#chapter 1045

[algumaideia]

Luffy is flying???

What Luffy is doing????

It is like a cartoon fight

[dbphantom]

the sounds coming out of this guy. unreal.

[drowning-moonlight]

Public Executions in One Piece, Inherited Will, and how Gol D Roger Haunts the Narrative

Since I've gotten caught up in the manga, I am struck by how executions - especially public ones - are used as a narrative device and are even used for character development in some ways as well. Specifically in how the characters that are executed may die physically but their Wills and spirit lives on. There are the obvious ones like Ace and Roger but I also see this with character such as Mont Blanc Noland and Kozuki Oden. I see certain parallels between these government sanctioned killings that I'm sure Oda wrote the story that way on purpose.

Historically and in media like One Piece, public executions serve the purpose of not only punishing the person being killed for crimes they committed - real or perceived - but also to discourage others from committing similar crimes. The thing with One Piece though is that most of these public executions backfire on the ones in charge.

Ace and Roger's executions mirror each other in that the Marines and World Government wanted to end piracy but instead both of them being killed actually ushered in new ages of piracy.

Roger turned himself in and the Marines used his public execution as an opportunity to basically say something like, "Hey, we have the King of Pirates here and we're going to kill him in front of the whole world. This will happen to every pirate we can get our hands on. We are able to kill the King himself, we can definitely get you small time pirates too so you might as well give up being pirate!" But Roger's last words of course completely flipped this around declaring, "If you can find my treasure, the One Piece, then you too can be the next Pirate King!" He destroyed the Navy's plans with his final words and kicked off an era of far more piracy than there ever was before. He dies in body but not in spirit. His spirit and Will lives on for literal decades after his death in every single person who goes searching for the One Piece. The Marines may have succeeded in killing the man but they failed so spectacularly with killing his spirit.

Likewise with Ace's execution, the Navy wanted to end Roger's bloodline and pick a fight with Whitebeard, the strongest pirate in the world at that time. By doing this, they wanted to end this New Age of Piracy. If they could kill the son of the previous Pirate King and also kill the pirate closest to becoming the next Pirate King in one fell swoop then surely this would discourage pirates the world over and prevent people from wanting to become pirates in the future. But again it backfired. The Marines may have succeeded in killing Ace and Whitebeard but their deaths - just as Roger's - ushered in another New Age of Piracy. Whitebeard's last words especially kicked off more people becoming pirates, "The One Piece is real!" Throughout the story we see a few times when characters don't believe that the One Piece is even real, and the Navy probably wants people to think that because if there's no big treasure to find, then there's less of a reason for people to be pirates. But Whitebeard stomps on that notion with his last words:

Ace's execution, which was meant to discourage piracy and get revenge on Roger for starting the New Pirate Age, actually sets off more piracy and changes the story from here on out. Though they both die, just like Roger before them, Ace and Whitebeard's death's carry on meaning and inspiration for future pirates. The world of One Piece is forever changed from this one moment. The story and main character is never the same again after this. Again, the Marine's may have succeeded in killing their physical bodies but the inherited Will of Ace and Roger and Whitebeard lives on in the next generation of pirates.

Roger's execution is also heavily paralleled by the execution of Mont Blanc Noland in the flashbacks of Skypeia. This execution wasn't as grand or far reaching as the Marines killing Roger but the parallel is there. Noland was executed by a king for the perceived crime of lying to said king. He wasn't a wanted criminal the way Roger was but their ends are the same.

The framing of his execution is so similar to Roger's. And later in the series, Ace's execution mirrors them both as well.

The visual parallels are so striking that I doubt it was done accidentally. And just as with Roger, Noland's execution spurred on others to look for the lost city of gold that Noland had found, not knowing that it was in the sky instead of in the ocean. Nolan's death didn't necessarily start a new age of piracy but it did inspire people to go looking for treasure. Which is exactly what Roger's death caused. This search for treasure trickled all the way down to his descendant Cricket and also Luffy, furthering the theme of Inherited Will.

Then there is Kozuki Oden's execution by Kaido in the Wano flashbacks. Kaido wanted to kill Oden for the danger he posed and so that Kaido could further take over Wano without the head of the Kozuki clan stopping him. Oden also wanted to open Wano to the rest of the world and Kaido wanted to stop that. But Oden's death had basically the same affect that Roger's death did: inspiring others and carrying on his will. Even Oden and Kaido himself say as much right before Oden dies:

Is this not metaphorically exactly how Roger died too? The circumstances of their deaths are different but they both still die knowing that their Wills will live on after they are gone. They know that they will not be forgotten. "My soul will live on!! For I am a story to accompany you drinks..." Roger lives on in this way as well, especially through Silvers Rayleigh.

Again, Kaido may have succeeded in killing Oden's body but his spirit lives on to inspire others in the future and thus doesn't really die. His execution backfires and Kaido is eventually taken down by those who carried on Oden's Will.

What's more interesting about this than the other public executions in the series is that Kaido seems to be aware that the death of Oden - and later Luffy - will be remembered. "They will speak of you for years to come," he says to a dying Oden. I find that fascinating. And when Luffy "died," Kaido again mentions that he will be remembered:

It's interesting to me that Kaido is aware that their death's won't really be the end for Oden and Luffy, whereas the Marines and WG definitely didn't seem to understand that publicly killing Roger, Ace, and Whitebeard would mean that they would essentially be martyred and live on in spirit. Kaido seems to have more understanding of what their deaths will cause than the Marines do, which I find... odd... and I'm not sure where to go with that thought.

I also find it interesting that Luffy doesn't care or even want to be remembered once he dies. It's just like Oden saying, "They can forget me, for all I care," but he does go on to say he's a story to accompany people's drinks. Luffy, on the other hand, doesn't seem to see his death that way. He says he doesn't need people to tell tales of his great battle and that once you're dead there's nothing left but bones. It honestly feels like sort of a hopeless statement from Luffy and I'm not sure how to interpret it. Roger seemed to know that his last words would insure that he would not be forgotten, so this difference with Luffy is interesting.

Now what Kaido did to Luffy wasn't a public execution like all the other deaths mentioned before but I think this interaction between them still sheds light on the theme of remembering people after they die. Even though Luffy seems to be saying that he doesn't want to be remembered after he dies, I think we can all agree that he will be remembered when and if that time comes.

And it all goes back to quite literally the very start of the series. Roger's execution is the very first thing we learn about in One Piece. It's the very first scene ever shown, the preamble, the prelude, whatever you want to call it. He's the first named character in the entire series. We learn about Roger's death and his impact on the story before we learn anything at all about Luffy himself.

Roger truly does Haunt the Narrative of One Piece so much and his execution is mirrored by multiple other characters throughout the series that it can't be a coincidence.

it's just... the public executions in One Piece truly do hit different than in other media, don't they?

[roguemushroom]

hear the drums of liberation

[sweettsubaki]

Y'know ppl can say what they want about Luffy's Gear 5th and how he's overpowered and what not but....

The fact that his awakened fruit basically just makes him a human Bugs Bunny who very much also embodies freedom is so perfect I could cry every time I think about it...(I love it because...Luffy doesn't have a big imagination, but he is creative and very literal which is why cartoons are his best fit)

I mean I'm re-reading Wano and like he's so cute and happy and fluffy while altering all the laws of physics.

Bonus point for this

The little heart when escaping Kaido kills me every time🥰

Also the way he affects his allies but not his enemies (showed in the eye bulging)

Look at my baby 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

All of those are from chapter 1045

[maria-of-the-waves]

Cale Tattos

Why does nobody talk about Cale’s tattoos?! It’s canon that Cale has tattoos, and nobody mentions it! (＃＞＜)

Why didn’t Ron ask anything? It’s safe to say that Ron knows when the shield tattoo appeared because he helps Cale get dressed. So why didn’t he say anything when it’s obvious that Cale didn’t go to a tattoo shop? After all, if he had, the rumors would go wild (＾＾＃)

And when does the heart appear? And the swirls? And the lightning bolt?! With the latter, it’s obvious that they are ancient power marks, so why is it never mentioned? ＼＼٩(๑`^´๑)۶／／

I understand it’s for plot convenience and all, but how the hell does nobody comment on it even once? ヽ(`⌒´メ)ノ

Here’s a list of Cale’s canon tattoos up to chapter 1045:

Silver shield + Heart + Lightning bolt (disappeared after the battle at Mapple Castle and the appearance of the golems) over the heart.

Swirls on the ankles.

Eight water droplets on the collarbones (four on each side).

Well, well, I know it’s not much, but it’s still significant! (」°ロ°)」

[beaulesbian]

i'm caught up with end of wano, so here's some parallels from one piece that could be or don't have to be connected, but are still pretty cool.

long post ahead & wano spoilers

protecting new era:

rayleigh protecting zoro at sabaody from an attack by kizaru, ch 511

luffy protecting law from an attack by doflamingo, with same move as rayleigh above, dressrosa ch 782

at the end of wano, ch 1055, shanks telling ryokugyu a similar thing as rayleigh above ("don't pick the buds before they sprout. their era is only just the beginning"),

shanks "when the new shoots that just changed pirating history are exhausted, (..) are you that afraid of the new era?!"

---

zoro king of hell

same page as luffy protecting law - with haki clashing against doflamingo, the panels after that talking about supreme king haki - qualities of a king,. in this context for doflamingo, ch 782

at amazon lily ppl reacting to luffy using supreme king haki, while he doesn't know he just did, ch. 519. "that's the haki of the chosen ones' only one in millions has that spirit!"

vs, zoro unknowingly unleashing haki of supreme king for (possibly) the first time, ch 997

and later during his rooftop fight against kaido, (and still denies/ doesn't know what they're talking about, which is very interesting). ch 1010

then during his fight with King, unleashing haki, which makes others around fall unconscious (as mentioned above to doflamingo is a sign of supreme king haki), ch 1033

and some more chapters later, claiming the title of King of Hell (funny in this context it was told to doflamingo he was chosen by the heavens, and for zoro he became the king of hell. smth smth about the character work there).,

and as always - connected to luffy and his dreams!. ch 1036

then there's the asura figure surrounding zoro's powers,

and i find it so interesting that on wikipedia about asura (which zoro's sword and fighting styles are also based on with hindu and buddhist religions) is mentioned they're "considered enemy of the gods"

i like how it's the same phrase as we also heard in the manga before form law's flashbacks about corazon, ch 764

this is in the context of the people with the D. name, and then mostly used for law himself, and luffy and how far he's come to truly wreck the world government, as well as them being a threat to the celestial dragons.

luffy and nika:

from point above, i like how the "enemy of gods" being applied to people with the name D. is also interesting in the context of luffy awakening his devil fruit powers, which are named sun god nika. (i know that in the phrase "enemy of gods" mean gods as the celestial dragons, but it's still interesting)

which doesn't take away from luffy's character as i was a bit worried at first.

he's testing the new skills and powers, and he sees how he can reach the new limits he couldn't before. it might have been the devil fruit that chose who would eat it, but it's luffy and his dream that make the decisons., ch 1045

and ch 1049

luffy in ch 507 & 1053, his core ideals are still the same

---

not fighting someone

shanks not fighting the mountain bandits, and luffy not understanding it, ch 1

jaya arc, luffy and zoro not fighting against bellamy, and nami not understanding at first, ch 225

and ch 1054, momonosuke telling yamato not to fight the navy guy because he wants to be able to protect wano, and let yamato go to the seas as he wants to - it's just that similar energy that luffy has when he tells someone not to fight (or when to fight), without almost any explanations.

also loved this usopp moment!, - could be paralelled to his whole character arc. ch 1036.

he's so real for saying this to kin and kiku (and samurai in general). he's always scared and sometimes can be acting like a coward, but he always, always, stands up for his crew and fights to live through whatever hell luffy puts in front of them.

-- wano was so good and there are so many thoughts about one piece in my head now, about each of the characters and their development/meanings/themes! OTL

[quuerbee]

Spoilers for up to chapter 1045 (some analysis)

I think there is something to be noted on how different chung myung handles the demon cult before and after his death. Like I might be remembering it wrong because it is definitely past the time I should've gone to bed, but despite the hatred he showed in the past for them, there was always a sense of apathy towards the demon cult? That this was just a horrible thing that he had to deal with and then get on with his life (until the later battles ofc). I remember a chapter that focused on him and tang bo fighting a bishop and, while a good chapter that I love very very much, it basically consisted more of a tangchung hangout moment than a battle with a bishop (WHICH I LIKED <-tangchung enjoyer).

The difference is so stark, especially with chapter 1044 and 1045. In these chapters, you can FEEL the rage, the grief, the bloodlust. Chung myung is described as the opposite of how he normally fights. While his eyes are still cold, yes, he's baring his teeth in an imitation of a smile while howling with what could be mistaken as laughter. There is so much emotion in this fight for him. The last time he fought the magyo (the north sea doesn't really count, because according to not only him but many others, the faction at the north sea was withering away and not nearly comparable to the demon cult of the past), he saw the majority of his sect get killing, along with himself. This causing the downfall of mount hua for the next 100 years until his return. Chung myung himself describes slipping back into his war mindset, of feeling but not feeling. Kill or be killed. Having his already incredibly lethal way of fighting (war time version) getting mixed with the now incredibly personal aspect of this fight makes for one terrifying fighter.

Just another note about that "you shouldn't of forgotten me, right?" comment. Throwing up blood. The world's biggest mistake was forgetting about the demon cult, but the demon cults biggest mistake was forgetting about CHUNG MYUNG

[kermit-coded]

Carnelian And Gold (1045 words) by kermit_coded Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: One Piece (Anime & Manga) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Monkey D. Luffy/Roronoa Zoro Characters: Roronoa Zoro, Monkey D. Luffy, Mugiwara Kaizoku | Strawhat Pirates Additional Tags: Marriage Proposal, exchanging jewelry, Ear Piercings, Mugiwara no Ichimi | Straw Hat Pirates As Family, Post-Wano Arc (One Piece), POV Roronoa Zoro, Devotion, Caring Roronoa Zoro, Monkey D. Luffy is a Ray of Sunshine, Fluff, Established Relationship, Implied Sexual Content, this might be the softest thing ive ever written tbh, Mentioned Portgas D. Ace Series: Part 26 of yo ho yo ho (one piece fics), Part 1 of Stones And Metals Summary: Matelotage . . . Or, before they leave Wano, Zoro gives Luffy one of his earrings.

[astral--horrorshow]

Around-The-Clock Shadows

Platonic Yandere ROTTMNT x Reader

Info: This will be a full-length fic including multiple ROTTMNT characters, the main storyline revolves around the Mad Dogs

Fic Summary: You sure are likeable, aren't you?

《Directory》

Chapter 4: An Itty-Bitty Shock

Characters: Raph, Leo, Donnie, Mikey, Kendra, Jase, Jeremy

A/N: Apologies that this chapter is so short!! I was in a hurry to get last week's out on Thursday, so I had to hurry it along. This is all the stuff I wanted to add in chapter 3, plus a little extra. I promise next week's will be longer!

If you want to be added to a taglist, just say the word! If you want to draw fanart or make anything based off of this, I would be literally honored. Please don't be shy, I will love whatever you make! If you have any questions about the fic, feel free to ask!

TW: Kidnapping, Stalking, toxic relationships, emotional manipulation

I do not condone any of the behaviors found or done in this fic. This story is purely for entertainment purposes. If you or someone you know is being treated like this, please contact the authorities.

Chapter Summary: You process your situation, and the Purple Dragons begin to look for you

Word Count: 1045

☆~☆~☆

"Home?" A pit formed in your stomach, "What do you mean?"

"I'll handle this, Raph," Donatello said, stepping between the oldest brother and you. Raph shot him an annoyed look, "I'm the oldest, I can handle it!" The two turtles squabbled amoung themselves, with Mikey gazing upon with a concerned look on his face. Just as it looked he was about to intervene, Leo suddenly pushed Donatello aside to be the one you faced, his eyes half-closed and all six of his fingers intertwined, “You see, we’ve decided that you’re our new sibling, and so we also decided to-”

“You kidnapped me?!”

Leo, and thus, the rest of the brothers, jumped at your reaction to his words, for it was the most emotion and noise you had shown and made since you had woken up. Leo grinned with a hint of nervousness, but only a hint. “‘Kidnap’ is such an ugly word, you know! We prefer the term 'surprise adoption!'" His grin spread, though you didn’t know what there was to smile about in the situation. “I want to go home. Let me go home.” A waver had entered your voice. The position you found yourself in was so overwhelming, you could barely force yourself to talk coherently, using all of your willpower to keep yourself from babbling.

Leo tilted his head to the side, slightly, his eyes half-closing again. “I thought you heard? This is your new home, silly head!” That sentence proved to be a mistake when your bottom lip started to quiver, and your eyes became slick with tears that threatened to spill down your cheeks. “And this is why we wanted to break it to them slowly, ‘Nardo. Now look at what you did.” Donatello gestured to you, the three brothers glaring at him. Leo looked offended at the negativity directed at him. “They’re fine! Just look at them!” He shot back as you started to sob in despair and fear.

"Oh, yes. They're the very image of contentedness right now," Don snarked at his older brother, his hands on his hips. "Both of you! Stop it!" Raph said, his voice raised, "Neither of you are helping!" You and the other brothers flinched at his loud voice and sharp tone, the agressiveness prompting you to cry even harder. The brothers stopped their squabbling to look concernedly at your tears, before reaching out to comfort you.

Donatello produced a box of tissues seemingly out of nowhere, which Mikey took from him and started to dry your tears. "There, there..." He cooed, "Nobody is mad at you. Everyone is just a little tense, because this is something new for all of us," He turned his head to his brothers, still wiping your face, "Right, guys?"

They all agreed with him in a hurry, some looking more unenthusiastic to do so than others. Mikey smiled, "See? Everything is alright," he unintentionally lied. Not knowing what else to do, you nodded.

☆~☆~☆

You wringed your hands together, staring at the floor from your spot on the edge of "your" bed as you wondered if you would be able to ever see the sun again. You didn't want to leave the room you woke up in just yet. Thank God a bathroom was attached. Who knows what other things waited for you out there? You had obviously never been there before, and the thought of getting lost in the underground bunker of a bunch of turtle creatures (Who had kidnapped you because they decided that you were their new sibling one day) made your throat go dry and your skin crawl.

Thuds and the sound of shouting from out in the hall snapped you from your reflections. The door suddenly burst open, with Leo nearly tripping over himself to scramble inside, the door slamming behind him. He threw himself on the bed next to you, holding out a paper plate with a slice of pizza sitting atop like a queen on her throne. "Here you go!" He cheerfully said, his hands outstretched. You took the plate gingerly, never taking your eyes off Leo. He grinned from ear to ear and flopped down on his back with his elbows supporting him from the shoulders up so he could still look at you, the back of his head leaning on one of the stuffed animals. "What's up?" He said, his grin widening to the point where it nearly reached his ears, "We got pizza to celebrate your arrival. We can't have a family dinner tonight, though. Sorry about that. The others are busy," He really didn't look sorry at all, with his mischevious smile.

"Go on, eat it. I promise it's not poisonous or anything like that." You held the slice up to your lips, your mouth flooding with saliva at the arouma of cheese and tomato. You had to stop yourself from wolfing the entire thing down after one bite, having not eaten since the night prior. Out of your sight, Leo had an extremely smug look on his face at your hunger.

☆~☆~☆

Kendra typed away at her laptop, Jeremy and Jase doing the same with theirs on either side of her. She scrolled down to the footage of the traffuc cameras up until the afternoon before, when they had given you a ride home. She was way beyond irritated. First, the tracker she had put on you got thrown in a washing machine, and then you hadn't shown up to school that day or answered any of her texts. She only saw the missing poster on her way home from school. Kendra knew it was unlikely for you to run away, at least without telling one of them. She would get to the bottom of this.

She and the boys reviewed the traffic footage for any sign of you. They had no luck until Jase gasped. "What, Jase? What did you find?" Kendra snatched his laptop and pushed him to the side, settling it down and her lap and pushing the rewind button. Jase got up and watched it with her, Jeremy also setting aside his laptop and viewing the footage. Their eyes widened as the feed cut out late in the night, and only reappeared 10 minutes later.



☆~☆~☆

A/N: Sorry if any writing is subpar!! I really had to rush to get this out on time, because I took a three-day long break because I was so burnt out after my writer's block.

Taglist <3:

@yanteetle @averagerottmntsimp @ssak-i @oleander-nin @whyiseveryonesodamnfinetho @writelikenobody

[athingofvikings]

A Thing Of Vikings Chapter 139: Legacy

Chapter 139: Legacy

First Shieldbearers

Active: July 1043 AD/March 1045 AD (see History)—present

Country: North Sea Empire

Type: Mounted bodyguard

Role: Imperial Body Guard

Size: 500 Thanes

Garrison/HQ: King Magnus’ Palace, London

Motto

We Hold The Line (official)

We Hold Back Our Boss (unofficial)

Colors: Black and Red

Commander: 4 Wing General Spitelout Clodgallsson Clan Jorgenson, Inception—Present

Provisional Commanders

Astrid I Hákonsdóttir House Haddock, 1043-1045

Folarin House Haddock, 1045-1061

William I Robertsson House Haddock, 1061-1065

Maor ben Dovid House Mordechai, 1065-1076

Hamish Hiccupsson House Haddock, 1076-1084

Full List of Provisional Unit Commanders (1043-Present)

The First Shieldbearers of Berk and the Lands of the North Sea Empire, and Members of the Imperial Body Guard of High Thanes, popularly known as the Shieldbearers , is the unit of the North Sea Imperial Armed Forces charged with protecting the persons of the Imperial House. The oldest Imperial military corps still in existence, it was formally created by order of King Stoick I of Berk in response to the Caen Massacre…

—First Shieldbearers (n.d.) In Wikikenna. Retrieved August 10, 1876

AO3 Chapter Link

~~~

My Original Fiction | Original Fiction Patreon

[dbphantom]

so much respect to them for adding more set-up to this already immaculate joke

[eventinelysplayground]

Entry three for @lorei-writes and @wordycheeseblob Wish Upon an Aide challenge. I have been having too much fun with these and have two more that are half done that I may or may not get done in time. This was inspired by the events at the end of Comtes chapter 9 and I used the red prompt love and the yellow one friendship. Language note for this fic: near the end Cat(Lumière) says Mais sacrifice which it's literal translation is but sacrifice however in Canadian french this is a swear with emphasis. The closest in English would be like oh FFS or uggh stupid SOB. Basically used when something/someone dumb and or annoying has aggrevated/pissed us off lol. Time consults his friends on what to do about Comte. Pure fun, WC approx 1045.

A Plan

It was a quiet afternoon as three friends sat talking in a dusty cellar.

I wish he would just tell her already.

Uh huh.

I mean he’s clearly in love with her and he's doing nothing about it at all! If he doesn't do something about it soon he's going to miss his chance.

Uh huh.

I mean there are ten other men in this house right? And between the Italian and the other two. Especially what's his name, the more obnoxious one!

Uh huh.

Arthur.

Arthur, that's it! I mean Arthur has no self control and is just a disaster waiting to happen.

Uh huh.

I don't understand why humans-

Vampires.

Ugh I don't understand why vampires have to be so guarded and flippant.

Uh huh.

Time turned to look at Harry who given the way he was replying was clearly off in his own little world again.

And the mansion is on fire.

Uh huh.

Oh for the love of, HARRY!

Time tossed a cork at Harry hitting him on the nose and startling him.

Oh Time, I'm sorry but ummm what were we talking about? I was thinking about-

Apples?

Eeep!

Harry let out a small sound of distress. He tilted his head up towards the voice and saw Cat sprawled out along a shelf.

Don't scare me like that! How long have you been up there anyways Cat?

Since before you both came in. I've even spoken before now, and also that's not my name.

Right, sorry about that.

Why apologize to him, Cat is what the Italian calls him so that's what his new name is. Not exactly a creative name or anything bu-

Ya because Time is sooo unique et spécial.

Écote toi-

That's enough!

Harry let out a loud chatter stepping into Time and Cat’s line of sight of each other.

Let's focus on the problem of ummm….

Cat rolled his eyes and Time sighed.

The problem of Comte being in love with that girl and doing nothing about it!

Right, okay well then umm…

Time sat patiently waiting for Harry to pull his thoughts together.

Well what's been done so far?

Well they spend an awful lot of time together, and the girl has made some small efforts but she seems confused, like she can't make up her mind.

She's perfect for him then!

Arrête ça.

Harry gave Cat a stern look. Cat let out a tiny meow and stretched out his front paws plopping his head down onto them before Harry turned his attention back to time.

Now then if they're already spending a lot of time together that's a good start. Let's see…

Does Comte even realize he loves this woman?

Well of course he does he's not…

Both Harry and Cat were giving Time a look and he stopped talking. He hated to admit it but perhaps they had a point.

I mean he has to know, doesn't he?

Not necessarily, he may be mistaking his feelings for something else..

That's a nice way of saying he's lying to himself.

Time tilted his head to the side in thought.

Why didn't I think of that before?

Harry shot Cat a look that clearly told him to keep his mouth shut.

Never mind about that right now, what we need to do in that case is make it clear to him what he's feeling.

Cat & Time both looked at Harry incredulously.

What? It's the truth.

Just how am I supposed to do that?

Well I…ummm…maybe you….I don't know. Surely the three of us can think of something though.

I don't remember volunteering to help.

You're here so you're helping, now think.

Time and Harry wore serious expressions on their faces while they tried to come up with any sort of idea. The three sat for a long time together, Time and Harry occasionally beginning a thought but then trailing off after apparently internally deciding it wouldn't work.

Sorry Time I really can't think of anything.

It's okay Harry I appreciate you trying to help me, maybe I'll just sneak out to the kennels later and ask Vic or King if they have any ideas.

Oh yes, asking those mutts will be soo helpful! All they care about is chasing their own.. Mais c'est ça!

Cat stretched and then jumped down from the shelf, coming to sit in front of a confused looking Time and Harry.

It’s almost too simple. All you need to do is get Comte to ‘chase’ her.

What?

Time and Harry spoke in unison and Cat tapped his paw on the ground in front of them.

You get him to ‘chase’ her. Put them in a situation together where lying to himself or not he realizes he could lose something valuable to him and so he can't help but go after it. In this place that should be simple enough non?

Oh I see! Thanks Cat I think I know just what to do now.

Ummm Time…

Harry started calling out to Time but it was too late as he had already scurried away.

I have a bad feeling about this.

Pour quois?

Didn't it seem like Time caught on to that way too quickly?

You worry too much.

Three days had passed since the conversation in the cellar and Cat was sleeping peacefully under a table in the hallway when he heard a sudden commotion.

“Squeak squeak!”

“Over there!”

“Time!”

“Squeak!”

“Ah no! I almost had him!”

Cat stretched out his paws and peered out from under the table.

Qu'est que passe?

Oh nothing really, just Time doing what you told him to do.

Cat startled slightly at Harry's unexpected presence.

What do you mean what-

At that moment Cat saw Time scurry past him with a pocket watch in his mouth.

“Time!”

“Squeak!”

“No matter how much you run, we will catch you eventually.”

Time, followed by Comte and Mitsuki disappeared around a corner.

Mais sacrifice!

I told you he caught on to that way too quickly.

I know…but maybe this could still work.

Harry tilted his head in thought for a moment then turned to look at Cat.

Hey, wanna follow them and see who wins?

Cat’s lips turned up in a smile.

Allons-y mon ami!

Harry smiled back at Cat before they both took off in a mad dash to see if Time could really make Comte realize just how deeply in love he had fallen.

[ashbrat488]

Candy - Chapter 20

Word Count: 1045

August gets the ball rolling on his divorce and sets up a date with Cassidy...

MINORS DNI

August halted in front of his assistant's desk the following morning, gesturing for her to follow him with a flick of his finger. He entered his office, slipping off his jacket and settling into his chair behind the desk. "Close the door, Ms. Riggins."

Amber nodded, taking a seat across from him while clutching her notepad. "Good morning, Mr. Walker. How may I assist you?"

"First and foremost, I must stress the importance of discretion. What transpires in this room remains within these walls..."

She nodded, her pencil tapping nervously against her notepad. "Absolutely, sir."

"Good girl," he replied, observing her squirm slightly in her chair. His thoughts briefly wandered to Cassidy and the plans he had to make her squirm later. Shaking his head slightly, he cleared his throat. "I require you to investigate Joe Allan's calendar as well as his company accounts. I want copies of both, and I'd like to know the times of his sign-ins and sign-outs. Can you handle this for me?"

"Yes, sir. May I ask why?"

His jaw clenched, and he dismissed her question with a wave of his hand. "My request is straightforward. Will you do it or not?"

She adjusted in her chair, straightening her posture. "Certainly, sir. My apologies."

"Good. Next, I need you to reach out to Robert Morris."

"The divorce attorney?" She asked, her pencil halting on the notepad, her gaze meeting his in confusion.

"That's right," he confirmed with a brisk nod. "Provide him with whatever retainer he requests, as long as I secure a meeting with him by week's end. Additionally, contact my hotel to ensure the penthouse is vacated and thoroughly cleaned by day's end. Inform them that I will be utilizing it indefinitely."

"Understood..." She scribbled diligently on her notepad, glancing back up at him. "Is there anything else?"

August shook his head, rising from his seat and gesturing for her to do the same. "Keep this matter strictly confidential. If I catch wind of any office gossip, I will know the source." He briefly grasped her arm before she could exit, lowering his voice to a menacing tone. "And believe me, Ms. Riggins, you do not want to see me angry."

"Yes, sir," she stammered, swallowing hard before swiftly departing his office.

August returned to his desk, logging into his computer. Retrieving his phone from his pocket, he offered a wry smile, tapping out a text to Cassidy.

August: I need you Tonight, 8pm The penthouse of my hotel

Cassidy: I'll be there

Cassidy returned home after her classes, finding a black box waiting at her doorstep. A warm smile crossed her face as she lugged it into her bedroom. She carefully discarded her shoes and coat, placing them neatly in their designated spots, her anticipation building. Turning her attention back to the mysterious box, she delicately pulled at the golden ribbon until it unfurled and settled on the floor. With eager hands, she lifted the lid.

Nestled beneath layers of white tissue paper lay a gorgeous set of red lace lingerie, accented perfectly to complement her tastes. Atop the lingerie was a card, signed by August. She read the card aloud, a soft blush coloring her cheeks.

You know my favorite color is red. I can't wait to see you tonight, Doll. Love, August.

Her heart fluttered at the affectionate ending, and Cassidy couldn't help but feel a thrilling excitement about her upcoming rendezvous with August. She gently set the lace set aside, her fingers grazing the delicate fabric as she pondered what the night held in store.

Her anticipation was palpable as she moved to the bathroom, setting her thoughts on a long, soothing shower. Once her clothes were discarded, she turned on the water, its warmth enveloping her as she stepped in. Nerves prickled beneath her skin at the prospect of seeing August later in the evening. It had been too long since they'd been alone together, and her body ached for his touch.

She clenched her thighs together as a wave of desire coursed through her, causing her body to respond in kind. Her hand glided down her torso, fingers slipping between her legs. A soft moan escaped her lips as she began to tease herself, the water from the shower providing the background music for her moans of pleasure.

Her mind wandered, conjuring images of August, and Cassidy couldn't help but lose herself in the fantasy. She imagined him above her, their bodies intertwined, his hands exploring every inch of her. The pleasure built within her like a crescendo, making her momentarily forget everything except the sensation of his hands on her.

She eventually had to pull her hand away, muttering, "fuck," feeling a new delicious ache between her legs but knowing that she would have to wait until she saw August later for a proper release.

Hastily, Cassidy completed her shower, her thoughts still consumed by August. She dried her hair, letting it fall in a cascade around her shoulders, before slipping into the alluring red lace lingerie that he had chosen for her. Over this, she draped a seductive black wrap dress, tying it securely and pairing it with black heels. With the necklace August gifted her for Christmas to complete her ensemble, she left her apartment, ready to meet August for what promised to be an unforgettable evening.

Cassidy arrived at the upscale hotel, welcomed by the front desk concierge, whose warm smile signaled her recognition. "Ms. Turner?"

Her nod affirmed her identity, and she accepted the keycard he offered with a polite smile. "Thank you."

He gestured to an elevator situated nearby. "You can take this elevator directly to the penthouse suite. Just place your card inside and press PH."

"Thanks again," Cassidy replied as she stepped into the elevator. Observing the designated card slot, she inserted her keycard and selected the PH button. The anticipation simmered within her as the elevator ascended to her destination.

The elevator came to a stop, and its doors gracefully parted to reveal a dimly lit corridor adorned with a lavish trail of rose petals. A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she followed the romantic path that led her to the bedroom. There, she found August, seated on the edge of the bed, an enigmatic smile gracing his lips.

"Didn't think I could be romantic, did you, Doll?" he remarked, his voice laced with a hint of playfulness.

Chapter 21 Candy

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[ascendantking]

;; The Royal Roast

Pairing: Jaron/Tobias, Amarinda of Bultain/Imogen Words: 1045 Chapter: 1/? Summary: A modern college au set in a coffee shop between two rival universities. While the Carthyan Patriots and the Avenian Dragons clash, a quiet courtship begins between Tobias, an overworked med student, and Jaron, a young entrepreneur with a penchant for trouble.

Baggy eyes and a hunched back marked the man who came in every morning like clockwork, stealing a table hidden away in the recesses of the cafe–barely lit by the only window that wasn’t taking it upon itself to blind the patrons at this hour. His order was always the same: a coffee with way too many shots of espresso, a cream cheese bagel, and, if he was feeling daring, an eclair that they had to assume he took with him to whatever classes were breaking his back because he definitely didn’t touch it when he was here.

The red eye staff had their bets placed on if he actually ate it after it had, inevitably, been squished in his bag or if he only ordered it to prove to himself that he could order something else. Most of them were leaning towards the latter, of course, with the way he stumbled through his words whenever he did decide to vary it.

But Jaron had thrown his hat in the ring on another, more far-fetched idea–one Imogen and Roden hadn’t cared for much at all. He was of the notion that since he had happened to be the only one to convince him to try something different then it was only logical to assume that he liked him. 

Continue reading below or on AO3! ( Link on blog. )

Right. That’s what this was. Imogen couldn’t let this fantasy go on any longer as she rolled her eyes. “Or you make him nervous.”

“Because he likes me,” Jaron insisted as he emphasized his teasing with a smolder.

”Or, get this,” she said, smiling as she shook her hands in front of herself, her grin immediately falling, “he may not like being put on the spot.”

Jaron laughed, stacking the cups off to the side. “I dunno, I think you’re just jealous that–” Imogen cocked her hip, putting her hand on her side, snorting herself. “Sure. If that’s the rabbit you want to chase today, just make sure it doesn’t get in the way of your job. Why don’t you help organize the back once you’re done there?”

“You don’t want my pretty face up front today?”

Imogen tilted her head at him, fluttering her eyelashes innocently. “Are you asking me if I want customers today?” She paused, putting a finger on her lip. “Hm.” She let a moment pass as if her question held any of the significance that warranted such a lengthy pause. “You know, Jaron,” she said, nodding slowly, “you should be up front. Give the door your best smile.”

He snorted, waving her off. “It’s like you have no faith in me.”

“Is it that obvious?” Imogen asked with a grin. She nudged him as she passed. “Just make sure you’re ready to go. We open in five.”

Jaron rolled his eyes. “I know, I know. It can’t be any worse than yesterday, can it?”

Imogen stopped abruptly. Her eyes flicked back to him with faux seriousness. “Do you like testing god?”

“When it suits me,” he said with a wink. Imogen took in a breath, shaking her head as she finished cleaning off one of the machines on the back wall. Jaron leaned down on the counter, crossing his legs behind him as he watched the streets slowly come to life, cars lazily drifting by as the street lights went off one by one, each one taking a bow as the morning sun took its rightful place on stage.

“Do you think he’ll be here today?” he asked barely above a whisper.

Imogen looked back at him, raising an eyebrow. She rolled her eyes. “I’m beginning to think you’re the one that likes him. Careful, wouldn’t want people thinking you can catch feelings.” She held her nose as if the concept itself stunk before snickering to herself. 

Jaron snorted, looking back out towards the door, a slight tinge of red on his face. Sure, maybe he wanted to get to know the guy, but that was all it was. He let out a sigh, pushing himself up off the counter to flip the sign to Open. He wasn’t one to pine over someone, he thought to himself as he peeked his head out to look down the sidewalk. No sign of him–oh, no, he meant anyone yet, yeah.

He closed the door again, brushing off his hands before he cracked them in front of himself. “Time to get down to business,” Jaron said to no one in particular as he hopped the counter.

Just because he had noticed that Tobias had come in almost every day for the past two weeks since he started working these early shifts meant nothing. He had a unique look to him! Wiry and tall, with perceptively kind eyes, as if he could read someone like a book but without even a crease or dog-ear on the pages as he went through their life story. It seemed silly now, Jaron realized, comparing him to an old librarian type when Jaron was the one attempting to judge a book by a cover himself. 

But he just couldn’t help it! Tobias carried himself like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders–like if he stopped for one minute, it would all collapse in a messy heap at his feet. Jaron sighed, furrowing his brows as he leaned against the counter again. It wasn’t fair for a man to carry the world alone–what a lonely thing that was, the heaviness of a responsibility only one man knows. If only he could do something to help–then maybe Tobias’ face might not wrinkle up as much as it did in the few moments Jaron saw of him a day. Jaron stood back, looking up at the ceiling with a sigh–maybe he’d get him that eclair for free today. Sure, it wasn’t much, but sometimes even little things could make a big deal, even if they seemed insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

A nervous energy ate at him as he rocked back and forth on his heels. God, he hoped he came in today–maybe they could say more than just the usual pleasantries, maybe he could even get a how’s the weather out there started.

A guy could dream, couldn’t he?

[moonpaw]

ok so i haven't read one piece and i only watched like 2 seasons of it a few years ago but i am curious so what is gear 5?

I was gonna type it out but, hey, if you don't mind spoilers actually, just go read chapters 1044 and 1045