#this is more of a “canon unspoken” moment but I'm still tagging it as an AU:

[castaccio]

I know people dislike the implications of Shadows of Rose, but consider:

The spirits watch over Rose for her whole life. (Read Left to Right)

[catopoliscat]

sweet dreams, good morning / fem!reader/kento nanami.

you and your boyfriend nanami usually showered at different times. this morning, he decided to join you.

tags: nsfw. 18+. fem!reader. afab!reader. established relationship. shower sex. penetrative sex. no set timeline but presumed canon!verse. fingering. creampie. unprotected sex (wrap it kids). nanami had a little dream about you. no use of y/n or any other placeholders. ever.

wc: 3.6k.

a/n: inspired by some nsfw pieces @jimwackthesecond sent to me of nanami on discord, ty babes I'm still throbbing about it

mdni.

It was rare for Nanami to join you like this. 

Even after months of living together, of being by each other's side; of cooking, eating, drinking and sleeping next to one another—showers together were rare. It wasn’t any conscious decision, really, just a difference in routine. You preferred to shower in the mornings. Nanami preferred to shower in the evenings. Small moments of solace and quiet amidst the hot water and soap. A moment of solitude between lives so tightly intertwined. 

Today, however, Nanami had surprised you. 

You were halfway through your usual semi-methodical routine, soap suds still clinging to your arms and chest, when you felt the door open. A cool gush of air rushed through the fog of the warm bathroom for a moment, skittering up your back in a gentle caress. You shiver, hearing Nanami’s familiar footsteps, but think little of it. You had thought you had been quiet when you had slipped from his sleepy embrace, wanting to give him a longer lie in bed for once—but perhaps you hadn’t been quiet enough.

Any moment, you had expected the tap to start running, the sound of toothpaste being uncapped and bristles against white teeth. Instead, the sound of rustling clothes just about reaches your ears over the sound of water thudding against the tiles beneath your feet, and then comes the slide of glass, a footstep and—

—strong, warm arms encircling your waist tightly, as if you might disappear into smoke if he let go. 

You smile softly to yourself as Nanami presses up close against your back, hard pectorals slotting against the ridges of your shoulder blades. The heat of his chest is a strong match to the warmth of the water against your front, seeping into your bones and warming you from the inside out. 

A nose nudges at the crook of your neck, moving upward before soft lips press against the spot right behind your ear. You chuckle softly, leaning back into the caress, eyes fluttering shut. 

“Not like you to shower in the morning,” you murmur, barely audible over the rush of the water. 

A low hum is your response. The arms wind tighter, and a large, calloused hand settles on your navel. His thumb brushes up and down in a languid, repetitive motion. You shiver slightly.

“I had an incentive,” Nanami replies, his voice a husky rumble, throat still thickened with the remnants of sleep. He presses another kiss against your skin, his lips lingering this time. “You don’t mind?” 

You chuckle again, shaking your head as you settle it back against him, feeling the hard ridge of his collarbone against your skull. “Of course not.” 

Even after all this time together, seeing each other at your most vulnerable, Nanami was always aware and respectful of boundaries, even unspoken.

A contented silence settles in the bathroom, broken only by the spray of the showerhead. Morning sunlight spills through the frosted, dewy glass, reflecting off the mirror that paints a portrait of a couple, very much in love. Nanami’s thumb continues its gentle caress, a soft swipe up and down that becomes as familiar to you as your own heartbeat. His other hand rests against your ribs, just underneath your breast, but makes no move to touch or cup it just yet. 

A sleepy comfortability takes over you. Between the heavy warmth of the water and steam, as well as the steady thrum of Nanami’s heartbeat behind you, you find yourself leaning more and more into his form. He supports you easily, hands tightening just slightly to bear more of your weight. You start to distinctly remember why you rushed through showers in the morning—sleep still clinging to your mind like condensation on glass. 

It was a weekend, though. Neither you nor Nanami had any work or missions, no business or meetings. There was no world to save. Not today. 

“I could fall asleep like this,” you mumble, eyes still shut. 

Another feathery kiss, against your shoulder this time. “Do you want to go back to bed?” 

Although the idea of crawling back into still-warm sheets is appealing, you shake your head. This was enough. More than enough. 

You wind a hand down your body, settling it above Nanami’s own where it rests against you. You don’t hesitate to intertwine your fingers with his, and he doesn’t hesitate to hold them, giving them a small squeeze. 

With his one thumb now restricted, his other thumb takes over its brother's repetitive motion, occasionally brushing against the underside of your breast. Although initially accidental and easily forgotten, the movement gradually becomes more intentional. Daring. One particular sweep brushes over the swell of your breast. The next is even higher, just across your nipple.

An involuntary breath leaves you as the slight sensation causes familiar goosebumps to erupt across your skin. Your lips part slightly as you arch into the touch, the curve of your back pushing your hips back into— 

Ah.

A soft puff of breath leaves Nanami’s lips as your ass brushes against his cock, the hard length rubbing up against the cleft. His grip tightens on your hand, and you can feel his responding shudder. He quickly moves his hips back again, keeping his chest pressed up against you instead.

You smile to yourself, a touch wryly. Nanami wasn’t easily worked up, and certainly not in tender moments like this. You can’t help but wonder if this is the product of just the proximity, or something more. 

“I’m flattered that my sleepy morning self has this effect on you,” you drawl, a layer of amusement in your tone that you can’t quite shed. 

“I’m sorry,” he mutters, as if he has anything at all to apologise about. “I…” 

You feel his lips open against the skin of your neck, but he shuts them again. That makes you raise an eyebrow, your eyes blinking open to squint against the steamy bathroom. You try to angle your head to get a look at him, but the angle is difficult. When you try to turn your body to face him properly, however, his arms tighten around your waist, preventing you from doing so. 

It wasn’t like Nanami to be this… reserved. Not this far into your relationship. 

“Nanami?” 

Another gush of air flutters against your wet shoulder, something close to a sigh of resignation. “I dreamt about you,” he finally says, the words imprinted against your skin. “This morning.” 

Ah. 

A wet dream? Hardly something to be self-conscious about, you think. Especially when you were clearly the star of said dream. Nanami was always oddly prudish around certain things, however. Traditional, in some senses.

“Oh? How rude, we hardly know each other.” 

You can almost feel the responding eye-roll in response to your teasing humour. He gives a small squeeze to your intertwined fingers, as if telling you to take this seriously—though you refused to. A dream was a dream, and you were less concerned with the fact he had one and more concerned with what exactly was in it. 

“I’m a thirty-year-old man,” he grumbles. 

“Who’s still human,” you remind him. You push your hips back again, pleased to feel Nanami’s cock still very much hard, nearly pulsing, against the swell of your ass. He exhales a slow, steadying breath, but makes no move to pull his hips away again. “Tell me about it.” 

Another small sigh against your shoulder. You can practically feel his hesitation, unwilling to unveil the explicit nature of his dream just yet. 

You push yourself back against him again, a slight movement of your hips that has his cock pressing a little deeper against your skin. You buy yourself a small grunt in response, a choked sound that hitches in the back of his throat.

“Come on,” you chuckle, the sound a little throaty now. Sensing he needed a little more push, you unlink your hand from his to lay atop his other one, guiding it up to cup your breast properly. “Did I at least look good?” 

“Mm.” He gives your breast a small squeeze; a well-practised, perfect amount of pressure that always makes your thighs clench together. “So beautiful… as always.”

“Where were we?” 

Another hesitation, though shorter this time. He occupies the time by kneading your breast slowly, massaging it almost in his calloused palm. “On a beach. It was just us. White sand, palm trees, lapping waves… the sun was so warm.” 

You smile at the picture he paints in your head. “I’m sure we made it feel warmer.” 

You feel a shuddering breath against the back of your neck before he hums in agreement. You can only imagine that whatever memory of his dream is replaying in his mind is a good one, because he presses his cock against you more firmly. 

“Yes,” he mutters against your nape, before pressing a hungry, hot, open-mouthed kiss against the skin there. “You have no idea what you do to me.” 

By the way he’s groping at your breasts and ever-so-subtly grinding his hips against your ass, you would say you have a general idea. You want to press him for more details on his dream. What did you do to rile him up so? What did he do in the dream to make him pursue you to the shower when he awoke? 

All those thoughts and questions are disappearing from your mind, however, as the hand against your navel is drifting down between your thighs. Your lips part in a soft exhale as he cups your heat, his middle finger running down your slit almost teasingly, smearing the dripping shower water along with your own arousal. 

Another shuddering breath fans against your neck as he dips his middle finger between your folds. “You were so wet, so tight around me,” he whispers, his words almost swallowed up by the sound of the shower and your own heartbeat in your ears. “It was maddening. I… I couldn’t stop.” 

He circles your clit once, causing your hips to twitch and a soft moan to leave your lips, before he dips his finger down, pressing it against your entrance before sinking inside. You both seem to moan simultaneously as your inner walls clench tight around his thick digit.

“You were so…” He swallows thickly around another groan. “…loud. Insatiable.” 

In, out, in, out. He thrusts slowly, languidly, as if savouring every contraction, every syrupy moan that left your plush lips. Slick gathers quickly, and before long the sound of his thrusting finger becomes wetter and wetter. A second finger soon joins the first, his palm pressing against your clit as his ministrations quicken, your thighs shaking in response. The steam of the shower, the heat of Nanami at your back, the fog of lust in your mind and the increasing pulse between your legs—it makes your head swim, your mind hazy and uncoordinated. 

He curses as you grip his fingers particularly tight, as if imagining the sensation around his cock instead. You feel a pressure against your nape, and you dully realise it's his forehead, hot and wet with sweat and water. “Please,” he murmurs, his low voice hot and wanting. “Can I have you? Here?” 

Even after all this time, he still asked—still cared enough to ask—even though your answer was always the same. 

“God, yes,” you��re replying before he’s barely finished his question, every thought in your mind evaporating into the same steam swirling around you. 

You’re leaning forward, arching your back before he even makes any move to position you, both of your palms resting against the cool tile of the bathroom wall. Shower water sprays across your shoulders and the back of Nanami’s neck as his head follows your descent, forehead now planted between your shoulder blades. His fingers don’t stop their ministrations, but his other hand does disappear from your breast. A moment later, you gasp as you feel his fingers slip from you—replaced instead by a familiar pressure. 

His cock, thick and heavy, presses against you, hesitating for only a moment before pressing forward slowly. The thicker head slips past the tight ring of muscle with a sharp stretch, your lips falling open in response as a ragged moan leaves you. No matter how many times you had done this, Nanami’s cock was always a stretch, making each time seem like the first all over again. 

“God,” he gasps, his jaw falling open against your shoulder blade. “P-Perfect… so perfect.” You can feel him practically shaking with restraint as he pushes forward slowly, oh-so-fucking-slowly, until his hips finally meet your rear. As always, he gives you a moment to adjust, no matter how wound up or turned on he is—his one hand bracing against the wall near your own, the other winding back around your waist to circle your clit with slow, languid movements. 

You’re shaking too, you realise, hands slipping on the wet shower wall. You clench tight around his cock despite his attempts to relax you, too wound up and dizzy with arousal to care about the discomfort. Bucking your hips back, you try to press him impossibly deeper, as if you weren’t already full of him. 

He groans at the attempt though, the slight friction you grant him causing his fingers to stutter against your bud. Quickly getting the hint, he pulls back just a few inches before sinking back into you again, just as slowly as before. You both moan again at the delicious drag, before he starts to set a slow, steady rhythm—pulling out a little deeper every time until the tip threatens to slip from you with each thrust. 

You had expected something quick, frantic perhaps. The dream he had seen had clearly riled him up. But Nanami was still Nanami—slow and methodical, passionate and loving. 

Long, hot puffs of breath fan against your neck, matching the slow, sensual rhythm of his hips against you. You can feel his eyebrows knitted against your back, and in your mind's eye, you can already picture his expression perfectly. Flushed skin on his high cheekbones, the sweat on his brow, the slight scrunch of his eyes and parted lips. 

Every thrust pushes deep, his slow pace ensuring that you felt every inch of each push until he bottomed out, only to repeat the whole cycle once more. His hand on the wall slips, bumps against your own, and with trembling fingers he places it on top of yours, pinning it against the wall before intertwining your fingers tightly. 

“I love you,” he groans, his voice thick and gravelly. “I love you, ngh—“ He pushes deep again, stills for a moment as he grinds against you, before withdrawing again. “I love you so much.” 

You meet his every thrust, pushing your hips back until your skin meets his with a satisfying ‘pap’. The slow, deep pace is driving you insane, deliciously perfect and yet wildly maddening. You can feel the heat pool in your gut with every stroke, the warmth blooming hotter and hotter like the slow lap of waves, threatening to consume you. 

You’re greedy, you know. You need more.

You push your hips back in a quicker rhythm and Nanami’s hips stutter in response, his rhythm thrown off. He hisses, clenched teeth brushing against your nape. The fingers on your clit disappear, a strong hand grasping the plush flesh around your hip instead, steadying you. You expect him to stop you or slow your rhythm down, but he doesn’t. Instead, he stops thrusting altogether, allowing you complete control of the pace as you fuck yourself on him. 

He’d always allow you to take what you wanted from him. 

“Ah, y-yes, yes—“ you pant, forehead pushing forward to rest against the cool tile. You tilt your hips, angling Nanami’s cock to prod against the exact spot you need him. He curses in response to the harsh clench of your walls around him, his hips bucking forward involuntarily. “Kento—“ 

“Tell me what you, ngh, need,” he grits out, now matching your rhythm until the clap of your flesh starts to match the pour of the water. The hand on your hip slides up, caressing your waist in loving strokes before winding around, palming at your breast again. “A-are you close?” 

“Yes!” You start to push back harder, more frantically. Nanami instantly matches it, thrust for thrust, the head of his cock dragging against your sensitive point with almost pin-point accuracy. He pinches, tweaking your nipple in a way that makes your thighs shake. “Harder, I need it—“ 

You don’t even have to say another word before both of Nanami’s hands disappear, only to grip your hips tightly. You feel the warm of his chest leave your back as he straightens, replaced by the spray of the shower water instead. A moment later, his pace becomes almost punishing, the hard lines of his Adonis belt hitting against the flesh of your rear with a smack. 

You practically reel, something guttural and primal leaving your lips as you arch forward, bracing fully against the tiled wall in front of you. You can feel your flesh ripple, your breasts jolting with the wet smack of flesh against flesh. Even now, he’s careful never to push harder than you need it, but experience and attention allows him to get it perfect. He was always perfect. 

A chorus of ‘just like that’ and ‘yes’ leaves you in a symphony, your eyes rolling and eyelids fluttering simultaneously. It doesn’t take long until you're practically clamping down on his cock like a vice, your lower stomach clenching impossibly tight as ragged, fractured moans tear from your lips. Distantly, you wonder if you’re as loud as you were in his dream—or maybe louder. 

Nanami doesn’t fair any better, harsh grunts and choked groans leaving in him in rhythm with the clap of his hips. With each thrust, it seems his body hunches further inward until he’s practically curled over you, his grip tightening on your hips, thumbs digging into your skin. Deep moans smother against your shoulder as lathers you with kisses, half-formed praises coating your skin with his love. 

“I’m close, my l-lo-“ He chokes up, curses, hips stuttering as he tries to maintain the hard pace. He starts pulling your hips back to meet his, cock plunging seemingly deeper and deeper—  

Stars are exploding behind your eyes a second later, your abdomen clenching and rolling as you cum hard around him. You call out his name, you think, jaw falling slack as Nanami continues to thrust and thrust you through your climax, pushing you toward oversensitivity and fast. You’re clenching down on him tighter and tighter, unable to stop as you babble nonsensically, delirious and drunk on steam and release. 

“S-Shit,” he hisses, his voice barely there, just breathless and torn. “So b-beautiful, so perfect, I love you, I love—“ 

A second later, Nanami’s following you over the edge; a deep, broken moan leaving him as his cock twitches and throbs, spilling into you. He continues to move, his hips erratic and rhythm broken, just bucking disjointedly as his voice cracks and splinters.

You’re trembling, he’s trembling, both of you panting and moaning weakly as Nanami continues to grind against you, albeit slowly. You rest your forehead against the cool tile in front of you for a moment, your hot breath making the ceramic fog up—before Nanami’s arms wind around your waist, pulling you back up and against his chest. 

Your thighs are shaking, body nearly limp in his arms, but he supports you once more easily. Soft kisses and brushes of his nose rain down against the crook of your neck as his hand brushes up and down your stomach, his cock still throbbing weakly inside your warm grip. You let your head loll back against him, a tired, contented smile on your lips. 

You reach a hand up and behind you, fingers fumbling for a moment before his head leans into them. You card your fingers through the short, wet strands behind his ear, a small sigh fluttering against your ear in response.

“We should shower together more often,” you murmur, which earns you a small, slightly breathless chuckle, the rumble of his chest vibrating against your back. 

Eyelashes flutter against your neck as he closes his eyes. “We should.”

“In the evening though,” you add. Between the hot water and well, everything else, your body was sated but drained. “I really could fall asleep now.” 

The idea of stepping out of the warmth of the shower and Nanami’s embrace only to get dressed and continue with whatever you had planned for the day wasn’t an appealing one. As if sensing this, his arms hold you tighter, unwilling to break the moment, or your intimate connection, just yet. 

“Then do,” he murmurs against your ear, before pressing a soft kiss to the shell. “I’ll take you back to bed.” 

And you know he would. You know that if you were to fall limp in his arms right now, he’d carry you; dry you off and settle you amongst the sheets again as if you’d never left them. It wouldn’t even be a question. 

You stay awake though, body still thrumming with remnants of your connection and your muscles at ease. Tilting your head slightly, capturing a glimpse of his profile, you raise an eyebrow.

“…so?” 

Nanami meets your gaze, raising an eyebrow in turn. “So?” 

“Was it as good as your dream?” 

He closes his eyes with a tormented sigh, burying his nose back into your skin. “…it always is.” 

You let out a laugh of disbelief, angling your head to try and face him better despite him seemingly burying his face in your skin deeper, unwilling to meet his gaze. “Always?! How many dreams have you had about me like this?”

You feel a small nip at your neck, just a brush of teeth really, but that seems to tell you that these ‘dreams’ of his were far more a regularity than the stoic sorcerer was willing to let on.  

masterlist.

[lawsbbygirl]

DEE'S YUMMY LULAWLU FIC RECS

Compiled in this post you'll find all of my favorite LuLawLu fics! Enjoy your reading and make sure to leave kudos/comments on the fics you enjoyed <3 The fics are listed in no particular order other than Completed vs Ongoing. I will update this list as I find more fics that I enjoy, also to add some that I've probably forgotten.

Completed works:

when we go, we go together. by happychi 3,694 words, M "When Law dies, he spends an eternity searching for forgiveness. It was the first time anyone had smiled at him in over a century." Beautifully written fic where Law is cursed with being a reaper. This fic made me cry, it's absolutely gorgeous and bittersweet. The "D" stands for Daddy by bokkuroo 9,033 words, E Bonney uses her powers to age Luffy up, and Law starts gay-panicking! I am insanely weak for dilf!Luffy and this fic hit all the right spots with the delicious smutty goodness. A new favorite of mine!

Fanservice. by Mil0o2 23,169 words, E Law gets a new neighbor who happens to be his favorite dom pornstar "PirateKing56". Incredibly hot BDSM smut and I love the way this author writes both Law and Luffy. Delicious fic, definitely a favorite of mine.'

Keep You Safe by Rei_the_Rat 7,904 words, E "A favor and a threat that could destroy everything they hold dear, bring Law and Luffy a new opportunity to face unspoken feelings from a previous encounter." LuLaw Demon AU! This fic is gorgeous and the ambience is fantastic. Definitely a classic and a must-read!

carve your name (eat you like crème brûlée) by Trashgalore 11,556 words, E Luffy is insatiable and Law has to deal with it. PWP! Check the tags for potential CW!

Slipping Through My Fingers by Camafeu 8,525 words, E Luffy takes care of Law and eats him out. Porn with feelings! Pride is Before the Fall by Heart_Core 2,232 words, E "Law’s pent up from all the stress of traveling with the straw hats. When Luffy offers to help, how can he refuse?" Super yummy PWP by one of my favorite LuLaw authors! Seashell Lovers by cosmicatta 2,020 words, E "Law is learning to be free. Luffy helps him." This fic is so beautiful and soft and I'm smitten with how gentle and understanding Luffy is in it. Definitely a must-read!

Inhuman Potential by sydneyxface 82,094 words, E Exciting thriller featuring vampire!Luffy and pathologist!Law! Bloodplay ensues. Check tags for CW! My Heart Is Still Beating (But I Lost It Long Ago) by betsib 27,097 words, E Post Apocalyptic AU! "Law is travelling alone between quarantine zones when he comes across a young man with three bullets in his torso and an unflinching look in is eyes." Extremely well written and thrilling fic. Read tags for CWs! feel the rythm in my chest by shishiswordsman 9,140 words, Gen Bodyswap AU! "Law and Luffy decide to swap hearts for a moment. They end up swapping much more than that." I love this fic so much, it's funny, has angst AND fluff!

Ashes of Life by chenziee 10,248 words, T Canon Compliant series filled with Hurt/Comfort and lots of fluff where we follow the two captains relationship from Zou until Wano. Beautiful!

melting into you by adore_yuu 9,873 words, E Luffy discovers fanfiction and Law has to deal with it. Gorgeous and delicious one-shot!

Curiouser by xairylle 10,125 words, E Luffy asks Law to read him to him while he fucks him. Law complies reluctantly. Smutty goodness with great dialogue!

Stow Away Captains by xairylle 1,884 words, M Zoro POV. Law sneaks into the men's quarters on the Sunny and Zoro doesn't know how to deal with it. Awkward and funny as hell!

lowkey by gentoopengwyn 6,350 words, T Fluffy and hilarious Modern AU where doctor!Law has a secret husband who turns out to be Luffy.

more than a physical attraction (it's a passion) by gentoopengwyn 11,517 words, M Luffy simps for Law! Fluffy goodness.

I Could If I Wanted To by dunkinicedcoffeebeverage 5,615 words, E Law can't lie due to unforeseen circumstances and Luffy shows up! Smut and fluff. promises under the rising sun by Yakarmi 3,736 words, T "Luffy promises Law freedom." Canon compliant one-shot set on Zou. So sweet and soft!

quote, liquid courage, unquote by naturecalls111 7,475 words, E Law consumes aphrodisiac and Luffy kindly helps him with his problem. Smutty goodness.

Trials and Titillations by Callunar 42,796 words, E Luffy eats a mystery fruit and grows tits. Jealousy and misunderstandings ensue.

cough it out, loverboy by frogsterz 4,029 words, Gen Law comes back from Punk Hazard with a mating bite. Who could the mysterious alpha be that gave him the mark? Fun and cute omegaverse AU!

Saline by pbjnotes 19,321 words, M Modern AU with organized crime! Law is a doctor and has been terrorized by Doflamingo for many years, enter Luffy!

Aurum by bimarian 13,177 words, Gen Soulmate AU where Luffy learns about colors and the feelings they represent for him. Beautiful and soft.

Find Our Place in the Sky by lampalot7 4,615 words, T "Luffy is the Sun, Law is the Moon, and an eclipse brings them together." Beautiful and soft Moon/Sun God AU.

Modern Medicine Didn’t Prepare Me For Transmigration by betsib 17,018 words, T Isekai AU! Law gets transported into the world of the fantasy romance novel he's reading and adventures ensue!

Hook, line and sinker. by Mil0o2 1,323 words, E "Law is drunk and horny and makes sure Luffy knows exactly that." Service top Luffy PWP!

As Warm as the Sunlight by Camafeu 6,160 words, E Modern AU Porn with Feelings! Luffy finally gets to put marks on Law.

How To Top A Cop by initforthelolz 5,895 words, E Luffy is caught speeding and tries to convince the cop pulling him over to forget his crime with questionable means. PWP!

House Call by ZuviosGemini 4,854 words, Gen Sick Fic Modern AU! Law nurses Luffy back to health. Very sweet and fluffy comfort fic.

Meet Me in the Drift by riverofnara 28,460 words, T Pacific Rim/One Piece fusion! Luffy tries to convince Law to become his Jaeger co-pilot.

Shoot Me with a Smile by OliveGardenSafeSpace 42,161 words, M Mafia AU! Law is a mafia family boss and rescues Luffy during a heist gone wrong.

A Shiver of Pleasure by Camafeu 6,805 words, E Modern AU! Porn with Feelings and fluffy blankets.

i think she might be robbing (she can take what she wants) by Trashgalore 13,821 words, E Fem!LuLaw! Everyone is genderswapped in this roomate to lovers story. Fluffy and smutty!

The Straw Hat and Heart Pirates 'Alliance' by KivaEmber 6,706 words, Gen Smoker cockblocks Luffy and Law and hilarious situations happen in this series. Fluff and humor!

What Feelings? by Brewit 2,680 words, E Law is the last one to learn that him and Luffy are in a relationship. A story about how their relationships evolved! Fluff and a bit of smut.

You Don’t Love Me by xairylle 2,312 words, T Hurt/Comfort. Law has forgotten how to be honest.

A Summoner's Worst Nightmare by cringewerewolf 34,199 words, T "Law summons a demon to help him take down a crime lord. It all goes downhill from there." Hilarious AU where Law summons demon!Luffy!

Two Sinners' Conversation by bimarian 7,599 words, M "In which Luffy and Law redefine what a conversation is on their wedding night." This is technically part of a series, but this can be read as a stand-alone one shot. Fluff and smut!

Sick Heart by Cel0x 7,427 words, E Law and Luffy had been apart, missing each other deeply, and they have a delicious reunion. Porn with Feelings!

The Morning Comes Early by Alte 7,813 words, E "Law finds a new way to get a good night’s rest after forming an alliance with the Straw Hat Pirates." Very sweet and one of my comfort fics! Not a Ball or a Chain by HollowIsTheWorld 79,341 words, T Modern Soulmate AU! Asexual Luffy, Demisexual Law. Law grows up hoping he'd never develop a soulmark and tries to avoid meeting his soulmate.

the sea throws rocks together by manhattanvalleys 2,072 words, E Future Fic. Porn with feelings. I would recommend reading the three fics from this author in order. This one first, then the two below.

(but time leaves us polished stones) by manhattanvalleys 3,133 words, E Future Fic. Porn with feelings.

something that you might perhaps forgot to say by manhattanvalleys 4,391 words, E Future Fic PWP. Gorgeously written and a fic I can re-read over and over again.

Bloodied Knuckles by bimarian 9,099 words, E Flower Shop and Tattoo Parlor AU! Porn with Plot. "In which Law saw Luffy punching the life out of his rude customer—and decided right then and there that his ass was getting laid tonight." Dark Luffy, and Law's into it. Read tags for CW!

what the ocean gives by betsib 5,570 words, T Merman!Luffy gets saved by doctor!Law! This fic has a special place in my heart, it's very cute and funny.

To Call Myself Beloved by purplehairedwonder 13,202 words, T Luffy tries to get Law to marry him, and Law tells Luffy he'll have to catch him first. Betrothal Chase AU!

Give Me A Reason by betsib 6,400 words, M Band AU! Law does a cover of the Straw Hats' new single and it gets recorded in secret by Shachi and it goes viral, the attention eventually reaching Luffy who is intrigued by Law. Then they meet!

A Different Type of Hunger by karategal 25,111 words, E Luffy is King of the Pirates and he's "hungry for Torao". A game of cat and mouse begins. Funny and smutty!

Burning by vantrums 8,245 words, E Omegaverse PWP. Law is in heat and Luffy conveniently makes an appearance to help him out. One of my favorite PWPs!

Nothing compares by JustPassingBy19 4,261 words, E "Law and Luffy reunite after a long time away from each other's arms." Dilf!Luffy!!! Porn with Feelings!

combustion by Anonymous 3,799 words, E "Law pines and gets railed, both in and not in that order." Smut with a touch of angst!

Make Me Feel Good by sydneyxface 21,529 words, E Law seeks the help of Luffy, a professional cuddler, to help him get through university. Angst with a happy ending! This is one of my comfort fics and a favorite of mine.

Let's do It! by KhonekoChan 4,659 words, E Law and Luffy enjoy some sexcapades after the liberation of Wano. Smutty goodness.

find me in the shell's whisper by Deleted Account 5,441 words, M Law and Luffy run into each other on an island and Law pines.

Safe and Sound by All_My_Characters_Are_Dead 15,726 words, M Law gets taken hostage and Luffy is on a mission to rescue him. A lot of hurt/comfort with a lot of hurt before the comfort. Practicality is Useless Around Here by Ghosty_Bee 28,248 words, T Modern AU with magic! "Law's luck runs out when a series of events forces him to open his eyes to a world completely different from his own, full of magic, monsters, and danger. Luckily, or maybe not, he's found a crew of seers to help him out." This fic has fantastic world building and is a thrilling ride! Tell Me That You Love Me (I’ll Never Ask You Why) by Itycos 3,557 words, T "After Wano in a nameless port-town two captains reunite. Not all alliances are the same." Very sweet and beautiful fic about the two captain's finding something in each other they didn't quite expect. Like Sails on the Breeze by HollowIsTheWorld 5,115 words, Gen Corazon Lives AU. Luffy kisses Law and then he leaves. What's next for them? Bittersweet and fluffy in the end!

between you and i (the throths, the tide) by shishiswordsman 20,630 words, E ARRANGED MARRIAGE AU! Law is set to marry the future king of Dawn. Luffy is certainly not what Law expected.

What Is This Thing You Call An Alliance? by cywscross 13,701 words, T Eustass Kidd observes Law and Luffy after the fall of Kaido. Introspection, light angst and fluff!

and all the things that keep us here by qunlat 9,323 words, Gen Law gets a second chance. "(Or: the one where they get married, in secret, at someone else's wedding, and make Usopp late to his.)" Law and Luffy elope!

My Love For You Is Choking Me by ObsidionWingsofMidnight 56,880 words, T Hanahaki disease AU! Very angsty with eventual happy ending.

the white city by tciddaemina 32,328 words, Gen, M "Nika/Sun God!Luffy AU, set during the genocide in Flevance." Very interesting and beautifully written series. Total Eclipse of the Heart by Aspiring_Trashpanda 33,401 words, M "Luffy almost dies, makes a deal with a god, and falls in love. Law's along for the ride." Slow burn-y goodness!

Keep This Close To Our Hearts, Love by riverofnara 3,884 words, T Modern AU! Luffy's prank on Law says everything he hasn't been able to put into words. Fluffy!

sol ex machina by Almageist 3,757 words, Gen Angel AU! I don't want to say too much about this one as I believe it's best experienced going in blindly. One of my faves!

Meat Cute by marimoes 66,823 words, T Modern AU! Law has a literal run in with Luffy's dog "Meat" and they have a meet cute! Long fic with all of your favorite tropes!

king of my heart by frogsterz 7,411 words, E "The AU where rookie Trafalgar Law and the Pirate King walk into a tavern. Things only get better from there." The summary says all you need to know. One of my favorite LuLaw fics EVER.

Sabishigari-ya by Alexgrand 15,943 words, M Modern AU. "Law finds a website where he becomes infatuated with a user named Mugiwara22."

Who, Me? My Hand? by dunkinicedcoffeebeverage 8,903 words, M "5 times Luffy holds Law's hand, 1 time Law holds Luffy's." A getting together fic filled with fluff and beautiful moments between the two captains. The art accompanying this fic is also gorgeous!

Luffy's Law by JadedCoral 32,630 words, Gen Modern AU where Law starts a rumor about himself and hilarities ensue. This fic made me cackle out loud, it's so funny and sweet!

as I hold your hollow heart by betsib 24,962 words, M Soulswap AU! "...Law wakes up in Dressrosa, with Doflamingo's symbol tattooed on his chest and servants calling him "Corazon". Very interesting AU that I loved reading, many twists and turns and suspense!

Grand Line Carnival by Bubblegumbeech 24,140 words, T Modern AU with horror themes. "Law doesn't want to go to a carnival ever again, but his crew doesn't know that and they insist that he has been spending far too much time in the hospital.." Spooky things happen and Luffy and the Straw Hats are unintentionally creepy!

Ongoing works:

from us, to the rain by toricola 10,835 words, E Modern AU LawLu. One of the most beautifully written fics I've come across so far. The characterization of Law is one of the best I've ever read, and I am dying to read more from this author. If you want to feel, definitely don't skip this one!

white elephant gift exchange by happychi 15,184 words, M "Law’s troublesome coworkers are on thin ice after gifting him a male escort for his Christmas vacation. Now he’s snowed in with a complete stranger for an entire weekend." Things aren't as they seem in this Modern AU. The author's portrayal of Law in this is on of my absolute favorites. Excited to read more of this!

Critical Fire Weather Pattern by lettersinpetals 7,787 words, M Journalist AU! Law is an editor at One Piece News, and Luffy is the newly appointed weatherman. A super fresh and unique AU that I immediately fell in love with!

The Beast of Buckden by Callunar 11,537 words, E "Law has moved to a sleepy little countryside village. The people of the village warned him not to go out on the night of the blood moon, but he finds himself lost in the woods anyway." Werewolf!Luffy AU that has quickly become one of my favorite LuLaw fics. Read tags for CW!

The Pirate King's Treasure by Callunar 64,842 words, E Another fantastic work by Callunar, this time it's PWP! Luffy becomes interested in Law after a heated argument. Extremely smutty and kinky.

Broken Heart Syndrome by Callunar 115,597 words, E Surgeon!Law and boxer!Luffy. AND THEY WERE NEIGHBORS. Slow burn!!!! Another one of my favorite chaptered fics.

Chasing the Sun by illusiverose 174,160 words, E Another one of my favorites! Modern AU Surgeon!Law and Firefighter!Luffy. Law has dark secrets but becomes enamored with Luffy, the embodiment of sunshine. Exciting plot with a slice of Mafia!

Red and Yellow by BewitchingDemon 20,214 words, M Pokemon Fusion AU! A true joy to read this fic. Strangers to lovers with a lot of awkwardness and slow burn. One of my favorites!

(We Would Never) Break the Chain by cosmicatta 15,507 words, M A Modern AU set in the 70s-80s where you get to see Law and Luffy grow from childhood friends into something more, with a lot of pining and angst in between. A beautifully written fic.

Haze by initforthelolz 56,381 words, M Fantasy AU with dystopian themes with fantastic world building and intrigue.

Godslayer by initforthelolz 19,611 words, M Fantasy AU where Law is a Godslayer and his purpose is to defeat one of the god's that terrorized the world. Things don't go as planned. Incredibly well-written fic with solid world building and a plot that draws you in instantly.

for a wilted rose not yet withered by ame_kko 45,682 words, T Ancient Greek Gods AU! A strangers to lovers fic with Luffy as Persephone, God of Spring and Law as Hades, God of the Underworld. An all time favorite for me!

Hearts Spring Eternal by riverofnara 34,386 words, E Law performs the Perennial Youth Surgery on Luffy out of desperation, but Law somehow survives. Angst and complications happen.

In the Sultry Summer Calm by Alte 15,563 words, M Omegaverse Flower Shop AU! Two of my favorite things combined. "After the loss of his adoptive father, omega Trafalgar Law is forced to give up on his dream to become a surgeon in favor of taking over his father’s flower shop." Very sweet and I can't wait for this to be updated!

In the Night by TheeGirlWonder 8,273 words, M Fantasy AU! Vampires, werewolves and witches! Law is a vampire and helps werewolf!Luffy escape Doflamingo's clutches after being captured.

Saint Peter's Keys by Aspiring_TrashPanda 52,560 words, E Modern AND Canon Div AU! A story involving parallel universes with a fantastically written story. Slow burn!

It Was Always Blood With You by initforthelolz 14,970 words, E Vampire!Law AU! "Luffy finds a vampire on the side of the road and decides to bring him home... against better judgement that he does not possess." I immediately fell in love with this fic, the summary says it all!

The Compounding Impact of Time by salient17 14,889 words, M Time Travel AU! "It didn't matter where, or when, because Luffy would find him--time and time again." Luffy is lost in time, will he find his way back?

The Years We’ve Lost by Heart_Core 24,618 words, M Time Travel AU! "In the middle of the War on Onigashima, Law wakes up to find himself 19 years into the future. Luffy had long defeated Kaido, believing Law to have died in the war." Love this fic and can't wait for an update. Can never go wrong with dilf!Luffy either.

At the Heart of Worship by Heart_Core 8,014 words, E Sun God Luffy AU! Luffy has had his attention captured by Law.

always too much (never enough) by Jien_o 21,303 words, E Modern AU cockwarming fic of my dreams. This fic has me in a chokehold. CRAZY good!

within & without by Jien_o 68,686 words, E Arranged Marriage AU! LawLu. Enemies to lovers-esque type story, where both Law and Luffy are very flawed and many misunderstandings ensue.

The Omegaverse Clothing Exchange Service by bananabunch 8,162 words, E Super cute A/B/O fic with a really unique plot! I love this fic so far and can't wait to read more.

As Sunflowers Do by martilla 95,283 words, E Modern AU! Luffy is in an accident and gets amnesia and forgets all about his relationship with Law. A lot of angst and heartbreak with an eventual happy ending.

[catras-breakup-song]

i’m not gonna lie… i’m lost here. is this supposed to be an 4nt1/cr1t1c4l post? if so, i genuinely don’t understand the point being made.

is it that playful banter is a bad thing? is it that being too hands-on violates unspoken boundaries? the message is so unclear to my autistic ass…

oh, wait, OP provided tags:

so aside from the fact that they are absolutely not sisters by default, least of all canonically (even if you do interpret them that way somehow), nor was it ever intended by nate stevenson, i’m still having trouble figuring out how this is problematic.

in which ways is lighthearted touch totally contradictory to passionate kissing/caressing? why can’t partners who are dating do both, especially in different cultural environments such as the horde where intimacy is discouraged and friendly sparring with familiar peers is a safe expression? if it’s so different, what are we as the audience supposed to interpret from their style of physical affection by the final season? side note, but aren’t we supposed to consider the latest version of anything in general as the most accurate?

now i have a question lol, did you take this moment literally at her word, and all the other times she repeated it?

also, my friend just pointed out that this is the classic homophobic talking point of "they seem to just be very good friends! they were roommates!" lmao. i've never agreed with accusing anyone who cr1t1c1z3s catradora of lesbophobia, which i'm not doing necessarily, because that's simply not how it works, however i found this funny and partially true so i'm keeping it in.

the lip bite was included unintentionally 👀

anyway, as i’ve discussed on this blog before, i’m very arospec and it’s inseparably intwined with my identity itself; i also project that onto catra. something we often bring up in that community, is romance-favorability (as its own spectrum of range all the way to blatant repulsion btw) — which is a personal preference that’s defined as exactly as it sounds like and occasionally revolves around fictional depiction as separate from one's own reality — and arguably more importantly, amatonormativity — which is an arbitrary set of rules for romantic expectations set up by an alloromantic society. this is typically thought of as common denial of the idea that someone could actually want to separate themself from needing a life partner in marriage, but can very much be applied to an annoying list of what draws the line between romantic & platonic relationships. that line is very individualistic and is to be decided on such a level only, and it doesn’t even get into what queerplatonic means, a concept saved for another day!

my point is, the OP seems to be trying to claim that catradora objectively cannot be read as romantic because their dynamic growing up & early-on in the story doesn’t perfectly meet socially-constructed standards of what that should look like. i say we need to eradicate those standards altogether! it’s up to catradora to decide what they are, if anything specific at all, not us as the audience — assuming they could’ve had the words at their disposal to knowingly describe it. going back to my earlier paragraph above about how limited they were in the fright zone, i’ll borrow a quote from a comment i made on one of my recent reblogged posts (which is a great meta on how their mutual desire was uh... definitely not platonic):

"Catra and Adora’s desire for one another is shown in a variety of ways, mostly indirect. There are a lot of glances - until season 5, not the kind of open leering at one another that we’d seen between other characters. Mostly it’s fairly playful - wiggled or cocked eyebrows, glances at each other while smirking, that kind of thing, or really intense and somewhat angry glares when they’re fighting."

it's really bothering me that i can't recall where i read this from before, but someone analyzed before how, growing up, catra & adora didn't have a good sense of how to label their relationship with accurate terminology despite being subconsciously aware that they, whether they knew the other reciprocated or not, loved each other "like that." unfortunately, they couldn't further explore it because such love & affection was seen as a punishable weakness in the horde, so they resorted to the only safe option they seemed to have, which was subtle body language and play-fighting as [testudoaubrei-blog] described above.

also, since this screenshot is included in that post... i would be amused to read an explanation of how THIS LOOK from catra is "platonic with a capital P", because i'm not even sure if it's up for debate to be quite honest with you:

ESPECIALLY with the "i always have!" line (which 4nt1s like to doubt, but i don't care, it's official!):

[writingsoftarnishedsilver]

New Beginnings | Sebastian Sallow x OC #4

Summary: As Sixth Year begins, Sebastian struggles with guilt and regret over his strained friendship with Evangeline. Now back in school, he sees her carrying her own hidden burdens and reaches out, hoping to rekindle their closeness. Through small gestures and shared moments, they begin to bridge the distance between them

Words: 6,114

Tags: Friendship, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Self-Esteem, Grief and Healing, Emotional Growth, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn, Unspoken Feelings, Post-Canon Reconciliation, Friends to Lovers (Implied), Regret and Redemption, Emotional Hurt/Comfort

Read more stories about Sebastian and Evangeline

The Great Hall was alive with chatter, students filling every corner with stories from summer, gossip, and laughter. At the Slytherin table, Sebastian sat with Ominis, Violet, Nerida, and Imelda, though his attention drifted often. A plate of food sat barely touched in front of him as he pushed it around absently, his gaze flicking back to the Gryffindor table where Evangeline sat among Natty, Leander, Garreth, and Cressida.

Violet leaned forward, snapping her fingers in front of Sebastian’s face. “Are you even listening, Sallow? Or has summer stolen your sense along with your humour?”

“Sorry,” Sebastian muttered, forcing a smirk. “Still waking up, I suppose.”

Ominis turned slightly towards him, voice low enough for just Sebastian to hear. “You’re watching her, aren’t you?”

Sebastian flinched. He hadn't realized he was so obvious, but his gaze had indeed drifted to Evangeline at the Gryffindor table. She laughed at something Leander said, her face bright with an ease he hadn’t seen in a long time.

Just as he was about to look away, he heard Cressida’s voice carry across the hall, clear even amid the bustle of breakfast.

“It must’ve been lonely, though, spending the whole summer at Fallowmere House,” Cressida said, her voice tinged with sympathy.

Sebastian froze, his chest tightening as he processed what he’d just heard. Fallowmere House. He remembered her mentioning it briefly when she’d started at Hogwarts in fifth year—the magical orphanage she’d been transferred to before starting at Hogwarts. But he’d assumed… well, he’d assumed she’d stayed somewhere else over the summer, perhaps with friends.

Evangeline’s voice, soft but unwavering, answered, “It wasn’t so bad. Fallowmere is peaceful. Quiet, too. It… gave me time to think.”

Natty reached over and clasped her hand, frowning with concern. “But still, it doesn’t seem right for you to be so alone after everything.”

Evangeline’s shoulders lifted in a small shrug. “Maybe it was a good thing.”

Sebastian’s chest twisted painfully, the weight of her words settling heavily. Alone. He hadn’t even considered the reality of her situation—not really. With Professor Fig gone, the man who was supposed to become her guardian, she had no one. No home waiting for her. And yet Sebastian had never questioned where she might have gone after the chaos of last year. He’d been so consumed by his own turmoil, by the loss of Solomon and his grappling with the choices he’d made, that he hadn’t thought to ask. And now, looking at her across the room, seeing the way she put on a brave face even for her friends, he was reminded of how deeply he’d failed her—yet again.

“Sebastian?” Ominis’s voice pulled him back, laced with gentle concern. “Are you alright?”

He barely managed to nod, his throat tight. “I'm fine."

Imelda gave him a smirk. “You don’t look fine. You look like someone’s stolen your broom.”

Sebastian ignored her, gaze drifting back to Evangeline as she took a sip of pumpkin juice, her eyes distant. The way she held herself was familiar yet different—strong like always but laced with something he couldn’t quite place. He knew that the distance between them was his own doing, but seeing her there, surrounded by friends yet visibly carrying the weight of the summer, filled him with deep regret.

Across the hall, Garreth caught Evangeline’s shift in mood and leaned in. “I say, maybe a bit of Hogsmeade shopping is in order this weekend? Cheer you up?”

She chuckled. “I think that’s your solution to everything, Garreth.”

“Ah, but you can’t deny its effectiveness,” Leander chimed in, grinning. The Gryffindors’ laughter rippled across the table, warming the space around them.

From where he sat, Sebastian felt that laughter like a distant echo. His fingers clenched into a fist under the table, the weight of the summer settling over him. How had he let this happen? He wanted to stand up, walk over, and apologize, but the wall of unresolved tension between them kept him anchored in his seat.

Violet sighed. “Seriously, Sallow. What’s got you in such a state?”

He forced himself to look away from Evangeline, flashing a quick, half-hearted smile. “Nothing, I… I just… didn’t know she’d spent the whole summer at Fallowmere.”

Violet’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Wait, you didn’t know? I thought you two were close. Best friends and all that.”

Imelda snorted. “Seems like you missed a big detail, Sallow.”

Sebastian barely heard her, his mind racing. Fallowmere might have been peaceful, but he knew Evangeline didn’t belong there. She belonged here, with her friends. With him.

Nerida’s brow furrowed, her tone skeptical. “How could you not have known? Didn’t you at least write to her?”

Sebastian swallowed, his throat tight. “I didn’t think… I mean, I wasn’t… Things between us haven’t exactly been normal.” His voice was barely more than a murmur.

Ominis sighed, his voice quiet but steady. “Alright, enough. Both Sebastian and Evangeline have been grieving. Let’s not pile onto either of them over what’s already been a painful summer.”

He placed a gentle but firm hand on Sebastian’s shoulder, squeezing slightly as if to anchor him. “What matters now, Sebastian, is what you do next.”

Sebastian looked down, nodding slowly. “I’ve been a terrible friend.” His voice was thick with remorse. “I didn’t even ask.”

Imelda rolled her eyes, though there was a glint of sympathy beneath her usual sharpness. “Better late than never.”

_______

Later that day, Sebastian made his way to the Quidditch pitch, eager to throw himself into something physical and demanding to distract from the morning’s conversation. As Slytherin’s star chaser, he was used to being the focal point of their practices, and today he intended to live up to the title.

Imelda, the Slytherin captain, had the team assembled by the time he arrived, her sharp voice cutting through the early evening air as she laid out their strategy for the session. She spared Sebastian a quick nod before launching into her usual drill regimen, pushing them hard as she called out each player’s weak spots with unfiltered bluntness. Imelda’s standards were ruthless, and even Sebastian found himself gritting his teeth at her criticism.

About halfway through practice, she declared a quick break, mounting her broom to fly a lap around the pitch. The team took the opportunity to catch their breath and chat, their laughs carrying through the cool air. It was then that Sebastian noticed the Gryffindor team at the other end of the field, heading out after their own practice. Among them was Evangeline, chatting with Garreth as they shouldered their brooms and prepared to head back to the castle.

Sebastian’s gaze stayed on Evangeline as she walked alongside the red-head. The last time he’d seen her up close was in July, during that brief, uncomfortable visit she and Ominis had made to Feldcroft. Even then, in the quiet light of summer, she’d looked worn down, thinner than he remembered, her face gaunt with shadows under her eyes that hadn’t been there before. She’d always been fuller-figured, soft in a way that suited her, but that day, the sharp angles of her collarbones had poked through, an uncharacteristic fragility marking her usually confident frame.

Now, standing on the pitch, he saw that she’d lost even more weight since then. Her robes, usually snug around her curves, hung a little looser on her frame, and her cheeks, once full, looked hollow in the early evening light. The sight of her like this hit him with an unexpected pang of worry, a painful realization settling in: her grief had been eating away at her.

The laughter of his teammates faded into background noise as he tried to piece together what he’d missed. He’d been so tangled up in his own misery that he hadn’t even thought about what her own losses had taken from her. And now he could see the evidence right in front of him, written in the lines of her face and the slump of her shoulders as she trudged across the lawn. But before he could think to approach her, Darian, one of the Slytherin Beaters, caught sight of the Gryffindor team as well, a nasty smirk tugging at his lips.

“Well, well,” Darian drawled, his voice loud enough to carry. “If it isn’t our favourite orphan. Decided to play Beater this year, did you?” He let out a derisive chuckle, making a show of sizing Evangeline up. “Not sure you’ve got the strength for it, though I suppose one could make an argument for size. In any case, isn’t it a bit above your pay grade?”

Sebastian felt his stomach twist with anger, but before he could react, another Slytherin chimed in—a wiry chaser named Silas. “Someone like you shouldn't even be on the team,” Silas sneered. “I mean, can you even trace your bloodline back a generation, Sterling?”

Evangeline tensed, but her gaze stayed steady, chin lifted. She seemed poised to ignore them, but Garreth, who had already been eyeing the Slytherins with distaste, couldn’t keep quiet.

“Oh, look,” he said loudly, shooting them a challenging look. “The snakes are out, hissing as usual. Not that I’d expect anything better from Slytherins.”

Darian’s eyes narrowed, and he sneered at Garreth. “Stay out of this, Weasley. I know you think you’re clever, but it’s no secret you’re a charity case yourself. Shouldn’t you be trying to brew something explosive to get attention?”

Garreth looked ready to retort, but Evangeline placed a calming hand on his arm. “Garreth, don’t,” she murmured, “They’re not worth it.”

But the jibes only seemed to spur Silas on. “Not a great look for Gryffindor, is it?” he mused, glancing mockingly at Evangeline. “Relying on scraps.”

Sebastian couldn’t stand it any longer. He stepped forward, his voice cutting through the group with an intensity that silenced them all. “That’s enough,” he snapped, his glare fixed on Darian and Silas.

Darian’s smirk faded, but he kept his stance defiant. “Just a bit of fun, Sallow. No need to get all sentimental.”

Sebastian’s voice was low and razor-sharp, undercutting Darian’s sneer with an intensity that silenced everyone nearby. “If that’s your idea of fun, then you’re a pathetic excuse for a man, Darian.”

Darian’s smirk wavered, and he gave a mock shrug. “Can't believe you're still standing up for her. She’s not even—”

“Say another word about her,” Sebastian interrupted, taking a deliberate step closer, his voice barely above a whisper but filled with unmistakable menace, “and you’ll be explaining to Imelda why you’re in the Hospital Wing for the next week.”

Darian’s expression faltered, and Silas shifted uncomfortably beside him. They exchanged a wary look, muttering under their breath before finally backing off, throwing one last scowl at Evangeline before walking away.

With the confrontation diffused, Sebastian turned back toward Evangeline, who was still watching him, her gaze unreadable. Garreth stood closely beside her, visibly tense from the exchange. Sebastian wanted to say something reassuring, but the words caught in his throat as he took in her weary expression.

“Thank you,” Evangeline said quietly, her voice calm but laced with something he couldn’t quite identify. “You didn’t have to do that.”

Sebastian managed a faint smile, though his frustration still simmered beneath it. “I did. They had no right.”

Evangeline’s expression softened just a little, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. She looked at him, something cautious yet warm flickering in her gaze. But as quickly as it appeared, it vanished, her features settling back into a careful neutrality.

She took a slow breath, finally nodding. “Well… thanks,” she repeated, her voice soft.

Sebastian wished he could read her thoughts, to understand if the gratitude was genuine or if it was simply a polite acknowledgment, an attempt to maintain the walls between them. Her expression gave away so little, but there was something there—a hesitance, maybe, as if she were just as uncertain about how to navigate this as he was.

Garreth, who had been watching the exchange with an air of tense curiosity, cleared his throat, breaking the silence. “Well, that was… intense,” he muttered, glancing between the two of them. Then he placed a comforting hand on Evangeline’s shoulder. “Let’s get back to the castle, Evie. You could use some tea after… all this.”

Evangeline nodded, offering Sebastian one last glance—a hesitant, fleeting look that seemed to carry both gratitude and uncertainty—before she turned and followed Garreth toward the castle.

_______

The next morning, Sebastian awoke to find a neatly folded piece of parchment on his bedside table. He blinked sleepily, reaching for it and recognizing Ominis’s familiar handwriting.

Sebastian—meeting Evangeline for breakfast in the Undercroft. Join us if you’d like. O.

Sebastian shot out of bed, hurriedly pulling on his robes and running a hand through his hair, barely taking the time to check himself in the mirror. He froze for a moment, catching a glimpse of his disheveled appearance, and felt a pang of sudden insecurity. Would Evangeline think he looked alright? She’d always teased him about his tendency to appear slightly unkempt, and now he found himself adjusting his collar, feeling the weight of her imagined scrutiny more than he cared to admit. He forced himself to take a deep breath, pushing back his nerves, and then slipped out of the dormitory, heading toward the Undercroft with a mixture of excitement and trepidation.

When he entered the hidden space, he found Evangeline and Ominis already seated, deep in conversation. They were huddled together, their heads close as they looked over a pair of letters. Their voices were soft, a hint of melancholy in their tones. Neither of them noticed him at first, so Sebastian took the brief moment to take her in, noticing the way the warm, dim light softened her features, lending her a certain gentleness.

Ominis was the first to look up, sensing his presence. “Sebastian,” he greeted, his voice calm but welcoming. “You made it.”

Evangeline glanced up as well, her expression shifting slightly as her gaze landed on him. He couldn’t tell if it was relief, hesitation, or perhaps something in between, but she offered him a small smile. “Good morning, Sebastian.”

“Good morning,” he replied, a little breathless from his haste. He quickly ran a hand through his hair again, trying to look casual. “I saw the note and… well, thought I’d join you.”

Evangeline nodded, her smile lingering as she motioned for him to sit. “We were just reading some of Anne’s recent letters. She… mentioned you.”

Sebastian’s heart gave a slight, painful twist. Anne had cut ties with him after everything that had happened. She’d requested privacy, preferring to keep in touch with Ominis and Evangeline instead. But to know she’d mentioned him, even briefly, was more than he’d expected.

He lowered himself onto the seat beside them, his gaze flicking between Evangeline and Ominis. “Really? What… what did she say?”

Evangeline glanced at Ominis before answering, a trace of hesitation in her eyes. “She’s… doing alright, all things considered. The healers at St. Mungo’s have been working with her regularly. She’s trying to focus on her recovery.”

Sebastian nodded, trying to keep his emotions in check, though he could feel the ache settling in his chest. He hadn’t known much about her treatment, only that she’d chosen to leave him out of it. “And… she mentioned me?” he asked quietly, his voice tinged with both hope and apprehension.

Ominis nodded, his expression softening. “Yes. She… wondered how you were doing.” His words were careful, as though he was selecting each one with precision. “She didn’t say much, but it's clear she’s still thinking about you, Sebastian."

Sebastian swallowed, nodding again as he processed this. The rift between them had felt so permanent, so final, that even this small mention of him from her was a lifeline he hadn’t expected. “I… I’m glad she’s doing alright. Really, I am.”

Evangeline nodded, "They've entered Anne into a new study on pain reduction charms... so far the results are promising." He was surprised when she reached out, a reassuring touch on his arm. He met her gaze, his chest tightening at the kindness he saw there. It was such a stark contrast to the distant, weary expression she’d worn the day before, and it filled him with both gratitude and longing. She was right there, so close he could reach out and hold her hand, yet there was a chasm between them that he’d built with his own actions.

They fell into a soft silence, Evangeline’s hand lingering on his arm a moment longer before she pulled it away. He missed the warmth immediately, but he couldn’t complain; even this was more than he’d hoped for.

Ominis, sensing the shift in the room, cleared his throat and leaned back slightly. “Anne’s letters… they’re a good sign,” he said, his voice thoughtful. “She’s taking steps forward, and perhaps that will mean more for you, too, Sebastian.”

Evangeline and Ominis shared a brief, understanding glance before quietly sliding the letters across the table for Sebastian to read himself. He picked them up gently, his fingers brushing the parchment, and began scanning Anne’s familiar handwriting. His heart ached with every word, but there was a calmness here, too—a sense of normalcy he hadn’t felt in a long time.

Once he finished, he set the letters back down, a faint but genuine smile playing at his lips. “She sounds… more like herself,” he murmured, relief evident in his voice. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen her like that.” He glanced between Evangeline and Ominis, feeling a gratitude that went beyond words.

Ominis nodded. “She’s slowly finding her way. It’s not easy, but she’s taking steps, thanks to some new treatment options.”

Sebastian tilted his head, curiosity sparking. “The study you mentioned… I’d never heard of it. When Solomon and I brought her to St. Mungo’s, they never said anything about specialized studies or pain reduction charms.” He glanced at Ominis, then Evangeline, his brow furrowing slightly. “How… how did she get into this program?”

Evangeline and Ominis exchanged a glance, as if silently weighing how much to say. Finally, Evangeline spoke, her tone gentle but firm. “We helped her get in,” she explained. “It’s… not exactly easy to access. The study is funded through private research, so only certain patients are allowed to participate.”

Sebastian’s eyebrows knit together in confusion. “Certain patients? So… it’s expensive?”

Ominis nodded, his expression serious. “Yes. It wasn’t covered by the usual care options, so… Evangeline and I pitched in to help her get into it.”

Sebastian’s gaze snapped between them, surprise and gratitude welling up within him. “You both… paid for her to get this treatment?”

Evangeline nodded, her expression modest. “It wasn’t just us, of course. Anne had a little saved up, and I… we just wanted to do something to help, after everything. She deserves a real chance at relief.”

Sebastian’s throat tightened, emotions swirling within him—gratitude, guilt, relief, and a deep sense of indebtedness to them both. He hadn’t been able to support Anne the way she deserved, and yet Evangeline and Ominis had stepped up, filling in the gaps he’d left.

“Thank you,” he managed, his voice rough with emotion. “I… I don’t know what to say. You both… you’ve done more for her than I could ever repay.”

Ominis shook his head, “We did it because we care about her. There’s no debt.”

The rest of breakfast proceeded with a surprising ease, conversation drifting to lighter topics as they shared quiet smiles and passing comments about their classes and friends. Sebastian felt himself relaxing, enjoying the near-normalcy that settled between them. There was a warmth here, a familiar rhythm that reminded him of mornings they’d shared in happier times.

Eventually, Ominis glanced at the clock and sighed, a trace of reluctance in his expression. “I’d better head to Alchemy,” he said, gathering his things. “I’ll leave you two to your own devices—don’t have too much fun without me.”

Evangeline let out a mock groan. “I still don’t understand how you tolerate that class, Ominis.”

Sebastian chuckled. “I agree. Alchemy is practically a crime against students.”

Ominis gave them both a faint smile, shaking his head as he stood. “You two are hopeless. Perhaps one day, you’ll see the brilliance of it.” With that, he gave them a quick nod and made his way out, leaving Sebastian and Evangeline alone in the Undercroft.

A surprisingly comfortable silence settled over them, and Sebastian found himself glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

He couldn’t help it—he always ended up watching her, captivated by the way the soft light caught in her hair or the quiet focus in her expression. Even now, in the dim light of the Undercroft, having woken up so early, she looked beautiful. That beauty felt both familiar and devastatingly new to him; every time he was with her, it was as though he were seeing her all over again.

But as he looked at her now, his admiration was tempered by worry. She was absently picking at a muffin, breaking it into tiny pieces on her plate but never actually taking a bite. Her eyes were distant, framed by faint shadows that hinted at restless nights, and he couldn’t ignore how loose her robes looked on her.

Taking a deep breath, Sebastian decided to break the silence. “Evie…” he began carefully, his tone as gentle as he could make it. “Are you alright?”

She glanced up, her expression unreadable as she met his gaze. She tried to smile, shrugging dismissively. “I’m fine, Sebastian. Just not that hungry.”

He frowned, leaning forward slightly, unwilling to let it go that easily. “Not that hungry?” he repeated softly, a small smile playing at his lips as he tried to keep his tone light. “You’ve told me a hundred times how much you love breakfast. You practically count down the hours between dinner and breakfast.”

A hint of a real smile tugged at her lips, but it faded quickly, and she returned her gaze to her plate. "Yes, well... I suppose I just don't have an appetite today."

Sebastian hesitated, choosing his words carefully. He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable, didn’t want her to feel scrutinized under his gaze, even though he couldn’t help but notice the changes in her. For as long as he could remember, Evangeline’s presence had been one of warmth and fullness, her figure soft and steady, a quiet strength he’d grown to admire and—though he’d never admit it aloud—appreciate in ways that stirred certain feelings he’d never meant to develop. And yet now, her movements weighed down by something he couldn’t quite see but could feel all too clearly.

“Maybe,” he said, his voice softening as he treaded carefully, “but… this seems like more than just not being hungry.” He could feel a blush creeping up his neck, but he pushed forward, lowering his gaze to spare them both from his own embarrassment. “It’s… obvious this has been going on for a while. Your clothes don’t… they look a little different on you.”

Her cheeks flushed, and she glanced away, her discomfort evident. “It’s nothing, Sebastian,” she insisted, her voice quiet but firm. “Really. I’m fine.”

He knew she wanted him to drop it, but he couldn’t ignore the weight that had settled over her. He’d never seen her like this—so guarded, so intent on putting up a wall between them. And he hated that he’d let things get to this point, where she felt she had to face everything alone.

“Evie,” he said gently, "Please don't lie to me."

Sebastian’s quiet plea hung between them, and for a long, tense moment, Evangeline kept her gaze firmly on her plate, her fingers fidgeting with a stray crumb as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world. He could see the struggle in her posture, the way her shoulders tensed, how her jaw set as if to hold back words she’d rather keep hidden.

She took a deep breath, her fingers going still on the table. Finally, she looked up, meeting his eyes with a hesitant, almost pained expression. “I… I don’t know where to start,” she murmured, her voice trembling with the weight of her unspoken thoughts.

"Then... start with whatever feels right,” he offered gently.

Her lips pressed together as she seemed to wrestle with what to say. When she finally spoke, her voice was guarded, almost evasive. “I guess… with everything that’s happened, I haven’t exactly… taken the best care of myself. It’s been hard to find the energy for things I used to care about.”

Sebastian’s eyes softened, but he didn’t respond right away, sensing there was more she wasn’t saying. He simply nodded, encouraging her to go on.

Her fingers twisted in her lap as she glanced away, “And I keep thinking… maybe if I’d been better, if I’d done something differently… maybe Professor Fig would still be here.” She swallowed hard, her voice dropping to barely a whisper. “It’s like I… failed him. And I can’t shake the feeling that maybe I’m just… not enough. Not good enough. Not the right kind of person to have made a difference.”

She bit her lip, her cheeks flushing as she glanced at him, as if she were about to reveal something she’d never shared with anyone. “I know it sounds silly, but… it’s hard not to feel like… maybe it’s me. Like… maybe if I were different, better somehow, things would have turned out differently.”

Her gaze dropped, and she looked down, a shadow of something deeply vulnerable crossing her features. “And sometimes, it’s just… I see other girls—Cressida, Violet, girls who seem to have everything put together, who are tall and thin and look… perfect. And I… I’ve never been that way. I’ve always been… well, I mean, you know. You heard what Darian said yesterday about my size,” Her voice grew smaller with each word, her cheeks brightening in embarrassment. “And I guess I just feel like… like maybe I don’t deserve to… to take up that much space. I know it’s stupid, but I….” She trailed off, her voice thick with embarrassment, and glanced away as though she wanted to hide. “I don’t know why I’m even telling you this. It’s… it’s silly.”

Her words hit him harder than he could have expected, each one revealing a side of her he’d never seen, a vulnerability she’d never shared with him before. It stunned him to think that she, who had always seemed so steady, so sure of herself, carried insecurities this deep. He’d never imagined she’d compare herself to others like that. The idea of her, quietly measuring herself against someone like Cressida or any of the girls, seemed absurd to him. And he was struck by the irony, because in his eyes, she was perfect exactly as she was.

But now, facing her, he found himself torn, struggling to find the right words. The thought of her feeling inadequate, feeling somehow less-than, made him want to pull her into his arms and erase every doubt. He wanted her to know that she was the standard, in his eyes—she was everything he wanted, just as she was. He wanted to tell her how much he adored her body, how the softness of her figure was something he secretly cherished, something that made him look at her and think about her in ways he didn’t dare admit.

Yet, he knew he couldn’t say any of that. His feelings for her were a secret he’d kept carefully guarded. Revealing any of it would complicate things, might even push her away, and he couldn’t bear that risk. He wanted to help her, to be there for her as a friend, to ease her worries without crossing the lines that would betray his own heart. So, he chose his words carefully, hoping they would convey even a fraction of what he felt.

He took a breath, his voice soft but steady. “Evie… What happened with Fig isn't on you. I've heard the story of that night a hundred times and you did everything humanly possible to keep the school, and everyone inside it, safe." He paused, his gaze gentle, trying to convey the sincerity behind his words. "And… you might not see it, but you’re… you’ve always been more than enough. I’ve never thought you should be anything other than who you are.”

He could see her cheeks redden, her gaze dropping to her hands as though she wasn’t sure whether to believe him. She took a shaky breath, her voice barely above a whisper. “Sebastian… I appreciate you saying that, really, but… you don’t have to.” She hesitated, struggling to keep her voice steady. “I mean, we’re friends, and you’re… well, you’re just being kind.”

He could feel the blush heating his own cheeks, but he held her gaze, not willing to let her dismiss what he was saying. “I’m not just saying it to be nice,” he insisted, his voice laced with a quiet urgency. “I mean it."

Evangeline looked up at him, her lips curving into a small, tentative smile. There was a new softness in her eyes, a warmth that hadn’t been there before, and it filled him with a bittersweet satisfaction. Even if she couldn’t see herself the way he did, at least maybe she was starting to believe him.

Still, a part of him wanted to say more, to tell her how wildly attracted to her he was, that no one else had ever made him feel the way she did. But he knew that line was one he wasn’t ready to cross—not yet, and perhaps not ever. So he settled for the silence that fell between them, a silence that was surprisingly comfortable, laced with a quiet understanding.

"Anyone ever tell you that you're a pretty decent listener when you actually try?" Evangeline said at length, a hesitant smirk pulling on her cheeks.

Sebastian’s lips curved into a smile, his heart warming at the gentle teasing in her tone. “Well,” he replied, a playful spark in his eyes, “you’re the only one I’d really go to the trouble for. And maybe Ominis."

Evangeline’s smirk softened into something genuine, and she raised an eyebrow. “I suppose that makes me special.”

“Very special,” he said quietly, the words slipping out before he could stop himself. He felt his cheeks flush, but if she noticed, she didn't let on.

“Thank you, Sebastian,” she murmured, and Sebastian could see a glimmer of something vulnerable in her eyes—a quiet gratitude that made his heart ache in the best way.

The silence that settled between them felt warm and strangely intimate, and for the first time in a long while, it felt like they were nearly back to the closeness they’d had before everything became complicated.

Sebastian cleared his throat, breaking the silence with a playful grin. "So... maybe you’ll actually eat that muffin instead of shredding it into a million tiny pieces?”

Evangeline looked down at her plate, realizing that she’d been absentmindedly tearing the muffin into a pile of crumbs. Her cheeks flushed as she let out a small, embarrassed laugh. “I suppose I’ve been caught,” she admitted, brushing a few crumbs off her fingers. “Fine, I’ll actually eat it. Happy?”

“Ecstatic,” he teased, his grin widening. “I don’t want to have to give that muffin a proper burial. Besides, you’ve got to keep your strength up. Who else is going to keep Ominis and me out of trouble?”

She let out a genuine laugh, the sound light and warm, and for a moment, it was as though all the heaviness that had been weighing her down had lifted. She broke off a piece of the muffin, actually taking a bite this time, and rolled her eyes as she chewed.

“There,” she said after swallowing, giving him a mock glare. “Satisfied?”

“Very,” he replied, still smiling, his gaze lingering on her a little longer than he meant to.

It was a simple thing, sharing a laugh over a muffin, but it felt like a quiet victory—a small, comforting reminder that some things between them hadn’t changed.

As they both finished up and stood to leave, Sebastian felt the lingering warmth of her laughter echoing in his chest, the kind of warmth that made him feel a little closer to her than he had in months. With a final smile, he said, “So... are we going to share a bench in Potions?"

Evangeline raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching with a hint of a smirk. “I suppose I could allow it. But only if you promise not to set anything on fire this year.”

Sebastian feigned a look of mock offense, placing a hand over his heart. “That was one time, Evie! And it was Garreth’s fault. You know how dangerous his ‘improvements’ can be.”

She rolled her eyes, but her smile remained, softer now, as though she was savoring the exchange as much as he was. “Alright, Sallow,” she replied, pretending to consider it. “But you’re on thin ice. One more potion mishap, and you’ll have to find someone else’s bench to singe.”

He laughed, feeling a lightness he hadn’t felt in ages, a sense of ease that had seemed impossible before now. “Deal,” he said, holding out his hand as if to seal their agreement. She looked at his outstretched hand, and after a brief, amused hesitation, she took it, giving it a quick, firm shake before releasing it, her eyes twinkling.

They lingered for a second longer, the air between them filled with something warm and unspoken, a quiet acknowledgment of what their friendship had weathered and what it still meant. As they left the Undercroft side by side, he couldn’t help but think that the wall between them had grown a little thinner, that somehow, they’d found a way to share in each other’s lives again.

“Alright, then,” he said, unable to resist one last tease. “Try not to miss me too much between now and Potions.”

She shot him a look over her shoulder, her smirk resurfacing. “Don’t flatter yourself, Sallow.”

But as she walked away, he saw a genuine smile on her face, and his own smile lingered, carrying him all the way to class.

Read more stories about Sebastian and Evangeline

[tiny-wooden-robot-fics]

Against the Tide - Eighteen

Rating: Explicit Pairing(s): Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez x Original Female Character, Silvio Ricci x Original Female Character Characters: Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez (Bleach), Silvio Ricci (Ikemen Prince), Olivia DuBois (Original Female Character) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergent, Pirates and Princes, Slow Burn, Action/Adventure, Worldbuilding, Angst, Some Subtle Racism, Sexual Tension, Political Subplot

Previous Chapter: Seventeen | Next Chapter: Nineteen

Chapter Masterlist

Summary:

He turns back to face her. "You gonna go see him?"

She knows the 'him' he's referring to. "I suppose I should," she starts slowly. She looks down at their linked hands. "I… I know it's probably going to sound silly, but I feel like he at least deserves an explanation. I would want one if I were in his shoes."

He offers her that gentle smile again - the one that seems to be just for her. "Just one more thing I love about ya," he murmurs against her forehead before pressing a kiss there. "I'm gonna go back to the Cat for a while," he adds. "If ya feelin' up to it later, feel free to join me."

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“Have you seen Olivia?” Bluntly and without any preamble, the Prince asks Daisy the question, catching her slightly off-guard.

“Not since we docked this morning,” Daisy answers truthfully. “She told me she was going to visit someone, but she didn’t say who or where that person would be.”

He sighs. He isn’t at all familiar with the island of Vora and would have no idea where to begin searching for Olivia. “If you see her, tell her I’m looking for her.” 

“I will,” she promises with a smile. 

--

The sun is starting to set by the time Olivia and Grimmjow get back to the port. They run into Daisy first, finding the young lady with Kenny, enjoying dinner at the inn they’ve put up in. 

“Oh, Lady Olivia,” she exclaims, just as Kenny straightens up in his chair and says, “Cap’n…” 

“At ease,” Grimmjow laughs, dropping Kenny a knowing wink. 

Daisy’s face brightens when she sees the way Olivia’s fingers are twined with the Captain’s. “Oh,” she remembers suddenly, the smile dropping from her face. “I’m supposed to tell you that Prince Silvio was looking for you.”

Olivia and Grimmjow exchange a glance. Something unspoken passes between them, something Daisy can’t quite pick up on. “Where is he now?” Olivia asks after a moment. 

“He’s in his room, I believe,” Daisy says. “Number nine.”

“Thank you Daisy, I appreciate it.” 

Kenny is still sitting ramrod straight, eyeing his Captain curiously. “Cap’n? You need me?”

Grimmjow shakes his head. “Have a good time,” is all he says, grinning mischievously. 

Olivia looks back at them as they walk away. “She really likes him,” she sighs. “I hate that they’ll be separated soon.”

Grimmjow shrugs. “Might be they won’t,” he counters. “Both of them are free to do what they please.” He turns back to face her. “You gonna go see him?”

She knows the ‘him’ he’s referring to. “I suppose I should,” she starts slowly. She looks down at their linked hands. “I…I know it’s probably going to sound silly, but I feel like he at least deserves an explanation. I would want one if I were in his shoes.”

He offers her that gentle smile again - the one that seems to be just for her. “Just one more thing I love about ya,” he murmurs against her forehead before pressing a kiss there. “I’m gonna go back to the Cat for a while,” he adds. “If ya feelin’ up to it later, feel free to join me.”

Olivia watches him walk away, bracing herself for the conversation she knows is coming before heading in the direction of the stairs. 

--

He answers the door after the first knock. When he sees it’s her, he says nothing - he just steps aside to allow her entrance. 

“Daisy told me you were looking for me,” Olivia says quietly, standing in the center of the room. 

“Where were you all day?” He motions to the table in the room, and she sits in the chair across from where he’s apparently been sitting. 

“I went to see my old governess,” she explains. 

He joins her at the table, filling the glass on the table with rum from the bottle sitting there. After a moment, he reaches for the other glass and pours a generous amount of rum in it too, sliding it across the table to her. 

“Thanks,” she says, taking a sip. 

“So. You’ve been fucking him.” His words are quiet, his tone flat.

“That’s a crude way of putting it.”

“But am I wrong?”

Olivia takes a deep breath, her eyes on the amber liquid in the glass. “Will you listen to what I have to say before you respond? I need… I need to get all of it out. Before I lose my nerve,” she adds, that last bit whispered so low he barely hears it. 

“You? Lose your nerve?” A smile twists at the corners of his mouth, bitter though it is. “I doubt the odds of that happening. But if that’s what you want,” he goes on, “then that’s what you’ll get.”

“I never wanted to be Queen,” Olivia starts. “I had this idea in my head that I wasn’t equal to the responsibility that involved. I kept thinking about my father and the burden he carried when he was Prime Minister, and how difficult it was for him when Vora and Clario were at war… being the only one to make decisions, being the sole bearer of responsibility for Vora’s political well-being. It was all I could see whenever I thought of being your wife. It felt heavy, like I was being suffocated under the weight of that title. It was all I could see, so much so that I let it get in the way of how much I loved you.

“I still don’t… think it’s something I could do, to go into something knowing one day that responsibility would be mine. And I don’t know what you think of all this, what Jarron Barnes is suggesting for Vora’s future,” she goes on. “But I hope you wouldn’t think less of me for wanting to be a part of the group that decides on that future… on my terms.”

His mouth twitches as if he wants to say something, but he holds his tongue and keeps his blue eyes trained on her.

She’s grateful for his silence, because it is this last part that she needs to say the most. “I’m really and truly sorry for what I did to you, Silvio. Despite all the years of bitterness and every ugly word that we’ve thrown at each other, I don’t hate you. I never have. I buried my feelings for you, even when those feelings were of the love I should have shown you. I was sure you wouldn’t want anything to do with me after I jilted you, and for that I can’t blame you---”

“Be quiet,” he cuts her off. “Just… be quiet.”

“Silvio?”

“If all you’re going to do,” he starts, enunciating every word slowly and carefully, “is tell me that you regret what happened between us in one breath only to tell me you’re choosing him in the next breath… then don’t. Don’t do that. Don’t fuck around with my heart, Olivia.”

For so long now, she has been accustomed to the way they interact with one another - hateful words thrown at each other, their tongues dripping acid as they hurl vitriol up in the air between them and wait for the aftermath of those emotional bombs. She looks at him now, and there is an honest vulnerability in his expression that she has not seen in a very long time. 

“Oh.” The word falls from her mouth softly, followed by silence. She isn’t sure how to respond to what he’s said. She looks down at her glass. “I just… I thought you deserved an explanation.”

He looks away from her. “Don’t blame me if he fucks it up,” he says bitterly. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“I’m sorry,” she says again, an ache in her chest.  

“You do realize that we’re going to have to work together,” he goes on, his gaze focused on some point behind her. “If things go as planned with Vora’s new government… and you decide you really want to be a part of it, you and I are going to have to work together.” 

“I know,” she concedes. “And I was hoping that we could. Without…” She takes a deep breath. “Without animosity.”

“I would assume all your training taught you how to separate your personal life from your duties,” Silvio says flatly. “If you can’t remember that, I can’t help you.” He lifts his glass to his lips, downing the contents in one big gulp. “Get out,” he says softly, and it’s sadly reminiscent of the same words he said to her not long ago. “I don’t want you here anymore.”

--

She’s crying quietly into her hands, and he pulls her close to him, enfolding her in his arms. 

“I’m sorry,” she sniffles, her words muffled. “It’s awful of me to be here with you, crying about another man.”

Grimmjow shakes his head. “Cry if ya need to, Sae,” he tells her, rubbing her back soothingly. 

“I made a mess of everything, didn’t I?”

He laughs in that easy going way he has. “Wouldn’t say that.”

She’s grateful for the lie, even though she knows that’s exactly what it is.

--

“So you chose the pirate.” It’s the way Barnes greets her when she joins him at his table the next morning. “I guess that means you jilted the prince… again.”

She ignores his jab. It hurts. “We have a lot to talk about,” she says, seating herself across from him.

“Will you at least let me finish my breakfast?”

“You’re smart enough to do two things at once, aren’t you?” She raises an eyebrow at him. “And anyway, I’ll start - you don’t even have to talk. Just listen.”

He looks back at her warily, but says nothing. 

“I’m going to accept the offer to be a part of Vora’s new ruling party,” she starts. “But not under your conditions.” 

“What makes you so sure I’ll agree to anything but my conditions?”

“Your hands are tied,” Olivia tells him reasonably. “If you want anything resembling a normal life in light of everything you’ve done. And by ‘everything you’ve done,’ I mean all the laws you’ve broken. Your choices are limited. You know it, I know it, and Prince Silvio knows it.”

He narrows his eyes at her. “So what exactly are you suggesting?”

“The same thing I’ve been suggesting this whole time,” Olivia laughs. “Come back to Clario and present your case to the King. Let him hear you out. Be prepared to accept punishment and give restitution for the ships you burned and looted.”

“You want to see me in a cell for the rest of my life,” he grumbles. 

“I don’t,” she answers truthfully. “I want to see Vora get what you want it to have. But if you want to be a part of the group responsible for its well-being, you need to set a good example. You need to be the sort of person who can own up to his wrongdoings. The people won’t trust you otherwise.”

“That’s all well and good to say, but you know as well as I do what will happen once the King passes judgment on me.”

Olivia shakes her head. “Lucky for you, I won’t mention anything about the kidnapping. And I heard from a reliable source that whenever you looted and burned a ship, you let the crew go - either so they could become your men or so they could go elsewhere. If you haven’t killed anyone, it may just be a matter of restitution.”

Barnes doesn’t look fully convinced, but he says nothing in rebuttal. 

“In addition to that,” Olivia goes on, “Prince Silvio might be able to get the King to be more lenient on you than previously implied.”

“And then what?”

She sighs. “I’m giving you what’s probably going to be your best-case scenario right now,” she points out. “This could all have the potential to go horribly sideways, and despite what you think of me, I don’t want to see that happen.”

“You really mean that?” He leans forward, his gaze riveted to her face.

“Why wouldn’t I?” 

Barnes shrugs. “You don’t have anything to gain from offering me the best-case scenario.”

“Not true,” she counters. “Like I said before, I think what you want for Vora is a good thing. And while I may not agree with the way you initially went about trying to get it, I don’t think it’s too late to rectify that.” She pauses thoughtfully. “Being here again has made me remember what it was like to live here. No amount of years spent living in Clario can erase the fact that this is home to me. So if you really want to do what’s best for Vora, and you want to go about it the right way - which doesn’t include threatening to plunge it into another war it can’t win - then why wouldn’t I do everything I can to see that through?”

He’s quiet for a few seconds, assessing her. And then to her surprise, he starts to laugh. “I wonder what might have happened if your family hadn’t left Vora.” 

Olivia shakes her head. “I stopped thinking about that a long time ago.” 

“Why?” 

“Because,” she shrugs, “thinking about that would’ve driven me crazy.”

--

When she gets back to the room, Grimmjow is exactly where she’s left him: still naked and half-buried in the sheets. His gaze follows her as she crosses the short distance from the door to him. 

“You got up early,” he remarks lazily. 

“Mmhm,” she agrees, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I went down to talk to Jarron Barnes.” 

“Yeah?” He raises his pale eyebrows at her. “Good talk?”

“Good talk,” she agrees. “I’m starting to get the hang of this, I think.”

“Natural born leader.” He says it as he reaches for her, curling his arm around her waist and pulling her closer. She lets herself be pulled, finally ending up on her side, nose to nose with him. “Bed was cold without ya.”

“Was it?” 

“Yeah,” he smirks. He rolls onto his back, taking her with him until she is resting on top of him, the sheets bunched between their bodies. He looks down at her. “I been thinkin’,” he starts. 

Olivia reaches for him, her fingers laced together behind his head to bring him nearer to where she wants him, inviting him to stay in that narrow space between her thighs that, if asked, Grimmjow would say feels like his own little slice of heaven. “Tell me,” she whispers, right before closing the last bit of distance between her lips and his. 

“Tryin’ to make every thought fly right out my head, I see,” he chuckles, when they’ve broken the kiss for air. His mouth is smiling, but Olivia notes the seriousness in his eyes. “I wasn’t lyin’ when I said you make me wanna become an honest man, do right by ya,” he asserts. 

“Grimm…” She trails off. “I told you, you don’t have to---”

“Yeah, I know,” he interjects. “But I wanna. Sae, you’re a proper noble lady. Might not act like it most of the time---”

“Hey,” she butts in warningly. 

“---but that don’t mean I ever forget it,” he continues, playfully nipping at her earlobe. “I ain’t sayin’ I can completely give up this life I’m so used to,” he goes on with a wry smirk, “but I wanna do less of the kinda shit that might make people look sideways at ya if they know I’m yours.”

“I don’t care what other people think of me,” she says stubbornly.

He smiles at her. “I know. But I do.”

Olivia opens her mouth to protest, but one look at his expression and she closes it. It’s clear that he’s made up his mind, and trying to change it would be an exercise in futility. 

“Fine,” she relents finally. “But promise me you won’t give up all the naughty things you do on account of me.” 

This makes him laugh again, a quiet rumble this time. “Naughty things?” He repeats, drawing back from her to look at her suggestively. “Like what I’m plannin’ on doin’ to ya now?”

“How naughty is what you’re planning to do to me now?”

“Come outta these,” he grins, tugging lightly at the laces of her clothes, “and I’ll show ya.”

Previous Chapter: Seventeen | Next Chapter: Nineteen

Tag List: @chrissie2003 @kryptoniteforsale @pamakali

[flameohotwife]

2022 Writing Year in Review

Yeah, I know it's 2023 already. I'm just now finding a smidge of time to get to the asks/ask games/etc. that I've gotten bc the holidays have been so busy. Thank you @benwvatt and @chocomd for the tag!

1. Number of stories posted to Ao3: 13! one of those was started in 2021 though with the last chapter of it posted in 2022, so 12 fics (+ one chapter) written entirely in 2022

2. Word count this year: 105,816 according to ao3

3. Fandoms I wrote for: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Avatar: Legend of Korra (which I tag most of my adult kataang stories as, especially if they include cloud-babies or spice, to be safe, even though I know it is between the two series. But tagging adult kataang as only AtLA seems to invite the pedo-accusations, despite the fact that we KNOW Aang and Katara grew up and had babies together which means they did the deed at least a few times, but ya know... that's a rant for another day.)

4. Pairings: Aang/Katara

5. Stories with the most:

Kudos: Unspoken, Undeniable (rated T)

Bookmarks: Growing Pains (rated E)

Comment threads: UU and then GP, because they are both multi-chap stories. After that, though, it was Free as the Wind (rated T) which is still *technically* 2 chapters although I only decided to split it in two at the last minute since it was so long for ease of reading. It is more of a one-shot in my head still.

Word count: UU, definitely, at 44,409 (51,354 if you include the epilogue)

6. Work I’m most proud of (and why): Probably UU, because it was the first ever intentional multi-chap that I planned out, wrote out, and finished, all in the span of this year!

7.   Work I’m least proud of (and why): Probably Silence and Sparrowkeets (rated T). I wrote it for kataang week theme quiet moments/healing, and while I still do like a lot of elements of the story that I incorporated, it just falls a little flat for me for some reason.

8.   Share or describe a favorite review you received: Some of my favorite reviews this year have been from @kataangisforlovers and @chocomd, because they always manage to see the underlying themes I'm pulling in or the things about the AtLA world that I'm trying to expose (often having to do with canon racism). I cannot express how much I have valued their input, both on ao3 comments and behind the scenes.

9.   A time when writing was really, really hard: omg, so many times. I have had a harder time separating from my daily life stressors in order to immerse myself in my writing. Part of that has been guilt over what I *could* be accomplishing instead of writing. And I have been more productive irl. There were also a few times where fandom drama really felt like it was imploding and I wasn't sure I *wanted* to write anymore. And interaction has definitely been lower this year. Overall though I still have things to say about kataang and their relationship and their family and Aang and Katara as individuals with a lot of trauma, so I keep writing when I can.

10. A scene or character you wrote that surprised you: Absolutely hands down the entire second chapter of Free as the Wind. I've said it before, but I did not ever want to go there as an author. It's been done so many times and there are too many cultural elements that I was afraid of misusing or appropriating or being accidentally insensitive about. So I did NOT want to write that ever ever ever. But once I started with the "sneaking off" prompt, thinking it was going to be a sweet and probably a little spicy little one-shot, the characters took me in an entirely different direction and I wound up writing myself into a corner where that was the only way out. I'm still half waiting for an angry comment or dm one day, telling me how I messed it up.

11. A favorite excerpt of your writing:  It's long, but I love this mashup of dialogue and introspection from chapter 5 of UU:

“I could sense them still looking at us,” he explained in a whisper. He turned them out of the palace walkway and they continued down the streets of the Inner Ring and out towards their home. “I’m sorry if that was too much, I just wanted…”

“No, it wasn’t too much at all,” she interrupted, trying desperately to quell… whatever it was that was making her body tingle and her heart race and her mind spin. She felt her heart dropping down to the soles of her feet at the realization that this was all for the press. You need to get your feelings back under control, she scolded herself. This was pretend and you know it. “I didn’t realize they were still watching us—good catch.”

“Earthbending,” he said simply and shrugged.

“I know,” she said, feeling incredibly awkward. How was she going to go back to being just his friend when they were alone, now? To go back to not expecting him to kiss her hair or wrap his arm around her or press his body so deliciously against hers… 

They finished their walk back to the house in silence. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was different. She wasn’t sure where they stood or what he was thinking, and she was afraid to ask. He walked her to her door, and things started to feel almost normal again when he leaned down for a hug. “Thanks again, Katara. For everything,” he murmured in her ear. She shivered.

“Anytime, Aang. Goodnight,” she said as she walked into her room and closed the door. She exhaled heavily and pressed her forehead against the ornate wood, not knowing that Aang was doing the exact same thing on the other side.

12. How did you grow as a writer this year: I think I learned to show more, and to be more descriptive of the scenery and surroundings. I'm still working on it, but I think I did better than last year!

13. How do you hope to grow next year: I hope to be able to add more metaphor, symbolism, and overall meaning into said descriptions. I am also hoping to branch out and write out of my comfort zone a bit (maybe something that is not kataang/aang/katara centric? Maybe original fiction? WHO KNOWS). I was hoping to use fic-writing to kind of run the rust off the rails of my writing skills and get back to writing original fiction or creative non-fiction, which had been my life's dream and something I studied for a bit in school, but that takes a kind of bravery and vulnerability I'm not sure I have in me, yet.

14. Who was your greatest positive influence this year as a writer (could be another writer or beta or cheerleader or muse etc etc):

@coyotelemon was my beta for UU and absolutely pushed me to grow in ways I could not have without her help. The number of times she had to write "PAINT MOAR" in the comments of my googledoc because I had completely left out the details, and the number of ideas she came up with when I was stuck show the sheer impact she had on this work, and I could not have done it without her <3

15. Anything from your real life show up in your writing this year: Absolutely. Ties That Bind (rated G), my Katara Week piece for the prompt "Katara and her family" included a lot of elements of parenting and connecting with family that I have experienced in my own life. But pieces of my life show up in all areas of my writing.

16. Any new wisdom you can share with other writers: I don't think I have any *new* wisdom. Just keep reading, keep writing, and keep experimenting with those elements you love from your favorite stories. Don't be afraid to research and take risks. And find your people who will help you and cheer you on when you're feeling discouraged.

17. Any projects you’re looking forward to starting (or finishing) in the new year: I'd really like to write that kataang/cloud-babies mixed race fic. I have bits and pieces, but as I've stated before what's really holding me back is research. Fingers crossed!

18. Tag some writers whose answers you’d like to read: I know it's 2023 now, but if you're so inclined... @coyotelemon, @shameaboutthedilettantism, @anervoussapphic, @itsmoonpeaches, @juicypersimmon, @cats-and-metersticks, @northerngoshawk... or anyone else who wants to do it!

[bluephoenixdruidicprincess]

Geralt's Apology -- Is he forgiven?

Ok, so it's time for an unpopular opinion. Spoilers ahead for Season 2 of The Witcher.

Since finishing season 2 of The Witcher yesterday, not only did I go re-blog in the tags crazy but I also went fanfiction crazy. And to my great surprise, my journey through A03 in the geraskier, yennefier, geraskefer tags have lead me to find out that it seems a lot of the fandom is not big on the apology Geralt gave to Jaskier. I wouldn't say I loved the apology but I was satisfied with it, I had a grin on my face throughout the entire exchange, I don't know, to me I just felt like it worked for what it was meant to do. I've certainly experienced worse canon apologies (ala Supernatural--Dean's apology to Cas in purgatory that wasn't really an apology, and yes, I'm still angry about that). Now obviously, as a fan of angst and angst-resolution, whump and whump-resolution/after-care, given the choice, I would prefer a nice long apology sequence where Geralt looks soulfully into Jaskier's eyes and gives the most sincerest apology known to man, dwarves, elves, and monsters alike -- and Jaskier has this vulnerable self-deprecating look in his eyes like he feels he doesn't deserve it but at the same time needs to hear it. BUT as wonderful of a scene as that would've been, that just doesn't feel like Geralt and Jaskier to me. Geralt in his relationship to Jaskier is a man of few words, Jaskier knows this, has been with Geralt for 20 years, so he knows to read in-between the words, understand the words that are there but are unspoken. Yes, all Geralt says is "I'm sorry", but there's a lot to read in that. But its also quite telling in how Jaskier responds to it which I felt is very in-character for Jaskier as well. First of all, Jaskier is a fully grown adult, I'm not really a big fan of woobifying and babying adult characters. I feel that when you do that, you miss a lot of who that character really is. So I do view Jaskier as an adult and at this point in canon, is either in his 40s or getting very close, he's a big boy and I think he can handle his emotional turmoil. Whereas what Geralt said to him at the end of Season 1 was certainly uncalled for and the song Burn, Butcher, Burn was definitely called for in Jaskier's hour of pain, months later now that the wound has had a chance to scab over, while still hurts Jaskier maybe doesn't need a big apology sequence to heal from it. So what is Jaskier's response to "I'm Sorry" -- "yap, yap, yap, you witchers are so emotional", he immediately goes into sassy, sarcastic Jaskier mode. I think in this moment, I don't necessarily think that he forgives Geralt or even accepts the apology, I think this is just his way of saying, "I hear you, let's move on". Which is interesting because in the jail sequence prior, Jaskier did want to talk about it and did want to hold it against Geralt but I think that was more of a trying to feign hostility to protect his heart, not entirely sure where he still stands with Geralt. But over the course of the next hours he spends with Geralt through the bath in the river, meeting up with the dwarves, he gets a feel that, hey, nothing has really changed between him and Geralt, they're the same as they were before the mountain at Caingorn. So when he has this moment of vulnerability with Geralt in which he's lamenting that he understands what Geralt was going through at the mountain using Yennefer's situation as a proxy while also simultaneously maybe regretting Burn, Butcher, Burn and Geralt does apologize, in that moment Jaskier realizes maybe he doesn't really need that heart-to-heart apology he thought he needed before. I don't think he forgives Geralt nor accept the apology, but I also don't think he harbors bitterness towards the situation either.

Anyway, that's just how I happened to read the scene.

[hallowedgrounds03]

I came into the TW fandom as a whole almost a year ago now. I had gotten on a CW vampires binge, TVD universe and such, but I always preferred werewolves. Even TVD Werewolves over all the other supernaturals on that show. So, I was on TVD tiktok, and because their target audiences and tags and such are so similar, Teen Wolf popped up a lot on my feed.

I even remember the exact line that I heard that made me go looking for where to watch Teen Wolf. It had been used in a lot of videos, the audio, but I never had seen the voice match the face, so I knew it meant something, but it took a while for a video of the actual clip came up on my FYP.

From episode 3x15, "Galvanize", Lydia is trying to find Kira and Barrows. She says, "It literally makes me want to scream."

And because Stiles is amazing at what he does, he says,

"Then scream. Lydia, scream."

And that sound byte, less than 3 seconds, every single time I heard it, it made me shiver. I knew it meant something very important way before I had context. Stiles, before I knew him at all, brought me to Teen Wolf.

And then I met his surly, leather-suited boyfriend from the woods.

And when I say that I literally cannot explain how Sterek makes me feel, I am being totally honest.

I've been in fandom since 4th grade. So, 8 years, now? And some of the biggest for me have been Harry Potter, Supernatural, the Riordanverse, and The 100.

I've had all the standard reactions over the years. Throwing OotP across the room when Sirius died, being furious when Bellarke never went canon on the show, DESTIEL, the-chapter-that-shall-not-be-named from The Burning Maze. I've found understanding and accpetance and belonging in these fictional worlds. I've been writing fanfic for ages.

But Sterek is different.

I connected with Stiles immediately, even before I was diagnosed with ADHD. He was this crazy, semi-confident nerd, who was loyal and dependable, craved touch and validation, and took care of his dad. He was me... in so many ways.

And at first, I didn't see any connection between myself and Derek, but looking back, we're more alike that I could have anticiapted. We take blame that isn't ours, we struggle with boundaries and accepting love. We both have a strange sense of humor.

And I saw sparks from the second Derek stepped out of the trees, in a leather jacket a few sizes too big and a scowl meant to hide his curiosity about this kid who smelled like new wolf, and his gangly, shaved-head, dorky friend who had the sweetest eyes.

I dove headfirst into fanfic, because I also had a feeling that I would never get to see what I wanted on screen.

I picked up on every look, every unspoken confession and question.

And, fanfic has never really made me cry. I'm a sucker for fix-it fics. And ones where Sirius lives, or Charlie comes back, or Piper and Jason get married, those make me feel whole, but I don't cry. And if I do, it's because of a profound moment built up from the first chapter, like crying over a novel.

My emotional bond to the residents of Beacon Hills, I have since discovered, go way deeper than that.

A simple throw-away line about how much Stiles calms Derek, or lets him touch his beta-shifted face could have me in tears, because it's like I can literally see the emotional growth it took for that to happen.

Once, I was reading a one-shot, and Derek and Stiles were goofing off under the fake mistletoe when Peter remarks that Stiles brought Derek back. The one we got a glimpse of in S4. And Derek proposes to Stiles, and Peter comes up to them and says to Derek,

"They would have been so proud of you."

He turns to Stiles and says,

"And they would have loved you."

And I physically feel so much want for the Hales to still be alive. I sob for a half-hour.

And once, at the end of a time travel, save the Hales fic, Stiles is driving out to the Hale House to see if it worked, and Derek calls him, panicked. I can't even read what Stiles said in response because it hit me then that Derek would get to see Laura again. And his parents. His siblings and cousins. He was getting that back, and I felt so emotionally connected to these characters, it was as if I had gone through high schools and the corresponding horrors. As if I had experienced first-hand what the effect of losing his family had on Derek and what it would mean to get the back.

I know so many people talk about belonging in their favorite fictional world over this one. But to be honest, I feel like my soul already lived a life in Beacon Hills, and all of these emotions are because I lived and felt and hurt with the pack.

I found a rewatch podcast that changed my world. I found a couple I would never stop loving. I found a show that has flaws and short-comings but it still worth it all. I found home, because of Stiles. Because of Sterek. It brought me closer to my cousin. It gave me understanding of myself. It gave me hope.

I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

anyway, I think everyone should share their story about joining the sterek fandom and all the good things you got from it 💙🧡