Peace And All Else

(affirming myself in the mirror) if that fictional man was real he would fuck you. He would fuck you. You're his exact type. If he saw you he'd get a boner instantly. He would fuck you he would fu

Let's Go Fishing!

Adashino x reader x Ginko (can be read as platonic or romantic)

You and the boys take a dip in the river. When you're half yokai and have inhuman reflexes, a few fishes aren't a problem for you.

Summer heat was the worst heat.

Second only to the heat of drought-dried reeds going up in flames and the burning tinder of beloved houses, the summer heat pressed down upon everything, rendering the far-off mountain tops into hazy, quivering mirages. Your yukata stuck to your skin uncomfortably as you shifted from your spot on the wooden floor. The rhythmic pounding of Ginko’s mortar and pestle sounded through the air and you groaned, turning your head to look at him.

“How can you stand to work in this heat?”

“‘M used to it,” he grunted. “One time I went with a guy to chase down a rainbow. This was during that heatwave we had a while ago so we had to travel during the hottest time of the day to catch up to the rainclouds.”

“Yikes,” you muttered. “Can’t imagine doing that at all.”

Ginko tilted his head, one single emerald eye looking at you through the haze of his cigarette smoke. “Then what’d you do during the heatwave then?”

You grinned lazily at him, swiping the sweaty baby hairs off your forehead. “Why I slept, of course! I’d find some river bank, a nice shady tree, and I’d sleep in its branches.”

“Wish all of us would have that luxury,” he grunted, lifting the pestle and tapping it against the side of the marble pestle. Fine golden grains shifted around as he tilted it into a vial, carefully scraping the powder into it with a stiff reed. Once done, he plugged it up with a cork and searched for something around him. Spotting your lazy form sprawled out where you were, he pointed to a stack of labels next to you.

Ginko pointed at them. “Hey, can you hand me those?”

A flick of your fingers summoned a gust of wind, sending the paper fluttering past you and toward the Mushishi. They danced around his form and he deftly plucked them from the air, swiping a brush and ink from his cabinet and popping the ink bottle open. With a deft hand, the mystery vial soon received a label as he wrote it on the paper you sent.

“What’s that?” You hummed.

“Pollen from flowers that the Usobuki frequent,” Ginko hummed. The familiar name was that of the butterfly mushi he told you about, one that would make those afflicted by it fall asleep with it until a false spring started. 

It was the same one responsible for the summer and spring that he went missing in when you search until your feet bled and your voice gave out from yelling his name. So hearing that he was dealing with it again made your hackles raise, a dangerous look on your face.

Ginko didn’t notice, too busy tucking the bottom away into his little medicine cabinet. “The mushi itself puts people to sleep but I discovered that if a small dose of the flower pollen is taken with water, it could be an effective sleep remedy, especially for mushi-related problems.”

“I see.” The thought of a sleeping draught sounded appealing because, despite all the jokes you make about naps, any semblance of sleep for you was haunted by memories you’d rather forget. You opened your mouth, almost tempted to ask him for a bit but hesitated.

Ginko glanced at you, a verdant eye picking up the expression on your face. “Hm?”

“I–”

The shoji door slammed open, Adashino behind it using his foot to move the screen. “Drinks here.”

You did a complete shift, hiding your turmoil as you cheered and flipped over to your front, thin yukata riding up to what would’ve been an indecent length if you were an upstanding citizen in society. Adashino didn’t say anything but groaned as he set down the tray and sat next to you. Ginko snuffed out the cigarette, allowing the smoke to waft away so it wouldn’t bother you before shuffling closer. Though it still lingered on his person as he sat down with you and Adashino, it thankfully didn’t bother you like usual.

The dark-haired man took off his lens and began polishing the circle of glass.“I knew it would get hot so I put some amazake in to chill in the icebox. There’s also ice in there too.”

“Thanks, Adashino! Maybe we can have some cold soba later then.” Propping your head up in one arm, you reached for the cups filled with the fermented rice liquid as the other did too. The creamy, sweet taste of the drink filled your mouth as you took a sip and you sighed happily. “Ahh, Ginko, what’s the use of going at each other’s throats about who’s doing what in the heat when it’s Adashino who’s the privileged one? He’s got a nice big house and an icebox of all things.”

“Being a doctor, and living by the waterfronts has its perks,” Adashino replied dryly. “I do say that you two are always welcomed to stay here.”

Ginko simply took a pointed, obnoxious sip of his rice drink, letting the noise draw out in the hazy air. You snorted and Adashino shot a dirty look at you both. Quiet filled the hot air as everyone settled down to enjoy their drinks, accompanied by the sounds of nature around you all. Every breath you took filled your lungs with uncomfortable warmth and you cursed the neverending sun.

The calmness of the summer day brought back long-faded memories of your mother teaching you how to fish in the stream, helping fight off the heat and simultaneously bringing food home for the day. The thought of cooling down made you give a wistful sigh as you finally sat up. “I could go for a dip right now…”

Then the thought hit you and you gasped, sitting up straigh and making the other two look at you with startled–if not slightly irritated–expressions.

You pushed your sweaty hair back from your face, eyes alight in excitement. “The fishermen should be done for the day, right? Then we won’t be bothering anybody if we go to the river to cool off then. You also said you wanted to get some fish for later so I can catch some too.”

Ginko raised his eyebrow. “We don’t have a boat though.”

“I can swim,” you volunteered excitedly. “I would love to be in the water right now.”

Adashino leaned back on his arms, a thoughtful look on his face. “Hmmm… I think that’ll be alright. Besides, I won’t mind spending a little time in the water.”

You popped to your feet excitedly, eagerness overtaking the sluggish haze of the heat.

“Come on! My mom–I was taught how to fish when I was younger. With the fish that the Suiko’s body brought in, I can promise we’ll have fish in no time.”

“The river is calm this time of year…” Adashino agreed. “I wouldn’t mind soaking my feet for a while.”

Both of you turned your expectant gaze onto Ginko, who gave a long-suffering sigh and knocked back the last dredges of his drink before slamming the wooden cup back down onto the tray. “Never say I don’t do anything for you two.”

Cheering, you swooped down to gather up the cups into the tray to whisk them away, prancing ahead of the males as they slowly got up from their spots. The sun beat down upon you again as you moved to the front of the house to wait for them. Thankfully, you stood under the engawa so most of the heat was kept off as you fixed your yukata.

“Hurry up, you two!!!”

“Coming.”

In a few short moments, both Ginko and Adashino joined you, the latter with a woven straw hat on his head as he handed a shallow basket to the white-haired man. The three of you made your way down the path to Adashino’s residence, greeting the occasional villagers who passed by. It wasn’t a long walk to the beach, but the three of you opted for a detour to a more secluded area by the river deeper into the forest. But that meant that by the time you reached your destination, sweat had begun to stain your dark yukata. Maroon was not a good color in the heat, no matter how much you liked the color.

“At last,” you sighed, flopping down on the grass beneath a dappled shade of a tree.

“Tell me why we like to go here when we have a perfectly good beach at a much shorter distance?” Ginko sighed as he set down the basket.

“We’d roast alive if we went out there in this sun,” Adashino replied.

You sat up, sharp eyes scanning the water and spotting the almost imperceptible flickers of scales underneath the surface. A sharp grin spread over your face as you stood up, pulling up your sleeves and rolling them back. “Water’s shallower here and the fishes like to stay in the coverage. I can catch them easier.”

Closing your eyes, you took a deep breath, sighing out deeply as your fingers came up to press over the lids of your eyes. The telltale smell of ozone filled the air as your magic activated. For a moment, your full visage was revealed and you heard Ginko and Adashino shifting behind you. Black fox ears flashed into existence, hung low on either side of your head, a flicker of unearthliness surrounding you. Then they disappeared. With any other person you would not have allowed the thought of letting your true appearance show, but your trust in the two males was unshakable. You knew there was nothing that would make them betray your trust out of their own free will.

A moment passed and then you took your fingers away from your eyes, turning around to blink at the two as the golden glow faded away from your eyes. 

“Everyone okay?”

“What did you use your magic for?” Ginko asked.

You kicked your sandals off. “To keep the debris out of my eyes.”

Keeping an eye on the river in front of you, you began stepping into the cool flowing waters. Before you can get far, your shoulder was grabbed and you jolted.

“Wait.”

Ginko had walked in after you, his face serious. A single, piercing green eye looked into yours.

You tilted your head. “Yes?”

“How are you sure it’s safe?”

Realizing his concern for what it was, you relaxed and gave him an easy smile, hand raising up to pat the one on your shoulder. “I’ve gone into this part of the river before during worse conditions. In fact, this part is one of the safest areas of the river, I made sure of it before showing it to you guys.”

You had met a local river yokai around here to help it save some of the members of its family. A grateful family, a game of stone skipping, and a favor later ensured that this area would be in their blessing and be safe for you and those you brought with you.

Despite your reassurances, his eyes roved over the still surface behind you. “Hm.”

“I’ll be fine, Ginko. I’m a very good swimmer,” you said, patient with him as you shared a look with Adashino. Though you weren’t there for the event itself, you had arrived just days after the event with the Suiko had gone down and had heard Io’s story in its entirety. The race to catch a girl who swam with the swamp and bountiful fish that lasted till this day. You were also there in the aftermath with Adashino, seeing Ginko’s haunted looks as he regarded the waters around him.

No matter how hard he tried, he could not hide his demons from one who was considered a half-demon too.

“If anything happens, I’ll shout for you alright? I won’t go far.”

“We can stick in the shallows, Ginko. Just in case,” Adashino said from his spot leaning up against the tree. “There isn’t anything large in these waters so we’ll be the most dangerous fish around.”

Ginko finally let go of you, sighing. “Be careful.”

You short him a reassuring grin, turning to wade deeper into the water. Your dark yukata spread out around you, wine red against the sparkling water. Behind you, you heard the two splashing around against the shore, but they did not follow you. Slowly, the water rose to waist level, and then a bit more. You went out until you reached the middle of the river, treading water as you turned around.

“I’m going down now. Get the basket ready!”

There was an affirmative call and you waited until you saw Adashino fetch the item, giving you a nod from across the bank. Giving the two males a wave, you took a deep breath and dove under the water.

The world silenced, cutting away into the dull, muffled noise of water rushing overhead. You drifted in the peace for a moment before opening your eyes.

Another world greeted you, blue-tinted and sparkling with sunbeams filtering down from above. It fluttered with the creatures down here, a dance of life.

You wondered if this was what Ginko saw when he talked of the Koumyaku, the glittering, living river of light.

A silver streak flashed by the corner of your vision and you snapped your head to it. A school of fish, unaware of the danger now within their mist. A slow grin stretched across your face, teeth losing their human flatness as your heart picked up in anticipation of the hunt. 

Thank you for this offering.

Like the silt of the river, your illusion slipped away in the flowing streams of the water. Your dark form sliced through the water, chasing after the fish. Nails, too sharp to belong to a normal human, swiped at glittering, silver-scaled bodies and snatched them up faster than they could react. Once you hand a handful of squirming fish by the tails, you shot off towards the bank. Surfacing with a gasp and a splash, you waved at them with the fish dangling from your grip.

“Hey! I got them!”

“Bring them in!”

You began kicking off towards the pair, slower now that you had to rely mostly on your legs. Adashino and Ginko began wading out to meet you too and a brilliant idea hit you. As your toes touched the bottom of the river, you reared back a fish in hand as the remainings were moved to your other one.

“Catch!”

Adashino’s eyes widened as the fish went sailing through the air. He yelped, lunging forward with his basket to let the fish flop down into it. Thankfully, Ginko’s hand snapped out to grab him by the back of Adashino’s yukata and his quick action prevented the dark-haired man and the fish from toppling down into the water. But unfortunately, that still soaked the entire front of his clothes

Adashino glared at you, front of his blue yukata now dripping. “Hey!”

“Oops–Sorry!” You laughed, totally unrepentant as you waded closer. The rest of the fish–thankfully–was gently placed into the basket. You faced both of them, hands on your hips as you regarded the pair. “It’s only a bit of water, y’know. It’ll help you cool off more if anything.” 

A drop of water trailed down your face from your dripping wet hair right after that statement.

“Yeah, yeah,” Adashino grumbled as he moved to hang the basket from the branches so it could trail in the water. That freed up his hands to fix his water-laden yukata, futilely wringing the fabric.

“Heh, heh. You can’t deny it does feel nicer though…” You turned to Ginko, who immediately picked up the shift in your person.

His lidded eye widened, taking a step back.

You launched at him, hands outstretched and water spraying out behind you as you splashed toward the male.

“Hey, hey, hey, hey leave me alone—”

“Adashino catch him! He’s the driest out of all of us!!”

“Adashino don’t you dare.”

Your bright laughter and splashing filled the air as the three off you ran around the quiet alcove meant just for you three and you were grateful to have another day like this with them.

Omg this is so good I love it

Could I request Kazuki and Rei with a female doctor reader who specializes in making medicine and poisons?

Kazuki & Rei + Doctor reader

The bell over the door to Kyutaro’s shop chimed as you walked in. Seeing the owner behind the bar, as usual, greeting you with a soft smile. “Good evening [Y/N]-san.”

“Good evening Kyutaro-kun,” you reply back. “Where are they?”

“In the back.” His head ticked over toward the kitchens where usually no one was allowed. “I couldn’t have them bleeding all over the place in case real customers came in.”

“That’s fair.”

You head towards the back with your bag and open the door to find Kazuki & Rei sitting there on boxes of produce. “Good Lord, what happened to you two.”

“Job went south.” Rei muttered. What looked like a frozen bag of peas nestled against his face.

“It got a little off track.” Kazuki corrected. Trying to put his usual positive spin on things, even if his head was bleeding and he was clearly going to have a shiner in the morning. “The job was fine. Our exit was the part that went array. We fell out a window.”

“You fell out a window. I got pulled down with you.” Rei’s turn to correct the story of events.

You let out a sigh and open up your bag. “Well, at least your both still alive I suppose.” You start removing your instruments and supplies out of the bag on Kyutaro’s prep table before turning to ask, “who wants to go first?”

Kazuki volunteers. Like a usual good sport. His head wound was mostly superficial. They just tend to bleed a lot. He chatted all through his stitches and gladly offered up his arms when you when to deal with his cuts.

Rei on the other hand…..

“You really gonna fight me on this?”

“I’m fine.” He muttered as he sat motionless on his produce box seat.

“You have a busted shoulder.” You tell him. As if he didn’t know. “I can tell you have a partial dislocated shoulder. And your favoring your left side when you lean, so I take your ribs are cracked too. Plus your bleeding.” Rei glared at you, while Kazuki muttered ‘that’s amazing’ behind you. “Come on Rei. This will go a lot easier if you just let me do it.”

He seemed to want to protest further, but then relaxed. Or as much as Rei could relax; particularly in his injured state. You shuffle forward on your knees and wrap your arms around him. “Deep breath now.” You whispered in his ear. Feeling his chest expand & exhale before you wretched his shoulder back in.

It’s a very painful process. But the only sound that Rei  made was a choked sort of noise in his chest in response. You pull back and take a look at his face. “Want me to wrap your ribs now?” Rei didn’t say anything, but started to slowly remove his suit jacket and shirt to give you access.

“It’s always incredible how you do that.” Kazuki said behind you. Getting your attention. “He never lets anyone do this for him. Not even me sometimes. Really speaks to how good of a doctor you are, [Y/N]-chan.”

You smile at Kazuki before turning back to your current patient. “It’s about trust.” You look up at Rei and catch his gaze. Unmoving and unwavering, but also not unsympathetic to what you just said.

You carefully wrap some bandages around his ribs and let him put his shirt back on. “Ok. I’ll call you guys in a few days to see how it’s going. If you feel any discomfort or abnormal symptoms, call me.” You keep your instructions clear as you pack up your bag. “You might feel fine now, but when the adrenaline full wears off you’ll be in a world of hurt. Let me give you something to take the edge off so you can sleep.”

The syringe in your hand glinted in the light and Rei turned even paler than usual. You would have thought he was instantly cured with the way he bolted out of the kitchen, and potentially out of the bar. “Still hates needles, eh?”

“He’s a weird guy.”

Kazuki took his shot like a champ, and was cheeky enough to ask for a lollipop. “Try not to kill yourself next time.” Your offer as a consolation prize of advice, and finish packing up.

You wave goodbye to Kyutaro on your way out, telling him to send your pay to the usual place, before you head home. Though you liked seeing the boys, you hoped you didn’t have to see them for a very long time.

Comfort. I started this art piece sometime last year and never finished it and finally got it colored and shaded the other night. I'll probably do a Virus Moon version later and also one like my other piece where the Y/N apperence can be changed, but alas

You can download this in HD for Free on my Patreon

I started making this earlier but got distracted and forgot but this was the first thing that popped up in my mind LMAO. Killer is not paid enough to deal with this poor guy

Opposites of Attraction, Chapter 2

18+ MDNI | on Ao3

The other chapter

Thank you to @nocturnalrorobin and @limitlesstildil for beta-ing this work!!

Your POV

“ - and so this Squirt is comin’ on board. Any problems and I’ll dump her overboard,” Kid yelled out to the assembled crew. He’d finally released you from his arm and demagnetized your lips now that the ship was sailing on the open water.

“No you won’t,” you said with disinterest, looking around at the ship past the assembled crew. You were familiar with some of them from wanted posters - Wire, Heat, Quincy, Emma, as well as some others you thought you recognized but weren’t sure. 

“Heh, don’t tell me what I will or won’t do. I’m the Captain here -”

“You gave yourself the nickname ‘Captain,’ doesn’t make you one,” you said dryly, now walking away from Kid and towards the mast for further inspection. Kid went red up to the tips of his ears.

“It’s not a nickname you fuckin’ bitch! This is my ship-”

“Then why’s it in quotes on your wanted posters and no one else's? Eustass ‘Captain’ Kid?” you smirked at him, making air quotes. You weren’t looking at him anymore though, you were more interested with the metal on the ship. You reached out to touch the steel-plated mast. Shitty quality , you thought to yourself. Now Kid’s chest was red too. You wondered if you could turn him red from the top of his ears down to his feet. Maybe he’d run out of blood before then and die - it was a theory you’d like to test.

“Besides, you can’t throw me overboard. I would fuck your shit up before you got the chance,” you said, now touching the shitty iron. Damn, what did they pry this off of? A kid's sandbox?

“Yeah, and how? I control -” 

“You control magnets but I control the metal,” you said with a grin, flipping him off with one hand. Still touching the metal on the mast, you added significantly more (and better quality) steel to what was already there. You used your power and a little creativity to shape it into a giant sized hand giving Kid the middle finger.

“Good likeness,” Killer said, giving you a thumbs up.

“Thanks Killer! I’m okay with sculptures, but -”

“You like it so much, you can fuckin’ stay there!” Kid yelled, probably annoyed he was already forgotten due to your awesome statue. Without warning you were jerked backward so the entirety of your body was stuck against the mast. You hit the mast hard, the air pushed out of your lungs with the unexpected movement. Kid stormed off to another area of the ship, boots stomping all the way. You rolled your eyes and molded the steel you’d added back around the mast, giving yourself a metal chair to be magnetized to. You couldn’t leave the mast but you could make it nicer for yourself. The crew broke apart to go back to work but a few came up to you as you stayed put. You watched Quincy stand up from the crate she was sitting on and hold onto it for a few moments while bent over before she righted herself. You’d always liked the looks of her from her posters but unfortunately, she left and the Commanders came over.

“You’re Wire, right?” you asked, looking the tall man up and down as he came to introduce himself.

“You know that’s right. You heard about me, Babe?” he said, leaning over you onto his forearm and giving you a wink. Did that actually work on anyone?

“Smallest dick on the seas, that’s what they say,” you deadpanned as the Commander’s face soured. Killer and another Commander laughed heartily as Wire gave you a scowl and stomped away, much like his Captain. You weren’t sure how they’d made it this long with such fragile egos - you’d make it your personal mission to deflate them.

“I’m Heat, nice to meet you,” the blue-haired man said to you, extending his hand.

“Nice to make your acquaintance but your fuckface of a Captain magnetized my hands to the mast so I can’t shake your hand,” you said with an overly saccharine tone. 

“Ah, right. Well, I’ll see you around I guess?” Heat said, a faint blush rising to his cheeks.

“I’ll be here until he gets the stick out of his ass, which seems like it may never happen. Feel free to stop by,” you replied. You hoped Kid remembered to give you water to drink otherwise you’d die on his stupid ass fish ship. 

Kid’s POV

Kid was burning off steam in his workshop, welding tiny pieces of metal together to make a metal hawk. He'd felt the iron you created - it was better than almost all of the stuff on board. Creating was a great way to relieve Kid’s stress - after he’d already used the axe-throwing room and decimated the wooden target board. Kid wasn’t one to doubt his decisions but you were already a huge pain in his ass. You hadn’t been on the ship for 12 hours and he wanted to throttle you. Who the fuck did you think you were, flipping him off with his own ship? Talkin’ to him like he was some street rat in front of his crew? He didn’t like your attitude and the more he thought about your interactions, the angrier he became. He was the Captain, you worked for him, that’s all there was to it. You thought you were some tough, hot shit mercenary but Kid knew better. He’d break you and you’d regret ever fucking with him.

Killer popped his head in the workshop, the only person who could do so and keep it attached to their body.

“Dinner’s ready,” he said, hiking his thumb backward to indicate the galley. Kid put down his welding equipment, ready to destroy some food. The delicious smell wafting in from the kitchen told him it was spaghetti and meatballs, Killer’s favorite dish. A passing thought came to him as he stood up from his workbench.

“Make a plate for our guest,” he ordered, his painted mouth splitting his face wide. 

A few minutes later, after Killer prepared and gave the Captain what he asked for, Kid sauntered up to the main deck. Of course, you were exactly where he’d left you, though you’d molded yourself some kind of chair to sit on. Clever. Kid felt a raindrop on his skin - looked like a cloudy night.

“Did you finally remember humans need food and water to survive?” you mouthed off to him. Even with your high and mighty attitude, you were exactly where he left you, unable to move. Really you should be thanking him for his mercy in allowing you to open your mouth and eyelids.

“Tch. You'll survive. Humans need water every what? 4 days?”

“Oh my fucking gods. No, humans die before then. Are you - who's the doctor on the ship?” You asked, trying to look around. Kid's eye twitched with your continued sass.

“You want this food or not?” Kid grunted, holding up the plate of spaghetti while ignoring your question. You narrowed your eyes at the food but your stomach gave off a loud grumble.

“I could eat,” you said offhandedly. Kid laughed.

“Then beg me for it,” Kid sneered. Your mouth set in a way that told him your answer before you said it.

“I'd rather eat shit, Eustass,” the venom in your tone was belied by the continued growling of your stomach.

“Ah well, that's too bad,” Kid said with false sincerity. He pulled the plate back and used the fork to twirl a large amount of spaghetti onto it. Your mouth dropped open as Kid shoved it all into his own. He felt a few more raindrops on his skin but paid it no mind.

“If you feel like eating, or yanno, leaving the mast again slurp , you know what to do,” Kid said with an exaggerated shrug, already turned away with the food in his hands. You didn’t say anything but he did smile as he repulsed a wave of iron coming at him back to you. 

Your POV

It was a bitterly cold night at sea, something you were well used to. One of the many perks of being a Logia fruit user was that you didn’t feel differences in temperature as you could always turn into your iron form. Sure, it was less comfortable to stay as a solid piece of iron than laying in a bed but the benefit of being able to sleep literally anywhere outweighed a night spent with a fluffy pillow. You hadn’t lost a wink of sleep since the day you’d eaten your fruit.

Except when you were completely wet.  

And you were right now due to the raging rainstorm outside. You weren’t able to use your powers anymore and you felt like complete shit but lucky for you whatever intrinsic nature your devil fruit had given you left you still magnetized to the mast. So you were freezing to death and couldn’t make yourself immune to the cold, but also couldn’t move from where Fuckstass had left you. Your teeth were chattering together and you had lost sensation in your toes and fingers as the rain pounded you relentlessly.

The clothes you wore weren’t waterproof or meant for the cold - you had long stopped buying clothes and made your own out of finely woven iron mesh. From afar it was indistinguishable from other textiles but had the additional benefit of providing some protection against attacks. It was not, however, meant to get wet and cold and stick to your freezing body like a second skin. You were hungry, tired, wet, losing the will to live, and freezing.

If the Captain was trying to kill you, he was doing a passable job. If the rainstorm kept up and you caught a severe enough cold, it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility that you could die. It figured, you led a life as an infamous mercenary and what would take you out was being left out in the rain. You closed your eyes, trying to gather up the scraps of your will that remained. You had come to terms with the fact that water took away your power and ability to swim but the loss of will to live always upset you the most. Shivering as the wind whipped your hair into your face, you tried to steel yourself for the rest of the night. Morning would eventually come and hopefully, the rain would abate soon.

Kid POV

Kid was feeling a little better now that he’d tormented you over dinner. He wasn’t planning on starving you to death, he wanted your abilities for his own gain. He had touched the kind of iron you made for yourself and it was higher quality even than the steel he used for his arm. So luckily for you, he’d give you food and water or whatever after you dropped your bratty attitude. He was absorbed in making the feathers for the hawk when he felt Killer’s gaze at his back. 

“What,” Kid said, not breaking eye contact with his project.

“ ‘S raining hard out there. Coupla hours now,” Killer said, leaning against the doorframe.

“Yeah, buckets. Cold as shit too. No big storm though. Need me on deck?” Kid was unsure where Killer was going with this but Killer never interrupted without reason.

“Squirt’s still stuck to the mast,” Killer said with a shrug.

“Fuckin’ dammit, ” Kid yelled, slamming down his blow torch onto the table. He picked up what Killer was saying - you wouldn’t be able to turn into iron and avoid the cold with all the water but also couldn’t leave where he’d put you. Killer moved out of the way as Kid stomped back up to the deck, his coat billowing behind him. 

Of course, you were right where he left you. You were huddled up as much as you could, shaking uncontrollably. You were wet and shivering and your skin looked blue - Kid almost felt bad for you. You deserved it for pissing him off too much but it was probably not good, he ultimately decided. Grunting, he demagnetized you and removed his red coat as he moved onto the deck. Walking into the rain made him feel shitty in seconds, you probably felt worse.

Kid stormed up to you, wrapped you in his coat and picked you up off the deck, carrying you over his shoulder. You didn’t protest or even say anything back to him, just hung off his shoulder like a sack of grain as water fell off you in rivulets. Killer was watching from the doorway as Kid brought you inside the ship.

“Needs a warm bath, she got too cold,” Killer supplied. Kid growled and gnashed his teeth but stomped his way over to his quarters. There was hot water in the shared bathroom but someone was already in there and you needed the bath now. Easier and faster to just get it done in his own room. He set you down on the floor, his coat now just as wet as you were. Another fucking annoyance he’d have to deal with later. After turning on the spigots in his bathroom, Kid faced you. You weren’t magnetized or anything but you weren’t moving either.

“Strip,” Kid commanded, already reaching to remove his coat from your body.

“Hh- nn-no?” you answered, your tone making it seem more like a question. You were really out of it, Kid thought. He didn’t bother asking again, just started ripping off your clothes. Normally clothes shredded without him even trying but these had a little more strength to them. Holding up one of your socks, he realized it was made of steel so fine it looked like gossamer.

“The fuck…is this chainmail?” Kid grumbled as he tore the steel. He set your clothes aside, he wanted to smelt them down later. Maybe you were worth the trouble, this was good shit.

“ ‘S not chainmail, just mesh,” you mumbled, kicking off your pants. Kid was secretly pleased you weren’t protesting him taking off your clothes. He wasn’t shy about being naked and preferred when others weren’t either. His crew had seen each other naked so many times it was almost surprising when all of them were clothed. Between the two of you, you were naked in a matter of seconds. Kid picked you up around the middle with his flesh hand, noting how light you were when you weren’t being a brat and turning yourself to metal. Kid did try to not stare at your naked body but it was challenging. Your tits were just the right size and he wanted to sink his teeth into your thighs. Kid dumped you into the bath and you hissed at the sensation, recoiling from the water. Kid rolled his eyes but didn’t remark on your pain.

“Get warm then come out,” Kid grunted, leaving his towel on top of the counter for you. Your teeth were still chattering and your body was wracked with chills as he turned to leave the bathroom. You started to lean over towards the side of the tub and Kid had to move quickly to right you again. Water overload maybe - you’d been in the rain and now the bath. Too much water wouldn’t kill you but it wouldn’t feel great either. Killer would be mad if Kid left you in the bath alone since it was maybe Kid’s fault you were in this position to begin with.

“Fuckin’ brat,” Kid huffed as he used his hands to pour the tepid water over your back and head. You still weren’t talking and your eyes kept sliding shut. After a few moments, your head dropped down to your chest as you nodded out. 

“Alright, s’enough of that,” Kid said, picking you up. Getting you warm from the bath didn’t seem to be helping, you were ragdolling as he wrapped you in his oversized towel and carried you to the bed.

“You really couldn’t be more fuckin’ irritating,” Kid said while setting you on the bed. He dried you off roughly, ignoring the way the moving towel had your tits jiggling under his hand. Drying you off quickly, he grabbed one of his shirts off the floor. It was clean enough, it wasn’t like you had open wounds or anything and would mind the oil. 

“Put this on Squirt,” Kid ordered, throwing it at you. You blinked but caught it with a hand, starting to dress yourself robotically. Kid frowned, what the fuck was wrong with you? He’d given you a bath and dried you off, weren’t you better now?

“Can make my clothes,” you muttered, lifting up your hand. 

“Don’t you fuckin’ dare. Do that shit tomorrow. Put my shirt on pipsqueak,” Kid yelled at you. You looked up at him like you were surprised he was still there.

“You still cold?” Kid asked, hanging up his soaking jacket on the coat rack.

“Yeah,” you said, hugging your knees with a yawn. “When the rain goes away I’ll go back outside,” you mumbled into your legs. A soft knock at the door told Kid Killer had stopped by. Opening the door, Kid saw Killer with a steaming mug of tea and a warm plate of food left over from dinner. 

“For Squirt,” Killer said pointedly. Kid rolled his eyes. He ate Mosh’s food once like a year ago and Killer never let him forget it. 

“Gave ‘er a bath. She’s being weird,” Kid huffed to Killer.

“Hypothermia, dummy. ‘S makin’ me tired and groggy and can’t kick your ass right now,” Kid heard you grouse from the bed. 

“Looks like she’s doing better,” Killer said, nodding along with your assessment. “She’s gonna crash soon. Needs a warm place and lotsa blankets to sleep under. Want me to take her to the ladies?” Killer offered, handing the food and mug over to Kid. When the ship was first built, the whole crew lived together in the bunks below deck but Emma and Quincy quickly demanded their own space. They said the men were gross, smelly, and snored too loud which wasn’t far from the truth. So Kid repurposed a stock room into the women’s quarters and they’d made the place much nicer than the men’s. Looking over, he saw you’d curled up in his bed and were already asleep under his heavy blanket. 

“Lemme know,” Killer offered before he sauntered away like the instigator he was. Kid huffed and set the food down on his nightstand. 

“Drink the tea, brat,” Kid said, shaking you with his metal arm. You groaned and rolled over, wrapping yourself up further in his blankets. You looked kind of…pathetic. Kid was sure that come the morning your sass would be back and you’d be spewing all kinds of nonsense but even he wasn’t completely heartless. Shoving you over to the side of his bed, Kid kicked off his boots and laid down next to you on the bed.

“Don’t get used to it Squirt. Tomorrow you’re back in the dog house,” Kid groused at your sleeping form. You exhaled sharply through your nose, annoyed with him even in your sleep. The feeling was mutual, Kid thought as he detached his metal arm and set it on the floor by his bed. He could sleep with it on but it wasn’t very comfortable and his stump appreciated the relief. 

He yanked some covers away from you but not that much. Kid ran warm all the time and even though it was freezing outside, tonight was no exception. He leaned back against his pillows, shoving his hand behind his head. He was pondering what the fuck he was going to do with you when he felt you roll into his side. 

“Oi, Squirt. What’re you up to?” Kid said quietly, not wanting to disrupt your sleep. Even though you were annoying as fuck, he didn’t like seeing you so out of it. He wanted you to be back to your bratty, sassy, irritating self so if you needed sleep, he’d let you have it. 

“Warm,” was all you said as you buried your cold nose into his side and frozen feet on his legs.

“Oi! Warn me before you do that again, what’re you made of ice?” 

“Not gonna happen yawn again. Just tonight. You tried to kill me s’os it’s ok,” you said into his side. You were wrapping yourself around him and it didn’t escape Kid’s notice that your unbound tits were pressed against him. He reacted as anyone else would - he got hard. 

“Didn’t try to kill you,” Kid muttered. 

“Did,” you replied, your arms wrapping around him. Kid was about to retort again but you sighed in contentment as you heated your body with his own. Whatever. Having a sexy (but pesky) woman cuddling up to him wasn’t the worst way he’d gone to bed, he thought as he fell asleep, willing his cock to do the same.

Taglist: @mfreedomstuff

My friend went on vacation and bought this for me so i finally have some natsume merch ( ˶ˆᗜˆ˵ )

Year's End Brings New Beginnings

Adashino x reader x Ginko

As per tradition, the town celebrates the new year.

The turn of the year. Significant not only to humans but to that of the spirits bordering beyond their world. With such reverence placed on the day, it had coalesced enough power to draw in the likes of Yokai and Mushi alike, using that energy to execute their own festivals and activities.

“Thank you for the ride and the trade,” you said, carefully sliding off the smooth back of the dragon you were riding.

The juvenile Tatsu rumbled, shaking its head dismissively. “It was of no concern. Since we were both traveling in the same direction, I don’t see why I couldn’t offer you a lift. After all, you always bring the best trinkets in exchange for my wares.”

Said items rested safely wrapped in your travel satchel, faintly warm from the imbued powers of the Tatsu. Gifts for Adashino and Ginko, something so that the three of you could match. You grinned, all sharp teeth and yellow eyes peeking out from underneath your fox mask. “Heading back to your family, yes?”

“Of course. The gates to our skies open today. I’ll be staying with them until it reopens again.”

“So you’ll be gone for a while, then. I’ll miss bartering with you.”

“And I’ll miss my little lupine trader. Don’t get into trouble while I’m away. Make sure to be here when I get back.”

“I’ll try my best,” you chuckled. “Safe travels.”

The Tatsu dipped its head in a bow, you following with one of your own before the spirit reared up and spiraled into the night sky. In the peace left after, you took a deep breath of the crisp air before setting off. Floating Mushi began to drift into the air around you, undulating and providing a soft glow of their own. Faint rustles of far-off movements alerted you to the ongoings of other nightlife, many most likely Yokais heading about, all with destinations to go just like you. The few you glimpsed wore masks of their own, drawn and decorated to their liking. You exchanged greetings to those who gave you one, well-wishes, and familiar conversations with those in the area that you knew well.

However, as you got closer to the town, Yokai presence got less. When then the edges of the forest opened up, you took off your mask and admired the view below you. The small seaside town was strung up with glowing lanterns, labor-intensive craftsmanship from the committee of elders that liked to weave in their spare time. They bobbed and swayed gently from the ocean breeze heading inland, one that rustled the strands of hair by your cheek. Music carried up from below, voices and chatter of a tight-knit community intermingling. Tonight, the villagers would spend time amongst each other, celebrating the teamwork and collaboration that brought them this far. It was vital, in a village like this, that people worked well together. Then, as the night wore on, the townsfolk would split into their own houses, winding down the clock with their own families.

Footsteps approached from behind you, a call of your name from the owner in a familiar voice. “Ah, there you are. Ginko was spot on.”

You turned around, fox ears perking up in surprise. “Adashino,” you fussed, leaving your view and approaching to fuss over the doctor. “What are you doing here? It’s dangerous.”

The man shrugged, falling into step with you. “You were running late. Ginko couldn’t come because he was caught up in helping old woman Shiozaki bring out the treats for the kids.”

“I would’ve made it back eventually. Be more careful next time. You know that spirit activity rises with the peak of the moon today,” you scolded, hand delving into your satchel to rummage and carefully pull out your gift for Adashino. “But since you’re here already, I guess your gift will come in handy now.”

A hand-painted fox mask very similar to yours, but instead of the dark red details circling up the forehead and cheeks, his was a wood-brown base with a thin white ring over the eyehole where he wore his monocle. On the opposing side was a bundle of painted herbs that trailed up the cheek.

Adashino gaped at the item in your hand as you showed it to him. “Did you–Did you make that?”

“I had some help with making the charms stick,” you admitted. “But I got it done in the end. Warding and protection masks. Nothing big but it’ll allow your human status to remain somewhat unnoticed by lower-level Yokais. For you and Ginko, since you two just don’t know how to keep yourself out of trouble.”

As if demonstrating your point, a ratlike Yokai lunged out of the forest straight at your friend. You snarled and snapped your teeth at the offending spirit, a spike of ozone and wind blasting it back into the undergrowth. Grumbling, you beckoned to Adashino.

“C’mere, let me put it on you.”

The man brought his face closer to yours and you brought the mask to it, unfurling heather-gray cording and wrapping it around the man’s head. A neat bow and you adjusted it so it rested on the bridge of his nose correctly, covering up the top half of his face down to his upper lip as intended. You stepped back, looking at him before you took yours off the hook of your belt and put it on too.

“How does it feel?” You asked, looking at him through the eyeholes of your own.

His fingers were almost reverent as he ghosted them over the item on his face. “It’s… wow.”

“Articulate,” you laughed, turning back to keep your eyes on the pathway. “I thought I’d never see the day when I render great doctor Adashino-sensei speechless.” 

He straightened, clearing his throat in embarrassment. “Well, it’s just…. I have to admit that this is one of the best gifts I’ve received. I definitely have to take a closer look at this thing later.”

Grinning bashfully, you kept your eyes on the path. “Aha, you flatter me.”

Mushi flitted through the air, lining both sides of where you two were walking. They cast a glow on the otherwise dark forest, natural lanterns that made a path leading back to civilization. Gradually, their soft, bright glow fell into companionship with that of the human-made lanterns strung up, a sign that you two were near the town entrance. Down here, the music and celebration were much louder, and soon the golden glow of a celebrating community took over the forest. A quick shake of your head and all your Yokai features slipped back under the illusory spell, and you were reading to head into the town. Stepping through the entrance, it greeted you with a full display of festivities. 

Children chased each other, some dressed in their finest and some wearing oni masks. Sparklers were seen in every other hand and adults moved to and fro in chattering groups. There was an undeniable sense of warmth in the air and you could see why so much power had accrued on this day.

Your arrival was not left unnoticed, one of the men delivering jugs of sake pointing out your presence. “Hey, it’s the doctor and his friend! They’re back in town!”

There was a cheer that went up, nobody minding the masks on both of your faces since a few others were walking around similarly. You grinned and waved back at the townsfolk enthusiastically.

“Just in time, you know,” a soup stall owner said, pressing a cup of steaming broth with lotus into your hand as you passed. “I saw poor Ginko being ferried around by Tsumiki-san. The woman’s got him in a chokehold trying to put up the new year’s good fortunes around the town.”

“We’ll have to come to help them, then,” you said, lifting your cup in thanks. Taking a sip you hummed at the rich brothy liquid and passed it along to Adashino. Later you’d have to return the cup with a gift, but for now, you had a Mushi master to find. The doctor took the cup from your hand and you two traded sips until the entire thing was drained. Warmth spread inside of you, blooming in a mixture of happiness and contentment.

It wasn’t long until you two found your target, Ginko having escaped the older woman as he made his way towards you two. Your eyes lit up and you rushed toward the man. “Ginko!”

The man was out of his normal traveler’s wear, now in a green kimono that complimented his unique eyes. A small smile graced his face upon seeing you two. “I thought you got lost.”

“You know I have an impeccable sense of direction, idiot,” you replied affectionately, reaching into your bag. “Besides I come with something special.”

Pulling the item out with a flourish, you presented Ginko’s mask. His was a dampened teal-green, a semicircle of while swooping down over the left eyehole. Around the borders of the mask and other eyehole were carefully drawn depictions of the floater Mushis that inhabited the forest around here. 

There was a moment of stunned surprise. You shook it invitingly, waiting for the man to make a move. Gently, Ginko took it from you, turning it this way and that and paying special attention to the paint strokes making up the colorful Mushi. He glanced at the matching mask on your face and Adashino’s, who had caught up with you two, the faintest smile on his face.

Ginko tilted his head forward, offering you back the mask as he saw your barely contained excitement. “Help me put it on?”

You launched into action, slipping the mask from his grasp and expertly wrapping the cording around his head and tying it off in a neat little bow. Your cheeks ached under the weight of your indulgent smile.

“There,” you said softly. “Now we all match.”

“They’re lovely,” Adashino said.

“Thank you,” Ginko added.

“I’m no artist, the Yokai that was helping me could do much better but I wanted to paint them for you guys,” you admitted.

There was a small ruckus at the end of the street that brought your attention, one of the council elders traversing down the path ringing a bell in hand.

“Kei-san’s setting up the fireworks now! It’ll be ready in a few hours Remember to go to the beach if you wish to view them.”

“There’s our destination,” Adashino said. “We should go before it gets too crowded.”

Following the flow of the crowd, you three eventually ended up spat out at the edges of the building bordering the beach, fine sand underneath your feet. Lights were put up around the area too, torches throwing their orange glow into the dark waters behind. You found a seat on a low rock outcropping, enough space for all three of you to sit and flat enough that you could set down the earthen sake cup and bottle. Along the way, the sake vendor who first spotted your arrival had caught the three of you, shoving the drinks into Ginko’s hands before moving on to accost other folks with the same action.

“I heard Kei-san managed to get his hands on some big ones this year,” Ginko said.

“How he can find such things out where we are is a feat within itself,” Adashino sighed, lifting up his mask to reast by his temple. You and Ginko followed suit as you picked up the sake vase.  “But I’m going to be upset if I have to patch anybody up tonight.”

You ‘pssh’ed, pouring the liquid out for the three of you. “Relax. They’ve been doing this for… how long now? Everything will be fine.”

Ginko hummed in agreement, eyes scanning the gathering and landing on food cart when he heard your stomach rumble. “Hungry?” he asked, a glint of amusement in his eyes.

“A little bit,” you admitted, scratching the back of you head. “In my defense, I’ve been travelling.”

“I’ll get something for us to eat then,” the Mushishi said as he unfurled himself form his perch.

“Oh, oh wait! Here’s some coin!” Scrambling for your bag, you reached for your money pouch before Adashino slung an arm around your shoulders and pulled you short.

“Just let him do it,” the man said jovially, already halfway done with is first cup. “He just came back from a lucrative trip after all.”

You didn’t miss the look Adashino exchange with Ginko as he left and huffed, leaning into his side as you crossed your arm. “Fine. Don’t think I didn’t notice that. I’ll get you guys later.”

“It’s the least we can do,” Adashino said, draining the last of his sake and reaching to refill it, arm still resting around you. “After you gave us these.” He tapped the maskresitng on his head.

Sticking your nose in the air, you teased, “What if I did it for selfish reasons, hm? What if this was a ploy and now that you accepted my gifts, I’m going to spirit you two away forever and ever?”

You could feel him shrug from beside you. “It can’t be that bad, being with you and Ginko. It’ll feel like home.”

That casual admittance made your heart squeeze, breath hitching as you took an obnoxiously loud sip of your sake to cover up. “I’m sure you two would get bored. Especially of me.”

“I don’t think so. Telling Ginko to stop wrecking his lungs would get old fast, sure. But the good partswould outweigh the bad.”

The thought of a life where you three could travel together, beholden to where the wind would take you made a sickly sweet smile stretch over your features. One tinted by the slightest bit of sorrow. Because of what you were, it would be no surprise if you ended up outliving your two dear companions, forced to bury their bones while you would be locked into centuries of youth before your father’s blood made short of your life. But at a time of celebration like this, there was no room for thoughts like that. So you shook it away, downing your drink and pouring a second.

As Adashino went for a third drink, Ginkgo returned ladden with food. A space was cleared for the man to set it down and your mouth watered at the sight. Steaming bowls of toshikoshi soba met your gaze and alongside them were also bowls of Ozoni. In it, pillowy mochi floated with witht the bright greens of komatsuna, one of the few winter vegetables grown here. To top it all off were the iconic fishcakes made local here and no where else.

A gentle bop to the top of your head made you snap out of your oogling. “Stop drooling or else the food will get cold,” Ginko chuckled.

Food was passed around, a few sips taken from your sake cup to wet your appetite. The first sip of broth was savored and you closed your eyes in bliss, leaning back against the outcropping behind you. “Just perfect,” you sighed.

The three of you spent the time in companionable conversation, passing the hours away. The vase of sake was drained and a second one obtained, that one nearly done when the murmurs of the firework show beginning spread through the crowd. You sat up, a little wobbly as you split up the final dredges of the sake into three even servings and once more passed them out. Adashino missed his cup the first time, but shushed your chuckles as he grabbed it on his second go. Ginko was quiet, but his tan skin was darkened in a drunk flush, watching with wrapt attetion as torches were brought up to the front where Kei-san and his helpers were waiting.

Chatter fell into a lull as the village chief walked to the front, holding the bells with him. He lifted them up into the air. They chimed and torches were brought down on the fuse. A sizzle and whoops as the sharp pop of the fireworks leaving their tube. Sparks flew as projectiles were launched into the air, a ring of bells accompanying as the chief swung them down.

“To a prosperous year!” You cheered, cheeks warm. The weights of Adashino and Ginko were comforting as they leaned into youChildishly, you thought of the things you did with your parents when you were little before everything fell apart.

(Your mother’s hand, smooth and cold. Your father’s shoulders supporting you from below.)

(Make a wish.)

Your blood thrummed with happiness, the power of generations of celebration singing in the air around you. They say that wishes made during these festivals held a weight that no other days compared to. Glancing to either side at your friends, and to the townspeople around you, you made a simple wish.

You wished to have this preciousness in your heart for as long as you could. 

As the trail of lights reached its peak, you thrust your sake cup in the air and yelled, “Kanpai!!”

The sky bloomed in a brilliant blaze of lights and colors, sounds of awe and cheers going up.

“Kanpai.”

“Kanpai!”

Twin cups clinked against yours, sake sloshing over the edges and catching in the vivid fireworks in front of you three. 

Japes and Jubilations, Pt 4

The Sanctity of Sacred Spaces Masterlist

The various antics of the crews and the various ways you’re involved in it.

(Part 1) | (Part 2) | (Part 3) | YOU ARE HERE

Part 4: Pillow Fort

The crew finds out about your sleeping habits.

You snorted awake as a frightened yelp of your name roused from your slumber. A hand around your ankle was all the warning you had before you were tugged out of the comfortable darkness you were under.

“What were you doing?” Slick asked, his and Boost staring down at you.

Head full of sleepy cotton, you sat up with a yawn. “Napping.”

“Holy shit, what if those things collapse with you underneath?” he wheezed, an arm thrown out to the bolts of fabric leaned up against each other in a shoddy tent.

You wisely chose not to mention how many times you’ve had to wiggle out of that exact situation. And the bruises that would inevitably form after being pinned by rolls of unyielding fabrics.

“That’s so dumb…” Slick sighed, ignoring your affronted ‘hey!’

It was also a good way to de-stress, the sound and light dampening effects helping you cut off from the world. And you told him so.

“You should just build a pillow fort, then!” Slick harangued. “Instead of scaring us half to death!”

You blinked. “What’s a pillow fort?”

They stared at you like you grew a second head. “You… don’t know what a pillow fort is…?” Boost asked.

Their strange reactions made you defensive as you stood up and crossed your arms. “If you guys are going to be weird about it, then just go away.”

Boost quickly shook his head, denying that. “No! No! It’s not that. We’re just surprised, that’s all!”

Shrugging, you waved them off. “I’m not sure what the importance of this ‘pillow fort’ is. If you don’t mind, I’m going to go back to sleep.”

You caught onto Slick the moment an idea went off in his head, resigning yourself to your fate as the dark-haired male grabbed your wrist and dragged you with him. “No! I have a better idea that won’t risk you being suffocated.”

Boost shot you an apologetic look as he went along with his best friend, shutting your workshop door behind him.

The three of you tromped through the Tang’s halls, with the tallest in the lead, looking for something specific. Slick didn’t stop until he saw Law passing by, absorbed in his documents.

“Cap’n!” he called, halting the man in his tracks.

Law stopped, humming to show that you all had his attention, but never lifting his eyes from the files in his hands. “What is it?”

You were presented in front of him like a guilty party, your name uttered out by Slick. “—doesn’t know what a pillow fort is.”

Law glanced at you and slowly raised a single, dark eyebrow. “And? What is the reason for telling me this?”

Slick’s eyes gleamed as he leaned forward. “The common room’s free for a while, right?”

“Yes.”

“And what about the crew duties?”

“Well…” Law drawled, pretending to ponder over a schedule that you all knew he had memorized. He shuffled the paper in his hands a bit, like a teasing bastard. “Nothing out of the ordinary for today. It’s actually a lighter day, so night shift should be done early.”

Slick’s wide grin grew even wider. “Perfect… Captain…”

Law held up a tattooed hand. “Do as you want. Don’t let it get in the way of your duties, don’t mess anything up, and put things back the way they were.”

The arm in Slick’s hold was yanked up along as he threw his up in victory. “Yes! Thanks, Cap’n! C’mon, we gotta start it early.”

“Start what early?” The plaintive voice of your navigation officer asked.

Slick turned his excited grin on Bepo, tugging you forward. And finally releasing your wrist to put his hands on your shoulders. He shook you back and forth, as if you were a rattle and not a senior officer twice his experience. “We’re going to build a pillow fort!”

 Bepo tilted his head. “Oh, is this a team-building exercise? Can I help?”

“The more, the merrier,” Boost said, with the knowledge of someone who’d spent years accompanying Slick in his antics. “Slick usually makes them pretty big, so it’d be nice to have some help if we don’t want to spend all night on it.”

Bepo’s eyes glittered at that, and you knew it was inevitable that most if not all the crew would get wind of this as the mink sped off. And it was true, the air of the Polar Tang taking on a fervent energy at the thought of a new, exciting event. You had to admit, there wasn’t much to do outside of chores on the submarine, and when the underwater stints were weeks long, it really exhausted all sources of entertainment available. So you couldn’t blame everyone for being worked up at the Captain’s go-ahead.

“Yo.” Shachi popped into the workshop, the redhead stepping in to lift one of the bolts of fabric that you could spare (at Slick’s insistence and the promise to roll them all up later). He paused as he passed by you, leaving space for Uni as he too moved about in your workshop. The redhead’s gaze felt sharp and assessing beneath his glasses, and you blinked, relying on your old, hated training not to shift nervously and give anything away. “You alright with all of this? 

The unexpected kindness threw you for a loop, and you broke your composure, eyes widening. “I—Uh…”

“If it’s too much, let me know right now, and Peng and I will tell everyone to pack it up.”

His concern warmed your heart even after so long with the crew, and you gave him a close-lipped smile. “It’s fine, Shach’. I’m just… It’s kind of exciting.”

It embarrassed you to say that, but it was true.

Shachi’s face broke into a broad grin at that admission, shooting you a thumbs up. “Don’t worry, then. We’ll make sure this is the best blanket fort you’ll ever have.”

Somehow, miraculously through the power of very careful maneuvering, lots of squabbling, and two unrolled bolts of the largest fabrics and what you think was all the blankets and pillows possibly on the Tang, the recreational space became a massive fabric structure that every single one of your nakama could fit under in comfort. Even the tallest ones, should they choose to partake, had a space for them. It wasn’t surprising that the thing got built (not with those like Ikkaku and Morsa helping), more so that everyone wanted to participate and wanted to join in on this silly little escapade that only happened because you had revealed an embarrassing facet about your childhood (or lack of). Of course, not everyone was present, as there were those who still had to go through their shifts. But they would come when their shift ended and someone else’s began. But not you for tonight.

Because tonight, you’d get the joy of experiencing your first ‘pillow fort’.

You couldn’t believe it. Full-grown pirates, led by the most fearsome surgeon of the seas. And there you all were, piled into a pillow fort of all things.

“So?” Slick prompted in a whisper, picking his head up to look at you from where he was. “How’s your first pillow fort?”

You hummed, feeling the gentle rise and fall of Bepo’s bulk behind you. Uni, already in his sleep, tossed a leg over you, the long limb pinning both you and Clione down under it. “It’s nice,” you said simply.

Law’s gravelly brogue rumbled over the space, a little grumpy after Bepo corralled him into the space. “Go to sleep, you two.”

In the dark, you smile gently up at the canopy above you.

Slick had a satisfied look on his face as he shot you a final smile before lying down. Unbeknownst to you, he exchanged a victorious fist bump with Boost for giving their dear tailor one more experience to cherish.