#this makes the scene at the beginning at the beginning a little confusing cuz there's face paint and a headband there but whatever

[trasho-pando2011]

YESSSSSS HE HAS A MASK

[yelenasdiary]

Subby!bottom!Nat getting a nipple piercing just for R as her birthday present to her. But, the healing process is at least 2 weeks long so Nat always rejects R's advances for steamy sessions cuz it's painful/not allowed and she wants to keep it a secret until finally on the day of R's birthday Nat reveals her big present and R can't stop herself from sucking her titties. Bonus points if you can add in a scene where R tries to cup Nat's tits in one morning when they're cuddling but Nat moans as it hurts and tries to cover it up. (Thankyou for your work, you're amazing)

Happy Birthday!

Pairing: Natasha Romanoff x Fem! Reader

Summary: Nat has painfully been trying to keep your birthday present a surprise. 

Smut 18+ ONLY! Minors & Men, DNI!!

Translations: Detka (baby)

Warnings: Sub! Natasha, Nipple Play (N Receiving), Slight Thigh Riding, Mommy Kink, Tiny Degradation, | 1.3K

AC: Thank you for sending this!! I hope you enjoy it!!

"All done!" The piercer smiled as they took a step back to make sure the bars were sitting perfectly. "Just be careful with towels, still wear a bra and no sexual activity in that area for at least 2-4 weeks" she added as Natasha put her favorite oversized tee back on. "Thank you, I love them" the red head smiled. 

Nat had been planning this for months, she wanted to surprise you for your birthday but didn't think ahead of how hard she'd have to keep the secret. It's no secret that you're a lover of her breasts, especially when she's wearing one of her tight tank tops making them sit perfectly. She loved to tease you and would often wear a bra that was a little too small, making them almost spill out of her top, driving you crazy. 

It's been two weeks since Nat got her nipples pierced but still felt they were rather sensitive and sore. She was glad that she'd planned this months in advance, your birthday was only a week away which gave her a little more time for the piercings to heal. It wasn't easy though, trying to keep you from hiding out. She was beginning to run out of excuses to kindly avoid any sexual activities between the two of you, so she ended up taking a small trip to Ohio to catch up with Alexie and Melina. 

Nat got back a few days before your birthday and of course you'd missed her. The birds chirped outside the small window of your shared bedroom at the Avengers compound. You rolled over to see Nat reaching for her alarm, given that you missed her so much, you wanted a little extra time in bed before starting the day. Naturally, you dropped an arm over her hip and pulled her closer into you. 

"Good morning" you spoke softly as you placed a kiss on the back of her neck, your hands making their way to cup her breast. "Good morning" Nat smiled, forgetting for a second about her new piercings. Her hands were full of her tits for a split second before Nat moaned with need. You gave them a light squeeze, not thinking twice about why she was wearing a bra to bed, she never wore a bra to bed. She moaned once more before she caught her bottom lip between her teeth to keep the pain from alerting you. 

"God, I've missed you" you whispered, placing another kiss on the back of her neck. Nat playfully chuckled, "I've missed you too, but I can't miss training detka, we'll do this later" she replied as she gently removed your hands from her breasts and sat up, running her fingers through her hair before throwing it up in a messy bun. 

You didn't question her excuse, but it definitely confused you, Nat was always one for a little morning fun before her morning shower. "Is everything okay baby?" You asked, sitting up. 

Natasha nodded, "of course, I've just a busy day today and tomorrow I've got a few errands to run" she replied before leaning over and kissing you softly, "and the quicker I get everything done, the more free time you and I have" she added. 

"I told you not to make a fuss about my birthday" you reminded her. 

"I know detka, but you know how much Wanda loves to get everybody together to celebrate things" Nat replied before slipping out of bed. She had a point, even though you'd said a million times that you didn't want a party or anything, Wanda still made sure there would be some kind of celebration. "I'll see you later tonight" Nat smiled before disappearing into the bathroom. 

----

A playlist of your favorite music played in the background under all the chit chatter from the others. The classic birthday song was sung as you blew out your candles, games were played before everybody was just enjoying a drink and talking among one another. You were sat on the sofa enjoying your drink when Nat came and sat beside you. 

"Come up stairs, I have a surprise for you" she whispered in your ear. You bit your bottom lip as you watched her stand up, getting a great look of the dress she was wearing that hugged her figure perfectly. She reached a hand out for you to take gracefully before she led the two of you back to your shared bedroom. 

Once Nat closed the door behind you, she locked it and made you take a seat on the small sofa. Your eyes were glued to her body, the way her dress rode up her thighs slightly and her tits basically begging to be let free. She straddled your waist, letting your hands land on her hips. "I've wanted to tear this dress off you all night" you spoke as you pulled the bottom of her dress over her arse to see she wasn't wearing any panties. "No panties huh?" You looked up at her. 

Nat kissed you deeply while she worked her arms out of the straps of her dress. "Are you ready for your surprise mommy?" She asked, biting her bottom lip. You nodded, running your tongue over your lips. Natasha slowly pulled down her dress and unclasped her bra and throwing it to the floor. Your eyes were met with the small silver daggers running through her nipples, your mouth watered at the sight. 

"Fuck baby! Is this why you've been avoiding me?" you asked, cupping her tits to get a better look. 

"Mhm, they need weeks to heal, do you like them" the red head replied as she watched the way you groped at her tits. 

"Like them? I fucking love them" you said before attaching your lips to her left nipple. Nat moaned at the unexpected attack on her breast, her nipples still rather sensitive only made her pussy throb as your tongue flicked over her nipple and sucked lightly. 

You released her nipple with a pop before giving her right nipple the same attention. Natasha could barely help herself, the way you bit and tugged on her tits made her rock her hips against your thigh. Rubbing her wet, exposed pussy on your outfit. "F-fuck" she moaned as you released her breast once more. 

"Don't stop mommy, please" Nat begged, rocking back and forth against your thigh. 

"Is my dirty girl needy for me now huh? After weeks of avoiding me, I can feel how soaked your pussy is darling" you replied, gripping her hips and making her stop her actions, "You're not cumming like this" you looked up at her, "keep still and let mommy have some fun" you added before taking her nipple back into your mouth. 

Natasha's moans filled the room, your hands still on her hips to keep her from grinding against you. Her head was thrown back, eyes closed while you twerked, bit and sucked on her nipples even leaving hickies in the valley of her breasts. 

"M-mommy!" Natasha moaned. You could feel just how soaked your girlfriend was, she was beginning to squirm in your hold while her clit throbbed with need to be touched. "I-I'm g'nna cum!" She added with another moan. You released her right nipple from your lips and brought your fingers to both of them. You pulled harshly on them, sending Natasha over the edge as she moaned your name while you rolled her nipples between your fingers. 

Natasha looked at you with red cheeks, "Happy Birthday mommy" she smirked before kissing you deeply once more. You stood up with Nat still wrapped around your waist before you placed her gently on the bed, "I think you can make a bigger mess, don't you?" You smirked before attacking her left nipple once more with your lips.

Taglist:  @boredandneedfanfics | @music-4ever | @karmasgxrl | @milkeeteaa | @marvelwomen-simp | @swaqcenix | @mostlymarvelsstuff | @scarlettbitchx | @mallyka-blog | @itsalwaysskorpioszn | @angel68104 | @x-natsarrownecklace-x | @caporal-nino | @natashamaximoff-69 | @evilcr0ne | 

If you want to be on the taglist for my work, please click HERE.

[thebunnednun]

If you really love me, let me go PII

Parings: Red Haired Shanks x Vice Admiral! Reader

Prompt: Hey Mami! Soo I've been thinking about our beloved Shanks x Vice admiral!Reader. Cuz why not? He's so carefree, so it would be nice to see him with someone who is the opposite of him.

This is Part 2 and the final installment of this story.

For, @orange-milky who gave me the prompt for this story. Always making me flustered with their nicknames for me.

ON WITH THE SHOW!!~~

“y/n…” 

Shanks’ voice is quieter now, a question lingering on his lips, one you’ve dreaded for years.

At first, Shanks couldn’t quite make sense of the scene unfolding in front of him. He had sensed the girl playing in the backyard the moment he stepped closer to your house—the faint sound of laughter drifting in the breeze as she swung from a tree, her flowy green dress catching in the sunlight. 

He had even seen you from the window, bending down to pick something up, but he hadn’t expected that "something" to be a someone.

For a brief second, Shanks’ mind flashed to another time—a memory of you with Luffy. The way you had scooped the small boy up and perched him on your hip, kissing the scar on his cheek with such natural, motherly tenderness.

It had been then, in that moment, that he had first imagined what it might be like to  be a dad and have children with you. The thought had come so effortlessly, like it had always been there in the back of his mind, waiting for a reason to surface.

That wasn’t all. 

Shanks remembered the day he knew you were the one he wanted to call his girl—the day he saw you hurl a needle into the eye of an opposing Marine admiral in the middle of a hurricane without missing. The sheer precision, the raw confidence, and the way the storm made your wild hair cling to your face... it was breathtaking.

And when you had smiled at him for the first time, after being stoic in the beginning, he knew in his heart that he wanted you to be his wife.

But this... this was something different entirely.

At first, he thought maybe you had company. You always did draw people to you like moths to a flame, your natural charm pulling in anyone who crossed your path. He figured some friends had dropped by—people with children. It wasn’t out of the ordinary for you.

But when the little boy nestled in your arms turned to look at you and said, “Mama,” Shanks felt like the world stopped spinning.

“Mama.” 

That one simple word felt like a cannonball straight to his chest. It knocked the wind out of him, and suddenly he couldn’t breathe. His heart clenched painfully, a tightness in his throat he hadn’t felt in years. You had always been able to surprise him, but this... this was something he couldn’t have anticipated, not even in his wildest dreams or worst fears.

Shanks stood frozen in the doorway, unable to move, unable to think. His mouth felt dry, and all the air in the room seemed to vanish. His mind raced, trying to make sense of what he had just heard, trying to replay the moment in his head to confirm it wasn’t the rum still coursing through his system. 

His eyes darted between you and the boy, searching for any explanation, any reason that could make sense of this. But it was undeniable—the boy had your face, your eyes, and his hair... God, his hair was red, just like his own! Shanks’ heart pounded harder.

Was this real?

Had you... had you really kept this from him?

For how long? 

‘Why?’

You could see the shift in his expression, the flicker of realization sparking behind his eyes as his gaze grew darker, more confused. His lips parted slightly, but no words came out. His hand, the one that always held so much power and steadiness, trembled just a little at his side.

He clenched his fist, swallowing hard as he tried to ground himself, but the weight of it all was crashing down faster than he could process.

The little boy—Luca, you’d said his name was, hadn’t you?—squirmed in your arms, oblivious to the tension hanging thick in the air. He giggled again, reaching up to touch your cheek, his tiny hand brushing your skin with such innocence, completely unaware of the storm brewing just behind him.

“y/n… ” Shanks finally managed to say, his voice hoarse, barely more than a whisper. The words cracked as they left his throat, laden with confusion and hurt, though he fought to keep his composure. “Who... who is this?”

The question was simple, but the emotion behind it was anything but. You could see it—feel it—in the way his eyes searched yours, desperate for an answer, desperate to understand why the woman he loved had hidden something so monumental from him.

You held Luca a little closer, your heart racing as you met Shanks' gaze, knowing there was no more running from the truth.

"Mom! Are we leaving soon? Oh."

Mariana had raced back into the house, her sandals clutched in one hand as she ran. Her face was flushed with excitement, eager to get back to town and discuss the details of her latest adventure with her friends. But as soon as she stepped into the living room, her excitement faltered, her gaze quickly shifting from you to the tall red-haired man standing in the doorway.

She saw you standing protectively over Luca, your arms encircling him as if to shield him from harm. Your face, usually so composed and unflappable, was now clouded with a mix of fear and uncertainty. The sight was enough to make Mariana’s heart race with alarm.

You, her vice admiral mother? The legendary figure who sailed through storms as if they were mere playgrounds, her ship slicing through turbulent waves with a thrill that bordered on defiance?

The daring woman who preferred to dive into the abyssal depths of the ocean, where most would fear to venture, embracing the dark and enigmatic waters with an insatiable curiosity? 

Her mother, who commanded duel pistols with such precision and flair that she could have dazzled the world with a thousand breathtaking gun tricks?

The same mother who governed as a Vice admiral, her name whispered with awe and reverence across the seven seas, known throughout the nearby islands for her serene and steadfast duty of nurturing Kehlani Village? Her mother was–

afraid?

In an instant, her instincts kicked in. She didn’t fully understand what was happening, but she knew she had to act. Her small frame tensed, and her eyes narrowed as a protective rage bubbled up inside her.

Without a second thought, she activated her Haki, her aura flaring with a palpable intensity that filled the room.

The air seemed to thicken around Shanks as the powerful force of her Haki enveloped him. The change was immediate and unmistakable—his relaxed posture stiffened, and his eyes widened in surprise as he felt the weight of her presence pressing down on him.

Mariana’s anger surged through the room like a tangible wave, her emotions channeled into a commanding presence that left no room for argument.

“Get out!” Mariana’s voice was sharp and authoritative, imbued with a strength far beyond her years. Her small hand pointed decisively towards the door, her gaze locked onto Shanks with a steely resolve that belied her age. She was not just a child; she was a protector, and she was determined to keep her family safe from whatever threat this stranger posed.

Shanks stumbled slightly, caught off guard by the sheer force of the young girl’s command. His usually confident demeanor was now replaced with confusion and a hint of fear. He had always known children could be special, but seeing her wielding her Haki with such raw power was a revelation that left him momentarily speechless.

You, too, were taken aback by the sudden turn of events. The sight of Mariana standing up so fiercely, her small frame radiating an aura that demanded respect, was both impressive and heartbreaking. You could see the determination in her eyes, a mirror of the strength you had hoped to instill in her.

“Mariana, stop!” you finally managed to call out, your voice tinged with both urgency and desperation. You reached out to her, but she didn’t waver. Her focus remained solely on Shanks, her Haki still directed at him, making it clear she wouldn’t back down until he left.

“Mom, who is he?” Mariana’s voice trembled slightly, the authority in her tone giving way to the confusion of a child who had just discovered that the world wasn’t as simple as she once thought. 

“Why is he here?”

Your heart ached at her words, the protective instincts of a mother clashing with the need to protect your children from the harsh truths of the world. You took a deep breath, trying to steady yourself as you faced both Shanks and your daughter.

“Mariana, please,” you said softly, trying to deescalate the situation.

“He’s someone from my past. It’s complicated.”

Shanks, still grappling with the intensity of Mariana’s Haki, took a step back.

The standoff in your living room was charged with palpable tension. Mariana’s Haki shimmered with fierce determination, her small figure standing defiantly as she directed her raw power at Shanks. Shanks, in turn, squared his shoulders and met her gaze with an intensity that matched her own.

The air crackled with their combined aura, a silent battle of wills as they locked eyes in a high-stakes staring contest.

Luca, his wide eyes reflecting the chaos around him, clung to you tightly, his small body pressed against your side. He looked up at you with a mix of fear and confusion, his tiny hands gripping your jacket as he sensed the seriousness of the situation. His gaze flicked between Shanks and his sister, caught in the whirlwind of emotions and unspoken words.

Desperation gripped you. Your voice was swallowed by the overwhelming presence of the Haki clash. “Mariana, Shanks, please!” you pleaded, but your voice fell on deaf ears. 

Behind Shanks, the rest of the red-haired crew stood in the doorway, their expressions a blend of curiosity and concern. They shifted uneasily, exchanging glances but staying silent, unsure of how to intervene.

They looked on with a mixture of curiosity and concern, their eyes flickering from Shanks to you and back again. It was clear that they were unsure whether to intervene or stay out of it, their loyalty to you both keeping them rooted but alert.

The commotion had attracted attention from outside, and you saw the imposing figure of Garp bounding up the steps to your house. His heavy footsteps thudded loudly, the sound of his approach adding an additional layer of urgency to the already tense scene.

You knew that words alone wouldn’t bridge the gap between Mariana’s unyielding resolve and Shanks’s own formidable aura. The weight of the situation pressed heavily on you, your thoughts racing as you desperately sought a way to defuse the standoff.

With a steely resolve, you reached for your pistols, pulling them from their holsters with practiced ease. The metallic clink of the guns echoed through the room as you aimed carefully.

Without hesitation, you fired two warning shots into the ceiling. The sharp cracks of the gunfire reverberated through the room, and the sound of plaster and dust raining down punctuated the noise. The sudden, jarring interruption shattered the intense focus between Mariana and Shanks.

The force of the shots broke the spell, causing both of them to flinch and turn their attention towards the source of the commotion.

Mariana’s Haki wavered, her concentration broken by the startling sound. She blinked rapidly, her stance faltering as she took in the sight of you with your pistols drawn. Her fierce expression softened slightly as she realized the gravity of the situation.

Shanks, too, broke his intense gaze, his shoulders slumping slightly as he turned to look at you. His eyes held a mixture of surprise and understanding, his own aura dissipating as he took in the scene before him.

Luca’s grip around your middle tightened, his small frame trembling slightly as he looked up at you with wide, worried eyes. You reached down to reassure him, placing a calming hand on his head as you took a deep breath, trying to steady yourself amidst the chaos.

Garp’s booming voice echoed through the open door as he arrived, his presence adding to the already fraught atmosphere. “What’s going on here?” he bellowed, his gaze shifting from the tense standoff to you, then to Shanks and his crew.

You lowered your pistols, holstering them with a resigned sigh. The weight of the situation had become almost too much to bear. “Garp,” you said, trying to keep your voice steady. “There’s a lot to explain.”

Shanks took a step back, his expression conflicted as he glanced between you and Mariana. He seemed to be weighing his next move, his own emotions turbulent as he struggled to process the revelations of the past few minutes.

Mariana, still standing her ground, looked to you for guidance, her eyes searching yours for answers. The fierce protectiveness in her gaze had not completely faded, but it was now tempered with a growing confusion.

The room was a mix of tension and relief, the air thick with the weight of unspoken words and emotional turmoil. As Garp stepped inside, his stern face softened slightly as he took in the scene, his presence a grounding force amidst the chaos.

“You’ve got some explaining to do,” Garp said firmly, his gaze shifting between you and Shanks. His tone was authoritative but not unkind, as if he understood the complexities of the situation and was prepared to offer support.

You nodded, feeling the exhaustion of the night catch up with you. “I know,” you said softly, taking a deep breath. “I’ll explain everything. Just…give me a moment.”

With the immediate tension broken, you focused on calming your children, your heart heavy with the weight of the secrets that had been exposed. 

Mariana’s voice sliced through the silence, her tone sharp and demanding. "Who are you?" Her dark eyes bore into Shanks with a ferocity that matched the weight of the moment. Shanks blinked, the intensity of her gaze catching him off guard.

He had faced storms fiercer than this, fought battles against some of the most dangerous foes in the world, but nothing quite compared to the piercing challenge of his daughter’s question—the daughter he never knew he had.

"I'm Shanks," he said, his voice steady but low, as though the weight of his own name carried a burden he hadn’t anticipated. The truth. It wasn’t an explanation, but a declaration. He glanced toward you, hoping for some guidance, some sign that this was all a misunderstanding, but you stood frozen, your face a whirlwind of emotions—guilt, fear, protectiveness, and something deeper.

Shanks’ mind raced, the events of the previous night replaying in fragments—your shared laughter, the warmth of your embrace, the way you looked at him like nothing had changed. But now? Now there were children, your children, and he couldn't help but wonder what had happened in the years since you left the crew.

His heart pounded as memories of your departure flooded back. The day you chose to leave, to stay behind in Kehlani Village, had always felt bittersweet. He respected your decision, even if he didn’t fully understand it. You were a force of nature—his vice admiral, the woman who kept his crew in line, the one who understood his restless spirit.

You had a no-nonsense attitude that made him laugh and kept him in check, but you also had a hidden tenderness, a softness that only he was allowed to see.

Could you have left him for another man? The thought twisted inside him like a knife, cutting deeper with every moment of uncertainty. No, it couldn’t be. The fierce, protective way you held Luca, the way you looked at Shanks now, terrified yet determined—there was no betrayal here. Not you. Never you.

His mind flashed back to the times you'd playfully shoot glares at any woman who dared come too close to him. There was a fire in you that would never tolerate sharing what was yours. And he was yours—he always had been.

But these children, Mariana and Luca, the spitting images of you with traces of him in their features, left him breathless. 

The truth was staring him in the face, but he couldn't comprehend it.

His eyes softened as they fell on Mariana’s auburn curls, so much like his own, and then Luca, with the same stubborn streak Shanks could see reflected in his gaze. These were his children. He knew it now, deep down in his bones.

Still, the uncertainty gnawed at him. "Did you stay behind… for someone else?" he finally asked, the words tasting bitter on his tongue. His voice was laced with pain and disbelief, the confusion of a man who felt his world had shifted beneath his feet. 

"Were the past few years all a lie?"

Your heart clenched as you met his gaze. You could see the pain behind his eyes, the cracks in his usually unshakeable demeanor. This was Shanks, your Shanks, the one who always knew you, who could read you better than anyone.

But this—your children—was a secret you had kept for too long, and now it was all unraveling before him. Luca’s small voice cut through the tension like a blade. 

"Is this a friend of Dad’s?" 

He looked up at you, wide-eyed and oblivious to the storm swirling around him. His words hit like a punch to the gut. You hesitated, the silence in the room thickening as you grappled for an answer. 

"Not exactly," you finally managed, though the weight of the truth was heavy in your throat.

That simple phrase seemed to unravel something deep within Shanks. His face, already strained with emotion, fell. The flowers he had been holding slipped from his grasp, petals scattering across the floor in soft, colorful disarray.

The rest of the Red-Haired crew, standing just outside the door, exchanged glances, unsure of how to react to this heart-wrenching scene. Garp stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing as he took in the children, the shattered expressions on both you and Shanks, and the unspoken reality hanging in the air.

You swallowed hard, your grip on Luca tightening as the words you had dreaded for so long fought to reach your lips. "Shanks… I never betrayed you. I swear. But… there’s more you need to know."

The weight of the truth was suffocating, and you could see the battle raging within him—wanting to trust you, yet needing answers. Shanks stepped closer, his hand reaching out toward you, his expression softening as he said, "Then tell me. Tell me everything."

Mariana’s eyes darted between you and Shanks, her young mind trying to piece together a truth she hadn’t been prepared for. The tension was building to a boiling point, and you could see the fire igniting in her, just as stubborn and quick to react as you’d always been. She finally demanded, "What’s going on? Who is he? I want an answer, now!"

The words tore from your throat before you could think. "Yes. This man… Shanks… Red-Haired Shanks… is your father."

The room froze. For a heartbeat, everything stood still as the words reverberated through the air like a gunshot. Shanks, still standing near the threshold, looked like he’d been struck. His face paled again, only to flush with a rush of overwhelming emotion. 

His eyes flickered from you to Mariana, then to Luca—his children. His children. It was like he was being squeezed by a sea beast, caught between joy and devastation. His hands trembled slightly as he ran one through his hair, disbelief warring with the knowledge that everything he had ever dreamed of with you had been real… and hidden from him.

Mariana couldn’t believe it. Her eyes widened, and she took a step back, staring at Shanks like he had grown another head. "You lied to me!" she screamed, the betrayal and hurt evident in her voice. Her cheeks were flushed with anger, and tears threatened to spill from her eyes. Before you could reach for her, to explain, to comfort, she spun on her heel, bolting from the room with a speed that caught you off guard.

"Mariana!" You shouted after her, lunging forward, but she was already gone—racing through the dining room, her bare feet slapping against the floorboards, past the kitchen, and out the back door. The screen door slammed shut with a loud bang, leaving you frozen mid-motion, your outstretched hand hovering uselessly in the air.

Luca stood in the center of it all, looking up at you with confusion and fear written across his young face. "Mom?" His voice was small, uncertain, and it broke something inside you.

Benn Beckman, watching the chaos unfold with the calm understanding that only a seasoned pirate could muster, gave a subtle nod. "Alright, boys, back to the beach for now," he said quietly, his deep voice carrying authority as he motioned for the rest of the crew to fall back. One by one, they complied, stepping away from the house and leaving the scene to unravel without their presence.

Shanks, still standing in the entryway, finally seemed to break free of the shock that had held him in place. His legs moved, slow and heavy, as if every step toward you carried the weight of the years you had been apart. He entered the house, his eyes fixed on you, but his face was a tangled mess of emotion. 

Hurt. Anger. Fear. Joy.

 He was trying to make sense of it all, and failing. Garp followed behind him, uncharacteristically quiet, his large hands resting on his hips as he assessed the situation. Shanks swallowed hard, his voice rough as he tried to find the words. 

"Why didn’t you tell me?" 

His question wasn’t an accusation—it was a plea, a desperate attempt to understand how things had come to this, how you had kept such a monumental secret from him.

Your heart was pounding in your chest, the weight of your decision pressing down on you as you held Luca close. His small hands gripped the fabric of your shirt as he clung to you, confused and scared by the sudden explosion of emotions around him. You could barely look at Shanks, your throat tight with unshed tears as you whispered, 

"I thought I was protecting them… protecting you."

The silence that followed was suffocating, thick with unsaid words and painful truths, as Shanks stood just a few feet away, his gaze piercing but gentle, like he couldn’t decide whether to embrace you or collapse under the weight of everything you had just revealed.

Shanks' question hung in the air between you both, heavy with meaning. "What do you mean by that?" His voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable edge, as though he was trying to understand the impossible weight behind your words.

You shifted, your arms tightening protectively around Luca as you spoke. "I can't have my children go through what Ace and Luffy do just for being alive," you said softly, the memories of what those boys endured flashing in your mind. The fear. The danger. The constant threat simply because of who they were.

Shanks’ jaw clenched. "Our children." He corrected you, his voice firm. His hand twitched at his side, as if he were holding himself back from reaching out, from pulling you both to him.

You took a breath, your gaze flicking to the open door where sunlight spilled into the room, a glaring contrast to the weight of your conversation. "You have a home at the sea, Shanks," you continued, your voice steady but filled with the pain of the truth you were revealing.

"You're a fish, always moving, always searching. Who would be there to keep order in the world’s oceans if not you?"

He looked at you, his eyes searching your face for answers, for understanding. "And you?" His voice was rough now, the emotion threatening to spill over.

"What about you?"

"I created a life here," you replied, your gaze dropping to Luca, who was still clinging to your side, confused and scared by the tension between the adults he looked up to.

"For them. A life where they’re safe. Where they don’t have to be in the crossfire of your world."

"I can gather that," Shanks said, his tone softening slightly, his eyes following yours to Luca. His son.

You gently cupped Luca’s cheek, your thumb brushing over his soft skin. "Luca, sweetheart, please go to your room and play with your toys," you said quietly, trying to keep your voice calm for his sake. But Luca, being your son, stubbornly held his ground.

"But mama—" he began, his small voice filled with the conflict of wanting to stay and protect you, though he didn't understand what was happening.

Garp, standing in the corner with his arms crossed, decided to step in, his voice gruff but filled with a firm gentleness only a grandpa could manage. "Better do as you're told, lad." His tone left no room for argument, and Luca glanced between you and Garp, caught between his loyalty to you and his desire to obey.

He took two reluctant steps back, his small shoulders slumping as he realized he had to leave you behind. His mother—the one who woke him early to watch meteor showers, who was always there to pick him up after school. His heart ached, but he wanted to respect you, just as you'd taught him.

Before he could turn to go, Shanks spoke again, his voice suddenly soft. "Wait." He held his arm out to Luca, a silent plea for just a moment longer.

Luca hesitated, then stepped forward and placed his tiny hand in Shanks’ much larger one. He looked up at his father with wide, innocent eyes, and whispered, "You have hair like mine."

His little fingers touched his own fiery red locks, and Shanks felt his breath catch in his throat, unable to respond for a moment.

He gazed down at Luca, taking in every detail of the boy's face—the round cheeks, the curious eyes, the soft red hair that mirrored his own. His son. He felt an overwhelming rush of emotions he hadn’t expected to feel, and for a brief moment, everything else melted away.

Shanks’ gaze drifted from Luca to the open door, where Mariana had fled moments before. Sunlight streamed through the entryway, casting long shadows across the floor.

He could almost see her stubborn silhouette in his mind—her fierce temper, her bold spirit. His daughter, with her mother’s lovely face and fire in her heart, but his eyes, his stare. A perfect blend of both of you.

He returned his gaze to Luca, who was still studying Shanks' face intently, trying to make sense of the man standing before him. And then, he looked back at you—kneeling before your son, still dressed in your Vice Admiral uniform, the red sash he had given you tied snugly around your waist.

The hat and jacket you’d discarded were forgotten on the sofa, your combat boots by the door. The delicate earrings, little ship helm’s, adorned your ears. His heart swelled with pride and sadness all at once. 

You were every bit the woman he had fallen in love with—and more.

Shanks moved carefully, almost as if he were afraid to break the moment, and gently pulled Luca into a one-armed hug. Luca looked to you for reassurance, and you gave him a soft nod, granting your silent permission.

The boy hesitated only for a second before wrapping his little arms around his father's neck, burying his face in Shanks' shoulder.

Shanks closed his eyes, pressing a kiss to the top of Luca's head, and for a moment, time seemed to stop. He wanted to thank you for this—for giving him these perfect children, for creating a life even when he hadn't been there to share it.

His heart ached with the bittersweet realization that he had missed so much, but also with a deep, unshakeable love for the family standing before him.

After a few seconds, Shanks gently released Luca, his hand resting on the boy's shoulder as he whispered, "Mind your mama and go upstairs, Luca."

Luca nodded obediently, his eyes still wide as he took a few cautious steps backward, watching his father with a mix of awe and curiosity. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, his small feet carried him up the stairs, and the soft click of his door echoed through the now quiet room.

Shanks let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, his gaze shifting to you once more. The weight of everything between you was still there, but now, there was something else—something unspoken but undeniable. Shanks knelt frozen at your side, his brow furrowed as he processed everything. 

"And the lassie?" he asked softly, his voice quieter now, almost fragile.

You closed your eyes, not ready for the next wave of emotions that were bound to crash through him. "Yours too, you drunken rat," you bit out, more out of frustration with yourself than with him. The truth, now laid bare, felt like a slow burning fire spreading through the room.

A brief, stunned silence followed before Shanks tried to regain some semblance of control, his smile strained as he retorted, "Hey now, I'm not the one who kept a secret family from you!"

His words were meant to be light, but there was a deeper hurt in them.

"Oh really?" you shot back, unable to keep the edge from your voice. You glared at him, pushing yourself to sit straighter as your frustration swirled to the surface.

"You're the only woman I've ever been with!" Shanks nearly shouted, his face flushing with emotion, his fist clenching at his pants as he shifted toward you.

Before either of you could escalate any further, Garp interjected with a heavy sigh, his patience clearly worn thin. "Now, don’t the two of you start," he rumbled, his gravelly voice cutting through the tension.

He pointed at Shanks, then at you, his expression somewhere between exasperation and amusement. 

"Look, you lied, and it was wrong," Garp said, turning to you with a firm but oddly gentle tone. "And you should say your apologies, lass."

You opened your mouth to argue, but Garp continued before you could. "But," he added, now looking at Shanks, "she has a few good points. And you," he jabbed a finger at Shanks, "still act incredibly immature at times for your long-in-the-tooth age."

Shanks raised an eyebrow, momentarily stunned into silence as Garp scolded him like a misbehaving child.

"Now," Garp grunted, standing to his full height as he stretched, "I’m going outside to cover for you at the base." He adjusted his cap and shot you both a knowing look.

"Go find Mari before she decides to invoke revenge. I hope the two of you can kiss and make up," he finished, a wicked glint in his eye.

As Garp began to move toward the door, he tossed one final, cheeky comment over his shoulder.

"And maybe give me just one more grandchild."

"GARP!" you and Shanks shouted in unison, completely flustered and caught off guard.

Garp grinned, fully enjoying your reactions. "Oh, don’t be shy now. There’s already two of ’em!" he called out, tipping his cap before stepping out the door, leaving you and Shanks alone in the wake of his words.

The room seemed to still after that, the only sound the soft creak of the door shutting behind Garp. The weight of everything that had been said, combined with the reality of the situation, caused you to slump to the floor, your legs finally giving out beneath you.

Your pencil skirt rode up as you landed in a heap, too exhausted and too overwhelmed to care. You let out a groan, covering your face with your hands in a mix of frustration, embarrassment, and exhaustion.

Shanks stood for a moment, watching you from above. Even after all these years, after the chaos and the misunderstandings, the sight of you—disheveled, vulnerable, and bathed in sunlight from the large open windows—made his heart race.

You were still so beautiful, even now, maybe especially now, with your guard down, raw and real before him.

Without a word, Shanks scooted over and gently dropped his sword onto the coffee table with a soft thud. He crouched beside you, his movements slow and deliberate, as if afraid of spooking you.

Then, with a tenderness that betrayed his rough exterior, he lay down beside you, his broad body stretched out next to yours on the floor.

For a moment, neither of you spoke. The only sound was your steady breathing and the occasional rustle of fabric as the two of you settled into the silence. The warmth of the sun kissed your skin, making everything feel surreal, almost dreamlike.

Shanks turned his head to look at you, his gaze soft and filled with something you hadn’t seen in a long time—an old love, deep and steady.

"I never stop thinking about you," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, as though the admission was almost too heavy for him to bear aloud. His fingers twitched at his side, aching to touch you, but he held back.

You peeked through your fingers, still hiding your face but catching his eyes from the side. "I... never stop thinking about you either," you admitted, your voice muffled by your hands. But the bitterness, the pain of all the lost years, lingered like a shadow.

Shanks’ lips curved into a sad, knowing smile. He reached out, his fingers brushing lightly against your forearm, testing the waters, seeking your permission. The touch was so simple, so gentle, yet it sent a wave of warmth through you, grounding you in that moment.

For now, in this sun-dappled room, with the weight of the world just outside the door, the two of you lay in the silence, your bodies close, the years of distance slowly shrinking, if only for a little while.

Shanks raised an eyebrow at your question, his face softening with curiosity. "Do you still not desire marriage?" he asked, his voice gentle, though there was a hint of playfulness in his tone.

You smiled, leaning your head slightly against his shoulder before whispering, “Can I tell you a secret?”

He grinned. “Is it that we have two kids—ouch!” Shanks rubbed his side where you smacked him, still chuckling. “No, not that,” you muttered, rolling your eyes.

His laughter faded into a warm smile as he caught your gaze, sensing the seriousness in your tone. "What is it, love?"

You hesitated for a second, watching his expression carefully before saying, "We already are."

There was a long pause as he blinked at you. “...”

“...”

“...WHAT?!”

You tried not to laugh at his reaction, your hand already halfway covering your face as you continued. "We already got married the night I became a vice admiral. We all got so drunk that you proposed to me with those anchor earrings—the ones you said you’d been carrying with you—and I said yes because I always wanted you to be mine officially as my husband."

Shanks' mouth dropped open, and you couldn’t help but smirk as you watched the disbelief wash over him.

“And Benn,” you continued, fighting a grin, “he was the one who technically married us. He had the power to do so, and since the rest of the bar staff, some Marine personnel, your crew, and a few locals saw us in the church... it's official."

There was another beat of stunned silence, and then Shanks groaned dramatically, dropping his head into his hands. “You know,” he mumbled into his palms, “lobbing off my remaining arm, ripping out my eyes, or just carving out my heart would be a lot faster than this little game you've got going on where you don't tell me wonderful things."

You huffed, crossing your arms over your chest. "Well, maybe you should’ve remembered," you teased back, but the smile on your face betrayed any real annoyance.

Shanks tutted at you playfully, and before you could protest, he gently cupped your cheeks with his large, calloused hands. His thumbs brushed over your cheekbones, forcing you to look up at him.

“There she is,” he said softly, his voice low and affectionate. "There's my beautiful vice admiral."

His eyes held that mischievous glint again as he continued, "My little rule enforcer. The mother of my children. My wife." His voice dropped an octave lower, deep and filled with longing. "God, I’ve waited to say all of that for so long."

You wanted to cave and give him another baby right there. 

Your breath caught as he drew you close, his strong arms wrapping around you like a fortress. Instinctively, you curled into his embrace, your body fitting against his as it always had. The weight of his presence was familiar, comforting, and for a moment, you forgot the years of separation, the missed moments.

It was just you, him, and this warm bubble of intimacy.

"I wish I was there," he whispered into your hair, his voice laced with regret. "I’m so sorry, too."

You shook your head, pulling back just enough to meet his gaze. "Don’t be," you said softly. "I had no right to bar you from your children. They belong to you as well, and... you belong to them."

Shanks’ eyes softened further, and for a moment, you saw the man beneath the pirate, the man who had once only dreamed of having a family, of being yours. He leaned his forehead against yours, his breath warm against your skin as he whispered, "I do wonder how it is you're so good at keeping secrets."

You smirked, your lips brushing against his as you replied, "I work for the world government. You pick up a thing or two."

"And you talk about pirates," he shot back with a teasing grin, pinching you on the rear.

You squealed in surprise, smacking his side before grabbing a handful of his own behind in retaliation. "Ah ah ah," Shanks teased, his voice rich with amusement. "I think this is what led to making the first one."

“Mariana,” you murmured, the name of your daughter heavy on your tongue, filled with both love and the weight of everything that had happened.

Shanks’ grin softened into something more tender, his eyes glowing with pride. "My daughter, Mariana," he repeated, his voice reverent. He looked so happy in that moment, lying beneath you, his face bathed in the warm sunlight that streamed through the large windows.

The golden rays danced in his crimson hair, highlighting the deep lines of his face that had come from years at sea. His eyes, though, were as bright and vibrant as the first time you met him—full of life, mischief, and something even deeper now. Love.

With you now on top of him, straddling his hips, the world seemed to slow down. His hands settled on your waist, fingers tracing small circles on your hips as he gazed up at you with that boyish smile, one that melted your heart every time.

“You look beautiful like this,” he whispered, his voice barely audible as his thumb brushed over the red sash you still wore.

His eyes were half-lidded with contentment, utterly lost in the moment, in you, in everything you had built together.

While that was happening downstairs, Luca had managed to lower himself from his window with the makeshift rope of bedsheets, his small hands gripping tightly as he carefully descended. When he hit the ground with a soft thud, he rubbed his sore bottom and glanced around with a mix of curiosity and concern. 

The sun was bright now, casting long shadows across the yard as he set off towards the woods. He was determined, despite his groggy state, to find his sister and make sure she was okay. His tiny feet crunched softly over the grass as he walked, pausing occasionally to glance back at the house and the open back door that seemed to sway gently in the evening breeze. 

The sight of the door left a chill of unease, but his worry for Mariana pushed him forward. The path markers you had placed to guide their way through the forest, with their vibrant colors and gentle sway in the wind, gave him a sense of direction and reassurance. 

He moved cautiously, his small, determined steps echoing with the faint rustle of leaves. The forest, which had always been a place of adventure and fun during the day, now felt different in the encroaching twilight. Shadows seemed to stretch longer, and the occasional hoot of an owl made him jump.

Eventually, Luca came upon the frog pond you had always adored. Its surface was still, the only movement coming from the occasional ripple as a frog leapt away from the edge.

There, near the pond, he saw the silver sandals discarded carelessly at the base of a large tree. His heart skipped a beat, and he hurried over, finding the small, worn slingshot and marbles hidden in the trunk alongside a butterfly knife.

As he was examining the items, a sharp, sudden pain hit the top of his head. Luca yelped and stumbled, rubbing the spot where something had struck him.

Looking up, he saw a small, bare foot sticking out among the tangled mess of green foliage above him. It seemed that the nut that had hit him had fallen from the tree where someone—likely Mariana—was perched.

He peered up into the branches, spotting a hint of a familiar green dress tangled among the leaves. With a determined gulp, he started to climb the tree, his tiny hands grasping at the rough bark.

The climb was challenging for his small frame, but he was driven by a deep concern for his sister. His movements were slow but steady, his feet finding purchase as he climbed higher.

He finally reached a sturdy branch where he could see his sister more clearly. Mariana was sitting cross-legged, her face set in a scowl as she looked out over the pond. Her peach basket lay beside her on the branch, her earlier distress evident in her frown.

"Luca!" 

Mariana’s eyes widened in surprise as she spotted her brother clambering onto the branch. Her anger seemed to dissolve into confusion and concern as she saw him. "What are you doing here?"

Luca, still catching his breath, looked at her with wide eyes. "I was worried about you. I didn’t know where you went and I... I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Mariana's face softened, a mixture of guilt and relief washing over her. She shifted closer to him on the branch, her usual stubbornness giving way to a rare moment of vulnerability. "I’m sorry, Luca. I didn’t mean to worry you. I was just... upset."

Luca, still holding onto the branch for support, reached out to her. “It’s okay. Let’s just go back home. Mama and Papa are looking for us.”

Mariana’s face was a mixture of stubborn defiance and lingering hurt as she sat perched on the tree branch. “I don’t want to come down,” she said firmly, her voice echoing with a blend of frustration and sadness. “I feel like I’ve been lied to, and I can’t just trust a man I’ve only just met.”

Luca, his small face crumpled in thought, nodded in agreement. “You’re right,” he said softly, sitting beside her. The sky above was painted with vibrant hues, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of ripe peaches. Mariana’s basket, left behind in her hasty climb, contained a few juicy fruits. She offered one to Luca, and they began to eat in companionable silence, the warmth of the peaches contrasting with the cool afternoon air.

They sat together, their quiet conversation and the occasional rustle of leaves were the only sounds. Suddenly, a deep, unfamiliar voice cut through the calm, calling out their names. The voice was deeper and carried a hesitant note, far different from their mother’s familiar, comforting tone.

Mariana’s eyes widened with alarm. “Luca, stay quiet and don’t move,” she whispered urgently, her eyes scanning their surroundings. The rustling of leaves indicated that someone was approaching, their steps growing closer.

Luca nodded, his small body tensing with nervousness as he kept his gaze fixed on his sister. Mariana carefully maneuvered up the tree, her movements cautious yet determined. She reached a higher branch, peering down through the dense foliage to get a better view of their uninvited guest.

As she settled into a more secure position, she spotted Shanks moving with purpose toward the tree. His tall figure was unmistakable even through the green shrubbery, and she could see the concern etched on his face. He had noticed the sandals at the trunk and was now inching closer, his gaze darting around as he tried to locate her.

“Damn it,” Mariana heard Shanks mutter under his breath as he drew nearer. She quickly covered her mouth, her eyes wide as she remembered the rule about cursing. Luca tsked, “That’s 1 berrie in the swear jar!”

“Shh!” Mariana whispered urgently, her eyes locking with Luca’s. He gave a small, frightened nod, trying to remain as still as possible.

They watched in tense silence as Shanks approached the trunk, his footsteps growing nearer. His movements were deliberate, yet he seemed uncertain of his surroundings, his usual confident demeanor momentarily shaken.

Shanks crouched by the base of the tree, looking up with a mixture of concern and desperation. His eyes scanned the branches, searching for any sign of the children. Mariana could see the strain on his face, the worry etched deeply into his features.

She held her breath, her heart racing as she tried to stay as silent as possible. Luca, too, was frozen beside her, his little fingers gripping the branch for support. The quiet of the forest seemed to intensify the situation, every rustle and whisper magnifying the tension of the moment.

Shanks, crouched at the base of the tree, caught the murmur of conversation coming from the branches above. He tilted his head, a wry smile curling his lips as he heard the whispered exchange between his children.

"He’s got one arm; I don’t think he can do much damage,” Luca said quietly.

“You know I can hear you both, right?” Shanks called out, his voice tinged with amusement. The children’s startled faces appeared through the foliage, their hands flying to cover their mouths in surprise.

“Also, it's quite hurtful to mock your father, don’t you think?” he continued, trying to keep the tone light.

Mariana’s eyes narrowed as she peered down at him. “We don’t know you!” she shouted, her voice echoing through the quiet woods. Shanks’s heart ached at the sound of her. The resemblance to you was undeniable—her hair was the same length and texture, though the auburn hue hinted at his own blood. 

She wore a necklace of small sea shells, a gift he had given you long ago. His daughter, fierce and lovely, carrying both your fire and his own mischievous glint.

Shanks’s gaze softened as he looked at Mariana. “Please, come down,” he requested gently. “I know it’s a lot to take in, but I’m here to prove myself. I’m your father, and I care deeply about both of you.”

Mariana shook her head firmly. “I don’t talk to strangers,” she said, her voice resolute.

Luca, sitting quietly beside her, finally spoke up in a hushed whisper. “Mariana, I do want to go home to Mama soon.”

The mention of their mother made Mariana’s face soften just a fraction, but she remained resolute in her decision. Shanks could see the internal conflict in her eyes as she turned her gaze back to him.

"So, you are up there, Luca?" Shanks called up, a hint of humor in his voice. "Your mother is quite displeased with what you did to your bedding."

Luca’s cheeks flushed a deep red, matching his hair as he shifted uncomfortably. Mariana shot him a questioning look, her eyes wide with surprise.

Shanks’s smile widened as he continued to speak to them, trying to ease the tension. “I assure you, I’m not here to cause trouble. I’m here to be part of your lives and to make things right. I understand it’s a lot to take in, but I promise you I’m here with good intentions.”

Mariana’s eyes flared with anger again as she looked down at Shanks. “Get lost,” she demanded, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and defiance.

Shanks’s expression turned serious, though his eyes remained warm and sincere. “I’m not going anywhere until I can prove to you that I’m not just some stranger. I want to show you that I’m your father and that I’m here to make things right. It’s not just about me; it’s about us.”

Luca, who had been watching the exchange with a mix of curiosity and concern, looked up at Shanks and then to his sister. He knew how much their mother meant to them, and he could see the pain in Mariana’s eyes. He wished he could help bridge the gap between them, but for now, he could only stay silent and hope that Shanks’s words would eventually reach her.

Mariana took a deep breath, her grip tightening on the branch she was perched on. She wanted to believe him, to trust that he was sincere, but the shock of the revelation and the hurt of feeling deceived were still fresh. She glanced at Luca, who was now sitting quietly, his small face full of uncertainty.

Shanks stood at the base of the tree, his eyes never leaving Mariana’s. He knew he had to be patient and earn their trust, one step at a time. 

Mariana’s emotions churned like a storm inside her as she watched Shanks stand below her. Her mind raced through the snapshots of her life: the vibrant memories of her grandfather Garp, with his dog-eared hat and tales of adventure; her secret dreams of sailing the world with Luca as her loyal first mate; and most importantly, the unwavering love and dedication you had poured into raising her and Luca alone. 

You, her mother, who had never faltered in her devotion or patience, even when faced with countless questions about a father she had never met.

As these thoughts swirled, Mariana felt hot tears sting her eyes. She squeezed her hands into tight fists, a gesture she had learned from you during moments of frustration. With a deep breath, she let go of her palms, her resolve hardening like the iron will she had seen in you so many times before.

Luca’s gentle touch on her hand broke through her turmoil. She opened her eyes to see him looking up at her with a mix of concern and hope. His small, comforting presence anchored her thoughts, and she took a moment to adjust his ponytail so it fell neatly around his face. The sight of her little brother’s earnest expression gave her the strength to make a decision.

“You may go with him if you wish,” she said softly, her voice trembling slightly. “But I will stay here until Mom comes to get me.”

Luca’s eyes lit up with a grateful, albeit anxious, smile. He nodded, his small hand giving hers a final squeeze before he turned to descend the tree. As he made his way down, he passed by Shanks, who watched the interaction with a mixture of hope and sadness.

Luca paused briefly to pat Shanks’s knee, a gesture both encouraging and endearing. “Good luck,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper, before hurrying back down the path and disappearing from sight.

Shanks’s heart ached as he watched his son run off. The warmth in Luca’s small touch was a balm to his troubled heart, but it only served to deepen the ache of the gap between him and Mariana. With a deep breath, he turned his gaze back to Mariana, who was now perched high in the tree, her silhouette framed by the setting sun.

Mariana took one last look at her father before turning her gaze back to the forest. The tension in her shoulders began to ease as she considered the possibility of embracing this new chapter in her life, yet the fear of change and the longing for her mother’s presence kept her rooted in place.

Shanks stood at the base of the tree, his red hair glowing under the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves. His one arm rested casually at his side, while the other, with its practiced grace, caught the peach Mariana had thrown at him. He gave her a warm, reassuring smile and a friendly wave, trying to bridge the chasm of uncertainty between them.

“Can I come up?” he asked, his voice carrying the warmth of a father who was eager to reconnect.

Mariana, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed, responded skeptically. “How are you going to do that with just one arm?”

Shanks shrugged, his smile never fading. “I’ve learned to live with it. It’s not the easiest thing, but I manage.”

Mariana’s eyes remained cautious. “No, you can’t come up. Just have Mom come get me.”

Shanks shook his head gently. “No, I’m going to stay right here until you come down or let me come up.”

Determined, Mariana tossed another peach, aiming for his head. This time, Shanks sidestepped with a fluid motion and caught the fruit effortlessly with his one hand. He held it up, examining it with a grin before looking back at Mariana.

“Nice try,” he said. “But I’ve had a lot of practice with dodging things.”

‘Your mothers bullets, Buggy’s knives. Mihawk's stare.’

Mariana huffed in response but couldn’t hide a small, hesitant smile. Shanks took this as a sign of progress and began to speak, his tone sincere and gentle.

“So, how’s your day been?” he asked, trying to draw her out with friendly conversation.

Mariana shrugged. “It’s been weird.”

Shanks nodded, understandingly. “I can imagine. And I know there’s been a lot of confusion and hurt. Your mother, she had her reasons for keeping me a secret. It wasn’t right, but she did it to protect you and Luca from the dangers of the world.”

Mariana’s eyes softened a bit, though skepticism still lingered. “Why is the world so cruel then?”

Shanks sighed, looking up through the branches as if seeking an answer from the sky. “I’m not too sure. The world can be harsh and unforgiving. But I believe there’s still hope. I’ve met some very good people in my lifetime, people who’ve shown me that there’s kindness and love to be found even in the darkest places.”

Mariana’s voice wavered slightly. “Is Mom one of those good people?”

Shanks’s eyes softened even more, his heart swelling with affection.

“Yes, she is. She’s one of the best people I’ve ever met. I remember when she was a young marine cadet, separated from her ship during a storm. My crew and I picked her up. We sailed around the world together for three years.”

Mariana’s curiosity piqued. “What was she like?”

Shanks’s face lit up with nostalgia. “She had this incredible light about her. Everywhere we went, she brought joy to the people we helped. Rebuilding bridges, repairing docks, fixing windows, finding lost livestock, and even helping with laundry—she never stopped. She had this unwavering spirit and kindness that drew me to her.”

Mariana listened intently, a mixture of fascination and sadness in her eyes. “Why did you let her go?”

Shanks’s smile grew bittersweet. “I’ve always secretly hoped she’d return. She had a calling, and I understood that. But I’ve never stopped hoping.”

Mariana furrowed her brow. “If she’s a vice admiral, why hasn’t she arrested you or Uncle Luffy or Mr. Mihawk?”

Shanks chuckled softly. “Your mother believes in justice, but she doesn’t agree with everything the Marines say they believe in. She has her own sense of right and wrong, which often aligns more with what her heart says.”

Mariana tilted her head, her curiosity growing. “That sounds like piracy.”

Shanks laughed heartily. “It does, doesn’t it? But she always refuses to admit it.”

Mariana’s sniffles became more audible, and Shanks’s heart ached seeing her distress. He glanced around and spotted her sandals lying by the tree. With a gentle smile, he picked them up and tucked them into his belt.

“I think it’s time I make my way up to you,” he said, determination in his voice.

Shanks began climbing the tree with careful, deliberate movements, his one arm working in tandem with his strong legs. The branches creaked slightly under his weight, but he moved with the practiced ease of someone accustomed to navigating tricky terrains.

As he neared Mariana, he could see her expression shifting from wary to curious. He took his time, ensuring every movement was gentle, to avoid startling her further. Finally, he reached her, settling on a sturdy branch beside her.

Mariana looked at him, her eyes wide and filled with a mix of emotions. Shanks extended his hand to her, his gaze steady and kind.

“Let’s talk,” he said softly, “and I promise, I’ll be here for as long as it takes to make things right.”

Mariana sat in the tree, silent at first, her breath shaky as she tried to steady herself. Shanks, now beside her, remained still, allowing her the space she needed. He watched her, marveling at the uncanny resemblance she shared with you.

Her auburn hair, a mix of yours and his, caught the light, while her eyes—those wide, vast, star-like eyes—glistened with unshed tears. A delicate seashell necklace that hung from her neck, the one he’d given you years ago, was an instant thought of the bond that he had unknowingly shared with her all this time.

His chest tightened at the thought. This was his daughter. His daughter, the one he'd imagined countless times but never truly believed he’d have.

Mariana’s lips parted as if she wanted to speak, but no words came. Instead, her face crumpled, and soft, quiet sobs escaped her as she hid her face in her hands. Shanks’s heart clenched at the sight—he remembers how you do the same when you were overwhelmed, hiding your emotions behind your hands. 

It was like looking at a part of you, vulnerable and raw, and it pulled at him in a way that he hadn’t expected.

"Now, now," he murmured softly, his voice gentle but carrying a sense of reassurance, "we can’t have this."

Shanks shifted slightly, reaching across the branches to move the basket of peaches higher up to ensure it wouldn’t fall. His movements were slow and deliberate as he scooted over to the base of Mariana’s branch.

With a careful, practiced ease, he held out his arm, the only one he had left, offering it to her like an anchor.

Mariana’s tear-filled gaze met his, her expression hesitant. She looked at him like a wary stray cat, unsure whether to trust him or bolt. Her eyes flitted between his outstretched arm and his face, weighing her options, her small body tense with uncertainty. Shanks could feel his own heart beating harder, but he kept his gaze soft, patient. He didn’t rush her, didn’t demand anything. 

He just waited.

Finally, with a quiet resolve, Mariana slowly, almost tentatively, shifted toward him. She crawled carefully into the crook of his arm, her small frame pressing into his chest as if testing the waters of this unfamiliar embrace. As soon as she settled against him, Shanks propped his leg up to provide her with more stability, creating a makeshift seat for her as they sat among the branches.

He wrapped his arm around her securely, his hand resting gently on her back as he felt her small body tremble with the weight of her emotions. She slumped against him, her tears quiet but present, and Shanks held her close, his heart swelling with a fierce protectiveness he hadn’t felt in years. He pressed his cheek gently to the crown of her head, feeling the soft strands of her hair against his skin, and closed his eyes for a brief moment.

Mariana’s quiet sobs gradually slowed, though she didn’t pull away. Shanks simply held her, rocking her slightly as they sat nestled in the tree, surrounded by the whispering leaves and the distant sound of the wind through the branches.

The world around them seemed to fade as the moment stretched, the silence broken only by the occasional rustling of the tree and the soft sniffles from Mariana.

“It’s alright, love,” Shanks whispered softly, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m here now.”

For the first time in a long while, Shanks allowed himself to believe that things could be different—that maybe, just maybe, they could start anew.

Shanks shifted slightly on the branch, feeling the rough bark press against his back as he gathered his thoughts. His one arm tightened around Mariana protectively, and he tilted his head down to meet her eyes. She was still slumped against his chest, picking at a leaf, her little hands shaking slightly. He could feel the tension in her body, the conflict of emotions swirling inside her like a storm.

“I’ve seen you before,” she said quietly, her eyes distant as if replaying the scene in her mind.

Shanks watched Mariana carefully as she spoke, her voice soft and tentative, as though she was still piecing together memories from the past. His heart ached with every word, but he kept his expression calm and gentle, letting her guide the conversation at her own pace.

“Really?” Shanks asked, keeping his voice low, curious but patient.

Mariana nodded. “Yes, in her photos.”

“Tell me,” he said softly, encouraging her to continue.

Mariana shifted in his lap, sitting up a little straighter, though she still picked nervously at the leaf in her hands. "I was small, about five," she began, her fingers tearing small pieces of the leaf as she spoke. 

"When I was playing in her room. Mama was cleaning out her closet, and she set a box of photos down on the bed. She began to match faces to the people from her stories, but she had a large picture of you and her together."

Shanks felt a flicker of surprise, but he didn’t interrupt. His mind raced back to those days, trying to recall the moment she was describing.

"You had a funny jacket on," she continued, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "And both arms, and they were wrapped around her. She was wearing her earrings and vice admiral cap. It looked like it was taken in a church."

Shanks chuckled softly, his gaze softening as he remembered that day. "I think I remember that photo," he murmured, more to himself than to her.

"Is that when you asked about me?" he asked gently, watching her closely.

"Yeah," Mariana replied, her eyes flickering up to meet his for a brief second before looking away again. "She was really emotional when she found that. Said she didn’t even remember taking it."

Shanks frowned slightly, the weight of her words settling in. He could imagine you finding that photo, the flood of memories and emotions that must have come with it. He wished he could have been there to see your reaction, to share that moment.

"What happened after that?" he asked quietly, wanting to know more.

Mariana hesitated for a moment, her fingers still picking at the leaf until it was nothing more than tiny shreds in her hands. "I found more photos of you," she said, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "And an old bounty poster."

Shanks’ breath caught in his throat. He hadn’t realized you had kept those. His bounty posters had always been a point of pride for him—proof of his reputation, his strength—but knowing his daughter had seen them, knowing what they represented, made his chest tighten.

"When I asked about it," Mariana continued, her voice trembling slightly, "she couldn’t tell me the full truth. And when she picked me up after school, all the wanted posters with your face were gone."

Shanks sighed deeply, reaching out to tilt her face toward him gently, his calloused thumb brushing away a tear that had slipped down her cheek.

"I knew I had a father," she whispered, her voice breaking, "but I didn’t know who my father was."

Her words struck him like a dagger. He had always prided himself on being free, a pirate without chains or obligations, but now, seeing the pain in his daughter’s eyes, he realized how much he had lost—how much they both had lost.

"You’re mother was scared," Shanks said after a long moment, his voice thick with emotion but steady. "In the eyes of the world government, we could all be separated and killed."

Mariana slumped against his chest again, her small body trembling slightly as she processed his words. Shanks ran a soothing hand through her hair, letting her feel his warmth, his presence.

"She may have a personality opposite of mine," Shanks continued, his voice soft yet firm, "but let me make one thing perfectly clear."

Mariana tilted her head up slightly, her tear-streaked face still filled with uncertainty.

"What’s that?" she asked, her voice fragile.

Shanks met her gaze, his eyes burning with sincerity. "She wouldn’t have done it if she didn’t love you. Now, did she make a mistake?" He paused, nodding as if to affirm his own words.

"Yes, yes she did. I myself didn’t know of you and Luca until I walked through that door. But…" He leaned down slightly, bringing their foreheads close, his voice barely above a whisper.

"She wants to apologize. She wants to make things right."

Mariana’s lip quivered, and she looked down, her fingers tracing absent shapes on the bark of the tree branch they sat on. "What if the danger does come?" she asked, her voice so small it was almost lost in the wind.

Shanks sighed softly, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head. "I’ll handle it," he promised, his voice low but filled with unwavering resolve.

Mariana blinked up at him, her eyes wide and filled with a mixture of hope and fear. "How?" she asked, her voice breaking.

He sighed softly, the sound barely audible over the rustle of leaves. He leaned his head back, glancing up at the patches of sky visible through the thick canopy, searching for words that would reassure her, though none came easily. Mariana shifted slightly in his lap, her small fingers still picking at the leaf she’d plucked, her emotions evident in every fidget. 

She waited, eyes on the horizon, the soft remnants of tears drying on her cheeks.

Shanks exhaled softly, brushing a strand of her auburn hair behind her ear. The wind rustled through the leaves above them, casting dappled sunlight across their faces. Shanks stared into the canopy, watching the light dance for a moment, then lowered his gaze to his daughter.

"How?" she repeated, her voice a fragile whisper, as though she didn’t really expect an answer. Her eyes, so much like yours, flickered up to him briefly before darting hardening again, unsure, lost.

"By any means necessary," he said quietly, his voice carrying a weight that made Mariana look up at him again. This time, he held her gaze. "I’ve made a life out of protecting what’s important to me, and right now, there’s nothing more important than you, your brother, and your mother."

Gently, he placed his large hand over hers, stilling her restless movements. "How will I handle it?" he repeated her question, his voice quiet yet steady, trying to find a balance between fatherly wisdom and the raw honesty his daughter deserved. 

"Well, I’ve been through a lot. Fought more battles than I care to remember, and I've had to protect people I love. Your mother, she was no exception." He tilted his head, peering down at her.

Mariana kept her face angled away from him, biting her lower lip, clearly caught between anger and the need for comfort. Shanks knew that look—he’d seen it in the mirror on countless occasions.

"I’ll tell you a secret," he continued, offering a small, warm smile despite the seriousness in his voice.

"I wasn’t always the most… reliable man. But when it comes to family, when it comes to protecting the people I love, I don’t run away from the fight. I face it head-on." Mariana finally looked up at him, her eyes still red but full of curiosity.

"But what if you can’t win?"

Shanks chuckled softly, the sound carrying a hint of self-deprecating humor. "That’s a good question. Your mother asked me that once, too. And I gave her the same answer I’ll give you." He gently took her chin between his fingers, guiding her gaze to his, soft yet firm.

"It doesn’t matter if I win or lose, Mariana. What matters is that I don’t stop fighting. Not for her, not for you, and not for Luca."

She blinked, processing his words, before glancing away again. "Why didn't you find out before?...."

Her question hung heavy between them, and Shanks let out another long breath, his eyes darkening with regret.

"That’s something I’ve asked myself every second since I found out about you and Luca. I could give you a thousand excuses, but the truth is... I didn’t know. I should’ve been there, and for that, I’m sorry. Truly."

Mariana paused, her fingers curling around his hand for just a moment, as if testing whether she could trust this man who had appeared so suddenly in her life. She dropped her gaze again. "I don’t know if I can forgive you yet."

"And you don’t have to," Shanks said, his voice as gentle as his touch. "But I’m here now, and I’m not going anywhere unless you ask me to."

The weight of his promise settled in the air, a quiet but sincere offering. Mariana glanced at his hand, seeing the missing limb and the scars etched into his skin, living proof of the life he’d led without them.

She could feel the genuine warmth in his words, a vulnerability she hadn’t expected from someone she thought of as distant and unattainable.

A soft breeze passed through the branches above them, carrying with it the faint scent of saltwater, a reminder of the world beyond the tree they sat in. Mariana wiped her face with the back of her hand, the quiet calm finally starting to settle over her. "If the danger does come," she whispered, her voice wavering, 

"I want to fight too. I want to be strong, like Mama."

Shanks smiled, a proud gleam in his eyes. "You already are, Mariana. You’re just like her—brave, fierce, and full of love. And if you want to fight, I’ll teach you. But remember, strength isn’t just about battle. Sometimes it’s about knowing when to ask for help, when to protect the ones you love without raising a fist."

She mulled over his words, leaning into the solid comfort of his chest. "And Luca?" she murmured after a while, her voice small.

"Luca's got a good heart," Shanks said, his arm tightening around her. "Just like you. He’ll grow up to be strong too, in his own way. And we'll make sure he knows he’s got people who’ll protect him, no matter what."

Mariana’s lip trembled, and she bit down on it to stop the quiver. She tried to speak, but her voice broke, so instead, she dropped the leaf she had been fiddling with and pressed her small hands into his chest, leaning into him fully. Shanks rubbed her back gently, letting her take her time, waiting for her to continue when she was ready.

"I just… I don’t know if I can trust you," she whispered after a long moment, her voice barely audible.

Shanks nodded, the motion slow and deliberate. "That’s fair," he replied, his tone soft but firm. "I haven’t been here. I haven’t been the father you deserve. But I’m here now, and I’m not going anywhere."

Mariana sniffled, wiping at her eyes with her sleeve. She shifted slightly in his lap, her fingers tracing the worn fabric of his shirt, her mind clearly still wrestling with everything.

"You know…" Shanks began, his voice lightening just a touch, "your mother threw a peach at me the first time we argued too." He gave her a crooked smile, hoping to coax one from her.

Mariana blinked up at him, her lips twitching faintly, but the sadness still lingered in her eyes. "Did she miss too?" she asked, her voice catching slightly as she tried to play along.

Shanks chuckled, a deep, warm sound that rumbled through his chest. "Nope, she hit me square in the face." He tapped his nose with a playful grin. "And it hurt."

A small giggle escaped Mariana before she could stop it, and Shanks felt a flicker of relief. It wasn’t much, but it was a start. He kept his arm secure around her as she wiped at her face again, the tension in her body slowly loosening.

"But why did Mama lie?" she asked, her voice small again as the weight of her thoughts came rushing back. "Why couldn’t she just tell me the truth?"

Shanks sighed, his smile fading as he looked out at the horizon. "Because, sometimes," he began, "the truth is scarier than the lie. Your mother… she did everything to keep you safe, to protect you from a world that’s not always kind."

His voice softened even more as he turned back to her. "She thought keeping the truth from you would protect you from that pain. She didn’t want you to grow up too fast, to worry about things children shouldn’t have to worry about."

Mariana mulled over his words, her fingers idly playing with the shells on her necklace, the ones that had once belonged to you. "But now I know," she murmured. "And it hurts."

Shanks pressed his forehead gently to hers, closing his eyes. "I know," he whispered. "And I’m sorry. But the truth doesn’t have to hurt forever, Mariana. It can help us grow, help us understand each other better."

She took a shaky breath, then nodded slightly, though her uncertainty still hung in the air between them. Shanks could feel it—her hesitation, her reluctance to fully trust him, but he didn’t push. He wouldn’t force her to feel something she wasn’t ready to.

Instead, he pulled her closer, cradling her as if she were still the small child he’d only just learned about, the one whose life he had missed so much of.

"And if danger comes," Shanks added, his voice steady and sure, "I’ll be here. Every step of the way. You’ll never face it alone."

Mariana looked up at him, her wet eyes reflecting the sky. "Promise?"

Shanks smiled softly, brushing a thumb across her cheek. "I promise."

Mariana nodded, the fight slowly leaving her tense posture. She leaned her head against Shanks' chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. She still had doubts, still held onto her hurt, but for the first time, she felt something else too—a sliver of hope.

They stayed like that for a while, the world around them quiet, save for the wind and the distant sounds of the village. Shanks didn’t push her for more, content to let her process everything at her own pace.

Finally, Mariana broke the silence. "Okay," she whispered. "You can stay... for now."

Shanks smiled softly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "That’s all I ask."

They stayed there like that for a long moment. Happy to just exist together and silently enjoy each other's company. Mariana had taken to holding Shank’s hand and he was watching her with a soft smile of his own. 

Until they heard a loud crunch at the bottom of their tree. 

Shanks tensed at the rustling sound, his instincts taking over, and he quickly pulled Mariana closer to his chest, shielding her with one arm before reaching up. His fingers wrapped around the first object he found—a ripe peach from the basket above them.

Without hesitation, he hurled it in the direction of the noise, a practiced flick of his wrist sending the fruit flying. A familiar, irritated voice broke through the tension. 

"Ow!"

Shanks grinned despite himself, recognizing the voice immediately. The peach was returned with surprising speed, and he only barely ducked in time, catching the fruit’s impact against the back of his shoulder instead. Mariana giggled, steadying him as Shanks rubbed his shoulder.

Before he could protest further, your head poked through the thick canopy of leaves, Luca perched in one arm. Shanks’ face softened immediately, his previous tension melting away into a look of affectionate guilt.

“You’ve got some nerve,” you said, your tone teasing but sharp, though the corner of your mouth twitched like you were fighting a smile.

“It was an accident, my love!” Shanks quickly replied, raising his hands in mock surrender, flashing you that irresistible, crooked grin he always wore when he was trying to get out of trouble.

"Uh-huh," you shot back, not letting him off that easily.

Your gaze shifted, assessing Mariana carefully. Her nose was a bit red, and the drying streaks of tears lined her face, but she looked more settled, calmer now.

Climbing onto the branch beside them, you allowed Luca to squirm out of your hold and into his sister’s lap fully, giving them space. He sat there happily, his tiny fingers curling into Mariana’s dress, unaware of the emotional storm that had just passed between her and Shanks.

Your heart pounded in your chest as you sat down, finally realizing what was in front of you—the sight of your children, together with their father for the first time, side by side.

It was surreal. The way the mid-afternoon sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting warm, golden patches of light over them, made the moment feel frozen in time. Mariana’s tear-streaked face looked so much like Shanks’ right now, her features carrying his softness and strength, while Luca’s wide eyes gleamed with the same mischievous spark that you had seen in Shanks a thousand times.

Funny how you both saw the other in your children. 

You could feel your ears burning as the emotions swirled in your chest. Shanks, always perceptive, didn’t miss a thing. His eyes flicked to you, and his grin softened into something more knowing, more tender. He raised an eyebrow, clearly catching the look on your face.

"Feeling a bit strange, huh?" Shanks teased gently, though there was a deeper understanding in his gaze. He reached over and brushed his fingers lightly against your arm, the touch both comforting and familiar, as if reminding you that you weren’t alone in this moment of overwhelming realization.

You bit your lip, your eyes darting between him and your children, finally meeting his gaze again. The teasing sparkle in his eyes had faded into something softer, something that mirrored the way you were feeling—an acknowledgment of just how much this moment meant.

“Yeah,” you admitted softly, your voice barely above a whisper. "A bit."

Shanks chuckled, low and affectionate, before leaning over to press a kiss to your temple, his lips lingering there for a moment longer than usual. His arm slipped around your waist, pulling you closer to him on the branch, his warmth grounding you.

You sighed, leaning into him just a little, your eyes still locked on your children. Luca had reached up to tug at one of Mariana’s curls, laughing as it bounced back. Mariana smiled softly, her eyes still red but clearer now, her hand gently holding her brother's.

Finally, you felt the tension in your chest begin to ease. Here they were, together. And so were you. The people who held your heart were finally connected in a way that seemed almost impossible not so long ago.

Shanks, sensing the shift, whispered just loud enough for you to hear, "We’ve got a lot to figure out, but for now… let’s just enjoy this."

You nodded, unable to speak, your throat too tight with emotion, but you managed a smile, leaning your head against his shoulder. In this moment, the future and all its uncertainties didn’t seem so daunting. You had them. You had each other. 

And that was all you ever wanted. 

Luca began to tug at your sleeve, grumbling about his rumbling stomach, you gave him a reassuring smile before looking toward Shanks.

"Alright, you two, go on down and get some food," you instructed, waving them off. "I'll be down in a bit."

Shanks, ever the tease, flashed a grin as he hoisted Luca up onto his shoulders. "You girls be nice to each other, now," he called over his shoulder as they began their descent from the tree.

You and Mariana exchanged a look, both of you narrowing your eyes at him in a glare before simultaneously huffing out a small laugh. Shanks glanced back, winking, before continuing down the path, Luca’s hands playfully tousling his hair. You watched as they disappeared, Luca’s joyous giggles mixing with the crunch of leaves beneath Shanks’ boots. The sight of your son perched high on his father’s shoulders, laughing freely, tugged at your heartstrings. 

They looked so natural together—in fact, as if this moment had always been meant to be.

You barely had a chance to turn back toward Mariana before you felt the weight of her body suddenly collapse into yours, her arms thrown around your waist. Instinctively, your arms wrapped around her, pulling her close as you both sank into the tree, rocking gently back and forth. The quiet creaking of the branch and the distant birdsong surrounded you as you cradled her.

You buried your face in her thick hair, whispering, “I’m so sorry, Mariana.”

For a moment, the world shrank to just the two of you, and it was as if she was little again, the same way she used to cling to you after a bad dream or when the world had been too much for her. You felt her grip tighten, her breath coming in uneven bursts as she fought back tears. Her body trembled slightly, and you rocked her gently, like you used to, as if swaying could soothe the storm inside her.

"I’m sorry too," she mumbled into your shoulder, her voice thick with emotion. "For running off. I just… I didn’t know what to do."

Pulling back just enough to look at her face, you saw the way she was trying so hard to hold it together, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. It almost broke you. You wanted to put on your vice admiral face, the one that held everything in line, but not here. Not with her. Mariana didn’t need that façade—she needed you, her mom, raw and honest.

“Your feelings are valid,” you whispered, cupping her face in your hands. “You have every right to be upset, sweetheart. I wasn’t honest with you, and that’s on me.”

Her lips quivered as she met your gaze, and you could see the inner battle she was waging against her tears. You could feel it in your own chest too, that deep ache that came with the vulnerability of motherhood. You pulled her close again, resting your chin on top of her head as you fought your own tears.

After a moment, you spoke, your voice low and gentle. "Your father and I… we live in very different worlds. We’re on opposite sides of the same coin. But, Mariana, none of that matters when it comes to how we feel about each other. We love each other—deeply—and I don’t care what anyone has to say about it. I’m proud of our family. I’m honored to be your mother and Luca’s."

There was a pause, and then Mariana pulled back slightly, her eyes wide with surprise. "What about the Marines?" she asked, her voice small but curious.

You let out a short, amused laugh, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "They can kiss my ass if they know what’s good for them."

“MOM!”

“IT’S TRUE!”

Mariana blinked, taken aback, before bursting into laughter. The sound of her joy filled the air, and it was like a weight had lifted. The tension, the confusion, it all seemed to dissipate in that moment.

"I forgive you, Mama," she said softly, her smile breaking through the remnants of her tears. Then her expression turned mischievous as she teased, "But seriously, I mean, Dad must’ve been a real looker back in the day, huh?"

You shot her a playful glare, swatting her arm lightly. “Hush. He still is.”

Before you could say more, a familiar voice called out from behind you. “That’s good to know!”

You whipped your head around to hear Shanks’ voice echoing through the trees. Both you and Mariana immediately yelled in unison, "Were you eavesdropping?"

Shanks’ loud, hearty laugh echoed in the clearing. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world!”

You rolled your eyes, but couldn’t hide your smile as you offered your hand to Mariana, who took it gladly. You helped her carefully down from the tree, the peach basket swinging lightly in her other hand.

The moment you both reached the ground, you barely had time to catch your breath before a strong arm wrapped around your waist, lifting you effortlessly into the air.

“Shanks!” 

You yelped, half in surprise, half in laughter, as you were spun around. Behind you, you heard his grunt of effort as he hoisted you and Mariana both off the ground.

“I’ve got my family, don’t I?” he said with a wide grin, spinning you around with playful ease.

‘Family.’

Before you could protest, all three of you tumbled—laughing, kicking, and squealing—into the nearby frog pond. The cool water splashed up around you as you landed in a heap, Shanks' arms still wrapped protectively around you and Mariana. The frogs let out startled croaks, hopping away in every direction as you all landed with an ungraceful splash.

Water droplets clung to your hair and clothes as you gasped, momentarily stunned, before the laughter bubbled up again. Shanks’ deep, rumbling laugh mixed with Mariana’s bright giggles as she kicked her legs in the shallow water, and even you couldn’t help but join in.

In that moment, soaked and tangled together in the pond, with your children and Shanks all around you, everything felt just right. It didn’t matter how complicated life was or how many challenges lay ahead—right here, right now, you have everything you ever wanted. 

The three of you stumbled out of the pond, laughing and soaked to the bone, water dripping from your hair and clothes. Shanks shook his head like a dog, sending a fresh spray of droplets everywhere as Mariana shrieked and tried to dodge. Luca, ever the quick one, scooped up her sandals before grinning at you with  his mischievous eyes.

"Race you home!" he shouted before taking off down the path, his little feet splashing in the mud as he ran ahead.

Without missing a beat, you broke into a sprint after him, your wet clothes sticking uncomfortably to your skin. Shanks was right behind you, his deep voice calling out, “Not fair! I’m at a disadvantage!” He exaggerated a limp, clutching at his missing arm in mock despair.

You threw a glance over your shoulder, smirking as you shoved him playfully. “You’ve still got one arm to brandish a sword or a gun, so you’re doing just fine!” Shanks, ever the dramatic, stumbled back into a large pumpkin, shouting about abuse of the disabled.

Laughter rang out between you as the kids raced ahead, disappearing toward the familiar path leading to the home you shared. Home. The word felt right, a warmth spreading through your chest. It wasn’t just a place—it was where the four of you belonged, together.

Once inside, everyone scrambled to get out of their soaking clothes. Shanks made a great show of peeling off his shirt, wringing it out theatrically, earning a giggle from Mariana and a groan from Luca as he darted into his room. You quickly ushered the children to their respective rooms, helping them into dry clothes before heading to your own.

You exchanged a quick glance with Shanks as you changed, his grin warm and teasing as usual. “Better hurry,” he said. “The crew’s waiting.”

After everyone had dried off and dressed, you led the children down to the beach, where the Red-Haired Pirates were gathered, laughing and drinking. The sight brought a familiar comfort, but today, something was different. 

Today, they weren’t just Shanks’ crew—they were your crew too.

As you approached, you noticed the unexpected sight of another crew mingling with Shanks’ men. Straw Hats and... was that Mihawk? Your brows lifted slightly at the irony of such a gathering. Luffy’s wide grin was unmistakable as he spotted you first, with Ace right behind him, their gazes lighting up with recognition. But then your eyes landed on someone else—a figure with blue hair and a ridiculous red nose, hunched over in laughter.

“Oh, not the blue-haired freak…” you muttered under your breath, sighing as Buggy doubled over, cackling so hard you thought he might actually pee himself. Alvida shot him a death glare, threatening to splash him with her drink if he didn’t rein it in.

But before you could react to the odd combination of characters, the questions started flying. “Who are these children?” “Shanks has kids?! THE Vice admiral has kids?!” Voices swirled around as everyone pointed between you, Mariana, and Luca.

Shanks, always one to command a crowd, raised his one hand, grinning wide. “I’m actually a married man,” he announced proudly, his arm coming around your waist to pull you close. “This is my family.”

The declaration caused an immediate stir. Luffy looked like his mind had been blown, and Ace—sweet Ace—seemed momentarily hurt before you locked eyes with him, mouthing a soft apology. He gave you a brief nod, his lips curling into a small, understanding smile before he walked over and picked up Mariana and Luca, spinning them around with joy.

Mihawk, always composed, looked at you intently for a moment, his piercing gaze softened by something like respect. He offered a small, approving nod. “Congratulations,” he said coolly, turning to your children. 

“Obey your parents and grow strong.”

You barely had time to respond before Buggy’s voice cut through the din. “You got married without telling me?!” His face was red, not from anger but from sheer disbelief, as he jabbed an accusatory finger at Shanks. 

“Kids?! You didn’t even tell me you had kids!”

The two men were soon bickering like old friends, the insults flying fast as Buggy flailed dramatically, still laughing as if the whole situation was some cosmic joke. Alvida threatened to dump her drink on his head again, rolling her eyes at his antics.

Your eyes drifted across the crowd and landed on Luffy and Ace, with Uta and Sabo not far behind. A wave of affection hit you as you looked at them—your other “children,” the ones you had loved and cared for in their own way. Luffy was still grinning like a madman, and Uta waved excitedly, while Sabo flashed you his warm smile.

You crossed the short distance to Benn, who had been standing off to the side, a quiet observer to the chaos. He met your gaze with a knowing smile. Without hesitation, you threw your arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. “Thank you,” you whispered, the words filled with years of unspoken gratitude. “For everything.”

Benn chuckled softly, patting your back as he returned the embrace. “You’re a fine lady,” he said gently. “And a wonderful mother. It was my honor to serve you all these years.”

You smirked, pulling back just enough to smack his arm lightly.

"Don’t get all sentimental on me now, Benn.”

Before he could respond, Shanks’ voice rang out over the celebrating crowd.

“Benn! No more hiding secrets with my wife!”

You and Benn exchanged a glance, rolling your eyes as Shanks’ playful accusation echoed across the clearing. You stuck your tongue out at your husband, a grin tugging at your lips.

“Well,” you said, looking around at the gathered pirates and your family, “I think it’s time for a proper celebration.” The excitement in the air was palpable as you made the decision. “How about a bonfire tonight? To celebrate our wedding and our family?”

The cheer that went up was loud and boisterous, filled with the warmth of your crew and friends. As the sun began to sink lower in the sky, the thought of the upcoming night filled you with joy.

Tonight, you’d celebrate—not just your marriage, but the long-awaited union of your family. 

'Finally, you thought, as you glanced over at Shanks, who was watching you with that same, familiar grin. 

‘Finally, we're together.’

‘Finally, we're together!’

Officially.

Years have passed and Luffy had found the One Piece and claimed the title of Pirate King, but the world hadn’t stopped moving. It kept spinning, adventures blooming on every horizon. True to his nature, Luffy refused to settle down, his hunger for excitement never dulled.

With his crew by his side, he continued sailing the world, chasing whatever wild dream came next. 

Mihawk, the stoic swordsman, had found his own happiness, his once-lonely island now filled with the laughter of his wife and their growing family. Buggy—who would've thought—was a sensation, performing for adoring fans around the world. His wife was expecting their first child, and he never missed a chance to boast about it to anyone who would listen.

As for the others, many had paired off, found their own partners, and were off on adventures, whether on the seas or on land. The world, freed from the tyranny of the Celestial Dragons, felt a little bit brighter, a little bit freer.

But you? 

You found your peace in a new home tucked away on a hill in a clearing, surrounded by swaying trees and soft breezes, just near enough to the beach that you could always hear the gentle lapping of the waves. 

The house itself had been built by many hands—your friends, your family, all coming together to create a place that felt like home, solid and warm. The ship docked nearby was always ready for the next spontaneous stargazing adventure, a reminder of the sea that would always call to you. But for now, you were content to stay grounded.

Today, you were wearing a flowing white dress that draped over your swollen belly, the fabric glowing softly in the warm light of the setting sun. Your usual combat boots were long forgotten, traded in favor of your husband's larger boots, which provided some relief for your aching feet.

The gentle breeze fluttered the edges of your dress as you sat outside on the porch, basking in the fading warmth of the day.

The house hummed with life. Your children, Mariana and Luca, were down at the beach, their laughter carrying over the waves as they played, waiting for their father to return with dinner. It was the kind of peaceful moment you’d come to treasure, a slice of simple joy in a life that had been anything but simple.

Mariana had taken to sailing with her father and his crew when she could. She was often torn between her love for the sea and her desire to accompany her “other siblings”—Luffy, Uta, Ace, Sabo—on their wild escapades. She had her father’s spirit, free and bold, and you couldn’t help but feel proud every time she set sail.

Luca, on the other hand, had found his calling elsewhere. At his own request, he’d been enrolled in a Marine academy, determined to follow a different path from his father, one of order and law. Shanks, to your surprise, had never been prouder. He spoke of his son’s choices with nothing but admiration, loving that Luca was forging his own way.

And Garp—oh, Garp was positively thrilled at the news of receiving another grandchild to dote over.

Your home had become the heart of every gathering, a place where pirates, marines, and in-between friends could come together, raid your kitchen, and fill the nights with laughter and stories.

Midnight sleepovers were common, and everyone was more than a little protective of you now that you were pregnant again. 

The marines had tried to fire you after your marriage to Shanks, but Luffy—backed by several other influential voices—had quickly put an end to that nonsense. The threats of violence, though well-meaning, had been more than enough to convince the higher-ups to back down.

Your village, the one that had accepted you with open arms all those years ago, remained fiercely loyal. When you revealed the truth about your family—about Shanks, the children, the title of pirate—they hadn’t turned their backs on you. Instead, they accepted your life, standing by your side regardless of titles.

They had outgrown the island and decided to relocate to a larger nearby continent, where they continued to thrive under your guidance.

Now, you sat quietly on the shore, your hands resting on your belly, which felt impossibly large. The white dress you wore caught the last of the sun’s light, giving you an almost ethereal glow as your belly rose like a round, warm balloon.

You smiled softly, watching the way the waves sparkled in the distance.

And right on cue, there he was—Shanks, strolling up from the beach, his signature red hair a mess from the wind. Mariana and Luca spotted him immediately, shrieking with excitement as they raced across the sand to tackle him. He let out a hearty laugh, stumbling back under their enthusiastic hugs, but he didn’t drop the fish he was carrying for dinner.

“Alright, alright!” he chuckled, ruffling Luca’s hair and lifting Mariana into his one arm with ease. “Help me get these fish inside, will you?” The children eagerly took the catch from his hands, dashing toward the house to begin cleaning them for the meal.

Shanks’ eyes followed them for a moment, a smile playing on his lips, before he turned his gaze to you.

He approached slowly, kneeling down beside you. The look he gave you was full of warmth, the kind of love that had only deepened over the years. His hand found yours first, giving it a gentle squeeze before he pressed a kiss to your lips. Then, with the kind of tenderness only he possessed, he placed his warm hand on your belly.

A flood of comfort washed over you as you felt the weight of his palm, grounding you in the moment.

Shanks grinned, his fingers splayed wide over your stomach. “I missed you,” he whispered before leaning down further, pressing a kiss to the top of your belly.

The movement inside you was immediate—your shared child stirring in response to the attention. The warmth that bloomed through you was indescribable, like a slow, happy glow spreading from your core.

Shanks straightened, but his forehead remained pressed to yours, your breaths mingling in the close space between you. “Admiral,” he teased softly, his voice a low rumble in your ear.

“Pirate,” you shot back with a grin, leaning your head against his.

“Wife.”

“Husband.”

He kissed your nose. “Mine.”

You leaned into him, your eyes fluttering closed for a moment. “Yours,” you whispered back, feeling the deep truth in the word.

“Forever,” he murmured, sealing the moment with a kiss to your lips, slow and sweet.

From the house, you could hear Mariana’s voice rising in playful exasperation. “They’re kissing again!”

Luca’s reply came next, louder and full of disgust. “BLAH!”

The two of you broke into laughter, pulling back just enough to glance toward the house, where your children were peeking out from the kitchen window. You could see their exaggerated grimaces from here, and it only made you smile more.

Shanks shook his head, chuckling as he stood up, offering his hand to you. “Come on, let’s go before they start a mutiny.”

You took his hand, rising slowly, your belly heavy but your heart light.

Together, you walked toward the house, where the laughter of your children and the warmth of your home awaited. 

You are happy. 

You are loved. 

You are home.

That wraps it up! Link to part 1 is right here.

I own none of the images or art!!!

My usual tag list: @orange-milky, @thealtofvalleyxdoodles, @m0rona, @xxsliverwolfxx, @96jnie, @manachiichan, @1chaerry, @fallensuguru, @red-dead-02, @@one-green-frog 

Be sure to check out my other works and leave likes and comments, they really help. Drop a follow as well if you please. Don’t be shy to leave me a little reblog if you want.

I promise I bite~

See you soon my loves!!

(｡･ω･｡)ﾉ♡

[kichiyosh1]

Me or my mother?

scaramouche/kunikuzushi x reader

slight angst/comfort

w//: if you squint (or even if you don't) I would say this counts as a yandere kuni aswell! just cuz he is really jelly and possesive of you in this one

Let's say Ei did keep the puppet and had given him a new purpose to live freely, but due to her busy schedule, she has you keep him company. Soon, Kunikuzushi begins to realize how frequent you are to leave him for when his mother calls for you, and from there his anxiety grows. Is it jealousy or insecurity? heck if I know!

Kunikuzushi was free to stay in his mother's estate, same as he was also allowed to visit the streets of Inazuma if he ever so wishes, but that currently isn't his main objective of the day.

"Kunikuzushi!" Ah, what great timing you have.

Right from the moment he opened his eyes after what felt like a long dream, all he was able to recall from the scene was that you had stepped forward bowing your head.

"I would be honored to serve you both, my Archon."

"Excellent, then you shall be entrusted with this task."

It had only been a few weeks since then, but the puppet had already grown very attached to you, to the point you can see the visible frown on his adorable face whenever there were other duties you had to attend to. The longing looks and the hesitant grip he'd have on your sleeve along with how meek and tiny his voice would get, it really was an effective way to keep you rooted into place, and the fact that he did all this unbeknownst to even him? It really showed how innocent of a person he was. Just wants your attention is all.

"y/n! good morning, how nice of you to drop by," yeah, like he wasn't already anticipating your arrival. "Good morning to you as well, oh, I came here to drop off a few things." In your hands was a tray of food, and despite his unecessary need for it, he was insistent on trying your cooking, even willing to choke on some sweets and desserts if it meant he'd be eating food that you made just for him. "Mhm smells good, say, why don't we share the meal, I think you deserve to eat a portion of your own cooking too, right?" Giddily taking hold of the tray, ready to lead you to his place in the estate when he sees you're not following him.

"Is something the matter?"

"Nothing that should concern you too much, the Electro Archon has called me in for the day to discuss matters concerning—" His mother called for you? "Oh, unfortunately I didn't have time to prepare your food since I was busy arranging my materials, so I had one of the maids make it for you. Please go on without me, it won't take long I promise." You were already facing the opposite direction before you could finish your sentence. "Eat well kunikuzushi!" you turned your head with a wave, while all he could do was stand there, his eyes switching between the tray in his hands and your disappearing figure.

He was confused by two things, one: how could you leave him there so quickly? and two: so this ISN'T your cooking?

"Why would I eat something prepared by a stranger? blegh." He set the tray down and stuck his tongue out in a childishly manner, displeasure written all over his face and gesture with his hands curled to his chest, like he was scared the food would jump out at him or something.

"I-I wasn't hungry anyways, I'll just wait until you get back." he says to himself nodding his head, since there was no y/n in the vicinity for him to say that to. What a silly little man.

He's come to the realization that your meetings with the shogun have become more frequent, more than he would like

It was cutting off his quality time with you

Sure that's his mom you're meeting with and you basically work for her but you were also assigned to him weren't you? Which means you should be here by his side right now attending to HIS needs, not hers >:(

Why did she have to pick you of all people anyway? there are plenty others in the estate that are at her beck and call, so why did it have to be his dear y/n :(

You said it was nothing to worry about, oh but it was worrying HIM very, very much

He's tried different methods so you wouldn't have to attend those stupid meetings, latching on to you and blocking your path, the most desperate one of his attempts was probably locking you up in his room, it didn't last long though since you threatened him you'd ask for a transfer if he continued acting like this (which you meant playfully but it almost gave kuni a heart attack)

It was like watching a puppy stand by it's door waiting for it's master to come home

and everytime you would return, you would always have something to say about ei. "she was in a good mood today"," she thaught me techniques in order to do my work more efficiently." the meeting was already over so why were you still mentioning her?

With how much time you had gone from him, he was starting to think you enjoyed his mother's company more, was that it?

Was his childish personality to immature for you? do you prefer if he had that same strict and authoritive demeanor his mother had? Were you really going through with that threat of yours? wanting to transfer?

Do you really like her more than him?

Now he just HAD to be in one of those meetings, it was a must he got to the bottom of this before he goes absolutely crazy, and to his suprise you agreed to bring him to your next one

So there he was, sat a little way from you.

Oh, so was it usuall just you and his mother alone during these? which means all your attention would be on her right?

oh hell nah, she's trying to steal you away from him wasn't she?!

Kunikuzushi was quick to shoo you out of there once his mother dismissed you

cue sad ei noises because her son didn't eat any of the deserts she prepared

When you asked him why he was so quick to leave you were thrown with the most sudden question

"...what was that?"

"Me or my mother? It shouldn't be hard for you to decide right?" He was obviously the only right answer, so why was it taking awhile for you to reply?

"Are you really contemplating this...?" He had repeated this question many times in his head, and he swore everytime that he wasn't going to cry, but now that it was out there in the open he could feel liquid pulling in his eyes. Were these what you humans called tears? a product of ones sadness and frustration?

"What reason would I have to choose between-"

"You've been 'hanging' out with her more recently! we used to spend all day together but we barely have time for that anymore because you're always quick to leave me when it concerns her. Is it because you've already grown tired of me? you like her more than me..?"

The amount of hurt written on his face and heard in his trembling voice had you grimacing at your actions. You never intended for him to feel this way, you had no idea he was hurting on the inside because of your ignorance. So you took a step, slowly to not startle him as if he were some corner creature, handling it with the utmost care you've always had, reserved only for him.

"My sweet, darling kunikuzushi." You start, craddling his face so that he'd meet your eyes, letting him know he had your full attention.

"I apologize for my actions. I had failed to see the pain you felt and made you feel neglected, but know that I would never choose anything or anyone over you, no matter what or who they might be."

His tears have fallen, but not even a sniffle was let out, as he made sure he was able to hear your voice, the voice he had missed speaking to him, loud and clear.

"The reason for this is because her personal attendant hasn't been present as of late due to a sickness they caught. Your mother thought i'd be good to fill in for the meantime, and this way I would also be able to report to her regarding your wellbeing."

That was the genuine truth, and he believes you, and as you continued speaking he slowly let his arms engulf you, a sigh of relief escaping him as you continued giving him words of reassurance.

He was content with your answer, but before he could be truly satisfied he needed to hear you say it.

"You still didn't answer my question."

"Which one?"

"Me or my mother? This time I'm only giving you three seconds to-"

"You, kuni. I'll always choose you, but do keep in mind I still work for her."

You let out a chuckle as kunikuzushi let out a pout, puffing his cheeks and crossing his arms, back to his usual self you see.

"Hmph, I should still be your top priority, always, the same as you are mine."

"Alright, alright, you really can be childish sometimes, but that's one of the things I love about you."

and with that, kunikuzushi could finally sleep peacefully, knowing his chances of having you to himself are high up there, so goodluck getting to your next meeting.

(I DIDN'T PROOF READ BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT BAD)

[gatitties]

HELLO

Can I request an Oneshot of One Piece with a marine teen reader (14 y.o) who is the daughter of Red Hair Shanks after a one-night stand? She was taken in by Garp when she was 11 when her mom didn't wanna take care of her anymore cuz the mom was absent the rest of the reader's life and Garp was the grumpy granddad and trained her into a marine..like 6 feet 4 muscular girl (and everyone is questioning what the hell did Garp feed her with. Then Shanks comes to visit his bio daughter at the hospital after the reader saved Ace from being killed by Akaniu (that one scene where Ace saved Luffy when he leaped in the way to shield his brother from Akainu as the admiral struck cuz she felt bad and went against rules) by pushing both of them away and burning her a bit and now she has huge burn scar in her left side of the body and half her hair is gone and has to add margarine to heal her scar just for a bit and then Garp ordered her that she should not get up the bed until she is fully recovered. Shanks being the dad he is tries to have a convo and help her stand up when the doctors order her to do some exercise to get her body moving again for example:

-move your fingers a bit

-try to stand up

-when you suicide try to take a few steps

-and more margarine when you go to sleep

-do not sleep on your left side cuz will cause your skin a damage

The reader is confused after receiving affection from her own dad, cuz she doesn't know how to receive it back and is very insecure about it Shanks on the other hand doesn't bother at all and comfronts her.

(Also Ace and Luffy come to visit her more often and thank her for saving them and having a small sibling relationship alongside Sabo and Uta)

and the reader is trying her hardest not to cry and Garp is jealous

(sorry if this is long I'm just trying to make it understandable..have a nice day/night!!)

─ Shanks x daughter!reader (Platonic)

─ Summary: Your bravery helps you save a person unfairly judged, this whole incident generates a drastic change in your pace of life where it seems that your father is ready to show himself.

─ Warnings: None

You stretched your sore body, letting out a soft moan due to your recent injury, weeks had passed and you still had a hard time moving, but looking back, the pain wasn't that much in comparison to your actions, not being ashamed of your actions against everythingn that you had learned at the marine academy, you were lucky that they considered your actions something of age, since you were young, they let it go with a couple of punishments, they lowered your rank and prohibited you from being on duty for the two following years, but you didn't care much.

Garp was not so happy with that decision, but he couldn't scold you when you had saved his grandson from certain death, he was glad to have welcomed you that day, he couldn't feel anything but proud to see that despite having been strictly instructed to follow established order and law, you had your own thoughts and values.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

If it weren't for the fact that you were hurt badly, Garp probably would have hit you for finding you pacing around the room, you grimaced as you tried to smile, a little afraid of his overwhelming concern.

"The doctors told me that I couldn't stop walking, even if it was difficult, I can't stop moving while I recover, it's not like I was running a marathon tho."

He mumbled a few curses, making you return to the bed, now beginning your arm stretches, which were more painful due to the burn being on the upper part of your body.

"Why are you here? I thought you would come to visit tomorrow."

"Yes, but I have decided to go ahead to give you a surprise" all your attention went to the word 'surprise' with enthusiasm, being the teenager that you were, of course you were more than captivated by whatever the old man had for you "Ta-dah!"

He took a pair of wigs out of a bag, your expression fell slightly since you expected something else, but that didn't take away your enthusiasm, the attack that Akainu made on Ace in that battle left more wounds than you thought, and the fire spread faster than you thought, you lost some hair and sometimes you felt helpless without hair covering some parts of your face.

"Thank you… you didn't have to do it, and I could have waited until tomorrow anyway, why the rush?"

Now it was Garp's turn to sweat as he looked at you, he didn't want to admit it, but since Shanks saved you in battle and visited you more constantly, he felt a little jealous, although your father was unaware of your existence until relatively recently, proposing to take care of you and be present in your life from now on, it was Garp who raised and guided you all these years, plus he preferred not to meet Shanks at this time.

You were just confused, you always thought that your father had simply abandoned you, that he didn't want to know anything about your existence like your mother, and suddenly he is by your side showering you with affection and gifts. You took cautious steps with all that sudden affection, Garp wasn't a bad tutor, but his way of showing love was sometimes… brutal, your father's soft hugs were definitely something better than grandfather's crushing ones.

"Hey hey, grandpa is here too, Hello, Hello! We brought a lot of food to help you recover faster."

"Idiot, people don't have the same metabolism as you, besides…" Ace, who was entering through the door with Luffy, took the banana that was for you out of his hand, he was trying to devour it "What's the point of bringing food for someone if you are going to eat it?!"

"What are you two doing here? You are in one of the marine hospitals."

"We are not just two, look good old man!"

Sabo smiled at his grandfather, who remained silent for a few minutes, before bursting out with a furious scream, even though Garp was not going to tell on them, he couldn't help but give them one of his love fists, it had been a long time since he had seen the three gathered in the same place. You laughed at the scene, you never saw Ace, Luffy or Sabo, you only knew anecdotes that Garp shared with you, but you definitely didn't regret having saved Ace, being judged for being the son of the pirate king was absurd, it's not like he had chosen it, you felt even better when you found out that you were the daughter of the infamous yonko Shanks, since you would have probably been put on the gallows if you weren't part of the marines for the same reason as Ace.

The silent room soon filled with life once the trio entered, breaking into the peaceful time Garp wanted to spend with you, as if the commotion of his three grandchildren crammed into your bed while ranting about their adventures wasn't enough, the door opened suddenly, revealing the person who was missing to spill the old man's glass of patience.

"Looks like I'm a little late, sorry, I had to knock out some marines to get in."

The first thing he did was push the three idiots away from your bed, then he left the bouquet of flowers that he brought to decorate your sad room and finally he kissed your forehead as a greeting, not used to this gesture you simply looked down, squeezing your blanket that covered your legs.

"How are you feeling? Are you taking your medication? Have you put the cream on the burn? Have you done your daily stretches?"

You felt even more dizzy when he bombarded you with questions than when you were talking to the other three idiots even though they were much louder, you nodded silently, smiling slightly at him, he returned the gesture with a wider smile, although it was quickly wiped away when Luffy attacked him, climbing onto his back like a monkey while laughing almost causing them both to fall to the ground.

As much as you wanted to join their little fight, which Ace and Sabo joined in on, with your current state you would have to hold back just watching while Garp tried to silence them or he would have to kick them all out of here, if it could happen he would grow more gray hairs.

You felt warm watching everyone interact, in the short time you had spent with them, you managed to create a great bond, even with Uta, who couldn't be present most of the time but who you also considered part of the family.

Things calmed down a couple of hours later, leaving only the two adults and you in a pleasant silence after all the commotion those three had caused, it was time to leave, but before, Shanks approached you, holding your hand, making small circles with his thumb on your skin.

"I know this is a bit sudden and that maybe you don't trust me… but would you like to travel with me, discovering new horizons?"

Your eyes shone with excitement when you heard him, your heart warmed, you didn't dislike the job as a marine, but an opportunity like this… it would make you feel much freer than in headquarters, it would make you feel like you didn't need to worry about so many things at such a young age.

"Don't put stupid ideas in your daughter's head! She's a good marine and she's just a teenager, she'll go far when she's a woman!"

"Woah, calm down old man, she can choose for herself, besides, I'm not asking her to be a pirate, I have to start taking care of my responsibilities as a father and I won't be able to do it if she stays here."

"You know very well that she will sentence her destiny once they see her traveling with you, her entire future as a marine…"

Garp fumed from his ears, feeling how all the work and effort he had put into educating you and guiding you on the right path was crumbling before his eyes. Shanks only stuck out his tongue in a mocking manner, making a mark of irritation appear on Garp's forehead.

"Like I said, she chooses."

The two looked at you with different emotions reflected in their eyes, although they could already imagine what you were going to respond after seeing your look of determination and enthusiasm worthy of a child receiving Christmas gifts, without being able to hold back, you sealed a large part of your future with your decision, but you didn't care much if you were a pirate or a marine as long as you kept your beloved and unexpected family.

[aropride]

i really truly do not know what my "gender presentation" is. maybe its an autism thing bc i remember a cis* friend talking abt the same feeling but i dont understand a lot of things that are considered "masculine" or "feminine" clothes/style/traits/etc. like. im wearing a purple hoodie rn. is that "fem presenting"? im wearing black sweatpants, is that "masc presenting"? like i wouldnt call my outfit rn "androgynous" either cuz its just. clothes. im not "presenting" anything im just trying to be warm. tbh i feel like- ok let me set the scene actually. this is taking place in an annoying tiktok street interview video where an annoying guy with a microphone goes up to people and shows them pictures of ppl and goes "r these people masc presenting or fem presenting". and i feel like these hypothetical strangers would would probably say im fem presenting bc i dont pass as a cis guy. but like if my exact outfit and hairstyle were on a cis guy i think theyd say its masc presenting. anyway when i wear a cool and fun emo outfit thats also confusing to me bc i feel like that veers more towards like, intentional androgyny, bc i think a lot of emo outfits r intentionally playing with gender a little bit. but also again bc i dont pass as a cis man i think it gets read as feminine. which i dont think is Fair. bc it makes it hard to figure out what label actually Applies to me. im cold presenting. im autistic presenting. im emo presenting. gender is a prison. why do i have to present anything i sent my accommodations documentation at the beginning of the semester stating that i require an alternative assignment

[cocogum]

The Great Wave - Chapter 2 Review

‼️ SPOILERS FOR THE CHAPTER ‼️

I have good news and bad news.

The bad news is, no smexy time here.

The good news is, we get some Yugo and Adamaï moments, AND the SADIDAS are FUMING 😍🥰

But before we see the sadidas, we can’t start this off without addressing Yugo and Adamaï’s interaction at the beginning of the chapter.

Cuz man, I liked it but when @vinillain addressed it and even ANALYZED IT I fell in love with this scene even more 💖💖

Without their perspective on the matter, I would have missed so many details. Here’s the post if you are interested.

So yeah I’m glad I found their analysis on it and I hope you like it just as much as I did ✨

Now let’s start.

I found babes lol (the dot is so tiny!!)

Look at his emo ass just looking gloomy after having a wet dream. My guy is such a drama queen that he decided to sit at the top of the kingdom just to make himself feel better.

(Get down from there you little shit-)

Adamaï swoops in and actually helps? Omg slay? Like you’re doing something helpful while scolding Yugo that’s actually good. Cuz ngl I’ve been getting kinda annoyed that Yugo had just left Amalia to deal with the sadidas’ problems all alone.

If Yugo didn't have nightmares like these from time to time, I could have overlooked his decision to leave her to deal with it on her own. But now that we know he does get them, it’s a pretty big deal.

He confirms it to Adamaï when he tells him that his condition has been worsening meaning that he’s already used to it and yet decides to not say anything to Amalia AND KEEPS LEAVING HER DEAL WITH THE PEOPLE ON HER OWN. Now he obviously doesn’t leave her like that during the whole day. It’s just that there’s a good chance he’s not there with her during the mornings. Like, imagine fucking a dude who keeps having PTSD nightmares every two nights. Now we know why she got pissed in Chapter 1 when he left her on the ground naked like that. Girl just wants to have fun and lead her people let her have her moment-

Also, we all saw this coming folks.

The blue cows are back.

Bro is trying so hard to be Eva. Look at him trying to visualize and zoom in on the wastes of spaces coming to the kingdom.

Also, I remember how some of us used to think that Aurora was pregnant which is why she might’ve had the balls to come back to the kingdom and try to regain her throne, you know, the very same kingdom THAT SHE FUCKING FLED FROM DURING A WAR THAT COULD’VE WIPED THE WHOLE RACE. The pregnancy theory was a common one to be shared around because the trailer for the manga did not show her stomach. Some of them also theorized that theory because it made the most sense as to why she’d want to come back willingly whether her father wanted her to or not.

Of course, no shade to anyone who thought about this theory before but I love how they tried to justify her stupidity for returning by making up this theory.

Cuz it turns out that bitch wasn’t pregnant after all.

Her stomach is flatter than a washboard and her return happened AFTER FOUR MONTHS (or around that number at least) so her stomach would have at least had a bump but she got none of that.

Judging by Yugo’s expression when he realizes them, he doesn’t look like he’s surprised to see that they’re coming back. He looks like he’s pissed off, annoyed at the fact that they’re coming.

I initially believed that the reason why Yugo looked angry, instead of confused or shocked at seeing them come back, was because the royal Osamodas family might have been trying to return during those few months after season 4. But it turns out that this wasn’t the case because when Aurora manages to re-enter the kingdom, Amalia tells her she didn’t expect her to come back ever again. This means that the royal osamodas family only came back once. So Yugo’s only reason for being angry at seeing them must’ve been because he heard everything the family did through Amalia (including all the times the blue cow tried to marry Amalia off to one of her brothers AND THEN her cousin) which is pretty understandable to be pissed off about.

Finally, after a full week of waiting, the Sadida people make their presence known in this chapter AND IT’S EVERYTHING I’VE EVER WANTED.

We learn that the sadidas are annoyed that the elite eliatropes have not only stayed but that they also shared some of their lands.

I genuinely feel bad for this eliatrope getting criticism from this old sadida. True, they did come here and stayed but they’re not even a lot to begin with. We’re not talking about thousands of children eliatropes here. We’re talking about 30 to 40 eliatropes since these were the bravest to have joined their mother and ALSO completed a lot of missions (that they knew of through the eliaculus) that involved putting their life on the line. So to hear these sadidas claim that they don’t feel at home must say A LOT if 30-40ish eliatropes were able to make such a change. The old sadida man even said that they do not understand sacrifice as the sadidas do.

And that’s something that’s been bothering me since I learned that the sadidas weren’t aware of the eliatropes’ past.

Didn’t Amalia tell Yugo to explain to the sadidas their background?? It sure sounds like he didn’t do anything about presenting his people to Amalia’s. If you’re going to share a land with people you’ve never seen before, you might as well present yourself, no? Because if you don’t, tension and possible harassment are exactly what would happen to the eliatropes if they don’t do anything about that topic.

I also wanted to point out how the people have been behaving towards Amalia in Seasons 1 to the Ovas. This is important to notice because these guys clearly love her and always think of her as a good future queen. We even get a confirmation in Season 4 that a lot of sadidas would rather have her as their leader rather than Armand.

So the fact that a lot of them are now feeling like they’re not at home anymore because Amalia let the elite eliatropes stay makes them think as if they’ve somewhat been betrayed by her.

Translation for 1st panel: “Your father and brother would have never accepted this!”

Translation for 2nd panel: “He’s right! We aren’t at home here!”

Translation for 3rd panel: “These eliatropes are not like us! Your father and brother would have never shared our lands!”

This is a very big shift from what we know. For once, Amalia doesn’t receive smiles or praises.

A lot of them are now siding with Armand and her father, claiming that they wouldn’t have let the eliatropes stay. We know Armand wouldn’t have done that because he confirmed it to Amalia in Season 4 right after the meeting with the Eliatrope goddess ended. But Amalia’s father? No. King Oakheart would’ve welcomed them with open arms. He told Yugo that he had no problem welcoming his people (he said this in Season 2).

The sadidas were right about one of her family members not accepting the eliatropes and I believe it reflects how hurt they all feel about this decision. Because they have no one else to blame this decision on, they are trying to think that only Amalia in the royal family would’ve done that so they immediately point fingers at her.

And then, as if things couldn’t get any worse, the blue cows are officially back. And yes, I’m going to call them blue cows from now on, just like how I addressed them in the beginning too.

Yugo: “Sorry, I didn’t have the time to warn you.”

Also Yugo: has the ability to create portals.

The Osamodas family is even more brain-dead than I thought.

Blue fat cow over here is saying “here’s your legitimate ruler” while pointing at another cow but she ain’t even a Sadida. And then you’ve got Amalia over here who’s obviously royal Sadida blood so idk why tf the blue cow king would think he did something there. The sadidas just said that they don’t feel at home cuz of the eliatropes so what makes him think the people are gonna accept a useless blue cow who’s only not a Sadida but did nothing during the war? The sadidas are already pissed at not feeling like they’re at home, don’t throw more gasoline into the fire by claiming an OSAMODAS is fit for the SADIDA THRONE.

Yugo’s wave where you at?

The Osamodas King lost so many neurones when he stayed in that cave, he should just go back in there with his ugly crusty ass bats.

But it’s alright, I’m not even mad (i’m fuming) because no matter how stupid and dumb the king sounded, if you look at chapter 3’s cover, the king doesn’t look confident and cocky anymore.

Clearly, something must’ve happened in the throne room when he was spewing all this shit about Aurora being the “legitimate heir” because AGAIN, that’s clearly Amalia’s role so I genuinely hope that the sadidas were the ones who made the king frown like that. Because there’s a gigantic possibility that they must have flat-out told the king to sit his ass down and remind him that he and his worthless daughter didn’t do shit when the war happened and now he suddenly wants to rule them?? Of course they’d get pissed by what he said!

The majority of them obviously looked bothered by what he had just announced as well. Everyone in the throne room looked like they were just shocked to hear him talk. EVERYONE.

So yeah, I hope I see this fatass get humiliated. Even the eliatropes are like ‘sir what the fuck are you doing’ type of shit.

[ladyloveandjustice]

Otherside Picnic Volume 8 Review that Devolves into a Bunch of Quotes and Gushing

I’ve been wanting to do a review of Otherside Picnic Vol 8 because I loved it so much, but haven’t been in the right mindspace to properly convey my enthusiasm. But I’m about to get busy so it’s now or never. Here are my thoughts that are inevitably going to devolve into a bunch of quotes and gushing. Let's just go through it all!

-I loved this so much, first off. It literally inspired me to have an honest discussion with my partner about my own intimacy and relationship quirks and what we want from each other. It made me feel a little better about myself and my own weirdness, that’s how much it affected me. It really got across the relief of just communicating in a relationship, of having frank conversations with your partner, and accepting your differences from the mainstream as okay.

-The conversation about romance, love, and sex being different actually made me tear up, which is how I knew this book would murder me from the beginning. It’s just so nice to see one of my favorite yuri and favorite romantic stories ever acknowledge asexuality and the full spectrum of experiences in such an understanding and thoughtful way.

-I love that this book really recontextualizes the oblivious-to-love protagonist, slow-burn and often stalled development that aren’t uncommon in animanga adjacent media romances and made it into something incredibly interesting. This was already hinted at in previous volumes, but Sorawo’s disconnect with her own feelings and slowness in responding to Toriko wasn’t just to tease the audience, but because her view of romance and her understanding of her own feelings conflicted with societal ideas of romance and it left her lost and confused. It makes everything that came before it so much more meaningful. This is also extremely relatable, and I love that Sorawo was frustrated with the idea of her relationship fitting into a socially acceptable box, when she felt what she had with Toriko was a lot more complicated and far reaching and didn’t want to define it so neatly.

-Honestly reading about Sorawo not being all that into kissing and basically being like "I don't hate it but it doesn't do anything for me" made me feel a little bit less alone and little more confident in talking about this aspect of my experience. ME TOO. GIRL.

-Every single yuri should have a line like “sounds to me like you’re a raging lesbian” from now on. How can anything ever live up to this.

-Toriko looking into sexual abuse gave me a heart attack because at first I thought she was trying to understand what happened with her and Satsuki. But she was researching Sorawo, because the stuff with the Red Person made her realize Sorawo has trauma and I felt so vindicated about my article. Then we have the hilarity of Sorawo, who literally has a “cult mode” when she’s made to relive where she had to deal with abuses from cults, where she becomes like a different person and talks to herself like she’s a separate person and is disconnected from her normal self…claiming she doesn’t have lingering cult trauma and doesn’t dissociate.

And then Toriko going “uhhhh what about the Red Person?”

“Huh oh that didn’t count. Cuz your love saved me.”

THE most un-self aware person, I love her.

(And EVERYONE knows it, especially Toriko, loved this exchange:

“Don’t try to force something I’m not aware of onto me.”

“Sorawo, there aren’t many things about you that you actually display self-awareness of.”

“Wow, insulting much?!” )

-The fact Toriko noticed how thirsty Sorawo was for her the second they met is so funny and makes that scene 100 times better in hindsight.

“It took me by surprise. Here I am, holding you in my arms, and you go and stare at my face, then your eyes start working their way down. I was like, ‘Girl sure has a lot of energy for someone who almost drowned.’”

“So, what? When you were talking about me ogling you before, you meant—”

“Yeah, right from the get-go. From the moment you saw me for the first time.”

Sorawo didn’t realize she was doing it…the entire exchange is hilarious. SO much of this book was hilarious honestly, here are some other choice quotes:

Who would’ve known there could be such a touching scene right next to a shelf stuffed full of erotic manga with titles so incredible that I couldn’t possibly name them...?

And this, the best love confession ever:

“I love you! I love you!”

“For real?”

“Apparently!”

-I really liked that Toriko was genuinely worried Sorawo might not have consented to the previous kisses and might be bothered by them. It built on the ongoing theme of Toriko struggling with emotional and physical boundaries, giving her such good character growth, and It shows a concern and care most stories gloss over.

…Which is kind of a stark contrast to the lack of concern she shows about that time she hit Sorawo in volume 6, despite Sorawo bringing it up as a problem. This has been an ongoing issue that’s bothered me, and it’s been mentioned often enough I hope Miyazawa is going to actually do something to address it. He DID address the questionable consent of the earlier kisses, going beyond my expectations, so I actually have my fingers crossed this is something we’re going to explore and confront. It’s really jarring compared to the rest of how well everything else has been handled, and is the only mark against the story, so I’m hoping this is intentional. The Toriko who worries Sorawo might have been sexually abused and goes above and beyond to try to be sensitive and understand her and the Toriko who is dismissive of the time she hit her (now) partner seem so in opposition to each other, and I there could be some interesting exploration and resolution of that.

(Miyazawa does mention something about having to treat serious issues casually because of Sorawo's detached, cynical POV and hoping readers will understand; and I think it's likely he was referring to that, which gives me more confidence).

-Sorawo understands Toriko’s moms are lesbians now I’m so proud of her.

-the fact that Toriko wanted to fuck in her dead parents bedroom …she has so many problems, I cherish her.

-I loved getting more Toriko backstory and her moms. Love Sorawo being like “wow I probably should have asked about this but…” YES YOU SHOULD HAVE, FOR MY SAKE. But Sorawo’s focus on living in the here and now, and being content with the Toriko in the here and now, is such an interesting aspect of her.

-EVERYthing about the final scene was so good. Like how can I even talk about it? Toriko fucking Sorawo with her weirdass interdimensionally-corrupted hand while getting jazzed by Sorawo's magic eye is just PEAK lesbian fantasy, no other series had delivered this exact weirdness that I want, thank you for being there for all of us bizarre sapphics.

“I...might make you go crazy.”

“That’s okay.”

Toriko’s hand drew closer. It meant something different now than it had before. If Toriko touched me now, I’d be the one to go insane. She snuggled up to me, so close our noses could touch, and with a voice full of heated passion, she whispered, “Let’s go crazy. Together.”

“Girl hit me with your evil eye, let’s get real fucked up” I love them, they’re such freaks and I am here for it. THE PASSION. THE METAPHOR. THE PURE CHUUNI WISH FUFILLMENT.

-Honestly I just highlighted the entire final scene because it hit me right in my weird gay little soul the way few other things have and I want to be able to whip these out the next time some loser says wlw media doesn’t have poetic declarations of love and passion so I’m just going to go through them.

Here’s one:

But that’s not what happened. Toriko looked beautiful, opening before me like a flower in bloom, and I was aware of every minute branch of the tree, down to their very tips…[]

Toriko became rude, polite, lewd, or embarrassed. I didn’t have the composure to focus or think as I watched, so Toriko changed from one thing to another as my gaze wandered. Laughing, getting angry, crying, fearing, moaning—feeling as if she were flowing from one state to the next, in constant flux, and yet in all of them simultaneously.

Sorawo accepting all sides of Toriko, all her complexity, how she’s everything all at once! And the fact they have such amazing sex they basically GO TO THE OTHERSIDE? Dimension transcending lesbian sex? Showstopping, incredible.

The way her hand moved, tracing the outline of my body—its true outline—was as gentle as could be, sensitive yet bold, overflowing with care, incredibly unreserved, and audacious. It felt like it was packed full of all the experiences of being touched by another person. In another way, different from mine, Toriko was unraveling the person that I was too. I was being decomposed, broken apart. The things that had been pressed into a human form were decompressed, and expanded outwards without limit.

This is how you do a sex scene. If your partner doesn’t unravel you and make you see all the shattered pieces of yourself, is it even worth it? I love the motif of falling apart but becoming more whole at the same time- isn’t that just every human experience all wrapped up into one?

I had been afraid to look at Toriko. Toriko had been afraid to touch me. Now, as we were looking at, or touching, our partner directly, tossed about on the waves of madness, we began to gradually find a way to take control of the situation.

The idea of how maybe you can’t help losing your minds when you look and feel all the other person is…but maybe if you lose your minds together it will be okay. Romance.

These two beasts with all these bodies converged through their desire for one another and were bound together. We were blending together at the interfaces where we connected. The different ‘us’s melted together, without ever becoming a perfect whole, but without fully separating either. Like a chimera made from two types of living being. Or two galaxies colliding.

“We became a chimera” is the absolute nerdiest way to describe making love and thus perfect for them (also lol the beast with two backs).

That’s too long, so how about shortening it to Soratori?” I burst out laughing as I remembered the time she’d tried to use the name Soratori Road for what we now called Route 1 in the other world. “

That’s like one of those ship names,” I told her.

“What’re those?”

“You’re a mangaka’s daughter and you don’t know that?!”

“Nope, not a clue. Is it something dirty?”

“Well, maybe?”

“Hmm.”

Okay, so Sorawo is clearly in some fandom and ships something. Place your bet on what it is. Probably she ships creepypasta monsters.

Do you know what the ‘nue’ is?”

“It’s a Japanese monster, right? Made up of a bunch of different animals mixed together.” “Yeah, that’s the one. As an extension of that, the word can also refer to something that doesn’t have a discernible form.”

[...]

While we were there, the two of us got all mixed up together, right? Intertwined, melting into one, like animals... Depending on how you look at it, you might say we were like a nue.”

“So, basically, if you wanted a word to represent our relationship, we wouldn’t be ‘lovers,’ or ‘accomplices’...but a ‘nue’?”

Okay forget what I said this is ACTUALLY the nerdiest way to describe your relationship. And speaking of nerds, I love this stupid conversation:

“It’s cute. Nue. I like the sound of it. Maybe I’ll get a tattoo of the kanji.”

“You’d take it that far?”

“You’re not gonna get a matching one?”

“They might not let us in the hot springs in Japan anymore. You sure?

” “Huh?! I wouldn’t like that... You think it’d be okay if we put them somewhere no one will see?”

“Where would no one see? This is sounding painful, and I’m not really on board with it.”

“Wha?”

-

Anyway, yeah, this section was everything I wanted, no notes. Toriko and Sorawo have the most demented, fantastical sex possible, having a threesome with the otherside because they all are strange and wonderful, being the nerdiest dorks it’s possible to be, their relationship is now a chimera because that’s even better and more all encompassing that something boring like lovers, Miyazawa really gave us it all, love wins, gays win. What more can I say? I adore this series.

[dizscreams]

hiii love, i hope you’re having a great day/night! i’m back at it again with another mindy request! (for this the reader and mindy have been pining after each other for awhile!)

okayyy so i’m thinking this is where ghostface attacks everyone in the apartment and instead of anika, the reader gets stabbed, along with mindy ofc. while danny sets up the ladder, the reader and mindy start fretting over each other and trying to put pressure on each other’s wounds because they’re panicking and don’t want to lose each other. the readers wounds are so bad that they think they’re gonna die at this point so they convince mindy to cross the ladder first. but when the reader is crossing it, ghostface starts shaking the ladder. mindy panicks and tries to cross the ladder again to pull the reader through the window. ofc mindy saved the reader cuz she’s a badass <33 afterwards they’re finally confessing bc they were so scared the other would die:(( just angst to comfort and fluff!! and pls feel free to add anything to this! i like when we collab with our ideas :D

🧚🏽

HI DARLING! :) I love that you don’t mind me adding random things to your requests 😭 your ideas are just so brilliant that you get my brain and my own ideas flowing 🤭 but anyways this idea is beautiful and I love it! hope you enjoy <3

I wont let anything happen to you — Mindy Meeks ★

PAIRING: Mindy x gn!reader

SUMMARY: It’s the apartment scene and instead of Anika getting hurt really bad it’s you! You go across the ladder Ghostface tries and kills you but Mindy saves you. After all of that you both confess to each other and it’s a happy little ending :)

WARNINGS: stabbing and blood

(btw there are definitely tons of mistakes just ignore them 😭)

You were sitting on the couch with Anika, she was studying while you were watching TV. The Core 4 were talking and laughing at the dinner table. Mindy always looked so pretty when she laughed. You’ve had this enormous crush on her for like forever but always assumed she never felt the same since there were no signals telling you otherwise.

Everyone had turned silent because of the noises in Quinn’s room.

“My god Quinn and her gentleman caller are back at it again” Tara says and they all begin to laugh. The notifications of everyone at the tables phones puts a stop to their laughter and they all give each other a confused look.

Immediately after that Quinn starts screaming and shouting from her room and you all stand up running near her door. Chad is behind Tara protectively and Mindy is beside you. The noises become silenced and all Mindy says is

“Run”

In a flash, Ghostface pushes Quinn’s dead body out the door and it lands on Anika knocking her over. She starts screaming and Tara and Chad make a run for it out of the door. Anika quickly gets up and runs after them, not wanting to be apart of what’s happening.

Ghostface is standing there watching while Mindy mutters a curse under her breath. Ghostface quickly slashes Mindy’s arm and she falls while Sam moves out of the way. “Mindy!” you shout and then turn to Ghostface “You stay the fuck back!” You’re on the ground too at this point and try your best to hit and kick him away.

This Ghostface is so much stronger than you however and they end up pinning you to the ground and choking you. Sam runs to get a knife from the kitchen but they’re all gone so she grabs the knife block instead. Ghostface lifts you up and holds you against the fireplace while Mindy’s holding her arm and groaning in pain.

He stabs you in the stomach and you cry out in pain. “NO” Mindy says while she struggles to get up. Ghostface starts pulling the knife upwards in your stomach. You yell out even louder and you’re pretty sure the whole apartment can hear you.

Mindy’s screaming and crying at this point and Sam comes running and hits Ghostface with the knife block. Ghostface drops to the ground while you stand there and hold your stomach with tears rushing down your face.

Sam and Mindy help you run into Quinn’s bedroom and Sam locks the door while Mindy sits you on the edge of Quinn’s bed. Ghostface is banging and kicking on the door and Sam’s trying to keep it shut. You and Mindy are holding your wounds and Mindy put her arm around you without her realizing it.

Ghostface suddenly stops pounding on the door and Sam gets worried.

“Mindy! Close the bathroom door” she whispers while Mindy’s nodding and getting up from the bed. She makes it in and yells “FUCK! That guys dead!” As Ghostface runs in the bathroom and Sam rushes in to help Mindy close the door. They end up going to close the other bathroom door that lead back into Quinn’s room.

Mindy locks it and Sam scoots Quinn’s dresser in front of it to keep Ghostface out and buy her time to think of a plan. You can’t do much other than hold your stomach and look at all the blood rushing out of you. You couldn’t survive this there was no way.

Ghostface kicks and punches the door trying to get it open while Sam and Mindy are putting their back to the dresser to try and put more force. Sam notices her boyfriend out of his window from the other building waving his hands and goes towards the window in Quinn’s room to try and find a way out of this.

“Mindy- Mindy are you doing” you trail off not being able to focus “-okay are you okay?”

“I’m fine! Don’t worry about me please just try and keep pressure on your stomach!”

She struggles to speak as Ghostface is still kicking the door trying to get it open and your hands are shaking so bad you think they might fall off. You look over at the window to see Danny putting a ladder across both apartment windows.

Sam speaks quick not wanting to waste any more time “You two go first!”

“No, I need to hold the door! You go and I’ll get Y/N next!”

“Mindy-“

“GO!”

Sam crawls across slowly and starts leaning a bit until Danny helps her level the ladder evenly.

“You’re losing a lot of blood!” Mindy tells you

You struggle to respond but come up with “Say something more POSITIVE!”

Sam makes it across and starts yelling at you to come across next. Mindy gets away from the door and goes to you saying, “Listen to me you have to go first”

“I cant- i cant”

“You have to!”

“No Mindy no! You go I’ll be right behind you I promise”

Ghostface starts kicking on the door with more force and Mindy looks at the door and back to you with panicked eyes before chastely kissing your head. She climbs out the window and starts crawling on the ladder.

Ghostface gets an arm out of the door and into the room swinging the knife around trying to cut something.

You start crying even more and look to see Mindy making her way up across the ladder. You go to get up and you turn to now see Ghostface in the crack of the door as he’s still trying to kick it open. With horror you move as fast as you can out the window.

You look at how high up you are and start shaking your head “No- No I cant, I can’t do it”

A bunch of ‘yes you can’ and ‘hurry’ comes from the others and you slowly start to move across the ladder. Without you knowing Ghostface had made it into the room. Everyone immediately shut up and that alarmed you.

“What?”

“Y/N YOU HAVE TO MOVE RIGHT NOW” Mindy shouts. You turn around to see Ghostface standing there looking at you. You start yelling ‘NO!’ in terror.

Everyone was yelling at you to move, your stomach was screaming in agony, and you were making small progress on the ladder not thinking you would make it.

But regardless of your doubts and your anxious thoughts you kept moving and were halfway there before Ghostface plunged his knife at the bottom of the window and grabbed the ladder.

He began shaking it and you were screaming in terror along with everyone else.

“Guys I don’t want to die!” You sobbed.

“You wont!” Mindy yells back to you as she goes out the window ignoring Sam’s screams for her to turn back. She wasn’t going to let you die. She couldn’t. She goes back on the ladder and grabs your hand.

“Cmon!”

Ghostface starts shaking more aggressively but you guys are so close Mindy won’t back out now. You guys quickly crawl and Sam and Danny do their best to hold on to the ladder and Mindy so you both don’t slip.

You’re dizzy from all the blood you’ve lost and all the screaming and all the commotion that’s happening right now. With a slight tilt of the ladder you freeze as you think this is the end but Mindy had made it back into the window and was now dragging you in.

Sam and Danny help you onto the ground and Ghostface gives the ladder a few hits in defeat before grabbing his knife and turning away.

You’re immediately in Mindy’s arms as she’s crying and hugging you tightly not wanting to let go. You both couldn’t believe you were alive right now. You sobbed into her chest and let her hold you not caring that you were in so much pain it was unreal.

“Mindy I was so scared” you weep.

“I know, I know you were. I was too.”

Sam quickly gets you both and says “cmon I think the police are here.”

fast forward a littleee!

.・゜゜・★・゜゜・．

You woke up in a hospital bed with Mindy by your side.

“Oh thank god, I’m so glad you’re awake” she squeezed your hand. “Hi” you smile and she smiles back at you.

“Is your arm okay?”

“With all the pain you’re probably experiencing right now you’re still worried about me?”

“Of course I am, min. I really care about you.” A shy smile creeping on both of your faces.

Right. This was the moment. This was when Mindy was going to confess to you. She thought it’d be kinda romantic-ish you both almost died together but she saved you and now you were both in a hospital room alone! What could go wrong? Besides the fact you probably didn’t feel the same but she was willing to risk it.

“Y/N, I need to tell you something.”

She sounded serious. “Yeah? What’s up?”

Here goes nothing

“I like you. I like you as in more than a friend. You’re just so charming and funny and just gorgeous. You’ve always been by my side and you’re such a compassionate person. I don’t think I’ve met anyone like you before and that’s what makes you stand out to me.” She looks at your stunned eyes and panics “This was so stupid of me I’m sorry I know this isn’t the right time-“

You cut her off by kissing the hand she was still holding yours with. “I like you too, Mindy. In a more than a friend kind of way.” You said teasing her a little.

With both of you grinning she leaned in and you followed her movement causing you both to share a kiss.

She pulls away and said “I’m so glad you made it, you don’t know how long I’ve wanted to tell you that.”

You giggled before responding, “me too.”

OMG IM SORRY THIS IS SO LONGG. I hope you like it and that it wasn’t too much 😭 this is probably gonna be the only thing I write tonight I’m sorry :(

[planet-crait]

Okay so I admit after finishing my review of episode one I immediately went to episode two and uh died laughing when Jorgan crashed into Hazels room to call out Cosmo and Wanda choosing their own Godkid while being retired. It’s like the writers knew I’d ask about that. I did wait cuz I wanted to give it a second watch before I posted the review and I’m glad I did.

I did immediately notice as well episode two clocks in at just 11 minutes while episode one was 20. I’m curious if the episode lengths continue to jump around like this or if the season will continue with 11 minute episodes instead. Intro is still a banger lolz I need a longer version stat.

But focusing on the begining of the episode I really think it’s cute Hazels wish was about having just playtime with someone. Being the new kid with no one to play with…sucks so it’s not too crazy for me to see Hazel wishing to play games with Cosmo and Wanda. And yes, Cosmo rocks the princess dress he makes a very pretty princess and I think if he and Buzz Lightyear met they would swap tips of making believable damsels in distress.

On a second re watch I have to wonder why the 100th wish had to be a special request “fun” wish I’m a little confused about that. Can she not make a wish like this normally? I don’t see why not. It’s just playtime you know? Either way cute scene I love seeing Hazel as a knight it’s adorable and I love it.

Now a couple of immediate questions is one: how has Hazel already made a hundred wishes? Time probably has passed but that would be a big time skip unless she makes a lot of small wishes which again, in the original we had a whole episode dedicated to it being bad to run your fairies ragged with too many wishes. So having her established has making so many is a little wild to me. I’m not sure why they’re making sure we know she’s making so many wishes I’m a little confused about this aspect right now.

This also raises the next question of how Hazel has made so many wishes before Jorgan shows up and makes a fuss. Like I’m glad this issue is being addressed but noting it’s her hundredth wish makes the timeline well. Confusing.

Hazel so cheerfully making a comment about the destroyed roof is kind of adorable and funny all at once. Jorgan demanding Hazel to make more frivolous wishes (I call them frivolous because clearly she had no need to make a wish in that moment) feels…out of character for what we’d been told previously. It’s so bizarre Jorgan is so obsessed with having Hazel make a bunch of wishes when multiple times Timmy was scolded for making too many wishes, meanwhile as the episode goes on, Hazel being unable to make enough wishes lands Cosmo and Wanda into trouble.

Another cute moment with Hazel when she comments about loving the DMV or her asking about wishing school are both just cute moments. I know I keep bringing it up but I’m loving what they’re doing with Hazel and how well they’re establishing her character. She is definitely a massive strong point so far in these two episodes and for me a likeable main character can really save a show even if the story isn’t as tight as he could be.

Back to the story. The tests really seems to be testing Hazels ability to wish and not Cosmo and Wanda’s ability to grant wishes which again, seems to be defeating the point and Jorgans issue? Like they grant Hazels wishes as soon as she makes them and how she makes them which is how their magic always operated previously. Fairies are supposed to grant wishes as the child makes them, they’re not supposed to just do whatever, or at least they weren’t supposed to before. It’s a change I’m not a fan of myself. I liked the idea they’re supposed to be a support system for their godkids and make things easier, not just a machine to spit out stuff for them. I know I keep bringing up the original but when something is a sequel to something I feel like discussing how it matches the continuity of the original piece is important and stuff like this stands out lore to me when, as I said, Timmy got into trouble a lot because he was accused of over wishing a lot while Hazel is running into not wishing well enough.

Anyways, Cosmo and Wanda fail, and Cookie is made Hazels new Godparent because she gives children what they want, all the while ignoring Hazel who is trying to say what she wants and is promptly ignored. She was clearly asking for a bike and Cookie gives her a car, but somehow this is seen as a good wish?Strange choice, not a fan. I do love though how quickly Hazel figures out to get Cookie to have a uh “wish fart” to call back Jorgan and then, following what Jorgan said about kids getting what they want, wishing for Cosmo and Wanda as her fairies. I suppose the scene couldn’t happen without the Wanda and Cosmo getting replaced stuff, but I can’t help but wonder if they had a bit more time they could have worked it better. 11 minutes is tough to get a large story into, though I will be the first to admit I much prefer a show with a breakneck speed then one that just crawls at a snails pace *cough*rw/by*cough* in the end it’s very much a pick your poison situation, I don’t want to blame the studio to much for this crunch feeling since it sounds like they had a very limited budget but just something I want to bring up. While I think it could have been done better, again Hazel really saves the scene by being fun and creative. I’m really enjoying her character and I admit she’s a favorite of characters from new shows I’ve been watching recently. She’s fun and cute and I really like that.

Episode two for me wasn’t as strong as episode one in terms of writing, but Hazels character continues to be well written which helps a lot. I also noticed the bike in the intro was brought in for episode two so I wonder if or when a fish boy will come into play. I’m excited to see what episode 3 gives us.

[pomplalamoose]

Ooohhh so how do we think all the dynamics with dilf!luke would change if his kid was maybe ~10 years younger than you instead of your age (like maybe you met cuz you were their camp counselor or something and they got super attached to you)?

Omggg hiiiii! I got so excited when I saw it was you who sent in a request, I absolutely cherish all your ideas regarding this AU🩵🩵

Because I think it shows the subtle change in dynamics best I focused especially on a first encounter and then on how I imagine his child to cause further entanglement between him and you, since I think they'd definitely be the catalysator, especially in the beginning

• Luke, of course, remains a single dad in his late thirties to early forties and lives in a nice, cozy house with his child

• (if we assume they're about 10 years of age, he became a father at thirty)

• you, as a camp counselor/tutor/teacher/etc. don't know anything about his person, the picture you have in your mind consisting solely out of stories told by either his child or your co-workers

• but since you haven't met him yet, you're not particularly interested, not paying them much mind, as everything you know about the kid's guardians blurs together into a confusing mixture anyway

• of course this will change sooner or later, possibly when Mr. Skywalker comes to pick up his child and you see him for the first time from afar

• it's hard to miss him

• his consuming presence makes him stand out strongly from among the other parents gathering at the entrance, the dark, perfectly tailored suit he's wearing only accentuating the stark contrast

• maybe he just left work?

• even with so much distance between the two of you he strikes you as very handsome, though you can't help but feel glad you didn't run into him directly

• you wouldn't have been able to speak even a single word

• still you can't get him out of your mind and going forward you find yourself putting decidedly more effort into your looks

• just in case you see him around around again

• just in case should he take notice of you as well

• (you're only a little bit embarrassed by how quickly he put his spell on you)

• meanwhile his child, always happy to engage in conversation, seems to really love their dad, a smile blossoming on their little face whenever they talk about him

• especially as soon as they realize you're listening closely they can barely find another topic, making you endeavor to learn more about Mr. Skywalker a lot easier

• quickly you don't only know his first name but also when and if he's celebrating his birthday, what kinds of ice cream he likes best and which he doesn't like at all, details about his favorite knitted sweater and that he recently gifted them a rubber duck to take their baths with

• which is great, really, and you're not going to deny how very interesting all of this is

• but is he single????

• obviously you can't just ask a child whether their mum is in the picture or not and if their dad is currently dating someone

• luckily, or not so luckily, you're not the only one who's attention was caught by the tall, attractive man and you're able to catch some snippets of gossip among colleagues and the parents of other kids

• though gossip is all it is and soon you know why

• Mr. Skywalker is as cold as he is beautiful and impossible to draw near to

• it takes all of your courage to not flee the scene when one day his child decides to introduce you

• normally they let go of your hand as soon as they spot their father, quickly leaving you behind in their excitement as they jump into his arms

• today, however, they don't and you're starting to grow rather uneasy when they continue to drag you forward, towards a man already regarding you with raised eyebrows

• standing in front of him he's even more intimidating than from afar and you have to fight the need to lower your eyes when his gaze sweeps over you

• were it not for his child hanging on to your arm you would've left as fast as possible

• as it is though you're forced to stay

• bravely you endure the encounter consisting mostly of the child's happy blabbering and their father's polite but curt responses

• he's holding back, clearly not comfortable with your presence and studying you more and more intensely as time goes by

• he seems displeased and you have no idea why

• is your smile that terrible?

• did your greeting offend him in some way?

• does he not approve of how you're dressed?

• or about the way you interact with the children?

• you didn't think it possible but despite your initial feeling he eventually, slowly, starts to warm up to you over the next few months

• maybe due to the way his child obviously adores you?

• (yes absolutely, you're the only topic they can talk about at home, similarly to how they only talk about their father to you)

• true, he doesn't give you much to work with, the way he addresses you always stilted and his smile reserved, yet you couldn't be more relieved

• he doesn't seem to think you completely horrible and inadequate to take care of his child in his absence anymore!

• (also, as far as you know, none of your other colleagues have received a smile yet!)

• maybe you don't have a chance with him, this he made clear, but that's okay, there's joy to be found in a little harmless crush

• you dare to relax

• until his child invites you to their birthday party

• you had noticed, of course, how they followed you around like a duckling and how much you meant to them but still...

• wouldn't that mean to overstep a line?

• though when they present you a handmade birthday invite, smiling up at you so hopefully, you can't say no

• maybe it will make things easier for their parents (or hopefully just Mr. Skywalker?), you reason with yourself

• with you there they won't need to worry quite that much about a rambunctious crowd of little kids making a mess of their home

• you're good at your job and excell at pleasing even those hard to satisfy

• the longer you think about the upcoming event the more you feel your excitement grow

• you wonder if Mr. Skywalker is more relaxed in private

• as it turns out he's not

• and neither are you when you arrive and learn you are the only guest

• "I really like my friends", explains the child, "but I'd rather have you all to myself for once!"

• well

• there goes your plan to make a good impression by handling many kids on your own, while maybe sneaking a glance at Mr. Skywalker from time to time, who, in your head, sits somehwere in the distance, relaxing with a coffee

• of course, he does none of these things and instead never once leaves your vicinity, always lingering nearby to keep an eye on the two of you

• it's unnerving and continues to be so as you spend the day with activities his child planned for you

• at least there's no trace of a woman living here with them, which substantially lifts your mood despite the stern eyes you feel prickling in the back of your neck

• once it's time for you to go home you're exhausted

• to some extend you had fun, yes, but deep down you're ashamed

• how is anyone supposed to be taken seriously by an attractive older man while hosting a tea party for stuffed animals, rolling around in the grass and playing Mario Kart?

• does he even think you competent enough to do anything after watching his child chasing you with a water gun?

• your little friend insists on hugging you goodbye tightly

• "can we do this again soon? Pleaseee?", they whisper in your ear and you're inclined to agree were it not for the dark figure leaning against the wall a few steps away

• "you'll have to ask your daddy", you whisper back, hoping this will be a topic for another day and discussed without you

• once again things turn out differently though when they immediately throw themselves at their dad with great enthusiasm

• "DADDY CAN THEY PLEASE COME OVER AGAIN SOON?????"

• you don't know where to look

• what if Mr. Skywalker denys his child's request, here, right in front of you?

• he has the guts to do so, that much you were able to gather

• "we'll see about that, yes?"

• at least that's not a no, you tell yourself, yet you feel your eyes water in embarrassment

• forcing a smile you nevertheless thank him for his hospitality and receive a polite nod in return, before finally being allowed to flee the uncomfortable situation with burning cheeks, your heart beating painfully in your chest

• still holding back tears you've nearly reached the street when behind you the front door opens again causing you freeze

• half hoping, half fearing it's Mr. Skywalker you turn around, but instead spot the much smaller figure of his child against the backdrop of the lit interior

• you can't tell for sure but they seem to be grinning in mischievous delight before their little voice rings out clearly through the darkness

• "mY DADDY THINKS YOURE VERY PRETTY"

• for a second it's quiet

• then

• "but I'm not supposed to tell you because he says it's not proper"

[rvb-is-gay]

Final Thoughts on RVB Restoration

(note that i did not bother with proper punctuation here and additional thoughts may be added later)

SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT:

wow. i have A LOT to say about this

first, lets start with the things i really liked about this finale:

red team fight scenes. simmons and grif fighting the meta was so good, especially simmons being SO BADASS. simmons stans were fed well. i always love seeing the reds and blues fighting, even if theyre not good, as opposed to freelancers fighting

caboose did a lot and i think had some solid development (as much as he could get in only an hour and 25 mins, at least) and it seems like they made him less dumb?? which is fine with me, it almost seemed like he matured. i also kinda liked seeing caboose being thrown around and beaten up cause it HURT ME SO MUCH but i love being hurt (i love caboose this isnt meant to be an insult to him). it was also just so surreal seeing caboose actually being hurt in an animation because he always managed to avoid major beatings like that before. him and tucker having a brief moment together was soul crushing and i wish we couldve had more of that

tucker being influenced by the meta has been a thing since the s13 finale and seeing it actually happen was really cool

tex being brought back was kind of a meh thing for me. i think everything tex related shouldve just been left in s10 because that season really wrapped it all up nicely. i did enjoy having her back, though, just for the sake of her as a character cuz i love her. and her and church together was so fucking cute and heartbreaking

sarge dying to save caboose was obviously fucking SADDENING but also sweet in a way cause i love caboose being the honorary red member. he loves his blue son

again, simmons being a badass was so fucking good

the grimmons scene with grif saying "come with me" was romantic as hell 😭😭😭

churchs gay little pose

chex scene with tex holding churchs hand was so gjfHDJSAFKGHSDJFSDFKAS GODDDDD THIS M/F SHIP HAS ME IN A CHOKEHOLD

now, the things i DIDNT like:

really unfortunate that the movie/season was only 1 hr 25 mins. it really limited what they could do with the plot and characters, but i understand if it wasnt possible for RT to do more due to warner bros for example

churchs whole youtube video thing was kinda funny but also dragged on for too long and was the perfect example of "show dont tell" NOT being implemented

a lot of stuff felt ooc, like how the reds didnt wanna help caboose at all. the beginning with epsilon showing up was understandable with how they didnt want to get involved, but later on the ship they just leave caboose to be choked out by the meta? THAT part didnt feel like the reds at all. grif also for some reason was so fucking mad and yelling a lot? idk where all that came from? it was so random like grif chill dude 😭

wash just being stuck in a mental hospital for something we dont even find out about until the end, which in a story sense isnt inherently bad obviously and can really add to the narrative, but in this case it just felt so confusing and like it didnt make sense. why would carolina and the reds and blues just let that happen to wash? not to say that getting help with mental health is bad or anything, just what i mean is they dont seem to care that hes gone or anything and dont visit him and hes treated like hes crazy the whole time hes in the hospital

479er being alive was really awesome, but it came out of nowhere (i understand that this is also probably due to the runtime restraint)

WHERE THE HELL WERE DONUT AND LOPEZ THE WHOLE TIME???? lopez showed up once and donut was in a 5 second thought bubble from simmons? the FINAL season of rvb and they dont even have the full crew of characters fighting together one last time? nobody talked about them at all? come on guys

the beginning with the convention was just really unnecessary and boring

why does nobody seem to care that TUCKER IS MISSING WITH MAINES ARMOR?? it feels like everyone just got brainwashed to forget about all the years they spent being friends

what was the deal with the covid jokes 💀

sarge wouldve never let himself die to a blue

doc just dies offscreen and its only vaguely mentioned at the very end and just happened out of nowhere, almost as an excuse for wash to not be present during everything with the meta?

where the hell has carolina been? she was never mentioned once until she showed up at the end

why why WHY did GRIF LEAVE??? i know season 15 was retconned, but the fact that he CARES ABOUT HIS FRIENDS and doesnt actually want to leave them unlike what he says shouldnt have just been forgotten about. AND SIMMONS JUST DOESNT WANNA GO TO EARTH TO VISIT? HELLO THIS IS NOT THE SAME GRIF AND SIMMONS WE'VE BEEN WITH ALL THESE YEARS. wheres that tweet saying "found family separating after the journey is bs" cause thats how i feel about that. 21 years spent building up these amazing relationships between these amazing characters just for them to seemingly not give a shit about each other?? is simmons just alone in blood gulch with tucker and caboose now?? 💀💀💀

i understand because he was the meta, tucker didnt have control, but it was still unfortunate to barely have any tucker this season

i understand that the meta was a threat to everybodys lives, but it feels like everyone was just ok with killing tucker to be able to kill the meta. it wouldve been so much better and angstier if they were having difficulties with it because thats their friend

why did one have to show up. i dont really have anything personal against her as a character or anything but i wouldve really preferred any and all things related to zero to just be wiped off the face of the planet

the music was just terrible. really unfortunate they wouldnt have trocadero return :( it felt so unnerving having this weird stock music playing whenever people were just standing and talking. throughout all of rvb, 99% of the standing talking scenes never had any music so this was so bizarre

some animated scenes looked really off, idk if it was just me

one personal gripe i have that doesnt actually really matter that much to the overall season, but it really bothered me, is that that IS NOT HOW THE BUBBLE SHIELD WORKS!!! i think technically we've never actually seen the bubble shield be entered or exited on screen so i guess you could argue that it works differently from how they work in halo? idk still bothered me

this season in general just felt like an AU?? even 15 through 17 felt more real as seasons of rvb than this did, and i HATED season 16, so thats saying something

and of course, grimmons. big congrats to RT for the longest queerbaited couple in i think tv show history. this one really pisses me off the most because just. how. theres a difference between a queer ship existing because people like it, and a queer ship existing because there was actual subtext and clues and their relationship is written so perfectly and its been around for so long that so many queer people came to really love and identify with it in spite of how shitty they were treated. idc, grimmons is canon in all of our hearts, fuck that

a great point from mod janae: the whole point of rvb, which aiden price even talks about, is that they come together as friends/family and even though they individually suck, together they can do anything, and a better ending wouldve been not to bring back tex carolina or even wash but to have gotten all the reds and blues back together to stop the meta. it was never about being the strongest but about working together

in general, i did not like the season. it had a few things i liked, but obviously the cons outweigh the pros here and so overall, i hated it. i mightve hated it even more than season 16 which is insane because ill fight tooth and nail for why season 16 is such a catastrophe. really disappointing that this is how rvb ends. i wouldve much preferred a cheesy "friendship defeats the bad guy and saves the day" ending because that IS what rvb is to a degree. anyways i understand how GOT fans feel now

[nyyxqueen]

Is anyone else pissed that we had to wait 8 fricken books for Lance and Darcy to get their divine moment when Tory and Darius got theirs in book 4 when they still hated each other's guts?

And then as soon as they're happy fuckin shadow bitch shows up and just casually makes Darcy mortal, thereby erasing the mating bond on her end, and kidnaps Lance to torture for the next I-forget-how-long.

Like,,,

Just let them be happy :(

So when I decided I absolutely hated that my lil writing brain came up with a cannon divergent plotline where they have their moment at the beginning of book 5 after Tory finds out.

Like their final test from the stars was whether Lance was willing to be hers in front of people right?

So, what if after Tory finds out Lance decides to tell Darius about their relationship?

Obviously Darius gets mad (She's a fucking Vega, Lance, what the hell is wrong with you?) and Lance defends her, because let's be honest that man's fuckin whipped, and he eventually manages to talk Darius into begrudgingly accepting the relationship.

Then Lance finds the password to the diary through means that don't involve going to prison and accepts that maybe he's okay with being a royalist and accepting Darcy as his queen.

So the story continues like cannon until the night where they have their little date beneath the library.

So, the date plays out as in cannon until around 3 am where they have their divine moment in a field somewhere.

Then they go back to Zodiac and go to bed and the next morning when the FIB show up and put the power suppression cuffs on him, it drops the illusion he was holding to hide the silver ring until they could be registered officially as mates, and causes mass confusion.

So obviously the FIB officers are like, 'uhh wtf?? Why isn't it on your file that you have an elysian mate??' and Lance is just like, ' Well since it happened at literally 3 last night I didn't exactly have the time'

So then Darcy gets over to them and since they already know she's not doing the illusion anymore, so there's pretty much a giant uproar from everyone (oms one of the Vegas is elysian mates with a teacher?? Specifically a teacher who, until this point, was very much team heirs??)

Then Lance is still arrested, because technically he was breaking the law, but at the trial there's almost nothing they can do to charge him (yes he was breaking the law but very clearly because of the stars considering the fact that they are elysian mates)

So he is ruled innocent and returns to Zodiac to continue teaching and then they are made to navigate their relationship while at the school and figuring out how to work things.

(also there is a scene where Seth gets all mad at Darcy cuz his leverage is gone but that is neither here nor there)

Anyways, that is my idea for a book 5 fix-it fic that's been living in my head ever since Lance was arrested.

If I write this out would anyone read it?

[circuitspeeder]

RED VS BLUE RESTORATION SPOILERS

This is stuff I liked :D

Can I just say how fucking good caboose was in this? I genuinely adored competent caboose, and he still felt very in character, to me at least.

The way all the AI’s were still so in character even after all these years had me happy. Sigma also got to drop his ‘manipulator’ persona and got to just be cruel which feels in character but I can see how some might not like it.

Sigma snapping a bit at Theta then Delta telling Sigma to fuck off and leave him alone then telling Theta to come by him was fucking adorable. Delta and Theta fans stay winning. 💪

The felix part still confuses the fuck out of me but the way I’ve chosen to interpret it is Sigma basically just taking felix’s voice to specifically fuck with tucker. (Aka they couldn’t get big actor no more so miles is now sigma)

Sigma could have potentially also taken some of Felix’s personality cuz no way bro was like ‘i’m gonna sit in a glass box and pretend I’m a statue then jump out at them when they come looking! This shit is gonna be so funny!’ Like 😭😭

The way The Meta also just kinda throws shit around like a toddler is funny to me, but also sort of helps show that he isn’t exactly 100% there.

The Caboose and Tucker scene fucked me up. 10/10 no notes for that. Caboose’s VA also fucking killed that scene.

479er and Shelia was fucking amazing. Along with the small gag with Lopez at the beginning. I hate how they later just disappear but I’m happy we got them at all.

Kai is literally my favorite character behind Grif. At the very least I’m happy we got ANYTHING from her.

Seeing Tucker being tortured the way they tortured the Alpha, and possibly Maine was so cool, but also fuck you for that.

Idk if I’m 100% correct on this, but it seems like the machinima parts on charon’s ship were green screened. I could be wrong but it looked a bit wonky sometimes.

First time Grif salutes Sarge is when he’s fucking dead. Fuck me.

The memories around the fire, and Grif finally being given the option to leave was all stuff I liked. Grif choosing to stay to at least fight the Meta was cute.

Tex coming back instead of church was actually fucking gold. This version being made from positive memories was also perfect.

Hearing Round 1/Bullfight, like I said before, got me hard instantly.

Tex and Carolina fighting together, loved it, but they did feel far weaker than we have previously seen them.

Small nit pick, the figh animation was great, but they still have the camera issue where it just sorta floats around a bit when it could help to better enhance what was happening, but I still loved the fight.

God the lighting on the animated bits was so fucking pretty.

Tex and Church (or Allison and Leonard) finally getting to fucking rest was 🙏 That part genuinely had me in tears.

Then after that it’s sorta down hill for me, but I will say how I can understand how some might think Grif leaving was a good thing.

Again rvb0 cameo made me throw up in my mouth-

I did love how Dr.Gray mentioned that Donut was an admiral. Good for him.

Grif telling Simmons to come with him had me kicking my feet like a little girl.

Grif and Simmons honestly felt so much closer this season. They felt like genuine friends, and while I kinda knew we weren’t gonna get it canonized they still carried, along with Caboose.

I do over all prefer the season 15-17 time line, along with the OG scrapped season 18 we could have gotten, but this was a fine ending. At the very least I hope they enjoyed making it.

[drottni]

LBFAD rewatch observations part 9

1. His little touched expression when Xiao Run says "whats mine is yours, my friends are your friends" 🥺

2. Both of them feeling confused and guilty about Xiao Run and Lady Wanqing and naturally gravitating towards each other. Her saying "I'm in bad moood, chat with me." Him telling her I understand your feelings, I'm feeling them as well. Aahhh. Cutie patooties. 🥰

3. XLH hugging Danyin after realizing it was her because she had missed her!! "This expression, this tone, you used when you used to bully me eeeekkkk!!" *happy baby*

4. Danyin posessing the only brain cell in the entire Mortal Realm Arc and immediately saying "What, why the heck would Xiao Run kill his bride? With his personality? You dum dums planned your whole game on this ?!?"

5. Danyin really said "Gurl I will cut you! Don't test me." And I love her for that.

6. Ronghao using all his master manipulation tricks to guilt Xiao Lanhua but her still hesitating and being brave enough to say "DFQC is not a bad person". 🥺🥺 And it wasn't the threat to Changheng's life or Lady Wanqing's life that finally breaks through to her. It was when Ronghao reveals that DFQC plans on releasing the soldiers to wage war against Shuiyuntian that we begin to see her mind shift. The concept of "one person vs all people" really is at the core of her. (also it was the fact that DFQC lied to her that further pushes her...but gurl you lied too -__-)

7. Earlier, her telling him: "He is Xiao Run not Changeheng, he is not your enemy." And then later when she says I thought you and Xiao Run were friends now! and his reply of "Yes. He is Xiao Run. Not Changheng." *chefs kissess* 🤌🏼🤌🏼

8. Im gonna lose my mind. DFQC yelling at Shangque to find Lady Wanqing and Xiao Run and make sure no mistake happens because Lady Chidi's spirit is the most important thing right now. And then LITERALLY 5 SECOND LATER he kills Lady Wanqing without a second thought because she was about to kill XLH. THIS MAN. THISS MANSSS. He really just says "Xiao Lanhua >>>>>>" over and over and over again.

9. That badass music that usually only plays for DFQC scenes being played for XLH 😍😍😍😍😍

10. I swear they extended Dylan Wang Hedi's eyeliner or gave him even more lashes after the mortal realm arc cuz no way he is looking even more puppy/doe eyed than usual without even trying. Like he has got the "boy you're in love" look all overr him even while talking about politics.

11. The way she peaks out from behind the curtain and looks at him?!? The cute little bright sunshine smile she gives?!?!? The way he looks in her direction expecting her to pop out from there?!?!?? IM DYING THESE 2 KILLING ME.

12. DFQC : Why are you smiling?

Me: BOY why are YOUU smiling like for real boy you have not stopped smiling since this post mortal realm scene started like boy get in control your love is spilling out EVERYWHERE!!! people are tripping and sliding and falling all over it. There are injuries! 😄 I love them.

13. Uhmm him just taking the medicine without protest, taking deep breath, grimacing, then swallowing it down only to look up at her with thr puppiest of EYESSS like loook I did it are you happy?!?!? 💀💀💀💀 im dead

14. XLH LOOKING AT HIM WITH ALL THAT LOVE LIKE GURL STOP IM DEAD PLEASE STOP KILLING ME. Like we have seen so many DFQC gazing at her with love scenes but god this is her first full blown "I am in love with this man" look and it is ETHEREAL!! it is sunshine breaking through the clouds!! I need a gif of it.

15. Ya'll this whole scene seems too damn personal. Like I feel guilty for intruding. Like I should not be here in this room watching these two absolute babies just gaze so softly, and smile these small soft smiles, and bat their pretty lashes at each other, and DFQC stumbling awkwardly after her and then reaching out and holding her hand so tenderly conveying everything he is too shy to say. like this is tooo invasive. This intrusion is a crime.

16. The way he SENSES that she probably heard what they were discussing and is distressed!! The way he immediately goes to her!!! 😭😭😭😭😭

17. "Jieli said you wanted to be alone. I can accompany you" !!!!!! Insert that one Winnie the Pooh quote about Piglet offering to just sit in silence with Pooh when he is feeling down.

18. OH MY GOD CHANGHENG. FIND A BETTER TIME TO POP IN YOU LITTLE MENACE! Do you not see them having a MOMENT! Begone! (DFQC immediately turning the sky stormy and lightening... same honestly-_- fry him up and serve him for dinner King)

[felikatze]

rereading the ember knight (again) and picking up on more stuff because i actually remember more character names (i can successfully tell myusa and wadrin apart now!) and when i got back to laurun's backstory arc i felt so stupid because like

at the veeeeeeery beginning, nagyunn says najin suddenly became stronger after nagyunn got sick when they were kids. and then laurun says najin approached him when nagyunn was sick. and najin was apparently part of the dragon's descendants. and the dragon's descendants have a ritual that grants power equivalent to the knights' geas, which can also be performed by outsiders (as shown by laurun himself performing it!!)

so yeah duh. najin joined them for power when he felt the most powerless (with nagyunn, his protector, being extremely ill). he was probably so strong because he went through the ritual. HOWEVER we've seen that the power granted by the ritual is tied closely to the chief, and the chief has to give permission to use full power, as we saw when lyamin asked laurun for permission to go fight the apprentices again, so it really is exactly like the conditions placed on knights through the geas.

and like, quaring's sudden power up is also after she makes a vow to the dead jiroon, so promises are just fucking like. All Powerful, but Restricting. this overlap is probably why laurun used to research the geas with the komaeda look alike and zius. i forgot his name. LEGIA. WHITE CROW LEGIA. that bitch. yeah.

obviously there are still Many Questions. like. how does The Actual Dragon factor into this. didn't he call the dragon's descendants posers.

oh also sidenote. rereading laurun's backstory just made everything so much clearer cuz i got REALLY confused when i read it the first time cuz all the names are so similar. we have laukan, laurun's adoptive dad, his unnamed mother, and lauzun, his little brother. the old chief of the descendants is gonna kick the bucket, as is the old mother of dragons.

so the conflict is between who's gonna be chief between laukan and lushul. lushul is luyan's dad, who has a "will they won't they" thing with laurun, and is slated to be next mother of dragons.

laurun would be the perfect chief candidate if not for his status as an outsider, which leads to extra squabbling between laukan and lushul as both families have one super promising kid each.

we also see lyamin's dad!! he was one of laukan's supporters, apparently, and we also have mention of kallan, the super smiley one who murdered jiroon.

lushul killed the old chief and laukan. laurun arrived to the scene after his talk with luyan, and retaliated by killing lushul as well as lushul's whole group. then, the knights show up and demand an agreement, but laurun sends them off cuz lushul did that, and fuck lushul, he's dead now.

before the fighting broke out, laukan told lauzan to run away, cuz lushul would also kill him. that's gonna be how lauzan ended up in woodion, since it's now established that the two settlements were close to each other.

so close, in fact, that when laurun searches for his brother, he runs into najin in the woods.

the knights r also super suspicious here. the way they talk abt the mother of dragons makes me suspect she was their end goal in massacring the descendants, since we saw who we now know as luyan in their custody in the capital city before. laurun probably doesn't even know she's still alive.

it's all super interesting!! everytime i read this series i understand more!!

and like yeah a lot of this is because all the names are so similar and it takes a reread to untangle them all, but it's also just well crafted. like when nagyunn meets up with the first special class, one of em perks up when he mentions being from woodion. this is just ONE thought bubble, but it's notable because this knight is later revealed to he tyr's older sister! she honed in on it cuz she's also from woodion! or at least because her brother lived there.

anyways. read the ember knight. it's good.