Write Fanfic For Yourself.

all fandoms need more friendship fics. every single one of them. there are never enough friendship fics in the world.

Ive been on a killer kick lately and just to let you know once i found this fick I absolutely DEVOURED everything. They are so adorable and a pair of beloved idiots

Childhood Crush

Prologue: Mo Laochain

Killer x gn!reader

word count: 1.3k next

synopsis: you're captain kid's older sibling that pretty much raised him. then one day he comes home with a new friend that you can't stop thinking about.

a/n: happy new year, y'all! might as well kick it with a new fic. this isn't going to be nearly as long as my law fic, but it's still pretty long. also, i definitely just googled scottish terms of endearment since that's their nationality. i read mo laochain means "my little hero" so yeah, there's that.

ALSO: big trigger warning. obviously language and violence, but the first couple chapters talk about drugs and parental neglect so yeah.

“Can you tell the one piece stowy again?”

“Again? But we did that story last night.”

“‘S my favorwite!” 

A small chuckle escaped from your face and you nodded. You told your little brother, Eustass, about the Gol D. Rodger story some time ago as a bedtime story and now it was his favorite one for you to tell before he went to bed - he requested it just about every night. 

“Okay, okay. Settle down and I’ll get started.” 

Then you did. You told him about the King of Pirates and the grand adventures he went on. You made up these adventures since no one really knew exactly what all they did - the newspapers only said so much. You told him about his execution and the mention of the one piece. 

As usual, by the time you reached the end, your little brother was passed out cold. 

With a small smile on your face, you kissed his head and headed into the livingroom to work at your desk. However, before you could get started, there was a knock at the door.

You glanced at the clock before looking at the door. Who could be knocking at this hour? Did your parents forget their keys again? Probably. Groaning, you headed towards the door opening it. “You guys really need to re-” You immediately froze when you were not met with your parents but a set of two large men.

“Hello, little one.” You looked up at them, your eyes wide. One of them had a top knot and the other had a scar on his face. “We’re friends of your parents, are they around?” Your eyes were wide as you tried to find your words, opening and closing your mouth several times almost akin to a fish.

They looked at each other before looking at you. “I understand this can be scary, but I promise you we won’t hurt you. Like I said, we’re friends of your parents!” He offered a smile that made your skin crawl. 

Finally, you found your voice, your grip tightening on the door. “My parents don’t have friends, they have dealers.” You clenched your jaw. The two men blinked and the man with the scar spoke once more, he seemed to be the vocal one of the two. “Now where did a kid like you learn a word like that? You’re what, eight?” 

You knew this was bound to happen. Unfortunately, you knew of your parents’ terrible habit of borrowing money to fuel their addictions. This wasn’t the first time someone came looking for them, but they were definitely the most scary looking of the bunch. Your parents really got themselves into some trouble it seems. 

“My age is none of your concern. Now, please leave. My parents aren’t here.” You tried to close the door, but the man with the scar stopped it, standing up once more. You felt panic rise in your chest. 

“Well, looks like we’ll just have to take you as collateral.” Your eyes widened and you tried to run when the one with the topknot grabbed you by the hair, causing you to cry out. You felt tears stinging your eyes and you clapped a hand over your mouth, looking at the hallway. You hoped to the stars that your brother didn’t hear you and he wouldn’t wake up.

Then you heard the footsteps of your five year old brother. Oh no.

“Bigs!” 

“Eustass, run!” You yelled, trying to pull away from the man that had a hold on you. However, being only five, he was also frozen in his tracks with fear, giving the man with a face scar plenty of time to pick him up by the scruff of his collar.

“No!” You shouted, feeling the tears begin to fall. 

“Bigs!” Your brother cried.

“Two of you? This definitely should cover what they owe.” You had to think of something quickly.

“Ow! Fucker!” You looked up, seeing your brother’s teeth clamped down on the man’s side only to then see the man toss your brother to the floor. “No!” You cried again, once more trying to free yourself from the grasp of the topknot man. Ugh, you needed to calm down and think of a plan!

You watched as the man approached your brother and you shouted in protest. Then his foot connected with his stomach and the world went still. Your brother started coughing and crying before he looked up at you. “Bigs…”

Everything went red. You were absolutely livid and you wanted to see their blood spill. No one was going to lay hands on your brother and get away with it. You stopped struggling, solidifying your stance and took in your surroundings.

“Finally coming to your senses? I knew you were smart,” the man with the face scar said as he picked up your brother again.

Your eyes saw the glint of a knife on the topknot’s belt. You were suddenly glad he was the one that was holding you down. You snatched the knife from his belt, reaching up and cutting your hair from his grip in one motion. Before the man had a chance to react, you ran over to where the man with the face scar was, driving the knife into his stomach. 

“What the fuck!” Topknot shouted.

“Fucking fucker!” Face scar shouted.

He dropped your brother who scrambled away. You ran over by the door, grabbing the pipe you kept by the door in case of emergencies. You never thought you’d have to use it though. Face scar ran at you and you dodged out of the way. Being small was coming in handy right now. You swung for the man’s knees, taking him out immediately. He cried out as he crashed to the ground.

The other one ran at you and you jabbed the pipe right into his babymaker, sending him down too. He was already suffering from the stab wound, so it didn’t take much to send him crashing down. You found the knife you had used earlier, grabbing it off the floor. Casting a look at your brother, you turned around to him while the other two men grovelled.

You knelt in front of your brother and smiled. “Close your eyes, mo laochain, okay?” He blinked and nodded, burying his face in his knees as he curled into a ball. “Don’t open them until I say.”

You turned back around, seeing Topknot standing up. You knew you had to act now. You ran forward, brandishing your knife.

You’re not exactly sure what happened as the rage finally consumed you. But, the job was done. The two men laid on the floor, more dead than doorknobs. You knew people were going to come looking for them, so you needed to take your brother and get out of here. People knew your parents lived here, but not many people knew the two of you lived here. Or that your parents had children. Hell, you weren’t even sure if they were aware most of the time.

“Bigs?” Your brother’s small voice brought you back to the present. “Can I open my eyes?” 

You didn’t want him to see this, but you couldn’t ask him to keep his eyes closed. You walked over to him, crouching in front of him so that you were all he saw. “Yes, you can open your eyes now.” 

Eustass lifted his head, looking up at you with wide, teary eyes. “You were so brave, mo laochain,” you said. He threw his arms around you, crying. You held him, collapsing to the ground with him. You were so tired, but you weren’t done yet. You still had to get him to safety but…right now, you were just going to hold him. You were just glad he was okay.

Green with Envy

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

Oh dear half-child, how do you feel? Does your sharp teeth scare away mortals with softer features? Is your too-human face too unlike that of your spirit friends? Oh if only you knew how loved you were.

Yokai and humans.

They were both different.

       Though you spent a fair amount of time among the yokai, intrinsically familiar with the customs of a world that laid parallel to the human world, the daily company you kept cemented you deeply into the world of mortals. So long spent among them made you maintain a constant front, dulling down yourself to appear palatable. Thus, it wasn’t hard to forget that you were not fully human.

But then there’d be inevitable moments that remind you of what you were and what you weren’t. Claws not fit to be on a normal person that would leave scratches on Adashino’s precious dark wood doorways. A stamina level surpassing even that of Ginko, the ever-wandering man asking to take a break long before the effects of traveling hit you. But nothing reminded you of your otherness as much as watching Adashino and Ginko interact with others.

Sometimes you loved to punish yourself by forcing yourself to watch things as they unfold.

(Because that was what you did, ever since you were a kid.)

(Watch. All you knew was how to watch)

(Even as your family house went up in smoke and flames and your mother died protecting your father in front of you, all her Yokai glory forever stained by dirt and blood.)

(Even as your father perished, too, at the hands of the village he called his own when trying to get her body back.)

Your throat itched with the sensation of phantom smoke and screaming and you knew that today would be a bad day. A day without words as they would stay locked up tight in your throat no matter how much you tried. Bad days like these used to be common, back when wounds were fresher. But since the arrival of two humans in your life, they’d become few and far in between.

(Few but not gone. And today was going to be one of them.)

The sounds of brass bells being rung and cheers rising up from the streets drew your attention from the dark musings of your thoughts and outwards. From your viewpoint up in the trees and surrounded by their foliage, you had a bird’s eye view of the bustling town market from where you sat. A small festival, that’s what it was. A child had just won a prize for successfully scooping up a turtle with his net. Now the parents cheered as the vendor gave the child a sewn turtle animal. Your gaze stayed locked on the idyllic scene, of a precious family moment.

Oh, how you envied them.

If anybody were to look up at your hiding spot at the moment, they would have seen the golden gleam of slit-like eyes and a dark, blurry shadow among the leaves and nothing more. The weak illusion spell that you managed to cast ensured that they couldn’t see you, despite being so near to others. Festivals like these were rare, the village too small to host frequent ones so when they happened it was a special treat. Both you and Ginko had traveled back for this occasion to be able to help out the townsfolks and enjoy it too. But as the days approached it only got busier and busier. You, when not helping out with the village these past few days, had taken up the mantle of talking to the local forest Yokai. A few liked to mingle among humans during this time, taking in the sights and sounds, and a few appreciated the warnings of more frequent traffic occurring in their zones and it was your job to let them know. 

On the other hand, Adashino, being the doctor and honorary member of the village council, was pulled in all sorts of directions. Budgeting, setup, deliveries form the incoming boats. Even now, he was off helping oversee any problems and keep the peace. And Ginko—

Ginko was passing right in front of your line of sight, deep in conversation with Io.

Ah, Io, the girl who swam with the Suiko. The girl who was saved by the collective efforts of the village. You remembered seeking out the Yokai remedies in the forest to help reverse the effects. A kind, kind girl. Sometimes a bit too selfless, but always eager to help. She had felt indebted to you all, even though all of you had seeked no payment except for her good health and happiness. Despite Ginko’s insistence that he didn't want to take anything from her, she still stopped by Adashino’s to occasionally drop off catches of fish when she had some to spare.

Your eyes tracked the pair as they stopped in front of a stall, Ginko helping Io lift up a case of ice. The slick surface of stray ice under his feet made him slip, almost sending him tumbling down, case and all. His limbs flailed for a moment before he steadied himself. The sight of the usually composed man flustered made Io and some of the locals break into well-natured laughter. Ginko ducked his head, rubbing the nape of his neck in embarrassment as he chuckled.

An ugly feeling flared within your chest at the joyous scene, the longing for closeness making your chest ache. On a normal day, you would’ve been down there already, flitting among the stalls and indulging in the treats. But the work the last few days had forced you to expend more magic than you realized. It didn’t hit you how bad it was until this morning when you nearly ripped a crate apart after getting spooked. Thankfully, only Adashino noticed before you quickly excused yourself to slink away before you could hurt anybody. Even now, as you had dropped the exhausting human mirage in favor of the much easier hiding spell, it still made you twitchy and tired.

Such was your hand deal in life, not enough Yokai blood to wield magic extensively like your brethren but with just enough in you to irreversibly put you apart from all mortal men.

The sounds of goodbyes rose up and you watched Ginko and Io depart back to where they came from. Your feet itched to hop down and pursue them, to join the streams of people moving through the village.

But you were tired.

Tired tired tired.

***

Sometimes, Adashino regretted stepping into such an influential position in the village. Despite there being the officials and the elders who made the major decisions, many of them relied on him for aid. Especially with big events such as these when all he wanted was to spend some time in his archives and organize his collections with Ginko, listening to you chattering their ears off with your tales. 

Don’t get him wrong, he loved where he was now, and if given the chance, he would have done it all over again. He loved being able to contribute his knowledge to the people and help them with everything he could. But he just wished they didn’t make him out to be such an important figure. He was just a humble doctor who liked to collect the unusual, after all.

Well–compared to you and Ginko, he wasn’t exactly humble. But he tried to live an honest life. A life that his parents would be proud of too. It was why he moved out to this village in the first place.

(A desperate fisherman coming to the family apothecary. The village was just beginning to pop up then and was hoping to be able to have a physician who could manage the sickness that had fallen over the town)

His mother had encouraged him to go. Sent him off with a small fortune in his hands left behind by his father. She had reassured him she’d be alright. His father’s time as the most successful physician in their town ensured that landed the family with good graces and good fortune, covering for his wife and two sons even after his death.

(Even now, she continued to send parcels, bigger than before ever since he started mentioning two other individuals in his mail.)

But the responsibilities heaped upon him made it impossible to seek you out after he saw what occurred that morning. It happened so quickly, not even the roughhousing boys who crashed into you realized it, but for a second Adashino’s sharper eyes caught the flicker in your appearance as it slipped to reveal snapping teeth and slitted eyes. He saw the way the crate in your hands began to splinter but as soon as it happened you had shut everything down under tight lock and key, expression freezing over like ice over a winter pond. Nobody noticed as you finished, laughing a laugh with no joy in it towards a joke before you slipped away.

Nobody except him.

And he wasn’t able to grasp a moment with you before you slipped away like mist through his fingers.

A voice called out for him and Adashino cursed his altruistic nature, wishing he had his tobacco pipe in hand. “Coming!”

“....ut it here, Ginko. Thank you for your help, I don’t what I’d have done without you.”

“Anytime.”

The familiar tenor made Adashino stop in his tracks, heading whipping back to seek out its owner. Seeing the white mop of hair, the doctor quickly adverted his course and headed straight for the Mushishi. He skidded to a stop in front of him, monocle nearly falling off. “Ginko! There you are. Please tell me you have a moment.”

Ginko tilted his head, blinking slowly through the haze of his cigarette smoke. “Sure do.”

“Okay good, good. Have you seen–” His eyes flitted to the left as he thought he saw you, uttering your name. “–anywhere?”

“Can’t say I have. Why? Dodging responsibilities?”

Adashino shook his head, worry surging back to the forefront of his mind. Why were you not there? Usually, you’d be among the streets already; if not, Ginko should’ve spotted you in the crowd. But to not see hide nor hair of you this entire time? 

It must have shown on his face because Ginko stepped forward. “Is something wrong?”

Despite the responsibilities weighing down his shoulders, he grabbed the man’s arm and began dragging him to the side. “Come on give me a moment and I’ll explain to you. Can you do me a favor?”

***

Ginko was troubled.

The worried look on Adashino’s face as he left the doctor to resume his responsibilities stuck with the white-haired man as he set off to take a lap around the town, looking for you. Now that the doctor brought up his concerns about you, Ginko couldn’t help but re-analyze the entire day so far, recalling a very distinct lack of your sharp laughter and crimson kimono that you loved to wear for festivals. The entire time he attributed your absence to you being busy helping Adashino but when the doctor had asked him if he had seen you it threw him for a loop. And then the short explanation that entailed, Adashino’s concerns about your appearance–which you usually kept under lock and key–nearly being shown in the middle of the market.

So there he was, trying to seek out a flighty little half-spirit like the way he seeked out Mushi. It reminded him of the first time he met you when you both were younger and less experienced in life. It was a Mushi report that turned out to be a Yokai, one that you were also in the region to deal with, and he had accidentally tracked you down instead of the actual issue. Luckily, you were agreeable enough to aid him in finding the Yokai, and your help was crucial in asking it to move out from the river the village used. The rest was history.

Through the length of time that the three of you have known each other, there were things that were shared among you three that no outsiders knew. Moments reserved only for each other and no one else. You had seen him at his worst and he had seen you at yours and thus he was adept at spotting when you were running yourself ragged.

Usually.

Ginko muttered a curse under his breath as he thought about you in the past few days. The ozone smell of your magic fluctuating wildly when you three spent time with each other at home, how your appetite had waned despite it usually increasing when you used a lot of powers, the way you were tenser around open fires lately. But because of the work occupying you all, he had missed all the signs.

His feet picked up the pace as he scanned the area around him. He knew you were smart and capable enough to care for yourself but he didn’t want you to spend your time alone with your thoughts.

(And Adashino would have his sorry hide if Ginko didn’t find you before the end of today.)

An inquiry from a local made him stop as they roped him into a conversation and he tried his best to entertain it without drawing it on for too long. Thankfully his practice in patience paid off and they soon excused themself to send him on his way. Pulling a cigarette out, he lit it up and inhaled the calming smoke. While the festival was entertaining, he couldn’t wait until it was over so he could actually spend some time with you and Adashino beyond hurried conversations as you guys carried stuff past each other on the street.

(Though he lamented that he’d have to leave very soon after the festival, lest he attracts any unsavory Mushi close to people he held so dear.)

With a sigh, the man took another drag and moved on. 

Now… If he was his sneaky little fox spirit, where would he hide?

***

The sun had shifted to shine directly on your face in the time you woke up from your daze and now your skin felt flushed and tacky. Hot and feverish with heat. Despite your state, you still managed to pick up the sounds of a throat clearing at the base of your tree. You shifted, an eye peering down through the fringes of your hair.

“You’ve been here the whole time?” Ginko asked, hands tucked in his pocket and face upturned to smile at you in his small, signature smile. “How long have you been up there, huh? ‘Shino’s been searching around for you.”

You didn’t answer–couldn’t answer as words refuse to give way–but a deliberate shift making the leaves around you rustle was enough of an answer for the man as he let out a good-natured sigh, stepping up to under where you were sitting and extending his arms out to beckon you.

Ginko called your nickname, short and sweet as it fell from his mouth, arms beckoning you. “C’mere. Let’s go back before it gets dark and Adashino decides to lock us in his shed. I’ll catch you.”

There was hesitation in your actions as you began to untuck from the ball that you’d curled up into, but the endless patience in Ginko’s face and his calm demeanor reassured you. As one leg dangled over the branch, you peered down at him with tired eyes.

“As scrawny as I may seem, I’m stronger than I look. I won’t drop you. Don’t you trust me?”

You did.

Gravity swept you down toward him as you pushed off, clenching your eyes shut in anticipation. Lithe arms caught you with a grunt and you let out a quiet wheeze at the impact. Miraculously, the man didn’t topple under the weight and force of your landing. You clambered off him, ready to head back but the moment your feet touched the ground the consequences of perching in a tree the whole day caught up to you. Ginko saw you toppling and quickly went to support you. 

“Don’t think you can make it back to Adashino’s, huh?”

You pursed your lips, shaking your head. To your surprise, Ginko began pulling away from you. There was a moment of panic as you thought he was leaving you before he crouched down in front of you.

“Up you go.”

A moment passed as you stared at him in confusion. Ginko glanced back at you as he raised an eyebrow after seeing you still standing there.

“Come on. You’re really gonna walk all the way home and up the hill?”

That question helped you make up your mind. Quickly, you clambered up, locking your arms around his shoulders and he grabbed the underside of your thighs.

“You’ll be my medicine cabinet for today,” Ginko said as he stood up. “A bigger, livelier one.”

You gently pat him on top of his head, messing with the hair there.

“I’ll drop you if you don’t stop that,” Ginkgo warned, jostling you jokingly.

A small amused huff escaped you at that, knowing full well that he wouldn't do that, and resting your chin on his shoulder. The walk back was peaceful, with Ginko pointing out a few of the harmless Mushi floating around and remarking on some of the Yokai visitors he saw arrive today.

(Some of them, he told you, asked after your wellbeing.)

With his presence came the feeling of your soul settling down, your skin feeling more right on your body. You weren’t like them, but that didn’t matter. There was still a place for you in their world and them in yours.

Im really enjoying the scanlation of "the summer hikaru died" specifically cause thats a mother fucker who gets an american southern dialect. To often translaters remove dialect instead of adapting em.

"maybe it aint never was so black an white" <- horribly improper grammer. Exactly how my whole family speaks.

holding hands headcanons for Spike and Jet pls 🥹💖

Hand Holding HCs (Spike Spiegel, Jet Black)

𝗔/𝗡: 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗺! 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆!

𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗯 𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁: @dogsandrocketsocks @pittbull-enthusiast @asuperconfusedgirl @rendartgrimson @abellaheart-blog @skylardarling

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? ⇒ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧?

𝙗𝙪𝙮 𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚?

Spike Spiegel

He’s not the biggest fan in the world of hand-holding and likely prefers things like putting his arm around you

However, he has absolutely no problems with hand-holding itself- again, he just has a preference for something slightly different

So most of the time, it is gonna be you reaching for his hand

Though if he’s leading you somewhere (especially somewhere dangerous), he has no probably grabbing your hand first

And unless you’re keeping him from doing something important, he’s not gonna be the one to drop your hands first

Like at most, he’ll have you switch to another one of his hands or change his grip because he finds it comforting when you seek him out like this haha

And ever since meeting you, holding your hand has become such a constant in his life that he probably does a lot of subconscious things like rub the back of your hand with his thumb or squeeze out little messages or the beats of a song

But one thing he is intentional about? Kissing the back of your hand

Absolutely loves doing in public as a subtle way of giving your assurance (and making it known that you’re taken LMAO)

But he also probably just sees it as a quick and easy way of giving you affection when he can’t put all of his attention on you

Jet Black

Jet Black? You mean the sappiest lover boy, right LOL

Like seriously, you make this guy really really soft <3

(Like so soft that he doesn’t even care about defending his reputation infront of Spike or Faye LMAO)

Though like Spike, hand-holding isn’t his most favorite form of contact

Most likely this guy like linking arms the best or just holding you LMAO, but Jet is not a picky guy

He’ll take anything as long as it’s you

So you probably reach for his hand more often, but he definitely initiates hand-holding quite a bit too because he knows how much you like it

And he loves to do and make a show of doing cute things like kissing the back of your hand or spinning you around because he just wants to see smile and giggle at him

He definitely prefers holding your hand with his right hand because he can actually feel with that one lol

But he really adores watching you play around with his left hand because you’re curious about his prosthetic arm and like feeling the smoothness of his material

Y’all if ygs followed me for one piece stuff I recommend reading hannahbarberra’s they are *chef’s kiss*

Snow Fall (Alpha!Izo x Omega!Reader)

18+ MDNI on Ao3

Summary: Izo’s search for his mate had ended before it had begun. He'd never been able to tolerate the scent of any Omega, finding their floral scents all far too strong. Until he meets you, a baker originally from Wano who sells desserts on a tiny winter island...

~~~

Yes. I know. Another one. But also.....it's fun for me! I just love Izo, OK? Not NSFW in this chapter.

~~~

Izo’s search for his mate had ended before it had begun. By the time Izo had reached puberty and presented as an Alpha, he’d found the scent of every Omega he’d encountered to be overwhelming and unpleasant. In theory, he was supposed to be attracted to the floral scents that the Omegas threw off but in reality they singed his nose and gave him a headache. He hadn’t had much chance to explore his options in Wano, quickly becoming a retainer for Oden and spending his time with the Shogun. But as he sailed the seas with Whitebeard, he came across hundreds if not thousands of Omegas across the Grand Line and all of them smelled absolutely wretched to Izo. 

Time and time again his brothers had urged him to find an omega to settle himself with, even going so far as to bring a few on board and leaving them in his room as a “surprise.” No matter how beautiful or kind they were, Izo couldn’t overcome his aversion to their strong saccharine smells, politely removing them from his cabin before opening all the windows. He’d admonish his brothers for wasting everyone’s time, but his brothers wanted to see him happily mated and hadn’t given up their quest yet. They didn’t understand - the Alphas among them loved the scents and the Betas couldn’t smell it as strongly. His brothers thought he was being too picky but the truth was he couldn’t bear to be in the same room as a flowering Omega. Izo had accepted the fact that he would likely remain unmated through his life. Sure, he could (and did) bed betas at nearly every island - but finding a mate seemed an impossible task.

The Moby was docked at an autumn island in its winter season, they’d been there for about a day, restocking what they could from the available resources. . The Commanders were bitching about the cold weather as they walked while huddling together on the icy sidewalks of the small settlement on the island.

Izo didn’t mind the cold, if anything he preferred it, and not just because he was from a snowy village himself. In the cold, the rancid and overpowering smells of Omegas were more muted than on warm summer islands. Once they were mated, the Omega stench was less pronounced but even then he could hardly bear it. Summer islands brought dresses, shorts, and exposed skin that all but coated the air with their smells, much to his chagrin. No, he liked the snow on the ground, the cold wind on his face, and the long sleeves and pants covering all the Omegas on the island.

Ignoring his fellow Commanders as they moaned about their frozen fingers, Izo focused on the crunch of his boots in the snow and the sharp sting of the frigid air as he inhaled. There was a local bakery on the island and rumors were that they served authentic Wano desserts. Along with overpowerful smells, Izo also disliked oppressively sweet tastes. He would never say anything for fear of hurting the Chef’s feelings, but Izo hadn’t enjoyed a dessert since he’d left Wano with Oden. He didn’t want to get his hopes up for the bakery - he had come to realize over the years that “authentic Wano desserts” usually meant “Wano inspired desserts.” But the locals working the docks said that the baker was actually from Wano, barely speaking Common. 

A tinny bell ringing signaled their entrance to the small, cosy establishment. There were only two small tables with six old chairs inside, most of the meager space dedicated to the wares being sold. It was worn down but clean, the kind of place that opened at 5 to serve food to hungry dock workers. As he moved towards the displays, Izo detected something in the air that had him inhaling deep breaths through his nose, searching for more. There was the smell of snow falling on a moon lit winter’s night - a subtle smell that he’d long forgotten in the murky depths of his childhood memory. The smell was too weak and fleeting, he wasn’t able to track down the smell as he entered further into the shop. His nose was flooded with the smells of sugar, cream and other sickly sweet pastries he would likely gag if he tried.

Undeterred, Izo glanced at the offerings of the bakery to determine if there really was Wanese food for sale. Izo’s eyes widened slightly as he saw an entire case of Wano desserts sandwiched between the usual island sweet breads and cakes that the island workers likely favored. Approaching the refrigerated case, he raised his eyebrows as he saw noshiumi and nanbu senbei on the top shelf , the latter of which were his favorite treat as a child, when his family still had money to spare. 

“Are you going to stare all day or are we gonna order?” asked Thatch, already unbuttoning his wool double breasted coat and placing it on a coat rack by the door. Izou had been trailed by some of his favorite brothers - Thatch, Marco, and Ace - to the homey establishment. 

“Yeah, you’re practically salivating at the sight of those desserts yoi” Marco teased. Izo was often told that he was expressionless and difficult to decipher, but his brothers had no difficulty understanding his feelings. Izo rolled his eyes - after so many years living and sailing together, his brothers could read him like a book. 

“Yes, yes, don’t rush me,” Izo replied, flicking his long hair over his shoulder. Approaching the counter, he saw a lazy looking young Beta working the counter. She was staring at herself in the mirror, practicing her smile. Izou snapped his fingers in front of her face, bringing her attention away from her own reflection. Your face had a toad like appearance, large bulging eyes and thin limp hair that hung down in clumps by her face. 

“What do you want?” she asked, clearly unhappy to be taken away from her pastime. Izo wasn’t sure that practicing smiling in the mirror would help the Beta find a mate. As she spoke, Izou detected a slight smell of yeasty bread. It wasn’t wholly unpleasant but didn’t explain the light snow scent he detected upon entering the building. Alphas and omegas in food service often smelled more potent than the food they cooked. Izo had eaten many meals outdoors to avoid the stench. Though it was no one’s fault, sometimes he could hardly tell what he was eating in the presence of Alphas and Omegas.

“Who makes these desserts?” Izo demanded, pointing to the Wanese desserts in the case. The girl frowned and turned her head to the door leading to the kitchens.

“TASUKE! SOMEONE WANTS YOU,” the girl yelled, not bothering to fetch the woman herself. Izo raised an eyebrow at the name. It wasn’t completely unheard of but it certainly was not a popular name for females. A young woman with flour dusted up to your elbows and on your apron appeared in the doorway, wiping your hands on a kitchen towel. Your shoulders were tightly drawn inward as she came to the call of the rude woman, as if to make herself smaller. Upon seeing Izo in the doorway, your pinched face broke into a huge smile as she bowed to the Commander.

“Can help you?” she asked in a chipper tone, your Wanese accent strongly affecting your intonation. She had your hands clasped in front of your, patiently waiting for the Commander to speak.

“Tasuke doesn’t speak a lot of Common, just show your what you want and she’ll get it,” the girl said in a bored tone, already looking at herself in the mirror again.

“Good afternoon, Miss Tasuke. Would you please tell me about these desserts in the window?” Izo asked in Wanese. It had been years since he’d spoken Wanese aloud but he relished the opportunity.

“Good afternoon, Commander Izo. Of course, it would be my pleasure. Which are you interested in?” replied the young lady, already moving gracefully towards the shelving. Your Wanese was also accented, showing that she was originally from Northern Wano, like himself. 

“May I sample the noshiumi and nanbu senbei please Miss Tasuke? It has been so long since I have been able to enjoy such delights,” Izou replied with a small smile. He didn’t need to use his observation Haki or even turn around to know that his brothers were paying rapt attention to the exchange. They weren’t chatting with one another and Ace wasn’t complaining, he could practically feel holes being bored into his back from Marco’s intense stare.

“Thank you, Commander Izo! I hope they are up to your standard. Please, sit down, and I will bring them to you,” Tasuke said with a small bow, walking quickly into the cafe portion of the building. She was shorter than Izo expected, the top of your head reaching only to his chest.  He complied with your request, sitting at the remaining empty chair by his brothers. Watching the woman work quickly, he noted that the other woman didn’t move a muscle, not even bothering to get out of Tasuke’s way when she was carrying multiple plates. 

“Commander Izo, here are the desserts you requested as well as a few more. I wish I had known you were coming, I would have made something more befitting someone of your position,” the young woman lamented, placing several dishes stacked high with treats in front of him and the other Commanders. Your hands were shaking slightly and your face was flushed as she served the table of men. “Would you care for something to drink? I do keep some barley tea if you wish for me to brew it, but we also have regular tea, coffee, whatever you would like, Sir,” Tasuke asked, rambling on in your nervousness, gripping your serving tray tightly between your fingers as she held it flush against your stomach. Curiously, he couldn’t detect any scent from your, regardless of what your dynamic was. Though, working in a kitchen could dull your natural scent.

Smiling at you once more to try and alleviate your tension, Izou replied “Barley tea would be wonderful for me, thank you. The others will be satisfied with coffee.” You bowed again and turned to begin brewing the tea.

“By the way, how did you know who I was?” Izo asked before you left. He had a hunch but he wanted to hear it from your pretty mouth. you blushed deeply, which Izo found endearing.

“ I read and keep all your wanted posters. You are the only person I see from Wano on them and I felt a kind of…connection to you? It can be lonely not speaking the same language as everyone else and I…I just…I don’t know. I feel foolish for saying all this to you, Sir, I apologize” you finished with a small bow. You practically ran away thereafter, leaving Izo sitting with the corner of his mouth upturned.

“Whoa,” Ace said, with his mouth hanging open, reaching for the plate in front of Izo. Izo smacked Ace’s hand with his chopsticks as Ace tried to grab one of his dorayaki, wanting to keep the special treat all for himself.

“Whoa indeed. You practically proposed to that girl,” Thatch said, resting his head on his hand as he leaned on the small table

“What are you yammering on about now?” Izo scowled, admiring the nishiumi in his chopsticks. It was perfectly proportioned and formed, he couldn’t wait to taste it.

“You smiled at that lady. Extended smiles, too. You might as well tell Pops you’ve found The One,” Thatch teased, biting into an anko mochi. Chewing and swallowing thoughtfully, the Chef looked into the interior of the tiny dessert, rolling it between his fingers. “ ‘S good. Like, really good. I should ask for the recipe,” he mused, finishing it off in another bite. 

“Won’t be as good yoi. She’s from Wano, didn’t you hear them speaking together? Who knows what they were talking about,” Marco observed, biting into a mochi of his own. Knowing Marco as long as he had, Izou knew the Phoenix was teasing him as well in his own dry way. Sometimes it was pleasant having hundreds of siblings, and sometimes…less so.

Bringing the nishiumo to his mouth, Izo took a small bite. He closed his eyes as he was transported in thought back to his childhood, back to Ringo, back to the endless snowy nights under moonlit skies, back to a treat after dance class, back to the moon shining down on pure, glittery snow, back to Wano. The dessert tasted just as he remembered it, perhaps even better after all the years of longing for its flavor on his tongue.

By the time you had come back bearing the tea and three coffees, nearly all the desserts were gone, leaving only empty plates stacked high. Ace and his voracious appetite were partially to blame, but the other three Commanders had indulged just as much. They’d left at least one of each type of dessert for Izou but had rave reviews for all the sampled items.

You unburdened your serving tray by handing the other Commanders their coffees first, walking around the table and picking up the empty plates and placing them on your tray. As you worked, you spoke to Izou.

“I hope it is ok that I am speaking only to you, Commander Izo. I mean no offense to the other Commanders, I don’t speak much Common and would not be able to communicate all that well with them. Besides, I haven’t met anyone else from Wano since I left. It feels…pleasant to be speaking to someone who can understand me once more,” Tasuke finished, reaching past him to place his tea on the table.

As your arm moved by, Izo smelled snow fall once again. It was faint, but emanating from the woman at his side. Grabbing your arm suddenly in his large hand, Izo brought your wrist to his nose and inhaled deeply. Tasuke startled, dropping your tray plates, and tried to retract your arm. Izo couldn’t let go, not when the smell was so enticing. He dragged his nose from your wrist to your elbow, taking in the subtle scent of the omega in front of him. 

“TASUKE! PICK UP THOSE PLATES OR I’M GONNA TELL WIDO!” the other girl yelled from across the room. Izo felt you wince as the name was mentioned, he’d have to investigate further. Izo noted that the girl didn’t bother to help you or stop him from scenting you, just commanded you to continue working. 

“Izo, what the hell?” asked Thatch, watching the scene unfold. He wasn’t moving to help the woman escape Izo’s grasp, but Izo knew his actions were…out of character. His brothers looked from one to the other with concern but allowed him to continue his scenting.

Izo couldn’t stop himself from enjoying the smell of snow falling on pine trees…The smell of snow falling under the moonlight…a meter of snow already stacked high on the ground…walking on snow packed hard from others who already have used the path…his hand in his sister’s, shivering in the cold of the winter…

“Please, Commander, I apologize for my misdeeds! Please forgive me for what I’ve done!” Izo belatedly realized the woman was trying to pull your arm away and apologizing while he’d been lost in his memories. Turning your delicate arm over in his hand, he saw a number of finger shaped bruises lining your inner arm. He didn’t let you go but he did avert his face from your arm and looked into your frantic face.

“You are an Omega, yes?” Izo asked the scared baker.

“I-I’m not sure, Commander Izo. I was supposed to be, but I never developed a scent,” Tasuke explained, still weakly trying to remove your wrist from Izo’s grip.

“You have the most intoxicating scent I’ve ever smelled on an Omega. Are you mated?” Izo knew he would likely embarrass the young woman but he had to know. Your cheeks heated red as you averted your gaze. He heard his brothers pick up an awkward conversation to pretend they weren’t trying to listen in, perhaps to give you some emotional space. 

“No, I’m not mated. I, um, I’m not allowed to be. Please, I apologize for what I’ve done, please allow me to clean this mess,” you pleaded, still trying to remove your arm from Izou’s grasp. Reluctantly, he let go and you immediately bowed deeply to him, practically parallel to the floor. You then took your tray and started cleaning up the plates that had clattered to the floor from earlier.

“ What do you mean you’re not allowed to be mated?” Izo asked, crouching on the floor next to you to pick up the dishes off the floor. You tried picking them up before he could, preventing him from aiding even though he’d caused the spill. You still wouldn’t look at him, instead focusing on cleaning the crumbs off the floor. 

“Please, Commander, sit, I don’t want you to sully your fine clothing. I, um, the family who I work for says that my debt is not paid off and that I can’t be mated until it is. Besides, no one has ever expressed interest, so…” you trailed off, tucking your hair behind your ear. Izo turned your face to his own with a gentle hand.

“I will speak to your family,” Izo declared, pushing off his knees to standing. Offering you a hand, you gently placed your calloused hand in his softer one as Izo pulled you to standing.

“ Please, don’t. I -” you started but Izo already knew the rest of the sentence as your scent turned sour from fear. You were afraid of reprisal from your adopted family, most likely from your eldest “brother.” 

“ You have nothing to fear. No harm will come to you. Can you trust me?” Izo asked, placing his fingertips under your chin and lifting your face. You looked up at him with your doe eyes and Izo knew in that instant you’d be coming with him on the ship. He’d been wavering on it since he smelled your scent but the fear in your eyes and the bruises on your arms told a story of their own.

“ I trust you, Commander Izo.” You hadn’t tried to scent him but he wondered if his presence was as calming to you as yours was to his. You picked up your tray and scurried to the back to begin working again.

“Who is it? I’m guessing whoever Wido is” Marco asked quietly. 

“Wido, likely the whole family. I’m not sure exactly what the situation is but it’s nothing good,” Izo commented, finally able to take a sip of the barley tea. He closed his eyes to enjoy the long forgotten taste on his tongue, the simple drink bringing his taste buds to life. “Let me finish the tea first then we’ll investigate,” Izo requested, taking another sip. 

A crash and a voice hissing in the back kitchen told him that wasn’t going to be the case. Izo exchanged a brief glance with Marco before standing so quickly he toppled his chair.

“You stupid bitch! You dropped all those plates? You’d better hope those pirates don’t dine and dash or it’s being added to your debt,” Izo heard the man whisper-yell. Already in motion, Izo had his gun in his hand as he passed through the half curtains into the kitchen. You were cowering from an ugly man, pig nosed just like his sister. He had your upper arms in his tight grip, bruising you even further. He was in the process of shaking you, your hair loose around your face where it had fallen from its style, your cheeks already stained with tears. Izo cocked his gun and pointed it at the man.

“Let go,” was all Izo had the ability to say through his anger. He wanted to shred the man with his bare hands but that would ruin his manicure. Wido let go of you, his arms lifting into the air in the universal image of surrender. 

“ Come here Tasuke,” he called to you in a soft voice. Looking first at Wido, who hadn’t moved since Izo had come into the kitchen, you looked at his gun pointed at your adopted “brother.”

“Come little Omega, I won’t hurt you,” he continued to coo at you as you tentatively came to his side. He put his arm around your shoulders, wrapping you in the scent and comfort of his winter kimono. 

“She’s leaving. For good,” Izo informed the paling man.

“B-but we need her, she’s -” Wido stammered. You gasped as Izo fired a warning shot, grazing the man’s ear. He screamed in pain and fell to the ground as if Izo had shot him in the stomach.

"Get up," Izo sneered to the crying man. He had no patience for those who would inflict violence on others but were weak to the smallest injury themselves.

“Let’s go,” Izo told the shaking Omega. He’d explain everything to Pops, he wasn’t worried about your reception. You could easily join Thatch’s division with your obvious talent in baking. He’d be there to help you every step of the way, basking in your scent all the while.

“Don’t know why you’d want the scentless bitch anyway, useless trash,” Izo heard Wido mutter under his breath as you left the kitchens. Marco frowned and stood up as Thatch finished off the rest of his tea and did the same, cracking his knuckles. He made eye contact with Ace and smiled. Ace’s eyes lit up with glee as his hands crackled with fire, the implication between them clear. 

“Have fun, Ace," Izo said, herding the Omega out of the shop. 

Taglist: @mfreedomstuff

sir..

It’s so funny how in Mushishi everyone wears traditional kimonos and then there’s Ginko in a polo shirt

Anyways here r the drawings that started it all

What am i doing here i dont even work at this mcdonalds