even function without you."

"Heh, try telling that to the old man. I could run that place in my sleep."

As the boat gently rocked with the waves, he joined you at the railing, your shoulders meeting briefly.

"Speaking of which, is everything okay between you two?" you asked.

"That's the thing about me and Zeff," he chuckled warmly, running a hand through his hair. "We're like oil and water, but that's just how we work."

"Yes, but... lately his criticisms seem more pointed than usual. Or am I just imagining things?"

"He loves to push my buttons. It's been like that since I was a little shithead of a kid on that damn rock."

You tilted your head in confusion. "Rock?"

Exhaling another stream of smoke, he gravitated closer to you. "Ah yeah. I never actually told you the story of how we met, did I?"

"Not exactly, no."

He extinguished his cigarette against the open package, set it aside, and turned his gaze toward the horizon. "I was working as a cook on this cruise ship called ‘The Orbit’, when Zeff and his crew raided it. Y'know, proper pirate style.”

You smiled. "So it's that classic 'enemies to friends' story?"

"With a bit of a twist, yeah." After a brief pause to collect his thoughts, he continued his narrative. "I grabbed a knife and hid in the kitchen. The old man walked right in, straight to the Velouté I was making.”

You laughed. "Hold on. A pirate raids a ship, and his first move is to taste the food?"

"I mean, being a cook myself, that makes perfect sense. But then the bastard had the nerve to grab my sauce and ruin it with bloody oregano."

"Oh, the horror! Not the oregano!" you gasped with theatrical dramatics. "What did you do?”

“I screamed at him, told him that Oregano—”

“—Oregano is for savages,” You cut in.

Amused by your gleeful giggles, Sanji tickled your sides in response. "Oh you're having a laugh now? Want me to finish the story or what?"

Squealing at the sensation, you squirmed between his arms. "Stop, stop! I'm sorry! Ahaha! Please continue."

He released you with a gentle kiss on your cheek, then took your hand and placed it on the railing beside his.

"So I threatened him with my knife, and he just knocked me straight into the wall.”

“Ouch.”

“I said I'd rather die than let him season my food. The old shitbag actually said my Velouté wasn't half bad. Coming from him, that's basically a five-star review."

You continued to laugh, picturing the scene in your mind as you traced gentle circles on his hand with your thumb.

"I told him I wasn't going to die before finding the All Blue. Then this massive storm hit us."

Your smile vanished as your eyes grew wide at this dark turn in the story. "Were you hurt?"

"Nah, nothing too bad. Just a few scrapes and bruises. Next thing I knew, I woke up on this rock in the middle of nowhere. Zeff was there too. Both ships were completely wrecked in the storm, and we were the only ones who made it out."

The color drained from your face, all traces of laughter instantly vanishing. "That's awful…"

His grip on your hand intensified as he recalled the memory. "The tides were too low for us to escape. We waited there, day after day, hoping to spot a ship in the distance. The old man had some food stashed away—gave it all to me. But... it wasn’t enough."

He found himself stranded as a young child, isolated from the only life he had known, starving and utterly alone.

"How long were you on that rock?"

"Eighty-five days," he replied, his face maintaining a forced smile.

"Eighty-five days?? Sanji, that's almost three months! And how long did you have to go without food?"

"I don’t know… around sixty days, give or take."

Sixty days without sustenance, positioned at an elevation that prevented access to the sea or any other potential food sources.

Your throat tightened with sympathy.

"Wait a minute. You mentioned Zeff gave you all the food?"

"Every last bit of it, yeah."

"And...he survived for almost three months without anything to eat?"

Sanji's expression remained composed, though a deep melancholy resided within his azure eyes.

"No... he did have something," he said quietly.

“’Something’…?”

His smile faltered slightly as he reached out to brush away the windswept strands of hair from your face. "That's how he lost his leg, Y/N."

The horrific implications dawned on you with devastating clarity as the full weight of his words settled in your mind. The way Zeff limped around on his peg leg, carrying himself with pride and brusqueness—you had always assumed it was from some battle during his pirating days.

The reality behind that loss was far more tragic and gruesome than words could express.

Your eyes stung, tears forming at the corners of your eyes. “Are you saying that he… that he actually ate it…?”

"Yeah... he did," he replied quietly. "He gave up everything. All the food he had, even his own leg... just to keep me alive."

“But…. how…. I……..”

Lost for words at the weight of his revelation, you turned to gaze at the distant horizon, gripping the railing as you breathed in the salt-tinged air. The traumatic experiences Sanji endured during his youth. Zeff's remarkable sacrifice of his maritime career to protect an unknown child.

Such extraordinary selflessness and sacrifice demonstrated a level of compassion that transcended your previous understanding of human nature.

He gently wiped away the tears that had begun streaming down your face. "Why're you crying, my lovely? Just a minute ago you were all smiles and laughter."

"How can I possibly laugh after hearing something like this?"

"I didn't mean to upset you like that..."

"That's not it, Sanji,” you said, your lip quivering. “I'm just now realizing how foolish I've been with you all this time."

"Foolish? You? What're you on about?"

You pressed your fingers to your temples and shook your head in disbelief. "Since the day I met you, you've been nothing but smiles and sweet words. All I've done is complain about my idiot fiancé, my family, and how my life felt meaningless because every decision was made for me. All I needed was the courage to step away, to say no and accept that my life belongs to me and me alone. But you? You've been through something truly devastating, yet here you are: so full of love, so caring, so talented, so... human."

“Y/N—”

Your voice cracked with desperation as another fit of laughter overtook you, this time for an entirely different reason. "I despised everything, hated the people who were supposed to support me. And yet... I always had it all—a roof over my head, food on my table, a comfortable bed to sleep in."

"Everyone's got their own battles to fight, my lovely. Your pain isn't any less valid than mine, and I won't have you thinking otherwise."

“But I—”

“Shhh.”

He quieted you with a gentle kiss, his hand coming to rest tenderly against your lower back. "You're the most brilliant and amazing woman I've ever had the pleasure of meeting in my entire life. And trust me when I say this; you're tougher than our whole crew combined."

"Now you're exaggerating," you murmured with a soft sniffle.

"And that's not even the half of it. I mean it with my whole heart… meeting you changed everything for me. But you already knew that, didn't you?" Resting his forehead against yours, he pressed you even more firmly against him. "It's just you and me now. And I swear I'm gonna make this the most mind-blowing, extraordinary day you've ever experienced.”

You smiled. "That's quite a bold promise, isn't it?"

"I love it when things get a bit tricky. And for you? I'd move the whole bloody world."

"Mountains and all?"

"You can bet on it."

You grinned. "You'd even use oregano?"

"Eeehhh…. That's where I draw the line."

With contentment, you wrapped your arms around him, nestling your face against the curve of his neck. "Thank you for sharing this with me. I now understand why the Baratie means so much to you."

"Well, I've got another good reason to stay now, don't I?"

"I would never stand in the way of your dreams. I couldn’t compare with the All Blue."

His fingers traced delicately through your hair. "You're more precious to me than any fish in the four seas.”

"Still, promise me you won't give up on finding it."

“Look, I—”

"Promise me. I’m serious."

Sanji fell silent for a moment, taking in the rhythmic sound of waves against the deck and the lone seagull's cry drifting through the air.

After a moment's hesitation, trailing his hands tenderly along your back, he replied, “I promise.”

During the excursion, you and Sanji strategically visited several locations to procure essential ingredients, methodically completing half of the shopping list. The weather conditions were optimal, with clear skies and tranquil waters creating an ideal environment for maritime travel. 

Sanji's presence was paramount for you, as it provided a welcome distraction from your concerns about returning home. However, the moment you passed through the port's entrance archway, anxiety began to surface as your heart tightened and leapt into your throat.

Wordlessly, he squeezed your hand, and you answered with a gentle sigh. 

En route, you had contacted Mari via transponder snail to notify her of your impending arrival. Although time constraints limited the opportunity for extended social interaction, she had arranged for your friend group to temporarily pause their responsibilities to welcome you properly. Sanji readily agreed to the plan, recognizing both their significance in your life and appreciating their engaging presence.

"Well, welcome to my hometown," you said half-heartedly. "Not exactly a place filled with the best memories, but it's definitely resourceful."

"I know this place isn't exactly your favorite," he said with a gentle smirk. "But being here, seeing where you're from? It's actually pretty meaningful to me."

"You always know exactly what to say to make things better, don't you?" you said with a fond smile.

"You should know me by now, my lovely. I'm absolutely fascinated by every little thing about you."

Guiding him straight to the market downtown, you kissed his cheek. "Alright, I get it. Now let me introduce you to the specialties—though I'm sure I'll fade into the background once you see all that marvelous food." 

"You? In the background? Not a chance, love."

You navigated through the bustling streets, taking strategic shortcuts through various alleyways to maintain distance from your family's residence. Upon reaching the market stalls, you were enveloped by an array of distinct fragrances: the briny scent of fresh-caught fish, aromatic spices, sizzling meats, and seasoned timber.

"Well, my lovely, now I can see why you called this place a cook's paradise."

"See? Just as I predicted. Now you're so entranced by the fish you've completely forgotten about me."

With a playful laugh, Sanji let go of your hand and wrapped his arm around your waist, drawing you closer against him. "Not a chance."

"Alright then, show me the list, would you?"

With an elegant sweep of his hair, he pulled the paper from his jacket's inner pocket. “Right, take a look. Still got loads to get through."

"Let's see: Azure Tuna, Drunken Crab, Grand Line Saffron, Mermaid's Tears Salt, Golden Sea Cucumber, Firefruit Peppers, Sky Island Honey, Pearl Oysters from Conomi Waters and... Oh dear. How do you even pronounce these? Xyphirian Moon-Crested Lotus, Chyœnnaissière de Volant, Velüschkavia Noir Caviar, Tzatzimak... something?" 

"Tzatzimak'xotl Honeydew," Sanji said with a confident grin, adding a charming flair to the exotic name. "It's this wicked sweet melon thing. Took me ages to get that name right."

"Well, you deserve a medal for pronouncing it. My tongue was tying itself in knots just trying to say it."

With a soft chuckle, he said, "You did pretty brilliant with all those names."

"I trust your word. Come on, we can start at that stall over there. It has the best fish in all of town."

Sanji moved through the market with extraordinary enthusiasm and expertise. His discerning eye evaluated each specimen at the fish stall with a considerable attention to detail, demonstrating the refined judgment of an accomplished chef. He carefully selected only premium ingredients that would meet the exacting standards of the Baratie's distinguished clientele, a single glance immediately identifying any fish that weren't at peak freshness.

The air was thick with the mingling scents of  provisions and the chatter of vendors calling out their wares. As you progressed through the market, your shopping bags gradually filled with an extensive array of ingredients, ranging from traditional produce to rare, specialized components with intricate names. 

Sanji navigated toward a vibrant section showcasing exotic fruits and rare spices, examining their quality and characteristics. After selecting a pristine Tzatzimak'xotl Honeydew, you focused your attention on the primary objective of your visit: the Golden Saffron Petals.

While Sanji attended to his purchases, you approached the adjacent stall to procure the petals. The vendor, a large man with an unkempt beard, maintained an uncomfortably intense focus on you throughout the transaction, his demeanor and proximity becoming notably inappropriate for a merchant-customer interaction.

"Hey, sweetheart," he drawled. "How about I give you a special deal on these, just for you? A pretty lady like yourself shouldn't have to pay full price."

You forced a nervous laugh, attempting to deflect his attention. "Thank you, sir, but that won't be necessary."

The vendor persisted, reaching out to brush against your arm. "Maybe you and I could grab a drink later? I'll show you around, make sure you have a good time."

Sanji, who had been monitoring the situation nearby, immediately noticed the inappropriate confrontation. His typically cheerful disposition shifted to one of protective concern as he approached the scene,  his expression becoming stern as the atmosphere in the marketplace grew noticeably tense.

Stepping smoothly between you and the vendor, he positioned himself as a protective barrier. “I think you’re mistaken. She’s not interested,” he said, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper.

The vendor, taken aback by Sanji's sudden presence and the intensity in his eyes, tried to laugh it off. "Relax, man, I was just being friendly."

Sanji stood his ground, his steely gaze fixed on him. “If that’s your idea of friendly, you need a lesson in manners.”

The vendor, recognizing the dangerous glint in Sanji's stance, raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, no harm meant," he muttered, shrinking back. "No need to cause a scene—I get it. My apologies."

Sanji held his stare for a moment longer before turning to you. The hard edge in his expression softened immediately as he gently took your hand. "Are you all right?" he asked, his voice tender now, concerned only for you.

You nodded, offering him a warm smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you, Sanji."

He returned the smile, though there was still a protective spark in his eyes. "No need for thanks, my lovely. I'll be damned if I let anyone treat you with anything less than absolute respect."

You beamed at him, giving his hand a gentle tug. "If all men followed your example, the world would be a much better place."

Although you were capable of handling such situations independently, you recognized the deeper significance of Sanji's intervention. Given your past experiences with mistreatment from both your father and former fiancé, his protective response demonstrated his commitment to ensuring you would never again face such abuse and harassment. Even when the threat seemed minor.

His chivalrous nature and unwavering devotion had become an integral part of your life, making him indispensable to your happiness and well-being.

Clearing your throat, you turned your attention back to Zeff's list. "Now that I've got the petals, what else do we need?"

Sanji scanned the remaining items. “Uh, Mermaid's Tears Salt, Sky Island Honey, and… Pearl Oysters from Conomi Waters.”

"Perfect, they should be just a few stalls away. If we take that shortcut over there, we can avoid the crowd and get right to the salt merchant."

Sanji studied the narrow alley you pointed out. "You know every corner of this place. That geezer didn't recognize you, did he?"

"No, I mostly came here with Mari to escape my mundane life. I rarely bought anything from the stalls, my parents had their own suppliers. I guess I haven't been around here enough for people to recognize my face—not that I'm complaining."

He kissed the back of your hand, fingers intertwined with yours, and said, "That means I get to savor your beauty all to myself."

“Oh, you’re impossible!”

As the day progressed, the bustling streets of your hometown were alive with more scents of fresh-baked bread and sizzling skewers, wafting from local shops you'd rarely visited. Throughout the afternoon, you allocated moments for personal interests, browsing various boutiques and examining items beyond the list, providing welcome interludes of leisure. Time flowed pleasantly with a combination of efficient ingredient sourcing, shared meals, and stolen kisses in secluded corners, until you had only one remaining item to purchase.

Surprisingly, you found yourself experiencing and appreciating more aspects of your hometown during these few hours than throughout your entire upbringing there.

Walking hand in hand along another shortcut, you both kept a brisk, enthusiastic pace, energized by the successful progression of your exploration. The outing had exceeded your initial expectations, with only the minor incident at the vendor's stall disrupting an otherwise seamless experience. While unpleasant, the man’s unwanted advances were ultimately inconsequential and did not detract from the day's overall success. Having endured far worse situations in the past, such incident had minimal impact on your mood.

However, as with all things in life, one should remain cautious about premature celebrations, as circumstances can alter unexpectedly, without any prior warning.

Counting chickens before they've hatched is never a good idea.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t my dear runaway bride and her pathetic excuse for a cook.”

Instinctively, you tightened your grip on Sanji's hand upon encountering an unwelcome figure from your past: your former fiancé. Your heart nearly stopped as you found your path obstructed by Christopher and two imposingly built associates, their presence casting an ominous shadow across the narrow passage.

There he stood with arms crossed, a cruel sneer twisting his face, his two burly companions standing beside him—both of whom looked like they consumed raw protein powder for breakfast.

Sanji's lips curled into an unfazed smirk as he tilted his head. "Ah, look who it is. How's that nose healing up, mate? Last time we met, I think I gave it a bit of a makeover."

Your ex-fiancé's eye twitched, but he quickly regained his composure, puffing out his chest. "That was a cheap shot, you lowly, grease-stained, mop-headed, dish-washing—"

"Oh, shut up!" you snapped, stepping forward aggressively. "You're still bitter about that? It was entirely your fault, dumbass! Maybe if you hadn't behaved like such a—"

With a gentle touch, Sanji guided you behind him, his lips curving into a knowing smile. “Easy, sweetheart. He’s just upset his daddy demoted him.”

Your ex-fiancé's face flushed crimson. "Is that what she told you? I was punished unfairly! My father didn't understand the situation—"

"'Unfairly'?" you growled.

Sanji's confidence remained unwavering. “So he didn’t like the part where you got your ass handed to you in my restaurant, in front of an audience?"

One of the thugs beside him grunted, making a show of cracking his knuckles. "Think you're funny, blondie?"

Sanji let out a weary sigh. “I don’t think I’m funny, I know I am.”

Despite the humorous nature of the exchange, Sanji's witty retort prompted an aggressive response from all three men, who launched themselves towards him. In a fluid motion, Sanji shifted into a defensive position without even bothering to remove his bag, keeping his characteristic calmness with hands casually in his pockets while subtly preparing his legs for combat. However, before the confrontation could escalate further, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from the opposite end of the alley, signaling the arrival of additional parties.

“Oi, what’s all this commotion?”

Relief flooded through you as familiar figures appeared directly behind the trio. Mari, Rory, Marlo, and Rubio emerged with purposeful strides, their arrival carrying an air of authority. Mari assessed the situation with a self-assured expression, flexing her fingers as she advanced. “Is this a private show, or can we join in?”

Rory sighed, adjusting her elegant gloves. "Picking fights in an alley? How utterly predictable."

Marlo, towering and menacing, cracked his neck with a sharp pop. "I was hoping for a chance to warm up today."

Rubio rolled his shoulders with a casual shrug. "I'll handle the throwing duties."

"What are you clowns doing here?" Christopher barked, visibly agitated at finding himself outnumbered.

“What are you talking about? We’re just passing by. Last time I checked you didn’t own the streets,” Mari replied, clenching her hands into fists.

Turning to the two brutes, Chris shrieked, "What are you standing there for like dead fish? Do something!"

At that moment, the situation devolved into chaos.

Sanji evaded the first assailant's strike with practiced ease, responding with a precise kick that connected with the attacker's midsection. The impact sent the man flying backward into a stack of wooden crates with a thunderous crash, leaving him momentarily dazed. Mari, displaying inherited combat prowess, incapacitated the second brute with a strategic foot strike—making him howl like an injured seagull—followed by a quick elbow to his abdomen. She then expertly maneuvered him, using his momentum to propel him directly into Christopher.

He screamed as he was knocked back, struggling under his own flailing friend. “What the hell!?”

Rory, maintaining her class, approached with graceful poise. With one final adjustment of her gloves, she delivered a resounding slap across Christopher's face that sent him staggering as he struggled back to his feet.

“Ow!” he yelped. “You little—”

From the sidelines, Rubio casually plucked a cabbage from a nearby cart and hurled it with deadly precision, striking the first brute square in the head and dropping him like a sack of potatoes before he could regain his footing from Sanji's strike.

Your ex-fiancé spun to face you, eyes wild with desperation. "You. You chose this life instead of marrying me? Like some common street rat?!"

Moving hastily, Sanji positioned himself between you and Christopher, his protective instinct as strong as it had been with the merchant earlier. His eyes locked onto your ex with that same dangerous glare as he snarled, "You don't deserve to look at Y/N, let alone speak to her."

On any other occasion, he would have drawn his gun and threateningly aimed it at Sanji. This restraint suggested either hesitation due to the public setting with the marketplace behind you, or that his recent demotion had cost him both his authority and the right to carry arms.

Before Christopher could articulate further protests, retreating swiftly to avoid another kick to the face, Marlo advanced and effortlessly hoisted him off the ground. “Time to take out the trash,” he said cheerfully before chucking him into the cart, propelling it down the alley toward the bustling marketplace.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, stooooooop—"

Saying the scene was absolutely comical would be an understatement. People jumped aside or ran out of the way in a panic as the cart proceeded at full speed, having Christopher cursing repeatedly until he landed right into a stand. The impact left him drenched in fish oil and other market goods, causing Marlo to wince apologetically while adjusting his collar.

"Oops, I might have overdone that one."

"HEY! You'll have to pay for all of this!"

The sight of Christopher in his disheveled state, with the irate merchant demanding compensation for damaged merchandise despite his (now basic) Marine uniform, sent your group into fits of laughter from your concealed vantage point. His two associates, having regained their footing, quickly departed from the scene to avoid any involvement in the financial aftermath of the incident.

Although you generally did not condone retribution or mockery, you found it difficult to suppress a sense of justified satisfaction at this turn of events.

"No no, that was perfect," said Mari. "Exactly what that nutcase deserved!"

Even with his training and imposing build, Christopher was no match for the towering Marlo.

While Christopher continued his tirade at the vendor, repeatedly invoking his social status, Rubio recommended taking an alternate route to avoid any potential confrontation. The group discreetly withdrew from the scene, with Sanji maintaining a protective grip on your hand, while suppressed laughter and cheerful conversation accompanied your retreat.

Oh, how you had missed your soul family.

The journey back held a unique duality. Despite your previous negative considerations regarding your hometown, experiencing it anew as an independent woman surrounded by cherished companions—especially Sanji—offered an unexpectedly fresh perspective on familiar surroundings. 

As twilight approached, you reflected on the extraordinary events of the day. The excursion had exceeded all expectations as an inaugural outing together, the most perfect date imaginable with the man who held your heart.

The culinary delights he crafted were absolutely exceptional, with generous portions ensuring ample leftovers for future enjoyment. Throughout your time together, the conversation flowed naturally and continuously, ranging from light-hearted discussions to deeper exchanges on various subjects. Not a single awkward silence fell between you. 

You found a strong connection with each other, and your friends welcomed him warmly into their circle.

While reviewing the ingredients, you noticed Sanji gazing at you with undisguised affection. The prospect of returning to the Baratie seemed unexpectedly constraining, knowing you could simply take your belongings and embark on a new journey together, far from the familiar confines of your current life. However, such thoughts were impractical, given Sanji's deep commitment to the Baratie and the considerable effort you both invested in your current positions. The pursuit of the All Blue, while admirable, would require navigating either the Calm Belts or Reverse Mountain to access the Grand Line. Despite your desire to support his dream, neither of you currently had the necessary resources and equipment for such an ambitious venture.

Your day at sea highlighted your need for more quality time with Sanji away from workplace distractions and colleagues. Considering the demanding nature of your work schedules, evening hours provided the only opportunity for private moments together, though fatigue often limited these interactions.

While you found immense satisfaction in your professional role, there was an indefinable void—a subtle lack of something beyond your current circumstances that proved difficult to articulate.

"Looks like we got everything Zeff asked for," you declared. "Though I'm still not even going to try pronouncing half these ingredients.” 

Sanji wore a gentle smile, his thoughts appearing to drift contemplatively.

“Thank goodness Marlo helped carry some of this stuff. We definitely went overboard with our shopping."

Again, Sanji stayed quiet, drawing your attention back to him.

“Is something wrong?”

“Mh? Oh sorry, love. I was blinded by your beauty.”

With a laugh, you set the completed list aside and placed your hands together on the cabin table. "Okay, while I love the compliment, something's clearly on your mind."

"Yeah," he replied with a slight smirk, running his fingers through his hair.

"Okay then, what is it?"

"I've got something else. A little surprise I picked up that you haven't seen yet."

You raised your eyebrows. "A surprise? For Zeff?"

"Nah, not for the old man," he said, eyes twinkling mischievously. "This one's just for you."

You tilted your head. "For me?"

Reaching into his jacket, hanging on the back of his chair, Sanji pulled out a solid, velvet-covered square box. He placed it on the table and slid it toward you, his features alight with hopeful anticipation.

"Sanji..." you whispered, gently running your fingertips across the box. "You shouldn't have."

"I'd do anything for you. The moment I laid eyes on it, I just knew it had to be yours."

Your heart fluttered as you held the box in your trembling hands. When was the last time someone had given you a genuine gift, before Christopher tried to force his wedding ring upon you?

"You're so sweet," you said gently. "Can I open it?"

“Please do.”

Curiously, you lifted the lid, revealing the most beautiful bracelet you had ever seen. Made of exquisite aquamarine chips perfectly aligned along a delicate silver chain, it featured a single charm that transported you back to your first conversation at the Baratie; a perfectly carved bird with outstretched wings.

As Sanji looked at you curiously, the gentle smile never leaving his face, you asked him, "Do you know why the caged bird sings?"

He thought about it for a moment before answering, "Because it has a song to give?"

You chuckled at his response and shook your head. "You're not entirely wrong, but no."

“Sanji… this is…”

"I remembered what you told me that night we met," he said. “’The bird sings because it wants to be set free’. I know coming back home wasn't exactly a walk in the park for you today, but I want you to see how incredible you are when you're free to be yourself. Because honestly you are, without a doubt, the most magnificent bird to ever grace my sky.”

His words wrapped around your heart like a warm embrace, filling it with golden light and melting it with pure love. 

"I just wanted you to finally have a proper memory of that place. Something that actually makes you smile when you think of home."

He delicately removed the bracelet from its case and secured it around your wrist with practiced care, leaving you momentarily speechless.

Reflecting on your homeland had always evoked profound discomfort, leaving you with a deep sense of unease and gratitude for your new life elsewhere. While memories of Mari and your companions provided some solace, they weren't sufficient to overcome the hardships that marked your early years. However, this simple professional journey with Sanji had unexpectedly transformed your perspective, allowing you to view your former home through a lens of gentle reminiscence rather than aversion.

Where once your recollections held only hatred, pain, and faces you wished to forget, now they brimmed with precious moments you cherished most dearly: Sanji strolling beside you through the marketplace, defending your honor from the flirty merchant, and his fingers lovingly laced with yours as you explored the town together. You treasured his radiant smile while trying on hats and accessories in local shops, Christopher's well-deserved comeuppance, and the beautiful sight of your friends coming together as one.

Gazing at the bracelet adorning your wrist, you admired how the Aquamarine stones caught the cabin's gentle illumination, their crystalline surfaces creating a mesmerizing display while the delicate bird charm swayed gracefully from the chain. for the first time in your life, you felt genuine contentment and completeness unlike anything before.

Without a word, you cradled Sanji's face in your hands and pressed your lips to his in a passionate kiss. The forceful tenderness of your embrace conveyed everything words couldn't, making his tension melt away instantly.

"This is so beautiful, Sanji. The bracelet, your words...everything. This moment couldn't be more perfect."

"I'm glad you like it," he breathed softly, his voice low and warm against your lips. "But now that I've got you here in my arms, I don't think I can let you go until we're back at the restaurant."

You rose from your chair and settled onto his lap, draping your arms around his neck. "Well then," you murmured, "hold me for as long as you'd like."

He gently placed his hands on your waist as you brushed aside his golden hair. You rested your forehead against his, sharing a peaceful moment as your breaths mingled. He leaned forward to place a delicate kiss upon your cheek, your nose, finding his way back to your lips. It started soft and innocent—almost timid—before blossoming into something more ardent.

His hands wandered, one gripping your shirt while the other slowly caressed upward along your stomach. Without waiting for him to progress further, you guided his left hand to your covered breast, pressing it firmly against the soft mound as his breathing grew ragged.

"Y/N," he whispered hoarsely, his voice thick with desire. "We should probably stop before I lose control."

"Would that be so terrible? For once, we're truly alone."

“No, but—”

"I need you," you said with quiet certainty. "I want this."

As your nails traced along his tie, starting to unfasten it, his boyish grin returned. “Really?”

“Yes. Please Sanji.”

His body responded within seconds beneath you, his arousal evident through his clothes, immediately hard and straining against the fabric of his trousers. “You make me soar higher than any dish I could create."

“So poetic.”

Removing his tie, you tossed it onto the table beside you. His discarded jacket lay forgotten, leaving fewer layers between you as your fingers traced the buttons of his shirt. You had to restrain yourself from tearing them off in one go, instead undoing each with eagerness and mounting desire. 

As you slid the open shirt from his shoulders, your eyes traced the elegant lines of his muscles, his sculpted chest flowing into defined abs. 

Consumed by your burning need, you pulled your top over your head and let it fall to the floor. Reaching behind your back, you unclasped your bra, allowing it to slip away and join your discarded shirt. You were completely exposed to his gaze from the waist up, your nipples hardening and tingling as your body ached with passion for him.

You craved his touch, longing for him to show you pleasures yet unexplored, taking you to heights you had never known.

Sanji drew in a sharp breath, the tendons in his neck tightening as he swallowed, his arousal pressing more insistently against you. He cupped your breasts with characteristic gentleness,, his thumbs brushing lovingly across the sensitive peaks, watching the way you sighed and moaned like the divine Goddess he considered you to be.

Sanji stood, carefully maintaining your equilibrium as he guided your thighs to wrap around his waist. In one fluid motion, you found yourselves on the single bed, its modest size hardly a concern. The rest of your clothes formed a scattered trail across the floor as garments fell away one by one, leaving you both bare and breathless, bodies pressed together while his fingers caressed you with exquisite softness and skill.

"Ah…. Sanji—”

"You're an absolute dream," he uttered, his voice filled with adoration. "Like the finest ingredients coming together in perfect harmony."

"Well, you certainly have talented hands," you mewled. "And you know exactly how to use them."

"You're too kind, my lovely," he purred with a roguish smile.

His fingers glided effortlessly past your slick folds, sliding inside with familiar ease and finding that perfect spot inside you. Your back arched in pure ecstasy as your hands gripped the sheets tightly.

"I haven't shown you how grateful I am for last night yet, have I?"

"I—I mean, we haven't exactly had much free time."

"No, but now I have all the time in the world to give you the most magnificent treatment you deserve."

He withdrew his fingers slowly, staring in awe at their glistening surface before bringing them to his lips. The way he savored them was always mesmerizing, his nostrils flaring as if sampling the finest delicacy.

With practiced grace, he positioned himself between your legs, barely giving you any respite to process his ministrations. With his tongue pressed flat, he traced a slow line from your entrance to your clit, drawing tight circles around the bundle of nerves. His intense eyes were fixed on yours—his silken hair brushing against your skin—keeping a supportive hold as his fingers pressed steadfastly into your thighs.

In an instant, you melted into a pool of desperate craving, writhing against the small mattress under his hold. For the first time, you were free to cry out to your heart's content, to moan his name without fear of others overhearing your intimate activities.

Every kiss and caress felt uniquely intimate, as if experiencing his love for the very first time. The sensation was indescribable, something you found yourself unable to put into words, leaving you wonderfully speechless.

It didn't take long for you to feel your release approaching. His tongue danced across your flesh, hot, wet, and eager, drawing forth the naughtiest moans you had ever formed.

Recognizing your building pleasure, he continued with his attentive movements. His tongue proceeded faster increasing the pressure until your body shuddered and convulsed, trembling as your orgasm erupted with volcanic force.

His appreciative moans were deliciously wicked, yet shamelessly exciting at the same time.

As you caught your breath, Sanji lowered your trembling legs to the bed with utmost tenderness. He moved up your body with fluid elegance, his arms and legs creating a protective frame around you. His arousal was a magnificent sight, swaying with his motions as he positioned himself above you, clearly yearning for more.

His ethereal beauty possessed a classical, timeless quality that would have inspired the great masters of classical art.

"I can barely contain myself any longer," he whispered huskily, eyes burning with lust. "I wanted this so badly last night, but seeing how exhausted you were, I couldn't bring myself to ask."

Smiling softly, you guided him onto his back, then nestled against his chest and brushed your lips against his. "You could have, though. Even as tired as I was, I wouldn't have turned you down."

"But you needed rest. I couldn't possibly take your beauty sleep away from you, not with our last-minute journey ahead of us."

"I understand, and I appreciate your thoughtfulness. But now I'm completely yours—body and soul—ready for you right here and now."

His expression brightened with characteristic warmth as his hands settled gently on your lower back. Remaining still, he yielded control to you completely, his eyes drifting closed as you decorated his face with feather-light kisses.

Rising up, you straddled his waist, your palms pressed firmly against his chest for balance. His gaze met yours anew with heartwarming admiration, as if transfixed by your very presence in the room.

Guiding yourself over his length, you wrapped your hand around the base and breathed out a sigh of gratification as he slowly filled you, stretching and pressing deeper inside. His grip around your waist intensified considerably, yet he still managed to keep his hold gentle and properly controlled.

With confidence, you initiated an up and down motion, starting slow and tentative before establishing a faster, more steady pace that left his entire form rigid as steel, his arms and legs quivering with restraint. Your intimate sounds harmonized with the gentle rhythm of waves against the boat's hull.

Your nails grazed his skin with delicate scratches, gentle enough to avoid marking him. His body responded with an unmistakable twitch inside you, revealing how much he enjoyed your sensual act.

As your legs began to tire, Sanji switched into a sitting position, bending his knees to let you settle more comfortably in his lap. His fingers traced along your back while his lips found the soft skin of your upper breasts, leaving a path of warm kisses before capturing your nipple with a pleased hum.

His hips rose to meet yours, and the combined surges of euphoric feelings drew soft sighs and moans from your mouth. It was unhurried, sweet, caring. It embodied pure complicity and a connection unlike anything you could imagine.

In other words, it was absolute perfection.

The alluring sound of skin against skin filled your ears like a suave melody. Sanji's voice rose in pitch and volume as he approached his climax, his hardness throbbing against your core and growing in size. It was sheer magic—a moment you wished could stretch into eternity—but it was inevitably coming to a close as your nerves quivered, begging for release.

"I'm really close, love. You're absolutely incredible."

Unable to form coherent words, you could only respond with desperate whimpers and fervent nods. Sanji braced his right hand against the mattress for leverage, then leaned back, lifting his hips to support you. He quickened his movements, losing himself in rising crescendos of ecstasy.

Your hand slipped down his abdomen to where your bodies joined, finding your clit. With delicate strokes and purposeful circles, you coaxed pulses of electric bliss through your body, reigniting the building tension in it.

His sharp intake of breath and tension in his neck revealed how your actions affected him, driving him to increase his tempo while steadying himself upright with powerful thighs.

Your lips crashed against his in a deep kiss, tongues intertwining between breathless moans as your motions grew more desperate and uncontrolled. Your second orgasm crashed through you like a storm, your walls contracting around him in that perfect way that drove him to his own explosive climax. The cabin filled with the most spectacular symphony, your cries mingling in perfect synchronicity.

Your bodies trembled in unison, melting against each other as Sanji collapsed onto his back, bringing you with him. The mattress sank beneath you both as your breathing gradually returned to normal, your forms intertwined as you rested against his chest with your arms encircling his neck.

"Ah, this is the most wonderful way to end our little adventure," he sighed contentedly with a flirtatious grin. "Though now I find myself wanting to whisk you away to every corner of the world, just the two of us."

"Tempting," you giggled, reveling in the way his fingers threaded through your hair. "But we can't run away with Zeff's ingredients."

"You’re right. Though it pains my heart."

"Look at it this way,” you said, propping your chin on his chest. “We did a very good job today. We could ask him to make this a regular occurrence. We're quite a great team, in and out of the kitchen."

“In the bedroom, in the bathroom—”

“Sanji!”

He laughed heartily, and you couldn't help but share in his mirth.

"Today was great, in more ways than one," you concluded softly. “Thank you.”

"No, my dear. Thank you. This was the sweetest dessert I could ever ask for."

"Well, I can see your mind is thoroughly occupied with the more intimate aspects right now," you replied with an affectionate chuckle. "Not that I disagree, it was fantastic."

You placed a loving kiss on his lips before gently moving away, reclining peacefully beside him. Within moments, he gathered you close once again, wrapping you in a warm, protective embrace that spoke volumes of his devotion.

The comfort and security of his hold felt so natural, you couldn't imagine wanting to be anywhere else. His love had become essential, as vital and nurturing as breath itself.

Gazing at the bracelet adorning your wrist, you admired how the Aquamarine stones captured the essence of the ocean's crystalline depths, a serene smile gracing your features.

In that peaceful moment, wrapped in his arms, you knew without doubt that you had found where you belonged.

You silently wished for this precious bond to stand the test of time.

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 (currently reading) Go to Chapter 9 (coming soon) ->