#in the land of sand;; Alabasta

[per-oceanum]

Alabasta.

Of Cobra.

I. Crocodile arrived with the sole intention of simply fulfilling his duty as a newly appointed Warlord of the Sea: protect Alabasta, get paid, prosper. Until he actually met King Cobra Nefertari, and realized how much the port city of Nanohana had actually suffered due to the pirates that had been coming and ravaging the city for five years since Gold Roger sent them all on a wild goose chase. Perhaps he was actually fond of the city, of the country-

II. The first five years he was there, he spent working alongside the royal family. Learning their history, the history of Alabasta. The climate was one that favored Crocodile’s Devil Fruit; during the cooler nights, he’d walk into the desert and spend hours working on fine tuning his abilities. Creating sand storms with the wave of a hand, crating dust devils that grew into full-fledged tornadoes, sink holes. If it weren’t for Alabasta, he would not have grown as strong as he now is.

III. The greed didn’t begin until after his fifth year; the idea that he could be more. [ The whispers of the World Government moving again, killing the famous Shipwright, Tom, searching for blueprints that he knew damn well caused the destruction of his own home. He couldn’t sit by and do nothing. ] Thus, Rain Dinners sprouted: drawing in both pirate and civilian ( and marine ) coin, allowing for Alabasta to flourish with the influx.

IV. He spent hours with the Nefertari family- between conferences with Cobra and entertaining young Vivi by letting her climb over him, hang off of his hook, or play with the baby Bananawani- the hours spent within the halls of the palace quickly added up.

V. “But how didn't he know that Vivi had joined the ranks of Baroque Works?” Oh, he knew. It was Vivi who didn't know that Crocodile was both Mister Zero and the leader of Baroque Works until she joined with the Strawhats. After all, how many blue haired girls are followed around by a man with fancy hair? After all, by the time she'd joined- his plan was already too far in the works for him to ever stop. ( Perhaps a part of him hoped she'd remain on his side. )

VI. The tragic events that led up to his defeat were due to his own pride getting in the way. Of course, Cobra had become a pawn in this game of chess, but Crocodile hadn't had plans to kill Cobra. Cobra was going to enact that himself by bringing the whole building down atop them! ( That's what he tells himself; the pain of losing those closest to you one after another so quickly can make one do such silly things… )

Tbc.

[haveatthee83]

Under My Skin (Monkey D. Luffy/Reader) 1/7

Inspo: Under My Skin by Jukebox the Ghost

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7

Word Count: ~8.5k

Warnings: Angst, arguing, cursing, angry Luffy, discussion of death and dead relatives, brief descriptions of violence.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Luffy was a very happy person. Plenty of people thought he might not even be capable of feeling negative emotions sometimes. All of that theorizing got swept away with the tide the day Ace had died. The heart wrenching wails of the young captain were enough to make the sea herself weep. Luffy was a real person who felt things like loss, sorrow, rage, and hate. That last one wasn’t one he felt very often if at all until years later when you came along.

You had guided his crew through your island, a large sprawling summer island with rolling sands and sunbaked stones. It constantly sent shivers of familiarity through Luffy and the crew, thinking back to Alabasta. All the Straw-Hats had their eyes glued to Luffy, making sure he was okay, but there was apparently no need, his large smile never leaving his face as he asked question after question about the area, what foods you had there, if it ever snowed, or where did you live on this massive island. You would answer as best you could, curt, little responses between small smiles. “We have all kinds of different fruits, vegetables, and fish, but we’re known for raising boar for meat.” “It only snowed once, and it practically shut down the whole island. No one knew what to do!” “I live somewhere close by; I’ll show you and make you all dinner! Make sure you have shelter for the night.”

At first, all seemed well, Luffy was constantly engaged by the land around him, taking in the sights as you brought them toward your home, but then-

“SANDSTORM!” Your voice pierced through the air as you hurriedly corralled the pirate crew into your home, slamming the door shut and grabbing a large robe of sorts, throwing it over your shoulders, “Feel free to make yourselves comfy, eat or whatever you need.” You assured, slamming the door shut, shoving a large plank of wood through the handle to keep and wind from blowing it open or off its hinges. “I’ll be right back!” You called over the wind.

The crew watched through scratched and dirty windows as you shoved a bandana over your nose and slapped a hat onto your head. An orange cowboy hat. You took it off of a hook on your porch, tightening its drawstring under your chin. The hat wasn’t particularly offensive in and of itself, of course. It was a simple, bright orange with a red banded set of goggles on the brim, which you promptly slipped off of the hat and over your eyes, their blue tinted glass glinting in the slowly suffocating sunlight. You gave the pirates a two fingered salute through your windows before sprinting toward your dune buggy right by your house, speeding off in a cloud of sand to help your town hunker down for the storm.

Logically, such a fashion choice would mean very little to someone. Logically, it might even make one laugh at the similarity, the irony. Logically, it was just a hat. But the way it was the exact shade, exact cut. The way your goggles mirrored the smiley tokens. The way your own freckles sprawled over your cheeks…there was nothing logical about it. Who the fuck did you think you were?

The Straw-Hat crew collectively held their breath, all eyes on their captain. Luffy’s smile finally cracked.

“Hey! What’s she got that for?” He exclaimed, rattling the front door’s handle, making its old hinges groan and creak.

Nami and Usopp both grabbed their captain by the shoulders, trying to pry him away from the door, “It’s just a coincidence!” Nami insisted, tugging harder,

“Nuh-uh!” Luffy called out, kicking wildly at his crew mates. “That’s Ace’s hat!”

Nami whined, “Sanji! Make some food or something and make him relax! Or else I’m knocking him out!”

Sanji didn’t even take time to swoon, getting right to work, raiding your fridge and pantry, looking mostly for some type of meat for the ravenous man who was rapidly trying to tear down your door. The cook practically chittered with glee as he found your store of the famed Boar meat, quickly making a plan in his mind as to best prepare it in such a quick fashion.

“Calm down!” Zoro chimed in trying to help calm down the out of character behavior. The swordsman whacked Luffy on the head, “You can’t do shit till she’s back, dipshit!” He hissed, palming the captain’s head like a basketball.

Luffy let out a strangled cry of anguish, flopping onto the ground, “Stupid hat.” He muttered.

Nami, Usopp, and Zoro let him fall, jumping back, the crew all looking between each other. They had left Brook and Franky on the ship, Robin was holding Chopper to her side, running a hand along his fur, trying to soothe him, Sanji was whirling away in the kitchen, and the other three were sat clueless as to what to do. How do you make someone feel better when you’ve never seen them like this?

Luffy scowled, scrambling to his feet and rushed to your living room, sticking his face against the glass of a window, leaning against the beat-up mint green couch under it. ‘Ugly couch.’ Luffy thought bitterly.

Luffy wasn’t wrong. Your furniture was a true-blue hodgepodge of different pieces you’d picked up doing odd jobs or found on the side of the road and fixed up. Nothing went together and it all had patches and noticeably repaired wooden pieces.

Luffy’s eyes drove over the sandy landscape, peeled for your shadow coming up the drive, but it wasn’t there, not yet.

The Straw-Hats all gathered in the living room minus Sanji and settled around their frowning captain.

“What should we do?” Usopp whispered to the group, sitting on an obnoxious, yellow velvet ottoman. “I haven’t seen Luffy like this in ages.” He muttered, thrusting a thumb over his shoulder to where the man sat.

Robin sighed, holding Chopper in her lap, sat on a purple, floral print wingback chair. “I don’t think there’s anything we can do.” She started, “He needs to talk to her.”

“It’s not his hat though,” Zoro mumbled, leaning next to your mud brick fireplace, “it’s just another orange cowboy hat.”

Nami nodded, legs swung over an emerald, green love seat, “Surely, he knows that?”

Robin shrugged and shook her head, “It’s just his poor mind dealing with the grief.” She suggested.

“What if she knew Ace?” Chopper whispered into the still air of the room, running everyone’s breath stale.

“We won’t know anything until she comes back.” Robin chastised the small reindeer, “Don’t go and put ideas like that out into the universe. It might make things worse.”

Luffy could hear them talking but chose to ignore it, opting to keep his gaze glued on the sand whipping past the window, fixated on a wind chime you had on your porch that slanted with the wind, a wind chime with large, round, red beads hanging from it. Luffy felt his eye twitch as he set his jaw, teeth grinding a bit.

Robin rose from her seat and set Chopper down in her place, opting to walk around your space and see what you were all about. See if you had any good books or any clues as to why you and Ace shared so many similarities.

She travelled over to a small bookcase you had. One can tell a lot about someone based on their bookshelves. The types of readings they kept, the organization, the Knick knacks shoved between hard covers. Her sharp eyes drove over the disorganized covers and broken spines, her hands tucked neatly behind her. There were all kinds of books, with many glass vases and figurines all throughout. She paused, blinking back her shock a bit when she noticed a picture in a frame on the eye level shelf. It was of you, flames wrapped around your skin, a crooked grin on your face, your head topped by that same hat. Your flames burned bright yellow, a long pole in your hand. You had soot and sweat caked to your skin. You were a glass blower. And a Devil Fruit user. With flames.

‘Oh no,’ she thought, quickly looking over her shoulder to make sure Luffy was still preoccupied. Robin looked back at your photo and sighed, acknowledging the inevitable, and left it in place, looking further. You had books of all kinds, books about navigation, astronomy, anatomy, and sailing. You had thick novels about fantasy realms and thin manuals about forges and various vehicles.

Robin’s hands instinctively reached to grab a book from the third shelf. It was worn, with cracked leather binding. The front of it was rather unassuming, bare other than a small engraving of your name at the top. Robin tentatively opened the book, the insides held together with rings, the pages strung in by hand. The first few pages held photos of you as a child, a clipping of your first haircut, your first tooth that you lost, and Robin found a soft smile spreading across her face at the sight of your young, happy face.

The next section held pictures of you as a teenager, one labeled as your first time using your flames, and you held a terrified expression as the yellow flames licked up your arms. The next page showed you glass blowing alongside an old man, the hat now sported proudly on your head, all smiles all around.

The next page made Robin pause. It was a wanted poster. Your wanted poster. Robin quirked a brow at the bounty and the photo. You were worth a cool billion, and the photo of you looked terrifying, your eye glinting through a gap of your flames, your whole body in shadow, and still you had that hat on your head. Robin didn’t have to wonder long about what you had done, the next set of pages were full of clippings from newspapers from all around the world, detailing the adventures of the formidable “Glass Dragon”. You could allegedly form your body into the components for glass and summon flames all around you, namely your breath, to melt them together and form massive glass structures, and tempered glass armor or shields around yourself.

You were in story after story for different raids on the Marines, amassing a body count, encasing entire ships in bubbles of glass, sinking others with glass cannonballs flung through their hulls. The most recent of these adventures is what raised you past the millions. You had killed a high-ranking Marine. An Admiral.

The newspapers didn’t know why you had done it, what your motives were for targeting the marines with such ferocity, but the following page cleared things up. It was a single, small clipping in the middle of the page. It was just text, didn’t even have a picture. It was a simple story about Marines taking out a small fry pirate ship. On it a crew of thirty-nine were all slaughtered. It was thought that no one survived. The article had a simple quote from the now passed Admiral, “Those animals had it coming! Any who oppose the government and turn to piracy deserve to burn.” The statement made Robin clench her teeth, but she couldn’t help but notice, right under the snippet was a handwritten note. A promise. “One survived. And you’ll all burn for it.” It said with a set of tally marks underneath, twenty-five.

Robin pursed her lips, feeling invasive, but pressed on, flipping the page again, finding a large group photo, the crew who was killed. Right front and center was you, beaming with your arms around the two people at your side. Under the photo it was simply labeled “Last family photo” with a date, only days before the date of the slaughter. Robin’s eyebrows pinched in worry, turning the page. What followed were pages and pages of pictures of the passed crew and you, all singed on the edges, but intact. “The Spotted-Salamander Crew” was what you were called, your Jolly Roger sporting freckles and wrapped in green flames.

One photo that caught the woman’s eye was one labeled ‘Captain’ with birth and death dates under it. In the photo was a young man, no more than twenty, posing for a photo with you wrapped in his arms, more like a headlock, holding the camera high above you two, tipping your hat off of your head. He looked so much like you, with many dark freckles over his cheeks. He had bright green flames licking over his shoulders. ‘Another flame user?’

“Robin!” Came a call from Nami in the living room. Finally, Robin closed the book and set it back in place, striding over to the younger woman. Nami waved Robin closer over the back of the loveseat, “Find anything?”

Robin winced, “It’s worse than we thought.”

“How?!”

“She’s a Fire Devil Fruit user.” She whispered to Nami.

Nami paled, slapping her hand against her forehead, “Please tell me Sanji’s almost done cooking!” She whined.

Sure enough, the blond cook had just finished, placing platters of pork and toppings up onto the counter along with warm corn tortillas. He had made tacos.

“Food’s ready!” he shouted, the crew quickly rushing the counter, “She had a ton of tortillas on hand, so I thought I’d roll with it.” Sanji muttered, wiping the counters down.

The cook’s eyes scanned the crew who were up and getting the food. Luffy wasn’t there. Sanji gasped, hand slapping over his mouth. The other crew members looked at him, confused until he pointed over their heads, frantically gesturing to the preoccupied pirate. “He isn’t getting food!” Sanji hissed, threading his fingers into his hair and pulled. “This isn’t good.”

All six of them shared a look, Nami urging Zoro to say something, anything to their captain. Zoro’s eyes widened and he shook his head, “I don’t know what the fuck to do!” he whispered through gritted teeth. Still, Nami insisted, gesturing again toward the stewing man. Zoro sighed, but turned around, “Luffy!” he exclaimed. Luffy didn’t even twitch, “Food’s ready. There’s meat!”

Luffy didn’t care. He felt his stomach growl and he thought the smell was amazing, but he couldn’t find it in him to get up. He felt in every fiber of his being that he needed to stay put, ready to see what your problem was when you came back.

The Straw-Hats all shook their heads and shrugged, “Let’s just eat, I’ll bring him a plate.” Robin insisted, grabbing a plate. They all did the same, with grumbles of worry and agreement. You didn’t have a dining room, so the pirate crew went back to their spots in your living room, Sanji and Zoro joining Luffy on the couch, the stretchy captain between them.

Luffy didn’t even touch the plate next to him, ignoring the soft conversation around him, barely even blinking.

Usopp scanned the room, noticing a record player next to your fireplace, a box full of vinyl records under its little table. The sniper thought, surely this might help. Luffy loved music and dancing. So, he set his food aside, finishing a bite of the juicy taco before wiping his hands on his pants and getting up, quietly stepping over to the player. He just grabbed one from the top of the pile, sliding it out of its sleeve and setting it up, gently resting the needle on its grooved surface.

Fun, rhythmic music with lots of wild drum and guitar came from the record, Usopp bouncing his head to the beat.

Luffy, on the other hand, tensed, head whipping over to stare daggers at the music player, frown deepening.

“What now?” Zoro groaned through a bite of his taco.

Luffy grit his teeth as he spoke, eyes fiery with rage, “Ace liked that song. Danced to it all the time.” He hissed. The whole room seemed to freeze, Sanji choked on a bite of his food, and Usopp frantically moved to take the needle off of the record. Luffy flopped onto the couch, sitting properly, but with crossed arms and slumped posture. “Who does she think she is? Is she trying to copy Ace or something?” Luffy grumbled, “Thinks she’s so great…”

The room dissolved into silence, the only sound was the occasional rustle of fabric when someone readjusted their posture and the whistling of the whipping wind. And that’s how the Straw-Hats sat for another twenty minutes, Luffy never once even looking at the plate of food.

Everyone flinched, Chopper shrieking as the scrape of wood on wood rang through the room. You were back. Luffy shot up, stomping over to wait for you to force your way through. When the door cracked open, you had to fight to not let it swing wildly, forcing it shut behind you. When you managed to get inside, you unraveled your robe from your body, shaking sand all over the floor before taking off your goggles and hat, shaking them out before shaking out your hair. All the while, Luffy sat patiently, an intense glare piercing through you. You, however, didn’t notice. Giggling as you let the sand fall all around you.

“Woo-ee!” you exclaimed, “Wasn’t expecting another storm like this for another month! Sorry it’s interrupting your visit!” you apologized, kicking off your boots, turning them upside down, letting a comical amount of sand accumulate under you. You noticed the uncharacteristic silence and finally looked up, eyes locking with Luffy’s enraged gaze, flinching back in response.

You eyed the pirate, brows pinched together, but continued hanging up your gear by the door, finally hanging your hat on a hook. “Can I help you?” you huffed, trying to keep it light.

Now, people also thought Luffy was a lot more innocent than he really was. He hung around Shanks, Ace was his brother, he’s a damned pirate. All of which became very clear when he opened his mouth, spitting out, “Where the fuck do you get off, lady?”

You blinked, trying to process the out of character attitude, raising your hands up, “I can’t control the weather, dude.”

Luffy shook his head and stomped up to you, reaching over your shoulder and snatching your hat off its hook, shaking it in your face, “This.” Luffy hissed, “Is my brother’s hat. You have his favorite music; you have a damned wind chime with beads just like his necklace. What’s the fuckin deal.”

You scowled, snatching your hat from Luffy’s hands, “It’s not his fucking hat! I’ve had this thing since I was twelve. My uncle gave it to me!” you snapped back holding Luffy back with your foot, keeping him from grabbing it back from you. You huffed and threw it over your neck, letting it hang behind you, “This whole island is covered in those beads, and it’s not my fault your brother has good taste!”

“Had.” Luffy grumbled, clenching his jaw.

You sighed, running your hand down your face, “Sorry, dude.” You muttered, holding your thumb and forefinger over your eyes, “What was his name?” you asked, not moving your hand.

Luffy narrowed his eyes, a fire burning in his belly, “Ace.”

You shook your head, “Don’t know him.” You insisted, dropping your hand to your side, setting your other on your hip.

“Portgas D. Ace. Firefist Ace.” Offered Nami from the living room, a mere four feet away, the whole crew watching you closely.

You blinked a few times, your mouth running dry, “Portgas is dead?” you whispered, your whole body language dropping immediately. You could almost hear a ringing in your ears, a whisper of his laughter. “You’re…Luffy, his Luffy?”

Luffy nodded, jamming a finger into your sternum, leaning in close, “How do you know him?”

You smacked his hand away, snarling out, “We were friends while I was a pirate. Got along cause of our Devil Fruits.” You stated, holding Luffy’s glare, a few of your yellow flames licking at your shoulders, “He got that necklace from me. All that music from over there is from here, my home island. He was friends with my brother too.” Luffy opened his mouth to lash out another question or accusation, he didn’t know yet, but you cut him off, “He got that hat here. From my uncle.” You insisted, getting in Luffy’s space, almost nose to nose.

“Funny, he never mentioned you.” Luffy taunted, lip curled, and fists clenched at his side.

Your eyes ran cold and Luffy saw your chin quiver, your flames all extinguishing at once, “He talked about you all the time.” You whispered, shoving past Luffy, heading toward your bookcase.

Luffy stuttered for a moment, but shook it off and followed you closely, “Why wouldn’t Ace have mentioned you?”

But you just shoved past him again, an aged leather book in your hands. “Sit.” You hissed, dragging Luffy by his ear to sit on the floor in your living room, plopping next to him in front of your coffee table, slapping the large book onto the banged up, glossy wooden surface.

Robin’s eyes widened as she recognized the book, and all of the other Straw-Hats leaned in close to get a look at what you were trying to show Luffy.

You flipped through the pages, ignoring Luffy’s gripes from beside you, slamming a hand down onto the page you were looking for. “Look.”

It was a set of pages labeled “Portgas” with multiple pictures of you, Ace, and your captain, all laughing, in multiple you three were all covered in flames. Each photo was dated and had little details in the margins like, “tried making s’mores with all of our flames, only Portgas’s tasted good.” “dork” and “always stole my hat”. There were pictures of you three on your ship, on the island, at parties, dancing. Many didn’t have you at all, just your captain and Ace.

“Portgas was older than me, so he hung out with my brother most of the time. He was like a second brother to me.” You started, a sad, faraway look in your eyes.

Robin gasped silently, a hand covering her mouth, ‘Her brother was her captain.’ She realized, flashes of words running past her eyes, namely “No survivors” and “One survived.” Luffy was about to hit a sore spot, but Robin could only look on in horror, unable to stop him.

“We all practiced using our Devil Fruits together and hung out anytime he was able to swing by the ship or by here.” You went on, ignoring Luffy’s brewing emotions next to you, “He was my brother’s best friend.”

“Not my fault your brother has good taste.” Luffy mocked, rolling his eyes. It irritated him how you acted like you had a right to mourn Ace like he did. He wasn’t your brother. He was Luffy’s brother.

“Had.” You whispered; jaw clenched.

The crew around you actively flinched, all looking at each other in a panic. All eyes on you as you rushed to your feet, mumbling about taking a shower. Robin quietly slipped away to check on you, following you down a hallway off the kitchen.

Luffy felt a white-hot shock run through him, making his heart skip a beat. He felt like he should feel bad for making you upset, for reminding you of your dead brother like you had reminded him of his, but he didn’t. He couldn’t find it in him. So, he still stewed, greedily taking in the photos in the book in front of him. Luffy couldn’t help the sting in his eyes as he stared at one particular photo. It was of Ace getting his ASCE tattoo. You were there holding his hand as your brother ran the tattoo needle over Ace’s skin, Ace had a dramatic grimace on his face, and you were right there laughing at him. All three of you were wearing matching orange hats.

“Why wouldn’t he have told me about them?” Luffy muttered, fighting back tears.

His crew all panicked again, unsure of how to continue. “Maybe it just didn’t come up?” Chopper offered, tilting his head to try and meet Luffy’s eye.

“I asked him about the hat. I asked him about all kinds of stuff that’s in this stupid book. He didn’t tell me about it.” Luffy felt the fiery pit of anger and grief bubbling inside him again, “Ace hid this stuff from me.”

Nami slid off of the loveseat she sat on and crouched down to Luffy’s level. “I’m sure he had a good reason.” She said trying to lay a comforting hand on Luffy’s arm. He snatched the limb away, making Nami startle.

“Stop being a brat.” Zoro barked, “You’re being mean.”

Luffy just set his jaw again, tapping his finger on the coffee table, “I’m fine.” He insisted, whirling away to a hallway off of the front door, trying to find somewhere to be alone.

“Let him go, marimo.” Sanji insisted, jutting an arm out to stop Zoro from rushing after him, “I think he needs to cool off.” Zoro just grumbled, settling deeper into the ugly, comfortable couch.

“I don’t know why he’s acting like this.” Robin said apologetically as you rushed around your bedroom, grabbing out clothes and a towel for your shower. “He’s never like this. I’m actually quite worried.”

You shrugged, a wry chuckle slipping from your lips. “I’m sorry I brought it out of him.”

Robin worried her bottom lip between her teeth, “I’m serious, he’s always a bouncy little ball of sunshine.”

“Grief does weird shit.” You reasoned, suddenly freezing your movements, looking far off somewhere, somewhere nowhere near the island, “Is Portgas really dead?” you whispered, clutching the shirt in your hand with a white-knuckle grip.

Robin nodded sadly, “I’m afraid so. He died protecting Luffy.”

Your knees buckled a bit, Robin rushing to catch you. You finally let the tears fall, “Did you see it?” you asked lowly, holding tight to Robin’s arm. Robin simply nodded, running a hand up and down your arm.

“Did he die smiling?” you whispered. Robin flinched back, confused, “All three of us said we’d go down in a fight, and we’d be happy about it, a no regrets kinda thing. That we’d all die with a smile.” You explained, face running wet as you let out shuddered breaths, “My brother did. I’m only alive because he protected me. He died in my arms and was smiling, trying to make me laugh before he died.”

Robin swallowed the lump in her throat, taken aback by the similarities between you and Luffy and Ace. “He did. He passed away with a smile on his face in Luffy’s arms.” She muttered back.

You sobbed, burying your face in your hands, “I’m all alone.” Robin tried to reassure you otherwise, sure you had more people in the town, but you shook your head, “I was about to go looking for Portgas because there’s no one left. I’m an orphan, my uncle raised me and my brother. He’s dead. My whole-“ you choked up, “my whole crew was killed, all I had left was hoping to find Portgas and join whatever crew he was in. Now, he’s gone too. Now I’m being hunted by the Marines and all I have is my house.” You practically spilled your guts to the older woman, leaning into her warm embrace. “I don’t want to die.”

Robin knew what it felt like to be alone, to be an enemy of the World Government, she knew what it was like to be the sole survivor of a massacre even. So, as she looked at the shaking young woman in her arms, flashes of a certain captain’s smile, echoes of her own screams rattled through her mind.

“I WANT TO LIVE!”

Her eyes stung with the threat of tears as she shushed you gently, running her fingers along your spine. Should she have asked first? Yes. Did she? No. Did she regret it? Never.

“Come with us.”

You gasped in a breath, ripping your face from your hands, “But-but your captain-!”

“Will come to his senses.” Robin hummed gently.

You wiped your face and analyzed Robin’s features, looking for any dishonesty and you found none, only gentle eyes and a soft smile. A whole new wave of emotions washed over you, new tears welling over your waterline, and you threw yourself into the woman, wrapping your arms around her neck, sobbing into the high collar of her shirt. Robin just smiled, rocking you in the embrace, gently rubbing your back.

“Thank you.” You whispered through shuttered breath, pulling away and wiping your eyes, “I would love to sail with all of you, if you’ll have me.”

Robin grinned, ushering you to your feet and guiding you toward your bathroom, whispering little bits of encouragement into your ear before leaving you alone in the room, heading back to the living room, still smiling.

You took off your hat from around your neck and set it on the counter, looking at your haggard reflection, no sound but the whistling wind and the scratch of sand against the window. Your eyes were red, face puffy. You stared for a moment at your freckles, hating how much they reminded you of your lost loved ones. You took in the dirt and soot around your face, interrupted by your tear streaks and the pattern of your goggles.

You sighed and turned on the water, letting it heat up and took off your t-shirt, looking at your shoulder in the mirror, namely your tattoo you had there. It circled the muscle of your shoulder, a simple black image of a spotted salamander with fire framing its sides. You had gotten it right after Ace had gotten his, your brother doing the inking, and you had sat much more stable than Ace did.

Swallowing a lump in your throat, you began to strip the rest of the way, walking under the rushing warm water.

“She’s coming with us.” Robin said simply, taking a seat back on the purple chair she had claimed, Chopper coming up and sitting in her lap. The other pirates all winced and voiced their confusion and disagreement, silenced by Robin raising a hand, a fierce look of command shining in her eye. “I’m not asking. I’m telling. She’s all alone with a massive bounty. Besides, she’s a glass blower, and she doesn’t even need a forge to do it. You don’t think that would ever come in handy?” she insisted, not allowing any argument. “If you don’t believe me, I’ll show you.”

Robin used her Devil Fruit abilities to summon a hand on the coffee table, flipping to the pages with your bounty poster, the newspaper clippings of your antics with the Marines, and finally the single clipping that told the story of your passed crew, all the while verbalizing what the group was reading.

The group had gasped at your bounty, Sanji even questioning if the picture was really you, a shiver running up his spine. They marveled at your various escapades, all falling silent when they heard about the dead Admiral, Nami asking what he did to piss you off. The little clipping with your promise and tally made them fall silent, all of them understanding. Zoro saying he’d do the same and more if anything like that happened to the Straw-Hats.

“She’s one of us, whether Luffy realizes it or not.” Robin finished, closing the book. “Now, without Ace, she’s completely alone. No family, all her friends were on that crew, and frankly she’s in danger if she stays here.” She said resolutely, holding Chopper a little tighter in her hands. “I asked, she agreed, she’s coming.”

The crew all sat back and nodded, silently running the idea through their heads. “What about Luffy?” Usopp finally asked. “He’s having problems breathing the same air as her.”

Robin shook her head, “He’s grown. He can cope.”

The other pirates all huffed out laughs, a few rolled eyes here and there. “How do we tell him?” Sanji asked.

Nami waved him off, “Let’s wait until tomorrow. Maybe we should wait until we’re like a day away from leaving.” She suggested, “But we shouldn’t tonight. We need to get Luffy to bed and reassess in the morning.”

Little verbalized agreements sounded out from the group.

Luffy found his way into a large, dark room. He groped around the wall to find a light switch, flipping it quickly when he found it. The space lit up and he saw he was in a room with a metal roof and walls. The windows were all fogged from the abuse of years of sandstorms just like this one. The room was full of colorful glass sculptures, they seemed to cover every surface, a rainbow of fragile art in all different shapes and sizes. Luffy walked up to a particular table full of clear glass bottles, a bucket of corks next to them. Each bottle was perfectly uniform, the only reason he could tell them apart was some of them had small bubbles in their surfaces.

He picked one up and looked at it closely, noting some words on the bottom of it. Luffy flipped it over and read it. “Dragon Glass Co.” Luffy glowered at the name, setting it back onto the table and continued exploring. In one area there was a table full of tools, all different types of hammers, pliers, and wrenches scattered all around. In the middle of the table was a wooden box, holes predrilled into the lid, ready for hinges. The box’s lid had a window of green glass, flame etchings on the surface.

Over the workbench sat pictures all over the wall. Pictures of you with an old man, here in this room. Pictures of you and the guy Luffy assumed was your brother goofing off and having fun. There was even a picture of Ace, an embarrassed blush all across his face as he held up a measly glass sculpture, a little orange…blob. The frame had a little plaque, “Portgas’s first time.” Luffy frowned at the double entendre, not appreciating the joke. Luffy turned away from the wall of photos and sighed, sliding down against the wall, curling up his knees into his chest.

Luffy loved his friends, loved his crew with his whole heart, but it wasn’t the same. First, he lost Sabo, then Ace, and it bored a hole into Luffy’s heart, his soul, his very being. He thought he had dealt with it well, thought he had coped like he was supposed to, but there he was, hopelessly and irrationally angry at a woman for just…being friends with his brother. Well, it was more than that to him. It ran way deeper than just that, and Luffy just couldn’t shake the thought, ‘Why didn’t Ace tell me about her? About her brother? Any of it?’ Ace told him everything, or so he thought. Ace would even tell him all kinds of little things like how he liked his eggs, how he hated wearing shirts most of the time because the seams irritated his skin and overheated him with his Devil Fruit. He’d sit and tell Luffy about girls, about his day, about life and love and death and everything in between. But he never mentioned you and it ate at Luffy, like a termite biting at a house’s foundation. ‘Why?’

You padded into the living room, hair still dripping a bit onto your bare shoulders. You had changed into a simple cropped tank top and soft, flowy pants, and still you had your hat hanging from your neck. You didn’t usually wear it around the house, but Luffy’s ranting and snatching made you protective, so it never strayed far from you. “Hey, guys.” You said, sitting next to Nami on the loveseat. “Let me know when you’re ready to turn in for the night and I’ll show you to your rooms.”

“How big is this house?” Usopp asked incredulously, “It looked kinda small from outside other than the big metal garage.”

You shrugged with a smile, “It’s compact, but there isn’t any space wasted.” You said, smile dropping a bit as you continued, “Used to have a lot more people in it.”

Zoro reached over and kicked Usopp in the knee, “Nice going.” He chided.

“It’s okay.” You assured the guilty looking sniper, “It’s just a little raw today.”

Robin’s eyes shot wide, one twitching slightly as she remembered the dates. It was the day before the three-year anniversary of the slaughter of the Spotted-Salamanders. ‘Could any of this get any worse?’

“It’s my brother’s birthday tomorrow.” You muttered, curling your knees up to your chest.

Robin almost choked, ‘I should have read those dates more carefully!’

“It’s also the day he died.” You went on. The Straw-Hats tensed in sympathetic winces, “Marines got a jump on us cause we were all celebrating on the ship. I’m sure you read the articles,” you said, gesturing to the book still on the coffee table. “Made me think twice about being your tour guide, but I thought it’d be a nice distraction.” You said with a light giggle, drawing a snort of a laugh from Zoro and making Robing bite back a chuckle.

“A beautiful woman such as yourself shouldn’t have to go through such suffering.” Sanji said, ever the flirt, eyes practically heart shaped as he stared at you.

You blinked at the man, confused, “Aren’t you like 30?” you asked flatly.

Sanji practically collapsed, “I’m twenty-one!” he whined.

You shrugged, “The facial hair threw me off, sorry.”

“Don’t worry-“ Zoro cut him off with a harsh smack to the back of the head, stopping him from continuing his flirting.

“Shup up, you perv.” He hissed, “She’s not interested.”

Sanji flung himself back up, “Like she’d be interested in you, moss head!”

“I never said that!” Zoro growled, clenching his hand into a fist.

“Cause it wouldn’t happen!” Sanji exclaimed, sticking out his tongue in mockery.

You frowned, “No fighting under my roof, or I’ll make you help me sweep out my house from the dunes when the storm stops.”

“We’ll help you do that anyhow, sweetheart.” Robin assured you, Chopper agreeing in her lap.

You bobbed your head, mulling something over, “Then I’ll make them do it with their hands.” You chided, wiggling your brows at the blanching boys. “In wet bathing suits, then you’ll really feel that sand where you don’t want to.” Making the cook and swordsman fling apart, facing away from each other on their respective ends of the couch.

Nami and Usopp spluttered out laughs, Robin only chuckling quietly.

“You two aren’t my type anyway.” You teased.

Nami perked up, “Who is?”

You kinda shrugged, “I always go for brunettes who make me laugh,” you chuckled.

Usopp’s mouth worked faster than his brain sometimes, “Did you date Ace?” his crew members immediately sending Usopp glares.

Your face dropped in pure mortification, “Portgas was older than my brother! And was gross! Do you have any idea how rank his pits could get? And he practically was my brother after a while.” You explained, nose scrunched in disgust, “I’ve seen that man make out with a fish when he got drunk,” You started, numbering out the reasons as you spoke, “I’ve had to help him run away from his angry exes on multiple occasions, cause he always was an ass boyfriend to them cause he only existed as a goofy noncommittal flirt when he got around anything with lip-gloss and boobs,” you started to laugh as you went on, enjoying the smiles all around you, “I mean, the longest relationship I saw him have was his friendship with my brother! One time my whole crew had to bail him out because he was being chased off an island because he hooked up with a mafia boss’s daughter the day of her wedding. In the church!” you exclaimed. “I’d have a better time looking for a boyfriend in Impel Down!” The room erupted into laughter; deep belly laughs as you told your stories.

“So Luffy’d be more your type?” Nami teased without thinking. Her eyes shot wide when she realized what she’d said, trying to take it back.

You grabbed her waving hands and told her it was okay, a soft chuckle rumbling through you. “I don’t really know what he’s normally like,” you started, letting Nami’s hands go, noting the heavy tension in the air, “but from what you guys keep saying, yeah, honestly.”

The Straw-Hats let out a collective sigh and relaxed back into their plush seats. “He really isn’t like this.” Chopper chimed, “He’s normally super nice and funny.”

You nodded and shrugged, “Maybe he’ll warm up to me.”

“I’m sure he will.” Chopper insisted with a yawn.

Robin smiled down at the young reindeer, “Sleepy, Little One?” Chopper tried to say no, but a big yawn interrupted him. “Mind showing us where we can get some sleep?”

You nodded and popped up out of your seat, gesturing for everyone else to do the same, “I’ll show you all at the same time.” The whole crew followed you as you walked into the hallway off of the kitchen again, walking past a few open doors to the left, one was the door of a small bedroom with two twin beds, one quite messy and obviously slept in, the other made neatly, dust settling on the headboard. The other door was of a small bathroom, “This is the only bathroom, so share. No fighting.” You said, eyeing Zoro and Sanji with a playful glare. “Feel free to use the shower, I don’t care if you use my soap and stuff.” The group then turned to the right, being met with a large, closed door. You shoved through the group and popped open the door, flipping a light switch, “You all can sleep in here.” You said, ushering the pirate crew into the large room.

It was a simple room, as were most things in your house, with a few windows around two of the walls, a glass door to the outside on one wall. The room had three bunk beds, all securely bolted to the wall and the ground, one up against a wall, the others sat parallel, two hammocks connecting each of them around the top. The room had plenty of space otherwise, taken up by bedrolls and fluffy rugs over the cool stone floor. The walls were covered in haphazardly placed hooks for coats and hats, otherwise scattered with more photos and a few, ornate glass flowers and starburst sculptures hanging from the ceiling, bathing the room in rainbows of light.

The pirate crew filed in with mouths agape in awe, an instant feeling of home filling all of their chests. “Wow,” Nami breathed out, “This is really nice.”

You had a soft smile on your face, gently holding the doorframe, “This used to be where my crew would crash between our voyages.” You said, exaggerating the last word, “My house became our little dry base of operations. Which makes sense cause my brother was the captain and I was the first mate,” you chuckled.

“You didn’t say you were first mate,” Zoro stated with a furrowed brow.

You shrugged, “Never mattered.”

“Did you make these?” Robin asked, reaching a hand up to touch a blue starburst.

“Yup! Made em with blood, sweat, and tears…and a bit of me,” you laughed at the perturbed faces of the pirates around you. “Here, watch!” you exclaimed, shooing everyone away from you in a wide berth, placing a rounded fist to your lips, blowing through the gap. The pirates all watched in curious awe as a small, molten hot balloon of glass blew out of the other end of your fist, using your free hand to cradle the glass. All the while, small yellow flames licked up your arms and flicked around your face, most of them blowing into the bubble of glass in your hand. When the glass was about the size of a coconut you took your fist away from your mouth, pinching your hand closed, grabbing the glowing glass with your free hand, both of which were glowing with heat. You quickly got to work pinching at it, pushing and pulling at its shape with ease, making it into something the Straw-Hats couldn’t quite make out yet. When you were satisfied, you held the glass out in front of you, the glow dying from your hands and the glass. When it fully cooled, the Straw-Hats were able to see that it was a small, red sculpture of Chopper! Little hat, hooves, and all! You carefully knelt down in front of the reindeer, handing it to him with care.

Chopper took it eagerly, shocked at the cold, solid feeling, “It’s me!” he exclaimed, a giddy smile on his face.

You nodded right back, a big smile on your face, “You can put it in your window and watch it make some of your room red.” Chopper excitedly handed the glass off to Robin next to him, launching you into a quick hug before a loud yawn sounded next to your ear, making you giggle. “Where do you want to sleep, Chopper?” you asked, holding him to your shoulder as you rose.

“Hammock,” he said sleepily, pointing with a hoof at the closest one. You complied quickly, placing him into the swinging fabric, tucking him into a plush pillow.

The other human pirates huddled around Robin, looking closely at the small sculpture of their little reindeer doctor, enamored with the detail.

“So cool!” Usopp whispered, poking at glass Chopper’s head.

“You guys ready to sleep?” you asked, startling the group other than Robin who had watched you walk up.

Zoro and Usopp nodded, climbing into different bunk beds with little “Good night”’s.

Sanji and the girls looked between themselves, “I don’t usually go to bed until pretty late, cause I’m prepping breakfast.” The cook said with a shrug.

You waved him off, “Don’t even think about it, I’ll make breakfast in the morning. Take an early night.” You commanded, shoving him toward one of the bunk beds. Sanji put up no fight, just awkwardly shifted under the covers, a little unsure of what to do with himself.

You then turned to the girls, curious what their reasons were.

“I refuse to sleep in the same room as that pervy cook.” Nami said simply, crossing her arms.

You just shrugged, “You can take my bed.” You suggested.

“I can’t take your bed.” She declared, the heat of embarrassment flushing her cheeks.

“I insist.” You assured, “Just don’t touch the other bed. You’ll know which one’s mine. My name’s on the headboard.” You gently shoved Nami into the hallway, turning away so she couldn’t argue, looking at Robin with a quirked brow.

“I want to make sure Luffy gets to bed first.” Robin said, guiding you by the middle of your back out of the room, flicking off the light but keeping the door open. “You head to sleep, and I’ll grab him.” She whispered.

You nodded and walked away from her, into the living room and plopped onto the beat-up couch, grabbing a blanket off the back and relaxing into one of the plush pillows you had there, resting your hat over your eyes, “Light switch is by the front door, sleep well, Robin.” You said, voice muffled by the hat over your face.

Robin smiled and went ahead and flicked off the light by producing a hand out of the wall, her night vision better than most. Robin quietly strode down the hallway Luffy had stormed off into and quickly found a single door, opening it as silently as possible.

When inside, Robin’s eyes searched the workshop, taking in all of the colors, mostly looking for a certain straw hat. Her eyes locked onto the curled-up figure of her captain, his eyes staring blankly, straight ahead.

“Captain.” She called, walking her way over to him, crouching in front of him. His eyes never moved, staring through her, “Captain, it’s time to go to sleep.” She said softly. Luffy didn’t even acknowledge her, “I’m going to give you one more chance to get up on your own, or I’m dragging you to bed kicking and screaming.” Robin stated, resting a hand on the young man’s head.

Luffy took her hand off his head, “I’m not tired.”

Robin shook her head with a smile, “It’s late, you’re usually asleep by now. Let’s get you to bed.”

“Why does she get to know all this stuff, why’d she get so much time with him?” Luffy asked, tears pricking at his eyes.

Robin’s heart pulled, “I don’t know, Luffy. These things happen, and sometimes we never know why.” She whispered, “Maybe you could ask her to tell stories about Ace, learn what she knows about him. I’m sure he’d be happy to know you two were getting along.”

A few tears fell from Luffy’s eyes, “If he would be happy we were around each other, why’d he never tell me about her?” he insisted, shoving his face into his hat.

Robin pursed her lips and sighed, “I don’t know, Luffy. But you’ll never get an answer unless you get to know her properly.” Luffy shrugged, face still hidden, “C’mon, let’s go to bed.” She urged, grabbing the young man’s hand and rising to her feet, Luffy reluctantly standing with her.

When they stood straight, Robin gently took Luffy’s hat in her hands and pushed it back onto the top of his head, exposing his watery eyes and red nose. Without a word, Robin pulled him into a hug, resting her chin on top of his head. They stayed there for a while, who knows how long, until Luffy yawned, making Robin pull back.

Silently, Luffy let the older woman guide him through the dark house into a room with windows that filtered in a bit of light, the light snores of his crewmates filling Luffy’s ears. Robin gestured to the beds and hammocks, waiting for Luffy to choose where he wanted to sleep, and he slowly trudged his way toward one of the hammocks, hoisting himself up into it. Robin followed closely, helping him settle into the covers.

When her captain was comfortable, she patted his chest and slipped toward the empty bunk bed, the boys taking over two. She cuddled under the covers, looking at the bed above her. She was drifting off to sleep, her eyes fluttering shut. That’s when they snapped open, landing on a small, white envelope tucked between the boards above her. She reached up and tugged it out of its confines, reading the envelope in the dark. It had Luffy’s name on it, and it said it was from Ace. Robin’s heart dropped into her feet as she realized what it said. She quickly shoved what she thought might be a letter into her pillowcase, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. What could be in that letter? Why was it hidden in your house if it was for Luffy?

[healingfairy000000001]

Minnie series, witch straw hat, we can spend the night in my dealers house.

Ahh yes, Alabasta the land of sand, belly dancers clothes given to me by sanji and Vivi's country!, but most importantly lizards! tail's for distracting potions maybe a smokey corpse smell, it's eyes for and limbs for stealth ohhh~what I will do~

Ace was looking at her creeped out, she had a creepy aura around her as she looked around the ground,

"Don't mind her she get's like this sometimes" said nami patting his shoulder before continuing walking.

"she won't boil us alive, right?" he asked to conform his suspicions.

"don't worry ace, Y/N is my friend!" comforted him luffy, before they continued there march.

Y/N ignored them but focused on her hunt as chopper stayed by zoro, but vivi got dragged into helping her.

and though vivi was creeped out by decapitating lizard she couldn't bring her self to refuse helping her.

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

As the sun sat down and the wind's slowed down the night sky came with the light of the moon and a bit of cold, they found a spot to camp, sanji was cooking a warm meal, zoro was napping by the rocks, nami was comforting a crying vivi from cutting lizards tails and limbs all day, while ussop helped sanji out, Ace and chopper on the other hand were curious about Y/N need for the creature.

"What do you plan on doing with this?" asked Ace looking at her storing them in jars.

"Lot's of things! smoke screens with a heavy smell, it's limbs for a scripture to walk on walls" she explained holding different jars for each purpose chopper seemed more curios about magic looking at her jars before pointing at something

"what's that?"

"dried bat brains" she answered with a huge grin as everyone twitched a bit, except Ussop who looked scared as hell

"WHY DO YOU NEED THAT!"

"greater hearing and night vision"

silent fell before luffy broke it "can I eat it?"

"why would you want to eat it!" scolded both nami and ussop

Y/N was having a good laugh while the rest continued on their work, with vivi trying to calm down nami and chopper helping in storing everything.

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

As dinner was eaten and everyone was ready to sleep under the star light having a moment of tranquility cut short by Ussop, "DAMN COLD!" he stood up shouting gerly being fed up with the cold, vivi tried to re-explain "the desert is Hot as fire in the morning and cold as Ice in night"

"that doesn't make any sense!" he protested, while nami and sanji tried to deescalate the situation

"well what other choice do we have? suck it up" nami said tierdly

"we can sleep in a whale" Y/N said standing up while opening her bag, her words struck the crew as a joke but her seriousness was evident

"you do realize were like, far away from the ocean?"said Nami as the rest agreed but luffy and chopper got exited,

"YOU CAN SUMMON WHALES!"

"that's so cool!"

as she looked at them she got out a crystal ball blue in color and smooth in texture, "it's my dealer, I buy stuff I can't gather there" this seemed to gather the two interest even more, while the rest had one common thought 'what are those ingredient's?'

"Yeah I can you come here? I need a favor to ask" she spoke to the crystal as it glowed a soft light, "here we go"

a few moment's later a sudden ripple split the air, and with a thunderous splash, a starry-blue whale materialized out of thin air, casting shimmering reflections from its body.

While nami and Ussop were panicking, zoro,sanji and Ace being on guard, the rest were curious

"WHAT THE FUCK!"

"Gernario mardo evou" she yelled and the while opened it's mouth the woman simply walked in, "WOAH! Y/N why didn't you show us this before!" yelled luffy following in, and though the rest felt reluctant Ace zoro and chopper followed closely.

The inside of the whale was like stepping into a dream; a flat surface of shimmering water stretched beneath their feet, while tiny fireflies flitted around, casting gentle reflections on the liquid ceiling, this seemed to put everyone in awe.

"WELCOME travelers" said a man's voice from deep inside, "what might you need" he asked

"yeah, uncle goerg can me and my friends spend the night here? it's cold outside" using her best puppy dog eyes the man appeared in front of her, with a bold head and a long beard with bare feet he looked at her un-amused

this 'uncle george' was walking and smelling everyone, some pushed him away while some hid behind the other, "those are....Human's" he said the word human with disgust before going back to his customer

"how dare you bring strangers into my domain here, this ain't a hotel, shoo"

as he started to push her and the crew out with strong winds coming from inside the whale with a snap of his finger looking at the witch in displeasure, she pulled out her final card, "I'll pay!"

"no we won't!" protested nami

"I don't need your worthless berries humans"

"no! it's two jars of high quality lizard limbs collected by the princess her self!"

he raised an eyebrow, before she looked at her semi flying before giving up, "and my prized bat's brains!"

taking a moment to think, he looked at vivi and nami then at luffy before agreeing, with a snap of his fingers the wind stopped letting everyone fall to their face as a bedroom was dragged in with a hand sticking out

"You and your lizard limbs, kid. Fine. But keep your humans away from my stash, now give me the jars"

"here" she gave in reluctantly, satisfied with his prize he left them alone, "Y/N-Chwaaannnn~you got us a room for free~" said sanji swooning over the depressed girl

"tell me if you want anything Y/N-chan" even nami was swooning a bit for the 'free' room

soon everyone looked around in peace with the disappearance of the old men with the jar, there were enough bed's for everyone a table of fruit's and a bathroom.

"wait you could've done this before?" asked nami

"yeah, I knew him since I was 7"

"why didn't you do this before!" nami, ussop beat her up in anger "I could've died of the cold!" adde'd ussop

"hey! I lost two of my prized stuff! have some decency!"

"shut up!!"

it was rowdy and chaotic but soon everyone found some comfort to fall asleep.

[tonberry-yoda]

Comfort - Portgas D. Ace

notes - AHHH IM HERE!! Sorry this took so long, I was really busy this week going to concerts, going to work, stuff at home, and setting up my new room, so chaos has been more than normal for me this week lol. But I am so glad I got to write such a relaxing Ace fic, this was really nice for me to just spill out of my soul! This was also for that poll I did earlier this week! I hope my Ace lovers enjoy this one and have a lovely evening! I love you all, stay super hydrated!

word count - 966

"What are you doing?" Ace laughed, watching you dig in the sand like a dog for the fifteenth time.

"I'm telling you, Ace," you tried to explain. "There's gotta be treasure in this sand. The map says so!" You pointed to a map that was sitting next to you; old and covered in sand.

"Isn't that thing like a billion years old?" He picked up the map and turned it over in his hands a bunch, still not understanding how to read it.

"Maybe it is, but who knows, that treasure could still be here!"

Ace just playfully rolled his eyes and grabbed your arm, pulling you out of the sand. "Come on, babe. Let's just get a hotel for the night and wash up. You got sand in your fingernails."

"Yeah, but it's rich Alabasta sand, so it's fine." you joked, following Ace and taking back your map.

"Still gross though." he teased, running his hand to your lower back and pressing a kiss to your cheek.

The two of you walked for a while to the nearest town, not even realizing how late it had been. When you walked into town, it was pitch black and freezing cold.

Ace shivered and held open the hotel door for you. "Man, it's cold."

"Maybe cuz you always have your nips out, Ace." you said, pressing a kiss to his cheek and thanking him for holding the door.

"You leave my nips alone!" he defended, dramatically pressing his hand to his chest.

You turned to him, shocked that would say such a stupid thing in a lobby with people in it, but just rolled your eyes.

He smirked at you and grabbed your hand, getting the two of you a nice room.

Once there, it was like heaven. You slipped off your shoes and threw yourself onto the bed with pure joy painted onto your face.

"Scoot over, y/n," Ace said, clapping his hands together. "Or I'm gonna land on you."

He didn't even give you time to move and instead landed straight on top of you, making you lose your breath for a second before busting into laughter.

"Ace, what the hell?" you said between deep breaths and a little bit of laughter.

"Oh, damn, you were just so cozy looking, I thought you were the bed." He winked at you and hugged around your waist, burying his face in your chest.

"Wait!" You jumped off of the bed, making Ace pout. "Before you go burying your face anywhere, I'm taking a shower. I smell like," you took a whiff of yourself and dramatically fake gagged. "Yeah, I smell like I should probably take a shower."

"Let's save water then," Ace smiled, taking off his hat and already slipping off his shorts to just a pair of boxers. "Lemme take one with you."

You couldn't say no to someone who you loved with all your heart and so happened to be pressing kisses down your neck.

"Fine," you said, pushing his face away. "But you're washing your own hair."

"What?!" Ace exclaimed, pouting. "But I haven't had head scratchies in ages! Not fair."

You turned on the shower, stripped down, and waited for the water to heat up as Ace sat behind you, whistling and reminding you how pretty you were. You blushed, of course, and turned to Ace, smacking him on the bare arm.

"Owie! What was that for? I was calling you pretty!"

"For making me blush." you said, turning away, your face as bright as a tomato at this point.

Ace grabbed your hand and pulled you into the shower, sighing at the warm water. He rubbed your shoulders while you washed your hair and would occasionally whisper sweet nothings into your ear as you washed your body, washing his own self in the process.

You two hadn't had self care like this in forever and it felt nice to just enjoy yourselves for a while. Being on his little boat was stuffy and the last time you had stayed in a hotel as nice as this was when you first joined his crew, which feels like ages at this point.

You looked at yourself in the mirror as you wrapped your towel around you and saw Ace behind you with stupid goo goo eyes. You turned towards him and gave him a peck on the lips before turning back and drying yourself off.

"I'm gonna ask for about six more of those kisses, cutie, so you best be prepared for that." he whispered in your ear before placing a kiss onto it and drying his own self off.

You took one of Ace's shirts that he took and didn't even bother to put on any pants over your underwear as you walked over to the bed, yawning. When you slammed yourself onto the soft mattress, Ace laid right next to you and smiled.

"Can I get another one of those kisses?" he asked nicely.

You obliged and gave him another quick peck.

He pouted and then asked, "Yeah, but longer. Can I give you a kiss this time?"

You thought about it and then smiled with a little nod.

Ace apparently took that as his opportunity to be his hottest self and tilted your chin up and bringing your face as close as possible before pressing a long kiss to your lips that made you hungry for more.

When he pulled away, he smiled at you and you hugged around the back of his neck. Ace rubbed little circles into your back and buried his face in the crook of your neck.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too, Ace."

It was nice to get a bit of comfort in a world where you two were always being chased.

~~~~~

one piece masterlist | pinned post

2023 @tonberry-yoda – do not repost or claim ANY of my work as your own! likes, reblogs, and comments are not only welcome, but appreciated

~~~~~

[selmasemlan]

Finding Purpose in the Sands

Summary: Where Luna and Vivi talk about what they need to do to save Alabasta.

Pairing: Zoro Roronoa x Luna (OFC)

Author note: WE ARE ENTERING THE ALABASTA ARC

Warning: none, cuteness

Word count: 1246

Series Masterlist

Finding Purpose in the Sands

The Going Merry sailed smoothly through the calm waters, the gentle sway of the ship contrasting with the tension that filled the air. The crew stood at the railing, their eyes trained on the distant coastline of Alabasta. What once was a kingdom of prosperity and beauty now looked barren and broken, the vibrant colors of life having been replaced by dry, cracked earth and withered vegetation. The scorching sun beat down on the land, and the dry winds whipped the dust across the horizon. Alabasta, a land once filled with hope and promise, now appeared as though it had been drained of all life.

Luna stood between Zoro and Nami, her wide eyes tracing the endless desert landscape as they sailed closer. The sight of the kingdom in such disrepair sent a wave of sadness through her chest. She had heard stories of Alabasta’s troubles, but seeing it with her own eyes was something different entirely. Her heart ached at the sight of the people on the shore, their clothes tattered, their faces gaunt from hardship. They moved slowly, as though each step they took was a battle against both the elements and the weight of their suffering.

"This is what they’re going through every day..." Luna whispered, her voice soft and full of sorrow. She glanced at Nami, whose brow was furrowed in concern, and then at Zoro, whose usual stoic expression was unusually grim.

As the ship anchored, the crew began to prepare for disembarkation. Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp quickly gathered their things, eager to help their friend Vivi save her country. Vivi, having just finished explaining the full extent of Alabasta’s plight to the crew, stood by Luffy’s side, her face a mixture of determination and sorrow. Luna, however, lingered at the railing, her eyes still fixed on the broken landscape before her. She felt a deep sense of helplessness creeping into her chest. She wasn’t like Luffy, who could charge into battle with fists flying, or Zoro, whose strength alone could cut through their enemies. How could she possibly help in a situation like this?

As the crew began to step onto the sandy shore, Vivi noticed Luna standing alone, still by the railing. She approached quietly, her heart heavy with the burden of her homeland’s suffering but also filled with gratitude for the friends who had come to fight alongside her.

“It’s hard to see it like this, isn’t it?” Vivi’s voice was gentle, her eyes filled with empathy. She had lived with the sight of her broken kingdom for so long, but she understood how overwhelming it must be for someone like Luna, who had only just arrived.

Luna turned to Vivi, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I knew it was bad, but seeing it like this… it’s so much worse than I imagined.” Her voice wavered, and she clenched her hands into fists as she struggled to hold back the emotions threatening to spill over. “These people… they’ve lost everything. I want to help, but I don’t even know where to start.”

Vivi’s expression softened, and she placed a comforting hand on Luna’s arm. “I feel the same way every time I see them. It’s heartbreaking. But just by being here, by standing with us, you’re already helping more than you realize.”

Luna shook her head, her heart still heavy with doubt. “I just… I don’t have the strength that the others have. Luffy, Zoro, Sanji—they can fight, they can make a difference. But me? I don’t even know where I fit into all of this.”

“You have a strength of your own,” Vivi said softly, her voice filled with quiet conviction. “It may not be the same as Luffy’s or Zoro’s, but it’s just as important. You care, Luna. You have a kind heart, and that’s a strength that can give people hope when they need it most.”

Luna blinked, taken aback by Vivi’s words. For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond. She had always thought of strength as something physical—something that could be used to protect others in a tangible way. But Vivi was talking about a different kind of strength, one that Luna hadn’t considered. A strength that came from compassion, from wanting to help even when the odds seemed impossible.

“You really think so?” Luna asked quietly, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Vivi nodded, her gaze steady and full of warmth. “I do. You have already shown your strength just by being here, by caring so deeply for a country that isn’t even your own. That’s something special, Luna. It’s something we need.”

Luna looked out at the vast desert again, the heat waves shimmering over the horizon. The feeling of helplessness still lingered, but Vivi’s words had sparked something in her. She wasn’t a swordsman or a fighter, but she did have something to offer. Maybe, just maybe, her kindness could help in its own way.

“Thank you, Vivi,” Luna said softly, her lips curving into a small but genuine smile. “I’m glad I’m here with you. And I promise, I’ll do everything I can to help.”

Vivi’s heart swelled with gratitude, and she squeezed Luna’s arm gently. “We’ll get through this together, Luna. I know we will.”

With renewed resolve, the two of them made their way to join the rest of the crew, who were already gathered around Luffy. The atmosphere was tense, but there was a shared sense of purpose among them all. They were here for Vivi, and for the people of Alabasta, and they would do whatever it took to save the kingdom.

Zoro, who had been observing Luna from a distance, caught her eye as she approached. His expression softened, and he gave her a small nod, wordlessly acknowledging the determination he saw in her. Luna nodded back, feeling a quiet strength begin to settle within her.

Luffy, ever the embodiment of boundless energy and optimism, grinned widely. “Alright, let’s go save Alabasta!” he declared, his voice filled with confidence.

The crew erupted in a chorus of agreement, their spirits lifting slightly despite the gravity of the situation. Luna looked around at her friends—at Luffy’s infectious enthusiasm, Nami’s quiet determination, Zoro’s unwavering strength, Sanji’s cool composure, and Usopp’s anxious but hopeful expression. She was surrounded by people who believed in each other, and who believed in her, too.

For the first time since they had arrived in Alabasta, Luna felt a flicker of hope. She didn’t know exactly how she would help, but she was no longer paralyzed by the uncertainty. She would find her way, and she would do whatever she could to bring kindness to a world that desperately needed it.

As the crew began their trek into the heart of Alabasta, Luna walked beside Vivi, the two girls sharing a quiet understanding. Luna wasn’t alone in this fight, and with the strength of her friends beside her, she believed that they could make a difference—not just for Alabasta, but for all the people who had suffered under the cruel hand of oppression.

And in that moment, Luna felt something she hadn’t felt in a long time—a sense of purpose. It wasn’t just about fighting for survival anymore. It was about fighting for something bigger, something that mattered to the world. With every step she took, she carried the promise of that purpose with her, and she knew, deep in her heart, that together, they could make the world a kinder place.

[bad-op-fic-ideas]

(034) Nami is nothing if not a taker of opportunities and a lover of berries; which is why she takes up a mysterious "Mr. 0" on a contract to sneak into and steal the crown of Alabasta for a hefty one million berries in return!

And is also how she lands herself smack-dab in the middle of the kingdom's prison after she gets caught by none other than its apparent protector, Sir Crocodile...

Fortunately, and moreso shockingly for her, the king offers her a deal under the cover of night:

Apparently, she needs to safely escort his daughter -the beloved princess of Alabasta, Nefertari Vivi- to a checkpoint right along the edge of the kingdom of sand. With the help of her bodyguard, Igaram, of course. In return, he'll fully pardon her attempted crime and give her a large sum of money to boot!

But, if she is to deny the deal, she will be sent off to the guillotine for her offence against the kingdom and its citizens...

("Hmm... it sounds like a certainly life-threatening mission... but, hey, I do love walking free and not being sentenced to death. And the money is a huge plus!")

Well, you know what they say; when life gives you lemons, risk life and limb to escort a princess across a desert wasteland while being hunted down by terrifying individuals who want her dead! Or, well, something to that effect...

[brainyxbat]

Chapter 15: Dash for a Miracle! Alabasta Animal Land

(episode 110/111)

"I see them!"

"After them!"

Smoker calmly put his weapon away, as Marine officers ran after the Straw Hats. One noticed him not moving, and stopped. "Captain, aren't you going after them?"

He gazed downward with hesitation. "No. I'm too tired."

"You're too tired?"

"Hey..."

"Sir!" He saluted.

"It's no use going after those guys. Tell them to stop." Smoker looked out at the ocean. "And have everyone assemble here. Contact HQ too. Tell them to have all military vessels in the vicinity of the Kingdom of Alabasta gather here, to this land."

"You're calling for reinforcements? But Captain, I'm not sure our superiors will be willing to move those ships against such a small number of pirates."

Smoker turned to him with a hard stare. "When did I ask for the opinions of our superiors?"

"Er, y-yes sir! Right away!" He began running after the other officers, waving his hands. "Hey! Come back! Come back here!"

-

Meanwhile, Chopper got lucky with hitching a ride on a giant, speedy crab, along with Lashes. "Hurry!" He ordered, and sniffed the air. "Mm-hmm, this way. The scent of Nami's perfume is getting stronger."

"Hey, we're not, by any chance, just going to run all the way to Alubarna like this, right?!" Usopp wheezed.

"That's right, Lashes!" Nami remembered. "Where has Lashes gone?!"

"Now that you mention it, this town has a stable, or something!" Luffy realized. "Let's get horses!"

"But the Marines are in town," Vivi pointed out.

"Not to worry," Sanji smirked, "Look in front of you."

It was Chopper! "Hey, guys!"

"A crab?!" Usopp gaped in shock.

"Chopper!" Venus beamed.

"That's a Moving Crab!" Vivi said.

"Looks yummy!" Luffy remarked, drooling just a little, just before it stopped in front of them. "Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! That's awesome!"

"Hop on board!"

"We get to ride it?!" Luffy exclaimed. "Woo-hoo!" He reached, and launched himself on one of the eyestalks. "The pleasure's mine!"

"Its face looks kinda iffy, doesn't it?" Nami remarked.

"And you've got yet another amazing thing in tow, huh?" Sanji followed her, as she went to climb onboard.

"He's Lashes' friend," Chopper explained, while Vivi, Zoro, Usopp, and Venus were lifted up on the claw, "Lashes was born in this town, and has lots of friends in the area. He is kinda pervy, though."

"Why am I not surprised," Venus smirked sarcastically.

"Amazing!" Vivi gushed. "Moving Crabs are always submerged under the sand, so they're very nearly phantom crabs!"

"This guy's pretty fast, isn't he?" Zoro asked.

"Guys, hang on tight! All right, let's go! We're off!" With a snap of the reins, the crab began scuttling along sideways.

Behind them, a large gold hook flew over ominously; Vivi screamed in terror when it began to drag her away! "What?!" Zoro's eyes widened, as everyone gaped. "Stop, Chopper!"

The crab was forced to stop, with Luffy struggling to balance on top of its eye. "It's him!" He glared. "Why, you...!" He launched up to Vivi, threw her down on the crab's back, and took her place.

They were shocked to see the captain being dragged away. "Hey! Luffy!" Zoro exclaimed.

"That idiot!" Sanji fussed.

"Luffy-san!" Vivi watched in horror.

"You guys go on ahead!" Luffy ordered. "I can handle this myself!" He landed on his upper back. "Make sure you deliver Vivi back to her home! Make sure, now!" He smiled confidently at his tense crewmates. "Make sure, now."

"That idiot," Zoro smirked, before turning to Chopper, "Hey! Go, Chopper! Keep going, to Alubarna!"

"G-got it." A tearful Chopper reluctantly snapped the reins. "We're off!" With that, the crab continued on the path.

"Hold on!" Usopp protested. "Hey Zoro, are we leaving him behind?! Hey, that's cold! That's cold of you! From now on, you've got to protect me, got it?! Where do you get off, always doing this?!"

"Luffy-san!" Vivi cried, as Nami held her back.

"It's all right, Vivi! He'll be fine! I feel sorry for the other guys. After all, there isn't a single person that Luffy has gone after before, who has come out all right."

"Listen to me, Vivi," Zoro chimed in, "He will keep Crocodile under control. The moment that rebel army started running, the time limit on this land was set. Once the royal army, and the rebel army meet, this land, the Kingdom of Alabasta, will be gone. If you are the one and only hope for preventing that, then you have to survive, no matter what. No matter what might happen to any of us, from now on!"

"B-but..."

Sanji watched Rainbase slowly disappear. "Vivi-chan, this is a fight that you started. You're the one who ran out on this land years ago, and challenged this unknown organization to battle. However..." He smirked, and began walking away, "Don't go thinking that you're fighting alone anymore."

"V-V-Vivi!" Usopp shivered behind her. "Don't you wor-wor- don't worry! I'm g-gonna..."

She stood on her feet, now more determined. "Luffy-san! We'll be waiting for you in Alubarna, okay?!"

Luffy smiled, as her voice echoed through the desert. "Yeah!"

-

A while later, as Zoro was pumping iron with Lashes adding extra weight, Usopp was sharing one of his tall tales. "Then, that's what happened! That's when I said to him, "You bowlegged bastard!" That's when it started. Ever since, the crabs of the world have been bothered about being bowlegged."

Chopper, naturally, was in awe. "So that's why they walk sideways, huh?"

Venus smirked, as she listened from sitting on Lashes' back. "Uh huh. Incidentally, at the time, there was something jumping up and down behind him. It was a lobster."

"So lobsters- they're crabs, then?"

"Yeah, they're crabs." Usopp laughed cheerfully at Chopper's bewilderment.

"Zoro, you're just wasting your energy doing that, aren't you?" Nami scolded.

"Shut up."

"Just leave him alone, Nami-san," Sanji said, "If those guys aren't doing something, they can't keep focused. They're not that adept; especially..." He puffed some smoke, "That muscle freak, now that he's had a taste of the level the Seven Warlords have."

Zoro managed to overhear the jab. "Hey you, what are you trying to say? Go ahead, and spell it out."

"Ah, you want me to say it? You're scared. You're worried that maybe Luffy might lose." The others were silent at that.

"Who, me?! Scared, you say?! Why, you...!" Zoro raged. "Fancy eyebrows!"

"That does it!" Sanji turned back to him. "Now I'm mad! You... Moss Head!"

"What?!" Zoro threw the weight aside, knocking Lashes and Venus on their backs.

"Ow," She grunted indignantly.

Their foreheads collided. "You wanna go at it?!"

A punch to each of their heads from Nami abruptly ended the quarrel. "Cut it out! This is pointless!"

"She's strong!" Chopper gaped.

Usopp looked on silently, noticing the crew's agitation. 'They are who they are. Everyone's a bit worked up. Now's the time for me, the vice-captain, to...'

"Take it easy, everyone," Vivi assured, "Luffy-san won't lose. I mean, we promised him, didn't we? That we'd be waiting for him in Alubarna?"

"You seem more worried than any of us, don't you?!" Usopp confronted.

"Ow!" Vivi yelped when Nami knocked her forehead.

"You should just worry about the rebellion."

Sanji sat up from laying on his back. "Sorry about that, Vivi-chan."

"If you have to cover for us, we're done for," Zoro pointed out.

"All right then, switch your minds over to "Alubarna"!" Nami commanded. "Let's go, Pincers!"

"What's that?" Zoro deadpanned.

"A name for the crab."

""Pincers," you say?" Usopp asked.

"No good?"

"Nothing wrong with it."

"From the brilliant mind behind the name "Lashes"," Venus drolled.

"I heard that!" Nami snapped.

-

"Me, go to Alubarna?" Tashigi asked in surprise, "We're chasing after the Straw Hat pirates, right? Or are we reinforcing the royal army?"

"It's up to you," Smoker replied from his cycle, "You decide what to do when you're there."

"You don't mean that! Exactly what is going on?"

"You just follow your sense of justice." Smoker pulled on his gloves. "Whatever happens, I'll accept responsibility."

"Captain Smoker, where are you going?"

"Something sudden came up. I'm heading out to sea. Be prepared to receive communication from me at any time, Tashigi."

"Yes, sir."

He pulled his goggles up over his eyes. "Keep a close watch on where this country ends up. Whether it falls, or whether it survives, something is sure to happen to mark the start of a new age." With that, he drove off.

"Sergeant... sergeant!" Tashigi turned behind her back to see an officer, with dozens of others close behind. "Your orders?"

"Right." 'Keep a close watch on where this country ends up,' Smoker's words ran through her mind, 'Whether it falls, or whether it survives, something is sure to happen to mark the start of a new age. 'She lifted her glasses to her forehead. "We're going after the pirate Straw Hat Luffy, and everyone under him! All hands, reinforce your gear! Prepare to depart for Alubarna!"

"Yes, sir!"

She glared into the distance. "Straw Hat Luffy..."

-

"What?! We can't cross the river with this crab?!" Usopp shouted fearfully.

"Moving Crabs are creatures of the desert, so they don't take to water," Vivi explained.

"But it's a crab, right? A crab! Not a lobster! Do something!" Usopp fussed. "Hey, this is a problem. Not good; look here." As Venus jumped down from Lashes' back, he took out a map, and pointed to the river. "If we just blithely swim across this river, as wide as a sea, we're not going to make it in time! And look! After we cross the river, there's still dozens of kilos worth of desert! If this crab can't get to the other shore, are we supposed to run from there on?!"

"We don't have any choice," Nami frowned.

"There's no way we'll make it in time! It's absolutely impossible!"

Sanji turned around, and saw the river approaching quickly. "Uh oh. Hey, the river! I can see the Sandora river!"

"What?!" Usopp crawled over for a look.

"Do something, Pincers-kun!" Nami pleaded.

"I know!" Chopper shot up in realization. "Pincers loves dancing girls!"

Eager to help, Venus leaped to her feet, and whipped her jellabiya off, letting her dancer outfit from Sanji be seen. "Will this do?"

"Probably."

"Holy crap!" Sanji swooned, along with Lashes.

"Give it a rest, would you?" Usopp grumbled, but was unheard.

Chopper noticed Pincers' eyes looking in the awkwardly dancing Venus' direction. "Ah, he's looking this way!" On cue, they began going at an even faster rate. "We're accelerating!"

"Venus-chwan!" Sanji gushed.

"You've now messed up two animals with all this nonsense!" Zoro scolded, her, as she stumbled from the change of speed.

"Hey, whatever helps," She shrugged.

"All right, pervy power!" Chopper cheered.

"I could've done that," Nami sulked from next to Vivi.

Usopp snapped his lingering gaze away from the young witch. "So what has this solved? Chopper!"

The crew watched tensely, as they were closer and closer to the river. "Go!" Chopper commanded. Just then, Pincers began running along the river like it was dry land! "He did it!"

"Hey now, this crab is incredible!" Sanji remarked. "I don't believe it!"

"Whoa, way to go!" Usopp cheered. "It's a miracle! Just stay on the water, and run! Run, run, run all the way! Go! You can make it! Keep going! You can do it! This crab can do it!" He stopped at the crab slowly descending, as she ceased her moves. "Hey, what's this?! Am I imagining things, are we sinking? We are sinking, here!" When they were submerged, he surfaced angrily, keeping ahold of a weakening Venus, and her jellabiya. "Stop sinking, you crab!"

"No time to whine about it," Zoro began trudging on, with Chopper on his shoulders, "Keep moving forward."

"H-hold on a second!" He followed him and Vivi, turning to the latter. "Aren't there any boats? How many kilos to the other shore?"

"About 50 kilos."

"Who can swim that?!"

Chopper turned back, and waved his hoof. "Thank you! Thank you, Pincers!"

"This is no time to be casually waving goodbye!" Usopp scolded. Just then, a giant being surfaced right in their path. "What?!"

They all screamed in terror. "It's a rare Sandoran catfish!" Vivi pointed out. "They're only, very rarely seen!"

"You don't have to explain that!" Usopp glared.

They were petrified when it dove back down. "Also, humans are their favorite food!"

"You might tell us that first!"

Out of nowhere, the catfish appeared to be getting attacked, though none of them were moving. "Hey, let go!" Zoro tried to push Chopper back, when his hoof was over his eyes. "I can't see anything in front of me, you know! Chopper, let go!"

Usopp shouted in surprise when the attackers surfaced. "The Kung Fu Dugongs?!"

The crew settled on the defeated fish's back. "They say they won't neglect their senior pupil," Chopper translated.

"Well, it's not like we're Luffy's pupils, or anything," Usopp frowned.

"Still, they saved us," Vivi pointed out.

"All right, just a little farther! Hang in there!"

Before long, they were back on dry land, on the other side of the Sandora. "Thank you!" Vivi waved to the Dugongs.

"Bye-bye!" Chopper waved with her, as did Venus, who was now back in her jellabiya.

"Things have been going smoothly," Zoro remarked, "Can we make it?"

"That's a tough one," She replied, "Even riding on Lashes-kun, I'm not sure there's enough time."

"What's more, he could only carry, uh... three of us!" Usopp pointed out. "And if Baroque Works is going to attack, it will be from here on. Isn't there any way for all of us to act together?" Everyone tried to think, but they were all silent. "Damn, there isn't any, huh?"

Nami turned back at the sound of a stampede, and noticed a cloud of dust. "Look over there!"

"What, is it the enemy?" Usopp looked on tensely "A-a-are they here already?!"

Vivi watched the horizon, and was surprised. "N-no! That's... Karoo!" Close behind him was more giant ducks, all sporting different headwear. "And the Supersonic Duck Squadron!" They all skidded to a stop in front of the crew. "You've come to get us, haven't you?!" They all saluted in confirmation. "Karoo!"

[akaiuchiha]

Chapter 7 (English): A Long Journey, A Father's Worry and New Plan

Before you read the chapter, here are some timeline explanation because it is a mess and even I don't know how to work with it.

When Zeff saw the Newspaper back in East Blue, the Strawhats had just defeated Doflamingo. Sanji, Nami, Brook, Chopper and Cesar were on their way to Zou (not sure if they had arrived or not but I think it’s no?). The Newspaper hadn’t reached the Thousand Sunny, which means Sanji was still not aware of it.

When Zeff crossed the Grand Line, Sanji had left Zou with Bege. I know the prologue is not clear about that and I will change it so it follows my timeline (which is a real mess) and I hope it makes things a little more understandable. I have to confirm something, Zeff will not reach Whole Cake Island on time. It’s way too far and the event of WCI happened in a span of like, 3 days give or take. BUT it doesn’t mean that Whole Cake Island won’t have any consequences. Just more angst and hurt/comfort probably. Anyway, I hope it’s more logical this way. In this chapter, Sanji is almost in WCI and his crew is on its way. I have written down my ideas on how things are going to evolve but just like the title, this is mostly Zeff centric and his adventures. I hope this chapter will please you!

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

Alabasta was a hot country. There was sand everywhere, sandstorms at random moments of the day and a local life really different from what the Baratie staff knew.

Zeff walked, his hands behind his back and his eyes scanning the stall. They were about to leave and he was becoming more and more anxious. Aryn hadn’t returned from his search for an Eternal Pose to Water 7 and Zeff didn’t know if he had managed to at least find a map to guide them.

The pantry was packed with food, even overloaded. The chef didn’t know when they were going to reach land again after their departure and he wasn’t going to play with food shortage.

His eyes locked on a shop similar to a post office which meant they probably sold Newspapers or at least knew what was going on. It was a bit unnerving to never really know what was happening and how long he had left before his son became a sacrificial lamb. 

He entered and looked around before he spotted the Newspaper on the counter.

“Excuse me sir, may I take a look at your Newspaper?” Zeff asked.

���Mh? Oh, of course, I’m done reading it if you want to take it.” The man answered.

“I just need to see something.”

Zeff took the paper in his hands and flipped the pages to find the right article. He finally found it and the article was long enough it took both pages on the newspaper.

The chef quickly started his reading. From what he could see, Germa kingdom was finally in Totoland. Zeff inhaled sharply and tried to keep his focus. He was too late, they were too late. Now his son would have to face this nightmare and he had no way to contact him.

The man behind the counter raised an eyebrow and worry was written all over his face.

“Is something wrong sir?”

“A lot of things are wrong but it doesn't concern you. Thank you for the paper.”

Zeff almost slammed it down on the wood and left the post office. 

Outside, everything was too loud, too bright. He could feel his heart beating and his hands trembling. Zeff knew it deep down, that it was impossible to cross the entire Grand Line in less than two weeks. 

He was walking back to Baratie with his hopes completely crushed. When he entered the restaurant, he let himself fall on a chair and raised a hand to his forehead.

Now what should he do? Sanji was in a large mess, with his probably confirmed shitty family and Zeff was too far away to help him. 

He couldn't just go and tell everyone that it was the end of their journey, not after they finally seemed to adapt to the Grand Line. And he couldn't go and tell Koil and Aryn that they were free to stay here because everything was useless now.

Departure was right behind the corner, Zeff could hear his staff working to prepare the ship. He sighed and stood up. They had to continue their journey, even if they didn't reach Sanji in time.

He heard voices coming from the entrance of the ship and went to see what all this fuss was about. What he saw almost made him freeze.

Aryn was back and he was followed by Koil (who hadn't put a foot on the ship before) and by Kehos. But what surprised him the most was what Aryn was holding. On one hand, he had a map and on the other hand, an Eternal Log Pose. The fisherman finally spotted him and waved before joining him.

“You managed to find an Eternal Log Pose as I can see.”

“Yes and I have good and bad news. What do you prefer?” Aryn questioned.

“The bad news first, I already know that our journey is almost impossible to realise.”

“Well… you're right. It's impossible to reach Totoland in such a short span of time and I'm sure whatever your son is in will have ended before we even reach Sabaody Archipelago. However, this map leads us to Water 7 and this Eternal Log Pose to Sabaody. I know it's nothing big but I studied the map and with luck, we can reach Water 7 in a week. If you know someone there that could help improve your ship, then you can win more time. But travelling without a Log Pose is extremely dangerous and if we don't make it in time then…”

Aryn didn't finish his sentence but Zeff understood him nonetheless. The chef clenched his fist before quickly relaxing his fingers. A cook should take care of his hands, no matter what.

Koil and Kehos joined them but Koil didn't stay with them. 

“Then you should leave now and not lose any more time.” Kehos said while looking at Zeff.

��And can you tell me what the hell you're doing here? I thought you and your friends didn't want to have anything else to do with us.” Zeff crossed his arms and responded.

“I..”

“You?”

“I decided to follow you!” The younger man answered, his cheeks a light shade of pink.

Zeff glanced at Aryn who smiled awkwardly at him. Kehos didn't look any better, with his hands fidgeting and his embarrassment barely hidden.

What a hassle.

“You're sure about that?” Zeff finally questioned.

“Yes. And my friends all agreed.” 

“Then I suppose you have everything packed and on the deck.”

“Yes sir.”

“Then we're leaving in five minutes.” Zeff then turned around and yelled at his crew. “You heard me slackers, prepare the ship to set sail, we're leaving Alabasta. Aryn, lead him to the dormitory then come back, you'll lead us.”

Aryn and Kehos squealed with joy and quickly left him to his thoughts.

Even if he couldn't reach Totoland in time, Zeff would make sure to land a kick right in Sanji's blood father's face. And after that, he'll reach Sanji, tackle him, reprimand him and hold him tight against him because he knew damn well how necessary it would be at this moment.

As he had told his crew, they were leaving five minutes after he had told them.

On the shore, Tara, Eri and Yan were waving at Kehos and Koil. Kehos was waving back with a big smile and fat tears sliding down his cheeks while Koil just rolled his eyes.

Aryn appeared next to Zeff with the map in his hands.

“I think we should take a look at the map, sir.”

“Yes yes, go on I'm listening.”

While everyone was running around to get the ship safely out of the dock, Aryn and Zeff went near the railing to have a quieter space. Zeff didn't want to go to his office, not yet. The room was too small for him right now.

“So? What's our course?”

“You see, there's quite a lot of islands before we reach Water 7. As you can see here, one of the next islands we can dock at is Jaya whose rumour can lead to sky islands.”

“Yes and we will make sure not to get caught in whatever takes people high up in the sky, understood?”

“Yes!” Aryn quickly said, nervosity clearly visible.

“Okay go on.”

“Well…there are other islands on the way to Water 7, like Long Ring but we can avoid them if we have enough food. If we can't then we can restock there.” 

Aryn pointed at an island, smaller than the rest of them. It was situated between Long Ring and Water 7 and apparently had an impressive market. From what his new navigator said, the island provided some resources to Water 7, like many others. If they ran short on food, then they could make a quick stop there before sailing again.

“What's your suggestion?”

“I think we should restock one last time at Jaya and then try to go directly to Water 7. I'll try to navigate us through the Grand Line and we'll have to make sure we can see an island at some point because it will be one of our major landmarks.”

“And if it doesn't work, we'll use the Eternal Log Pose to Sabaody. Both are in the same direction if I recall.”

“Yes you're right so we are not totally lost.” Aryn concluded.

Zeff nodded his approval and with all the interaction he had had with Aryn wince they met were confirming his choice. He knew what he was doing and it was a blessing for Zeff. Now he didn't have to worry about someone getting sick or hurt and accidently killing one of his men.

Worry was still sitting in his stomach though and Zeff knew he wouldn't be able to escape it. He just had to trust everyone, and his son, for the near future.

He was the captain, but a captain needed men to take him to his destination and to have men, you needed trust.

He trusted them just like they trusted him with their lives.

And maybe he should start training them soon because the New World wouldn't be as kind as Paradise.

Zeff was aware of that.

[particlecreator]

Starter for @videcoeur

It should have been a simple job. Take the order of Rain Powder to Alabasta, but somehow the product got switched out with some cooking spice. Maybe the vendor that sold her the product gave her the wrong stuff, but in the end, she still dropped it off so it was her fault for not checking it first. She knew that the organization that replaced the order appeared to be sketchy and it turned out her gut was right when someone called Miss All Sunday came after the merchant.

It was clear the boss was not happy and must have felt as it he was deceived. So without putting up a fight that would expose her abilities, she went along peacefully and the older woman commented that she made a smart choice. It had been five days now since she was placed in the underground prison or maybe a basement. The area was filled with cracks and pests that kept her company, but the worst part was the heat from the desert. Sand surrounded the female as she sat on the little mat she used to sleep on.

Eve was growing tired and had been waiting for the boss to come so she could fix the order, refund the money then just on her way. She had been using her devil fruit abilities to make edible food and then water to drink as her lips were drying out since hardly anyone came to visit. Sighing softly she knew she could not wait around much longer without an attempt to escape, but she was trying her best to hide her abilities.

Finally, the ginger female glanced up in the front of the cell as she heard footsteps coming closer. They were definitely heavier than the female that put her in the prison in the first place so maybe it was the head boss themself. She did not even realize she was holding her breath until her green eyes finally landed on the male who stood before her.

[ncfertari]

" oi vivi ! " loud voice called out to the princess, he was rushing to catch her once the azure locks of her beauty caught his eye in the distance. ace didn't need to search for long, much to his own surprise. lady luck was smiling to him today, as he managed to run into the princess of alabasta herself. it was a long journey back to alabasta, but it was worth the effort once the pirate presented her with a gift hand - made by himself. " Happy Valentine's day ! i thought … y'gonna like somethin' fancy. " with these words he's got her a pair of bone jewelry. thoughtfully crafted by his own hand. a necklace, and a pair of earrings. " Happy Valentine's day ! "

Valentine's Day Ask: @enjomo

The princess had been waiting for her friends to come back from their adventure just like they had promised all those years ago. She was going for a ride on Kuroo, but when she came back to the castle a servant informed her that someone was waiting for her at the port. Her heart raced when she was told the name of the person she wasted no time urging Kuroo to run faster until they arrived. Hoping off her friend, she glanced around the dock glancing for the male searching for him within the crowd until she heard his voice.

Pausing in her tracks, she did not move until her onyx-colored eyes landed on her friend. Tears started to flow down her eyes as her heart skipped a beat. Maybe the sun was hotter today than usual, as she felt a flush forming on her cheeks. The pirate had always been on her mind as she wondered how he was doing along with the Straw Hats, but she thought of him the most. Smiling she rushed over towards him not caring that she was running barefoot against the desert sand. The ravenette held something in his hand and spoke having a gift for her, but she did not care. All she wanted was to give him a hug and feel him in her embrace to make sure she was not dreaming.

Vivi wrapped her arms around his chest and jumped at him which might have caused him to lose balance as they both ended up on the ground. She sobbed into his chest and squeezed very tight as she did not want to let him go again. After a couple more moments she unwrapped her hands chuckling softly as she wiped away her tears. The princess smiled at him and was grateful for any gift he had made for her.

"Thank you so much, Ace! I missed you so much." Carefully taking the handcrafted jewelry she held closer to her chest as her body trembled from happiness. It was unladylike to be sitting on the ground, but she couldn't help it as she laughed softly before pulling him into another hug. "You being here is the best Valentine's Day gift I could ever ask for. Thank you for coming back."

[sir-crocodile-slut]

You Have Only Yourself to Blame

It’s date night with Crocodile.

-Art by @stulili-

TW: blood, rough sex, violence, Crocodile doing anything necessary to save his company

Word Count: 1.7k

The winds that blew across Alabasta were a nice change from the dry, intense heat. You have been here for years, but you have never gotten used to this sweltering intensity of this land. But at the very least you could adapt with the breathable clothing sold at the finest boutiques, anything to keep you cool. The desert was not meant for you, but not like you had a choice in the matter.

The day you met Sir Crocodile… your entire life changed. You were often someone who stood alone, not many friends or family. But you didn’t mind, you were used to it anyhow. When you met that beautiful, tall, dark-haired man, it’s like you gained a new piece of yourself. You felt… complete. Reborn. He took you under his wing, first as his grunt, then his employee, then his lover. It didn’t take long to move up the ranks, and you were elated to be at this level. Maybe not thrilled to be here, but you would do anything for that man. Anything.

Sir Crocodile arranged a date for the two of you that night, right after one of his many meetings. You knew if he was taking time away from work, it was going to be extremely special. He did take care of you though, even when he was out taking care of business, you were pampered and spoiled beyond belief. Silk, furs, jewels, anything you wanted, he gifted it to you and more. You felt that he would do anything for you.

6pm. Rain Dinners. Wear black.

The note must have slipped under your door at the crack of dawn, but you expected no less from your busy croc. You woke to find the letter rustling around your room, the wind blowing the curtains in like decadent velvet. “What a beautiful day,” you thought to yourself, “just beautiful.”

————————————————————————

You longed for this moment all day, walking up the steps to Crocodile’s restaurant, 6pm on the dot. Neither of you believed in being fashionably late, punctuality is much more professional. As you reached the front doors, the staff kindly opened them for you, gesturing you to come inside. The host led you to your table, but instead of seeing your date awaiting your arrival, there was only a note at your place setting.

Come down to the basement, love. I have a special surprise for you.

You weren’t one to keep the boss-man waiting, so you excitedly hurried to the basement door near the back corner of the building. Down the stairs and into the secret room only you, a few employees, and Crocodile know about. You look around for the dark-haired gentleman, nowhere to be found until you heard his deep, rugged voice booming from down the hall.

“In here.”

You followed the sound of the echo to your love, him sitting in his office chair at his desk. You were confused but you didn’t question him as he had to be secretive about his operation. “Hello my dear,” his voice always caused goosebumps to erupt all over, every word out his lips were a symphony. “I hope you don’t mind, I invited someone to join us for dinner.”

“Oh. Alright, who?” You asked, disappointed that your date night was now a party.

“A rat.”

Before you could ask, Crocodile’s sand pulled in a man, his wrists and ankles bound with sea-stone cuffs. You immediately recognized him, you saw the grunt talking to a small group of Marines a few days earlier. A traitor. As you memorized his face, the sand released him from Crocodile’s grasp. The rat was shaking, literally trembling, you all knew what was coming next. He tried to plead to the boss, but his slimy words were of no use, Crocodile stood up from his chair, towering above the pathetic creature. The sheer energy he portrayed just being in your presence was overwhelmingly exciting. Without a second thought, his golden hook ripped through the betrayer’s neck with ease. Blood gushed from his veins, splattering the wall, floor, you, and Crocodile, staining everything it touched.

This is why he told me to wear black.

The body dropped to the ground, splashing blood on your boots. Crocodile’s sand appeared from beneath him, grabbing the corpse and forcing it below ground. It was not the first time you’ve seen him kill someone… but it was the first directly in front of you. Looking away from the crime scene up at your man, the raw power emitting from him was alluring. A wave of desire washed over you, as if nothing happened, you went to passionately kiss the one-handed man. His tongue brushed into yours, intimately caressing and dancing in your mouth. He knew you loved what you saw, and you knew you couldn’t deny it.

His arm swooped you up onto his desk, his hand reached for your panties under your dress. The large fingers barely grazed you, undeniably like a waterfall into a river. You wanted- needed him. Crocodile effortlessly tore off your panties, leaving you exposed to him. You leaned forward, grasping for his belt and working quickly to remove the hindrance of clothing. His cock was rock solid for you, and you were ready for the taking. Crocodile immediately thrusted into you roughly, causing the desk to wobble and shake. Your moans carried themselves down the hallway and up to the door to the restaurant. The way he was fucking you on-top of his work, the adrenaline of the death you witnessed, and the blood still splattered in your faces, it wasn’t like anything you felt before.

Crocodile’s name poured from your throat, screaming to all of Alabasta that you belonged to him, his aura consuming your spirit like a drop of ink into water. You pulled him by his shirt collar and shoved your tongue into his mouth, dominating his into a soft whine you felt travel throughout your body.

He continued to jolt into your body, as your tongue distracted his, your other hand trails up toward his jet-black hair, pulling on it with each movement of his hips. A soft moan turned to a snarl from the reptilian man, his golden eyes both fiery with passion and euphoria. Crocodile closed his eyes with electrifying pulses connecting your bodies as one. He quickly pulled out and demanded you to switch to be face down on his desk. Needing the pressure of him pounding into you as soon as possible, you quickly obliged, rolling over so your face was almost resting on the table.

Crocodile wasted no time, he roughly smacked your ass, leaving a bloody handprint, and immediately rammed his member back into you, nearly hitting your cervix. Your ass was tingling from the delightful abuse, your tongue hanging from your mouth like a dog in heat. He pounded into you with great stamina, not slowing down for even a moment.

Your body, however, was overwhelmed with adrenaline and ecstasy, and you could feel your orgasm forming in the bottom of your stomach. “Crocodile… I-.. I’m almost…” unable to articulate your words as he forced into you with incredible power.

“That’s right my dear, cum for your boss. Tell me who you belong to,” he said, grunting.

“YOU-“ you exclaimed, “I belong to YOU, Crocodile… Sir Crocodile!” Drool poured from your mouth as the feelings took over your autonomy. “I… i can’t-“

Your body shook, legs twitched and tingled, stomach muscles tensed up, the feeling building up for hours has finally released. You came on the sand-man’s dick, mixing your wetness with his as he moaned hearing his name and with a few more pumps came inside you.

You flip yourself back over to face your king, sweat on his brow and his breathing shallow but catching up. The most handsome man in the world, and he’s yours. You giggle at his demeanor and steal a kiss. The Warlord kisses you back for a moment before looking at his metallic hook, still drenched in blood as he reached for his classic cigar.

“Here,” you said, “let me help clean you up.” You stuck your tongue out and slowly polished the blood from the gold, not breaking eye contact from your lover. “Mmmmmm….” You hum as your tongue left his hook in pristine condition, glimmering like your orgasm eyes. Crocodile blew a cloud of smoke and smirked, his main way of thanking you.

You both get your clothes back on and make your way to head back up to Rain Dinners. As you try to keep up with the man’s large footsteps, he began asking a few questions.

“Do you know why that man was punished this evening?” He asked.

“Well… did he trade secrets or something?” You asked, curiously.

“Not exactly,” Crocodile muttered.

He stopped in his tracks.

“He thought it would be a great idea to try and sell my company from underneath me to the Navy, but he was an idiot and thought I would not find out. He was incredibly cocky, only had himself to blame.” A cloud of smoke puffed out in an irate fashion.

“Wow you were right, he was stupid,” you chuckled as you continued your path to the restaurant.

“But he told me something interesting before you joined us,” Crocodile said with a somber face. Sand whisked slowly around you like the wind, you felt nervous, afraid, and frozen in your path. The sand built Crocodile up right behind you, he whispered in your ear, “There’s one worse thing than an idiot, and that’s you, a traitor. He saw you talking with the government at the shops, he reported it before I even decided to kill him. But do not worry, I’m really not that upset.”

“Oh?” You asked with hope.

“Yes, I forgive everything you’ve done.”

“Crocodile, oh thank y-“

Your breath was suddenly knocked out of you, your eyelids felt heavy, and you tasted copper in the back of your mouth. In shock you look down and see his golden hook penetrating your chest, blood pouring into a puddle. Crocodile then returns his hook, slashing your insides as he did to the man.

As you fell to the floor, covered in your own blood and unable to breathe, he leaned down close to you with unbroken eye contact.

“Because I never trusted anyone from the beginning…. Nico Robin.”

[per-oceanum]

@mingos sent. . .

❛ has anyone ever told you you have soft lips? a surprise, considering you're... y'know, sand. ❜

────────

ㅤ⠀Lips parted, the kiss ending, even as his hands remained in place: one gripping that ridiculous pink coat, the other cupping a sharp jawline. Elio liked to think of himself as a man with standards. A man who knew his worth, who would never settle for anything subpar. He still thought of himself in that light- and by no means was he settling in the moment. A small indulgence in a moment of… Need. That's all it was, certainly.

ㅤ⠀[ Even with the subtle tremor in his hands; even as his heart raced within his chest as if he had run a marathon across all of Alabasta. ]

ㅤ⠀❝How is it that you can take something romantic- and twist it to become something to grate upon my ears?❞ He muttered, lips curving into a scowl as his hands retreated. He took a step back- putting distance between them, as if it would allow him to think any clearer. To ignore the feeling of hands gripping, of the odd warmth that had settled between them in that moment that had the tips of his ears turning scarlet, had his mind racing to places it certainly shouldn't. ❝I can be sand, I can be flesh and blood. I have full control over myself and my abilities, Flamingo.❞

ㅤ⠀Turning away, slow steps drew him to the desk where a crystalline glass sat. His rings clicked against it as he grasped it, raising it to his lips. Water- not alcohol, not here. Not now. He needed to be of sound mind when dealing with Doflamingo. Dealing- as if it hadn't been a mutual decision to return to this place.

ㅤ⠀The perks of owning multiple islands throughout the Grand Line. A resort here, a casino there, a plot of land with a luxurious, sprawling chateau. . .

[doctorgerth]

Hi!! Congratulations on 2k followers and 2 years anniversary!! 🎉🎉

I'd like to request #4 from the fluff list, with a female reader and one of these three: Denjiro, Pell or Law, with the reader doing the action :)

a/n: ok confession time, I had a BIG crush on Pell when I first watched alabasta 👉🏻👈🏻 thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to write for him! it’s not much, but I enjoyed it. hope you enjoy it as well 💕

prompt: BOX A - ⑷ Shielding the other with their body

pairing: Pell x F!Reader

warnings: none

word count: ~460

He was flying too low, noticeably unsteady. Neither of you wanted to accept it, but you both knew it was too soon.

Even from the distance, you could see the furrow of his brows and the frustration riddled along his features as he quickly lost control and barrelled towards the nearest dune. Your feet grew minds of their own as they quickly rushed you towards his targeted landing space and planted themselves in the burning sand as you opened your arms. You had little time to think about how this was more than likely not a good idea before he drew closer.

He attempted to slow down and avoid you, but controlling his movements was still beyond his current control. Instead, he quickly changed into human form before crashing into you as you shielded his body from diving face first into the sand. The impact was quick, and though the sand cushioned your fall, it still hurt like hell.

“Are you alright?” You questioned, spitting out mouthfuls of sand in the process.

Pell lifted his head from the crook of your neck, brows furrowed impossibly lower paired with a scowl on his painted lips, “Am I alright? What were you thinking, doing something foolish like that? I could have seriously harmed you!”

“My feet…” You winced as you attempted to sit up, body suddenly reacting to the pain of the collision now that the adrenaline had run out, “moved on their own. I’m sorry, Pell.”

His features instantly softened as did his hands as they caressed you and helped you up. They moved from your arms, searching for any signs of broken bones, him sighing in relief when he found none, up to cup your cheeks, “Thank you.” He kissed your forehead, “I’m sorry for yelling, I just…”

He trailed off and you grabbed at the hands that held your face to offer him comfort. His eyes found yours once more and he confessed, “I’m just not used to the one being protected. I’ve spent my life protecting the kingdom and I’ve vowed to protect yours. But you’ve been my rock throughout my recovery and I just don’t think I could get through this without you.”

You squeezed his hands, “You won’t have to.” The two of you attempted to stand and it was Pell’s turn to wince in pain. “But please stop pushing yourself. If I hadn’t cushioned your fall, you’d be bed ridden for the rest of the year.”

“I know, I know.” He managed a smile as he took your hand in his, “I’ll be more careful.”

You limped beside him before leaning onto him for support, “Looks like I’ll be joining you in the recovery unit. I wonder if Igaram could place our beds beside each other…”

“That doesn’t make me feel better!”

tag list: @kaizokuwritings @mariegeoise @pagingdoctorbedlam @lofi-coffee @vemuabhi @ro6inante @greyblueberries @some-piece

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[pxmun]

Belo Betty had enough of sitting around and doing nothing. It had been a week or so after the Levely incident and the Revolutionaries still had not heard from Sabo and the others. Everyone was in a rut trying to find out what had happened to their comrades, investigations were in place but so far nothing had come up. Bunny Joe had just returned from the West Blue after trying to gather information from a few kingdoms on what had happened at Reverie. He spotted Betty on the docks. “Any news”? Betty asked. “Hardly, the best I got was a speculation that the others were last seen at an island called Radio.” Bunny Joe replied. “Radio? I’ve never heard of that island before.” Betty said. “I haven’t either, but the West Blue inhabitants said it has been closed off from the rest of the world after an incident that left them without a ruler.” Bunny Joe said. Bunny Joe looked over Betty and watched as Koala walked by. “How’s she holding up”? Bunny Joe asked. “Koala’s been a real trooper, but I can tell this has been greatly affecting her.” Betty sadly admitted. “Her and Sabo are really close, I’m sure the news hit her hard.” Bunny Joe responded. With a possible lead Belo Betty headed out for Radio Island later that night. As her ship neared the island, Betty brought the vessel to a stop as she noticed the large metal towers surrounding the island. Betty didn’t know why but her instincts were telling her that she shouldn’t continue on the large ship. Instead Betty boarded a smaller lifeboat and rowed toward the island. With the help of the lights on the radio towers Betty was able to safely row closer towards Radio. Suddenly a shadow in the water rocketed towards Betty. In a split second Betty was able to come to the horrifying conclusion that the shadow was a torpedo. Betty had no choice but to jump into the sea, the water immediately paralyzed the devil fruit user. By this point the torpedo had made contact with the little boat and engulfed it in a massive fiery explosion. Betty tried to move but the sea water had left her weak, somehow she was able to manage to lift her hand out of the water. Betty knew there probably wouldn’t be anyone there to save her, but she had to try. As Betty felt herself begin to sink further under the waves she suddenly felt herself being yanked upwards. Betty breached the surface of the sea and began spitting up water, gasping for air not long after. Betty looked up at her rescuer. “Lind”? Betty asked. Sure enough Betty saw the wide grin of the Southern commander. The two were currently hovering over the water thanks to Lindbergh’s jetpack. “Hey, Betty! Looks like I made it just in time.” Lindbergh said. The Mink quickly flew his companion and him to land where Lindbergh gently placed Betty on the soft sand of the beach. The Eastern commander was drenched in cold sea water and shaking like an earthquake. Lindbergh took off his orange overcoat and placed it over Betty to help warm her up for the time being until the Mink was able to get a fire going. Lindbergh rushed to gather the materials needed for the fire. He quickly set a fire pit up and got it lit. Once the flames were going Lindbergh helped move Betty next to the fire.  After being warmed up for a bit Betty spoke up. “What the heck is going on”? Betty asked weakly. “We were fighting against the Admirals when an incident happened between Cipher Pol and one of the attending royal families. Sabo had us go and investigate, when we got there we discovered the body of the Alabasta king Cobra and princess Vivi, who was about to be assassinated by Cipher Pol. We managed to stop the assassination and decided to bring Vivi back to Sabo for further instructions.” Lindbergh explained as he prepared a pot of tea. He placed the pot over the fire before continuing. “However when we returned, we were shocked to find Kuma had joined the battle. He hadn’t joined as an alley though, nor an enemy. Instead Kuma had gone off on a full blown rampage. He was charging at everyone, friend and foe alike. Sabo was worried about Kuma hurting himself more then he already was from his enslavement to the Celestial Dragons, so Sabo used himself as bait to distract Kuma until we returned. We had made it back in time to see Kuma use his paw paw powers to send Sabo flying. Kuma then set his sights on us. Karasu managed to distract Kuma long enough for Morley to sneak up and grab Kuma from behind.” Lindbergh said.

“So how did you end up here then and what happened to Sabo”? Betty asked.

“Well it turned out Kuma wasn’t as secure as we had thought. Karasu and I were trying to remove the slave collar around Kuma’s when Vivi approached us. Apparently the key had fallen off of Saint Charlos during the confrontation in Pangea’s court yard. She helped me with removing the device, but once we got it off Kuma was able to move his hand just enough to send Morley flying. With Morley now gone it was easy for Kuma to toss the rest of us off. Karasu quickly gathered Vivi and I up right as Kuma tagged him, so we all got teleported together.” Lindbergh continued. “And Kuma sent you guys here”? Betty asked. “Yeah, I have no idea why but he sent all of us here. When we landed Sabo and Morley were waiting for us.” Lindbergh said. Betty looked around her surroundings. “So, where is everyone then”? Betty asked. “That’s the bad news, apparently the locals don’t take to kindly to the Revolutionary Army. We walked to a nearby town and the residents immediately recognized us as Revolutionaries. The whole town began chasing after us and these towns folk are on a whole different level compared to those we have interacted in the past.” Lindbergh explained. “Different how”? Betty asked puzzled. “For one they aren’t as fragile and scared as other town folk, they knew where we stood on the Revolution ladder, yet they still confronted us. The next, well I don’t know how to describe it except for vocal haki.” Lindbergh said. “Wait, they know about us? How? And what is Vocal..Haki”? Betty questioned. “I don’t know, my best guess is that they somehow found out by word of mouth or worse...We have a spy in our ranks. As for the Vocal Haki, they appear to build up energy through humming, then they either release it physically or vocally. Unfortunately for Sabo he got exposed to this vocalization. If it was anyone lower than Sabo’s level this haki would have knocked them out. Sabo was left very disoriented after exposure. Morley tried to provide back up but by this time the island’s law enforcement arrived.” Lindbergh said. “They call themselves Radio Rangers. They wear cowboy hats and tan dusters, if you see them avoid them at all cost.” Lindbergh warned. “Just the citizens alone sound tough enough, how much worse are these Rangers”? Betty asked in morbid curiosity. “Way worse, best I can scale them at is Marine captain level.” Lindbergh said. ���We found out the hard way as four of them went after Morley. You remember how I said vocal haki can also be released physically? Well that’s what happened. The crazy thing is that these Rangers didn’t even use their fist, all they did was touch Morley with an open palm and they fell right over.” Lindbergh said. “Sounds like the vocal haki did damage to Morley internally. What about Karasu”? Betty asked worried. “ He was putting up a good fight, Karasu was giving those Rangers a run for their money. His devil fruit was making it really difficult for the enemy to target him. Karasu had managed to knock two Rangers into the mud before more Rangers showed up with better equipment.” Lindbergh recalled. Betty continued to listen, her heart beat increasing from the anxiety and worry about what happened to Karasu. Betty nearly jumped when the tea kettle began to whistle. Lindbergh removed the kettle from the fire and poured tea into two cups. He handed one of the cups to Betty. She took a sip, eager to warm up. “Thank you.” Betty told Lindbergh. Lindbergh acknowledged Betty’s gratitude with a nod before focusing his attention toward a large glowing radio tower within the island. His tone changing to that of dire concern. “These guys must have a spy infiltrating our group, when their science unit arrived they brought with them a special gun. Karasu was in the air when they fired it. This thing was specifically designed to work against Karasu’s devil fruit. It launched a gum like substance and it stuck to Karasu and all of his crows. Luckily Karasu wasn’t that far up in the air when he came crashing down.” Lindbergh said, his back facing Betty. There was no response.

“ I warned Sabo to try not to get caught. Don’t get me wrong the kid has a good heart, its just.... its just that he needs to look before he leaps, he’s not a pirate, he’s a Revolutionary, the second in command. He doesn’t have the luxury to be reckless. If Sabo had just paid more attention, then he would’ve known this place didn’t like Revolutionaries. If he had just looked into it....Sabo would’ve been weary of me.” Lindbergh finished. There came a soft “thud”. Lindbergh turned around to find Betty collapsed on the sand. Lindbergh walked up to Betty and knelt down, observing Betty’s breathing. “Good, it looks like the sleeping drug did its job.” Lindbergh said to himself. Lindbergh stood back up. “Clear”! Lindbergh shouted. From behind the trees and rocks Rangers came running out, surrounding Lindbergh and Betty. The group drew their rifles and pointed them at Betty. “ Its okay, she’s out cold.” Lindbergh stated. “Sorry sir, but we don’t want to take any chances.” One Ranger replied. “ Stand down, that’s an order.” Lindbergh said. The Rangers seemed caught off guard by the cat Mink’s response. After some hesitation the group lowered their weapons. Lindbergh gave a sincere smile. “I appreciate everyone’s concern. If it’ll make the group feel any better, I’ll place Betty in sea stone leg and handcuffs to restrain her and prevent her from using her devil fruit.” Lindbergh said. The Rangers looked at each other before giving a nod to Lindbergh. Lindbergh then gently scooped up Betty into his arms, removing her sunglasses and hat. “Its still dark out so there shouldn’t be anyone out, but I don’t want to take any chances of one of he residents seeing another Revolutionary, so lets take the backroads.” Lindbergh said. “Do we have an update on the ship Betty came on” ? Lindbergh asked. “Omega squad is chasing the Revolutionary ship away from our borders as we speak sir.” A Ranger spoke up. “Alright, let’s head back to the palace then.” Lindbergh said. And with that the group headed off onto the dark road.

[lo-55]

Lightning In A Bottle Ch. 2

Nanohana wasn’t changed much, to the point that Nao was beginning to wonder how long she had been inside her crystal prison. She had no idea how much time had passed, but if the boy who had broken her out of the rock hadn’t recognized her or her flag it had to have been a while. 

And that hat…

It had to be a duplicate, surely.

Nao tucked her hands into the pockets of her pants. Her high leather boots kept the sand out of her socks, at least, and when Luffy managed to burn whole sacks of Raindance powder her cape kept her dry. At her side, Odenta and Mikazuki hung as heavy comforts in their sheaths. They didn’t garner nearly as much attention in the city as Nao and the Gem’s had when they had arrived however long ago that was. Back there the city had emptied out as soon as they stepped foot in the sand covered streets of the Alabastan port. 

No, no one even looked twice at them, there were so many people going through the city. 

Not her, or Luffy in his hat. 

How peculiar. 

Nao made a mental note to get a hold of a newspaper as soon as she could, or maybe visit Ohara. They would have the best records about what she’d missed. 

It would have to wait. Ohara was a long ways from Alabasta, and it would be hard to sail Blood Stone without someone else helping her. The ship was just a little felucca, hardly big enough for fifteen people, but she was tough as nails and made for the roughest waters in the world. All the same, it wasn’t safe to sail alone in the Grand Line, where the weather might change without warning, when there wasn’t someone to stay awake and keep watch. Not to mention Marine’s, other pirates, and all sorts of other dangers. Sea Kings probably hadn’t gone extinct since she went under. She’d rather not deal with them. 

Nao was so busy contemplating her ship that she nearly walked right by the restaurant that Luffy went shooting into. 

She had to backtrack to poke her head inside. A crowd had gathered, and Luffy was ignoring it entirely in face of ordering lunch. A pair of unconscious bodies lay through several broken walls. 

Nao cocked her head. Had Luffy done that when hed stretched out and launched himself like a demented rubberband? She knew it had to be a Devil Fruit, but she didn’t expect him to go causing that much destruction mindlessly.  

What a weird kid. 

Ah well. Pirate.

Nao took a seat next to Luffy while the chef frantically started cooking. Whoever had been in before them had eaten a lot, with dirty plates stacked nearly to the ceiling. Now he was feeding Luffy, and her too. 

Nao made a mental note to tip him well. 

She casually elbowed Luffy’s face out of the way and stole a whole chicken to rip into. 

“Hey!” he shouted around a mouthful of food. His head stretched unnaturally away on his neck. “That’s mine!” 

“Finders keepers,” she said succinctly, and shoveled it into her face as fast as she could. Time hadn’t passed for her at all inside the stone. Her injuries from the battle weren’t healed, and she didn’t feel well rested. She was famished, but not starving like she’d spent months unconscious. 

Nevertheless, she’d always been a big eater. She needed the energy to keep up with her lifestyle, and to keep herself strong enough to fight. She wouldn't let her broad shoulders shrivel or her powerful legs grow weak if she could help it. It was a death sentence.  

She nearly bit Luffy’s hand inhaling spicy noodles next, and a hank of lamb. The chef was sweating and out of breath but he kept putting food on the counter and they kept eating. Luffy was chatting with the locals while he ate. 

“Why’s there a hole in the wall? Is that some weird hobby of yours?”

“YOU’RE THE ONE WHO PUT THE HOLE IN THE WALL!” 

She knew it. 

Nao was in the middle of a plate of roasted peppers when one of the formerly-unconscious men climbed out of the hole in the wall. She watched him get slammed back down by a man in a fur coat, and the next thing she knew she was getting dragged through the streets of Nanohara by Luffy. 

Why are we running? That guy isn’t even that strong...

“Tashigi!” the man chasing them shouted, “Stop them!” 

Nao looked forwards to see a girl with a sword. 

“I’ll handle her,” she offered Luffy, who nodded and let go so he could go bouncing up onto the rooftops like a ninja or something. In one smooth move Nao drew Odenta from her side and lifted it to block a blow from the other girl, Tashigi. 

“Nice sword,” Nao grinned sharply at the girl over their locked blades. Her form was good, but she wasn’t very strong. Too bad. 

“Yours is too. It’s a shame it’s being used by pirate scum!” 

“Xeshishishi, tell you what, if you can beat me you can have her.” 

 The man who’d been smashed into the floor landed next to the two. An orange hat rested on his head and he had a bad slung over one shoulder. Black hair fell in soft waves to frame his cheeks, which were covered with freckles. 

There was something familiar about him… 

“Excuse me, ladies,” he said politely, startling both of them into looking away from their crossed blades to him instead. He tipped his hat towards them, then the building that Luffy had jumped up onto. He was blocked from it by their swords. “I have to catch up with my brother now.” 

“Uh, sure,” said the marine girl. They pulled their blades away to make a path for him. 

“Why are you telling us this…?” the redhead countered, looking confused. She faltered when she got a good look at his face, recognition shooting through her. Nao sucked in a breath. He looked like- 

“Hey, hold on-!” 

“Sorry, I can’t,” Portgas waved to them and shot over the rooftops, after his brother and the marine. Nao shook her head. She would see him again, if he was chasing Luffy. 

Nao drew back and slashed again easily. Each move was economic and graceful. She spared no energy, partially because she simply didn’t have any. Tashigi blocked, but the force pushed her back a few feet. 

Nao parried her next attack and side stepped to smack her on the back of the neck with Odenta, sending her careening to the ground.  

Someone screamed, but no blood came from the fallen marine. 

She touched the back of her neck in confusion. “Wha-?”

Nao didn’t answer. 

She was already gone. 

Nao ducked around a corner and ran after Luffy, following his Haki until she caught up with him and a group of colorful people. Hadn’t he said he was a pirate? Or he was going to be King of the Pirates. That was what he’d said. Well, to be king of them you needed to be a pirate in the first place, right? 

That sounded right. 

So these people were probably his crew. 

When he saw her he grinned and threw his hand out. It stretched far enough to grab her by the wrist and yank her forwards. 

“Hey! You made it past the sword lady!” 

“Well yeah,” Nao landed beside him running. Her leg was starting to ache where a cut had caught her over the knee.  

“Who are you supposed to be?” A curly haired young man with a long nose demanded, eying her. 

“She’s a rock person I found,” Luffy said cheerfully.  

“That. About sums it up,” Nao felt herself smile involuntarily. “I’m Roche Nao,” she said for the second time that day. She really hoped they stopped running soon. Her leg was seriously starting to ache. 

“So Luffy picked up someone else weird,” an orange haired girl looked exasperated more than anything else. Nao felt like she should have been offended, but she just shrugged. She was too tired to be upset with people who hadn’t actually done anything to her.

Besides, she wasn’t wrong. 

They came upon a pretty caraval, with a sweet looking figure head. A sheep. Nao felt herself smile. It was cute and light hearted, like this crew seemed to be. Nothing at all like the swift, devil faced Blood Stone. Her eyes were two carved rubies, and a pair of snakes twined around her in a macabre necklace that matched the one that hung beneath Nao’s own shirt. 

“Permission to come aboard?” she asked Luffy lightly. The boy beamed at her and tipped the brim of his hat. 

“Granted!” 

They scampered onto the ship and in a whirlwind of motion they set sail. The caravel carried them away from the port. The pirate flag flapped in the wind, showing off a skull wearing a straw hat. 

Seriously, what was up with that hat? 

Had that up-and-coming volcano really given it to some upstart?

...actually. That sounded exactly like something he would do.

She realized that their little pet (a raccoon?) was staring at her only when he shouted suddenly. 

“Ah! You’re bleeding!” 

It was a testement to how tired she was that she hadn’t noticed that he was a mink, and not just a weird animal. 

“Hah? Where?” 

“Your leg! Quick, take off your pants and I’ll- ouch!” 

The orange haired girl smacked him over the head. “Don’t ask it like that!” she scolded. 

“But I need to see how bad it is! She might need a doctor!” 

“You’re the doctor!” 

Ah. Nao would have preferred they didn’t know she was actually injured, or weak, but there was nothing to be done about it. They seemed like good people anyhow, as far as pirates went. 

“Well then, mister doctor, where’s your office?” 

“A-ah! I don’t have a real office yet. We’ve been using the bathroom.” 

“Then lead the way.” 

The doctor, Tony Tony Chopper, guided her down to the bathroom. The Caravel was small without being cramped. Nao took off her boots and pants, now stained with blood, so he could clean and stitch her leg. He treated her smaller scrapes and bruises as well, and stuck bandaids across her cuts. 

He left so she could clean herself properly, wash her hair and get the blood off of her. She watched the pink water wash down the drain and wondered where her crew was. What had happened to Elba, Talisa, Adrien and Pearl? Were Rize and Hinami still injured? Had the marine’s tended to their wounds? Tier had escaped into the sea before a blast from a marine flagship had sent them hurtling out of the little cove they’d been hiding in and beached their ship. Had she made it back to fishman island? 

She needed to find out. She owed it to her crew after she  had failed them all.  

There was a knock on the door.  

She cracked it open to find the blond man standing outside, holding a bundle of clothes in his arms. Her red hair dripped across her shoulders, but in a few minutes it would be dry and wildly curly again. 

“I bought an extra outfit for Nami or Vivi, but now I see it was destiny that I have it ready for you!” 

He had literal hearts in her eyes when he presented them to her. 

Nao took them carefully. The clothes were lightweight and soft, so soft that they caught on the sword-callouses on her fingers. 

“Thank you?” Her clothes weren’t ruined, by any means. Did she really need a new outfit? 

“If you need any help changing I-” 

She shut the door on his face. “Nope.” 

They definitely didn’t recognize her. No one who did was stupid enough to flirt with her. Her dad would kill them. 

Nao changed into the clothes and was disappointed to find that they were dancers clothes. 

Yeah. No. 

She couldn’t fight in that! 

Instead she cleaned her pants as best as she could, used a small sewing kit she kept in her cape to fix the cut in them, and redressed. 

She'll have to find a hair tie eventually. 

When she came back up to deck the other man they’d run into was crouched on the outer rail. With his back partially to her while he chatted with someone else Nao caught a glimpse of a tattoo on his back. 

It was familiar, too. He nodded to Nao when she came to stand beside the green haired man. Solo? 

Most of his attention was on Luffy, not her. 

“Luffy. Will you come join the Whitebeard Pirate Crew? With your friends, too, of course.”

Whitebeard pirates. Whitebeard. Edward Newgate. 

Nao could feel a headache starting to throb behind her eyes. 

“No way!” 

The man laughed. “Just thought I'd ask! Whitebeard is the greatest pirate I've ever known. I want to make him the pirate king. Not you, Luffy.” 

Nao internally winced. Brutal. They were obviously close. Childhood friends? 

“That's okay! I'll just fight him.” 

Nao blinked at Luffy’s back. Was he stupid? Or just crazy? 

Either way, Nao liked him. 

She couldn’t start her hunt for her crew yet. She didn’t know how long she was trapped, and she didn’t know where everyone had gone. She also wasn’t in any shape to go rushing off and finding out. Her mother would have killed her for doing something as impulsive as grabbing the nearest Marine and demanding to know where her crew had been taken. And her dad… 

Her heart twisted in her chest. Nao shook her head. She wouldn't let herself have a breakdown yet. Not here. Not yet. 

“Hey, Luffy.” 

He turned his head to look at her. Nao offered him a half bow. “Sorry but, I’m going to have to take advantage of your hospitality for now. Until I can get in contact with my own crew.” 

Luffy shot her cheerful grin. “Sure, okay. You can hang out with us for a while.” 

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” the blue girl stepped forwards. Nao really needed to figure out everyone’s names. She only knew Luffy and Chopper. “We’re not here for tourism. Where we’ll be going is bound to be dangerous.”

Nao cocked her head. Yeah. “I appreciate you worrying. But I’m a pirate as much as anyone else. I won’t change my mind just because it’s dangerous.” 

Besides, they were going to Yuba, where Nao was supposed to meet with her crew. 

Molly should have already gotten there and set up shop. 

“Wait for us, Moll. We’ll get there, even if it takes a while.”

Molly pursed her black-painted lips. “I don’t like it, captain. This splitting up stuff. You already sent Harry and Monty back to Zou. We’re stronger together.” 

“I know we are. But with dad-”  

“Don’t worry,” Nao looked the girl in the eye and lay her hand on Odenta’s hilt. “I won’t ask any of you to be responsible for me.”

“I am my own captain, after all.” 

[alkhale]

Desert Sun (Male!Vivi x Male!Hoku) Memos AU Ko-fi request

Hi! Recently i begin to love Vivi(theres dome amazing fanarts about genderbender!Vivi that i found ). so i would like to get an Vivi x Hoku or M!Vivi x Hoku or M!Vivi x M!Hoku ,please.

Pictures for reference! Male!Vivi by @bab_119

Male!Hoku looks a lot like Allen from D. Gray Man with just a bit shorter hair. He keeps the side braid with Mihawk’s ribbon or uses it to tie off a little ponytail at the base of his neck.

“What are you drawing, Hoku?”

Hoku paused, his fingers loosely holding the pencil in his grip. The lazy, light sketches looked back at him over the expanse of thick paper and he grinned a bit at the sight, looking up at Vivi’s voice. “Couldn’t sleep, prince charming?”

Vivi rolled his eyes at him, lightly running his fingers through the soft blue tufts of his hair. He came down the set of steps onto the lower deck where Hoku was leaning against one of Nami’s tangerine trees. A few peels sat at Hoku’s bare feet in the grass, his only evidence.

The front of Hoku’s wispy white bangs were pulled up over the top of his head, tied together in a silly looking tuft. The sight made Vivi want to chuckle, but he withheld it for now in case Hoku just started making fun of him for something else. The artist tended to be quick to bite back with retorts at Vivi if he tried to tease him too much, like stepping on the end of a cat’s tail.

Maybe it means we got closer. Vivi wondered, sighing as he looked over to the side. Or not.

The air was cool outside, another sign of their closeness to Alabasta’s own climate. Hot, rolling sun throughout the days and dark, cold nights across the endless expanse of sand and rolling desert. A sight and sensation Vivi never got sick of, not once, only missing it more as he got closer and closer to home.

Hoku shifted a bit to make room for Vivi underneath the tangerine tree. Vivi smiled a bit at that, trying not to get too hopeful and lowering himself down and getting comfortable beside Hoku, carefully stretching out his legs and watching how his legs stretched out just a bit further than Hoku’s.

Hoku’s feet weren’t as scratched up or scarred as Vivi thought they’d be. Well-protected by the sturdy, worn material of his boots sitting on the other side of him. Hoku’s hands were a different story though. Calloused, smoothed over, and then calloused all over again, only soft at the fingertips.

“It was getting too stuffy in the room,” Vivi said. Hoku snorted. “I wanted a bit of air.”

“Told you to just take the hammock outside,” Hoku said, pointing his pencil at the hammock he’d drawn from sheets and set up between Nami’s tangerine trees. Vivi raised a brow in amusement. “Nothing can beat a good hammock under the fresh air.”

“What do you do when it rains?”

“Just draw a tarp or a big umbrella, what else?”

Vivi laughed, a soft, elegant sound. Hoku rolled his eyes, turning his focus back to his sketchbook. Vivi watched his slender fingers move in silence, taking in the careful strokes and quick shifts of Hoku’s finger across the pages. He was never one for drawing or artistic crafts, but Vivi sometimes felt like he could watch Hoku do this forever.

Hoku loved what he did. He always looked like he loved down what he did.

Vivi wondered how much of that love Hoku could see himself.

“You’d die for your country, right? That’s good. I’ll lend you a life then if you need it.”

Their shoulders pressed against each other, warm still, from the earlier sunlight. Vivi idly rubbed the back of his neck, staring at the small space between his and Hoku’s legs before he quickly turned them away. Vivi winced, realizing his eyes landed instead on the bare expanse of Hoku’s stomach, left exposed from the shortness of the tight white turtleneck he wore, showing off the lean, taut muscle.

Vivi’s eyes quickly shifted to the side of Hoku’s face instead, quietly following the red ink pattern blended into his skin, curving softly around his eye. Vivi almost laughed again, realizing normally Luffy didn’t let him get away with looking this long.

“Tell me about Alabasta.”

Vivi blinked, looking up in confusion. Hoku didn’t look up at him, never taking his eyes off the page. “Go on, anything. Or you could just give me a bit of blood too.”

“Alabasta?” Vivi said. Hoku nodded, once. “I—well, is there a reason—”

“Don’t have too if you don’t want to,” Hoku said, sketching absently at the bottom of the page. “Up to you. Running out of ideas.”

Vivi kept silent for a moment, thinking it over. Hoku was warm beside him, reminding Vivi of the first rays of sunlight in the morning, not too warm, just barely there and gone in a blink. Hoku smelled like ink, a hint of iron and something else, like a flower maybe underneath the heavier smell of tangerines all around them. 

“Guess I’ll just draw Usopp,” Hoku muttered.

Vivi quickly straightened, clearing his throat before he started to speak, a little hurried at first. “It’s a lot larger than people realize. Across the desert it seems like it stretches as far as the ocean, but there’s all kinds of small spots that mark what’s what. The towns are all different, unique in their own way and filled with history.”

“Okay, tell me about one.”

“Alubarna—it’s where I grew up,” Vivi quickly continued, trying to keep Hoku’s attention on his words, on his home. Hoku’s pencil lightly shifted over the paper. “So big, a small child could easily get lost in the columns, fit right behind them.”

“What were you like as a kid?” Hoku mused. Vivi brightened.

“I, well, I wasn’t quite the picture perfect image for a prince. I got into trouble a bit and fought with some of the local kids, but we also became friends! I followed my father around—”

“You look more like your mom or your dad?” Hoku asked.

Vivi hesitated a second before saying softly, warmly, “My mother.”

Hoku’s lips curled up into a crooked smile. Vivi stared at it a bit in wonder. “Me too.”

Vivi felt the words gathering up at his throat. He tried to figure out the most elegant way to say it, to ask— “What was your home like? What were you like as a child, Hoku?”

“Keep going,” Hoku said softly.

“T-The palace is grand and white, huge, swirling columns and massive statues of Alabasta’s guardian deities stand in front of it,” Vivi said, hoping his chance would come again. “I think people from Artopoki were paid years ago to help build them.”

“Oh~” Hoku said. “Must be real good then. Keep going.”

Vivi’s voice grew smoother, warmer as the memories came flooding back to him in perfect clarity. They appeared, bright as day and perfectly clear in all their entirety, as if he’d never left the sand and the smell of the sun and the dry, warm heat. Hoku’s hand continued to move, quick and effortless across the page and Vivi followed it with a sort of hypnotic ease, feeling his shoulders unwind, his back relax. Hoku’s warmth didn’t disappear beside him.

“I love Yuba too,” Vivi said slowly. “My best friend is there... Yuba’s a great center of commerce and life...”

“What are the seasons like?” Hoku murmured.

“Always warm,” Vivi mumbled, his eyes drooping a bit. He tried to shake his head awake. “But the nights get cold... you might... like it...”

“Keep going,” Hoku said, soft by his ear. Vivi continued, mumbling the words out, his eyes drooping a bit. He tried to keep going, feeling the heavy, heavy fatigue pulling at his eyes.

Vivi could feel the sun behind his eyelids, warming his skin. He wondered if Hoku wouldn’t mind the heat too much. He said he liked the sun, right? Hoku had never tried food from Alabasta either. Would he like the palace baths? Maybe not, since Hoku didn’t seem fond of water. There was a lot Vivi wanted to show him, lots and lots.

More of my home... would you like to see it?

Hoku waited a few more minutes until the soft sound of Vivi’s breathing filled his ears. He sighed in amusement through his nose, shifting his shoulder under the weight of Vivi’s head resting on it. Hoku snorted, ripping out the page in his book and folding it up, tucking it into the waistband of Vivi’s pants.

Hoku debated his options for a bit until the silky ends of Vivi’s hair started to tickle his chin, the soft warmth of Vivi’s breath against his neck. Hoku rolled his eyes. Look at this guy.

Hoku carefully maneuvered Vivi’s head onto the soft grass, standing up. He took a moment, considering Vivi’s poor looking figure on the lonely floor before he finally threw a quickly drawn blanket over him. Vivi shifted, groping around on the grass and Hoku tossed a body shaped pillow down beside him too, watching with a snort as Vivi wrapped his arm around it and sighed, content.

Hoku rolled his eyes again, lightly nudging Vivi’s slumbering form with his foot before hopping into his own hammock with a satisfied sigh, grinning up at the stars as he shut his eyes.

“Sleep tight, prince charming—hngh?”

Hoku let out a garbled shout, a strong tug ripping him entirely out of his hammock and back onto the grass. He tried to sit up, hissing at the pain in his back when a sudden weight tossed itself over his stomach, pinning Hoku back flat to the ground. His eyes bulged from his head, jerking over to where a completely knocked out Vivi was sighing in deep content, the crease in his brow relaxing as he tightened his arm around Hoku and let his cheek rest on Hoku’s shoulder, snuggling up to him.

Hoku experimentally pried at Vivi’s arm, wheezing in surprise at the young man’s grip. Goddess!

Hoku scowled, grumbling in discontent. He threw his arms behind his head, cushioning it and shutting his eyes with a sigh. I’ll just wait till he lets up. When he wakes up tomorrow he’s gonna get it.

A few minutes passed and Hoku’s own brows relaxed a bit, body growing slack as sleep overtook him. Somewhere along the way Vivi shifted, one hand sleepily guiding Hoku’s head to rest on his chest while the blanket was strewn over them, Vivi’s arm returning to encircle Hoku’s shoulders.

Hoku muttered something in his sleep while Vivi let out a relaxed sigh, looking pleased.

- Luffy threw a fit in the morning, Vivi hid his face in his hands and Hoku simply packed up his hammock and decided he’d set up camp up in the crow’s nest

(this was more fun to write than i expected hahahaha, i get such student council president and lazy, not really a delinquent but unmotivated, complicated art student dynamics from these two)