#the rest of the crew return to love & connection

[onakomiyaki]

Max is way too excited when he return to his motorhome, body still sticky with champangne, RedBull, rains and sweats. His race suit is tied nicely around his waist and his fire proof (that turn kinda seer from how wet he is) hugs his body perfectly.

Max had left everybody out, including Jos and Kelly and her family. He excuse himself and said that he need to call his mother and Victoria, which of course they can't argue with. Jos raised his eyebrow at him, but not questioning him, instead he was nodding his head and return his convo with Helmut Marko. And Kelly? Well, Kelly is Kelly. She insisted to join the call but Max said its his and his family time and that Kelly should go celebrate his win with her family. If Kelly was hurt by that comment, she doesn't show it. She just smile and return to Redbull crew and celebrating like he told her to do.

Upon arriving at his motorhome, Max start shedding his race suit, leaving him in his boxer short and his fireproof. He held his phone with his left hand as he sank down to the sofa. Max spread his arm as he rest his head on it, facing the ceiling of the motorhome as he enjoy the silence hugging him comfortably.

He close his eyes, finally letting his mask down and cried softly.

He won. In Brazil. From P17.

Max knew that if his father saw him sobbing like a kid he would scold him. Its not champion-like of him to show any vulnerable emotion. But he can't help it. Because he is not strong, not as strong as people think. He, infact, got very sensitive heart.

There is a whirr from the exhaust fan of the motorhome and some static noises from the mini fridge. The motorhome is not 100 percent sound proof, so he can still faintly hear the bustling commotion outside. Probably Alpine duo getting swarmed by the media, and Max is glad that he run away after finishing his media duty.

Max sigh a little as he change his position. He is now leaning down, elbows sat on his thigh as he open his phone. He removed all the media notification, swiping it left and right.

RedBull Racing Team post, swipe.

Team Redline post, swipe.

ESPN, swipe.

F1 Official, swipe.

Daniel Ricciardo, swi-

Max's thumb stopped, frozen in place as he saw Daniel's name. He sucked in some air that decided to left his lungs and clicked the message icon.

Daniel Ricciardo 5.52 p.m

Congratulations, Maxy! Amazing drive mate.

🥂

He hesitantly move his thumb to the calling button, letting his thumb hover on top of it. Max bite his lower lip before finally pressing it. He turn on the loudspeaker mode as he wait for the calls to connect.

He never knew that waiting a call to be connected can feel like eternity.

And when the call finally connect, Max eyes widen at the sight of time finally counting up.

"Hello? Daniel?"

"Hiya, Maxy. Congratulations mate! I didn't watch the race but I saw the post and immediately went and saw the reply. You're such a beast!"

"Ah, thank you, Daniel. It was a hard race. We fought well against McLaren and Ferrari today."

"No no no, YOU fought well against McLaren and Ferrari. And Alpine as well, shocker!"

Max let out a laugh as the person on the other end laughing at his own word. Indeed one thing Max wasn't expected is his fight with Esteban in Alpine. RB20 against A524 sounds like a good joke.

"We're fighting against Alpine now." Max whisper.

"Kinda tragic isn't it?"

"Yeah it does."

Daniel doesn't say anything and Max also went silent. Max can hear the rain out side, the water hitting his motorhome roof. The rain picking up again, he thought. Max also can hear the faint bustling background noises from Daniel's side. He knew Daniel went to watch Bills game, and from what he heard, Bills won the game as well.

"I wish you were here to celebrate with me, Daniel." He broke the silence.

Daniel doesn't answer, but Max can hear his soft chuckles. Max like to imagine that Daniel's chest would vibrate when he let out a chuckle like that. Max would love to feel that vibration on his palm. Max would love to feel Daniel close to him, a lot.

"Me too, Maxy."

"I miss you a lot, Daniel. I miss you. I miss us. I don't want this without you. Come back, please."

Max let out a choked sobs as he break down once again, holding his phone with two hands now as tears streaming down his face. Max closed his eyes as his shoulder tremble. All hell break loose.

"I'm tired of doing this alone.. I want to be with you, in America. Watching Bills, riding dirt bikes, go to parties. I want that. With you."

Max cried out, sobbing violently as the emotions finally caught up to him. The fact that he had to fight alone on the front with Alpine and his teammate is struggling with their sister team had taken a toll on him. This is so unfair for him. He deserve more than this. He deserve Daniel as his teammate.

"I'm tired Daniel.."

Daniel inhale sharply, sniffling a little. Max can hear the background noises slowly disappear. Daniel probably moved somewhere more privatelym

"I know baby, must be tiring. I tell you what, you can go to my farm on the break. We can enjoy some barbeque and talk about it, yeah?"

"Yeah?"

"Of course Maxy. For you."

Max nod his head, not aware that Daniel can't see anything. But he did it anyway.

"I would love to visit your farm, Daniel."

"Of course you do, you always want to visit my farm."

Max let out a chuckle at his comment. He can imagine Daniel's cheesy smile when he said that and that make Max happy. Much happier than few minutes ago. There is another silence between them when Max don't know what to talk again on the phone. He never like phone calls, he prefer talking in person because somehow the topics flowing in naturally when he talk in person. Or maybe because it is Daniel on the other side.

"Well, its settled. You and me, in my farm. Enjoying sunset and beers, riding dirtbikes around. Its a date then."

"You're an idiot."

"Oh but you love it, Maxy."

Max feel something flipped inside his stomach when Daniel change his tone. He can feel his body temperature rising and he close his thighs together involuntary.

"Well then Maxy, I will leave you to celebrate your win while I'm celebrating here."

"Okay Daniel. And thank you for the congratulation message."

"Anytime sweetcheeks. See you around."

The call ends and Max had to compose himself for a second. His phone vibrate, indicating a new message on his phone. He open his phone open and see another message from Daniel.

Daniel Ricciardo 6.24 p.m

You're not alone, Maxy. I will be here for you.

🦋💙

Max smile at the message.

I'm not alone after all.

[cascadianights]

"Made love" did you watch the same show!?

They finally made love I’m deceased 😭

[julietsbody]

CALIGULA — luke castellan + reader : luke castellan, in all his reign, has a love for sexual pleasure, more importantly with you. 

tags: mdni, inspired by ancient roman stories, luke is a pervert, dark!luke, p in v sex, jealousy, possessiveness, assistant!reader, captain!luke, luke is an awful man in this sawry

a/n: ive been binge watching the roman empire show

LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR. 

41 AD. 

luke castellan can’t deny how harsh of a captain he was on the princess andromeda. 

he wanted to be the best captain on the sea, wanted to get his revenge on camp halfblood and the gods, wanted to live the lavish life he had always dreamed of. he thought of a life where he would drink red wine out of chalices, be fed grapes from the hands of beautiful women, or men, he wanted to be treated like a god— because in his mind, he would be the best god to ever exist. 

you started out as his assistant, writing papers for him on a simple typewriter that he gave to you, a fucking typewriter. you tried to remind him it was no longer the 1950s, he scoffed like you were stupid. “you know people used them in the 1800s, right?” 

your lips press together, looking at him, then the typewriter, then back to him. you offer a small smile, and he doesn’t return it, he never does, and he never will. luke took things very seriously, maybe too seriously, so he never let himself smile, let alone laugh, a bitter scoff was all you’d get from him at most. 

you were pliant, luke noticed, and he liked that. you did everything he asked, every time he asked. he’d call your name, and hear your heels clicking against the wooden floorboards no less than a second later. speaking of heels, luke was strict about dress codes, too. 

to call him a pervert.. well, you wouldn’t be far off. 

he wanted you to wear things like tight pencil skirts, short or long, thin tights, maybe even solely stockings, stiletto heels that he’d purchased for you the second he saw you show up in mary janes, and a simple shirt or blouse. he liked glasses, too, thin, square framed ones, like bayonetta’s. 

you had to wear dark red lipstick, regardless. 

you hated your boss, more than anything, the way he’d walk into a room and easily command it, the way his body language reeked of cockiness, the way that despite all evilness, he still thought he was doing something for the greater good. 

what you hated the most, is how much you fantasized about him. 

that’s why you always ran to him so quick when he called out for you, why you endured the loud clacking of the typewriter keys even when you had to do a paper at night and he opened your door to yell at you to ‘shut the fuck up or get thrown off the damn boat.’ 

he was never a good man, nor a good boss, but he looked good. 

you liked when he was angry, when he yelled at you, when he held your jaw so tight you were sure he’d shatter it and spit degrading words at you like you were vile. it should be such a shame that you enjoy it, but you don’t pity yourself one bit. he was meaner with you, he always cracked awful jokes with the rest of the crew, drank beers with them, lit their cigarettes, but you, you were the person he took all his anger out on. 

well, at first it was anger. 

then he began to ever so slowly show his desires for sexual connections. he was able to hold it in at first, act like he wasn’t missing having sex, like he wasn’t missing the simple touch of a woman or man. masturbating wasn’t keeping him sane for long, not when he didn’t have anything to masturbate to. then he began to focus his attention onto you. 

you were attractive, and luke couldn’t hold back how his short glances turned to stares. his jaw ticks, lips parting, “i want you to wear shorter skirts.” 

“mini skirts?” you blink at him, he had called you to his office, and his eyes were traveling over your body every second he got. 

“yeah,” he pauses, “and lower cut shirts.” 

before your lips can even part, he dismisses you, and bluntly stares at your ass when you walk away. it was so ironic, luke used to be such a virgin, a complete loser, but now he was nothing short of the opposite. he was cocky, he knew he was handsome, he knew people were attracted to him easily, mostly sexually. 

if luke was lucky, at some stops, he might be able to bring back a few women or men home with him, they always gawked at the ship, told him how cool it is that he has a boat, that he’s a captain, and has a crew, that everyone does everything for him. 

they thought it was hot, so they wanted to do things for him to, he’d take them to his quarters, and provide them with red wine before moaning could be heard all throughout the ship. 

but his boat was in the middle of the sea, and has been for a month or so now, and he felt like he was going insane. 

𝜗𝜚 ⊹ ‧₊˚ 🍷

luke was struggling to sleep, insomnia was getting the best of him, he thought that if he drank more and more wine, he would eventually wind down. he never did. he only got slopper, and aroused. the worst mix on nights like these was the bubbling frustration that he didn’t have anything to fuck, and the fact that he wanted to fuck something so bad. 

his dick strains in his boxers, and his teeth grit together, mentally cursing himself for continuously offering himself one more drink, after the third glass, knowing he’d have a fourth, and a fifth. he’d drank the whole bottle, and he wasn’t even close to tired. 

his body feels warm, so warm. you come to his mind almost immediately, making his his hands draw closer to the hem of his boxers. the way your ass looks in those skirts, the stockings that meet at the middle of your thigh, the sheer shirts that barely showed the color of your bra, the slight cleavage you show when leaning over to place paperwork on his desk. 

he recalls the one time he had came into your room in the dead of night in search of a document, but he was immediately met with the floral of your perfume, and the way your blanket barely covered your naked form. he shouldn’t look, really, he should shy away and close the door, but he swallows thick seeing your breast, the slight parting of your legs, the way your cunt barely peeks out the messily moved blanket. 

he wouldn’t have actually done it, of course, because he’s a respectable man who puts consent above all else— but he wonders what it would look like if he pushed your legs apart, moved the blanket, and spread your pussy open for him. to be sleeping naked, how scandalous. he’d never know that you purposefully put the document in your room when you knew you wanted it, you purposefully slept naked, you purposefully moved the blanket in those ‘messy’ ways. 

he inhales sharply, fingers moving underneath the fabric of his boxers to graze over his cock. it’s so perverted, to think of you like this, to imagine pulling you onto his lap the next time you come into his office, fingers gripping your skin the same way they grip his cock now. you’d probably melt into his touch, so innocent, so pliant, your doe eyes staring at him like he’s the only man who had ever existed, like he’s a god. and that’s what he is, a captain, an emperor, a god. 

he thinks of himself, and is immediately reminded of caligula. 

the roman emperor in 31 AD, he was described by some as a tyrant, but in the beginning, he was one of the best leaders in ancient rome. he was just like luke, addicted to sexual acts, wanting all the finest things in life, and the worst part— luke was just as paranoid as him. 

but that was of no worry now, he was too focused on the pleasure that coursed underneath his flesh, or the simple thought of pushing his dick into your cunt, making your eyes roll back with pleasure you’d only ever dreamed of. luke knew he could make you feel good, and eventually he would. he imagined all the positions he would push you into, on your back, on your stomach with your ass up, having you ride him— gods. 

he wondered if whenever you tried to make excuses for being far too late at typing up a paper in time, he could just simply have you on your knees for him, fucking your mouth so you’d shut up. bruising your lips, ruining your lipstick, making you cry, all of those thoughts sends luke over the edge in no less than a minute or two. 

his skin is sticky with sweat, fingers coated in his own cum, but all he wants is more. 

𝜗𝜚 ⊹ ‧₊˚ 🍷

like mentioned before, luke had a madness problem. 

ever since he had been cast out, he had this odd paranoia problem, he thought the gods would strike him down at any second, that they were watching his every move, or that percy jackson would find his way to his ship and kill him himself for all the damage he’s caused. 

the lack of sex wasn’t the only thing driving luke mad, it was the cage of his own mind. the fact that he’s surrounded by the very thing that the man who’s responsible for percy’s existence owns, the sea. it all makes him sick, often times there will be crashing from his quarters in the late of night, but it always stopped as soon as it started. 

this night was different, it just kept going. first something being pushed over, then the breaking of glass, more crashing, more shatters, yelling, some screaming— it was a nightmare. some of the crew woke up, but you were the only one who dared to take a step out onto the deck that night, let alone approach his quarters. 

knock. knock. knock. 

no response, a deafening silence underneath the crashing waves and the crackling of the candle in your hand. 

knock. knock. 

the lack of response is worrying. he almost always responds, either it’s to tell you to fuck off, or to come in. but now, nothing. he couldn’t have hurt himself, could he? you test the waters, fingers curling around the doorknob and turning it with the expectation for it to be locked as it always is. 

it was unlocked. you push the door open, glancing in to see the mess that he had made of his own room, and him just simply sitting on his bed with his head in his hands. “luke?” 

“captain,” he immediately mumbles out, a correction. 

“captain,” you repeat, taking a step further inside, he has offered nothing against you being inside of his quarters. you are typically never allowed in here. you move to close the door behind you, placing the candle into the nearest holder that wasn’t completely destroyed. 

you turn back to him, his head was raised to look at you, arms now lazily splayed onto his spread legs in his sitting position. he was a chronic manspreader, something you noticed, but seeing him faintly hunched over pathetically like this, tired eyes staring at you, sweat beading at his temple— he was so hot. 

“are you okay?” you offer, voice as sweet as ever. 

“am i okay?” he scoffs, a chuckle following after, he’s never chuckled in front of you before, “am i okay, am i okay—“ he hums, “what do you think, hm? you think i’m okay?” 

his voice is confronting and harsh, like he wants to see you cower down, like he wants to break you like all the other things in his room. your brows furrow together for a second, “no..?” 

“no, no, atta girl— you’re catchin’ on,” he smiles at you for the first time, “why don’t you help me feel better, yeah?” 

you stare at him for a second, wondering if he meant what you thought he meant, “yeah.” 

“yeah.” his voice is hushed, almost mocking, “c’mere.” 

you immediately walk over to him in the ambient lighting, marking out your silhouette, stepping over all the things he’s knocked over. a grin tugs at his lips, cruel and cocky, he loves how easy you do anything he asks. his hand is gentle on your waist, pulling you closer, “so good for me.” 

you nod at him, letting his hand guide you down to your knees, pupils dilated up at him so perfectly. his tongue swipes along the backside of his teeth, moving his hand to hold your jaw, tilting your head to properly look up at him. maybe it was wrong to fuck his assistant, someone working for him, but it just felt so right, all of this felt like it was in the prophecy. 

his thumb swipes along your bottom lip, smearing the red lipstick there, of course you put that on before coming to his room. “so pretty,” he mumbles under his breath, dipping his finger between your lips and into your mouth. your lips curve up ever so slightly, leaning into his touch, lips closing around his flesh. 

he takes it away from your mouth just as quick as it was slotted between your lips, moving to undo his belt, the veins in his hands shifted with each movement of his hands, first it was his belt, then his pants, then his boxers. 

you always thought luke would have a big dick, he just has that certain cockiness that makes you think he couldn’t have a small dick and be acting the way he is, but this felt like it would hardly fit in your mouth.  

you glance up at him, his amused stare which immediately turns to faux concern when you say, “i don’t think it’ll fit—“ 

“it will,” he immediately cuts in, prying your mouth open with his thumb whilst his free hand eases your head closer, “i’ll make it fit.” 

your tongue runs along the vein at the bottom of his dick, already feeling the heaviness of it against the muscle in your mouth. you had sucked a few dicks before, sure, but this one was the biggest, and the cleanest. his hand holds your jaw when you start taking him into your mouth properly, tongue flat against the bottom of his cock, eyes peering up at him through heavy lids. 

his lashes flutter pathetically, mouth falling open with your every movement, the way the saliva from your mouth coats him perfectly— he needed this. it felt like a dream coming right after a nightmare, he was exhausted, sweating from his breakdown, and you were sent to him right when he needed it, an angel on his shoulder. 

but you’re going too slow, and luke’s growing restless from sitting so still. he can feel the ache of your jaw, but he wishes to make it worse somehow, as cruel as it sounds. his hand moves to the back of your head, hips ever so slowly bucking into your mouth, it was barely noticeable at first, until the sound of you sputtering and gagging around him fueled him more. 

his thrusts quickly turned harsh, bruising, merciless. 

he only paused when you slapped at his thigh pathetically, moving off to pant heavily, strings of saliva connecting your lips to his cock. you looked so messy, so pathetic, lipstick smeared, eyes puffy from falling tears. “always wanted this, huh? i notice how you look at me, always running to my office any chance you get, such a slut.” 

you nod at him, and that only makes him want to say more, “do you believe in god?” 

“yes, yes,” the response is immediate. 

“am i your god?” 

you pause at him, processing, what would the best answer be? 

yes, of course, that would be the best answer. in luke’s own mind, all this misery, all this destruction, all this betrayal, it was only the start of his story to reach the top. when caligula was next in line for the throne and his father was on his deathbed, he killed his own father with hardly any hesitation, then became one of the most memorable roman emperors alongside julius caesar. 

luke had been planning the murder of hermes for a long, long time, ever since the first book about caligula he read. killing percy jackson was a failure, all several times, so he had no other choice than to just shoot for the stars. 

luke’s eyes refocus onto the situation at hand rather than being stuck in his own mind, he had you pushed on your stomach with your ass up, the position he always wished to put you in, the position he’s put multiple other women and men in. 

his hands smooth over your ass, memorizing the canvas that he wants to splatter paint over. there’s something so intimate about this whole ordeal, the dim lighting of sole candles in all the destruction around his room, the crashing of waves on the sides of the boat as it moves through the sea, the red wine that luke drinks from the bottle he had just picked up. 

he hums at the taste, rich, perfect. “want some?” 

you shake your head, and he tuts in faux disappointment, “no fun, aren’t you? just want me to fuck you? needy, needy.” 

albeit his degrations, his tip presses to your entrance, lips pressing together when he pushes in— holy fuck, you were tight. luke’s breathing is ragged, he feels as though your pussy is desperately trying to squeeze an orgasm out of him in seconds. it only worsens when you accidentally glench, making his teeth grit together, he coughs out a bitter chuckle, “you did that on purpose, didn’t you?” 

“no, nono—“ it was too late for the begging for forgiveness, his thrusts were already brutal, slamming into you without a single regard for how much pain it would leave you in, in the morning. caligula was a possessive lover, a harsh fucker, a man ruled by jealousy and madness— luke castellan was born from the same map of caligula. 

his hands grip your hips harshly, punching out sweet moans from your bitten lips with every thrust, “fuck, fuck! luke!” 

luke’s tongue prods at the inside of his cheek for a mere second before his hand suddenly moves to the back of your head, harshly tugging your hair back, “captain.” 

another correction. 

as soon as your back hits his chest, his hand moves from your hair to your neck, gripping the delicate skin there tight. he ignores your attempts to get his attention by placing sloppy, open mouthed kisses to his jaw, leaving his skin stained with your lipstick. his eyes were too focused on the mirror placed in front of him, of course he had one there, it was cracked, but he was still able to make out the way your skin trembled underneath him, the way his thrusts sent shivers up your spine, the way he easily made you cock drunk. 

it didn’t take long for him to have you cumming on him as well, in which he followed soon after with a gritted out fuck. 

luke’s eyes may be glazed over when he looks back in the mirror, but he doesn’t see himself in his position, he sees caligula. 

[doumadono]

For sinful sunday (I literally pray so my prompt gets some votes lol) - how about showering with Touya/Dabi???

Warnings: smut w/o plot, shower smut, rough smut, pussy fingering, oral (m receiving), fem villain!reader, established relationship, some spanking, quirk usage

A/N: this request got the third highest number of votes during the second Sinful Sunday poll I held. Thank you to everyone who voted!

SINFUL SUNDAY MY HERO ACADEMIA

It was hard to be a villain. 

The life you had chosen was not for the faint-hearted, and it had taken everything from you, leaving only a raw, jagged determination to fight back. 

Giran had seen that spark in you, the way your eyes had blazed with untamed fury when you crossed paths in a seedy alley one rainy night. 

You had been on the run, a fugitive without a cause, and he had offered you an opportunity — a chance to join the League of Villains. It hadn't taken much convincing. After all, you had nothing left to lose.

Joining the League wasn't easy. You had to prove your worth through countless trials, showing that you could stand your ground amidst the chaos. 

The League was a motley crew of outcasts and renegades, each with their own dark pasts and twisted motives. 

The first time you met Dabi, he barely acknowledged your presence, dismissing you as just another unnecessary mouth to feed. But your persistence, unwavering determination, exceptional combat skills and quick thinking caught his attention.

Beneath the animosity, there was an undeniable attraction, a pull that neither of you could resist.

He was tough, abrasive, and often cruel, but there was something in his eyes when he looked at you — a flicker of comprehension, a hint of appreciation.

You were both broken, scarred by the world, and your shared pain forged a bond that transcended words. 

Your relationship with Dabi had started with friction, but over time, the rough edges had smoothed, revealing a raw and intense connection. You found solace in each other's darkness. 

The hideout was silent, save for the creaking pipes and the distant hum of city life. 

You and Dabi returned after a particularly grueling mission. The adrenaline still coursed through your veins, leaving you restless and on edge. 

The mission had been challenging, pushing both of you to your limits. Your muscles ached, and the grime and sweat clung to your skin, making you long for the solace of a shower, to feel clean again. 

Unfortunately, the building's hot water supply had failed. Again. 

Frustration welled up inside you, but the need to feel clean overrode your reluctance.

Stripping off your dirty clothes, you stepped into the cramped bathroom and unscrewed the tap in a shower stall. A shiver ran through you as the icy water hit your skin, drawing a whine from your lips. "Dammit," you muttered, hugging yourself for warmth, already shivering all over the body from the overwhelming cold. The icy water was unbearable, but you forced yourself to endure it, trying to wash away the remnants of the day.

The bathroom door creaked open, and you turned to see Dabi leaning casually against the frame, a smirk playing on his lips. "Cold, huh?" he said, his voice a low rumble.

"Yeah, no thanks to this shitty plumbing," you replied, teeth chattering.

He smirked, the corner of his mouth curling up in that infuriatingly attractive way. He pushed off the doorframe and sauntered towards you. "Let me fix that for you."

You watched, captivated, as he undressed tantalizingly slowly. His white t-shirt came off first, revealing the patchwork of scars that adorned his torso, each one a testament to his brutal past. Next came his dark pants, sliding down his long legs with deliberate seduction. Finally, he stepped out of his boxers, leaving him gloriously bare, his cock you loved so much resting snuggly against his upper thighs.

Dabi stepped into the shower behind you. The cold water didn't seem to bother him; his quirk made him immune to such discomforts. He wrapped his arms around you, pulling you against his chest. His lips brushed your ear as he whispered, "Can't let you freeze to death, can I?"

His quirk activated, his body heating instantly, and the water transformed from icy to blissfully warm. Steam rose around you, enveloping you in a sultry haze. The shower and bathroom felt like a sauna, the air thick with dampness.

You turned in his arms, pressing your body against his, squeezing your breasts against his chest. The heat from his quirk seeped into your skin, and you moaned softly at the delicious warmth. You sighed in relief, closing your eyes as the hot water soothed your aching muscles. But then, you felt his rough hands on your hips, pulling you closer. Your eyes snapped open to find him staring down at you, his gaze intense and filled with hunger.

Dabi's hands roamed over your back, trailing fire in their wake.

"Thanks, I needed that," you breathed, tilting your head up to capture his lips in a searing kiss.

His response was immediate and hungry, his mouth devouring yours with a fervor that left you dizzy. His tongue teased yours, a dance of dominance and submission. 

You clung to him, nails digging into his shoulders as the kiss deepened.

As you two kissed, your hand drifted downward, brushing against the length of his cock. 

His breath hitched slightly, a low growl rumbling from his chest as you grasped his cock, stroking him slowly. 

The feel of him, firm and hot, growing hard and throbbing in your hand, sent a jolt of desire through your body, making your pussy wet. You couldn’t stop thinking about having this dick buried in your tight cunt, stretching your velvety walls to their limits.

The desire was so violent it seemed devouring your entire being.

His eyes darkened with lust, and he bucked slightly into your hand, the rhythm of your movements drawing a ragged moan from him. He pulled back just enough to look into your eyes, his gaze filled with an intense, burning need even though his damp bangs fell directly into his eyes. "You’re playing with fire," he growled, his voice thick with lust.

"Maybe I like getting burned," you whispered back, your voice a sultry whisper.

You kept on stroking his cock, occasionally brushing its mushroom head with your thumb as the two of you kept on kissing. Your other hand moved to his ball sack, where you gently massaged him, eliciting a deep, throaty groan from Dabi’s lips.

You moaned as his needy hand slipped between your thighs, rubbing your clit with a fierce intensity. Dabi was impatient, and you could feel it in every urgent stroke. Soon, his long, middle finger slipped into your slick entrance, gently brushing your inner walls as he finger fucked you.

His lips left yours, trailing down your neck, leaving a path of scorching kisses that made you moan softly. “You’re so fucking wet.” His thumb started brushing against your folds, pressing on them and flicking against them, making you a moaning mess.

Your body arched against him, craving more of his touch, more of the heat that only he could provide. "Dabi, please..." you begged, your voice barely a whisper.

He chuckled, the sound low and dangerous. "Impatient, aren't we?" 

“Please,” you whined, trying to make him slip another finger in your needy hole.

“Suck my dick and you’ll be rewarded,” he cooed, gently slapping your hand, pushing it off his one. as he brought his finger that was previously buried in you to his mouth, licking it clean. “Tasty as always.”

You knelt down before Dabi. The water flowed down your face and body, making your skin glisten with moisture. He looked down at you with a devious grin spreading across his face.

You began by gently kissing his inner thighs, teasing him with soft, wet kisses. 

He let out a soft moan.

Next, you wrapped your hand around the base of his hardening cock, enjoying the feeling of its weight in your hand. The water from the showerhead made it slippery and smooth, making your task all the more pleasurable. 

You then leaned forward, parting your lips to take the head of his cock into your mouth. 

He hissed through his teeth, hissing, "Fuck, yes," as you began to suck on the tip of his cock.

You swirled your tongue around the head, tasting the salty pre-cum that leaked from his slit. It was a taste you had grown to love, and it only served to heighten your own arousal. You took his entire length into your mouth shortly after, your lips sliding down his shaft as your tongue swirled around him.

Dabi's moans grew louder, echoing off the bathroom walls as you bobbed your head up and down on his cock. You could feel his hands on the back of your head, guiding your movements and urging you to take him deeper.

You moved your hand in sync with your mouth, stroking the base of his cock as you sucked on the head. You paused for a moment, looking up at him.

His eyes were partially closed, and his head was thrown back in pure ecstasy. 

You knew that he was close to the edge, so you decided to take it up a notch.

You took his cock into your mouth once more, using your hand to massage his balls as you pushed his dick as deep down your throat as you could, gagging yourself. You could feel his balls tighten, a sure sign that he was about to cum.

Dabi let out a loud moan, his cock twitching as he erupted into your mouth. “Fuck, yeah,” he growled.

You swallowed every drop of his thick seed, savoring the taste of his cum as you milked his cock for every last drop. Still on your knees, you looked up at him smiling sweetly, your lips still wet and sticky with his cum.

Dabi smirked down at you, pulling you up to your feet. But then, he lifted you slightly so you could wrap your legs around his waist, pressing your back against the shower wall. 

“Dabi, please, I need you!”

He met your gaze, his turquoise eyes burning with desire. "I love it when you beg," he said, a wicked grin spreading across his scarred face. He nipped and sucked at the skin of your neck, marking you as his. 

Your hands tangled in his hair, urging him on. “Fuck me,” you whispered, biting your lower lip.

"Fuck, you're beautiful," he murmured against your collarbone, his breath hot and teasing as he lined his cock with your tight entrance.

Without another word, he pushed his cock into your pussy with a single, powerful thrust. 

You cried out, your back arching as pleasure and pain mingled in a heady rush. 

Dabi set a relentless pace. His large hands gripped your hips, his fingers digging into your flesh as he drove deeper, harder. “So fucking tight,” he murmured.

The cool tiles pressed against your back, a stark contrast to the heat of his body as he pinned you in place, fucking you rough, just the way he liked.

Your breaths mingled, ragged and urgent, as the tension built within you. You could barely catch your breath, your fingers digging into his shoulders as you tried to anchor yourself. "Dabi," you moaned, your voice a mixture of desperation and bliss. "Don't stop."

His lips curled into a smirk at your words, and he leaned in to capture your lips in another kiss. 

You could taste the salt of your combined sweat and the faint metallic tang of his tongue piercing.

He broke the kiss to nip at your earlobe, his breath hot against your skin. "I won't stop," he promised, his voice a low rumble that sent a thrill down your spine. "Not until you scream my name." His grip tightened on your hips, and he angled his thrusts to hit that perfect spot inside you.

You whined pathetically like a cheap whore. You could feel the tension coiling in your belly, ready to snap at any moment. 

His hips pistoned into yours, his veiny cock brushing against all your sweet spots as he fucked you rough. 

Your eyes rolled back into your skull whenever the tip of his cock pressed hard against your cervix, making you wetter with every passing second. You were glad he was fucking you in the shower; otherwise, he’d leave you a total mess, too exhausted to clean yourself. You slipped one of your hands between your bodies to rub little circles around your clit for more friction, rolling your head back to rest it against the tiles as the pleasure made you shiver and moan.

Dabi chuckled darkly, squeezing the meat of your ass before spanking it hard enough to leave an imprint of his hand. "That's my little cockslut," he praised, nibbling your earlobe.

When he hit that particularly sweet spot of yours a few times in a row, you couldn’t help it. With a cry, you squirted, your release mixing with the water cascading around you, staining his shredded abdomen.

Dabi chuckled, licking his lips. "That's it, little matchbox, that's my good girl. Is daddy making you feel that good?”

“Y-yes,” you whined, burying your head in the crook of his neck, feeling all shy out of sudden. “I… I wanna cum…”

Dabi chuckled and hissed after feeling your pussy clamping down on his cock. "Daddy's going to make you cum."

With a final, powerful thrust, you both shattered, the release crashing over you like a tidal wave. 

Your pussy convulsed around his cock as if it tried to milk all of his cum, every nerve ending alight with pleasure. 

Dabi held you tightly, riding out his own peak with a guttural moan. Before he cum though, he withdrew from you, and jerked himself a few times, coming all over your abdomen with a loud groans escaping his lips.

As the aftershocks subsided, you clung to each other, the steam slowly dissipating around you. 

Dabi's forehead rested against yours, his breath warm and soothing. "Feeling clean now?" he teased, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

You chuckled, brushing a damp strand of hair from his forehead. "Yeah, I guess… I feel even more tired, but damn, it was worth it.”

He kissed you gently, a tender contrast to the intensity of moments before. "Anytime, little matchbox. I fucking love you.”

You chuckled, gently stroking up and down his toned chest and abdomen. “And I love you too, my edgy arsonist.”

A frown crossed his forehead, but he let out a soft chuckle. "Well, this time I'll let it slip, but call me that again and I'll have to punish you."

You nodded, and the two of you began washing yourselves.

No matter how hard it was to be a villain, facing it together made it all worthwhile.

[alaveii]

dan heng headcanons bcuz hoyo finally let my boy back into the spotlight

dh checks over his teammates all the time. even if he knows logically that nothing is wrong, his eyes will rove over their heads, their forearms, their midsections, and hands. anywhere he can see is evaluated at least twice in 20 mins.

he regularly seeks out exits. a habit left over from being chased by blade, or maybe due to his isolation in the shackling prison, he always assesses any space he’s in for every escape route.

connected to the previous point, this habit of his has shifted to accommodate march, welt, himeko, and the trailblazer as he became more comfortable with them. the most ideal exit went from “what he could escape through fastest” to “what we could get out through quickest without straining welt’s joints, or tripping up march, etc.” thin walls are also now a viable escape route for him as well now, due to the trailblazer’s raw strength and (semi) lack of inhibitions

when he first joined the express, he complemented himeko’s coffee. its not that he genuinely liked it, and he’s fairly certain it nearly returned him to an egg, but she offered and he couldn’t bring himself to deny or insult anything from the woman who gave him a home. when he drinks it now, the strain on his digestive tract is temporarily balanced out by the warm feeling of home and nostalgia, reminding him of when he first boarded the astral express.

in his IL form, his eyes, antlers, and tail fur glow faintly in the dark

he gets chronic migraines. whether caused from nightmares or shitty sleep, they creep up on him slowly before striking hard. the pain goes from ignorable to almost unbearable within minutes, and it’s during these migraines that he least appreciates his natural form. not out of body dysmorphia (like was for most of his time pre luofu arc), but because of the heightened senses and glowing features. they add to the pain, but switching forms usually only makes the migraine worse

dh is, in many ways, more like baiheng than dan feng. while he shares df’s icy exterior, features, and battle prowess, he also is notably more likely to tease and poke at his teammates. he has an odd streak for luck, running into danger just as easily as he gets away from it. he shares baiheng’s low, almost unnoticeable wanderlust and love of travel. he has a hotheadedness in battle reminiscent of the foxian pilot, fast and aggressive but never, ever, putting their family in danger. most prominently, dh and baiheng share an intense curiosity towards their fields of interest, and unwavering love and loyalty to those they hold dear.

dan heng, before march showed up, was very quiet. he rarely ever spoke unless spoken to, and if he did, it was short and quiet. welt and himeko rejoiced in seeing him open up when march boarded, growing into a snarky, protective, brotherly figure.

in his IL form, he has retractable claws. he usually keeps them hidden away, both for convenience (as he’s still learning to work with them) and due to insecurity.

he also has scales, though they’re sparse and scattered underneath his clothing. the biggest patch is at his shoulder, under his large sleeve. he has far fewer scales than df did, who kept most of his hidden under his fully-covered outfit.

dh found himself latching onto himeko the most often when he first boarded, and later the trailblazer as they grew closer. their natural heat was soothing to him, so he subconsciously started drifting to them when he needed comfort.

dh, after getting comfortable with his true form, found himself often lounging near, next to, or even sprawled over the rest of the express crew. he found another love language in physical contact, which his family happily indulged

the staff of herta space station are under the impression that dh is “the mom friend” or “the responsible one” of the trailblaze trio. he is not. he once lost his hotel room keys 3 times in one day. welt later sewed a clasped loop on the inside of his coat for him to attach his keys. him getting involved in a dubiously legal fighting ring (*cough* belobog *cough*) is not a first time occurrence, and will likely not be the last.

dh sometimes dreams of the good times with the hcq. he appreciates these, they make the quintet seem less like legends and more like people.

dh’s favorite dreams are of domestic moments with his express family.

[bachiras-toaster]

arcade date with chigiri?! pls i love him so much HSJSJ maybe the rest of the bllk boys even catch him at the arcade and tease him ????

arcade games and cat plushies : ̗̀➛

HYOUMA CHIGIRI x reader

wc. 3.1k

content. literally just tooth rotting fluff :3

Because of Blue Lock, you and your boyfriend weren’t able to hang out as often as you could before. Which is why on the days that he was actually allowed a to leave, he would always visit you and take you on dates. Today was the same, and this time, he brought you to an arcade.

You and Chigiri had been circling the arcade for perhaps an hour or two now, yet it didn’t seem that either of your energies were beginning to quell. In fact, it seemed that the longer that the two of you remained in each other’s presence, the richer your hearts became; this fact grew more obvious when you even began repeating machines and games, returning to certain areas maybe two or three times.

The both of your pockets were overflowing with tickets, to the point where you had even began to drape the large streams of winnings you had across your shoulders like a scarf. As for Chigiri, he would scrunch the papers up and just carry them around like a ball, only dropping them to his feet when he needed to use his hands in a game. The two of you had stayed in the arcade much longer than anyone else had, so it was no wonder why the both of you had accumulated the most successes.

Soon, the both of you reached the air-hockey board once more, and he dashed around to slot another coin into the game.

“Ready for another rematch?” Chigiri grinned widely, reaching for one of the mallets.

“Oh, you’re on.” A wide smile of determination crew on your face as you watched him drop his tickets to the floor and even begin gathering his hair to tie it back. “We’re getting serious now, are we?” You giggled as he pulled a hair tie from his wrist to wrap it around a clump of his hair.

Chigiri smirked, before he then took hold of the mallet once more. “You know I always get serious,” he said, not even missing a beat as he was already smacking the puck at the other end of the board, his eyes intently following his move throughout the entire duration. “Don’t be surprised if you lose again.” He said with a confident snicker.

“You better put a cap on that confidence, because I’m making my comeback!” You cackled, whacking the puck back to his side of the table. “I hope the king’s been practising his kneeling, because I’ve got this one set.”

“Oh is that so…” Chigiri responded with nothing of his usual snicker, instead taking a more calm approach to this match, as if his confidence was at stake from the threat your words were currently attempting to impose upon his. He then began to make several quick passes back and forth, as his eyes remained trained upon the puck the entire time. “I’m looking forward to witnessing your ego crumble, you know.” He responded with a smile.

“Well, sorry to disappoint, but this game is mine!” You announced proudly, sending back the puck that he hit towards you with all of your strength, watching as the flat cylinder was making a line straight to his goal. Your eyes widened with anticipation as it neared the entrance, your irises gleaming with premature excitement.

You were sure you would have screamed your own victory if it hadn’t been for Chigiri intercepting your connection with winning and returning the puck to you. You had been so keen on your brush with the trophy that you hadn’t even considered him hitting it back. So when it was back in your court, you were caught completely off-guard when it ricocheted off the wall and landed in your goal.

“Damn it!” You yelled out

He snickered, his grin widening as he then brought the mallet back with a firm grip on the handle as he returned the puck back to your side of the board.

“Oh, so cocky,” Chigiri spoke, seeming to have thoroughly enjoyed the exchange. However, despite the teasing remark, his tone stayed calm, not even having a hint of hostility or teasing in it. “Seems like your efforts are futile.” he asked, as though expecting a challenge, or some new comeback from you.

“It was a lucky shot.” You told him sourly as you picked the puck back up and threw it against the table to prepare for a second round. “Watch now, I’m locking in and you’re not gonna score any more goals! Your football tactics won’t work here!”

And well, they didn’t, but he won nevertheless, and you watched with shattered disappointment as more tickets began spewing from the slots of the machine, indicating his landslide victory.

“You know, every game has its own little rule set,” Chigiri said, his tone holding a slight sense of satisfaction, although it wasn’t exactly gloating- more so just a friendly jab. As the tickets began to slowly pour out from the machine, Chigiri took notice- his eyes widening as he stared at the steady stream in shock once more. “Wow.” he muttered.

Your eyes remained on him with a wide smile as he began to gather up all of the tickets that he had accumulated into his arms once more. It was irritating that he seemed to be so good at every game in the arcade that the two of you went on, but it didn’t particularly matter at the end of the day as all you knew was that you were having fun. Chigiri saw in your eyes how simply content you were to be in his presence, despite him dominating every single machine, but the fact was that every single one of his tickets was going to be spent on you anyway.

“You ready to exchange our tickets now?” You grinned as he finally picked up the paper hall.

“Of course.” Chigiri responded, although with another smirk on his face as he stared at you, seemingly to have caught on to the fact that the entire time, the way that your eyes had remained trained on him was to no doubt simply that you were satisfied.

When the two of you had put all of your tickets into the exchange machine and were left with the card that displayed your shared winning counter, Chigiri handed the card solely for you to take as he wrapped his arm around your shoulder to pull you into a cute hug while you walked to the desk. You stared down at rhe slip of paper rhat held both of your victories with a wide smile, your thumb tracing over the text lightly.

“What do you plan on spending the tickets on?” He asked.

“I don’t know… We could get anything here!” You told him as you peered at the selection of prizes, the open range of what was available to the two of you being a reminder of how long the two of you hand spent in the arcade.

“Well…” he thought for a moment, staring at the vast array of items as well, before his mind instantly went to the only things that mattered to him in this moment. “How about we get plushies?” He suggested, pointing towards the arsenal of stuffed toys on the shelf. He figured that if anything, you’d find the idea adorable.

“Oh my god, yes!” Your eyes lit up with excitement as you desperately clutched his arm to gesture towards a particular pair that had caught your eye.

“Let’s get those two! The two cat ones!” You squealed, drawing your attentions directly to two plushies that were leaning against each other on the display. Your mind couldn’t help but buzz about how those plushies reminded you of the two of you, and your heart fluttered with the idea of actually getting your hands on the fuzzy cuties.

Chigiri had no qualms with the suggestions, instead following your excited gestures towards the two plushies. “The cats, right?” he turned back for reassurance before approaching the desk, and when you nodded, he made his request to the person by the register.

Once the stuffed animals were taken off display, Chigiri used up the rest of his remaining points to spend it on candy that the two of you could share. He loaded his pockets with lollipops and liquorish before reaching for the plushies, carrying them in his arms back to you as though they were real cats.

Your arms were already out to joyfully take the one cat that you knew was going to be yours, and you squeezed it with all of your might once he handed it to you. Your cheek pressed against the warm fluff of the fuzzy toy, and you cradled the cat like it was your firstborn child.

“So cute.” He whispered when he saw the glow of your smile; he couldn't help but grin as well.

“I love them! They’re so adorable!” You quipped, holding your cat up beside his so you could lay your gazes on the commemoration of this memory.

“Right?” Chigiri agreed, leaning in towards you with his own cat in hand and then moving both toys closer together so that their faces would be side-by-side, their little arms reaching so that they almost looked as if they were trying to touch the other.

He seemed to enjoy the look of having both plushies side-by-side so that they looked like they were cuddling. The two toy cats were left standing beside one another, their tails interlocked as though they were performing the act of holding hands themselves. Chigiri’s eyes remained locked with yours while a smile spread across his face, although he wasn’t sure if it was from finding the cats adorable or from simply staring into your eyes.

“What are you gonna name yours?” He then asked, the corners of his mouth curving up slightly as he leaned against you once more.

“Hm… Akane is very fitting. So whenever I see it, I think of you.” You grinned, holding the cat up to his face.

Although the cat wasn’t actually a deep red like the name suggested, you wanted a title that reflected the nickname given to your boyfriend on the field. The world knew him as ‘the red panther’, so your plushie would mirror just that. It brought him joy thinking about how the plushie had actually been given a name that matched his football title, although he wondered if that would ever cause the toy to be mistaken for him by passer-bys.

"Akane. That's a cute name," Chigiri smiled, looking down at the plushie as you held it up as if it was in fact a cat and not a lifeless toy. “So, what's my cat's name then?" He asked, his voice holding a playful hint as he wondered what name you had chosen to give his plushie.

“It’s yours, you have to choose a name!” You told him sternly, lowering your plushie again to hug it.

“Uh…” Chigiri pondered for a moment, glancing down at the cat toy as he tried to find a suitable enough name. He really did want the name to match his presence or resemble it in some way, as he felt as though this little gesture would be something that he would truly enjoy. “Hm…” Chigiri thought about it, taking a quick glance down at the cat as he shifted his position so that he could wrap his free arm around your shoulders.

“What if I called mine (Y/n) … Would you be offended?” He asked with a smirk.

Your entire face heated up with blush when his arm slinked around your shoulders to hug you, pressing your plushies together with a grin.

“Only if you don’t replace me with that cat.” You commented teasingly.

Chigiri smirked, the side of his head pressing against your own. "No promises." he joked.

The two toy cats remained pressed against one another, the pair of them as if they were a set that had been purchased together.

"I suppose I'll have to take the real version of you over a plushie," he muttered after staring at the prize long enough, his words seeming to carry more than just the playful teasing of earlier, “you’re a lot cuter." He added, his words bringing about a teasing tone once more, but his grip around you was still strong and his cheek still pressed against you.

“So cheesy…” You giggled.

"I may be cheesy, but at least I know I’m a lot more tastier than the alternatives." Chigiri playfully responded, still keeping the joking tone in his voice before adding on another cheeky remark. "Plus, I’m pretty sure plushies don’t cuddle back."

“Well, when you take this plushie back to Blue Lock, you can hug it when you sleep as if I’m there.” You teased.

"Yeah? Will the plushie also complain to me about its back pain? Will it also take up the majority of the bed during nights and leave little space for me?" Chigiri asked, jokingly listing off some of the things you would do when you slept, things that he was already quite used to anyways. "And will the plushie make me have to go to sleep early as well?" He asked just before cracking a grin.

Your jaw dropped before you let out a giggle. “Well, maybe your plushie is just concerned about you getting a full night’s rest before a game!”

"Or, maybe the plushie is just trying to deprive me from the joys of life by trying to force me to take more than six hours of sleep before every match, hmm?" Chigiri suggested, seeming to enjoy this back-and-forth of teasing, although he knew that it was his way of flirting with you.

“Well maybe you could do with a little extra hours of sleep!”

Chigiri rolled his eyes in jest of the comment, making a face as if he was offended as he then leaned his head against yours once more. “And what do you know about sleep?” He asked, the playful, teasing tone clearly prominent in his voice.

“Well, I’ve slept with you a couple of times, so I would say I’m pretty skilled.” You grinned at the suggestive comment. He couldn’t help but snicker as you had made that response, although it took him a few seconds to compose himself as he seemed to be taken aback by the flirty nature of your words. Even though you had slept together several times already, he still was never able to get used to hearing you make such remarks that were clearly intended to embarrass him.

"Well, you do have a point," Chigiri responded after letting out a final breath from his laughs, returning the suggestive comment with one of his own. "Are you implying I keep you awake too often?"

“Not enough.” You shrugged with a smirk.

Chigiri's grin widened as he then leaned in closer to you as though to whisper in your ear, "Is that a challenge then?" he asked, the teasing tone still prevalent in his voice as he tried to match the same nature of the moment, as though he was trying to see just what would happen if it was taken further. “(Y/n)?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, are you talking to me or the plushie?” You replied, shattering the dark and flirtatious turn that the conversation had taken to return to the friendly teasing, a choice which was received with a chuckle.

"I think I'm speaking to the real (Y/n) and not the toy," he then responded with his own joking comment, his tone remaining playful, but with just the slightest amount of flirtatiousness in it. "Unless... Are you saying you're no different than the plushie?"

“I’m totally different! That plushie can’t give you forehead kisses.”

"That's true, only the real you can do that," Chigiri responded confidently, reaching up to brush back your hair away from your face before tilting his lips closer to your head. "May I?" he asked, leaning only an inch or so away from your forehead.

“You may.” You smiled brightly at your boyfriend, your heart fluttering with compassion.

With your permission, Chigiri planted a soft peck onto your forehead before looking down at you again with so much love in his eyes you could swear he was looking at his world. The distance between the two of you had closed so much that your plushies were pressed between your stomachs as you continued to smile at one another, the atmosphere of each other’s presence filling you with so much desire.

However, right before your boyfriend was able to lean down to kiss your lips instead after staring at you for so long, you two were suddenly interrupted by the sound of excited buzzing as you were approached by a duo that you did not personally recognise.

“Chigiri?!” A voice called out, and your attention was diverted towards a man with black hair and large blue eyes that led the crowd of friends.

“Is this the titular girlfriend you speak so much about?” Another man of the same height appeared behind the one who had previously spoken, this time having a bob cut with a bleached underside.

You watched as the pair approached your boyfriend with wide smiles, eager to find their best friend with what seemed to be his partner.

“What are you guys doing here—?” Chigiri’s eyes widened, holding your hand with one palm as he cradled his plushie with the other, involuntarily shifting you to hide behind him— as if the other two hadn’t already seen you.

“We were also let out of Blue Lock, you know! You think we wouldn’t wonder where you were?” Isagi exclaimed. “We wanted to hang out!”

“Why haven’t you ever introduced us to your girlfriend before?” Bachira swiftly found himself peeping behind Chigiri’s hip to stare at you, giving you a wide and cheese smile— Which you awkwardly reciprocated. “She’s very pretty!”

“You guys…” Chigiri’s entire face had been painted with blush, still keeping you behind him.

You couldn’t help but smile sweetly at the gesture, watching as your boyfriend’s flushed face attempted to hide his flustered embarrassment. So he had been too nervous to tell his teammates about you, huh?

“Don’t just stand there nervously, Hyouma!” You giggled, shifting from behind him to present yourself in a more friendly manner to both Bachira and Isagi. “Introduce me to your friends!”

[chefkids]

I love your meta!!! It’s amazing that you’re still able to identify and connect new things that the rest of us overlooked. Do you have any predictions for next season? Not just with SydCarmy but also any thoughts about where the show may take us

Thank you!

I think a big focus of next season is going to be on their lives intertwining and their families coming together. Season 3 ended with Richie, Nat, Carmy, and Sydney all coming together to open the restaurant and including her in their core group like family. And like Ayo and everyone in the show has said, this is all about chosen family and real family. But I also think a lot of bad shit is going to happen, especially at the very start of the season.

After Carmy practically begging to meet Sydney's dad, I do think Emmanuel and Carmy will finally meet. I do not think he is going to like Carmy at the start. He is very sceptical of their whole arrangement, he knows Sydney quit for a minute and might have heard Sydney talk shit about him. And if he ever finds out what went down on opening night, I don't think he'll be too happy with Carmy. But I do think they will eventually bond and get to know each other, I think including that Sydney's dad was sober from alcohol is going to be a big conversation for them.

I think they were alluding for Natalie having some sort of complication maybe preeclampsia with her shoulder pain. I think she's going to give birth sooner rather than later. Natalie giving birth is going to bring Donna back and is what is going to get Carmy and his mother to finally see each other again after seemingly years apart.

I also think Donna and Sydney will meet. I think Natalie and Sydney are both going to try to get Carmy to at least try to give his mother a chance because they are both much more optimistic and forgiving people than him. I think it's going to cause a lot of tension between all of them because Carmy doesn't want Sydney seeing that side of his family.

Sydney's share/ownership of the restaurant comes back into question. I also think Carmy getting more credit/recognition than her in reviews or press will bother her. I think she will basically say that this place is not really hers. Someone tries to poach Sydney, Carmy freaks out. Sydney starts to consider if it is worth staying if another good opportunity comes along.

Marcus' mom is dead and gone. RIP to that lady. I think grief and how they all deal with it differently will be a big theme. Carmy ignored his grief for a long time and tried to use work to fix things. Sydney and her dad still keep her mom's memory alive but she still struggles with letting others know about her grief. I think Marcus will be letting others help him and be there for him and Sydney will be there for him. I think this will bring back things Carmy about his own grief and how he's still dealing with it.

Luca returns to fill in for him for a bit and emotional support for Marcus. Which I think will also bring us to see Competitive Carmy in full force as goes into Michelin Mode, for Syd's sake. No amusement or enjoyment. I also think this will kinda turn the crew against Carmy as they'll prefer Sydney, they kind of already do. Especially considering she was more involved in training them and in the build than he was. Plus she's just nicer than him.

Sydney will overwork herself and burn out, she won't trust Carmy on his own and will inevitably put a lot of pressure on herself. She's not going to want to quit or stop but Carmy and her Dad will be pressuring her to slow down because she's making herself sick. I think a large focus of Season 3 will be on their energy. In Season 1 it was all about the pressure of money, Season 2 about time pressure, and now they need to find the energy to keep going because they need to make back money in a set time frame. The focus on energy and their internal dynamics between them, rather than external issues like things in restaurant being broken.

Jealous Carmy. When he realizes Marcus likes Syd more than a friend, he's going to view everyone as competition and a threat, even though he's still to scared to do anything about it. I think Sydney will grow closer to Marcus and Richie and maybe even Luca or new guy Connor, not in any romantic way, but it is going to bother Carmy a lot that she never spends any time with him and that they know her outside of work but he doesn't.

Menu overhaul is inevitable, aside from Marcus dishes, most of the menu is not that remarkable and they really need to pull out new interesting ideas if they want a star. I'm sure we will see a lot more of Syd and Carmy actually testing recipes together. Carmy is just not as creative as Sydney when it comes to food, he struggled with the chaos menu. Mostly as Carmy's way to force proximity with Syd when she doesn't want to be around him.

I'm also still rooting for the return of the short rib risotto and the missing acid chaos ingredient. They have to bring it back.

Tina and/or Richie straight up comment on Sydcarmy. I think Tina knows and suspects a lot more than she lets on. She is very observant and protective over Sydney. She's overheard and seen a lot of what has been going down between them. She's going to put Carmy in his place and scare him a little on Sydney's behalf.

Richie on a similar note is going to put 2 and 2 together on what Carmy is feeling and basically tell him to stay away from Sydney because he doesn't want a Claire 2.0 to happen to her and he probably feels like Carmy does not even deserve Sydney in any way and he would just fuck things up for everyone at the restaurant.

Natalie finally says something to him and that's what finally gets him to do something and stop bottling everything in. She never commented on his relationship to anyone except Sydney, and that was more so to get her in the loop and protect her, because she knew Carmy was leading her on while seeing Claire and not telling her. She's going to subtly or not so subtly ask him wtf he is doing. I also think Jimmy fully thought Sydney was his girlfriend.

Fire Suppression System will tested for real with an actual fire. I have a lil theory that Sydney is going to be the one to accidentally start a fire next season. The fire suppression test was all a metaphor for Syd and Carmy suppressing their feelings and the spark/fire that they have. At the end of season 1 Carmy started a grease fire after Sydney quit, because he couldn't suppress his sadness and feelings for her. In season 2 they passed the fire suppression and Carmy decided to declare Claire his girlfriend. They managed to contain their feelings, but eventually they still came out with Carmy and his panic attack. But now I'm sure Sydney is going to be the one trying to suppress feelings because of how everything went down, and I think it will just blow up in her face literally and metaphorically. They spent so much time explaining the fire suppression system and the electrical wiring and the amperage of it all, that I think it's going to come into play again.

Carmy uses Sydney for emotional support without her realizing. When he texted her because he needed her comfort and forgiveness before opening Mikey's note, she didn't know that was what was happening. When he had panic attack and thought of her to calm down he used her for comfort, but she doesn't know all that. I think he's going to tell her or show her that she is his comfort person. I also think we will also see Sydney eventually reach for him for support and comfort as well.

Sydney's catering days and UPS flashback. Please I am begging. We need more of her lore. I think next season will be a lot of seeing her as more independent and being the boss, we only just started to see her at her peak performance in the last episode. I think we'll see more of her evolution, and also her flighty nature. She went from restaurant to restaurant. I think the idea of her leaving The Bear will hang around all season, but she won't leave.

Claire apology then goodbye within the same episode. Sorry to that girl. I think Carmy was already planning to breakup with her after he had the panic attack and the talk with Uncle Jimmy, which is why he freaked out when after he saw her at dinner. I don't think there would be much place for her unless they throw her into some hospital scenes with maybe Nat or Sydney being sick. I think her work here is done. I think she might make other appearances with the Faks. They are close family friends. Maybe she's friends with the elusive Francie Fak that everyone is dying to know what happened between her and Nat.

I think Richie will try to work elsewhere for a bit. He wants to prove that he doesn't need Carmy and that he can succeed without him. I think he'll come back when Sydney asks him to. The situation with him and Tiff feels very 50/50 to me. On the one hand I think it could be him learning to move on from his ex, on the other hand I think Chris and Joanna are all about second chances and I could see Tiff seeing Richie change and wanting to give things another chance.

I also think there's opportunity to see another city like we did with Copenhagen. I'm still rooting for Carmy to take Syd to Noma before it shuts down. I could also see a New York flashback episode with Carmy working at Eleven Madison and Sydney going on her NYC food tour and their whole invisible string coming together.

Not in this season, but The Bear Cookbook will happen. Trust.

And The Psychedelic Musical Episode. A girl can dream. But I do think we'll get another karaoke scene, maybe with the whole crew going out after a shift and just letting loose for once.

[slutdilf]

A Quick Break

Paring: pedro pascal X male reader

Warnings: Smut, blowjob, dirty talk (a little?), established relationship

Note: I put them in a established relationship just to make it a little easier to write. Also had pedro speak Spanish a little because I’d be a puddle on the floor if he spoke to me in Spanish

Request by: @pedropascal111 : here’s an idea I’d say during the process of filming their was a kiss scene with him and someone else but he’d always make eye contact with you every time, then they have like a little break from filming say 10 minutes or sum and yknow stuff goes down but you gotta keep quiet then go back to filming like nothing happend 🧍‍♂️😭

“Ok and action!”

The director's call snaps you to attention. The scene has started. Pedro and the costar you've been trying hard not to compare yourself with move into position. They start talking, and even through their character's bickering the connection between them is apparent.

You catch Pedro glancing over at you- was that on purpose? Did he mean for you to see the smile in his eyes? You're not sure.

A few minutes pass. The scene is ramping up. They're moving closer together...

They're practically chest to chest now, the tension in the air as thick as smoke. You bite your lip, watching anxiously. Pedro is looking straight into the costar's eyes, but even as the other actor returns Pedro's gaze, you notice your boyfriend's eyes flick in your direction again.

The scene reaches its climax. They're nearly forehead to forehead, and it's almost as if the pair don't remember that the camera is there, that other people even exist. As their lips touch and the kiss begins. You feel the jealousy in your veins building up each time you see the their lips interlocking. Thinking of you wanted to just walk onto set, grab pedro and slam your lips into his to make sure the entire crew knows that he’s your boyfriend.

The director calls, "Cut, perfect, let’s take 10 and we can rendezvous for the final take of the episode. " The costars disengages fading into her dressing room as Pedro almost instinctively makes his way over towards you.

"Hey," he grins as he reaches you. "You alright?"

You nod, but you don't really know how to put into words the mix of emotions you're feeling.

Sensing your unease, Pedro takes your hand in his own and raises it to his lips, kissing it softly. "Come on. I've got a little break before the next scene. Let's go somewhere private."

He leads you over to a small room and closes the door behind you. The room contains little more than a couch, small table, and a mirror set up for makeup.

Pedro takes a seat next to you on the couch and tugs you into his lap. Pressing a kiss into your shoulder, he murmurs, "You looked so unhappy watching that scene. Jealous, perhaps?"

You freeze, not quite knowing how to respond. Pedro chuckles, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you closer against him.

"Don't be mad, cariño. Acting isn't real. I love *you*."

He nuzzles your neck softly, his lips caressing your sensitive skin.

Despite his reassurances, a little ember of jealousy still smolders in your chest. As Pedro continues to kiss along the column of your throat, his lips finding the spot just behind your ear that he knows you’re sensitive to, you pout a bit.

"It looked real," you mutter petulantly.

"Yeah, like I said, I'm an actor," he replies, nipping gently at your earlobe. "But it's all fake, I promise. I don't feel this way about anyone but you."

With a light movement, he rolls the two of you so that you're lying lengthwise on the couch, your head resting back on the arm rest as he cages you beneath his body.

He lowers his mouth to your neck once more, this time focusing on the junction where it meets your shoulder. You let out a soft gasp as he mouths the sensitive skin, his lips leaving a trail of heat as they move down towards the collar of your shirt.

Between kisses, he asks, "Am I going to have to prove myself to you?"

His lips have found the hollow of your collarbone, and he begins biting and sucking in a way that you know is going to leave a mark. You moan, the sound escaping from your lips before you can control it.

"*Yes,*" you reply in a strangled whisper.

"That's what I was hoping you'd say."

Pedro lifts his head just long enough to flash you a cocky grin before he dives right back into his work, his mouth closing over yours. The kiss is hot and hungry, his tongue pushing impatiently between your lips. He slides his hips forward, pressing his body down against yours.

The weight of his body on top of you, the pressure of his hips against your thighs- something about it is making it hard for you to think straight. You feel your hands slide up into his hair, your fingers wrapping around the dark strands and pulling him closer.

Pedro groans into your mouth, the sound more growl than anything else. He pulls his mouth away from yours just long enough to pant out, “can’t wait to get you home tonight”

His face lowers again, this time finding its target further down on your body. He mouths down your neck, across your chest, and when he reaches the V of exposed skin above your collarbone a shiver runs through you.

He tugs at the hem of your shirt. "But right now I’ve got 10 minutes so let’s make this quick."

The word comes out as a command, and the authority in his voice has you complying almost before you know what you're doing.

Your shirt hits the floor, and then his mouth is back on you again, teeth and lips teasing your skin. He drags his tongue along each rib, leaving a burning stripe in its wake. When he reaches your stomach he pauses, glancing up at you through his eyelashes.

"You still mad at me, mi amor?" he asks, his tone slightly mocking.

You open your mouth to protest, but can't manage to form any words when his tongue traces a slow line just above the waistband of your pants. The only thing that comes out is a breathless moan.

Pedro's eyes flash with satisfaction at the sound. "Thought so."

With a lazy smirk he sinks to his knees between your legs. His hands slide along your thighs, pushing your legs apart.

You gasp as he tugs you forward as much as the edge of the couch will allow, settling himself between your legs. Your hands tighten into fists around the material of the couch cushion as his fingers make quick work of the button of your pants.

He starts to ease the material down over your hips, and you lift them to help him. Soon your pants fall to the floor, and you're left in only your underwear and whatever will be left of your dignity.

Pedro grins as he takes in the sight of you. "Mi Carinõ," he exclaims, his Spanish voice melting you. He knew how much you melted into a puddle when he spoke in his native tongue. You didn’t know what about it made you so turned on, but Pedro knew it did and used to his advantage at any given moment.

Still keeping eye contact with you, he leans forward, his breath hot on your stomach. He places a small kiss on your abdomen, just below your belly button. And then another just below that. And another.

He continues the slow line of kisses all the way down to the edge of your underwear.

Pedro's hands are moving up and down your legs, caressing your skin like it's the most precious thing in the world. Every touch is sending sparks through your body, and you can feel the heat building between your legs.

"Pedro," you gasp, "please-"

He looks up at you again, one eyebrow raised. "Please? Please what, love?"

His tone is innocent, as if he's trying not to laugh, and you want to strangle him for acting like you weren’t completely at his mercy right now you wanted to strangle that teasing smirk and then kiss his stupid face so badly.

"You know what I mean," you whine, and immediately curse yourself for how pathetic it makes you sound.

Pedro chuckles darkly, his hands still roaming up and down your thighs. "Do I?" he teases. "I need you to use your words, cariño."

In response, you grind your hips up against him, desperate for any friction. A groan falls from his lips as the movement pushes your aching need against the line of his jaw, and you can practically feel his smirk on your skin as he nuzzles your bulge

He begins mouthing at the shape of you through your underwear, applying just the *perfect* amount of pressure. You let out a moan, unable to keep quiet anymore, and instantly one of Pedro's hands is over your mouth.

"Shhh," he hisses into your skin. "We're supposed to be being quick, remember? You don't want the whole crew to hear you, do you?"

You bite down on your lip, determined not to let any more sounds escape. Pedro grins. "That's a good boy."

With those words he hooks his fingers over the top of your underwear, and slowly, slowly begins working them down over your thighs.

“Mmm…” pedro hums burying his face into your groin and taking a deep breath as he looks at you with almost puppy dog eyes as if he’s just completely enamoured by your presence. You run your hand through his fluffy hair his brownish black locks tangling in your fingers.

Pedro moves his mouth down to your length taking you in his nose touching your abdomen as he takes you in whole. His tongue swirling around the head of your cock.

You were biting your lip hard you were sure you could taste a small amount of blood from just how much. But that was the least of your concerns right now. Soft small muffled quiet whimpers escaping your mouth as you try to keep quiet while Pedro works his mouth on your dick.

You wanted to scream in pure ecstasy and pleasure but you couldn’t you were doing everything you could to muffle those moans biting your lip, burying your head into the cushions of the sofa, biting the edge of the cushion. But nothing could stop the small little whimpers. As pedro bobs his head up and down pumping your hard length with his mouth. Your hand gripping his hair tightly tugging at him more and more as you could feel the pressure of your release

With almost every nerve your body has to stop the sounds from leaving your mouth. You let out a whimper that echos the room. As you cum. Followed by a deep groan from Pedro and then a small little gulp.

Pedro extracts his mouth from you and looks at you with those enamoured puppy dog eyes again. The remnants of your release on his lips.

So lost in the moment of both of your pure joyful and blissful thoughts you snap your head to the door as it knocks and the voice of a set boy is heard “Mr pascal we start in 30 seconds.”

“Be right there.” Pedro says back in a voice so nonchalant like he wasn’t just giving you the most wild blowjob you’ve gotten.

At that moment Pedro stands up and wipes his mouth and looks in the mirror “you ruined my hair.” He grumbles in a slight teasing tone. You got up and raised your hand into his hair ruffling it messing it more than it already was.

“You cheeky little-“ Pedro says in a laugh as he tries to comb it back to how it was prior to the break. With what little seconds you had to spare you both quickly got yourself into a normal looking state to head out.

Pedro heads out his hand intertwined in your hand as he walks to the set he looks at you as he raises your hand to his lips “be right back.” He whispers as he lets your hand go.

You saw his facial expression almost immediately change into his acting face as the director yelled “Action.”

You watched the rest of the filming process with less jealousy this time around knowing that pedro did indeed love you and that the work on set was just a fake experience.

[l-in-the-light]

The most embarrassing series of posts about Lawlu you will ever read: edition Zou (part 11)

Let's continue the "love is a hurricane" tale after the small break :D This time we finish up Zou and get ready for hard decisions to be made and undesired seperation approaching!

A reminder that in Punk Hazard Luffy immediately picked up on Joker and inquired Law to know more, because he realized Law is somehow connected to that person. Picture below for comparison's sake:

But on Zou Lufy learns Sanji is connected to Germa and he doesn't care nor does he want to know anything more. Even Nami is slightly taken aback (though it's Luffy's usual behaviour here!), but that's also because she realized for the first time that Sanji was lying all this time to them and she doesn't know what to think about it.

Law is getting special treatment, basically became Luffy's special interest, and he has no idea about it!

Again, Luffy intends to go alone and do his best not to declare the war on Big Mom in the process. That's because he has his alliance with Law and they can't afford an extra side conflict on the way. Now, would Luffy care about any of that, if it wasn't Law he was having an alliance with? My bet's still on "no".

Still remembering Neko Mamushi's name and that's because he knows seeing Neko Mamushi means he will see Heart Pirates and Law if he sticks around, heh.

Now let's look at things from Law's perspective, even if just for the laughs, shall we? He went to see his Heart Pirates, spent some time with them, then relayed a message to Luffy through Pedro that they're waiting for Strawhats to join them (because remember? Heart Pirates can't leave the whale forest!). Law then learns that either 1. Luffy never joins them 2. Pedro tells him Luffy said "later".

So the result is that Law arrives here seeking Luffy (just like Luffy wanted him to, btw), but I wonder what he might be thinking... "how dare you, Mugiwara-ya, I told you to come and you have more important matters?!" or perhaps "Are they in some kind of trouble? Mugiwara-ya is always in trouble, so it's not unlikely, maybe I should go and check things out". Personally, my bet is on a mix of both, seeing his rather unhappy face above when he looks at Strawhats doing some shanenigans with Nekomamushi haha.

And this is the scene that welcomes Law as he finds Luffy and his crew. He's clearly confused by whatever is happening in front of him. And then Luffy notices him like *immediately* and greets him with huge enthusiasm. Because of course he would, he was trying to be so brave and not miss him every second they're apart, and yet that immediate reaction proves us that Law was constantly on his mind anyway and his eyes were always looking around to spot him the very moment he will arrive. Which is exactly what happened.

Now let's take a look at Law curiously holding his sword in both hands, because there's a story there, shown to us only through visual language. His sword was resting on his arm, but for some reason he grabs it after he witnessed all the chaos. Just a moment later it will return back to his shoulder again. Why?

Just take a look at this:

Remember how he did the same thing much, much earlier in same arc? He grabbed his sword when he sensed danger or a stranger approaching them (just like Zoro). This is how he prepares to unshield his Kikoku so he can be ready to attack, if neccessary, but he unshields his sword only when he feels malignant intent. A good swordsman is always on alert, after all!

And he does the exactly same thing when he looks at the commotion around Luffy and Nekomamushi (but he's a bit more cautious here). He sees the ruckus and his first instinct isn't to question Luffy or scold him for causing trouble. Nah, none of that. His very first reaction is to take his weapon and prepare to fight, because if Luffy is in danger, it's his duty to help! Ain't that freaking sweet? :D and all of that shown without any words needed, heh.

"I came to give you an introduction", he says while his eyes aren't even visible, so we know he's telling us bullshit :D (also notice, the sword is back on his shoulder, because Luffy's cheerful greeting put his mind at ease that he doesn't have to attack anyone and that everything is alright!)

Heart Pirates look like they lowkey rehearsed that introduction pose. They remind me of heroes from some Power Rangers show. I wonder if that's how wacky Sora Warrior of the Sea comic is :D because we can expect that if Law is a fan, all of his North Blue crew is as well. They look so goofy and cheerful in comparison to his stoic, cool and broody energy.

Luffy's like "yo!!", because he actually met them already, this is his second time when he sees them and had some interaction with them at Zou, so it's not like he woud need introduction, lol (sneaky Luffy is a mood, I swear). But why would Luffy care if he got a proper introduction or not anyway? After all he didn't do one for Law either! In fact I don't think Luffy ever did any introductions before.

And it's true ever since the beginning of the manga. Nami didn't get introduced to Zoro, Zoro didn't get introduced to Nami (he had to ask her himself who she is!). The best they can get is "this is going to be our crewmate/navigator", no names included. Lol. That also explains why Zoro is so used to Luffy's crap and in Punk Hazard he just stays around Law and doesn't question it, until the guy goes towards Sunny, lol. Just see it for yourself below:

And all of this happened despite Law asking Luffy to "let the rest of his crew know". Usually Luffy not making any introductions slips our minds, because whenever new crewmate appears they're all together so it's not even an issue. But sometimes, we get reminded Luffy didn't really learn manners and this is one of those examples. Law remembers the offense though.

Especially after Luffy told him he would do that. But he never did. LOL.

Just look at those frames right next to each other. Luffy tells them to "get along" (nakayoku), and Law, after refusing to introduce his Hearts crew to Luffy, says the same line but with negation "You don't have to get along". That's his revenge, right there. Luffy didn't introduce his crew to him, so Law is not gonna introduce his Hearts to him either. Ba dum tss.

Luffy is completely unaffected by it, because it's Luffy. The ones who are actually affected are Hearts and they boo their captain for it. They call him out for his bullshit behaviour, which makes me think that 1. they're allowed to complain whenever they feel like (around timeskip they also complained to Law that they want to go already to the New World). 2. Law usually DOES give introductions, because they're completely dumbfounded by this situation.

You all still need more proof this was Law's revenge? :D And if you believe this now, I need to remind you that my deduction about Law's nicknames for Strawhats all the way back in part 4 of this analysis series is probably true as well: he did not recognize Franky, Usopp and Brook, because the last time he checked on Strawhats was around Sabaody and when they returned after timeskip he was already stuck in Punk Hazard, not able to read the newest info on them.

Now let's take a look at this scene, in which Law scolds Luffy for "letting" Sanji go with Big Mom. On the surface level, nothing unusual, right? After all it's just yet another scene in which Law is worried and scolding Luffy. Except that Law never did that before when it comes to Luffy's own crew. Law knows this is an alliance, Luffy is the captain of his crew, he's the one responsible for them, not Law. In Punk Hazard Law made sure to always leave things up to Luffy when it concerned his crew, always doing the "relay the message to your crew" attempt and never telling them anything directly.

But here, in Zou, Law is openly scolding Luffy *in front of his own crew* about the situation with Sanji, a Strawhat. Honestly, it seems like he's stepping here completely out of line. It's almost like Law is part of Strawhats and has the right to be angry at the situation, not just voice his concern as an ally. This is the moment that Law starts seriously treating Strawhats like they are his second crew, imo. There's no artificial distance anymore, no "I'm just allied with them, I have to know my place" frame of mind. Whatever concerns Strawhats is clearly Law's problem as well now. It kinda started already in Dressrosa, when Law told half of the crew to just sail off to Zou, but then the situation was different, they were in danger, it could be seen as emergency situation. Zou though? No excuses here, Mr Trafalgar Law. Are you sure this is just an alliance to you?

Law finally voices his real thoughts here, because he doesn't want Zou to suffer even more than it did already (it is homeland of his friend Bepo after all). And he's throwing back the same argument Luffy threw at him in Dressrosa! Luffy looks like he's actually at a loss here and no wonder, because what can they do? Let's look at things from Luffy's perspective. His crewmate is stuck with Big Mom, they have to go to Kaido but can't yet, and they also can't stay here at Zou because they're putting minks at risk. Their options are very limited and situation is very complicated, Law made sure Luffy understands it. But their talk is interrupted by the minks so we will never know in which direction Law actually wanted to take it (we can tell from Luffy's face that Luffy is not gonna offer any actual feedback here). Or do we have a hunch about that actually?

Let's look at the title of the chapter, with Vivi on the cover (we all know she actually wanted to tell Luffy to "take her with him", but she had responsibilities to the country she also deeply loved, so she's also relevant for this chapter's title!), Luffy asks Pekoms to take him with him... and curiously enough Law shouts at Luffy, making the exactly same face expression. Maybe that's the direction he actually wanted the talk to go? It would fit his personality ngl, that he wouldn't want to leave Luffy to go alone to another Emperor's territory, without any decent plan. Especially because we know how much he worries for him all the time.

Feasting, Strawhats and Hearts bonding happily together. Even Pandaman joined in! Not Law though lol.

Ninja time :D Strawhats really push the agenda that there's no shame in loving ninjas and other cool stuff. They have so many requests too! That must have influenced Law that it's alright to voice his own request as well (but he waits with it, hoping maybe someone else can voice it first, so he doesn't have to, haha). He's murmuring it and it fits him so well, because he's not one to admit too openly how much he wants to actually see it, which makes this scene all the more special. Strawhats, and especially Luffy, really have a good influence on him. Even Zoro joins in, right after Law, probably to show support like a good bro he is.

And Raizou starts his show from Law's request! What a great guy Raizou is <3 Law's impressed face is so funny, especially in comparison to Luffy's and Usopp's, haha.

Law is so surprised at being asked for the help as well. His eyes are like "what? why me as well?". As much as Law likes to be appreciated and recognized as the captain of his own crew, he also doesn't really expect the extra attention he sometimes is getting. Unlike Luffy who is more or less used to it already.

Luffy, surprisingly enough, proposes Momo an alliance. They're not beating up Kaido instead of samurai, they're cooperating together. What's important here to note is that Luffy did that because Momo was begging him, like he's inferior to Luffy, almost like a servant. Luffy stops him, wants him to raise his head and instead join hands. He even makes sure to talk to Momo on the same eye level when he proposes the alliance, because people in alliance are equal. But where did Luffy learn that from?

Perhaps Law, who is always trying to speak to Luffy on same eye level, especially (but not only) when it's about important stuff. There's at least one scene like that in every arc. In Punk Hazard when they're captured Luffy is half-lying on the floor in a stupid position. Law is lying in exactly same way instead of trying to present himself to look cool, like he usually does. Why? Because if he sat up he wouldn't be on same eye level as Luffy. In Dressrosa, Luffy even tries to speak to Law who is lying down on Moocy on same eye level as well, by leaning down as much as he can (which is sweet of him, but not exactly working out in these circumenstances <3). On Zou Law comes closer and talks about stuff with Luffy on the stairs, because it's the easiest way to casually stand on eye level if he just stays one step below. And in Wano, Law also remembers about eye level. He even leans down to speak to Luffy. It doesn't matter that they're quarreling, eye level is a sacred rule, no disrespectfully placing yourself above your Luffy ally is ever allowed!

That's why when Luffy says this, I think Law kinda expects him to finish with different word. "Don't ever bow your heads, don't get down on the ground, because an alliance means we're equal!" is what Law would want to hear, seeing how he acts around Luffy. But he gets a "means we're friends" instead which throws him off so much he can't be quiet about it. Still, he doesn't scold Luffy for this and accepts that if it means friendship then it's friendship, and he does become friends with Kinemon as the result. Even if Luffy got it wrong, Law is gonna follow through with it. After all, he chose this fate for himself when he first proposed Luffy an alliance. If Luffy thinks it's about friendship, so be it friendship. In Law's novel we can see that Law doesn't really have a problem making friends, especially with people he saved before.

But did Luffy actually get it wrong? I feel like he played Law a little here, because Luffy clearly understands what equality is. He pushed Law's boundaries a little bit further to open him up to people. Alliances are nice, but friendships are nicer. And Luffy wants Law to make some new friends instead of keeping himself always at a distance. But since this is Luffy we're talking about, it might also be as simple as him thinking friendship means equality, and actually: he's not wrong about that part, definitely.

And I love how Law grumpily asks Luffy why the latter didn't ask about his own opinion. Luffy is like "But I knew already that you would say yes. Am I wrong about that?", and of course he's not, but he should have still asked anyway instead of deciding for both of them, even if he knows Law well enough already to assume his stance on all of this. It's not just about having faith in another person's beliefs, but it's also important to make sure they're on the same page already. What if Law had some important doubts to voice before agreeing? Luffy couldn't have guessed that.

It's actually like that all the time in their alliance. Law only protests or complains when he wants Luffy to notice some stuff, even if it seems REALLY nitpicky overall. He never does that when things get done (no matter in which way as long as the end goal is met), or when he already agreed to stuff (even if he doesn't like the consequences it led to). There's really just two scenarios in which he minds: it's when Luffy misses the mark about something important or when Law is worried like hell.

Do you think he acts angry here because Luffy already knows perfectly well what Law's own answer will be? Or is he annoyed by Luffy's confidence in Law's answer without even having to ask him first? Or maybe salty that he can't deny? I wonder if he realizes how much Luffy is actually paying attention to him.

And a new friendship alliance is completed :D Law even joins in for "hand bumping" part, because Luffy earlier declared "joining hands" is an important part of making an alliance. They never joined hands in Punk Hazard, but here Law actually listens to Luffy and follows through (despite his own touch-related trauma!).

After they leave the whale, Law seems to be deep in thought. Maybe he's returning back to the talk they had about Sanji's situation and deciding which would be the best course of action now for Law himself to take. Should he go with Luffy? Or would it be better to move on to Wano and just have faith that Luffy can push through without him?

Seems he reached his decision. Faith in Luffy, it is.

Look here. Before the whole earth shaking incident happened Law is far away (and out of frame), but the very moment situation gets unpredictable and dangerous, he positions himself close to Luffy, just so he can protect him if needed. He's also the only one capable of keeping his balance, Mr Steady Two Legs No Matter What Is Happening. Of course in this situation, when no one else can even stand anymore, he knows he's needed more than ever in case something even worse could happen.

Law doesn't say anything, but he is there when Luffy's group is leaving. He also clenches his fist, probably trying to stay strong in his resolve and decision (to go to Wano instead of with Luffy), but you can guess already how Trafalgar Law operates: he's most likely worried af under that stoic resting bitch face. Luffy is unusually cheerful on their parting. It's almost like the callback to their reunion at Punk Hazard, when he flashes Law the most beaming smile we ever saw Luffy do. And here it's the same. I bet you anything the reason is the same in both cases: he wants a certain someone to stop worrying over him so much and he does that by smiling the brightest he can, to show that things will be alright.

Because let's face it, samurais won't be worried about Luffy here (why would they? Kinemon truly believes Luffy to be so very strong!), neither would be the Strawhats crew (they believe in their captain and instead tell Luffy not to worry about them!). But Law? He would worry no matter what, it's just the way he is. That smile from Luffy is so bright mostly for Law.

And then Luffy yeets them off the elephant, and I'm sure it does not help Trafalgar Law to feel less worried, haha. Luffy's idea here is to show Law that he's not gonna waste time and will take the shortest possible route, so they can reunite as fast as they can. It's the same mindset he had in Dressrosa: jumping off the cliff to save them time. And indeed Law probably had a flashback to that in this moment, but he does not hold such fond memory of it like Luffy does, lol. He's like "that idiot is doing it again!".

Suffer Law suffer, because you will never stop worrying about this little dumbass you care about so very much!

[kirbybecomesastarwarrior]

Why doesn't Marx want Kirby to forgive him, is it just the guilt thing?

Long story short, this is a combination of "the fear of getting hurt/rejected" & "shame and guilt," which results in self-sabotaging, but the main reason is...

HAMELIN REALLY MESSED UP MARX!

So, like Kirby with Cappytown... Marx was Hamelin's hero, but they betrayed him and thus turned to the dark side.

This all ties into his initial hatred for Kirby... he's very much angry at his former self for being so foolishly naive, and Kirby's good nature is too reminiscent of his former self.

That also makes it the main reason he could never truly hate Kirby... a younger self that he can't help but connect with. Leading to his "fake friend act" to accidentally grow to care for him and actually want him as a friend.

However, Marx knows he deceives Kirby the same way the people of Hamelin did to him... "pretending they cared for him." Using the very same methods, the townsfolk did to him... ("became what he hated")

This is why Marx doesn't have the heart to forgive himself... even though Kirby was always ready to forgive him and welcome him back with open arms. Because he knows he can never forgive the people of Hamelin... Why should Kirby? And, of course, he does!

The restoration of a friendship between Marx & Kirby happens~, But unlike the people of Hamelin, Kirby has this unconditional love for Marx and wants more than anything to have him back in his life.

I'd say these events happened after Planet Robboot... Marx finally makes his return and "saves Kirby?!" (I'm not gonna reveal from what because of spoilers)

With my interpretation of Marx, I wanted to take him into a sympathetic route (to make him stand out from the others). He still has the sass and mischievous charm, but I wanted to give him a proper reason why he is the way he is. It's a more heartfelt version of Marx that Kirby would want to be friends with and him in turn.

Marx represents "self-worth"; if people don't appreciate or treat you the way you deserve, then they don't deserve you. (Minus the piping all the Dark Matter back into the town as revenge...) KNOW YOUR WORTH AS A PERSON PEOPLE!

And he stands as one of the main reasons why Kirby ultimately chooses to become a star warrior. Moved out of the Popstar to travel and pursue his aspirations & dreams.

Please keep reading for spoilers & quick bonus comic~

So Arthur pretty much reveals Marx's backstory to the rest of the Kirby gang... and needless to say, they're speechless!

He still doesn't want to be forgiven, so he stays with Magolor (which I cover here with Magolor's lore), but yeah, of course, Marx opened up to Mags about Hamelin. And that's why Mags is there, while Kirby & Marx are back in his place telling his story to Kirby. (Kirby saw it because of "empathic touch" but didn't know the exact details of it..)

And Dragato, yeah, he was already on his redemption arc (Falspar's already went through his with Fluff, so he's there for moral support, plus it's the reason why Arthur partnered up together).... he already knew he messed up. But now, hearing the full story that he was, not only did he fall for the people of Hamelin's lies, but... MARX WAS THEIR HERO. (I know kinda of shoehorned the crew for the sake of missing the gang, I just missed them I had to...)

There's actually a small bit of tragedy... while the adults sold Marx out, the children who really loved him would've vouched for him... it'll tie back into his character later.

And I know it seems like I'm painting Dragato in such a bad light, but it's part of his character development. And for those of you who don't know... HIS MENTOR WAS DAME MORGAN (LE FAYE)! So yeah, high standards, little affection, never impressed~

Which is why I still need to establish her a bit more! More Morgan coming up soon

I'm trying to get to the old asks I wasn't able to answer before (since I was still developing the lore...) And I just need a little break from the tournament plus, I've been working on some Kirfluff stuff for Oct.: Kirfluff week!

Also, little funny side notes and gags' "Hero to Zero... Hercules" reference and Mag's little side comment. Based on the meme, "you ruined a perfectly good child..."

So, hope you guys enjoyed it!

[atiny-for-life]

Ateez's Full Storyline Explained - THE MEMBERS (A-World)

Masterlist

This is fully focused on Ateez from the A-World since we don't yet have much backstory on the Black Pirates' individually. Thus far, even all I could gather on their shared history is largely speculation based on the Thanxx MV.

SIDE-NOTE: The majority of their backstory is easily found in their Diary Film which was released prior to the Inception MV. But for further details, look to the Fever Part 1 Diary Entries.

HONGJOONG

BACKSTORY

He comes from a troubled or at least not particularly close-knit family - they all moved away as he grew up, splitting up across the world and leaving him behind

When he was younger, before he met Ateez, he didn't have a dream and struggled to see the worth in life - he tried to please his parents with his grades but otherwise felt trapped in a pointless routine

After meeting Ateez and bonding over a shared love for music and performing, he finally got a dream: to become a star and be seen by his family so he can reunite them

But until then, he sees his fellow Ateez members as his main family

Him, Seonghwa and Yunho seem to have known each other the longest and were regularly performing in the streets as a trio

ROLE IN Z-WORLD (FEVER/TREASURE/THE WORLD SERIES):

He naturally took on the role as Captain since he was the first in their hideout and brought the rest of them together; additionally, he was also the one to be handed the Cromer by his alternate self

This role was likely also strengthened by Yunho who's been with him the longest alongside Seonghwa, and sees hints of his dead older brother in Hongjoong and thus tends to look to him for advice

In addition to his position as Captain, he'll also fulfill whichever other role is needed for their missions just like the rest of his crew

Frequently displayed character traits: passion, character strength, leadership, cleverness, caution, intuitivity, loyalty, bravery

CURRENT ROLE (AFTER 3 YEAR TIME SKIP):

He's lonely, missing his members who drifted apart after their permanent return to A-World

In order to ensure he won't forget their adventures, even as time keeps passing, he documented their shared journey on a blog which blew up in popularity, leading him to turn his entries into a full blwon novel

Now, he's got it all: a best-selling book, a family who returned to him, fame, but alone in his room at night, he still feels empty

SEONGHWA

BACKSTORY

His outlook on music was permanently altered when he witnessed a girl with a 'Be Free' bracelet dance

He was part of the original Ateez trio alongside Yunho and Hongjoong

ROLE IN Z-WORLD (FEVER/TREASURE/THE WORLD SERIES):

His unique connection to the 'Be Free' girl transcends realities and has allowed the fusion of the currently two biggest known revolutionary groups in the Z-World (see: Will - The World Ep. Fin Diary Entries)

As a result, I would describe his current role as a mediator between Ateez/The Black Pirates and Thunder since he's so far been the most willing to extend good faith toward Thunder and learn about their backstory

Previously, like most other members, he simply took on whichever role was needed for the current mission

Frequently displayed character traits: intuitivity, kindness, trust, loyalty

CURRENT ROLE (AFTER 3 YEAR TIME SKIP):

After struggling majorly with anxiety and trying to cope with the trauma the Z-World inflicted on them, Seonghwa threw himself into his studies and later became a firefighter

There are fulfilling elements to saving people in this way, but he still can't forget their shared dream of making it in the music scene

He has yet to read Hongjoong's book, having kept it on his desk since it came out

YUNHO

BACKSTORY

His older brother died in a car accident after giving up his dream of becoming a musician

As means of fulfilling his brother's dream post-mortem, Yunho wants to work alongside Ateez and establish a successful music career

Yunho admires Hongjoong as a person and artist but also feels he resembles his older brother which surely influenced how he originally viewed Hongjoong and why he's always looked to him for guidance

He, alongside Seonghwa, has also known Hongjoong the longest and used to be a street performer trio with them

Prior to his brother's accident, he spent a lot of time riding around on his motorcycle with a separate friend group

ROLE IN Z-WORLD (FEVER/TREASURE/THE WORLD SERIES):

He was the first to establish an emotional bond with Left-Eye, who is still one of their first and closest allies, when they bonded over their shared loss of a loved one and lingering survivors guilt (see: Fever Part 3 Diary Entries)

Other than that, he'll fulfill any role needed, such as utilizing his established ability to operate a motorcycle and whatever else is needed (though it does seem like all of Ateez have learned to drive pretty much any street vehicle since they've arrived in the Z-World)

Frequently displayed character traits: honesty, empathy, loyalty, bravery

CURRENT ROLE (AFTER 3 YEAR TIME SKIP):

He became disillusioned with their world, recognizing it as colder than the Z-World - people don't care about each other, just about themselves

After the situation with Ateez fell apart, he threw himself into archaeology, hoping to find another artifact like the Cromer which could reunite them for another adventure

YEOSANG

BACKSTORY:

He comes from a very strict household

His parents, especially his father, had already planned out his entire life and filled his days to the brim with schedules, such as violin practice

As a result, he felt trapped his entire life (like a caged bird) to the point where he compared his upbringing to Strictland upon first arriving in the Z-World (see: Fever Part 2 Diary Entries)

His only escape was studying the inner workings of machines which is how he taught himself the basics of engineering and robotics

He was the last to join Ateez and got in by building them a drone upon their request

ROLE IN Z-WORLD (FEVER/TREASURE/THE WORLD SERIES):

He's in charge of controlling the surveillance butterflies seen in Will - The World Ep. Fin Diary Entries which tells me he's still their main tech-guy

This role is also highlighted in Guerrilla when we see him inside the surveillance van

Frequently displayed character traits: self-blame/guilt, self-sacrifice, loyalty, quick thinking, bravery

CURRENT ROLE (AFTER 3 YEAR TIME SKIP):

Yeosang recognized money as the biggest obstacle between Ateez and achieving their dream so he decided to tackle the problem head on

Reinventing himself, he became a leader of the investment world - profit in mind but also investing in the arts on the side, even if that meant losing money

He's the one who invested in Hongjoong's authorial debut

SAN

BACKSTORY:

He was forced to move around a lot growing up which left him lonely and isolated

Ateez were his first real friends and he was desperate to stay with them, even when his family already planned the next move

His strong longing for a fixed friend group carry into his current behavior and reflect in his emotional reactions to certain situations, i.e. his immense devastation when they first lost Yeosang, his outrage when he found out Android Guardians burn prisoners' treasured memories

ROLE IN Z-WORLD (FEVER/TREASURE/THE WORLD SERIES):

He has no set primary role, so he'll also simply execute whatever part of the mission is assigned to him, such as playing the decoy (see: Guerrilla)

Frequently displayed character traits: strong sense of justice, bravery, loyalty, empathy, sensitivity

CURRENT ROLE (AFTER 3 YEAR TIME SKIP):

San started his own business after Ateez drifted apart, a food truck, and ended up in Jeju where he got to meet a lot of people as he prepared their food and watched them eat with their loved ones

Through their shared conversations, he quickly learned most never got to live out their dreams and wondered if it was time for him to accept his fate may be sharing the same fate

MINGI

BACKSTORY:

He grew up in poverty and with no family left except his grandmother

He's been suicidal since he was young which led to him building up walls that keep others from getting too close

However, he's known Wooyoung since elementary school and Wooyoung's persistence eventually wore Mingi down and they got closer

Since then, Wooyoung was the only one who could make Mingi laugh

Wooyoung was also the one who introduced Mingo to the rest of Ateez (i.e. Hongjoong, Seonghwa and Yunho)

Once all of Ateez had been established, Mingi's grandmother got into some kind of accident which made Mingi relapse and shut down since he felt like he wasn't allowed to be happy while his grandmother was so close to death

His resulting decision to fully depart from Ateez had him call their dreams meaningless, upon which Jongho became enraged enough to lash out and punch him but Yunho intervened before it could escalate further than that one punch

His mental well-being was brought up again when he overheard Left-Eye talk to the Grimes siblings about their lingering hope to fix the state of the Z-World because it led him to realize how powerful dancing could be and how much he'd been letting the past affect the way he sees the world (see: Fever Part 3 Diary Entries)

ROLE IN Z-WORLD (FEVER/TREASURE/THE WORLD SERIES):

He has no designated role, but did recently team up with childhood friend Wooyoung to go undercover as security guards at Prestige Academy during their mission (see: Outlaw - The World Ep. 2 Diary Entries)

He unfortunately also got traumatized during another mission when the Prestige Academy boy's brother died right in front of him and he was left to take out a bunch of Android Guardians by himself without time to process what he'd just witnessed (see: Will - The World Ep. Fin Diary Entries)

Frequently displayed character traits: bravery, quick thinking, empathy

CURRENT ROLE (AFTER 3 YEAR TIME SKIP):

Despite coming from a broken home, Mingi made it big, becoming a professional model for a fashion magazine working with high-end designers

His social media was flooded with adoring comments, his influence far reaching, but he still couldn't help but get captivated by a group of boys busking on the side of the road

When he tried to distract himself from the memories, he came across a video of Hongjoong reuniting with his family

WOOYOUNG

BACKSTORY:

He grew up alongside Mingi and wormed his way into Mingi's life despite the strong walls Mingi had put up

Whenever he feels shy, he'll laugh it off and when he's scared, he'll keep talking until it wears off

He doesn't mind being teased for his habits

He had a strong desire to be a performer but was dealing with intense stage fright until he met Hongjoong, Seonghwa and Yunho at a street performance and they took him under his wing and helped him overcome his fear

Once he became a member, he introduced Mingi who proceeded to join the group as well

ROLE IN Z-WORLD (FEVER/TREASURE/THE WORLD SERIES):

He has no set role but the injury he sustained during the first Android Guardian raid they experienced in the Z-World (see: Fever Part 2 Diary Entries), did lead them to finding out about Left Eye's existence and connect with the Grimes siblings who were then the catalyst behind the establishment of Thunder (see: Will - The World Ep. Fin Diary Entries)

Frequently displayed character traits: nosiness/curiosity, playfulness, quick thinking, bravery, loyalty

CURRENT ROLE (AFTER 3 YEAR TIME SKIP):

Struggling with dread and anxiety after their return from Z-World, Wooyoung was desperate to get back on stage but couldn't see Ateez making it there after their many failed attempts to grab the public's attention

He became a flight attendant instead, making the plane his stage - their guests adored him

On his latest flight, Yunho and Mingi just happened to be on the plane

JONGHO

BACKSTORY:

His original dream was to become a pro basketball player but a serious ankle injury shattered that dream and made him feel like his life was over

Meeting Ateez became his second big dream

When Mingi tried to walk away from all of them and called their dreams meaningless, Jongho felt betrayed and like his dream was being taken from him and lashed out - he gets reminded of this incident again in the Fever Epilogue Diary Entries

ROLE IN Z-WORLD (FEVER/TREASURE/THE WORLD SERIES):

His trauma from his past as a basketball player is further explored in the Fever Part 2 and Part 3 Diary Entries but since then, he seems to have moved on and left it in the past

Like most of the other members, he has no set role and will fulfill necessary roles as needed

Frequently displayed character traits: bravery, commitment, quick thinking, loyalty

CURRENT ROLE (AFTER 3 YEAR TIME SKIP):

Jongho became a songwriter for an idol group after getting signed by a label who approached him after hearing a song he recorded with the members

After breaking up a fight between the boys he now worked with, he thought back to his own argument with Mingi so long ago and got lost in the memories

Putting on the song they'd recorded together so long ago, he cranked up the volume and felt the painful ache caused by the sound of their voices singing his song

[honeybeezgobzzzzz]

☠️ Something Dread, Something Red: Chapter Thirteen

Something Dread, Something Red: Stuck in a proposal to a Marine Commodore, you escape minutes before your wedding in one last ditch effort to avoid getting married to a tyrant. Barely making it to the port of your town, you stumble across a ship just starting to leave and beg for passage off the island. You fail to notice that the people you beg for help, are pirates.

Warnings: Injuries, Wound Care.

To Note: “Red Haired” Shanks x FemReader

Word Count: ~3.0k

Previous | Masterlist | Next

You have your arms crossed and a slightly agitated look on your face as Shanks and the men head off to do their next ‘pirate thing.’ Of course, you aren’t allowed to go; they all say they don’t want you exposed to their pirating. But that doesn’t mean you’re happy about being left behind. You find yourself playing with the ruby necklace hanging around your neck, a necklace you had begrudgingly accepted on the last island you stopped at. Shanks hadn’t let you refuse the necklace; he’d been quite adamant about it…

“Did you not hear me?” you question the grinning man currently looking over a selection of jewelry encrusted with rubies. “I said no, Shanks!”

“Pardon me, my hearing isn’t what it used to be,” Shanks replies, ignoring your remark as he addresses the jeweler. “Do you have any triple A rubies on this island?”

“Certainly!” the jeweler says, reaching beneath his stall and pulling out a stack of boxes. “I’ve just completed several pieces with triple A rubies I acquired from an island renowned for its quality gemstones.” The jeweler takes out a large flat box and removes the top to reveal a stunning ruby necklace. Shanks’ eyes sparkle as he pulls you over.

“Come look at this, dear. I think the red goes perfectly with your complexion!” Your eye twitches as you are forced to stand front and center at the stand, letting the jeweler pull out the necklace for you to try on. Clenching your teeth, you take the necklace and carefully wrap it around your neck. When you try to connect the clasp, your fingers keep missing the little knob, and curses almost tumble from your lips.

“Here,” Shanks says, offering his hand to take the tiny clasp. Despite being one-armed, his right hand has become quite dexterous, and his fingers are nimble. While you hold the little loop for the clasp to catch, Shanks opens the clasp with his finger and hooks it. “All done.”

You let the chain drop and brush your lavender hair out of the way so the chain rests on your skin. Looking down, you can’t help but admire the way the ruby looks against your flesh. You reach up and brush your fingers over the ruby, for once not feeling suffocated or chained by the jewelry you wear.

“It is absolutely lovely,” you say, looking up at the jeweler. “I am sure you are proud to have made such a piece.” He beams at you, and while you are distracted with your ingrained politeness, Shanks deftly pulls out enough Berry to cover the cost of the necklace. Before you have a chance to take the necklace off to return it, Shanks is handing over the money and steering you away from the stand.

“Shanks, I swear to the gods—!” you erupt as he happily leads you towards a few more stalls that will surely capture your attention.

“All of the crew have a piece of red, Aria. It was time you had a piece of red yourself,” he tells you, explaining his thought process. “I wanted you to have this, so don’t argue with me.”

“I could have just dyed my hair red, Shanks,” you gripe at him, grudgingly accepting the fact that Shanks has probably just spent a pretty Berry on you. Shanks is no longer thinking about your refusal of the necklace but the idea of you dyeing your hair red!

“Absolutely not!” he exclaims crossly. “You are, under no circumstances, to ever dye your hair red.” Your eyes widen from the vehemence with which he speaks those words. But you just shrug and let him lead you on.

Still bitter about the necklace days later, you turn away from the view of the harbor and head for the main cabin to get some relaxing reading in. Or at least try to. You are working on your proclivity to worry. The men know what they are doing, and if something happens, they will take care of each other. You find your book where you left it and take a seat at the small table. You aren’t exactly sure when you started to worry so much about the men, more specifically, Shanks.

Don’t be silly, Linaria Bonn.

You have read enough of the forbidden romance novels in your father’s library to recognize the signs of… affection. Your face wrinkles at the word. Affection. You had little affection growing up, most of it coming from your barely-there father, if you even saw him. But you are well-equipped with the knowledge of what women feel when they hold affections for their romantic partner in the novel, and you are quite certain you are feeling the same.

“And yet I have no idea if this is even real because books are simply that, books,” you murmur to yourself, pressing your book against your mouth. You know the difference between fantasy and reality, and yet, what you feel is alarmingly straight out of a romance book. A crush. That is what you must be feeling. You certainly aren’t going to fall madly in love with the first man who gives you a scrap of kindness!

You read for about an hour, tidy up the main cabin, and even venture below deck to dust and clean. The men are clean, surprisingly clean, even before you started helping to keep the ship in neat and working order. As laid back as Shanks and the crew are, they are meticulous with how the Red Force is run. Everything has a place, and no sloppiness is accepted. So there really isn’t much for you to tidy as the hours whittle away. You are contemplating trying your hand at baking when the clamor of the gangplank steals your attention. Abandoning the kitchen, you hurry out onto the deck to see Lucky, Gab, and Benn worse for wear.

“What in heaven’s name did you get up to?” you demand as the rest pile on deck, each sporting various cuts, bruises, and blood-splattered clothing. You cringe internally at the blood staining their clothing, but if they got themselves back to the ship, they must be mostly okay.

“Some other pirates decided to pick a fight with us,” Bonk Punch states as Monster swings himself onto the ship and lets out a screech. You spare a glance at the primate.

“And I suppose you ended the fight?” Your voice is crisp, but they all sense the sarcastic edge.

“Oi, you say that like we started it!” Benn complains. You cross your arms and give the first mate a frank look.

“Well, did you?” you broach with perhaps a touch of snark. “Given your rather ineffable escapades as of late, I almost expected a bloodbath.”

“Now you’re just being dramatic,” Shanks' voice calls as he strides on board and pulls the gangplank back with Yasopp’s help. You turn your narrowed gaze to the red-headed pirate and pause. Of course, he too is caught up in the scuffle! Shanks is sporting a cut on his chin, with a few places on his tunic where a blade sliced through the white fabric, and you can’t tell if the blood on him is his or someone else’s! The pirate sees your thought process and speaks before you can erupt on him. “Aria—”

You cut him off with a flourish of your hand.

“Don’t you ‘Aria’ me, Shanks,” you snap before pointing to the main cabin. “Cabin, now.” You all but growl. Then you turn to the rest of the crew. “Clean yourselves up before you start tracking blood everywhere.” With that, you march towards the locker with the main deck med kit. As you grab the little box, an old lunch box refurbished to hold a few medical supplies, you hear the men moving about and heading down below.

Med kit in hand, you see that the main cabin door is open and head towards it, feeling slightly pleased that no one is fighting you on this. Entering Shanks’ cabin, you pull the door shut behind you and turn around to be greeted by Shanks dabbing a cloth at his chin in front of his floor-length mirror.

“You are going to need more than just a dab,” you state, moving to the table to set the kit down and get what you need. Some disinfectant wipes, gauze, tape, maybe even needle and thread, given the amount of blood you’d seen on his shirt. Then again, you can’t tell if it’s his or the other pirates.

“And you sound irate. Are you that upset with us doing our business?” Shanks asks, dabbing one last time at his chin before turning halfway in place to look at you. You glance up at him and raise an eyebrow.

“I do not like seeing you hurt, Shanks,” you correct him. “Your business is your business, but that doesn’t mean I am pleased that you and the others come back with wounds. Need I remind you of last week’s fever?” Shanks stares at you, his thoughts well hidden behind his beautiful dark eyes.

“If you want me to take my shirt off, madam, you only need to ask,” Shanks speaks, reverting to flirtatious humor. You don’t buy it and pull out several pads of gauze and wipes while rolling your eyes.

“Take your shirt off. I can’t tell what blood is yours or not.” While Shanks pulls his shirt off, you focus your eyes on the hard wood of the table and tell yourself that you will not, under any circumstances, ogle Shanks while tending to his wounds. You’d nearly started drooling the last time he’d been shirtless and had just barely caught yourself. Embarrassment aside, now is far from a good time to be appreciating his physique. But when you turn around, you can’t help but stare at his back and curse silently.

“You should have said something,” you murmur in agitation, striding up to Shanks to look closer at the laceration marking up one of his shoulders. It isn’t terrible, but it does seem deep. Shanks' eyes meet yours in the mirror as he tosses his shirt over the back of a nearby chair.

“I was hoping you’d miss it. I doubt you need to see more of my blood than the cut on my chin. Hongo said it might need a stitch or two.”

“You say that like I haven’t seen blood before,” you reply, wiping away half-dried blood around the wound to get a better picture of the overall laceration. “Believe me, women see far more blood than men think they do.” His eyes flash in concern from the implication of your words for a moment, and you quickly reassure him that it isn’t what he thinks it is. “She never cut skin, just beat it.”

“That isn’t a particularly reassuring answer,” Shanks grumbles, happy that your mother hadn’t broken your skin open but still very much angered by the beatings you no doubt endured since childhood.

“But it is the only one I have to give you,” you say, reaching for the needle and thread. “I’m thinking you’ll need about three stitches. It’s not too bad but won’t heal as fast if left alone.”

“And you are equipped to do so?” he asks, eyebrow raised.

“Hongo has been teaching me how to suture on pig skin, and I am well equipped in stitch work. My mother saw to that.” You thread one of the suture needles carefully and tie off the end, then turn your gaze back to Shanks. “Now, would you prefer I do this here, or do you want to go down and get in line with the rest of the men who need stitches?”

Ordinarily, Shanks would have joined the line in waiting for stitches or had one of the men do it… they all had patched each other up at some point in their time aboard. But his back is aching, and you are offering to stitch it up for him. He’ll take the option where he gets to spend time with you alone.

“I’ll take your hand, madam, as I am sure you could use the practice,” Shanks replies, much to your chagrin. You scoff at his words in fake irritation.

“Please, you should see my collection of embroidery at home. I am quite skilled in the catch stitch.” He grins, having no doubts about your ability to stitch, let alone stitch someone up. Your hand is probably the most steady on board! But you are so easy to tease and rile up at times. You catch the edge of his smirk and roll your eyes. He is teasing you yet again. “You are entirely incorrigible, do you know that?”

“Oh, I know that quite well,” Shanks tosses over his shoulder, giving you his infamous curvy smile.

“Look straight ahead,” you order, shoving your fingers into his messy red hair and turning his head the way you want. Quickly cleaning the edges of the slightly oozing wound, you look for the best place for the first stitch and get to work. It is quick and easy to place three neat stitches, and Shanks doesn’t squirm or move around once. Tying off the last knot, you snip the suture needle free and set it to the side before reaching for some gauze and tape. “Alright, that’s taken care of. Turn around.”

While you tuck away the suturing supplies and get out new antiseptic wipes and gauze, Shanks grabs his discarded shirt and turns around. Rather than pulling his shirt back on, Shanks' eyes latch onto the ruby necklace hanging around your neck. He is incredibly happy to see you wearing it after what he had to do to even buy you a present. Red looks nice on you, and the pirate can’t help but think about what you would look like draped in rubies… and he needs to rein in his thoughts because you are looking at him with a strange look.

“Something wrong?” Well, yes, he is looking at you with rather intense eyes and still hasn’t put his shirt back on. It is one thing to gawk at him while he and the men are sparring, but an entirely different thing to openly ogle him in the privacy of his cabin when it is just the two of you.

“Only my manners,” you sigh before placing your free hand beneath his chin and angling his jaw to get a better view of the nick. It is easy enough to clean up, not bleeding anymore, and is a pretty clean gash.

“Manners?” Shanks repeats with a huff. “Aria, you are the only one on this ship who has manners.”

“And you don’t give yourself enough credit. Believe me, I would know who doesn’t have manners,” you say in his and the others' defense. “Some Marines aren’t particularly endowed with such virtues.”

“No, they aren’t,” Shanks echoes, his mind going right to the look on your face when you had run right up to him on Kuri Island. You’d been running from marines, marines that had put desperation on your face. Those thoughts emerge on his face, and you quickly pick up on that.

“You know it’s…” you struggle to find an appropriate word. “…fine. My situation, that is. We haven’t crossed any marines, and to be quite frank, I’m not bothered by them. Most of them were respectable enough, just not…”

“Collins?” Shanks interjects as you dab a bit of healing ointment on his jaw. You can feel how it is clenched beneath your fingertips.

“That’s in the past, Shanks,” you softly remind him, trying to ease the strain and tension you can both see and feel.

“Sometimes the past comes back to haunt us, Aria. I don’t take Collins as the type of man to let his bride run free,” Shanks states, knowing full well the marine commodore has probably taken your action as a great insult.

“Then that is for me to worry about,” you reply firmly, determined to take care of this problem yourself. The crew of the Red Force has already done so much for you. Shanks has done so much! You are standing on your own two feet now. The marines are for you to handle, no one else. So you finish tending to his wound in silence. When you are done, you step away from the red-haired pirate to begin packing up.

“Aria,” Shanks speaks up after a few moments of you working in silence. You don’t look at him but hum in acknowledgment. Obstinate Aria. Shanks has to admit that he and the others find it amusing and adorable when you are obstinate about something, but in this moment? This is not a subject he is going to let you ignore. His right hand darts out and snatches your left. With one gentle tug, he has you spinning in a half circle to face him, and before you can step back to sneak your way out of this conversation, he releases your wrist and slides his arm around your back.

“Shanks,” you call in exasperation, your hand balancing on his shoulder. “Is this quite necessary? I’ve already informed you that Collins is—”

“A problem you are not going to solve alone,” Shanks cuts you off, looking into your eyes with a stern gaze. “Yes?” He is doing this again? You lift your chin stubbornly and grind your teeth together. How much are you going to take from these pirates? Haven’t they already given you enough? Shanks can see your thinking in your lovely eyes and presses. “You may think you can handle Collins on your own, Aria… but take it from someone who has dealt with men like him before. He’s far too much for one person to handle.”

“So you expect me to lie down and let everyone else fight my battles for me?” you question sharply. “That is hardly appropriate!”

“This has nothing to do with being appropriate or not, Aria,” Shanks corrects you, pulling you closer until you are standing between his legs. “We are protecting one of our own.”

You sigh inwardly and bring your hand up to trace the curve of his jaw. It is getting harder and harder to resist his handsome face.

“You aren’t letting this one go, are you?” you speak, shoulders drooping in resignation. Shanks' face remains unchanged.

“No.” He sees the moment you crack and holds you tighter. “I’m not asking you to stand behind me, Aria. I am asking you to stand next to me.”

Date Published: 3/8/24

Last Edit: 7/29/24

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[jpitha]

Between the Black and Gray 29

First / Previous / Next

Fen and Zhe went back up to the command deck to watch the approach. Northern placed the view out of some forward cameras on the screen and what struck Fen the first time she saw it was just how ramshackle the station was. It appeared to be made out of more than a dozen old starship hulls.

"Is that.. made out of junk starships?"

"It appears that way Fen, but I'm not sure if they're junk or not. I can see a lot of reactors when I scan for emissions. It could be that they're just all connected together and can break apart when threatened." Northern sounded fascinated. "It's a good idea, really. If you're worried about some administrative forces kicking you out, you just break up your station and link away to somewhere else. Fen, Zhe? This is going to be a while. I was just told we have to wait for a place for us to park. Why don't you two go get some rest. I'll wake you if anything comes up."

Back in her room, Fen lays on the bed. It's large and cold and smells unfamiliar. The sheets are wrong, the light in the room is wrong, the mattress is wrong, the whole place feels wrong. She had been doing well enough until she talked to Zhe about Ma-ren and she feels alone in the bed all over again. Tossing and turning, Fen struggles to sleep. Finally sleep comes.

Fen dreams.

She's sitting on a large, seat, a throne really at the top of what could only be described as an... arena. Every single seat is filled with people who are there to see her. She can feel their excitement radiate off. They aren't coerced, they aren't forced, they are all there willingly.

To see her.

Or are they?

She holds out her hand for silence, only it's not her hand. The skin tone is wrong, lighter. She spreads her arms wide to welcome the crowd, but the length feels wrong. Glancing down quickly, she sees that she's shorter than she expected, even with the high heels. High heels? Fen hates wearing heels; they're so wobbly. Her body isn't quite right either, she feels top heavy. The crowd is so far away, that they haven't noticed anything yet, but the people next to her have. One of them, a women, about her size with a kind face looks over, her brow furrowed in concern. Fen feels an overwhelming desire to comfort her, let her know everything is all right, even though it clearly isn't. "I'm fine." she whispers out of the corner of her mouth. "Just jitters or something."

The other women nods very slightly and turns back to the crowd, not convinced, but unwilling to disturb the ceremony.

"People of the Reach! I come before you to tell you of news. Our battles go well, and we have captured the inner planets! Venus, Luna and the LEO principalities have all agreed to a peace plan." Cheers and shouts of praise. She basks in their love, buoyed by their positivity. "I myself will be departing for the attack on Earth. I will personally lead the charge. Soon, I shall return to you with the exciting news of our victory!" More cheering. "Until then, I ask for your patience and understanding, and I ask for more volunteers. We have three more Super Dreadnoughts that have been completed, and they need crews. Please, come to the recruitment office and sign up. Everyone who crews my ships will be eligible for relocation to any planet, station, starbase, and orbital of their choosing after our victory."

She stands during the cheering and applause at this last announcement, and concentrates. Her wings, made of gossamer, focused, golden light spread meters wide. Her crown, made of the same light flares in the arena, visible to everyone. Through the cheering and chanting of her name, she turns, leaves the dias and her wings and crown fade into an afterimage on everyone's eyes.

Behind the dias, a hidden door opens, and she ducks through, with the two people - including the woman from before - on either side.

"Now that we're out of the crowd, what was that? You looked like you were going to throw up." She sounds worried.

"Yeah, I saw you wobble. You looked down at your shoes and blanched." The other one, a middle aged man chimes in. He is tall and handsome, with dark brown skin and a coal black beard, flecked with gray.

"I'm fine, I'm... fine." She sounds unsure even as she says it. "I just had a strange feeling of being not myself. It's passed now. She turned towards the woman. Do you have the report of the developments on Luna?"

"Yes, Empress. Luna is pacified. Your military has cleared you for a visit to the people as soon as you enter the system. They recommend that you show up, give a speech, do a quick meet-and-greet with the citizens, and then continue on to Earth. Myself, Omar and a small guard will accompany you."

"Thank you Ava. I need a coffee, and then we can depart."

Fen awoke with a start, dripping with sweat. She was laying in bed, all of her sheets and blankets a tangle. There was a soft chime that was repeating in the room. "Yes?"

"We're going to dock in a couple hours Fen. I figured you would want to shower and change."

"Thanks Northern. How long has it been?"

"About nine hours. I let you sleep a full cycle; you seemed like you needed it."

Fen sits up. "Okay Northern. I'll be up in a few."

Fen gets up and pads to the bathroom. Being the captain, she does have a larger suite than average, and it has its own bathroom. As the door behind her shuts, she does not notice the sheets and blankets are covered in a very slight layer of dust, arranged like wings, centering on where she slept.

****

The docking goes without a hitch. They are brought inside the cargo module of a massive starship on the outer edge of the 'station' and are directed to a pad near the door. They land, and as the ship powers down, Northern walks into the command deck, shaking her hair with her hands and making a face. "My mouth tastes like pennies. I hate this." She puts her hands on her hips and faces Fen. "You're going to find us enough crew - or another AI - to do this, right?"

"Yes Northern. We'll find a crew. I can't thank you enough for this, I realize that its... distasteful for you."

Northern smirks. "I see what you did there. I'll have you know that puns always work on me." She nods at Zhe. "Come on. Shall we go meet your family?"

Zhe nods and stands, but her ears are flat, and she's trying to shrink down into her clothes. "O-okay Northern, Fen. Let's go."

"Hold up a moment." Fen turns to Zhe. "Are you going to be all right with this?"

Zhe stands just a little straighter. "Yes, I'll be all right Fen. You're my captain now. It's just that my family was... disappointed when I got the job with the Discoverers and went to Minaren."

"They're disappointed you went straight?" Northern's incredulity is plain on her face.

Zhe's tail swishes and she nods. "You'll see when you meet them."

The dock's air is cold and thin, but breathable. The three of them exit the ship and head towards the airlock at the other end. They walk past scores of K'laxi and other peoples tending the ships that are docked. There are easily more than a dozen in this dock alone. Fen recognizes K'laxi, Gren, and even some Sefigan designs. They step into the airlock and it closes behind them. "So, you three are the ones ballsy enough to come here in a Imperial Frigate and sing the bawdiest K'laxi drinking song known in order to get in?" The voice is low and gruff. "We've scanned your ship, it's empty, so we know you're not hiding anyone, and you don't walk like spies, though you have the air of a Discoverer about you, K'laxi." The voice pauses a moment. "Still, we'll let you in. Stay nice and don't cause trouble."

The other airlock door opens, and the air is hot and wet. The K'laxi homeworld is smaller and colder than Earth, so Fen expected the atmosphere settings to be similar here but if there was such a thing as an opposite to K'laxi weather, this was it. The lights were dark and yellow and the gravity was light. Fen kept feeling like she was about to trip. A short K'laxi, grey around the muzzle, with a human sized battle rifle on his back waves and bounds - literally bounds - over. "Welcome! Welcome to The Heap."

Northern grins. "The Heap because it's a heap of starships?"

He nods quickly, the earrings on his large ears jangling slowly in the low gravity. "Exactly so. What are you here for? Trade? Business? Or just to lie low from the Imps since you clearly stole their frigate?"

Fen crosses her arms and harrumphs. "I'll have you know I own that frigate free and clear. You can scan it anywhere and it'll show up under my name."

He winks - a decidedly human gesture. "Sure it does, Friend. I know hackers too. So? What's up?"

Zhe sighs. "Hi there Uncle Rev. Is Hemmi here?"

Rev leans around Northern and gasps. "Little Zhe! You came back! You finally realized that the government yolk was strangling your ability to pull for yourself!" He grabbed her and hugged her mightily and spun her around. "Hemmi isn't here now, but he's in-system. I'll get a beacon out to him right away. He'll want to know the news. Why didn't you tell us you were aboard? He would have stayed for the welcome."

"I didn't want to be a burden..." Zhe begins.

"Nonsense! I will not hear of it." Rev looks over at Northern and Fen. "Shacking up with two humans? My my! You're doing all right for yourself. I knew you couldn't keep your true self down."

"Uncle Rev!" Zhe's fur ripples as she blushes. "Northern and Fen are friends only. Fen is my captain."

"Well then I need to extend our thanks," Rev bends low and Fen sees that his tail is half gone. "Have you had a chance to witness Zhe in combat yet? She is unparalleled with a Gren soar-kinfe." He puts his arm around Northern and Fen and gives them a small squeeze and Northern glares. "Did you know she once took out three Sefigan warriors who thought they could bounce out of here without paying? Three! She was barely sixteen at the time. Her parents were so proud. They let her keep the entire bounty. I think that's how she paid her passage to Minaren."

Northern turns her head slowly to Zhe as her fur won't stop rippling. "A soar-knife? They're hard to use even in light gravity. in Human standard they take years of practice to wield safely."

"Well when you're a kid on a pirate station you get bored and pick stuff up." Zhe mumbles.

"So modest!" Rev squeezes their hips again and Northern smacks his arm off. "Come on! Let's go eat while we wait for Hemmi to come back.

[mimithoughtz]

"ʙᴇʜɪɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʟᴀᴍ" || ꜱᴋᴢ ᴏᴛ8

Y/N is an aspiring makeup artist, who moves to Seoul in order to follow her dreams to work in the Kpop industy. As the tension between professionalism and burgeoning romance simmers, secrets unfold and bonds deepen amidst the glimmer of stage lights and the camaraderie of the group. With each tour stop, hearts beat faster, and unexpected connections blossom, proving that love can be found in the most unexpected places, even behind the scenes.

ʜɪɪ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ᴍʏ ɴᴀᴍᴇ ɪꜱ ᴍɪᴍɪ! ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴍʏ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ꜰɪᴄ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴡʜɪᴇ ꜱᴏ ɪ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ɪᴛ!

ᴍᴀᴋᴇᴜᴘ ɪꜱ ᴀ ɢɪʀʟꜱ ʙᴇꜱᴛꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ I

The buzzing excitement in the air felt almost electric as you stepped backstage at the Stray Kids concert venue. This was it—your big break as a makeup artist, and you could hardly believe it. After years of hard work and countless late nights perfecting your craft, you were finally here, surrounded by the pulse of music and creativity.

With a deep breath, you smoothed down your apron and adjusted your makeup kit. Your heart raced with a mix of nerves and exhilaration. You'd seen the group perform countless times online, but nothing could compare to the energy of being this close to them.

As you entered the bustling backstage area, your eyes darted around, taking in the frantic activity. Crew members hurried past, balancing equipment and making last-minute adjustments. In the midst of it all, you spotted the members of Stray Kids chatting and laughing. They were just as captivating in person as they were on screen.

"Hey there! You must be our new makeup artist!" a voice called out. You turned to see Han grinning widely, his playful energy immediately putting you at ease. His bright smile was infectious, and you couldn't help but return it.

"Yeah, that's me! I'm really excited to be here," you replied, trying to sound confident despite the butterflies in your stomach.

"Awesome! I can't wait to see what you come up with for our looks tonight," he said, his enthusiasm palpable. Just then, Hyunjin walked over, exuding an effortless charm that made your heart skip a beat.

"Welcome to the team," Hyunjin said smoothly, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. "I hope you're ready for some fun!"

Before you could respond, Bang Chan approached, his natural leadership shining through as he gathered the group. "Alright, everyone! Let's focus up. We've got a lot to do before showtime." His authoritative yet warm demeanour instantly commanded respect.

You watched as the members fell into line, each bringing their unique energy to the room. Han continued to joke with the others, while Hyunjin shot you a playful wink before moving to join the group. As they rehearsed their choreography, you couldn't help but admire their dedication and talent.

Taking a deep breath, you gathered your tools, ready to showcase your skills. This was more than just a job; it was the beginning of an adventure, and you were determined to leave your mark. You were joining the boys for their comeback on their ATE world tour. You had already been briefed on ideas on concepts for them, but ultimately it was up to you and the boys on the final design. You set up your station in a quiet corner of the backstage area, the soft hum of excitement around you. With your brushes neatly arranged and your palettes ready, you felt a surge of adrenaline. You were about to enhance the looks of some of the most talented performers in the industry.

As you worked, the members took turns coming over for their makeup sessions. First up was Felix, who had always been your favourite, being an Aussie yourself you think that's what connected you to him further from the rest.

Quickly sanitising your hands and one final check of your area you nod your head to him signalling to sit down so you can get started.

"Hi, I'm Y/N I'll be your makeup artist for the tour!" - you say with a smile looking over your shoulder at Felix as you grab some moisturisers to apply.

He gives you a polite smile and introduces himself back, you grab some clips from your apron pocket and brush his hair back with your fingers clipping them out of his face.

"Your skin is beautiful; you've got to give me your skin care routine" - you giggle as you apply to moisturiser from the back of your hand onto his face over his freckles

A slight blush comes over Felix as you compliment him.

"Thank you" - his voice faltering slightly "all I really do is cleanse and moisturise nothing to fancy" - he says with a smile.

You and Felix fall into comfortable small talk, from your life back in Australia to how you ended up in Seoul, your favourite food and shows to watch and your schedule with the boys. Before you know it, his makeup was done, and it was time for the other members. Each one of them was extremely respectful and took their time introducing themselves and helping work on the look they wanted. Finally, it was time to do the Leaders makeup.

You clean some of the brushes as you look up and lock eyes with him. He truly was something out of a book. you wave him over to your chair with a smile as you get everything set up again.

As you focused on BangChan, you could feel the energy in the room shift. The moment he settled into the chair, you noticed the way he carried himself—confident yet approachable, with a warmth that made you feel like you had known him for years.

"Have you always wanted to work in makeup?" he asked, watching you closely as you prepped your brushes. His curiosity was genuine, and it made you feel at ease.

"Pretty much," you replied, feeling a flutter of excitement. "I've loved makeup since I was a kid. It's amazing how it can transform someone's look and boost their confidence."

He nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "That's true. For us, it's not just about looking good on stage; it's about feeling good, too. You have a big role in that."

You smiled, flattered by his words. "Thanks! I just want to help you all shine even brighter."

As you began applying foundation, you couldn't help but notice how focused he was. His usual playful demeanour softened as you worked, and you appreciated the trust he placed in you. You asked about his favourite performances, and he shared anecdotes, laughter spilling from his lips as he recounted a particularly chaotic rehearsal.

"Once, I tripped during a dance move and nearly knocked over Hyunjin," he chuckled, shaking his head. "He's still teasing me about it!"

You laughed, imagining the scene. "It must be fun to have that kind of relationship. You all seem really close."

Bang Chan's eyes lit up. 

"We are more than most know. We've been through so much together, and it feels like we're family. It's comforting to know we have each other's backs, especially on days like today."  He says with a smirk.

With every brushstroke, you felt a deeper connection forming. His sincerity was refreshing, and you found yourself opening up a little more. 

"I can imagine. It must be nice to share these experiences with people who understand."

He nodded, his expression softening. 

"Definitely. It can be tough, but they are like brothers to me, well maybe more like kids." You both giggle at that.

As you blended his contour, you stole a glance at his reflection. His gaze met yours in the mirror, and for a moment, the world outside faded away. 

"You're really good at this," he said, his voice low as he holds your gaze. "I can already tell we are all going to get along great."

Your cheeks warmed at the compliment. 

"I appreciate that. I just hope I can keep up with the energy you all bring to the stage and make sure you look as good as you feel."

"You've already exceeded my expectations," he replied, flashing that charming smile of his. "You make us look even better than we feel."

You feel your checks flush at his words, biting your lip 'get a grip Y/N' You continued working, and as you added a touch of highlight to his cheekbones, he leaned closer, seemingly lost in thought. 

"Are you going to be with us the whole tour"

You pause for a moment, then said, "Yep, I was hired to be your personal makeup artist for the tour so basically whenever there is a shoot I'll be there or even if you just want to try a new look you can call me" you say with a giggle

His eyes sparkled with interest. "Mhm I'd like that."

Your heart skipped a beat.

Just then, the stage manager called out, reminding everyone that it was almost time to hit the stage. Bang Chan looked at you, a mix of anticipation and excitement in his eyes. "Looks like showtime is here. Are you ready?"

You took a deep breath, feeling a mix of nerves and adrenaline. "Should i not be the one asking you that" You giggle, clapping your hands softly before unclipping his hair "Good luck!" 

He stood up, giving you one last smile before heading to the huddle with the rest of the group.  You watched him join his members, your heart full of hope for what was to come.

In that moment, you realised you weren't just a makeup artist; you were part of something bigger—something that would change your life forever.

[yes-i-write-fanfiction]

Imagine this: After Prowl's sacrifice in Endgame. The AllSpark/Primus or whatever rewards him or something along the lines of that with being reborn as a techno organic human. (Infant, small child, or teen is your choice) He doesn't fully remember Sari and the crew, but he can't help but feel some kind of love and trust in them. How do the Autobots and Sari react?

Sari's reaction is going to be way longer than the rest, just a heads up.

-Optimus will never stop feeling guilty about what happened to Prowl. He shouldn't have had to sacrifice himself, Optimus should have been able to prevent it, it was his duty as the team leader after all. For the rest of his life, it will weigh heavy on his consciousness. But this? It helps. Because the Prowl he once knew and cared for is gone, he's still here in a way. Reborn in the shape he so desperately wanted to experience. A human, a being capable of experiencing life in a way a cybertronian can not. He's young now, defenseless, but Optimus promises to protect him. To be there for him. This is a new chance for Prowl and as his friend (because not even death can sever that connection) Optimus will be there for him every step of the way.

-Ratchet used to dislike humans. Sari was an exception, even before the reveal that she was originally fully cybertronian. He can't say he dislikes them anymore though. Because when Prowl looks up at him, eyes wide with awe and trust, he can't help but see the beauty of their existence. Prowl always wanted to be like them and Ratchet can finally see why. They are constantly growing, changing, becoming their own person and that's all he could ever want for Prowl. To just be who he wants to be. While saddened by the death of his friend, he's relieved to know that death was just the start of another chapter of his life, not the end of it.

-It takes a while for Bumblebee to actually grasp the situation. When Prowl died, he grieved together with his friends. But then Prowl returned! Yeah, small and squishy but it's still him! So everything should be back to normal now, yeah? Except it isn't. Prowl is not the person he used to be, so young and not molded by the experiences that defined the old him. It's frustrating at the start, when he doesn't act the way he should be, when he doesn't understand what Bumblebee is talking about. But eventually, Bee comes to understand that while yes, Prowl is back, he's also different now. He's going to grow up to be a different person and while that kinda stings, it doesn't change the fact that he's still him. That's why, if he doesn't remember anything, then that means that Bumblebee just have to befriend him all over again! If he could do it once then he can do it again.

-Bulkhead accepts the situation immediately. He's always been in tune with his emotions, always rolled with the punches. When Prowl died, he mourned. He grieved together with his team and allowed himself to experience the full extent of his sorrow simply because he knew he needed to let it happen. So when Prowl is reborn, he goes with it. Feels the disbelief, the relief and joy. Prowl still died, this didn't erase the fact that it had happened, but thing change. He was back now, even if different, and he was still Bulkhead's friend. And Bulkhead doesn't abandon his friends.

-Out of everyone, it's for Sari that the situation is the hardest to come to terms with. She's still a kid herself, she's never had someone she cared for die. The grieving process was unfamiliar to her and at times the sadness felt overwhelming. She mourned. She cried. But most of all, she blamed herself because if she hadn't used the key to upgrade herself then maybe it could have been used to prevent Prowl's death. The guilt was all consuming and made her feel like a terrible person. And now Prowl is back?

Don't get her wrong, Sari is happy. Overjoyed. Because Prowl was more than just a friend to her, he was family. To have him back is a dream come true. But that's just it. It was a dream to have him back, not something she dared to consider could even happen. Because if he came back, then what happened to all her grief and feelings of guilt? They didn't just disappear. Prowl had died, it had happened, nothing could change that. But now that he was reborn, was her grief for nothing? Had her mourning and guilt been useless? Was she still a bad person for letting it happen in the first place?

Sari has a really hard time moving on from what happened. She tries to ignore those feelings, especially when she's with Prowl who she now calls her 'big little brother', because those are not his fault. She keeps him close but pushes him away at the same time, afraid that if she's to close then those feelings will force themselves to the surface and overwhelm her.

It will take a long time for her to come to terms with what happened and even longer to accept her feelings. Sari will never abandon Prowl though. Cybertronian or human, it doesn't matter, that's her family. And she wants to provide the same guidance and support that he once offered her.

[unknownbyme]

~ A voyage come to rest ~

Summary: Y/N returns home after a long voyage outside the borders of Prythian.

Warnings: None

Word count: 688

Tightening her leathers, Y/N made sure to double check her leather bag. Counting up her daggers and medical equipment she smiled slightly to herself as the ship slowly made it ever the closer to land; to Prythina. A high and mighty voice caught her attention as the ship crew quickly sprang into action, adjusting the sails as the wind shifted. It seemed to have gotten stronger the closer they approached land, stronger and more unpredictable. The sea was merciless, it didn’t care for anyone who took to sailing the ocean. It had a soul of its own.

Y/N grabbed the rail with a steady grip as the ship tried weave through the ocean waves. The sun stood high and mighty in the sky, and Y/N didn’t want to spend a second inside the ship. Her tan was prominent and her hair had gotten a bit lighter thanks to the exposure to the sun. Her travel across the sea had made her love the open sea, her heart had opened up for the people she met on her travels. The high lord of the Night Court had sent her out with a small crew to help with upcoming conflicts across the sea.

Their travels entirely depended on the sea and wind. Their departure from Prythian had been as smooth as it could have been, the rest of their voyage had not been kind, and as such their travels had stretched on for longer than predicted, everything had depended on the emotions of the sea and the goddess in the sky. Stormy weathers had keept them ashore for sometimes longer than they had wished. After a full year she would finally be able to rest her eyes on Velaris again, and on her mate.

Upon leaving they had come to an agreement, they would close off their bond so they could solely focus on their own work. The distance between them would consume their energy if they would try to keep a connection. They would only open the bond if one of them were to find themselves in absolut danger.

Her smile widened as she thought of him, her cheeks warmed from not only the sun. She felt like her younger self in that moment, deathly in love with the Shadowsinger, keeping her love for him a secret. Y/N opened up her bond for the first time in a year, she was glad she held onto the railing as a wave of emotion hit her all at once. It was everything Azriel had sent down the bond at the times he had opened it up, hoping for her being there. Pain shot through her chest at the guilt of never opening up the bond once during her voyage. The thought of him always being met with the deathly silence from her side made her chest ache. She took a breath as she called out for him "Azriel, are you there?".

Her heart sang as he tugged harley on the bond that was now open. "Are you hurt? Where are you?'".

"Nearing land, would you be a kind batboy and pick up your maiden from the ship?’"

A loud and cheerful laugh could be felt through the bond and Y/N smiled as she could envision Azriel in her mind. "On my way, don’t move".

"Where would I go? Into the sea?’"

‘'One never knows, desperation makes one do stupid and reckless things".

Her gaze locked unto the sky and then shifted to look towards land, there she saw Azriel flying with a great speed towards the ship. ’’We got a big seagull incoming crew, better watch your heads’’ Mariza the captain shouted with a smile on her lips as she too had spotted the Shadowsinger.

Azriel came down upon them in a sweep of shadow and wind, he had landed before y/n with a feral smile upon his lips. His smile reached up to his eyes as he locked eyes with her, "Ready to go home my love?"

"I'm home, you are my home Azriel, wherever we may go, you will always be my home".