#azuls brain exploded a little bit i think

[heartscrypt]

the immediate aftermath of this post. they sure did kiss

[phantasmiafxndom]

Hopefully this doesn’t break any rules. May I please request for headcanon twst Iida, Jack, Jamil, and Azul with a crush on fem! Teacher reader who likes to teasingly bully them for having a crush.

Nope! No rules broken here! o3o

. . . 

Idia

• He really, really just wants to skip your class forever and never have to speak to you face-to-face. Idia’s crush is absolutely killing him— not only would any crush he has be doomed to end in failure, with this one, the chances are higher than most. He’s beyond embarrassed by even thinking of the feelings that won’t leave his head, and every time Ortho tries to be “helpful” and point it out, Idia dies inside even more. He mostly just tries to avoid you as much as possible out of fear. 

• The teasing destroys him. Even the slightest line has Idia’s face exploding in a blush and his brain utterly shutting down. This is “super-ultra-hard mode” in his mind, and he wants nothing more than to run away before the embarrassment kills him. But deep, deep inside, there’s a little part of him that hesitantly enjoys the attention from his crush... 

Jack

• He does everything possible to be the best student he can be. Holding doors, asking questions, and doing every bit of work he can on time... it’s kind of an attempt to both stay in your good graces and remind himself that his crush is very much not allowed. Jack tries to keep his feelings under control. He knows that he shouldn’t have them, and he doesn’t want to be inappropriate, so he shuts them off and tries to be just another well-behaved student. It doesn’t work as well as he hopes. 

• When it comes to the teasing, you get a bit of a mixed reaction. At the same time that Jack gets incredibly blushy and nervous, his tail won’t stop wagging, and he can’t help the feeling of relief that you’re not taking his little crush too seriously. You’re not mad at him, so he can drown out the feelings and do his best to pretend like they don’t exist. 

Jamil

• While he’s absolutely dying inside, Jamil is at least capable of keeping his composure... for the most part. He’s “cool” about his efforts to get attention from you, and is definitely a very subtle teacher’s pet. Because he’s convinced that his crush is going absolutely nowhere, even if you do become aware of it, he’s willing to be a little more open for the sheer reason of why not. However, the fact that he knows the crush is bound to fail is internally miserable in a way he won’t admit. 

• Jamil manages to be cool... right up until the teasing starts. He can keep calm for a second or two, but as soon as it sinks in that he’s getting direct attention from the person his stupid heart has decided to fixate on, he kind of shuts down. He’ll then try to escape the situation as soon as possible out of spiraling shame and abrupt panic. 

Azul

• Despite doing everything he can to be subtle, Azul fails at that part miserably. He’s something of a teacher’s pet on accident, often seeking out your help or going out of his way to succeed in your class, thanks to that persistent crush driving him to unconsciously get just a little closer and get just a little more attention. He’ll fight to convince himself that it’s not a crush and that his reasons for the closeness are purely academic, but his feelings are about as blatant as a neon sign. 

• Any kind of teasing does not go over well. Azul tries to stay calm, and tease back... but that’s really just a desperate attempt to keep things “even”. Inside, however, it’s absolutely killing him. He’s blushing whether he wants to or not, and he’ll be running any of your lines through his head over and over for days, wondering if his feelings have been found out. 

[merakiui]

C6?? wow, that's so impressive ヘ（。□°）ヘ ... i hope to be luckier with constellations on the future... and yeahh go get the c3!!

someday...standard banner pulls are hard to get (٥↼_↼) let's hope we will get some sort of rate up in the future for the starter characters.... (omg c2 amber...lucky...:heart_eyes:)

that childe-lasagna comparison made me chuckle, but you're right;; he's such a scary character because of all these layers...

ahaha, i guess we all have our own gemstones troubles <//3

ahhh that's definitely fair!! that kind of chr isnt really my type, but i like how smooth and classy he is. ive seen bits of informations about him, and his benevolent 'facade' and what not... it's gonna be a pleasure to interact with him (☆▽☆) (i did not know about the eel henchmen though omg???)

lol since i tend to be a "love at first sight" kind of person, it just made my love for him stronger; i like that he doesn't mind speaking his thoughts, even if he ends up insulting others and that he stands up for himself (๑♡⌓♡๑) im totally gonna consume and make content of him..

i bet it will be!! and hehe i'm definitely gonna try my best to make it look pretty for you to enjoy!!

thank you omg!!!!! you have extremely good taste too!! ^^ heartslabyul's just so cool, and i don't know much about the octavinelle dorm, but the characters there are apparently really intelligent, and i can't wait to see more about them..

nooo i haven't, but ive heard of it, and it seems short enough that im planning on binging it to give you my thoughts on it, since you recommend it!! (◕ᴗ◕✿) ahh i feel the same. actually he totally reminded me of scaramouche. that's the kind of thing that makes my brain go :D and all the little lights in there are all turning on. and thank you!! i'll probably be working on that fic to start improving my writing (. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)

omg there is a mafumafu nendoroid too? in missing out on soooo much TT i hope we'll both be luckier in getting these later....

(i get it!! the savanaclaw students dont really pique my interest, but leona looks cool enough!! and they're really cozy/calming places, mostro lounge is also one of my favorites :P i assume ramshackle dorm will get a lil fix-up, and i feel like it's gonna climb in my list! i was surprised the first time i saw the name, too, cause my player name is ram haha)

by the way, do you have thoughts about good old grim?

Ningguang’s c6 was the result of wishing on Childe’s and Xiao’s banners! I hope to build her one day! Good luck with getting constellations! I’m sure you’ll get lucky soon!

Omg it would be so nice to get the starter characters’ constellations with ease. orz If only it wasn’t so difficult. Amber’s c2 is really useful, though! I like being able to explode her Baron Bunny when I hit its feet! It’s really fun.

Azul and the Leech brothers are slowly growing on me!! They’re really interesting and I like how Floyd and Jade complement each other. Although it makes sense since they’re twins hehe. They’re really tall, too. :O But I like their personalities and the aesthetic of their dorm a lot!! Floyd is perfect yandere material.

Ace has such a strong personality! I like the fact that he will freely speak his mind, even if it gets him in trouble. When he’s paired with Deuce, their chemistry is so funny. I can see why you like him! Even if some of his words can come across as mean, he seems genuine and very fun to be around.

Hehe!! >:D our taste in the dorms is too good! As much as I love all of the dorms and how unique they are, Heartslabyul just hits different. But it makes sense that I’d enjoy it so much because I like Alice in Wonderland. ^0^ and I’m excited to meet the Octavinelle trio! I wonder what will be in store for the mc, Grim, and Adeuce…

Omg if you do watch it, please tell me if you enjoy it! I found it to be a very silly, yet enjoyable anime. Everyone sparkles in it!! They’re very colorful and bright.

Riddle and Scaramouche… They are both unbearable yans, but I think Scaramouche would be a little more unbearable than Riddle. Although they’re both scary and overbearing in their own ways! Omg keep me updated on how the fic is coming along!! I’d love to read it if you ever post it anywhere. ( ´ ▽ ` )

Yes!! I forgot when exactly the pre-order sale was, but as soon as I heard of it I ordered so fast. My pay had come in for that time period, too, so it really worked out. T_T Mafu in nendoroid form is too precious! I hope other utaite will get nendoroids as well! I’d love to have a Soraru nendoroid to complete the unit. <3 Hopefully you can get Mafu one of these days!!!!

(The Savanaclaw dorm has a neat atmosphere. Leona’s character interests me! I’m currently on book two, so I’m really getting to know him now. And of course I like Ruggie and Jack! It’s hard to dislike any of the characters. T-T I love all of them. Omg and the Mostro Lounge!! I would visit often if it was a real place. The design is just so pretty! And the Ramshackle Dorm has the potential to be very cozy once it’s properly fixed up!)

Grim thoughts!!! Even though he gets the mc into all sorts of trouble, he’s very likable. I’m happy he accompanies us and is living with us in the dorm. I feel like it’s good to have a friendly company when you’re trying to find your way in a new place. ( ˘ω˘ ) Also, he’s the type to accept food bribes so if one of the yans needed to separate the two of you all they’d really need to do is give him enough tuna and other good foods and he’s off to have his feast and then a nap! I think he would feel a little worry for the darling if he had any suspicions about their relationship with the yan or if the yan was stalking them, but he probably wouldn’t think much of it and would move on if it didn’t seem significant. ^^;;; But what are your thoughts on Grim?

[pan-of-light]

Invasion

[Originally posted on AO3]

 Riddle was sure he hated it when Floyd’s attention was on him. Nothing good ever followed, and the worst part was that Floyd was so volatile there’s no way for Riddle to even predict what might happen until he’s as red as a rose and shouting unbecomingly at the other. Actually, no, that wasn’t quite right. There was something even worse than being in Floyd’s line of sight: It was being completely ignored.

 Of course, with someone as moody as him there had always been moments of peace and disinterest, but this had been over a week! After almost two years dealing with that giant shadow behind him, threatening to wrap around him and devour him entirely, to go so long without even a “Goldfishie!” echoing behind him was unthinkable. Riddle didn’t believe Floyd could be planning to do something to him, specifically, but every day that passed when their paths crossed and he didn’t even receive a glance seemed to add to the weight in his chest, to the point it became unbearable.

 He tried not to think about him. The school had been busy enough as it is, from everything like the normal hassles of a new year to Overblot going to “rare condition few had even heard about” to nearly half a dozen cases in as many months. Everyone was busy, and as Azul’s right hand man, Floyd should be, too. Even though Riddle constantly saw him loitering around and doing weird things, well, Azul’s success even after his contracts were destroyed proved the man had a method to his usage of the Leech siblings. He had to, right?

 Shaking his head, Riddle tried to focus on something else. Summer was approaching, and with it, swimming exercises constantly in PE. Last year he'd done… Acceptably enough, but he had to try harder to set a better example this year. Of course, thinking about swimming reminded him of mermen, but Floyd was not going to magically appear before him, and his formal request to access the pool to practice before classes wasn’t going to magically write himself. And Riddle could only force one of those things to happen.

 Floyd would never follow his will, anyway. Same grade, different dorms, Riddle had nothing over him, and even if he did, he doubted any of it would work. Floyd was someone who didn’t go with the flow, seeming instead to be outside of it entirely, reaching in to mess with his head and make his stomach do nervous flips before retreating back into his own little world, where Riddle could never reach.

 Being around Floyd felt a lot like drowning in feelings Riddle wasn’t familiar with and didn’t know if he wanted to be. And he hated not knowing himself.

--------

 Professor Vargas accepted Riddle’s paperwork with ease, praising him for demonstrating the extra initiative to tone his muscles. After paperwork came the key, the empty locker room before morning classes, and finally, the pool.

 It was a large, heated indoor pool, filled with mineral water to minimize chlorine exposure to non-human students, and maintained clean and warm thanks to volunteers in the sports clubs, solar panels, and a small but well applied use of magic every now and then. Despite the best efforts of exterior illumination, Riddle still couldn’t see much when he looked down, staring over the edge into the pool. There was no reason to be scared. He’d been here several times the past year for class. The fact that the early hour left the water looking like a polished black mirror, only giving back his own stare and nothing else was unsettling, but could easily be explained by the time.

 The water was calm, until it wasn’t. Riddle was supposed to be alone. He thought he was alone. But as he’d been distracted by his own contemplation, something cold and strong shot up from the water, grabbing his ankles in a vice grip and dragging him in.

 Riddle barely had time to hold his breath, and it didn’t matter much. The water wasn’t heated at the moment, and the sudden cold knocked what little air he’d managed to hold onto out of him as he was dragged all the way down, until he could feel his feet touch the bottom of the deep end of the pool. And as suddenly as he was grabbed, he was free, kicking himself up to the surface to breathe.

 He turned his head around frantically, searching for whatever had grabbed him, cursing his carelessness. His pen was back in the lockers, and while he could use magic without it, in an unfamiliar environment under attack by an unknown assailant he was at a disadvantage. Especially when he’d been dragged to a part of the pool he couldn’t stand in, having to bob awkwardly to avoid going under. He couldn’t even begin to imagine who it could be. Even after he began making amends, Riddle was under no impression he’d gotten his dorm mates, or the rest of the school, to forgive him. There probably wasn’t a single person in the school he could think of that he hadn’t exploded at or threatened, and generally just driven away. A few Unbirthday Parties didn’t make up for his time as a tyrant. He knew that better than everyone else.

 But without proper footing and lighting, he was little more than a sitting duck in the water. He’d see a ripple here, a bubble there, but whatever caused them was always nowhere near the area by the time his eyes could focus on it. By the time the panic and cold left his brain enough so he could think clearly, so that he could realize how his attacker could stay underwater for so long, it was too late, and the great wave formed by Floyd emerging behind him and leaping onto him pushed him underwater again.

 Bubbles sprang around him as Floyd tried to say something that Riddle couldn’t hear, even though Floyd’s mouth was so dangerously close to his ear, even though he was wrapped tightly in a hug against the merman’s smooth skin. Every fear and worry he’d felt the past few minutes vanished, being replaced by a familiar irritation. He was angry, of course. Angry at how being treated like this was making him smile, like all was right in the world.

 And a bit angry he couldn’t breathe. He tried elbowing Floyd to get let go, and while his attempt was a valiant failure, Floyd got the point and released him, surfacing right next to him with the same dopey grin he always had when it was Time To Bother Riddle And Fill His Stomach With Butterflies. Angry butterflies, Riddle’d insist, if he ever tried admitting it out loud. (He would not).

 “F-Floyd!” Riddle sputtered, ungracefully, “What are you doing here?!”

 (Riddle thought this was a valid question. Considering Floyd’s attendance records, he hadn’t even been totally sure the other could be awake at this hour).

 “Ehh? But I should be asking you that, Goldfishie~ Me and Jade always use the pool since the leg potion gets uncomfortable at times. You’re the intruder here, you know?”

 Shit, Jade. Riddle had been so caught up in Floyd’s unusual behavior that Jade’s usual behavior had slipped his mind entirely, and he started looking around for the less openly evil twin, earning a laugh from Floyd.

 “Jade’s busy helping Azul this week. I was thinking it was going to be totally boring to swim alone, but then you showed up, Goldfishie~! Isn’t this great?”

 This was the worst possible situation. At least warm water would have given Riddle as excuse for his outrageous blushes, but of course someone used to living under the sea would have turned off the heaters. He was tempted to just call Cater to come paint him the proper color for “still in cold water”, honestly.

 “Not great at all,” Riddle tried to maintain his composure, and he didn’t even need to look at Floyd’s smug grin to know he was failing. “I came here to practice swimming, and I won’t have you bother me.”

 Floyd muttered a lame okay as Riddle swam to the edge of the pool, grabbed the corners to stabilize himself and kick off, trying to at least start one lap down the pool. It shouldn’t have surprised him that when he opened his eyes to make sure he wasn’t veering off his lane that Floyd was right below him, matching his pace easily and even giving him a little wave when he realized Riddle was looking, almost making him choke on pool water in frustration.

 It was a small miracle Riddle reached the other end, clutching the pool’s edge as Floyd popped up behind him like the world’s soggiest Jack-in-the-Box and crowded him against the wall. It felt kind of odd. Usually Riddle had to strain his neck to get a proper look at Floyd’s face, even in his dorm uniform, but in the pool like this, he could actually look straight into his mismatched eyes. Far too close for comfort. Or not close enough. He couldn’t tell.

 “You really need to swim more if you already can’t breathe just from that…” Floyd teased, poking Riddle’s cheek. It had nothing to do with swimming! It was just too much. Closeness. Nerves. Something he could never command or push away. No matter how little Riddle wanted, Floyd just gave him more and more.

 So Riddle decided to take more, interrupting whatever was coming out of Floyd’s mouth next with a kiss. He had to move from gabbing onto the pool's edge to Floyd's shoulder to not go under, but it just meant the kiss was even closer. It was even a small victory, the first time he managed to make Floyd stop and stay still, even if for a second before the other responded with more, pushing Riddle against the tiled wall and trapping him there with his larger frame, while his mouth opened just a bit, inviting and dangerous and completely willing. Riddle wasn't discouraged by the sharp teeth, even trying to show off his own with a bite to Floyd's lower lip, which was responded to in kind before the kiss progressed into a more 'proper' thing, with lips and tongue and just the tiniest taste of blood that neither of them really knew who came from and neither of them cared, too invested in taking in more of each other.

As small a thing as it was, Riddle considered it a loss when he had to pull away from the kiss first to breathe. Even if he could see Floyd cheating, keeping his neck underwater and feeling his gils move, it was a loss he didn't like. So he kissed back, again and again, letting Floyd aimlessly drift them around the pool as they slowly tried to explore each other. At one point he even found himself completely submerged, only able to breathe the air Floyd gave him, unable to hear or see anything else as the water muffled and hid away everything but the two of them. He felt a bit sad when that ended, as Floyd had gotten bored and tried to change the positions of their lips again and finally remembered Riddle couldn't breathe underwater unassisted.

 It was only when Riddle surfaced and saw the sun shining in from the skylights at the edge of the pool area that he realized how much time had passed. The wall clock told him he hadn’t missed any classes yet, but that yet was dangerously close to going away entirely. He let out a curse under his breath, trying to untangle himself from Floyd, who’d used his unfairly long tail to wrap around him so  thoroughly   it was a wonder Riddle hadn’t noticed how close they were before. Or maybe he’d just been too intoxicated in finally getting something from Floyd to care.

 Floyd, however, refused to stop squeezing him.

 “Let go, Floyd, we have class!”  

   “Ugh, don’t wanna.”

 Riddle was gonna strike that expression from his vocabulary someday. But first, he needed to find a way to regain use of his legs. And arms. His whole body would be preferable, actually.

 “I’ll cut you a deal, how does that sound? Let me go now, and after classes and club activities are over, you come by Heartslabyul and I’ll entertain you as long as you want.” thankfully, not an empty promise. He had no outstanding prefect duties to work at, he could do his homework while Floyd was at basketball, and if any troubles arised, well, Trey could handle it for a night. Part of him trying to change should include him getting some nights off to himself, after all.

 “Hmm….” Floyd seemed deep in thought for a while, before releasing Riddle entirely (and leaving him a bit disoriented without the giant merman holding him afloat), getting out of the pool with practiced ease as the potion he used to look human took effect again now that he was no longer submerged. Thankfully for Riddle’s heart, it also came with pants. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if he ended up staring at a stark naked Floyd right now.

 “I’ll hold you to that, Goldfishie~” and with that, Floyd was gone, leaving Riddle alone in the cold pool. The temperature did wonders to rapidly ice his teenage libido as he considered the consequences of the deal he’d proposed Floyd. Idly, he traced the bite marks on his lips with his tongue. Those consequences would surely be worth it.

[tsukikoayanosuke]

A Reunion Between the Waves

Summary: 

Azul is indentured to a horrible captain on a routine ocean trip with his master's goods. He doesn't know what to expect when the ship is attacked by the notorious and mysterious ship, the Night Raven, but it's certainly not this.

(’Twisted-Wonderland: Our Precious Treasure’ 5000 hits celebration!)

(Fantasy/Pirate/Steampunk AU)

(A suggestion from @sanata101 )

Azul did not know what to expect when his master's ship was attacked by the most feared pirate ship in these seven oceans, but he was sure he did not expect to be HUGGED by the captain.

Azul's head suddenly felt dizzy, uncertain of how to react. This dizziness was partly from getting cuffed upside the head by his master just a moment ago, but the rest of the shock he was sure came from a sudden hug from Captain Argentum, the captain of the Night Raven. How many navy ships had this guy taken out? Maybe Azul needed more than two hands to count them. He was the only known captain who dared to sail the ocean in the dead of the night, the only captain who managed to attack his opponent amid complete darkness and steal the treasure without leaving a trace.

And now, he was in the arms of the captain who was almost younger than him. He had lost his hat during the sword fight with Azul’s master and revealing his reddish-brown hair, tied in a loose ponytail.  There was a scar under his black eye-patch, rather than make him look dangerous, it almost made him look somehow…softer.  Vulnerable.  The effect was also helped along by the fact that he was crying a little, a tear rolling out of his other eye.

“Azul, it’s you, right, Big Brother Azul?  Please tell me it’s you.”

Azul's mouth opened, but no sound came out, opening and closing like a fish. How did the most famous pirate in the ocean know his name?  How could he possibly know Azul Ashengrotto- an orphan who worked because he was forced to employ a minor master?

Captain Argentum seemed to be able to get his bearings back, but his hands were still on the shoulders of Azul. His head dipped slightly for a moment, catching his breath. Then, his eyes met Azul's, and for the first time since the captain had landed on his ship, sword flashing and coat tails swirling around his legs, Azul could see his eye - black as the night sky above them.

And he felt like he had seen that eye before.

His mouth opened again, then closed. Finally, he whispered in a hoarse voice. "How… Do you know… My name?"

Captain Argentum's breath hitched, and Azul could see the light slowly disappearing from his eye - as if he was losing hope.

"I- Sorry," the captain murmured, his hand falling from Azul's shoulder. "I'm sorry, this might be... Too much for you. I... I’ve been looking everywhere for you and..."

He turned his eyes away, pressing a gloved mouth to his hand for a moment.  Azul found himself stepping forward automatically, hand reaching for the pirate’s shoulder.  It felt natural - like something… He had done this before…

"I ... I'm sorry," he said, not too sure for what reason.

The captain’s head jerked up.  He turned to Azul in a rush, almost stumbling over his own words.

“Oh, no, no, no, Big Brother Azul, please don’t - it’s not your fault you don’t remember; it has been ten years, after all, no wonder you don’t remember me. I’m sorry to frighten you I just-saw you and I got overwhelmed and-”

Is this really the captain that many people fear? The same captain whose face was drawn on the wanted poster? His face was so open, Azul thought. So…vulnerable, so genuine.

Azul took the captain's hand, making him stop talking. He squeezed the hand, felt the warmth through the gloves. This felt very familiar. This ... felt right. He raised his face so that he met Captain Argentum's eyes again and there, he saw a glimmer of starlight.

"How do you think Captain Flint did it, Azul? How'd he swoop in out of nowhere and vanished without a trace?"

"I have no idea."

"You think somebody will ever find Treasure Island?"

"Maybe one day... You can."

"Me?"

"Yeah. You'll finally be the captain like you always dream off."

"Yeah... Yeah! Captain Jonah Argentum and his first mate, Azul Ashengrotto! Sailing across the seven seas in search of the legendary Treasure Island! An adventure of a lifetime!"

“Jonah…?” he murmured.

He felt the young man’s hand tighten against his, and his eyes half shut with a soft shudder at the sound of his name on Azul’s lips. Could this be the little Jonah from back then? The little Jonah who cried for his name when their old island was invaded by pirates and he was captured?

Feet stampeded over the deck, shattering the moment. Azul's heart jumped to the base of his throat as he wheeled around, his hands were still holding Jonah's.

His master, a female captain named Athena, appeared at the higher deck. Her hand still clutched at her side, where the barest bit of blood seeped between her fingers and into her fine dress clothes - Jonah had cut her there during the fight, that’s why he had run in the first place.  Jonah had looked about to go after her before he had been distracted by the sight of Azul on the ground, and now the small captain swore under his breath, raising his sword with the hand that wasn’t still holding Azul’s.

Azul’s throat clenched up at the way his master looked – wild-eyed, pale-faced, her normally red hair half out of her braids.  His head throbbed where the woman had struck him only minutes before the fight had started - he couldn’t even remember why she had hit him.  Not that Athena ever needed a reason. Behind his lord, three soldiers armed with muskets jogged up, two of them dropping immediately to their knees to aim their weapons at Jonah.

Jonah shifted, pushing Azul behind him despite him being shorter than Azul, hands still clasped between Azul's.

"Back off now," said Jonah. "You don't know what you're dealing with."

Athena's eyes flashed, but she smiled, removing a few strands of hair from before her eyes with her hand still holding her sword.

"There are five guns aimed at you, Star Thief," Athena said, speaking Jonah’s ocean nickname with the same venom one might use to swear. "And that's not included in front of you."

Her eyes suddenly landed on Azul and he felt himself shrink. He gulped. Why is this woman so scary?

"Boy, come here," Athena snapped. "Now."

Azul flinched, chest tightening. He saw Jonah’s eye flicker back to him.

"Who is she?" he asked.

Azul gulped. "I work for her," he muttered. At that moment, Jonah's black eye narrowed and a spark of anger appeared on his face. He turned to Athena, his hand squeezing even more tightly into Azul.

"Uh... No," he said. "Looks like he'll just stay with me."

Athena laughed. "You think he’s worth it as a hostage? I can buy ten slaves for half his price. "

Azul could already smell the anger coming out of Jonah. "Well, it looks like you have to shoot us," he said calmly. "Because we are not going anywhere."

"So naïve, Captain Argentum," Athena laughed. "I knew you were young but I assumed being as successful as you are, you’d know better! You’re worth far much more to me alive, and I’ll be taking you all the way to the courts with me.  I will greatly enjoy watching you hang."

Jonah only blinks. Azul's gaze went back and forth from Jonah to Athena - Jonah could not go with him. Athena would rip him apart - before they even arrive at the harbor.

"Jonah, go," he whispered in Jonah's ear. "Go, now - If you run to the lower level, the door is unlocked, you can escape through one of the windows-"

Where would you want him to run off to? Azul stopped. Come to think of it, where was Jonah's ship? How could he suddenly appear on his ship? Azul couldn’t see anything in the dark but he was pretty sure there weren’t any ships pulled up near them.

"Go," he whispered again. "I will protect you."

"Not without you," replied Jonah, holding his hand tighter.

"It’s fine, I can handle it - she talks big but she won’t actually hurt me, I promise."

"No!" Jonah hissed back. "You've been protecting me since we were kids. Now, it's my turn. I won't let you stay here and be treated like a dog! ”

"I'm the older one here. The one who should be protecting is me!" Azul replied. "If you die, I don't have anyone I could protect!" He could feel Jonah's hand tightened. "I will complete my contract with him and I will look for you-"

"Boy!" snapped Athena. "Come here, or for the sake of everything in the sky, I will gun you down! Someone go arrest this child already!"

One soldier dropped down to the lower deck and advanced on Jonah.  Jonah backed away, still keeping Azul behind him.

"Azul!" Athena shouted, her patience was up. "For the love of- Captain Argentum, if you don't lower your sword now, I'll just shoot that boy if you like him very much."

Jonah actually growled.

“You’ll be dead where you stand before you could even touch him,” he snapped.

"Jonah, stop!" Azul shouted. "You can't die!"

He just can’t let his precious childhood friend die. And that was why Azul knew in his bones he couldn’t let him get hurt, couldn’t let Jonah die in front of him - he had to do whatever it took to keep Jonah alive.  He couldn’t - Couldn’t watch him –

"That boy is mine, Star Thief! If I want to shoot it, then I will do it!"

“Jonah, technically - technically I do belong to her, so please, just go before you-”

And then, from overhead, there was a sudden roar.

Azul gasped as the very air seemed to vibrate through his skull, rattling his brain and his bones.  Light exploded around them from something far above.  There were several screams - a ratatat that was like musket fire but somehow stronger and more powerful, a thwump thwump thwump of something thick smacking the deck.

When Azul’s eyes cleared, he was standing in a spotlight, a whoosh of air like a wind current spinning around him and humming overhead.  He tried to look up - something big and black, right over the ship, blotting out the stars.  What had happened to Athena?

When he looked back down, he saw that the soldiers with the muskets were down, unconscious on the deck.  Athena was standing alone, her eyes so wide that they were mostly whites. Her arms hung uselessly at her sides, sword on the ground.

Azul's eyes widened when he looked at the sky.

An airship. A ship that can fly. That thing is real?!

A rope was thrown down and Jonah caught it. He raised his face and continued, "Thank you, Ace!" Azul could vaguely see someone saluted, it seemed like a member of Jonah’s shipmates. The captain himself tied the rope to his waist and stepped on the anchor like a swing that had been lowered. Suddenly, Azul felt his waist being hugged and he was pulled closer to the captain, making his cheeks heat up.

"Yours, huh?" said Jonah to the still gaping Athena. "We’re pirate remember? Stealing other people's belongings is my job!"

He smiled at Azul. "Hold on tight."

Azul quickly hugged Jonah, feeling slightly awkward because he was taller than the captain, and then they were being pulled up along with the anchor.

After all that had happened - relief at being taken from Athena's grasp, amazed at the presence of an airship, and all the mixed emotions from the first time his silver-blue eyes met Jonah's black eye. But for one thing, he knew he was happy with him.

He felt Jonah give a kiss on his cheek. He whispered. "Let’s sail for an adventure of a lifetime."