#pud fic

[coolcoolcoolbutwtf]

Joker junior isn't the only kid in the joker's gang anymore.

Harley: This is your new babysitter I mean older brother, You know Mr.J and I can't just spend all our time with you Junior. Why don't you and Trixter get yourselves introduced while playing somewhere away from here, Kay bye!

Trixter(Danny): ...

JJ:...

Trixter(Danny): I like your nails they are pretty.

JJ: *growling and hissing*

...

Harley tugging the child leach with junior in it: it don't bite.

Danny: Yes it do!

[shima-draws]

I do have to say tho Pudding ranting about how sweet and kind and handsome and loving and talented Sanji is and Luffy going “I KNOW RIGHT?? He’s the best!!” is SO Sanlu core. She literally said he’s perfect husband material and Luffy agreed in every way short of resting his head in his palms with a dreamy look on his face going “Yeah…he is 💖” Shut up. I can’t even look at them right now

[gallery-in-the-forest]

Me:*reads a bunch of silly fics with Coby’s parents being characters we know*

My brain:Hey, you know who we haven’t seen yet AND has pink hair?

Me:No-Oh god

Brain:Oh yes

Anywayyyyssss what if Coby was one of BM’s kids?

Edit:Behold

[huh-1260]

Me *eating my pudding in peace*

My brain: let's share that one incomplete LU timeloop fic idea with Spirit Tracks Wars and Legend being the ones stuck in thr timeloop, and while Legend is trying to break the loop Wars is just chilling and using it to grow more as a person and finally find the way back to his train, and the giv takes place on the 20th loop and it starts in Legend's pov, getting everything ready for the Chain to come at his door, he does the same things but a bit better than the original time, and he expects them to go to Wars next, but they don't and Legend is panicking because "Where the fuck is the Captain?" Until they pick up Wars last, but he's known as Spirit. Legend is giving him the stink eye the entire time, and when Wars says a inside joke between them (because I pove Legend and Warriors friendship) from the previous timeloop Legend just stares at him the entire time until they have a night watch together and they both end up realizing that they're both stuck in a timeloop together and they have to break the loop

Me:...

My brain: And the title should be a train pun

[beanghostprincess]

headcanon that actually sanji's eyes are each of a different color (like, blue and soft brown kind of very yellowish. heterochromia is beautiful like that) and after the time skip, when he changes his hairstyle, nobody actually notices because after 2 years of not seeing each other of course they wouldn't remember his eye color. and he actually prefers it this way because he can't deal with them laughing about it now.

but then, one night, when usopp and him are on night guard together for the first time in ages (they're both pining idiots and lost the chance to confess when sabaody happened) usopp won't stop staring at him, focused on his eye, specifically. sanji takes a drag of his cigarette and he feels himself getting more nervous by the second. "is the smoke bothering you or-"

"no!" usopp replies a bit too fast, blushing and instantly bringing his hand to the back of his neck, looking around to avoid sanji's face for a while. "i was just thinking..." he takes a deep breath, and goes back to looking at sanji. the cook won't stop thinking about how long the sniper's hair is and the way it gently falls over his shoulders as he speaks. he doesn't even notice usopp's lovesick stare when he speaks. "your eyes. i liked the blue one. reminds me of the sea."

sanji's heartbeat stops for a second there, and he almost chokes on the smoke but covers it with a dry laugh. "so this one isn't pretty enough for your liking, then?" he tries to sound sarcastic and prays for usopp not to notice the way his voice falters with fear.

usopp's eyes are wide open. "of course it is! it's- it's pretty. really... pretty." the sniper feels his body shaking as he tries to fix what he said. they're both acting stupid, blushing and trying not to seem too focused on the other. but it's not like neither of them can hold back from staring at each other. silence comes, and somehow usopp has the courage to smile. "it's just like sand. or gold."

"that's the best metaphor you can come up with, longnose?" he says this as if he wasn't on the verge of tears.

the sniper shrugs his shoulders. "why would you cover one? together they'd be, you know, like the beach. sand, gold, the sea... it's- um- cool."

sanji raises his eyebrow at that, and scoffs as he takes another drag of his cigarette. he doesn't want to finish it that early, or he won't have anything to do with his hands later. "i wouldn't hear the end of it if i did."

"but they're beautiful!" usopp insists. they've been sitting closer and closer.

beautiful.

something inside of sanji breaks after hearing that word, looking up at the night sky for a moment with a bittersweet smile. "well, men aren't supposed to be be-"

"why not?" that catches him off guard. usopp's decisive eyes meet his. the sniper's hand is shaking, but he still makes an effort to touch sanji's hair ever so slightly, thinking twice about it. their faces are so close sanji refuses to smoke in case he burns usopp. "can i?"

sanji looks around for a few seconds, and thinks about refusing. about denying him the chance to see his face completely. to witness what he truly looks like. but he nods, anyway. "you tell somebody about this and i murder you. they haven't noticed yet."

usopp hums at that, a tiny, excited smile showing up on his lips. "because they don't pay attention to you. only an idiot wouldn't be able to notice."

"maybe you pay too much attention to me." and it kind of sounds like 'i don't deserve that you do'.

but usopp finally moves his hair to the side, and the way his breathing twitches says 'you deserve everything. you're everything' and the sniper kind of hopes he hears it. usopp takes a deep breath, letting his other hand travel to sanji's face so he can hold it better. the cook grabs him by the wrist but keeps it there.

they're both shaking.

sanji lets out an embarrassed laugh, something that usopp has never heard coming from him. "not that cool when you see both at the same time, huh? the eyebrows are also-"

"you're gorgeous."

before any of them can panic at usopp's sudden comment, sanji's grip on his wrist tightens. usopp notices, looking down at his lips for a second, going back at his eyes again.

they keep looking at each other for a while, realizing that usopp is kind of almost on top of sanji at this point, and that neither of them wants the other to move away. they just want- need each other closer.

sanji is so overwhelmed by his words he isn't sure of what to say, so he just slides his hand to grab usopp's tightly. beautiful. gorgeous. it's breaking him. it's too much. and yet, he wants more.

"can you- say it again?"

"you're beautiful." he breathes out. "gorgeous. the prettiest person i've ever-"

"oh, shut up!" sanji can't help but laugh at the exaggeration, but usopp is completely serious.

oh, fuck, he's being completely serious. because the sniper is now too close to him, and he isn't smiling anymore. "can i draw you someday?"

and perhaps it's the butt of the cigarette burning his fingertips, but he feels brave enough to lean into usopp. "can you kiss me first?" and it comes out instinctively.

the way the sniper jumps a bit, surprised at his words is endearing enough for the cook to smile right away. "what? yes? yes. of course. yes. yea-"

it's sanji who kisses him.

and he thinks, while all the ashes fall completely on the deck, that he'll keep covering one of his eyes. not because he doesn't think they're beautiful enough to be seen. not because he's ashamed.

he just doesn't want usopp to get used to them. he wants him to draw him and kiss him and hold him like this forever, every time he sees both of his eyes and eyebrows, like the first time. forever. and besides, the sniper is right. the others didn't even notice. perhaps they will after a few more days of being together, but for now?

maybe sanji really, really likes the fact that usopp is the only one that pays this much attention to him.

[mimi-croissant]

FINALLY. I AM POSTING THE LONG AWAITED (by 2 people) HUCKLEBREAD ROAD TRIP FIC

[greypetrel]

Like a bear to water.

Some impromptu, epistolaty and angsty follow-up to this!

Thank you again @shivunin, that fic was such a joy, I reread it every now and then. It was just so cute I had to write something. With extra angst because why not.

[ Lavellan & Tabris, Lavellan x Cullen Rutherford, Lavellan & Hawke | 3760 words ]

Dear Arianwen,

I hope you won’t mind if I’m writing. I would gladly visit, but unfortunately new conditions has arisen, which prevents me to move much from Skyhold. Ironic, isn’t it? There was a time when I was there so little it didn’t really feel like having left the clan at all, and I wished nothing more than to be able to stop, for a little more. Now that I can’t go…

I’m digressing. Of course, if you and Z would like to visit, you’re both more than welcome, and it’ll make me so happy. Please, do come if you have time! (just please tell Z to not appear in Josephine’s office unannounced again, she really got scared last time)

Pudding is doing wonderfully.

He took to the life in the fortress well, and is happy as can be. I’m sorry I didn’t send you updates sooner, but as above, my time had been limited, and I’m sure you’ll understand that what free time I had went all to our little friend. I managed to wean it with success, and he grew quickly. I don’t really have precise terms of paragon, but I think we’re almost at standard. His gait is now sure and solid, and he can follow me everywhere, trotting along, without me needing to pick him up every now and then. I do still pick him up (until I can, I will, he’s just too adorable not to, and he loves the contact). Little Brother took a liking to him, you should really see them playing together! It’s good exercise, and makes me calmer over him not having siblings to play with and be a bear with. They scared the new stable boy already, I suggested to stop bringing Pudding to the paddock, but Dennet says it’s fine. Little Brother tires himself out a little more, he’s happier and more compliant. Everybody wins!

Cullen says Pudding is getting fat, but I’m sure he’s just overreacting. Plus, the whole point of bears in summer is, in fact, getting fat, isn’t it? I won’t have poor Pudding suffer during his winter hibernation because he fusses. Even if I know he does it out of care, he attached to the little one too, and Pudding did too. He licked his face the first time he saw him. Cullen was very grumpy about it, but again, it was such a cute thing! Plus, I think he actually likes the effect of having a bear hopping behind him when he reviews the troops. With the fur on his mantle, they really look like they’re kin, and I think it helped making Pudding feel more at home, in the first days.

I had to stop letting him eat my hair, it was the cutest thing ever, but he puked a hairball like a cat. He’s a clever cub, and understood. I think. He still tries to munch on my braids, some times.

Know that he’s very happy and growing up fine, he’s eating plenty and well, and yesterday he finally left most of the salmon I gave him to the side. Like a bear should. I’m so proud of him!

We’ll need to change my bed soon, he’s keeping his talons sharp over the columns and I don’t think they’ll outlive him being too big to enter the door to my room. But he’s happy, and he needs his talons sharp, so. It’s just a bed, and I don’t really need a canopy, I can keep the room warm with magic.

But I digress, once again.

There is one more thing I wanted to tell you: I’m not writing this to worry you, I swear, but. I mentioned that something happened. It’s nothing bad, I swear, nothing you should worry about. But as you may have noticed, I do worry and tend to reason on the worst case scenario. I can’t forget I’m the Inquisitor, and even if my military days are sparser, there’s still a risk. I am sure you’ll of all people will understand.

So: if anything happened to me, can I ask you if you would like to take care of Chocolate Pudding, please? And all the other horses, really. Little Brother goes with Cullen, if he wants, but the rest are too many for Master Dennet alone. I would also recommend you to give Master Dennet a position, if your stablemaster should need help. Dennet is grumpy and stubborn, but he really loves horses, and everything I know about them comes from him. I think you’ll like him. The rest of the horses are for you and your Wardens. Or find a reliable person that will take care of them properly. I trust you on this more than anyone else, after seeing you with Princess and Honey and the mabaris. As for Pudding: he’s growing more independent by the day, but in case he won’t be or you will think not the case to introduce him back to his siblings, I’d suggest you consider the clan of Thane Svarah Sun-Hair, Stone-Bear Hold. They’re honourable people I have the greatest respect for, and they know who I am. Their Hold Beast is the gentlest bear, Storvacker, they have experience. Go visit them, bear them my greetings, and see for yourself if you’d trust them with Pudding. You’re the best judge on that, I know.

Even if the choice of me is allegedly not-

I hope it doesn’t sound too ominous. Again, I’m just playing on the long, eventual term. Do not worry. I’m perfectly fine, and now I’ll stop writing about me, really.

How are things in Amaranthine? Did you manage to convince that Bann you told me about to listen to reason and lower the taxes over his mill? Just saying, if you need help on the matter, you only need asking. I’ll have some Friends in the area to help you perorate the cause, no banner attached. I do hope the Arlessa life is not bearing too heavily upon your shoulders. I regret not telling you in person -but I think it’d be better by writing, uh?-, but you looked that much happier when showing me the animals around. Take care of yourself and get some rest, really. The Banns will survive for five minutes without you.

Hope Z is well and safe as well, send him my greetings and wishes of good luck on his adventures. If this letter will not find you because you joined him in one, be assured that I am very happy you finally got the chance to be happy and leave the circus. Have the best life has to offer you, the both of you. Creators know you deserve it, more than anyone.

With affection and a hug I know you won’t really like, but that I’d love to give you anyway,

Aisling. Lady Lavellan the Inquisitor yada yada yada

p.s.: I don’t expect you to write such a long letter, but I’d love to read anything you’d like to tell me. No pressure at all, tho.

---

Instinct was a marvellous thing.

Because for how much Aisling had surely coddled Chocolate Pudding, now grown to reach her mid-thigh, he still took incredibly quickly to fishing. Gone were the first clumsy attempts, when she brought him to the same creek, where it ran down some rapids and calmed down amidst a meadowy clearing, offering the perfect habitat for trouts. Now, sitting close to Cullen on a nearby log, as he tended to the fire and got some fishes ready for their own lunch, she could observe the not-so-much-a-cub, observing the water very intently, ears pointed forward to catch a glimpse of silvery scales and fins swimming upriver. It was bittersweet knowing she wasn’t needed anymore, not to catch the cub when he slipped and fell into the water -he growled so indignantly then, pawing at the water as if it was its fault-, console him when he missed a fish, or cheered the valliant deed up when he caught. It brought a consolation, tho, knowing that he could now catch his own food.

Well. Two times out of five, at least, he was still young.

She wished Arianwen was there to see him, she’d be so proud of him and of how much he had grown strong. Maybe she would know what to do for the rest, too.

She really hoped she would have welcomed her invite.

Cullen too had taken to Pudding incredibly well, and likewise. The Commander never complained that Aisling had insisted on keeping the cub in their room (with diapers she realized were much needed into a disastrous travel back home. She hadn’t minded, but cleaning the saddle had been long and tedious work). He never cared that the cub kept his talons sharp on the bed posts, nor that he slept on Aisling’s pillow (she slept hugging Cullen anyway). He had scoffed and reminded the bear that in spite of the fur on his cloak he was not, indeed, a bear himself, and that licking other people’s faces was not polite at all. And just held her when she had burst crying, totally against her better will, when she had told him Pudding’s mama hadn’t wanted him.

The topic had been left there for that first day, never once touched directly, always in the periphery of her vision whenever Chocolate Pudding was involved.

Was she doing enough? Was she doing it well? Did he know she loved him so much? Did he miss his siblings? Was a horse company enough for him? Was she feeding him enough? What would Arianwen say or think or suggest? Would she had let her keep the cub for real, had she known…?

Honestly, she had forced not to write, fearing her negative judgement. But as August pressed and Halamshiral loomed and Dorian didn’t write back anything substantial from Minrathous, she had to.

Quietly, at first, not saying it out loud.

The freezing water of the creek helped soothing the pain in the Anchor, Pudding had fun fishing his own lunch, they were just half an hour of riding away, the horses enjoyed grazing in the meadow, the air smelled balsamic, the sun wasn’t so hot, so high up the mountains.

It was easy, to pretend it was fine, and the topic hadn’t returned just to leave nothing unsaid… Before. Just in case. She always was one to act on the long run, so why should this be different. There was another letter she wanted to write, but…

“That’s great, Chocolate Pudding! Oh, how good you are, look at that!! Great job!” Aisling chirped, when the bear emerged with a big trout kept steadily in his mouth. The scales shone in peaches and yellows under the sun, all spotted in white, and the bear puffed out his chest, before instinctively trotting to the right and out of the water in a halo of splashes.

Cullen chuckled to the side, skewering the second fish - the ones already cleaned and prepared, ready to be cooked they brought for their own consumption. As cuddly and used to be cuddled Pudding was, he was growing grumpy whenever food was involved. After a loud growl in her direction, Aisling had understood that when he was eating, there were no caresses to be distributed.

Still, the bear flopped at the side of their log, flopping on his belly to have his paws free to maneuver the fish. One on the head, the other on the tail, the bear started eating, happily. Wanting his privacy but still sticking close.

“He grew up so quick, hadn’t he?” Aisling noted, with a little nostalgy.

“It’s such a relief to see him moving so confidently, now.” Cullen agreed. “He was lucky to find people who love him.”

“Mh.” She closed to his side, turning to hug his waist, affectionately. The topic never returned, but she knew him well enough to be certain he wasn’t talking only of the bear, now. And she loved him for not going out of vagueness. Her hand was itching like crazy, in the way that she now knew predated pain.

She spent the last moments before that squeezing him tight, pressing her forehead to his breastplate. Bless him, he was a little bothered by having her under his arm, but kept working without protesting, shifting the pair of them now forward, now to the side, to fix their lunch against the fire. Now properly seasoned.

The fish was roasting, Cullen’s arm came to circle her shoulders and squeezed, Chocolate Pudding was munching loudly at his trout, and the Anchor started to burn. After the itch it came the burn. And then…

“I’ll be back in a minute.”

Aisling sighed, reluctantly raising up and walking to the creek herself. She apologized to Pudding for walking too close to him, but that and her steps being a little too quickly, she knew, were telltales enough to let Cullen know the pain was worse than she would have let own. She hated and loved this, but right now…

A deep sigh left her lips.

Freezing water, plus an help of an healing spell - Cole’s presence was distant, up in the Keep, but whenever she looked for him to heal, he was always there. The best solution she had to calm the pain a little, have the Anchor flare up for less time, less intensely than usual. Days were easier, the problem was at night. Right now, tho, she had to crouch for but a handful of minutes, before the pain grew duller.

It was good: the bad episodes lasted for hours. Five minutes was good.

She hated her room up in that tower. An aravel would have been perfect to move beside a creek or a river.

Chocolate Pudding, still half wet, walked closer to her. He leaned his big head to the side, walking with what she liked to interpret as a question in his big, expressive, so loved eyes.

“I’m all better, Pudding. See?” She showed him her left palm for inspection, but it was still glowing and launching sparks of energy, in sickly green. The bear sniffed and snorted it, shaking his head.

“Ok, I’ll keep it here a while, still. Thank you.” Sheepishly, Aisling dunked her left back in the water.

The bear didn’t mind much. He sat and nuzzled her shoulder with his head, then resting it on her lap. It made squatting difficult, but she soldiered on. Helaine surely gave her worse trainings, and none of them made her able to caress the cutest, best bear in Thedas (to her).

“Thank you.” She whispered, just to him. “Tell Arianwen I hadn’t been such a disaster, with you. And that I’m so, so sorry. Would you?”

Chocolate Pudding snorted.

Aisling liked to read it as an affirmative.

A couple of minutes more later, half wet but feeling way better -if tired- she returned to the log, met with a nice smell of well roasted fish. She took the skewer Cullen passed her, and started to eat.

“What did you want to tell me?” She asked, after a moment, remembering their little outing was, indeed, his idea.

He snapped his back straight as if she had poked him, all of a sudden, and she saw his cheeks turning redder. Pretty sure it wasn’t just the sun, it was all confirmed when he started to fumble, a hand raising to rub the nape of his neck.

“Well, I wanted- Ah. Uhm.” He cleared his throat, and Aisling couldn’t avoid smiling, heart sweeling at the display. Calling him cute wouldn’t have helped, nor kissing him silly as she wanted to do. So she waited, letting him collect words as he collected chess pieces to set the board. Weirdly enough, he checked on his pocket, pressing it with his fingers to check there was something inside. “I mean- It’s nothing, really. Do not worry about it.”

“Are you sure it’s nothing? It seems like there is something… It wasn’t that bad, I promise, I can listen.” She insisted.

“No. No, it’s nothing, really. Ah- You brought writing tools, you don’t want to spend your pause working I hope?”

“Mh. If you change your mind…” She insisted, just because. “But yes, I wanted to write Hawke.”

“… What experiment are you planning, this time?” He turned, fumbles all disappeared save the faint blush still on his ears -but that could have been the sun- with a distinct flash of concern.

“Can’t I write her to ask her how she is?” She laughed.

“You will. But then you’ll talk about magic. You’re bored, without Dorian, and in the blink of an eye, we’ll need to organize scraping glittery slime away from the walls.”

“It happened only once!”

“It was one time too many.”

At the very least, she could still laugh at something, even if in the end she had no crazy experiment to suggest to Maria, today. She wished she had, and she hoped she wouldn’t have minded, for once.

---

Dear M and F,

I’m sorry it’s been a while I haven’t written to you. Nothing happened and I’m perfectly fine!

I’ve just been quite busy, a new situation has arisen, and the time it left me was all dedicated to a new very special entry in the Inquisition.

I have a baby!

He was tiny and scrawny when he arrived, but the cutest thing you’ll ever see. I know it would be unadvisable, but I wish you could come and meet him. If I'll be able to move closer to you I'll let you know, alas when I got him there was no time to stop by, I'm really sorry.

It would be so nice if you two could make it, I would really love to see you both again. Maybe meet F and get a proper introduction when he’s not so out of his mind thinking you, M, are lost. But I understand if it would be impossible. Do not worry at all.

Anyway, baby’s name is Chocolate Pudding and I love him very much.

I got him in VK, I just couldn’t let him go. People here thinks I’m quite crazy, but the effect of holding judgement and court with the little one on my lap… I was told I look extra threatening, and both Josephine and Leliana settled their mind over it.

As if a bear cub so cute and floppy could instill fear, can you imagine?

-

Cullen is telling me I should have noted from the start that Chocolate Pudding is, in fact, a bear.

Oh well, now you know. He was a runt, the first days were very difficult, but he’s faring so much better now. I weaned him and he’s gaining the weight he missed when I first saw him, poor thing. Now he’s lively as a teen bear should, learnt to fish pretty well, and likes to play and hop around, after me or Cullen. I think the fur on his mantle was instantly labelled as “fellow bear”. They’re so cute together, my heart feels like it’s bursting.

Would be nice if it could-

Anyway. Just writing to ask you a little favour.

As I mentioned: a new situation occurred, and it’s nothing serious, nothing you should worry about, really. But you know me, I’m a worrywart and I’d like to act on the long run.

I’ll be called in Halamshiral soon and… I don’t know how it will end, I’ll be sincere. In the eventuality, and please feel absolutely free to tell me no, no obligations whatsoever and no grudge if you will say no.

Can I ask you if you could bring my notes and grimoire north, to my clan? I think D will get a hold on them first, to copy. But: he’ll need help, and… And if it’s not asking too much, if you and F could stay a while up there, just to check no one picks on the clan, you would lift a huge weight off my shoulders. I’m told that the situation is stable, but we weren’t able to eradicate the Venatori fully. Even D has not that much reach in Tv, from this south, and I fear they’ll retaliate on the clan. Again. Tell the Keeper you’re my friends. If he asks: he calls me Shrimp because… You saw me in the Western Approach, you know why. He’ll welcome you, surely, and support your every need. And if I know them, feed you plenty and often and if everything goes well, let you both relax plenty. I think you’ll both like them, and they’ll like you.

Please, feel free to open the grimoire and copy all you need, use those notes for good. I am just insisting that the real book will stay with the clan.

I hope it doesn’t sound too ominous, but I don’t know what’ll happen… And I don’t know who else to ask this that I trust. Again, you don’t have to say yes. But I thought that F would love the chance to get rid of some extremists from up north, worst case scenario.

And well, that’s it.

Tell me something nice, how are things in the farm, which recipe you two learnt to cook in these last weeks and your favourites, and how’s the garden faring. Tell me everything and anything that’s going on or that you’re thinking about, please. I miss you a lot and I really wish you were here, a letter would do.

No new experiments to suggest you, alas! Have you been working on something fun? D is up in Tv, and the Keep is horribly dull. Tell me something! Which doesn’t involve semi-liquids and sticky things, apparently they are still scraping glitter away between the stones of the outer wall.

How come it is a problem is beyond me, but I’m being told it is.

With all my love, some friendly bear pawings and Cullen’s greetings,

A.

*there’s a doodle near the signature, drawn very very badly with a hand that looks even wobblier than the usual, of what could with a little creativity be interpreted as an elf -straight hair, triangular ears and a scribble on the forehead- a man -taller, whirls on the round head and an X where the mouth should be. Both smiling over a shape like a potato sack, with round ears and long straight lines where the claws should be. Helpful arrows inform the reader that it’s Aisling –“me”-, Cullen and Chocolate Pudding.*

[thepuppypaddedprincess]

Where all the alien plant overlords at? >>

[hippolotamus]

Inspiration Saturday

tagged by @diazsdimples @dangerpronebuddie @theotherbuckley Thank you, loves and looking forward to all of your creations!

I don’t have a snippet today, but here’s what’s inspiring me (or what I hope will be anyway) for Bi Buck

This poem of mine

and

If you want to help with sentences (pretty pretty please) send me a 🏳️‍🌈 and I’ll write 5 sentences for each one

np tagging (for today or Sunday) @actuallyitsellie @epicbuddieficrecs @loveyouanyway @a-noble-dragon @tizniz @mountedeverest @fortheloveofbuddie @weewootruck @saybiwithme @bidisasterevankinard @shipperqueen6 @ramonaflow @taketheplanspinitsideways @spotsandsocks @stereopticons @kitteneddiediaz @mrs-f-darcy @daffi-990 @drowsy-quill @your-catfish-friend @thekristen999 @filet-o-feelings @wikiangela @underwaterninja13 @lizzie-bennetdarcy @rainbow-nerdss @steadfastsaturnsrings @queenmabcreates @jesuisici33 @rmd-writes @bucksbiawakening @shortsighted-owl @queerbuckleys @bi-buckrights @elvensorceress @giddyupbuck @hoodie-buck @indestructibleheart @ladydorian05 @lemonzestywrites @monsterrae1 @statueinthestone @slightlyobsessedwitheverything @the-likesofus @thewolvesof1998 @watchyourbuck @welcometololaland @wildlife4life and anyone else who wants to 😘

[chellena]

TW: unhealthy relationship with food/binge eating/insecurity

Yuki Tsunoda, in his rookie season of F1, just can’t stop thinking about pudding. It starts with a little itch at the back of his mind that turns into a full body ache.

He also can't stop thinking about his older teammate, Pierre Gasly. He doesn't want to think about why that is. And it doesn't help that Pierre has resorted to calling Yuki by the pet name- Pudding.

[caesarclowningaround]

Fandom(s): One Piece Rating: E Chapter(s): 1/5 Ship(s): Charlotte Katakuri/Vinsmoke Ichiji, Bege/Chiffon, Smoothie/Nami, Perospero/Sanji WARNINGS: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Major Character Death Chapter Summary: Hosted by Charlotte Linlin, Big Mom’s BnB is supposed to be a friendly place, with comfortable beds and delicious meals. What it doesn’t advertise are the permanent residents one might bump into while staying there. Dark residents that are eager for some company…

Note(s): YAAAY I finally posted the first chapter of my multi-ship Charlotte family as literal monsters Halloween fic!! 🐺

Not every chapter with have smut and those that do will be explicit. I will be adding to the tags/warnings as I go. Please heed the tags and warnings, this is a dark fic but we're here to have a good time!

Chapter Vibes: Little Red Riding Hood, The Company of Wolves, Barbarian, The Old Dark House

Spotify Playlist for music vibes!

[shima-draws]

Ideal ending to WCI is Luffy seeing Sanji cry and then awakening his devil fruit and unlocking Gear Fifth out of sheer RAGE and saying the classic line of “Who made you cry, Sanji?! I’ll DESTROY THEM!!!” and then proceeding to go on a rampage and fucking absolutely EVERYBODY up including the Vinsmokes, Pudding, AND the Big Mom Pirates. Toss in the trope of came back wrong and Sanji can immediately tell something is not right about this Luffy, whose smile is too wide, whose eyes are too distant, who continues to beat upon his enemies long after they’re down, who seems to take a sick sort of pleasure in hurting others, who grins and giggles and tells Sanji he’ll obliterate anything that makes him cry. Eventually he starts to scare Sanji so bad that even Luffy notices his reaction, and immediately turns on himself because if HE’S the one making Sanji cry then he’ll just have to destroy himself too. And that’s when Sanji finally leaps into action and does whatever he can to reach Luffy—including kissing him. Luckily that was exactly what Luffy needed to snap out of it, and when he comes to the Whole Cake Chateau is in broken pieces, the Big Mom Pirates are battered beyond fighting and the Vinsmokes are nowhere to be seen. And softly, tiredly, he asks if they won, if he can bring Sanji home, and Sanji cries again and says yes, take me home to the Sunny, I want to go home with you.

Meanwhile the rest of the Strawhats are like

[goldeneyedgirl]

I'm sooo curious about Tattoo Verse please tell me more about it

Anon, I thought I had inflicted so many posts about Tattoo verse on y'all over the years. I was going to link to all of the posts and pontificate about the inspiration. And then I discovered I only posted a snippet once in March 2020, which is wild.

This is Tattoo-verse

It was basically the result of reading two of my very favourite human AUs over and over again, with a bunch of spite from reading a fic that annoyed the fuck out of me. I channel my frustrations into fics, as is healthy and correct.

Basically, it's an all-human AU where Jasper is kind of drifting through life as a divorced lawyer and then meets Alice while helping Bella set up her bookstore. It's a very low-stakes love story where Jasper is just sort of stunned that he's met his soulmate and she's just as into him? That all of the stuff that he thought made him unlikable was in his head or unresolved trauma?

Alice has her own history that she's trying to move on from, and she's taking a chance on Jasper. She's 'failing upwards', and is a whirlwind of chaos in Jasper's life.

There's a lot about the original draft I'm not a fan of, and needs changing - I think I started in it 2019, so I've changed how I write a lot of the characters, had more thoughts about who the characters are in this universe - but it's a fic I'd like to finish. Something a little bit cosy and uplifting. It needs a whole lot of work, though, so it's kind of just sitting there until I either hyperfixate on it and finish it in a day, or until other things are done.

And because it's such a small post above, have some more of it that kind of sets the tone I'm aiming for.

--

Her art covers every surface, stacks of canvases against every ledge. A bunch of old tables are pushed together and covered in jars and brushes and paper, right in the middle of the room. In one corner, an ancient porcelain sink and wooden planks nailed to the wall masquerade as a kitchen; an old recliner and a television balanced on a broken chair are close enough to the fridge you could grab a drink without turning around. A futon was jammed against the far wall, covered with beat-up cushions and an old blanket, a heavy flashlight jammed underneath a lampshade balanced on a pile of magazines.

//

She lets him fuck her on her futon, one of her legs propped up, her tiny skirt hiked up over her thighs, her tank top straps fallen off her shoulders, and her hair tumbling around her face. Afterwards, she pulls down her skirt and gets up to retrieve a box of cookies, curling against him and offering him one.

It’s their fourth or fifth… ‘interlude’ when he starts asking questions and… confessing.

“I’m divorced,” he tells her, like it’s a dark secret or a sin. She stretches like a cat and laughs.

“I’d be positively scandalized if you weren’t,” she smirks, curling half on top of him. “He? She?”

Before he and Rose were entrusted to the Cullens, they were raised in Texas, on a family property. His mother was a wispy, gentle woman whose entire heart were her babies; she has faded in his memory to a shadowy figure in floral dresses who ran her fingers through his curls and called him ‘sweetheart’. His father, though, was a true-born Texan; he wanted a man’s man of a son, a football player and a rancher, who would have died on the spot at anyone speculating his son being involved with another male.

Well, he would have killed Jasper with his bare hands and then died.

The idea Alice can suggest something so calmly is a novelty, that she sees something in him that is like complex origami, that in her eyes, he’s is more.

“A woman. Maria,” her name is sour on his lips, and he wants to tell Alice everything - about meeting in law school, about the engagement, the wedding, the penthouse apartment and shiny cars, and how fucking alone he was by her side. How she was a viper when she wasn’t pleased, and he was an asshole most of the time and…

“Three questions,” she holds up three fingers. “One - did your marriage end in infidelity?”

“Not officially. I suspected but never pursued,” he answers, reaching out to fold down one of her fingers.

“Two - are you officially divorced?” she asked, and some of the good humour faded from her face. “I do not fuck married guys.”

“It’s been… five years, I think?” he said thoughtfully, “Since we were legally and formally divorced.”

“Outstanding,” her face relaxed back into the usual playful expression. “And three - is she a bunny-boiler? Do I need to watch my back?”

He laughs, loudly. “In law school, yeah. Now? I’m below her notice. I doubt she’d look at me if she walked past me on the street. I haven’t spoken to her since the day the divorce was finalized.”

Maria got more than he had in the settlement, but only because he wanted his parents’ things in the divorce and was willing to bargain for them. And he hadn’t really thought about the penthouse or the Lexus or the fucking wine collection in years. None of those things would have bought him comfort or fulfillment. And he was a fucking lawyer; he’d bought himself a new apartment, a new car, a new bottle of wine.

//

Renesmee’s first birthday party was turning into a three-ring circus that a baby wouldn’t comprehend or enjoy. There were two birthday cakes – a two-tiered confection in pink for the guests, and an identical miniature for Renesmee to destroy; the house and garden were decorated in pink and white balloons, garlands and streamers. A table was piled with food, and nearly forty people were invited, most of them adults. Renesmee herself was in a pink silk party dress with tiny satin slippers.

Alice arrives half an hour after the invited time, in a borrowed sports-car. She’s wearing jeans artfully splattered with silver paint and a silky black camisole with her boots, her hair tipped in silver for the event. She was like an oil slick amongst the pastel dresses and rainbow skinny jeans of the guests. She adds a small present to the pile, and greets him with a deep kiss that all of Bella’s mommy friends find totally inappropriate for the setting, and he nearly punches one of Edward’s co-workers for eyeing the outline of her nipple piercing a little too closely.

It takes less than an hour for her smile to dull, though, surrounded by pregnant women and babies. He wonders how old her child would be, and realizes what a terrible person he is for inviting her today. When he murmurs an apology in her ear, she smiles again and tells him it’s okay, she’s okay. And if she isn’t, Esme’s vanilla-raspberry cupcakes will make up for it.

// He finds her in the kitchen, with Esme, and a glass of wine. Esme smiles at him as he walks in, dropping a kiss to Alice’s head.

“We were just talking about one of my clients - they want a mural in their entry way - they have insisted upon it - instead of hanging artwork, and Alice has just given me the names of two artists I think would be perfect,” Esme says cheerily, before looking back at Alice.

“Jasper was so into architecture when he first moved in with us; he would sit for hours looking at the models. I always thought you’d go into design or architecture - you had such an eye for it. His old apartment was nice, but he insisted on customizing it - you should show Alice the photos.”

“I should,” he agrees. It’s Maria’s apartment now, and everything he associates with his divorce is kept in a separate mental box pushed to the back of his brain.

“Hot and multi-talented,” Alice grins up at him, the wine softening her. “I hit the jackpot.”

Esme could not be smiling more as he pulls up a seat, and insists Alice tell Esme all about her new work as the party continues outside without them.

//

Esme and Carlisle invite them to stay the night – Bella and Edward are returning to the cottage, but Rosalie and Emmett were staying, and it’s a long drive home. Alice is reluctant, but agrees.

His old room has long since been redecorated from his teenage and college years, but Esme has always kept it as ‘his’, just as Rosalie’s room down the hall is still ‘hers’.

He finds Alice clad in one of his old high school sweatshirts, examining the photos Esme has hung on the wall - from when he was eight, right up until law school graduation. The ones with Maria have been replaced, and he’s glad of that.

“You were such a cutie,” she says, inspecting one of him and Rose on their first day of kindergarten. “That face!”

They curl together in the bed, and he loves how she acts when she’s sleepy; she rubs her eyes like a little kid, and burrows into him. How many nights has he woken up with her clinging to his arm, or sprawled across his chest?

She’s apologized a few times but he loves it. He loves seeing her in his old hoodie as well; wonders if they should bring it back to the city, get her to pair it with some knee socks and heels. She’d laugh and indulge him, tease him about not getting laid in high school.

//

He takes her to New York in the winter, after Thanksgiving; she doesn’t suspect anything, and he is curious – trips to New York with Maria had been common, and Maria had spent a small fortune each time. Only the best hotels, spas, restaurants, entertainment and shops would do for Maria.

Alice was more interested in spending time with him. She was nervous in the fancy restaurant for dinner, continually fussing with her necklace and sleeves to cover her tattoos. She dragged him to galleries and museums, and wanted his opinion when she tried on dresses and shoes.

She takes him to Brooklyn for burgers and ice cream, to a photography exhibition, and then fucks him roughly in the back of a dark club; he’ll remember her like that until he’s dead; bare under her skirt, her cleavage pressed tightly against the neckline of her top; her knee-high boots.

And then, on their last night, he takes her to the park at twilight and he proposes on the Bow Bridge in Central Park.

Her eyes are huge, and god, he forgets how young she is. Her cheeks are pink from the cold, her hair spilling out of her hat, and she shakes her head and looks at him incredulously, and asks him, “Me?”

“You; only and always you,” he says. His tough, funny, crazy artist is crying as she accepts, and she takes off her gloves to put on the ring.

A few onlookers cheer and applaud, and he dips her into a movie-star kiss.

“I didn’t think you loved me that much,” she whispers to him later, beaming. Her hand is pink from the cold, but she refuses to put her gloves back on, staring at the ring he spent days picking out.

It shakes him to the core, and he stops her in the middle of the street.

“Alice Brandon, there are no words to say how much I fucking love you,” he says in a low voice. “And I am going to spend the rest of our lives making sure you know that every single day.”

[ltwharfy]

I imagine that when Bob and Linda have grandkids and they ask Linda to tell them a bedtime story she will tell them fictionalized versions of the exploits of Little King Trashmouth, Gary, Big Baby Pudding Snatcher, and her other raccoon friends from over the years.

(This idea came to me because there is a part of me that wanted to try to write a Little King Trashmouth/Gary fic for the romantic pair day for See More Seymour's Week but I don't think I'm quite skilled enough to write from a raccoon's perspective.)

[the-bar-sinister]

Deicide: Red Shift (17726 words) by VickytheSnake, thesavagesabretooth Chapters: 5/?

Summary: A mysterious signal is drawing ships across the Grand Line to a place called Elegia for the first ever concert by the rising star singer, Uta. Following the signal are Cross Guild and fallen emperor Shanks, the Charlotte family, the Donquixote Pirates and the shattered remnants of Law's crew, and Kid's crew, and Cavendish and Bartolomeo.

And the Straw Hats and their captain Luffy, who hasn't seen Uta since they were both little children at their idol Shanks' knee.

Perhaps this meeting was ordained by fate. Perhaps, in the end, there was only ever one tragic outcome possible.

But Luffy has other plans.

catch up here

-

Shanks was certainly not fully recovered from the emotional and physical beating that he'd been through, but at the very least he wasn't crying and drinking himself to death anymore. Croccy had gone out of his way to try and convince him to put the bottle down, somehow walking away with Shanks drinking less, at least. It was a baby step, and a testament to how convincing Crocodile could be, but Buggy didn't expect much more than a slow series of baby steps since the moment they fished the depressed Emperor from the sea.

They'd made up, at least enough that Shanks had taken to clinging to him nigh-constantly as the two of them readjusted to having one another in any sort of proximity. Cross Guild had taken to him, no surprise given another of his ex-boyfriends was a founding member, and the gaggle of them had— well. Buggy wouldn't kiss and tell.

When the signal for the Uta concert came filtering through, Shanks had gotten actually animated for the first time in days. Not just 'sniffling and cuddling while they reminisced', but full on desperation at the radio animated.

It turned out the Grand Line Idol Uta was Shanks' daughter. Shanks had a daughter. Buggy's mind was fucking blown when he'd heard that, and the general reaction to those in the room told him that he wasn't the only one.

Shanks' daughter— Uta the fucking superstar. And now they were diverting course to make sure the kid was doing alright. Because Shanks hadn't seen her in over a decade.

Something Buggy was preeeeetty sure was one of Shanks' old terrible ideas that would inevitably come back to haunt him. 

"I don't think it'll make a difference, captain," Cabaji murmured when Buggy expressed that concern to him. "And Crocodile seems hellbent on investigating the signal anyway."

Buggy ran his hand through his blue hair, feeling it falling back over his shoulders as he sighed. 

"I mean, that's fair. I'm kinda hellbent on checking it out too. I'm an entertainer. I'd be remiss if I missed the biggest illegal music festival ever held. But I'm not expecting Shanks' daughter to be all sunshine and rainbows if he hasn't seen her most of her life." 

"No, uh, no, that seems like she's gonna be pissed," he agreed. He brushed Buggy's hair out of the way and slipped his arm around his shoulder. "If it were me I'd sure be pissed… But I mean I guess avoiding her's not going to help?"

"I was pissed when it was me he was doing the same thing to me. So I can't blame her if she is either." He laughed loudly, though his heart wasn't in it. He'd been heartbroken when Shanks had left, leaving all his ambitions behind him. He could only imagine it felt the same way for the kid. "....but probably not. And hell, her music's pretty flashy ain't it?" 

"I mean it's not my usual taste, captain, but it definitely has a real hook to it," he nodded. "It's an earworm."

Cabaji's tone was casual, but the way he looked at him, Buggy knew his first mate could tell there was more on his mind.

"Sure is ain't it? It gets stuck in your head for hours. I'm kind of excited to see her stage presence for myself."

He did have more on his mind, of course. A lot more. Shanks, the fact he had a daughter– a DAUGHTER that he'd never talked about. With who? When? The eternal mystery of 'just what has Shanks even been doing except I guess paving the way for a god' played out behind Buggy's ears. 

"I wouldn't worry. I'm sure yours is more imposing," Cabaji grinned at him. "But what about this whole Shanks angle?"

Buggy knew how Cabaji felt about Shanks. Dubious. Very dubious. He in fact seemed very protective of Buggy and had offered— and occasionally threatened— to kill the fallen emperor for him more than once.

Buggy basically all but begged his best man to 'please don't off my— ex…current? —Boyfriend' on multiple occasions.

It did mean that Cabaji knew how fraught the whole thing was. "It's a lot. I didn't know he even had a daughter. News never mentioned it. He never mentioned her either. And she finally shows her face and she's the mystery singer who's taken the world by storm?" 

Cabaji shook his head. "Seems like classic Shanks from what you've told me. How old is she? Who's her mom? Have you asked at all, or is it still… awkward?"

"It's a bit awkward—I haven't asked yet but it's eatin' me, you know? I can't stop about it," Buggy murmured as he squinted out at the ocean. "she can't be older than twenty somethin' right?"

"She's– she's not yours, right, captain?" Cabaji asked, raising his chin curiously. "I don't like to ask what people have going on downstairs, but Shanks, uh?"

"................." Buggy's eyes bugged out of his head as he sputtered and slapped his hands on the guardrail. "He's got a prick, Cabaji!!! Trust me, I reconfirmed a few days ago! And I think I'd REMEMBER if I'd been pregnant before! Or—" 

He paused. "Wait, that revolutionary army fella in Impel Down was giving out sex reassignment like it was candy, maybe—NO! No, I'd remember that." 

Cabaji held his hands up. "I just thought it was worth asking, captain. You know. In case she'd be mad at you, too."

Buggy was glad for the greasepaint that hid his flush. 

"I don't even know the girl. She ain't gonna be mad at me unless she's pissed at everyone." He grinned awkwardly. "And I'm Buggy the Flashy Clown! People love me! It'll be fine." 

Cabaji nodded, and pulled him close. "Yeah captain. You'll be fine."

Of course. Right?

-

It'd been only a few days since Pudding and Katakuri had found themselves back with the family they'd fled from after her 'failure' to kill her fiance and the Vinsmokes. Mother's wrath, after all, was often deadly to the children who fell from her favor.

But fate had other plans. Mama had fallen to her own devil fruit's power and been rendered utterly harmless to them, and Smoothie and Perospero had enacted their plan to make sure their large and guidance-starved family didn't fall apart.

One short and surreal adventure with the Vinsmokes later, and they were back with the family and heading towards the first thing to spark the excitement in Pudding's heart since she realized she actually did… kinda sorta… like Sanji Vinsmoke. A little bit.

And now they were on their way to the Uta Concert. Uta! Pudding's absolute most favorite and beloved pop star! She just GOT It. Backlight was her favorite song, that anthem to owning your painful past and making your burning stand…

Gosh, she just got her. SO much. It was her laying there and listening to her tone dial of it for the hundredth time that Katakuri walked in on. 

Katakuri folded himself quietly into the chair next to the cabin's bed and glanced over at Pudding. The two of them had spent a lot of time together in the month or so since the ill fated wedding and honestly her older brother being there for her meant the world to her since their great exodus.

Her heart still panged for her fiance, as sudden and frustrating as that was, and the fear of her failure and mama's wrath was something she was SURE she would have crumpled under if she was alone. But Katakuri—wonderful, caring, handsome Katakuri— had fled with her and let her support him as much as he supported her! She'd always looked up to him, but felt so distant with his status in the family and Mama's particular hangups with her. The past few weeks had been a chance to actually get to know the real Katakuri hidden behind his mystique and his scarf.

She half turned, leaning on her hand as she slipped the headphones from her ears, the faint sound of the music leaking into the air as she smiled at him.

"Hey big bro." 

He didn't say anything immediately, just watching her while she was listening to her music.

Finally he nodded to her. "Hey. You seem excited."

She sat up, offering the headphones to him with a broad smile. "I mean, how could I not be? It's Uta! You've heard Backlight, right? The fact that she's holding a concert is a miracle."

He scooted in close and took the offered headphones, putting it to his ear. He nodded. "You played it for me before. I like it. I'm not sure I'd call it a miracle exactly, but it's definitely… surprising."

"She's been underground for years, I mean—we've seen her face because she did a couple of transponder snail recordings, but she's been a notorious recluse other than that." Pudding felt her heart racing as she leaned up against her brother to listen in while he listened, her weight against his much larger side.

"People didn't think she'd ever show her face, and-–I mean, let's be honest it's kinda hard for people to organize this kinda thing on the Grand Line!" 

"Hence the illegal signal. I can't imagine the government's happy." Katakuri leaned down, slumping carefully to get closer to her. Gently, he put his arm around his sister's shoulders.

Katakuri had been a great source of comfort on their journey away from home, alright. Pudding snuggled closer with a warm and comfortable smile. 

"No, they're going to be furious. They might even send a ship to stop her, which is why I want the family to attend! We can save her if things go south!" 

"You're thinking of trying to set her up with Cracker." Katakuri chuckled warmly behind his scarf. When their brother had heard about the concert, he'd insisted on being brought on board to attend, despite having been back at home.

"Welllll—" Pudding pursed her lips as she nuzzled affectionately against his side. "My wedding's been postponed for a while until I can find Sanji again…, and Cracker seemed excited about the concert, so I thought 'well, my favorite singer would be pretty fun to have as a sister in law', you know?" 

"I can't argue. And it would be a family novelty to actually pick an engagement." He tugged his sister's hair teasingly, though his warm, thoughtful expression didn't change. "And a rescue does set the mood."

She giggled softly, biting her lip in thought. It would be a family novelty. For as long as Pudding had been alive, it'd always been 'you take what mother gives you'. You take the name she gave you, the devil fruit she chose for you, the position in her Totto Land, and you ABSOLUTELY married who she told you to so you could secure her alliances and steps towards her dream.

Her marriage and assassination with Sanji was all her mother's plan, even if the man had started to win her over—even if she fell in love. Everyone in the Charlotte family danced along with mama's whims, but not anymore, huh?

"A family novelty—you're not wrong. Maybe we'll get lucky and it'll become more of a thing? And a rescue does suit the mood, we didn't exactly get the chance to do anything like that before the family came back together." 

"No. It's been a rough month for everyone. Things are changing." It was hard to say just from Katakuri's tone of voice how he felt about that. But Pudding knew that despite his loyalty to their mother there was some definitive measure of relief that there were no orders left to come.

Pudding nuzzled against his side with a thin smile.

 "At least big brother Pero and big sis Smoothie seem to have a plan for helping them change as gently as they can, right?"

She was relieved too. Mother had been so far gone by the time she'd been born, all she'd ever seen was her worst parts. The snide derision at her 'hideous deformity' despite the fact that mother had given birth to her specifically for her third eye and the ability to read the poneglyphs, her violent mood swings and her dead brothers and sisters…

And of course the endless demands and the loss of anything even close to a will or dreams of her own. 

Katakuri stroked his fingers through Pudding's hair gently. "At least. The family's in good hands, I think. Pero and Smoothie are much more… stable than mom has been the last few…" he broke off and shook his head. "The family's in good hands."

Pudding looked up at him with her wide eyes— all three of them as her hair fell away from her third eye. "It's going to change a lot, big bro." 

"Think the concert will take your mind off it for a little bit?"

Pudding bit her lip as she leaned into his touch, letting him pet her hair with a soft coo. "I think so, at least a little bit right? It's hard to be worried about how things are gonna change when there's a massive concert with the world's BEST idol, right?"

She had to believe it. Anything to get her mind off the uncertainty of anything. "besides~ a big concert like this? Maybe my fiance'll be there." 

Katakuri perked up, his eyes widening thoughtfully. "The Straw Hats might be there. You're right."

"Ohh hoooo!" Pudding practically crawled up into his lap to look up at him with a mischievous grin. "Now that got your attention, didn't it?" 

He glanced away bashfully, but Pudding could tell he was thinking of running into Luffy just as much as she was thinking of running into her fiance.

-

Law could smell the festival scent— the mix of popcorn, and frying grease, and the press of humanity— on the breeze as they approached the out of the way little island.

He stood with his hand on his hip and his eyebrow raised as he peered out at the large, almost ribcage like structures rising out of the center of the island that stood tall and visible for miles. The scent tickled his nose, causing him to huff "....hell of a party. Uta really commands a hell of an audience, especially for a fucking illegal concert." 

"Wonder why she did it like this, anyway, with the illegal signal," Bepo murmured, leaning on the rail nearby. "Instead of having the concert on an island that's easier to get to?"

"That's the question, isn't it?" Doffy's warm voice cut into the conversation and Law heard his footsteps, and another pair approach from behind.

Law looked over his shoulder at Doffy with a wry smile. "One we don't have the answer to. Admittedly, it might be just that she doesn't like or trust the World Government. Elegia isn't part of it, after all. It's an independent island."

It was still surreal to him sometimes to be so casual with Doflamingo. He'd been his enemy for over a decade, fighting against him every day on his quest to avenge Rosi—and now here he was, Doflamingo's third Corazon getting dragged to his boss' favorite idol's big concert.

Lucky him, his first mate was a big fan too. 

"Puts her in a hell of a position if she doesn't like the world government," Doffy purred. He stepped up beside him opposite Bepo and slipped his arm around Law's shoulders, "makes me like her even more."

Law flushed and leaned into his side "sure does, doesn't it? Hell, it impresses me, too. This whole thing's a ballsy move."

He suddenly became aware of the stare that was boring its way into his back, glancing over his shoulder to see the diminutive form of Sugar staring up at him. After a moment she turned to Bepo.

"Can you pick me up? I want to see Uta's venue." she said, her voice low and deadpan. That meant it must have been Sugar talking. 

"Here, let me." It was Bepo who answered, turning around and picking the doll-like little woman up in his furry arms.

That seemed to put an even bigger smile on Doffy's face.

Sugar gave a subtle smile for a moment and a murmured 'thanks' before she looked out at the island. "Monet's excited. I'm excited too. Uta is a great singer—I sent her a few tone dials while she was with Caesar."

She seemed to blink vacantly for a moment before her tone changed and a smile bloomed on her pale, porcelain-like face. "I used to play them while we were working in the lab. Even Caesar couldn't complain."

To the outside, Law knew it'd be absolutely insane to watch Sugar have a seeming conversation with herself—but as he'd recently found out through the use of his power, Sugar wasn't alone.

Somehow her sister's spirit had carried from Punk Hazard to Dressrosa and taken up residence inside her, tangible to his power as separate from her own spirit. A 'will', the soul of Monet of the Donquixotes persisting beyond death. 

"Even Caesar liked her, huh?" Doffy chuckled. "And here I thought he'd only be playing bombastic old operas in the lab. Glad to know it was a little cheerier than that."

Monet snorted softly with Sugar's voice. "Oh trust me, he listened to so many old operas. But I wore him down!" 

Bepo was looking out at the island as he held Sugar (and Monet). "It's a big crowd," he observed quietly. "I wonder if we'll run into anyone."

She leaned on Bepo curiously, peering out on the sea "it's a huge crowd—you expecting to see anyone, Beps?"

Law slung his arm around Doflamingo, thoughtful. "We probably don't need to worry about running into Straw Hat yet, which is good. I ain't ready to explain this to him. But we might run into some of the Cross Guild folks." 

Law and Luffy had started falling into a strange rapport ever since their bizarre alliance on Punk Hazard. From the mess in Dressrosa, to Wano—he'd found himself increasingly fond of the absolute maniac. Even back in Sabaody and when he'd saved his life during the Marineford mess, he had the idea that Luffy was something special.

Yeah. They'd gotten kinda romantic. And that wasn't likely to change, Law certainly didn't wanna lose him and Luffy was a clingy bastard when he decided he liked you.

But Luffy absolutely hated Doflamingo. The last time he'd seen Doffy he'd punched his face through the floor and toppled everything Doffy had built to free Dressrosa partially on Law's own request and the hopes and dreams of Rebecca Riku, the old king's granddaughter.

When Luffy decided he hated you, he REALLY hated you. It wasn't going to be an easy sell to say 'hey , Doffy and I patched shit up and we're also fuckin' now'...

"Cross guild without a doubt," Doffy nodded. "Transpondered with Croccy the other day. They're coming around to check out what the hells going on. He'll probably try to be a buzzkill— but I won't let that happen."

"Crocodile's coming to see the Uta concert," Law snickered under his breath, "that should be somethin'. Who's he bringing with him? Mihawk,no doubt."

Sugar— it was audibly Sugar again— poked Bepo's arm. "Is there anyone you guys hope to see?" 

Bepo, cradling her in the crook of his arm, scratched his head with his free hand. "Unless some of the crew miraculously washed up there, I can't think of anyone…"

He gave a dark eyed glance over at Law, who got the impression he was asking if he was forgetting anyone.

Law glanced over. "If we're lucky we'll run into Kid again. Him and his crew. Honestly, I've been wondering how they're holding up. Better than the Heart Pirates, I'd bet."

"Kid…?" Sugar blinked before wryly joking. "What, is it a crew of children?" 

Doffy laughed and slapped the rail. "Half the supernovas are crews of children, aren't they?" he teased. "I didn't know you were in bed with Kid too, Law."

Doffy probably meant "in bed with" in terms of alliance. Probably. But knowing him it was also every chance he meant it entirely literally and was assuming Kid and Law had slept together.

He was right, on both counts and the fact that he knew it was driving Law to mild distraction. He tried to keep the reaction off his face anyway.

"Yeah. After Wano we started a kind of loose 'rivalry alliance'..." he didn't answer about the other part. 

"Loose, huh? Corazon, don't set me up for jokes like that." Doffy snickered and slapped him across the back.

Monet started cackling to his side, lightly slapping Bepo's arm with Sugar's tiny hand as Law went a steady shade of crimson.

"............" he sputtered until he growled out. "Oh, eat my ass, Doffy! You know what I meant."

Doffy's cheeks puffed as he held in a snicker– before it burst out as his usual giggling laugh. "Later, alright?"

Law got to watch Bepo put his head in his hand, ears going red.

As the laughter of Monet and Doflamingo surrounded them, Law couldn't help but let out a quiet laugh of his own. His head shook, as he leaned on the bannister of Doffy's massive ship.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah—why don't you two save some of that energy for the concert. Fuck knows you're going to be chomping at the bit over Uta, so stop teasin' me and get pumped for that." 

He gestured out towards the waiting Elegia.

[oatmealaddiction]

Part two of the Book of Muriel has arrived!

Muriel and Crowley are back and this time, they're gonna save the world with a little bit of Christmas Spirit!

I hope you guys are having a great holiday and you enjoy the fic!