#storyteller au

[fanaticsnail]

Sapsorrow Chapter 8

Masterlist Here, Sapsorrow Masterlist Here

Word Count: 10,700+

"Whom so ever fits the ring becomes wed to the warlord who owns it" Themes: enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, forced proximity, lord and subordinate, one bed trope, apprehension, mutual pining, obligation, slow burn, eventual love, protective, "where is my wife" trope.

Starlight

(Image Source: https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/462322717990096069/)

Tag List: @maybe-a-bi-witch @fuzzyfestcat @sordidmusings @writingmysanity @gingernut1314 @since-im-already-here @feral-artistry @be-good-please @little-bunnybabe @sukilovesyou @acehyacinth @andriannag @one17 @canthebest1 @khaleesihavilliard @hungrhay @sentieence @lebanese-afg-ya @captaincupio @szired @sexc-snail @alphaash99 @mfreedomstuff @h0n3y-l3m0n05 @mrs-wolfwood @jaguarthecat @marsbars09 @vespidphoenix @cinnbar-bun

Notes: Thank you to @i-am-vita for her banner! Oh, boy. This is a big chapter. Next chapter will be MDNI, 18+. Thank you for your patience with me working at this. Two more chapters to go!

Song Suggestions: Young and Beautiful - Je suis Parte & Por Una Cabeza - Carlos Gardel

The ship swayed over the cloudy swell of darkened waves, shepherding the vessel away from the Kuraigana port and to a location your captain deemed appropriate for a newlywed bride to be hidden away from her husband. 

Captain Buggy D Clown was not one to shy away from anything, especially not when something as interesting as causing drama and theatrics at the expense of Lord Dracule Mihawk was present. He was eager to present this challenge, whether you or Mihawk were also eager was a completely different tale entirely. 

Within the Captain’s quarters aboard the Big-Top, you struggled with the back of your dress: uncinching the rigging your ward managed to tie for you to keep your body contained within its material. A huffed and agitated smile awoke on your face, picturing this struggle in comparison to the one to come after your starlight ensemble. If the moon was as difficult to rid from your body, you could not imagine how taxing the sun would be over your skin and concealing you from your husband.

Husband. You have a husband now. A husband that would be more than agitated to know you were now out to open seas and venturing to unknown horizons, away from the celebration he carefully curated for you. 

“-Everything alright in here, Starlight?” the nasally crack of Buggy’s voice cut through the wooden door, “‘Ya need help?” You chuckled darkly, attempting to pry the material from you to no avail. 

“Actually, Captain,” your voice held a frantic wave within its tone, “I think I do. The back is snagged, and I can’t get the damn thing off of me.” The door slowly creaked open, after a gentle rap alerted you he was to do so. You turned yourself away to conceal your exasperation from him, the stutter in your hands giving away your agitation as you continued to fumble over the ribbons at the rear of your dress.

“Do you trust me, Doll?” you heard his voice alarmingly close to your body, enough to cause a hitch in your throat. You glanced over your shoulder, witnessing Buggy’s teal eyes glancing up through his eyelashes and lips parting in concern. 

“Considering you have robbed me of my wedding night with my beau,” your warning tone cut through the air as swift as a guillotine, “Spirited me away from the unity celebrations, and-,” you huffed, turning back around and glaring out of the bay window, “Confined me to spend this time alone and isolated from all those I hold most dear: I hardly deem you worthy of my trust presently, Captain.” 

Buggy’s gasp was melodical and pitched up two octaves higher than his usual cadence. You could feel the waves of anxiety rising within his shoulders and expressed through several strangled breaths. 

“I-I’m sorry, Lady Dracule. I didn’t think of it from your perspective and how my actions would-.” Whatever else Captain Buggy D Clown spoke after the first four words meant very little to you. Your mind looped them repetitively, the call and roll of the words felt both surreal and magical, you could hardly think about anything else. 

“-Would’ve rather stayed on shore, it would be less flashy and make the chase all the less desperate. We could turn back if-,” Buggy’s words halted as he glanced back into your eyes, noticing the distant expression with a melancholy sorrow eclipsing your painted features. “...-Are you alright, my Lady Dracule?” he asked you.

“Lady Dracule,” you repeated, your brows forming a pillar at the center of your forehead and causing a small swell to mist your eyes, “I’m Lady Dracule, now.” Buggy took a moment to glance over your features, noticing this shift of emotion permeating through your stance. 

Apprehensively, he reached his hand forward and gently caressed your shoulder. The gentle squeeze broke you out of your circulating mind, looking down and meeting the eyes of the cerulean-haired captain. 

“Can I help you out of this dress and into the assortment I crafted for you, my lady?” Buggy asked softly, watching as you nodded in affirmation for his fingers to set to work. 

“I’ll get this off in just a minute,” he whispered, his index fingers hooking through the loops in your back and slowly releasing the garment’s hold over your body, “And then we can think about your hair, and retouch your makeup. I’ll get Cabaji to bring us a bottle of the wine we swiped from the reception, too.” 

You allowed a soft giggle to fall from your parted lips, the relief from being rid of the tightness of your dress while knowing you were in capable hands. As Buggy’s fingers aided you in being free from your garment, while respectfully aiding you into the new dress, your mind wandered to your husband and what he was doing in this moment. Did he notice your departure, or was he enjoying your joint celebrations in solitude? 

-

“Where,” Mihawk’s yellow eyes glared accusingly around the guests through narrowed lenses, “Is,” he advanced, Yoru drawn with the pointed tip threatening the jugular of the Captain of the Red-Force, “My wife.” 

Lord Dracule Mihawk, distracted momentarily by his guests and acquaintances upon exiting the ceremony space, sought out your hand to claim within his. He blindly reached beside him, outstretching his desperate hands to shepherd you to his side, his fingers brushing nothing but air in its wake. 

He noticed your absence immediately.  

“Easy now, mate,” Shanks raised his arms, noticing several members of his crew withdrew their concealed weaponry and aimed it at the enraged former warlord, “Easy, easy. She’s safe, I swear this to you.” 

“Where is she?” Mihawk spat, his feet sliding into an assaulting stance, interweaving his body to draw closer to the red-head’s teasing face, “What have you done with her?” 

“She’s with Buggy- Oi, relax,” Mihawk’s pupils narrowed, his eyes wide and wild at the knowledge departing from Shanks’ lips, “She’s safe, it’s all a part of appeasing the tradition.” Shanks attempted to soothe over the growing temper Mihawk was steadily elevating, gesturing for his crew to holster their weaponry. 

“What tradition?” Mihawk barked, pressing the sharpened tip of Yoru deeper into Shanks’ neck, not quite puncturing the skin. 

“We just wanted it to be perfect, Hawk-Eyes,” Shanks’ hazelnut eyes bore with no utterance of mistruth within his orbs, “And you’re a native to Kuraigana, born and raised here. This is us following your traditions to the absolute letter: crossed ‘t’s and dotted ‘i’s, mate.” 

“Y-You’ve,” Mihawk stumbled over his words, darting his frantic eyes between Shanks’, “You’ve kidnapped my bride?” 

“You want the map to her, Lord Mihawk?” the rational voice of Shanks’ first mate rumbled through the tense air, “I had the clown make one up, for all our sakes.” Mihawk snapped his eyes away from Shanks’ to bear into the soul of Benn Beckman. As their eyes met, Beckman fished out the tanned envelope and offered it out gruffly towards the broody and aggravated newlywed groom. 

“And, are you all to just sit here and wait until I bring back my bride?” He barked at the Red-Hair crew, “Or are you coming to witness me suffer through this act of degrading humiliation?” Mihawk growled, eagerly searching through the crowd to see any contenders to refute his beckoning challenge. 

“You should take your wards,” Shanks suggested, weaving his body away from the steely tip of Yoru’s point, “Your two witnesses to view your wooing.”

Zoro leant down into Perona’s ear, his brow knit with puzzlement and concern. 

“I don’t follow, what is going on? Where’s our governess now?” Zoro quietly grunted into Perona’s ear, a giggle arising with her retort.

“Are you truly not following, or are you just saying that to be an imbecile?” Perona smirked, glancing up into Zoro’s serious eyes, “O-Oh, you’re serious? Okay!” Zoro patiently awaited his promised explanation, Perona thinking of the simplified version of this complex tradition to relay to him.

“In Kuraigana culture, the bride is either stolen or whisked away at a point in the evening - generally after the reception feast so the food doesn’t get cold. It looks like it’ll be a while yet before we get something to eat-,” Perona’s train of thought was broken with a growl from the green-haired apprentice.

“-Get on with it, Perona,” Zoro’s voice cut through the air gruffly, his eyes darting the surroundings for a clue of his governess’ whereabouts. 

“Oh, alright. Sorry, Zoro,” Perona giggled, shaking her head and preparing her words to present once again, “The bride is then hunted by the groom and they share a moment where he must perform a task or a demonstration of artistic skill to woo and entertain his new bride. Considering she is no longer under the shroud of her own family name, but a whole new person in this case: Lady Dracule, he must win her heart under this new banner and usher her into her new life with him.” 

“So, what? Is he gonna dance or something?” Zoro asked, puzzled and taken aback by the absurdity of the tradition, “Or is he gonna challenge her to a sword fight? What can he do that would woo her?” 

“Zoro-...” Perona again giggled, shaking her head with a warm smile drawing her cheeks up beneath its radiance, “...-Mihawk sings.” 

“Mihawk sings?” Zoro snapped his eyes over to Dracule Mihawk, watching as the lord of Kuraigana’s lips curled into a sinister snarl and brows furrowed deeper into rage. 

“Two witnesses, no more,” Mihawk growled, placing the mighty blade upon his back and rolling his neck, “And we shall return within the hour.” 

“Only if she’ll have you, mate,” Shanks’ grin playfully split his face, “You have to woo her. Humble yourself before her. This is your opportunity to actively pursue her,” the redhead stepped forward, clapping his right hand over Mihawk’s left shoulder. 

“You never got the chance. Use this time to show her how much you want her, and then,” Shanks’ grin turned sly, glancing at Beckman who shook his head and fished out a cigarette from his breast pocket, “That’s when we can show you how radiant she is, all wrapped in sunlight.”

Mihawk’s rumbled growl cut through the air, turning on his boot heels and gesturing to Perona and Zoro with his index finger, “You two, with me. Let us depart and reclaim my bride.” 

“Aye, sir,” Perona and Zoro spoke in unison, immediately springing into action and readying themselves for a short journey to find, woo and claim you with your title as Lady Dracule. 

Mihawk’s fuming rage catapulted him into a near frenzy, working with haste to unroll the sails and weigh anchor, using the tide to carry his small ship and snarling at the crudely crafted map.

“This better be accurate for your sake, clown,” Dracule Mihawk spat, scrunching the map and thrusting it into his shirt pocket with his left hand. Upon withdrawing his hand from his pocket, he hovered it above his face, staring at how delicately the band of unity was glimmering under the light of dusk.

It felt balanced, as if this broad band was awaiting the day he would finally wield it atop his finger. As if his life was waiting for this moment to start, for this new role and purpose for his life to fulfill. He hardened his resolve, throwing off his outer coat and withdrawing his sleeves to his elbows. He will find you, and find you quickly. 

And when he does, he will woo you. 

-

If the moon-dress was the prelude to a masterpiece in composition, this dress would be a symphony to stand the test of time. Material as pastel as the celestial rocks littering the night sky sporadically danced across the midnight material depicting the sky at nightfall. In the dim light within the cave Buggy had chaperoned you into, the dress almost looked as if it was producing its own light. 

“This is the most extravagant thing I have ever done with my life,” Buggy huffed a chuckle through his comment, “And that’s truly saying something, my lady. I’ve never done anything like this, and I’m almost jealous that I won’t be the one wearing it.”

“You’re more than welcome to borrow it for a performance, Captain,” you giggled, looking down at your arms that had been ornately decorated with chained droplets of beaded glass, “It is simply breathtaking.”

Glancing over at yourself in the reflective walls of the cave you had found yourself in, your hair was now softly falling in waterfalls against your back and your makeup retouched by the clown and his enthusiastic crew. You could hardly recognise the woman gazing back at you. 

“As breathtaking as you are, my lady,” Buggy whispered while adjusting your hair over your shoulders, “And hopefully enough to get me back into your good graces?” He shifted his eyebrow upwards, glancing hopefully over your shoulder with widened eyes and fluttering eyelashes. 

“You’re not out of the thick of it yet, dear captain,” you playfully taunted him, nose scrunched and smile growing, “It’s not only I you need to appease.” 

As if on queue, a small commotion was occurring outside the cave. Elevated voices, a shuffling of feet and the clang of harsh metal meeting rock reverberated within the cave mouth: silence following such an abrasive sound. 

“Okay, okay, okay,” Buggy repeated hurriedly, excitement and anxiety dancing in a dangerous fight for dominion over his cadence, “You take a seat on your throne and look all pretty,” he gestured with his hands flailing outwards, “I’ll finish lighting the candles,and then I’m gonna flee as fast my legs can carry me to give you two some privacy.” 

You laughed at his excitement, turning and drawing up your heavy skirts to fan out atop the velvet-covered throne Buggy had placed down for you. Frantic clicks of flint and steel, a string of nasally curses, and a shifting of boot-heels tripping over themselves as Buggy set the final elements of his role in the ruse awaiting your spouse. 

“Okay, I’m gonna-... woah,” Buggy’s words halted as he turned to view you on your throne, sitting with the elegance and radiancy that you had drilled into your many students over your career as a governess.

“‘Woah’, what, Captain Buggy?” you huffed out a small laugh, watching his eyes shifting over each element of your ensemble. 

“Y-You know,” he stuttered, shifting his feet as if under the spell of hypnosis, “You’re not technically married if you haven’t consummated your union. You can always run away with me if you want to-.”

“Buggy,” you scolded him, your laughter now falling unwithheld from your lips, “For one: I am not cut out for a path of traveling piracy,” your smile continued to decorate your lips with its radiancy, “And two: I am in love with Dracule Mihawk, my husband.” That final confession shocked you, not admitting those words aloud to yourself or another before this very moment. 

“Right, right, of course,” he laughed at himself, studying his handiwork as your skirts pooled over your feet and down the slight elevation over the rocks. The voices within the mouth of the cave continued to draw ever nearer, the agitation and anger almost tangibly felt the closer they came. 

“This is where I take my leave, my lady,” he nervously chuckled, looking to the cave mouth with his lips split into a straight wincing line, “If I stay, the broody asshole will likely attempt to take my head and throw me into the sea.”

“In that case,” you smiled, bowing your head low to the clown, “This is where I thank you for the part you played in ensuring this day was a possibility.” Buggy gasped at your bow, taking a final moment to study you as you rose from your seated curtsey.

“You are so beautiful, my lady,” he whispered, bowing to you before turning on his heels and uttering a final sentence before picking up his sprint, “Congratulations on your successful ceremony. Save me a dance at your reception.”

Chuckling at his fleeing form, you were left in only a butterfly’s wing of solitude before three figures almost stampeded within the decorated hollow of the cave. Each of them halted, eyes wide and jaws slack as they took in their surroundings. 

The ground was littered with candelabras, all lengthy wicks lit. Lighting a pathway towards the throne, tealights scattered the floor beside a long stretch of the softest white carpet. Upon the edge of the carpet, the material of your skirts pooled and the unnatural light of several stones attached to the hem illuminated the floor. Dark material shifts into soft lights at each subtle movement from your body, the stones on your arms providing a small ringing melody as you offer them a small, coy wave.  

Perona’s smile rose on her cheeks, recovering the fastest of the three as she offered you a similar wave in return for your own. Zoro snapped his lips shut, smirking as he glanced between you and your beau who continued to be stupefied beneath this new radiant presentation. 

“I have found you,” Mihawk whispered after taking a small moment to recover, “My bride, my beloved.” You smiled wider, taking a moment to study your husband as he began taking small and intentional steps towards you. 

Perona hastily and quietly ushered Zoro over to the side, taking a seat on a large boulder and tapping the surface beside her in a gesture for Zoro to sit beside her. Without removing his eyes from the scene unfolding before him, he quickly sat on the stone and awaited Mihawk’s every chosen moment. 

Electing to remain silent, you watched and hung onto every movement, utterance and breath produced as he continued on towards you. Before he fell within your proximity, he halted and inhaled a shaken breath as he humbly knelt with both knees on the floor, his hands laced and placed within his lap. Your breath hitched, eyes darted between his honey-coloured eyes which then immediately snapped shut. 

He deeply inhaled a breath, his eyes remaining closed as he focussed on his movements. He lilted a rumbled hum, a tune unfamiliar to you produced from his nose and serenading you with its melody. Mihawk was singing, and he was singing for you. 

“Never I’ve known love like this,

As vibrant as the seas.

I’ll sheathe my blade, and disarm my shield,

For a chance just to please.”

His eyes remained shut, lips almost cautiously relaying the lyrics as he produced them. After the small verse produced, his words waved more confidently through his lips and enunciated each spoken lyric. 

Perona attempted to silence her elation by slapping her hand over her lips, her other hand finding Zoro’s knee and giving it a firm squeeze to express her excitement physically. Zoro was not faring much better, his own shock written on his face he could barely notice Perona’s hand on his knee as he gripped his thighs to stifle his surprise at Mihawk’s skillful melody. 

“The way your lips summon me,

The way your eyes hold promise,

May your bed never be empty,

Should dawn be upon us.”

Mihawk’s eyes opened, his breath hitching as he witnessed the longing gaze you were offering to him. Your eyes swelled with emotions, lips parting and drawing up in a melancholy smile. Mihawk offered you a small, bashful smile as he continued to sing to you. 

Your eyes never left Mihawk for a minute, watching as he knit his brows together and continued to utter promises through melody towards you.

“I will share my days with you,

For this to you I swear.

Nightfall I be by your side,

For it’s not yours alone to bear.”

He rose his knee from his kneeling into a lunge, bowing his head down and removing his hat from his head. A final promise uttered lyrically from within his skilled melody, you holding onto each word. 

“The seas and sword were my first love,

The training alone be vast.

Although you were not my first to love,

May we both be each's last.”

Mihawk sucked in a baited breath, awaiting a small reprimand or disciplinary comment regarding his abilities. He was no singer nor composer, the lyrics produced alongside the melody were spur of the moment. His skills were of the sword, not of poetry and lyricism. 

“Do my words and melody please you?” Mihawk whispered, his eyes holding firm to the floor as his dark curls bobbed to a lower bow, “Will you allow me the luxury of my heart, my body and my soul joining with yours, Lady Dracule?”

He elevated his head, his eyes softening and rapidly blinking to stifle the rising beat of his heart as he remained in his humility. A man such as he was not accustomed to humbling himself before anyone, doing precisely as he pleased and when he pleased to do it. With you, this was uncharted and untested waters. He was in love, and would spend the rest of his days romancing you should you ask it of him. 

Truthfully, he was prepared to offer his adoration, praises and romance to you at all hours whether you asked it of him or not. 

“You may have me, I am yours,” you answered him after several moments of pregnant pause, rising to your feet and offering him your right hand to take with his left, “Just as you are mine.” Mihawk released a breath he did not know he was withholding from his chest, the weight rolling off his shoulders and having him relax beneath your admission. 

He took this moment to study your carefully painted lashes, noticing the subtle hints in tints and hues decorating your skin at the hands of the genius jester. The stars were reflected in your eyes, the pigments complimenting the change in darkened material pooling over your dress. 

“C-Can I,” he fell over his words, closing his eyes and mentally scolding himself for his stumble, “Can I kiss you, my lady?” A small squeak from the corner of the room had you both break from your illusion that this corner of reality was not yours alone to share. You also had two witnesses. 

Mihawk snapped his eyes over to the two words sitting happily on the boulder beside the decorated floor, scolding them with a single pointed look. At his momentary shift of focus, you used the opportunity to rise from your sitting position on the throne Buggy sourced for you and stooped down to collect Mihawk’s chin between your index finger and thumb. 

You shifted his face back, witnessing the momentary shock as he gazed into your eyes. With a soft smile, you lowered your face and collected his lips with your own. Although he was kneeling, Mihawk was a tall individual. This position did not have your neck aching at its stoop, but was comfortable as you slowly pressed more of yourself against the former warlord. 

Mihawk wrapped his arms around your waist, bunching the fabric within his hands and holding you firmly pressed against him. He parted his lips, his tongue darting out to dampen your bottom lip as he squeezed your hips within his wide fingers. You hummed against his lips, your fingers raking over his beard to entangle within his curled locks. He smiled into the kiss, rising from the floor and fully bracing himself against you with his forearms circling your waist. 

The ruffles of the skirts below you illuminated several of the rocks littering the material, a gasp fleeing from Perona the longer she stared at the balled objects adoring the fabric.

“The rocks light up when they move!” she hushed her whisper to Zoro who waved his hand to silence her as he witnessed the loving embrace between his lord and lady. Although Zoro would never admit it aloud, he was enjoying every minute of witnessing such joy between two people he held most dear. 

Breaking from the kiss, your eyes half lidded as they gazed up at your husband. His expression mirrored your own, gazing lovingly down at you with a soft smile gently creasing the corners of his eyes. 

“Let’s go home,” Mihawk whispered, pressing a gentle kiss on your forehead and hovering his lips over your skin as he cradled your head against his chest, “I hope Shanks and his crew have left as some wine.”

“I’m more concerned about the food,” you giggled, prompting Mihawk to break away from your forehead and smooth his hands over your hair, “All I’ve had to eat and drink today is that single piece of honeycomb, a glass of wine for breakfast, that small sip of unity wine shared with you, and a glass of wine with the clown when he prepared me in this ensemble.” His eyes widened, looking into your smiling face in shock. You laughed up at him, raising your hand up to caress his cheek.

“You’ve only had wine and honeycomb for the whole day, my beloved?” his tone held a small air of caution within.

“Yes, my heart,” you huffed out a small sigh of laughter at witnessing his agitation. Although his anger never left, the small twitch of his lip and hitch in his breath indicated his pleasure of receiving such a high honor of that title. 

“Well that will simply not do,” he growled, shifting you in his grip to slip his arm around your waist and usher you through the cave mouth, “I have some sourdough and salted butter on the ship. We’ll break into that before we partake in the reception feast.” You smiled up at your husband, watching as he wordlessly gestured for your two wards to follow behind you. 

Where Perona could not stop staring at your dress, the only thing within Zoro’s focus was how you looked up at Mihawk, and how Mihawk looked down at you. The love you held for each other within that expression alone had a pang sound within his heart, and caused soft doubts to shift his perspective. 

Whether spoken aloud to you or not, Zoro’s quest in becoming the world's greatest swordsman would one day rip this fresh union apart. He would kill Mihawk to claim that title, and that would surely mean the destruction of your happiness.

As you made your way through the sandy coast and onto Mihawk’s vessel, Zoro continued to seek out different ways to achieve his goals and leave you both to thrive in your happiness. 

-

From the peaceful drift into the Kuraigana port, to the reunification with your guests, Mihawk would not allow you a moment to break away from him. Hollars and cheers at your arrival were quickly silenced as they took in the next aspect of your ensemble. 

Now exposed under the light of the moon, at each small movement of your legs beneath the dark skirt, the illumination of bioluminescent rocks shook and roared to life. The fanning material danced at your feet, the weight of the many layers of broad skirts heavy upon each footstep. You truly appreciated Mihawk’s presence at your side to enable you to lean against him for support each time the gown pulled at your waist and hips.

Your bodice was encrusted with similar trails of glassy stones, the overlaying chains from your neck to your waist forming the unity of constellations between both yours and Mihawk’s birth signs. Buggy had put an excessive amount of thought into such a piece, pooling all his knowledge to provide you the best reiteration of starlight he could truly muster. 

The outdoor reception space was littered with soft strings of light, a circular wooden floor elevated a step up as a makeshift dance area. Several clusters of seats were available off to the sides of the wooden floor they were standing on, where a small quartet of musicians lay off to the side of the area and softly painting the air with their melodical portraiture. 

Mihawk paid his guests little mind, other than a curt nod or a subtle smile to your former students. The many staff continued to present platters of bite-sized ensembles, each small taste of food attuned to both yours and Mihawk’s refined palates. Each time a tray was presented to you, you would break your conversation away from your guests and thank the staff with a warm smile on your face.

As he showcased you to his guests, he watched as the fatigue of the day was slowly catching up with you. The little stumble of your feet under the weight of the dress, the small waver in your smile when you assumed none were watching, the way you clung to his side: he was observant of your every moment and there at your side to catch you should you fall. He was yours to do with what you will, clay awaiting molding into the husband you desired him to be. 

Music began to play at a more elevated volume, the guests encouraging you with a soft cheer to get you to open the dance floor together. Mihawk looked subtly off to you, noticing you were struggling beneath the layers of your skirts. No matter how vast your training in becoming a debutant yourself, nothing could have prepared you to carry the amount of weight from rocks of various shapes and sizes. 

“Beloved, are you-,” Mihawk began, his short question being stolen from him by the nasally interruption of Captain Buggy D Clown. 

“-If I may, my lady Dracule,” Buggy’s broad, painted smile laid brilliantly over his lips, “I have a small surprise for you.” 

“Oh?” you asked, brows elevating up your forehead in curiosity. 

“Your resume presented to the world government several years back indicated you were an excellent dancer, trained the best of them attending here today, in fact,” he complimented you bowing in a low and crouched stoop.

“I am a competent dancer, yes,” you admitted, eyeing him curiously as he picked at your hem with his gloveless fingers, “And I do enjoy the movement when the moment is called upon.” 

“Then it would be such a shame should the moment be taken from you under the weight of this dress, my lady,” Buggy smirked up at you, a silver object playfully juggling between his fingertips. Before you realized what the object was, Buggy precautioned both you and Mihawk, “Bird-Boy, stand back. My lady, close your eyes and hold your breath.” 

Immediately doing what you were told, you heard the ignition of a flint-lighter and the warm flash of open flame illuminating your eyelids to a deep crimson color. Gasps and screams from your guests informed you of all you needed to comprehend at this moment.

Captain Buggy D Clown had lit your dress on fire. 

A wild rush of heat expanded over the base of your skirt, the tongues of blaze lapping at your skin and immediately cooled with bursts of icey air. As you felt the rising warmth begin to die down, you opened your eyes to witness the small, illuminant rocks burst and break to soothe over the licks of flame. Upon each burst of impact, the color of your dress would change to a crisp white, to a warm blue, down to a dark hue of red, all the way to a dim purple. 

At the last burst of rock sparking and spurting over the gown, the arrangement that remained was a softer, pale dress that halted just below your knees. The slit from the hem on your left side tastefully elevated to just below the angle your thigh met at the curvature of your hips. The dress fanned out, dipping in at your waist and cinching in your bust. There were no remaining rocks nor combustive fabric on your body, much to your delight. 

After you adjusted to your new weight distribution, feeling lighter and more energetic already, the picture you were left with standing before you was Buggy’s throat being impaled on the smaller blade formerly hung around your husband’s neck. Your eyes widened and your body moved faster than your mind did to halt the scene unfolding before you. 

“First you kidnap my wife, now you light her on fire?” Mihawk barked, slashing at his throat while Buggy stuttered over his words, “It seems as if you are trying so desperately to get me to kill you, Clown. I should have you flogged and cast into the seas for your idiocy-.”

“-My heart, I am unharmed,” your voice broke him away from his heavy threats, his hands immediately withdrawing from the clown to cradle your cheeks within his palms. You kept your face calm, reassuring him with your expression alone that you remained unaltered and unharmed. 

He floated his eyes between yours, briefly dipping to your lips before withdrawing back up to your eyes. You nodded within his hands in an act to reassure him further, your smile never faltering. After a hushed moment’s pause, Mihawk could no longer contain himself.

Hastily, he dipped his face down, lips colliding with yours and drawing several cheers from your guests. He hungrily consumed your lips, molding and shaping them beneath his with the desperation you were yet to see its equal. He swooped his hands behind your head, collecting the soft waves Buggy had created for you in fistfuls as he desperately joined his lips with yours. You slowly raked your hands over his waist, holding him close and reassuring him with soft circles against his body with your thumbs. 

Squeaking against his lips at a small tug of your hair, Mihawk immediately loosened his aggressive grasping of your against you, and softly traced his fingertips over your jaw and set to cradle the scruff of your neck. The world faded from existence the longer Mihawk held you against his lips, folding himself against you and holding you in momentary blissful stasis. 

Withdrawing his lips from yours, he gazed into your eyes while briefly panting to catch his breath. Shock eclipsed your features the exact moment you broke away, the cheers from your guests ignited the silence within the ringing of your ears. 

“That was a good ‘en, Hawkie!” Shanks swayed in his speech as he slurred in his stupor, “Do it again!” 

“Quiet down, Captain,” Beckman grunted, gently clapping Shanks on the shoulder, “That’s our exterminator you’re talking about. She deserves a little more respect than you’re offering the both of them presently.” 

“Right, right. I’ll switch to water for a bit, Becks,” Shanks nodded, looking over at his crew and gesturing to the water barrels with his tankard. Mihawk never strayed his eyes from your features, constantly ensuring you were unharmed from the prior blaze. 

“May I dance with you, my beloved?” Mihawk quietly offered, removing his hand from your neck and apprehensively outstretching his hands to you. You smiled at his soft gesture, immediately placing your right hand within his left and allowed him to chaperone you onto the dance floor. 

At the swell of music, you hastily pressed your right hand against Mihawk’s left shoulder while he elevated your right hand to extend to the side. His left hand found the middle of your waist and pulled you against himself. 

You carefully extended your left knee over Mihawk’s leg, the slit withdrawing itself tastefully to reveal your thigh to your guests. At that gesture, Mihawk immediately readjusted his stance: shifting to claim the base of your thigh within his hands as he awaited the appropriate rhythm to dictate his momentum.

“The Clown read your resume,” Mihawk smirked down at you, beginning to shift and maneuver you effortlessly within his arms, “But alas, I have not.” He nudged you with his left hand, following his lead by twirling your body within his arms and releasing his hold over you. 

Both legs now firmly on the ground, you shifted your hips and began to rhythmically follow the melody rising with your feet. Holding your arms perpendicular to the ground, Mihawk collected your left hand and pressed a small kiss atop your wrist before raking his digits over your forearm. 

“You never read my resume before you hired me?” You called over your shoulder, as he raised your left hand to cradle his neck behind you. 

“Never,” Mihawk smiled, placing his right hand over your right and his left over your stomach. He began ushering you both with a rapid sway of his steps, a maneuver you flawlessly followed with each stride. He twirled you away, holding contact with your right arm before reclaiming it in his left hand. 

“Then,” your puzzled expression remained atop your features as you once again faced Mihawk, “Why was I hired here? What drew you to me?” Your beau’s smile elevated, his eyes cracking at the corners as his nose scrunched upwards.

“Truthfully, my beloved,” he confessed, leaning forwards to indicate for you to fall backwards in your steps, “I am not certain what drew me to you. A feeling, I suppose.”

“A feeling?” you elevated your eyebrow and smirked up at him, “Something as simple as a feeling?” 

Mihawk chuckled, twirling you away from him and catching your forearms within his grip, ushering your back to meet his chest. You huffed out a small exasperated breath, shaking your head and swaying with him to the rhythm.

“A feeling,” you repeated in a whisper, attempting to not allow your disdain from presenting too prominently against your features. Mihawk released your right arm, leaning forward and collecting your chin between his thumb and index finger. 

“Allow me the luxury of rephrasing, my beloved,” Mihawk whispered, drawing your forehead to press against his while he moved his body from behind yours to face you once more. 

Drawing up his left hand, he collected your right and his right hand found your back once more. His smile continued to highlight his face, a smile you had come to adore painted on his face beneath his mustache. 

“From the moment I met you all those years ago, I adored you as a skilled governess,” he confessed, stepping backwards while you followed with your forward step, “The way you managed a variety of individuals: debutants, gentlemen and all those in between. Even the witless marines-.”

“-Mihawk,” your warning tone was broken with a small laugh, your smirking reprimand forming a smile over your lips, “Be kind.”

“Apologies, my beloved,” he snickered out a small chuckle, ushering for you to step outwards before hooking you back into his arms, “I never assumed you would accept a job at such short notice in the first place.”

“I had a lull in my waiting list,” you shrugged, turning to face him with a broader smile on your face, “And the stuttering scribbles were intriguing.” Mihawk laughed at your reference to his original summons for you to begin your tutelage of the two wards under his care. 

As the melody swelled, he sighed out a breath, once again placing your forehead against his own and furrowing his brows. In a low whisper, he relayed his final confession to you. There was no room for humor, nor was there a place for the utterance of a lie within his breath. 

“Before there was a possibility of joining with you in matrimony, I simply thought: ‘that was that. Time to live my life as an unmarried swordsman until the next generation rises up to claim that title from me’,” he smiled, halting his movement as the music ended its swell,  “I never thought I would be training that aforementioned generation to take my life, nor did I imagine this twist of circumstances leading you to be within my arms now.” 

You smiled a melancholy smile, only half elevated on your face at his confession. Trailing your hand over his shoulder, you extended it up to collect his whiskered cheek within your palm, soothing over his bottom lip with your thumb. 

“And is this the life you wanted for yourself, Mihawk?” you whispered up at your beloved, searching his eyes for more truth within, “To live in momentary matrimonial peace before Zoro claims your title alongside your life?” 

“This is the life that I have forged for myself,” he whispered against your thumb, pressing a kiss against the padded tip, “And I will hold onto it with every breath I still use to sustain my lungs. I love you, my wife. I am yours, and you are mine, for as long as we both shall live,” he withdrew your hand from his lips and circled it over his neck, “And for whatever comes next.” 

“For whatever comes next,” you mirrored back with closed eyes and lips parted, “Sounds like an awfully exciting adventure, my heart.” Reopening your eyes, you witnessed the smile once again return to Mihawk’s lips. 

At the music’s end, he swooped down to claim another kiss from you. Applause rang through the air, prompting you to part from the oscillation as hastily as you had it begin. The Red-Hair pirate crew and the Buggy-Pirates had begun offering each other their outstretched hands to lead them onto the dance floor. 

You felt a small tap on your shoulder at the exact moment a soft, pale hand with pink-polished fingernails brushed with Mihawk’s own shoulder. You shook your head, confused as you were ushered into the awaiting arms and broad shoulders of Roronoa Zoro. 

His smile was shallow, his mind plagued behind it with the smog of heavy thoughts. Extending out his hand, you took it and curtseyed as he bowed with you. Ushering you to circle the floor with a practiced waltz, Zoro continued to twirl you in silence. 

“You have gotten much better, Zoro,” you complimented him, met with only a single hum in acknowledgement. You furrowed your brows, glancing between his bourbon-hued orbs while he refused to draw his gaze up to meet yours. 

“Did you enjoy the drinks? I have yet to sample the wine presented at the reception-,” you were cut off as Zoro’s thoughts spoke atop your own.

“-I am going to claim his life from him, do you understand?” he gruffly commented, glaring over at Perona and Mihawk as he spun her within his arms with a broad grin and her unwithheld smile mirroring in return, “I intend to kill lord Dracule Mihawk.” You almost stumbled in your dance, recovering quickly as he continued to twirl you. 

After taking a moment to collect your rapidly lashing thoughts, you inhaled a large gulp of breath and extended your exhale slowly through your lips.

“If that is what your destiny is leading you to fulfill,” you reached up your hand and collected his cheek, turning him to meet your eyes, “It is not for me to understand, nor is it my desire to halt you from achieving your goal.” He gasped at your words, stumbling over his feet and barely recovering.

“You won’t ask me not to?” Zoro’s breath hitched on his exhale, searching your eyes for any cause for further stumble, “You won’t plead for me to find a new goal? To settle for being second best and remain that way until we’re all cracked and graying?” 

Giggling at his comment, you extended your arm out and circled it over his head: twirling the conflicted man within your arms.

“I married the ‘World’s Greatest Swordsman’, Dear,” you noted, your smile never wavering as you rejoined him within your arms, “It is an occupational hazard.” 

Zoro’s surprise lingered on his features, his eyes misting over with the swell of emotions he did not prepare himself to express this night. 

“And between us-,” you leant up to his ear, using this opportunity to draw him into a warm and encumbering embrace, “-I would rather it be you. You are someone we both trust,” you withdrew him from your arms and smiled whimsically up at him, “Someone who will grant him the luxury of a swift and merciful departure from this life, should you both be ready to take that step.” 

Where you assumed he would grunt out a gruff groan, you were shocked when he leant further into your arms and circled his forearms around your waist. He nuzzled into your neck, his shoulders beginning to sink against the weight of his confliction. 

“You trust me?” he choked within his soft whisper, “You trust me to give him an honorable death?” His shoulders shuddered within your arms, you immediately drew your hands up to caress his moss-coloured locks. 

“Of course I trust you, Zoro. Just, if you were to grant me one simple favor,” he withdrew from your embrace, continuing to hold your waist as he stared down and awaited further instruction, “Please don’t kill him tonight?” Zoro’s laughter cut through the air, drawing many eyes over to your location as you joined him in his unbridled laughter. 

“I wouldn’t dream of it, my lady,” he chuckled, briefly joining his forehead against your own and scrunching his nose with his smile. 

“Good boy,” you complimented him with a single tap on his shoulder, “And your dancing really has improved.” You nodded to his feet, noticing how effortlessly he was shepherding you throughout the movements.

“I learnt from the best, my lady,” he winked down at you, his golden drooped earrings glinting within the refraction of the lights. 

As the melody crescendoed from one song into the next, you twirled from within Zoro’s arms and immediately met your right hand against a cool piece of metal, curving beneath your fingertips. 

“If I may, my lady,” the cool rumble of Sir Crocodile reverberated within your chest and shot a tingle up your spine. Although no malice was withheld in his tone, the danger was always present with a man such as he. 

“Sir Crocodile,” you nodded, focussing your body on allowing him to lead you throughout the floor, “I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for your beautiful dress you crafted for me.” 

“I do plan on collecting that debt from the both of you, my lady,” he smirked down at you with a broad grin. His eyes held a bored malice within his purple orbs, hunching down to claim your body within his arms. The impressive height he towered over you had you feeling smaller within his grasp, an advantage you planned on gaining back from him with your wit. 

“And what would you ask of me, Sir?” you smiled up at him, twirling within his arms and circling your body around his back. You drew your fingers over his flesh, watching the visible shudder arising beneath the movement, “I am a simple governess-.”

“-You are Lady Dracule, now,” he retorted, gazing down at you through the corner of his eyes, “A lady who has sway and leverage over a lord. A lady who holds the heart of such a man as he, the ‘World’s Greatest Swordsman’. A lady who-.” You hastily pressed your fingers atop the golden hook, your eyes baring dangerously into his own.

“-Who was and forever will be-,” your low tone had Crocodile taken aback at your statement, “-A simple governess.” 

“And what would a simple governess be able to offer me?” his amused grin parted his lips and elevated his brows. The silvery mark over his cheeks and nose had the purple hues holding more danger within their orbs, “Music and dance lessons, I have hardly a use for.” 

“A governess who has done all a governess could do here,” you smiled up at him, leading him into a twirl, your spin prompting almost a laugh to fall from his lips, “Tamed and trained two unruly youths, along with having one of the world’s most powerful men fall to their knees and beg to claim me as their own.” 

The smirk of Sir Crocodile rose on his lips, his words beginning to form behind his teeth only to be halted by a final word of warning from you.

“Whenever you desire such a woman to perform such an impossible and improbable task as this,” you silenced him with your words, “You know where I will be.” 

At that, you bowed a low curtsey to him and attempted to flee from his arms, only for the hook to catch the crook of your elbow and tug you back into his arms for his final words.

“An expert tamer of unruly individuals,” he whispered in your ear, the ghost of his last cigar lingering on his lips as his breath met with the shell of your ear, “I shall keep you in mind for when such a purpose arises.” Unclasping your arm from within his hook, Sir Crocodile took his leave of you with a final bow. 

You shook off his words, the next partner finding themselves within your arms whipped their cerulean hair against your cheek as they spun you on your toes three times in a circle. 

“I truly am sorry about the kidnapping, my lady,” Buggy uttered with a warm smile, “And I am only partly apologetic for the glorious blaze.” Although you had met both Buggy and Sir Crocodile at the same time, you felt much more comfortable being wielded within his arms than the experience prior.

Buggy released you, clapped his hands three times and stomped his feet rhythmically to the music. You laughed, mirroring his posture and his rhythm back at him. His eyes widened, heart swelling at you matching his exaggerated movements and prompting him to produce some far more elaborate motions. 

He was a joy to dance with, his own starlight shining within his teal eyes and reflecting back onto his various assortment of formal attire. Although no longer wearing a frill-neck collar, his cravat had just as many ruffles fluffing at his jaw. 

“I am not sorry in the slightest for either,” you admitted, your own nod and spin on your toes keeping Buggy mirroring your movements first before stepping in again to claim you in his arms. 

“Not even the kidnapping?” he winced out a small apprehensive grin.

“No, it was an enjoyable experience,” you confessed, laughing in his arms as he assumed the waltz position and stepped in time to the swell of music, “I especially enjoyed the wine.”

“Then you have found the perfect match in Mihawk,” he nodded, scrunching up his nose at the thought, “Personally, I don’t know how you both drink that vinegary piss. I prefer the sweets to compliment and mask my saltiness. Rum is best.” 

“I thank you for your compliments, captain,” you smiled at him.

“About the vinegary piss?” his brows furrowed in confusion, his smile scrunching into a soft pout. You laughed at his comment, shaking your head at him.

“About the perfect match,” you confessed, feeling the end of the music calling to you. Buggy chuckled, offering you a small bow before dismissively waving his hand at you and uncharacteristically turning on his heel. 

You were puzzled at that final gesture, not understanding where such an expression was necessary before you felt a hand clasp around your waist.

“‘S not you, love,” the voice of a red-haired captain uttered beside you, “He still is hung up on our old childhood rivalry.” 

“Ah,” you gasped in understanding with a curt nod, turning in his arm to face him. Dancing with Shanks was an occurrence you were privy to experiencing from time to time aboard the Red-Force with his crew. His attitude was always playful and light with you, always a gentleman. 

“You truly look spectacular tonight, Vile Exterminator,” he complimented you, shifting his dancing position to usher you with his right hand in light of his missing left hand. Joining now both of your right hands, you both stepped in and out before twirling under his arm. 

“Thank you, Red-Haired Rat,” you smirked at him, feeling a pair of eyes watching you dance within Shanks’ arms. 

“I think the big man wants a word,” Shanks confirmed your suspicions, nodding over to his steel-haired first mate, extinguishing his cigarette with his boot heel against the gravel road beside the dancefloor. Shanks twirled you twice more before you were flung from his arm and into the awaiting and ill-practiced hands of Benn Beckman.

“Sorry, my lady,” he uttered, his legs awkwardly swaying him from side to side with you within his arms, “I’m no good at this formal dancin’. I don’t do this.” 

“I know, Benn,” you smiled at him with a soft, close-lipped grin, “But I do appreciate the effort.” He hummed with a curt cough in response, truly feeling out of place with this genre of dance. 

“About what’s to come,” he gruffly coughed, attempting to spin you on the dancefloor as easily as he could ask his body to perform such a skill, “I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.” You sighed out a small huff of breath, shaking your head at him as he continued to explain to you.

“There’s a lot of knots,” he confessed with a winced, grimacing smile, “I mean, a lot of knots.” 

“I trust you,” you shrugged, feeling his tension rising in his shoulders and stance. You halted the elaborate dance, ushering him off to the side of the dancefloor and opting to sway with him to the beat while he aired his concerns.

“I don’t want you to be uncomfortable with the experience,” he confessed, the gray tint of his eyes holding you firmly within his vision, “Some of the knots are in-... -a few key places.” 

Your rapid and unwavering blink told Beckman all he needed to know regarding his apprehension. 

“It was my own fault for asking this in the first place, Benn,” you confessed again with a shrug, “And, I reiterate: I trust you. We’ve known each other for years, and of all those aboard the Red-Force,” you feigned a small hum of deep thought, before smiling up at the burly first-mate, “I do trust you the most.” 

“I hope your trust isn’t misguided, my lady,” he grunted, your left hand being claimed by a presence at your side. The small, almost invisible smile, from Beckman informed you that the Rat was once again at your side. 

“And, she’s mine again,” Shank’s playful tone cut in, peeling you away from Beckman and onto the dancefloor once more. He ushered you into a skilled twirl, your smile once again returning to your face as the swell of music reached the peak and began its crescendo towards the final. 

As Shanks made to draw you into another embrace at his chest, you felt the tug of your waist pull you back within familiar and comfortable arms. A warm smile and a flush rose to your cheeks, humming as you lent into his chest.

“Missed me, beloved?” the man behind you held an air of confidence, turning you within his arms as you looked up at him through half-hooded eyes.

“Always, my heart,” you retorted, elevating your arms to seek out the nape of his neck. He hummed at your confession, mirroring your adoration down at you, “Shall we have a rest? Enjoy some mead and begin the fire?”

“A fire?” the elated voice of the cerulean-haired clown-captain called out in joy, “We’re having a fire like the good old days?” Shanks hesitantly walked beside Buggy, offering him a small smile and confirming with him.

“Just like the old days,” Shanks nodded, looking between Buggy and Mihawk, “Back when Roger made us collect the wood, but wouldn’t let us near the flint and steel.” 

“And look who’s got the spark now, boys!” Buggy’s crackled cackle and his powerful stance prompted laughs to rise among the guests. Beckman shook his head, wordlessly directing the Red-Hair crew to begin building a fire for you and your husband to enjoy. 

You nuzzled into the warm and exposed chest of your husband, feeling the weight shift from you against him as he slightly elevated you off your feet. 

“I think sitting down is a good idea,” you confessed, looking down at your worn shoes and rapidly swelling feet from the elaborate dancing and carrying the weighty dress.

“Then that is what we will do, my beloved,” Mihawk smiled softly down at you, pressing his forehead against your own as he enjoyed the feeling of holding you in his arms once again.

-

Sitting within the arms of your husband, the crackle of the fire illuminated the guests that remained behind at the castle, some setting up bedrolls and pitching tents within the surroundings. 

Mihawk hooked his arm around your shoulder, drawing you against himself and pressing soft kisses against your temple while whispering sweet phrases and poetry within your ear. His beard tickled at each short utterance, prompting a giggle to fall from not only the words, but the feeling of his beard against your skin.

Shanks was the first to notice the small lull in atmosphere, a fiendish grin finding purchase against his lips as he refilled his tankard from the barrel of mead. 

“Alright, you lot. According to the customs of Kuraigana,” Shank’s stumbling and partially inebriated voice slurred, “We all know what comes next for you two. We’ve ‘gotta follow all of the traditions of the land. You know, so the ghostly hag is happy.”

“What are you implying, Red-Hair,” Mihawk’s prior warm tone cracked under its now icey exterior, “Surely you don’t mean-.”

“-Why the ‘Bedding Ceremony’ of course!” Shanks attempted to rise to his feet, stumbling backwards and momentarily sitting upon the lap of his first mate, who apprehensively caught him. “Thanks big man,” he mumbled, rising successfully to his feet and thrusting out his tankard, “You go up there with your Sunshine bride, and we wait out here and make as much noise as we can while you perform your husbandly duties.” 

A warm flush rose to your cheeks, littering your face with the warmth of blood swelling to the tips of your ears. You could feel the rapid pulse beating in your eardrums, your heart stampeding your racing mind of all thoughts of what was yet to come. 

“Then you come and rejoin us as one flesh,” Shanks concluded, saluting Mihawk with his broad tankard, “And we drink to the happy couple, and carry off our celebrations into the wee hours of the morn.”

“Is this truly a custom of this land, my heart?” you uttered quietly to the broody bearded man at your side, his attention snapping over towards you. His eyes softened as his heart swelled, lips parting while drawing up his right hand to caress your cheek.

“Unfortunately it is, my beloved,” he whispered with a half-smile, “And a custom we need not adhere to should you find discomfort in such a feat.” 

You allowed a small giggle to fall from your lips, leaning into Mihawk’s gentle caress and pressing a soft kiss on the heel of his palm.

“It could be worse,” you allowed the giggle to rise in volume as your smile broadened, “In Germa-Kingdom, the guests watch the act while they throw sugar-coated almonds at the newlyweds in the hopes it will aid in producing male offspring.” You placed your hand over Mihawk’s, his still holding your cheek as his smile mirrored your own. 

“I suppose this custom is not so bad, then,” Mihawk chuckled, rising to his feet and offering you out his hand, “Shall we, my beloved?”

“I suppose it is time,” you smiled in return, placing your hand within his and allowing him to hoist you up from your position on the log. Mihawk’s brows creased, mild agitation forming at the center of his forehead. Before you could ask him what was bothering him, he turned his head to Beckman: who was already rising to stand. 

The blush returned as your eyes widened, almost forgetting what you had requested of the cursed moss-agate ring on your unity finger. 

“Beckman,” Mihawk’s agitation growing in depth as the hoarse growl rumbled in his throat, “In light of the fact this is part of the covenant pact forged with the ring-.”

“-I would not lay a single finger unnecessarily on your wife, lord Mihawk,” Beckman’s whiskey voice hummed as he inhaled his cigarette to the filter end, “Would you prefer it be Shanks in his current stupor using his right hand and teeth?”

“Absolutely not,” Mihawk barked at the suggestion.

“Then I will make it quick and precise,” Beckman reassured him with a curt nod, “Follow up in twenty minutes, and your bride will be awaiting you to unwrap her within your marriage bed.” 

Beckman outstretched the crook of his elbow, a satchel containing what you presumed to be your sun-dress shrugged over his shoulder. You apprehensively withdrew your hand from Mihawk’s, giving him one more longing look before you allowed yourself to be ushered into the halls of Castle Kuraigana. 

You both walked in silence, unsure of what words needed to be spoken between you before you engaged in this next aspect of your night together. The silence was peaceful, the soft tranquility you had not experienced since beginning this venture of matrimony. You were almost thankful this moment was granted to you to share with one of your most respected acquaintances in your time as a governess. 

He chaperoned you into the halls, finding the door that led into the suite allocated to both you and Mihawk as the lord and lady of Kuraigana. In the wake of the soft tranquility, anxiety at the anticipation of what’s to come awoke within your chest. Your heart elevated its rhythmic thundering, your mind beginning to swirl and race as the anticipation only grew.

“Take a moment, my lady,” Beckman’s soothing voice hummed at you, “All the time you need, alright? It’s a lot of changes to adjust to, and I would never dream of rushing you.” 

“Thank you, Benn,” you exhaled, rolling your neck and attempting to stifle the rise in your anxious thoughts. After a few small breaths, you reopened your eyes and smiled to yourself as you felt finally ‘ready’ to begin this new chapter of your life. 

The door shut behind the first-mate of the Red-Hair pirates, you made your way behind the dressing screen. You silently thanked Buggy for ensuring this garment was easier for you to remove than the one prior, but anticipation rose in your chest as Beckman revealed a satchel to you. 

“This is going to be extremely difficult to do whilst blindfolded, my lady,” he gruffly chuckled, retrieving several golden strands of linked chains from within the canvas bag, “Are you certain this is adhering to the covenant you made with the aetherial pest?” 

“To quote my own words, Benn,” you shook your head and straightened your shoulders, “‘Sunlight: a dress that meets the intensity of the sun with its rays of gold and copper. An accumulation of material so outrageously forbidden, it be intended for your eyes alone with its purpose. A dress so scantily designed that you will find none to ever match its equal in both color and provocative appearance’.” Your voice mocked your own recollection, prompting Beckman to chuckle at your tone.

“Well then, there may be a small hiccup in our plan,” he shrugged, taking out a strip of lengthy material and beginning to fold it in half. Upon measuring the half-width, Beckman used his canine teeth to puncture the fabric and tear it into two, thick strips. 

“What do you mean, Benn?” your eyes followed his movements with both intrigue and curiosity.

“For his eyes alone,” he quoted back at you, chuckling as he handed you one of the strips, “Looks like I won’t be the only one experiencing sensory deprivation in this little encounter, my lady.” Taking the fabric from his outstretched hands, your brows knit together before the realization hit you. 

“You’ll have to wear a blindfold too.” 

#one piece #x reader #opla #opla fic #one piece live action #dracule mihawk #mihawk #mihawk x reader #sapsorrow au #storyteller au #dracule mihawk x reader #buggy #shanks #benn beckman #sir crocodile #red hair pirates #zoro #perona #roronoa zoro #husband!mihawk x wife!reader

[cinnbar-bun]

Heartless Giant- Chapter 1

(Excuse the banner)

Pairing: Crocodile x GN!Royal!Reader

Rating: SFW

First part of a collaboration with @fanaticsnail 's Storyteller collection! I chose to do the "Heartless Giant" with Crocodile. Thank you for having me as a part of this, dear <3!

Summary: Your older brothers claim that the man who tried to overthrow your kingdom is still in the dungeons below. Such a monster shouldn't possibly exist, right? After a bet and a promise, you and your brothers travel down the dungeons to find the proclaimed "giant". Those rumors should be nothing more than gossip... right?

Notes: GN!Reader, Prisoner!Crocodile (for my Impel Down Croc lovers), implied age gap, Reader is an adult but age is not specified, violence, bad siblings, protective Crocodile, "falling for my father's enemy" teehee

You can read this on my AO3 here!

Word Count: ~2.7k

It happened years ago, they said. A man- more akin to a beast, if anything- tried to take over and kill the king. Your father, ever the gallant ruler, fought the giant beast and sentenced him to eternal imprisonment in the lowest cell of the castle dungeons. 

A part of you was thankful you were not there to witness such a sight. To see your beloved father have to fight what was perhaps the scariest enemy in a long time would’ve frightened you. Yet, another part of you was admittedly… curious. Your elder brothers always warned you against going to the dungeon. They always joked that the giant would eat you and your heart. 

“He towers over everyone… his shadow looms over everything,” the eldest would say. Your second brother chuckled along with him before hunching his back and cupping his left hand. 

“He’s got a big hook, too. If his ugly face sees ya, he sinks it into ya!” He swung his arm around like it was a hook and your third brother pretended to be scared. He grinned after his performance and slunk to you. 

“And, father says, with only his right hand, the giant takes away your life. He just,” your brother covered your face with his right hand and shook you while growling loudly. “Drains you until you’re a husk!” 

You shove your brother off of you and roll your eyes. 

“There’s no way anyone like that exists,” you huff and adjust your appearance. Your three older brothers laugh wildly, as if you had told the funniest joke in history. 

“Oh come on, you didn’t see him!” The third one says. “You were on a different island!” 

“I doubt you saw him, either,” you cross your arms. “You guys would be terrified if a man like that really existed.” 

“Are ya callin’ us liars?” The second one frowns and raises a brow. “Don’t make us throw you into the dungeon with ‘im!” 

“Maybe I am! Why would you go and try to make a joke out of a man that father had to battle like that?” 

“Ugh, there you go, again,” the first rolls his eyes. “Can’t even take a joke!” 

“I think all those books ruined yer brain, (Y/n),” the second chortles as he points at the book in your hand. 

“I think all the seawater melted yours,” you shoot back and hold your book tighter. 

“Well, I just hope you can fight if that beast breaks out one day!” The third one laughs. He takes his sword out of his holster and swings it with calculated precision. He sheaths his sword and you sigh. 

“We can hope he never does,” you reply. “Maybe you three will be courageous enough to actually look him in the eye.” 

“Those are fighting words! Ya think we can’t look him in the eye?” The second yells. 

“I don’t think so,” you taunt. “He probably doesn’t even look anything like what you just said.” 

“Fine. We’ll take ya down to see him and prove to you how dangerous he is. And when you cry, we won’t save you.” 

Seeing your brothers so adamant to prove themselves made your arrogance rise as well. Not to mention, that little voice in your head that was always, always wanting to see the man your father had cursed under his breath over and over since that day. In a sick, twisted way, you wanted to see the man that nearly brought your kingdom to ruin when you were away. 

“Fine. We can all go together and we’ll see just how tough you are from the ‘giant’.” 

Your brothers smirked and nodded. The eldest stepped forward and whispered. “At midnight. Be quiet. The guards and father are having a meeting tonight. Use the back staircase and we’ll all meet by the doors.” 

All four of you shook upon it and continued with your day. Your heart raced, your thoughts drifting to that beast locked away in the dungeons. 

A man who towered over everyone. A man with a hook. A scarred face. The power to take life away with only his right hand. 

You tried to imagine how this monster would look, but all images your mind conjured were hideous and unsightly. You shivered, yet the way your feet bounced with nearly every step gave away the excitement you secretly held inside. 

After pretending to fall asleep on your bed, you waited till the moon was at its highest and opened the door. You peered out the hallways, checking if the coast was clear before scurrying along to the rendezvous point with your brothers. Just as they had promised, the three of them were waiting for you with eager grins and smiles. 

“So you really did come?” The first chuckled. “Thought you would’ve hid away.” 

“I wasn’t going to,” you clicked your tongue. “I’m ready to see how you three will react to him, though.” 

“Please, that man’s got nothing on us,” the second dismissed. “Four against one, he’s done for.” 

“More like three against one,” the third snorted, nudging his head to you. 

“I don’t need to fight. None of us should need to, actually. We’re just taking a look, and then we’re leaving.” 

They glanced around before your second brother picked the lock to the cellar with a pin he had taken from your mother. They urged you inside and checked that none of you would be discovered. 

The dungeons were dark, mildewy, and worst of all, freezing. You shivered as you realized your nightclothes were a bit too light for this cold place. 

“Come on, hurry up,” your brothers whispered as they practically ran down the steps to the lowest dungeon level. You made an effort to catch up with them before you noticed how low the temperature was down here. Every time you and your brothers let out a breath, you could see the small amounts of steam cloud around you four. 

They lived in such conditions…? 

Your brothers quickly made their way to the farthest cell in the dungeon and laughed loudly. 

“There he is!” 

“Ahaha! My god, he’s hideous!” 

“Come on, give us a glance!” 

You gasped at what your brothers were saying. “Don’t say things like that! You know better than that.” 

As foolish as you were to come down here, you were not foolish enough to insult the beast. 

The third rolled his eyes. “Oh, quiet down will you?” 

“What are you, our mother?” The first glared. He began to bang on the bars. “Wake up, will you?” 

You made your way to the cell and noticed the looming shadow in the corner. His back was towards you and your brothers, barely clothed in the rags he wore. There were two large chains wrapped around his arms, preventing him from using them to escape and use the ferocious powers your brothers discussed. He was sitting, hunched over, yet, even in this position, you could tell how large and massive he was. He hardly moved or flinched at the noise your brothers made, making them more upset. 

“Come on! Give us something! Look us in the eye!” They hit the bars again, but the man stayed as still as a statue. 

This was the man who nearly ended your kingdom… 

You didn’t need to see his face, but through his behavior alone, you knew that despite him being in the cell, you and your brothers were his prey. 

“Cut it out, now,” you warned, the anxiety creeping in your voice. 

“What? Scared? Scared the ugly beast will eat ya?” The second brother called out. The third brother continued to make loud noise. 

“Come on, we got our little sibling here! Don’t you want to impress them, giant?” He yelled before he grabbed you and pushed you against the bars. You yelped in pain and from the cold metal pressing into your face and body. 

“Stop it! Let me go!” You screamed. 

“What happened to the beast who tried to end us? Huh? I thought you gave my father a good fight! So look at us!” The first glowered at the giant before he smirked at the ground.

“What are you doing? Stop that!” 

“Would you just shut your mouth?” The first leaned down to pick up a large rock and tossed it in his hand. Your other brothers chuckled darkly while you shook your head. 

“No… this wasn’t what we said we’d do! It was just to look!” 

“He can’t do anything to us. Look at him. He’s wasted away. Just watch,” the first says as he pulls his arm back before launching the rock at the giant. It hits him square in the back of his head and echoes as it patters to the ground. 

All is silent as you and your brothers stare. Yet, still, the giant does not move. 

“What a waste! He’s a dumb ogre! Can’t even look at us properly,” the second sighs. 

“Why would you do that?!” You shout at your brother. “Why would you throw that?” 

“You challenged us to see if we were scared. I think that beast is scared of us! He doesn’t even move!” 

Your brothers roared in laughter while you heard the rattling of the chains. Your eyes widened in horror as you noticed the man’s arms were beginning to move slowly. 

“G-guys. Let go. We need to go,” you beg. “Let me go.” 

You try and remove yourself from your brother’s grasp while they all laugh harder. 

“What? Scared? You’re even stupider than him!” They tease you. The third shoves your face harder into the bars. 

“Oh go on, you’re both stupid cowards! Go on! Why don’t you give him a little kiss? He might like that!” 

You struggle against your brother as you hear the chains clink. Your brothers laughter echoes in the dungeon until the third screams loudly in pain. 

You hardly have time to notice what is going on as you’re flipped around and see the third is on the floor, gripping his bleeding hand in pain while your other brothers are wide-eyed and trembling. Your back is now against the bars and you feel a cold metal against your throat. 

You’re shaking, afraid for your life as you glance down to see a gold hook pressed against your skin. 

Your other two brothers quickly unsheathe their swords and point it to the assailant, but their fear is evident by the way they can’t even hold their weapons properly. 

“The g-giant…” the first whispers, quaking in his boots. You know it’s a bad idea. Every part of you is screaming to not do so. Your mind races with warnings and against your better judgment… 

You lean back and try to glance up. You freeze as you look up to the giant’s sharp features. You can’t see much from this angle, but you can make out how tall he is. Your brothers’ descriptions of him didn’t do him justice, and you recognize how much more imposing his figure is. 

He presses his hook harder, pulling you further to him. He was careful not to use the pointed end of it to hurt you, but in your current state, you couldn’t care. 

A low grumble catches your attention as you realize it is the giant attempting to speak. 

“Do not touch them ever again,” his low voice threatens. Your brothers are even more shaken by the giant’s voice as they squeak and stumble backwards. 

“W-wait, don’t-” you cry, not wanting to be alone. Your brothers put away their weapons as they force themselves back up and run away, screaming bloody murder. Your heart sinks as you watch your brothers run off without you as their voices get quieter in this dark dungeon. The giant removes his hook from you, dropping you unceremoniously to the ground as you struggle to breathe. 

“Go,” is all he says, his shackles shaking as walks back to his corner. You don’t know what to think. 

“You’re not…?” You begin, unsure of what to say at all. Do you thank him? Apologize? Cry? Leave? You’re too stunned to know what to do next. 

“No. Just go. You shouldn’t be down here, anyways.” 

“Wait,” you call to him. “Why did you save me?” 

“Would you prefer I kill you?” He sharply replies. 

“No. I just… I didn’t expect that from you…” you mumble. He sighs. 

“You were foolish for coming down here. And you were even more foolish for allowing them to use you like bait.” 

“I didn’t think they would,” you admit pathetically. 

“Of course you didn’t. Life’s pretty easy up there, isn’t it, your highness?” He bitterly laughs. 

“Don’t patronize me. I just wanted to know why you would do such a thing.” 

“Telling you wouldn’t make a difference. Just let me rest and rot away the rest of my life in peace, would you?” 

You stop and nod, the adrenaline wearing off as you’re back to feeling the bitter cold on your skin. “Are you not freezing down here? You’re hardly wearing anything that could keep you warm.” 

He chuckles and shakes his head. “Prisoners aren’t afforded that luxury, your highness. We stay in the cold and in this silence to pay for our crimes.” 

The logic was understandable, but you felt a pang of guilt in your heart. 

“I haven’t thanked you for saving me and stopping my brothers, yet,” you start, fumbling through the ideas in your head. “Thank you. As a show of my appreciation, I’ll bring you something to keep you warm.” 

He stood still, as if considering your words. “You would do something like that for me?” 

“Yes. I will do so. I’ll bring it down for you as soon as I can,” you assure him, feeling resolute in your decision. Criminal he may be, but royalty you were. Even the worst subjects required kindness and repayment for their actions. 

He turned his body around, and you managed to see his face fully under the dim light of the lantern. His face was sharp, chiseled, and scarred. The scar ran across his face over his nose, and the stitches on it looked brutal. The dark circles and bags under his eyes were prominent, like the strands of hair that were falling and framing his face. It was clear he tried to slick it back, but given his situation, he couldn’t do much with it in this grimy cell. 

You gasped at his appearance, taken aback by how strangely beautiful you found him. He chuckled, a low rumble in his chest. 

“Don’t worry, I get that a lot,” he smoothly teased. “Do I look like the monster you thought I was?” 

“No,” you earnestly respond, surprising him, somewhat. 

“Oh? Why is that?” Unlike your brothers, who cowered away in fear, you looked directly into his dark eyes with a firm resolve. 

“You look just like a man…” you reply. His eyes flicker with light for a brief moment, before they return to the dull color they were a moment ago. 

“Monsters can look like men, your highness. You should know better than that.” 

“Yet you did not kill me when you had a chance. Would a monster spare me?” 

“I guess not,” Crocodile sighed. “Perhaps I’ve gotten soft while being locked away for so long.” 

“I can only hope. But I promise, I will bring you the gift soon.” 

“Hm, don’t take too long, your highness. It gets terribly cold down here,” he replied in a drab voice. He turned himself around and faced the stone walls. “I don’t have anything else to say to you tonight.” 

You were taken aback by his abrupt statement but chose not argue further. He had done you a massive favor, and you too would probably feel the same way if locked away here for so long. 

“Thank you again,” you said to him before you pulled yourself up and dusted the dirt off your nightclothes. You glanced back at him, but the man was back to staying silent and not moving. 

What a dreary life that must be…

#one piece x reader #one piece #one piece oneshots #x reader #reader insert #crocodile x reader #sir crocodile x reader #sir crocodile #crocodile one piece #storyteller au #heartless giant #the heartless giant

[sl33py-day]

Storyteller!Reader AU kinda

Lore wise and theory wise in genshin could make a really good fairytale story. So what about a Storyteller Reader? Who got Isakied into Genshin impact a few years before the game really starts. They know that telling people about what’s gonna happen isn’t a good idea so they stick with storytelling.

They enjoy writing story’s based off the lore of genshin, and other stuff, but it’s also for those who are smart enough to know what they’re really saying. Think of it if like Hoyo’s way of paying attention to detail. No one really knows whats going on until someone catches it.

You keep a journal of all the different stories you’ve written about. The different kinds of events that happened in the game and also the backstories of different characters. Both so you don’t forget and so you can see how the story went.

Since you’re a Storyteller, you tell stories of course. You’re known across Tevyat because of your stories. You gained the title Teyvats Storyteller due to many people liking the tales you tell. When Aether arrives in Tevyat and saves Paimon, you know what stories to tell since the plot of the game is now starting.

In the Stormterror case you’re staying in Mondstadt. The tale began as a simple story of a boy dressed in blue who was used for others personal gain.

The boy dressed in blue is obviously Dvailn and others gain is the abyss.

When Aether goes to Liyue your also there? How weird. You’re telling a different tale now, one about Rapunzel. The rite of dissension hasn’t started yet. But when it does you start saying a different one. This time it’s about a boy dressed in the finest gold clothes who wants to take a break but he can’t due to his responsibilities of being a prince. So he fakes being sick so he could take some time off.

The boy dressed in the finest gold clothes is Zhongli and faking being sick is Zhongli faking his death.

Oh I have this wonderful story, really not.

“Once upon a time, far, far away. Laid a castle high up on a mountain that was so high it reached above the clouds. The queen of the castle was a bit mean to people, making them color the flowers in red paint. It was only 7 people who she made paint the flowers as she trusted them more then the rest. One day the groundskeeper rushed into the castle in such a hurry that it surprised the queen! 

“Your Majesty, the flowers on one of the walls are not staying red!” He said “We tried everything and they're still white as snow!” The queen looked mad at what she heard demanding to be shown the flowers. The groundskeeper led the queen to the wall of flowers as many people tried to paint the white flowers red. Sighing in frustration but kept calm the queen asked the groundskeeper to grab the shears. He grabbed 5 shears, each one for the people who help paint the flowers. She ordered them to cut the flowers that rejected the red paint from the walls and so the people did.”

The fall of the godless nation but in fairytale form! These kinds of stories that no one suspects really.

#Yandere genshin #Storyteller AU #yandere genshin impact #male reader #gn reader #yandere #gender neutral reader #genshin impact #male yandere #Storyteller reader

[ineffable-gallimaufry]

okay putting the storyteller au character designs all in one place. firstly the kids. i might do a world building dump after i reblog this with the trolls

#also i am not designing the au dancestors yet. they haven't come up #storyteller au #that's what i am calling it 👍 #homestuck #not my art for this but i edited it #sooo #ah shit gotta tag em all #john strider #june strider #(?) #rose egbert #roxy crocker #jade lalonde #jake lalonde #dave harley #dirk english

[empires-au-ideas]

Hello! What the name says.

I will make aus for both seasons. I have aus I will post, but you guys can also send asks to MAKE aus.

My main is @killmebythebeach and I have done some writing and other aus for empires there.

This pinned post will be updated as we make more aus. The tags for each au will also be in the tags here.

I will be making no aus about the streamers/ccs themselves, just their characters. So please do not send asks about streamers.

Writings for the aus is my writing tag! Find short stories or long chaptered fiction for the aus here. People can also share their writing here.

Art for the au is for any art I make or any art shared with me for the aus here!

Any crossover with another smp will be tagged as "[smp abbreviation (hc, dsmp, ect.) x esmp".

...

SEASON ONE AUS:

Xornoth wins au (temp title): Scott is put in the crystal instead of Xornoth, and in a weird draw of luck Jimmy is the one who has to save the other empowers from the demon.

Empire falls au: gravity falls au with roseblings as the pines twins! Let's see if they can solve all the wacky mysteries of the town.

Three skulls au: the whole WRA gets corrupted right off the bat and they are here to cause problems on purpose. This includes problems for their boss.

The cold wanderer au: Scott and Xornoth switch places, but not gods. When Exor reveals himself to be with Xornoth and not Scott like everyone thought the prophecy said, Gem and Fwhip have to go hunt him down and force him to help. Inspired by atla

Living on au: inspired by pjo, Pearl accidentally becomes the older sister of many many demigods. On ao3

The twin dragons au: during a fight, the dragon egg turns splits in two, giving Xornoth a new dragon minion and leaving Gem and Fwhip on the run with the other dragon

Gilded changeling au: Sausage is kidnapped by the fae of Gilded Helanthia and replaced with a changeling. He was fine with his life in the court of Queen Pearl, until he finds out where he's really from when the Staff of Mythland chooses him

Power couple au: both Lizzie and Joel become gods. No one has a good time except those two.

Wilted Helanthia au: Pearl dies in the arena fight, leaving the WRA to mourn. When the roseblings go to Xornoth to get her back, Sausage is forced to face his grief and stop them.

Salmon Jimmy au: Jimmy is kidnapped as a child and is indoctrinated into the Salmon life. Making the WRA his friends, and his own pong lost sister his enemy.

Joel: champion of Aeor au: Joel is Aeor's champion, leaving everyone involved increasingly frustrated

SEASON TWO AUS:

Bounties at sea au: pirates! Joey accidentally becomes pirate captain on a ship with Scott and Sausage as The Sheriff and Katherine try and hunt them down. Wacky hijinks ensue.

The frog house au: Owl house! False as Luz, Shelby as Eda, and many many more.

Falsehoods in a false world au: Alice in Wonderland au (based on the book, not movie) with False as Alice.

It was Oli all along au: Oli is the bad guy in everyone's backstories and I see if I can make that a cohesive time line.

Princess Protector: Gem and Skeletron are now besties. That's it. That's the au.

The Soul King au: ANOTHER au based on atla where the main cast has to go and take down the Tyrannt King to stop him from hunting down magic users with Oli, Sausage, Scott, Shelby, and Katherine as the Gaang.

Sea of Secrets au: Shelby is a selkie who has locked her coat away in fear of the school or her fellow emperors finding it. Katherine wants to find out what's wrong.

Poison Flowers au: surprise surprise, more nature wives! Katherine having both powers over light and darkness, using her light powers to be Ms goody-two-shoes in the day, and her dark powers to actually stop crime without the hero agency in her way at night. She may or may not be obsessed with taking down a villain, Shelby, with powers over the cold dark emptiness if the void.

SEASON CROSSOVER AUS:

Withered witch au: Shelby is haunted by the ghosts of Sausage and Gem from s1, and they attempt to help her with magic.

Storyteller au: after living peacefully in Scott's afterlife, the cast of s1 is brought back to the world as ghosts, traveling between empires to tell their tales. When they catch the attention of the s2 rulers, the rulers go to Pix to uncover who these people were.

Reincarnated Sausage au: s2!Sausage is the reincarnation of s1!Joey, same with s2!Pix and s1!Jimmy. After the Rune Sword has deteriorated, Xornoth and Scott are unleashed unto the world again

The Riffs Archives au: tma au with Shelby as the archivist, the rest of the nether star alliance as the assistants, and Pix as head of the institute

SERVER CROSSOVER AUS:

Empire Mumbo au (hc): Xornoth wins and puts Scott in a crystal, corrupting all the other empires. But in a mission to conqure other dimensions, the Scott crystal is lost and comes into the possession of one Mumbo Jumbo

#empires smp au #xornoth wins au #bounties at sea au #empire falls au #withered witch au #the frog house au #falsehoods in a false world au #it was oli all along au #three skulls au #the cold wanderer au #storyteller au #writings for the aus #living on au #art for the au #empire mumbo au #reincarnated sausage au #princess protector au #the soul king au #the riffs archives au #the twin dragons au #gilded changeling au #power couple au #wilted helanthia au #salmon jimmy au #joel: champion of aeor au #sea of secrets au #poison flowers au

[muffinlance]

Do you get the impression the live action is treating us like utter morons?? Like I thought that making it aimed at an older audience would open the doors for more subtle story telling, but no, they're just using monologues to tell us eveything! Like in the second episode Katara's like 'oh his power isn't that he's the avatar, it's that he ~connects~ to people'. Girl we're not idiots we can see that!! And the first episode with Aang's goddawful 'I don't want this responsibility' monologue

THIS, YES. The word that keeps coming to mind is definitely "subtlety". The show for literal children? Had it. The remake for adults? Not so much.

#This is literally Storytelling 101: Show Don't Tell #I'm sorry scriptwriters I know you were working before your union won minimal staffing in writers' rooms and decent pay and all that #but You Know What You Did #Also cgi artists plz unionize #A few more hours on Momo would have maybe taken him further out of the nightmare monkey puppet category #I know some people are reporting him as cute #But all I can see is a creature from the Magnus Archives #that thing is the skin of Momo being worn by something that doesn't quite move right underneath #And maybe it is looking for a better fit #Don't let it touch you adorable child actor Aang #avatar the last airbender #atla #natla #Anyone looking to block the live action posts I'll be tagging all of these with that natla tag going forward #But yeah not going to post about it much #I came I saw I deemed it not worth the hours of my life it asked #I can literally write a better Avatar AU than this #Anyway back to Toph beating up Blind Zuko! #*write write write" #(their big budget fanfic can't hurt me it can only introduce more fans to the original)

[tangledinink]

shaking, crying (<- had to draw environmental scenes)

the gemini

[ start ] [ prev ] [ next ]

also thanks @rubberducky2pointoh and @chipistotallysane for letting me steal their OCs to employ as background characters~

#god for a while there i forgot how much i enjoyed making comics and storytelling #thanks gang #anyway yes donnie IS wearing his own merch thank you for asking #gemini au #rottmnt #tmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rise of the tmnt #tmnt 2018 #tmnt fanart #teenage mutant ninja turtles #tmnt donatello #tmnt donnie #rise donnie #rise donatello #rottmnt au #rottmnt separated au #rottmnt comic #rise disaster twins #rottmnt disaster twins #disaster twins #rottmnt leo #fidgetwing

[nottspocket]

Reunion! Context in terms of story is up to interpretation because my 2am brain spat out this nonsense <3

#nottsketches #my hero academia #mha #boku no hero academia #bnha #izuku midoriya #mha deku #deku #katsuki bakugo #mha bakugo #bakudeku #bkdk #mha fantasy au #I have a soft spot for reunions #however storytelling is NOT my strong suit :’)

[aoi-kanna]

Ever drawn anything from "Tipping the Scales"? >:D Good dragon practice if ya think about it! just a suggestion if ya haven't ! ໒(⊙ᴗ⊙)७✎▤ (its another work from the same person who created Winged Multiverse, its flipping goooodddd, don't know if you checked it out already but i just found it ) ♡( •ॢ◡-ॢ)✧˖° ♡

I haven't done dragon art, but I once drew a doodle of a scene (Chpt 4) that made me roll on the floor. (/ω＼) I respect so much the work that Kinzy's dragon anatomy requires and I recognize that my limited knowledge makes any attempt at art a real challenge;

I've always enjoyed seeing how Kinzy brings authentic life to their dragons through their incredible designs and dynamic poses ✪ ω ✪ (Dream's drago form is my favorite, as well as his expressions, he's such a sweetheart!!)

I'm not sure I feel prepared to illustrate these magnificent, winged creatures yet. What I am sure of is rereading this beautiful story once again. Thanks for your question (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ)

Tipping the Scales by @ paintedkinzy-88

#aoi-kanna #my art #asks #undertale au #random stuff #dreamtale #error #ink #tipping the scales #writtenkinzy #paintedkinzy 88 #I'm glad you're enjoying this discovery and I fully support you #the AU is awesome and Kinzy's storytelling and art makes it even better

[fanaticsnail]

I binged read the Sapsorrow series

HOLY SHIT IS IT SO GOOD!!!

Soft pining Mihawk will always be my favorite. I'm super excited for the next two parts!

Thank you so much. There are only two more chapters to go before it's all done, which is making me feel so sad I'll be leaving this little 'au' world so soon. I am a sucker for an "I hate everyone but you" trope.

In saying that, I can't wait to carve out the final two before the spinoffs begin.

So far on the list:

Sir Crocodile x princess!reader: "Sands of Time"

Tropes: husband!croc X wife!reader, age-gap, enemies to lovers, kidnapping, forced promimity, he fell first, idiots in love, gift giving

Buggy D Clown x thief!reader: "Don't Touch What's Not Yours"

Tropes: one night stand, break your heart before you break mine, lovers to enemies to lovers, a chase

Red-Hair Shanks x upper-class-doctor!reader: "Where is my bride?"

Tropes: panic, peril, dread, desperation, crave for adventure, love at first sight

Trafalgar D Water-Law x crew!reader: "History Repeating"

Tropes: idiots in love, refusing to love, angst, heartbreak, unconditional love, wrath & vengeance, punishment.

Donquixote Rosinante x reader x Donquixote Doflamingo "Forged in Gold"

Tropes: angst, no happy ending, bittersweet, crying, begging, star-crossed lovers, steal your girl, mentions of death.

Eustass Kid x dutchess!reader "Take my hand"

Tropes: grumpy!kid x sunshine!reader, unworthy, self-esteem issues (kid), loss of limb, reader is extremely beautiful - kid is kid, crave for adventure, she fell first, he fell harder.

There's enough room for 9 spinoffs, each will be a minimum of at least 3 chapters each. Still open for the other 3 rings, but I was toying with the idea of the reader being the one cursed.

So far, the suggested readers are f!readers (plot specific for some), but it might be fun to play with a m!reader or gn!reader also.

These will all be in the same 'Sapsorrow Storyteller Au', which means we will likely be hearing from the Governess and Mihawk in the other spinoffs.

Thank you for reading and leaving your ask. I have thoroughly enjoying weaving this world and it will be a shame to see it end.

#one piece #x reader #mihawk #dracule mihawk #sapsorrow au #storyteller au #mihawk sapsorrow au #mihawk x reader #sapsorrow spinoffs #ask snail #snail answers

[cinnbar-bun]

The Heartless Giant Pt. 6

Pairing: Crocodile x GN! Royal! Reader

Rating: SFW

Summary: You made a big mistake.

Word Count: ~3.5k

AO3 Link: here

Taglist: @gingernut1314 @fanaticsnail @leafyturtle @pookiesnatcher @lolom @chaoticqueen33

The door creaks open and shut again- the third time this week. It’s dark outside, past midnight one could assume. The same time every night the door has made that loud, piercing noise. 

Just what could be so important as to do this after midnight? 

His eyebrows raised as he puts aside the book he was reading. He can’t really concentrate on what the book said, maybe it was about poetry or something, he never was one to care about the theatrics of writing. That was something only you could care about. 

What he did care about, however, was the fact that you were, for some reason, leaving the room again and again at night. 

He assumed it to be coincidence at first, that perhaps he just happened to not realize you would walk around or attend to something late at night. Once or twice was a simple thing to brush off. But almost every other day? For a consistent amount of months? This was getting ridiculous, and the time spent between you leaving your room and returning were getting longer. You never stated a word about whatever you did at night, and he didn’t deem it necessary to discuss. You weren’t a kid and the distance created from that night so long ago didn’t heal with time. 

It was not his business, he assured himself. 

It was not something he needed to be worried about or think about. 

Even when you insisted you just didn’t sleep well the morning after, the giddy smile on your face said that you didn’t care. Even when you were distracted during meals, looking far off into the distance, as if your mind was elsewhere. Even when he noticed you frozen in the hallways, staring at the portraits of the royal family through the ages, the refined appearance of your ancestors reflecting back to him. 

He didn’t need to think about it. 

But, like most events in his life, he stumbled upon something he shouldn’t have. Maybe it was just his rotten luck, a curse of his existence. 

Or, maybe, it happened to be a blessing in disguise. 

Some of the king’s advisors were in a meeting, waiting for the king to arrive as they discussed their matters. He had offered, in a dismissive way, he would inform the advisors that his father would be a bit late due to some other work that had to be taken care of. The door was just barely opened as the advisors were casually drinking and murmuring their opinions heatedly. 

“-and to think, this the next heir!” One of them, the eldest, dressed in red sighed. 

His eyes widened as he refrained from opening the door further and instead kept silent. 

“Our lord understands, but he is too kind to these children,” another one says. He can’t see who said that, but from his memories, the voice had to be that one advisor with the large monocle. “They’ll be eaten alive by the people and their hubris.” 

A burly laugh echoes in the room. “The king is getting older, he can’t keep denying the inevitable truth. The kingdom would fall apart with the others. Only (Y/n) can be suitable and accepting of the responsibilities.” 

“Far easier to reason with, as well. I fear we’d lose our lives with the elder three. But can the king be convinced when he clings to tradition?” 

He clenched his fists and teeth. 

So this is what these advisors thought of him and his brothers? So this is what they thought of the youngest? 

Of course he knew, hell, everyone knew. But that didn’t bother him before. He was guaranteed the throne, ever since his father had raised him. When he was a young boy, nervously trotting on his horse beside his father, who explained the fields they rode upon were his to one day reign over. From when he was made to redo scroll after scroll, his father citing the fact that as the future king, his speeches would one day unite the kingdom under one banner in time of need. When he was performing in the yearly jousting or fighting tourney for the festivals and lost, his father would proudly pat his shoulders and say that a leader should be strong and hold his head high, even in defeat. 

He had been humiliated and made to grovel time after time- all for the sake of being king. And they would conspire to take that away from him? They would take away the one thing he was guaranteed and promised? 

No. Unacceptable. 

This was his birthright. 

This is what he was raised to do. 

That weakling- what could they possibly know about ruling a country? Just because they read books did not mean anything. They had no combat training, no use besides being an annoying, walking encyclopedia. Being king was his. He would not accept any other role in life except for the title of King. 

He would never give this up, not to the second, not to the third, and especially not the fourth. 

He was the original, the first, the eldest- to have anyone else succeed beside him would be paramount to the highest insult possible. 

He could not contain himself as he angrily strode away, his nails digging so deep into his palm that they cut into his skin. Their insistence that his youngest sibling should rule instead of him was what killed him the most. 

Everyone was fooled with that innocent and studious act, weren’t they? They acted perfect, but there had to be something wrong. No one was always perfect and his sibling shouldn’t be any different. 

He would find anything- anything- to discredit and tarnish their reputation. If everyone wanted his wretched sibling to be ruler, then he would expose the truth and let their favored heir be shown for the incompetent child they were. 

He trembled as a few drops of blood spilt from his hands. Yes. 

Yes. 

Yes. 

This is all he had to do to secure his rightful place. 

Who was he, if he was not to be king? 

A shaky grin quivered onto his lips as he laughed quietly to himself. He would not be disrespected by the advisors like that again. If they dared to question his position as the heir to the throne, then he would remind them of their place. He’d even be a bit generous, as a good king would be, and let his youngest sibling be an advisor to him. Just so, for a moment, they could understand what it was like to be so close to the throne. 

He laughed louder as he found himself in his room. When did he get here? It didn’t matter. 

None of that matter. 

There was work to be done. 

Taking the large sword from its hiding place beside his bed, he gripped the hilt tighter in order to stop the tremors in his body. He saw his reflection on the perfectly polished steel and grinned. 

He was the king. He was the king. 

He was the king and no one else. He would not let himself be denied his position. 

And he knew just where to start. 

It is past midnight. 

But the door does not creak open. 

Not yet. 

Any minute. 

Any second now. 

You will flee. 

He doesn’t know where to. 

But he will find you. 

His fingers are twitching. His ears are pounding. The blood is pumping, rushing through his body. 

He hasn’t felt this alive in years. 

He has his body pressed against the wall, waiting, listening, even his breath unable to be heard. 

Finally, after what feels like eons of waiting, you shuffle out of your bed. The large bed in your room shifts under the changing weight and you go to your closet. You are grabbing something light from it. 

He doesn’t know what it is, but he hears the sound of fabric brushing against one another. 

Somewhere cold. Somewhere cold. 

Outside? 

Are you leaving the castle? 

No. That can’t be possible. The guards would have to know and be alerted. 

Your door creaks open, and he hears you on the tip of your toes, turning around to shut it with the least amount of noise. 

But he hears you. 

He waits a few moments while the sound of your footsteps pattering down the hallway lessens. 

Now he can make his exit. 

The hallway is completely dark, but he doesn’t need any light. Years of hunting with his father had given him the talent of being able to adjust his eyes quite well in the dark. Your faint silhouette at the turn in the corner is all he needs to follow you. 

He doesn’t make a noise, swiftly making his towards the corner as he peers past it. He catches the fabric of your pajamas trailing after you and continues, slinking against the wall so you cannot see him if you look back. 

Considering the fact you don’t even have a lamp with you means you memorized the route. You go to the same place every time. 

The ideas on where you are actually going narrow more and more as you two pass many halls and rooms. 

He doesn’t want to think about that one possibility. No. It can’t be. 

The door to the cells below appeared and his heart beats faster. This is it, this is all he needs. Damn the consequences and the fall out later. He’s got you now. 

You disappear down the flight of stairs and he chuckles to himself. 

You’re a fool. 

A big, big fool. 

Armed with his sword and dagger, he can easily handle anything tonight. Tonight he will stake his claim to the throne and prove he is the one to be crowned king. 

As he walks down the stairs, the guard doing his rounds appears from the second level and gasps. 

“My lord, what are you doing here?” The guard asks. He can’t be bothered to explain. 

“Stop talking. You will be coming with me,” he demands, yanking the guard by the collar of his undershirt. The guard yelps as he’s dragged down to the deepest levels of the prison. 

“What are you planning? Don’t you know who’s down here?!” The guard panics. “We’re not supposed to-” 

“Shut it!” He snaps. “I know who is down here. I’ve met him. Twice. And you will be witness to tonight’s events. If you run away, I will make sure to have your head alongside his!” 

The guard trembles and nods, never having seen the utter vitriol the eldest prince is spitting. 

He sighs and makes his way to the bottom, careful to stay quiet. 

He hears you talking. 

“-but I was thinking about what you said before…” you trail off. He wants to gag at how you pathetic you sound. 

“And? What were your thoughts?” The beast replies, and he hears the beast’s chuckle echo. He covers the mouth of the scared guard who was about to give his location away and continues to listen. 

“I prepared everything. I will be talking to my father soon. And once I tell him, I’m sure I’ll be able to convince him.” 

Chains rattle and clank together. 

“But what about the other things we discussed?” The beast asks, a hint of mirth in his cold voice. His blood runs cold. 

“I’m not discussing those things! I already said no, you’re in there and I’m here,” you weakly say, as if not convinced by your own argument. 

You little-

He wastes no time alerting you of his presence. He tosses the guard to the floor in front of you and Crocodile, making you scream and lean against the bars in fear. 

As if the beast was to protect you. 

He snarls as he extinguishes one of the lanterns, making the area around him darker and his figure more imposing. 

“What the hell are you doing down here?” He interrogates you. 

“B-brother?!” You yell, covering your mouth in horror at being found out. 

“Don’t ‘brother’ me. How dare you?!” He screams. 

“I…” for once, you don’t have a word to say back. 

You know you’re done for. You went too close to the sun, and now you were paying the price. 

“I knew you were out and about at night, but to see him of all people?” He venomously questions. 

“I-it’s not what you think,” you say, but he’s got far too much adrenaline and anger in his veins to listen. 

“Not what I think? What am I supposed to think? You’re leaning against the man who nearly killed all of us and father. What are we supposed to think? Hm?” 

You tremble and crumble to the floor, like a helpless animal. Your eyes are watering. 

He has never looked as monstrous as this before. 

“ANSWER ME!” He yells in a deafening boom. Crocodile doesn’t defend you. Doesn’t even look at you when you flick your eyes to him for help. The intensity of his eyes at your interaction with the beast makes him snarl. “You’ve been conspiring with him, haven’t you?” 

“N-no, we have not-” 

“What was that about father just now, hm? Does he know you’ve been fooling around with the enemy? That you’ve been seduced by his words?” 

You swallow and press yourself further against the bars. That’s all he needs to know. 

“... you were planning on ridding of me, weren’t you? Attempting to steal my birthright?” He quietly says. You stare with wide eyes at him as he takes a step forward. “But you would conveniently hide how you’ve been dabbling with this monster, wouldn’t you?” 

It is silent, minus your ragged breathing. 

“SAY SOMETHING, DAMN IT!” The eldest screams. The guard stands against the wall while you cover your mouth. 

“Please, don’t-” 

“Don’t what? Don’t what?! Hm?! Announce that you have committed the highest form of treason here?! That you were the one who was ready to philander with the monster here?! Did you think at all? Or were you simply caught up like an idiot by his lies?” 

“He hasn’t lied!” You yell back in tears. 

You’re… you… 

No. This is too much. You’re too far gone. Too lost in this giant beast who has made himself home in your heart. 

You can’t be trusted. 

“You defend him, too?” He asks rhetorically. “You defend the creature in the lowest prison? You defend the giant who almost slain father? You defend the beast who nearly ended this kingdom?

“If you so badly want to join him in hell, then I’ll take you there!” He unsheathes his sword and slashes it at you. You cry out and just barely manage to dodge his attack. 

“Please, don’t-” 

“I’ve had enough of you! I’ve tried to reason with you, tried to ignore you, but this has gone too far! You think you’re better than me? You think you can talk your way out of this? You’re a traitor! You’re a treacherous, little snake!” 

Crocodile’s eyes briefly flick up to see the grip the eldest has on his sword. A faint smirk forms on his lips while while he looks back down. 

Your brother swings his sword back, ready to finish you off. You gasp when you notice that his sword turns black and seems to glow a violent shade of purple around him. 

“I refuse! I refuse to be taken down by the likes of you! I refuse to have what is mine stolen by you! You! You! You! DIE!” He roars, swinging his sword one last time. 

CLANG!

You don’t even recognize what happened, only hearing the sound of metal and iron crack. Did you even move? 

Miraculously… you’re alive. 

You look at your hands, your body. Nothing. No scars. No tears. The dust clears around you as you focus on your brother. 

He’s breathing heavily, the menacing aura around him still glowing bright. He won’t stop. Not until you’re dead. 

“Breathe,” a deep voice orders you. You sigh in relief as you realize that Crocodile was holding you up despite your shaking legs. You feel his chest against your back and even though you know you shouldn’t, you feel more relaxed knowing he’s protecting you. 

Then your heart sinks. 

Wait.

Crocodile doesn’t wait, and instead, you feel a slight breeze against you. You look to where your feet are and notice the seastone cuffs and… sand?! 

Your eyes widen in horror and the dread sets back in. 

The guard screams and runs away, not bothering to stay for the eventual fallout. 

But your brother… the once weak and cowardly brother who taunted Crocodile… he stays. Stays in position, foaming at the mouth while he clenches his sword. 

He swings again, letting out a battle cry. Another loud crash happens as Crocodile stops the attack with his golden hook. 

“A good attempt at injuring me. One centimeter off and I would have been killed,” he praises your brother. “But, since you’ve saved me the hassle of waiting more years, I guess I should thank you properly.” 

“Shut it, you!” Your brother shouts, sounding like a demon possessed. Crocodile chuckles casually, despite his admittance that the attack would have been fatal. Your brother wastes no time in flailing his sword recklessly. Crocodile manages to avoid and dodge all but one, which slashes through his sand abilities. 

A large gash across his chest appears, coating his prison uniform red. But Crocodile doesn’t care. 

He laughs. 

It sends a chill down your spine as all Crocodile does is laugh and laugh. 

“Oh, you did good. Awakening your haki at this time? All to kill your fool of a sibling? I can’t say I don’t respect the dedication.” 

You’re on the ground, watching as these two men- no… no, they’re utter animals now, lash out. 

But even more than that, you find you’re not hurt by your near death experience, but by the way Crocodile addresses you now. 

“C-Crocodile?” You call his name. He doesn’t bother to face you, his eyes darting to the side to watch you like a predator. 

“What?” He spits. 

“What are you doing…” you ask. You know the answer. Why are you asking? 

He doesn’t respond, instead grabbing your brother by the face, nearly crushing his head in his massive palm. Your brother screams in agony as the moisture in him is slowly drained. His sword returns to its normal steel color as the aura around him dies out. 

“Stop that!” You cry out, but you can’t will your legs to move an inch. 

“Hmph,” Crocodile boredly grunts as he tosses your brother to the ground. You crawl over to him and find him barely holding onto life, gasping in pain while he weakly shakes. “And here I thought I could have a chance to stretch. No matter. I could find a million more like your brother.” 

“Why did you do this to him?!” You scream in anger and fear. Crocodile stretches and bends his body, especially his fingers. He makes a show of summoning a small sand tornado in his right hand. 

“Why? Because. He freed me so soon. I didn’t even have to wait for you to ascend to get you to free me. It’s my thanks to him for being the one to let me out. He still has a bit of time left… but I wouldn’t waste it, dear,” he sarcastically says the last word. 

You grab the sword and stand up to try and hit Crocodile with it. He stops the sword with his bare hand and clicks his tongue. “Your brother is dying. The guards will be here soon. Shouldn’t you be focusing on that instead of trying to kill me? Face it, you won’t stand a chance.” 

“You piece of shit! I… how could you?! I trusted you! I thought we-” you tearfully shout. 

Crocodile shakes his head. 

“That was your first mistake, your highness. Let me impart with you a piece of wisdom.” Crocodile tosses the sword to the other side of the cell and holds your wrists into a tight, vice-grip, carrying you inches off the ground as another show of his might. He leans down to your ear and chuckles. 

“You see… I never trusted anyone from the start…”

His words echo in your head as he drops you unceremoniously onto the ground. 

“Don’t bother trying to go after me, your highness. You and your men have no chance against me. But, I’m feeling generous today, so I’ll let you leave with just a bruise. You can lie and say you tried to stop me. I’ll admit, it was cute seeing you think we were close, so I can let you despair over that stupid decision later.” 

He laughed loudly as he made his way up the flights of stairs, leaving you alone as you sobbed while cradling your weakened brother. 

#one piece #one piece x reader #x reader #reader insert #one piece oneshots #sir crocodile #sir crocodile x reader #crocodile x reader #crocodile #crocodile one piece #the heartless giant #heartless giant #storyteller au

[hellishgayliath]

@intotheelliwoods I felt very veeeeery compelled to redraw this scene. Possessed even. The stance n everything 0w0

#rottmnt #2al au #my art #casey jr #damn poor boi had to watch his dad die twice in front of his eyes #poor guy just cant catch a break #you have such a great way of storytelling Ell I just love it

[ineffable-gallimaufry]

i was gonna say that the storyteller au is weird because like. everyone hates eridan so much but like. that's how normal homestuck is actually nevermind

#storyteller au

[empires-au-ideas]

I thought of this last night and I adore it :)

So! Here’s (the summary of) a season crossover AU I’ve been calling the Storyteller AU.

The rulers of season one, after all dying in whatever way, were having a happy afterlife. The same one Scott went to, actually! But, at some point, they were all taken from it and plopped into strange lands (the season 2 map) as ghosts. They meet up and decide to get a lay of the land, then start figuring out what exactly to do.

In each of the s2 territories, there’s one spot with a large amount of concentrated magic, which the ghosts can exist near and absorb energy in order to become visible. They tell stories to the curious children who gather near them. Stories about themselves, friends, their people or their empires in general. (Most are twisted ever so slightly, so it’s a bit harder to figure out.) This starts to gain the attention of the s2 “rulers”, who decide to take the information they gather to lore man Pixlriffs, who starts slowly but surely unraveling the story the ghosts are telling.

The ghosts are not limited to their own counterparts’ territory, of course. So they move around quite a bit.

Shenanigans and also plot and maybe some angst ensue!

(Sorry this took so long to post I was out all day)

WFBJMCSH IN LOVE IN LOVE IN LOVE

All of them going to the same afterlife makes me soft. Their own little world where they get to hang out without war and strife and demons.

Ooh! I wonder where the magic is in each empire? Of course it's by the fountain in Joel's, maybe in a mineshaft at Jimmy's, the big mushroom at Shelby's (it'll be pretty hard to get a location since the season's still young) but ooh hoo hoo!

And I bet kids of all the empires love them! All of Gem's fairytales, Sausages maybe a bit morbid stories, and all of Joey's escapades on how he totally defeated Xornoth by himself.

I also wonder if uncorrupted Xornoth is there? I wonder what they have to say about these stories, or if they can even remember them. Thousands of years will little to do but talk is a lot of time to unpack stuff.

And as a few years go by, maybe those kids who listened travel the lands, telling the sane tales. There is a handful of independent bards all telling about the same tale.

The rulers come to Pix about this and well... the rest is history :)

#ask: au idea #storyteller au #empires smp #empires smp au #nocturne-the-raven

[cursedmuii]

travel and get new friends~~ Paper Crane belong to @little-noko Sunny belong to @tatatale

#undertale #undertale au #mui's art #storyteller_st #storyteller #paper crane #sunny

[nelsaqift]

[tma au] theyre having a normal one

#bird and a storm au #ive ​thought about this a grand total of 20 minutes maybe #i am but a professional storyteller #tangotek #tangotek fanart #solidaritygaming #solidaritygaming fanart #rancher duo #team rancher #artwork