#bittersweet gal

[maria-ruta]

A bunch of Veronica doodles from last and this year

Who is new here and/or who doesn’t remember - Veronica wears wigs sometimes to create different characters/looks for her human disguise

ᵇᵗʷ ʷʰᵒ ʳᵉᵐᵉᵐᵇᵉʳˢ ᵗʰᵃᵗ ᵒˡᵈ ˢʰᶦʳᵃᶦˢʰᶦ ᵈʳᵃʷᶦⁿᵍˀ ᴵ ʲᵘˢᵗ ᵉʳᵃˢᵉᵈ ᵇᵉᵃʳᵈ ᵃⁿᵈ ᶠᶦˣᵉᵈ ⁿᵒˢᵉ ᵃ ˡᶦˡ ᵃⁿᵈ ᴮᴬᴹ ʷᵒʷ ᶦᵗˢ ⱽᵉʳᵒⁿᶦᶜᵃ ⁿᵒʷ ˣᴰ

love her, miss her, send kisses :***

[extremelyputridfishbreath]

The moving finger writes And having writ, moves on You can't hold back the clock It just ticks on and on

The moving finger writes And having writ, moves on So treasure memories For what is gone is gone

And though you may sweat and strife Don't you know it's great just to be alive? So…

Make every moment count Rejoice with every dawn The moving finger writes And having writ, moves on.

[newtsinboots]

[bittersweetmagpie]

Sweet Tooth

[snxpdragons]

hello dear mutual

dont mind me, just here to drop a 🎶 into your inbox

Omg hi!! Your vibe is really clear in my brain its like... dancing in the kitchen at 2am, and those sticky glow in the dark stars kids put on the ceiling, but also having a bonfire on the first week of summer. Its cohesive I swear

[cupcaketrickster]

can’t believe that bridgerton season 3 trailer is about to send me full send spiraling back into a regency craze aka hi from my lunch break

[godheimm]

do i get Pokémon scarlet/violet or an otome game to treat myself ;;.,,.,,……

[reminiscingtonight]

Reunions

Alessia Russo & Reader (Leah Williamson x Bronze!Reader)

Word Count: 713

A/N: Started this after the transfer news. Finished after Alessia's semi-final goal. Seems fitting to add it the Setbacks Universe

[Setbacks Masterlist] // [WOSO Masterlist]

The last couple months have been a rollercoaster. 

After working through your injury, you’ve bounced back with a vengeance, all the weeks you’ve spent cooped up translating to endless bounds of energy on the field. 

There’s no other way to describe the second half of the season than constant ups and downs. 

Arsenal beat out Chelsea for the Conti-Cup title. 

Your girlfriend tore her ACL.

You sold out the Emirates for the Champions League semi-final.

You lost the Champions League semi-final. 

And then you got called up for the freaking World Cup.

It’s definitely a bittersweet feeling, being called up to live your dreams while your girlfriend is stuck watching on the sidelines. But Leah’s quick to reassure you of how much you deserve it. Of how proud she is of you.

You thought making the world cup squad would be the highlight of your year. The peak of this year of ups and downs.

You never accounted for one Alessia Russo.

July 4th might be America day to those living across the pond, but July 4th will always be “Alessia Russo joins Arsenal” day to you.

“So.”

Blue eyes look up at you, narrowing with good reason. There’s a devious look in your eyes as you plop down next to one of your best friends. 

“Missed us that much, huh?” 

Alessia’s dressed in Arsenal gear, having just finished her photoshoot and making her rounds around the training ground. You lit up the second the blonde opened the door to the physio room, you having had accompanied Leah to her appointment, and you haven’t left Alessia’s side since.

Alessia rolls her eyes. “Lotte maybe. You? Not so much.”

“Ouch, you wound me,” you gasp, hands clutching at your heart.

Of course you’ve been aware of all of the rumors floating around. Alessia Russo to Arsenal everyone said, the media, the fans. Everyone but the one person who actually mattered. 

Despite all of your probing, Alessia refused to tell you where she was actually headed to after her contract with Manchester United ended. 

You were just starting to entertain the idea of her following her ex-Manchester teammate to Barcelona when Alessia finally spilled the beans. Not even Leah’s injured form could stop you from lifting and twirling your girlfriend around when you got the news. Leah had simply laughed at you, telling you to put her down.

And now you’re here. Sitting in the oh-so familiar locker room, with someone who’s also oh-so familiar, just not familiar with this side of the field.

“I can’t believe it. The Tar Heel gals, back together again.”

Alessia snorts at the phrase, remembering when she shouted that upon your late addition to the Lionesses senior squad.

“Only this time we get to do it at Arsenal.”

“The better reds,” you nod in return, laughing when Alessia shoves you back in retaliation. Alessia might be a gunner now, but you know she’ll always have a soft spot for her childhood team.

“Babe, leave her alone.”

The sight of Leah making her way into the locker room has your face breaking out into a smile, but something akin to a whine is quick to break out of your mouth at her warning. “But Leah! Lessi is--”

The sight of a perfectly crafted eyebrow raising at you has you shutting your mouth with a click.

“Lessi is what?” Alessia eggs you on, laughing at the face you pull at her. 

Leah ignores the disgruntled look you shoot her way, sighing at your dramatics. “The two of you are children.”

“Well this child gets to go home with you,” you point to yourself. “That child is banned from… ” you trail off, trying to think hard of something to stay. 

It’s Alessia’s muffled laughter that has you blurting out the first thing that comes to mind.

“Alessia’s banned from ever meeting Winnie!”

The silence that follows is very telling.

Leah avoids eye contact while Alessia looks all too gleeful.

You gasp, pointing an accusing finger at Alessia. “You’ve already met Win?! They wouldn’t let me meet her until I my second month here!”

.

The three of you run into Win on your way out.

Leah has to try not to laugh when Win nearly knocks you over to get to Alessia.

[stevesbipanic]

Steve always gave Eddie flowers.

It was one of his moves from his old King Steve days, giving the person he liked flowers. He just thought it was a sweet thing to do, he always tried to make sure it was their favourite flower or a flower that reminded him of them. When he was sixteen he had borrowed a book from the library about the meaning of flowers so he could make them swoon telling them that the flowers meant beauty or kindness or grace.

He had asked Wayne what Eddie's favourite flower was, he said sunflowers he thinks it comes from Eddie's mother she always loved sunflowers before she died. Steve had remembered sunflowers meant loyalty and adoration, he thinks that fit Eddie Munson perfectly.

He wished Hawkins had a sunflower field, he knows there's one a few towns over, he and Robin drove through it once on the way to Indy. The florist in town flirts with him telling him how romantic it is to go to a flower field.

"You buying your sweetheart some flowers for Valentine's Day?"

"Yeah, they deserve something special today."

The girl seems a bit disheartened but covers it well, "A lucky gal having a gentleman like you."

She asks if he needs a card for the bouquet but Steve tells her there's no need, he can tell Eddie everything he wants to say. Any other year Steve might've gotten his valentine a box of chocolates or a teddy or balloons but he knew Eddie wouldn't appreciate those, the sunflowers would be perfect.

He took a deep breath as he parked his car before making his way up the hill to where Eddie was waiting for him. He smiled when he got to the top.

"Hey Eds, sorry I'm late, but I got you these, I know they're your favourite."

He sat down beside Eddie and softly placed the flowers on the dirt.

"I know I didn't technically ask you to be my valentine, but I like to think you'd say yes. Maybe we would've been coming up on one year together instead of one year without you. Could've taken you to that diner that Wayne said you liked to go to as a kid. He talks about you a lot ya know, I worry one day he's going to run out of stories and it'll feel like losing you all over again."

Steve takes a moment to lean against the stone and gather his thoughts.

"Robin worries about me, but I think she gets it in a weird way. I just wish we'd had more time. I mean you had just asked me out when all this went to shit with Chrissy and Vecna. I never wanted you to get in the middle of this, I should've protected you Eds. Part of me wonders what would've happened if we had planned to go out after the game, maybe you would still be here."

A light wind blows, softly during the tears on Steve's cheeks. If he closes his eyes he can almost imagine Eddie is the one wiping them away. Steve thinks about what Eddie would say if he was here. He'd probably blush at the flowers, pull his hair in front of his face to hide it but that bright look in his eyes would give him away. He'd probably giggle at the holiday, talk about how it's such a straight persons day but secretly love it when Steve kisses his cheek. They'd probably share a milkshake at the diner and hold hands under the table.

They'd probably do a lot of things if they'd had more time. Probablys don't bring back Eddie, so Steve will sit with him on the hill, the bright sunflowers laying stark against the bittersweet backdrop of their lost potential. Steve places a soft kiss on top of the headstone.

"I hope you enjoy the flowers, sweetheart, I'll be back tomorrow."

[spcewild]

Do you think you could make a childhood friends thing for Smoke, and have Smoke be a pining friend for Y/N, who's unaware and is crushing for another guy or gal? (Doesn't need to be someone in the roster specifically.)

This is going to hurt to write, but I'll do it anyway <33

Undivided Attention ♡

Warnings: Angst, one-sided crush, etc.

Parings: Smoke mk1 x (gn!) Reader (x Raiden)

You

and Smoke have been friends ever since you two were little, both abandoned to the streets of your hometown, fighting and foraging for food and money in any way you could. It was never easy. But soon you had been told by Smoke himself how a family had taken him in, yet you never joined him in said family. You came by every now and then but kept a distance for a while.

When finally reunited with Smoke when you two had grown, it was bittersweet. He introduced you to his brothers, who had taken him in, along with new 'fighters' he had met. From his explanation, they were training for the Outworld Championship in Liu Kang's orders, a man who Smoke had also introduced you with.

Although, when introduced to a certain man named Raiden, your gaze suddenly changed. From everyone you looked at in a room, Raiden would be first. Even against Smoke.

But even against this, Smoke was inevitably inlobe with you. Madly. You, however, were completely clueless about this, even when he would try and spend time with you every second you were awake. He would constantly invite you to Madaam Bo's, or going on small walks, and even a friendly sparring match.

You were still completely clueless. And Smoke hadn't seen your eyes towards Raiden, at least until now.

One day, when trying to talk to you, he noticed your lack of attention to him. He would usually shrug it off, but this was a constant thing. He finally looked towards where your gaze was so persistent on staying. At Raiden. He could almost feel his heart sink to a deep pit in his stomach. Everything finally clicked in his head. Why you never seemed to be focused when talking to him, how you would always seem to make excuses on why you couldn't hang out with him. It all made sense finally.

He tried playing it off from then how he didn't know, but it always stuck with him. He stopped asking if you two wanted to go out, making you slightly concerned on his lack of presence now. To you, your childhood friend just seemed like he was suddenly distant. Wondering if you did anything wrong you decide to head to his home one night.

You gently knocked on his door, waiting a minute before the door opened to reveal Kuai Liang.

"Hey Y/N, how can I help you?"

"Have you seen Tomas?"

Your voice laced with worry as the man in front of you seemed to put the pieces together in his mind.

"I believe I saw him go to his usual spot by the fountain, near where Liu Kang and the champions are."

You gave Kuai Liang a gentle nod and thank you as you retreated from the small house. Walking quickly to the fountain he said where Smoke was.

It didn't take long for you to find him there, sitting on a bench by the fountain, his head low as he looked to his feet.

"Tomas?"

You called out, his head snapping up towards you in surprise.

"Did Kuai Liang tell you I was here?"

You nodded at his question, his face turning to the fountain for a moment before back to you.

"Did you.. um need something?"

He seemed to struggle the words out, yet stayed looking at you.

"Did I.. do something?"

"No.."

"Then why are you avoiding me..?"

Everything came out in a rush when he tried to explain, how he saw you look at Raiden, how you became distant to him once you met Raiden. Once he was finished with his long rant, he was almost in tears, you couldn't see why he was crying but then, his words seemed to ring in your ear once spoken.

"I love you, y/n"

The words stayed hollow in your mind, like a lingering thought. You two that night had tried to work things out on a good note but Smoke could never shake the heartbroken feeling left in the hollow heart he once had.

You went on pursuing Raiden, even confessing to him and getting into a healthy and loving relationship, while Smoke was left as a supporting shadow in your life. Growing distant yet you would smile at him anytime you saw him, he tried his best to give you the brightest smile he could in return,

but it was only a weakened and broken smile from when he once had you.

Authors note: it was hard to pick someone else to pair the reader with but I decided on Raiden :)

This was sad to write but I hope you guys enjoyed<3

[e-vay]

My Gal Finale - Coming this Week

I just finished coloring the final chapter of My Gal. All that's left are backgrounds and lettering and it'll finally be finished ˚‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅ )‧º·˚ 

This is very bittersweet. Yes I have more ideas for other comics so it'll be good to move onto those, but I had so much fun creating MG!

I know this comic took way too long and I'm both sorry and thankful to all of you who have waited for it. I hope you are happy with the finale!

[oolathurman]

Space Shanty, Mandalorian Edition

Just cuz I've been working on a mandosona who likes shanties! I'll try to provide notes and translations beside the phrase of interest, so y'all don't have to scroll up and down too much.

This is to the tune of A Drop of Nelson's Blood / Roll The Old Chariot Along.

"And we'll roll the old chariot along" has been replaced with "And we'll all march to-wards to the stars."

In addition, "And we'll all hang on behind" has been replaced with "Gal ori'skraan, riduur, yaim dab." (The phrase refers to R&R, and literally translates to "Beer, big eats, good company and return to camp." I've shortened "dab'ika" to "dab," since that can be interpreted as one's current place of stay or rest.)

Common verses:

And a drop of net'ra gal, wouldn't do us any harm // Net'ra gal, a black ale.

And a drop of spiced tihaar, wouldn't do us any harm // Tihaar, a strong clear alcoholic spirit.

And a game of meshgeroya, wouldn't do us any harm // Meshgeroya, a Mandalorian game.

And a plate of tiingilar, would fill us up real good // Tiingilar, a spicy mandalorian casserole, dish made from leftovers.

It'd be alright if we make it 'round Krownest // Krownest, ancestral home of Clan Wren

It'd be alright if the Void of Blue eats us // Void of Blue, a reference to the lights of hyperspace

And a night on the town wouldn't do us any harm

And a moment of aay'han, wouldn't do us any harm // Aay'han, bittersweet perfect moment of mourning and joy - remembering and celebrating.

And rolling with our vod, wouldn't do us any harm // Rolling, in this case used as innuendo or as a suggestive comment. Vod as in, sibling, brother, sister; comrade, close mate. In this case, the latter 'comrade/close mate' is used.

And a night planetside, wouldn't do us any harm

And a big ol' ori'skraan, wouldn't do us any harm // ori'skraan, a feast.

What I love about a shanty like Nelson's Blood is the ability to easily make up verses on the fly, and I imagine that whoever starts the song would encourage others to throw in random verses as the song goes on. What verse would you add? :D

[dorkygurl-89]

imma say it:

episode 6 of bittersweet season 3 is my favorite episode

idk how the fandom feels about her, but jessie is one of my favorite characters

she's just a flawed gal that knows she fucked up and wants to help the three get out of the situation

it's just- AAAAAAAAA I NEED FLAWED MOMS THAT KNOW THEY FUCKED UP

this is not me being a simp (okay, it kinda is), this is just me gushing about characters (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠)

[lumeha]

Looking at an old post, does Religion in FIre Emblem still interest you?

YEAH !!

TBF, it interests / fascinates me in a way that is, like... even the most developped religion in a FE game (the Church of Seiros) is so bare-bones that there are a lot of things people tend to add just from their own experiences with religions, which, in the case of the Church of Seiros in particular, tends to hurt it a bit in the Western fandom IMO. But. (waves hands) that's.

That's something else.

But yeah, I actually still really like that topic ! Because, beside Fodlan, religion is both such an inherent part of the setting and yet such an ignored part of the setting that it's really fascinating.

Take Valentia. Do we now anything about the Mila and Duma faith ? Not really. We know... basic philosophies that oppose Mila and Duma (and once again I will say that the game putting them on the same level is actually crap because we're supposed to see the bothof them as highly flawed because "Mila encourages indolence" but my guys my gals my pals the fields aren't gonna till themselves even if the land is fertile !!! people are gonna work out in the fields !!! the nobles may be lazy and indolent but you can't tell me you expect flour to get into people's hands without work !!), but do we know anything about... either the beliefs or the practices of either religions ? EHHH. Discutable.

We know both faith "fuse" after the games, venerating Mila & Duma together, and there's something bittersweet about it, and I like that death doesn't stop them from being deities. Because truth is, in many religions, gods are alive from their deaths. Be they deified humans or deceased gods. I think there is something, there. And, hell, we know that despite her death Mila is still kinda. there. in a way. in spirit. So why would that stop.

In Elibe, we know a religion is centered around St Elimine. Do we know ANYTHING about it ? Shit no. We know St Elimine, Mario Kart Double Dash Bonus CD Character, we know she participated in the Scourge (if my memory serves me well), we know she has a really damn powerful staff, but. Beside that. Uh. No ??

But it's actually kind of fascianting to me. I kind of want to build on that at some point. You have priests. You have at least one theocracy in Magvel. Why is it a theocracy ? GOOD QUESTION WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IT'S SO FUCKING FUNNY TO ME

But. Yeah. Religion in FE. It's a mess.

I love it though

[snippychicke]

Your Kuro work is awesome! I've been on a Kuro kick lately and was wondering if you could write a prompt about a reader with the straw hat gang figuring out Kuro's identity like immediately and just messes with him by not revealing his secrets cuz she's a low morals gal as well

Maybe a little spicy 🫣

I am so sorry about the delay. Things have been harsh, but I really loved this idea. It has a bittersweet ending, but open to interpretation.

You had broken out of the marine prison at Shells Town the same time that Luffy and his crew-not-a-crew had stolen the Grand Line map from Ax-hand Morgan. And, well, one thing led to another and you were roped into the not-a-crew just like Nami and Zoro.

Unlike them, however, you were an actual seasoned pirate, and was amused by the antics of your Captain. That bright optimism and empathy seemed at odds with his dream of being Pirate King, and you wanted to see what would become of him. Especially after the events of Orange Town and the fight with Buggy the Clown.

And then you ended up in Syrup Village.

You remembered three years ago; the whisper of the Captain of the Black Cat pirates dying at Ax-hand Morgan’s blade. You hadn’t wanted to believe it then, considering you had seen Captain Kuro fight more than once through the years. It seemed like a cosmic joke that many of the pirate crews you had joined in your younger years had run-ins with the Black Cats.

It was either that or Kuro himself was hunting you down, just for those small heated moments as he toyed with the decision of allowing you to live like a cat playing with a mouse.

And seeing Klahadore? You didn’t fall for it for a second and knew that the ‘butler’ knew as soon as your gaze met his across the garden. His eyes narrowed slightly, and you could almost hear the silent command. ‘Silence.’

Oh, you’d be silent for now. But maybe it was your turn to play with him.

---

Zoro had complained about you wearing black, but you simply rolled your eyes. As soon as you saw the black dress with gold details, complete with a simple black velvet choker, a plan had formed instantly in your mind. You were going to taunt and tease the former pirate as payback.

And by gods the look on his face when he saw you, eyes widening just a fraction with a hard swallow making his adam’s apple shift. It boosted your confidence as he followed Merry and Kaya down the stairs, his eyes never leaving yours.

“Cat got your tongue?” you teased quietly, assuring no one else would overhear.

“Silence.” he hissed, eyes narrowing as he stood by your side, his posture still as stiff and rigid as always. “What are you doing here?”

“Funny, was going to ask you the same thing,” you teased as you sipped the cocktail you had been given. “The rest of the world thinks you're dead.” There was a bit of unintended bite to your words, but you hoped he wouldn't notice.

Who were you kidding, of course he noticed. You saw that familiar head tilt and raised eyebrow of intrigue, but thankfully he stayed silent.

And you tried. Really, you did. “...just tagging along with these wannabes,” you found yourself saying after a heartbeat. “They're… something else. Amusing, mainly, but oddly competent. Somehow.”

“Hmm.”

“Not like you, of course.”

You downed the rest of your drink and pretended not to notice Kuro (Klahadore?) look at you… and then cover a smile by coughing into his white butler-type gloves (so different from the black furred and bladed gloves that he used to wield. You still remembered what it was like to have one of those blades resting beneath your chin, the others carefully arranged as not to hurt you but could with the slightest twitch.)

“I see you haven't changed,” he finally stated. “You still can't control your mouth at all.”

“It's why I try to keep it occupied with other things,” you sighed before realizing how that may have sounded. (Or maybe that was your own thoughts dirtying the meaning and it probably sounded benign to everyone else.) “Wait, that's not--I mean--”

Thankfully you were saved as your conversation with the stoic butler didn’t go unnoticed by Kaya. “I don’t mean to interrupt,” the young woman lightly spoke as you floundered for words. “But… Do you two know each other?”

Kuro stiffened slightly, erasing any signs that he had actually relaxed in your presence. “We’re acquaintances,” he answered simply--or was that sharply?

Either way, you couldn’t help but scoff, “Is that what you’d call it?” You literally could not recall how many times you had been entangled with the Black Cat pirates, your life spared by the captain because of some odd whim every time. Each time feeling an undercurrent of something when he spoke to you.

Both Kaya and Kuro looked at you-- the former with surprise, the latter like he was about ready to murder you right then and there. You blushed as you rubbed your neck self consciously. “It’s uh, complicated.”

Thankfully, the young lady of the house smiled without asking any more questions. “That’s wonderful! I’m so glad you were able to reunite, Klahadore rarely ever talks about his past.”

You felt the itch to say something. Your drink was empty. You had no little plate of horse-dours or whatever they were called. You could feel the intimidating aura radiate from the fake-butler next to you, threatening you not to speak. “There’s nothing to speak of, miss Kaya,” he spoke with such soft kindness that seemed unnatural from the man you knew.

“Yep, nothing interesting. At all. We’d just run into each other. A lot. Either the universe decided it was a funny joke or he was stalking me, one or the other. Though I always did think of him as an oversized cat, ya know?”

Kuro just had to say your name and you shut your mouth quickly, sealing your lips to prevent anything else from escaping. Kaya was doing a poor job of hiding her smile behind her hand. There was a decided humored light in her eyes as she looked up at her ‘butler’. “I never thought about it, but I think you’re right. No offense, Klahadore,” she tacked on quickly at his dour look.

The expression shifted into something akin to endearing patience in a simple blink of an eye. “None taken, my lady. I’ve… heard the sentiment before.”

“I’m sure you have,” you coughed. “I’m gonna go get myself another drink, do either of you want anything?”

Kuro fixed you with that sharp glare of his. “I think it might be best if we move onto the dining room. Your lips hardly need any further loosening.”

If he had been worried about you ruining the birthday dinner, you were sure Kuro was sufficiently surprised when it was your ‘captain’ that handled that with a grin on his face to boot. You (unwisely) lingered around while everyone else retreated to the guest rooms, deciding to admire the eccentric decorations of porcelain plates adorning the walls and ceiling. (your favorite was the little tuxedo kitten with a blue bow around his neck, attacking a ball of yarn. No reason, of course.)

“Miss, do you need help to your room?” the maid asked (Sham? They looked like them at least).

“Uh, no I’m good,” you said with a faint smile, wondering if they remembered you but decided it was unlikely. “I was just, uh, admiring the decorations.”

Sham narrowed their eyes, clearly unhappy with your response but excused themself with a small ‘hmm’ and began to clean the dining room, making you feel very unwelcomed. You took the hint and meandered towards the hallway leading to the guest rooms. The place was sprawling and a monument to the family’s wealth, but you were blessed with an intuitive sense of direction and had already more or less mapped out everywhere you had been, noting servant’s passages behind the walls just by the sight of small seams in the walls.

The wealth and splendor of the house was something that itched at you as a seasoned pirate and thief. If it wasn’t for the fact you knew Kuro himself was likely watching you like a jaguar protecting its territory (or maybe hunting its prey) you would have pocketed as much as you dared. The truly-silver dining utensils. Bits and bobbles that could fetch a pretty berry on the black market.

So caught up in ‘admiring’ the display of a knife made of seastone and a hilt encrusted in gems (that could be sold for tens of millions of berries, if it was seastone. An ‘accident’ with Luffy could prove it too…) you failed to noticed the faint reflection in the glass.

A cotton-gloved hand wrapped around your throat, the other quickly grabbing your wrist from reaching for the dagger that rested in a holster attached to your upper thigh.

“I think not,” Kuro purred quietly in your ear, causing the knot of fear in your stomach to tangle with the flutter of butterflies that suddenly bloomed as you caught sight of his reflection. “I’ve been biding my time for three long painful years. As fond as I am of you, I won’t be merciful if you ruin this.”

Despite the underlying threat as he tightened his grip, you couldn’t help but smile. There was the Kuro you were more familiar with. It hadn’t made any sense for him to give up being a pirate captain for this. “Have I ever went against you, Kur-”

His hand tightened enough to choke you for a split moment as he pressed closer to hiss in your ear. “Do not say that name.” The pressure eased up, allowing to gasp for air, though his hand remained. “...but no. You’ve always been… obedient.”

You cursed both him and your own body for the way you trembled at the way he said the last word, how it stoked a fire deep in your belly. “If it hadn’t been for that mouth of yours, I would have had you join my crew.”

“Loose lips sink ships, and I might’ve done that once or twice,” you admitted. “But I kept the little secrets of yours I gathered through the years here,” you said, touching your chest with your free hand. “And this one will be no different.”

He hummed in thought, lips brushing the exposed part of your neck while his gaze met yours through the reflection. “We have two hours to kill before the last step of my plan comes into play. Why don’t we find a way to keep your mouth occupied until then?”

--------

“How did you sleep through all of that?!” Usopp exclaimed after everything, making you rub your neck (hoping that no one noticed the marks you tried to cover with the high collar of your shirt.)

“...I’m a very heavy sleeper.” That and Kuro had made sure you were well worn out by the time midnight struck. You were still amazed he was able to move, let alone act like it had been nothing as he kissed your brow and told you ‘Be a good kitten and stay here until I return.’

Which you were fully going to obey, considering you knew how vicious and uncontrolled he became when in the thick of it. Except daylight came, the metal shudders protecting the window retreated back into the wall… and he never returned.

Learning why had you twisted up inside for reasons you didn’t want to examine. You frankly didn’t care that it had been his plan to kill Kaya-- she was nothing to you, after all, and you had seen death so many times you were numb to it. Granted, to you the plan seemed a bit obtuse and over-the-top, but who were you, the woman with no plans, to argue with Kuro of the thousand plans.

But there was the fact that while Sham and Bucchi were now in marine custody, Kuro hadn’t been found. He had escaped (apparently after Luffy headbutted him through a window.) You were relieved. Delighted. Worried. Anxious.

To find him after three years of thinking he was dead, a few hours filled with admittingly some of the best orgasms of your life, and now this. Knowing he was on the run with no one watching his back, while you continued to tag along with a misfit bunch of pirates that were still not quite a crew.

Young, hopeful pirates that would likely soon realize that the world wasn’t as nice as they thought. The world was either kill or be killed; Plunder or be plundered.

Luffy called your name, a rare frown on his face as you shook yourself out of your thoughts. “Come on, Kaya said that she has a ship.”

You smiled tightly at the teen. “Thanks, but I think we should part ways here. I don’t think the path to my dream is with you, sorry.”

You expected him to protest, but instead there was a faint smile that seemed far to knowing and wise for his years. “Gotcha. Go chase your dream.”

[letstalkwhump]

Welcome to Let’s Talk Whump, a series of interviews that spotlight the amazing people in our whump community! I’m Malice and I’ll be your host today. 

Here today to talk all things whumpy is the brilliant @whumpcereal!

It’s great to have you here! Let’s start with a fact or two about yourself  like your favorite color or favorite animal? 

My name is Kay, and I’m a high school teacher in my 30’s. Besides whumping unsuspecting gentlemen, my hobbies include reading a lot, belting out showtunes, cooking for people I love, hitting up new bars and restaurants with friends, and traveling. And since you asked–and as a teacher, I hate unanswered questions–I’ve recently realized that orange might be my favorite color, and I love gorillas. 

What does whump mean to you?

 It’s the sort of pressing-on-a-bruise feeling that is wrapped up in watching someone suffer and then be comforted. It’s the need for vulnerability and human connection. It’s watching Prince Philip get chained to a wall and not understanding why you find it so magnetic, but you do, haha! 

How did you find the whump community? What made you want to join? 

I was writing for the Newsies fandom (I know) during the pandemic, and one of my favorite authors tagged her epic work with “whump.” I clicked the tag on tumblr, and I found @lonesome--hunter’s Ezra almost immediately; I fell down the rabbit hole and never came out. After Ezra, I spent a good long time with @ashintheairlikesnow’s Danny and then @galaxywhump’s Wren. I realized that a lot of what I was putting in my own writing could be classified as “whump,” but I wasn’t sure how to join in the fun. I lurked for a while and then beta-ed for @darkthingshappen before I got brave enough to post my own stuff. But part of what motivated me to start posting was just how supportive and welcoming the whole community is. On AO3, you can get tons of hits but almost no real engagement; with whump, that’s totally different. It makes my little dopamine receptors ping. 

The whump community is amazingly supportive! Do you think your view on or the way you consume whump changed since you joined? 

 I am definitely a hurt/comfort gal. I can’t do the hurt without the comfort, and I need my whump to be strongly oriented in the characters’ feelings, whether we’re talking whumpers or whumpees. I struggle when a character is just getting the shit kicked out of them endlessly; I want them to have some relief, even if the relief is bittersweet or painful in its own way. I also find it easier to whump an OC than I do a fandom character, just because if they’re mine, I can build the kind of backstory that makes the whump reasonable. 

And your favourite whump trope?

 I do like noncon. Whump is a genre where I’ve really been able to explore scary things that have happened to me, and when a whumpee has an honest (and not needlessly gratuitous) nonconsensual experience, I gravitate toward it, especially if they’re allowed to explore the aftermath and how it makes them feel. I also love a mute whumpee–probably because I watched The Little Mermaid too many times growing up. Something about the helplessness of being trapped in your own body and at the mercy of others–hey, whumperflies! Captivity whump too, especially anything in the BBU. The BBU was one of my favorite discoveries when I found the community. It provides such rich opportunities! 

Captivity whump is so good! Would you mind sharing a favourite piece you've written? (the following pieces may contain non-explicit nsfw references)

Ooooh. Well, I guess I’ll choose one from each of my series. For Jack, my first and forever whumpee in Behavior Modification, and his caretaker, my wish-fulfillment fake husband, Joe, it’s this piece with their little girl. It’s something that I wrote in basically a single stretch one afternoon last summer, and I’m proud of it because it shows both how far Jack has come in his recovery and how much everything he’s gone through is still affecting him. It also shows how fierce of a protector Joe is, even though Jack’s got strength of his own. Plus, Hallie, their little girl, was super fun to create. She’s a feisty little thing, and I liked the idea of looking at such a dark, violent system through a child’s eyes. 

For The Kennel, it’s this piece which immediately follows my boy Will after his best friend Tommy is forced to assault him. It’s got the aftermath of noncon, plus it includes a lot of world building for my scary whumper, Doc, and his particular set-up. It really sets up the horror of the situation in which Will and Tommy have found themselves and also emphasizes the stories of other whumpees whose stories I’d love to explore (Justin and Tony, I’m looking at you). Plus, it gives Annie–who’s technically the caretaker in this story, even though she’s been abused herself–a chance to think about how she’s been raised and the way her father treats people. My favorite moment is when Will just breaks down completely, because we haven’t seen him do that yet. It’s a human moment, and he’s feeling so much less than human that it’s almost cathartic. 

And then, honorable mention to this piece where I crossover my two stories and let Jack help Will as his post-rescue counselor. I had so much fun with that reveal! 

Oh wow, I love the Kennel piece! You’ve broken my heart with Justin and Will! Would you like to share your writing routine  with us?

 I’ve actually been riding a bit of a block lately, but typically, I am an evening writer. No drinks or snacks, but usually movie scores that match the mood of what I’m writing. On good nights, it’s big blocks; on others, it’s just a sentence here and there (that’s been where I’m at lately). I try to write a little every day, but again, it’s been rough lately. Being a teacher at the end of the year is just as hard as being a student, haha. 

I can only imagine! Are some things easier for you to write? Anything you struggle with writing?

 I have an easier time writing recovery than I do straight whump, which is sometimes a bummer, because the whump community doesn’t seem to like recovery quite as much. So, I’ll pour myself into a recovery piece I have big feelings about, and then it won’t get quite as much traffic and engagement as when I’m roughing up the boys. I am very careful about how I write noncon. I think I do a decent job, but I try to approach it from a place of sensitivity to the person who is suffering versus engaging through violence alone. That can take a lot of time and thought and big feelings. 

And is there anything you're working on at the moment? 

I do have a fantasy crossover miniseries with Jack, Joe, and Ivan and @oddsconverts’ Josh and Felix that I’ve had a really fun time working on. I need to write a little intro before I post it. I need to go back to Jack and his intimacy consultations at WRU, and AU AU Joe and his reaction to the Drip. Poor Will and Tommy are in desperate need of attention; I need to get Will sold away so all the drama can increase. Maybe during summer vacation? 

Do you have a joke or pun you would like to share to spread some smiles today? I am only funny on accident. Just ask my students. ;-) 

Do you have any writing advice you’d like to share?

I’m great at giving advice to others, but absolute shit at following that advice myself. For instance, write for you. Don’t write for hits, likes, reblogs, etc. Just write what you want to read. Write as often as you can. During the pandemic, what got me back into writing after years of thinking about it was trying to write a little every day. Find you some writing friends who will get excited with you when there’s something you can’t wait to write about. 

Finally, would you like to give a mention to some of the amazing people in the whump community?

I already mentioned some of my favorites, but shout outs to @hold-him-down (whom I was lucky enough to eat very expensive risotto with this spring and whose Leo is one of my very favorite whumpees), @peachy-panic (58 Days is one of my VERY favorites), @whump-for-all-and-all-for-whump (whose Wyatt has my whole heart), and @squishablesunbeam (I mean, Jesse? Come on!). My first friends in the whump community were @darkthingshappen (creator of my Benny baby), @oddsconvert (whose series are all so beautifully written that I can’t choose a favorite–she even made me like vampire whump–and who is my wonder twin forever), and @sparrowsage (go check out his new stuff!). 

Thank you so much for joining us, @whumpcereal ! It was a pleasure to have you here! 

And to all you lovely folks at home, have a whump-derful day!