#Verse: The Red Heart Whipping Flower Alliance

[ravarui]

@rcmancedawn continued from here

Running into no problems, while they made their preparations during their little alliance had been wishful thinking on his side. Of course the defeat of two emperors of the sea had led to more rookies getting cocky and overconfident, thinking they could achieve the same.

Yes, the alliance and their goal was important, but Shanks still had his other responsibilities and those included taking care of whoever thought it was a smart idea to stir up trouble on islands under his protection. Which was what lead to the current situation.

There was one good thing to this whole scenario however: It allowed them to get used to fighting at each others side. While Shanks trusted his crew blindly the same couldn't be said for his alliance partners. They had to learn to adapt to each others fighting style. The more attuned they would be, the better for them once they set their plan fully in motion.

Speaking of the alliance: Shanks had kept track of the youngest member during the fight. He had given Trafalgar his word to keep an eye on the young marine after all, with the other pirate away at the moment and on his own little quest.

The red-haired knew where Hibari was and from where she had lend her support as sniper. He had to admit that it had been hilarious to see their enemies reactions upon realizing their weapons were suddenly jammed by flowers. However his instincts were telling him that something was wrong, very wrong actually. And it didn't take long until his observation haki allowed him a glimpse into the future. A future that would lead to death if he didn't intervene now.

He reached the spot where Hibari was just in time to see the raised blade, ready to strike her down. There was no hesitation or mercy from his side as he brandished his own blade, felling the one who had been closest to the young commander, while the others crumbled under the burst of his haki that had been focused solely on them.

His expression turned from serious into concern as he sheathed gryphon and turned to look at Hibari, who was apologizing to him. The emperor lowered himself down onto one knee beside her, so he wasn't towering over her. "Don't be." She had no need to apologize in his opinion. "You alright? They didn't hurt you did they?"

[drwcn]

discordance!verse part 8(2/2): there are consequences to their actions, consequences they can’t avoid.

in which wwx is lxc’s husband through political alliance, and there is an affair.

[8.1] | [7] | [6] | [5] | [4] | [3] | [2] | [1] [synopsis] OR

see [discau tag] or [discordance navigation page] for all installments  

Both 8.1 and 8.2 are posted on AO3 Chapter 4

The verdict came at dusk.

Yinzhu, Madam Yu's handmaid and bodyguard, bows to Jiang Yanli, "Da-xiao'jie, Wei-gongzi's presence is requested."

Over at jingshi, a senior Lan disciple does the same. "Zewu-jun, Hanguang-jun's presence is requested."

.

"Not to worry, A-Xian, we will go together."

"I shall go with you, Wangji."

.

"Da-xiao'jie -"

"Zewu-jun-"

.

"- the Elders request that he goes alone."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Wei Wuxian arrives at the Lan family's sacred ancestral hall, Lan Wangji is already there, kneeling alone before the altar, flanked by Gusu and Yunmeng's elders and their stern and silent gaze. He braves it without any signs of distress. His back is straight, his posture unbent and his spirit unbroken. Like him, Lan Zhan is dressed down in a plain white robe, no guan to hold up his hair, only a bare strip of white cloth.

To see him relatively well, Wei Wuxian releases the anxious breath he's been holding high in his chest. The last thing he remembers is passing out in Lan Zhan's arms in front of Songfeng Shuiyue. They were beating Lan Zhan with the whip…they were… And then Zewu-jun had arrived.

Of course Lan Zhan is fine. He is Hanguang-jun, Gusu's Second Jade, the second ranked cultivator of our generation…Lan Zhan is fine… he's fine…

Shijie tells him it's been seven days. Has it really? He wonders. Only just? Why does it feel like a lifetime has passed?

Eyes turn on him as he makes his first step into the abbey, and he's never more thankful for the potion the healers fed him pre-emptively than at that moment. He knows he must look a sight, as much as shijie has tried to clean him and make him proper. It could be so much worse; at least he is walking independently instead of being hoisted by disciples. The mixture of milk of poppy and cannabis extract dulls the fire burning along his back just enough for it to be bearable.

Shijie was none too unhappy that he has to trek all the way to the ancestral hall by himself, but Wei Wuxian is not so bothered. When one decides to bed one's husband's brother, it is only natural that one must prepare for the possibility that one's ass is going to get flayed. The situation as it is, his affair is a thing of public knowledge and his reputation is in tatters. Once, he had boasted to Xue Yang that if he, Wei Wuxian, is the second most shameless person in the cultivation world, then nobody would dare to be first.

It was truthfully a bit of an exaggeration, for he had been a beloved ward of Jiang Fengmian, Head Disciple of Yunmeng Jiang, the son of Cangse Sanren, and the fourth ranking cultivator of his generation.

Now… now he's just a problem. Even His mother would be ashamed.

Wei Wuxian stumbles, and the sound of his shuffling steps has Lan Wangji whipping around, eyes growing wide at the sight of him.

Do I really look so awful?

"Wei Ying!" He pushes to his feet but a single pulse of spiritual energy from an elder strikes him in the leg and forces his back onto his knees again. His porcelain mask crumbles and the raw pain underneath bleeds through.

A tinge of red seeps through the white of his robes, like a plum flower blooming amidst snow.

Wei Wuxian is suddenly acutely aware of the waning of Lan Zhan's cheeks and the pallor of his skin. Lan Zhan seems subdued somehow, almost as if… he's still confined by spiritual locks.

Without his cultivation, his wounds won't heal.

Worry lances Wei Wuxian in the chest, hot and sudden. Beneath his breast-bone, his physical heart aches within its cage. Struggling another three steps, he falls gracelessly onto his knees. His breath shakes, beads of cold sweat breaking across his temple and clinging to his hairline. The potion's numbness is starting to wear off, and the wave of pain rising inside him is almost enough to topple him to the ground. Still he holds on. He squeezes his eyes shut and gathers his breath, but he knows he must appear pathetic like this, half wasted before the Lan and Jiang Elders, Uncle, Madam Yu, and all of Gusu Lan's ancestors. No amount his usual shield of devil-may-care attitude could protect him now from his own sense of embarrassment.

"Wei Ying." Someone whispers his name. A firm grip finds his elbow, pulling him up.

Lan Zhan has shifted closer, so close in fact their thighs are almost touching. Cool, gentle fingers caress his face. He holds Lan Zhan's hand out of need and desperation.

Inexplicably, the elders allow this, but it doesn't bode well. Rather than perceiving it as leniency, Wei Wuxian is seized with dread.

Kindness is something one shows to a prisoner sentenced to die.

~~~

Lan Wangji is terrified.

The fact that the elders of Gusu Lan and Yunmeng Jiang are able to deliberate and come to a consensus within half a day, that Yu Ziyuan and Lan Qiren can peacefully tolerate each other's presence without devolving into a shouting match, that neither xiong’zhang nor Jin-xiao-fu'ren are permitted to attend - are reasons for his frightful premonition.

There are candles and oil lamps lit all along the hall, illuminating the tomb plaques stacked neatly one row above the next up the wall of names.

With a nod from Madam Yu, Uncle rises from his seat and approaches him and Wei Ying. His expression is sullen and sad.

"Wangji, Wuxian. The Elders have discussed at length. Initially we had considered xiu'fu to be the most direct solution, but Yunmeng Jiang Sect has made it clear a divorce is not acceptable. After some convincing, Gusu Lan Sect concedes. Despite the rumours and the gossips, we recognize that you are both equal participants in this affair. Neither one is more guilty than the other…and in any case, Xichen himself is not the least bit bothered by any of this. The dissolution of your marriage, Wuxian, is not why we've summoned you both here today before our family's ancestors."

With a permissive gesture, Uncle beckons a Lan healer to enter the hall.

Lan Wangji's blood grows cold as the healer stops before him and Wei Ying, bows once, hands a tray to Lan Qiren containing two identical jade cups filled with clear liquids, and shuffles out without glancing once at either of them.

He hears Wei Ying inhale sharply, the fingers laced between his own squeeze impossibly harder.

So this is what it shall be.

Two cups of poisons to end the scandal, to wash them of their sins, and to restore honour to its rightful place.

Lan Wangji looks to the man he loves with his entire being, and finds Wei Ying's equally panicked eyes staring back at him.

This can't be real.

"Shufu -" Lan Wangji inches forward on his knees. Wei Ying has already taken three hundred and one lashes for him and nearly lost his life in process. He's never owed Lan Wangji anything, and even if he did, surely the debt's been paid in full and then some. He doesn't deserve this. "Shufu - shufu, forgive Wei Ying! This is my fault - "

Lan Wangji is the instigator. Since that first night at the wedding banquet, he's lost control of himself. Wei Ying annoyed him, yes, but only a little. Even since day one, Lan Wangji was able to recognize that Wei Wuxian from Lotus Pier has wit, spontaneity, and heart. His talent with a sword impress even those that disliked him, and he wields it with a sense of right and wrong that is fluid and innate, and has nothing to do with the rigid precepts carved in stone.

Lan Wangji fell without realizing, without warning, slow and sudden all at once.

He envied Lan Xichen who had all of Wei Ying and didn't know it, didn't treasure it. He envied Jiang Wanyin who held Wei Wuxian's sworn loyalty as brother, as family. He envied Jiang Yanli, who could draw the light to Wei Ying's eyes with a simple well-wishing letter and a smile from his lips that was warmer than the hearth in a winter storm, than the sunrise on a summer day.

He envied them because they had so much of Wei Ying and he had so little and wanted so much, but now he has everything…

…and what a price his desires demand.

"Shufu - Madam Yu -" Lan Wangji turns to the matriarch of Yunmeng Jiang and knocks his forehead to the ground. "Please believe me, this is entirely Wangji's doing. Wei Ying is innocent! If anyone is guilty, it is Wangji!"

"No! Lies!" Wei Ying protests, pushing Lan Wangji out of the way to say, "Don't listen to him, it's my fault- I -"

"That's enough." Lan Zonghui interrupts the youngsters' panicked tirade, always the cold voice of reason. "Perhaps you should allow your uncle to finish."

Lan Qiren grimaces, as though he can't make himself continue. Tightening his grip on the tray, and he says, "This transgression goes beyond the breaking of vows or the marriage of two individuals. The dignity of two great sects are at jeopardy. Since you are the ones who started it, you must be the ones to finish it. You must've known the consequences of your sins when you both chose this insane course of action, so we ask nothing but that you find the decency and courage to face them. Neither Gusu Lan nor Yunmeng Jiang are the deciders of your fates. As you are both equally at fault, to blame one over the other would be unjust. Therefore," He presents them with the cups.

"Only one is laced with poison. Which one you choose to drink is entirely up to you."

Lan Wangji's head is light, and he barely thinks before he asks out right, "Why not both?"

Lan Zonghui tilts his head curiously. "Do you think you deserve to die together?"

Of course not. That would be too kind.

Wei Ying closes his eyes as tears fall.

"What do you intend to do with the other?" ask Lan Wangji, glaring up at Lan Zonghui with mutiny in his eyes.

"Seclusion, to repent for your sins -"

"Wei Ying!"

Lightning fast, Wei Wuxian has already swallowed the content of cup closest to him and is reaching for the second cup.

It did occur to Lan Wangji earlier that if he moves quickly enough, he can grab both and drink both, but while he wrangled with how to best execute his plan, Wei Wuxian is already in motion.

Lan Wangji shouts something incoherent as the others in the room gasp. His powers may be sealed, but Wei Wuxian is carrying the wound of three hundred lashes. Even now, they are evenly matched. Lan Wangji knocks his hand out of the way at the very last second, stealing the second cup right out from under his reach and downs it in one go.

The drink tastes like nothing. Like water.

No…

He stares at the cup in hand then up at Wei Ying, assuming the worst, but Wei Wuxian is staring back at him with equal terror, seemingly not in any kind of danger. He must've tasted water too.

Was it… was it a test?

Lan Wangji dares to hope. He looks to his uncle, "shuf-", but then he feels it.

It's not pain, but he feels it, crawling up from his belly and overtaking him inch by inch. He lurches forward, falling onto his palms, the jade cup clattering to the ground.

"Lan Zhan!" Wei Ying collects him in his arms and shakes him furiously. "Lan Zhan!! Stop fooling around! You can't die, they're not going to let you die, I'm not going to let you die, so - stop it! Stop messing with me!! Stop pretending - Lan Zh- Lan Wangji if you die now I will never forgive you!!"

Lan Wangji tries to say something, but he can't. Death is heavy, like a woolen shroud coiling tighter and tighter around his body. He's already lost sensation of his limbs, and even his vision is starting to blur. Whatever the poison is, it works fast.

Wei Ying is full on sobbing now, all pretenses of composure gone.

Wei Ying… I couldn't protect you when I should have.

He wishes he could speak these words aloud, or to touch that lovely face one more time, but he is relieved nevertheless that fate chose him. It is the intolerance of their world that demands one of their lives, but Lan Wangji finds he cannot regret his actions, despite his life coming to an end. To have met Wei Ying was a gift, to have loved him was a blessing, and to die for him now is an honour. Even when he's gone, he knows Wei Ying will be taken care of; xiong'zhang would ensure that much even if he is powerless to stop the will of the Elders.

It should shock Lan Wangji how quickly he's made his peace with death.

Wei Ying's cries drown out his senses, and he wishes again that he could somehow comfort him. Of all the things that has happened since Su She discovered them in the back mountains, his own demise is one which he willingly accepts. Above all else, he refuses to go with a broken heart, because then it would all have been for naught.

Lan Wangji smiles. To spend the last moment on this earth in Wei Ying's arms is indeed not so bad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wei Wuxian feels it the second Lan Zhan grows still in his arms. Eyes closed, a smile lingers on his peerless face.

"L-Lan Zhan…Lan Zhan!! Lan Zhan!!"

He's still warm, pliant. Soon, soon he won't be. No, no Wei Wuxian refuses to let this be the end. It just can't.

Still holding onto Lan Zhan, he lunges forward and grasps onto Lan Zonghui's robe hem beseechingly. "Elder, elder please help him!" But Zonghui shakes him off.

Wei Wuxian glances frantically back and forth at the stone faces around him, desperation and despair brewing into hysteria inside him. Then, he finds it, the one pair of eyes not glaring at him in cold condemnation but pity.

Gently setting Lan Zhan on the ground, Wei Wuxian tries to get up, but his body does not obey. The back of his thin white robe is already soaked through, the vigor of his earlier movement having undone all of the healer's work. Too far gone to care now, Wei Wuxian crawls forward on his elbows and knees until he reaches Yu Ziyuan.

"Yu-fu'ren, please, please I’m begging you, give Lan Zhan the antidote! There has to be an antidote, right?! There can still be a chance - I'll die- I can die right now if you want me to! But save Lan Zhan, save him please! He is Gusu's Lan-er-gongzi, Gusu's Second Jade, my husband's little brother! I've already ruined my marriage, my reputation, my standing amongst the cultivators! Zewu-jun is kind and magnanimous, but even he won't want me now, especially if Lan Zhan is dead because of me! What is the point of letting me live?!! There is no future for me anywhere, but there still a future for Lan Zhan! Yu-fu'ren - no - shimu, shimu please, A-Xian has never begged you for anything in this life, please, if for nothing else than the fact I have been raised under you wings, help me save Lan Zhan, please…"

Madam Yu slowly bends down, hooking her index finger under Wei Wuxian's chin and lifts it up. "You would die for Lan Wangji?"

His face blotchy and snotty from sobbing, Wei Wuxian hiccups. "I - I would. Right now if you wish it."

There's a beat.

"Wangji isn't dead."

It is Lan Qiren that speaks. Yu Ziyuan releases him. Wei Wuxian twists around to see Uncle's hand pressed against Lan Wangji's left carotid. "Just out cold. You'd know if you thought to check instead of letting appearances fool you."

Disbelieving, Wei Wuxian struggles back to Lan Zhan's side to verify for himself. With trembling hands, he turns Lan Zhan over and gathers him in his arms. Though he knows there is nothing to fear, he still can't help pressing two digits to Lan Zhan's neck, checking to make sure the precious pulse is still there. Sure enough, Lan Zhan's heartbeat is strong and his breathing deep and unlaboured.

Alive.

Wei Wuxian blinks, still reeling from the mental whiplash of the sudden revelation, but the steady thrumming beneath his fingertip coupled with comforting sight of that warm, flushed cheeks give him the courage he needs to face what is to come.

Lan Zonghui steps up to him and says, "You said so yourself. There is no future for you. Now you understand now why it always has to be you." From his qiankun sleeve, he retrieves a small porcelain bottle.

The real poison. Wei Wuxian realizes, sagging in relief. The irony of his emotions is not lost on him.

"What did you actually give us?"

"A strong anesthetic."

"Then… how come I'm not affected."

"The antidote to the anesthetic was laced into your pain medicine, which the healers gave you before you were summoned," Lan Qiren explains.

Sleeping…he's just sleeping. Thank god, oh thank god.

Lan Zhan is alive. He's going to be fine. But…Wei Wuxian grows worried again, imagining how Lan Zhan will react to his death once he comes to.

"What will you tell him? When he wakes up, he's going to realize you've tricked him." Lan Wangji can be the most stubborn when he's fixated on a goal. There's no telling what he would do. "You have to… you have to protect him from himself."

"He won't know. We will tell him that one cup had the poison and the other an anesthetic. The poison is slow acting while the anesthetic is fast."

"He will question it. Why the anesthetic? Why the smoke and mirrors?"

Lan Zonghui looks from him to the boy lying unconscious cradled against him. "Does he really want to be awake to watch his lover die in his arms as you just assumed you did? We will tell him it's mercy, so that the remaining party won't have to watch the process happen. He will be allowed to say goodbye to you at the sect funeral. We will grant him that."

"Sect funeral?" Echoed Wei Wuxian, surprised. "You… Gusu Lan Sect would bury me with honour? Even after…"

"That is the compromise." It is a Jiang Elder - Jiang Liliang, Wei Wuxian believes -  who explains to him. "The Lans will recognize you as one of their own. No ceremony will be spared. In death, you will be given all honours and decorum befitting the husband of Sect Master Lan. The action of an individual should not affect the relations of two sects. This is a stance the elders of both our families unanimously share."

Wei Wuxian nods, understanding, finally calm after all that crying.

"I'm still worried about Lan Zhan. You must swear to -"

"Wangji will be under guard at all times until the funeral, after which he will be sent to sealed seclusion for three years. He won't have access to his powers or means to harm himself. Time dulls all pain. So too will Wangji's. Someday, you will just be a mistake of his youth."

A mistake of his youth…

Indeed.

Lan Zonghui picks up the cup Wei Wuxian had discarded on the ground and pours the content of the vial into it.

Wei Wuxian wonders what it actually is.

"Do you have any more questions?" Lan Qiren asks him, sullen but not unkind.

"None."

"Requests?"

Requests? Ah yes. Last rites. At least they let him have that, and if he may, there is in fact something he'd like to do.

"One."

"You may name it."

"Turn around."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I'd like to kiss Lan Zhan. One last time. So unless you'd rather watch me do it, turn around."

"Look around you, you insolent scoundrel!" One Lan Elder whose name he can't recall cries out in anger. "You're in the ancestral hall, Wei Wuxian! How dare you?!"

But Wei Wuxian hugs Lan Wangji close and swallows his pride. For what seems like the thousandth time since he arrived, he begs, not for himself, but for Lan Zhan.

"Please."

He expects that even after his death, he would be the smear in Hanguang-jun's otherwise pristine history, but he doesn't want to be just that, not completely. This, he will leave with Lan Zhan. Even if only one kiss out of their thousands is sanctioned, it will still be better than nothing.

One kiss, just one.

Perhaps they understood him, for Lan Qiren and Yu Ziyuan turn away without further protest, and Lan Zonghui too. Grumbling, the rest of the elders follow suit, displeased and somewhat disgusted by his shamelessness, but Wei Wuxian is due to die any second now, so they allow him this one offense.

"Sleep well, Lan-er-gege, I've gotta go now," he whispers for no one to hear.

Their last kiss is slow, chaste, and Wei Wuxian prays.

Lan Zhan, for yourself sake, I hope you can slowly feel less for me. I would hate to know you spent the rest of your very long life sad. But maybe...don't forget me completely? How does that sound? Or else I'd be a very sad ghost…

Lan Zhan... next life, let's not be brothers-in-law, hm? If you want, I'll wait for you, however long it takes I'll wait. When we meet again, I hope it's still at night. I never did tell you how beautiful you were under the moon.

I promised, I would never leave you, so I won't. You have me, as long as you want, you'll have me. As long as you want me with you, I am not gone.

Wei Wuxian says none of those things out loud, but the soft expression on his face as he smiles down at Lan Zhan must've spoken volumes. This is a man close to death, and yet his smile is kind, soft, and sincere.

Lan Qiren makes a low cough in the back of his throat, telling him time is up.

Wei Wuxian presses his lips one last time to Lan Zhan's forehead, and lets him go.

"I'm ready."

The healers on standby transport Lan Wangji's body to the infirmary.

Lan Zonghui stands before him with the solution to this disaster.

Wei Wuxian knows that as long as he dies, all of this can end. A decision unanimously agreed upon by Yunmeng Jiang and Gusu Lan, to all those who hear of his story, his death will not be an unfair sentence. There is no bias. No undeserved blame. It is...it is Wei Ying's lot in life to be the one chosen by fate to die. The gods must've seen that Lan Wangji is good and worthy of redemption. As long as he dies, faith and righteousness will be satisfied.

"What is it?" He asks Elder Zonghui curiously. 鹤顶红? Crane's crimson crown? Probably. That is the most likely.

"天子泪."

Emperor's Tears. Wei Wuxian almost laughs. Of course, of course it is.

"It tastes like Emperor's Smile, but it is not. It is a gentle poison and will take some time to take its effect."

It's funny, Wei Wuxian muses as the jade cup is presented to him, how such a lovely thing is to be the instrument that ends his life. He accepts it with both hands, obediently, bringing it close to his lips. The familiar aroma of the clear liquid makes him smile.

He bows thrice, properly, his forehead meeting the marbled ground with a dull thud each time.

Wei Wuxian takes his last drink with the same vigour as he took his first. Eyes closed, savouring every drop. Then, clasping his hands before his chest, he draws all the energy in his body and rights himself onto his knees, facing the altar.

"I, Wei Wuxian of Gusu Lan, repent before the forefathers. May you forgive my transgressions and release me from my mortal sins."

And protect Lan Zhan. He prays. For I will no longer be able to do it.

Briefly, he wonders if there are Gusu Lan forefathers with a sense of humour. For all this to play out front of them, surely the less uptight ancestors must be thoroughly entertained by the dramatics of it all. Death, he imagines, must get boring after a while. In any case, he'll find out soon for himself.

.

"I'd like to spend my last moments alone."

.

Lan Zonghui looks to Yu Ziyuan and then to Lan Qiren. An unspoken agreement passes between them. One after another, elders of the Lan and Jiang clan vacate the ancestral hall. The heavy doors grind against the hinge, a low somber moan, as it is pulled shut, leaving Wei Wuxian kneeling amongst the candlelight.

The slow poison is not so slow. Perhaps in his reduced state, its effect is amplified, for soon after he is left to himself the air in his lungs begins to burn. A gush of blood surges up his throat filling his mouth.

If he's honest…okay, he's a little scared. Just a tad.

Hey demons, it's me. Eighteenth level of hell here I come…

In his last conscious moments, his thoughts linger on the sweet tang of Gusu's Emperor's Tears, and of Lan Zhan that very first night standing alone under the eave, away from the wedding festivities, an ethereal figure basked in the moonlight. There is a force pulling him down, and he collapses under the weight of it, right there in front of the altar.

The world is dark before he even hit the ground.

.

He does not hear the clash of Shuoyue's energy against the entrance, blasting open the doors, but he does perhaps hear the fainting voice of his sister calling his name.

A-XIAN.

.

Dusk falls, night arrives, and Wei Wuxian is gone.

---

Note: 

[shimu 师母] - shi = teacher, mu = mother. The wife of one's shifu

[ravarui]

@rcmancedawn continuation from here

The knowledge alone was already powerful, especially for a pirate like him. And if he were with lesser morals he would use the fact that she was more or less stuck on his ship due to their alliance to his advantage. It wasn't every day one found out about the fleet admirals daughter. He knew that many others would do exactly that. But he had never been like that. Never would be.

Her question prompts him to give a light chuckle, followed by the shaking of his head and a crooked smile. "Nah. You're not your old man. Wouldn't be fair to judge you, based on his actions." Like the marines had done with Ace. He hadn't forgotten that. They had damned him for being Rogers son, as if the kid had chosen that fate.

He props his chin up on his hand, still observing her and her reaction. "Don't worry. No one else heard what you said." They had been mostly out of it as well, to drunk to listen or even care. "Well, except Beck, but he wont say anything either and neither will I." He paused for a moment. "Does the rear admiral know the truth?"

[ravarui]

"Bad ideas? My ideas are brilliant and I am an utter delight!" They are not, someone better get Benn or Makino.

[ravarui]

"Here! Give this a try and tell me what you think." Shanks hands the drink over to Hibari, genuinely curious about her reaction. She couldn't be that much of a lightweight, right? With a nervous smile, Hibari takes hold of the cup and brings it to her lips to take a generous sip. Probably more than she should have. Regret sinks in immediately, face scrunching up as she hands the drink back - a shudder running through her body as she holds her hand over her mouth to stifle a cough. "It's— so strong! How can ya drink this stuff?!"

When your pirate dad is being a bad influence again

A scene from one of the many shenanigans that happen in the Alliance verse.

Featuring @rcmancedawn Hibari muse

Commission done by the amazing @namaeekaki

[ravarui]

@herztakt continued from here

His gaze remains on the night sky, taking in the familiar constellations of the stars. They are recognized with ease after all these years. He remembers how long it took him to learn them in the first place, how he had tried to find them whenever he had been on watch duty at night.

A hum is given in acknowledgement of the explanation. For once the redhead isn't one for much words, the remnants of the nightmare still lingering in the back of his mind. However Law wasn't unwelcomed company. Yes, he couldn't read the man, but there was a mutual understanding between the two of them. Their earliest talk had been proof about it.

At the mention of breathing techniques he finally looks at the younger pirate. "Do they? So far I found alcohol is the best solution." Or simply staying awake until exhaustion took over and he managed to get a few hours of sleep. "It helps to forget." And that was what he wanted the most in such a moment.

[ravarui]

"For a pirate who values freedom, I always feel like there sure is a hell of a lot that seems to tie you down."

The trouble of having a very observant ally @herztakt

"Well, good thing I like being tied down now and then hm?" Shanks is well aware that his answer has nothing to do with what the surgeon is implying, but he didn't feel like having another heart to heart with the other. He was to observant for Shanks' tastes. To similiar too, looking past his public persona with ease, knew that the redhead tended to hide his true emotions behind a series of jokes. It was unsettling to a degree.

"You should try it. It's fun." With the right person that is and of course as long as things were happening on his own terms.

[ravarui]

🐰

Bunny meme Accepting @herztakt

"You too? What brought it on?" Not that the redhead was trying to resist getting a pair of bunny ears onto his head again. There was no harm in these little shenanigans, it was just unusual for Law to participate.

[ravarui]

🐰 // Hibari for Shanks bc of course she would sdfgk

Bunny meme Accepting @rcmancedawn

The request to close his eyes for a moment is met with an arched eyebrow before he complies, allowing her to do whatever she had in mind.

He can hear her giggling when something is put into his hair and the laughter of his crew isn't far behind. It makes him curious, but he waits until she gives her permission before he opens his eyes again. Reaching up into his hair he can feel something soft and....he let's out a loud laugh when he realizes that the young commander just put bunny ears onto him.

He leans his head to the side, an amused expression on his face. "How do I look?"

[ravarui]

kujaku casually sits on the table, legs crossed in a playful manner, humming, small smirk tugged on her lips. "oh, yonko-san. you look rather amused tonight. got a good story to share? in return, i brought something nice to drink."

The heartbreaker Always Accepting @isutoburu

"Don't tell me you haven't heard of the latest bet yet? And here I thought you were in on most of them." Especially since she had the tendency to win most of them and Shanks still wanted to figure out how exactly she managed to do so.

His grin widened when he spotted the bottle in her hand. "You know me. A good story is always best shared with a drink." He waited until she poured both of them one before he continued.

"Your friend, the one whos always chasing the polar bear, theres word that she and said bear might be planning on pulling a prank on a certain doctor. Jury is still out if they'll succeed, but whatever it is: I am sure it's going to be one hell of a spectacle and I'll enjoy every second of watching it going down."

[ravarui]

✏️

Incorrect Quotes Accepting @todesgeduld

Law: I'm having problems with a guy... Shanks: Like his dead body won't fit into your trunk kind of problems, or you like him kind of problems?

Bonus:

Shanks: If I may interject... Law: Oh, awesome, Shanks was eavesdropping

Alliance bonus feat Kujaku and Hibari @rcmancedawn

Law: In your opinion, what is the height of stupidity? Kujaku, turning to Shanks: How tall are you?

Hibari: Fight me! Shanks: Ha, look at your size! What are you gonna do, kick my ankle?

Later

Kujaku: Why is Shanks crying? Law: Hibari kicked him really hard on the ankle.

[ravarui]

the gift law sent is held in a box made of wood and painted red with an elegant carving. it's a set of sword care kit all in the similar red shade of the box. the card on top has a short text, hinting once more that the surgeon of death simply isn't a man of many words, especially on birthdays.

as you already will have plenty of alcohol today, in celebration of your day of being born, i send you something that might still be of use to you instead. spend your day well (but remember your liver) ; trafalgar law

Birthday Asks @herztakt

To say that he's surprised when the gift of the surgeon reaches him would be an understatement. He didn't even think that Law had known his birthday was close by and even less that he would send something, given the younger pirate was currently on a small quest on his own, in favor of their little alliance.

The card is read first and it only makes him curious what the other might have gotten for his birthday. Alcohol was the easiest choice when it came to gifts for him, and he honestly would never complain about getting more.

With the card placed to the side on his desk, he carefully opens the box, a smile spreading over his face when he takes in his gift. This was indeed quiet thoughtful he had to admit it. Ah, well. Maybe he should have expected something like this from the surgeon in the first place. Despite everything the man was also a swordsman and he knew how important it was to make sure once blade was in top condition.

[ravarui]

Hibari scoots up beside the Emperor, nervously fiddling with the strap of the bag on her shoulder. Clearly, she had something she wanted to ask his opinion on. "—Hey, Captain?" She doesn't make eye contact, instead opting to watch the antics of some of his crewmates. "Hypothetically... If there was a girl... —Not me. Definitely not me! And... She liked a guy, but didn't think he liked her back... What should she do? Hypothetically!" (her first mistake is asking Shanks for advice-)

Unprompted relationship advice Always Accepting @rcmancedawn

A hum is given, acknowledging her approach. Her nervousness was more than obvious and he couldn't help but wonder what the reason could be. The question is not what he expected at all and a wide grin spreads on his face. "You came to the right person for that!"

The redhead places his hand onto her shoulder, giving her a knowing look. "First things first: Is this hypothetical girl interested in a serious relationship with this guy or are we only talking about a one night stand? Cause depending on that the approach is gonna be slightly different." And didn't he knew that all to well? One night stands were easy, but a relationship? He sure had been terrified of his own feelings when he realized he had wanted more from Makino.

"Second: What makes her think that he doesn't like her in the first place? Did he say anything in this regard?"

[ravarui]

"well, there is also one about me trying to sneak into bed with your northern man so i guess, there are quite a few i pretend not to know about for reasons," kujaku whispers to him, voice a pur, just for entertainment before leaning back, quick smile showing: "captains and their second in commands are a big no for gambles tho or entertainment. one doesn't want a ship to sink." the woman pours them a drink, placing one in front of him. "he's awfully dull, isn't he? i do not think he will go for it but then, i guess he deserves a free pass, doesn't he?"

The heartbreaker continuation Always Accepting @isutoburu

"Ah, yes. That one gained quiet some popularity." There was probably nobody on the ship who hadn't heard about this specific rumor. He returns the smile she's giving him, fingers tracing the rim of the glass she had just poured. "That some rules you marines keep among yourself or is that just a personal preference?"

He lifts the glass for a silent toast before knocking the drink back with practiced ease. "You might be surprised." He regards her for a moment. "If you're actually interested just go for it. I mean whats the worst that will happen? Getting told no? You don't strike me as someone who can't handle rejection should that be the case."

[ravarui]

"happy new year, drunk yonko-san!" kujaku pours him another drink. "ah, it's so sad north blue men are so serious. i was quite tempted to give beck-san a kiss but i fear for my life," she whispers to him. "on new year, we all can admit to having quite a liking for good shots," she chirps, emptying her mug once more. "anyway, yonko-san! let's drink! may your hair stay red this year as well!"

New Years Kisses Congratulations Always Accepting (Mutuals Only) @isutoburu

There is a moment of silence as he processes what Kujaku just told him. "Interested in Benn eh?" Why wasn't he surprised? His first mate sure had quiet the reputation. A smile slowly spread over his face, an idea already forming in his head. If she didn't dare he might have to give her a push in the right direction.

"OI BECK!" His voice is loud as he calls for his first mate. "C'MON OVER HERE WILL YOU? THERE'S SOMETHING OUR REAR ADMIRAL WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU!" Way to gather the attention of everyone, but then he had never been known to be subtle.

He lifts his own cup with a grin as he gives her a wink. "Cheers! May we all get what we want then."

[ravarui]

"HE'S NOT DEAD!" law mutters something about idiots being too stubborn to die, kikoku angrily tapping against his shoulder, walking away. "red-haired pirates are mysterious people, they say. they aren't menaces at all they promise. no, they don't run around losing arms and making people go insane about the work they cause not at all..." (it's not alliance canon but after midnight rp excuses)

Will he ever catch a break? Always Accepting @todesgeduld

"You sure? Cause the way you said things really made it seem like he is." Whoever that mysterious guy was the surgeon was so bothered by. It was kinda funny to see. Maybe he should seek out Hibari and Kujaku, one of these two would sure know what exactly was going on.

"Spend an awful time around Beck huh? Your muttering sure sounds similar."