A Long-life Journey

Sailor Moon Skylines

Behind Blue Eyes | Link x Reader |

author's note: i've been on a big twilight princess kick lately and it inspired me to pick this wip back up. i had it around halfway done in 2023 but never actually finished it, nor did i write down my plan so i kinda had to try and read my own mind lmao n e way i hope you all like this and have a great day 🩷

pairing: link x fem!reader

warnings: slight canon-typical violence, link is also only a wolf in this, slight angst and a bit of comfort

It's a dark night in Ordon, the stars hidden behind the cloudy sky and effectively ruining your favorite spot in the small village. Link's house holds the single best stargazing spot in the world, you think, even though you've never set foot past Faron. There's just no way anywhere else could ever match the raw beauty of the countryside village.

There's an ache in your heart that accompanies your wistful sigh— it's been a couple of weeks since the children and Link were kidnapped by those invaders. It's far too quiet in the village, and the worry in your mind has you on edge during every waking moment. Are the kids alive? Is Link? Surely your dear love is doing something to save himself and the kids! It's always been in his nature to be the protector, the fixer of all problems and it's one of the several qualities that drew you to him so long ago.

With a huff, you begin making the descent down the ladder and the hairs at the back of your neck stand the moment your feet touch the ground. The clouds part for just a sliver of moonlight, and when you turn your head you're met with the dark, angry eyes of a growling coyote. Fear strikes your heart and you stumble back, tears filling your eyes as the beast approaches you. You're all alone, no sword or anything to defend yourself with in sight, and any scream you could attempt mustering out wouldn't possibly alert the other villagers of the danger before you've met with your terrible fate.

The coyote jumps with a ferocious roar, and you scream as your arms fruitlessly raise to shield your face. "No!"

There's an ugly, absolutely hideous roar and a wolf jumps out at the coyote during its ascension above you, tackling it aside and saving you, if only for the moment. Your entire body trembles in fear and tears slip past your tightly shut lids. The wolf saved you from the coyote, sure, but what's to stop the wolf from attacking you himself?

It's quiet and the only sound other than your soft whimpers is what seems like a chain clanking against itself on the ground. Surprisingly, you're not dead yet. What sort of wolf is this? Daring a quick glance from your curled up knees, you look ahead to see the wolf sitting patiently, watching you carefully as you slowly come to realize the lack of a threat.

"A wolf with blue eyes?" You mumble, the moon casting just a little bit of light on the animal. There are strange markings on its head, and… Earrings? Who in the world pierced a wolf's ears??

The wolf whines, the noise a high-pitched and frankly desperate sound. Those striking blue eyes are awfully sad, and you glance at the broken chain on its leg. "Who did this to you?" You ask softly, the wolf lowering himself to the ground and watching you approach.

Your heart beats in your throat as you stupidly, willingly approach the animal. You can practically hear Link yelling at you to get away from it and go somewhere safe, but something about this wolf is too alluring for your sensibilities. Your hand shakes as you reach out to it, but he remains entirely still as you brush your fingers over the markings on his face. Those blue eyes watch you intently, and something about them is all too familiar.

"Thank you for saving me." You whisper. "You best get out now, before someone from the village comes." You start to turn towards the ladder that takes you to Link's front door, but the wolf nudges his snout to your hand with a whine.

Frowning, you look back down at him. "I can't do anything about your chain."

The wolf takes great care as his teeth tug at your dress, gently pulling you a few steps away from the house. He releases and backs up towards the path to the holy spring, and once you're surely following him he books it to the home of the Ordona deity, where the moon shines brightest despite the cloudy night. The water of the spring is clear, the white sand practically glowing as it does most nights. It's no wonder this spot is the most romantic in all of Ordon and the one you and Link always frequent; his eyes just look so pretty here, not that you tend to see them during the frenzied lip locking you inevitably end up in during those visits to the spring.

Once there, the wolf gnashes his teeth into the wood of the gate, closing the repaired big doors over as best as he can. It's during this odd attempt for what seems like privacy that you take a moment to study the beast, now that there's more light to do so. He seems strong, and is much bigger than that coyote was by at least two times. Wolves aren't a very common sight at all in Ordon, though Rusl and Link have surely seen them in Faron Woods when they're off collecting firewood for the village.

Invaders or visitors alike hardly ever come to Ordon; the small province is quite closed off, being only accessible by a rather rickety bridge connecting the sides of the wide chasm between your side and the rest of the world. For him to be here is certainly out of the norm, though him being friendly is even rarer.

“You've come a long way, haven't you?” You murmur, noting the injuries littering his body. He's probably used the last good bit of his strength just to save you, and he must have had to pass by the Faron Spring to get here with these injuries. That's nothing if not rife with intent.

This wolf wanted to come to Ordon, to this spring in particular. It wasn't enough for the healing waters of the Faron Spring, and he also knows of the tiny healing spring that's hidden in the province. A blue eyed beast…

He lays down in the shallow water, though it's more of a slump than anything. His sigh is peaceful, grateful even as the warmth of the spring begins to heal him and rejuvenate his body. There's a bit of a nasty gash behind his ear, though, and surely germs are frothing at the mouth to infect it. This poor thing has gone through something absolutely hellish… And you do owe him your life.

Steps still tentative despite the debt, those blue eyes open up as you near closer. Your hands shake as you hold them up, indicating your intentions to be true and just as you lower yourself beside the wolf and collect the gentle water in your cupped hands. “You have a cut.” There's really nothing to indicate that this wolf can understand your words, but he seems to have such an innate understanding of everything else that it only seems natural to communicate with him.

The water wets his dark fur, seeping into the injury as you carefully trickle the water from the opening gaps in your fingers. His soft-looking ear twitches a few times, the large paw on the same leg as that awful chain coming to rest carefully on your leg. He's quite… Gentle, for an animal. Not even ten minutes ago was he tearing apart a coyote (in your stead) and now he's turned around and practically become a lap dog.

It's quiet as you help heal the wolf, the only sounds in the air coming from the water as you take scoop after scoop to tend to each wound. The night is chill, but his massive warmth as he rests his head on your leg soothes it away. His comfort dares to border on familiar, and there's just something so…

You can't quite place your tongue on it. But he's friendly, that's for sure.

“I think that's all of them.” You speak softly, tiredly even as you gently rake your hands through his fur for any more wounds. “Do you feel better?”

He stands then, stepping back a few feet to shake off the excess water. It's not quite far enough, however, and you throw your hands in front of your face to protect it from the droplets the beast shakes off. Your clothes aren't too terribly drenched from it, but you'll be changing out of them the moment you go home anyway. They're all sandy and covered in wolf fur now!

The wolf whines a bit, nudging his wet nose against your cheek. You laugh a bit, holding his face gently. “It's okay.”

It almost seems like he's smiling now as he drags that pink tongue along the side of your face in some gesture of affection or thanks. It's honestly gross, but you find you don't mind once you're having another look in those blue eyes. He whines desperately again, closing the gap between you and resting his head on your shoulder. It's like a hug, of sorts, and you've never known an animal, let alone a wild one, to act so lonely. Wolves do run in packs, you suppose… So where are his friends?

“What're you doin’ here, hm?” It's perhaps a little odd to hug him back, but frankly after the last two weeks you've spent worrying about your boyfriend and the village kids, it's nice to have comfort, even if it is from a wolf.

The chain clinks against itself as he moves his paw, pressing it right against your chest. Frowning, you pull back and take it carefully. Perhaps he's got a thorn or something stuck in it and it's hurting him. Lord knows you're experienced in that area; there's no telling how many times you've carefully extracted splinters and bee stingers from Link’s hands, arms and general body.

Time slows to a near standstill, the water gently waving in the slight breeze the only thing reminding you that this is real life. There's no thorn in this paw, no… But rather a familiar mark on it, one so unique you've only seen it on one other being. A person.

Link.

A blue eyed beast.

“How did this happen to you??” It's baffling, so ridiculous it could hardly be true! But that birthmark… “Link…”

Link merely whines, and of course he does. It's not as if he can speak to you! Trapped in a beastly form… How horrible, how impossible… How could your quiet, peaceful life suddenly be turned so upside down? Tears fill your eyes and you caress his face sweetly, not even a shred of fear in your body now. Link would never hurt you, after all. Pressing your forehead against him, two tears slip and sink into his fur.

His tongue gently laps against your cheek, decidedly less slobbery than his first show of affection. He always has used a bit of tongue during kissing, but not quite like this. Still, a small laugh bubbles from your chest and you kiss his forehead sweetly. “My love… What in the world have you gotten into?”

Link merely sighs, leaning desperately into your touch. The size and strength of this strange form is new to him, clearly, as he knocks you right onto your back with his weight. “Oof!”

You're covered in wolf kisses now as he tucks into your side, giving his love like it's the last of it. Gentle whines desperately litter your skin alongside blatant sniffs, as if he's trying to remember your scent on a level he's never had to before. Perhaps he is; a wolf’s nose is sharp, and while you'd never entertain the possibility prior to tonight, the scent of you may be all Link has to keep him sane. He's here in this form for reasons unknown to you, but there's a very simple truth that trickles into your heart.

He's going to try and fix everything, because that's just who he is. And he's very likely not in Ordon to see you, though it doesn't seem this detour of plans is particularly bothersome. You'll have to realign his focus; he's got work to do. The same sentiments echo on those early mornings when you kick him out of bed when he's unwilling to go to work, so this isn't much different… That's the lie you do your best to believe as you hold his furry face carefully between soft palms.

“Thank you for being safe, and for saving me from that coyote.” Link responds with a defiant grunt, as if to scoff at you. He'd never accept thanks for that; it's his duty, in his mind. You're the one he loves most of all, after all. How could he not protect you?

“Don't give me that.” Your chiding is so gentle alongside a finger against the tip of that wet nose. “Clearly it's not safe right now, so I'm going to be more careful, and make sure everyone else is too. Rusl tried to save you and the kids… He got hurt real bad. And I don't want you worrying about me or any of us back here in Ordon, so I'm gonna get those oldheads into shape, give ‘em curfews and that kinda stuff. And while I do that, you're gonna promise me that the next time I see you, I'm gonna see you. Okay?”

Link nods, and there's resolve in his eyes now. It's much better than the beaten down wolf he was an hour ago, and he follows your lead out of the spring and to the clearing outside of his home. Those blue eyes sparkle once you've given the top of his head yet another sweet kiss, and perhaps he hasn't enough shame in him as you climb the ladder up towards bed.

The sounds of the chain beat against the ground as he heads into the village, and the next time you happen upon blue eyes, their promise is kept.

Mushishi

Ginko

(Ginko, the brooding but compassionate protagonist from the manga/anime Mushishi, is probably one of my favorite fictional characters. If you have a chance to read or watch it, do eeet. )

simply /the/ most 🍃guy™️🍃

Friends don’t do what we do

Jason Todd x fem!reader

Warnings: none

Authors note: this is my first time ever doing something like this, I’m not a writer by conventional means but I could not leave you all hanging after blowing up my blurb

♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

“That’s a nice jacket.” Your greedy gaze takes in the leather comfortably draping his body.

He eyes you carefully, “Thanks.”

“You got candy in there?” You grin up at him.

“Sweetheart, ask for what you really want.” You hate the way he’s able to coax you into yourself, grounding you with the idea that he’s not like eveyone else. He doesn’t flinch at your forwardness.

“Can I…explore your pockets a bit..?”

You aren’t snoopy by nature (yes you are) , but the desire to more about him drew you into asking this absurd question.

He leans closer to you on the couch, offering his pocket. He carefully takes in the details of your face. You’d wilt under anyone else’s scrutiny, but his attention lacks judgment.

Tentatively you reach in.

He feels your hand digging around. This is the only way he can stomach letting you touch him, between a layer of thick fabric…it feels nice.

“Massive pockets. You carry your bike in here?”

Your heart leaps at the way his laugh softens his voice, “Yeah sweets sometimes I put ‘er in there.”

Your hand wraps around cool metal, heavy in your palm as you lift it into the light of the room.

A pocket knife.

“Oh.” Your eyes gleam dangerously, “You stab someone with this before?” You pop open the blade, checking for blood, before he gently confiscates it, clicking it closed.

“A stab from this’d be a paper cut.” He lifts it away from your reaching hands.

“Then what do you have it for?” He gives you a wry smile, “Has no one taught you anything about—” he pulls his hand away as you reach for it, “—survival?”

“Mmm…not really, no.” You quip. Whether or not it’s sarcasm, he mentally adds to the list of things he needs to teach you.

You reach in again, pulling out a folded piece of paper, you carefully un-crumple it, glancing up at him briefly, waiting to see if he stops you. He only holds your gaze. “Nothing juicy huh?” Your eyes scan a grocery list.

Oh Ho Ho. “Pomegranates?”

“They’re in season…” he murmurs as you read on.

“You put C4 on your grocery list?”

His brows scrunch confusedly, your gasp interrupts his rebuttal, “Chloroform?!” He rips the paper out of your hands, and double checks the list. Bread, chips, peanut butter, mozzarella, eggs, etc.

He sighs, “You don’t buy chloroform at the grocery store, you make it.”

“How?” He gives you a disapproving look, you return it with a grin of your own as you reach in again.

“Shiny…” The three bullets are weighty, all smooth, and cold in your palm.

You let him confiscate those, reveling in his gentleness, and the contrast of his warm, rough fingers. His nearly somber expression catches you off guard, like a cold breeze through a sweater meant to keep you warm. The bullets are a heavier weight, in his hand.

“You’re worse than a crow.” He mutters.

You reach in again, “…my hair tie.”

“Mh.” His noncommittal answer soothes your poorly concealed nerves. What needn’t be said, or brought to the light; whatever this was between you.

He confiscates yet another item from your palm, pulling it on his wrist. “This is mine too.”

"I just wanted to say. Thank you for protecting me"

Eclipse-Centric | Wordcount: 805 | AO3 Version

(Maybe some major spoilers for Solar Lunacy, TW for some robot gore, human injury)

The damage to their body was... extensive. Not life-threatening. But extensive.

You don't know how you're going to fix this right now, but Gramps has a toolbox in the shed, and there's duct tape underneath your kitchen sink, and Eclipse is very, very patient as he sits numbly on your coach, of few words and more looks, as you pluck out charred wires and plastic out of the hole in his arm to the robot that's probably held together less out of reasonable sense and more out of will and magic that you don't understand.

The arm that was torn off has sharp edges in the metal that cut at your fingertips when you try and brush it off, and you don't know if the animatronic feel pain if you were to try and sand it. So, in a comical fashion, you've put an oven mitt over the end of it, taping it to hold its place.

The other arms are laying limp, two on the couch, resting with its palm up in your lap. There's fried wiring around the elbow, dents in the forearm where Monty grabbed him, and openings that you can't tell look like they're from wolf claws or the steel of a knife.

The sight of them makes the wound under your own bandages ache for a moment, but you swallow back the wet soreness in your throat and continue working. The hospital gave you decent pain meds. You needed to stay on task while they were effective.

"Lift, please." You talk quietly, fearing that your voice may crack.

Eclipse doesn't respond, eyes locked onto the television. The news is playing, covering the fire. The sound is low so not to bother you. Still, the animatronic shifts his limbs for you, head turned towards the screen.

There's melted plastic stuck to his forearm, and you're peeling it off with chipped fingernails and whatever willpower you have left, flicking off the pieces onto the carpet to vacuum up later when you have the energy. Leaning back, you gather the duct tape from the coffee table, pulling out a strip to cover the hole in his shoulder.

It's...not what he needs. But it's all you have. All you can do is pick up the pieces and cover up the damage so it doesn't get any worse.

"I'm gonna put this over the opening, okay?" Two long strips are wide enough to cover this 'wound', and it seals the inside of the wiring away. "So nothing gets in your chassis. Or falls out."

Eclipse doesn't make a movement to acknowledge what you said, staring limply with the default smile toward the news broadcaster detailing the company's statement, and it's an estimate of the cost of damages.

Their ability to emote is not currently active, just like their voicebox. Not until they are both fixed. You wish they were active. You wish you could get something, a facial expression, a joke, a sentence, anything. You're taping your friend's fingers together like broken bones only theirs were stuck as claws.

A warmth travels down your face, past your mouth and you don't feel the wetness until it hits your neck. Lips pressed together into a thin line, you rub the tear away. You'll do that on your own time. Not now.

When you blink, you see a shift in the corner of your eye. Eclipse is staring at you now.

Your tongue feels swollen in your mouth. "I, uh-" You busy yourself with his hand, grey-tainted with burned-off paint and scorched sharp points. "I wanted to say thank you for protecting me. You know-" You keep your head low. "Back then."

He looks at you with black eyes and still pupils. The crack in his faceplate feels like guilt and sorrow in your ribcage.

You missed them saying things. You'd be happy for a stupid nickname, even.

The fingers you were treating suddenly tense in your grip, and by instinct, you let them go, until they turn and they fold around your own hand. Long, damaged fingers curl into your own, grasping your hand and holding it along with your wrist.

You freeze as Eclipse leans down, and his faceplate presses against your forehead. Not barely, but heavily, firmly, resting in your hair.

He lingers there as the news broadcast flashes familiar images on the screen, casting different colors on both of you.

You only raise a hand to press your fingertips to the bottom of his faceplate pushing him back as you mummer you needed to remove his ruffled collar so you can clean the soot you've spotted hidden underneath it.

He lets you, but the hand not using the rag stays in his hold, and his other comes up to palm away a warmth that falls from your face and onto your neck again.

when the objectively bad person has traumatic and honestly reasonable reasons for why theyre like that but it doesnt excuse their actions and only serves to make them more tragic as a character

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

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

Opposites of Attraction, Chapter 2

18+ MDNI | on Ao3

The other chapter

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

Your POV

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Yeah, and how? I control -” 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kid’s POV

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your POV

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

Except when you were completely wet.  

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

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

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

Kid POV

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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