#hangvn

[musexmosaic]

⟨ closed Sanji starter for @hangvn ⟩

Sanji was puttering around in his kitchen. Opening cabinets. Opening the fridge. Trying to find ingredients that would mesh well together to create a whole new invented dish.

He hummed to himself as he mixed protein with spices and vegetables, letting it all simmer and cook and bake on the stove.

When it was finally finished, he quickly plated some of it, then all but ran out of the kitchen, plate in his hands. Always careful not to drop it and waste his food

"Nami-ch(sw)an~!" he calls out. "Do you want to taste my new recipe? You get first taste as usual!"

[stringswoven]

Her heart aches for days long past. In school when they were still dreaming the same dream. Together. Dreams of how they’d thrive in the Emerald City, of Elphie’s deepest wish granted by the Wizard himself.

Now here they stand, distanced apart like when they’d first met. It’s a moment that’s gone rehearsed, and Elphie’s terrible at reciting the lines Glinda’s always said for her. Whispers of forgiveness murmured soothingly into blonde locks, Glinda clinging to Elphaba tightly never wanting to let her go again.

‘ We all make choices. I’ve made mine, and you’ve clearly made yours. ’

A fragile heart already cracked threatens to shatter. “ I… ” I’m doing this for you. For us. But they can’t leave her lips, and dainty hands anxiously sooth the tulle of her gown, knowing how she must appear to Elphie after all this time. Selfish. Mouth opens in attempt to speak again, silenced when Elphie does instead, her tone firm and final.

‘ Maybe that’s how it was always meant to be: the two of us on different sides. ’

“ But does it have to be?! ” The exclamation comes out in a plea, tears decorate her eyes like stars, a lump in her throat swelled. “ It doesn’t have to be this way, Elphie. ” Glinda dares take a step closer, hoping on that silver lining, Elphie’s reason for visiting because she believes it too. That the reason why she’s here is to reconcile. “ If you… if you come with me and apologize to the Wizard, I’m sure things can go back to the way they were! We can be together instead of apart! ” Isn’t that what she wants? The same dream. One Glinda fears will turn into the same nightmare if she’s not careful. Hands reach out to cup Elphie’s face, marveling over the span of time, wishing to capture it in a bottle. “ Please… please. I’ve missed you, Elphaba. ”

cont’d / @hangvn

[musedbyalli]

Continued from: She smiles, devilish and gleeful, eyes alight like she knows she has him right where she wants him. And she does, because @musedbyalli is easier to read than he allows himself to seem. Rayleigh puts on quite the effort compared to Roger, who, when not donning his captain's hat, is so free with his emotions. It's rewarding that way, when you can pull something true from Rayleigh. Shakky supposes it’s only correct: a captain gets to see the big picture, whereas a first mate needs to see the wider one. It’s a truth she knows intimately. "But I missed you, Rayleigh. The last time your crew docked here, Roger said you were sick.” Shakky looks at him over the rim of her glass — being the owner, she can drink whenever she wants. She lets the moment meander as she drinks, and it’s such an intimate thing, to only see someone’s eyes, the depths they allow that words won’t. She wants to slip off his glasses and tenderly swipe away any tiredness under his eyes. She can see it too, a vision so clear of herself, draped across his lap, showering him with the press of her lips everywhere she can reach. But an empress — Amazon Lily may be long behind her, but a Kuja’s blood runs deep in her veins, a bond unbreakable — doesn’t prostrate herself before anyone. Shakky is content to take a mile when he offers an inch, but only if that inch continues to move forward. She breaks their held gaze as she finds the pack of cigarettes in her apron, placing one between her lips. It’s almost a thoughtful gesture. “You left me all alone. Can you imagine the company I had to put up with?”

@hangvn

Rayleigh did his best to avoid falling head over heels for the woman, unlike the rest of his crewmates. He couldn't blame them for acting like fools around her - it was a struggle for him not to. Something that he was pretty sure she had picked up on. After all, his excuse of being sick the last time the crew was around was a desperate attempt on his end to avoid seeing her so that he wouldn't fall for the temptation of Shakuyaku.

Today though, Rayleigh's crewmates weren't so willing to let him stay on the ship. It seemed that they hated seeing her disappointed by his absence so much last time. So, here he was face-to-face with his crush. The woman who he would have pursued by now if he didn't already have other loyalties and responsibilities. It simply wouldn't be fair to her if he were to ask her out now. He couldn't devote enough time to her that she deserved from a partner, at least, in his opinion.

"Did you?" There was a tinge of curiosity in his voice. Perhaps it was because Rayleigh truly felt that she could have absolutely anyone that she wanted. It hadn't entirely occurred to him that he was the only one she wanted - even if a part of him truly craved to be able to hold her.

Before he could let the words I missed you too slip from his lips, he instead took a swig from his glass. While the words remained unspoken, he had the feeling that she could read that thought. The eye contact between the two feeling more intimate than anything that he could put into words.

A small laugh escaped from his lips at her question, as he watched her place the cigarette between her lips. The lips that he so badly wanted to feel. "I can." They were his crewmates after all. "It must have been awful. Did Shanks and Buggy try to drag you into one of their arguments?" He set his glass down and leaned forward slightly on the bar, lessening some of the space between them.

[fatescattered]

"are you as bored as i am?" she asks in lieu of a greeting, silently slipping into the space next to jason. she could call him out for hiding from the party, but clearly she's no better, seeking out his company - the first bit of easy conversation she's had all night.

"you know, i remember wanting to attend at least one wayne gala, just to see what it was like..." steph makes a face, exaggerated in the way she feigns disgust - masking a little bit of embarrassment over how desperate for the family's approval she used to be. "turns out it's not all that." it's nice to be included for once, though, even if stephanie will never admit to it out loud.

@hangvn | starter call

[2econdlead]

from: continued.

the vending machine isn't too far off, but they take their time. they match each other stride for stride. their final interaction before @hangvn 's defection still rings clear in the back of his mind, impossible to forget as its attached to his final goodbye to his best friend. everything is all tied together and impossible to separate from one another, more of why he couldn't stick around. couldn't see what he was doing as mattering at all anymore.

"it seemed like the most efficient way to get to where i needed to be at the time." that being, financial stability outside of the jujutsu world. investing in a dream felt foolish now, but at the time, it was all that was keeping him tethered, driven towards something that actually looked like hope. ultimately, a dream couldn't save him.

but, he still thinks about malaysia on his bleakest nights.

"i suppose we all return to what we know in the end." he sighs, coming to a stop in front of the machine. the coins are already clinking in his hand. "take your pick."

[a11sunday]

from: call. featuring: ace + law, @hangvn

"am i interrupting your alone time?" ace grins, plopping down next to the other pirate. despite his question, he shows no sign of leaving law alone, instead sprawling out, hands tucked beneath his head as he gets comfortable on the grassy area of the sunny. "makin' alliances with my brother is gonna give you a headache for sure." he laughs. tilting his head up, he fixes his gaze on him. "you sure you can keep up with 'im?"

[seaoftales]

The swordsman sat comfortable behind Shanks' desk, lounging in his chair while his legs were propped up on the table, expression unreadable except for the look in his eyes. He could feign nonchalance as he did, though nothing could take away the almost haunting look in his eyes as he regarded his best --- and only --- friend. One might argue that Crocodile and Buggy fell into the same category, though the truth was far from it. Crocodile was a business partner, Buggy a nuisance. But Shanks, he could talk to him about anything and the man would never make him feel unwelcome or ridicule him.

His current visit, granted, wasn't for old times sake, but rather an almost dire matter. ❝ Word has it you have a doppelganger, ❞ he finally spoke, amber hues glancing over at Akagami. Mihawk had seen the man himself --- granted, from afar --- though the resemblance was uncanny. Were it not for the longer hair, the missing arm and the present left arm, he would have sworn it was Shanks himself. A cold shiver ran down his spine. There was something very unsettling about that man.

@hangvn ♥'d

[a0kiji]

‘what's the use of your devil fruit?’

kuzan asks, point blank. he pulls the chair in front of rosinante and straddles it, watching the imperceptible shifts in his expression ebb like the undertow. what's the use of any devil fruit, really. but it happens often these days, and it starts like this—like the vice admiral elbowing his way into rosinante's space, knowing it's half-duty and half-curiosity. ‘must be great for napping. but what else do you do with it?’

@hangvn, starter call / rosinante.