#i live by a fishing village

[ifindus]

More ScotNor AU please 😍

Love your art style very much!

Thank you! 😍✨

I have another ScotNor AU from when I spent a month in Orkney researching herring fishing in Scotland during the 1800s 🙈

Scotland is a fisherman and one day Norway shows up, sailing across the sea with this old boat and starts selling his herring at the docks - always catching more than the other boats. Scotland does not like this new guy who is not even local, and they strike up this sort of rivalry (because Norway can be snarky when he wants to), sending a few remarks each other's way when they cross paths at the docks or on the sea. Norway has good knowledge of the ocean and knows good herring spots, and Scotland ends up following him there some days. Then, one day, there is a sudden storm and they are too far from land. They get tossed around by the waves, and Norway's boat ends up shattering, flinging him into the dark water. Scotland manages to save him, and together they get his boat under control.

and that's all I have so far 😅

#hetalia #aph norway #hws norway #hws scotland #aph scotland #scotnor #don't think this counts as historical hetalia?? but still - I did a lot of research on this topic #there became establish several fishing villages on Scotland's east coast - in relation to a “normal” town but always a bit way because of #all the fish smell - and there would live entire families there who all contributed to the fishing - women and children often slaying the #fish on land while the men were out fishing - and the children would then marry other fisher children and become fishers themselves #it was a huuuge industry in the 1800s with the top around the 1850-70s if I am not remembering wrong #herring fishing in Norway was also a big deal - I know at least after the 2. world war - and Norwegians are always fishers so not #unlikely that some Norwegian would have made the short journey over for better pay #anyway thanks for the ask!! 🥰🥰 scotnor asks are always my favourites 💖

[boar-cry]

i was born in the wrong generation <- wishes they could have been a sailor

#wish i could run away to a remote fishing village and live there for the rest of my life near the sea #it's only been like 2 weeks since i last saw the Sea but god i miss her so much

[upmala]

bathing hut. popular in the 1830's fishing villages along the gulf of riga in the baltic sea. groups of such huts were constructed around a well. from there the water was was heated and passed along raised wood gutters into the huts through a hole in the wall, where it poured straight into the wooden tub. the huts were assembled from readymade parts, including the straw roof, and could be transported along the coast.

#bathhouse #baltic history #fishing village #i quite like the privacy and cozyness of the small hut #as opposed to a big communal bath house #the gutter coming in through the wall looked like in spirited away #but i didn't catch a pic of that so you'll just have to believe me!! #my photos #countryside living #village

[ezralva]

Handa-sensei, Naru, and Kido Hiroshi in Barakamon live action starting July 12 on Fuji TV. Don't miss it!

#barakamon #live action #sugino yousuke #miyazaki ririsa #tsuna keito #So Hiroshi our village big brother living in fishing village all his life who looks like a yankee but somehow has fairer skin than Handa #😅😅😅 #“aka Naru and her dads” #i might be too excited for this it's not normal now I'm worried to get my hopes up #and i'm here being excited by myself

[aroacehanzawa]

brian david gilbert's BUY MY BED video except it's BUY MY GUITAR

#no fr is anyone in scotland and wants to buy my acoustic guitarjdtsgklfhdjkfsdjl #i've had it up on fb marketplace for weeks but i live in a fishing village and the only responses have been from scammers #i MAY be pricing it too high. because i'm a filthy capitalist #i probably need to lower the price significantly but like fjkflhdasjakf i'M MOVING COUNTRIES IN A FEW WEEKS I CAN'T BRING IT ANYWHERE #also i haven't even used it because i accidentally bought a steel string guitar instead of a nylon string guitar #<- is a classical guitarist #so now i'm stuck with an impulse buy i need to get rid of real quick sdjfhksjhdskskjd

[eats-the-stars]

i have upgraded my ability to navigate minecraft to “able to use compasses fixed to lodestones to go from lodestone A to lodestone B” and no, I cannot figure out how to use coordinates even tho every explanation seems to deceptively simple and intuitive. teleportation is a big no. somehow i just...always end up in the middle of an ocean. my previous method of navigation was placing small 4-6 block tall beacons with a torch on top, each within line of site and made of a block that contrasted with the landscape. as you can imagine, this is a pretty tedious way to travel. so i am very happy to figure out compasses. my sister keeps trying to explain coordinates and all the words she says make perfect sense but my attempt to follow them does not result in successful navigation.

#minecraft #big step for me #my previous minecraft life was just...occasionally i would get super lost #and then i would just be like '...okay...guess i live here now. goodbye old house and resources this is my new home' #i was also able to find my way back to spawn which was a big relief #i also confirmed that it is indeed surrounded by so so much badlands no villages at all #but i did find out that some of the big cave systems/ravines i was too coward to investigate #actually contain lush caverns which is actually really cool #like a weird amount of lush caverns actually #and big waterfalls with axolotls #and also in a direction i did not go far in #there are strips of rainforest and bamboo forest #literally back in the heart of my spawn area and the first non-aggressive mob i see is a panda #later some chickens #and then i looked in the caverns and found the axolotls and glow squid and tropical fish #did not know they had all those things in lush caverns but kinda neat #just an odd spawn location it takes so long to hit a more common biome

[makowo]

maybe my problem with making characters is that i never try to like. make my own background lore. i get too scared of encroaching on the DMs territory. i need to stop doing this

#makotalk #i got scared thinking that it might be too much to flesh out a fishing village my character used to live in. #meanwhile one of my friends makes whole factions and implied centuries of lore for specific races. i've gotta stop being so nervous

[exhaustedwerewolf]

I had a dream about A Restless Truth, which was,,, something. From Edwin’s PoV, predictably.

Edwin, Robin, and Maud had just boarded the boat to America (though the hall they were in was very Titanic, which didn’t precisely bode well) when another passenger boarded, a very pale young woman with black eyes, in this ridiculous bonnet thing. She was having a conniption about some print with extreme sentimental value she’d supposedly brought on board having been left behind. Edwin, being close to a whole stack of prints, (don’t ask why all the passenger’s prints were stacked together) saw one that matched the description and pulled it out- it was of two swans in St James’- he handed it to her and she was transparently delighted at this meet-cute and warmed to him immediately. As everyone got introduced, Maud took it upon herself to invite swan-woman to dinner with them, who was now staring at Edwin with open infatuation, to his absolute horror, before Robin pointed out they were obliged to meet their parents for dinner (quite truthfully, in this dream, so they were certainly alive and also on the ship for some reason— Robin was reluctant and most certainly not abandoning Edwin out of amusement, although he definitely found this ill-advised infatuation slightly hilarious) which of course left Edwin and swan-woman with a dinner date he could improvise no polite excuse for before she left with her servants to go and find her cabin, warbling a folk song about a girl who fell in love at first sight. I wish I could explain her energy. It was slightly horror-movie but too earnest to be genuinely unsettling. I then woke up, and I’m torn between disappointment at not finding out what transpired at dinner and relief, because, again, I was in Edwin’s shoes for this.

#wwolf.txt #the last binding #kind of??? #a marvellous light #been a while since I had a fairly coherent in-universe dream about a novel #at least no-one died this time! #I do say coherent. I also remember something about Robin and Edwin getting help from an old woman who lived beside a small village which had #one grocer’s and three fishmonger’s and the act of help would somehow have destroyed the grocer’s and Robin said something about ‘oh their #produce was terrible anyway’ and Edwin was like ‘and I’m sure she’d love to eat fish??? seven days a week????’ #no clue of the context there.

[soilem]

why must i be so afraid of insects??? so many of life’s joys are now full of fear :(

#sleeping with open windows in summer is an open invitation for a night of fright #spontaneously deciding to go out in the field or on a hike is not an option i MUST be prepared #summer is torture #gardening is too #having pet fish too #visiting family who live in the country(??? village? town? suburbs?) is difficult for both me and them #because im full of stress and it bleeds out and infects them too #more specifically i once scared everyone because i thought i stepped on a beetle #it was my cousin’s shoe #so yea

[heirbane]

I've considered gaius having a little garden at his place in Terncliff - something for allie and him to tend to, maybe a small passive income from growing fruits and vegetables in the immediate aftermath of Endwalker, when he's unable to do much mercenary work.

But I just also got walloped with the concept of them having a handful of Karakul sheep and Estinien having to teach them how to shepherd.

#cute. adorable. #i know there's a minion you can get from the v.aris tower that was his dog. and i do think if the wol was #close to g.aius that it would make sense for the dog to go live with him (if the wol didn't keep it themselves) #so there is Hilarity in a pampered flat-faced pedigree dog trying to learn how to herd sheep #i can also see him being someone the villagers go to for dressing caught beasts #most of the meat the wer.lytans eat involve fish and small game so i doubt many know what to do with big game catches #which. he's been living off the land for years. carving the meat from a boar or another beastkin isn't beyond him #ⅹⅳ tertius oculus ( hcs. )

[atalante241]

Genshin NPC’s my beloved

#no joke I care mor abt them than playable characters sometimes #you’re telling me you wouldn’t move heaven and earth for Isak? #not to mention those two random assassin guys in fontaine #that I first saw while jumping over a boat #I’ve spoken to them once to start their quest and I already love them #that random grandpa that lives outside of Aaru village is the goat #that chasm explorer lady #the thelxie npc’s #the fishing association npcs and the fact that they fucking adore fishing #the guy why trying to cure his sisters illness and she gets over it and becomes and adventurer in mondstadt #Ella musk being the only person not from the abyss order attempting to learn hillichurlian and their culture #that guy who see a random girl as a sister figure and trying to make a boat for them outside o fmondstadt #all the soldiers of the watatsumi resistance and the civilians living on the island #that random disguised treasure hunter girl in Liyue from dailies #I have a favorite child npc from every nation #genshin npc #genshin impact #npc #non player character #fontaine #genshin inazuma #mondstadt #liyue #genshin impact lore

[yeah-thats-probably-it]

Hot take maybe but I think Bertie would be FAR more likely to survive the first two months of Dracula than Jeeves would be. Bertie has a healthy sense of self-preservation. Jeeves consistently underestimates how dangerous a situation might get (Steeple Bumpleigh, the club book) because he’s overconfident about his level of control over any given situation. He'd handle Dracula masterfully if they faced off in England, but on Dracula's home turf? Much more doubtful.

I realize this might be a tough sell, so I will explain further (or it's not a tough sell, and I'm going to explain further because I want to). (criteria taken from @canyourfavesurvivecastledracula) Without further ado.

Would Jeeves and Wooster survive Castle Dracula?

Jeeves

Jeeves' survival will depend on how long Dracula finds him more entertaining than irritating. On that basis, I don't think he's long for this world. On the one hand, he has a huge wealth of knowledge about English society and culture that he can recite perfectly from memory. That should buy him at least a little time with noted teaboo Dracula.

On the other hand, he would be absolutely no fun as a vampire plaything. Jeeves cannot be got. Sneaking up on him while he's shaving will yield zero reaction (though that's at least good for his short-term survival--given that, although he DID take the crucifix from the old woman out of politeness, he certainly isn't going to wear it. The rules of fashion don't go out the window just because you're in a spooky castle). Then, although managing the whims of rich jerks is not an insignificant part of a valet's job, Jeeves usually does this by bending his employers to his will. Dracula is not the sort of employer this will work on. It'll just add insult to injury when on top of being impossible to scare, NOW Jeeves is telling Dracula that his favorite cloak is several centuries out of fashion and he's not allowed to wear it anymore.

Jeeves will 100% go exploring in the areas he was told not to go-- though to be fair, he MIGHT actually get away with this, what with his superpower of appearing in rooms without being seen or heard. Said superpower might save him from the brides as well (though this is by no means guaranteed). Since I find it doubtful that Dracula would come to rescue his annoying ass, not being noticed is his best defense.

There are a couple other things working in Jeeves's favor; the question is just whether they'll be enough to save him.

He DOES know shorthand, and could try to send coded letters. He might even have the foresight to squirrel away some extra stationary where Dracula can't find it. But could he get them posted? Would it even do him any good?

He certainly has enough cultural literacy to figure out what his new boss is pretty quickly. If he didn't chuck the crucifix out the carriage window, he might start carrying it around in his pocket.

Psychology of the individual, sure, but the individual in question is a 400-year-old vampire who lives in an isolated castle in a foreign country and is regarded as a terrifying mythological figure in the surrounding villages. Jeeves has never come up against anything this alien before, he's cut off from his normal resources, and opportunities to play people against each other are limited.

He probably has enough upper body strength from all that shrimping and fishing to climb the wall, so he COULD escape if he wanted to, if he survived long enough. It's just, again, that overconfidence, and also Dracula has a vast library full of rare old books that are entirely at his disposal. He's keeping his eyes and ears alert for potential escape strategies, of course, but I don't see him being as desperate to get out as Jonathan was.

There are just a lot of "depends on"s here, and I'm not convinced that luck would shake out in Jeeves's favor, all things considered.

Bertie

Bertie is so perfect for the job of Castle Dracula Prisoner it's like it was made for him. Think about it. Being held against his will in big manor houses comes more naturally to him than breathing. He's afraid of things that are scary. A lifetime of dealing with Aunt Agatha has made him the world's preeminent expert in "curl[ing] up in a ball in the hope that a meek subservience [will] enable [him] to get off lightly." He will NEVER go exploring in places he's been warned away from if nobody is forcing him to (Rev. Aubrey Upjohn's office notwithstanding. There were biscuits in there). He's both fun to talk to and easy to toy with (and extremely English). A+ prisoner. Dracula adores him.

In my opinion, Bertie is at Castle Dracula either because Aunt Agatha got some wires seriously crossed and thinks he’s going to meet an eligible potential bride (I mean, there are certainly brides there), or because Dracula has something Aunt Dahlia wants him to steal (far less likely, given that one of Dracula’s THINGS is famously not owning anything silver). Either way, he's shown himself entirely willing and able to escape down drainpipes if a sitch gets too scaly.

He DOES take the crucifix, and DOES wear it (which is what will save him during the shaving scene, because you KNOW he's going to jump a foot and cut himself like the dickens). He's read enough supernatural goosefleshers to be genre savvy about terrified old women cryptically pushing crucifixes into one's hands. I also think his sunny disposish endeared him to the villagers, and they were particularly vehement about urging him not to go. He doesn't speak German or Romanian, but he's empathetic enough to recognize Pure Terror. So by the time he actually gets to the castle, his imagination is already running wild and he's plenty aware that he is in imminent danger.

I think the biggest risk to Bertie will be the brides; whether or not he's susceptible to trances, if he thinks they're trying to marry him, it's against the code of the Woosters to turn them down. But that only becomes an issue if he comes face to face with them, which, luckily, I think is unlikely on account of the aforementioned "won't go exploring" (and if he did, Dracula would definitely rescue him).

I'm inclined to say due to his drainpipe-escape habits that he WOULD be able to climb the wall and MAY attempt to sneak into Dracula's room to look for the keys if his desperation grows to outweigh his fear. Whether he does or not, though, he does NOT have the stomach to attempt shovel murder, and therefore won't get magic brain fever, and may very well simply walk out the front doors when the people come to take the boxes away. OR he climbs his way out like Jonathan did. Either way.

When Bertie tells this story at the Drones later, Tuppy will say that no doubt it's been greatly exaggerated and all that probably happened was that he spent a couple months in an oldish house entertaining a weird loner.

#do YOU think jeeves and wooster would survive castle dracula? let me know in the comments! #they're in the castle separately instead of together because those are the rules ok #the isolation is key #though if anyone wants to speculate about what would happen if they went together i will NOT complain #i don't even know what's going on with the tenses in this post i'm sorry #// #jeeves and wooster #reginald jeeves #bertie wooster #dracula #do i need to tag dracula spoilers? #sure there are some people new to receiving letters from our good friend jonathan harker #here it is just in case: #dracula spoilers #i have done my due diligence

[blujayonthewing]

suddenly remembered and found a storybook-turned-tv movie about a cat that perhaps inexplicably made me emotional when I was a little little kid and am watching it now with the additional layers of 'I loved this when I was five and now I am 32' and 'I miss my cat' and it's going about as well as you might expect

#an old man braves an ongoing storm to try fishing for his starving village #told from the point of view of his cat who loves him more than anything #'she purred to tell him she loved him and would go with him and she wouldn't want to live in the cottage without him' #me- very normal: [openly weeping] #I also have a core memory of crying because I brought it into class in kindergarten and it made the other kids laugh #in fairness to the other kids: the movie translated a cat 'singing' as her literally singing with human vocals and that is a bit silly #but as a five year old I was swept up by the narrative and very personally insulted and hurt by my peers' response to it #about me

[halfvalid]

nobody but you

ABOUT

alternate title: the jealous character trope is actually kinda fun to write

rating: teen+

characters: live action!roronoa zoro | fem!reader | live action!vinsmoke sanji | live action!straw hats ensemble

pairing: live action!roronoa zoro x fem!reader

word count: 3.5k

description: sanji flirts endlessly with you while dining at the baratie. zoro is displeased.

tags: strawhat!reader, female reader, fluff, kissing, no use of 'y/n', establishment of relationship, flirting, alcohol consumption, pda

author’s note: i got like ~5 requests to write this so here you guys go! this was a popular one lmao. the story is a vague spinoff to my other fic pretty in that, but it doesn't have to be read to understand this one.

You’d volunteered to deal with the docking fees for the Going Merry, locking up the pirate ship as the rest of the crew entered Baratie. You were just five or so minutes late entering after the restaurant the rest of the Straw Hats had gone into. You’d never seen anything like it before—an eatery right in the middle of the ocean, in the shape of a giant fish. 

You stepped into the building cautiously, glancing around the wide expanse of the main room to try and catch a glimpse of your friends. The restaurant was big, with a mezzanine that you’d entered in and stairs leading down to the first floor. The host, a fishman who was standing at the reservation desk, glanced up to take a look at you. 

“Ah, you must be with the pirates,” he said pleasantly. “Right this way, miss.” 

You nodded, wondering how Luffy was intending on paying for the bill of such a place as you scoped out the area. It was far nicer than anything you would’ve expected—but then again, he’d somehow managed to score the Going Merry from Kaya back in Syrup Village, so you figured he’d work something out. 

Finally, you caught a glimpse of the rest of your crew, tucked away in a circular side booth that the fishman led you to. Luffy brightened upon seeing you, waving you over with a hand so excitedly you feared it was about to flop around like rubber. Considering his powers, that was a more than likely situation, actually. 

“Thank you,” you told the host, then turned towards your friends. “No food yet?” 

“You didn’t miss much,” Usopp said, a little snicker in his voice. “Just the waiter getting our drink orders. He was flirting the heck outta Nami.”

“Oh?” you asked, a smile flickering up your lips. The only open space in the table was between Zoro and Nami—you gave Zoro a confused look, and he gestured down to his swords, which were caught in the ledge between the chair and the wall. You snickered. “Ro. You’re such a loser.” 

“Shut up,” Zoro muttered, hand on your waist as you climbed over him to get to the empty seat. It stayed there for a moment longer, even after you’d arranged yourself in the seat, before he finally dropped his hand. Usopp made a face that you pointedly ignored. 

“What’d you guys order?” you asked instead. If there’d been a menu available, the waiter had probably taken it away; still, there wasn’t much variety in the East Blue, so you could expect there’d be a lot of seafood and not much else. 

“One of everything,” Luffy responded brightly. “So we’ll be able to try the whole menu!” 

“You sure that’s a good idea, Cap?” you asked, brows raised. Luffy shrugged. 

“I don’t see why not.”

“Quit it with the nickname,” Zoro muttered. Neither him or Nami had gotten any more receptive to it since you’d first started calling Luffy it. Usopp didn’t seem so keen on it either—if only because he fancied himself Captain Usopp. Luffy liked it, though, and that pleased you enough to keep using it.

“I’ll get you to start saying it eventually,” you teased, nudging Zoro in the arm. He shook his head, but there was a suggestion of a smile on his lips as he glanced away. “Just you wait.” You turned to Nami, eyes sparkling. “What about the waiter, though? Was he cute?” 

Usopp laughed at that, and Nami gave you a disparaging look. “Come on,” she started. “Not you too. Zoro was all—” 

The sound of footsteps cut off her speech, and you glanced up to find a lean, blond man pausing by the lip of your table. He held a silver plate, upon which perched a variety of different drinks—beers, milk, water. “Here are your drinks,” he said, voice lifting with an accent you couldn’t quite place. “And appetizers.” 

He had just finished placing the last of the drinks balancing on his forearm on the table when the waiter glanced up and registered you sitting there. His expression instantly changed, the crease of his mouth softening into a pleasant smile, his previously-dull blue eyes bright and sparkling. “Well, hello there. An addition?” 

“Yeah, sorry I’m late,” you said. The waiter flashed a grin, white ivories shining under the fluorescents.  

“Oh, absolutely no problem. They say those who are late are fashionable, and you, madam, certainly fit the bill,” the waiter said. Your eyes widened, glancing over to Nami to find her shaking her head, but the waiter didn’t stop there. “I’m Sanji. What can I get for you to drink? We’ve got a wide selection of fine wines that might suit your taste.” 

“Oh, um—” you started, glancing at the rest of your crew again. Usopp was hiding his snicker, and Nami was giving you a tired look. Assumedly this had been the man who’d tried it on her, too—to unfortunate ends, probably, considering how Nami was. Not that this would be any more effective on you. Your eye was already captured by a particular green-haired swordsman, after all. “I don’t really have anything in mind.”

Sanji looked pleased about that, clasping his hands together around his platter. “Ah, let me guess, then. A bayberry or red currant wine, perhaps? Fruity, tart, full of flavor.” he winked. “A feisty drink for a feisty girl.” 

“Can’t say I’ve tried it, but sure,” you said, the faintest smile on your lips. “I’ll let you know how I like it.” 

Sanji grinned, looking rather satisfied with that, a delighted little smile on his lips. “One red currant wine, then. I’ll have it right out. And would you also like to order a meal, or…” He glanced over at Luffy, presumably referencing your captain’s more-than-outrageous order. “Are you all set?” 

“I think we’re set, thanks,” you assured, and Sanji nodded. He flashed you another bright smile before turning on his heel back off to the kitchen. 

Usopp finally let out the laughter he’d been keeping in, choked sounds emitting from his throat as he thudded his chest with a fist. You rolled your eyes, but it was good-natured, letting Usopp laugh. 

“Well, at least I’m not being singled out,” Nami said with a sigh, and you exchanged a sympathetic glance with her. She patted your hand comfortingly, then scrutinized the water Sanji had gotten her. “At least he didn’t put it in a flute.” 

“Zoro, you’ve got competition!” Usopp called, still laughing from the entire ordeal. You glanced to your side, to where the swordsman sat. Zoro had stiffened sometime during the conversation, jaw clenched and arms wound tightly across his chest. He hadn’t even touched the beer that Sanji had set in front of him, eyes fixed carefully to a spot beside Luffy’s head and refusing to look over at you. 

“He’s a waiter,” Zoro said crisply. “He buses tables for a living.” With that, he grabbed his bottle, popping the tab and taking a swig. 

“I don’t know, man, did you see the way he took down those pirates?” Usopp turned to you, all excited again. “Oh, you missed this whole thing! Two pirates were fighting over a seat or something, and Sanji just demolished both of them! You would’ve loved it.” 

“He is a really good fighter,” Luffy agreed. Their words did nothing but seem to annoy Zoro further. 

“Can we not talk about the restaurant personnel? Surely you can think of more interesting topics of conversation.” His tone was sharp, and all icy, and you inched your hand closer to his leg to tap his thigh in question. He glanced down at your touch, but didn’t deign to say anything else. He just picked up his beer again, nursing it while the rest of the crew continued on with their conversation. 

Despite Luffy changing the subject, Zoro didn’t speak, and you kept peeking glances over at him in concern. Your feelings for him had just continued developing ever since Syrup Village, although neither of you had reasonably talked about the closet incident since it’d happened. What with the reveal of Kuro and the escape from the marines and all, there hadn’t exactly been time to. But you’d been on good terms, and the actions he made around you—pressing a hand to your waist as you moved past him, turning towards you first mid-conversation, shoving you down when the marines had fired their first cannon at the Going Merry. 

Before you could whisper to him and question what his silence was about, though, Sanji reappeared, carrying two platters filled to the brim with plates. They were laden with different types of meat and vegetables, sauces glinting under the light and hot steam still billowing. 

He set the dishes on the table, somehow managing to arrange them so they all fit on the countertop. Sanji set down the last plate then turned to you, placing a glass and a bottle of dark crimson wine on the table in front of you. He had to lean over Zoro to reach, and Zoro flinched, but still didn’t say anything as Sanji uncorked the bottle and poured you a glass. 

“Tell me what you think,” he said, all smiles again. “I’ll be embarrassed if it isn’t to your liking.”

You picked the glass up, swirling it carefully inside the glass before leaning down into the cup to take in a full sniff. You tilted your head back to take a small sip, moving the liquid around your mouth to fully savor the flavor before finally swallowing. The wine was sweet, light rather than rich with a delicate tartness that burst on your tongue. You glanced up just to see a giant grin had stretched up Sanji’s mouth, brightening his face up considerably. 

“What?” you asked. 

“Not often do I see a patron who knows how to taste wine properly,” Sanji answered with a little duck of his head. “A lady of class, I see. How do you like it?” 

“Not too strong. I like the tartness,” you answered. “A good recommendation. Thank you.” 

Sanji gave you a little bow, hand flourishing to the side as he dipped his head. “I live to serve.” 

“Yeah, well, why don’t you serve me another beer?” Zoro said abruptly. Usopp coughed, and you could see Nami elbow him out of your peripheral vision. Luffy just looked confused. 

Sanji’s face fell almost immediately after Zoro had spoken, his eyes flickering away from yours. “Of course. I’ll be right back,” he said, a tight smile at his lips. He ducked out of the booth, and Zoro let out an irritated noise, tongue flicking against from the roof of his mouth. 

Usopp snorted, fully this time, and you turned to glance over at him—he and Nami were both hiding their gazes, though you could see smiles cracked along their lips. 

Zoro glared at them. “Shut it.” 

“Not saying anything!” Usopp said, though he half-hid behind Luffy like Zoro was going to lunge over the table to get to him. That didn’t seem… entirely unlikely, actually; Zoro’s right hand rested firmly on the handle of one of his swords, fingers ready to pull the blade at any second. You watched him out of the corner of your eye, wanting to say something. But not in front of everyone else. It wouldn’t be appropriate, you decided. 

Eventually your meal wound down to an end. Zoro got less and less tense throughout it, though you were fairly certain that was due to the drinks he was having rather than any actual reassurance. Sanji, thankfully, came back with the bill in the middle of a conversation you really didn’t want to think about—Luffy and his marine grandfather was not something your mind wanted to dwell on—only for him to disappear again. 

Just moments later, a man with a braided mustache came storming out of the kitchen. Luffy did some more of his Luffy nonsense, and, honestly—you were getting too tired about all of this to pay any close attention. You spared a glance over at Zoro again. His face was as blank as ever.  

“Okay,” Usopp said slowly, a few delayed seconds after who’d undoubtedly been the head chef yanked Luffy out of his seat. “I’m ready to check out whatever’s outside. Let’s go.” 

“What about Luffy?” you asked, perplexed. 

“He’ll find his way out of that,” Nami said with a sigh. She stood up, knocking back the rest of her drink. Since she wasn’t exactly wrong, you got up, glancing over your shoulder at the last of the group that remained seated. “Zoro?” 

Zoro was staring into his now-empty bottle of beer. He still seemed off, the line of his mouth creased downwards, jaw set tight. “Yeah,” he said finally, standing to his full height and slipping out of the booth. He offered you a hand, helping you down from your seat, but said nothing more. 

The four of you headed out to the mouth of the Baratie fish, which boasted a bar decorated with neon lights. You found a place to sit by the fish’s bottom lip, and you turned in your seat, staring out at the sea. The water was dark with the night, peaceful ripples moving across the water that sent shimmering waves across the blue. 

“I’m gonna get a drink,” Usopp said. “Come, Nami?” 

“Huh?” Nami glanced up, and you turned to watch the exchange. “Oh, I’m okay, Usopp. Thanks, though.” 

“No,” Usopp insisted, a smile still pasted on his face as he jerked his head, not very discreetly, in your and Zoro’s direction. Nami seemed to realize, then, eyes going wide before she got up from her seat. 

“Actually, on second thought, I’ll join you,” she said, far smoother than Usopp had been. “God knows you don’t have any money to pay for a drink.”

She breezed past him, ignoring the offended gape Usopp left in her wake before he was scrambling to follow her. You turned your attention towards Zoro—he was lounging in the seat across from you, one hand on his swords with his legs crossed. “Hi,” you said carefully. 

He stiffened. “Hey.” 

You pursed your lips, mulling over the ways to go about the conversation before ultimately deciding to spit it out. “What’s wrong?” At his raised brow, you were prompted to continue— “During dinner. You were acting weird.”

Zoro shook his head, dropping his gaze from yours. You could see the faintest trace of freckles spattered along his cheeks, the yellow glow from the lanterns reflecting off his skin. “Nothing’s wrong. Just… the waiter.”

“The waiter,” you repeated. Zoro shifted, legs uncrossing and hand tightening around his swords again. His voice was low the next time he spoke, and you could barely hear him, having to lean forward to catch all of his words.

“He was flirting with you.” 

Your breath hitched, but you tried to keep your tone casual. “He was flirting with Nami too,” you said, glancing up to meet his eyes. Zoro still wouldn’t meet your gaze, staring out into the East Blue behind you. 

“That’s different.” Zoro’s eyes finally lifted, long eyelashes casting shadows on his cheeks as you met eyes. You shivered, gooseflesh suddenly prickling up everywhere on your skin—the back of your neck, up your spine, down your arms and legs. “I don’t like Nami.” 

You tilted your head to the side, meeting his gaze. The words sent a little rush through you; a rush you got practically every time Zoro looked in your direction, actually, which was only a little bit annoying. The amount of influence a man you’d known for, comparatively, not that long had over you had you rolling your eyes all the time, but… you trusted Zoro at this point, as uncooperative as he and Nami had been throughout your entire journey. 

“You’re jealous of a waiter.” 

“Don’t—” Zoro sighed. “Don’t put it like that.” 

“But it’s true. You’re jealous of a waiter,” you said, unblinking. Zoro rolled his eyes, teeth resting along his lower lip in an almost-bite. You snickered, tone sloping upwards to become more teasing, almost sarcastic. “How the mighty have fallen. From me practically begging you to say I looked nice in a dress to this.” 

“Okay, that’s enough,” Zoro said, uncrossing his legs to lean over and press his hand over your mouth. You laughed, surprised, as he leaned over you, eyes sparkling at the reaction. “Not another word.” 

He removed his hand, giving you a look. You betrayed his trust almost immediately. “Of a waiter.” 

“Do you want me to put the hand back?” Zoro threatened, but you were full-on laughing by now, and he couldn’t do anything but watch. The sounds escaped from your mouth, ringing out in soft, lively hiccups. He shook his head, hand falling to his side as he watched you, a ghost of a smile tugging up the side of his mouth. 

“Sorry, Ro,” you said, unable to suppress your grin even as your laughter died off. “It’s a little funny, you have to admit.” 

“I’d like to hear you talk if someone was flirting with me,” Zoro muttered, so quiet you could barely hear. You had to stifle another laugh. 

“Okay, well, unlike you, I don’t get territorial over people I haven’t even talked about my relationship with, but I appreciate it.” You nudged him. “It’s kinda cute.”

Zoro seemed lost in the first half of your sentence, and you could practically see the cogs whirring in his head. For a moment, you were worried that the closet had been a one-time thing—but no, he’d mentioned just earlier that he liked you, so clearly something else was the matter. 

Your worries were answered in just another moment. “...We’re supposed to talk about our relationship?”

“Zoro.” You gave him a look of disbelief, forced to suppress another laugh, though this time it was out of incredulity. “Yes. Have you ever dated anyone before?” 

Zoro made a face at that. “Keeping that to myself, thanks.” He dropped his chin, glancing down at where you were, still leaning over you so you were forced to crane your neck to stare up at him. He tilted his head to the side. “So what kind of talking are we supposed to be doing?” 

“You know, the establishment of being exclusive; a cementation of our feelings; what the relationship entails; where we want it to go…” You paused, watching as his eyes flickered down your face. Your words were going in one ear and out the other. “You’re not listening at all, huh.” 

“Not really,” Zoro said, not sounding very apologetic about it. His free hand came to cup the underside of your jaw, tilting your head up just so. “Is the talking really that necessary?” 

You shrugged, trying to keep your cool. “Eventually.” 

“Eventually,” he repeated, stretching out the syllables of the word as he quoted you. “So we can do it another day.”

You bit the inside of your cheek to hide your smile. “What were you thinking?”

Zoro was slotting his lips over yours before you could say another word, his fingers digging into the hinge of your jaw to allow him better access. You smiled into the kiss, lips curling upwards and open to let him lick into your mouth. 

It wasn’t too risqué, but Zoro took your breath away all the same, an appreciative murmur low in his throat as he kissed you. One of your hands wrapped around his wrist, tugging him insistently downwards so you could get a better angle at his mouth, sucking gently at his lower lip. He nearly stumbled, losing his center of gravity before steadying himself, one hand coming to rest on your ribcage as the kiss deepened. 

“Guys!” Usopp’s voice came somewhere from the right, high-pitched and excessively scandalized. You felt Zoro scoff into your mouth.

“You realize you’re in public, right?” Nami deadpanned, plopping down in the seat next to you. You nudged Zoro’s head away, his hand still on your jaw, half-craned over your figure. Nami looked unimpressed, eyes flickering from Zoro to you and back again. “Get a room. Go back to the Going Merry for all I care.” She extended a hand, placing a mug of beer on the table before you before handing you a matching one. “I got you drinks. You’re welcome.” 

“Thanks,” you said, leaning up to press one final kiss on Zoro’s lips before turning to take the glass Nami had outstretched. Usopp groaned, covering his eyes with one hand and lifting a giant cup of something with the other. It was so big you wondered how he’d even been able to carry it. You eyed him. “You’re going to pass out drinking that.” 

Usopp made a face at you. You just laughed. 

“Sorted out your issues with the waiter, then?” Nami asked, turning to fix a knowing look on Zoro. He rolled his eyes, effortless as ever as he settled back down into his seat. 

“Still don’t like the waiter.” 

“You’re ridiculous,” you said, and Zoro scoffed, picking up the mug Nami had gotten him. You could see the smile behind the glass rim, though, even as he clearly tried to hide it, and matched it with one of your own. 

Zoro ducked his head to smile into his beer. Usopp made a gagging sound. “God,” Nami muttered, but their criticisms might as well have been deaf to your ears by then. 

All you could see was Zoro. 

© halfvalid 2023

#one piece live action #one piece netflix #opla #reader insert #x reader #opla roronoa zoro #opla zoro #roronoa zoro #roronoa zoro x reader #roronoa zoro x you #one piece live action x you #one piece live action x reader #opla fanfic #opla fanfiction #opla zoro x reader #kiki writes!

[iguanodont]

Meant to make this my final post of the year, but I guess it’ll have to be my first instead! A look at part of a birg end-of-year tradition.

The Wis’Sachoi are a culture far to the west of the Twowi, where they exist fairly peacefully on the coast of a large inland sea. Come autumn the gifters (bachelors) herald the mating season by arriving to clans towns in bulky costumes made of sticks and reeds. They chase kids and animals, knock things over, and sing playfully that life away from the village has made them course and wild; won’t somebody please trim their shaggy hair and crooked claws? Young receivers (the ladies) don spiny cowls of woven branches in a cheeky imitation of the spiked armor worn by beast hunters of legend, to engage the “monsters” in games of song and wordplay. Should the beast court the wrong individual, or insult his quarry, or make too much mischief around the village, the elders are ready to chase him off with sticks. When a “beast” and “hunter” have successfully matched wits, the hunter will approach with beak scissors, so that she may snip away at the reeds covering her partner’s face in a tender gesture of allogrooming. Then her sisters and elders help tear away the rest of the costume, making the suitor fit to live among the clan again. The night ends with the burning of the reeds and a communal meal.

Courtship games such as this are just the first in a series of events held for around nine days, which include bachelors presenting gifts for the children and elders of the village, a fishing contest, and lots of feasting. Many of these gifts arrive in the form of exotic spices and other ingredients collected over the past year of trading abroad. Though it is tradition for courting pairs to consummate on the final night, it is not uncommon for a gifter to offer his spermatophore to several partners before the end of the festival period. After the final night concludes, Wis’Sachoi bachelors are granted the privilege of hibernating with their temporary in-laws.

As birgs generally sleep through the winter, fall and early-winter events such as these are the closest most cultures come to the sort of midwinter holidays observed on earth.

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For more worldbuilding (mostly creature) posts or to see what im up to on discord, I do have a patreon, where I post weekly!

I also have new stickers up on my kofi, or you can get prints of my art here, for those interested!

#birgworld #worldbuilding #birdbugs #speculative biology #xenofiction #first post of 2024 let’s gooo

[theminecraftbee]

okay i can't figure out how to write the bit and be funny about it, but, concept borne of the fact it's may and therefore mermay and also i can't stop thinking about the stupid swedishbeans bit: iskall is a selkie. joel is like, a normal person who lives in a fishing village. iskall decides joel is madly in love with him and starts trying to sneak his seal skin into joel's possession, and then do a Complain about "oh no the terrible fisherman has stolen his skin. guess he has to marry him now." meanwhile joel is confused, kind of scared, and keeps on trying to give the stupid thing back WHY DO YOU KEEP ACCUSING HIM OF STEALING IT PLEASE,

meanwhile, the b-plot is iskall getting in trouble with the local mob boss, but since beef knows that iskall is a supernatural being, it is Bad Luck to get on a selkie's bad side and beef can't get away with just making the problem vanish. somehow they have both devolved into bizarre proxy wars, with beef trying to figure out how to get rid of the most annoying man alive without either losing face with his subordinates (for seemingly being unable to get rid of this one weirdo) or being cursed for eternity (no mob boss worth his salt gets involved with the supernatural in a way that leads to them cursing them), while iskall continuously sees how much more he can get away with before making this guy snap.

meanwhile meanwhile, in JOEL'S b-plot, mysterious stranger from the woods (and secretly a shapeshifting fox), etho, owes joel five dollars, and he WILL get those five dollars back, dammit. in truth etho, despite being a trickster spirit, was actually originally going to pay those five dollars, but both of them have descended so far into the bit at this point that it'd be weird to stop harassing each other and they'd kind of miss it. meanwhile, everyone in the village has wildly different opinions on what on earth is ACTUALLY happening between them.

all of these plots eventually collide to become something increasingly stupid, probably, it would just need to be the world's silliest situational comedy/sitcom type fic where things get more convoluted before they resolve. do you all see the vision,

#hermitcraft #joel smallishbeans #iskall85 #vintagebeef #it could be SO FUNNY. it could be SO SO FUNNY. #world's stupidest fantasy small town drama. #also bonus points: i think gem is chief fisherman and technically joel's boss in this #she flips between 'encouraging it for kicks' and 'despairing' #joel would tell her to stop messing with him but tbh she deserves to get to because she has to put up with this nearly as much as him.