#Cricket Sounds (3 different sounds)

[ekftff]

saw this comment on a cricket noise video and felt like something changed in me idk

[softichill]

Otto stop using giant fancy words challenge

[bloodlust-1]

Hi. So I loved the story you made about Tav revealing she's a virgin to Astarion. You said we could send prompts so when you're back I would love a story about Tav's first time with Astarion under the stars 🌟🥰.

Love your stories

Thank you 🙏🏾

Okay - Fine! I'll totally give ya a part 2 ;* ! A few people actually requested this so it's about time ;p Since this is a virgin Tav, I wanted to be extremely delicate and detailed with Astarion's actions, while also still being sexy. This is some slowburned passionate smut!!

Lets get into iitttt. Hope you enjoy reading anon!

˚ ° A purity like yours ° ˚ part 2

Lovely photo by @astarionposting

Astarion x fem Tav — Explicit 18+

T/W: Smut!, virginity

Summary: Astarion fulfills his promise to make Tav's first time a beautiful and memorable experience, something he believes she deserves. When he surprises her, things get heated and her first time becomes a memory that'll forever burn into her head.

Notes: This is a part 2 to this story. You don't have to read part 1 to enjoy or understand the storyline, but it just hits different for the ones who did :* <3

The air was filled with the sweet scent of wildflowers and the sound of crickets chirping. Astarion had been planning this surprise for weeks and now it was finally time to show Tav. He took her hand and led her through the dark forest, carefully avoiding any fallen branches or rocks.

Tav held onto his hand tightly, and the anticipation was welling up inside her. What was it? She had no idea where Astarion was taking her, but she trusted him completely.

Finally, they reached a clearing in the forest and Astarion stopped, turning to face Tav with a soft smile on his face. "Close your eyes," he whispered, "I have a surprise for you."

Tav did as she was told, her heart racing with excitement. She felt Astarion take her hand once again and lead her a few steps forward before coming to a stop.

Tav felt the warmth of his palms on her shoulders. Then, the pressure of his lips pressing against her neck, "Okay, open your eyes."

Tav slowly opened her eyes and gasped in awe at the sight before her. They were standing in a beautiful pasture, surrounded by tall grass and wildflowers. But what took her breath away was the night sky above them. It was filled with countless stars, twinkling in the darkness.

"Astarion..." Tav spoke under her breath, her eyes wide with wonder. "I had no idea..."

And somehow, the moonlight captured Astarion so perfectly under its shine. A small wind blew softly threw his white curls.

Astarion chuckled at her reaction and helped her lie down on the soft grass. "I knew you would love it," he said, lying down beside her.

Tav couldn't take her eyes off the stars, they seemed to go on forever. "I never knew the night sky could be so beautiful," she whispered.

Astarion turned to look at her, his eyes shining with adoration. "Just like you," he said, a hint of awe in his voice. "Your beauty is just as infinite as the stars above us." He shyly averted his eyes back onto the sky.

Tav's eyes welled up with tears and she turned to look at Astarion with a scrunched smile. "Thank you for showing me this,"

Astarion wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "I am just glad you like it, my dear," he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Tav couldn't contain herself, wrapping her arms tightly around Astarion and bombarding his face with kisses. "You're the best," she said between giggles.

"And beautiful!" He exclaimed at her sarcastically, or did he really mean it?

Tav rolled her eyes and shook her head with a light heart.

They lay there for what felt like hours, just enjoying each other's company in comfortable silence. Tav could feel Astarion's steady breath against her cheek, and it calmed her nerves.

Without warning, Astarion's hand slipped down to rest on Tav's hip. She stiffened slightly, not expecting the sudden touch. But before she could react, Astarion's hand moved lower, cupping her ass.

Tav's eyes widened in surprise, and before she could speak, Astarion let out a nervous apology under his breath. Tav could see the panic in his eyes, afraid he had crossed a line.

"No -" She felt herself get flustered, but Tav mustered up the courage to reach for Astarion's face, cupping his cheekbone.

"I-I actually...like it," Tav stammered, her eyelashes battered at him shyly.

Astarion's eyebrows raised in shock before a cocky smirk spread across his lips. "Oh, is that so?" he teased, his voice low and playful.

Tav nodded.

Astarion's fingers trailed up the back of her thighs, tickling her skin. Tav squirmed under his touch, feeling a sudden heat between her thighs.

Her breath hitched as Astarion groped her ass, his touch was surprisingly gentle and soft. Tav felt his breath become heavy and he leaned closer to her, his lips hovering just inches from hers.

"You're such a tease," she playfully scolded him, her voice laced with desire.

Astarion just chuckled, his fingers still teasingly caressing her skin. "But you like it," he whispered, his lips now grazing her ear.

Damn, he's right.

Tav liked the way he made her feel, and the way he touched her. With a sudden burst of confidence, she pulled him in for a passionate kiss, gently climbing on top of his body fully.

Astarion's hands gripped Tav's hips, softly tugging them against his groin. He huffed into the kiss, grinding her hips against him with each needy thrust.

Tav's hands slid up Astarion's chest, feeling the defined muscles beneath his shirt. She moaned softly while he continued to grind against her, the lace of his shirt now completely undone and hanging loosely around his neck.

Astarion growled low in his throat, his lips moving from hers to trail kisses down her neck. "You're so beautiful," he whispered, his breath hot against her skin. "If this is what you really want, my love - I can't wait to feel you."

Tav shivered at his words, her body aching with desire. "I want you," she replied, her hands running through his hair as she tugged him closer.

Astarion's hands traveled down her body, his fingers tracing the curves of her waist before sliding under her shirt. He lifted it over her head, revealing her bare skin to him. He helped her kick off her pants as well.

Astarion lifted her by the waist, pushing her to sit straight up on his lap as he laid, "I want to see you from this angle."

Tav looked down on him in her undergarments. This was the most naked she had ever been in front of him, and it made her shudder with anxiousness.

His eyes sparkled, trailing down from her collarbones, breasts, stomach, full thighs, and then the soft cloth of her panties. She was a work of art, a muse.

His hand snaked up her side, with a swift motion he unclipped her bra with one hand; allowing it to sink off her shoulders.

Tav turned her head timidly, hiding her face in as much of her hair as possible.

As her bra fell, her breasts were exposed to the cool air of the night, and Astarion was practically drooling.

"Pretty." Astarion hummed in approval. He reached out for her breast, cupping the soft skin into his palm.

Tav's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She had never been touched like this before and she didn't know how to react. Astarion's hand continued to roam over her chest, his touch gentle and curious.

"Relax, my dear," he whispered, he took her nipple between his fingers. "I will be gentle."

He sat up, one breast in his palm, and his other hand wrapped around her waist.

Astarion's lips trailed down Tav's neck, leaving a trail of soft kisses. He gave her breast a gentle squeeze. Tav gasped at the sensation, her body responding to his touch despite her nerves.

He pulled her closer, his lips now on hers, and Tav melted into his embrace. Astarion's other hand joined in, caressing her other breast, and Tav couldn't hold back a loud moan.

"There it is. how does it feel?" His breath tickled her lips.

"More - please.." Tav shamelessly lowered her head, allowing her whimpers to flow out softly.

Astarion kissed her deeply, and her worries and doubts faded away. Tav gave in to the pleasure, letting Astarion take the lead and guide her through this new experience.

she was grateful to have him as her first. He was gentle and nurturing to her needs and wants.

Astarion continued to explore Tav’s body, hands hungrily stroking every curve, scar, and stretch mark he could dip his fingers on.

Studying her every move, expression, and whimper, Astarion pinned every spot that made her jaw drop and face burn red. He specifically loved the way her lower lip fell when she moaned.

He felt one thing that he had never felt before: In control. And all he wanted to do with it was please Tav.

He continued to kiss her, lacing his tongue with hers. The excitement started to whelm deep into his stomach and as a result, poking Tav’s inner thighs with a full erection.

Astarion became desperate, sloppily kissing her while their tongues twirled together. Their hold got tighten around each other and Astarion pulled away with a sharp breath for air.

“I wonder how you taste." His lips pulled into a smug look and it burned Tav's heart. He was so shameless and knew exactly what he wanted. Why wouldn't be honest with his love?

He pushed Tav's back onto the grass, hovering over her naked body.

Tav's heart raced, and Astarion looked down at her with dominating eyes. She couldn't believe she was here, at this moment, ready to give her virginity.

As he pulled his shirt off, Tav blatantly stared at his abs. But when he removed his pants, his erection building right up, Tav had a wave of nerves wash over her.

Astarion noticed the panic in her eyes and immediately stopped. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, his hand caressing her cheek.

"It's okay, my dear," he whispered, "I'll take care of you."

Tav's heart swelled at his words. She nodded, giving him a small smile. He would take care of her, surely.

His lips trailed down Tav's collarbones, making their way to her breasts. Tav's breath hitched, he took one of her nipples into his mouth, his tongue swirling around it and sending shivers down her spine.

He then moved down her stomach, his lips leaving a trail of kisses and his hands caressing every inch of her skin. When he reached her thighs, Astarion couldn't resist the temptation any longer.

With a devilish glint in his eye, he spread her legs wide and took a deep breath, "Delicious," he murmured, before teasing her inner thighs with his kisses.

Tav squirmed under his touch, her skin tingling from the grazing of his fangs against her thighs. A soft moan escaped her lips, and a trail of hickeys littered her skin.

But it was nothing compared to the sensation when Astarion finally placed a single kiss on her core. Tav's back arched for more, her fingers gripping the blades of grass. A soft gasp left her lips.

"I think we should take this slow, my dear," Astarion whispered against her sex, "After all, it's your first time."

Again, his lips were on her folds, kissing them until his tongue dragged across her wetness. The slick of her core had a sweet tinge that only made him desperate for more.

The tip of his tongue fell onto Tav's clit. It burned in heat compared to his tongue and he slowly traced in all kinds of shapes. His red eyes glared up at Tav, studying which designs made her moan more, whimper, arch her back, and push her hips closer against his mouth.

And when he did find her spot, Tav's became a breathy mess. Cries and whimpers flowed out her mouth like lyrics to her favorite song. Her ankles quivered to each long stroke of Astarion's tongue.

Her stomach knotted deep within her and Tav hastily grabbed a handful of his curls.

"A-aahhh, Don't..S-Stop." She gritted her teeth and her face scrunched in an intense plea to his tongue.

His name cried off her lips.

With a devilish glint in his eyes, Astarion flicked his tongue and teased her most sensitive spot. Tav's moans grew louder and heavier.

It was like he became almost feral. He pushed his face closer to her core, his tongue working even more intensely against her clit. Tav felt a knot forming in her stomach. Tav's body tensed up as she neared her climax.

With one final flick of his tongue, Astarion brought Tav to her peak, her body released itself, and Tav let out a breathy cry. Astarion looked up at her, nodding in approval as he took in her flushed cheeks and ragged breaths.

Tav was left breathless and Astarion quickly covered her mouth with his, their tongues tangled needingly like a drug. Their tongues and teeth clashed together roughly. Their bodies practically hummed with a desire for more.

Finally, they pulled away, their chests rising and falling, both trying to catch their breath. "Wow..I...never felt that - before," Tav huffed, her eyes fell hazy.

Astarion gazed at Tav with a mischievous smirk on his face. "I could say the same, my love," he replied, before pulling her in for another heated kiss.

Tav moaned between the kiss, "I want to make you feel good too."

"Open your mouth," Astarion commanded as he fit himself perfectly between her legs.

Tav obeyed, and his slender fingers slipped into her mouth. She sucked on them eagerly, wetting them with her tongue. His eyes coldly pushed them deeper into her throat until she gagged.

"You're such a good pup," Astarion praised, his voice husky with desire. He used her saliva to lubricate his cock before placing it at the entrance of her core.

"Are you ready?" His red eyes pierced Tav's, and with teary eyes, she nodded yes.

With a slow and steady pace, Astarion pushed his hips forward, sliding himself into her. Tav clutched onto his arms and winced at the sharp pain, but Astarion's face faded somber at the sound of her cries.

"Shhh...There, there. Try to relax," he comforted her, giving her a moment to adjust to his length. Tav pulled him closer into a hug, tightly shutting her eyes into his nape.

Astarion gently rubbed the back of her head with his hand, his thumb tracing comforting circles on her skin. Tears welled up in Tav's eyes, but she spoke to Astarion through the pain.

"I can feel you," Tav hummed in a soft voice, admiration.

His heart skipped a beat at her words. They were finally one, and it made him fall in love with her all over again.

Astarion rarely became nervous, but Tav's words shook him, "A-Alright, I'm going to go slow, my love..."

With each thrust of his hips, Astarion could feel Tav's grip tighten around him, and he let out a low grunt of pleasure against her neck. Tav's body responded eagerly to his, and soon they were moving in perfect rhythm together.

Tav's nails dug into Astarion's shoulder blades, dragging lines down his back until it rested on his hips. Tav forced his hips down with her palms closer to her groin.

Their bodies were slick with sweat as they moved against each other, and Tav's moans mingled with Astarion's grunts. At that moment, nothing else mattered except the two of them, lost in their lust.

Astarion grabbed Tav's thigh, forcibly pulling her leg up tighter into his cock. He pumped skillfully into her sex, closing his eyes as his body greedily melted to the sensation.

Fuck, Astarion's mind went blank. Sex was never for pleasure. Not in his world, but in this moment; there was something special about the way his spine shivered and his skin crawled.

Without a word, Astarion took hold of Tav's wrists and pinned them above her head, glaring down at her with carnal lust. Only a gasp left her lips.

"I'm going to take everything I want from you, my love, greedily and passionately."

Wasting no time, his hips rocked against Tav's, their bodies fitting together like two puzzle pieces.

Tav mewled a loud moan, the roughness of Astarion's thrusts almost bordering on pain. But it was a good kind of pain, one that sent shivers down her spine and made her toes curl.

"Astarion!" she cried out, her voice filled with a mixture of pleasure and desperation. "Fuck...n-nghh!"

Astarion's own moans mixed with hers, his breath hot against her skin as he continued to drive into her with each thrust. Tav's walls clenched around him, pulling him deeper and deeper inside her.

Their bodies moved in perfect rhythm, each moan and gasp pushed them closer and closer to the edge. Tav's mind clouded with nothing but the feeling of Astarion's cock inside her.

"Harder, Astarion," she begged, her voice rasped raw with need.

And he obliged, his movements becoming rougher and more urgent and they both approached their climax. Tav's moans turned into cries of ecstasy while her body trembled beneath Astarion's hold.

With one final thrust, Astarion let out a loud moan. His length twitched three times, filling Tav before collapsed on top of her. Their bodies were still entwined.

When he pulled out, a small sheen of blood covered his tip.

Astarion captured Tav's lips, and his eyes fluttered hazily. He then pulled Tav into a hug and they lay in each other's arms, panting and catching their breath. They may have started as strangers, but in that moment, they were truly one and it was a feeling that he never wanted to let go of.

"You're amazing," Astarion kissed Tav's forehead, "How do you feel?"

"I feel ruined - but in the best way possible." Her mouth hung open, still catching her breath.

Astarion clicked his tongue against his teeth, "Darling, you will be feeling deliciously sore in all the right places tomorrow."

"You really think so?" Tav's glossy eyes widened with a flush of red burning her cheeks.

Astarion was so right. The lingering ache would serve as a sweet memory of their passionate and unforgettable night together.

Any thoughts? Comment 👇🏼 I love to engage!

[spdrvyn]

i'll be lonely with you — MIGUEL O'HARA

SUMMARY: with the passage of time and whispers from your acquaintances at the spider society HQ, you've found out that your boss has a habit of sneaking out of his office during the dead hours of night to eat dinner. completely alone.

NOTES: new formatting for fics !!! do you guys like it? :3 i decided to include summaries that way it would be easier for people to understand the general jist of the plot without me spewing nonsense in the notes. anyways enjoy !!!!! thanks for the support on my recent works as well ^_^

You didn't consider yourself the most introverted person.

Even when it came to hundreds of Spider-people, you tried to get to know who you could and become acquainted with as many of them as possible. How could you not?

However, there were few that you knew on a more personal level. People that you'd keep close to your side whenever you visited headquarters. People that you'd enjoy having an exchange of gossip with during lunch in the bustling cafeteria.

Miguel O'Hara wasn't exactly one of those people.

It's not like you didn't want to develop something more than a boss-coworker relationship. Though, conversations with him were always difficult, to the say the least. Most of the time, he's talking about work and anything that goes past that boundary goes unspoken.

Quite literally. You've forgotten the amount of times that you've built up the courage to mention anything about your other (not deceased) relatives or your friends and the amount of times that the room was filled with a silence so awkward that crickets are on the same volume as missile launchers.

Though, you didn't want to lose hope. You sort of understood where he was coming from. People go through grief and mourning in different ways, Miguel's was probably just isolation and a complete avoidance of discussions of personal life.

He was a leader. A good one. A trait of a good leader is to connect with their subordinates, establish relationships. So it really made you think.

How messed up was he that he missed that one quality?

"Hey. Your food's getting cold." There it goes, the sound of your train of thought leaving the station. Sometimes, you were grateful for Jess being there for you. She could snap you back to reality you like nobody else could.

You mutter an apology before stabbing your salad with your fork and taking a bite, Jess rests her head on her palm. Raising a brow at you, "So, did you want to eat lunch with me for fun or are you just using me to get info about Miguel? Again?"

Nervously, you shake your head. "It's nothing like that!" She leans in a little more, waving her other free hand in the air in a circular motion.

"...But if you have anything that you'd like to share then I'm not going to refuse entirely—"

"Oh my god. Fine, fine. What do you want to know?"

With that question, it felt like your mind blanked. You fidgeted with your fork, twirling a leaf of your salad against the plate as you pondered on what question to ask.

Jess responds with a deep sigh, "If you're trying to find a way to talk to him more, he doesn't leave that office of his much unless it's for work. He's in there most of time. Although..."

"Although?"

"Although, I've seen him come here normally somewhere around midnight to get a very late dinner alone. The place is less crowded, most are just in their own universe or sleeping or working."

Your face falls a little upon hearing that. "So I can only catch a non-serious conversation with him... in the middle of the night?"

"Exactly. Besides, there's a good chance he's going to just— continue talking about work with you whether he's in his office or not. You know that, right?"

You drop your utensil in defeat, burying your face shamefully in your hands. "I know..."

You quickly wrap up your lunch with Jess, as she shares bits and pieces about him. You had really wondered how she was able to learn all of these things about him anyway but before you had the opportunity to ask her, she told you to not.

Respecting her wishes, you keep your mouth shut. Respecting her even further, you decide to pack up both of your plates and wave her a goodbye before picking up those thoughts that you were left a while ago.

Admittedly, you didn't know why you were so persistent for something like this, for someone like him.

Determination was a strength of yours but that didn't mean that you didn't know where your limits rested and you would back off when you needed to.

There was just something. A swirling feeling in your gut that was telling you to keep going.

That it would be worth it.

So, you follow everything that Jess told you. Around midnight, he'd be alone, in the cafeteria, and looking for an empanada to snack on before heading back into his office. A very small fraction of his time left for personal conversation if you tried hard enough!

This most likely wasn't a good idea. You didn't sleep at all through the day but the thrill kept you alive and thriving. You confidently stride up to the counters of the cafeteria, picking out a small bag of chips for yourself and the last empanada for your soon-to-be snack companion.

Now, you wait.

You surveyed your surroundings and as you were doing that, you realize why he particularly emerges during these kinds of hours to eat. There was a significantly less amount of people.

Whenever you came here during the day, it was a miracle to be able to find completely empty seats. At times, you were forced to sit with a group of people.

You weren't entirely ungrateful for that though, you've made a lot of friends that way. Sure, it was awkward at first but the more you were forced to interact with people that way, the more you adapted to making small talk.

Even then, there were a lot of tables that were taken here save for one completely empty one at the far end.

Then, you finally see that navy and red suit.

Deciding to observe him just a little bit more, you watch him curse under his breath seeing the display case for the empanadas empty. Before he walks away any further, you tap him on the shoulder.

His mask was on, his eyes widen a little bit before you hand him the small box. "I saved the last one for you."

With a soft huff, you see the muscles in his shoulders and back grow loose once more, he hestitantly takes the container from your hands. Looking at it then looking back at you, "Thanks."

You two share a few seconds of awkward silence, you felt a little exposed. You decided to unmask for this because you wanted him to feel more comfortable talking to you rather than who you were as a Spider-person yet there's still that same awkwardness in the air.

Clearly without nothing to do and no idea on how to makem something better out of this, Miguel's about to walk off before you stop him once more.

"W— wait," A little piece of yourself dies inside as you hear yourself stutter but nevertheless, you keep going. "Uh, there aren't any other spots so is it alright if I sit you? I don't know any of the people here."

The way that you see the eyes through his masks narrow ever so slightly once the question escapes your throat makes your heart quiver like crazy.

You wanted to get to know him but damn, if you said that he didn't scare you sometimes then you would be lying.

You cry on the inside with sweet victory as he says...

"Fine."

That was it. That was all you got but you gladly take it! You have to catch up to him though because once you're done mentally celebrating, he's already a little bit far from you.

You try your hardest to keep your head straight but you can't help but look up and spare him one glance, the fact that you even had to look up at him really only emphasized your height difference with him.

Another factor that made you just a little bit more intimidated by him, his physique. You considered yourself to be of average height, you weren't the tallest person in the room but you were never the shortest as well. Just average.

The way he practically towered over you, his hand nearly being the size of your head. It made you feel something.

The moment that both of you have a seat, you take your opportunity.

"So, is there anything that you plan on doing after this?"

You get a little distracted once his mask comes off, he raises an eyebrow at you, crimson eyes that feel like they're looking straight into your soul. Though, side-tracked as he bites into the dough and meaty goodness of his empanada, with a shrug— he replies,

"Not really. Unless there's an anomaly I haven't heard of yet then I have no plans. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, nothing. Was just curious is all." Why was this so hard?!

The conversation goes as what you expected. You'd ask a question every moment or so and he'd give you a short response before going back to his food. He wouldn't ask you anything back, wouldn't add any 'unnecessary' comments. Just bask in the silence.

You simply couldn't take it anymore, you didn't know how to express your interest in him without asking him more questions about himself which he seems to avoid trying to answer.

You couldn't ask him about his hobbies because he'll most likely say that he's too busy working to actually spend time gaining and branching out to different interests.

Dejectedly, you sigh. "I'm sorry for imposing— on your alone time, I mean." It was like everything that you wanted to say just kept spilling out of your mouth.

"I didn't want to eat with you at this hour because I pity you or— or I found you lonely or whatever. I just thought that whenever you weren't talking about work, we'd be able to get along."

You stand up from your seat, eyes mindlessly darting arounf the labels of the bag of 'Spider-O's' in your clutches.

"I'll, uhm, let you eat in peace now. Once again, I'm—"

"Wait."

Which ever brain cells died from that interaction certainly reignited now. "Sit back down," It comes off an order. An order you certainly obey.

"I wouldn't have actually said yes to you if I didn't want to talk." He starts. "I know a lot of people but it's not in the same way that you do. I know their names, their faces, their canon events. You know their feelings, their mindscapes, and their troubles—"

"—And those are the exact kinds of things that I can't comprehend most of the time. We understand people differently, is what I'm saying. I still have no idea why exactly you sought out me of all people but I will... try to gain this new perspective of things."

You want to tamp down the smile that creeps up on your lips as you hear those words but you can't. What he said, it all made sense now. You couldn't see the full picture still, but you were willing to find it—

"I understand. It's fine."

"So? Do you have plans after this?"

Together.

[lunasfics]

You Remind Me of Lilies - Damian Wayne

Summary: "You remind me of lilies.” He paused, eyeing you with curiosity, “And why is that, beloved?”  You smiled, “You just do, all different colors of lilies mean different things, and I can trace each one back to you. Every time.”

pairing: older! Damian Wayne x gn! Reader

word count: 611

warnings: none

a/n: saw a picture of lilies and got the idea to write this <3 my formal apology for the jason angst lol, i hope you like it! - luna <3

reblogs are appreciated!

The moment was a quiet one. The two of you were sitting on the grassy patch, the soft cloth from your earlier picnic providing comfort beneath you. Damian held your hand in his as he looked forward, eyeing the patches of lilies scattered across the meadow. 

You looked at him, his brilliant green eyes glazed over with the soft peachy tint of the sunset ahead. The soft breeze swaying his hair ever so slightly, his smooth olive skin was kissed by the soft pink and orange hues of the fading sun. He turned to you, his gaze catching yours. His lips quirked up into a soft smile.

“Why are you staring at me?”

“You remind me of lilies.” 

He paused, eyeing you with curiosity, “And why is that, beloved?” 

You smiled, “You just do, all different colors of lilies mean different things, and I can trace each one back to you. Everytime.” 

A soft shade of pink spreads over his ears and cheeks, he scoots closer to you, the hand that was holding yours letting go and snaking itself around your waist. You leaned into him, relishing the moment. The soft sounds of the grass rustling in the breeze, a blue hue slowly washing over you as the sun sets further. The temperature cooled slowly, the warmth of the sun dissipating, you brought yourself closer to Damian. 

“Tell me about the lilies.” He spoke softly, you almost didn’t catch it. You smiled. 

“Well, white lilies mean purity, tranquility, and humility. Red ones signify love and affection, pink symbolizes youth and joy, and orange ones represent happiness, love, and warmth.” 

He spoke softly, “I don’t know that I’m any of those things.” 

You turned to look at him, “Nonsense, you’re all those things and more.” 

He met your gaze, smiling softly, the sun was gone by now. However looking into his sparkling green eyes, seeing the small crinkles at the corners from his soft gaze, they could’ve fooled you into thinking the sun was shining on just the two of you. 

He leaned and placed a gentle kiss on your forehead. 

“I don’t think I would be anywhere near where I am today if not for you. I love you.” He spoke softly. His voice is gentle, tender. 

You were so proud of him. Truly. He'd graduated from the Robin title, taking on his own identity, he'd started attending Gotham University with you. He'd opened up, made friends, he'd come so far. And it was all him. As far as he has come, these kinds of soft gazes, tender words, and warm touches were the kind that he saved only for you. It made them all the more special.

“That's all the product of your effort, Dami, not me. I love you too.” You leaned your head back on his chest, his arm wrapped securely around you. 

The two of you stay like that for a moment, a comfortable silence washing over you like a warm blanket of serenity. The bees have stopped buzzing, the sounds now replaced with the distant songs of the cicadas, and the soft sounds of the crickets. 

Damian broke the silence, “I used to think you were too good for me. That I didn’t deserve you. This. Even now when I look at you it’s as though I am seeing the stars for the first time.”

You met his eyes, gazing into the now darkened shade of green, “You deserve everything good in this world.” 

He held you closer, kissing you softly. He pulled away, speaking softly, “The sun is down, we should get going.” 

You shook your head, “Let’s stay just a little bit longer. This is nice.” 

He smiled and nodded, “As you wish, beloved.”

[cherrysha]

Ritual

Summary: Choso Likes sneaking into ur room when ur out on missions...

Warnings: Stalker Choso, Invasion of Privacy, Masturbation

Word Count: 1.2k

A/N: This was a blurb from a bigger fic that just felt a little too bloated,,, and if you've seen this before its because i posted it on a backup acc! also if formatting is off, ill fix it in the morning <3

It’s a secret. Something he doesn’t plan on letting anyone else know, something he doesn’t ever want you to find out either. Something that, deep down, he knows he should be ashamed of, but he does it anyway.

The halls are quiet as he creeps across the wooden floors of the teacher’s dorms. Lamplight flickers, moths lazily flitting around them as his shadow blinks in and out of existence, the only proof of his late night rendezvous. Rounding the corner, his eyes sharply analyze the inky darkness, ears tuned in to the listless noise of the night, crickets chirping and the sound of trickling water from the koi pond outside. Easily he finds his way, knowing the path all too well. When he approaches the door, the knob lets out little more than a dry creak at the pressure of his hand, but he’s still careful of how the old wooden door moans in protest at his intrusion.

Your room is as quiet as it usually is when he makes these visits. You’re always gone, off on some mission he knows with certainty is below your pay grade. It leaves an ache in his heart he won’t admit to but still feels every time you leave. A deep-seated worry for your safety. He knows your capable, but then again, he had deemed his younger brothers capable of holding their own too.

He soundlessly closes the door before rubbing his sweaty palms on the pajama bottoms Yuuji picked out for him. Still trying to figure out if he likes this new style of dress, arguably finding his robes more comfortable to wear.

When he steps deeper into the room he’s greeted by the sweet smell that tends to linger around you, and it calms the mad thumping of his heart. Your room is neat, organized, like it usually is whenever you leave. Your bedsheets, however, are a different story, and his hand’s twitch that the sight of them. It’s been too long since he’s had this pleasure, its sick, he knows, but he finds solace in the feel of your sheets around him. Cocooned in the scent you leave behind and wrapped in what feels like the proverbial softness that you spare to him.

With a shaky sigh Choso climbs into your bed, cool sheets slowly warming up to him stirs something deep in his chest.

It’s not the first time he’s done this, not even the second, but the searing guilt that momentarily burns through his stomach still makes his wandering hands falter. Of course they continue down his body, lightly grazing the dark hairs that dust just below his navel before continuing lower, past the confinement of his bottoms and down, down, down, until he’s reached his destination. His cock is already firm, warm to the touch and more sensitive than it needs to be as memories of you lazily drift in and out of his consciousness. His skin feels hot, throat tight at the intimacy of it all.

Would you be as open and welcoming if you knew? If you saw how his hand lazily pumped his cock in the one place you thought you had privacy? He tries not to think about it. Instead, busying himself with tracing his fingers on the underside of his shaft, a whimper drawn tight in his throat and only breaching the air once he exchanges the lazy touches for a too firm grip at the base. His grip only lessens once his hand moves upward, coming almost completely off before slowly sliding back down. It’s something that should be savored, he doesn’t get this opportunity very often, and so he takes his time. He’s seen you once, all dolled up to take Nobara and Yuuji shopping in Tokyo. You were wearing tight fitting clothes, something he enjoyed about this century’s fashion. He could see so much skin, your legs on display in a pair of shorts, a blouse that did nothing to hide the valley of your cleavage to his prying eyes. Choso was extremely grateful when you left. Hiding himself away until the urge became too irresistible. Until his hands had greedily pumped his swollen cock at the thought of you. Just as they did now, except this time his movements were careful, precise.

With a lick of his lips, he shifts his gaze to your bedside table. It’s almost ritualistic at this point, an itch he just can’t scratch that rears its ugly head the moment his sweeping gaze finds the picture frame. Your smiling face stares back at him behind the glass. There are other people, but he can only see you. Can only smell you and hear the tinkling sound of your voice as you say his name. His pace becomes faster, breath heavier as he imagines how it’d sound to hear you moan it. How it would feel to have your lips on his neck and your hands on his body. An audible choking noise echoes in the emptiness of the room as Choso’s free hand cups the weight of his balls. As if the movement was unintentional on his part, shocking him with the warmth of his palm and he has to tighten his fist against the base of his cock to keep from cumming. The movement doesn’t work in his favor, the elastic of his pants rubbing against the sensitive underside and making his hips stutter on a broken whine as his orgasm washes through his body. Hot lashes of cum paint the skin of his hips and the front of his pants. Whimpering, he quickly picks up his pace in an effort to prolong the sensation, hand tightening around his balls and eyes dotting with tears as he breaches into the feeling of oversensitivity and forces his body to continue. It’s not fair, none of it is fair. He shouldn’t be so sensitive, biting back a whine he continues lazily fucking his fist, hips arching into the rough feel of it. Surely, you’d be so much softer, your mouth, your hands, your pussy. The thought alone is enough to make his hips jerk up in search of something more. By the time he’s finished torturing himself, cum has started to dry on his pants.

It’s not a big deal, Choso knows exactly where you keep tissues. Knows that once he wipes himself down, he needs to take the evidence with him, stuff the mess into his own pocket. He’ll hesitate as he goes to leave, a sickening urge to stay roiling in the pit of his stomach. Just like always.

The cycle will inevitably repeat itself. You’ll leave, he’ll invite himself in, curse as he gets droplets of cum on your sheets, and leave once the excitement has worn off. You’ll return and give him that same warm smile you always save for him.

Deep down he’s wondering how long until your face twists in disgust. How long until you find out who he truly is. His cock twitches at the thought, blood shooting to his pelvis, his fingers clamp hard around the base as he tries to catch his breath, suddenly winded at the thought. Lazily, he starts pumping again, the only noise being the wet glide of his fist and whispers of your name spoken into the cool night air.

[imamotherfuckingstar-lord]

what he deserves, chapter 3

Sanji x Reader, a bit of Law x Reader

Warnings: angst, one-night stand, not really a love triangle – law and reader are mature about the situation. Some implied smut.!!!! WANO SPOILERS!!!!!

a/n: this will be several parts. Leave comment for tags.

Summary: Witnessing all the suffering Sanji went through on Whole Cake Island, all you want is for him to be truly happy…even if it means not with you. Set after the fight in Wano, you go through the motions of an endless fight and end up in bed with the Hearts Pirates’ Captain to distract yourself from the one thing you want the most – Sanji.

masterlist

The village was lively; Otama showed you around since you hadn’t had a chance since landing in Wano. Her hand was glued to yours, pointing out different homes and who they belonged to. She went on and on about how great her big bro Luffy was and how full her belly had been from the last three days of eating. Her smile put into perspective how vast the world was and how this country, this village, was just one small story among millions. There were more stories like Otama’s, more people to help and when you glanced over to Luffy – who was busy devouring his fifth bowl of rice, you knew he’d be the one to liberate everyone. Leaving her to go to the man’s side, you wandered off toward the edge of the village – where the trees were high and shading. Needing some time alone, you walked further into the forest and then perched yourself down near a small pond. Sitting on the ground, your eyes drew closed.

Moments flashed in your mind, memories flowing like a stream. A smile burned through your heart thinking of the crew…Merry…than Sunny… All the arguing and laughing among the seas you all traveled. The best moments in your life were had on the ship but hidden in the cracks of memories were the ones of your family. Biological family. Pain sears through your soul and for a moment, you thought you could smell your mother’s perfume, father’s cigars. You loved them once and you were sure they loved you, but people can become the worst versions of themselves.

And never come back.

For years, you were always on your own. Fending for yourself – being hurt by others, sometimes far worse than what your parents did to you. The physical scars always heal but damage the heart, that was harder to mend. The pond was still, too still for your liking, so you swat a hand into it. Ripples catered to your needs, and you inhaled the air, lungs filling with relief than the tears fell from your eyes. Body shaking, fingers digging into the dirt, all you can do is just sob. Cry until you collapsed onto your back; eyes stung as you stared up past the tree line. It was getting dark, and you felt sleepy, even though you had slept so much last night. Still, there was an incredible tiredness that came over you and it only took a few minutes before you fell asleep…

Crickets woke you up.

How soft their sounds usually were, you were surprised by how loud they were when no one was around. It was dark, moon high and above the trees. Your back ached from the ground and when you sat up, your head felt dizzy. You yawned, getting up from your feet to tug on your kimono; it was dirtied from your nap. Stretching your arms, you felt energetic and started back toward the village – it was a short ten-minute walk, and the village was quiet. The streets were empty sans a few folks walking back to their homes, Luffy was nowhere to be found.

 Shit. Realizing it might be later than you initially thought, you didn’t bother asking anyone if they had seen your captain or gone looking for Otama. Going back to the inn seemed like the best choice but as you moved past the homes, you noticed two young girls in front of their home. They looked no older than sixteen and when you drew closer to them, you saw that one was giving the other a haircut. You stopped and watched, the one getting her hair cut smiled at you. She looked so content and free; eyes filled with a hope of a better future and her hair…it looked good shorter. Asking if you could be next in line, the would-be hairdresser grinned. “Of course.”

An hour later, you stood in front of the inn; your once long hair cut under your chin. It was a drastic change, even a bit severe but losing those inches of hair felt freeing. Being among other women who have been ruled by others, being free by the same man that freed you – it felt electric. You needed this and when you walked into the inn, you hadn’t expected to be rushed by Nami. Her arms flung around your shoulders, and she cursed you under her breath.

“Everyone was so worried.”

Confused, you hugged her back, fingers running through her hair. She pulled back and gawked at your head, asking what you had done to your hair. You laughed. “It’s called a haircut. The real question is why you were so worried, I was only gone for a bit. When did Luffy get back?”

“Eight hours ago!”

She explained that when Luffy came back right before sunset, he said he didn’t know where you were. Everyone figured you were just around. “Or with Law but even he didn’t know where you were! He had gone out to look for you too. Sanji’s been worried, he was the first to go out to find you. Where the hell have you been!”

Chopper rushed into the inn’s entry way and summoned you to the other room for an examination – in tears, asking if you were hurt. Kneeling in front of him, you patted his head three times, just the way he liked it and told him you were fine. “I just fell asleep in the forest.”

Nami scoffed. “Apparently got a haircut on her way back too.”

“Does it look that bad?”

You stood up and looked at the navigator, she glared at you for a long time before giving into a smile. It was cute, she said, and you felt relieved – a bad haircut might set you off again but before you could thank her, Robin and Brook walked in. Both were pleased to see you; the latter urged you to go outside. “The others are on their way; they’ll be happy to see you.”

Following him outside, the rest trailed behind you – Robin noting how pretty your new locks were. Smiling, you walked into the streets and looked in the direction Brook pointed towards. The first person you saw was Luffy and before your eyes could register the figures next to him, his hands grabbed a hold of your shoulders. Knowing what was about to happen, true fear set in as he screamed your name – no doubt waking up every person in the vicinity of the inn. A unison of shouting and pleading from the crew did nothing to sway Luffy’s determination to hug you. All that there was left to do was accept your fate. Bracing yourself, your eyes closed shut and seconds later his entire body seemed to be wrapped around yours. He felt heavy but when you tripped back there were two arms holding you up. Thinking it was Robin, you giggled as you were pushed back into a standing position. Everyone laughed. When Luffy finally released you, the owner of the hands was revealed to be Sanji. He asked if you were alright, chastising Luffy. “You could have hurt her, you moron!”

He slipped his hands away from you, eyes taking in your hair. His heart galloped in a way it never had but he pushed it back the feeling and asked where you had been. You confessed the nap you had taken, and he smiled warmly. A hint of earnestness swept his eyes when you apologized for making him worry. “For making you all go out looking for me,” you added.

“As if we’d leave you behind,” Usopp chimed; you looked to him and mouthed a ‘sorry’. He knew you meant for earlier and he just grinned at you – all was forgiven. Then like the sap you were, tears started to flow alarming everyone. Zoro demanded you to stop crying, but you knew it was only because it was making him uncomfortable. Sanji told him to shut up and placed an arm around your shoulder, asking if you were hurt.

Hurt?

No, you were…happy.

Happy to be with your family and more importantly, happy to be wanted.

Brushing tears from your cheeks, you looked at everyone than to Sanji. “I’m pretty hungry…”

….

The inn’s kitchen was cozy, you sat on a wooden stool watching as Sanji cooked. He had long rid himself of the yellow yukata he had worn for most of his time in Wano; he now wore black slacks and a white, loose button up. Sleeves rolled up his forearm and the first two buttons of the shirt undone. He looked relaxed as he cooked a small dinner for you; neither of you speaking but comfortable enough to enjoy the silence. His hands moved effortlessly, and you studied his every move, moves you had longed memorized. All the times you spent with him in the kitchen, asking questions but confessing you weren’t much of a cook. He smiled when you said that.

“That’s fine, I can do all the cooking.”

Now, he worked diligently – cigarette perched in the corner of his mouth.

“We were all pretty worried when you didn’t’ come back with Luffy.” He spoke but didn’t look up from dicing potatoes for the soup he was making you. “At first, we thought you had gone out on your own, but then it took Luffy an hour to mention that he had lost track of back at Otama’s village. That’s when everyone started to freak out. With everything that’s happened…it seems we’re all on edge.”

“I’m sorry…”

Sanji looked up from his work, eyes a bit sad. “Don’t be sorry for having people that care about you.”

“Then you shouldn’t either,” you snapped back much to Sanji and your surprise. He stopped dicing and placed the knife down. Neither of you knew what to say next, but neither of you could look away from each other. It felt like a standoff with words, both of you trying to figure out what to say next. Then he resided and continued to cook, and for ten minutes no words were spoken until Sanji finally broke the silence.

“Why did Nami lie about you being there when we talked through the mirror dimension?”

Heart racing, you fought the urge to avoid his eye contact, avoid him all together and run upstairs but your feet were frozen to the wood floor. Gripping the edge of the stool, you told him you asked her to lie and when he asked why, you wished lies could roll off your tongue. “Because I was angry at you. Angry that you had no faith in Luffy or us or me to help you.”

“They threatened Zeff, threatened you all.” They being his awful family. Sanji’s head hung low, hands on the small kitchen island. “I couldn’t let them get to him, Luffy, the others…you…. I – I couldn’t…”

Your heart ached for Sanji and all you wanted to do was go to him, hold him, absorb his pain but again, you couldn’t move. A woman frozen. Dread riddled your bones as he looked up to you, eyes pleading for you to understand. God, you did, you did but…

“You were going to go through with it,” you whispered, tears forming. Letting go of the stool, you held a hand to your chest and trembled. “You were going to go through with the wedding because they wanted you to. The family that discarded you. You told me how awful they were to you, Sanji.”

“But I had to…”

“I understand why you did it,” you admitted, wiping away a stray tear. “I do. But you didn’t even give Luffy a chance, give me a chance to help you. Not from the start. Didn’t you realize that we would do anything for each other? Was not that evident enough after all this time? We are your family, Sanji. We are. Not those awful people and not that awful girl.”

Sanji couldn’t comprehend the scene before him – the tears in your eyes, the look of devastation on your face, or the pain in his heart. He couldn’t form words, let alone a sentence but somehow, he managed to speak and the instant he did, he knew it was the wrong thing to say. Even if he had said it out of nerves, trying to ease the tension. It would be something he’d regret until the end of time, but he couldn’t grasp the knowledge that you might feel the same as him – couldn’t be possible.

“She wasn’t so awful.”

His response to the heart pouring you just did stun the nerves in your system and all you could do was laugh. A low, melancholy laugh. Willing the tears away, you stood up from the stool and smiled softly at the startled cook. “Well, then, maybe Usopp was right. Maybe you should have married Pudding. You’re the kindest person I know Sanji and if you couldn’t warm her heart, no one could. I’m not feeling so hungry anymore. Goodnight.”

The cigarette fell from his mouth onto the cutting board as he watched you exit the kitchen; he wanted to call out to you, beg for your forgiveness. Yet, the shame of even mentioning Pudding kept him where he stood. He listened to the sound of your sandals clicking until he could no longer hear it, and when the coast was clear, he allowed the tears to flow freely. He didn’t know if it was possible to even come back from a conversation like this one. Or if you’d ever be willing to speak to him again and he wasn’t so sure he even deserved a second chance.

......

tags:

@stuckinthewrongworld @theyluvmesblog

@synchronised-beat @hi3431

@fandomsunited @ghostercy

@yuki190 @bowscale @utakamo

@fire-child-kira @cheshireshiya

@teenyforestfairy @sukilovesyou

@69cocktimusprime @littlemissfiore @kodzuchim

@angeiisa @bitchycoffeepainter69

@secretlife028 @idiot-sanwich02

@abandonedbrat @breens-nick

@bocchi-the-heart @sseleniaa

@depression-247 @sweetgurl1623-blog-blog

@punem69 @themossiestchick @sweetcoldmelancholy

@sanjipudinzinho @baelien-queen

@kodzuchim @kfcmuncha @bloodysweetcat

@angeiisa @gingersnap126126

want to be tagged in next part? leave a comment!

if you want off, let me know!

[villainsimpqueen]

Echos In Paradise Lost.

Chapter 3.

(My fics are 18+.)

summary: Gold itself is inert and does not tarnish or corrode, but it can be alloyed with other metals that may affect its appearance or properties. However, the purity of gold can be compromised if it is mixed with impurities during the refining process, resulting in a lower quality or different color of gold. Additionally, gold can accumulate dirt or oils over time, which may affect their appearance but can usually be cleaned to restore their original shine.

Chapter 3.

Branches, thorns and vines slapped against your body as you ran through the forest of the Gardens. Your heart pounding in your chest as you ran searching.

You were moving too fast, you needed to slow down and so you leaned against a tree heaving allowing you burning lungs to ease from their over working.

You needed to breathe and you needed to focus, You needed to find Adam, but if you rushed you may have missed him.

He had taught you to track.

You let out a shaky breath and took in the surroundings that were barely being lit up by the moon. The messy path proved that your dear husband had come this way and you kneeled down to rub your fingers into his tracks feeling how soft the disturbed soil was, it was still fresh, meaning you couldn't be far behind him.

You steeled your breath as you pushed up, your world spinning lightly as your head throbbed causing you to hold the wound.

“Adam!” You shouted in hopes your husband was still very near to hear you, that he would come back to you, to Eve.

Only the soft sounds of chirping crickets and the occasional chirping of night birds called back to you.

You moved slowly following your frantic husband's tracks as you shouted for him, hoping, praying that he would answer.

“ADAM!” you shouted with your hands over your lips to make your voice stretch longer.

"I stand close by thee, my dearest.”

Adams voice called, causing you to turn, your eyes straining in the darkness as you searched for your husband.

"Adam, I beseech thee to return unto me, my husband, I implore.” You called back into the nightly shadows.

"Pray, come hither, my dearest, and prove thou dost not harbor disdain towards me.”

You Husband sounded frantically worried and it pulled at your heart as you neared the shadows. You just wanted to comfort your husband, You needed him well in mind so that He could help free your dearest wife from the snake's hold.

"Never could I harbor hate towards thee, thou art my most cherished husband. I do perceive thy troubled mind, yet I have pardoned thee. Pray, emerge, come unto me, Adam.” You pleaded with him, nearing the shadows you saw a glow, perhaps a flash of your husband's golden eyes, and your chest ached as you saw they moved away from you. How could he not see that you could never hate him? That you fully believed in your husband and that you knew that he was good, pure and loving. That you had not seen the out wordly source that occurred during such an argument, Your husband was not cruel.

"Hither, I beseech thee.”

Adams' voice wailed, it sounded ugly, broken and torn and it was working like a lure to lead you into the shadows, into the darkest parts of the forest. Playing against your nature to comfort your loved ones, an act that it had learned to use against you.

You went to take a step off the path you were one, almost blinded by the need to reach your husband, that you didn't focus on how his tracks did not meet the path of the voice calling out to you. Begging you to come to it, Surely he must've turned somewhere up ahead? Perhaps he heard your calls and turned back another way?

"My beloved, I implore thee.”

You nearly entered the darkness, your lips opening to call out for Adam once again, to beg for him to come near you, to take your hand.

“My Husba- '' Your voice cut off and your shriek was muffled by a large hand covering your lower jaw as your backside was pulling into warmth.

“My Echo, that is not me..” Adams' hushed and panicked voice was low and gravelly in your ear. You felt your feet being lifted from the forest floor as You felt your husbands movements through his chest, the soft snapping of twigs and vines under his feet.

"Come to me, dearest"

The voice of your not so husband called from the shadows making you move your head back against Adams chest, Seeing how his scorching eyes glared stone blades out into forests Shadows. His chest rose and fell against your back quickly, a look of torment in your husband's eyes.

What was he hearing?

What were the snakes tormenting your husband with?

And for the first time, you prayed, You prayed to the heavens to the Angels above for you to understand what the snakes were doing to your husband.

And your prayers had been answered.

You heard screams of agony that came from.the voices of your beloved wife, screams from your own voice that was not in fact your own.

"Thou art naught, a mere vessel of ineptitude.”

such cruel words aimed towards your Husband, as the screams pierced through.

Taunting him and jabbing at your Husband, things you had not known that would cause him such pain. Adam had always seemed so confident, was your husband suffering in silence?

"Thou couldst not even retain thy first consort, wherefore should I deign to cast mine eyes upon thee?” Not Your dearest Wife speaks harshly to him, her words cold and sharp like striking him with a spear.

"The celestial beings should never have birthed thee. Thou art naught but an erratum of existence.” Your not voice cut into your husband deeply.

You felt how his breathing quickened against your back, how his arms trembled around you. His ragged breath quickening against your ear as his eyes stared into the shadows making you look back seeing a set of golden eyes scorn back at you both.

"Thou shalt ne'er be a good husband, doomed to solitude for eternity.” A voice speaks one you have heard failing to be of morning doves when it was singing birds.

You felt how Adam flinched and you looked back at him, feeling him shake around you as he held you. You could still hear a voice trying to lure you away from your husband, coaxing you to leave him, to join them in the shadows.

"Doth thou not crave the taste of being a virtuous husband?”

You jolted from the voice as it did not sound far away from you like before, you felt a shiver run up and down your spine as your skin blossomed with bumps and your hair rose as the voice whispered into your other ear that was away from Adam's hyperventilating lips.

"Doth thou seeketh a partner who would ne'er seek to wield dominion over thee?”

You felt a sick feeling overtake your chest as you could hear the whisper in your other ear, felt the faint lips that ushered them against your lower lobe.

“ To conceal no secrets? Dost thou ponder upon the veracity of Adam's words to thee and Eve?”

You felt as if something was wrapping around you in a tightening grasp, more so tightly than your husband's shaking arms. The feeling of leaving an unbelievable cold chill even with your husband's warm and burning chest against your back, and the fur cloak that kept you hidden did not shield you from this creeping chill.

“Why was Eve fashioned? And why were thou?”

You shook your head away trying to get the feeling of the lips away from your ear with a small cry.

"Thou art a pitiful creature, consumed by the lust for dominion over thy wife, so fervent that thou hast smote thy hapless spouse.” the feminine voice spoke hauntingly.

"Nay, nay, I ne'er wished for it... I did never yearn to cause them harm... I have learned... I am altering my ways…” Your Husband voice shook as he sputtered. His grasp on you weakened and you clawed at his trembling arms.

"I could reveal unto thee the essence of a noble husband. I shalt ne'er dictate unto thee as Adam doth, but rather set thee free unto realms yet unexplored.”

You yelped again squirming in Adams' hold trying so desperately to get whatever was whispering in your ear away from you, the feeling of something slithering around you and squeezing you only grew more causing you to cry out in distress.

"Hast thou indeed? Behold thee now, holding thy spouse captive against their volition. They yearneth naught for thee, for thou art but naught!”

You heard your husband let out a breath and it rasped away from his lips and a low weeping whimper left him. His arms started to unwrap from you, causing your feet to fall to the forest. You felt so utterly sick, as if you were being torn apart from your skin and flesh. This was pure Agony, this was..Was something you had not learned such words to describe but you felt your Wife and Husbands losing themselves, Losing faith.

These ugly creatures preying on them, preying on you, you did not understand why.

Why were such creatures ever in these gardens, in your home?

Why did they get to torment your loved ones and you so?

What right did they have?

To surround you and your husband with tormenting words, all around with screams and sounds that brought inducement to one soul.

What were their goals? Their ambition to cause so much distress?

Your love for each other was true, their love for you was true.

Pure.

YOU believed it with every single speck of dust and flesh of your being.

As you were sculpted and stitched together to be so for them.

Without their love, you surely could not exist in such a world.

How could these Snakes speak of such things?

“LAIRS!” You screamed and it was piercing, causing silence to overcome the forest, aside from your husband's ragged breathing.

"Liars hath no voice in this realm!" Your voice seemed almost booming, as it echoed through the shadows of the trees and it was

if on your command the heavens moonlight shone down brightly illuminating against the trees and brush, drowing away the shadows with its gentle relieving light.

You and Adam stood basked in the soft gentle light both breathing harshly, you turned to look at your panting husband watching how his eyes did not leave where the other scornful golden eyes had stood, now vanished away by the heavens light.

The feeling of whatever foul trick the snakes played to enrapt your body had left you, once again freeing yourself to move and breathe.

You hadn't even hesitated, moving towards your Husband hiding your face into his chest, your arms wrapping around him as much as you could clinging to him as tears stung your eyes.

“No….Y/n…I…I shall only bestow upon thee anguish.” Your husband's voice sounded broken as it trembled as much as his own body did within your grasp, and it itself had brought you more pain than the throbbing wound on your head.

"My husband, my dearest, my Adam, Thy heart harbors no malice, I perceive and trust that thy deeds were not wholly thy own, just as Eve's are not solely hers. We are beset by adversaries, endeavoring to erode our trust in each other and our love.” You spoke wholeheartedly believing your words were true as you squeezed your arms even tighter around your husband looking up at him with love and empathy understanding in your own eyes looking into his fear filled golden ones.

"They have ensnared our wife, weaving deceitful words around her, I implore thee, my husband, expel them from her midst, Shield her from their influence as thou hast shielded me." You pleaded with him, begged your husband.

"That serpent...Lucifer, he is much grander than I... y/n I am but a mere man... in comparison to him, I am naught…” Your husband so dejectedly murmured, You could only stare up at him in disbelief.

Your husband was nothing?

The husband you had taught you how to hunt? Your husband that had provided you and Eve such splendid meals each night after spending hours hunting? Your husband who had fought a large snarling beast that towered even above him? A Bear that was somehow bigger than your husband, as big and tall Adam was? Your husband who had turned that bear into the softest of beds for your wife and you to lay on next to him?

Your husband who had held you so tightly and safe in his arms as you cried into your wife's chest that dreadful night? Your husband who had left spear in hand so confident and determined to keep you and your wife safe when they had preyed upon you?

Adam, Your Adam was nothing?

Blasphemy. Lies.

You moved cupping your husbands cheek making those normally intense scorching eyes which now looked so dull as if those snakes words had sullied their shine.

But gold can not tarnish. Gold was pure, just like his soul.

Nay, my love, thou art far greater than thou dost perceive. Thou art more than a mere man in my eyes. Thy worth surpasses his, for thou art my husband, my protector, and my beloved.” You spoke so softly, so lovingly to your husband, showing your affections and devotion to your husband, listening to how his breath hitched as he listened to your words.

"Thou art stronger than aught I e'er did know, swifter than aught mine eyes e'er beheld, and brighter than the sun at its highest peak. And I doth believe it so, for I believe in thee with all the love in my heart.” You whispered to him, only allowing him and him alone to listen to your confession, watching how those intense sourcing golden eyes sharpen with each word, arising with each one of your breaths. It was as if you were breathing the fire that forged him into the sharpest of blades, as each word you spoke was utterly the truth of your beliefs, repairing the bends and dents the snake's blows had delivered against him.

Feeling his sturdy arms wrap around you securely, protectively.

His eyes burning directly through your soul as he looked at you so intensely it would bring the bright scorching sun envy.

Then you watched how they melted, softening on you as he pulled you closer to him, bending his head down, and your eyes fluttered shut feeling your husband's lips pressed against your own for the first time.

It was short but it sent a million tingles through your spine as he pulled away, his lips placing on top of your head as he held.

His eyes stung as he held them close tightly, his inhales sharpening as he steadied himself, breathing in the sweet and yet smokiness that came from you always reminding him of the meadows Eve loved and the Fire he liked to play with.

How foolish of him to ever doubt.

He was made in the Angels perfection, He was made to protect his wife and spouse and any children he fathered.

This was his very purpose.

How could he believe the words of the banished?

The ones that had to sneak into the gardens to weakly lure his innocent wife, his one and only true bright sun.

The ones that torment his precious spouse, His paradises perfect Echo.

He was more than just a Man.

Adam was the First Man ever made.

He was made with perfection and he was never to be tarnished to flawed.

How could he ever allow some lowly cast away from heaven and heavens first failure ever sway him from his true path? Allow them to tear apart the ones he loved more than anything?

Adam could never thank the heavens Angels more for them blessing him with such a perfect spouse like you. For if it wasn't for your words of pure incorruptible truth, he would have forgotten himself by their wretched words.

"Let us hence and chase them away from our wife.” Adam spoke to you in a low voice, pulling away allowing you to see him. See his unwavering unafraid gaze as he stood up tall, taller than you have ever seen him stand before, his shoulders Broad as he moved a gentle hand to your back as to guide you back.

And you could not help the overbearing feeling of pride as you took in your husband, now ready to defend against evil attacks.

As your belief was ever true

Gold can not tarnish.

-----

@seriouslyaverage

@jinisblad1

@dovespancakes

chp 4

[lovelybrooke]

I have to be dreaming (Chapter 3)

Series masterlist~~AO3~~regular masterlist

---

"Three hours Luffy!"

Luffy had three hours to get to Mock town and back, else the ship leaves without him. He huffed as he ran his damn hardest, weaving between trees, jumping over stone, his mind being brought to Cricket, and him apologizing.

He apologized. Apologized for not being able to stop Bellamy and his pirates. Like it was his fault, not the idiot who dared to mess with him and his friend.

He ran, ran until his legs hurt, until his breathing became heavy, until his vision narrowed and all he could see was him beating that dirty creep.

---

"Those monkeys were so funny! Bloody faces and snot streaming from their noses!" Two men clink their drinks together, reminiscing on their attack on Cricket. "Crying "Boss! Boss!"" He mocked with laugh.

"If he was so precious, they should've protected him better." Sarquiss laughs, taking a sip of beer.

The door slabs open with a bam, "Bad news!!" A tall man rips open the door with, huffing and puffing from running. "You gotta hide quick, you're in danger!! They'll kill you!!" He yells to Bellamy, sweating.

Bellamy turns around slowly, snarling at the words. "What are you talking about?" He growls, his voice low. The man searches in his pocket, looking for something, eventually pulling out two wanted posters, Luffy's and Zoro's.

Zoro's bounty being 60 million.

Luffy's bounty being 100 million.

The men gape slack jawed, "A hundred million?" One gasps.

The man hands shakes as he grips tighter on the paper. "Those guys from today are worth more than you are Bellamy!!"

Some man in the back scoffs, "I've never met anybody worth hundred million berries." He waves away, nearly choking on his beer when Bellamy starts manically laughing.

"Haven't you heard of pirates like that? Printing up fake wanted posters about himself to impress fools like you?" He explains though gritted teeth, gripping the bar in front of him as his knuckles turn white. "Idiots take one look at the bounty and back down. They get scared and give up without a fight, even though they could win!"

He roughly turns around, nearly spitting in anger as he speaks. "Just like you guys right now! You've seen how puny he is but looking at you! Fucking disgusting!"

The men in the bar look petrified, shaking in their seats at the ferocity of the man. Bellamy's chest heaves up and down, his face hot and steaming with rage.

"Bellamy! Where are you!" The men in the bar tear their gaze from Bellamy, flinching at the sound of Luffy's voice.

"Who wants to know?" Bellamy knew who it was, but wanted to tease him a bit, smirking as he spoke. He walks outside, Luffy high atop a tall building.

"Heh, we were just talking about you." Bellamy says.

Luffy ignores him, "Gimme the gold you took from the diamond-head man."

Bellamy's large coat blows in the wind as he playfully tilts his head. "Gold?! You mean old man Cricket's?" Using his Devil Fruit power, Bellamy's legs turned into springs, him jumping up, coming face to face with Luffy.

"Why should I return it, that's loot I took as a pirate." He saw with a loud tump as he lands. "You may be a pirate, but you're in no position to make demands."

"Sure I am." Luffy responded, tightening his fists. "Those are my friends, and I'm taking their gold back."

At this point, the people from the bar have funneled out of the bar, into the street and are spectating the fight. "Ha! Ha! Ha! Can you even fight?! Do you even know how to throw a punch?! What can a coward like you do to me?!" Bellamy screams, getting closer and closer to Luffy as the wind blows.

"If you stand there shaking like you did earlier today, you won't be taking anything back from me, coward!" His voice is animalistic, howling every world as he attempts to edge Luffy on.

Luffy's hair blows in the wind, his stare emotionless, "That was different."

Bellamy lets out a loud, bellowing mouth, "Ha! Ha! Oh? So, what's changed?!" Bellamy propels himself up, his coat falling off him as he flips in the air. "I'll teach a lesson you won't live to forget!"

The jump causes the roof of the building to break off as he jumps onto the side off another. "It'll only take a second!!" Jumping back towards a stumbling Luffy, pulling back his arm as he winds up a punch. Dodging the punch, Luffy falls back down to the street, landing on his feet quickly as Bellamy chuckles.

Bellmay's movements were rapid, him appearing invisible. The others on the street panicked, moving away as Luffy stands still. Laughing echos around him and Bellamy flings himself from building to building. "Come to think of it, you're a lot like that old man and those monkeys. You believe the lies of his ancestor. What city of gold, what sky island. the age of dreaming is over!!" Bellamy declares as he whips around.

Luffy doesn't care and looks visibly bored. "You wanna see me land a punch?" Luffy asks the people standing behind him, ignoring their laughter.

"Get 'im, Bellamy! That fool doesn't deserve to live!" Sarquiss yells, watching as Bellamy winds up a jump towards Luffy.

Luffy cracks his fingers, extents an arm, and as Bellamy charges towards him, punches him directly in the face. Blood splatters from his mouth, the wooden floor underneath him peeling and cracking, the wind still blowing.

Blood plips from Luffy's knuckles, the group watching him dumbfounded as they stare at a blacked-out Bellamy. Luffy adjusts him hat a bit, it being shifted from the wind.

Sarquiss stands still, breathing deep in disbelief. "You're joking, right? Bellamy!? Don't kid around, say something?!" There's only silence, the wind blowing harshly, a paper landing right on his face.

'Wanted, dead or alive: Monkey D. Luffy. 100 million berries.'

"I want the old man's gold! Give it to me now!"

---

"Why didn't anyone go with him?" You ask to the air, Zoro carrying around a pile of plywood. He groans, "He wanted to go on his own, there's nothing we could do."

Sanji pats you on the back as you hammer away, "Don't worry (Y/N), he can handle himself.' You sigh, hammering harder in frustration.

"Ugh, he's taking forever, where is he?!" Nami complains, staring at the coastline. She wipes her forehead, sweating from both nerves and the heat.

"I don't really think he's concerned with the time." Usopp mumbles, Nami groaning, kicking some grass. She gazes at the ground, looking back up when she hears the thumping of someone running.

"Hey!!" You jump up, hearing Luffy, seeing his with a bag filled to the brim.

"Hurry Luffy!!! We have to set sail!!" Nami cups her hand around her mouth, screaming towards him. He gets closer as he ships, he gasps at its new look.

"Wow!! That's awesome, it's the Going Merry flying version!!!" His eyes sparkle, before turning around and placing the bag in front of cricket.

"Thanks for fixing the ship!" Luffy smiles, Cricket's expression remaining in a frown.

"Get aboard, there's no time." Luffy nods, running towards the ship. He extends his arm, grabbing onto the railing and flipping onto the deck.

"Boy! This is where we say goodbye! No one has every proved that Skypiea doesn't exist. People may laugh and say they're silly legends. Well, let them laugh." Cricket extends his arms, belting out in exuberance. "That's what makes it a great adventure!!"

Luffy grins, giving him a deep nod, waving goodbye as the Going Merry sails away.

You smile, maybe this isn't too bad.

---

"Hey Chopper, have you seen that blanket you gave me? Y'know, the blue one with the ruffles?" You look down, him already peering up at you. He tilts his head, thinking for a second before shaking it no.

"I haven't seen it, no." He responds.

You sigh, looking down at him guiltily. "Sorry, I must've left it back on the island."

Chopper smiles comfortingly. "Don't worry, we can always get you a new blanket."

You huff, not really the point but it works. You pat him on the head, his ears twitching a bit as you go back to leaning on the railing. "We got to get into position before the knock up stream blows." Masira explains from his ship. You listen as Luffy plays with the south bird like a toy, moving the head side to side, watching as it turns back to its original position.

"Look, (Y/N), look, it really does only face south!" You chuckle along with him, Luffy nearly keeling over in laughter.

Joh! Joh! Joh!~

"What'd it say Chopper?" Usopp asks.

"It said, "I'm facing the wrong direction just to mess you up." For some reason, that makes Luffy laugh even more. For a second, the bird turns north, growing very uncomfortable, before turning back south, the three laughing up a storm as you watch from the side, amused.

"Boss!" One of Masira's men called. "Bad news!!" Masira moves to the side of his ship, staring intensely out at the ocean. "To the southwest!! "Night" is coming!! It's the emperor cloud!!"

"This is bad! Can we make it, Shoujou?!" Masira yells, Shoujou deploying his men.

Nami rushes down to the main deck, snapping at Luffy and the others for goofy off. "The emperor cloud showed up early! We haven't even located the knock up stream yet!" She screams, everyone rushing around trying to get the ship ready to move.

The ship starts to sway, holding onto the railing in order not to fall. Masira yells towards the Marry, "That's a sigh of the knock up stream!! Head for that whirlpool!'

The waves only grow larger and larger, water falling onto the deck causing you to slip. "Navigator! What about the log pose?" You can make out Robin yelling over the sound of waves crashing.

Nami regains her senses, attempting to stand up straight. She looks down at the log pose, "It's pointing straight up at that cloud!!"

"Looks like we've hit the mark, brother." Masira yells to Luffy.

"It's all up to the current now!!" Shoujou bellows.

"We'll tow you to the whirlpool!!" Masira leans down, looking at Nami, her gaping at the gigantic whirlpool right in front of you. Your heart drops as you're pulled closer and closer to the center by Masira's ship.

"Alright guys! You're on your own from here! Good luck!!" Masira yells, sailing away with Shoujou. Luffy waved them away, smiling as you slipped trying to stand. Nami and Usopp freak out, crying as your all-sucked further in, hovering over the center.

"When you're finished whining, check this out." Zoro points as he helps you stand, holding you in place.

"We're going to be swallowed up!" Usopp yells as he crouches down and covers his head. You close your eyes, anticipating the worst, but instead you slat peacefully on the ground.

"What happened?" You question, opening your eyes back up and peering at the peaceful waters. It was serene, minus a few sounds of bubbling.

"Hey Zoro, look." He finally let's go of you, looking over at a grew of pirates on what looks to be a rath, one of which, was the man Luffy was arguing with before his confrontation with Bellamy.

"They're from Mock town." Nami said, Sanji scowling at the sight.

"We're gonna take that hundred million-berry head of yours!!" He booms, mouth wide.

"Did you say my heads worth a hundred million berries, really!?" Luffy asks back, jumping in excitement.

"There's a bounty of a hundred million on your head and, pirate hunter Zoro, you're worth sixty million." The man holds up two posters, laughing loudly.

Usopp pulls out binoculars to check, "It's true." He looks at Zoro for second, "You're a wanted man, Zoro!! Wait...why isn't there on of me?" He mumbles at the end.

"Your bounties must've skyrocketed after the Alabasta incident." Nami suggested, Luffy still to hyped up to listen.

"Hey, all you, pay attention!" You hear the faint yelling of Masira, feeling a rumbling beneath you as he speaks. The seas bubbles and bubble, waves lightly rippling as the bubble underneath you grows and grows.

"Whoa..." Luffy whispers, wet from the water splashing into the ship. A second passes, before booming the ship upward, you and the strawhats screaming as your pushed high up into the sky. Barrels and ropes fall sideways as the ship ascends, you awkwardly dodging them before you fall, now sitting on what was once the wall.

"Hey! What's happening?!" You hear someone say, unable to see because you closed your eyes as your stomach lurches in fear. You huddle into yourself as you wait it all out.

Luffy bounces all over the ship. "Come on (Y/N), this is fun." You shake your head, feeling like you were going to throw up as you were lurched father up into the air.

"This is not what I signed up for!!" You yelled over the wind. Luffy laughed, cheering on the Going Merry as he grabbed onto your shoulders. He watched as it reached further into the sky, ignoring your clear discomfort.

"Wait a minute?" You looked over at Sanji, posture stiffening under the hands of Luffy. "I think we're forgetting something.'" He says, looking down below the Merry with gritted teeth.

"What's wrong?" Luffy shifted his gaze from the sky to Sanji, wind rushing past his hair as he gripped harder on to your shoulders.

"The ship's beginning to float!! If we tilt back, we'll fall!!" He screams, Chopper and Usopp crying in unison. You try to stand and head toward Sanji, but are kept down by Luffy, who is still staring at the panicked book.

You huff, "It's a little late to think of that!" You shout, the rest of the crew becoming just as worried. Usopp and Chopper resort to continue crying, Sanji not being able to rip his eyes away from sea below him, and Zoro looks just as confused as always.

"It's all over for us! We're gonna fall!!" You hear Usopp say, tears and snot running down his face. Chopper runs over and attaches himself to Usopp's leg as the cower together.

"Hoist the sail! Now!!" Nami yells at Zoro, how gives her a stupid look.

"This isn't just a wall of water! It's the ocean! We can sail on it the way we would any current!" Nami explains, pointing towards the stream. "The heat from the stream and the explosion have created as blast of warm air!!" Everyone looked very confused at the explanation, including you as you gawk at her words.

"All right guys! Do what Nami say!" Luffy yells directing people around the ship, flinging himself to the mast and standing on top of it.

Everyone runs around, pulling ropes and hoisting the sail, as you sit and watch, unknowing what to do. You shiver from the water covering you, feeling yourself fall back onto the wall as the ship falls back.

"The ships leaving the water!" Chopper screams, Nami nodding as they all continue to hoist the sail.

You wait with batted breath as you expect to fall out of the boat and too your death, before wings springing out of Merry, leaving the knock up stream and continuing higher and higher.

"We're flying." Luffy cries, cheering as he jumps in excitement.

"Nami, You're amazing!!!" Sanji swoons, as she takes a deep breath of relief.

You're finally able to stand, joining the rest of the crew as you stare up into the clouds. "Can we really make it?" You whisper, Luffy nodding as he crossed his arms, following your gaze.

---

"Nami, are we there yet?!" Luffy leans onto your shoulder, groaning in pure boredom. While the hardest part was over, there was still some ways to go before reaching the sky island.

Nami opens her mouth to respond, before she's interrupted by a cloud hitting all your faces. It's difficult to breath for a few seconds, the cloud enveloping you from all sides until you're finally free. You gasp, hand to your chest as you try and catch your breath.

"What just happened?" Zoro asks, out of breath and laying on the floor. He looks around, eyeing Luffy leaning of the ship as he gazes at the sight ahead of him.

"Look! Look!" He points, "Look where we are!" Cloud expands miles ahead of you, everyone crowding around the railing, dumbstruck at the beautiful visage. It looked like you were in some renaissance painting, the light hitting the clouds and creating beautiful colors.

"We're sailing on clouds!" Nami gasps.

Luffy turns towards her with a small frown. "Of course, we're sailing on clouds."

"You can't sail on clouds!!" Nam yelled at him, noticing her log pose as she waves her arms arounds. "Look! The log pose is still pointing up." Nami points, Robin sitting down in front of her on the railing.

"This must be the middle level of the emperor cloud." She pointed out, Chopper jumping up next to her and nodding. You tilt you head, confused.

"How can we go any higher?" You ask, Robin sighing with a shrug. You wonder what could be above the clouds, what could be higher than you are now.

"First course of action! Captain Usopp will go for a swim!" You look at Usopp, who is flexing in front of Luffy as he cheers his on. Chopper stumbles forward, taking a seat next to Luffy as Usopp falls into the sky ocean.

You watch as he dives down, waiting for him to come back up. A minute passes, then another, then another, and you take a gulp.

"He's not coming back up..." You speak. You look back at the crew, nervous. "Does this ocean even have a bottom?" They gawk.

Sanji rushes up, growling as he watches the ocean. "I warned you fools!!" He growls, gripping onto the railing as Luffy stretches his arms into the clouds, searching for Usopp.

"What if he fell through the clouds?!" You cry, Luffy extending his arm longer and longer. He becomes more nervous as he's unable to find the missing crew member.

"I can't see though the clouds!!" Luffy shrieks, now leaning off the railing.

"Leave that to me." Robin says as she crosses her arms. "Ojos Fleur." Small eyeballs travel down Luffy's arms, Robin's eyes closed in concentration.

"I see him!" She smiles. "Seis Fleurs!!" You can't see what's going on, but her smile makes you feel a bit better, especially as Luffy's arm is stretched back upwards, him grunting as he pulls harder and harder.

Usopp if pulled out of the clouds with a loud umph from Luffy. "You did it!" Nami smiles while Luffy's arm retracts to a normal length. He giggles, before the ground begins to shake, tentacles break out from the ocean, cover the Merry in darkness as Nami screams. On the opposite side, a large mouth bites the Merry, a cracking sound piercing through the sound of screaming.

"That's not Usopp!!" You shriek, Zoro scoffing at your fear. He leaps up on the railing, propelling himself off it to shred the appendage to pieces, Sanji following as he kicks the large monster, it's jaw cracking as it lays still.

The tentacle monster falls back into the ocean with a splash, Zoro staring at you huffing. He clicks his sword back into the hilt, smirking towards you and your terrified appearance. "Scaredy cat." He ruffles you hair, laughing when you grow upset.

"What do you expect!?" He doesn't answer, looking over to Sanji, whose standing over the eel like monsters jaw.

"Hmph. What a strange beast, not sure it's even a fish." Sanji takes a drag of his cigarette, which you're surprised even stayed in his mouth.

"That octopus was like a balloon." Zoro says as the monster slowly sinks into the ocean.

"But it was moving around, it had to be a living thing." Nami said, waving her arounds around.

"Creatures must live among these clouds." You assume, shrugging while crossing your arms.

"I guess it's better to think of this as a sea." Robin says. She turns her attention towards the monster Sanji is closest too, growing confused. "What's that flat snake anyway?"

"It must be a flounder." Sanji says, moving away from the monster and back on the main deck.

"The fish here must've had to evolve to survive in the sky." Robin explains. "So, they balloon-like or flat."

You nod, watching as Luffy tries to get Sanji to cook the large fish, your attention slowly being drawn over to Chopper, whose been quiet for a while. He's sitting on the railing of the ship near the bow, shaking while gazing out binoculars. "What's wrong Chopper?" You ask, slowly moving up behind him. He doesn't answer, continuing to shake with wide eyes.

"...I-It's-" He eventually mumbles out, dropping the binoculars on the floor. He turns towards you, jumping in your arms while crying. You look concerned as he wails. "Th-there was a ship, but it's gone now!!" You awkwardly pat hi on the back, unaware what to do.

"What's gotten into you?" Sanji asks, following where he was previously looking, eyes widening at the sight. "Something coming!!" He yells, you turning to look. Just like he said, someone or something was charging towards the ship. You back away behind Sanji, Chopper clinging onto you harder as the person gets closer, his wails becoming louder.

"Stop! What do you want?!" The masked person jumps onto the boat with a woosh, their voice low and predatory.

"I'm going to get rid of you." They utter, Sanji instantly taking a defensive stance. Zoro and Luffy join him, instantly being overpowered by the stranger's capabilities, each falling to the floor.

"You wimps!! There are three of you and only one of him!!!" Nami scolds, the three struggling to stand. The masked man flips off the boat, taking out the gun behind his back and aiming it at the ship. You watch with wide eyes as another man, this one faster and more agile. He swifty pull out a sword, charging at the mask man who blocks with a shield, the impact calling him to descend into the ocean.

"He's gone." The man's voice was old and gravelly, staring at you all through his knight's helmet. Next to him was a large bird covered in poka dots. Nami's annoyed gaze travels between the man and the tree boys laying on the ground in exhaustion.

"Who was that?" She asks when looking at the man, her gaze turning sour as she looks at the boys. "And you guys are pathetic!!" They huffed, Sanji and Zoro sitting up cross-legged while Luffy laid with his arms extended outward.

Chopper jumps out of your arms, bowing towards the armored man, "Thank you for saving us." The man barely acknowledges Chopper.

"I had no choice; it was my duty." Sanji was still out of breath, his breathing labored and low.

"How could I lose like that." He questions to himself, sweating.

"That's probably because the air's so thin." Robin responded.

The man turns and looks at Robin at her words, "Are you Blue Sea people?" He asks, Nami nodding.

"Who are you again?" The man falters for a bit, before being ridged once again.

"I am the sky knight." He looks towards Luffy. "Blue Sea people live below the clouds on the Great Blue Sea. Most Blue Sea people can't tolerate these altitudes." Luffy shoots up, hitting himself on the chest.

"Okay! I'm starting to get used to it." He hits his chest a few more times, still huffing. You shake your head in embarrassment, the armored man waving his strange actions away.

Chopper looks up towards the man, furrowing is brows, "Who was the man that attacked us?" He asked. The man looked down, shaking his head. "Those unfamiliar with sky fighting are targeted by the guerrillas and become food for the sky fish."

His look hardens, "But I can save you from them. One whistle for five million extols." The crew is silent, before all tilting their heads in unison.

"What are you talking about old man?" He stumbles, nearly falling down in shock.

"Don't be stingy! That's an incredible bargain! I won't go one Extol lower! I have to make a living!" You scoff, confused.

"What's an 'extol?'" The man stares wide eyed.

"Didn't you people come by way of the peak of high west? Then you must've got here by island hopping." The man questioned, everyone becoming even more confused.

"I don't know what you're talking about, old man." Luffy replied, staring back at the man. Nami pushed past Luffy, pointing a finger at the man.

"You mean there's another way to get up here?" She asks, "And Island hopping? Is there more than one island in the sky?" The looks at her bewildered, nearly letting out a laugh.

"Don't tell me you rose that sea current!" He chuckles. "So, people with such courage still exist, eh?" Nami covers her mouth sobbing.

"So, we didn't have to ride the current." She laments, rushing over to Luffy and shaking him fervently. "We were almost killed!! We should've gotten more information!!" She cries as Luffy breaks away, pushing her back.

"The other routes are different, but they all have their perils." The old man says, explaining. "There aren't many who'd take that risk, especially these days."

The old man sighs, taking something from around his neck and throwing it on the ground. It was a whistle, it clinking to the ground quickly. "Here's one whistle. Blow it once and I will come down from the heavens to save you." he announces. He smiles, him and his steed walking towards the railing. "Take it as a gift of your courage."

"Wait" You didn't tell us your name!" Nami shouts, the man standing tall, his stead cawing.

"I am Gan Fall, the Sky Knight." He booms. "And this is Pierre, my partner." Pierre caws as Gan Fall hops on top of him. "Pierre is a bird." He says, Pierre transforming slowly. His claws becoming hooves and his body elongating. "With the power of the horse-horse fruit, he can transform into a winged horse." You gasp, the bird growing wings and hovering in the air.

Nami clasps her hands together, he eyes twinkling. "He's like a Pegasus." Gan Fall smiles, flying away as he wishes the crew a good luck.

"What a strange creature." You laugh, waving him away. "So we're...right where we started..." you sighed.

"How do we get higher up?" Luffy asks aloud, picking up the whistle from the floor and inspecting it. "Let's call the old man and ask him." Nami smacks him on the back on his head before he's able to put it in his mouth.

"Luffy, No!! Save that for an emergency!!" Luffy rubs the back of his head, groaning as he sticks his tongue out at her. He moves over towards you, leaning his head on the railing of the ship.

"Let's just sail somewhere else." Zoro suggests, Luffy only groaning dramatically like a sad child.

"Hey, look over there!" Chopper jumps up net to Luffy, who directs his gaze towards where Chopper is pointing. It was a waterfall, or what a sky version of a waterfall was anyway.

Robin stands next to Chopper, "Is it some kind of cloud?" She questions. Luffy brightens up at the sight, pointing to the waterfall. "Alright, it's decided. We'll sail toward it!" He declares.

"There's a huge cloud in our way." You point out, Luffy smiling as he backs up winding up his arm and extending it forward. You yelp as duck to avoid his fist.

"Hey! Careful Luffy!" Sanji pulls you away from the boy, whose pouting at the sight of the still present cloud.

"Hyh! My fist bounced off." He looked at his fist, puzzled. He stares for a moment longer, before gasping in surprise. Luffy grips the railing and flings himself off the ship, jumping on top the cloud like a trampoline. "Look, I'm not falling though!!" He laughs.

"Wow!!" Chopper joins, Usopp following suit and jumping onto the cloud. You giggle as they jump together on the cloud. It was heartwarming, they felt like friends, like they belonged.

"It looks like fun." You feel Robin put her arm on your back. "You should join them." She smiles, giggling as you shake your head, backing away.

"I don't want to ruin their fun." She doesn't say anything, but her smiles stays as she looks back to the three bouncing.

"Ahh...It feels so good! It's nice and warm. I could fall asleep." Luffy rubs his head into the cloud, sighing blissfully. You move back towards the mast, sitting down and reclining as the peaceful wind blows through the air.

"Hey! Go to the top and see if there's a way for the ship to get though!!" Nami yells to the three, Luffy standing up and nodding, Usopp following him.

"Luffy's there's something over that way!" Usopp point, Nami huffing in annoyance.

"A gate?" You hear Luffy ask.

"Yeah, at the bottom of the waterfall!" Usopp confirms.

The three get back onto the ship, Luffy guiding Nami towards the gate, very, very poorly. It took a while, and a lot of yelling, before the Merry was let in front of a large, sun like gate. 'Heaven's Gate.' It read.

"Does this mean we're in heaven?" Usopp shivers. You pull on his ear lightly.

"Don't say stuff like that." You murmur, the ship sailing forward closer to the gate. Luffy giggle a bit more, snorting at you annoyed expression as you enter the arch. You watch as the Merry is shrouded in darkness, spying a door right near the entrance.

"Look, someone there!" Luffy points at an old looking woman taking pictures on the ship with a camera. You silently watch as she continues to take picture after picture.

"Are you tourists, or have you come to cause trouble?" The old woman groans. As you get closer, able to see wings on her back, strange, but not the weirdest thing you've seen. "It doesn't really matter. If you want to go to the upper stratum, you'll have to pay the entrance fee of one billion Extols per person. That's the law."

There's a collective gasp at the world one billion, Nami nervously sweating. "Uh...what if we don't have any money?" Her voice wavers slightly as the old woman waves her off.

"You can pass." She says, turning back towards the door, "But that choice is entirely your own. I'm neither a gatekeeper nor a guardian." She grumbles.

"Okay? But how do we get up?" Luffy calls, the old lady looking at him through hooded eyes. You wait for a response as you feel the ground shake. You steady yourself, watching as too claws grip the side of the Merry. You hear the screams from the crew, equality as confused on what's happening.

"What just grabbed on the ship?!" Zoro was surprisingly relaxed, his brows only slightly furrowed in as she glared as the old lady.

"The famous lobster express of the White Sea." She declares. You all are lurched forward as the lobster speeds up the waterfall, spinning and turning into the heavens.

"Amazon, inspector of Heaven's Gate reporting to the omnipotent Vassals. Seven people have illegally entered Skypiea. Render heavenly judgment." The old lady smirks as she watches you travel higher and higher until you disappear into the sky.

---

The waterfall began to wind as you got higher, the intense whooshing of the wind blowing your backwards as you try to stand. "There's no way this is natural!" You scream, a hold in the clouds above you coming into view.

"It's the exit!" Usopp says as he notices it. You grab harder onto the railing you were holding on, shaking your head.

"It's not an exit! It's an entrance!" You say as you notice a sign. 'Godland Skypiea' it said, quickly passing by as your shot out, falling back onto another white ocean, finally entering Skypiea.

You quickly spot a town, Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp running onto land before even lower in the anchor.

"What about the anchor!? There's no bottom to this ocean." Zoro asks, watching Luffy run around the beach.

"Never mind that, check this out. Even the beach feels fluffy!" He sighs, relaxing into the cloud like sand as Zoro sighs at the idiot captain. Regardless, he takes the anchor and drops it off the side of the ship.

"It's like a dream." You chimed in, Sanji smiling at you as he rolls up his pants.

"Yeah, but look at them, they're so excited." He laughs, jumping into the clouds. "They're hopeless." Zoro rolls his eyes, watching as you giggle at Sanji's excitement. He feels his jaw clench at your smile, choosing to distract himself rather than watch you giggle over the dumb cook.

Joh! Joh! Joh!

"OW! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Nami belts out, Zoro ripping his attention from you and towards the girl.

"Geez, I forgot to set it free." Nami huff, gripping her aching head. She notices Zoro out of the corner of her eye, "You drop the anchor?" She asks, posture calming as he nods.

"So, this is Skypiea." Robin moves towards you, catching your attention. You look away from the ocean and back towards the deck. Both Robin and Nami have changed into something more fitting for the setting, Robin in a loose tank while Nami sported a bikini top.

Nami smiles, looking down at Robin and you from her higher spot on the ship. "Yeah, and that's the name on the map Luffy found." She shows Robin. "Honestly, I didn't even believe it actually would exist." Nami rolls the map back up and stuffs it in her pocket, jumping out of the ship, giddy at the comforting feeling.

"But here we are! It's real!" She cried. Robin moved away from you and walking higher up, eyeing Zoro with her hands behind her back.

"What about you?" She asks him as he leans against the railing.

"I'm going ashore too." He confirms before sparing a quick glace towards you. Realistically, you could stay on the ship, it was probably the safest, and you didn't really look like you wanted to leave. The last island you were on, you watched him and Luffy get beat up by some idiot and he did nothing about it, so he understands you apprehension.

"So, sailing the seas and exploring new islands, is your idea of adventure? I never thought about it that way." His attention is again torn away from you, and Zoro is starting to become annoyed. He doesn't answer before jumping into the clouds.

Robin watches, turning to you when's he's out of her sight. "And you?" She asks as you jump in surprise. "You should come along." She says, and it sounded more like a demand then a suggestion.

"I think I'm go-"

"(Y/N)! Robin!! Come on!!" You're interrupted by Luffy waving towards you. You sigh, rolling your eyes as you move up towards Robin. You anxiously take a look below you, Robin holding out her hand to you.

"We can go in together." She offers, you thinking for a moment before slowly taking her hand. The two of you jump into the ocean of clouds, Robin surprisingly missing the warmth of your hand as you rush towards the beach.

The energy on the beach was chaotic, Luffy hanging off a tree while Usopp yells towards him and as Chopper plays in the sand. Nami stretches, warming herself in the sun. "We can finally relax; it's been so long since I went to the beach." She sings. You laugh, taking a seat next to Chopper and giggling as he rolls in the sand.

"Hey, Nami! Flower." Sanji crouches near a bush filled with floor as Luffy and the others goof around. She ignores his swooning, pointing at a pavilion touched away to the side.

"Chopper, look. What's that?" Chopper turns, gasping at the sight.

"It looks like a pavilion." He runs towards it, Nami following him as he sinks into the chair. You, now alone, watch the clouds pull into the beach like a tide, feeling a small shuffling near your legs.

"Huh. A fox?" You pet its head, it nuzzling into your hand as you do so. Luffy watches from his spot in the palm tree, jewing on a strange looking fruit.

A sound of a harp cascades down the beach, drawing your eyes away from the animal to a hill in the distance. "Look, a person!" Sanji points to the hill, everyone turning their head. "Wait!! It's an angel!!" He gasps.

"Heso." A strange sound leaves her mouth as she continues to strum the harp. She walks down the hill, the fox leaving your side and running up to her. "Good Su!" She pats the fox's head. "Did you come from the Blue Sea." She asks. Luffy jumps down from his tree, standing tall in front of her with the strange fruit he was jewing on in hand.

"We flew up in our ship. Do you live here?" She nods.

"This is Angel Beach in Skypiea." She noticed the fruit he was holding. "Do you like the Conash?" She takes it from Luffy, using as knife from her bag to open up a hole in the top. "The top of the shell is as hard as a rock. It's no use biting it." She places a straw through the hole, handing it back to Luffy.

Su jumps into her arms as Luffy sips the fruit. "I am Conis." She introduces herself. Now that's she closer, you're able to see the wings and antenna adorning her body. She seemed nice, Sun hanging in arms and cuddling into her.

Sanji swoons at the sight of the girl. "You could melt a man's heart with that look." He says before Nami pulls him out of the way by his ear.

"We have a lot of questions." She throws Sanji to the ground, uncaring. "All of this is very strange to us."

"I'd be glad to answer them." Conis smiles as the sound of revving is heard from the ocean. Conis turns, eyeing a man on a strange machine and grinning. "Oh, that's my father!"

Luffy stands toward the cloud, slurping on his drink. "What's that think he's riding!?" Conis's father closes in on the beach quickly, clouds billowing behind him.

"Oh, you mean the waver?" She responded, stepping away quickly as her father runs straight into a palm tree, the waver crashing onto the beach.

"Is anyone hurt...?" He mumbles in pain, wobbling up slowly.

Nami swore she recognized he machine, bounding up to Luffy. "Didn't you salvage something like that." Luffy nods, too concerned with his drink. "Noland mentioned them in his diary, boats that run without wind!!"

"These friends of yours, Conis?" The man was now upright, grabbing onto the waver and pulling it up. Conis looks back, nodding.

"Yes father, I just met them. They're from the Blue Sea." The man nodded in understanding.

"I see. Then they must feel rather lost. You've reached the White-White Sea." He informed. "Pardon me, I should've introduced myself. I am Pagaya."

"What were you doing out in the sea?" You ask him, Pagaya pulling out a lobster from a giant vase on his back.

"I was just out fishing for the finest catch in the White-White Sea, a sky lobster. Won't you come and enjoy the bounty with us?" He offers.

Luffy throws his hands in the air, nearly dropping his drink. "Really!? Sure, we'll come!!" He booms. Sanji laughs, a smile adorning his lips at the mention of cooking.

"Skypiean cuisine, eh? Let me help you cook!" Pagaya lets out a very fatherly laugh, playing the lobster back into the vase. Nami calls out to him, kneeling near the waver.

"Can I ask you something first, how does this operate?" She asks, inspecting the waver.

"Oh, you must not know what a dial is." Conis interrupted. "Would you like to try?" Nami can't answer as Luffy races towards the waver.

"Yeah! Yeah! Let me try!" Luffy begs, Conis laughing at his desperation. She leads him to the sea, showing him where the Excelleration is before he vrooms off.

"Wah!! You did it!!" Chopper watches Luffy speeds on the clouds. He starts off pretty well, before he starts to wobble and lose control. He attempts to stop the shaking, before falling off, the waver tumbling away.

You hear Conis gasp, "Oh no! I hope he's not hurt!" She cries, Pagaya just as concerned. Chopper spares a panicked glance between Zoro and Sanji, both who look perfectly fine.

"I wonder if people with Devil Fruit powers sink in this Sea like they do in water?" Sanji wonders aloud while lighting a cigarette.

Zoro shrugs. "Well, it's not like the normal Sea, maybe he'll float."

He in fact, did not float.

---

"I almost fell through the cloud..." Luffy groaned, being dragged to shore by Zoro. Sanji scoffs, giving an annoyed look to Zoro.

"Well, if it wasn't for someone standing around saying stupid stuff, this wouldn't have happened." Zoro growls, shooting the cook an equally angry look.

"It was my fault for allowing a novice to try!" Pagaya attempt to calm the two down, waving his hands. "Wavers are built very light for the sake of speed, but even a small wave can send them out of control." He explained.

"Is it that difficult? I want to try too." Chopper says as Conis gives him a nervous look, explaining the difficulty.

"Hey!" Usopp yells suddenly. "They're riding it!!'

Out on the sea was you and Nami, her driving the waver while you attached herself to the back. If you were being honest, you wanted to try the machine the first time you saw it but didn't know when to speak up. You saw Nami attempting to ride it, and you asked if you could tag along.

"She's amazing, I can't believe my eyes!!" Pagaya shouts while Luffy stares slack-jawed.

"How come she ride it?!" Luffy stares, mainly at you and your bright smile. You looked so happy riding around on the waver, your arms wrapped around Nami's waist and for a second, Luffy imagined if your arms were wrapped around him instead.

"Hey, Nami, (Y/N)! We're going to the man's house now! Hurry up and get off!" Luffy yells, annoyed. Sanji hits his head, trying to hear your giggles as you rush across the waves. "Get off right now!!" Luffy continues.

"You guys go ahead, can we ride a little bit longer, mister?!" Nami yells. Pagaya nods, Nami speeding off quickly, ignoring the protests of Luffy as you laugh happily.

"It's no fair..." Luffy pouts, watching you ride away.

---

"Usopp you idiot!!"

"Now press the apex of the shell."

"What's the apex?'

"The top of the shell."

"Usopp, you idiot!!" The shell repeated, Luffy gasping with wide eyes.

"Amazing. It recorded sound." Zoro gaped. "Is this shell a dial?" Conis nodded, moving to the balcony and watching the waves.

"Yes, it's a tone dial. It's a shellfish that live in the White-White Sea that can record and reproduce sounds." She explains. "We mostly use them to record music."

"I though the White-White Sea had no seafloor?" Zoro questioned.

"We get them from the Sandbars around the reefs." He nods.

Robin takes a look at the dial. "So, this is a dial, but I still don't understand how a waver moves."

Conic takes another dial from a shelf. "We use these to propel our wavers only larger versions." She shows them the dial, this one looking more like a conch. "This is a wind dial."

Luffy takes the dial and blows some wind into Usopp's face. Conics laughs at them, "I can barely handle a waver myself, but they can also propel skates and boards and all sorts of things." She laughs.

"I wanna ride the waver." Luffy sighed, leaning on the balcony. "We even have one."

"But ours is old and beat up. After 200 years, I doubt it'll run." Usopp tries to comfort Luffy as he watches Nami and You ride the waver.

"As long as it remains intact, it should function." Conis says, a gasp bellowing all throughout the room.

"Really?" Luffy begs while getting side eyed by Usopp.

"But it probably won't work, Luffy." He deflates, Conis apologizing for the issue.

"She's so lucky..." Luffy cries as he continues to watch Nami drive you around the waves. Conis moves back into the building where Robin, Chopper, and Zoro are relaxing while trying out different dials. Currently, they were trying out a lamp dial, a dial that would collect light and then light up a room.

"Wow! The shell lights up!" Chopper gaped. Conis bounds up, her hands behind her back as she explains the device.

"The civilization of Skypiea owes much to dial power. There are also flam dials that preserve heat, scent dials that retain smells, vision dials that archive pictures and many other kinds." Conis says, clearly happy to share her peoples histories. The pirates listen as Sanji bursts through the room, gasping.

"What's the matter?" Pagaya asks worried. Sanji spits his tongue out, disgusted.

"This sky-colored sauce is too weird! My tongue's gone numb!" He continues to spit out the taste from his mouth. Pagaya gawks, grabbing the bottle from him and throwing it away.

"Oh, sorry. That's spoiled." Pagaya apologizes and Sanji groans while he picks up plates filled with food, laying them down on to the dining table.

"Dinner is served." He declared. Luffy and Usopp both rushed to their seats, shoving the food into their mouths like it was going to be taken away from them.

"Hey! Where'd Nami and (Y/N) go!?" Sanji was on the balcony, gazing at the sea. "I don't see them." He squinted, attempting to make you out.

Luffy spared him a glace while munching on lobster. "They probably went out a little farther." Sanji doesn't respond, his gaze unmoving.

"Father...I hope they're alright." Conis moved towards her father, his face covered in worry.

"Yes, I have a bad feeling about this Conis." He replied. Luffy turns his attention to the two, raising a brow.

"What's wrong?"

Conic gulps, visibly uncomfortable. "In Skypiea, there is one place you must never go, no matter what." She stares. "It borders our island so it's easy to reach on a waver."

You and Nami stare, eyes wide at the gigantic trees in front of you. No sound is heard other than the forest in front of you.

"It's the Upper Yard, the Domain of God's Army."

[mockerycrow]

Hii here's my request if you'd like to write it; Adler x femreader w/ "I had a nightmare...can I stay with you tonight?" Thankss <3

DREAM OR REALITY? (Adler x Fem!Bell!Reader) — 4K CELEBRATION

authors note: i couldn’t resist.

[WARNINGS: Black Ops Cold War Spoilers, very slight Mentions of Torture, nightmares, minor paranoia, toxic little hurt/comfort.]

YOU WAKE UP in a cold sweat, your heart pounding against your rib cage and with a voice in the back of your mind. You’re trembling as you can’t make any sense of what the voice is saying, and soon the sound of your blood rushing in your ears overtakes the incoherent voice.

You rub your eyes to ground yourself before you glance around, noting you’re still in the warehouse. You look at your watch, groaning quietly as you realize it’s quite early in the morning. Your chest feels quite heavy, and you have an odd craving for a cigarette when you don’t remember ever picking the habit up.

It’s one of those nights; you can tell you aren’t going to be able to go back to sleep anytime soon. Adler and the others wanted you to stay in the warehouse just in case you were able to decrypt any more information; you had no problem with that, as mostly everyone else also slept in the warehouse, although in different areas. Unfortunately though, your makeshift sleeping cot is not too comfortable, so you have an ache in your neck along with stirring anxiety from your nightmare. 

You push the cheap blanket off of yourself and you adjust your sleeves before swinging your legs over the side of the cot. You slip your boots on and lace them up, letting out a heavy sigh as you do so. A nervous energy remains under your skin, like you’re being watched. You know you aren’t—or do you?— but you shudder nonetheless. You grab your leather jacket, sliding it on before you exit the room you’ve been sleeping in for the past couple of days. The common area is clear except for Helen by the radios with her headphones, trying to make out Russian messages.

You rub your sternum before exiting the warehouse right in front of the garage door, the cool nighttime air filling your lungs. Goosebumps rise underneath your jacket for a moment from the fresh sensation, and you’re so caught up in your own mind you don’t even notice the man standing a few feet away. “What’re you doin’ up?” You jolt at the sound of someone’s voice and you look over, locking eyes with Adler. Lacking his usual sunglasses, his eyebrows are more visible and furrowed. A half smoked cigarette is between his fingers like usual, and he takes a drag from it.

You let out a breath and you shrug, stuffing your hands into the back pockets of your jeans, shifting your weight as you glance away. “Couldn’t sleep.” You utter. You technically aren’t lying, though you didn’t even attempt to go back to sleep. Adler doesn’t respond as he tucks a hand under his other arm as he takes another drag off of his cigarette, shifting slightly closer to you. Your eyes train on some bugs flying around under the big light overhead for a moment, the silence being filled with crickets. 

“Couldn’t sleep, huh?” Adler hums, his eyes never leaving your form. He notes the way you’re reluctant to share anything, your conflicted and far away gaze; he’s already thinking you’ve had a nightmare. “What was it about?”

Your gaze moves from the bugs to him—his stare feels like he sees all of you, your bare soul; your skin and bones and every sin you’ve ever committed. Adler’s gaze has always felt like that and you’ve never known what to make of it. He’s so.. vague yet so on the dot every time he talks to you, so friendly yet so cruel. You aren’t sure if you should say anything. “Bell.” You feel a nudge against your arm and you blink for a moment before looking back at Adler, your hearing returning—you aren’t sure when it left.

“I just.. I had a nightmare.” You admit with a weak laugh, looking away nervously as your hands fidget in the back pockets of your jeans. Your weight shifts as silence fills the air between you two and you kind of want to reach over to strangle him a bit—you know he’s waiting for you to elaborate. “I couldn’t make any sense of it, honestly. It was a weird horrid mixture of Vietnam and.. this room. Televisions.. hm. I don’t know.” You mumble, trailing off before you look back at him. “Can I stay with you tonight?”

There’s an unreadable look in Adler’s eyes as he drops his cigarette, stepping on it and squashing it to put it out. It takes him a moment before he nods. “Sure, Bell. You can stay with me. We can go over some files, yeah? Take your mind off of it, since we have a job to do.”

A weird sense of calm washes over you from his words and you nod, letting out a relieved breath. “Yeah, we can do that.”

[cricketnationrise]

hello! :) THIS IS SO CUTE I CAN'T WAIT FOR A POSSIBLE CRICKET EXCLUSIVE!! because i am obsessed with u fr but that's common knowledge. <3

for the ficlet fest, if you'd like:

time stamp: 2:23am

location: brownstone

character: alex/henry

song: this is me trying by taylor swift (only if you want!!!!!!!)

rating: whatever you'd like

but like you can go any direction with this I'm just always projecting my adhd/anxiety/not good enough feelings onto alex on a regular basis :')

my ao3: firenati0n | Archive of Our Own (same as tumblr user)

THANK YOU SO MUCH! SENDING LOVE XOXO

your cricket exclusive is here! i actually went full on henry pov with this one bc my brain got stuck on the trying of it all. so have some first post-canon fight make up. this is actually the longest ficlet yet, but somehow i don't think that'll be a problem 😂 💜🦗

read the rest of the ficlets here!

❤️🤍💙❤️🤍💙

2:32am, brownstone

The brownstone is quiet when he returns, which is completely reasonable for just after two-thirty in the bloody morning. 

It’s also immaculate, which is decidedly less so, especially considering the state of the place when Henry stomped out a few hours ago. 

The hallway is clear of trip hazards, shoes neatly in the rack. The kitchen gleams in the range hood light; counters clear and wiped down, small appliances lined up as precisely as Buckingham guards. Peeking his head in the for-once dark office reveals two tidy desks, chairs pushed in, and both of their laptops plugged in and charging. 

The den at the base of the stairs makes Henry pause. The stacks of books have been put away. The coasters on the coffee table have been relieved of their burdens of half-drunk tea cups and abandoned coffee mugs. In the dim light from the street lamps through the window, Henry can even see vacuum lines in the carpet. A second glance has Henry taking cautious steps inside.

There is one thing out of place after all. 

On the couch, propped on a few of the numerous throw pillows Pez insisted upon, and tucked into the quilt Ellen sent them, is Alex. Like an anchor to the ocean floor, Henry is drawn into the room, and to Alex’s side. 

He kneels between the coffee table and the couch near Alex’s head and just looks for a long moment. Alex clearly hasn’t been sleeping well. The couch is too short, even for Alex’s shorter frame, so his legs are tucked uncomfortably. His curls are more of a wild mess than normal, like he’s been tugging at them. Alex is gripping the quilt as tightly as he normally clutches Henry, and there’s deep furrows on his forehead. 

Henry should let him sleep, probably—neither of them have been sleeping all that well. Increased paparazzi presence as Alex’s first semester of law school starts and Henry takes a more active role in the shelter has been stressful. But Henry can’t help but reach out and try to smooth those lines on his forehead. Something churning and tense settles inside him when his gentle touch has Alex’s eyes blinking open, a small smile on his face when he recognizes Henry.. 

“You came back.”

“Of course I did, love.”

Alex exhales messily, blinking back tears now. “I wasn’t sure— After earlier—”

Henry shushes him with a hand on his cheek. “I will always come back to you. Promised I was done being an obtuse fuckin’ asshole, didn’t I?”

“You still left, though,” Alex says.

It’s Henry’s turn to fight back tears. “I could hear myself sounding more and more like Philip at his worst. It scared me. I didn’t want to subject you to that, to even inadvertently use my knowledge of you as a weapon. So I left before words I didn’t actually mean could find their mark.” He sways forward, resting his forehead on Alex’s, needing to be closer. “You deserve more than sharply aimed words, especially when you haven’t done a thing wrong.” 

“Hen…”

“I’m sorry Alex. I shouldn’t have— I knew it would be different once the paparazzi got wind of our plans, but I wasn’t prepared for how much more invasive they would feel. I’m having a hard time adjusting to life beyond Kensington’s thick walls and I started to take it out on you.”

Alex’s hand pulls on his shoulder. “C’mere.”

Henry climbs onto the couch and sprawls undignified on top of Alex, tucking his head into the crook of his neck. Alex’s hands, as ever, hold him steady, rubbing large circles across his back.

“There were two people in our fight, Henry. You aren’t the only one struggling. Or taking it out on the person he loves.” He presses a kiss to Henry’s temple. “I could hear echoes of my parents, but couldn’t figure out how to stop the word vomit. And that scared me—I never want you and I to be like them.”

Henry pulls his head back to meet his gaze fiercely. “Never.”

Alex smiles at his vehement tone, but it's got a rueful edge to it. “We’re gonna have to figure out how to talk about this stuff before it blows up in our faces again.” 

“Not tonight, though?”

“Nah, not tonight.” 

They’re quiet for a long moment, curled around each other on the couch, when a niggling thought finds its way past Henry’s lips. 

“Alex?”

“Hmm?”

“Why were you on the couch? Did you— Did you not want to be in our room?”

Alex holds him tighter. “I— You left and— So I was cleaning, and I did this room last, and when I was done there was no way stairs were happening, so I just collapsed here. I didn’t  actually think I'd fall asleep, I don't usually when you aren’t right next to me.”

“So it wasn’t because you wanted space from me?”

“Fucking hell, baby. No, I never want space. I want the opposite of space from you. If I could figure out a way to crawl into your rib cage every night I would.”

“Oh.” The last bit of tension leaves Henry’s body at that and he relaxes fully on top of Alex. 

“Yeah, oh.” Alex chuckles. “But, as nice as you feel on top of me, it’s late and this couch ain’t big enough for the two of us.” 

“You fit on it better than I do,” Henry can’t help but tease.

“First of all, rude. Second of all, I also have to pee so get up before I shove you off.” 

Reluctantly, Henry stands and reaches down to help Alex up after him. Henry folds the quilt and hangs it over the back of the couch, smoothing the last wrinkles with his hand. When he straightens up, Alex is only halfway up the stairwell. 

“Meet you in bed?” Alex whispers.

Henry climbs up to meet him. “Always, love.”

[starhvney]

hello! :D

could you write for sasha and reader hanging out and sasha reads her palm or gives her a tea reading? something fluffy please! it's okay if you don't want to, thank you for reading my request anyway! <3 your writing is literally so amazing :D

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐓

𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆: mystreet platonic sasha & fem!reader, also ft. gene and zenix

𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘: feeling bored and crowded at a party, you and sasha escape to the back porch

𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐒: fluff, sasha being cool asf, you two are the cool main character besties in an indie film with two stupid boy roommates, it’s great

𝐂𝐖: use of alcohol, you two are at a house party

𝐀/𝐍: i know i added a party subplot here but once i started writing i just went for it lol. hopefully you still like the scenario! i also know nothing about palm reading or anything like that so sorry for any inaccuracies^^;

𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓

the sound of talking and loud music muffles as you and sasha step out on the back porch, breathing in the fresh, cool night air. the dim lighting through the windows and the singular light over the door cast a warm glow on the two of you. sasha stretches and takes another drink out of her solo cup, before hoisting herself to sit up on the thick wooden railing. 

“the people here are kind of lame, i thought zenix said this was gonna be fun.” she says in her monotonous voice, the sound of her deeper voice a calm relief from all of the shouts inside.

you join her and perch yourself next to her, taking a swig of your own drink and wrinkling your nose at the sting of the alcohol. sasha scoffs out an amused laugh at your reaction, a fond look on her face.

“yeah,” you strain out, before clearing your throat. “there’s a lack of uh… depth in personality around here.”

she nods, a knowing sparkle in her eyes. for a moment you two enjoy the distant noise of crickets and the occasional car passing, before sasha turns her attention back to you. she reaches out a pale, black polished hand in your direction.

“let me see your hand.” she says, lightly wiggling her fingers out for you to take.

as you place your hand over hers, she turns it palm up and leans forward, her fingers lightly tracing along the creases in your hand. her rings shine against the porch light, drawing your attention to the different designs. some had cool-toned gems embedded into the metal, while a few were shaped into skeleton hands or spiders. your eyes drift back up, noticing the long wispy white strands of hair falling in front of her face. dark eyeshadow sparkles and frames her deep violet eyes that squint and focus down at your hand.

“i learned how to palm read for fun in high school,” she explains, sensing your curiosity as her thin eyebrows pinch together in concentration. “but… it’s been a while since i’ve done it and i'm a bit tipsy, so let’s see how this goes.”

you laugh lightly at her explanation, patiently waiting as she trails a fingernail along your palm.

“this is your lifeline… it goes down and splits off here… if i remember correctly that means you’ll be busy with your career in the future… but it’s also faint so you know how to preserve your energy.” she observes slowly, humming in thought. "that's good."

“hm… this one across your hand is… there’s a slight wave to it, which means you have an open-minded and different approach to life and issues than others.”

you hum and nod along, taking another sip of your drink and tilting your head as you listen.

“you have a super deep heart line, which means you will have long-lasting relationships. and this line right here is far and parallel to this line, meaning—i think…—that you’re more independent and don’t rely on outside influences.”

piercing loud laughter hits your ears abruptly, making the two of you flinch as four obnoxious partygoers stumble into your peaceful space. they glance at the two of you with confused and annoyed looks, as if they were offended by your presence. they stumble down into the backyard, one of them falling face-first into the weedy grass below. you glance back at sasha, who is already looking at you with a deadpan expression. 

“wanna find gene and zenix?” she asks, before hopping off the railing and leaning in to whisper to you. “let’s take some alcohol and get out of here.”

you nod in response, to which she keeps her hold on your hand to guide you back into the loud house. bodies bump into you, and sasha tugs you closer to her as she walks. you see a familiar head of black hair sticking higher in the crowd. sasha pulls him along with you, dragging both of you to a less crowded space.

“the fu-? oh hey, ladies.” gene stumbles along beside you, clearly a bit more intoxicated than the two of you.

sasha stops out of a pathway, hunching the three of you together. “we were gonna get some alcohol and take off, you coming?”

gene raises his eyebrow, looking around before nodding with a smirk. “yeah, i figured you two wouldn’t care much for this either. only reason i’m tolerating these people is because i’m three double shots in.”

sasha raises an unimpressed eyebrow. “we’ve been here an hour and you’re three double shots in?”

“hell yeah, tequila.” he nods, his eyes drooping in satisfaction.

“whatever, why don’t you grab a bottle and we’ll find zenix.”

“what about me?” a familiar voice cuts over your meeting, as the last piece to your quartet little friend group.

“these people are boring, let’s go, man.” gene throws his arm over zenix’s shoulder, causing the curly-headed brunette to pout, his piercing tugging on his lip.

“yeah i know, i thought cooler people would show up.”

“it’s fine, you can make it up to us by grabbing us some drinks to go and meeting us out front.” sasha smirks, tugging you along by your arm out the front door.

you can hear zenix scoff before he’s drowned out by the noise, but you’re positive he’s already making his way to the kitchen with gene.

the moon bounces off sasha’s hair, the soft layers reflecting back into your eyes. she turns, looking satisfied that she was able to round up your other two friends so quickly.

“that might be a new record of finding the two of them and getting them to agree.” you note, earning a rare laugh from the girl.

“i know, what was that, like two minutes?”

you two walk further into the empty street, the buzzing of the alcohol slightly beginning to wear off as you realize you hadn’t taken a sip in a while. you look down at your empty hands with a frown.

“i left my drink.”

“here,” she hands you hers. “we’re about to get some more anyways.”

“thanks,” you swig the rest of it down, drinking from the other side of sasha’s dark lipstick stains on the cup.“i didn’t know you knew how to palm read, though.”

she kicks a pebble down the road, a content look in her eyes as she sways in place next to you. one arm of her arms laces around your waist as the two of you mindlessly walk and spin under a lone buzzing street light.

“yeah… i also learned a bit about tea reading, i can show you sometime back at the house.”

“ooh, yeah, if you wanna.”

“duh.” she says with a humored smile in her tone. ”hanging out with you is way cooler than any of those dorks inside.”

“even zenix and gene?” you laugh.

“oh yeah, we’re the coolest.”

“package secured! let’s go!” zenix and gene walk out of the house, pulling out not one but two bottles from their t-shirts.

“i kinda wanna go to our spot in the park,” zenix leads the way, walking down the street with bottle in hand. “from back then.”

“alright, it’s not far.” gene lazily agrees, taking a sip and passing the bottle to sasha.

you and sasha keep your arms linked around the other, walking along after them while squinting up to see if you could find any constellations.

“shadow knights reunion?”

“zenix, we are not the shadow knights anymore.”

“ugh, whatever!”

©starhvney, 2024. please do not steal or repost my works as your own.

[tipsyleaf]

Hatred | '24 Alphabet Challenge

Steve Harrington x Fem!Reader

Summary: Prom night is supposed to be the greatest night of your teenage life... Right?

Words: 1.9k

Content Warning: Stancy mention, Jancy mention, past feelings mention, childhood friends, and unrequited love (Steve)

Prom night, supposedly one of the greatest nights of teenagers' lives. That's a sentiment Steve definitely wouldn't agree with, hanging out outside his own senior prom. He didn't even know why he bothered coming, knowing full well he'd see them together. Hand in hand, arm in arm, dancing to every cheesy slow song the DJ put on. As much as Steve tried to be supportive or ignore it...

He just wasn't over his ex-girlfriend yet.

But that didn't stop him from trying to be the bigger man in the situation. That's what Steve grew into being, the bigger person. No more being a total asshole for the sake of his own feelings. That's something Junior year Steve would do.

"Well, don't you just look so lively tonight." His trance breaks as he's approached by you, coming from the double doors of the Gym hallway not too far away.

"I'm not in the mood tonight."

Steve sounded both fed up and disgusted with your antics already. Even if this was just the first thing you said anything to him all day.

You lean against the cold brick gym wall. Feeling the rough bumps of the hard surface on your back and through your dress.

"Rough night, champ?" Steve sighs, rubbing his eyes, raw from a few minutes of being emotional.

"You don't know the half of it." Glancing over, he sees you for the first time. Admiring the floor length red dress, you always looked good in red. You looked good in everything, at least in his mind.

"Look at you, all dressed up and presentable for once." You smirk at his joke, making him chuckle and smile.

"I always look presentable thank you prick." Smirking to yourself before looking back at him.

"You look good in a tuxedo... Y'know, for you."

"Thanks for the backhanded compliment. Anything good from you is a rarity." You laugh, making him smile even wider. His eyes shift around the parking lot, watching cars pull in, and other kids come to join the party going on inside.

"What're you even doing out here by yourself? I thought you'd be in there with like 9 different girls trying to dance with you at once." He scoffs, fighting the urge to roll his eyes.

"You know, too many options beating down my door. Couldn't disappoint them all."

"Came stag too, huh?" He just nods in response, not saying anything as you both look up into the inky night sky. The only sound to fill the cold April night air was the crickets chirping and distant chatting of other students.

"Are you holding up okay? I saw them dancing inside and... I know the breakup was hard for you, so I just thought I'd check up on you..."

Steve let out a rough sigh, feeling like a complete idiot pining for his ex-girlfriend still. Being broken up for almost 5 months now. He couldn't let her go in his head, they were each other's first loves. At least she was to him.

All of that came crashing to a halt after everything back in November.

"If I'm being honest, no I'm not holding up okay."

"I know I'm not a therapist or anything..." You shrug, glancing back at him as you nervously chew on your thumbnail.

"You wanna talk about it?"

"Not really. I've been talking to Dustin for months about it and no matter how much I try I can't get past it. Like Nancy's cast some kind of spell to stick with me or something." He sighs, looking at the asphalt as he swallows harshly.

"Now we can hardly make eye contact for more than 3 seconds before she turns away... God, she must hate me."

"Steve, she doesn't hate you. She's probably just feeling awkward about everything and trying to respect her new relationship by not hanging around her ex-boyfriend. They're just trying to find their footing as a couple." You reassure him, leaning over to give him a squeeze on his shoulder. Thinking about what he said, you shake your head, grinning at the thought of Dustin.

"And really Steve? Dustin. He's like 14 and barely knows how to handle having a crush yet. He's never even had a girlfriend yet. I know he's smart for his age, but c'mon."

"I know! He's just a great listener. He knows a lot for his age, it's actually kinda scary." You roll your eyes looking at the ground, starting to laugh to yourself.

"What?" His full attention is on you now, a small smile pulling at his lips as he watches you start to laugh harder.

"Nothing I just..." You cover your mouth, snickering again.

"I just never pictured myself giving you of all people a pep talk... You're you for crying out loud. Steven "The Hair" Harrington." You grin, bumping his arm with your elbow.

"King Steve... You're literally the most popular guy in the entire school, and I'm... Me." He shrugs, crossing his arms over his chest.

"That's the fun thing. We're so different, so we can see our point of view while still seeing each other's... Plus, it's nice not having someone around trying to kiss my ass constantly."

"Yeah, I'll just kick your ass instead." You smirk, pressing off the wall, your heels click as you step in front of him.

"Look, I know it hurts now, but it'll pass eventually... And if I can be honest with you... You could do so much better than Nancy frickin' Wheeler."

Steve could feel his eyebrows shooting up in amusement as you got in front of him. For some odd reason, just standing there in your presence felt somewhat calming suddenly.

"Oh yeah? Who'd you have in mind then?"

"I don't know," you think for a second and shrug, "Farrah Fawcett? I think she'd think you were cute. Celebrity or not?"

"Farrah Fawcett? You think Farrah Fawcett, one of the most famous women alive, would want me?"

"Yeah! You're a hot guy, why wouldn't she?!" It's his turn to laugh now, shaking his head as he bites his lip.

"Where the hell would I even meet her?"

"I don't know! I thought we were talking hypothetically." Steve nodded, his face turning serious again.

"It's just... It's hard looking past Nancy, y'know. She was the first girl I ever loved."

"I'm aware, Steve. It's just not always the best thing to dwell on. I'm talking from experience." You bite the inside of your cheek and sigh. Nervous to be this honest, but if it helps get the point across, then so be it.

"Can I be honest with you about something?"

Steve looks at you, seeing how nervous you look to talk. His lips part slightly as he nods.

"Of course."

"I used to have a massive crush on Jonathan ages ago and when he started showing an interest in Nancy it killed me... But he's my friend, so I encouraged him. It killed me but I got over it."

You turn your head, looking up at the sky again, taking in the shining stars above the two of you. Feeling embarrassed about laying everything out there for someone you've barely gotten to know again.

"Took a while but time heals most wounds. So, just know I'm here for you because I know what it feels like... Kind of."

Steve felt your pain as you talked about how you couldn't be with Jonathan, and how that's basically how he felt about Nancy in all honesty.

Silence fell over the two of you as you both looked out to the sky, admiring the stars again. Steve looks over at you, feeling somewhat peaceful. Yet still wanting to ask so many questions.

"How'd you do it? Stay strong like that. I can barely be in a room with her right now."

"I talked to my family. That helped a lot... But I know you aren't the closest to your parents, so that's why I asked if you wanted to talk about it with me." You smile softly, lips turning up as you half shrugged at his question.

"I know we weren't always on the best of terms, but you're my friend and... I care about you."

"We're friends again?" His eyes seemed to light up almost, just like he was a little kid again. Over the past year he's felt like you two were bonding. But never wanted to ask out of fear.

Tension fills the air between you two. It's been this way since you two started becoming friends again. Going through hell together alongside the couple, Steve was trying to avoid like the plague.

"Well you know, when you nearly die fighting inner dimensional monsters together you tend to start caring about their well-being again... So, in a way, I guess we have to thank them for something at least."

Steve smirks before shaking his head.

"Part of me likes to think we'd be friends again someday."

"Who knows." You add, silence falling between you again. It's not long before Steve shifts, pushing himself off the wall and looking at you.

"So let’s say, hypothetically, that I was stuck at this stupid prom without a date and I had no one else to ask but you...”

"Mmm. Mmhm, hypothetically." You nod along, fighting back the urge to smirk.

"Go on."

Steve looked away for a second, collecting his thoughts. He takes a deep breath, turning back to you.

"And, hypothetically, I might need to spend our senior prom dancing, like my life depends on it, because it's possibly the last fun night before the rest of our lives."

"I'm starting to think you don't know what the word hypothetically means."

"Shush," he cuts you off, making you giggle before he continues, "now, hypothetically, would you be interested in dancing with me?"

You nod, looking like you were really thinking about it. As if you didn't know your answer already.

"Well, hypothetically," you play along, making sure to hold eye contact, "I might be inclined to say yes... If it wasn't a hypothetical, of course."

You rub your hand over your mouth, smirking behind it. He holds eye contact, faking a scoff as he stares.

"You're gonna make me ask?" You nod, tongue going to his cheek as he also nods.

"You're impossible, you know that?"

"I wouldn't be saying that to a girl you're about to ask to prom Steve." He chuckles, nodding. You got him there.

His expression shifts to a goofy grin as he sighs with a slight relief.

"You think you can survive the night without making fun of me?" He smirks, holding his hand out for you to grab, you smile back at him taking it gently. Giving him a reassuring squeeze.

"I don't know about the whole night, but I can sure try my best." Rolling his eyes, he pulls you into his side, lacing his arm around your waist.

You look up at him, your gaze meeting again. Taking in his deep brown eyes and soft smile brings... Old feelings from years ago bubble back up.

Your mouth opens to say something, anything at all. But the words won't come out as your heartbeat picks up speed.

That old crush you had on your old friend never really went away over all these years.

Or at least that's what you think at the moment.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Unless somebody's asked this before, what's would the swk's (minus 2023/netflix) react to Lin?

They probably think she's a really cool kid! Netflix/Cherry brings Lin around to a Wukongverse meeting (somehow), and the others SWK's are like "Oh thank Buddha, it's his one braincell besides the Stick."

Lin is rather confused, but figures that she should be used to it by now. Her monkey has dragged her along to different Realms before, whats a different dimrnsion compared to Hell?

She ends up hanging out with the other kids like MK, Mei, and HiB!Liuer, with the younger SWKs and LEMs chilling with her too.

Revelations occur when the other monkeys have questions...

Peach: "How do you know Lin exactly? Is she your tudi, or are you guys just good friends?" Cherry: "We're friends but its... complicated." Other SWKs: *sounds of interest/encouragement* Cherry: "So like... she's the first person to show me geniune empathy and kindness, buuuut she also sentenced me under the mountain. Soooo bummer." *cricket noises* Smokey: "What." Cherry: "Yeah it was kinda weird. I think I was power-drunk or something cus all I remember is that she became the voice of Buddha and did the Leap from my Palm trick. Then cue the mountain. She said bye though, so that was cool." *more shocked silence* Dasheng: "...thats not normal." Starfruit: "YEAH. Mortals don't just do that." Peach: "Wait... is Lin your monk?" Cherry: "No, I have a Tripitaka. He showed up like 500 years later." All the SWK who understand reincarnation: *deep inhales* Ace: "Your friend is a Golden Cicada. " Cherry: "A what now?" Smokey: "Seriously!? Don't you know any Buddhist lore?!" Cherry: "No. I was never taught it." Sugar: "Didn't your Master Subodhi ever teach you inbetween lessons on the Dao?" Cherry: "...my who teaching me what now?"

This is how the rest of the monkeys indirectly find out that Netflix!SWK/Cherry; 1: Was never trained for his power, 2: Has no idea about the chinese pantheon, and 3: Was never in the furnance?? Like??? Those are big details in a lot of their stories!

The SWKs who went through these trials feel really frustrated that Cherry hasn't felt the same pain they have, but also recognise his tale as being an equally tragic story of hubris/innocent ambition. Also this monkey had zero friends - no stalwarts, no brotherhood, no LEM likely, so he had no support system/something to fight for beyond himself.

Lin, meanwhile is hanging out with the LMK gang (canon and/or au) like;

MK, telling his origin story: "...So I lifted the Staff and boom! I have the Monkey King's powers!" *poses dramatically on table with his staff* Lin, clapping: "Thats pretty cool! Does your staff talk like Stick does, or it that an oddity just of my world?" Tang: "Your world, sadly. Imagine the tales those Staffs could tell..." Pigsy: "You have the monkeys, Tang." Tang: "The monkeys like to exaggerate and bend details." Lin: "Stick is not really that much better..." MK: *staff falls out of hand onto floor* "Dang it." Lin: "Don't worry! I'll get it!" MK: "Uh yeah, thats not possible-" Lin: *lifts the staff with some effort* The LMK Crew: (ʘᗩʘ’) Hib!Liuer: (◕▿◕) Lin: "...what?"

Lin has her own freak-out moment when the gang tell her that the Ruyi Jingu Bang/Staff is supposed to be over 17,550 lbs/7,960 kg(!!). Aka "girl how are you lifting a whole ass flat-bed truck with your hands"-heavy.

Cus I need to remind yall that Lin *can lift the Staff*, so either Stick deliberately makes itself lighter so she can move it, OR Lin has a major divine Strength buff.

Tang declares Lin his 2nd favorite Monk (first place taken by Liuer). Lin starts freaking out cus Netflix!Tripitaka basically tells her that she's dead in his time/one of his previous lifes as well.

[kometqh]

Agatsuma Zenitsu x reader

Warnings: not edited, just raw brain fluff &lt;3

* ੈ✩‧₊˚ ✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧ ੈ✩‧₊˚

Pink and yellow flowers swished gently in the summer breeze as birds chirped and crickets cricketed. The blue skies and puffy white clouds stood behind the tall jaded trees, providing a small shield from the scorching sun.

Zenitsu laid in the tall grass, head resting behind his arms as he listened to a far-off tune being sang by a girl he's come to listen to almost every other day.

Her voice and the sound of her gentle heartbeat were the only things that brought him peace after returning from his missions, mind and heart torn by the tragedies that are strewn across the country by rampaging demons.

Although he considered himself a coward, he believed that he could overcome any mission as long as her tune is what greets him upon his every return.

Her voice was smooth, like silk, her melodies joyful, like summer, and her heartbeat as mighty as the the mountains that surrounded them. Hypnotised by her singing, any sort of nervosity evaporated from his body, fleeing into the sky above as his feet carried his body closer and closer each day.

It was courage that he lacked - she was the only girl who'd made him feel so at peace, even if he'd never seen her face.

He didn't have to, it did not matter whether she was pretty or not, he was in love with her spirit. Of course it would be a bonus, in true Agatsuma style, but it wouldn't ever be a weakness.

Whoever she was, she was kind and strong, patient but firm. He'd never heard such a calming heartbeat and voice. 

But until he gathers the courage to even see her, he will remain in the luminescent fields, surrounding himself with the harmonious sounds of insects and birds alike, bodies of water and strokes of wind. 

The wind caressed his hair as his eyes came to a close, feeling enough peace to allow his body to welcome the feeling of tiredness that overcame him the longer he stayed, gently swaying him away into a deep sleep.

"That's it. I will find her, and I will confess to her," Zenitsu said loudly to his companions - Tanjiro and Inosuke- whilst smacking his fist against his palm, "I will woo her, seduce if I must, but I will not let her go. She's the only woman who's made me feel this way." He stated proudly, chest puffing up as his thoughts began to race, his cheeks burning a bright shade of pink. 

"Are you sure that's a good idea? You've never even met her." Tanjiro said softly, eyes worriedly glancing over at his friend as an unsure frown graced his features.

He knew how easily Zenitsu fell in love, and how easily it was to break his fragile heart.

Inosuke only huffed with a shake of his head, legs moving faster as though to mute out the conversation between the two men. He wasn't interested if it wasn't about combat.

Zenitsu looked ahead for a short moment, before turning his attention back to Tanjiro, who's worried eyes were stuck on his own.

His gaze was soft but deep, and Zenitsu feared that it would only dissolve his resolve.

“I know Tanjiro, but I have to. I know you're worried, and you want what's best for me," He paused with a sigh, his thoughts jumbled for a moment too long, before regaining order with a shake of his head, "My heart longs for her, it beats faster at the sound of her own. I've never felt this way, although I believed I've been in love before - this is different." He spoke firmly, his walking coming to a full stop at some point during his short speech, Tanjiro complying to stop.

His hand rose to Zenitsu's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze as a small smile grew on Tanjiro's face, "I believe you, and I will support whatever decision you make, just don't rush."

He said softly, removing his hand from his friend's shoulder before continuing to walk, with no other words exchanged between the trio for the rest of their journey.

A couple of weeks had passed since that conversation, and Zenitsu's heart pounded violently against his ribcage as he and his friends approached the Butterfly estate. A gentle breeze swished past him, lifting his spirits somewhat in the summer evening.

The sun was still somewhat high up, but the sky was darkening by the minute, growing orange and pinkish hues which stretched far and wide over sparce clouds.

Birds chirped and hopped around their nests, all communicating together - the sound being pleasing to his ears.

A stream of water nearby ran through a field, one which he'd be climbing later to reach the beautiful voice he'd been missing so much.

His head spun and blood rushed to his cheeks at the thought, his breath hitched with excitement. 

His legs had a mind of their own, and soon he separated from his friends whilst heading in the direction of the voice he grew to love. She wasn't singing at this particular time, but he was sure she'd be there, sitting in the grass, maybe braiding flowers together, or maybe enjoying the breeze and the warmth of the sun.

He didn't know yet, but he would soon. 

His heart continued to beat rapidly, his mind beginning to think of all the possibilities; would she be freaked out? Confused? Maybe flattered? A stranger admiring your voice for months, without ever actually matching face to voice.

“Bit strange..." Zenitsu muttered to himself, staring daggers at the grass below him, but he trudged on, stomps of determination flattening the ground, arms swinging in effort, and before he knew it, he was standing at the door of a small wooden hut, steam coming out of the top through a chimney, and songs... No. Her voice. It was so beautiful he stood and gawked, hand mid-air, about the knock. 

And then the door opened.

[frost-link]

SIDON IS THE APPLE OF MY EYE RIGHT NOW!

i can’t even explain it because im not a furry (no shame here) but no other animalish character has caught my heart like this!

may i please request sidon with a (fem preferably but gn is fine!) reader who has body dysmorphia? they cant help feeling insecure almost all of the time and maybe sidon doesn’t always understand why but he tries to because hes just that perfect (and he doesn’t care about what beauty standards are bc hes a zora) 🥺🥺

[Hello Anon! I would absolutely love to write this! I've been struggling with this myself. If you're going through this, please know that you're not alone! I hope you like it! <3]

❗TW: Descriptive Writing of Body Dysmorphia

Sidon X Reader Comfort

(Body Dysmorphia)

There were days that leaving your own safe space was hard enough as is. You would always look in the mirror judging different parts of your body and how you looked. No matter how much you did to adjust your appearance whether it be makeup, clothes, or hair, it never felt like enough. You felt like your body was not right, you felt extremely uncomfortable in your own skin. Sometimes you couldn't help but compare yourself to Sidon, it felt like he was perfect.

You and Sidon were sitting out by the water, as the sun had set not too long ago. The sounds of crickets could be heard, as the water had light ripples from occasional raindrops from the sky above.

"Are you alright, dear?" Sidon asks, looking into your eyes concerned. You had seemed to be lost in your mind again as you were staring at the water, subconsciously judging your appearance.

"Um. Yeah." You responded looking down at the water. Your critical gaze was fixated on your reflection. You stared down at yourself with a distasteful look. Sidon was rather quick to notice this. He gently raised his hand to the side of your face, lightly guiding you with his palm to look at him instead. Your eyes had shifted to his golden irises.

"You really don't seem okay... Please talk to me." His tone was rather tender and tranquil. He looked down at you, concerned. You sighed, before thinking of what to say.

"It's nothing really... I just don't really like how I look I guess." You mumbled to him, looking down at the ground below you. Sidon stared at you, trying to process what you had said to him. He carried a rather confused expression on his face.

"You don't like how you look?" He responded, trying to understand you.

"Not really... I feel like I look gross... I feel disgusting..." You mentioned, starting to feel frustrated at yourself. Your breathing became a bit more heavy as you were trying to keep it together. Sidon's heart broke seeing you like this. He nudged you lightly to get you to focus on him.

"Hey, listen to me (Y/n)... You're not disgusting, you're an absolutely gorgeous hylian. I'm not sure why you see yourself in such a way..." He said with a saddened gaze. You sighed in response, finally feeling tears fall down your face.

"You're so perfect compared to me. I don't understand how you can even see any beauty in me." You responded feeling the full weight of everything coming crashing down onto you. You had hit a breaking point as your feelings slipped out. Sidon immediately embraced you, he held you close to him. You could feel the warmth from his chest and his slow heartbeat.

"Please don't compare yourself to others, darling. Even if you can't see it, you are stunning to me. Please know that I mean this sincerely dear. You are enough." He softly whispered to you giving you a kiss on the forehead.

He kept embracing you throughout that entire night, complimenting you on specific things he liked about you. Whether it be your hair, eyes, etc. Sidon became your number one hype man to cheer you up, whenever you felt insecure. He wanted you to know just how much he loved you, and that you were so much more than your appearance.