#high seas piracy | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

alexanderwales · 3 months ago

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Someone on my discord said that it didn't seem like it would take all that much work to worldbuild a plausible Age of Piracy that lasted for a thousand years. I somewhat disagree, but I think it's an interesting challenge.

To start with, some boundaries:

Piracy is the act of a sailing ship attacking another sailing ship carrying goods for the purposes of ransom, robbery, and taking on new crew from their number. I will also allow some coastal raiding, even if that's not technically piracy.

Any system/culture of piracy is going to have to consider at least two things: supply of ships and supply of pirates.

Any system/culture of piracy is going to have to have some kind of prey. The snake cannot eat its own tail.

The pirates cannot be primarily state-sponsored, though the ecosystem can have privateers in it, and there can be other tacit approval of piracy from higher powers one way or another (especially e.g. bribes).

The age of piracy needs to be relatively geographically contained and relatively continuous, rather than moving from hotspot to hotspot.

So where does this leave us? What are the big problems to solve?

We need a continuous source of trade for pirates to plunder from. This has to be a trade route, or set of trade routes, that's incredibly stable, surviving political and economic disruptions, and has a high enough value that it persists in the face of piracy.

Sort of inevitably, the people trying to move goods from one place to another do not want them stolen. We probably have to model this thousand years as a series of changes in pirate tactics and trade tactics, but also as something that moves slower than in the real world.

As above, you need a source of ships. You can potentially get these from "pirate havens", but that gets dangerously close to being state-sanctioned if this is in fact the source of ships and pirates. So I actually think you're mostly fine if no one is building ships exclusively for piracy (or only doing that rarely), and instead most of the ships come from the major powers building ships. This is historically accurate, with capture and mutiny being the main source of pirate ships.

As above, you need a source of sailors. Being trained as a sailor took some time, and there's not that much room for on-the-job training for a pirate crew, though there is some. So the source needs to be navies or merchant fleets, and they need to be pretty terrible such that piracy offers the better option. And in the real world, there were lots of indentured servants, slaves, etc. who could get a better life by taking to the seas, though they wouldn't start with skill as sailors.

So we are, I think, starting to sketch out some features of the Thousand Years of Piracy just by implication.

We have a few major continents that are separated from each other by major oceans, maybe with some smaller islands between them to serve as pirate havens, secure harbors, etc. These continents have huge amounts of trade with each other that lasts for a millennium in spite of pressure for them to go local, which means they probably can't. They have incompatible climates leading to incompatible crops, they have different mineral wealth, etc. This trade is super profitable, enough that piracy only puts a dent in profits, and is "cost of doing business".

Macro technology is stagnant for whatever reason. The Scientific Revolution was not inevitable, I think all you need are pretty regular wars on the main continents that rip through institutions of learning, or purges of philosophers for ideological reasons, or just political fragmentation that means there's not quite enough stability to get thinkers together. (Yes, we're using instability to create the stability of stagnation.)

Micro technology is ... probably fine? At some point in the 1,000 years, there are changes to the sails, copper sheathing on the hulls, different shape to the bow, all probably fine. Cannons can get better, rifles and pistols can get better, any of this still falls within "1,000 years of piracy". Certain things are there to stay. Other things fall out of fashion.

What is a problem are changes in tactics. There needs to be no particular thing that can cost-effectively be done about piracy for a thousand years, or at least not in all cases. It's easy to imagine pirates as being a part of the risk-reward calculation for merchants, for pirates to be hunted by navies interested in securing trade ... but if they're to stay pirates for a thousand years, then there needs to be no way for them to get into a stable non-pirate situation. It has to devolve into pirates, even if there are points in this thousand year history where pirates get stomped in every now and then.

One of the big risks is cooption or institutionalization of deviance. What prevents the pirates from all taking deals to become privateers, getting letters of marquee from the major powers and agreeing only to attack one side or another? We want a thousand years of piracy, not a thousand years of privateers. What's stopping the formation of a pirate kingdom, or a pirate monopoly, one that stops any upstarts and forces everyone under the same banner?

And all this I'm much less sure about. I think it's plausible, I guess, but if I had to go fill in an actual worldbuilding document where I mark down all the twists and turns, if I had to think through all thousand years of people trying to stamp out the very practice of piracy, all the things they tried and the ways they failed, that's where I think some cracks might start to show.

#worldbuilding #pirates

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shxuga · 5 months ago

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Whispers of the Deep I | Twisted Wonderland

Jade × Floyd Leech x Female!Reader | Pirate AU | TW: Drowning attempts, unhealthy relationships, mentions of death, alcohol and acts of piracy.

This serie is based on a comic, click here to find it!

The salt in the air stung your skin.

The night was cold, a clear sign that you and the proud Rosehearts fleet had ventured too close to the poles. The icy wind that seemed to seep beneath your very skin reminded you of the night when the imposing and chaotic ship first found you. Drifting on a piece of wood, lost at sea in the dense, dangerous waters. With the promise of making you someone useful, not just another mouth to feed, Captain Rosehearts allowed you to join his crew.

And six months later, you had become a true pirate.

You couldn’t boast, like Ace, about losing a hand in a fierce pirate battle (though that was a lie; the first mate, Mr. Trey Clover, had told you Ace actually lost it after being caught stealing in a town, where they cut it off as punishment). Or like Deuce, who, after a few too many drinks, tearfully confessed how he lost his foot due to a miscalculation during a cannon test. But hey, you looked the part now, with a snug black heart-shaped eyepatch covering your right eye. You didn’t wear it for fun; underneath was a nasty scar and a useless eye. So, when Captain Rosehearts offered you the leather accessory, you didn’t refuse. In hindsight, you would’ve had to accept it regardless.

You bit down on a splinter of wood between your teeth, lazily rubbing your arms against your sides to fight off the chill as your gaze remained fixed on the sea from your lookout perch. Waves crashed wildly against the ship, but that didn’t stop Cater’s slippery tongue. He was animatedly telling one of those old sailor tales that always captivated the younger—or dumber—members of the crew.

“Can you imagine it? Beings beneath the waves, looking like angels!” Cater sighed, gesturing with his hands as though the entity he described could be touched. You weren’t interested in his drunken ramblings, but with nothing better to listen to, you resigned yourself to eavesdrop from your position atop the crow’s nest. “I’m talking about mermaids! Those extraordinary creatures, almost as deadly as they are beautiful.” You took a moment to glance at the crowd of crewmates, enraptured by their superior’s words. It didn’t surprise you to see Ace and Deuce’s mesmerized faces in the middle of the group. “They say their song is like a gentle caress, a deadly trap! Something that turns even the smartest or cruelest sailor into putty in their hands. Once they’ve marked you as prey, there’s no escape.” He concluded with a leap onto the bow, eliciting gasps of surprise from some. You grimaced from your high vantage point.

Between the flickering oil lamp lights, you spotted a flash of red you recognized immediately. You stifled a laugh as you watched that furious red blur make its way toward the drunken group on the bow, entirely unnoticed. Cater brought a finger to his face, his eyes darkened by alcohol and his cheeks flushed despite the biting wind.

“Legend has it, if you manage to get one of their scales, they’ll become your eternal servants!” To your surprise, he continued, drawing even more interest from the others—and more ire from their lurking captain. Cater sighed, like a lovestruck maiden. “Personally, if I could choose how I’d die, I’d want it to be at the hands of one of those beauties...”

His statement shocked no one. His reputation as a ladies’ man was well-known. Rumor had it that, during a stop at a port, several courtesans he’d scorned banded together to get revenge. They supposedly drugged him and... well, the whispers said they castrated him. You had no idea if it was true, but given his nymphomaniac tendencies, it wouldn’t have surprised you.

“If you’re so eager to die, let me be the one to throw you overboard,” growled Riddle, snapping everyone out of their drunken stupor. His stern voice and sharp glare forced Cater to stand straight and regain composure. The others followed suit, fleeing in fear of their temperamental captain’s icy gaze.

The laughter and idle chatter faded. The moon reached its peak in the sky, and everything fell into a deep silence, broken only by the sound of waves, the constant creak of worn wood, and the snores of your crewmates, who had abandoned their posts to huddle on the cold deck. Everything was so peaceful you hesitated when you noticed a distant silhouette on the horizon. You extended your spyglass—practically an extension of your arm at this point—and directed it to the point in the sea that seemed to be approaching rapidly.

The emblem on the flag sent a chill down your spine: an apple dripping with poison smiled at you. If not for the light color of the flag and the ship’s golden detailing, anyone would’ve mistaken the naval guard insignia for a pirate’s Jolly Roger. You yanked the bell rope hard, alerting your crewmates to take their positions.

“Ship sighted!” you announced. To your dismay, the elegant Pomefiore reached you with alarming speed. You were about to jump down from the crow’s nest, rope in hand, when the sound of a cannonball firing echoed in your ears, and the ship shook violently. Everything around you blurred. You heard shouts, the wild splashing of the sea, and before you realized it, you were falling.

The freezing water welcomed you with open arms.

• • •

You have no idea how many days have passed since then. While you frantically fought against the raging sea, someone noticed your absence and dropped a lifeboat in your direction. Somehow, you managed to climb aboard, but as temperamental and vain as the ocean is, a fierce storm broke loose, carrying you far from the fight. And far, far away from your crew.

Despite the cold winds, the sun blazed proudly in the sky. The skin not covered by your wrinkled clothes burned as you sprawled languidly in the small boat, feeling your lips crack and your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth. Your eyes stung, yet another sign of your dehydration. The lifeboat was equipped with a few emergency rations, but you weren’t foolish enough to consume them all at once. Experience had taught you it could take weeks to be found. Deep down, buried in the darkest corners of your mind, you recognized the possibility that you might never be. But you refused to dwell on that thought.

The real battle now was with your own mind.

You were hallucinating—or so you believed. At night, you would wake up in a panic, gripped by the eerie sensation that something, or someone, was watching you. You couldn’t explain it, but it felt like hundreds of eyes emerged from the depths of the sea, silently stalking you. It was morbid. Unsettling. Since then, you hadn’t been able to sleep for more than a few fleeting moments. Paranoia gnawed at your sanity; you could only close your eyes when sheer exhaustion forced you to. But even then, rest was elusive.

You had nothing except your clothes and an old tarp, which you used to wrap yourself during the frigid nights. You were surprised by your own stubbornness—how, despite the bone-chilling cold and the relentless growling of your empty stomach, you refused to give up.

Because you trusted your captain.

He might have been a small and temperamental man, obsessed with his rules, but he was a man of his word. And he’d given his word to you and every other misfit on the ship:

"I will never abandon any of my men. So don’t you dare die."

Clinging to that promise, you wrapped yourself tighter in the stiff tarp, keeping your eyes wide open, watchful, as that disturbing sensation lingered in the dark of the night.

• • •

It's been a month.

You know because the moon, which had been absent for some time, finally showed itself again, bringing with it an unsettling sense of hope. Yet, its absence left you uneasy in the dark, shivering from the cold and the fear that at any moment, something might emerge from the water and drag you into the icy depths of the sea.

But it never happened.

By now, you didn’t know whether to see it as a blessing or a curse.

Your rations were gone. Somehow, you made them last until that morning when you devoured the remnants of stale bread and drained the final bitter drops from your leather canteen. Now, you simply waited for the inevitable. Staring into the water with the moon behind you, you saw your gaunt reflection, thinking about how pitiful and miserable your death would be.

Completely alone. Isolated. Perhaps you would have preferred being arrested, accused of piracy, and hanged in the town square. That death would have been kinder than dying of starvation and dehydration, your body covered in blisters.

Resigned and delirious, you found yourself remembering your first nights aboard the Rosehearts fleet. Nostalgia struck as you softly hummed that song Cater always loved to sing at any opportunity:

"There is nothing... that console me... but my jolly sailor bold."

You sighed, closing your eyes. Slowly, humming until sleep began to take over.

"Is it dead?"

You jerked awake at the sound of a splash and an unfamiliar voice close by. You scrambled backward, drawing the pistol hidden at your side and pointing it without hesitation toward the source of the voice.

Your face drained of color.

An olive glow painted the dark sea. At first, you thought it was a star. But soon, you realized it wasn’t. A star wouldn’t have such a human face—yet also something not entirely human.

The blue-green scales on the masculine body leaning against your boat shimmered like tiny jewels. Like a fish’s—but this being staring at you with a curious, almost morbid amusement was definitely not a fish. Its uneven, dual-colored eyes lingered on your pistol, tilting its head slightly. The moment you fell into the water with it, the gun had turned into dead weight among your clothes, but you had kept it as a precaution. Still, the creature before you didn’t seem to recognize the threat it posed.

It was a mermaid… no, a merman.

A sharp-toothed smile greeted you after a moment of silent contemplation.

“Heh~, I guess I was wrong.”

You couldn’t decide what was more astonishing—that this creature spoke your language or that all those mermaid tales Cater had spouted were actually true. If you made it out of this alive (which, honestly, you doubted), you’d apologize to him and pay closer attention to most of what he had to say. Because even with Cater, half the things that came out of his mouth were lies… if you were lucky.

"I told you, Floyd. You shouldn’t have been so impatient," another voice chimed in, followed by a new splash. You tensed further, whipping your aim to this new direction. Panic gripped you. If you thought one was intimidating, you quickly realized two were the embodiment of pure terror.

Like an animal assessing its odds against a predator, your single eye darted between them. They were identical, equally menacing. Broad shoulders, sharp teeth, and piercing eyes. Where human ears should have been, fins jutted out. Their webbed hands, tipped with claws, scratched lazily at the sides of the boat.

Your chances of surviving this encounter dwindled with each passing second.

“But it was soooo boring...! We’ve never seen a human before—not a live one, anyway.” Floyd grinned widely, and your expression hardened. “Aren’t you curious, Jade?”

"Of course, but I’d rather not be reckless. You know, there could be more of her kind around," Jade said, his olive eye gleaming in a way that churned your stomach. "And that would be so unfortunate..."

"It’s been a month!" Floyd protested, shaking the boat in a fit of impatience. When his gaze shifted from his twin to you, it softened slightly. "I’m so curious… Hey, can you talk?"

"I have nothing to say to you," you spat, gripping the pistol painfully tight in your fingers. Floyd chuckled, leaning heavily on your boat. The wood groaned under his weight, and you wobbled from the shift.

"Heh~, look at her. Trembling like a little shrimp but acting like a shark."

"Humans are, as always, such fascinating creatures."

They started inching closer, their eyes seeming to glow more intensely against the absence of light.

“Stay back—don’t come any closer!”

“Poor thing, she’s so scared…” Jade sighed, placing a hand on his chest as if feigning sympathy. However, his eyes were sly crescents of amusement.

“Do you think a swim might help her relax?”

They shared a look of wicked complicity.

“Only one way to find out…”

“Wa-wait…!” Your protests died on your tongue as they overturned the boat, and the salty water enveloped you.

The sea consumed you, like dark, thick ink. The salt stung your eyes, but you refused to close them, knowing what lurked nearby. The cold clung to your skin, much like your soaked clothes. You swam upward toward the moonlit surface, barely catching a shallow breath before something yanked your ankle, dragging you back down.

You fought against the iron grip coiled around your body, your mind reeling in horror as you noticed the elongated appendage wrapping around your legs and most of your torso. The mermen were enormous, and their tail resembled that of a serpent. Your hands scrambled for the knife hidden in your boot when a faint glow emanating from the chest of your captor (Floyd, perhaps?) caught your blurred vision.

"Legend says if you claim one of their scales, they’ll become your eternal servants!"

You didn’t even think. You couldn’t, not when their clawed fingers were digging into your sides and the water had invaded your lungs. With the last of your strength, you tore the glowing scale from its chest. You caught a glimpse of its shock, but you kept fighting until the small, jagged piece was clutched tightly in your hand. You didn’t know if it would work, but you wished with all your might.

"Take me to the surface! Now!"

Your world flipped in seconds. You vomited the salty contents of your stomach, bile burning your throat as your lungs were granted a second chance. Trembling on your hands, you spat out every last drop of seawater stinging your insides. You didn’t even notice you were still gripping the small scale until your blood began to seep from your palm.

"You... What did you do to me?" the chattier merman hissed, his mismatched eyes glowing with hostility.

“Floyd… your chest.” Jade pointed out, his previously amused expression replaced with shock. You followed his clawed finger’s direction, spotting the faint trickle of blue blood dripping from where you had ripped the scale.

“Oh, looks like it actually worked... That charlatan was right.” You spat out the last salty remnants in your mouth before straightening up. Holding the scale firmly between your fingers, you glared at the two stunned mermen. “Now, would you kindly get your filthy hands off my boat, creature?”

Floyd seems to struggle against a force pulling at his neck the moment you finish speaking your command. It was a fact—with the scale in your possession, he was forced to obey you, much to his dismay.

“Don’t move” you warn Jade when you notice the gears of his mind turning behind his sharp gaze. You shake the scale. “Or I’ll have to use this thing and make your brother kill you.”

Floyd lets out a guttural growl, his eyes sparking with fury and disdain, but he can’t resist the invisible pressure of the scale trembling between your fingers. His body tenses, and an almost tangible force seems to wrap around him, making him falter for a moment, though not enough to fully yield.

“Damn it…” he mutters through clenched teeth, clearly struggling against the control now imposed on him. His hands, which had earlier tried to snatch the object from you, now remain rigid at his sides, as though he’s afraid to touch you.

Jade, on the other hand, appears calm, more surprised by your bold threat. His narrowed eyes and typically impassive face show only a hint of curiosity. The scale, with its lethal gleam, is a card he doesn’t yet fully understand but certainly respects.

“Don’t act tough, human.” Jade replies, his lips curving into a subtle smile. “Not now that you know you can kill me without laying a finger on me.”

It’s not a threat—it’s a certainty, and he says it so casually that it almost makes you doubt your own power. But you know what this scale represents now that it’s in your hands. The energy pulsing within it doesn’t just govern Floyd; it also connects to you in a way neither of them can yet comprehend.

“It’s true,” you respond, feeling the truth in his words. But there’s something else at play here—something that goes beyond mere threats or physical power. You know the scale grants you control, but you also feel how the connection to the merfolk consumes you, like a slow poison seeping into your skin, your mind. You can’t stop it. Not even if you wanted to.

A shiver runs through your body, and you glance at the water’s surface, fearful of what might be lurking beneath the dark waves.

“Listen to me” you say, gritting your teeth as the scale begins to vibrate more strongly, its power growing. Floyd stirs, his gaze no longer on you but fixed on something else, as if the scale’s invisible threads had bound him to an inescapable fate. You feel the pressure in your chest but remain firm. “I’m not going to use this thing to hurt you. That’s not what I want. But if you think you can take me by surprise, you’re wrong.”

Floyd doesn’t respond, but his expression speaks volumes. There’s something in his eyes now—a deep fear. Not of you, not of the direct threat, but of what the scale might do to him if he defies you. And that’s where you have him. You don’t need to harm him. You just need him to believe you will.

Jade approaches slowly, his movements stealthy and calculated, as if waiting for something… something more. But he can’t hide the slight tremor in his hand as the water shifts around him, forming invisible ripples.

“What do you want, then?” he asks, his tone shifting from a threat to something akin to acknowledgment, almost as if he were measuring you, testing you.

“I want your cooperation. Take me to the nearest port, and I’ll return this thing.”

“Why should we trust a human?!” Floyd’s fins bristle, and you frown, irritated by his behavior when you clearly have the upper hand.

Jade observes silently, assessing the conflict between you two. For a moment, everything seems to pause, the tension nearly palpable. Then, a faint glint in his eyes suggests he’s finally made a decision.

“Fine” he says, his tone now more calculated than aggressive. “We’ll take you to the port. But don’t get any ideas, human. You won’t manipulate us at will.”

As he says this, his hand extends toward you, and though you know he isn’t doing it out of kindness, the fact that he’s agreed to the proposal at all is a victory. Despite his reservations, Jade has relented. And that’s the opportunity you need.

“I know you can’t trust me” you reply, keeping calm despite the emotional weight at play. “But understand this—I’m not your enemy. And this deal is the only way we all come out ahead.”

And it’s true. Your only desire was to survive. You understood that these creatures acted according to their nature, but that didn’t absolve them of trying to drown you. You had no intention of becoming their master (as Cater’s tale suggested) or anything of the sort—you just wanted to go home. Because the Rosehearts, with its smell of cheap perfume and rum, had become that. Your home.

The wind whips your face as the sea begins to churn around the small boat. Jade and Floyd, working in silence, haul the ropes with tremendous strength, and the vessel speeds forward, leaping over the waves with the grace of sea creatures. The water bubbles around them as if the ocean itself is aiding their journey, propelled by the determination of the merfolk. Your heart races at the power of their effort, but you remain calm. You know there’s no turning back.

The horizon begins to clear as the port takes shape in the distance. In less than an hour, the water around you seems to calm, as if the sea recognizes the urgency of their mission. The sun’s light starts to ascend, bathing the landscape in golden hues that herald the start of a new day. Under the merfolk’s direction, the small boat nears solid ground.

Finally, the boat touches the first rocks of the port, and with one last push of their fins, Jade and Floyd gently ground it on the shore. The water settles, and the boat halts with a soft creak. The wind no longer blows as fiercely, but the ocean’s echo still lingers in the air. You take a moment to feel solid ground beneath your feet and allow yourself to breathe calmly for the first time in weeks.

Jade retreats, his expression etched with distrust and exhaustion, while Floyd can’t help but cast a withering glare your way. You notice their unease—this close to human territory must be unfamiliar to them, but at this point, that’s the least of your worries. Without a word, you toss the scale toward Floyd. The stone gleams briefly in the morning light before landing in his hands. There’s no gratitude, no farewells, just a cold and calculated exchange.

Without looking back, you step toward the dock, walking like someone who has finally finished what needed to be done. Your attitude is dismissive, as if all those days adrift at sea were just a nightmare you want to forget. As you leave, your footsteps echo against the empty pier in the early hours of dawn. The twins, on the other hand, watch from the water’s edge, their eyes fixed on your retreating figure. Their bodies slip beneath the sea’s surface, leaving behind an ephemeral trail in the water, like a sigh. No words. No promises. The tension between you all seems to dissolve with their disappearance.

You recognize the town as soon as you set foot in it. It was marked on the Rosehearts’ route, so with a bit of luck, you might reunite with your crew by the end of the day. You’re exhausted; fatigue clings to you as clearly as the salt and smell of the sea in your clothes. You trade the trinkets you kept from the lifeboat for some gold. It’s not much, but it’s enough to buy a cold drink and secure a place to sleep for the afternoon. Because, for heaven’s sake, you need some rest. And to think. Now that you’re no longer on the brink of death, you feel you have a lot to process. While your life as a pirate had been full of madness and fantastical experiences, this, by far, had been the most surreal.

The creaky bed in the rundown inn you found with your meager budget groans in protest as you collapse onto it. You’ve bathed, and your clothes have been replaced with something resembling what you wore before. At this point, all you want is to lie down and sleep until the harbor bell announcing incoming ships wakes you. But there’s a strange itch pricking at the skin of your palm. Annoyed, you open your hand in front of your eyes.

The greenish glow that greets you makes your guts churn.

The scale… the damn scale. How had it returned to your hand? You were sure you’d thrown it away!

You don’t even think before opening the window and hurling it out for the second time. Seconds pass, during which all you hear is the erratic pounding of your pulse in your ears. Just to be sure, you check your hand again, and…

The scale is back.

A knot tightens in your stomach. The harbor bell snaps you out of your stupor. You lift your eyes and recognize the Jolly Roger of roses and skulls painted on a menacing black flag. A new fear blooms in your gut, alongside a growing doubt forming in your head:

How are you going to explain this to your captain?

#twisted wonderland #ツイステ #jade leech x reader #floyd leech x reader #pirate au #fanfic #ao3

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shortformdrip-blog · 2 years ago

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Mmh piracy 😊❤️

Someone needs to inform the (rightly) pro-piracy tumblr users that it is no longer 2014 and some of the services they are recommending will turn ur computer in a broken microwave that serves bitcoins to shitheads.

#quedelydoop #a guide to the high seas #safe sailing out there folks remember to use uBlock as well #piracy #utorrent #torrent #limewire #yar har fiddle dee dee

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inseobts · 1 month ago

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Hi there! I saw that your requests are open so i hope you won't mind me sending one ^^

May i request for an Usopp x strawhat!reader who's the lookout? (fem!reader ofc)

For the scenario im thinking of Usopp and the reader running off to his workshop from a party so they can give each other and kisses and stuff ya know 🥺 i would like it to be fluff please also takes place in post timeskip :3

Tysm in advanced! <3

Drunken Escapade

usopp x strawhat!reader

during a lively party aboard the thousand sunny, you and usopp find yourselves sneaking away for a few stolen moments together.

a/n: thank you so much for this request, I finally had the opportunity to write for usopp and I loved ittttt ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

words count: 1.4k

tags: fluff, romance, secret escape, soft kisses

masterlist || ao3 || ko-fi

⊹₊┈ ₊⊹ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ₊⊹ ┈₊⊹

The party is in full swing, music and laughter filling the night air as the Thousand Sunny rocks gently on the waves. Plates clatter, drinks slosh, and somewhere in the chaos, Luffy is challenging Franky to an eating contest.

You should be up in the crow’s nest, keeping an eye on the horizon, but tonight, you let yourself enjoy the warmth of the celebration.

Well, mostly.

Because right now, your attention isn’t on the party. It’s on Usopp.

He’s been stealing glances at you all night, his usual bravado faltering under the dim lantern light. And when he catches you looking back, he quickly turns away, pretending to be deeply invested in whatever Chopper is saying.

But you know that look.

So when he leans in close, whispering, “Wanna sneak away for a bit?” and you don’t hesitate.

You take his hand, giggling as you weave through the crowd, careful not to draw attention. The two of you slip past Sanji, who is too busy swooning over Nami to notice, and dodge Zoro, who is already three drinks deep and in no condition to care.

By the time you reach the door to Usopp’s workshop, your heart is racing.

The moment you step inside, Usopp closes the door behind you, muffling the noise of the party outside. The room smells like wood shavings, gunpowder, and just a hint of sea salt, so very him.

You barely have time to turn around before he’s pulling you into a hug, arms wrapped snugly around your waist.

“Finallyyyyy” he mutters into your hair, and you laugh, letting your forehead rest against his shoulder.

“You were acting so obvious, you know,” you tease, poking his side “Staring at me like a lovesick fool.”

Usopp groans, pulling back just enough to pout at you “Was I really that obvious?”

“Like, incredibly obvious.”

His face flushes, but he doesn’t deny it. Instead, he tugs you closer, his fingers tracing idle patterns against your back “Well… can you blame me?”

And then, before you can reply, he leans in.

The kiss is soft, gentle and unhurried, like he’s memorizing the way your lips feel against his.

You sigh against him, threading your fingers through his curls, and he melts, pressing even closer. His hands settle at your waist, thumbs brushing against your hips in slow, lazy circles.

It’s not like the wild, messy kisses you sometimes share when adrenaline is high and danger is near.

No, this is different. Sweeter. Like he has all the time in the world to love you.

When you finally pull away, both of you are breathless.

Usopp grins, lopsided and dazed “Worth sneaking away for?”

You laugh, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek “Absolutely.”

Outside, the party rages on. But in here, with his arms still wrapped around you and his lips still tingling against yours. Nothing else matters.

Usopp chuckles, still holding you close “Y’know, I think this might be my best idea yet.”

“Oh?” You raise a brow, playing along “And here I thought the ‘Usopp Piracy Party Popper’ was your greatest invention.”

He groans dramatically “Okay, first of all, that was a masterpiece! It just… happened to explode a little too close to Franky’s hair.”

You snicker, remembering the way Franky had yelled about the singed ends of his pompadour “Yeah, a little too close.”

Usopp shakes his head, sighing “But no, this...” he gives your waist a light squeeze, tilting his head down to rest his forehead against yours “...this is definitely my best idea.”

Your heart flutters at the way he’s looking at you, warm and full of something tender.

“Oh, so sneaking away to kiss me is your greatest achievement?” you tease, pretending to think “Not becoming a brave warrior of the sea?”

He smirks, arms tightening around you “Hey, don’t you know? A real warrior has to protect what’s most precious to him.”

Your breath catches “And that’s…?”

“You, dummy.”

You barely have time to process that before he’s kissing you again, this time a little deeper, a little needier, like he can’t believe you’re really here, in his arms, wanting him just as much as he wants you.

You smile against his lips, fingers tangling in his curls as he hums in contentment.

After a long moment, he pulls back, a dazed look in his eyes “Y’know, if we stay in here too long, someone’s gonna come looking for us.”

You groan, dropping your head against his chest “Ugh, don’t remind me.”

He laughs, resting his chin on top of your head “We could just hide in here forever.”

“As tempting as that sounds,” you sigh dramatically “I do actually have to do my job.”

Usopp huffs “You’re too responsible for your own good.”

You grin, poking his cheek “And you love me for it.”

He doesn’t even hesitate “Yeah, I do.”

Your breath hitches, warmth spreading through your chest at how easily he says it—like it’s the simplest truth in the world.

He blinks, realization dawning a second too late “Wait— I mean— I wasn’t—”

You giggle, reaching up to cup his face “I love you too, Usopp.”

His eyes go wide. Then, before you can react, he’s tackling you into another hug, spinning you around with a giddy laugh.

Outside, the world keeps moving. But in here, wrapped up in each other, it all seems to slow down, just for the two of you.

Usopp finally sets you down, but he keeps his arms around your waist like he’s afraid you might slip away. His grin is so wide it nearly splits his face, and you can’t help but giggle at how giddy he looks.

“I can’t believe you just said that” he mutters, still looking a little dazed.

“What, that I love you?” You tilt your head “Why? You think I don’t?”

“N-No! I mean— I hoped— I mean, I definitely thought—” He stops himself with a groan, covering his face with his hands “You’re making me all flustered, woman!”

You laugh, prying his hands away so you can see the deep blush spread across his cheeks “That’s kinda my job, isn’t it?”

Usopp grumbles under his breath, but his fingers instinctively tighten around yours.

For a moment, it’s quiet. The distant sound of laughter and music from the deck reminds you that the party is still going strong. That you should probably be back up there, doing your job.

But right now? You don’t want to move.

Usopp seems to be thinking the same thing, because instead of pulling away, he tugs you toward the small workbench in the corner of his workshop. He plops down onto it and pulls you right between his legs, resting his forehead against your shoulder with a sigh.

“You’re gonna be the death of me” he mumbles.

You smile “That’s dramatic, even for you.”

“No, really. I think my heart almost exploded.” He lifts his head slightly to look at you, still pouting “You can’t just go around saying stuff like that without warning.”

You roll your eyes but indulge him anyway, pressing a quick kiss to the tip of his nose “Okay, next time I tell you I love you, I’ll give you a heads-up first.”

Usopp groans, burying his face in your shoulder again “You’re evil.”

You hum in amusement, rubbing his back in slow circles “And you’re stuck with me.”

He chuckles, his breath warm against your skin “Yeah,” he murmurs, a little softer this time “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

A few minutes pass, and you’re both perfectly content just holding each other in the quiet.

But then— “Oi, Usopp! Have you seen y/n?”

Zoro’s voice carries through the hall, making both of you stiffen.

You barely have time to react before Usopp is suddenly in a panic, scrambling to his feet and looking around like a trapped animal.

“Oh crap. Oh crap. Oh crap,” he whispers frantically “If he finds us in here, I’m dead!”

You snort “Why? It’s not like we’re—”

“Usopp!”

The sound of heavy footsteps approaching makes your heart lurch. Usopp grabs your wrist, eyes wild.

“We need to hide.”

You blink “In your workshop?”

“YES.”

Before you can argue, he’s already yanking you toward a pile of stacked crates in the corner, shoving you behind them just as the door swings open.

Zoro steps inside, his sharp eyes scanning the room. His brow furrows “Weird. Thought I heard something…”

Behind the crates, you and Usopp are practically glued together, both of you holding your breath.

Usopp presses a finger to his lips, silently begging you not to make a sound.

You nod, but the moment you do, you feel a tickle in your nose.

Achoo!... Oh no

Zoro’s head snaps toward the sound.

Usopp goes pale.

“…The hell was that?”

You and Usopp exchange a look.

Welp. You’re screwed.

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shy-sapphic-ace · 1 year ago

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List of queer books I read, loved & recommend!

(There isn't any particular order, I wrote these as I remembered them)

Master Of One - Jaida Jones & Dani Bennett (mlm, fantasy, very cool worldbuilding and magic system, funny, cool characters)

Legends & Lattes - Travis Baldree (wlw, fantasy, very soft & chill vibes)

The Priory of the Orange Tree - Samantha Shannon (wlw, high fantasy, cool worldbuilding, kinda reminds me of LOTR but with more dragons and feminism and lesbians)

Even Though I Knew The End - C.L. Polk (wlw, supernatural noir, cool 1930s detective story with angels & demons, I loved this one!)

The Love Interest - Cale Dietrich (mlm, science fiction, very cool concept)

The Darkest Part Of The Forest - Holly Black (side mlm, fantasy, cool fae lore)

The Weight Of The Stars - K. Ancrum (wlw, not quite science fiction but space stuff is involved, lovely and complex characters)

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Benjamin Alire Sáenz (mlm, fiction, very nice in general, there is also a sequel)

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue - Mackenzi Lee (mlm, historical and vaguely fantasy, nice story but I preferred the sequel honestly)

The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy - Mackenzi Lee (wlw, the sequel to the one before, more fantasy elements than the first, asexual main character!!)

Gallant - V.E. Schwab (no romance, but in the background one of the characters(?) uses they/them pronouns, very cool dark fantasy vibe)

Stranger Than Fanfiction - Chris Colfer (gay main character, trans main character, coming-of-age, nice book)

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (yes it's the Love, Simon book, mlm, fiction, pretty nice)

They Both Die At The End - Adam Silvera (mlm, sci-fi ish but mostly fiction, cool ideas, but the ending is sad! Very amazing book though, I haven't read the prequel yet)

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid (wlw, bi main character, historical fiction, cool story, just a neat book in general)

This Is How You Lose The Time War - Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone (wlw, sci-fi, very cool time travel stuff!! and very beautiful, it felt like reading poetry most of the time)

One Last Stop - Casey McQuinston (wlw, background trans & pan & queer characters, sci-fi or fantasy idk, but time travel, I loooved this book, great)

The House In The Cerulean Sea - TJ Klune (mlm, fantasy, THIS BOOK oh my gosh you should read it!!, just cute and lovely and good)

Under The Whispering Door - TJ Klune (mlm, fantasy, this book is also sooo amazing, great character development and awesome relationships and stuff, it's been a while since I read it but it was so good)

In the Lives of Puppets - TJ Klune (mlm, ace main character!!, sci-fi, now THIS is found family, oughh feelings. argh, tj klune you’ve done it again, a human and his family of funky robots… I love them)

And They Lived... - Steven Salvatore (nblm, fiction, about gender identity and learning to love yourself, read it a while ago but it was very nice)

I Wish You All The Best - Mason Deaver (nblm, fiction, about finding your identity and people who care about you, very cute and sweet)

The Song Of Achilles - Madeleine Miller (mlm, historical, very good in general)

Carry On - Rainbow Rowell (mlm, background wlw in the third book, fantasy, it's a trilogy, basically Harry Potter if it was gay and also better)

Silver In The Wood - Emily Tesh (mlm, fantasy, very pretty, lots of fae stuff and lovely descriptions, it has a really good sequel too)

Pretty much anything by Alice Oseman (all cute and lovely and great, though I've only read Radio Silence so far I hear only good things, Solitaire is on my to-read list)

I Kissed Shara Wheeler - Casey McQuinston (wlw, fiction, it's been a while but I liked this book)

The Falling In Love Montage - Ciara Smyth (wlw, fiction, this book was so cute and funny and deeply emotional it made me Feel way too many things, I'd definitely recommend it)

What Big Teeth - Rose Szabo (a bit of queerness all around, fantasy, werewolves and monsters, this one was pretty cool!, lots of original ideas for the world/character building)

His Quiet Agent - Ada Maria Soto (mlm, asexual, fiction, about like spies but this book was so gentle and sweet I wanted to cry in the best way possible)

Some By Virtue Fall - Alexandra Rowland (wlw, historical fiction(?), theatre drama!! rival romance!! duels!!, a very good read in general)

Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend - Emma R. Alban (wlw, historical fiction, I’m not usually one for regency romances, but I really liked this!!, very cute and lots of drama, and there’s a sequel coming out soon!)

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