#can't wait for you to meet our pirates

[redroomroaving]

Realising I hadn't posted my Olly x Cal here!

From an upcoming Pirate AU verse project that I'm working on with the Hamlet Discord and the wonderful @tickitytockityrattityrottity and @beesht - watch this space.

[shewrites02]

Forgive Me, if I break you | Zoro x Reader | Pt. III

Part I Part II Part IIII

Trigger warnings: Domestic assault, verbal abuse , physical abuse, graphic depictions of violence. THIS FIC CONTAINS DARK CONTENT ! MINORS DNI

*THERE IS A GRAPHIC DEPECTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THE SCENE BEGINNING AND END ARE MARKED WITH THREE ASTERISKS (***) *

A/n: I know it has taken me forever and a day to finish this part, but all of you have been so encouraging in spite of that. I hope that this chapter is worth the wait!

Request: Open

Word count: 8.4k

Leave a comment if you enjoy :)

You twirl in the boutique's mirror. The owner was gracious enough to close, so you and your friends can shop in private. Apparently the villagers have become quite fond of the pirates' during their stay. It is difficult to walk the streets without them being recognized or stopped. It seems the cheerfulness of Strawhats is as infectious to your people as it is to you.

"You really don't like it?" Robin asks, meeting your eyes in the mirror after looking you over.

She stands behind you, a little off to the left meeting your reflection’s gaze. Bashfully, you shake your head. You drag your hands down the pink fabric. This is the fourth dress you have tried on- all of them beautiful- but you have yet to find a dress that makes you feel pretty while sitting in all your ugly emotions.

"I think you look hot! but- I said that about the other three dresses." Nami quips.

"What don't you like, y/n?"

Robin's voice is soft, patient, her smile unwavering. You feel bad when you can't produce a truthful answer. 'It's me that's ugly, not the dresses' is not a sentiment to be spewed so recklessly. When you are unable to produce a satisfactory response, you shrug, feigning ignorance.

"Maybe the color?" You question. The pink feels unfitting- the color too loud for how you bleak you feel. The occasion feels more kin to a funeral than an elaborate celebration.

Robin nods, taking in the note. She flashes you a wide smile before dragging her hands up and down your arms in comfort. She implores your trust before grabbing Nami, the two of them head to the dress racks.

When Robin returns she waves you back into the closeted dressing room. She is insistent on forcing you to get dressed with your eyes closed, saying the reveal will be so much better blind. Nami shouts her agreements through the door. Willing to try anything at this point, you agree.

Robin's fingers are laced in yours as she guides you back to the mirror. After planting you dead center , she instructs you to open your eyes . They widen immediately at the sight.

The velvet fabric runs down to the floor, a high slit on your right leg. The corset is adorned with flashy embellishments, and the color- emerald green, seems a lot more fitting for the occasion.

It had been a long while since the sight of yourself in a mirror made your gasp in a way that didn't sting your heart. You couldn't be more thankful for the silly idea Nami and Robin suggested. The two squeal at what they hope is your pleased reaction.

"We think the swordsman will like it too." Robin teases in a hushed whisper. Zoro enters the room soon after, surely of no coincidence.

"And that's our que." Nami announces as the pair start their descent out the room.

Zoro immediately stops at the entryway once he sees your reflection in the mirror. his mouth is slightly agape, before morphing into a toothy grin. His crew-mate's voices seem to draw his attention back, forcing his feet.

"This is the fifth dress y/n has tried on today. She is still on the fence about it. " Robin instigates.

"Why don't you tell her what you think Zoro?"

And with that the two are gone. The room is quiet, and for a brief moment the two of you just stare. No anger. No sadness. Just a moment where the two of you could cherish being together, that you are finally alone. A moment where Zoro can just be the swordsman, and you- a damsel on the beach.

"Can I touch you?" Zoro asks. His voice is hushed and fragile. Already broken as if preparing in advance for your rejection. The stoic swordsman, the pirate who was more used to taking what he wanted than asking for permission, what had you done to him?

You nod solemnly. Thought the days of pleasantries and cautionary asks were long behind you and the Pirate. Hearing him revert back so quickly, so readily after your repeated rejections- It's disheartening. Zoro is wrapping his arms around your waist, before you have the opportunity to dissect the thought thoroughly. He plants a kiss on your temple, then your cheek before resting his chin on your shoulder. He meets your eyes in the mirror, grin still on his face. Your hand finds his cheeks caressing him lightly.

You had missed being able to bask in the eye of the swordsman so freely. To feel the warmth of his love for you in his stare. The pirate looks at you as if you are truly the most amazing thing he's ever seen. The same wonder and awe he has when tending meticulously to his swords.

"You like it?" You ask, allowing yourself to relax into his hold. Though you know you shouldn't, It is impossible not to indulge when there is swiftly coming a time you'll never feel his touch again.

"I like it. I think you look gorgeous... " He kisses your cheek once more.

The butterflies wake in your stomach. Violently swarming as though this is the first compliment you have ever gotten from the swordsman. They're quickly drowned in your guilt, in your knowing that this- whatever it is the two of you are doing- is only going to destroy the pirate in the end.

"Do you like it?" He asks as if sensing your apprehension. You shrug in response.

"It's fine. As long as you like it."

Zoro's brow raises to his forehead. His expressionless face shows that he is unimpressed with your attempt to dismiss your feelings in favor of his.

"What was wrong with the other dresses?" He pivots.

You swallow the lie that tries to climb its way out your throat. Tired of the rancid aftertaste it always left in your mouth after its departure. Part of you is astonished at how reflexive it was, the lie so ready to fly past your lips. The shock quickly turns to grief.

This is a part of yourself you could openly give to the swordsman. A part of you that only had his fingerprints indented into it. A part of you that Lee would never have claim too. This was a truth you could openly and honestly give him. Are you not obligated to?

"Nothing." You confess taking in a shaky breath. There's a frailness to your voice that houses all the tears wanting to swell in your eyes. "I'm too sad to feel pretty Zoro. To sit here playing dress up when our time is ticking away with each dress I put on ... How do I pick out the perfect dress to say goodbye to you?"

"We aren't saying goodbye." Zoro states the words plainly, as if you are supposed to know already.

You turn your head to face him. The eye contact made in the mirror is no longer sufficient enough for the conversation. You need to see if his collected demeanor shifts once your pain-staked eyes stare back at him. It does not. The pirate looks at you deadpanned, in search of an explanation.

"W-what do you mean?"

"I told you , I'm not leaving until you tell me what's happening."

The furrow of your brows has deepened into a full frown. You stare back at Zoro with your mouth wide searching for your next words. Can only describe this static in your brain as disbelief. What is he talking about? Stay? Here?

"Zoro. The sunny is leaving here in two days. Your crew has spent all morning preparing for their departure ... "

He nods, confirming your words are true.

"Zoro-"

"I'm not leaving."

It's as though your senses come flushing back all at once. Jolting your body to break free of the pirate's hold. Forcing his arms away as you create distance.

"You can't stay ... not for me." You want your proclamation to come out strong, demanding, but you only sound broken. Making a desperate plea.

"I'd really love to see you make me leave." He lets out a boisterous laugh. "I bet your husband would love that, uh? Me out the way."

Zoro reaches his hand out to you, he is still smiling. As though he is not saying he is going to abandon his crew mates for you. Give up his dreams for you. All to what- watch you play house with another man? A relationship filled with fleeting touches , and stolen moments. How is that fair to him?

"Zo-"

"I know you miss me." His voice has dropped in tone and volume. He drops his hand once you don't return the gesture. The smile previously seared onto his face is gone.

"I know when he touches you, you're wishing it's me. Every smile, every laugh, every touch , every kiss it's me in the back of your mind. All the affection you give to him- it's mine ... I know he can't make you feel as good as I can. "

You open your mouth to speak but no words come out. Nothing comes to mind in the midst of the overwhelming whirlwind of your emotions. You don't- can't- lie to the swordsman, tell him that none of it is true. But how can you admit the truth when you know there is no escape, no way out.

You could tell Zoro you loved him a million times, it is not going to change this absolute fact: you are not going anywhere.

"It doesn't matter. What I want doesn't matter." You mutter.

"Your feelings- they don't matter?!" The swordsman snarls in response . "Don't fucking say that."

There's a stab to your heart, his words cutting you just as deeply as if he put a sword through your chest. You could not for the life of you understand the concern Zoro had for your emotions when you are undoubtedly breaking his heart more with each passing day.

"Please Zoro- don't stay behind for me. Go."

"Why don't you trust me?" The swordsman asks. His voice so hushed it threatens not to make it to your ear.

The sword in your heart twists in a devilish way. Is this what Zoro has deduced? That your lack of openness could only be a fault of his own. That he has not loved you enough , made you feel safe enough. Yet another reminder of why you are so undeserving of him. Though he doesn't meet you , you still search his gaze . Look at the truth in his expression to see that this is truly what Zoro believed . You didn't trust him.

"It's not you I don't trust Zo...."

This time the pirate doesn't ask. He closes the gap between the two of you in two strides, taking your hands in his.

"Then why won't you tell me what's going on? Why won't you let me help you?" Zoro asks.

Your eyes closed at his inquiries. Trust. You have already given every bit of excess you had to the swordsman on the beach. You aren't sure you have anymore to spare now that you are home. Wished it was that simple. Simple enough to only have to make a decision and stick to it. To have only your heart to follow, but that is not a luxury of yours.

"You can't save me Zo..."

His face drops. The squeeze he has on your hands tightens some.

"I can. Ask me to. Please ..."

The room falls silent. It is now you who is averting eye contact from the pirate.

" ... Do you think I'm not strong enough?"

You sat beside Zoro digging your hands in and out of the sand despite the fact you hated the feeling. It was something to do while watching him meticulously care for his swords. In the time the two of you had spent on the beach, you had watched Zoro tend to his swords more times than you had seen him do almost anything else.

"Can I touch your swords?"

Your words were meant for the first mate, but they seemed to grasp the attention of the whole Strawhat crew. They tried to pretend, act as if the breakfast Sanji's was serving was far more interesting than the conversation the two of you were having. This did not stop his crewmates from taking turns borrowing their eyes into the side of his skull. If you hadn't known any better you'd even swore they were holding their breaths in anticipation of the swordsman's response.

The tension in the air gave way that you may have made a mistake. That perhaps that was not a question allowed amongst this crew. You looked toward Zoro, bracing yourself for the harsh rejection. Instead he removed the three swords he had just placed on his hip and laid them out on the sand in front of you.

There was an audible gasp that fell from his crewmates. Zoro quickly narrowed his eyes toward their direction, the pirates sitting on the wooden table Franky had conjured up around the fire. His crewmates' eyes scatter in different directions faking obliviousness. Usopp even started to whistle to further prove his distraction. Zoro rolled his eyes before facing toward his swords.

"This one is Enma, Sandai Kitetsu, and Wado Ichimonji."

Zoro goes from top to bottom, pointing out each sword as he names it. Lightly, he pushes the first two away, so they are out of your arms’ reach. Leaving only Wado Ichimonji within your grasp.

"What- those two your favorite? That why I can't touch them." You teased.

"Not that." He gave you a playful laugh in response. That familiar cocky smile on his lips. "These two will literally kill you if you touch them."

"Oh-"

"This one is my favorite." He pulled Wado close so it was parallel to the knees of your criss-crossed legs. Before Zoro picked up his sword he forced your hands palm side up, arms out, rested against your thighs. Once he was satisfied with your posture he inched close to you smushing his thigh against yours then placed the sword in your hands.

"Why is this one your favorite?"

You go to move your hand from beneath the sword to foolishly trace the edge of the blade, but Zoro grabs your wrist before you have the opportunity. Quickly instructing you to be still. Griped that he had your hands placed like that for a reason.

"I don't want you to cut yourself." He scolded. Feeling like a small child, a 'sorry' clumsily fell from your lips in response. Zoro continued to answer your question.

"... A friend gave it to me."

This time you got the sense that you weren't to inquire any further about this. You wouldn't dare push the boundaries of the pirate. Instead you shifted the conversation.

"Was I not supposed to ask about your swords? ... your crewmates seemed kind of surprised."

"It's sort of a rule on the ship, that no one can touch my swords. " The swordsman's hand found the nape of his neck rubbing nervously. You laughed at his proclamation. His crewmate of years hadn't touched his swords, yet there he was placing his favorite blade in your hands. Unsure of what you had done to earn the pirate's trust, you were grateful all the same.

"So two swords that can kill you ... you must be like really strong?" you ask.

"Yeah, you could say that..." The swordsman chuckled. There's amusement filled in his expression as he takes the sword from your grasp so he could return them to their home. "You've really never heard of the Strawhat pirates?"

You shook your head 'no'. Had no intention of explaining to the swordsman that Lee had controlled most of the entertainment you had access to, and the news was hardly something he viewed as a concern of yours.

"I do keep hearing Luffy say he is going to be the pirate king a lot!" You tried to defend, hoping the information was relevant. the green haired pirate let out another laugh, nodding in agreement.

" 'nd I'm going to be the strongest swordsman in the world one day."

There was no uncertainty in his voice. No unsureness of weather it would be. The swordsman spoke his declaration as if it were a prophecy.

"How can you be so sure?"

"... Because I made a promise."

-

You forgot what the ballroom looked like filled with smiling faces, a sight lost after the death of your father. The warmth you feel at the anticipation is quickly replaced with an ice cold chill once you remember what these balls entail. Acting. You fix your smile, make it wider. As genuine as you could fake. Run your hands along your dress to smooth the folds. Make sure you are presentable- perfect like the chief expects.

Lee extends his hand as you approach the bottom of the steps. He does not wear a smile, but his eyes don't hold the malice you've become accustomed to searching for. He wordlessly looks you over with your hand in his. When he begins to lead you to the entrance of the ballroom you assume your appearance satisfies him.

There's an announcement as the two of you enter.

"Presenting Chief Misatori , and his wife".

The villagers look upon the two of you with such... mixed reactions. Some scold, probably wondering what you could possibly see in such an evil man. Probably trying to conjure up ways you cope with all his cruel actions. Others are more welcoming, the pain and grief your husband has put them through carved into their smile lines. Despite which side they lay, all the villagers have their eyes on you. Watching. Waiting for any crack in your façade.

Once you two reach your table at the front of the room, the announcer introduces the Strawhats next. The reception they receive is blazing compared to you and your husband. The room fills with cheers and whistles. Toothy smiles from all patrons. The pirate crew seems to enjoy the attention, maybe not welcoming of it, but definitely not shying away.

It seems Luffy couldn't be bothered to change out of his cut off denim for the formal event. Throwing on a button up shirt as compensation for his otherwise casual dress. You suspect that was Nami's idea. The other Strawhats are dressed more appropriately, in spite of their captain's relaxed attire. Although all look stunning, your eyes fall on Zoro, dressed in an all black 3 piece suit.

This is the first time you've seen the pirate in anything that wasn't a kimono or plain black shirt. The sight is a Divine gift. You would be watering at the mouth had you not been so aware of your surroundings. The swordsman's eyes meet yours the closer he gets. He flashes you a small smirk darting his eye down to his chest then back to you.

His tie and pocket square are velvet, the same emerald green of your dress. He has a gold sun pinned to his left lapel, its center adorned with an emerald stone strikingly similar to the stones on your corset. Shock is not a strong enough word to describe how you feel when your eyes return to his.

The emotions in you swirl so violently you feel like you're going to puke. Elation. Dread. Guilt. The three battle for space in your chest. The smirk on his face turns into a crooked smile at your eyes going slightly wide. If you didn't know any better you might even say he lets out a laugh at your surprise. When the group finally makes it to the shared round table, Zoro does not hesitate to take a seat next to you. Doesn't shy away from meeting Lee's disgruntled glance as he takes his seat.

"You look amazing love, a true sight for sore eyes." Sanji compliments.

It deepens the scowl already on Lee's face, but Sanji does not bother to acknowledge him. He gleams at you adoringly with a wide grin. You can only smile in response, softly thanking the cook. You wouldn't dare throw more ammunition onto the fire already fuming in your husband.

"She does look beautiful, doesn't she?" Lee gloats.

He has dropped the scowl, in an attempt to morph his features into something more inviting. He draws you in to meet his lips for a kiss. Usually Lee isn't one for public displays of affection, but in the face of the Strawhat men, he seems more than happy to make an exception . The chief has always been one to flaunt his spoils of war.

Zoro pinches your thigh. Not too hard, but enough to draw a reaction from you. It forces you to jump in surprise, drawing away from your husband. The puzzled look on Lee's face begins to look more of anger the longer his eyes linger on you awaiting an explanation.

"I'm sorry honey. I thought I felt something run across my foot, it just startled me." You caress his cheek to try to ease the tension. The sound of Zoro snickering whispers behind you.

The further into the night it gets the more lively the party has gotten. Alcohol has started to flow, live music Blares while patrons fill the dance floor. Most of the Strawhats have scattered.

Luffy in search of meat, or adventure. Don't remember which one he was singing about as he drug Usopp along. Chopper followed gleefully with hopes to join the fun. The cook has made himself busy talking to the maid from before, her appearance almost night and day in the evening gown. The others are difficult to track down, each with their own agendas for the night. The only ones sitting and enjoying the music with you are Zoro and Robin.

Lee has abandoned you at the table to entertain the men of his council, leaving you with the command to stay here. The chief never allowed you within ten feet of the dignitaries. Always said you were 'sure to say something stupid'. 'Only going to embarrass him and yourself'. So worried you would not be perfect enough for them, in spite of the fact that these men have known you since childhood. But you do not complain. Would much rather sit at the table swaying to the music than smile in the faces of your husband's subordinates anyway. Plus, the addition of company has made the experience that much more enjoyable.

"You want to dance?" The swordsman whispers.

"Roronoa , I wouldn't have taken you to be a dancer." You jest in return.

"I'm not. You haven't sat still since the music started. If you want to dance, I'll dance with you."

Your cheeks flush at his testament, at the mere thought of Zoro willing to wade through his own discomfort for you. It aches that you cannot do the same. That instead of exclaiming a resounding 'yes' your eyes fall to your husband on the other side of the room.

"It's okay Zo. Thank you."

Zoro glances back to see where your eyes have fallen. Rolls them in response to seeing Lee. A sigh leaves his lips but he doesn't push any further.

"I'm sure I can buy you guys a few minutes." Robin interjects. "I bet the garden is beautiful under the full moon."

Her eyes glance over at the swordsman briefly before returning to her drink. Zoro is already standing, adjusting the way his swords sit on his waist before heading presumably to the garden. You watch his figure shrink as he wades through the people to find the exit. When you return to Robin, she too is on her feet. There is a smile on her face, free of any anxieties.

"I'll distract Lee. Go find the swordsman."

Your heart pounds against your chest with each stride Robin makes towards the chief. Is this happening? Defying your husband so blatantly in the face of the entire kingdom. Your breath quickens as you watch her greet him. Gets shallower with each word that falls from the archeologist's lips. It's completely snatched from your throat once her fingers intertwine with his, leading the man out the ballroom with a giddy smile on his face.

You sit dumbfounded looking at the empty chairs that surround your table. There genuinely is nothing but you and the decision you have to make. Disrespect your husband to gallivant under the stars, or- Be the good wife. Behave. Act. Sit and smile while Robin wastes her precious time presumably flirting with your husband who had done little to conceal his crush on her.

Your feet are moving before your brain has an opportunity to justify their movement. All that echoes in your brain is Zoro's voice proclaiming he won't leave. How he is willing to risk his dream for you, and all you have to do is have the courage to leave the table. Once you make it to the garden you don't have the restraint to keep yourself from running in search of Zoro. Looking for any clue of his whereabouts in spite of your heels sinking you into the dirt with each step.

"I'm right here princess."

Your head snaps in the direction of his voice. The swordsman sits at the fountain in the center of the garden. His arms crossed against his chest with his legs outstretched in front of him. There is a full smile on his face as he takes you in, really takes you in.

"You're so fucking pretty... I hope he tells you everyday."

You don't want to discuss the chief. Hadn't escaped his watch to allow him to infiltrate your final moments with Zoro. You rush to the swordsman intertwining your fingers with his, and pull him to his feet or- more accurately, he stands at your request. The music from the ballroom carries into the garden faintly.

"You promised me a dance."

You wrap your arms around Zoro's neck. His hands find your waist. He pulls you close until your chest are flush together. You rest your head on his chest as the two of you sway. There is a comfortable silence falling between the two of you.

"We could do this on the sunny. Brook plays that violin non stop. " Zoro whispers.

Your eyes close as you allow your mind one second to wander. To think about what life on the seas would be like with Zoro. Naps in the crow's nest. Sake on the deck. Morning kisses before breakfast. The swordsman would love you. This you are certain.

"That would've been nice Zo."

"Don't say it like that- like you're never coming back ."

The swordsman's plea has you stopping in place. You take a step back to look up at him with somber eyes.

"What do you think will happen Zoro? ... That your crewmates will leave and my circumstances are going to change? If they don't- will you stay here to watch me be in a relationship with another man?"

"You won't even tell me what your circumstances are!" Zoro rebuttals quickly. Seemingly having no intentions of playing these games of 'what if'. He takes a deep breath in an attempt to gather himself.

"I'm just hoping that you will eventually tell me the truth. Tell me what's going on so we can go back to living our lives together! Is that not what you want?"

"I don't get to make that choice Zoro!" You retort. "I don't get what I want!"

An astonished huff leaves the swordsman's mouth. His lips upturn as he snarls at your words.

"Yes you do! You could decide to let me love you! I've been begging you to let me help and you just keep-"

"Go!" You shout . Unable to withstand the sweet sentiments he spews so fervidly any longer. The shake of pain in his voice growing unbearable to hear. "Leave Zoro! How many times do I have to say you can't stay!"

"How many times do I have to say I am not leaving you?" The pirate responds without missing a beat.

You hate the decision you make next. Cringe at the words before they even leave your lips. Disappointed at how quickly the idea pops into your head.

"You're never going to be the world's strongest swordsman, Zoro. The world's strongest swordsman would never give up their dream to chase after some woman they've only known two months."

The swordsman’s face drops in a way you've never seen before. Worse than when you introduced Lee as your husband. That was betrayal, this-

This was pure agony.

"Why are you trying to hurt me?"

You swallow hard. Shoving down the pained cries that want to shout out the truth. 'To make you hate me.' If that is the only way the swordsman is willing to leave then so be it. You would shatter him again. Tap at the cracks in his already broken heart, until the pieces are on the ground for him to pick up again. If that is what it is going to take.

"I'm telling you the truth Zoro. I know you look down on Lee , but he would never be foolish enough to jeopardize his dreams just for me."

"You saying that makes him a better man than me? That he's the one you're choosing." Zoro seethed. "He doesn't fucking love you- I do!"

"I'm not choosing anyone." You screech desperately.

It has taken some time, but it has finally sunk in. You do not get to leave. To choose. To stray from the path your husband deemed appropriate. You don't get saved. There is nothing the swordsman, or any of the other Strawhat pirates could do to change that.

Zoro nods his head as though he is saying he finally understands. He drags his right hand down his face before letting out a tired sigh.

"You win. You want me gone ... We'll leave tonight."

***

Finally the last of the patrons filed out. A sigh of relief leaves your lips when the castle doors shut. Your performative smile drops at the click of the locks. Air could fill your lungs again. Now that the night has drawn to a close, you wish nothing more than to get out of this dress. Strip down bare so you could cry in the tub. Soothe your heart's ache in privacy for just a little while.

Lee grasps your hand in his to force your attention. He wears a smile. You expect it's rewarding of the good job you've done tonight. He pulls you in close to press his lips against yours.

The kiss is soft, delicate . When you go to withdraw, the chief does not allow you any reprieve. The tender kiss quickly turns forceful. He tangles his hand into your hair so you have nowhere to go.

"You must think I'm a fucking idiot, Honey." Lee mumbles against your lips. He starts pushing you backwards until you are pressed against the iron doors. His free hand wraps around your throat while his lips travel to your ear.

"You love the swordsman..." He whispers. "Do you really think I'm too stupid to notice? "

Goosebumps appear at his words. For a split second everything stops. Your Hearing. Your breath. Your heart. How- how could he know? Sweat beads at your brow as they scrunch in confusion. You try to blink your way out this nightmare as tears start to swell in your eyes. Refuse to accept this as reality.

"No Lee, I only love you. Zor-"

Lee squeezes his fingers tight around your neck. The piercing blow to your windpipe brings your testament to a swift end. You claw violently at his fingers. Attempt fervidly to pry his grip from your neck to no avail.

"Don't say his fucking name ... Not in my house. You and those pirates think you're so clever sneaking around tonight. Did you honestly think I would take your word on some filthy pirate? That I wouldn't have you watched after strictly forbidding you to see him? Darling, surely you aren't that pathetic..."

The sound of Lee's voice drifts in and out along with your consciousness. Your limbs feel heavy, moving lethargically with each thrashing movement. Before your vision fades to black, Lee drops your body to the floor. A loud smack echoes the halls once your skin meets the marble.

For a moment there is only the sound of your hacking. A poor attempt to force your lungs to work. Lee bends at the knees to observe you. Ponder on if this punishment is enough. If you had endured enough pain to assuage his anger.

"Tell me sweetheart..." He reaches out to sweep the hair out of your face. He caresses your check lightly before continuing. "Is the garden you and the swordsman's special place? Uh? Do the two of you sneak off and laugh at the fool you make of me?"

You go to speak, curse that your words would fail you in such a crucial time. Your brain is too light headed and caught off guard to have lies readily available. You avert your gaze away from the chief. Look toward all the staff too afraid of the man's wrath to watch his atrocities' face on, but bear witness all the same.

When you don't respond, Lee stands. That darkness has consumed the totality of his eyes. Your husband -and what little humanity resided left in him- is gone. The chief: Judge, Jury, and Executioner stood before you determining your sentence.

"You want to leave ? Go ! Be with the swordsman!"

The hair on your neck stands at his proclamation. Lee had sneered you with one trap . You would be foolish to allow him to devour you whole in another. You shake your head 'no'. Repent to the man. Implore his forgiveness. The chief stares unmoved. Glowering down at you with a merciless grin.

"I warned you before Honey. There is only one way your leaving."

You push your back further into the doors. Willing them to burst open at the force. Your eyes scatter the area as he approaches. There is nowhere to run. Nothing to grab. You are utterly helpless to the whims of the chief.

Lee fists his hand into your hair, grabbing tightly, then pulls to drag you along the floor. The scream you let out at the sting does not deter him. Neither does your kicking, or clawing at his fingers in hopes of relief. None of it offers any reprieve.

"I don't want to leave. I don't want to go with the swordsman. Please Lee- Let me stay." You wail. Your heels slide against the stone floor foiling your attempts to dig your feet into the ground.

Lee has made it to the bottom of the staircase, and finally in the chaos, you are able to ascertain his plans. This was it, the final straw on the camel's back. The last defiance Lee is willing to forgive. He had finally deemed you useless. Worthless. And was planning to get rid of you in such a manner.

"I tried to teach you sweetheart, but you just won't learn." He scolds

Your body must be weightless the way Lee is so effortlessly dragging you up the steps. Was this really how things were going to end? Had the chief decided himself so deserving of his authority he would rule without the woman who made him monarch in the first place? Your father must be turning in his grave at the sight.

"I'll be good. I promise!" You weep. Your hands are tangled in your hair searching for relief.

The chief lets out an obnoxious laugh. Now that the two of you are at the top of the stairs, it has only gotten easier for the man to drag you along the hardwood floor. The entrance to your bedroom is coming into view. The boom of your heart thumping rings in your ears. Your time is running out.

"Trying to play me like some fucking idiot. I guess you are your fathers daughter after all... "

Fervidly you press white fingertips into the door frame, using all the strength you had to fight against Lee's pull. It is no use. Like a rag doll at the manipulation of her owner you're easily forced into the room.

"I'll have to take care of you, just like I did your father."

"Please ! Please ! Please ! Please -" You beg, pleas barely audible in the midst of your sobs.

Your eyes scatter the room in one last stitch effort to save your life. If this were it, you refused to go quietly. Scissors. They have fallen from the top of your dresser onto the floor in front of the bed. You thank whatever god has taken mercy on you. Whoever decided the chief plans too nefarious to come to fruition.

You snatch the blades as he drags you past the bed. Jab the tool into the chief's feet before withdrawing and jamming it into his thigh. Lee lets out a sharp yelp, before falling to the floor. He curses loudly, grasping his wound. There is no time to revel in victory.

Hastily you rush to your feet, fleeing out the room. You can hear the man shouting out after you, but the mistake is already made. Too deep to fall to your knees and beg forgiveness now.

***

The rain refuses to let up. With each thud of your feet against the wet forest floor, you swear the drops only quicken in pace. The regal gown you wear , or the pieces that remain in tack, are soaked through. Your heels are long discarded in the shuffle. In spite of the adrenaline pumping through your veins, you shudder at the brisk winds.

You push your discomfort aside. No time to think about the weather, when you had to flee as far away from your home as you could. you had gotten away once , surely you could do it again. Had to be able to do it again.

guilt consumes you with each step you plow into the ground. Leaving behind the home your mother raised you in. The land your father thought sacred- just to save yourself. Selfish. That's all you are. Selfish. Pitiful. Failure- Your thoughts flee when you go crashing onto the wet forest ground.

Hurriedly you wipe at your face to see the culprit of your disruption. It is to no avail. The rain has done a remarkable job at distorting your vision. The darkness is its fateful ally. You can barely make out the voices calling to you through the rumbling of the thunder.

"What are you doing out here?"

There's a hand around your arm dragging you up before you are able to grasp your bearings. Fear consumes you too much to focus. Only know that getting caught isn't not an option. You jerk to free your arm, but the hold is too strong.

"Y/n!"

Your panic forces coherence. Your vision finally comes to.

Zoro.

His face is contorted into a grimace as he looks you over. His hand travels up and down your arm as though he could wash the bruises away with the fallen rain. When the wounds remain the pirate pierces his eye into yours.

"What Happened?" He growls.

Your arms wrap your body. As if you could stretch your limbs around you like Strawhat to hide your bruises. Eyes quick to dart away from him. For a second you try to conjure up a palatable explanation. One that would soothe the fire in the pirate's eye. Eradicate the concern from his voice. But there is none.

For the first time in six months you are all out of excuses. All out of ways to justify the pain away. No words to lie reassurance into anyone's hearts.

Your eyes are glued to the floor shielding your face from your audience. From Zoro. Your skin trembles against his fingers. Using his free hand, Zoro wraps his fingers gently around your chin. You wince at his touch. The sting is intense despite his delicate disposition.

Don't want to expose yourself to him any further. The scratches and cuts that covered you were indicator enough of your injuries. The swordsman does not care. He gently presses against your jaw , forcing your head up to see the fingers indented into your neck. The red bands evidence of your skirmish even without your confirmation.

You feel small underneath Zoro's gaze. There's a mix of emotions that flow through his eye. Anger. Relief. Guilt. The only that's lingers is pity. It makes your skin crawl to see it so clearly painted on his face.

"Did he do this to you?" The swordsman barks.

You want to run. You're going to run. Refuse to be subjected to the pitiful glances and stares . It is as if Zoro can read your mind, tightening his grip around your arm the moment your muscles tense beneath him.

"...Yes." The answer is almost lost in the storm.

Zoro releases you. His hand immediately finds Enma's hilt. Wordlessly he turns to walk in the direction of the castle. His crewmates do not speak. Wouldn't dare ask where he was going when the answer is so obvious.

"Please- Zoro! Don't leave me!" You sob, tears mixing into the rainfall that covers your cheeks. Your voice, broken from Lee's abuse, forces your plea to come out as a strained cry. Zoro stops in his tracks to glance your way.

"I know I don't deserve you! I know you're too good for me! I know! But please-"

You can barely make him out as he approaches. The blur from the showers distorts his figure. Can only make out the swordsman sheathing his weapon. In seconds he is within your grasp, drawing you into his chest as his arms wrap around your shoulder.

"Shh- I'm right here."

You curl into his hold, trying to shield yourself from everyone- everything. Can only bawl into the pirates chest. Your legs fail you. Too weak to hold their own. Zoro does not let you fall, holds all your weight against him as you cry.

"He killed him. He killed my father."

There is only the sound of thunder in the air. You have rendered the pirate speechless. This was probably the first time the swordsman has ever not known what to say. How to comfort you. Zoro holds you tighter, closer. Rubs your back in a soothing way.

"... Let's go home." Zoro whispers, kissing the top of your head.

The walk to the sunny is silent. Not even the pirate captain has anything to say. It's hard not to feel on display in the midst of everyone stares. You know your friends do not mean to watch in the way they do. To trail their eyes down your abused body every time they glance your way. Probably just taken aback by your appearance. You look far worse than when you washed ashore on the beach. Still, it makes you want to hide. Strip yourself of your skin to escape their stares.

Zoro glances over at you every few seconds like he must be sure you're still there. That you haven't abandoned his side. Run off to lick your wounds in isolation.

"Here."

The pirate strips out of his suit jacket then wraps it around your shoulders. Although soaked from the rain you appreciate having the cover. For being able to give your arms a break from shielding you. The coolness against your skin actually offers some relief to the pain drenching your body.

Immediately once you board Sunny, Zoro is walking you to the infirmary to have chopper look at you. He does not ask, and you get the impression that the topic isn't up for debate. Chopper does not ask any questions. Doesn't pry about how your injuries came about. Just treats each wound, handling you as delicately as he can.

Zoro holds your hand the entire appointment. lightly rubbing your knuckles with his thumb. You squeeze his fingers tightly at Chopper feeling your neck.

"It's okay princess, you're doing so good. He's almost done. Right chopper?"

"All done." The reindeer backs away hooves up as proof. "I'm going to give you some ice for your neck, leave it on for about twenty minutes."

"And the rest of her bruises?" Zoro asks.

"I don't have any reason to believe there is internal bleeding, but we will keep an eye on your condition the next couple days just to be sure."

Chopper extends out an ice pack for you then goes to rifle through the medication cabinet. Once convinced he has all he needs he turns to hand you two bottles.

"These are for the pain. Take these in the morning " He holds up one bottle, shakes it lightly then picks up the other. "These are for night."

Zoro reaches to take both bottles before you have the chance to.

"Thank you chopper."

-

Zoro holds your hand the whole way to his quarters. Though you told him when you first boarded the ship you could walk on your own now, he does not let you go. You suspect Zoro is scared of where you'll go if he does.

When the two of you walk into his quarters it is quiet. Only the soft sound of the waves swaying the boat fills the air. You make your way to the bed, flopping lazily on top of the comforter. Your body begs the comfort of a soft mattress after all the harsh treatment. When you look over at Zoro he hasn't moved.

The swordsman's back is against the door as though he is guarding it. Covering the exits so you could not scurry away from him again. His gaze doesn't linger on you, instead he stares out of the singular port hole into the darkness of the night.

The quiet begins to eat away at your consciousness. Usually silence was comfortable between you and the pirate. No words ever needed to be exchanged to feel the comfort of the other person's presence. But now was different-

Now you stood in front of the swordsman with your heart in pieces, just as broken as him. Waiting for him to put the pieces back together like he had done unknowingly so many times before. How could two people, broken the way you two are broken, offer anyone comfort or solace?

"Is this what you didn't want to tell me? ..." Zoro asks.

His voice battles the waves for space in the room. Wins only barely taking its place. You don't say anything. Act as though his question going unanswered, will keep the truth from spilling into the space.

"How long?"

"... Since my father died."

Zoro gives you a curt nod before pushing himself away from the door. Still his eye does not fall on you. Part of you begins to wander if it's intentional. If the sight of your broken body is just too much for the swordsman to bear.

"You can take the bed. I'll wake you up when it's time to take your meds again. Chopper will be just down the hall. If you need me, I'll be in the crow's nest." He begins to ramble.

As your mind reels the pirate starts to rifle through his clothes for a clean shirt. A task you are sure requires exceptional effort in his messy quarters. After the third black tee Zoro finds a clean one and hands it out to you. Only then has your mind caught up enough to clasp his wrist.

"I don't want to sleep alone." You admitted. "Please don't make me sleep another night without you."

Zoro exhales a shaky breath. Like it is taking everything in him to grasp his bearings.

"Okay. " He whispers in response.

The sentiment settles and wrenches your heart. The guilt pains you much more than the bruises ever could. The physical pain would heal. In time the red marks around your throat would fade. The cuts that cover your feet will only be a distant memory. But you will forever have to live with the pain of what you did to the swordsman.

As Zoro climbs into the bed you wonder why he still has so much affection left for you. Why he was offering refuge after the terrible things you said. Think it might have been better had he screamed. Cursed and yelled at the sight of you, opposed to these gentle ministrations. After all, you deserved to feel a fraction of the pain you have put him through.

"I'm so sorry Zoro. I-"

"Go to sleep." He mutters. Lazily wrapping an arm around your waist. "We can talk in the morning."

The swordsman holds you close to his chest. His hold is so tight it slightly stings against your wounds. If you concentrate enough you swear you can feel Zoro's heart thumping violently.

The smell of the sea can almost deceive you into believing you're on the beach. That things are okay. The daydream only crushes your spirits more. Emphasizes how your world is actively crumbling around you.

You wished you had the heart to let it go. To not need reassurance at his expense. But the words are fumbling out your mouth before you can stop them.

"Do you still love me?" You choke out.

There is no strength left to hold back any tears. To swallow the vulnerability before the pirate is able to see it. All that is left is to slice your chest open for the swordsman. Show him all the broken ribs you have endured trying to protect your heart only to have it broken in the end.

"I still love you." He confirms placing a kiss to your temple.

The words bring more anguish than relief. A visceral hurt cascades your body. All you can do is sob. Grasping desperately onto his arm in an attempt to ground yourself.

"I hate him, Zoro. I hate him. I hate him. I hate him. I hate him."

"I'm going to kill him." The pirate announces.

The definiteness in his voice , kin to when he announced he would be the strongest swordsman in the world. You turn in his arms to face him, and this time when you look up at the pirate he is meeting your gaze. The stress of the day so clearly pronounced by the bags under his eyes.

"Zoro you don't hav-"

"Go to sleep." The swordsman reiterates, before you can continue. He sweeps his thumb across your cheek to wipe away your tears, even though more come to replace them. He gives you a soft, weak smile before gently pressing his lips to yours. The feather light touch has you second guessing if you had felt him at all.

"We'll talk in the morning."

—————————————————————————————

A/n: Hey luvbugs! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Comment your favorite quote 👀 or part ! I’d love to know. I think there’s gonna be about two more parts left at the most. Ahhhh can’t believe we’re almost done.

If you would like to be on the taglist , let me know ! I’d love to have you! :)

Tag List: @turtletaubwrites @jinjen @sanzu-clinic @heyauntieeee @honeybuzzzzzz @nothing-but-brass @katiemrty @zorotime @kahelis @vikispike @haitaniwhor3 @starlightanyaaa

[sen-ya]

part 5/7

is it silly that this is my favorite in this series? i really enjoyed writing kaya and I wanna do it again at some point :')

[op comic masterpost]

[pg1] panel 2: Kaya: Oh! Dr. Law! I didn't expect to find you in our library.

panel 3: Law: K-Kaya-ya!

panel 4: Law: Uh. Ahem. Excuse me. I hope you don't mind me borrowing your books.

panel 5: Kaya: Oh of course not! I'm just shocked to hear we have books you don't! What are you studying?

panel 6: Law: UHHHHH

[pg2] panel 10: Kaya: Oh! Is someone on your crew pregnant? Ikkaku??

panel 11: Law (thinking): She doesn't know Ikkaku is trans. Does she not know that I am?? I just assumed Nose-ya would have mentioned it. But that makes sense. If Straw Hat didn't already know Nose-ya was trans it's not like I would have told him.

panel 12: Kaya: ...?

panel 13: Law (thinking): Fuck, I've been quiet too long. I can't throw Ikkaku under to bus. Just say something.

panel 14: Law: No. Kaya: Oh. Then why...? Law (thinking): Wait, shit

[pg3] panel 15: Law: My, uh...brother...'s...wife. Yeah, we're taking him back to Zou soon...because his wife is pregnant...and I...want...to help...?

panel 16: Kaya: Oh, how sweet! Congrats "Uncle Law" hehe. If you have any questions I could help with let me know!! I specialized in traumatic injury, but I did deliver a few babies in Syrup Village! On smaller islands like that you wear a lot of hats.

panel 17: Law: And you've...been pregnant. Kaya: Well, yeah, but I wasn't my own doctor! Could you imagine if I had tried to deliver the twins myself? Even a doctor needs a doctor, you know that.

panel 18: Law: ...right.

panel 19: Law: ...what...what was it like?

panel 20: Kaya: Oh, my pregnant patients were actually pretty fun! I suppose it makes sense that as a pirate ship doctor you wouldn't have had to know obstetrics. But it was always so lovely to hand a parent their--

[pg4] panel 21: Kaya: ...newborn...baby...?

panel 23: Kaya: ...I'm sorry, Dr. Law. If there's context I need you'll have to give it to me. I'm not good at guessing.

panel 24: Law: What do you mean, I just gave you context. Kaya: With all due respect, you're full crying. It's a new sight for me!

panel 25: Kaya: You can tell me what's going on! I'm told I'm a very good listener

panel 26: Law: ...You Straw Hats sure are a pain Kaya: Sorry, hehe

panel 28: Law: ...I...ahem...so number one, if you didn't know...I'm...I'm trans.

panel 29: Law: But not like your husband. He got the works from Ivankov-ya...I never felt the need to seek that out.

[pg5] panel 30: Kaya: ...I see

panel 31: Kaya: How far along are you? Law: ..12 weeks, give or take. Kaya: Well, I've provided obstetric care of all kinds. So whatever questions you're researching here...why don't you ask me instead of being your own doctor?

panel 32: Law: ...Same question. What was it like?

panel 33: Kaya: Being pregnant was a horror show!

panel 34: Law: A glowing review. Kaya: Oh, sorry! I can lie if you'd prefer!

panel 35: Kaya: I was just so sick my first trimester! Law (speaking over her): KAYA-YA I THOUGHT I WAS DYING FOR TWO WEEKS WHEN WILL IT STOP I CAN ONLY EAT RICE.

panel 36: Kaya: It's different for everyone. By the end it wasn't quite so bad for me, though. And I love my kids so much. They were such cute newborns!! So I was alright being uncomfortable for awhile. Because that's what we wanted, you know?

panel 37: Kaya (off screen): What do you and Luffy want, Dr. Law?

[pg6] panel 38: Law: ...We haven't decided yet. We're giving it to the end of the week. I'm trying to think about it rationally. But I just keep getting emotional any time I talk about it. It's strange.

panel 39: Kaya: An emotional decision and a bad decision aren't inherently synonymous, you know.

panel 40: Law: ...your bedside manner is impeccable, Dr. Kaya-ya. Kaya: Well, thank you! Next time let's meet in the infirmary, mine or yours.

panel 41: Kaya: I'll be your doctor through this, okay?

panel 42: Law: ...Okay...Thank you. Kaya: Of course!

[grandlinedreams]

Hii I just found out about your blog today! I really like your writing 🤭 Can I request a straw hat reader and law trying to keep their relationship a secret but they failed. Then the reaction from both crews! Thank you!

Hi bb!! Thank-you, I'm honored!! 🥺💖 but oh absolutely!! I hope this is to your liking, bb! (Ig this is a little non-canon? indeterminate setting)

Palm up, you stare at the little square of white that inches across your skin at a steady pace. There are limits to vivre cards, you know that ㅡ but you can't help but silently will everything involved to move faster.

"You're not sneaky, you know." You whirl, finding Nami leaning against the doorway with an amused look on her face, arms folded across her chest.

"I don't know what you mean," you say warily, mentally kicking yourself for pulling the paper out without making sure you wouldn't be spotted with it, even as your fingers close around it protectively.

Nami's head tilts. "That secret candy stash," she says, "you're not very good at hiding it. You're just lucky that Luffy hasn't figured out where to look yet."

"Oh," you answer, trying not to sound too relieved that she doesn't mean the vivre card you've been watching for the last ten minutes. "Right. I'll have to move it around, then."

Nami studies you silently for a moment in which you're almost certain she knows, but then she pulls from the doorway with a sigh. "We're supposed to be meeting up with the Heart Pirates, so you might want to come out and join us before Luffy figures that something is up."

"Right behind you," you answer, waiting until she turns to put the vivre card away and moving to follow. Outside, you're just in time to watch the swell of waves break, exposing gleaming yellow metal.

"There they are!" Luffy crows excitedly from where he's perched atop his usual seat, waving to the Polar Tang despite the fact that nobody can see him yet.

"Remind me why we're still letting them hang around?" Zoro asks and you turn towards him, though Robin answers for you.

"Because it's important to keep good relations with our allies." She glances towards you. "You agree, don't you?"

You swear there's something in her gaze, a glint of amusement that runs deeper than watching you fumble to agree.

"Whatever," huffs Zoro. "Still think that guy's full of himself."

You bite your tongue, waiting until you're certain you won't say something you regret. "Luffy is our Captain, Zoro. If he trusts them, then we should too."

You feel a lot more than trust towards Trafalgar Law. But though it's gotten easier to keep those feelings under lock and key, it's still hard to not want to bounce forward and fling your arms around him the way Luffy does.

"Traffy!! Good to see you!"

"I've told you to stop calling me that, Strawhat," Law grouses, struggling to free himself from the rubber man's grip. "And get off me!"

Luffy seems far from upset by Law's greeting, cheerful grin still wide and bright as he lets go to offer the same greeting to Bepo, just a few feet behind his Captain.

You pretend not to notice when Law glances at you, your own attention pointedly fixed on some obscure point until you can't feel the weight of his gaze anymore. Only then do you lett yourself look back at him, fingers twitching at the memory of his vivre card on your palm.

ㅡ

Luffy's plan for the ally rendezvous ends up being to anchor both the Sunny and the Polar Tang at the back coast of a nearby island with the intent to keep either crew from being spotted and recognized. (It's more Law's idea, but all he does is roll his eyes when Luffy repeats it with much more enthusiasm.)

After that it's a blur of cooking food in the kitchen, platters laden down with piles of food and lowered down onto the beach, where a bonfire (small and carefully contained) is going at Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper's request.

"Is there a reason you're avoiding me?"

"I'm not avoiding you," you say from where you're picking up dry kindling for the bonfire. "Didn't we agree not to tell either of our crews we're together?"

"True," Law agrees as he approaches, "but I hardly think pretending that I don't exist at all is going to work either. They'll think you hate me."

"I think Zoro has that covered," you mumble. "But you know I don't hate you, Law."

"I do?" There's a hint of amusement in his tone, smirk tugging at his lips. He's teasing you, the jerk. "Could have fooled me."

You roll your eyes. "What if you're the one who hates me? Hm?"

He approaches, the height difference all the clearer for how he seems to tower over you, even as he leans down. "Hate is the furthest word from how I feel about you."

You've only shared a handful of kisses with Law and each time, you've been the one to initiate them. Perhaps a testament to how he's missed you, Law leans in, lips pressing against yours.

Your eyes close, and you're tempted to drop the bundle of wood in your hands in favor of curling them into his shirt ㅡ only to break apart at the same time as Law at the sound of your Captain's voice in tandem with Bepo's.

"Hey Traffy!! Where'd you go?"

"Captain? Captain!"

Law sighs. "So much for that," he says, pulling away from you completely and turning back in the direction that he'd come from. "Don't take too long coming back either, or they'll think you got eaten by a Sea King."

Watching his back, it's only then that you realize he's somehow eased the bundle of sticks from your grip and walked away with it ㅡ effectively leaving you with zero reason as to why you'd left in the first place.

"Jerk," you mutter, but you're smiling, bringing a hand up to trace your lips and the lingering warmth.

ㅡ

Sunset is a milky blend of reds and oranges, vibrant against the deep blue of the sea, inciting a deeper sense of contentment that makes you dig your feet into the sunwarmed sand.

"Comfortable?" Law seats himself beside you without preamble, the brush of his arm against yours intentional. You debate for a moment before you lean against him, gaze flicking upward to watch his lips curve into a softer smile when you rest your head on his shoulder.

"I am now," you mumble, let your eyes drift shut as you try to commit this to memory. "I wish we saw each other more."

There's a deeper meaning to it, a wholly selfish want for something more stable than what you have ㅡ going months at a time without sreing each other, vivre cards the only way of guaranteed safety. (It isn't safety, not really. Just the reassurance that the other is still alive.)

"I know." Law answers. "...every time I hear about whatever stunt you lot have pulled, I check your vivre card." Another deeper meaning, vulnerability where he usually can't afford it. "We could tell them, you know."

You snort. "Tell them what? 'Sorry, we've been dating behind your back for the last two years?'"

"You're dating Traffy?"

You feel Law tense under your head at Luffy's voice, and you turn to find him staring at the two of you.

Shit.

"Luffy, I, uhㅡ"

"Yes," Law cuts in, "we are." It startles you, how freely he's admitting to it now when he's the one who wanted to be so damn careful about it.

"Oh," Luffy says. And then he grins. "That's so cool! I mean, as long as you're not gonna steal [Name] and make them join you all the time."

You wonder if somewhere down the line, you've hit your head and entered a different dimension. Surely you have, for Law to be so blasé in admitting to your relationship and Luffy ㅡ well, that's on par for him.

Luffy takes it a step further, however, turning and cupping his hands around his mouth. "You guys!! Did you know Traffy and [Name] were dating?"

You flinch, Law's expression unreadable as there's an answering call ㅡ Shachi.

"No offense Captain, but we figured it out last year!"

"I thought they seemed awful chummy! Congrats, you two!" Nami.

And then Luffy is bounding off back to the others, and your shoulders slump. "Well, that was a lot of worry for nothing," you lament, though you reach for Law's hand, lacing your fingers before you stand, tugging him to his feet. "Come on, boyfriend. We have some explaining to do."

[yoomiwrites]

Missing Ghost³

Summary: After losing her memory in a storm, a young Marine remembers only the name “Mihawk” and sets out to find him, convinced he holds the key to her past. As she sharpens her skills and follows his trail across countless ports, Mihawk is always just out of reach. Finally, she arrives at a port where his ship waits, knowing her answers are close.

Note: I need to update my work / pinned thingy. But I am waaaaay to lazy to do so now. Maybe later. Anyways, here we go, the next chapter of this story! It's not easy at all to picture how Mihawk behaves, so pls bear with me. Again, I can't give any promise on when I'll update this again but if we hit 30 reactions, the next chapter should come soon!

The port town was a labyrinth of noise and chaos, bustling with merchants, sailors, and the occasional mercenary weaving through the crowded streets. Every step I took felt heavy, my eyes darting over every face, every corner, searching. I had no plan, no strategy beyond following the tug in my chest that pulled me forward, a feeling that whispered he was close.

The whispers from the crowd had grown louder the further I moved into the town.

“Did you see him?”

“He cut them down like it was nothing—”

“Hawk Eyes Mihawk...he’s here.”

I swallowed hard, my pulse quickening as I pushed through the throng. The streets led me toward the edge of town, where the noise shifted from bustling trade to something sharper—shouts, cries, and the unmistakable clang of steel. My feet carried me closer before I even realized it, my heart pounding louder with each step.

And then I saw him.

Dracule Mihawk stood amidst the carnage, his black cloak flowing around him like the wings of a predator. His sword, massive and imposing, gleamed in the dim light as it cut through the last pirate standing, a clean, effortless motion. Blood spattered the ground around him, bodies crumpled at his feet, but his expression was calm, almost detached, as though the chaos around him was nothing more than a passing nuisance.

For a moment, I froze, unable to breathe. I knew him. Not just the name or the reputation, but something deeper, like a half-remembered melody finally coming into focus. His piercing golden eyes swept the crowd, sharp and calculating, and then they found me.

Our eyes locked.

My breath hitched. Something stirred within me—a pull so strong it felt like it might drag me forward against my will. My body moved before my mind could catch up, weaving through the bloodied scene as if the danger didn’t exist, as if the corpses littering the street were invisible.

He watched me, unmoving, his gaze unwavering as I drew closer. There was no fear in me, not even hesitation. The tug in my chest grew stronger with every step, guiding me toward him like a thread pulling me home.

The stench of blood thickened as I reached him, tilting my head back to meet his gaze. Up close, he was even more imposing than I remembered—or imagined. His face was sharp, chiseled, his eyes unreadable yet filled with a weight I couldn’t name.

For a moment, the world seemed to still.

“It’s a surprise you’re alive,” he said at last, his deep voice cutting through the silence like a blade. “For a stupid, clumsy Marine.”

His tone was cold, biting, but there was something beneath it—something I couldn’t name. Relief, maybe? I wouldn’t have noticed even if it had been more obvious; all I could feel was the strange pull toward him, as if I’d finally found the one solid thing in a world I didn’t remember.

My lips parted, but no words came. What could I say? That I’d been looking for him, chasing a shadow, convinced he held the key to a past I couldn’t recall? That the sound of his voice stirred something in me that felt almost like belonging?

Instead, I simply stared, the silence between us stretching as the blood of the slain pirates pooled at our feet.

Mihawk’s golden eyes lingered on me for a moment longer, unreadable, before he turned without a word, Yoru slung across his back like a silent guardian. His boots crunched against the bloodied ground as he began to walk away, as though the entire scene—the corpses, the chaos, and me—meant nothing to him.

I blinked, momentarily stunned, before my feet moved on instinct. “Wait!”

He didn’t stop, didn’t even glance back. Determined, I hurried after him, weaving through the crowd that had started to gather at a cautious distance. The people parted for him like waves around a ship, their hushed whispers trailing behind him.

“Stop walking away from me!” I demanded, raising my voice, though it wavered slightly under the weight of his presence. “You called me a Marine. What do you mean by that?”

No response. His pace was steady, unbothered, like I wasn’t even there.

“I know you,” I pressed, desperation seeping into my tone. “Don’t I? You wouldn’t have let me live otherwise… Right?”

Still nothing. His silence made my chest tighten, but I refused to back down. “Say something!”

Finally, he slowed, just enough for me to catch up to his side. I looked up at him, trying to read the sharp angles of his face, but his expression remained impassive.

“You know something about me,” I insisted, walking briskly to match his long strides. “You have to. Otherwise, why would you…?” I gestured vaguely behind us, to the battlefield he’d left in his wake.

He stopped abruptly, and I nearly stumbled to avoid bumping into him. His gaze swept over me, piercing and calculating, as though he were dissecting every word I’d said. I shifted under the intensity, suddenly aware of how much smaller I felt beside him.

“You don’t remember,” he said finally, his voice low but firm, as if stating a fact he had just confirmed.

I frowned. “Remember what?”

For the first time, something flickered in his eyes—something almost like recognition mixed with irritation. “Anything,” he said, more a statement than a question.

“I remember…” I hesitated, unsure how to explain the fractured pieces of my memory. “I remember waking up on a beach. No one knew who I was, not even me. But I…” My voice trailed off, searching his face for a reaction. “I knew your name. And now, seeing you, I know you. I don’t know why, but I do.”

Mihawk regarded me silently, his gaze as sharp as the blade on his back. For a moment, I thought he wouldn’t reply, but then he asked, “What else?”

“What else?” I echoed, confused.

“What else do you remember?”

I swallowed hard, the weight of his question pressing down on me. “Not much,” I admitted. “Just… flashes. A storm. The sea. And you. I’ve been searching for you ever since I remembered your name. It’s all I’ve had to go on.”

His expression didn’t change, but there was a subtle shift in his posture, a tension that hadn’t been there before. He was piecing something together; I could see it in the slight narrowing of his eyes, the faint tilt of his head.

“You really don’t remember anything,” he murmured, more to himself than to me.

I shook my head. “I don’t even know why I’m here. Why I’ve been chasing you for so long. But you know something, don’t you?”

Mihawk’s gaze held mine for a long moment, and for the first time, I thought I saw a flicker of something human beneath his icy exterior. A shadow of doubt, or maybe… curiosity?

Finally, he turned away, his voice calm but edged with finality. “If you’ve forgotten, it’s no longer my concern.”

“No!” I grabbed his arm without thinking, my grip firm despite the tremor in my hands. He looked down at me, one brow arching in faint surprise, but he didn’t pull away.

“I don’t care if it’s not your concern,” I said, forcing steel into my voice. “You’re the only one who knows anything about me. And I’m not letting you walk away until you tell me.”

His expression hardened, but he didn’t shake me off. Instead, he studied me again, his eyes sweeping over me as if searching for something hidden beneath the surface.

“Tell me what you remember of the storm,” he said, his voice quieter this time, almost contemplative.

I frowned, unsure why it mattered but willing to cling to anything that might give me answers. “There’s not much,” I said slowly. “The waves were huge. My ship—if it was even mine—was breaking apart. I remember clinging to something, and then… nothing. Just darkness. When I woke up, I was on a beach, and everything was gone. My past, my name, everything.”

Mihawk’s gaze grew distant, his jaw tightening as though he were wrestling with something unspoken. Then he let out a soft scoff, shaking his head.

“You were more trouble than you were worth back then,” he muttered, his tone almost bitter. But there was a faint edge of something else—something softer—buried beneath the words. “It seems that hasn’t changed.”

I frowned, unsure whether to be offended or relieved. “So you do know me.”

He didn’t answer, but the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth told me enough. He turned again, starting to walk away.

“Hey!” I called, jogging to catch up. “Where are you going now?”

He glanced at me over his shoulder, his expression unreadable. “If you’re so desperate for answers,” he said, his tone as sharp as Yoru’s edge, “you’ll have to keep up.”

And just like that, he was moving again, leaving me to scramble after him once more.

The silence between us stretched, heavy and suffocating as I trailed after Mihawk. My questions had grown quieter with each unanswered attempt, his cold indifference wearing down my resolve. His steps were steady, unyielding, as if no force in the world could sway him.

Eventually, my voice gave out entirely. I stopped asking. The only sound left was the crunch of boots against the dirt road and the faint hum of the town fading behind us.

Mihawk led us to a secluded spot near the cliffs, where the restless sea stretched endlessly before us. He moved with practiced ease, lowering himself to sit against the trunk of a lone tree. His massive blade, Yoru, rested beside him, its hilt gleaming faintly in the waning sunlight. Without a word, he tipped his hat forward to shield his face, his body language making it abundantly clear that he intended to rest—and that he had no intention of speaking further.

I frowned, standing a few paces away, unwilling to let him dismiss me so easily. “You can’t just ignore me,” I said, crossing my arms. “Not after all this.”

He didn’t even lift his head. “I can,” he said simply, his tone low and unbothered. “And I am.”

My fists clenched. “I’ve been chasing you for years! You clearly know something about me—why won’t you just tell me?”

He let out a quiet, exasperated sigh, tilting his hat back just enough to reveal one sharp, golden eye. “I don’t care about your search for answers,” he said, his voice cold and measured. “And you should consider yourself fortunate that I don’t find your presence intolerable. Yet.”

The word hung in the air, a warning, and I felt a chill crawl down my spine. For a moment, I thought about turning away, giving up. But something in me refused to let go, the pull toward him stronger than ever.

“Why don’t you mind my presence?” I asked softly, taking a step closer. “If you really didn’t care, you could have killed me back there. So why didn’t you?”

His gaze lingered on me, unreadable, before he tipped his hat back down. “You wouldn’t understand even if I told you,” he muttered.

I opened my mouth to argue, but then he spoke again, cutting me off.

“Your name is Y/N.”

I froze, the words hitting me like a jolt of lightning. “What…?”

“You asked for something,” he said, his tone growing sharper. “There it is. Y/N. It’s your name.”

My breath caught. Hearing it felt like a key turning in a long-locked door, a fragment of something lost slotting into place.

“That’s my name?” I whispered, the sound foreign yet familiar on my tongue.

“Yes,” Mihawk replied flatly, already tipping his hat lower again as if that settled the matter. “Now leave me to rest.”

I wanted to say more, to ask a thousand questions that burned on the tip of my tongue, but his tone brooked no argument. For now, I swallowed the flood of emotions welling up inside me and took a hesitant step back, clutching the name he had given me like a lifeline.

Y/N. My name was Y/N. And whatever lay ahead, I wouldn’t let him bury the answers again.

[goingsunnythousandmerry]

Hey! Can you write shanks with a mysterious reader who opens up one minute then becomes reserved the next? Their relationship is sort of like a friends either benefits one, it’s like they pin for each other, but shanks will be on the sea within less than a week so there’s some pressure to put a label on the relationship. Please include some smut if you’re able to! Make the ending angsty 😉

Shanks x Mysterious Reader - Relationship or Fling?

Authors Note: Hey! So sorry it took me so long. Life ya know? Hope you like the read. If not let me know. Request, Comment, Critique below! Let me know if we need the rest of the beach acts, just didn't want to make it too long or keep you waiting any longer. Thanks again for your patience!

Summary: Shanks and his crew stop by your island in need of a bit of a vacation. He meets you at your work, the local bar. You have had relationships with pirates before, always liking the more rugged type. Knowing full well it never works out, you try to keep your distance. You and Shanks end up friends with benefits during his stay and the two of you begin to develop feelings. One night trying to discuss his feelings with you and your plans for the future the two of you get carried away.

Warnings: MDNI, fingering, use of terms such a slut, pet names-princess and daddy, public sex-beach/bar, praise kink, i don't own these characters, ANGST, mentions of "love", mutual pining

The red-haired captain sat nestled in the glittering white sand, sipping on a bottle of sake. The ocean waves gently lapped at the tips of his sandals, their rhythmic ebb and flow echoing in the stillness of the moonlit night. The salty air mingled with the faint scent of smoke, a lingering reminder of a distant bonfire Shanks's crew was partying at. Shanks took a deep breath, savoring the peaceful moment, before taking another swig straight from the bottle.

Each sip was an attempt to drown out the restlessness within his soul. The warmth in his chest did little to ease the weight pressing down on his heart. Shanks’s gaze was fixed on the dark sea, trying to figure out where the water had ended and the sky had begun. A boundless expanse that mirrored the uncertainty of his thoughts. His fingers tightened around the sake bottle, eyes squinting against the moonlight as if searching for answers in the waters before him. He took another sip.

"Shanks!" A sweet voice called from behind him.

You dragged your feet through the warm specks of sand, watching as he turned to face you and choked on his sip of what you could only assume was sake—his favorite. You had chosen your outfit with a purpose. You knew how you looked in the flowing floral dress would take his breath away, and you were right. Glancing up at the stars hanging brightly above you, a smile spread across your rose-colored cheeks. Even when caught off guard, Shanks was undeniably handsome you thought, your eyes falling back on his face. He set the bottle beside him and wiped his chin with the sleeve of his white, flowing shirt.

"Hey, Y/N! Where’ve you been? The boys were looking for you." Shanks grinned, his eyes twinkling with desire as they roamed over your dress-clad figure.

"I’ve been around." You shrugged, your tone distant as if you were barely present. "Hope I’m not bothering you, Beckman told me where you were.” You said, wandering over to his side.

He forced a grin, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “You could never bother me.” He looked you up and down again, his forced grin fading to a warm genuine one before he turned to examine the water again. A troubled frown creased his brow.

"What's on your mind?" you asked, sitting beside him and reaching for the bottle nestled in the sand. "You thinking of leaving?" You took a sip, the coolness of the sake contrasting sharply with the warmth of your emotions.

"I don't know." His brow furrowed and he grabbed the bottle from your hand. "Our vacation has been long enough. I probably can't stay longer than the end of the week." He took a long drink, avoiding eye contact, his voice tinged with regret.

"I see." Your voice was flat, emotionless.

You tried not to look over your shoulder at him. Instead, you nodded your head, accepting the fact he was leaving. You bit your lip focusing on the sound of his breath. Your thoughts raced thinking of how warm it would feel against your neck. 

You lifted your chin looking at the scars on his left eye, tracing the lines of his face, sending your heart aflutter. You raised a hand to touch his shoulder. You just wanted to touch him, but it trembled as you lifted it from your lap. The sensation of the slight tremor in your fingers caused your breath to catch in your throat.

The feeling was familiar, too familiar. You stopped yourself, lifting your hand to adjust your hair then resting it back in your lap. You Withdrew back into the comfort of your guarded silence.

***

Two weeks ago, Shanks and his crew arrived on your island, their laughter and boisterous energy announcing their much-needed break after a successful treasure score. It was in the dimly lit bar where you first encountered them. Shanks immediately stood out amidst the chaos. Despite the raucous behavior of his crew, he exuded a calm authority. His respect for others was evident in how he apologized to the other patrons for the noise and generously covered their tabs. The sincerity in his gestures set him apart from the usual pirates who came and went without a second thought.

That first night, the bar was emptied of its usual stock, yet Shanks lingered after hours, helping you tidy up. His genuine interest in you was palpable, an anomaly in a world of transient pirates. You were used to them arriving, making a mess, and leaving without a trace, but Shanks seemed different. His charm was magnetic, his intense gaze drawing you in despite your reservations.

As you mopped the floor, too absorbed in his story about a boy named Luffy you lost your footing. Shanks was there immediately, his arm encircling your waist with surprising tenderness. His onyx eyes locked onto yours, and you felt a warmth spread across your cheeks and down your body. You looked away momentarily trying to hide it, your fingers grazing a stray strand of hair, and tucking it behind your ear. But the pull of his gaze was irresistible. When you looked back, your hand found its way to his chest, the muscles bulging beneath his shirt grounding you.

A shiver ran through you as his breath hit your cheek. His eyes darted between your lips and face, making your pulse quicken. His touch lingered a moment longer than necessary, and you could feel the heat radiating from his body. You bit your lip and before you could blink. his mouth captured yours in a kiss that was both fierce and tender. 

The night stretched on, the mundane task of cleaning forgotten as you and Shanks lost yourselves in each other. Tables were knocked over, the bar counter bore witness to your passion, and time seemed to stand still in the haze of your heated embrace.

***

"Y/N." Shanks’ voice pulled you out of the memories swirling in your head.

You shook your head, blinking a few times to clear the haze of nostalgia. His arm wrapped around your waist, pulling you close, but you instinctively pushed away.

He let out a sigh, his intense stare meeting your tightening jaw. "I don’t want to go without talking about us," he said, his voice tinged with the sweet and genuine authority you loved to see him use on his crew.

"Shanks, you’re a pirate. What is there to talk about? You’re leaving at the end of the week," you replied, your voice cold enough to make you shiver.

"Y/N..." His calloused hand found yours, his grip firm yet tender.

You sighed, the weight of the words in your heart, pressing down on you, making your chest feel heavy. "Then say what you want to say," you murmured, turning to meet his gaze, your heart pounding.

The thought of your days ending without the comfort of his gaze was suffocating. You squeezed his hand, desperately clinging to the moment.

“I don’t know what to say." His voice trembled, faltering as if the words were caught in his throat. He paused, running a hand through his hair, struggling to find the right words. "I need to go, but...".

His gaze dropped to the ground for a moment, his shoulders slumping. When he looked up again, the longing in his eyes was palpable, a mixture of desperation and yearning that seemed to pull at the very core of his being. He leaned in slightly, his proximity a silent plea, but his body remained rigid, as if afraid to close the gap between you. "I need you."

You had been here before, and you swore you’d never fall for a pirate again. That first night with Shanks, you were a fool. You let your guard down and fell for the charming stranger with a high bounty. The next morning, you scolded yourself, hoping you’d never see him again. But when he showed up that night, your chest ached, and your stomach turned because you knew it was already too late. 

You hoped he’d ignore you, but his eyes found yours across the room. His presence was like a drug, and you couldn’t help but crave him. You kept your guard up, pretending it was only a fling by flirting with his crewmates and other guests to cover your true feelings. Your lone moments behind the bar were spent regaining your composure, battling the panic of potential loss. The only solace was that your jealousy drove Shanks wild, and he made his desire clear through passionate encounters.

You kept up the façade, until now, when you felt your walls crumbling faster than you could repair them. Your body pressed against his, one hand caressing his cheek, the other clutching his shirt. Tears welled as you focused on his nose brushing against yours, his lips hovering so close.

"Shanks..." You tried to speak, but his lips descended onto yours.

His body rolled on top of you and pinned you to the ground. The taste of alcohol and salt on his lips had you fervently exploring his body with your hands. Lust filled your mind as you reached for the waistband of his pants, your heart racing as the need to be with him, to feel him, overwhelmed every rational thought you had.

***

Shanks sat up slightly and shifted to straddle you. The moonlight casting shadows across his face as he gently took your hand from his waistband and brought it to his shoulder. His touch was tender, yet there was a fire behind his eyes—something unspoken simmering beneath the surface. His fingers brushed along your wrist before traveling up, slowly, before thumbing at the strap of your dress. His hand slipped down to the fabric of your dress at its bodice. You could feel the heat radiating off his fingers as they brushed against your chest. He took a deep breath, nuzzling his nose against your cheek, his breath intermingling with yours. His hand sank lower down the dresses material, tracing soft patterns over the fabric as if memorizing every line of your body.

Your breath hitched as he captured your lower lip between his teeth, drawing a quiet gasp from your throat. At the sound, his lips left yours, trailing kisses down your chin and neck, lingering just below your right ear where he nibbled softly. The sensation sent a shiver through you, and your fingers tangled in his hair, holding him close as though you feared the moment would slip away. 

His lips peppered kisses down your neck, while his leg nudged between yours, and gently pressed, urging you wider as his hand wandered lower. Your nipples became sensitive and erect as his lips and hand wandered across your body. The satin of your dress was cool against you, a stark contrast to the warmth of his touch as it reached your chest. His fingertips explored your plump breasts through the satiny fabric admiring. Shanks lips returned to yours as he began twisting and pulling at your nipples. The cool fabric mixed with the motion of his hand made you writhe beneath him. Your heart pounded in time with the waves crashing against the shore, your body responding to his closeness with an intensity you hadn’t expected.

His lips pulled away again moving to your collarbone where he bit down, leaving a fleeting mark as his kisses continued their path downward. When he reached the low dip of your dress covering your cleavage, he paused, his breath warm against your skin. With a flick of his fingers, he tugged the fabric aside, revealing the soft curve of your breasts and perky buds. His eyes flicked up to meet yours, searching for something—an invitation, a question—before he allowed a small, teasing smile to play across his lips.

“So naughty of you, princess,” he whispered, his voice a low murmur that carried the weight of his desire, “to let me see you like this, show you off like this, here.”

Your heart raced at the edge of his words, caught somewhere between anticipation and longing. His lips found yours again, softer this time, almost reverent. His lips dove into yours as his hand squeezed at your breasts. Your tongue danced with his before he pulled away, a trail of saliva connecting you. As he pulled away, his hand slid down, fingers brushing the edge of your dress hem, his touch feather-light against your thigh. His tongue lapped at your nipple causing you to out another moan. His pointer and middle finger began to raise the hem higher and higher, until your core was fully exposed to Shanks and the beach. 

“My, my, a bit underdressed for the beach, wouldn’t you say princess?” Shanks asked a slight smirk growing on his lips as they released your nipple.

“Shanks.” You cooed, his teeth sinking into the plush skin of your breast.

He growled. “You going to let daddy take you right here on the beach?”

You nodded, biting hard into your lip as his thumb began to roll along your clit. 

“I knew you were a slut, always flirting with my crew to make me jealous.” His middle and fourth finger slipped between your folds. “Then not wearing underwear or a bra to meet me.” His fingers traced the shape of your lips throbbing between your legs. “Now you’re so wet at the idea of me taking you on this beach.” His head lifted from between your breasts and his gaze met your.

His eyebrows raised and a pleased grin spread across his cheeks. Your hands explored his chest, head falling to his shoulder. Your hips bucked at the friction of his fingers spreading your slick between your folds. You closed your eyes, letting the sound of the ocean and the gentle rhythm of his touch consume you.

His lips fell to your ear. Your breath was shallow with desire against his neck. His middle and fourth finger dipped into your core, his thumb drawing circles along your clit. You bucked at the fullness within you, causing you to clench down. You loved how his thick fingers felt within you, but you always wanted more. You gripped his shoulders tighter, adjusting as his fingers began to dip in and out of you. Your hips shifted against him, seeking more, each movement in tune with the rhythm he set. 

The soft friction of his clothes against your bare skin made you feel alive, as though the world beyond the two of you had disappeared. All that mattered was the steady rhythm of his fingers, the way your body responded to every subtle motion, and the quiet intensity that hung between you—unspoken, but deeply felt.

“That’s a good girl. Be loud for daddy.” He softly whispered into your ear, lips pressing against it as he did.

The motion of his thumb sped up. His fingers within you found your g-spot causing you to release a moan. Your hands clawed deep into his clothed back, deep enough you felt they would leave a mark. His finger rolled against your g-spot pounding faster and faster. Your breath caught in your chest. The fire is brewing within your abdomen. Your eyes crossed.

“That’s it, let's go for daddy.”

“SHANKS!” You yelled as within you an explosion erupted causing the lower half of your body to shake against his fingers.

He softly chuckled and laid you back down in the sand. He stared at the rise and fall of your chest admiring how beautiful you looked, naked body accentuated by the moonlight. His fingers left their place inside you making you clench against your new found emptiness. 

Your half-lidded eyes drifted upwards, the stars a blur against the night sky as you lay there, feeling the warmth still coursing through you. Shanks had a way of making you feel like the world melted away, leaving only this moment. A soft blush crept across your cheeks as you became aware of your body— how vulnerable yet cherished you felt on that quiet stretch of beach.

You blinked, and your gaze found him watching you, his expression soft but intent.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured, the sincerity in his voice sending a flutter through your chest.

A small smile tugged at your lips. “Yeah? I thought you…” You paused, your breath still uneven as you came down from the high of pleasure he’d just given you. “I thought you were going to take me here? Can’t let me have all the fun.”

His lips curved into a teasing grin, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Now who said I was done with you?”

As the two of you continued in your beach activities, all thoughts and worries of your prior conversation dissolved. All that mattered that night was the moment, not the uncertainty of what might happen next, not the unspoken tension between you—only the warmth of his body against yours and the quiet, shared intimacy of the two of you on the beach under the moonlight.

***

After a bit more fun, you and Shanks dressed and wandered back to his crew. You stayed for a couple of drinks, but the excitement of the night quickly faded as reality set back in. Eventually, you left alone, too worn out from the earlier events to stay late and party, though something deeper gnawed at you. That night, you went to bed with a smile on your face, but it didn’t last. As you lay there in the quiet, the smile faded into a sigh. The moment on the beach had been perfect, but the knot in your chest only tightened, knowing how unresolved things still were between you and Shanks.

Your thoughts kept circling back to the feeling of his touch, the warmth of his presence. You always wanted to be with him, but he was a pirate. He wouldn’t stay grounded for long and you couldn’t possibly go with him. What did it mean? Was this just another night to him? Would he leave at the end of the week and come back? Were you just another girl to him or were you something different? No matter how hard you tried, sleep eluded you, leaving only the hollow ache of uncertainty.

The next afternoon, you dragged yourself into your shift at the local bar, exhaustion and questions weighing heavily on you. As you walked in, your boss handed you a letter with your name on it. "Some guest dropped it off before opening," they said, shrugging it off as if it were nothing.

Your heart raced. The envelope was sealed neatly, and the handwriting was unfamiliar, yet there was something about it that made your pulse quicken. You hesitated for a moment before carefully pulling at the edge of the envelope. Inside was a small, folded letter, the faint scent of sake rising from it. You didn’t need to see the signature to know who it was from. 

With trembling hands, you unfolded the note.

Y/N, we had to head out earlier than planned. 

Just know I love you. 

-Shanks

The words seemed to blur on the page as you stared at them. Love. Did he mean it? Would he come back? He didn’t say? If he did love you, why didn’t he say goodbye or at least invite you to go with him? You clutched the letter tightly, your chest heavy with the weight of his absence, a thousand questions flooding your mind. Was that the last you’d see of him? Was "love" enough to keep him coming back? The ache inside you deepened, a reminder of how fragile everything between you was.

As the sounds of the bar came to life around you, you felt impossibly small, lost in the uncertain space between the past and whatever future lay ahead.

[glitchy1938]

Part 2-Pilot

Whence they arrive, they start looking for the last piece for the RailGun, while looking at the trash Uzi found it, suddenly, The murder drones Jump's in the air, when Uzi saw it she yelled : "Y/n ! Go hide now !!"

She then put the core inside of her railgun getting ready to shoot ,when she was about, the murder drone land's in front of her. Then she start to fall back causing to drop her railgun on the ground, she then did a back flip

"Whoa--, and they said pirating all the Anime was useless." She said, The murder drone was infront of her now, stabbing his tail into her hand, then dragging her into the air and then trows her at the Engine part. She looked at her hand in a horrible pain, and saw an acid was melting her, She looked at her railgun while the murder drone turn around about to shoot her, but you trow a rock at him

Y/n : "Leave my sister alone !…" That made him look at you, you froze to scared, but it was no trying to hurt you, he turn his head like if he KNOW YOU ?… But Uzi got her RailGun and was ready to shoot him in the face, she made the killer drone look

Uzi : "Bite me !!" She then pulled the trigger of her RailGun, and shoot the murder drone on his head, she then saw in her visor {Recharge 30:00} And then saw him fall on the ground… She was shock… It work… IT ACTUALY WORK !!!

Uzi : "Holy Hell… SUCK ON THAT, DAD !!" She said with a lot of pride, but then she saw y/n start to cry and your sister ran up to you and pick you up and start trying calm you down "Hey hey !.. Shhh~ it's okay.. I'm okay.." She said, trying to calm you down, but you were too sleppy that made Uzi giggle " You can sleep, i'm here.." You nood and then passed out.. She sighs with relief and fatigue.

But then, the murder drone was getting back up, that made Uzi more worried, trying to look for another weapon while you were still in her arm's, she then grab an arm and slap it for making any damage but then, she saw the screen saiyng : "System reboot", then, he opens his eyes and … ??? : "Did you just slap me with that arm ?" He said pointing it, she then step back. Shock that those things can talk.

Uzi : "Holy crap, it can talp." She said, still holding the little y/n in her arm's. He start to rub the back of her head, a little embarrass about what just happend… "Yeah, sorry-- It's just, my, uh, head kinda hurts.. Hey, are you new to our squad ? You're a little, uh…" She looked at her, with suspisious eyes…

"…Short for a disassembly drone…Even for-"He then saw the child "Wait- OH MY ROBOT-GOD !! Is that a child ?!" He yelled very happy, like he never saw a little kid before, but then stopped.

??? : " Sorry ^^', I'm Serial designation N ! Nice to meet you ! I'm kind the leader of the squad in this city… That's not true.. Everyone tells me i'm useless and terrible…W-wait, i-i'm not supposed to tell you that part !! Arg ! Biscuits…!Sighs"

He cover his mouth and talk again, "Well, honestly is the best policy. chuckles I also, can't seem to remember the past tree hours of my life." He used his hand to wave it of "Ah, but i'm sure that'll sort itself out !" He chuckle sat Uzi.

Uzi : "Uh-huh…We, uh, Have to… go." Uzi said, taking you with her and start to leave but she groaning a bit of pain because of the injury on her hand.

N : "Oof, stuck yourself ? Just pop it in your mouth !" He says pointing his mouth

"Our saliva neutralizes the nanites, otherwise, i'd be constantly dissasembling my self ! "

Uzi : "And by 'Our saliva', you mean…" She pauses

"Dissasembly drones ?" Both of them say it…

Uzi : "Right. hey, let's go in that landing pod over there" She says pointing the debrie of the landing pod.

N : "Sure ! I love doing anything !" He give to Uzi a smile

once inside, N pull away Uzi's Hand, "Sweet, Uh..Chuckels I'm open to new things, I guess.." He was a little weird out. "We are never talking about this" Uzi warned him. But Y/n was on his lap, still slepping

N : "Talking about what ?" He laugh, but looked down at y/n, and pat her head, then said "Consider it, uh, repressed.." He made his arms like an X

Uzi : "Uh, you mentioned other member of your squad ?" She asked N looking at the window while y/n was holding on him, he loved how you are so small and cute, but to him, you were very familiar to him…

Uzi : "Are they coming back soon ?" She asked, worried for your safety. I mean, N didn't kill you or anything, and even adore you, but she's afraid for the other… Mayde they are not all friendly as N.

N : "Oh, yeah-- Tree others. They're out hunting for a bit, but you'll love them, first there's V !"

~Flashback~

V tears a drone's entrails out, with a crazy smile. "No, no !! Don't eat my own entrails in front of my family !!" But she didn't care less, kill him and drink/eat his oil… After feeding she stand up

V : "And yet, I still feel nothing." she says, as her eye twitches like a crazy psycho… N chuckles nervously, then want back to talk to her…

N : Sooo,V, Uh.. chuckles nervously I heard that this planet-wide toxic death storm is supposed to be espesially inhospitable tonight…

V picks at her teeth with her claw, "Huh ?-.." Then jumps seeing N.

V : "Oh, God !! Who are you ?!!" But before N could have intruduce himself, she flew away from him, flew in the air, leaving a hug puff of smuck behing he. "Uh, No worries ! I'm N ! B-but a-a whole letter is a lot to remember..!" He chuckels sadly…

~Now~

N : "So obviously a lot of natual respect there, but, uh… She's kind my rival for my crush, BUT YOU DON'T TELL HER OKAY ?!!" He yelled but not too loud for waking you up. Uzi zip her mouth and give a smile and N did it back. " Then, there is Z..- My best friend !!-"

~Flashback~

Z was tearing an other Worker who shoot her and N in the back, and when she finish she clean herself, she turn to N. "Sorry…!! I should have pay more attetion of that !! Are you akay ?!" She came to him cheking if he was okay, and luckily, he was fine.

N blush a little bit because she was VERY close to him "He he..^^' yea i-i'm okay !- Chuckels nervously

Suddely, V came behing them with angry look, she was clearly jealous of how N get all her intention for him, then she came closer to Z and hug her tight and pulle away a little of N. "Z !! Oh my God !! I found you !!" She at that moment change completely infront of her. "Oh- hi V, good to see you too ! How have you-" But then she saw the two of them looking at each other with bad look…

Z : "Guys… ? Hey hey ! Let's just head back home, okay ?…"

The two of them looked at her and they agree with her but still didn't stop just here…

~Now~

N : "So yeah, Z is, the sweet person in our squad ! You gonna love her, but, uh… I kind have a crush on her, BUT YOU DON'T TELL HER OKAY ?!!" he yelled again, but not too much, Uzi zip again her mouth for that she will not. He smile again. "Uh, then, there's J-- Our leader !" He said with a little bit made trying to keep smilling…

~Flashback~

J had N pinned to the ground "N, You're worthless and terrible, and if the company allow it, I woudl straight up kill you myself." J hisse as N try to breath, just at this moment, Z push her out for letting N breath, "J !! Are you crazy ?! Stop bulling him :( !!" J was really piss of by that, but just go away.

N Just thank her for the warning, and promes to be carefull next time…

~Now~

"J's awesome" N said a little sad but y/n woke up.. "No !" Uzi said, "We-Uh… I mean, the worker drones, we could work with them to fix this space ship ! Instead of all murder !" She point N, angry at him. "Which, uhh-- Why are we doing that again ?"

N : "Other than Ingesting their…" He went a deep spooky voice "Warm, sweet.." He went back to friendly mode "… To avoid overheating and dying ? I guess I just want to be useful. I was given a job, and I always wanna try my best"

Uzi : "And look at all the respect it's gotten you, N ! You really think the company isn't going to dispose of you once all the workers are dead ?!" Uzi yell, furious at him."

N : "Oh my ! You sure are rebelious, it's kind of exciting.. U-uh… But not as fun as, uh, following the rules"

Then, they heard something land on the ship…"Hey ! They're back ! You'll--" but before N could finish, Uzi was out already of the ship.

J : "Hey, idiot ! Get out of here !" Uzi was still running, but she forgot y/n. "Shoot, shoot ! Y/n !!" She run back for her but then, V saw her, and that made her more scared and try to get back home, hating herself for leaving you there….

V : "Yo, we got a worker out there, I kind of wanna practice balloon animal shape with. What happend here ?- Wait- Is that y/n ?!!" V said with full of joy and run of to N taking you from him and hugging you tight. "No way !! We misse you so much y/n !!" Z said happy to see you too. But then saw N not moving. "What's got into him ?"

J : "Synergistic liability here must have tripped and knocked himself offline." She said annoying, then smacks N's head. "Hey yo, moron bot ! Hello ?!" She snaps her fingers on his face.

He start to reset himself and looked back what happend… "You really think the company isn't going to dispose of you once all the workers are dead ?!" It show on the video what he saw, when he realise… Well… "Oh- Ohhhhh !! you know, I-I-I left an extremely dangerous weapo- Uh, an excuse o-outside !" He run of, leaving J, V, Z and y/n there. V show a flag saying (Litteraly so insanely suspicious)

Uzi still running to the bunker and knew N was chassing her… While in the Bunker… The workers still playing cards. -"Haha ! I'm out boys !!" -"Oh, gosh darnt it ." -"Wait until my loving wife and kids hear about this." The game was stop by the door open and Uzi running in, the workers was complaining about this, Uzi aggresively try to close the door.

Uzi : " Ugh, Bite me ! Close it close it !!" Uzi tried to swipe the keycard, but then, N stick his claws between the doors before they close, but then he saw the workers was playing cards. "Hey fellas ! Oohs deal me in ! I love Rummy !" But then remember why he's here "Wait, no. Tsk, I'm going to murder everyone… Rain check !"He used his tail to stab the keycard to open the door, and it opend all of them…

Everyone started to run for there lifes

N used his fire missiles to explode one of them and then tacos the other one and rip them apart and drinking the oil from them… Uzi turned as her gun was ready to shoot, but when she was prepared, N disappeared. Uzi looked around to found him, but then, heard her father walking. "Pretty nice hydraulics ?-" But then saw the carnage, and looked at her daughter, horrified for what happend…

Khan : "What have you done ?!" He asked her "Dad ! I-I can explain-" But before she could, N landed in front of them making them almost fall into the groun, but Uzi stand up and points her gun at him, ready to shoot. "This time, i won't miss". He chuckeld evilly but stop and look at her "I'm sorry. I really enjoyed our time together, but I can't have you shooting V with tha thing."

Uzi : "Bite me !" she yelled at him. "Dad, get down !" She turned to her father. Khan : "Uzi, you led a Murder drone here ?!" He sounded fearfull. "My beautiful doors ! Where is your sister ?!" He cried. That made Uzi hurt, thinking that, you were hurt our killed.

"Now is not the time !! I messed up-- In the same way i'm about to fix it ! Move dad !" She orded her father, but N used his wings to stab her into the wall. He pull away her gun for not using it again, Uzi's gun fall infront of Khan. "D-dad ! P-point and Shoot ! Trust me !!"

His hands were shaking as he saw N get ready to kill her, he could do anything excepet, slowly back away from there. Uzi look at him… Horrified about what he was doing… "Dad ?…" he called out… But he then closed the door, leaving his own daughter die.

Uzi still look at where her dad left. Shocking and angry for what he did, leaving her to die, she tremble from the pain, but didn't resist at agains N, leaving him finish her off… N looked at her, feeling bad for Uzi, as he heard J coming, he trow Uzi into the box before they could find her.

J : "Whoat N ! Am I dreaming, or did you do somthing not useless for once !" as she, V and Z crawls on the ceiling and drop down. V and J had sinister smiles while Z try her best to hide all the blood/oil from Y/n. Y/n was looking for Uzi, luckly, you saw her still alive, and that made you happy "I'v been trying to get past those doors for months now ! Good job, N" After V said that N was suprice that she remember his name.

N : "You… Me… Name…Remember ?" But V didn't care less "These ventilation shafts can easily get us around this last door, "Z you want to come ?" She turn to Z who was still with y/n, But insted of agree with her she just said "No, thanks V but uh… I think I'll just stay with y/n in an other part where there is no death body hehe…" She didn't complain and says " Okay, Lowest body count eats a missile !" she then go trow the vent again, laughing like a psyco while Z take y/n somewhere else.

J come closer to N, enjoy he finally change. "Way to go, stud. The company's gonna love this !" She said, pating his back while he was chuckling. "With this colony wiped, we'll make top team this quarter for sure, you know what that means ?~" She then show his a pen of they company "Branded pe-pens !" N Look at the pen with admiration, she then give it to him, and turn to go where V go. N was looking at the pen… But remember what Uzi said and what happend… He didn't want to stond up to J but…

N : "Uh, you know, not that I can't wait to keep murdering all these, uh… Maybe not-so-actually-different from us Worker Drones, but just outta curiousity, do we actually, uh…" He hisse a little… Afraid about what J would say… "Know what the company plans to do with us aftwards ?" When he said that, Uzi wake up and heard what happend and what he said.. While J was comfuse about that.

J : "Excuse me ?" she turn to N, really piss off that, N would think otherwise of the company… He then explain, "Okay, so, a Worker earlier might have suggested that they could fix our landing pod to, uh, escape the planet and stuff which-- Whoa, hey, that's against the rules !" he remind her for not be too mad at him "But it is kind of making me question why our pod were only-one way in the first place, 'cause y-you know, I get the feeling the company doesn't actually love robots, and like, we might be robots ?.." He look at her again, and knew he start to be stupid again..

N : "I'v made a terrible mistake, it's cool how immediately i could tell" J then came closer to him "Hmm, no way buddy, questioning the company ? You just finally gave me the excuse I needed." She then instale a device in N with a electro that paralize him up, he then fall to his knees" Worker drones are corrupted N, that's why the company sent us." J said turning to N "I hate to see you corrupted as well~" she said, but just acting like she cared for him. N just smile and said with a glicth voice "Thanks J, always looking out for me…" and then he fall on the ground, "You're aswesome…" She just scoffs and jump into the vent where the other worker drones are… When she left Uzi came out of the box as the same time as Z, when Z saw N she was REALLY pissed at J, Uzi looked at his little sister and ran up to her and hugged her, because she was about to cry.

Uzi : "Y/N !! I'M SO SORRY WHEN I LEFT YOU THERE !! I DIDN'T MEAN TO- I'M SORRY !!!" She try to comfort you and try to wine your eyes, "I'm okay now.." She look at Z and thank her to take good care of you, you look at N, your sister take back her Railgun and looking back at N with sorry eyes…"Arg, Biscuits… I'm Sorry.." He start " I ruind your card game, then made you have awkward moment with your dad.."

"And I made you rebel like and angsty teens which got you killed.." Uzi halfed apologize to N. "Well, I just need to remove the chipe and he'll be good" Z said holding a Wrench, Uzi looked at her, and she saw that she's like a worker drone but with arms of a murder drone, "What are you actually ?… No offence but… You look like a-"

Z : "Worker drone ? Yea, most of my body is but, it's just the arms, long story.." She said, Uzi push a box to clim the vent, "Though, you try to kill me, so morality calls this draw." She said to N, then clim on the the box and try to get into the vents, but because she's short, she can't… She groans and turn to N "For the record, that was the lamest heel-face turn in history."

N : "Being rebbellious is a lot harder than it looks, thanks for showing me the ropes." he said, still on the ground "Nuh-hu, no bonding thing, you just killed a bunch of people, idiot." Uzi said. "That's super fair…" He sighs "I'v screwed up.." Uzi groans.

Uzi : "In the same way you're about to fix it ? " She asked as she held up the Wrench her father give it to her, she turn to Z, she then prepared her guns and sort, ready to fight J and V. He laugh a little "I love doing anything…" give a thumbs up while his screen says :

!! Litterally about to die !!

While with the worker drones, Thad was throw by J, Blood/oil came out of, now J was walking to them while V was climing the wall to scare them off. Khan : "So, they found our evacation spot.. But ! If we build a quick door-" thad grab a metal pipe near him and stond up. "Are you kidding me ?! You're the WDF, right ? Defende !.." Thad try to get help to fight the two murder drones, but they back away… "For real ?.." He said, but when he turnd V laught and use her wing to stab him and trow him on the ground, she grab him with her claws and was ready to eat him, but Uzi, N and Z catch up and were arrived just in time. "Hey !!" V turn her intention to them, suprice.

" Put that conventionally attractive male down !" uzi says smirking N wave to them but Uzi punsh him…"N, tell them the piece of our mind !" Z tell him and she REALLY looked pissed. "Oh, uhm, J ? You're sometimes kind of mean to me, and I wish weren't.. Juste some contructive critism…" " Nice~!" Uzi said. V then trow Thad away from her while J scoffed "Noted, traitor. We'll circle back after I'v rightsize your existence." The three looked at each other.

"Okay, witch one do you two want ?" Uzi asked to N and Z, "Let me deal with J, she's REALLY getting on my nerves…!" Z said looking at J, "J please ?.." N said, trying to fight her instead of V. "Too bad. Good Luck ! Z you're with me !" Uzi then flings the braded JCJ pen at J's 'Other eyes' making her in pain and distracted while she take her RailGun with Z who was just following her closelly. Leaving N dealing with V.

V flew straight to N, yet the two of them get into the fight. Uzi get her RailGun ready to shot at J, but while J's trying to get the pen off her 'Other eyes' She get the guns and start to shot everywhere Uzi can be, she olmost got her but she got saved by Z. J finally get the pens off of her "Damn the well-made, quality-assured durability of JC Jensen products ! Hu-?" Z help Uzi to swiftly jump up into the air and kiking the pen deeper into J's other eyes. She get back close to Z with a flip and get her Railgun back but- "WATCH OUT !!" Z yelled and take Uzi away from the laser 'cause V was trying to kill N. Back to N, he was trow at the wall by V, he then try to shoot her, but with his emotion he couldn't, and then he saw Y/n looking at them fighting eatch other, and instead of shooting at rocket, he shoot little pink hearts ?… "AHH ! My mind's in a weird place ! Don't reade into this !!" N yelled only to have a missile launch next to him.

J used her 'Light Ben' to making Uzi some damage, Z knew what she was about to do and "UZI GET BEINGH ME OR-" but before she could catch her, J trow her a missile to her backing her away " Z !!" Uzi yelled, worried but used her 'Light Bem' and Uzi fall over, Y/n saw J get closer to finish her of, you could let hurt your sister ! Y/n ran of to J's back and clim on here to just distract her for a moment "What the hell ?! Get off me !!" She said but they didn't let go even she try to pull them away. While N was trying to fight V up here he saw Uzi, Y/n and Z in danger ! "Uzi ! Z ! Y/n !" He then turn to V "I'm sorry to do this..!" He then lick her sor "EWW WHAT THE HELL ?!" While she was distracted N grab her and trought her on the ground.

J finally get ride of you and trough you away, you passed out by the hit, Z was more furious on J, she then came more closer to Uzi.

To becontinu

[bimb0fy]

a siren's call; monkey d luffy

parings: siren!reader x luffy

warnings: canabalism mentions, sexual themes, slight nudity (its only for a split second).

summary: luffy never expected to meet a siren in person, they always said they were ruthless, dangerous creatures. Creatures who lacked emotion and tricked men with their fake beauty. The beauty that yet blinded him.

word count: 1.2K

ᵐᵃˢᵗᵉʳˡⁱˢᵗ!! | ⁿᵃᵛⁱᵍᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ!!

— Luffy sat on the going merry's statue. He watched the ocean pass by as he smiled. He had everything he wanted. A loving crew, a ship, adventure on every step of the way to finding the one peice.

"Luffy! You might wanna see this!" Ussop called out as Luffy scrunched his face in confusion as he walked towards his crew, they were heading towards fog, yet, they were moving backwards?

"What the?" Luffy whispered before falling down as the ship crashed onto an island, he quickly got up as Zoro quickly jumped down to examine the harm that had happened to the ship, the following crew quickly following as well. He took off his hat as he saw the water penetrating the ship.

"It's broken, but fixable, don't worry." Zoro placed his hand on the boys shoulder who stared at the ship in pure sadness. "But now, we need to find shelter on this island, we can't risk adding weight to the ship.

"Seriously? Cooking over an open flame bow, what are we, animals?" Sanji complained as Nami rolled her eyes. Luffy wore his hat once more, Nami sat down on the floor, reading the maps.

"Guys, we aren't on the map." Nami said as the crew looked at her in pure confusion.

"What do you mean by, not on the map?" Luffy asked the girl who showed him the map that seemed like doodles to him. She stood up, pointing towards were they were supposed to be. "What sucked us in though?"

"There are tails, about a place at the ends of the east blue, siren Island." Zoro answered as he placed his leg on the rock, he leaned onto it, examining the woods inside. "They often control the waves or lure pirates by their 'angelic' voices. They lure pirates in and eat them alive, to keep them away from their land, the land that we just happened to land on."

Luffy turned around as he heard a voice. He started walking towards the voice as Nami held the boy back. He turned back to the girl, the voice instantly stopping.

"What did I just say." Zoro scoffed as he looked at the boy who smiled, he shrugged before walking back to the direction of the voice only for Sanji to stand in front of the boy.

"You hear angelic sounds and run the other direction mate, how are we not affected by this?" Sanji asked the boy who shrugged.

"I suppose it's based in preference, maybe the voice is appealing to him but not to us." Zoro shrugged. They heard noises coming from the shore, Turing around to find a girl in the water, waiting for her first victim.

She's so pretty. Luffy thought as he walked towards her, escaping Nami's grasp as he approached the girl. "Hi there! Where you the one singing?" Luffy asked the girl who nodded, she stood up, her seaweed makeshift top clung onto her, as her tail moved gracefully on the shore. The wind blew her hair away, her top occasionally flying away with it. "Well, it's really great! You know, we could use a singer on our crew!"

"Is her serious?" Nami asked the other who shrugged, Sanji walked up to Luffy, only for the girl to sneer at the boy as she grabbed Luffy, pushing him into the water.

"Luffy!" Nami yelled as Zoro reached for his swords, only for Ussop to stop him. She sneered her fangs at the boy who stood still. He raised his hands up, his eyes widening at the loss of his powers.

"We're not gonna hurt you. We'll leave, we just need help fixing our ship." Luffy said as he pointed towards his ship. The siren turned around to find the going merry. She turned back to the boy, looking deep into his innocent eyes. She let go of the boy, swimming back into the ocean. Sanji and Nami quickly helped Luffy up as Zoro made sure the siren who attacked their captain was gone.

"Are you okay?" Zoro asked the boy who nodded. "What the hell did you say to her."

"I just said we wouldn't hurt her." Luffy shrugged, soon afterwards they heard footsteps behind them, ussop and Zoro quickly turning around to find the siren from before, just in human form. She raised her hands up, smiling at the crew.

"Sorry for that, we sirens don't know who to trust and not too, constantly being hunted by pirates and all. I was just protecting my people, my sincerest apologies." She smiled at the crew, Luffy took off his hat as he stared at the girl. "Are you okay? I didn't hurt you did I?"

"No, I'm just fine." Luffy smiled at the girl who nodded. She turned back to carry a few wooden planks, throwing them onto the sand.

"To help rebuild your ship, take care." The siren nodded before walking away, Luffy quickly ran after her, grabbing her hand. She turned back to look at the boy. "Yes?"

"I still want you to join our crew." Luffy told the girl who sighed. She turned back, her graceful aura overcame Luffy's actions, he didn't know if it was because she was a siren, or if she had truly stolen his heart.

"A siren, joining pirates? Why would I do that?" The siren asked the boy who smiled.

"We're a different kind of pirates. We need a singer." Luffy smiled at the girl who shook her head. "You won't hurt me, or any of us."

"Sirens need human flesh to quench their thirst every month, what if I accidently kill you, or your crew?" The siren added as the boy turned back to his crewmates. He turned back to the siren, smiling at her.

"Then we'll find a substitute, or we'll let you leave and come back a day later, whatever you need." Luffy told the girl who turned to face the going merry. She always wanted to be a pirate ironically, now she had the chance, why not take it?

"Okay." She nodded. Luffy jumped in happiness as he dragged the girl back to his crew.

"Okay guys! This is uh," he turned over to the girl who smiled.

"Y/n." She answered as Luffy nodded, Turing back to his crew.

"Y/n, she's apart of our crew now!" Luffy smiled as Zoro's face quickly changed.

"What! She just tried to kill you?" Nami yelled as the siren put her head down.

"She was just protecting her family, like you guys protecting me." Luffy defended the girl, causing her to smile. The crew looked over at eachother.

"Is she gonna eat us?" Ussop asked the boy who scoffed. Y/n crossed her arms as she frowned. She knew it was hard for humanity to accept siren, yet no one had ever bathmouthed her straight to her face.

"Guys seriously? I'm captain and I say she stays." Luffy scoffed at his crewmates who sighed. He was right, he had full authority, more then anyone else.

"Aye eye captian, I must say, she is a rather pretty lady." Sanji joked as he winked at the siren who rolled her eyes.

"I will eat your face off if you talk to me that way again." She threatened the boy who frowned as Zoro laughed at the boy.

"I'll grab a few sirens to help rebuild your ship, I'll be back." The siren smiled at the boy who held onto her.

"Wait." He said, handing you his hat, placing it on the girls head. "Now you have to come back."

"I will." The siren smiled at the boy who nodded, she walked to the shore swimming off as he smiled at the ocean.

"What a lady huh!"

"She still tried to kill you."

[igglemouse]

Can someone explain to me how Sofia is already bragging about getting a part? How lucky can one woman get? Maybe she's lying about it? You never know with that one but...ugh, again, how does this happen?

So yeah all I can do is pass time until my own acting debut and that news, whether she's telling the truth or not, is only going to motivate me. She is a friend, for sure, but she really doesn't deserve more than what she has. Have you felt that way about someone? Someone just having a little too much? That's Sofia.

So, I need to keep that woman out of my mind and focus on my own career, which while it might start humbly, it will end with me being one of the best of the best, and it all begins here, in the make up and dressing rooms. Can't say the staff here are the best but what can you expect for a laundry commercial?

And before I get on stage and PERFORM I'm letting my fans keep up with me, all ten of them! We all have to start somewhere, don't we? I think, a year from now, that number will be 100x more, if not even more than that! I think I look good as a pirate!

"Yo-ho-ho and a bottle o' Suds! Dabra's the one that everyone loves! So raise that anchor and set your sails, because Dabra will never fail!" I sing the jingle, with perfection, I might add. Of course at the end of the commercial I must do the thing, you know the thing, you've seen the commercials, probably one too many times...

"So say the magic word, ABRACADABRA! That's the Dabra Detergent Gua-ran-tee!"

Yeah you know what? I think that went pretty well but of course, right? I'm a star in the making!

So yeah, this was a pretty good day! I think once that commercial hits your airwaves you will remember it, you'll remember that little jingle, it'll wriggle itself into your ear and stick in your mind and you too will be buying Dabra Detergent! ABRACADABRA!

After showering I get a call from Phi and I let her know that really everything has gone pretty well. She's really excited for me but lets me know that she hopes she can get her life going too. I think she can if she just, you know, gets up and does something about it.

As for me, I actually have a date tonight with someone I met on that dating site, by the way...

So I head to the nearby bar since that's where I'm supposed to meet this guy, Armino or something? Yeah, for whatever reason he's not here so all I can do is order a drink and wait. I'll give him twenty minutes max.

But eventually he does appear, taking the seat next to me and introducing himself as Arminio Cotta. He has a pretty full beard and he immediately apologizes for being late and blames his work for that.

So we find a seat deeper into the bar and away from the bar as you know it can get pretty crowded there. At first we are feeling each other out, wanting to know how much of our profile is true and what is fake. This guy had said he was successful and I'm not sure what he means by that so I am blunt and just ask.

"Oh," he starts, "Well, can I say that it's partly a lie?"

"Uh oh," I reply.

He laughs and waves away my concerns. "It's just that success to me is the work you put in every day to get better. No, I'm not a simbillionaire, or even a simmillionaire, but I work like I will become one and so that's what will happen."

"Oh..." now that is something I can vibe with. "I like that, you know that one day you will get there-"

"It is no guarantee but...I think there is a 90% chance that a year from now, maybe a little more, I'll be the richest man in the world!"

"I can dig it!" We all do have our dreams!

"And what about you?" he asks, eying me down. "I'm glad you're not a cat fish. You look exactly like your profile picture. Hard to imagine a woman like you being single."

"Oh umm...I guess i'm just picky."

"I've always wanted a woman like you," he says, and that raises my brow. I know he's about to say something that is going to ruin this date, I can just feel it. "Aspiring actress, model pretty, making everyone around me jealous. There is one issue though-"

"Oh?" I'm entertaining this right now because why not? In my mind he's already a hard no, I may as well leave this date with a story to tell.

"Your breasts, they are a little on the small side. I imagine in your line of work you've been asked to upgrade them? How are you going to win parts when your competition is working with, hmmm, a little more?"

"Alright, Ammo, I'm out," lets hope my next date goes a little better.

Teresa Tejedor - Next Episode 1.4

[alisonwritesimagines]

Your Eyes Whispered "Have We Met?" ~LA! Shanks x Reader~

Summary: Set in the Enchanted series. You meet Shanks but you aren't sure if you could trust him.

Author’s Note: I can't wait for more Shanks in season 2.

Based in my Enchanted series

Reader’s Pronouns: She/Her

Warnings: fluff

Side Note: This is a secondary blog. If you comment a question down below, I will not answer since this is not the main blog. Please send the question to my inbox if you want a response back!

Do not repost this anywhere!

You sat on the porch with Luffy, teaching him how to do some simple math. Luffy was a child that the Marine Vice Admiral Garp had asked you to take care of and educate him while he tend to his Marine duties. You were a smart woman with your father and mother being educators who taught in villages before settling in Windmill village.

"Math is stupid. Why do I have to learn it?" Luffy asked frustrated.

"I get that it can be challenging or upsetting but you need to know at least the basics," you tell him.

"Can we go to the docks later?" Luffy asked you.

"Tell you what, if you can finish this math sheet and get only five wrong, we'll go to the docks," you promised.

"Okay. Deal."

Luffy was smart. Even if you had to teach him in ways that were different, he was still smart. And you kept your promise by taking him to the docks to see the oncoming ships that came by to drop off some food or other goods.

"Woah! Y/n look! A pirate ship," Luffy says as he pointed at the large ship that stuck out from the other ships.

"Yeah. Why don't we go visit Makino," you tell him as you led him away.

Makino owned the bar in the village but she was one of your close friends.

"Go ahead and sit down. I'm just going to have a word with Makino," you tell Luffy.

"Okay."

"Makino, don't be too alarm. But there are pirates here," you tell her.

"Not again."

"I know. Just thought you should be prepared," you tell her.

"Thanks. Where's Luffy?" She asked. You turned around to see Luffy gone from his seat.

"Oh no. Luffy!" You called out before rushing out.

Luffy stood by the pirate ship as he stared at the crew. He had heard of pirates from his grandfather and Y/n but he never got to see them up close.

"What's this little urchin doing on our ship?" He heard. He looked up scared to see a man standing before him.

"I'm sorry."

"Where's your parents? A kid like you shouldn't be on a ship like ours," the man said.

"What's going on?" Luffy heard another man ask. Luffy looked over to see a tall man with crimson red hair that was covered with a straw hat.

"Captain. Found this kid wandering onto our ship," the crew member told him.

"What's your name?" The captain asked Luffy as he squatted down to his eye level.

"Luffy."

"Well, Luffy, do you know where the village bar is at?" The captain asked.

"Yeah. I can show you," Luffy nodded.

"Perfect. Come on lads, let's get ourselves a drink," the captain said.

"Who are you?" Luffy asked.

"You can call me Shanks. I'm the captain of this pirate crew."

"You don't seem so mean."

"Who said I was mean?"

"My grandfather. And my caretaker," Luffy tells him.

"Your caretaker huh? Maybe I should change their mind on me then huh?" Shanks smiled.

"Luffy!" You yelled out. Luffy and Shanks looked over as they heard your yell.

Luffy rushed over to the edge of the boat and looked down on the docks. Shanks looked down at the docks as well to see who was yelling for Luffy. He watched as Luffy smiled and waved at you as you looked up at him with your hands on your hips.

"Monkey D. Luffy! You better come down here right now or else!" You yelled at him. You crossed your arms as you stared up at him.

"Coming!" Luffy said. The crew chuckled as they watched the kid rush down to you after getting in trouble.

So that's his caretaker, Shanks thought to himself before heading down as well.

"What were you thinking? You know better than to go onto dangerous ships," you tell Luffy with a stern look.

"I know but-"

"I apologize if you were worried," you looked up to see a man in a straw hat walking over towards you and Luffy. You pulled Luffy closer to you before moving him behind you.

"The little lad was just curious. He wasn't in any danger if that makes you feel any better."

"It's not just that. It's just that you're a... you're a..." You tried to find the right words to say without insulting him, risking you in danger.

"A pirate? I can guarantee to you that I'm not like any other pirate captain," he tells you.

"And how can I believe you?" You asked him.

"Why don't you join me in a drink and I'll change your mind?" He asked you.

"I think I'll have to pass. We need to get going anyway," you tell him before rushing away with Luffy.

The next day was the beginning of your weekend off as Luffy was with his grandfather for the weekend. You brought some fruit and vegetables to Makino so she could get her first pick before you sold the rest to the rest of the village.

"You know those pirates that came in yesterday aren't so bad," Makino tells you.

"How so?"

"They're nice. And they pay," Makino tells you. You shook your head at her before helping her put some of the liquor that came in away on her shelves.

"The captain seems interested in you," she points out.

"Who's the captain?" You asked.

"The one with the red hair and the straw hat," Makino says with a smirk.

"Don't give me that look," you say, nudging her.

"I'm just saying. You should get to know him."

You shook your head at her before grabbing your basket and heading out to the village. You set up your small stand before sitting down on your chair and picking up your book to continue reading.

"This is nice little stand that you have," you heard. You looked up from your book to see the same pirate from yesterday.

"Oh. It's you," you say as you put your bookmark into your book.

"How much for the fruit?" The man asked.

"It's just two berry a piece," you tell him.

"Seems a little cheap for some good fruit," the man tells you.

"I get paid well for taking care of Luffy. This just gives me something extra to get him some treats for doing well on his homework or some other stuff for me," you tell him.

"Well in that case, I'd like to buy everything you have."

"Why would you do that?" You asked.

"I'd like to get to know you and how can I do that if you're behind this stand all day?" He asked you.

"You could always just join me behind the stand," you offered.

"True. But I would also like to grab a drink," the man winked. You shook your head at him before standing up.

"Alright. A hundred berry for all of them," you tell him. The man gave you the money before taking the fruit and vegetables.

"I'll meet you at the bar then?" You asked him as you closed up your stand.

"I’ll be there after I drop these off," the man winked at you.

You headed over to Makino's bar and sat on a stool to wait for the pirate captain. Makino gave you a look as she walked over towards you.

"Sold your food already?" Makino asked you.

"That pirate captain bought it all," you tell her.

"So you spoke to him?"

"A little. He's meeting me here for a drink."

Makino gave you a smirk before pouring a drink for you and one for the pirate. You looked over at the entrance to see the pirate walking in.

"Glad to see you had a drink ready for me," he said with a smile. He sat next to you before taking a drink of the alcohol.

"You know, I never got your name," you tell him.

"Where are my manners? I'm Shanks."

"Nice to meet you, Shanks. I'm Y/n," you smiled as you offered a handshake. He took your hand into his before placing a kiss on the top of your hand.

"Smooth," you say with a small laugh.

"How else am I suppose to impress a beautiful woman like you?" Shanks asked you. You shook your head at him before taking a swing at your drink.

"Where is Luffy?" Shanks asked.

"He's with his grandfather right now. A couple days off for me," you tell him.

"I see. Do you often get days off?" Shanks asked you.

"Not really. So I try to relax before Luffy comes back."

"I guess this gives us a couple days to ourselves to get to know each other," Shanks smiled. You smiled at him before looking down at your drink.

"Will you show me your pirate ship?" You asked him.

"Want to see it now while it's empty?" Shanks asked you. You nodded before putting some berry down for Makino.

"I got this," Shanks said before replacing your berry with his.

"I can pay for stuff too you know."

"True but I like to find treasure so berry doesn't mean much to me. Though, I think I found some good treasure in this village," Shanks tells you with a smile.

"Come on Captain," you say as you took his hat and put it on yours. "Take me on a tour of your ship."

"As you wish," Shanks smiled before taking you over.

[n0vazsq]

So American | Arda Güler x Reader

pairing . . . arda guler x singer!songwriter!reader

summary . . . After releasing a new song, the last person (Y/n)'s fans expect to be the special guest at her concert is Arda. Then, they start to speculate that the song is about him. And after they're caught out together, they have no choice but to reveal their relationship

request . . . yes!

word count . . . N/A

warnings . . . none!

faceclaim . . . olivia rodrigo // reader is born in america so she is legally considered american but can be any ethnicity you want!

alexavia yaps . . . omg i finally got to start writing this!! tysm for requesting this ada <33 mwah mwah <3 ALSO IDK ANYTHING ABT REAL MADRID OTHER THAN THE PLAYERS SO IDK WHOS FRIENDS WITH WHO OR WHO HATES WHO! legit put my blood sweat and tears into this so i hope you like it!

yourusername

liked by sabrinacarpenter, ardaguler, vinijr and 2.1M others

yourusername so american is finally out!! thank you to everyone who helped me write this song <3 and a special thanks to my muse, star boy. i couldn't have done it without you, love you so so much!!

click to view all comments

username i can't get this song out of my head mother y/n slayed

username A LOVE SONG OMG??????

username WE HAVE BEEN FEED

username ARDA AND VINI IN THE LIKES???

username didn't kylian say that they always play her songs before practice??

username omg yeah and arda said that its his dream to meet her

username manifesting that she turns out to be dating someone from real madrid

sabrinacarpenter playing this on repeat

yourusername i legit can't get you out of my head

username y/n please write a song about me i'm waiting

madisonbeer it's so good you don't even understand

yourusername says you? yours songs are always blasting in my house

chappellroan couldn't have asked for a better song

yourusername couldn't have asked for a better friend

ynupdates

liked by ynsings13, ynngossip_, username and 429k others

ynupdates at yesterday's so american madrid concert y/n mentioned a special guest! who do you think it is? can it be star boy, or is it someone else?

click to view all comments

username I WAS THERE YESTERDAY!!! I SAW A BUNCH OF PEOPLE THERE

username omg me too!! i was near the stage and i saw some footballers and this guy called carlos signs? idk what his name was

username i was a bit higher up but i zoomed in with my phone and saw arda guler, kylian mbappe, vinicus jr and jude bellingham

username who's idea do yall think it was to go to the concert??

username my bet is on arda or vini

username my friends' cousin was there and he said that y/n was waving at the front of the crowd a lot

username i'm watching the concert from a pirated video and omg she is!! idk who it is tho </3 the visibility is so bad

username GUYS what if the special guest was special guestS and it's the real madrid team??

username that actually wait work what??

ardaguler

liked by yourusername, vinijr, ynupdates and 827k others

ardaguler thanks for the invite y/n! we really loved the concert ❤ one of the best concerts ever tagged: yourusername

click to view all comments

username EXCUSE ME?? THE HEART?? THE BACKSTAGE PHOTO??? THE PROXIMITY?? IM DEAD

username how did he get SO close to y/n im shaking

yourusername it was a pleasure to have you there <3

ardaguler it was OUR pleasure to be there

username IS HE THE SPECIAL GUEST?!?!??!

username WaIT WAIT WAIT THE BACKSTAGE PICTURE IM QUAKING IN MY BOOTS WTF

username IM CRYING WHY HIM AND NOT ME

vinijr thank you for posting us! really appreciate the picture you chose of me

judebellingham did you not understand that compared to y/n we are specks of dust?

kylianmbappe he got 2 pictures of us together and 20 thousand pictures of y/n in a split second

ardaguler no problem!

username not arda taking 2 pictures with his friends and 20k of y/n HELP

username i mean i would too if i saw y/n live and she was infront of me

yngossip

liked by ynupdates, ynsings13, username and 981k others

yngossip what do you guys think? tagged: yourusername, realmadridcf

click to view all comments

username and then y/n said "Can't have a conversation if it's not all about you" AND GUESS WHAT?? Y/N KEEPS YAPPING ABOUT HOW GOOD OF A FOOTBALLER ARDA IS AND HOW SHE'D LOVE TO MEET HIM

username she's only 18 but a lyrical genius gotta give to her

username AND THE FIRST THING SHE SaYS IS "Drivin' on the right-side road" AND SPAIN DRIVES ON THE RIGHT sIDE

username arent yall overthinking this a bit??

username MISS Y/N YOU ARE NOT SLICK

username WHEN WILL THIS BE OVERRRR

username can she just hard launch already??

username y/n likes to torture us she wont

yourusername

liked by ardaguler, chappellroan, vinijr and 1.2M others

yourusername a teeny tiny clue. ps: he's like a poem i wish i wrote

click to view all comments

username I HATE YOU Y/N

username WE DEMAND A HARD LAUNCH

username am i seeing right or is that not ardas reflection on the boat?? (avia: lets just pretend theres a reflection on the boat)

footballwags

liked by ynngossip_, wag.gossip, username and 201k others

footballwags arda guler and y/n l/n spotted around madrid. sources say that so american by y/n is about arda. what are your opinions and thoughts?

click to view all comments

ynngossip_ hi there! just wanted to say that some fans spotted arda at all of y/ns concerts! even the concerts from her EP tour.

rmadridtea. y/n was also spotted in real madrid games since 2023. some fans claim that they spotted her in fenerbahce games

username so its confirmed? its real?

username we just have to wait for their hard launches / conformation

username if this is true im gonna cry like my two fav ppl getting together??

ardaguler

liked by yourusername, sabrinacarpenter, vinijr and 1.1M others

ardaguler guess we got exposed. she's so american and also the love of my life tagged: yourusername

comments for this post have been closed

yourusername

liked by ardaguler, judebellingham, sabrinacarpenter and 2M others

yourusername i can finally declare my love publicly, my star boy. i'd call you pretty but that's not enough to describe you tagged: ardaguler

comments for this post have been closed

ardaguler

liked by yourusername, vinijr, madisonbeer and 1.1M others

ardaguler i present to you, the best girl in the world. couldn't have asked for anyone better tagged: yourusername

comments for this post have been limited

kylianmbappe congrats to you two!

vinijr you finally will stop whining about not being able to post her

judebellingham young love, vini, young love

madisonbeer my fav couple <3

yourusername and i couldn't ask for a better muse and boyfriend. lysm <3

ardaguler love you more

yourusername

liked by ardaguler, judebellingham, chappellroan and 3.3M others

yourusername my boyfriend, my bestfriend & the loml. that's the post. i love you more than anything. tagged: ardaguler

comments for this post have been limited

ardaguler impossible because i love you more

yourusername no

ardaguler yes

vinijr you two disgust me

yourusername yet you're always third wheeling

sabrinacarpenter more love songs coming soon??

yourusername very soon. my muse has been giving lots of inspo

madisonbeer cant wait for the new album

yourusername neither can i omg

vinijr

liked by ardaguler, yourusername, judebellingham and 1.7M others

vinijr young love, i suppose. even if i hate third wheeling them, these two are very cute and sweet tagged: ardaguler, yourusername

username MOTHER AND FATHER

username they're so cute it's making me cry

username not vini being the older brother third wheel HELP

username i need this oml

username when will it be my turn??

username my wish in life is this

username STOP THE PICS OF Y/N IN REAL MADRID MERCH VISITING THE MATCHES AND THE PICS OF ARDA AT HER CONCERTS IM GONNA START SOBBING

username my search history rn: "how to get relationship like y/n l/n and arda guler"

judebellingham they're so downbad for each other

kylianmbappe can't wait for a break from arda's simping

madisonbeer the cutest couple ever!!

sabrinacarpenter my wife and her boyfriend

chappellroan the best romance book, 5 stars

ardaguler i love you more than the earth and the stars and the galaxies

yourusername and i love you more than anything to ever exist in the universe and anything beyond the universe

ardaguler you're the best thing that happened to me

yourusername you're the best thing that happened to me too <3

ardaguler love you

yourusername love you more

[livingdreams97]

Tara Carpenter -- "The lies I keep" (Part 2)

Tara Carpenter x Male reader/oc

Summary: Having a normal life is difficult after the one she considered her best friend tries to kill her and causes distrust in everyone she meets. But something or rather someone manages to enter her heart and hiding that person is the best thing that occurs to her.

Words: 4.261

PREVIOUS /// NEXT

Masterlist

(If you haven't seen Scream VI yet, don't read this because it contains spoilers or read it, but at your own risk.)

Tara POV

It was finally Friday and that means Halloween. I hadn't had much time to organize my costume, so I decided to look at what I had in my closet and decided to go as a pirate.

It was an easy, simple costume, and i had everything i needed for it, so i wouldn't have to spend anything buying the costume. I finish tying the bandana over my head and make sure I have my inhaler, apartment keys, and cell phone.

I walk out of my room, finding my roommate Quinn sitting on the living room couch and channel surfing on the TV.

Tara: Last chance to come.- I warn her, stopping by the door of the apartment.

Quinn: Don't worry, if my date doesn't turn out well or I get bored, I'll let you know.- she assures me with a smile.

Tara: Okay.- I accept opening the door. -Goodbye.- I say goodbye going out the door.

Quinn: Bye ! - I hear how she shouts from the other side of the now closed door.

I walk downstairs, looking at my phone and texting my boyfriend to let him know I'm on my way to the party. His response is not long in coming, letting me know that he is already at the party and that he will be waiting for me in the kitchen.

I put the phone in my bag with a smile, walking out of the building and seeing my group waiting for me outside the building.

Mindy: Finally ! - she exclaims raising her arms in the air.

Tara: Don't be exaggerated.- I deny funny. -You have told me that you were here less than five minutes ago.- I roll my eyes at her attitude.

Mindy: Whatever.- she says downplaying my answer. -Let's party! - she screams completely excited.

Chad: Ye ! - exclaims high five with his sister.

Anika: You two are ridiculous.- she laughs, amused by the attitude of the twins.

Chad: What does the little pumpkin say? – he asks amused placing his hand next to his ear.

Mindy: Idiot.- she laughs, hitting him on the arm and hugging her girlfriend by the shoulders. -Don't mess with my girl.- she threatens him with her finger.

Chad: I'm your brother! – he claims pretending to be offended.

Mindy: That's exactly why I´m choosing her.- she winks amused, causing everyone except her brother to laugh.

Ethan: If you feel better, I would choose you.- he assures his roommate.

Chad: See! - he tells his sister. -You would have to do this.- he comments, approaching his friends body  by the shoulders to his own  body.

Mindy: That's because Ethan is obsessed with you.- she assures him with an evil smile and I try to hold back my laughter.

Ethan: That's not true.- He immediately denies energetically.

Mindy: Surely not.- she says raising an eyebrow and I can't hold back my laughter anymore.

Tara: Leave it alone Minds .- I tell my friend between laughs as well as Chad and Anika .

We keep laughing and walking towards the party, talking nonsense without any meaning. Chad and Mindy being the biggest reason for our laughs.

Jason: Oh, Hey Tara.- I hear how someone greets me and I turn around seeing a classmate.

Tara: Jason , hello.- I greet you back in a friendly way. -Are you and Greg going to come to the OKB party?- I ask kindly.

Jason: If Greg finishes his Spanish project then yes, we will.- he answers with a smile. -Is your sister going?- he asks with confusion and interest.

Tara: No, Sam wouldn´t be caught dead in a party. - I deny a bit amused by the question.

I mean, if it were up to my sister I wouldn't be going to this party either, much less without her "supervision". So the very idea of Sam coming to one of the college parties is complete insanity.

Jason: There's a first time for everything.- he assures me amused and I shake my head starting to walk away.

Tara: Not tonight though.- I assure him with a smile, walking away and returning to the group.

Jason: Can't you convince her? - he asks me and I turn to see him.

Tara: No, that's not my problem; It's yours.- I answer with a small laugh as I walk away.

Jason: Save me a drink.- he asks me when I'm already a bit far away.

Tara: Okay, see you.- I say goodbye to him, returning to the conversation that my friends are having.

It doesn't take us much longer to get to the house where the party is taking place. We entered through the open door, immediately being hit by the smell of sweat and alcohol from inside.

I take a deep breath, remembering that the last party I went to was a trap and people ended up dying.

We entered the house and divided into two groups. Chad and Ethan head into a room, while Anika , Mindy , and I walk over to the table of the drinks.

Anika: Let's dance!- she yells for us to hear, grabbing her girlfriend's arm and pulling her onto the dance floor.

Tara: I'm going to the bathroom for a moment!- I shout at them to hear and upon receiving an affirmative signal I walk towards the kitchen.

I walk carefully through the crowd, holding my drink in one hand and very subtly pushing people aside with the other. The last thing I want is to upset someone or spill my drink on myself.

I enter the kitchen, seeing people drinking and talking to each other. My gaze wanders instead, searching for an exact person and I find it talking animatedly with two boys.

I walk towards him with a smile, as I get closer my gaze runs over his body and I look at his clothes with confusion.

Tara: Hello! – i greet placing a hand on his forearm.

Y/n: Tara!- he exclaims with a huge smile. -You've finally arrived.- He leans towards me giving me a quick hug.

Tara: We've come walking.- I explain with a smile. -What are you dress as?- I ask confused, seeing the fake wounds and the dirty clothes he's wearing.

Y/n: I´m Nathan Rake.- he answers me with a smile and I look at him just as confused. -Uncharted 4 ? _ - asks and I deny. -A character from a videogame.- he explains simply and I nod.

Tara: At least you look good.- I assure him, looking at him from top to bottom and biting my lip.

Y/n: You don't look bad at all as a pirate.- He winks at me with amusement. -Tara, this are my friends Cole and Ian , guys, this is Tara.- he introduces us and I greet them with my hand.

Cole: So you're THE girlfriend? - he asks with a smile and I nod. -Well, it was time to meet you, this guy won't stop talking about you.- he tells me, hugging my boyfriend by the neck and bringing him closer to him.

Ian: And whimpering not being able to spend time with his girlfriend.- he tells me with a funny pout.

Y/n: Idiots.- he insults his friends for making fun of him, pushing Cole off of him and standing next to me.

Tara: I guess now you can't complain.- I say amused looking at my boyfriend and listening to how his friends laugh.

Y/n: How funny you all are.- he says sarcastically, crossing his arms and with a serious gesture in his handsome face.

Tara: Just kidding.- I assure him, hugging him around the waist.- Now let's dance.- I tell him with a smile, breaking away from the hug and grabbing his hand to pull him away. -Bye guys.- I wave goodbye to his friends.

Y/n: Do you want to dance? - he asks close to my ear so that I can hear him.

Tara: No, but I want to be alone with you.- I explain loud enough for him to hear me.

Y/n: Alone? - he asks me with an amused and suggestive smile.

Tara: Shut up, you fool.- I answer with a smile, pulling him towards the corridor.

Y/n: And why don't you shut me up? - he asks me amused and I stop walking when we stand in a corner of the corridor next to the stairs of the house.

Tara: You would like that, right? - I ask, staring into his eyes and taking a long sip of my drink.

Y/n: I wouldn't be oppose to it.- he assures me shrugging his shoulders, leaning his back against the wall and raising an eyebrow at me in challenge.

I just remain silent, staring into his eyes and drinking from my red glass calmly.

He does exactly the same as me and stares at me with that damn smile. He knows exactly what he's doing smiling in that attractive way and how much I like it.

XY: Do you guys want a shot? - a guy interrupts our staring, with a tray of large plastic syringes with colored liquids in them.

Y/n: I do.- he accepts taking a green one and drinking it without even asking what it is.

Tara: What´s in them? - I ask the guy almost screaming.

XY: The orange ones are vodka with peach, the red ones are gin with red fruits and the green ones are tequila with melon.- he answers me with a smile, pointing to the syringes.

Y/n: I'll take another green one.- he warns him, receiving a nod in response and drinking another green shot.

Tara: I'll take the red one, thanks.- I thank her by taking the syringe with the red liquid and injecting the content into my mouth. -It's strong.- I assure, contracting my face due to the strong taste of alcohol.

Y/n: Try the green one, it's fine.- he tells me and I look at him a bit unsure.

Tara: Can I? - I ask the boy, leaving the empty syringe on the tray and pointing to the other one.

XY: Of course! - he exclaimed with a huge smile. -You can take how many you want.- he assures us and my boyfriend shrugs, picking up a red one with a smile.

Y/n: Thank you.- Thank you and take what's in the syringe. -It's not so loaded.- He denies when he finishes it.

Tara: And this one is not good. - I deny with a face of disgust, when the alcohol flavor is stronger than before in the green one.

XY: If you want more, I'll be around the place.- he tells us and walks away offering shots to the other people in the party.

Tara: It's disgusting. - I deny without finishing the green shot.

Y/n: Don't exaggerate.- he laughs, leaving the empty alcohol syringe in a nearby bowl. -If you don't want it, I'll drink it myself.- he assures me, pointing to the object in my hand.

Tara: Don't even dream of it.- I deny with an evil smile, before finishing the rest of the shot and finishing what was left in my glass at once; to avoid gagging at the horrible taste.

Y/n: Eyy! – he exclaims for my action. -At least breathe.- he laughs taking my empty glass and the syringe from my hands.

Tara: That was so disgusting, I don't know how you were able to take two.- I assure him, running my tongue over my lips and wiping away the remains of alcohol on them.

Y/n: It wasn't so bad, you're exaggerating.- He assures me, leaving my things in the same bowl as before.

Tara: I'm not exaggerating, what happens is that I do have taste buds and you don't.- I assure him amused approaching him.

Y/n: Whatever you say. - He shakes his head in amusement, placing his hands on my waist and pulling me closer to his body.

Tara: That's how I like it, that you understands who's in charge in this relationship.- I smile with superiority, placing my hands on his neck and caressing the short hair in the place.

Y/n: Are you having a good time? - he asks me with a loving smile.

Tara: With you always.- I assure him, before standing on my tiptoes and pulling at his neck so we can join our lips.

The kiss begins slow and superficially. His hands go from being placed on my hips, to being placed on my lower back so that I can stick my body completely to his.

My hands go into his hair as the kiss begins to deepen and his tongue makes contact with mine.

I tug at his hair as he sucks on my tongue and I moan softly against his mouth. He knows that suckinh my tong drives me crazy and I that I love it.

POV You

The kiss had lost all its softness and innocence a long time ago. I don't know how long we've been making out, but my hands were now on my girlfriend's ass and while one of her hands was still on my neck, the other was under my shirt.

I growl excitedly, feeling her nails scratch my stomach and the way she tugs at my hair as I squeeze her ass into me.

Tara: Do you want to go to my house? - she asks me with her breath agitated against my lips.

Y/n: Now? - I ask surprised trying to calm my breathing.

Tara: Later.- She answers me with a suggestive smile. -I can try to sneak you in so my sister doesn't see you.- she comments and I swallow heavily.

Y/n: Are you sure? - I ask a little insecure, not wanting to pressure her and make her feel forced to accept because of the situation we are currently in.

Tara: Yes.- she nods clinging impossibly closer to my body. -And from what I can feel, you are too.- she smiles with suggestion  and amusement, rubbing herself subtly against my body. -But first I'm going for another drink.- she says separating from me immediately and looking at me with a devil smile.

Y/n: Tara! - I exclaim surprised and a bit embarrassed, seeing my girlfriend walk away from me and hearing her laugh.

Tara: You wait for me there still! - she yells over her shoulder with an evil smile.

I quickly covered my lap with my hands, trying not to show my erection in my pants and trying to appear as casual as possible.

As I wait, I tilt my head back and close my eyes to try and calm myself. But from the alcohol i consumed I get dizzy and decide that is better if I keep my eyes open.

I smiled and nod to people passing by, trying to be friendly and getting greetings back.

But my smile disappears immediately, when I see my girlfriend holding hands with another guy and walking towards the stairs. I open my eyes worried, when I recognize the guy and I know that nothing good can come out of him.

I quickly run towards them, grabbing Tara's other hand and pulling her towards me causing the other guy to let go of his hand.

Frankie: What's wrong with you, idiot? - he asks me in a somewhat aggressive way.

Y/n: She's not going anywhere with you.- I answer seriously, sticking my girlfriend to my body and pulling her away from him.

Frankie: And who the hell do you think you are to decide that?- he wonders taking a step towards me.

Y/n: Her boyfriend.- I answer through my teeth and my answer makes him laugh.

Frankie: Well, no one would say that she has a boyfriend, because she has accepted too quickly to go up to my room with me.- he points to my girlfriend with a disgusting smile.

Tara: Y/n don't pay attention to him.- she pleads me, pulling my hand to get away from him. -He told me he had alcohol in his room.- she explains pulling at my arm, but I stand in my place and I don't move an inch.

Frankie: Come on, we all know what "I have a bottle in my room" means.- he assures putting his offer in quotes.

Y/n: I don't care, she won't go with you.- I deny through my teeth.

Frankie: And why don't you ask her if she wants to come with me or not.- she points to Tara with a smile, I take a step forward with the intention of putting him in his place and making him understand that my girlfriend wouldn't go with an asshole like him to nowhere.

But my plan is interrupted, when Frankie is pushed aside and someone separates me from Tara.

Chad: Get away from her.- he growls at me aggressively, placing himself between Tara and me in a defensive manner.

Tara: Chad stop.- she asks trying to get out of his grip and stand between us.

Chad: Don't go near her again.- he threatens me by pushing my shoulders and I take a deep breath so I don't do something I might regret.

I see two girls approach Tara and grab her to keep her from getting closer. I can see the panic in her brown eyes and I try to reassure her with my gaze that everything is okay.

Y/n: Look, I wasn't doing anything.- I answer him calmly with my hands in the air. -I was only separating her from Frankie.- I explained looking at the annoyed face of my girlfriend's friend.

Chad: I don't care, if you touch her again you'll find out.- he threatens me, pushing me with more force and making me fall to the ground.

Tara: Chad! - she screams trying to get loose of what I suppose are her friends hold.

I carefully pick myself up off the ground, avoiding to react and plant a punch right across his face. Because I know that even though Tara would understand if I defended myself, he's still one of her best friends and she'd be upset if I hit him.

Sam: Sorry to interrupt, but I'm going to tase you in the balls real quick.- I hear someone say and suddenly I feel a painful electric shock in my parts.

I fall to the ground in pain, placing my hands on my private parts and feeling an intense pain in them. I close my eyes, feeling the electric shock go through my body and how my parts throb with pain.

Tara: Sam! - I hear how he screams and in less than two seconds I feel a pair of hands on my face. -Y/n are you okay?- I listen as she asks me and I open my eyes to see her face full of concern.

Y/n: It hurts.- I growled, resting the side of my head on the ground.

Tara: I'm so sorry.- She apologizes and helps me sit up. -Are you better? - she asks me and I nod. -Do you think you can get up and walk? - she asks again and I look at her with a grimace.

Y/n: I guess.- I answer a little insecure.

Tara: Well, I'll help you get up and we'll get out of here, okay? - she asks me with a small smile and I nod.

My girlfriend helps me get up off the ground, which is not very difficult and painful. But when I start to walk, I can feel a painful shock with each step I take. Her arm wraps around my waist so I can get support and she wraps my arm around her shoulders.

We leave the party, under the watchful eye of everyone and the confused gaze of her friends and what I assume is her sister.

We don't get very far, before her friends stop us and Tara turns around in a huff.

Tara: What?!- she yells at his sister. -What the hell do you want now? Don't you think you've done enough? - she attacks her and I move uncomfortably next to her.

Sam: I was just defending you.- she answers immediately.

Tara: But I don't need you to defend me! - she yells at her angrily. -You don't understand that I can defend myself, that I don't have to depend on you for everything and that I don't need you to take care of me as if I was a fucking little girl! - she yells at her and I look around uncomfortably, avoiding the gaze of her friends.

Sam: If you're not a kid, stop acting like one.- She throws at her just as annoyed. -You can't escape to a party, without telling me anything and getting into dangerous situations for yourself.- she assures her with an angry tone.

Tara: Everything was under control.- she assures her impatiently.

Sam: Sure, everything was under control when I arrived.- she says sarcastically, crossing her arms.

Tara: It was, until Chad got in the way and you showed up with that fucking taser .- she says pointing to her friend and then pointing at her sister. -All because you can't leave me alone, I don't need bodyguards and being controlled all day. If I have a problem I solve it myself and I don't need you to come to "save me" - she says using the quotes.

Chad: They were going to take advantage of you.- he defends himself pointing at me and I look at him angrily at his suggestion.

Tara: And as always, you fix everything with violence, right? - she asks his friend. -And if he was going to take advantage of me, it's my life and I decide what I want or don't want to do! - she exclaimed in frustration.

Sam: So you were going to let them take advantage of you? - she asks with a surprise tone.

Tara: It's not about that Sam, for God's sake.- she growls frustrated. -It's about you drowning me in your overprotection, I can't leave the house without you controlling me, I can't have friends because you scare them away and I can't have a boyfriend because you tase them in the balls!- she yells, pointing me at the end and I open my eyes surprised by her admission.

Sam: Wait what? – asks confused processing what her sister just said. -Do you have a boyfriend? - questions completely lost and surprised.

Tara: Yes Sam, I have a boyfriend.- She answers as if it were obvious. -A boyfriend who was taking care of the situation, before Chad showed up like a crazy person and you assaulted him .- she assures with a tired sigh.

Sam: Since when? - questions her calmer.

Tara: Months.- she answers simply looking over her shoulder and giving me an apologetic smile.

Sam: And why didn't you tell me? - she asks with a slightly hurt tone in her voice.

Tara: For this very reason.- She points between the two of them. -Because if I had told you that I was meeting someone, your reaction would have been to forbid me to go out and control even the smallest step I take. Because you don't trust anyone and even if you're not ready to trust someone and start a relationship, it doesn't mean I'm not ready either.- she explains more calmly, holding my hand and intertwining our fingers.

Sam: And why do you think it is? - she asks rhetorically. -Because last time, my own boyfriend turned out to be a psycho murderer and it put you in danger.- she reminds her and I bite my lip nervously from the palpable tension around us.

Tara: But that doesn't mean that everyone who approaches us is a murderer.- she tells her with certainty. -I trust Y/n and I know he would never hurt me.- she assures her sister, staring at her and squeezing my hand.

Sam: Tara you know I don't p .. - starts with a tired tone, before being interrupted by my girlfriend.

Tara: No Sam, I'm done! - she exclaims tired letting go of my hand. -Why are you here? Why are you here in New York when you hate this and work at two shitty jobs at the same time? - she asks taking a step towards her.

Sam: To protect you.- she answers as if it was obvious.

Tara: but I don't need protection! - she yells fed up with the whole situation. -You disappeared from my life for five years, five, and now you come back to control me. You have to let me go and let me live my life the way I want.- she says letting her shoulders fall.

Her sister is unable to answer as a small group of girls walk past us and one of them ends up spilling a drink on him.

I widen my eyes, looking at my girlfriend's older sister and the slightly dark stain on her white sweater.

Tara: Let's go.- she tells me, calling my attention intertwining our hands and pulling me to start walking.

We walk in silence, with my girlfriend being the guide and me keeping quiet to give her space. Although I have only known her for a few months, I know that right now what Tara needs is silence and tranquility.

I also know that her head is processing everything that has happened and that once she is ready, she will speak. But until then, all I can do is give her the space she needs to think and then I'll listen to whatever she wants to tell me patiently.

[1dmonthlyficroundup]

— 1D Monthly Fic Roundup —

Hi, and welcome to the 1D Monthly Fic Roundup for May 2024! Below you’ll find 1D fics that were all published this month. We hope you’ll check out these new fics! If you would like to submit your own fic, please check this post on how to submit or visit our blog @1dmonthlyficroundup​. You can find all our other posts here.

Happy reading!

＊ Ocean Wave Blues by babyhoneyhslt / @babyhoneyheslt [M, 49k, Louis/Harry]

After the gruesome death of his Alpha, Harry takes over as the Captain of the Rose Arrow. Trying his best to uphold her reputation as being the most dreadful pirate ship to sail the Seven Seas.

With the help of his alpha-quartermaster Niall, he manages to keep his secondary gender hidden from everyone except his most trusted crew, as he operates under his late Alpha’s name. Captain Payne.

Everything changes when his ship is taken hostage by Pirate Captain Louis.

To keep his crew, and himself, alive, Harry must play the part of dutiful Omega who’s waiting for his Alpha’s return.

＊ You Put the Boom Boom Into My Heart by @kingsofeverything [T, 5k, Harry/Louis]

Harry's been trying all summer to come up with a way to show Louis how much he means to him before he leaves for college.

Or five times Harry fails to win Wham! tickets and one time he succeeds.

＊ Into the Woods by @kingsofeverything [E, 2k, Louis/Harry]

Whenever he hikes, Harry keeps an eye out for trees with knots and scars that resemble buttholes. What started as fodder for his silly little Instagram account has become his favorite way to masturbate.

＊ A Book in the Ruins by magpielivingforglitter / @builtyouahousefromabrokenhome [M, 10k, Harry/Louis]

Harry randomly meets Louis, they eat food and read poetry, and it’s the zombie apocalypse.

＊ now i'm tracin' all my steps to you by @alwaysxlarrie [T, 5k, Louis/Harry]

Of all the things Harry was prepared for this summer, Louis Tomlinson and his wonderful, wonderful scent isn't one of them. It probably shouldn't be as shocking as it is that it makes Harry want to nest. There's only one slight problem -- Harry and nesting aren't exactly on familiar terms. At all.

This does not stop Harry from borrowing ("borrowing") Louis' things all throughout summer, though. Oops?

＊ just a couple of my cravings by YesIsAWorld / @louandhazaf [G, 3k, Harry/Louis]

Summer's just around the corner and Louis' battling his addictions... Cigarettes and Harry Styles.

＊ better latte than never by @disgruntledkittenface [M, 1k, Zayn/Harry]

Harry was looking forward to the coffee cart at work. Until the subject of the previous night's fantasies lined up next to him.

＊ I Like to Watch by larry_hiatus / @larry-hiatus [E, 9k, Louis/Harry, Louis/Zayn]

If there’s one thing Harry loves, it’s watching his husband Louis get fucked by other men. After picking up a lad called Zayn who is baffled by this concept, the three men are in for a wild night.

＊ Hope by @hellolovers13 [T, 2k, no pairing, Louis, Harry]

A father's desperate journey against time.

＊ On Love's Doorstep by @hellolovers13 [T, 1k, Harry/Louis]

Harry Styles: a day in the life

☑ Stuck in a dress ☑ Abandoned by his best friend ☑ Date with hot neighbour

All in all, not the worst day ever

＊ the very last drops of an ink pen by staybeautiful / @harruandlou [E, 47k, Louis/Harry]

The spoon made a hissing sound on the rim of his cup before he put it on his napkin. Sharp eyes met Harry’s over the table and Louis said, “So, we have a lot to talk about then.”

“How do you mean?” Harry blew on the foam at the top of his latte and let the heat of it warm his hands. Anxious energy curled down his arms as he waited for Louis to speak.

“Well, what are we doing about the business?” Louis picked up his mug and with his mouth against the lip of it, added, “Or are you going to leave that too?”

Against his will, his cheeks flushed in annoyance and Harry snapped, “Of course I fucking won’t.”

Or just after midnight on Harry's 30th birthday, he realizes he can't do another year without change. So, he forces it. Breaking up with Louis might have hurt less if they weren't co-owners of Studio 28, living within walking distance of each other, and if he wasn't the thing Harry was most afraid of losing. Secluding themselves on their shared estate in an attempt to save their working relationship may shed a light on where everything else started going wrong. And perhaps give them a chance to fix it.

＊ don't be afraid to love (and love again) by localopa / @voulezloux [E, 83k, Louis/Harry]

All Louis’ life, he’s known he’s been different. There’s always been something at odds about how he felt.

As the eldest daughter of seven kids, he knew something was wrong with his body. Something was off, he just couldn’t quite put his finger on it. His mum dressed him in dresses and tights, plaits in his hair as he wandered around with the local neighborhood boys. They called him a girl, called him she and Rosemary when his name is Louis. He had told the boys as such, but they would tell him Louis is a boy’s name, not a girl’s.

Louis is a boy. He knows he is.

or the one where louis is trans and afraid, harry is cis and brave, and being 100% yourself is easier said than done.

＊ Pacify Her by yeah_alright / @uhoh-but-yeah-alright [E, 2k, Harry/Louis]

Harry's anxiety is acting up. Louis has the only thing that will soothe her.

OR Louis' pussy is the ultimate pacifier.

＊ this brokenness inside me might start healing by LiveLaughLoveLarry / @loveislarryislove [T, 29k, Louis/Harry]

Louis grew up in a tiny town, where everyone knew everyone -- or at least, they think they do. Then he left, and became a successful singer-songwriter, a star that everyone in the country knows -- or at least, they think they do.

But when Louis returns home for the birth of his first nibling, he meets a librarian who doesn't know him at all. And that's all Louis could ask for.

“I remember when you were a teenager," Miss Susan says, "telling me all the things you wanted to accomplish, the places you wanted to go. And I’ve seen a lot of kids, with a lot of big dreams – but you were different. You had this… quiet energy, this determined certainty. When you told me all you were going to do, I believed you.” She smiles, spreading her arms. “And now here you are.”

Here he is indeed, Louis thinks bitterly. Back where he started. His dreams on pause, his future uncertain. His whole identity built out of secrets and half-truths, while everyone thinks they know exactly who he is.

He left to find himself, he came home to find himself, and yet – here he is, feeling more lost than ever before.

＊ Rewriting the Melody by LadyAJ_13 / @ladyaj-13 [T, 26k, Harry/Louis]

Louis doesn’t get put in One Direction. This time, the path to true love takes the long way round, including singing in toilet cubicles, fruit baskets, and long distance band counselling from someone who really doesn’t know what he’s doing, he just wants to keep talking to Harry.

＊ warmth within your arms by @hsburnr [M, 1k, Louis/Harry]

when it's get too much to bear and nothing makes sense, harry seeks comfort from louis.

one shot, hurt/comfort au.

- Fic Fests -

＊ 1D Dystopian Fic Fest / @1ddystopianfest / masterpost

“Telling a story in a futuristic world gives you this freedom to explore things that bother you in contemporary times.” ~ Suzanne Collins

- Podfics -

＊ [podfic] Season 3, Episode 4: Timeless [a fic by babyhoneyhslt] by podfic_pals / @podfic-pals [G, Louis/Harry]

After visiting an antiques shop, Harry gets transported through time, and discovers that he and Louis are Timeless.

Based on Taylor Swift's Timeless.

[satureja13]

Saiwa's Therapy Game - Part 2 It starts -> here

Saiwa is still torn. Shall he stay as the Captain of the Sea Urchin or leave and follow his own path? Staying would mean he'd have to deal with all the stuff he ran away from and he has the feeling he's not strong enough for this right now. He sighed and delayed his decision and started the inventory list for the Vicegerent. It's still quite tempting to stay as the Pirate Captain. But what he wants and what he needs are two different pairs of pirate boots.

Saiwa finished the list by noon and stepped out in the bright afternoon, where the Vicegerent already waited for him. Saiwa guesses the Vicegerent will have the final say if he can leave or not. He might need some time to find a new Captain for the Sea Urchin.

Oh, it's NPC Wesley! (TMI: Wesley is Vlad's first love and partner of Vlad's arch enemy Leander ^^' but the other Boys like them.) Vicegerent Wesley: "That was your best tour so far. Amazing Job! I'll get your wage ready and we meet in the 'Salty Mermaid' later! If you keep it up like that you'll soon be more wealthy than I am haha!" (I have no idea why there is a carrot lying on that bollard ^^')

Captain Duath (=Saiwa): "Erm, about keeping it up. I'd like to take a break to - uhm - sort a few things out..." Vicegerent Kareem (=Wesley): "Sure, my friend. Take all the time you need. Captain Whittaker was pestering me for months now to get his own ship. He is raring to take over, don't worry." Captain Whittaker? The ghost dog from 'The Irish Rover'? Captain Duath: "Ah - thank you. I guess..." Does Helm Satureja look worried or relieved? Saiwa was relieved. He didn't think it would be that easy. But easily being replaced by a dog was a bit...

Captain Duath took a walk around Bacalao Bay before he entered the 'Salty Mermaid'. The others all already there.

Oh no! The piano player is NPC Jeb! Saiwa wasn't prepared for this. He tries to remind himself that this is just a game and that this Jeb is just a NPC Tiny Can created for his therapy. Probably an idea from the Little Goats... And after the experiences of the others, NPC Jeb shouldn't even know him. But he really isn't ready to face any version of Jeb. He should have waited with his Therapy Game. No matter what the others said and how well their therapy went... How the crew's expectantly eying him hahaha

Best he avoids Jeb and leaves after he said goodbye to his crew. But Saiwa made the calculation without the permanent flirty First Mate Guidry. (TMI: Claude René Duplantier Guidry has a quite interesting -> background story) First Mate Guidry: "Hey Captain! Isn't the new piano man amazing? You should meet him. I'll call him over. You will like him, he's hot and handsome! Look at his muscles. Ah, he's a sight to see!" Captain Duath: "Uhm, that's not necessary. Let him play. I just came in to say goodbye and leave before dawn."

First Mate Guidry: "Hey Jeb, come over and meet our Captain! He's hot and handsome!" Oh no, what to do? What to do???

Ok new plan, just say ahoy and then leave. NPC Jeb seems to be just as nervous as Saiwa. And for a few (too many and too long) seconds, none of them said a word. Until NPC Jeb blurted out: "You're utterly beautiful." (Hahaha the crews faces!)

First Mate Guidry: "Ayayay Jeb! That's not how you greet our fierce and ruthless Captain..." Jeb: "I'm so sorry." Guidry and Kili started to teach Jeb how to make a better first impression and Saiwa took the cue to take his leave. Captain Duath: "I'm leaving guys. See you again next time around!"

But Jeb followed him. Saiwa will have a word or two with Tiny Can when he's back! Jeb: "When will I see you again?" Saiwa: "Eh, I have to sort a few things out - for a while." Jeb: "Where are you going?" Saiwa: "Far, far away."

Ach. Saiwa's heart became heavy and to make matters worse, it started to rain.

Saiwa didn't know what to say to him. He can't stay here with Jeb. He needs time for himself. Even if it's only here in the game. No responsibilities, no sorrows. Only caring for himself and find out what he could be without his burdens.

But Jeb didn't want to let Saiwa go and asked again where he's going to. That was when a song came to Saiwa's mind and he told Jeb he could find him where the Blarney Roses grow. He couldn't look him in the eyes, though. (I don't know if you're familiar with the word 'blarney' (I wasn't ^^') it means: deceptive or misleading talk. There is a quite interesting story about the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle -> here. I first thought it was a hoax but it seems to exist haha) Jeb gathered all his courage: "I will find you there. I promise. Let's seal it with a kiss." Saiwa is utterly sure that Jeb will never find him so he gave in. Jeb kissed Saiwa chastely on his cheek. Aouwww. Saiwa is melting away and Jeb's kiss almost made him change his mind. But after all these years as the Boys' leader it's part of his flesh and blood to put his mission over his emotions. (Like he did when he started that damn fake relationship with Kiyoshi that teared them all apart - and brought him here...)

The Dead Man and his chest are watching them :3 It's a while ago he saw something so annoyingly sweet here at Bacalao Bay ^^'

And then Captain Duath left. And he took Jeb's heart with him.

Saiwa bought this little dinghy thing from his share. Let's hope it takes him far enough from everything so he can heal ö.Ö'

'There's roses in Killarney and there's some in County Clare But upon my word, the roses, lads, I can't find anywhere She blarneyed me for by the power, she left me broke, you know Did the damsel that belonged to where the Blarney Roses grow

Can anybody tell me where the Blarney Roses grow? It might be down in Limerick town, it might be in Mayo It's somewhere in the Emerald Isle and this I want to know Can anybody tell me where the Blarney Roses grow?'

Blarney Roses by The Willoughby Brothers (TMI: I only knew this live version from Fiddlers Green but I just found this one on youtube and it's so amazingly sung by these 6 brothers(!). Both videos have not many likes but this song is so beautiful. One of my favourite irish songs for sure.) Link to spotify below is yet another version from Fiddlers Green from their 25 years anniversary album (from 2015 omg ö.ö) ^^'

The Therapy Game Master Post with the sessions and places so far is -> here

From the Beginning  ~  Underwater Love ~  Latest Current Chapter: 🕹️ 'The One' from the beginning ▶️ here 📚 Previous Chapters: Chapters: 1-6 ~ 7-12 ~ 13-16 ~ 17-22 ~ 23-28

[zorosangell]

⛥ﾟ・。 protector: chapter fourteen

synopsis: " you were supposed to stay a crewate, just another back to watch, " he tightened his hold, " i didn't even notice the change until i woke up one day and realized i'd take a bullet for you "

cw: violence, gore, fighting, mature themes, profanity, MAJOR/MINOR ANIME SPOILERS, follows the plot of the anime, slowww burn.

a/n: reposting from another account

"This is gonna be so fun!" Luffy happily exclaimed as the entire crew stood at the entrance of Loguetown, the birth and execution site of the original pirate king, Gol D. Roger.

"Every pirate heading to the Grand Line stops here to resupply. It has everything you could possibly need," Nami smiled.

"If that's the case, I'm gonna go on a shopping spree. I'll bet they have all sorts of stuff here," Usopp smirked.

"I'll be able to stock up on fresh produce. And fresh women," Sanji dreamily sighed, hearts visible in his eyes.

"I wonder if they have a swordsmith around here," Zoro stated, rubbing his chin.

"I thought you were broke," you teased, nudging him, "Ya gonna steal it?"

He rolled his eyes with a smile, shrugging you off.

"Well, I'm gonna go find where they kill people. I gotta see where the King of the Pirates was executed," Luffy smiled, running off, "YAHOOO!"

"Wait! We have to pick a meeting place!" Usopp shouted after him.

"Don't bother. He's not gonna listen. Let's just go our separate ways and meet up where we meet up," you sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose.

"Just remember to keep your guard up. I heard this place is crawling with marines."

"I'm gonna ask you one last time, marine. Where. Is. Doflamingo?" you growled, the spikes of your mace dangerously close to the marine's neck.

"I told you! I have no idea who that is! I'm telling the truth! I swear! Please don't kill me! I got a wife and kid at home!" the man groveled, tears and snot pouring down his face.

You sighed, pulling back your mace and smacking up upside the head with the butt of it, knocking him out.

'That's the seventh one.'

"Good for nothin' marines," you spat, tucking your mace back into your hip sash before walking out the alleyway.

For the past hour, you had been interrogating every marine you could get your hands on, trying to find some information on the possible whereabouts of Doflamingo.

But so far, you've gotten nothing. 

'Of course these small fry aren't gonna know where a guy like him is. I gotta find a higher up, like a captain or a lieutenant or something.'

Just then, you ran into this guy, your thinking distracting you from where you were going.

"Watch where you're going, jer—Whoa," you stopped mid-sentence, looking up to see two cold, dark eyes staring down at you.

He had grayish hair, with no shirt, a white aviator, and two cigars hanging out his mouth, the smoke coming from them lingering to make a small cloud everywhere he went.

"You seemed to be very deep in thought," his gravely voice stated, his tone dripping in authority.

"Something you wanna share?"

You kept your face hard, maintaining firm eye contact the entire time.

"No, not really," you replied.

His eyes flicked to the mace at your waist, the gears in his head visibly turning.

You were quick to catch it.

"This is a pirate town, is it not? Can't be too careful," you answered.

"That might've been how it was in the past, but this island is under my protection now. And no pirate has made it out of here freely under my watch," the man assured, crossing his arms.

'Shit. I guess that's good to know.'

"May I ask just who the hell are you?" you cocked a brow, placing a hand on your hip.

He smirked, giving a small chuckle of amusement. 

"Smoker. Captain Smoker."

'Perfect.'

"Well, Smoker Captain Smoker, mind telling me where I can find a certain guy named Doflamingo?" you asked, leaning up against a nearby wall.

"Never heard of 'im," Smoker answered, truthfully, "And with a name like that he'd be hard to forget."

"For fuck's sake," you sighed, throwing your head back.

"Mind telling me what's your business with this Doflamingo guy?" he asked, cocking a brow.

"Yes, I do mind," you sharply dismissed.

"Fair enough," he nodded.

Smoker walked over to you, taking note of how tense you got, and leaned up against the same wall you were.

"With all that anger in your tone, sounds like you're tryna kill 'im."

You let out a weak chuckle, looking down at the ground with a tired smile. 

"Yeah, somethin' like that."

Smoker took in your sullen form, your distress making his heart ache for some reason.

He let out a quiet grunt, hopefully scaring away the feeling.

"Tell me the real reason why you're here. 'Cause I know for damn sure you're not a local, and you don't seem like the type to just be passing through a place like this."

You sighed, accepting the fact that he wasn't going to let up.

But in reality, you appreciated it. 

It reminded you of how you should keep your attitude.

Fatigue and exhaustion was for the weak. If you wanted to achieve your goal, you would have to be relentless in your resolve.

"I have a score to settle," you answered, standing up straight and turning to the man, your gaze sharp.

A large crack of thunder punctuated your sentence, but you stayed firm, not even flinching at the loud noise. 

"That's all I'll say."

Smoker smiled to himself, looking up at the sky to let out a long stream of smoke.

"Now if you'll excuse me, Smoker Captain Smoker," you smirked, looking at the man with a determined glint in your eye, "I have a couple of friends to meet up with."

Finishing your sentence with a wink, you unfurled your wings, using their power alone to propel you into the air.

The man's eyes went wide, both cigars falling out his mouth as he watched you grow distant.

But his disbelief was soon swapped with amusement, the pieces of the puzzle you gave him starting to fit together.

"Heh. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," he muttered to himself, pulling off the wall and walking out the alley.

As you soared over the town, you could clearly see the dark, ominous storm clouds rolling in.

"Damn,  I gotta find the crew and fast," you cursed, scanning over the ground below to try and find any sign of your crewmates.

The crew's best chance of escape from this navy protected town would be to hightail it now, using the storm as cover.

"LISTEN! I'M THE MAN WHO'LL BE KING OF THE PIRATES!" the familiar voice of your captain echoed throughout the town.

'Shit.'

You soared down to where you heard his voice come from, only to see him pinned down to the top of the execution block, Buggy standing above him.

'SHIT!'

"Stop the execution! NOW!" Zoro and Sanji shouted, both of them standing at the entrance of the courtyard.

The crowd of people, Buggy's men, and Buggy himself, all stopped their chattering, turning their attention to the two of them.

You quickly landed next to them, drawing your mace upon landing. 

"Sanji! Zoro! (y/n)!" Luffy smiled at the sight of you three, "Hey, guys!"

"Zoro! (y/n)! Sorry, but you're a little bit too late!" Buggy sadistically smiled, winding up his sword.

"Take down the platform! I'm going for Buggy!" you exclaimed, quickly taking off.

"Right!" Zoro and Sanji agreed, running straight for it.

"Not even the great Zoro can stop me now! This is it for your captain!" Buggy cackled.

"You bastard! Get away from him!" you shouted, white, hot anger oozing from your tone.

You may not have the same goal as him, but Luffy was still your captain. And even though he was incredibly dense, you were not going to let a single person lay a finger on his head.

You pushed your wings harder, faster. 

You had to get there in time.

"Zoro! Sanji! (y/n)! Usopp! Nami!" Luffy shouted with a smile, getting all of your attention.

"I'm sorry, but... I'm dead."

'DAMMIT!'

Just as Buggy brought down the sword, a gigantic bolt of lightning struck the platform, bringing down the entire thing in a flaming heap.

And none other than your captain emerged from the rubble, picking up his hat from the ground.

"Hey, I'm still alive. That's nice," he laughed with a smile, soot covered but otherwise okay.

You landed next to Zoro and Sanji, who were just as shocked as everyone else.

"That had to be divine intervention," Sanji stated, lighting up another cigarette as Luffy walked over.

"Stop talking nonsense," Zoro rolled his eyes.

You ran up to Luffy, knocking him upside the head.

"You idiot! Don't scare me like that!" you exclaimed, eyebrows furrowed.

"Ouchie! I'm sorry," he pouted, rubbing the knot on his head.

"Look alive. Our troubles aren't over," Zoro chimed.

Just then, a gigantic horde of marines came flooding in from all sides, each one of them ready for battle.

They started off with the Buggy pirates, leaving the four of you to plan out your next move.

"It's only a matter of time before they come for us. We gotta move now," you stated quickly, hovering over the ground.

You grabbed Luffy and tossed him onto your back, grabbing Sanji and Zoro with your two free hands.

"Let's move!"

You darted straight into the air, zipping down the main road to get back to the Merry.

"(y/n)-swaaaaaaaan! You're so beautifully strong!" Sanji fawned.

"Shut up!" Zoro exclaimed.

"Roronoa Zoro!" a girl below you shouted, angry.

Zoro winced at the sound of her voice, looking down to confirm that it was her with a sigh.

"You need a drop off?" you asked, cocking a brow.

"Yeah," he nodded, gripping the handle of one of his swords.

"Alright. Don't die, swordsman," you smirked, shooting the man a wink.

He smirked right back, giving you a determined look, "You got it."

With that confirmation, you let him go, him landing on the cobblestone road below.

You weren't that high, after all.

"I swear if you hurt her, mosshead, I'll kick your ass," Sanji shouted.

With the drop in weight, you were able to pick up some speed, and managed to make it to the entrance of Loguetown in no time.

But, unluckily for you three, there was a familiar face blocking you.

Smoker Captain Smoker.

'Shit.'

"Strawhat!" he shouted, angry.

"You wanna handle this one?" you asked Luffy, slightly turning to look at him.

"Yuh-huh!" he cheesed, quickly nodding.

"Then hop off, already! You're slowin' me down," you exclaimed, a bullet from a nearby crowd of marines whizzing past your ear.

"Woohooo!" he shouted, jumping off your back and landing in front of Smoker.

"Looks like it's just you and me, (y/n)-swaaaaan!" Sanji smiled, happily wiggling in your grip.

"We're almost there, Sanji," you stated, squinting to see through the torrential downpour.

And a little ways away, you could see the Merry, and she was moving.

"There!" you exclaimed, pushing your wings once more, trying to get to the ship as quickly as possible.

"Nami-swaaaaaan!" Sanji loudly cooed as the two of you approached the Merry.

"Sanji! (y/n)!" Usopp smiled, leaning against the edge. 

"Where's the others?!" Nami shouted.

Sanji's expression changed in an instant, "Ugh, we'll pick them up later!"

You dropped the lovesick cook on deck before quickly turning around, hitting away the incoming cannonballs with your mace as if they were baseballs.

"Will you marines give it a rest!" you exclaimed, hitting one back at the rocks they were standing on.

Just as it exploded, a giant wall of abnormally strong wind came barreling towards the docks, blowing everyone and everything back.

Since you were in the air, you quickly slung to the mast to keep yourself from getting blown too far away.

"What the hell is this?!" you shouted, the wind loosening your death grip.

It was destroying everything, the cannons, the wharf, even a little bit of the buildings.

But just as swiftly as it started, it stopped, dropping you onto the deck headfirst.

"For fuck's sake," you cursed, rubbing the knot.

"(y/n)-swan! Are you alright?!" Sanji asked, frantically helping you up.

"I'm fine, really. Where are Luffy and Zoro?" You asked, looking around.

"Incoming!" Usopp shouted fearfully, pointing up at the sky.

You looked up to see Luffy and Zoro on a crash course straight for the Merry.

The two of them crashed right into the primary sail, rolling off it and falling into a heap on the deck.

"Glad to see the two of you are safe," Nami smiled.

"Watch where you're aiming, Luffy! You coulda hurt the Merry!" Usopp exclaimed.

"You alright, swordsman?" you smirked, crouching in front of the green-headed man.

He grumbled, rubbing his head, "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Hey, look! A lighthouse!" Nami pointed, giddy.

"A lighthouse? Out here? Why?" Usopp asked, confused.

"It's one of the markers for the Grand Line. The entrance should be close by!" she answered.

"The entrance to the Grand Line is just up ahead," Luffy looked out into the distance, holding his hat in place.

"I think we should say something to mark the occasion," Sanji announced.

"Yeah!" everyone agreed

He rolled out one of your barrels of sake and placed his foot on top, tucking his hands into his pockets.

"I'm going to the Grand Line to find the All Blue."

Luffy did the same, still holding down his hat. 

"I'm gonna be... King of the Pirates!"

"The world's best swordsman," Zoro smirked, propping up his boot.

"I'm going so I can draw a map of the entire world," Nami smiled.

"I guess I'm going... to be a brave warrior of the sea!" Usopp exclaimed.

All eyes turned to you, expectantly.

It seems that now everyone realized you had never directly stated what was your purpose for going to the Grand Line.

Your face turned serious, and you propped your sandaled-foot up on the barrel.

"To find Doflamingo," you lied.

'To kill Doflamingo.'

Luffy's smile grew even wider as he looked down. 

"And now... to the Grand Line!"

And with the smash of your feet, the six of you made your entrance to the Grand Line official.

You all were proper crew mates, all heading to the same place to accomplish vastly different goals.

'No matter what it takes, I will kill Doflamingo.'

[javiddenkins]

Javid Denkins is not interested in answering questions. 

It's 9:30 in the morning and I'm sitting across from Denkins in a conference room at the AMC Studios offices. Denkins declined to meet anywhere more personal than this beige and glass room, impersonal Muzak buzzing through the speakers, windows overlooking an empty studio lot. There are posters on the wall but none, strangely, for Blow the Man Down, the runaway hit Denkins conceived, writes, and now showruns. 

Blow the Man Down, or BTMD as it's frequently referred to by fans and journalists alike, is a workplace comedy set in the Golden Age of Piracy. This unusual premise would be interesting enough even without the top-tier leads brought on by AMC to play opposing pirate captains Sam Bellamy and Olivier Levasseur—Oscar Issac and John Boyega light up the screen and bring surprising comedy chops to the pirate-filled stage they share with such talents as Michelle Yeoh ("Zheng Yi Sao") and Sam Neill ("Captain Benjamin Hornigold"). 

But beyond that, BTMD seems to be that rare thing in mainstream media: a slow romance between two middle-aged men finding love for the first time. The first—and so far, only—season ends on a cliffhanger, our heroes separated by an ocean but determined to reach one another, and their love story—if it is one—stays unresolved. 

Usually an interview like this—between seasons, after renewal and filming but before advertising—would be the perfect opportunity to delve into the mind behind the magic and attempt to tease out hints about what's to come. 

But Denkins seems determined to ignore Hollywood's traditional playbook. 

Whether this is the standard conference room used for interviewing reluctant showrunners, or if Denkins picked it especially for the purpose, I'll never find out. I've already been waiting half an hour, uncertain if Denkins intends to join me at all. When he does finally arrive, he makes his position clear. 

"I'm only doing this because you agreed to my terms," he says. 

I'd describe what he looked like, if he had a coffee or a snack or a smoker's twitching nerves, if he sounded tired or amused or angry—but I can't. If you see a description here, it's because Denkins decided, for whatever reason, to approve it. Otherwise, sharing my impression of Denkins is off the table, one of many terms and conditions my editorial team and I had to agree to before Denkins would accept this meeting. 

Denkins doesn't want to make my job easy. Photos of him do exist from the few red carpets he's attended; enthusiastic interviews with the cast, writers, and production team of BTMD definitely paint a picture that belies Denkins's apparent efforts to avoid perception. But here and now, in the oppressive air conditioning of the AMC offices, I am contractually obligated to interview a cipher.

If he can be all business, though, then so can I. I hit a button on my phone's recording app, set it down between us, and ask what made him decide to tell the story of an obscure pair of pirates like Sam Bellamy and Olivier Levasseur.

He shrugs. "Why does anyone write anything? This is my job." 

It's not the kind of answer I was expecting. Something must show on my face, because he follows with, "That's unsatisfying, isn't it. No definitive answer."

"It's not what I expected," I hedge.

"What did you want to hear?"

I try to gather my thoughts, but I'm definitely stalling, uncertain that this is what Denkins intends. "I did a little research," I say. "Not as much as I imagine you did, but I found some of Bellamy and Levasseur's history together and, later, apart. Bellamy's ship is the only fully authenticated Golden Age shipwreck in the world, so it makes sense that the wrecking of the Whydah is an important turning point in season one. Levasseur, on the other hand, is best known for the mystery of his encoded treasure map, flung into the crowd at his hanging and only ever partially solved, which you seem to have used as a foundation for the coding and decoding motifs throughout. But for a show that seems determined to discuss the consequences of fame and reputation, it's fascinating that you've chosen two men most casual viewers have never heard of."

"Outside the narrative they built for themselves," Denkins corrects. "Is there a question in there?"

I remember again that Denkins isn't here to make this easy for me. "Why not choose one of the more well-known pirates of the era? Henry Morgan, Captain Kidd, and Blackbeard are all arguably more famous both now and when they were alive. What made you choose Bellamy and Levasseur for this story?"

"I think," Denkins says, "I just answered that. There's a difference between how you perceive yourself, and how the world perceives you. Those famous pirates retained their notoriety even after death. Sam and Ollie did have reputations when they were alive, but if people today know them at all, it's typically for reasons completely unrelated to whatever little fame they achieved in life."

"And that fascinates you?"

Denkins looks irritated. "It doesn't matter what fascinates me. That's the story, that's—look, I don't know how to write a puff piece like this," Denkins says. "I don't know if it would really sound like this, if anyone would bother caring enough about what I want to get this far."

"Excuse me?" I say.

"Do you honestly think," Denkins says, "there's a single journalist out there that would actually agree to these interview conditions? This is a fantasy, a what-if, and it still doesn't work."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," says Denkins, "I didn't even give you a name."

And that's true, I realize. I don't have a name. 

"Right," says Denkins, as if hearing my thoughts—and I suppose, in a way, he does. "And you don't know how you got here, and you don't know where you'll go after. I made you up. I made all this up."

I look at my recorder, which isn't a recorder. I look at the room, which isn't a room. 

"Okay," I say. "So what did you want to happen?"

Denkins taps my phone's screen to stop the recording. Denkins imagines me noticing that he taps the screen, and so this must have meaning. There is no room for junk words and actions in prose, and even less in television. Whatever's on the page has to have meaning, or it's wasted space, wasted time, a moment that could have been useful now gone and never coming back.

Denkins shoves my phone back to the center of the table and says, "I wanted to see if I could just talk about the story without making it about me."

"But you're part of it," I point out. "You have to be. It came from you. It was something you thought was important, and then you put the effort in to create it. The story exists because of you, in relation to you. That's why people, why fans, want to know more about you. They love the story, and you made it, so they want to love you, too."

"I don't like that," says Denkins. "Rephrase it."

"They love the story," I say, parroting back at my creator, "and you made it. They want to know about you so they can know more about what the story means."

Denkins's chair creaks as he pushes it back, puts his head in his hands. I wonder if he's doing that in the real world, too, in the place where he's imagining this interview that will never exist. 

(Except I'm not the one wondering. He is. He's wondering what an interviewer would think of him if he allowed himself to show this weakness. Rephrase. Show this ache. Rephrase. Show this.)

"I'm not a story," Denkins says, face still hidden. The Muzak piped into the room seems too loud, too discordant now. Maybe that's what the world sounds like to him. "I'm not imaginary. I'm not a specimen to study under a microscope until every part of me is uncovered and connected one by one to every part of the show." He drags his hands back down and I think I can say that he looks very, very tired. 

"Yes, maybe I put some of myself in Blow the Man Down," he continues. "Maybe I did in season two as well. Maybe I put something in The Gang, and maybe I'll put something into whatever else I make for the next fifty years. And what I put there is—will be—has to be—my choice. All things I chose to share. But this?" He waves a hand at the nonexistent conference room, at nonexistent me. "This isn't a choice. It's a demand. I'm being held hostage for answers, as if me keeping my boundaries somehow ruins the show, ruins the story."

"Because you're not a story," I repeat back, watching for confirmation. "Because what you choose to reveal is the only story the audience should need."

"Yes," says Denkins. "That's it."

That's not it, though. I know this, because I'm him, talking to himself. Thinking all this through. 

"So you cut yourself off," I say. "No one can know anything about you, because they're already clawing for what you're not willing to share—so how much worse would it get if you gave them a chance to come closer, right?" 

"To take, and get it wrong anyway," he says. "Or get it right, but not like it. Not like me. How I'm perceived might change how the story is perceived. And even skipping over the whole art of it all—this is a business. How the story is perceived affects dozens, if not hundreds of people and careers. And all of it can get destroyed in an instant if there's some aspect of me that the audience decides is wrong."

Denkins pushes back from the table, stands up as if to leave. I'm not done yet, though. He's not done yet.

"Sounds lonely," I say.

"Sounds like something a fan would say," he shoots back, and I shrug.

"Blame yourself for thinking it and making me say it, then. It sounds lonely. It is lonely. It's lonely to think there's no way that you could open yourself up, talk about who you are and what your art means to you, without feeling like someone, everyone, will take advantage of that vulnerability."

I pause, and in that pause I find something to latch onto. "You've imagined me," I say. "You've imagined this scenario, where you stay cut off and oblique and hidden." I pick up my phone from where it's placed between us, and I shut it down completely—not because it exists, but because it's a symbol he understands. "What would happen if you imagined being part of the story?" I ask. Rephrase. "What would happen if you imagined being free?"

We look at each other. The tinny music of this artificial space comes to a sudden halt.

Denkins leaves the room. 

I am—

Denkins comes back. He sits down. He looks at me.

Time doesn't exist in the beige and glass room. But behind him, now, there is a poster of Sam Bellamy and Olivier Levasseur, a drilled coin on a cord stretched taut between them. And the Muzak hasn't restarted.

Denkins looks different. Or maybe he just feels different. Those things are functionally the same, here.

"You know the old movie trailers?" Denkins starts, not really a question. "The ones that start with 'in a world…'"

I nod. 

He smiles a little. "Okay. In a world where Blow the Man Down doesn't exist. Let's say there's something else instead. Let's say it's called Our Flag Means Death. It's a workplace comedy, it's the Golden Age of Piracy, the works. They even manage to kiss in the first season, though the cliffhanger is worse. And in that world, there's a different guy who runs it, a guy named David Jenkins, who seems nicer and more outgoing and shares a lot more of himself than I do. And I think it goes mostly okay for him, except he has to scrub his social media, delete most of his Instagram, and never gets to name his wife anywhere in case a fan might notice and start following her around."

"Sounds grim," I say.

He shrugs. "It's another way of handling it. David, in that world, has made a choice to draw the enemy fire toward himself, instead of hiding away and letting it scatter at random. It seems to work okay for him, and maybe it would for me too, but, you know. Maybe that's a little of myself I gave Ollie. Because I also like the idea of testing something first, all the way to destruction."

A little of myself. This—this is personal information. Something that, in the negotiations that never happened, he said he'd never give me.

My phone, with its blackened screen, is right there. I keep my hands still, folded together, decidedly not reaching for the phone. Denkins watches, sees. His shoulders loosen; neither of us, I think, realized how tense he'd been.

"In that world," he says, "there's a second season coming that no one knows anything about and there's a fandom going feral. Echo chambers that feed off their own theories because there's nothing new to add to the pot. Just like our world, right? In the absence of good data, overwrought ideology works just as well.

"And in the middle of this, to provide a distraction, maybe, or to draw that enemy fire like he so often does, David Jenkins says he'll get a Tumblr—you know, one of those not-really-social-media internet places. And maybe he does. He doesn't tell anyone his username, so it's a mystery whether he really did it or not. But someone opens an account. And someone says they're definitely not David Jenkins."

Javid Denkins is holding a cup of coffee. So am I, now. We take sips, mirrors of each other. The coffee tastes like it has seven sugars in it.

Denkins swirls his cup gently, not looking up at me. "When you're trying to figure out something that's terrifying," he says, slow and careful, "and enraging, and so big and so much that it feels like you'll collapse under the weight of it…sometimes you need to find a way to conceptualize it more abstractly. Make it manageable. Put it in bite-sized chunks. 

"So instead of me, dealing with all this fame, and these expectations, and these pulls to turn me from a person into a plot point…maybe there's this other guy. In this other universe, with this other pirate show. Another writer, who says he's definitely not David Jenkins. But—he could be. He could be. And either way, there's enough uncertainty that the fandom can't tell right away."

"Schrödinger's showrunner," I say. 

Denkins tips his mug at me. "Yeah, that gets pointed out, too. Because either it's really him and the fandom will eat at him—death by a thousand needy bites of demand, and something that feels like connection but by its nature can't be—or it's not him, just a fan pretending to be him, attention-seeking, scamming, stealing unearned laurels to crown a meaningless triumph: successfully mimicking the concept of David Jenkins."

"Pretty binary."

Denkins shrugs. "You saw the first season. I'm a sucker for duality." 

He hums and looks out the conference room's window. The AMC lot is gone. More accurately, it was never there. Outside the window is an ocean. The water is green-screen perfect, and there are two tall-masted ships in the distance: Bellamy's Whydah Gally and Levasseur's La Louise. They float angled toward one another, counterpart to their captains on the poster behind Jenkins, missing only the drilled coin between them.

"Except," says Denkins, slow and musing as he watches the distant ships, "in the vast multiverse of imaginable possible outcomes, it turns out that there is the very slimmest possible chance of a third thing happening."

There is another ship floating now between the Whydah and La Louise. It's freshly painted, poorly rigged, and its figurehead is a unicorn. Instead of one flag, it has half a dozen. And I know, because Denkins knows, that instead of gunpowder in its hold, it carries jars and jars of harmless marmalade.

"So," I say, "David Jenkins—"

"Oh, definitely not David Jenkins," says Javid Denkins, amusement lighting up his face. He keeps his eyes on that third ship.

"So the person who is definitely not David Jenkins," I say. "He comes and starts a social media account. He answers questions."

"Sort of. Nothing specific, really. Just…narrative likelihoods. Enough to dangle hope. But the fandom wants more. There's a Richard Siken line he sees, that if he'd chosen to stay anonymous maybe he could've actually posted: 'but monsters are always hungry, darling.' It's like that. So he backs up a little, and considers how to hold off the inevitable. The season two hints are vague? Make them vaguer. Add some smoke and mirrors to hide how little substance they have. There are only so many general pirate tropes around? Stretch out how long it takes to get the ones he has. Add steps. Add puzzles. Make the fandom work for it, and maybe they won't notice how little there is to find. Give them an interesting enough box to open, and they'll ignore the fact that there isn't an answer on the inside, just another, smaller box." He tilts his head and looks at me. The light outside is now luminous pink and yellow, flashing off the water and highlighting his face like a duotone painting. "Then he…" Denkins sighs. Puts down his mug. "Then I sit back and see what happens. I see if it's as bad as I think it would be if I did it here, in the real world."

"And is it?"

Denkins reaches out with one hand, tugging my phone over to his side of the table. He starts fiddling with the buttons, attention on it instead of me. "To start with? Yes. And no. It didn't matter that the one thing I promised was that I wasn't David Jenkins. They—the fandom—found me anyway. They assumed I was him. And I was right, of course I was right, they asked me questions. Hundreds of them. Like that was the only reason I existed, like I couldn't just be a regular person like the rest of them, just on Tumblr to read about the Carpathia and get taken out by the color of the sky."

"For better or for worse, you're a public person," I say. "They think they know what it means when a public person breaks down the barrier between themselves and the fans. Even well-meaning people make assumptions."

The recorder is no longer a phone and app; it's an old cassette player with thick plastic buttons like I, or more accurately Denkins, had as a child. It matches the ones his elementary school classrooms had, which in turn looked like the device Mr. Spock carried at his hip to record and interpret data from strange new worlds. 

Denkins, in the here and now, half-presses the play and record buttons, which would trigger the record function if pushed down completely. He holds back. Riding the edge of commitment. Over and over. 

"Yeah," he says. "Yes. That's true. And I could've been completely anonymous if I wanted to be left alone entirely. I suppose I wanted to prove that everything I believe—everything I'm afraid of—is true, and that I'm justified in hiding away, refusing to be 'known' by anyone I haven't specifically agreed to. Hence the thought exercise. And when I was done, and I had my proof," he says, leaving off the recorder buttons to raise a pointed finger at me, "I wouldn't have to see you again either."

We look at each other. "But here you are," I say.

He laughs. It's rusty, but sure. "Here I am," he agrees.

"So what happened?"

"Turns out," he says, "that in that infinite universe of possibilities a writer can dream up, there's a world where, yes, all my worst fears are confirmed…but that's not all that happens."

He stops, and we are both silent for a long, long moment. His fingertips brush over the recorder buttons, repetitive and soothing, like he's calming something feral and unused to human touch.

"Would you believe," he says at last, hushed and small in this glass and beige room floating on a digital sea, "that there is a world where fans—people—don't ask for more than I want to give? Who see the box I'm in, and instead of ripping it open to grasp for whatever good thing they think they can find inside…they give something back. 

"I played it all out, you see." He waves his hand over the recorder. Now there are two of them, sitting side by side, each with a row of thick black plastic buttons along the edge: one to play, one to rewind, one to record, and one to pop open its lid so that the cassette can be changed. One of the recorders is a little bigger than the other. "If I can imagine it," he says, "it has to be possible."

He looks at the two recorders; he's quiet now, talking to himself rather than me. I don't think I'm as necessary as I was before. I think maybe this is just him. Just Denkins in this lonely little room. He moves the smaller recorder so that it's lined up with the larger one, like he's lining up Matryoshka dolls as he reveals them.

"It started small," he says. "There were people who saw my puzzles, and made puzzles back for me, just to play along. People who saw my puzzles, and shared what they knew about them, just to help others play too. Small things. Little things. Possible things. I liked it. I didn't expect it. I…wanted to give back, too. Not just in the story, I mean. It was me who wanted it. Wanted to add to a world, to a community, where that sort of giving could happen. So I went further. I didn't just try to hint at common story beats this other show might hit—I started listening, following, asking what would be most welcome, and then gave that instead. And it grew. It grew until it wasn't really just an experiment anymore. It stopped being an adversarial proof. It started being…something else."

Denkins reaches out, and now there are three recorders on the table. The newest one is the smallest. He lines it up with the others.

"I'd already made David Jenkins," he says, "and in turn he'd made his own Javid Denkins. So why not do it again? This other Javid Denkins, this me who's me but not me, goes deeper. He uses the tools at his disposal. Our Flag Means Death has pirates named Edward Teach and Stede Bonnet. OFMD has a fandom like BTMD does, where people write stories about the characters, for themselves and—for others. Fan fiction. A thing that can be a gift, if you want it to be. So I started to write one."

One by one, Denkins hits the 'play' button on each of the recorders. The cassettes whir, a steady background hum. Each starts playing a part of some orchestral piece. Not the individual instruments, but something stranger. It's as if each cassette contains the whole work, but with fragments missing that the others complete. There are still some gaps in the playback.

Denkins waves his hand over the collection again, and a fourth recorder, smallest of all, appears. He presses play on it too, and the music fills in. It's a pretty little melody. Simple, if you know how to hear it.

Denkins hums a little of it before looking up, seeing me again. "That was it, really. That's what finally made all this small enough for me to understand. Made it small enough, far enough away from my actual world that I could finally let myself feel it. In this story that I'm telling, here is Edward Teach." Denkins touches the smallest recorder very, very gently. "Teach lives in a world where he's not the main character; he's just a fan of a gay pirate romcom called Blow the Man Down. He's tired, and he's angry, and he doesn't know how to deal with the world the way it is, with the fandom as he perceives it. He makes a Twitter account, anonymously, to prove that what he fears is real."

Denkins covers the recorder with both hands, only muffling the music a little. "Here's Edward Teach, made up of all my fears and saying them out loud."

He raises his hands, and now there are two little recorders, the same size, both playing the same parts together. He touches the new recorder with his fingertip, as if it's a bubble that could too easily break. "Here's Stede Bonnet," he says, "made up of all my fears coming true. And then having to live through it anyway." He stares down at this new recorder; the same as the Edward Teach one, but evidently special in some way to Denkins. He says, to me, to it, to the room: "It's a hell of a thing, to need to go so far away just to see what you've been carrying on your back the whole time."

After a moment, he looks back up at me. "In my story," he says, "Stede survives the disaster. My disaster. He survives it, because he has Ed—a love interest, yes, but not just that. He's someone he opened up to. And more than that, I saw—because I could imagine it, and so it must be possible, it has to actually be possible—I saw the fandom become…people."

With both hands, Denkins presses a button on each of these two small recorders.

Their lids pop open.

And from the walls, from the ceiling, from the glass windows and the limitless sea, there comes a multiverse of music.

"These people," says Denkins, tilting his head to listen as the swells of unseen instruments add to the gentle overture of his pocket worlds and turn the piece into something greater than the sum of its parts. "They're not some nameless collective made up of their worst impulses. They're just people. People are complicated. You can never know them completely; they can never know you. All you really get is what they—we—choose to do. 

"And I saw people try to help Stede. People, strangers, who didn't know who he was, not really. And they felt compassion anyway."

After a long moment, just taking in the music, Denkins sighs and carefully closes the lids on the two small recorders. The singing universe becomes just a recorded orchestral piece once again—though no less beautiful for it. He gently pushes the two recorders together until they're touching, side by side, and covers them with his hand. He says, "Ed got to see this. He got to know that even if his worst fear happens, he'll be okay on the other side of it. And he won't be alone." 

He lifts his hand; the two are now one, still playing its little melody.

Denkins picks up this amalgamated recorder and sets it on top of the next largest. He puts his hand over the stack he's just made. "Move it up a level," Denkins says. "David Jenkins, or someone who is definitely not David Jenkins, runs a Tumblr with games and puzzles and digital tools that stretch the boundaries of the narrative. He sees the reactions to his story. Sees fans who know it isn't real, who know that Stede and Ed are characters in a narrative—and nevertheless, these fans, these people, see that these characters are hurting. They try to help. They don't know who's behind the masks labeled 'Stede' and 'Ed,' not really. But they feel compassion anyway."

He lifts his hand. The little recorder atop the larger is gone. The music is different. Not lessened, but changed. It's come closer. 

Once more, Denkins moves the smaller combined recorder onto the last one—or, I suppose, the first of all of them. "So move it up one more time," he says. The music isn't audible in the room now; but I hear it anyway. It's in me. Us. The last little notes coming from the final recorders just a reminder of what the world could sound like.

He covers the top recorder with both hands. His touch is aching and very, very soft. "Here's me. Javid Denkins. I don't know if there's a world where I could open myself up and not have everything burn down in flames. I don't know if it could ever be possible for me to leave this room, open my laptop, and start something, somewhere, called 'definitely not Javid Denkins,' and have it be as beautiful and awe-inspiring as it was in my thought experiment.

"But God," he says, "I want it."

He lifts his hands, and all that's left is the final recorder, the one that was my phone to begin with. The music dissipates completely. But the feeling of it remains. Denkins rests his hands on either side of this solitary recorder. He says, "I don't know if all of that—all of them, my fans, my friends, all of what we made together…I don't know if it already exists for me in the real world. Just waiting for me to be brave enough to look. I don't know. But I think I have to believe that it does. That they do. I have to believe that it's possible not just to imagine that kind of grace, but to live it." 

Denkins brushes his thumb over the last recorder's play button. "I think that's what it means to be human," he says. "To try anyway. To unlock yourself despite your fears, and find hope there waiting for you."

He closes his eyes. I close my eyes. We take a deep breath together.

We open our eyes.

After a moment, I smile at Denkins, a little crooked. I've got one last question to ask, and it's one he might even answer. 

"Who are you, really?" I ask. 

It's something we all have to answer about ourselves eventually, and it seems particularly relevant now.

Denkins shrugs, and his smile mirrors mine. "Does it matter?"

"It feels like it does."

"How about this," he says. "Who are you, really?"

And knowing what I know now…if I'm anyone at all, then I suppose I'm Javid Denkins. An aspect. A reflection. A dream.

And so, in these universes he's imagined, is everyone.

"So," Denkins says. "You think I can start over?"

I smile wider. It feels good. "I'd love that."

He pushes the recorder back to me, and in my heart I hear his laughing request for one last rephrase—

Javid Denkins has been waiting for me.

It's 9:30 in the morning and I'm sitting across the table from a cheerful enigma. Denkins was already in the room when I arrived, a hot coffee by my seat and a box filled with fresh breakfast pastries and marmalade open and ready to be enjoyed. An advertising standup emblazoned with the unreleased (at time of writing) air date for season two of Denkins's Blow the Man Down takes pride of place at the head of the table. Through the windows opposite, bright sunlight bounces off the buzzing AMC studio lot, and I think I hear a certain pirate romcom's theme music playing quietly over the room's speakers.

Denkins grins at me, and it's easy to see why his actors and writers speak so highly of the experience of working with him. Because I can tell already: this is going to be fun. 

It starts when he leans forward, eyes bright, and presses the record button on my phone for me.

"Let's play," he says, and—we do.