#I JUST WANNA USE THESE BLADES AND NOT HAVE THEM GO TO WASTE CAUSE THEY'RE KINDA EXPENSIVE LOL

[radellama]

I wish razor heads had standardised attachment heads. Why are they all different

[moodymisty]

Getting it in at the last minute hopefully, but one thing that's on the brain is Chapter Serfs, the mortals who do a collection of jobs on fortress monasteries and are devoted to certain chapters. They're treated a whole range of ways depending on the chapter from "worse than slaves" to "members of the family". I've read somewhere that the Raven Guard treat their Serfs surprisingly well given they're all Spooky Scary, but I wanna know what you think!

Also on the brain is a serf worrying about her Raven Guard battle brother constantly, and being extremely gentle and doting on him because like... Look at him, being a space marine seems like an extremely painful existence.

[ 𝕸𝖔𝖔𝖉𝖞𝕸𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖞'𝖘 𝕸𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙 | 𝕬𝖔3 ]

Author's note: This is a cute idea, and I want to write more Raven Guard. I hope you enjoy this little snippet!

Relationships: Unnamed Raven Guard/Gn!Reader (could be read platonic or very slightly romantic if you really squinted)

Warnings: Mentions of wounds like burns, Your astartes being apathetic about the whole thing

You almost have everything you think you'll need, looking over the spread of materials along the small table. If you've forgotten anything you hope he'll be as forgiving as the last times; As he always is.

The Raven's Valour has moored at Deliverance and you know his arrival is imminent; You'll finally be able to see him again. It's been months and while you serve the other Raven Guard with nothing but respect, there's something about your Raven Guard that is special. That has his arrival stirring your stomach.

It's become harder to even sleep without him nearby. You sleep in his private quarters with him- many of the serfs tending to higher rank Raven Guard do. The reasoning seems to be so you're always available to serve them, but too many of them seem to just like their serf's company to make it an excuse that doesn’t get doubted for a moment.

You hear the door open and quickly turn, spotting his wide shoulders and dark hair. Moments later however, you see that on areas not covered by his robes is what looks to be burns of some kind; Mostly chemical. It has that distinctive look, compared to a burn from a flame. He has other jagged cuts as well, but the burns are the most dramatic and eye catching.

"What happened?"

You say surprised, watching him sit down on the small bed and push his robes off his back. You can see his back is almost burned, and even though he has no reaction there isn't any way the cloth of his robes against his skin hadn't hurt.

You can also see the sores and dents where his armor weighed on him; in the weeks of nonstop use.

"We encountered heretics worshiping Nurgle. There were far more than expected, and they’ve learned new tricks."

He says little more than that, which doesn't surprise you. He isn't very talkative, particularly about these sorts of things. You presume his mission didn't go well if what little he gave was any indicator.

"I, I'm going to go get some things to help you, I'll be right back."

You quickly rush to grab any of the things you think will help, though much of it is more so for the humans around Deliverance than the astartes. The general consensus is they simply deal with the pain until it stops- that using healing solutions is a waste unless needed to preserve their life. you don't want him stay like this. He deserves more for protecting humanity; For protecting you.

"Here. This should help all of this heal."

You expected him to resist you, but you're surprised when he doesn't. You crawl onto the small bed and get behind him, holding your materials in your lap. He lets you come closer and apply medicine to all of his wounds, careful around the interface ports lining his back and shoulders. They run all along his back, digging directly into his spinal cord. They’re surrounded by old scars, and you fear it’ll hurt if you aren’t gentle.

You brush some burn cream over the massive one spanning his shoulder blade and he shifts, causing you to pull away for a moment.

"I'm sorry if this hurts, my lord."

He grunts at you, and you don't quite know if he's just responding, or scolding you for the use of title. Either way you eventually continue, but far more cautious.

You continue tending to his wounds, cleaning them and applying medicine to speed up his already incredibly fast healing. You know he doesn’t need it; But you know it will at least help. He's silent almost the entire time, until he turns to look at you over his shoulder.

"I can hear you thinking." You look up from his wounded shoulderblade.

You're thinking that he deserves better than this; To not be in pain, and treated like a weapon to be thrust at the enemy, and then be left in pain he's been trained to ignore. Or at least refuse to show.

"Sorry," Is all you can mutter, however. He looks at you for a moment longer, and you notice his dark eyes flicker around your face before he turns back around.

Once his wounds are as well as you can make them you rake your fingers through his black hair, until it's untangled enough to pull it back. Once you're finished, he looks towards towards the top of his bed. His hand tugs the thin fabric draping over it.

"You slept in it," He says bluntly and out of the blue, catching you red handed. You're still kneeling on the bed behind him, wringing your hands.

"I couldn't sleep one night. I was worried since the Raven's Valour was gone longer than you'd said it would be." He turns, and you notice a very small smile on his face.

"Do not worry about me so much." You look away, and you don't know why your eyes suddenly feel so watery.

"If I don't, then who else will?"

His small smile stays, but you notice something change in his look that you can't quite place.

And before you have a chance to even try he reaches a hand up, and rustles the top of your head. Afterwards, he cups your jaw with the same hand and keeps you facing him.

Don't worry little raven, I'll be fine."

[hestzhyen]

Chapter 47 Yaoibachi Posting

Hokazono-sensei really slammed the gas this chapter, man. No search and rescue mini-arc here- just going back to the series' roots by having our good guys slaughter nameless mooks in suits. Excellent decision! But goodness it feels like he's trying to rush through this set-up to get to what he really wants to say this arc. I trust the emotional impact to land so I guess this really is the Kunishige lore/flashback arc since that's where the narrative focus went.

First off, I got the official arc name wrong last post. It's actually The Sword Bearer Assassination Arc. So, uh, maybe don't get too attached to any of the guys Chihiro will be trying to save. Might be difficult though if they're all as endearing as Uruha.

This Fucking Manga, Man

I just can't even this chapter. I CAN'T. I'm sitting here drafting this on Thursday and I'm in awe of the spreads. Cover and color pages? Stunning. Fanservice? Immaculate.

Yes, we got onsen fanservice after all!

Now accepting bets on who Uruha will be shipped with more: his personal guard guy or Kunishige.

Of course it pulls double duty to give us insight into Uruha and, by proxy, Kunishige. I was right on the money about Uruha being a free-spirited dude with a unique perspective last week... but I didn't imagine he'd basically be a wholesome AF version of Sojo. The Kunishige worship from this guy is off the fucking charts (and so are the Hakuri-Chihiro parallels)!

"This blade suits you" from Kunishige is a callback to Hakuri's words to Chihiro in chapter 20. I love it when authors do this shit. Can we infer that Chihiro felt the same level of awe for Hakuri? Probably not, but he did need to hear that affirmation quite badly, so it's still significant.

You don't get to comment on other guys being weirdly obsessive over a Rokuhira on sight like that, Hakuri.

THESE DUMBASS GOOBERS. Poor Chihiro's still collecting weirdos while Hakuri has no self-awareness at all. I'm in tears this is just too good. Hakuri, I love you. You're perfect.

I don't wanna get hyped after just one chapter for something that probably won't be happening. I get just about everything wrong week after week anyway! But I wouldn't mind Chihiro and Hakuri's relationship being compared to and developed through Uruha and Kunishige, just sayin'... Please... Hokazono-sensei went through the trouble of making sure we know that Uruha is obviously meant to parallel Hakuri, so that won't go to waste right?!

TFW the light of your life dies and leaves you behind.

'Cause this feels like a set up... I don't know, man. It's impossible to guess how the story's going to go but I get the sense that Uruha is going to have a lot to teach both of these guys- Hakuri in particular.

Neither Hakuri nor Uruha put a lot of value on their own lives until a Rokuhira showed up to praise them. And they're both freakishly devoted to the image of their savior to the point that they're willing to fight and possibly die for them. So we could be exploring that aspect of Hakuri's mindset as a subplot while the larger machinations swirl around them, since it's a pretty potent character flaw and all. I need Sazanami "defend to the death" Hakuri being convinced to give a shit about himself so, so badly.

Goddamnit, please stop hurting yourself.

Hakuri's also unable to use Isou due to burnout, as expected. Still wondering if the Kamunabi knows he can use two sorcery techniques but I won't hold my breath on getting answers for that. It's not necessary for this to be addressed unless it would cause some kind of friction, after all. And for as much as I would like to see the council's reaction to Hakuri and his circumstances, I don't think it'll be relevant. We'll just have to assume they either don't know his last name or are completely fine with a Sazanami being included in the plans. I wanna be wrong though. I really do.

Contract, Powerscaling, and Naming Conventions

We learned some interesting things this chapter. One, the theory of the Lifelong Contract erasing a Bearer's innate sorcery is confirmed. So if we are ever going to learn what Chihiro's sorcery is, Enten will have to be an exception to the other six swords, or he has two sorceries and the contract only nullifies one. I'm not sold on the second one since Hakuri only overworked the storehouse but is limited using both of his, implying there's a common pool of spirit energy they draw from. Looking forward to more details on how this works!

It also seems that the Bearers weren't tucked away in "safe" locations until Kunishige's death three years ago. So they probably got to live their lives as they wished until the Hishaku ruined things... which would explain how Sushi guy ended up at a restaurant. I feel like each location could have special meaning to each Bearer so hopefully we see more about how and why they ended up where they did.

Hiyuki also wasn't lying about the Kamunabi's forces being spread thin. Just 14 talented sorcerers to defend each Bearer, and even then Uruha would have felt more reassured if Azami or Hiyuki was there.

Nice going, Azami! So we know you're hella strong since Hiyuki's the best fighter in the Kamunabi- the only one in the force who can contend with Kunishige's WMDs (ch. 18). I think a Bearer would know how strong an enchanted blade is, so we can assume that Uruha's assessment of Azami's strength is accurate. Azami can't be sent out on the ground like the rank and file as a higher up now, but I'm highly anticipating him demonstrating that fearsome sorcery of his.

We also got another name! Kuregumo's original bearer was named Misaka (巳坂). This is most probably a family name like Uruha (more on him in a bit). 巳 (mi) means "snake" for wisdom and intelligence and 坂 (saka) means "slope/hill" or "embankment" for steady progress, a peaceful life, security, and/or strength and resilience. We'll definitely learn more about them- it's just a matter of when. The upside of Hokazono-sensei being stingy with names is that we all know to sit up and pay attention when one gets dropped.

We also got Uruha's given name this chapter (Youji [洋児]) and the name of his blade (Kumeyuri [酌揺]). Strange names for a strange fellow, but that's expected of someone whose family name implies a free-spirited nature with a unique outlook I guess. 洋 (you) is a kanji that specifically describes the ocean in an expansive, almost foreign sense. Not just the sea in general, but vast waters extending far away from one's current location. It has a ton of possible interpretations, naturally: courage, ambition, adaptability, limitless possibilities, harmony, inclusiveness... on and on. 児 (ji) means "child" in a straightforward way and carries connotations of joy, hope, and potential. So Uruha Youji [lacquer feather ocean child] is quite the character in his name alone.

Kumeyuri's name doesn't really give us any insights into it's potential abilities or theme, unless Kunishige was drunk (or wanted to be) when he made it. 酌 (kume) is the kanji used for pouring sake and implies generosity, abundance, and celebrating joy. 揺 (yuri) means to shake, sway, or jostle and connotes a sense of energy, playfulness, enthusiasm, and fun. I'm getting a lot of entertainment value trying to imagine how a sword named after a shaky pour of sake works, let me tell you. Somehow it seems very apt for Uruha already though.

Dead Dad Trivia

So Kunishige himself requested to hold on to the blades- it's very certain now that whatever happened during the war changed him into the man we met in chapter 1. Seitei war flashbacks please, I'm dying over here! But keep up the layering and scattering of little details! Don't feed me too fast! Make me wait and get all impatient every week! Torture me-

Curious that many people who seem to have known Kunishige doubted his potential as a father. Whether they see him as a savior or a selfish prick, most of them scoff a the idea of him having a kid. Maybe Kunishige was just a guy with layers like his son, so only those who actually knew him well would believe he could be a decent dad. We saw him goofing off with Shiba and Azami when they were Chihiro's age in chapter 12 so it's not like he was a stoic since birth (he said himself that Chihiro inherited that trait from his mom). We're going to slowly piece together the real Kunishige this arc and I can't wait!

Also a bit odd that few people see the resemblance between Chihiro and Kunishige until Chihiro's passion shines through or they get a good look at how he carries himself. Won't hang my hat on the blood test showing that Kunishige wasn't his bio dad after all, but the groundwork is there if it does. Regardless of what happens, though, it's pretty obvious that Chihiro is Kunishige's son thanks to the ideals he took to heart.

Hishaku Theory

RIP bandanna guy you were too cool to live.

Yeah, "enemies of the state" isn't a term you use for a regular criminal gang, no matter how threatening they are. I'm more convinced than ever that the Hishaku are primarily a political threat to all of Japan (though still very willing to admit that I might be reading too far into things).

Kyora's conversation with an unknown Hishaku member in chapter 22 referred to "dissidents". That's also a very pointed descriptor for people with differing political ideologies, especially ones agitating against the "legitimate" ruling group.

Could Soya come back to finish what his dad started? Meh.

This implies that Kyora and the Sazanami clan were aligned with the Hishaku's goals beyond merely business. The Hishaku probably have sympathizers in and outside of mainstream society, and likely within the Kamunabi itself as well. And then there's the kiku flower -which has strong ties to Imperial imagery- in the vase that's shown up twice now, arraigned alongside other flowers symbolizing deep desire and patience.

So I think the Hishaku lost the war and have been plotting their comeback for a long time now. How does this tie into Chihiro's personal journey beyond the revenge mission? We'll have to see. John Hishaku's goals and methods are shrouded in secrecy right now, so I look forward to learning about why he needed to foster Chihiro's hatred to enact his plans. Cool job making the core plot hook so compelling, author-san!

HakuHiro Brainrot

I have to, I'm sorry. This chapter was a godsend.

Give me an inch and I'll run a thousand miles with these two.

Chihiro acknowledging that Hakuri is special! Feels like a very deliberate reference to the language used in Chapter 33, especially by Tenri. Makes sense since Tenri was a parallel of Chihiro's devotion to his father and his legacy.

"Hakuri- my older brother by a year- is different." would have flowed a little better, but it's a clunky sentence no matter what...

The reference was probably made in order to imply that Chihiro sees Hakuri as a brother (or family in general) via the Tenri connection. However, that won't stop me from shipping them romantically because I'm illiterate as fuck.

ANYWAY.

FOOD IMAGERY WITH HAKURI FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE ICE LADY!!

Hakuri's sharing snacks with Chihiro on the train- he feels so safe with his samurai! And this is the first time we've seen Chihiro accept food since he reluctantly (metaphorically) shared dango with Sojo in chapter 17! He's rejected Shiba's offers, provided one-sidedly for Char, resigned himself to connecting to Sojo to understand him, skipped getting ice cream, and missed the gaming session, but he accepted Hakuri's small gesture...! I'M GOING FERAL

Hakuri is canonically the only character Chihiro's accepted emotional comfort and support from since his dad died. On screen so far, at least.

Hakuri, who was deeply traumatized when he last tried to connect with someone, feels secure enough to do it with Chihiro...

Chihiro, who is only at ease with providing comfort, accepts it for the first time from Hakuri...

The first time we see them exchanging the comfort/security visual metaphor is while they're on their own...

And it's just so casual for them to do this...!

I sounded confident when I called Hakuri the heroine of Kagurabachi in that long-ass post I made a few months ago, but... I was actually right?! Hakuri is Chihiro's first and only emotional safe haven. He's got plot-related utility and can hold his own in a fight, but he's not going to be outshining the likes of Chihiro or Hiyuki any time soon. His faith in Chihiro has been his most valuable contribution to the story- even moreso than awakening to his storehouse ability. The only thing that's missing at this point is the chance of HakuHiro being canon! Seriously!

Alright void... thanks for letting me yap again. Definitely not going to go back to writing fan fiction for the first time in 10+ years because this stupid edgy sword manga broke me. Nope, never, not me...

[killerlookz]

writing prompts / and or titles except they're just lyrics from songs i like

not really a sincere prompt list and honestly more for my own keeping, but hey if anyone wants to take them go right ahead! songs linked for spotify ^_^

Angst/Hurt:

i know someday you'll have a beautiful life, i know you'll be a star in somebody else's sky, but why can't it be mine? black- pearl jam

"day by day, i'm slowly replaced in your picture frames, a brand new face on your pillowcase." white noise- pvris

"since i've been gone, i hear you've been crying, you cry a thousand tears, darling don't despair" blood and tears- danzig

"i'm different with you, you're better than what im used to." mumble- whirr

"i get on the train and i just stand about now that i don't think of you." black star- radiohead

"let me go you can't hold on to ghosts." girls just want to have fun- bladee

"don't sink in me with your dog teeth." god's country- ethel cain

"see you're just wasted and thinking about the past again, darling you'll be okay." hold on 'til may- pierce the veil

"i've got his ache inside my heart, i know that it's you, what should i do now that i know that we're doomed?" ghost- sky ferreria

"my dear take what you want from me, i'll give you anything, just don't leave me on my own." my dear- new years day

"she's got a boyfriend anyway." sex- the 1975

"i guess i needed you more than i thought, but you don't think i'll feel it too." are you in the mood?- bay faction

Fluff/Comfort

"can you leave me breathless? make me wonder why i ache for your love?" sunspot- dottie

"in a moment nothing's wrong, no stress no worries, i'd stay forever if i could." i'd stay forever- whither

"good men die too, so i'd rather be with you." crush- ethel cain

"you can do no wrong, in my eyes." hearing damage- thom yorke

"everything is doomed, and nothing will be spared, but i love you, honeybear." i love you, honeybear- father john misty

"the end is unknown but i think i'm ready as long as you're with me, being as in love with you as i am." angels- the xx

"if you follow me, i will follow you to the unknown." apollo 13- the tears

"anything to make you smile, it is the better side of me to admire." no one's gonna love you- band of horses

"you'll always be my favorite obsession, i'm so sorry for confessing and i don't want to wait cause you know i feel the same." my obsession- pale waves

"at night i pray to god you're good to me, i want your bliss on bliss, a little company." bliss- yung lean

"on and on, like you were my first love, we could just runaway- not tell anybody." striptease- car wash

Smut

"why don't you show me the little bit of spine you've been saving for his mattress?i only want sympathy in the form of you crawling into bed with me." dance, dance- fall out boy

"go on give me one more taste, can't tell you how much i love the strain." show me the real you- moodring

"her lipstick stays like acid rain, resolving away my sense of restraint." wasp- motionless in white

"now to calm me, take me around again, don't pull over, this time won't you please drive faster." passenger- deftones

"not really into kisses leading into nothing." kiss land- the weeknd

"baby if it feels good, then it can't be bad." gibson girl- ethel cain

"i miss the way you say my name, the way you bend, the way you break, your makeup running down your face, the way you fuck, the way you taste." the death of peace of mind- bad omens

"i want it dirty with the lights on, filthy, vile, and obscene, i wanna show you what a bitch i can be." hatefuck- motionless in white

"you say you're a good girl, i say you're a liar. how could such a good girl love a vampire? kisses aren't enough, i want to bite through you." your favorite dress- lil peep/lil tracy

"scratching counter top is was screaming, my back arched like a cat, my position couldn't stop, you were hitting it." stargirl interlude- the weeknd/lana del rey

"i want to make a movie, so let's star in it together." this is hardcore- pulp

"you're so sweet; your smile, your pussy, and your bones. you're on fire you move me like music with your style." MX- deftones

Dark

"he is the lamb, she is the slaughter." sic transit gloria... fade out- brand new

"say that the night sing alone, and if there's a god then i'm letting him go, all for you." chemical kids and mechanical brides- pierce the veil

"i love you so madly like sadie make, but i'm just a crazy bitch, crying in the kitchen to tammy wynette." tammy faye- nicole dollanganger

"and so he gets to die a saint, but she will always be a whore." the foundations of decay- my chemical romance

"i would die for you, i've been dying just to feel you by my side, to know that you're mine." #1 crush- garbage

"i fantasize about open wounds, allowing time just to dream them through.. rage is the itch im not scratching, i guess i'm over reacting." rolling out the red carpet- hail the sun

"now i can't see your face, i suffocate. because you're not around, i suffocate." suffocate- deer death

"i liked having hurt, so send the pain below, where i need it." send the pain below- chevelle

"call an optimist she's turing blue, such a lovely color for you." blue- a perfect circle

okay that's all for now if i think of more ill make anotha one!

[summercreolefanfictioner]

maya sakamaki fashion headcanons

So here's the thing, I thought this headcanon thing is talking abt Maya's freaking closet (turns out I am wrong 😭). But I still wanna add the wardrobe thingy 'cause I just don't want my writing to go to waste.

As I've mentioned in Maya's random facts post, her main outfits are her long-sleeved maid outfit and the Ryoutei Academy school uniform. However, during summer, she switches to her short-sleeved maid uniform to cater to the season

The reason behind this is that, her other outfits are solely dependent on who her master is.

So yeah, during her time at the Feinze mansion, she was always wearing kimono/yukata and pairs them with dark boots. She also ensures it has a blade underneath so ppl who decide to mess with her won't stand a chance.

But now that she's a Sakamaki doll, Maya has more freedom to express her personality with her clothing.

In fact, she actually likes her clothes now better than the kimono lolita dresses bcos it makes her look more like a teenager instead of a priestess child at a temple

She actually leans on modern pastel grunge + soft girl + dark academia aesthetic outfits with a spring/winter-cool color range to match her pale skin, red eyes, and long dark hair.

So yeah, it's no secret that all her clothes are given by Kanato. In fact, some of them were handmade by him (especially the dresses) and Kanato even takes his time to style her before going out.

And since they were all handmade or given by him, you would notice attention to detail factors like ruffles, ribbons, etc.

Kanato actually has a hard time styling Maya because she has a soft classic body style and slightly large breasts. This forces Kanato to make dresses of larger sizes and accommodate her bust.

And yes, Kanato knows if Maya doesn't like the outfit he makes her wear by observing her for a good minute and if she doesn't stand in front of the mirror for too long, that's when he knows

He'll just make up an excuse that her frowning face made the dress ugly so he would think he styles her really well this sore loser

And yes, Maya never wears a pencil or body-hugging skirts. Not because Kanato doesn't like her emphasizing her womanly assets, but because it will be hard for her to fight in them

In the fake human AU series, Maya's wardrobe definitely got a drastic change. Since she was hired by Shuu to work as his secretary, Maya donned office-friendly outfits to match her work position and make her look more like an adult.

Kanato even commented Maya looked like a different person in the secretary get-up

Most of them are dresses or outfits with skirts. Square pants are a big no since it only makes her look smaller, so she opted for skinny dress pants or jeans.

When it comes to shoes, most of Maya's shoes are Mary Jane's, platforms, black boots, sneakers, doll shoes, and sandals. (all of them have blades hidden underneath)

And she loves wearing socks and stockings; it's like she loves covering her legs most of the time hence why she still uses black stockings despite her maid outfit

Kanato always gives her socks with cute patterns to give her edgy outfits a soft hint

Fun fact: Maya has never worn heels (as per the fake human series fic) because Karlheinz and Gilbert Feinze thought she has no need for them. Plus you can't insert a blade in heels.

That's why most of Maya's shoes don't have heels in them. And if they do, they're still a bit flat with mininalist design, just like this:

So yeah, she had to practice walking in heels thanks to Shuu and Kanato's meddling since she was disguised in the fake human AU series as Shuu's secretary.

Maya is actually not big on accessories.

After all, she's a maid and she can end up ruining them while doing household chores, especially laundry

However, being Kanato's exclusive doll wife has made her wear them since Kanato believes that her outfit is incomplete without them.

But she's still on the minimalist side of things, like a good pair with earrings will do and a necklace or choker. Sometimes she'll add a bracelet.

And yes, she never forgets her wedding ring.

Should a situation arise where she has to remove her ring for protection (cooking, laundry, washing hands), she turns the ring into a pendant on her necklace.

Maya is also a fan of cute beaded necklaces and bracelets. Kanato even made her so many of them so she can pair them all with her outfits

Other accessories she dons are the ones for her hair. Maya is fascinated by cute hair clips and ties and she thinks putting them on her elevates her look. Of course, aside from anything with cherry designs, she likes those ones with cute animals and girly patterns.

A/N: I kind of enjoyed writing this content. Maybe I should do others like this in the future

[calif0rnia-lovers]

no place for a lady.

join my gc for updates since tags are acting weird

requested kiss challenge: seductive kiss or caught off-guard kiss with pirates? where’s Bishop is a feared captain

pairing: captain!bishop losa x theodosia bell | rating: 💙

sum: bish has taken the governor's daughter hostage. despite being his prisoner, she doesn’t listen to a single thing his crew says. to avoid a second escape attempt, he’s forced to keep eyes on her himself.

words: 2K

Captain Obispo Losa quietly inspects the silver blade catching the rays of the sun above.

The sword is a gift to himself. Stolen from the halls of a governor, foolish enough to leave his daughter poorly protected. It had caught Bishop's attention as he’d waited patiently from his hiding place. Never used, the sword was hanging above the mantle. Hours of work from the local blacksmith deduced to a decorative piece to be discussed over dinner.

Bishop admires the golden filigree decorating the handle. The sword is the nicest weapon he’s ever touched. Probably worth more than his entire ship. He gives it a few swings, adjusting his stance as he quickly becomes accustomed to the weight in his hand.

“Teach me how to use one?”

The request breaks Bishop's concentration. A scoff of disbelief escapes his lips as he glances away from the sword in his hand. He allows his eyes to pass over the woman seated nearby.

Bishop had nearly forgotten she was keeping him company. The usually outspoken woman has been silent. Mesmerized by his handling of the sword.

Bishop's handling of the sword was quite impressive, but so was the man himself.

Seated on the deck, Theodosia has her back against the mainmast--a feeble attempt at mastering the sickness she has yet to master in her time at sea.

The tunic she wears is the cleanest the captain could provide. The loose-fitting fabric rolled up to her elbows. Her dark windblown curls are safe beneath a black hat, the tattered brim protecting her face from the rays of the midday sun. Another gift, courtesy of the captain. In fact, all of the clothes that Theodosia wears are from the captain.

If it were up to her, she wouldn’t have accepted a single thing from the man responsible for marooning her on his ship. However, the golden customized gown she wore upon her arrival--while extremely beautiful-- was impractical for a ship.

As much as she hated accepting his clothes, she needed the hat the most. Not used to spending a day's length in the sun, Theodosia needed it to prevent her face from getting burned.

Bishop considers her question. His gaze remains on the sword in his hand, admiring the balance of the blade.

“Putting a blade in the hand of a hostage...do you take me for a fool, Miss. Bell?” Bishop questions, raising an eyebrow as his gaze drifts to her.

“I do, actually.”

The unexpected response, matched with the confidence of her voice, halts the man’s swinging of the blade. He comes to a standstill, his full attention focused on the woman gazing up at him.

“And why’s that?”

Bishop watches Theodosia's brow furrow, her mind seeking a rational explanation for her smart-mouthed response. Her dark brown eyes widen, her lips settling into a smirk as she pushes herself up.

“If your ship were under attack, you would want me to know how to defend myself.”

The satisfied grin on her face does not produce her desired response. Instead of agreeing, Bishop laughs. The sound wipes the grin clean off Theodosia’s face.

It is a sound the woman is not used to having directed toward her. As the governor’s daughter, Theodosia is not accustomed to people laughing in her face. It is, however, an act the captain seems to love doing. It is his preferred form of dismissal.

“Not necessarily,” he responds. The teasing in Bishop's voice more apparent as his gaze falls to Theodosia's clenched fists. “I don’t care much about your life if we’re being honest.”

“I beg to differ, Mr. Losa.” Theodosia challenges. “It would only be to your benefit if I knew how to handle a sword, even at the novice level. Would you care to know why?”

“I know you’re going to tell me regardless.” He mumbles.

Bishop now understood why, over the years, he’d been informed a ship was no place for a lady. Theodosia Bell is more trouble than it is worth. Following her arrival, she has been attached to the captain’s hip at all times. She has taken said time to share what is on her mind. No matter the subject. For someone born higher than the orphaned captain, she has a mouth as filthy as his.

“I’m flattered you’ve gotten to know me so well, Captain,” Theodosia beams. Her teasing tone prompts Bishop to roll his eyes. “I’ll return to my previous scenario--”

“By all means, make it quick.” He sighs. “I’m trying to concentrate.”

The woman does not waste a single second to present her case. She has learned Bishop will simply leave her behind, literally, when he tires of her voice.

“If we were attacked, you would spend the entire time fighting to protect me. You may claim my life has no value to you, but if that were the case, I wouldn’t be on this god-forsaken ship. Now, would I?” The confidence in her voice is no match to the grin on her face as Theodosia watches the Captain fold his arms over his chest. “You need me alive to get whatever it is you’ll be demanding of my father. As I stated before if someone learned the value of your precious cargo...and decided to take it from you...you, Mr. Losa, would spend your entire time trying to defend me. This means you won’t be able to defend your own life--or your ship--to the best of your abilities. Despite what I said earlier, you do not strike me as a fool.”

A fool Bishop Losa is not.

Theodosia has a point, but that is not the deciding factor.

In their two weeks at sea, Bishop has learned a valuable lesson. He can save himself a headache if he does what Theodosia asks. A woman not used to hearing “no,” as a response to her requests can be a true pain in the ass. If they weren’t so far from port, Bishop would have turned back and left her and her hefty ransom behind.

Before she can change her mind, Theodosia finds herself standing across from Bishop. The sword that is usually hanging around his hip is in her left hand. With the sword in her hand, her mind is blank. The casual and frankly unbothered expression on Bishop’s face makes her question her initial request.

Noting her hesitance, Bishop motions for Theodosia to step closer.

“Ladies first.”

Theodosia straightens her stance, struggling to gauge the exact position to hold the sword. The smile on her face is confident, but her voice not so much.

“And who said pirates have no manners?"

With her hat discarded, she struggles to keep her dark curls under control. The breeze pushes them into her face, her irritation hindering her focus.

She pushes them back from her face a third time. Her gaze examines the patiently waiting man. Although the tip of her blade is directed towards his chest, Bishop’s gaze is on hers. The determination he finds in her gaze tells Bishop all he needs to know.

She strikes first, as requested, swinging as hard as she can. But before her stroke is complete, her opponent is gone from her line of sight.

The sudden shift in the tide causes Theodosia to stumble forward.

A gasp escapes her lips as she slips, her bare feet shifting against the freshly scrubbed deck. She grimaces as her knees slam against the surface, her sword slipping from her grip.

Her head hangs forward, her eyes gripped shut as she listens to the chuckles that fill the air.

Heat floods her face, her eyes taking in the crew members who have suddenly abandoned their posts. They’ve gathered to watch the unfolding lesson, their eyes passing between their grinning captain and his opponent.

One member steps forward, picking up Theodosia's abandoned sword. He waits until she stands to offer it to her.

As she reaches for it, he pulls it back. He waits for her hand to fall to her side to speak.

"You're not gonna get far holdin' it like that, Miss."

Theodosia watches the quartermaster's eyes briefly pass over her shoulder to the waiting captain. As his eyes return to hers, they're as soft as the smile on his lips.

He shifts the sword, allowing her a better view of the placements of his fingers on the hilt.

"Always keep your sword up," he explains, shifting to demonstrate the correct stance. "Cap's quicker than he lets on. You wanna protect yourself."

"Right."

Turning to face Bishop, Theodosia watches as he motions for her to step forward. His request is the same as before.

“Try again.”

This time, Theodosia is not as rash as her previous attempt. The new information provided has shifted her focus. Now, instead of thinking of how to attack, she's worried about ensuring she's in the proper stance. Before she can blink, the captain is suddenly closer to her.

Entirely too close.

She instinctively takes a step back.

She remembers to keep her sword raised, but the sound of metal slicing through the air freezes her on the spot.

Her scream pierces the air as the steel of Bishop’s blade clangs with hers. The force of the contact ripples through her arm, widening her eyes.

He strikes a second time.

Her now lowered sword leaves her defenseless, allowing the tip of Bishop's blade to stop less than an inch from the base of her throat.

The once laughing crewmembers now watch silently, all focused on the terrified look in her eyes.

Bishop's voice breaks the silence.

“First lesson, Miss Bell. When you pick up a sword, no one cares that you’re a woman. They won't stop because you look scared. They’ll strike you down the same as a man.”

Bishop takes a step back. His blade taps lightly against her elbow forcing Theodosia to lift her sword.

“Second. Always stand your ground.”

“Stand my ground--what did you expect me to do? Just stand there while you tried to kill me!”

“If I was trying to, you wouldn't be standing,” Bishop chuckles, the smile on his lips having a surprising effect. A calming effect that helps her take a breath. Seeing the captain smile was such a rare occasion. It caused her to give him a soft one in return. “But now you know, you never want a blade that closes to your throat again.”

“Fine, what else do I need to know?”

“Number three. Anyone can swing a sword.” He allows the blade of his to tap the side of his shoe. “Footwork is the most important part. Doesn’t matter how fast you strike if you can’t escape your opponent's return.”

He watches her eyes glance down to his feet. She shifts to mimic his stance, taking a moment to find her balance on the shifting deck.

To her annoyance, it takes Theodosia a long time to use everything thrown her way. Trying to remember stances, the correct way to hold, the correct way to strike, the correct way to parry--it leaves her head swimming. Her problem is she gets frustrated with each of her missteps. Not being perfect at a skill is foreign territory. The usually short-tempered captain is patient, forcing her to push her frustrations aside as he asks her to identify her mistakes.

There is no need for Theodosia to worry about hurting Bishop. She is practicing with the most skilled swordsman to ever sell the seas. There are moments when her blade comes close to cutting into his flesh or snagging his shirt. But, Bishop always manages to escape. It’s not until he sends a wink her way that Theodosia realizes each close moment was purposeful, a subtle attempt to boost her morale.

Overthinking may be her most unfavorable habit, but it is not her downfall.

It is the flashes of Bishop’s smile when she does something correctly. It is in one of those moments when he catches her off guard. One moment she’s focused on his smile. The next her eyes are gripped shut. Her back pressed against his heaving chest. The chill of his blade against her throat.

“I’d suggest that you yield, Miss Bell,” Bishop chuckles as her eyes open. “It’d be impossible for you to get out of this any other way.”

Theodosia can’t help but mirror the grin that is on her opponent's face.

“Not impossible,” she challenges, glancing over her shoulder at him.

Bishop’s stance wavers slightly as his eyes meet hers.

Despite the playfulness in her gaze, he is unable to foresee the kiss that follows her statement.

Her lips press a kiss against his cheek, the action loosening his grip around her.

Her giggle fills the air as Bishop lowers his sword to his side, his head shaking as she escapes his grip.

The smile she finds on his lips arches her eyebrow.

“Careful, Mr. Losa,” she giggles. “Wouldn’t want your crew to find out their captain actually knows how to smile.”

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[givemeuniversalcrossovers]

The movie ain't even out yet but I'm here thinking about it Sonic gets a threquel, lot of writing under cut this is mainly how I get through work

please god give me Amy Rose, BUT I want her to be Stones daughter like, I want Amy to find sad sad pathetic little sad stone after robotnik fucks off and breaks his heart again (seriously robotnik like, Highkey hate the fact he just,,,, let's Knuckles crush Stones hand in the trailer? Like what the fuck dude and just sips coffee all sassy like, like???? That's your assistant he doesn't know why the fuck would you let him get hurt and not just go no not a space porcupine my dear Stone I believe he's an echidna, boom saves knuckles being pissy and they get respective handshake.) but anyways she's like hey what's up. And stones back of his mind is like another hedgehog??? Keep for robotnik maybe then he'll respect me. But then him and Amy bond cause she's like hey don't waste your energy on a boy he's not worth it come on get up dust down your jacket *pat pat*. Essentially just gives him girl advice like if he's not kind and loyal to you now he ain't SHIT dump his ass!! And Stone slowly picks his life back up, especially if he got abandoned in sonic world but Amy took him back but stayed due to Intel like oh stay there just in case, so he reopens his lil coffee shop and Amy works with him, (sonic and Tom high key keeping an eye on him 24/7 cause he sus), and I think it'd be really cool if Stone maybe had some robotnik tech and was able to work on it and engineer it and shit cause let Stone be a lil clever, and make a fake emerald for powering his shop cause electricity exponsive so why not use ur exes governmental funded tech and alien power to make a fake energy source. Cue the gang investigating, shenanigans of them trying do a break in robbery to get the emerald thinking it's stolen, maybe have a bit of Rogue too she wants the emerald but end of the day it's fake and needs recharging every day and it's a bit shit but powers his shop so he can keep it lmao (I like the idea of them calling it Emmy the emerald (stones can name inanimate object as a treat) just cause I imagine the emerald is treated very well as it's a good lil power source and it'd be funny if Emmy became a sentient emerald powered robot by end of the movie through rogue ai and alien powers like ah yes I am Emmy, Emerald, Machine mechanical?? Yunit :D Emmy! Like baby (robotnik better keep his mouth shut about her name and keep his mitts off her that's stones second daughter))

And he has a goth part timer as all coffee shops do she's there for her check and tired but is really friendly to Amy and they're friends with her taking Amy out to see the local teen hanging spots as Amy's probably like,,, 17? So gets to hang out with the cool emo goth kids at the skating skate board park thing cause woo hanging out in public spaces listening to music, maybe she learns to roller blade there so Amy can have a lil speed around as a treat, and the coworker teaches Amy about hair dye and like dyes her quills as per request letting Amy experiment with color giving her dark quills cause aesthetic and its like woah you're like not Amy you're like dark Amy. And she's just "a hahaha I am Damy!" just mostly dorking of socialising one of the part timers friends is like woah chills man I wouldn't wanna fight u, just they're dorks. Stones is crying and taking pictures of his lil girl experimenting and takes her and the part timer on a shopping trip cause let's be real, the goth is also his daughter and enjoys escaping her home life to work cause Stones genuinely cares about her ya know and just it sweet he has a found family, and his found family is so much stronger than you robotnik!

Also Amy's quills glowing pink sparkling and boom hammer summon and toss very powerful. Also no romance she kinda sees sonic as a bother as him and Tom try to find dirt on Stones and she's just there like can I get you anything or will you just be sat here chatting up ways to try to arrest my boss for something. Sonic is like *long ass complicated coffee order* and Tom is like No. Cause sonic and coffee? Nah no u don't kiddo. Sonic maybe tries to impress Amy a lil only cause he's tryna distract her and also learn how to make coffee but he's shit at it cause it requires time and patience and sonic just, he can't handle that one bit nah and he does get a bit frustrated and wants to genuinely make a coffee that she'll say it okay, he needs his ego fix, but that's like the most content you'll get for SonAmy cause I'm not here for it really they're just friends.

Amy and part timer also lie face down on the floor in her room in the renovated attic of the building listening to dark music, and also the meme song carameldansen? Cause I'm here for memes in my movie

Rogue ends up working at the coffee store after stealing the emerald cause like lmso she had to return it it powered down at least this way she can see it working and she can mess with knuckles, also free coffee and I feel she has a fav drink there. Her and goth talk fashion and makeup.

The shop is called Stone and Roses cause ahaha it mixes their last names

Stones comes out of a break up with nothing year later he's got 3 daughters and a Rogue and like good for him

Tails is allowed on girls night with the 4 girls cause he asks nicely to come, Sonic ain't allowed cause he called it lame and Knuckles could probably go but they know him and Rogue would argue

Tom pats Stones shoulder as the gang walk off to go be kids have fun and play when the dangers gone, off to the park or something, and tells him he did good cause stones deserves compliment. Stones is unofficial adopted by them lmao an adult friend.