#Who just left Luffy in Dragon's hands for some reason

[deathmetalunicorn1]

A Straw hat Pirates x Past Roger's Pirates Crewmember!Mitsuri Reader. Mabye, when they came to Sabaody Archipelago Reader was talking with Shakky and they met the Reader.

-You had been with Shakky, wanting to see Rayleigh again, as you would wander the world, seeking out your old crew members, at least the ones who were still alive, to visit them, to see how they were doing.

-Those you visited all knew this, knowing of your kind and caring nature, as they all adored you for it, even if they didn’t always say it, like Buggy, who was always so shy with you for some reason?

-You were much like Shakky, very well put together and you didn’t look like your actual age, which led to lots of surprises when people would hit on you, and you would tell them your actual age. You thought it was rather cute when they got surprised.

-Shakky was a good friend of yours, and she adored seeing you, she would always tease Rayliegh that you liked her better, which would cause some amusing arguments, but you knew they were just poking fun at each other.

-When the door swung open, revealing a group of younger looking pirates, including a talking skeleton and a talking reindeer.

-Instantly you had Chopped in your arms, “You’re so cute!!” at first, he was struggling to get free, but you smelled like something sweet, the Sakura mochi you were always eating, fighting a losing battle before you handed him a cotton candy stick from Shakky who couldn’t help but smile, thinking you were just as adorable.

-Brook, after he introduced himself to you, was amusing, as he wanted to be hugged like that too. He nearly melted when you let Chopper go and you opened your arms, a huge smile on your face, “You’re so sweet, wanting a hug too!”

-The moment his skull rested against your chest, which was mostly bare, he melted, blood coming from the holes of his nose, falling to the ground, overcome with elation.

-You liked the vibe of Luffy, as you knew of him through Ace, whom you knew was Roger’s son, you were one of the few who knew that secret, as you met Ace years ago, when you were visiting Roger’s grave, and you found him there as well.

-The two of you bonded, once he realized that you were one of Roger’s crew members, and you held him when he broke down, crying harshly, ashamed of his lineage, feeling responsible for the death of his mother, after he found out the truth of his birth.

-Luffy was elated to meet you, after he took some time trying to figure out where he knew you from, but once he did, he leapt up, hugging you close and you squealed, spinning him easily around.

-He could easily tell that you were incredibly strong, despite not looking like it, but hugged you back, feeling so warm and safe in your arms.

-When Luffy told you that they were looking for Rayleigh as well, needing him to coat their ship so they could get to Fishman Island, you offered to show them to where he likes to hang out.

-You could have never imagined that this fated meeting would have led to this, watching Luffy punch out a Celestial Dragon, then helping them fight against the marines, only to watch them be blown away by Kuma.

-When you tried to attack Kuma, he let you hit him, throwing him back against a tree before he got up, ‘accidentally’ dropping something, and left, going after other pirates.

-You found it was a note, one that made your blood run cold, ‘Ace will be executed’ NOT ON YOUR WATCH!!!

-Despite the rivalry the Roger Pirates had with Whitebeard’s own, they welcomed your help, knowing that you were very soft on Ace, and you weren’t going to let a child be executed just because he’s Roger’s son.

-You quickly showed why your bounty was so high, taking out many of the marines, including several of the giants, by yourself, giving the pirates an edge.

-When Luffy arrived, you couldn’t help but smile, seeing that he was alright before you cleared a path for him to get to Ace.

-You nearly lost your life in that battle, holding Aikinu’s hand away from Ace, letting it burn you, your eyes like fire as you surprised him by not melting or burning, as your passionate love was keeping you safe.

-When Shanks arrived, stopping the war, he was the one who took you on his ship, while Law and Marco took Luffy and Ace.

-You cried loudly when you learned that Whitebeard died, remaining so everyone could get to safety, feeling like you had failed him, but Marco, who had healed your severe burn, as your skin had melted, after a while, down to the bone.

-Shanks was pouting, jealous as you were hugging Marco who was trying not to cry, after you snatched him into your arms while he was healing you- he wanted hugs too!!

-Ace, once he knew Luffy was stable, rushed into your arms, and you smiled as Luffy ran to you as well, hugging you as well, which made you smile, happy tears slipping down your cheeks, happy that you were able to save Ace, and keep Luffy happy.

-Rayleigh, who was nearly, wanting a hug as well, his arms folded across his chest, glaring daggers at Ace and Luffy, pouting comically that they were hogging you, in his eyes, which caused laughter to go around.

-They all loved and adored you just as you all adored and loved all of them.

[diminuel]

In Stinky Child Au , how Crocodile lost his hand ?

He lost it to Whitebeard.

I know that for sure but I'm still not sure what his backstory with the guy is, that is, if they already knew each other by the time the clash happened.

I don't know if you want to hear my ideas already or if these would be spoilerish for comics or fic to come, so I'm just putting it under a read more. (Also, maybe I should invest in a Stinky Child AU tag X'D I also have a feeling I said some of the things I'm talking about here before but my blog is a mess.)

I think that while Crocodile still did Warlord duties not too long after Luffy was born, he hasn't really been on the Grand Line. Since Dragon involved Garp pretty early on, he kind of "claimed" Crocodile as "his" Warlord, to do missions on his bidding, which gives Crocodile a bit of a cover and a reason to be in the East Blue. (Sengoku allowed it, because it's easier than trying to fight with Garp, though I don't think he suspects there is a reason behind it.)

The first journey back out into the New World, maybe when Luffy's 2 and Ace is 5 (before Dragon picks up Sabo), was not supposed to be anything dangerous. Maybe a bit annoying to do it with "training wheels on" but he's not an idiot. He's got kids at home, he is not taking unnecessary risks. His aim is to gather intel for the RA and take out pirates along the way, usual stuff, a little bit of adventure, a little bit of danger, but not exceeding the levels that are just the New World's base line.

What I'm playing around with at the moment is that he happens to sail into one of Whitebeard's new territories - so new that the information has not reached him yet - and one of the pirate ships attacking him sail under WB's flag. So when he sinks that ship, WB is quick to retaliate. And even though Crocodile realizes his mistakes, gets on the phone to confirm, maybe even tries to fix it, one of his flaws is that he doesn't want to be a coward. He has already given up his plan to become pirate king to protect Luffy, but he's still a pirate, he's still powerful. So he fights but of course is defeated. Maybe not killed because WB miiiiiiight recognize him (as the scrawny kid he left behind?)

He has to beg for his life, admits that he has children that depend on him. And of course WB spares him, would have most likely also spared him if he didn't confess, but he does not spare him the patronizing remarks that people who are this weak and have people depending on them, should not be pirates. And whether he cuts off his hand during battle or as a "stay home" warning I don't know. During battle would be kind of less shitty, depends on how we are all feeling about WB ;3

So yes, he gets away, badly hurt and when he finally makes it home (ashamed, angry, doubting himself, in pain), there is a third child waiting for him?

[syrupfog]

Law has been in the basement of the auction house for almost two weeks when the new merch is brought in. 

He KNOWS Doffy has kept him here longer than necessary just to drag out Law’s suffering. He’s surely going to get sold to a Celestial Dragon immediately, but the waiting…

The waiting, the uncertainty is getting to him. 

But at almost two weeks — 13 days, exactly — the new merch is dragged in. A collection of raggedy pirates, a few fish men, and one guy who, for some reason, doesn’t seem to have had his spirit broken yet.

And of course he’s the one who sits himself down right next to Law. 

At a glance Law sees the sea stone cuffs that designate a devil fruit user. He notes the ridiculous straw hat. He frowns at his grin. 

“Hey,” the guy says. “I’m Luffy, and I’m going to be king of the pirates.”

Law snorts. He’s cuffed to the wall, like this guy probably will be soon, so he can’t move away, but he closes his eyes. “You’re going to be sold to Celestial Dragons and die within the month,” he says. 

“No,” the guy— Luffy— says, sounding petulant. “I’m getting out.”

“Sure you are,” Law says, rolling his eyes. “Because unlike everyone else who’s come through these doors, you’re SPECIAL, yeah?” 

“You’re a jerk,” Luffy says, but he doesn’t sound too put out. “My crew will come for me, don’t worry.”

Law’s heard that before. “Uh huh,” he says. 

“They just gotta find me first,” Luffy muses. “I didn’t tell anyone where I was going. But I trust them!” He wiggles into a comfortable position and his chains rattle. “What’s your name? Do you have friends coming for you?”

“Trafalgar Law,” Law says, because he gets the feeling the conversation will continue with or without his participation. “And no.” 

“Oh,” says Luffy with a frown. “That’s okay, Traffy! You can come with us!” 

“Trafalgar,” says Law. “Not Traffy.”

Luffy laughs. “You’re funny,” he says. Then he frowns. “Do you know when we’re getting food? I’m hungry.” 

Law’s been getting one meal a day, from his estimations. There’s no windows to tell time by, just the changing of the guards. “It’ll be a bit,” he says.

“Awww,” Luffy says. His stomach growls in agreement. Pathetic. He’ll be crying within the day. 

… 

Luffy is NOT crying within the day. 

Luffy also will not shut UP. 

He quickly decides that “Traffy” is his best friend, much to Law’s dismay. He talks about EVERYTHING.

Law quickly comes to know the names of everyone on Luffy’s ship. Hell, he knows the LAYOUT of the ship. He knows Luffy’s favourite food (meat) and favourite drink (milk) and favourite seat (“the lion” whatever that is). 

Most of the others in the basement with them do get their cuffs chained to the wall, but the guards seem SCARED of Luffy for some ungodly reason, so he continues to sit practically pressed against Law. 

Law misses being alone. 

Although this is the most human he’s felt in weeks.

Also, Luffy cons several others out of their meals, in exchange for things like scratching itches they can’t reach, or just sneaking bites when people aren’t looking. 

He doesn’t touch the roll on Law’s plate until Law specifically tells him to take it, though.

Luffy is down there with Law for three days, and suddenly Law is dreading when Luffy gets dragged up to auction and Law is left alone again. He didn’t think he would care that much, but… it’s a sad, aching sort of longing that Luffy has quickly filled sitting with him and acting like Law matters. Like he’s not just a pawn in a game he can never win. 

So, for three days, Law grows comfortable with him. Familiar. Basks in Luffy’s odd light. 

He never should’ve let himself get that comfortable.

Law is lightly dozing when it starts, his head on Luffy’s. But suddenly Luffy is jumping up, and there’s— 

There’s an eye, blinking at them, having materialised on the floor between them. 

An eye and an ear. 

“Robin!” Luffy shouts. The posted guard looks over in confusion.

Lips appear, along with a hand that holds a finger to the lips, and Luffy, SHOCKINGLY, makes a motion of zipping his lips. 

Law didn’t know he knew how to DO that. 

Then the face, such that it was, disappears. Luffy looks to him with a grin. “I told you,” he says.

It’s only moments later when the door to the room slams open, falling off its hinges, and no less than SEVEN PEOPLE come rushing into the room in various states of arguing with each other. One by one they spot Luffy and start cheering, even as they’re making war with the guards.

Law feels the sinking in his stomach as Luffy runs to the front of the bars and a HUGE blue haired man — must be Franky, Law thinks — opens his hands to reveal smaller hands that tinker with Luffy’s cuffs. They drop to the floor without much of a fight and suddenly Luffy’s energy is BOUNDLESS. 

The green haired one — Zoro — cuts through two of the bars and Luffy slips out easily, suddenly engulfed in crew mates who love him even as they chastise him for getting caught. 

Law sits there, and watches freedom happen in front of him, just out of reach.

He’ll miss Luffy, he thinks, even as he tries to tamp down on that thought. That’s not the sort of fate he’s destined for. Cora tried his best, but Law’s never escaped Doffy’s grasp. 

Luffy’s crew starts back toward the door, ushering him along with warnings about a count down

And for a moment they really do disappear through the doorway, although the broken door means their voices are clear. 

And Law sits there, surrounded by others whose spirits are as broken as his, all cuffed to the wall as they can see the hole in the bars made by the swordsman.

He hopes Luffy does accomplish his dream. He hopes at least one of them does. 

And then, suddenly, startling him out of his thoughts, Luffy comes crashing back through the doorway, the blond and green haired ones in tow (and arguing about something).

Luffy points to Law and both of the others converge on him. Law shrinks back and grits his teeth, but all that happens is a sword hits one chain and a foot hits the other and suddenly he’s not attached to the wall anymore.

“Let’s GO, Traffy!” Luffy yells, grabbing Law’s wrist and hauling him upward. 

And suddenly Law is. Running. 

He’s barely eaten or moved in two weeks, but— L

uffy’s hand is around his wrist and pulling him forward. 

And Law grips Luffy’s wrist in return. Like a lifeline. 

He can hear Luffy laugh, the way he laughs through his teeth

And after a maze of hallways they’re out into the bright, bright sunshine 

And Luffy turns, looks at Law, grins at Law, 

Luffy is the sun. Luffy is freedom. 

“Come with me,” he says, hand still clutched tight to Law like it belongs there. 

And Law follows.

[rea-grimm]

Hi, I hope you are well. Once again, one of your faithful followers (Luffy Dragon fan 💖) comes with a new request (if you can, obviously).

the last chapter of op made me realize that Sanji ignores and is less gentlemanly towards women who show signs of liking him. I wonder if we can get something where the reader is obviously in love with Sanji (corpse of the boyfriend) and he is completely indifferent or clueless about it, while following his behavior in love with other girls and being a great "dude, look what you have in front of you" "

xo ♥️ congratulations on the 2500 likes

Hi, I had quite tought week, but I’m better now. Hope you are well too. I’m happy to hear from you. You have really good request. ❤️

Hope you enjoy this.

Dude, look what you have in front of you- Corpse Sanji

You were head over heels in love with Sanji. Everyone on board knew it, but the only cook was completely blind to you. Yes, he treated you almost the same way he treated Nami or Robin. Although sometimes you had the impression that he took you more for granted. As a sidekick and nakama.

How you wished he felt for you the way you felt for him. To try to woo you like he tried to woo other girls who rejected him when they found out the truth.

You were sorry to see him melt over the other girls. How he got down on one knee and kept asking for their hand in marriage. You knew that was one of the main reasons he was among the living. His biggest regret.

When you saw him with other girls, it always made your heart skip a beat and you had to do everything you could to not let it show on yourself.

The new island was a new opportunity for the chef to find a new girl. You were out shopping and you passed a small square with a small group of beautiful girls among the people. 

As soon as Sanji saw the beauties, he dropped his shopping bags and headed towards them. He showered them with compliments before getting down on one knee and asking for their hand in marriage. The girls were just giggling.

You picked up your bags and walked to the side with them when the wind picked up out of nowhere. This wind was a bad omen for Sanji as it blew his bangs to the side, exposing his eye. Or rather an empty socket where the eye should have been.

The girls he had been focusing on until now ran away screaming and left him kneeling on the ground alone, with a completely broken expression.

The cook walked over to you brokenly, lit a cigarette and took your bags, saying he would take them on the ship. He hated these reactions. It reminded him so much that he was no longer alive. Just a corpse waiting for a miracle.

You wanted to somehow improve his mood, so you used this opportunity and went to the shop you passed on the way. To a shop that sold prosthetics. From limbs, dentures, and eyes. You knew what eye colour to choose for him. No one else you knew had eyes as blue as his.

On the boat you gave him your little gift, like a little thing, a souvenir you would call it. The others were there too and they all saw how happy Sanji was. Heart in his eyes, he hugged you on his knees.

You and everyone else had already started to think that this would make the cook notice you and see how you felt about him. Nothing could be further from the truth as nothing has changed at all. As soon as another girl flashed past him, or Nami and Robin, his head was in the clouds.

Despite all this, you had the impression that it would end like this and sighed in disappointment. You felt like you were chasing an even more impossible dream than your captain was chasing.

You saw that things with Sanji were difficult and apparently impossible and you slowly gave up. You didn't even know how, but you found your solace in the swordsman and the doctor. 

Both of them supported you and Zoro even offered to knock some sense into the cook. It sounded tempting, but you talked him out of it.

This small change didn't go unnoticed by Sanji and he got the impression that you had started something with the swordsman. He didn't understand at all what you saw in that mosshead. That's why he also went to see him, what was his problem, that you spent so much time with him.

Zoro didn't understand at all. It was the chef's bad luck, he had his chance with you. And even though you tried to act like you got over it, Zoro knew full well that you would do anything for a cook.

“Dude, look what you have in front of you,” he said instead, pointing over his shoulder at you. You stood with your back to them, playing the new board game he got in town with Chopper.

Sanji looked at you and he had no idea what mosshead was talking about. Robin, who heard everything, joined in. The two of them then explained it to him.

When Sanji finally saw through it, he made you a dinner with everything you liked as an apology and asked you out on a date. You could see in him that he was serious and so you decided to give him one more chance.

Sanji Masterlist

[blacklegsanjiii]

Adding a angst hc for your ASL x S au here!!

Okay so, I have a headcanon that Sanji has a fucking lot of scars. And okay, the ones on his hands it's obvious he would have since he is a chef. But he has scars in all his body, arms, legs, chest, hips, back (where he has a big burn from when niji electrocuted him).

And then on his eye. The eye he always hides. It's a scar but he also don't see anything with this eye.

He nevers shows this to anyone, until the "accident" happens and Dragon brings Sabo back to his brothers and boyfriend. Sabo now having a burn.

Then, Sanji starts to take care of the wound like someone who had been throught something like that. ASL are confused and ask him, to which Sanji replys showing the blind eye.

(I believe this would turn out with Sanji telling about his childhood to his boyfriends)

Wait, wait. Oh my god. So instead of showing his right eye for Pre TS he just always shows his left? Just hides it? Makes it even worse if it's the ASL where Sanji was found on the beach in the mask(it's not, unless?) Jeeessuuss. Okay. Also yeah he has so many fucking scars, look at his family, I even wrote Mihawk to be pissed about it. Also they're like teenagers in this.

Sanji hides his right eye, asks the brothers not to look at it if he's sleeping or whatever. He doesn't like broadcasting it but they can all see the wisps of scar tissue around the eye. They don't know how bad it is, waiting for Sanji to show them. But they see the other scars, his body is littered with them, more so than them and they live in a jungle and he lives in a floating restaurant. Zeff has always been rather protective of Sanji for some reason and the scars a probably part of why. Then Sabo dies.

They're mourning and mourning when Dragon brings Sabo to the Baratie all fucked up with burns and damage and Zeff is calling Garp to bring the other two so they can help with Sabo. When they show up Dragon and Zeff are watching the other blond teen care expertly for the injured one's eye. It's a few days later when they're in the tree house, Zeff having kicked Sanji off with all the medical supplies he requested, that Sabo asked how he knows how to take care of this. Sanji lifts the fringe without vocalizing an answer because his eye is answer enough. His iris is torn and the pupil is greyed out, the eyelid is slow moving when he blinks and he doesn't have eyelashes because it's mostly scar tissue. The immediate curses from around him make Sanji shrug as Ace grabs his shoulders and demands to know who did this to him. Sanji says it doesn't matter but they're disagreeing with that. Luffy is shaking with anger and demands to know who, they'll find out eventually. Sanji sighs and says his sperm donor did it to him and explains some of the other bigger scars, the electric burn from Niji on his back, the weird scars on his legs from Yonji's chains.

Eventually after a while they're all curled up with the blonds between them, both of them sleeping because Sabo needs all the rest he can get with his memories still coming back. Ace and Luffy have vowed revenge on the Sanji's birth family when they meet them. They will one day, that's for certain.

[mjrtaurus]

Monkey D Urpi headcanons (source: Oda shared it with me in a dream)

- She’s gotta be atleast 6 or 7 feet tall for logistic reasons yes but also because Tall Women ❤️

- Idrk how face claims work but I imagine her to look something like Simone Ashley

- As all other members of the Monkey family do, she’s got a scar on the left side of her face

- A tattoo that wraps around her wrist, almost like a bracelet

- Her and Garp are 2-3 years apart in age (they’re beating the weird age gap grandparents allegations fr)

- Hips length hair. At least 25% of Garp's paycheck gets put into hair care, hair ties, combs/brushes and lint rollers, he'd never ask his family to change but god does it get EVERYWHERE.

- She was the one to make the first move officially (had asked Garp to accompany to a cafe she had gotten a flyer to, face turned away to hide the flush settling on.)

- Big reader, mostly on the varying plants and ecosystems of the different islands on the Grandline and occasionally dips into the mythology of the Blue Sea (just to see what else they got wrong)

- Do not bring up Noland the Liar around her, whatever’s in her hand will shatter and she’ll begin to mutter very quickly under her breathe

- Skilled fighter but actively hates having to fight. It’s less about being scared for and more perpetuating a cycle, violence will only bred more violence. It has its uses but she’d rather not use it at all

- Garp made the mistake of asking her to join the Marines exactly once. The look she gave him was so venomous the topic of enlisting wasn’t brought up again until Dragon was born.

- Has possessed Mantra/Observation Haki from incredibly an early age and developed Armament Haki through training with Garp

- Instantly goes into mother mode around younger people. Physically cannot help it. She just has to dote on them. Definitely takes it up a notch when she’s grandmother age

- Would certainly approve of the ASL's dreams of being pirates/revolutionaries. Who is she to stand in the way of their search for Freedom?

- She and Crocodile get along swimmingly! They discuss mushroom foraging and she shows him all the best for it on Elbaf!

- Consistently refers to Kuzan as her ‘second born’ before someone (usually Sengoku) reminds her that she did not in fact birth him. She would agree and then do the same thing the very next day.

- Big fan of the newspaper since it keeps her up to date on the happenings of her family. Keeps all issues they are mentioned in pristine condition and chronological order.

- Gets intense waves of guilt for ‘leaving her people behind’ and would often wonder if she deserves that happiness she found here.

- Has no inherent ill feelings towards Gan Fall anymore but definitely didn’t like him back then. She’s still a little taken aback when Luffy mentions what a help he was during his time in Skypiea

- Is relentless in her pride of Dragon and everything he has accomplished. She had watched him grow from a sweet little boy who cried when a Den Den Mushi had to be decommissioned to a man who was out to save the world. He is her every wildest wish come true.

Taking down these notes because I might just have to put her on a canvas at some point.

Some additions I would also like to add!

- her surprising proficiency for Mantra/Observation Haki was inherited by Dragon, and she helped him train it.

- When Dragon found her on Elbaf (and let’s say after the WG falls to hell where it belongs) he makes time to take her and Garp to Shandora to hear the Bell that their grandson reclaimed.

- While up there, she reunites with her little sister Nina, and meets her grandnephew Wyper.

- she always had mixed feelings about Dragon joining the marines, but she understood his heart was in the right place. Shame the rest of the Navy couldn’t say the same.

- Dragon’s desertion was a hard time for everyone, but they all knew it was inevitable. Her boy would climb higher and higher in the ranks, and his eyes would have less and less of their warmth. By the time he attained the rank of Admiral, there was hardly anything of her sweet, gentle soul of a son left. It tore her and Garp’s heart to shreds.

- Dragon’s desertion was a planned thing. He had been stationed at Ohara to oversee an expedition, and he had seen the archaeologists be given bounties for the sin of doing their job. He showed up on his parent’s doorstep in the dead of night to tell them he was going to have to be on the run from now on. Urpi gave him her earrings. They are the only thing she had left that had survived her fall from Skypiea and her journey across the seas. They would go with him now on his journey.

- The bounty posters that had been released of Nico Robin following Ohara’s destruction gave her pause. Dragon had mentioned working with a Nico Olvia during this expedition, this child certainly looked like her mother if you looked at the bounty posters side by side but… her complexion, the coloration of her hair… a quick tally of the dates and she can’t help but wonder if she inherited her father’s wings, too.

- when she saw Dragon again after so long, she hugged his neck. His eyes were warm again. He had his hope again. It was tempered with Nika knew how many trials, but he was still the loving little boy with the downy wings that she sang to sleep every night so many years ago…

- she was intrigued by Crocodile. She had heard these “devil fruits” could do wonderful things, but to change a body to match the soul within it… it was incredible. To know her son had helped set this man on that path to change made her wings fluff up with pride. She wishes she could have met Olvia, too.

- after coming to Elbaf, she NEVER covers her wings. She cuts holes in the backs of her clothes for them to fit through, sews clothes using patterns and stitches she knows by heart… as much as she lover Garp, Goa had been stifling. Upon seeing the cuts and mends in the backs of Dragons shirts when he visits, she can tell he suffered the same.

[danwhobrowses]

One Piece Chapter 1120 - Initial Thoughts

And we're here again

Back from Break and Ready for a Robot Rumble The transmission continues and the Gorosei are converging, but the crew are still looking for a a way out

Let's see what we have going for us this time

Spoilers for the Chapter, Support the Official Relase

Yamato's problem with the kids is swiftly resolved with Denjiro's appearance, now the Daimyo of Kibi

Oda's notes mentions Rayquaza which is my favourite legendary Pokémon so I gotta shout that out

And with the title being 'Atlas' I think we know what's gonna happen

26 years ago in Punk Hazard, Clover comes to visit Vegapunk to help him research the Void Century

You can see a head at the top of the giant fence, which I would assume is one of the Numbers, the one in the Bruce Lee suit back in Wano I'd guess

Also Vegapunk's artificial dragon is diddy sized

Since he works for the Government, Vegapunk of course says no, wondering why Clover keeps getting released

Of course he's the smartest man in the world, so he quickly surmises that Clover is likely attempted bait for his associates

He insists that the past should be left behind, but Clover has personal reasons for investigating it

He knew someone who was a D. his older brother!

Claíomh D. Clover, surprised but should've expected an Irish name from him, Claíomh or Claidheamh means 'Sword' btw

His unnamed brother was killed in front of him for being a D, he lied and told the killer it was just a friend

'How am I meant to accept a world where you can die for having the wrong name?' - tragic given that he died uttering a name

Taken aback, Vegapunk tells Clover to leave, forgetting what he heard and telling his old friend to stay safe

'The voices of the past call out to you' - again with the heavy hitters Clover

Insisting that he will uncover history to the point he will be unable to be ignored, we flash forward to the Ohara Incident, where he uncovered history to the point where he was unable to be ignored

Fuck you and your bowl cut Caesar, revelling in the fact that Ohara got nuked

And excuse you that ain't some brat that is Nico Robin my (at that point in time, future) wife

We see another internal thought from Vegapunk while at Ohara, sad that Clover and the scholars chose death, hoping that someone would continue where they left off

And back to the present, Vegapunk's transmission echoes Clover's words about the voices of the past, but also that History is written by the Victors

Zeff cameo, also Tequila Wolf shown again - Oda keeps having it show up what is the secret?

Also my wife Nico Robin, still listening while having to handle her past trauma as Vegapunk notes how history is erased or rewritten, but still lives on in the survivors and the oppressed

Zoro and Jinbe didn't latch onto the ship as planned, because Lilith is objecting the plan to leave now

She has done all the math and the wind direction, calculating that any change of direction caused by V. Nusjuro can be fatal since it'll change the landing position

But up comes Atlas, and she smacks the shit out of Lilith

The crew is naturally confused, but Lilith is KO'd and something switched off in her head

'I'll leave her in your hands, take off! I'll make sure you make it in One Piece' - ...is, is that a roll credits moment?

The KOing of Lilith was tactical though, since she switched off her connection to the main hub - causing York to believe Lilith is dead

V. Nusjuro makes a charge as the Straw Hats ready their Coup de Burst, but is met by a charging Atlas

V. Nusjuro cleanly takes the arm of the Vegapunk of Violence, but she doesn't need that arm to do what needs to be done, as she pulls the Gorosei away for the Sunny to fly off

Back down below the Navy have to take in the fact that it's a full blown Kaiju movie going on right now

Luffy, Sanji, Franky and the Giants have the classic One Piece 'boys love robots' moment

Emeth speaks to Joy Boy, glad to meet them again

Luffy though, confused, doesn't know that he's being addressed

Even centuries old giants are able to do the 'oy' backhand gag

Noting that the Gorosei are Joy Boy's enemies, Emeth resolves that they are their enemy, and they are glad to fight for Joy Boy again

Ju Peter and Warcury are still very willing to put down Emeth, and end Vegapunk's transmission

But Luffy and the Giants are making their leave, as Brogy asks if Emeth's a friend

Luffy notes that it said it was protecting 'some guy called Joy Boy'

But here's the interesting part, the Giants didn't hear a voice: that was the Voice of All Things, perhaps even a voice of the past huh?

Still a kid, Bluegrass attempts to refocus the Navy back on the longboat

Vegapunk's closing words mention that people should have the right to learn from the past, from all perspectives

Ju Peter preps a big human teeth chomp, but Emeth is readying an attack

Sanji and Franky await the beam or a rocket punch, but instead they get a fizzle

Blue balled, Emeth gets its arm bitten off, the 900 years have done a number on the weapons it had

Saturn meanwhile comes charging, leaping off Ju Peter to land on the longboat

His main focus seems to be Kuma and Bonney, but Sanji spots the Sunny taking flight from up above

The trajectory seems good but the distance is still short

and not far behind V. Nusjuro cuts through Atlas, mocking her attempt at a grand sacrifice

but Atlas' expression turns soft, and with a smile she notes she's simply lending a hand

And from her death, the explosion propels the Sunny towards the sea

Usopp and Chopper doing right by thanking Atlas, as York revels in being the 'Last Vegapunk' - only to be corrected by V. Nusjuro

Emeth realises that it has rusted for too long, but there was a time Joy Boy spoke of, and they wonder if they can 'use it' for this moment

During all this, Vegapunk notes how Roger and his crew must know the full story, that they must've heard it from the 'purest source possible', and that it may end up determining how things transpire in the future

Prisoners cover the final panel

Oh shit he did say it, the government did try to keep it under wraps: Gol D. Roger

Well it looks like it's curtains for Emeth. We pour one out for Atlas, the first Vegapunk Luffy met, who was nothing but welcoming to him, who fought even when outmatched against Lucci, and sacrificed themselves to help the Straw Hats, just as Edison did.

Last chapter many were suggesting Bonney4Nakama, but I wonder if this chapter does anything for Lilith4Nakama. She was a bit argumentative, but it is still a hell of a feather in the cap to have a Vegapunk on your team, even if it is Grand Fleet. Plus she is the most pirate of the Punks, looting ships for resources and funding, and as the 'evil' one the WG would spin the story so she can't persuade the world about what truly happened.

This chapter had some good stuff when it came to the importance of history, it could've been very easy for Ohara to have been forgotten to the story, but Oda maintains it as a centerpiece of history, the destruction of Ohara literally triggered so many other smaller events that have snowballed and come to bite the Gorosei. Emeth speaking using the Voice of All Things is interesting too, because Zunesha did that as well, the Sea Kings did that too, did Joy Boy unite all races under this voice perhaps? And what is it really?

Questions upon questions, but now that Luffy has heard the name Joy Boy I wonder if he will at one point try to inquire into it, Robin has been quietly soaking up this knowledge, it is a lot to take in but it also feels like she will have more things she can reveal to the crew from it.

The Sunny makes it to sea though, Saturn seems to be the last obstacle (Egghead has been pretty cyclic; Lilith and Atlas were the first met Vegapunks but were also the last allied Vegapunks, Saturn was the first Gorosei obstacle and now he's the last), who does it fall to in order to stop him? Sanji is due a moment that's not undercut by failure, but it can also fall to Kuma to push away the first true obstacle and mastermind behind every tragedy in his life one last time, his powers are designed to push things away.

There seems a tiny bit left of Vegapunk's transmission and I'm still waiting on why it needed a video feed, but it would bode to finish on a strong closing argument.

[howlingday]

Why I love One Piece

An essay made at the request of @superbkryptoniteavenue

One Piece is an anime about pirates at first glance. I first found the series when I was in the third grade. When I started watching the anime, I couldn't get enough of it. Years later, I'm still watching it, and I'm finding new things to love about it. Okay, the first paragraph is filled out, now let's get to some One Piece. Now come aboard and bring along all your hopes and dreams.

When I first found One Piece, it was a manga sitting in my school library. Nowadays, I usually start a new series from either the first episode or the first volume. However, One Piece was different in that I started from Volume 3, when Luffy, our main protagonist, meets his future navigator, Nami. The volume also introduced the first major threat Luffy and his crew faced off against; The Buggy Pirates. However, the one scene that I love more than any other in this manga was something that showed me how different Luffy was from the other pirates.

Before getting into that, let me give you a basic run-down of One Piece, and I mean VERY basic, because getting any deeper can be as troublesome as diving for treasure. First, the setting of One Piece is a world that is best described as one big ocean with islands dotting here and there. The world is in what's referred to as The Great Pirate Era, starting from when Gold Roger, the most famous pirate, was executed and with his dying words, declared that he left a treasure to be found, sparking the era. Whoever finds this treasure becomes the King of the Pirates, which is the end goal of our main protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy, who is a rubberman with the powers of rubber, which he gained after eating the Gum-Gum Fruit, a Devil Fruit.

I'll save you the long list from there, but it all makes sense as you go along. Anyways, the part that made me understand what kind of pirate Luffy is happened in the first volume I read, where there's a dog guarding a pet store for his dead master. A pirate with a giant lion attacks it and burns it to the ground. Luffy hunts down the pirate, easily overpowers the lion, then knocks out the pirate. He then comes back to the dog, handing him what's left of the pet store; a box of dog food. It's for this reason, among others, that Luffy is my favorite protagonist.

If I could find more One Piece, I wanted to get it. Bear in mind, this was back in the day when anime was only on the internet if you were lucky enough to find it. Especially if you were living outside of Japan and the USA. So when I found the anime, I hopped into as much as I could. I remember finding a website of just One Piece, and I binge-watched it for about a week. Ever since, it's been one binge-watch after the other.

East Blue, Baroque Works, Skypeia, Enies Lobby, Thriller Bark, Saobody Archipelago- I'd seen them all and I loved everything each one of them brought! Thus far, the best arc is Enies Lobby, since I felt like everyone was fighting as hard as they could and has probably some of the best, most tear-jerking moments in the entire series. Not to say the other arcs don't have their moments, but this was the one that cemented One Piece in my heart. Heck, I'll sometimes go back and rewatch the scenes because they're so good!

I find it funny, actually, how a series about such a simple character has developed into this huge world with its own intrigues and deeper lore. And it can all be pretty much summed up as, "And then Luffy happened." There's a secret shadow plot involving the World Government; there's a pirate running around stealing other people's powers; there's a talking skeleton, a giant dragon, and a living cartoon character as a god! It's all so awesome!

So, why do I love One Piece? Well... I love it because it's fun! I love it because it brings up interesting questions! I love it because it makes me laugh with joy, clench my fists in rage, and wipe my eyes for... reasons. I won't say it's perfect because it does have its flaws, but that won't stop me from enjoying Luffy and his crew making these short pit-stops that devolve into colossal battles that reshape the islands, if not the entire ocean itself!

So... Yeah. That's why I love One Piece.

[betweenbreaths]

booze (zoro x reader)

Summary: The winner gets booze — the finest booze of them all.

The rules? The first one to touch the other loses.

Neither you nor Zoro intend to lose.

Rating: Explicit (smut - you have been warned)

A/N: I spent waaaay too long writing this but this was the most fun I had writing something in a while. Hope you enjoy! :)

AO3 link in the replies to this post.

***

It was no secret to anyone on this crew that you and Zoro both loved your booze. At parties, you were the best drinkers, and also the heaviest sleepers after that. On the rare occasion that the Strawhats had time to rest and play around in a town or island, both you and Zoro would be each other’s drinking buddies, no questions needed. 

And so, it came as no surprise that the both of you were equally hung up over a particularly expensive bottle of alcohol in a bar where you had both been drinking. There was only one bottle left, so getting one each was out of the question. Sharing the drink was, for some reason, not on the cards either. Probably because you were both extremely drunk — that often brought out the competitive streak in both of you.

Because you couldn’t decide on how to split it, you had agreed on a momentary truce: purchase the bottle, take it back to the ship and hand it over to Sanji who would lock it up safely in the kitchen, get some sleep and then decide what to do with it in the morning.

It was afternoon by the time you both woke up, both hungover and grumpy. The dull headache did not help to ease your foul mood in the least. 

“So, what’s the plan?” Zoro asked with a yawn, as you both eyed the precious bottle of alcohol placed atop the kitchen counter. It had cost you a good ten million Berries, and the news of the purchase had Nami smacking both of you on the head at least ten times for “wasting” that much money. 

You both knew it wasn’t a waste; this was one of the rarest drinks in all of the land, known as the “Dragon’s Tears”, a drink which was usually served exclusively to the Celestial Dragons. It could only be smuggled out in low quantities, and was sold on the black market for ridiculous prices. The fact that you had gotten it for 10 million Berries was already a huge steal.

“Dunno. Any ideas?” 

Sanji, being close enough to overhear, paused from his dishwashing to turn his head your way.

“How about sharing it?”

“No,” you and Zoro had both answered in unison, which had Sanji rolling his eyes. 

“Guess we don’t have a choice; we’ll have to settle this through a duel.”

“No way,” you had objected hotly, glaring at Zoro who was now wearing a sly smirk on his face. “We both know you’re stronger at combat.” 

“Oh yeah?” he grinned. “If you’re going to admit defeat already I’ll just take the bottle for myself now.”

“Please, if we made this a test of intelligence the bottle would be mine. We need to pick something fair.” 

“Did— Did you just call me stupid?” 

You ignored him, deep in thought and wondering how you should go about this. 

And then it came to you: an idea so brilliant, that a devious, cunning smile was playing on your lips before you realised it.

“What’s with that look on your face?” 

You said nothing, already calculating your next move.

Oh, Zoro was most definitely going to lose. 

***

It was an especially hot, windless day, and you were on the deck with Chopper, Luffy and Usopp who had their tongues out while sweating profusely. You were all under the same tree, seeking shade from the ruthless rays of the sun. 

“Chopper, do you need some ice?” you asked, eyeing the little reindeer who looked like he might pass out at any minute. 

“That’s okay… I just… need to lie down for a bit…” 

“Maybe I’ll ask Sanji for something to cool us all down.” 

Speak of the devil. Sanji burst out the door at that exact moment, calling your name in the usual high-pitched, exaggerated tone that he reserved exclusively for women. He came skipping over to you, holding a tray of popsicles in one hand and extending a light pink one to you. 

“For you, my lady.”

You accepted it with an appreciative smile, which had Sanji doing a number of cute, happy twirls for you. The rest were quick to complain and demand for popsicles too, and in response the blond had glared at the lot of them, before hurling the popsicles at their mouths as if they were spears. 

Ignoring the sound of choking in the background, you licked at the cool surface of the popsicle, enjoying the taste of sweet strawberries on your tongue. It was a much-needed respite for your parched, dry throat. 

From the corner of your eye you noticed Zoro walking over, wiping the sweat off his forehead as he sought the shade under the tree on the opposite end of the deck. He was cool as always, ignoring the racket that was going on next to you other than to shoot an annoyed glance Sanji’s way. He then sat down on the grass, before lying down on his back, his arms crossed behind him as a makeshift pillow. 

After a moment he seemed to notice that you were staring, and you met his gaze evenly with a sly smirk. 

Keeping your eyes locked on his, you stuck your tongue out, licking the underside of the popsicle, before putting the tip in your mouth. 

Even from this distance, you could see his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed.

It had been two days since the game started. The prize? The finest booze in all the land.

As for the rules? First one to touch the other would be the loser. Relieving yourselves privately or with other people was strictly prohibited too, and you’d have to rely on each other’s word for it.

You knew it was going to be difficult; you and Zoro had been going at it like rabbits almost every day, ever since you both decided to finally act on the mutual physical attraction you had for each other. Everything started when you both got extremely drunk one night in a bar and woke up the next morning to find your naked bodies snug against each other in the crow’s nest. After that, neither of you needed alcohol as a catalyst, and there was no stopping either of you from getting your hands on each other once you were away from the prying eyes of your crew members.

Nothing, until now, that was.

Zoro had been amused when you shared your idea with him, and it had been easy enough to provoke him into it with a simple “I guess you just can’t keep your hands off of me even for a day?” 

As expected, the man had snapped and immediately agreed to your terms, seeming confident that it would be an easy win for him. 

But the cocky swordsman had another thing coming if he thought you would give him an easy time. After all, you were determined to win; the stakes were high, and more importantly, you were determined not to lose to him. 

You got up, dusting the stray blades of grass off your shorts, before heading over to the tree where Zoro was laying under. 

He peeked his good eye open, peering at you warily as you approached him, obviously knowing from that smirk of yours that you were up to no good.

You plopped down next to him, taking another lick of your popsicle.

“If you want one, you better get it from Sanji soon, or everything’s gonna melt.”

“No need,” he replied with his usual stoic expression, “It’s not that hot here.”

Oh? Well then, it looked like it would be up to you to raise the temperature for him.

“Is it? I’m melting over here.” Clutching the popsicle between your lips, you made a show of lifting the hem of your crop top, before pulling it over your head and tossing the damp garment at Zoro’s face.

He caught it easily just before it could actually hit him in the face, and you listened to his disapproving grunt, followed by an almost inaudible sharp inhale of air.

You shot a knowing grin at him, which was met with a glower. You had donned a lacy bra on purpose for today, and while you were certainly giving Sanji and the others a good show, you knew this was getting under Zoro’s skin. The light pink material was almost nude under the glare of the hot sun, and you knew how much Zoro loved seeing you in delicate lingerie that was only too easy for him to tear off.

Ignoring the sound of Sanji launching himself into the air with a fountain of blood spurting through his nose and Chopper’s panicked screams behind you, you relished in Zoro’s undivided attention on your exposed skin. You could see in his good eye roaming over your body that his thoughts were trailing into dangerous territory.

Popsicles. It was the oldest trick in the book, but it worked. Every. Single. Time.

With confidence surging through you and your pulse racing from the thrill, you raised the melting popsicle once more, not flinching as a few drops of the melted liquid fell from the other end and landed onto your chest. 

Zoro didn’t seem to be breathing as he watched the pink drops of liquid slip down your chest and disappear into the valley of your breasts.

A sucking noise drew his attention back to your face, where you had half of the popsicle in your mouth now, the tip of it poking your hollowed cheek as you sucked. The sweet flavour swirled on your tongue, and you swallowed, before releasing the popsicle from your lips with a light smack and a soft moan.

Through half-lidded eyes, your gaze fell back on the swordsman who still had his good eye trained intently on you. He hadn’t looked away once, never one to back down from a challenge.

“It’s sweet,” you told him with a hum, before offering your half-eaten popsicle to him, allowing the tip to stop just shy of his tightly pursed lips.

“Try it.”

He obliged, much to your surprise, and caught a huge chunk of it between his teeth. The popsicle broke with a light crack, and the chunk that had landed in his mouth was crushed into pieces seconds later.

“It’s not that sweet,” he remarked, his lips turning up in a cocky smirk that mirrored yours.  

“I still prefer the taste of you.”

That line went straight to your loins and he knew it. The mental image of his head between your thighs, eating you out like the finest dessert he had ever tasted, filled your mind and you felt your body begin to heat up. 

Of course Zoro wasn’t about to let you walk all over him. No, it just wasn’t his style. It was one of the things that drove you crazy about him. 

Not ready to back down, you tipped your chin up in defiance and spread your legs just a little, hands trailing up your inner thigh at a deliberately slow pace.

“You’re more than welcome to dig in, you know.” You proceeded to lean in, allowing your lips to hover just above his ear. 

“And while you’re at it, you can take a look at what I’m wearing underneath.”

That seemed to really get him. His jaw was clenched, and you could see the fire in his darkened irises as you pulled away with a sweet, innocent smile.

“I will, after I win this thing.”

You laughed then, which only seemed to grate on his nerves.

“Make it quick, then. I’m throwing this set away after tonight.” The sound of grass rustling filled the silence between you as you stood up to leave.

“What? Why?” he asked.

You turned back, shooting him a wicked grin that made him instantly regret opening his big fat mouth.

“Because it’s gotten so… wet.”

You didn’t need to look to know that Zoro was probably cursing in his head right then. While you would have loved to watch him stew, you decided it was best to make your exit after winning this round. 

***

Karma hit you like a bitch two days later, when Zoro made it abundantly clear that you had chosen to mess with the wrong guy. 

You were doing your training as usual in the crow’s nest, not seeing the need to avoid the place just because of the ongoing bet you had with Zoro. And so you were hardly surprised when he entered halfway through your workout. 

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. You greeted each other like usual, and he went about his own thing while you did yours.  

Except, today Zoro had decided he would do his training topless. 

It wasn’t exactly unusual for the man; he often trained without a shirt on to avoid getting it completely soaked with his sweat.

But today, you knew the move was a deliberate one; a clever move in this game of chess. How did you know? Because each time he caught you sneaking a sideways glance at him, he would flash you a brazen smirk that said, “Like what you see?”

You had never been one for being discreet, habitually checking him out whenever you trained together in the crow’s nest. You couldn’t help it; Zoro was ripped in all the right places, the lines and curves of the hard muscle under his tanned skin extremely attractive in your eyes. You would find yourself lost in the way his muscles rippled and clenched as he moved, your mind wandering to all the things he could do to you with that monstrous strength of his. It would be filled with various mental images: his ass clenching while he rammed into you, his arms clenching as he held you tightly in place so he could have his way with you, your fingernail marks dotting the broad expanse of his back… 

It was no wonder then, that Zoro training topless usually ended in many, many rounds of mindblowing sex in the crow’s nest. By now, you were sure you two had christened pretty much every corner in this room. 

That was probably what he was after when he came up here. He had made it clear that he knew exactly how to push your buttons, as you did his.

With each swing of a weight easily twice his size, he would let out a grunt not dissimilar to the sounds he made while fucking you senseless. It was taking all you could to focus on your training, but even that was challenging when he was right there next to you, literal and metaphorical heat radiating off his body and drawing your attention to him like a moth to a flame. 

“Shouldn’t you be focusing on your training?” he asked in a mocking tone, breaking your train of thought and sending heat rushing to your cheeks. You dropped your gaze to the weights in your hands, resuming your bicep curls. 

“I would if you’d give me a bit more space here. You’re getting too close.” It was a bald-faced lie and didn’t sound convincing even to you. Zoro was always careful and made sure to keep a safe distance from everyone whenever he swung his sword or weights or anything else that could be dangerous. 

Nevertheless, Zoro shrugged and took a big step back.

“This good?” 

“Yeah.”

You resumed your workout, but your inability to concentrate had you losing count of your reps multiple times. It wasn’t all that surprising; the bet had been going on for a few days now, and you were pent up enough as it was. Maybe it had been a bad idea to come to the crow’s nest after all. You should have known Zoro would pull something like this; there was no way he wouldn’t get back at you after your last attack. 

But, you’d be damned if you backed down now or let him know he had the upper hand. 

Leaving the room now was out of the question — that was a coward’s move. So you decided to drop the weights in your hand, heading over to the rack to reach for much, much heavier ones that you had yet to try instead. It would be much less easy for your mind to wander if you had to focus everything into trying to lift these instead.

A genius plan, you had thought to yourself, until you tried lifting them off the rack and nearly lost your balance, body lurching forward and being dragged down by the weights that were clearly too much for you. 

You had expected to go tumbling into the rack and make a mess of the equipment and of yourself, while Zoro watched with mocking laughter. 

But the situation you found yourself in next was far, far worse than that.

What did happen was: you remained standing where you were, the heavy weights in your hands — not because you were magically able to summon the strength to hold them in that split second, but because someone else was now holding it for you. 

You felt an imposing presence mere inches behind you, the heat from his body telling you exactly how close your bodies were in that moment. Zoro, however, had been careful enough to make sure he wasn’t touching you, not even his hands that were holding the edges of the weights that were still in your grip. 

“Oi.” His gruff voice sounded right above the shell of your ear, his hot breath sending delightful shivers running down your spine. “That could have been dangerous.”

It took a moment for you to come up with a coherent response. 

“For you, or for me?” you asked, fighting the urge to lean backwards into his rock solid chest and rub your ass against his crotch—

Yeah, this was definitely dangerous for you.

“You’re asking that when you nearly got a concussion over a bunch of light weights? Or maybe that was a little trap you’d planned too.” His chuckle was low and dangerous, and his next words came out in a deep drawl that tickled your ear and made you go weak at the knees.

“If you wanted me to touch you, all you needed to do was ask.” 

It was too much. Zoro was playing all his cards right and pushing all the right buttons. You were barely holding on to the shred of rationality that was left in your head, your lust and urges starting to take control. All you needed to do was turn around, and you’d be kissing the shit out of him, melting against his body and letting go of everything that you had been holding back for what seemed like an eternity now. 

It would be too easy to give in. 

But, the more sensible, prideful part of you knew better: you couldn’t let him win. Knowing the man, he would never let you live it down, and would taunt you for the rest of your days with this victory. That, and you’d have spent ten million berries for nothing. 

“You’ll just have to make me want to ask,” was your retort, filled with all the fake confidence that you could muster. 

There was a beat of silence. Then you felt a tug on the weights in your hands. You promptly released them, allowing Zoro to step away and return the weights to where they belonged on the rack. 

Your back suddenly felt cold and empty, now that he was gone. Never mind that, you’d better get out of this room before you made any more blunders. 

Just before you could leave though, Zoro spoke again.

“You were practically begging through your eyes,” he said, and you could hear that infuriating smirk playing on his lips. 

“Next time, you’ll be begging with your mouth.”

That was the moment you knew: winner or not, this was going to end so poorly for you. 

***

A week and a half on, you were nearing the end of your rope. Zoro didn’t show any signs that he would be giving up anytime soon, and neither were you. You had expected as much, both being just about as stubborn as the other. 

Still, you desperately needed some relief and escape from the filthy thoughts haunting you day and night. Zoro’s taunts were starting to get to you and now you found your mind constantly wandering towards him and to all the things he could do to you, if you’d just give in and give up on this game. If this score wasn’t settled soon, you may well be the one to throw in the towel first, ego be damned. You couldn’t even fall asleep now, your mind too active to allow you to rest. 

After hours of tossing and turning in bed, you found yourself having to choose between two options. 

The first: sneak into the men’s quarters and get down to business with Zoro. 

The second: take a cold shower.

Thankfully, the rational part in you won over and decided on the latter.

But when you arrived at the bath, it looked like someone else had decided on the exact same thing. 

You heard footsteps just as you arrived at the door, and spun around only to find yourself standing face to face with the very cause of your insomnia. 

Zoro looked just as surprised as you, and the both of you opened your mouths at the same time.

“What are you doing–”

“Why are you awa—”

Your voices cut off, and an awkward silence creeped in as you studied each other, as if scrutinising an opponent in battle. 

Well, from the looks of it at least, Zoro didn’t seem like he had planned this. Not to mention, it was 4am in the morning; he was the last person who would hatch some kind of scheme while half-asleep. 

“It’s 4am,” you said, breaking the silence. “I thought you were all asleep.”

“I could say the same about you,” he replied evenly, folding his arms across his chest. That big, broad, muscular chest—

“I wanted to relax in the bath. Thought I’d be able to take my time while everyone was asleep.”

He cocked a brow at that, unconvinced. “You do this often?”

“Sometimes,” you lied, before quickly turning the tables on him. “What about you? What are you doing here?”

“Same reason as you.” 

“What, you take baths at 4am in the morning?”

“…Sometimes.”

Riiiiiiight. This was going nowhere. It was obvious enough that he was here for probably the same reason as you but you were far too tired to try to pull anything funny; all you wanted was to take a cold shower and try to get some sleep. 

“Okay well, I was here first, so you can come back after I’m done.” You opened the door to the bath barely wide enough for you to fit in, and you were about to enter when you felt him sidle up next to you, pushing the door open wider so the both of you could fit through the doorway.

You turned around, about to protest until you saw the cunning smile on his face.

Your heart dropped. No. No no no no. That look could only mean one thing. 

“The bath is big enough for the both of us,” he said breezily, before gesturing for you to enter. 

“Ladies first.”

Damn his stupid ego and competitiveness. Fine, if he really wanted to play with fire, who were you to deny him? 

A few minutes later, you were submerged in a hot bath, instead of the quick cold shower you had come here for. Both of you were seated at opposite ends of the bath, and the steam in the room made it hard to see your naked bodies beneath the surface of the hot bathwater. 

How long was he planning to stay here for, anyway? You didn’t really know where you could go from here, seeing as Zoro hadn’t appeared to be affected one bit by your little strip show earlier. He didn’t even bat an eyelid as you deliberately shook your hips while slipping off your panties, or look annoyed like he usually would when you kicked them his way. All he did in response was remove his shorts, giving you a nice view of what you had missed out on for the past week, before heading straight for the bath.

No thanks to that entirely un-sexy show of his, your mind was starting to fog up with various mental images again, and it didn’t help that he was right in front of you, a feast ready for you to dig into. 

This man would be the death of you, without a doubt.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked then, jerking you out of your thoughts. It was as if he knew where your head was at just seconds ago. 

“How annoying it is that you’re here,” you snapped right back at him. It was true; you had wanted the bath all to yourself and being both pent up and sleepy made for one very grumpy and impatient you. If Zoro’s plan was to get a rise out of you, boy was he going to get one if he intended on egging you on even further.

But, it seemed even Zoro could tell when he should stop. Instead of another teasing, mocking response you’d expected, his question sounded more genuine.

“Why? Because of the bet?” 

A pause. You mulled over your response for a second, before letting out a small sigh.

“Yeah,” you admitted reluctantly. “I didn’t think you’d last this long.”

You heard him chuckle, that deep, bass voice echoing gently off the walls. “Hey, this was your idea. Don’t go blaming me now.”

It was a fair point, but you didn’t like being wrong. You ignored that remark, turning away and lowering yourself just enough so your mouth was submerged under the warm water.

You heard the water slosh then, the ripples of water tickling your body. Looking up, you realised Zoro was making his way towards you, and he stopped right in front of you, peering at your face and studying it. 

“You’re upset.” It wasn’t a question.

“No, I’m not,” you stubbornly denied. “I’m just grumpy because I’m sleepy.” 

“Sure you are.” He was probably thinking about what a brat you were – not that you would deny it. 

There was a moment of silence, before he spoke again.

“How about a truce?” 

Your eyes darted towards the man, widening in surprise. 

“What?” 

“The bet’s not worth making you this upset,” he explained. “Let’s call it off and think of another way to decide who gets the booze.”

“In that case, how about you just give me all the booze?”

Zoro’s eye turned hard as he glowered at you in disapproval. You couldn’t suppress the impish grin forming on your lips. 

“Nice try, but no,” he replied flatly. 

Yeah, you didn’t think it’d be that easy either. It was worth the shot though.

“So, what? We call a truce, and then?”

“Then we think of something else. Weren’t you listening?”

“I was,” you replied, rolling your eyes and focusing on creating tiny ripples in the water with your index finger. 

“I was just wondering if this was, maybe, your way of saying that you’re tired of the games and you want to just fuck me now.” 

There was a pause, then a gruff, “And if it is?” 

Caught off guard by his unexpected honesty, you found your head jerking in the man’s direction where you found him staring at you almost expectantly. One look was all you needed to know that he meant it, that if you agreed to the truce right then and there he would drop everything and take you without a second’s hesitation. 

“And what if I say no? If you’re this close to giving up I might as well get the booze while I’m at it.” 

“I’m not the one pouting because of this bet,” he responded with an eye roll. “If it comes down to it, I can wait this out better than you can.” There was no trace of a bluff in that voice. Zoro absolutely could, because once he set his mind on something, he would stick to it and no mountain could move him. 

You, on the other hand, weren’t nearly as resolved as he was, and he knew that too. 

“If we do a truce,” you said, choosing your words very carefully, “what’s the alternative? There’s no way we’re having a duel.”  

Zoro pondered over it for a minute or two, before a devilish grin formed on his face — one that made him look like a downright villain. 

“How about this? First one to cum loses.” 

Your eyes must have lit up then, making no effort to hide the fact that you had finally taken his bait. Still, you pretended to mull over it for a moment, letting him stew as he waited for your answer. 

It didn’t take long, as you were unable to resist the urge to look at him, your eyes tracing over the curves of his face, the lines of his hard muscle, and everything else that lay hidden beneath the steamy hot water. 

You were grinning before you even realised it, and you tipped your head down in a subtle nod, eyes never leaving his. 

“You’re on.” 

The sound of water splashing filled your ears, and then you felt arms encircle your waist, lifting you up as if you weighed nothing more than a feather. 

Your lips parted in a sharp gasp, and a split second later his lips came crashing down on yours, kissing you fiercely and passionately, just like you had wanted for so long now. 

It was like taking a breath of fresh air after being held underwater for an eternity.

Zoro wasted no time, getting straight down to business. Your back was against the wall, the coolness of the surface a drastic change from the steamy water your body had been submerged in only seconds ago. With just one hand holding you up against the wall, his other hand was free to grab your hair and pull your head back in a sharp tug. The soft whimper that escaped you was silenced by his tongue that plunged into your mouth, sliding against yours in a teasing, sensual dance. It was a kiss that made it clear that he was in control, but you weren’t about to back down without a fight. Your fingers were in his wet hair, pulling him closer to you. When he pulled away for want of air, you were quick to catch his bottom lip between your teeth, nipping lightly before sweeping the tip of your tongue against it. 

“I missed this,” you murmured between your heavy pants, and he took a moment to rest his forehead against yours, slowing down just for a moment. 

“Yeah,” he breathed out, his breaths hot against your cheeks. “Me too.” 

“I was starting to think you didn’t want me anymore,” you admitted, wrapping your arms around his neck and resting your cheek against his shoulder. It felt nice even like this, him holding you close in his arms and allowing you to hear his racing heartbeat. Your chest was swelling from the warmth, and it was hard to keep yourself from smiling a silly smile, one that you hid from his sight. 

“Why? Because I wasn’t giving in to your little tricks?” You felt his hand squeeze your thigh, while the other went to your hip, his thumb gently tracing circles against your skin. 

“Mhmm.” 

“I was having a hard time too, you know,” he said, his head moving slightly as he caught the shell of your ear between his teeth. Your body trembled when the tip of his tongue traced the outside of your ear, and he chuckled, pleased with your reaction. “You were driving me nuts.” 

“Really?” You perked up, raising your head to look at him. Zoro’s face was red, and had a frown etched into his skin now; it was his way of acting tough whenever you caught him in a vulnerable moment. 

“Why do you think I had to come here for a cold shower?” he shot back gruffly, before grinding his hips into you without warning.

Your head fell back as a moan escaped you, the sweet friction between his stiff member and your own throbbing centre making you crave for more. Zoro took the chance to lean into your neck, and you felt his lips on your skin. 

You let out a small whimper when he sucked hard, bruising the skin between his tongue and teeth. He was quick to soothe it over with a few tender licks over the sore spot, before nipping and sucking again. Zoro liked to mark you like this, and you had given up on chiding him for giving you these love bites in places where your crewmates could see. He wouldn’t listen, and you suspected he simply enjoyed the thought of people knowing that you were his, and his alone. 

By the time he was done, you didn’t need to look to know that the mark was going to be there for days. Not that you really cared at the moment; you had other more pressing things to worry about—namely, his cock pressing up against your ass. 

“I couldn’t sleep,” he continued, pressing kisses up the column of your neck and along your jaw. “All I could think about was fucking you and taking you rough, the way you like it.” 

You had almost forgotten how good Zoro was at talking dirty, and hearing it now when all you could think of was him pounding into you had you sinking your teeth into your bottom lip. You couldn’t move though, as much as you wanted to grind your hips against his again. The man had you firmly in place against the wall and you were helpless, completely at his mercy. 

“What else did you think about?” you found yourself asking, the words leaving you before you registered it. 

You heard him chuckle, and then he suddenly lifted you high enough to rest your thighs on his shoulders, his head settling nicely between your legs. You let out a shriek at the sudden movement, but Zoro didn’t let you fall — of course he wouldn’t. He had you securely in his grip, one that you wouldn’t be able to escape from. 

With a wicked grin, he met your wide eyes and his mouth drew closer to your wet cunt.

“I imagined getting a taste of you, while you scream my name and beg me to let you cum.” 

His answer took your breath away, and you nearly came apart when you felt his hot tongue dip into your slick folds.

“Z-Zoro!”

His name was like a prayer on your lips as you cried out over and over. Zoro was relentless as he lapped at you, tongue sucking and swirling around your sensitive clit. Sparks of electricity were flying on your skin, your mind emptying and leaving nothing but hunger for more of him, for the release that you had been missing for so long. It had your toes curling, legs tensing but Zoro’s arms were stronger, keeping your thighs locked in place and your legs spread wide enough that he had full access to your dripping cunt. 

You were close to coming already, him having riled you up and provoked you sufficiently that release was all you could think about. With nothing else to hold on to, your fingers found purchase in his hair and pulled him closer to you, a wordless plea for him to give you more. 

Zoro was never one to disappoint. You felt his fingers plunge into you then, and you nearly saw stars behind your eyes as he fucked you with his fingers, the sound of your wet juices echoing off the walls.

“You’re so wet for me,” he remarked, his deep voice vibrating against your swollen clit and making you moan. “Ready to cum yet?” 

No… The bet… You had just agreed to it and you were already going to lose in such a one-sided manner.

But you were rapidly slipping away, losing to the building tension in your abdomen and the climax that was waiting for you. You needed it. You needed him desperately, and in that moment, with your mind clouded over with desire, you seriously considered giving up the bet. Was it really worth it, when you had all this? 

You didn’t get the chance to decide. Zoro’s tongue and fingers abruptly stopped the magic that they were working on your body, and before you could let out a whine in protest, he was setting you down gentle on the edge of the bath, and spreading your legs again to rest your ankles on his shoulders while he positioned himself between your legs. 

He hissed as he slid his throbbing member against your slit, and you couldn’t resist reaching down to touch him. Zoro’s husky groan was music to your ears as your fingers slipped down his slick, wet shaft, the swollen tip of his cock pressing into the centre of your palm. It was impressive how hard he’d become in such a short span of time, and you’d be lying if you said you didn’t feel a surge of pride well up in you, knowing that you had this much of an effect on him. 

Your hands began working on him this time, returning the favour, and you studied his expressions avidly, licking your lips at the sight. His abdominal muscles were clenching as you used both hands to wrap around his thick shaft and pump it at a steady pace. Before long his hips were moving as well, following the rhythm of your hands as his heavy breaths grew harsher. 

“Fuck,” he cussed, when your grip tightened around him as you began pumping faster. “That’s good.” 

“Are you going to cum soon, or do I have to use my mouth? You teased, to which he smirked. 

“No need. I can think of somewhere else I’d like to put it in.” 

Placing his hand over yours, you released, he grunted as he positioned his tip at your entrance. The seconds stretched into eternity as you held your breath, waiting for him to move. 

He didn’t, instead choosing to slide his member at an agonisingly slow pace against your slit. His tip prodded your entrance a few times, only to move away, leaving you wanting and increasingly frustrated. 

“Zoro,” you whined, hands gripping his forearms. He was doing this on purpose, that much was obvious when his gaze, hot and heavy, fell on you and the corners of his lips twitched upwards in amusement. 

“Is that how you ask someone for a favour?” 

Damn it. You knew instantly what he was referring to: the promise he’d made back in the crow’s nest, after your spectacular failure at keeping a cool, composed exterior around the man. 

You would be glaring at him if he hadn’t spun you around right then, so his cock was sliding along the crack of your ass while he pressed your palms against the wall. 

Your bravado crumbled easily when you felt his chest press into your back, while his hands slipped past your waist to give your breasts a nice, hard squeeze. A roll of your pert nipples between his fingers had you sighing in pleasure, and your hips grinding back against his stiff member. It wasn’t enough to make him move, to get him to enter you. He was waiting for you to say the magic words. 

“Zoro, please,” you whined, neck turning back as far as you could to catch a glimpse of his face. 

Not good enough. He still didn’t move. 

“Come on, I want you to fuck me, please?” 

Still not good enough. You cried out when he pinched down hard on your nipples.

“Say it like you mean it,” he murmured in a raspy voice by your ear. “Tell me what you really want.” 

He really was the worst. 

With flaming cheeks, you ducked your head down and whispered in a voice that was barely audible: 

“I want you to make me cum.”

That seemed to do the trick. In the next instant his hands fell to your waist as he entered you, burying himself to the hilt with a single forward thrust of his hips. Your eyes squeezed shut, a scream of his name tearing from your lips while he groaned into your neck. 

“Fuck, you feel so good.” 

No more words were exchanged then, the bathroom only filled with the sound of your breaths, moans and the sound of sex as he rammed into you again and again. Every time you felt like your knees would give way, Zoro would keep a tight grip on your waist, holding you firmly in position. He was rough, strong, his stamina limitless as he pounded into you at a steady, rapid pace. 

You had been with Zoro long enough that you could tell he was getting close to his release. You just needed to hold on for a bit longer, although it was getting increasingly difficult to ignore the buzzing of the orgasm that was just within reach. It didn’t help at all that Zoro was already familiar with your body, knowing exactly how to angle himself and how deep to thrust into you to get you to your climax as quickly as possible. 

And when his hand slipped down from your breast to rub at your swollen, sensitive clit, you knew it wouldn’t be long before you came undone. 

You began moving your hips too, meeting his thrusts with your own and clenching down on him, which made him choke back a groan, the sound muffled when he sank his teeth into your shoulder. 

You weren’t about to make this that easy for him, after all. 

“Ready to lose yet?” you asked.

“That should be my line,” he replied with a low chuckle. 

His fingers began to pick up the speed, rubbing vigorously at your clit as his thrusts became faster, quicker, more impatient. You tried your best to hold on but you were practically teetering off the edge of a cliff, about to fall off at any moment now. 

Somewhere along the way, you stopped fighting it, losing yourself to the pleasure that he was giving you, and before long you felt the familiar sensation of your building orgasm, pooling low in your abdomen, ready to burst. 

“Come for me,” were the final words you heard in your ear, before you finally couldn’t hold back any longer. His hips snapped forward with a forceful thrust, filling you deeper than before, and then you lost it. You wailed his name, walls clenching hard around him as your climax hit you hard enough that your vision nearly went white. At almost the same time you felt him still, his warm seed filling you in two long spurts. 

Zoro’s thrusts began to slow down but he continued to move, riding out the wave of your combined orgasm and you let him, following his pace and gradually coming down from your high. 

Eventually, he stopped, and the moment he loosened his grip on your body, you nearly tumbled forward, legs having lost its strength to hold your weight.

Thankfully he caught you quickly enough to stop your fall, and pulled you back with him into the inviting warmth of the steaming warm water. He was still inside you, seeming content with the position as he kept his arms circled around your waist to keep you in his lap as he sat down, submerging yourselves in the bath. 

You leaned back with a satisfied sigh, body limp against his chest as he pressed lazy kisses into the junction where your neck met your shoulders. The exhaustion was finally starting to get to you, your eyelids growing heavy for want of sleep. What time was it, anyway? 

But more importantly…

“I think that was a tie,” you concluded, and you felt Zoro’s chest rumble with a laugh. 

“Yeah,” he agreed, before thrusting up into you again without warning. Still sensitive from your orgasm just moments ago, you let out a sharp gasp from the overstimulation. 

“Hey! What was that for—”

“How about another round to determine the winner?” 

“But I’m tired,” you protested, slapping lightly at his forearms that were still wrapped tightly around your torso. “Can’t we do this tomorrow? After we get some sleep?”

“Go ahead and sleep. I’m sure I can still make you cum.” 

“Zoro!” 

“What?” 

Your protests promptly died in your throat when you felt him push deeper into you again, this time spreading your legs apart and running his hands up and down your inner thigh. As much as you hated to admit it, Zoro was getting your engine revved up and ready to go again. 

“Come on, just one more round. Or, are you too chicken to keep playing?” 

Lies. It was never “just one more round” with him. Knowing him, he didn’t intend on letting you get a wink of sleep at all. 

Despite that, Zoro had a way of convincing you to go along with his whims, and you found that you sucked at saying “no” to him.

Turning around just enough that you could see his stupidly smug face, your defiant answer to his challenge was a sweet kiss to his lips, and a run of your tongue against his. He kissed you back, swallowing your soft moans as his hand inched upwards towards your centre once more. 

***

When morning came, you found yourself lying on your side, your back snug against Zoro’s chest and his arms wrapped around your waist. You were lying in a makeshift bed in the crow’s nest which basically consisted of a messy pile of his clean clothes. 

The previous night’s activities were slowly coming back to you, evident in the ache in your lower half and the love bites all over your chest. No doubt, you’d find many more on your shoulders and neck once you found a mirror; this man tended to go overboard and last night had been pretty extreme. 

Zoro must have overexerted himself too, for he was snoring behind you, deep in sleep. You couldn’t help but smile, enjoying this moment of peace and quiet with him; it had been a while since you got to cuddle with him. While Zoro wasn’t exactly averse to the idea, usually it took a lot of convincing for him to agree. 

And it usually took just as much convincing — if not more — for him to let you go. 

You felt him stir the moment you tried to pry his arms off you, and they promptly tightened at the same time that you felt his lips kiss the spot just underneath your ear.

“Quit moving, I’m trying to sleep here.”

You groaned, but it didn’t sound at all begrudging. How could it? He was so cute when he got like this. Still, you were getting restless in this position and you wanted to stretch after the number he did on you in the bath. 

Again, you tried to peel his arms off your waist, but they wouldn’t budge. You knocked your fist lightly against his arm in response. 

“Zoro. Zoro. Hey.” 

“Go back to sleep,” he mumbled grumpily, pulling you even closer to him and tightening his grip on you.

“I need to stretch, I’m sore everywhere.”

“Do it later.” 

“Ugh.” You tried once again, fruitlessly, to loosen his hold on you. There was just no winning with this stubborn man. 

Eventually, you gave up with a huff, and settled back into silence when you were reminded of something. 

“Right. The bet. Who won?” you asked, tapping on his forearm to get his attention.

“I did,” he replied without any hesitation at all. The jerk.

“I’m serious, who won? I feel like we were tied at every round.”

“Let’s just say I won.” 

“Nice try, but no.”

“Whatever. Let’s just split it equally. This bet’s becoming a pain in the ass.” 

“It’s a pain in mine, not yours,” you corrected him, and he had the gall to laugh at that. 

“So? Split it?” 

“Fine,” you agreed. “We’ll split it. Now let go of me; I’m hungry for some breakfast.”

“No.”

He could really be such a brat sometimes. “Zoro…” 

Ignoring the undisguised irritation in your tone, he pressed a kiss to the back of your neck, before resting his chin on your shoulder. “Then, how about we make another bet?” he asked, and you shivered at the ticklish sensation of his breath ghosting across your bare skin. 

“What bet?”

“First one to leave this bed loses.” 

“Oh?” you cocked a brow at the suggestion. “And what’s in it for the winner?”

You felt him smile against your skin, and he pressed a soft kiss into your shoulder before leaning in to whisper something in your ear. 

“Booze.” 

You couldn’t hold it in, not with this man. You burst into giggles then, rolling to your side to wrap your legs around his waist, your arms around his neck and to pull yourself flush against his hard body.

His challenging gaze was met with a look of defiance of your own, chin tipping up as your lips spread into a smirk that mirrored his.

“Game on.” 

[purplehairedwonder]

Chapter 1083: By Any Means Necessary

Color me shocked, but we’re actually following up from last chapter to learn the truth about Reverie!

But first, that cover.

On the surface, it makes me laugh a bit. But, upon further reflection--and I’m going to look way too deep for a cover request--this makes me think of the way Doffy took in children. He’d find these heavily damaged children like Law and Baby 5, he’d wrap them in his coat (give them a place in the Family, make them feel wanted and needed, make promises about the future) while offering only the barest care for their actual trauma, like the bandage here. (In fact, he was actually making the trauma worse.) 

See? Way too deep for a cover request 😅

Anyway, on to the chapter:

So, the Revolutionaries had three main aims for infiltrating Mariejois:

I can only imagine that cutting off the Celestial Dragons’ food reserves is going to lead to some dark things. (I mean, even cannibalism hasn’t been off the table so far in One Piece, so...) While the Revolutionaries aimed to help as many slaves escape as they could, you know they didn’t get them all. And the ones left behind are really going to suffer from this.

Excuse me, why does this silhouette of God’s Knights look like Shanks?

It’s probably a misdirect (we all know how the silhouettes of Kaido and Big Mom looked before we met the actual characters, after all) but considering the background for Shanks that we got from the Film Red material and the fact that the Five Elders were willing to meet with him... it doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility. (Or maybe one of Shanks’s family members?)

Side note: on a shallow note, I really like this panel of Sabo:

Anywho, Dragon acknowledges that Cobra was actually a kind and benevolent ruler, but that doesn’t matter for the cause of the Revolutionaries. For the greater good is the type of attitude that leads to those who rebel against the corrupt to become the very thing they were fighting against once they are victorious.

“Unfortunately, misinformation spreads faster than nuances like that” is such a true line.

And Sabo...

The boy is fine being seen as Cobra’s murderer because it’s potentially helpful to the cause. It’s nothing more than a cold calculation for him. It’s also such a contrast to Luffy, who focuses on the individual people he cares about and the things that matter to them rather than the bigger picture; for instance, liberating Dressrosa wasn’t about the importance of freeing the people who’d been living under Doflamingo; it was because Doflamingo hurt Law and Rebecca, people he cared about. Freeing Wano was for Momo and Tama and the others he’d come to care for (and because he wanted a good fight against Kaido, ha.)

It’s interesting; we think of Luffy as being so selfish that he’s practically selfless. He fights for selfish reasons but ends up doing selfless things like freeing countries as a result of his actions. 

On the other hand, Sabo is, arguably, so selfless that he’s selfish. He doesn’t care about the consequences for him in all of this because it redounds to the Revolutionaries’ benefit, but at the same time, he’s willing to let others--like murder victim Cobra, for instance--suffer for the purposes of the mission. It’s selfish.

 I can’t help but think of Makino’s reaction to seeing the newspaper:

And now we know what she was looking at:

To be fair, this is a pretty damning picture (though Sabo easily could have just come across Cobra’s body when this picture was taken). And Sabo being willing to be seen in this light shows just ties into his selfless selfishness. 

Moving on, we start a flashback to a month earlier in Mariejois. The Revolutionaries are attacking and causing enough chaos to bring down two admirals. 

On a random note, Karasu’s Devil Fruit is just perfect for his aesthetic, and I love that for him.

It’s also very funny to me that Ryokugyu, who we saw as being incredibly bullheaded when he attacked Wano, is holding back to avoid causing damage in Mariejois...

while Fujitora is pulling his best Ivan Drogo:

😂😂😂

I completely forgot Bonney snuck into Reverie. Whatever happened there is clearly tied into how she ends up in the water for the Straw Hats to find her.

And my girl, Vivi. Fiery Vivi is the best Vivi. I love her a lot. 

I’m interested in, between this flashback and Egghead, where Lucci’s character is going. It feels like he’s becoming disillusioned with the orders he’s been following; he’s a definite wild card.

It’s interesting that Cobra is going in to meet with the Elders without anyone with him--almost like he knows what’s likely to come of this meeting and doesn’t want to drag anyone into it.

I’m looking forward to seeing how we get from this to Vivi and Wapol, of all people, hiding out with Morgans.

With all these revelations, we really are in the final saga, aren’t we?

[dragon-queen21]

HI ! back again, im sorry for the lack of closure of my last ramble, i was going through it and just couldnt write anymore (im fine now!) i apologize for that and all the typos. i didnt get to re-read it before i submitted it.

-Im actually half hispanic too! twins! but your right, i can definitely see ace being pretty good at spanish, and luffy knowing a selective amount. luffy can hold a conversation but hes not going to start speaking it fluently out of nowhere. all his crew can speak the same language, and robin is always there if someone else doesnt speak what they are, so he definitely wouldnt have as much practice as if he were still living in the goa kingdom.

-kinda odd hc but for some reason i also feel like spanish would be his first language considering his island would be located in brazil and then he was taught english by maybe garp? or makino? (or would it be japanese? sorry i watch in dub) and shanks was the one who taught him more of eng/jp (like slang, nicknames, etc) and ge eventually just picked it up more and like you said his spanish got really rusty

-imagine that when ace luffy and sabo were kids luffy tried to teach them eng/jp. it was actually going pretty good until the 3 of them started spurting out pirate lingo when garp was around.

now fast forward imagine little luffy with ace and luffy starts trying to teach ace eng/jp and ace is pretending to learn it all again to make him happy aweeeee

-Now back on captain smoker, luffy somehow gets smoker to carry him or hold his hand (the fear of being alone is insane) and smoker is PRAYINGG his men dont find him. theyd totally tattle on him

imagine luffy getting upset because they cant find his crew and smoker is trying his boy scouts best to calm him down. smoker is sweating BULLETS on the hunt for these strawhats (all of a sudden when he needs them theyre not causing a rucus) (smoker ends up getting luffy like candy or something to try and chill him out)

smoker gives luffy back to the crew and theyre all debating whether or not to tell smoker that luffys actually a baby right now (they end of giving him their gratitudes and booking it for the time being, knowing luffy, theres gonna be a next time.)

-i also wanna drop what if shanks were with luffy if he were regressed? how would that come about? maybe luffy regresses after not seein shanks for ten years and shanks is just like “this checks out” and treats him how he used to ? him and shanks’ crew all just chill with little luffy, i find that ADORABLE. (luffy and usopp regress together on the red force and yasopp gets to treat his son, like the child he left banchina with) (sorry im a believer that usopp doesn’t absolutely HATE his dad)

-babyspace luffy being babied by shanks (and the crew) because everyone in the one piece world just KNOWSSSS dragons a dead beat, and theres no way garp coddled this kid HE WOULDNT BE SEEN DEAD

wow can you believe this and my last submission was supposed to be about sanji? luffy stole the spotlight

okay this is getting way to long i fear, but thank you for continuing to read and answer my rambles, i mean when i say that it means a lot to me. and in your last-last reply to me, im happy that i can make your day. i hope these continue to do so. thank you so much🤍

and i wanna say this, dont ever feel that you need to answer my asks, i understand that i write a lot, i dont ever want to overwhelm you.

📷

Eh first of all,don’t worry about any typeos, have you seen my writing even proof reading I struggle man ;-; I’m just glad you’re feeling better <3

Second; eyyy twins!!! :D

~Mkay but I will raise you one, Luffy ‘teaching’ Ace swear words and then being like “bu’ you can’t say those cause den Sanji and Nami get angry if you says.”

“trying his boy scouts best”

<- XD I love that. Poor guy. The ONE time not a single thing is happening anywhere!

~Smoker offering to buy Luffy cotton candy when he sees a sweets stand, only has the regressor crying more, babbling something about a… Chopper??? And he’s so confused. Kids like candy. What the heck?!

~ I can imagine meeting up with Shanks and a conversation going something like this.

“Uh captain, you aren’t wondering what’s happening to Luffy or if this is like- a devil fruit affect?”

Shanks meanwhile with a toddler regressed Luffy clinging to his side

“Nah, seems normal to me”

~Usopp would definitely be shy around his father. Sticking towards Luffy and following his lead.

~Let Luffy be spoiled! He needs the love and attention that he gives others.

“Luffy stole the spotlight”

<- As he often does. You know I started a fic with Nami and Usopp and it slowly just evolved to just start focusing on Luffy. It just can’t be helped sometimes :3

I love answering these! I literally got home and was like :0 :D new message!! They don’t overwhelm me at all. As long as you’re okay with me taking a couple days to respond :3

<3<3<3

[charkyzombicorn]

Here’s a thought I had. An au where Shanks goes around giving Buggy’s snail number out to people. The reasons? 1. To be an asshole because it’s funny. 2. Maybe it will help Buggy with his issues somehow?

Luffy gets the number and while he does somehow memorize instantly, it never occurs to him to use it, although he did teach his brothers about the super cool number Shanks left.

Yassop leaves Brachina the number, but it’s Usopp who actually uses it years later, trying to find his dad so Yassop will come home and help Brachina.

Instead he gets a very confused clown pirate, wondering how this little boy got his number.

Buggy is so fucking annoyed. His snail phone is exhausted from being called so much. He wants to rest but children keep calling him in the phone and then saying the most gut-wrenching stories with the same tone they would use to comment on the sky being blue.

First it was Luffy, who said his name, that he was going to be king of the pirates (Brat) and that he had two new brothers and he wanted to tell everyone because he finally wasn't alone (and No it didn't remind Buggy of himself before Shanks and the Oro Jackson, Fuck Off).

Then it was Usopp who declared himself the bravest warrior of the sea because he didn't shed a single tear when his mother died, and hasn't since and now he's super strong because he has to do odd jobs to feed himself now. So Buggy, clown that he is, decided to visit - only for that douche Kuro to stop him by starting shit and almost sinking his ship. Buggy wanted to punch his glasses into his face but he was fighting for his right to visit some random snotnosed brat that got his number. So he left.

Then some brat named Ace called him, and asked what he would think if the pirate king had a son. So Buggy was completely honest, because that was a very strange and very specific question and he was still tired from helping patch the ship. "Roger did have kids - two of em', got one in a treasure chest and the other from a dumpster. But of course he gave the first kid his life's treasure and the second kid a mop. If he had a third kid I'd just hope they were born on neutral ground so they could see to their own future and not the one that asshat forced on them. Now Where Do You Kids Keep Getting My Number". But the line was silent, and a few seconds later went dead.

Then he got Another call from Another child, this one called Sabo. He said he knew Buggy was a pirate, said he could be a choreboy, a navigator and a fighter on Buggy's crew for the small price of Getting Him Out Of Goa. Buggy said he didn't want a toddler on his ship, "Sabo" insisted that he was 15 (not even a chance), and he could pay Buggy - 50 thousand for a spot on his ship. Buggy was definitely one for bribery, but he accepted such a low offer because the kid seemed desperate and people have good reasons to need to leave a place like Goa. So he shipped off, made it to port the next day and then promptly shattered himself into bits when he saw the celestial dragon ship in the distance. Then a blonde brat with neat clothes, a rucksack and a purposefully mean-looking glare said he was Sabo and that he wouldn't give the money until he was on the ship.

Buggy told him to go fuck himself, they were hiding the ship and praying the celestial dragon left without calling a buster call. Then his snail rang. Again. He ordered his crew hide the ship nearer the mountain before picking up the phone. It was Luffy again. "Listen, Luffy, calling me twice a week to tell me about your--" Luffy was crying.

"There was a fire. Sabo's gone. Ace hasn't woken up since the fire. What do I do? I can't lose my brother's they're all I have--" Buggy got the snail phone smacked out of his hand by a metal pipe and he yelped while Sabo was already curled around it with both hands on the receiver like it could break.

"Luffy?" And the mean face was gone, and he was definitely 10-ish. "Luffy, what happened to Ace--"

"SABO!!!!" The snail yelled so loud Buggy could tell its throat hurt. "You're with Shanks' mystery friend! You're okay! You need to come back, I went into the fire and so did Ace and Ace got hurt protecting me and we need you back I'm sorry if I'm why you left--"

The blonde kid was crying. Buggy wasn't known for his skill with children, so he just stood there. "Okay - I'm coming home, okay? I'm not leaving, I promise. Just - just watch over Ace until I get there, okay?"

"Yeah!"

Sabo hung up the the phone and looked back up at Buggy. "Change of plans." He said, after trying and failing to wipe his tears.

"Oh no shit." Buggy mocked. "Go home, kid."

Sabo nodded, but then hesitated. "You know Shanks, right?"

Buggy couldn't help the sneer - not that he wanted to.

"Shanks gave his arm to save my little brother's life. I owe him a debt, but. Thank you for helping a stranger." He put his little hand out as if Buggy wanted to shake sticky toddler hands.

Buggy flicked him. "You're just lucky Luffy's my biggest fan, or you'd be scrubbing the floors, brat."

[kilannad]

As the Stars Burn On Chapter 32

Masterlist. Ao3. Discord.

The Thousand Sunny

The party swung to life with a roar. The Galley-La company had an outdoor pool behind their headquarters and decided that with the funeral over, it was time to celebrate the living. Besides which, Luffy ordered a victory party, and none of them would dare mutiny. With Robin back, everyone awake and as healed as they could be, they had no more reason to delay.

Not even Luffy bitching about them all getting tattoos without him could ruin the good mood. Lucy wished she could be surprised, but in the aftermath of Enies Lobby, she thought they all wanted the reminder of where they belonged. Zoro had gotten his stretched across the left side of his chest, reaching over to cover part of his arm; Nami’s was on her left thigh and Robin’s on her right calf; Chopper and Lily had both gotten it on their chests, so that it’d stretch when they shifted forms; Usopp, taking a cue from Lucy, had put his on his arm, just under the shoulder; Sanji had put his on his right hand. Luffy was highly offended they hadn’t waited for him to be up so he could also get a one, but the fact that they’d need seastone in order for him to get any tattoo anyway seemed to calm him down. He was determined to get one at the soonest opportunity though. 

The water felt good against her skin, washing away the stress and tension. Usopp was singing some god-awful song about Sniper Island, Zoro and Sanji were arguing, Paulie was bright red and complaining, loudly, about Nami's bathing suit. Lucy cut through the water, coming up not far from where Robin was lounging, smiling quietly as she watched the crew. Her locket hung around her neck, the carved tree glinting in the sun, the last heirloom of Ohara. Lucy stopped at the edge of the water, sending a splash up.

"Dereshishi!" Robin laughed. "I suppose I deserve that."

"There's nothing to forgive," Lucy told her. "But if I can ask...why didn't you tell me, when you found out about the Stone Keys?"

Robin sighed, rubbing the necklace. "That last moment, the only time my mother hugged me, she pressed it into my hand and told me it was the heart of Ohara and for as long as it was safe, our legacy would live on with me. I...I should've given it to you. I nearly did, on Skypiea."

"It's alright," Lucy promised. "I can understand wanting to protect the last thing your mother gave you. Hóu said you kept good care of his Key. I think he'll be glad to meet you, when you're ready for it."

Robin swallowed heavily, nodding. "Thank you."

"Whatever you need, Robin."

"Well," she drew out, "Since you're offering...Care to explain what's been happening with the dragons while I was gone? They seem to be getting very friendly."

Lucy's face went red and she lowered herself deeper into the water to hide. It only earned another laugh from Robin. Sensing drama was happening, Nami seemed to appear from nowhere.

"Oh, this has to be about Laxus and Gajeel."

"Do you two ever stop?"

"Will you ever stop hiding and sleep with them?" Nami shot back.

The thought--the idea of being in bed, with both of them, naked--made steam come out of her ears. Lucy wasn't ashamed about still being a virgin, but she would be a liar if she said she hadn't considered it. Often.

"You know sex isn't the issue," Lucy complained.

"Lucy," Robin soothed. "I have lived many years in many places, and not once have I seen people who cared about each other the way those two care about you. If you'd only try, I think you'd find them very much in your reach."

It eased something in her, some curled up fear left over from days as 'Lady' Lucy. She was so used to people wanting her for her body or her fortune that even though she knew Laxus and Gajeel cared about her, it was hard to remember, sometimes.

"We want you happy," Nami told her. Then, smirking, she added, "And just to be sure; I told Franky that you three needed a room together."

"You what?!"

"Don't worry. He said, I quote, 'I ain't dumb, I planned the soundproofing for their room first'. So, you know."

"Does everyone think we're already in a relationship?"

"Yes."

Lucy splashed water towards them, then dived away to cool off. They were right. She knew they were right but...for all her confidence she was nervous. Anxious. She'd managed a handful of dates during her year in Magnolia and had never met the same person twice. She was too awkward, too unsure of how to handle a normal relationship. At the end of the day, she'd been raised an heiress and hadn't been taught dating; she'd always expected for a match to be made for her, all the way up until she ran away. Besides, the three of them were so entangled already, she didn't even know how to approach the topic.

She came up, gasping for air and wiping water from her eyes. The sun was starting to go down, the party tipping away from 'fun celebration' and toward 'drunk crowd'. Lifting herself up and out, she spied Gajeel stepping behind one of the corners where she knew some chairs were tucked away in the shade.

At her side, Aquarius's Key seemed to glow spitefully.

"Yeah, yeah." Lucy pressed a towel to her face, trying to think calming thoughts. She knew they'd say yes, no matter what she said. She did. She just...might combust before she got that far.

Moving before she could over think anymore, she patted herself dry and dumped the towel on a table. An arm bloomed, giving a thumbs up before vanishing in a flourish of petals. With no plan but as ready as she'd ever be, she wove her way through the crowd.

It was quieter in the back, a handful of beach chairs tucked away in a corner out of sight and in some semblance of peace. Gajeel was laid out across one in his black swim shorts and nothing else, his piercings still dripping water. His eyes were closed, but when she stepped closer he snatched up her wrist without looking and tugged her over until she stretched out next to him.

Despite herself, his touch eased her tension and she was glad for him pulling her close. Nami could tease her for it all she wanted, but Lucy was always calmer these days in Gajeel or Laxus's arms.

"What's wrong?" he murmured.

"Who said anything was wrong?"

"I can smell your stress, Bunny." He cracked an eye open, the slitted pupil wide in the shadow. "Is it your bounty?"

Fuck, she'd almost forgotten about that. She'd never heard of an 'only alive' bounty and she couldn't fathom why the number was so high. "There are Emperor Commanders with lower bounties than me," she admitted. "I just don't get it."

His arm tightened around her waist, drawing her closer against him. She buried his face in his shoulder, feeling the steady beat of his pulse. "We'll figure it out, Bunny."

She trusted him, but she didn't know if it would be that easy. There were too many things lately; her bounty, creating a Key, the mark on her back. She needed a distraction or she'd start spiraling.

"What do I smell like?"

"What?"

"You said you can smell my stress. What's that like?"

He chuckled, twisting his head to take a deep breath of her hair. "Normally, you smell like eucalyptus and spearmint--your soap. Then there's the layer of hormones and things that everyone has; that's what lets us know your emotions. If it's sour, you're afraid; bitter means stress or anger, depending on the situation; if you smell...sparkly, then you're about to cast."

"Sparkly?" she teased. "What do sparkles smell like, exactly?"

"Don' know, but you manage it, Bunny. It's just what your magic smells like to us." His gaze went a little distant. "It was so thick when you saved Merry I could've bitten into it. Like a physical thing pressing down all around us."

She swallowed, pressing a hand to his jaw to draw him back to her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you."

"You did, Luce. Just...be careful what magic you call on."

"Okay." She bumped their foreheads together. Trying to lighten the mood, she said, "What about sweet? Do I ever smell like that?"

Instead of laughing like she expected, his nose flared as his pupils dilated further. His voice roughened, dropping down as his hand clenched around her hip. "Only smelled ya sweet once," he murmured. "When we first met up on Water 7."

It didn't take her long to put together the pieces. Of course two dragon slayers could smell when she was aroused, she didn't know why she expected otherwise. It certainly explained Laxus's smugness afterward, though by Gajeel's voice she guessed it did as much for them as watching them fight did for her.

It was a peculiar kind of power, she realized. The ability to make two of the strongest, most controlled people she knew get distracted simply by her scent. The knowledge that they wanted her the way she wanted them. That--knowing they were equals in this in every way--made her next question so much easier.

She tilted her head, pressing their noses together. Beneath her hands, Gajeel went perfectly still, eyes tracking her every twitch without daring to move an inch, lest he go uninvited.

"Kiss me?"

Gajeel dragged a hand slowly up her arm, fingers gliding back into her hair and gently tugging her head back as he leaned down and finally--finally--kissed her. He kept it gentle and sweet, giving a single nip to her bottom lip so she'd let him in. She moaned against the first swipe of his tongue, hand gripping at his shoulder and feeling the flex of his muscles. Lucy pressed closer, flicking her tongue against the sharp point of his canine; he growled, fingers digging in as he shifted their angle, going deeper and harder. Her head spun, every inch of her attention falling on the points of their bodies, the glide of his tongue, the taste of his lips.

Another hand, larger and hotter, prickling at her skin with almost-static, dragged up her back. She shifted, baring her throat and whining despite herself. Laxus pressed kisses up her back, nipping at the pulse in her neck when he'd found his way there.

Gajeel pulled back, eyes flicking across her face then over her shoulder. "Don' break her skin," he warned. Lucy was too far gone to understand what he was asking, but Laxus hummed an assent.

Lucy leaned back, finding Laxus hovering over her, panting and wide-eyed. His tongue flicked out, chasing something on his lips. "Can I-?" He didn't finish, but she didn't need him to. She pulled him down until he was close enough, arching back and up to kiss. Gajeel dragged his lips down her neck, her collarbone, her chest, his canines leaving hot trails, just a touch away from painful.

Laxus had none of the patience of Gajeel but all of the same skill. He kissed hard and deep, leaving her desperate for air and completely unwilling to part. Gajeel shifted them, hauling her up until she was straddling him and more able to twist and meet Laxus without hurting her back. For a long while she lost track of herself, falling into the warm sensations of their touch.

☉

Lucy curled deeper under the covers, the soft sheets dragging across her skin as she buried herself into Laxus's chest. Behind her, Gajeel shifted closer, his arm a hot band across her stomach. She was vaguely aware that there was sun shining from somewhere and she should probably get up, but she was too warm and comfortable, her limbs heavy and loose, even in the places that were sore.

Distantly, she heard a door open. Gajeel lifted his head, giving a short, menacing growl that reverberated through her back. The door closed.

Through the walls, audible even to her human ears, she heard Usopp shout, "Alright, who had money on during Water 7?"

"Ha!" Nami yelled. "I knew it!"

Lucy groaned but decided to ignore them. She could be mad about them betting on her sex life later.

☉

"So it's true you're building their new ship," Paulie breathed, walking up alongside Tilestone and Lulu.

"What are you idiots doing here?" Franky demanded.

"What, you think we'll let you make a mess of their ship after they got revenge for Iceburg?" Paulie snorted.

"When was the last time you built a ship?" Lulu demanded. "And this is a rush order, you'll need help."

"You think I want help from some two-bit shipwrights?" Franky spat, glaring at them all over his glasses.

"We studied under Iceburg," Paulie said, lighting his cigar. "He'd be here himself if he could."

They were right and Franky knew it. With Iceburg and Tom dead, Kokoro was the only one who knew his dream from all those years ago. Iceburg had laughed, but Tom, as always, had simply told him to do it with a gusto. And for all that he loved his guys, Franky knew none of them could build something this complicated. They were having enough trouble fixing the Franky House from the damage left by Aqua Laguna.

"So," Paulie demanded. "Where are those blueprints?"

"Fine but if you fuck this up, I'm SUPER tossing you into the ocean."

☉

"Do you really think it's her?"

"Who else?"

"Then this era is more dangerous than any other. We must be vigilant."

"We have withstood for eight hundred years and we will withstand for another thousand. One Heartifilia couldn't stop us then, and she won't do it now."

☉

Kuzan pushed off from the wall, having seen all he needed to. For years, he'd wondered if Saul had been right, always questioning Justice and how he served it. Now, it seemed he had his answer.

Nico Robin would live her life for those who came before her and those who protected her now. Her choice had been made.

Now he just had to make his.

☉

Jonathan leaned against the railing of his ship, considering the distant figure of G-8 raising from the ocean. His showing in helping evacuate Enies Lobby had bought him time, but little else. More than ever, he had to consider what he served. Nico Robin continued to haunt him, and likely would for days to come.

☉

"Don't you want to see them, Koby?"

"Of course, Helmeppo. But I'm not strong enough yet. I'm a marine and he's a pirate; one day, I'm going to have to arrest him."

"You think you'll be strong enough?"

"Yeah. One day, I'm going to be an Admiral. Then I'll be able to arrest the Pirate King."

"You're crazy Koby."

"If you don't want to-"

"Oh I'm staying. A crazy bastard like you? I've gotta watch your back."

"Heh. Thanks."

☉

Lucy breathed deeply as the breeze passed over her. The air was getting colder as Water 7 headed towards their winter season, the water still choppy. Aqua Laguna may be the worst storm they'd get, but it marked the beginning of their rainy season. Out here, on the little scrap of land that they had first docked at, the world felt strange. It was the same land, if still a little muddy. The same ocean pushing against the shore. Yet somehow, everything had changed. Her back prickled each time she reached for her magic, her bounty hanging over her head. Their crew had publicly declared war on the government and now had a collective bounty over 2.1 billion berries. There were New World veterans who didn't have a bounty that high. They'd tasted that sort of strength against Aokiji and been thoroughly outclassed; she couldn't even win against a Vice Admiral. 

In her hand, Merry's Key seemed to vibrate. Lucy didn't know what form she'd take, or what powers, if any, she'd carry. There were no stories to guide her and no memory of her mother whispering in her ear. Only the newly forged Key in her hands, a fresh constellation created in the night sky, and the bubbling strength of her magic in her chest. Laxus had explained Second Origin to her and she could feel the edges where her magic had gotten deeper, bigger. It'd only grow from there.

Behind her, Usopp shifted in place, the whole crew present to watch and say hello once more to their nakama who had given her life for them. Lucy figured she should stop making them wait. She stepped into the ocean, the water cold against her ankles.

“I am linked to the path to the world of Celestial Spirits, now! O spirit, answer my call and pass through the gate! Open, Gate of the Klabautermann, Going Merry!"

Her magic tightened, almost hesitant, then channeled through the Key. It was like summoning a Gold or Stone; a Spirit she knew, instantly, was unique and special and the magic demanded a price for the exchange. Merry wasn't nearly as strong as Loke or Aquarius or even Mă, but there was a weight to her energy, a strength so at odds with her struggling in her final moments. In the water just in front of her, a gold circle appeared, and in a shimmering light, the first Wood Spirit materialized.

Merry as a Spirit was both just like herself in life and yet so different. Short and slim like her Klabautermann, the hood of her yellow raincoat was pushed off, revealing a puff of white hair with two curling horns and a wide, bright smile. Her eyes were completely black, as if her pupil had fully taken over and she wore striped red leggings and a black shirt, a wooden mallet hooked on a little tool belt around her waist. She sank into the water, kicking her feet to make it splash as she laughed long and loud, just like their captain did.

"Shishishi! Glad to officially meet you, Lucy Heartifilia!"

Lucy had to press her hand over her mouth, tears welling up before she could stop them. The blood and injuries she'd carried in life were gone, leaving her looking like nothing more than a happy, if strange, little girl. If it weren't for the connection to her magic, Lucy could almost believe she was still alive. Almost.

"Merry!" Usopp rushed forward, sweeping her up into a hug and suddenly the whole crew was there, passing her around for hugs and pats, as many tears flowing now as when she'd gone down at sea. Lucy couldn't stop crying, no matter how hard she tried, caught between the joy of Merry's existence and the cost it would come at. She knew, better than anyone, what price Spirits paid for their immortality. Several of her Spirits had served Layla, only to watch her die. Aries had been horribly abused, and she had no doubt the rest had their fair share of cruel masters. Merry would be protected for as long as Lucy lived, but inevitably, there would come a day she'd die, as those before her did. When that happened, she could make no promises about Merry's safety.

Luffy kneeled down, gripping Merry's thin shoulders. "I'm glad you're okay, Merry. You were the best ship we could've hoped for."

"Thank you, Cap'n," she saluted. "I'm ready to serve whenever called on." She dropped her hand, grinning sheepishly at Lucy. "Uh, if you want to make a contract with me, that is."

Lucy couldn't help but laugh. "I think that's meant to be my question." She stepped forward, offering a hand out. "What do you say, Merry? Want to keep sailing with us?"

"More than anything," she swore. She gripped Lucy's hand, brow setting into fierce determination. "I may be the newest, but I've been caught up to date by the others. My power over ships is yours, Lucy Heartifilia, for as long as the stars burn on."

Something about the words stuck out, more than they usually did. She'd had the thought, what felt like years ago, that Mă was more formal than the Gold Keys and it'd held true for all the Stone Keys. Now, having created a Key herself and having met her ancestor, after a fashion, she wondered what secret was hidden in that phrase. She felt like she had a hundred piece puzzle scattered around her, but couldn't see the picture. Maybe she wouldn't until she was at the end of the world.

Lucy wavered on her feet, Laxus cursing as he balanced her. "I told you it was too soon," he muttered. "Now will you please get some rest before doing any more serious summoning?"

She grimaced, but had to admit he was right. For all that the well of her magic was bigger, it hadn't finished refilling in the aftermath of Enies Lobby. She was already exhausted again, like her magic was taking a physical toll. Merry waved goodbye as her Gate closed, leaving the crew gathered at the edge of the sea.

"Thank you," Usopp said, wiping his face. "Thank you for saving her, Lucy."

"I didn't," she had to admit. "Not really. I just...gave her a second life. She won't ever be able to go back to how things were."

"That's alright," Luffy decided. "She's still with us, and that's what matters."

Even Lucy had to admit that was fair.

"Oi!" From the edge of the city, Zambai waved them down. "Oi, Straw Hats! Come on. Your ship is ready!"

☉

It didn't take them long to rush to Scrap Heap Island where they'd been thoroughly banned. Franky had told them it wasn't right for any of them to see the ship before he'd completed her and since he'd announced his intention to build their ship, none of them had seen him except during the party. The eleven of them gaped at the sight of the massive tarp covering something in the water, Paulie panting on the ground in front of it. Groaning, he pushed himself to his feet.

"Gotta admit, I thought he was nuts when I saw the blueprints." He lit himself a new cigar, hands shaking. "But nuts or not, we got it done."

"Where is he?!" Luffy demanded, vibrating.

"He took off," Paulie said. "Went back to the Franky House, I think."

"Did he still need to pack?" Chopper guessed.

"So you have invited him to join. I figured you might."

The crew looked at him, each with various levels of 'are you dumb?'.

"He's our shipwright," Lucy pointed out.

"Duh," Gajeel agreed.

"It's fairly obvious," Lily added.

"Why would I need to tell him that?" Luffy finished.

Paulie gaped for a moment, before shaking his head. "That's on you to deal with. I'm just here to show you this." He grabbed a fistful of the tarp, grinning at them. "He did tell me to say one thing though. 'If you're going to be the King of Pirates, then it's only right you have the King of Beasts!'"

The tarp fell away and all of them were left gasping at the ship--the masterpiece--before them. It was huge, to start, over three times as big as Merry, long and sitting low on the water, with three square rigged sails. The most massive, in the center, was painted with their jolly roger, their flag flying in pride of place on top of all three masts. Painted red and white, the two anchors in the form of massive yellow paws. The figure head, a smiling lion--or possibly sunflower, it was hard to tell--was immediately claimed by Luffy as his new seat. On the side, there was a round wooden piece painted with a black '1'. When they boarded, Lucy found the deck covered in actual grass, Nami's tangerine trees planted on the uppermost deck in the back. It had a full library, huge bathroom, workout room in the lookout, five-star kitchen, an aquarium and lounge, an infirmary with an attached room for Chopper and a space for experiments, to say nothing of the bedrooms. While Chopper had a bed for when he needed to spend the night in the infirmary with a patient, the women's room consisted of two sets of bunk beds, with a walk-in closet. The men's quarters were similarly outfitted with a dozen beds, plus a set of hammocks that descended from the ceiling when required. Nami hadn't been lying either; there was a separate bedroom on the bottom level, tucked away at the front of the ship and away from everyone else, for Lucy and the dragon slayers which involved one truly massive bed, and plenty of space for their things.

In every aspect, it was a ship built for them in every way, the love and care put into it a physical thing. Usopp was in tears over the work room on the bottom level (an extra room for Franky attached) and drooling over the series of cannons and guns lining each side.

"It's a man o'war," Paulie explained. "Bigger than we usually make them, in case your crew expands some more, and with several modifications Franky designed. She'll be faster than any ship I've ever seen though; Adam Wood is lighter than almost anything I've worked with."

"She's perfect," Nami breathed.

"Now we just need Franky," Luffy decided. "Ne, Nami? Which way to the Franky House?"

☉

Meanwhile, running through town, a naked cyborg was chasing after his thug underlings to get his speedo back. Sadly, this was not the start of some joke, but rather the initiative for many parents to start therapy funds for their children.

"You idiots!" Franky roared. "I ain't joining that crew."

"Get to the ship!" Zambai called. "Just one of us needs to make it."

He tossed the speedo away, caught by one of his brothers just as Franky ran him over. The chase continued, twisting through the entire city, the most memorable game of keep-away that the island had ever seen.

On one of the roofs, Luffy waved at the Franky Family. "Oi, toss it here!"

"Luffy!" Franky yelled as he caught the speedo. "Did you see the ship?"

"Yeah she's perfect," Luffy called back. "But we can't sail until we have the full crew."

"I'm sorry I can't come," Franky said, honestly apologetic. Luffy laughed in his face.

"You will."

☉

Lucy had never wanted to see what recruiting a naked cyborg in public looked like, but she could now cross it off from her bucket list and put it squarely on her 'never again' list. With Franky properly blackmailed into joining, the crew could finally set off peacefully.

"We've got trouble!" Sanji announced, running up the gangplank. "Luffy, your grandpa's back and I don't think he's leaving peacefully this time."

Or maybe not, because Lucy was cursed.

"Drop the sails!" Nami ordered, sending Chopper up to the helm as Zoro and Sanji began cranking the anchors back up.

"Wait!" Franky stopped. "We can't sail until we name her."

A cannonball crashed into the sea a few meters away, sending the ship rocking. "Can't it wait?" Lucy demanded.

"A maiden voyage without a name is cursed," Franky insisted.

"I got it!" Luffy announced. "Bear! Polar Bear! Lion!"

"That's awful!"

From the distance, projected over a den den announcer, Garp yelled, "Luffy! Sorry kid, but Sengoku got mad and is demanding I bring you in."

"Is that Aokiji on the ship with him?" Gajeel called. "Will this guy ever fuck off?"

"What about Monsieur Sunflower?"

"That's just as bad!"

"If we want French, we should go with Etoile Filante."

"You're all terrible," Usopp complained.

"Well then what would you name it?"

Zoro leapt into the air, slicing a canon that Garp had casually tossed to pieces. "Can we speed this up?"

Usopp hummed, staring at the sunflower--lion--figurehead. He snapped his fingers. "I got it. The king taking us across a thousand seas, for a thousand sun rises, for all of our dreams. I present the Thousand Sunny!"

"Wow," Lucy whistled. "That's...actually really good."

"The Thousand Sunny," Luffy grinned. "Shishishi, I like it!"

"I'm so glad," Nami gritted out. The marine ship, with a massive dog figurehead, was closing in and Garp was visibly contemplating which of the thousand well polished cannonballs to toss next. "Can we please go now?!"

"Sure thing," Franky assured. "Just raise the sails and leave it to me."

"Are you nuts?!"

"Don't worry, big sis." He flipped his glasses up, grinning. "Ain't nobody know this ship better than me."

Trusting in his plan, the crew rushed to lift the sails, Lily and Zoro knocking cannons away as they did. Just as Garp hauled out a massive ball and chain, the size Merry once was, the ship began vibrating under their feet. Laxus tilted his head, before wrapping a hand around a rope.

"Franky says to hold on!"

The back of the ship, where a massive round tube was just slightly sticking out, began to glow; then stronger, the whole ship shaking. "Holyshit," Lucy breathed.

From beneath, she could just make out Franky shouting. "Ready for the SUPER escape plan; COUP DE BURST."

The sky went dark under the titanic cannonball just as the energy released with a roar of power and the Thousand Sunny, making her maiden voyage, flew into the air and away from Water 7.

[kanra-nakura]

[Fiction] From Caged Marines to Whitebeard Pirates - Chapter 7

~A year and a month ago~

~Mariejois~

Luffy watched the interaction of the Royal Family with each other, though she made sure to stand behind the chairs of the Royal Family of Alabasta, letting them know who she's siding it. Not that it matters, to them she was just an unknown Marine guarding them all. Luffy could tell how annoyed Princess Vivi is, despite the smile on her face, and it wasn't long before they end their discussion for that day and all Royal Family left except for the Rulers of Alabasta and the Sakura Kingdom, including their companions. Once they were alone, Vivi slumps down on the table, as Dalton shakes his head.

"Can this day get any worse?" The King of Sakura Kingdom asked as he looked at Luffy, who was walking towards them, her crew standing behind her.

"Don't wish for it. It might happen." She said and gestured her head to the door, this made Vivi moan as her Father patted her back.

"How can you stand them and this place Luffy?" She asked as they all stood up and walk towards the door.

"I don't… I just black out whenever they spoke and pretend that I listened by blurting out useless suggestions to which they accepted." Luffy shrugged, as her crew snickered, Chopper talking with Doctrine and Dalton. "Celestial Dragons are dumb."

"Don't let them hear you talk like that towards them, Rear Admiral." King Cobra said as he looked over his shoulder and towards the Rear Admiral. "They might take offense of it."

"They pretty much let Luffy get away with it…" Zoro mumbled before the crew went quiet as the door leading outside the building grew closer, Chopper immediately runs towards Nami, who carried him in her arms when he stopped near her. When they were out, Luffy nodded at Robin, who immediately went towards her, while the rest continued on their way following the Rulers of the Kingdoms their Familiar with. The Young Rear Admiral made eye contact with her Right-Hand, who merely nodded, as they went away on their separate paths. As Luffy and Robin went right, and the others went left, they passed by a Celestial Dragon, who for some reason seems disappointed, then glanced at them, saw the logo on Luffy's back before blinking and said.

"Hold it right there, Rear Admiral." Luffy stopped, before turning to look at the Celestial Dragon, making eye contact with him while Robin looked at his chest.

"Is there something you want, Saint Mjosgard?" She asked rather bluntly, said Saint seemed flustered for a while upon realizing who he had called out and what said person was wearing.

"Ah… yes…" He stuttered, blushing, taking in the asymmetrical black leather skirt, showing her slightly tan legs, and the sandy color, long sleeve, off-shoulder shirt which showed her skin and a bit of her cleavage. Luffy raised an eye as he continued to stutter, though it's not obvious, she's confused as she purposely chooses the clothes that seemingly don't match each other's color. But… basing on where the eye of the Celestial Dragon is, Luffy bet it has something to do with her chest… Why oh why did she have a breast that's a bit huge than Hancock's? … She rather not know the answer after thinking about that question.

"Rear Admiral…" Robin whispered to which Luffy nodded and said to the still stuttering Saint.

"If there is something you want, Saint Mjosgard, please tell me immediately, I still need to meet up with Saint Rokudo."

"Ah right…" The Saint cleared his throat and asked. "What are the kingdoms that visited this year's Reverie?"

Luffy blinks at that question before honestly saying. "The usual, except that the Drum Kingdom is now known as Sakura and the Former King of Drum is now the Ruler of Black Drum Kingdom… why do you ask?"

"I see…" The Saint whispered before glancing around and looked at the Rear Admiral, no at Robin, who was nudged by Luffy. The Archeologist, glance at Luffy, and then at Mjosgard, who mouthed something at her. Once Robin got it, she nodded and then the Saint left, Luffy and Robin continued on their path. As they walked, Luffy snapped her fingers and slowly they got covered with a translucent, yellow mist.

"What did he say?" Luffy asked.

"He wants to talk with us after our business with Saint Rokudo… didn't say why…" Robin answered as she and Luffy turned into a corner, the older raven-haired woman added. "I still find it very hard to believe that a Celestial Dragon, a Donquixote at that, referring himself as a human…"

"Well… you're probably thinking about Doflamingo when it comes to Donquixotes' but… Saint Mjosgard is also a relative of the Former Celestial Dragon Homing… so I don't find it hard, despite the former Saint having the Mingo as a son."

"I suppose your right…" Robin agreed with her Captain's statement, before leaving Luffy's side going to the left, turning another corner, while the young Rear Admiral continued straight.

"Angel~!"

'What a pain…' Luffy thought as she braced herself for spending time with this saint.

~Two Hours Later~

Luffy was sipping tea with Robin and Saint Mjosgard, who made sure his father was not around. They just finished their… discussion, per se… and the Celestial Dragon was looking down and disappointed at what was discussed. But well… it's not like he had a choice, seeing the people he wants to help or changed him wasn't in this year's Reverie.

"Robin and I will look into this," Luffy told him, putting her empty cup down. The Saint looks at her and almost smiled but he merely nodded, saying.

"Of course, I will also watch out for the actions of the others."

"Deeply appreciated." Luffy gave him a gentle smile, tilting her head to the side, before she and Robin stood up and left, leaving the Celestial Dragon alone, who was flustered at the smile given to him. He shakes his head before standing up and went to his window, then looks down at his yard. Half an hour later, he saw Luffy and Robin leaving and head towards the direction of the building they were staying at.

"I really can't blame Saint Rokudo for wanting you… your one-of-a-kind Marine after all…"

For continuation, please click here…

[chxrlynn]

being in a relationship with them

characters : shanks & nico robin

warnings : none? 15+ ig?

a/n : thank you so much for the request and support @shankspants!! couldn't have reached 50 without you ^^. i was a lil bored so i did both, i hope this pleases you! it was fun writing for them and i got all soft and a little carried away with listing so it's a lil long. lowkey think it's kinda boring for standards but i hope you still enjoy them! have a great day, mwah <3!

reblogs, likes, and replies are appreciated! <33

shanks

if you're shorter than him, he always rests his head on the crown of your head or shoulders.

if you're taller than him, please rest your head on his head or shoulder.

his love language (giving) is everything and (receiving) anything BUT physical affection is his favorite to give and receive (followed by quality time).

definitely an ass guy.

smacks your ass everytime you or him walk pass each other.

lays his head on your ass when he catches you lying on your stomach.

likes to rub your belly <3.

you either have to be a heavy sleeper or patient as fuck .

you can't cuddle with him because he sleeps in a starfish position.

this man snores like a dragon and sleeps like a rock.

refuses to believe he beats kaido in snoring even if the whole ship complains about it.

loves it when your fingers get lost in his red locks.

as much as he's loud and can't shut up, he loves sitting in silence with you at night.

drunk shanks if just an even more lovesick idiot.

peppers your face with kisses and will die if you do the same.

his weak spots to be kissed at are his scar and left shoulder.

will also die if you carry him bridal style.

at this point, just consider luffy as the son you never met.

loves to wear matching pieces clothing.

falls in love all over again when he sees you clapping someone's ass.

benn is either happy someone else has to deal with shanks or disappointed because he has another shanks to deal with.

he loves kissing your neck and collarbone.

a LOT if i love you's everyday :((.

because this man refuses to let you forget or feel unloved

uses conqueror's to fuck with you and loves your reaction.

lord, if someone hurts you...

well, he's an emperor for a reason!

tell him he's hot when he gets all serious and cocky, and his lips are suddenly on yours

present or not present, he blabbers about you day and night to his crew.

"captain, please, respectfully, shut the fuck up."

"and they-" "suddenly punched the asshole and clapped his ass no problem. damn, i fell in love all over again because that was hot as fuck, yes, we know. you told us for the 4th time today."

whenever you argue, it's most likely him thinking your overdramatic and you thinking he's dense, OR VICE VERSA.

all arguements ends with kisses or more ;)

his title doesn't matter when he's with you.

he's just shanks, the love of your life.

i feel like shanks is the type of person who won't date anyone unless he's sure to marry them

so... CONGRATULATIONS!!!

if you show interest in luffy and remember something about luffy that he told you, he'll get all giddy and laugh.

praise him and you might get whatever you want ;).

nico robin

QUALITY TIME IS HER LOVE LANGUAGE

followed by (giving) acts over service then physical touch.

when you're not in the same room, she checks up on you with her ability from time to time.

scares you the fuck up because you'd be concentrating and then

"would you like to have a tea or snacks?" somewhere in the room.

"are you looking for this?" a finger points to something you were looking for.

"need me to help?" cue two arms emerging from your table .

all in all, just loves to help you in any way possible.

when you call her mommy be it as a joke or for real, she teases you back with some "ara, ara".

lowkey loves it when you cling to her.

knows the language of flowers and uses it even if you don't know shit.

touchstarve, obviously.

remember when i said sometimes hands, eyes, or lips pop out of nowhere in the room your in?

will melt if you intertwine your fingers around her bloomed ones.

holds hands with you even if you're across the sunny.

ALWAYS smiling when she's around you.

you and the crew made life so much worth living and she thinks a smile is the least she can do for you.

sometimes, her cheeks hurt but she can't help it.

she'll always have your back, no matter what.

she's your bestfriend, s/o, fiancee (but you don't know that yet, emotional support and rock.

whenever you (RARELY) argue, you'd probably be irked at how calm she is.

that's just how she is, please understsnd her.

best cuddler because that ability of her can do wonders ;).

gets cold easily, please warm her up.

loves to kiss your hands and hairline.

face each other in bed and nose to nose? dies.

whenever she senses you're down and across the room, she just opens her arms and you just run into them

if you love to read or interested in reading, that's probably her favorite past time with you (ft. chopper).

god tier book recommendations, 100% guaranteed good reads.

look, she's happy to be alive right now with you and the crew BUT

tell her how much you're glad she's alive, and a few tears may or may not form.

GARDEN WITH HER, I REPEAT GARDEN WITH HER.

she's growing your favorite plant, doesn't care if it's a flower or weed, she WILL plant it and she WILL make it bloom.

teatime ft. brook ^^

her favorite spot is the aquarium bar.

loves to wear matching accessories with you.

can't keep her hands off of you.

play with her hair but never with her heart.

would love to have a kid someday (adopted or not).

kisses you out of the blue.

she's just a darling to have around.

at first, a little closed off emotionally but you'll get there slowly :)).

please don't hurt her :(.

[soldrawss]

Sol i need headcanons for the brothers, please im begging you

BRUH I GOT YOU

I’m currently working on some little fics for them BUT I CAN GIVE YOU SOME DETAILS BECAUSE I’M DYING TO SHARE

(Warning, gets a little dark towards the middle, but overall fine. Sorry for the long read. I went for a DEEP dive on the Age Gap Au)

Ace was put into foster care 4 hours after his birth. His father died before he was born and his mother died during childbirth. Ace had nothing to his name but physical traits of the dead (Like his father's sharp eyes and his mother’s freckles) He grew up with a need to prove himself and to gain something that truly belonged to him all on his own.

Sabo was placed in foster care when he was 5 because of an altercation with his abusive and possesive parents, involving him having broken ribs and running away.

Ace and Sabo met in a halfway home for troubled youths when they were 6. (They both had issues with authority and past placements in foster homes, so they quickly bonded over that, and decided to stick together ever since)

Their bond was so strong that ‘honorary’ brothers didn’t really fit them. They were brothers. And they stuck together and stood up for one another like it was them against the world (which sometimes it was)

They would often run away from the halfway home they were at, trying to earn a living on their own on the streets, and often commit petty thefts in order to survive. 

These little runaway trips wouldn’t last long though, because they were always caught by Officer Garp, a police officer that happened to have a knack for catching little runaways.

However tough Garp acted though, he had an incredibly big soft spot for these two little brats that were only trying to make their lives better. These two kids, barely 8 years old, who had so much hatred for the world because of adults in their lives that failed them. Adults that hurt them, giving them scars and bruises on their hearts just as easily as the scars and bruises on the little frames. 

After a particular runaway incident, Ace breaks down and confesses about all the horrible placements he and Sabo had been in before. How social services always judge Ace’s sharp eyes and label in a problem child, how Sabo’s quick wit always get him in trouble with the adults, how they both have scars and bruises from past foster homes they were placed in, and that's why Ace and Sabo runaway. They’re tired of getting placed in bad homes. They’re tired of having adults try to separate them. Ace is all Sabo has and vice versa because that's the only person in the whole world who they trust to not hurt them. And Garp thinks that’s the last fucking straw.

Garp, much to Ace and Sabo’s but nobody else’s surprise, adopts both the boys, and takes them into his own home. Because dammit, if they’re just gonna runaway, they might as well stay with someone who will at least love them enough to always look for them and bring them back to a good home when they do.

And it’s weird at first, because Garp is the rough and loud and nosey officer that used to grab them by the scruffs of their shirts and drag them back to that awful halfway home kicking and screaming. But then it gets better. Because he still yells at them, but it’s with a tempered and fiercely protective love it when he does. He still grabs them, but it’s just to pull them into a rough bear hug that they fervently pretend they don’t like. And every dinner is spent with tears of laughter in their eyes and cheeks warm with delight at the stories he tells them. (They call him old man with affection and he’s their father figure even though they treat him like their grandpa.)

Sabo joins his school’s baseball team! Which is so freaking cool! He’s a really strong batter, can weild a bat like it’s an extension of his own arm, and Ace and Garp are always the loudest cheers on the bleachers every home run hit Sabo makes.

Garp makes Ace take up boxing, because the kid’s got a lot of pent-up rage and aggression, and he figures it’s a good constructive sort of therapy for the rowdy brat.

The two still get up to mischief every now and again, though. Nothing illegal, but Garp is still having to wrangle up his two little idiots before they do something stupid. (They get into a lot of fights with local gangs because they have smart mouths and are still a little reckless)

Garp has a biological son that Ace and Sabo never met due to Garp’s and Dragon’s strained relationship. Garp had always bad-mouthed him whenever his son was brought up, but it was always with words that had no heat behind them, and Sabo and Ace could tell there was a sadness behind his eyes whenever he looked at the picture of his son in his wallet.

The boys were 10 when they got the news of Dragon’s death a week after it happened. Garp had gotten the phone call when he and the boys were watching some late-night trash tv on the weekend, and he had all but strangled the phone in a grip that turned his knuckles white. He didn’t say what had killed his son, (he never did), but he had told the boys he needed to take care of something, told them to pack up some of their things, dropped them off at his friend Newgate’s house, and got the quickest flight out that night.

He came back 3 days later, and when he did, he had a tiny little baby with him.

Ace and Sabo were no strangers to babies. There was always some snot-nosed kid that would get dropped off at the halfway home (and then adopted that week, because everybody loved babies), and they were pretty sure this baby wasn’t gonna be any different. Because babies were loud and gross and never stopped crying, and Ace and Sabo were prepared for the absolute worse.

But then they stood over the baby’s crib to get a good look at him, and the baby looked back.

And smiled the biggest and happiest smile Ace and Sabo had ever seen.

And Garp had said “His name is Luffy,” and Ace and Sabo had been hooked around his little finger ever since. 

Luffy was barely 6 months old, and was a bundle of chubby cheeks and contagious giggles. With big brown chocolate colored eyes that melted all the sharp corners and edges of Ace’s and Sabo’s hearts.

Because Sabo and Ace were the same age, and neither one of them felt like the older or younger brother. They were equals in every way. But it was different with Luffy. Because Luffy was tiny, and soft and could barely wrap all 5 of his little fingers around one of theirs, and it hit Sabo and Ace like a bullet train because oh.

 Oh this is what it was like to be an older brother. This was what it was like to have a little brother. And Sabo and Ace have always looked out for each other, of course. But Luffy was something they had to protect fully and with their entire being. His smile, his laughter, his heart. All of it. Sabo and Ace knew all the horrible things in the world, knew all the hatred and fear and heartbreak the world could throw at you and it was like a silent promise to each other they never verbalized, that Luffy should and would never have to go through the things they went through. He would never feel unloved. He would never feel unwanted. He would never feel like he had to prove his worth or reason for existing. (He was worth more than any price anyone could give anyway)

Sabo and Ace stopped getting into trouble. They got good grades, excelled in their respective clubs, and didn’t give Garp any reason to chase them down in his old cop car and bring them home. (They were always at home anyway, giving Luffy piggyback rides and teaching him how to ride a bike and do one-handed handstands and cartwheels, and basking in the warmth that was Luffy’s endless love) And they lived in peace like that for 5 years.

Then the fire happened.

Garp was a good police officer and an even better Deputy Chief, and for almost 40 years, he served on the Foosha County Police Department. He had put away a lot of bad guys and saved a lot of people in the process and was an honored and highly respected man. However, this also made him a big target and earned him quite a few enemies. He was 3 weeks away from retirement and spending most of those weeks staying at home, playing with Luffy, and ingnoring the last of his paperwork left on his office desk.

When the fire broke out, Ace and Sabo had just turned the corner from the bus stop on their way home from school. They had seen the smoke, but didn’t know where it was coming from till they saw the towering blaze of fire that used to be their 2 story home and the group of neighbors surrounding the outside. 

They managed to push their way to the front, hands shaking and eyes wide and absolutely breathless, because that was their house! That was their house that was one fire and where was gramps?! Where was Luffy?!

The only thing Ace heard Sabo whisper among the roar of the fire and the loud murmur of people around them was “Do you hear that? That... crying?” Before Sabo surged forward.

Ace didn’t have time to reach out and stop him, and by the time he could, Sabo had already disappeared into the open front door, which was covered in flames. He had screamed out, tried to race in and follow his brother into the flames, but the neighbors around him were quicker than he was and pulled him back. 

Edward Newgate, one of their neighbors and close personal friend of Garp’s was in the crowd, and he was holding Ace to his chest with an arm like an iron bar, as he was on the phone with the local fire department. (Newgate was also the Foosha County fire chief, and was shouting at his lieutenants to “get your asses out here now!’) But Ace didn’t hear a word he was saying. All he could do was struggle to get out of the older man’s grip, reach out for his brother and best friend, and scream his lungs out.

What felt like hours went by, and Ace felt like his heart was shattering into a million piece, the glass shards falling around him, as he sobbed into Newgate's chest, thinking he had lost everything. His home. His family. His only purpose and reason for living.

And then some of the neighbors were shouting again, only this time in surprised alarm and Ace looked up with hazy eyes blurred by tears, to see something was coming out of the front door.

And it could only be Sabo. Ace knew it was him before he could even register it, and bolted out of Newgate's grips that had slacked at the surprise and towards his brother.

Ace met Sabo only a few feet from the door, Sabo collapsing into his arms, and Ace had to pull him the extra few feet away because the flames were still too much to bear even at that distance.

And Sabo’s skin was hot and red and covered in smoke and ash alike. There was a giant welting red burn against the side of Sabo’s face that looked like it would leave a scar forever, but Ace was having a hard time focusing on it because he was too bust focusing on the bundle of blankets that Sabo was desperately trying to push into Ace’s arms.

And Ace was already crying before, but he began crying even harder when he removed the fold of blankets to reveal a muffled Luffy, covered in ash but unharmed, crying his eyes out. 

Sabo had a coughing fit that rocked his whole body, and burns that looked like they'd hurt forever, but he was smiling when Ace broke into a sob, clutching both Sabo and Luffy into his chest.

The firefighters and paramedics came a few minutes later, and they had to physically pull Sabo and Luffy from Ace’s arms to check and treat them. Luffy only ended up with a few mild burns and cuts on his arms and legs and some burning of his throat from inhaling so much smoke, but Sabo had to be taken to the hospital immediately for his burns, especially for the one on his face. Ace pleaded to let them all ride in the same ambulence on the way to the hosipital, and held on to Sabo’s shirt sleeve with a grip that would take the end of the world and then some for him to let go.

Sabo had to get some surgery and treatment to save his left eye, but he was all in all ok, and Ace and Luffy were allowed to visit his hospital room for as long as they needed.

When Ace finally confronted Sabo on why he had ran into the house in the first place, it was on the first night of their hospital stay. Sabo had a giant white gauze wrapping half of his head, and he looked at Ace with tired blue eyes that looked a little fuzy, still a little drugged from all the medication he was on to ease the pain. 

And Ace felt bad about it, he really did, because Sabo didn’t derserve to be grilled on the matter. Not after he had sacrificed himself and saved Luffy. Their little brother. Their little brother who they wouldn’t even have anymore if it weren’t for Sabo. 

But Ace had to know. He was so mad and heartbroken and scared out of his mind when Sabo had rushed in without word or warning. Because they had lost Garp. They had almost lost Luffy. And Ace could have almost lost Sabo too.

But Luffy was tucked underneath Sabo’s arm on the hospital bed, and Sabo just smiled at Ace with a patience that only Ace and Luffy could pull out of him, and patted the other side for Ace to join them. Ace climbed onto the bed beside him, and even with the two 15-year-olds and one little 5 year old, the bed didn’t feel too small at all.

Sabo explained that he could hear crying from the door and he just moved. Knowing it was Luffy before his mind could really think about the implications behind that. He confessed how the flames hurt at first. Hurt so bad, and it was so hot, and everything, from the floor to the ceiling, was on fire and he could barely see anything through the smoke. But he could hear Luffy’s little rough and horse scream, coming from one of the back rooms that used to be Garp's office, and suddenly all Sabo could afford to think about was Luffy’s crying.

Sabo would tell a watered-down version of this story to the cops in the morning, because they were Garp's friend and companions, and they only really needed the broad details for their report anyway. 

He’ll tell a heroic version of this story, lacking any horrific graphics, to an older Luffy whenever the eternally curious kid wonders and asks about it.

But he only ever told the whole story right then on that night, one arm tight around his baby brother in a toothed and protective love, while the other one gripped his best friend's hands with shaking and bandaged fingers hard enough to leave bruising.

Garp was long dead when Sabo found him. The smell of his skin burning off is something that will haunt Sabo for the rest of his life. (Sometimes certain smells will set him off. Uncooked bacon is not allowed in the house anymore after one traumatic morning when Luffy is six. Campfires are viewed and enjoyed from a distance.)

He was lying on his stomach, clutching something to his chest. Sabo knew it was Luffy by the cries, bundled up in a few quilts and one of this office rugs, and Sabo knew he had to get them out of there before the smoke killed them off like it had a personal agenda against them.

The heat was unbearable, Sabo had confessed, but it was nothing compared to having to drag Luffy from underneath Garp’s grip. The old man was built like a brick house, sure, but even in death, his grip on Luffy, protecting Luffy, like he was daring the world to take anything away from him, was steadfast and almost unbbreakable. 

It was the hardest thing Sabo had ever had to make himself do.

He didn’t look at Garp’s face. His body was burned black and bloody and raw, and Sabo couldn’t live with himself if his memory of Garp’s face was replaced by anything other than with the one of his scruffy beard and the shit-eating grin that he always wore.

When he pulled Luffy out, he didn’t look back, and raced out of the house as fast as he could. Something along the way fell and smacked him in the face, knocking him down at one point, but Sabo couldn’t pay it much mind. He got back up, and continued towards the door. He could barely see, barely breathe, with all the smoke and the ash, and the pain from the fire was almost numbing against his skin, but he didn’t stop.

All he could think about was Luffy, still struggling and crying against the blankets wrapped tightly around him. Next thing he knew, he was outside, and looking up at Ace’s snot-covered face.

Ace had never seen Sabo cry for the almost 10 years he knew him. He didn’t cry when he was 7, and the Anderson family had called him a freak and had sent him back after a failed foster home placement. He didn’t cry when he was 9, and broke his arm falling out of the tree in their backyard that Garp had told him not to climb, so of course he had to climb it. And he didn’t even cry earlier that day, at 15, when he was off medication and feeling the full extent of his painful burns.

So when tears started pooling out of Sabo’s pale blue eyes, falling down his cheeks and staining the cotton white blanket he was under as he told his story, Ace pretended not to notice, wrapped an arm around Sabo’s shoulders, and held him like it was the only lifeline in the world. 

Garp’s funeral was held the following week. Closed casket. All the police departments in the county, and even some outside of it, showed up to give him a full send-off. Ace cried for both Sabo and himself. Sabo spoke a few words for the both of them. And Luffy stood between them, holding both their hands. They explained the night before that gramps was gone, but they don’t think the notion of death really got through to Luffy. He was crying, but only because Ace was crying, and when he asked ‘can gramps come out of the box to give me a hug before he goes away?’ everyone has to clench their teeth and hold their breaths to stop their hearts from breaking. Sabo kneeled down to wrap Luffy in a tight hug. Ace covered his face with his arm and cried harder

(They never bother asking Luffy about how the fire started, or what happened that day. Luffy doesn’t remember, and they don’t push it further. The truth isn’t as important as Luffy’s mentality is, but Garp’s old squad promises that they won’t rest until they get to the bottom of it. And as much as Ace and Sabo want justice and revenge, they have Luffy to think about, so they leave it up to the police)

Sabo and Ace are almost 16, and they suddenly have no parental figure, no home, no anything, and suddenly they’re faced with the horrible notion that even more can be taken from them when a blast from their past threatens to take Luffy away from them too.

They’re no stranger to the foster care system, so when social services show up at the motel they were renting with Garp’s savings, they feel their hearts drop to their stomach for fear of the very real possibility that Luffy will be placed in immediate foster care, and possibly, so would they. 

Ace and Sabo jump into action then, because no way, no fucking way, were they gonna lose Luffy. They had lost everything else. They almost did lose Luffy. They weren’t gonna risk that chance again.

Ace was only a few weeks older than Sabo. Sabo hadn’t paused a second to jump into the fire, risking life and limb, to protect what little they had. It was Ace’s turn to be the heroic older brother. And on the day he turned 16, Ace petitioned legal guardianship and parental rights for Sabo and Luffy.

And it was hard, because of course the courts felt sorry for him, the grandson of one of the best police chiefs in the county’s history, begging the courts to let him keep what little family he had left together. The courts wanted to give it to him, wanted to help him. But Luffy was a child. And Ace and Sabo were practically still kids themselves. Asking kids to raise themselves was something no one should ask them to do. 

But Ace and Sabo fought for it. Ace was 16, and Sabo would be 16 soon enough. They could get GED’s, no problem. They’d get jobs, get a little apartment near Luffy’s school, attend any parenting and child service meeting required of them. They’d buy all the necessities over again and they’d love Luffy where no other foster family could even compare. They’d do everything, everything and anything, to keep Luffy. To let them stay together.

With a couple of vouchers from Garp’s old police squad, including one from an overly enthusiastic Edward Newgate and one from the boy’s homeroom teacher, Makino, the courts ruled in Ace’s and Sabo’s favor, and Luffy was officially theirs until they proved that Luffy was better off somewhere else.

Ace and Sabo were never gonna let that happen.

They got a little 2 bedroom apartment a couple blocks from Luffy’s elementary. They quit school, and worked extra hard to earn their GED’s within the following months. (With the help of their old teachers and a few of their overly enthusiastic neighbors)

Ace got a job at the local fire department, as a rookie in training under Newgate.

Sabo got a job at the local news station, writing reports on top of his interning duties. 

Ace eventually got a motorcycle that same year, which scared Sabo half to death and delighted Luffy to no end. It was cheaper than a car, and easier to travel to and from work on, and no matter how hard Sabo tried, he couldn’t come up with a valid reason why Ace shouldn’t use it to their advantage. So Sabo made Ace promise to always wear a helmet when riding it, and that Luffy wasn’t allowed to ride it until he was much older. (Which Luffy pouted about to no end)

And it’s hard at times, both of them working overtime just to make enough to support themselves and keep them afloat, but it’s good, and it’s theirs.

Luffy makes a friend on his first day of first grade named Zoro Roronoa, another kid that lives just across the street from them, and when Ace and Sabo know they’re gonna be late in getting home, Luffy goes over there and hangs out until they can pick him up (Which is totally fine with Zoro’s father Koushirou, a kendo teacher and single father of 6-year-old Zoro and 9-year-old Kuina. Zoro has a bit of a personality problem and often has trouble making friends (because the child doesn’t see a need to) so when little bright-eyed and endlessly joyful Luffy pops into their life, Kushirou jumps at the chance to have him over as much as possible, because the two small children seem to bring out the best in each other, and are best friends attached at the hip) Sabo and Ace are eternally grateful to the kind man)

A few years go by, and Luffy is 8. Ace is still working at the fire station and is now legally allowed to join them on calls and emergencies. (Fire used to make Ace nervous, because he almost lost everything to it. Now he has a personal agenda with it, to make sure it doesn’t take anything from anyone else)

Sabo has moved up the ranks now, and when he turns 18, confronts Ace with a rare job opportunity he was offered.

“It’s a year-long internship for this really cool company that reports and delivers high-class diplomatic information around,” Sabo starts, rubbing the back of his head like he doesn’t know what to do with his hands. “I’d be working as like, a cool undercover spy with diplomatic immunity and a messenger bag. It’s not dangerous at all, and pays almost triple my paycheck now, which would really help us out. But it’s overseas, and I’d be gone for a whole year. You’d be raising Luffy all by yourself, birthdays and holidays and skinned knees, with just the two of you, so say the word, and I’ll totally turn this job down on the spot.”

And it’s scary to Ace. Because he hasn’t been alone since he was 6 years old, and he can’t possibly remember a time when Sabo hadn’t been by his side. His best friend and brother. It was always the two of them. Two little runaways that found a home, lost that home, and then built a new home all on their own despite it all. And neither of them had ever been away from Luffy for longer than a weekend, so Ace was sure it would kill Sabo to be away from them for so long.

But he also knew that Sabo was only playing this off like it wasn’t a big deal, when in fact it was the job opportunity of a lifetime for someone like Sabo, a kid who breathed adventure and freedom with every breath. And that when he talked about it, his eyes sparkled with a joy that Ace would hate himself forever for taking it away. 

Sabo was giving Ace the choice, and Ace knew that Sabo would go along with whatever Ace decided without a second thought or complaint. But Ace knew that Sabo would regret it for the rest of his life if he didn't go, so he slugged Sabo in the arm, gave him his best shit-eating, confident grin, (the kind he used to give him right before they were about to steal some food as kids, or about to get into a fight when they were teens) and said, “You let me have a motorcycle. The least I can do is let you go road tripping abroad.”

Because Ace and Luffy would be fine. They’d miss Sabo like crazy, and Ace was pretty sure Sabo was like, 90% of his impulse control, but they’d survive. Sabo had the burn marks to prove how far he was willing to go for their family, and Ace had never thanked him for that. Ace was never gonna live that down, and was going to spend the rest of his life making it up to both Sabo AND Luffy, and prove just how good of an older brother he could be. This was the least he could do for them.