#One Piece Fiction

[jintaka-hane]

A Visit to the Infirmary

Masterlist

Img by Buffoland

This is a gift for the lovely @akagami-no-laney 🎁!! I like Hongo thanks to you, and when I went to look for more content about him, I saw there was very little! So I decided to write this. I hope you like it! 💕 Summary: You've fallen in love with the doctor aboard the Red Force. In complete denial of your feelings, you think it’s best to avoid him for a while until the feeling passes. But a terrible pain in your back will force you to pay him a visit. Word count: 3000 Notes: Love in denial. Flirting. Confessions of love. Use of 'Darling' and 'Doll'. Reader is a brat. Beckman is a saint. Hongo doesn't really know how to approach you, though in the end it seems like he manages to 🤪. I have no knowledge in medicine, so everything here is pure fiction XD.

"Dammit, Beck!!!" you roared, kicking and flailing in the air, landing futile punches on the immense wardrobe-like back of the first mate. "Let me go!"

The tall man's grip tightened as he carried you over his shoulder, his face serious and stoic as he strode determinedly towards the ship's infirmary.

"Scream all you want, Darlin’, but we’re going to see Hongo whether you like it or not." 

“NO!” you whined, writhing harder. “NOT HONGO! PLEASE! I—I’ll do anything you want! I’ll… I’ll get you the finest cigarettes at the next port!”

Beckman chuckled and shook his head, clearly amused by your desperate efforts to escape.

"BECKMAN, I’m serious! Let me go!! I-I swear that… that…  OUCH!!" you twisted in agony as a sharp, searing pain shot through your lower back.

Your captor halted immediately, noticing how you contorted in pain, and gave you a moment’s respite as he tried to ease you through the surge.

“Darlin’,” he spoke softly, one hand moving to your back and rubbing it gently, “you need help… and he’s the only one here who can give it to you, do you understand?” 

You nodded, closing your eyes and gripping his shirt tightly, enduring the wave of suffering as best you could.

You had been dealing with unbearable pain in your lower back for days. You didn’t know what caused it—whether it was some bad posture, the fall when you climbed down from the lookout, or the time you landed hard on your backside going down the ship’s ladder. Whatever it was, you must have injured something, and the pain, coming in waves like stabbing knives, was horrible. 

Stubbornly, you had tried to let it pass on its own, avoiding asking anyone for help and steering clear of the infirmary. Yet your walks on the deck, face twisted in pain and hand pressed to your lower back, hadn’t escaped the ever-watchful Benn Beckman. Guessing your reluctance to see the ship’s doctor, he had kept his distance and observed you from afar without asking questions, but, as he watched your condition deteriorate further, he decided it was his duty to act.

“Hongo’s a decent doctor. Give him a chance,” he said, turning his head over his shoulder to look at you with his concerned gray eyes.

The problem wasn’t whether Hongo was a good doctor. You knew full well that he was competent and professional. The real issue was that he was also kind, tall, funny, and undeniably attractive. 

That, along with the fact that you were maybe… probably a little bit in love with him—an insignificant detail, considering you were fighting it, convinced that keeping the right distance would make the feeling fade and spare you from a potential broken heart. All you had to do was avoid him and act like a brat when he was around, and everything would be fine. You were as certain of this as you were that your back pain would eventually subside on its own.

BAAAANG!!!!

The infirmary door swung open with a deafening bang as Beckman kicked it harder than intended, his hands fumbling as he tried to grab hold of your increasingly elusive body.

“Sorry, Hongo,” he said, noticing that part of the doorframe had splintered.

“Oi, Beck,” Hongo said without turning around, completely unfazed by the door’s loud crash as he meticulously washed his hands in the sink. “I see you’ve convinced y/n to come and see me.”

“That’s not—” you began to say.

“YES,” Beck shot you a reproachful look as he carefully set you down on the floor. “She’s a smart girl and understands what’s best for her.”

You opened your mouth to speak but his huge hand covered it, stopping you. His cold eyes bore into yours, and he mouthed the word “behave,” leaving no room for an argument.

“Perfect,” Hongo turned around with that charming smile that always drew you in. “Welcome to my office, y/n.”

You held his gaze for a moment, his eyes crinkling beneath the scar that ran down his temple. He took a small white towel and dried his hands with an unusual gentleness for a pirate, and the thought made you look away, taking in the ship’s infirmary for the first time.

It was surprisingly neat and well organized. There was a wide variety of medical supplies and medicinal herbs neatly lined up on shelves lining the walls. In the center, a sturdy wooden table held a collection of bandages, ointments, and surgical instruments. And next to it, a set of perfectly clean syringes waited to be used.

“Do you need me to stay?” Beckman asked, unsure of what to do.

“Yes—” 

“NO—” Hongo said at exactly the same time.

Beckman’s gaze shifted from one to the other.

“I’ll be outside if you need me,” he said, pulling a cigarette from his pocket and placing it between his lips.

Shit.

You watched him leave shooting him a dirty look, and as soon as the door closed, Hongo’s gaze was fixed on you again, his smile remaining as he took a step closer.

“So…” he began, halting when he noticed you flinch and step back, “you’ve had a sharp pain in your lower back for days, haven’t you?”

Of course, that bastard Beckman had told him.

“Maybe,” you replied nonchalantly, avoiding his eyes.

“And you didn’t come to see me until now, why?”

“It’s not that bad.” You shrugged, the careless movement causing the pain in your back to flare up again, but in a wave you managed to endure with dignity.

“Uh-huh…” he paused, examining you. “Let’s take a look, okay?” He took another step forward, slow and deliberate. “Can you lay face down on the exam table for me?”

Your gaze darted to the exam table to the doctor.

“Absolutely not,” you looked at him with a defiant look, arms crossed over your chest.

Hongo’s expression changed in an instant.

“Very well,” he muttered, narrowing his eyes and kicking aside a stool that stood in his way as he moved towards you, “by force then.”

You swallowed hard, realizing that your back was pressed against a wall, and as soon as you saw his figure lurking closer, you scrambled to take cover behind the wooden table. You clutched its edge and dragged it to shield yourself, causing several bandages, bottles and ointments to scatter across the floor, some breaking open and spilling.

“Eeehm, do you need help!?” Beckman’s raspy, concerned voice came from the other side of the door.

“No!” Hongo bellowed as he charged after you, his eyes fixed on you and ignoring the mess on the floor. “No need for help! We’re behaving like two perfectly normal, civilized people!”

He moved along the right side of the table while you quickly circled to the other side, moving as fast as your body let you. As he reached out to grab you, you twisted to evade him, but a sharp, agonizing pain shot through your back, spreading to your hips and down your thighs. Your legs gave way under the intensity of the pain and just as you began to collapse, Hongo caught you in mid-air.

“I’ve got you…” he soothed, his usual tenderness reappearing as he held you tightly against his chest, unwilling to let you go until the pain was gone. “I’ve got you…”

You buried your head in the crook of his neck, sobbing and swallowing your pride, and you stayed wrapped in his arms for a few minutes, until he felt your body gradually relax as the pain started to ease.

“I’m going to take you to the exam table now, alright?” he said, feeling your head nod against his neck.

“You know…'"he helped you to sit down, "you must be made of steel, because in all the time you’ve been with us, you’ve never come to see me…” his fingers danced lightly along the edge of your shirt. “Can I examine you?”

“NO.” You swatted his hands away immediately.

"Alright, alright..." He smiled, raising his hands in surrender. "Let’s focus on your back, then." He gestured with his finger for you to turn over on the examination table. "Can you lie face down, please?"

You glared at him, tilting your chin defiantly. But as soon as he caught the rebellious glint in your eyes, he raised an eyebrow.

“Face down, Doll. NOW.” He said, his tone commanding and authoritative, making it clear who was in charge.

With a dramatic roll of your eyes you gave in, knowing full well there was no choice but to comply with your doctor’s orders. You turned over on the table, and the movement sent a fresh wave of pain through your back, forcing you to moan and press your face into the sheets. You felt Hongo’s fingers ghost over your back, right at the spot where the pain was the worst.

"It’s right here, isn’t it?"

You nodded, surprised at how efficiently he pinpointed the exact source. With your head buried in the soft, cushioned surface of the table, you heard the sound of a stool being dragged toward you. You turned your head to see him, but found his knees and the tops of his thighs instead, legs set apart.

"Okay…" you heard him muse, his voice soft, calm and steady, “... intramuscular analgesia”.

His left hand rested on your lower back, applying just enough pressure to keep you in place, while his right hand deftly prepared the cotton and antiseptic. As he turned his torso, his defined abs peeked out from above the waistband of his pants right in front of your eyes, and you snorted, turning your head away.

“Don’t worry Doll, I’ll be gentle…” he said, assuming your reaction was due to the fear of needles. “I need you to lift up your skirt and pull down your underwear, please.”

You didn’t respond. You stayed still on the exam table with your heart pounding in your chest. The pain in your lower back was unbearable, but the thought of Hongo right behind you, demanding to see your ass, was much worse.

"Come on, Doll…" he tried to encourage you in an even softer voice, "be a good girl for me."

This time, a surprised chuckle escaped your lips. Never in a million years had you imagine hearing those words from him, and a warm flush crept up from your neck, staining your cheeks. You hesitated, hands trembling as you slowly lifted your skirt over your hips. Your fingers fumbled with the waistband of your panties, and as you exposed the soft, vulnerable skin of your ass, you felt Hongo shift slightly on the stool.

“... Hongo?”

"Yes," he cleared his throat with a hint of self-reproach. "Please, keep your ass up."

The tension was suffocating. The smell of antiseptic saturated the air, his gaze weighed on your exposed skin... and that last command. It was too much. You had to say something that might unsettle him and tip the balance in your favor. Anything.

“Tsk, tsk, doctor, you can’t just pull down a girl’s panties and say 'ass up’ without, you know, a little courting first, can you?”

He let out a snort of laughter, and the sound made you smir proud of yourself. Though not for long.

“Oh, doll…” His fingers brushed over your skin as he tapped it with the alcohol-soaked cotton swab. “You know I’ve wanted to court you for a long time, don’t you? But it’s hard when you’re always running away from me.”

Your heart raced again, faster this time. You wanted to disappear. You wanted to get up and run out of the infirmary. But unable to do any of that, you simply turned your face away, closed your eyes, and tried to focus on anything but what he had just said. He stifled a sigh and readied the syringe.

"Alright, here we go," he said, making you gasp as the sharp, clean prick pierced your skin. "Good girl, you’re doing great…" He noticed how tightly you were gripping the sheet on the exam table, and unable to stand seeing you so uncomfortable, he slipped his free hand beneath yours, intertwining his fingers with yours. "That's it, just hold on a little longer…"

You focused on his words, letting the rhythm of his calm, measured breathing soothe you, and as soon as he finished, he withdrew the needle.

“Try to rest a bit until the medication takes effect,” he said as he rose from the stool and moved away to give you space.

With your face still turned to the wall, you pulled up your underwear. The pain in your back was fading, so you slowly sat on the exam table, surprised to find you could do so without wincing.

From that angle, you had a clear view of the infirmary and saw Hongo kneeling on the floor, cleaning up the mess you’d made in your frantic attempt to escape. You watched him work, his back hunched and his shaved neck bowed, carefully picking up the spilled liquids and shards of glass. A sigh escaped you at the sight, and you felt the stubbornness in your heart start to melt into something warmer. You moved closer and crouched down beside him.

“Is your back feeling better?” he asked as soon as he noticed you presence.

“Yes… ,” you said softly, keeping your gaze fixed on the floor. "Thanks."

“Anytime.” 

You felt his gaze on you as you focused on the task, sorting the broken jars and glass shards into a bag. You worked side by side in a silence that, oddly enough, didn’t feel uncomfortable, and you wished it could stay that way. But when your hands brushed against each other and you pulled yours back, he spoke.

“Why do you hate me?”

“I don’t hate you,” you replied without looking at him.

“But you avoid me…”

You remained silent, grabbing a rag and scrubbing it vigorously against the floor, feeling a knot in your stomach grow larger and larger.

"Look at me," he said, placing a hand on the crown of your head to make you face him. "Isn’t a ship’s doctor good enough for you?"

You shrugged off his hand and stood up , trying to hide the mixed feelings on your face.

“It’s not that, Hongo, it’s… it’s complicated.”

“It shouldn’t be complicated… " He rose to his feet to match your stance, and his eyes locked with yours with a hint of pleading in his expression. "Actually, it’s very simple. At least for me, loving you is as simple and natural as breathing.”

His words pierced your heart like arrows set aflame. He might have tended to your back, but his gaze and his words were leaving your mind and heart reeling, caught in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.

“You love me…” You closed your eyes, pinching the bridge of your nose as you felt your heart weary from fighting.

“Of course I do… You know I'm crazy about you.”

You opened your eyes again to meet his, his face calm yet sharply attentive to your reaction.

"I just..." your eyes darted between his, "need a little more time to sort out my feelings and make things... right."

He held your gaze for a moment, weighing the situation.

“I’ll be right here," he finally said, raising his hands in a gesture that seemed to take in the entire infirmary.

You returned his smile. It wasn’t going to be very hard to come to terms with your feelings if he kept acting like this. As you discarded the dirty rag you had been holding into a bin, you turned and walked toward the door, feeling as though you were leaving a piece of your heart behind.

"I’d really love to see it again, you know? But maybe under different circumstances...” he said as you reached for the doorknob.

“See what?” you turned to look at him, hoping that whatever he said next wouldn’t be too out of place.

"That beautiful ass."

Bastard. 

Your heart betrayed you, leaving you flattered and forcing you to suppress a smile.

He was a pirate after all.

“Oh, Hongo,” you looked at him with pursed lips, “I can’t believe it. Where’s your professionalism?”

“Believe me, I’ve been quite professional,” he placedhis hand over his chest. “I’ve had to restrain myself from giving you a smack, and believe me, I’ve really wanted to.”

“Ugh!” You huffed, stepping out of the infirmary and bumping into Beckman, who was waiting for you outside.

“How are you feeling, Darlin'? Better?” he asked, looking at you with his grey eyes.

With a smile you couldn't hold back, you stood on your toes and kissed him on the cheek, leaving him startled as you continued down the hall. The door to the infirmary opened and Hongo stepped out, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed, watching you walk away.

“Much better!” you replied over your shoulder, smiling to yourself before disappearing from their sight.

............................

Taglist: @fanaticsnail @armiliadawn @pandora-writes-one-piece <3

[madwomansapologist]

──────〃✰ KINKTOBER DAY 8: 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐄𝐗

title: let it sink in synopsis: the fight was over, the war was done, but the tension was still there. watching the princess falling victim of her own mind, the navigator has to intervene. [1K] cw: established relationship, insecurity, a bit of hurt and a lot of comfort, this isn't sex it's love okay i'm sensitive about them, shower sex, masturbation.

PREV POST ✰ NEXT POST

The bathroom smelled like tangerines and honey. Hot water melted the layers of dirty, washing away sweat and tears. It was over. It was really, finally over.

Rubbing Vivi’s back, a scent of iron invaded their little bubble of peacefulness. Nami looked down at the bath, just now seeing how rosy the water surrounding them both was. Only then she was reminded of how much blood she lost. Of how much blood the two of them lost.

Sore muscles. Mind tired from all the screaming and crying. Open, bleeding wounds. It was over, finally, but that didn’t mean it all simply stopped hurting. And if her shot feet is enough to make Nami tremble, then she can’t even imagine all the things going through Vivi’s head.

The bathroom smelled like tangerines, honey, and blood.

“You can breathe now”, Nami whispered. She filled her hands with bubbles, placing them on top of Vivi’s shoulder. “You did it. Vivi, you really did it.”

“We”, she said. Vivi played with her fingers, trying to not get lost inside her own head. It was a very crowded place right now, and not kind in the slightest. “I never would’ve done it without you. Without all of you.”

Sweet words, but Nami noticed how off they felt. Their meaning was genuine, she knows Vivi well enough to understand that, but it sounded more like an echo of anyone would expect her to say than what she is actually thinking about. Nami is familiar with lies imbued with truths.

She gets it. Nami really does. Nami knows good things don’t always feel good. Sometimes they hurt for a long time. But Vivi… She doesn’t deserve that. She doesn’t deserve to wait until happiness finds her. Vivi is good, she’s kind, and she had enough of pain for a lifetime.

Nami thought a bath would help. At least, it helps her when her mind is a cruel place. Hot water takes care of the body, expelling the tiredness away, and the rest treats the mind. Oils and creams, shampoos and soaps, masks and exfoliants. After a time, muscle memory is all that remains. Not a thought, not a worry, just something new to rub on your skin.

It isn’t working on Vivi.

Calloused hands grabbed her soft hips, fingers moving in circles against her tender skin. Everything about Vivi is so delicate. “You’re thinking loudly”, Nami murmured. “I don’t like this. Not knowing how to make you happier.”

That made Vivi laugh. Nami assumed it was a good thing, although she couldn’t quite understand why Vivi would react like that. Vivi leaned onto her, head fitting in the crook of Nami’s neck. She inhaled deeply.

“Don’t mock me, princess.” Nami pinched the soft thigh. That only made Vivi laugh more. “Here I am, pouring my heart for you. Should’ve robbed you when I had the chance.”

Vivi only rolled her eyes. She took Nami’s hand in between hers, stroking the scar on it. She kissed the raw knuckles, unaffected by the blood on it. If anything, she was grateful Nami would fight for her dreams and hopes. But then again, knowing the navigator, Vivi knew it was the only thing Nami would’ve done.

Somehow, and that still surprises her, Nami cares.

 “You don’t know how to make me happier?” Vivi sighed. How truly stupid Nami has to be in order to not see she’s the only thing between Vivi and a violent sob? “Just by being near me, darling Nami, I turn into the happiest woman this country ever saw.”

“You are so…” Nami giggled, face heating up. The tip of her ears burned. “Darling Nami? Is that so?”

Vivi only nodded.

For a moment, Nami hesitated. There was something she wanted to say, something that maybe she shouldn’t. Fuck it, Nami thought. I faced scarier things that a princess. Still, she hesitated.

“I had no hope for my life”, Nami whispered. There was no need to, they were alone and so close, but that’s something one simply does when sharing a secret. “But now… Every time I look around, all I see is people I care about. People I love. I care about you, darling Vivi. I love you.”

It was Vivi’s time to giggle. Her smile was so big, so genuine, her entire face burned. “My cheeks will fall apart”, she tried to cover her face, but Nami held her hands in place. “I never thought you would be so sweet.”

“And I never thought you would be so furious. We both are full of surprises.”

Vivi kissed the crook of Nami’s neck. Little pecks, sweet just like her. Nami massaged her waist, using the right amount of strength to undo all those knots.

“Are you tired?” Vivi asked, voice lower.

“Exhausted”, Nami sighed. Her fingers moved to Vivi’s thighs, caressing them gently. “I guess we feel the same way.”

Leaving open mouth kisses on her shoulder, Vivi whimpered as those skilled fingers touched her lips. It was a weird position, her arm contorted in an uncomfortable angle, but she managed to draw circles around Nami’s clit.

There wasn’t a need to rush. There wasn’t a goal they both needed to seek after. At that moment, Nami and Vivi simply needed to be together. As close as possible.

“Thank you”, Vivi whispered. With two long fingers inside of her, a sob escaped her throat. “For being born. This world would be a boring place without you.”

Nami kissed her. She wanted to kiss Vivi, she needed to kiss Vivi, but the main reason she did so was because Nami couldn’t figure out something to say.

Hearing those sensitive whimpers, feeling as Vivi turned limp against her hand, she felt whole. “Princess”, Nami called. She rubbed her nose against the blue hair, legs trembling underwater.

Vivi smiled. “Pirate.”

Embracing one another, it was really, finally over.

taglist: @ffinosie @lovelyy-moonlight @alzaira @s2-angells @eyes-ofhell @inlovewithmariah @chiiyohiimee @shaquilles-0atmeal @bloodyziggy @salemey @kcch-ns @notanalienindisguiseblink @py-schi @miyanosm

© all rights reserved to MADWOMANSAPOLOGIST

[alastxrs]

𝐀𝐦 𝐈 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐄𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮

𝐔𝐬𝐨𝐩𝐩 𝐗 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐞!𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

𝐒𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨- "𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟?" "… 𝐈'𝐦 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮." "𝐌-𝐌𝐞??" "𝐈'𝐦 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭… 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐬 𝐈 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮… 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭.. 𝐀𝐧𝐝… 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞.."

❝𝐔𝐬𝐨𝐩𝐩!❞

Now, you may be wondering how the 'Great' Usopp had gotten cornered by Y/N.

Y/N and him have been dating for a few months now.

His boyfriend didn't do anything wrong! The (H/C) haired man was the perfect man ever and he was treated with so much respect when his lover was at his side,

It was words that had been said by villagers from the island they had visited before.

"Can you believe that young man is dating that long-nosed boy?"

Y/N had begged the sniper into exploring the town at the last island they were visiting, he said that he wanted to go on a date with him, and what better way than to explore somewhere they'd never been.

"I would've assumed he was with that swordsman of the crew!"

"He seems kind of weak.."

"Who even is that?"

Those words rang in his head whenever he heard someone's reaction to finding out he was dating Y/N.

It was true.

Usually, those words wouldn't bother him because if it was true then Y/N wouldn't be with him.

The only thing that bothered him when people talked about his boyfriend and he was when people said that Y/N deserved to be with someone else from the crew.

He heard it all the time.

On every island.

It was just finally getting to him.

So, Usopp just started avoiding the other man.

Even if they were going to be on the same ship a lot.

And honestly.....it didn't go well.

FIRST TIME

Usopp stood at the bustling market, scanning the stalls for supplies. His eyes widened when he spotted Y/N approaching from the opposite direction.

Panic set in.

Quickly, Usopp ducked behind a stall, pretending to inspect some oddly shaped fruits. He held his breath as Y/N walked past, oblivious to his presence. Usopp sighed in relief, thinking to himself, 'That was close!'

SECOND TIME

The sun was setting, casting an orange glow over the deck of the Thousand Sunny. Usopp was enjoying the quiet, working on some new gadgets.

Suddenly, he heard Y/N’s voice coming from the galley, heading in his direction.

Usopp’s heart raced.

He swiftly gathered his tools and slipped behind a stack of barrels. Peeking out, he watched as Y/N strolled by, chatting animatedly with Franky.

Usopp wiped his brow, relieved to have avoided another intense discussion.

THIRD TIME

Usopp was practicing his marksmanship in the training area, arrows hitting the targets with precision.

He felt a chill run down his spine as he saw Y/N heading towards him, likely to suggest a sparring session since they occasionally trained together.

Thinking quickly, he grabbed his bag and scrambled up a nearby tree, hiding among the branches. From his perch, he watched Y/N arrive, look around in confusion, and then walk away.

Usopp sighed, grateful for the cover of the leaves.

FOURTH TIME

The aroma of Sanji’s cooking filled the air as Usopp sneaked into the kitchen for a snack.

He opened a cupboard and grabbed a handful of cookies. Just as he was about to leave, he heard Y/N’s voice approaching.

Panicking, Usopp hid under the kitchen table, clutching his precious cookies. Y/N entered, chatted briefly with Sanji, and then left. Usopp emerged from his hiding spot, his heart still racing.

That was too close, he thought, nibbling on a cookie.

FIFTH TIME

Usopp climbed to the crow's nest for some solitude and to work on his next big invention.

As he tinkered with his tools, he heard footsteps on the ladder. He peeked over the edge and saw Y/N climbing up.

Usopp’s eyes widened in alarm. He quickly packed up his things and shimmied down the opposite side of the mast.

As he reached the deck, he glanced up to see Y/N looking out, clearly puzzled. Usopp shook his head as he sighed in relief as he walked away.

That was his whole week basically.

He did feel bad that he was ignoring his boyfriend yet he thought that maybe the (H/C) haired man was going to change his mind about dating him.

The dark-haired man was trapped in a corner with the shorter/taller man having both hands next to his head to keep him against the wall.

The other man glared at him though Usopp could tell the look in his eyes was just from worrying about him.

"Why have you been avoiding me?"

He laughed nervously at the question, "Avoiding you? I'm not avoiding you!" he answered. "I think you are avoiding me!"

The other man rolled his eyes as if he looked right through his lie.

"Stop lying, everyone else on the ship has been able to have a conversation with you until I show up." Y/N sighed as he moved back to give the other man some space and crossed how own arms. "It's like you're afraid, what are you so afraid of?"

Usopp froze at the question before he thought of his answer.

"You...I'm scared of you..."

"M-Me?!"

The other man had to take a step back when he heard that answer.

It was like Y/N wasn't expecting it.

"Why are you afraid of me?!"

"I'm scared that...one day you'll see yourself as I see you...." The dark-haired man looked down at his feet since he couldn't find himself to look at his boyfriend. "Perfect..." The sniper was fidgeting with his fingers now out of nerves. "And...that you'll leave me for someone you deserve.."

There was a bit of silence between the two of them.

Neither of them knew what else to say.

Until the silence was finally broken, when one of them decided to speak.

"Usopp, I would never leave you." Those words sounded right and he was grateful but he still had his doubt until he felt arms around his waist. "I don't want anyone else, the only way I would leave you is if I was dead."

The dark-haired man believed that in a heart beat.

Y/N never did anything to betray his trust and even preferred to be with him over any of the other crewmates.

Usopp laid his head on the other man's shoulder and he wrapped his arms around him, the guilt from ignoring his partner. Tears formed in his eyes yet he didn't let himself cry. "I'm sorry..." he mumbled.

They stayed in silence for a few more minutes.

He honestly missed his boyfriend's touch more than anything.

Then, he was suddenly getting shaked by his lover. "You ever ignore me again, I will be at your ass so hard you'll be in pain for a whole year!!" YN said as he glared at him. "I know damn well I'm perfect but you wanna know who else is perfect? You! My boyfriend is perfect the way he is!"

'Beautiful yet scary..' The long-nosed man thought to himself.

A blush formed on his cheeks yet Usopp couldn't help but laugh as he kissed the other man which had gotten rid of Y/N's annoyed expression.

The (H/C) haired man leaned into the kiss as they pressed against each other's body.

"Okay, they made up, can we go now?"

"Yeah! I want food!"

Zoro and Luffy.

The two men froze when they heard the voices, they pulled away from the kiss and turned to see the rest of the crew.

Usopp's face went completely red as he freaked out. "Guys!??? Serious??? Why the hell did you watch us." Robin smiled while Usopp began hitting Luffy in the head for interrupting the moment and the whole crew laughed.

"We just wanted to make sure everything was okay!!" Chopper answered, Y/N ruffled the reighndeer's head at the answer. "We saw Usopp get dragged so we followed.."

Robin hummed with her arms crossed. "Glad to know you two are okay." she spoke.

The shorter/taller man smiled at the crew. "Why wouldn't everything be? He's stuck with me!" he said with a thumbs up. "That ass is mine after all."

Hearing those words, Usopp had a sense of relief and he was happy.

"That's great, can we eat now?"

"LUFFY!!!"

"OW!"

DIVIDER BY @cafekitsune

[novemberhope]

Summary: The Strawhats are on their way to Fishman Island but are attacked by the Kraken. Zoro also gets attacked by a fishman. When Neri shows up unexpectedly, Zoro gets a glimpse of her improved fighting skills after not seeing her for two years. Notes: It's been ages since I read Fishman Island so this might not 100% align with canon. Also, I hate writing fights. Word Count: 1272

Zoro stood firmly on the deck, his eyes narrowed in determination. Around him, chaos had spread like wildfire. Luffy, as always, was laughing, as the giant kraken approached them, slamming it’s tentacles into the ship's sides.

"Let’s take this beast down - or keep it as a pet!" Luffy shouted.

“Are you crazy, we’re not keeping that as a pet!!” Usopp exclaimed in horror.

“Don’t let it break the coating of the ship or we’ll all drown!” Franky warned.

Zoro knew they could only fend it off for so long. They had to take the fight away from the Thousand Sunny.

“Luffy!” he called. “I’m going in!”

He put his bandana on and glanced at his crewmates one last time before diving into the dark and cold waters, thankful for the protective bubble around him that allowed him to move under water without drowning.

Immersed in the chilly depths, Zoro still felt the pressure of the ocean around him. Or maybe that was just him coping with the strange feeling of moving around deep down in the ocean with only a protective bubble around him. As he descended towards the kraken, he could see Luffy and Sanji not too far off, also within protective bubbles, joining him in the fight.

The kraken’s tentacles thrashed all around him, a few times coming dangerously close to actually smashing his bubble. Zoro clasped his swords tightly. He aimed his blade and made his move, slicing with speed and precision as he slashed at the beast's tentacles. Suddenly, something dark darted through the water, catching his attention. A figure appeared, a fishman it seemed, with gleaming eyes and teeth that looked like razor blades, and muscles rippling under his skin. With a swift motion, the fishman lashed out, blocking Zoro's path and launching a strike aimed straight at him, clearly trying to slice through the bubble.

“So, the great Pirate Hunter decided to swim into dangerous waters?” the fishman sneered, a twisted grin on his face. “You shouldn’t have come here, human.”

Zoro narrowed his eyes. “Whoever you are, I don’t have time for you. Get out of my way.”

The fight began. Zoro parried the fishman’s attacks with astounding skill, but the fishman was relentless and powerful. Each blow drove him closer within the reach of the kraken’s tentacles. The beast continued its rampage, and in the distance, he could still hear Luffy and Sanji fighting, but they were too far away.

A tentacle came at him with full force and he had to use two swords to block it. At the same time, the fishman came from behind, also full force, while another tentacle came in from the side - something that wouldn’t have fazed him that much up on the surface but down here, fighting within the protective bubble, it was a different story in an entirely new environment. He not only could not let the attacks touch him, he had to make sure the entire bubble stayed intact.

Just as he was ready to attack three-sword-style and simply hope to get both the tentacles and the fishman at the same time, he sensed a sudden shift in the water. There was something coming in at full speed, something that forced the tentacles away and blocked the fishman’s attack.

And then something huge burst onto the scene — the shimmering silhouette of a beautiful betta fish mermaid with seemingly translucent shining pale blue scales, shining rather brightly in the dark ocean, with a cloud of shiny dark brown hair billowing behind her.

It was Neri.

The last time Zoro had laid eyes on her was two years ago during the chaos in Sabaody when Bartholomew Kuma had used his powers to teleport each of them to a different location. Last thing he had heard was that he had teleported her to Fishman Island where she had undergone some training. And when he had returned to Sabaody, Rayleigh had told him that since Neri already was at Fishman Island, she would await the Strawhats there. Which… made sense but still, it had been a bit disappointing since he kind of had been looking forward to seeing her again.

The mermaid’s long, dark brown hair flowed around her, and her brown eyes shone with a determination he didn’t know she had. Gone was the timid, everything but confident girl he remembered from two years ago. Right now, she exuded confidence and strength as she used her hands to form the water in front of her into a magnificent trident.

Their eyes met. Her whole face lit up and she smiled, clearly very happy to see him again. And he who rarely ever smiled couldn’t help but smile back.

“Zoro!! It’s so good to see you!” she cried.

“Neri!” he shouted back. “I thought you were waiting for us on Fishman Island!”

“I was!” she said, still smiling. “But I couldn’t wait to see you all again so I thought I’d meet you half way! But Zoro - what happened to your eye?”

Unfortunately both the kraken and the fishman cut the reunion short and stopped Zoro from answering any further questions. They attacked again but were both hit by powerful waves coming from the water trident. The kraken tentacles came again and this time, were blocked by Zoro’s swords. The fishman turned towards Neri, showing her his ugly grin.

“You think you can defeat me? You’re nothing but a mere mermaid!” he hissed at her.

With elegance and strength that she did not have two years ago, Neri moved around the fishman, parrying his strikes with her trident. Each dodge, each thrust made it very clear to him that she indeed has used the last two years to work on her fighting skills. Being this deep under water, bending it to her will had become second nature to her. Gone was the timid and careful girl who often had been unsure if she would be able to do something.

“Do not underestimate me,” Neri said to her opponent.

The trident vanished. Instead, Neri held out her hands, forming underwater currents and using them to push the fishman off balance and right in striking distance of Zoro. His swords glinted in the dark. He struck fiercely, again and again and again, while also holding the tentacles at bay that were still coming his way.

“Let’s try it together,” Neri suggested, one more forming the water into a trident.

“On my mark!” Zoro yelled, and he and Neri coordinated their moves. Neri spun the trident, flinging the fishman’s defenses aside, allowing Zoro a clear path. He slashed out with his swords both at the tentacles and the fishman.

In a moment that felt like eternity, Zoro’s blades carved through the water and met their mark, the fishman pirate collapsing into a heap, defeated, and immediately started to sink deeper into the ocean. At the same time, Luffy and Sanji had driven the kraken further back so that it became more difficult for it to attack Zoro.

Breathing heavily, Zoro stared at Neri, who smiled brightly, her eyes sparkling with joy.

“You’ve improved,” he admitted gruffly, the corners of his mouth hinting at a smirk.

“A little,” Neri replied, blushing.

Just then, the kraken’s roar echoed through the water. Luffy and Sanji were yelling while fighting it. Apparently Luffy had yet to give up his plan to keep the beast as a pet.

“Let’s go join them!” Zoro suggested.

The swordsman and the mermaid swam towards the kraken. The Strawhat’s journey to Fishman Island had only just begun - and now that the crew was complete again, nothing would stand in their way!

[afleshboy]

We Will Leave Just as We Came

A moment between friends when one has been dead for ten years and the other is hanging on by a thread.

Heavily inspired by this. If I'm not thinking about this every day, assume something is wrong with me. I know it's referencing further into the future but I'm not there yet.

Re Zoro vs Zolo, I mainly read the manga and in my brain he was born with the given name Zolo and so everyone that knew him as a kid refers to him as such. When he got out and started like bounty hunting and what have you it switched to Zoro for reasons and he honestly does not care which one is used.

Title taken here.

__________________________________________________

When Zoro woke up, he noticed the petals of the flowers first. There was one hanging lazily over his field of vision. The dark blue of the flower somehow contrasted against the light blue of the sky above him.

He laid there for a moment, getting his bearings.

It was warm, but not uncomfortably so, and there was even a light breeze that caused the flower to shift sideways before going back to its original position.

Where was he?

He sat up.

Before him was a field of the same dark blue flowers, every so often a smattering of other colors, maybe different patches of them if he could see beyond the one that he was currently in.

It was peaceful, and he found that there was less weight on his shoulders than usual. It was nice.

Then he sensed something, no, someone behind him. And he knew who it was before she even sat down next to him.

She hadn’t aged past eleven, though he guessed she had no reason to. There was no way of knowing what she would have looked like if she had gotten any older but those same dark eyes never changed. In fact, they almost seemed wiser.

“Kuina.” And god if it didn’t sound like someone had punched him in the stomach when he said it from how strangled her name was. He was almost embarrassed, especially when she raised an eyebrow at him. He didn't know how to tell her that he hadn't used her name since she died.

Wait. Had he really not said her name since she died?

“What are you doing here, Zolo?”

His eyes snapped back to her at the question. She seemed much more content in this field of flowers than he was, his fingers looking for something to play with when he realized that he didn’t have any of his swords. He didn’t have their sword. There was something to be said about material items in the afterlife but there was still an ache that formed at the loss.

“Zolo.”

Right. He should answer her.

“Well, I guess I died.” Zoro probably shouldn’t sound as sarcastic as he did but there was a little laugh next to him so he was doing alright.

“Not yet.” She said, not caring how annoyingly mysterious that was.

“What do you mean not yet? I’m here, you’re here and-” And he suddenly remembered how he got here.

His skin stung as he remembered the cuts that had appeared on him almost magically, like he had been fighting someone who wasn’t there. Each slice dug into him, some of them he swore went to the bone.

That was nothing compared to the absolute ache of his muscles. Some of them he could tell ached from overuse and others from the absolute beat down that he had never received. It did compound his already battered body from his own fights.

The worst were the cracks. The feeling of his bones splintering from nothing. He didn’t know how many ribs a person had but he was pretty sure every single one had snapped and cracked until standing had been a struggle.

Zoro didn’t remember how the blood had gotten everywhere, he could see it in his mind. When he had come back to his senses not only was he covered in it, a haphazard circle around him was too. It looked like enough blood to kill three men, but as he felt his legs buckle he knew it was all his.

He didn’t remember moving to cause this odd pattern. Or what exactly had come first or if it all came at one. He did remember the pain and screaming until his throat was raw. Then he kept going.

“You’d do a lot for him.” Kuina’s voice made it clear it wasn’t a question. She was right though, as the image of Luffy popped into his head. He didn’t want to die, but he couldn’t see it happen to him.

“Yeah, I guess I would.” And despite it, even as his body ached with phantom pain, he laughed. “He’s gonna be king of the pirates you know?”

And that seemed to break her calm facade for a moment. She looked annoyed as she rolled her eyes and it caused Zoro to snicker. “What does that even mean? And what does that have to do with you?”

He had an idea of what that title meant before. He had been a pirate hunter after all, and he heard a lot of them talk about the idea of being king. None of them were like Luffy. None of them made him want to see a world where that came true. None of them made him want to fight with all the strength in him to make sure it came true. At least the second question was easy.

“I don’t know but I think even if I did, Luffy would find a way to surprise me.”

She huffed.

"And why wouldn't the king of the pirates have the world's greatest swordsman by his side? He should only have the best."

Well. He had the best.

They sat in silence for a while, Zoro leaning back on his hands as the sun beamed down on them. Every so often that breeze would come by causing the whole field to flutter into life before it went still again.

He wondered if this was it, just this field for the rest of… Whatever this was. It felt like it should be boring but the absolute peace he felt kept him from following that thought too deeply.

“So. What did you mean by ‘not yet’?” He didn’t really know what this was supposed to be if he wasn’t dead. Though that did cause a sting in his chest he didn’t want to think about just yet. He hadn’t gotten to be the world’s greatest swordsman, he had failed himself and her. Even through the shame he knew he wouldn’t have changed what he did.

Kuina tilted her head at him, which he ignored for now in favor of looking off in the distance at some yellow flowers. Sunflowers?

“You still have a chance.” She said finally, a hint of bitterness in her voice. “You can still go back, if you’re strong enough.”

If he was strong enough? Even as he thought that, he felt the heaviness in his limbs. Like something was dragging him down to the ground and the pain that had been an ache was now sharper.

Right. If he was strong enough to leave.

He would have to live with that pain until he got better, and he would have to be okay with the knowledge that he was leaving behind this heaven where he was pain free. That he was leaving behind her again.

Zoro remembered the look on Sanji’s face when he had come to find him. The anger and shock that gave way to fear that he knew was mirrored on his own face at the time. He would do it again, he would die for any of them in a heartbeat. Still.

He hadn’t wanted to die. He still doesn’t. He had things he needed to finish, promises to fulfill.

He needed to protect his friends.

“That sounds like a challenge.”

She scoffed. “Just be sure you don’t lose like you did to me.”

As they spoke, the ache in his bones got stronger. He was starting to feel the trickle of something on his chest and head. He knew it had to be blood, he could smell the metallic tang. He was fighting to go back.

“Kuina.” He looked at her, glad when her eyes found his as well. There was so much he wanted to tell her, so much he wanted to apologize for. That she was still remembered after all this time.

Everything he thought he would say, wanted to say, to her died in his throat. A small voice told him he’d have time later, to tell her everything. That he would have even more stories to share.

Her small arms wrapped around his torso, not even able to clasp her hands at his back like she likely would have done when they were kids. If they had ever hugged. Zoro scooped her up, hugging her back with all the strength he could as it was becoming increasingly clear he didn’t have that much to give as he got closer and closer to going back.

The flowers were disappearing around them, until all that was left was Zoro and Kuina. The hug felt as firm and real as when he got the rare ones from the crew (barring Luffy who threw himself at him whenever he could). He still had a promise to her to fulfill, a promise to himself, and a promise to everyone onboard the Sunny.

She knew this, even if she would miss him. “I still haven’t heard of you up here. Work harder, idiot.”

The last thing Zoro heard before he woke up to a hovering Chopper was his own laugh being carried away in the wind.

[vulpinesaint]

quiz enjoyers! i am now inviting you to come create something in my workshop❕

[am3ya]

the issue with shipping aro/ace characters isn't putting them into relationships, it's the fact that no one adds how their sexuality impacts the relationship at large. And how it'll always be different from your average romantic relationship in some way.

[marzipanandminutiae]

I hate "it's not trying to be accurate!" arguments for historical fiction or historically-inspired fantasy clothing choices that just. don't make sense logistically

why is that girl in Br*dgerton tightlacing her stays? what is she reducing- her upper ribcage? not only can you not tightlace in those (hand-bound eyelets can't usually take that strain, in my experience), but there's no reason to because your waistline is under your boobs. and unlike most of the series, they actually commit to the empire waistline for the court presentation gowns. small waists don't matter when NOBODY IS SEEING YOUR WAIST

why no chemise, in so many productions? fantasy/lack of concern for accuracy can't make things not chafe. chafing is not a matter of accuracy; it's a physical reality. did a wizard give everybody in the kingdom Anti-Chafing Spells?

just because you don't WANT a linen underlayer beneath a medieval tunic doesn't mean sweat won't get to outer garments and damage them- or make them need laundering, which weakens the fibers -at a time when all clothing is handmade, custom-fitted, and created from hand-woven fabrics and thus a HUGE investment

you're not just throwing accuracy to the winds as a design choice; you're ignoring How Textiles And Bodies And the Realities of Your Technology Level's Fabric and Laundering Capabilities Work

[theellipelli]

arent you gonna wake up sometime soon ?

[luzozine]

👒 Solar Totality: a LuZo anthology ⚔️ – coming soon!

Solar Totality is a for-charity fan anthology exploring Luffy and Zoro’s relationship through fan art and fiction.

Check out our Carrd in the description for more information!

[eriochromatic]

Pulp Fiction film poster study but make it Miss All Sunday

[jintaka-hane]

Two Days

(Beckman x f!Reader)

Masterlist

Img source / source

Summary: You and Beckman have been navigating a long-distance relationship for a while. Now that he's docking at your port, you’ve got two precious days to reunite and reminisce about the day you first met — a dreadful evening when nothing went as planned. Word Count: 5735 Notes: This is my contribution to 'The Great Beckmaning'! It was a looooooot of fun to write, and I'm considering writing about what happened after the tavern brawl, hehe. My gift for the Beckman’s wives army! Warnings: Mild NSFW, father!beckman x mother!reader, established relationship, one sided enemies to lovers, shanks being silly, misunderstanding, longing, kissing, petting, domesticity, fluff, mentions of alcohol, guns, cigarettes, swearing, mention of pregnancy.

"You sure you can manage without me?" a familiar look of concern crossed the first mate's face.

"For the fifth time, Beck, YEEES!" bellowed the pirates of the Red Force in unison.

"I've left some instructions for—"

"Beck! We'll be fine, trust me!” Shanks said, avoiding the note he was handing and pushing him down off the ship.

“But… the hole in the starboard bow needs—”

“AYE!! SHOVE OFF, BECK!”

"A’right, a’right…. behave yourselves..." he looked at the captain, "especially you”.

"Enjoooooy! Don't worry about aaaanything… and give her my regards," Shanks added, clumsily winking.

And the second in command of the Red Force disembarked, unsure of what he would find upon his return.

It was a port he knew like the back of his hand, in a fishing village neither too small nor too large, populated by smiling and friendly folk.

He walked through a bustling square where locals sold their wares—a display of colorful fruits, fresh fish from the morning catch, and an eclectic array of handmaded items. In one corner, a quaint bakery beckoned with the tempting aroma of freshly baked pastries. He entered and bought the ones he thought you would like the most.

With the bag in hand, he continued down the street until he reached a modest yet charming house. He grasped the doorknob and turned it, the familiar creak of the door indicating that it was not locked. With a gentle push, it swung open.

He had warned you countless times about the importance of locking the door and securing your home, yet you never seemed to heed his advice. However, he wouldn't scold you this time. Not when it had been three long months since your last meeting, and he only had two precious days to enjoy your company.

"Y/n?" He called out to you, but there was no response.

His steps carried him first to the kitchen. He placed the bag of pastries he had purchased upon the counter, a surprise awaiting you. As his eyes scanned the room, he noticed that the wooden frame of a window needed repair, and that the pantry door wasn't closing properly. He would attend to that later.

He then made his way to the living room where he found you. Your graceful form was reclined upon the couch, peacefully lost in slumber. The way your hair spilled over the cushions, your chest rising and falling in rhythmic breaths, and the flawless complexion of your face adorned with a faint smile in repose, rendered you truly breathtaking. A pang of longing gripped his chest, proof to the months he had spent yearning for you. But these two days together would surely mend any distance between you. 

Beside you laid a beautiful baby girl, her eyes wide with innocence and curiosity as she gazed up at him with a smile.

"Here you’re, little one. I've missed you," he murmured, scooping her up into his arms and holding her close. With care, he raised her up to meet her gaze, marveling at the sight before him.

“So pretty... must have inherited your mother's genes, otherwise I wouldn't believe it with a father like me...".

The baby giggled at him, reaching out to touch the x-shaped scar on his face, but then her expression grew serious, her cheeks flushing red. Beckman chuckled as he noticed a peculiar odor beginning to permeate the room.

"Ok, ok, let's change ya," he planted a gentle kiss on her forehead.

He carried her to the bedroom, where he knew all the diapers and baby wipes were kept. With utmost care, he cradled the baby in one arm while using the other to retrieve the baby changer from your dressing table. Placing the baby, who giggled once more, in the changer, he gently removed her clothes and diaper. With ease, he cleaned her with a wipe, dried her tenderly with a soft towel, applied cream, and secured a clean diaper in place.

It was a curious sight to behold Benn Beckham, a rugged pirate of the seas known for his strength and fierceness, handling and caring for a delicate baby with such tenderness.

Once the baby was dressed, they made their way to the kitchen, disposed of the soiled diaper, and returned to the living room. Beckman settled into a rocking chair beside the couch, cradling the baby close. He hummed a sea shanty as a lullaby in his deep voice, stealing glances at you from time to time, careful not to disturb your slumber. 

Farewell to the harbor, To my old hometown

Lets all sing out with a Don! As the ship sets sail

Waves of gold and silver dissolve to salty spray

As we all set sail to the ends of the sea…

Gradually, the baby's eyelids drooped until her eyes closed entirely. A smile graced Beckman's lips as he watched her drift off to sleep.

"Sleep tight, princess," he whispered tenderly.

Then, sinking back into the chair, he studied you thoughtfully. How was it that you had never left him all these years? You were a stunning, independent, and strong woman, and he couldn't help but wonder why you had remained by his side. In a town filled with men eager to win your affection, you had never once betrayed him or hinted at parting ways. Perhaps, he mused, this was love after all... And the fact that he returned to you every time he had the opportunity was his way to show you that he loved you back. And he always will.

As he admired your poised figure, memories of the day you had first crossed paths flooded his mind. What a chaotic mess it had been...

*** *** ***

It was shaping up to be a real wretched day. Shanks, in his usual state of inebriation, exhibited an unusual level of clumsiness, leaving him feeling like a caretaker tending to an unruly child. Whenever the captain sank into such a state, the crew inevitably followed suit, burdening him with additional duties both aboard and ashore. Having remained docked in the same port for a week, their departure was scheduled for the morrow, yet Shanks, in his folly, proposed a return to the tavern they had frequented the day before. Once more. The man seemed insatiable in his thirst for drink, oblivious to his prior excesses. With a sigh, Beckman acquiesced, resigned to another evening spent in the tavern...

The evening unfolded in customary fashion at the bar, with men swaying clumsily to the music and belting out off-key tunes. The crash of shattered glass echoed through the room as drinks slipped from careless hands, earning disapproving glances from the tavern's owner. Finding solace in a secluded corner, he ordered a pint of ale, lit a cigarette, and scanned the room in search of distraction.

Idiots, the lot of them, he mused.

His gaze wandered until it suddenly fixated on something that caught his attention. Across from him, nestled in a quiet corner, sat an intriguing woman, effortlessly beautiful and serene amidst the chaos. Engrossed in a book, she sipped at her drink, while a bag of pastries from a nearby bakery lay at her feet.

Must be one hell of a book to keep her absorbed in a joint like this.

He chuckled softly, entertained by the improbable sight of such a striking lady amidst the tavern's humble surroundings. She seemed to be alone. Could she perhaps provide him with some stimulating company for the evening? Surely, she would be the most engaging conversationalist in the room. It was worth a try.

However, before making any advances, a habitual reflex led him to gauge his captain's interest in her. His eyes swept the room until they settled on Shanks, who was engrossed in merriment with Roux and the others, urging him on with raucous cheers of 'Drink! Drink! Drink!' 

Well, he thought, it seems she is mine for the takin’.

With a nod to the barman, he summoned him over.

“Boy, fetch that lady another round of whatever she's havin’. Put it on my tab,”' he instructed. The boy acknowledged the order and set off to fulfill it.

He observed from afar the woman's reaction when she received her pint of stout, the way her eyebrows arched in surprise. She glanced toward him as the barman gestured in his direction. Meeting her gaze, he raised his glass in greeting, only to receive a disdainful snort in return before she returned her attention to her book.

Darn. Not the smoothest start...

He felt a mixture of irritation and intrigue, but he was reluctant to come across as the sort of man who embarrasses himself by persisting in front of a woman's indifference. So he made an effort to brush it off, attempting to ignore her and the way she had rejected him with such disinterest.

As he tried to shift his focus, his mind wandered to the tasks awaiting him before the next day's departure. He made mental notes to check the main mast, which had been damaged in an attack, and ensure that the cargo was securely arranged, wary of any imbalance that could jeopardize the ship's stability.

He hadn't been listing his tasks for even five minutes when he noticed that Shanks had also become aware of the presence of the woman and was approaching her, stumbling toward her table with an oversized grin. With a gesture he likely deemed elegant, he extended his hand.

"Evenin’, sweetheart. I've come to rescue you from the clutches of boredom that book must be inflicting upon you. Care to dance?"

"Get lost," she shot back without even sparing him a glance.

Beckman chuckled.

The red pirates howled.

Shanks placed a hand over his heart, feigning heartbreak, then turned to the crew and erupted into laughter with the others.

“Bad luck, cap’n!!” one man shouted. 

Turning back to her, Shanks remarked, "Well, I'll take that as a no, then. What are you drinking? Want another?"

"No, thank you" she replied firmly, and to further encourage him to depart, she added, "I've already been offered a beer by another man," smiling proudly at her own response.

"Oh? Is that so? I must be late then... And who might this gentleman be, sweetheart? I'm curious," he pressed.

With an air of indifference, she slowly pointed in his direction, causing him visible discomfort.

Shit. 

Shanks and the entire crew turned their attention to him. Shanks's eyes widened, and after several moments of silence, the room erupted in laughter once more.

Despite knowing Shanks well enough to understand that his actions were not intended to ridicule him, he couldn't help but feel exposed and irked by the situation. 

"Well, let's all raise a glass to our first mate!" Shanks declared, breaking the tension. "MAY HE BE LUCKY!".

"HEAR, HEAR!" echoed throughout the room as everyone raised their glasses, some of them whistling.

The captain turned once more to the woman, leaning in to whisper something in her ear. Then, with a broad grin, he directed his attention back to Beckman, raising his fist with his thumb pointed upward and offering a clumsy wink. And with that, he rejoined the men, who erupted into cheers.

Beckman pinched the bridge of his nose. As a man who valued the discretion of his affairs, he couldn't shake off the sense of shame engulfing him.

Perhaps he should go and offer an apology on behalf of his captain, then simply leave her be. That would be a good idea... so he did just that, approaching her table and pulling up a chair to sit beside her.

Drawing nearer, he couldn't resist stealing a better look at her. Her lips and delicate complexion caught his attention. His gaze inevitably wandered to her curves, wondering what it would be like to lose himself between those thighs. His thoughts took an improper turn, thoughts that he knew would trouble his sleep that night. Shaking off them, he reminded himself of his purpose: a simple apology. But before he could utter a word, she spoke nonchalantly.

"You never give up, do you?"

A tough one. Attractive and pretending to be out of reach, a good combination.

He left the chair on the floor and kept a calm smile.

"Doll, I just wanted to apologize for-"

"Doll?" She raised her eyes, interrupting him. "Fuck off, you drunkard. I hate pirates, you are all scum".

His smile faltered as her words caught him off guard.

"For someone who despises pirates, you speak like one, woman," he said, and glancing at the four empty glasses on the table he added. "And drink like one too..."

She shot him a lethal glare, and he raised his hands in surrender. "A’right, a’right, I'll leave you be."

Disappointed, he made his way back to his table. He was taking his seat when he spotted a group of men entering the tavern, armed and wearing expressions of menace. Their faces twisted into grimaces that spoke of hostility and a readiness for conflict and it appeared that they outnumbered their own group.

Not good.

They advanced through the crowd, shoving people roughly, taunting them, snatching their glasses and draining them defiantly in front of their angry stares. Tension hung thick in the air... and it reached a breaking point when one of them seized a chair, hoisted it into the air, and without giving anyone a chance to react, brought it crashing down onto Yassop's back. He cried out in pain and cursed.

"What's wrong with ya, ya scurvy dog?!"

Fuck.

The atmosphere grew heavier with tension, fists tightening, jaws clenching, and guns aimed at one another. Beckman instinctively reached for his rifle, drawing it from his sash. 

"Beck? You still with us?" Shanks called him out, staying calm.

"Right 'ere".

“Please, no slaughter!" shouted the tavern owner.

Briefly, Beckman’s thoughts drifted to the lady, now frightened and huddled against the wall with her eyes fixed on the distant exit door, unattainable and out of reach. She was trapped. With long strides, he placed himself between the crowd and her, a protective barrier.

"Stay behind me”.

Damn, if she wasn't even willing to talk to him before, she surely would never want to see him again after what she was going to witness.

As one of the pirates moved toward him with a knife in one hand and a broken bottle in the other, intent on attacking, Beckman plucked the cigarette from his mouth with two fingers and flicked it toward one of his eyes. The ashes danced through the air with a spark before landing on their target. 

“Don’t get cocky”.

And then chaos erupted.

*** *** ***

Back to the present, his mind wandered back to the same question that haunted him every time he saw you. What if he quitted everything and chose to stay with you? Didn't he deserve some happiness? He liked his life at sea but missed you terribly. And the baby, she surely needed him; as her father, it was his duty to raise her. But would you want that too? After all, you chose your path, and he, his…

Did you even need him? Perhaps not... he knew you managed perfectly well on your own. However, the red-haired one did need him and maybe that was the main reason he wouldn't bring himself to stay. No, for now, he couldn't stay, and both of you knew that, despite the yearning you held for each other.

Maybe one day... in the future... he could sort things out, he could even ask you to be officially his wife -would you accept?-, and build a home for your family, far from the dangers that came with a price on your head.

He rose from his seat and carefully placed the baby in a cradle that had been placed in the living room. Then, he made his way to the furthest window of the room, opened it to prevent bothering the baby with smoke, and retrieved a match and a cigarette. With practiced ease, he lit it and took a drag, inhaling deeply as he stared out of the window.

You opened your eyes, taking a few seconds to focus your gaze until you saw him. His unexpected presence caught you off guard.

A smile spread across your lips as you admired the sight: his broad shoulders outlined against the light, the curve of his neck, the way his now slightly gray hair was tied back in a ponytail... Throughout the years, he had continued to dress simply, wearing a black shirt and a yellow sash in which he usually kept a weapon. A tough and threatening appearance concealing a kind heart and a good man.

Relishing in the moment, you continued to observe him as memories of the day you first met flooded back. What a disaster it had been.

*** *** ***

You were enduring a dreadful day. 

You had poured an entire year working very hard to open a bookstore, spending all your savings and efforts on finding a location, negotiating prices with suppliers, and advertising to make yourself known in the town. It was months of hard work and effort and it had only been a week since you opened. While business could have been better, you were not doing badly.

But that morning all your dreams were dashed, a group of pirates stormed into the town and set fire to several shops just for fun. From your bookstore, you could only save one copy, the one you happened to have in your bag at that moment. 

You HATED pirates.

Seeking solace, you went to the tavern to have a drink and give your brain a break. You were overthinking too much about your future and were exhausted and moody. You wanted to be alone, so you didn't doll up—no makeup, no provocative dress, nothing—to keep idiots away from you.

As you sat there, already on your third pint of black beer, a group of pirates swaggered into the tavern.

That's all I needed... A bunch of brutes... And they're already drunk? Not surprised. 

You considered leaving the tavern, but no, you weren't going to be driven out by a bunch of thugs. You just wanted to relax a bit, and those drunkards didn't seem like a real threat. You thought that if you pretended to read the book you managed to save from the fire, no one would try to approach you, so you seized it and set it on the table.

Until now, with the rush, you hadn't had a chance to inspect it. Flipping it over, you were met with a cover depicting a suggestive scene—a blonde-haired woman in a purple dress, her knee on the lap of a sun-bronzed, bare-chested man, unmistakably a pirate, while lavender-hued letters announced:

'How to Seduce Pirates, Part 2 (Take Him to Bed)"

A flush crept up your cheeks.

Seriously? Out of an arsenal of nearly 3000 books, I could only save this one? 

Surely, it wasn't the kind of book you'd want to find yourself reading in a setting like this… but there was no other choice.

The atmosphere crackled chaotic, a symphony of raucous voices and clinking glasses filling the air. Men, their movements awkward and uncoordinated, swayed to the music, their off-key singing punctuated by the sharp sound of breaking glass. 'Drink! Drink! Drink!' they chanted, their voices rising above the chaos.

Amidst the tumult, maintaining the pretense of reading became an arduous task. You sighed deeply, the book in your hands a shield against the uproar. Not even five minutes had passed when the barman addressed you.

"Here you have, ma'am," you glanced up at the boy, noticing him set a beer on your table and gesture towards the man who had ordered it: a pirate, of course. A tall one, with black hair tied back in a ponytail. He smiled kindly at you, lifting his drink.

You really weren't in the mood.

What an arrogant prick, how dare he disturb me like that? I'm not even going to thank him...

You snorted and redirected your attention back to the book. But glancing at the pages, your mind tricked you and started conjuring up images of the man.

Alright, he's attractive, I'll give him that. With that black t-shirt barely covering his chest. 

That chest...

Maybe I'm being stubborn and could just talk with him... that might help me forget my problems... even if just for the night… I could rip off his sash in one pull and see what's underneath...

NO. 

He's a pirate. 

Absolutely not. No way. Never.

You were lost in your thoughts when a red-haired man with a big smile stumbled over to your table. With a clumsy movement, he extended his hand and addressed you.

"Evenin’, sweetheart. I've come to rescue you from the clutches of boredom that book must be inflicting upon you. Care to dance?"

How? And why? Can't they leave me alone? 

"Get lost" was the best reply you could muster. 

The man put on a little show to make his friends laugh.

“Bad luck, cap’n!!” one man shouted. 

Turning back to you, he remarked, "Well, I'll take that as a no, then. What are you drinking? Want another?".

"No, thank you" you replied firmly, and to further encourage him to depart, you added, "I've already been offered a beer by another man".

"Oh? Is that so? I must be late then... And who might this gentleman be, sweetheart? I'm curious," he pressed. 

Oh, that black-haired man was going to regret bothering you. With an air of indifference, you slowly pointed in his direction and watched as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. The lines of expression beneath his eyes grew deeper and against your will, you thought he was really cute like that. 

The red-haired man and the entire crew turned their attention to the uncomfortable man and after several moments of silence, the room erupted in laughter once more.

"Well, let's all raise a glass to our first mate!" 

Ah, the first mate.

"MAY HE BE LUCKY!"

He won't be, not with me, anyway. 

"HEAR, HEAR!" echoed throughout the room as everyone raised their glasses whistling.

"He is a good man, sweetheart, don't be scared of him," the man whispered in your ear before leaving with his friends, who greeted him. You were a bit shocked and didn't know why, but you sensed that that drunkard meant no harm.

Well, you sighed, not like I am changing my mind. Having already chased away two of them, I'm sure I can continue drinking in solitude. 

But you were mistaken, because two minutes later you felt a presence scanning your body.

The first mate. 

With a chair in his hand and a cigarette in his mouth, a strand of hair falling over his face.

Oh, for god’s sake…

"You never give up, do you?" you threw at him without taking your eyes off the book. For a moment, you felt him hesitate.

"Doll, I just wanted to apologize for-" 

"Doll?" You thought he was mocking you and you exploded, a surge of hatred resurfacing in you. You had tried today to go unnoticed and failed miserably. The memory of your ravaged bookstore brought tears to your eyes, yet you fought to restrain them. And moreover, you felt guilty for being drawn to this man. All you wanted was to distance yourself from him and continue drinking alone.

You did direct your gaze upward, very much upward, honestly, how tall is he? to look at him.

"Fuck off, you drunkard. I hate pirates, you are all scum".

You flinched at your own words and regretted them immediately. Too harsh, even if you wouldn't take them back now.

"For someone who despises pirates, you speak like one, woman" he said, glancing at the four empty glasses on the table he added. "And drink like one too...".

Fair point.

You gave him a deadly look and he raised his hands, defeated. "A’right, a’right, I'll leave you be”.

He turned away and walked off from you, while you stood there wondering if you had been too harsh. Your thoughts were interrupted as you spotted a group of men entering the tavern.

Great, more pirates, you thought, all the same crew, you supposed.

They were armed and wore expressions of menace, appearing unfriendly and eager for conflict. 

They advanced through the crowd, shoving people roughly, taunting them, snatching their glasses and draining them defiantly in front of their angry stares. Tension hung thick in the air... definitely they were not the same crew.

In a moment of escalation, one of them seized a chair, lifting it high into the air. Without a moment for anyone to intervene, it came crashing down onto the back of another man. His cry of pain mingled with curses as he writhed in agony.

"What's wrong with ya, ya scurvy dog?!"

The tension in the air thickened, fists clenched, jaws tightened, and guns leveled at each other. 

You stood up, visibly worried about your safety. Your eyes flickered to the exit door, tucked away in the opposite corner of the room and blocked by the crowd of pirates. It was going to be impossible for you to escape from that place. Where could you possibly go, or hide? 

"Beck? You still with us?"

Beck.

"Right ’ere," he answered.

“Please, no slaughter!”

In that moment, you caught sight of the first mate, holding a rifle in one hand and a cigarette still dangling from his mouth, moving toward you as though he intended to shield you.

"Stay behind me," he said over his shoulder.

Damn, minutes before, you didn't even want to talk to him, and now you just wanted to see him again.

As a pirate moved toward you, intent on attacking, the man protecting you plucked the cigarette from his mouth with two fingers and flicked it toward one of the pirates' eyes. The ashes danced through the air with a spark before landing on their target. 

“Don’t get cocky”.

And then, the hell started.

*** *** ***

Alright, enough with the nostalgia, you thought, bringing your focus back to the present moment.

Restraining your urge to run towards him and jump into his arms, you pondered over what would be the most fitting greeting for him.

"Benn Beckman, you have balls to smoke near the baby in front of me," you decided to say to him, your arms crossed.

He turned towards you immediately, initially taken aback by your confrontational tone, but relaxed when he saw your face. Leaning his elbows on the windowsill, his eyes locked onto yours as he raised the cigarette to his lips and took a defiant puff.

"Well then, c’mere and try to take it from me".

You stood and approached him, attempting to maintain a serious expression. Raising your right hand, you tried to pluck it from his lips, but he was quicker, lifting it with his hand out of your reach. You huffed in frustration, grabbing his shirt and pushing him down pretending to go kiss him. He smelled like a mixture of tobacco, salt, seawater, and damp wood. As he leaned down to kiss you, you seized the opportunity to snatch the cigarette from his fingers just as your lips were about to meet.

With your prize secured, you dashed away down the hallway chuckling at his puzzled expression. He pursued you immediately, his steps echoing in the hallway as he closed the distance. Before you realize, strong arms enveloped you, lifting you by the hips effortlessly.

“Gotcha”.

Turning you gracefully in mid-air, he spun you around to face him. You giggled as you encircled his waist with your legs and clasped onto his shoulders, steadying yourself.

“I think you have something that belongs to me,” he said with a raspy voice.

You raised your hand, the cigarette poised between your fingers, teasingly moistening your lips with the tip of your tongue. 

“Do you mean this?” 

With deliberate allure, you took a drag before exhaling the smoke slowly, your eyes locked onto his.

“No, this,” with a hunger born of desire, he pulled you into a deep, passionate kiss.

You released the cigarette from your grasp, allowing it to fall to the floor. Without hesitation, he swiftly brought his foot down upon it, extinguishing the ember with a resolute stomp.

He swept you into the kitchen, his lips still crashing into yours, before carefully seating you on the cool surface of the dining table. With your eyes shut, you remained oblivious to where you were until the chill of the table beneath your thighs prompted you to open them and take in your surroundings. You barely had a second to look around before you felt Beckman’s fingers touch your chin, drawing your mouth back to his again.

You tilted your head, deepening the kiss, and heard him growl softly. You smiled at this, your hands tracing the contours of his back until they grazed the yellow fabric cinched around his waist.

All the while he devoured your lips, you began untying the sash, a task that with practice, you had learned to do quickly. The moment it came undone, it slipped from his waist and dropped to the floor. Then, pressing your hand against his chest, you broke the kiss, your lips parting to catch your breath.

"How much time?,” you asked.

"Two days”.

"Okay," you replied without complaint or further inquiry. Both of you knew that arguing about it would only cause pain and frustration, as there was nothing that could be done. 

Slipping his hands beneath your shirt, he began to caress the skin of your stomach, his fingertips sending shivers down your spine. "Enough time to put another child in this beautiful belly”.

You huffed and tried in vain to shove him off. “Don't you dare, Benn Beckman”. He chuckled and started kissing your jaw, leaving a trail of kisses on your neck, and you thought you heard him mumble we’ll see against your skin.

He pushed your legs slowly, spreading them to make room for your bodies to embrace. When they reached the limit, his hands moved to your small back and he pulled you firmly towards him. You gasped at the resolute movement.

“C’mere”.

A stray lock of hair escaping from his ponytail tickled your face, and with the tip of your fingers, you attempted to tuck it behind his ear, only for it to promptly slip out again.

"Where is the boy?" He asked between kisses, unable to separate his lips from yours or his hands from your back.

"Out. Playing with some friends," you managed to say.

"Mmh,” he adjusted his position to center his body with yours, his legs firm against the dining table. “One day I must teach him to fire a gun,” he mumbled.

"He is… only four… years old, Beck”

“Mmmh,” he murmured absentmindedly, his attention focused on the task of urging your body to recline upon the table's surface. You surrendered to his gentle push, letting him guide you until you were lying on your back, utterly exposed to him. 

He took a moment to observe you, his gaze lingering on your swollen lips and your chest panting beneath him. You were a sight to behold.

“Fuck, look at you... you’re beautiful…”

His fingers lifted the edge of your skirt and tenderly traced the curve of your thigh, from knee to hip. A warmth began to spread wildly through your lower body as he kissed your neckline, unbuttoning your shirt impatiently at the same time. You raised your legs, wrapping them around his waist with a firmness that conveyed your desire to pull him closer, molding his body against yours in an embrace of longing and urgency.

“Beautiful and all mine…”

Your back arched instinctively, a silent expression of anticipation coursing through your body. He used this movement to slide his hands under your back, lifting and drawing your body even closer against his.

“Bed? Beck…” 

“No time,” he managed to say.

He devoured you hungrily, his hands looking for the buckle of his belt in a desperate attempt to free himself. Your breaths quickened in unison, your bodies attempting to meld together…

"HI MOM! I’M AT HOME!"

His movements halted abruptly at the sound of a joyful four-year-old entering the house.

Fuck

With a swift motion, you disentangled yourself from his embrace, hurriedly smoothing down your disheveled clothes and tousled hair.

“I’ll take care of you later," he whispered, pressing his forehead against yours. A promise he’d better fulfill.

--------------

You had sex all night. 

It was an intense session in which your bodies sought each other, embracing and clutching in a dance that lasted until dusk, aiming to reclaim all the pleasure you had yearned for those last months.

Striving to keep both of you hushed, for fear of waking up the kids, he did his best to swallow your moans and stifle his own grunts against your neck, relieving tension in silence.

He whispered praises ranged from the utmost devotion to the dirtiest and most obscene terms, and performed the sweetest and most affectionate caresses intertwined with the most brutal and energetic thrusts.

Every time you reached a peak, with hearts fluttering in unison in your chests, a simple glance, word, or touch reignited a flame that took you all night to quench.

In the soft morning glow, as the sun ascended, you lay in bed, your body exhausted and sore. Your head nestled against his chest, feeling the comforting warmth radiating from his body. He stared at the ceiling, clearly lost in thought, something heavy weighing on his mind.

"Darlin’," he broke the silence. 

"Mmh?"

You lifted your head to look him in the eyes, quietly awaiting his words.

For a moment that seemed like an eternity, he hesitated.

"... you know I'd never smoke right next to the baby, right?"

So, that's what it was.

You couldn't help but smile.

Finding comfort in the moment, you nestled your face against his chest once more, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath your cheek.

"I know, Beck," you murmured softly, your fingertips gently caressing his scarred temple. "I love you."

-------------

Taglist: @i-am-vita @fanaticsnail @gingernut1314 @lourvedreams @atinymonbebestay @ici-spicy @firefistussy

[moonydustx]

Silent treatment

info: pretty self-explanatory I think. Law and reader have a pre-established relationship. I believe I'll soon post a version of Zoro too (it was supposed to be today, but I don't really believe in my ability to review more than one content per day)

pairing: Law x reader

Crossing my fingers and promising to stop writing only about Law

It was nothing new, far from it.

When you started living with Law years ago, you knew that he could occasionally be a little cold. Of course, within the crew itself, during the many days and nights spent underwater, he became a more communicative and accessible person - but sometimes not. That didn't bother you, not at all. At least not until the relationship between subordinate and captain turned into a relationship between two lovers.

He wasn't the clingiest person in the world, and neither were you, but he was still present. Stolen touches during the day, you leaning against his body while you drank with others. All of this was almost trivial to those who saw it and for you, everything was fine. The relationship between the two of you was constantly improving, except for one small fact: communication.

Now, the periods when Law was absent seemed to bother you even more than before and even with some indirect messages from you, he didn't seem to understand (or at least didn't care).

"Law, did you see that book I lent you?" You entered his small office. The brunette was buried in his own notes, lost enough in them to not look in your direction.

"I don't remember, love. Maybe on the bedside table?" He mumbled, distracted.

"No." You limited yourself to answering, hoping that maybe he would give you more hints. "Law!?"

"Hm?"

"Forget it."

You tried not to sound angry. That wasn't even the best word to describe your situation, maybe frustrated would work better.

When you returned to your room, you began to list the pros and cons of all this. Of course, the list of pros was immensely longer when it came to Law, but these lapses of attention still bothered you. An unhealthy idea crossed your mind.

First, you rethought everything you did and excluded part of the things you shared - lunch hours together, possible visits to him during the afternoon and anything else that could make you give in. Now all you had to do was avoid opening your mouth when you were in the same room and wait to see if you would succeed.

The first thing Law noticed was your disappearance. Okay, you were definitely mad that he had lost one of your books, and you were absolutely right. Maybe the fact that you hadn't gone to visit him was because you had found the book and were immersed in reading it.

The second thing was your absence during dinner, and that set off a red alert in his mind. Your absence wasn't physical, which only made the man's situation worse. Before he sat down at the table, your voice echoed about some subject he couldn't quite make out. All he had to do was show up and for the rest of the hour he stayed there, he only heard the sound of the cutlery against your plate.

The third thing was your absence from his bed. Okay, you didn't sleep together every night, but at least you took a few minutes for yourselves before going to sleep, even if it was just to cuddle for a bit. Tired of turning over in bed, dazed by the discomfort, he hurriedly walked to the door of your shared room with the only other female companion, who was the one who answered him.

"Hello, captain!" Ikkaku's mood was suspicious to him, but Law could wait to understand that later. "I think the one you're looking for is a little busy." She opened the door a crack, revealing your sleeping figure.

"Has she been here for a while?"

"Yes, sir. What happened, trouble in paradise?"

"Nothing much." He tried to avoid the subject with a weak smile. "Have a good night."

From then on, it was six days. Six days of pure torture for the captain of the heart pirates. You had entered radio silence mode. Every "good morning" or "can we talk?" was ignored. Law even tried to bring up one of your favorite singers and saw you remain silent. He couldn't understand why. He was going to go crazy, that was the only certainty he had at that moment.

The seventh day was the limit. Dark circles were forming on his face - and he could clearly see them on your face. His mood was unbearable, in addition to the atmosphere between everyone when you were present. Everyone already knew that there was indeed trouble in paradise.

You and Ikkaku were packing up the clean clothes that had arrived when you didn't notice him signaling to your partner to leave you alone.

"I think these clothes are enough for me to take. What do you think?" Your shock was evident when you saw your boyfriend there. Instead of answering, you turned your back and went back to rummaging through a small bag, putting the folded clothes in it.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Law's defeated tone of voice broke your heart, but you still tried to resist a little. "You're not leaving, are you? I know I messed up by losing your things, but please, please let's talk."

"That's the problem, Law." Even though your tone wasn't the most gentle of all, the man was washed with relief upon hearing your voice. "You don't

talk to me, don't pay attention to me."

"What do you mean?"

"You know that book I asked for? You didn't even look at my face to answer and then I found it there, on your desk. The other day you didn't hear me repeat the same thing more than three times." You blurted out, seeing that his gaze wasn't just on you but was going towards the bag on your bed.

"And you're leaving me because of this?"

And there was the sound he loved, even if the reason wasn't clear to him yet. With a light laugh you approached him and didn't hesitate to touch his face, turning his attentive gaze in your direction.

"Yes, I was upset about the situation, yes, I purposely gave you the silent treatment, but no, I would never leave you for something so trivial."

His eyes closed along with a relieved sigh that escaped his lips. Understanding that your closeness was an authorization, he intertwined his arms around your waist, ending any distance the two of you had.

"Can you forgive me? Sometimes I can't help but get lost in my own tasks and you've always been my lifeline, pulling me out of it." He explained, letting his fingers glide over your skin. "I think I took you for granted and I promise not to do that anymore. And if I do, please let me know, hit me, dunk me in seawater. Just please don't walk away from me, don't go without talking to me."

"I promise and I'm sorry for acting like this."

His lips captured yours quickly. Almost as a way of sealing the little promise between the two of you. However, you saw his eyes drift towards the suitcases.

"Promise you're not leaving me?"

"Oh babe." You laughed once more at his desolate expression. "These are some clothes I want to donate. Some of them don't fit me anymore, I really need some new things too, so I decided to clear the space."

"So that's it. You go, get rid of these clothes and then we'll go buy everything you need. And I want to hear everything you've done this week."

[novemberhope]

Summary: Zoro has a new friend. Neri deals with jealousy. Will they finally admit that there’s something between them?

Notes: This took me ages……… writing is not my thing these days. I had to add Star since by now there are two more OCs, one of them a Strawhat who deserves her first appearance in a short fic. As for Rhy, she’s not an OC, just a made-up character with the sole purpose to have the relationship between Neri and Zoro finally progress.

Word Count: 3399

Niara looked around the ship, a frown forming on her face. “Where’s Neri?” she wondered aloud.

Usually, Neri would be lounging beside Zoro, but today, only Zoro and the new girl, Ry, occupied their usual spot. They had rescued Ry on the last island, and now they were on their way to her homeland. Niara couldn’t help but notice how much Zoro seemed to enjoy Ry’s company. They spent all day long training and sharing stories about swords.

“Probably escaping all the sword talk,” Nami said, her eyes scanning the horizon. “There’s an island ahead. We should stop and stock up on supplies. And of course, I want to shop!”

“Me too!” Niara exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over. “We should all go together and leave the guys to handle the supplies. Robin, Star, are you coming?”

Robin glanced up from her book, a slight smile on her lips. “Sounds fun.”

“Yeah, totally!” Star agreed, looking up from the letter she was writing to her grandfather. “You should ask Neri if she wants to join us. Let’s make it a girl’s day, y’all!”

Nami nodded as she headed off to inform the guys, while Niara descended to search for Neri. She thought it odd that Neri would be in the girl’s cabin at this hour. To her surprise, Neri was tucked under the blankets, hiding away.

“Neri, are you sick? Should I get Chopper?” Niara asked, her concern deepening. This wasn’t like Neri; she was always bright and cheerful, enjoying the company of her friends.

“I’m not sick,” Neri replied softly, her voice muffled by the covers. “I just… don’t feel like getting up today.”

“Nami, Robin, Star and I are going shopping,” Niara continued. “There’s an island ahead, and I think you’ll enjoy it. Come on, Neri. You always enjoy exploring new islands.”

To her dismay, Neri shook her head. “No… I’m really sorry, Niara. I think I’ll sit this one out.”

“Okay…” Niara’s worry showed as she returned upstairs to find Nami.

“I think there’s something wrong with Neri,” she said, relaying what had just happened in the cabin. “That’s not like her at all. She’s usually so happy and finds joy in everything. She never stays in bed and I've never seen her sick either.”

“Yeah…” Nami sighed, her expression shifting. “I think this has something to do with Zoro being… well, an idiot.”

“Right. He’s been spending a lot of time with Ry,” Niara agreed. “But it’s not as if Neri and Zoro have deep conversations. She mostly just watches him train and keeps him company.”

“I think it worked for them until now…,” Nami said, casting a glance toward Zoro and Ry, who were talking to each other while sitting in the spot Neri and Zoro usually occupied.

“But Ry will be leaving soon,” Niara replied. "I doubt Neri has anything to worry about.”

“Maybe it’s just that she sees how much Zoro enjoys being around Ry and compares herself to her,” Nami suggested. “Those two are completely different people. Personally, I don't understand how they get along so well. Zoro has been focusing so much on another person lately… it has to affect Neri in some way.”

“I just wish she would come with us to the island,” Niara said with a sigh. “It would really take her mind off things. Doesn’t Zoro realize that something’s off?”

“No, because he’s clueless about these kind of things,” Nami said with a hint of frustration. “He only has swords on his mind. It’s a good thing Ry will leave soon; otherwise, I’d have to give him a piece of my mind!”

When the Thousand Sunny docked at the island, Niara and Nami once more tried to convince Neri to join them, but she still wouldn't leave her bed. Reluctantly, the two of them, along with Robin and Star, left the ship to explore the shops and do a bit of sightseeing, while Zoro prepared to keep an eye on the ship.

“You all go,” he said. “I’ll keep watch."

“Sounds good,” Jinbei replied, moving to check in with the rest of the crew about what to buy and who would go get which supplies.

“Don’t expect us back anytime soon. This looks like a big town,” Robin added.

“Y’all, we’re gonna have so much fun!” Star grinned, wrapping her arm around Nami’s waist. She looked pretty excited. Although she didn’t like big cities that much, if they only went there for a day or two, she was always ready for the adventure and excitement of discovering a new place.

“Yeah, sure, whatever,” Zoro said without much thought. Then he paused, looking around. “Isn’t Neri with you?”

“Nope,” Star replied, trying to get Nami to hurry up.

“Didn’t see her at all today,” Zoro said.

“So, you noticed?” Nami raised an eyebrow.

“Of course I noticed,” Zoro said, rolling his eyes.

“And you didn’t think to wonder why she’s not in her usual spot?”

“What, you mean sitting next to me? She’s probably tired of all the sword talk,” Zoro shrugged, dismissing the concern.

“Yeah, right…,” Nami replied, unimpressed. “If she was really tired of hearing about swords, she wouldn’t sit beside you every day or spend hours watching you train.”

“But…”

“Use your brain, Zoro,” Nami snapped.

Zoro scowled, but Nami turned away, leaving him to wonder as she and Star left the ship together to meet up with Niara and Robin who were already waiting for them on land. He glanced at Ry.

“Didn’t you want to go with them?” he asked.

“Not really,” Ry replied, stretching lightly. “We’ll be at my home island soon enough. I’d rather have another training session with you. It's not every day I get to train that much. I want to make the most out of it.”

“Yeah… just give me a moment. I need to check something.”

Zoro’s thoughts wandered back to Neri. She was happy and lively, always finding joy in the smallest of things. He now realized he hadn't seen Neri's bright smile all day. An uneasy feeling settled in. It didn't sit right with him that Neri, who usually was always so eager to check out new islands and see new places, would not accompany the others. He had noticed that Neri didn't join him and Ry during the last few days but had just thought that perhaps they had talked about sword fighting techniques a little bit too much.

“Hey, I’ll catch up with you later,” he told Ry, half-heartedly focusing back on her. He headed downstairs with determination. He needed to talk to Neri, to find out what was bothering her.

“Where is she?” Zoro muttered to himself as he marched down the stairs. When he couldn't find Neri anywhere, he knocked at the door of the girls' cabin. When Neri opened it, he felt a twist in his stomach.

Her usual long hair was a tangled mess, and she wore an oversized shirt that hung off her small frame. Usually her long hair was carefully braided, she wore pretty dresses and always had a certain glow around her that seemed to have something to do with her mermaid form. When she was in the water, her scales seemed to shimmer as well. He had been told that a betta fish's color had something to do with their mood. Neri usually was positive and happy, which was reflected in her looks. But now even her hair, falling loose down her back, seemed to be of a dull, muddy brown color and she looked like she had just crawled out of bed. But at least she smiled when she saw him.

“Hey,” he said. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she replied, too quickly. Zoro could see through her words—it was a lie.

“Why don’t you come on deck? I’ve missed you,” he suggested. “Wanna watch me train? Or perhaps you want to get some training in?”

As she opened her mouth to respond, Ry’s voice echoed down the hall. “Zoro, I’m ready to train if you are!”

Neri’s face changed instantly. Her pretty smile was gone. “Actually, I don’t feel so good,” she said, turning her gaze away from him.

Zoro looked between Neri and Ry, trying to understand. Was Ry the issue? She wasn’t a permanent member of their crew; they had rescued her and were helping her return home. He really enjoyed their training sessions together. As far as he knew, Neri and Ry had barely interacted. Usually when he and Ry talked about their favorite pasttime, Neri had just listened without adding much herself to the conversation. But that wasn’t completely unusual since Neri tended to take her time to warm up to strangers and trust them.

“Are you coming or what?” Ry called again, impatiently.

“Never mind,” Neri interrupted, brushing past Zoro. “I’ll go for a swim.”

This was so out of character for Neri. She typically only went into the ocean when it was safe. She hadn't gone for a swim at all ever since Ry had joined them on the ship. And she usually never went into the water near foreign islands they didn't know much about.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Zoro called after her, but she didn’t reply.

“Why shouldn’t she?” Ry said. “The water looks lovely.”

“Just… reasons,” Zoro murmured, frustrated. He needed to figure this out. Without another thought, he sprinted after her.

By the time he reached the edge of the ship, Neri had already dove into the water. He barely caught the splash, his heart sinking. Where had she gone? He peered over the railing. She was nowhere to be seen.

Taking a deep breath, Zoro steeled himself and jumped into the ocean as well. He didn’t land with Neri’s grace; instead, he plunged straight down, darkness closing around him. When he surfaced, he quickly scanned the water.

Just when he felt his heart drop, he spotted her. Neri was a few feet away, her scales muted and dull, and her expression bewildered, just like his.

"Why did you jump in?" she asked, sounding confused.

“I should be asking you that!" he replied. "You're usually more careful."

“I just... I guess I needed to be in the ocean,” she admitted, her lips trembling slightly.

“There’s something on your mind, isn't there?” he pressed. “I haven’t seen much of you lately, and honestly, I miss you.”

Those words came out before he could stop himself, but they were true.

“Well, it’s clear you’re in good company,” Neri said softly, keeping a distance between them. Despite being in the ocean together, he felt like they were worlds apart.

“Don’t give me that,” Zoro replied curtly. “You usually don’t behave around people you care about like you do with Ry. Don’t you like her?”

“Of course, I do,” Neri replied defensively. "What's not to like? She's extremely pretty and a great swordswoman."

Zoro narrowed his eyes at her. “I’ve seen how you reacted to her just now. You’re not fooling me.”

Neri sighed, her shoulders slumping. “You two are busy with each other. I’m not good at sword fighting, and I don’t want to get in the way. You should take advantage of her skills while you can.”

His mind raced. Was Neri jealous? “Look, training with Ry is great, but you and I can still hang out together," he insisted.

A flicker of something passed over Neri’s face, but she quickly masked it. “If it makes you happy, Zoro, you should train with her.”

No. That wasn’t what he was after. “I don’t care about that right now. You’re unhappy, and all I want is for you to smile again.”

Neri met his gaze. “But I...”

“You think I’m going to let this go?” Zoro cut her off, swimming closer. “Just tell me what’s bothering you.”

Neri hesitated. With a deep breath, she floated closer, until the space between them was filled with the salty ocean air and unspoken words.

“Zoro, I…” she began, but before she could continue, he reached out, wrapping his hand around hers gently. Then she paused. Her long hair floated around her, trailing like underwater tendrils.

“Just go and do your training,” she said softly. “I’m going to take a dive.”

With those words, she submerged beneath the waves, but the moment Zoro saw her slip away, he lunged forward, instinctively grabbing her wrist.  If she took a dive, she could go all the way down to the bottom of the ocean and would not resurface for quite a while.

Surprised by his grip, she surfaced again, water glistening on her cheeks. They were nearly face-to-face now.

“Seriously, what are you doing?” he asked, frowning. "You can’t just dive into the ocean. We're close to an island. Someone might see you going down and not coming up again."

She let out a heavy sigh. “I just need a moment…”

“I’m an idiot,” he said suddenly. “I shouldn’t have spent so much time with Ry lately. And I shouldn’t have sat with her in our spot.”

“It’s fine,” Neri insisted. “She’s a guest on our ship. She can sit anywhere she wants.”

Zoro sighed deeply, feeling a knot tighten in his chest. Why couldn’t Neri just say what was bothering her? If there was an argument brewing, let’s get it over with, he thought.

“If it’s fine, then maybe I’ll just go train with her all the time,” he challenged playfully, watching her reaction carefully.

Neri paused, the tension hanging between them. “It is fine, Zoro. It’s just… I’ve been watching you with Ry. You two have this amazing bond. She’s so skilled with her sword, so confident. I’ve never felt that way.”

He rolled his eyes in disbelief. “You’re not comparing swordfighting skills; you’re comparing yourself to her.”

“Maybe I am,” Neri replied, looking away. “But I feel like I’m in the way. You and Ry are so in sync; I never wanted to impose. There are so many things you can share with her that I know nothing about.”

“Impose? Is that really what you think?”

“I feel…” She hesitated, searching for the right words. “I feel like I’m losing you. To her. And that hurts.”

“Losing me?” Zoro echoed, taken aback. “Neri, I’ve missed you. Sure, it is nice to have someone to train with, but I never wanted you to think I don’t want you around. You see the best in me. You’re the one always cheering me on.”

A small laugh escaped her, the tension easing slightly. “You can’t be serious. She brings so much more to your training.”

“Maybe, you sitting up there in crow's nest, watching my every move, maybe that means more to me than any lesson from her,” he countered.

“I love watching you move with your swords, I find it beautiful and fascinating, yes, but I can’t offer you anything valuable,” she said, looking away again.

“Can’t you?” Zoro asked. “You keep your faith in me, and that reminder of why I fight is worth more than you know.”

“To protect Luffy, the future pirate king,” she insisted.

“Luffy, and the rest of our crew. That includes you,” he said.

Her smile returned. “Thank you for saying that. I guess I didn’t want to be forgotten…”

“Hey,” he said gently, raising his hand to cup her face. “Ry will go home soon, but you? You’re irreplaceable.”

“Really?” Neri breathed, her wide eyes searching his.

“I'd always choose you," he replied. He loved their easy silence together, the calm in the storm in the sometimes quite loud and chaotic life aboard the Thousand Sunny. He admired her positive outlook on life, her dedication, and her heart.

“You do?” she whispered.

“Always have,” he said. His gaze dropped momentarily to her lips. What would it feel like to kiss her? The question lingered, no matter how much he tried to fight it.

“Zoro,” she murmured. “You make me feel… different.”

“Different how?” he pressed.

She drew closer, the warmth of the sun wrapping around them. For a short moment, nothing else around them mattered.

“Different in a good way,” she admitted. "And when I didn't have that any more during the last few days, I felt... sad."

Zoro's heart raced as he found himself leaning in closer. Was she saying what he thought she was saying? Did she even know what she was saying?

“You don't have to be sad,” he said, his voice softer now.

"I don't want to be," she said. "But these days, I felt like I'm just some mermaid who needs saving whenever we fight on land. Like I can't compare to someone with confidence and a shiny sword.”

Zoro looked at her. “Neri, I don’t mind if you need help during a battle on land. That’s what I’m here for. But also, I’ve seen you fight in the water countless times ever since we reunited at Sabaody. You’ve become incredibly strong and fast under water. You’re definitely someone I want by my side during battle.”

Neri’s breath hitched. “Do you really mean that?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Yeah,” Zoro replied. Before either of them knew it, he leaned in, brushing his lips against hers. It started softly, but soon evolved into something fierce, something wild like the ocean swirling around them.

Neri melted into the kiss, feeling a rush of emotions that took her by surprise. Zoro held her waist, drawing her nearer. The world faded away.

When they finally broke apart, breathless and a little dazed, Neri could only manage a quiet, “Wow.” Her long darkbrown hair was shiny again and from what he could make out beneath the waves, so were her scales.

Zoro took a moment to gather his thoughts. This had felt incredible. He had always trusted his instincts during battle, knowing when she needed protection, but this—this was different.

“Are you okay with this?” he asked, both curious and cautious. He needed to know if she felt the same way, especially since he wanted to kiss her again, and something within him felt less controlled than usual.

“I am,” Neri assured him, her voice steady. “I’m more than okay.” She reached out, her fingers grazing over Zoro’s forearm, feeling the strength beneath his skin. “But... won’t things change now? What if this affects our friendship?”

Zoro shrugged slightly. “It doesn’t have to change anything if you don’t want it to.”

The waves crashed around them but they barely noticed.

“You don’t really mind? Me not being your equal?” she asked.

“Well, I’m not your equal either. You can do things I can’t,” Zoro replied. “We don’t have to be equals in every way. We just have to have trust in each other, that's all.”

His words wrapped around her like a warm current, boosting her confidence. “I want your friendship,” she said earnestly, “but I also want... more than that.”

“Then we’ll figure out how to be more,” Zoro said, a rare smile appearing on his otherwise stoic face.

At that moment, a playful school of fish swam past them in shimmering colors. Neri gasped as bubbles swirled around, momentarily breaking their connection.

“Hey!” Zoro exclaimed, swatting at a fish that had dared to invade their moment. “I’m trying to have a moment here!”

Neri giggled, and a smile broke out on Zoro’s face in return. The air shifted between them, becoming lighter. With a mischievous flick of her tail, she splashed water at him.

“So, you want this to be an aquatic battlefield?” Zoro challenged.

“Let’s see if you can keep up,” Neri teased.

“Challenge accepted!” Zoro said and dove after her.

As they were having fun in the water, the world above faded. Eventually, both of them were panting, feeling exhilarated. Neri tucked a wet strand of hair behind her ear.

“This is beautiful,” she murmured as she looked at the man beside her.

“It is - you are,” Zoro agreed, his hand gently pushing another stray hair from her face. “There’s no one else I’d rather be next to in a fight than this crew, and there’s no one else I’d rather be with than you.”

Neri smiled wider than before. She took his hand, and he lifted her chin with the other, their eyes locking. When their lips met again, the kiss was sweet but held promises of a future for the two of them.

[sporadicthingcollection]

Y/N: Every time Luffy falls in the water, I jump in to fish him out

Y/N: Do they call me a life saver? No

Y/N: And every time Zoro gets lost, I go and bring him back

Y/N: Do they call me a people minder? No

Y/N: And every time Sanji makes dinner, I do dishes so there’s not a big mess after

Y/N: Do they call me a dishwasher? No

Y/N: But you fuck one clown