#up until somewhere during the timeskip

[ferigrievous]

IWAIZUMI HAIJIME HCS ⋆˚࿔

first gen filipino from davao, moved when he was eleven. speaks both tagalog and cebuano

triple knots his shoes because he hates tying them in public but then gets annoyed having to undo the knot when he gets home

if he gets angry his accent gets real thick and its much much harder to understand him

has a vendetta against vending machines

had a rat’s tail on his left side but cut it off when he became the vice captain of seijoh

walks on the side closest to the street whenever he’s walking with someone, and walks behind everyone else if they’re in a group to make sure nothing happens to them

tried doing pilates once because he was insecure about how he looked and had more trouble with it than lifting weights and working out ‘normally’

has an entire cabinet full of protein powder but only uses one flavour

has a soft spot for those really shitty action movies

didnt wear sunscreen until he met oikawa because hes already naturally tan and thought that was enough (he didnt know sun cancer was a thing and just thought it was for preventing sunburns)

got convinced by mattsun to get an eyebrow piercing when they were like nineteen and he took it off for job interviews and just never put it back in because it closed up within the hour

has a secret talent in flower arrangement for some reason

is the designated person to bring a water bottle during outings and even in class. had to buy a bigger bottle and it doesnt fit in his bag anymore

has the second biggest sweet tooth on the team, first being kyotani

gets competitive over the dumbest things and literally will not back down even if itll get him hurt

loves cooking and regrets not making more time to do it post-timeskip

surprisingly good at darts and pool but he never tells anyone 

has no playlists. just puts on his liked songs and prays

parallel parking warrior

has an instagram with no profile picture no posts no stories but like four thousand followers

really good at giving advice but rarely ever takes his own because he thinks the iwaizumi giving advice and the iwaizumi taking advice are two seperate people

has a weird talent for directions. after going somewhere once, he doesnt need to use a map to get there, even if theyre coming from a different direction

lowkey enjoys the stretching more than the workout because they feel more satisfying

because of that, he ends up overexerting himself sometimes to ‘feel’ the result of the workout

actually has a really really bad spice tolerance but because he’s so stubborn he wont let anyone know

acts like he doesnt care about aesthetics and how something looks but his room, and post timeskip his apartment, is really well organized

probably an interior designer in another life

[inseobts]

Hi there may i request usopp x strawhat!reader? (fem!reader too) For the scenario i want something like them going on their first date together? Maybe somewhere along the way the two of em try to avoid the Marines during the date hehe,, i would like it to take place at post timeskip please tysm in advanced ! 💗

Troubled Date

usopp x fem!reader

a/n: thank you for this request, it was really fun to write ♡

words count: 1.1k

tags: fluff, romance, first date

masterlist || ao3 || ko-fi

The Sunny is docked at a lively island town, filled with colorful markets, busy streets, and the smell of grilled seafood in the air. It’s the perfect place for a date, or at least, that’s what Usopp tells himself as he waits for you at the edge of the ship.

“Okay, Usopp, you got this,” he mutters, taking deep breaths “It’s just Y/N. Y/N, who’s been my crewmate for years. Y/N, who��who looks really cute today.” He swallows hard when he sees you walking toward him, wearing a bright smile.

“Ready to go?” you ask, tilting your head.

“Pshh, of course!” Usopp straightens his back “This is gonna be the best date ever! A legendary date! People will tell stories about it for generations!”

You giggle “Then let’s make it a good one, great warrior.”

He turns red but quickly clears his throat “Ahem! Yes! Let’s go!”

The two of you step off the Sunny and into the town. The streets are full of life, merchants selling trinkets, children running around, and street performers juggling flaming torches. Usopp’s eyes shine with excitement.

“Ohhh! Look at that!” He points at a booth selling deep-fried snacks “Let’s start with food! You can’t go on an adventure on an empty stomach!”

“I thought this was a date, not an adventure” you tease.

He grins “Same thing!”

The two of you buy some snacks and walk through the marketplace, enjoying the sights and sounds. Everything seems perfect, until Usopp suddenly freezes, his eyes wide in horror.

“Uh-oh.”

“What?” you ask, mouth full of food.

He slowly turns to you “Marines. Over there.”

You peek over his shoulder. A group of Marines is walking through the crowd, scanning faces. They don’t seem to have noticed you two yet, but they’re getting closer.

“What do we do?” you whisper.

“Hide! Quick!” Usopp grabs your hand and pulls you behind a fruit stand, both of you crouching low.

“Why do we always run into Marines at the worst times?” you whisper, pressing against the crates of apples.

“It’s the curse of being too cool” Usopp whispers back.

You roll your eyes but smile. The Marines stop near the stand, talking to the merchant. You and Usopp hold your breath.

“Hey,” he murmurs, voice suddenly soft “I, uh… I’m glad you came today. I was really nervous.”

You blink in surprise, then squeeze his hand “Me too.”

He turns bright red.

Before you can say more, a loud CRASH echoes through the market. You both peek around the corner and see Luffy at a food stall, arguing with the owner, his face stuffed with meat.

The Marines immediately turn toward the noise.

“Oh no” you and Usopp say at the same time.

“There! That’s Straw Hat Luffy!” one of them shouts.

Usopp’s grip on your hand tightens “Oh no, oh no, oh no—”

“RUN!” you yell, yanking him in the opposite direction as the Marines push through the crowd.

The two of you weave through the busy marketplace, dodging fruit carts and leaping over barrels. Usopp almost trips over a stray chicken, but you keep pulling him forward.

“Why does this ALWAYS happen?!” he cries.

“Because we’re pirates?” you laugh breathlessly.

“I just wanted a normal date!”

“You expected NORMAL?! On a date with me?!”

“…Okay, that’s fair.”

Behind you, the Marines shout orders. You spot an alleyway between two buildings and pull Usopp into it. The two of you press against the wall, panting.

The sound of boots stomping on cobblestone grows louder. Usopp peeks around the corner and immediately pulls back, eyes wide.

“They’re close” he whispers.

You glance upward and spot a wooden balcony above you “Up there!”

Without thinking, you grab Usopp’s waist and boost him up. He yelps, flailing before grabbing onto the ledge.

“H-hey! I’m supposed to be the one protecting you!”

“Less talking, more climbing!”

Usopp scrambles onto the balcony and reaches down for you. You grab his hands, and with a strong pull, he hauls you up, though he nearly topples over in the process.

“Phew,” he sighs, wiping his forehead “That was close.”

You both sit on the balcony floor, catching your breath. The Marines run past below, completely unaware.

For a moment, there’s silence. Just the distant chatter of the town, the cool breeze, and the two of you, still holding hands.

Usopp realizes it first. His face turns red “A-ah! Uh—”

You laugh, giving his hand a squeeze before letting go “Thanks for pulling me up.”

His heart is beating way too fast “A-anytime.”

You both sit there for a moment, looking out at the town. The sun is starting to set, casting a golden glow over everything. Even after all the chaos, just sitting next to you feels nice.

“…So, this wasn’t exactly the date I planned” Usopp admits.

You tilt your head “Oh? And what was the plan?”

“Well,” he starts, rubbing the back of his neck, “I was gonna take you to a nice restaurant, impress you with my amazing storytelling, maybe buy you a cool gift—y’know, romantic stuff.”

You smile “This was fun too.”

His eyes widen “R-really?”

You nod “Running from Marines together? That’s a real Straw Hat date.”

Usopp stares at you for a second before bursting into laughter “Okay, okay, you have a point.”

You stand up and offer your hand “Come on, let’s find the others before Luffy causes more trouble.”

He takes your hand, smiling “Yeah. But, uh…” He hesitates. “Maybe we try another date next time? A real one?”

You squeeze his fingers “I’d like that.”

His face burns red, but he grins, heart pounding in the best way possible.

You’re about to turn when Usopp suddenly tugs on your hand, stopping you. His expression is serious for once, though his face is still pink.

“…Wait.”

You blink “What?”

He hesitates for a moment, then takes a shaky breath “I, uh—before we go, I just…”

Then, before he can overthink it, he leans forward and presses a quick, warm kiss to your lips.

It’s short, barely a second, but it leaves you completely frozen.

Usopp pulls back, looking like he might pass out. His eyes dart everywhere except at you “S-sorry! I just—! I thought—! B-but if that was too much, I—!”

You cut him off by grabbing his scarf and pulling him in for another kiss, this one slower, softer. He lets out a tiny, surprised squeak before melting into it, his hands awkwardly hovering before resting on your waist.

When you finally pull away, his face is an impossible shade of red “Oh.” His voice cracks “Oh.”

You smile, brushing your fingers over his “I really, really liked this date.”

He sways a little, dazed “…I think I did too.”

You laugh and take his hand again “Come on, Romeo. Let’s go before the others start looking for us.”

Usopp stumbles after you, still red-faced but grinning like an idiot.

Maybe this date didn’t go as planned.

But honestly?

It turned out way better.

[kurishiri]

ECB ┊ To our greed this Christmas —Elbert Greetia—

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ @ notice ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱ this translation may not be 100% accurate or contain creative liberties due to narrative flow or characterization purposes. if you enjoy, please consider reblogging, but please don’t repost these or claim these as your own!

— the ecb story for elbert in the 2024 christmas collection event! ik its already feb but lets pretend its still dec 😂🙏 delulu is le solulu!

[ELBERT’S ROOM]

Kate: Lord Elbert!

Unable to conceal my joy, I burst into his room.

Elbert: Kate…welcome back.

Lord Elbert’s smile was laced with kindness as he wrapped me in his arms.

Elbert: What did Victor say? …Although I think I have an idea from your expression.

Kate: Hehe…it’s exactly as you think…

K: Victor gave us the okay! We have time off from today until the 25th.

K: Good work on all the missions these past several weeks.

Elbert: I’m glad…you too, Kate.

——With little time to relax, the days passed by in a flash, leaving little time left this year.

And so, with Lord Elbert and I deciding we should take some time off, including on Christmas day,

we moved forward with missions for Crown more than usual for some weeks after the second half of November.

Of course, evil knew no break, and so in more dire times we were required to respond…

but it would appear that, at least for this period, we would be able to pass our days by in peace.

Elbert: …Kate, come here.

Sitting on the bed, Lord Elbert patted his own lap as he called out to me.

Though hesitant that I may be heavy, I wanted to feel Lord Elbert’s warmth, so I timidly sat on his lap nonetheless.

When I did, I felt his arms wrap around me, his hands linking at the front of my stomach.

(I’m so happy…)

Like a jellyfish just floating about in the sea, my body swayed in full happiness.

Kate: Lord Elbert, what do you want to do during our break?

Elbert: I think…I would want to keep you in this room and spend time together…just the two of us.

E: Looking only at you, hearing only your breath, pulse, and voice…

E: I want to take in your breath and, forevermore, feel your existence.

E: It’s not very different from the usual though…so it may feel boring to you.

Kate: Hardly. I want to spend time together with you as well.

Elbert: …I’m glad.

E: Actually, the other day, I found something that could keep us in this room…so I ended up buying it without a second thought.

Kate: You found something…?

Elbert: …Mm, it is set to arrive at Crown castle tomorrow, so I would like to use it then——

Just then, as if he had just thought of something, Lord Elbert cut his words off.

Elbert: …Oh, right. I would like to show you that something in a perfect state…

E: So, if you could go elsewhere tomorrow morning, I would appreciate that.

[TIMESKIP – ELBERT’S ROOM – EVENING]

Kate: An…enlarged birdcage?

The next day, I did as Lord Elbert asked, returning to the room after my outing…

And there in the heart of the room was a birdcage large enough to fit a human.

Kate: I feel like I saw this before somewhere…

Elbert: Perhaps…it was from the time you had become a little bird.

E: This birdcage is more durable than what was used then, and it won’t break easily. …Apparently, even if the manor were to collapse, the inside of the cage will stay safe…

E: And like this, nobody can steal you away from me.

Looking up at the birdcage, Lord Elbert’s eyes narrowed in happiness.

Kate: So…you decorated this while I was out?

A Christmas tree was decorated outside the birdcage, as well as festive ornaments.

Elbert: …At first, I intended to just put the birdcage down.

E: But then…Al told me, ‘This reeks of savagery,’ so…

E: …I tried to decorate it so you would feel comfortable in the cage. I just hope it is indeed to your liking…

Indeed, if anyone who didn’t know Lord Elbert laid their eyes on this room alone, they would probably tremble in its unsettling air.

With the hodgepodge of a rugged, large cage and vibrant Christmas decorations, it seemed all too odd.

(But…to me, I hold this room very dear.)

(After all, I think it was because of Lord Elbert’s gentle love and an overflowing desire that makes up this very room.)

Kate: I really, really like it! Thank you so much for preparing all this for me, Lord Elbert.

When I gave him my honest thoughts, Lord Elbert smiled like a blossoming flower.

Kate: Would it be alright to go in now?

Elbert: Yes…of course.

Lord Elbert opened the entrance to the birdcage and extended his hand as if to escort me.

I took his hand, going inside the cage.

Elbert: How is it? …Do you feel cramped, or any claustrophobia?

Kate: Not at all. …It reminds me of a secret base, so it’s actually quite fun.

Elbert: A secret base, huh… When we were children, just once, I made one, together with Al.

E: We would bring out snacks and cushions to the bushes from the manor’s garden…

E: Though…in the end, the adults found it, and so it was removed.

Kate: Ohh, so you had such memories as well…

Elbert: At that time, I did not really know what was good about it, but now, I do.

[CG - START]

With a smile at its finest, Lord Elbert pulled me in.

And I, too, extended my arms, wanting to become closer with him.

Elbert: In this birdcage, there is only you. …It’s a space filled only with the things I like.

With my back to the cage, Lord Elbert’s arms trapped me in, filling my vision with him.

Kate: …It’s the same for me.

K: I’m happy…just being in the same space together, just the two of us…

Those deep blue eyes, swaying with a bottomless love and a dark obsession approached——and our lips met.

Kate: mm…

All we did was exchange a kiss, and yet it felt like a sweet poison was coursing through me from my mouth,

making my body feel hot, on the verge of melting.

Kate: ah…

Lord Elbert’s tongue slipped in through the gap of my mouth, deepening the kiss.

Elbert: haa…When we’re touching each other in the cage like this…it feels like you’ve become mine.

E: Unable to fly away from the cage, unable to do anything but sing in a beautiful voice…my one and only little bird…

E: I want more of you…until I reach the deepest depths…

[CG – END, FADE TO BLACK]

——And so, my life inside the birdcage continued for many days until Christmas.

It was not as though Lord Elbert had ordered me to do so,

but it just turned out that, other than going to the lavatory or taking a bath, we spent all our time within the cage…

[ELBERT’S ROOM]

(Ah, there’s snow…)

One day, as life continued in the cage, I saw something white started fluttering down.

(…I haven’t been able to touch snow this year yet.)

Elbert: ………

E: …We should go out soon.

Kate: Huh…? But…

Lord Elbert said life inside the birdcage would continue on until Christmas, and that’s what I intended to do as well.

Elbert: …I just want you, and looking at you inside the birdcage like this is enough for me…

E: But, I also think seeing you fly free outside is beautiful, so…

Lord Elbert opened the birdcage, taking my hand and pulling me out.

Elbert: …Let me love you as you are free outside the cage as well.

(…Lord Elbert really is kind.)

I was sure that he was thinking in his heart that he wanted to continue staying with me in the cage.

But, even so, his heart was filled with kindness to the point he would push down such desires for my little thought of wanting to go outside.

And so…

I walked out of the birdcage and hugged Lord Elbert as tightly as I could.

Elbert: …? …Kate?

While Lord Elbert looked troubled, he gently returned the gesture.

Kate: Me too…Even outside the birdcage, I want to love you, Lord Elbert.

I do want to be outside the birdcage, but I would also like to fulfill Lord Elbert's desire…

Unable to completely put down one of those feelings, at some point it would seem that this greed as influenced me.

Elbert: …Kate.

His murmur was filled with enough heat to perhaps melt all the falling snow upon London…

And as we loved each other both in- and outside the birdcage, we fulfilled each other’s greed.

Fin

A Christmas of deepening greed with Elbert

masterlist 🍎🎁 ┊ ko-fi ☕️ ┊ comms 🤍

[epicleovilanon]

Second Year Squad Hangover Fic

so. so i actually have a new fic in the works (and yes, i AM working on the who framed kalim al asim fic still, dw!!) but this one is a bit more focused on the second year squad.

i just love a good second year squad centric fic lol. i love a fic with a big cast in general, i discovered this when i fell in love with @the-nameless-ramekin absolute wonder of a fic, strawberry tarts and other love languages, it has become my favorite fic and was what ultimately inspired me to write a second year squad fic.

but my fic, so far, has two parts, though it might end up being three, because its a hangover trilogy au!! i just think a hangover fic with the second years would be funny af

Part 1

no one’s getting married in this part--because they're still technically students at NRC. It’s the night before their graduation--or well, two nights before their graduation. so the weekend maybe? and they're at the twst equivalent of Vegas or smth

they do indeed get roofied

ITS NOT AN ACCIDENT THOUGH THEY GET ROOFIED BECAUSE JADE SWITCHED IT ON PURPOSE BECAUSE HE THRIVES OFF CHAOS

they lose silver

(see, it had to be Silver. if they lost azul, jamil would be like it’s alright we can dip. and if they lost kalim, jamil would have found him instantly. bro probably has a tracker on him or smth. talked this fic out with @mari-oaky (as always lol) who said, "kalim thinks that his and jamil's soul are so connected they will always find eachother, meanwhile jamil is never leaving without his gps tracker" and honestlty???? yeah. pretty much!!)

silver just lends to the funniest possible outcome, because the second year squad is aware that there is always the possibility that he just fell asleep somewhere

Silver: I can't believe I got trashed and made everyone worry--and late to their graduation on top of that. I'm so ashamed Lillia, somewhere, anywhere: AYOOOOOO THATS MY BOYYYY

Part 2

In part 2, there is a timeskip, and Azul and Idia are getting married.

they lose AZUL

because they lose Azul, it does lend to a similar scenario as the first hangover movie, but trust me, it works!!

see, losing azul offers a lot of fun shenanigans both with the second years trying to figure out what happened and find azul, and also with some of the other guests back at the wedding trying to stall for time

like idia knows that there are some really important guests, and he also knows that azul would hate to make a bad impression on these people. so he ends up having to put himself in situations he doesn't like to stall until the second years find azul

(man's gotta make small talk!! the horror!!!!!)

idia having to talk to people and everyone’s like damn so he IS in love

(idia's always needing to be rescued at weddings lmaooo)

and it's just--it's so funny to me because the last time they all hung out together at the same time, all of them, was the weekend before graduation when they lost Silver. and now, they all reunite for azul’s wedding and then they lose HIM

-x-Additional Notes-x-

so something that works both in Part 1-Graduation, and Part 2-Wedding, is that the second years haven't seen each other in a long time in either scenario, because during their last year at NRC they were all spread far away from each other doing internships, and later, the wedding happens years after NRC. so there could be a lot of unresolved situations between them

for instance, i wondered a lot about kalim and jamil. i thought of questions like, have kalijami seen each other? did jamil go back to silk city with kalim after graduation. if so, those two nights before graduation were the last two days of freedom he would enjoy in a while. and he can’t even remember them. if i go that route, he’s gonna attack jade when he finds out the dude purposely drugged them

but if jamil DOESNT return to silk city because kalim is planning to set jamil free, yet doesnt actuallu tell jamil about this plan until the ACTUAL DAY HE DOES IT, which is graduation, then you have a kalim desperate to spend the last two days he’ll ever spend with jamil. and jamil trying to spend the last two days free of kalim (as free as he’ll allow himself anyways)

but NEITHER CAN REMEMBER!!

and then—Part 2, the wedding. by then, are they good!?!? or are they still in this cycle of misunderstandings. are they together! or are they in a messy situationship.

is the wedding the first time jamil and kalim are seeing each other post-graduation or has jamil gone back to kalim at some point in between? so those were the type of questions i was considering

and then--the final product for Part 1 kalim and jamil ended up being a mix! they had gone on diffferent internships, as they are very different people with different interests. also it's slow progress towards jamil's freedom. so after a lot of efforts to convince their families, kalim and jamil were able to at least accomplish this much.

(and it's pretty much a given that they need time apart to figure out what they mean to eachother, this could be a first step towards that)

and, during his internship jamil realizes that he feels something for kalim? he's not sure what it is exactly, and his reaction is to panic because, after thinking a lot about it, he really wants to confess and figure it out, but he also fears that if he does he won't be able to leave kalim after they graduate, eventually regretting the fact that he couldn't spend more time on his own

we could sooo play with tension here, because what if he doesn’t want to leave!! and the thing is he has to, HE HAS to so they can work. its KALIM who has realized this, and made a mature selfless decision. he lets jamil go, but says he’ll wait if jamil wants to come back when he’s ready

hangover wedding edition they're together!

and it works because kalim and jamil's relationship has so many similarities to aladdin and genie too! imagine kalim hesitating to free jamil because he's scared that he'll lose him forever or because he's scared that he won't be able to move forward without jamil's help

but also, as @yuurei20 put it, he takes a lot of inspiration from sindbad too as a character that values frindship above any treasure in the world (in the more recent park ride) so he would have to come to term with letting jamil go

but kalim hesitating!!!! struck me that it could be a big factor in the hangover fic

like, you have jamil who is on the verge of realizing his feelings and what that means—the fear that he will want to stay. and a kalim who is hesitant about making good on his promise to free jamil, bc he 1) thinks he’s never going to see jamil again, 2) is worried abt how he’ll handle it and 3) jamil is FINALLY looking at him in that way

like yes, he values and loves jamil so much, he would have to let jamil go, and it’s gonna be hard, because jamil is—he wants to travel the world, but he’s also, he’s also nervous like. this is the first time he’s fully truly stepping away and finding himself and he’s a little scared

jamil almost suggests to kalim to come with him, they can travel the world together. but kalim would know instantly that jamil is just saying it because he is afraid of letting go of kalim, like he's still responsible for kalim's safety and wellbeing

and maybe jamil is a little scared of being alone too. he wants it more than anything, but that's not how he has lived his life until now. kalim having to be the one to make the mature decision of letting jamil go and letting jamil know there’s always space to come back to him. and kalim needing to trust in jamil to wait. while jamil needs to trust kalim can grow and can leave a spot open for jamil (which. the latter is the most obvious thing everyone knows. no one does devotion to jamil the way kalim does)

(thank you mari-oaky for being so awesome about everything and bouncing ideas around with me, you're just so amazing, i love your brain!!)

it was in fact mari-oaky who proposed the idea of there also being some drama between azul and another second year. like they were in an on and off relationship, and by the end of the first hangover they definitely break up. which leads to him eventually starting a relationship with idia. i loved that idea so much, especially because I already knew what i wanted to do with characters like Riddle.

riddle, by the time of azul’s wedding, is someone who is still not happy. he’s doing everything he’s supposed to. he’s set boundaries with his mother, he has a good job, he’s close with the heartslaybul boys and chenya still. but. he’s still unhappy. and they try to help but he still isn’t sure why he isn’t satisfied

so i'm still figuring out if the second year azul is having a turbulent and doomed entanglement with is Riddle, Ruggie, or Jade.

and just, figuring out these dynamic is so much fun because silver basically sleeps the first one out like the unproblematic king he is. he's got no time for drama. only sleep. and then, by the wedding, he’s involved poor guy 😭

but i'm still figuring some key dynamics out, and if anyone has any suggestions or questions, my asks and/or dms are always open!

[mooshs-crack-headcanons]

Hi can you do headcanons for Levi, Eren, and Armin with a reader who has cardiophobia and gets really panicky/emotional after sex ^^. I would really appreciate it.

:)

Disclaimer/Reminder: NSFW works with the 104th will always be set after the times timeskip where they are adults. With that being said, Eren is... post timeskip Eren, so not the most 'adjusted' or the romantic as you might've liked. You know, tragic hero falls and knowingly becomes the thing he hated most and becomes the villain and dwells on it shenanigans.

(General neutral reader)

(Very light NSFW contents given subject matter below the cut)

Levi Ackerman

Like mentioned here, Levi has complications feelings with sex in general for the longest time until after he gets into a comfortable place doing it a couple times with you so he knows the feeling. However, during those first few times it's moreso during than after with him that you have to ease him more into relaxing when he gets cagey or overwhelmed with the feels™ you can be his rock to ground and comfort him through it. So if you get similar feels post sex it's only fair for him to do the same for you, right?

You will have to thoroughly explain it to him exactly what you're feeling it going through though - even if in the moment it might be a bit hard, so maybe bring it up beforehand? If not in the moment that first time he's going to automatically assume the worst and think he's hurt you and bad past shit is going to flare back up - again, sex is a complicated subject for Levi - and he's going to insist you two never do this again unless you can properly explain that it's nothing but just an anxiety thing and that you're fine, it's nothing to do with him and he didn't hurt you and you would actually like to do it again. He's going to hesitate a bit but he trusts you - he wouldn't be here with you right now if he didn't - if you really say you're okay and everything's fine he'll believe you. He's careful with you, especially like this an emotional wreck on his bed, but he'll still believe you and try to focus on what you need now.

It takes a couple attempts to get into a steady rhythm and healthy pattern, while during sex Levi learns more about how to be more vulnerable loosing himself with you after you both learn what it takes for you to be as comfortable as possible afterwards.

Do you need space? After collecting himself - kissing you one last time if you're comfortable - he'll completely vacate your space and drift off a bit somewhere else. Depending on how much space you need, he can either retreat to a corner of the room and talk with (or at if that helps) you there or he can get completely dressed and go shower - if he comes back out and you're still in need of space, he can then go back out to his office and make himself busy with some of the hundreds of piles of busy work shit Erwin has him to do until whenever you are comfortable enough to go out and seek him again. Either way he's always respectful of you maybe wanting to be alone to recollect yourself.

Do you need constant affection? Or reassuring comfort? He can do that. He doesn't think he's very good at it (he very much is) but he'll try. Once you've made it clear by eloping your arms and/or legs around him like you'll never let go and bury your face in the crook of his neck, he'll slightly return it by having a stern grip around you - once he's more comfortable with the dynamic even coming up to trace his fingers along your body or even play with your hair if you're comfortable. You need kisses? He'll give them. You need to just hear him talk about anything? He can pull the most random shit out of his ass to complain about. More specific but you want to hear a story from him? He's limited because half the shit isn't very comforting or appropriate for this setting to try and calm you down, plus given how you're here in the first place he's told you all of it, but he does manage to come up with a couple 'fun' stories, usually involving Isabel - she was a fun person, his fun kid sister.

Like the time in the small apartment he used to live in with Kenny before he left and then lived in with her and Farlan, he went to go discover the source of a smell in the attic that overlooked Isabel's room one night and discovered the source was a leaking wine barrel and not even five seconds after making the discover and was he about to move it to assess the floor damage did an ODM wire break through from up the floor and through the barrel and shot up past his ear until everything fell around him and he crashed to the floor below covered head to toe in wine and where Isabel loudly spewed off about some kind of 'monster' while wielding her blades in her nightwear until the dust settled and the 'monster' was revealed to be Levi. He remembers it was just as Farlan stepped in to see what the hell was going on that he got so mad at her, which looking back now on he definitely wishes he didn't yell at her the way he did but they didn't have the money to make such the repairs to the house now with the giant gaping hole in Isabel's bedroom... but they ended up pinning down a large blanket to the hole as their 'solution', it definitely didn't help during winter nights or when rats from the attic would fall through the cracks and onto Isabel while she slept giving her nightmares for weeks... and here he was making the story depressing again, he hates when he always does that without realizing - but cuddled up next to him you tell him it's fine, in a way it shows how much he cared about his adopted family even despite all the depressing hardships they went through.

No matter what he's always willing to make changes and adjustments for you to suit and help with your current needs, after all you do the same for him when he needs it so besides him genuinely wanting to it's only fair as he sees it. He loves you, like actually genuinely loves you and you mean the world to him, you two wouldn't even be here to experience this dilemma in the first place if he didn't. If you can make adjustments and changes for him to deal with his whole complicated struggles he's more than happy to do the same for you.

Eren Jeager

Already somewhat aware of it before you two even fuck in the first place. Being said, Eren at this point in time is aware of a lot of things but always chooses to keep them to himself. He has to. After all, there's no point. Everything is leading to one place. No matter what. There's no point. He's going to hell in less than year anyway for the tragedy he's going to make occur. You're nothing but a temporary distraction from that. Hell he doesn't even know if you're going to survive it. You might. Or might not. Either way he's going to be dead before he can even figure that fact out. Mikasa is going to kill him in the end - he knows that much. Nothing he does now matters, that diplomacy meeting just proved that. They are going to one future. No matter what. Eighty percent. Eighty damn percent. He's going to hell and he's going to rot there, he knows that.

You're a temporary distraction. He tells himself that over and over. He'll fuck you and leave. Not even taking the time to really watch your emotional reaction afterwards, if you need space and need to be alone then it's not much of an issue - hell, he's actually helping you but it still hurts with how cold-hearted he forces himself to be. If you need comfort and affection you're completely shit out of luck. You are a temporary distraction. Over and over he reminds himself. Will you be a part of that eighty percent? He doesn't want to think about it. So he doesn't think about it so he doesn't pit your emotions in consideration... at least for awhile.

His younger version of himself still in him is very stubborn. His old emotions he use to feel are very stubborn - biting him at the worst possible times. He ignores it - tries to. But it's at the absolute worst when it's around you.

If he were that dumb kid - hell himself a year or two ago - he would've taken immediate action to comfort you in the best way he could. He would've stayed and been there for you, comforted you if you needed it. If he were that same puppy lovesick kid he would've done anything for you, he would mold and do anything for your needs. He would put all your emotions and feelings into consideration and in account. You mean so much to him, if only he had the courage to tell you that before the Truth hit him all in the face with that one Touch of That hand. Maybe a sick twisted part of him wishes that connection moment seeing the horrific future He would create never would've happened and he could have lived in ignorant bliss, he could've been happy with you and all his friends. But the future leads all one way, he reminds himself. No matter what. Eighty percent.

But as time get closer, he looses up a bit. Let's himself have a moment of respite and selfishness he knows he doesn't deserve. The one time he either doesn't immediate leave or goes only far enough of a comfortable distance from you but still able to speak to you as he sits across the room. He doesn't talk, even if you want him to. But he'll sit there either next to you on the bed for you to hesitantly cling onto him or he'll sit by the windowsill and just stare outside. But he'll stay there. Unlike before.

You can talk if you want, he won't stop you. Talk about whatever through choked out sobs and struggled breaths and he'll listen. He doesn't know why he's letting himself but he does, even still he likes hearing your voice.

If you're beside him you can touch him if you want, his longer hair is very soft and his hands are surprisingly very smooth and delicate against your skin - probably from the constant new layers of molded over skin from his transformations. He'll let you do whatever you want except he won't outright touch you in return. He won't let himself.

If he's across the room staring out the window however, he will actually speak. But he does so without ever looking at you. He'll tell you stories about his childhood, tales about Mikasa and Armin, how really important they are to him, how he liked you for so long but was a coward to never be able to say it until too late, and how it fucking hurts him knowing what all you and them are going to be put through when he's finally gone past the point of no return - but you never for some reason remember that part. Not until after the dust has settled after the Battle of Heaven and Earth. There's a lot of things you don't remember him saying to you until after he's gone.

Then rationality sets back in. He wants you to find someone else, someone else you can properly attune and care for your complex needs - someone that's not him. You do mean too much to him. He's not deserving of that. He's not deserving of having you share such vulnerabilities with him. He's not deserving of your tender emotions. You two can't do this anymore. He wants you to hate him for the evil he's going to do. The future only leads one way. And he's not going to be a part of yours.

Eighty percent.

Armin Arlert

Literally so understanding and accommodating. Once you tell him about your anxieties and with up to date medical knowledge books from Marley he's actually able to find the scientific term for it and uses those books as somewhat of a blueprint to try and maneuver through it the best way possible.

However, he actually overwhelms himself however overlyworrying that you're uncomfortable with talks a mile a minute asking suggestions of the things he's read to a point it actually distracts you for a brief moment that it's actually cute seeing him like this and you'll have to flat out tell him exactly what you need or he'll go on and on for hours without even realizing he's doing so and that could potentially overwhelm you too and make things worse and you obviously don't want that. So it's best to be blunt and forward about it, he'll do anything you suggest and give you as much space as you want or as much less space as you want if you need to be held.

Once you're all situated and on the verge of be more calmer now (or at least on the road to be) Armin becomes less stressed about worrying over you now that he sees you bit by bit slowly easing out. He's either as far or close as you want him but he still makes sure to check on you, asking simple yes or no questions you can answer with a simple head nod or shake until he's completely satisfied that you're okay.

If you need it quiet, he can stay quiet, either petting along the small of your back and/or pressing a couple kisses to the top of your head as you still lay naked on top him if comfortable and if close enough. Or - and he can do this both is farther away in the set aside chair at his desk or right next to you in bed - he can read to you, he loves reading to you. His voice is so calming when he reads and it can settle as a very good distraction to help shove away any remainder nerves and uneased emotions.

He'll read your favorite books but also from a couple his parents left behind to him as a kid that he still keeps, he loves reading those to you especially given how much they mean to him. His grandpa use to read them to him before bed too, but he tries not to think about even in the dead of night while he stared aimlessly at the ceiling still (sleep was a very hard thing to do after Maria fell) he could hear his Grandpa's cries from downstairs in the shotty house they rented. The book was the only thing he had left of his daughter - Armin's mother - after all, so they obviously meant a lot to him too, increasing their value more. To read them to you means a lot, even in a situation like these.

He can also talk about other things though if you want, Armin is a busy guy with all sorts of future things potentially planned and honestly he'll appreciate it if you're comfortable and willing to let him ramble on about his plans and ideas for the Peace Diplomacy and other important Commander things of the sort to pick at his brain for a bit. You don't have to pitch in or offer anything to it but if you do it's always considered and appreciated. And it doesn't just have to be about strictly professional stuff either, it can be about anything you want it to be. But things can tend to dampen the mood if the past gets brought of given... everything. Speaking of you two really need to go visit Mikasa soon...

It doesn't matter how much of a mess you're in Armin will always pick back up your pieces, no matter how long or how much time it takes to pick them back up. He'll kiss away your tears and ease your stress away time and time again however you need it. No matter what or however long, he'll do it until death takes him and he reunites with Eren in hell. That's a promise.

If you like what you read please consider reblogging! It means the world for writers and artists!

[summertide-treehouse]

holy yapper!! here’s my take on how the tomorrow tea affected Lloyd + the Ninjas ages kinda

I’ll make a proper timeline and whatnot one day, I just did a lot of thinking about the tomorrows tea😭

The Ninja are implied to be teenagers at the start of the series, roughly 15-16. According to the Ninjago Wiki, it was stated at he was less than 10 during RotS, and Jillian Micheals told Brent Miller in an interview that Lloyd was ‘10 years old when he was first introduced and became 14 years old after using the Tomorrows Tea.” <- I have no idea how accurate that is, and since there is no canon specifications of ages otherwise that’s the closest I think we’ll get- and the one I agree with the most.

I’d like to think there was a couple months to half a year at most that took place between S1 and S2; the City had time to recover at the Great Devourers attack and the Ninja were still getting back on their feet after. With that I say S1 and 2 conjoined took a total of a year and a half roughly, so Lloyd would be 9-10, while the Ninja are 16.

When we get to Child's Play and the use of the Tomorrows Tea, Lloyd ages to 14-15 roughly. Wu mentions that because he grew physically older, the countdown to fighting Garmadon has gotten closer. Time and context seems to play a very prevalent role when using the Tomorrows Tea, since it reverse the aging of the Grundle and turned the Ninja back to their original ages. It set things right, where things need to be.

Lloyd was destined to fight Garmadon in the final battle. With all the rush on the villains side; Lloyds age was altered to catch up. I imagine he was aged to be Nya’s age; younger the Ninja, but just old enough to help. That’s the point Lloyd was aged too.

In the episode as well, we see the Ninja still retained their mental ages when they were aged down to children. Because of that alone, I don’t think Lloyd aged mentally because of the tea. It was just physical. The entire season was focused on training Lloyd to be ready to fight Garmadon anyway, so it only makes sense that only his body changed.

As well, after he aged and confronted Garmadon again, every instance he fought him he either hesitated, or couldn’t actually bring himself to hurt his father. It’s a heavy toll on anyone, regardless of age, but in Lloyds case especially, he is a child, it’s a much larger obstacle to overcome. We see Lloyd prioritizes physical training more in this situation, he himself overlooking the fact that just yesterday it was okay for him to do childish things. I don’t think Lloyd realizes that he’s not entirely “older”, and if he did I feel like that wouldn’t change his feelings, if anything it might push him to train harder so there’s nothing holding him back.

That said, I don’t think the tea’s affects are permanent either. Lloyds mindset is still growing, just behind his physical age. I think Lloyd will be “stuck” being 14 until he becomes 14, and once both of his ages line up again, he will continue to age as normal.

Because of the amount of change that happened between S2 and S3, I’m going to say there was at LEAST a year timeskip between the Seasons. The Ninja are now 16-17, Nya at 15-16, and Lloyd, though physically 14, now 11-12 at most.

I don’t like the headcannon that Lloyd doesn’t know his own age or his birthday ( even if it was funny ), but I still imagine he’s still grieving his own childhood, even though he doesn’t have too. I believe it was said somewhere that Lloyd was off training in the first part of the S3 due to his Golden Power, I like to think Lloyd felt the need to dive into his own training, both to distract from what he’s lost, and because of his own belief that, since he’s older, he has to act older. I’m sure this was encouraged by the others / his father too, but not something he was pressured into doing; Lloyd seemed very eager to train late S2 and during S3, I just headcannon that it’s a bit of coping mechanism as well, even if it’s a little bittersweet.

[crocodilenjoyer]

op fic recs 3

personal favorites bolded!!

G

what's another night on mars? by genesis_frog | post-canon | | gen, straw hats-centric | 5.1k | complete

“Marriage, to many, is a sacred, romantic vow. A promise between lovers to live together and die together. Whoever said that that love had to be romantic? There are so many kinds of love that exist, and surely, can’t the bond between friends be celebrated eternally?”

Luffy has An Idea, or: Five Times the Straw Hats Discussed Getting Married and the One Time They Actually Did

In the Belly of the Junkyard by alpha_hydra | pre-canon | gen, kid & killer | 2.5k | complete

Kid isn't very good at making friends. He's been told by adults and children alike that he's rude, or else that he's too hot-headed, or that if he keeps holding grudges like he does, no one is going to stick around for long. Until one day, he meets a boy with a mean right hook, and everything changes.

Somewhere I Have (Never) Travelled by alpha_hydra | marineford | gen, ace-centric | 7.2k | complete

Now: the sun rises, and Ace lives.

AKA, Ace lives, but it takes a while to get us there.

and yet we keep walking by freckledshoulderblades | post-marineford, some information from luffy's flashback | gen, deuce-centric | 4.2k | complete

Three years after Marineford, Deuce arrives on Dawn Island to ask after Dadan and learn more about the man Ace was.

Like Ink Through Her Veins by grainjew | during timeskip | vivi-centric, background namivivi | 5.6k | complete

Vivi manages, away from her crew. Usually, managing means ruling a country, reading the newspaper, and checking up on her father.

Sometimes, though, it means sneaking out of the palace at midnight and getting drunk with passing pirates.

across ocean tides and snow-covered hills by nevermordor | post-canon | gen, ace & luffy | 3.6k | complete

After two whole years, after everything that’s happened, he wants Luffy to look different. But he still has the same scrawny arms and narrow shoulders, still wears the same ratty old flip flops and hat. The only real change is the scar across his chest, to match Ace’s own.

“Everyone’s been saying you beat me here by like a whole day or something,” Ace remarks. Luffy starts in surprise, his head swiveling around, eyes wide. “I say, so what. Try beating me at something that actually matters, like wrestling, see if I don’t still win.”

--

Ace and Luffy come home for the winter.

all's fair in love and war by guiltylights | ambiguous setting, post-timeskip | gen, hancock-centric | 3.7k | complete

This far from the lights and sounds of the party the only thing Hancock can hear is the crashing of the waves, close to their feet—and the calming sound of Luffy, snoring loudly and contently, his chest rising and receding with each breath, just slightly out of sync with the sea. There’s just a little light, reflecting from the moon over the silvery dark waters, to see by, but enough to see clearly. And maybe it’s the combination of all these factors at once, of both safety and ambiguity, that makes Hancock even deign to consider answering the sniper seriously.

‘You love him,’ she says, staring out to the sea. She has one long leg crossed elegantly over the other, is reclining back with one arm draped over a knee, ‘and thus, I will compete with you for his affections.’

The sniper frowns. ‘When I said I loved him, I meant that as a friend, or a crew-member does. Like—a brother?’

For the first time in her life, Hancock confronts what it all really means—to love, and be loved, with her beauty.

nothing to do (with you) by guiltylights | post-wano | gen, zeff-centric | 4.3k | complete

The man who just entered moves, slowly and purposefully, as though demanding everybody’s attention be on him, until he stops right in the middle of the restaurant, in front of where Zeff is.

Zeff eyes him over his food. ‘To what do I owe this visit,’ Zeff says mildly, ‘Vinsmoke Judge?’

Across from him, the militant monarch of the Germa Kingdom takes a seat.

Judge thinks that Sanji is a failure of a son. Zeff doesn't think that much of Judge at all.

children of the damned by guiltylights | during alabasta | gen | 2k | complete

A finger traces almost carelessly around the rim of the wine glass, but Ace watches from the corner of his eye how that finger never wavers from its steady trajectory, the line of the glass always pressed exactly in the middle of that finger, and knows this woman is anything but relaxed. Confident, perhaps, but not relaxed; the bow of her spine is stiff and unyielding, taut like a too-tight string under the loose soft layers of her fur coat, and Ace wonders briefly whether that’s why she wears it in this fucking sauna-like desert country – to hide the stiffness of her back, her smile – before pushing the thought away to the recesses of his brain. It’s absolutely none of his goddamn business.

Devil child, Ace remembers.

T

how could oceans come between us by merikai | post-wano | gen, monster trio-centric | 4.2k | complete

Zoro really has no idea how they ended up here in the first place.

or: monster trio in a marine base what will they do

all summer on bloody knees by ghostwit | pre-canon | kidkiller | 3.1k | complete

"Kiss me, asshole," he says.

(Partially based on SBS87. They're maybe mid-late teens here.)

Gold-Tinted Days by needchocolatenow | ambiguous setting, post-timeskip | zolu | 4.3k | complete

Luffy had Zoro—always.

there is thunder in our hearts by taizi | marineford, information from dressrosa | gen, asl brothers | 6.7k | complete

He’s not close enough. He’s not going to make it. Even if he managed to shake off the soldiers in front of him and just threw his whole body at full-speed between Luffy and Akainu to take the blow, he wouldn’t get there fast enough. He doesn’t have enough time. He’s going to lose another brother, only this time it’s going to happen right in front of his eyes, from seven—five—three feet away.

He’s ten years old again and learning what grief is. He’s ten years old and all that’s left of Sabo is the letter in his hand and a shared dream and the promise that Ace will look after their silly baby brother while he’s gone. 

“DON’T TOUCH HIM!” Ace screams. It’s pure desperation. It’s the last human thing he’ll ever say if Luffy dies here. 

A Different Father by LPSunnyBunny | marineford | gen, buggy-centric | 1.2k | complete

Before they get to Marineford, Buggy finds out about Ace's parentage- and fuck, he can't just let his captain's son die. Time to improvise.

toragara by Origamidragons | pre-canon, information from luffy's flashback | gen, zoro & luffy | 5.1k | complete

There's a tiger on Mount Colubo.

(Luffy makes a friend.)

it burns a hole through everyone by taizi | post-dressrosa | gen, luffy & sabo | 3.4k | complete

“I bet that some people, who fought in that war for Ace, who loved him and didn’t even know me, wish that it had happened differently.” Luffy still doesn’t look up, expression unreadable when he adds, “Sabo loves us both, but he loved Ace longer.”

If Sabo had been stabbed with sea stone, it would have hurt less. If he had burned with the Grey Terminal, or drowned at sea in front of the Celestial Dragons, it would have hurt less than this.

He’s on his feet before he’s aware of moving, seat tipping over and rolling away behind him. He can feel the steam start to lift off his super-heated skin as Ace’s fire inside him reacts to the way his heart is racing.

“Don’t say that,” he says, too loud, almost a shout.

to cut your teeth on love by freckledshoulderblades | shells town through post-timeskip | zolu | 10.6k | complete

Zoro meets Luffy and gives himself over wholeheartedly the instant Wadō is placed between his teeth again. Luffy meets Zoro and decides in a heartbeat that Zoro is his.

waters of the wild by LadyCrimsonAndBlack | post-whiskey peak through post-punk hazard | gen, straw hats-centric | 4k | complete

Even to his nakama, Luffy sometimes appears just a little bit too odd.

(Or: Five times a Straw Hat notices something strange about Luffy, and the one time someone knows what's going on.)

Singing, When You Don't Know How to Pray by ghostwriterofthemachine | pre-canon through post-timeskip | gen, straw hats-centric | 12.7k | complete

So why was Luffy so determined to get a musician for his crew?

Or: Song, singing, and shanties on the high seas.

Before the Storm by orphan account | post-timeskip, pre-wano | kidkiller | 2.3k | complete

"Under the light of the sun, so similar to that of the South Blue, and the silhouettes of dying men, they dig a big fire pit into the sand and gather around it. The only order Kid gives that day is to celebrate their victory over the Marine vessels now littering the ocean floor. It had been an easy fight, looking back, but it keeps the crew happy and Kid isn’t one to dismiss a chance for drinking."

triskelion by razbliuto | pre-canon | boa sisters-centric | 5k | complete

Sink your fangs in, sister, and don't let go. — The Boa Sisters, still breathing despite all odds.

M

Squash and Stretch by LPSunnyBunny | marineford, information from wano | gen, ace & luffy | 3.3k | complete | TEMPORARY MCD

In one world, Ace takes the blow for Luffy and dies in his arms.

In this one, Luffy reacts just fast enough to push Ace aside and save him, taking the blow himself.

and its companion,

Kiki and Boba by LPSunnyBunny | marineford, information from wano | gen, ace & luffy | 5.3k | complete | TEMPORARY MCD

Ace's perspective of Squash and Stretch in which he is terrified for his little brother because what the FUCK IS THAT.

life's yard full of rakes by ghostwit | pre-canon | gen, crocodile-centric | 3k | complete

It's crude work, cudgel and bolt and human flesh; Crocodile can feel the bone splintering, the little shards embedding in the tissue around the shattering when they drive the great, rusted stake through his hand.

day 24: self induced injuries to escape

E

Axiomatic by KBstories | post-wano | kidkiller | 5.3k | complete

ax·i·om·at·ic (adj.) Self-evident; unquestionable.

*

The best part of battle is the afterparty.

[jesterbiscuits]

Shaded'moon redraw and his mate Dew'flower redesign chat🙏🙏🙏

Anyways I mentioned them before on Oat'whisker design that I have posted about along with his mate Turtle'flame which I will send a link to it, where I have mentioned them about on that post as you read it through the post about them

link to it:

As you can tell yes Oat'whisker mentor is Shaded'moon who is also abusive towards him when he was an app at the time because Oat'whisker mother Velvet'snake was Shaded'moon sister and they were close together when growing up and when Shaded'moon sister broke up with her mate Silver'snake due to their relationship starting to become unhealthy and toxic due to unknown reason which Shaded'moon put onto the blame to his app Oat'whisker who is also Shaded'moon nephew as well too and once Shaded'moon sister Velvet'snake was killed in a battle from another clan, he fully yell at his app in front of Oat'whisker father and brother and sister, and Oat'whisker friend Turtle'flame who were mourning her because of her death and Turtle'flame being here to comfort Oat'whisker at the time for it because Turtle'flame had a crush on him and wanted to be here for Oat'whisker, which when Shaded'moon yell at Oat'whisker he also blame her death on him saying that if he hasn't been born along with his brother Storm'soot and his sister Stoat'velvet that Velvet'snake bore kits with Silver'snake then none of them wouldn't even happen in the first place. Which after that day of Shaded'moon sister death he began to abuse his nephew Oat'whisker before starting to punish him as well too if he didn't do his training well at all and if that happens that he will overwork him and attack him making Oat'whisker to become scared of his own mentor who is also his uncle as well too causing Oat'whisker to have serious injury/wounds from this making his family, Turtle'flame and their clanmates to become aware of Shaded'moon actions towards his own app and no matter how hard they try to tell their leader Scorch'star about this Scorch'star would end up gaslighting them saying that Shaded'moon would never do that to his own nephew WHEN CLEARLY Scorch'star haven't see this himself AT ALL until yadada moons later Shaded'moon would also starve his own app as well causing Oat'whisker to almost died of hunger and thirst from this which this also making him to began to overwork himself as well too making Turtle'flame to become worry about this ---until yadada I'm time skipping this--- Oat'whisker father died few moons after Oat'whisker became warrior early from saving Shaded'moon mate Dew'flower who was also taken away by a eagle. Until 6 moons later Oat'whisker sister was murder who was expecting her mate kits and the murder of Oat'whisker death was unknown to this. Until yadada timeskip forward Oat'whisker brother was killed by Lion'star from leafclan during a war between brackenclan which when Shaded'moon saw this he fully blame Oat'whisker for this telling him that this is all his fault and that all of their kins are dead because of him making Oat'whisker to attack him and almost killing him too until Turtle'flame stop him from doing so which then soon Oat'whisker would make a plan to kill him after all of the abuse and trauma he receive from him which he ends up murdering him the night before the gathering somewhere in brackenclan territory.

yay the end now moving to his mate Dew'flower

And as for Dew'flower I end up changing her design because I didn't liked her old one at all when looking through my post like I did with Stoat'watcher that I have mentioned him and giving the same reason as well too that I'm giving to Dew'flower as well rn. I also add items that she is wearing rn on her new design which I'm too lazy to make the color palette for it 😞😞😞

Dew'flower also named one of her and Shaded'moon kits after Oat'whisker after he saved him from almost being taken away by a eagle which Dew'flower was worry that Shaded'moon wouldn't accept their son being named after him because of this due to how I mentioned that everyone is aware what Shaded'moon is doing towards Oat'whisker when Oat'whisker was an app at the time when this was happening. Which in the end Shaded'moon allow her to name their son after him which she was relief of, but unknown to her she doesn't know that her mate Shaded'moon is giving the same treatment to their kits that he did with Oat'whisker, until one of their kits from their 2nd and last LITTER Bog'water who is their daughter told her about what was Shaded'moon doing towards them after Shaded'moon death that was caused by Oat'whisker which Dew'flower still mourn for her mate but will never forgive him for being abusive towards their own kits and Oat'whisker until she retired as a elder and when moons pass she finally died in place when a greencough out break was happening which she reunited with Shaded'moon who guided her to starclan which she forgive him but never for his actions and what he did for.

LINKS TO OLD DRAWING OF SHADED'MOON AND HIS MATE DEW'FLOWER OLD DRAWING AND DESIGN!!!!!!!!

OLD DRAWING OF SHADED'MOON LINK:

OLD DRAWING AND DESIGN OF DEW'FLOWER LINK:

[tora-the-cat]

How would you have preferred Inner Sakura as a concept to have resolved? Honestly, I think no matter what the idea, it would've been so much more impactful than just having her quietly drop off like she did in canon!

I always kinda assumed that, canonically, Sakura came to grips with her inner self the same way Naruto did in the "Waterfall of Truth", except it took place off-screen in her brain somewhere. Though the DID/Ino Mind-Transfer Shenanigans is waaaaayyyyyy more interesting a thought, in my humble opinion. Maybe Ino even helping Inner Sakura and Outer Sakura compromise and live together in one body? The possibilities...

Speaking of Inner Selves, wouldn't it be kinda funny if Kabuto also had one too given his hefty identity issues? Maybe for his sake it's better if he didn't, because his brain would be like a bumpin' nightclub lmao😅

(Also, please feel free to speak on this matter as much as you'd like! I love reading through your posts while I'm drinking my coffee! :>)

Okay. Okay. So. There are like....several answers to these questions lmao.

CANNONICALLY, Inner was resolved in the most annoying way possible. Sakura never referances having an 'inner self' in shippuden (to my memory), but she does say that training with Tsunade helped her work through her 'emotional issues'. I've always taken this as implying that the INTENDED reading is that Inner was just an inner diolouge Sakura had with herself of all the thoughts and emotions she repressed due to social pressure, and Inner is gone post time-skip because Sakura doesn't repress those anymore, she punches mountains in half. No longer having Inner is supposed to symbolize character growth.

But this, of course, would ALMOST make sense, were it not for. Ino Yamanaka. Who, after doing the mind transfer jutsu in the premils, confirms something that most viewers weren't even really considering until that point; Inner is NOT a personified inner diolouge in Sakura. She's a seperate mind. She is another soul INSIDE Sakura's body that operates even without Sakura's input.

And girls have to be strong to survive.

SO. That said. My read on cannon is that Sakura realized Inner wasn't normal and basically locked her in a mental box in the back of her brain for the rest of her life and refuses to think about her, because she's worried that Tsunade wouldn't see her as a worthy student if she was Crazy (because she thinks. she's Crazy). I don't think she had a waterfall of truth moment, cause that would require Sakura THINKING about Inner, which she. does not want to do.

As far as how I would have PREFERRED Inner Sakura being handled?

Kishimoto could, tomorrow, wake up and write a chapter of Boruto with my propisition that Inner is in a box and, once let free, would kind of just chill while Sakura lost her shit, and have a little side arc where Sakura works through that and DOES reconcile with Inner and stuff. He never WILL do that, but, yeah, I think that would work fine enough for finally tying off the 20 year old loose thread of Inner's disappearance. They've resolved stupider shit for less in Boruto.

This may be a surprising take from me but, honestly, I don't hate 'sakura realizes inner is real and immediately banishes her to the darkest corner of her mind so she never has to actually confront her existance'. I think that's ETREMELY in character for miss 'will DIE if she takes responsibility for ANY action EVER', especially at 14 years old. If I could rewrite naruto JUST to sneak Inner more neatly into it, I think I would still have Sakura box her away during the timeskip, with the caveat that we would like....actually get a vauge flashback scene of her actually repressing Inner just after she starts her training with Tsunade, and occasionally Sakura would say and/or think something a little weird that just gently reminds you that Inner is a thing, every once in a while- kinda like what little we see of Gaara before he looses shukaku but after him and naruto become friends. We would only get the Inner release/full reveal of what's going on with Sakura after she's hit an emotional breaking point and needs to let Inner out to help her regulate her emotions- I'm thinking around the time she does the whole fake confession scene with Naruto, but if we wanna give the plot point some breathing room it could just be an emotional spike as sharp and sudden of her hearing one too many people talk shit about Sasuke WITHOUT getting hit, or Ino daring to ask 'hey. what happened to the second soul in your body? how's she doing?' and Sakura trying desprately to change the subject because she has been NOT THINKING ABOUT IT for like 3 years thank you VERY much.

Honestly, I'd settle for Inner just continuing to be a running joke. Sakura fighting with her internally now that she has the confidence to ALSO be loud and angry, Inner having more emotional intelligence and transparency and Sakura never listening to her cause she's still in denial about Inner being a Person with anything worth listening to. Sakura thinking she's SO normal even though she's been muttering to herself about how she does NOT want to kick Ino's ass (Inner does. a lot) on and off for like 3 hours. Things of this nature. I think a lot of this is repeating what I've said about already so I'll stop here but like....I love you forever inner sakura they can NEVER make me hate you inner sakura <3

As far as what I think Inner 'is': it being a training mishap where Ino accidently split Sakura's soul in half as kids is SO much fun and especially has some steller InoSaku potential, but I personally just....Like the idea of sakura just. being like that lmao. I usually write it as Sakura being born a twin and Inner being her stillborn twin sister who's soul went into Sakura cause it had no where else to go (it's a LITTLE more complicated then that cause I think about her. a lot. but basically). Sakura WAS just born this way!!!! NORMALEST GIRL EVER!!!

On a similar note; I don't really EVER write Inner as a DID alter, because DID is like....real. DID manifests (to my understanding, I'm obviously not a doctor or anything) when a child is in such traumatizing circumstances during their developmental years that they dissociate frequently enough to fracture their psyche into different conciousness, so they can compartmentalize their trauma and remain a mostly-functioning person. You almost always have more then one alter, and often (without therapy) can't clearly draw the lines between 'you' and your alters cause. well. the point is that you're so chronically disocciated that you have trouble being 'all there' in the first place. LOTS of people have DID and don't recognize that's what it is for a long ass while, cause they think it's as simple as, like, that one stupid shamalan movie.

Canon Sakura almost CERTAINLY does not have DID, unless she went through some SHIT that was never even mentioned in cannon- which, to be fair, WOULD map on to DID because. she would NOT remember it lmao that's probably what Inner is FOR. But, for the story that Naruto is and the character that Sakura is, it doesn't really read. Sakura's supposed to be an insanely driven girl who drags herself from the mediocrity of her civilian upbringing to be the second coming of Tsunade, so, for all that you can read into and joke about Inner's existance and Sakura's low empathy generally and how Sakura seems concerningly releived that her parents are dead in RTN (all of which I LOVE doing), in order for her to work as a character she can't have too much of a tragic backstory in canon. Outside of canon is another matter of course, but idk. you can write an interesting plurality dynamic without calling it DID, especially in a world of ninja magic bullshit.

ON THAT NOTE THOUGH. Yeah. Kabuto has DID <3 <3 <3 LOOK AT HIM. LISTEN TO HIM TALK. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME. YOU ARE RIGHT. HIS BRAIN IS BUMPING LIKE A NIGHTCLUB. AND HE IS NOT INVITED TO THE PARTY!!!!!

[ectonurites]

Sorry to bother you, but you seem to know a lot about the comics, and specifically about Tim Drake. I was wondering if you knew off the top of your head when Tim and Steph last canonically dated? Because I see people blaming Meghan Fitzmartin a lot, but I could've sworn that they last broke up before she became Tim's author.

So, the people 'blaming' Meghan Fitzmartin are correct—but I can understand some confusion happening because the breakup occurred off-panel. So like, if you weren't following things closely at the time these books were coming out, it might seem like the first Tim story Fitzmartin wrote was referencing a breakup that already happened somewhere else... but that is not the case.

The other possible confusion point would be that there was an earlier 'break up & get back together' storyline with them in the Rebirth era, a few years before she wrote Tim.

To briefly go over the Rebirth & onward Tim/Steph dating timeline just to clear things up (and I'll be using cover dates just for consistency, so if you want release date subtract two months):

Detective Comics #934-935 August 2016 [written by James Tynion IV] Tim & Steph are established to be dating in Rebirth continuity. We don't see the actual moment they start dating, we're just shown that this is now the situation.

Detective Comics #940 November 2016 [written by James Tynion IV] Tim is 'killed' (he's not really but everyone thinks he is, and he is out of the picture for a while) and thus that effectively pauses any relationship between he and Steph, obviously.

Detective Comics #969 January 2018 [written by James Tynion IV] Tim is back and reveals himself as alive to Steph, and the two of them resume their relationship. After a short timeskip, we then learn that in the aftermath of his return... Tim is not being honest with Steph about his plans (to not go to Ivy like he said he would, to instead continue hero-ing indefinitely).

Detective Comics #970 February 2018 [written by James Tynion IV] Tim & Steph start to have some tension here because of how he's overworking himself, how he's handling things with her, and there's a moment where she says she's leaving, he asks if she means 'The Belfrey, the team, or me?' and she says 'I'll get back to you on that.'

Detective Comics #974 April 2018 [written by James Tynion IV] In the aftermath of the team sort of exploding due to ~plot events~ Steph breaks up with Tim while he's throwing too much of himself into his work.

Detective Comics #981 July 2018 [written by James Tynion IV] More plot stuff happens (a whole big mess with Brother Eye) but once that's settled, the two reunite and rekindle their relationship as they head off ‘to Ivy University’ as they tell Bruce, but we know that’s not actually where they’re going.

Young Justice (2019) #5 July 2019 [written by Brian Michael Bendis] Flashbacks show us that after leaving Gotham, Tim & Steph had specifically gone to see the Justice League/Zatanna for help with timeline memory things rather than going to Ivy. Even though they’re in separate places at the main timeline of the book, this shows us that they're still together.

Young Justice (2019) #11-20 February 2020 - January 2021 [written by Brian Michael Bendis] Steph & Tim immediately try to get ahold of one another via text once Tim's back on the correct earth, and work on getting back in touch until eventually reuniting. They are shown together [and depicted as still dating] during the later parts of the book.

Dark Nights: Death Metal: The Last Stories of the DC Universe #1 February 2021 [written by Joshua Williamson, James Tynion IV, and Scott Synder] Shows the two of them together within the larger group of former Titans/YJ members—specifically one panel towards the end shows us Tim with his arm around her while they talk with others [fun fact that’s the panel my icon is from I just had edited Steph’s head out of the way]. As I recall/as far as I'm aware, this issue is the last time we see them interacting together/together as a couple before Future State and then the Infinite Frontier relaunch. [disclaimer that there could be like... a splash page group shot or something that I'm forgetting elsewhere during the Dark Nights: Death Metal event but like, that's not actual interaction that's just physically being present in the same group shot].

NON-CANON BUT RELEVANT: Future State: Robin Eternal #1-2 March - April 2021 [written by Meghan Fitzmartin] During the Future State event which was used largely to tease/set up plotlines for the Infinite Frontier relaunch, in this potential future Tim & Steph are seemingly no longer together but still on okay terms—teaming up in the story, but with clear tension and history there.

Batman: Urban Legends #4 August 2021 [written by Meghan Fitzmartin] We learn that Tim & Steph broke up off-panel before the events of the issue. Steph appears in the following issue further reiterating that they recently broke up.

So yeah! They broke up off-panel and this was first referenced in Batman: Urban Legends #4, thus under Fitzmartin's pen.

[soranihimawari]

I Missed You

Pairing: Oikawa x (gn!) reader

Word Count: tbd

Rating: Oikawa Tooru Fluff [otf]

Warnings: none// reader in timeskip becomes a doctor specializing in aging/older athletes and completing necessary check-ups before a match.

Note: I tried to not tie any gender-specific nouns when describing reader.

How I think OIkawa & reader hug each other after not seeing each other in a long time.

[23:45]

That’s the time stamp you receive on an old friend’s text. There are only three words which the message is comprised of. When you read them aloud to yourself in the comfort of your own home, you seem to repeat them like a mantra.

‘I miss you’

Simple hope draws from this in a way that can’t be described as you stare at your screen until you ultimately lock your phone. You close your eyes for a a few minutes when your brain decides to show you a highlight reel of the activities you used to do with the sender. Learning the rules of volleyball, joining in their team jogging paths, coming to scheduled matches, accompanying him to the nurse’s office when he landed on his feet wrong, etc. He was destined to be famous, just not here at home in Japan, no. Somewhere half a world away called out to him first. Argentina was distant, far, the most you’d ever be separated and even then, the times prior were literally at the start of up schooling lives.

Unfortunately, the last memory behind the closed eyes you see is a bittersweet one: the reality your friend, confidant, (and crush) hits you. You never did want to wind up fighting with him, but for once you’d want him to fight to stay here. With you. As his best friends remind you, you’d be holding him back from his true potential ever since he started practicing with the collegiate teams up the road from where you live—this was where the initial rift began to be drawn between you two.

During lunch one day, you visit his classroom, sitting next to him explaining (or rather complaining) the trouble you were having with a particular class and one of the assignments needed to be completed prior to a content exam.

“Do you ever shut up about schoolwork, yn?”

You pause, a disappointed look heavy on your brow as those within earshot suddenly fall quiet.

“I’m sorry not all of us have a righteous path carved in front of us, Tooru,” the tonality in your voice was one of annoyance. “Some of us have to work even harder to achieve our dreams other than hoping to skip town and follow in their idol’s footsteps.”

Ever since that brief conversation, you and one Oikawa Tooru, are now practically strangers come graduation day. You hear whispers via the third year rumor mill of his accomplishments and his ultimate defeat against both Shiratorizawa and Karasuno. Matches you weren’t there to show your support for, even if Iwazumi Hajime, the ace and vice captain, had invited you because, “it would be nice for him (oikawa) to see a familiar face in the crowd.”

Glancing back at Iwazumi’s moss green eyes and stoic countenance, “and if I recall, it would be nicer if I wasn’t there because it might distract him further. There are plenty of scouts heading to those matches. I’m sure he’d catch one of their eyes.”

“And if those scouts ask him to move to another country, are you really going to be ok with not saying your goodbyes when we graduate, yn?”

You aggravatedly sigh at him, muttering an annoyed, “Yes, Iwazumi-kun, even then.”

Many months later, post Oikawa's jog in the winter while watching the Karasuno v Inarizaki match, it is now springtime. You’re holding a bouquet of flowers from your parents who pose with you for pictures around the inner school gates of Aoba Josai’s campus. Your fellow classmates and club members surround you for more photos as well. This was going to be one of the final memories you have for your high school career. You were accepted into a university specializing in biomedical engineering with a strong focus on exercise science.

This was your dream, not necessarily the same path as Iwazumi’s to become an athletic trainer, no, however you had wanted to be a doctor whose focus would help restore and maintain older athlete’s bodies even post retirement. Helping those who had maybe one or two career setbacks was something which had captivated you the more you began to focus on the life sciences of your high school careers and with the help of those teachers, they had written for you a brilliant recommendations to boost your acceptance after passing the various university exams.

[13:43]

In your office nearly a decade later from high school graduation, sits your newest patient. He comes from Argentina, like your nurses tell you, but the rumor that he had come on a friend's recommendation is what actually piques your interest. Well, to be fair, two of your friends' personal recommendation are what causes you to raise your eyebrow. The nurse on duty that day takes his vitals as normal, asks him the routine questions before giving him the proper spiel of, "sit tight and the doctor will see you in a few minutes."

Oikawa Tooru has come home for several reasons. The only one on the top of his list is coming home for an exhibition match game he was invited to by the former captain of Nekoma and now representative of the JVA. However, when word reaches Iwazumi's camp in the national team's gym, he smirks, sending a text halfway across the world. Your name is thrown into the mix of doctors who are willing to examine older, closer to retirement age, athletes. Considering this was not how he had wanted to spend his second day back in his home country, Oikawa Tooru asks to book this appointment to get an all clear before playing the V-League exhibition match Kuroo talked him into attending.

You are reading over the file of the new patient outside of the room in the hallway. You scan over the various ticks he had made on the questionnaire along with your nurse who says that his young son looks up to Oikawa-san as a professional volleyball player.

"Repeat that one more time, Sato-san," you clear your throat when Sato-san repeats what he had said earlier.

"My son is as huge fan of Oikawa-san," he points to the name at the top of the document in your hand.

Right there, next to Sato-san, the nurse's pointer finger, is the kanji of the name of a person you thought about since your high school, university, and medical school graduation days. You clear your throat, thanking Sato for his time measuring the vitals of the next patient in the room you're about to enter.

"No prob doc," is all Sato says when he walks back to the nurse station leaving you to enter the examination room where an old flame sits.

You take a deep breath prior to knocking and entering. You open the door and you see OIkawa bent over on the examination bed, reading something on his phone. His hair is cropped shorter, his shoulders are a bit broader, his skin a bit tanner, and for lack of better words, his muscles quite filled out the rest of him. He's still humming a tune you're unfamiliar with until your shoes enters his field of vision.

"Hello Tooru," your voice causes him to freeze and immediately causes his eyes to avert away from his phone. "It's been a while."

Oikawa's coffee-colored eyes study your face and the recognition hits him like a truck. Although he is dressed in a sky blue buttoned blouse and dark jeans compared to your teal scrubs and white lab coat, he stands up, arms extended to crush you in a hug. His patient file falls to the floor when you hug him back.

You hear him for the first time since that argument long ago, voice wobbly and all, "I missed you."

[missmungoe]

I hope you write Shanks' pov more! It's really interesting and great and not just because of the explicit delicious chef's kiss smut. His thoughts and love for Makino is so lovely.

Oh then I have just the thing for you! A peek from the previously mentioned follow-up to Verses Not Fit For Singing in Public (aka the shibari fic), to be posted sometime this weekend once I've polished the edit. Timeskip setting this time, with plenty of (Sh)angst, smut, and Makino<3

He’d been working aloft all afternoon, refitting one of the sails, work that had been easier back when he’d had two hands, but he’d never been discouraged by a challenge, and had re-taught himself the things he’d once known, climbing the shrouds, and the sailor’s knots he’d once been able to do in his sleep, each one painstakingly re-learned with his remaining and non-dominant hand.

The lines flowed between his fingers now, the coarse texture of the ropes scraping his palms, calloused from years of similar work, his voice pitched low, singing under his breath to the rhythm of the motions as he slipped it through and under, looped and noosed and tightened with a decisive tug.

Smiling, his fingers traced the ropes, knotted tightly where he'd rolled up the mended sail, imagining the softer canvas of her skin, and closing his eyes, he sought the well-thumbed memory, recalling her under his hands, her delicate limbs pulled taut by the ropes, straining against the arch of her body where he'd bound her.

A breeze stirred him from the fantasy, the sudden gust carding through his hair and sending the shrouds creaking, and frowning, Shanks turned his eyes towards the horizon. A life on the water had attuned him to even the smallest changes in the weather, and he felt the tell-tale stirring in his gut now, but scanning the horizon found no sign that anything was amiss, only gentle East Blue with her demure sunset blush, as guileless as she’d ever been, but a gentle sea was only reassuring to a captain who didn’t know how quickly that could change.

The grip of unease didn't let go, but finished with the sail, he climbed down from the mast. He’d left his sandals somewhere, and the planks were warm under his bare feet, the deck newly scrubbed and oiled, but then even anchored for weeks, his ship was well-maintained. Pampered, even, the spoiled thing, hearing the pleased purring of her timbers, but then Makino had done more than just mend her sails, noting the fresh coating of oil gleaming along her banisters.

His shirt was soaked through with sweat, clinging to his back. He should probably wash up before heading to the bar, and turning towards his cabin, he spared one last look at the sea, and the water where it sighed over the shore, no more threat in the teasing push than in the breeze, even as he couldn't shake the sense that something was off, as though any second, the gentle tide might pull back to reveal its teeth.

His mind was elsewhere as he walked to his cabin, wondering if he should make a call to his scouts just in case something had slipped under their radar. And he must have been properly lost in thought, because he hadn’t noticed anyone coming aboard, and it wasn’t until he reached the door to his stateroom that he paused.

He didn't know how he'd missed her, but pushing the handle down to let himself inside found Makino seated in the armchair by his desk, the windows of his cabin behind her, and the naked horizon.

Shutting the door behind him, “Hey,” Shanks said, his smile warming at the sight of her. It wasn’t often she played hooky, least of all during her busiest time of day, and with his whole crew in her bar. “I was just going to wash up before coming to join you. Did you finally run out of patience with their baby name suggestions?”

He saw then that she had something in her lap, and recognised one of his logbooks, open and balanced atop her belly.

And he knew which one it was, the page open on his most recent entry, dated right before they’d returned from the New World. And Shanks knew even without reading it what it said, his own hand outlining his concerns regarding the expansion of Blackbeard’s territories, and the World Government’s inaction. The ripples from the war, and the approaching Reverie; all the things that kept him up at night, wondering if he was making the right choices.

“You’re not sleeping,” Makino said, lifting her eyes from the page to his. “I wanted to know why.”

Shanks considered the careful arrangement of her features, the steady weight of her gaze, and the cupid’s bow of her soft mouth, drawn with gentle purpose.

And he wondered why he was surprised that she’d noticed, when few things escaped her observation, or her haki.

The sigh that left him wasn’t quite surrender, but, “I wasn’t trying to hide it from you,” Shanks said, as he moved to stand before the armchair. “I just didn’t want to burden you with it when you’ve already got enough on your plate.”

His gaze lowered to her belly, hidden beneath the logbook; the other thing that occupied his waking hours, thinking of the life that hadn’t even begun yet, and wondering if his choices had already doomed it. That things beyond his control had already decided its fate; the baby who’d have his blood, and all that came with it.

Makino’s eyes were soft; in the warm sunset light of his cabin, they were a rich brandy. He hoped their child's would be the same; that they would be like her, dark-haired with those fine elfin features, and not immediately recogniseable as his, knowing already what that would mean.

“It’s not a burden to know what’s on your mind, Shanks,” Makino said. Then, her chin lifting ever so slightly, “And even if it was, I’d still want it.”

The words settled between them, folding like wings between the salt and the still air. And it wasn’t a demand, even if she could have phrased it that way, when she of all people had the right. It wasn’t even a question, asking him to give what he had vowed to give her, the day they’d bound their lives before a different sunset. In sickness and in health; the good with the bad. No, if it was anything, it was an offer, but then of course it was, because it was her, who had seen him long before she'd known him.

He wasn’t sure what to do with this feeling, the pressure around his chest that made it suddenly hard to breathe, and that he couldn’t tell if was gratitude or guilt, or both.

He felt suddenly out of his depth. And he was usually quick on his feet, situations and opponents analysed in seconds, rarely if ever hesitating when faced with a difficult choice, but then he’d once jokingly claimed that if faced with Scylla and Charybdis, the hardest choice would be which one would make for the better story (Buggy had called him a self-aggrandizing dick; Shanks had just laughed, but hadn’t disagreed).

Makino watched him calmly, waiting for him to speak. And there was no blame for withholding things from her, or even an expectation for him to share it now.

And this wasn’t an opponent facing him in battle, or a challenger come to unseat him, and yet observing her where she sat, he couldn't help the feeling that a challenge had been made all the same.

He looked at the logbook in her lap, and wondered how much she’d read, and what she’d found between the lines. Things he hadn’t told his crew, even his closest circle.

Then, “I dream about it,” Shanks said, meeting her eyes. “The funeral.”

The graves changed. Sometimes it was his old captain, sometimes Buggy, or Rayleigh. Ben and Yasopp and Lucky. Sometimes they weren't graves but his ship, broken on the rocks of that little islet; a monument to his failures. Any captain worth the title went down with his ship, wouldn’t leave as long as there was another soul aboard, but in his dreams, Shanks was always the only one left.

But the worst nightmares were about her. And lately, the one beneath her hands, who hadn’t even drawn breath yet; who didn’t even have a name to etch into a gravestone.

The hurt in her eyes was hard to look at, but he didn't try to hide from it now, only said, “I hope I haven’t been keeping you awake.”

He wasn't sure if he'd meant it as a question, when the fact that she'd noticed said its part, but, “You’re careful,” Makino said. “But I can tell.”

His mouth crooked. “So much for subterfuge. And here I fancied myself a master of stealth.”

Makino didn't smile. And someone else might have accused him of hiding behind his humour, but it wasn’t that simple. If it had been, he’d be better at hiding, but his humour was so tightly entwined with who he was, his grief included, there was no untangling it. It wasn't a mask; was just him, optimistic and cynical, ruthless and tender-hearted, pragmatic to a fault and yet still utterly, inexorably full of hope. A barmaid's husband, and an Emperor of the Sea; Shanks didn't know where the dividing line went, knew only that he was both, and that like the other parts of him, they were so tightly bound that there was no removing one and not the other.

Her eyes swept across him then, taking him in, barefoot with his shirt open, his cloak discarded, but unlike his clothes, there were things he couldn’t take off and leave in his cabin, like the mantle of responsibility, and the still heavier burden of his lineage, which grew heavier every week, as her belly did. And he wondered what she'd found between the lines now, when Makino asked him, “When was the last time you let yourself relax?”

His knee-jerk reaction was instinctive, to tell her he was a certified expert in leisure and relaxation, but what came out instead was the truth.

“I can’t remember,” Shanks said.

Her brows knitted, not in surprise, but as though he’d just confirmed her suspicions. And he was about to tell her she didn’t need to worry, that it was just a bout of insomnia and it would sort itself out, when Makino closed the logbook to put it away, drawing his gaze to her lap.

He stared at the spools of hempen rope; with the logbook open, he hadn't noticed them before, although the reason for their presence didn’t register immediately.

“If you came to help me with the sail, I already fixed it,” Shanks said.

Her eyes hooded a bit, a fey smile lifting her soft mouth, and the beginnings of realisation began to dawn on him, as Makino told him, “I didn’t come for the sail.”

[tbgkaru-woh]

Heyyyy I read through your chengxuan comic "Pride of Jin" and I loved it!! Just wondering if you have any thoughts as to what happens after chapter 10 when wwx is resurrected?

hey, glad you liked it! I always have thoughts, many thoughts! I actually wanted to do an epilogue comics but didn't find the time/energy for that specific thing. Whether it's fair, good or bad, the endings for all characters got changed majorly: JGY gets to leave with his mom's ashes and SMS (Su Minshan) accompanies him on his travels to somewhere where JGY won't be recognized and can start a new life LXC learned about NMJ and JGY in a less stressful situation, in a situation where JGY was no longer in the picture to twist the knife that true stabbed in him, but instead of brooding solitute, he reverts to less healthy coping mechanism - feeling so guilty for not trusting NMJ regarding JGY, he wishes for nothing more than to be able to fix this mistake. goal that aligns with NHS's, who shares that WWX "owes him" bringing NMJ back. WWX doesn't want anything to do with that life again, but NHS finds a big appeal in it and WWX basically teaches NHS ways around demonic cultivation, just so NHS can get his brother back. NMJ gets "brought back" but isn't as controllable as he should be, NHS keeps NMJ in chains but keeps him close, dressed up with his hair styled again, always by his side as he leads the Nie clan in a way where it's less him being part of any events and more in the "don't fuck with Nies, we literally have feral fierce corpses". WWX, JC and LXC are the only ones allowed inside the walls, LXC visits often to play soothing music to NMJ and talks to him, trying to bring the "human" part of him back. WWX and LWJ still get together but it doesn't leave LXC alone, jgy dead and yi city boys destroyed so i call that a win. didn't have many thoughts on their endgame though. and Yi City, i couldn't decide if i'd give xue yang the ability to have both song lan and xiao xingchen by his side as fierce corpses, OR if i'd still have him try and bring XXC back as SL is loyaly by his side as a fierce corpse without wangxian ever interrupting, OR if i'd have Song Lan never find XY and XXC and they'd continue living in their bliss (and i don't want to think of the tragedy i'd throw Song Lan's way to make that be the case :') ) JC and JZX still each have their sect but they have a publicly acknowledged bond/allyship where they may as well work as a unit. JZX finally rules the proud Jins in a respectable way and the Jiangs are stronger than ever under JC's leadership, to the point where Yunmeng becomes the prefered location for new disciples to enlist. JC gets the validation he deserves without being in WWX's shadow and JZX finally turns anew leaf on Jin's-not-so-great track record. And the Juniors, i'd love to explore their together times during studies, not unlike the main characters in their Gusu days, until eventually, i will do a timeskip with them all grown up, causing both mayhem but also being the heroes no one asked for but we all deserve, this DND adventuring group

[cru5h-cascades]

LORE-fi Bag: the Hell is Felix Up to Post Main Story, Anyways?

Okay I said Felix probably wasn't going to get one of these but I said probably not that he wasn't. Anyways let's just get into this.

Post Reunion-Epilouge

After being reunited with his fam, Felix attempts to readjust to his old life. His memory is fully restored and is living a pretty much normal life with his fam. When somebody asks about where he was while he was missing he tends to stick to this version of the story:

Well my sister and I got into a fight, I got out of the house to try to blow off steam and soon enough some crazy lady tried giving me some stupid doll. I tried to walk away but I think not taking the doll pissed her off and she tried killing me. While I was trying to get away I guess I fell down somewhere like hard and then my memory was just gone. And would luck have it I ended up in this one guy's apartment and I'd end up living there for a while until we figured out who exactly I was.

Felix goes back onto the blog to keep in touch with Lofi (of course) and to make sure he hasn't done anything crazy. He didn't go onto the blog during the "I miss my wife and my short term son, Reverse" arc cuz he was readjusting to his old life and because he needed a breather from having to bear witness to Lofi's episodes. He also goes back there just to see what the flower bois are up to (even if he doesn't interact with them too much) (he kinda sees Reverse!Makoto as an older brother figure and thinks he's overall just a chill dude).

Felix does try to make music from time to time, but his stuff is somewhat simplistic and blatantly beginners work.

Timeskip

15 years after the main story of the AU, Felix keeps in touch with Lofi and has a job as a construction worker. He doesn't think about Lofi's low points as much anymore and has completely dropped the nickname he gave Lofi and now just either calls him by his actual name or Lo-Guy. He just sees Lofi as an old friend of his. As for how he takes the truth about Reverse? Felix feels pissed off about him lying to so many people about who he is, but then that anger just turns into feeling bad for Reverse!Makoto for having a pretty much normal life taken away from him and Lofi because Reverse meant so much to him and it turns out he killed a bunch of kids.

[nami-moittli]

it WOULD make sense if keiko and ban were looking into asa on their end, specifically investigating the generations of disappearances and their circumstances. i wonder who mutsumi was talking and keeping updated during the beginning of the teiou academy incursion. keiko, perhaps?

i don't think asa is as subtle as he thinks with these coincidental disappearances. i imagine the other generations of yozakuras started getting killed off in their mid 20's, so it's hard not to notice. other family heads have likely noticed this and recorded their theories. asa did say there were other generations that came close to discovering him, but i think the tenth/eleventh were lucky in that this was around the time tanpopo came back to light and tsubomi had been in a critical state. ofc we have the machinations of rei and momo, but i digress.

kyoichiro is the character with the most depth and nuance to him methinks. yes his sister complex makes kengo nauseous, but i think every member of the yozafam understands it stems from a deep love for everyone. he feels everything rather intensely when it comes to his family, even threatening his partner in complicated yaoi over it.

kai may not live rent free with golden plating and a perfect recreation of the yozakura manor like with the other yozakuras but he's there somewhere, maybe with a kotatsu. i think kyoichiro would replay kai's accident a lot in his head when he was younger, thinking about how he could have done better. the genius first son of the strongest spy family couldn't even spare another from the consequences of what was really a menial errand.

i love the duality of futaba, the super strict taskmaster and also the one who had to take care of a lot of the family. there's some parentification there, but rei didn't kick the bucket until later (not that it matters. it still happened). futaba holds herself to the same standard as she would want to see in her siblings, yozakura's white gale. a gentle breeze and a terrible typhoon, all at once. i mean, she even says herself that she was the one training a lot of the family when kyo was away on missions.

i empathize a lot with nanao in how he felt helpless to prevent misfortunes from befalling his family (pre-timeskip). everyone is growing up around him, and i guess he feels....guilty? for still being a child in school. not sure how his prolonged absence was handled by the school tbh, maybe he completed it online? but anyways, he wants to help a lot, sometimes that just blinds him to how his family knows he's doing his best but doesn't want him to burn out, if that makes sense.

i also just adore how everyone in the family pulls their own weight and has some really good depth if you just poke around a bit. gondaira did really well with maintaining a good balance for fan interpretation and canon material methinks, just would have loved some more vignettes as you said to other relationships. kengo, the freewheeling master of disguise is careful with his appearance because that's what you have to do to be masterful in his particular area. it's not just cause he has a ridiculously high ego. futaba and kyoichiro having ridonkulously stiff muscles because they're the ones going into battle most often. futaba especially given how much of her aiki involves pulverizing people with her bare hands. they've probably gotten some awful hand cramps before.

it's interesting that the eldest son and daughter both specialize in martial arts that are hand intensive? idk the other word for it. they molded themselves into shields so that their siblings could have some more wiggle room in what they want to do. the subsequent siblings all have a less combative area of expertise, shinzo being the one to maintain weapons being rather flexible in role.

the chapter with futaba and kyo at gaon mall was really nice for their characters. both are really dedicated siblings and have seen each other younger and more vulnerable. it's amusing how quickly they can fight. futaba's offhand comment about being ready to perform his funeral rites at any time hints (in my opinion) that as one of the strongest spies, she's far more aware of all the ill that could befall her siblings, kyoichiro especially given they have similar roles.

the flowers they represent are also interesting but that's a whole different dissection, and this one is getting a bit long. i think sage-reads-things has a really good analysis of their names as well.

-silver

I didn’t remember Mutsumi talking to anyone, but yeah, sounds like it’d probably be Keiko, just because. She exists. Yk?

Asa: I’m so sneaky, my descendants don’t even realize I’ve been harvesting them, they don’t know I exist, heheh…

Every yozakura head: Yeah I call bullshit

Also, I remember there being an old journal that one or more of the previous heads had, and I know that Mutsumi and Taiyo had it, so Asa, even if they didn’t know who he was, was probably mentioned which probably helped a lot

I love all of the main yozafam (10th + 11th gen) but I think Kyoichiro especially had to get the most depth just so that it could make up for the trope that he fulfilled (being the siscon). Not to say that the others aren’t deep or anything, but Kyo definitely has a lot of focus.

Honestly Kouichiro and Kai’s relationship/backstories make me go insane a little. At least they kiss

Kyoichiro and Futaba, I love how they both take their duties as “the oldest” so seriously. But also, take a break please. You’re family’s strong, they can not kill each other for a few days without you

I wouldn’t be surprised if Nanao did online schooling. I feel so bad for him, he had those two or so chapters about how he wanted to continue to be a normal kid while at school but then mean old great-great-times idc-grandpappy decided no<3. At least he was able to stay in/get back in contact with the girl he was crushing on (forget her name and don’t feel like looking) (at least, I’m pretty sure lol)

It seems like I will never not talk about needing another 250+ pure filler chapters of yozafam. I love them all so much

I’ve been following pretty closely with sage-reads-things’ liveblogging. This fandom has so little so it’s nice to read their posts! I knew about the number names for the siblings, and Taiyo’s is brought up in story, but looking into the other meanings is also very fun!

[avipop]

Arcane? 💀

Vi and Caitlyn. Vi would be Lapis and Caitlyn would be peridot. Ofc, like any au it would be a little bit different, like their personalities. Like lapis as Vi would be less clingy and Peri as Caitlyn would be like more awkward and stuff- like their personalities would be a bit different but the roles fit!! And they end up together in the end and like it’s really sweet they’re both really good ships that fit with each other!

They could also just be two randos— like their own characters. Peridot would be from lily over and Lapis would’ve moved from somewhere else. Peridot would’ve been big on like tech and stuff and probably the kid of someone on the council or something. She has mixed feelings on hextech though. But yeah she’d have some sort of job in the tech industry. Lapis would be like that one girl that just moved there—she’d probably be an orphan. She met peridot when she tried to like steal from her and their interaction would be something like this

Peridot : Ru poor? U need help or smth? Internally: oh no she’s hot

Lapis : No.

Peridot : Yes u do admit that you poor and I’ll give you dis shit

So lapis distracts peridot steals a bunch of her shit and runs away. Peridot follows her and then she like drops her crap in the river and they both start swimming after it until jasper steals it (why is this becoming so weird) because jasper just happened to be in the water. Jaspers one of those gangsters that beats up kids and would probably steal— like those dudes who made powder drop all their cargo. And also attempts drown peridot.

Lapis knows she’ll starve to death and also has nowhere to sleep so she has no choice but to save peridot with her gay swimming skills and sleep in her apartment. Peridot is kinda annoyed but she still gives her food and lets her sleep on her couch. Long story short they become roomies eventually develop feelings for each other… and then they finally get together post timeskip and then during one of the big city wide massacres they’re forced to separate. Peridot loses her legs but jesus dupe viktor gives them back and takes her to his Jesus dupe viktor place (I forgot the name) Lapis comes back and saves her before like that thing where I think everyone died. Idk I only watched arcane once though it was like literally yesterday lol. I hope you’re satisfied with this story I’m tempted to write it now—should I?

ALSO THIS ASK GAME IS STILL OPEN UNTIL I ADMIT DEFEAT IF I DO SO CHECK THE TAG TO FIND THE OG POST AND SUMBIT ASKS!!