#STRAW HAT PIRATES

[mo-the-gremlin-dandelion]

Sabo is able to keep with up with D initial people, of course he is insane.

tw: suicide mention

Stupidest thing? ive ever made?

Maybe~

audio from here

[camembri]

zoro and sanji are sooooo into promises and oaths it's unbearable. dork ass losers probably exchanged vows before they even had their first kiss. imagine sitting at the Sunny's dining room table at 8am sharp and you hear stuff like "nobody else can kill you, I feel it in my bones, I will chase you to the edges of the earth to make sure of it" whole time they're arguing about who has to pass the salt to usopp. everyone else thinks they're banging but this is all a prelude to like holding hands or something.

[becertainlust]

doctor!law who always maintains his stoic professionalism with every patient—except when it comes to you. He insists it’s “just routine” that he visits you so frequently, ensuring your health is progressing as it should.

Morning rounds start with him pulling up a chair beside your bed, his amber eyes scanning your chart with precision. But even as his hands work with practiced ease, the way his thumb lingers on the edge of the clipboard suggests something more. His voice is low but gentle, asking how you slept, what you ate, and how you’re feeling, as though he’s committing every detail to memory.

At night, long after visiting hours have ended, his familiar silhouette appears in the doorway of your hospital room. He claims he’s just finishing his notes or double-checking the evening staff’s updates. Yet, somehow, he always ends up seated beside you, shoulders relaxing as you talk about your day. You notice the faint smirk tugging at his lips when you tease him about working too hard.

The truth is, Law tells himself he’s just being thorough. That it’s his job to ensure his patients feel cared for. But deep down, he knows no one else has ever drawn him in quite like you—no other voice has ever made him want to stay so desperately beyond his hours.

doctor!law who doesn’t do sentiment. At least, that’s what he claims, his sharp gaze and sharper tongue scaring off most patients from ever trying to get too familiar. But when it comes to you, it’s different—not that he’d ever admit it.

“You’ve been sitting around too much,” he says one afternoon, his voice cutting through the soft hum of your hospital room. “Come on.”

Before you can protest, he’s helping you to your feet with that infuriating air of calm authority. You don’t miss the way his hand lingers a moment longer than necessary, steadying you like he’s worried you might topple over.

“I didn’t ask for a walk,” you mutter as he leads you down the hall.

He doesn’t even look at you, his pace deliberate but not rushed. “And I didn’t ask for a stubborn patient, but here we are.”

The courtyard is quiet, bathed in golden afternoon light. Law doesn’t bother making small talk as you stroll—he’s never been one for unnecessary chatter. But his sharp eyes track every step you take, scanning you for even the slightest sign of discomfort.

“Stop pushing yourself,” he orders when you quicken your pace, his tone leaving no room for argument.

“You’re such a control freak,” you tease, trying to coax a reaction out of him.

His lips twitch, the faintest hint of amusement breaking through his usual scowl. “Someone has to keep you in line.”

Despite his gruff demeanor, there’s a strange comfort in his presence. He doesn’t fill the silence with platitudes or false cheer—he just is, his calm steadiness grounding you in a way nothing else can.

When the walk ends, and he’s escorting you back to your room, he slows, his voice softer now. “If you feel worse later, tell me. Don’t wait until morning rounds.”

“Do you always go this far for your patients?” you ask, half-joking.

He gives you a sidelong glance, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. “No,” he says simply. “I don’t.”

And just like that, he’s gone, leaving you wondering if you imagined the faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he walked away.

doctor!law who doesn’t entertain nonsense. That’s the image he maintains in the hospital’s halls and the workers’ lounge. The moment someone brings up the whispers about him and his favorite patient, he scoffs, eyes narrowing as if the very idea irritates him.

“Ridiculous,” he mutters, flipping a page in the medical journal he’s not really reading.

But when no one’s looking, his ears strain to catch the next part of the conversation.

“Did you see how he was walking with them in the courtyard yesterday? They looked so comfortable together,” one nurse says, voice filled with barely contained glee.

Another one chimes in, “Right? And the way he always stays late in their room? If that’s not a crush, I don’t know what is.”

Law’s fingers tighten around the edges of his book, his lips pressing into a thin line. Anyone watching would think he’s annoyed—but the faint flush creeping up his neck tells a different story.

“I’m sure they’re just being professional,” someone offers cautiously, only for another nurse to laugh. “Oh, please. That man has never gone out of his way for anyone like he does for them. He practically lives in their room.”

Law clears his throat loudly, snapping the room’s attention back to him. “If you have time to gossip, you have time to work,” he says, his tone sharp enough to cut through the air.

The nurses scatter, muttering apologies, and he goes back to pretending to read. But later, when he’s alone, he catches himself smirking faintly, replaying the words in his head.

He tells himself it’s absurd, that people are just reading too much into things. Yet, when he sees you later that evening and you joke about the “rumors,” he doesn’t deny them outright.

Instead, he leans against the doorframe of your room, arms crossed, a teasing glint in his amber eyes. “Apparently, I’m the topic of the day in the lounge. Care to explain why everyone thinks I’m obsessed with you?”

You raise a brow, smirking. “Maybe because you kind of are?”

He scoffs, though the tips of his ears turn red. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. If I’m here, it’s because you’re clearly a magnet for trouble. Someone has to keep you in check.”

But when he catches a glimpse of your smile and hears your laughter, he thinks, Maybe they’re not entirely wrong.

[clare-875]

Why Are You Crying? (Ace x Reader)

_____ Pairing: Ace x Female Reader Summary: Ace accidentally timeslips to the future, Post-Marinford. Warnings: SPOILERS for Marineford, grief, angst, comfort/fluff Notes: The above image does NOT belong to me. [One Piece Masterlist] _____

"What did you do this time Marco?"

Ace groans as he pulls himself to his feet, wiping the sand from himself. "Me? It was you who touched the damned thing-yoi! I told you to be careful!" Marco wretches free of the ground but as the two members of the Whitebeard crew look up, they find themselves in a place completely different to the one they were in just a minute ago.

They and their respective divisions had just been deep in terrestrial rainforests looking for supposed treasures but they now found themselves on a beach; a completely different Island. "How did we get here?" Ace mutters looking to the tropical island that surrounds him.

"It must've been that."

Marco points to the strange sphere object that emits weird waves of light, buried in the sand below them. "Do you think if we touch it again, it will take us back?" Marco asks the raven-haired man who frowns inquisitively at the mess they have found themselves in.

"Beats me."

"Well what are you waiting for, it's the only option we've got."

Ace sighs as he leans forward towards the spherical object with Marco, not looking forward to the twisting feeling he had felt earlier when the sphere had transported him. However, just as the two are about to touch the mystical object, a voice catches them off guard making them flinch away suddenly.

The voice was familiar, and Ace could recognise it from miles away. Instantly a smile widens on his face but when he looks up, he is met with shock.

"... Ace?"

.....

[Several Moments Earlier]

It was now one year after the Marineford incident, and you are in the midst of your training. Luffy had given the crew two years and you have used your time well. Kuma had transported you to a quaint, tropical Island where your mentor taught you skills and tactics you had never even thought of using before. You were strong already, but thanks to them you had grown stronger.

However, despite your progress, you had to admit that your training had faltered along with the shocking news that had travelled the world. You didn't know if you could believe the words in the newspaper in your hands that day, but maybe it was because the truth was too much to endure.

Portgas D. Ace, your love, dead.

Ace.

The grief from the loss was unbearable.

You had grown up with Ace alongside Luffy, but your relationship with the freckle-faced boy had grown into something far deeper than friendship. You had loved him; he had loved you. Despite joining the straw hat crew in the end, it didn't stop that connection.

Though you tried to hide your pain, his death impacted you far worse than others, and even your mentor could see your distracted mind while training, or your irises dark with sadness. His death weighed you down, it tore through your heart and wouldn't leave you in peace. You would find yourself shedding tears often and the clench your despair had around your heart just couldn't seem to loosen.

You weren't there. You weren't there for him.

You couldn't say goodbye.

That was what haunted you the most.

Everyday sleep would taunt you as your raging mind refused to let you rest. You only knew of what had happened days after you had been swept away by Kuma to your island. It was secluded and news rarely carried, but once it had, and once you saw the emboldened title on the paper in your hands, it felt like your world had been stripped from you.

Your Captain had been there, had scraped himself through hell it looked like, and had witnessed the death of his beloved brother. You could only imagine the agony he was in or the grief that had plagued his mind as it did to you now. He was the only one who could understand what it felt like, to lose him.

Ace.

As children, the two of you were almost inseparable and even as Sabo and Luffy joined your group, it did nothing but strengthen the bond between you. The adventures you went on, his unyielding kindness to you, the way he would protect you from harm's way, the way his little face would glow bright red whenever you got too close. The two of you didn't even know what the bubbling feeling inside of you was, but as long as you had the other close, it would never cease to go away.

As you grew older, your crush on the man had only grown. Then, a year before he had embarked on his journey, he had confessed to you. The both of you were young and with young love came the raging emotions of untamed attachment. That year had been bliss to you: training, laughing, holding hands, blushing and kissing. You adored his embrace on cooler nights and adored the way his grin would gleam under the persistent sun.

He was all you could ever need.

Even when you chose to join Luffy's crew, he respected your wishes and his love did not falter. As the three of you embarked on your journeys at different times, he never ceased to come to visit you or write to you letters of his adventures. He was utterly enamoured by you and thought about you each day you were apart and clung to you each day you were in his arms once more; much like you did. Your vivre card was one of his most prized possessions and one he held close to him at all times.

"I'll always find my way to you this way, love."

And his vivre card had been entrusted to your Captain; his brother. If only you had asked for another you could keep. Perhaps then you would've known of the threat to his life so much sooner. Maybe then, you could've done something. Now, you could only imagine what his death must've been like. Luffy had not made contact with you, you knew he probably hadn't made contact with any of the crew apart from the message left in a newspaper a few days after the one on Ace's death.

To meet two years rather than three days later at Sabody.

But despite knowing it was all made with good intention - so that he and the crew could get stronger in that time - you would do anything for a glimmer of an indication that he was okay. You would do anything to know what Ace's last words had been, if his death had been as brutal as the newspapers claim, if he had been happy in his last moments or scared. If he had forgiven you for your absence and understood, or if he held that against you till his dying breath.

Because you did.

You despised that you weren't there. You despise Admiral Akainu for what he has stripped from you. You despise the life you have to go on living without Ace and without your goodbye.

Because that was what you had to do.

Never again would his warm hands caress your skin. Never again would his words ignite in you such adoration you couldn't believe. Never again would his lips touch yours or would you share nights engulfed in the other's presence. All your dreams of a future with him, all his whispers that he would marry you someday, all his promises and your laughs of adoration as he pledged to you were torn to nothingness.

Your tears slip fast past your lashline and your teeth are gritted against each other. How many times had you cried for the man that you loved? You couldn't stop, you don't think you ever could. You felt so alone. God, you felt alone. You didn't even have the simple liberty of looking forward to the next time you see your beloved. Because the next time you do would be decades in the future when you lost your own life to time and age.

"Please..."

You muttered your hopes desperately to the sky, as though looking for any sort of sign that something was out there and that someone would return your beloved Ace to you.

"Please... let me see him one more time..."

"... let me at least say goodbye."

For a long moment, you simply look up to the sky, trying to keep your tears at bay. Silence is all you can hear, and you feel your heart wither at your reality. But then, you hear it.

A familiar voice in the distance, too good to be true.

.....

[Back to the present]

"...Ace?"

Your voice is breathless like the wind was what spoke and not you. 'Ace? It is Ace, right?' You pinch yourself harder than necessary to convince yourself it wasn't another dream. That he was tangible and there and real. But when you look at his warm smile, and delightful surprise at your presence you couldn't stop yourself. You run to him like your life depended on it. Your tears start slipping down your cheeks.

"Ace!"

Your voice breaks, but you don't care because you can feel the warmth he emits as you get closer. You can see the way his arms move wide and welcoming to you, and when you embrace him his scent and heat engulf you. Instantly, you press your ear to his chest and relish the thrumming sound emitting from within him. You relish the way his arms envelop you tight in his embrace, his rumbling laughter against you.

"Damn [y/n], I know it's been a while, but I didn't think you'd miss me that much."

Ace's words are light and teasing as you remember them, but you barely hear them too lost in your shock. Your form trembles under the weight of your tears and sobs suddenly tear through your body. You cling to him tightly, as though he would disappear if you let go for even a second. Your mind is ablaze with only one thought, over and over.

He's alive. He's alive. He's alive.

Ace can feel his lips downturn as your shaking worsens and your hold tightens further. Suddenly he realises that this reunion is nothing like your usual one. Though in his time, only a month had passed since your last meeting, for you, it had been since Alabasta. It was the longest the two of you had been apart even before his death.

Ace knew something was wrong.

"[y/n]?"

His words are shrouded in worry, and his hands anxiously caress your hair as though to soothe you. Surprisingly, it works a little as your sobs die down to gentle tremors when the familiar rhythm brings you back to the present. Ace meets Marco's eyes and he sees the same worry reflecting within them, along with utter confusion. Ace rarely sees you in a state of such despair.

"[y/n]," he mutters gently to you, trying to control the thrumming of his own heart as he looks at your state, worried that you had been harmed or stranded on the Island somehow. But then he thinks of his brother, Luffy, knowing that he would never allow such things to happen to you. But he needs the answers from your own lips.

"[y/n]... why are you crying? What's wrong?"

And that is when you finally look up.

It is Ace's turn to let shock shroud his features as he meets your gaze and you also feel a new surprise envelop you too.

His features were so much younger, and you remember when he looked that way. Still a teenager compared to the man you had last seen. His eyes were still enveloped in youth and nativity, his hair cut slightly shorter, his form less built without the battles he would soon have to face.

Ace looked at you the same way, and his hands trembled slightly as he caressed your hair which had grown far too much since the last time he had seen you. The way your face had become more defined as you grew despite your eyes still shining up at him as they always did. You seemed stronger, surer, and a few years older than the [y/n] he had seen just a month prior.

"[y/n]... why do you seem..."

"Older?" "Younger?"

The two of you speak your thoughts at the same time, your eyes meeting in silent shock and your heart plummeting in grim realisation. That this wasn't the Ace you last saw, Ace wasn't alive, this was a younger Ace who stood before you. But how can that be possible?

"Ace," you murmur, still allowing your gaze to linger on his face and the features you had grieved for the past year. "How long have you been on the Whitebeard crew?" You ask, knowing the answer before he even speaks. "Huh?" Ace looks down at you, shaking free of his own thoughts and answers easily. "It's only been a month? But what has that got to do with-"

"This is the future, Ace. Maybe two or three years?"

You can hear your words out of your mouth, but you can barely believe them yourself. Then your eyes go to the sphere buried in the sand and they widen. You recognised it immediately from Robin's books she used to share with you. It was a sphere that acted as a sort of key between time and space, but it would only exist for several minutes at a time.

Ace would have to return to his time very soon, and when he did, he wouldn't be able to return. 'I have to tell him-'

But when you look up, Ace's lips upturn into a wide and youthful grin. "The future?" Marco grins as well. "I guess we found what we were looking for then," he says as he nods at the sphere. "Didn't think that's what all our searching would get us though, a time-key that only exists for a few minutes? What a waste of time-yoi." They had after all been searching for what they hoped was gold, not an object that would disappear the instant they went back to their time.

"Not a total waste of time," suddenly a warm arm is wrapped around you as Ace pulls you gently into him. His smile shone brighter than the sun when you looked up at him. "Look at how hot my girlfriend is, some things don't change do they baby?" You have to fight not to roll your eyes and smile, but for a moment you forget your grief and are lost in his presence. How easily does he make your worries melt away? How easily can his smile make everything better in this world?

How could you ever let him go?

"Are you sure, you're okay love?" His words are softer, murmured in your ear just for you to hear and suddenly you're fighting your tears again. But you manage to keep them away.

'Do I tell him?'

'Do I?'

'I should tell him, right?'

You meet his kind gaze, his youthful charisma, and his love that is unchanging.

'But how could you tell this man how he dies?'

You swallow harshly, but you find yourself nodding your head in reply.

"Everything's perfect."

He glances at you hesitantly as though he contemplates your words for a moment. But then he decides to trust you. You look at his smile, wide and pushing at freckled cheeks. He seemed so full of life and what's more, he's embracing it. He's not doubting himself or his right to walk the Earth. You had heard the lighthearted banter shared between him and Marco, and you know the Whitebeard crew had granted him what he had been looking for all along: belonging.

You couldn't diminish that light.

It wasn't his time yet, you couldn't rid of his vitality so quickly by selfishly telling him his destiny. He had so much of the world yet to see. He had so much to explore, and so many more memories to make with the you that awaited him in his time. So many fights and treasures to behold. So many more moments to be spent with his bright smile and warmth.

You see the sphere flicker in the sand, a signal that it will soon diminish, and if it did your boyfriend and Marco would be trapped in this time. In a time where he should not exist. The two men also seem to notice, as you feel Ace's hands falter on your skin, and see Marco look up nervously. "We need to go," he picks up the sphere and walks over to you both, waiting for Ace to join him and hold it too.

They only had a minute.

Ace's smile falters only for a second, but he nods; after all, he had the past you waiting for him upon his return. Your smile is sadder than his, but you allow yourself to look up at the man you fell in love with one last time. One last time you felt what it was like to be under the hold of his warm touch. One last time you see the way his eyes flicker with his kindness and wonder and love. One last time you reach out and caress his dark locks, and witness him leaning into your touch.

One last time.

You step forward and he engulfs you in his arms. He murmurs gentle words in your ear. "Tell future me to hurry up, or I'll beat his ass. He must be keeping you waiting too long for you to be crying like this." A lone tear slips past your eye but you smile and laugh softly against his chest. His heat lingers on you as you break away. "I will." You analyse his features, willing yourself to memorise him so that you remember him for the rest of your life.

"Goodbye Ace, I love you... so much."

Ace grins and he presses his lips gently to the top of your head, his hand caressing your face before he pulls away.

"I love you too."

He moves as he reaches Marco's side, both hands enveloping the sphere alongside him. The sphere flickers one more time, and you see one of his hands rise in the air, the shout of his words lingering in the air.

"See you later!"

And just as quickly as he came, he was gone.

You stand still, looking to the spot in the sand as more tears break your lash line, but on your face is a full, bright smile. You can still feel his warmth that had just touched your skin, you can still see the way he smiled as he looked at you. But most of all, your wish had somehow been granted. A miracle you knew many others who had lost someone could only beg for.

One last moment with him: an actual goodbye.

"See you later," you whisper back to the wind, hoping he might be able to hear it across the time and space between you. There is a flicker of light cast on your skin from the sun, a shift in the breeze and a sudden warmth in the air. You look to the sky and imagine his smiling face, believing that he is watching over you.

[fail-sco0b]

First five straw hats in my style for funsies

(Im so bad at the actual op art style, which is prob the obvious thing in the world)

[papier-ciseaux]

I love that it took no time at all for Zoro to become ride and die with Luffy

[theotherartblog]

Yikes, this is something like 6 months worth of free time; making these is so dang soothing.

(Also yes, I switched out the girls' film gold dresses with ones that were more interesting to draw.)

[cherryinthesun]

Nami and Vivi - Snowball fight

[labrayic]

Something about sunshine and rainbows and rain

[choccomilch]

All Blue

[onepiececoloredits]

Chapter 660 Color Spread

[frenzideth]

one piece drawings!! Mostly chopper snshsnnsn 😭😭

Stay tuned cause I plan on posting more one piece fanart!!!

[gloopglorpgleeroopuh]

Rebecca redesign because her original armor is legit just a bikini

[straw-hat-nakama-22]

Part 10 Part 12

[becertainlust]

bestfriend!sabo who swears he sees you as nothing more than a good friend. A best friend, joined by hip, and all that falls under that spectrum but others never picked up on the friend part.

You were across the clearing, laughing at something Koala said, and Sabo could feel the corners of his lips tugging upward, unbidden. It wasn’t unusual—he always found himself smiling when you were happy. But this time, it was Koala’s teasing words that pulled him out of his thoughts.

“You’re staring again,” she whispered, elbowing him in the side.

Sabo startled, his usual composure slipping for a fraction of a second. “I’m not staring,” he said quickly, his voice just a little too defensive. “I’m just—keeping an eye out. You know how clumsy she can be.”

Koala raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “Sure. That’s why you’ve got that dopey grin on your face.”

Before Sabo could retort, you called out his name, waving him over with that bright, carefree smile that always seemed to disarm him. He stood up quickly—too quickly—and tried to ignore the way his palms had started sweating.

“Yeah? What’s up?” he asked as he approached, slipping into his usual casual tone, though his heart was pounding in his chest.

“I need help tying this bandage,” you said, holding up your arm. It wasn’t a serious wound, just a scrape from earlier training, but the way you looked at him—trusting, unguarded—made his throat go dry.

Sabo nodded, stepping closer. “No problem,” he said, his voice steadier than he felt. He took your arm gently, his fingers brushing against your skin.

For a moment, the world seemed to narrow down to just the two of you. He was hyper-aware of how close you were, the scent of your shampoo, the warmth of your skin. He tied the bandage carefully, slower than necessary, and when he finished, he lingered for a second too long before pulling his hands back.

“Thanks, Sabo,” you said, your smile soft and genuine.

“Anytime,” he replied, his voice quieter than usual. He shoved his hands into his pockets, hoping to hide the way they trembled.

As you turned back to Koala, Sabo caught himself staring again. He shook his head, muttering under his breath, “Just friends. That’s all we are.”

But the flutter in his chest told a different story.

bestfriend!sabo who doesn't realize when he is jealous yet shows clear signs. It started subtly, like the crackle of a spark before a wildfire.

You were laughing with Haruto again, your head tilted back and your whole face lit up. Sabo’s eyes lingered, drawn in as they always were, but his usual quiet admiration was edged with something sharp, something he couldn’t quite name.

“Are you even listening?” Koala’s voice broke through his thoughts, and he blinked, realizing she’d been talking to him this whole time.

“Of course,” he replied automatically, though his tone lacked its usual easy charm.

Koala followed his line of sight, a knowing grin spreading across her face. “Right. So, you’re not currently plotting Haruto’s untimely disappearance?”

Sabo frowned, rolling his eyes as if the idea was absurd. “Don’t be ridiculous,” he said, though his hand tightened around the edge of the table he was leaning on. “He’s new. Someone’s gotta make sure he doesn’t screw things up.”

Koala raised an eyebrow. “Uh-huh. And this sudden hypervigilance has nothing to do with the fact that he’s making her laugh?”

“Her laugh has nothing to do with it,” he shot back, but his words were clipped, lacking their usual carefree rhythm. “I just think he should be working harder instead of standing around flirting.”

Koala snorted. “Right. Because you’re the authority on work-life balance. You spent twenty minutes this morning balancing your pen on your nose.”

“That was stress relief,” Sabo retorted, but his gaze flicked back to you, his composure fraying.

Haruto leaned closer to you, and that spark in Sabo’s chest flared. Before he knew what he was doing, he was already walking toward you, his boots crunching against the gravel.

You noticed him immediately, as you always did, your face lighting up with that smile that had a habit of turning his thoughts into static. “Hey, Sabo! What’s up?”

“Haruto,” Sabo said, his tone as smooth as silk but his eyes like flint. “Didn’t you mention needing to go over the roster with Hack? He’s been looking for you.”

Haruto blinked, clearly taken off guard. “Oh, uh… I guess I should—”

“Yeah, you should,” Sabo interrupted, the edge in his voice unmistakable.

Haruto hesitated for a moment before nodding awkwardly and excusing himself, leaving you standing there with an amused tilt to your head.

“Was that really necessary?” you asked, crossing your arms and fixing him with a look that was equal parts curiosity and exasperation.

“Just doing my job,” Sabo said casually, shoving his hands into his pockets and rocking back on his heels. “Can’t have the new guy slacking off.”

“Right,” you said, drawing the word out. “Because you’re always this strict with new recruits.”

He opened his mouth to argue, but the way your eyes sparkled with amusement threw him off balance. He sighed, running a hand through his blond hair. “Okay, fine. Maybe I overreacted. A little.”

“A little?” you echoed, stepping closer. “Sabo, you were practically bristling.”

He laughed lightly, but it lacked his usual confidence. “I just didn’t like the way he was acting so familiar with you. That’s all.”

“And why does that bother you?” you pressed, your tone teasing but gentle, like you already knew the answer.

Sabo faltered, his usual quick wit failing him. He looked at you, the way your brows arched in question, the way your lips curled into a small, knowing smile, and he felt like he was standing on a precipice.

“I don’t know,” he muttered finally, though even he didn’t believe it.

Your smile softened, and you reached out, nudging his shoulder. “You’re a terrible liar, you know that?”

“Am I?” he said, forcing a grin to cover the heat creeping up his neck.

“Yeah,” you replied, your voice quieter now. “But I like that about you.”

The words hit him harder than he expected, and for a moment, Sabo was left speechless, staring at you like he was seeing you for the first time.

Koala’s voice called out from across the camp, snapping him back to reality. He cleared his throat, stepping back and shoving his hands into his pockets again.

“I’ve got work to do,” he said, his tone a little too brisk as he turned on his heel. “Stay out of trouble.”

You watched him go, a small smile playing on your lips. And as Sabo walked away, he realized he couldn’t shake the quiet, nagging thought that maybe—just maybe—he was in deeper than he’d ever intended.

bestfriend!sabo who postpones his confession every time, settling with a fear of ruining your friendships.

Sabo watched from a distance as you moved through the camp, always surrounded by people. You were the one who gave advice when someone needed it, the one who patched up a scraped knee or shared a smile with a tired recruit. Everyone admired you—hell, even Sabo found himself caught up in your warmth sometimes, when you weren’t looking.

But lately, it felt like you were slipping further away from him.

"Hey, Sabo!" You waved as you passed him, your smile as bright as ever. He didn’t miss the way your eyes sparkled as you chatted with the others. You were always so kind, so busy with your endless list of responsibilities. It was like the world had discovered how incredible you were, and now everyone wanted a piece of you.

“Busy?” he asked, his tone light, though there was a slight heaviness to it as he watched you interact with yet another group of people.

You paused, looking guilty for a second. "I wish I could stay and hang out, but you know how it is. There’s always something that needs my attention.”

He nodded, smiling back even though a part of him twisted with the unspoken words he kept swallowing. “I get it. Don’t let me keep you.”

You gave him a smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes this time, as though you knew there was something he wasn’t saying. “I’ll catch up with you later, alright?”

“Sure,” he said, his voice a little quieter than usual. As you moved on, Sabo stood there, rooted in place, watching you disappear into another conversation. The lump in his throat felt heavier.

He always told himself the same thing.

Not yet. Not now. Wait for the right moment.

But the right moment never seemed to come.

Days passed like this—long stretches where he could hardly find a moment with you alone. You were everywhere, helping others, being kind and thoughtful, making people laugh, lifting their spirits. You were always giving, always there, and Sabo adored you for it. But now, with every shared smile and every lingering conversation with others, he felt his chance slipping further away.

Sabo didn’t want to admit it, but he feared that if he told you how he felt, it would change everything. What if she doesn’t feel the same? What if she starts pulling away because of it?

And then there was the fear of losing his best friend. What if this was just a temporary feeling? What if, after the confession, things felt awkward and strained? He could never let that happen. Not with you.

Still, it gnawed at him. Every time you laughed with someone else, every time you looked so busy that you didn’t have a moment for him, it felt like something was slipping through his fingers.

One evening, after a long day of training, Sabo found you alone by the campfire, the crackling flames casting a soft glow on your face. You looked peaceful, wrapped up in the warmth of the fire, your eyes half-closed as if you were trying to rest.

Sabo hesitated as he stood at the edge of the firelight, his heart pounding. This was it.

“Hey,” he said quietly, trying to keep his voice steady.

You turned to him, that familiar, welcoming smile spreading across your face. “Hey, Sabo. You doing alright?”

He stepped forward, his hands slipping into his pockets. “Yeah, just… thinking about things.”

“You’ve been doing that a lot lately,” you noted, your tone teasing but there was a softness in it too, like you noticed more than he realized.

He opened his mouth to say something, but the words stuck in his throat. Instead, he simply nodded, taking a seat beside you by the fire.

For a long moment, the two of you sat in comfortable silence, the crackling fire the only sound between you.

“Things have been busy, huh?” Sabo said, finally breaking the quiet.

“Yeah,” you agreed with a sigh, staring into the flames. “I feel like I barely have time for anyone anymore.”

“You don’t even have time for me anymore,” Sabo joked, though there was an edge to his words he couldn’t hide.

You looked at him, your brow furrowing in concern. “Sabo, I—”

He raised a hand quickly, shaking his head. “It’s fine. I get it. I'm happy that your getting the recognition you deserve it.” His smile was faint, almost apologetic, as if he was trying to brush it off.

But you didn’t let him. You leaned closer, your voice soft. “Thank you punk, and I’m never too busy for you. I’ll always make time for you, Sabo. You know that.”

Your words hit him harder than he expected, and for a moment, he simply stared at you, caught off guard.

“Yeah,” he said, his voice quiet. “I know. I just… I guess I miss us, you know? Things were simpler when it was just the two of us. Before everyone else started needing you.”

You tilted your head, studying him with that soft, understanding gaze. “You still have me, Sabo. Nothing’s changed.”

He forced a smile, but his heart felt heavy in his chest. He wanted so badly to believe you—wanted to tell you how much you meant to him, how much more you meant than just a friend—but the fear of ruining it all made his throat close.

“I know,” he muttered. “It’s just… things are different now.”

You reached out, nudging his shoulder with yours. “We’ll figure it out, okay? I’m not going anywhere.”

Sabo nodded, swallowing the words he wanted to say. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe next time. its fine.

bestfriend!sabo who allowed for the crazies to take over his mind. The days had started to blur together for Sabo. The more he tried to ignore it, the more the tension between you two grew. He could feel it every time you were near—how his heart raced a little faster when your fingers brushed just for you to pass, how the sound of your laughter made him ache.

For weeks now, he had been pushing down the words, burying them as deep as he could. He convinced himself that it was nothing—that it was just some passing phase or a product of their shared long hours spent together. But the longer he ignored it, the more it ate away at him, gnawing at his insides until he couldn’t bear to be around you without feeling suffocated by his own emotions.

And so, he started to pull away.

It started small—a little more space between the two of you during conversations, a slight distance when you would sit together by the campfire or share those moments where you were once inseparable. The subtle shifts didn’t go unnoticed by you, but you didn’t say anything right away.

You didn’t have to. You saw it in his eyes—the way they would briefly glance away every time your hand brushed against his, the way his voice held an unnatural edge when he spoke to you, even though his words were still casual.

It hurt, but you couldn’t understand why he was doing this. You’d always been there for each other, the best of friends, so why was he pushing you away now? What had changed?

Sabo sat alone that evening on a secluded hill overlooking the camp. The quiet of the night surrounded him, but it didn’t bring him the usual peace. His thoughts were like a storm—chaotic, tumbling over themselves, and it was hard to find a way out.

Maybe it’s better this way, he told himself, his fingers gripping the edge of his jacket tightly. If I just stay distant, keep my distance… Maybe this feeling will go away. Maybe I can just be the friend she needs, nothing more. She deserves someone who can be more than that, someone who’s not afraid of ruining everything.

But the more he told himself that, the more his chest tightened. He was so used to hiding his emotions behind sarcasm and teasing, but this—this was different.

He heard footsteps behind him before he saw you, and he stiffened, not wanting you to see the way his hands trembled at his sides.

"Sabo," you said softly, your voice cutting through the night air. "We need to talk."

He turned to look at you, but his eyes were guarded, his usual cocky demeanor nowhere to be found. He forced a smile, trying to act like everything was normal. "Talk about what?"

"You’ve been avoiding me," you said, your eyes searching his face for any trace of the old Sabo, the one who had never needed to put up walls. "You’re distancing yourself, and I don’t get it. What’s going on?"

His heart hammered in his chest. This was it. The moment he’d been trying to avoid. He could see the hurt in your eyes, the confusion, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it—not when it could tear everything apart.

"I just… I’ve been busy," Sabo muttered, his voice barely above a whisper, but it was a lie. You both knew it was. "You’ve got enough on your plate without worrying about me."

Your gaze softened, but there was still a trace of disbelief. "Sabo, I know you. And I know something’s been off. Don’t lie to me. I can take it."

He looked away, his hands clenched into fists in his lap. "It’s just that… I can’t keep doing this."

You stepped closer, your concern deepening. "Doing what?"

"This," he said, the words coming out harsh, though he wasn’t sure where the anger was coming from. "This… whatever this is. I can’t just keep pretending like I don’t feel something every time you’re near me, every time you smile, every time you laugh. But it’s not right, alright? You’re too important to me. I can’t risk losing that."

The confession hung between you both, the weight of it settling over him like a suffocating cloud. He wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince you or himself, but his voice cracked, his resolve breaking in the face of his own truth.

You stood frozen, staring at him. The pieces started to come together, and as they did, it felt like everything made sense—the way he’d pulled back, the way he kept putting space between you, the way he had been hiding behind false smiles and forced conversations.

"Why didn’t you tell me sooner?" you asked, your voice a mixture of frustration and hurt.

Sabo opened his mouth, but no words came out. He couldn’t find them. How could he explain this? How could he explain how much he cared for you without ruining the one thing that had always kept him tethered to you? The one thing that had always made him feel safe.

"I didn’t want to ruin everything," he whispered. "I didn’t want to lose you."

And then, before he could stop himself, the flood of emotions he had been holding back for so long spilled out. He stood and faced you, his eyes intense, but there was vulnerability in them that you rarely saw. "I thought if I stayed away, if I made it easier for both of us, maybe I could forget… maybe I could stop caring like I do. But I can’t. I love you."

You blinked in shock, your breath catching.

Sabo’s heart twisted in fear. "I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to ruin us."

For a long, excruciating moment, you said nothing. you really tried. But then you stepped forward, your fingers lightly touching his wrist, grounding him.

"You’re not going to lose me, Sabo," you said quietly, the softness in your voice breaking through his fears. you cup his face to look at you brushing under his eyes "and you were not going to ruin us."

And before he could even process what was happening, you pulled him to you, your lips meeting his in a kiss. Sabo’s breath hitched, his entire body melting into your own touch.

The kiss was everything he had been holding back for so long and more—urgent, fierce, and full of an aching kind of need that Sabo had never allowed himself to feel before. His mind was racing, but the only thing that mattered in that moment was the way your soft lips pressed against his. His chest tightened as he pulled you closer, his hands trembling a bit.

The kiss deepened almost instinctively, his lips moving against yours with a hunger that surprised even him. Every inch of him seemed to burn with the realization that this was real. The days that felt like years of keeping his feelings locked away, of pretending he didn't care in ways deeper than just friends, were gone. There was only you.

Your hands tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, and Sabo couldn’t help but let out a small, breathless laugh against your lips. His hands slid down your back, pulling you even closer.

"Thank you" he murmured before dusting your face in kisses leaving you to giggle under his hold.