#✚ | ❝ and the ship it sinks like lead into the sea / and the hermit shrives the mariner of his sins ❞ { v / contemporary } | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

tarjapearce · 3 months

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Ok, ok, ok, hear me out….

Tarzan Miguel…

Ahh, nonny. Casually just saw this scrumptious fanart of him as Tarzan by @Miuworm in X 🫠. And yeah. (Kinda amazed at how you guys manifest these things 🤭)

Like Me

Tarzan! Miguel O'Hara x Reader.

WARNINGS: nothing too bad. Depictions of violence, a bit of implicit gore and animal death. No proofread.

Summary: Your savior from a certain death is quite touchy-feely.

Another for Miguelverse ❤️✨

The furious waves of the sea clashed over your body, submerging it in the freezing and alive water.

Arms moved, swimming your way back up, gasping for a much needed gulp of air as soon as you reached the surface.

Peeking around you, trying to find something to get a hold of or climb on, exhaustion was crawling up to your limbs, like hypothermia.

Fuck

Mind cursed with every foul word you could've imagine. How did trip ended up like this? In what moment the clouds turned so grey they darkened the sky, announcing a downpour with a loud rumble? It all took minutes to go sour and south.

You were there to do a land recognition, and see if you could get home some new species. Sergei Kravinoff, or Kraven The Hunter, was the lead of your expedition, all financed by a man named Kingpin.

Your name was called, echoed in the distance.

"Over here!!" You flailed your arms in an attempt of being seen, and hopefully the debris wouldn't blear their sight to find you.

You swam in the direction of the voice, teeth clattered, tool belt heavy on your hips, but you knew if you lost them, any possible chance of getting another were impossible. Plus, Kraven hated it when you lost your equipment as they weren't cheap.

Every paddle of your arms felt heavier, like if your wrists had been tied up with iron pounds, dragging you down. Lips turned blue and trembled. Salty and cold water doused you, but you weren't to give up.

You had fought your way to get a spot in this expedition and a pathetic ending like drowning wasn't an option. You spotted a wooden board floating nearby.

C'mon!

Your hands stretched towards it anf finally managed to keep yourself afloat. Panting, groaning and shivering, letting the cold to finally sink in. Feet had started to numb out, ragged breaths turned laborious.

Once more someone called you, this time you recognised the voice. Peter, the other nerd according to Kraven. You two were the ones selected to be the scientist that would lead Kraven to a certain victory in Nueva York.

Ever since Norman Osborn and Otto Octavius had discovered new species of spiders and reptiles, everyone proclaimed them geniuses ahead of their time, leaving the hunting behind.

Kraven was set into getting either a new species or something alike to regain his forlorn glory. He refused to be forgotten.

But everything pointed that the island you were now had a mind of its own. As if preventing anyone to delve in further into it's secrets.

You were pulled out from the board by Peter that immediately covered you up in a raggedy blanket. Despite the fabric being old, it gave you enough warmth to avoid death taking a hold on you.

Kraven cursed in russian, but was hopeful y'all be found soon. The ship's black box was ruined, your luggage at least was minimal, and it was enough to be saved by ether Peter or anyone kind enough.

A powerful and enormous wave had turned the boat upside-down. Knocking everything loose out of the board. The guns and other tools were the only things that survived.

But, you hoped, the whole fiasco was just temporary. Fisk wasn't a careless man, he'd probably send help soon. You closed your eyes for a moment, letting your bones to freeze.

----

You woke up nearby the makeshift fireplace, relishing the heat your body had lacked. Clothes were humid, but no longer soaked and freezing.

Sighing, you stirred awake, letting the tension leave your body with a groan.

"Hey, wake up." Peter approached, concern etched into his features as he helped you on your feet.

"Where's everyone?"

"I... We uh, got lost. One moment Kraven is here and the other he's not. Left us behind. Or, he also got lost."

"Kraven? Lost?" Peter could sense the deadpan in your voice and he sighed, exasperated.

"I'm just trying to light up the mood. He was pissed. So I assume that he just thought he'd do it himself." He shrugged and you sighed, rubbing your neck.

"Great! now we're lost, my luggage is nowhere to be found but at least we have tools, right?"

The faltering in Peter's face made yours to fall as he shook his head.

"God, I swear... Fuck him. If I'm discovering something, Ain't sharing with him!"

"Let's focus on surviving first. The soil is rich, meaning the jungle is nearby."

"And so is the wild life." You sighed and Peter groaned.

"Look, thinking negatively won't take us anywhere. I'm not saying either let's throw a party for being stuck in an unknown place. But we gotta move. It's about to get dark."

"Right... You're right" You rubbed your face, exhausted, at least you weren't freezing anymore. But being at Nature's mercy wasn't pretty either, yet again. You were selected by none other than Sergei. If he trusted your judgement to be valuable enough, why couldn't you?

With a new resolution in mind, you took the raggedy blanket and other little tools Peter managed to salvage and soon ventured yourselves in the thickness of the jungle.

-----

Sun had long disappeared in the sky leaving a faint trail of golden and orange in the clouds, and you were certain that it had been hours since you walked in the jungle. No signs of Kraven or the caravan of people.

No signs of society or at least his stupid russian jokes that you were sure people laughed at by sheer convenience.

The only advantage Kraven possessed in his favor, was him being an avid hunter. You only studied species, animals and flowers to be more precise, and had a little knowledge of mechanics. Enough to fix your own machines and trinkets. Peter was an expert in mechanics and soil. You followed him.

"I think I've seen that rock before" Peter sighed as he slouched against a tree.

"Don't say that, Parker." You wheezed as you followed him, resting your aching back against him. "I'm definitely finding some poison and put it on Kraven's drink."

"Relax. Without us he's going into unknown territory."

"In case you haven't noticed, he's a professional hunter. And I hate with passion skirts."

The distant rumble of a storm approaching echoed through the sky.

"A hunter, not a geologist. He acts like an animal to get animal bodies."

"Still, he knows his way around these places, Pete."

"Shooting things till they're dead isn't knowing about things"

Peter stood and offered his hand.

"Uh-uh I just sat down."

"We gotta at least go upwards. This area is prone to flooding."

With a vexed groan you took Peter's hand and he pulled you up. You were tired of walking, but if he said you needed to advance, you obeyed.

"Fuck..."

----

Despite the soaking rain pouring around you, Peter had found an amalgamation of trees and branches supported by a hollow tree.

Birds chirped and cawed, bugs joined the concert once the rain subsided, the distant flapping of the birds and the rustle of leafs prevented you from lowering your guard. The only comforting thing besides Peter's company was the petrichor smell, pungent in the air.

You'd spend hours inhaling the gift of nature, if it wasn't for your belly grumbling, and Peter had ran out of cashews.

Even crickets sounded tempting to eat. With the right spices, they tasted crunchy. But all you could do was to imagine their taste as it was time to move again.

"Knowing Kraven, he'd go up to the mountains, probably they've sent a camp nearby a river. So let's look for one."

"Yeah, even better so I can drown that fucker in. He better pay us good for this stupid prank."

Peter chuckled and looked around for a minute, his blue eyes narrowed upon setting his sight in a tree trunk. Broken in half, but what truly made his... whatever this unpleasant feeling to rise within was the vicious marks indented on the tree bark.

Powerful scratches filled with bloody chum and crimson liquid, paw like marks painted in the trunk. The source of such gruesome spectacle laid in whatever pieces was left a couple of inches away. He could make out a tail, and small hind legs. A baby monkey, or rather half of it.

"Uh... We better hurry."

Peter swallowed, and the urgency in his tone only made your worry to shoot heavenwards.

You both walked, speeding up the step. Unaware of the keen eyes, hidden in the bushes that followed your every moves like a hawk. A low growl filled in the space he occupied.

---

You were certainly to die.

Undeniably, and it didn't matter how fast you managed to run, the jaguar quick paced trotting had you pushing your limits. Tears blurred your sight, as a garbled sob escaped your lips.

Scratches adorned your arms, decorating your flesh with fresh oozing wounds, dirt and leafs stuck to your marred flesh.

Chest heaved with deep and ragged pants, wobbly legs menaced to give in under the pressure at any second

You were going to die.

Even though life had been incredibly dull and the only comfort was your investigation, you didn't want it to end so soon. Not whenyou were about to accomplish a promise to yourself.

Peter had gone lost and separated once the chase began. One minute he was before you, and the other, your friend was gone, out of sight and reach. But the relentless giant feline behind you preferred you. An easy prey.

Your wails and cries for help fell upon deaf ears, who would listen to you in the middle of the jungle? For once you wished to have Kraven's gun expertise.

You didn't care if hypocrite defined you right now. You took a thick branch, swinging it with difficulty and pain at the euphoric beast, like a demotivated baseball player. But the jaguar's claws swatted the useless weapon away from your hands, and making you stumble on the ground.

This was it.

Oh God, oh my god, no, no no

The animal pounced and by instinct, you shielded your body with your shaky limbs. But no harm came.

You could feel the beast's warm and bloodthirsty breath on your head, snapping it's maws at you, desperately trying to reach for a bite of your supple flesh.

Eyes wide in horror, and disbelief. The jaguar was held by his tail, earning whoever that was holding it back from devouring you a couple of swings with it's sharp claws. But the animal was set into getting to you. It pounced on your boots, claws sinking on the back of hour ankles, earning a sobbing and painful wail.

A gruesome crack and a roar echoed behind you, and only then you were able to see your savior.

The tallest man you've ever seen, even taller than Kraven, strong and well built physique, a rich tanned skin full of scratches and long healed wounds. Hair long, reaching a bit past his shoulders, muscles that heaved and rippled in every breathing you did. Body hair etched beautifully in his skin.

Covered in nothing but a loincloth.

If it wasn't for you being at the death's gates, you'd take your time to study him.

You gasped as he held the oversized cat with his hands and slammed it on the ground. They circled eachother, shifting between the roles of hunter and prey.

The feline hissed, and the man returned the threat, a cold sweat ran down your spine upon watching two overgrown canines, on his mouth. Fangs. He had fangs. Brown eyes stared at the four legged monster, defying it.

And soon the jaguar took his invitation. The two majestic creatures fought, enraged, proving their prowess to eachother, disputing the role of Alpha within the jungle's hierarchy. They rolled on the ground, biting and clawing at eachother.

With a lurid snap the man cracked the beast's neck, earning an agonizing wail from the mean cat. He staggered before slamming his fist on the animal, forcing the last breaths out of the beast.

His nose flared, proudly, while his hands slammed his chest.

Terror was still taking a hold of you, and there was nothing you could use as a weapon. Your hands braced your shoulder as you tried to carefully stand, but your clumsy feet stepped in a branch, snapping it in half, like the jaguar's neck. Brown eyes were immediately on you.

You swallowed hard.

He approached, hunched and prowling over, his knuckles and toes supported his hulking frame.

"S-Stop!"

He quirked an eyebrow, curious and within seconds he was before you.

Breath hitched on your throat, face so close to yours, he could feel your breath blowing on his chin.

You hissed as he took a hold of your arm, examining the damage. There wasn't rage in his features but nothing more than untampered curiosity.

His hands reached for your hair, sniffing the strands, you couldn't help but giggle when his nose hovered over your head, sniffing you, a bad moment to be ticklish, really.

Breath caught again as his nose nuzzled your neck.

"W-Wai-" His fingers prodded at your lips, rubbing the calloused thumbs on your soft mouth. A satisfied grunt rumbled in his firm and hairy chest

He toyed with your face, examining it with child like wonder. He turned, prodded and licked your cheeks, reminiscing in your taste with a confused look.

"U-uh, sir-"

What is he doing? oh god.

He hunched even closer to rest his ear on your chest. Heart pumping violently inside your ribcage, eyes darted towards the covered mounds, he sank his face in between them, taking a deep inhale. A low growl came from within and your cheeks flared in a deep flush.

Oh shit, shit

His hands cupped your mounds, sending a shiver through your body, but you slapped his hand away. He looked taken aback before baring his teeth to you.

"No!" You covered your chest and backed away, but his nose flared to then grab your head and placed it on his chest a tad forcefully. Warm and plush skin met yours. You gulped again.

Powerful echoes boomed through his chest.

The natural musk of him tickled your senses, his hands roamed your lower back and your alarms flared.

"H-hey, hey!"

He pulled your feet up, sending you tumbling backward, skirt rolling down your thighs, exposing your legs to him.

You tried to cover your skin by gathering your skirt up. His nose again sniffled as your wriggled underneath him. Hands prodding and picking at your toes, earning a clumsy giggle

His touch was like molten lava, it sent a shudder down your spine.

His fingers were having a good feel of your flesh, as if confirming you were real.

With each discovery his interest only grew. He then cupped your face again, smooshing your cheeks together, giving a deliberate lick on your lips.

"T-The polite thing to do is to take me out before that happens!" You mumbled nervously while trying to get yourself free.

His eyes narrowed once more as he lifted up your skirt completely, revealing your panties.

It gave you little to no time to prepare you for his next move. He sunk his face in between your thighs taking a good whiff of your scent, another pleasant growl came from him, by reflex, your hand slapped him. And this made him look at you, confused but clearly upset while holding his cheek.

"No! Stop it!" You warned while gathering your skirt underneath your knees and pointing at him. Cheeks impossibly red

He seemed to understand as he crouched before you. Muscular thighs flexing as he sat, mimicking your actions.

"Uh, uh. No. Don't do that"

"Uh Uh, No. Don't do that"

He repeated with the same authoritarian tone. Voice surprisingly rich and alluring. Your eyes went wide.

"You can speak!"

He repeated like a parrot.

"Can... Can you understand me?"

His brows furrowed then quirked. He was about to come up with a reply when the rustling and your name being called echoed behind the foliage.

"Over here!!!" You shouted, this alarmed the man as he stood, backing up from you with a mistrustful glare.

"Wait! No no! Don't go!" Your hands wriggled, but it was futile.

He left before anyone could see him. Climbing the trees like it was another playground game, until he disappeared out of sight.

None other than Kraven showed up, machete on hand, swinging it the weeds and plants that dared to cross his way.

A shit eating smirk plastered on his face.

"See? I told you, she'd be fine." Kraven patted Peter's shoulder as they kept moving to find a perfect spot for the camp.

Kraven crouched to where the jaguar's body laid and looked at you.

"What happened?"

"I... don't know. I-I panicked. Was running from a snake and I found that there."

Sergei just hummed, as he watched the body, eyes raking the feline's carcass before beckoning two of his men closer.

"Skin him. Don't have this type yet."

Kraven took a deep inhale. Death's stench sparking alive the hunter in him.

"Whatever killed it, needs to be in my personal collection of trophies."

Peter in the meantime cleansed your wounds with water, to then apply some clean bandages on them.

The whole group moved, upwards to the mountains.

"What the heck happened!?" he whispered aggressively

You made sure for Kraven to be within a reasonable distance to speak again.

"You won't believe me if I'd tell you."

Cause in truth, how would you explain a man, taller than Sergei, killed with his bare hands a wild animal and got way too touchy with you but is able to speak?

The road was long. You had time

Peter sensed your discomfort and pressed no further. However, the feeling of being watched never waned. It was the group, against the jungle's secrets.

----

Taglist:

@fayeofthenightingale

#t writes✨#miguel o'hara x reader #miguel o'hara x you #Miguelverse #miguel o'hara #miguel x y/n

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halcyone-of-the-sea · 10 months

Text

Songs That Sound Like Sea-Foam (I)

AU MASTERLIST || PART II

PAIRING: Fisherman!John Price x F!Mermaid!Reader

WORD COUNT: 6.2k

WARNINGS: Fluff, mentions of death, being hunted, vulgar language, price in a tunic (yes this is a warning by itself), awkwardness, nakedness, suggestive (?), implied age gap, etc.

A/N: I'm feral over this AU, ong. A million kisses to the Anon that brought this to my attention-btw this is definitely becoming a mini-series.

*I do not give others permission to translate and/or re-publish my works on this or any other platform*

Your family told you to never go beyond the deep waterways of the cove, never to brave the open sea. Times were changing. The Harpies, when they weren't as shrewd about their feathers getting wet, would fly down from their tall mountain spires and tell stories—ones about the hunting ships.

They’d seen them, they said as your family listened on in horror from the rocks, dragging all manner of Merfolk up from the waters in large nets made of iron and hard steel. Spears that tore scales to take for profit. In other instances, the unlucky individuals were even sold to royalty to become showpieces in displays of high wealth and standing.

But it wasn’t just Merfolk. It was all manner of mystical beast and being. Hunted. Sold. Humans, your parents had told you, were not friends. They were greedy and selfish; more than often cruel.

And so they started to do the same unto them. Your family would lure them with their voices to the ends of the great ships that were brought close to your cove—watch as they hurled themselves from the sides into the grasp of the ruthless waves. They did it for you, they explained. To try and keep you safe.

For years they did this until they were gone too.

Suddenly the cove seemed more like a prison than a safe spot, and the Harpies no longer came to converse or tell news. Killed or taken you had no idea, but it was becoming fairly obvious that even interactions with your own people were impossible. Were you the only mermaid left? It was a good question to ask and one that you could never answer. All that you knew was that you had been alone for a very long time.

That was, before you first laid eyes on the fisherman.

You watch him now, yet again, from behind the sharp jutting body of the rocks; the water delicately bobs you up and down as your vibrant tail hangs limp in its otherworldly throes. Eyes softly wide and mouth parted in wonder.

He’s walking along the deck of a small ship—not the large and intimidating ones of the other men that sail the seas—with a strong form. A hat on top of his head of brown hair and a well-trimmed beard of the same color made him look gruff in appearance.

Your hands shift over the sharp black stone, and the nakedness of your top is covered by the long strands of your wet, uncut, hair. This man wore a plain white tunic and brown pants stuffed into large boots. Even as far as you were, you heard the soft whistled tune dancing in the shell of your ears. Delicate eyes watch, head slowly peeking out more and more.

He was tending to the nets he had on the bow and as you studied him you were mystified.

“Fascinating,” you whisper, unknown emotions swirling in you.

His muscles strain, large and expansive shoulders lead down to a tapered waist; legs that you blink at before glancing at your tail under the rippling water. There’s a large grunt before the fisherman’s net is thrown in a beautiful arc, hitting the water with a slap and a spray of liquid as it begins to sink. Startled, you flinch back, gasping loudly.

With a racing heart, you quietly scold yourself for the childish reaction, flicking your tail in annoyance. Slowly but surely, your head peaks back out with water dripping down the flesh of your shoulders.

But when you shift back into the open, you find a deep set of stormy blue eyes digging into your field of view. You freeze, seeing his lids go back in surprise and shock as your jaw slackens. A cold fear enters your veins at the new attention brought to you but you find yourself unable to look away.

The Fisherman is the picture of utter stillness, just as you are, like twin mountains of ancient stone. Your nervousness only seems to grow as he doesn’t do anything—teachings and lessons about those who walk on two legs and sail in ships poking holes into your mind.

Gawking and spying were one thing…but being seen meant death. You swallow stiffly and go tense, shifting to half-hide behind your rock.

“Oh, no,” your mouth murmurs, self-hatred and fear lining the tone. “Oh, no, no, no.”

And yet the Fisherman had not moved, nor made any attempt to pull his sinking net back into his boat. Fish panic in the rope grave they’ve been ensnared in. His eyes….why are they so curiously locked on you?

You spare one last glance before shoving away from the rock and disappearing under the water with a violent splash; making off for the deep underwater caves that offer salvation.

When you’re down there—in the darkness with only silent ripples of light to guide your eyes—you find it hard to stop thinking about the Fisherman and his strong jaw. His genuine awe at the sight of you.

Had he not heard the stories of the Merfolk of this region? Or…or were you truly the last of your kind?

The thought troubles you, and, riddled with anxiety, you go over to your store of shiny trinkets that you’d collected over the years; grabbing them in your hands and fiddling with them to try to put your mind at ease. The walls of the caves bare down on you and you hope you’d not just signed over your own death warrant.

Maybe he’ll go away, you offer yourself, face tight and tail curled close, maybe he’ll be afraid and won’t come back.

It was a pointless belief. They always come back—driven by greed or a righteous authority. Humans were cruel.

But your brain goes back to stormy blue eyes like pebbles and softly parted lips. Orbs glinting with wonder and shock. No attempt to shout or grab for the large knife you’d seen strapped to his belt.

A fisherman, you told yourself, who hesitated to go after the biggest fish of them all.

You didn’t quite know if that made you more afraid or more intrigued.

—

It was only after you’d spent three weeks in the underwater caves of the cove that you’d finally decided the coast was clear. You’d cautiously gone back through the winding seaweed and schools of marine life to hide in your little rock fort; afraid but brave. From under the waves in the calm of the water you’d scanned the surface for the shadows of a boat, anything to indicate that the man had returned.

Nothing.

Tension leaves your shoulders and you travel upwards, vibrant scales shimmering like jewels. You were quite close to the mainland, you would say, back to the shore to look out over the open entrance to your home. At the first sign of danger, the rocks would be your first point of shelter if you wished to remain hidden but continue to watch.

Ears popping as your head surfaces, you only look out with the water swaying below your eyes; nose and chin hidden. Sand from behind you shifts.

“Knew I’d seen something, then, eh?” Your heart lurches—brain flashing to hooks and nets; you shove yourself back under the water with a garbled gasp.

Fish around your form dash away as you frantically look back at the surface, your scales shining as the light hits them. Fingers tense in the water, you shift your body so that your form has its back to the floor of the cove and breathe quickly in your own mermadian way with shaking fins.

On the very edge of the shore, you see the shadow of a sitting body in the sand. He hadn’t moved, this Fisherman. Was waiting as inanimate as an empty shell.

What had he said? You ask yourself, hair disturbed by the flow of the waves above your head. A gentle back and forth. After a moment of contemplation, the large muscle in your breast slows itself and a nervous curiosity grows.

Yet still, the shadow stays completely motionless beside the occasional itch and brush as facial hair. Waiting.

Waiting to attack, your hand twitches in the water and you flutter your tail to take you closer to the open air, or waiting to see me?

Taking what you can describe as a deep breath, the top of your head once more breaks the top of the water; lashes dripping salty tear-drops as you blink away the sting. Every part of you is ready to disappear once more if things go south.

And then you lock eyes once more.

The Fisherman sits in the sand with his boots pushing up the granules—his right hand rests over his bent knee while the other keeps him up in a relaxed position from behind his back. You stare, the sun reflected in your eyes with a small glinting and hair in your vision. A foreign heat builds in your face when the man’s head tilts; tiny eyes narrowing as if he’d just proven a point to himself.

Why doesn’t he seem surprised?

There’s a moment of a smirk that slashes his hidden lips but it’s gone in a fraction of a second. His mustache moves as he speaks and your face slightly bobs lower instinctually. The Fisherman doesn't seem hostile—he has a kind of stern comfort to him.

Stubborn gruffness. And his accent only amplifies that fact.

“Well, wasn’t expecting to find you here,” his chest rumbles with his words. You find you quite like the sound of it. Shells grinding against each other and pearls that clatter in palms. Your eyes widen with innocence. The Fisherman clears his throat, still watching carefully as the water sloshes over his boots. “Else I would have stayed clear when I still could.”

Your hands tread water around you, tail flickering in small movements.

The man's gaze darts down to stare as well as he could through the ripples.

“Bloody Christ,” he murmurs to himself, returning your eyes once more, “thought you were all mostly extinct. Fuckin’ hell.”

“Extinct?” Your lips flinch, chin caressing the waves as brows pull up. The Fisherman blinks as if surprised to hear you speak. To be honest, you were half afraid you couldn’t either—how long had it been since you’d had a conversation above water? You spent most of your time passing comments to rare traveling Hippocampus and Sea Serpents.

Not that they could respond, of course.

By now your face had entirely left the water, that word startling you. Your chest tightens.

“What do you mean,” you ask the older man, this strange Fisherman who was shifting his weight in the sand, “extinct?”

Dark brows furrow and his back slightly straightens itself.

“You aren't exactly what I’d be calling common, Love. No one’s seen one of your kind in years.” Your face stills.

“Years?” Head angling itself down, you stare at your reflection in growing fear.

The Fisherman makes a move to stand, and you dart back swiftly. A pale hand is held in the air as if to sedate you.

“Easy, now.” It’s said softly, a grunt stuck at the beginning. A small moment passes before the man fully stands up, dressed similarly to when you’d seen him before.

Top, pants, hat. There’s also a flash of metal around his neck, some piece of jewelry hidden on the chain under the layer of his thin, flowy, tunic. Hands go to cross over his chest in a display of muscle gained from a long time of hard work.

You nervously plead for an explanation, “B-but that…that doesn’t make any sense! I’m not the only one left!”

“No,” the Fisherman slowly states, taking off the hat from his head and delicately placing it on the ground. “No, you’re not the last.”

His eyes dart along your visible body, trying to catch a glimpse of that tail that was in all stories about your kind.

“Your name, Ma’am,” he asks, blue returning to your own sights, “what is it.”

“Well, what’s yours?” You counter, getting snappy in your anxiousness. “You come into my home and expect me to answer to you? And where’s your fishing boat anyways—unless a male Selkie has suddenly managed to brave the deep sea?”

Perhaps it had been a trick of the light, but you had sworn the Fisherman had smiled at you; it was a swift slash of something that pulled his mustache back and wrinkled his face. An amused thing it was. A sort of tiny tease, in its own right.

Your heart beats steadily at the sight, eyes watching.

“Well, I suppose you’re right, then.” He scratches at his beard with one hand, still studying you with a tilt of his head. As if weighing what he should tell you. There was an air of intrigue but that did nothing to hide the hesitance. “I docked my boat in the sea cave, thought it would do more harm than good to leave it in the open. If you’d seen it, you wouldn’t have shown, eh?” The Fisherman points and you look to the deep indent in the mountainside, the tiny ship visible as it stays stationary. You blink at it slowly.

“And you can call me whatever it is you like, I don’t bloody care, but I’m not inclined to tell one of the Merfolk my name—I may have come ‘ere, but I’m not fuckin’ daft, now.”

It was true, what he spoke of. Names to your people have a stark and violent purpose. To know one's name is to own a piece of that person’s soul. Songs gain more power, words grow into orders followed without thought. Not that it was your intention.

You glower, brows pulling in.

“A simple fisherman does well to know that it’s rude to speak ill like such in another’s home.” The man smirks, cheeks rising.

“Simple, am I?” The already expansive build of his shoulders widens as he leans back on his heels, water sloshing at his boots. His eyes glimmer like lighting with humor. The look makes your cheeks burn with warmth, throat swallowing saliva.

“Why are you here?” You avoid the question, treading water and letting your tail drift. Willing the water to cool your senses. It was obvious that this man wasn’t a hunter—foolish, perhaps, but no hunter.

Or maybe just confidently brave.

The Fisherman hums under his breath, grunting in the way you’d already come to associate with him. Rugged fellow, really. Weathered like a pile of old rope but still handsome, the sinews under the stain of dirt pure of color. You found yourself, however apprehensive, enjoying the squareness of his face; how the brunette’s hair would sweep in the warm breeze.

He was attractive.

“Fishing, Ma’am.” A broad sweep of one of his hands, “You have a proper cove. Plenty of places to cast.”

Your tight arms somewhat loosen.

“Just fishing?” Your voice darkens. “Then why is it you’re here on shore and not doing just that.” Tail flickering, it lightly brings you back from him, eyes always darting away to stare into the background of his form—at the dark shadows of trees behind the dark rocks. At the open mouth of the cove in case of extra ships.

If what he told you earlier was true, you were in danger just by living.

Extinct? Not seen in years? No, that can’t be right. A deep knot forms in your stomach.

“I may be human, Ma’am, but I believe myself to be above intrusion.” The Fisherman splays his hands by his waist and shifts his thighs. He seems serious again, like a wave going forward and back he seemed to always revert to a crafted visage of firm resolve. “This is your home, and I’m asking to ferry my boat here when able. Nothing else.”

You blink in surprise, brows pulling back.

He was…asking you?

“I…own the cove no more than the Manticore owns the desert,” your voice stutters, oddly touched by his sincerity. You pause and push yourself farther above a wave. This large man didn’t seem cruel to you. “I have no claim on the waters—they have been here longer than I. Do as you wish.”

While that should have been the end of it, you found his blue eyes continuing to watch you, head tilted like a shaggy dog. Thinking deeply with a slight parting of his lips and rising to his lids.

At the intensity of his silent wonder, your head goes light. Had you said something strange? No, it was just the truth. Then…why was this man’s face going to a modest pink shade? Why were his eyes darting away from yours and his feet shifting?

You narrow at him before he speaks, clearing his throat and crossing his arms.

“Alright,” the Fisherman mutters, chest rumbling.

A silence falls where your ears twitch to the lapping of the sea-foam and the feeling of blood in your veins which mirrors such movements. As you saw him do to you, your vision falls to the man’s body; looking across the tapering of his waist and the rolled sleeves of his tunic—showing off years of muscle

“I don’t suppose…” Your tail flinches from the sudden noise from the brunette, expecting him to swim over to his boat and get to his business. You stare and listen, and for the first time, you believe a mermaid has been entranced by another's voice. “That I’ll have the pleasure of seeing you again?”

The Fisherman speaks slowly, hands shifting on his biceps; thighs tense and settle. You allow the waves to connect and slide around your body and a feeling reminiscent of warm rocks in the sun grows in your heart.

Strange, this man. This serious-faced Fisherman who asks one of the Merfolk for permission over the waters we don’t control. You tilt your head to teasingly mirror the brunettes. He humphs in his throat at your action. I enjoy him.

At the first sign of danger you’d leave—but for now…talking felt good.

“Perhaps,” you say, lips twitching into a smile. “Would this nameless Fisherman enjoy the company of a mermaid? Not many would say yes.”

“I think you’ll find I’m not like those many, then, yeah?” He smiles, a small twitch of his lips. You begin backing up, getting to deeper water while maintaining eye contact. “I don’t care what you are, just that we have an agreement.”

“Very well,” your neck dips under the waves, tail momentarily peaking above the surface. Blue flickers to it, shoulders lowering in hidden awe. The Fisherman’s lungs still.

He hears your giggle before you dive under, disappearing swiftly down to your caves with a splash.

It’s a long while before the brunette picks up his hat and begins walking the length of the shore—strong steps taking him back to his ship with a tiny smile brightening his ruggedly handsome face.

He runs a hand over his chin and chuckles.

“Fuckin’ hell.”

—

You perch on the side of the Fisherman’s boat, golden comb in your grip as you run it over and over through your locks. Tangles and knots are rendered useless to the fine and beautiful make of the object, the handle covered in small barnacles and seaweed. A nice breeze wafts in the air, and behind you, the padding of feet goes across the deck. With the sliding of nets and a small whistling from the Fisherman, you feel your tail gently sway from side to side; the bottom under the water whose waves rise and lower the vessel.

It had been a week since your first meeting and you had become more relaxed about this man’s presence. He had been truthful—every day he would come and fish.

At first, you’d watch from the black rocks, sitting atop them and studying. More than once you’d see the brunette raise a hand in greeting when his boat had entered the cove; an acknowledgment that you were there and nothing more. No expectation for you to come over or speak to him.

Day after day you’d see the net being thrown from the side only to be reeled back by large arms, legs apart and firm to the deck.

On day four, you swam over and grappled onto the side of the ship, curious. Before you could even realize he instantly knew you were there—despite his back being to you—the Fisherman spoke in a cheeky tone.

“Come up, then, if you’re that interested. No use watching from the water.” So you had, with a bit more fire to your cheeks than you thought mermaids could handle.

Now it was routine. The human man would pull into the cove and you would sit on the side of his fishing boat, doing whatever you wished as he worked.

You pull your comb through the ends of your hair, placing it down after and closing your eyes before your hands grab the shiny strands, twisting them. Under your breath, you hum in tune with the Fisherman’s whistled song; the notes like a growing symphony in your head.

Song to Merfolk is sacred and revered—everything sings, in its own right, and deserves careful crafting to fully understand.

“You seem to enjoy that,” you startle to a stop, eyes popping open. Sharply looking over your shoulder, you pause your hands. Staring, the man has completely stopped his work; nets at his feet with slapping fish of all colors stuck in the rope’s limp weavings.

He squints at your confused face.

“Rhythm.”

“Oh,” you offer a smile and watch him look away only to kneel down and begin separating his quarry. “If you’re worried I’ll sing around you, think nothing of it—I know what that could cause.”

The Fisherman hums, amused at you, “I’m not. I was complimenting you,” the knife at his belt glints in the light. “You have a pretty voice, Love.”

You shyly watch him, hair partly covering your visage, and catch a glimpse once more at the necklace he seems to always wear. Silver and shiny but still hidden.

“If you knew about my species, you wouldn’t be saying that.” Explaining lowly, the man grunts, sending a look your way as he tosses a Cod farther up the deck—you watch it flop around for a moment.

“Well,” the Fisherman explains, hands pausing and body leaning closer as one of his knees connects to the wood. It’s a teasing whisper that slides into your drum, and you find yourself nearly shivering from it. Blue eyes twinkle with mischief. “I did. No worries, I’ll never tell.”

A deep chuckle joins a lighter one, and your tail shimmers in the open light; scales vibrant and rich-looking. From what the brunette can see on the deck—the smaller plates that extend all the way up your navel to stop at your belly button—you know he stares at them.

Not a greedy, evil, stare…just one of hidden admiration. It was of no surprise to you that he found it beautifully uncanny.

You have no idea how to read this Fisherman; have no idea what he wants. You think he doesn’t want anything. On your face, a strange calm settles.

“Tell me, Fisherman,” his gaze snaps from your scales to your face, momentarily stopping at the dip of your neck as you turn as fully to him as you’re able from your perch. Your hand rests at your side; spine twisted halfway. “Who are you? No, I don’t mean your name. I want your person. You don’t act afraid of me—of what I am.” He stays kneeling and lets the net rest for now, his heart beating steadily in his breast. “There is more to you than a human at sea, surely.”

Your words are not accusatory, they lacked any sort of confrontation. Curiosity, though, like enclosed treasure, was stuck behind your tongue. He surprises you by standing and beginning to walk over, boots thumping.

As he nears, he sits down with a huff on the edge, right next to you.

There’s a moment when you both stare into each other's eyes as you feel the world shift. Blinking up at him, at the closer range you take into account the ancientness of his eyes and how it seemed, for such an alone man, it was making him look far older than he was. Still older than you, yes, but the sentiment still stands.

With his hat having been retired not five minutes earlier onto one of the many ship’s barren tops, you saw the streaks of sun-bleached strands in his brown hair. You unconsciously reach for your comb but stay your fingers as they flinch over the gold.

Storm-blue carefully glances away before coming back to you.

“Not much to know, Love,” the Fisherman’s brow raises, “you understand?”

“No,” you say, honestly, head tilting at him. He looks surprised, breath hitching.

“It’s just…there’s not much to tell, Sweetheart.”

Humans are strange creatures.

Not knowing this word game, you take your hand away from the comb and bring it to his chest, slipping under the neck of his tunic to grasp at the necklace he always wears. A hand snaps to your wrist almost immediately—a startling speed that makes you flinch.

Above your heads, seagulls squawk at you, but all you can gaze into are those pure blue orbs. They trap you, drag you down far faster than a whirlpool into the briny depths of hypnotic appeasement.

Perhaps you were naive to the magical whims of males that walk on two feet.

The Fisherman’s jaw clenches, eyes tightly narrowed at you in hesitance and veiled threat. You blink at him softly, not doing anything besides twitching your fingers and widening your sight. Before long, his hold loosens but doesn’t leave, allowing you on whatever it was you were doing yet still touching your damp flesh.

Lips parting, you don’t make a fuss. Instead, you hum under your breath and allow his calluses to scrape you. The toughness becomes a stark contrast to your own make-up.

Feels nice.

Your digits peel out the article of jewelry and you shift closer to look; bare chest brushing against his. You can feel his pulse through the brunette’s tunic, the way his throat shifts in a tense swallow of nothing.

The necklace held two pieces of small, round, silver and said the following.

“Jonathan Price, Captain, 141st company under the King.”

As you read, your tail gradually begins brushing his leg in its swaying. Through it all, the large Fisherman only slants his chin down and watches, breathing half through his mouth and half through his nose. You hear his throat clear; feel his grip squeeze your wrist.

It is a small and taken-aback kind of noise. He doesn’t move his hand.

You are happy he doesn’t.

“You’re a…Captain?” Asking, you look up shocked and aren’t taken aback by how close your face was to his. Even if your cheeks begin to burn at the beard bristles itching your nose.

“...Yes,” breathe puffs over the lower half of your face. Your fingers detangle from the Fisherman’s necklace and let it thump to his chest. “I was. Left.”

Blinking, you whisper, steadily, “What’s a…Captain…?”

A small sound is made in the back of his throat and he releases your wrist and pulls back before a loud bark of a laugh jerks his chest. You stare in innocent confusion, hair falling over your shoulders.

“What?” Gripping his mouth, Jonathan Price grounds himself by gripping his thigh as he chuckles.

“No, no,” he takes a deep breath and releases his face, smoothing down his beard quickly with amusement stuck in his smile. “Bloody hell, it’s nothing. Nothing at all, Love.”

He sends you a warm side glance and you huff, moving back and picking up your comb, getting back to brushing your locks again. You are acutely aware that you now know the Fisherman’s name, but refrain from saying anything until he does. Now you know why he reacted in such a way.

Your tail twitches in the water as fish brush past it and the brunette begins with a soft look.

“I was in charge of a small group of men—we had a ship. Far larger than this old girl,” he pats the deck, and you slow your motion to show that you are listening, intrigued. “We did what was needed of us, but there was a thin line that needed to be drawn to keep every bastard sane.”

Blue meets your eyes and the man’s expression darkens. Your fingers twitch as the breeze ravages his hair, chest tightening.

“And yours?” You ask softly, entranced and open, “What was your line, Captain Price?”

He hums after a small silence, sighing deeply. Along the hull of the boat, the waves rock the vessel gently side to side, and your mythical attention seems to entrap him far better than your voice could. His face loses that dark edge, well-trimmed beard relaxes as his jaw does.

The past it seems, looms over him like a tsunami.

Reaching up a slow hand, his fingers brush the tendrils of hair that had slipped out of your hold and were dangling in front of your face; the Fisherman blinks and pushes them back behind your ear. By now your brush had long stopped and your breath was held in your chest. For the first time in your life, you think you feel yourself shiver at the delicate scrape of his skin on yours.

“John,” he mutters, and you suck down a shallow breath as he watches you like you were an idol of the Gods, “Just John.”

Your smile leaves his fingers pressing deeper into your scalp and, perhaps a bit naively, you welcome him to you like a bird to the sky. You liked his gruffness—his beard and his face. The lines on his forehead that you could imagine tracing as if they belonged on a map instead of the squareness of this Fisherman’s profile. Tiny sockets that hold sapphire stones.

“Maybe I left because I couldn’t stand seeing such beautiful creatures being put to the hook, eh?” Your eyes widen, tiny gasp leaving your lips.

Merfolk swooned with flattery, truth be told. They enjoy being doted on and praised; given gifts of both words and objects. You were no different.

Oh…did he call me beautiful?

John smirks at your reaction, taking his hand off of you and standing with a low chuckle. Your tail flutters at the sudden absence, head following after him as he walks back to his net with a sway in his step. You blink in astonishment.

“You’re a strange human, John,” calling to him, you grimace at the blatant disappointment in your bones at the lack of his skin on yours. At his humored hum, you sense your growing attraction to the grind of his vocal cords. His voice. “I don’t know what to think of you.”

“Then think nothing of me,” he explains easily, casually, re-gathering his nets in his toned arms. You try not to let your jaw slacken at the bulge under his tunic when he carries them. “I’m not offended by it, Love.” A sly look, “Do as you wish.”

Your tail twitches so violently you’re afraid you might break the side of the ship.

And so this strange dance between the two of you continued well into the longer months—John would come in his ship nearly every day and you would join him on the side of the deck. Sometimes you would hum for him and he would whistle a tune back, others there were long bouts of conversation about the ways of humans and beasts. John told you that the King had ordered the total extinction of all manner of ‘strange and unordinary’ creatures to secure his line safely to the throne.

When he had explained it, the mad had gone red with anger.

“Fuckin’ muppet,” he’d spit, fiddling with his knife as you watched a small distance away, playing with his silver necklace in your hands. You twiddled it around and liked how it shimmered like your scales did in the light. “Bloody thought I would just go along with the deaths of innocent beings. He had no facts—no proof to back up his claim. I’ve done things. Horrible things,” John explained to you, sending you a stiff look, “but I’ve not forsaken my damn mind to reality. Takin’ the piss.”

Muttering the last sentence to himself, you had felt your lips curve into a smile. “You have a proper conscience, John, done bad or not.”

“Yeah, well, Sweetheart, I’ll be done in soon enough.” You only stared with care-drowned eyes and caressed his necklace. When he had seen this, his body had deflated with an exasperated grunt.

You shared a chuckle and he got back to work; feeling his melting gaze drawn back to you every so often.

Later, yet again, you found your form on his boat, this time with his hands across the small of your back as you studied the blade of his knife.

“Careful, now. Don’t run your finger along the edge.” His free grip points to the sharp side—breath fanning your ear. You feel your throat tighten and nod, caressing a thumb on the leather handle.

John’s hand is hard on your bare skin and you sense his heat drilling past your veins into the very marrow of your bones. You unconsciously sigh when his fingers slide slightly higher, traveling the length of your spine; his scars catching on every knob of bone. Your exploration stills and your pupils widen.

His breath is on your neck, nose tilting as his jaw does just above the meat of your shoulder.

“Why’d you stop?” You stare off into the metal, lashes fluttering when his fingers finally curve at the swell of your neck. Lips drag on your flesh before a deep grumble of affection stems from John’s chest as he kisses your rapid pulse. “Distracted? Hm.”

“It’s,” you breathe out, scales reflecting light as your lower body shifts on the wood. His opposite hand circles your waist, drawing your back to his chest. Skin burns and thoughts go to liquid as you feel his roving muscle. “It’s g-good. Pretty—”

Words fail you as his lips continue to slowly travel.

“Could say the same,” John grunts; beard scraping down your flesh.

Your eyes flutter, head tilting to give more room at the same time you whisper out, violently shivering at the compliment, “John…”

“What is it?” The grip moves to run over your scales, right where your upper hips would be; the sensation of him caressing you with gentle, deep, rubs of his thumb was all it took for you to give in completely to him. “Go on, Love, speak.”

You take a breath and feel his heart beating steady along your back—the texture of his tunic. “What…are you doing?”

John moves your hair and places open-mouthed kisses on the back of your neck. He breathes in your scent and you turn your light head to stare unabashedly at his flushed face. Your tail sways, limp, over the side of the boat.

Blown pupils hide that sea-storm blue like a lock and key to dangerous thoughts and attraction.

In answer, his eyes flicker down to your lips hungrily and your gaze widens; a small sound in the base of your throat.

“You’re somethin’ beautiful, y’know that?” He says and you let him lean in closer to your face, eyes threatening to close when you take in the musk of human flesh and sweat. Rope and wood oil. John’s words make you shiver again, hairs standing on end—responding to that deep growl with a roaring in your ears.

You shouldn’t be enjoying this. Shouldn’t be enjoying his lips or his tight grip; his…his rough, large, hands that encapsulate your body and drown you. It terrifies you, this heart-stopping magnetism. You can’t get enough of him.

John presses his firm lips to yours, groaning into the connection as you sigh and part your mouth. Fingers shaking, you twist and place your hands on his chest, gasping mutely as his teeth nip into your lower lip and pull back before pushing back forward. Sparks of subdued pain mix with pleasurable agony at the scrape of his beard hair.

“Every inch of you…” John’s grip captures you closer, hands ensnaring you against his chest like deeply intertwined strands of fabric, squeezing as he licks his upper lip. He catches his breath shallowly. Blue eyes burn through you. “...is fucking perfection.”

You grab at his necklace and drag him back in, feeling him not waste a single moment to grip the back of your head and keep you trapped to him, tongues slipping out of mouths to tangle together like seaweed. Perhaps it was foolish, but a part of you knew that this Captain, this strange Fisherman—this Johnathan Price—was the only man or being on this planet, land or sea, who could make you feel like you could walk and fly all at once.

When he lifts you in his arms and drops you in his lap as if your body weighed as much as a pebble, you knew you’d brave the open ocean for this man in an instant. His arm drips with water as it slips under the joint of your tail; where your knees would be if you had them, and you whine into his mouth at the slip of his fingers.

Intoxicated, drunk off of his scent and his pressure.

A dangerous mix of two different lives.

It couldn’t last.

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fan-goddess · 2 months

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hello!could you write a reaction to the dragon's house × !fem!reader, when she was flying over the sea with the dragon and one of the enemies was on the ship and shot from a crossbow.

(she and her dragon are alive but slightly injured)

Aegon,Aemond,Jacaerys Velaryon-romantic love

Alicent,Daemon,Rhaenyra,Helaena,Laenor Valeryon-platonic love

sorry if there are any mistakes! I hope everything is clear💝I've actually been thinking about this for a long time💥

HOTD characters reactions of when reader is hurt

The summary: The characters each find out during your usual flight around kingslanding that you were shot down by some people belonging to a certain group that hate the Targaryen traditions and believe it to be an abomination.

A/N: They’re all personalised and hopefully different backstories, but have given reader the same dragon in all of them as making dragons are hard. The wound is also pretty much same, but the severity is altered in some places. In the platonic ones I made reader call them mother or father, since I made them a parent. Some of these are very different as I expanded on some more and developed others. You can tell which.

This ain’t fully proofread we die like Luke!

Taglist: @valeskafics, @humanpurposes, @watercolorskyy, @omgbrcat @blue-serendipity @arcielee @targaryenbarbie

Warning: Wounds, various gore mentions, incest, kissing, tried to make it gender neutral and lack of descriptions but there are some scattered about! (if I miss any let me know)

Aegon Targaryen:

When Aegon heard the news from his mother who’d rushed to inform him of your sudden injury, he all but sprinted to the infirmary where you were being treated by one of the leading maesters.

“My love, are you alright?!? I am so sorry my love I should have insisted to accompany you! When I find the man who did this to you I shall rip off his head and feed his insides to Sunfyre and Shrykos!” He declares, the words tumbling quickly with how much rage flooded his body at the sight of your wounded self. You could barely keep up with him if you were being honest.

“Aegon, my sweet husband, it is fine! ‘Tis merely a flesh wound!” You insist, yet wincing as soon as the reassurance falls from your lips.

“And yet here you are heavily bleeding, and in very much pain! You should take some milk of the poppy!” Aegon says, looking around to find the bottle, even when you try and insist you were fine. “If you were fine you’d be with me, in our bed, safe and unharmed! So don’t argue with me wife or my wrath will be misguided!”

You merely humour him by sipping slightly at the small contents of the cup the maester had passed to you. Yet still, you can’t deny that the liquid had its desired effects, as your previously aching wound now significantly dulls down to a mere small throb once in a while.

“Now wife. Tell me who hurt you.” Aegon demands, his eyebrows furrowed and his grip tightened on your body as he insured you would be unable to get away from him.

“Just some idiotic men thinking themselves higher than us my love. They shot at me and Shrykos from their ship when we least expected it with bloody crossbones of all things, and somehow barely managed to skim us. Yet they somehow did not expect the very large dragon to get angry that their rider and themself was just attacked with no prior warning. Shrykos certainly made sure to enact on our lovely families motto. By the time she was done with them, there was nothing left but fire and blood sinking to the bottom of the sea.”

Aegons face slowly turns more and more relaxed, and by the end of your tale he’s practically grinning for joy as he kisses you deep on the lips. “That’s my bloodthirsty wife!” He mumbles against your lips, forgetting all about his past aggressions to make you feel as safe and as loved as you could be in his arms. The maester that continues to awkwardly stand their waiting to finish wrapping your arm be damned.

Aemond Targaryen:

He finds out before anyone else, as he tends to wait for you after your dragon rides if he’s unable to go with you that day. So when you come back later than usual with blood dripping down your arm and half an arrow sticking out of you, he certainly is very angry, and very much willing to get on Vhagar and hunt down and kill those who dared harm his wife. Yet he knows he must stay calm for you.

He notices how you try and mumble your dragons name under your breath, so when he makes it past one of the dragon keepers he makes sure to let them know that Shrykos may be in need of some healing. He assumes by the way your mumbles quieten after he says the order that that was what you were trying to tell him. Yet when he actually looks at you Aemond quickly realises you’ve actually fainted from blood loss.

Aemond rushes you to the Maesters room where he insists only the best work on you, even though he couldn’t afford to be picky what with you bleeding out in his arms and all. Though after a few threats and lot of claims regarding his dragon, the maesters quickly manage to remove the arrow and stem the bleeding whilst you continued to lay unconscious on the healing bed. Aemond stayed by your side the entire time, holding your hand tightly in an act of reassurance. Even though you were still unconscious.

He stayed with you the entire time though. Still holding your hand even when he fell asleep. When you eventually woke, three days after you were injured, Aemond was sure to reassure you that you were safe. Even though by the tenth time you were very ready to smack him.

“Tell me ābrazȳrys who did this too you. Vhagar has been ready for the taste of flesh since I found you. I am sure Shrykos too is ready for the thrill of the chase of those who harmed both her and her rider. Tell me, so I can make sure we can tear them limb from limb.” His words drip malice, and yet there is distinct comfort within them. Aemond has never truly been able to show his affection towards you with displays of anything other than action. And in this moment, it just so happens that action involves heavy bloodshed and possible carnage.

“Those men who hale from the vale. The ones claiming our traditions to be an abomination. A sin in the eyes of the seven. They surprised me and Shrykos as we flew above the seas and got some good strikes. But don’t worry ñuha jorrāelagon. Me and Shrykos made sure to burn them to blood and ash before we needed to flee back to kingslanding.” You attempt to smile to reassure your husband, but if anything it appears to make it worse as you wince at the pain suddenly flaring through your whole right arm.

Aemond stays quiet as he makes sure to force you to drink some milk of the poppy.

“Ābrazȳrys. If you were to die, I would have gone to the brink of insanity. I would’ve gone to those peoples homes and burned them all to the ground for what they have done to my wife. To the future mother of my children. They have harmed you though. The have scarred you. And for that offence alone, I cannot allow them a single more moments of breath. I cannot allow them to live.” Aemond storms off leaving you laying there in half shock and half admiration. You knew he would be true to his word. Which is why when not even a day had passed since Aemond had left, you’d heard whispers of what Aemond had done, and you smiled and thanked the gods for a husband like yours.

Jacaerys Velaryon:

If there was one characteristic you could say your husband embodied to the fullest, it would be loyalty. As no matter how many other women, maids and nobility alike, threw themselves at the future heirs feet he always ran back to you.

Even when other men such as the Lannister’s attempted to charm you with their admittedly horrible, yet according to them successful attempts, Jace was always there with a watchful eye, making sure all knew who you belonged too.

He was protective too. A dragon while not in appearance but definitely in spirit. Jace would always find a way to make sure you were safest whether you wanted him to be involved or not. Even this noon when you wanted to get one last dragon ride before dinner, Jace still insisted there was no need. Yet your stubbornness knew no bounds it seems, as while his back was turned you made quick speed to where Shrykos usually slept and flew her into the great distance. A mere speck in the sky before Jace knew what had happened.

You had started the flight laughing with the biggest grin on your face, eager to see the sights from the sky. Yet of course things turned worse as men from one of the many religious groups of the seven kingdoms took notice of you and your dragon, and decided to shoot you with their admittedly massive weapons.

You dodged the best you could, and yet with a scream from both you and Shrykos, you realised you were both hit.

“DRACARYS SHRYKOS! DRACARYS!” You screamed, satisfied when you hear the hells and the screams of the men and the ships bellow. With your good arm, you steer Shrykos to the direction of dragonstone and order the instructions, before all appears to go dark.

When you wake, all seems strangely normal. That is of course, before you see the giant bandaged wound that is your arm. You can see a hint of red peeking from the bandages and are about to see if you could rewrap it, before Jacaerys comes through and with wide eyes realises you are awake and well as you can be.

“My love!” He shouts, running over and encasing you in his arms. Not hearing the low hiss you make when his hands clasp around your still admittedly sore arm. “Where have you been!? You’re hurt!” He yells, finally taking noticing your blood that steadily pools to the surface. “Let us get you to the maesters!”

As much as it hurt you to have Jace pull you like he did, you merely let it all happen so not to cause an event bigger fuss of you than what he already is making. Yet when you get to the maesters chambers and nearly find yourself fainting, that’s when you suddenly understand your husbands worry.

When you wake up though, it’s the feeling of Jaces familiar warmth that settles you as you gaze on his sleeping form. Yet as you wake, so does he it seems. As not even a few minutes after you’ve woken Jace is quick to rise with you. His eyes wide and worried as they roam you for anymore possible injuries you may possibly somehow have hidden.

“Are you alright my love?!” He asks, his eyes still roaming for even a moment of weakness from you. “There maesters took care of your arm and the arrow. And I heard word from the dragon keepers who tell me Shrykos is healing dutifully from his wounds!”

“Good.” You simply say, hissing slightly as you sit up and try to keep yourself grounded. “I’d kill then if she wasn’t.”

Jacaerys laughs at your threat, and his face looks almost serene as he just looks at you. His eyes going soft as his hands continue to hold yours. It’d be an almost affectionate moment had it not been for the sudden flare up of pain in your arm.

“Fuck!” You yell, hissing once again as you’re reminded of why you’re even in the maesters room in the first place. “It is alright husband I’m fine!” You insist seeing the worry now marking his face.

“I will worry when I want.” He simply says, kissing you on the top of your head before moving to sit next to you on the bed. His head resting on yours as he puts his arms around you. Your eyes shutting as a sudden hit of exhaustion hits you, yet you welcome it fully as Jaces arms feel just so welcoming and calming.

Alicent Hightower:

Alicent had always been like a mother to you. Caring for you when you were sick and making sure that you were always in your highest possible health. It was probably why she’d insisted since you were young to fully call her mother, even though you were not biologically related to her.

Whenever she heard about even the slightest of injuries though, she always worried relentlessly about the damage. Which is why when you appeared before her clutching a bleeding wound from your shoulder, you’re quite honestly surprised she hadn’t dropped from shock.

“Oh my darling what has happened?!” She’d gasped, frozen in shock as she stood there not knowing what really to do.

“Bastards on their boats took a few shots at me and Shrykos whilst we were on our morn flight. They got two good shots at us to hurt us but don’t worry. Before we got here Shrykos managed to give them what was coming for them…” You groan, holding your shoulder in your hand that has now from the lack of adrenaline, has begun aching dramatically.

“Oh never mind the men I care only about you!” She fusses, coming closer before stopping half way, staring between your shoulder and your pained face. Maybe Alicent will drop from shock after all.

“SOMEBODY GET THE MAESTERS!” You hear a voice yell, before all appears to go dark before your eyes. When you wake though, it is as if the light is blinding you. You blink a few times to ground yourself, and it’s with a sudden surprise you realise that you feel a familiar warmth on your hand. You turn your head slightly, stiff from the lack of movement you think, and realise Alicent is staring at you with great worry on her face.

“Are you feeling alright my darling? The maesters have cleaned and sewed up your wound, but according to them it shall take a while for it to fully heal. You must tell me dear girl, in detail, what happened out there. What did those people do to you?”

“After me and Shrykos took off, we flew to the stormlands. We were drifting round shipbreaker bay, when those men the council warned us over took notice. Crossbows the size of my arm began shooting at us mother, so I am grateful they managed to get me and Shrykos only once.” At the mention of your dragon, your face turns to worry. Yet before you say anything, your mother quickly moves to interrupt you.

“Your dragon is safe my love. The dragon keepers have been keeping me up to date on her healing, and she is steadily heading to full recovery. The arrow has been removed fully, and the wound has stopped bleeding.” She says, her face betraying her as she is unable to hide her distaste of your dragon.

“Thank you mother, I appreciate the consideration. I know you have no love for Shrykos, nor any of your children’s dragons.” You say, your honesty true as you smile in thanks and understanding.

“You’re welcome my heart…” Your mother smiles, her hand reaching out to hold yours. Which while you admittedly want to shy away from, yet you push through your discomfort to allow your mother this moment that you know your adoptive sister would not have allowed.

“I do not want you to fly unaccompanied anymore my heart,” Alicent begins, shushing your with a single movement when she sees you about to harshly protest. “I have discussed this with your brothers and sister, and they have all agreed. Aemond has already taken the duty on his ever eager shoulders, and has said he will ride with you tomorrow morn at your usual time. It may be in your best interest to thank him next time you see him.”

“Of course mother…” You sigh, already dreading Aemonds smug face and wanting to punch it. Yet you withhold yourself from groaning out loud only from your mother’s sake, who is still holding your hand with intended comfort, even though she is doing nothing but make your blood pump fast around your body. Still, you say nothing. Allowing her to believe she is comforting you with a motherly smile on her face.

Daemon Targaryen:

Daemon had always possessed an amusingly short temper. It was especially tested though whenever it regarded to you. Whenever you got yourself hurt as a child, whether than was to do with training or just an accident in the halls, he always demanded to know the man behind your pain. It’s why you weren’t at all surprised when he reacted that same way when you flew back to Dragonstone and stumbled towards him with an arrow stuck in your shoulder blade.

“Who has dared to harm you zaldritzos? Tell me so I can show them what the exact consequence is for messing with a dragon. I am sure caraxes is already fuelled with my anger alone and is ready to face those who dares spill such precious blood.” Daemon snarls, his face unable to hide its anger as he holds your body steady so it won’t suddenly collapse.

“Bastards from the bloody ships on the bloody sea. Got us good… got us good…” You slur, every word feeling forced from your very gut as your eyes grow heavier and heavier.

“Don’t you dare close those eyes zaldritzos! Don’t you fucking close them!” You hear him snarl once more. But still, you cannot resist the temptation of sleep as you disobey your father and close your eyes.

When you find yourself waking, it is Daemon is standing by you while you slept. His eyes hard and stern as they observe you.

“I suppose you’re mad?” You can’t help but say. Your face admittedly ashamed as you stare to the floor, unable to hold his stare.

“Of course I am mad!” He yelled, refusing to allow you to turn your head away as he forces you to make eye contact with him. “My daughter has gone out without telling me, and she has gotten herself hurt the same way soldiers are hurt in wars!”

“I am sorry father!” You say, tears brimming in your eyes as the disappointed and anger shines through his. “I cannot control where those bastard men sail-“

“But you can control where you fly!” Daemon yells back. His voice rough and frustrated as the inner dragon inside him comes out. “I have taught you better than this zaldritzos! I have been teaching you how to ride that dragon of yours since you were a mere child! So why was it you were no doubt flailing about the sky like an amateur, when I know you could have done better?!”

“I’M NOT LIKE YOU!” You shout, shoving your father away as he stares at you with an expressionless face. “I am not a great leader, or a great dragon rider! I am still learning father! My lessons have not yet stopped being taught! Those men on the ships who shot at us were the ones you had warned us about. The ones claiming our great traditions to be an abomination and deserving of punishment. Me and Shrykos did not know their affiliation as we flew above them. Only when the arrows began to fly for our heads did we realise… I got an arrow in the shoulder, which has now since been removed. Shrykos though listened perfectly and managed to get out of there without any particularly damaging wounds. Still, my anger shon through her, and we managed to light the whole of the fleet up in flames before we flew back home. Where of course, you found me…”

Daemon is silent throughout your rant, yet by the end, when you’re breathless with how quickly you spoke, his hand is placed on your non-injured arm in an unfamiliarly comforting manner.

“I know you are not like me zaldritzos. While I have made you in my image, I hardly expected it to be your only outcome. You have become strong. You have become a fearsome warrior able to bring honour to our family name and our ancestors. I suppose… I may have forgotten that I too have made mistakes. I am sorry zaldritzos…”

The tears that had brimmed earlier in your eyes now tear down your face now that you hear your fathers words. His pride. So you do the only thing you can think of at that moment to show your appreciation. You take your arms and place them around Daemons waist, pulling him into a hug where your head is against his chest. Thankfully his arms seem to automatically go around your own body, and you can’t help but find this act comforting and safe.

“Thank you…” You can’t help but murmur.

“I would never let anything hurt you…” He murmurs back. Words which to anyone else may sound meaningless, but to you, you know they hide your father’s true feeling of care.

Rhaenyra Targaryen:

Rhaenyra had always been a sort of mother to you. A light to guide you in the darkest of your days. Whenever you took ill or had an injury, it was always she who stood by your bed, holding your hand in her own. Even though both husbands and loyal guards warned her of her possibly falling ill herself. Not that she ever did somehow though.

It was like that now. That afternoon, you had decided on a whim to take Shrykos on a fight around the coasts bordering the land surrounding Dragonstone. Yet it seems you coincidentally forgot Daemons talk about the rising threat of a religious group following faithfully the followings of the seven, as you tried to fly past them calmly and peacefully. Shrieking in fear when you realise it was not a harmless fly that flew past your face just now, but a very deadly steel-tipped arrow.

You barely made it out of there alive. The only injuries you yourself sustaining being a few arrow nicks on your shoulders, and the worse of it being a shallow puncture from one of the few successful shots. Shrykos though took most of the hits. Her rage seething the more those pathetic men tried to harm both her and her rider. It was quite satisfying you must say, when you flew away with the fresh smell of burning corpses still behind you, lingering on your clothes.

Yet when you got back home and were standing in front of your mother, that satisfaction quickly changed to a strange sort of guilt when you see her horror struck face.

“What has happened my darling!” She tells, taking ahold of your arm to look at your injury while you yell at her to try and say you were fine, even though you wince as soon as she yanks you towards her.

“Bloody men on the coast of Gull Town decided to shoot at us from their fucking boats. They got only a few good shots before Shrykos managed to get to them. By the time we left, we ensured they became fire and ash. I doubt there are any men alive after that….” You say, barely able to stand as the sudden blood loss reaches you.

You’re barely able to think as your mother brings you to the castle hanging on her shoulder. Soon, maesters surround you whilst your mother fusses by your bed to the left of you. She insists and demands certain things, but by the end, your grateful to feel the pain in your arm significantly lessen not only due to the lack of wooden arrow, but also due to the large amount of milk of the poppy that was pretty much forced down your throat.

“Is it all better now my darling?” Your mother asks, putting your hand between her own to soothe you as if you were a small child who’d scuffed their leg falling on some loose gravel.

“It is fine mother!” You insist. Even smiling as you play the part of the healthy child, able to bounce back from any injuries. Yet somehow she can still manage to see through your facade.

“Are you sure?” She asks again. Her brow raised in questioning as she makes you feel like a young child again. Small, and helpless as you cry to mother.

“Yes I am fine!” You firmly say, taking your hand from hers and placing it on the cold clinical bed sheets. Already missing the familial warmth your mother’s hands had provided you with. “I do not need you pressing!”

“Okay my love. I believe you.” Rhaenyra smiles, acknowledging her child’s want for independence. Moving from the chair she previously had sat on so she can place a quick kiss to the top of your head and smile fondly at the way your nose scrunches. “I will leave you now my love. The maesters had said you’ll fully heal by the moons next turn, but you’re fit to leave the bed tomorrow morn. I’ll visit you then.”

As quick as Rhaenyra leaves, you find yourself already wanting her motherly touch to tell you it’s okay. Your legs tucking under your chin as you hold yourself under the covers, letting your eyes shut so hopefully you’re able to wake up tomorrow by your mother’s voice.

Helaena Targaryen:

Compared to all your other family members, it has always been Helaena you were closest too. A close bond forging between the two of you since girlhood that not once has ever been broken.

You were with her when she claimed Dreamfyre, just as she was there for you when you claimed Shrykos. You also made sure to try and be with her whenever she experienced one of her, moments.

Yet that morning, you were way too busy trying to get ready for your usual morn flight to be with her when she took what the queen would call, a funny turn.

‘Blood of the dragon lost twice over. Beware the boats from bellow filled with men of hate.’

She’d seen your injury and the fire coming from your dragons mouth, and being the anxious person she was, she waited at the dragon keeps entrance with her hands fiddling with each other.

When you fly in holding your arm to try and stem the blood, getting off with difficultly as you try and not fall, you almost scare yourself when you turn and suddenly find yourself face to face with Helaena, who holds a bandage ready to treat you with it.

“Give me your arm…” She softly asks, waiting for you to release your arm from your grip so she can slowly and carefully take the arrow from your arm, choosing to ignore your vocal cries of pain so she can make sure to get the arrow out. When she does, she chooses to just drop the bloody wooden chunk to the floor so she can quickly wrap your now gushing wound, which she cleans with a slightly damp clothe that can’t have been out of the water bowl for long.

“What happened?” She asked while she cleaned your red streaked arm.

“Do you remember those men Aemond warned us about? The ones who hate us for our heritage?” You ask, waiting to hear Helaena unique hum to show she’s truly listening. “Well when I was flying by Tarth, those men were in there boats and obviously spotted me before I spotted them. So they shot at me till they hit me.” You shrug, regretting it soon as you did as you hiss at the sudden flare up of pain.

“It’ll hurt badly. I didn’t manage to take any milk of the poppy from the maesters, so we’ll probably need to visit them soon.” Helaena simply says, giving you a smile before she takes your hand in her own. An act you cannot say in words how much it means to you, given how you know of her usual revulsion for physical touch.

So you stay silent. Allowing her to lead you to the maesters with a small smile on your face, that is wiped right off when you become face to face with them. They stare at your with judgement and soulless eyes as they remove you from Helaenas comforting warmth and instead force you to feel cold metal against your flesh. They ignore you as they unwrap the bandages. Only giving each other looks as they wordlessly judge the state of your body.

It almost makes you want to tear their heads from their bodies and feed them to Shrykos. Who no doubt is feeling your frustrations and anger down in the dragon pit.

Yet you hold your tongue for Helaenas sake, who is watching the maesters take supposed special care of you from the corner of the room. She gives you small smiles whenever you make eye contact, and it’s only with them you manage to pull through. The milk of the puppy though they force down your throat certainly makes you more cooperative though you must say.

“Thank you Hel, for looking after me.” You say, staring at her as soon as the maesters deemed you healed enough and left you. No doing to go get the queen to inform her of your sudden injury.

“It is no problem…” She softly smiles back, moving forward to stand next to you so she can hold your hand in her own. Her soft flesh relaxing you possibly even more than the drugs flowing through your system. “I will always be there for you…”

Laenor Valeryon:

Even though you always knew that Laenor could never truly be your father, he nonetheless always managed to act like one better than anyone. While your mother was busy attending to your brothers, it was Laenor who was always busy attending to you, making sure you were fussed in a way a princess should be fussed.

He always made sure to give you the bestest care a princess may need it. Like right now for instance.

“I NEED A MAESTER RIGHT FUCKING NOW!” You remember your father screaming while your vision slowly began to blur in a variety of difference places. “Where are you hurt ñuha nūmio? Where is the pain? What can I do?”

“Arrow in the fucking shoulder.” You groan, bile building in your throat as you resist the urge to vomit. “Only there father. Shrykos was hit too. Fuck it hurts so much…”

“Do not worry dear girl! The maester will come!” As he says this, guards come running with a maester in tow. The guards take ahold of you carefully as you nearly collapse under the sudden blood rush. The maester barking orders for what to do to you to cause the least amount of damage to your body as possible.

When you get to the healing room, you’re placed roughly onto a bed where now a whole group of maesters now flock to you like a group of crows over a fresh carcass. They all say a different method on how to treat you, yet it’s Laenor whose voice shines louder than them all.

“You will not cut up or harm my daughter!” He yells, his voice firm and harsh as he glares at them all. “You will take out that fucking arrow, and you will heal her. Or I swear, as the heir of the realms husband, I’ll make all of you fucking regret it!”

All is silent, and yet with a firm glare they all scatter to complete your father’s order. Soon, cloth is finding its way in your mouth to quench your screams as hands force the arrow once imbedded in your arm is forced onto a silver plate. Blood gushing down your arm in an admittedly disturbing manner.

By the end, there is an elder looking maester stitching up your blood coated arm, and an arrow head and some wood pieces. Laenor held your hand with every scream and every clench of your body. He made sure you felt as safe as you could in the presence of the same type of men who killed your aunt. He also made sure to quickly push them out as soon as they were done with there work. Nodding along in a dismissive manner as they insist they are still needed.

When they are eventually shushed away however, with the door shut quickly behind them, Laenor quickly finds himself by your side again. His hand laced firmly in yours as he takes a lone damp cloth so he can clean away the dried blood still decorating your wounded flesh.

“Does it hurt much? I can always call a maid to fetch you some milk of the poppy?” Laenor insisted, his touch delicate as he makes sure not to harm you in any way.

“It merely stings…” You shrug, wincing though soon as you do due to the sudden flare up in your shoulder. “I do not need any milk of the poppy father. I can manage my pain.”

“I can see that…” He grins, even chuckling when he sees your own smile. “Though, I must ask. What happened? You did not exactly give me much information before the maesters came for us.”

“Me and Shrykos began our normal journey to the direction of Runestone. But on the coast of Gull town, it appears those men mother had recently warned us about, the ones who deem our customs immoral and a disgrace to a seven, spotted us before we spotted them. They took no time before they were shooting at us with giant crossbows on their ship. They took us by surprise, and managed to get only a single time, but that was enough to enact Shrykos’ rage. I didn’t even say the command father! Shrykos enacted our joined rage and set fire to their ships and their bodies. If they weren’t dead by the time we left, I am almost sure they are all at least dead by now.”

He takes in your words carefully. Murmuring small words every so often while he holds your hand as a sigh of sympathy. When your done though, his face is smeared in deep anger. A hatred you have never seen your father show ever before in your lifetime.

“Well it’s a good think they are dead though,” He finally says, snapping from his thoughts with a huff. “Because if they were alive, Seasmoke would be gorging on a feast right now!”

“Thank you father…” You simply say, falling into his arms that welcome you immediately. You close your eyes and allow yourself to bask in his familiar comforting warmth.

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peachesofteal · 1 month

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Part two of scary bar Simon PLEASE like go insane go crazy go manic

18+ dark content.

The town is sleepy.

So sleepy, most people in the single pub you've managed to find seem shocked to see you. They stare at you like they've never seen a girl before, like your very presence offends them.

And maybe it does.

When you fling yourself at the bartender, eyes wide and frantic, trembling, dirt stained hands trying to reach for her, she only stares at you.

You made it this far. They didn't follow you. They haven't found you. They don't know where you are.

You have a chance.

"P-please. I need help." You whisper. "I've been kidnapped... these men... they took me." Your voice cracks and shakes, rough foundation of your sanity slowing chipping away like peeling paint, layers and layers of lead leeching into your blood. "Please! The men, who live in the old estate, they t-took me."

"What men?" She asks, eyebrow raised.

"Call the police, please." You snuff out a scream, raw and agonized, red tipped with rage. It combats the sinking ship of despair, the one battered by the seas, bow broken and wooden slats splintered.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She tells you, each word bland on her tongue.

"Just... call the police. Call anyone." You turn, glancing at the next closest person, and they avert their eyes quickly, glancing at her before shaking their head.

No.

"What?" You choke on it, the disbelief like a rock lodged in your throat. No one in the pub makes eye contact with you, and the room is silent and still as you stand before them, listless and tearful, begging until your words run dry. "P-please, please. They're... they took me. I want to go home. I need to go home."

"You are home." The Manchester accent rings at your back, and you flinch instinctively, stomach dropping into a bottomless pit. He ducks through the doorway, floorboards groaning beneath massive weight, and they echo across the dead space between your ears.

Your captor. Your abductor. Your everything… now. Dark, fathomless eyes. Heavy, severe gaze, drowning your rational thoughts out easily.

"N-no." You glance around frantically, but everyone's eyes find their feet. No one stands to help you. No one seems to care. "No. No... please."

"It's time to go home."

"Please." You cry, tears blurring your vision. You hold your hands out in front of you, trying to create distance, but it's no use. He's on you without hesitation, and when you twist and squirm in his arms, trying to grab onto one of barstools, he pries your fingers free one by one, clucking his tongue.

"Alright, that’s enough little one. You’re scarin’ everyone in here.” His eyes pinch at the corners, sinister smile twisting beneath the mask. “We’re going home…” he cradles your cheek, rubbing a thumb through your tears.

You can only stare at him in horror when he lowers the black fabric to stick it in his mouth, lips cracking into a grin.

“Now.”

#I wrote this on my phone #so mind the mistakes #Ghoap x reader #peaches asks #peaches writes

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willtheweaver · 2 months

Text

A writer’s guide to forests: traveling through the woods

Getting from point A to point B is something that both people in real life and the characters of your story will have to figure out. Whether as a means to get to a plot point, or as a part of the plot itself, travel presents opportunities for the writer.

Hack ‘n slash- Where paths are nonexistent, your characters will literally have to blaze a trail (the ‘blaze’ in this case has nothing to do with fire. Instead it is a trail marker made by carving a mark into a tree. The mark resembles the white patch seen on the forehead of mammals, most often horses.) Being the pioneer is slow going, especially if the undergrowth is thick and requires clearing. Cut bamboo can go through the foot, poison oak and poison ivy can give a nasty rash, and biting insects can make life miserable. And then there is the matter of marking the trail. A character on the run will not want to advertise their location and will do their best to keep their trail hidden. But for others, they will want to mark the trail. Stone cairns, arrows, blaze marks in trees, and even sticks and knotted grass can point out the path to other travelers. This can be helpful to others, but it can also present a danger. Thieves and outlaws can create false trails that lead travelers into a trap or ambush.

Game trails- Animals have their habits. They like to take the same path between places. Over time these develop into trails that crisscross the forest floor. For a character on the run, or those who needs to make haste, these are a tempting choice to follow. But be careful. Some animals are able to traverse terrain too difficult for humans (narrow ledges, near vertical faces, and the gaps underneath fallen trees are not fun places to be). And your characters may encounter more than deer or rabbits. Predator species hang out around game trails as they can be fruitful hunting grounds.

Existing paths and roads- Roads can range from simple dirt paths to paved highways. These will be the most direct routes between the principle settlements in your story. Prosperous areas will have well maintained roads with travelers and patrols using them frequently. Characters may also encounter watchtowers, farms, and inns along the way. Poorer regions, those affected by war, or more remote regions will have less well maintained roads, fewer travelers, and few to no amenities between towns. And if your characters can use the roads, expect hostile armies, outlaws, and highwaymen to use them as well. And where the roads go may be limited to the most populated regions, forcing your characters to leave the path if they want to get to isolated villages, caves, temples, or even a wizard’s tower.

Use the water- Of course, you can have your characters forgo land transportation and use the rivers, lakes, and seas. Rafts, ferry boats, and ocean going ships are all viable options. It should be noted that these are not perfect solutions. Rapids and waterfalls will force characters back onto land until they find gentler waters. Storms can delay or sink vessels, and cold winters will freeze water over. Of course, a frozen river or lake is just an excuse to get out the ice skates. Droughts will dry up streams and small lakes, and recent rains can turn placid waters into unsurvivable whitewater.

Up in the trees- Hate to burst your bubble here, but swinging from vines is something that only exists in fiction. If you try to do this in real life, it will not work out well…provided you can even find sufficient vines or fig roots. Of course, in your story, you are free to do what you want. Nothing is going to stop you…well except maybe for your readers and the critics who will pan you for using what may be considered an overused and unoriginal trope. Other options include bridges, cable cars, or even zip lines.

Taking flight- Of course, the forest will not pose an obstacle if your characters can simply fly. This can be achieved by characters that possess wings of some sort. They could have a winged mount, or they could hitch a ride on a vehicle like a helicopter or ultralight plane.

Underground- If in doubt, take a cue from moles and dwarves. Tunnels can serve the same function as roads, with all the benefits and drawbacks included. Of course your characters will also have to be aware that cave-ins are a real and present danger. These can be natural, or deliberate sabotage. And your characters best hope all the recent tunneling hasn’t awaken any ancient evils from long ago…

#writing #creative writing #writing inspiration #writing guide #writing prompts #writer #writers #writing community #writer on tumblr #writers and poets #writeblr

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meraki-sunset · 1 year

Text

Guess what

I got a fever the other day and while bored in bed I made another AU (this is a short thing i won’t make an mspfa about it)

An AU where the four CSAU seadweelers are mermaids

And the premise it’s basically, Feferi and Fefeta are siblings (they love eachother) and so are Eridan and Erisol. (they get along fine) Mermaids are suposed to be something from violet to fuccia in color (fefeta’s color is normal here). But Erisol is basically the mutant here and his bright green color makes him too easy to spot. which makes the other mermaids not like him, because he can lead predadors and hunters to the rest of the mermaid population under the sea. (his friends have grown used to surround him when in danger to make him stand out less since they were kids)

the four of them grew up together. Feferi and Fefeta held the tittle of heiress still and Erisol and Eridan were sort of like princes too. As kids they tried to make Erisol feel like a normal merkid

Eventually Eridan and Feferi got into an arranged marriage by their ancestors, they never considered Erisol an option due tu his blood (fefeta is considered to have a normal blood, while her sister manifested royal blood, she is still a heiress, she is just a little less special in the eyes of royals)

Erisol grows older and feels more and more like an outcast. he grows apart from his brother and friends

Eventually Erisol and Eridan fight. They both have feelings for feferi. Erisol calls out how eridan has become a big jerk. Eridan tells him to fuck off and probably mentions his mutant condition as the reason he’s not the one engaged to feferi

Erisol disregarding his safety swims to the surface to be alone for a while, where no one will bother him

He happens to be spoted a by hunters, they roam around looking for mermaids who get too close to the surface and sell their tails in the black market

Mermaid tails are most likely used for medicine, beauty products and also rich people cook them as a rare dish.

Erisol being a mutant means the hunters hit the jackpot. Mindfang could sell him for a shit ton of money

They put him in a big barrel cage belowdecks and head to the next port. They assign one of the lower workers on the ship to feed him twice a day. He happens to be Arquius, who’s been on the ship for a while

They don’t get along at first

Arquius limits himself to just giving him food, but can’t help talking to him when doing it. Erisol just whatches him in silent at first

As days go by they Erisol starts letting his anger out on him and Arquius just endures it, yelling back

over time they began arguing more often and over longer periods of time

The arguing tuned into conversations

And the conversations turned into pleasant chatting they would try to make last as long as they could.

Turns out Arquius is also mutant in the troll hemospectrum. He’s in the ship working his ass of in exchange for not being turned over to the authorities for culling. Traveling form place to place keeps him sorta safe, but they hold his life over his head every time they need to

They day before they were meant to reach the port, Arquius had already made up his mind. He might be stuck in the ship but he could still free his friend

But he wasn’t smart enough and got caught pretty easily. He got stabed and left to bleed by the Capitan Mindfang.

Suddenly the ship begins to shake and get engulfed by a giant moster. It’s Feferi’s lusus. Erisol’s friends are here to rescue him after several days of looking for the ship

The ship breaks and sink. The barrel is broken and Erisol is free

His brother and friend come get him but he doesn’t want to leave his dying new friend

And Erisol as a last reasurce uses the majyykal power all mermaids have.

The four of them get out of the now sunken ship

Arquius is no longer a land walker, he’s a merman now. a mutant merman tecnically.

He joins the others and lives a happier life as a merman, becomes fefeta’s moirail, Erisol’s partner. Eridan and Feferi most likely don’t get married in the end.

Arquius no is no longer stuck in a ship and Erisol isn’t the only mutant. they’re just happier and chill in the ocean forever,

The end

This is like, the typical super basic mermaid AU and a poor excuse to draw Arqisol but they’re my guilty confort ship so yeah

I’m still working on the epilogue for those wondering, don’t worry :P i just took a break to complete commissions and, you know, get a fever and hallucinate a new AU, the usual

I hope you like this thingy i made. i love yah *muack*

🌸👍☀️

#csau extra #homestuck #homestuck au #meraki #erisol #erisolsprite #arquius #arquiusprite #mermaid au

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heartpiratedrabbles · 1 month

Text

Shanks Touch

Prompt: Shanks visits your village after being away for a long time and in classic Shanks fashion a party ensues.

Requested by Anonymous

NSFW

Shanks X Male Reader

It had been a long while since Shanks appeared on the shores of your island. Many moons coming and going before you got word of the warlord checking in on one of his many territories. Your heart skipped a bit as you watched the horizon for any sign of his ship. The island always seemed to be more chipper when he was around, a never-ending party as Shanks would gleefully find any excuse to continue drinking.

It took 3 mornings, but finally you could see it. The Red Hair Jolly Roger waving in the wind, it’d only be an hour or so until his ship would be docked, and everyone about seemed to be prepping for their arrival. Every tavern fully stocked, and more shipments expected to arrive soon, fully expecting to be drank out of house and home.

The towns people’s happy faces talking of Shanks greatest feats as the town square looked like it was preparing for a festival. You, yourself were helping set up lodging, knowing the pirate crew would be passing out on land after being on the sea for so long. The towns mayor more than happy to gather tribute money for the protection the Red Hairs Flag offers us.

Finally, you hear the bell ring through the town, the ship docking as his crew unloads the boat of treasures and booze. You run towards the dock, staying to the back of the crowd as you glance through faces to find the familiar red hair, his tall-tale laugh reaching your ears as you see him a couple dozen paces away.

Your feet freezing in place when you see him smiling while talking to other townsfolk, a tug on your heart before you force yourself forward, determined to make yourself known. Before you can even get near him you hear him call your name, his attention turning towards you as he walks up to you. He bends down, easily picking you despite the one arm and twisting you around. “Shanks!” You say with a smile plastered on your face.

“How I’ve missed you!” Shanks laughs out while putting you down, “This calls for a celebration!” His hand raising in triumph as you could see Benn sighing heavily behind him. The next few moments seem to move too quickly as you’re swept with the crowd, Shanks keeping a hold of your shoulder as he walks towards his favorite tavern.

It isn’t lost on you how his hand ghosts your back before resting itself on your ass. A subtle squeeze as he leans closer to you. “I’m assuming by Benn’s reaction that you were already ‘celebrating’ on deck?” You laugh out, twisting your neck to look at him as you grab his hand, moving it to your hip.

“He’s just a Sourpuss that I drank an entire keg” His booming laughter filled your ears as the entire town was swept into a rhythm of his making. Shanks leads you to the back of the tavern, sitting in an corner with a large round table, his men filling in the rest of the seats as tankards full of Rum and Vodka were placed in front of them.

He pulls you onto his laugh, his arm wrapping possessively around your waist as he pulls you flush against him, his head leaning over your shoulder as you grab his cards for him, holding them only for him to see while he sips his drink. Cheering and laughing ringing through the building while you help him play poker, his hand laying on your hip as he grinds into you.

It isn’t until a couple of drinks in that you feel him sink his hand into your pants, a blush rushing to your face as you glance to see if anyone notices, his fingers delicately brushing against the skin of your dick, a twitch into his hands as you suck in a breath. “I’m glad to see I’m not the only one happy to see you~” Shanks whispers into your ear, grinding his own hardon into you as you hide your face behind the cards in your hand.

His thumb running over your delicate tip as you attempt to keep playing while distracted, moving one of your legs so he has easier access to do as he pleases. Shanks lips pressing against your jawline and neck as you press yourself into him.

You can feel Shanks grin into your skin as he tightens his hold around you, a playful tug making you yearn for more, “Kid it’s your turn.” You slap a random card down, not caring about the game anymore as your head leans back onto Shanks’ shoulder, your free hand wrapping around to rake your fingers through his hair, a low groan escaping your lips.

“Is there something you need darling?” His hushes whisper pressed against your neck as he leaves a bruising mark in his wake. Slow, deliberate strokes driving you insane as you try to thrust into his touch, “Remember you have to play properly,” His slight taunt making your ears ring as you open your eyes, glancing at the table. Most seem unfazed, others glancing but returning to their cards as the rest of the Tavern continues to party on.

Huffing as you feel him teasing you, changing pressures as he continues to pump his hand, Shanks enjoying watching you unravel. Straightening your back as you scootch a little bit off his lap, your hand dipping behind you to palm the outside of his pants just as he quickens his pace.

“Getting daring, aren’t we?�� Shanks whispers, nipping at your earlobe as he ruts up into your palm, his grip becoming tight, a finger dancing over the slit of your sensitive tip as you choke on your breath.

He pulls you back against him fully, jerking you faster as you lean against the table, your face in your arms as your hand barely holds onto the cards in your hand, your legs dangling on either side of him. Biting your lip to hold back your labored breathing as your release quickly approaches.

Grinding your hips into his touch as you feel the pressure building, Shanks hand quickly glides down your shaft, a tight hold around the base of your leaking cock. A desperate moan escaping your lips as your eyes widen, the building of pressure feeling like too much. Your hands pushing you off the table as you push yourself against Shanks even further in a desperate attempt to get his hold on your cock to loosen, to let you feel the sweet release you’ve been craving.

“Now, now.” His laughing tone hits your frustrated ears, “That’s for later. Can’t have you becoming spent too early.” You feel the pressure slowly ebb away, the tight grip around your cock loosening as you slam your head against the table in disbelief.

#Shanks #Red Hair Shanks #One Piece #One Piece Smut #Shanks X Reader #Shanks X Male Reader

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colddelusionsheep · 1 year

Text

Little Pearls

Yandere Fem Siren X Fem Reader

Just think, you are a merchant's daughter. Sailing on the high seas when a storm suddenly hits. The ship, not being able to handle the crashing waves, starts to sink. You try to make it to a row boat in time, but as you set your eyes on your father and fiancé. You realize they left you to die.

Accepting your fate, you close your eyes as you hit the cold water. The shock of the freeze knocking you out. Making you remain oblivious to the person swimming towards you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Waking up in a cave was not what you expect after you were lost at sea. Not that you were complaining. As far as you thought you are alive and breathing. Which was more than you could ever hope for after the sinking of the ship.

The cave was clearly lived in. Fine treasures were scattered about. Gold and gems were thrown carelessly across the ground. Silk clothes were made into a bed which you were placed upon. Magical gems lit up the place in a cold glow.

From what you could tell, you were not harmed. Your clothes were changed into what seemed to be a silken dress and pearls were braided into your hair. It was masterfully done. It would make you feel like a princess if you were not so creeped out about someone changing you and braiding random things in your hair.

Standing up, you try to set your eyes on any exits that would lead themselves useful. Yet the only opening seemed to be a pool of crystal blue water. Stepping over to it, you almost slip due to the wetness of the stone surrounding it.

You try to take a peak under the water, but all that you met was sharp teeth trying to bite your nose off. Jumping back, you slipped on the wet ground and fell on your ass.

A beautiful laugh was heard from the humanoid that set themselves on the ledge. Their tail resting in the water, peaking out just enough, so you could tell that this was no human you were dealing with.

"Oh my, are you alright Little Pearl? I didn't mean to scare you that bad." The women was by all accounts gorgeous.

Long black hair done in braids much like yours. The white pearls shone in the cold glow. They stood out against the void of her hair. Her tail, from what you could see, was a deep purple. Her breast were fully exposed. You tried to look away from the indecent sight, but her eyes seem to capture yours in their purple glaze.

"My Little Pearl sure is a shy one, it is okay. You are free to admire your mate."

Wait, did she say mate? "I am sorry, what?"

"Your mate, why do you think I saved you? You are mine, and I don't like my things dying on me."

#yandere writing #yandere story #yandre idea #yandere siren #yandere siren x reader #yandere fem #yandere female #fem x fem #yandere #yandere monster #yandere exophilia #yandere mermaid

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sesamenom · 6 months

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Ringlord High King of Everything Elrond, inspired here

(@the-writing-goblin)

I imagine in this situation elrond would have been partially tempted by boromir's declaration, but instead of trying to fight sauron with it (because even in the weirdest crack au i can think of elrond is still too genre-aware to try that) he tried to use it to supercharge his use of vilya and protect everyone.

basically Ringlord!Elrond turned the entirety of Eriador into a mega-gondolin situation: massive walls (courtesy of numenorean/eregion tech) around the regions bordering the north or Mordor, fortresses along the mountain range and several layers of gates along every road in or out. Everybody goes in; nobody goes out; everyone is safe.

and he ended up claiming the kingship to give him more authority in the process - he's High King of the Noldor and Sindar and King of the Edain (given that there are like three half-vanyar in middle-earth, he's more or less king of all children of iluvatar) and so he can have command over the entirety of the West.

and with the help of the Ring, this actually works! but the corruption starts to show eventually

he uses his kinship to Gondor to forcefully drag them into his neo-gondolin-empire-creation so he can ensure none of his great-nephews will ever have to face sauron. he extends the walls to encompass Mirkwood, because he's the high king of the sindar and has a duty to protect thranduil's realm, and unleashes the full might of his melian-lite powers to purge Sauron's Shadow and the spawn of Ungoliant from the now-Greenwood.

Galadriel and Glorfindel very much see where this is going and are very very worried. galadriel won't let him build walls around lothlorien (because she lives next door to a balrog and knows exactly what happened to gondolin) but celeborn thinks it's a good idea, since after all Doriath wouldn't have fallen if Melian's girdle had still been up. glorfindel tries to talk him out of it but the ring has taken hold

the Ring's power also enhances all his natural weirdness and powers - he has his wings and maia markings permanently activated now, with or without finwean anger. he can fully shapeshift, and he goes from raising waves in the bruinen to raising tsunamis in the great sea.

except the finwean anger seems to be permanently activated now, too, and anyone who harms someone he's deemed under his protection finds themselves the target of a rather ironic vengeance quest. the shapeshifting is looking weird now - his teeth are always sharp now, and his eyes have gone fully inhuman. sometimes he has claws and his wings look more like bats than eagles. and his water powers are more like osse's- he can't calm the waters now (goldberry is the first to notice something's up) and can only stir them into massive ship-sinking storms and tsunamis.

this progresses until he's basically Evil Luthien ruling over a continent-wide Mega-Gondolin, slaughtering orc-hordes before they even reach the white walls and sinking any naval fleet Sauron tries to send around the coast. Everybody is brought in; nobody leaves; everyone is safe...?

he figures out that the dwarven legend of "Durin's Bane" has to be one of the few first age balrogs thats still unaccounted for. and well, it's living right on his border, and he can't risk another fall of gondolin, right? so he leads a small force in there to clear moria, and they shove the balrog off the edge, but it takes one of his captains (except glorfindel) with it (maybe erestor?) and he uses the ring and saves erestor, (and maybe floods the balrog for good measure), and glorfindel is sure he saw elrond's eyes go yellow for a moment.

and even fully corrupted, he knows he can't take the ring directly into mordor. but he can wipe out sauron's armies outside the walls, to protect his kingdom - because turgon's mistake was thinking he was safe even when there were balrogs and dragons and orcs outside, right?

somewhere along the way, arwen realizes what's happening and goes to live with galadriel. one of the twins goes with her; the other stays out of loyalty but eventually follows.

elrond's kingdom has become a cross between doriath and gondolin now, with all the surrounding lands warped by ring-magic to hide it, and layers of stone walls and iron gates preventing anyone from leaving. because everyone is here; nobody leaves; everyone is... safe?

#silm #silmarillion #lotr #elrond #lord of the rings #i hc goldberry is uinen and osses daughter #i feel like the ring works differently for everyone #hobbits are naturally sneaky and long-lived so hobbits get ring-invisibility and ring-immortality #while dwarves would be basically physically invincible and elves would get feanor-style super-fea #and peredhel get maiarin powers #honestly ringlord elrond is kind of terrifying #like ringlord galadriel or ringlord maglor would be pretty straightforward about conquering the world #like galadriels whole 'all shall love me and despair'#or maglor would be like 'yep conquering the world for the oath now hand over your land'#but elrond is more of the manipulative dark lord type #like the 'im doing this for you/i just want to protect you' villain #and hes already most of middle earths collective dad #they all trust him

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mediocreanomaly · 9 months

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Mermaid vash with s/o human reader

I feel like Vash would court the reader by giving them random "lost" stuff that he found from people that dropped things in the ocean, like bottles, broken camera, jewelry, a random knive. Anything shiny and cool looking ends up in the reader's hands from Vash. He'd be very happy if the reader accepts the gifts but if the reader gives him something? Any thoughts gone, Vash is malfunctioning.

Just thought this would be a cute idea

Authors Note: Guys please I'm a creature lover at heart don't get me started on these prompts- (joking please get me started on these prompts mer!Vash makes me happy)

Mer!Vash x Reader HC's

•Vash is extremely interested in humans. Think...Ariel lmao. Although humans are known for trying to poach merfolk (their scales and fins are extremely valuable) he can't help but love them!

•He does his best to stay hidden as he follows along boats from afar to watch the crew work during the day or play cards and drink at night. He sits on far away rocks on beaches to watch the humans splash in the water and sunbathe on the beach. Basically if he can watch humans somewhere he'll be there

•Which is why when you became the newest light house keeper for the port, you were the perfect human for Vash to watch

•It was perfect, the light house was far enough from the actual port that he could lay on the rocks with out being seen, he'd watch you through the light house windows, he'd watch when you'd leave to dip your feet in the water or sit on the rocks to watch the horizon. It became Vash's new favorite pass time so it was only a matter of time before you noticed your fishy companion

•When you first see him his lower body is in the water, only his head sits out watching you, you blink and begin approaching him thinking it's someone who's swam too close to the rocks

"Hey! This might not be the best place to swim there's lots of rocks and the actual swimmers beach is-" you pause caught off guard when, a couple steps in, you see a long red and orange tail gleaming in the water. You lose your balance and fall in the shallow water screaming-

"ahhh!" "ahhh!" the merman mimics back in your voice, which only concerns you more and...leads you to scream again, "ahhh!!!" "ahhh!!!"

•This whole mimicking thing seems to go back and forth for about two more screams before you settle. You catch your breath as you stare at the merman who just watches you curiously not making a move to leave

•You had heard of merfolk, everyone had but it was rare to see them unless you were a poacher and even then merfolk were famous for sinking the ships that were after them. You had met a cocky sailor once who had tried to boast by showing off a few mermaid scales he has sliced off some mermaid he was tracking but it had only disgusted you thinking about how terrified the poor girl must've been

•Although as you carfully look over the merman in front of you it doesn't look like this one has had any better luck, winding scars paint his chest and it seems he's missing an arm...you wearily glance up to the blue eyes watching you, you're pretty sure merfolks were supposed to have silted iris but this merman's pupils are blown wide with curiosity

"...so...can you copy anything I say?" you ask, "...so...can you copy anything I say?" He repeats in your voice, which...is admittedly a bit creepy but he makes a pleased trill noise after he shows off

"Right...so you uh, have a name?" you ask, the merman nods eagerly then pauses looking a little sad before smiling and saying "Vash!" in a woman's voice you've never heard before

•You come to realize that Vash can mimic pretty much any sound as long as he's heard it before. You assume it's some sort of hunting tactic which scared you a bit until you realized he mostly used it to mimic the noises of other sea animals to bring them closer, so it seemed humans were not on the merfolk menu

•Vash comes around pretty much everyday, trying to communicate through half phrases he had heard and various chirps and trills you often had to decode the message of. Luckily he was very expressive so it helped with the context

•You find Vash loves human things, you even started bringing him foods after he snatched a bag of donuts from your hand one morning. So you eat most your meals out by the rocks now, not that you mind. The life of a light house keeper was a lonely one, so you were glad for the company as unconventional as it may be

•The two of you actually become close, or...as close as a human and merman can get you guess? Only issue for you is you don't seem to realize how close you actually are

•Vash has decided. You'd be the perfect mate. You're a good swimmer (for a human), you provide food (donuts), and it only confirms it in his head when one day he makes and happy chirp noise and you jokingly try to mimic it back the same way he does, not realizing it's a show of affection in the merfolk world

•So Vash takes it upon himself to begin courting you. You know how I said think Ariel when you think about Vash? Yeah he has a little cave in the ocean that he just collects trinkets in. Pennies, jewelry, screws, knives, if it shimmers he's picked it up and stashed it away. Which is why he's sure he'll be very good at scavenging to show you how good of a mate he would make!

•It starts off slow, when you're sitting on the rocks with Vash and he hands you a small shiny quarter. You glance up at him as he watches you eagerly waiting for a response. You smile and run your hand through his wet hair

"For me?" you hum, he makes an affirmative trill, tail slapping against the rock excitedly

"Well thank you, it's very nice Vash"

•Then the next day he brings you a necklace he found which you please him by wearing, something that just confirms his courting is working. Then he brings you and old camera, then a bottle, then a whole sword which you go wide eyed at when your smiling blonde companion pulls it out of the water

•You aren't 100% sure why Vash feels the need to bring you things but you enjoy the collection of shells, sand dollars, and shiny objects he leaves you. Although you feel a little bad that, besides the snacks you offer him, you haven't ever given him a gift

•So you go to the market the next day trying to find something. You didn't really know if Vash had a home to keep anything big in...where did merfolk live anyways? You'd have to ask Vash next time you saw him- and you're getting distracted.

•You sigh almost giving up when a stall that glimmers in the sun catches your eye. Perfect! Vash loved shiny things! You run over to the stall to see what they have when your gaze lands on a gold ear ring. The whole "one ear ring" look was becoming popular among sailors but...Vash liked mimicking humans, maybe he'd like this?

•You quickly buy it (in part thanks to all the spare change Vash leaves in your hands every morning) and head back out to the light house

•When you get there Vash has already pushed himself up on the rocks waiting for you. He makes a pleased trill noise and greets you with a "Good morning!" in your own voice. You chuckle and carfully climb your way over to his spot and sit down

"Good morning to you too! Hold out your hand!" You urge as you dig in your bag for your gift, Vash gives a curious look and tilts his head letting out a questioning "vrr?"

"please? c'mon it's good surprise promise" you say, he nods not one to deny you and holds out his hand. You press the gold ear ring into his palm and smile at him.

"so? do you like it? ...Vash? uh...Vash?" You try to wave your hand in front of his face but his eyes are locked on the trinket, as if completely shocked. His face is...also going a very bright shade of red the longer he looks at it- did you break him?

"Vash if you don't like it-" before you can finish that thought he quickly makes a panicked chirp when you go to grab it out of his hand and dives into the water leaving you wondering what just happened

•Vash meanwhile is running his fingers over the metal of the ear ring over and over again. Never in his wildest dreams had he expected a courting gift from you! This was so embarrassing! To accept courting advances was one thing but to be so bold as to court back? He never expected you to be so forward! Well...that just confirmed you wanted to be his mate...and that he'd have to up his courting tactics to really impress you

•After about a half hour of sitting bewildered at the mermans reaction you finally spot him as he peaks his head out of the water and- oh! he's wearing the gold ear ring, the hoop hanging from his right ear

"Vash! I almost thought you left for the day" you sigh padding into the water after him, he shakes his head and makes a cooing noise before repeating "Hold out your hand!" just as you had earlier

"hmm? oh you didn't have to get me something too but okay" You relent holding out your hand, expecting more change or something shiny-

"ahhhh!" you scream as a a live fish about as big as your arm is dropped into your hands. You fumble and drop it, the fish flops around before darting away as soon as it hits the water. Vash frowns, this...was going to be harder than he thought.

#vash x reader #vash x you #trigun x reader #mer!vash #Trimaid?#Mergun?#Yeah that doesn't sound right #mer!vash x reader

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hirazuki · 1 year

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I had completely forgotten that it was in Nan Elmoth that Thingol and Melian met, and that Thingol explicitly suffered an enchantment after wandering in, and that the enchantment still lay upon the forest when Aredhel entered it, years later; and it probably lasted until the breaking of Beleriand at the end of the First Age...

And now I'm entertaining a headcanon that the forest is Beleriand's Bermuda Triangle -- Thingol and Aredhel are the most notable missing person cases, yes, but there are many others who have gone into the forest or even just strayed too close to its borders and allegedly have never been seen again; travelers and merchants and hunters, all disappearing. It gains the reputation of being haunted or cursed (not in the horror-and-madness-walked terror of Dungortheb kind of way, but more in a less severe, urban legend kind of way); a bedtime story to frighten children; just enough for the more superstitious folk to willingly add a day or two to their journeys to avoid it, just in case, but not enough for the more pragmatically-minded to resist scoffing at the notion and thinking it absurd, leading to many arguments. Perhaps it becomes a favorite spot for dares among the younger elves, challenging each other to spend a night under the shadow of its trees Eol having to chase all these damn elflings that have started appearing off of his lawn, grandma-style

And even after Beleriand sinks under the waves, the rumors persist that there is an area upon the sea -- many days out and almost a direct shot westwards from the northernmost reaches of the Ered Luin -- where ships simply vanish. And if sailors of those vessels ever do reappear, drifting into port on wood that should be long-rotted or suddenly, inexplicably, finding themselves standing behind a market stall or sitting on an inn stool, they do so with no memory of what occurred; only the haziest dream-like recollection of deep twilight and birdsong.

#silmarillion #random thoughts brought to you by me continuing my reread #i have no one irl to really yell at about tolkien atm (sis is at full capacity with other fandoms and can't handle diving back into silm)#so i'll probably be inflicting y'all with these as i work out what i want my personal 'canon' for fic purposes to be ^^#i should prob tag these with something consistent to be able to find them all later #...#silm musings #there we go XD #silm #eol

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dragon-kazansky · 6 months

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Spirit of the sea

Izzy Hands x Reader (GN)

SEASON 2 CONTENT AHEAD!!!

Blackbeard rules the sea. Despite wanting his captain back, Izzy realises his mistake. Protecting the crew is his concern. Protecting you is his life mission. Stede's return brings hope, but there's a lot of work to be done before this crew becomes a family.

{Masterlist}

{Previous Chapter} - {Next Chapter}

Warnings: Spoilers. The ending he deserved. WHEN I CATCH YOU RICKY.

Chapter Seventeen - The unicorn and his sparrow

♡♡♡

It was funny. In a way. This whole thing had started with you in Stede's brig and now you were locked up with his crew. So much had happened since then.

The fucking Navy. Not even just that. Richard Banes.

Zheng had intended to use the Navy, but the prince as used that against her. He had given each ship a gift, a grandfather clock, as a sign of "peace." Only they were full of explosives and he had used them to destroy her fleet.

Now the Republic of Pirates was flooded with the English.

You were sat in the cell below Jackie's bar with the rest of the crew. Izzy hadn't left your side the entire time. When the bar got flooded with Navy men, Izzy had pushed you behind him. When you were caught and being manhandled, Izzy swore more than you had ever heard before. It was a constant "get your hands off them." He did not like seeing you being pushed around.

As soon as the cell was locked behind you, Izzy gathered you in his arms and held you to his chest. You had to reassure him you were okay.

Prince Richard decided to come pay you all a visit. "Hello, friends."

You reach for Izzy's hand. He squeezes yours back.

"This is bittersweet. I mean, here we all are at the end of piracy and you'll all be hung in the next few minutes and all your stories will be lost for the ages. Which is a shame because I do love a good pirates' tale. But don't you worry. Because I will not be hanging you by the thumbs like that deranged Captain Kidd." The prince rattles on.

"That's not what he did, you twat," Izzy says from the back of the cell. His hand was still holding yours.

"Oh, my. The great Izzy Hands," the prince claps.

"And you're... Pinocchio?" Izzy asks, mocking the man. You laugh with the others.

"A new one. Bring him upstairs."

You stop laughing.

"Sir, aren't we going to hang them?" The man beside the prince asks.

"Oh, yes. But they're not going anywhere." Richard smiles. "So I have time for a drink with a legend."

As the prince walks away, Izzy is summoned closer to the gate. You squeeze his hand, silently asking him not to go. Izzy turns to you. You look at him with leading eyes, shaking your head softly.

"Don't." The word falls from your lips in a soft whisper.

"I'll be alright. I'm coming back for you," he says softly. Your expression doesn't change and it hurts Izzy's heart to see you look so worried for him.

Izzy let's go of your hand and exits the cell. He turns to you once more before going upstairs.

You sink against the ball.

"Fuck."

♡♡♡

"Can't believe I have an audience with the great Israel Hands. That's absolutely astounding." Richard is in awe.

Izzy just focuses on the candles on the table.

"I've always thought you were underrated. I mean, it's absurd, isn't it? Isn't it? That Blackbeard, he gets all this praise, when you are quite clearly the brains of this operation?"

"Ya don't know the first thing about piracy, do ya?" Izzy asks him, looking up from the candle.

"Don't I?"

"It's not about glory. It's not about gettin' what you want. Its about belonging to something when the world bad told you you're nothin'. It's about finding the family to kill for when yours are long dead. It's about letting go of ego for something larger." You and the crew cross his mind. "The crew."

"Oh, my goodness. You've just grown so tedious." Richard chuckles dryly.

♡♡♡

Archie and Fang are trying to help pry the bars open enough for someone to slip through. You're sat on the cold ground of the cell staring at your dirty old boots.

What was this prince fuck talking about with Izzy? Why did he have to take him upstairs? Was Izzy okay?

Frenchie sits down beside you. "You doin' okay?" He asks.

"Peachy..."

"They'll bring him back. Izzy won't go down without a fight."

You sighs softly. "I know..."

"And he's not going to leave you here. Izzy cares for you more than he does for anyone. He's not gonna let you down."

You smile. "He could never do that."

Frenchie nudges your arm lightly.

"I worry about him. Like, all the time. I've sailed with Izzy Hands for years. I've known him deeper than anyone else ever has. He's let me see sides to him you would otherwise think didn't exist. I love him so damn much and now we're trapped here surrounded by the fucking Navy... And that prick has Izzy up there. I swear to god if that dick touches my Izzy, I will drive my sword through his eyes."

Frenchie grimaces. He gets the picture.

"Sorry."

"Don't be. I get it," he says, smiling.

You chuckle softly.

♡♡♡

"I destroyed the Republic of Pirates and that makes me the ultimate pirate," Ricky said to Izzy.

Izzy is amused. "You're not a pirate, lad. You're a spoiled, entitled bunch of twats dressed in puffy, blue nighties."

"Shame, I was going to let you live."

"Kill me." Izzy smiles. "Kill us all. Our spirit will last throughout your entire fuckin' empire because... we're good." Izzy states, full of emotion. "And you... are a rancid, syphilitic cunt."

The sound of vast footsteps entering the bar has everyone turning their heads that way. Stede has entered with Zheng and Ed behind him.

"There's a lot of them," Stede says, looking around the room.

Within second of the Navy drawing their swords, they all keel over. Poison.

"Is that us doing that?" Stede asks.

Roach and Pete look around the room in confusion. Jackie laughs from behind them.

"What the hell was in that brandy?" Roach asks.

"Nothin' you want to fuck with." Jackie grins.

While Jackie assures the Swede he will be fine, Zheng walks over to Ricky and grabs him by the coat. "This is for Auntie."

"No!"

Zheng looks up to see Auntie there. She's fine. The rest of the crew flood into the bar. Auntie hits Ricky over the head and the crew greet their captain.

You waste no time making your way over to Izzy and checking him over. He smiles at your fussing.

"I'm fine," he assures you.

You take his face in your hands and look at him, sighing softly. "I was worried about you."

"I know," he smiles.

He brings one of your hands to his lips and kisses it gently. His eyes don't stay from yours.

Zheng and Auntie hug.

Everyone is together again.

"So we should probably make a plan here," Stede says, looking around.

"Still surrounded by English Soldiers."

"I think a royal hostage could prove valuable," Stede states.

Everyone gathers to hear the plan. It's completely diabolical. Probably the most insane plan you had ever heard. So dangerous and risky, anyone with sense would never go through with it.

"So, that is the plan." Stede says proudly. "We all live to fight another day."

"Or it's a complete suicide mission," Ed says.

The crew agree with that. You and Izzy glance at each other. Once again his hand is nestled in yours.

"It's only suicide if we die."

♡♡♡

You shrug on the blue coat, a size too big for you. You pick up one of the hats from the floor and place it on your head. The crew do the same. Stripping down the soldiers and taking their gear.

A disguise.

Izzy stares at the coat he is holding in his hand. You look at him softly. He doesn't react as you come over to him and slowly take the coat from him. He lets you take it from his hands and lets you help him put it on. You will the coat around him and smile.

"Very handsome."

"I'm not wearing the fucking hat."

You chuckle. "Course not. But I like the coat. Maybe we should get you a nice long coat."

Izzy rolls his eyes and shakes his head with a smile. "Don't be daft."

Once everyone was dressed, Ricky was trusted to you and Izzy, and everyone left the bar. Including Jackie and the Swede. Everyone was going to get off that island.

You were all going to take down as many English as you could. Groups of them were littered around the island.

The crew just needed to reach the shore.

Izzy handles Ricky. You follow him, staying close. The others follow.

"Hello," Ricky greets the group of soldiers. "The operation is over now, so we're just gonna head back to the ships, please."

It could have gone so smoothly.

You hadn't seen Ricky gesture down where he parted his legs enough for Izzy's wooden one to be seen. In a split second Ricky drew a gun and shot it.

"They're pirates!" He yells.

You hear Izzy groan, having been close enough to beside him. Your head snaps to him to see him holding his side. Blood is oozing out.

"Izzy!"

The crew fight the soldiers as you push Izzy to the side. You try to get a good look at the wound, but he refuses to move his hand.

"Izzy..."

"Come on," he grunts. He marches past you and onward. The crew follow. You hurry to catch up to him.

Izzy has been shot! That fucking prick.

The prince gets away.

The path down to the shore is clear. It's a straight run down. The crew will just have to watch behind them.

Izzy is falling behind. You refuse to go on ahead. You come over to his side and hold him where he hasn't been shot.

"Izzy?"

"Just... fuck off." He says it softly, no malice behind his words. He's hurting. When Izzy is in pain, you hurt too.

The crew are being shot at from behind. You hold onto Izzy as best as you can. Ed slows and hurries over, taking Izzy on the other side. You both get him to the boats.

Once everyone is on the ship Ed lays Izzy down. You remove the coat you're wearing to make a cushion for his head. Roach left immediately to get medical supplies.

Izzy looks up at you. There's a lot of blood and everything hurts, but still he sees you clearly. You're keeping pressure on the wound and giving out orders.

He smiles. He likes it when you're bossy.

You look down at him, tears welling up in your eyes. "Look at me, okay? Keep your eyes open. Don't you dare close them."

Izzy just smiles up at you.

"Why are you smiling?" You ask.

"Because you're beautiful," he says.

"Shut up. You're literally bleeding out," you say, but can't help but smile.

"I'm a lucky man."

You look at him, not sure what to say, but at least he was talking to you. You should keep him talking.

"Yeah?"

"Any man would kill to have a partner like you by their side. Especially in our line of work."

"You're getting sentimental..."

"I have that right, don't I? As a dying man."

"You're not going to die. I won't let you." You frown at him.

He continues to smile.

Roach returns with the stuff. You instruct him on exactly what to do. Izzy lays there and looks at you. His beautiful sparrow.

Eventually he passes out.

♡♡♡

Izzy wakes up feeling a horrid ache in his side. He inhales sharply, trying to get himself together before he opens his eyes properly. His mind is a little confused.

Something warm slips into his hand.

Izzy smiles.

His eyes open slowly and he turns his head to look at you. You're watching him closely. You lean forward when you see him wake. His smile brightens.

"Hello, love." His voice is hoarse.

You smile and let out a sigh. "You moron."

"You alright?" He asks.

"Me? I should be asking you that! Do you have any idea how worried I was about you? You passed out on me. I thought... I thought I lost you."

His smile fades as he gazes at you.

"I promised ya, didn't I? I'm never leavin' you again."

You lean over the bed and wrap your arms around him tight. You're careful of his wound. Izzy moves his arm so it wraps around you. He gives you a gentle squeeze.

"I'm sorry, love."

"I was so scared." You look up at him. "What would I do without you?"

He offers you a gentle smile, caressing your cheek gently with his finger. "I don't know. But I do know I'm one lucky man."

You laugh softly. "You already said that."

"I've been shot twice. Both times I've had you nurse me back to health. I'm very lucky." His gaze on you is full of fondness.

"I love you."

He pulls you closer and kisses you. It's slightly desperate, well needed.

"I love you too."

♡♡♡

Lucius and Pete just got married. Despite needing as much rest as he could get, Izzy insisted on being there to watch. It was lovely.

The crew cheer as they kiss.

You smile and look at Izzy. He smiles at you. "Maybe we should try that," he says.

"Try what?" You ask.

He shrugs lightly. "Marrying."

Your expression softens. "Is that a joke?" You ask, not entirely certain.

He shrugs again.

"You thought about it?" You ask.

"It's crossed my mind."

You smile softly. "Guess we'll see what the future holds."

His hand finds yours.

♡♡♡

Ed and Stede stood on the shore. On the horizon The Revenge sails away. The two watch their friends go, leaving them behind. Behind them was a run down building. They hoped to turn it into an inn.

The crew of The Revenge promised they'd be back someday, but they had a mission of their own.

The Revenge was under new command.

Captain Izzy Hands. His first mate, you.

There was a prince that needed hunting down. The Revenge would live up to it's name.

A calm came over the ocean. Like everything was how it should be.

Edward Teach knew deep down everything would be okay. The ship was in good hands and the crew would thrive.

Izzy Hands would thrive. He would live. He has everything to live for. He has you to live for. Just like how Ed had Stede.

Good luck to anyone who tried to mess with the unicorn and his sparrow. They were not people you should trifle with.

Izzy Hands is happy. Happy and in love

♡♡♡

@grippleback-galaxy - @askmarinaandothers - @godlikegallagher - @for-fuck-sake-im-alive - @whiskeyswriting - @lxsm2 - @bloody-bunni666 - @the-chocoholic-writer - @bugbugboy - @callmemana - @the-shenny-of-azkaban - @cool-ontherun-world - @outer-space-beech - @ahewi24 - @grace585 - @innertimemachinegirl - @dmitrytherat - @emilynissangtr - @fruitymoonbeams-blog -

#izzy hands x reader #spirit of the sea #ofmd #ofmd s2 #ofmd spoilers #ofmd season 2 #dragon writes

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lovelybrooke · 8 months

Text

I have to be dreaming (Chapter 4)

Series Masterlist~~AO3~~Regular Masterlist

I apologize if some of the terms aren't correct. I'm using the manga for the dialogue, so some terms like Gods Army are different. I'll try to make sure everything is consistent but feel free to tell me if I messed up.

"These trees are enormous! I wonder how old they are!" Nami gasps, gazing up at the huge trees, the roots spanning miles across the Island.

You crane your neck, the sky covered by thick foliage which enveloped the Island in darkness except for the few bits of sunlight. "I can't see their tops."

You and Nami hover on the clous, observing the strange trees until a crack is heard. You grip tighter on to Nami's waist, turning to see a man crawling on his arms and legs, blood pooling from his mouth.

"Help me...Get me out of here!!" He lets out a guttural groan, begging. "I missed the ship!! Please!!"

"We already have too many people on the waver! We might sink!" Nami replies. You feel bad for him, unable to do anything from your place behind Nami.

At the response, the man groans, using all his energy to gaze up at the sky. He whimpers as the grass around him burns and flies around him. He lets out one more cry, before a beam of light shoots down onto him, blinding both you and Nami.

You hear another man scream, and then the sounds of whooshing grow and grow until it dies. You wait to open your eyes until the ringing in your ears stop. There was a giant crater in the side of the Island, and when Nami opened her eyes, she was already moving right towards it. You protest, but her stern determination is outmatched by your fear.

"...Old lady Amazon said there was a ship with seven Blue Sea people aboard." You hear as Nami drags you towards the forest. You stop abruptly, listening carefully as the strange men whisper to each other.

You couldn't listen for a second longer, you grunt as you use all your strength to drag Nami away from her stop back onto the waver. "Come on Nami, we need to tell the others." You huff, Nami nodding as she revs the waver forward and back to the Strawhats.

---

"Pagaya, who are those guys." Luffy stares confused at the group of men strangely crawling on all fours towards them. They don't acknowledge them, continuing to craw until they reach the group.

"Heso!"

"Good work, Heso!!"

"Why were they crawling." Usopp, who was now on the Merry with the others, asks. Sanji shakes his head, watching as Luffy begs for the waver to work.

"So, you're the ones from the blue sea!! The seven trespassers!" The man leading the strange group yelled. They looked like military men, and judging by their stiff demeanors they might as well be.

"What's that?" Luffy tilts a head.

"Don't try and talk your way out of it. Amazon, the inspector at Heaven's gate sent us this picture she took with a vision dial." The leader said.

"That's ridiculous! It must be a mistake, Captain McKinley!" Pagaya says, his voice nervous. "These people don't seem like criminals to me." He swares.

Sanji squints towards the others on the beach, "What's that about trespassers?" He asks while lighting a cigarette.

"The entrance fee was one Billion Extols. We didn't pay it, remember?" Robin assumes while watching the others.

Usopp gasps, growling at the thought. "But...she said we could pass!! That old snitch!"

Back on the beach, Captain McKinley stares harshly at the pirate. "No excuses, just accept responsibility. But there's no need to panic." Luffy and Pagaya sigh a bit, relived. "According to the Heaven's punishment statues, trespassing is only a class-11 offense. If you pay the fine, you can become legal tourists."

"Well why didn't you say so?" Sanji crosses his arms. "But what exactly is this punishment?"

"It's simple. Just pay ten times the entrance fee." Captain McKinley responds. "That would be 10 billion Extols each, or 80 billion Extols for all eight of you. If you pay up right now, you record will be wiped clean.

Usopp gasps, his mouth agape. "Seventy billion extols?! How much is that in Berries?"

Captain McKinley focuses as he calculates numbers in his head. "Berries...that Blue Sea currency? Let me see...there are 10,000 extols to one Berry."

"That's a fortune!!! We risked our lives to get here and now you want use to pay to stay?!" Sanji was in disbelief.

The Captains face grows stern once again, "It's your own fault! You should've just paid the original fee.

"It was too much!!"

Conis ignores the in favor of watching the waves, her attention being broken by the loud revving of a waver. In the distance, she could see you and Nami speeding towards the ship. The others dont seem to notice, however.

"I should warn you, we white Berets serve Gods Army, you'll only make things worse for yourselves if you resist." His voice was ominous.

"Um...sorry to interrupt, look." Conis pointed to the ocean, the others turning their gazes toward the sight of you and Nami.

"Huh?! Nami, (Y/N)! You're safe!" Nami screamed in relief. Nami revved the engine, making you hold onto her harder as she speeds towards the beach.

Thump

You jump, falling off the waver and into the sand, tumbling a bit before falling onto you back. "Huh? Sorry..." Nami sweats, Captain McKinley groaning underneath the Waver. You feel yourself be tugged upwards and into some ones back. You could immediately tell it was Luffy by the tight grip of his stretchy arms.

"Thank you for letting us use your waver, mister." Nami pulls it towards Pagaya, who sweats as he attempts to help the fallen captain. You pulled away from the worried man yet again as Nami takes Luffy by the shirt and pulls you both towards the ship.

"There's nowhere you can run! First you verbally abused us!" The captain stumbles up slowly. "That attack was clearly a case of obstructing a government official from performing his duties. A class-5 criminal offense!!" He snarls at the Merry, his nose bloody and face bruised.

"In the name of the God Enel, I declare you exiled to the clouds!!" Conis lets out a large gasp.

"Exiled to the clouds! That sounds nice." Luffy was still wrapped around you, his chin resting on your shoulder as he talks to Conis.

Conis shakes her head. "It's a death sentence, you'll be dropped onto an island cloud with no way to escape and you'll stay their until you're nothing but bones!"

Robin is somehow still smiling. "Ahh...that explains the ship that fell from the sky. That 200-year-old galleon. Maybe its crew was exiled to the clouds.

The Captain doesn't continue listening to Conic's explination. He yells for you all to be errested, his men drawing bows and aiming their arrows towards you. "Run!! Please, you can't fight them!" She screams desprately.

"Hold your tongue young lady! Or I'll have to charge you with aiding these criminals!" The captain declares, glaring at the already frightened girl. He turns his attention back towards his men, enforcing them to fire.

Your thrown away from Luffy, back towards where Nami was standing closer to the ship. He yells something to Nami about making sure you don't get heard before your whisked away. Sanji and Zoro don't waste time perusing the men, arrowing flying passed them that leave a long white cloud. Luffy avoids the substance by wrapping his arms around a palm tree and charging up punch after punch before knocking out a majority of the men.

Sanji and Zoro take out the rest, causal about the whole situation. "How much money do we have?" Luffy asks, landing back on the ground.

"50,000 berries in cash."

"That's all..." He groans, huffing at the sky. "Why are we so poor?! As you Captain, I have to say this--you guys spend too much money!"

"Most of it went to feed you!!" Sanji growls.

"You should've surrendered quietly." The captain stands up, smirking. "We're the friendliest law officers you'll find in Godland." He stares at the group, a strange unreadable emotion behind his eyes. "They won't be so gentle with you!"

"You're class-2 criminals now, make all the fuss you want. But God's Army in the upper yard will deal with you!" He booms.

Luffy giggles, his posture playful. "Oh well. We're used to being hunted." He giggles some more, taking a look at you and Nami. "Why'd you come back anyway? We were just about to have an adventure and look for you."

Nami sighs, waving her hand towards him. "You're a real genius, Luffy."

"We need to find a way out of here if we're technically fugitives." You ignore the two bickering as you contemplate a way to

Sanji nods, now standing near Conis. "Now that I think about it, we never gave any thought to how we'd get back." He adds. Conis thinks about it for a second, biting her lip in thought.

"It's very perilous, but there is a way down to the Blue Sea, you have to go down one level and sail to the far east of the white sea to a pace knowns as cloud's end. You'd have to cross a vast sea in the sky."

"What? So, we can't go home." Luffy gawks. Nami snorts, waving him away as she walks towards the ship.

"But isn't it just as dangerous for us to stay here? If we stay, we'll make trouble for you. They know where we are! Let's sail! Conis! Pagaya! Thanks for everything!" Nami walks away, waving to the kind family.

She makes it halfway to the ship before realizing that no one is following her. "Hey! Where are you going?"

"To get the food." Luffy pulls you towards the stairs leading to Conis home. You send Nami a sympathetic look as her and Zoro join the others on the ship.

---

"Are you the ship's carpenter, Usopp?"

Usopp shakes his head, "No, I'm the sharpshooter. We don't have a carpenter yet. But those guys depend on me for everything. I guess you could say I'm kind of like a second captain--"

Pagaya had walked away at that point, eyeing Sanji and his cooking. "Your arrangement of food is very artistic. What lovely colors." Sanji places some food in front of you, smiling at you.

"You seem hungry." You take the bento from him and place it on your lap as you shovel the rice in your mouth. Sanji blushes, only looking away when Luffy reaches over from his spot next to you to try and grab some food. "Hey! Hands off!"

Luffy sulks back next to you, watching as Conis moves into the room. "It's all so beautiful." She murmurs.

"Well, it all looks the same once it's in your belly." Luffy grumbles, hungry and bored. You've been back for barely an hour, and you haven't been paying attention to him at all. He couldn't pay attention to anything, not even Usopp moving towards the balcony.

"Hey, there's something going on out there!" He points towards the sea. "There's a ruckus on the ship!!" Sanji rushes over, Luffy quickly following him. You look at them, too concerned with your food to get up and look.

"Huh?! The ship's moving!!" Luffy squawks. Putting down your bento, you move to the balcony, nearly coughing on the food left in your mouth. The ship was moving fast through the clouds. You all watch in horror as the ship basically flies away.

"Where'd they go?" You turn to ask Pagaya. He gives you a solemn look.

"The special lobster express is one of the God's servants. Everything it carries off becomes an offering of the God." His face somehow becomes darker as he continues to explain. "It's headed to the northeast of the upper yard, to the sacrificial altar."

Your breath hitches, they're going to be sacrificed? That can't be true. While stuck in your disbelief, Sanji moves towards the man, clearly astonished. "You mean Nami, and the others are gonna be sacrificed?!" Pagaya look remains down.

"It's all part of heaven's punishment. Criminals either become sacrificial offerings or they undergo a challenge." He sighs. "Or so I've heard. They're in the Kami's power now. "Sacrificial offerings" they're hostages."

"The ones who are really being punished right now are you four." He pointed towards you. His explanation didn't make you feel any better, and all you could think about was your friends, the only people you had in this world, dying. It made your stomach turn and you slightly regret scarfing down Sanji's food earlier.

"If I had a map..." Pagaya mumbles, Usopp stopping him by handing the earlier obtained map. He looks at it for a second, before tracing his finger towards the back of the island.

"This is very old, but it looks accurate enough. This is our present location. The sacrificial alter lies to the Northeast. There's only one way to get there. Find a dial ship and follow the Milky Road through the forest where God's Army is." Usopp and the others conversed over how to get to the alter but you were to spaced out to notice or add anything. You mind kept wandering to the ship, to it being dragged away, to everything that has happened so far. You couldn't help but question everything, whether it was a dream or reality. It sure didn't feel real.

If it is, then you wonder why out of everyone, you had to get sent here.

"(Y/N)! Come on, we're leaving now." Luffy takes your hand, dragging you away before you could say a word.

---

"Why is everyone avoiding us..." Usopp says, watching the locals side eye him and the rest of the crew.

Sanji takes a drag of his cigarette; his back hunched a bit from all the supplies he's carrying. "They must know we're outlaws." Luffy simply smiles, holding your hand tight as you walk with him.

"This is great! The town center is totally empty!" Luffy looks over at you, your face emotionless, like you were somewhere else entirely. He pouts, waving his hand in front of your face to get your attention.

"Hello! (Y/N)?! Did ya hear what I said?" You snap out of your stupor, growing embarrassed at the concerned looks the others give you. You laugh awkwardly, looking away from their stares.

"Yeah, something about the town being empty." You voice was quiet, and it didn't quite convince Luffy. His pout grows deeper as you look away from him and try to get your hand out of his grasp.

"Luffy, you know you don't have to hold my hand everywhere, right?" His grip grows even tighter in response.

"I don't want you to run off again." He says like it was the most obvious thing in the world. The others don't seem fazed, their eyes locked ahead. You huff at Luffy, but he doesn't seem to care, awestruck at all the strange food and items in the stalls.

"Luffy! We're not here to shop!" You tell him.

He giggles, "Don't worry, Zoro's with them."

Sanji brows furrows, snarling at the captain. "You trust that guy to protect them?!" His cigarette nearly falls out of his mouth with the scream.

"Huh? What's that in the middle of the road?" Sanji groans at Luffy's clear ignorance of him.

In the middle of the road, there was a strange idol, Conis nodding as you all move closer to it. "That's a varse. To the inhabitants of the sky, it's an object of eternal admiration."

Luffy shivers. "Huh?! You guys' worship that thing?" Conis laughs.

"I suppose Blue Sea people wouldn't understand." She smiles as she points you to the wharves.

The people around you all stare silently as you move to the peers. Luffy gasps at all the different boats, begging Conis for anyone that looks cool. Sanji hits him on his head, blowing smoke in his face. "We're here to save Nami and Robin, you idiot! Stop being such a tourist!"

Eventually, you reach your ship, which was, strange to say the least. It was a long boat, the head being in the shape of a crow. "This is the Kara-Sumaru." Conis says. "I used to use it all the time before I learned how to ride a waver. It's not as fast as a waver, but it's got two wind dials."

"But...I like that one better." You kick Luffy's leg, causing him to quiet immediately. Conis quickly becomes embarrassed, a red blush adorning her cheeks as she waved her hands towards him.

"You...don't like it? I'm sorry but I don't have the money to rent that one for you."

"Don't worry Conis, this one's perfect." You attempt to reassure her, which she smiles at. Soon, her embarrassment shifts to a sterner expression.

"The way out is through gate two. You'll come out onto the Great Milky Road which will take you to Upper Yard. Then just keep to the road." She explains, a slight shake to her.

Luffy recovered from your kick quickly, turning to look at Conis with a hard expression. "Conis, ever since we left you house you've been shaking, how come?"

Conis's shaking intensified at the question, sweat beating down her face. It was like the world became silent instantly, the on lookers staring at the five of you intensely.

"You're all pale, if you were that scared, you should've said something." She didn't respond to his probing, looking away clearly nervous as he moved closer.

"I..I'm not..." She huffed out, stuttering. She took a second to collect herself, her words becoming clearer as she spoke. "Don't you think it's strange that I'd tell you how to get to the challenger and even lend you my boat." She looks up, staring Luffy in the eyes.

"It's almost as though I'm leading you to your doom."

"Hey!! Stop!! Are you insane." Someone in town said as Conis fell to her knees, sobbing.

"Please run away..."

She dug her nails into the ground.

"I'm sorry."

Your chest hurt.

"Stop!! What are you saying?!"

"I was the one who summoned the special lobster express!!" Conis admits, her sobs nearly overtaking her words.

No, that can't be true. Why would Conis do something like that. You hear Conis sniffle, wailing to the sky.

"If a citizen of Skypiea knows that someone is a criminal and doesn't lead him to the punishment site that citizen is killed!!

Luffy's nails dig into your hand, his grip hurting you it was so tight.

"Stop it!! Don't you realize what you're saying!!" Somone says.

"It's blasphemy!!"

"Grab that girl!!"

Conis covers her mouth to quiet her cries. "It's the duty of every citizen!! Please forgive me!!"

Luffy finally let's go of your hand, moving towards Conis with a strange determination. "You had no choice, right?! So why did you just tell us that?!" He grips her shoulders. "Now you're in trouble!!"

She doesn't respond, but the people around become erratic, spewing sickening words toward the poor girl. You're frozen in place, barely able to feel the buzzing around you. Taking a deep breath, Luffy grabs Conis and pulls her away from the beam of light.

You feel yourself be pulled into someone chest, your breathing erratic, the ringing in your ears preventing you from hearing anything. The only thing you can feel in the hand on the back of your head, cradling you as they scream something to someone else.

You're finally able to hear the flapping of wings before passing out.

---

You don't know where you are, everything is fuzzy.

"Dude, you're spacing out again." The person talking to you had no clear face, almost like it was obscured by something. You could hear them clearly, but your mind couldn't make them out.

"Come on, we need to be studying." You hear them say, ignoring them in favor of viewing your surroundings. You were in a bedroom, small but large enough to fit you and this other person. It was sunny, you could feel it on your skin, and for a second everything felt so real.

Until suddenly, your body doesn't feel right. You feel like you're floating in water as the mysterious person speaks inaudible words to you. You look down at your hands, they appeared to be floating through time. The longer you stared at them, the more they warped and bent.

You finally pay attention to the other person across from you. "(Y/N), you need to keep your head out of the clouds." They laugh, but it was more ominous than funny. "Eventually, you won't be able to find your way back."

You feel like you're falling, the world around you crumbling away into nothing as your heart sinks.

---

"When are they going to wake up..." Luffy watched your face, which was motionless as they speed down the Milkey Road.

Sanji stays focused on what's ahead of them, still very much concerned about you and your safety. He drags his eyes from the front to you, sighing as he relaxes a bit.

He moves closer to you, feeling your forehead and frowning at the shear cold he felt. He looks at Luffy, who's still staring intensely at you. "Luffy, get that blanket, they're freezing."

Luffy doesn't move for a bit, unable to take his eyes away from you. He felt like if he looked away for even a second, you'd be gone. He couldn't handle that. Regardless, he digs though his bag, pulling out a soft, blue blanket. There were a few ruffles at the ends, but overall, it was comforting. Luffy definitely thought so.

Luffy takes the blanket, holding it close for a few seconds before wrapping it around you. "Do you think they'll be okay?" Usopp wonders, looking nervously at you. He's been trying to avoid you sense you passed out, afraid off look at your near lifeless body. You looked so cold, so weak, like one small brush would cause you to shatter. He looks away before he can imagine anything worse.

"This boat is too slow." Luffy says, easing some of the tension.

"That can't be helped. It's a lot heavier than a waver, so don't expect too much." Sanji huffs, his hair blowing in the wind. As the move forward, trees upon trees towered over them, covering them in shadow.

"Well, there's a forest, but nothing like this." Usopp glared at the map as they sped into the strange forest.

Sanji's eyes traveled upwards, following the large trees into the sky. "Whoever owned that map lived 200 years ago, right? It may have been an old map even them. It'd take a thousand years for a forest to grow to that size."

Luffy gasped, steering straight towards the entrance. Various idols were decorated around the trees, adding a strange sense of fear into the hearts of most the crew. Ship parts were strewn about, torn in half by something, but Luffy didn't seem to care, fascinated by the sounds and sights all around him.

"Th-There's something out there!!" Usopp gasped. his eyes darting around from tree to tree. Luffy laughed at him, totally careless until the shifting grew louder.

"Faster!! Row!!" Usopp yells at Luffy as his face hardens. The boat speeds up as the wind around them wooshes, a large axe descending upon them. It swings back and forth, swiping through an already dilapidating ship, causing it to sink into the clouds.

"Look out!! There's another one coming!!" Luffy didn't have to order Sanji to row, him moving quickly before any more axes to come their way.

Sanji takes a quick look at you. You appeared undisturbed, your unchanging expression bringing him a small sense of ease. His eyes are dragged away from you as Luffy winds up his arm, angling it towards one of the large axes before launching them off of it. The fly forwards, falling far from danger as they continue to row away, an entrance far ahead of them.

"The entrance is way over there." Sanji says, heart beating quickly.

"Should we get off here?"

"Are you crazy?! We'll be killed!!"

"Maybe so." Sanji said, the sound of whooshing nearly drowning out his words. Behind them, a gigantic eel barrels towards them and Sanji wastes no time to send it flying when it gets too close.

"This Milky Road is bad news, if we hang around here, we're doomed. Looks like we have to keep going forward." Sanji lights another cigarette as they move forward.

About an hour passed before they reached another entrance. "Waah! A giant!!" Luffy points in front of them.

"That's just a statue Luffy." Usopp says as feels your forehead. You were still so cold. He takes the blanket and wraps it around you tighter, smiling as you slowly start to warm up.

"There are four entrances!! Does each one lead to a different place." In front of the pirates were four large opening, each with a different title leading to different directions.

"Challenge of the swamp, challenge of the iron, challenge of the string, challenge of the ball..." Usopp reads the aloud. Sanji reads the titles in confusion, while Luffy seems amused.

"Let's go with the ball! Doesn't that sound like fun!" He points.

"It's a challenge! It's not fun!" Sanji responds, growling at the smiling boy.

"I like ball too! It sounds the most harmless...I hope." Usopp shivers. Sanji groans, steering the boat towards the Challenge of the Ball.

"Oh well, it's decided. But stay alert, we're in the Upper Yard, 33,000 above sea level! Anything could happen!" Sanji says as they are all shrouded in darkness. Usopp grits his teeth, while Luffy squints his eyes.

"Huh what's this." Sanji's able to make out a small exit, the tunnel becoming brighter as they got closer. "Weren't there four entrances."

Luffy giggles, poking a shaking Usopp "One's right and the other's are wrong."

Usopp gasps, looking back at the giggling captain "What!? Don't tell me that now!! What if we chose the wrong one?!"

"If we're wrong, let's see...maybe we'll fall off the sky island." Sanji adds, which doesn't help Usopp whatso ever. He screams as they grow closer to the exit, the light nearly blinding them.

"It's 33,000 feet to the Blue Sea!!" They reach the outside with a woosh, and for a moment, everything was still. Until Usopp looked down and was met with the sight of a waterfall pooling into the clouds below them, and he screamed.

Sanji waits no time grabbing you, hoping you tight as they descend rapidly into the clouds. All he can hear is the screaming of his crewmates and his own bated breath as he holds onto you for dear life.

The clouds shot out around them as they land, the boat shaking at it attempts to balance itself. Sanji's chest heaves up and down, fear rushing through his veins as he takes a look at you. You looked unfazed, the blanket still around you. You were so peaceful, it almost made him forget about the situation they were in right now.

"This is all your fault, you idiot!!" He puts you down gently before kicking Luffy. Usopp sobs as he attempts to calm him breathing, while Luffy simply laughs, which fills Sanji with even more rage.

"Ha ha ha ha!! Ahh...that was scary! I thought I was gonna die." He's almost breathless as he giggles uncontrollably, Sanji rubbing the sole of his shoe deeper into the cheek.

The forest around them was covered in large, white balls, all floating in the air. "Wow!! They're like gigantic snowballs!" Luffy awes, moving away from the cook's foot. Sanji regains his composure, his brows ruffled at the sight. "What's the challenge supposed to be?!" Luffy asks as Sanji sits down next to you, deliberately lighting his cigarette in the opposite direction.

"Who knows? Maybe we're completely safe now. But I doubt it." Sanji mumbles.

At the answer, Luffy jumps up, a determined look on his face as he gazes towards Sanji. "Maybe we chose the right opening! Maybe if we'd chosen one of the others, we'd be in big trouble right now."

Usopp, seemingly recovered from his previous stupor, nods his head slowly. "Oh...yeah you could be right."

Sanji rolls his eyes at the two. "Don't let you guard down! They brought us here to punish us! There's sure to be danger." He blows out some smoke. "Use your head, it's bound to be some kind of trap."

"Stay alert and let's just keep moving forward." Sanji says. "I'll steer, you two keep a lookout on either side." He says as they travel higher and deeper into the jungle.

Sanji looks away for a second before Luffy and Usopp were goofing around, playing catch with one the balls near them while chewing on crackers. "You're supposed to be standing watch!!" Sanji spits at the two as they continue to toss the ball back and forth.

Suddenly, the ball bursts, a vicious snake wriggling towards Usopp, who cowers himself into a ball as Luffy kicks the snake away. He huffs in surprise as Usopp points a shaky finger towards another ball coming Sanji's way.

Sanji kicks the ball away "stupid balls!! Are they all floating snake nests?!" The ball, however, explodes upon contact, the three covered in ash. "These balls are booby-trapped!!" Sanji places his foot down angerly.

"Ho, ho, ho! You never know what's inside them!" They turn their head towards the voice.

"They're surprise clouds." The strange voice says again.

"Hey!! Who was that?!" Usopp mumbles as a large rotund man appears floating on a ball.

"Ho, ho, ho! Heso! You did well to choose my challenge of the ball!" The man begins to dance around on top his ball, angering Sanji and Luffy.

"Stop dancing around! Who are you?!" Sanji yells to the man, assumedly one of Enel vassals.

"Hey, dumpling! Nami and the others better be okay!" Luffy screams to the man, whose smile remains ever present.

"You mean the hostages? I don't know. They're as good as dead, even if they somehow manage to get off the altar. Every road here leads to death."

He hops around so more. "But you'd better worry about yourselves. You have to defeat me if you want to get out of here alive." He hops once more, an array of balls coming towards them.

"He's coming Luffy! Get him!" Usopp yells, Luffy nodding while winding up a punch.

"Ho! So, you can stretch!"

Luffy shoots out a pistol attack, the man dodging it easily. He extends his hand, a powerful blast exploding in Luffy's face. Luffy is pushed backwards, his back hitting a tree.

"Luffy?!"

"Luffy?! Hey, Luffy!! You're all right, aren't you?! No way a simple blow like that could hurt you!" Usopp begs for his friend to wake up, but he remains silent.

"A simple blow?" Steam blows off of the man's hand. "You're wrong there!"

Sanji grits his teeth "I'll show you wrong!!" He extends his leg towards the back of the man.

"Ho, ho!! Head kick, right leg" The man mumbles with a jolly voice as he places his hand on Sanji's face. "Mantra is a power granted only to the faithful."

An explosion goes off, and Sanji falls to the dirt. "Huh, Sanji!!" Usopp screams as he watches Sanji grow still, the man extending his arm towards him, blowing him off the ship.

Luffy recovers soon after Usopp is blown away. In a crazed state, he looks back towards the boat, you being the only one left. He snarls at the round man. "Sanji, Usopp!!." He screams, the two groaning in pain.

"...what is that guy?!" Sanji mumbles in pain as Luffy keeps his eyes locked on you. He can see your chest rise and fall, your nose scrunch up a little, even the twitch of your fingers.

"Ho! Ho! Ho! My name is Satori!! I'm one of the Vassals that serve the omnipotent God Enel!!" The man sings, dancing. "I rule over the varse in the forest of no return."

"No return!" Luffy stands.

"Yes. Your boat will be lost in the great forest." Luffy's heart stops as the boat containing your sleeping body float down the Milky Road.

"Hey!!" Luffy snarls, his fists tightening.

"It will roam this forest on the Milky Road until is eventually finds the only exit on its own." The boat floats away, out of sigh.

"Welcome to the forbidden sacred land, the Upper Yard. Ho! This is the Challange of the ball!"

"Luffy! We have to stop that ship!!" Usopp was now standing near him. Luffy doesn't respond which causes Usopp to chase after the ship.

"Wait, Usopp!!" Sanji yells to him.

"You two take care of the ship. Make sure (Y/N)'s okay." Luffy's voice was quiet as he cracks his knuckles. Sanji doesn't waste any time obeying his captain and running after you.

"Don't be reckless Luffy!! I'll come back as soon as we stop the ship!!' Sanji runs after you, Luffy winding up his arm in a circle.

Luffy stretches his arm towards the Satori, who dodges quickly and grabs onto him. Luffy screams as he's whooshed around, slamming headfirst into a tree, his arm extending back into himself.

"No need to rush. Take it slow and easy." Satori dances around, looking for the others.

"Now then, where are the other two? I won't let a single one get away!" He swings his head back and forth, eyeing the two other rushing the forest. "There they are!"

"Usopp, any signs of the boat! Sanji yells to Usopp who's on the branch of a large tree.

"There!! I see it!!"

"Give me directions!!"

It's straight ahead of you!! Climb the second tree! You should be able to jump from the branch to the ship!"

"Got it!!" Sanji leaps, grabbing on to the tree Usopp points him too.

Satori kicks one of the balls towards Sanji. "Sanji, watch out!! Ball coming your way!!" Usopp screams causing Sanji to look back. The ball zooms towards him, hitting the tree and ricochets off another tree, heading towards Usopp.

The ball doesn't explode, instead a flower blooms out of it, Usopp still falling off the tree in surprise.

Luffy jumps up toward Satori, throwing punch after punch at him. Many of the balls near Satori are pushed away by the impact, some exploding, while others turning into strange creatures. One of these balls becomes a giant eel, biting Luffy which causes him too nearly fall through the clouds before he grabs onto a vine.

Usopp slowly gets up as Luffy swings back towards Satori. "That's it! Now's the time to try out my latest invention!" Usopp flicks down his goggles, eyeing the boat. He shuffles through his bag, pulling out a strange belt that shoots a hook rope towards a branch.

It wraps around the branch, Usopp tugging it to make sure it was secure. "Perfect! It's a straight shot to the ship!!" He says to himself, before swingling towards the boat. He nearly makes it, "The rope is stuck to the belt. I can't drop down!!" Usopp swings back, stuck to the rope.

"Look, let's just forget this little incident. Now, are you two through monkeying around?!" Sanji takes a drag of the cigarette which was somehow still in his mouth.

"Yes!! I'm sorry!!"

"Won't happen again!!"

Sanji takes a breath. "We need to get back to the ship (Y/N) is still--"

Satori floats down, and explosion blowing Sanji back. Blood rushes out of Sanji's mouth, his cigarette no more. His eyes are blown wide as he falls to the ground.

"One down, two to go."

---

The smell of ash was the first thing you smelled when you awoke.

You slowly sit up, the blanket that was wrapped around you falling from your shoulders.

You were covered in black ash, the blanket losing its blue color.

"My blanket." Was the only thing you could say, your mind still slightly hazy. You swipe some ash off, giving up when it seemingly sticks onto the blanket.

You don't remember finding it, maybe one of the others found it and gave it to you?

Wait, where is everyone. You look around you were alone on a strange boat. Crawling on your knees, you peer over the edge, coming face to face with the Milky Road.

You realized that the boat was speeding down the road, your friends nowhere to be seen. Your heart quickens as you look around the boat for a sign, nothing other than ash left.

"Luffy!!" You cup your hands around you mouth, screaming. "Sanji!! Usopp!! Where are you!!"

Tears stream down you face as no one answers. The forest remains quite as you continue to scream.

"Please!! Anyone!! Where are you?!"

---

A large dragon made from the balls of clouds towers over the pirates. They lay on the ground, defeated and groaning in pain.

"You might as well give up!! I am a vassal. I know no rival!!" Satori lets out a manic laugh.

"I-I can't go on!! I've had too many scares...my heart won't hold up!!" Usopp was bruised and beaten, his words grating as he speaks.

"You're out of options. Soon your precious ship will be out of the forest!! And then, it will be over!! Ho! Ho!"

"That's not going to happen!!" Luffy stands, extending a punch towards the dragon. It charges after him, Luffy running up a tree and grabbing onto a string right above the dragon.

"Oh!! I get it...this thing's being controlled with a string!!" Luffy snaps the string, Satori howling in shock as he's unable to control the dragon. Using the piece of the sting still attached to the dragon, Luffy pulls the dragon towards Satori, a large explosion rattling through the woods.

Satori takes a breath as he watches smoke travel through the forest. Pieces of wood around him were scorched, heat billowing around them.

"Man, that was close." Luffy mumbles.

"Huh?! You're alive?!" Satori screams.

"Hang onto him Luffy!!! Don't let that lumpy loser out of your grip." Sanji was sitting on one of the balls, Satori growling at him.

"Sanji, you're alive?"

"Barely! You almost killed me with that explosion!!"

"Hey, you guys!! Not fair!! Cowards!! It's two against one!!"

Luffy wraps his arms around Satori, keeping him locked in place as he wobbles about.

"You kidnapped my friends, without warning--made the cute angles cry and tried to kill them! So, you tell me who's the coward." Sanji snarled as he stood.

Luffy lets out a giggle at the man's struggle, his grip tightening. "Being able to predict out moves must be pretty handy in a fight. But it won't do you any good if you can't get out of the way!! Hee, hee!!"

Satori gulps in fear. "Stop!! You fools!! Don't you know what you're doing?! I am a vassal! I serve God! Let go!!" The two were silent, the only sounds being Satori's whimpers.

"Luffy!! Sanji!! Usopp!!" Satori went silent as his attacker's eyes went wide. It was a distant sound, but the two recognized it loud and clear. It was your voice, yelling for them. You were awake.

Luffy's grip becomes painful as Sanji's foot plummets into his face, a sickening crack reverberating through the woods as he falls to the ground.

A crater forms around Satori, his body motionless. Luffy snarls at the man, his chest heaving up and down as your voice rings in his ears. He watches as Sanji grinds his shoe deeper into the man, feeling no remorse when he whimpers in pain.

"Luffy!! Sanji!! I found the boat!! Hurry!! It's about to leave the forest!!" Usopp pants. Luffy spares one last glace towards Satori before rushing towards Usopp.

"Guys!! Grab onto my body!! The boat is heading towards the exit!!" The grab onto him, Luffy wrapping his arms around Usopp in a tight embrace.

"Guys!!" You wave your arms towards them as a rope wraps around the neck of the bird. You watch as the three are flung around, all of them landing on top of you, groaning in pain.

"I'm glad you're okay..." You mumble.

Luffy shoots up instantly wrapping his arms around you as he wails into your shoulder. "I thought you were a goner!! I'm so happy you're okay!!" You hug Luffy tears escaping your eyes as you smile wide.

When Luffy lets you go, Sanji extends a hand to your forehead, "how are you feeling?" His voice is low, it sends shivers down your spine.

"Fine..." Sanji takes a second before putting his hand down, nodding.

"You were cold when you passed out, but you warmed up considerably." He blows out some smoke. "You should keep that blanket on you, just in case."

Oh yeah, the blanket. "Where did you find it? I lost it ages ago?"

Luffy giggles, snuggling up next to you. "I took it."

"Why?" You look at him, his face was calm.

Luffy shrugs. "I wanted it." You realize you weren't going to get much out of him, so you end the questioning there. It's just good you have your blanket back.

"(Y/N) ...you were asleep for a while...are you sure you're, okay?" Usopp asks and you nod. You didn't want to tell them about the dream, afraid of how they'd react. Honestly, you didn't think you could describe it to them. You'd rather keep it to yourself until you figure out what it meant.

---

The sight in front of you was that of a large field, filled with flowers. Upon closer inspection, they weren't flowers at all, they were skull on top of poles, which sent dread through your body.

You watch the skulls, flinching when one cracks, a bullet passing through one. You and the others duck as a group of men duck and twirl over you. Luffy deflects a bullet, it exploding in the air near one of the men.

"Those are the same masked guerrillas we saw on the white sea!!" You yell, Luffy growling at the man with the bazooka.

"Hey! What's the big idea?! You don't want to mess with us!!" The man lays his bazooka across his shoulder.

"So, you're the ones. The Blue Sea people who are shaking thing up in Skypiea. If you value your life, go back to the Blue Sea." The man's look becomes dark as he looks away. "If you insist on interfering on this island, we'll erase you along with Enel."

"Is that a threat?! Bring it on baldy!!"

"No, stop!! Don't say another word!!" Usopp begs Luffy/

"Of course, that assumes you're even strong enough to get off this island." He and his fellow men whoosh away into the forest, Luffy sitting back down angerly.

"Just who are those guys?!"

"Whoever they are, they aren't friendly with that God Enel guy. And they sure don't seem friendly to us! Let's keep moving." Sanji says as they steer forward.

---

It didn't take too long before you finally reached the alter with all your friends. With the help of Sanji, you made it back onto the boat, it being in complete disarray. Parts of it was burned and the mast was completely gone.

"Oh, Usopp! I'm sorry. I tried to stop him. But there was a big fire...I did what I could." Chopper cried.

Usopp shook his head. "Did you take care of your wounds?"

"Huh?" Chopper tilted his head.

"A burning spear is serious business!! I'm just glad you didn't get burned to a crisp. A mast can always be replaced, but we can't replace you."

"Oh..."

"Speaking of wounds, (Y/N) needs a checkup, Chopper." Sanji leads you towards the reindeer. He jumps at the sight of you, nervous and covered in ash.

"Oh! What happened!!" Chopper takes your hand, but you stand still as he tries to pull you.

"I'm fine, I just got scared and passed out." You smile at him. "There's bigger things to worry about right now." Chopper lets go of your hand, albeit slowly, patting the back of it before moving towards Luffy.

"Chopper!! Where's the weird old guy? Didn't you say he was badly injured?" Chopper lights up.

"Yeah!! The sky knight!!" Chopper leads the crew into the medical room, the sky knight laying on a cot, unconscious.

"All because he gave us a whistle and came back to help us. If the sky knight hadn't come, the ship and I would be goners." Chopper reminisces solemnly. Luffy crouches down next to the knight, messing with his beard. The Sky Knight's bird was watching his owner with a look that made even you feel bad.

"There're lot of things I wanna ask him, but let's wait until he's awake." Sanji takes a quick look at the bird. "You too, thanks."

Sanji takes his hands out of his pockets, wiping his hands together with a deep breath. "Well, we're not going to fix the ship tonight, so returning to angle island will have to wait till tomorrow."

You all walk out of the medical room, Sanji pointing toward the forest. "Let's go set up camp by the lakeside Should anything happen, it'll be easier to fight there." Luffy shoots up in excitement.

"Yahoo!! Yes!! We're going camping!!" It was nice seeing everyone being so normal, especially after everything that's happened. You watch as Luffy goofs around with Chopper and Usopp, not noticing Robin taking a spot next to you.

"You should really get checked up; you look sick." You jump at the sound of her voice, laughing nervously at her concerned look.

"I think I'm just hungry." You reply.

"Well then, let's go eat." Robin takes you hand and pulls you towards the land. Her hold was strangely constricting, like she was trying to keep you as close as possible. Her hold let up as you got to your camping spot, Sanji already cooking, motioning you over to cry some.

---

"Attention! Everyone, thank you for your reports!! Many things are becoming clear thank to the data." You chew on a skewer as Usopp continues his tirade. You've all spent about an hour listening to the others recount what they've been doing while the four of you look for them. The one that stood out particularly, was Robin detailing her finding a dilapidated city deep in the jungle. "It turns out this island is the very "El Dorado" that the monkey mountain allied force was searching for!!"

"No kidding?!" Luffy spit out his food at the revelation.

"I told you earlier!!" Nami shouts at him.

Luffy swallows a large gulp of meat. "A city of gold, huh? Now this is the kind of adventure I've been waiting for." He stands up, wiping his hands on his pants. "Alright!! let's find that gold!!"

You sigh at Luffy's exuberances, placing down the stick from your now finished skewer. "Okay, well then we should get previsions for tomorrow." You announce. "Some of you should go and get some more food, we should also boil some water..." You list things off one by one, the others getting to work.

---

Instead of helping, Luffy decides he'd be the one to watch the water boil instead of help. He lays on the ground close to the fire, groaning as it continues to bubble.

"Man! This is so boring!" He rolls over dramatically.

"You don't have to watch the pot, stupid. When there's enough distilled water in the bowl pour it into the flask." Sanji chops away at some vegetables. "That's all you have to do. We need water tomorrow, enough for each one of us." He directs as Chopper and Zoro get back from collecting food.

You listen to the chatter of the crew as you help put food away into boxes. You huff, sweaty and exhausted, still tired from passing out earlier. You wipe your forehead with your hands, Zoro giving you a strange look as he walks by.

"You good?" Zoro raises a brow at you, his frown deepening when you nod.

"I'm fine." You say, you're voice stilted. "When does everyone think I'm not fine."

"Maybe because you look like you're going to pass out again." You role your eyes, picking up a hammer to seal the box before Zoro takes it away from you, smirking when you grow frustrated.

"You can get the hammer back when you go rest." He saunters away, the hammer tight in his hands. You gape at him, staring at the back of his head with a stupid look.

"Zoro, come help cook the stew." He groans at the sound of Sanji's voice, placing the hammer in one of his pockets before walking towards him.

"My swords aren't made for this!" Zoro was steaming a rock over a fire, his brows furrowed as he places the stone into the stew.

"Huh?! We're eating rocks too!?" Luffy stares as Sanji covers the pot.

"As if! This is "Hot Rock Stew!"" The pot sizzles. "The heat from the hot rocks cooks the stew. When you cook this way, the ingredients keep more their nutrients."

You take a seat next to Nami, who was drawing a map on a log. "Alright everyone!" Nami yells as everyone gathers around her. "Ready? First a review of Noland's picture book. He first discovered El Dorado 400 years ago. Several years later when he returned to Jaya, not a trace of gold was to be found."

Food is passed around, Chopper handing you a blow of stew with a smile. "In other words, during those few years, this island, which is the fragment of Jaya wound up in the sky."

"On the knock up stream?" You mumble, Nami nodding.

"Yes, that's the only explanation. Cricket said that the location of the underwater explosion differs each time. An explosion like that would send any island flying."

"It's just hard to image this insanely huge forest is the same forest we saw on Jaya." Zoro says with a mouth full of food.

"That's probably due to the difference between "sea clouds" and "Island clouds." It sems that there's something about the environment that of the Skypiea that has the power to rabidly speed up the growth of fauna and flora." Robin explains.

"The south birds which save us were huge too." Chopper extends his arms out wide for emphasis.

"About that...why did the south birds save you guys." Sanji asks.

"I don't know. Maybe it's related to everyone calling the sky knight "God."" Zoro chokes on his food while Luffy gapes at Chopper.

"God!" Luffy points as the Sky Knight laying on the medical bed. "So, we just need to beat up that old man?!"

"No Luffy!" You yell at him.

Nami ignores Luffy's screaming. "Noland also mentioned "Gold Ingots shaped like a bell" and south birds."

Robin nods. "And on the last page was scrawled a seemingly nonsensical sentence supposedly the last thing Noland wrote before he died. I saw gold in the skull's right eye."

Nami nods quickly, "That's it!!" She pulls out a paper. "Look at this!! I rescaled a map of Jaya that Robin picked up and paired it with an old map of Skypiea. It's an approximation, but when you line up the house of the seashore..."

She lines both the maps up, them linking together to form one large island. "This is the shape of Jaya four hundred years ago." You mumble.

You think for a second, gasping and pointing at the map. ""The right of the skull", Noland was talking about the shape of the entire Island." You say, Usopp gasping.

Nami smiles, pointing at you. "But there's only half an island left, so it's no wonder the mystery couldn't be solved."

"Treasure!!" Luffy jumps up, yelling towards the sky.

"Tomorrow, we can head straight for this point. We can't just abandon the ship so we should divide into two teams!!:

Nami smirks, clearly dreaming of the berries she could get. "Make no mistake!! A vast treasure trove of gold awaits us!!!"

---

The others celebrate the discovery by bonfire, the sun completely set at the only sounds being those of bugs and celebration.

You sat farther away, fighting off sleep. "Why don't you go celebrate with them."

The Sky Knight was finally awake, his body covered in a cloak. You shrug at the man. He gives you a strange look you try and ignore as he sits down next to you.

"I overheard you meeting earlier. I understand this island was once called Jaya. In Skypiea this place is called "sacred ground." Do you know why?"

He takes a handful of dirt. "For you all, this land is something you take for granted. But here in the sky this shouldn't even exist. Things can grow on island clouds, but they can't be born there. Greenery and soil don't normally exist in the sky."

"We call this varse." You gape at him, your eyes wide as you watch the dirt fall back onto the ground.

The old man takes a look at you, the same strange one from earlier. "You're not from this world, are you?"

---

#yandere x reader #soft yandere #platonic yandere #one piece x reader #one piece strawhats #yandere one piece x reader #yandere one piece #straw hats x reader #yandere strawhats #one piece

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