#luffy would never do this

[eustasskiddsprosthetic]

I have a terrible idea just now.

Do you know those consultants (?) the people who help brides decide on what wedding dresses to get for their wedding day. I feel like Ace would be great at that job. He might not understand aesthetics very well—he finds all that high key boring—but he would put the bride first in every decision he makes. He'd smile and his flirtish side would come out in complimenting the bride to encourage them. He has definitely beat up more than a few annoying entourage.

What if femlaw is a customer one fine day and Ace is absolutely smitten! He knows she's off-limits, like get it together she's getting married, but she's so pretty! Ace loves her pouty lips, piercings, tattoos and slightly muscular shoulders. She's also very shy and timid. To Ace, that meant very cute.

He's determined to help her find the dress of her dreams!

He's happy to see that she seemed to have a good man who's willing to pay whatever she wanted and seemed to treat her affectionately. She deserves that much, anyway. When Ace asked what she wanted for her dress, Law just looked away, very clearly embarrassed. He reassured her that whatever she wanted can't be 'that bad'! She just said she wanted something simple and figure-hugging. Ace said sure and went to work.

After thirty minutes, Ace returned with five dresses for her to try. Ace told her to knock the door three times when she's ready for him to add accessories. Law thanked him and closed the door.

Ace was surprised to hear her knock the door in just ten minutes. He closed his webnovel and walked inside. Fuck- She was stunning. Despite doing this for a living, he never wanted to get married but he was having second thoughts now. To have a beautiful woman willingly dress up, put in effort to feel pretty just to be with you was an honour.

Ace finally understood why some men would simp so hard for their wives. He sure hoped Law's man simped for her. A girl like that isn't common at all!

"Ace, can I be honest with you?" She said. She had only spoken a few words to him up to this point, and they were mostly pleasantries. He was surprised when she stopped him from putting the veil on her head, though he sensed there was a deeper reason than her not liking it. "I don't want to get married. I'm not ready."

"Oh?" Ace knew he looked stupid. "What made you realise that?"

"I knew it when I realised I love this dress," she said softly. Nearly tearing up, she said, "Which is why I don't see myself walking up to him in it. I don't think I love him as much as I think I do."

"What do you want to do? The consult is free, you're not obliged to buy anything-"

"I know. Thank you," she said. They looked at their reflection in the mirror. She looked so tired all of a sudden. She looked like she would pass out from exhaustion. Ace felt bad for her. "To answer you... I don't know. I've wanted to call it off for a while now. Might as well before I sign anything binding."

"How are you going to do that?"

That was when she laughed slightly. Granted it was a sarcastic laugh but Ace ate it up all the same. He knew he was falling for her.

"Again, I don't know. But I'm tired of waiting for a plan," she said. She smiled triumphantly at Ace like she was proud for even saying she wanted to rebel. That's it. Ace was gone. "I'm going to be reckless and I'm going to castrate him and take his money!"

Ace's heart squeezed.

"I'll help," he said easily.

She smiled like she accepted the offer. Ace fell in love for the first time in his life.

[rasangan-raspberry]

a couple quick zolu doodles before i go to work

[dittolicous]

i feel like if youre gunna do a modern au for one piece, the strawhats have got to be like. the biggest fuckin weirdos everyone knows. not a single one is a legal law abiding citizen. they dont care about being known or w/e but somehow become influencers slash political advocates all across the world. theyre off the grid yet in the way. no one knows what stunt theyre gunna pull next including themselves. they live in a caravan-trailer situation. half of them have phds and also arrest warrents in 60 countries. theyre career criminals and hashtag career goals. they traveled with a honest to god princess. an ex-politician joined them and now all he does is wear hawaiian shirts, drive bus, and punch facists.

chopper is still a talking reindeer

[diosmarii]

Finished Zolu comic!

[l-in-the-light]

Trafalgar Law: fear of closeness and touch part 2, the extended edition

Writing another post about it, because I have a lot of thoughts I need to organize for myself. This time it will be more like my interpretation about Law and his relationships with people than about the touch itself. And also I forgot one of the most crucial scenes about the topic (because ofc I would forget something so important), so I will start with it:

The last touch he remembers from Flevance is hiding under the pile of corpses, cold dehumanized bodies, treated like trash. No one wanted to touch them, just like no one wanted to be touched by Law. How poetic that Law escaped Flevance with a death sentence while hiding among the dead, because he will be treated like he's dead to the world from now on.

This reminds me of a manga I once read, Shigeshoushi (The Embalmer). It's about a guy whose job is embalming the dead, and he is ostracized, feared and refused by people as a result. Contact with death and dead bodies is taboo in Shinto and folk culture of Japan in general. If you think it's a thing of the past, I reccommend to watch Okuribito (Departures), it's really good and this topic is at the heart of the movie.

Anyway, back to the manga, warning for spoilers. Situation escalates to the point when the only human touch the guy can get is that of him handling the corpses for his job and that really messes up with his mental health. His despair leads him to engage himself in risky situations just to get by, casual sexual encounters with strangers become the only form of intimacy he can get and he soon gets addicted to it, but it still lacks the emotional warmth and love he desperately craves, so it's never enough for him. Of course to even get those encounters he has to lie about his job and whenever his lie gets exposed and he is confronted about it, forced to listen to all those women blaming him, feeling disgusted by what he forced on them (it was never forced, but suddenly it's unwanted after they learn he embalms dead bodies every day), and it just triggers and deepens his trauma.

I wonder if you can tell where I'm going with this comparison. Law is definitely as starved for touch and love as the main protagonist is. Still, I don't believe Law would become hypersexual (tho that's just my personal impression, especially after he so blatantly refused Monett), but most importantly unlike the main character Law would definitely not desperately beg for the touch. It's just not how Law is, he doesn't like to impose himself on others if he absolutely doesn't have to. Not to mention he can't bear asking openly for help or for anything really, not after the Vergo incident. It was the last time he ever begged for something.

Law seems to be the type to neglect his own needs to the point that he makes stupid and reckless decisions based on his fear of losing people (callback to Wano and imprisoned Hearts). When people dear to him are in danger, his first instinct is to rush and help them unless he's completely immobilized. That's the level of "prioritizing other people's safety and needs" he believes in, he would do it every time, but he hates when people do it for him. Mostly because he deeply believes Corazon got hurt because of him, and Corazon gave him all that love Law was starving for. And Law believes Cora-san finally died for it.

Add his trauma of expecting people to not want to be touched by him into the equation. That's why he has problems expressing his own need for love (and touch) from that point onward. He acts so tough, doesn't allow himself to show weakness and will definitely never ask for love, he learned his lesson on that.

But what about Heart Pirates? They love him! He clearly protects and deeply cares for them, but in each scene he is with them, not counting Bepo, he keeps them at a distance. I do believe Law treats his crew more or less on equal terms, he favours freedom after all, but their relationship is restricted by his fear and makes it significantly more asymmetrical than the one Luffy has with his crew. I do think Penguin and Shachi are more important to Law than the rest of his crew, they're best friends, they've formed the Heart Pirates together, but he doesn't allow them to be on touchy feely basis with him. That's reserved for Bepo. Bepo is basically the last safe haven Law allowed himself to have up until Strawhats happened.

Law at Sabaody creates three new bonds with people: with two supernovas and Jean Bart. The latter he takes into his crew and I believe it's because Jean Bart has no other place to go, especially with Marines and Pacifistas running around the island. It's possible Law does it all the time and his crew (beyond the original four) got expanded because of that.

Law's bond with Kid started on a wrong foot, not only Kid judges Law based on prejudice and "bad rep" flying around about him, he also accussed him of lack of manners (triggering a flashback to Vergo), all in Law's hearing range. It's not really surprising later on Law doesn't want to owe Kid a favour by letting Kid take care of the Marines. Law clearly doesn't want to be indebted to someone who feels disgust towards him (I don't think Kid is disgusted by him, but that's what Law thinks at this point). And even after Wano it seems Law made sure that they're even, none is indebted to the other. For Law it was just a temporary alliance, he kept his distance, they didn't end up becoming friends.

Last new bond Law created was with Luffy. It started indirectly at first, Luffy was defending his fishman friend. Things said about Hatchan triggered a trauma response in Law ("Don't come closer! Disgusting! He will spread diseases!"), in my headcanon freezing him in the spot. But Luffy defended his friend and indirectly also Law by punching the Celestial Dragon, in similar fashion to Corazon defending Law by punching the doctors spouting similar prejudice about amber lead syndrome.

Law thanked Luffy for that and he felt safe doing so, after all what Luffy did was never directed at Law himself, but the gratitude must have confused Luffy to no end (Why is that guy thanking me? I didn't do anything for him!). Law didn't mind this bond at this moment exactly because it was so indirect, as a result he allowed himself to interact with Luffy and even took the first step, probably thinking it will lead to nothing. But he would never do it if not for Luffy's indirect impact on Law. If that's the expected level for casual bonds Law has set up, I doubt many occassions appeared for that before. It just shows he avoids people as a general rule, period.

But things changed after they left the auction house. Law is displeased with Kid, only telling him not to order him around and refusing to even talk with him, but his dynamic with Luffy is completely different, he doesn't feel bad about it despite being treated like accomplice in the whole Celestial Dragon incident.

He even allows himself to tease him a bit. There's no bad air between them. It almost feels like Law feels more emotionally available despite them being strangers, or rather exactly because they're strangers here and Law thinks they will also leave as strangers, which gives him the freedom to be more open.

They fought together, mostly by accident, but for Luffy that's enough to already feel a bit attached to Kid and Law. He declares he's after One Piece, implying from now on they will be rivals.

That doesn't earn him any response from Law. In fact, he just smirks and retreats without a word.

There are multiple possible reasons for his reaction here, but one of them is important right now: if Law said anything, he would acknowledge that bond, that of being a rival to Luffy. He didn't want it, in fact he wanted them to remain strangers, with no lingering attachments. That's why, when he got offered Luffy's friendship (disguised as rivalship, mind you), he turns back and retreats.

That's his answer. Later in Amazon Lily he also ends up retreating without even waiting for Luffy to say his thanks.

And how ironic that the next time they see each other it's Law who ends up extending his hand, not once, but twice: first by saving Luffy's life by risking his own, and second time by proposing alliance. I can only imagine Luffy's surprise: he got rejected before, but now it's Law himself proposing it! And what a funny guy he is, he doesn't need to offer friendship, because for Luffy they're already friends, after all didn't Law save his life? Law though just needed help, but wouldn't ask for it directly, because we know he never does that anymore, so instead he offered a bait. Frankly he didn't need to, Luffy would do anything he wanted him to anyway. Luffy ofc thought the alliance is a fun idea, but in the end he accepted it because it's Law who needed it to be an alliance, he wouldn't accept help otherwise. Also alliance felt impersonal and safe, without the need to be emotionally open.

There's so many seperate frames of Law just staring and thinking upon their reunion. He's conflicted. Also at this point their relationship changed, whether Law wanted it or not. He was there when Luffy lost Ace, saw him breaking down, definitely thought they now share something in common: they both lost people who were the dearest to them. I'm also sure he could see through Luffy's smile, he knew there's no way he would be already "okay" after just two years.

Unusual whimsical frame of Luffy. He closed his eyes, not listening to the words spoken, but instead listening to his own heart. He knows he needs to kidnap Caesar, that's what Law asked him to do, but Luffy doesn't just want to do what he's told, he wants to make sure the person he is doing it for is happy. It's a callback to Luffy's deepest regret: leaving Sabo with his family, assuming things would be better this way, without making sure first if that's something that would make Sabo actually happy.

Ever since Luffy does this double-check-for-no-regrets for all of his friends and crewmates. He follows Nami to Arlong Park and waits patiently in case she actually needs help. She questions Kyros' choice and goes to all the way to Rebecca to the castle just to ask her if she's really fine with staying seperated from her dad. And he does it here as well. Would kidnapping Caesar make Law actually happy, Luffy wonders. And probably thinks back to their previous encounter, in Sabaody, and Law's mysterious line after Luffy punched the Celestial Dragon: "Thanks Strawhat, you showed me something interesting". And Luffy found his answer and it's this:

Punching Caesar. Apparently Luffy did something right in Sabaody and he thinks it was about the punching, so he does it again now as well. Ofc he wants to punch Caesar anyway, but he does pause before doing that, he actually doesn't jump for it straightaway, it's AFTER he thinks about it. Luffy decided this is what would make Law actually happy, despite going against the plan. Luffy didn't believe following Law's plan will actually make Law happy, but punching his enemies will.

And yet Law doesn't look happy, but let's look more closely to his body languague. He turns around, doesn't declare his unhappiness directly to Luffy's face, he's making an emotional retreat again despite shouting. He's giving mixed signals. So was Luffy wrong?

Law is trying to hide his smile. Making sure no one notices. He's trying to maintain the distance and remain cold, but seems it's working less and less efficiently.

I will let you decide it for yourselves whether Luffy was right or wrong in the end.

There is more nuance about this I didn't even touch yet, for example the drastic gap between Marines fearing Law and calling him a monster, and Stawhats (minus Luffy), at first fearful and suspicious of Law, but it took them like 5 minutes to change their mind and trust him just like Luffy did.

In Dressrosa Law declares that, deep in his heart, he actually also wants to kick Doflamingo's butt. Luffy doesn't even act surprised upon hearing that. Of course, he knew already, Law didn't even have to say it.

While in Dressrosa Law attempts to break the alliance, send off half the Strawhats to safety and despite barely being able to move himself he takes care of Luffy in the final countdown. Almost like he already treats them like his own crew, keeping them safe. If you ask me, someone got attached. And the pinnacle of it is when Law shares with us that he aims to either live or die with Luffy (not die for him, unlike Luffy's own crew declaring in this arc). That's the best he could offer and he knows how much it's painful when someone dies *for you*, he wouldn't inflict that pain on Luffy again, not when he knows Luffy thinks of him as a friend.

And finally in Wano Law finally opens up more and lashes out at Strawhats, just like he did at Corazon. He no longer feels the need to emotionally distance himself all the time, or keeping it all bottled up behind a stoic cold facade and impersonal "alliance". That's how he shows his worry and affection, he considers them his responsibility in Wano.

He also admits for the very first time his fear of losing people. "The plan isn't worth anyone dying" (in this case - Zoro dying). He allows himself to trust and to be vulnerable.

If you think Law is torn about his growing connection with Strawhats, then you're thinking the same as me. He allowed himself to get attached and he didn't want to initially.

Is it really alright if I touch you too…? (ready to retreat his hand at any moment he senses it's unwanted after all)

His words are often rough and cold, but his actions speak for themselves. He trusts the Strawhats by this point, they're his second crew, and he would do the same for them he would do for his Hearts.

And now he has a problem, he gained more people he is afraid of losing. New friends.

[beanghostprincess]

people often treat zoro as this devoted dude who would blindly and without a doubt do anything for luffy. and don't get me wrong, he definitely is! but what people usually forget, too, is that zoro is the one that keeps luffy grounded and realistic. he's his first mate. he's the one to stop luffy from being irrational or if he does something not worthy of being the captain. he trusts luffy with his heart and soul, but whenever the guy is acting stupid, he tells him without hesitation and stops him.

i'm tired of people making it look like zoro is this big, stupid swordsman who would do anything luffy asked him to because he is not. he would follow luffy to hell and back, not because it's luffy, but because he trusts him consciously and willingly. he chooses to trust luffy. he isn't a brainless dude in love with his captain. he literally stops, thinks about what luffy says, and then proceeds to either agree with his idea or to stop him right away.

why? because that's his fucking job as a first mate.

captains can and will be stupid and irrational too. being the captain of a ship is not being the one to decide everything and it doesn't make you instantly the smartest. luffy is human. he can make mistakes and he can fuck up and that's why he needs somebody like zoro with him. luffy knows this. that's why he chose zoro. not because he was the first one to appear in front of him, but because from the moment they met, luffy instantly knew he would be the one to ground him and keep him in his place if he ever got carried away.

i'm also sick of people pretending zoro's love for luffy is this huge, poetic, religious thing (it is, though) and making it seem like luffy's devotion to zoro isn't the same fucking thing. this shit is not unrequited, folks, i don't care if you don't know how to read luffy's character but the guy trusts zoro just as much too.

TL;TR: these two are not as stupid as y'all make them seem. devotion goes both ways. if luffy does something wrong, zoro will stop him. and luffy loves him trusts him just as much.

[cosmicrhetoric]

chapter 593 & chapter 1130. this is actually so awesome

[hylianane]

Out of the (unfortunately) many One Piece scenarios bouncing around in my head one of my favorites is Zoro getting hit with the memory loss beam, and only remembering up until like. immediately after Morgan’s defeat. He’s agreed to join up Luffy and is already feeling his heart swell with loyalty, but is still under the impression that he’s going to join up to a much larger crew, with several other members.

So he just blinks awake and at first there’s none of the confusion and yelling that comes with the memory loss trope, he’s okay, he’s banged up cause of Morgan, he’s on a boat because he just became a pirate, and oh hey Luffy’s right there. This must be his new crew.

Hey, um, is that skeleton playing the violin.

[humans-are-tasty]

[eastbluecrewed]

i cannot BELIEVE i didn't know it was luffy week i am devastated bc i can't draw this week . here's a bunch of doodles i have stocked up instead bc i'm physically incapable of not drawing him the instant i have the chance

[somnas-writes]

I hate the common interpretation of zoro.

“If Luffy asked, Zoro would kill any of the straw hats 🤓☝️” “if Zoro was at whole cake, sanji would have died🤓☝️” HE WOULD NOT DO ANY OF THAT SHUT UP IM IN YOUR HOME!!!!!

Zoro cares about his crew so much, he considers himself their protecter. It’s why he sleeps like three hours a day, it’s why hes always wary of strangers. He really fucking loves and cares about his crew.

He wouldn’t say it because that’s not in his nature, it would be out of character (and frankly bad writing) to have zoro look into the camera and go “I love my crew”

Instead he shows it; he takes the graveyard shift, he takes one of the stronger enemies, he trains and trains, plays the role of boogeyman.

It’s in the way the rest of the crew behaves aswell!! They’re silly and weird and reckless because they KNOW and UNDERSTAND that zoro is right there, ready and eager to kick some ass or spill some blood.

Zoro would not have killed Sanji at whole cake, nor would he just kill any straw hat is asked. He isn’t some thoughtless machine who does what he’s told. He fucking loves his crew, and yes that fucking includes sanji.

[shima-draws]

Me when my crewmates call me out for unconsciously talking about my son too much:

[dragonsbluee]

I see your gay uncles of the straw hats Jimbrook and raise you old, gay, heartbroken, pirate captians who find a loving, romantic relationship in each other as they watch over a group of chaotic youngsters.

Because Brook and Yorki had a heartbreaking goodbye, and Brook spent 50 years mourning, but now he has a second chance. He wasn't expecting anything, but then, lo and behold! A handsome, kind, capable fish man enters stage right, and Brook is smitten. Here is someone who understands the grief of losing a captian and partner, then having to take their place to hold the crew together, but ultimately watching thier crew fall apart or suffer due to factors outside their control.

For Jimbei the last few years have been a whirlwind of chaos. He was looking forward to a new adventure full of chaos of his own making and choices. Now, enter stage left, this fantastic, enigmatic, adorable skeleton (and he's a musician!), who is a wonderful presence on a ship full of younger pirates. Jimbei never really moved on from the loss of the Sun Pirates, and hasn't had time to mourn all the friends he's lost in the past few years. But now he finds companionship and comfort in Brook. Someone who doesn't expect him to move on, let's him reminisce, but keeps him from getting stuck in his mourning. He's never thought of romance seriously before, but now he finds himself wanting.

The two meet in the middle, center stage on a ship of dreams as they forge a new one together. They still keep and work towards their individual dreams but find pieces of each other in them. Brook looks forward to the day he can introduce Laboon to Jimbei, and Jimbei has promised to translate the whale's words for Brook. Jimbei will see freedom for his people and finds motivation in every new song Brook writes and story he tells. Together, they find peace, calm, and rest. They find excitement, companionship, and a harbour in the other after years of storms.

[potatopassenger]

Inspired by this post

[fiapple]

i'm getting towards the end of the skypeia arc, & i'd like to say just how much i adore the way the female strawhats have been treated.

just... every aspect of how the way their characters have been previously contextualized influences the story-line is treated with a masterful amount of consideration. we're given so many layers to both of them that enrich not only their characters specifically, but the arc, and the one piece world as a whole. without nami & robin having their specific skills, and their specific values, without those being built upon, the story would have come to a halt.

you could not have skypeia without nami & robin being who they are as individuals. not just because they never would've gotten there without nami, but also because the way these women think is itself foundational to the machinations of the arc as a whole.

to be totally upfront, if you think any other strawhats were more central to the skypeia arc than nami & robin were you are full-on fucking lying to yourself.

[love-marimo]

"i bet you look kind" 😭