#wildfire au

[s4ndwitch3s]

Never let me near a piece of media, I'll Jumble up the story like a bunch of building blocks and make an au focusing mostly on only my favorite characters 💔 ...

Anyways here's my demon slayer Senjuro and demon Kyojuro for an au :3

- Wildfire AU posts -

Next

[nightmare-foundation]

I am absolutely making an au where Ozpin finds Cinder in the Glass Unicorn being mistreated and decides to help her escape and takes her in. I'm so tempted to write it but I can never make fully fledged fics

[eclipsedcrystalstar]

Infero has Night ask if Wildfire would be willing to let him in to introduce Mack. And promise not to use any illusions on the schizophrenic goop, he already has enough hallucinations without illusions being mixed in. He figures Mack needs friends, and Wildfire might work at this stage due to similar experiences.

Wildfire is willing to meet Mack, and promises no illusions. He will use elemental magic to make things like rock walls if Mack tries to attack him though

[theprofessionalpromptmaker]

Curious Events Day & Fire Prevention Day

Person A lives in a house that is made from very flammable materials in a place prone to forest fires, but that has survived every single one. One day, they offer a stranded firefighter, Person B, shelter during one such fire, and Person B only accepts since they’d rather die in company than alone. But when the house remains unscatched, they ask Person A about it, and get told it was blessed by a fire demon/god/spirit to never burn down or let it’s inhabitants die from flames.

[threepandas]

Bad End: Wildfire Widow

"My condolences."

A nice thought. Yet here I stood, as cold and empty as the rain. I was a widow, now, and yet I could not... my mind would not... It did not seem real. Not yet. How could it possibly be? So soon? When it seemed only just the other day, I was nervously getting married. A modest but beautiful dress, made together with my in-laws to be. A humble church. Simple celebrations.

Our whole lives ahead of us.

Andrew was... was no one significant. But he was mine, and I was his. And though he couldn't give me a life of dreams and roses? He loved me earnestly. Picked road side flowers to bring me bits of beauty. Sang silly little songs, to wake me each day. Ate every bite of my, frankly, mediocre cooking, as though it were the greatest meal he'd ever had.

I loved him. I... I truely, actually, l-loved him. H..How can he be gone?

Where is my silly little man? My songbird? My best friend? H-how... WHY-‽ I don't understand. For days now. Since that final, terrible, wheezing breathe. I don't... I can't... Nothing feels real. I don't want it to be real. Please.

Please, Andrew. Darling. D-Don't do this.

The grave does not respond. It can not. Because... he is not there. I know he is not. Nothing but meat and soil remains. Empty shells and emptier houses. Like a punishment from God, for not following along politely. Bowing my head sweetly, and accepting my Fate.

It's my fault. Isn't it? Andrew would still be alive. Happy and in love. Married to some other woman, perhaps. Making her the luckiest wife in the world. Chatting over breakfast and giggling together as they joke their wake to work. She would get to admire his beautiful eyes and riot of freckles. He would write her terrible poetry.

They would be in love.

Alive... and in love.

But I ruined it. B-because I'm selfish. Right? That has to be it. Surely. It must be! B-because what else could it BE? He was healthy! It happened so fast! And now... now he is... is...

Sobs rip their way out of me, uncaring of the witnesses. My legs buckling under the weight of my grief. Who cares? Who CARES? So what if I kneel in the mud? He's gone! My best friend is gone! And it's all my fault! I deserve this! It should be ME!

I already lived once before. This was always borrowed time anyway. If it had to be one of us? It should have been me!

Someone kneels behind me, a shawl draped over my shoulders. An umbrella brought forward to shelter me from the rain. As though I don't wish to drown. Almost everyone else has left, now. But I can't. I just... I just can't. Leave me. Leave me to my grief!

This world was a Story to me. I escaped it. Selfishly thought there would never be a price for that. That quitely bowing out of my antagonists role to live quitely, humbly, with a good man, would never... would never...!

"Shhhhh....shhhhh.... It's okay. It's over now."

Over? Ha ha. How can it BE OVER‽ He's GONE! Another sobs wrenchs free. They seem unending. But oh, that voice. That cool, smooth, aristocratic voice. How is he even HERE‽ When I fled, I all but cut ties with my past. Traveled nearly two countries away. I am no longer the wretched, trouble-making daughter of a well to due man. The infamous leech, clinging to the grand-dukes unfavored first born son.

I am a bookstore owner's widow. Nothing more, nothing less. No royal dramas. No court intrigues. No otome game paths or thousand characters to remember. Why would he even look for me? How could he possibly have the time? With his brother the favorite to inherit and his father a cold hearted bastard. I was little more then arm candy. Vicious and childish arm candy at that.

Remebering, the person I was, before I remembered? I was a terrible, lonely child. And I took it out on everyone around me. I coveted the stars, because everything inside me felt empty. Because my family was cruel. Because the coin brought treachery and gilded chains.

Because I was terribly broken and hateful about it. Greedy for what I could not have.

I was indulged. Enabled. By this man, most of all. It only made me worse.

Of course I left. It was the only way to heal. To grow. And in the end? It made all the difference. Yet... he is here. How? Why‽ What part of that terrible brat of a child did he come for? That horribly broken thing? Our shared history is a shame to me. And it's not as though we were lovers. For all that the world certainly assumed as much. Did he actually consider us frien-?

"I always promised, I would marry you. When I became Grand Duke. Now we finally can."

The words seem to hang in the air like nooses. Full of unseen bodies that swing and creak, like silent horrors in the day's mild wind. Around us, the world was filled with a terrible hush. Rain muffling everything to distant, dull grey. And for a long moment... everything was cool, quite, and far away.

All at once, the world crashed back in. Like a wave crashing back in, after the tide receding before disaster. A tsunami of tiny things.

We were the last two here, I noticed. My in-laws, the neighbors, our... my social circle. All had left to give me privacy to grieve. The rain was cold. So much colder then it had seemed. I hadn't noticed. The wind whistling eerily through the near silent grave yard. As we kneeled at the foot of my husband's grave, the dark earth muddy. He... was he wearing cologne?

Kneeling in a wide open field... I suddenly felt cornered.

That expression. That... that was not the expression of a man who's feeling sorrow for an old friend. Not distant memories and what could have been's. That... that was hunger. A predator's patience. Was...? No. No, it could not have always been there. Right? I would have...

"You shouldn't kneel in the dirt, love. Not for him. He wasn't worth it." He murmured, soft and sweet as a lover. Eyes almost kind. "I'm here now. Here to make everything better, all right? No more worries. No more struggles. All the riches your heart desired. I got them for you. Isn't that nice? Let's go get you warm, hmm?"

I.. God, I wasn't an idiot.

What Did You DO?

You bastard. What did you do to my HUSBAND?! Ignoring the hand, softly held out, as though he had any fucking right, I grabbed the bastard by the front of his jacket. To shake him? Slam him down to punch until my fists break and bleed? I couldn't tell which impulse was stronger. It was like all my howling grief had turned to RAGE. As though my blood had filled with fire. My bones ropes made of live wires.

He has the audacity to smile. Fondly. Even as my white knuckled grip drags roughly at the fine fabric of his clothes, threatening to tear stitches. As I bear my teeth, unhinged like a mad dog. Wild around the eyes. I drag him closer. The bouquet, now made cruel mockery, that he brought, goes tumbling into the mud. Filth that he is, he sucks in a shuddering breath. Leans towards me.

"Ah, my love, you were always so magnificent in anger. You wear it like a queen."

Whispered towards me. Each word made obscene by the waver in his voice. The way he dares to roll it off his tounge! Another man's wife. You sick bastard, I was ANOTHER MAN'S WIFE! But you couldn't have that, could you‽ The shriek that howls free of me would put hawks to shame. I lunge. Hands clawing as I try to claw his fucking eyes out.

Shameless, he dares to have a laugh that is charming. How utterly practiced it must be! Effortlessly, he keeps my hands from his face, as I curse him. Holding my wrists as I struggle to maim. To avenge. Killer. MONSTER! I struggle to rip my hands free, so I can wrap them around his fucking throat!

The world spins. No longer am I pinning my husband's killer. The grey sky distant witness as I thrash like an animal. I have nothing left. NOTHING! He took everything from me! Andrew. My songbird. My everything! I won't let him get away with it. I WON'T. If it's the LAST THING I FUCKING DO. Screaming, thrashing, I try to get him off me. Clawing at the mud I can feel seeping into my back.

"Look at you... so broken." He said softly, like a confession. With an unholy reverence. "We always were so beautifully matched, weren't we? Two perfect little monsters."

His grip tighten. Painful at last. Bones grinding and bruises starting to bloom.

"But then you tried to run away, darling. Why would you do that? Were you scared? Afraid of loving me too much?" Furious at his audacity, I bucked and writhed. Get off. Get OFF! I'LL KILL YOU! "Shhh shhh shhh, it's okay, it's okay. I forgive you. I forgive you. My wildfire. My bride."

In the distance, the day's storm, long building, finally arrived. Thunder rolled as the rain picked up. The air biting.

"I'll take responsibility, of course. Who else could handle you? Knows you as I do?"

"Dont worry darling, my wildfire, my monster~ Ours is a lovestory~♡"

[rwby-encrusted-blog]

Inspired by @pilot-boi's Fusion AU!

Warning now for talking about suicidal ideation, self harm, and self loathing. And mentions of Vomit.

None of it is explicitly detailed.

~~~~~

The Wildfire Knight had been in the Ever After their whole … Life? Existence. Whatever one would call this desperate act of survival. Jaune and Cinder both cringed and recoiled at the fact their fusion was a person. Maybe it was the Ever After, Maybe it was the fact The Wildfire Knight had time to develop into a person from them both. Nen was almost a person with how close and reliant Ren and Nora were on each other. 

Stars Fell. Four of them.

RWBY.

Hurt Them.

Help Them!

Kill them!

Save them. Please.

Cinder was angry. She usually was. it was often the only choice she had, and all three knew it (Cinder almost hated that the most.) She’d calm down soon. Jaune could negotiate with her.

They shook their head clear of the other’s thoughts, and hopped on Jewels.

Jaune wanted to call it Juniper, Cinder was defiant. She didn’t want to give it name and was half-tempted to kill the Jackalope just to hurt Jaune.

Cinder suggested the name Emerald for all the wrong reasons.

They settled on Jewels.

Cinder and Jaune wanted to be out of here - first take care of RWBY (Whoever won out at what that meant), and then try and leave. That was always the goal. The Wildfire Knight was scared they might die when it happened. Jaune was open about feeling the same way. Cinder was more guarded about it, as she always had been, but in raw, open moments, Jaune and Wildfire knew she cared.

Wildfire was reliant on Jaune’s survival knowledge, tactics, and most importantly, his kindness. They also relied on Cinder's skills in fighting, her ability to be both shrewd and deceptive, and, most strongly, her unending will to survive.

Their leg hurt. Their lack of a leg hurt. Their missing eye stung slightly. It all always did.

Cinder wanted freedom, but was bound to Jaune.

Jaune wanted to protect his friends. Cinder was only able to comprehend actually caring for someone after the first decade or so. After Wildfire came about.

Wildfire wanted to live. For RWBY. For JNPR. Because Cinder couldn’t just die, not after all the work she put in.

Wildfire hated themself at first. Because Jaune and Cinder hated each other. Because Jaune and Cinder Hated themselves. Because They were Jaune and Cinder.

It was only because they had Cinder’s need to survive that they didn’t kill themself. They did, however, hurt themself. Jaune’s self-sacrificial tendencies and his need to be punished for the mistakes he thought he made, and Cinder’s feelings of never being strong enough, and that weakness deserved to be punished.

The scars on their arms burned, like they did when they were fresh.

They thought back to the first time They did something for themself- Cinder and Jaune were arguing about Alyx - they’d just been poisoned and left to die. It was loud. Too loud. They needed to leave. To clear their head - the Herbalist was too raw, too recent - they tried to tear each other apart.

So The Wildfire Mage Walked.

And Walked.

And Walked.

And eventually stumbled into cool, clear water.

Cinder and Jaune were surprised - too caught up in their argument to notice their vessel had been moving. 

Someone New was here - no. They’d always been there. They’d just woken up.

Wildfire was shook from their thoughts at the noise of fighting, immediately whipping out Corcea Ignis - Crocea Mors’ shattered blade extended and reformed with Obsidian Glass into a Cutlass-esque form, the the shield expanding in front of them as they charged into battle on the back of Jewels.

~~~~~

Meeting in the lotus with Rwby caused Wildfire to be pushed back by Jaune’s - and as loathe as she was to admit it, Cinder’s - relief at RWBY - the real, living, breathing team RWBY.

The four of them were, of course, shocked when they saw “Jinder” Weiss being the most surprised.

It didn’t get any better as the situation was explained.

~~~~~

The Paper Pleasers were gone. The only stable thing outside of themselves was gone. The ones that Jaune Protected, the ones that Cinder commanded, the closest things to friends Wildfire had - They were gone. Just like that.

Ruby screamed at them. At Jaune. At Cinder. She didn’t acknowledge Wildfire as a part of them. That might’ve been the worst.

All of Them were angry at Ruby. They’d suffered. They’d all suffered. Jaune’s hope and love was betrayed, Cinder’s rage was Reignited, Wildfire’s fear of not being anything but a mistake  was getting thrown in their face.

He could never be a hero.

She was Weak.

They didn’t matter to anyone.

He was a killer.

She was a Failure.

They were nothing.

Anger reacted with Anger, reacted with Anger, reacted with Anger, and it coiled in on itself ever further.

An eye lit with golden fire.

A fist was swung.

Ruby was knocked to the ground several feet away.

Gambol Shroud wrapped around their midsection, yanking them back, Yang gappled their arms behind them, and an Arma Gigas as white as the Atlesian Tundra got between Them and Ruby.

“EVERYTHING YOU TOUCH FALLS APART! EVERYTHING YOU TRY AND SAVE CRUMBLES!”

“Mercury Stopped you from saving Penny the first time- You were too slow, Too WEAK- The Paper Pleasers were all I had! The JabberWalkers Followed YOU, Because Neo HATES YOU- THEY WERE LIKE ME- MADE BY THIS PLACE- You Don’t get to act like they’re NOTHING-”

Wildfire, Cinder, and Jaune Spoke over themselves. Over each other, their anger feeding on each others, till their voices broke with pain and at the emotions pouring over themselves. 

Three Souls in one body was an awful lot to handle. They stopped straining against WBY and collapsed to their knees, heaving and shaking. “We’re not right - I know I’m broken pieces - We just want to live - You’re suppose to care about people- to care about us-”

The three of them fell into each other, the distinctions between Jaune and Cinder and Wildfire collapsing.

They were crying. They were numb. They were sore. They’d hurt their friend. She deserved it. That wasn’t true. They were Weak, not good enough. That was true. Wasn’t that true? Weren’t they powerful?

They were all exhausted.

The three of them vomited.

They fell over, just out of range of the puddle they made, curled up as they clutched their head, and they cried.

When they finally opened their eyes again, Weiss was sat nearby, petting and consoling Jewels.

No one said anything.

Weiss eventually moved over to them.

“Hey. That was a lot, and I’m certain there’s been a lot going on in, but Ruby’s in trouble it sounds like. It’s urgent. Can get to her quickly on a summon, and I need to get going now. I’m sorry I can’t stay longer.”

Weiss Summoned the Lancer Queen, and started getting on it.

Jaune Urged them all to stand, out of guilt and a need to protect, even if he was still upset. Wildfire knew Ruby didn’t know them, not in the ways that distinguished them from other fusions. They felt guilty and a need to make it up to Ruby. They propped themself up on their knees. Cinder, in her own odd way, had respect for Ruby. She was a survivor as much as she was a thorn in her side. Even she felt a smidge of guilt for much of what she’d done - guilt tempered with the ‘knowledge’ it was the only way for her to survive. She helped them up.

The three of them climbed onto Jewel’s back and chased after Weiss.

~~~~~

When they Arrived, Ruby was lifting the Teacup to her mouth. 

Cinder hit her with a fireball, splashing the tea on the floor and sending Ruby Tumbling again, a burn on her upper chest.

They cringed at the harm.

The cat Lunged at her.

Yang Lunged at the cat, blocking it.

Neo lunged at Ruby as well.

She was knocked away by icicles from Weiss.

The Wildfire Knight Ran to Ruby, Guarding her with their body and applying Jaune’s semblance to her.

Ruby Batted at them, scurrying away with tears in her eyes.

They cried out an apology.

Neo slashed across their back.

Blake tried to wrap her ribbon Around Neo.

She shattered into glass.

There was a fight.

Eventually the fusion’s aura broke, The Ever After keeping them from falling apart.

The Curious Cat raised a claw, prepared to kill, Neo coming in from behind.

They were Going to die. Jaune was Going to die. Cinder was going to die.

In the moment they couldn’t be mad. Cinder didn’t like it, not one bit, she was rather peeved about it, but … There was something about not having to fight anymore that let her let go.

Wildfire figured they’d get an answer on what they were - Living or just a means for Jaune and Cinder’s survival.

Jaune saved his friends. Now that he was actually faced with his death he didn’t like it, in a very personal manner. He realized just how horribly wanting to die felt.

But there was nothing the three of them could do.

He was strong enough to protect his Friends. 

She wasn’t strong enough to survive on her own, by making enemies, seeing as how it came back to bite her, but she was Strong. Strong enough to protect others, something she’d never thought she’d do.

They meant something. They’d been the one keeping Jaune and Cinder alive, and it was their body that saved Ruby.

So they “Held Hands,” Being completely open about how the three of them felt, and embraced the end together. 

None of them expected to feel so weightless.

~~~~~

They found themselves … somewhere.

Somewhere.

There was a tall person in front of a grinding wheel, sharpening … Crocea Mors? 

The person looked over their shoulder, setting the weapon into its sheath and walking over to The Wildfire Knight.

“I am happy to see you three after so long. I am the Blacksmith of the Ever After. You are welcome in this place.”

The three were confused.

“Did we die?”

“No, not in the way you may be thinking. You are ascending. I will say, however, that you are a unique case - usually I only find one to help at a time more than enough.”

They grimaced a little at that, sheepish at being different. “S-sorry.”

“There is nothing to apologize for. In fact, something new is quite welcomed!” The Blacksmith was grinning widely. 

It was comforting.

“Now, I unfortunately cannot separate you three myself - You have been entwined for too long, and it is only you that may decide where one of you ends and the next begins.”

The Knight looked and the Blacksmith, confused.

“Separate? We may separate?”

“Yes, if you would like.”

Jaune and Cinder both “Jumped” at the idea - but were held back by something. They’d been together for so long, what would it be like to be apart now? What would Happen with Wildfire?

The Blacksmith produced a small knife from their apron.

Alyx’s Knife.

“She left this piece of herself for you, when she left. I know it may seem daunting, but as I said I cannot do this for you. You must decide if and how you come apart, and who gets what from yourselves.”

Wildfire took the knife.

Cinder Trusted them. They had her drive to survive.

Jaune was worried, but also relented. They all had to be in agreement on this.

The three of them plunged the knife into their stomach.

~~~~~

Wildfire Blinked. The area was different, their eyes straining - Eyes? They stepped, one foot in front of the other- They had both feet?!?

Wildfire looked over themself, staring at both hands, running them along their leg.

“AH-”

“Hold Still Arc - Bite the hem of your clothing I need to cauterize the wound-”

“RRRG!”

“There. Not the worst feeling, ever, right?”

“I Suppose not Cinder.”

“Excellent. Now help me stand.”

Wildfire whipped around to see Jaune - one eye shut with fresh blood trailing from it, tears in his remaining eye, with Cinder standing on a black-glass prosthetic.

“What- Why-”

“I can keep going without an Eye. You deserve to see the world with your own two.” Jaune interrupted, Grinning even through his obvious pain and Cinder hanging off of him. He was old, hair tied back in a low ponytail, rusted plate armor surrounding him, with gray streaks in his golden locks.

“I figured … I could rely on you. I can also fly. I supposed I could live without being able to walk quickly.” Cinder avoided looking at them, clearly shocked by her own kindness and embarrassed by her seemingly having gone soft. She was also old, crows feet in her eyes, a dark cloak wrapping entirely around her body, hair long and graying.

They looked hardly different, tears welling up in both their eyes at the kindness Cinder and and Jaune showed them.

The idea of Wildfire being their Child - a new person born of two souls - had crossed their minds before. It made them cringe and recoil, especially when Jaune and Cinder actually started viewing Wildfire as something closer then just a combination of them.

“That was very selfless from both of you, if perhaps unnecessary. Another part of Alyx’s gift was that you would be put back to being young, and now all of you can be young again.”

“We’ve been told the Mind forgets but the heart remembers. If we become young again …” Cinder trailed off. She was scared - she held no power in this situation. She was willing to do just about anything to be young again, but she also … she couldn’t quite betray Wildfire … and … Jaune … just like that after everything.

“If you choose yourselves, No. But in this place you may be anything-”

“If we choose ourselves can we … change some things? About ourselves?” Cinder stared at her Grimm Arm for the first time in decades. She was glaring at it.

“To a degree, yes. Changing what you are changes who you are-”

“Get rid of my Grimm Arm.”

“So you choose yourselves?”

“Yes!”

The Blacksmith handed Cinder a Bow made of Glass.

She accepted readily, the gray leaving her hair, arm dissolving into mist as she erupted into a brilliant new flame.

“Yes?”

The Blacksmith handed Jaune a reforged Crocea Mors, a visible line from where it had shattered on the Bridge.

He accepted it tentatively, turning into glowing, golden motes of dust, blinking two blue eyes as he left.

“ … am I … myself?”

The Blacksmith smiled.

“Yes, but I do not have a weapon for you. What you wielded was theirs.”

“... may I make myself a weapon?”

“Yes, but it may take some time.”

“ … May I have Alyx’s Dagger?”

“It was left for you.”

“ … Thank you.”

“You are very welcome Wildfire.”

And Wildfire smiled, seemingly melting into an glowing Amber slag, tailing behind their progenitors, excited to see what they would become as their own person.

~~~~~

I have Ideas about what happens next, and I do feel I left things unanswered, but the open ending feels right. I know they help RWBY Fight Neo and the Cat, but that’s all. 

[croclovmoon]

Check out this amazing AU from ReynaAtTheEnd

This not my story but the person who owns it doesn't have tumblr. So I decided that the one piece tumblr fandom needs this in their life. The synopsis is that king finds out the seraphim exit 7 days before marineford. Three hours before the execution is to acure Sengoku gets a call from Egghead. Chaos insues. Chapters 1-20 up now the author does not have an upload schedule. Now for just one interesting insight to the story, the author is making Moria a bigger threat than he already was.

Ch. 1-17 arc 1

Ch. 18-24 arc 2

Ch. 25-33 arc 3

Ch. 34-43 arc 4

Ch. 44- ongoing arc 5

The author has decided to call it the "Age of Emperors AU"

[greeneyedsigma]

*Shortly after meeting for the first time*

Kaido: What are your adjectives?

King: …You mean my pronouns?

Kaido: No, I know what your pronouns are! What are your adjectives?

King: …I dunno. What are yours?

Kaido: Drunk, noisy and chaotic!

King: I’ve never had something go from making no sense to making complete sense so quickly.

**

King: If I see a bug, I simply leave the room elegantly and require someone else do something about it.

King: If no one fulfills my wish, I simply burn the whole building down.

**

King: What happened?!

Kaido: Do you want the long version or the short version?

King: Short??

Kaido: Shit's fucked.

King: Okay, long.

Kaido: Shit's very fucked.

King: ...You’re the most eloquent man I know.

**

King: What's this?

Kaido, hugging King: Affection!

King: Disgusting.

King: ...Do it again.

**

King: What’s up with you?

Kaido: What do you mean?

King: You’ve been nice and helpful and considerate all day. What’s your game?

**

Kaido: You have to apologize to King!

Queen: Fine!

Queen: Unfuck you, or whatever!

**

Jack: Your lab is in the bathroom?

Queen: King says it’s the perfect place for my work.

Queen: I’m just now realizing that remark may not have been entirely complimentary.

**

King, to Kaido: You drink too much, swear too much, and your morals are highly questionable.

Kaido: …

King: Yet, for some reason, you’re everything I’ve ever wanted in a man.

**

Kaido: It smells like henway in here.

Queen:

King: Queen.

King, forcefully: Doesn't it smell like henway in here?

Queen: *sigh*

Queen: What's a henway?

Kaido: OH ABOUT TEN POUNDS!

**

Queen: It’s illegal to look better than me.

King: I guess we’re all going to jail then.

[fmlopla]

Au where King’s timeline is moved up so instead of Kaido breaking him out of the lab 34 years ago, 17-year old King breaks out of a Germa lab around 15 years ago and takes 6 year old Sanji with him because he’s watched this kid be tortured and experimented on too and thinks that the scientists added Lunarian DNA to him, so he’s kind of family.

Just Big and Young King forced to care for a very small Sanji who wants to care for him right back.

[mittykidi]

ouhh hes so cute my heart-

design by @lycankeyy !!

me when i remove one layer and it drastically shifts the whole mood

[s4ndwitch3s]

Anime drawn over stuff for the wildfire au designs I made yesterday, I love these guys

(Even if the idea is only about 30% thought out rn)

- Wildfire AU posts -

Prev - Next

[eclipsedcrystalstar]

Wildfire still doesn’t try to get too close to the people that are nice to him like Draconis and Night. He appreciates them but figures he’ll be ignored or forgotten by them after a while. They have their own families and friends to go back to, they have no need to pay any attention to him after the newness of meeting him has worn off

[ask-the-druggieverse]

3/4 (Continuation)

- ALT - DREAM: Sense I was still mentally and physically 6 years old DREAM: Him and Cross both had to raise me DREAM: It honestly felt like DREAM: "an older sibling taking care of their younger sibling because their parents died" DREAM: And despite having to take care of me... DREAM: He was very bad at hiding things I couldn't have PAST!DREAM: ?

- IDK - Many things, this backstory is based off of part my past and like... there are a bunch of wildfires happening rn (I think you can guess where I live with this information), none of the wildfires are heading directly to where I was but a few days ago there was a wildfire 30 minutes away from me :skull:

On a not so dangerous note, I sadly got carpel tunnel AGAIN and now my thumb is suffering, luckily I finished this while I could, I'm not taking a hiatus as I will still work on the next and probably last part of this ask and move onto other asks U_U

Also please do not tag anything on this blog as Cream/Cross x Dream on this specific blog/MAU, I won't repeat this on ALL posts but I'll re-say it if there's another post on this blog featuring Cross and Dream. Once I create a new blog for my other MAU/AU/AT(yes it's all 3 together) this rule won't apply because my other MAU does not have this specific dynamic for Cross and Dream.

MAIN: @inkyu

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[willowpotatox]

Sketch for @pegasuswriter of teenage Imogen and Dancer!! Hope you like it Meg :D

(you can get a 5$ sketch to support victims of the LA wildfires from my Kofi!)

[mew-ya]

head empty only zenless zone zero

[nethhiri]

Slipping and Falling

Security Guard! Zoro x Mermaid! Reader

One Shot - Modern AU

Warnings: none

I'm really proud of this one and I think it's so stupidly cute <3

The only thing worse than a mall cop was a nighttime security guard, even worse: a nighttime security guard at an aquarium. Not even a museum. Zoro had been the daytime security guard until he dozed off one too many times, then he was demoted. His boss, Mihawk, said that if he couldn't wake up for the day shift, maybe he was more suited for the night shift. He didn't say it was a demotion, but Zoro wasn't an idiot. This was probably his last chance before they canned him.

He breezed through the doors, already 5 minutes late. He threw open the door to the small security office, apologizing and straightening his uniform. "Sorry. My stupid roommate baked my keys into a loaf of bread again." 

"That's either the weakest excuse you've had yet, or your roommate hates you." King already had his jacket on, ready to leave.

"The second one. Please don't tell Mihawk I was late." Zoro threw down some rice balls and chips from the convenience store down the street, his snack for later. 

King snatched one of the rice balls. "Deal."

"Oi!"

King gave him a peace sign and flicked him off.

Zoro let out an exasperated sigh. His shift had just started and it was already off to a terrible start. He plopped down in the shitty folding chair and threw his feet up on the flimsy desk, watching the small black and white monitors that overlooked the exhibits. Only a few couldn't be seen, one of them being the new mermaid exhibit. The tech guys hadn't come to install the camera yet. Which meant that Zoro had to walk the halls every so often, making sure everything was fine. If something happened to the mermaid, he would definitely be fired. 

He grabbed his flashlight from his belt, which also had mace and a nightstick. What the hell was he gonna do with some weak-ass pepper spray and a glorified baton? He walked through the aquarium, shining his light around the places that weren't illuminated at night. He jumped when he saw two eyes reflecting back at him. The mermaid's exhibit wasn't lit at night either. She was basically a person, she needed to sleep too. He tapped on the glass.

You covered your ears and frowned. The noise was amplified through water and it hurt your sensitive eardrums. 

"Oh shit. Sorry!" Zoro put his hands up to signal he meant no harm. "I didn't mean it." The mermaid swam up to the glass and mimicked his movements.

As far as he knew, it didn't talk. The mermaid did understand language though. He watched you copy him. Zoro did a few more poses to see if you would copy those too. He ended with making some kind of funny face, pulling his cheeks out and his lower eyelids down. Zoro was disappointed when you didn't copy that, and could swear you were laughing at him. Huh. He continued his rounds and returned to the office. The rest of the night was uneventful. 

The next few nights were more of the same. Each night when he stopped by your tank, he tried to make you laugh again, mostly to prove to himself that's what you were actually doing. Even though you didn't talk, you were obviously an intelligent creature. Tonight, he had a new game. Zoro wanted to see how smart you were. He also felt bad that you were stuck in that tank without anything to do and maybe this would be entertaining. He took three Solo cups and set them upside down on a cardboard box he brought over. Then, he showed you a piece of candy and put it under the cup. Zoro mixed up the cups slowly.

"Where is it?" Zoro watched as you pointed right away to where it was. "Nice. Ok." He grabbed the candy and backed away from the tank. It was nearly floor to ceiling. It was huge. There was a gap at the top where people went in and out to perform tank maintenance. Zoro aimed for the top and threw the candy into the tank, observing as it sank down and you swam to grab it. He laughed when you put it in your mouth and spit it out. "That's a sour one. Give it a chance." He laughed again as your face contorted with the sourness, relaxing a little as it got sweeter. You pointed at the cups. "So you liked that? Let's try faster." He went a few more rounds, giving you candy every time. Then, you disappeared, returning with three shells. You plucked a scale from your tail and stuck it to the bottom of one of the shells. You repeated his actions and looked at him expectantly. Zoro pointed at one of the shells and you turned it over, revealing no scale. "I meant that one." He pointed to the shell next to it and you flipped it. You grinned and took the scale out from under it, swimming to the top of the tank and leaning over the glass above him. Zoro caught the scale and looked at it in his hand. It was iridescent. He couldn't really say if it was blue or green or purple. It was kind of all three at once. “Thanks. I have to go now, but I’ll be back tomorrow, ok?” Zoro flipped the scale over in his hand, watching the colors melt together as he patrolled the corridors. He wondered what else he could entertain you with. You seemed to enjoy it a great deal. He wondered if you responded like this to any of the keepers or the guests of the aquarium. 

Unfortunately, Zoro had to call out sick the next two days, some kind of stomach bug. The next time he came around to your tank, you were nowhere to be found. He was tempted to tap on the glass again, but he knew you didn’t like that. Instead, he threw some candy in, the kind he knew you liked. Zoro waited for several minutes, opening a bag of chips that he had brought with him and popping a handful into his mouth. You emerged, drawn out by the candy, after a few minutes, darting out to grab it and go back to your hiding spot.

”Oi! Where ya goin?” Zoro yelled through a mouthful of chips.

You shot him a look from around the rock you hid behind. 

“What?!” Zoro was at a loss. “Did I do something?” 

You pointed at him, then to where he stood, then behind you. 

It took him a minute to remember, but he did. “You’re mad because I wasn’t here?”

You gave him a curt nod. 

“Aw man I’m sorry. I did say I would be back, huh?” He ran a hand through his hair. “I was sick. I couldn’t come to work.”

You stayed in your spot, eating the candy.

”How can I make it up to you?” Zoro would hate to piss off the only company he had during these long nights.  You coyly peeked around the corner and pointed to the chips in his hand.

“These?” Zoro held the bag out and you nodded. He couldn’t very well toss those to you. They would get soggy. He walked up the ‘employee only’ spiral staircase that went to the top of your tank. He didn’t like being up that high so he focused on looking into the water and not at the ground. 

You swam up to the rim of the tank, hands grabbing for the chips.

”Okay. Okay. You have to eat them here though or they’ll get mushy.” He handed the bag over. 

You carefully inspected the chip before biting into it, delighted by the crunch. 

Zoro hadn’t been this close to you previously. He noticed the different tones in your hair, how it flowed around you. He saw the slightly different colored speckles in your Y/E/C eyes. Your skin looked so soft and there were freckles he hadn’t noticed from behind the glass. There was a slight grin on his face as he watched you enjoy chips for the first time. You were particularly fascinated by the crunch, biting them slowly to listen to the noise they made. Zoro sat with you and took the empty bag when you were done.  “So am I forgiven?”

You looked him up and down before nodding slowly.

Zoro smiled. “Good. How about I come back with more tomorrow? Really this time.”

This time he kept his promise. Each day he brought you a new flavor. He figured out you didn’t really care for the spicy ones, probably because spice was a bit foreign to you, also explaining why human snacks were so intriguing. Maybe you would like the spice eventually. He would find you waiting at the top of the tank for your special treat. It was weird to watch you eat in silence, so he would tell you about his day or his roommate. Occasionally, he would tell you something about himself. You were a great listener since you didn’t talk. 

Several weeks passed like this. Zoro had to take a brief vacation to help his other roommate recover from eye surgery; there was a tragic accident involving a stag beetle. When he came back, Mihawk was none too pleased. King had taken over Zoro’s shift, but kept falling asleep since he was usually a day shifter. Every morning during this time, Mihawk would come in to take over and find that the snack counter had been raided. It looked like raccoons had gotten into the packages. Curiously, the cameras hadn’t picked up anything. They moved periodically, panning around. It seemed like whatever or whoever was stealing, could avoid them. Nothing else was tampered with or taken.  “Hey, shitbag. Hope you get the rat problem under control. Or Mihawk is gonna have your ass,” King slapped Zoro’s shoulder on the way out. 

“How is this my problem?! It happened on your watch!”

”And now it’s your watch.” King laughed as the door shut behind him. 

Zoro stopped at your tank, as was his routine now, and explained he didn’t have anything for you since he couldn’t get to the grocery store to restock. His eyes couldn’t be torn away from the disappointed pout that crossed your features. He was a bit ashamed to admit he really liked looking at your face. He wasn’t alone. Part of the attraction to the mermaid exhibit was your beauty. He didn’t like the idea he was the same as the people who paid to ogle you. He actually cared about your well-being. 

That night the thief struck again. Zoro didn’t see a thing. Oh, but he heard about it the next day. Mihawk lit his ass up, calling him as soon as he managed to fall asleep at home after his shift. He accused Zoro of falling asleep on the job again. That wasn't true, but it's possible that he was distracted, daydreaming perhaps. He would have conversations in his head with you. He imagined what you might sound like and how you might speak. He liked spending time with you and he wanted to know more about you, but couldn't do that if there was no way you could communicate with him. 

Zoro purposefully waited for King to leave before going in the back entrance. King would definitely taunt him over his shortcomings and he really didn't want to start the night that way. He was already in a bad mood since Mihawk woke him up just to yell at him earlier. Zoro sat heavily in his uncomfortable folding metal chair and slid down, knees pointing to opposite corners of the room, glaring at the monitors. He wasn't going to take his eyes off the screens for a second. He would get to the bottom of this just to rub it in Mihawk and King's faces that he could. 

When it came time for his nightly rounds, he checked every door and every window to make sure they were all locked. There wasn't any evidence around them that pointed to someone coming in from those potential entry points. He looked up at the air conditioning ducts. Is someone really going to go all spy movie just for some snacks? There was a noise in the direction of your tank that alerted him to the fact that he wasn't alone. Quickly, he ran in that direction, putting his flashlight in his mouth so he could hold his baton in one hand and his mace in the other. The large, open room came into view and he caught movement in the corner of his eye. Before he could react, he suddenly lost traction under his feet and was tumbling backwards. The last thing he remembered was hitting his head. 

His head was throbbing. Zoro groaned as he came to. Why am I wet? His entire back was wet, not damp, wet. He opened his eyes to soft light and a blurry, dark shape hovering over him. He blinked a few times, each blink making his vision clearer. A person? But there's not supposed- He pushed himself back, feeling around for his mace. 

"Who- Who are you?" He made contact with his flashlight and flicked it on, pointing it in the direction of the shadow. Red eyes flashed back as the light from the flashlight bounced off the back of your eyes, reflected to him. His eyes slid from yours, down your body, and landed on your tail. "Mermaid?" What was she doing out of the tank? 

You scooted closer, using your arms to pull you across the slick floor. 

Zoro looked at the water all over the floor and back at you. Your hair was plastered to your body where it was still wet, but he could see some parts that were fluffier and strands that were blown around lightly by the air conditioning. That made him think you had been sitting here with him for longer than a few minutes. How long had he been out for? He looked at the ceiling, which was partially made of glass, so that the mermaid could have natural light. The sky outside was the dusty purple color of early dawn. His shift would be over soon. And King would be coming to take over. King is coming! Suddenly, he was panicking. 

"We have to get you back in the water!" If King saw the mermaid like this, Zoro's ass was going to get canned. Zoro crouched in front of you, about to slip his arms under you so that he could carry you back to the water. He paused. "Oh... Um. Is it ok? Do you mind if I...?" 

You opened your arms up to reach for him.

He took that as an invitation, scooping you up bridal style. Your arms wrapped around his neck for support. Zoro didn't want to slip again, but he had to hurry to get you in the tank and all of the mess cleaned up before King got here. He jogged up the stairs to the top of the tank and gently dipped you down in the water. "Stay." He had no fucking clue how you got out, but he needed you to stay in. He zipped back down the stairs and hurriedly grabbed a mop from the janitorial closet, getting all the water dried from the floor. Zoro ran around the rest of the aquarium, making sure nothing happened while he was knocked out. Everything seemed to be fine. 

Zoro had just headed back to the security office when King came in to take over the shift. Just in time. He breathed a sigh of relief and then immediately started thinking about how the fuck you got down to where he was. Did you jump out of the tank? Crawl down the stairs? He was thinking about it until he went to sleep for the day. 

He came in early the next evening. The aquarium was still open and he went to see what your exhibit looked like when it was still open. The tank was big, but he wasn't quite convinced it was big enough for a creature like yourself. He watched as some guy banged on the glass with his hand. Zoro instantly frowned, knowing that you hated when people did that. He walked over and grabbed the man's wrist, pulling it away from the glass and thrusting it into the man's own chest. 

"Stop that." Zoro glared at the man. "She doesn't like that."

The man looked him up and down. "Who the fuck are you? Her keeper?"

"Actually, yeah. I am. So cut it out or you'll be escorted out." 

The man grumbled but didn't do it again.  

Zoro stood in front of the glass, eyes searching for you for a moment, finding you with a sweet smile on your face. You made the slightest nod in his direction, thanking him for putting an end to the horrible noise. Zoro stuck around until the people cleared out, making sure it didn't happen again. The last two people were a couple, who couldn't be bothered to stop their heavy petting after the two minute closing warning. You were staring curiously at them. He shooed them off and waved at you as he went to clock in and trade off with King.

There was some paperwork he had to take care of which delayed his usual stroll to your tank. It was about an hour past his usual stop in his loop. As he approached, he could hear shuffling and some crinkling. It stopped suddenly when his shoes make a squeak on the tile flooring. He cursed under his breath, inching forward slowly. There was the hurried sound of crunching followed by the slap of feet against the floor. 

"Stop! Thief!" Zoro yelled after the footsteps, nearly eating shit on the wet floor again. "Where the fuck is all this water coming from?" He ran down the hallway, then back up the hallway, then did a full loop, and stopped. He didn't hear the footsteps anymore. "Dammit." He snuck around more quietly on his way to get a mop. The thief had to be somewhere. He cleaned up the mess without any further sign of the intruder. Curiously, the snacks that were eaten included some of the flavors of chips he had brought you. That just meant the thief had good taste in snacks. Only two bags were eaten, so he wasn't worried about actually continuing his hunt. He could cover that up. Mihawk could shove it. All he cared about was getting to your tank. Zoro sighed. Now, he was really late. You were going to be mad at him. 

As it turned out, you weren't. Especially since Zoro had brought you something new to try. He was beginning to feel guilty. What if these foods were really bad for you? What if they made you sick? He also couldn't resist seeing the way you lit up when he came around with your nightly snack, or your pout when he pretended he forgot it, so he would continue to spoil you. Zoro climbed to his spot at the rim of the tank. You were already there waiting with your hands held out in a bowl-shape. 

"Didn't we talk about begging?" Zoro tsked at you. 

You held your hands out more demandingly and furrowed your eyebrows.

"Jeez. Okay, here you go." Zoro placed some incredibly misshapen small chocolate chip cookies in your hands. 

You gave them a curious sniff before putting all of them in your mouth at once, filling up your cheeks. 

Zoro chuckled. "You remind me of my roommate, who I had to fight off by the way, to get these to you." He averted his eyes for a moment and his cheeks turned pink. "I, um, made them myself." At the cost of shining his other roommate's work shoes for a week, he helped Zoro out with the baking. When he turned back, you were holding your hands out again and licking the crumbs from around your mouth. He grinned. "So you liked them?" 

You nodded. Reaching your hands out further. As he leaned down to put more in your hand, you caught sight of the pink in his cheeks. Reaching out curiously, you poked and pinched at his cheek. You didn't know humans could change color. 

Zoro jerked back. Not that he was afraid of you, he was just taken aback by your sudden interest in something other than food. "What? Is something on my face?" He only turned a deeper hue, cheeks burning red. 

You placed your palm against his cheek, feeling the warmth in it. Humans were a lot warmer than you thought. With the other hand, you continued to munch down cookies. You offered the last one back to him, noticing that he didn't eat any. 

Zoro wasn't aware that you knew the concept of sharing. "Thanks." He popped it into his mouth, stretching to swat a crumb out of your hair. 

You leaned forward and pressed your lips to his, just like those people from earlier. 

He pushed you, very gently, back. "Whoa! Hey, what are you doing?" If Zoro's cheeks were red earlier, now they were purple. "That's for- That's just for people who um-" He saw a hurt look on your face. "No, don't do that. It's okay!"  He patted your hand and explained. "You can't just do that. That's called a k-kiss and um, it's for two people that really like each other." 

But you did like him. Did he not like you? 

You still looked hurt. "Um, here, okay." Zoro knelt by the tank, getting his knees wet from where you had dripped. He held his arms out and waited until you copied him. "We're friends. So this is what friends can do. It's called a hug." He circled his arms around you, very lightly squeezing. You did it back, except you were not very gentle about it. "Oh, wow, you're a strong one huh?" Zoro let go, waiting for you to do the same. He waited some more. "You can let go now." There was a funny look in your eyes, and your smile was awfully sinister for a sweet mermaid. 

You pushed back from the edge of the tank, dangling his car keys in front of you.

Zoro felt his back pocket. "What the-?" He laughed. "You little shit." He motioned for you to come back. "Give those back!" 

You shook your head. 

"Please!" 

You looked at him expectantly. 

"I'll bring you more cookies tomorrow?"

You threw his keys back to him with surprising accuracy and he caught them in midair. 

Zoro shook his head to himself, walking back to the security office. He couldn't stop thinking about how soft your lips were.

For the next few days, nothing eventful happened. Zoro had racked up multiple weeks of doing Sandi's chores, just so he could learn to make a few more different cookies for you to try. Why was he doing all this? He told himself it was because he felt bad that you were trapped in a tank for the rest of your life. And he did feel bad about that, that part was true. Selfishly, he wanted you to like him. Tonight's batch hadn't gone well. He wasn't looking forward to breaking the news to you. Zoro hated seeing disappointment on your face. 

He was shocked when you were nonchalant about it, and a touch suspicious. Later, Zoro remembered that he stored an extra snack in his backpack and retrieved it to give to you. Again, he heard the telltale crinkling of a chip bag. This time, he would get the thief. Zoro must have startled them somehow even though he didn't make a sound because the thief took off running. He kept up this time, barely making out a shadow in the dark. As soon as he got close enough, he tackled the person, fingers brushing against bare, wet skin. What's with everything always being fucking wet!?.This person was... nude? What kind of sick pervert-? His thoughts were evaporated from his mind when he saw that it wasn't just any random naked person. It was you. "MERMAID?!" He looked down. "But there's legs and- a-and-!!!" Zoro got up faster than he'd ever moved and covered his eyes. "S-stay right there." He turned around and ran to his backpack, where he had a change of clothes for the gym. 

Zoro came back with a T-shirt and boxers, practically throwing them at you. From the top of his head to his neck was red. It turned out that your bottom half could turn into a human's, in every way. Funny, when you had a tail, your naked top half, covered by your long hair, didn't seem scandalous. With a naked bottom half, the naked top half was painfully obvious. 

"A-are you covered up?" Zoro peeked to make sure before dropping the hand over his eyes. "I'm so sorry for- for seeing and um... Sorry!" He felt bad about tackling you even though you weren't hurt. He offered you a hand to get up. Now it made sense. Every time he forgot a treat or was late in getting to you, the thief struck. It had been you all along. And the legs explained how you were able to get out of the tank, too. 

You were wobbly upon standing, as you always were when you got your legs.  You grabbed his shirt for balance as you stumbled unsteadily forward. 

Zoro gave you his arm to hold while you slowly gained control of your legs. He tried not to think about how cute you looked wearing his clothes, leading you toward the fish tunnels, where there weren't cameras. "I think you already understand, but you can never let anyone else see you like this, okay?" There was concern in his eyes. Zoro was certain they would turn you into an even bigger sideshow attraction than they already had. "And you have to stop stealing food or I'll be fired." Zoro held out the chocolate bar he had found in his backpack, yanking it back when you reached for it. "Mermaid, show me you understand." Zoro only relinquished the candy when you nodded.

Tearing into the packaging, you discarded it on the floor, holding the chocolate in your bare hands. 

"Oi! You're gonna get it everywhere." It was too late, as he saw the brown staining your hands. He sighed. "Never mind." 

You laughed at his alarm. 

"So you think it's funny, huh?" 

You nodded, popping another piece into your mouth. Your hand reached playfully to smear some on his cheek.

"Don't do that!"

You giggled again. 

He really couldn't be mad when your eyes were glittering with joy and your giggling brought a stupid grin to his face. He wiped off the chocolate and licked his finger. 

After the last bite, you looked at the mess on your hands and wiped them on your shirt, to Zoro's horror.

"Oi! What's wrong with you?! Quit that!" He grabbed your hands. "What are you? An animal?" He dragged you to the bathroom to wash your hands. 

You thought about it and nodded. 

"No! You're a person." Zoro stood behind you and guided your hands. It made sense that you had never washed your hands before. 

Watching the water made you thirsty. You bent down to drink out of the sink.

Zoro practically jumped backwards when your hips moved back against his. "H-hey. We'll get you some water. Come on." He knew you were unaware of what you were doing. It wasn't on purpose. He was ashamed at the thoughts that entered his brain at that second. Pushing them away, he grabbed your hand again and brought you to the water fountain, where he demonstrated how to use it. 

After that, he followed you as you walked through the nearby exhibits, the ones without surveillance. Zoro watched as you excitedly pointed towards some fish. You stopped in front of one of the larger tanks, putting your hands against the glass and smushing your face against it. This tank was much larger than yours because it held whale sharks. Your smile slowly fell into something more somber as you yearned to go back home. You missed the wide open ocean. 

As dawn approached, Zoro led you back to your tank, gesturing for you to go back. 

You shook your head.

"What do you mean no? You have to." Zoro hadn't seen you like this before. You weren't your normal perky, sweet self. "What's wrong?" 

Your lip quivered. You pointed to the doors and yourself. 

"You want to leave?" 

You nodded.

Zoro scratched his head. "You can't leave. I- I wish I could help you."

Tears spilled over the rims of your eyes. 

"Oh no. No. No. Don't do that." Zoro looked around as if there was someone else that could comfort you. Relenting, he wrapped his arms around you and pulled you into him. "I'm sorry, mermaid. I really am." He felt you shake with sobs, gently sitting down with you on the floor. He ran his hand over your hair, thinking about how much of a loser he felt like. He let Mihawk and King walk all over him. Zoro hated this job. The only thing that made it tolerable was you. So why did he care so much about keeping it? Money and the ability to see you. He could find another job, but he couldn't find another you. "Mermaid, give me some time. I'll think of something. Okay?" 

You pulled your head away from him, with a sliver of hope in your red-rimmed gaze. You nodded. 

Zoro helped you out of his shirt, which you got stuck in trying to take off. He shut his eyes and turned around while you slid his boxers off and jumped back into the water. He squatted down and put his hand on your cheek, rubbing it with his thumb. "Stay." He said it tenderly, but he meant it. Zoro couldn't have anyone else finding out about your secret. 

Over the next few days, Zoro thought about how he could smuggle you out. If you disappeared and he never came back, it would be pretty obvious who stole you. If you disappeared, he would be fired anyway. He put that plan on the back burner and thought about how he might be able to improve your current living situation. 

"Don't you think the mermaid should be in a bigger tank?" 

Mihawk looked over his newspaper at Zoro. "Oh so you're a marine biologist all of the sudden." He was about to leave for the night but wanted to finish his articles first. 

Zoro rolled his eyes. "No. I just think the mermaid looks kinda sad lately." 

"You won't have to look at her sad face much longer." 

"What? What's that mean?" 

Mihawk lowered his paper once more. "Oh. You haven't heard? She's being transferred to a government facility." 

"Why!?"

Zoro's boss eyed him suspiciously. "Why do you care? Have a crush?" 

"Oi! Shut up, man. A guy can't feel bad for a creature that's nearly human being imprisoned? How would you like it?"

"I think if you feel bad for imprisoned creatures, this job isn't for you." 

"Yeah you're fucking right about that." Zoro was heated. 

Mihawk threw his paper on the desk. "Because you care so much, they want her for research." Before Mihawk clocked out, he tossed over his shoulder. "Say goodbye to your little fish friend. She's leaving tomorrow." 

Zoro was sweating with this new information. Tomorrow! He hadn't come up with any kind of plan. Maybe he could ask Luffy and Sanji if they would help. No, he couldn't ask his roommates to be accomplices. He avoided you until the last remaining hour of his shift, unsure how to tell you what was happening. Seeing you cry again was going to break his heart. Hell, his heart was already breaking because he knew he had no way to save you. He couldn't break you out of here, and he certainly couldn't steal you from a government facility. 

Zoro found you in your usual spot, waiting for him. You seemed to be in better spirits, which made it harder for him to tell you. He sat on the edge of your tank, setting his backpack down. He had planned to leave right after. "Listen." He let out a deep sigh. "I don't know how to tell you this but they're moving you out of here t-tomorrow." Your face brightened and you pointed to the door. He smiled apologetically. "No... not out out. You're being transferred somewhere else." He could see your eyes get glassy. You pointed to him, then yourself, then the door. "I- I can't. There's no way." Zoro held his head in his hands and apologizing over and over again. 

You pushed yourself up to sit on the edge of the tank as well, wrapping your arms around him. The two of you sat like that for some time. Zoro ran his hand through your hair, trying to memorize the way it felt before he had to say goodbye. You leaned your head on his shoulder, staring into his gray eyes. He shifted so that you could face him better. Leaning forward, you paused, as if asking permission, and Zoro didn't stop you as you pressed your lips to his again. His hand tangled in your hair, pressing you deeper into the kiss. He let out a startled noise when you bit him on the lip and you felt heat rise to your cheeks as you broke the kiss and looked away bashfully. 

"No. No. It's- It's okay." Zoro's voice was low and raspy. "Do it again." 

You did as he asked, lightly biting him on the lip, and he returned the favor. You pressed your tongue into his mouth, running it alongside his own. He groaned. Now! When he was fully distracted, you tugged him into the water with you. His eyes widened in terror as you pushed him to the bottom of the tank, sucking the rest of the air out of his lungs. You broke the kiss and touched the side of his face lovingly, watching him flail as he fought to break free from your grip. You petted his hair as he had done to comfort you. Only a minute or two more before he became unconscious. It hurt you to do it, but you couldn't live like this anymore. You had waited for him, though that didn't mean you couldn't also think of a plan in case he failed. 

When King came in, not long after, he immediately noticed something wasn't right. None of the lights were on. The power was out. He rushed to the emergency generator and powered it on. All the pumps to the tanks were connected to it in case something like this happened. Without the backup power, it would only take a few hours for creatures to start dying off. With it on, some of the lights flickered back on. The generator only powered the most important electronics, not the cameras. Naturally, the first thing King did was check on the most valuable assets. While his eyes scanned your tank, trying to find you, they instead found Zoro floating at the top of the water. 

Within 15 minutes, the aquarium was swarming with first responders. In the chaos, no one noticed someone in a gym shirt and boxers run out the front doors, all their attention on Zoro. Nor did they notice the drying puddle near the main circuit breakers, located unwisely next to the mermaid's tank.  

Zoro had no fucking idea what happened. He thought it was just a nightmare until he woke up in a hospital. They said someone broke into the aquarium and stole the mermaid. They shorted out the main power so there was no security footage. It was assumed that Zoro was defending the mermaid when the attacker got the upper hand on him. Mihawk had left him a message wishing him a speedy recovery and to take his time coming back to work, in fact, maybe he shouldn't come back at all. He was cleared for discharge after a day with some antibiotics to prevent pneumonia from setting in. 

When he came back to his apartment, Sanji greeted him from the kitchen. "Hey, assface. Your girlfriend has been waiting for you for a whole day now. What the fuck is wrong with you? Making a girl as pretty as her wait? I don't even know how you managed to pull someone like her." He was half-pouting as he said this.

"Girlfriend?" Zoro didn't have a girlfriend. 

"Yeah she was in your clothes. She's your girlfriend isn't she? While you were busy laying your lazy ass in the hospital, she showed up looking for you. Well, I assumed so. She doesn't talk much." 

Zoro didn't wait for the blonde man to finish before running into his room. 

Luffy piped up from the couch, calling after him. "Tell her to quit eating all my snacks!" 

When he opened his door, you were sitting in the middle of his bed, surrounded by empty snack wrappers. His previously white shirt, now on you, was covered in orange and brown snack residue fingerprints. Your entire face lit up upon seeing him. You jumped from the bed and ran to him, throwing your arms around him and peppering kisses all over his face. 

"Oi!" He pushed you back lightly. In a quiet voice he hissed, "You drowned me!" 

You nodded happily and bounced on the balls of your feet in an excited way. You pulled him back down and rubbed your nose against his.  

The pieces gradually fell into place. "This was your plan." He grabbed your face as you nodded again. "I knew you were fucking smart." He pulled you in for a hug before kissing you. 

You pulled away, grinning. You were hyperventilating with excitement and working up courage. 

"Easy. Breathe. " Zoro could see you were trying to communicate something. "What is it?" 

"S-s-s." You furrowed your brows. 

Zoro's eyes widened. He didn't think you could speak. 

"S-stay." You pointed to yourself, soft, hopeful eyes tilted towards the green-haired man. "Stay?" 

A reassuring grin crept across his face. "Stay." He pulled you in for another hug, resting his chin on your head.