Mushishi

Pickled Plums

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

You loved the noise of cicadas in the ripe summer air.

Gravel crunched beneath your sandals as dappled sunlight filtered down from the canopy of green. It was the apex of summer and the forest was ripe and heavy with life and heat. From your peripherals, you could see the glowing forms of the familiar mushi dancing through the air. They were the same types that often frequented the village, a sure sign that your journey was coming to an end. You wondered if Ginko had yet to see them from wherever he was behind you.

The satchel sitting on your hip alongside the pack on your back was a reminder of the gifts wrapped lovingly in twine and leaves. Gifts for Adashino and Ginko both, picked specifically with them in mind as well as the food carefully preserved by a bit of yokai magic and plenty of salt. The thought of rice and Adashino’s pickled radish made you drool, and you had no doubts that Ginko’s endless stomach would appreciate some food as well.

 Cries of seabirds and waves crashing against the shore slowly began to replace cicadas as the forest opened up to show a fishing village in the distance. Your speed picked up, eagerly scattering pebbles at the sight of the clay-shingle roofs. As you passed through the dirt streets, villagers caught sight of you and an excited wind began to catch the sleepy adobes.

Calls of your name began to echo through the air as those living there went out to greet you.

“It’s you!”

“Welcome back!”

“Oho going to see the doctor aren’t we?”

The last one was met with a delighted laugh, your eyes twinkling with mirth at the old man. “Of course! Is he home right now?”

“He should be!” Another woman called, her child waving at you from behind her. “He just finished treating Aoi’s son a little bit ago.”

“Thank you,” you called back gratefully. Turning around to the villagers, you put a finger to your lips and winked. “I think Ginko is arriving soon, don’t tell any of them that I’m here, alright?”

“Cheeky!”

“We won’t,” The old man chuckled. “Good to know all three of you are back in town for a while. We were beginning to wonder when we’d see you two wanderers again.”

You shrugged as your eyes caught sight of a minuscule movement from the alleyway.

“We can never stay for long,” you said. “But we’ll always come back, of course. If you don't mind…” Your head tilted towards the alleyway, indicating your wish to leave.

“Of course!” He guffawed, stepping aside. 

“Here, here!” A man said, shoving an earthenware jar into your arms. “For you all. A thank you to the doctor for treating my little Tsumiki last month.”

“O-Oh thank you so much.” You bowed your head, clutching the clay pot in your arms. “I'll be on my way then.”

“Eager huh? I know how it was when I was your age. Ah, younguns…Always have one place or another to be.”

You brushed past them with a smile and a parting promise. “I’ll come back down to visit later.”

“You better!”

“We’ll be waiting, young lady.”

You threw back a wave, attention focused on the alleyway where you saw it. Stepping into the shade, you stopped to listen for the quiet noise of something moving. Your sharp ears finally picked up something.

There. To your left.

“Here you are, little one,” you murmured crouching down and setting the jar down next to you with a soft ‘thump’. Reaching forward, you cupped the spirit in your palms. There was an offended squeak and the flower yokai opened a bulbous, yellow eye in the middle of its petals. Upon seeing your face, its petals snapped back close with a quiver and another squeak. A nature yokai then.

“Sssh, it’s okay,” you soothed, stroking a finger down its body. It was smooth and lumpy, like one of those sea anemones Ginko showed you on the coast that you both went to once. After a moment, the petals crept back open and the yokai peeked back out, its big watery eye staring back at you. 

You gave it a soft smile and it quivered before wiggling back and forth before unfurling completely.

“There you are…You shouldn’t be here,” you told it. “It’s not safe for you to be here. Come with me and I’ll bring you somewhere safer, alright?”

You put the yokai on your shoulder, where it snuggled into the shoulder of your traveling yukata. You smiled and picked up the jar before setting off again for Adashino’s house at the other edge of the village. There would be nature there, where it could thrive and survive better than the streets of mankind. Yokais like these ones never survived for long in human settlements, dependent on green life to draw their energy source. Without it, they would wither and fade away. You were glad that you came across it when you did.

Slowly, the slope of the road increased as you reached the edge of the village. Yet your speed picked up all the same. Home was so close, you could almost taste it, that house upon the hill with its shelves of artifacts and rosewood-scented halls. 

Brown shingles peeked over the crest of the hill and you grinned, shifting the jar to one arm and placing your free one on the bag at your hip.

“Hang on,” you told the yokai on your shoulder.

An affirmative squeak was given and you broke into a full sprint over the ground, kicking up dust behind your sandals. At the new pace, it took no more than a few minutes to finally reach Adashino’s house. A jump cleared the stones at the foot of his house and you clattered onto the engawa, kicking your sandals off noisily.

“Adashino!!!!!” You yelled, letting your voice echo through the halls.

There was a clatter and someone yelping before Adashino stumbled out from an adjoining hallway, fixing his monocle. “Huh?”

He squinted at you, vision adjusting to the stark sunlight after being inside for so long. After a moment, his eyes widened as it clicked. He said your name sharply.

“You’re back!”

You nodded, shifting the earthenware jar to both your arms and showing it to him as well as the satchel to your side. “And I brought gifts too!”

Adashino tilted his head and moved forward, reaching out to take the vase away from you. “What's all this?” 

Shrugging, you relinquished it to the dark-haired man’s grasp. “Haven’t looked yet. Tsumiki’s father gave it to me just earlier as thanks for you treating her.”

He hummed, lifting the lid and you stuck your head over the opening to peer into it with him. Seeing the sight of green in pickling sauce made you gasp.

“Kyurizuke!”

“Ah… It is cucumber season, after all.”

“This could go really well with some of the stuff you have, Adashino!” You turned to him excitedly. “We should make some food! I also brought back some things too! Ginko should be arriving at the end of the day so maybe we can all eat together.”

“Are you sure this isn’t just a ploy to get into my cabbage stock?” The doctor asked you, raising one eyebrow. He startled as he made eye contact with the yokai on your shoulder, jolting back. “Ah–”

“Oh right!” You chirped. “I saw this yokai on the streets heading here. I’m going to release it near the treeline so it can go back to the forest.”

Adashino sighed, stepping aside and flapping a hand towards the back entrance of the home. “Go on do that then. Leave your bags here. I can get started on lunch.”

You grinned gratefully, carefully singing the bags of your shoulders. “Sounds good!”

“Oh, and stop bringing strays back to my house! I keep on having to redirect them away when you’re not here.”

You laughed and departed for the clearing, bare feet slapping against the warm ground, humming a jaunty tune. The yokai on your shoulder swayed along to your movement as you stepped into the shadows of the trees and kneeled down at the base of one. Your hands came up to move the spirit off your shoulders and it was brought to the front of your face.

It chirped and you smiled, letting out an animal-like coo in return. “Be safe, alright? Don’t wander into the human settlements like today, it’s not good for you.”

Your hand lowered and allowed the yokai to hop off, stubby limbs wiggling happily and it hopped into the underbrush. Just before it completely ducked under the leaves, it turned around to wave at you. You waved back and with a final cry, it turned around and vanished into greenery like it was never there. A moment passed as you stared at that spot with a bittersweet smile. Your job was done, fulfilling your duty as the bridge between yokai and humans once more. Like the others, you would never see it again, but there was solace in the knowledge that it was able to live its existence. With that, you quietly got to your feet and padded away.

***

“Come here help me get all of this onto the tray,” Adashino instructed, jerking his head to the various bowls as he picked up his own wooden board. “You wanted to have all these side dishes so you’re carrying them all. Come on, we’ll set stuff out on the engawa in the front.”

You hefted the plate up in one hand, pilling the dishes onto it easily. “On it.”

Adashino gawked and grumbled as you swept past him easily.

The pair of you made a few more trips before settling down at the edge of the doorway, midway between the engawa and the house. Adashino tugged the rag under the miso soup, moving the whole pot into the middle between you two and you rearranged the rest of the pickle bowls around that, the rice, and the cooked fish.

“Ah, hold on…” You said, leaning over to grab your satchel. You flipped the woven lid up and reached in to withdraw several wrapped packages and set them alongside the food. “I got us some stuff from one of the towns I was at.”

“How long ago was that?”

“Oh don’t worry. You should know that I’m well-versed enough in magic to preserve a little bit of food.”

“What’s this about food without me?”

The both of you perked up at that voice, attention snapping to the edge of the yard where a white-haired man stood.

“Ginko!” Adashino called. “Hey!”

You shot to your feet with another cry of his name, ditching your sandals where they were and launching yourself at him. Ginko grunted as you crashed into him, staggering at the force of your collision.

“Geez,” he grumbled, wheezing as you squeezed him in a hug. “Missed me much?”

The smoke of his mushi warding cigarette tickled your nose and you pulled back, sneezing heavily. However, despite the warding affecting you to some extent, it didn’t stop your face from splitting into a wide grin. “Duh. Come on, put your pack down, and let’s eat. No matter what you think, we were waiting for you.”

Adashino made a sound. “Maybe you should be quicker next time.”

“Hmph.” Ginko took his cigarette out, snubbing it and tossing the butt into the shrubbery to the dark-haired man’s dismay. As you pranced back to where Adashino was sitting, Ginko slung off his traveling case and set it down next to your own bags. He settled down with a groan, relieved to be off his feet after a long day.

As Adashino began to portion out the soup and rice, your deft fingers unknotted the twine trying up your first bundle of food. There was an electric crackle in the air that made both men pause, and a snap as verdant leaves opened to reveal pristine triangles of plump rice.

“Your magic?” Ginko asked as you reached to undo the other bundle.

You nodded. “Just a simple one for these to keep as I traveled back.”

There was a second snap and this time it revealed wrinkly dried fruits, the sour smell of pickled plums wafting up to join the other food odors in the air. Both of them immediately knew what those were and Adashino winced.

“I’m not touching those,” Ginko declared, reaching for one of the rice balls from the first bundle. He took a bite from it, not seeing Adashino trying to stop him. “I know that whatever you brought home, those are not normal umeboshi and–”

His expression deadpanned, lips thinning and eye twitching as the flavor finally hit him. Seeing that, you cracked.

“I tried to stop you…” Adashino sighed while you cackled. “But you weren’t paying attention.”

“I was going to say…” You began, trying to find air between your laughter as you scooped up your own rice ball. “I visited the Valley of the Plums. There was a seasonal shop there known for its intensely sour plums, so I got some to take home.”

A massive bite was taken out of yours, you humming in delight as you finally indulged in the treats after so long. Though you favored the sour flavors the same couldn’t be said for either of the men, who stared at you warily as you ate your rice ball with no reaction.

Adashino, fooled by your lack of response, tentatively reached for one of his own. “It can’t be that bad right…?” He picked it up and brought it closer to inspect it. Like he would one of his mushi items,

“Do it,” Ginko demanded.

The man, fool as he was, gave into his temptations and bit into it. His face puckered up, such a comical expression that sent you into another round of raucous laughter and even sparked Ginko to chuckle too.

“By the gods!” Adashino exclaimed once he got his mouthful down. “People eat this? This should belong on the shelves of my collectibles. Ginko why did you tell me to eat it?”

The said man forced himself to take another bite. “If I have to go through it, so do you. Someone has to go through this with me since this one–” he jerked a thumb to you, innocently sipping your miso soup to wash down your finished rice ball, “–is completely immune to everything.”

You smiled peacefully. “There are just the plain plums too if any of you want to eat them with the rest of the food."

“No way!!”

Omg this is SO SO SO GOOD LIKE???

I absolute ABSOLUTE favorite trope is the trio best friends who can’t live without another it’s SUCH a good dynamic

Peas In a Pod

Mikage Reo x Reader x Nagi Seishiro

Synopsis — in which you confront your own feelings of hatred, jealousy, and love towards Nagi and Reo. Whether it be feeling left out or being absolutely smothered with affection—you three are inseparable, just like three peas in a pod.

Can be read as a platonic friendship or romantic relationship

Word Count: 6.1 k

"—and it summoned another hydra......" You reached for another piece of paper and wrote hydra #16. "Now it's hydra #4's turn." You turned the spin wheel for the hydra's turn for it to only land on, ".....huh, what would you know? It's another hydra—"

"That's it!" Reo slammed his hands on the table, "I swear you're doing this on purpose! There's no way that it landed on 'summon another hydra' eight times in a row!"

Nagi woke up from his short nap and glanced towards Reo. Yawning, Nagi asked, "Is it my turn or what?"

"Nagi! It's another hydra!" Reo pulled him up by the collar and shouted, "what does it mean by another hydra!" Reo turned and pointed a finger at you. "You! You're cheating! There's no way it's another darn hydra!"

"What do you mean? The wheel never lies. If it says to summon another hydra, then so be it." Nagi said as Reo let him go and collapsed in his seat. Exasperated, Reo had no more sanity to continue thinking about the game. Grabbing your notebook, you wrote down "one dead from emotional torment from a hord of seventeen hydras: two still remaining."

Putting the notebook aside, you clapped your hands together and looked at Nagi, "it's up to you and me to save the princess!"

Nagi nodded in agreement and watched as you finished completing the other thirteen hydras' turn.

You two, in fact, could not save the princess.

"Sixty-eight hydras.....How is that possible?" Nagi lied underneath the table, exhausted from staying awake for three hours straight.

"I don't knooooowwwwww." You laid underneath your chair, physically drained from sitting still for so long. You turned to face Reo, who was staring blankly up towards the ceiling. "Reo, we're sorry for laughing at you. Those hydras were serious." You covered your face with your hands and screamed, "ahhhHHHHHHHH! NAgI! Let me stay over! I don't think I'll be getting up anytime soon."

"Hmmmmm....I don't feel like setting up—"

"Let's just sleep together again! There's no way in hell that I'm sleeping on the couch after getting a taste of your bed!" You whined as you inched underneath the table and closer to Nagi. You reached for Reo's arm and pulled between you two. "—besides, rich kid Mikage is staying over this time, and I want to sleep with both of you! It's a bonding thing~" You poked Reo's cheek. You reached over to Reo and tapped Nagi's nose. "I'm sure we all fit in your bed if we all can fit under the table."

Nagi didn't say anything. Reo was still in a daze to even interject.

"So yes?"

".....Yes......."

"Oh ye—aAHhwjdha!" You coughed aggressively. You had read all the turns for sixty-eight hydras and two players for three hours: you hadn't drunk water in all that time. This would be the first sleepover in which you three actually sleep over rather than stay up late.

"Weak."

"Oh shut up Nagi—!%#%@^qhgehhakakkk!"

After changing and using the bathroom, you stood by the door as you watched Reo and Nagi get comfortable on the bed. Hugging one of Nagi's pillows, you softly spoke, "I think I'll sleep on the couch."

Reo raised his head and looked at you quizzically. "You whined that you wanted to sleep with us—we already made space for you!" Reo rolled to the side of the bed, forming a gap between him and Nagi. "You're short enough to fit in."

You looked towards Nagi, who already dozed off and said, "But he snores hours in, and you—did you call me short?"

Reo stuck out his tongue in response; you clenched the pillow hard and threw it at him. "I'm not short, rich boy! You're just super tall! You jumped onto the empty spot on the bed and attempted to smother Reo with the pillow. "I'm average!"

"Below average, you mean—hey!" You hit him with the pillow.

Though, of course, with the height and strength difference, Reo easily fended you off. He lightly chuckled before pushing you onto the bed and restrained your hands. "I guess you're sleeping here now~"

"You're so doing this because of the hydras, aren't ya?"

"Perhaps....."

"Are you guys going to sleep or what?" Nagi turned to face you both. He angrily pulled the only blanket away from you both.

"Nagi! But he called me short!"

"They tried to kill me!"

"I don't care—now be quiet."

"So mean." "I know, right?"

Nagi eventually allowed you and Reo to be under the blanket. Like three peas in a pod: Reo, you, and Nagi sunk into the bed with how soft and comforting it was. Nagi has the best place for sleepovers......not like Reo's parents would allow you or Nagi to stay over; plus, your parents would disown you before letting you invite two teenage boys over.

"Nagi is my family name just so you know........"

...........

"Wait, really?"

You're in love with Mikage Reo; You knew that the very moment you laid your eyes upon him during your first year at Hakuho High School. You love how his violet hair framed his face. You love how smooth his face was. You love how kind he was when talking to your classmates. You love how the light reflected in his eyes. You love the sound of his voice and laughter. You love his intelligence and wit. You love his smile and the way his hair moves in the wind. You love how confidently he presents himself.

However, your love was superficial.

You never spoken to Mikage for longer than five minutes. You never knew about his interests or hobbies. You never participated in the same school activities, nor did you know what activities he participated in. You weren't friends or even acquaintances. You were just another face he saw in the crowd. You didn't even know if he was actually friends with anyone in your class. You didn't know a single thing about Mikage Reo, and yet you claim to love him. There was once a time when all you knew about him was that he was the heir to the Mikage Corporation and really good-looking.

You were just another one of the countless others hopelessly in love with him.

You knew in your heart that this love of yours was only surface level. This was merely a crush blinding you with a pink tinted view. You only liked him for his looks: that was the truth. It's because of this that you drowned this feeling in your heart. You never bothered to pursue this infatuation or attempt to befriend Mikage; You knew that if you ever did, it would only be for selfish reasons. Just because you resigned the nonexistent future didn't mean you free of jealousy.

No matter how much you reminded yourself that Mikage would never love you—that your love for him was built upon a fantasy—you still got jealous with each and every confession he got. You didn't understand why girls kept persisting on confessing their romantic feelings to Mikage; though many of the girls in Hakuho High School came from affluent families, none of them could dream of standing next to Mikage. Besides just that, Mikage wasn't known to accept love confessions from random girls—so why bother when they know he won't even consider it? Why can't they just know their place?

Your love may have been superficial, but your jealousy was real. Where you were once able to keep that ugly feeling at bay, the moment you heard a certain name, you felt yourself go insane: Nagi Seishiro.

Some time during your second year, you noticed a change in Mikage's behavior. He began to skip on study sessions with your peers and leave as soon as the bell rung. His smile when talking to your classmates held much more emotion and glow that previously before. He seemed much more genuine than before. So much so that you began to wonder if he began dating someone. You remember feeling so irritable for the entire day after you had that thought.

You remember skipping one of your elective classes to follow and watch Mikage in his. There you saw how close he'd act with that detestable, unlovable, sorry excuse of a human being. Just what did he see in Nagi Seishiro of all people?!

"(L/n)!!! What are you doing outside my classroom?!"

Crap.

Okay, but Nagi Seishiro? What was so good about him that Mikage spent time out of his day to hang out with him? What was so special about him that you—no one else had?! That good for nothing loser isn't worth the time of day! Why can't he just die and leave Mikage out of it! WHY CAN'T IT BE YOU—It's because you don't even try to insert yourself in his life.

You hated being jealous; you hated hating others just because they had the courage to confess and talk to Mikage. You hated that you were too afraid of being rejected. You hated that you cared about others' thoughts of you. You hated that you even hated Nagi just because of a silly crush.

You shared at least two elective classes with Nagi that Mikage wasn't in; one of which you two were paired together in order to discuss an assignment.

"Are you okay?" Nagi asked; You had your head on your desk, covering your face, and he remembered that this wasn't normal behavior for others.

"No."

"....Oh." He didn't expect you to say that.

Nagi wasn't a bad person, and you knew that. However, that didn't stop your jealousy and hatred from growing.

"What does Mikage want with you?" You asked him as soon as the bell rang. You pulled on his sleeve and asked, "Why does he even bother with someone like you?"

You looked towards your shoes as you held tightly onto his sleeve. You didn't dare to look at his face after being so rude and forceful: You didn't dare look at your own jealous reflection in his eyes.

Nagi didn't flinch when you pulled him by his sleeve, nor did he try to pull away. All he did was say, "He wants me to join the football team."

"Then," you looked up at him and stared into his eyes, "don't join! Whatever he does or gives you, don't accept it! I'll do whatever you want! Just stay away from Mikage..."

You hated that he didn't see you as a grotesque, green monster. You hated how soft and gentle he looked in contrast to your jealous self. You hated that he didn't hate you.

"Whatever, just don't bother me." He already had to deal with Reo; he doesn't want to deal with you; but when did his wish ever come true?

"Nagi!" "NAGI WHAT DID I SAY?!" "Why is he all over you like a dog?" "Nagi, I made lunch for you, now hide away!" Nagi, you didn't respond to my messages!" "What did Mikage say to you? Let me see!" "How was he?" "Did he say anything about anything else?" "What did he give you?" "Nagi! NAGI!!! LOOK AT ME!"

No matter what he told you, you always kept coming onto him with so much energy. He didn't want to deal with Reo and his whole obsession with him—and he especially didn't want you to dictate his every move. Not to say he didn't like your cooking.

Nagi was sitting with you during one of your elective classes. He was playing on his phone while you were writing in your planner.

"I said I'd join him. We're having a practice match sometime this week."

"Why—"

"If you're so obsessed with Reo, why don't you talk to him?"

"I can't—"

He got tired of hearing your excuses and continued to interrupt you. "You already talk about how much you don't like me: why can't you tell him how much you like him?"

You couldn't say a thing as you looked away in shame. Nagi wasn't a forceful person; though he never appreciated your rude behavior, he never did lash out. Even so, his eyes and stare scared you so much. You didn't want him to hate you.

Nagi sighed and placed his phone down. You were so annoying and so irrational to the point that he asked himself why he bothered to entertain your delusions. "Why don't you come with me during practice and watch? I'll tell Reo that you're my friend or something."

you did just as Nagi told you and followed him to the football field thing (you didn't even know the school had one to begin with). You brushed your hair and wore your spare uniform; there was no way you would face Mikage looking the mess you usually are!

"Nagi, does my hair look okay? My outfit, there's no dirt or stains?" You pulled on your shirt and inspected every inch of yourself as you two walked.

Nagi let out another heavy sigh, "Your hair looks the same but less frizzy, and you're literally wearing the school uniform." He honestly thinks you have no chance of ever getting married; much less getting Reo to like you.

When you two met up with the rest of the football team, you hid behind Nagi. You felt intimidated by how tall everyone was, and besides, Mikage was there, and you were too nervous to speak to him. You pulled on Nagi's arm from behind and whispered, "Let's go see Mikage!"

Nagi sighed and did as he was told. You were such a pain; he hopes that you'll leave him alone once Reo (hopefully) tells you to leave so as not to disturb the other members.

"I didn't know Nagi had friends!" Reo smiled brightly and held your hands. "Please stay and help me motivate him to actually try!"

You were as red as a tomato and nodded; you felt as if you would melt by how hot you felt when Mikage held your hands. Nagi thought you would actually implode by the heat radiating from you. Either way, Reo didn't seem to notice or care—he was happy to hear that Nagi had friends to encourage him.

You never thought that you would actually talk to Mikage ever—much less have him hold your hands. You never thought you would actually speak to someone about things outside of academics. You never thought you could actually have friends. You never thought you would ever hang out with anyone after school, even if it was to watch them practice playing football.

You held Nagi's hand as you two walked to the playing field.

Mikage was exactly like what you had envisioned in your head. He was indeed the charming prince from fairytales—from your ideation and worship—he was beyond perfect and ever so kind. His smile, intelligence, and natural talent really shined through when you watched the practice match against Aomori Dadada High School's team.

You've done your own research on the team the moment you heard Mikage talking about it. The excitement in his voice was that of something you had never heard before. It was right before the match that you heard how egotistical he could be. When you came back from the restroom, you heard Mikage ranting to Nagi about his dream: how they'll make it to nationals than play internationally and win the World Cup. This was why he wanted Nagi; that is why he began to smile far brighter than you have ever seen him.

You hated how Mikage would look at Nagi when playing. You hated the jealousy you felt in your heart when you saw how he jumped onto Nagi's back when they won. You hated how you never saw him smile as genuinely as then. So, this is what Mikage is passionate about; this is his dream, his religion, his love.

Mikage was nothing like what you had envisioned in your head. Blinded by false love, you failed to see how bland his expressions were during class. Blinded by false love, those pink-tinted windows shattered when you saw how happy he became whenever he looked at Nagi. You became to laugh at yourself by how disillusioned you were.

Did you really think that you had to right to take Nagi away from him? Why did you think it was okay to harass Nagi just because of an infatuation? Did Mikage even mean anything when he smiled at you when he greeted you in the morning? Did he think of you as a foreigner?

You looked away from the cheering Hakuho's football club and collapsed onto the ground. You felt sick: he was right in front of you, and yet, he was so far away. He was heir to the Mikage Corporation and the top student at Hakuho. Charismatic and intelligent, how could anyone not like him? You were just a foreigner who moved to Japan because your parents thought it would be good for them; you only go to Hakuho because their coworkers encouraged them to enroll you there. How does a foreigner have the audacity to think that they could control the people he interacts with?

"—n)...(y/n), you good?"

You snapped out of trance when you heard Nagi call your name. He stood in front of you before sitting next to you. You shifted slightly, fixing yourself in a more comfortable position.

"You and Mikage won your first match, and you're asking me if I'm alright?" You leaned in towards him and grinned. "How could I not be okay! Mikage won, and he's so—!"

You retracted and held your hands close to your chest and squealed. "I'm so going to throw hands first chance I get. The andrenalin rush I got from watching you two absolutely destroy Aomori Dadada is absolutely insane!"

Nagi stared at you as he gave a knowing look. You gave him enough death threats and dirty looks to know when you're not alright. Nevertheless, it was not his place to concern himself with your personal problems.

Reo would soon join you two; he talked about Nagi and how much of "precious treasure" he was (Nagi swore he saw you glaring). Much to Nagi's surprise, you managed to keep a friendly yet civil expression when talking to Reo. Knowing how much of a loser you were whenever the topic of Reo came up, he was rather shocked.

"(L/n)! You should come practice with us! It would really help to encourage Nagi!"

"You sure about that? He's literally dying from just that game."

"I'm dying, Reo..."

This distant friendship of three was quite awkward in the beginning. Reo wanted to be close Nagi for his personal dream; Nagi wanted you and Reo to be his actual friends; You wanted to use Nagi in order to get closer to Mikage. This entire friendship was built upon personal benefit and selfishness. You are genuinely jealous of Nagi for Reo's affection towards him; Reo only conversed with you because he believed you were friends with Nagi; Nagi just wanted the three of you to get along with eachother.

"—is it you 'practice playing football' or 'you you're footballing?' "

Reo gave you the most disappointed look he could muster. Nagi placed down his phone and just stared at you with the deadpan expression he always wore.

"What? I'm asking the important questions here! It's like golf and golfing!"

"I literally just asked 'how was the school lunch,' and this is how you respond." Reo uttered, "you ever say 'footballing' ever again, I'll cut you out of my will."

"I'm in your will?"

Like a creek, you sometimes felt yourself waver. Whenever you're asked by your parents whether you have a special someone, you always say no. However, when they ask of you love anyone, you can't help but find yourself thinking of Reo and Nagi; how can it be anything other than love?

As you woke in the middle of the night, you sat up and stared at the two boys next to you. Nagi had his arm and leg over you (this heavy piece of sh—), and Reo pulled the blanket away from you two (Reo, you spoiled bitc—). Through hardships and struggle, you managed to escape Nagi's clutches and fell off the bed with a thud. Not surprisingly, those two didn't wake up—you could be dying for all they know, and they still wouldn't wake up.

Standing up, you turned to face the duo. You tilt your head and sighed. You stretched your arms and left Nagi's room. You made it to the kitchen and poured yourself a cup of water. Staring out of the apartment window, you thought about what your parents asked: "Are you happy with your friends?" Are you happy hanging out with Reo and Nagi? Is it okay for you to want to still be their friends after verbally abusing Nagi and stalking Reo? When did the dynamic between the three of you change? When did the dynamic between you and them change?

"Nagi," you held onto his shoulders and stared him dead in the eye, "You're coming home with me."

"What?"

It was a surprise even to you. The first time you went to visit Nagi at his apartment, you noticed how barren it was; you asked about his parents—you never noticed how lonely he was. You don't what compelled you to do so, but you ended up inviting (forcing) him to eat dinner with your family. You were teased by your parents for inviting a boy, and you angrily told them to stay quiet. The only reason you put up with the teasing after Nagi left was because of how content and relaxed he was whenever he talked to your parents.

"Your parents were nice—"

"—Nagi, drop dead."

"Yeah, I figured."

The day you noticed your feelings for Reo change, you two went shopping with Nagi to pick new clothes. Seeing him wear the same outfits over and over again when the three of you went out together was horrendous. So you and Reo took Nagi out on a date; you'll be choosing his clothes, and Reo will pay for them.

"Reo, this is clearly superior—"

"Yeah, sure—I should've known that someone of your status would have this kind of taste."

"The hell you say?!" "You know what I said!"

".....ah, I lost the 50/50....."

You and Reo were both vocal. You learned how selfish and egotistical he was: he learned how obsessive and controlling you were. Nagi, he was stuck in the middle of the battlefield. He was more surprised at the fact that you could, in fact, get mad at Reo. Nonetheless, you and Reo only fought in good fun—never with malicious intent. Plus, you got to hold his hand afterward (and Nagi's, but the important thing is holding Reo's hand).

After this quarrel, you two apologized to each other; you three stood there in silence and then laughed suddenly. You couldn't believe that you even had the humility to apologize and that Reo could apologize. At least you three (by you three, it means Reo) bought eleven outfit worth of clothes.

Just thinking about that moment made you chuckle. Reo must have felt comfortable enough around you to show that side of him. He was far from the charming prince you had fantasized of him. You remember inviting them over for dinner after shopping and your parents gushing over Reo. The way he'd give you a sly side-eye whenever your parents complimented him.

You looked at your cup of water and saw your reflection: you look tired. You drank the water and tossed the cup in the empty sink. Yawning, you went back to Nagi's room and slipped between Nagi and Reo. You pulled the blanket away from Reo and covered yourself and Nagi. Pushing them towards the edge, you gave yourself room to sleep comfortably. You listened to them breathe softly as you stared at the dark ceiling.

You once hated Nagi so much so that you wished he would just disappear; you once loved Reo so much it became an obsession rather than a simple crush. You don't even remember why you loved and hated those two. You don't obsess over Reo, nor do you hate Nagi—you care so much about them that this friendship can't be anything else other than love. All you know now is that your parents nag you about when you'll bring them over again: "They come over like everyday—they're basically our sons at this point. (Y/n), when are they coming over again?!"

As you three slept together in Nagi's bed, you thought about how you want to be with them for as long you can.

You noticed it for a while now: the way Reo looks at Nagi isn't a look someone would give a friend. The assortment of affectionate nicknames he had for Nagi, plus the amount of attention he gives Nagi is astronomical. Like, who carries someone everywhere and of their own free will: Reo. Who cooks and cleans their friend's apartment without being paid: you and Reo. Who calls their friends nicknames typical of couples unironically: you and Reo. Who snuggles their face in their friends neck when tired: Nagi. Who kisses their friends goodnight during sleepovers because they demand to have a kiss?...............definitely not you—

" 'Oh, (y/n), you're so obsessed with Reo. Why don't you confess?' "

Like, shut up Nagi—you're totally obsessed with Reo, too!

You see how Nagi's eyes sparkle whenever he looks at Reo. You see how he actively searches for Reo after school. You see how happy he looks whenever Reo praises him. Nagi is so obsessed with Reo that he really got defensive when Reo joked about getting another "Precious Treasure" if Nagi all of sudden sucked at football (you kicked his shins as soon as you heard that). Not to mention, the intense jealousy Nagi has whenever Reo gives attention to others. You can't believe that he had the audacity to call you jealous and obsessive.

You aren't jealous.

It's just that sometimes it gets lonely. The way they talk about football on a level, you'll never understand. They way they somehow just understand what the other is thinking without much effort. You'll never understand Reo's ambition and obsession with the World Cup, just as you'll never understand why Nagi bothers playing football when chewing food is such a pain. Besides, whenever you see them talk and celebrate together, you can't help but watch from afar. Why do they even bother hanging out with you if you can't even understand something as simple as that? You aren't even part of their friendship.

"You don't think they care about you the same you care for them?" Ba-ya stood next to you as you both watched the football club play against another team. You didn't want to look at her as asked the question; this is something you'd rather die than admit to Reo and Nagi.

"I just don't understand why I keep coming here to watch them play. They probably don't even care if I go anyway."

"Hm...aren't they the ones who invite you?"

"They're only doing that to be nice—"

Ba-ya interrupted you, "I believe that you should watch how they behave around you. I'm sure you'll find it's no different with how they treat each other."

Before you could respond, you saw something purple running towards you. Reo threw himself on you, and you both fell onto the grass. Ba-ya just stepped to the side as she watched you both.

"(L/n)! (L/n)! We won!" Reo propped himself over you and smiled. He rolled next to you and sat up.

You groaned as you felt the pain in your back. Still in the ground, you looked up at Reo, "Don't you always win?"

"We're just that good." Reo stuck out his tongue at you. You were seriously considering whether you should tackle him but decided against it when you heard Nagi coming towards you guys.

"Seishiro, come pick me up. Reo was being mean to me again." You reached out towards Nagi, waiting for him to pull you up. He chooses to ignore you and lie right next to you. "Prick."

"Let me rest—I didn't think the match would last that long." Nagi inched closer and used your stomach as a pillow.

"It was literally seven seconds longer than usual—"

"You time our matches?" Reo countered and gave you one of his sly grins.

"Oh, shut up." You sat up and pushed Nagi off you. "And don't touch me after you play— you guys are so sweaty it's actually disturbing."

You turned around and looked Ba-ya; what was that look she was giving you for? You turned back to face Nagi and Reo but were surprised when you were suddenly picked up.

"Re–REO!!! Let me down!" It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for the fact that these two were absolute giants (you're just short).

"Reo, carry me too."

Ba-ya watched as the three of you bickered back and forth. The fact you couldn't see how much those two care for you is shocking even to her. Just as you love them dearly, they love you the very same.

"Ba-ya! We'll be staying at (l/n)'s place tonight! Mrs and Mr (l/n) aren't going to be there for like two days—"

"How do you know that?"

"They gave us their phone numbers. I have them as 'mom2' and 'dad2.' Did Reo and I not tell you?"

You three had a sleepover at your place for the first time. The whole time, you couldn't help but wonder when your parents exchanged contact information. Actually, how did Reo know your parents were on a business trip before you did? But hey, it was entertaining!

"Guys, I don't think this was meant to hold three people."

"Why am I here? I didn’t even play or sweat!"

"I'm tired....can't you guys wash me?"

When it came time to sleep, Nagi took the bed, Reo the floor, and you on the floor underneath said bed. When morning came, you got up and stared at the two boys cuddling each other in your own bed. Sure enough, they woke up when they felt something crush them.

The three stretched and took turns using the restroom. You kicked them out of your room when you changed—only to have Nagi mumble, "didn't we bathe together yesterday?" Yeah, and? You had Reo help you cook breakfast as Nagi sat at the dinner table playing games. Though, of course, it can't be an average post-sleepover without you Reo messing with the food and making a big mess; this is why you two never cook together.

Then, as per Reo's request, you three head out to the football field and struggle to play (mostly you, you don't do football). Then Reo treats you two to a high-end restaurant; you and Nagi basically throw yourselves at him. Rich boy Reo loves to spoil his two pets.

With it being the weekend and having the place to yourselves, there was no way you three wouldn't have another gaming session.

"Today we'll playing hit American game 'Helldivers' " You did the salute and followed with, "All hail Super Earth!!! For liberty and beyond!"

"For democracy." Nagi did the Helldivers' salute in instinct. He jumped when he realized that he had saluted.

Reo just watched you two with an amused look. "How did you get your hands on an American game?"

"I have my ways."

Perhaps you shouldn't have ended the day by doing the Maevlon Creek mission.

"KILL THEM BOTS"

"FOR DEMOCRACY, SEISHIRO!!! SPREAD THE DEMOCRACY!!!"

"......you two do realize I'm doing this solo?"

It's not your fault that you and Reo suck at the game. That's why you have Nagi: carries you both even when you hold him back. Except with the creek, you two had to leave the game for him to beat the level.

Nagi is possesive: he doesn't want you or Reo to ever leave him. Just as Nagi loves Reo for paying attention to a slacker like him, he loves you for loving him. Life isn't as painful when with the both of you. Reo motivates him to try when playing football, and you motivate him to participate in other activities besides phone games. Your parents are way too caring, in his opinion; when they heard that he lived alone, they often made you bring him leftovers or invited him over for dinner. However, he doesn't hate their constant nagging on his health. Nagi just wants you two to stay by his life for as long as he desires. He wants you two to see him as himself as opposed to as a toy or tool. He doesn't want Reo to look for another talent—he doesn't want you to have any other friends as close as you are to them.

Reo is ambitious: Nagi is his precious treasure that will help him obtain the World Cup—and you are the worm that somehow made its way in his heart. He needs Nagi to validate his own worth; he wants Nagi to only look at him. He wants you to stay by his side; he doesn't want to leave you alone with anyone else. He wants to have many sleepovers and to play as many games as possible before graduation. Reo wants to make as many special memories that you two would never forget. He wants to be in every little moment and the reason for your joy. Life was dull before having you two in his life: he had no dream nor real ambition. Reo wanted a challenge, a change, and then he saw the World Cup. That is his dream; you two are part of his life and goal.

You are in love: you love Reo and Nagi so much it borderlines obsession. You fell in love with Reo once and lost that infatuation once he became your friend. You once hated Nagi because of your jealousy. You fell in love with these two because of how much they loved you. You love Mikage Reo because he's so prideful and selfish; you love Nagi Seishiro because he's so terminally-online and goes along with your oddness. You love these two so much you'd rather die than ever have them love anyone else. There is nothing that can describe this relationship other than love.

With the sun so bright and the sky as blue as it ever could be, the three of you went out to enjoy this lovely day.

"We'll be leaving later today for a special training program." Reo walked next to you with Nagi on his back. "I'm not sure how long we'll be gone, but it will be a considerable amount of time."

"Then you two better text me a whole ton when you get there!" You felt the wind graze your skin and the sun embracing you in its warmth. The day was far too nice to feel sad by the fact that they'll be moving on with their dreams without you. It's because that you love each other, you understand how important this opportunity means to them.

Reo looked at you from his peripheral vision and smiled. He gave a sigh, "I'll be sure to text as much as humanly possible—so, don't go out dying on me! Nagi here wouldn't be able to live without you!"

"What? I'd be fine." Nagi yawned as he placed his chin on Reo's shoulder. "Mrs and Mrs (l/n) would probably adopt me as their new child if that happened. "

Reo stopped walking and chuckled, "That was foul! (L/n), are you really going to take that disrespect?"

"Nagi? Yeah, you—Kys, kys, kys."

"Eh–don't feel like it."

Like three peas in a pod, you three are inseparable. No matter how far away one is, the other two aren't too far behind.

DefinitelyNotAStalker: guys, guys, text me when u get ur phones back

20%sugar80%daddy: what?

N@●|°: ?

DefinitelyNotAStalker: okay, so the funniest thing happend

Guess

N@●|°: you finally found a job

20%sugar80%daddy: you aced your biology exam!

DefinitelyNotAStalker: I got hit by a car

[1 attachment]

Ya girl died but

I LIVED

N@●|°: ?????

20%sugar80%daddy: WHAT? HOW? ARE YOU OKAY?

DefinitelyNotAStalker: I mean—I'm alive???

Just broke one leg but am otherwise

A-Okay!

N@●|°: skill issue

DefinitelyNotAStalker: .......

omg

20%sugar80%daddy is typing......

Shortest

Sacred Spaces masterlist, Heart Pirates reader-insert

Being the shortest in the crew has its perks and drawbacks.

Being the shortest came with its fair share of trouble with life on the Polar Tang.

For a submarine, the Polar Tang was built almost luxuriously. But the caveat was that it was built with height in mind. It was a blessing for many of your crew, those like Jean Bart and Shosai being able to navigate the halls comfortably for the most part (though the size of the navigation seats couldn’t be helped). It was a curse for shorter members like you, especially when you needed to get something from the kitchen cabinets.

‘Sugar’ glinted mockingly down at you in blocky letters, the container somehow set atop the uppermost shelf. Grumbling, you glanced around to make sure nobody was there before gingerly climbing atop the counter. Your fingers trembled as they fell a few scant inches short of the container.

How Risso managed to navigate the kitchen despite only being taller than you by a bit always stumped you.

Before you could do something drastic, a weight pressed into your back, pressing all the air out of you as someone invaded your space. Red strands of hair fluttered into your vision, and you muttered a curse as Shachi’s familiar voice rang in your ears. “Aw, does our wittol Taiwor need some help to get something from up high?” 

“Shut up!” You barked, trying to shake off the redhead’s bulk, lunging for the sugar, but too late as tanned fingers swooped them from the shelf. 

The man stepped back for you to hop down, and you did, whirling around to face him. Though he was the shortest of the Swallow Island quartet, he was still tall enough to easily keep the tin out of your reach as you reached.

“I just wanted some goddamn tea!”

“What’s the magic word?”

Incensed, you jumped at him, making sure your boots landed on his toes. “I’ll make a pincushion out of your ass, Shachi!”

***

Being the shortest did really come with its fair share of teasing. 

You ducked, avoiding the arm that Hakugan was throwing over you, ready to use you as an armrest. “Oi!”

The helmsman yipped, toppling over as he couldn’t correct himself in time. “Hey!”

His arm latched onto the back of your suit, bringing you down with him. You both landed on the navigation room floor with a thud, immediately breaking into a half-hearted squabble as the two of you wrestled on the floor.

“You idiot! Why’d you pull me down!”

“I was falling!”

Your fist bonked onto the forehead of his mask, not enough to damage anything, but strong enough for him to feel your ire. “I told you that you needed to stop putting your arm on my head!”

“But you’re so convenient as a table! Just the right height!”

“Shut up, Hakugan!” You gritted, one hand pushing back his own as you fought him from palming your face. “You’re not even that much taller than me!” 

You were ready to grapple him until a winner emerged, but a metaphorical rope was thrown your way when you saw the wobbly top point of a familiar hood. Muscles straining, you froze, pushing back Hakugan’s hands as you quickly hatched up a plan.

“Helmsman on the floor!” You yelled, scrambling off of him as some of the crew honed in on the sight.

It had the exact result you wanted.

“Dogpile Hakugan!” Clione yelled, diving on top of the already downed pirate.

That prompted a chain reaction for some of the other members present, Ikkaku and Shachi following suit. The masked man let out a weak wheeze underneath everyone that quickly turned to terror as thumping footsteps approached. The crew screamed as Bepo’s shadow fell over them.

“Bepo, no!”

“Please stop!”

“I’m gonna die!!!” 

You scuttled away before the navigator could turn on you.

***

Being the shortest meant that Bepo’s hugs enveloped you completely, even more so than any of your other crew members. There were many a time when you’d startled someone hidden in the depths of Bepo’s fur by responding to something. You often used that to your advantage, hiding within the safe confines of his bulk to de-stress

A questioning call of your name roused you from where you lay, swallowed up by Bepo’s fluff. After a moment of contemplation, you poked your head up. “Yeah?”

Tanaka screamed, a high-pitched note that rivaled Mozart’s, startling Bepo beneath you. He pushed his glasses up nervously and cleared his throat as you two leveled an unimpressed look at him. “Ahem. Sorry. Can you help fix my cap?”

A second look showed that he was wringing said brown cap in his hands, his jaw-length locks swaying free. From where you were, you could see the frayed threads, something that would most likely mean a painstaking session bent over your table. But despite your aching back, duty called. You sighed and began to struggle up from where you were lying. “Alright, let me s—”

The rest of your sentence was cut off by a yelp as Bepo’s arms latched around your midriff, pulling you back. He rolled to the side, locking you underneath hid arms. “No, sorry. Rest time.”

“B-But I’m the ship’s tailor!” You protested. 

“Captain’s orders. If it’s not major, then you’re not working,” Bepo murmured, nuzzling his head atop of yours. “Tanaka repair your own things. Sorry.”

~~~

Sometimes your height was useful to the crew in more serious ways.

Law handed you a slip of paper, a rough map drawn on it. A bar’s name was written and marked on top of everything, and you already knew what to expect. “Tailor-ya, think you can scout out this place for me?”

“Sure thing. The usual?”

“Yes. Dress down, and try not to interact with anything too much.”

You took the paper, scanning over the map before pocketing it for disposal later. “Got it, Captain.”

“Uni and some of the younger crew members will be on the island for supplies restocking, but they might not be around when you set out, so expect to be on your own.”

“Yes, sir.”

While the crew prepared their pre-docking procedures, you made your way back into your workshop, digging out an outfit in preparation for those going onto the island. It was during times like these that Law’s strict modus operandi came in handy. No unnecessary, garish, attention-seeking skirmishes, uniforms to blend in with each other as much as possible, and a fair amount of time being underwater ensured that the Heart Pirates’ individual identity still remained in a gray area. That, along with your height, made you especially unnoticeable compared to the other members. So once you took off the distinctive uniform and the more distinctive sunhat you wore out, you were the perfect person to move about unnoticed.

You were rummaging for a shirt when the overhead intercom system crackled to life, Law’s low voice filtering through. “Everyone, we’ve arrived.”

Ditching your current task, you followed your nakama up the metal stairs to the entrance doors. Uni, Clione, and the newer members (though not too new, since they’ve been with you all for a few months already) were readying to leave, the hooded man jumping and rushing over when he saw you.

The blonde shoved a small dagger into your hand, patting the appendage. “I heard you’re going out later. It’s nothing big but just in case.”

“Thank you,” you said gratefully, squeezing Clione’s hand before he pulled away to vault over the railing to the dock below (to Law’s loud chastising for him to ‘stop doing that goddamnit you’re gonna break your ankle!’).

You and Law watched the merry band head off, you waving, while Law was as stoic as ever. When the group disappeared around the corner, the man turned to head back into the submarine, and you followed suit.

“Do you need anything before you head out later, Tailor-ya?”

“No. I’ve got everything prepared. Should I join the crew to help with our post-docking procedures?”

Law exhaled through his nose. “I told you already. You don’t have to do that whenever I send you out for surveillance. Just rest up. I need you to be sharp for tonight.”

You gave him a joking salute and split off to head to your workshop. “Got it, Cap’n!”

Your workspace did need some tidying, so you puttered around in the little room until the sky outside the porthole got dark, shucking off your boiler suit and pulling on your outfit for the night. Something nondescript, darker to blend into the area, but not so that you’d look suspicious. One final glance at the map Law gave you confirmed where you were going before you shredded the paper and left.

Ikkaku poked her head out to say a quick goodbye as you breezed past, Risso following suit with a reminder to come back in time for dinner.

“I’m making the Captain’s favorite tonight!”

The thought of his warm food got you drooling. “Got it!”

The night air was gentle on your face as you stepped out of the submarine. Law was already on deck, and he turned to greet you. “Do you have everything?”

You nodded, patting your waistband where you hid Clione’s knife. “I have the dagger Clione left me.”

“Good.” Law tossed a rope ladder over the submarine side, and you began climbing down. “Don’t be reckless.”

Your boots hit the wood below you. “I won’t.”

The map was burned into your mind’s eye as you navigated deeper into the little island town. Even with the encroaching night, a few establishments remained lit. However, the number of souls on the street decreased as you headed closer to the bar of interest.

Noise slammed into you the moment you opened the doors, a disorienting contrast from the quiet outside. However, the chaos was an advantage as you slipped in without drawing any attention, eyes skimming over the area. Your ears caught the murmuring of a familiar moniker.

Bingo. Law’s information was true as always.

You slipped into the bar seat nearest to your target, ordering a lighter drink and settling down.

There were always a few things you kept a lookout for. Movements of other powerhouses, mentions, and bounties relating to the Heart Pirates. But the main one was anything relating to Doflamingo. It was a given, with your Captain’s past hanging over the crew. There was no one other than that man who everyone kept such vigilant eyes and ears out for, anything picked up relayed back to Law with haste. Depending on the nature of the information, it would set the course of your trip for the next few weeks, whether it be submerged deep below water or sailing at a breakneck speed to another place.

Their organizations, as well as any and all names the Donquixote leader went by, were long-memorized by you so that you could catch any and all information.

Your skin crawled at the mentions of slaves passed offhandedly between the men at the table. An auction, generously funded by Joker, on an island north of here. A rare commodity considering he never liked to dabble in this part of the Blue, so far away from his normal base of operations.

You stuck around for as long as you could, picking up the date and location passing between booze-loosened lips. Hearing enough, you paid for your drink and slid out of your seat, making your way to the bar exit. As you rounded the corners of the streets, you thought that everything went well enough, until the shuffle of footsteps fell in line behind you.

“Going somewhere so quickly? I’m surprised you didn’t stay for longer.”

You stilled, slowly pivoting to face the man behind you, feeling the way your body broke into a cold sweat. Though you didn’t show anything as you asked, “What are you talking about?”

“I thought we had a little rat listening to us. I just wanted to see what tidbits were swiped by greedy hands while my friends were discussing business.”

Resisting the urge to scoff at his cheesy words, you backed up, hand clasping over the hidden blade Clione forced into your hands earlier. Its handle was sturdy under your hands, but you didn’t have a chance to use it. Faster than you could react, he was in front of you. Pain exploded in your gut as he slammed a foot into it, sending you flying and hitting the wall of the opposing building and falling to the ground. You retched, stomach acid and spit coming up as you curled in to cradle your stomach. A shadow fell over your curled-over form, and you tensed, hand clenching the handle in your grip. Scuffed boots appeared at in your vision, and you struck, forcing battered muscles into overdrive as you swiped the dagger up, hoping it’d land.

The blade glanced harmlessly off him and the man slammed into you, vision exploding into stars before your air was cut off. You were dragged up, feet leaving the ground.

Oh no.

Though you haven’t been doing this for too long, you’d gotten careless at the ease in which the previous mission went.

You clawed at the vice-like grip around your neck, your borrowed dagger clattering to the ground as the man choking you out wretched your dominant hand to the side. The tips of your boots scrapped the ground beneath, barely making contact with the dirt. A glimpse of gleaming black on the limb holding you made you curse your luck.

Haki.

Damn him, you thought, baring your teeth in a desperate, animal display, ignoring the throbbing that came from the left side of your face. Even if you still had the knife in your grasp, you wouldn’t have escaped anyway. Someone with Uni’s stature or Moose’s strength could’ve handled it. But not you.

Jeering laughter echoed around you as you aimed weak kicks at the one holding you up.

“Who do you work for? Or are you just some nosy brat?” He asked, shaking you around like a rag doll.

Your eye bulged out of your head as he squeezed. The bones of your neck creaked like fragile butterfly wings within his hold. Against his size and abilities, you were helpless. A toy for the larger dogs to chew up. Your skin prickled as you felt eyes raking down your form, and you felt exposed without your usual thick, baggy boiler suit.

It shouldn’t have been like this.

Law was going to be upset.

“Hm, I could make you squeak. I’ll just have to take you back to my boys—”

“Let go of my nakama!”

The rest of his words were cut off by a grunt as something slammed into him. The world went sideways as you slipped from the man’s grasp, landing with a rough tumble as rocks and pebbles dug into your unprotected skin. Taking a few moments, you drew in wheezy gasps before trying to stand up. 

Hands caught you as your legs crumpled, and you were scooped up into warm arms.

“H-Hang on,” Bowser’s voice reassured you. “Don’t worry! Uni and Penguin’s got it covered, and we’re going to bring you to the captain!”

You tried to speak, but all that sounded was a hoarse rattle, the ring of fire around your neck aching like a brand. Breathing was equally difficult, and you relented to force wheezing, whistling breaths through your windpipe, limp in your nakama’s hold all the way until you were laid out on the infirmary bed, back in the Polar Tang again.

Through the haze of pain, you forced a smile at the figures hovering above you, unable to discern anybody due to the light shining down. You knew it must’ve been an unpleasant sight, the blood vessels in your eyes no doubt ruptured from the trauma.

Your name was said alongside Law’s familiar honorific. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you.”

That was all the reassurance you needed as Law’s Room flickered on. The feeling of his fruit sectioning you apart was familiar at this point, and you closed your eyes. Your full trust laid in your captain’s abilities as you fell into darkness.

For others, it would’ve been terrifying to be on the receiving end of Law’s powers, but you and the Heart Pirates have never been led wrong by him. 

By the time you awoke, you could breathe again. The deep inhale you did came with a dull ache, but nothing of the caliber that you felt before. Shuffling came from the side of your bed, and you glanced over to see your captain standing up from his chair.

“Don’t speak,” Law said brusquely, interrupting you before you could even begin. “You have two fractured ribs and severe bruising surrounding your neck and the facilities there. Luckily, nothing was broken. I did the best I could to realign everything, but there was not much I could do about the ruptured blood vessels. You’re on bed rest until you heal.”

You exhaled, the motion coming with a dull pain as the muscles around your jaws ached. Your captain didn’t meet your eyes, fussing with the various equipment on the bedside table next to you. A common sign of his guilt as he tried to act busy.

Reaching out, you grabbed the edge of his shirt sleeve and tugged, halting the man in his actions. You lifted a hand to mime writing something, which he understood right away. A pencil and paper were thrust into your hands, and you quickly got writing. When done, you shoved the pad at him.

‘Not your fault.’

Law huffed, passing the pad to you. He pressed a hand onto your head, pushing you down. “You’re literally in the infirmary bed right now. Because of a mission, I sent you on.”

‘I chose to go, I’m the best at it. It’s not like our lives are only full of sunshine and rainbows as pirates. And you fixed me up now, yeah?’

“You know better than to over-rely on me,” he scolded.

‘But you take care of us so well, Captain!’

Law scowled, tugging on his hat as he averted his gaze. You squinted, seeing a bit of pink flushing over his skin. “Whatever. Did you manage to gather anything important?”

At that reminder, you brightened, pencil flying across the paper. You wrote down all the information you heard from those men, ripping out the page and presenting it to Law with a flourish. He took it, scanning everything. Gold eyes widened as he comprehended the information written on it. He gingerly folded up the paper and tucked it into his pocket.

“Ah. I see. Thank you.”

Knocking echoed on the infirmary door, drawing your attention away. “Captain?” Bepo’s voice questioned through the door.

Law let out an aggrieved sigh. “The lot of you can come in. Tailor-ya’s awake.”

The door slammed open, and you jolted as a veritable pile of crewmates spilled in, with Bepo’s orange-bright suit in front. Law gave a final word of warning for them to be gentle before the group skidded to a stop in front of you. You smiled at them, ignoring the slight ache that bloomed where you got hit. You could see their hesitation and tilted your head.

“You had pretty bad bruising,” Law told you. “I removed most of the blood from the broken vessels, but the ones in your eyes are too delicate for me right now.”

He gritted his teeth, and you could see his silent decision being made. You could already see him looking for more medical texts the next time the Tang docked at an island.

“Are hugs allowed?” Somebody asked tentatively.

Law exhaled a sigh, lifting an arm to flap his hand dismissively. “Do whatever. It’s mostly cosmetic and very minor injuries left. But don’t be too rough, either way.”

That was all the approval you needed, and you opened your arms.

Bepo’s wrapped around you first, and you relaxed into the Mink, letting out a soft sigh as Law stepped back for more space. A hand landed on your head, ruffling your hair. Uni’s hand, based on the length of the fingers. More arms wormed beneath Bepo, over Bepo, but all of them wrapped around you. An offended squawk from the side signaled that even Law was roped into the mix.

Being the shortest in the crew had its drawbacks, sometimes serious ones. But you didn’t mind. You knew your nakama was there to support you.

when the sun came up (i was looking at you)

series masterlist

pairing: luke castellan x fem reader

word count: 4.8k

summary: your poisoning in the woods and everything that comes after

content: angst + hurt/comfort. reader is poisoned which leads to aggression/hallucination; she gets restrained. general near death experience content ?

notes: title from out of the woods by taylor swift. these guys are NEVER escaping the trauma of the woods loll

The door slams inward, and the entire Apollo cabin goes silent.

There’s about ten campers inside, a few of them clustered around the cot in the center of the room. Every single one of them turns to face Luke with the same look painted on their faces.

Panic.

“Where is she?”

They part like the Red Sea, avoiding his eyes and scrambling to disperse throughout the room. Luke’s on autopilot, his eyes darting around the room for any familiar face as he pushes past those who don’t get out of the way fast enough.

A girl named Mary - or Maria? - is sitting by the window. She looks quickly down at her feet when he catches her eye. Beck blinks wide eyed at him as he side steps out of his line of fire.

(Something out in the forest. Screaming that could be heard from three cabins down. Uncontrollable aggression.)

“Luke,” Miles says, the only one brave enough to stand in front of him. He plants a firm hand on his shoulder, his brows knitted together. “You’re not supposed to be in here.”

His hand gets shoved off immediately. Luke can’t believe what he’s saying to him — the disapproval in Miles’ voice at his presence in the cabin. He scoffs, trying to cool down the anger that threatens to flare up.

Hyperthermia, someone else had said. It doesn’t take a child of Athena to know the risks of it. You’re somewhere nearby, in pain, and Miles has the gall to tell Luke he shouldn’t be looking for you.

Luke’s badly contained temper comes back with a vengeance.

“You should fucking know better. She’s my…” Luke’s breath shakes as he inhales. “She’s my best friend.”

Miles wilts and turns to his siblings, looking for backup. Not a single one meets his eyes. He’s torn in half, clearly fighting with himself over something.

(“Luke.” Warmth around his wrist. Your hand. “Please hold me.”

Red palms. Your dried blood between the creases on his hands — the lines you’d trace while half asleep, leaning against his shoulder while trying to get some rest.

The coldness of your hands. Chocolate bars so rich you have trouble eating. The suffocating sterility of the hospital.

The entire goddamn state of Pennsylvania.

Luke won’t do it again.)

“Tell me where she is,” he snaps, his voice bordering on a snarl.

Luke Castellan is not above begging.

It’s quiet. Miles’ siblings are staring at the two of them, unashamed. Luke can see the guilt in all of their eyes.

The younger boy is frowning. “We’re not supposed to—”

“So what?” he grits out. “Do you expect me to sit around while she’s fucking dying?” Miles is silent, and Luke scoffs. He turns to the rest of the campers, his gaze sharp enough to hurt. They remain quiet.

“If none of you tell me, I’m going out there to find her myself.”

Miles is frowning. Luke turns his back on him. “Wait, Luke—”

“The river by the strawberry fields.”

It’s one of the older Apollo kids. Luke’s known him for a while, and he couldn’t be more grateful. The boy, Carter, is sitting on the cot that his siblings had been crowding around earlier. There’s a cut over his eyebrow and he’s clutching a bag of ice to his cheek. When his hand drops, Luke can see the tell-tale signs of new bruising.

“She’s hyperthermic,” a girl next to Carter confirms after she glances at Miles wearily. “Whatever got her out there was poisonous. We couldn’t break her fever.”

“A few of them just left for the river,” someone else offers. “It’s the coldest source of water nearby. They have to help her cool down, or else…”

She trails off, but she doesn’t need to continue for Luke to understand. The pity is rolling off her in waves.

What should be a comfort offers him nothing but the realization that it’s all real. You really are dying, so sick that the Apollo kids are at a loss of what to do. This isn’t another night terror — a messed up idea his mind has come up with to torture him.

It’s real. And this time, waking up won’t save him from it.

He can only hope he looks as grateful as he feels when he mutters out his thanks.

“Luke,” your friend Liza calls before he can get too close to the door.

She’d done your hair for you just last week, perfectly woven braids you’d shown him with a grin. When he faces her now, there are unshed tears in her eyes. “You need to be careful. She’s- not herself. And she’s scared.”

Uncontrollable anger. The red mark on Carter’s face is beginning to make more sense.

The other kids standing around the cabin give Luke tentative looks, although he’s not sure why. Do they expect him to cower at the thought of you hurting him? Surely they should know by now.

He turns away from them and starts in the direction of the river.

—

It’s not that far, just a left out of the Apollo cabin and about a five minute walk towards the woods. If he goes fast, he knows he’ll catch up with you in no time.

The short distance is why Luke hears you before he sees you.

As he gets closer to the river, the quiet sounds of nature are drowned out by the words of the Apollo kids standing over you.

“Ah, shit— Lucy, hold her.”

“Gods, I really don’t want to, but if this is going to work, we’re going to need to—”

The girl gets cut off by a scream. A warped plea ripping itself from your throat.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” another voice says in pity, and the fear that’s wrapped itself around Luke’s chest begins to constrict his lungs.

He’s by the water before he can even realize that he started running. There’s only three healers here, but the way they’re huddled around you still manages to block you from view.

He has to remind himself to breathe, to continue inhaling and exhaling so he doesn’t pass the fuck out.

In.

(Three jagged lines, angry and red hot.)

Out.

(Pus oozing from the gapes made in marred skin.)

In.

(Cold to the touch. The weight of your unconscious body on his back.)

Out.

It’s stupid. They’re trying to save your life, trying to keep you from cooking yourself from the inside out, but Luke takes the closest Apollo kid by the back of their shirt and drags them behind him, breaking the iron tight ring of people hiding you from view.

Your hands are bound.

Golden fabric circles your wrists, locking your arms behind your back. The girl, Lucy, has both of your legs secured under an arm while she tries to work another strip around your ankles.

Luke sees red.

He bites back the venom threatening to spill from his mouth.

These girls are young, he tries to remind himself through the anger that’s burning hot in his chest. They’re scared too.

He drops to his knees, hands moving immediately for your bindings. The same hands that have held him through nightmares and his mother’s fits are locked together and held by your own weight into the dirt.

Your shoulder is inches away from his hand when Luke is yanked backwards harshly. It feels like an electric current shakes his skull when his head hits the stones lining the river.

“Luke,” Casey, the girl he pulled away, says his name frantically. His vision is swimming, but he pushes himself up onto his forearms despite the ringing in his ears that tells him to stay down. “We really didn’t want to, but she’s getting violent, she—”

When the world comes into slight focus, he can see the unmistakable footprint shape pressed into the front of her t-shirt. Maya, the girl by your head that’s trying to help Lucy ease you into the water, has a raw scratch going down the expanse of her arm.

Despite your bindings, you’re putting up a fight. You lock your knees before thrashing out, knocking Lucy back a few inches as you try to jab Maya in the nose with the back of your head.

“It’s everywhere!”

It takes Luke a second to even recognize your voice as your own. It sounds like your larynx has been shredded, the usual cadence of your voice unrecognizable to his ears.

Casey doesn’t bother trying to push him back down when he surges forward for you.

It’s the first good look he’s gotten of you since this morning. You’d eaten breakfast together like always, your knees knocking against his whenever you got super into the story you were telling him and Chris.

When it was over, some of your friends ended up dragging you away for the rest of the day. There was an apologetic grin on your face as you waved at him from across the pavilion.

He should’ve gone with you. Should’ve, should’ve, should’ve.

His fingers are already working to loosen the knots at your wrists when he remembers he should say something. “Killer, it’s me,” he says, trying to tamper down the waver in his voice.

The golden fabric falls limply to the ground. The skin below it is rubbed raw from your thrashing, and the sight makes Luke want to empty his stomach. He tries meeting your gaze, but your eyes are squeezed shut, your face turned away from him as you sob.

You need to calm her down, Luke thinks to himself. Stressing her out is going to worsen everything. Calm her down.

He thinks about his nightmares, about the sweat sticking his shirt to his back and to his bedsheets. You’ve helped him through it countless times, what feels like every night since his quest.

You had seemed so sure of yourself from the very start, like brushing his hair from his face and knowing exactly what to say was second nature to you. He’d hold you on those nights and fall asleep to the feeling of your gentle exhales against his chest. Luke doesn’t know a place safer than with you in his bed, one of your arms thrown over him and the rest of you tangled together.

Luke clenches his hands, trying to will the shaking away. He doesn’t know how to do that for you, and it makes hatred fester in his chest.

He pushes stray strands of hair away from your face before moving to untie the fabric at your ankles. The other girls have long backed away by now, know that trying to stop him would be useless.

You’re quiet. Painfully so. But the moment your legs are free, you move like you’re being fueled by fire. Luke barely dodges the swipe you make at his face as you kick your leg out in a wide arc. He flattens himself against the ground, and you wrestle yourself on top of him, your legs curling around one of his and locking him against the dirt.

He’d taught you how to do this.

Lucy lets out a startled gasp, and Casey moves forward to drag you off of him, but he holds up a firm hand, the message clear.

Stop.

You waste no time. Your hands string around his neck, constricting in a way that's sure to leave bruises. Your eyes had been pressed firmly shut earlier, but now they’re blown wide. The sclera of your eyes are red and aflame, and your constricted pupils are swallowed up by the color of your irises.

Your face is devoid of any emotions. You don’t recognize him.

As the airflow to his lungs slows, it would make sense for his adrenaline to propel him upwards, to get him to wrestle you to the ground and pin your arms. He’s done it before and could do it again, despite how difficult you make it.

But there’s another part of his brain that’s taking over, dragging him away from his instincts to protect himself.

Because it’s you.

The same way his natural battle instincts have been hardwired into his brain, it’s like his body has a visceral reaction to being with you, to hold you in his hands and shelter you from everything else.

Luke rubs soothing circles into the backs of the hands that are wrapped around his throat. They’re searing hot.

“Kill-er,” the syllables are stilted, coming out intermittently whenever he can manage to get air through. He’s surprised he can even speak right now, knowing the strength that courses through your veins. If you’d wanted him to, he’d be down for the count.

You’re going easy on him.

He moves his hands off of yours to hold the back of your head. Sweat runs down from your forehead, your body working tirelessly to cool you down. Your wild eyes dart across his face frantically, taking him in for what seems like the first time. Confusion and recognition is flickering across your face.

It’s then when Luke sees the puncture wound on your neck, the mark green and sickly and throbbing at your pulse point. He brushes hair away from your face.

The grip around his neck begins to loosen slightly, and he takes in as much oxygen as he can through his gasp for air. He takes your hands in his again and squeezes once.

“It’s me, sweetheart. It’s Luke.”

The tension you’re using to lock his legs into place dissipates. You blink hard, like you’re trying to come back to yourself.

He should throw you off of him now, he knows he should. Your hands are no longer tight around his throat, and the heat of your body where it's pressed against his is unbearable.

“Luke,” you rasp. “Luke.”

“It’s me, it’s me,” he mumbles, the relief pouring through the cracks. He lets go of your hands to run a soothing hand down your back. The back of your shirt is soaked through with sweat.

Your face cracks. You lean down close to him, your face curling in anguish.

“Luke, they’re everywhere.” Your voice is quiet, like you’re trying to tell him a secret no one else can hear.

He nods before he knows why. “I know, I know. It’s why we need to take you to the water. It’ll help, killer, I promise.”

You’ve gone a little boneless, your arms giving in as you collapse against him. The heat emanating from your skin is growing oppressive, and he knows he needs to move. “I can feel them, Luke. It’s everywhere.”

“I’m sorry, I know,” he says again, heaving you upwards. One of his hands goes to the back of your head as the other secures itself around your lower back. He repeats his words into your hair as he inches both of you closer to the water.

He’s going to have to let you go. Letting you cling onto his body heat isn’t doing you any favors, but he finds his fingers curling into the fabric of your shirt when you wind yourself around him.

Hold her, everything in him seems to say.

So he does.

“Luke,” someone says, snapping him out of your orbit. It’s Casey, standing ankle deep in the water in front of him. He’d almost forgotten anyone else was here. Maya and Lucy look on from the grass with matching concerned expressions. “You have to hurry. There’s not much time.”

There’s a water nymph standing a few feet in fromt of them — this must be her river. She’s cocking her head at you curiously, and when Luke sucks in a broken inhale at the sudden drop in temperature, he knows it’s her doing.

The fabric of his pants gets soaked through with the icy water immediately, but he sinks deeper into the river despite it. You jolt in his arms the second the water comes up to your chest.

“Luke,” you sob, your grip around his shoulders growing painfully tight. “I can’t, I can’t, I—”

He pries your face out of the crook of his neck regardless of the way you’re protesting.

Luke is shivering. You are far from it. You’re even making it worse, trying to wrap yourself around him even with the heat that’s threatening to kill you.

When he knocks his forehead against yours, he says your name, your real name, with as much force as he can muster.

“Do you trust me?”

Luke has no idea what tricks your mind is playing on you. He doesn’t know if the poison will take five minutes or ten hours to leave your system, and has no idea if this water will even help you. Your organs could fail in an hour and this entire thing would have been pointless. He could be lying to you right now, giving you false hope that he can fix it all. But pressed so close to you, he watches as your eyes dilate, and he knows that you’ve placed your trust in him.

The tears that have collected in your eyes spill over, running in rivulets down your face. He wipes them away with careful hands as you slump in his arms. Luke presses another kiss onto the high point of your cheek.

He works to unwind your arms from around his neck, and you groan like it physically pains you. He’s mumbling apologies the entire time, laying you on your back as the salt of your tears mixes with the freshwater of the river.

He knows he shouldn’t be touching you, shouldn’t be giving you another source of heat, but you give him a look that breaks his heart when he tries to loosen your hold on his wrist. He folds. He leaves a comforting hand against your shoulder blades as he scoops water to pour over your head.

He doesn’t stop until he hears your teeth chattering from the cold.

Luke doesn’t torture you with the distance any longer. When Casey gives him a look of approval, he tilts you upward to pull you back into his chest. You fit perfectly into the dip of his shoulder, and he holds the back of your head as close to him as physically possible.

The two of you sit there and listen to the sound of the shifting water around you until your skin begins to prune. He holds you there, feeling your steady heartbeat against his until his breathing evens out.

—

Your hands are cold again.

Luke remembers how they had felt when he had sat by your hospital bed and tried not to cry.

But this time, the cold is comforting. You’re not burning up anymore, your body no longer threatening to swallow you whole.

He had Carter check your temperature. And then check it again fifteen minutes later. Your temperature is a perfectly healthy 98 degrees fahrenheit.

He watches your chest rise and fall underneath the blankets. And then he presses his hand against it just to make sure it isn’t a trick of the light.

He cares about you. A lot. But he knows you’re going to drive him crazy with worry by the time you’re both twenty-five.

Luke sits with a towel wrapped around his shoulders as various Apollo kids come in and out to check on you. It’s not that he doesn’t trust them, but being more than fifty feet away from you isn’t something he thinks he can stomach right now.

He would’ve probably sat in his drenched clothes all day if someone hadn’t threatened to kick him out for dripping water all over the floors. Chris had come by to drop off a change of clothes from the cabin, and had left him with warm sweatpants and the hoodie he had given you a long time ago. There were paint stains on the sleeves from that one time the Apollo kids had dragged him into crafts with the younger campers, and the edge of one of the sleeves had long since worn away with age.

It was your favorite of his, oddly enough. He was more likely to find it draped on your frame than on his.

(“Hey, Castellan,” Chris had joked the first time you’d stolen it from him. “Nice outfit.”

You’d grinned, prodding him with the point of your shoe. “Think I wear it better?”

You did.

For the rest of the night, Luke wondered why he felt so weird after Chris had referred to you with his last name.)

He puts the hoodie aside for you and sits in the plain shirt offered to him earlier instead. The fabric of the sweatshirt smells like you now. It’s not his anymore.

Someone clears their throat from behind him. He turns to find Casey leaning against one of the beams, staring at the two of you with something swimming in her eyes. “The poison’s run its course. She’s on the mend.”

“Right,” Luke says. He’s too tired to say much else, and he’s still bitter about the way he had found you, sobbing with your wrists tied around your back. He’s trying hard not to be angry at them, so he avoids looking at the injuries left behind on your skin. “Thanks.”

She doesn’t move from her spot, watching and observing. Luke waits for her to spit out whatever it is she wants to say.

“You’re lucky, Luke.”

He fights the urge to scoff. ‘Lucky’ is probably the last word Luke Castellan would use to describe himself. If he was really lucky, you’d be sitting by the lake with him and he’d be rubbing sunscreen over your back so you wouldn’t get burned. “I’m lucky that my best friend almost died?”

She purses her lips. “That’s not what I meant.”

Your light breathing rustles the thin sheet over you and he slips his hand into yours. Traces the veins at your wrist.

“I meant that you’re lucky to have each other. I can tell the two of you are close.”

He wants to laugh. Close. Luke wants to think that after a lifetime of having each other, you’d be considered something more than close.

“She wouldn’t have made it, if you hadn’t shown up.”

He had known that, of course. But hearing her say it out loud makes it too real. You’d almost died. Again.

“I know Miles kind of chewed you out earlier, so I’m here to apologize on his behalf. You’re a really good guy, Luke.”

He turns to face her. Her red curly hair is messy, like the stress of the day has worn her down.

Luke finds his lingering irritation dissolving. She’s just a kid.

He nods at her and decides to not acknowledge her compliment. “Thanks for apologizing.”

She turns on her heel quickly, shutting the door behind her.

“I am pretty lucky.”

Luke can’t turn around faster. You squeeze his hand three times and he feels the weight on his chest lifted.

“Sorry that I keep doing this to you.”

You’re halfway smiling. He smiles, too, even though he feels dead on his feet.

He drops half of his face into your stomach, and you move to scratch at his scalp. He sighs. You smell like the cool freshwater of the river.

“Yeah. You should be sorry.”

You sit up before he can protest and kiss the mess of curls on top of his head. You don’t seem to mind how they’re damp and gross, threading your fingers through them and dragging your nails in that way you do.

Luke wants to hold you forever and hurt anything that’s ever looked at you wrong. He wonders how you’d feel if he went back into the forest and sent whatever did this to you back into Tartarus with his bare hands.

“I’m never letting you go out into the woods ever again,” he says instead.

“Oh?”

“You’re living up to your nickname, killer. Each of these hospital trips takes a decade off my life, you know.”

“My bad.”

He drags your hand out of his hair to slot your fingers together. “If I ever catch you in here again, I’m killing you myself.”

“Duly noted.”

“I’m serious. If I see you within thirty feet of this cabin again, you’re in for it.”

You laugh, light and sweet. You do your mock salute. “Yes, sir.”

He doesn’t get up from where he’s laying on your chest, and you don’t move an inch for a while.

“Thank you, Luke,” you say after a bit. “I would’ve been dead, like a decade ago, if you weren’t around. You do so much for me.”

He squeezes your hand. “I’d do anything for you. I’d even let you strangle me a hundred more times.”

You sit up abruptly, and Luke knows he’s fucked up.

“What?”

Your hand goes under his chin and you force him upwards before he can stop you. You tug the neckline of his shirt down and he tries to protest, but he hears you gasp and knows it's too late. He can’t see your expression with the way you’re inspecting the column of his neck, but you are silent the entire time.

“Gods, Luke…” You say after a while. Your hand drops quickly to your lap like just the sight of the bruising has burned you. “I tried to- tried to kill you. I didn’t realize what I was doing. I’m so… I didn’t know-”

He shakes his head, meeting your gaze head on. You’ve started tearing up again, your eyes trained on the splotches of purple around his throat. “Wasn’t your fault. Don’t even imply that shit. You weren’t yourself, do you understand?”

Your hand is limp in his when he reaches for it. The two of you sit in the quiet of the Apollo cabin again, listening to the sounds of the stray campers that walk past the windows outside.

“I can’t believe I did that. I deserve to be locked up. I’m a monster for doing that to your pretty skin,” you say absentmindedly.

Luke cracks a smile. He thinks he’d let you drive a knife through his heart and still say it wasn’t your fault.

“I didn’t understand what was happening. But I could… feel everything.”

He runs a hand up your leg, soothingly. “You don’t have to—”

“No, it’s fine.” You shake your head. “I couldn’t really see ‘cause my vision was all screwed up. But I wasn’t scared.”

“I was,” he admits readily, squeezing your thigh.

If one of you dies first, he hopes it’s him. He’s had a taste of you dying twice already and isn’t sure what would happen to him if he had to watch it really happen.

“I wasn’t. ‘Cause I could feel you,” you say. You’re looking right at him but seem so far away. “I could hear your voice, but I couldn’t tell if it was you. But I knew you were with me when you were stroking my head like you do when you try and put me to sleep. And I wasn’t scared anymore.”

Luke feels like someone’s torn open his ribcage and shoved his organs back in.

Is this normal? he wonders. To feel this strongly about your best friend?

He stops himself from surging forward and taking your face into his hands.

What would he even do? Luke isn't even sure himself. He forces the ridiculous thoughts from his head and pulls your hand up to kiss your palm. He presses his mouth into the center and moves down to your injured wrist and then to the warm skin by your pulse.

You let out a watery laugh. “You’re stuck with me for life. Until the end.”

He smiles into the skin of your wrist. You’re joking, he’s sure of it, but he wouldn’t mind forever with you.

Luke stands up for the first time in what feels like hours. He nudges you forward on the twin sized cot, and you let him settle behind you. It’s a slightly awkward fit, but you don’t seem to care, lying comfortably against him. Your body is warm where it's pressed to his chest and Luke knows he could do this forever.

“I’m never letting you out of my sight again,” he says lightly, pressing a kiss into your hair. He doesn’t want to think about how serious he is. “So don’t get sick of me yet.”

You tuck yourself under his chin, pulling his arms around your front. Something inside of him clicks, like turning on a light, or slotting something into place.

When you turn around to kiss his cheek, it borders dangerously on the corner of his mouth.

“As if I’d ever be sick of you, hero.”

notes: will i ever give her a break? i guess we’ll never know! i cant tell if i dislike this bc im sick of reading it or if i didnt edit it enough 😭 so kindly let me know if u enjoyed :)

tags — lmk if u want to be removed/added!

killerverse: @yoremins @qtkat @mischiefmoons @cedricsleftelbow @syraxesrevenge @whiteoakoak @acourtofdeppressionandanxiety @dummie-dummiest @softtina @amberpanda99 @luvvfromme @3alamari @esposadomd

luke castellan: @chasebeth @silkenthusiasts @urmomsbananabread @sunny747 @randomgurl2326 @repostingmyfavs @au-ghosttype @mrsaluado @holy-macncheese-balls @catluvwr @katemlk @lukecastellandefender @wonuskie @kitkat-writes-stuff @bugcuti3 @bookworm-center @justanotherkpopstanlol @quinnsadilla @tinolawithrice @jjenjoysthings @marisrope @cantstoptherecs @anotherblackreader @iamforeverandalwaystired @siriusly-parker-main @mclando81 @amortencjja @inlovewithcarsthatrunreallyfast @amoreva

The Flesh, Blood, Bone, Heart and Soul : There once was a jellyfish who wished to be human

Laios Touden x Monster! Reader

Synopsis - you're a jellyfish who had no heart or soul to even desire the purest desire—you wanted nothing and desired not even the will to eat. One day, a winged lion came to you and asked if you wanted to see. You didn't know what that meant at the time; that was until the lion wanted you to meet a human.

Word count: 7.8k

Tw. Very brief mentions cannibalism, depictions of violence and lots of blood, near character death, eating disorders, major spoilers for the manga, viewer's discretion advised

Next.

For the longest time, you were just a jellyfish. A lone jellyfish floating in the abyss of water, deep in the dungeon.

You watched as those sea creatures ate each other. Feasting on each others flesh and tearing tails and fins off of each other. But then you would watch them mate and produce offspring — and the cycle repeats.

All you would and could do was watch as they did so; just eating the scraps and algae. And that was all you would do — eat. With no coherent thought, you were just a regular jellyfish in an aquarium full of monsters.

"Do you want to think?"

What was there to think? All you needed to do was eat.

"Do you want to see those mermaids in disgust?"

Why would you want to see mermaids? You already can.

"Do you want to go beyond this aquarium and up above the surface?"

You don't know what that means.

It wasn't anything magical or grand. One day, you realized you were alive and living in a sea with other live creatures. You didn't think much of it. It was as if you knew for your entire life.

It was when one of the mermaids tried attacking you, did you realize what the power of sentience gave you.

You could eat more than just scraps.

From a jellyfish, you morphed into a monstrous, distorted version of a mermaid. The more you ate, the bigger you got, and the more you turned into into a coverage shape. You became the serpant of the dungeons sea, devorour of all creatures from the waters. You ate undines, mermaids, mermen, and anything that was in your domain.

But then one day, suddenly, you felt something new.

You felt lonely.

There were very little monsters of your kind that would dare approach you. Even then, you ate so much there wasn't anything that could approach you.

You didn't want to eat anymore. You didn't want those monsters gone. You don't want to be alone.

You morphed from a leviathan sea serpant back into a jellyfish like-form. With flesh akin to jellyfish and a form similar to the mermaids that sung you songs: You were you.

"Do you want to go back to how things were?"

"If I did, then things would get as scary as I was and eat everything."

"They still would regardless of your wishes."

"Then stop allowing them!"

"They are the same as you, unknowing. It is my faith and goodwill to grant those with desires, knowledge."

"Then what may I do?"

"Do you want things to go back as they were before?"

"No."

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

Like the sea anemones and algae, you remained stationary in place.

You sat on a coral throne, hands in your lap, listening to the mermaids sing. You watched as juvenile mermaids and merman fought each other, and despite the mermaids always having the upper hand, you enjoyed seeing the mermen struggle for survival. It was truly amazing to see the will all living things in the dungeons waters have to live. It was a perfect equalizer, keeping the population of both at bay.

As you sat on your coral throne, like the canary birds that sing, you sang the monarchs melody for the mermaids. You sang your song, and they would sing theirs. They wove you dresses and hairpieces from the coral and stone under the dungeons floor. They gave you the flesh of mermen, bladefish, and cephalopds. You felt the meat the mermaids would in your hands. You squeezed the lump of flesh as blood flowed in the water, and you devoured it.

You hated eating.

It was one of the things you came to despise. For you, it was the source of all evil things. It was desire and hunger that nearly made you eat all living things in this artificial ocean. It was the desire to eat that ruined you. Hunger and desire was what made so very lonely. It was that very desire that caused so many plants and organisms to suffer in pain. You couldn't believe you ate all those creatures.

You hated eating.

Only eating when you were on the brink of death.

You were the hunter; you dominated the waters of the dungeon. You watched and felt every movement in the water. You smelled and tasted every bit of blood that flowed in the water. You saw everything — there was not a single thing that could escape your watchful eyes. You sought out those monsters with desires as strong as yours, and with a watchful gaze, you wrapped your lappets around the still living prey. They could try biting you, tearing your skin, scratching out pieces of your flesh, but that never stopped your attack. There was no need to pay attention to pain you couldn't feel. They never were alive long enough to injure you anyway—especially not when you had the water's blessing.

Your lappets constricting and tightening as you felt them grow faint. Their mind and body numbing as you constricted tighter. They couldn't hurt you when they couldn't move.

As they remain barely conscious, you dug through their flesh and ripped the bones out. You peeled any fur off the skin and ate the tissue. You chewed on the blood vessels, trying to draw out more and more blood. You constricted around them tighter and tigher to watch the blood squeeze out of the limp lump of flesh. You tightened your hold on it as you tore through muscle and fat to reach the heart.

It was only when you had all the hearts that you finally let go of the lifeless piece of flesh.

The mermaids really liked it when you brought them the heart of the prey. However, there were days you were especially hungry; just so very hungry, you couldn't help resist going out to hunt for more.

You felt the water move ever so slightly.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

Songs were the mermaids' passion.

As you rest upon your coral throne, the sung you songs. They loved to dance and sing the events of that day. They told you stories of the food they ate, the stones they found, the surface creatures they lured in the water, or even the mischievous actions of the youngest mermaid.

Blessed by the waters of the dungeon, songs became your passion.

Every night cycle, you love to rest in the coral reefs as they rest by your side. You would sing them your melody — one about the wonders and curse of gluttony. You lulled them to sleep, and once you were sure that they all were asleep, you would melt away and morph back into a jellyfish. You would shield them with your body, and it was only when you were sure they were safe, did you finally allow yourself to sleep.

The mermaids, sirens, fish, and kelpie were your passion.

You love them all so dearly. Despite knowing their nature to devour each other, you can't help but still love each and every one of them.

It wasn't their fault that they needed to eat. They were born, as all living things, to eat, consume, reproduce, die, and repeat. You couldn't blame them over something that is instinct. You were once the same; so very small, so very primitive. You were once just a jellyfish with no thought nor any sense of pain.

"There is this human who goes by the name Laios. Unlike the humans in the stories I tell you, he admires the monsters in the dungeon."

You opened your eyes as you hid beneath the coral reef. "Is that so?"

"He admires the biological nature of monsters. He has a deep passion for the monsters of this dungeon and holds a great yearning for knowledge."

"A human..." You asked as you held your lappets closer to your body. "Humans are the same as I, aren't they?"

The lion chuckled as his voice bellowed in your head. "Humans are much more extraordinary. They are born with the nature to exceed the instinct and animalistic nature all life is born with. They needed no gift to have the ability to think beyond nothing. You aren't anything close to their organic being; You're just an artificial attempt at intelligent life."

You tilt your head to your side as you pondered. "If I don't exceed this nature of mine and they do, then this human wouldn't have the primal fear when facing monsters, am I correct?"

"He wants to live alongside monsters. He doesn't wish for them to be seen as monsters but rather the same as the living creatures above."

"The same?"

"Yes—just as you accept the cruel nature of the creatures in your residence, he admires the art and anatomy of all of them."

"Will he hurt them?"

"He'll hurt them the same way they hurt their prey to eat."

"I see..." You closed your eyes as you tried to visualize this human the lion mentioned. No matter how hard you tried, you couldn't picture a human. You never saw anything above the water. You had no need to follow the mermaids as they hunted for prey. You had no need to ever venture above the known.

But a human...it was foreign to think that any living thing could ever set aside the primal instinct of life itself. So much so that they were willing to accept the creatures that deem them as prey.

"Why are you telling me about this human?"

"I want you to meet him."

A human named Laios, was it?

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

You sat on your coral throne as you watched the young mermaids play amongst themselves. You couldn't help but smile as one of the older mermaids scared them.

You held your hands close to your chest, and you sang your song. Some mermaids wove oriements into your your hair and lappets. They brushed out your clothing and adorned your head with a coral crown. Some of the mermaids sung, but never was it your song.

Songs are the passion of all mermaids.

Songs are the soul in each individual one. Despite the mutual respect you and the mermaids hold for each other, you aren't the same species. You have your melody, and they have their own. As much as they may love your voice, they would absolutely detest you if you tried to sing with them.

You held your hands up to your face as you thought of this. You wonder if humans were the same. The lion said they were the perfect beings to possess the ability to deny their instincts. Depsite being a mockery of sentience, you were also able to deny the instincts you were born with. If that's was makes something sapient then you are sure they would love to sing with you.

"The human sung?"

The mermaids in front of you seemed distressed as they waved their hands around, blowing rings in the water. One of them placed their head on your lap as they lamented the horrible voice of the human voice.

You couldn't help but chuckle as you pat her head. You never once heard of any surface dwellers trying to sing along with them. But as amusing as it was, you couldn't help sympathize with them.

Yet, you couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement at the fact that humans can sing along those foreign to them.

Not long after this, you heard that another surface dweller ate an undine.

"An undine?! Was it the same human?"

The mermaids shook their heads as they pointed to their ears.

"This one had long ears?"

The more they told you about this group of surface dwellers, the more you wanted to see for yourself.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

You never felt humiliation, pain, or defeat.

You were the monarch of sea within the dungeon. There was nothing that could best you underwater just as there was nothing you could not eat.

But above the surface, however, you didn't know if you held the same strength.

You were heavy—very, very heavy. You were bigger than any mermaid yet smaller than a kraken. you had thousands of lappets and hundreds of cloth woven by the mermaids. Your hair was abundant and adorned with millions of small oriements. Though you could reduce yourself to a smaller size, why do so when you're weightless underwater?

It was a dilemma you pondered for ages. The smaller you got, the less strength you possessed, and if you were too big, you wouldn't be able to move above water. You didn't want to be anywhere near where the mermaids usually reside. You didn't want to impede on their routine, nor did you wish to drag them into trouble if something were to happen. If you were looking for a location like that, there were little places you could emerge from. These places were also uncharted territory with how little any other aquatic species spent there.

But curiosity got the better of you, and so you swam up.

You stared for the longest at the water meeting the surface. You raised your hand to touch the small barrier separating the two. You closed your eyes as you thought about what the stories the lion and mermaids would tell you about the world above.

You took in a deep breath as you raised the top of your head above water. You felt the cold air on your forehead, and the light was blinding. You looked around as you saw a stone room—the same stone that made up the aquarium you called the sea. You pulled yourself on top of the stone flooring as you breathed lightly. It felt just as heavy as you had thought, but you didn't think you would be able to carry yourself with ease.

Just as you were acclimating to the change of environment, you heard footsteps coming from behind you. As quick as you went above, you went back into the water. You swam close to the surface as you warily looked through the ripples of the water.

You watched as a human male adorned in silver cloth ran close the water. You lowered yourself deeper into the water as he just briefly saw you.

"I swore I saw mermaid!"

Three others came along right behind as the long-eared female spoke up.

"Laios, there are no mermaids at this level of the dungeon, much less this area!—those mushrooms are making you hallucinate."

The longed-eared one, did she say Laios?

"Guys, I hear something in the water...."

Laios. Laios. Laios. Laios. Laios.

Laios was the one the lion told you about.

"Those mushrooms weren't hallucinogens! And there was a mermaid! This one was a different color! I always wondered if it was possible for monsters to be albino like regular animals we have on the island. It's possible that this mermaid is here because they were ostracized by the—"

You jumped out of the water and landed in front of the group of surface dwellers. You leaned down as you stared at the one adorned in silver cloth. He was smaller than expected; You thought he would be bigger than the mermaids, and he was, but only by a little.

"I never seen a mermaid that big!"

You turned to face the short–bearded man. You never thought surface dwellers could vary in size and shape. Most of the mermaids and mermen you saw were relatively the same in appearance.

"That's because that isn't a mermaid! This one seems to be a Scyphozoa demi-human varient judging by the tentacles."

The shortest one began to talk as he slowly walked backward, "Should we even be standing here waiting for it to attack?"

You snapped out of your daze as you remembered why you were here. You leaned even closer to what you presumed to be Laios and wrapped your hands around him.

"Huh?"

You caught a glimpse of the shape of the lion on his side, and it was then you knew that this, for sure was, Laios!

You lifted him up into the air as you twirled and jumped back into the water. You couldn't help but smile widely as you finally met the human the lion talked so highly about. You felt his body and were surprised by the sturdiness of the silver cloth. You were about to laugh at his puffed up cheeks when you remembered a crucial detail about surface dwellers.

You panicked as you hastily rose back up to the surface. You briefly loosened your grip on him as you felt the sudden decrease in pressure. As you did, he quickly used this to his advantage and got out his sword, and cut one of your hands.

"LAIOS!'

You let go out of him out of surprise, dropping him into the water. You looked at your hand as you saw blood oozing out. It wasn't often you were injured. It was also because of your lack of pain that there were many times when the mermaids noticed when you accidentally cut yourself when swimming near rocks or trident left by the mermen.

Remembering Laios, you dove back into the water to retrieve him. However, as you did so, the long–eared female ran up to you and tapped you with her staff.

You were surprised by her ability to walk on water, but you were even more so when you felt yourself get pushed out from the water.

You felt yourself choke.

Whatever that girl did to you, it made you sick. You struggled to balance yourself as you felt disoriented from seeing the water below you. You couldn't feel the water's blessing: You didn't feel safe. You saw Laios run up to you and cut some of your lappets.

Why would he hurt you?

"CHILCHUCK, AIM FOR THE NECK!"

Oh.

The look of determination and andrenalin you saw in their eyes was familiar. They thought you were going to eat them; just as you ate your prey, they thought you were going to kill them.

You struggled to sit up as you saw an arrow close in you.

This was your mistake. You should've conveyed your intentions clearly.

You covered your head as you dropped to the waters surface. You writhed on the surface, trying desperately to go back into the water. You tried destroying whatever separated you from your home, but no matter what you did, nothing worked.

Laios ran up to you with his sword, and he swung at your neck.

Just like underwater, in your domain, you felt time slow down.

Despite not being able to feel much pain, you certainly knew what areas of your body, once they began to bleed, would bring you death.

And he wanted to kill you.

But the look in his eyes wasn't of fear, nor was it out of the need to survive. It was something foreign, and it scared you.

You felt yourself breathe heavily as you became aware of the urgency of the situation.

"St—STAY BACK!!!"

Your voice reverberated, pushing all of them away.

This wasn't underwater.

You couldn't swim away, you couldn't use all of your strength, you couldn't avoid the attacks, you could hardly move, you felt sickly.

You should have been more prepared.

You felt the water briefly on your skin. As you saw the long–eared girl fall over, you felt yourself fall back into the water.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

For the longest time, you believed yourself to be similar to humans and all other surface dwellers.

That, unlike the mermaids, the mermen, the fish, the kraken, the giant crabs, and all monsters that fell into your waters; you could both interact with mutual understanding.

Despite your respect and love for the mermaids, you'll never be able to understand the gluttonous cannibalistic nature of theirs. You don't understand how they don't feel remorse in slaughtering the young mermen. You don't know how they eat more than their fair share.

Yes, you killed and brutalized monsters—but that was because they posed a danger to the rest of the ecosystem. They were just like you when you got intelligence. They were going to everything until there was nothing left. They were going to ruin everything. Besides, the only times you ate was when you fought those with the same gift as you. You couldn't bring yourself to eat something as innocent as the small critters in the dungeon.

You had to do it.

You weren't like the mermaids who gave into their sadistic, cannibalistic nature. You weren't like the mermen who thought of nothing other than to devour and reproduce. You weren't like kraken, who held a monstrous appearance without any hint of humanity. You didn't eat because you want to. You hated the taste flesh and blood; it is disgusting, filthy, and it brought extreme bouts of self–loathing.

You weren't a monster.

But they thought you were.

You sat your coral throne as you held your body close.

"Do I look like a monster?"

The lion stayed quiet for a long time. "You are far from what 'they' would consider sapient. Those mermaids of yours look far more human than you do."

You looked at your lappets. They were some as thin as veins, some a curly as frills, others as translucent as crystal. No other surface dweller has tendrils like these. Your skin is shades of blues, pinks, and purples: nothing like the shades of any humans the mermaids have described. Your ears weren't even natural—it was just remnant from when you became that monstrous sea serpent. Your nails were far too sharp: You were a jellyfish, you shouldn't even have nails. Nothing about you was normal: You didn’t resemble a single creature in this dungeon. You were an amalgamation of mistake after mistake, built upon an artificial creature.

"But not all of them are the same! There are some with long ears! Some are short and compact! Didn't you say that some live hundreds of years while others only sixty?! Like you said, they aren't all made equally! Not all of them are the same, right?! I can think and have desires besides the instincts I was born with! I may not be the same as them, but I am similar, right? So I—we should be able to understand each other! I—I don't—"

"You're fine the way you are."

You pulled on your hair; you wanted to pull it all out. Jellyfish don't have hair.

"Stop talking."

"You may not ever look nor ever become a true 'human', but that's what makes you extraordinary. You're the only being alive in this world to be loved by the sea and oceans itself to be blessed."

"I said to stay quiet!"

You wanted to rip your flesh out, to get all that blood out—jellyfish don't have either.

"You are evidence that monsters can gain humanity."

"SHUT UP!"

You wanted to do something but you don't know what.

"Oh, young child, you can cry if you so desire."

And so you cried for the first time in your hundreds of years of life.

You wish you had never desired to eat.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

The next time you would meet Laios, it would be when he nearly died.

You were resting on your coral throne; far away from any surface opening. You didn't want to go back up for another very long time. Leaning on the arm rest, covering your face with your hands, you watched as the mermaids tried to cheer you up. This was the first time any of them had seen their monarch sit in sadness. They didn't want to see their beloved monarch cry any longer.

Behind the coral throne were five mermaids; they were discussing what happened to their monarch to make them so sad. One of them piped up saying how they saw you go to the surface, and when you came back, you were bleeding. Out of concern and curiosity, they swam up to where you came from and saw four surface dwellers. They were with that detestable human that defiled their song. If they were with him, then they must have attacked you!

"W°e sh○uld br°ing ●ne ○f the•m her°e t○ all○w th°em t○ ge•t reve°n•g●!"

Imagine your surprise when you saw five mermaids holding an unconscious human male. One of them held the human in their arms as they struggled to swim up to your throne. You finally got up from your somber and flinched in surprise when you saw—

"Laios?"

You swam up and pulled him out of the mermaids arms: He felt limp in your arms. You brought his forehead towards yours as you looked at his face—he's alive.

You turned to the mermaid in confusion as you asked why they brought him here.

"Y○u w°ere sa•d ●•nd we° d○n't wa•nt t● se°e° y○u sa•d. Di°d we d○ s○me•thi•ng wr●ng?"

You wanted to scold them, you really did: However, you couldn't bring yourself to get mad at them. How were they supposed to know what was going through your mind? Besides, they didn't do this at of ill intent.

"No, you did just fine. However, I will have to handle this situation myself, so I'm afraid I'll have to depart temporarily. Please do tell your sisters not to leave the coral reef until I return."

You wrapped your arms around his body tightly when you saw the five mermaids leave. You sighed as you let go of him to grab his face. Though he is still alive, he wouldn't last much longer under in this state. You brought your lips towards his and placed a gentle kiss; You tried to share the water's blessing with him. If it worked as intended, it should help expell any water in his lungs the same way you and the mermaids do—at the very least, prevent any more water from entering his lungs.

You sighed, and so you swam towards the closet opening to the surface. You breached the water, and you pulled Laios onto the stone flooring—struggling to do so with how heavy the water made everything.

You fell on top of him in the struggle. You breathed heavily as you got up and sat yourself on the ledge. You looked over at him and wondered if he would wake up. Looking at him, you thought, since he was already unconscious when you found him, wouldn't he already have water in his lungs?

You panicked at the thought.

What to do, what to do, what do you even do? You never even met a creature who isn't even able to breathe under water, and now you have to save one.

"You may not have magic, but you have the water's blessing. As you did before to prevent the water from harming him, use it to draw out the water from his system."

You listened as the lion spoke from the back of your mind. You really didn't know if any of this would work. You grabbed the hem of his garment and raised it over his chest.

"Just imagine that the water is moving with your movements."

"How so?"

"You'll know."

You looked at Laios' abdomen and took a deep breath. You placed your finger right above his navel. Just as if you were going to cut him with your nail, you gently grazed his skin as you brought your finger up to his chest. You pushed your hand on his chest, and with your other hand, you stuck two fingers in his mouth.

"I'll know, I'll know, I'll know when I get there."

You felt the water brush your fingertips, and you pulled the water out of his mouth.

"Did that long–eared female also have the water's blessing? She was able to keep me from going in the water. "

"She had magic."

"Magic?"

"Yes, I believe we had this conversation once before, child of mi—" The lion was interrupted as Laios began to cough up the remaining water.

Startled, you froze, unknowing what to do. It was only when he suddenly sat up that you jumped back into the water. What if he tried to attack you like he did before? Not that you blame him or anything. regardless, you didn't wish to die from accidental blood loss — that's one thing the water's blessing doesn't help you with. You remained far away from the stone ledge as Laios gained consciousness.

You watched as he took off his shirt and gathered his armor. You watched as he questioned his surroundings and current predicament. You watched rather intently that you didn't even notice you were drifting closer.

Laios must have heard your lappets splashing around in the water because he turned to your direction. Making sudden eye contact surprised you enough to make you submerge back into the water.

"Wa—Wait!"

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

What Laios came to see was a mermaid with biological discoloration from typical mermaids. He wanted to know if it were possible for mermaids to have the mutuations regular animals do. So when Laios found a monster resembling both mammalian and pisces species, he wanted nothing more but to have a taste.

A mix of jellyfish, sea serpents, and mermaid, it was a newly discovered humanoid monster that not even the dungeon gourmet guide had known of! He wondered if each separate piece would taste similar to their monster counterpart or taste entirely like a new thing.

When the monster leaned over his party, he didn't expect it to suddenly pick him up. It held him up high, and he couldn't help but bubble up in amazement. Laois could see the many different colors and features he didn't see from the ground. Looking at it much more closely, he saw what previously thought was flesh was actually a form of clothing.

Laios wished he could examine every inch of this newly discovered monster, but that thought was quickly broken when the monster suddenly dragged him underwater. He really thought the monster was going to eat him when it opened its mouth, but imagine his surprise when instead, it swung him around with such force he really thought he would pass out. Feeling the monster's strength firsthand, he wondered what place you would have in the food chain.

When Marcille casted waterwalk on it, he couldn't help but cut some of the lappets for later consumption; He really hoped they didn't taste anything like cephalopds.

What none of them expected was for it to talk. It didn't sing like a mermaid nor roar like dragons, it actually spoke. It leaned back it covered its face with its arms and shouted.

"St—STAY BACK!"

Everyone was stunned by the intensity of the sound: Chilchuck and Marcille were hit the hardest. Laios couldn't help but wonder about the monsters choice of words. Did it truly know what those words meant, or was it simply replicating words it heard from previous prey?

But besides that, the Scyphozoa tentacles did taste better than cephalopds—that is, it didn't taste like anything at all. Though it was rather nice to chew on for stimulation. Senshi seemed to enjoy the texture; Marcille and Chilchuck refused because "it was morally wrong."

Laios just couldn't understand their reasoning. It's not like the sea monster was the same as them. It wasn't a tall–man, not an elf, and definitely not a half–foot. They don't even believe monsters like mermaids or mermen to even be sapient yet still refuse to eat them. What's the difference between eating cattle and monsters anyway? He really didn't understand them.

Monsters were....so much more than that. They eat, eat, and eat; They eat anything regardless of species or appearance. They didn't care about petty morale or rational—they ate to survive. There didn't think about tomorrow or of the fragile balance of life in the dungeon.

Monsters were truly a reflection of the flesh and instinct of all living things.

So why didn't that monster eat him when it had him underwater?

Did it know that he had armor and didn't want the struggle of trying to bite down? But why bring him back to the surface when it was the most physically strong underwater? Before it even grabbed him, why did it bother to look at them without doing anything, and why grab him?—Senshi was the closest one, and it went for Laios, who was much farther away

He got his answer when he woke up after being dragged underwater by a group of mermaids.

Alone in an unknown part of the dungeon, he was drenched in water, and his shirt was pulled up. Laios felt a chill running up when he felt how cold his shirt was. He took his shirt off and looked around to see his armor scattered. He swore he had his armor on.... His book!

Laios quickly stood up to try to find the book. He was happy to find it in perfect condition: The armor and layers must have protected the book from getting wet. He held the book to his bare chest when he heard the sound of splashing water. He turned around and saw the same monster that had nearly drowned him.

Did the monster save him by any chance? Before he could ask, the monster quickly submerged underwater.

"Wa—Wait!"

Laios ran up to the water and kneeled at the edge, trying to see where the monster went. The water was so much darker than he had thought, making it difficult to see. From the darkness, he could make out soft movements.

Slightly nervous, Laios called out, "I—Thank you for helping me!"

He didn't know what he was thinking when he said that. He didn't even know for certain if the monster helped him or just came by to eat him. Despite this, he continued, "I apologize for trying to kill you the other day! I didn't realize you were....."

Were what? Sentient? Self–aware?

"—trying to communicate with us! I should have realized you wanted to speak or converse in whatever language you speak!"

Laios placed his head on the ground as he hoped his apology would reach the monster. The more he thought about it, the more it wouldn't be likely that the monster would be able to speak his language. But then again, it speak their language back when he attacked it....

From a distance, he heard the monster come back up. Without moving from his position, he listened as the monster got closer and closer to him. He felt something cold hit his back, and again, again, and soon more droplets of water fell on top of him. Laios shivered as he suddenly sat up to only be faced with the monster.

"Do not feel the need to apologize. I am to blame—it was due to my insolent behavior that caused you and your companions to attack me. So, for that, I apologize."

Laios froze: It wasn't fear or dread that caused him to do so—it was out of pure admiration. He really wanted to inspect this creatures anatomy!

"Your tentacles felt really nice to chew on, so no need to apologize."

The look of confusion on the monster's face told him that he probably shouldn't have said that.

"—I mean! We had your tentacles from when I cut them, and you were gone, and why leave them there to waste away when we could've eaten them! Besides, you tasted really good with seasoning and, like I said, were nice to chew on!"

He should have just drowned.

The humanoid monster brought a hand to their face and closed their eyes in thought. "You ate me, but how is that so? I'm still here, after all."

Laios was now confused.

"We ate the tentacles I cut off when we—I attacked you."

"You ate my lappets that you cut off... without killing me....Is it possible to eat prey without bringing them to death?"

"Yes! As long as they don't suffer any critical injuries, they'll be able to survive."

You raised another hand to cover your face as you laughed. This human, Laios, was trying to kill you due to a misunderstanding, kidnapped and almost drowned by mermaids, saved by you, and now telling you how good you tasted. You wondered how it is that he's able to converse with you after the fact. Did he truly have no ill will towards monsters? Was the lion right about his passion for monsters?

"Like the mermaids, did you eat because of desire and pleasure? Or was it because of the need to survive?"

You wanted to know, did humans have the same primal nature like the mermaids, or were they like you: unwilling to eat unless you desperately needed it.

"I ate your tentacles because I really wanted to know what it would taste like. So, I guess I ate because I desired too and found pleasure in knowing what you would taste like."

You didn't say anything. You stared at him for a few seconds before lowering yourself at eye level with him. "My name is (y/n), I am the monarch of the mermaids and arbitor of the dungeon's waters. Just who might you be?"

You knew his name; You knew him more than he knew about you. But as things stand, you didn't want to surprise Laios with any more surprises.

Laios gave you a smile as he held out his hand. "My name is Laios Touden."

You looked at his hand in confusion. Was this a type of human custom? Before you could react, he reached for your hand and shook it. His hand was smaller than yours, though not by much.

You couldn't help but smile ever so slightly as you brought your hand to your chest. "So, then Laios, would you like to accompany me underwater?"

Laios gleamed in excitement, but that quickly faded when he realized his current predicament. He was shirtless, away from his party, couldn't breathe underwater, and had limited time to find Falin.

"I—"

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

Laios gave in.

He told you about his need to find his party: You said you could find them easily if they were near a water source, whether it be a fountain or open body of water. He told you about his inability to breathe underwater. After he said this, you smiled as you asked him if he would allow you to pick him up, to which he agreed.

"I am able to bless you the water's blessing. The blessing will allow you to breathe underwater, albeit temporarily."

Before Laios could ask how being blessed worked, you brought his face closer to his and kissed him. Laios felt himself blush hard, especially when you accidentally bit him. He really wanted to feel the inside of your mouth.

When Laios collected his belongings, you asked him to strip out of his clothing.

"—so I can absorb most of the water. I'll be able to keep your items dry under my lappets. They'll be able to form pockets of air to keep them safe from the harsh dungeon waters."

Once you did that, you asked for his pants to which he asked if that could done once they found his group—though he had his quirks, being naked all the way for a long period of time was not one of them.

And with that, you wrapped your arms around him and pressed him close to your chest. Raising one hand to hold his, you submerged underwater.

The underwater half of the dungeon was something that remained a mystery. Even to avid researchers, the deep waters were something very few were willing to dare venture below; and those that were willing rarely ever resurfaced. So, to have the chance to safely voyage the water with the self–proclaimed monarch of mermaids was an opportunity Laios was thankful to have.

Just as Laios had thought, it was as amazing as he had hoped. Clinging onto your back, he watched as the scenery around him changed into something more magical. Though not as boundless as the sea and oceans, it was a sight to behold. The artificial ocean was almost a mirror to the dungeon above: hallways and corridors along all sides of the wall. Paintings everywhere with no coherent thought. Plants growing without discrimination. Luminescent monsters never seen before roaming the floor. It was truly something Laios wished he had the time to venture.

"If I may be so rude to ask, are you the human who had sung with the mermaids some time ago? "

Laios was surprised by how different you sounded in water. He thought about the question for a second. The mermaids, the ones who swam away when he tried to sing with them, they must have been your mermaids. "Human?" That was a new term; you must have confused him with something else. But, before he opened his mouth to speak, he couldn't help but hesitate. It was against his instincts to do so, but he decided to trust you. If he could breathe underwater, then surely he'll be able to speak.

"Yes, I wanted to sing with them to see if we could somehow communicate! It took me a while to learn their song without being entranced, but considering they sing the same song every time, it wasn't too difficult—"

You suddenly spun around, having him rest on your stomach. You held both his hands as you looked at him sternly. "Laios, though I understand your desire to sing with the mermaids, I ask that you don't try to do so in the future. You see, mermaids have their own culture much you do: part of that culture is their melody. So, to have an outsider sing that song that song so carelessly makes them uncomfortable. Even if that song is used to kill those of your kind, I ask that you please respect their wishes."

Laios looked away sheepishly as he apologized. You gleamed with joy and hugged him tight as you spun around.

"What about you? Do you sing the same song as the mermaids, or do you have your own?"

"Ah! Well, the mermaids and I aren't the same race or species, and due to that, I'm unable to sing their song as it deserves to be sung."

"But do you?"

"I—I do, but it's not a song that can be sung often. Blessed by the water, I was bestowed a melody orchestrated for a monarch."

"Can you sing it right now?"

"Perhaps another day."

The lion was right. He yearned to understand much about monsters. As you two ventured towards where his party was located, Laios asked you many questions about the monsters that you'd past by. You obliged, and you told him many of the stories of the aquariums: from the many mermaids who lived in under your rule to the oysters and jellyfish that used to roam the waters. Laios asked: You answered.

The only thing you didn't appreciate was how much he was touching you. Laios kept grabbing you wherever you weren't covered by cloth and squeezed you slightly: pulling on your lappets, ears, and hair. It was when he decided to bite your lappets that you stopped him.

Flustered and full of mixed emotions from the sensation of his teeth on your skin, you scolded him. Laios apologized, but what was he supposed to do? He was faced with a new monster never seen before, and he was supposed to not touch it?

"Laios, do humans have an aquarium as large as this up outside the dungeon?" You asked out of pure curiosity. Never once had the lion told you about the terrain outside the dungeon. You wondered if the walls or flooring were of the same stone from the dungeon. You wondered if the surface's aquarium was limited as it was in the dungeon's waters.

Laios let go of your shoulders as he sat up. Placing a hand under his chin, he pondered how to answer your question. "Outside the dungeon..... the sea and oceans are endless. Here, underwater, you can look straight ahead and see the end of a room. It's small and crowded: not ideal conditions for the survival of the monsters here. Unlike the dungeon, the oceans are boundless; I can look straight ahead in the ocean and see no end. There's so many more monsters and animals in the ocean that comparing the dungeon's artificial sea to the outside isn't even reasonable."

"There aren't any walls outside?"

"No walls other than those from buildings."

An aquarium without being bound by stone walls. More monsters and species not limited by the confinement of the aquarium. Boundless: It was a word you were unfamiliar with. All you ever knew was limited, bound by the knowledge the lion was willing to spare and the fear to even leave the water.

"How I would love to see these oceans and seas one day."

Laios all of sudden dropped all his weight on your back. He wrapped his arms around your waist and squeezed tight. "I want monsters and people to live alongside each other. When I become dungeon master, I promise to show you the ocean."

You remained silent for a while, contemplating the implications of what he just said: "Dungeon master." As you reached the opening closest to his companions. You jumped out of the water and onto the stone flooring. Letting go of his belongings; Laios jumped off your back. You watched as he began to put on the rest of his garments. You watched as he adorned himself in the silver cloth, just like the knight from the stories the lion told you. You watched sadly as you realized this is where you two depart. You watched his every move; watching as he wrote in his book. Despite this heavy feeling on your heart, you couldn't help but want to smile. Though your first meeting was a catastrophe, you're quite satisfied that you were able to mend your misunderstandings with one another.

"I look forward to the day you keep your promise."

Before you knew it, Laios was gone, and you were once again alone with nothing else but the mermaids.

Bound by the water, unable to leave the dungeon: You forgot to ask if he thought of you as a monster.

Thank you for reading part one of "The Flesh, Blood, Bone, Heart and Soul."

Me and @bibicalico were talking about Kusuriuri and Ginko the other day and how they'd have so many interesting stories and trinkets to tell each other, so I made this crossover drawing :3

Big thank you for the concept inspiration, pal! ✨

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.

Actually, Logan was made to peel apples for Laura and help her reach for Remy’s cookies, strike embarrassing poses when Kitty needs a model for her art class, chase after Bobby when the little asshole steals his motorcycle, hold Daken’s hand when they cross the street even though he’s 21 and his claws pierce through him, and play video games with Jubilee with his grandpa glasses. He’s made to be a dad. And kill people. Hope this helps!

you dont understand, this is a special cigar. its smoke can detect specters/apparitions. your asthmatic son is safer than he was before i showed up