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#goddamn so many ship names
star-mail · 3 months
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repost cause i decided they deserve their own post
breaking my silence,, liujiuplane <3<3<3<33<
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sapphic--kiwi · 1 year
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tholomule family portrait 💛🤎 (full tholomule parent designs under the cut!)
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the posthoot friday night inspired me to finish my mom and dad tholomule designs - their names are Atticus and Fiona 💛 Atticus is both boys’ bio dad, but Fiona is Matt’s biological mother and adopted Steve when she married Atticus. They both work in the Construction Coven which takes them away from home a lot, which is why Steve had to help raise Matt 💛 they attended Hexside, but worked in Latissa for many years before moving back to Bonesborough sometime during Season 1 (in order to put Matt into Hexside after Steve brought it to their attention he was being bullied at school). (I also worked on designs for Atticus’s siblings, one of whom is Boscha’s three-eyed-mom - I’ll post those hopefully soon but yeah the matt and boscha cousins HC is so personal and real to me)
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snakeliciousbaby · 10 months
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very very self indulgent but as a resident angel lover in this fandom may i PLEASE see the angel result for this quiz you made. 2 years ago. this is a completely normal ask. i am so normal.
https://www.tumblr.com/snakeliciousbaby/662796832308674560/what-flavor-of-scooby-trauma-are-you?source=share
Oh have no fear, i am convinced by your normalness as a normal person myself. Enjoy the long awaited Angel answer!
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julday4 · 2 years
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HII!! THIS IS AN ART TRADE I DID WITH @rosefrost709!!! THIS WAS HELLA FUN AND NEW FOR ME.
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HERE'S MY DRAWING. it's of his 2 characters, Erica and Elizander having a sort of dance! :)
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teatreeoilll · 2 months
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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐲 (𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐚 𝐇𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫)
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˚• . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . •
w/c - 1.2k content - fem!reader, hurt/comfort??, ain't nobody really gonna divorce this man i mean, please
• . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° .•
For the past two months, once every two weeks on Thursday afternoons, Higuruma Hiromi finds himself on a leather chair in the stifling offices of Hayashi Divorce Law. Hayashi himself is a walrus-looking man with nicotine-stained fingers and an expensive wristwatch, who leans back in his chair across the desk from Hiromi, unbuttons the top button of his Italian blazer, and eyes him with a grin that says “I’ll clean you out before you can finish saying divorce.”
The worst of it comes when you enter the room. You sit down by Hayashi, getting trapped by the scent of the walrus’s sour cologne and stacks of papers on the desk, without so much as a glance in Hiromi’s direction.
Hiromi’s throat dries up the more he sits and nods along to Hayashi’s words. He doesn’t remember much about equitable distribution from law school and he doesn’t care to - the only thing he does is tug on the wrinkled fabric of his suit and mutter variations of “Alright” and “You can have it”.
After the first meeting was over, and you left the room leaving nothing but a whiff of perfume that soon dissipated into nothing, Hayashi turned to him and furrowed his bushy brows “Didn’t your ex-wife say you’re a lawyer, Mr. Higuruma?”
To which Hiromi replied “My wife,” while clinging to the last unsigned papers that would make this statement false.
By the fourth meeting, he’s a wreck. While he sits and nods along, Hiromi notices you’re looking at him with a hint of concern in your eyes. As you open your mouth his mind fills with hope. He’d drop to his knees without a second thought for a “It’s a mistake” or just a simple “let's go home” - even though it’s your home now since he’d forfeited it a month ago.
But when you finally open your mouth, after two months of silence, the only words he hears are “What about the car?”
Hiromi looks up at you. The car. A navy blue Ford Sedan with it’s best years behind it much like himself. A Ford Sedan which only four years prior got its old wheels stuck in the wet sand of a Kanazawa beach, causing the both of you to stay the night in a nearby motel.
He remembered the motel room's crumbling ceiling and the scale models of ships that lined the shelves - below them a bed with azure sheets - which you collapsed on with a grumble, cursing out both the damn Sedan and its fucking wheels. All he could think of was how beautiful you looked with that shade of azure surrounding your skin - and by morning you’d called out his name so many times he forgot it had a meaning outside of your lips.
He’s silent for a long time. So long your confidence wavers a bit, “We can sell it,” you say, “take half of the money each.”
Hiromi awakes from his mind trip to Kanazawa and reality knocks the wind out of his lungs. “You can have it.”
“I mean it,” you shoot a look at Hayashi who looks displeased with the sudden display of kindness, “we can sell it and split the money.”
“You can have it.” Higuruma says, and Hayashi grins.
It’s already dark by the time Hiromi steps out in the hall. It takes him a few steps towards the elevator and a squint of his tired eyes to see you standing by it. It’s alright - he’ll just take the stairs.
“You don’t have to do that,” you tell him when he passes behind you. You press on the elevator button again. It’s been stuck on the 17th floor for a while now.
“It’s alright.” He assures, continuing his path to the stairwell.
“No. It’s not alright. Nothing’s been alright for a year now. Now wait here for the goddamn elevator.”
By the tone of your voice he knows he hasn’t got a choice. He takes his place next to you, shifting his gaze between the silver elevator doors, and the little screen that keeps showing “17” without any sign of movement.
A few minutes go by and there’s still no sign of the elevator. Your leg bounces on the marble floor and your lips purse before you let out a silent “What’s wrong with you?”
“Huh?” Hiromi blinks. The elevator doors ding open. The man and a woman inside move to make room for you, but you motion to them to go down, mouthing ‘we’ll take the next one’. The elevator closes.
“I said ‘what’s wrong with you.’” You turn to him. “I’m robbing you blind and you don’t say anything. So what the hell’s wrong with you?”
“You can have anything you want.” He says, noticing you haven’t pressed the button to call the elevator again.
“That’s not what I asked -”
“You can have anything you want,” He repeats. “Just don’t make me come and listen to which bits of our life you’d like to sell and which to split. Take what you like, really - Whatever’s left will remind me of you anyway and I don’t think I’ll be able to stand looking at it without -” Going insane, he wants to say, but when he sneaks a look at your face he swallows the words. The crease he got used to seeing between your eyebrows vanishes.
“I’m not making you come, you know.” You say, “If you signed it all away after the first meeting we wouldn’t have to go through this.”
He can’t make himself tear his gaze off of your face, “I know.” His fingers press down on the fabric of his suit, “But if I did that I wouldn’t have a reason to see you again.”
“Don’t say things like that.” You press the elevator button again. This time, it arrives in a flash. You step inside, and Hiromi follows. The doors slip shut.
“Then don’t divorce me.”
The floor numbers change, a rapid countdown - 12 - 11 - 10. Hiromi’s mind races. He really pushed it this time - and even though he doesn’t have anything left to lose - his heart plummets together with the elevator.
“Fine.”
“Huh?” Hiromi’s eyes stick to the numbers still, 10 - 9 - 8. He’s not sure if it’s an auditory hallucination that’s speaking.
“I said ‘fine.’”
His hand finds the emergency stop button and smashes it in. The elevator rattles before it halts.
“Did you say -”
“I won’t repeat it again.”
And you really don’t need to. A moment later you’re pressed between his warm body and the cool metal lining the elevator car. His kiss is a desperate one - open-mouthed, all teeth and tongue - with his hands running under your blouse to relish in the warmth of your skin. You tangle one hand in his hair while the other’s clinging to a fistful of his suit jacket.
Hiromi detaches from your mouth, only for a second - which is enough for you to catch a glimpse of his flushed face - before leaving a trail of gentle kisses down your neck. Unlike his lips, his hands aren’t gentle in the slightest, they hold a tight grip on your waist under your blouse - as if he’s afraid you’ll disappear the moment he releases it.
Hayashi stands by the elevator, looking at the screen that shows “7” without any sign of movement. His face grows tomato red. Two interns stand at the edge of the hall, looking at him.
“What’s he so pissed about it?” One asks.
“It’s the elevator.” The other motions to the number on the tiny screen, “If it’s stuck too long on one floor it means a couple’s doing it inside. If they’re doing it inside they’re not divorcing - and if they’re not divorcing Hayashi’s not getting paid.”
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sarah-yyy · 20 days
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what is war of faith about? is it worth a watch apart from just wang yibo(being gay?)? and where should i watch it?
you were all expecting me to do this so okay let's see how many others i can drag down this shenlai (i think this is the ship name we've settled on?? i have seen many 沈来之笔 tags on ao3 so i'm assuming that's what the chinese fandom has settled on) hole.
what: republican era communist spy drama (finance bros edition) // completed // 38 eps, roughly 40 mins each where: iqiyi (standard disclaimer that i don’t watch with subs so i don’t speak to the quality of eng subs) why: *chanting* yibo yibo yibo yibo yib- wang yang?? xiansheng???? i'll preface by saying i don't watch many republican era shows - it's really just not my thing, like even zhu yilong couldn't make me watch one and that's saying a lot, but i did finish and quite enjoy this one!! extremely strong cast on this show, and the story moved fast enough and had enough action in it that it kept my attention.
meet my boy wei ruolai:
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ruolai is from a v humble family, worked hard to put himself through night school but is having trouble stepping foot into the finance world because he has no money, no connections, no diploma (the school is holding off on issuing him one because he's from a communist-stronghold province 😪). he's working several jobs to make ends meet in shanghai when he decides to interview for a job at the central bank.
he aces his entrance test! ofc he does! ruolai is a bit of a whiz with numbers, and is very very very determined to get the job - the place could be on goddamn fire for all he cares, he'll finish his goddamn test and get this goddamn job even if it kills him.
his performance gains him the attention of shen tunan:
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xiansheng!! 😍💖💕
chief of the central bank, The Guy™ of the finance and banking industry in shanghai. extremely attractive in a suit. 100% dilf certified.
xiansheng takes a shine on ruolai, but ends up not being able to hire ruolai despite his excellence because, again, ruolai is from a communist-stronghold province, and they don't want to take any chances with him possibly having communist ties.
does that set ruolai back?? no. my boy sneaks into a party that shen tunan is holding at his mansion, and convinces shen tunan to hire him by essentially picking apart shen tunan's ~secret strategies~ that he's uncovered just by following the finance news and making smart deductions 🥺💚
shen tunan caves and personally hires ruolai as his PA, and begins mentoring him and teaching him the ways of the banking industry.
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the show is mostly about ruolai's growth in the central bank and the shift of his political beliefs, centred around the kmt and communist party's conflict in that era. the premise of the show is fairly simple - most republican era dramas move in the same direction. this one was well-written, had a solid cast, and beautifully shot.
the development of stn and wrl's relationship in this show was good! it's v shippable, if that's something that is important to you. ngl, i did stay through till the end because these two were so interesting.
we have proud teacher shen tunan who is so so proud of his boy and takes ruolai suit-shopping and tells him how special he is :
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starry-eyed disciple wei ruolai who would literally do anything for shen tunan:
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he really does mean it when he says that. he gets tortured and thrown in goddamn jail for shen tunan, and he just bears it all and doesn't let himself react in any manner that could harm shen tunan.
i started this strictly for yibo, and had no expectations that i would enjoy it, but guys...........wang yang is 🥵🔥 in this as shen tunan, and this ship just.......sails itself. what else was i supposed to do except go three hundred different levels of ahhhhhhhhh over them.
ANYWAY. strong rec. like at least 8.5/10. even if you're just in it for yibo (who is EXCELLENT in this, the whump scenes are incredible), or if you just want to ship shenlai, the payoff is strong in this.
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lacrimosathedark · 3 months
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I need the comic book fanfic writers to be made very aware of something:
Roy Harper is the only one to EVER call Jason Todd "Jaybird".
This isn't a family name that he picked up on, or that Roy made and the family has adopted. Roy is literally the only person to call him that. Dick doesn't, Babs doesn't, Bruce doesn't, nobody but Roy does.
The others call him Jay sometimes, in old comics Jace was said a few times (which I actually like and wish people would use literally at all). Bruce has said "Jay, lad" like once and fandom adopted him calling Jason "Jaylad" but that's not horribly egregious so I tolerate it. Dick occasionally calls Jason "little wing". That's about it.
Jaybird is very specifically a Roy Harper thing.
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(Honestly yall better appreciate me actually looking back in RHATO 2011 because BOY do I hate this comic. It's not only poorly written, but in my opinion, ugly as fucking sin and I need to burn my retinas now)
That is the first instance of Jason ever being called "Jaybird", and it becomes a lowkey running gag that Roy calls him that and Jason "hates" it.
And then we get this post Heroes In Crisis
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This whole thing may have been poorly written because, again, Scott Lobdell sucks, but the intent is to evoke intimacy to make Roy's death hurt. Jason is supposed to have just lost his best friend and was told by Bruce Wayne whose last appearance in his life was beating the shit out of him and, oh yeah, who saved Jason? Roy Fucking Harper.
In addition to the fact that Roy only left Jason to get help for himself. He was supposed to be in rehab/therapy, somewhere safe, and he fucking died because of handwavy Speedforce shenanigans or whatever it's been retconned to now because nobody liked Heroes in Crisis. Roy was supposed to be getting better and he died ostensibly in an accident. Like if that's not the worst fucking bullshit--
This scene of Jason calling himself by what he deems a stupid nickname would mean jack shit if everyone and their goddamn cat called him "Jaybird". But it being a Roy-specific thing makes this scene distinctly about Jason being vulnerable and actively grieving. It's such a cliche trope, and a real coping mechanism, to call a deceased loved one's phone just to hear their voice in their inbox message again. He probably has no thoughts that Roy will ever hear it so this is just for him, but he's letting himself accept this dumb nickname Roy gave him now because it was Roy that gave it to him and Roy is fucking dead.
Like, in fairness it probably frustrates me more because I ship the two and parallel it with Oliver calling Dinah "pretty bird", but like...even as just a cheeky friend nickname, nothing romantic behind it, having everyone else call Jason that feels wrong. Especially his family who he still has so many issues with and, like it or not, he's closer to Roy than literally any of the Bats at this point.
This isn't the only time I've seen the fandom do this (this being giving nicknames between characters that just don't exist); Jason calling Tim "replacement" is absolutely rampant in the fandom and I hate that too because he never calls Tim that, and refers to him as such like once. I have a whole list of actual nicknames and insults these motherfuckers call each other somewhere, but maybe another time.
In short
STOP HAVING EVERYONE CALL HIM JAYBIRD.
Thank you and have a nice day. <3
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morallyinept · 5 months
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A full transcribe of EZRA'S dialogue/lines from the film PROSPECT.
Includes full dialogue, and dialogue from any deleted/additional scenes available.
I've created this as a point of reference when writing for Pedro's characters, and I hope you find it useful. Even if you just want to read the dialogue. 🖤
FULL MASTERLIST OF PEDRO CHARACTERS DIALOGUE
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Please also see my Writing For Ezra Guide for further analysis of his character and dialect.
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☝🏻Dialogue has been fully transcribed by myself using reference to original scripts (if available), audio subtitles and using my own two ears. Therefore, mistakes can be made, however I have tried to be as fully accurate as I can. If you spot an obvious mistake, please kindly let me know. Where audio is not clear, I have marked with *inaudible* Scenes are separated for ease of reference.
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Edited - I've been made aware of some errors since the original posting of this, so I've edited it to correct. Special thanks to those who have let me know! 🖤
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FULL SCRIPT DIALOGUE:
*Fading in* … Curious.
Don't see too many kips around these ways anymore.
Not a kip… a returner!
Is that a serious question?
I believe you, gentle man.
But my partner always needs a little convincing. He'll just kill me, if I let you go without a thorough search. I never caught your name, friend.
Nice to meet you, Damon. I'm Ezra. I can't tell you how refreshing it is… hoo, to encounter another talker. It's been quite some time since we've run into anyone with fluid in motion. Where're you from, Damon?
How poetic. I take it you're a, hmm… floater? Freelancer. You don’t look very Fringely.
Yeah, don’t we all.
Alright, Damon. Understand what, now?
Damon, it has truly been a pleasure, but… pleasantries passed, it's time to gut the fencer. To be completely candid, this haul has proven to disappoint. Me and my partner both feel we deserve… satisfaction. You understand? 
So, how did you get here, Damon?
Your ship. Where is it? Or perhaps a ship is a tick too rich for you, a drop pod, I reckon. 
Excellent. The starter, if you don't mind.
Where is it? Don't make me root for it, Damon. I guarantee you, I'll make it an unnecessarily painful process.
That is not necessarily true. Nevertheless, continuing within the act of killing is a broad spectrum of technique. So, there is still an incentive for you to acquiesce if that's where you're getting at.
A twist? Go on.
And why would you be so cryptic under rails? You are lucky I am not immune to intrigue. But be careful you don't overplay this technique.
I've seen my share.
That's a theory.
It's funny. I don't see any mercs. Where are they?
Okay. I'd like to believe you. Admittedly, more out of desire than good sense. But Damon… if there is talk of the queen’s lair, the excitement is all but in involuntary.
And there's three of us. We split it in thirds. That's an even split.
This is so exciting!
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What did your outfit look like, back in the day? You've always went solo?
Fancy. We had a full crawling party when we arrived here. Not one of your freighter takes, a testin' screamer.
Mercs in the Green, huh? Last I heard the word "merc" was way back when Crebon raiders hit up all the corporate expeditions.
Caero clan? You friendly with these fellas?
These cables… Goddamn it.
You know, this is something I have never seen in all my time on The Green. A little girl. 
Damon, I have clearly underestimated you, I must stop doing that.
Damon… Does this mean that the plan is off? You have me all up and bothered over the queen's lair, Damon.
Alright, you can have your fabled spoils all to yourself. But if your talk of the queen's lair is true… this is just a scratch.
Your girl is scared. You should listen to her. No harm done, yet.
It's a shame, Damon. We could've been rich together.
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You got a field-kit?
Hey! Field-kit!
Are you gonna shoot?
That is… technically true.
Kevva waits, girl! Shoot or help! Just make a move.
Get me a kit and we can talk.
Your offer is indeed generous. Y'know, I'd be more than happy to sign and seal, save for one glaring slip. My ship.
Well I did. Then there was an event with my crew concerned in a bit of Aurelac and… words and metal flew. And now, I don't. We're in the same trough, you and I. Can’t say I was pleased to find your mare all black and cockways as she was supposed to be my redemption as well. 
Whoa! Whoa! Just slow down a beat there, little bird. At least wait for the counter-offer.
How is it you intend to get home? That is the goal. Am I right?
The Mercs. They’re real aren’t they? Mmm-hmm. And the queen's lair? Mmm-hmm.
You are making a run for them. 
Listen, I know well the lure of vengeance. I myself have… frequently indulged, and I have not often found regret. But in this moment, right here, I'm afraid for both our sakes, I must riposte.
I say, we go to your mercs. I play the prospector. And together we ravage the queen.
Let me help you. I can harvest. I can offer protection. A girl your age, a child, wanders into a camp of fringely mercs, raw. At the end of the tour, what happens? You appeal to their sympathies? They have none. They are ruthless profiteers. You must have something to offer or they will find something to take from you.
That's the fringe, girl. If you're one to point fingers at extortion, well, there's not much I can say.
Now, hold on. I'm keen to make the case that Damon killed himself.
He was trying to steal my trophy case, is what he was trying to do. A man's work is no petty thing. To you, his daughter… I truly apologise for my contribution to his passing. But he was stealing my entire harvest. And actions like these foment the threat of appropriate reactions. Your father knew that, and if didn't, then he had no business in The Green.
I am, indeed. But, are you?
It was all in the name of self-preservation, birdie, it was nothing personal.
I’m your safest route home and in the end we’ll both be rich. 
Of course. There is one more thing. My filter's spent. I'm gonna need a hook-up.
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What is your name?
Do you mind if I take a look?
What do you know about these mercs? When did they arrive? How many are there?
He didn’t tell you anything? It's bad practice keeping you in the dark, if you ask me.
A deep partnership is only made so by candid discourse.
Number Two was more of a utility than a partner. And it seems like your father treated you the same way.
What's your name?
Well, I have to call you something.
Oi, Number Three. Watch that tube, girl. Straight finger. 
Thank you. 
If you don't know the thing about channel rats, is when they fornicate, they excrete a hormone substance - I don't really know what it's called - but it's uncannily sticky, it cocks up electrics. And it smells exactly like, but significantly more potent than, stale human urine.
Anyways, we stripped every panel in that ship. We clubbed those rat beavers to death. Two at a time. It was a toilsome marathon of carnage. We never did find the nest. 
You know, eventually, you're gonna have to trust me.
Just give me a moment.
You should keep the thrower low, we could be surrounded.
I said, keep it low. 
Don't show any sign of aggression. Drop it. Put your hands above your head.
Just do it. 
Just do it! Now!
We have to follow him. The wound would appear… ideal bite. It still has some venom. The dust. It’s found its way in and now it festers. The Sater are religious settlers and tedious scavengers. They should be amenable to trade for medical supplies.
We don’t have a choice.
Shoot me, then. 
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(Greets in Sater language) I have sustained a wound that, due to inadequate treatment, now festers pink. I was hoping you had some juice?
Thank you, sir. We are tremendously grateful.
I thought perhaps it might interest you for trade.
A wise and understandable measure. We shall stow them at our discretion and return shortly, unarmed. Is that acceptable to you and your colleagues?
Here.
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That was beautiful.
Juice. It's good for you, cleanses the dust.
Thank you for your kindness. Now, as you can see, I have sustained a trauma to my shoulder. I would much like to flush it with your magic juice. And to keep straight… we would also be very much interested in proper dressing, and filter refreshers, if you have them and can spare them? In return for your gracious offering, we are prepared to compensate with generosity in equal measure.
I'm sorry, I don't understand.
That is a bold offer.
What do you need her for?
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(Ezra’s radio transmission) Hello! Hello to the green! I got… *inaudible*... I got one or two fourteen grade root pearls that I'm willing to part with for well over the peakest of rush rates. Nothing funny. Just a desperate man trying to make a bad deal with the right hold out. If anyone is out there, don't hesitate to click on...
Take your helmet off.
You look like shit. Eat it. There’s cases of 'em in here.
Here. I need your help.  
After you left, those Sater weren't too keen on helping me out… So I had to treat myself. I botched the excision. I was unable to clean and scrape the blackness. Now if I don't lose my arm, it'll kill me. And I can't perform the procedure by myself.
No. 
You ever use one of these before? It's easy. Prime it like this… then there are five levels of intensity. Two for the flesh, four for bone. You got it? 
Thank you.
I won't feel a thing. Hack away. Quick, confident strokes are best. Try to go full circuit on the first cut. 
I've never had to use these surettes before. Kind of nice… tingling, almost like… oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit!
Oh, shit. Oh, shit, oh, shit.
No, I don’t know. Keep going, you're doing great. Keep going until you hit bone. 
I’m gonna miss him. My primary weapon, been with me my whole life. Always there, ready to help, no job too gritty, no love too intimidating. 
Up to four, as soon as it's off, give my stump a hearty coat in the juice and cream it all shut! Clear? 
How are you so calm? You've done this before.
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So, where’s home?
Spoken like a true floater. What's that book you carry around?
"Streamer Girl"?
You wrote a novel?
There's not a lot of literature in circulation out here.
Well, it seems I must.
You memorised it?
Not at all. It's quite impressive.
Focus on what?
Well, you can't… you can't think like that. You go down that path, it's not good. If you need someone to blame, you blame me. You need to think about your next move. Be on that freighter in a tick.
It’s nice to meet you, Cee. 
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Well. There's our ride.
Stay clear and close and I’ll talk us through. When it comes time to dig, I’ll need you to be sharp. I've never harvested one-handed before. I'm gonna need some help. But we'll keep it creamy and it’ll all be fine.
Damon, here for the dig. You wouldn't believe the time we’ve had of it, getting here. I wholeheartedly apologise for being late. But after the storm tidied us off mark, we were already a cycle back and naturally-
I wholeheartedly apologize. You wouldn't believe…
Well, actually… uh, before we get started. I'm afraid I must interject. I haven't been completely candid with you yet. After an erring landing and toilsome trick, there is one more significant detail to our story, one that forces us to leverage our talents for little bit more than the agreed upon price.
It's not more of a cut we're after. The points are more than adequate payment for the two of us. Rather it's a means of transit we lack. 
Well, now, what she means to say is that while transport is a requisite part of the deal, we are willing to forgo two points. Which by any reckoning is exorbitant compensation for a hop into orbit.
Oh, come now. In a prize… Scrap well over the weight of the passenger and a half. Cargo braces. That's one hundred, one-thirty right there.
You're not understanding me. Everything has changed. If you're not willing to scrap payload, scrap crew for all I care, but you'll find a way, if you want that buried treasure.
I am the gatekeeper to more wealth than any of us have ever seen, and you've been wasting in The Green for far too long to let that slip away. I'm afraid, I am the only means to the successful end of your venture. And I say the terms have changed. Thirteen, plus a ride for me and my partner on your handsome craft or no deal. Find a way.
My boy, this is a winner! I think a little back up thrust is an easy drop under the circumstances. What do you say, boss?
Gentlemen. And women… Let's get rich!
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Strange method for an execution. What did this fella do to land him in the box?
How convoluted!
Somebody ought to give her a go.
That's the price for a dry breach. But my chem will calm the brine.
Hello, sweetheart.
It's a big one.
You got it? Hold it nice and tight.
Hold it like you love it. 
Oh. That's perfect.
Slippery son of a bitch.
No, no, no. Shit!
Not to worry, we go again.
(Muttering to self) *Inaudible* (?)leech on the(?) …cock spitters … cannot fuck more nuggets in this sleep for snatch, pearls… 
It's a little difficult to carve weak-handed!
Now hold on!
Those shots will bring the rest of ‘em in.
I don’t know.
Greedy fool! Couldn't help himself. Took a stumble, getting a closer look. Now, time presses and I am gonna need assistance if we're-
Go, go, go!
Move!
I'm out.
If we uncouple you can run a distraction, opening me up for the backstab. 
Are you sure?
You run fast and you don’t stop. You keep plenty of trees between you and her. You come straight back here as soon as I make the kill so we can re-couple. Clear?
You need to go. You grab the gun and you go. You can make it. 
Get outta here!
__________________
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DELETED SCENE:
What is your name? 
Well, I have to call you something. 
Once, a long time ago, there was a channel rat. Well, first there was an entire nest. Caulked up in the floorboards of my skimmer, this was back when I was running catkins with my brother in Parson. 
If you don’t know, thing about channel rats, is when they fornicate, they excrete a hormone substance - I don’t remember what it's called - but the relevant details are that it is uncannily sticky, it cocks up electrics, and it smells exactly like, but significantly more potent than, stale human urine.
So, this horny cohort is scrambling around unseen, plastering up my walls with their piss paste, and the smell… was so horrific. And we had to wear nuke suits all the time, even when we slept.
So, after we exhausted our repertoire of civilised extermination methods, it soon devolved into barbarism. 
We stripped every panel in that ship and clubbed those rat beavers to death, two at a time. It was a toilsome marathon of carnage. But the bag of corpses steadily grew heavier.
We never did find the nest. But by the end of the run, we were down to what as far as we could tell was the last rat standing. This little bitch waits until we make ground fall, saunters into the galley, climbs up onto the table, and I spin you not, stands right up on its hind legs and starts calmly munching on a piece of bush bread. 
Maybe it was our impending reunion with civilization, or maybe it was exhaustion, but neither of us could bring ourselves to bash that last channel rat. So we just sat there and watched it eat the entire biscuit.
When it was done, it walked over to the airlock, waited at the hatch as if it expected us to just open it, so we did. And then walked out. 
You remind me of that channel rat, so in the absence of a given moniker, I will now call you Channel Rat. 
Number Three it is. 
__________________
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FULL MASTERLIST OF PEDRO CHARACTERS DIALOGUE
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anonymous-dentist · 6 months
Text
Or: a pirate au
-
Before having the nerve to turn Roier in to the Navy, Spreen had this to say:
“I have no compassion for anybody.”
And then he had leaned forward and driven both the metaphorical and literal-actual-goddamn sword in between Roier’s ribs, and he had whispered right into Roier’s ringing ear:
“You’re lucky I’m not drowning you.”
And then he had kicked Roier off of his ship and onto the Navy’s, and he had sailed away, free to live and fight another day while leaving his best friend and first mate behind.
But, well. Joke’s on him! It’s been a year since that fateful day, but Roier is alive, and he’s free, and he’s got a gun and a sword and a ship of his own, and he’s gonna make Spreen pay.
But first? Breakfast, and fast. The Navy is after him, and he doesn’t want to get captured this early in the morning. (Foolish would never let it go!)
The Barcoier docks just after sunrise, and Roier is off the ship and speeding down the pier before Jaiden even has the anchor weighed.
The island is small, so small that it’s just a town and some farms and a couple of trees and a single lake smack in the center of it all. It’s so small it doesn’t even have a name, but that just makes it all the better for hiding from the Navy on; if it’s too small to be on a map, it’s too small for those idiots with the Navy to pick up on.
Maybe Roier is a bad pirate captain for leaving his crew to tie up the ship and run errands while he gets everyone breakfast and tries not to get arrested. But also:
(“We need a chef,” Jaiden complains. “No offense, dude, but your cooking sucks.”
Roier sniffs, hurt, but he doesn’t argue. He’s a better chef on land than he is on the water.
“I’ll get us a chef,” he promises. “But only if you-” He pokes Jaiden between the eyes with a corner of his hardtack biscuit. “-get us better food! Nobody can cook with this!”
He smacks his biscuit hard enough against the table to crack it [the table.] Jaiden rolls her eyes, but she shrugs.)
Where there’s a good breakfast, there’s a good chef. And, on an island as tiny as this one is, said chef might just be desperate enough for a change of pace that they’d agree to become a pirate. (It’s how Spreen got Roier, after all.)
How hard can it be?
…Really hard, actually, especially now that the Federation and its Navy are starting to crack down extra hard on pirates. They’ve moved on from life imprisonment to public executions, and all because most of the pirates left on the seas have started to unionize under the guidance of the feared Captain Bad Halo.
But, who knows? Maybe today will be the day!
Maybe…
-
The town’s only restaurant is closed for renovations, but the town’s bakery is open, thank God.
The bakery, much like the town it’s based in, doesn’t have a name. It does, however, have a wooden sign hanging above the door with a donut painted on it. The donut’s center, rather than being a hole, is a bright yellow-irised eyeball. Freaky.
The door jingles like rusted keys as Roier enters. Someone swears from the back room; otherwise, the bakery is entirely empty.
“Coming!” Roier hears.
“No worries!” he responds. “Take your time!”
He doesn’t exactly have time for the baker to take, but he isn’t exactly going to get himself a chef by being rude, is he?
So Roier waits, and he takes the opportunity to look at the display cases by the front counter. Donuts, of course, some muffins. An… abnormal amount of meat pies. Sure? Why not! Every place has its specialties.
A few moments pass, during which Roier starts mentally counting how many of each item he’s gonna need, and then footsteps from the back and an apologetic, “Sorry, I’m just-”
The baker cuts himself off as Roier stands up and looks him over. He’s… handsome, okay. Okay. More importantly, he already looks more piratey than half of Roier’s crew: pierced ear, scar across the bridge of his nose, solid build. Hot.
“You’re a pirate,” the baker says, much calmer than most regular people would be. Good, he’s brave, pirates need to be brave.
Roier leans forward against the counter, propping himself up on his elbows. He smiles, head tilted juuuust so.
“Who, me?” he asks. He shakes his head. “Naaaah. I’m just a regular guy looking for breakfast, you know?”
The baker’s eyes trail over Roier’s head and shoulders like he’s memorizing him. Creepy, kinda. Hot, kinda.
Roier continues, “But I’ve never been here before, so… any recommendations?”
He winks. The baker’s eyes widen slightly, and then he smiles himself and leans himself against the counter, his arms just inches away from Roier’s.
“Well,” he says, “the donuts will last longer on a long trip, if that’s what you’re asking. Everything else has fresh ingredients in it.”
“Who says I’m going on a long trip?”
The baker rolls his eyes and pushes himself off the counter to start unloading donuts into a bag. “Please, nobody actually wants to stay in this shithole. I’m used to tourists.”
He has nice arms. Maybe he even knows how to use a sword already.
“Sooo… you want to leave, too?” Roier asks.
The baker shrugs. “Maybe someday.”
That isn’t a no…
So it’s basically a yes!
Roier beams. “What if today was your someday?”
The baker gives him a flat look. “I’m not a pirate.”
“Maybe I’m not, either. But I do need someone on my ship who knows how to cook, and you wanna get out of here.”
The last donut is dumped into the bag, and the baker ties the bag shut and plops it onto the counter. He leans over it with a raised eyebrow.
“I’m not a chef, either,” he says. “Shouldn’t you be hiring someone that can actually cook, Captain Roier?”
At Roier’s gasp, the baker nods his head towards the wall behind Roier. On it is a bulletin board with wanted posters for nearly every pirate on the seas, Roier included.
Whoops.
Whatever! The baker hasn’t called the authorities yet, so he’s fine.
Roier opens his mouth, ready to try his pitch again, but he’s rudely interrupted by a cannon ball sailing through the bakery’s front window and slamming into a cabinet full of flour.
The room explodes into white, sending both Roier and the baker reeling.
“Fuck!” Roier coughs. He fans the air in front of his face, blinking rapidly to get the flour off of his eyes.
The bakery’s door is slammed open by a heavy boot. Its owner, a Navy officer, follows it in with his sword drawn and pointed at… the baker.
“Hands in the air,” the officer sneers.
Roier looks at the officer. He looks at the baker.
The baker looks at him. The baker looks at the officer.
He raises his hands slowly, holding the donut bag with it for whatever reason.
He looks at Roier again, a small smile on his handsome, yet flour-dusted, face.
“Thank you for having me aboard, captain,” he says.
The officer just then seems to notice Roier, but the poor bastard is just a bit too late because, just as he’s turning around to slash at the very obvious pirate captain in the room, Cellbit chucks the donuts at the idiot’s head. The bag makes contact, and then it makes the officer stumble right into the pointy end of Roier’s sword.
What a shame.
Roier pulls his sword out of the guy’s stomach with a grimace, wiping the blood on the bakery’s shredded window curtains.
He turns to smile at the baker, then.
“Glad to have you aboard…”
“Cellbit,” the baker supplies.
Now, where has Roier heard that name before…?
Whatever! There’s time for that later.
For now, Roier has a ship to get to, and he has a chef to deliver to it.
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pepperf · 2 years
Text
A love letter to the co-conspiritors
They have many names—beta reader, friend, Oh Fuck You—but you know who they are: they're the person who is as rabid as you about a ship or a character, the one you DM with your most twisted headcanons, the one who agrees that YES, he SHOULD be tied to a chair and slapped in the face—that she SHOULD be allowed a little tragic backstory, as a treat—that they SHOULD be roommates who are secretly pining for one another...the one who hashes out with you, at past midnight, how soon is reasonable for people with superpowers to have sex after one of them has been shot in the leg.
They’re the person who reads your fic before you send it to anyone else, and raves with you about that plot point that you COULDN’T WAIT for them to reach, or points out where you’ve forgotten that they were at the bar, not the library, so you need to remove the reference to book stacks, or pokes you to finish the goddamn next chapter because they want to read it, okay?
Fandom would not exist without them. They enable and encourage. Some of them are also fic writers, and you get to enable them right back. Some of them create fan art, or meta, or text post edits, or run prompt fests, or edit wikis...some of them are simply just as in love with the same thing that you are and want to feed the squee.
If you’re lucky enough to have someone like this in your life, you’ll know how much impact they have. It’s different to getting comments and kudos (wonderful though those are!), because they come in before the fic is finished, sometimes even before it’s started, and say ‘yes, do it!’. The fact that I've written so much for Community and The Umbrella Academy is completely down to @bethanyactually and @wheresmytowel respectively, and I count myself incredibly lucky to have them both in my life (and not just for all this, but also because they’re both incredibly lovely and smart and fun).
It was Fanfic Writer Appreciation Day yesterday (Aug 21st), and it made me think that we should also give a shoutout to the co-conspiritors, because without them, an awful lot more fic writers would be stress-scrolling through tumblr instead of working on their WIP, and there’d be so much less fic in the world.
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miyu-d · 6 months
Note
Hihi! What about Portgas D. Ace x Reader who's the tailor of the Strawhat pirates? (Yk, roles in each pirate crew, and readers role being the tailor.)
Hii anon... I like your idea. Let's give this a shot. Hope you enjoy this...
Ace with a tailor reader part 1
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You have been busy since the morning. You had to patch some of Luffy's shorts and sew the dress Nami had requested. You heard Usopp talking about Luffy's brother having arrived on the ship. But you were too busy to listen.
You went to the storage room and got some buttons you needed to add the finishing touches to Nami's dress. You were walking back to the sewing machine when you saw those goddamn abs. You stopped walking and stood there like an idiot. Your eyes were glued to that torso. Nobody can blame you; those abs were flat and well developed, just like a model's. There were so many design ideas running through your head to make a perfect outfit for that body.
That's when the owner of the body snapped his fingers, blocking your perfect view, and signaled you to look at his face.
Ace was smirking at you.
"My face is here, you know..."
You blushed head to toe.
"I- I didn't mean to..." You were so flustered. You can't even properly talk.
"Oh, yeah?" You knew he was teasing you. His smirk was still on his face. He was looking at you like you were a little plaything.
You got annoyed. You couldn't handle any more embarrassment. So you grinded your teeth and walked away without saying anything back. He also got upset when he saw that he overdid it. He tried to stop you. But you walked away as fast as you could. He didn't follow you, knowing that you just wanted to be alone.
You were in your sewing room, pacing back and forth in the room for half an hour. You were so embarrassed and mad at yourself for staring at him like that.
That's when you heard a knock. You couldn't finish Nami's dress on time because of everything that happened. You went to the door thinking about an excuse to make. You open the door,
"I am sorr-...."
You cut in the middle when you saw Ace standing in front of your door.
"Yo! We meet again."
"What are you doing here?"
He sighed, then looked at the floor to gather up what to say. Then he finally looked at you and gently said, "We started off on the wrong foot. Can we, um... get along? I am Ace, by the way. Luffy's older brother."
He is no longer smirking. He is genuinely smiling.
You looked at him for a few seconds in silence and decided to give up on your useless pride.
"y/n... My name is y/n"
Ace smiled at you.
Then suddenly you broke into a smile and laughed to yourself, thinking how stupid this all was. Ace's eyes widened when he saw that bright side of yours. He watched you like he was lost in it, and then he started to chuckle with you.
[ Part 2 ]
Masterlist
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angryshortstacks · 1 year
Text
Canon tanthamore moments people don’t talk about enough because the show is not dead yet.
In almost every shot where something happens that’s cool or new they look at each other first. Every time. Sometimes it’s a judgemental “are you seeing this shit?” A worried “are you okay?” Or “what have we gotten into.” Sometimes it’s a happy “how fucking cool is it we’re finally having adventures together” neeedless to say on your next rewatch look for it. It’s so cute
The fact that Jade let kit win not because she thought kit wasn’t capable, but because she sees herself as kits protector and she wanted to shoulder that burden for her princess
Boorman saying I ship it at any given moment
Graydon being COMPLETELY oblivious to the obvious sexual tension between kit and Jade. I’m convinced when we get a season two that they’d save Graydon and he’d see them kiss and be like wait what??
That when they thought they had to kill Graydon Jade was completely ready to do it so Kit wouldn’t have to
Jade and kit joking around in the wildwood before they get attacked. You hear Jade say “I’m not joking” just before boorman interrupts the conversation. I wanna know what they were joking about 🥺
This idiot kit Telling EVERYONE her goddamn REAL name!!
Jade being so smart and getting the riddle immediately and kit looking at her like “that’s my girl”
Jade saying “I got you. I got you” to kit after Elora saves her from drowning
Jade leading kit holding all her weight at the beginning of episode 7
Kits stubborn ass saying “I’m good” taking exactly one step then falling over
How Kit argues with Jades little anecdote in the porcupine scene because they know each other so well and she’s absolutely heard that story before.
JADE POKING KIT TO GIVE HER WATER ATWGAGSG.
How softly jade says yeah, when kit tells her she loves her. It’s like she doesn’t believe it 🥺
The little hum when they kiss 🥺
The fact that the thing kit wants most in the world is Jade 🥺
Jade yelling “a little help princess!” when she gets trapped behind a pillar. Just her finally Trusting kit to be her equal and to save her 🥺
JADES LITTLE TOUCH ON THE SMALL OF KITS BACK IN THE LAST SCENE
God I would die for this ship. There are so many cute little moments they have together.
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moonbaby26 · 3 days
Text
Title: Two Conditions
(Chapter 8 of Doflamingo’s Marine Series)
*Crossposted to AO3 Here*
Chapter Pairings: Doflamingo x Reader, Aokiji/Kuzan x Reader (referenced), Smoker x Reader (referenced)
Chapter Warnings: language, controlling/possessive relationship, unprotected vaginal sex, oral sex referenced (female receiving), Doffy considering baby trapping reader, Doffy referencing attraction to reader even when she was still a teen (nothing happened)
Chapter Synopsis: It’s now day two of your three day agreement to stay with Doflamingo. You’re still surviving, even enjoying it at times. But whether that is for better or worse remains to be seen as he’s keen on coercing your full commitment to him as soon as possible.
Chapters: 1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8
——————————
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It was clear that you were far more familiar with sharing a bed than Doflamingo was for as deeply as you now slept. Either this or you were just that exhausted from enduring him so many more times throughout the night.
Even his cock was finally feeling a bit sore from so much grinding, lube or not. But he never would have told you that, just watching you sleeping against him still in what was probably now two or three in the morning.
He’d only allowed you out of the bed long enough earlier to eat dinner with him as well as to use the attached master bath to clean up, and occasionally relieve your bladder from the beer you’d had in town and all the wine which came alone with him after.  
Dinner had been a quick one out on the balcony, you and he both indulging in a mushroom risotto with scallops. More of that traditional Scyllian fare prepared from the kitchen and personal chefs below. Though those servants would have long gone home by now.
Even as expensive as this place had been to purchase, it was still far smaller than what he was used to. Which also meant that it stayed less crowded inside. Really, not much more than the two of you left except for some useless guards perhaps still patrolling this late at night.
But you had seemed to approve when first seeing the villa. Because of course, what difference did you know? The majority of your quiet hours were likely only had laying in a marine bunk not much bigger than a coffin, having to hear all your other crew moving and breathing around you in the ships you traveled on. 
Like an ant in the dirt with all the others.
But he couldn’t stop watching you all the same, so vulnerable beside him. This fascination with you in particular only seeming to worsen exponentially each time that he had you alone.
And he already had thrown down the gauntlet with Tsuru, announcing his intentions to keep pursuing you despite her strong misgivings. So he’d have to be prepared for those consequences soon.
Tsuru had promised to air everything she knew about him in an attempt to drive you off. All in the name of protecting you of course. And goddamn that woman did know almost all of it. And even what she had no proof for, she likely still heavily suspected.
But him racing against that clock to capture you fully before she could sabotage him only made things that much more interesting really.
It was obvious that you and Tsuru had yet to connect again since she’d first found out. But the moment she was back on the scene, it’d be a full out battle of wills for your fate he was sure.
And this was the primary reason everything had to be rushed along.
Though, courting you at this speed did agree with his natural impatience too of course. He’d waited long enough to have these chances with you after all.
Whether you accepted it yet or not, he had wanted this from very first sight. And he absolutely would have fucked you senseless in the North Blue too if things had worked out better then. Teenage body or not for you at that time in your life. 
Sometimes he still suspected that you and Tsuru had even added a few years onto your official marine record to make you legal for recruitment back then. Tsuru had said you’d been sixteen by the first time you were allowed to fight in the field. But she’d kept you hidden aboard her ship as a chore girl even before that he was sure.
Because Tsuru had learned the hard way not to leave the wrong child behind again hadn’t she? 
Doflamingo smirked to himself at those old thoughts, just burying that scarred left side of his face back against you now.
He was going to have to tell you that part of his story eventually. Because Tsuru would if he didn’t. The one about the rage filled little boy whose eye and life your insufferable race had tried to steal as they rose up against him. 
The bottomless violence of humankind only contrasted in the one older woman he’d met soon after that offered him a brief respite which nearly made him change it all. 
He had begged Tsuru not to leave him there. That boy had cried out for a mother’s warmth one last time and been so fatefully denied.
Too young to recruit then she’d said, and with biological family still alive that she wouldn’t remove him from.
Oh how Doflamingo had wondered how many nights Tsuru had lain awake ruing that mistake ever since. Especially when her peer Sengoku had found an even younger Rosinante soon after and done for that traitor what she wouldn’t for him. Of course Doflamingo had never learned about Sengoku’s direct involvement until long after his brother’s death.
But now, so much like his bird namesake which sometimes hid their head beneath their wings as they slept, Doflamingo had long since made a habit of burying that blind side of his face and those mistakes of the past within the nearest comfort whenever available.
And tonight, instead of just another cold empty bed and overstuffed pillows alone, that actually meant the safety of the nape of your neck as he breathed in your scent and warmth.
Everything he did still had its own purpose though. Even as entirely uncomfortable as it’d been to let you see him laid bare this soon, he knew he was correct to have made this choice.
Because it was already so obvious in the way you’d touched his face and spoken to him so sincerely after…you were already forgetting how easily that switch within him could still flip.
If he used tenderness as a tool to get his way, it didn’t erase anything else that he was still so capable of. This beast would still bite you, even as an injured one now experiencing your rare kindness.
Especially an an injured one actually when faced with your weakness of affection. 
Because no amount of kisses, soft touches, or pretty words could make his pain any less real. Or dampen his inner fear of ever experiencing that level of helplessness again that he once had been dealt from your kind. 
If you did sleep beside him enough nights to find out, you’d discover him sweating and thrashing in his sleep eventually. Reliving the ropes cutting into his wrists, the fire at his feet and the smoke in his lungs as he’d screamed at those vermin. Screamed and threatened to destroy everything and everyone even as their arrows finally hit their mark.
He’d made good on some of those promises too in recent years. But it would never be enough. That rage could never be fully quenched, his suffering from it never lessened. 
That pain only paused perhaps, or briefly redirected. In the instances where he was receiving something that he also wanted so thoroughly.
He wanted to hold you. He wanted to fuck you. He wanted to fight you. And he wanted to keep you.
His mind had run endless with plans and strategies to do this very thing for so long now. But he absolutely had to seal the deal soon to make this permanent. 
Because the only thing he was certain of when it came to these conflicting emotions was that no one else could be allowed to truly claim you again.
As his long body shifted once more, nestling even further against you at every meeting point that he could, his hand still tightened slightly on your lower abdomen.
That was one option he was still considering.
He hadn’t forgotten the crazy things you’d made him say in Sabaody. He’d been so angry with you that day. Likening you to nothing better than livestock for him to shame, abuse, and even impregnate however he’d see fit. 
It was still very much a cheat too if he chose to use that. Because as highly as he regarded his own twisted, mother and son like relationship with Tsuru, it made him not see a chain in this world stronger than that between mothers and their spawn.
No matter what you said or eventually promised him now, he knew you may still try to fly away from him one day. But if there was a child…then no matter where or how far you may wish to run, you would always return right back to any nest he’d made for you. You would do so without hesitation if your chick was the one within his grasp instead. If it was crying out in fear for your protection.
And morality of such ideas was not even a concept worth considering. Because of course he could do whatever he wished with his own future blood, or with you, his own desired mate.
It was just the logistics of achieving such a thing. 
When his servants had searched your bag earlier, he could have had them throw out those stupid birth control pills of yours then and there.
But you’d just get more as soon as you were back on any marine ship. He knew that. So the fight that would have been with you hadn’t been worth the annoyance to him right now.
Not for such a low chance of making a difference in just three days time anyway. 
But he was definitely keeping an eye on that potential. If it really came down to it, he knew other chemicals existed. Things that nullified those pills which could easily be slipped into drinks for instance. 
Caesar alone had a treasure trove of old Germa 66 data that’d been stolen. Forced fertility was hardly a complicated affair in all the greater horrors Vinsmoke Judge had committed to his own bloodline.
The reminder to Doflamingo that he had no blood family, outside of the more distant ones that he’d gladly kill if they ever set foot beyond their gilded gates in Mariejois, was a bittersweet one though.
If you really could give him that family back one day, he would absolutely use both you and that child to help with the void those last executions had still left him with. It would be something to finally have the Heart seat filled again too of course. Doflamingo had lost his heart in more ways than one back then. 
———————————
“Doffy.” You said quietly, just this surreal scene something your mind was still trying to accept as you felt his breath warm and soft against your neck in the new light of day.
Well, the dim light of day. The curtains were not pulled shut. But the sky was overcast, gloomy almost.
The perfect morning to never move at all really.
With a sleeping monster coiled all around you, like you were some shiny pebble he’d never let go of again.
But this pebble needed to pee.
Quite badly, with a smaller bladder than him, and all that wine still filtering into it. Something expensive and vintage you couldn’t even properly pronounce, but it’d been that or nothing as thirsty as you’d been last night. As sweaty as you’d been as you’d climbed that pirate as if you’d never see a man again.
Over and over, but somehow you’d still survived him.
If there had been blood again, it’d only been specks. Mostly under his fingernails or yours. And he’d liked it every time. Every claw mark, every bruise and bite. He’d wanted to give as much as receive.
But he was about to receive something worse if he didn’t release you soon.
“I need to pee.” You said a little more insistently. Trying to slide out from between his arms, and those even longer legs wrapped so tightly around you.
But you felt his face press into you even harder. Even that short blond hair now messy, mussed against your skin.
His calves slid against you, warm and tight as a new sound finally greeted your ear.
“….and if I say no?”
His voice was dark, but so thick with sleep still. There was a large hand running down your side again.
“Then I piss on your skinny bird legs.” You threatened.
He made an indistinguishable sound at that, but you felt his lips upturn against your spine.
“Filthy animal.” And now that same hand had moved to enclose on your wrist.
He’d been like this some last night too anytime you’d needed to leave the bed. But he’d been much easier to fight when worn down from all the fucking.
This was now a Doflamingo with a few hours of sleep back in him.
But you still didn’t have the time, deciding to take that challenge. Pulling up your legs so quickly that he couldn’t catch them with his own.
You put the soles of your feet against that hard abdomen of his next as you pushed for all you were worth. Only the strength of one of his hands now pitted against the force of both of your legs. 
He cursed at the pain that made for him, and when he twisted his body, your foot nearly slipped down between his legs. Not intentionally on your part, but you and he both realized how close you’d come to annihilating him right in the balls this early in the morning.
He released you immediately too then. And you hadn’t been ready for that, crashing right off the bed with most of the blankets as you’d still been trying to pull away from him. 
Yet you jumped right back up, though with the bedsheet cascading off of your hip as you thought he might be coming after you to continue the struggle.
But he was only staring at you. Still laying there on the bed where your fall had fully uncovered him. Like some kind of nude adonis in annoyed repose. 
You straightened up at the sight, nude as well and trying not to feel that flush of heat within you all over again.
And he said nothing, but you felt his gaze on you all the way until you’d made it into the bathroom and closed the door for privacy.
But then that was actually worse. Again, just like the night before, not being able to see him meant he could be moving anywhere, doing anything. The same way that snakes and spiders didn’t bother you as long as you could see them. But it was an entirely different matter once they disappeared.
You were trying to listen for any footfalls even as you flushed the toilet and briefly washed your hands over the sink.
But there was nothing and you had opened the door again soon enough.
You saw he had indeed moved, but only to pull the blanket back off of the floor and onto his body. Only his shoulders and head were exposed now. He had the left side of his face buried against the mattress as well in the absence of you. His right eye still watching you, but through a half lidded gaze.
Still that tired then? Poor thing, you thought sardonically.
Yet this was also your chance to get something else done as you tried not to make a big show of grabbing one of the now empty wine glasses off of the dresser. The drinking had started on the balcony with dinner last night, and then moved back inside as he’d herded you into the bed and beneath him once more all those hours ago.
You were absolutely still sore too as you kneeled down by your duffel bag. You unzipped it quietly, just enough to slide your hand in and pop one of your birth control pills out of the foil packet buried within your clothes.
In one smooth movement, you’d slipped the pill into your mouth and stood again. Just walking back to the bathroom to fill the wine glass with enough water from the sink to wash the pill down as you’d swallowed.
“You really are a fucking animal.” His voice cut through rather loudly right as you’d tilted your head back.
You about spit the water out at the sudden gruff voice, glaring back at him through the open bathroom door for startling you.
But the pill did make it down your throat as you’d walked back out.
“What’s your problem? Go back to sleep, pirate!” You fussed, heart rate up now as that’d been so unexpected in the otherwise silence of the dimly lit room.
You left the wine glass back on the dresser as you approached the bed again however.
And that crimson red iris of his right eye was locked in on you, even as he opened the blanket and quickly pulled you back against him once you were close enough.
His grip was stronger than minutes before, painful this time as you felt his cock, already half hard again against your back.
But he didn’t use it right now, just growling a little in your ear. “The problem is that we don’t drink from bathroom sinks, you little savage. If you want water, you ring the help to bring you some. Ice water filtered into a pitcher, not bathroom water from the same room that we shit in…got it?”
And then he was forcing you to turn around again, to face him in the bed before he tightened the blanket back around you both.
Your eyebrows were lowered, knowing he was actually serious but not at all understanding why this was suddenly such a trigger. Why was he so goddamned weird? He’d literally licked his own cum off of your face last night. But drinking from the sink was taboo?
“Yes, Doffy.” You muttered anyway. Intuitive enough to realize that that was also what he wanted to hear.
But he huffed a little regardless. His eye still on yours as he answered. “Watch the bratty tone. I’ll housebreak you yet, little cur.”
And even with the dark clouds outside, enough sunlight was filtering in to start to lose your focus by watching his face again.
He really did have expressive eyes when they weren’t hidden. 
So even as much of an asshole as he was already being to you just minutes after waking, you did find yourself touching his face again soon enough.
And him allowing it as well despite that previous condescending talk while he turned his head so that both his eyes could be seen now. His cheek was against your hand as he still watched you.
“What now, love?” He asked abruptly then. 
Just like that his tone was different again with your touch. But it felt intentional too. You weren’t as naive as he may think.
Like it was still all a game somehow. From cold to warm, then sweet back to sour again, dangling the lure in front of you, then pulling it away again to try and make you drop your guard.
But he was willing to keep it going even if you weren’t falling for this constant switching back and forth fully yet. 
“No, I can’t see out of my left eye if that’s what you’re pondering.” He actually offered without being asked though while you’d watched each other. “Nothing there but shadow and flares of light that bring on the worst migraines anyway. But that left eye was always sensitive to light. Even from birth.”
Well, then he was suited to being some kind of venomous creature living under a rock after all wasn’t he? But he was clearly trying for your sympathy again too.
And he did scowl a little then, that cloudy eye narrowing in tandem with the other. You still weren’t taking the bait to empathize with him as easily as last night he likely realized. Your hormones and desire for him more under control now….mostly.
“But this is obviously a secret you’re now obligated to keep as well, love.” He warned instead. “Being a half blind warlord doesn’t pack quite as much of a threat now does it?”
“I’d bet it just makes you that much meaner actually.” You quipped in return.
His scowl upturned a bit there, a smirk beginning as he didn’t entirely disagree. “Sometimes.”
And really, you would have been fine to leave each other alone from there. An armistice to just lay in Doflamingo’s arms as a lazy morning like you hadn’t had from anyone in much too long. 
With Kuzan the last time…and you supposed it really had to be the last time now, he’d been too drunk. Rolling away from you even hours before it was already time to be back up and in uniform.
And with Smoker, even before the breakup he’d been away from you for months. Your last physical time together, actually having been only a quickie in the bathroom of a damned bar. Just a port town both your ships had been in at the same time. 
Hardly romantic as you’d been bitching at him not to get ashes in your hair as he’d hiked up your skirt from behind and still not put out those fucking cigars regardless. Thrusting into you just long enough for him to cum, and then he’d been done.
No talk of missing you. No lingering kiss or hold at all. Just a man who’d been alone on a boat for too long and needed something to put it in.
You really should have realized his waning interest in you sooner. You and Smoker hadn’t been much more than friends with benefits by the end, had you? And apparently even that had been too much for him to maintain.
It still pissed you off really. How quickly Smoker had just turned and cut you out when you’d thought it had been more than just sex.
“The fuck are you thinking about now?” Doflamingo interrupted as your eyes flitted back to him in surprise.
Had you been showing that past regret on your face? Hell.
And the pirate was indeed watching you with full judgement.
“It’s just been a while since I’ve gotten to stay with anyone. I don’t know.” You certainly tried to stay non specific there. You couldn’t think of any quicker way to violence than to confess to Donquixote Doflamingo of thinking of another man while in his bed beside him.
But thankfully, he didn’t press this time. Seemingly a bit more interested in the handful of your ass that he was then cupping.
“Well you didn’t slit my throat in my sleep. So I suppose I’ll let you stay again tonight…” He taunted a little, but still sounding somewhat lazy as you remained in his grip.
“Because I’m a sailor, not an assassin.” You replied though, a bit offended at that insinuation before you could even help it.
And he did grin again then. “Oh, I’m well aware. Tsuru’s little protege. You two and your pitiful ethics. But…that predictable nature of yours makes this rare privilege possible for you. You think I’d let a fellow pirate curl up to me like this?” 
And there was a look in his eye then that absolutely said he was referring to someone specifically as his words kept on. “My peers may know how to fuck well enough, but we’d kill each other sooner than touch again after the copulating was done. Too much ego between us to make it even one night without murderous intent rearing up.”
“Hate fucking you mean?” You asked, and you didn’t know why you were encouraging him. He’d talk about these crazy things and you’d just start to answer sometimes. 
“Exactly! All lust, no trust.” And he did seem amused, both at your response and his own little rhyme there. 
“But tell me, marine.” And now those wandering fingers were roaming your inner thighs as his eye looked more curious. “What would you really call this instead? You and I?”
And your nervousness was back. His focus so fully on you then. 
“I don’t know.” You said honestly.
“Let’s think about that then.” He said, and you were seeing more of his teeth. That smile that never resembled anything close to friendly.
“Did you like it when I walked you around in public yesterday?” He asked next. “…when I called you my woman in front of those scurrying mice at the store?”
And his voice was dropping too. His fingers gripping you harder in tandem.
“It made you wet didn’t it?” He breathed through that cruel smile. “Because you want so badly to belong to someone.”
Which, that tone only made you think that he must finally be awake enough to start feeling amorous all over again. But those devilish eyes were still thinking, considering deeper things once more.
“I liked the way it felt too.” He said abruptly. “I’ve been thinking of what it’d be like to have you to come back to each night…”
Your lips couldn’t help but part a little again at that when his thumb ran across them. Yet he kept talking, kept suggesting.
“You’re already a captain after all. I’ve no doubt that the rank of commodore will soon follow. And you’ll have your own ship and crew by then, won’t you darling?”
His face had moved in closer to you again then, lips ghosting along your jawline. Hungry little bites made along it, urging you to tilt your head back as he finished his thought. “You do realize that that ship will have to have Dressrosa as its home port, don’t you? I don’t think I’ll be able to accept anything less now…” 
Of course you made a sound somewhere between disbelief and disagreement at those new words, But he didn’t care. His tongue was running wet across your pulse point before he bit down abruptly.
And the palm of your hand was against his cheek just as fast to push him off.
You felt his resulting laugh more than you heard it before he did pull back. Yet only enough for him to outright lick your still open palm.
Which earned another look of equal surprise and bewilderment from you as you tried to wipe that spit back away immediately onto the bedding. 
“And how the hell would that work?” You did ask irritably though, still clearly flustered by his new ideas. “There’s no marine base in Dressrosa. A home port is where the crew members’ families live. Where we stay between assignments and resupply, and-”
“Yes, it’d be the perfect country for raising a family, wouldn’t it?” His voice was so smooth again at that, unnerving almost as it caught you a little further off guard.
He was stroking you idly again too, down your side and over your hip. “Your subordinates would be kissing your feet to get to live in the comparative paradise of Dressrosan casitas instead of those utilitarian marine barracks they’d find everywhere else.” 
“It takes a lot of crew to fully man one of our ships.” You didn’t know why your body was trying to tense again at this subject. Or why you were trying to fight illogical emotions with logical words at all. “That’s not an amount of housing that can just pop up overnight.”
“I’m their fucking king…we’ll designate whatever space I say to. And it’d all be free obviously. Your miserly accountants at HQ could never say no to that.”
“Nothing is free.” You quickly replied. 
And Doflamingo did smile again there. Like a magician conceding that his current audience was more cynical than most. You were still seeing some truth even behind the attractive show.
“Well…you’d be the real payment of course.” He murmured, beginning to look a bit more hungry again.
“Funny.” You tried to deflect. 
“I’m serious.” He contended. And you could feel his hips shift, a rather hard something now poking against your stomach once more.
“You actually want me to live in Dressrosa?” It felt like a last ditch effort to try snd show him how insane those words really could sound when strung together. 
“Oh no, love. That alone wouldn’t be enough.” And he’d moved again so that long cock of his was now sliding back and forth against your abdomen.
And you looked at him in some confusion. All the while seeing that lust begin to bud all over again in his handsome face.
“Your crew would live in Dressrosa. But you would live in my palace. In my bed. Just like this.”
And he flung the blankets back with those words, before he’d rolled the two of you so that you were fully beneath him once more.
You could see how flushed with blood that throbbing cock already was then, an enlarged vein running beneath it as he’d pulled that lube bottle back into his hand via string.
“Every morning while your ship was in port, woman. This could be us.” He promised even as he was then stroking that lube back over his shaft and the broad head of it. “You could set sail and go ruin as many other pirates as you’d wish…crush my competitors. And then come home, back to me at the end of each voyage. Back to your king.” 
You heard that resealed lube bottle clank against the nightstand as he hadn’t even had the patience to set it back down. Him just tossing it before he grabbed you behind the knees and spread your legs while lifting them up simultaneously.
Your ankles were in the air and then pressed against his chest before he shoved that wet cock back inside of you.
It was always painful. And always amazing too as you saw him smile down at your pitiful expression. Just a woman hopelessly conquered, aroused, and desperate all at once for this ruthless man.
You didn’t care about a future that had yet to be. Whatever schemes and plans he had for you…there was no point of being afraid of what wasn’t yet here.
This stretching and heat and need were what was real. Just blooming all over again and pushing everything else from your mind as you finally found the way to beg.
“Fuck me, Doffy….please.” You whined when he’d yet to begin thrusting at all after that first penetration.
He’d been too busy watching you writhe as you’d stretched for him once more.
And the growl that came from him in return to your plea was nothing short of hedonistic. “Of course. Of fucking course, love. Open up and take me…on two conditions.”
You tried to focus, but even as those damnable eyes of his bid you to heed him, his thumb was now pressing over your clit simultaneously. He rubbed it so perfectly as he tightened that metaphorical snare all at once.
Every prior word, every prior action…he’d been waiting for you to succumb like this.
“I’ll be yours, woman. I’ll even let you come and go from my country. Let you continue with that ‘ambitious justice’ that you’ve so claimed.” The sneer on his face at your particular notion of justice made clear how arbitrary and futile he found the term however.
He did begin to slowly thrust his cock in and out of you too then, dragging it almost to extend each and every tease to all those heated nerve endings inside. “But no one else may have your body this way…not without my full consent. No one.”
His finger was still massaging your clit incessantly with each new word, but not letting your own hips buck up into him as they so badly wanted to. He only pinned you even harder into the mattress, almost impatient for you to comply as he gave the final rule. 
“And you will always return home to me.” There was no smile then. This was absolutely all or none. “Your only true home will be wherever I am.” 
And for the very first time, you may have preferred the red glasses to have been back on his face to cover him. Because that look in his eyes was abruptly unforgiving. But…especially in the wounded left eye actually.
He’d said that eye had been abnormal, sensitive to light even from birth. 
But only in the daylight, and only with it focused on you that dangerously could you now see the double iris that you’d mistaken as just a normal one appearing falsely enlarged by injury. It was actually a circle within a circle, its previous deep red hazed over to almost a pink beneath the white scar tissue.
And something in that double iris was fully primal. You couldn’t look at it long without feeling those beginnings of fear.
“Doffy…” You tried to call him back to you. As if the look in that left eye alone was what was really controlling his sudden demands.
“Swear to me.” He hissed just as quickly though. That pressure from his hand on your clit becoming painful.
He was absolutely hurting you now. Your body caught under his weight as well as he stayed buried as deeply inside of you as he could go. The head of him was pressed against your cervix yet again.
You were cornered and you knew it. And even as frightening as that could suddenly be, it didn’t kill your desire for him. 
He was absolutely a monster. 
But he was still the only thing you kept thinking about. The only one you kept needing. You’d keep coming back to him anyway, as stupid as you were, wouldn’t you? Because everyone else kept throwing you away when you’d tried to do better. 
You’d tried to fall in love with marines, and felt like a ship smashed against the rocks both times. Wouldn’t it be insane of you to just keep chasing that same honorable kind of man like Kuzan or Smoker, only to find that you weren’t an honorable enough woman for either of them to keep?
“Then what would I be to you?” You pleaded within the pain. Your clit stinging, your cervix aching. “Just your mistress? Your concubine?” Your eyes were starting to sting too. Were you no better than your own brothel working mother in the end? The most you’d ever have in lieu of actual love was just the sexual fixations of a dangerous man?
Yet he spoke these new words into existence and everything else went silent. 
“You would be my wife.”
You weren’t breathing, the bed wasn’t creaking. Every muscle on you both was frozen. Just his unnatural eyes staring into yours.
“You can’t mean that.” Your brain felt utterly useless now. Any words just reflex, completely helpless and defeated really.
“Waiting any longer is only for the indecisive. Once I know what I want…why would I leave it for anyone else to take?” And the tone had changed yet again. His thumb was now moving only in gentle circles on your clit once more.
You spread your legs a little more in reflex. Your goddamned body so confused.
“Say yes.” He insisted still though, even as he started to pump his hips again. 
All the pain in you was being covered up again by the pleasure he now allowed.
You had no choice. You knew you’d be absolutely mauled if you denied him now. Even with every haki trick you had, you may not even make it out alive from this room, as passionate as he clearly was on having your submission.
So you nodded, feeling like you’d just ceded a piece of your own soul to the being above you. “I accept.”
“No. Swear to me instead.” Those same words came again in immediate reply. But this time was different. There was that very faintest hint of anxiety in the Heavenly Demon’s voice. Like a fisherman seeing the catch of his life teetering on that edge of either fully entering or escaping the net.
“I swear, Doflamingo. I’ll have no one else, and I’ll return to you after every voyage. I’ll even be your wife if I can still remain a marine.”
And were you crazy for still trying to add your own stipulation at the end there?
Yes, of course you were. But you’d seen the way he was hanging on your every word then. Your heart had still had that touch of bravery left to rise at the final moment.
And it worked. You saw his smile instantly reform. But it seemed involuntary, disbelieving almost, and entirely nervous on his face. “You can still be both. I have pull higher than even Sengoku…they can’t terminate you. Can’t demote you. You can be the first royal of modern times still in active service…”
And he was starting to laugh too. He didn’t know what to do with himself as it really began to sink in.
“My queen…” he purred, his hips picking up the pace as the bed started creaking once more. “A warrior queen of the sea at that…fuck, it’s going to be so goddamned fun.”
And he was grinding your g-spot for all he was worth soon enough. Having you moaning for him as he reveled in this sudden and wholly unexpected victory.
You couldn’t think about it much more though. Not as your toes curled and your back arched beneath the now gleeful devil. 
It was utterly insane. Him, you, all of it. There was just nothing else that could be done in this moment to save either of you.
———————————
The rest of the daylight hours had been a haze of more fucking, more alcohol, more just being together frankly. Lazing around that beautiful villa together with no one to disturb you. You’d never seen Doflamingo in such a good mood.
At some point you finally had gotten into the shower together though. Which had resulted in more games in the hot steam. You’d gotten pinned against that lovely tile mosaic in the bathroom as he’d actually gotten on his knees to eat you out. Like a starving man who’d never have or want anything else.
It was a hell of a day.
But by the time the sun had set again, you felt like he was missing the attention of everyone else too. He wanted to show you off and parade the both of you to the envy of the other elites.
He wanted to go to the carnival ball.
And what were you supposed to do but entertain him? He had been almost kind to you ever since your agreement this morning. You knew it couldn’t last. Something was bound to set him off again.
But until then, you could do your best to enjoy this rather affectionate warlord that he was currently being.
So you went with him. In the dress he chose for you, in the shoes he chose for you. Your arm around his as you’d gone back out onto the gaslit streets together.
The carnival masks were back on as well. His red one, and your black one. He was in a different suit tonight though. A red one with a black under vest and shirt.
It reminded you even more of the one he’d used to favor in the North Blue. But it was a bit more modern cut, a slightly different shade. 
And still you caught yourself staring at him at times. The way he carried himself, the way he smirked at you as he always had to stay in some form of physical contact with you.
He was right in the way you loved the attention. But was he right to say that you did wish to belong to someone? 
It looked like you were going to find out. Unless he got tired of you before he went through with this whole Dressrosa as your home port plan.
Gods, you still had no idea what to really think, or how any of it could even work. So you kept trying to live in the moment at least as you’d ended up in the biggest ballroom you’d ever seen.
Royalty and nobility were all around as musicians in tuxedos played more songs Doflamingo knew and you did not.
“Who taught you how to dance anyway?” You had finally asked him as he lead you in another slow spin. Him somehow keeping time to the music even better than all the other couples you were trying to imitate around you.
You weren’t as clumsy as you’d been in the street the day before at least. But it was still far from intuitive to you, though you were trying.
“My mother taught me.” He answered, no real hesitation either that time.
But the way his mouth was downturned slightly, you were quite certain that woman was also no longer alive. Though you supposed rarely would anyone with a loving family feel a need to set out on a life of crime anyway. 
You certainly hadn’t had a real maternal figure until you’d met Tsuru. Your own mother had been far too young, and just trying to survive herself. There’d been no room for you really.
“She sounds interesting. Swan owner, dancer…” You dared to continue that topic though. Hoping maybe his good mood was still enough to allow you to pry into him a little more.
After all you’d promised him this morning, that seemed more than fair to know a bit more about the man you’d just tied yourself to.
But then again, this particular man was hardly known for his fairness.
Yet with your hand tightly in his as the violins continued, he did reply. With more than expected actually. “No. She wasn’t interesting at all really. Quiet. Submissive. Wholly fragile and quickly gone…” But the somber tone in his voice still belied more regret than just those plain words. “Like taking a rose from a greenhouse and expecting it to survive in the mud outside with the weeds. Of course she couldn’t do it. She passed away when I was eight.”
Saying sorry would be too pointless. You hated useless platitudes like that. So you wouldn’t do it yourself.
“Was that still in the North Blue then? Is that your home sea?” You asked carefully instead. It should have been a harmless, neutral question really.
But you saw Doflamingo’s chest move as he took in a larger breath.
“I know I need to tell you eventually…and yet, we’re having a nice night aren’t we? It’s been an excellent day actually. Is this really what you want to know right now, love?”
And of course you couldn’t understand the change from such a simple question as the red lenses in that carnival mask were then looking down from above you.
When the current song ended, he’d led you back away from the dance floor as well.
There were small circular tables all over with flowing table cloths. Wait staff moved effortlessly between them, taking food and drink orders from whoever may wave them down.
“Let’s get something to eat and perhaps we can talk a bit more.” He said as his hand moved against the small of your back, guiding you to a table of his choice.
He still wasn’t angry, just guarded.
But you’d already seen his real face now. And you knew what kind of cutthroat pirate he’d been and still was. What else of his past could be that important to him?
And you did let him do the ordering as soon as a waiter had indeed rushed up. Doflamingo was always going to take charge regardless you were finding. Picking your clothes, picking your food too…
You didn’t care right now, though you should have. It was just more control of course. Even as much as you’d already given him of yourself today.
But food was food in this moment. You’d barely eaten today with all the other in bed activities. So you just idly surveyed the room while the waiter explained the current entrees and the chef’s recommended wine pairings to your warlord date. 
It was an old habit of yours maybe. Situational awareness and an idea of who was where, where the exits were, plus the general mood and threat level at any given time when working with a crowd.
Yet here was just a lot of fluff and self serving people putting on displays for one another really. You’d even clocked the father and sons you’d first escorted to this island. They hadn’t recognized you of course. How could they have when they’d never even looked you in the face when on Momonga’s ship? You hadn’t been worth it to them.
The youngest son had spilled wine on his date somehow. She was having a fit, and the father was stepping in with heaps of apologies. She must have been even richer than them then. The fact that there were hierarchies within hierarchies for these people just made it seem all the dumber. 
Such a waste of energy. And you were about to give up watching any of them, bored in their manufactured drama and flamboyance before something else caught your attention.
A group of men and women were moving against the general grain of everyone else. Stiff and organized, something you recognized immediately as tactical. Two in front, two in back, and one on each side.
You stretched to see better, past the socialites and their petty conversations. 
That group was moving someone in the center of their formation. A young girl actually, certainly no more than ten or so. Her blue ponytail was swishing side to side, even with her body so tense. Her shoulders were hunched defensively as she was being pushed forward with one of the men’s hands clamped down onto her shoulder from behind.
You could see the silent tears in wet streaks down that girl’s face. That terror in her eyes that you’d seen so many times before. You knew exactly what was happening, even if no one else did as you immediately stood.
——————————
Doflamingo had just been committing to the    fiorentina steak dish and a polenta entree as well for the two of you to sample together when he’d seen you stand.
Belatedly noticed really because you’d been on his left. But that spoke of his already increasing trust in you really, letting you guard his blind side even subconsciously. How he’d often keep his officers to his left whenever seated.
Yet that didn’t mean he expected you to actually do anything from that position. He tried to grab your wrist as you’d moved forward. Seeing that tenseness in your body immediately and not understanding it a bit before you’d dodged his touch easily.
The waiter was just as confused and in the way really as Doflamingo stood fully as well. He moved his fingers, ready to stop you if he had to.
“Where the hell are you-“ He started to demand you to explain.
“No time. Stay. I’ll be back.” You said so quickly though. So different and commanding. Before one slightly softer note of, “I promise. I’ll be back.”
And you didn’t even look at him before you’d disappeared, almost in a run then into the crowd. Him left standing at the table, inexplicably hesitating.
You’d told him to do something and he’d actually listened.
He was as dumbfounded as the waiter who now excused themselves just to say they were going to put his order in.
But they didn’t get far.
No one did before the first gunshots rang out.
———————————
    T⨂  BE 
CONTINUED
———————————
Thanks for reading!
56 notes · View notes
padfootastic · 9 months
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hey hey hey since we’re popping in just for hot takes, here’s another one:
platonic. prongsfoot. isn’t. a. thing.
how many fucking times does this have to be said.
should i start tagging every remus and sirius interaction as platonic wolfstar??? clog up the whole goddamned tag for u????
honestly what is so hard to understand that a ship name denotes…A FUCKING SHIP
and in case it bears repeating: a ship is inherently non-platonic thank u very much. a ‘platonic ship’ is…wait for it…a friendship. there u have it. shocker i know.
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tubbytarchia · 11 days
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Jimmy X Life thoughts
This is long (ft. fWhip and Scott and Joel)
TLDR: its all kinda cute but then devolves into Jimmy misery anyway even though he has done nothing
Jimmy's really cute builds??? to lure you in
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Obligatory: I only talk about characters
X Life is a goddamn fever dream lol, following are some jumbled thoughts that I've divided into "Jimmy", ""fWhip and Joel", "Jeremyism" and "Scott" thoughts (all in relation to Jimmy). Shoutout to my friend for liveblogging and discussing together with me and pointing out some stuff I missed or better than I could
-- Jimmy thoughts
Jimmy's actually relatively happy within this series, at least at the beginning, and there is no significant "bullying Jimmy" kind of culture thing in place here, even though chronologically this series came after and partially ran at the same time as Legacy where it was very prevelant. They even hold a 100K milestone ceremony for him and it's very cute. Namely though fWhip and Joel treat him very nicely, he even has many really cute interactions with Scott!! I'm not gonna talk about shipping past this one statement but as someone who hasn't liked fWhimmy till now and finds Flower Husbands really interesting but not always healthy, it was... Really relieving to see both of those duos be really cute for me personally. But in spite of this there's still, sigh, a lot of Jimmisery...
Pretty early on, he decides on this thing "Whoever is nice to me gets a stack of diamonds" like, my sweet cheese.... You don't need to give people so much just for being nice to you.... your bank account is in constant ruin!! Lizzie also mods in coffee stuff specifically for him and Jimmy proclaims that any profits he makes from his coffee shops he will split with Lizzie as a thanks... he's so sweet stop it
Near the beginning he's way more assertive than I've grown used to. There's a point where Scott is waiting for him and he can SEE Scott in the distance but then just strolls the shopping district while Scott tells him to hurry up only for Jimmy to mostly ignore him. Another exchange between them goes S: "did I say you could use my villager?" and Jimmy replying "Did I say you could bring me a crab that'd then kill me? Didn't THINK SOOOO!!!". There's so many moments like this and it's so... it's so awesome to see. What changed.... Why can't there be more of this...
But then at some point he starts being harsh towards himself? He starts to call himself an idiot and starts proclaiming "I hate myself" for the most understandable little mishaps and things like?? Son?? He figures out how to make his advertisement poster bigger like everyone else's is and then when he does quickly figure it out all on his own he goes "I hate myself, I really do" WHAT'S THAT FOR. WHAT'S THAT FOR JIMMY!!!! Another moment to point out, Lizzie doing a friendship test thing and she already has pictures of 3 contestants. She calls Jimmy over for him to try and qualify, and when he sees the pictures he says that those look like smart people and he doesn't think he'll make it...
This isn't exclusive to X Life but him building stuff and calling it lovely and being easily excited at discovering the most basic building tricks, but then as soon as someone else is in the picture he immediately starts downplaying himself and calling his building bad...
At some point there's a war that Jimmy really wants to avoid but he gets roped into it by Jack blowing up Peekay's house (totally obliterated that thing) and framing Jimmy for it. Later when there's a confrontation, both he and Peekay clearly know it was Jack, but they fault Jimmy anyway, saying he's escalating things when he's just like. Standing there. Jimmy even ends up asking "what can I do for you to forgive me, for something I didn't do" like no stand your ground man!! You didn't do anything!! Man.... In the end he ends up rebuilding stuff for Jack (why Jack??? I dont know) and when Jack is the first person out of the series, in his Will he stated something along the lines of "I want Jimmy executed because he did a bad job rebuilding my things". And then Jimmy gets set on fire as everyone watches him burn to death. He didn't do anything!!!!!
There's a therapy session after this in which, when Gem asks him to open up, all he says is "Yesterday I woke up and was taken advantage of, that is all"
I think it's Peekay (could be wrong) who also utterly doused Jimmy's house in water as a prank but it... was awful lol. Jimmy's house ended up with lots of holes but at least he was all "I was gonna rebuild anyway". That peeved me so much though... For comparision, Scott pulled a prank on Jimmy where he rebuilt one of his rooms upside down (so kind of moved his furniture to the ceiling) but that's high effort and funny and causes less damage so that's all fair in my books. Good prank. The water dousing was not
He and Scott had a brief prank exchange, but the ONLY thing I can think of where Jimmy was knowingly, unjustifiably in the wrong, was when he cheated on an auction by bidding on a painting after the auction had closed. And even that is such a small offense!! Genuinely all the misery he was caused was just him being caught in the crossfire of other people's shit and it's... ough I don't want to say "he has never done anything wrong" because he totally has but BARELY. Why is it always like this... Hardly ever does he do anything that warrants the things that happen to him
Jimmy's also pretty if not really nice to the mobs, vanilla and modded. In his and Scott's shelter business, he brought in a hostile mob twice with the justification "hostile mobs deserve a home too!!" </3 dawh. He'd make mobs nice enclosures... But then he fucking HATES chickens. He kills them like nothing. Proclaims "I'll enjoy every second of this". Goes "I'll kill only a few of you..." and then kills 10 of them. Violently and instantly kills one stray chicken that escaped his enclosure as Lizzie watches on in horror with the two pandas she just helped bring over. It's kind of insane?? Why.... You're a rancher at heart, what's with the chicken slaughter.... My friend pointed to him canonically being compared to a chicken once. Do with that what you will. Oh also when he came dead last in a race, his immediate reaction upon finishing was to brutally kill his horse?????????? Jimmy??????????????????????????
ALSO he's a good builder?? A lot of people have expressed that Jimmy's building skills have been getting better but I beg to differ, his builds in this series are all really charming and cute? They're not very detailed but they're simplistic and I love it, he obviously has an eye for pleasant looking builds and I'm so SO sad we don't see this too much anymore... There's also a cute moment where he builds a roof out of dirt, says he'll replace it later but apparently his commenters really liked it so he kept it... That's so Jimmy....
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-- fWhip and Joel thoughts in relation to Jimmy
fWhip especially is almost (we'll get to that) undingly nice to Jimmy here, and I even felt bad for him in several instances related to Jimmy. Joel is more softspoken as he was in general 3 years ago, and was also almost (we'll get to that) totally nice to Jimmy. At some point they do a horse race and Jimmy comes in dead last but both he and fWhip cheer him on anyway. Joel says "well done Jimmy you nerd" but it's Joel so that counts as him being nice and awesome. It's also very cute that he was partially presenting Jimmy's 100K milestone ceremony, even if it was basically just him calling Jimmy a "wonderful creature" after, to quote my friend, almost vomiting on stage. But it's Joel so it counts
Joel also builds something for Jimmy at some point but whilst they're discussing what it should be like, they land on the word "broken" and Joel goes "broken, like you" and Jimmy replies "broken, like me" like????? Help me this was so early too. That came from NOWHERE. What????? Joel was nice otherwise though... except for one other moment
All three of them create a building business and do acknowledge and agree that Jimmy's not doing the hardest part (building) and doesn't get as much of the profit, seeing as he's just the receptionist. It's still a mostly happy businessship though. They get two bad reviews (from Scott and Peekay) because of Jimmy but all three of them in both instances ultimately agree that Jimmy wasn't at fault. Stuff like Joel taking down a bad review left on a sign saying "the customer isn't always right". Jimmy catches wind of a rumor at some point that he's being fired and when the awaited meeting happens, fWhip and Joel name him receptionist of the month instead, praising him for his hard work in advertising for the business and also making lots and lots of coffee (he's the only one who can even operate the coffee machine lmao. He's really proud of it too, it's very cute. He even keeps bringing it up in an effort for the other two to recognise his value before he gets the news he's anticipating). Jimmy even says "I'm glad that, yknow, you're seeing it. Cus sometimes. yknow. it's really hard for me to feel.. useful. like you guys are building spectacular things and I'm. I'm trying my best." he's genuinely so, so happy and sounds like he's on the brink of tears (claims to be as well)
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BUT SIKE PLOT TWIST because I hate myself I went to skim Joel's POV too and he and fWhip actually spoke to one of the other members about Jimmy being a bad receptionist, all "it's Jimmy, you know...". fWhip enforces this and Joel even says "Not to pass blame onto Jimmy but it's all his fault" after which the firing rumor starts to spread. And as far as I could tell, it's forever left ambiguous if they were genuine to any degree when they named him receptionist of the month and this will now keep me up at night. Did they genuinely think Jimmy was at fault in spite of encouraging him that he wasn't? Did they do what they did just to make Jimmy happy even if they believed him to be at fault? Or were they talking shit that one time for no reason...
Joel makes this religion "Jeremyism" to spite Scott (for renaming a bunch of his pets) which Jimmy is the first person to join and is pretty much undyingly devoted to till the very end in spite of the fever dream that spirals from it by the end...
Ignoring that one incident of Joel and fWhip bad-mouthing Jimmy, fWhip was very nice to him, throughout Jimmy's POV at least. I'd like to especially draw attention to fWhip trusting Jimmy to show some other members how to build some houses, like, awgh,,, finally some Jimmy building ability recognition!!! Good for you fWhip!!! They almost exclusively talked in relation to businesses though and at some point made a deal with Jimmy to join Jeremyism if Jimmy would come and basically just hang out with him in the jungle or go on a little adventure. This never happened though
Joel ends up giving up his position as the Jeremyism leader "for content" (??) to anyone who can complete his death obstacle course. Jimmy does, though unfairly by accident (Joel said it was fine though), but finds at the very end of it that someone has already reached this point before him, and of course it was Scott... Scott turns Jeremyism into a proper cult by enforcing rigid rules, his leadership and word, stating that you have to die in order to leave the cult, and his right hand Lizzie demands diamonds as offerings (none of this was a thing before). None of the members seem to be fans, but Joel and Jimmy especially voice and show discomfort, though Jimmy still quickly offers up his diamonds. fWhip fucking burns himself right there thus leaving the cult (king shit) and when he comes to the window from the outside to wave at them, Jimmy is quick to call him a "traitor" and tries to block the view with blocks (this is where I feel for fWhip who has been nothing but nice to Jimmy from Jimmy's POV). Joel makes pathetic attempts at killing Scott with an anvil (fails) and then killing himself (fails)
Gem and Kath put on a therapy session at some point which Jack, fWhip and Jimmy attend. Jimmy states not to want to talk to fWhip (which again hurts) and fWhip makes a subtle jab at Jimmy for never spending time with him in his jungle like he'd promised (totally justified). Jack also hits Jimmy for being part of Jeremyism right at the start, but then when he's jokingly drowning, Jimmy saves him, and he goes "you saved me!! :D". At the end, Jimmy tries to shoot bubbles (not damaging but a nuisance) at fWhip from a distance, at which fWhip starts to run at him to try to lasso him (lassoing a player puts them in a glitchy noclip dimension which they need to relog to get out of). They run around for awhile, fWhip eventually succeeds, Jimmy relogs and then Jack fucking murders fWhip. And then says "I did it for you" to Jimmy. Which, ok. Fast progression, a little insane... fWhip comes back and claims to feel great though. Jimmy pretty much leaves and runs off at this point and unfortunately he and fWhip never make up or have another nice interaction before the finale (I'm quite sure)
Joel uhh Joel just kinda fucks off lol he doesn't even die (Jimmy fills in Joel's grave anyway though)
-- Jeremyism thoughts
Mentioned above how devoted Jimmy was to Joel's religion, and to me it really reads like him finding a home. Like, a genuine home, idk... He really did a lot for it, trying to recruit members and taking care of several Jeremy donkeys and making offerings (Joel also gifted him multiple times)
When Scott takes over, he's clearly very distraught. He tried hard to become the new leader of Jeremyism specifically to stop Scott from ruining it. And yet when Scott does, he can't help but stay, quickly labels fWhip a traitor, offers up his diamonds easily... Even as he's asking for Joel to get up there where Scott is standing, instead of Scott. Jeremyism is done for but Jimmy still holds onto an idea of it
And he does this by literally building a Jeremyism hideout secret from Scott and Lizzy, where he and the other remaining members can hang out. Like come on!! He just wants Jeremyism back... He himself states it's "all I have" and "the one real purpose I had on this server was Jeremyism. And now it's gone" (this is basically before he kills himself and ends his series)
-- Scott thoughts in relation to Jimmy
As I said, they had some really cute interactions. Scott actually treated him nicely and his teasing felt lighthearted enough to not be anything worse than that. They dress up all cute for Halloween, they shoot bubbles at each other, Scott teaches him how to ride a flying carpet, Jimmy's not afraid to be a little sassy back at him... He replaced 3 of Scott's pets as a prank because Scott had gotten him a crab that killed Jimmy at some point, and in retaliation Scott doused his house in crabs, but then they like, ate lunch together date style, it was all good and fun, mutual foolery...
And then this one episode, to quote my friend, someone pissed in Scott's cereal and he's suddenly very dismissive of Jimmy's building skills and contributions like I'd expect to see in Third Life???? They see this arguably amateurishly built hut and Scott turns to Jimmy all accusatory "did you build this??". They build an animal shelter together which is cute but then Scott dismisses Jimmy and says he did almost all of the work and proclaims that he should get almost all of the profits etc. And it pisses me off because just like in 3L, this was a building he just ripped from somewhere else to begin with!! He did lay the foundation and such but you can see Jimmy helping build a decent amount in the timelapse...
At some point he also seems ashamed to admit that Scott helped him with his storage system :(
When Scott reads out Jack's wish to have Jimmy executed, Jimmy goes and basically kneels before Scott, telling him to do it. Scott can't because of spawn protection, but Jimmy gets set on fire instead and he?? Runs to Scott??? He runs to Scott and basically kneels before him AGAIN and Scott does NOTHING and I I don't know I might be insane but. Holy shit this is a fever dream and feels like abstract symbolism but ough that hurt. That hurt a lot. Why did Jimmy run to Scott, why did he kneel/crouch before him as he was burning to death... What was he trying to do... Was he seeking something.... comfort...? Neigh... I just wish to know...
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Scott in general is a fever dream in this all by himself though. They all turn up for Jack's funeral and then Scott starts talking about how he tried to be nice and expresses disappointment in having been met with disposition (finding out that Jimmy had a secret Jeremyism cove) acting all "if you want a villain I'll give you a villain!" as if he weren't already one after the cult he turned Jeremyism into and then suicide bombs the entire church still during Jack's funeral. ????? Jesus christ
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This screenshot isn't relevant but Im giving it to you anyway
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kazukazuhas · 9 months
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˗ˏˋ ꒰ 💌 ꒱ old friends, lloyd garmadon.┊ ˚➶ 。˚ ☁️
˗ˏˋ ꒰ 💌 ꒱ act two ;; scene three┊ ˚➶ 。˚ ☁️
  ୧ ⎯⎯ RECAP
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୧ ⎯⎯ WARNINGS ;; one (1) suicide joke ;; mentions of ill treatment // discrimination ;; unspoken trauma ;; ninjago lore but it’s vague asf ;; some pining
  ୧ ⎯⎯ NOTES ;; so, this is more on the filler chapter side of this but this breakdowns down the lore of this au too! (that an i need a filler before i drop some twists <33) +skylor's verified for the hell of it (because she runs the noddle empire–)
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  ୧ ⎯⎯ 2 IMAGES ;; TEXT ;; 1 IMAGE [CLICK FOR BETTER QUALITY]
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  finally, you flop down onto your bed with a relieved sigh, burying your face into the sheets of the slightly cold blankets and humming happily. finally, that sad week in the hospital passed –though it only passed so quickly was because of lloyd bugging you for most of it (with the occasional appearance of another one of your new friends, and several video calls from your parents and friends back at home). maybe it wasn’t so sad when that ball of sunshine– lloyd was around.
  so far you’ve learnt many things about this city (and surprisingly you were somehow ignorant to all of some of it’s sometimes worldwide news).
  there were literally ninja superheroes, one of which –the green one– saved your ass from being robbed and injured, worst case killed. they had been around for several years at this point and did multiple patrol runs daily. not only did they stop major threats, they helped out in the community. 
  the secret ninja force; named by the public such because the ninja are incredibly secretive about their personal lives and identities (which was called for because they are superheroes), consists of six people.
  the green ninja is the leader with some weird green power. the water ninja is one of the two tech heavy heroes in the city, having a close resemblance to a samurai while having that ninja aesthetic. the blue (or lightning) ninja earned his title as the human –are they even human?– plasma ball; while the earth ninja could probably throw a whole building at someone. they earned the title of the strongest. the white ninja (a nindroid?) is the master of ice, and probably the most deceiving of them as one of the sweetest people; albeit a little morally grey, you’ll ever meet despite the cold presence he has. then the red ninja is the most open one of the lot, the master of fire and swords –hey, there's a lot of skill before his wielding.
  the ninja also had a goddamn flying ship named the destiny’s bounty.
  there’s also samurai x, having the largest panel of debate on whether they’re a guy or lady. they’re the other tech heavy hero in ninjago, following in the footsteps of the previous samurai x who later became the water ninja. you have your suspicion that it might be cyrus borg’s daughter and assistant, pixal. (it was one of hell of a ride when you found out that pixal was actually a robot– nindroid despite her human-like appearance. well, the more you know.)
  and well, elemental masters aren’t much of a surprise to you –not when your aunt was one. master of something, you don’t remember too well what it was; just that either skylor might inherit it or it would skip her and possibly manifest in her kids. or you might get it, and frankly that would be sick. but it looks like neither of you did, atleast you choose to believe that instead.
  you turn, laying on your side and staring out the window, watching the quiet streets and city through the clear glass with an unfocused attention on it. lloyd’s words on his father stuck in your head, you were curious about him.
  you heard of all sorts of things about ninjago before moving here, things you chalked up as elaborate stories before he confirmed it all to you. 
  stories of overthrowing and controlling the realm, bloodlust and a power hungry fight many villains fought to win but inevitably lost in the end. golden weapons and a boy, a devouring evil that could only ever consume; an evil that never rested, a dark lord. and as of more recently, a princess that tried to rise all hell.
  when the ninja defeated the overlord –the never resting evil– lloyd’s father, garmadon was freed from the poison and evil he was under because of the dark lord’s influence. once the man was a tyrant and now you hear he is a sensei of a small, tranquil monastery in a small village somewhere near the city. garmadon sought out lloyd and koko, and became the father and husband the evil forced him not to be.
  he was a tyrant and then became a father. 
  you turn again, laying on your back and stare up at the ceiling with zoned out eyes. the whole situation was peculiar, especially if now since garmadon is good; why was lloyd still so mistreated?
  no one necessarily needed to say anything about it; you’ve noticed the looks sour faces the nurses, doctors and patients gave him when he was escorting you out of the hospital. you noticed the vaguely visible tension on his face while he kept his guard up when you two were walking to his busted car and the way he looked as though he was expecting the worst.
  a defense mechanism, you could tell from the way his eyes were scanning his surroundings; expect the worst so it doesn’t surprise you.
  he softened up only when you two got home, back to your place. but despite the lighter atmosphere in the comfort of the car; you didn’t quite feel he was ready enough to answer your question about the ill treatment he was being faced with subtly. maybe that would also explain why he was so scared that something worse could’ve happened to you. 
  why’d everything need to be so difficult...?
  you frowned, looking out the window with now more focused eyes. it’s been a hell of a week– or several if you count the ones you've been in ninjago; and there’s something nagging you to go home where you’d be safe. but, that would throw everything you’ve worked for, the seat at the best university in all the realm– a ticket out of that house. you’d have to stick it out for a while; at the least for your course to finish before you do anything else.
  well, even if you leave, you’ll have lloyd’s number this time; a way to contact that greenie (the one thing you wanted so badly since eleven.)
  you close your eyes, trying to get some rest again despite half that week you spent in the hospital consisted of you sleeping when lloyd wasn’t (excusing himself to do something work related–not that you’d known him to be employed at the moment). the soft blankets, now warmed by the gentle sun seeping into your room, call you to fall asleep. and you comply wordlessly, willingly.
  until there was a knock on your door and a call of your name. 
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˗ˏˋ ꒰ 💌 ꒱ kazukazuhas copr. 2023 darling┊ ˚➶ 。˚ ☁️
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