#Engine’s Pulse (Ikkaku)

[ikkaku-of-heart]

*inhales*

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

I managed to snag a commission spot from the amazing, wonderful, incredible @inpolariis and the final result was worth every damn penny!!! My beautiful ship! My badass girl!! That lighting!!! My skin is clear, my crops are flourishing, it's just so beautiful!!!! Polaris you are an absolute GEM!!!! I'm so happy to have some art of my ultimate rarepair getting to be a badass battle couple!!!!

#inpolariis #Engine’s Pulse (Ikkaku) #Wandering Hunter (Zoro) #Straw-Heart Alliance #Wear My Heart on My Sleeve (Shipping) #Iron Will - Zoro x Ikkaku #Guiding Heart - IkkOro #heart pirates #one piece ikkaku #ikkaku one piece #roronoa zoro #straw hat pirates #one piece fanart #ikkaku op

[tsarisfanfiction]

Spin the wheel, Hearts? ♥️♥️♥️

Escape (Tales From The Heart)

Fandom: One Piece Rating: Teen Genre: Adventure Characters: Ikkaku, Law, Heart Pirates

Okay, I spun and I got adrenaline in a holding cell.  (Considering half the locations I’ve seen, I’m glad I got one that actually fits into One Piece’s universe!)

Now, what are our Hearts doing in a holding cell, hmm?

Spin the wheel of whump and give me a character!

Well, this was annoying.  She glowered at the bars, and the Marine leering at her through them.  Surely the Marines had better things to be doing with their time than chasing down engineers with false credentials and putting them in filthy cells before treating them like eye candy?

Something like hunting down actual pirates, maybe?  Or just kissing the arses of whoever had the most money in this town.  Ikkaku hadn’t got far enough into finding out who, exactly had the deepest pockets in this place.  Her fake documents had been sniffed out at the last port, so she’d had to leave a little faster than she’d planned, and somewhere along the way something had slipped out somewhere, because they’d been waiting for her with open arms and clinking handcuffs the moment she’d slipped off the boat.

Now, she was crammed in a cell with several other women, most of whom were either drunk and shouting slurs at their captors, or sitting like her and watching silently, waiting for a chance to escape.  It wasn’t worth trying to work with any of them; she’d made that mistake the first time she’d been shown the inside of a marine holding cell.

Rookies who offered themselves up as unknowing bait got used as bait.  She had the scars to prove it.  Now, she was a veteran, wondering which idiotic woman in the cell would try and form an alliance.  Who she could use as bait to get out this time.

So far, no-one was showing signs, but there’d be one.  There was always one, and it would probably be one of the drunk birds, once they stopped singing and realised their stay wasn’t an alcohol-induced hallucination but real.  Once sobriety crashed down on them and they became a sobbing mess.

Ikkaku was patient.  She could wait.

A commotion drew her attention, leering Marines suddenly making faces that looked less hungry and more wary, and she let herself focus on it, careful not to betray her interest to the casual onlooker.  There were some other women doing the same, carefully still looking around, seemingly ignoring the ever-louder ruckus going on somewhere inside the Marine base.

From the men’s holding cells, if she didn’t miss her guess.  She might never have been in this town before, but Marine bases were all the same.  Once you’d seen one, you’d seen them all.  Past the women’s block, across the courtyard, and then it was the men’s.  A cesspit of testosterone, always filled to bursting with idiots who thought they could openly defy the Marines and get away with it.  Pathetic, really.

A blue sheen appeared out of nowhere, then the Marines were screaming in terror, and her curiosity spiked higher.  Whatever was going on, it sounded interesting.

Different.

The bars broke.  No, they didn’t break, they sheered off, as neatly as a knife through butter.  They fell, and at once every single woman saw an opportunity.

Pandemonium ruled, and Ikkaku joined it, not so patient that she’d pass by an obvious chance to escape, with so many others spilling out to distract the Marines - Marines who seemed to be in pieces on the ground, beheaded but still screaming.

She’d seen worse.  Probably.  Maybe.

At least, it was interesting.

But there was nothing for her in this town, her fake papers exposed before she even arrived, and the heady rush of a prison break took over as she leapt over the other women, leaving them in her dust as she dodged what few Marines there were still intact and hurtled for the harbour.

She needed another ship, another passage out of there.  It didn’t matter who they were or where they were going, as long as it was away and didn’t care enough for the law to report her.  Stowing away was an option, too.  She’d done that before, laid low under the deck of some small fishing skiff until they were far enough from shore that there was nothing they could do about it.

There were no fishing ships in the harbour.  Marine, with their white and blue flags flapping self-importantly in the wind, but nothing civilian.

Pirates, blasé enough to glide right in alongside Marines, littered the harbour.  There weren’t many, but there were enough.  The problem came in choosing one to try.  Pirate ships weren’t like civilian ships.  They were dangerous, ruthless and merciless, and often had ridiculous ideas about women and appropriate payments for the voyage.

She had nothing to offer, refused to stoop so low as to sell herself.

The blue sheen came again, a group of young men a similar age to her materialising out of nowhere on the deck of the most amazing ship she’d ever seen.

Metal - and with a kairoseki hull if she wasn’t very much mistaken - there was something different about that ship.  The engineer in her, the real engineer, not the one hiding behind false credentials, wanted that ship.

Everyone knew there was nothing more dangerous than someone with nothing left to lose.  Beriless, reduced to nothing but the clothes on her back and on an island determined to lock her up for the crime of being too poor to get officially registered as an engineer, Ikkaku had nothing to lose.

She barged onto the deck of the ship, homing in on the man the blue sheen had retreated into.  The other men - and bear? - were looking at him, to him, and he was obviously the captain, so he was the one she stormed towards, head held high as she met his gaze in a challenge.

He was taller than her, with piercing golden eyes that widened slightly when she approached.  Any of the men could have torn her apart then and there, but they didn’t.  Eyes watched her from all angles, but her eyes stayed fixed on him.

“You broke me out,” she told him firmly.  It was an educated guess, and even if it were true he hadn’t done it on purpose.  It was a risk but all she had left were her guts and her instinct.  Risks had to be taken.

He didn’t dispute the claim.  She pushed further.

“If I stay here, I’ll end up right back in there.  You got me out, so I’m coming with you.”

The men started muttering, and one even laughed.  The captain didn’t join in.  Those golden eyes raked her up and down, but it wasn’t a leer, wasn’t how she was used to men looking at her.

It was more like the way the other women in those cells looked at each other.  Calculating.  Determining who was useful and who was no more than Marine bait.

“What makes you think I’ll let you?”

“You haven’t thrown me off yet,” she retorted, throwing everything into that gamble.  She didn’t know this man, this crew, didn’t recognise the jolly roger plastered on the side of the ship.  Didn’t know their reputation.

“Tell me why I shouldn’t.”

A chance.  A glimmer of a ticket off of the island, with its Marines and their grabby hands and blasted holding cells.  Ikkaku met his eyes firmly, and made her final gamble.

The ship was magnificent.  She’d never seen anything like it, but she was an engineer.  She knew technology, knew when she was standing on something incredible, something most engineers could only dream of.  This ship, whatever it might be, was an engineering marvel, and her credentials might be fake, but she was a damn good engineer.

“You don’t have an engineer that can keep this ship running much longer,” she said, half-bluffing, half putting the pieces together from what little of the puzzle she’d seen.  “She’s old, isn’t she?”  Too old for these young pirates, unless they’d been pirates since childhood.

She didn’t care about their story.

“Old enough to start falling apart.  Old enough to need an engineer to keep her running, and you won’t find many engineers that can handle a ship like this outside of the Grand Line.”

Golden eyes didn’t give anything away, but she stood strong anyway.

“I can be that engineer,” she said.  “Get me off this island and I can repair your ship.”

The muttering had silenced while she spoke, but she only had eyes for the captain, and he only had eyes for her.  The rest of the crew didn’t matter.

Then he looked away, eyes flicking left, then right, and over her head.  She didn’t turn to see who he was looking at, which members of the crew he was silently communicating with.  The decision didn’t take long.

“Very well,” he said.  “You have until we reach the next island.  If you’re telling the truth, you’ll join my crew.”  His hand flexed, and the blue sheen was back, enveloping the two of them.

Her chest exploded, something erupting out of her and into his hand, driving her to her knees.

The heart in his hand pulsed.

“If you’re lying, you’ll die.”

#one piece #one piece fanfiction #tsari writes fanfiction #heart pirates #ikkaku #trafalgar law #drabbles #Anonymous #Tales from the Heart

[kbstories]

Contingent

con·tin·gent (adj.) Dependent on; conditional.

There's only one thing Trafalgar Law is truly afraid of.

(Or: Bepo will be damned if he loses Law just when he got him back.)

Tags: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Sickfic, Nakamaship, Amber Lead Syndrome, Medical Inaccuracies, Childhood Trauma, Law whumps well and I have no excuse

Set between Zou and Wano. Read Chapter 2 here.

***

To say the Polar Tang is a tight fit is an accurate, if unfortunate, assessment.

Years ago, the shipwright they commissioned to make their submarine-turned-ship a reality had cautioned them about the limited capacity. Back in the North Blue, the logistics of cramming more than two dozen people into close quarters with high-pressure machinery seemed a far-away problem at best.

That was long before Jean Bart entered the picture, patient as their helmsman had been to accommodate the narrow spaces of his new home. The nightshift Uni and Clione had pulled to present him with a set of his very own Heart Pirates-branded overalls the next day probably had something to do with it, too.

And maybe it’s because they haven’t had guests in a while (or at least, none that were conscious enough to count), or that Law’s paranoia has rubbed off on Bepo more than he likes to admit… When their mismatched group of allies take the first step on deck, Bepo is watching them like a hawk.

The fact of the matter is: Bepo loves the Tang. They all do. She’s the one that carried them from the North’s frigid waters all the way into the New World. She’s the best. All they – pirates and samurai alike – give her are curious glances, though, neither overly positive nor notably negative as they follow Trafalgar Law into the bowels of his submarine.

Well, with exception of that Strawhat cyborg, Franky. The moment they’re inside he’s gone, fawning over metal walls and neatly-welded seams like they’re the delicate linework of an artist; all Ikkaku can do to prevent any damage to her baby is to run after him. Her harsh reminders to be careful grow fainter and fainter as the rest moves on.

Ikkaku was against this whole alliance thing and yet, Bepo assumes it’s only a matter of time until their chief engineer is charmed, too. It’s one of those inevitable things that tend to happen around the Strawhats.

In any case, Law doesn’t seem bothered and so Bepo isn’t, either. It’s not like the captain lets them dwell on it for long, anyways – he shuffles their guests into the galley like a goose herds its chicks and gives Penguin a handful of minutes to organize some snacks for everyone before the crew is called to the control room. In one big gulp, Bepo swallows the rest of his sandwich and off he goes.

He gets there just as Law emerges from the captain’s cabin in a fresh change of clothes and still-moist hair. “Ready?”, Law asks him, looking worn out still but sounding excited by his own standards, and Bepo nods with a fanged grin.

“Ready, Captain.”

The tanks are flooded and the engine purrs below their feet. From there, the Heart Pirates flit in and out and around Trafalgar Law like blood cells under a microscope and Bepo?

Bepo stands by Law’s side, one eye on the Log Pose and the other on the currents, and feels his pulse even out. There’s nothing like home.

The Tang quiets to a comforting hum once the course is set and optimal velocity is achieved, a background noise as familiar to Bepo as the cadence of Law’s voice. The residual heat from the engine room is making everyone but Bepo sweat in their suits, and he’d feel smug about it if his paws and nose weren’t wet with perspiration too–

It’s then that he remembers their allies, more specifically the only people without proper gear to be in a submerged submarine, and Bepo curses his own neglect under his breath for all of a second. By that point Bart is already letting go of the helm to pat Bepo's head, an automatic gesture of comfort.

“I told them to wait”, he says and shrugs a bit sheepishly because, as it turns out, the Strawhats actually listened. Bepo finds them lounging around one of the tables, just where they left them; the three from Wano Country are huddled in the corner a bit further away, heads stuck together to catch up. The Strawhats are in the middle of a round of some card game, it seems, even if their expressions are serious enough to make Bepo wonder if there’s more to it. He hovers in their periphery, hesitant to interrupt.

Suddenly, Nico Robin looks up and smiles. Usopp groans, throwing his hand away.

“I give up! You’re impossible, Robin. Impossible.”

“Bear”, Zoro greets him, gaze sliding lazily from his cards to Bepo. “You any good at Continental?”

“Uh”, Bepo replies intelligently. Conti-what? A glimpse at the cards Robin plays doesn’t reveal any epiphanies to him, either. “Sorry. I don’t know what that is.”

“It’s a card game from the East Blue”, Robin explains while she holds out a patient hand for Zoro’s cards as well. It’s one summoned by her powers, not that Zoro seems to mind as he rolls his eye and relinquishes the (presumably bad) hand he had. “Nami is a real devil at it.”

Usopp leans far back in his chair. “Playing this without her to knock out Robin early on is hopeless”, he adds with a dramatic sigh.

Bepo’s ears twitch in interest. Nami, their navigator? “Ah. Perhaps you can show me–” The sentence crashes into the realization that he's letting himself be distracted, again. “Later! Show me later. You guys need suits, and a tour around the– Wait, where’s Franky?”

Robin chuckles rather fondly. “Don’t mind him”, she tells Bepo, “Franky is easily excitable by the prospect of a new ship to tinker with”, and before Bepo can feel put out by her just deciding that, she glances over Bepo’s shoulder. A pause, pensive.

“I can reel him in, though. Your ship, your rules, Mr. Traffy.”

A huff confirms Law’s presence behind him a moment before he puts a hand on Bepo’s elbow, undemanding. Out of habit, Bepo nudges their shoulders together to acknowledge his captain properly and Law’s fingers tighten, once.

“Better get it out of Franky's system now, I suppose. We’re still close enough to the surface that an explosion or two won’t kill us all.”

Law’s voice is utterly deadpan and it’s most certainly a joke – Robin is snickering good-naturedly, too – but Bepo still gives his captain a look. These are the Strawhats they’re talking about.

Law just shakes his head, a movement so subtle it might as well not exist at all. Bepo lets out a breath. No sudden deaths by drowning today, how nice.

“As Bepo said: You need suits and a tour. Wano people, you too. Zoro, you need a guide.”

“Oi.”

“Hey, why the suits?”

That last one comes from Usopp, and Bepo opens his mouth to offer a perfectly rational answer–

“So the Tang doesn’t boil you alive”, Law says and gives them a sweet smile. It drops off his lips immediately. “Any other questions? I’ll send Uni over for your measurements. He’s the guy with the bandana. Shachi will show you around. Bepo, a word?”

Bepo nods along and… Huh?

As first mate, tour duty should fall onto him – after all, it’s a good way for him to gauge who exactly they invited into their home – but something in Law’s tone makes Bepo’s instincts perk up and pay attention and oh, Law hasn’t let go of his elbow yet.

Bepo doesn’t have time to ask his captain what’s wrong before blue engulfs them both and the world shifts around them.

*

Shambles is a mixture of falling and being held; for Bepo, the unique feeling of Law’s powers is a long-kept comfort, simultaneously a vanguard and the last line of defense in every battle they have fought together.

When it fades, Bepo finds himself in the captain’s cabin – the sight of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lining the walls is a familiar one, the whirlwind of documents all across the desk not so much – and there’s no time to ponder on that before Law holds his hands inches from Bepo’s nose and tells him to look.

“Wha–?”

“Just– Humor me. What do you see?”

Bepo snaps his jaws shut because Law is serious, the air of snarky rudeness gone without a trace, and Bepo looks and sees... Well, nothing. There’s tan skin and fingernails kept obsessively neat; there are the precise lines of the tattoos that have been there for years.

Law’s hands are trembling.

“I don’t see anything, Captain”, Bepo says honestly. Gently, too, because anything that involves Law insisting like that is wrapped in caution tape and staked with warning signs, do not enter, all the way up to the ocean’s surface.

Law curses, then, shaking out his arms in an effort to stop the tremors and it’s wrong, for a surgeon’s hands to be that unsteady. He starts tugging at his clothes and Bepo watches, concern swelling bigger and bigger in his chest – Law’s hat falls to the ground unnoticed when he pulls his shirt over his head in one rough motion.

“Look”, he repeats, golden eyes gone cold and hard. His chest heaves with how heavy he’s panting, muscles taught under the strain; Law’s arm is the only thing left covered, bandaged all the way to his shoulder.

“Anything?”

Bepo does, expression carefully blank as he forces himself to look past the ink and all the things that make Law Law and directly at what’s hidden in plain sight: faded by time, he spots the outline of pale-white scars that have always been there, pre-dating even the fateful day they met.

Then, Bepo shakes his head. “Nothing. There’s nothing, Captain. It’s the same as always.”

“Honest?”

It’s a rushed breath, barely a question at all. It takes Bepo back a decade, the raw fear in it unchanged and belonging to a boy just scratching manhood, struggling to trust the one friend he has in the world. “Honest”, Bepo promises like he always has, and for all of his twenty-two years the ache in his heart feels ancient.

“Talk to me, Law. Please. You’re scaring me.”

Finally, Law inhales sharply and nods, fingers dragging through his hair the way he does after a close call, another life barely saved.

“Something’s not right. I didn’t notice with everything else going on but I’m tired and everything hurts? It’s like I’m about to pass out, fucking… faint like I used Room too much and things get fuzzy around the edges but I haven’t. All I’ve been doing is sleep and eat, I don’t– It makes no sense. And it’s not going away, Bepo.”

Bepo wants to hug him, the need to hold him close and tell him to breathe writhing inside him like a separate being. Law isn’t done yet and somehow it’s even worse to witness him trying to wrest himself into a semblance of control, to drag himself away from all-too-familiar devastation.

“Fatigue. That’s how it starts”, Law tells him, like he’s talking about a patient wholly unrelated to himself. He holds up his hand and counts down with his fingers, one at a time, utterly methodical. “Then pain in the limbs, difficulties concentrating for longer periods of time, discoloration of the skin and hair, high fever and–”

There are no more fingers left, all of them tucked against Law’s palm and exposing all five letters.

“–ultimately: death.”

Bepo can’t take it anymore. “Captain–”, he starts and again he’s interrupted.

“I must’ve missed something.”

Something flashes in Law’s eyes, something unstable and mad-looking and this is bad, Bepo thinks numbly. Very, very bad.

“I thought I cured it but I was a kid, Bepo. Nobody knows the long-term effects of surviving Amber Lead Syndrome, nobody lived long enough to tell. Just because there're no new spots doesn’t mean it’s gone. And what if there’s deposits on a molecular level? I couldn’t cut cells back then without Kikoku but I can now–”

“Law, stop! Shut up!”

Bepo hasn't shouted at Law and truly meant it in a long, long time. Law’s eyes go wide and the frantic rambling stops, and Bepo is done hesitating: He reaches through that gap and touches Law’s forehead, heat searing into the sensitive skin of his paw pads immediately. Shit.

“You’re burning up”, Bepo tells him and shakes his head, barrels through the acute panic in Law’s gaze before it can take proper hold. “Stop, okay? Listen to me.” His paws drop to Law’s shoulders, firm, careful where his fingers touch gauze. “Remember our promise on Swallow? You were delirious with pain and bleeding all over the place and you told me–”

Law whispers, “Promise to stop me”, almost as pale as he was when he said it the first time.

“Exactly. I promised to never let you operate without a clear head ever again ‘cause you’re only human, Captain, and you make mistakes like this. So this is me, stopping you. You’re unwell and you’re scared and you’re not gonna cut into your own cells looking for Amber Lead like this. Okay?”

“Okay”, Law says, the low rasp of his voice growing more solid, close to trusting. Bepo lets himself feel the rapid beat of his own heart for a moment and that, too, is calmer now if only marginally so.

“Okay. So: You’re tired, your body aches, you can’t focus. You have a fever and there’s like, a thousand reasons why that could be aside from– That. And there’s no new spots. What else causes those symptoms? Walk me through it.”

“The flu? Other viruses. Anemia. Iron deficiency in general. Uh–”

A few seconds pass where Law just thinks, brow furrowed and shining with sweat, and Bepo reaches blindly for the hoodie he knows he will find crumpled on Law’s desk chair. “Put this on”, he mutters and presses it against Law’s naked chest. Law does, even lets Bepo help when his injured arm catches on fabric and a pained hiss escapes his lips.

Then the scars are covered again, out of Bepo’s and – more importantly – Law’s sight for the most part. Law stops shivering as much and it's not much but it's still good, still progress. Bepo steers Law to the bed and makes him sit down; arms crossed on the back of the chair, Bepo sits directly across from him. Eyes soft, he nudges Law’s boot with his own.

“Captain. What else?”

“Bacterial infections, severe ones. Miningitis? Hmm... Lymphoma. Technically, most types of canc–”

“Whoa, that’s– Let’s stop there. See? Plenty of options. All of them suck, especially that… that last one.” Bepo pauses, can’t help but to ask: “It’s not that, right? You don’t have cancer.”

Law’s expression softens, the overall misery pushed aside for a moment as his lips twitch tiredly and he shakes his head. “No cancer.”

Bepo nods in relief, and his mind is already three steps ahead because they need a plan and Law is not the only Heart Pirate that has a knack for those. “What’s the prescription against fever? Painkillers and…?”

“Antipyretics.”

There’s not much finesse to Bepo searching the cabinet where Law keeps his private stash of medicine. The weight of Law’s eyes on him registers yet his captain says nothing, wordlessly watching Bepo as he reads labels and tries to place everything back where he finds it until– There!

“Got it. Take… uh, how many?”

“Two. And one from the red box. That one, yeah.”

Bepo gives him the pills and waits with crossed arms until Law obediently swallows all of them at once, wincing at– Wait. Water.

Scrambling to the adjacent bathroom, Bepo fills a glass and refills it right after his captain finishes the first, placing it on his nightstand. “My apologies.”

“It’s fine. You’re fussing.”

“You bet I am”, Bepo huffs, uncaring how petulant it makes him sound. “And I’m not done. Now, rest – and I mean rest, Captain, as in not moving from that bed or so help me – and I’ll get Shachi and Penguin to keep you company. You’ll be fine in no time.”

Pointedly, Law folds the covers over his legs, a wordless there, I’m in bed. “Happy?”

“Yes.”

“And you?”

Blinking, Bepo tilts his head at Law. Law just raises an eyebrow and waits, looking vaguely worried and–

Bepo reminds himself that for all he’s a genius his captain is also an idiot.

“You just came back and you’re sick, what do you think I’m gonna do? Figure this out, of course! There’s no way I’m letting you anywhere near one of the Emperors like this, much less freaking Kaido. Also”, he takes a long breath, “I’m taking Kikoku with me and there’s nothing you can do–”

“Fine.”

“–to stop me! …Wait, seriously?”

“Yeah, take it. You’re worried enough as is.” Law shrugs a little, like it’s no big deal he’s allowing Bepo to handle the sword he keeps close even in his sleep. “It’s cursed, though. Be careful.”

Bepo swallows, a little nervous despite himself. “I know. I will. And… we’ll get through this, okay? Just stay put. Don’t do anything stupid.”

Law leans back against the headrest and sighs, “Can't. The meds’ll knock me out in a few.” And perhaps he doesn’t look particularly happy about any of it but he still took the pills Bepo handed him, still decided in that moment to trust Bepo to come up with a solution while he’s down and out.

Determination sets into a tight-lipped smile on Bepo’s face. Law’s trust is all Bepo has ever needed, be it to wrestle ocean currents into submission or to help his best friend find the freedom he’s looking for, one cut string at a time.

“I'll tell 'em to hurry, then. Leave the rest to me, Captain.”

>>Chapter 2.

#one piece #fanfiction #trafalgar law #bepo #one piece fanfiction #i'm still emotional about the heart pirates hey how are you #this fic is also on AO3! #my stuff

[euphemeria]

Silence (YR 1) - WRN: anxiety triggers

I wrote a thing for clumsychappy’s work. It’s at 42k right now, but I’m lacking motivation to finish it so I’m just gonna excerpt some of the parts that are decent until I can find the resolve and time to finish it.

I did so much research into this fic that it’s pretty sad that it’s so shit. I wish I was a better writer. These things all sound better in your head than on paper or word documents.

Between accompanying Orihime and bothering Rukia, Ichigo finds his time preoccupied compared to his first week of summer vacation. Ichigo refuses to admit brooding those first few days after Mizuiro and Keigo left, but will honestly admit bored the last few days after aimlessly wandering Tokyo and listlessly staring at his apartment ceiling. Although his promenading in Tokyo wasn't completely wasted since he discovers a bar that he actually doesn't mind too much.

The Black Cat is situated at the end of a cloister of stores and restaurants, almost blending in with the shops surrounding it if Ichigo didn't notice the pulse of music coming from it one night. Inside, the bar's dim, color-alternating lighting sets the atmosphere, exuding class and secrecy. Even from just one look, no touching, Ichigo can tell the bar is made from real mahogany wood, glinting dangerously underneath the low lighting. But for looking so sophisticated, the price is pretty reasonable and it attracts a variety of people with the thrumming music felt from below the establishment, where the later night activities tend to occur.

Yoruichi, the manager, knows Ichigo by name, not because he frequents the place that often but because he literally and accidentally stepped on the black cat his first night there. Yowling, the feline had darted up the hidden stairs behind the bar, notifying Yoruichi of the incident when she caught sight of the cat's tail. He almost got thrown out for that, but after tiring of his apologies she plied him with drinks to shut him up. After that--which Ichigo can't recall for the life of him--she always teases him like they have been good friends for years. 

Ichigo also hasn't seen that black cat no matter how many times he's gone back.

He can't get it out of his mind either since Rukia likes to remind him of his cat murderer status, every time. Yoruichi assures him that it’s doing fine too, "It'll show up when it wants to."

Which is how he finds himself heading out to the Black Cat every night just to prove his point to Rukia, oftentimes dragging her along to bear witness to his innocence. Rukia puts up a fight every time, kicking and digging her heels in, but surrenders once they're around the corner. Ichigo likes to think it's because she gets to pet and feed the other stray cats that hang around the establishment.

"You play with the cats and I'll be inside." Ichigo tells her every time they do this. Rukia simply sticks her tongue out at him, then resumes her deadly rub down on the furry victim of the night.

'Those poor cats.' Ichigo can't help thinking as he slips back through the backdoor of the Black Cat, heading towards the stairs that lead down to the lower floor, dubbed 'Grounds' by the regulars, whom Ichigo has slowly become acquainted with:

There's Matsumoto Rangiku, a third year in Sociology, who's more like a resident than a customer. From what he hears, Yoruichi always finds her in the morning passed out in random places of the Black Cat. There's even a small room built for her in the bar now, for her to properly pass out in. Ichigo suspects the bedding is still brand new.

Hitsugaya Toshiro, a third year in Mathematics. He doesn't speak often and tends to occupy the least crowded space in the Grounds.

Madarame Ikkaku, a second year in Engineering, that likes to butt heads with Ichigo constantly. One time they nearly drank down Yoruichi's entire bar, almost forcing her to close for the night. When they kept going at it though, she billed their open tab plus collateral damage for all their drunken shenanigans to their respective address. Upon receiving it, they both understood it was a threat. Ichigo's tried behaving ever since, but sometimes Ikkaku makes it too easy to be destructive.

Ayasegawa Yumichika, a second year in Oriental History with eccentric tastes and a narcissistic personality. When Ichigo first met Yumichika, the vain male had commented on Ichigo's drool-worthy form and firmness that Ichigo's been unable to erase from his memories. So, he avoids being alone with the upperclassmen. Based on their interactions though, Ichigo assumes Ikkaku and Yumichika have a history together. They bicker like an old married couple.

And then there's Hirako Shinji and his gang of friends that Ikkaku cautions against associating with, but doesn't explain why. Regardless, Ichigo gives them a wide berth. Although, when he catches Hirako talking to a frozen, wide-eyed Rukia in her usual spot of the alleyway, Ichigo throws a punch at the blonde without thinking. Perceptive, Hirako dodges it easily with a mocking laugh and biting words, "Want to try that again, boy?"

Provoked, Ichigo prepares to throw another punch but stops when Rukia's own fist flies past him, landing squarely on the side Hirako’s face. Stunned, Ichigo and Shinji remain fixed in their position, Ichigo with his fist still in mid-air and Hirako on the concrete with his hand accessing the damage. From this angle, Ichigo can't see what is happening, if anything is happening at all, but something must be if Rukia's clenching hands at her sides and Shinji's resigned expression are any indication.

"Did that idiot do something stupid again?" A voice from behind Ichigo asks.

Looking over his shoulders, Ichigo sees the short, pigtail pipsqueak that's always hanging around Hirako. Ichigo remembers Hirako calling out her name on several occasions, Hiyori or Hiyoko*?

"I deserved it this time." Hirako divulges, allowing Hiyori to help him up.

"You deserve it every time." Hiyori corrects with a scowl, poking the bruise that's already starting to form on Hirako’s face.

"Oooowwww oww! Not the face!" Hirako pleads, his screams cut off when the resounding shut of the back door to the Black Cat closes.

Left alone now, Ichigo approaches Rukia, coming around her so she can see him, not wanting to alarm her. They stand like that for what seems like the end of the hour, Ichigo waiting and Rukia agitated. With a deep, long exhale though, Rukia's tension slowly begins to ebb. Only when Rukia finally untucks her chin, meeting Ichigo's eyes, does Ichigo ask, "You alright?"

Rukia closes her eyes briefly, as if thinking of the answer. It's slow to come, but the unconscious subtle bob of her head answers Ichigo's concerns for her and they leave it at that. Ichigo should've known better than to accept that as her answer though.

Especially when the subsequent nights at the Black Cat start changing Ichigo and Rukia's routine.

Rukia no longer plays with the cats in the alleyway instead mingles with the crowds in the Grounds. Although she doesn't mingle so much as stand next to Toshiro or is hauled to the dance floor by a drunk Rangiku, only to be promptly abandoned after the busty woman finds her next prey. Sometimes Ichigo will catch her talking to Shinji or his friends, her lips appearing to move as if she were actually conversating, but Ichigo blames it on the flashing lights or alcohol in his system. There is no way Rukia is actually speaking to someone, let alone someone she just punched by way of introduction.

It takes Urahara, the owner of the bar who appears and disappears randomly, pulling Ichigo aside before he starts realizing something is off.

"Kurosaki-kun! You're practically here every night now, you know?" Urahara emerges from a random sliding door next to the wall Ichigo is leaning on, nearly scaring the younger man.

"What the hell, Urahara!" Ichigo yells, backing away from the enigmatic bar-owner. Ichigo could've sworn that wall he was previously leaning against was as smooth as his last drink.

"I can't but notice that Kuchiki-san is spending more time down here than outside with the cats."

"I guess. Maybe she wanted a change in scenery?" Ichigo scoffs, searching the said woman out in the swarm of bodies and bright lights. Rangiku pulled her into the middle of the floor earlier with promises of showing her the proper moves of the hips.

Ichigo finds it difficult to immerse himself into the sway of the music, company of his friends, and drinking games when he knows Rukia is nearby. So, the past few days have been spent sulking like Toshiro while keeping his eyes trained on Rukia. Eyes that Rukia sense even in the intensity of the Grounds or feel dancing on her skin amid a throng of people. Rukia's berated him about it several times, comparing him to a guard dog to drive her point across.

Still, Ichigo couldn’t shake off the urge to seek her out. In fact, he’s never been able to since the start.

"I don't know Kuchiki-san personally, but I hardly think this is her kind of scene." Urahara frowns at Ichigo's nonchalance.

"I thought so too until a few days ago when she wanted to join me down here." Ichigo defends himself at Urahara's accusative look.

"And you weren't curious about the sudden change of heart?"

"Of course I was!" Ichigo retorts in annoyance at Urahara's persistence about this, "But I didn't think to ask her becau--"

"Because she probably wouldn't have told you." Urahara finishes for him as if he was privy to their relationship from just one glance.

"If you know then why are you asking, shaggy-clogs?"

"I don't know." Urahara smiles mysteriously at Ichigo before becoming the most serious Ichigo has ever seen, "But I do know where she goes two times a night when she's down her in the Ground."

"What?" Ichigo’s eyes widen.

"Don't you ever notice how she disappears around the same time? How pale and sweaty she looks afterwards? The way she smells sometimes, and I'm not talking about the alcohol." Urahara hints and with each observation he lists Ichigo's head starts thinking instead of noticing and feeling.

"Shit." Ichigo curses, having pieced it all together.

"Yoruichi has already secured the ladies room." Urahara imparts to Ichigo who has already taken off.

While pushing his way through the sweaty bodies of the Ground, Ichigo can't help admonishing himself,

'How stupid of you.'

'Why did it take this long for you to realize?'

'When did Urahara notice? Yoruichi?'

And specifically, 'Why didn't she say anything?'

Finally, out of the fog of the Grounds and in the lull of Black Cat's main room, Ichigo's head starts spinning from the sudden expend in energy and shift in his surroundings, but he doesn't take a moment for himself at all, only thinking of Rukia.

"Ichigo! Wait!" Yoruichi attempts to stop the younger man, but Ichigo ignores her pleas, brushing her off as he pushes open the door to the lady's lavatory.

It's eerily quiet and spotless as if there's no one in here, but Ichigo already knows once he steps into the restroom that someone is in here. Ichigo doesn't have to look into every stall to know where Rukia is, his feet already taking him to the one she's hiding in: the one furthest from the entrance.

With shaky hands and trepidation, Ichigo knocks lightly on the unlocked door of the stall. He doesn't want to enter without Rukia's permission, but he's also too anxious to just stand around that he starts speaking without realizing it, "Rukia. Rukia? Are you ok? Talk to me? ...Just say something if you're fine so I know, un?"

Silence.

Ichigo almost feels his heart stop when he hears slight movement from behind the door and then a cry of anguish that steals his breath and thoughts.

"I'm sorry, Rukia. I'm coming in." Ichigo announces before cracking the door wide enough to slide through.

The first thing Ichigo notices in the dark stall is the smell, poignant enough to halt him. Closer to the source now, it smells of putrid acid with a heavy air of self-doubt and self-contempt, with all of it coming from the wretched form draped over the toilet.

"Rukia!" Ichigo calls out, kneeling on the floor to take a better look at his friend. Lifting Rukia's head, Ichigo sweeps her hair back from her face while wiping her face with the hem of his shirt. She looks out of it from what little light filters in from over the stall. Fearing for the worst, Ichigo promptly checks her vitals while supporting her neck. From Rukia’s erratic breathing, her airways aren’t blocked. Feeling her pulse, Ichigo confirms that she’s in no danger, even if her pulse is slower than normal. Her hands are cold, but her face is warm: signs of a panic attack passing. Upon closer inspection too, she's so very pale and perspiring.

Ichigo concedes to call for medical emergency if Rukia doesn’t rouse within a few minutes.

“Rukia.” Ichigo whispers as if he’s afraid of the quiet.

“Rukia.” Ichigo tries again, this time louder.

When that doesn’t seem to work, he tries a more physical approach: shaking her gently, pinching the pads of her fingers, rubbing the warmth back into her body, and unconsciously stroking her pulse points as if that would be enough to shock the life back into her.

After having done everything in his ability and training, Ichigo succumbs to his emotions and as a [last ditch] effort collapses back against the wall of the stall with Rukia. Tucked in between his arms and legs, Ichigo keeps repeating her name, hoping it would rouse her. Only when his lips are almost brushing the pinna of her left ear does Rukia start to stir, mumbling incoherently, except her noises quickly dissolve into broken garbling cries as she tries to claw out from within Ichigo's body caging her in.

Heart seizing, Ichigo struggles to remain the calm one all through the noises escaping Rukia like gurgling glass. He tries to calm her first by reassuring her that she's fine, that there's no danger, that it's just him--Ichigo--but when her movements grow even more frantic, he worries she'll hurt herself if she keeps struggling. So, he does the only thing sure enough to stop her: Ichigo clamps his legs together, tighter, restricting Rukia's thrashing then cups Rukia's face between his hands and leans forward, sealing his lips over hers.

Rukia stills instantly, eyes flying open in surprise as chaotic violets finally meet honey amber.

When they part, eyes still on each other, Rukia's expression morphs in inconsolable anguish. So close to each other, Ichigo sees it all, her fall from grace: in the way the light dies in her eyes, the way her brows crease severely, the way the lines around her eyes sink further into her skin, the way the bottom of her lips glisten, wet from his kiss, and quiver. Tormented, Ichigo tucks her further into his arms while trying to erase her expression from his mind before his heart is crushed against it.

Nestled against chest, with her breath against his neck, Rukia mouths apologies into Ichigo's skin. Ichigo's only reply is to hold her even tighter like the vice around his heart, suffocating him and rendering him broken.

#drabbles #silence #ichiruki #for clumsychappy #crap writing at its finest #read at your own discretion #forewarned #wn: triggers

[ikkaku-of-heart]

The first of two incredible ship art pieces I commissioned from @namaeekaki!!! Found a pose that was so perfectly Ikkaku and Zoro that I simply needed to have them bring it to life, and oh man did they deliver!!!

Ikkaku is living her best life, helping Zoro get in his regular workout before he helps her practice two-sword style. What could be better than that?

#namaeekaki #Wear My Heart on My Sleeve (Shipping) #Wandering Hunter (Zoro) #Engine’s Pulse (Ikkaku) #Guiding Heart - IkkOro #Tempered Heart - Ikkaku x Zoro #Fun with Supernovas #(Ikkaku loves her buff swordsman boyfriend/husband so much) #(let them work out together and be happy and cute as heck) #(you know Zoro would want a significant other he can work out with) #(feel free to reblog and help spread my agenda lol)

[ikkaku-of-heart]

So, We Need to Talk About This Scene

Alright, I feel like I need to talk about the scene that at least three well-meaning people have sent me. The one where Ikkaku simps over the crew being turned into women. I don't want to spoil people's fun. I get genderbend can be a fun fanservice thing and I'm not here to shame anyone or offend them. I know the people who sent me this didn't know my feelings about it and I am terrified of offending or upsetting anyone. But even if I hadn't been sent this, it's all over the Ikkaku tag so I need to say something.

While Ikkaku looks cute and I love my girl getting screentime, I hate the context of this scene.

Ikkaku has just witnessed her crew, her nakama, get turned into women against their will by a dude using an incredibly misogynistic "disease." Regardless of whether or not she likes women (I headcanon her as bisexual), she would not be simping over this. She would be horrified. Because this was done to them without any kind of consent as a way to make them weaker.

Ikkaku would be horrified. Ikkaku would be pissed. Her crew was just forced into bodies that they do not identify as against their wills and that's NOT ok with her. And it was done because "women are weaker" which is utter horseshit.

I don't want to offend anyone who loves this scene or the genderbend stuff. The context of this scene just makes my skin crawl and I feel Ikkaku was done dirty by acting like this is a dream come true for her. She would care way more about the misogyny and the well-being of her crew over any sexual fantasies hot women would entail.

#How Stuff Works (Meta/Analysis) #Engine’s Pulse (Ikkaku) #one piece ikkaku #Heart Pirates #(I'm honestly so sorry guys I know so many people love this scene but in the context it's just not how I can picture her) #(the misogyny and body horror would be at the forefront of her mind) #(maybe in the future I can look at this screenshot and disassociate it from the scene context) #(if people feel the need to block me for this post I understand) #(I swear I'm not trying to call anyone out or make them feel bad but I need to express my feelings otherwise I won't feel comfortable here)

[ikkaku-of-heart]

Weapon-making Headcanon

While Ikkaku's main weapons are her collapsable shock baton and her two swords (Ghostlight and Siren), as the Hearts encounter more enemies, Ikkaku has started creating something of an arsenal for herself and the crew. She's a problem-solver and understands the necessity of adapting to different combat situations. Even if she ends up not using a particular weapon, she's still going to put it in the armory in case it's needed.

For example, after the battle on Zou with Jack, she recognized that the crew needed weapons for larger opponents, so she created a lance that heats up to flesh-melting temperatures. She also began making more flash grenades after the battle with Blackbeard to blind not only him, but the rest of his crew when they fought again.

It gets to the point where Ikkaku will go through various bounty posters and brainstorm with Law and the crew how to fight any potential enemy and what kind of weapons she could make. This way they're always prepared.

#Working of the Mind (headcanons) #Engine’s Pulse (Ikkaku) #Heart Pirates #(Law is a planner so of course his crew would also go out of their way to be prepared) #(and Ikkaku as the engineer would definitely make sure the Hearts and the Tang would have as many defenses as possible) #(even if they lose a fight they take it as a learning experience and won't lose a second time) #(because they're not weak and Law doesn't carry the whole crew. they all pitch in and fight hard)

[ikkaku-of-heart]

#Working of the Mind (headcanons) #Not Safe for Working (smut) #Engine’s Pulse (Ikkaku) #(seeing this going around and I'm curious what people perceive her as)

[ikkaku-of-heart]

When Ikkaku and Zoro get married, Mr. 3, as Mihawk's intrepid butler, will likely be asked to attend and even help plan the wedding. His gift to the happy couple will be a pair of wax cake toppers. Ikkaku's will be her in her full wedding dress striking the traditional pose. Zoro's will be him in the pose he tried to strike on Little Garden when he was being turned into a wax statue.

#Working of the Mind (headcanons) #waxgentleman #Engine’s Pulse (Ikkaku) #Wandering Hunter (Zoro) #Three-Wick Candle (Mr. 3) #When Clowns Run the Circus (Cross Guild) #Wear My Heart on My Sleeve (Shipping) #Guiding Heart - IkkOro #(me and Namae have been talking about Mr. 3 being their wedding planner and honestly this would be his perfect gift to them)

[ikkaku-of-heart]

Been playing Ikkaku in Coral Island

It's a very good game, very Stardew Valley-esque, so naturally I've been sucked in and been RPing as Ikkaku as my farmer. Still not entirely sure who she's going to romance as the shark merman apparently isn't an option (which is bullshit. If not a romance option, why are you telling me he's single, game??) but Polar Tang Farm is thriving, the animals are all named after the Hearts, and most importantly she has a mermaid form now!

It was tempting to go full great white shark in honor of her heritage but she deserved a bright yellow tail to honor her beloved submarine. Plus since they won't let me customize her top it was just too much gray for my sunny girl, so yellow shark tail was best.

So yeah, this is what I've been doing the past few weeks lol.

#Time for Maintenance (OOC) #Engine’s Pulse (Ikkaku) #(my girl deserves a shark merman boyfriend that she wins over despite him being sus because she's a land-dweller but nooooo) #(anyway if I'm not around you can assume Ikkaku and I are on Coral Island lol)

[ikkaku-of-heart]

TWO SWORDS!!!!!

LOOK AT WHAT’S IN HER HANDS!!! A SWORD!!

NO!! NOT ONE SWORD! TWO!!!!! 

MY GIRL IS DOING THE TWO-SWORD STYLE HERE!!!!

Ok, so headcanon - Law and Shachi are the ones who initially taught her how to use the sword as a basic weapon because every pirate should know the basics. Per chatting with @goshiikkuburcdo​, Mihawk gave her some additional lessons during the time Law was a warlord because her stubbornness amused him. But she still rarely went with swords as her main weapon

Then Zou happened, and half the Straw Hats ended up traveling with the Hearts to Wano. And along the way Ikkaku, desperate to become stronger for Law so he’d trust her and the crew to help him in future battles, asks Zoro to train her.

And that’s how she learns two-sword style.

#Working of the Mind (headcanons) #Engine's Pulse (Ikkaku) #Oh Captain My Captain (Law) #Fighting Orca (Shachi) #Nocturne Blade (Mihawk) #Wandering Hunter (Zoro) #Straw-Heart Alliance #(ok the Zoros that follow me/interact the training thing was already on my wishlist but now we have TWO SWORD STYLE) #(so. who wants to plot this with me???) #(this is the universe telling me Ikkaku deserves some joy after all the Hawkins stuff I've been plotting)

[ikkaku-of-heart]

Just a little headcanon and I'm tagging @kaizokugaris in this since their Zoro is the only muse that's actually discussed marriage with Ikkaku, but Ikkaku would be an absolute menace during their wedding's bouquet toss.

Like, she would either deliberately aim for someone she hard-core wanted to get married next (like Nami w/ Law) or she would toss it just short of someone she knew would outright murder for it (Hancock). Or, for extra gremlin points, Ikkaku would toss it to someone like Mihawk who wouldn't even be participating but would likely have good enough reflexes to catch it on instinct anyway.

Basically, Ikkaku would just want to cause problems on purpose with the bouquet toss. Or further her shipping agenda. Regardless, it would be amusing for her and she trusts Zoro to handle any brawls that break out before they go too far. And a good fight is something she knows he'd probably like, anyway, so it's also her little gift to him.

#kaizokugaris #Engine’s Pulse (Ikkaku) #Wandering Hunter (Zoro) #Working of the Mind (headcanons) #Wear My Heart on My Sleeve (Shipping) #Guiding Heart - IkkOro #(I honestly have many thoughts on Ikkaku's wedding but I figured this silly headcanon would suffice for now) #(I've caught the bouquet twice in the past two years and I can assure you there are people who are ready to throw hands for those flowers) #(so Ikkaku would gladly have some fun and gift her husband a lovely bloodbath lol)

[ikkaku-of-heart]

Hmmmmmm every time I see a square on a bingo card that's "wants a family" or something along those lines, I feel Ikkaku immediately tensing in my head. Not because she doesn't want a family (she would actually seriously adopting some kids in the distant future when she's ready to settle down someplace permanent) but because she's not sure if that person means "family" as in "blood-related children" because she can't give that.

Ikkaku had Law sterilize her for her own personal reasons within a few years of joining the Hearts. She can't give birth and she doesn't regret that decision one bit but she also doesn't want to hold someone back from their dream of having kids if it's not something she can offer them.

#Working of the Mind (headcanons) #Wear My Heart on My Sleeve (Shipping) #Engine’s Pulse (Ikkaku) #(I know One Piece emphasizes found family and family doesn't mean blood but it's still a genuine concern of hers) #(and she doesn't want to deny her partner their dream when she knows she can't provide what they need) #(so anyway if you have that square it's cool but it's a 50/50 chance she'll actually mark it)

[ikkaku-of-heart]

For our butler verse ✌️ bc u keep it in my miindd uuhhghhg anyway they gossiping that mihawk was drinking milk from the jug bottle instead of pouring on a cup or smth (?)

This is beautiful. Phenomenal. They are both looking so damn smug and clearly spilling the hottest tea possible. They are having a wonderful time gossiping and truly this is the foundation their friendship is built on.

In my heart, Mr. 3 is always Mihawk's butler and Ikkaku will make the most of the privileges that gets her lol!

#waxgentleman #Ask the Heart Engineer #Engine’s Pulse (Ikkaku) #Three-Wick Candle (Galdino) #(a friendship built on throwing shade) #(I adore this so damn much!!!)

[ikkaku-of-heart]

It's officially Ikkaku's birthday in my timezone!!! Happy birthday to my wonderful, sunshine engineer and best girl!!!!

#engine's pulse (ikkaku) #(happy birthday to my muse!!) #(hopefully I can do something special for her today)

[ikkaku-of-heart]

Salmon Ladder Workout Headcanon

Earlier @medicus-mortem posted a headcanon about Law using the salmon ladder, and as they said, Ikkaku can use it, too. Law taught her how after he caught her fangirling/ogling him for the 100th time. It was initially meant to just be a way to tease her, but Ikkaku took it as a challenge so they both ended up taking the training seriously. She's now quite good at it and she, Law, and occasionally other Hearts will compete to see who can get up the fastest.

A video of what it looks like can be found here.

So, if you're lucky enough to be on the Polar Tang while she's working out, you'll likely find Ikkaku working out on the salmon ladder. She can't fully go down on it yet, but she's started showing notable improvement and can get down the first few rungs.

And yes, she looks smoking hot while doing it. Especially when in a sports bra and leggings or shorts. Gotta show off the abs.

#Working of the Mind (headcanons) #Engine’s Pulse (Ikkaku) #(Ikkaku definitely takes training more seriously once they enter the New World and even more so before Wano) #(gotta up her strength and stamina after all) #(Arrow is a blessing for introducing us to the beauty of people using the salmon ladder) #(also Ikkaku definitely watches people on the salmon ladder like Felicity does in that show)