"It's raining."
You stick your hand out into the falling rain, cold drops plopping into your palm. the air smells fresh, a hint of musty wet leaves on the cool breeze. The sky is gray, the sun hiding behind the thick whirling clouds.
"Really?" Umemiya breathes, in a playfully incredulous tone. He cups your cheek gently, the warmth of his calloused hands radiating under your blushing cheeks. He turns your face to look into his eyes, and they soften, like like sinking into a soft bed at night.
You can smell the tea on his breath, minty, no doubt from the small mint plant he's been reviving in the garden out back. It calms you instantly, makes you fall out of the whirlwind of thoughts cascading through your mind to drive up your stress levels.
But with Ume, in this moment it's quiet, tranquil. The rain pools in your palm, washes away the doubt and insecurity you were previously reveling in, and Ume..stays by your side, engrossed in your beauty.
"I hardly noticed..." he replies bending down to touch the tip of his nose to yours," How could I when I'm standing next to the sun?"
back stuff
if there was one thing satoru loved about you, it was your back. of course, he loved the other parts of you too! like your face and your tits—but nothing gets him going like the sight of you in a backless dress. or when he’ll wake up next to you, nude and turned away, all exposed for him.
he’ll find himself praising the lord above on those fortunate days. his cerulean blue eyes roam over the expanse of your skin, tracing the gentle curvature of your spine with a soft gaze. and he’s unable to resist the urge to touch you, to run his fingers over the smoothness of your back. his wife.
you were so vulnerable like this, so beautiful—did he ever tell you enough? he’ll reach out his hand, the knuckle of his forefinger tracing downwards, feather-light. the skin of his own finger tingles at the contact.
deep in your slumber and still so tempting, he grows bolder with each caress, letting his touch linger longer in the divot of your spine. he’ll repeat the motion again and again as your back arches sensually in your sleep, mesmerized by the way your body responds to his touch.
katsuki who loves nose kisses btw. who's been innocently doing them with you ever since he was small and who still does them now. it's basically a reflex. whenever you're worried for him, or he has to go off somewhere, he presses his forehead to yours. who looks you straight in the eyes with an unspoken promise to be safe. he nods, smushing his nose to yours and nuzzling it softly, almost shyly. and then he's gone again, cheek, ears and nose completely pink.
old!gojo 🙂↕️🙂↕️🙂↕️
satoru's wife hates it when he shaves.
when he spends time in front of their dirty bathroom mirror with shaving cream all over his face, making absurd faces that accentuate the wrinkles on his cheeks just to get into the nooks and crannies of his sun-kissed skin.
when he washes his face off to reveal the little freckles and moles that have shown themselves throughout the gift of time. also revealing the wrinkles that have come through countless missions and curses fought.
when he puts walks out of the bathroom, turning off the light behind him, and joins his wife on the bed. his wife touches his cheek with a small frown after feeling the patches of stubble have disappeared.
"you shaved again?" she would ask, her voice phasing between a soft speak and a whisper.
"i did." and he kisses her palm with his glossed lips. no matter the time or the age, his lips were still a pretty pink that shined through even dim lighting.
"oh. i miss the stubble." she kisses his cheek, lips ghosting upon the newly shaven skin right where his cheekbone met his jawline. it wasn't exactly smooth; bumps and wrinkles revealed themselves, but it lacked the prickly bits that she loved to graze her hands on.
so, he doesn't shave for a while after. it doesn't take long until the thorn-like patches of stubble grow back, and his wife is happy about it. and when she smiles, her eyes wrinkle in a way that makes him feel butterflies in his tummy.
"y'like it, honey?" he smiles, adding a small wink like how they did when they were first dating. and yet these actions still made her giggle like it used to.
"i do. its nice."
she proves her point by grabbing his face, with both hands, and gives him a kiss. his stubble scratches against her palms and face. and she giggles like its a feather tickling her.
"you look so handsome with it." she whispers, looking at him so up-close like she's inspecting each little freckle on his face.
"maybe ill grow a full on beard. that reaches the floor."
"please don't."
10.15.24 - masterlist
You and your caption relax together during a sunset before dinner.
Reader is GN and it can be read as platonic or romantic.
On with the show!!~
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The sun was beginning its descent, casting a golden glow over the deck of the Thousand Sunny. The ship rocked gently with the rhythm of the ocean, creating a soothing cadence that matched the lazy afternoon. You and Luffy were nestled in his hammock, its soft fabric cradling you both in a cocoon of warmth and comfort.
The world around you was tranquil; the crew was taking a well-deserved break, lounging around and enjoying the serene atmosphere. The breeze from the ocean was a refreshing contrast against the fading warmth of the afternoon sun. It drifted over your shoulders, carrying with it the salty tang of the sea and the gentle scent of the ship's wood.
Luffy's tan skin was a comforting warmth against you as he held you close. His presence was both grounding and comforting, his rhythmic humming a soft backdrop to the sounds of the ship. His hand threaded through your locs with a tender, rhythmic touch, while the other caressed the gentle curve of your back. The sensation of his fingers brushing against your skin was soothing, a perfect counterpoint to the cooling breeze.
He whispered softly, his breath tickling your ear, urging you to look at the horizon. You shifted onto your elbows slightly, feeling the hammock adjust to your movement as Luffy helped you turn over. His touch was gentle, lifting his straw hat from your head and guiding you so that you could face the lights rays. As you settled back into his embrace, you were now lying with your back against his chest, his legs intertwined with yours. The sunset painted the sky in rich hues of orange and pink, a vibrant contrast against the deepening blue of the ocean.
You propped yourself up slightly, eager to see the light reflecting off the water. The golden red hues of the sun danced across the waves, creating a shimmering path that seemed to lead right to the horizon. As the sun made its final dip, Chopper's voice rang out with cheerful enthusiasm. "Good night, Sun!" he called out, his voice filled with innocent delight. It was a simple, heartfelt moment that made you smile.
Sanji, ever the diligent chef, stood up from his seat and began to serve dinner, the aroma of his cooking wafting through the air. The colors of the sky continued to shift, the vibrant blues and oranges giving way to cooler shades of pink and dusky purple. A few stars began to peek out from the deepening sky, twinkling softly in the fading light.
Luffy's cheeky, playful smile never wavered as he pressed his cheek gently against your shoulder. You looked down to find him gazing up at you with a bright, infectious grin. His eyes sparkled with warmth and affection, and it made your own smile widen. You leaned into him, pressing your nose against his cheek, and let your foreheads rest together in a tender, intimate gesture.
The world seemed to slow down, the beauty of the sunset and the closeness of Luffy creating a moment of pure, unspoken calm. The gentle caress of the breeze, and the warmth of Luffy’s embrace all combined to make this moment feel timeless and perfect. You felt at peace, wrapped in the simple joy of being together, as the sky continued to change colors and the stars took their places in the evening sky.
The moon was just beginning to peek out from behind the horizon when Sanji’s voice rang out, "Come on, you two, dinner!"
Luffy didn't need to be told twice. With an excited gleam in his eyes, he scrambled out of the hammock, taking you with him in one fluid motion. His arms were strong and steady as he lifted you effortlessly, your squeals of delight mingling with his joyful laughter. The two of you tumbled onto the deck, giggling like children as Luffy steadied you both.
The crew watched on, their faces illuminated with affection. Zoro smirked, leaning casually against the railing, while Nami and Robin exchanged knowing smiles. Usopp chuckled, shaking his head at Luffy’s boundless energy, and Franky gave a thumbs-up, his grin as wide as ever. Chopper clapped his hooves together in delight, his eyes shining with happiness.
Luffy's excitement was infectious, and you couldn't help but smile as he carried you toward the promise of a delicious meal and the warmth of your friends.
You’d be asleep in his arms again soon enough. ______________________________________________________________
Taglist: @orange-milky @xxsliverwolfxx @mochiclouds @m0rona @thealtofvalleyxdoodles
I own none of the art or characters!!
Posted on the ao3 account soon.
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"c'mere."
katsuki was so... normal all evening. so subdued. dinner with your friends was nice in a familiar, comfortably unremarkable way. everyone who gathered around the table at the restaurant had chatted happily, getting each other up to date on any developments in their personal or professional lives. jokes were made about the high school days, and failed romantic endeavours (mainly denki's), and tenya's new haircut that he doesn't quite like.
then the bills were paid, and rides were arranged, and katsuki walked you to the car with a hand on the small of your back.
it was normal. everyone was normal.
but now katsuki's like this.
he has you pinned up against the wall just inside the barely-closed door of your shared apartment before you can even take off your shoes. his mouth is hot on yours, licking messily into your mouth in a way that makes you dizzy.
"katsuki, wait—oh!" your head thumps back against the wall behind you as your boyfriend hitches one of your legs up around his waist and grinds the defined musculature of his upper thigh between yours.
"done waiting," he grunts out quietly against your parted lips, pressing your bodies even closer together.
this isn't like him; the freneticism, the almost stifling haste with which katsuki is trying to devour you. he's usually more reserved than this. more trepidatious. katsuki has always treated you like you were precious. too precious, you sometimes think. like an antique sake set made of porcelain so fine that it could shatter in a too-tight grip—like something he couldn't afford to break.
"what's gotten into you?" you ask as katsuki's mouth trails white-hot down your throat towards your collarbone, the kisses he presses against your skin searing as he moves on to the next.
his only answer is to slip his hands up underneath the skirt of your dress, hooking his fingers underneath the waistband of your panties and tugging them down your thighs.
"katsuki!" you gasp in surprise as the cool air kisses the slickness of your newly-exposed skin.
the pad of katsuki's thumb brushes your clit, and your knees nearly buckle.
"katsuki, stop."
it's quiet after you push him away from you, the air heavy as you laboriously draw it into your aching lungs.
katsuki stands at arm's length, frozen in surprise. in spite of his strength—overpowering you in every possible physical way—he hadn't resisted you in the slightest when you instinctively pushed against him. if anything, he'd willingly taken the step back to give you the distance you need.
he looks at you though his lashes, his chin tucked down towards his chest, half-hurt and half-guilty.
"sorry," he says quietly, mumbled through pursed lips as he shuffles another half step back.
your hand shoots out towards him, grabbing him by the lapel of his unzipped jacket.
"hey," you say, equally quiet but less sheepish than his own words. "don't do that."
katsuki lets you pull him back into your space as effortlessly as you'd pushed him away. you like it when he's close like this. like when that soft, sweet sort of smell that always clings to him envelops you too.
"i'm happy to let you take off whatever article of my clothes you want, i'd just like to take my shoes off first," you say to him, so close your lips are almost brushing. the tops of katsuki's cheeks are rosy, and his lashes are fluttering as he listens to your words. you smile a little. "if that's not too much to ask."
katsuki helps you out of your heels, and then clings to you all the way down the hallway into your bedroom where the two of you go toppling into bed. your boyfriend is normally militant about not letting 'outside clothes' into the sheets, but he says nothing about either of your outfits on the soft cotton as he pulls your body on top of his.
but nothing about katsuki is normal tonight. you've already figured that much out.
you just can't quite understand why.
"you're raring to go tonight," you say with a laugh as katsuki's hands slip up under your dress again, this time with you ensconced upon his lap. your panties are somewhere in the genkan, so this time there's no barrier between his touch and your skin.
"what's wrong with that?" katsuki bites back, but even in his snark he's still soft with you. deftly, his hands slip around to the back of your dress, sitting up so the two of you are chest to chest in bed, and tugs the zipper of the garment down. the material slips down your arms until the dress is left pooled around your waist, nothing but your bare skin left on display. it's hard to make out the colour of katsuki's eyes in the dark, but it's impossible to miss the desire in his gaze as it traces over your newly exposed chest. "what's so wrong about me wanting you?"
you pause for a moment as you consider his unexpectedly earnest words. "there's nothing wrong with it," you finally reply, reaching up and tracing your fingers through the blonde hair at his temple. "it's just a little weird."
"weird?" katsuki echoes, but his repetition sounds incredulous.
he uses a hand on the small of your back—just like how he'd walked you to your car after dinner, but this time a bit more forceful—to pull your body back against his. you brace your hands on his shoulders as you sit in his lap, staring down at him.
"i've been in love with you since we were fifteen," katsuki says. it's ardent. insistent, even. like he's desperate for you to understand. "i've wanted you since we were fifteen. there's nothin' weird about it."
you blink. a little dumbstruck. a little lovesick.
and suddenly you understand his behaviour a little more. it's all a bit clearer.
you dip down, pressing a featherlight kiss to katsuki's lips. then another; deeper and longer.
"you were feeling nostalgic, huh?" you murmur breathlessly against katsuki's mouth, cupping his face between your palms. his cheeks are burning hot underneath your touch. it makes butterflies lick in the pit of your stomach.
you'd caught katsuki's eyes on you a few times tonight at dinner, but really hadn't thought much of it. at one point you'd moved seats to chat with momo about her upcoming wedding (and to admire the ring on her finger) and more than once you'd met katsuki's gaze from the other end of the table where he was seated with the boys.
katuski kisses the back of his teeth, tilting his face away from you slightly.
"fuckin'... izuku said something earlier that just..." he seems to be struggling to find the words. you give him the time he needs. "said some sappy shit about growin' up. about how we all ended up happy."
you feel a twinge in your chest as katsuki mumbles the admission. he's struggling to meet your gaze, and instead leans his forehead against your chest.
"and i looked at you across the table, 'n i just... i kept thinkin' about being a fifteen year old brat staring at you across a classroom. kept thinkin' about how he'd never believe it if i could tell him how we ended up."
it's quiet for a moment as katsuki holds you. and you hold him. the hot, hot flush of his face against your bare skin.
"fifteen-year-old you probably would've tried to kick thirty-year-old you's ass."
katsuki laughs, a warm wash of breath breaking against your skin.
"yeah, probably." he nods, finally lifting his head. he stares up at you, his hands patting gently up and down your back. he smirks a little. "woulda popped a boner at the thought of seein' you like this, too."
"so the two of you have that in common, huh?" you tease him, wiggling your hips a little in his lap where proof of your accusation presses against you.
katsuki kisses you to hide the smile on his face, twisting both of your bodies to lay you down against the soft sheets of your shared bed that katsuki dutifully launders every sunday. he slips your dress down your hips to leave you bare, and tugs his own t-shirt off to join it on the bedroom floor soon after.
"katsuki?"
the man suckling a bruise into your throat groans a little at your quiet call of his name. "if you push me away again i'm gon—"
"i love you too, y'know."
you feel him swallow hard, his face still tucked into the crook of your neck. his hands are trembling a little—just like the first time he touched you, a few years after graduation when your paths crossed again. you can feel his heart thundering in his chest.
your own beats just as loudly underneath it.
because fifteen year old katsuki wasn't the only one sneaking glances across the room. and katsuki isn't the only one who feels so grateful about how you two ended up happy together.
so... that new his dark materials on HBO got me feeling some things and thinking... Memos HDM AU?
(for context for the excerpt down below this, when someone’s daemon makes contact with another person’s daemon, it’s considered very personal and intimate. This is normal between family members and very close friends or loved ones, say, Luffy’s daemon would probably touch all his nakama’s left and right just fine, but for certain others, this may come as a bit of an alarming little sensation for them since people feel what their daemons feel and the same vice versa as extension of their souls)
- Hoku’s daemon is a white panther named Hau.
The two of them don’t get along very well and tend to get on each other’s nerves due to personal reasons. They’re capable of being a fairly good distance apart even though this isn’t normal and considered painful for most people. They sort of trained themselves to be able to be apart because they felt following their independent values was most important. It’s a bit of a messy situation but they’re the first ones either of them would turn to no matter what. He has the same marking she has painted around the curve of his left eye because it’s tradition for Pokians to paint it onto their daemons when they come of age. All daemons from Artopoki are also always colored white just like their hair.
His name means “happiness” in Hawaiian.
- Mahina’s daemon is a white horse while Manu’s is a small white wild cat. Mihawk’s is a massive, massive ink black raven named Sable. She and Mahina’s daemon got along really well.
- Shank’s daemon is a reddish tinted lionness who goes by Reina. Hoku and Hau are a bit smitten by her but Hau kind of hates Shanks, maybe not hate but he tends to be on the more skeptical end of him versus Hoku being a little doe-eyed for the man. Hau loved Mihawk though. Mihawk was the first person to ever touch him outside of Hoku’s parents (human to daemon contact is a super big deal when it’s not family or intimate loved ones, daemon to daemon is a little more tolerable but raises some brows)
- Luffy’s daemon settles as a springy lionness name Soleil who he calls Sol. She’s very energetic and can’t really read a room but she makes up for it with energy. She and Luffy are two peas in a pod.
- Nami’s daemon is an orange fox named Riki, the greatest thieving duo across the East Blue.
- Zoro’s is a massive bengal tiger named Masumi and she’s got a much more approachable personality than her counterpart but tends to be just as lazy and ferocious.
- Usopp’s is a chameleon by the name of Emmo. She’s a bit of a coward too but she’s funny.
- Sanji’s is a beautiful, rather stunning lady jackrabbit by the name of Celine who loves beautiful people and kicking. She seems a little wiser than Sanji.
- Brook’s is the skeleton of a songbird named Aretha. They’re the strangest case on the Grand Line because of his devil fruit. She sings beautifully for a pile of bones though.
- Franky’s is a female beaver named Aspen, they’re pretty much carbon copies of each other.
- Robin’s is a black owl named Yuval. He’s on the quieter side and tends to creep people out on first glance but he’s a very gentlemanly owl.
- Ace’s ends up settling as a red and black lynx by the name of Iskra. Sabo’s is a peregrine falcon named Brisa.
- Vivi’s is a fennec fox named Seti.
- I couldn’t decide of Kid’s should be one hell of a murderous honey badger with attitude named Naga or a crocodile or a bear. Any of those three felt pretty right but I lean more toward the honey badger HAHAHA.
- Law’s daemon is a snow leopard named Estrella. These two are an especially dangerous duo and Estrella tends to be a bit more on the mysterious side at first.
- - - - - - -
“Your blood,” Shank said, cupping her cheek. “Is worth treasures more than his.”
Hau bit at Shanks’ cloak, snarling as a white husky in protest, trying to pull him away. Reina watched him in utter amusement.
Steam exploded from Hoku’s ears, her entire face flushing red.
“Oops, hey, someone get Makino! I’m worried dove’s got a fever!”
- - - - - - -
“It’s nothing but a childish crush,” Hau said pointedly to her, perfectly aware of the fluttery, gross feelings inside Hoku spilling over to him. He walked after her, lashing his tail angrily while Hoku stared up at the sky in a daze. Shanks had just given them a living, ripe kiionohi tree. “He just thinks we’re cute kids. He likes teasing us. This is how he took Luffy!”
Hau worked over-time to remain as indifferent toward Shanks as Hoku originally wanted to be. Hoku had just given up and rolled over to the fact that Shanks was just… so hard to dislike. Was there even a reason to dislike him? Sure, she still got jealous that Luffy was so damn fond of him, but when Luffy was always pulling her around despite that, promising she was his first before anyone else—
“Are you listening to me?” Hau hissed at her, biting her ankle in protest. Hoku looked down at him. “I don’t like him! He’s just another schmuck! Nothing’s gonna happen anyway! Dream on! We’re just kids to him, got it?”
“I know that,” Hoku snapped, cheeks flushing. “I-It’s just adoration. Childish adoration. What do you think I’m gonna do, ask him to marry me?”
“No,” Hau muttered, “but don’t get any ideas.”
“I’m not,” Hoku snapped back at him, lightly nudging his paws. Hau swiped at her. “He’s just… he’s just charming, is all. And you’re one to talk, you know. You look at anyone that’s willing to scratch your ears like they’re god!”
“I don’t let people scratch me behind the ears!” Hau protested. “No one’s allowed to touch me!”
“Yeah,” Hoku snorted. “Except Luffy, right? I feel what you feel too, dumbass. Think about how it feels for me to get scratched behind the ears too, okay?”
Hau grumpily settled down onto his haunches, stubbornly looking over to the side, “But it’s Luffy.”
Hoku could understand that, but it didn’t make the sensation any more normal. Actually, I might be starting to get used to that. Luffy’s so damn touchy it’ll kill me. She didn’t even flinch anymore when Hau and Soleil were pressed tight together, rolling around or tumbling about each other or cuddled up in a pile. Luffy’s warm fingers patting Hau’s head, hefting him up into his arms—that was still something she was getting used to.
Or Hoku, cupping Soleil’s head in her hands, pressing a kiss to the top of the daemon’s head, committing utter taboo. Hoku, letting Soleil cozy up to the crook of her neck, shove her face into Hoku’s hand, weave between her fingers while Luffy laughed beside them—
The four of them, touching each other’s daemons, each other’s partners, each other’s souls—
But I am getting used to it. Hoku shivered. Never touching anyone’s daemon, huh?
Hau lashed his tail, “I won’t let Shanks touch me, you can count on that.”
“You’re just jealous,” Hoku said. “Luffy and Soleil already said we’re first. And it’s not like Shanks is going to be here forever, he’s a pirate, remember?”
Hoku rubbed the side of her arm, looking down at her shoes, “He’s just… he’s just become Luffy’s idol. You see how he looks at him—Luffy knows what he wants to do now ‘cause of him.”
Hau huffed, whiskers twitching. Hoku gave him a little shove and Hau shifted into a bull, ramming at the back of her knees as Hoku laughed, shoving back at him.
Shanks was just a bit of fun, that was it.
- - - - - - - -
But Reina didn’t play by the rules.
“You’re getting faster, little dove.”
Hoku almost screamed. Her heart lodged into her throat, forcing her to choke as Mau nearly clattered onto the dirt from her hands had she not hooked it last minute. She apologized to the amused blade, checking for scratches and trying to work out a game plan in her head.
Hau frowned. As deep of a frown as an unhappy skunk could make, sitting by a log and looking pointedly Reina’s way.
She didn’t know when Shanks’ daemon had made her way over to them or where Shanks was, probably with Luffy to be honest, but there Reina was, living up to her name.
The lioness daemon was stretched out onto a fat slab of rock jutting upwards from the ground. Luffy used it as a launching platform a lot when they were playing. Her red-gold body rippled, leisurely soaking up the sunlight.
Hoku’s fingers itched.
Reina watched them with golden irises.
“Thanks,” Hoku said, trying not to be awkward but feeling very much so. “I’m not there yet though.”
Reina’s chest rumbled, a deep sound that made Hau wrinkle his nose in protest. She laid her head down onto her paws, rolling over onto her side. Hoku noticed the scars lining her softer underbelly, the notch missing from a piece of her flicking tail.
“You’ll get there,” Reina said soothingly. “Why don’t you take a break?”
I feel like I’m talking to the devil. Hoku shivered. Temptation incarnate. “I haven’t hit my number of swings yet.”
“Shanks and Luffy are playing by the harbor,” Reina almost purred. “Don’t you want to join?”
Hoku frowned at her boots. Yes. “No. I’m glad Shanks is taking up all his time.”
Reina’s ear twitched. Her eyes glimmered playfully. Hoku felt as though if her feet weren’t planted firmly to begin with, she’d already be making her way over to the lioness for no reason other than the fact that Reina seemed to be beckoning her over.
“How come you two can be so far apart?” Hau blurted. Hoku shot him a look of disbelief.
Reina’s whiskers twitched in amusement.
Hau hunkered down, waving his big bushy tail. “I-Isn’t it painful? It’s weird, daemons aren’t supposed to be able to do that.”
“You two seem to be able to go fairly far,” Reina murmured. “Is that not strange?”
Hoku and Hau flinched.
Reina laid her head down onto the rock, letting the sun color her pelt. She looked crimson gold in the sunlight. “He and I simply found it in ourselves to promise to live our lives to the fullest and the freest.”
Reina seemed to smile, lips pulling back to show her fangs. “Besides, like this, I can be with Luffy and he can be with little dove at the same time, hmm?”
Hoku and Hau blinked in confusion. They looked at each other and back to Reina who’d rolled over to show them her back, settling down for a nice, long nap.
“Finish up those swings, dove,” Reina purred. “Then let’s play.”
I miss Luffy. Hoku miserably flattened herself down against the grass, Mau propped up onto a trunk beside her. Hau was chirping haughtily in the tree branch above her, flapping his white wings even though he was supposed to be a toucan. I always run off even when he’s playing with Shanks. Maybe I should just suck it up and have fun with them too. Or, not fun. Just… spend time. Yeah.
Hoku groaned, rubbing her sweaty face with her hands.
“About time,” Hau chirped at her. “Let’s go! I don’t care if Shanks and everyone else is there, I want to see Luffy and Sol.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Hoku snapped. “I heard ya. You just want to get touched again.”
Hau flattened, ruffling his feathers, “That’s not true!”
It absolutely is. Hoku sighed, preparing her aching muscles to lift her sluggish body up. Hau was practically touched starved and Luffy’s generous pats were like a drug. He did a good job making sure Shanks never got near him though. Hoku didn’t even flinch. Touching other people’s daemons is still such a weird feeling though, I can’t get used to anyone else but them.
She’d only ever touched Sable twice. Ki and Kekoa didn’t count because they were family. Soleil was the only one she ever really touch-touched, and even then, it was still a sensation Hoku felt all the way to the tip of her toes and down to her bones. Intimate.
Bet no one else has a daemon willing to get himself pet. Hoku peeked through her fingers at Hau who jumped from the branch and shifted into a little white butterfly. He’d turn into a dog later because it was easier to play with Luffy like that. What daemon goes up to someone to get themselves touched?
Some taboos just weren’t meant to be crossed.
A shadow fell over Hoku’s face and she blinked, moving her hands away to look up.
Reina looked down at her.
Hoku froze, stiff against the ground like a corpse. Her heart hammered stupidly loud in her chest, loud enough to burst through her ears. From this spot, she could make out every fine, red-gold hair smoothed over Reina’s slender face. She could see the dark lines that traced her feline gold eyes, followed the slope of her muzzle, to the long, elegant whiskers—a few cut short, and the few scars that lined her soft nose.
This was the closest she had ever been to the daemon.
She could sense heat from the lioness, hulking power and muscle. Reina’s killing paws sat on either side of her head. She could crush Hoku’s skull without much effort. Rip her throat out. In another world, Hoku would be fearing for her life—even in this world, Hoku was still fearing for her life, but, but, maybe death at the hands of such a beautiful, powerful daemon couldn’t be that awful.
Hoku waited, staring at Reina with wide eyes.
Reina blinked once, slowly. Something like amusement seemed to shift over the fine hairs on her face and she lowered her head over Hoku’s. Her body seized up, unable to breathe.
And then languidly, a warm, wet and scratchy pink tongue rolled once across her face, down her forehead to her lips and over her chin. Reina pulled away, satisfied, looking down at Hoku’s disheveled, slightly wet face and bulging eyes before calmly sauntering off, hips swaying.
It took her a moment. A good, solid moment. Her heart did something funny, her body frozen stiff and ascended to some other plain of existence, her mind whirring and still buzzing from the electricity of the slightest contact with—
Someone else’s daemon—
Reina—
Shanks’ daemon—
Touched—
Hoku’s face blushed a bright, scarlet red. She grabbed her face with her hands and rolled around in the dirt like the little bug she was.
Hau jealously nudged her face with his little ferret nose, huffing and puffing in displeasure.
She’d never been touched by someone else’s daemon before.
- - - - - - - -
The final nail into her own coffin was done by Hoku’s own hands.
At the crack of dawn, when the light was just beginning to crawl its way out of the horizon to peek over into the sky. Just hours before, Hoku had finally shown Shanks the book, speaking with him in the low light of that bar and making a total fool of herself—enough for Hau to tease and taunt her about it for hours until they fell asleep.
She woke up earlier than Luffy today, leaving him snoring in her hammock with Soleil sprawled as a baby badger over him. Hau woke up, slithering into her shirt and keeping himself warm by her stomach as they walked out into the forest.
Reina was already waiting for them.
“Dove,” Reina greeted, velvet voice carrying over as Hoku trudged through the dewy grass. Sunlight was warming her pelt, heating it up like a forge and turning the red-gold of her pelt darker and brighter.
Hau muttered a low, half-reluctant protest. Yesterday, Luffy had picked him up, holding him close and willingly thrusted Hau toward Shanks like some kind of sacrificial offering.
Shanks didn’t take the daemon, simply grinning in understanding at Hau’s horrified expression. Her daemon had never felt more betrayed.
“Hau, you gotta get along with everyone!” Luffy laughed. “Don’t be dumb like Hoku!”
Hoku couldn’t stop the greedy, uncontrollable itch in her fingers.
“...good morning,” Hoku mumbled, tucking hair behind her ear out of habit. Reina was stretched out, regal and picture perfect on that same slab of stone. Dawn was rising over the fine curve of her spine and the lioness kept her gaze on them evenly, waiting as Hoku slowly came to stand beside the slab of rock.
Reina’s ears swiveled forward. She watched Hoku, eyes glittering. A soft sound left her parted jaws.
Hoku hesitantly took a seat on the rock, a few inches away from Reina. She could feel heat rising from the daemon, her head turning to follow Hoku as they stared at each other.
She weakly raised one hand. Hau’s heartbeat matched her own.
“Could I… Could I draw you?”
Reina’s jaws parted to let out a soft rumble. Her body curved more, keeping Hoku in the middle. Her paws stretched out and Reina kept her eyes evenly on Hoku’s.
Hoku softly set her hand down on Reina’s side. Warmth flooded into her fingertips, spreading up her arm and making half her body feel almost numb with the sensation. Hoku’s head spun, buzzing with that vibrant thrum of energy as Reina’s pelt shifted under her fingertips. Hoku daringly let her hand come down Reina’s spine, feeling the muscles and scars in one gentle stroke.
Reina’s scratchy tongue dragged over Hoku’s hand in approval.
“I hope that man is deep, deep asleep,” Hau muttered. Hoku agreed.
She thought her heart was going to burst.
- - - - - -- -- - -
“This place is crawling with marines now,” Smoker said. “What are you going to do? Let them arrest you like some kind of washed up drunk?”
Hoku lightly pushed the glass in front of her. The bartender nervously refilled the glass, jumping in fear when Smoker glared daggers at him.
“Hoku,” Smoker said.
The woman kept swallowing mouthfuls of the whiskey in her cup, ignoring him. Blanca’s fur had settled over her back, smoothing out. His daemon watched the woman before them in silence, looking at Hau and then back to Hoku.
A soft sound left Blanca’s lips. Smoker shot her a warning look. The smoky colored husky daemon lowered her tail.
“What happened to all that spunk?” Smoker continued. “You don’t give two shits if I cuff you and take you in from here?”
Hoku didn’t even turn to look at them. She kept her shoulders hunched, curling in on herself over the bar’s countertop and refusing to meet the gazes burning into her back. The empty glasses spread out across the wood counter beside her, the heavy smell of alcohol settling amidst the cigarette smoke.
Hau kept silent at her feet, curled up and head low. Smoker observed the daemon carefully, noticing the matted fur, the dirt stains in the crisp white that used to be his go-to for hunting them down in the crowd. His unsheathed claws, caked with dried dirt and blood. The cleanest spot was the blood red ink curled over his half-hidden face under the countertop’s shadow.
A new spot was inked into his fur. A small, blood red flame right where the muscle of his shoulder blade bunched under his right foreleg. Smoker’s eyes traveled upwards to the matching red flame inked into Hoku’s skin over her right shoulder blade.
“This is it?” Smoker said gruffly.
Hoku snorted. Blanca shot him a look, gray eyes hard to read but Smoker never needed to read her eyes, he could hear her thoughts loud and clear in his own head, in the space they shared.
“Who cares,” Hoku muttered bitterly. “You got what you wanted.”
Blanca fell silent. Smoker shot his daemon a sharp look, but she refused to meet his gaze, tail limp behind her and ears pricked far forward, focused on the woman before them.
Hoku bowed her head. Her hands went up, carding through her hair, holding them there as though she were cradling her head in her hands.
“You won,” Hoku whispered.
His daemon took a step forward.
“Blanca,” he warned.
The husky kept her muzzle shut, looking at him.
“Smoker.”
Smoker tossed his cigar to the side. His gloved hand clenched into a fist before it loosened. Smoker let out an aggravated sigh, shaking his head. He took a step forward, raising his hand up.
Hau’s growl ripped through the air like a knife. A single, resounding warning. Smoker glanced down to the daemon, glaring at them with icy venom, fangs and claws bared. Blanca lowered her head only an inch, her only way of showing they meant no harm. Hau pulled his lips back into a louder snarl, tail lashing in aggravation.
Hoku glanced down to her companion, frowning for a moment before she raised her head and looked back at Smoker.
Tears continued to trickle from the corners of her eyes. They slid down the curve of her cheeks, dripping down her chin. Hoku watched him in silence, expression unreadable.
The admiral hesitated for only a second. Blanca let out the softest, softest whine.
For a moment, Hau’s body untensed, staring. The foggy look started to clear. Hoku’s brows creased and Smoker reached out with his gloved hand one more time.
The doors to the bar slammed open.
The light winked out from Hoku’s eyes. Hau stood onto his paws, head lowered, eyes narrowed into dangerous slits.
His men flooded the dimly lit room, raising their guns and shouting out orders as Smoker cursed in his head and Blanca’s ferocious barks of protest flooded the room over his, ordering the marine daemons to stand down.
Smoker lurched, eyes snapping in surprise to where Hau suddenly had Blanca pinned to the wooden floorboards of the bar. His daemon was silent, rigidly looking up at Hau with her teeth barely bared, body still while Hau’s jaws were wrapped around her neck. Smoker felt his teeth on his own, Hoku’s dead eyes looking at all of them.
“Go ahead,” Hoku said coldly. She turned to the marines by the door, half-smiling. “Just don’t forget, Hau’s got one more life over her.”
Blanca kept silent, staring imploringly at Hau. The panther ignored her gaze, keeping his jaws buried in the scruff of her throat, waiting. Smoker stared hard at Hoku and she kept her gaze on his men, expression devoid of emotion.
-- - ----- ----
“Estrella,” Law drawled, ice dripping with the roll of his tongue.
His daemon pounced.
They poor no-body marine dog never stood a chance.
--- --- ---- ---- ---
“No,” Law said. “This is rehab.”
He kicked Hoku’s lower back, sending her flying down the stairs with an ungoldy screech and down into the boiler room. Penguin and Sachi peeked their heads around the corner, staring down into the darkest depths of their sub while Law shoved a hand into his pocket.
“Is she still alive?” Penguin asked.
“She’s got a couple, right?” Law asked Hau. “Which one was that?”
Hau flicked his tail tip, the only sign of his annoyance. Estrella watched him with peering eyes, following the sway of Hau’s haunches as he slunk down the steps into the boiler room after Hoku.
“Fuck you, Law!” came the ghostly holler. “I’m going to blow up your submarine! You forgot I’m suicidal, asshole!”
Law looked satisfied, turning his back on them and closing the boiler room door. To Sachi and Penguin he added, “Make sure she doesn’t come out until she’s done.”
---- --- --- --- ---
Law froze, his entire body stiff as ice.
He took a moment, reassessing the sensation he felt unfolding in his chest. He considered it carefully, made sure this… this feeling was not a mistake, that he had not wrongly interpreted the shared sensation between himself and his daemon. He picked it apart in seconds, slowly, rigidly turning his head to the corner of the deck.
It was dark, only a single headbeam lit from the corner pathway of the submarine. The deck on top of the rounded hull was bathed in darkness, but even in the thin light, he knew down to his bones he was not seeing wrongly.
Law gave the woman beside him one discreet, searching glance.
Hoku looked completely and utterly unaffected. He watched her a second longer to make sure it wasn’t an act, but her careless, bored demeanor showed truthfully she had no inclination whatsoever to sharing his barely, barely startled turmoil. Hoku looked completely at ease, still squinting in the distance to see if she could make out the constellation they’d just discussed, mouth moving around the dried fruit she’d just popped into her mouth.
Law carefully, with great composure, withheld the light, creeping shiver that traveled down his spine. He narrowed his eyes, looking back, but Estrella coyly kept her mind blank, hiding all of her thoughts from him the way they’d taught each other to.
There, against the side of the entry doorway, the two of them laid.
Hoku’s daemon had stretched out, directly in the middle of the deck to keep the perfect distance away from either side of the railings. His long, furred body turned a pale, ghostly shade of white under the moonlight, large paws hiding pearl white claws. Hau’s side rose and fell in lazy slumber, his tail stretched out behind him like a white whip, ears twitching only occasionally.
But the issue was who was beside him.
Estrella had silently made her way from Law’s side across the deck to his. Her lithe, powerful feline body almost nearly matched his in size. Law watched her with rapt, rigid focus, brows furrowed in dark disbelief as his daemon purposefully ignored his silent prodding.
She stopped inches from Hau’s form, sitting on her haunches, tail curled neatly over her paws. Hau’s ear flicked once in her direction to signal he’d noticed, but kept his eyes closed. Estrella stared down at him, icy gray gaze that had stared back as she ripped throats out of marines and pirates and their enemies alike, becoming almost clear.
Estrella rearranged herself, laying down on her stomach barely a centimeter—a heavy, tense centimeter Law could feel—from him. She folded her paws neatly over each other, staring out seemingly in boredom. Her striped black tail flicked from side to side, occasionally brushing against Hau’s limp one. A ghost of a touch.
Touch.
His daemon. Estrella.
Hau didn’t move, tail limp, body relaxed. Estrella turned her head to look down at the other daemon, expression carefully blank. Her tail curled and then the tip of it brushed against Hau’s flank. His fur seemed to shift, bright, scarred pink nose twitching but he remained relaxed. Estrella seemed pleased by this and her tail promptly laid out beside his own, curling idly over his.
Touching.
Law looked back at Hoku and she reached for another dried fruit, popping it into her mouth. She shuffled through her bag, debating whether or not to shove a handful more. Oblivious.
Is your connection to your daemon that terrible? Law almost bit out. Almost. It would have come out calm and cold and collected. Are you that dull? Is it that messed up? Are you an idiot—
He went rigid, gripping Kikoku with white knuckles.
Law exhaled, slowly. He carefully turned over his shoulder, inch by inch, glaring daggers behind him.
Estrella didn’t even blink at him, eyes trained sideways and away. She looked silver against Hau’s snow white. Her long, raspy pink tongue slid out languidly from her mouth in soothing, relaxed motions. It showed off the dangerous curve of bone-crushing fangs. But Estrella’s tongue was now running over the top of Hau’s face, over his ears, around his neck as she turned her face and—
“Are you grooming him?” Law spat out in disbelief at her.
The snow leopard lazily flicked her tail behind her in response. Hau yawned, stretching his paws out, unbothered, and resumed his slumber as Estrella continued her grooming, content.
Law ripped apart the shudder that almost raced down his spine. He shoved the sensations traveling from Estrella and Hau’s shared connection, the low buzz of energy, of electricity that came when two daemons touched each. A feeling he’d only ever felt when Corazon’s Rosa would curl her soft, furry body up around Estrella—
He grit his teeth, squaring his shoulders and forcibly maintaining his composure as he promptly knocked Kikoku against the metal railing once.
Hoku looked up, brows creasing. A fruit stuck out from between her lips. She gave him a look, as though he’d done something wrong for disturbing her.
Your daemon is touching my daemon.
“Somethin’ wrong?” Hoku asked.
Do you not feel what I feel?
Law gave her a flat look. Hoku continued to chew.
Go get your daemon—
“Hoku,” she and Law both looked down. Hau’s voice was smooth and not too low, like a melted rumble. He came up to her leg, pressing his big head against her hip and curling his tail over her leg. The white panther daemon blinked blue eyes up at them. Law could see gold.
Hau seemed to examine Law for a moment before his long whiskers twitched. The white panther blinked once. Law stared back at him, curious about the eye contact someone else’s daemon was making with him.
Without even pausing, Hoku’s hand ran over his face, pushing past his soft ears and turning against his cheek to scratch under his chin. Hau lifted his head for better access, a loud rumble filling the air.
Several feet away, Estrella slowly made her way toward them, nonchalant and shifting mass of silver and black fur. She didn’t even acknowledge the icy daggers her other half was fixing her with, haunches swaying as she came up and sat down loyally by Law’s feet. Estrella looked up at Hoku, whiskers twitching.
“What game are you playing?” Law thought at her.
“Nothing,” Estrella thought back at him, innocent. “Nothing at all.”
---- ----- -----
P.S - If you guys like this au, highly recommend checking out 500shadesofblue’s story “Echoes” on ao3, super good.
a/n. it's been a hot minute, y'all. this is inspired by a reel i saw on instagram (@dagirlythang), although i believe this is one of those notorious accounts that reposts content from other creators without proper citation :\ still, credit is due where it's (partially) due. anywho, i haven't written in a WHILE, but i hope this still scratches the itch for some of you. enjoy! (0.6k)
“here, kats.”
from where he’s just put the car in park, bakugou looks at you—first, instinctively—then carefully, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion at the sight of what you’re holding.
his normally crimson eyes that are seeming darker under the dim light of his brand new porsche dart up to meet yours. “the fuck is that?”
you frown at his unexpectedly hostile reaction, although it’s quick to morph into a look of realization when it hits you belatedly.
“shit, sorry,” you half-laugh, half-sputter, hurriedly returning it to your bag before reaching into its depths for your phone. you thumb in your password in almost less than a second, gaze trained on the app as you click it, “i forgot you preferred cashless transactions.”
you’re in the middle of typing in bakugou’s phone number—you’re embarrassed to admit you already have it memorized just two weeks into dating him—when your device is unceremoniously yanked out of your grip—so fast that you could barely squeak in surprise. you whip to face the pro-hero—about to reprimand his ear off for ripping it away from your hands like that—when you catch a glimpse of his features and all the words suddenly die in your throat.
uh oh.
“tell me,” he starts, voice low, and you find yourself gulping despite yourself. “did i buy this car so i can quit hero work and be a driver?”
“…no?”
a scowl. “then why are you treating me like i’m you’re fucking uber?”
you blanch. “i’m not! i just figured i give you some gas money.”
“why the fuck would you send me gas money?”
you know better than to answer that, so you shake your head and ignore the way he’s practically glowering at you, before pulling out the wad of cash from earlier, “is this much okay—”
“you ain’t sending me shit,” bakugou essentially spits—cutting you off—just as he reaches over the console and thrusts your hand back into your wallet.
he’s still gripping onto your phone.
you toss him an exasperated expression.
that earns you an eye roll. “don’t.”
you pout. “why won’t you let me help?”
“this isn’t about help, dumbass,” bakugou drawls, mirroring your irritation. “i won’t be caught dead asking my girlfriend for money.”
you try to breeze past the way he just referred to you as his girlfriend, masking your fluster with a scoff. “so it’s a pride thing now?”
the ash-blonde sneers. “more like the bare fucking minimum.”
to that, you snort, although you can’t fight the smile that tugs at your lips. “easy for you to say, rich guy.”
“watch it,” he warns, and you break into a laugh, then laugh harder when his mouth wobbles in a sorry attempt to keep a stern face.
that grants you a playful punch to the shoulder, which you take in stride, still chuckling. soon enough, the air falls into a quiet lull with neither of you making a move to get out and into your apartment’s parking lot. this goes on for a few beats, before bakugou finally breaks the silence.
“p-promise me.”
bewildered, you glance at the pro-hero, who’s looking straight ahead onto the wall beyond the car. “promise you what?”
he swallows, as if nervous. “that you’ll get used to this.”
your eyes widen, suddenly speechless. the urge to ask him what he means by ‘this’ quickly surfaces—something tells you it’s more than just him spending on you—albeit dies down just as swiftly. the last thing you want is to ruin the moment.
instead, you settle with peering at him curiously for another minute, before: “…do i have a choice?”
at that, bakugou turns to you, grinning. “nah.”
˖⁺‧₊ as always, reblogs, replies, and tags are appreciated <3 feel free to drop an ask, too—i'd love to chat with you. have a nice day!
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