#seagull finally can fly

[magistralucis]

@absolut--kurant!

[taintedtort]

" SURFER GIRL! "

summary. brazil!hinata x surfer!reader

warnings. afab!reader, post!timeskip

a/n. wrote this bc of @/garfieldissocool . just a drabble idk

the ball slams into the sand with a dull thud, the sun hot against hinata‘s bare back. beach volleyball is always fun, a little bit harder, but more carefree. the atmosphere is more friendly, less competing to actually win the game.

the other team has possession of the ball, and he’s honestly starting to feel a little antsy to jump. as the opposite side prepares to serve, hinata glances out towards the sea. it was supposed to be a quick sweep of the beach, just because he needed to calm himself for a second. but something else catches his attention. it feels like a pull to his heart, a gut feeling that drags his gaze to you. he zeroes in on your frame in the water, stood on a surfboard and gliding with the waves of the ocean.

now, hinata knows close to nothing about surfing, but you’re staying on the board, so you must be pretty good, right? you’re doing it effortlessly too, like it’s as simple as walking to you.

for some reason, he can’t look away, his brain won’t let him. he's seen lots of surfers, they’re always out when he’s on the beach. he’s always thought surfing was cool, but he’d never tried it, too caught up with volleyball to try anything else. he keeps watching you, though, forgetting about the game that’s still ongoing around him. he’s impressed at first, impressed that you’re able to keep your balance so easily, but as you get closer to shore, he notices that…

oh… wow.

you’re beautiful.

he's seen many women in his time in brazil, but none like you. none as pretty or as intriguing as you. he’s never been interested in dating or girls in general, even in high school, he was always busy with volleyball. he still is. all he really thinks about is volleyball, that’s how it’s been for years.

but…

there’s something about you. maybe it’s your hair, or the way your skin looks wet, or perhaps the carefree look on your face. he isn’t sure, it’s just… you.

he decides right there that he has to meet you, he has to talk to you and find out what your voice sounds like. he has to see you up close, to get to know you.

however, before he can even move, the ball is flying into his face, hitting him on the side of his head. a sharp sting follows, and he falls back in the sand with a grunt, his hand rubbing at his skin. his eyes shoot back to you though, and suddenly you’re looking at him. he can’t even hear the sounds of his friends laughing or asking if he’s okay, can’t hear the sounds of the ocean or the seagulls flying overhead. all he can see is you. you and you’re pretty smile as you try to hold back a laugh.

he isn’t even embarrassed that you probably saw him get hit, and he isn’t embarrassed that he’s blatantly staring at you. he’s too enthralled by you to feel anything but attraction. his chest feels tight and fluttery… is this what love feels like? this is sort of how he feels when he eats good food, or when he gets a point.

after a handful of seconds, he finally regains his composure. after unscrambling his brain, he forms a coherent thought.

he's going over there.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

what compels you about the Lord howe island stick insect?

its supposed extinction was such a mundane tragedy, this entire population of insects on an isolated island wiped out by the unintentional introduction of rats aboard a ship. it's a fairly common byproduct of colonization, native species being outcompeted by rivals they never should have encountered at all. you so rarely hear about insects impacted by it though, because so few people care about insects even when they're dying out completely.

except they didn't die out. they were thought to be extinct for almost a century, until in 2003 researchers confirmed a surviving population on, of all places, Ball's Pyramid, a volcanic and inhospitable spire of rock twelve miles from Lord Howe Island. not an insurmountable distance, but pretty vast if you're a flightless stick bug. how did they even get out there? no one knows. but they were there, just 24 insects who were supposed to be dead all huddling under a shrub together.

researchers took four of them back to Australia to start breeding programs. at the Melbourne Zoo they've bred them in the thousands now, and they've started contingency programs at a few other zoos worldwide. they're still considered critically endangered, at tremendous risk of extinction, but there are cautious plans to start reintroducing them to Lord Howe Island, when it can be ascertained that the island will be safe for them. there are still European rats that need to be exterminated, and a fungus threatens the plants that the stick insects rely on. there's still a population on Ball's Pyramid, but it's perilously small. their future in the wild isn't certain by any means.

but they're alive, and there are thousands more of them than there would be if no one had gone looking for them. if all the stick insects on Ball's Pyramid get sick or drown or are eaten by seagulls tomorrow, there will still be Lord Howe Island stick insects in the world, and it's all because some people decided that these bugs deserve a second chance and dedicated their entire lives to giving them one. Paige Howorth, the director of invertebrate care and conservation at the San Diego Zoo, the first zoo to successfully breed the insects outside of Australia, said this:

My most vivid memory has to be the very surreal experience of flying back to the San Diego Zoo in 2016 with 300 critically endangered Lord Howe Island stick insect eggs in my backpack.... I’ll never forget counting out the eggs with the Melbourne wildlife health and care teams, who surface-sterilized them pre-flight, so that they could come home with me with a lowered risk upon hatching. The idea that we were finally bringing this incredibly rare species back to San Diego to make their global population a little more secure made me hug that backpack closer. And yes, I did take them to the bathroom with me on the flight. (x)

whenever people start rambling about how humanity is inherently evil or selfish or whatever I think about shit like this. a woman hugging a backpack full of 300 eggs close for a 13 hour flight, just to give some bugs a chance. imagine.

they're also called tree lobsters, which I think is just rad.

[jpnriikicore]

Paul Aron as your best friend core

paring paul aron x reader, word count 994, genre fluff, warning roughy translated estonian, authors note sorry, for not releasing this faster i was writing other works for charles and lando <3 ( masterlist )

beach days.

you spend a lot of time on the beach in your free hours lounging around. go off swimming in the ocean. the sun is like a warm blanket wrapped around your body that came fresh out of the dryer. filming him on a cam-recorder when he backflips from a cliff. he somehow tricks you onto the cliff with him occasionally.

late night on the beaches or watching the sunset is the best part. your sides bumping into one another as you walk barefoot along the shoreline feeling the warm sand between your toes and chill seawater slash up onto your ankles. he swings your sandals back and forth from the straps of your sandals since he offered to carry them for you knowing that you hated carrying them yourself. admiring the sunset ahead of you or the moon above you.

boat days.

the sun shone on them basking in it's warmth. a good way to celebrate a podium win for paul. you hit the sea together for a weekend to be still and peaceful in just nothingness. away from his fast life to just have a moment of tranquility together. it’s makes moments like this more special. your legs spread laying onto top of his as your back leans against the comfortable plush white cushions of the boat. his hands soothing rubbing up and down your legs. his pink swimming trunks clad against his thighs after taking a dip into the water. his initials on a chain around your neck.

supporting him during races. through thick and thin and high and lows.

you're always spotted in a secluded corner on the floor of the prema truck. you’re seated together his jacket draped over to you keeping the chill off of you. if qualifying doesn’t go well that day you would sit in comfortable silence whilst reassuring his negative thoughts and feelings through physical touch. your head resting against his shoulder, your slight grazes over his hand, the feeling of you fiddling with his fingers, or the traces on the lines of his palms. just a reminder that everything will be okay. a feathery kiss on the top of his head with a whisper of praise makes him believe that he can do better tomorrow and make all his nerves disappear into thin air.

quality time ( exercise ver. )

you wake up tangled limbs in the sheets of your shared king-sized hotel room bed. the waves crashing on shore was heard from the cracked open balcony doors. seagulls flying around in the early morning blue sky. you vaguely remember him mentioning earlier that morning that he was going for a run before pressing a gentle kiss on your temple before leaving.

some mornings or evenings you would attend runs with him and karl. even staying with him when he works out in the gym maybe getting a mile or two in on the treadmill. he enjoys quality time with you. so, even if you're just sitting crisscrossed on a yoga mat watching him he enjoys it.

he’d convince you that he needs a spotter. even if the weights are a bit too heavy for you and you could help him only very little if you needed too. he still enjoys having your company and letting you feel included. he lightens the load of his weights when you finally do agree on spotting him.

"nii lõbus ei tohiks trennis olla. ( exercise shouldn't be this fun )."

traveling to tallinn and races with him when you can.

traveling around northern italy on a vespa, him driving you around as your arms are wrapped around his torso. towards the end of the night you ride towards a fancy friendship dinner date.

you settled in flimsy chairs on the balcony of your shared hotel room trying out different pastas and slices of pizza from restaurants attempting to find the best one in the country that you’re visiting.

while visiting his home in tallinn he would ensure to bundle you up in thick coats for the cold estonian weather. crunched snow underneath your boots a trail of footsteps in the white left behind you as you take a walk in the snowy weather around midnight.

his siblings.

during, your friendship with paul you’ve become close with his siblings, anna and ralf. anna is like a sister to you. ralf gives you lots of advice and shows embarrassing childhood pictures of paul. which for the record you find oh-so adorable and he finds incredibly embarrassing. you’ve grown expectably close to them due to tagging along on family vacations occasionally since him and his family seem typically fond of your presence. him and his extended family tend to have dinners when his finally back home leading to you practically being apart of his family since you sit in with so many of his family dinners and get to know his close and distant relatives.

"meil peres juba uus ralliäss kasvamas ( we already have a new rally ace growing up in our family )."

teaching you phrases in estonian.

after expressing that you wanted to learn how to speak his native language to speak to his family in the most comfortable way for them and show gratitude towards his parents for raising him the way that they did. he taught you simple phrases, to begin with just enough to get you around his home country without being completely lost.

dino and ollie.

after getting introduced to dino and ollie during the first race you attended with paul you’ve become quick friends with them since it was so easy to speak with them. your often spotted joking around with dino and ollie. just chilling on the floor of the prema truck goofing off with them even walking around the track with them. especially, dancing around with dino to whatever song that plays from his playlist on rainy qualifying days. you was there with the prema team supporting ollie’s debut in formula one.

© JPNRIIKICORE, 2024

[inkofthebrain]

Beach Day

Modern!Mizu x F!Reader

Art Creds: @lillydrawsmizu thank you for bringing this to life <3

Warnings: none

AN: the only volleyball experience I have is playing on the beach drunk out of my mind in high school so this is going to be interesting. Not proofread lawl.

——————

You were layed out across a towel, arm above your head, soaking in the sunny summer day and enjoying the sounds of the water. Taigen spotted a private little beach while on a run a few weeks back and after begging everybody to check it out, a beach day was finally in order. The communal volleyball court that originally caught his attention was in ok condition, a few loose threads here and there and wooden posts that were the ideal perching spot for seagulls when there wasn't a commotion around the net.

"Y/n!" Akemi called from the net, which sat a few feet away from the group's setup of towels, coolers, and umbrellas. You turned your head to the left to face your friend, seeing Ringo walking off the court and heading towards the water. "Come join us! Ringo wants to swim so we are short one." The three left on the court were all turned to you, Akemi and Taigen on the right and Mizu on the left.

You shook your head and let out a laugh, "No! You guys know I can't play."

"C'mon, it's game point it'll be quick. I'm not giving up until Mizu admits I'm better than her" He placed his sunglasses on his head and crossed his arms.

"Yeah right," Mizu scoffs, "c'mon y/n I'll teach you, it's easy," she says with a smile, motioning you to walk over to her. You couldn't refuse her offer, she was having so much fun and you'd hate to be the reason they'd have to end the game (resulting in Taigen demanding a rematch for days every time he sees Mizu).

"Fineeeee," You got up with a groan, adjusting your bathing suit as you walked over. Mizu turned back to face the net and put her hands up to catch the ball Taigen threw her way. She dropped it onto the ground, putting her foot on it to stop it from rolling away.

"I apologize in advance, I have no idea what I'm doing" You tucked your hair behind your ear, smiling at the raven-haired girl in front of you. Taigen and Akemi were distracted in conversation on the other side of the net.

"Don't apologize, you are gonna do great," She waves her hand in front of her, dismissing your apology, "Now, you are going to want to hold your hands like this." Her slender fingers grabbed your hands, placing them in the correct position. You looked at her soft features while she made minor adjustments to your form, a slight blush creeping across your face as her hands lingered on yours.

"Perfect, remember to hit with your forearms when you pass, it gives you the most control." She taped your arm, pointing to where she was referencing, and you hummed in acknowledgment. She gave you a quick overview of the rules and after passing the ball back and forth to each other a few times it was time to start the game.

"You ready to go down?" Taigen taunts, earning a light slap on his arm from Akemi who shot him a glare.

"In your dreams" Mizu retorts with a smirk. She started walking to the end of the court to serve, pausing next to you placing her hand on your shoulder, leaning close to your ear.

"Aim for Akemi, she is scared of getting hit in the face. It's an easy point." Her voice sends chills down your spine as she away, looking at you with a smile, the proximity holding a tension you couldn't quite place.

"Okay," You said in a whisper, admiring her eyes. She gave your shoulder a squeeze, her hand sliding down and leaving the warmth of your body as she got ready to serve. Your eyes followed her toned figure, a slight breeze causing her ponytail to sway slightly.

Mizu shoots you a wink before hitting the ball, sending it flying across the net. Taigen runs after it, passing it to Akemi who almost misses and barely gets it over the net. You dive towards the ball, hitting it with as much force and precision that you can muster.

“Atta’ girl y/n!” Mizu shouts, causing a smile to spread across your face as you back up from the net. Taigen sets the ball, Akemi jumping up to smack towards Mizu.

“Here!” Mizu says with a grunt, passing the ball. You then send it flying at Akemi, who throws her arms in front of her face with a yelp causing the ball to shoot right over her head and onto the soft sand. Taigen groans and walks off the court to get a drink of water, Akemi shortly behind him spewing apologies.

“I did it!” You explain, running to Mizu with your hand out for a high five. The tall woman catches your hand pulling you into a tight hug.

“Yeah you did! That was amazing, you need to play with us more.” You guys pull apart and she smiles at you, hands still on your sides and yours around her neck.

“Who won?” Ringo says as he walks up to you guys, covered in water and panting.

“We did!” You exclaim, turning to face the man, arms sliding off Mizu.

“It was all thanks to this pretty girl right here” Mizu says, pulling you into her side by your waist. You smile down at the ground attempting to hide the flush on your face.

“What can I say I learnt from the best” You say shooting Mizu a smile.

“Cmon let’s go, Taigen said loser buys lunch” Mizu pulls away but reaches to grab your hand, leading you to the others

“I DID NOT!” Taigen retorts. You and Mizu both let out a snicker, laughing at the sore loser.

——————

AHHHHHH. I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE IT. I HAVENT WRITTEN FANFIC IN AGES IM SORRY IF IM RUSTY.

@fanficreader33 THANK YOU FOR THE REQUEST. MWAH!

[piratecaptainscaptainpirates]

Just smacked in the face with how neatly the "impossible birds" thing bookends the whole of OFMD s2

In s2e1, obviously, Ed talks with such defeat and tears in his eyes and a song about how he has nothing but love playing about how he's going to be an impossible bird, at sea forever, and ever, without end, never going back to land.

In s2e3, we see the crew eating the seagull - they're chewing on their guilt for literally shooting the impossible bird down.

In s2e4, Buttons becomes a seagull - literally, he's become an impossible bird! - and it's that which gives Ed the hope to believe that people can change and he can become the kind of person and live the kind of life he wants to live. The song "Seabird," about a lonely seabird flying home, and Izzy's deciding to finally accept kindness and change, too, drives home the point. Ed's coming back to land, and he's gonna be alright.

And then, in s2e8, our very last shot of the show is the seagull landing on the grave in front of Ed and Stede's new home. The closing shot of the whole show is letting us know that, yes, the seabird has flown home at last.

[sleepymarimo]

𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕠𝕟!

summary: you try to practice the infamous three sword style in secret and end up embarrassing yourself... pairing: zoro x gn!reader cw: none! something funny and fluffy wc: 2.6k

He should've known that you were up to no good when you had talked to him earlier.

Zoro had been napping on the deck of the Sunny, on a nicely shaded patch of grass. It was a very nice day at sea- the waves were calm and the atmosphere was light. The ship was expected to dock at an island by tomorrow, and from what Robin had said, it was a place known for its boisterous shops and unique goods.

You were peeking around a corner, trying to think of the right way to approach the swordsman. Even though the crew was practically family, waking a napping Zoro was still a pretty intimidating task, not for the faint of heart. After a deep breath and a lot of mental preparation, you made your move.

Your feet treaded lightly on the grass, almost as if a single misstep would sell you out. You can feel your heartbeat pick up as you get closer, his eyes remaining shut as he sleeps. When you're finally before him, you open and close your mouth in hesitation as you try to find something to say at the last minute.

Luckily, he beats you to it. "What do you want?"

A sort of embarrassed, choked noise leaves you. The swordsman simply opens an eye and raises an annoyed brow. "Well?"

"I just, uh, wanted to ask you something." You trail off, doubting that he'd even indulge you. He still seems a tad irritated, but he doesn't shoo you away, which gives you some hope that he maybe isn't all that disturbed by your presence.

His brows furrow a bit. "What is it? I want to nap before we get to the island."

You swallow a lump of anxiety that is forming in your throat. "Well I was just wondering..." A hand comes up to scratch the back of your head as you look away, finding the vast ocean easier to gaze upon. "Is it comfortable to hold a sword in your mouth?"

...

...

It's quiet for a bit. You would have thought time stopped altogether if it weren't for some seagulls flying above the ship.

"Haaaaaaah? What kind of a question is that?" He all but barks, not expecting something so outlandish. He sits up from his comfortable napping position, a light red hue tinging his cheeks.

His reaction was not what you expected, his response making your confidence crumble. You put your hands up in a sort of defensive position, a small yelp of surprise leaving your mouth as you take a few steps back. "Wait, you don't have to answer!"

He turns his gaze to the side and clicks his tongue. "It's fine. It's... comfortable, natural to me now." His attention turns back to you, albeit a little suspiciously. "Why're ya askin'?"

It was your turn to look away, a warm sensation creeping up your neck to the tips of your ears. "I was just curious..."

The way his eyes narrow further doesn't do anything to quell your nerves. He can tell at the very least that you're not giving him the full story, but he isn't sure how hard to push. "That's all?"

You don't really trust yourself to speak, so you just nod and hope it's enough to get your vice captain off of your back. He huffs and lays back down, resting his arms up and over his head as he prepares to get back to his nap. A part of him knows you're hiding something, but he decides not to pursue it further for the sake of indulging in some shut eye.

"Good." He yawns, closing his eyes and getting back into a napping position. "Then let me sleep."

Your feet carry you away and back to the safety of your room. You don't have to be told twice...

The island is even more beautiful than you thought it was going to be. As a summer island, the weather was warm and inviting. It was vibrant and lively- even from the dock you could see an array of shops that seemed to never end. Nami calls for the crew to gather on the deck, holding Luffy by the collar so he didn't run off.

"Okay, here's the plan!" She commands, a hand on her hip while the other tightens on Luffy's shirt. "We're going to town, but one of us is going to have to stay behind to watch the ship." She eyes everyone, that intimidating gaze of hers scanning over the crew. "Any volunteers?"

As expected, no one volunteers. This island seems like a gold mine of fun, so you don't blame them. Though, this was the moment you were waiting for: to be alone on the ship.

Your hand sheepishly comes up, her eyes lighting up when she sees a volunteer.

Some of the other crew members look back at you with gratitude, thanking you for saving them from Nami's forecasted wrath. This kind of island seemed right up your alley, so for you volunteer to stay behind was a little odd.

The swordsman gives you a pointed look, but says nothing.

With everyone walking off into the distance, you breathe a sigh of relief and scramble up into the observation room. Equipment is scattered all around and your eyes light up when you see some wooden training swords propped up in the corner.

With a skip in your step, you grab one of the wooden swords and sit on the ground while examining it.

"It can't be that hard, right?" You murmured to yourself, examining the hilt. "I hope I don't get any splinters on my tongue..."

It's been a little over an hour now, your jaw only slightly sore from your attempts at wielding the wooden sword between your teeth.

You're so utterly engrossed in mastering the strange technique, that you fail to pick up on a presence approaching the observation room. When the hatch swings open and a mess of green hair pops out from underneath, you don't have time to process the situation you're in.

Your eyes widen, almost the size of saucers. The wooden hilt of the sword is still in your mouth, the weight of it making your head tilt slightly to the side. You're like a deer in headlights under a familiar, steely gaze and find yourself unable to move, briefly wondering if this was actually happening. 

"The hell are you doing?" He snaps, standing before you with his arms crossed over his broad chest.

His words pull you out of your daze and your teeth inadvertently clench on the hilt of the sword, causing your jaw to cramp. The sharp, throbbing sensation makes you let out a muffled cry of pain, the embarrassment of the situation seemingly forgotten.

Zoro's protective instincts take hold the moment he registers your discomfort. He kneels before you, his hands quickly coming up to either side of your jaw where he applies a nice pressure at the joint, just below your ear. He's all too familiar with the ache you're currently experiencing, though he hasn't felt it in quite a while.

His fingers continue to alleviate the pain, tracing small circles, and he scoffs. "This is why you don't just go and do random shit like this." He scolds, though his tone lacks its usual bite.

After your muscles finally ease, you remove the sword from your mouth and let out a sigh. Your cheeks are warm- you're sure he can feel the heat radiating from them as he lets his hands linger on the soft flesh. With a sigh, he finally pulls away and shifts from his kneeling position, sitting cross-legged in front of you.

He gives you an accusatory look, expecting you to start explaining just what in the hell you were doing. Its obvious, but he wants to hear it from you, and you know he won't drop it.

"I just wanted to try it." You murmur, stubbornly looking away from his piercing gaze.

"Try what?" He huffs, his fingers lightly tapping on the hilt of one of his swords. His tone contains a mixture of both smugness and annoyance. "Speak up."

A series of embarrassed grumbles spill past your lips, your voice more clear and firm. "I wanted to try the Three Sword Style."

You focus your attention on the floor. The silence would be deafening if it weren't for the soft crashes of waves and the buzz of the town off in the distance.

A sigh of resignation from Zoro's mouth cuts through all of that, his words making you look up at him in surprise.

"One lesson." He says, crossing his arms. If he's at all flustered by the situation, he does a good job of hiding it behind a stern expression. "Only so you don't break your jaw next time you decide to sneak off and play with wooden swords."

The two of you have been at it for a solid thirty minutes. Even though he hasn't gone over an insane amount of material, he makes you repeat each motion until he's deemed it adequate. For better or for worse, he trains you as he trains himself.

"You're biting too close to the hand guard." He notes, his eyes narrowing as he observes your form. "It'll make it harder to balance, even if it seems like it's more stable."

Your 'okay' is muffled, murmured through the wooden hilt in your mouth. Taking the sword out from between your teeth, you take a moment to swallow before placing it back in your mouth and correcting yourself. You hadn't realized how exhausting this style was...

You'd lost count of how many times your tongue swiped past your dry lips, how many times you'd swallow the saliva that had pooled in your mouth after holding the blade for too long... But, you wanted to learn and there was no backing out now.

His gaze, though initially intense, is something you'd grown accustomed to.

A thoughtful hum, low and rumbling, is heard from him as he observes you once more. Leaning forward from his seated position, he makes sure to get a view of all angles, the slight creasing of his forehead letting you know that there was something he wasn't liking.

"You're not applying the right pressure." He determines, leaning back and crossing his arms.

The look you give him is equal parts apologetic and exasperated. When you speak, it's a jumbled mess that he can't quite comprehend.

A vein ticks on his forehead in mild irritation, though he is partially amused. "Take it out of your mouth, stupid."

Your grumbled response is just as muffled and you use all of your willpower to not huff at him. As soon as the hilt is out of your mouth, you get in a nice breath of air before addressing his comment. "What's wrong with my pressure?"

He uncrosses his arms, one hand falling to his lap while the other absentmindedly runs over his chin. "Well when you're actually attacking, you wanna have as much pressure applied as you can. Right now, if you're just holding it, you don't need all...that."

When he nods his head towards your wooden training sword, you're almost mortified to see the extent of the bite marks left on the hilt. Your face is hot as you bring it closer and examine it, seeing his point.

"Okay, okay, I guess I'm going too hard." You admit, glancing at the hilt before meeting his gaze once more. "How do I know what the right pressure is?"

He takes a moment to ponder your question, his usual gruff demeanor fading as he recalls how he dealt with that same issue all those years ago. It was mostly trial and error, since the style was one of his own design, but he didn't want you to go through all of that. However, he couldn't exactly show you either, since you wouldn't be able to discern the amount of pressure he was using just from a glance.

An idea pops into his head. It's simple and straightforward enough, he thinks. Practical.

He extends his right hand towards you, almost like he's going to give you a handshake, until he lifts it so that it settles right in front of your face.

"Here." His expression and tone are much too nonchalant. "Bite. I can tell what pressure is good."

You want to laugh at first, tell him that he's a jokester under all that seriousness, but the way he's looking at you, the way he genuinely wants to help you master the technique, leaves you momentarily stunned.

It's clear that he means business, his brows furrowing slightly when you stare at him with dumbfounded eyes. "Well?" He huffs, slightly impatient.

"I- okay." You relent, a whirlwind of thoughts in your head as you lean forward and comply with his instructions.

Your teeth bite gently on the flesh of his thumb and he adjusts his hand to grant you easier access, the rest of his fingers curling just under your chin to help hold your head upright. Swallowing, you increase the pressure and, though you're fairly positive that it feels like nothing to him, you're hesitant to bite down with more force.

He seems to sense your reluctance and lets out a small growl, before instructing you again. "Harder."

It's all a bit too much for you, but you comply, unable to tear your gaze from his as your teeth bite into his skin. You wonder if he can feel the warmth radiating from you, growing in intensity with every increase in force you apply.

His eyes hold a mixture of emotions and its only due the mere fact that you're so close to him that you can discern them. There's an immense focus, an unrelenting determination and something ever so soft that you've never seen before. You only catch a brief glimpse of it before it disappears, replaced by a glint of approval and a hint of pride.

"There." He nods his head. "That's the pressure I want."

When you open your mouth and release his appendage from between your teeth, he takes a moment to glance over the bite marks you left behind. He grunts in satisfaction, turning his attention to you once more and handing you another wooden training sword for you to practice with.

Its almost half an hour later when you finally call it quits, the muscles in your jaw unable to keep up.

His hands are on you again, rubbing those same small circles into your flesh in a bid to sooth the aches that came with such training. A part of him is impressed that you held out for so long, though he knew you were stubborn like him, unwilling to back down even though your soul just about left your body when he caught you.

He's... flattered that you admire him enough to want to practice his style, though he wouldn't openly say so.

You look up at him, reveling in the warmth of his hands and the healing that they bring to your sore jaw. "Thank you." You murmur, your tone soft and sincere.

He can't bear to look you in the eyes, instead diverting his attention to a corner of the room. A warmth blooms in his chest and he sighs at the unfamiliar sensation, brows furrowing as his own bullheadedness makes him refuse to acknowledge it's implications.

His eyes manage to find their way back to yours, reflecting both wariness and an undeniable curiosity. He did say only one lesson, but...

"We can practice some more tomorrow."

[douwatahima]

thinking about episode one of our flag means death ending with "high on a rocky ledge"; a song about taking a leap of faith, dying and being reborn, in order to make a new life with the person you love

thinking about ed, crying in a blanket fort, clinging to a life that's been ripped away from him, thinking he'll die if he doesn't, being asked by a friend, "what if it's not a death? what if life just begins again?"

thinking about stede, spending all of season one stuck between the life society told him he should want and the new life he's created for himself, devising a plan to kill his old self completely so he can go find the man he now knows that he loves

thinking about ed drowning in the gravy basket, fighting against the rock he himself tied around his own waist, getting saved by the sound of stede's voice and the vision of stede that comes to meet him where he is, that stays with him until he's ready to open his eyes

thinking about anne and mary, stuck in a cycle of sadistic games, not communicating how they really feel, finally showing real love to each other when anne burns down the life that's suffocating them and sets them free

thinking about buttons, telling ed "to love the sea as she should be loved requires change", performing seemingly impossible acts of magic to achieve his goal and turning into a seagull before flying off towards the sea

thinking about lucius, stuck in a cycle of reliving his suffering, being told he never talks about how he lived, being told "not moving on is worse", choosing to change and marking that change by asking pete to spend the rest of his life with him

thinking about ed trying to constantly reject parts of himself, to cut out the pieces that keep him up at night, hearing the echoes of stede's screams in his own mind and choosing to embrace his darkness for love this time, rising from the depths of the sea (edward teach reborn on a beach) and immediately coming across a letter from stede echoing back that he is loved he is loved he is loved

thinking about ed and stede waving goodbye to a ship as it sails away and choosing again to change, to try for a life of their own making but this time together as one, starting from the bottom, unsure where to begin, but smiling anyway; "it's got good bones"

thinking about that constant cycle (death and rebirth, death and rebirth), about how it's never too late to become who you are, about how change can seem scary, near impossible at times, but knowing on the other side there is the potential for freedom, for happiness, for love

"dying to be with her wasn't any sacrifice" indeed

[iouinotes]

Heartbeat | Seth Cohen

pairing: Seth Cohen x female!reader

show: o.c California

warnings: kissing, arguments,

summary: Seth is your best friend and he's trying everything to win Summer's heart. You on the other hand would do anything to win his heart and make it beat for you.

author's note: I'm probably the last person on earth who hasn't watched this series. But hey, new potential for ff. By the way, please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks his voice sounds like Dylan O'Briens...

The way I love him is like the waves on the open sea on a beautiful day.

While the sun shines on my skin and my bikini slips slightly, revealing my sun-kissed skin, I try to secretly look at him.

The way his brown curls are wet from the blue sea or how his muscles tense as he pulls his shirt over his head.

I hear a sigh of relief escape from his mouth and have to giggle to keep myself from laughing at his swimming trunks.

Showing one of his cartoon characters, red and dark tones that highlight his pale skin even more.

And when he turns his head and smiles at me, relaxed in a way, as if there were only the two of us in the whole world, he has never looked more beautiful to me.

"Are you daydreaming, sunshine?" Oh, his teasing voice and that look in his eyes- what wouldn't I give to finally have him for myself.

"You'd like to know, Cohen." I grin slightly at him as I answer him. His raised eyebrows and the heat around us make my head spin.

"Okay, let me guess. Are you thinking about the party tonight at my parents' house and what you want to wear?" For a moment he looks out to the sea, reassuring himself that we are safe, until he finally lies down next to me with his arms outstretched above his head.

Rolling my eyes, I quickly answer him.

"Girls don't just think about parties and dresses, idiot." His brown eyes, which are now looking at me invitingly, make the butterflies fly around in my stomach.

"But was I right?" When I try to turn his head away with my hand, he holds mine tightly. But immediately afterwards he strokes my skin tenderly and my thoughts need a moment to sort themselves out.

"Whatever. And just because you started it, I'm going to wear my new blue dress. The one I brought to your room earlier, remember?" The triumphant smile on his face is worth every single word.

For a few seconds, all I can hear is the cries of the seagulls and the sound of the waves. I'm almost starting to doze off when his voice rings out again.

But this time my joy is dampened by his next sentence.

"Today is the day, you know? I'm pretty sure Summer will at least remember my first name by the end of the night." The sinking of my heart feels almost too painful to answer to him.

What else did I expect? Summer has been on his mind for years, every minute of the day since he first saw her.

Seth, on the other hand, has been in my heart since the first time we met. On a rainy day at a skate park, while I was just lost and he was practicing his tricks.

To this day, I can remember the moment when his brown eyes became the most beautiful sight in the world for me.

Nothing has changed ever since.

"Yeah, sure." It's always the same. His never-ending crush on her, the ever-growing hope that is destroyed with each and every one of her withering glances. The dejection in his eyes, as if his happiness would melt away as soon as she was near him.

I can never do anything about it. Because no matter how many times she ignores him or puts him down, her attention is the spark in his heart that never extinguishes.

Because what can I do? Summer is pretty, sassy and popular in our social circle. She makes every boy weak in the knees, worshiping her even though she never shows serious interest.

Seth is blind to it too, he just wants her attention. That she remembers how his name is.

I know his name. His favorite comics. His hatred towards bad movies or his nervous habit of talking endlessly without it making actual sense. I know his sarcasm, his heartbreaks, and his commitment to dreams.

But that doesn't seem to be enough. Because when he looks at her, he sees the sun. I, on the other hand, am a small star that doesn't shine bright enough to be noticed.

So as we fall into silence and I try to suppress my sadness about my unrequited love, he hums softly next to me.

🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊

When we return from our little trip at sea, the sun is almost setting. My gaze falls to the floor and as I listen to his excited voice, I wonder how it would feel to hold his hand.

As we walk up the stairs to his room and I greet his father as I pass, I recognize the look in his eyes as he opens the door for me.

"Oh come on Seth. It can't be healthy for you to think about her for every free second of your day." With a sigh, he throws himself onto his bed with his back showing to me.

"I just wonder why she doesn't see my potential. I would be a great boyfriend."

Yes, for me.

"That's probably because you follow her around like a lost puppy. Compared to the water polo guys, that's a drastic difference."

When I carefully take my dress down from his door that I hung there a few hours ago, his eyes clouded with pity follow me.

A little ritual for us before every big celebration. Getting ready together, like boyfriend and girlfriend. But I immediately push the thought away.

"But everyone likes puppies. At some point she'll look at me and realize that we would make a great couple." Shaking my head, I pat him on the shoulder.

"Everyone has their dreams, Cohen." I meet his gaze as he thoughtfully glances back at me, suddenly meeting my eyes with a newfound interest.

"What are you dreaming about?" The curiosity in his my voice makes me smile.

"Well, it may be a bit cheesy but I wish for… a person." At my words his eyebrows raise and as he sits up straight, I suddenly feel constricted.

"One person for...what? Carrying your bags while you're shopping? I'm already in charge of that." Laughing, I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.

"I didn't mean that. Even though that's nice, no argument there. No, I mean a person with whom I can experience my first times. You know, the first date, the first romantic kiss. The first vacation shared together...the first time sleeping together, feeling each others heartbeates. That's what I dream of."

As I finish my last sentence, I look at his face. See his rude stare and his open mouth.

"Wow, I- I didn't know you wanted all this so much." Shrugging my shoulders, I turn around to stroke my blue dress. Trying to hide my heated cheeks.

"It's not going to happen anytime soon anyway, so I guess I'll just have to keep dreaming." The silence that follows is almost painful.

"Nevermind. Also, we only have an hour left to get ready. We'd better hurry." He roles his eyes at my attempt to change the subject.

"You say that every time and you always beg me for another five minutes at the end." As I take off my sandals, he narrowly avoids a pair I throw at him.

"Be quiet, Cohen."

🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊

Kirsten had outdone herself. The decorations, the guest list, the food selection. It was all perfection.

As I look out the window of Seth's room, I repeatedly brush a strand of hair out of my face. My heart beats faster with each passing second of silence and I feel my cheeks turning pink as Seth comes out of the bathroom.

The black suit, a red tie and the neat curls. This view is even more perfect than the one outside.

You'd think I'd be able to hide my attraction to him better by now, but when I audibly catch my breath, he looks at me critically.

"What? Does that scream my-mother-picked-out-my-wardrobe too much?" The crooked grin on his face makes me think dramatically long about my answer.

"Everyone knows you're a mama's boy, so it won't hurt your aura." The hand that comes to his chest as he sucks in air makes me giggle.

"Damn, that was mean. But do you think Summer likes mama's boys?" As soon as he says her name, it’s sounding like a prayer from his lips, I try not to show my disappointment on my face.

"Seth-" I sigh, trying to pull myself together. After all, he's still my best friend and I don't want to hurt his feelings. Even if it means hurting my own.

"What?" Innocence swims in his eyes and again, I wish I could tell him the truth. Instead, I continue to play matchmaker.

"I know best how much you want to impress her. But please trust me when I tell you that it always brings bad luck when one person loves their partner more. There has to be a balance." But my words don't seem to have any effect.

"I will bring balance to the force-" The laughter that escapes from his throat makes me shrug my shoulders a little more relaxed now. He knows he got me, when I can’t seem to stop smiling.

"Nerd. Come on, Skywalker, it's time we both show up at the party." Nodding, he closes the door and as we step out onto the bright terrace with the sun shining on us, I feel peaceful.

Unfortunately, the feeling only lasts two hours. Or more precisely, until Summer, the beautiful, graceful, mean Summer, enters the Cohens' house.

Since that moment, I have had an overexcited, confused, useless boy next to me who can't stop embarrassing himself.

"Do you think I should get her something to drink-" I interrupt his speech for the first time in three hours.

"If you don't stop this right now, I swear I'll never ever surprise you with comic books again." The threat actually makes him close his mouth.

"Why are you in such a bad mood? Do you need a drink?" If he hadn't said it so sarcastically, I would have found the question sweet.

"Seth, I can handle a lot of things in our friendship. Your never-ending sarcasm, your inappropriate jokes or your ability to always say the wrong thing to people. Hell, I can even deal with your love for cartoon characters and your obsession with video games on a daily basis. But talking about Summer every second of the day, twenty-four hours a week? That has reached my limit."

While I try to keep my voice low, the confusion is written all over his handsome face.

"But who else should I share my despair with? You're the only one who's really interested in what I have to say." His words hurt a part of my heart that I cannot describe.

"Exactly. I'm interested in you. Not how pretty Summer looks or what Summer just said, did, or might do in the future." For the first time that evening, he actually seems to understand what I'm talking about.

"So...change of subject?" Relieved, I have to start smiling lightly.

"Yes, please." As we smile at each other at that moment, it feels, for once, like I have his full attention.

🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊

As soon as I open the door to the ladies' room, I wish I could immediately turn around and leave.

In front of the mirror, her face looks at me skeptically.

I try to act like she doesn't bother me, even though there are so many things I'd like to say to her.

"Aren't you that girl who's always with Steven?" I look at her, clearly confused.

Rolling her eyes, she continues. "The nerd with the brown curls, his parents own the house, I heard."

"His name is Seth." She shrugs and applies her lip gloss. Her eyes alternately focus on me and the mirror in front of her.

"Whatever. Are you together?" I feel heat rushing to my face and as I try to answer relaxed, she seems to see right through me.

"What- together? No- we're friends. Just friends." As she turns to me now, she raises her eyebrows almost disinterestedly.

"Really? Then why are you looking at him like you're in love with him?" I turn away from her curious stare and try my best not to let my nervousness show.

"You must be mistaken. He's my best friend." As she stands two steps ahead of me, I don't know what to say.

"That doesn't mean you don't have feelings for him. What about him?" Sighing, I can't try to deny it any longer.

"He doesn't." When I see compassion in her eyes, I start to like her a little.

"Then change that. He's just a boy. Show him what he's missing out on. A little skin showing, a few compliments. He won't realize what's happening until he's begging you to let him kiss you." I look at her, laughing, and for a moment I dare to dream.

"What if he likes someone else? How can I keep up?" With elegant steps she walks past me and opens the door.

"Then you have no choice but to outdo her."

When the door closes, I am left alone with my thoughts.

🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊

As Seth loosens his tie, I am still deep in thought.

After my conversation with Summer, the party was over quicker than expected. Seth and I watched some of the guests, joked about the age difference, had two glasses of expensive wine and had the time of our lives.

All without talking about Summer again.

Now that I'm here in his room and we're getting ready for bed, I'm unsure about my next steps.

I usually sleep on his bed while he puts his mattress on the floor. Since we were little, this has been our approach to spend the night together.

However, tonight I want it to be different.

As I remove the clips from my hair and the makeup from my face, Seth talks incessantly about the latest Legion comic.

It's reassuring to listen to him like this while I think about my next steps.

We usually change separately, there's just a certain intimacy in being so open and showing yourself in your underwear.

But Summer said I have to go for it. Why do I listen to her? I don't know to be honest. I just think I should seize this moment of courage.

So I stand up and breathe in gently, trying to behave as inconspicuously as possible.

I slowly take off my dress and as it falls to the floor, Seth's head turns in confusion towards the noise.

"What have you dropped now- oh" I can literally see his eyes double in amazement and he almost chokes on his words in surprise.

I have to smile when I notice how he can't stop looking at me in my lace underwear.

1:0 for me.

"Are you still breathing, Cohen?" When I see him swallow, I turn my back to him. His reaction is so intoxicating that it fills me with renewed confidence. As my hair brushes my back, I finally hear his chatter.

"What- yeah- I'm just- I'm fine- are you fine? Has it gotten warmer in here? Are you warm? It seems so, otherwise you wouldn't be undressing in here. God, no girl has ever undressed in front of me." Laughing, I pick up one of his shirts with the stupidest designs, but there's still nothing I'd rather wear.

When I put it on, it covers me down to my knees and as soon as I turn around, I meet his gaze.

"We're not nine anymore, Seth. I think our friendship can handle us changing in front of each other." As I walk towards him, his gaze wanders along my legs.

"Er- sure. Of course, no problem. I- what?" My fingers slowly stroke his shirt, carefully grasping his tie as I begin to untie it completely.

"Do you think we can go to sea again tomorrow? This time we are not under any time pressure." I feel him stiffen slightly under my touch as he tries his best to stay cool. Well, as cool as Seth Cohen can be.

"Sure- maybe around one o'clock? Ryan is probably doing something with Marissa anyway. Doing god knows what- wait. I shouldn’t say his holy name out loud, when they are doing certain rather unholy stuff. Why am I saying this? I just mean, that we can both sleep in, I guess. And we can stay awake a little longer tonight." When his tie finally comes completely loose, I gently place my hands on his chest.

I meet his gaze as I raise my head, now so close to him. Our faces are only inches apart. I can see the brown in his eyes and the blush that adorns his face as he stops rambling.

"Yeah? What do you want to do?" Maybe this is the moment he finally realizes that Summer isn't the only one who exists in this world.

Maybe he'll finally notice me now.

"Teach me how to flirt?"

Did the world just stop turning? Or is it just my heartbeat that has stopped? Just with his words, just with the way he looks at me.

As if he no longer wanted to shy away from this tension between us.

"Flirting is an art, Cohen. I don't know if you're capable of pulling it off." His subsequent eye roll and the hand that he places pleadingly around my own make me reconsider my next actions.

At least now I can finally reveal my affection to him.

"Please, I'll go shopping with you. Even to the men's department so you can pick out my clothes. Just teach me." Surprisingly, I pause at his words.

"Even if I put sweatpants on you?" His face twists slightly.

"Yes, even if I have to wear sweatpants." I smile, brushing my hair back. As my eyes focus on his figure, a thousand thoughts race through my head.

"Okay. First step: your posture. I know how much you like to dramatically gesticulate your sentences with your hands, but you should avoid that when you're trying to flirt. You have to stay cool, confident. But still polite, not as if you don't care about the answer." Nodding, he listens attentively to each of my words, trying to understand the intention behind them.

"Like this?" I see him put his hands behind his back and stand there stiffly, his curious look ever present in his eyes.

I laugh and shake my head. "Not quite. Here, I'll show you." My hands move to his own ones, pulling them forward. Slowly I stroke his knuckles, but when I notice his opening mouth at my gentle touch, I let them go.

"Put them in your pockets. Stand up straight, but don't try to force it. Just relax." When he puts his hands in his pockets and stands with his foot slightly at an angle, he looks so carefree for a moment that I almost fall for the trick myself.

"Convincing enough?" Nodding, I try not to let the sight burn too much into my memory.

"Keep that up. Next important step. Your language, the way you speak. If you're going to flirt, it has to be seductive. You have to make me hang on every word that comes out of your mouth." As if I don't already do that.

As his eyebrows draw together, I see the confusion in his pupils and sighing, I speak up again.

"Try talking to me." I wait invitingly for his next move.

"Hey, uh what's going on?" When he doesn’t speak any further, I intervene.

"Okay, maybe I should show you how to do it first. Firstly, you need to try to initiate a conversation." I take a quick breath and try to relax my shoulders to prepare myself.

As I wrap my fingers around his collar and slowly stroke down his shirt, I see him swallow.

"Did you enjoy the party?" I try to maintain eye contact with him while keeping my voice a little quieter and giving more meaning to my words. I can literally see the gears turning in his head.

"I-I did?" When he stops speaking, I put my hand on his chest, circling the pattern of his shirt.

"Don't you want to ask me what I liked the most?" I see how he closes his mouth, trying to find the right words, as if he suddenly doesn't know how to talk to me normally anymore.

"What did you like best?" I smile sweetly, slowly sliding my fingers into his neck and playing with his brown curls.

My heart beats louder than ever, when I notice the expression on his face as I caress his hair softly.

"You."

It is this one moment when the world makes sense. When the eternal waiting, the torment of the last few years and the stupid boy in front of me finally makes sense.

Because his eyes wander to my lips and I feel his breath across my face as our bodies are drawn to each other like magic.

His lips almost brush mine, we are so close together that my mind is unable to think of anything other than his touch.

What it would be like to kiss him.

"Is this still part of the lesson?" His breathless voice makes me smile.

"Well, do you want it to end?" I have to laugh at his lips as he quickly shakes his head.

"What-what should I do?" I stand slightly on my tiptoes so I can whisper in his ear.

"What every princess wants from her fairytale prince. Kiss me."

He leans slowly into my touch. With every breath he takes, I can feel his arms sliding around my waist as his curls brush my forehead. He licks his lips uncertainly and when I look into his eyes, full of affection and the desire to kiss me, I fall in love with him even more.

"You don't know how long I've been waiting for this." Confusion adorns his features and I try not to let my strong heartbeat distract me too much when I finally tell him the truth.

"Waiting for what? Me?" Laughing, I close my eyes for a moment, reveling in the feeling of his closeness.

"It's always been you for me, Seth. When I said, "You're unbearable"? In my head, I wanted to spend every second I'm in this world with you. Or when I always roll my eyes when you stumble over your words, as if you're afraid it would bore me too much and I would stop listening to you. Because I would never do that. God, I practically hang on every word that comes out of your mouth."

As astonishment takes over his gaze, I feel a blush creep over my skin. What do I have to lose now?

When he answers, a loving smile adorns his face, coupled with a brief shake of the head.

"So I was unconsciously flirting with you the whole time? You know, step two?"

"You don't have to flirt with me for me to fall for you, Cohen. I fell already, hard."

His eyebrows rise, his nervousness changes almost abruptly to a smug expression.

"Is that so? Even though I talk about Captain Oats for two hours, when I was telling you his story from my childhood?"

"Why do you think I'm still here? No one would listen to that, not even me, if I hadn't been thinking about how good you looked in your sweater."

"Very shameless of you, Captain Oats would be disappointed by your little interest in his life."

"And would Seth Cohen be disappointed if I'm too interested in his life to pay attention to anything else?" Grinning, he pulls me closer to him.

"I'm pretty sure he'd be flattered." His lips hover over mine as his words cast a spell over my mind.

"Then I guess I should do that more often." Slowly, I push him back and let him fall onto his bed while his eyes roam over my body.

"Oh, definitely. You can do anything you want." Smiling sweetly, I move closer to him until I sit down on his lap. His hands find their own way to my thighs, stroking my bare skin.

“I can hear your heartbeat, Cohen. Are you nervous?“ I smile as I tease him, roaming my fingernails over his chest.

“I don’t do nervous. But indeed sunshine, my heartbeat is that noticeable, because you‘re making it beat faster. You‘re making my time on earth feel faster and I would‘t want it any other way.“ Smiling in the kiss, I stretch my hands around his neck.

Being with Seth Cohen isn't always easy, but I guess love isn't either.

[cinebration]

Dogfight Preview (Pete “Maverick” Mitchell x Reader) [One-shot]

Premise: Maverick gives a lesson on dogfighting.

Warnings: none

Gif Source: unicornships

“You’re Maverick.”

Maverick glanced up from the perspiring beer bottle in his hands and squinted against the sunlight. You resolved suddenly into focus as you stepped into the light, relieving him of the blinding rays.

“Yeah, that’s me,” he answered, frowning. “Can I help you?”

“I hope so.”

Maverick leaned back in his seat and took stock of you, the furrow in his brow deepening. You wore a black shirt, your flight suit unzipped and tied around your waist. He couldn’t read your expression as you met his gaze.

“I need help in dogfighting,” you said, as though picking up that his appraisal was over. “You’re the best dogfighter here.”

Maverick couldn’t help the faint smile that touched his lips. “I just have experience.”

“Hence why I’m here asking.”

He shook his head. “I don’t think I’m allowed to do one-on-ones.”

“I could get Admiral Simpson’s authorization.” You glanced over your shoulder at the crashing waves along the shoreline. “Although I doubt he’ll like being bothered with this.”

Anything with Maverick’s name attached was likely to stick in Cyclone’s craw, that much was certain. Maverick followed your gaze out over to the surf, attention arrested occasionally by the swoop and dive of seagulls.

“You’re not part of the team,” he stated carefully.

“Not right now, no. But getting trained by a legend would certainly help that.”

Nodding, Maverick pushed himself out of his chair. “Why the hell not? I haven’t been up in the air today yet.”

A sharp smile spread over your face, the kind Maverick had seen on some of the most eager pilots—himself included. He smiled back, crossing the sand with you wordlessly.

This will be fun, he thought.

~~

Forty minutes later, you both were up in the air. Maverick stayed low and behind you, glancing up through the cockpit to see your bird’s silhouette up against the bright blue sky.

“Are you a book learner or a hand’s on learner?” he asked.

Your voice came through the headset with a faint metallic background. “Sir?”

“Is it better if I talk you through it or if I show you?”

A few seconds of silence.

“Show me,” you answered.

Maverick swore he heard a challenge in your voice.

Alright, you asked for it.

Pulling hard on the throttle, Maverick climbed hundreds of feet through the air, bee-lining straight toward you.

He streaked past your wing, the sudden displacement of air nearly sending you rolling.

“Fight’s on,” he declared, swinging back around.

“Clearly,” he heard you mutter over the radio.

He chuckled.

Maverick moved to get behind you. You veered off, slipping just out of his targeting system.

“Not bad,” he said. “But I was going easy on you.”

“Oh, really?”

In answer, Maverick accelerated, the jet screaming as it followed his lead. He whipped around, his nose almost aligned with you. His targeting system fought hard to center on the box.

You pulled up hard, flying straight into the sun.

A smirk pulled at his lips. Not bad at all.

He caught you decelerating and dropping altitude in an attempt to slide under his belly and come out behind him. Mirroring you, he fell back behind you, the targeting system once again searching frantically for the box on your back.

You dropped out of the sky.

“Holy shit.” Maverick craned his head through the window of the cockpit, trying to catch you beneath him. “Haven’t seen that in a while.”

He pulled up sharply, looping back to force you ahead of him and to give him a chance to glimpse you in the sky. You were just underneath him, almost down to the hard deck. He gunned the throttle as you zipped forward, bringing his nose around.

You rolled.

The dogfight lasted for twenty minutes before Maverick finally got tone.

“Gotcha,” he murmured, smiling into his mask.

You slowed down in defeat, the radio silent on your end.

“How was that?”

“Informative,” you answered.

He frowned and watched you break off, heading back to base. A moment later, he followed.

~~

Maverick crossed the tarmac to you as you climbed out of the cockpit and tore off your helmet. It was jet black, angled away from him so he couldn’t see if you had earned a call sign yet.

“That was good,” he said. “Are you sure you’ve never done this before?”

“I never said I hadn’t done it before,” you answered carefully. “I just needed the practice.”

“Well, you’ve got a pretty strong foundation, I’ll give you that.” He cleared his throat. “Listen, I have a demonstration tomorrow morning. Me and another TOPGUN hotshot are gonna show the rookies how it’s done. You should come watch, maybe learn a few things.”

He held his breath.

You flashed a smile at him. “I’ll be there.”

“Great.”

Nodding, you waved goodbye and strode off in the direction of the hangers. Hondo crossed the tarmac in the opposite direction, heading to Maverick. He paused as you passed him, exchanged a few words and a laugh.

Maverick frowned.

“You know her?” he asked when Hondo could hear him.

“Sure, that’s Reaper.”

“Reaper?”

“Yeah.”

“How’d she earn that name?”

“You never see her coming until it’s too late.”

He thought back to the dogfight. “Doesn’t seem too accurate.”

“Were you guys planning for tomorrow?”

Maverick faced Hondo. “What?”

“For tomorrow’s demonstration.” Hondo’s eyebrows knitted together. “You know you’re fighting her tomorrow, right?”

Maverick’s gaze whipped across the tarmac to you as you disappeared into a hanger. “She was testing me,” he muttered. “She probably wasn’t even really flying.”

“What?”

“Nothing.” A grin of disbelief split his lips. “Just that tomorrow is gonna be fun.”

[bectoshi]

:: as much as he says it's a strength, tooru's empathy will be the death of him.

!! purely a crack fic haha. it is so stupid i apologize. happy birthday tooru!

miniseries masterlist

Oikawa Tooru had always had a gift for attracting trouble, and his ability to do so has never lost its novelty to you.

Because here he is, getting ambushed by a flock of seagulls because he had thought to make you laugh. 

The day was going so, so, suspiciously well. 

It was only a few moments ago that you were both laid out on the identical beach chairs Tooru had put together. You, taking sips of your iced coffee, book in hand, and Tooru, silently busying himself with the bag of fast food he had begged you for. 

You were doing exactly what you came to the beach to do. Unwinding and distracting yourselves from your responsibilities back at home. And as you thought, it was going so well.

But all good things can’t last forever. 

At first it’s his fake sigh, then the drop in his voice when he announces that, to no one in particular, “They look hungry too.”

Following Tooru’s eyes to the pair of seagulls not far from where you sat, you finally put the pieces together. Because you don’t miss the all too familiar glint of mischief in his eyes, despite the sad tone he has on his voice. 

“Don’t you dare, Tooru.” You warn.

“What?” He’s smiling now, eyes still on the birds, “I’m just saying, they look hungry! I really can’t help that I care about the wildlife.”

Always feigning his innocence. You, however, saw right through it. 

“Tooru. I know you. I know what- where are you going?”

He’s now choosing to ignore you. He stands, fries in hand, and advances carefully towards the seagulls. 

This isn’t going to end well.

He starts with one, experimental fry, tossing it to the birds from where he stood, only a few feet away. Successful, they take the bait, scrambling to see who can reach it first. 

More fries fall onto the sand and more seagulls fly over to feast on tooru’s offerings.

You are about to turn and go back to minding your business, until you hear a shout coming from his direction. Oh god. 

“I need more! Pass me more fries!” You turn to the empty takeout bag, crumpled and abandoned on his beach chair. Fuck. 

“We don’t have more fries!” You yell to him, who is now backing away as the seagulls close in on him.

“FUCK FUCK FUCK!” 

He’s running now, flock of birds not far behind him, and you realize that you’ve gotten the attention of the beachgoers around you. Sunbathers raise their shades above their eyes to identify the commotion that had awaken them while parents rush to cover their children’s ears with their sandy hands, shielding them from the expletives coming from Tooru’s mouth. 

You sink down lower in your seat and pretend you don’t know him. 

The car ride home is silent, save for the your collaborative playlist that was blasting through the speakers, and save for your periodic giggles whenever you glance sideways at the driver’s seat.

Tooru keeps his eyes on the road as he drives the way back home, his face grave. He has his shirt back on, but the sight of the seagull pecks littering his chest and back underneath is already engraved in your mind. 

And as expected, Tooru is unable to escape the verbal torment from Iwaizumi the next day when he saw the still tender marks on his body.

It’s safe to say that he’ll never live this moment down.

[welldonekhushi]

Solovetsky Ending

Timeline: Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War

Characters featured: Russell Adler, Vincent "Bell" Stephens (Vasili Mikhailovich Sokolov)

Summary: Bell did the righteous by siding with Adler and choosing Solovetsky to stop Perseus from nuking Europe. But, even after achieving triumph, Bell feels a little unsatisfied with the result.

Warnings: Some profanity, use of guns, slight gore and a.. plot twist? Cliffhanger?

Adler and Bell, arrive at the cliffside, overlooking the sea where the seagulls fly. It seemed peaceful, and calm, especially after a bigger threat was over — stopping Perseus. Bell willingly handed over the coordinates to Adler about the hidden missiles that were in the safety of the Solovetsky Monastery, after revealing him about everything the reason they brainwashed him for.

Adler takes a glance at the weather for a while, while Bell just kept staring at the agent, with a neutral expression. Adler takes out a cigarette and lights it up, inhaling the stick and puffing out the smoke from his lips, as he speaks his first words.

"Arctic air. Clears the head, doesn't it?" Adler smiles, turning to Bell who rather listens to the conversation diligently.

"Bell, you made two extraordinary sacrifices to stop Perseus. One was without your knowledge. The other.. you made that decision of your own accord." Adler took another drag of his cigarette, blowing off the smoke from his lips. "I just want you to know that this little thing that's happened to you and me.. It was always for the greater good."

Bell slightly smiled at the success of their mission, his eyes darted towards the rocks for a while, before he could face the agent in triumph.

"You're a damn hero, you know that, kid?" Adler tossed his cigarette away, as he took one step away from Bell, looking out at the horizon.

"I'm sorry that along with wiping off your memories, with giving you the Vietnam flashbacks, and your indulgence with Park with the MI6.. we had to make you reluctant to speak. But don't worry, that will wear off anytime, just the secondary brainwash effects. And as they say, heroes have to make sacrifices. For the greater good."

"I know." Bell finally spoke towards Adler, in a confident tone. "But, I'm glad that you brought me wherever I am right now, Russell."

Adler was slightly confused, yet surprised when Bell had his voice opened after a long time of being silent. It made him feel a bit uncomfortable, but continued to cooperate with his teammate. "What do you mean, Bell?"

"To teach me. What it feels to be controlled under somebody, when in truth, you were always meant to be free." Bell speaks his thoughts, after having them caged inside of him for a long time.

"Perseus only thought of me as an useful asset. He used me for his own advantage.. despite promising me he'd protect me. I lost everything that I had. Turns out, I feel glad that you saved me from that turmoil." Bell was opening up to Adler, as he carefully listened to him talking about his days with the opposing faction.

"But.. can I be honest with you, Adler?" Bell tilts his head, his hands now inside of his pockets as he takes a satisfied sigh. The agent was a bit reluctant to listen, but he gave the nod.

"Sure but, I think we don't have much time so, speed up kid."

Bell looked at the sky for a short while, before he spoke the truth. "I was about to send you all to Duga. I had no choice."

Adler was a bit astonished by Bell's words. Did Bell have a plan in his head to kill the whole team before? If he wanted to, he could have chosen that very path, but instead he went for Solovetsky. It was quite baffling for Adler to piece together everything, as Bell continues to speak.

"But.. knowing that Perseus used me, I couldn't spare him for what he did along with the rest. So, I took my revenge, and gave him what he deserves.. but — something in me still feels empty. As if Perseus wasn't enough."

Adler was feeling a bit unsure that what was the other thing Bell felt incomplete all this time. They got to Perseus already, who was the other one in his head?

"I used to feel like I was inside of a cage. Locked. Nowhere to escape. But now, it seems like the crow has finally spread its wings. And it knows what to do now."

Something didn't feel right for Adler, as the uneasiness inside of him grew even louder. Bell was smiling towards him, in a way that would leave the CIA agent into a thousand doubts.

"Because as you said, Adler.. sacrifices are to be made. For the greater good."

Adler slightly backed off from Bell, who gave him a neutral expression but the smile in him vanished the moment his stare became a glare. Bell took one step ahead towards Adler, as he tried calling onto to bring him back to his senses.

"Bell."

"It's Vasili." He drew his gun out of his pocket, and shot Adler on the shoulder, making the man fall down with great force. The agent groaned in pain, the blood leaking out of his jacket, as Adler growled and drew his hands towards his pockets to take out his pistol and aim towards Bell, but he knocked the gun off by his legs and slammed his feet on Adler's chest, pinning him on the rocky surface on the cliff they were while the injured man grunted in agony.

"I want you to remember this very moment, Russell. The day you tricked me was the biggest mistake of your entire life." Bell, who now referred to himself as Vasili, expressed his resentment towards Adler who was responsible for the brainwashing, and made him believe that he was one of the family, only to get what he wanted — which was finding Perseus.

"You fucked with my mind. You fucked with my identity. And you took away the only thing that represented me for who I was!" He gripped the pistol tighter towards Adler as he spat in anger, letting out the pent-up frustration he had inside of him for a long time. "You aren't less than Perseus, aren't you Adler? But what to say.." Bell chuckled half-heartedly. "You were so.. blind. Thinking you're the pure one here when you have blood on your hands as well, sir."

Adler watched in horror as he couldn't believe that Bell would actually turn his back away from him. Vasili then slowly bends down towards the man, so he can say something important before he takes his leave.

"Not even Perseus, nor Russell Adler. But just.. Vasili. Which is me." Bell said, his words sharp so they'd be remembered. He pulled out his leg from Adler, as the agent choked and wheezed for air, coughing. He gripped his shoulder tightly, trying to get on his feet but got on his knees instead.

Bell checked the reloads and cocked his gun. "I could have killed you right now, Adler.. but I have better plans than that. I hope that the wound gives you a good time when you return to the safehouse."

Adler tried to reach out to Bell, extending his arm as if he didn't want him to leave. "Bell.. listen to me. We can talk about this."

Vasili just glared at the man, with no remorse. Yet, he wishes to hear him one last time. "I would want you to speed up as well, Adler. I don't have much time."

"Trust me. I didn't mean to make you suffer, Bell.. I only want you to understand. That.. this was never personal." Adler quickly grabbed the pistol that was on the ground, and drew his aim towards Vasili, prepared to shoot the agent back. Meanwhile, Bell widened his eyes as Adler was about to retaliate, and before Bell could pull out the gun —

BANG!

Fade to black. And the lore continues.

[footnotesaregreat]

ofmd headcannons bc i physically can’t stop thinking about these bitches

izzy sings at lucius and pete’s ceremony probably fly me to the moon or killing me softly (written by laszlo cravensworth & later plagiarized)

at the party that follows they all gather up singing shanties, ed & izzy whispering the lyrics to stede, who is still getting the hang of pirate music

stede & ed are supporting izzy’s back, that is still healing, despite his protests

they are also holding hands (ed-stede, stede-izzy)

jim, archie, olu & zheng are sitting suspiciously close

auntie & jackie instantly become besties

wee john, frenchie, roach & the swede are playing some intricate card game but wee john keeps losing deliberately to go back to his knitting

he’s making sweaters for all of them because Winter Is Coming & none of them have warm clothes

when a seagull lands on deck & refuses to stop pinching ed everyone knows who it is

he stays with them for about a week at a time & always comes back

they made a little nest in the sleeping quarters for him right next to roach & the swede

ed has permanently moved into stede’s room & they’ve made a new bed to fit three people for the nights iz wants some company

they also have room with the rest of the crew for the nights when they prefer to sleep alone.

 ed & fang go fishing almost everyday & after a couple weeks they don’t need to speak & just sit in comfortable silence

stede keeps training with iz, taking turns fighting zheng & jim

when ed returns one day with fang & sees stede beating all three of them he wants to fight him more than ever. their duel goes on for a long time, the bets placed by the crew reaching extreme heights. in the end stede knocks him down & disarms him. everyone, especially pete, lose their fucking minds

at night stede still reads them stories, sometimes new from recent books he’s gotten, but usually the now familiar fairy tales calm them down the most

sometimes stede, ed, iz, jim, archie, olu, zheng, lucius & pete go on date nights where they try different food, listen to music, sharing sweets

frenchie, wee john, fang & roach can often be seen sticking together, not really seeking any romantic or sexual relationship, but simply wanting companionship

when izzy’s unicorn hoof finally gives out he is absolutely heartbroken so of course the entire crew go out to find him the most durable materials to make him another one

they give it to him the next day & it’s decorated by stede, lucius & surprisingly zheng

wee john has also knitted him a leg warmer for whenever he needs a break from the prosthetic

iz obviously loses his shit when he sees it & totally doesn’t call them twats

then they all proceed to fall on top of him to engulf him in an annoyingly wet hug, ed & stede sneaking two kisses on his cheeks

they often have themed parties to make use of stede’s unending secret wardrobe

wee john, iz & jim rule these parties being the best drag queens & king

after a couple years they dock on a small, peaceful town. everyone immediately loves it there & that’s when stede & ed decide to retire

they use ed’s treasure to buy a large building & the whole crew work together to turn it into an inn

 they officially open ‘The Gentle Unicorn Inn’ (ed chose the name)

they also have a little tavern right next to it called ‘Jeff’s’ (they have a lot of fun whenever someone asks ‘who’s jeff?’)

ann & mary regularly pop by & drop off some antiques ann’s looted, for stede to either keep or even sell

every couple of months or so the crew visit for a few days & all of them have designated rooms in the inn

sometimes ed & stede close for a week or so to go on a little trip on the ‘revenge’ with the crew

izzy will go & stay with them more often than the rest of them & even though he doesn’t have his own room he has no problem staying at stede & ed’s

he always sleeps in the middle of their bed

[lizziespoem]

valentine | megumi fushiguro ͏⸺ one shot

͏⸺ salty breeze danced with the sound of crashing waves, orchestrating a symphony of nature's own design. With each gust, it carried whispers of tales untold, secrets buried beneath the sands of time. Seagulls soared overhead, their cries echoing the longing in your heart as she wandered along the shore.

With bare feet sinking into the cool, wet sand, you closed your eyes and breathed in the salty air, letting the rhythm of the ocean wash over you. You felt a sense of peace settle within your soul, a reminder that even amidst life's turbulent seas, there was beauty to be found in the ebb and flow of the tide. You were wandering along the shore, searching for treasures hidden in the sand and listening to the melodies carried by the wind.

In the distance, a lone figure stood silhouetted against the setting sun, casting long shadows upon the shore. As you drew closer, you recognized the familiar outline of a man, his gaze fixed upon the horizon with a sense of quiet contemplation.

"megumi" you whispered, the name falling from your lips like a prayer carried away by the wind. Memories of your time together flooded your mind, each one a precious treasure held close to your heart.

the boy with the dark hair felt like he was standing on the edge of a cliff, exhilarating and terrifying all at once, like the warmth of the sun is lingering on his skin after a long winter, a sensation fills him with a sense of renewal and hope. It felt like dancing in the rain, every drop a symphony of joy against the skin of megumi, reminding him that even in the midst of chaos, there is beauty to be found.

the world seems to shimmer with an ethereal glow, as if every color is more vibrant, every sound more melodious, and every moment more precious. It's like seeing the world through a new set of eyes, where even the simplest of gestures can take on profound meaning.

falling in love with you was to fall in love for the first time and megumi never thought he would ever have, after all the time he had rejected affection.

and now where he hasn’t, when you called him pretty and kissed him all over his face, he couldn’t deny this unusual feeling under his chest, that felt like stumbling upon a treasure chest buried beneath the sands of time, each moment with you was a precious gem to be cherished and adored.

Every touch, every glance, sends sparks flying, igniting a fire within him that burns brighter with each passing day. It's like being swept up in a whirlwind of emotions, with highs that make megumi feel like he is soaring among the stars and lows that leave him feeling breathless and vulnerable.

Being in love for the first time and being in love with you was like learning to speak a new language, with every word spoken and every gesture shared a testament to the depth of his affection. It's like finding a piece of himself in you, a puzzle finally coming together to form a complete picture and he still couldn’t get over the fact that you are truly his.

Megumi was always tripping over his words, tongue tied and clumsy, as he tried to express the swirling emotions in his heart. Each interaction becomes a delicate dance of uncertainty, filled with awkward pauses and nervous laughter and yet you never doubted his love for you.

Simple gestures become daunting tasks, like holding hands for the first time or stealing a kiss beneath the stars. Megumi's hands tremble with anticipation, fingers fumbling as he tried to navigate the uncharted waters of romance.

Being in love with you was like discovering a piece of himself that he never knew was missing.

With hesitant steps, you approached him, your heart pounding with a mixture of longing and uncertainty.

As you reached his side, megumi turned to face you, his eyes alight with recognition and something more—a flicker of hope that mirrored your own. Without a word, he took your hand in his, the touch sending sparks of warmth coursing through your veins.

"everything alright?" you asked calmly and gentle as you caught his gaze, wondering where his mind traveled.

And as he look into your eyes, he saw a future filled with endless possibilities—a future where you build a life together, one filled with love, laughter, and shared dreams. Because being in love with you wasn't just about the here and now, it's about the journey you’ll embark on together, hand in hand, for all the days of your lives.

"more than alright" megumi whispers, his voice raspy, as he wrapped his arm around your waist and placed a gentle kiss on the tip of your head "happy valentine’s day, sunshine"

together, you stood in silence, watching as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of gold and crimson. And in that moment, as the world around you faded into darkness, megumi knew that love, like the ocean, was boundless and eternal—a force that could weather any storm and endure the test of time.

you were his first valentine, and he swore you’d be the last.

© 2024 LIZZIESPOEM. please do not copy any of my writing and translate or repost onto any other sites.

[ourflagmeansgayrights]

possibilities for how ed gets his leathers back in the finale:

ed has a whole closet full of identical leather outfits that he sort of forgot about when he was having his symbolic funeral for blackbeard

izzy made a replica leather getup that sometimes he would take to a brothel or something when he was on shore leave and he would pay one of the prostitutes to wear it while they fucked him

actually it’s not out of the realm of possibility that there’s at least one prostitute in the republic of pirates who found their niche impersonating blackbeard in bed and they have a really authentic blackbeard outfit replica for that purpose

or just. anyone in the republic of pirates might just have blackbeard cosplay for entirely non-sexual reasons, too. there’s probably a blackbeard fanclub somewhere

one of the republic of pirates gift shops sells blackbeard cosplay and they were having a sale because all the blackbeard merch hasn’t been selling as well ever since the gentleman pirate became the new celebrity in town

black pete is the one with the blackbeard outfit replica. it gets equal use for dorky fanboy cosplay reasons and also for roleplaying blackbeard during sex

ed says something like “oh no i need my leathers but i threw them in the sea!” out loud and buttons just happens to be flying by and he squawks a request to his beloved (seagull subtitles part 2) who rises up like how they animated the ocean in moana and gives ed his leathers back

EDIT: oh my god i forgot ed can fish now

[daenysthedreamer101]

Daughter of Steel and Bronze ~ HOTD

Ch 4 - Blood of the Dragon

HOTD x Targaryen!OC, eventual Targaryen!OC x Harwin Strong

Warnings: none, it's actually a really cute chapter imo, there's like one swear word

Masterlist

"Nobody truly knows what happened when young Daena entered the cave of the Bronze Fury. We can only speculate as to what happened. What we do know is that in the early hours of the next day, the local smallfolk of Dragonstone heard a deafening roar and witnessed the great bronze beast flying alongside the shore. On his back was the little Princess. It is said she flew over the entire Gullet and some say Vermithor's song was heard as far south as Massey's Hook.

Her absence was only noticed when one of the maids tasked with waking her up realized the Princess was missing from her room. The entire castle was in an uproar. Daemon was furious and swore he would mount the head of every man who failed to find her. To his relief, she was found on one of the cliffs near the castle, and next to her was the dragon of the Old King. She was petting and kissing him like he was a giant cat and to everyone's surprise, the dragon seemed to enjoy it. She would forever be known as Daena the Audacious."

(Fire & Blood, Being a History of the Targaryen Kings of Westeros, by Archmaester Gyldayn)

~

107 AC, Dragonstone

Daemon was woken up by someone obnoxiously banging on his door. "WHAT?" He yelled, annoyed. A young maid came in quickly, the one that was assigned to Daena. 

"M-my Prince..." She stuttered, terrified of further angering the Rogue Prince. 

"Spit it out, woman! What happened?" He yelled. 

"P-Princess Daena...she's g-gone. She's not in her b-bed chambers..." She managed to say.

"WHAT!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S GONE!?" Daemon jumped out of bed, dismissed the girl, and quickly got dressed. He walked out into the hallway and started barking out orders. 

"If you don't find her, I'll mount all of your fucking heads on a spike! Do you understand me!? " He yelled, furious. 

The entire castle was on its feet, trying to find the missing princess. Every guard, every maid, every single servant was looking for her. "Where could she have possibly gone?" Daemon murmured as he gripped the pommel of his Valyrian steel sword Dark Sister, his anger rising by the second.

He was currently in her bed chambers, looking to see if there were any signs of a fight or if she was forcibly taken. Nothing like that was found. Besides a messy bed, everything was fine...except the riding suit she came in and her boots. 

"She must have slipped out during the night, unnoticed." Maester Gerardys said. Daemon sighed and pinched his nose. Then, high above the castle, a thunderous roar could be heard.

"My Prince! It's the Princess! She...she's with Vermithor!" A guard informed Daemon, who was sprinting down the castle toward the main gate. This news stopped Daemon in his tracks. 

"What did you just say?" Daemon asked, not believing his ears. 

"She..she flew on Vermithor." The guard repeated. Daemon laughed, not caring for what anyone might say. 

"My brave little girl..." He said with the biggest smile on his face. He then ran outside of the castle. What he saw next would become one of his favorite memories ever. 

Daena's POV

Daena has never felt happier. She was flying on the back of the second-largest dragon in the world. After singing him the lullaby her father always sang to her, she experienced something she only ever dreamed of - she bonded with a dragon. And not just any dragon - Vermithor the Bronze Fury was now her mount and she his rider. They flew over the entire Gullet and if Daena was correct, even flew over the island of Driftmark. She didn't have time to fasten the belts on the saddle so she was holding on for dear life. At one point a flock of seagulls almost hit her in the face, had she not ducked down. 

She didn't know how to feel, or what to think. Her heart was full of joy and pride, for she had finally become a dragon rider, just like her father. Excitement was flowing through her veins, her dragon blood singing with happiness. It was cold and windy, but she felt nothing but the warmth that radiated off of Vermithor. She held tightly to the handles in front of her. All she could see was the sea beneath her and the stars above her. This is what freedom feels like, she thought as they flew even higher above the clouds. 

Once the sun began to rise, she thought it was about time to head back. Vermithor complied with her wishes and headed back for Dragonstone. In what felt like no time, she could see the outlines of the island. Vermithor circled the island one more time and with a mighty roar landed on one of the cliffs near the castle. From atop Vermithor, she could see many people running toward her: guards, dragon keepers, and...her father. She sighed and climbed down the ropes. Once her feet hit the ground she was met with the stern lilac eyes of her father. 

"Skoros lo ao morghūltan? Ao dovodedha riña...Ao drējī issi ñuha tala." (What if you died? You silly girl...you truly are my daughter) He said with the biggest smile Daena had ever seen.

"Are you upset with me?" Daena asked carefully. 

"What? No! I...I am so proud of you, my love. I have never been prouder!" He told her sincerely and hugged her tightly. Daena could feel that he was being honest. 

~

Daemon has never been prouder in his life. He has never been happier, besides the day Daena was born. His little girl claimed Vermithor, the Bronze Fury. He felt like the proudest father in the world! But he knew what Daena did wasn't right and it needed reprimanding. In the privacy of Daena's room, he sat her down on her bed. He looked at her and saw the biggest smile on her face. 

"My sweet girl, what you did was brave...and foolish." He started and saw the smile disappear from her face. 

"I want you to know that I'm proud of you and you have proved to everyone the strength of Targaryen blood, but you shouldn't have gone out alone. You could've been killed! What would I do then, hmmm?"  He continued and she looked down, embarrassed.

"What would I do without my favorite girl? You're my everything, you know that? I would pluck the stars from the sky if it meant you were happy. But you mustn't be so reckless, do you understand?" He asked as he lifted her chin with his finger. She nodded, refusing to look at him. 

"Jurnegon rȳ nyke." (Look at me.) He told her. She looked up at him with glossy eyes. Her lip trembled and tears spilled down her cheeks. 

"Iksan vaoreznuni Kepa. Nyke ȳdra daor gīmigon skoros māstan toliot nyke." (I am sorry Father. I don't know what came over me.) She said quietly. He wiped the tears from her face. 

"Don't cry, sweet girl. I do want you to be happy but I also want you to be safe. No more running around without my permission. Understood?" He asked again. She nodded and sniffled. 

"Now. You will go and take a bath and then we can have breakfast together. How does that sound?" He asked softly. 

"It sounds wonderful. Thank you, Father."  She replied with a smile. 

After taking a bath and dressing in a simple silk dress in a pretty shade of dark red, her hair was braided by one of the maids. She was escorted to her father's personal bed chambers. There he was, looking out of the window while holding Dark Sister in his hands. 

"Father." She calls, and he turns. He smiles at her and tells her to sit down. She does and they start eating. He asked her about how she got into the caves and how she bonded with Vermithor. She answered all his questions to the best of her abilities. Once they were done with the food, Daemon beckoned her over.

"I'll have to teach you how to control him, how to talk to him, how to fly." He says to her as he caresses her cheek. She smiles. 

"I would love that. Thank you, Father, for being so understanding", and with that, she left to further explore her ancestral home. 

Daena walked around the castle with no particular goal in mind. She walked through the meandering halls and came upon a great stone door. She carefully pushed the door and the sight in front of her took her breath away. 

"The throne room..." she whispered to herself as her eyes fell upon the magnificent throne that was cut into a giant slab of stone. She slowly walked across the room. The room was bathed in the faint light of the late morning. No one else was present and the only thing that could be heard were the slow footsteps of the princess. 

"Would it be treason to sit on the throne?" Daena thought as she eyed the throne. She approached the throne, standing on the staircase that led to it. "It looks more comfortable than the Iron Throne, that's for certain" she mused.  She was about to touch it, but at the last second, she pulled her hand away.

Instead, she turned her head left and saw an archway leading to another room. She followed it and came upon a room with a beautiful balcony and sea view. There were dragon carvings on the wall, a table, and some chairs in the middle of the room. She leaned her elbows against the balcony and looked at the waves below. "I could live here..." she thought as a light breeze kissed her skin. 

---

High Valyrian:

Skoros lo ao morghūltan? - What if you died?

Ao dovodedha riña...Ao drējī issi ñuha tala - You silly girl...you truly are my daughter

Jurnegon rȳ nyke. - Look at me. 

Iksan vaoreznuni Kepa. - I am sorry Father. 

Nyke ȳdra daor gīmigon skoros māstan toliot nyke. - I don't know what came over me. 

***

Little Daena is finally a dragon rider! Daemon is ofc, the proudest dad in the whole of Westeros. Next chapter we'll see how the other characters react to the news.

Hope you liked it, and thanks for reading! ❤❤❤

If you have any opinions feel free to comment!