#thatch/nikia/izou

[mamamittens]

I'm making another shippy drawing, this time with Izou since I haven't given him proper 1:1 love with Nikia.

It's not a bad time to think about their particular dynamic, actually, since I am, once again, not falling asleep as I should when I really should already be passed TF out

It won't hurt to establish Nikia's with Thatch just as a reminder for myself honestly.

Thatch and Nikia are a bit dorky. Thatch acts suave, enjoys sweeping romantic gestures, and is very bold about his affections. You will know if he hates you and if he loves you to pieces.

Nikia is, predictably, very embarrassed but pleased about this. Quieter, she likes smaller moments. Bigger gestures are overwhelming for her. Not very good at being loud and proud, so to speak. So naturally most of their moments are small. Personal. Intimate gestures.

Passing kisses and touches. Small "I'm thinking of you" gifts. Thatch not one for trinkets finds himself with many, each one a gift from her because he's weak for the "I saw this and thought of you". He loves that. The thought of being thought of even when he's somewhere else. And he makes an effort to space out his very loud, public displays of affection to meet her in the middle. He can't always control himself. Partly because he's usually so busy, so what little free time he has he wants to make it memorable.

Now! Onto Izou and Nikia!

Izou is a lot more subdued. He's not secretive about his affections but he won't be singing on rooftops anytime soon. He will make his feelings known, however, regardless of what free time he has. Which is a little more than Thatch given he doesn't need to plan meals for a massive crew and overlook kitchen staff.

Okay, it's a little misleading to say he's subdued. Actually. It's really fucking loud and clear, he just doesn't use his voice for it. So he gets away with being a bold bastard a lot more, especially since a lot of it is pirate etiquette that goes over Nikia's head. Thatch, not so much, but he keeps his mouth shut if he knows what's good for him. And he doesn't argue with it either.

The silk foulard is a gift from Izou after all, and has a subtle pattern from Wano weaved in.

So she finds her wardrobe subtly tailored to suit her better, a side project of Izou's. And also pieces slipped in from Izou himself. A spare yukata trimmed to function as a loose jacket since she gets cold easily. Hair ribbons and chokers with silk in his colors or with Wano exclusive patterns.

She doesn't realize how damn possessive his actions are for someone not a tailor because he's not crass enough to just give her his actual yukuta to wear. Like Thatch will drape his foulard over her shoulders when she's cold and Izou nearly smacks him for it.

For those that know, it's like wearing a cowboys hat lol

So anyway, Izou sinks his claws into her wardrobe in whatever way he can and is the first to offer his services if she wants a makeover or hairstyling. If she wants to try hair jewelry, he gets it. Maybe with Thatch's help if he's being generous.

He enjoys showing how he can provide since Thatch has the literal food and dramatic displays handled.

Basically, in pirate speak, Nikia is SUPER spoken for. If they can't tell by who, they can definitely tell it's someone from Wano. And anyone who is bold enough to ignore that earns a bullet in their ass at minimum.

Izou enjoys his trinkets and adores when she secures him crafting materials for clothes. New thread and needles, silks and fabrics. The works. She may ask for assistance at first to get a good idea of what he prefers to work with, but once she has it down, he'll be pleasantly surprised often. Which is quite practical and sweet.

Her favorite thing is getting him jewelry with flowers. Roses if she's being overtly romantic. Delicate cherry blossoms or other such small flowers for cute variety. Even if he doesn't wear them anytime soon, they're displayed beautifully alongside his practical, daily pieces.

Once she learns how bold both of them have been while courting her, she's very flattered.

And they're very interested in how flattered and flustered she is about that.

Very much integrated into dirty talk anytime they give her a particularly bold gift. Notably, she still wears them.

And they very much like that.

And then they'll both use gifts she's given them just to fluster her with their newfound meaning.

It's like ongoing foreplay for them and everyone else thinks they're insufferable. Like, "just fuck already" but worse, because clearly fucking has not helped lessen the tension.

A pirate giving away treasure is a very intimate act, after all. And decorating someone in your colors or home patterns/fabrics equally bold. To keep doing so I'm new ways... Well, it's a lot. Let's put it that way.

Only way they could be more overt is if they just got married already and got matching tattoos.

They're very happy for them but... Yeah. It's kinda obnoxious lmao

[cyborg-franky]

Thank you so much @mamamittens for the support and I hope I did your OC justice! This was fun and I am super proud of it <3

Thatch x OC SFW WC: 2,300

Smoke break, the brief and wonderful interlude between another wave of the crew coming in and stuffing their faces full of food. He leaned on the wall and took that first perfect drag, exhaling and watching the smoke drift into the sky. Thatch loved this time of day, the sun was setting and the world was cast into a golden ambiance that filled his heart, he was a  sentimental fool, he knew that.

But he loved it, he loved his crew, his family, the smell of the sea air, and the sounds of the waves. Sunset just had that little extra something that made every day feel like a whirlwind adventure. Marco and Izou often teased him he was full of imagination (which was ironic coming from a man who was literally a legendary bird) and he should stop reading his romance novels.

He could feel himself smiling as he thought about the teasing jests from the others. He gently tapped the cigarette ash from the tip, and he saw a white feather flutter from the sky, landing at his feet. He glanced up, expecting to see their newest crewmate, seeing a few seagulls loitering up along the masts, waiting to get closer to an island or to see what goodies the kitchen had to throw out that evening.

Nikia was new and he had to admit he was taken by her. The large wings always made her look like an angel. An angel that needed a bell around her neck, how someone with such big wings could move around unnoticed until it was too late, he’d never understand.

She’d caused Ace to jump a mile and set fire to the main sail when she first got here. He rolled his eyes thinking about the interaction, how Ace had been so huffy after, and looked at her like she was after him. Everyone had had a good chuckle at Ace and he never handled that well.

But, speaking of Nikia, he hadn’t seen her in the last few days, and he was keeping a lookout. He was always looking for an excuse to interact with her, she was shy, her humor cutting and dry. She was also a writer and he often tried to talk about the books he’d read with her but it seemed her taste was, of a higher quality than his smut as Izou had called it.

In short, Thatch had a little crush that was becoming bigger than he’d anticipated, not that he could tell anyone. A crew full of men? The gossiping and teasing would have been merciless and as much as he knew it was all in jest and it would roll off him like waves of the sea on the hull of the ship, she was different and he didn’t want to be part of the reason for any discomfort.

Seemed she was already having a tough time finding her feet and fitting in.

He threw the finished cigarette overboard and stretched, hearing and feeling the satisfied popping of joints as he sighed, It was time for another long stint in the kitchen.

–

He’d asked a few of the other commanders if they’d seen Nikia and to his disappointment, he couldn’t get any new information from them, not even Marco who always seemed to know everything. He drummed his fingers on the countertop and stared out the window. He’d been keeping an eye on the mess hall all service, he was growing worried she was avoiding the hall. And thus not getting the food she needed, could have been for a plethora of reasons that he didn’t know about but as a friend, a crewmate, and more importantly, as a chef, the worry that she wasn't eating gnawed in his stomach and grew.

Thatch grabbed a basket he kept for the morning rush, where he’d display his fresh baked rolls, and started to pack up a variety of food left over from dinner, making sure it was still warm, covering each up in small containers. Making sure he grabbed a bottle of water before he headed off.

–

“Yo, Thatch what’s with the cute basket? Going on a daaaate?” Ace said, a smirk on his freckled face as he turned around and watched Thatch walking past, clutching the basket, ready to fight Ace if he tried to grab at it.

“And so what if it is freckles?” Thatch laughed at Ace’s eye roll before he lunged for what he was carrying, Marco grabbed him by the loops of his shorts and held him back.

“Let Thatch have his date, at least he knows what it’s like to be romantic, unlike some people..” Ray said as he watched Marco lift Ace, tossing him over his shoulder as Thatch chuckled at the scene. “It’s not a date,” He shrugged his shoulders as he looked at the three, Marco and Ray gave him a scrutinizing look as Ace let out a HA.

“I bet you waaaant it to be,” Ace, not taking Marco’s manhandling as warning enough to drop the teasing. “Who knows,” Thatch said (Ace was right though, he very much wanted this to be a date but the need to make sure she was okay outweighed what he wanted)

–

He started the door, why was his heart racing suddenly? He’d let Ace get in his head too much, he took a breath and tried to collect himself. So what if he liked her and wanted this to be a date? He just wanted to make sure she was okay and that she was eating..

I mean, it could be both things, right? His mind told him and he rolled his eyes at himself. 

Thatch was locked into a staring contest with the door, his feet rooted to the spot as several things ran through his mind. In the end, he pushed the thoughts away, she might not even be in her room, she might be spending time in the library, hanging out with the off-duty nurses, anything. He opened and closed his hand, feeling clammy, out of character for him, he was normally so confident.

Wow he liked her, what was he? A teenager in love for the first time? He gave himself a mental scolding before he banged on the door. 

There was nothing, no sound of footsteps, no shuffle of papers, or signs of life on the other side of the door. Maybe he was right, maybe she wasn’t in. He felt crestfallen as disappointment weighed heavy on his shoulders, making them sag.

“Hey, Nikia?” He called and strained to hear anything on the other side.

He sighed and turned to leave before the door opened, just a crack and he jumped, almost dropping the basket of food. She really had a way of scaring the living shit out of anyone, didn’t she? He tried to appear nonchalant as he turned and gave her what he hoped was a big charming smile.

“Hey!” He repeated and Nikia looked him over, eyes finding the basket before they swept back up, meeting his. “So, I thought you’d be hungry, I don’t think I’ve seen you get anything to eat since you’ve been here? Or at least the last few days?” He asked and she opened the door a little more, curiosity got the best of him and he tried to glance into her room but large fluffy wings blocked him from such a chance.

“It’s always busy in there and I don't want to knock into people with my wings.” She said and stepped out of the way, letting him into the room. It was neat and tidy, her bags still packed except for all of her books which lined the shelves.

And her writing equipment which splashed out over the desk in the corner where a lamp was glowing, fighting against the darkness that seeped in through the window. He stepped in and flipped on the light causing her to blink a little.

“Oh darlin’ don’t worry about that we have big ol men running around in the kitchen and dining room, your wings won't hurt nor bother no one.” He said with a chuckle as he set down the basket on the small table set in front of the comfy armchair.

“Hmm, it’s not so much that, I guess I’m just awkward.” She shrugged and flapped her wings, loose feathers gently dancing to the floor, joining a few others as she walked to her desk. “I also got distracted with writing… and a bit of reading..” She wasn’t looking at him now, too focused on what was on her desk, shifting through the parchment paper with words scribbled across it.

She bit her lip as she felt Thatch shift around her, he was unpacking everything in the basket on the coffee table. She watched all the boxes appear, a plate, a cup, and a container of water it seemed. She felt herself chewing the inside of her cheek. It was strange to her that this stranger, a new acquaintance was so concerned with her.

It was nice though, something akin to fluttering lifted her heart and made her wings fluff as he finished his task. “What are you writing? Anything I could have a look over?” He asked and she held the papers tighter, closer to her chest.

She didn’t really share her writing with people. But there was something about Thatch that made her want to, want to get close to him. Maybe she just felt comfortable around him. She handed him the rolled-up paper. He took it gently and opened it up, eyes roaming the words, she watched his expression with rapid attention.

“By the way, breakfast is from 6 to 8, lunch from 12 to 2, and dinner is from 5 to 7 in case no one gave you the rundown,” Thatch said, sparing a moment from being entranced with her writing to watch her expression. She always wore a neutral look, boarding on a frown but he knew that was just how people could be sometimes.

An advantage of knowing everyone on a ship this enormous was he had a taste for all the types of personalities that lived there. Never judged or assumed anything from anyone. He saw her nod in understanding as he went back to reading.

“Wow this is good, I’d read an entire book of this… the story seems familiar... Almost like I know the main character and you know what? I hope I get to know her, she seems great.” Thatch smiled and he watched how her wings trembled, puffing out a little as she stood there, eyes widening at his response.

He gently handed it back to her. “Really?” She asked voice soft, unsure, feeling awkward as they stood there, his nod settled her pang of unease but carried on lighting the warmth across her cheeks as he moved, gesturing to the food he’d set out.

“I can give you ya privacy, I know some people get nervous around new folks and people have all sorts of things and habits.” He leaned on the wall as she sat down in her armchair, brushing down her purple skirt, eyeing up the food, suddenly aware of how hungry she was.

“Thank you,” Nikia said and smiled, soft and angelic. “Any time,”

–

Another smoke break, this time to calm his nerves. The interaction had been small, sure, and others (Ace and co) would tease him about how he was overthinking it but he didn’t care. As small as it was, he noticed her blush in the dim room, he saw the way her wings reacted. He was good at reading people, Nikia might have been harder than most but he still had the gift.

He blew smoke into the air once more, watching it sink into a now indigo sky. Did she perhaps also have the same, budding crush in her heart as he did? Was he overthinking it? His mind carried on spinning as he took another drag.

“Thatch,” 

He turned and saw her, a grin on her face when he inhaled wrong, puffing his chest up and coughing. Taken completely off guard as she just grinned wider as he waved the smoke away from his face, trying to catch his breath. “Yeah?” he croaked and huffed, feeling all the fool he must have looked.

“Thank you for dinner, and thank you for reading my stuff…” She said as she played with the long sleeves of her sweater, feeling the baby-soft fabric on her fingertips, she looked ahead of him, out to sea, watching the stars in the distance.

Thatch calmed himself down, his lungs not burning as much from being startled. He threw the rest of his cigarette over the side as he turned to face her. “It was nothing, it’s my job as a commander and as a chef to make sure your fed!” He proclaimed with pride in his voice.

“And the compliments? Is that something a commander is meant to do?” She asked and her wings fluttered again when she noticed the look on his face, like she’d caught him out, delighted in catching him off guard again.

“That was all me… and I meant it..” He admitted, there was no use in lying, she was sharp and maybe he wanted to be caught out by her.. “Maybe there could be a place for a romantic side plot for the main character in my book..” She hummed in thought, adjusting her glasses, still watching the stars twinkle in the sky. 

Thatch watched her, took notice of the way the evening breeze played with her wavey hair, the way her lips looked as the big grin faded into a softer smile. He gripped the rail, standing next to her and staring at the same point in the distance. “Yeah, I think I’d like to read that..”

It was his turn to grin when feathers fluttered to the ground.

[mamamittens]

Had the funny thought about how Nikia being dumped into a pre established Thatch/Izou dynamic would accidentally reintroduce bad habits from both of them they claimed to have outgrown in the early stages of their relationship.

Like, I imagine Thatch isn't afraid to throw down and was %1000 ready to do that for his bae at the slightest hint of offense. Like, it was a fucking PROBLEM how quick he was to sock someone who insulted Izou. It was partly out of a strong desire to defend someone that matters so much (in a new, emotionally vulnerable way) to him and partly because he's a bit of a possessive/protective menace to society.

Most pirates get weird about 'their' shit and people, to be honest. Thatch just happens to be people friendly most of the time.

Izou is, naturally, quite offended at the implication he can't handle himself. It took several incidents and a few arguments to chill Thatch out.

He didn't change his stance on the topic. He just learned it was less trouble to let Izou shoot their kneecaps himself instead of leaping to his defense at every opportunity.

For Izou, he used to be a massive shit and bait the fuck out of people who showed interest. Mostly in himself but also Thatch. The amount of pirates he got good by letting them spend several minutes talking about how 'beautiful of a lady' he is before ripping them to shreds in a deep, rolling voice. Really weaponized his appearance to nip any perceived threats at the bud. So in essence, he was hardly an better than Thatch.

Thatch had to intervene and get him to lay off because it started getting out of hand in how quickly Izou did it to ANYONE that approached either of them. And not even for flirting reasons. It became a knee jerk reaction. Izou reluctantly agreed and started saving it for the real creeps that needed to be taken down several pegs.

So when Nikia pops up, shy and avoiding confrontation as she is, they both backslide into old habits hard. Not for each other, because they'd already communicated how much they hated it for their own reasons. But specifically when Nikia is involved.

Izou starts to get riled up cause of all the fights Thatch gets into and tries to talk to Nikia about it. Getting her up to speed with the trouble they both got into the last time these bad habits kicked up.

Only to see, much to his horror (and intrigue) that she didn't... Terribly mind. Like, she didn't like confrontation but she'd be lying badly if she claimed it wasn't... Very flattering how they both got over her interacting with strangers.

Like... Really flattering.

She's embarrassed about it though and it takes a bit of prodding to have a proper conversation.

After a long, honest talk, they agree to some boundaries because it really did get out of control last time. Thatch is thrilled to be allowed to show off his skills (even if it's a bit caveman like at times) and Izou can indulge his sadistic tendencies with barbs and flustering Nikia to scare off people bothering them.

The boys assume Nikia doesn't have a particularly possessive, protective, or sadistic streak.

Wrongly.

It's just an on/off switch because she doesn't entertain games with her feelings. If someone insults them and think they can get away with it, the won't.

And unlike the boys, her range is very, very impressive. And she has one rule.

One shot. One kill.

It's a bit more final than theirs, which is why it takes so long for it to show. She doesn't like to lose her temper, preferring to bury it... But if she absolutely can't?

Another crew manages to insult them and get away before they can be caught, jeering into the sunset. And Nikia just quietly goes to her room and comes back not five minutes later equipped for a short flight with her rifle.

"Uh, baby?!? What's that for!? You're not thinking of teaching them a lesson, are you?"

"Of course not."

"Oh, good. They're not worth it, sweetie--"

"You don't learn anything after you're dead. This is an execution."

And then she's gone. Up in the air for barely a minute, thunder snapping through the air as she fires for each person that pissed her off.

Then, like nothing happens, she sits on deck and cleans her newly fired gun before putting it away in her room. Kissing their cheeks as she goes.

"...That was hot, right?"

"Oh, absolutely. I thought she'd be the soft one out of the three of us."

"She still is. She just has a long fuse."

"Really long fuse. Better not light it."

"Pft, no shit!"

[mamamittens]

Fluffy thoughts for my OC ship with Thatch and Izou, just reacting to their scars.

I don't have one in particular planned for Nikia (though if I wanted to, it would be funny to repurpose my own facial scar over my brow, nearly at my hairline, from my cat flipping his shit at being picked up suddenly), but her reacting to both of their facial scars. Maybe other scars they've picked up over the years.

So, for Thatch, if she was there when it happened, she'd absolutely fret over it. He's a grown man but I imagine he'd be touched at how worried she is about it. It's awful close to his eye and definitely in a place that would pull if he makes a face while it's healing.

Gentle, she'd offer to put medicine over it to help it heal. Thatch probably is of the opinion that scars are both inevitable and sexy, but he'd fold so fast at her attempt to lessen it. Especially if she explains that it would mess with his ability to express if its too bad. Thankfully it heals fine and his smile is unaltered. Every so often he pretends it's feeling a little off (or maybe it actually is sometimes) and she gladly dabs some moisturizer on it to help loosen the scar tissue.

For if she hears about it later down the line, how he got it--well, if Thatch wasn't in love before, the soft way she asks if it's okay to touch and cradles his face to examine it would have him down bad.

"Hmm, it still hurts sometimes. Maybe you should kiss it better?" Thatch mumbles cheekily but falters when she smiles and presses her lips to the curve of his scar. Whispering over it like he isn't shocked she actually did it.

"The last thing I want is for you to be hurting if I can help it."

He melts, pulling her into a close hug to hide how red his face is.

He's a big, strong man! But the soft, caring affection about kills him.

Kissing his scar is now his favorite kind of kiss that he can't kiss back through. Hands down. No contest. Instantly shuts him up, no matter what he's saying. Loses all thoughts.

Scars elsewhere probably receive similar attention, though maybe not kisses if they're somewhere... Suggestive outside of bedroom activities. Like, she's not going to casually kiss the scar he has on his hip from a gunshot wound. And probably not fondle it unless they're already both naked lol

He would suggest 'healing kisses' frequently though for 'phantom pains'. If they actually bother him, he may just handle it himself rather than embarrass her with helping pull off his clothes unless they're already in bed. Like, he won't ask for help like that in public lol, she's just smack his arm for the trouble.

For Izou, it would be very similar but she'd definitely ask if she can touch his face beforehand given his makeup situation. And with it literally going over his eye, she'd be super concerned. Izou is generally less... Enthusiastic about affection, but she's still offer to help with whatever she can. Fretting over him and treating every scar with a breathless reverence.

Izou would, however, be way more sensitive to physical contact concerning his scars though. He generally gives off "don't fucking touch me" vibes that she usually respects. But after hearing how he got his old scars or the addition of a new one, she very gently explores the area. Stroking and inspecting his skin. Checking if he's in any pain or generally offering affection for past injuries.

He's very moved by it and always returns the kisses. For days afterwards, he frequently gives her surprise kisses. He's not self conscious about his scars, but the tender care is very appreciated.

Now, as for scars for Nikia...

Well, part of it depends on how it happened.

They'd be super pissed if it happened in a fight. They respect their life is dangerous and that some injury is inevitable, but that doesn't make them any more forgiving about it. And (because I have issues) it's also a bit of a possessive thing. Like, a, "no one has the right to touch you but us, and we'd never hurt you" kind of way. They fret over the fresh injury and follow any care instructions to a 'T'.

If she starts to feel self conscious, they make sure to emphasize how their feelings remain unchanged about her and her looks. It's a little different for women to get scars, after all, even for pirates.

Accidents get very fretted over and they're super cautious about her doing dangerous shit for a long while. They trust her to mind herself but... They really didn't enjoy seeing her injured.

For old scars, Thatch is the most sensually reassuring, being a romantic sort of hands on kind of guy. Izou isn't too far behind him, but he's not as flowery about it. They both still respect her, even if the story is kind of hilarious. They do get worried if she has a lot she can't identify where they're from though.

If she wants to reduce the scars, they facilitate it to the best of their abilities. Thatch bravely volunteers to physically apply any and all lotion, medication, or other topical application.

So brave.

Utterly pure intentions.

Ignore how his hands start to wander, it's nothing. Izou will likely smack him but can be persuaded to join in. Nikia will quickly get overwhelmed and they won't complain, they think it's cute.

[mamamittens]

Made her bitty version bottled and sealed with Gloom.

Maybe her glasses are her wings when she's grown up lmao, and she ends up basically getting new frames after plot shenanigans.

Picture and hella ramble below.

Interesting note, I feel like the older Great Fairies were made differently than the current ones in BoTW and ToTK. They're less human, for starters, without any legs and the wings behind their ears. Whereas the older versions were basically just giant women with pointy ears and flowing hair (also amazing makeup, new ones are kinda basic by comparison ngl). With regular fairies either being balls of light or tiny girls.

So I had the thought that the four sisters we see could have literally sprouted from flowers, hence the no lower half and distinctly flower accents. They're also more materialistic and don't have automatic gifts for Link as other incarnations do. So they must not have the same directive the others did to explicitly help Link in the same way. They definitely help others unlike in older games.

Obvious exception being the horse Great Fairy for being a spooky muppet but I don't know how to explain that one and I don't think Nintendo ever intended to either. Bitch is just plain spooky. Human hands and some skeletal structure though so... Weird. Idk.

So I thought it'd be cute if either Great Fairies in BoTW/ToTK are born spontaneously from flowers or from a regular fairy fusing with the material world via plant life (or horse life?!?). They couldn't be hurt before but the sisters literally sealed their flowers shut until you bribed them and got rid of the monsters nearby, straight up fleeing their regular spots in ToTK after the Gloom got every damn where.

Nikia's born a little weird and is Very Not Normal Looking as a baby fairy. Her body either fluctuating inside the bloom or she's just straight up hiding inside it cause she's shy and scared (poor vision, maybe she formed at night and didn't develop her eyes properly or there was damage while she was forming).

Normally you can't see the fairy's bodies while they're small like this but she's so weak you can squint through the light to see what's actually there. Well, what you can see of her body in the upside down lily of the valley flower.

Over time she started to look more Hylian and her features distinguished themselves better.

When she's weakened she's even more reluctant to be seen. Particularly by Thatch and Izou which Link valiantly assists with cause honestly, same. He wouldn't want to be seen so weak either. It takes a few of her missing 'pieces' to recover enough to swap to her Hylian disguise with some of her fairy features prominent. And she can't walk either.

Didn't mention this before but I do think pure/clean water/soil is important to Great Fairies. Every fountain has had its own water source and any disturbance means they don't appear. So I imagine once she's free of the bottle she hides in a pure water source.

Probably the fairy fountain Thatch and Izou commissioned to repay her for saving Thatch's life (and ensure they can visit reliably). Offering to the fountain go a long way in her recovery and she eventually starts spawning fairies.

Either fairies just sort of... Pop into existence or they're sort of like shed magic from a great Fairy. Perhaps a mix of them?

I like to imagine she winds up with several fountains in different areas that in a future game have to be cleaned up to unlock boons/fairy spawn points. But that's a fun idea for later.

I got home early and finished the Great Fairy!Nikia

It's a tad complicated design, I won't even lie. I think if I did it again I would maybe do something different with the legs? Like, maybe the 'ribbon' idly swirls very close to her waist unless she's walking/poses. Sort of growing to almost meet her shoes when she walks? Sounds neat, I think. And a nice bridge between classic Great Fairies with full bodies and the seemingly new versions where they seem to be blooming out of plants.

It's odd. But very interesting.

Kept the flower bra lol, but now it just looks like a sleeveless top

[mamamittens]

I'm honor of my tendency to write/imagine Thatch/Nikia(sometimes /Izou) where he's just like, a (charming but normal) dude, here's something different!

Modern AU where Thatch is part of a company that is contract killer for hire. They're a big family with a shared passion for murder, the contracts are just to get paid. Most do feel a genuine compulsion to murder and sometimes moonlight as serial killers to handle the urge between missions. Thatch's specialty is food based murder. Allergens, poisons, you name it. If it's to do with food, he's got you covered.

Izou's more old school and tends to do traditional hitman jobs for old money families. The 'no one saw a thing, dude just dropped dead with a bullet between his eyes' type of hit. Very straightforward.

Nikia just works at a library, quietly living her life.

Anyway, Thatch is trying to satisfy an itch with Marco (medicine based kills, or if they need to infiltrate a hospital) and Ace (Arson and death by beating usually). Scoping out the nightlife and seeing how much foot traffic is present for a few pleasure kills.

Nikia walks from work late at night after doing some organizing and passes the boys as they pretend to be drunk and noisy. Resting bitch face as she listens to her music, not giving a shit.

Thatch turns to watch her go and they elbow him with a laugh.

"Oh? Found your next hot date?"

He watched her dark curls catch the streetlights.

"...I think I just did."

He can't quite decide if she'd look more beautiful with a flushed smile on her pale face or limp and lifeless in his arms.

He had plenty of time to figure it out... Izou and himself did get lonely when their jobs took them far from each other for a long time. A cute girlfriend would fill the space nicely for either of their absences.

It'd be such a waste of a pretty face for just one dinner, after all.

[mamamittens]

Had the funny thought about Thatch losing a dare and having to cross dress.

He'd normally go to Izou for obvious reasons, but he's still in hot water from a prank and would rather not get castrated, thanks.

So he pops over to Nikia hoping for some assistance.

"Uh... Sure? Wait, is this a 'funny, hah hah, big man in a lady's dress' kind of dare or a 'you plebs thought my range was limited?' kind of dare?"

He has to pause at that.

"...I prefer the latter." He admitted. If he has to wear a skirt or whatever, he'd like to look good.

"Oh, sweet. Touching the hair or nah?" He instinctively goes to shield his pompadour before wincing.

"I... Guess we can style it differently."

He didn't expect much help, to be honest. She didn't really dress up a lot to start with. But, shockingly, she had a lot of thoughts about styling clothes and makeup. Every step asking if he preferred this or that. To actually look feminine or to just rock feminine clothes.

Was very flattered she didn't believe he needed much makeup, because anytime Izou does this, he insists on a firm foundation. Part of that upbringing and style in Wano. But no, Nikia knew and preferred a more natural approach.

Well, for a simple man, at least. He sat through the whole thing and still wasn't sure she actually put makeup on him, it barely registered to his eyes. Though he looked a bit younger. Not soft, but certainly enchanting. A little eye shadow and liner for his eyes ("You have pretty lashes, so we don't need to do much to them really") and little contour for his face ("You've got a strong jaw already, this is just making it pop a bit") and softening up his wrinkles ("Seriously, stop scowling whenever you scowl so damn much. It's literally all on your forehead and it's weird").

A nice flowy skirt to his knees with a wide belt for his small waist. A pretty blouse emphasizing his shoulders without clinging to his ("Super well defined and sexy muscles, don't you think, Nikia?" "...Thatch? Are you fishing for compliments after I spent an hour doing your makeup?" "...no."). Hair gently tousled in a wave over one shoulder in a loose braid. If it wasn't for the facial hair, Thatch would think his reflection was a lovely, if a bit masculine and flat chested, woman.

"And kitten heels for those dainty, princess ankles." She handed him, ignoring his sputtering denial. "Don't forget to wash your face tonight before bed or you'll ruin your pillow. Also, maybe moisturize sometime. I know it's manly to be rugged or whatever, but dehydration isn't a stylistic choice. It's an unfortunate dietary concern."

"Is that why your so soft?" She stared at him dryly.

"Yes. Or my skin cracks. Specifically my hands. Moisturizing my face keeps me from looking demonic when I don't sleep enough. It's a favor for everyone."

Very helpful. A little too helpful, judging by the way someone grabbed his ass before they saw his face.

The look they made when he scowled at them over his shoulder, though, was priceless.

He won that bet though, and now a few brothers had new blackmail hanging over their heads from before they realized who the pretty woman was.

[mamamittens]

Failwife cringe au romance where Nikia is having A Time trying to just live on board the Moby Dick.

A real comedy of errors where she's actively struggling to integrate with a crew of mostly men who have all lived at sea for years. She doesn't have a particular job and there's not really an obvious space for her to fill. She's not even sure where the hell starboard and port are. She can't even really talk to the nurses cause they scare her with their thigh highs and miniskirts, as well as spending so long avoiding going into the medical field herself. When she does manage to go to the mess hall, she sits far away from everyone to avoid getting smacked by accident from boisterous men or having her food stolen (mainly with Ace), not wanting to intrude on anyone's time or space.

There's just so many people on board that are so loud and she's used to pretty intense isolation. She's just not prepared for this level of constant social interaction.

So naturally, after many attempts from several people (she's near tears, why have eight random dudes started talking to her only to run off when she's trying to politely listen--her polite smile is virtually non-existent to the naked eye and her intense not-eye contact is unnerving when not followed by properly engaged conversation) Thatch gives it a crack. Hand patting her back (wings) as he slides in next to her.

Only for her to quietly, accidentally breath out

"Why are you here, I'm going to vomit" (from nauseous anxiety triggered by someone suddenly touching at the sensitive base of her wings while striking up a conversation when she's already stressed out).

So like, instant KO for Thatch. He politely excuses himself and she's left more baffled and overwhelmed. Izou is offended on his behalf so this could only go well from here.

Meanwhile Ace is staring at her like "feral mountain child but girl????" Not sure if he's right cause he's not super great with women to start with. And Marco is pretty sure he knows what's going on but watching Thatch instantly get KO'd is way more entertaining than stepping in right now.

Izou probably ends up with the breakthrough as he finds her in the library corner, surrounded by molting feathers and very annoyed (he is at her, she's just trying to live). She's abandoned her book in favor of trying to groom out the loose feathers.

"Do you intend to make a mess everywhere you go?" Intending to be a bit snarky cause she didn't need to tell Thatch he disgusts her, honestly!

And she just looks at him, face red from embarassment and visibly close to crying.

"Sorry, it's the stress. You all make me very nervous, and I'm not good at talking." She finally just says outright desperately hoping he goes away so she can preen in peace so she doesn't leave a trail of feathers everywhere.

"Oh... Oh, honey." Izou is absolutely teasing Thatch to shit for accidentally adding to her torment instead of charming her like he's used to doing with anyone and everyone. Now that he knows it's not personal, he's way more chill about the whole thing.

Fully believe there's a critical lack of really introverted crew members, most are incredibly extroverted so no one knows how to deal with someone who genuinely doesn't do socializing well for non-feral-bitey reasons.

[mamamittens]

For my low-key failwife au verse, here's food for thought.

How often do you think harassment is an issue? Like, 99% of OP men are absolutely unrepentant perverts, yes, even my bby Thatch.

That's right you fuck, I haven't forgotten the invisibility comment. Sicko.

Anyway, specifically on the Moby, I can't imagine it's usually an issue but there are troublemakers. A ship and crew this big, with nurses dressed like that, someone is going to act stupid. And not in a 'the nurses brought this on themselves' way, but like...

I'm still not over the gogo boots and mini skirts. On a SHIP. AS NURSES. YOUR FEET MUST BE HORRIFICALLY MANGLED MA'AM, SOMEONE GET HER COMFY SLIPPERS STAT!

The animal print was also unnecessary. Who decided this??? I'm sure they could change if they wanted but like, I just want to talk... that this is the standard to begin with???

PERVERTS

Got side tracked.

So, eventually the accidental bitch face would fail to ward off particularly bold weirdos. Ones that notice how conflict avoidant she is and tries to make a move, likely unaware there are already interested parties they'd have to answer to.

I had fun imagining a bold attempt is made to grab her ass but winds up with a fist full of very sensitive flight feathers that happen to cover her up. And for his troubles he gets a startled yelp and her wings poofing, flaring out sharply and slamming him into a wall.

With a fist full of feathers, so now her wings are bleeding, she's crying cause he basically just ripped a chunk of hair out, and the dumbasses that were encouraging him are aware of how fucked they are.

Now, I did consider what division she'd be in and decided it would likely be Haruta simply because I headcanon him as primarily information/communication based. They've got contacts everywhere. Izou's is more for like, infiltration honestly. Maybe. Still not sure. And this is because she helps run the library so it made the most sense. (Thatch pouted for a week)

Anyway, point is, Haruta has dibs and is pretty pissed off. As well as aware that if Thatch and Izou find his punishment lacking, they'll step in, so to keep some peace he'll have to make it pretty damn good. He's also pissed cause no one fucks with Marco's division members cause they know better and views this as also a slight to himself.

Nikia's just upset cause flying is ruined for a while and her whole body aches from oversensitivity. It's so close to her spine she limps around and just wants to curl into a ball and cry for a little. Even after treatment she's super sore and there's not much to be done but wait.

This is when Thatch learns how sensitive the feathers closer to her back are and is retroactively horrified he basically succeeded where this dude failed by accident.

She flinches anytime someone gets near her wings for a while and it pisses off Izou a lot cause he really likes bonding by helping her preen but she just can't stand anyone touching them right now. Eventually she heals enough that her regular molt regrows the feathers and sheepishly asks Izou for help since she can't reach the new pin feathers to free them from the sheathes.

He manages to pull in Thatch and very carefully coaches him on how to properly, platonically, preen her big ass wings without making it weird. Which Izou is quite good at naturally.

Maybe it's on deck in Whitebeard's shadow, the old man pleased the hurt has been soothed enough for her to feel safe doing so more or less in the open. But he does glare when anyone gets too close with twitchy hands.

Marco gets a pass in his Phoenix form and abuses this to rile up Thatch and Izou.

I imagine they both can have bouts of possessiveness and jealousy but Izou stews in it more compared to Thatch who will loudly complain first before acting. They're both fairly secure in their relationships so it's not usually a problem (maybe used as fuel for spicy bedroom time lol) but in this uncertain phase with Nikia they're more sensitive than usual. They do try not to be pricks but very much carry an energy of "we called dibs first".

Doesn't help she's fairly passive in interactions so it's harder to get a read on her interest in people as well as communicating rejection. They'll gladly do it themselves but (rightly) fear pissing her off as it comes across as patronizing.

And excessive coming from two commanders. Possibly more depending on how severe and who happens to be there.

No one wants these two to start a brawl and Nikia has no idea how ready they are to deck someone if they try that shit again.

[mamamittens]

Had a fun idea to put a pin in for Nikia/Thatch with perhaps background Thatch/Izou implied future Nikia/Thatch/Izou.

Basically, Thatch is stabbed as per canon and wakes up in this mansion with a party where the door greeter tells him that, since he wasn't a total prick nor a pure, virtuous man, the party guests are filled with a mix of angels and demons. Mostly demons cause pirate. But if he can find 'his' angel, they'll take him anywhere he wants. Right up to the pearly gates. The only one that can take him back to the land of the living. The others can reincarnate him or send him to the 'better' sides of the afterlife that he technically qualifies for.

All the demons will try and coerce him for his soul. In various ways. Deals and whatnot.

Que Thatch dodging increasingly difficult to spot demons and awkward angels looking for the one that'll take him back to the Moby, trusting his gut. Though he falters a little when a demon who looks a bit like Izou tries to seduce him, he's quickly back on board!

Then he finds Nikia in the library, curled up and reading a book.

And she's either the most dangerous demon he'll ever face or exactly the angel he's been looking for.

Idk if I'll go the smut route lol, or just imply it, but if I do here's a fun line.

"You know, when I said I wanted you wet in my arms again, this isn't what I meant."

"Well, most people don't try to fuck their angel, Thatch. So count yourself lucky you only had to fish me out of the water."

"... I did a hell of a lot more than try, or did you already forget?"

"Like you forgot you have a lover?"

"Oh, I didn't forget anything. I was warming you up for him, too. I thought I made that clear?"

"I kind of thought you were joking."

"Guess we'll have to ask Izou!"

"Do NOT!"

"Nope! He's already put out I started without him!"

"started?!? It's been days since we met, that shit finished!"

"Oh ye of little faith~"

"Let go. I'm going to drown in the ocean before I die of embarrassment."

"Nope~!"

I.E. the fic where Thatch has a second chance of life because he's a fiend and utterly confident he can pull anyone. And he's not wrong either. Izou is bemused and didn't totally believe him, but he's not complaining about the new addition now that she's here.

[mamamittens]

You know, when I was workshopping Nikia, King's appearance was revealed as well as his heritage and I briefly worried I'd need to explain if she was a Lunarian or nah.

Apparently tan with white hair, black wings, and fire are key features so she's mostly safe from being mistaken for one. But it did occur to me that it'd be interesting if the people on her island were like, a cross between skypeians and Lunarians and that is why, over time, they get such big ass wings. Biology is weird, and even weirder in One Piece, so it's not so strange to consider that old genes are rising up after so long.

And while Nikia is pale with white wings, the sheer size would likely throw King off if they met. Like, he may think she's half or something, especially with that streak of silver she naturally has.

Idk, maybe in the future I'll do more with this neat detail. It'd be fun. A little zest. Maybe Nikia's family specifically has more Lunarian and that's why she's the first to be able to fly.

Side tangent, Thatch (and Izou to be honest) would not be thrilled King is curious about her. Very not happy, back the FUCK UP kinda not happy. I feel like King would make it a little weird out of a sort of endling syndrome. No, she's not full Lunarian or maybe not even close, but she's close enough for it to hurt.

Fun thoughts!

[mamamittens]

Glad I scaled down my event, already looking at Sunday-Friday next week with an extra hour Monday-Friday. And it's not even Black Friday yet. Or Cyber Monday...

Got in two asks so far, finished uploading the Spooktober fics to AO3, and am already in bed an hour early. Not that I'm going to sleep yet, never works like that when I want it to lol

So! Rambling time!

I had more thoughts about the Omega verse/yandere au with Nikia, Thatch, and Izou!

So, I was thinking about some of the cultural whiplash Nikia experiences in this new world. She has zero context for all these new instincts, nor the assumed instincts people have adopted.

Like, how much contact is appropriate with a stranger and where. Luckily for her, the scent glands are in pretty intimate places already. How often do you touch the base of someone's neck/shoulder? A total stranger at that? So she doesn't usually step on any toes--not that any of the WBP would hold it against her or think too hard about it since they know she's not from their world and is very new to the ABO stuff.

And Nikia has a few unconscious biases about assumed behavior, usually centered around wings, so she's confused a lot by accident. Like, a lot of the time, she doesn't register flirting because she's used to it being accompanied by deliberate displays of the other person's wings. Typically slight flutters, extensions to show off well groomed edges of their feathers, or a hidden display of colors. Or if they're bold, wing contact as soft brushes and puffed up feathers to briefly interlock with the other person's wings. Like grabbing someone's hand and kissing their knuckles--its so intimate and viewed as romantic in her world, but also stupid bold for strangers.

She's even naturally capable odd vocalizations and her pupils act... Very odd sometimes. (Briefly debated how bird like she should be and tbh, I'm giving her more bird eyes than human eyes... She still needs glasses but instead of very close vision like normal, it's because she's got REALLY GOOD distance vision but it's... Really really far distance. Not practical day to day indoors). She pins her eyes a lot without meaning to, so she constantly looks startled and scared, when it's actually the opposite and she's curious or invested! She can coo, chirp, and screech very loudly but hates being so noisy and has learned restraint over the years. Combined with her new Omega instincts, her growls and snarls are... Very piercing and give anyone that hears them pause.

Though only Marco knows about it at first, Nikia's body is also a lot hardier than expected. Meant to handle at least basic flight with modest covering, her skin is pretty durable and doesn't bruise or get pierced easily. Compared to them, where certain parts of their body has thinner skin but they heal up very well with minimal scarring.

Anyway! Social shit!

This divide is made pretty clear when they stop at an island for restocking and there's the obligatory 'threat but not a real threat just a test to the relationship' scene. Fueled by Izou and Thatch being... Well, handsome, famous, Pirate Commanders. They usually have a few hopefuls flirting with them, either hoping for a eventful night or an easy in with the crew. Having a very well scented, new mate does not deter some of them.

A few ladies trying their best to scent their interest and test compatibility by brushing their scent glands (the light ones on the wrists) across theirs. Izou and Thatch ain't having it, concerned that Nikia would flip since she's struggled with territory issues for a while now.

But Nikia is just lost in thought like

Ah, they're pretty confident to get so close to pirates -- I mean, they're great, obviously, but I'm pretty sure pirate still means criminal here. Oh, but they are famous, maybe Whitebeard has a good reputation so this isn't as risky as it seems. They're kinda touchy as fuck though, is everyone this bold or is this desperation? Wait, Izou and Thatch look uncomfortable, should I say something? Do I need to? They don't seem too bothered but they keep looking at me... Weird.

The ladies in question are smug as shit at first, certain that Nikia is threatened by them. But as the 'testing' goes on, they get weirded out by her intense stare and how... Detached she smells. Her scent not communicating anything but polite interest and then mild concern. The boys are equally thrown.

Turns out, being super snappy when other people do light scenting in a social context is a learned behavior. Not ingrained. Marco takes very interested note of that.

But when an alpha tries to flirt with her, doing more or less the same thing as earlier, her literal everything is just looking at him like

She's leaning away from them, nose wrinkling as the outdoor space no longer diffuses their purposefully flexed scent. Wings snapping close to her back, eyes wide as they try and press harder for a positive response.

Her body language a tad confusing in this context. Pupils flashing rapidly. Her scent potent in confused inquiry.

She seems to be very loudly, without words, asking "What the fuck do you want?" But her body is screaming "You have the sex appeal of a manure farm in summer rain". Very startling.

Luckily, Izou and Thatch are quick to (literally) soothe her feathers and shoo away the stranger. It takes a bit for her to relax again.

Oh! Speaking of wings! It takes a while for her to start instinctively attempting to 'bond' with people. But they have no idea that's what she's doing and she's too thrown by the lack of reciprocation or denial to explain properly.

Mainly, when she starts to feel for them, she instinctively tries to lace her feathers with Izou and Thatch's non existent wings. Only to meet only air. When they're debating someone else, she hovers an open wing behind their back, just shy of touching and is disappointed when she doesn't feel the light push back and settling of wings. When she's startled or anxious, feathers quivering and shuddering out of place, no one idly preens her.

She wasn't the most social, but she's close enough to several people that, had this been her home dimension, they would have done any number of these gestures. But she knows they can't, so she just tried to curb her expectations and disappointment. Much to the bafflement of everyone in scent range cause she's smelling increasingly like a kicked puppy and no one knows why.

Until one day she happens to be taking to Ace when he passes out mid conversation. And she knows the game by now, so she just settled down and waits patiently. Her wing draped over his back as she idly braids his hair. Finally, her original instincts are being soothed, though still not reciprocated. Izou and Thatch both being invested in their personal appearance enough she hadn't gotten the courage to ask.

Ace ends up sleeping for a while and hard at that, feeling oddly settled when he wakes to several braids in his hair and soft feathers over his shoulders. He definitely blushes when she smiles and asks if he rested well.

He did.

Very much so.

Thatch seethes in the background with jealousy and Izou is no better when he hears. Still, they barely manage to control themselves and ask wtf that was about and why she smells so content.

She's embarrassed but is eventually able to explain how big mutual grooming is back home. Even strangers would settle ruffled feathers if someone was having a breakdown.

Thatch immediately offers to preen her feathers and she goes bright red. (Doing it is one thing, but asking is equally romantic and intimate, because usually it implies something more than just sorting out feathers). She caves and they cuddle in her bed (Thatch is so fucking smug to be covered in her scent and leave his own in her space). Thatch encouraging her to lay on his chest while he handles the rest. It's not ideal, which is why she protests, but he reaches a good bit of it all.

Taking the time to play with her hair as she falls asleep absolutely boneless. Later, he stared in the mirror. Izou confused until he breaks down.

"....I want her to play with my hair too~! But--but my style--it cant--i want...." Sad baby hours while Izou rolls his eyes.

"Then do it before bed, dumbass."

Suddenly all is well.

Had the fun idea Nikia was pulled mostly by her hand or maybe soul mates are indicated by glowing bite marks depicting their future mates' teeth and shes yanked by that. And she fights it. Really hard. Izou and Thatch having to physically assist in pulling her through where she fights it the entire way. Luckily for them, she's super out of it once she's pulled through and starting to get hit with Super Puberty. Also really good ears, not that she's in a state to notice anything being said at the time.

Thatch ends up with her hair ribbon and is super normal about it while she recovers. Izou stealing it every other day impatiently.

[mamamittens]

Fail wife au where Nikia has one shining moment and it instantly KOs everyone in the vicinity.

Thatch is trying to bond and Izou is supervising with some folks milling about for the show. He's asking her like, what she'd like to see in the wide world while she's with them. Like, what's her dream? And she's still a little flustered at the attention and all that but answers honestly.

"I've never really put much thought into travelling before, but I've always liked seeing new things. Interesting places. Meeting new people (even if they run away frequently, wack). Just... Seeing things worth seeing, you know?"

And this ain't that weird of an answer given the many, more ambitious answers out there. They would have been more surprised if she'd claimed to want to find the One Piece for example.

"Well I'm sure you'll see plenty of interesting things with us!" Thatch, pleased this encounter is going so well given their track record, responds. And it's not a crazy response either cause their crew sees all kinds of wacky shit.

Then, Nikia just smiles (visibly, noticably, sincerely) and looks right at him.

"Aha, that's true! I've already seen you, after all!"

Thatch has to look to make sure she's talking to him before nearly collapsing.

Smooth operator instrumental riff plays in the background.

Izou is dying, hysterically wondering if he imagined eye contact as well.

[mamamittens]

Gonna pass out as soon as I get home to hopefully be productive this weekend but just know that I am vastly entertained by the mental image of modern AU Nikia minding her business in a library or grocery store jamming out and realizes that this dude is really close, scoots to the side, and is entirely unaware that Thatch had been trying to smooze her up for five minutes while Izou and Marco are dying behind him.

She doesn't even realize he'd been talking. She only noticed him cause she smelled his cologne.

She goes back to reading until a quiet part of her playlist where she hears him and jerks to reality, incredibly unnerved and embarassed.

Thatch then realizes when she pulls off her headphones that she didn't hear a damn thing he'd been saying.

Neither knows how to recover from this.

One day I'll make a similar scenario for Izou, because he also deserves his awkard fail moment just as much as Thatch does.

[mamamittens]

Thoughts about that possible Christmas Hallmark ass movie with Nikia and the boys

So, I gotta set the scene, right? It's gotta be kinda fucking miserable--as is fitting for this capitalistic hellscape that slowly drains out all your childlike joy at the passage of time.

So, Nikia has a job with brutal hours and barely decent pay. I'm thinking probably a warehouse job rather than like, waitress or cashier so it's isolating and everyone knows those pay like dog shit. A warehouse where "union" is a swear word that can magically make write ups materialize and is barely OSHA compliant.

She is legitimately too exhausted to go out, indulge in hobbies more than an hour or two before bed, and lives off ramen and sandwiches with the rare, proper meal as a treat. Her apartment a bit shit but close to her job enough that she doesn't need a car. Barely anything left over money wise at the end of the month that she ends up saving because she genuinely doesn't have the bandwidth to spend it otherwise. So she DOES have a tiny nest egg that grows with every sluggish month.

The boys, mainly Thatch, pulled a prank and Whitebeard decided that he needed them (mainly Thatch) out of his hair for a while. At least until Cupid is ready to accept an apology without threatening to make Thatch fall in love with a donkey or something for an afternoon. Or just shoot his ass. Oh! Would be funny if Izou was originally a cupid but swapped over to the 'Christmas section' to help those intense moments of seasonal love. Thatch just really loves cooking and thinks the turkey is pretentious as shit.

Anyway, they're basically told to spin a randomizer of "Good but don't believe anymore" adults to go and restore the Spirit of Christmas in. And, shockingly (not), Nikia's name pops up.

They scope things out a bit, commenting on how depressing as shit it all is in its mundane, grindy glory.

"She's cute... Shouldn't she have a roommate or partner or... I don't know, even a cat?" Thatch muses, taking a moment to inspect her food pantry. Outside of ramen and quick snacks, it's pretty bare. "Yikes. Guess not. What do you got, Izou?"

Izou is looking through the rooms, sizing up the situation with a keen eye.

"Honestly? I think the first order of business is figuring out her finances. Judging by the state of things, she's gone a lot for work but doesn't have a lot of shit to show for it. Is she in debt? Or does it just not pay well? Can't enjoy the holidays if she's dead on her feet from exhaustion." He huffs, looking over a bookshelf of unopened anime DVDs. "And I don't see any pictures. Guess she doesn't have much family or friends. We picked a doozy, Thatch. Literally anything is an improvement from what I can tell."

"... Not good enough. We gotta blow this outta the water, Izou!" Thatch declares before faltering. "...where do we start though?"

They end up working as temps in the warehouse to get close to her, but find it harder than expected. She's not mean or anything, just clearly too tired for much outside of work related matters. The few times they manage to engage her in conversation they're turning up the charm only to be met with dry humor and sass.

Slowly, they figure out what she's actually like to do, the clock ticking away.

"Look, it pays the bills and I can't really ask for a lot more than that." She finally huffs, carting around a box of supplies before Thatch plucks it from her arms with a grunt.

"Kinda need a little more than that to live, honey. C'mon, what would you like to be doing?"

"Sleeping."

"No! I'm serious! What's... Your ideal job?" Thatch asked desperately.

Nikia pauses in thought. Tired eyes glancing upward.

(I absolutely got lost looking at jobs lmfao, apparently collision repair is a high paying AND high demand job, go figure)

"I don't know... I like fixing things?"

It's better than nothing!

Anyway, they pull a few strings and 'suddenly', she's got a flyer in her mailbox about a training program for repairs. It's a branching sort of thing where the company responsible brings in a bunch of people and sees where they fit, subsidizing them in return for the 'trainee' working on contract for a set time depending on the training required. Gotta invest, after all!

She's not sure, like, really not sure at first but they encourage her and help do research to reassure her it's legit and not some creepy scam.

Franky, the lead of the program, is a very strange man but enthusiastic and totally understands what it takes to retain workers and a good work environment. She has a blast, even if she thinks a lot of her fellow trainees and trainers are weirdos. It's meant fondly.

She gets paid a lot better with subsidized housing as part of the program (part of it is meant to help people get on their feet from unfortunate circumstances). So she moves, but it's great! Suddenly, she's sleeping well! With so much free time and forced socializing with very extroverted folks who are kind and invite her to things!

She kinda breaks down after the first month, after catching herself not only planning a little dinner with her new friends but eyeing a new, self indulgent thing with no fear of penny pinching.

The boys are very moved and supportive, their original goal kinda getting lost as they're getting attatched.

Of course, the holidays roll around and she insists on inviting them to anything she's going to for support and as thanks.

She's not quite a believer but mostly just because she's still recovering from brutal hours and low pay.

As the snowfall becomes more frequent, she thinks to Christmas time and that she's got people to celebrate with thanks to the boys. So, she plans an extra special gift for them!

Not sure if I want a third act breakdown (they usually piss me off tbh).

But! They do think they lost their chance for the year because she doesn't really believe in Santa or Christmas like they were meant to get her too, only to discover Marco dropping by a Christmas party with Nikia to take them home.

Apparently, just giving her something to believe in was enough all along.

They leave with a note explaining as best they can and are depressed despite finally coming home. Nikia, is, naturally, incredibly devastated that her closest friends left so quickly.

Maybe her new group of friends crack down to try and find those scoundrels that broke her heart by running off and somehow manage to find out who they actually were.

She's shocked, naturally, but refuses to chase after them. Certain they'd have said so if it was under duress and would return if that was the case anyway. But that's not good enough for her new friends!

No!

How dare they abandon her before Christmas!

So they actually manage to storm the North Pole on her behalf and Whitebeard is so fucking amused about it. It's been ages since he's been this entertained.

While this is happening though, a massive ice storm has hit the city and frozen everyone into their houses. Someone in her apartment got a little too creative and the power cut off, leaving her fucking freezing.

The boys check on her with the nice list thing and realize she's having a rough go of it at the moment, teaming up with the others to rescue her (and her apartment building, rip the idiot who fucked with the electrical wiring).

It ends with a big hooray, and then asking if she'd like to meet their family. As their third. Cue wolf whistles.

Maybe she ends up employed at the North Pole for half of the year helping with repairs. That'd be fun.

The other half is vacationing and traveling with the boys as they do their own jobs or something.

Very cute and silly and now I am very tired and will sleep lol

[mamamittens]

Silly headcanon for Thatch/Nikia/Izou

They're all shits in very specific areas. Really getting their kicks out of certain things that may come off as a little mean but are also low-key love languages.

For Thatch, that's mostly pranks. Silly pranks, he is responsible and usually pretty mindful. Stuff like moving your cup just a little to the left or pretending he doesn't get why his arm rest keeps moving. Things where he gets close for innocuous reasons.

Izou enjoys a bit of dress up. Give him literally any excuse, he's been dying to try this new hairstyle. He likes the trust and intimacy of it, in a non-sexual way. Only does ugly looks if he's pissed and it's a free moment and punishment. He does know what he's doing. Likes bullying people into it for bonding.

Nikia accidentally on purpose sneaks up on people a lot. But if she's close to them, she'll go a little further. Putting her cold hand on them (the chill bleeds through so fast) and probably poking a ticklish spot of she's on really good terms. Perhaps moving something while they're not looking and waiting for them to notice.

They all get each other like this. Each one finding it funny to fluster or surprise the others when possible as they go about their business. Nikia's reactions tend to be particularly spectacular because of her wings (full startled poof if Thatch slips his hand onto her back without being noticed first) but everyone enjoys Thatch being spooked for once. Izou gets his revenge with a bit of dress uo and she tries to be a good sport even though she's very red cause he knows it's so much worse with compliments.