Tumgik
#you can just see this as normal prince fanart if you wanted too
deadaliensalad · 4 months
Text
I cant stop thinking about trolls, specifically Floyd. Finally decided to just go wild and draw fanart. Im going insane over this little guy
HE IS THE SIZE OF MY FINGER
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Pretty short theory/rant under cut
I also really love the idea that he’s been hanging out with the rock trolls since the brothers separated. It could even kinda make sense. His looks kinda remind me of something you could see a rock troll looking like, just mess up his hair a bit. Ofc he has wayy too bright colors to be a rock troll, but he was born as a pop troll. (I can just imagine how much he would stand out oml.) Not to mention, Prince D said in the second movie that trolls can enjoy more than just one type of music. He was also apparently kidnapped 2 months prior to the movie, and the second movie was just a week before the third, meaning Floyd had been missing for 1 month and 3 weeks by the time of the second movie. Someone would probably try to look for him, but after a while of no signs they could’ve just assumed him dead and given up. By the time of the movie the rock trolls wouldn’t even think to ask anyone of the other tribes about him, because he’d been missing for a while and because the whole rock-apocalypse was going on. Only reason i can see it not working is if the rock trolls were against any type of music the entire time and either would’ve just kicked him out or forced him to only play rock (which i don’t believe Floyd would be able to do). Really going into theory mode here: Floyd showing up could be what made Queen Barb find out about the other tribes and first get the idea of the world tour, but only starting to plan it after Floyd disappears and they fail to find him.
I would also love if this was true and every time Floyd plays rock music he gets aggressive and scares the sht out of his brothers lol.
I literally came up with the oc as i drew this, i just wanted some random guy for the pose and suddenly i had a character. He’s just someone that basically clung himself to Floyd immediately when he got to the village. Bro’s kind of a bully but he’s also a loser. (Just wanna say I’m not the type of person that ships ocs with canon, and i’m not doing it here) They end up having a sort of rivalry, as Floyd gets better at Rock and manages to mix it with his pop, he gets a bit popular. Meanwhile Brick has never really tried to gain an audience, but when Floyd gets followers and Brick was already challenging him, he ultimately gets some attention too. They sort of team up and become a duo, but they ensure that they’re still rivals. Inevitable though, they become friends, hang out a lot, sing and dance, like normal trolls. Brick teaches Floyd some specific things about rock and Floyd tells him about his tribe and brothers. Brick would be the devastated when Floyd got kidnapped and would be the last to stop searching. (Never stopped hoping he was alive though). Of course though, he is a rock troll and theres no way he would show how much he cares about Floyd.
Im currently working on colored designs of Brick and Rock!Floyd
382 notes · View notes
rboooks · 8 months
Note
In The Royal Consort:
I just imagined a scene where Danny accidentally cried or bleed and that makes the favorite assigned bodyguard appear all spooky and knightly
Fright Knight
The second one drop of blood or tear hits the floor the sun suddenly is covered by clouds and this chilling sensation travels to everyone's spine (Clockwork laughs)
Danny hides his face between his hands cause: omg this is so humiliating, why does the knight have to be so protective!? He isn't a kid! In fact, Danny is stronger than him!
But everyone around just assumes they started a war by hurting the very loved spouse of a very powerful king
Fright Knight walks through a portal and points his sword to the persons that hurt his Lord and spoke all scary and well, frightening
Meanwhile we have a combination of Danny and Batboys trying to calm down the situation (Danny casually hits the ghost all: dude! Relax! Everyone has a mini heart attack)
John Constantine is having a panic attack when he sees the news (you just know someone was making an live all the time) cause this powerful entity surely has to be the assigned protector of Prince Danny and if he appears it was to avoid that the king himself drains his husband when he's already hurt but that only means he was probably furious waiting for an explanation!!!
Danny just wanted a coffee that Tim told him (he just wanted like, enough caffeine that would kill him)
---------
On the other hand, you just know Twitter is going crazy
People are having passionate debates about the situation, maybe for Danny's age, Is necrophilia?, Fanfiction and fanart, Ghosts aren't real and everything is just a government plan, who's Danny and why he was selected and a Buzzfeed Unsolved/The Watchers video (Ryan spends half the video laughing cause he was right! Shane is 😐🙂 well I didn't expect that but at the same those places they went weren't haunted)
Director movies are watching the news, wondering if they can make a movie about them (normally they'd said that they have to wait to them be dead, that is the norm with royals but like... Dead or not is the same here, isn't it? Can they or not make movies and series about them?
Danny is suddenly the subject of everyone's curiosity. His life, photos, his friends and classmates are on the news and internet all the time
People are just asking why him? What makes Danny Fenton, a normal teenager, so special to have one of the more powerful and mighty entities in the universe so found on him? So in love?
Government/criminal societies/companies are making plans of seduction the king and becoming his consort too maybe stealing Danny's place so they can have access to Phantom wealth and power
This situation is just to say: a ghost appears to attack him while he's in public with a lot of attention from paparazzi and passengers (a friendly attack causes he's far away from his lair and they're checking? A rebel trying to take the throne?) One of the Batfamily tried to stop him but didn't have the weapons to stop them
Danny has to defeat him in his human.
But Danny doesn't even look scared, he just attacks him like a professional, like if defeating this powerful entity was nothing to him and after a few minutes he has the ghost in the thermo and Danny looking normal
I, for one, I'm sure that people would find that very hot of him and the internet reaction would be like: for that reason 😯
Danny went from being an invisible loser to "Oh shit, he's kind of hot" overnight due to the internet hyping him up. There are thirst edits all over the internet and people are eating it up, especially when Wes' blog leaks out footage videos of him doing crazy flips and ghost fighting as a human.
Meanwhile, Fright Knight is screaming, "I will protect my liege's chastity!" which is really not helping Danny.
316 notes · View notes
dotster001 · 1 year
Note
helloo~~ i was summoned by your twisted earth headcanons (which are amazing, btw) and like, speaking of chara!readers love interest...
if its alright with you, how would they react once the couple becomes canon? like what would happen? also what would happen if some angst or chara!reader and the romance chara broke up?
Summary: Vil/Malleus/Neige/Floyd/Ace x gn! Reader
A/N: since there weren't specific characters requested, I picked the five that I thought would have the most interesting/unique responses, but if you want some more, let me know!
Confused? Check out the Twisted Earth Literary Universe!
Tumblr media
When you get together 
It was an unexpected twist in the story. He was slated to be a va in the next phase of the story, so he had had hope. Until your book in this phase came out. Neige was voice acting as an evil millionaire's son. After the climax of the story, it was clear they were alluding to you humanizing that character.
But he still had hope! Until he got his script, and his character single handedly match made the two of you.
He's furious! Of course you'd end up with Neige! He can't have anything, can he?
He gives Neige the silent treatment for a couple weeks. Which he does a lot anyway, and Neige is too sweet and just assumes he's busy, so on the whole, he doesn't act too out of the ordinary.
Until he sees Rook's fanart of you and Neige kissing under a cherry blossom tree….
When you break up
It was truly a devastating break up, and it left the fandom in shambles. Your and Neige's characters just had too many differences, particularly with Neige's character not being super respectful of human livelihoods.
He wasn't part of this arc, his character was somewhere else with some random potato, but he'd heard it was coming ahead of time because Neige had come to him asking for pointers on how to up his villain game. Neige was excited to be the bad guy, and knew Vii would be so helpful!
Vil is smiling the entire time. Neige thinks it's because they are having fun together. Spoiler alert, that's not it.
All his simmering rage resurfaces when the arc comes out and Rook is still doing fanart of you and Neige.
And I quote, "Why shouldn't I draw the two most radiant individuals in love's embrace?"
Tumblr media
When you get together
Malleus had locked his door when the update with your book came out. He was so excited, giggling like a schoolgirl as he binged the entire 100 chapters.
The weather progressively gets worse and worse as he reads through it. By the time he's finished it's pouring, there's dangerous amounts of lightning, and hail has hit more than one poor Diasomnia resident.
Lilia quickly hits up the twst version of reddit, and finds out your childhood friend confessed to you, and you accepted.
As fast as he can, he sends in emergency commissions to Mal's favorite fanfic authors, paying an ungodly amount of money for speed, and slips the finished products under the door.
The weather eases up, and after about an hour, Mal emerges, pretending his makeup and face isn't tear stained.
There are a huge influx of anon requests requesting "lonely fae prince who comforts Y/N after (childhood friend's) grisly murder". The author's think it has to be more than one person. It's not.
When you break up
You and your friend broke up because what you both thought was a crush, was really just a strong friendship. You're still both on good terms, just free to pursue other people.
He's got a very intimidating smile on his face all day. That's it.
Tumblr media
When you get together
At your job, there was a worker who was a year older than you. He was a real stick in the mud. Always insisting that everyone follow the rules. Poo pooing on parties. Ace had thought it was a throwaway character. Until you confessed to him!
Your body pillow is in time out. I mean, it is not so different from normal in that it lives under his bed. But now, if it was a moment he would have snuggled it in the past, he will look under the bed, tell you to think about what you've done, and pout.
He boycotts the game for a while as well.  As though his anger at this turn of events will outweigh all the millions of people in the fandom who adore this couple. 
Poor Deuce, in this specific version of the au, ships it really hard. I don't think I have to tell you about the verbal assault he gets from Ace on this matter.
When you break up
Truly a devastating moment. Your partner had been secretly cheating on you with someone even more rebellious than you.
Ace is smug as hell! He's going off on Deuce at all hours of the day! He told him so! He knew it wouldn't last! He was right, you'd never fall for a stick in the mud loser!
Your body pillow is still in timeout. You did this to yourself, and he's not sure you've learned your lesson.
Tumblr media
When you get together
He was so excited to work with Vii again! Since they hadn't been able to work together in so long, it was nice when Vil joined the project. And then Vil's character kissed you…
He's fine! It's fine! That's fine! You're not real, it's okay! And even if you were real, he doesn't have the time for a relationship, between his acting and schooling. It's totally fine!
He's not sad! He's not! In fact he's happy because it means Vil's character is going to be even more important to the story, so they can keep hanging out!
It's totally fine!
When you break up
Vil didn't have as much time in his schedule these days. So the best thing to do was to kill his character.
It was devastating for you, and you'd definitely have lifelong trauma, but the death scene went viral, and people have gone nuts with Vil's last words to you. Neige has even seen videos of people adding them to their wedding vows!
You're not real though. So it's fine! It's okay! He shouldn't be attached to a fake character anyway, so it's fine!
He feels guilty that he doesn't feel guilty over how happy he is that Vii's character is dead…
Tumblr media
When you get together
Jade and Floyd were quietly sitting in their room, doing their own thing, when Floyd's phone suddenly smashed into the wall by Jade's head.
The last thing Jade saw on the screen before the image flickered off and the phone shut down forever was, "I love you, even though I hate mushrooms."
Now, Jade was super far behind in the story, but he knew enough to know that 1. His brother was madly in love with you and 2. You had clearly just confessed to someone who must have been as into mushrooms as he was.
It would be amusing if Floyd hadn't started smashing his terrariums.
Quickly calling in Azul, who was one of the few people who could pin Floyd, they gave him some tranquilizers, then cleaned up the shattered glass in the room.
Floyd has no motivation to do anything for the next several days. He also picked three fights with various students. It takes a long time for him to be okay again, and as I said in the initial HC's, he is no longer allowed to play the game without supervision.
When you break up
Heh heh. Ha ha ha. HA HA HA MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!!!!!
....
Tag list- @shytastemakerthing @stygianoir @leonia0 @eccedentesiast-sapphic
376 notes · View notes
ariachaos · 2 months
Note
listen to me-
sanzu (in the final line where he is a youtuber), then his fans discover that he is dating a boy! and not just any boy, a quite famous model!
ˢᵉᵉ ʰⁱᵐ ⁱⁿ ³ᴰ !!
reader is male! reader
Tumblr media
being sanzu's s/o includes...
you first showed up as a guest on one of his streams, just playing games with him and senju until sanzu just goes, "hey babe, gimme kiss" and all the audience sees is the two of leaning out of the camera frame.
however, sanzu had to make it obnoxiously obvious and go "MWAUH" into his mic
the internet nearly had a seizure the next day with all the people talking about japan's most successful male model dating one of japan's most popular influencers. i swear it was just as bad as when luffy's joyboy was revealed in the anime.
trust me, sanzu is going to show you off like no tomorrow.
he would never pass up the chance to flex you like you're his greatest trophy and accomplishment, and to be very fair, no one can blame him.
you're 100% a househusband material, can clean, cook, good with kids, affectionate to the point it makes some people want to hurl (takeomi), but you look hot doing all of the above.
you know those interviews that channels have where they interview celebrities while they play with puppies?
yeah, sanzu was taking screenshots of the whole thing and have a physical album book dedicated to all the magazine photos, photoshoots, photo cards, ANYTHING of you, and it looks hella aesthetic too.
it's almost like he's not living under the same roof as you.
but he is, and somehow you're still sane and okay with that.
however, senju and takeomi can't see you as a normal human because not only is their brother-in-law a model, but he's also a saint because ain't no way a normal person this calm with a person like sanzu
but don't worry about your fans will think
they love you two already
they call themselves your children, and when sanzu asked you about having kids one day, the chat went crazy because they were all like, "no, don't replace us," "you got us tfym?" "you don't need to, we already here" "i'm getting my adoption papers brb" and so on.
most of these are usually sanzu's fan group, but your fans are pretty crazy about the two of you too.
they also love the fact you're open to taking the randomest pictures with your fans and then there's a random sanzu twerking in the background
sanzu takes the random pics too, but you're posing normally and smiling in all of them.
somehow, sanzu ends up in the weirdest situations when you take them.
for example, he's holding a large amount of shopping bags after insisting that you shouldn't hold it while taking pictures, getting attacked by a murder of crows, twerking, spilling something on accident, or a combination of either situations.
the fans seem to love them, though, and they always tease sanzu that he should keep you closer to him so he's not so unlucky all the time.
which is funny because he always wins in gacha games whenever you're pulling something for him, sitting on his lap, or anywhere in the room with him.
one time you started playing one of the gacha games with him and got double five stars in your very first multi roll.
sanzu was pouting and petty the entire stream, muttering about how you're not even supposed to be a gamer and yet you have better stuff than him already.
the fans made memes out of the two of you, and the fanarts are always so wholesome yet chaotic.
you're 100% neutral good while he's chaotic neutral.
nicknames for sanzu <3: lil demon, my baby, big baby, bubblegum, princess, lil prince, charming, handsome, my boy, my man, my husband, scary privilege, my dog w/ rabies.
Tumblr media
69 notes · View notes
Note
Please sire spare a crumb of Bayverse Donnie or leo x male reader 🙏 where the reader loves to draw him and shower him with affection in general
You know what, i love this request so you get both Leo and Donnie plus the movie needs more love
Donnie
Omg he's so flustered is cute
He's like "donnie.exe stoped working, please reboot" i definitely did not say that joke because he likes technology
"wait what?!"
Although that was the first time so you keep on doing it, just calling him pet names and praising him for his good job
He tends to be a guy of science and he doesn't gets flustered Easily, but with you my dear, oh how he was soo wrong
YOU, my amazing and beautiful friend, you make him so fucking flustered
"Donnie..." "..." "Don?" "..." "Donatello?" "..." "My love~?" And then he turns to see you, blushing like crazy
But now he also call you nicknames
They seem more... romantic?
"my love" "my sun" "darling" "sweetheart" "honey" "teddy bear"
Dork science jokes, no no, don't say anything, i know that I'm right
He super nervous flirting with you
His brothers think it's funny
And he's super embarrassed
And when we talk about drawing him, lord have mercy on him
He's just working on something, you were sitting to his side, sketching something so he looks, he wanted to take a look and you were drawing him, like HIM
Hes amazed bout how you draw him
He definitely has some of your drawings in his room to look at them when you are gone or when he miss you
Leo
When we talk about affection, he's the most reserved about it
He loves physical touch but he's just to scared about asking for it, he thought it may sound selfish of him
But you reassure that it's not, so you shower him in affection constantly
Rubbing his shoulder when he gets back from a very hard mission, patching him up, praising him for how he did, just showering him with all that you have
He gets super flustered with it, will even cry if you hugged him tight
So a lot of cuddles then
He loves to cuddle with you, it makes him fell safe and also he likes to think he's protecting you too
And talking about affection, he loves pet names " baby" "babe" "my love" "cutie" "baby boy" "my lover" "prince" all of that
Hand over the cuddles bitch
And about you drawing him, it's fucking adorable omg
He was in his room, like chilling, and you came to the lair, alright, everything normal, you brought your sketch book and some other things, so you asked if you can sit with him
He agreed and you are by his side sketching, an hour passed and he gets curious so he asks "hey babe?" "Mmh?" "What are you drawing?" "Oh I'm just drawing you ^^"
He gets so flustered, he wants to see the drawing and he gets super happy
He keep every sketch you give him
He keeps all of them in a little wood box each one carefully organized by anything, there are sketch's, doodles you drew in class, some fanarts, some flowers you draw, anything he founds pretty
And he founds everything you make pretty
535 notes · View notes
greypetrel · 9 months
Note
👀 *punta la lampada come nei polizieschi*
For the "send a character" thingie: Dorian and Loghain
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING AGENT I SWEAR I WASN'T THERE AND IF I WAS I WAS SLEEPING. *piagnucola agitando le manette*
Thank you for asking these two. For Loghain I hope you all are ready for me having OPINIONS about him. Reading Stolen Throne served to something.
This the tag game
MUAHAHAHAHAHAH.
Tumblr media
Dorian:
First impression: As for Zevran, he checks all the marks that will make me instantly love a character. Cocky, charismatic, witty, histrionic and very theatrical. He was there and he spoke and I suddenly understood why all the fanarts with people praising him. Also I remember looking at his outfit puzzled and thinking how and why he's not dying frozen in the snow with a shoulder totally bare I would have pneumonia and the plague in his place.
Impression now: If you're not here from 5 minutes you may have realised that he's one of my favourite characters. He's one of my favourite characters even from outside the saga. He's well written, deeply characterised, a good combination of virtues and flaws he's there working on! He's my son the apple of my eyes my sweet pea and I live in terror of writing him as just the gay friend.
Favorite moment: I think I have to choose the cutscene after Adamant. Beside the fact that he has a very human and relatable reaction, he's the only one in the Inner Circle that not only apologizes for venting on you, but asks you how are you back. No one else does, even your love interest if you're in a romance. That was the thing that pushed me to write some expansion on that scene... And it was the first prose I wrote and shared with other people in YEARS.
Idea for a story: Too many! I'd love to see what he's doing after Trespasser and his work with the Lucerni. Or, I'd love personally to dig more into Adoribull. I had one prompt about them which I think I'd love to expand... Again, if he's not the local gay friend without any other characterisation, if there's him I'll read it. Acciaierie.
Unpopular opinion: I don't think I have many opinions about him that are unpopular, LOL. Maybe the only one is that that one dialogue option about slavery should have been treated with more depth and with a follow up... Particularly if you play with a Lavellan. I attempted it here if you want to read more (you don't need to read the rest, it's followable by itself.)
Favorite relationship: Him with the Inquisitor, both romantically and platonically, it's just something that melts me every time. Adoribull? Yes I like it a lot (Bull brought him his handkerchief because he forgot!!). And also with Sera. I just like how he puts a lot of effort in communicating and trying to build relationships with the others. But with Sera? They just work so well (and I think both of them are people that masks a lot just how much they care, and work so well for that)
Favorite headcanon: Ok, I have three: 1) The Bog Unicorn wasn't a random finding, it was Dorian's making experiments. (an attempt was made here, again you can read the chapter by itself) 2) Dorian can't cook to save his life past putting together a sandwich without cooking anything. 3) In spite of that, Dorian will act as your average Italian on the internet. Pineapple on pizza will be taken as a personal offense. He has opinions about the was the cook in Skyhold cooks pasta, and won't have a problem in expressing them. He's actually banned from the kitchens. Has declared a war against the wines served in the Keep. By now Josephine just signs his orders for some "real wine" from Tevinter and lets him do to save herself a headache and a long heated tirade about "Why Orlesian wine is actually vinegar".
I am very normal about Dorian.
Loghain:
First impression: I liked him! Nice antagonist, a big old Machiavellian prince. Kind of an asshole (I get the "tragic accident" to get rid of Cailan: he is the most boring Lawful Good paladin was dangerous and a liability for the kingdom, but maybe don't kill all the Wardens too), but a good one with logic and who knows his shit. Liked him a lot.
Impression now: I've read Stolen Throne. And it that book for me was pain (I... I really don't like how David Gaider writes romances), Loghain was the light in the dark. He's a great character, I love him your honour. Fascinating, well rounded, with some solid reasonings, I like him a lot.
Favorite moment: Landsmeet, I love the dignity he faces his death with. A good ending for a good character, very elegant, very dignified. Respect.
Idea for a story: A Stolen Throne retelling with a big fix it: Loghain and Maric get together. It's there. They have chemistry. Maric swoons and Loghain picks him up. Maric is an idiot, but it's Loghain's idiot. I won't write that retelling because I probably would have to read it again to structure it and once was enough. But...!
Unpopular opinion: I don't know if it's really unpopular, but I think he's an antagonist and not a villain. He opposes the main characters, hence an antagonist. A villain, tho? He doesn't act for Evil. His one mistake is not believing it's a Blight because the premises for him are too little and he has reasons in not trusting a mysterious Order that idiot Cailan will do anything to please. It's not that he thinks his actions are for a greater good, he's actually acting for good. It ties with my opinion that Cailan sucks as king and that Anora was better off alone.
Favorite relationship: Loghain/Maric, hands down.
Favorite headcanon: As above. He and Maric were in love. It needed to happen. But we've been unfairly deprived of it.
11 notes · View notes
proxie-of-the-art · 3 years
Photo
Tumblr media
what if prince was jareth?
Edit: This post has been blowing up, I just wanna say pls don't use this post to shit on the og movie, it's a huge comfort film and reading all the negative tags really bums me out
7K notes · View notes
vemuabhi · 3 years
Text
Favourite Sanji Outfits
Hii! It´s me popping here again! How are you doing? So, I would like to ask if you have a favorite Sanji moment and outfit (if it´s possible to chose hahaha) <3
So.. as you know tumblr didn't let me add more than 10 photos in the 1st post, I'm making 2nd post.
Now that I'm reading your ask for the second time.... I guess you asked for one scene aand one outfit.... sorry @holykillercake san... i think my simping hoe ass didn't realise it sooner and made 2 bigass posts of it.
I made one for the favourite scenes of Sanji if you wanna read. I'll link it here.
ANOTHER UNNECESSARY OPINION OF MINE... GIVE THE MAN A DAMN GUN AND HE WILL LOOK HELLA FINE! I'M TELLING YA!!
Warnings : Simp alert!
Sit back and listen to a song while you are reading this!
Sanji's Outfits that I love the most!!
Disclaimer : this is purely my opinion and there might be people who can have different opinions. Im not trying to offend aanyone but I'm sorry If I offend you.
Lets move on
1) Coming to Wano!!! Look at him!!!
Tumblr media
Wait... you say its shirtless and not an outfit. And you are saying Im simping way too much. Okay... lets move on :') I'm not guilty though with having that as my favourite outfit. Had a nosebleed attack. But I'm fine.
1) Prince Sanji
Please look at his frills and his attire. His cape, his shirt I'm not even kidding, Sanji is dead ass beautiful here. And I personally love the classic white shirt and black pants combination. Im a sucker for that and here we have it.
Tumblr media
2) Raid suit and Red Suit + Kimono
*ways to insert numerous opinions in one option*
God damn Mr. Prince. I am already getting a head ache and you show me this. How rude mister. You are already too beautiful in just your normal suit now you show me the raid suit. With your different hair style and all...
You know I am a sucker for Kimono and you Mr. Browgoro, hit me with it. I cant explain how rude you are.
Dont get me started on the fanarts of the red suit with him tied up. They made me lose myself.
Tumblr media
3) Pink Dress!!!
You thought I'd skip that... Ahahaha no way. It is so beautiful. Why does like ever outfit suits him. The dress is absolutely gorgeous. I love him in that. He looks too adorable. I'd be gay for him. I'm not guilty saying that this is one of my favourites. He looks amazing in it and he needs to embrace that.
Tumblr media
4) After Thriller Bark
Soft Sanji alert Soft Sanji alert. Look at him. That soft blue hoodie. I just cant. He looks so beautiful here. Please I love him. Tell him that he is the All Blue himself. I am crying. Please...
Tumblr media
5) Wedding suit
Would I a simp... forget the wedding outfit... Please.... he is FREAKING AMAZING. I absolutely love this outfit. He looks ethereal. I adore this so much. Help I need therapy. He looks so elegant, so neat, so pure and handsome. I love this outfit. After seeing him in that attire all I can say is, "I DO!!!!"
Oh marry me please. I am having another nosebleed attack. Help
Tumblr media
BONUS
Skypiea
Don't tell me anything. He looks so good here. Whenever Sanji just removes his suit I get weak in my knees. And don't get me started when I can see his legs. (Sorry for simping too much. I love this man) his bandages, goggles, his dress shirt. Rolled up sleeves... please. Everything is beautiful.
Tumblr media
Ball man!
Bow down for the Prince of Moronia kingdom!! No words said. I think this is one of the cutest outfits. He looks so adorable Please!!!
Tumblr media
One piece movie Gold : White
Do I need to explain... Do I have to explain... I mean.. this is... just way too beautiful. Please.. i absolutely adore this. That flower that glasses. The shirt is open but I'm totally fine with it. Not at all having a nosebleed attack. Trust me. (I need chopper asap please. I don't even have blood to have a nosebleed.)
Tumblr media
Wait... not over yet... my very very special and close to heart favourites are these.... these are gifted to me by 3 amazing people. Please do check them out if you haven't already.
@ye-rin164
@holykillercake
@daonepiece
Every picture here has Sanji in it and they were given to me. I'm ugly crying whenever I look at them. Wait. You ask me who is that black haired person beside Sanji... thats a selfish self insert. I'm not guilty about it. :)
These all arts, are just so precious and close to my heart. I value them so much. Thankyou all the amazing people who gave them to me.
Tumblr won't let me add more than 10 pictures and me being the jerk, wants to add more than that. So... here I am...
Tumblr media
A like, comment, reblog would be really appreciated.
Wait.. you say you didn't read my post on "my favourite scenes" then click here!!!
388 notes · View notes
lovebecomeshim · 3 years
Note
hello! your zutara posting today has finally motivated me to ask this question because I came to atla very late(last year, to be specific) and I Love It Very Much but am 1000% out of the loop as far as why what remains of fandom (at least that I've seen among my friends) is so very strongly zutara. I'm not opposed to it per se I just don't really know what has driven it to apparently be such a popular ship? can you help me understand and maybe convert me a little bit?
Hey!! Your ICON! :D I can try but I’m not sure how coherent I’ll be; however I AM sure someone a lot more competent will be willing to add to this. Either way, I’m glad you asked because my plan was to drag down as many people as possible with me.
*smacks the hood of zutara* this baby can fit so much mutual love and support!
Tumblr media
This got so long, I’m so sorry. I don’t know how to put it under a cut on mobile and it already got deleted once so I’m scared to mess with it lol. Moving on.
I’m gonna start this with a disclaimer that im on mobile so formatting is tricky and I’m also really new to atla in that I only completed my first watch through in like 2019??? So some of my info is all just based on what I’ve picked up from Discourse 👀 so anyway the sparknotes version: zutara was wildly popular from the beginning. To the point where the atla crew internally disagreed on which ship should be endgame. (Ex. Bryke [showrunners] asked the writers to rewrite The Southern Raiders to make Zuko seem less ideal for Katara than Aang [which failed, depending on who you ask]; the animation team purposefully created a visual parrallel between Oma and Shu in the Cave of Two Lovers and Zuko and Katara in the catacombs under Ba Sing Se in the Crossroads of Destiny; etc.)
Tumblr media
The ship was popular enough that Bryke actually chose to display zk fanart at a con for the sole purpose of mocking the fans, but that’s neither here nor there. The entire episode Ember Island Players, while a love letter to/parody of the whole show, was an opportunity to address zutara’s viability as a canon pairing (while, again, mocking zutaras for romanticizing that catacombs scene). Point is! It’s always been popular but with it not being endgame, there’s got to be something that’s given it staying power.
And that’s honestly got to do with three things: their dynamic, thematic cohesion, and potential.
(You know what... you know what, it’s four things. The fourth is they’re so aesthetically pleasing together and individually. Like, they’re just good looking people [specifically when they’re grown but they’re also cute kids] and that absolutely doesn’t hurt) (but it’s not the Point, it’s just nice to point out sometimes)
The dynamic is hard to get into without also looking at the canon pairings, but I think I can do that without unnecessary bashing. It’s just that part of the magic of zutara is really highlighted by what they give to each other that their other relationships don’t.
First off, it’s classic enemies to (would be) lovers. The absolute truest form of it. It’s not too different from how CS started out: a rogue antagonist with a job to do—but no personal vendetta against the future love interest—who is deeply and emotionally invested in his personal storyline (revenge/redemption) with little regard for how it effects other people after his entire life and genuine good nature are marred by suffering, and a fierce warrior girl with a strong moral compass and her own personal investment in stopping him (protect her family and save the world doing it). Obviously frustration and animosity grew between them by the nature of them being on opposing sides, but that just lends itself to the sweetness of their later reconciliation.
The thing is that while they’re wildly different on the surface (he’s a hot-headed prince of a fascist regime who is trying to capture the Avatar to please his father; she’s a nurturing daughter of the chief who is trying to protect and train the Avatar in order to topple his father’s throne) they find out that they have so much more in common both in their experiences and their personalities.
(What follows is an excessive use of the word “both” and I’m sorry about that)(I can edit it. I can do that. That IS an option............)
They both have an innate sense of justice that they are determined to see done (zuko, at the war meeting, sticking up for the Earth Kingdom kid when the guards torment his family, choosing not to steal from the pregnant couple despite his circumstances, abiding by his word to leave the SWT should Aang come willingly, etc.; katara, literally.... at any point). They both have pretty one-track minds at accomplishing certain goals once they’ve put their mind to it, regardless of a lack of support in that endeavor (it goes without saying I guess, but zuko’s entire hunt; katara’s determination to get the earth benders to fight back, her determination to absolutely destroy Pakku until he agrees to teach her, etc.). They both lost their mothers at young ages. Their worlds are war-torn and traumatizing to them both, if in different ways, but that ultimately forces them to grow up too quickly to be wholly independent individuals. They both have issues with their fathers (for WILDLY different reasons, but). They both hold extreme prejudices that they need to learn to overcome (which ties into thematic cohesion)(bit like Lizzie and Darcy in that way but magnified by a million). They’re both extremely emotional and empathetic—which can and often does result in loud outbursts. Katara’s a bit better adjusted and can temper her anger for longer than S1 Zuko can, but they both feel that anger deeply and have no compunctions expressing it (Katara is, usually, more justified, particularly in S1. Again, S1 Zuko is severely maladjusted but at the point when they could’ve feasibly become a couple, he’s so much better off with the way he carries himself). They both struggle with feelings of inferiority in their bending abilities when confronted with prodigal benders like Aang and Azula, but have the work ethic required to double down and become two of the most powerful benders in the three remaining nations. This is a little more minor but it is a parrallel that appeals to some shippers that they both have these alter egos in the Painted Lady (notably fire nation coded) and the Blue Spirit (water tribe coded) that are pretty different from who they are day-to-day and are useful in accomplishing a purpose that they as themselves cannot.
(I’m.... I just realized that this could potentially get very long. Should I have made a slide show with bullet points??????)
Anyway, similar. I know there’s more but there’s literally so much to love about zutara that I’ll drive myself a little crazy trying to compile all the ways they’re similar. (Just gonna say that at this exact moment I went back to add more similarities.... so okay then)
Once they’ve reconciled, we see how all of these things only lend themselves to a deeper intimacy together than they share with literally anyone else. There’s a steady partnership that positions them as the mom/dad of the gaang, while also providing the support necessary to allow the other to not have to carry so much responsibility. A lot of zutaras will point out how zuko is actually depicted doing the more domestic chores that are normally relegated to Katara once he joins the gaang, since the others in the group are two 12-year-olds and sokka. The one that sticks out the most is how he makes tea for the group and then serves them, while Katara is able to just relax with her friends around the fire. Fanon expands upon this a lot to Zuko helping with the laundry or the cooking or whatever else needs doing since he, as a once-refugee, is used to doing his own domestic tasks. Before Zuko joined, Katara was the one mothering everyone, sewing for them, cooking for them, etc. She’s always tending to the needs of the group, and that includes emotionally. She does the emotional labor for the gaang 99% of the time, but when she’s the one falling apart, she’s usually doing it alone and without the comfort that she normally provides for others. Until Zuko. And that’s before they’re even friends.
Which is WHY people romanticize the catacombs of Ba Sing Se so much. Katara is verbally attacking Zuko out of her own righteous anger but also her own prejudice when Zuko, surprisingly, chooses to be vulnerable with her. He’s been on a journey that’s opened his eyes a bit, but he’s never actively chosen to expose the rawest parts of his past to anyone. But for some reason he chooses to do that with Katara of all people. While she’s yelling at him. He sees her humanity, and for once can look past his prejudice and empathize with her. And this time, when she breaks down, she gets to be comforted. Katara normally talks about her mother when she’s trying to explain to someone else that she sees and understands they’re pain, as a form of comfort to them. Here, Zuko uses the exact same tactic. He sees her and he understands. And for zuko? He’s not being shut down. He’s allowed to articulate his pain regarding his mother without being ignored and made to internalize it, and he’s allowed to process how he feels about his scar out loud without being told that he deserved it. And then he lets her touch his scar, something we’ve seen him actively avoid before. He’s completely open to her and she’s completely open to him and all it took was one five minute conversation. She was about to use the little bit of Spirit water that she had, that she was saving for something Important, to heal the scar that still daily causes him pain just because they had, somehow, connected.
Plus there’s the whole parallel to the star-crossed lovers forbidden from one another, a war divides their people—
Tumblr media
And then zuko messes up, he regresses, he gets what he wants and he HATES it. And the sense of justice he had as a child has been restored to him against his will and he can’t think of anything he wants to do more than the Right Thing, so he joins team avatar. Before he does that though, we get to see his relationship with Mai, which is where comparison really comes in. And what we see is Zuko, fresh off of his encounter with Katara in the catacombs, trying to be emotionally honest with Mai... and getting shut down and dismissed. Which is just how Mai is and it’s fine, but not for Zuko. Still, he keeps trying, and he keeps getting ignored or scoffed at or yelled at. Which is really a larger symbol for how he doesn’t fit in his old life anymore, but again that’s about thematic cohesion. He tries to articulate his anxieties about returning home, he tries to make romantic gestures, he tries to explain how morally conflicted he’s feeling—and Mai diverts to some kind of physical affection to shut him up and a parting comment that is pretty much always, in essence, “I don’t wanna talk about this.” So they don’t. On the other hand, once zuko and Katara are friends, we see him again emotionally distraught and caught up in his anxieties about facing Iroh, and it’s Katara who comes to him and listens to him and comforts and encourages him.
Similarly, we have Aang clamming up and getting uncomfortable whenever Katara shows any negative emotion, usually resulting in him making excuses or running away. Or, in the case of the Southern Raiders, lecturing her on how she needs to just let go of her anger about her mother’s murder. People have talked this episode to death and usually better than I ever could, so imma... keep it brief. There’s a serious disconnect between Aang and Katara in his ability to empathize with Katara and her needs that has her tamping down her vulnerability and amping up her anger. He tells her that he was able to forgive his people’s genocide and appa’s kidnapping (petnapping? Theft??), which is blatantly not true but also not an entirely equal parrallel to Katara’s situation, and continues making these little remarks throughout the episode. But it’s Zuko that Katara opens up to. It’s with him that she’s able to talk about the most traumatic day of her life, and it’s with him that she’s able to get the closure she needs, cementing their bond as friends and partners. This disagreement between Aang and Katara is then... never resolved. They just never bring it up and hear what the other is saying.
There’s a fic called The Portraits of Ember Island that has a line that so completely sums up the heart of the matter for why people love their dynamic. For context, zuko has woken up early to help Katara with the cooking and they spend the whole time just letting one another talk, and zuko stops to ask why she always just lets him talk. And so she stops to ask why he’s always helping, and it goes as follows:
Tumblr media
There’s just... so much mutual support! Trust! Intimacy!! And it just continues like that from the Southern Raiders on, listening to each other, advising each other, watching each other’s backs! And then! Literally saving each other’s lives!! I will never be over the last Agni kai. Not ever. Zuko may have been willing to jump in front of lightning for anyone, but he actually did it for Katara. And in a show, that’s the thing that really matters. It’s a fulfilled trope usually exclusively applied to romantic pairings, and it ended up applying to Zuko and Katara. And then she ran out into the middle of a fight with tunnel vision just to get to him.
Tumblr media
Also!! Also Zuko pushing Katara out of the way of the falling rocks at the Western Air Temple!! And Katara catching him as he fell from the war balloon that he fought Azula on!! Before they’re even getting along, they’re the ones reaching for each other. They come to this place of equal ground, as partners, who watch each other’s backs, call each other out but still listen attentively and understand, and provide the support that the other has been sorely lacking up until they knew each other (whether that be from lack of effort or lack of understanding from others, or an unwillingness to accept it for themselves).
Then, trailing along under the surface of this, we see the themes of the show totally embodied by Zuko and Katara as individuals and in their relationship to one another. There’s a YouTuber, sneezyreviews, who has a, like, 2-hour explanation on why she not only loves zutara but also believes that their endgame would’ve actually elevated the writing of atla to new levels particularly because of thematic cohesion and resolved character arcs. It’s the zutara dissertation I never knew I needed, and it’s funny and eloquent and effective, so I’m just going to sum up her section on thematic cohesion to the best of my abilities and then link it for whenever you have the time. And I HIGHLY recommend it, especially if you want a full understanding of what makes zutara so great and gives it such longevity.
Guru pathik has a line that goes something like this: separation is an illusion; things that seem different are just two parts of the same whole. Iroh also tells Zuko something similar: balance and strength are achieved when the different nations come together and influence one another and celebrate what makes them each unique. And this lesson is a massive central arc that both Zuko and Katara go through, moving past a black-and-white, good guys-vs-bad guys, us-vs-them mentality and into a greyer, more nuanced view of the world. Zuko sees the fire nation from an entirely new perspective and while he still loves and hopes for his nations future, he surrenders his blind loyalty to them in exchange for an unflinching loyalty to peace and love. Katara too had to come to terms with the fact that cruel people exist in the earth kingdom and water tribes, while some fire nation citizens are just regular, kind people who also need and deserve to have someone speak on their behalf. And this is honed in directly on how they view each other. They grow in their individual journeys to be open to the humanity in the other and then, once they’ve found that, they’re able to grow more in compassion for others in a beautiful feedback loop. And this is all matched in the symbolism repeatedly and intentionally associated with them in canon: sun and moon, fire and water, yin and yang, Oma and Shu who found love despite their warring nations. Their individual arcs are completed in each other and complement the themes of atla beautifully.
The canon pairs... just don’t. Which, again, is fine. But the very things that give atla longevity and popularity are anchored in zutara. Kat@ang doesn’t accomplish this. They’re... nice. Sweet. Especially when you erase a good portion of their interactions in S3. It could’ve been just a sweet love story. (Personally, the dynamic between toph and aang accomplish the same thing that zutara does, with complementary personalities that fulfill the theme of opposites blending in harmony) M@iko, on the other hand, is less sweet but I think wasn’t even supposed to last. Zuko’s relationship with Mai seems to represent his relationship with his old life as a whole. He can’t be emotionally vulnerable, he’s goaded into abusing his privileges, his agency and opinions aren’t respected. They just don’t have common ground with which to discuss anything that matters, so they don’t. As far as themes, the relationship doesn’t fit with atla. It’s zuko returning to and sticking with what is (on the surface) like him, what’s expected. Fire nation with fire nation. Fluid water bender with the flexible air bender. Like with like, separated from what is different and challenging and complementary.
And all of these things combined of course lead to the potential for the ship. I don’t know how familiar you are with the post-atla canon but... well, miss “I will never turn my back on people who need me”, miss “I don’t want to heal! I want to fight!” ends up living quietly in the SWT as a designated healer who turns a blind eye to the water tribe civil war happening right outside her front door. Which can be fine! People change! Some people just wanna stay inside. I just wanna stay inside! But the potential future for zutara is so much more satisfying, with Katara becoming the most unconventional Fire Lady the uppity old cads who are stuck on the old ways have ever seen. Fanon has her serving as a voice for the other nations within a kingdom at the point of its biggest political upheaval, as a confidante to Zuko who can actually help him while he’s trying to figure out how to move forward and make reparations. They have the opportunity, together, to accomplish what they both have set on their hearts to fight for: positive change that lends itself to harmony and balance. And the steambabies! A popular headcanon is that their firstborn daughter, the crown princess, is actually a waterbender, which causes such an uproar among the people who are adamantly clinging to the old ways. It’s just a future full of potential to be forces for good together, full of trust, intimacy, joy. The exact era of peace and love and balance that zuko announces that he intends to ring in with the start of his reign as Fire Lord is, again, magnified by the very personal zutara relationship. And we love to see it.
tl;dr zutara isn’t for everyone. Some people just don’t vibe with it. Some are nostalgic. Some love the canon they grew up with. Some have been disappointed for years. Some just see themselves in other characters and want their happiness instead. Whatever the reason, that’s fine. But for me, I love the way these two, from the moment they give each other a fair chance, are able to lower their walls and prejudices to see the other for the kindred spirits they are. They see each other’s humanity, and their response is to pour out love and support and compassion. I love that they’re a power couple in battle. I love the symbolism and, honestly, soulmatism that colors their every interaction. I love that they embody the whole storyline of atla in their relationship and how it develops, which is notably why their seasonal arcs always culminate in each finale with how they relate to one another. I love that zuko adopting a waterbending move is what actually saves his life and then katara’s. I love the chemistry! And I love the future they could’ve had, instead of the ones they were given.
So, in conclusion: I just think they’re neat and I hope you do too, at least a little bit. Even if it’s just respectfully from a disinterested distance cause you do you. And now here is the video I mentioned. I’m sorry this post got so long and then I gave you an even longer homework assignment, but I can’t recommend it enough. She says it all better than I can.
youtube
136 notes · View notes
thelastspeecher · 4 years
Text
Spirit Touched - Chapter 1: Little Prince
Chapter 1   Chapter 2   Chapter 3   Chapter 4   Chapter 5   Chapter 6   AO3
Uhhhh so this is the first time I’ve written and posted something for ATLA, and of course it wound up being because of a fanart of a fanfic that I adore.  Basically, yesterday I saw this art drawn by my pal @agent-jaselin.  And that art appeared to apply one of my all-time favorite tropes (de-aging) to one of my all-time favorite fics (Salvage, by @muffinlance).  And dagnabit, I...got inspired.
So, without further ado, here is my interpretation of a theoretical Zuko being de-aged after Chapter 8 of Salvage.  Enjoy.
——————————————————————————————
              Praying to the spirits for guidance was a mistake.  Hakoda could see that now.  He pinched the bridge of his nose in a vain attempt to dispel the headache already forming.
              This is what I get for thinking the spirits might make things easier. Their actions are rarely convenient for us mortals.
              “Bring him to Kustaa,” Hakoda said after a moment.  Toklo nodded and hurried for the healer’s room, his friend in his arms, buried in a pile of furs.  Bato looked at Hakoda.  He raised an eyebrow silently.
              “That’s new,” he said.  The casual tone made Hakoda’s headache pound in full force.  Bato was treating this as just another matter of fact.  Like seeing the former Prince of the Fire Nation reduced to a toddler overnight was just as common as…
              Hakoda’s head hurt too much to even think of something that was common.
              “Yes,” Hakoda finally said.  “It is new.” He was struggling to align the grumpy teenager of yesterday with the toddler he’d just seen drooling in his sleep.
              “How could this have happened?” Bato asked quietly.
              “I asked the spirits for help last night.”  Hakoda scowled.  It was help he’d desperately needed, after Zuko had broken down in front of him and renounced his crown, maybe even renounced his own nation.  And it was help he was obviously not getting. “Apparently, they didn’t want to make things easier.”
              “The spirits work in mysterious ways,” Bato said.  “It’s best to trust in their judgement.  Eventually, you’ll understand why they’ve done…this.” Hakoda eyed his second-in-command.
              “Since when are you so spiritual?”
              “Since meeting the bridge between the spirit world and ours,” Bato said flatly.
              “Fair enough.”  Hakoda sighed.  “I should go speak with Kustaa.”
              “I might be best if you were there when the little prince woke up,” Bato agreed.  He thumped Hakoda on the back.  “At least you’re good with children!”
----- 
              Unlike every other day since he’d recovered from his illness, Zuko didn’t wake up with the sun.  If he didn’t remember how much his own children slept at this age, Hakoda would have been concerned.  He sat in the infirmary, having a hushed conversation with Kustaa while Zuko continued to snore.  The sight of a toddler swimming in furs was painfully cute and reminded Hakoda of when Sokka was young.
              “I’ll be able to get a better examination done once he’s awake,” Kustaa said in a low voice.  “But from what I can tell, he’s perfectly healthy.”
              “He’s a toddler,” Hakoda said.
              “A healthy one.”  Kustaa glanced at Zuko.  “By my estimation, about four years old.  So, almost out of the toddler years.”  Zuko rolled over in his sleep, mumbling something.  Kustaa and Hakoda held their breaths.  Zuko didn’t wake up.  “From what he’s told me, he didn’t get that scar until a few years ago, so I’m not completely sure why he still has it.”
              “The spirits are testing me,” Hakoda moaned.  Kustaa chuckled.
              “No, Chief.  The spirits are testing all of us with this stunt.”  He sighed and leaned back.  “Now would be a good time to have a waterbending healer, to examine his spirit and chi.  But the odds of finding one of those…”
              “Aren’t good unless we stumble across a Northern Tribe ship,” Hakoda said, finishing the healer’s sentence.  Kustaa nodded.  There was movement from Zuko’s pile of furs.  Hakoda and Kustaa looked over.  A small hand fought its way out, followed by a head.  Zuko’s regular scowl was replaced by confusion as he stared at Hakoda and Kustaa, who most likely seemed larger to him than they had yesterday.
              “You’re up,” Kustaa said calmly.  Zuko shoved away the furs he was buried in.  His eyes widened at the sight of his body.  Hakoda grimaced.
              There was a split second of dumbfounded silence before the screaming started.
----- 
              Kustaa wasn’t sure whether he preferred Zuko like this or not.  On the one hand, it would be difficult to run the ship with a literal toddler on board.  But on the other hand, it was much easier to handle Zuko.  He could literally be picked up and carried somewhere else if needed.
              “This doesn’t fit right!” Zuko whined.  Kustaa glanced over at his young charge.  Zuko had insisted on dressing himself in the smallest shirt they could find on the ship.  That smallest shirt came down to past his feet.
              Then again, so will everything else.  Kustaa beckoned Zuko to come.  Zuko scowled but walked over.  Kustaa fought back an amused grin at the firebender’s toddling gait.  While not as severe as it would be for someone younger, it was still evident.
              “Nothing is going to fit right until either we adjust clothes to fit you or purchase ones already in your size,” Kustaa said.  He adjusted the shirt as best he could by pinning it up and wrapping rope around Zuko’s waist to act as a belt.  “Now that you’re dressed, we need to go see the chief.” Zuko’s eyes went wide in horror.
              “No!  I’m not going outside like this.”
              “Everyone knows what’s happened to you,” Kustaa said, getting to his feet. He took Zuko’s hand.  It was small and warm.  “Most of them saw you already, and the rest were informed by either the chief or Bato.”
              “…Fine,” Zuko grumbled.  Kustaa led him out onto the deck.  The moment eyes landed on him, Zuko dropped Kustaa’s hand to hide behind his legs.
              “Wow, you’re barely older than the babes we left at the South Pole,” Panuk remarked.  Zuko didn’t move or speak.
              “I think he’s adorable,” Toklo said firmly, marching over.  He crouched down to Zuko’s eye-height.  “I always wanted a baby brother.”
              “I’m not a baby,” Zuko snapped.  At his high-pitched, youthful voice, Toklo beamed.  “I’m sixteen.”
              “Four,” Kustaa corrected.  Zuko scowled.
              “Either way, that’s not a baby.”
              “Aw, no need to pout,” Toklo cooed.  Zuko’s scowl deepened.  “It’ll be fun having a little kid on board.”
              “Will it?” rumbled Aake.  “We only let men join the crew for a reason.”  Zuko let out a small squeak as Toklo lifted him up and held him out for Aake to see.
              “Try saying ‘no’ to this face,” Toklo said.  Aake’s deadpan expression didn’t change.
              “No.”
              “Were you saying ‘no’ to Zuko or ‘no’ to saying ‘no’ to him?” Toklo asked. Aake shrugged and continued to sharpen his spear.  Zuko squirmed in Toklo’s hold.
              “Let me go!” he snarled.  He broke loose, falling to the deck with a soft thump.  Kustaa waited for the tears that would come from a toddler being dropped. But Zuko didn’t cry.  His eyes were glistening in a way that suggested he was holding back tears, but he remained otherwise stoic.  Kustaa filed this observation away for now.  He walked over to Zuko and pulled him up.
              “The chief needs to talk to you, remember?” he said.  Zuko nodded silently, allowing Kustaa to lead him to Hakoda’s cabin.
----- 
              The moment they set foot inside the cabin, Kustaa could tell Hakoda was going to struggle with not seeing Sokka every time he looked at Zuko.  At least Bato was there to help mediate things.
              “Take a seat,” Hakoda said.  Zuko toddled over to the chair he normally sat in.  After a moment, he climbed onto the seat with obvious difficulty.  Bato stifled a laugh.  “Zuko, we’re not sure why the spirits have done this to you.”
              “Probably because they hate me,” Zuko muttered, crossing his arms.
              “Well, no matter why you’ve been turned into a toddler, the fact of the matter is that it has happened to you.  Generally, we don’t allow children your age to be on our ships.”  Zuko paled and opened his mouth to make his case. Hakoda held up a hand.  “Given your…extenuating circumstances, we won’t be dropping you off at the next port or something like that.  Who knows, maybe you’ll wake up tomorrow sixteen again. Until we have a better understanding of your condition, including how long it might last, you’ll be staying on the Akhlut.  Do you understand?”
              “Yes,” Zuko said with a nod, visibly relieved.
              “Good.  Now, just because you’ll still be on board, don’t expect things to stay the same for you. You won’t be required to do any chores on the ship.  If you want to help, you can, but the crew has been instructed to stop you from overexerting yourself or doing something that might hurt you at your current age.” Zuko’s eyes boggled.  “Additionally, you’ll be sleeping in the infirmary with Kustaa for the foreseeable future.  It will be more comfortable for you.”
              “Understood,” Zuko mumbled.
              “Another change is that you will be expected to do what a child your age must in order to remain healthy,” Hakoda said.  Zuko tilted his head curiously.  “In particular, you will have to take naps.”
              “What?!” Zuko shrieked.
              “We can’t have a cranky, overtired firebender on our wooden ship,” Bato said.  Zuko crossed his arms, scowling.
              “Those are the major changes.  We will adjust things as we see fit,” Hakoda said.
              “Okay.”  Zuko fidgeted in his seat, an abrupt reminder to the men in the room of how hyperactive toddlers were.  “Um, about my clothes…”
              “Go see Panuk and Toklo.  They offered to try to cobble together something for you until we can make port,” Hakoda said.  Zuko ducked his head.
              “Thank you.”  He slipped off his chair and left the cabin, his head held high in an attempt to maintain any dignity.  Once the door closed, Kustaa looked at Hakoda and Bato.
              “He’s not going to act like a toddler if he can avoid it,” Kustaa said. “He’s almost certainly going to resist the reduced workload and naps.”  Hakoda nodded.
              “I agree,” he said solemnly.
              “This won’t end well,” Bato said, shaking his head.  “There’s a reason we wouldn’t normally have someone his age on board.”  There was a loud ruckus from the deck; clattering, heavy footsteps, and Toklo’s voice.
              “Come on, Zuko, it’ll look so cute!”
              “That,” Bato said, “is the reason.”
-----
              Hakoda begrudgingly agreed with Toklo’s assessment.  Zuko was cuter than he had any right looking, walking around the ship with a blanket draped over his shoulders like a cape.  According to Toklo, Zuko had begun shivering while he and Panuk were working on finding something for the new toddler to wear. Toddlers tended to get cold easier, and Hakoda supposed that being a firebender might make Zuko more vulnerable to cold as is.
              “Are you hungry yet, little prince?” Panuk asked.  Zuko looked up from his fumbling attempts at making a net.
              “Don’t call me that,” he snarled.  Panuk patted Zuko’s bald head.
              “All right.  You hungry yet, Zuko?” he asked.  Zuko’s stomach rumbled loudly.  “I’ll take that as a yes.”  Panuk got up. “Come on.  Let’s fill you up with sea prunes.”  Zuko got to his feet and eagerly followed Panuk.  Hakoda watched Zuko toddle across the deck and to the kitchen.
              “You’re getting soft, Chief, I can tell,” Aake, standing nearby, said quietly. Hakoda looked at him.  Aake sighed.  “But I’m getting soft, too.  We left when Sitka was about that age.”  A weary and wistful expression settled on Aake’s face.  “I miss my son.”
              “I miss mine as well,” Hakoda said quietly.  Suddenly, Zuko burst onto the deck, his arms full of sea prunes, running from Panuk.
              “Hey!  You don’t get all of them!” Panuk protested, coming onto the deck as well.  Zuko merely sped up.  Hakoda and Aake’s eyes widened as they realized the former Fire Nation Prince was giggling as Panuk chased him.  Zuko’s lighthearted, childish peals of laughter filled the air. He rushed belowdeck, his blanket still wrapped around his shoulders.  Panuk followed.  A silence fell.  After a moment, Tuluk, who was swabbing the deck, spoke.
              “Well, that was adorable.”
----- 
              Hakoda expected Zuko to hide belowdeck, embarrassed by behaving like a toddler.  But Zuko returned to the deck after a while, seemingly unaware of how childish he had acted. He walked up to various crewmen in an attempt to do some of his old chores.  Each time, he was turned away.  His regular scowl settled on his face, chubby with baby fat.
              “Can’t do anything,” Zuko muttered as he stalked around the deck, his blanket trailing behind him.  He finally sat down next to the mast, pouting.
              “It’s good that you can’t do anything,” Hakoda said, walking over. Zuko looked up.  “Leaving a task in the middle of doing it doesn’t usually produce good results.”
              “Why would I not complete a task?” Zuko asked.  He crossed his arms.  “I’m not really a child, I can focus.”
              “You’d need to take a break for your nap,” Hakoda informed him.  Zuko’s eyes widened.  “I saw you yawning just now.  You’re tired.”
              “No, I’m not!” Zuko said, jumping to his feet.  He shed his blanket cape.  “I won’t nap.”
              “You agreed to take naps.”
              “Only if I needed them.  I don’t. I’m not tired.”  Zuko’s argument sounded eerily like those Sokka made as a child.
              “There’s nothing for you to do anyways,” Hakoda pointed out.  He reached for Zuko’s hand.  Zuko darted away before he could be grabbed.  Unfortunately for his millionth escape attempt, Aake was nearby. Aake picked Zuko up as he ran past.
              “Let me go!” Zuko said, twisting in Aake’s grip.  “Let me go!”  A breath of flame escaped from his mouth.  He suddenly stilled.  Aake handed him over to Hakoda.  Zuko didn’t make a peep as Hakoda carried him across the deck and into the infirmary. Kustaa looked up from the book he was reading.
              “Is it time for my nephew’s nap?” he asked.  Hakoda nodded and set Zuko down.
              “Sleep,” he said firmly to Zuko.  “That’s an order.”  Zuko nodded, visibly cowed.
              “Yes, chief,” he mumbled.  Hakoda turned to leave.  “Sir, I apologize for firebending earlier,” Zuko said suddenly.  Hakoda looked over his shoulder at the toddler.
              “You firebending on accident wouldn’t have anything to do with agreeing to nap, would it?” he asked.
              “Uncle says that sleep works in concert with meditation to control your inner fire.  Children who are too young to know how to meditate only avoid burning down their house by taking…naps.”  Zuko scowled slightly.  “That’s the excuse he gives for being so lazy.”  Kustaa chuckled softly.
              “Judging by what happened on deck, your uncle might be right,” Hakoda said, feigning a casual tone.  Zuko nodded. “Sleep well, Zuko.”
              Hakoda poked his head into the infirmary after he had checked on the rest of the crewmen.  Some of the crew felt Zuko’s current size was an improvement.  Hakoda could see where they were coming from.  Zuko was yet again buried in a pile of furs, his minute arms wrapped around Scuttles.
              “He went down almost right after you left, chief,” Kustaa said quietly.  “I didn’t even need to make him any tea.”
              “Hopefully he won’t argue against naps in the future.”  Hakoda continued to watch Zuko sleep.  The toddler let out a soft snore.  “It’s foolish to expect that he’ll ask for a nap, though.”  Kustaa nodded.
              “I would agree with that.”  Zuko rolled over in his sleep with another snore.
              “Let me know if anything happens,” Hakoda said.
              “Of course,” Kustaa said.  He picked up another book, opened it, and began to read.  Hakoda left the infirmary, closing the door behind him as softly as he could.
941 notes · View notes
caratonthediamond · 3 years
Text
princess
Diavolo x Lucifer, DiaLuci
Fluff, Making Out
Diavolo accidentally turns into a woman and Lucifer is the one who has to deal with it. Inspired by this fanart.
There’s a knock on Lucifer’s door, loud enough to make him look up with a frown. The oldest brother hesitates, anxious that it might just be one of his siblings or MC determined to prevent him from doing his paperwork, but he gives in and tells whoever it is who’s now banging on his door to come in.
Surprise paints itself all over his face when a young woman barges in, a bright smile lighting up her face. She’s gorgeous, her skin glowing despite the lack of sun in the room, and her yellow eyes are sparkling with a hint of maliciousness. She’s wearing a red dress that highlights her generous curves, and it takes Lucifer a second to remember where he’s seen that dress before: it’s the dress Asmo designed for a sticker of Diavolo.
Suddenly, the gears in Lucifer’s brain activate: that skin color, the yellow eyes, the red hair… it can’t be?
“Um… Diavolo?” Lucifer asks, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
“Hello there Lucifer!” the young woman answers, waving a hand as she gets closer to him. “Don’t I look amazing?”
Lucifer takes another look at her, and coughs in his fist.
“What exactly happened?” he asks, not understanding how in the world Diavolo went from a huge demon to a beautiful demon lady.
“Simeon sent me some drinks from the Celestial Realm, but it appears that Solomon accidentally messed up their content, so now I look like this!” Diavolo explains, seemingly unbothered by his new appearance. “I had no idea I would look this good as a woman. I should’ve tried changing my appearance way earlier, don’t you agree?”
“I guess it is a good thing you don’t mind this sudden… change, but perhaps you should contact Simeon and Solomon in order to know how they can fix this?” Lucifer suggests, trying not to come too close to Diavolo.
“Don’t worry, Barbatos already told them of what happened and they’re looking into the matter,” Diavolo answers, “so now all I have to do is wait until I can somehow go back to normal. That said, I’m not particularly looking forward to going back to my former appearance too soon, I do like this one.”
Lucifer can’t help but sigh, and he sits down again. If Barbatos has already contacted the troublemakers, it’s one thing he doesn’t have to do, at least. Remains Diavolo, who seems way too delighted with his new appearance, and Lucifer just knows he’s going to have to entertain him while he’s in this form.
“Don’t worry, I won’t bother you,” Diavolo says, still smiling brightly, “I’ll sit down somewhere and busy myself.”
That’s… unexpected. Usually, Diavolo never wastes a second trying to get his attention, and that even if Lucifer is drowning under paperwork. Lucifer nods at Diavolo, and resumes doing his paperwork. He quickly realizes that even if Diavolo isn’t doing anything, his mere presence is enough to distract him – but he can’t blame it on Diavolo, who’s quiet in a corner for now.
It eventually reaches a point where Lucifer is this close to giving up, and that’s when Diavolo skips to his desk, a grin plastered on her beautiful face.
“What if you took a break?” she suggests, leaning in enough that her chest is showing thanks to her cleavage.
Lucifer has half a mind to scream because it seems that no matter the appearance, Diavolo seems to enjoy showing skin, but he keeps his composure and merely nods. Diavolo beams at him and takes his arm before leading him to his room. Lucifer sits on his bed, fully aware that he’s not in a position of power here, and he tenses as he feels Diavolo climbing in the bed and getting behind him.
“What are you doing?” Lucifer asks, and Diavolo giggles.
In this form, his voice sounds much more feminine, but it’s still as loud as his original male counterpart.
“I’m going to help you relax,” Diavolo answers mysteriously.
It would be a lie if Lucifer were to say that he was unaware of the sexual tension sitting between him and Diavolo since centuries or perhaps more. But for Diavolo to wait until he was turned into a woman to act on their reciprocally buried feelings somehow disturbed Lucifer. Just because he was a woman now didn’t mean it’d be easier for Diavolo to win over Lucifer’s heart, and Lucifer hoped the Demon Prince knew it. As much as it pained his pride, it was with the original Demon Prince he had hopelessly fallen in love with, not anyone else.
Lucifer tenses once again as Diavolo back hugs him, bringing the back of his head against her chest. Lucifer can’t say that he didn’t see that coming, it was obvious Diavolo was delighted to experience being a woman with such ample curves. Lucifer breathes in and out, forcing himself to relax, and Diavolo starts gently massaging his shoulders.
“You really are too tense,” Diavolo comments.
Lucifer doesn’t answer. There’s no point in doing so, he already knows it.
“You know, I actually thought of something,” Diavolo adds, relaxing her embrace.
“What is it?” Lucifer asks.
“You know how in tales and such, all it takes is a kiss from the prince for the princess’ troubles to go away? I thought that maybe a kiss could fix my situation too.”
There’s a heavy silence for a few seconds, and Lucifer’s body moves before he can fully realize what he’s doing. Diavolo is soon sprawled on his bed under him, cheeks red and panting, and Lucifer wonders if he’s doing a mistake or something that will serve them both.
“Do you want me to kiss you?” Lucifer asks, and he has no idea why his voice sounds so seductive now but it simply does.
“Please?” Diavolo merely answers, batting her eyelashes.
Lucifer presses their mouths together, and it’s like they’re both breathing again after being underwater for too long. It’s a kiss that’s long overdue, centuries of dancing around each other without daring to make the first move, but now it’s the first step to setting everything right.
Diavolo moans weakly as Lucifer licks the inside of her mouth, and Lucifer merely presses their lips tighter together. Diavolo is melting under him, but has enough grip on reality to take one of his hands and bring it to her chest, a silent demand for him to touch her more. Lucifer wastes no time in doing as asked, and Diavolo cries in their kiss as he gently gropes her chest.
“More,” Diavolo whimpers, “give me more.”
Lucifer is tempted to get rid of the dress altogether, but before he can do so, there’s a sudden cloud of smoke and the original Diavolo is back. It’s strange seeing him lie on his bed in such a vulnerable position, legs spread and eyes watering with lust, but It certainly isn’t disagreeable.
“Do you still want more?” Lucifer asks, a smirk stretching his lips.
“I very much do,” Diavolo answers, chuckling, and Lucifer kisses him again.
That dress is in the way and Lucifer won’t let it ruin his plans of claiming Diavolo as his own.
51 notes · View notes
Note
Hi! Sorry if I bother you, but lately I have this idea for a little mermaid Yax and I was hoping to share it with someone (you dont have to write it, of course, I only want to share this idea and since you are one of my favorite animaniacs writters I thought it will be cool if I share it here, is kinda long one, so I divided it and you decides if you want to post it or not) (1)
“mytimetoread” also submitted:
Since we are in mermay I saw some really cool fanarts of the Warner siblings, and a few with implicated Yax…. But this is the thing: I really can't imagine Yakko being like Ariel you know? I mean, he loves his siblings and talking is his mechanism of defense, I really dont see him giving his voice in order to left his home for a new found crush. (2)
And this is when the idea bubbles to me: what if his transformation was without consent? What if someone stolen his voice and the transformation was a secondary effect of that? (3)
 Before I get more into this I want to clarify that I'm still not sure who will play the role of Ursula here… or if there will be an Ursula at all; the one who steal the voice of Yakko could be someone who isn't a mer-people (for a moment I thought in King Salazar, but I dont throw away the idea of using a Disney character here) (4)
Anyway, mer-people shouldn't be seen by surface people… but of course, the Warner siblings doesnt like to follow rules and sometimes makes little pranks to sailors and travel people (nothing too bad, they are just curious but they doesn't want to be caught either), but one night they saw a wrecking ship for a storm and decides to help the people gets safe. Is here when Yakko saw Max and (of course) fall in love with him. (5)
The thing here is that Yakko knows that this is a one-sided love since he cant reveal himself to Max, and also he discovers later that Max have a girlfriend (Roxanne), but he keeps watch him in the distance sometimes. What Yakko DOESNT know is that Max did remember being saved by a misteryous toon and he keeps thinking about it, convinced that wasnt a dream or allucination. (6)
Years passed (yes, you read right, YEARS) and is like any other normal day for the Warner siblings when a misterious shadow pass in the surface where they are and before they understand what is happening Yakko starts his transformation right there! (Wakko: holy Spielberg what is happening??? Dot: you think I know??? Wakko: he is drowning!) (7)
So Wakko and Dot had to act quick and save Yakko before he drown (what is incredibly confusing indeed) and they take him to the surface. When they are in the beach is when they notice that Yakko can't speak either and that is a nightmare for the poor guy who doesn't understand how that happen, and every time he tries to speak feels an horribly pain in his throat. (8)
Wakko and Dot tried their best to calm him down and decides that they need to found Scratchansniff and Nurse (yes, they are mer-people too here), to see if they could know how to help Yakko. But before they could do that they sense some people are comming and they had to hide and before Yakko could do that too (he is still learning how this legs things works) he is found by… the little princes Huey, Dewey and Louie. (9)
I saw the idea of Janetbrown711 where Mickey, Donald and Goofy are co-rulers of the kingdom and I LOVE this idea, so I decided to incorporate that here, so that makes the triplets and Max the princes of the land, wich, btw I'm very tempted to call it Fantasia or just Disney, but I think I like more the first one (10)
*
Hi! 💕
I like the idea! You can never go wrong with Mermay/Little Mermaid AUs (and of course I’m a massive sucker for Yax 😏) And I know what you mean, Yakko giving up his voice and leaving his siblings doesn’t feel right
Huey, Dewey and Louie finding Yakko is adorable, plus they’re a chaotic little trio as well! It really works 💕
Plus, Wakko and Dot singing Kiss The Girl? Anyone having a Poor Unfortunate Souls moment? Iconic 
30 notes · View notes
residentanchor · 4 years
Text
Probable Theorem Ch. 16
<<Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Summary: A search begins... Or the search TRIES to begin but phone calls keep happening! Warnings: Cursing, Panic, angry yelling, kidnapping, injuries(bruises) Word Count: 7944
Note: Savoir Faire Definition: the ability to act or speak appropriately in social situations.
Author’s Note: This chapter comes with some special fanart! [Click here!]  Also hi. These past 6 months have been terrible but I still love all of you and this story so it’s not stopping anytime soon!
The trek home took far longer than any of them had hoped. When they managed to make it back to their apartment, the sun was already in the early morning sky. Virgil jogged up the stairs and pulled out a key before running in ahead of the others. He tossed the backpack onto the floor next to the door and raced over to the couch. He spun around and fell back before pulling up his legs and burying his face. The fabric of his hood, which he pulled up a while ago on their journey back home, completely hid his face.
Logan closed the door, and Patton watched Virgil closely while tugging at the hem of his shirt. 
“That was good thinking, Patton,” Logan whispered. “Telling the cops you were looking for a friend’s missing pet. At least they have records of something happening to the Prince. It may come in handy in the future.” Patton nodded and looked back to the floor, silent. Logan let out a soft sigh when he hadn’t received any kind of verbal response. Patton glanced up at Virgil, and his frown deepened and he took a step back. Logan took the opening as an opportunity to slowly approach the couch. “I know you don’t want to talk about it, Virgil, but we need to make a plan if we want to get Roman back.” Logan waited for Virgil to move and the heavy silence between them grew. “We should rest a bit and then-”
“Are you fucking kidding me?!” Virgil threw his head up, his face barely visible from his hair covering his face. “We don’t have time to rest! Roman just got fucking kidnapped! The longer we wait, the more danger he is in!”
“Yes, and what do you expect us to do in our condition?” Logan raised his voice a bit in retaliation. “We can’t help him even if we do find him right now. We should rest and come up with a plan first.”
Virgil stood up and grit his teeth. “Fuck that!” His hands balled into fists and he stomped forward. “We go out there and we find him! Just like you found us the very first time, you can manage that, right?! Then when we know he’s safe, we infiltrate, and I bash everyone’s stupid face in! How’s that for a plan?”
Logan held up his hands in surrender as Virgil grew closer. “It took me days to check the whole city last time and the buses won’t be running this early!” Logan commented, hoping to ease Virgil’s anger. “The sun is only just starting to rise.”
Virgil backed off and began to pace. “No no no no no! We need to find him now. I can’t just sit around and wait!” Virgil growled and kicked a pillow on the ground from the bed he had placed before everything. The sight of the blankets and pillows seemed to be Virgil’s current target for his frustrations. He had been in denial about the whole thing the entire walk home. He was silent, almost in a daze as the reality of the situation started to settle in. Now he was simply frustrated with himself that he was so useless to stop it! When Roman needed him most, he stood there, frozen and too afraid and in shock to do anything. Now he was fired up and unable to stand by and wait.
Logan watched Virgil’s panic fueled rampage from the sidelines, unsure how to help as he looked over at Patton. “Any help here?” Patton looked up, his fists were now on his chest grabbing at his shirt, balling them up in his hands. Patton seemed a little panicked himself and shook his head quickly. Logan looked between the two as something clicked. Desperation. Panic. Empath. “Patton, please step out of the room for a moment while I try to calm down Virgil. Do those breathing practices like you taught me, alright?”
Wordlessly Patton nodded in agreement before turning to retreat into his bedroom, shutting the door loudly behind him. Logan turned back to Virgil and went to stop his pacing and destruction of the pillows before thinking better of it. He didn’t want to get caught in the crossfire. “Virgil, can you breathe with me?”
“This is all my fault, Logan. He’s hurt and gone and it’s all because of me.” Virgil finally stopped his pacing and let out a gasp of air. “I did this.”
“You were not the one that attacked Roman so I don’t see how this is your fault.” Virgil huffed out a silent laugh, shook his head, and started pacing once more. He almost looked like a caged animal searching for a way to escape. Logan’s mind raced as he tried to think of ways to deescalate the situation. “Vir-”
“Oh, let it go, Lo!” Virgil spun around with a shout. “I did this! I left him alone when I knew he was tired! Because I knew he likes to have a moment to himself before he comes home! And because I wasn’t strong enough to keep the portal open because I was tired, I let him get kidnapped! This is my fault!”
“That is factually and objectively not true!”
“Bullshit!”
Patton’s bedroom door let out a soft squeak as it opened back up, causing the other two to stop and turn. Patton stood there much more calm and at ease. He smiled and walked out, looking carefully between the two. “You both alright? Feeling any better, Virge?”
Virgil seemed to settle just enough to realize what he had done to make Patton step away for a moment. “Oh shoot, Patton!” Virgil ran over and held out his hands. “I’m so sorry, I made you panic, didn’t I?”
Patton smiled and pulled him into a hug. “You don’t have to apologize for how you were feeling, Virgil. I know you were trying to keep it together the whole way home. Besides, it was a bit of all of our feelings that kind of became too much for me.”
Virgil pulled away and tried to give a smile to Patton as reassurance. “I’m a little better after my freak out. I’m still sorry, though.”
Another Patton walked out of his bedroom and adjusted the collar on his button down shirt. “Now, none of that! We need to start making a plan, right?”
“Um…” Logan cleared his throat as the newly appeared Patton turned to him. “What’s with the outfit change?”
“Oh,” they looked down at their outfit confused. “What do you mean? These are just my work clothes, you’ve seen them before.”
“You’re going to work?!” Virgil cried out, turning to the other. “Today?!”
“It would be suspicious if we all called out. I already have for Roman, promising a doctor’s note after all of this. That should give us some time.” 
“Oh, no!” Virgil called out, searching his pockets. “I have work this morning!”
“Not anymore, you don’t!” Both the Pattons crossed their arms at the same time, giving Virgil a stern look. “When I got out of bed yesterday, you were up and cooking breakfast.” The first Patton spoke.
The second nodded. “Did you just get up super early or did you have trouble sleeping? You obviously didn’t sleep last night.”
Virgil ducked his head, confirming both their suspicions. 
“Virgil,” Logan spoke slowly as he turned to them. “Pat and Two seem to be insinuating… you are exhausted due to lack of sleep. Which I’m afraid I’ll have to believe since you just told me you were unwilling to keep the portal open too long due to exhaustion... When was the last time you slept?”
“Do naps count? Cause I took a short one...” Virgil flinched as the three looked at him. “Okay, so it’s been a day or two, so what?!”
“Virge, calm down,” the one Logan referred to as Pat Two said, reaching out, “It’s probably for the best you get some sleep soon.”
“I can’t just--I have to do something! I have to start searching or, or… I can’t just go to sleep right now!” Virgil turned and stormed out of the apartment, quickly grabbing the backpack he had left by the door as he did so. “Virgil!” Logan called out, chasing after him. “Wait, hold on a moment! Wait for us!”
The two Pattons looked at one another and nodded. The normal dressed one turned and ran out the door, leaving behind the other for them to head to work.
---
Roman was completely bored.
The kidnapping attempt, if you wanted to call it that, was absolutely pathetic. It only took Roman minutes before he broke free of the zip ties and threw them out of reach before inspecting the room he was trapped in. There were no windows lining the walls so there was no way to pinpoint where in the city he was located. Though, one wall was made completely of glass covered by blinds on the outside. He could almost imagine a long table with chairs all around the white room and people in suits having a meeting for some boring office job they had. It reminded him of his own old office job he used to have... He had to be in some office building downtown, trapped in an old meeting room if he had to guess though there was no way to be sure. They could look in on him from the other side, peering through the blinds to see what he was up to. The only thing that blocked him was the door, locked from the outside. It would be easy for Prince Charging to break free, but after much thought, he decided against it. He wasn’t willing to give them the satisfaction of being right. Not about his powers and not about him attacking to escape. He was going to be quiet and patient and wait it out.
Well, not completely quiet. After a bit of waiting, he started getting bored. A quick walk around the room revealed nothing but a few covered outlets and a paperclip that had been left behind. Sliding down against the wall, Roman sprawled out his legs in front of him and tapped his fingers on the carpet before he started humming to himself. They were not going to get the better of him. Seriously, they had no idea what they were doing. Still airing on the side of caution, he sat down and winced at his throbbing headache and rubbed his cheek where he had been struck.
Once the two he had labeled ‘Harry’ and ‘Marv’ made their first appearance, their tune was completely different than it had been last night. They offered him ice for his wounds and water to stay hydrated. While he turned down the ice, the water bottle was very much appreciated. He didn’t want anything they could have possibly tampered with. They were being polite and checking on him, though Roman wasn’t an idiot. He smiled and thanked them, fully aware he wasn’t wearing his mask and keeping his distance as much as possible.
Once they asked his name, he fell silent. His short responses had made them bold enough to ask but he wasn’t playing any games. They asked again along with a few more questions. They asked about his powers and how they worked and what he could do, but Roman did what he does best. Besides from being dashingly handsome, of course. He performed.
“Wait, you don’t think I have actual powers, do you? You know that, right?” He chuckled awkwardly as he took a sip from the water bottle they had given him.  “I’m just a guy in a costume. Powers like that are only things you find in comic books.”
They weren’t pleased to say the least. Their little kindness act dropped fast and the hero watched as they grew tired of his silence and lack of answers. One took out his phone and went to snap a picture before Roman panicked.
“Wait!” Roman covered his face and held out a hand toward the camera. The shouts were enough to get them to stop just long enough for him to come up with an excuse only a gullible moron would believe. “The only advantage you have against everyone else in this city is that you know what I look like. Would you really take a photo and ruin that?”
They looked to one another before nodding, and Roman watched the phone slide away… apparently he was dealing with two gullible morons. He wasn’t sure if that made things easier.
After that, they began whispering to themselves. Though, in a quiet secluded room with no one else around, Roman was able to pick up a few things. They were worried about someone but desperate for a solution. At least, those were the only pieces of the puzzle he was able to pick out from the murmurs. Eventually, they walked out and left the lonely prince once more.
That’s where they had left Roman now. Alone to entertain himself in a room blocked off from all outside light and noise. Roman flexed his hands in his gloves and brushed his face where his mask usually lay. 
He heard a muffled noise and glanced up, his hand falling from his face. One section of the glass wall was revealed, the blinds pulled up from the other side. With it’s reveal, someone new was standing there. It wasn’t ‘Harry’ or ‘Marv’ or anyone Roman had seen before. They stared at one another wide eyed and in a bit of shock. The figure turned to the side and spoke to someone he did not see. Then they glanced back and shook their head with a defeated look. They turned back and stared into the office before the blinds cut off their view of one another and left Roman alone once more.
Were these members of the APC? Were they trying to see if they recognized him? The blinds went up again with a new person once more. It happened a few times, again and again. With each shake of the head, the blinds fell and they vanished before the next person walked up. With each face, there was the realization that there were so many people who hated him… for what? For stopping a purse snatcher? For chatting with people who needed someone to just listen? What had he done that was so bad that warranted this much hate? It stirred something in his chest and made him shift on the floor, but he was still in costume. Mask or no mask, he swore Prince Charging was going to help the people of this city and nothing would stop him. Roman needed to distract himself, and he knew exactly how.
He started singing Disney songs.
“You feel like some classic Disney?” Roman leaned against the wall, shouting through the closed door to the people on the other side. Sitting down, he could see their shadows and knew he wasn’t alone. “Something slower? I can do some Mulan!”
The voices never gave a loud response as Roman started singing. He started with some classics and went to new school, only seeing one or two people check in on him while he did so.
Luckily, it was when he was in between songs when he saw her. Staring through the glass and frozen in shock was Patton’s mother. He was glad he managed to catch himself and keep his expression from giving anything away. As he watched her at a loss for words, Roman simply felt anger bubbling underneath the surface. Her own son was a man with powers just like his and she had the audacity to join a group that forcefully kidnapped him just to get what they wanted?
Eventually she jumped and mumbled something before running away, the blinds falling shortly after. To her credit, though, another person came in not long after as they continued their search. Had she not ratted him out? Or, he had hoped this wasn’t the case, was she planning on using this information against Patton somehow? He wouldn’t pass her, the scoundrel. Roman took the opportunity to keep up his charade and continue on as if nothing had just transpired.
“Oh, I just thought of a great song that fits perfectly! You’ve ever seen Oliver and Company?”
Roman sat up and crossed his legs before clearing his throat. He bobbed his head as he began to sing. “One minute, I’m in Central Park! Then I’m down on Delancey Street…”
They continued to ignore him as usual until he heard a loud bang come from outside the room. He paused a moment, listening carefully, before picking back up on his song. “Whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo! I’m street wise! I can improvise!”
Another resounding bang echoed out, causing Roman to pause once more.
“What did I tell you?!” Roman jumped at the new voice shouting from outside the room. His heart began pounding in his chest. He sat waiting in silence, the silent ringing in his ears all he could make out. Then the blinds from before began moving up, revealing yet another new face.
This man was older, bigger with a widow’s peak and a bushy mustache sat atop his upper lip. The man seemed to gasp in shock as he looked in on the unmasked prince before turning to the side, enraged. 
“I told you to leave him alone! What part of that told you to bring him here?!”
The man vanished as the blinds dropped, and the hushed conversation on the other side came to an abrupt end. Roman was once again left in silence, unsure of what had just transpired outside of the room.
With a deep breath, he kept singing to keep himself calm.
“Why should I worry? Why should I ca-are? I may not have a dime, but I got street savoir faire!”
---
They chased Virgil down the street, who was marching on with determination to an unknown destination. They both managed to catch up quickly and struggled to keep pace with him. 
“Virgil,” Patton spoke up, walking in step next to him. “Where are we going?”
Virgil finally stopped and turned to Logan who almost ran right into him. “I don’t know, where do we start, Lo?”
Logan blinked and reached for his glasses as he gathered himself. “Well, anywhere is a good start. We know where they started but we couldn’t eliminate any part of the city. We can always start downtown and work our way there, it’ll cover the most ground. But they could just as likely have left the city. It could take days before we find him.”
“Wait, we’re starting now?” Patton looked between the two. “Shouldn’t Virgil get some rest? He’s exhausted! He even said so himself!”
Logan shook his head and frowned. “His anxiety has him wide awake and is causing a sort of ‘fight or flight’ response from him. Since there is nothing to fight or to run from, having him burn off the energy can help lower his anxiety and settle him enough for him to rest.” Logan turned and smiled at Virgil who huffed in response. “Until he gets to that point, it’s best we let him be. We just need to figure out a plan first.”
“That makes sense…” Virgil mumbled to himself. “I should try it more.” Silence quickly fell over the group as they all started to think about their next plan of action. Virgil quickly began to shuffle his feet and grow impatient before letting out a sigh. “Let's walk and talk. We need to come up with a plan, right? I can’t just stand here anymore.”
“Yes, though it is not quite as simple as that.”
They walked in silence a bit before Patton chuckled awkwardly to himself. “Talk about deja vu, am I right??” Both stopped and turned to Patton. “I mean, we are looking for a danger but we don’t know where or who it is and when it will strike. Kinda… less supernatural this time but just as scary.” Patton shrugged. “All we need is to call Thomas about all this and it’s just like last time.”
“Thomas…” Logan murmured. “Do you think we should warn Thomas about this? Like we had in the past?”
“Maybe…” Virgil fussed with the backpack strap over his shoulder and shrugged. “Even if he said he wanted space, this is kinda big.”
“Well,” Patton interjected, “he might feel bad if we don’t tell him, right? He is Roman’s friend. We could give him the choice.”
“Excellent,” Logan clapped his hands together. “Patton, you call Thomas while Virgil and I discuss what to do next.”
“Oh, um…” Patton shuffled on his feet and shoved his hands into his pockets. “I don’t have it on me.”
Logan paused for a moment before turning toward Virgil. They stared at each other a moment before Virgil shook his head. “Mine is dead, dude. I’ve been out all night and my human phone charger got shoved into a van a few hours ago.”
When both Patton and Virgil looked at Logan, he immediately grew uncomfortable. “Well, of course my phone is on me and charged! B-but Thomas would never--I mean I really shouldn’t bother him. He wouldn’t want to hear from me anyway.”
Patton smiled and placed a hand on Logan’s arm, causing him to stop his rambling. “Lo, I can call him for you, okay? No need to worry.”
---
The vibrating and generic default tone of the phone rang out across the room. After a moment, the lump laying next to it groaned and lifted their head, tiredly blinking the sleep from their eyes.
Another groan let out from the other side of the couch. “Shut the fuck up, noise.”
“Joan…” Thomas mumbled as he blinked down at his phone. Logan. The call ended and Thomas sighed as the time appeared on the screen. Who calls at eight in the morning? Thomas dropped the phone and laid his head back down on the pillow. He had stayed up late last night with Joan while catching up on a show, and they both fell asleep on his couch. His phone was nearly dead, and the sun was trying to shine through the blinds, though it wasn’t nearly bright enough to succeed just yet.
Thomas shut his eyes and snuggled into the warmth around him, ready to go back to sleep when his phone went off again. Joan groaned and rolled over, covering their ears from the noise.
Thomas tiredly picked up the phone and huffed in annoyance before answering. “Logan, tell me someone is dying or I’m hanging up.”
“Oh, um…” Oh. That wasn’t Logan’s voice. “Well, we don’t actually know? Sorry, Thomas! Want me to call ya back later? I was just planning on leaving a message. I forgot the first time and--oh. Sorry, you’re right Lo, I’m rambling.”
Pulling the phone away, Thomas looked down at the caller id once more. Logan. “Patton?”
“Yeah, good morning! Sorry, we’ve been up for a while, and I guess we just lost track of time.”
Letting out a yawn, Thomas flopped back onto his pillow. “What’s up? Everything okay?”
“Oh, um, not really? I really didn’t want to do this over the phone, maybe we can meet up later?”
“Patton, the last time we met up for you to tell me something important, you almost died.” A flash of a memory went through his mind. Patton, or more specifically a Pal, grabbing Thomas’ hand and running out of the alley and away from the danger they had found themselves in. The same pal panicking on the bus while the others fought that smoke monster. Though, Thomas was grateful they told him…
It was a memory he had completely forgotten about until just then. The memory took a second to flash in his mind before he let out a gasp and bolted up. “Wait, you wouldn’t call me unless it was something super bad.”
“No! Well, we don’t really know? You should be fine!”
Thomas groaned and ran a hand through his hair. “You said that last time… I think.”
“I did. I’m, sorry… I don’t know how I should say this.”
“Just say it or I’m going to start panicking.” Thomas saw Joan turn back over and look at him a bit confused. “What’s wrong?”
“So, um. Prince Charging was kidnapped last night.”
“He what?!” 
“Thomas?” Joan sat up looking concerned.
“What do you mean Prince Charging was kidnapped?!”
“Wait, the fuck?!” Joan threw the blanket off of themself and walked over to the other half of the sectional couch.
“We are looking for him, but we just wanted to warn you! You might hear some stuff, and we didn’t want to leave you out of the loop. I’m sorry, this could have waited until you actually woke up. I didn’t know what to say when the voicemail popped up the first time.”
Thomas immediately shook his head. “No, no! This is definitely something important I needed to know. Thanks for telling me.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll find him, okay? Leave everything to us! We will update you if anything changes!” Thomas bit his lip as he heard Patton trying to reassure him over the phone. “I’m sorry, try and get some sleep if you still need it, okay? We’ll talk soon.”
“Yeah, okay bye.”
Thomas pulled his phone away and watched the call end before letting out a big sigh.
“Well? What did he say?” Thomas looked at Joan and shook his head. “What happened?”
“I dunno, I didn’t…” A million questions suddenly hit him all at once as he shook off his sleep. What did actually happen? Where? How?! He didn’t even think to ask, the shock of the news was a bit overwhelming and it seemed Patton was in a rush, panicking and tired. Why did he use Logan’s phone in the first place? “He just told me they were looking and would give me updates when they could.”
Joan mumbled to themself before leaning back onto the couch. “Well, that’s one way to start the day.”
Thomas looked at his best friend as a feeling squirmed inside of him. He wasn’t exactly sure what it was, but he felt the need to move. He stood up and stretched before looking back to the couch. “What now? I don’t think I can sleep after that.”
“Me neither. I mean… maybe if I wanted to, but…” They trailed off and shrugged. “You think Roman’s okay? Maybe that group had something to do with it? Or it could have been like, a super obsessed fan or something.”
“I dunno…”
Joan shook their head and smirked to themself. “Alright, well, what are you gonna do?”
“What?”
They leaned over and patted Thomas on his shoulder. “Come on, we need to get some more sleep before your big day.”
“Joan, what are you talking about?” Thomas whined, unsure of what was happening. 
“Thomas,” Joan turned and looked at him seriously. “What do you plan on doing about it?”
Thomas stared at Joan confused for a moment. “Doing about--what? About Roman? I don’t, I’m… I'm way over my head here, I think it’s best I just sit this one out.” Thomas gripped his hair as he nervously ran his hand through it again. “Right?”
“Whatever you want, Thomas. As long as you’re sure. And I get pancakes beforehand.”
---
Patton tapped on Logan’s phone to end the call and handed it back. “There. Taken care of. So, come up with anything?”
“Yeah,” Virgil huffed out angrily. “By the time we find Roman, if he’s still alive, I’m going to kill him myself.”
“Virgil-”
“That’s enough, Virgil.” Logan cut off Patton, holding his arms out. “Of course Roman is still alive. What is a pity party going to do?”
“I can’t do anything else! What do you want from me? There’s three of us and a city full of people! They’ve had him for hours now, who knows if we will even find him!”
“Yes, we will, alright?” Logan spoke in a softer tone. “We will find him, I promise you that.” Giving in, Virgil nodded and shoved his hands into his hoodie pocket before turning away. “Now, Patton,” Logan spun around and looked down at the other. “Virgil is right, there’s only three of us. However, I know you can help us increase the odds a bit.”
“Oh, well,” Patton spoke, flustered.
“With a few more of us, we will split into groups.” Logan turned and faced Virgil. “We will split the city into divisions and spread out from there. Patton and I will start with the westside while a pal and you search where we last saw Roman.”
“Logan, I-”
“Then the other groups can search remaining parts and search for the Prince’s fan club and give them a heads up about what happened. Surely one of them might know something.”
“Logan!” Patton looked flustered as he yelled, completely red in the face with his hands balled into fists.
“I am sorry, was there something you needed to say?” 
Patton flushed when Logan spoke and gave him his undivided attention. “Oh, um… yeah. I can’t.”
The other two waited for Patton to elaborate before growing confused. “I’m sorry,” Logan shook his head. “You can’t what?”
“I can’t make more pals. I, um… I’m Two?” The words slowly sank into Logan’s brain as his eyes slowly widened. “Tada? Sorry, I should have said something sooner.”
“That’s why you don’t have your phone.” Logan mumbled to himself before shaking his head. “No matter, the real one simply went to work, correct?” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone once more. “I’ll simply call him there, they should be open by now.”
“He’s not.” Logan froze half way through dialing the number. 
“What did you just say?”
“He’s not at work?” Two chuckled awkwardly and cleared his throat. “Three went to work today.”
Logan took a step closer and looked Two directly in the eyes. “Tell me the truth. Was it Patton I saw wearing his work clothes before we left.”
“It was.”
Logan frowned and paused for a moment. “Then he made a pal after he left to go to work for him?” Two nodded and Logan leaned back. “So where is he?!”
“About that…”
Not waiting for an answer, Logan pulled out his phone and pressed the button to speed dial his boyfriend’s cellphone. The other two waited quietly as Logan silently seethed, waiting as his phone rang over and over and squeezing it tightly in his hand. “Pick up, pick up,” he mumbled to himself impatiently, his back turned to the others on the sidewalk. He heard a click and a noise as the ringing stopped. “Patton?”
“Logan? Everything alright?”
“Care to explain why Two is here and Three is at work?” Patton sighed and looked up at the others as they watched him nervously. “Did you really find it necessary to sneak away from us like that?”
“Would you have stopped me from doing this if I had told you?”
“I…” He knew the answer. If Patton was going to talk to his mother, he would have wanted to be there or would have tried to talk him out of it completely. “We’re just worried. I don’t want you rushing into anything.”
“She’s my mother, Lo.” Logan’s heart broke at the soft tone. “I have to be able to talk to her about things.”
“I don’t want her to keep--” Logan bit his tongue before he said too much. “You always forgive her...”
“Not for this.” Logan tensed at the serious tone he heard through the phone. “I’ll call you back when it’s done. Trust me on this?”
Logan nodded and closed his eyes. “Yes, of course. Always. Just be careful.”
“Don’t worry. I have her outnumbered.” Logan chuckled and managed to relax. “I’ll see you later.”
“Right, of course. Later.”
Logan heard the phone call end and pulled it away, watching the numbers on his phone fade into darkness. He took a moment to let everything sink in before spinning around to the others.
“He went to visit his mother?!” Logan knew shouting so early in the morning would only get him in trouble, but his brain was buzzing with everything that happened and the new information he was just given was a bit too much. “What would he go to her for?”
“This is it, we’re doomed.” Virgil began biting his fingernail and started to pace. “If only I could have stopped this from before. I could go back, couldn’t I?! There must be something I can do!”
Two held out his hands, unsure of which one to attempt to soothe first. “She will know something, we know she will!”
“That’s not the point.” Logan lamented. “She’s trouble! He didn’t have to go alone.”
Two pulled his hands to his chest and rubbed them together for warmth. “We aren’t even sure it’s going to work. We wanted to try first and if something came of it, we were going to tell you.”
“When?” Logan looked heartbroken as he spoke. “When were you planning on telling us?”
“Today, I promise.” Two reached out and grabbed one of Logan’s hands. “We were going to tell you even if nothing came of it, but you were going to find out after it happened.”
“I would just have to go back and follow the truck, right?!” Virgil spun around, still pacing back and forth. “I just have to find where he went then return to the present! Then we can just go rescue him!”
Logan squeezed Two’s hand before letting go and turning around. “Virgil, you know how dangerous that could be to mess with the past, let alone let a portal sit there in the open like that.”
“Then I’ll take his place! Something! I have to be able to do something, Lo!”
A sudden ringing rang out and all three of them looked at one another. Logan patted his pocket and shook his head. “That’s not my phone.”
“I don’t have one on me.” Two responded.
Virgil’s face lit up with recognition and he threw the bag he was carrying over his shoulder onto the ground. The ringing had stopped briefly before starting up again as Virgil dug around for the source of the noise. An old flip phone sat in his hand, vibrating and demanding to be answered.
“He has a burner phone?” Logan asked.
“In case of emergencies, but I thought I was the only one who had the number.” Virgil stared down at the phone as it stopped. A brief moment later, it started up again. “So who is this?” Virgil looked at Logan and Pat Two who both seemed as lost as he did. He sighed and flipped the phone open before answering. “Hello?”
“Oh, goodness! Finally! You know you worry me when you don’t call!” The feminine voice over the phone threw Virgil for a loop.
“I’m sorry, who is this?”
“Wait, who is this?”
“I asked first!”
“Where did you find this phone?” The voice yelled back with a bit of anger.
“In a backpack.” Virgil was vague, wondering if it’s a wrong call at this point.
“In whose backpack?” Virgil looked up at his roommates. 
“In… Prince Charging’s backpack.”
“Yes, so…” Did they know who they just called? Who did Roman give this number to? “Where is Prince Charging?”
“Who wants to know?”
“His mother!”
Virgil gasped and gripped the phone tighter. “Elizabeth…?”
“Wait,” Two furrowed his brow as he started to remember. “Roman’s mother?”
“Who is this?!”
Virgil suddenly became frozen in fear just as he did hours before. What was she going to do when he found out he failed to protect her son? 
“Hello?”
“Yes, sorry. Um, it’s, uh… It’s Virgil, ma’am.”
“Oh! Virgil sweetie, hi!” The harsh tones from before vanished completely. “I should have known. I was concerned for a second there!”
“Yeah… How do you have this number?”
“Come on, now. I know what Roman’s been up to! I told him to call me before and after every patrol to check in! He knows I tend to worry. But he hasn’t checked in last night and his phone is going straight to voicemail! I got worried and tried calling you but I got the same thing.”
Straight to voicemail? Then Roman’s phone shut off too. Probably forgot to plug it into a charger before he left it at home, so used to it always being charged thanks to his powers. “Yeah, um, about that-”
“Something happened to him, didn’t it?” Virgil couldn’t find an appropriate way to answer. “I was worried as much. Are you alright?”
“Oh, yeah, I guess.”
“Good. Then I’m coming over.”
“What?!”
“I’ll be there in a bit and you can tell me everything!”
“Wait a minute-”
“Virgil,” Roman’s mother spoke over the phone in an assertive tone, demanding to be listened to. “Is Roman in any trouble that I could be of any help with?”
“Well, yeah? I guess, but Elizabeth, that’s not really-”
“Then I will not stand by when my son needs my help! I’ll see you soon, Virgey!”
Virgil heard the phone click and the call ended before he could get another word in. He flipped the phone shut and turned around to see Logan and Two staring at him confused. 
“Virgil?” Two asked, approaching carefully. “What happened? What did she say?”
Virgil glanced at the phone before looking back up at Two. “She’s coming over.”
“Over?” Logan questioned before jutting a thumb over his shoulder. “You mean over to the apartment? Where we currently are not?”
“We have to go back and meet her there!” Two jumped and spun around, marching down the street. “She has a car, right? We have to hurry back!”
Logan looked between the two before turning to Two. “What about Patton?”
Spinning around on his heel, Two looked at Logan with a frown. “He’s fine, alright?” Two placed a hand over his heart. “I’ll let you know if anything changes. Don’t you trust us?”
“Of course I do. Sorry, I’m just worried.” Logan sighed and gave in. “Right, so, back to the apartment as quick as we can.”
Virgil threw the phone into the backpack and began to follow them down the street. “What kind of plan is this? We’re getting nowhere! Couldn’t we, like, split up?” He fell in line behind them, looking down at his feet as he walked. “There’s got to be a time I can jump to in the past to do something so we’re not wasting time, right? Maybe I could-”
Logan spun around and stopped on the sidewalk causing Virgil to almost walk right into him. “Virgil, I know this is hard, but his mother needs to know. Besides, our best bet is to trust Patton’s plan works. Okay?”
“Okay…” Logan nodded and turned, continuing to walk down the street. “But, wait, what is his plan anyway?”
“My mother.” Two called out over his shoulder. “She’s part of the Anti-Prince Club. We’re gonna convince her to take us there. Or at least tell us where they could be keeping him.”
“Wait, what?!” Virgil jogged up past Logan to fall in step with Two. “She might know where he is?” Two nodded and pursed his lips. “If she sees him, would she…?”
“I don’t know.”
---
Roman wasn’t anywhere near exhausting his vast library of Disney songs, but he was almost out of water and had opted to stop. He turned and layed on the carpet and stared up at the tiled ceiling, tracing it with his eyes and desperately trying to convince himself to not count them just yet. He had to save himself something to do later, after all.
The door creaked open and Roman turned his head away. He didn’t care if it was a new face or not, he was on a break thank you. He could entertain these fools later.
“They haven’t kept you in here long, have they?” Roman heard the door click shut and listened for the figure to approach. “This place was empty last night. You could have only been here a few hours tops.”
“Yeah, sorry, don’t exactly have a clock in here.” Roman waved a hand toward the voice. “Also, can I complain about the room service? It’s dreadful.”
“I know, I’m sorry.”
Roman sat up and gave in, glaring at the older man. It was the one from before, who had yelled at the others for bringing Roman here. “What is your plan, exactly? You gonna just keep me here until you figured out who I am? I have a life and people who care about me. You can’t keep me here long without repercussions, you know.”
The older man sighed and ran a hand through his thinning hair. “I know, I am truly sorry. I’ll get you out as soon as possible. I promise.”
“Okay,” Roman answered slowly, squinting at the older man. “So what is it you want in return for my freedom? My name? Where I live? You gonna drop me off at my house so you can keep tabs on me?”
“No! I didn’t want them to do this in the first place! What kinda morons kidnaps anyone anyway?! I’m surprised they managed to sneak you in without anyone noticing.” The man placed his hands on his hips as he began to pace. “Now that they let everyone know you’re here, I have to figure out how to get you out without suspicion!”
“Hold up, what are you talking about?” Roman crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall. “You act like you don’t hate me.”
“That would be because I don’t’.” The man turned to Roman and slowly approached him. “My name is Bruce. I’m, well, there’s not a leader to this whole thing really. I help organize the meetings and keep track of everything.” He stopped a few feet away from Roman and kneeled down. “I’ve been trying to keep these people off of your back for months by working from the inside. I don’t hate you, Prince. I promise you that.” Roman watched as the man sighed and reached out before reconsidering. “Look what they did. You okay there, son? Is your cheek still hurting, there?”
Roman reached up and gently brushed his cheek that had been struck by the bat. Obviously it had left a mark, not that he could tell. “Oh, not really, it’s fine. The one on my head hurts more but it’s manageable.”
“I’ll go get some ice.” Bruce stood up and turned toward the door, pausing as his hand rested on the door knob. “Do you need anything? I’ll come back and we can plan your escape.”
“Um, no.” Roman pulled his legs in closer, feeling uncomfortable at the sudden kindness he was being shown. “Why are you doing all this for me?”
“Because,” He smiled sadly, “you’re not the first person I’ve met with powers.”
---
The walk back home was quiet just as it had been that morning. The difference now was that Two led the way walking with determination unlike Virgil who was marching furiously and with impatience hours before. Cars drove past as most of the city had already started the day. Virgil lamented in the back of the group, worried about what Roman’s mother would say when she heard the story.
“She’s going to be so mad at me. I’m doomed, she’ll hate me after this.” He bit his thumbnail in worry. “This is all my fault, he’s probably dead and I’m next.”
“Virgil, you need to stop thinking so negatively.” Logan turned and watched Virgil stare at him with a blank look. “Yes, I know that’s not easy for you but you’ll be fine. I promise.”
“You can’t promise that.” Virgil pulled his hoodie closer to himself as his worries grew. “There’s nothing we can do now but accept we’re failures and wait for the end.”
“No.” Two perked up as they turned onto their street. “I refuse to give up. We’ll get through this, Virgil, together.”
The rest of the walk remained silent until their building came into view. Virgil groaned and mumbled out loud. “So glad everything we did was pointless since we ended up right back where we started.” 
Two ignored him and waited for Logan who had a key to unlock the door. He stepped aside as Logan pulled his small keychain from his pocket. The apartment door next to theirs suddenly swung open, causing Logan to jump and fumble with the key, almost dropping it. “Sweet Newton’s cradle!” Logan grabbed his chest and felt his heart pounding. “A little warning next time, Clyde?”
Clyde kept his eyes on Two and marched up with a look of worry. “You’re back! Did you find him? Did you see the guy?”
Two raised an eyebrow and leaned back. “Uhhh, no idea what you’re talking about there, kiddo.”
Huffing at the nickname, Clyde took a step back and crossed his arms. “Roman. Did you find him? And did you see the guy I warned you about?”
Virgil and Logan exchanged a look as Two shook his head. “We didn’t, but I don’t know what guy you’re talking about.”
“The… The guy! I told you like, not even two hours ago?!”
“I get that, but that wasn’t me.” Two held up his hands defensively. “You talked to Patton. I’m Two. He’s still out.”
“Perhaps we continue this conversation inside so you can enlighten us, Clyde?” Logan held up the key and turned to their apartment door, quickly unlocking it and making his way inside for the others to follow.
“Oof, who made this mess?” Clyde eyed the pillows and blankets on the ground as Logan began to pick them up. “You always this messy?”
Virgil ducked inside and hunched over a bit. “Princey and I were gonna nap on it when we got back this morning.”
“Eww,” Clyde scrunched his nose at the thought of the two together. Virgil turned and glared, causing fear to spike in the younger man. He didn’t forget the threats Virgil made toward him in his apartment from before. “I mean, aww. What a shame…”
Virgil scoffed and sat down, staring at the floor as Two began to help fold the blankets from the floor. “So, while we wait for our inevitable demise, mind telling us who you warned Patton about?”
“Because I know exactly what you’re talking about. What ‘demise’ is coming for you this time?” Clyde shoved his hands in his pockets. “You managed to screw anything up in the two hours you were gone? That’s a new record.”
“No, Roman’s mom is on her way here.”
“Roman’s bad enough, I do not want to be here when she shows up…” Clyde mumbled, not exactly hiding what he said. “It was nothing, anyway. Just have a bad feeling that someone I sort of know may be involved.”
“Oh?” Two turned, holding a blanket to his chest. “Who is-”
A knock on the front door cut Patton off, silencing the room. 
“Oh, great. She’s here already. I’m dead.”
“That was rather fast,” Logan commented, making his way to the door. “I was under the impression she lived in the suburbs, does she not?”
Logan opened the door and found himself once again somehow surprised what the day had brought him. “What…?”
“Heeeey, Logan.” Thomas chuckled and awkwardly smiled, running a hand through his hair nervously. “Mind if I come in?”
---
Chapter 17>>
(If your name is in italics, I was unable to tag you. Please contact me before you are removed.)
Tag list: @cyberpunkjinx @phlying-squirrel  @equipodeleo @ace-anx @tisithelittleelephant @fandomsofrandom @thestoryofme13 @herequeerandverytired @too-random-for-me @midknight-mania @sleepyssnail @dragonsight9 @queer-human-being @ab-artist @arandompasserby @musikasworld @hellomusicalnerdhere @izzynuggets @noahlovescoffee @rosesisupposes @detective-lemon @kanejandkruge @draw-till-die @dreaming-about-kittens @nico-holly @maxwithanxiety @cornycornfriendo @pixelysparklez @icequeenoriginal @coloursintheblur @omg-rainbowgalxy-things @myqueen4art @billy-jeans23 @llamaly @len-art-trash @i-know-im-smart @nightmaretyrantvantas @mooniecoockie @prettymuchpugs @itsalexiastuff @littledog-draws @harmonyjewl @the-better-bard @the-lavender-creator @skskskkskskskk @starry-knight-skies @lynnthefander @notkolaidoscop
General: @helloisthisusernametaken @entitydark @lightningbug04 @moonstone-fox @another-sandersidesblog @thesynysterunknown @roo-kangas @singingjo @unikornavenger @rememberfateau-nowoffical @sanders-sides-trasshcan @sleepyssnail @jemthebookworm @spectralheartt @fandomsofrandom @johnlaurensadmirer-johnsenpaiowo @rosie601 @ultimate-queen-of-fandoms2 @izzyfandoms @zaidiashipper @enbyamy @romanmustberomantic @daylnvale @that-one-sunfish-with-a-wig-on @squiddney69 @decayingfoxx @watchoutforthefanfics @pigeonsinatree @lynnthefander @k1ngtok1 @wewuzraw @lovelyisthesunrise @sparkedawg @pukingdraws @pixelatedrose
268 notes · View notes
modernmarcy · 4 years
Text
[UPDATED: Complete Guide] Are you interested in watching Adventure Time, but intimidated by the thought of watching 283 episodes? Have you watched the series before, but want to watch again without any filler episodes (unless it’s Bubbline, of course?) This is for you!
After seeing several requests, I have compiled the complete list of all the Adventure Time episodes that contain major plot, important backstory, major characterization, and/or Bubbline moments. I have also included optional episodes that I think will increase your understanding/enjoyment of the show (I put the reason next to it; if it says something about being an arc, backstory, characterization, etc., be warned that not watching may make the major plot points of the show a bit more confusing for you). 
I condensed the show down to 153 of the 10-minute episodes (91 episodes if you don’t watch any of the optional episodes). Optional episodes are in italics. Episodes with Bubbline moments, characterization of Marcy/Princess Bubblegum (PB), or major backstory/plot related to Marcy/PB are in bold. Anything with a an asterisk (*) can be watched at any time (order doesn’t matter, though you may still want to watch it in the same season).
I hope this helps someone out since I spent hours putting it together! Without further ado…
Season 1
1 x 2 “Trouble in Lumpy Space” | Introduces LSP
1 x 3 “Prisoners of Love” | Introduces the Ice King
1 x 5 “The Enchiridion”
1 x 9 “My Two Favorite People” | Introduces Jake & Lady Rainacorn (LR) arc
1 x 10 “Memories of Boom Boom Mountain”
1 x 12 “Evicted”
1 x 15 “What is Life?” | Introduces NEPTR + Ice King characterization
1 x 16 “Ocean of Fear” | Finn characterization
1 x 17 “When Wedding Bells Thaw” | Ice King characterization
1 x 20 “Freak City” | Introduces Magic Man
1 x 22 “Henchman”
1 x 24 “What Have You Done?” | Ice King characterization (*)
1 x 25 “His Hero”
Season 2
2 x 1 “It Came from the Nightosphere”
2 x 2 “The Eyes” | Ice King characterization
2 x 3 “Loyalty to the King” | Ice King characterization
2 x 6 “Slow Love” | Just a funny/cute episode (*)
2 x 7 “Power Animal” | Establishes more of Adventure Time universe
2 x 10 “To Cut a Woman’s Hair”
2 x 11 “Chamber of Frozen Blades” | Ice King characterization (*)
2 x 12 “Her Parents” | Jake and Lady Rainacorn (LR) arc
2 x 15 “The Real You”
2 x 17 “Death in Bloom” | Establishes more of the AT universe
2 x 18 “Susan Strong” | Introduces Susan Strong arc
2 x 20 “Go with Me” | Subtle Bubbline
2 x 24 “Mortal Folly”
2 x 25 “Mortal Recoil”
2 x 26 “Heat Signature”
Season 3
3 x 3 “Memory of a Memory”
3 x 5 “Too Young”
3 x 6 “The Monster” | LSP characterization/general cuteness (*)
3 x 7 “Still” | Ice King characterization
3 x 9 “Fiona and Cake” | Gender bending episode (*)
3 x 10 “What was Missing”
3 x 14 “Beautopia” | Susan Strong arc continues
3 x 17 “Thank You” | Not vital to plot, but adorable (*)
3 x 18 “Apple Thief” | Not vital to plot, but a favorite (*)
3 x 19 “Holly Jolly Secrets Pt. 1”
3 X 20 “Holly Jolly Secrets Pt. 2″
3 x 21 “Marceline’s Closet”
3 x 25 “Dad’s Dungeon” | Finn and Jake background
3 x 26 “Incendium” | Flame Princess Arc
Season 4
4 x 1 “Hot to the Touch” | Flame Princess arc
4 x 2 “Five Short Graybles” | Established more of AT universe (*)
4 x 5 “Return to the Nightsophere”
4 x 6 “Daddy’s Little Monster”
4 x 8 “Hug Wolf” | Generally cute (*)
4 x 9 “Princess Monster Wife” | Ice King characterization + great episode
4 x 10 Goliad
4 x 11 “Beyond this Earthly Realm” | Ice King characterization
4 x 13 “Princess Cookie” | Generally cute
4 x 15 “Sons of Mars” | Established more of AT universe
4 x 16 “Burning Low” | Flame princess arc + PB characterization
4 x 18 “King Worm” | Serious foreshadowing
4 x 19 “Lady and Peebles”
4 x 20 “You Made Me”
4 x 22 “Ignition Point” | Flame Princess Arc
4 x 24 “Reign of Gunters”
4 x 24 “I Remember You"
4 x 26 “The Lich”
Season 5
5 x 1 “Finn the Human”
5 x 2 “Jake the Dog”
5 x 6 “Jake the Dad” | Jake/LR arc
5 x 5 “All the Little People” | Cool and very slight Bubbline cameo
5 x 9 “All Your Fault”
5 x 11 “Bad Little Boy” | Gender bending + Marcy/Ice King development
5 x 12 “Vault of Bones” | Flame Princess arc
5 x 14 “Simon and Marcy”
5 x 16 “Puhoy” | Flame Princess arc
5 x 17 “BMO Lost” | SO ADORABLE. If you don’t watch you’re missing out (*)
5 x 18 “Princess Potluck” | Ice King characterization (*)
5 x 20 “Shh!” | Established more AT universe and is cute/neat (*)
5 x 21 “The Suitor”
5 x 22 “The Party’s Over, Isla de Senorita” | Ice King character development
5 x 23 “One Last Job” | Jake character development
5 x 26 “Wizards Only, Fools”
5 x 28 “Be More” | BMO backstory (*)
5 x 29 “Sky Witch”
5 x 30 “Frost and Fire” | Flame Princess arc
5 x 31 “Too Old”
5 x 32 “Earth and Water”
5 x 33 “Time Sandwich”
5 x 34 “The Vault"
5 x 38 “Red Starved”
5 x 40 “Play Date” | Finn character development
5 x 41 “The Pit” | Finn character development
5 x 45 “Blade of Grass”
5 x 46 “Rattleballs” | Finn character development
5 x 47 “The Red Throne” | Flame Princess arc
5 x 48 “Betty”
5 x 50 “Lemonhope Pt. 1″
5 x 51 “Lemonhope Pt. 2″
5 x 52 “Billy’s Bucket List”
Season 6
6 x 1 “Wake Up”
6 x 2 “Escape from the Citadel”
6 x 4 “The Tower” | Finn character development
6 x 6 “Breezy”
6 x 9 “The Prince Who Wanted Everything | Gender bending (*)
6 x 10 “Something Big”
6 x 12 “Ocarina” | Jake character development
6 x 14 “Princess Day”
6 x 16 “Joshua and Margaret Investigate”
6 x 19 “Is That You?” | Flame Princess arc
6 x 22 “The Cooler” | Flame Princess arc
6 x 23 “The Pajama War”
6 x 24 “Evergreen”
6 x 25 “Astral Plane” | Martin arc
6 x 26 “Gold Stars” | Lich arc
6 x 27 “The Visitor” | Martin arc
6 x 28 “The Mountain” | Flame Princess arc + Lemongrab characterization
6 x 29 “Dark Purple” | Susan Strong arc
6 x 32 “Friends Forever” | Ice King characterization
6 x 35  “Graybles 1000+” | Foreshadowing
6 x 38 “You Forgot Your Floaties”
6 x 39 “Be Sweet” | Lich arc + LSP character development
6 x 40 “Orgalorg”
6 x 42 “Hot Diggity Doom”
6 x 43 “The Comet”
Season 7
7 x 1 “Bonnie & Neddy”
7 x 2 “Varmits”
7 x 4 “Mama Said” | Finn/Jake character development
7 x 5 “Football” | Adorable BMO (*)
7 x 6 “Marceline the Vampire Queen”
7 x 7 “Everything Stays”
7 x 8 “Vamps About”
7 x 9 “The Empress Eyes”
7 x 10 “May I Come In?”
7 x 11 “Take Her Back”
7 x 12 “Checkmate”
7 x 13 “The Dark Cloud”
7 x 14 “The More You Moe, The Moe You Know (Part I)” | BMO arc
7 x 15 “The More you Moe, The Moe You Know (Part II)” | BMO arc
7 x 18 “President Porpoise is Missing!” | Adorable + Marcy cameo
7 x 21 “King’s Ransom”
7 x 25 “Flute Spell” | Introduces Huntress Wizard
7 x 26 “The Thin Yellow Line”
7 x 27 “Broke His Crown”
7 x 28 “Don’t Look”
7 x 29 “Beyond the Grotto” | Established more AT universe/cool (*)
7 x 30 “Lady Rainacorn of the Crystal Dimension” | LR backstory (*)
7 x 31 “I am a Sword”
7 x 32 “Bun Bun” | Finn + Flame Princess arc and characterization
7 x 33 “Normal Man”
7 x 34 “Elemental”
7 x 35 “Five Short Tables” | Gender bending (*)
7 x 36 “The Music Hole”
7 x 38 “Preboot”
7 x 39 “Reboot”
Season 8
8 x 1 “Two Swords”
8 x 2 “Do No Harm”
8 x 3 “Wheels” | Jake characterization/background (*)
8 x 4 “High Strangeness”
8 x 6 “Jelly Beans Have Powers”
8 x 7 “The Invitation”
8 x 8 “Whipple the Happy Dragon”
8 x 9 “Mysterious Island”
8 x 10 “Imaginary Resources”
8 x 11 “Hide and Seek”
8 x 12 “Min and Marty”
8 x 13 “Helpers”
8 x 14 “The Light Cloud”
Season 9
9 x 02 “Skyhooks”
9 x 03 “Bespoken For”
9 x 04 “Winter Light”
9 x 05 “Cloudy”
9 x 06 “Slime Central”
9 x 07 “Happy Warrior”
9 x 08 “Hero Heart”
9 x 09 “Skyhooks II”
9 x 10 “Abstract”
9 x 11 “Ketchup” 
9 x 12 “Fiona and Cake and Fiona” | Gender bending (*)
9 x 13 “Whispers”
9 x 14 “Three Buckets”
Season 10
10 x 01 “The Wild Hunt”
10 x 02 “Always BMO Closing” | Cute BMO episode that is sort of important to this season’s plot but you will still understand what’s going on without it
10 x 03 “Son of Rap Bear” | Flame Princess arc fulfilled; fun episode 
10 x 04 “Bonnibel Bubblegum”
10 x 05 “Seventeen”
10 x 07 “Marcy and Hunson”
10 x 08 “The First Investigation”
10 x 09 “Blenanas” | Finn characterization; brief appearance of PB
10 x 10 “Jake the Starchild”
10 x 11 “Temple of Mars”
10 x 12 “Gumbaldia”
10 x 13 “Come Along with Me”
Follow Modern Marcy for affordable finds inspired by Adventure Time (along with a lot of fanart, fan theory, and general posts about the show and its characters!) I’ll be opening up an Etsy shop next month with Adventure Time knickknacks and props from the show (and stuff from a few other fandoms!) so be sure to check back :)
1K notes · View notes
alkhale · 4 years
Text
Desert Sun (Male!Vivi x Male!Hoku) Memos AU Ko-fi request
Hi! Recently i begin to love Vivi(theres dome amazing fanarts about genderbender!Vivi that i found ). so i would like to get an Vivi x Hoku or M!Vivi x Hoku or M!Vivi x M!Hoku ,please.
Pictures for reference! Male!Vivi by @bab_119
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Male!Hoku looks a lot like Allen from D. Gray Man with just a bit shorter hair. He keeps the side braid with Mihawk’s ribbon or uses it to tie off a little ponytail at the base of his neck.
Tumblr media
“What are you drawing, Hoku?”
Hoku paused, his fingers loosely holding the pencil in his grip. The lazy, light sketches looked back at him over the expanse of thick paper and he grinned a bit at the sight, looking up at Vivi’s voice. “Couldn’t sleep, prince charming?”
Vivi rolled his eyes at him, lightly running his fingers through the soft blue tufts of his hair. He came down the set of steps onto the lower deck where Hoku was leaning against one of Nami’s tangerine trees. A few peels sat at Hoku’s bare feet in the grass, his only evidence.
The front of Hoku’s wispy white bangs were pulled up over the top of his head, tied together in a silly looking tuft. The sight made Vivi want to chuckle, but he withheld it for now in case Hoku just started making fun of him for something else. The artist tended to be quick to bite back with retorts at Vivi if he tried to tease him too much, like stepping on the end of a cat’s tail.
Maybe it means we got closer. Vivi wondered, sighing as he looked over to the side. Or not.
The air was cool outside, another sign of their closeness to Alabasta’s own climate. Hot, rolling sun throughout the days and dark, cold nights across the endless expanse of sand and rolling desert. A sight and sensation Vivi never got sick of, not once, only missing it more as he got closer and closer to home.
Hoku shifted a bit to make room for Vivi underneath the tangerine tree. Vivi smiled a bit at that, trying not to get too hopeful and lowering himself down and getting comfortable beside Hoku, carefully stretching out his legs and watching how his legs stretched out just a bit further than Hoku’s.
Hoku’s feet weren’t as scratched up or scarred as Vivi thought they’d be. Well-protected by the sturdy, worn material of his boots sitting on the other side of him. Hoku’s hands were a different story though. Calloused, smoothed over, and then calloused all over again, only soft at the fingertips.
“It was getting too stuffy in the room,” Vivi said. Hoku snorted. “I wanted a bit of air.”
“Told you to just take the hammock outside,” Hoku said, pointing his pencil at the hammock he’d drawn from sheets and set up between Nami’s tangerine trees. Vivi raised a brow in amusement. “Nothing can beat a good hammock under the fresh air.”
“What do you do when it rains?”
“Just draw a tarp or a big umbrella, what else?”
Vivi laughed, a soft, elegant sound. Hoku rolled his eyes, turning his focus back to his sketchbook. Vivi watched his slender fingers move in silence, taking in the careful strokes and quick shifts of Hoku’s finger across the pages. He was never one for drawing or artistic crafts, but Vivi sometimes felt like he could watch Hoku do this forever.
Hoku loved what he did. He always looked like he loved down what he did.
Vivi wondered how much of that love Hoku could see himself.
“You’d die for your country, right? That’s good. I’ll lend you a life then if you need it.”
Their shoulders pressed against each other, warm still, from the earlier sunlight. Vivi idly rubbed the back of his neck, staring at the small space between his and Hoku’s legs before he quickly turned them away. Vivi winced, realizing his eyes landed instead on the bare expanse of Hoku’s stomach, left exposed from the shortness of the tight white turtleneck he wore, showing off the lean, taut muscle.
Vivi’s eyes quickly shifted to the side of Hoku’s face instead, quietly following the red ink pattern blended into his skin, curving softly around his eye. Vivi almost laughed again, realizing normally Luffy didn’t let him get away with looking this long.
“Tell me about Alabasta.”
Vivi blinked, looking up in confusion. Hoku didn’t look up at him, never taking his eyes off the page. “Go on, anything. Or you could just give me a bit of blood too.”
“Alabasta?” Vivi said. Hoku nodded, once. “I—well, is there a reason—”
“Don’t have too if you don’t want to,” Hoku said, sketching absently at the bottom of the page. “Up to you. Running out of ideas.”
Vivi kept silent for a moment, thinking it over. Hoku was warm beside him, reminding Vivi of the first rays of sunlight in the morning, not too warm, just barely there and gone in a blink. Hoku smelled like ink, a hint of iron and something else, like a flower maybe underneath the heavier smell of tangerines all around them. 
“Guess I’ll just draw Usopp,” Hoku muttered.
Vivi quickly straightened, clearing his throat before he started to speak, a little hurried at first. “It’s a lot larger than people realize. Across the desert it seems like it stretches as far as the ocean, but there’s all kinds of small spots that mark what’s what. The towns are all different, unique in their own way and filled with history.”
“Okay, tell me about one.”
“Alubarna—it’s where I grew up,” Vivi quickly continued, trying to keep Hoku’s attention on his words, on his home. Hoku’s pencil lightly shifted over the paper. “So big, a small child could easily get lost in the columns, fit right behind them.”
“What were you like as a kid?” Hoku mused. Vivi brightened.
“I, well, I wasn’t quite the picture perfect image for a prince. I got into trouble a bit and fought with some of the local kids, but we also became friends! I followed my father around—”
“You look more like your mom or your dad?” Hoku asked.
Vivi hesitated a second before saying softly, warmly, “My mother.”
Hoku’s lips curled up into a crooked smile. Vivi stared at it a bit in wonder. “Me too.”
Vivi felt the words gathering up at his throat. He tried to figure out the most elegant way to say it, to ask— “What was your home like? What were you like as a child, Hoku?”
“Keep going,” Hoku said softly.
“T-The palace is grand and white, huge, swirling columns and massive statues of Alabasta’s guardian deities stand in front of it,” Vivi said, hoping his chance would come again. “I think people from Artopoki were paid years ago to help build them.”
“Oh~” Hoku said. “Must be real good then. Keep going.”
Vivi’s voice grew smoother, warmer as the memories came flooding back to him in perfect clarity. They appeared, bright as day and perfectly clear in all their entirety, as if he’d never left the sand and the smell of the sun and the dry, warm heat. Hoku’s hand continued to move, quick and effortless across the page and Vivi followed it with a sort of hypnotic ease, feeling his shoulders unwind, his back relax. Hoku’s warmth didn’t disappear beside him.
“I love Yuba too,” Vivi said slowly. “My best friend is there... Yuba’s a great center of commerce and life...”
“What are the seasons like?” Hoku murmured.
“Always warm,” Vivi mumbled, his eyes drooping a bit. He tried to shake his head awake. “But the nights get cold... you might... like it...”
“Keep going,” Hoku said, soft by his ear. Vivi continued, mumbling the words out, his eyes drooping a bit. He tried to keep going, feeling the heavy, heavy fatigue pulling at his eyes.
Vivi could feel the sun behind his eyelids, warming his skin. He wondered if Hoku wouldn’t mind the heat too much. He said he liked the sun, right? Hoku had never tried food from Alabasta either. Would he like the palace baths? Maybe not, since Hoku didn’t seem fond of water. There was a lot Vivi wanted to show him, lots and lots.
More of my home... would you like to see it?
Hoku waited a few more minutes until the soft sound of Vivi’s breathing filled his ears. He sighed in amusement through his nose, shifting his shoulder under the weight of Vivi’s head resting on it. Hoku snorted, ripping out the page in his book and folding it up, tucking it into the waistband of Vivi’s pants.
Hoku debated his options for a bit until the silky ends of Vivi’s hair started to tickle his chin, the soft warmth of Vivi’s breath against his neck. Hoku rolled his eyes. Look at this guy.
Hoku carefully maneuvered Vivi’s head onto the soft grass, standing up. He took a moment, considering Vivi’s poor looking figure on the lonely floor before he finally threw a quickly drawn blanket over him. Vivi shifted, groping around on the grass and Hoku tossed a body shaped pillow down beside him too, watching with a snort as Vivi wrapped his arm around it and sighed, content.
Hoku rolled his eyes again, lightly nudging Vivi’s slumbering form with his foot before hopping into his own hammock with a satisfied sigh, grinning up at the stars as he shut his eyes.
“Sleep tight, prince charming—hngh?”
Hoku let out a garbled shout, a strong tug ripping him entirely out of his hammock and back onto the grass. He tried to sit up, hissing at the pain in his back when a sudden weight tossed itself over his stomach, pinning Hoku back flat to the ground. His eyes bulged from his head, jerking over to where a completely knocked out Vivi was sighing in deep content, the crease in his brow relaxing as he tightened his arm around Hoku and let his cheek rest on Hoku’s shoulder, snuggling up to him.
Hoku experimentally pried at Vivi’s arm, wheezing in surprise at the young man’s grip. Goddess!
Hoku scowled, grumbling in discontent. He threw his arms behind his head, cushioning it and shutting his eyes with a sigh. I’ll just wait till he lets up. When he wakes up tomorrow he’s gonna get it.
A few minutes passed and Hoku’s own brows relaxed a bit, body growing slack as sleep overtook him. Somewhere along the way Vivi shifted, one hand sleepily guiding Hoku’s head to rest on his chest while the blanket was strewn over them, Vivi’s arm returning to encircle Hoku’s shoulders.
Hoku muttered something in his sleep while Vivi let out a relaxed sigh, looking pleased.
- Luffy threw a fit in the morning, Vivi hid his face in his hands and Hoku simply packed up his hammock and decided he’d set up camp up in the crow’s nest
(this was more fun to write than i expected hahahaha, i get such student council president and lazy, not really a delinquent but unmotivated, complicated art student dynamics from these two)
137 notes · View notes
arcticdementor · 2 years
Link
A reader writes:
I’m writing to you today because I have some information to share with you (and your readers) who may still be skeptical that this LGBTQIA+ gender-identity craze is coming for their kids.  Some recent interactions online have made me more aware than ever that the movement is spreading in wild and unpredictable ways, and also made me reflect on how, in my own life, even someone like me could have fallen victim to it.
I want to start off by saying that recently, (and ironically, in an attempt to try not to be sucked into the internet as purely a source for doom and gloom: you will see how this backfires on me) I decided to rejoin a fan community surrounding one of my favorite franchises on Twitter. I won’t go into too much detail about which community and the exact specifics, but just know that it’s a popular franchise that’s appropriate for older kids, teens and adults (nothing 18+, nothing for really little ones).  As a teen myself I was fairly active in a similar branch of this community on another social media platform (Facebook), and enjoyed it immensely before the platform eventually went more or less defunct as a hot-spot for fan content. Most of the content was fan-created work (like fan-art or fan-fiction) with a little interaction and lots of “DID YOU SEE THE LATEST” kinds of posts.
Anyway, to keep it to a minimum, that was then. If you’ve been on the internet any time in the last five years you know that spaces where people just talk about an interest and don’t mix it with politics and activism are becoming few and far between. Even though I knew this, and knew that I wasn’t going to have the same experience in a different place, something sparked an interest in me to go try to reconnect with my internet roots in a different setting.  So, I followed some hashtags, quickly found some new followers and settled back to enjoy at least marginally some discussions online that didn’t have to do with Covid and All The Ways We Are All Going To Die.
Then came the teenagers.
Much like when I was a kid, this franchise attracts a lot of younger people.  So it was hardly surprising to me to find that many of my new followers were in the 14-18 age range and that people like myself (mid-older 20s) were a sort of senior majority. That was fine- Twitter’s rules after all are 13+, so it’s not unreasonable to assume if you’re part of a popular group that you’ll interact on occasion with minors. That wasn’t the part I found strange. The part I found strange was that all of them, and I repeat, all of them were fans of two things- the franchise, and gender identities.
You can actually almost pinpoint the age range of the 18 and under crowd by how many of them have the following: 1. Pronouns in bio and in username.  2. Gender identity or lack thereof displayed in bio or username. 3. LGBTQ+ sexual orientation displayed in bio or username. etc. etc. etc. I’m not going to dive into it too much, because some might be saying “isn’t that just normal nowadays? Even politicians do that?” Well, you’re not wrong if that’s what you’re thinking. And that’s not the part that disturbs me.
What disturbed me was that, a few weeks after I joined the group, I started noticing an unsettling pattern among many of these teenage users (and many over-teen users, but I’m trying to make a point about the young ones specifically). For a few days, after an interesting bit of news or a trailer or some other thing that unites franchises, the posts in my feed would be primarily things like what I remembered from past experiences: posts about the franchises, theories, speculations, fanart, etc.  But, every time things would settle back down into a quiet, normal week, the feeds in my post became almost entirely about one thing: Gender and LGBTQ talking points.  I’m going to diverge for one second and say that many people in this group aren’t using a personal, front-facing account for their interactions in this fan-group. They’re mostly using alt-accounts with no real names and faces attached (myself included).  And yet, every time the discussion in the feeds died down to where there was just no new stuff about the franchise to talk about, all the conversation slowly but surely shifted back to sexual orientation and gender.  From fan-ships of perfect LGB couples to ‘hey I drew this person but as a trans-female!’ to even forgoing pretending to talk about their interests and just discussing their own gender and sex presentation with their other online friends, it became quickly very clear to me that A. I no longer really belonged here and B. Every single one of these kids was obsessed. Every. Single. One.
I’m going to digress and talk about myself for a minute to explain just why these examples, particularly that last one, burn a hole in my soul.  From the minute I was old enough to remember, I’ve never been one of those typically presenting females. When my sisters and I played dress-up as kids, they played princesses and I played a prince or a witch or whatever was more interesting. In addition to the dolls and barbies I had being one of three girls, I also had an assortment of boy-oriented toys, including action figures, a remote control car and this really cool nerf bow-and-arrow set that I still secretly wish had survived my playing with it because man, my kids are gonna miss out someday. My hair was short because I hated wearing it up and the solution was a bob, and when we spent time with relatives I could be found as far away from my female cousins as possible, hanging out with my male cousins and talking about Legos and Lord of The Rings. I spent 90% of my time reading books and ignoring reality, and didn’t put much effort into my appearance until probably age 13 or later.
And I wished I was a boy.
It wasn’t an all-consuming thought, but I thought it. I wished, many times, when my parents would fuss at me to please stop attempting to climb trees in your Sunday clothes and when my sisters never talked about anything but dolls and tea-parties around their friends that I could be one of the boys. I had always liked the boys and their world better, and I fit into better, and yet there was that little problem (that I was still a girl) that kept me from being accepted into the boy group.  The reality was, I was already probably very intelligent for my age (too-well read children can relate) and I took that big-headedness a little too far at times. I was also a very emotional person (still am) and just passionately felt that being a girl and being expected to do girl things was hideous and unfair.
The saving grace? My mom was the same. She’s never been a typical female either, and though as adults we have some clear differences (ironically, I have more stereotypical female interests/talents than her- like a hidden passion for interior decorating and a love of baking and so on) she was there for me, to be able to tell me that no- I didn’t really want to be a boy, I was just a girl who liked sword fights and grass-stains more than ballgowns and tea parties, and that was okay!!! She was proof that there were other girls like me, and that I would find more of them eventually (I did) and, even though we never said so in so many words, that stereotypes and how we fit into them has nothing to do with our innate female and male selves. And so, reassured that I could be female and still be however I wanted, I eventually grew out of those thoughts, and as I matured, found that there were ‘female things’ I connected with that my past self was too young to appreciate.
But, think about all this in a modern context. I’m a happy adult female now, and I was never truly gender-questioning. I just thought, for a while, that boys had more fun than I did, so I wanted to be one.  But that, in it of itself, is a thought that’s deep enough for modern gender activists to insist I be transitioned immediately and put on life-altering hormones, never given a chance to grow up or grow out of questioning, and affirmed in my presentation instantly! If I, like that young girl online, had been handed a ‘gender-affirming’ flag and an identity that ‘made sense’ out of why I was different from my peers, I might have jumped on it, especially without the presence of a wise older person to tell me I wasn’t anything different than what she’d been as a child. This is the problem, this is why this kind of thing is so dangerous and toxic and wrong.
1 note · View note