#Which was. Under the stowaway

[burstfoot]

Figured I'd make a post outlining Arknights' auxiliary material for those who want to see more of the universe and aren't aware of all that's out there! ANIMATION Arknights Prelude To Dawn (S1) and Perish in Frost (S2, currently airing): [Crunchyroll]

A straight up adapation of the main story, up through Chapter 0 to Chapter 6! It's much more fast-paced than the story, so I wouldn't use it to replace actually reading it, but it's very cool to see some of these scenes in full animation. Lee's Detective Agency: (Youtube)

A mini-series animated in a chibi-style with a comedic tone focused on the adventures of the Kuroblood-illustrated Lee's Detective Agency! Distributed by Crunchyroll globally, but entirely free to watch.

Closure's Secret Files: (Youtube)

A cut-out styled series of shorts hosted by Closure which outlines a lot of the game's basic mechanics!

Holy Knight Light: [Youtube]

A short Youtube OVA focusing around Penguin Logistics delivering a package, celebrating Arknights' first anniversary!

[Upcoming]: Kay's Daily Doodles: (Twitter Annoucement)

Another free youtube mini-series that starts airing December 1st, focused around Ceobe! Here's some additional animations! Each event usually also has a 15 second 2D animated preview of the event, but there's so many of those that I can't list them all. Official Anniversary Event 3D Animations: Lone Trail Where Vernal Winds Will Never Blow Il Siracusano Ideal City Stultifera Navis Invitation To Wine Near Light Dossoles Holiday Under Tides Bonus 3D Animated Shorts: Legend of Chongyue Arknights Special - IL Siracusano Lo Scontro Youtube Shorts: Ch'en and Lin's Watermelon Splitting Game Part 1 Ch'en and Lin's Watermelon Splitting Game Part 2 Amiya's Siracusan Food Guide Part 1 Amiya's Siracusano Food Guide Part 2

Comics, Manga, Manhua

Officially Translated Rhodes Island's Records of Originium: Rhine Lab: (Offical Website)

A canon manhua centered around the circumstances that lead to Silence falling out with Saria and joining Rhodes Island with Ifrit, as well as Ifrit's attempt to save a dying infected stowaway on the landship. Essential reading for understanding the Rhine Lab storyline and characters - read it right after Mansfield! One of the characters, Darya, is mentioned in both Ifrit's module and briefly in Lone Trail.

Rhodes Island's Records of Originium: Blacksteel: (Official Source)

A short story focusing on the lives of the Blacksteel operators aboard the landship. While it often gets overshadowed by the Rhine Lab manga which is bigger in scope, this is a great read especially if you're interested in Franka or Liskarm.

Rhodes Kitchen -TIDBITS-: (Official Source)

An anthology story related to the cuisine that's important to a variety of operators. While it might seem unassuming, the art is gorgeous and it's really well-written. I particularly recommend the Goldenglow (Chapter 4) and Rosa (Chapter 5) chapters.

Unofficially Translated

Arknights Comic Anthology: (Mangadex)

As the title says, a series of non-canon anthology stories regarding the cast of Rhodes' Island! Note that the link provided only has complete translations up to Volume 4 (and Vol. 4 is missing Ch. 7), and most of the chapters avaliable after that point were MTL'd, so I can't vouch for their accuracy. Chapters I'd recommend are: Volume 1: Chapter 12 (focused on Myrrh trying to improve her medicine), Chapter 14 (focused on Saria and Silence trying to put apart their differences to take Ifrit on vacation, afaik the only place where they are directly referred to as her "moms") Volume 2: Chapter 1 (Manticore tries to make friends), Chapter 3 (The LGD gets drunk), Chapter 11 (Texlapp and Mosexu yuribait), Ch. 13 (Magallan tries to find a pet), Chapter 16 (Ethan spies on the interior lives of Rhodes operators) Volume 3: Chapter 6 (Snowsant, Ifrit, Nian and Shaw are forced to make friends), Chapter 7 (Gummy flashes back to Chernobog), Chapter 10 (FEater and Shaw yuribait), Chapter 13 (Blackout on the landship, as well as Ayerscarpe and Leonhardt yaoibait)

Volume 4: Chapter 4 (Thorns tries to make friends with Weedy [this one is my favourite]), Chapter 6 (Tomimi tail spankings), Chapter 9 (Elysium helps Frostleaf get along with Dur-Nar) Volume 6: Ch. 1 (Whisperain opens up to others) [this one isn't MTL'd afaik]

123 Rhodes Island: (Mangadex)

A series of non-canon gag 4komas! Many of the games' offical stickers are done in this series' art style.

Arknights: Operators!: (Mangadex)

A compilation of 4komas posted on the official ArknightsJP twitter account! Thank you to @sleepywoodscans for their work on translating these, please show them some love!!

[Edit: For clarities sake, the only stuff here that has used MTL is later chapters of the Comic Anthology! Sleepywoodscans’ work on Operators! is all done by hand (they’re a native Japanese speaker). Again, I really appreciate their work!]

Arknights: A1 Operations Preparation Detachment: (Mangadex)

Part of the Terra Historicus website and not yet officially translated, focusing on Fang, Kroos and Beagle, and a catastrophe striking the Columbian city of Tkaronto. Unfortunately, only translated up to Chapter 6, but one of the characters (Elba) has a brief cameo in Light Sparks in Darkness! Edit: Chapter 7 has been translated by @pooce-art, and they're working on Chapter 8!

Angelina: Sketches of THIS Messenger's Journey: (Mangadex)

Also published as part of the Terra Historicus website and not yet officially translated, focuses on the adventures of Angelina travelling across Terra as a Messenger! Recent chapters relate to the upcoming Sami event & IS4, as well as the upcoming So Long, Adele.

Prelude Suite: Unrestrained Play: (Wiki)

Unfortunately, I can't find a full translation for this one - an epilogue to Hortus De Esscapismo focusing on Arturia's background. Of course, major spoilers for Hortus apply - if you can find a full translation yourself.

As well, an upcoming manhua focused on the Break the Ice cast was annouced during the 4.5 Anniversary stream. As far as I'm aware, chapters have not begun releasing yet!

Other:

Arknights Ambience Synesthesia: (Youtube)

A series of concerts (3 so far), focusing around Arknights' music! A live performance has been done every year, with skins released in-game for the concert's theme & 3D animations produced featuring the skin's cast in 2022 and 2023.

Monster Siren Records: (Spotify) (Official Website)

Arknights' official (and-in-universe) record label publishing game OSTs, themes for almost every 6 star operator that releases, and occasional bonus songs.

Arknights: Endfield: (Twitter)

An upcoming 3D action gacha game from Hypergryph, set in the far future of Arknights' universe on another planet. Currently in closed beta testing for their CN servers!

Arknights: Nomad City: The Founders: (Youtube)

A to-be-released CN Arknights board game! Unclear of if it will ever be translated or released globally, unfortunately...

Terra: A Journey: (Wiki)

An upcoming CN lore book focused on the intricate details of Terra's worldbuilding. As well, unclear if it will be translated or released globally.

UNOFFICIAL:

Some fandom-developed tools that might be of use to you are the Arknights Terra Wiki - which just transferred from FANDOM to wiki.gg, and has very detailed information on both game mechanics and world-lore.

As well, the Arknights Story Reader can help you catch up on stuff you don't want to or can't read in game!

Finally, Aceship's Toolbox provides access to a variety of tools, including a levelling calculator, a calculator to ensure the best recruitments, and all the CGs, backgrounds and character sprites that are avaliable in-game.

Conclusion:

Thank you for reading! I hope this provided some new information to you or at least provides an easy reference resource in the future. There's a lot to check out even outside of the game, and I hope you find some stuff you enjoy!

#arknights #ohhhh my god this took way longer to write than expected #dont want to reblog beg but they would be greatly appreciated! #take care with the mangadex & non-offical links #I can't guarantee their safety #i could've sworn who is real had a 3d trailer but it mightve been an ambience synthesia vid

[youryurigoddess]

“The farthing… has vanished”

Remember that line from the Nazi Zombie Flesheaters minisode? Sick and twisted. And we need to talk about the reason why, even though the magic trick in question is nowhere near as spectacular as the Bullet Catch. Let’s start with a quick recap:

The farthing was a British coin worth one quarter of a penny, discontinued in 1961 due to its plummeting worth. The reverse featured the image of a wren, one of Britain’s smallest songbirds with plumage in rather drab shades of beige and brown. Reminding you of someone?

A popular design of a sixpence, the bigger coin in this set, minted in the 1920s and 30s depicted oak branches with acorns. Which means that seen from close quarters, so basically Crowley’s perspective, Aziraphale’s vanishing coin trick leaves empty branches with no bird in sight.

As if that image wasn’t traumatizing enough for almost everyone in the Good Omens fandom post S02E06, the etymology of wren’s name in most European languages refers to royalty in some way. Like a literal king or otherwise supreme bird. That’s why killing a wren or harassing its nest is traditionally associated with bad luck. In certain parts of France it’s still believed that the robbing of a wren’s nest will render the culprit liable to be struck by lightning.

In Irish the wren is called a trickster, which connects to the ancient (as in: mentioned by Aristotle, Aesop, and Pliny) fable on how wren became crowned in the first place — by proving that intellect beats strength:

On one occasion a general assembly of birds resolved to chose for their king that bird which could mount highest into the air. This the eagle apparently did, and all were ready to accept his rule when a loud burst of song was heard, and perched upon the eagle’s back was seen an exultant wren that, a stowaway under its wing, had been carried aloft by the kingly candidate. The trickiness angered the eagle so much, says one tradition, that he struck the wren with his wing, which, since then, has been able to fly no higher than a hawthorn-bush. (Ernest Ingersoll)

In art and folklore this little bird symbolizes rebirth, immortality, protection, and the promise of spring. As a luckbringer it was supposedly present at the stable in Bethlehem when Christ was born; and and Irish proverb runs: “The robin and the wren are God’s two holy men.”

But there’s also a catch. According to legends, it was the flapping of the wings or the song of the wren that betrayed the first Christian martyr, Saint Stephen, while hiding from the mob, and led to his stoning by the Sanhedrin — the highest tribunal consisting of the Head Priest and the Jewish elders.

That’s why December 26, his remembrance day, is celebrated in the UK and Ireland as Wren Day. Its highlight was a traditional bird hunt, where the wren as king of the birds was hunted and subsequently paraded through the town and rural areas on top of a pole or holly branch, decorated with ribbons and colored paper, as a substitute of the ancient human sacrifice of the Year King for winter solstice. The wren boys still travel from door to door singing, dancing, and playing music, demanding money to “bury the wren”, but fortunately no more animals are harmed in the process.

With Aziraphale being chosen as the new Supreme Archangel and literally disappearing from the face of the earth in the season finale, his becoming a scapegoat or a sacrifice to a greater, communal goal might be a real possibility when something goes wrong with the Second Coming. The good news is that this level of danger should be enough to get the Ineffable Husbands back on speaking terms.

#Yuri is doing her thing #Good Omens #Good Omens meta #Good Omens 2 #GO2 #GO2 meta #Aziraphale #Supreme Archangel Aziraphale #ineffable husbands #1941 minisode #1941 flashback #Fell the Marvellous #magic trick #the farthing has vanished #no nightingales

[devilsrecreation]

I’ve had this in my mind for a while so now I give you

Outlander Pirate AU (feat. Makuu)

-This is definitely one of the Zootopia-esque au’s because who doesn’t love animal pirates?

-The hyenas and vultures are part of one big crew, with Janja as the Captain and Mzingo as his first mate

-Jasiri and Reirei both defied gender roles by being Captains of their crew. Reirei met Goigoi while captured on another ship and she rose to the top. She married Goigoi and her crew grew from there

-Jasiri is actually a privateer who works under newly crowned King Kion. She eventually convinces Janja’s crew to merge with hers and is known as “The Pirate Queen” by everyone else.

Janja agreed cuz he maaay or may not have a repressed crush on Jasiri but he’ll obviously take that to his watery grave

-Captain Kiburi formed a new pirate crew after he started a mutiny against his former captain, Makuu. Makuu, however, had seen it coming and was able to fend off Kiburi and his followers. His crew isn’t as big as the other pirate captains, but holy shit can they fight. They’ve killed more animals than the rest combined

-Kenge was found as a stowaway on Kiburi’s ship, with him against the world and turning to piracy for survival. The crocs wanted to kill him on sight, but Kenge had something they didn’t: venom. So when Tamka tried to attack after calling him “little”, he ferociously bit him and held him at knifepoint. It was then when Kiburi had a better idea: Why not put that anger and those fighting skills to good use? He’s now one of the crocs, being Kiburi’s new friend and best fighter. Everyone thinks they should be scared of the crocodiles when it’s really him you gotta worry about. Kiburi likes to use him as a threat. Either give them all the loot or they’ll sick Kenge on you

-Sumu is an interesting story. Kiburi’s crew found him while exploring a desert island. It’s unknown how he got there in the first place (he doesn’t like to talk about it), but he ultimately joins the crew as a cabin boy among Kenge’s suggestion. Kiburi thought nothing of it until he saw Sumu in action. Turns out he can fatally stab people so that’s fun.

-Ushari was once a great pirate, but after too many near death experiences, he decided to become a grumpy innkeeper with Shupavu and Njano as his employees. They usually act as bartenders who serve drinks to the guests.

-After Makuu started a mutiny against him, Pua stepped down from captain of his crew and resides at the inn, telling all kinds of stories to anyone who would listen

-Hodari is a cabin boy in Makuu’s float. It was always his dream to be a pirate and he was able to prove himself when he helped Makuu steal from Kiburi (after Kiburi stole from him first lol)

-All the captains act like mortal enemies at sea, but put them next to each other in a tavern or Ushari’s inn and they’re acting like they’ve been friends for years

-Out of all the crews, Kiburi’s curses the most. They’ve even done it in the inn when they visited for the night. Ushari had to threaten to bite them on the spot if they didn’t stop driving his customers away. The skinks didn’t do much to help, as Shupavu was too busy laughing and Njano was encouraging them

-Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed are also retired pirates, giving their ship to Janja’s crew once they put the life behind them. They own a tavern, which is another popular hangout spot for pirates

-Njano once snuck onto Kiburi’s ship on his day off. It was a disaster

Kiburi’s realization went like this

#may or may not add more to this but this is all i got #no but i can imagine all the outlanders singing fucked with an anchor and jasiri or ushari just like 😑 #don’t be fooled though pirate kiburi still doesn’t sing lmao #tlg au #tlg outlanders #the lion guard

[crunchy-rocc]

does anyone here like ttrpgs that take place in scifi settings. if you do im holding my hands up and offering you an au where the foxes are pirates (in space !)

some notes under the cut because i didnt want to write it out lol

—kevin is an ex-solider of the new world order. he was riko’s right hand man when he was still on the E.A. Raven.

—he’s a navigator! which is the only type of person able to safely plan out courses through the Void, a dense part of space that can help ships travel faster AND is the source of power in this world.

—the scars on his hand displays a sky full of stars. this is NOT normal, it’s caused by void exposure, which every member of the fox crew has with few exceptions. they manifest in different ways.

—kevin gets two guns ❤️ the riffle is based off of one i had in a campaign that did so much damage

—neil was a stowaway on a ship when an accident on it occurred, leaving him the sole survivor and stranded in the middle of nowhere, empty space. the foxes rescued him.

—insists he’s not part of the fox’s crew until he meets riko. he immediately gets his first wanted poster plastered everywhere afterwards

—neils gun used to belong to mary. there’s an H engraved onto it

—andrew has two spirits bound to him, and they’re sir and king. they can converse with andrew and only andrew, as well as act as armor/weapons for him. cats are seen as good luck for ships btw . if tou even care

—didnt draw andrew’s knives because most of them are concealed and its funnier to leave people guessing. he does have four of them that are visible at all times though

#my art #aftg #all for the game #andrew minyard #neil josten #kevin day #fuckkk uh . im so bad at naming things #space pirate au #sir fat cat mccatterson #king fluffkins #one of the aftg aus i have ….. if you even care #i dont post au stuff often because they often feel really indulgent and i get a little shy abt sharing them lol #but whatever …… gun slinging kevin and neil save me

[prolix-yuy]

Beautiful Release

Pairing: Din Djarin x F!Reader

Summary: You and Din have an agreement. Simple, clean, easy. But not this time.

Word Count: 4.1k

Warnings: Explicit, 18+ MINORS DNI, IT'S PEGGING DIN TIME! Anal sex (m receiving), rough sex, sex toys, fingering (m receiving), handjob, frottage, blowjob, swallowing, cumshot, mentions of oral sex (f receiving), mild dubcon (Reader isn't aware of Din's mental state and stops the session to re-negotiate boundaries), painful sex, sex as self-flagellation, hurt/comfort.

Notes: Welcome to my addition to the Peg That Middle Aged Man Event 2024! This idea had been bumping around in my brain and this gave me the perfect excuse to write it. Thanks @wannab-urs for organizing this event, making the gorgeous banners, and giving me a chance to live my fantasies after S3 gave us the most delicious kneeling restrained Din image. I will never forget it, it's burned into my brain forever.

Set after S2 and before The Book of Boba Fett.

Cross-posted on AO3

He’s come to you before, but never like this.

Din always treats your encounters like serendipity, but from the first time you’ve known how far from the truth that is. He finds ways to drift into your path, tilting his helmet like he never expected you to be at this spaceport, which you prefer for its discretion, or in this cantina, which serves a hell of a barium fizz. The niceties always devolve into the silent request, which you never fail to fulfill.

But now, there’s a holomessage blinking on your control panel.

Send me your coordinates. Usual encoding.

It’s brisk, cold, mostly to protect you both, but even then something’s off. He’s never admitted to seeking you out. Something stirs deep in your stomach, consulting the encoding slug he gave you ages ago in case you ever needed him. Funny, the first time you’d use it would be because you think he needs you.

Your winding relationship with Din Djarin began at the business end of a blaster, but you can’t fault him for that. The ship you were flying then had all the hallmarks of a slaver vessel, but when he found your crew of rebel sympathizers he lowered his weapon. One escort and a few short-lived conversations later, and you’d forged a razor-thin alliance. 

Your paths wound their way across and through each other for over a year, and in that time Din warmed to you. He gave you his name, his allegiances, his contacts if needed. In return you forged documents and built jammers for his ramshackle ship. Mutually beneficial, and after a time pleasantly warm. His laugh always surprised you, a low chuckle when you turned a phrase just right on him. 

And the kid! The curious little gremlin that had been accompanying him more in recent times did help to smooth the rough spots. Grogu’s presence always brightened your days, brief moments of pure joy from his tireless antics. Din seemed to be ever the exasperated protector, but when he tucked Grogu into his arm his aura glowed. 

However, the times when Din “stumbled” upon you with seemingly no purpose had little to do with play dates or trades. Well, maybe only in the most euphemistic sense.

It was on a cargo run - cargo being more frightened people fleeing under the guise of your fake shipping business - that Din first encountered what would bring him back to you time and time again. There was a man among the stowaways who took an interest in you, the feeling mutual. He wound his way around like a lothcat in heat, and when you whispered how you might be able to pass the time he enthusiastically agreed. 

You weren’t much of an exhibitionist, but the ship wasn’t meant for privacy. So when Din happened upon you bending the man over a cargo crate, your strap slickly splitting him open as he moaned behind your clamped hand, you did feel some mild embarrassment. You weren’t sure how long he watched you thrust into the other man, but the little cough that alerted you to his presence made you turn and take him in.

He was clearly affected, hand gripping his belt as the other clenched by his side. Fascinating. The Mandalorian had surprises in store. 

The man garbled about sucking Din’s cock, letting the Mando cum on his face while you pounded his tight hole, but you stuck your fingers in his mouth and picked up your rhythm again. You’d met other Mandalorians in your travels, but Din’s particular religion was much stricter than most. He might take hefty offense if you assumed any of the armor could come off. Instead you let him watch without comment as your companion came all over the side of the cargo crate, soothing him through the aftershocks. As you cleaned him up you noticed your audience fled, and you determined never to speak of this. 

It would take two months for Din to come to you. 

“People like this?” he asked when you showed him your strap and assortment of attachments. You shrugged, picking out the one you secretly thought he’d enjoy.

“Some do, some don’t. It’s just one of many things I like,” you said, leaning against your bedroom wall as he filled the small space with restless energy. “I’m sure you like plenty of things too.”

There it was. The little roll of the shoulders and flex of a hand that told you Din wasn’t as inexperienced as some would believe. 

“Never tried something like this,” he mumbled, and you smiled under the knowledge that he was nervous. Din Djarin, feared throughout the galaxy, and dearer friend than you ever expected, had something he wanted and didn't know how to ask for.

“Would you like to try it?” you said, taking the last barrier away. He tilted the helmet down, fingers restless on his hip. 

“Yes.”

That first night you didn’t fuck him, though by the end he was so close to begging you almost came from the sound. Instead you opened him up with your fingers, got him used to the feeling of fullness and how to connect it to pleasure, while he laid on your bed and gripped the sheets so hard you thought he’d rip them. His pants bunched across his thighs, you got to admire the cords of muscle rippling as you made him shake and choke. His cock, velvety and weeping on his stomach, made your mouth water, but you only offered to suck it when he was just on the precipice. Your hot mouth wrapping around his head, two clever fingers stroking his prostate, tipped him over into bliss as he shouted his completion. Pride swelled in your chest at his belabored breath, chestplate heaving and thighs quivering on either side of your head. 

When you returned from cleaning up he was already dressed again, despite your protests to wait and let you ease him down from this new experience. He thanked you, awkwardly, and left quickly. Lying in the same bed that night, still smelling of him, you reasoned with yourself. He probably had a lot of feelings to sort out, both around his pleasure and the fact that you gave it to him. You hoped he trusted you enough to know you’d be discreet. And, as your fingers slid into your underwear, you hoped he’d seek you out again.

It was only a week before you were at the same spaceport again, his heavy boots clanking up your ramp. You tried to hide your own nerves, but when Din stood before you and let the visor drag up and down your body, a delicious grin crept onto your face.

“Ready to try more?”

Indeed he was.

He enters your ship without preamble, a brief flit of concern clouding your features at how quickly he disarmed your security measures. You weren’t expecting him for another hour. He must have jumped to get to you. 

It’s thrilling, to know the Mandalorian’s need is so great. 

But when he enters and closes the door behind him, the energy is…off. Not seductive, teasing, edged like the other times. No, he’s holding his body so tight and so still. There’s nothing aggressive in it, but you glimpse why his enemies fear him. Without a face, and with so much obscuring the flesh beneath, you’re not sure when he’ll strike. 

He catches you rummaging through your drawer, the strap in your hand. Assessing, you give him a gentler smile than usual, hands visible, softening your stance.

“Hello, Din.”

He nods, quickly, unbuckling his belt and yanking his cape free. Both fall to the floor carelessly. You press on.

“How about you tell me what you want?” you say, watching him carefully as he opens his pants plaquet. The mouthwatering strip of skin you covet peeks from beneath his top.

“Just need…need this,” he says, and while naturally a man of few words you’d taught him to be more vocal in this respect. 

“Okay, Din. How about you kneel on the bed and we start there?” Your voice lowers into a soothing register, reaching for his arm. 

“No,” he almost shouts, startling your hand back. He recovers. “No, I want…” You can practically hear him licking his lips on a sigh, slowing himself down. “Can you sit against the headboard?”

Brows raised, you nod. He’s never ridden you before, always preferring to let you take him from behind or on his back. Pulling the strap-on over your leggings, you settle against the headboard and wait for him. He doesn’t take long, kneeling on the bed briefly in contemplation before swinging over your lap. Shucking his pants half down his legs, you can’t resist a giggle.

“Might be better to take them off,” you tease, letting your hands lay featherlight on his hips. A huff crackles through the vocoder but he doesn’t move to disrobe further. 

“I’ll open you up a bit first,” you say, one hand reaching for lube while the other snakes its way to his hole. You encounter surprising slickness, but he’s nowhere as warmed up as you get him.

“S’okay, I took care of it,” he mumbles, both hands coming up to grip the headboard above your head. Slicking lube on the dildo, you move to finger him enough to ease your way in.

“Just a little more…”

“I’m fine.”

The curt retort snaps your face to the helmet, now more of a cowled chin and shining halo of beskar above your head. There’s something bubbling uncomfortably under the surface, something you feel the need to drag out by the scruff of the neck, but it’s Din. You never talk feelings with Din. Frankly, you barely talk at all during, or after, any of your nights together.

“Sorry,” he breathes, forcing relaxation. “I’m ready. Please.”

Your eyes linger for a moment longer, then you circle the base of your cock in waiting.

He descends slowly, gritted breaths and sharp blasts of air from his nose echoing above you. You watch the strain in his thighs as he sinks and sinks, his cock only half-hard against his stomach. Leaving a hand on one hip, you stroke soothing paths up and down his lower back, watching for discomfort. Instead he’s marble around you, coiled, body not releasing as usual. Normally when you fuck him he dissolves, rolling his hips back onto you and choking out praises of how good you feel.

None of that comes. He meets the base of your cock and immediately slides back up at an almost punishing pace. He can’t be that acclimated yet, and his pained hisses and grunts only make that more apparent. 

“Din, slow down,” you request, hands firmer on his hips to try and even his pace. If he heard you he says nothing, now slamming his hips down on your cock. “Din,” you beseech again, nails starting to dig in. His grunts grow to growls, something from the heat of battle, your headboard creaking from his crushing grip. 

Clarity overtakes you, the shudder of his stomach and forceful downstrokes only getting more intense. There wasn’t pleasure in this. Something is eating up Din inside and he’s trying to fuck it out of himself. And he’s using you to do that.

“Din Djarin, STOP.”

The echo of your voice, strong and steely, finally brings Din to a stop with your cock buried deep in his ass. His chest heaves in front of you, limbs quivering from the exertion, but he’s as still as he can be. Gripping his chestplate, you push him back enough to look him in the visor, your anger righteously reflected back.

“You don’t punish yourself with my cock,” you order, teeth clenched and seething. “Do you think so little of me, that I’d just let you rip yourself to shreds without a word?” 

Din freezes, but this time you know it’s shame. If you were in a clearer headspace you might have tried reassurance, or asked him to lay beside you and talk about what’s destroying him, but you’re just too upset. 

“Is that all you come to me for?” you spit out, knuckles aching from gripping his armor. He’s silent for long enough that you consider throwing him out before he speaks.

“Something happened. And I just want to…be empty. To not think about it every moment.” He leans forward and your visage warps as he presses his forehead to the crown of your head. The anger thrums but starts to ebb as he folds around you. “I didn’t know where else to go. You’ve always taken care of me. More than I deserve.”

The sadness in his voice is palpable, and even with your mouth still sour from his deception you find the compassion to wrap your arms around his middle. The chestplate presses into your cheek, a metronome for Din’s slowing breaths. 

“If you have any care in your heart for me, don’t ever do that again,” you grit out. Din’s breath catches. 

“I care for you,” he says, and a door in your heart you never realized was cracked widens for Din’s admission. 

“I care for you too, you karking asshole, which is why I want you to say something instead of trying to hate fuck your feelings out.”

Din’s chest begins to shake again, but you’re sure it’s laughter this time. You manage a giggle of your own, letting him lean back and look at you again. The motion shifts your cock in him, and his sharp sigh arches your brow.

“If you wanted to forget, you could have just told me,” you say, rolling your hips sensuously up into his clenching hole. Din’s head drops back, grip tightening on the headboard again as you grind into him.

“Please,” he begs, so soft and vulnerable you can’t help but give him what he needs. 

Slowly you press up into him, guiding his hips to rock on your cock. You love the feel of his ass in your hands, well muscled and perfect for grabbing, manhandling him just enough to show he can let go. He follows your direction reluctantly at first, but as you plant your feet and start thrusting with more range he loosens. You can feel it in his arms, holding on to the headboard for dear life, and the building rhythm of his hips meeting yours. For a man whose life is violence, you never want to bring that into your sessions. But a light swat on one asscheek pulls the most delicious moan from deep in his chest.

“Fuck,” he groans, bearing down on you even more. Tilting your hips, you arch his back enough that you’re sure to hit his prostate on the next thrust. 

“Maker!”

There it is.

“Close your eyes,” you whisper. Waiting a moment, you zero in on that perfect spot inside him and hit it with every one of your thrusts. “Do you feel that? Feel how good I’m fucking you?”

“Yes, fuck,” Din curses, one hand flitting down to squeeze the base of his cock. He’s at full attention now, head bobbing against your stomach. You swell with pride that he’s having to stave off his orgasm so quickly, but you’ll be the one to make those decisions now. 

“All I want you to think about is how good you feel,” you purr, tugging his hand away and replacing it with your own. You long for his skin against yours, so you pull up your shirt to skim the head of his cock against your soft belly. He chokes, stuttering away but he’s trapped between your hand and thighs.

“Wait, Maker, I’ll cum if you…” he garbles, but his body keeps meeting your grinds. You shush him gently, stroking from base to tip and smearing precum over the head. 

“You will, but only when I let you. You know I’ll make it good for you, make nothing but this pleasure you’re feeling fill that head of yours.” His rapid nod almost knocks you in the head with the beskar, but he manages to tuck into your neck instead. The helmet is a shocking cool against your skin, but the act of burrowing into you must be rewarded. Bringing your arms around him, you press along the length of his body, trapping his cock between.

“I’m gonna pound into this tight ass until you cum all over us. You like that?” The wail Din lets out shoots heat to your cunt, wishing more than anything that you’d opted for a toy that gave you a little stimulation too. Instead you hammer fast and hard, barely pulling out. Your hips and thighs burn with exertion at his bulk on top of you, but he’s frantically bouncing back and rutting his cock into the wet mess your bodies make. 

“Don’t stop,” he gasps, and you’re not sure if it’s the vocoder but you think his voice sounds watery. “Please, cyar’ika, don’t stop.”

Cupping the back of his neck, damp with sweat, you whisper, “I’ve got you.”

With a handful of final pumps you’re coated in his cum, sliding around your belly as he seizes over and over. Pressing deep, you hold strong against his shuddering body as he finishes. Each weakening thrust draws him down on you, heavier and loose-limbed. 

The armor makes it hard to find the soft spots, so you take to kneading the back of his neck and palming his spine. Before his last aftershock, you urge him higher on his knees so you can slip your cock out - slowly, so as not to shock his jellying body. Easing him down, you hold his head in the crook of your neck and settle him on your lap. His hands slide down from the headboard to your shoulders. 

Then you hear it. A tiny sniff, then another. You can’t pretend you didn’t notice them so close to your ear. So you gather the broad man in your arms and hold him. His hands don’t know where to rest, finally winding loosely around your lower back.

“It’s okay, I’ve got you,” you tell him again, and the sniffing starts to recede. His body, however, slumps against yours, and it takes all of your strength not to start giggling.

You fucked the Mandalorian right to sleep. Bravo to you.

When Din finally stirs, a deep rumble in his throat, it’s been almost an hour. Your toes are half numb and you’re dying to shift into any other position, but much like a lothcat falling asleep on your lap, you couldn’t bear to move Din. Especially when he started snoring, one of the most endearing and hilarious sounds you’d ever heard him make. 

In the time he slept you wondered what happened. What terrible thing hollowed him out and haunts him. Something keeps him up at night, if the depth of his sleep is any indication. Recent, possibly. Traumatic.

Your breath caught in your throat. If something happened to Grogu you know he would have told you. You ask after him all the time, teasing that you’ll be his Auntie (Din always says he has plenty of them across the galaxy). 

Had you seen the Razor Crest fly up? Where was that old bird anyway?

What happened in the time since Din last saw you?

The cycle of possibilities always ends the same. Maybe he cares for you in some way, but not enough for you to ask. No matter how much you want to.

A shift on your lap alerts you to Din waking, kneading his shoulders and neck lightly to alert him to your presence. He’s never slept with you before, but it wouldn’t surprise you to learn that he’s quick to draw at unexpected circumstances. Of which this one definitely is.

“What…” Din croaks, and if not for the helmet you would have offered him water. 

“It’s okay, you’re on my ship. You’re okay.” 

It takes Din another minute to realize what’s happened. Him, half naked on your lap with your strap pressing against his ass. You, covered in drying cum beneath him. In a flash he’s swinging his leg off your lap, attempting to stand but obviously they’ve gone as numb as yours because he stumbles and crashes out of sight. 

“Oh kriff, are you…?” you start to ask, but as quick as he’s out of sight he pops back up again, tugging up his pants and tucking himself away.

“Sorry, that was…I didn’t mean to…do that.” 

All of the heaviness and anger and lust fizzles away to laughter as you try to suppress the ridiculousness of the moment. After a moment of indigent head tilting Din’s shoulder also shake, chuckles fuzzing out of the vocoder. 

“Oh Maker, what an understatement that is,” you sigh, wiping your stomach with the edge of your bedsheets. Din visibly cringes, hands on his hips.

“Sorry for the mess,” he apologizes, but you wave it off.

“I’ve had much worse, believe me,” you shoot back. Clean enough, you sit on the edge of the bed and look up at the inscrutable man. 

“Want to talk about it?”

Din’s stance shifts, helmet tipping down for a moment before coming back to your face.

“...Not yet.”

You hum and nod. “Well, you know how to find me if you do.”

Din nods. “Thank you.”

As he picks up his effects you shimmy off the harness at the foot of the bed, mentally ticking through the steps to clean everything. Din watches you set it down, stilling until your eyes come back to him.

“It gives you pleasure as well?” he asks, which raises one of your eyebrows.

“I mean, about as much as rhythmically hitting your hips against someone can do.” His posture changes into something hard to decipher, so you continue. “I’ve got a few that do more for me, but it depends on the person I’m with. Comfort, boundaries. As you’re well aware.” You gesture to the armor, his chin tucking down to look at it.

“So you’ve never cum with me?” he asks, and a sudden feverish heat blooms under your skin. Din has a sex appeal you appreciate, but have never acted on beyond what he’s asked for. Now, something’s changed so dizzyingly fast you’re scrambling.

“Well, you’re pretty spent after our sessions. And you leave quickly. I don’t ask for more than you can give.”

Din takes a step towards you, putting his belt and cloak back down.

“What do you ask of other people you fuck?”

Your heart hammers in your chest. How can he turn the tables so quickly and spectacularly? Trying to gain the upper hand, you pull a confident face on and speak as breezily as possible.

“Most can’t get it up twice after I fuck them within an inch of their life, so fingers, tongues, toys, any and all of the above are excellent ways to repay the favor.”

He’s even closer now, and the facade is barely holding up. It’s like the vulnerability he showed you can’t possibly be returned.

“You’ve never asked me,” he says, and you can’t believe there’s a note of regret in his voice. The bed hits the back of your legs, and you steady your voice even though those words make your pussy throb.

“I didn’t think it was allowed.” Your voice drops low as Din steps into your space. 

“Difficult, but not forbidden.” Din’s hands come to your shoulders. “Sit down, please.”

Your knees fold so fast you bounce on the bed, looking up at him. He joins you on one knee, hands coming to rest on your thighs.

“I broke my Creed. I would do it again, for the exact same reason, but now that makes me an apostate.” His hands come to the helmet, thumbs tucking underneath the lip.

“Din, what happened?”

He pauses, and you swear you can feel his gaze through that smoky visor. 

“Close your eyes.”

Darkness surrounds you, then a hiss and a thunk. 

Then the voice of a man you care for, unfiltered and bare.

“I’m not ready for anyone to see my face. But I want this, with you. If you can forgive me.”

You could be dreaming still. It would make just as much sense.

“I forgive you, Din. But just this once,” you sneak in at the end just to hear how melodic his laugh sounds. Then his hand splays over your stomach and urges you to lie back.

“I hope you don’t mind teaching me this. I don’t have much experience,” he says, fire licking through your body as he tugs your leggings and underwear off.

“Don’t worry, you’re a quick learner,” you say breathily.

And when he finally kisses you, sweet with your musk on his tongue and your orgasm dripping from his fingers, you teach him how to do that as well.

END

"I need some distraction Oh a beautiful release Memories seep from my veins Let me be empty Oh and weightless and maybe I'll find some peace tonight.

Sarah McLachlan, Angel (yeah I know I used the sad dog song)

#PMAMC 2024 #din djarin x you #din djarin x reader #din djarin x female reader #din djarin x f!reader #mando x reader #mando x you #mando x f!reader #the mandalorian x f!reader #the mandalorian x female reader #the mandalorian x reader #the mandalorian x you #the mandalorian fanfiction #mando fanfiction #din djarin fanfiction #prolix fics

[tblsomedoodles]

Why the twins abandoned Draxum

Ok, i promised more Imaginary Friend content, and i am here to deliver!

this is a little more of the plot side of things rather than the shenanigans.

i'll put it under the cut since it's long. again.

Ok, so they sneak out to meet with Mikey and Raph for about three years before Draxum realizes what's going on. (or part of what's going on. He knows they have been sneaking out and the caretaker hasn't been doing his job properly, but he doesn't know they were sneakign out to meet, or even who they were meeting.)

Upon finding this out, the caretaker is fired and Draxum decides that, if they are competent enough to constantly leave the house on their own and come back fine, they are competent enough to be properly trained. This means they no longer have the opportunity to sneak out.

Mikey and Raph try to reach out to them via mind meld, but it's too far for a strong enough connection to communicate, not to mention the twins keep purposefully shutting them out. the twins figure that since they can no longer meet up with them, that It's better to cut themselves off completely now than continuing to long for a time, they believe, is gone.

It's two more years before they meet again, and it's on accident.

When Mayhem stole the emperium, Draxum sent the twins to fetch it, treating it as a test.

They're sent out to fetch the emperium, and, of course, run into Mikey and Raph (and April). It's very much a surprise, especially considering they're standing between them and their mission. They're careful not to hurt their siblings but do get Mayhem away Donnie sending Mikey a quick "do not follow us. it's dangerous" mind meld message before they nope on out through Leo's portal. a portal that both April and the soon-to-be imitation crab man go through before it closes.

They appear right in the middle of the lab so neither of the twins quite realize they have stowaways until it's too late. They recognize April as one of Mikey and Raph's friends and figure it's not a good idea for Draxum to realize she's there, so they hide her in a nearby closet before Draxum can notice, miming for her to stay quiet. once Draxum leaves again, Leo portals her back out of the building (he's aiming for topside but ends up just setting her down on their front porch for Mikey and Raph to find.)

Anyways! Mikey and Raph (and April) show up like canon, and, of course Draxum is seeing stars. It's the other two. He could have a full set once again! but they prove to be difficult to coerce into joining him, so he creates that vine monster to fight them (and test them while they're at it.) He sends Leo and Donnie after them as well, but they linger, choosing halfheartedly fight April rather than their brothers. That is, until Mikey ends up weaponless and the target of an attack that could hurt him.

Then the above happens. Donnie instinctively protects Mikey, which angers Draxum, which causes Leo to portal Donnie behind him so he's away from him, and, then they defect, choosing to get their brothers, April, and Mayhem out of the soon-to-explode lab rather than continue fighting.

but yeah, that's how they get away from Draxum. The power of little brother in peril lol.

(fun fact i'm just coming up with now (but have been thinking about) Draxum was super extra dramatic when he named the twins originally. He named them Thanatos and Somnus. though neither of them really acknowledge those names b/c they so rarely heard them growing up. Literally only Draxum used them. which is why when Mikey asked thier names, they just shrugged. Why is that Draxum beign extra, b/c those are the twin personifications of death and sleep respectively (though Somnus is technically the Roman name. but since Somnus's Greek name is Hypnos, i thought it would be too confusing.) also, according to Greek Mythology, Thanatos and Hypnos are the twin sons of Nyx (goddess of night) and Erebus (god of the dark). SO yes, Draxum was being dramatic AF and named a set of twins he was going to train to be ninja warriors, after the mythological twins born to night and darkness. and who also embody death and sleep. (this also gives me a good excuse to jokingly call the twins the Myth Twins, even though the aus staying named Mikey's imaginary Friends. lol))

#tmnt #rottmnt #my doodles #mikey's imaginary friends #tmnt leonardo #tmnt donatello #this was supposed to be one page #it turned into three #this is my friday update #which i didn't finish in time b/c i was getting used to the tablet #i love it but there's a small learning curve #and i'm getting used to it

[ltwilliammowett]

It is Ship's cat sunday and here is a pic of stowaway Perce Blackborow on Shackleton's Endurance with Mrs. Chippy, the ship's cat, before 1915

More about Chippy below

The tabby domestic cat had been brought on board by Harry McNish, the ship's carpenter known as "Chippy", and was given her name before it was discovered that she was a male. Mrs Chippy is described as a handsome, affectionate and good-natured cat. He proved to be a good catcher of mice and rats and was a favourite among the crew. The men were amused by the way Mrs Chippy seemed to enjoy strutting across the roofs of the kennels, always just out of reach of the rampaging dogs. What's more, the cat's climbing skills, even in the roughest seas, earned him respect. At the beginning of the voyage, on 13 September 1914, Mrs Chippy jumped through a porthole and fell into the sea. The officer on watch, Huberht Hudson (1886-1942), turned the ship around and had the cat brought back on board with the fishing net of biologist Robert Clark (1882-1950).

When the Endurance, which had already been trapped by pack ice in January 1915, could no longer withstand the pressure and sank at the end of October, Shackleton ordered all animals of no concrete use - three puppies, the sled dog Sirius, who could not be harnessed like the others, and Mrs Chippy - to be shot. In his book South, he later quoted his diary, saying that under the new circumstances they could not have afforded to feed "weaklings". The captain of the Endurance, Frank Worsley, defended Shackleton's decision in 1931 by pointing out that the cat would have been eaten by the dogs without the protection of the ship. In the case of Mrs Chippy and the puppies, it fell to Second Officer Thomas Crean to carry out the sentence.

Harry McNish never forgave the expedition leader. His resentment led to growing tensions between the two men, which one day culminated in an attempt by McNish to openly disobey orders. Although as a carpenter he undoubtedly played an important part in the successful rescue of the entire crew of the Endurance, he was one of the few who were not honoured with the Polar Medal for "disloyalty". He died in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1930 and was given a pauper's burial in the Karori Cemetery there. It was not until 1959 that the New Zealand Antarctic Society donated a gravestone to the veteran. In 2004, the society commissioned sculptor Chris Elliott to create a life-size bronze sculpture of Mrs Chippy, which has adorned McNish's grave ever since.

#naval history #ship's cat #mrs. chippy #endurance #ernest shackleton #early 20th century #age of steam

[thechaoticdruid]

[This Bites] (3)

Pairing: Astarion x F! Chubby MC

Content/Warnings: Sexual humor, suggestive content, animal death, blood, slight angst, no Brian yay!, Winnie freaking out again, fluff,

Quick summary: Winnie gets Star out of the house after being cooped up since his arrival. Vampire hijinks ensue.

Chapter Two: Go Back

Chapter Three: Stay here.

Chapter Four: Lets fucking goooo!

Check out this silly recreation of the chapter in The Sims I did.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Hiding a secret pet from your parents was stressful enough, but hiding a whole grown ass man in your room would likely be a thousand times as nerve wracking.  Especially with a step douche who had a habit of barging into the room. Luckily for Winnie, her stepfather was never a quiet man, always stomping along the floor in thick combat boots. And her current stowaway was very perceptive. That still didn't cover all her issues. Winnie had searched all over Nexus Mods for that damn cheat mod she downloaded but could not find it again. It was as if the creator deleted it just after Astarion got out. To make matters worse the vampire was likely starting to get hungry. He'd been gazing at her more and more longingly each day since his escape from the computer. She'd need a way for feeding her guest which didn't involve anyone getting sucked flat like a caprisun. Of course she thought about offering him her own blood, but the idea honestly made her uneasy. In fantasy it was very appealing, having an extremely attractive and alluring man suck on your neck, what's not to like? There was the whole sharp teeth tearing into your flesh aspect, but in fantasy there was no pain, no need to worry about death. Just sweet sweet blissful fantasy. But that was not the case now.  In reality if Astarion were to sink his fangs into her neck he wouldn't need to drink all her blood to kill her. She'd probably bleed out from her jugular being punctured alone. 

Winnie stared over at him as he peeked out the window. Night had fallen and he didn't need to worry about the sun. At least not for a while. 

Winnie sighed, “I have no idea how I'm going to feed you if I'm honest.” 

“Since you're so keen on protecting our dear friend Brian I suppose that leaves me with having to go out and hunt for my next meal, well unless you'd be generous enough to offer me your lovely neck.” 

“I don't think that's a good idea, but I guess my arm might be okay…” Winnie lifted up her arm to look at it. 

“You love to take the fun out of things don’t you? But alright, I'm not about to turn down a willing meal.” Astarion's pupils practically dilated at the sight of the veins on Winnie’s arm. His mouth watering at the thought of her warm blood coating his throat and he couldn't help but lick his lips.

“Hold on! I didn't mean right this second!” Winnie hid her arm behind her back, her cheeks turning red at the hungry look he was giving her. 

“Such a tease.” Astarion huffed and crossed his arms.

“I had some things planned for tonight and I can't do them if my head is spinning from blood loss.”  Winnie said before searching through her closet.

She pulled out a large duffle bag and began to unzip it. Inside were some hoodies and other clothing. Grey and black T-shirts, some jeans and a pair of sneakers. “Here, these were my brother's, they’ll probably fit you.” Winnie said before tossing the bag onto the bed.

Astarion made a disgusted sound.

“These are so tasteless and drab!” 

“We’ll get you something more suitable to your tastes later. For now you need to be able to blend in.” Winnie explained. Astarion muttered something under his breath before he started removing his purple doublet and exposing his pale muscular chest. He was so perfect, so flawless. Winnie’s brain honestly turned off for a moment as the elf then proceeded to slide down his pants. Her eyes nearly entranced by a certain large shape in his drawers, her face turning bright red. 

“My eyes are up here, darling.~”Astarion purred, voice husky and soft. 

“A-Ah sorry! I should….” Winnie sputtered before scrambling off into the connecting bathroom. Astarion chuckled a bit, watching the flustered female dash out of the room. He couldn't help but find her rather adorable.  Winnie stood in the bathroom for a few moments, heart pounding as she pressed her back against the door. 

Oh God, why didn't I walk out sooner!?

“You can come out now, my dear.” Eventually Astarion's voice broke her from her thoughts. The human girl let out an exasperated sigh before opening the door and heading back in. The clothes were a little tight around his body, making his muscles quite visible through the light gray tee.  Winnie quickly grabbed a black hoodie and handed it to him. “Here, put this on.” She said, watching him slide the jacket on. Winnie zipped it up for him before leaning up on her tiptoes and  pulling the hood over his head.

“Hey! My hair!” He whined.

“I'll fix it for you later. Right now I don't want anyone gawking over your ears.”

“Why would anyone be doing that?” 

“Ah, right. You see, in this world there are no elves, no magic, no vampires….Just humans really.” Winnie rubbed the back of her head. 

“Really? Gods, how dull. Not that I mind being the only vampire around. That actually sounds rather delightful.” Astarion smirked a bit. 

“Please don't get in any world domination ideas. Just because there aren't any vampires doesn't mean there aren't people who can tear you a new one.” Winnie sighed before peeking out the door into the hall. “Okay, they're asleep. Now come on.” Winnie said quietly.

“Where are we going?” Astarion whispered, slowly following Winnie as they tiptoed out of the house. 

“We're heading out to town. It's probably a good idea for you to get acquainted with the area just in  case something bad happens.” Winnie explained, “plus I feel bad about keeping you locked up in my room for days.” She then took out her cellphone and shook it, causing the flashlight to turn on.

“I thought you said, you didn't have magic here.” 

“We don't. This my fanged friend is technology. It’s a machine mostly for talking to people far away, but also does a bunch of other stuff.” Winnie used her phone to navigate in the dark as they began walking down across her driveway. Winnie’s neighborhood was quiet, each of the houses were fairly spaced out with plenty of trees and brush littering the terrain.  Parked in the yard near her family’s cars was a purple motorcycle. 

“Oh, and this is my trusty steed! Or well it's basically my personal source of transportation. Think of it like a horse but made of metal. To make it even better this won't decide to turn around and bite you!” Winnie said with a smile.

“As wonderful as that sounds. I'm not quite sure about climbing onto some strange metal contraption.” 

“Well…If you'd rather walk….” Winnie said in a sing-songy tone, putting her phone into her pocket.

“Nevermind! Let's go!” 

Winnie climbed on the bike, her hands gripping the handles as she glanced over at Astarion. He looked the vehicle over curiously, nearly jumping up in the air when the girl turned on the engine. 

“Come on!” Winnie said.  Hesitantly he climbed on and immediately clung to Winnie, arms wrapped around her plush waist. 

“Oh, this is rather intimate.~” Astarion took the opportunity to nuzzle his face into her neck, growing a bit more comfortable as he held onto her soft form. Winnie immediately turned bright red, a shiver going down her spine.  She didn't really think this through did she? 

Focus! Do not let the incredibly sexy vampire elf hugging your back cause you to have a crash! 

We are not dying because of horniniess goddamnit!

Winnie mentally scolded herself as she drove off. Not that she disliked his attentions, mind you. She was just very easily flustered, never having been in any kind of romantic relationship, physical or otherwise.  Astarion sighed into her neck, The smell of lavender and cherry blossoms mixed with the delectable scent of her blood was absolutely heavenly.  It took all he had to resist the urge to sink his fangs into her neck and gorge himself on her blood.

Winnie kept her eyes on the road, the headlights of her motorcycle illuminated the street as they zoomed down it.  There weren't too many cars on the road so Winnie could be thankful for that. 

They rode away from the suburbs where Winnie’s home resided, eventually until coming towards a small shop just outside of the city. A large sign that read ‘CornerStore’ sat atop the building and illuminated the parking lot.

“This is where I work.” Winnie said as she turned into the parking lot. She parked up front in her usual spot before turning off the engine and hopping off. 

“Well this seems like a cozy little shop.” Astarion said, getting off. “What exactly could you precure here?” 

“Mostly snacks. Some hygiene products and other things. Just stuff you need around your home really.” Winnie said, leaning up on her toes to fix his hoodie before leading him inside. 

Winnie looked around the shop, thinking about anything she could get which would be useful for her new guest to have in the future. She couldn't get too much however. She only had so much room in the little trunk she had on her motorcycle. 

Bandages would be a good idea, shampoo…. Though he'd likely complain if it was some kind of cheap smelling stuff….

Astarion looked over Winnie as she scanned around the store. His tongue flicked over his fangs as he couldn't help but stare at her jugular. The gnawing pain in his stomach was crying out, demanding to be sated. He backed up as Winnie became engrossed in the products that decorated the shelves. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed a small creature outside the shop. Almost cat-like, but with a longer snout, a ringed tail and tiny black hands.  The creature appeared to be picking around in the trash outside. Not his first choice, but it had to at least be better than a rat.

Winnie kept looking through some hygiene products, wondering what her fanged friend would need when suddenly she heard what sounded like an angry raccoon. She quickly whipped her head around, heart nearly stopping when she noticed Astarion was gone. 

Quickly she rushed outside and glanced over to see a dead raccoon fall to the ground. Astarion stood over it, blood dripping down his chin. 

“Are you fucking kidding me!?” Winnie whisper-shouted. 

“I was hungry…” Astarion shrugged, looking at her with round innocent eyes, mouth still covered in blood. Winnie grimaced, kicking the dead raccoon off to the side and out of sight before grabbing hold of Astarion and dragging him off. She pulled him into the store before making a beeline for the bathroom. She dragged him inside and slammed the door. 

The young woman pinched the bride of her nose, on the verge of tearing her hair out.  

“Please…Just please….Can you not do any vampire shit out where people can see you!?” Winnie said.

“No one was even around to see me. Sweetie, you worry far too much.” Astarion said, making a sassy hand gesture. Winnie crossed her arms and huffed, her eyebrow twitching.  She turned before grabbing some paper towels and wetting them. 

“You have to understand.” Winnie said calmly, “if people find out you're a vampire they'll probably try to kill you or worse cut you open and try to find out what makes you tick. Just please be careful.” She wiped the blood off his face before crumbling up the towels and burying them in the bottom of the trashcan. Astarion crossed his arms and stepped closer to her.

“I am a master of stealth, my dear. And if you expect me to just wait about for my next meal while you flaunt around that delicious neck of yours, I might not be able to control myself for long.” He said, running a clawed finger over her jugular making her shiver. His voice was playful, a bit flirty even, but the warning was still very clear. If she kept him waiting for too long he might not even be able to think before taking a bite out of her. 

“I promise I'll figure out a way to feed you, just give me time…Please.” 

“Oh alright, but only because you're so sweet.” He tapped her nose playfully. “And that little snack should keep me sated for now, ahaha.” 

Winnie washed her hands before leaving the bathroom to continue looking around for some supplies. Astarion followed after her, red eyes inspecting the isles with interest. Some of the objects looked familiar, but somehow still foreign.

A couple of times he'd ask Winnie what something was, and she'd do her best to explain, but sometimes it was difficult. Especially with some technological items that Winnie herself wasn't even completely educated on. 

She picked up a few things she deemed would be useful for hosting her guest, bandages, hygienic stuff and a burner phone. Winnie was about to go pay for the items when she froze, eyes widening in fear. Shit. Becca was working tonight. 

“Darling, are you alright?” The vampire’s voice was gentle. Astarion noticed Winnie’s fear and placed a hand on her shoulder before looking over to what had her tense. At the cash register was a tall skinny woman with long red hair, round red glasses and a face full of freckles. There was a black visor around her neck with a name tag attached along with several different round pins, most notable ones being a colorful pin with a pattern of pink and blue with a purple line in between and a second pin with what looked like a mind flayer on it. She wore a casual blue dress and didn't look the least but intimidating so Astarion was rather puzzled as to what had Winnie's heart pounding so wildly.

Becca was probably the closest thing Winnie had to a friend these days, considering practically all her peers from high school had ran off to start their own lives (the fucking plebs) and the two were able to bond a bit over a common interest in video games. See where this is going? Becca was a gamer. A rather devoted gamer who was always quick to snatch up any of the hot new triple A releases.  Winnie turned back to look at Astarion before quietly whispering, “when we go up to the counter do not say a word, okay?”

“Why?” Astarion asked.

“I'll explain it later, just stay quiet please.” She said before the two walked up to the register. Becca glanced up from the magazine she was looking over and smiled. Astarion held the small of Winnie’s back and stayed close to her. He was still not sure why Winnie was so frightened of this very simple looking woman. Though looks could be deceiving. She could be some kind of shapeshifter in disguise! 

“Winnie! I didn't think you'd be stopping by tonight.” Becca said in a cheerful tone. 

“Hey Becca!” Winnie greeted in a tone as perky as she could muster. “I…Just needed to pick up a few things I was running low on.” She said handing over the items. Becca’s blue eyes looked over Winnie’s face as she scanned the supplies.

She noticed her nervousness, but didn't seem too concerned. Winnie was known to get anxious quite easily. But then she noticed the male standing next to her and hummed. Becca noticed the white curls peeking out from under the hoodie he wore and took a long look at his very pretty face. He seemed very familiar, but she couldn't for the life of herself figure out why. 

“Winnie,” She spoke up in a playful tone, “is this your boyfriend? He is cute.” Becca teased with a wink. Astarion couldn't help but chuckle a bit.

“A-Ah! N-No! We're just friends!” Winnie said, getting very embarrassed. Astarion suddenly snapped his head towards her, a bit shocked at her words.

WHAT?!

Winnie ignored him the questioning looks he was giving her. She leaned over towards Becca. “I'm just helping him out. He's really really shy….” Winnie muttered to her. Astarion stood there arms crossed as he glared at Winnie slightly, eyebrow twitching.

“Oh, okay.” Becca responded, scanning and bagging up Winnie’s things. “That'll be 29.50.” 

Winnie paid for the supplies before walking out, Astarion stomping after her. She put the bags into the trunk of her motorcycle before she finally acknowledged his glaring.

“What?” She asked.

“Just friends? After everything we've been through, you and I are just friends?!” Astarion almost hissed out, but his tone sounded far more hurt than angry. 

“We literally just met a few days ago.” Winnie said, a bit confused. She backed up a bit, flinching at his tone.

“I wasn't lying when I said I fell in love with you over and over! I..I…Did something happen? Do you not like me anymore?” His voice sounded a bit hoarse. Winnie’s heart shattered as she noticed he looked like he was on the verge of tears. 

“Astarion…” She said softly before approaching him. “I do like you. I like you a lot, but you don't really know me ... .The person in the game, the brave strong beautiful adventurer. That's not me.” 

Astarion huffed, trying to blink away the glassiness of his eyes. 

“I fell in love with the sweet person who saved me, nothing else matters!” He took her hands in his. “Please…I want to be with you…” 

“Honey, you don't even know my birthday.” Winnie said with a sad smile. “And I….I'm really not sure. I know everything was probably quite real for you, but to me it was like I was just a spectator. Someone enjoying a good story. Hell I've never even kissed anyone in real life so the idea of jumping into a serious relationship out of nowhere is honestly terrifying…” Winnie said and looked off to the side. The silver haired male took a moment to regain his composure, wiping one of his eyes.

Winnie thought for a moment before looking back at him and gently squeezed his hands.

“Look, I don't have a lot of experience in this, but maybe we could start over? I could court you, maybe?” 

“Oh….Y-Yes…Yes that would make me very…happy…” The vampire blinked away his tears before mustering up a smile. Winnie released his hands, before hesitantly moving in closer. She thought about going in for a hug before she noticed him lean closer, lips puckered. 

Quickly she stopped his mouth with her index finger. 

“I'm…Not ready for that just yet…” She said with a sad smile as he pulled back. 

“Of course, apologies…I misunderstood.” He said feeling a bit embarrassed. Winnie quickly decided to just pull close for a hug before anything else happened. Astarion relaxed a bit, taking comfort in her embrace, and quickly wrapping his arms around her. It was difficult. His relationship had now practically been set back to stage one. 

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

After Astarion had calmed down and the two of them left the Corner Store. Winnie decided to keep her word about beginning a courtship with her flamboyantly fanged friend.  The night was still young and a date was the perfect excuse for Winnie to stop somewhere to look for something edible to sate her own hunger. Unfortunately there was little the pale elf could enjoy at such establishments, but Winnie did have one idea. 

Astarion looked over Winnie’s shoulder, his eyes widened in awe at the bright lights of the city. It was rather beautiful, making the night much more pleasant and allowing him to see so much more color than he usually would at this time.

Winnie eventually stopped, bringing the motorcycle to a halt as they arrived at a large pleasant smelling building. The air was filled with the scent of meat and other savory dishes. 

Winnie got off the bike before quickly adjusting the hood on Astarion's head, making sure his ears were not visible.  Winnie then took her vampiric companion inside before ordering a table for the two.  She sat across from him in a booth, looking down at her hands shyly. 

“I know it might be hard to believe with my charms and devastatingly good looks, but I've actually never been on a date before, not a real one anyway.” Astarion chuckled a bit.

“What about before you were turned? Surely you'd have been on a date then?” Winnie frowned.

“Perhaps, but I can't exactly remember much from before. It might as well not have happened.” He sighed, looking off as a waitress walked towards the table. She was rather beautiful, long blonde hair, blue eyes, a waspy waist and thick curves in all the right places. 

“What can I get you both?”  She asked. 

“Oh, something full bodied and red.”  Astarion said and looked back at Winnie. 

“Red wine and a pinjacolada please.” Winnie said as she glanced up at the waitress, eyes staring enviously at her nearly perfect bodice. 

“Ah and some fried chicken fingers, and um….Can you get maybe get us an extremely rare steak?” Winnie asked feeling a bit clumsy and embarrassed about how her last line was worded. 

“An extremely rare steak?” The waiter looked at Winnie like she had grown a second head. 

“I don't know if we're allowed to-”

“Be a dear, and fetch me something as bloody as possible won't you beautiful?” Astarion turned towards the waitress, his tone dripping with charm, his ruby red eyes almost hypnotic as he gave her a flirtatious wink.

The waitress’s face turned bright red. 

“Y-Yes! Yes of course!” She sputtered, a giddy grin spreading across her face. Winnie felt a twinge a jealousy shoot through her. She understood why he did that, but it didn't make it feel any better. The pudgy female took out her cellphone as Astarion began to ramble on about something. Something about how dull all of the people here seemed, and how abhorrent their attires were.

Winnie began looking on Tumblr, noticing a notification about TheRespectfulBard posting a new BG3 fanfiction. Though something else caught Winnie's eye as she skimmed through the Bard’s blog.  Apparently the bard was also looking for a mod that had been recently removed from the Nexus Mod page. However the modification they were looking for happened to be a mod that added a few new overpowered attacks to the game. Winnie quickly looked through the comments and reblogs to find someone saying the mod was made by a user named ShadowMommy69. 

Oh God…….It was made by a simp…..

“Winnie? Winnie? Are you even listening to me!?” Astarion spoke up, sounding a bit annoyed.

“Ah! Sorry…I got a bit distracted….” Winnie hearted TheRespectfulBard’s post before putting her phone in her pocket. 

“Honestly darling if you can't pay attention I might have to find a way to punish you.~” He teased, his hand reaching over to hold hers from across the table.

“Oh shut up.” Winnie rolled her eyes with a grin, her cheeks burning up. Astarion was just eating up all of Winnie’s overly flustered reactions. They were honestly all too cute. He looked at her with soft round eyes, wanting nothing more to plant kisses all over her pudgy little face. 

“I've got your order!” The waitress from before brought in their food and drinks. Her hips swayed as she strutted over and set them down on the table. Blue eyes roamed over Astarion’s face and body, though he didn't seem particularly interested. The smell of blood from the meat hit him like a truck, making his mouth water. Winnie immediately began to nibble on her chicken, but her eyes were glued on that woman. 

“I hope you both enjoy…. Especially you.~” The blonde said, seductively running a finger over Astarion's chest, making him stiffen.

“Um lady he doesn't like to be touch-” Winnie tried to object, though her mouse like voice was completely ignored.

“I'm getting off at ten just so you know.” She winked at him before wandering off. Winnie glared at her strutting form.

“Creepy bitch…” She muttered under her breath. That skank was so not getting a tip. Astarion cleared his throat before dusting off the front of his jacket, acting as if the waitress had got him dirty.  

“Well, now that that's over. I think I have something to attend to.” His looked down at the streak which was practically dripping with blood. 

Winnie bit her lip. She wouldn't lie. This was a bit gross. 

Winnie grabbed her drink, slowly sucking it down as she attempted to ignore the vampire in front of her, cutting up the steak and sucking the blood off. She couldn't imagine what was probably going through the head of any on lookers.

“Oh my God he is so fucking hot.” Winnie’s ears perked up at the waitress’s voice as she gossiped with her friends.

“Who's girl with him? Think they're together?” 

“Fuck no! Have you seen her? Probably his sister or something.” 

Winnie rolled her eyes and glanced back at her food. She didn't really feel very hungry anymore. She looked down at her stomach. The round, plumpness of it made her feel so disgusting. It wouldn't be long before Astarion realized he had more options. Better looking options.

“Are you alright my sweet?” Astarion's concerned voice brought her gaze back up. 

“I'm fine I guess…A bit tired if I'm honest…” She said tapping her fingernails to the table. 

“Well then, perhaps we should get you home so you can get your beauty rest hm? Not that you need it of course! You're already the most beautiful person here.” The elf said sweetly.  

“Yeah, let's go.” Winnie nodded, the two left their table and Winnie payed for the food at the register. She side eyes the waitress from before who was still gossiping with her friends. Winnie turned ready to head out the doors before she was suddenly snatched up by Astarion.

“I just want you to know once we get home. I am going to make you scream my name.” He said, his husky voice purposely raised loud enough for everyone to hear.  Winnie immediately buried her embarrassed face into his neck. Despite being ready to faint she also couldn't help but let out a series of giggles at his bluntness.

The waitress from before looked over with a shocked and frankly pissed expression. The vampire smirked slightly before tugging Winnie outside.

It was around eleven o'clock when they arrived back home. Winnie got off her bike with a yawn before looking over at Astarion who's hood had once again fallen off due to the motorcycle ride. 

Since they were home though, she saw no point in fixing it again.  

“I think that was an absolutely delightful first date, my love.” Astarion said as the two walked over towards the front door. “Don't you agree?” 

“Shit.” Winnie stopped in her tracks.

“Oh come on! It wasn't that bad! Actually I don't think it was bad at all!” Astarion crossed his arms with a scoff.

“No! Shit!” She pointed at the front door which was cracked open about two feet. 

“Oh, oh dear.” The vampire exclaimed before his companion rushed inside. He quickly followed after her as she zoomed into her bedroom. 

“Maddie!? Maddie!” She called looking under the bed and in her closet before checking the bathoom. Astarion went into the bedroom and inhaled, trying to pinpoint the scent of the sweet little kitten’s blood. Was it nearby? However, his red orbs suddenly shot open at the echo of barking coming from outside. 

“Maddie!” Winnie cried in fear. 

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Note from The ChaoticDruid: Been so hyped to get this chapter out! We have a lead on who caused Astarion to suddenly become sentient and it looks like a Shadowheart lover lol. A Shadowheart simp if you will! Also I know a lot of people would probably think Winnie's crazy for not wanting to jump right into a serious romance with Astarion, but I just feel like there are some things we'd love to fantasize about, but might not be too sure about in real life. Besides the girl is very romantically awkward. If anyone has any ideas on how to hide Astarion's ears better I'm open to suggestions, oh and PLEASE tell me what you think of the chapter! I love hearing all the comments about stuff, really makes my day.

Also fuck, Maddie's in danger! Somebody do something!

Taglist: @astarioffsimpmain , @iamsexytrash , @tiedyedghoulette , @hp-art-studio , @gaymistakeboi @the-disaster-in-waiting

#SaveMaddie #Thank gods there's no Brian here #Such a Prick #Maddie must be protected at all costs #baldurs gate 3 #astarion ancunin #astarion bg3 #bg3 #astarion x tav #astarion my beloved #astarion romance #astarion x reader #astarion fluff #baldur's gate astarion #modern au #astarion x mc #Astarion x Chubby MC #astarion x oc #astarion #astarion x female reader #astarion x female oc #Astarion x female original character #bg3 astarion #bg3 x oc #bg3 x reader #bg3 x female reader

[justpoliteconversations]

Small Problems [Chain + Reader]

The Chain have a small problem on their hands. Not that you mind.

Working on making small posts for the trash heap. Just to fill the spaces.

Masterlist

TW: None.

Disclaimer: Don't own The Legend of Zelda franchise. Linked Universe is the fan creation of jojo56830.

---

You stared down at the nine piles of familiar looking clothes with no small amount of confusion, because you were pretty damned sure those were the boys'. And those piles were very obviously missing the men that should be wearing them. Thus, your confusion. And suspicion.

"You guys better not be running around the woods naked. I expect this behavior from Wild and Hyrule. Wind even." You said, narrowing your eyes and glancing around the clearing intently. Masking your sudden alertness with taunting words. "But you, Warriors? And here I thought you were a gentleman. And Time? For shame."

You shook your head slowly, using the motion to widen your line of vision, searching for any sign of foul play. For signs of a struggle, discarded weapons, unusual imprints in the grass or dirt around the camp. Anything to explain this oddity.

Then you found it sitting inconspicuously near the fire pit next to a still simmering pot of broth. An open jar that should have been sealed, containing the special 'Honey' you'd warned the boys not to touch. For this very reason.

Its actual name was Minish Honey, and it was made exclusively by the northern Minish folk of your country. By itself, perfectly harmless. But add salt, and...

The most shit eating grin stole across your face, eyes gleaming with delight as realization kicked in. "Oh~! Did someone get a sweet tooth?" You sing-songed, skin tingling in anticipation as you got to your knees and started to crawl towards the first pile of clothes. Twilight's.

"Come out, come out, Twi~. I know you couldn't have gotten far~."

You found the pile of Twilight's furs and rumpled cloths empty. But no matter. There were plenty of places to check for sneaky little stowaways.

You peeked impishly into the next pile. "Rulie~." Empty as well, but you weren't deterred. Your smile only grew as you prowled further into the campsite.

"Oh dear!" You giggled, still crawling slowly across the camp like a stalking predator, glancing into piles of clothes and inside nearby of boots as you went.

You heard the slightest shuffling of movement near the packs, and your heart filled with butterflies. You slowly crawled over to the boy's bags, eyes intent on the space between Legend's and Warrior's.

"How will I be able to help you all if I can't find you~!" You sing-songed again, before lowering your face to peek between the bags with one, giant, sparkling eye. "Why, hello there~"

"Please." Wars pleaded in a tiny voice, cute little face cherry red and clutching an embroidered handkerchief around his equally tiny form. Behind him, Twilight was hiding himself in Hyrule's left sock, and you knew this because it had a rip at the toe he was using as a neck hole. "Don't make this any harder than it already is."

Wild peeked out from behind Twilight wearing Hyrule's other sock (which had a large hole in the sole that hung off his shoulders), and waved excitedly at you. Wind's head poking out the hole as well to wave just as excitedly, nearly tipping them both over in the process.

Then the top of Four's head and ears peeked out from below Wind's chin and you lost it, slumping over entirely into the dirt with peals of laughter. And when you caught sight of Legend, scowling, flustered and covered waist down by a thick ring hung snugly around his hips, your soul may or may not have left your body for a time.

It took some time for you to get yourself under control. Enough for Hyrule to finally show up, butt ass naked and munching on a blackberry the size of his head. Covered in berry juice and small brown burrs from head to toe.

It took longer still for Time, adorned in an especially impressive leaf and a leather strap belt, to negotiate their return to normal. And even longer for Four, Wild and Wind (still trapped in the god-damned one holed sock) to coax Sky (naked as the day he was born) out of the boot he'd taken refuge in so he could be turned back to normal.

Surprisingly, or not so surprisingly, Hyrule elected to stay as he was for the night. Somehow managing to put away a full bowl of sweet (you side-eyed the chain with a mischievious grin) broth and half a slice of bread. How, you don't know, but it was fascinating to watch nonetheless.

All in all, it was a good night and it ended with only a few red faces and plenty of laughs. Even if you had to scrub the dirt from your pant legs the next morning.

Now you just had to keep Hyrule out of your stash.

The gluttonous little bastard.

---

Short and sweet. Now back to the shadows to rest.

#linked universe x reader #linked universe

[forthechubbies]

Stowaway ° One Piece Drabble

Live Action! Zoro Roronoa X Chubby Princess! Reader

As he marches on the deck  the pirate's boots click. It's calm out there. Possibly, Zoro reasoned, we have alcohol.at least he can get drunk under the beautiful full moon.

Or at least he did; such quick reflexes always appear when he needs peace and quiet, which is obviously impossible with his Captain. He moved a little distance before slicing through one of the barrels, revealing only a scarred wall.

That's the wrong one. He paused before hurling his blade at another barrel, this one screamed.

His finding was a gorgeous woman's sleeve impaled on the wall by his sword. You gasped at the tall man. "Please..please." You pleaded for your life, even straining with the blade to get it out.

The pirate was perplexed by your clothes; you wore imperial regalia, so why are you here?

"Are there any more of you?" He merely snatched his blade back into his grasp and questioned.

You didn't get a chance to say anything before being carried over the man's shoulders to see the captain.

#roronoa zoro x reader #roronoa zoro #zoro x reader #zoro x chubby reader

[lilacmingi]

STOWAWAY

My works are 14+ ONLY. If you’re under 14 DO NOT interact with me or any of my works

Pairing: Pirate!Jongho x stowaway!fem reader

Word count: 6,707

Note: Special appearances by my goobers (aka my skz biases) Changbin and Jisung <3 they mistake Y/n for a ghost on the ship lol

Your feet burned as you ran down the dock, your ratty shoes not providing much protection, your lungs were stinging with each labored breath, begging for oxygen. You clutched onto the white fabric of your dress, holding the skirt up so you could run easier. You wanted so desperately to collapse on the weathered wood and stay there forever, but you couldn't. You were being chased by a group of three men. They were harassing you in the streets, making lewd comments about you and trying to put their grubby hands where they didn't belong. You were having none of it and when one of them got too close, you kicked him where the sun doesn't shine. Because of that, they were all chasing you and you didn't want to know what would happen if they caught you.

Things weren't looking good for you, as you were about to be at a dead end. Just when you thought all hope was lost, you caught sight of a massive ship moored at the wharf. The gangplank was down, giving you a sense of hope. It seemed to be your only means of survival. Without thinking twice, you rushed up the gangplank and onto the ship, grateful the guys chasing you didn't see you. The main deck looked vacant, which you were thankful for because you had the chance to catch your breath. That is, until you saw someone, presumably a crew mate, making his way onto the deck.

You scrambled away, spotting a hatch in the floor of the main deck. You opened it up, hurrying inside. Once at the bottom, you noticed multiple crates, sacks, and barrels of what you could only assume was provisions. You were in the cargo hold.

Maybe I can stay here for a while until those guys are gone. You thought to yourself.

You were thankful to have a few minutes to relax, your heartbeat slowly returning to normal.

Just then, the hatch to the hold opened up.

"Come on. You're not moving fast enough." An unfamiliar voice complained.

You hurriedly hid behind a cluster of crates, hoping to stay hidden from whoever was coming into the cargo hold.

"I'm trying the best I can, Changbin." A second voice whined. "This thing is heavy."

"I should have just asked someone else for help. You're useless." Grumbled Changbin.

"Hey!" The other voice huffed.

You peered around the side of the crate you were hidden behind, watching as two crew mates carried a giant barrel to the corner of the room. One of them had black hair and a stocky figure, the other had honey blonde hair and appeared slimmer, but strong.

"Come on." The dark-haired one gave a firm slap to the other's back. "We've got two more barrels to load."

The latter whined in protest, dragging is feet as he left the hold.

This wasn't good. Those boys would be coming back soon to load more barrels. You had to get out, and fast.

You scurried up the steps, going to open the hatch to the cargo hold. As you did, you heard a commotion on the main deck, sounds of men talking and boots thumping against the wood. The hustle and bustle caused you to scramble back to your hiding spot, quickly pushing aside any plans of escape.

"Now what?" You whispered under your breath.

All you needed to do was stay in your hiding spot and pray that you weren't caught. Just then, the hatch swung open and the two crew mates came back down into the cargo hold, both of them grunting as they carried a large barrel. You watched as they lugged the heavy object to the opposite corner of the room away from you.

"There's no space left over here." The dark-haired one named Changbin stated.

"Then let's try over there." The other gestured with his head.

Your heart dropped. It looked like he gestured over to where you were hidden.

"Alright. Let's go, then."

You pulled your knees up to your chest, pressing your back against the crate you were hidden behind.

Please don't come over here. Please don't come over here. Please don't come over here.

You could heard the thumping of their boots as the two moved closer to your hiding spot.

"Crap. We need to move this crate." The one with the honey blonde hair commented.

The barrel was set on the floor before the two started to move the crate you were behind.

You let out a gasp, turning towards the two as you were revealed.

Their eyes widened in shock as they stared at you for a moment before both of them let out loud screams. You let out an equally loud shriek, making the two even more scared. They turned around, scrambling out of the cargo hold, yelling for their captain.

I'm screwed.

"Captain, Captain!" The two shouted over each other.

"Captain! The ship's haunted!" Shrieked Jisung, his arms flailing wildly.

"We saw a wailing spirit!" Changbin added.

"What are you two blubbering about?"

"In the cargo hold!" Jisung pointed. "There's a woman in a white dress screaming!"

"Idiots." Sighed the captain.

"We're telling the truth!" They both argued.

"You two are the most gullible crew mates on this ship, so I take everything you say with a grain of salt."

Jongho pushed himself up from his desk, going to assess the situation.

A woman, huh? He thought to himself, stepping down into the cargo hold.

The room was eerily quiet, only the creaking of the wooden boards under Jongho's boots could be heard.

"Come on out, stowaway."

You didn't move, terrified of what might happen if you revealed yourself.

"Stop being a coward and show yourself." He spoke, his voice sounding more stern. "Unless you wanna become shark bait."

That scared you enough to stand up and reveal yourself, stepping out from behind the crates.

Jongho's brows raised in surprise, but he kept his composure, gesturing for you to step forward. You gulped nervously, moving to stand in front of him.

"Are you the wailing spirit my men are so scared of?" He inquired.

"A what?"

"Follow me."

He moved up the steps and out onto the deck where he called for Changbin and someone named Jisung. You assumed he was the other pirate helping load stuff. The two stood side by side in front of the pirate who, despite his appearance, seemed extremely tough and maybe even a little scary.

"Yes, captain?" Jisung asked.

Captain?!

"Look at her." He pointed. "Does that look like a ghost to you?"

"No, captain." They both muttered.

"What do you have to say for yourselves?"

"Sorry, captain." They murmured in unison.

"Sorry captain what?"

"Sorry Captain Jongho."

His eyes looked the duo up and down. "You'd better be."

Jongho? As in the Captain Jongho?

No way.

This can't be the same one, can it?

You'd heard stories about him, ones that had been passed from town to town in order to warn everyone and spread awareness.

He's the young captain of a notorious ship that sails the seas in search of treasure and other valuable goods. People often underestimate him because of his youthful and boyish appearance, but he's resilient and much stronger than anyone realizes. In fact, you'd heard rumors that he once split someone's head like an apple.

Suddenly, getting caught by those pervy guys in town seemed much better than the situation you were currently in.

"You." He pointed, making you stiffen. "What are you doing on my ship?"

"I..." You trailed off, your voice catching in your throat.

"Are you a spy? A stowaway?"

You gulped nervously, shaking your head.

"Then why are you here?"

You couldn't answer. You couldn't even move, quite literally frozen as fear held you firmly in place.

Jongho took a step forward, causing you to drop to your knees, words immediately tumbling from your mouth as panic struck you.

"There were these guys harassing me in the streets and they started chasing me and I had nowhere to go and I saw your ship, so I snuck on just to hide for a while until they went away but then your crew mates came in to load stuff and I got scared. I'm sorry. Please don't split my head open like an apple." You begged, your hands clasped together as you squeezed your eyes shut, preparing for your demise.

Jongho raised an amused brow. "Is that what they're saying about me?"

You opened one eye, peeking up at him, confused by his response.

He turned, calling to one of his crew members.

Oh no. He's gonna crack someone's head open.

To your surprise, an apple is tossed over, swiftly being caught by Jongho. He held the fruit in his hands, breaking it in half with ease right in front of you.

"What?" You muttered, confusedly.

"Here." He handed you one half.

You shakily took it, unsure of why he was being so kind.

"They're just rumors." He told you. "I've never split anyone's head open before." An amused chuckle left him. "That's quite the tale. Perhaps I should be flattered." He then offered you his hand, helping you to your feet.

"So... you're not gonna split my head open?" You asked slowly, your voice meek.

"No." He shook his head. "However, I would like to hear how you ended up being chased by these men. What happened exactly?"

"They were harassing me even after I told them to stop, so I kicked one of them in the..." You trailed off. "Well, you know where."

Jongho raised his brows. "So they chased you after that?"

You nodded. "All the way to the docks."

He huffed out a chuckle. "These boys got what they deserved and were angry about it. How amusing."

You watched as the young captain strode across the deck, peering over the wooden side railings of the ship.

Hesitantly, you moved over, observing the dock below. At first, you only saw what appeared to be fisherman, but then you spotted three men leaned over the edge of the dock talking to themselves and pointing to the water. It was clear they thought you'd jumped in.

Jongho glanced over at you, noticing the wide-eyed look you gave to the group on the docks.

"Is that them?" He asked.

You nodded.

The young captain had only just met you, but something inside him urged him to go teach those boys a lesson, maybe even scare them a bit. However, he stopped himself from doing so, instead giving you an offer.

"If you prefer, you're welcome to stay on my ship."

The offer was appealing and piqued your interest immediately.

"Women are bad luck, you can't let her stay." The blonde crew mate, Jisung, cut in.

Jongho's head snapped in his direction, giving him a hard glare. "I'm sorry. Are you the captain?"

Jisung stiffened immediately. "N-no."

"That's what I thought." His round, yet intimidating eyes scanned over the rest of his crew. "You should all know better than to believe such nonsense."

"I can't go back." You spoke up.

"What about your friends? Your family?" He inquired.

"I have none. I live in a ratty shack. I have nothing to lose. Plus, if I stay, those men will get me for sure."

"And for work?"

"I work for a seamstress for petty change. It's barely enough for me to get by."

"A seamstress?" He hummed thoughtfully. "We have many clothing casualties. We could use someone like you."

You stood up straighter at this, hoping to be of some use on the ship.

"You're truly willing to drop whatever you have here and live at sea with a bunch of pirates?"

"Yes." You answered immediately.

"Very well." Jongho held his hand out to you. "Welcome to the crew."

You took hold of his hand, his grip was firm, but gentle as he looked into your eyes, his gaze sincere.

"Thank you."

As soon as the decision was made, Jongho turned to address his crew.

"Alright men, raise the sails! Let's get out of here."

"Yes, captain." They chorused, the group parting ways immediately, each one moving to a different part of the ship. The way they worked was precise and practiced, letting you know they'd done this many times before, well-versed in their ways.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Jongho's voice spoke from beside you. "I have the greatest crew the seven seas has ever seen."

You continued watching the crew as each one did something different.

"Come on." Jongho nudged you lightly.

You followed him up a shallow set of steps that led to another deck that was slightly higher than the one you were previously on, a wheel sitting in the middle of it.

"This is where the magic happens... the magic being steering this beauty."

Captain Jongho's graciousness surprised you, even more so, his personality surprised you. All the stories you'd heard throughout the town were mere rumors, just hearsay. The man standing at the helm before you wasn't a vicious pirate, but a headstrong captain with a crew who thinks highly of him. This much was obvious, even from the very short amount of time you've known him.

Your gaze moved to the ever shrinking blob that was your town. You couldn't believe you were leaving it behind. Then again, you had nothing—absolutely nothing to lose. Your life was horrible and you'd been longing to drop everything and run away. Then, the perfect opportunity presented itself to you on a silver platter. You had to take it.

"Is there anything I can do?" You asked over the gusty winds, feeling a bit useless just standing around.

"Not unless someone rips any of their garments." He responded, keeping his brown eyes fixed on the horizon.

When you didn't say anything, Jongho glanced over at you. "Did you want to do something?"

"You've been kind enough to allow me to stay on your ship, plus I'm used to keeping myself busy, so I feel like I need to be doing something to help out."

"That's not necessary." He waved you off. "When I need you, I'll let you know. Until then, you can just sit or walk around the ship."

You nodded, opting to sit on a crate and watch Jongho. So far, he was the only person on this ship that you felt comfortable around. That Changbin guy seems a little intimidating and that Jisung didn't seem too keen on you joining the crew, so you thought it best to stick with Jongho for a while, at least until you got comfortable.

The captains lips quirked amusedly as he steered the monstrous vessel further into the sea.

"Splitting people's heads open like apples, huh?" He commented aloud.

"Pardon?"

"The stories. People are saying I've split heads open?"

"Oh. Well, it's just hearsay."

"Hearsay yes, but it's rather amusing. I must really frighten people."

Tugging at a loose thread on your dress, you began to wonder how those stories came to be. As you examine your garment, you notice a hole in the skirt, making a quick note to fix that later, continuing to ponder how the rumors about Captain Jongho were created.

"Does it not worry you?" You inquired.

"Worry me? Why would it worry me?"

"Because you don't seem like you'd hurt someone."

"I would." He responded, his serious gaze moving to lock onto your. "I have, actually."

Based on your initial encounter, you believed him. When he brought you out of the storage hold you thought he was going to hurt you. His aura was intimidating and had you fearing for your life. However, he was quick to show you kindness, so there had to be some compassion hidden within him.

You were about to ask more questions, but he spoke up before you got the chance.

"Looks like the seamstress needs some repairing done herself."

His comment made you look down at the small hole in your dress you'd unknowingly been fiddling with.

"Ah. Yes. This thing is so old." You muttered. "There's stains I can't get out and it's been repaired more times than I can count."

"Why don't you get some new clothes?"

Glancing around at the expanse of water on all sides of the ship, you asked, "Where?"

"Here. I might have some clothes that fit you. We trade for garments of all sizes. The ones that fit, we use, and the ones that don't, we use for spare fabric." He explained before turning to you. "Come on."

"Now?"

"Yes. I'm going to get you some new clothes. Those rags you call a dress won't do. Plus, if you're going to stay on a pirate ship, you'll need pants."

Pants?

You'd seen a few women around town wearing pants. It was something you had always wanted to try, but you could never afford such things.

Jongho had tied the wheel so it would stay in place while he took you to the storage hold for new garments. Once below the deck, he began rummaging through sacks of clothes, setting aside any that he thought might fit you.

"You can look through those." He gestured to the small pile.

With his permission, you sifted through the mix of shirts and pants, finding an off-white long sleeved shirt that looked comfortable. As for pants, you were able to come across a pair of navy trousers that you assumed would suffice. With that, Jongho left the area, allowing you some privacy to change, letting you know that you could switch the garments out if anything didn't fit.

Emerging from the storage hold, you smoothed out your shirt, glancing down at the new clothing you donned.

"You look like one of us." Jongho commented.

"You think so?"

"Of course."

"Captain!" One of the crew mates called, waving over Jongho.

When he walked off to assist his crew mate, you were left standing awkwardly on the deck, your eyes moving to the boards laid out below your feet, the wood grain suddenly becoming very interesting.

"Pardon me." A voice spoke up, grabbing your attention.

Glancing up, you saw a guilty-looking Changbin standing with his hands behind his back.

"Sorry for thinking you were a ghost." He apologized, the tips of his ears dusted pink as he avoided eye contact with you.

"It's quite alright."

"I'm actually very brave, you know." He continued, seeming to brush over the fact that you weren't bothered by him mistaking you for a wailing spirit. "Things don't usually scare me that badly. I'm actually way braver than Jisung. You know, he once came screaming to captain that he saw a shark while bathing in the ocean, but it was actually a dolphin."

Holding in your chuckles, you nodded.

"He's a total scaredy cat. I'm the brave one."

"Changbin." Jongho cut in, standing by your side once again. "I hope you're not harassing our new seamstress."

"Not at all, captain. Please, carry on." Changbin excused himself, leaving the two of you once again.

"It's almost dinner time. Hope you like galley food." Jongho spoke up.

"Never had it." You responded.

"It's no five star meal, but it keeps our energy up."

"It's probably better than the scraps I had back in town."

"We'll have to see about that."

Later that day, the crew gathered in the galley for dinner, which was indeed better than anything you ever had back in that ratty town. Everyone was served some type of meat, vegetables, a second side of rice, beans, or potatoes, and some sort of bread. You hadn't eaten that much in years. Usually you'd have bread, rarely did you get something to go with it like beans or rice. Nights like those were a special treat and something you didn't often experience.

"Hey, captain!" Jisung shouted. "Why don't you sing us a song?"

Jongho, who had just finished his food looked surprised at the sudden request.

"Not tonight." He responded, waving his hand dismissively.

"Come on. Just one song!" Jisung pressed further.

When Jongho still didn't give an answer, Jisung began to start a chant, getting the whole crew to join.

"Captain! Captain! Captain!"

"Alright, alright." Jongho finally caved in, a bright smile breaking out on his face. It was the first time you'd seen him smile so brightly, the sight of his little teeth so endearing that it made you heart flip.

The chanting got louder as the young captain stood from his seat.

"Any requests?" He asked, to which everyone shouted something different.

"Ah, never mind." He waved everyone off. "I'll just choose one."

A bright smile plastered itself on your face as you watched Jongho standing on one of the many long, wooden tables in the galley, belting out the most heavenly high notes you had ever heard, his silky voice gracing your ears like a gift from Heaven. He was singing sea shanties, but the way his powerful and melodic voice flowed from him made the shanties sound like a beautiful ballad.

It had been roughly two weeks since your arrival on Jongho's ship and you were perched atop a wooden barrel sitting on the deck with one of the crew mate's shirts in your hands, working the sewing needle through the fabric as you repaired a tear in the garment.

The day seemed to be dragging on as the crew went about their usual routine, the atmosphere feeling a bit duller than usual, that is until the captain stepped out onto the deck.

Jongho pulled his weapon from his sheath, the blade making a shif sound as it was drawn.

"What do you say, Bin?" He questioned, twisting the sword in his hand. "You up for a little sword fight?"

The buff crew mate turned towards his equally buff captain, raising an inquisitive brow.

"Remember what happened last time you challenged me?"

"I remember it well, but that was one time."

"So, you want a rematch?"

"Not a rematch, just a regular match." Jongho responded coolly, glancing at the tip of his blade. "So, what do you say?"

"I don't have anything better to do." Changbin sighed, rolling his shoulders before reaching for his own weapon—a sword with a blade that was just a bit skinnier than Jongho's.

"Nothing better to do?" The captain repeated. "I suppose you're saying you need more work. All you have to do is ask. There's plenty of things that need to be done around here."

Changbin scoffed in response, rolling his eyes.

"Let's make this interesting." The captain continued. "A gentleman's bet, if you will."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Galley work for a week if I win."

"And what if you lose?" Changbin inquired.

"I wouldn't ask anything of my crew that I wouldn't be willing to do myself."

"So it's settled. Whoever loses works in the galley for a week." Changbin stated.

"Are you sure?" Jongho raised a brow. "Chef Wooyoung is very hard to deal with when you don't listen."

"Luckily I won't have to deal with that." Changbin responded, spinning his weapon.

"You're rather confident for someone who's going to lose." Jongho jested, continuing to provoke his crew mate.

Both men took their stances, putting some distance between each other as they held their weapons up.

You watched from the side with steady eyes, your gaze fixed on the two pirates as they had a stare-off, the needle in your hand coming to a stop as your attention was drawn to the two men preparing to battle.

"What's with the sudden offer to sword fighting with me, captain? You wanna show off now that we have a girl on board?"

Jongho's eyes widened at the absurdity of Changbin's assumption, the tips of ears becoming dusted in a faint pink color.

"What a nonsensical speculation." The captain chuckled, hiding his embarrassment.

In a swift motion, he stepped forward, slicing a hole in Changbin's sleeve.

"Whoops. Looks like that girl you're speaking about will have to stitch that up for you."

"How lucky for me." Smirked Changbin as he lunged forward. "Seems I'll get to spend time with her alone."

Jongho felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, his anger beginning to bubble. It didn't help that Changbin didn't have the decency to hide his lopsided and arrogant smirk. The mere sight testing the young captain's patience.

Why was he feeling so territorial over you? You weren't his. Plus, you hadn't been on the ship for very long. The two of you were merely acquaintances.

Unfortunately, he couldn't think on that topic for very long as Changbin took a powerful swing at him, which he narrowly blocked.

The captain and his crew mate battled, their swords clanging and clashing as they sparred endlessly. Jisung walked by with a crate in his arms. Worry rose within you as you saw the two battling swashbucklers moving closer to the seemingly oblivious crew mate. Just as you were about to speak up, Jisung kept moving, casually dodging Jongho and Changbin's unruly swings like second nature, leaving you utterly speechless.

He seemed to notice your slack jaw, chuckling at your reaction as he set the crate down.

"You'll get used to it." He told you as he walked past. "Captain loves sword fighting."

When your attention moved back to the pirates, Jongho was balancing on the wooden railing of the ship, continuing to battle. His feet barely fit on the wooden beam and his body twisted and turned as he blocked swings from Changbin. You had to fight back the urge to jump up and pull Jongho down off the railing, but something told you he'd done this before.

He hurried down the beam, hopping onto the crate Jisung had set down moments before.

The fight began to get more heated, each of them jabbing and swinging at each other so quickly you could hardly keep up, the two of them going at each other with such vigor and ferocity you were scared one of them would end up seriously injured. Then suddenly, the fighting stopped and the air went completely still.

The tip of Jongho's sword was pointed right at Changbin's throat, the latter looking at his captain with wide eyes.

"Seems I've bested you again." Jongho chuckled, lowering his weapon. "Now, go get that shirt fixed."

Changbin's form deflated in disappointment before he started to strip himself of his top, beginning to pull the shirt over his head, his actions being halted immediately by Jongho.

"There's no need for you to do that. You can keep that on while she sews the sleeve." He mentioned. "And I want you to stay out here on the deck where I can keep an eye on you."

Changbin shot his captain a speculative glance, but obeyed him anyway, moving over to you.

Now, here you sit repairing Changbin's torn sleeve, the cut being much bigger than you assumed.

"He damaged this pretty bad." You commented, threading your needle. "You know, I was terrified the two of you would hurt each other."

"We're both skilled swordsman. We know how to fight without causing any physical harm." Changbin assured you. "We sword fight all the time. It's captain's favorite pastime... it also keeps me from doing work."

You couldn't help but chuckle at the last part.

"Speaking of work, you're on galley duty now." You mentioned.

"That's nothing." He waved his hand dismissively. "Captain thinks I don't care for our cook, Wooyoung, but what he doesn't know is that we're actually the best of friends. Galley duty is going to be a breeze."

"How sneaky of you."

He let out a breathy chortle in response.

You worked quietly for a few moments, not saying anything as you focused on threading the needle through the damaged fabric.

"I think captain fancies you." Changbin giggled.

"I beg your pardon?"

"He got rather jealous while we were sword fighting. It's amusing. I've never seen him like that before."

"Jealous? I find that hard to believe."

"It's true. I've been on Jongho's crew for years and this is my first time seeing him act in such a way. He didn't seem too happy about me coming over here with you and insisted I stay out on the deck so he can keep an eye on me."

Your head tilted slightly, your gaze moving up to one of the higher decks. Jongho stood at the railing watching the both of you, only looking away when your eyes met his.

"He's watching us." You commented, getting back to work.

"I know. He wants to make sure I don't do anything." An amused smirk played at Changbin's lips. "He's most definitely jealous."

Later that evening, you went wandering about the deck, mulling over the things Changbin had told you earlier that day. Your thoughts came to a halt when you heard the faint sound of someone singing, the melodic notes that drifted through the air reached your ears, drawing you in immediately. Your feet led you up the steps to the forecastle deck where Jongho stood at the helm with his hands planted on the wheel as mellifluous vocals left him, escaping into the air, allowing the wind carry them.

"You have a pretty voice."

Jongho seemed to startle slightly, not sensing your presence.

"Pretty?" He repeated.

You nodded, twiddling your fingers nervously, unsure of wether you should have said that or not. Then, he smiled; it was a gentle smile that made his cheeks look round.

"Thank you. I knew people liked to hear me sing, but no one has ever said my voice was pretty."

"Perhaps they should."

Jongho's eyes met yours for a moment before he looked away timidly, the tips of his ears turning pink.

"Would it be alright if I sit and listen?" You asked softly.

"Sure." The pirate turned his attention back to the vast ocean ahead before continuing the song he was singing, the smooth notes filling the air once again.

Sitting down, you made yourself comfortable, admiring Jongho's angelic voice. You decided then that his singing was something you'd never get tired of.

The ship creaked softly as the waves pushed it forward, the vessel bobbing every so often. You still weren't used to sleeping at sea, but it was rather relaxing. Some nights, the gentle movement of the ship would lull you to sleep; tonight, to your disappointment, was not one of those nights. You'd been lying in bed for what felt like forever with your eyes closed, willing yourself to go to sleep. Your efforts, of course, being fruitless.

"Hey." A familiar voice whispered, cutting through the silence in the room.

You opened your eyes, startled to see Jongho crouched by your bed. You didn't even hear him come in.

"Jongho. Is something wrong?" You inquired.

"Everything is fine. Did I wake you?"

"No. I've been trying to go to sleep for hours."

"Get up."

"What?"

He merely repeated what he had just told you, leaving you no choice but to get out of bed. As he led you out onto the main deck, you noticed he had a blanket tucked under his arm, making you wonder what he was planning.

"You're not scared of heights, are you?"

"Not really. Why?"

"Follow me." Jongho grabbed your hand, pulling you towards the rigging of the ship.

He grabbed onto the ropes and began climbing. You merely watched him as he hoisted himself higher, the bright moonlight highlighting his muscular thighs and the way they strained against the fabric of his pants. He came to a stop, glancing down at you.

"Are you coming?"

You blinked, shaking yourself out of your trance. "Oh, right. Yes. I'm right behind you."

Your fingers wrapped around the coarse rope as you hooked one foot into the rigging, pulling yourself up off the deck. Thanks to your gawking, Jongho had put some distance between the two of you and you found yourself scrambling up the rigging in an attempt to catch up.

He's got a blanket tossed over his arm, how is he able to climb so fast? You wondered.

Naturally, he made it into the crow's nest before you, peering over the side with his arm outstretched towards you. Keeping a tight hold on the rigging, you let go with one hand, reaching up to clasp Jongho's, allowing him to safely pull you up into the crow's nest.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" He grinned.

"I suppose not. The view makes up for it." You responded, gazing out at the full moon reflecting off the cresting waves.

"Good. That's why I brought you up here."

He moved to sit down, you following his actions. Your back rested against the inside of the crow's nest as you gazed up at the vast array of stars above.

The sounds of the ocean could be heard all around you, the noises seeming to be magnified sitting inside the crow's nest.

"Look." Jongho pointed. "Do you see that line of stars?"

Squinting your eyes, you attempted to focus and examine the sky for any formations, but to no avail.

"I don't."

"Do you see the flickering star?"

You searched the atmosphere above, spotting it after some time.

"Ah! I see it." You responded gleefully.

"That's called Betelgeuse."

"Ooh." You nodded, gazing up at the flickering celestial body.

"It's part of a constellation called Orion."

Your head tilted to the side. "What does Orion look like?"

"Can you see the two stars to the left of Betelgeuse that form a horizontal line?"

"I do."

"Okay. Then to the right of Betelgeuse there's three stars close together that form a vertical line. Do you see that?"

You nodded.

"That's Orion's Belt."

"I see."

"Under Orion's Belt there are two stars that form sort of a triangular shape. The constellation depicts a man holding a bow. See?" He pointed and began explaining the positions of each star. "Those two stars across from each other are his head, the two to the left of Betelgeuse is his neck. If you look above that, you should see a cluster of stars that curve like a bow if you connect them."

"I do! I see it. How do you know all of this?"

"I read about it in books. I like studying constellations. Looking for constellations gives me something to do on late nights when I have to stay up and steer the ship."

A shiver ran down your spine as the chilly ocean breeze hit you suddenly, the gust seeming to come out of nowhere.

"Ah. Here." Jongho unfolded the blanket he had carried with him, laying it across both of your laps. "I thought it might be cool tonight so I brought this."

"Thank you." You pulled the blanket up a bit more, feeling the warmth cover you.

A silence settled over the atmosphere for a few drawn out moments before Jongho spoke up.

"Do you remember when I told you I had hurt people?"

"I do."

"People have always underestimated me." He began as he gazed up at the stars. "When I decided to become a pirate, no one took me seriously. I'm quite young and I don't really look scary, so people often looked down on me and brushed me off. I worked hard to get the reputation I always wanted. However, that lifestyle didn't suit me very much. I wounded many people, even killed a few. Now, I'm stuck with so many regrets."

You frowned at his words, watching the way his expression fell.

"I wanted to change, so I vowed to only hurt the ones who deserve it. My intention isn't to kill, but to intimidate and scare the person into doing what's right."

"And if they disagree?" You pressed.

"I've no mercy for people who disagree."

He said it so coldly you almost got a chill.

"And who are these people that deserve your wrath? Who falls into that category?" You questioned.

"Naval officers who wrongly accuse people, other pirates who steal from those who are in need, and those high in the ranks that are greedy."

You nodded thoughtfully. "I think that's admirable."

"You do?"

"I do. If anything, you're righting a wrong. You've changed your ways for the better and you're helping those in need by getting rid of the crooks—I suppose you're righting two wrongs."

Jongho's expression softened. He seemed grateful and maybe even a bit relieved that you understood the reasoning for his actions.

It was then that a chilly gust of wind blew by, making you realize how cold you were, even with the blanket. You sat still for a few moments before discreetly scooting closer to the young captain, stopping when you felt your shoulder pressed against his. He noticed this and glanced over, which made you momentarily worry, however that didn't last long as he scooted closer in response, his shoulder and legs now pressed against yours.

"Still cold?" He asked softly.

You nodded, your eyes staring into his brown ones.

His arm that was pressed against yours moved to drape over your shoulder as he pulled you into his side.

"How about now?" He inquired, his voice low and almost sultry.

You swallowed thickly, suddenly unable to find your voice. Your head barely nodded, Jongho's eyes darkening in response as he licked his lips.

"Let me warm you up." He murmured, bringing his hand up, his fingertips resting lightly underneath your chin as he leaned forward, guiding your lips to his.

He was gentle, kissing you lightly, not wanting to be forceful. Once you started to kiss back he kept that same soft pace, making you melt on the spot, but it didn't last very long. His kisses began to get quicker, sloppier, and much more heated as he grew more desperate. Bracing yourself by clutching onto his shirt collar, you began to reciprocate, keeping up with this new pace even though your head was beginning to fog and your thoughts became less coherent and more muddled. You felt Jongho's hand squeeze your waist, making you realize you'd moved from your original spot. Now your body was angled a bit more towards him and your legs had somehow moved to lie across his. There wasn't much time to think about that as Jongho's hand that was under your chin had now moved to rest on your thigh, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on it as he kissed you with such fervor it made your head spin. His lips latched onto your own, encasing your mouth wholly with his, the sounds of your kisses reverberating in the limited space the crow's nest provided.

Your hands unconsciously slid down his chest and abdomen, feeling every curve of his body, stopping to wrap around his waist.

It was getting increasingly difficult to catch your breath between kisses, but you didn't want to stop. Jongho parted from you, giving you a moment to breathe only to reattach his lips to your neck, making you lose your breath all over again. You let out a gasp in response, but quickly melted under his touch.

"Jongho." You sighed, bringing one of your hands to his hair, your fingers carding through the brown strands as your eyelids flittered closed.

"You're so beautiful." He murmured against your skin, his voice sending a shiver up your spine.

It didn't take long for him to reattach his lips to yours, unable to stay away for very long.

"Please be mine." He whispered lowly against your lips.

"Okay." It was the only word that came out of your mouth.

This answer caused him to pull away in surprise, his usually round eyes looking rounder.

"You will?" He questioned.

You nodded.

"Are you sure?"

"Without a doubt."

This answer made him dive in for another kiss, one so powerful it nearly knocked you backwards. Your arms wrapped around his shoulders in an attempt to steady yourself.

After another round of feverish kisses, he pulled away with half-lidded eyes and puffy, swollen lips, gazing at you with what could only be described as adoration.

"I'm so glad you chose to hide on my ship."

"Me too."

Hongjoong ⟡ Seonghwa ⟡ Yunho ⟡ Yeosang ⟡ San ⟡ Mingi ⟡ Wooyoung

Masterlist ᝰ — enjoyed this imagine? reblogs & comments are very much appreciated!

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[standfucker]

If I have read your pinned post correctly, your requests are open! (If I've read it incorrectly please ignore this (HAPPY BIRTHDAY MONTH) ).

I would love a Marco x afab they/them vibes either bullet point or drabble as you see fit based off this prompt:

You stow away on The Moby Dick –and get discovered. You stowed away because your island was going to sacrifice you!

Thank you very much if you decide to write it 🥰SFW or NSFW is fine, however the words take you =3

(hides word count) I'm not biased, I'm not biased Dx Working on this during a particularly bad day was very therapeutic. That's my reasoning for it being so long, and not because I'm obsessed with Marco.

Stowing Away to Save Yourself - Marco x Reader

CW: mentions of ritual sacrifice, questions of self-worth

The weather changes abruptly in the New World. It’s only been half a day since the Whitebeard Pirates sailed from the last island they stopped at, a cheerful summer island, and since then the snow has been falling for a few hours now. Despite the chilly wind, Marco’s in a good mood; the island natives had been friendly and let the crew participate in their harvest festival.

Whistling to himself, Marco goes to retrieve medical supplies from a crate. His tune dies as he finds you hiding inside, huddled down on a stack of boxes. Wearing practically nothing, just thin clothing that appears ceremonial, your skin is ashy and dry from exposure, and the snot is frozen to your upper lip. You’re shivering badly, one arm wrapped around your knees, the other clutching a scalpel you’ve scavenged. You point it at him, eyes wide with fear, teeth chattering.

“Oh,” is all he says at first, caught off-guard. Stowaways just don’t happen on the Moby Dick–no one would dare. But Marco quickly pushes past his surprise and analyzes the situation. Your breathing is slow and shallow despite your visible alarm; he recognizes that you’re approaching hypothermia, if not already there. He shrugs off his coat, the icy wind immediately cutting through his light clothing beneath and making the hairs on his arms stand up. “You need to get warmed up, yoi. How about we trade? That scalpel for my coat?”

You flinch when he holds his coat out to you, then eye the garment. Slowly, you scoot forward, glancing between the coat and him, like you’re waiting for him to grab you. You reach out–then snatch his coat and retreat, still gripping the scalpel. Marco watches as you hold the scalpel between your teeth while you struggle to get the coat on, then go back to pointing it his way with both hands. Oh boy. He needs to handle this delicately, as you clearly don’t trust him, which is fair enough. You likely know which ship it is you’re on, after all.

“You need to get warmed up,” he repeats. “You’re going to freeze to death. Come with me, yoi. I can find you proper clothing.” When you don’t move, he adds, “you can keep holding onto that scalpel, if you’d like.”

Marco offers you a hand. You stare at it for a second, then at him. Slowly, you try to get up, but don’t quite manage it. “I…I c-c-can’t stand up…” you say, words slurring slightly.

The slurring is a bad sign. He needs to act quickly without freaking you out. Marco holds up his hands in a passive gesture. “I’m going to come closer and pick you up, yoi,” he explains. “I promise I won’t hurt you. I’m a doctor.”

He takes a step, and you don’t flinch this time. Now confident, he closes the distance and bends down to lift you. Your skin has no warmth to it, and up close, he can see the ice forming at your tear ducts.

Marco carries you like one would carry an infant, an arm tucked under your bottom and another supporting your back. You cling to his shoulder, shivering. He emits healing flames from his body to jumpstart the rewarming process, and you make a small noise of shock, grip on him tightening.

“It’s okay. They aren’t burning you, see? I ate the Bird-Bird Fruit: Phoenix Model. My flames have healing properties,” he says.

The whole way back to the infirmary, he can feel the freezing metal of the scalpel pressed against the back of his neck, but he doesn’t take it personally. You must be panicking inside, you’re just too cold to show it. He describes what’s going to happen as he walks, both to break the silence and to help keep you calm.

“I’m going to call some nurses, and they’re going to use the infirmary shower to get you warmed up. They’ll strip you, but they’re all women,” he says. “In the meantime, I’ll get something hot for you to eat. You’re going to be okay, so just hold on a bit longer, yoi.”

Once he’s reached the infirmary and set you down, he uses the emergency transponder snail to notify Tate, the head nurse. Then he takes your temperature while you both wait for them to arrive. It’s far too low for you to even be conscious, which is impressive–you must be holding on through sheer will. Marco rests one hand on the back of your neck to continue to apply healing flames. The other, he holds out to you expectantly.

“Sorry, but you can’t have the scalpel around the nurses, yoi. They’re not pirates like the rest of us, though. You’ll be safe with them.” To his surprise, you hand him the scalpel without any fuss. He smiles. “Thank you, miss…?”

You give him your name, and he repeats it before introducing himself.

Three nurses burst into the room, making you jump. They already know the situation, so Marco reassures you. “They’re here to help. The infirmary shower is over there,” he points, “I’m going to step out now. Is that okay?”

You nod, and Marco leaves you in their capable hands.

The news of a stowaway has already spread like wildfire, his crewmates continuing to stop him to ask about it as he walks down the hall, and Marco continuing to tell them he’ll update them later. Thatch has a bowl of piping-hot soup waiting for him by the time he reaches the galley, and Marco can’t help but feel proud of the crew’s efficiency.

Meanwhile, the nurses have you under a stream of warm water, slowly bringing your temperature back up. Your brain feels foggy, like your thoughts are drifting through molasses. They gradually float faster as your core temperature increases. It’s probably better that way, you think. If you tried to process everything you’d just escaped at once, you’re pretty sure your head would explode. You don’t even want to think about your island, your people, and how awful they seem right now. Instead, you focus on everything else: the kind doctor, who spoke soothingly and moved slowly, who smiled at you instead of throwing you overboard. The nurses, who were fussing over you and monitoring the thermometer in your mouth. The ship, which seemed like a potential death trap, but was still the better alternative than certain doom.

Once the nurses are happy with your temp, you’re dried and dressed in borrowed clothing. You tell the nurses they can throw your old clothes away, that you never want to see “those rags” again. When you come out of the shower, Marco’s waiting for you with a tray of food. He has you sit in a patient bed and sets the tray down on the extendable table, double-checking your temperature for himself. One of the nurses gripes at him for doing so, he sheepishly apologizes, and then they leave the two of you alone.

Your first sip of the soup is cautious, but once you taste it, you lift the bowl directly to your mouth and chug, nearly burning your mouth in the process. Marco smiles.

“Our ship’s cook does good work, doesn’t he?” he says. “Eat as much as you’d like. There’s plenty more, yoi.”

You don’t reply. Now that you’re all warmed up, your thoughts are moving a mile a minute, and you’d rather stuff your face than dwell on any of them.

Marco perks slightly when he hears you sniffle. You should be warm now, but–oh. You’re tearing up as you eat, hands quivering just a little bit. He leans his head on his fist, watching you.

“I suppose the only reason you’d escape that beautiful island of yours is if you had no choice,” he guesses. “Still, you’re brave to stow away on an Emperor’s ship–”

“I’m not,” you cut him off, swallowing hard. The tears begin to run down your cheeks. “I’m a coward and a disgrace.”

“What makes you say that?”

You wipe your eyes with your sleeve and look down. “...I was supposed to be a sacrifice.”

Marco’s eyes widen. Such practices are exceptionally rare nowadays, and the island had seemed so peaceful and prosperous, all the villagers kindly and energetic.

“We always have a bountiful harvest after,” you explain, eyes distant. “It happens on the last night of the festival. I was chosen as the next virgin maiden sacrifice. I’m not even a maiden! It’s…It’s not fair…” Your bottom lip quivers. “I didn’t want to die.”

“There’s certainly nothing wrong with that, yoi,” Marco says, shocked.

“There is! Now my family will be shamed, and they’re just going to kill someone else,” you covered your face, your next words coming out through sobs. “I couldn’t do it and someone else is going to die in my place. I’m such a coward! Such a coward…”

“Hey now, hey,” he says softly, unable to stop himself from reaching out to you. He rests his hands on your shoulders, bending down to your level. “It’s okay. You were right to run. It’s okay.”

Rather than flinching, you lean toward him, desperate for any sort of comfort, and he pulls you into his chest, hugging you tightly and letting you cry and blubber on about how sorry you are.

“Don’t worry about your village anymore,” he says, rubbing your back, “you’re safe now, and that’s what matters. You did the right thing, and now you get to have your whole life ahead of you, yoi.”

“But I…” you hiccup.

Marco cradles your face in his hands and gently lifts it so you’re looking at him. “Defying one’s fate is the bravest thing that anyone can do.”

You stare back into his eyes. Somehow, despite having just met him, you know that he means what he says. To not hang onto his words is impossible, and to not be a little taken with him from then on is even more so.

At first you don’t muster up the courage to leave the infirmary, even though you’re given the all-clear to move about. You do puzzles and draw venting, angry pictures with the things Marco provides you with. Eventually, he manages to convince you to come out with a little coaxing and reassurance. You stay glued to his side, trusting no one else, and stay firmly behind him when meeting new crewmates, peering out from his arm with a death grip on his jacket. Your legs shake when you meet Whitebeard.

The crew is friendly enough, and once Whitebeard learns your story, he gruffly reassures you that you can sail with them. You slowly begin to relax, though you still don’t leave Marco alone. He’s frequently busy, so you follow him around as he goes about his day. He doesn’t seem to mind, even teasingly calling you “duckling” for it. The only place you leave him be are in his own quarters, letting him have his privacy. You sleep in the womens’ quarters with the nurses, having decided it’s the least intimidating option.

As each day goes by, you gain more confidence. You start letting Marco out of your sight for periods of time, opting to stay by the people he hangs out with the most instead. Anyone he seems to have a high regard for, you’re willing to be around–he trusts them, so you begin to trust them, too. Each of them finds some common ground with you. For example, Thatch asks you about the food customs on your home island, though he quickly notices it’s a sore subject and changes the topic. The galley is under operation 24-7 to feed such a large crew, so he doesn’t mind letting you help out to give you something to do. When he has the time, he shows you some knife techniques and tricks. You try to mimic a complex trick, flipping the knife between your fingers, and end up slicing your index finger. When you tell Marco about it that night, he asks to see.

“It’s not bad,” you say as he peels off the bandage. “Just a little cut. Thatch said I need to take it slow...He’s nice.”

“Don’t let his charm fool you. He can be a real wiseass,” Marco chuckles, inspecting the thin scab. “Do you like to learn new things, yoi?”

“Mhm. Back home, I hadn’t picked out a trade to learn yet, because I couldn’t decide. So I just worked.”

He places his index finger over the scab, and a small, blue flame flickers out from the point of contact. It lights up the surrounding darkness with soft, cobalt light. You’re transfixed, having not seen his ability since you first met him a few weeks ago. You start to feel funny in your chest, and aren’t sure if it’s a side-effect of his ability, or if it’s because he’s holding your hand so very gently right now. His hands are warm.

“What did you do?” Marco asks.

“Farming stuff, mostly. Harvesting the fields. Sometimes I watched my neighbor’s kids, or helped out at the local market. I tried to do what I was supposed to, which was experiment and figure out a path. But I guess my problem is that I didn’t know what I wanted, even at my age. I stagnated…” you voice lowers. “That’s why…”

“Don’t think about it like that,” Marco interrupts. “I can’t say I know what your elders’ decision-making process is. But there’s never a good reason to take a life, and definitely not because it helps everyone else prosper, yoi. You deserve better.”

“They’re not bad people,” you say, sighing. “They’re… I don’t know. I don’t know why they would do that. I don’t know what to think anymore.”

“I don’t blame you for feeling conflicted. They treated you well until then, I assume.”

You nod, feeling your throat get a bit tight. “Yeah.”

Marco lifts his hand from yours, and to your amazement, the cut is gone, not even a scar left in its place. You gasp, having never actually seen his powers work in such a tangible way.

“It’s healed!” you say, rubbing at the spot as if it would dispel the illusion. “No way! Marco, you’re amazing!”

He chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck. “Aw, shucks. It was nothing, yoi.”

“What a wonderful devil fruit! I was always told they’re bad news, but that can’t be true for all of them.”

“It’s more that the people who eat them are usually the ambitious, power-seeking type.”

“That doesn’t sound like you. Why did you eat it?”

Marco looks up at the stars for a moment, reminiscing. “My home island was in shambles. Couldn’t pay the heavenly tax, so it was complete chaos. When I came across the fruit, I didn’t know what type it was…but I hoped it could give me a better life, somehow.”

“Did it?”

He smiled sadly. “No, but Pops docked at my island not long after, and forcibly adopted me…And my power helps my brothers, so I can’t say I regret it, yoi!”

You smile. “Well, I’m glad you were the one who ate it. To help others…it suits someone like you. You deserve that devil fruit.”

A faint tinge of pink colors Marco’s cheeks, and he awkwardly thanks you for the comment, rubbing the back of his neck again.

The days pass by, and you see less of Marco as you spend more time with the crew. Ace immediately takes to treating you like a brother, and decides to teach you how to defend yourself, showing you how to handle a dagger. The crewmates watching all give their input on which weapon you should learn to use (theirs, usually) until Vista says a dagger makes the most sense for you and quiets them down. Though his towering size is a bit intimidating at first, Vista is just as warm and open as most of them, and he becomes the third person after Marco and Whitebeard in which you divulge your story.

“What a daring escape!” is his response, which warms you up to him right away.

Vista lets you sit on his shoulder to look out over the sea. So does Jozu, who shows off his devil fruit power afterward just to enjoy your marveling. Jozu insists that you try and stab him while he’s all “rocked out,” and laughs when your borrowed dagger glances harmlessly off his diamond hide. Right after his demonstration, Blamenco insists that his power is even more astounding: Your eyes nearly pop out of your head when he pulls a comically large hammer out of his own body. And once one crewmate starts showing off, they all want in, and that afternoon is spent with various displays of weaponry, skill showcasing, and a lot of posturing. The crew bickers as easily as they laugh together.

Marco stops by to see what the commotion is, and finds you laughing, too, in the middle of the crowd. He smiles to himself.

“Everyone’s so much fun,” you tell him that night, huddled next to him in the crow’s nest. It’s your first time being there, having braved the climb with Marco’s encouragement that he could fly down and catch you if you slipped. Now that you’re within it, you’re not as tense, but the height makes you nervous, so you sit right against Marco.  “Crazy, but fun. I didn’t know pirates could be like this. Especially not an Emperor’s crew.”

“Life is funny like that, isn’t it?” he responds. “You can never be sure about anything in this world.”

“I’m sure that you have a great crew.”

He chuckles. “I think so too.”

“I really thought you guys were gonna kill me, you know? I only stowed away on the small chance I could hide away until the next island.”

“Better for you that your plan fell through, yoi. Speaking of which… We’re due to arrive at another island soon to restock.” He tilts his head at you. “What do you want to do?”

You think about it for a minute. “I’m not sure…I guess I have to disembark, right?” You’ve helped around the ship where you could, your practical skills coming in handy for many small jobs. If you weren’t cleaning, you were helping the cooks in the galley, or making repairs to weapons and armor, or doing maintenance on the ship. “To be honest, I still don’t know what I want to do.”

“Nothing wrong with that. That just means you can keep on trying new things.”

“You’re pretty optimistic.”

He pauses, looking at you. “Was your indecision looked down upon before?”

“Shouldn’t it be?” you ask. “It’s healthy to have a path in life.”

“Is that a saying from your home village?”

“It is.”

He smiles wryly. “Coming from a place that makes ritual sacrifices, I’d question their wisdom, yoi. Wouldn’t you?”

You blink, a bit stunned by his words. You’d never really thought about it like that. “...They’re not bad people.”

“So you’ve said. But I wouldn’t want you going back there, myself. Good people can make bad decisions.”

“I…” you fall quiet. After a minute, he looks at you and is surprised to see you tearing up. “Sorry. I’m just…I’m so relieved.”

“Don’t apologize, yoi.” Marco drapes an arm over your shoulders. With his other hand, he wipes away your tears. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Your heartbeat picks up from the contact. “Um! No. I mean, yes?” You avoid his gaze, looking guilty. “I kind of…I kind of miss them. Isn’t that ridiculous?”

“Of course not. It’s still your home.”

A few more tears run down your cheeks, and you giggle nervously when he wipes those away, too. “S-Stop that. I can wipe my own face.”

“Ah, let me fuss, yoi,” he says, pinching your cheek. “It’s good for you.”

“What is?” You bat his hand away. 

“Being taken care of. I take it you’re not used to that, either.”

You shrug. “I’m an adult…I’m usually the one taking care of others. Especially since I’m unmarried.”

“You mentioned not being a ‘maiden’ once. Is that why you remained single?”

“Kind of. It’s not normal to be…like that where I’m from. I was expected to get married and have children, and if not, then to at least choose a trade to work in. But since I couldn’t do even that, I, uh…” you laugh awkwardly, avoiding his gaze, “I’m kind of considered useless…”

Marco doesn’t respond. After a minute, you glance his way nervously. He’s staring off, and there’s a dark look in his eyes. “You were chosen for that reason, then. It wasn’t random.”

“Yeah.”

“Y/n.”

“Yeah?” you say, and he looks at you intently.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

Suddenly your throat gets dry, and the tears come straight back. Overwhelmed with feeling, you lean your head against his shoulder. “Thanks.”

Marco tilts your chin up to look at him. “I know this is all unfamiliar. The crew is rowdy and rambunctious, and the ship is crowded. You’re both brave and resilient to have endured it thus far, and I’m proud of you for getting along with everyone.”

You can’t help but smile at that. “It’s really not so bad,” you say. His gaze is intense, so you look up at the sky instead. “At least the stars are familiar, even if our constellations are different.”

He nudges you. “Tell me about them.”

You point up at the night sky, explaining how the northern section of stars form a constellation of a great bird. The Crow, it’s called.

“That one, above the cloud?” Marco points, and you shake your head. Taking his hand, you point it to the correct star, moving his hand to trace out the imaginary line between them. Below that one is the Farmer, eternally on the lookout for the Crow, and next to her, the Plow, and the Oxen that pull it…

The ship rocks gently, the night air cool and comfortable, and Marco is warm against your side. You name constellations until your eyelids grow heavy and your hand drifts down. Marco asks you about the next one, but you no longer respond. Looking down, he sees that you’ve fallen asleep.

That night, you dream of being carried by the Crow, made of soft blue starlight, descending from the heavens to carry you in its talons, and gently drop you into bed.

The rest of the week flies by, and soon, the Whitebeard Pirates dock at the next island. It’s one of Whitebeard’s territories, so everyone is relaxed and upbeat. You sit on the railing and watch crewmates go to and from the ship with boxes of supplies.

“It seems like a nice place,” you tell Marco, who looks up from his checklist. “I have to make a decision now. Figure out where I go from here…”

“Do you want to stay longer?” Marco asks bluntly, making you gape at him.

“Is that even allowed?”

“I doubt anyone would oppose it, but you still have to ask Pops.” The thought of asking Whitebeard is scary enough to make you hesitate, and Marco chuckles. “I can go with you, if you’d like.”

“No,” you say, surprising him. “I'll do it myself.”

At Marco’s suggestion, you wait until after dinner, by which time Whitebeard’s had a few enormous mugs of beer in him. Still, you have to resist the urge to shake in your boots. Whitebeard hasn’t talked to you much in the month you’ve been on board, and while he’s never been cruel, he is loud, brash, and seems to take up even more space than he already does with the grand aura that hangs about him.

“What do you want, squirt?” he asks before you can even say anything, brows drawn together like he’s read your mind and already made a decision.

“Uh…Um, I…” you stammer.

“Speak up.”

You swallow and raise your voice. “I…I wanna…Um…”

“Louder. My ears aren’t what they used to be.”

You step forward, close your eyes, and shout, “Pops, can I sail with you a while longer?!”

The deck is silent. Not a single crewmate makes a peep. Whitebeard’s eyebrows raise, and slowly, the corner of his lips curl up, just a little.

“You may,” is all he says, but you nearly fall over in relief, all your tension lifted in a second.

You turn away, but go rigid when he adds, “What do you say?”

“T-Thank you!” you bow to Whitebeard, who grunts and waves a hand dismissively.

You get to know more people as time passes. Jiru and Kingdew teach you the basics of working the rigging to haul in sails, and with some direction and careful observation, let you help out the crew in hoisting them one day. It's a strenuous activity made easier by many hands, but you still work up a sweat. They both pat you on the back after. “As you get stronger, it gets easier,” Jiru says.

You do get stronger over the weeks. Faster, too. Ace has gone from teaching you to handle a weapon to straight-up teaching you how to handle yourself in a fight. You get a lot of physical activity on the ship, and always fall asleep easily as a result. You rest well…most of the time. Your escape from your island still eats at you on occasion, crawling up your back at night to linger at the edges of your mind. During the day, you’re too distracted by action and others to think much of it, but there’s no stopping it when you’re alone with your thoughts.

One night, Marco finds himself unable to sleep. Rather than fighting it, he gets up to go for a nighttime flight. He finds that the freedom of the sky sets his mind at ease–perhaps it has to do with his zoan instincts. He perches on the railing of the ship, transforms, and spreads his wings, letting the wind catch him and lift him up. With no heat in the night air, he has to flap hard to gain some altitude, but once he gets up higher, he’s able to soar beneath the stars, the wind whipping his crest and tail feathers.

Though the crew’s used to him in this shape, he still doesn’t fully transform all that often, so some crewmates working the night shift stop to watch for a while. He doesn’t mind, angling his wings to fly in a wide circle around the ship. It’s then that he notices who’s in the crow’s nest–Rakuyo, and huddled up next to him, you. Rakuyo’s flask is in your hand, you’re holding onto his arm, and with Marco’s sharp zoan vision, he can see the tear streaks on your cheeks. He’s immediately concerned, and a bit bothered. You’re not normally touchy with anyone but him, and while he trusts Rakuyo, Marco isn’t fond of how his drinking habits can cloud his judgment–and yours.

Marco tilts his wings and cuts a sharp, neat curve, landing gracefully on the edge of the crow’s nest. You stare at him, eyes huge, and he can’t help feeling a bit conceited at your obvious wonder.

“Hey, Marco,” Rakuyo greets him.

“Rakuyo,” he nods. “Y/n. Is everything okay, yoi?”

You sniffle and nod.

“They couldn’t sleep,” Rakuyo says. “Had a bad dream.”

“Is that right?” Marco can’t help the annoyance in his tone, and Rakuyo notices, looking suddenly uncertain.

“Nip of whiskey always helps put me back to sleep,” Rakuyo explains quickly.

“And how did you plan on getting them back down the mast afterward?” Marco tilts his head, eyes narrowed.

“Uh…Well, I could carry them?”

“You’re drinking too, yoi.”

“Er…”

You speak up then, still wide-eyed. “You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

Marco doesn’t know if phoenixes can blush, but he feels the heat rise to his cheeks all the same. Rakuyo glances at you, his grimace flipping into a grin. “Okay, maybe they’ve had enough.”

Marco transforms most of his body back, leaving his wings out for a moment just to watch your awestruck expression. He hops into the crow’s nest.

“Well, if you’re here, I’ll leave them to you,” Rakuyo says, plucking his flask from your hands. He pats your shoulder and stands up fast, eager to avoid Marco’s ire. “Chin up, kiddo,” he says to you, then hurries away down the mast, leaving you two alone.

You hiccup.

Marco sighs, sitting down next to you. “Bad dream, huh?”

“Yeah.” You look up at him with those big, sad eyes, and Marco feels his heart clench. “What about you?”

“Just restless, yoi.”

“But you work so hard.”

“Heh, thanks for noticing. I can’t say why I’m unable to sleep right now.” He reaches to wipe your tears away, and you let him, leaning your head on his shoulder afterward.

“You felt my pain and came out. Now you’re here.” You close your eyes. “You’re such a good doctor…”

Marco laughs. “I think you need some water, yoi.” He pats your head, and you look up at him. “If I go get you some, will you be okay up here by yourself?”

You nod. “I won’t be scared. Well…maybe a little…but I’ll be okay!”

“That’s my little duckling,” he smiles. “I’ll be quick.”

A few minutes later, Marco’s back with a canteen. He settles back next to you as you drink.

“Do you want to talk about it, yoi?” he asks.

“Talk about what?”

“You dream.”

Your face falls, and you seem to deflate a little. “...Yeah,” you say. “Even after that whiskey, I couldn’t forget it.”

“I’m all ears.”

You chug some more water and wipe your mouth with the back of your hand. “I had a dream that my friend was sacrificed in my place.” You sink even lower, curling up.

“Oh, love.”

“I know a sacrifice was made after I left. Some poor girl, who had no idea her time was suddenly up. And I can’t help but feel like it’s my fault. Like if only I accepted my fate, things would be better for everyone.”

Marco drapes an arm around your shoulders and hugs you to his side. “Do you really believe that?”

“I don’t know. I don’t want to believe it.” You settle against him. “Everyone here is so…so content. So free. So sure of themselves.”

“Maybe on the surface, yoi.” He rubs your arm. “Nobody’s perfect.”

You look up at him. “Do you really think I’m brave?”

“Do you really think I deserve my devil fruit?”

The question catches you off guard. “Oh. Well, yeah, of course. I’ve always believed that, since I’ve met you.”

“I feel the same way. You’re one of the bravest people I’ve ever met, yoi.” He smiles softly. “It’s no easy feat to go against the wishes of your entire village.”

You drop your head to hide your smile. Marco reminds you to keep drinking, and you do so, sipping at the canteen until the water’s almost gone.

“Marco?”

“Yes?”

“Will you tell me about the constellations you grew up learning?”

Marco points up to the sky. “You see the Crow up there, like you showed me a while ago? Take the star forming the tip of the wing, and go south…”

“There?” You point.

“Close.” This time, Marco takes your hand, guiding you to the correct star. “That triangle of stars that connects to that square–back home, we called it the Forge. And that one, the one your people called the Farmer? We called the same formation the Hunter.”

With a gentle voice and a gentler touch, Marco points out a few more constellations. The Unicorn. The Sickle. The Loom. As he points out the last star forming the Chariot, you both fall silent. He doesn’t let go of your wrist. Slowly, he slides his hand up your wrist to hold your own, interlacing your fingers together.

Your heart skips in your chest. The both of you lower your intertwined hands, until you’re just sitting there holding hands. You look at each other. Marco’s blushing.

Carefully, gradually, Marco lowers his head, and softly presses his lips to yours.

The ship rocks gently, the night air cool and comfortable, Marco is warm against you, and you know right then there’s nowhere else in the world you’d rather be.

Breaking the kiss, Marco cups your cheek and presses his forehead gently to yours.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

#marco x reader #x reader #marco one piece #zen writes #replies #finished requests #quinloki

[leohtttbriar]

there's something really young about b'elanna. like i don't want to say "innocent" because that implies way too much, but the timbre is there? from some combination of her honesty and rawness, she seems like a skinny and lonesome stowaway that just happens to be the best engineer on board, and the depth of her understanding of the ship is balanced by her newness with so much else.

the fact that she's asking for spiritual guidance to begin with is sweet. the fact that she's asking chakotay, whose spirituality she's already loudly explained and defended when chakotay hadn't been able to himself, is doubly sweet. it's like she knows, through chakotay, that these answers exist and she's asking for them now, whether or not she would under any other circumstance and whether or not she would believe them. and it's significant because this circumstance is: simply waiting for something mysterious to happen, acknowledging there is nothing left to do, accepting powerlessness. which is almost like the whole of the voyager journey. b'elanna seems like the least concerned (sort of) with the fact of being thousands of light years from home given that she has professed to have no home to return to. the maquis, she said, were her home. chakotay is there who represents that home she found. so in this moment she is young in her acceptance rather than cold, reaching out for the intangible like a kid reaching for a telescope to see a shore beyond the curve of the earth. i don't know. it's just so sweet.

#star trek #voyager #b'elanna torres #she also just seems so new to her own self constantly. which is also yoot behavior #i loved this moment

[anonymousboxcar]

TTTE/RWS Headcanons: Tabitha

Tabitha is a cat who appears in a TTTE annual story called “Gordon’s Stowaway.” I just really like playing around with the idea of a railway cat who adores Gordon (and whom Gordon adores in return, lol)!

—————————— -Within Tabitha’s first week in Tidmouth Sheds, a workbench became swamped with cat toys brought in by cleaners and engine crews. Yarn, felt mice, battery-powered doodads — you name it!

-This is partly because of Tabitha’s inherent cuteness. It’s also because NWR employees discovered bringing a new toy was the fastest way to curry favor with Gordon.

-Gordon insists on inspecting every new toy, ensuring it’s “suitable” for her. Nine times out of ten, he accepts this latest tribute with the loftiness of a medieval lord.

(-The one time out of ten is anything with catnip. Gordon still hasn’t recovered from what he calls The Incident.)

-But Tabitha’s favorite toy is a simple feather. The engines take turns having someone lay it across their funnels. Then, they let off steam. The feather goes flying and she jumps after it.

-Tabitha doesn’t share Gordon’s musical tastes. The first time they put on his tape of The Magic Flute, she hid under his buffers for an hour. Still feeling guilty, Gordon now refrains from playing his opera tapes whenever she’s there.

-The others sometimes exploit this, coaxing her into the sheds so they don’t have to listen to the “Night Aria” for the hundredth time.

-She seems indifferent to the other engines’ preferences, as long as it’s at a reasonable volume. With James’ jazz CDs, however, she curls up on her cushion and goes straight to sleep. James and Gordon still bicker over whether she’s comfortable or bored by his music.

-If one of them is in a bad headspace, she’ll sit with them on their running board and purr. Nobody knows how she knows, but it’s clear she has a sixth sense for it. And she always makes them feel better.

-Tabitha has her own YouTube channel! Run by a cleaner at the sheds, it mostly consists of short clips: chasing birds, slow-blinking at the person behind the camera, playing with string, etc.

-For a short while, none of her viewers knew she was the NWR’s cat. That changed with a video of her running to Gordon as he came back to the sheds, meowing at him.

-(Not only did the video go viral, but the moment Gordon’s face lit up upon seeing her became the most viewed part of the video.)

-Tabitha’s Internet fame has since been used to spearhead various causes: fundraising for other heritage railways, railway safety campaigns, and so on.

-Thomas also has a tongue-in-cheek, one-sided rivalry with Tabitha over who should be the mascot of the NWR. It’s mostly something he plays up to amuse visiting children or to spur on fundraising. (The others make sure he doesn’t get too into it, though.)

-When there’s no mice to chase out of the sheds, Tabitha joins Gordon on his morning trains. A porter brings along her cushion, from which she watches the scenery go by. The coaches adore her and scold any passengers who disturb her.

-The first time Gordon had to go to the works after Tabitha settled in, he figured she would be fine at Tidmouth in his absence. The others would care for her.

-And they did. So much so, in fact, that they caved to her mournful meowing and pacing in Gordon’s empty berth. Gordon couldn’t be upset after Henry explained this to him, Tabitha jumping into his cab.

-Tabitha’s clinginess is her one bad habit. Since she can’t always be at the works with Gordon, everyone does their best to keep her occupied and happy. Even the Fat Controller will slip her a treat.

#ttte #rws #the railway series #ttte headcanon #rws headcanons #my headcanons #ttte tabitha #ttte gordon #ttte james #ttte thomas #ttte henry #ttte sir topham hatt #the feather thing might be unrealistic but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ #please let me have trains playing with a cat lol

[iamnot-crazy]

Stowaway Chapter 2

Trafalgar Law x Fem!Reader

Info: This is my first time posting a story on Tumblr and my first time writing a x reader.

Summary:

The reader is a slave to a nobleman due to her devil's fruit ability which allows her to control the emotions of the people around her. She flees to bump into Trafalgar Law and boards his ship.

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11

A month has passed since you joined the crew and it has been the best month of your life. While the crew was extremely orderly and clean when the captain was around the moment he turned his back they turned into a silly band of pranksters. Despite the captain's serious nature, everyone knows he has the devilish personality of a prankster and retaliates with his pranks whenever one is enacted upon him but will deny it was ever him. 

You have solidified your role as the crew's therapist who everyone goes to when they need an ear which you are happy to lend. You haven't used your powers once on anyone unless it was for a medical reason in which you will put them to sleep so as far as everyone on board is aware your power is to make people fall asleep. You try to offer your ability to law whenever they are forming plans to take on enemies but he will only use it to put people to sleep to keep up with the illusions the crew have placed upon themselves. 

Law is also the only person who knows your secret so you continue to take showers in the dead of night to hide your tattoo until one day Law stood in your path. He stood right outside his office waiting for you to make your normal path to the shower room after everyone was asleep, "Why do you sneak off to the showers every night?" He asked when he spotted you. the glow from his office illuminated his figure but hid his facial expression. 

You paused startled at his appearance in the hall. "I uh like my peaceful showers." You lie looking away from him. 

He just hummed and gestured for you to follow him into his office to which you complied. His office was a mess covered with paperwork and opened books. You could barely find his desk under the stacks of books and the floor was not any clearer but had a path leading to the desk. He sat in his chair, "So are you going to tell me the truth?" he asked crossing his legs and putting his chin in his hands awaiting a response. 

"I have a mark I don't want anyone to see." You admitting. 

He nodded, "May I see?" You blushed the tattoo was on your hip and if you were to show him you would have to unzip your uniform and reveal more than you wished. "It's your slave mark isn't it?" He asked when he noticed you blushing. You nod but do not make any moves to reveal the mark. "Y/N I am a doctor I have seen a lot worse, can you show me?" 

Realizing your captain is correct and persistent you unzip your suit revealing your bra and unzip it down to your waist where the red tattoo was with a dot with three triangles around it sat on your hip. "A celestial dragon mark??" He commented reaching out for the tattoo with shock and horror. You flinched away at the words and went to cover it up. He looked up at your expression to see it shift to horror and your eyes become red. He is surprised no one else noticed your eyes shift color when feeling intense emotions like now but then again the rest of the crew probably isn't looking at your eyes as much as he does. 

"it's ok." he assured grabbing your waist and pulling you back, "He can't hurt you anymore." He pulled back the uniform looking at the tattoo again, "Do you want me to remove it?" 

You froze at the thought, You have seen other freed slaves cover their marks by burning the sun pirate logo over it but removing it you wanted nothing more than to be rid of your past. You looked over at your captain trembling while you nodded your head unable to get the words out. 

He grabbed your hand reassuringly and helped you zip your uniform back up while your arms shook, "Let's go to the medical room where it is a bit more sterile." He said and held your hand while he guided you to the medical room the place you crashed when you first boarded. He grabbed you by the hips and placed you on the medical table before turning to his tools. "get undressed while I get my supplies," he ordered with his back turned.

You shakily pull the zipper of your uniform down and leave it sitting just above your knees. You looked over at the tattoo and all the horrible memories it held until a hand was placed on top of it. The inky hand of your captain. "Do you want to hold my hand?" He asked still covering the tattoo with one hand and holding his other hand out for you which you placed your gloved hand into. "Your real hand." You shook your head knowing your current emotions were intense, "I can handle it, let me share it." He slipped off your glove before placing his hand into your own his eyes immediately filled with tears but he took a breath and sucked them in looking bravely into your eyes to inspire you to do the same.

Still holding your hand he cleans the tattoo with an alcohol wipe before saying, "Room," and you were surrounded by the blue dome of his devil fruit, "Scaple" He used his power to painlessly remove the ink that stained you skin, he kept repeating "Scaple" until there was no more red ink inside of you.

You looked down to see your bare skin and a wave of relief came over you, years of torture seemed to have vanished. You smiled widely with tears in your eyes as you met your captain's eyes who mimicked your expression with an unfitting smile. The most you have seen your captain smile is the devilish smirk he gives when he gains the upper hand in battle or a prank. Your smile turns into laughter at his face and his smile grows more. It wasn't until Law looked down at your bare body that you became flustered and quickly pulled your hand away, your eyes shifted Pink and your face turned red. 

Law instantly turned his face away from yours and turned around. "It's gone now you don't need to sneak off in the middle of the night just for a shower." He coughed keeping his face away as you zip your uniform back up and jumped off the table. 

You walk over to your captain place a small kiss on his cheek and whisper a thank you before walking out the room and to your bed. As you closed the door your back hit the wall and you looked down at your hand that flustered feeling was not your own you could tell. Your ability seemed to have evolved again and this time you could feel your captain's emotions and it was one of arousal.

In the medical room, Law sat with his head in his hands blushing tremendously. 

***

A week had passed and you and your captain didn't speak about the interaction again and he tried to avoid looking at you still trying to decipher if the feeling he had that night was his own.

The crewmates started to notice your comfort levels around them rising now taking showers in the morning still before everyone else had woken but no longer afraid of someone walking in. You also now change into your pajamas with Ikkaku instead of insisting on going to sleep in your uniform. And your fear of tearing your uniform during battle has decreased once you dodge a knife causing it to tear your uniform revealing your mid-drift but confidently continued to fight Law looked intensely at the bare skin where the tattoo was admiring his work as he would say.

But one con arrived with your new-found confidence and that is that you don't walk past Law's office every night allowing him to listen to the small pitter-patter of your steps. One night he was sitting at his desk staring at the door waiting to hear the pitter-patter that he knew would never come. He sighed closing his book ready to call it a night when he heard that familiar sound. the steps stopped at his door and was followed by a soft knock on the door. "Come in." He said as calmly as he could. The door opened slowly revealing you in the doorway. "y/n, how can I help you" he said pretending to be surprised that it was you who had entered.

"Something has been bothering me since the other night," You said walking into the room. Law heartrate jumped thinking you meant the feelings he shared that night.  

You walked in and shuffled some books out of the way of the floor so you could sit in the corner facing him, "How did you know that I was walking to the showers every night after everyone has gone to sleep?" you asked.

Law released a breath and his heart rate returned, "Because you would walk past my office every night."

"But sometimes I would go at 3 in the morning." You stated.

Law just shrugged, "And?"

You shook your head at the insomniac captain of yours, "When do you sleep I always see you at the bridge first thing in the morning."

Law sighed, "Sleeping does not come easy for me," He admitted. 

"Would you like me to help with that?" You asked.

Law shook his head, "I promised you that I would never ask you to use your powers." 

"For anything, I don't want to." You cut him off defiantly, "I want to help you with this."

Law's head snapped at you in surprise, he will admit he has been thinking about the day you calmed him with your powers for a while and that night he was able to get the best sleep he had since he was a child. He searched your eyes to see a beautiful purple of determination and conviction. He was not going to be able to change your mind. He sighed in defeat, "Feeling calm for once would be nice." 

You jumped up in celebration, you removed your glove to reveal the 5 dots shining a color grey and held it up which Law returned by placing his hand on top of yours and instantly relaxed his shoulders and felt the wave of calmness dance over him. You held your hand with him for a full minute to allow the full effects of your feel fruit to take over him and last through the night. 

When you removed your hand he took a deep relaxing breath looking up and smiling at you thankfully. "Thank you, Y/N. Let's go to bed." He got up and opened the door for the two of you turning off the lights. He placed his hand on your back as he guided you back to the bunks thanking you once more before turning to head toward his room where he fell on his bed and immediately fell asleep with no thought swarming his brain. 

The next morning the entire crew noticed their captain in a happier state giving everyone a day off on the beach of the island they just landed on. No one questioned it and quickly took advantage of their day of play. The crew decided to sport the swimwear that they picked up at the last town they went to and have a fun beach day. Law could not keep his eyes off you confidently revealing your stomach.

***

Next Chapter

#trafalgar law #trafalgar d water law #trafalgar d law x reader #one piece #one piece x reader #fem!reader

[theladyofmanyfandomsfanfiction]

Stowaway Cloak (2/3)

Characters: Stephen Strange, Reader - platonic

Warning: None.

Summary: You return to visit an old friend but find that something has hidden itself in your suitcase.

Miniseries - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 (final)

The party seemed louder than any battle that you had fought and you somehow had found yourself in the circle of the Mayor who was chatting up a storm about scientific funding. You had been trained in the mystic arts and knew how to hold yourself in a situation of torture but you weren’t prepared to endure an endlessly boring conversation that was undoubtedly wasting your time.

Having been feigning interest and politeness for a good twenty-two minutes, you excused yourself and engaged in conversation with another circle of elites who talked about cellular regeneration which slightly peaked your interest – completely deafening you to the loud thump that came from the room above the party hall.

The Cloak of Levitation had promised to stay put but when a shimmering red spark turned into a portal, it peered through the hood of the suitcase and watched quietly as a pair of black-dusted boots landed on the floor with a loud bang. 

The intruder treaded carefully to a corner of the room and as their back was turned to the door, the cloak silently slipped out of the case and under the thin crack.

“It’s highly theoretical at this very moment but we’re close to achieving an actual scientific break-through.” One of the scientists said back at the party and was appraised by his circle of socialites. 

You nodded with the others and raised your glass of champagne. “I’ve heard of a place that’s already achieved such a feat.” You chuckled, causing the group to fall quiet in the hopes that you’d further an explanation.

Just as you realised what you had just insinuated and thought about how to fix this conversation without revealing secrets, a bright silver gleam hit your eye. Looking over to where it came from, your heart stopped when you saw the Cloak hiding behind a wall.

“You were saying Y/n…?” Another doctor wondered, forcing you to snap back to the circle of people who were still waiting for you to speak.

“Oh, I was saying that I’ve heard of a place but the reporter on the story was said to be fired the very next day due to it being false.” You covered with a shrug. “Some people will do anything for a story, right?”

The merry band of men and women raised the glasses and laughed at your comment in agreement, resuming their drinking and topics of medical breakthroughs while you set your glass down on the nearest table and excused yourself.

Making a mad, yet subtle, dash over to the Cloak, you sighed once you were out of ear-shot and sight. “I thought I told you to-”

You were unable to finish the scolding as the red fabric coiled around your wrist and pulled it up the staircase and back towards the room.

You were just a little way away from the door when the cloak stopped you in your tracks and tapped over where you had hidden your sling ring on a chain around your neck.

Putting the pieces together, you knew that something dangerous had set foot in the home and that the Cloak was attempting to protect the lives that laughed beneath them.

You slipped on the relic that allowed you to open portals and took in a deep breath. You stepped forward but instead of touching the wooden floor panels, you were lifted into the air by the Cloak as it carried you to the doorway like a magic carpet, despite being slightly crooked and unstable.

You raised your hand to the door handle and turned it as you swung the panel open and instantly summoned the mirror dimension. The decision turned out to be a wise choice as you were met with a zealot who followed in Kaecilius’ mad plans of destruction.

The zealot turned and tossed the book he held on the floor. “Where is the cloak?” He demanded.

You stepped off and brought the cloak up to be displayed. “Right here.”

The zealot took a step forward and you forced the cape behind the wall of the Mirror Dimension for its protection, sealing it out.

“Give it to me.” The zealot demanded which only made you laugh at him.

Clearly, he didn’t know what you were capable of. Taking a step forward, you ignored the banging on the invisible wall by the cloak and smiled at the enemy.

“If you so much as touch a thread – I’ll end you.”

The zealot smirked at the confidence and leapt forward, summoning a red-axe almost instantly and swinging it at your head. You anticipated the attack and created a gold shield that had started to show streams of white to keep you from being torn in half. 

Once the axe hit the shield, you exerted enough energy to throw the zealot backwards into your bookshelf. Hopefully no one was missing your absence below.

Miniseries - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 (final)

Masterlist here

#theladyofmanyfandomsfanfiction #theladyofmanyfandoms #gif is not mine #doctor strange imagine #doctor strange x reader #doctor stephen strange imagine #doctor stephen strange x reader #dr strange imagine #dr strange x reader #stephen strange x reader #stephen strange imagine #sorcerer supreme imagine #sorcerer supreme x reader #mcu imagine #mcu x reader #marvel x reader #marvel imagine