#the legs… euhh..

[bugisbonkerz]

YO LOOK WHO I FOUND IN MY PASTA!!!! anyway. it’s all of them! wow!!!!! 3 of them. i’m still workshopping my designs for them so in the meantime tell me what you think :)

@joepelling

CLOSEUPS!!

[feather-rose]

Obito’s pep Talks. Part 5.(Feat Kakashi’s tricky work.)

....

Kakashi(Comes into the hospital room here.): Hey Obito, how is it going here?

Obito(Grunts with disgust.): Euhh..How do you meant? Other than looking up like a dummy mummy, here?( Moves his head as he hasn’t noticed the state his own mind had put him through, just to look at his own body. He dropped off a tired sigh.) Naah, I’ve had worse..(He waved off with his head, when his body was stuck into a mummy looking state.)

Kakashi(Drops his suitcase onto the bed as he sat down onto it.): Well, other than getting kick off by Terminator, here. I’ve meant--

Obito(Explodes up with frustration as he tried to move even if his body couldn’t.): How the heck I would’ve had known if it was an terminator and amateur dude? Uhh?

Kakashi: Could’ve had checked up the size?

Obito(Scoffs.): All I wanted to do was to help that pussy thing back there! Heck, I had no idea the roses belonged to him!

Kakashi(Rose up an eyebrow, intrigued.): Pussy thing? Meaning--

Obito(Concludes it, with a grunt.): Itachi’s little bro, Sasuke.

Kakashi(Started up a bit.): Ohh, that guy. Sasuke, from the Uchiha family? Same as you?

Obito(Groans with disgust.): Yes! We all come from that same fucking seed! Kakashi--

Kakashi(Tired over that day he had over an dead’s child case when the parents had been the suspects of her death and had to go against them.): Yea, yeah. No need for cursing, here. Sasuke is known to be a quite but very popular kid despite the lonely boy thing here..(He didn’t wanted to fight, here but to agreed up over Obito’s problem, here..)

Obito(Rolls up his eyes, here.): Yeah. Right. But the guy has no guts when it comes to real realationships. That guy is already doomed by that strong and headfull girl. I think Sakura.

Kakashi(Interested a bit as he cracked up a smile.): So the guy who is all cool, and that. But can’t do a simple talk when it comes to a girl?

Obito(Snorts out): Heck right.

Kakashi: No need to worry about it. Cause I’ve might had done something that might help the guy, here..

Obito: As if, like what? Pulling up a leg? Keeh, Don’t think it would work..

Kakashi(Shrugs his shoulders as he taken off his dark vest): Never say never, bro.( He takes out his Iphone from his pocket and smiled under his mask.) After all, I’ve done some magic of my own, here, and Sasuke might come up to his senses..

Obito(Tried to look over him, with interest.): LIke what?

Kakashi: I’ve corrupted Sasuke’s phone ringtone by a few Enrique Iglesias’s few songs onto his phone.

Obito(His eyes went wide with shock, despite his smile cracking up.): No fucking way--

Kakashi(Smiles here, after an very tiring day, at the court.).): Oh, for sure, I’ve done it!! And felt no guilty, here!

All Obito could do here was cracking up onto an explosive laughter here along with Kakashi, here.

[zoros-sake-bottles]

Jealous Zoro x Fem! Reader

Fem! Reader

Black! Reader

Mentions Of Marriage & Virginity!!!                

"(Y/N)-channn today's a bit warm so I made the green tea with peach boba bubbles that you love so dearly!" Sanji exclaimed. "Wow thanks Sanji, that's extremely thoughtful of you, I'll savor your efforts" you smiled at the talented cook. Sanji always went out of his way for you and the rest of the girls. At first you'd thought he was just a guy who loved to get in any females pants by being nice but he actually enjoys serving you all. He wants nothing in return, even a smile is good enough for him. Your time on the ship showed you that he's actually very caring for everyone on the ship even if he doesn't show it to some. Still you didn't enjoy having a servant. You thought of Sanji like an equal or close childhood friend. 

Despite the way he acts he understands it and that's what makes your relationship cool. "(Y/n)-chan said she'll savor my efforts," he smiled proudly, making you laugh. Zoro watched Sanji interact with you from the other side of the ship. That heart eyed simpleton just couldn't stay away from you. He wouldn't dare say anything because it would make him seem like something he didn't believe he was and that was jealous. There was no way in his lifetime he would be jealous of anyone, especially not that preppy sparkled prince. Being jealous was a weakness and one thing Zoro wasn't was weak. The way Sanji would spill every emotion he had without holding back, Zoro wondered if you preferred that. 

He was never the best at expressing himself and if that wasn't enough he had never dated a woman before despite attracting so many. Women had never got his attention; his love life was his swords, his goal of becoming the world's greatest swordsman, sake and food. That is until recently when (y/n) caught his eye. The way you held yourself up was attractive not to mention your natural beauty and battle skills. You were thoughtful and straightforward. Most importantly you didn't crack under pressure even if your life or one of your crewmates lives were on the line. Your face stayed straight and calm. When you were in the zone or had a goal to achieve nothing could distract you from it.

 Zoro squinted in horror. "I'm starting to act like that pervy cook" he mumbled to himself in disgust. "She's already mine what am I making a fuss for?" he thought to himself. He watched as Sanji handed the drink to you. It looked familiar like one he had made before. At closer look he could see a design formed by what seemed to be boba. It was a heart. Knowing you, you probably wouldn't notice the red popping balls were two different but similar shades. That's why the heart could blend in so well. 

That love cook was always putting secret messages in the girls' food. You probably wouldn't mind but he did. Drinking that was like accepting his love or something. Zoro could already hear you thanking him and praising him. He had had enough already. "Tch what a pain" he stood up and began walking towards you two. "Ah Zoro" You beamed. Sanji instantly stopped swooning and became annoyed. "Oi! Marimo, go away, you're ruining my talk with (y/n)-channn" he shouted at Zoro. "Ehhh!??Like I care go bother someone else's love interest you pervy idiot prince!" Zoro shouted back. 

"Euhh!? Who're you calling a pervy idiot prince you piece of trash swordsman!? Wanna die!?"Sanji shouted getting in Zoro's face. "I’d like to see you attempt to kill me with that pencil stick leg you dirty dishwater curly eyebrowed freak!" Zoro stepped up. Their foreheads were practically pressed together as they continued to shout insults at each other. They both began to fight. You just sat back and watched the show. It was entertaining whenever Zoro and Sanji got into arguments or even fought. Their rivalry was admirable as it was hilarious. 

They would never admit it but they were practically best friends. You had never seen a friendship like Zoro and Sanji’s or one better than it besides Zoro and Luffy’s. You watched as they both split apart declaring the fight finished. Their chests heaved up and down quickly and for a second they let them before shooting a glare at each other and trying to hide the fact that they were out of breath. Zoro turned away from Sanji before sitting down next to you. He began to catch his breath before politely taking sips of your drink. You felt your face flush but held the straw for him knowing that he must've been thirsty after that ruff housing he had just done. 

Of course Sanji didn't take this too well. 

"Oi! You stupid Marimo that drink was for (y/n)-chan and (y/n)-chan only! How dare you taint the straw with your unclean lips!" he whined unconditionally. You held back your laugh before apologizing to Sanji. Naturally after just fighting Sanji, Zoro just ignored him which only angered him more. "Sanji-kunnn" Nami called out to him. Immediately Sanji stopped his rampage and turned all his attention to Nami and her whereabouts. "Your prince is coming Namiswannn" he ran off to who knows where. You turned your attention back to Zoro only to see about 20 boba balls missing from the very center of your tea. "Why?" you raised an eyebrow before taking the first sip of your tea.

 Zoro sighed before shifting his body and laying on your lap. You had noticed that this was something he did when he wanted your full attention. So you put down your tea and gave it to him. You ran your right thumb over his face. As relaxed as he was, he couldn't shake off the memory from before. The way you praised that mop water chef made him feel things to say the least. "(y/n)" he called out to you. You responded looking down once more. "Were you so thankful for that drink that, that stupid chef made you that you had to praise him like that?"' he asked a bit irritated. 

You tilted your head not understanding what he meant. "Like what?" you asked clearly clueless. "You were praising him...it was just tea," he grumbled. You could sense what was going on here but you wouldn't dare say it out loud or he would never let a slip up like this happen ever again. "But he did a good job" you lightly argued. "He's a cook his work couldn't be bad or else Luffy wouldn't have recruited him" Zoro made it out to not be a big deal. "I just enjoyed his skill and kindness," You shrugged. Zoro began to get frustrated because he wasn't saying what he needed and wanted to. 

He wished that you wouldn't give that curly eyebrowed perv so much praise for doing something simple for a chef. You didn't praise him like that. Zoro could tell that he was the only bothered one right now and it was driving him insane. "But-" he began. "What're you asking of me Zoro?". He went silent. "Do you want to be praised?" you asked, making his face turn crimson. He quickly shot up looking around to see if anyone had heard what you said. "Idiot-don't say such embarrassing stuff". "So you wanna be praised?" you exclaimed only to have your mouth covered by Zoro's huge hands. "...". You removed them. 

"Ok i'll praise you more often, sorry Zoro" You smiled before patting his head. Zoro couldn't move away because he slightly wanted this but it was also so embarrassing. In return his pride won. "Tch I don't need to be praised like that lousy chef I'm not a child" he slightly shrugged you off. You knew Zoro was prideful but you didn't know he could be like this. Nonetheless you played along and stopped rubbing his head. "Sorry" you removed your hand quickly. "(y/n)! (y/n)! (y/n)!" Chopper chanted as Usopp followed up. "Yes Chopper" you replied calmly. 

"Do you notice anything different about me!?" he asked with a wide smile. Of course you noticed but you pretended to guess. "Hmmm" you examined his arms and legs. "Do a spin" the reindeer spun happily. "Oh! I see!" you exclaimed. "You do!?" said Usopp and Chopper at the same time. "You got your fur trimmed didn't you?" you asked knowing you were right. "Yup!" he stuck his tongue out at Usopp. "H-how did you even notice that!?" Usopp questioned. 

"The way his fur blows in the wind he looks lighter, you look adorable Chopper" you smiled. "Really thank- Wait! Adorable!?-Stupid (y/n) that doesn’t make me happy!" he did his happy insult dance. Before you knew it you were patting his head. Chopper leaned into it while randomly putting out insults. Zoro adjusted as he watched Chopper get what he had wanted. "Oi that looks fun, I want head pats too!" Luffy shouted while coming towards you. Suddenly he gomu gomuned his head over towards you and you gave his head a pat while he smiled and laughed. Zoro glared and Luffy and he could have sworn the young captain smiled back directly at him. Then he wondered if Luffy had heard everything or anything from before. 

You laughed at the funny people from your crew that you considered little and big brothers. "Oi guys, snack time!" Sanji shouted over the ledge. Then everyone came running. Zoro wondered if you would go as far as to pat that trashy cook's head. No he couldn't let you give him that satisfaction. Not in front of him, not behind him or beside him. But how would he tell you that without seeming something he was not jealous. "Oi are you just going to go around touching every guy's head?" he grumbled as they both stood up. "Is that a concern of yours Zoro?" You looked back at him as you both walked towards the kitchen. 

"It just seems unnecessarily motivated" he said with a hint of attitude. "Well its not so-" you began. "Then don't do it, I'm sure they'll find it bothersome at some point" he crossed his arms. "Well if they do at least they can tell me" You threw a jab at him as he had done to you. "What was that supposed to mean?" he stopped walking and so did you. "Zoro you're upset over nothing right now, if you feel angry just tell me why" You spoke in a still manner. "Maybe it's your fault that you can't decipher my mood or read the room" he kept his voice leveled. "I apologize for choosing such a hard code to crack. 

Maybe you should've chosen a certified archaeologist. Robin would be more than happy to assist, I'm sure" you smirked, hiding your emotions. "Anyone but you would be fine apparently you're not fit for the job" he shrugged. Your eyes widened. Zoro knew what he said was wrong but he couldn't bring himself to admit it right now. "Fine I quit" You walked to your room instead of the kitchen. You missed the late snack as you did dinner. To be honest you didn't wanna be anywhere near Zoro. 

That's where the worst parts of being on a ship came in, you couldn't run away. It was getting late so you turned off your big light and turned on the small one. As you stared into the wall your senses heighten and you could hear two voices coming from what seems to be outside of your door. "Just go talk to her you look like a creep standing in the hallway!". "Shut up! What if she hears you idiot!?". "your gonna have to knock on her door anyway". "Shut it! You money hungry tangerine eating woman". "Money hungry!?". 

You sighed recognizing the two voices as Zoro and Nami. The two began to silently argue until she just stormed away. That left Zoro at your door. Zoro hardly slept in his room for the entire week. That's three days in his room and four days in yours. That meant you slept in his room for three days out of every week. It was silent until you heard the faintest knock on your door that was him hoping you had forgiven him even though he hadn't apologized for how he acted. You pretended not to hear it and tried to go to sleep. 

He knocked the same way once more but you didn't respond. It got silent before he walked away. You snuggled deep into your covers thinking he had gone back to his room. You knew he cared at least from the fact that he still showed up at your bedroom door wanting to cuddle with you. Yet you didn't think he understood that the two of you had practically just separated or maybe he did but didn't want to accept that. Well nor did you but you wanted an apology. Zoro never liked to carry bad blood into the next day because it ruined his flow. You closed your eyes trying to fall asleep but you couldn't do it so easily. 

Normally Zoro was there to mess with and you'd trace his features and blow on his eyelashes. Eventually he'd hold your wrist and give you an annoyed look. It was like a parent telling their child to stop. You missed the feeling of his rock hard abs against your body. The heat that radiated off of them was generous to your ice cold body. You could hear his slow heartbeat. The X on his chest from his battle with Mihawk. It was your favorite scar on Zoro. He found it funny that you kept track of his scars and had favorites. 

You shook your head not wanting to think about Zoro at the moment. Suddenly there came a clear knock. You froze, not expecting the sound. Then it came again. "Oi I know you're not asleep" stated Zoro. The truth is after the first time he knocked he returned to his room only to stare at the ceiling. Eventually he came back down, not being able to sleep. "Oi....(y/n)" he called out to you softly this time.

How could you ignore him? "Yea" you replied, your voice below a whisper but he heard it. He could always hear your voice no matter how soft it came out he received every message. The door knob turned slowly and then the door opened. Zoro's figure shadowed like a painting on the wall. He closed the door behind him, setting his swords in your closet. He always did that since there was always a possibility you both could be attacked in the middle of the night. He was in a t-shirt that was bound to come off sooner or later and a pair of shorts. Zoro walked towards you, he turned off your light before sitting on the edge of your bed. 

He took a deep sigh and ran his hand through his green hair. You assumed he turned off the light because he felt that it was easier to talk when you couldn't see each other's faces. "(y/n) . . .it's hard for me to share what I'm feeling- . . .so in the cross line of telling you I grew frustrated because I couldn’t come up with the words to say" he confessed. "I didn't mean for the conversation to go that way! I just felt-...jeal-...." he mumbled the rest. "I saw you praising that cook then you were touching Luffy- I know you don’t feel that way towards them but- it's just something inside me that wants to tell them to back off" he turned to you. 

It was so dark you couldn't see his expressions. "I'm sorry for snapping at you and shoving you off" he finally apologized. It was a minute before your response. "Zoro I except your apology and I knew what you were gonna be like before I started dating you, I'm sorry I said those things as well". "I’ll make sure to not suddenly-" you began but were interrupted. "You can touch me however you want I just need to adjust to it more". This guy really had no shame huh? That was Zoro alright! 

The two of you had never done anything further than kiss and you had already let him know how you felt about intercourse before the two of you began dating but he insisted that sex didn’t matter to him or at least not at that moment. Though being the man he was Zoro would never force or pressure you into anything. After hearing those words you had no choice but to turn away, lifting the covers over you because your face was flushing. "Oi?-(y/n)?Did I say something wrong?". "N-nah just give me-" you tried to act nonchalant but before you could get yourself together you felt the weight shift on your bed. In an instant the covers were yanked away and Zoro was on top of you. 

Your heartbeat began to speed up as you held your breath feeling the heat from his body directly on top of you. "Z-zoro" you managed to get out. "Are you blushing?" he began to laugh while still on top of you. You turned your head to the side feeling embarrassment creep up on you. The lights were off but you felt like he could see you perfectly fine. Finally he stopped laughing and you could feel him becoming closer to you. Until his hot minty breath was practically on your neck. You tensed up but didn't say a word. 

"I meant every word (y/n) " he whispered to you. "In due time, for now I just wanna ‘securely’ be in bed with you". You could feel him smirk as he took off his shirt. You breathed a sigh of relief as you used the spare time to fan face, the temperature had definitely risen. Soon Zoro's body moved from on top of yours to underneath the covers and beside you. His muscular arms pulled you back into him and against him. He was warm and made your body relax in an instant. 

Slowly you both began drifting off to sleep. Compared to sleeping in your bed alone you most definitely preferred being in Zoro’s arms. 

[notnctu]

[11:53 PM] your boyfriend, yangyang, sat at his desk as he mindlessly watched videos on his laptop. the bright screen lit his face with a white layer and the audio was quite muffled. you laid on your shared bed, absolutely rotting away from the lack of attention he gave you all day. 

it wasn’t intentional, you both had lectures to watch and naturally enjoyed the silence. but it was drawing near your nightly cuddles with your boyfriend. this is the time where you both rejoined together with each other’s undivided attention. which is a pure miracle knowing yangyang’s attention span. 

but tonight, he didn’t seem like he was budging from his seat. the endless groans and heavy sighs didn’t grab his attention, he had to be purposefully waiting for you to cox him over. “baby, come to bed.” you whined, laying on your stomach and crossing your ankles in the air.

“uh, i’m not a baby. i’m twenty now.” he replied with small attitude in his tone, which caused your eyes to roll. he was being such a brat, as per usual.

the chair was conveniently within arms reach, and you spun the boy to face you. he let out a small hey! to protest, but his eyes fell on your cute pout and sad eyes. a wide toothy smile grew and a light pink hue appeared on his cheeks.

“you’re my baby!” you grumbled with a tinge of baby talk that lit up yangyang’s eyes more than the screen did. as much you both profusely denied using baby talk in your relationship, it had become an unintentional occurrence.

yangyang secretly liked it, because he loved to be babied by you. there was a mutual love of cringe, yet adorableness to the higher octave. “euhh, so cringey.”

“baby, baby, baby!” you screamed, kicking your legs against the bouncy bed and yangyang let out a quick oh my gosh! in the midst of your hissy fit. Obviously flustered by your tantrum, he shut his device and his toothy grin leveled in front of your face.

he cupped your plush cheeks in his tiny hands, causing your lips to pucker up. he could combust right there at how much he absolutely adored you. your glistening doe eyes. your squishy face. your soft pink lips. “yes! im here!” the giggly, over the moon boy chimed.

your eyebrows ceased upward, and yangyang saw the dazzling twinkle in your pupils. he expressed confusion at your enlightenment, while still holding your face up to his. while it was difficult to convey the excitement, you spoke with squished cheeks and a compressed smile, “so you admit it! you’re my baby!”

you both became a giggling mess, and the boy released you from his hands. his lips lingered shyly, yet sweetly against the tip of your nose. “of course, i’m your baby. i wouldn’t want to be anyone else’s.” 

[gaywyldhunt]

HEY remember these?? Guess what? FINISHED THE PREDATOR TWO DAYS AGO BABY!!!! He finally did it. The suffering is over. Broke, but did it. I also realized the first two doodles at the top I did exactly last January. Took me a year on and off. Next: nightfury I think! Then euhh….maybe ipos? That new longbow is kinda calling my name however..

Anyway I made my first leg! Levi is free and has big gun.

[laveusa-a-blog]

LA LIAISON. P. 1/?

[ mercredi, 20h40. 19 séptembre 2067. zürich, switzerland, maison de gérard et amélie lacroix. ]

it is her marriage bed. sheets thrown aside, everything a mess, and she’s still trembling from the pleasure. her legs are wobbly, her lips swollen from his kisses, everything sore. the strength to move, to leave his side, is beyond her.

this is far from the first time they have done this. she has lost count by now.

the duvet cover falls from her bare chest and she runs a hand over her eyes in shame, her back turned to him, she cannot allow him to see her cry ---

“ amé -- “ “ i.....” “ talk to me. come on. ”

she shakes her head, rising from the edge of the bed, her limbs shaking and lower lip trembling with the onset of tears, an all too familiar occurrence of this -- she doesn’t know what it is anymore -- this...... affair.

a tiny sob escapes her and a hand immediately flies to her mouth to stifle it.

“ amé.” “ i am okay.” “ you’re not.”

leave me alone, she wants to say. i don’t want to do this, i can’t do this anymore. but i need you and i love you. i don’t know what to do, jack, please help me. i love you.

he takes her into his arms, and that is all it takes for amélie to lose herself in him once again, burying her face in his chest, his hands softly roaming down the small of her back, pulling her close, holding her there. she sighs, slender arms curling around his neck, scolding herself for every moment she feels the tears running down her cheeks.

t’es si égoïste, amélie. il ne t’aime pas. tu sais ça.

self doubt and insecurity cripple her. the sex only ever makes her feel emptier. all of her love for him, all of her emotion, she pours her heart into every kiss, every whisper.

“ je suis désolée...... je vais bien, je promets.....”

t’es une menteuse.

“ amé, please, talk to me. tell me what’s going on.”

“ je..... je ne sais pas.”

he sighs, placing his hands on her bare waist, looking her directly in the eye and holding her gaze.

“ amélie.” her full name is used and spoken sternly.

how can i tell you i’ve cried so many times after this? how do i tell you i love you and that i am so scared to lose you? that i am so scared you do not feel the same? that if my husband knows that i am having an affair, that i am so scared......

“ i ..... i do not know if i can do this any longer,” she blurts, “ i.... i love you, i love you, but i have fear. and i become scared.”

they have been over this before -- many times, too many times. too many times of him wiping her tears and calming her anxieties, telling her the same thing over and over again: if you’re miserable, he justifies, we stop. but amélie protests, and she relapses every time. she relapses because she has fallen in love. to be with him is painful, but to be without him is worse.

she knows he’s irritated when he sighs audibly, one hand rising to comb through his hair. amélie’s arms remain wrung around his neck, her lips pulled downwards in a frown, eyes red and puffy, the very definition of what she’d call pathetic.

“ we’ve talked about this. if you want to stop, we stop.” “ i know. “ “ i know you know. “ “ but i --- “

but i love you. none of it matters anymore, does it?

she wishes sometimes that it could all be different. that maybe she didn’t marry gérard, that maybe none of this ever happened, that she had remained in france where she belongs. she doesn’t deserve him -- not jack, not gérard, nor anyone else.

she remembers the night they first met, how shy she had been, how she never expected it to blossom into anything beyond a friendship. maybe just a crush.

[ lundi, 22h30. 24 décembre 2065. zürich, switzerland. siège de overwatch, soirée de noël. ]

“ ahh! i am so sorry !! i should know your name..... i see you everywhere in france! in the ... euh, the newspapers, the television, i see you very much, we know you, in my country. gérard talks much about you, too..... it is very good to meet you.... jacques? non. jack, better. i say that american way.”

she does not know what exactly she expected to see out of jack morrison, the commander of overwatch, the man on every poster, every advertisement, and every news report in france and elsewhere. intimidating? perhaps, a little -- he is much taller, very handsome, and very accomplished. 

he smiles, laughs, and gives her hand a firm shake in welcome. amélie freezes, her mouth opens, and she wallows in her own idiocy for what feels like years as she attempts to find the words she has tirelessly rehearsed for this very moment. i am so sorry, she wants to say, i am an idiot and i cannot speak your language.

a jumbled, disorganized, and pathetic sentence is all that comes out instead. the english feels ugly, choppy, and uncomfortable falling from her lips.

“ euhh.... ah, i forget how to say in english...... i am... you are very nice. i do not expect it, thank you for speaking with me?”

god, that’s not what i --

“ of course, amélie, it’s no problem. but did you.... expect otherwise?” 

she shakes her head and holds up both hands in protest, a sheepish, humiliated laugh eradicating any chance of redemption now. does she have to look so bad in front of her husband’s colleagues like this, especially the commander of overwatch?

“ no, ah, no, that is not what i mean to say. you are very welcome to me, it is very nice. but i think of, euh, i guess i think i do not know what to say in english.”

she feels out of place, standing amongst all of gérard’s colleagues. they are heroes, they are people she has seen in the news, they are people her mother has spoken of at the dinner table in hopes of meeting -- nobody that a twenty-three year old ballet teacher from eastern france should even be worthy of standing eye to eye with.

“ je parle un peu de le français,” he says then. the accent is good, but unapologetically american. it sounds nice. different. she likes it.

amélie’s eyes widen with surprise, and her hands clasp together, a bit of relief easing the pressure of all of the english being spoken around her.

“ ah oui? ahh!! merci, très bien, très bien, vous le parlez très bien....... “

her eyes fall to the floor, poorly attempting to hide the loopy grin making its way across her lips.

“ never feel unwelcome here, amélie. we’re glad to have you here, and many of us speak a bit of french if you ever need it.”

the loopy grin just gets wider.

“ merci -- et, euhh... thank you, i mean to say -- it is very kind of you, i do not expect this!”

gérard comes up behind her, takes one of her hands and lifts her knuckles to his lips. she immediately relaxes, her shoulders loosening and cheeks losing their rosy tint, ready to desperately fly into his arms and tell him that she is quite ready to leave. but the suggestion he has for her is only worse.

“ chérie?”

“ oui?”

“ je veux que tu danses ce soir.”

“ avec toi? bien sûr...”

“ non, avec le commandant.”

amélie’s jaw drops open in horror, disbelief, and betrayal. ( gérard, no, please, i am so awkward around him...... he probably thinks i’m some idiot.... anybody else but him........ )

she lowers her voice, now with the knowledge that jack could understand her if she spoke too slowly.

“ euh... non!!!! s’il te plaît, je ne veux pas.... pourquoi....?”

“ chérie.... écoute-moi. parce que tu dois te détendre, hein?? tu danses avec moi toujours, et il est très gentil.”

she looks back at jack, frowns, and turns to her husband, panicked.

“ je ne comprends pas.”

“ fais-le pour moi. je promets, ça aidera.”

“ gérard......”

it’s too late. he’s already got his arm snaked around her waist, leading her back over to the conversation she had desperately been trying to escape.

jack is... very tall. and handsome. amélie is already burning up beneath the ten layers of foundation, thank goodness, she applied prior to arrival.

“ jack! my wife is feeling a little nervous. dance with her to this next song, will you? she’s a professional dancer, i’m sure she forgot to mention, and she’d appreciate the company for a bit.”

amélie turns to him with a look that pleads please say no, but clearly he misses that hint.

“ ah, of course! is that so, amélie? why didn’t you say so? i’ve heard that you dance. ballet, right?”

she nods slowly, her hands curling into his, eyes glued to the floor in humiliation. this is so embarrassing. as much as she loves to dance, this is.... far too much.

“ yes, ah, i.... dance in paris before i move here. i live there for some time. but now i do more local. i teach..... euh, up by the border, yes?”

amélie is graceful, beautiful, moving effortlessly alongside him with unmatched coordination, each little movement intricate and well practiced. anxiety can never take that from her, even when she stands just inches from a man she just met, who is not only charming but incredibly welcoming.

“ well, i can definitely tell you dance by the way you move. but the french border? how far is that?”

she laughs quietly, shyly recoiling a bit.

“ i teach at mulhouse. it is, euh, not so bad. two hours with train.”

his eyes widen in surprise.

“ two hours? that is still a pretty tough commute.”

she sways alongside him to the music, her muscles loosening, her eyes following his features and his smile and his eyes ---

“ ah! yes, i .... sorry, it is my english. i mean to say... i mean to say it is good, i do not mind, i enjoy to teach. to me, that is okay. gérard works many hours, he is not home much, so i go teach. he does not like the commute for me, he tell me it is too much. but to me it is okay.”

she’s stumbling over her words and she isn’t even sure he can understand her, and she wants to apologize, over and over again. there’s a significant, blatant lack of self-confidence in herself, quite easy for any acquaintance to quickly observe upon proximity to her. insecurity is written all over her body language, her nervous laughter, her tendency to latch onto her husband -- who, worst of all, seems almost eager to rid himself of her.

“ he isn’t home? not even.... a little bit?” he inquires, and if amélie had known any better, she would have taken him for concerned.

“ah, non? i mean to say... yes, but it is very little... he works, even on holidays. i do not see him much, but i know he does good work. i have much, euh, appreciation for him....”

he nods slowly, almost in understanding, and amélie merely offers a shy smile to try and divert the subject from a topic she knows is a bit touchy -- her marriage.

“ i admire the work you do as well, it is very respectful, i admire you.”

no!!!!! that’s not the right word!!!

he laughs, gently rocking her back and forth, across the dance floor, their hands touching, their bodies so close. amélie refuses to look back up at him now, rotting in her own humiliation and crippling self-doubt.

“ thank you, amélie. well, people like you keep us going every day! you know that. i’m sure gérard has told you.”

he hasn’t, she wants to say, but .....

“ that is very kind of you to say, jack..... but i.... i , euh, ahaha --”

the music around them fades to a close, but amélie is not ready to leave his arms yet. that, or quite the opposite. she cannot decide yet.

gérard watches from the side of the floor, a glass of wine in his hand, turning briefly to talk to five or so more strangers amélie does not recognize. she looks over every so often, and she will see gérard turn to face her, maybe point in her direction, and she wonders what kinds of things he’s saying about her -- maybe that she’s too shy, that she’s not good enough, not good enough, not good enough.

never good enough.

he smiles at her, and amélie forces one back. she wants to imagine him coming home to kiss her tonight, telling her how wonderful she did, how much he loves her, how proud he is of her. she wants to imagine that he loves her.

“ you okay there?” jack asks her, smiling. “ you went quiet there for a little bit.”

amélie whips her head back around, sheepishly allowing her hands to fall on his large shoulders, hanging her head in what resembles a brief and subtle attempt at an apology.

“ i am okay, i just.. i get distracted, i see gérard. and euh, i think he asks to see me?”

“ yeah. people are beginning to leave.”

her cheeks flush pink, and she sinks a little further into his arms, involuntarily, she swears it ---

“ it is so good to talk with you again, i love to know you, i think you are very kind person.... if you like, i, euh, i ...... i love to talk more with you, when you have time, of course.”

an unfamiliar warmth fills her cheeks and her heart, distancing herself from him as she knows it is only proper to. she is a married woman, and he is just a friend. as it should stay.

“ of course, amélie. you as well. and if you’d like, we can get coffee sometime? and gérard can come too, if you’d like.”

“ i like that very much, that is kind of you. ah, you are so welcoming to me. i am grateful to you....”

“ you can tell gérard you made a friend now, how about that?”

“yes. of course.”

[ jeudi, 09h45, 27 décembre 2065. zürich, switzerland. siège de overwatch.]

à suivre.

[slicing-clovers]

monmuses​:

     Perhaps she was no cook, that was for certain. It was rare enough for her to cook her own meals because of her paranoia with meals. Usually, it was the drinks that made her worry.

     One clawed hand gripped on the tablecloth as she watched him prepare his meal on the go. Since no one was around, no one could bother them. Perhaps she could do something to him to make him talk. Demand to know what exactly he’s putting in his meal. Her paranoia was having her think thoughts that she would have thought 30 years ago.

     But suddenly, she caught a whiff of the smell. It was… shockingly delicious. Something about the smell had her fangs dripping with saliva. Something about it had her think that maybe it wasn’t meant to harm her. Almost in an instant, she stood up, but she took it slowly. Her spider legs clicked against the hard floor of the kitchen and soon enough, she was peering over Sung-jin with stubbornly curious eyes.

     “…I have never seen a human make such a complicated meal,” she spoke softly.

His duffels were zipped, the bags folded up and stashed away, his apron was on, and his hair was tied. The setup to the dish was simple enough– as soon as Sung-jin got to work, it would have taken around a half-hour for things to really get rolling.

”Aaaalrighty... it’s a good thing I at least got the rice cooker running before that jog,” he mused. “Now fer’ the fun part—” A medium saucepan, medium-high heat, half-cup of soy sauce, cup of water, spot of sugar, and... yes, two tablespoons of mirin, that was it. After that, the drumstick mushrooms needed a wash before getting their tickets in. The ‘shrooms came before the kelp, or the sauce would get too viscous too quickly. Twenty minutes’ worth of a simmer was just enough time for the kelp to finish soaking before being tied, and trading places with the mushrooms right then...

Of course, in the midst of his steady handiwork, the room was beginning to smell all kinds of nice. Bright, nutty tones and the sweetness of fermentation, faint hints of earth and the saltiness of the sea.  ...but what he didn’t account for, funnily enough, was how quickly it’d end up enticing the woman behind him. As her delicate appraisals draped themselves over his shoulders, he had snapped about-face— thankfully, with still-steady hands— to see her towering above his shoulder, wearing an expression of intrigue.

“...wh– why, thank you! I assure ya’, it’s not as complicated as it sounds at first. Like with... any other form of art, buildin’ a piece out of other components can earn you more than ya’ started ‘em with. Food’s just as much the same.”

“I– I mean...” At this rate... standing at the stove while twisted backwards like this was getting awkward. “Euhh... you’re going to want to be a spot patient if you want to have this right. I’m making this fresh, and the rice is still cooking, so there’s nary a reason to worry your head about having it cold...

...I suppose.”