#usopp. / as long as i got you & me moving through this world as a two-man team i'll always have everything I need.

[strawhct]

i've been trying to make individual tags for the CrewTM for like days now but i think i've settled on something i like-

straw hat crew. / come to the land of the lost & lonely don't be afraid we'll be one big family of freaks like you & me !

nami. / if i was blessed i'd walk on the water you're breathin' to lend you some air for that heaving sunken chest.

zoro. / lost one tell me do you want to be found? you caught me moments before i hit the ground.

usopp. / as long as i got you & me moving through this world as a two-man team i'll always have everything I need.

sanji. / like soldiers in the winter's night with a vow to defend no retreat baby no surrender.

[multifandomdummie]

Drunk Of You

***This ended up being longer than I thought it would be, but I hope you like it***

The environment on the ship was really cheerful, finally they were all together after two long years. Luffy, Usopp and Chopper were having fun on the deck, dancing around with the outstanding melody Brook was providing them while Frank was drinking beer and complimenting their super great moves.

Sanji was, without a doubt, having the time of his life. Being back again with his ladies after a period of time that seemed to be an eternity for him, creating an amount of excitement that could actually kill him.

-Nami-Swan, Robin - Chwan - the blonde yelled as he got out of the kitchen, calling the girls attention - I´m bringing you more cocktails - he said as he got closer to where the girls were sitting, waiting for them to hand him their glasses.

-Thank you, Sanji Kun - the redhead said as she took a sip of her drink - this is actually really good - Sanji felt like his head was about to explote after Nami´s compliment, feeling a warm sensation on his checks that spread to his whole body, feeling his nose starting to run a few drops of blood.

-Did you loved it, Nami-San?- the cook asked as he brought his hands up to his cheeks - can I have a little kiss in gratitude? - Sanji asked as he leaned his head towards Nami, with a little pout on his mouth and his eyes closed.

-I don´t think so - Nami placed her hand on Sanji´s face, diverting his head out of reachment for her lips. Robin laughed a little because of this interaction.

The blonde opened his eyes, expecting a pretty redhead near to his face, instead, he locked his eyes with Zoro, the stupid Marimo was sitting in a corner of the ship, completely alone, in his own world, sipping beer without anything else bothering him.

Zoro raised up his glass while looking at him, this was his way of asking for more booze. Sanji stood up, grabbing back the tray with the alcohol, walking straight to the mosshead idiot

As the blond got closer, something caught his attention. Zoro's cheeks were red, a subtle blush that would make you think the swordsman might be drunk, wasted even, but Zoro never gets drunk, not even a little.

-you can learn to use your words, you idiot - Sanji said once he was close enough to the green haired man, filling his cup with more beer

-whatever- Zoro answered before he took another sip of his drink, but the way he dragged his words made him think that his suspicions might be accurate.

-Sanji- Chopper's voice appeared next to him, full of excitement - can you make me more of that strawberry drink, please? - the reindeer asked while grabbing the blonde´s arm.

-sure, Chopper - Sanji answered happily - just one moment.

A shiver was send to his whole body when he felt the swordsman stoop up and stumbled with his own feet, instinctively he placed his knee on Zoro's chest, avoiding him to fall

- Zoro - Chopper yelled as he got closer to the swordsman, his worry was palpable on his voice - are you okay? - the doctor tried to start an examination

- He is good, Chopper - the cook called the reeineder attention - he is just drunk - Sanji said unbothered - can you please take this back to the kitchen? -he asked, giving Chopper the tray - I will handle this, you don't need to worry - the blonde gave a soft smile that made te reeineder believe that it was not serious at all

Chopper took the tray and Sanji decided to grab Zoro by the waist, placing the swordsman arm over his shoulders and for the first time he was close to Zoro without trying to kick his head out of his neck. He noticed Zoro's body had changed a lot since the last time he saw him, his chest was bigger, his muscles were more toned and he definitely seemed a lot stronger, the curiosity of how this two years were for him kicked in. He started to walk Zoro through the deck while the rest of the crew wasn't paying much attention, getting into the boys room.

- easy, green head - Sanji said as Zoro stumble a little, placing him against the wall so he doesn't fall, looking at him straight to his eye. Their faces were too close for his delight, Zoro's breath smelled like alcohol and his eye was locked in his own, making him feel really small.

- Did you know your eyes are as blue as the sea? - Zoro asked really confused, getting closer like he wanted to admire the view deeper - maybe are even more interesting than the sea itself - Zoro stared at him silently for a few seconds, then the swordsman hid his face on his neck, sending shivers trough his whole body finishing on a violent blush. Sanji was really glad the ladies couldn't see him in this compromising position.

- I had forgotten how intense the tabacco smelled on you - Zoro's breath pressed to his neck made him tremble a little - but I Iike it - his skin got bristled as he felt how Zoro grabbed him by his waist, but he won't allow the swordsman to notice.

-on a scale of one to ten, how drunk are you? - he asked trying to play tough. Without warning Zoro sat himself on the floor, dragging the cook with him, Sanji had to open his legs as he fall so he wouldn't hurt Zoro or himself, his hands placed on Zoro's belly. Both looking straight to eachother eyes

- does it matter? - the green head asked almost in a whisper, making his head a little dizzy, the swordsman hands were placed on his tights now, a firm grip that sticked them together. Zoro got back to his neck, this time he licked it up to his ear, he had to suppress down the little sigh the sensation provoked-

- I would say it's a nine point five being honest - The cook decided to play a little too, brushing his fingers against Zoro's chest, coming back to his abdominal part slowly, caressing his scar, memorizing the sensation under his touch.

- I might be drunk - Zoro's voice called his attention - but I'm drunk of you, ero cook - Sanji's swallow a little nervous for the comment, allowing himself to get a little closer to the swordsman face, feeling how Zoro's hands started to explore the length of his legs, their breaths combining as they got closer

Sanji couldn't believe that all of that was happening. He had to admit that two years away from the swordsman and being in the Kamabakka Kingdom helped realizing things about himself and how he really felt about Zoro, but he didn't expect to be this close to him so quick.

- Guys - Usopp voice screaming from the deck made them tense up - there's a ship coming straight at us - they just stared at eachother for a little longer, Sanji even took the freedom to join their foreheads together, closing his eyes - this shouldn't been happening on the depths of the ocean - Usopp was screaming desperate at that point

- damn it - Zoro whispered over Sanji's lips - we should go - all of sudden the swordsman didn't look as drunk as he used to be, he even was able to speak properly.

- wait a damn second - Sanji said as he moved from Zoro's lap, allowing him to stand up - what happened to you? You weren't even able to walk or talk properly a few moments ago - Sanji was amazed of how easily the swordsman was moving or talking now. The blonde stood up

- I told you, cook - Zoro moved a little closer, grabbing his waist again- I just get drunk of you, your smell, your breath - The swordsman eyes travel around his face. landing on the lips - The booze would never make me feel like you do - Zoro grin funnily as the cook blushed.

[mugiwara-no-toshokan]

Thrice Prophesized

CisFem Reader x Roronoa Zoro

CW: In-Universe levels of violence, amnesia, romance, reader gets some good bad-ass moments, but shouldn't feel Overpowered if I did my job well, surprisingly no smut in this one loves, but it's book 1 of 2.

Still 18+

Chapter 4: Treason.

Nami and Robin had helped you get situated in your space. You were sharing a room with them, and Franky had made you a very comfortable bed. You got your gifts moved into the room and even had a little nightstand by your bed that you could do with as you pleased.

After dinner you had spent a couple hours letting Robin and Nami provide you with clothes. You had enough to keep you going for a long while, and Usopp even offered to stitch things together for you to make something custom if you wanted. But at least this way you wouldn’t be wandering around in pajamas all day.

You slept well enough that night and found yourself up just before daybreak. Leaving Nami and Robin to their sleep, you put on what you had deemed your training clothes and went out onto the deck to begin what you hoped would become your usual routine.

Working through your sword forms, you practiced and focused on trying to coat your blade with armament haki as Jinbei had instructed you. If you couldn’t get the hang of it while moving you were going to focus on it after you were done, as a sort of meditative cooldown. As you moved you saw the cook cross the deck and head into the kitchen to start breakfast. He took note of you, but didn’t interrupt, and you only noticed him because you were trying to encompass the ship with observation haki.

Working two at once was maybe ill-advised, but it was better to strain yourself in training than to find yourself struggling later. What little you knew of this world was danger and conflict. Which wasn’t too dissimilar from your own world, except that you had grown up with those specific dangers and conflicts and knew what to expect.

Here their swordsmen were demons, and their magicians were difficult to spot.

By the time you’re done the sun is mostly above the horizon and the rest of the ship seems to be waking up. You clean up a little and join everyone for breakfast – it’s a little less intense than dinner was, as it seems some of the crew aren’t exactly morning people, but it’s still quite lively.

After breakfast you sat by the helm while Jinbei guided the ship on Nami’s guidance and listened as the older man spoke of this world. He spoke of the fishmen and their lands under the waves, he spoke of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons. He spoke of slaves and marines and pirates and citizens, and the different islands and their governments that – on paper at least – worked alongside the World Government.

He told you about the CP organizations, and the revolutionaries. He spoke of his experiences, and the end goal of descending upon the Grandline Metro and finding the One Piece – to name Luffy the King of Pirates and maybe even change the world for the better.

“If this One Piece is known to exist within such a small location, how has it not been found?” You ask when there’s a break in Jinbei’s explanation.

“As I understand it, it is a bit like finding a specific drop of water in the ocean. If you don’t know you’re looking for that specific drop, you could pass by it a hundred times and never find it.”

“Specifying a single drop of water in the ocean sounds like trying to match snowflakes – sounds impossible.” You admit. “Luffy believes he can do this?”

“He does, and he will.” Jinbei says with such assurance that you’re reminded of Luffy’s proclamation yesterday during the meal.

“Hm.”

“Does all of that help?”

“It does.” You say, standing up and stretching. “I have seen parts of this world already, and I’m sure I’ll see more, but this is enough that I should be able to avoid making a fool of myself. Usopp drew me a picture of what Marines can look like, so I understand the uniform.”

“Forgive me, but it seems something is still heavy on your mind.” Jinbei says, his eyes are on the horizon, but you get the feeling he’s focused more on you than what he’s looking at.

“I… hm.” You consider things for a moment and then sigh. “Forgive me, this may sound rude in the face of everything, but I don’t understand why you’re all helping me – And, I mean, I get that your Captain has decided, but I don’t understand why from him.”

“Do people require a reason to extend assistance in your world?”

“With few exceptions, yes.” You reply as Jinbei looks at you fully.  “Political intrigue, kingdom connections, family ties, wars, feuds, mercantile dealings, even the Knightage all have parameters that guide their decisions. Someone like my lord has power enough to follow his whims, but such is a rarity.”

“Then, perhaps it will help to consider Luffy as being powerful like your lord.”

“But… He has no land. You are all monstrously capable, but you are a mere nine vassals. Even your ship is – grand and beautiful, yes, but this is no fleet.” Your tone is one of confusion, not one of derision. “You are, yourselves, a drop of water within a vast ocean. What foundation is it that you stand upon? Do you have a castle in this Metropolis?”

Jinbei laughs. “Hardly! This ship is hearth and home for this crew.” He explains, laughing harder as your face goes slack. “You’ll see. We’ll be at the next island tomorrow, and I’m sure that whatever happens, it will help you understand. Not just this world, but this crew and its strength as well.”

You bow, “Thank you for your time and wisdom, Master Jinbei. I think I need to use my body after spending so long filling my brain.”

“You’re welcome, Miss (Y/N).” He says, giving you a small bow in return. “It has been my pleasure.”

You leave from the helm and consider training more with your sword and your Haki, but the Haki part of that equation required a lot of focus still. You needed a break from thinking, and normally that would be mean running laps or sparring with a fellow knight, but neither option was readily available on a ship. In looking around to consider what to do, you looked up and realized that there was one place on the ship you hadn’t been.

Climbing the rigging was exactly the kind of physical activity you were looking for, and the Crow’s Nest on this ship was far more unique than anything you had ever seen before. You got to the crossbar of the sails and climbed the ladder into the crow’s nest itself.

You gave a knock on the trap door before you opened it and clamored the rest of the way into the space. You were grateful that you had pulled yourself entirely into the area before you looked around or you might’ve fallen to the deck and died from shock.

Zoro was in the crow’s nest, in nothing but pants, exercising with weights. It wasn’t his lack of clothing, or the weights themselves that nearly broke your brain, it was the combination of the two. The weights looked, and sounded, entirely too heavy, and you weren’t sure how long it was going to take for you to adjust to the clothing styles of this world. People in this world seemed allergic to wearing layers. The Skeleton was the only one who wore an appropriate amount of clothing, and he was also the only one who could bandy about naked if he wanted without concern.

“What’re you doing up here?” Zoro asks after he sets the weights down and turns toward you.

“I… uh… I…” You shook your head. You had caught a glimpse of the scar across his chest before now but seeing it in its entirety was something else. Luffy had a scar on his chest as well that made you wonder what threats these men had faced down to earn such marks. “Master Jinbei had filled my head full of knowledge, so I was hoping to give it a break and exercise. I realized I hadn’t come up here yet, so I am, I guess, sating my curiosity. If this is a personal space for you, I can leave.”

“It’s fine.”

“Pardon my intrusion then.” You say, walking around the room while Zoro sits on the bench and takes a break.

You poke around the crow’s nest, and even try lifting some of the weights. The measures are in numbers you recognize, but the designation symbols by them are foreign to you, but it hardly matters, you can barely lift the smaller ones a few inches off the floor.

“How much do you weigh?” You ask him, looking up from the barbell you’ve been trying to decipher.

“Eh?”

“We measure weight back in my world in units called stones. You have… markings on this plate that I don’t recognize. You look like you’re… 14 or 15 stones, but I don’t understand that in terms of this… kay-gee marking.”

“Oh. Ninety kilograms.” He answers.

You look back down at the plate and realize it says 225kg, and there is an identical plate on the other end of the bar. That’s 70 stones. It’s a bit more than five times that man’s own weight. It was nearly nine times your own weight – which was small wonder why you could barely lift it.

“Are you truly not part demon?” You half question him, half mutter to yourself. You do the math in your head, despite meaning to take a break from thinking and nearly feel your legs buckle as you start to comprehend the weight he is lifting.

“Who else can use these weights?”

“… Franky. Maybe Jinbei.”

Franky, as you’ve learned, is a cyborg, which – according to him – means he is partially human and partially a machine. He’s more construct or golem as you’ve come to understand what he means by it. Jinbei is, strictly, not human as you understand how this world works, and fishmen are stronger than humans on average. You snort at the short list and shake your head.

“I bet the kind doctor has a form that could lift these as well,” you murmur.

Zoro grunts. “Chopper has a form that could lift the Sunny if needed.”

You look over at him in surprise and are more surprised to see he’s being serious. You don’t really know what to do with that information. Every time you think you’ve gotten a grip on the capacity of this crew some new information comes in and shatters it.

“Well, er – thank you for your time.” You say a little more hastily than you mean to, heading to the ladder to begin descending.

“Thought you wanted to exercise.”

You flinch, but you don’t turn to face him this time. “I… just don’t want to get in the way of your routine Master Roronoa,” you say, and quickly add. “Besides, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get used to climbing around the rigging as a form of exercise!” You manage to scramble out of the room in the time it takes you to say all that and lean against the mast for a moment to calm yourself before you do anything else.

It was the first time you had interacted with him where you didn’t see him as a demon. He was relaxed and at peace and didn’t have that heavy aura around him, and he was naked – partially naked. Mostly naked. It wasn’t like you hadn’t seen some of your fellow knights shirtless before, but only when such was expected.

You were going to have to adjust to how people dressed in this world, or perhaps, how they didn’t dress.

Letting out a deep breath you start down the rigging back to the deck of the ship. Climbing around the rigging was good exercise, and good practice. There was at least one thing in this world that mirrored your own, and that was the style of knots used for the rigging on the ship. Knots that held tight, but that were easy to release if needed.

As a knight of a winter-locked land, you didn’t sail often, but you were educated and practiced in it. This way you could aid the sailors instead of hindering them if things went wrong. Coming down the rails again for the dozenth time, you leaned into the rigging and looked out over the water.

Remembering your world made your heart heavy.

You notice something in the sky that looked like a bird, but wasn’t quite right. Turning to look around you noticed the sniper was working on something out on the deck nearby.

“Hey, Master Usopp,” you call out to get his attention and point at the weird bird. “What’s that?”

“Oh, it’s a News Coo.” He explains, waving his hands and beckoning the bird to descend.

You have to grab onto the rigging to stop from falling as you see a strange bird – some mix between gull and albatross – with a sack of newspapers strapped to it land nearby. Usopp puts a coin in one pouch and takes a paper. He also provides a small snack for the creature which seems to be appreciated.

“It’s like a carrier pigeon, or messenger hawk.” You finally manage to say as the News Coo ascends back into the air.

“Your world has something similar?” Usopp prompts.

“Yes. On a smaller scale, but similar. Messenger hawks couldn’t deliver papers like that, but they can relay personal messages.” You explain, coming down onto the deck to look at the paper. You were relieved to see that you not only recognized the alphabet being used, but you could read and comprehend it.

Usopp had it open and was flipping through the first few pages when he came to a stop. Looking over at you he looked back to the page and then looked back to you.

“Oh no.” He pulls the single page out and hands it over to you. “Sorry, (Y/N).”

“Sorry? For wha-.” You stop as you look at the page in your hands. It’s more of a poster, with an accurate drawing of your face in the middle of the page. There was other information around it, but it didn’t include your name. You understood the concept of the page immediately but were left with another issue – the symbol by the long series of numbers didn’t make sense to you.

“I am… wanted alive.” You felt a little relieved by that and pointed to the number on the bottom of the page. “What does this mean?”

“Belly,” Usopp explains. “It’s a world-wide currency.”

“And, this number? Is it significantly high?” You ask, pointing to the number on your poster.

Usopp nods. “It’s below the average for the crew on the ship, but it’s significantly high.”

“… Master Usopp, what are the bounties of this crew? Is it rude of me to ask?”

Usopp laughs. “Not at all, any good pirate is proud of their bounty!” He assures you, even though his laugh sounds a little shaky. Luffy’s is the highest at 1.5 billion belly, Zoro’s is 320 million, Sanji’s is 330 million,” He begins, counting off on his fingers. “Nami’s is 66 million, Robin’s is 130 million, Franky’s is 94 million, Brook’s 83 million, and Jinbe’s is 438 million – he used to be a government affiliated pirate, but when he joined us his bounty went up.”

“And yours?” You prompt, a small smile on your lips.

Usopp seems to pale, but his smile doesn’t fade. “2-200 million.” He admits, doing his best to sound proud of it and not terrified by it.

“My apologies then.” You say flatly, reading your 250 million belly bounty on the poster.

“Oh, hahaha! Ah, d-don’t worry about that.” He laughs nervously and looks at you a little sheepishly. “Are you okay though? I mean, that’s uh – we’re not newbie pirates, when we started making our own way Luffy had a whole 30 million belly on his head, and no one knew our names. We’ve had time to adjust to this sort of thing.”

“I… spoke of treason when I arrived here. I imagine this is gentle in the face of that.”

“T-treason?!” Usopp exclaimed and then looked at you curiously. “Treason against who?”

“Something called the Empty Throne.” You say, “I was not in control of my words when I arrived, Master Usopp, I was speaking a prophecy.”

Usopp’s face went so pale he seemed to turn blue. After a small flurry of concern between you and him, he called the crew together and you recounted what you could remember of your arrival here. From the uncomfortably manicured lawn and man to the words you had repeated even as the last vestiges of your winter magic had sent you away from the Red Line.

“The empty throne is called such because no one is supposed to sit in it,” Robin explains. “The idea is that no one person rules this world, and at best the five elders collectively decide world-wide events.”

“But if your prophecy is to be believed, someone does sit on the empty throne,” Brook said solemnly. “I remember songs and poems about the empty throne, but even decades ago it was considered merely symbolic.”

“Whether someone does or doesn’t actually sit there, this explains why this was in today’s paper.” Usopp adds, putting your wanted poster on the table.

“I’m surprised we didn’t see one yesterday.” Sanji states. “Considering what we know.”

“They probably weren’t sure if she was dead or alive.” Jinbei says. “If they released a wanted poster for a corpse there would be problems. Debating what to do is likely what delayed it.”

“Only alive.” Zoro says and there’s a deeper scowl on his face than usual.

“But that’s good, right?” You ask. “Capture is difficult compared to killing. My chances are better, aren’t they?”

There’s a tense silence and then suddenly numerous arms sprout from your body and hold you tight. You grunt against the sudden movement, but you didn’t feel any hostility, and aren’t alarmed.

“Some Devil Fruits are well suited to capture.” Robin says as her hands turn to flower petals and release you.

“… This world is dangerous.” You admit, feeling a heavy weight in your stomach. “Oh, but haki can overcome Devil Fruits, yes?”

“If you’re strong enough in it, yes.” Jinbei replies. “So you can improve your odds by continuing to cultivate your haki.”

“Until then I suppose I should do my best to not get separated from the rest of you.”

[one-piecee]

#ONEPIECE1036

in my defence I thought we wouldn't get a chapter til like 2nd January (or so I heard??) and was super confused when we got one this sunday, but anyways!! new chapter means new post of me screaming a little

The chapter title is: "Bushido is the way of Death"

King got his wings cut (or just the right wing, and zoro is the right wing of the future pirate king luffy which should mean something but i'm not smart enough to know what so we'll leave it at that) and Zoro has now officially defeated King, victor: Zoro!

Also!! Just last chapter we talked about how Kaido definitely thought he himself was Joy Boy because of the whole "I'll change the world" speech he gave King and immediately after, aka this chapter, we get it confirmed that Kaido did indeed think he could be joy boy--

((or perhaps that King thought Kaido was Joy boy, and not Kaido himself since Kaido says "you still believe that?"))

Anywho, I also liked King's flashback here, because as we all know I'm obsessed with right hand men being extremely loyal to their captains and this kind of makes me like King as a character more:

Of course, unfortunately for King he did lose (to the right hand man of the real future pirate king, too bad Kaido)

And after King reminiscing, we get Zoro's flashback to him promising Luffy to never lose again (just like King to Kaido, nice) and saying that if "this is what it takes then..."

The CP0 get information about King's defeat signaling the defeat of the all-stars and the Tobiroppi, which tips the scales to us winning, but as long as "those two" are still fighting, those wins are meaningless-- which obviously means we'll be getting the fights with big mom and kaido soon enough.

Aside from Kaido (being dealt with by Luffy) and Big Mom (Kidd and Law) there's the two threats of Onigashima falling and Kanjuro's flame attack. Yamamoto is currently rushing towards the flame, and Momonosuke still has to figure out a way to stop Onigashima from falling down on the flower capital.

Also on more news, I think it's pretty much official now that both Kin'emon and Kiku will survive this war because of the (amazing, magnificent, top-tier, wonderful) speech by Usopp:

"I don't get this obsession with honor and comitting Seppuku, I know it's your culture but I can't stand it!

This also just solidifies Usopp as one of the bravest characters in one piece.

And then we have best boy Izo coming to the rescue looking as amazing as ever and also spewing off a wonderful line--

Luffy stays giving people reasons to live.

CP0 are still a threat, because Apoo is running away, and Drake has been taken down

and so I will continute the "Brook and Robin fight the CP0 and beat them up" Agenda. I need to see that fight-

Also!!!!! I don't know what this means and Oda needs to stop playing with us but!! Sanji's eyebrow!! Is back to normal!!!

first picture if chapter 1031, and second picture this chapter

His left eyebrow is back to looking like it did before his body went through the changes and I don't know what this means all I know is I hope things are ok now and I don't have to keep worrying for this man

moving on

we finally finally finally finally got some panels of luffy and kaido's fight

and let's just remember that while kaido is in his hybrid form, luffy is currently in his base form- and he's keeping up with kaido hit after hit. remember that

and you know how i said luffy keeps giving people reasons to live? my man is even giving kaido a reason to live, no more attempts to off himself he's getting excited cus he finally found an opponent worth fighting

big ass smile on his face and all that, that's the luffy effect

doesn't seem to be a break next week and if all goes well it should be big mom vs kid and law or luffy vs kaido (or another scattered one like this? or maybe the conclusion to raizo because they're going at it? or more cp0? or? or or? so many options i don't know why you'd try and predict BUT!! APPARENTLY THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME "CRAZY REVEAL" NEXT CHAPTER???)

[holykillercake]

One Year

pairing: Zoro x Reader

word count: 2k

summary: No summary this time. I´ll just say this ¨Bartholomew Kuma and Sabaody¨. Read at your own risk. Seriously, ¨KUMA AND SABAODY¨, do you understand?

highlight: ¨Everyone did their best, but no one could have done better.¨

warnings: angst with happy ending; Sabaody Archipelago spoilers (?)

notes: Hey guys! This was a request from @roronoatrash​ in which ¨Zoro who has 0 sense of direction seemed to always find his way back to is s/o, and his s/o only.¨. I really hope you like it!💚 This is also the first time I write a Devil Fruit user, so I'm considering a sequel to develop the character and add more humor.

𝕷𝖊𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖘, 𝖗𝖊𝖖𝖚𝖊𝖘𝖙𝖘, 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊!

It was a cloudy and melancholic day in the New World. The men on board were leisurely enjoying their afternoon; some drinking, some napping, some eating. The air was humid and cold, and the tides were strangely calm. No one seemed to care. After all, that was the New World. 

¨Boss!¨ the lookout shouted from the crow's nest ¨Something is falling from the sky! It´s going to land on deck!¨

All men tilted their heads to look at the sky, watching a tiny black spot become bigger and more recognizable.

¨Is that what I think it is?¨ the captain asked himself, not believing his eyes.

¨Boss, is that a girl?¨

¨Yep, I think so.¨

They stood still watching what they suspected was a girl fall from the skies. The red-haired took a quick glimpse at his first-mate and officers, and since no one moved, he felt safe to assume that that was not a threat. Mainly because whatever was falling towards the ship looked dead already. 

The body fell through the main deck and went straight to the lower level of the ship. The captain and his officers stood around the hole on the wooden floor, observing the unconscious and injured body of a girl. 

¨I´ve seen some crazy things rain around here... but this is new.¨ he spoke.

They were ready to have someone dispose of the dead body when the girl opened her eyes, putting herself on her shaky legs. Blood dripped from her eyebrows and nose, and she had bruises all over. Her eyes wandered around as if she was looking for something.

¨Z-Zoro...¨ she spoke when her teary eyes met the captain´s ¨I-I need to find Zoro.¨ 

That was all she said before falling on her knees and collapsing. 

                                                             </>

Almost a year has passed since the tragedy in Sabaody Archipelago. A year passed since you were defeated in the fight against the marine force. Your gashes closed, and your bruises healed, but there was a wound that would not go away, even after one year. 

So much had happened since that day. Luffy had broken into Impel Down, fought in the Paramount War, and lost his brother, Ace. A few days later you received the hidden message he had left you, saying that you were no longer going to meet in Sabaody in three days but in two years.

It took you a while to understand the situation you and the rest of the Strawhats were in, and it took you even more to let go of your selfishness and trust them. The guilt for not being strong enough to protect yourself and your comrades ate you alive during the first weeks, but then you considered how they must be feeling too. No one could have done better. 

Everyone did their best, but no one could have done better. 

For one year, whenever a News Coo flew by to deliver a newspaper, you would run and grab it before anyone did, hoping to see another message from your friends. But the status of your captain was the only one you knew so far. You knew he was training with Rayleigh-san, and this whole two years thing should have been his idea. 

When Bartholomeu Kuma used his Devil Fruit powers on you, you ended up landing on the ship of the Red Hair Pirates. They would always tell you how you rained on their Red Force and broke the deck floor. They said you were looking for someone, and during your stay in the infirmary, you would always call for the same person. 

For months nightmares had you waking up in the middle of the night panting and crying. The same one, torturing you in an infinite and merciless loop. 

Every detail, color, and noise. Everything was so precise and clear in your head. 

When he fought still injured from the last encounter with the Shichibukai; when he stood up and faced the Warlord fearlessly. Even with the damages caused by Kizaru and the Pacifistas, he stood up. 

And maybe your eyes fooled you, maybe your exhausted body played a sick trick on you because he was there until he wasn´t.

 Right in front of your eyes.

 His cropped green hair and tanned skin, the vibrant red and white striped shirt, the scar across his chest, the haramaki, and the swords. Gone, simple as that. 

But after all the training that you had with the Red Hair Pirates, you seemed more in peace with yourself. After one year, the nightmares would bother you only every once in a while. You were not prepared for the New World before, maybe still aren´t, but you will get there. 

And they made everything easier. It was no mystery why Luffy liked them so much. Whenever you were not engaged in a fight or some other Emperor crap, those guys were incredibly light-spirited. And the moment they realized you were part of Luffy´s crew they treated your wounds and welcomed you onboard. 

Shanks agreed to have his men training you, but he made very clear that no one would babysit you, so it was ¨keep up or keep out.¨. You spent most of your time with Yassop, Benn, or Roux, for they were the best in the abilities you exercised. 

Inside the Strawhats you were a stealth agent, mostly because of your Devil Fruit, the Nagi Nagi no Mi, once possessed by a Marine Commander. Another Supernova, the Surgeon of Death Trafalgar Law had told you that before shit broke in Sabaody. 

You used that combined with your fighting skills to breach the enemy´s first line of defense before they saw you coming. Usually, Usopp would assist you with the sniper training, trade he ¨learned from a friend¨, Sogeking. 

His father was an extraordinary sniper, and he used the same kind of firearms as you, differently than Usopp´s slingshot. Benn´s combat skills were remarkable, and Roux was exceptionally fast for a man his size. You haven´t had a lot of opportunities to fight the Red Hair himself, though you had a strong will, his Haki was something you have never seen before. 

¨We´re going to a bar, kid. You´re coming?¨ Benn asked you with his cigarette on his lips. 

You pondered a little over his invitation but decided to decline it. ¨Thanks, Benn, but I´m keeping a low profile tonight.¨ He nodded and smiled, turning to follow his crewmates ¨Don´t drink too much, we have training tomorrow!¨ 

The first mate laughed shortly and spoke without looking at you ¨Roger that, kid.¨ 

You walked the opposite way, wandering between the vegetables and gimmicks tents, feeling the kind sunset kiss your skin. There was some music playing, kids running around with ice cream in their hands, laughing loudly and happily. Marketers were announcing their prices, housewives were thinking about delicious recipes to prepare for their families, and couples would sit together around the font, swearing love to each other.

Every day was like that. The citizens would wish their neighbors ¨good morning¨ from their windows; bakers would open the doors early, letting the delightful smell of fresh bread wake up those who slept in.  

How could you, in the middle of all that happiness, feel so sad and lost?

You sighed and made a route change. Maybe you needed a little bit of booze. 

The island where Shanks had decided to dock was in the Grand Line, a place where they were known and welcomed. So you knew where they were, and it would be a short walk to get there.

¨Y/N?¨ 

You turned automatically, thinking that a crew member had gotten lost and was looking for his captain - or boss, how he likes to be called.

 But when you saw the man standing in front of you, everything stopped. The music, the kids, and the love promises. 

At some point, you started to cry and hyperventilate, believing you were in another nightmare, and you would have to go through that day all over again. Your lover carried pain in his eyes as well, like his fears were the same as yours. 

Those minutes you stared at each other felt like hours while you kept every detail of him in your memory. His hair was slightly longer, and his complexion was paler, even with the sunset painting his skin. 

¨Z-Zoro...¨ you whispered shakily.

He gave a step forward ¨Y/N... it´s you...¨ 

You ran in his direction as soon as your name fell out of his mouth. Your arms embraced his neck, and your legs gave up when he held you tight against his body, whispering comforting words as you broke into tears. 

¨I...¨ nothing but sobs came out.

¨I know... me too.¨ he fondled your hair and hid his face in the curve of your neck. And there stood the both of you, not wanting to let the other go. 

                                                          </>

¨How did you know I was here?¨ you asked and he blushed a little.

¨I didn´t... I had to buy stuff for the castle, and I got lost.¨ a loud laugh came out of your mouth. It was so obvious, how didn´t you guess that?

¨They didn´t give you a log pose?¨

¨They did, but I took a nap and when I woke up, I was here.¨

You spent the rest of the day cuddling on the beach sand. Zoro was laying on his back, and you were resting on his chest. You had one year worth of conversation to catch up on, and neither of you rushed to do so. He told you about Mihawk, the creepy island in which the only native habitants were copycat human drills, the boat he destroyed, and even how he begged the Warlord to train him.

The sun had started to hide behind the sea, and the warm sand was cooling down. The sound of the waves crashing on the shore together with the salty breeze made you question if you had died at some point, and that was heaven.

¨You´re paler.¨ he chuckled.

¨It´s not very sunny where I´m living.¨ 

¨Hm...¨ you hummed ¨And how long did you take to figure out Luffy´s message?¨ 

¨Oh...¨ he thought for a second ¨ I knew right away.¨ you giggled and doodled on his chest with your finger. 

You felt his chest go up and down as he let out a sigh. 

¨I missed you, Y/N.¨ he hugged you tighter. 

¨I missed you too.¨ you stayed in silence for a few minutes ¨Anyway, when are you setting sail again?¨ You asked him softly, and he tensed up. ¨I know... ¨ your lips began to tremble ¨ I don´t want to go either, but what happened in Sabaody... I don´t want that to happen ever again.¨ you bit your lip as tears started to roll on your cheeks. 

He wiped the tears with his fingers and pulled you closer. None of you wanted to part ways again, but not only those were your captain´s order that was your future. If something like that happens again in the New World, a two-year separation would be the best scenario possible. 

¨It won´t. I promise.¨

When the night came, you decided to stay on the beach and talked until you fell asleep under the stars. The best sleep you´ve had in a long time. No nightmares, no agony, and no pain. Just the warmth and peace you missed so much.

On the following morning, you helped him get the provisions for Mihawk´s castle. You toured around the city holding hands and joking, kinda like the couples sitting by the font, enjoying every second you had before he left. 

If he didn´t get lost trying to go back to Kuraigana Island, it would be a quick trip. You assisted him with the bags and walked him to his boat. Your heart ached to say goodbye to him, but you had to. The circumstances were bigger than the two of you.

¨I love you, Zoro.¨ you hugged him and tried not to cry again.

¨I love you more, Y/N.¨

¨Careful with the naps, ok?¨ he chuckled and nodded ¨One year. We´ll meet again in one year.¨ 

¨Wait for me. I´ll go get you, and we´ll return to Sabaody together.¨ 

¨But how will you know where I will be?¨

¨It doesn´t matter where you´ll be. I´ll always find you.¨

[goodlucktai]

Hi! I love your works! 71 + 72 for Luffy and Jinbei?

PROMPTS LIST

71. “I’m going to protect you.”

smile again

x

As a watchdog journalist, Jinbei's work takes him everywhere. He isn't always in the best position to receive phone calls. Sometimes, depending on what story his group decides to chase after and what far-flung corner of the world it leads them to, Jinbei goes weeks without internet access.

By the time he gets news of the accident, Luffy has been out of the hospital for a month and Ace has been dead just as long.

Jinbei has to go home.

His colleagues-- a group of solid, hard-working people he's known for going on twenty years, has worked with on the field and off, in smoke and fire and claustrophobic office spaces-- are entirely understanding.

Tiger drives him to a small airport, the truck bouncing along a bumpy gravel road. There's a single, hastily-packed duffel in the bed of the pickup. Jinbei isn't even sure what he shoved in there, having only made one mindless pass through his room. He would have left without his passport if Hatchan hadn't shoved it into his hands on his way out the door.

"It may be time for me to retire," Jinbei says aloud. His mind is ebbing and rising like a tide, a vast ocean of grief. Thoughts go bobbing away like loose buoys before he can get a grasp on them.

All he can think of is the last video-call he made home, over a month ago now. Ace and Luffy, pressed cheek-to-cheek so they'd both fit in-frame, competitive in all things and unwilling to take turns, even as Jinbei laughingly promised he had plenty of time to talk.

They made him promise to call again soon. He meant to.

"Don't worry about us over here," Tiger says. His eyes are on the road, hands tight around the steering wheel. He carries Jinbei's grief like it's his own. "Just worry about your boy."

His boy, Jinbei thinks. Not by blood or by law, certainly, but by something less quantifiable than that. Those scrappy kids that spilled into his yard one muggy summer evening, hiding in the hedges from their well-antagonized CPS caseworker and somehow claiming a piece of Jinbei's heart from the moment he first laid eyes on them.

Ace was so angry back then, and Luffy was so easily frightened, and they clung to each other in a practiced way, as if they were so used to the world trying to claw them apart that they didn't expect anything else, even from a perfect stranger. They didn't seem to know what to do with kindness. Ace watched Jinbei like a hawk for weeks, long after Luffy warmed up to him. His trust, when he finally gave it, felt like a prize.

Jinbei was working long, unpredictable hours, and knew it wouldn't be fair to drag two children into his household if he couldn't afford them the time and care they deserved-- but after school? Weekends? Holidays? Those he gave up freely.

His days gained some semblance of routine again, for the fist time since he finished college. His kitchenware came down from the cupboard, the pockmarked kitchen table was often set for three. He made dinner at home, more than he ate in the office with his colleagues.

Hell, his colleagues ate dinner with him at home more often, too. Within an hour of meeting the boys, each of Jinbei's friends, to a man, would have taken a bullet for either of them, no questions asked.

The sense of structure did wonders for the brothers. With a safe place to return to when they needed it, and someone to fall back on, Ace stopped looking at every potential foster home as if it was a threat. Luffy came out of his shell, bolder with each new day. He made a friend in the village, a boy with vivid green eyes, and they hardly spent a moment apart.

They were finally placed with a couple who lived nearby. Shanks was wry and good-natured, and Benn had the patience of a saint. After a few weeks, when Jinbei asked how they were settling in, his worries were soothed: Luffy clearly adored them, and even Ace grudgingly admitted they weren't so bad.

And when the time came, and Ace applied for emancipation as well as custody of his brother, he had a small army in his corner. A patchwork family collected in little bits and pieces, ready to support him through anything.

"I will always be here for you both," Jinbei had promised him, countless times. "You'll never be alone as long as I'm alive."

"Thank you," Ace said, a little bashful. But he was so pleased, and so full of hope for the future, and he said, "I'll feel better, knowing someone's around to look after Luffy if I can't."

He immediately got shouted down by his entire strange extended pseudo-family for daring to suggest they'd ever let anything happen to him, and it made him laugh so brightly, and now the memory sticks like needles in Jinbei's throat.

Tiger hugs him hard before Jinbei boards the plane. In the back of his mind, where there is a tiny corner free from drowning, Jinbei can't help but wonder when he'll see his friend again.

He keeps thinking of that last video call. He can't remember everything they talked about. He doesn't think he said enough. He almost certainly didn't tell Ace everything he deserved to hear. Foolishly, he assumed there would be another time.

He's learned from this. He won't take it for granted any more.

"Call me when you land," Tiger says. "Give the monkey our love."

"I will," Jinbei replies. His heart is so heavy he doesn't know how he manages the steps onto the plane. He doesn't know how the pilot manages to lift them up from the tarmac. It's a wonder they aren't sinking, straight through the earth.

Nami and Usopp are waiting for him at the airport, wide-awake even though it's well past two o'clock in the morning. They're familiar to Jinbei from the stories Luffy has told him, from the numerous video calls they've bullied their way into over the years, and the handful of birthdays and holidays Jinbei was able to make it home for.

"Luffy wanted to come with us to pick you up, but he fell asleep," Usopp says, apropos of nothing, as they're waiting for their Uber. "Sanji said it was a small miracle, and Zoro looked like he was going to hunt us for sport if we even thought about waking him up, so--"

"He hasn't been sleeping, then?" Jinbei asks quietly.

"After he came home, he was on some pretty heavy meds, and he slept a lot," Nami says. Her arms are folded tight against her chest in the nighttime chill, her eyes trained somewhere far away. "But he had bad dreams and he would wake up disoriented. Now he fights sleep tooth and nail."

"We've all sort of become the insomnia squad," Usopp pipes up. "Thank god I'm not taking any classes this summer."

"Sanji's gotten really good at making lattes," Nami adds with a small smile. "Wait till you see his shiny new espresso machine."

"I'm like eight-five percent sure he stole it from the Baratie."

Jinbei listens to their chatter, feeling at once anchored by them and adrift at sea. It makes sense that they would be ahead of him. They've been here all this time, practically from the moment of the accident, facing it with all the bravery and endurance of sailors in a typhoon. Jinbei, meanwhile, had been living in an unchanged world.

For the last month, Ace has been dead. How many times had Jinbei thought about him? Mentioned him to a friend? How many times had Jinbei wrongly said his name in the present-tense?

The house is warmly-lit when they arrive, but quiet. An old blue Irish wolfhound greets them at the door, wagging his tail. Robin looks up from the papers she has spread out on the coffee table and smiles. Chopper is fast asleep beside her, his head on her shoulder. Behind them, Jinbei can see Sanji at work in the kitchen, shaping dough. Something is baking that smells of cinnamon and apples.

They weren't kidding about their sleep schedules being a mess.

"Hello, Jinbei. It's good to see you," Robin says. Her voice is soft, in deference to the sleeping teenager. "Luffy is asleep, but you can see him if you like."

"Please," Jinbei replies hoarsely.

"I'll take him," Nami says. "Usopp, would you bring his bag to the guest bedroom?"

"'Course," Usopp replies, but he makes a detour into the kitchen first.

Nami takes Jinbei's hand and leads him toward the stairs. "I feel really stupid about this, but I was so angry at you," she admits as they make their way up. "It's hardly the first time we haven't been able to contact you, and I know why that is. But-- I don't know, I think I was going crazy. I wanted Luffy to have everything he wanted. I wanted everyone who loved him to be here every time he woke up. So I-- so there might be some angry emails waiting for you, but please don't hate me for it."

"I won't even read them," Jinbei promises gravely, his heart cleaved clean in two. "I can't imagine how-- how hard it must have been. I-- if I had gotten the messages sooner-- "

"I know," Nami assures him, pausing outside a closed bedroom door. "Franky spoke to you like six hours ago, and you're already here. You dropped everything to be here. We know the kind of person you are."

She stands up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek, and Jinbei bends to accommodate her, the same way he does for Koala. Then Nami reaches out and pushes open the door.

Zoro is awake, sitting against the headboard with his phone in hand and earphones in, and his eyes are as bright and sharp now as they were when he was a child. He looks up when the door opens, and seems to relax when he sees Jinbei stepping in behind Nami.

"Go to sleep," Nami whispers, pointing at the second bed across the spacious room.

"Don't tell me what to do," Zoro replies, just as quiet, but he pulls his earphones out and extracts himself from the bed with all the exacting precision of a bomb disposal technician. Nami takes him by the arm, helping him get up so carefully that the mattress hardly moves. It's such a well-practiced maneuver that Jinbei thinks he honestly might cry.

"If one of you would stay for a bit, I'll grab a shower," Zoro says.

"Sure, stinky," Nami says, nudging him toward the door. "Jinbei?"

He nods, unsure of what he's agreeing to. Now that he's finally next to Luffy, nothing else seems to exist. He sinks into the chair beside the bed, only half-aware of Nami and Zoro leaving. Their murmured conversation is cut off by the closing door. The room is silent, save for the gentle, unobtrusive sound of Luffy's steady breathing.

He's lost weight since Jinbei saw him last. There are shadows on his face that don't belong there. He looks both older and younger than he has any right to, even now, when his face is untroubled and slack with sleep.

"Hello, little monkey," Jinbei says. His voice is quiet, but it still breaks. He's crying, he realizes, thick tears rolling down his face with abandon. "I'm sorry it took me so long."

He thinks of two little boys, spilling into his life on accident, taking up room in his home and his heart as if they always belonged there. They weren't his, not really, but he loved them anyway. Loves them still.

"I'm here now," he whispers. His hands are shaking. "I'm going to protect you, like I promised. I'm here, Ace. Please believe me, wherever you are. I won't fail you again."

[bunni-bino]

Could I request fluffy headcanons of Sanji with a blind s/o? The man needs some love after whole cake island 🥺

Sanji With A Blind S/O

A/n : anon, I love you. Thank you for requesting! :)) especially for requesting for Sanji- 🥺💙 he deserves the whole world after everything.

Summary : Just sweet headcannons for life with Sanji with a blind significant other.

note : I reallyyy wanted to make this a scenario but I have too many ideas for it and it’s too hard to choose just one ;-;

Also, some reallyyyyy long headcannons. And I tried to keep it GN! But some female gender is hinted in it :/ I’m sorry.

Also, I couldn’t help but add the general straw hats reaction and interaction with you before Sanji, it’s just extra writing and how they would treat you so it’s really nothing lol.

-

General Straw Hats

So you’re blind. The crew was pretty surprised when they first met you, but after seeing how skillful you were despite your handicap, they were just in awe and Luffy decided to recruit you.

Now that you were on the ship and joined them on their adventures, the crew were pretty careful and kept an eye on you, even if you managed to handle yourself through your daily life.

Nami and Robin would guide you and help you to the showers and to get a change of clothes for you,

while Usopp, Chopper and Brook did their best to aid you themselves with other tasks, like leading you to the kitchen or to make sure you wouldn’t bump into anything or hurt yourself somehow.

The crew didn’t trust Zoro and Luffy for obvious reasons, knowing how reckless they can be, while Franky was a giant cyborg. Part of the girls were concerned that he’d unintentionally hurt you somehow.

They’re much aware of how strong you are but sometimes they can’t help but aid you with your disability, they care about you after all.

-

With Sanji

Man, did Sanji adore you.

Even though you were blind, he treated you like every other person and still swooned and adored you every second he laid eyes on you.

He would always be by your side though, constantly there to aid you if the others weren’t around and made sure you were comfortable and had what you needed. If you needed anything at all, Sanji was there to grab it for you within seconds.

Bonding and spending so much time with you, Sanji began to grow feelings. You would opt to stay in the kitchen while Sanji cooked, getting to talk and know about him since there wasn’t much else you could do.

If you were willing to listen, aside from personal stories and such, Sanji would explain every detail of his cooking process for what he was making for lunch/dinner that day.

He’ll make sure the aroma fills the room so you can get a sense of the delicious smell and let you try his cooking first, feeding you himself.

“Say, Ah, [Name]-chan!” When you open your mouth and lean forward to take the bite, you would pull back and chew on it, your eyes staring straight at the wall in front of you, before smiling at how delicious it was.

The cute action would melt Sanji’s heart instantly, and he’ll be so in love.

You would realize that you’re in love with the cook before Sanji does, because once you hear his voice or sense his footsteps, your mood immediately brightens and you’re having a great day.

You’d always find yourself smiling in his presence, just him talking about anything would get your happiness levels rising, loving to be near him and listen to him.

-

However, there are very few and rare times where Sanji thinks he’s being sly and careful, especially when you’re in the shower.

Usually, Robin or Nami would be on guard, or even Chopper while you’re showering or taking a bath, to prevent any of the boys from looking in and taking advantage of your blindness.

Sanji is still a bit of a pervert so he would try to sneak in when the girls aren’t around and Chopper is easy to be distracted so it wasn’t hard.

However, blindness came with heightened senses, so you already knew who was coming up due to his footsteps. “Sanji? I know you’re there.”

Sanji would end up tripping over his own two feet, not having expected that you would find out so easily and quickly stand up, turning away from you as he holds a hand to his blood-leaking nose. “[N-Name]-Chan!-“

You only chuckle at him and already knowing he was respecting your privacy and wasn’t looking, you stand up and wrap a towel around yourself to dry off before putting on your clothes. “I’m disappointed in you, Sanji.” You would click your tongue and tsk him teasingly as you made your way out carefully.

Sanji would feel his nose bleed gush out harder at you as you walk past him and he might even pass out.

-

Aside from that, Sanji would still spend so much time with you, taking you with him as you explore new islands and he’ll take you out to different places that you might be interested in, explaining everything in detail about the island and what there is to see.

He’ll have your arm hooked in his so you don’t get lost, maybe even try to slip into a hand-hold, intertwined fingers even, but would be too nervous to. So when you initiate it, he’ll explode inside, his heart bursting at how innocent and cute you are.

Now, if you’re in public and people are staring at you because they either, notice you wearing sunglasses to hide your eyes even though the weather may not particularly ask for it, or if you aren’t wearing any and people can just see the whites of your eyes, Sanji is on their ass immediately.

Sanji would go to great lengths to make sure you aren’t hurt from their words, whether they’re trying to be secretive about it or not.

“Look at them, they’re eyes are completely white!”

“Why are they blind?”

“Must suck to not be able to see anything.”

They’re words are blunt and a bit harsh. It doesn’t matter if you don’t care about their pitiful looks or harsh comments, Sanji is there to defend you.

“What did you say? I’d appreciate if you didn’t insult them so casually like that.” If they continue to be ignorant and rude to you, he’s kicking them to another island.

“Sanji, it’s okay. I’m used to it.” You assure him, not wanting to cause any trouble but Sanji only frowns. “But, [Name]-chan. They’re saying hurtful things and-“

“It’s okay! I have you with me, and your kindness overpowers their rudeness.” You smile at him, despite not looking directly at him.

Sanji would feel his heart fill with warmth as he gives his own smile and nods. “I see.” And he’ll hold your hand himself and lead you away from the public.

-

It’s only when you two are up all night talking one day, does he realize that he’s in love with you. You were in the kitchen, sitting across from each other and sharing a cup of tea as you shared small stories.

While you were sharing your own story and was turned to face him directly, Sanji would get lost and distracted, just staring at you.

He’ll smile and admire your face for a brief moment, taking in all your beautiful features before settling onto your eyes.

Even though they were just the whites of your eyes, he could see the glassy like look, and just imagines to himself what you would look like with an eye color. And what eye color you might have or may match you well.

He wouldn’t even notice you had stopped talking until you gently search and reach for his hand. “Sanji?..”

“Ah, sorry [Name]-chan. I got distracted looking at your beautiful face.” He smoothly compliments, seeing your cheeks warm just slightly at it as you brush him off.

After all, you couldn’t tell how beautiful you were, since you couldn’t look in the mirror. “Don’t be ridiculous, Sanji.” Sanji just smiles wider at you and chuckles. “I’m not, I mean it, [Name]-chan. You look stunning.”

Your heart swells with love and warmth and you smile at him, holding his hand tightly as you two decide to turn in for the rest of the night.

-

“Sanji?” You call out softly one day, while you were both in the kitchen. Sanji hums in response, showing that he was there and listening. “Can.. I touch you?..”

Sanji would be a bit taken back, before nodding slowly, forgetting you couldn’t see. “I-Oh, of course, [Name]-chan.. may I ask why?”

You smile gently as you listen to him make his way over to you, sitting beside you and tapped your hands to signal he was there.

Carefully reaching up to grab his face, making it to his shoulders and slowly moved up to his neck and then felt his skin, finally approaching his face and felt it carefully.

“I wanted to get an image of you.” You say simply, smiling more when you felt his eye, his mouth that you knew was curled into a smile, and even his little swirly eyebrow.

“Can you tell me your hair and eye color?” As you asked that, you feel his hair on the right side of his face which covered his eye and smile more, gently brush it with your fingers.

“My hair is blonde, and my eyes are black.” He answers softly, feeling the gentleness of your fingers against his skin and relaxed at your touch.

When you finally pull away, you couldn’t help the small giggle escaping your lips. “You sure are handsome.”

Sanji would feel his heart explode in his chest, his cheeks warming as he chuckles a bit. “[Name]-chan!~” he swoons, in love already. You may be blind, but he trusted your instincts and hearing such a compliment from you made his heart warm.

-

When Sanji finally confesses to you after realizing his feelings, it’s late at night. He’s holding your hand and brings you outside where the only light is the moon and it shines down on you.

“Sanji. What are we doing out here? It’s late isn’t it?” Sanji only smiles at your innocence and soft voice, as he cups your cheeks gently and turns you so you face right at him, even though you couldn’t see him.

“[Name]-chan..” He start out slowly, watching you tilt your head upwards to him and had the purest expression on your face. You could sense his small nervousness, him taking small breaths to relax himself.

“After spending so much time together, I’ve come to realize just how much I love with you..” your eyes widen when you realize it’s turning into a confession, you feeling your heart beat picking up and you could sense his was as well.

“I love your smile, I love your voice, I love how kind you are, I love how you don’t let anyone put you down, despite your handicap..” he continues on and on, making you chuckle slightly as he does the same and stops himself before he continues further.

“I’m in love with you, [Name]-chan. Will you be mine?..” you could tell how nervous he was, and although you couldn’t see nothing but darkness, you could only imagine how red his cheeks were as he cupped yours, yours warming up at his words.

“Of course, Sanji. I’m in love with you as well.” You admit, smiling warmly.

“My day brightens when I hear your voice. I become so happy when I hear your footsteps, because I know you’re coming to check on me. You defend me from people who comment on my disability, you’re amazingly strong and protect me from harm during battle, you compliment me every chance you get, you make sure I never feel left out and explain to me everything you guys see so I’m not alone.. you make me feel loved, like I belong.”

Feeling his heart melt at your words and how hot his cheeks were feeling, he only smiles more and grins almost. “Of course you belong.” He then bites his lip as he leans close to you slowly. “..may I?” He respectfully asks, waiting for your approval and permission.

Already knowing what he wanted, you smile shyly and nod. With that, Sanji leans closer and closed his eyes, connecting his lips with yours as he entraps you into a kiss. It was short, but filled with sweet passion.

After Sanji pulls away, he caressed your cheek gently and brushes a strand of your hair away from your face, watching the moonlight shine beautifully down onto your figure.

“I love you, Sanji.”

“I love you, [Name]-chan.”

—

a/n : boy were those some long headcannons.. hope you enjoyed! :D these were more general but nonetheless, I still wrote it and I like it soo.. I hope you do too.

This is late at night so if there is any mistakes, let me know.

[lawslessons]

An Observation pt. 2 (Zoro x Luffy)

“Together,” Luffy said as he looked over at Zoro with a more tender, uncharacteristic smile. Maybe... just maybe Zoro’s observation was wrong.

Warnings: None

Synopsis: Observations and preconceived notions aren’t always right, and when they’re not, they tend to hurt those the closest to a person. Zoro realizes that his blindness could possibly be holding him back from finally seeing the truth. 

Part two! I hope you all enjoy!

“You know, you could be wrong about what you were thinking,” Robin shared as she flipped the page of the book she was reading and glanced up at the swordsman who was staring out into the ocean with a concentrated look on his face. “I’ve seen how you look at him, you’ve cared about him for a long time, have you?” Robin sympathized as she lowered her book and moved to give the swordsman her full attention, if that was what he wanted from her. 

“No,” Zoro scoffed. He was denying it even though he could clearly see it. He could feel it, it had been tormenting him for years, ever since the day Luffy had saved him. First he had thought it was respect for Luffy’s power, and it honestly could’ve been. Zoro couldn’t remember, along the way his feelings had gotten jumbled up and he became even more confused. What if he was still confusing his feelings with something else? What if he didn’t even care about his captain that way? Was the way he was feeling wrong? He knew that no one on their ship would mind. After all, they had encountered stranger things, people in the past. 

“Yes,” Robin lightly teased. 

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

“Oh?” Robin chuckled to which the swordsman tensed. 

“You tricked me!” Zoro snapped as he looked over at Robin and glared down at the woman who seemed to be relishing in Zoro’s embarrassment. He wasn’t surprised that she was a sadist, she seemed to be enjoying seeing Zoro squirm around about his affections for their captain. 

“Tricked? Is it a game?” Luffy suddenly asked as he walked in between the two of them and smiled. “Can I play?” he asked with a wide grin on his face. Suddenly Zoro felt himself get tense again, his heart started to roughly drum against his chest and he didn’t know what to say suddenly.

“I’ll leave you two alone then,” Robin said with a small, encouraging smile as she walked away from Zoro with her book in hand. Zoro quickly looked over in Robin’s direction and silently pleaded for her to come back and save him from his suffering. Zoro watched the woman leave the deck and leave him stuck with their captain. 

“Zoro?” Luffy asked with a small tilt of his head. He looked at his swordsman and crossed his arms as he tried to figure out what was wrong with him. 

“Yes?” Zoro asked. But he knew better than to let Luffy ask him what was wrong. He could never keep a secret from his captain. Luffy would be able to tell if he was lying, and he knew that would worry his captain more than it was worth. “Did you really mean that you wanted to stay together after you become the pirate king?” Zoro asked him. 

“Yes!” Luffy confidently said. “Our dreams are the only ones that need us to constantly be together for, right?” he asked. “You said you would be the greatest swordsman and I would be the pirate king. Well, I am going to need the greatest swordsman by my side when I become the king. Strong people are going to fight us, and I want to fight with you,” Luffy explained as if it was that easy. As if everything he said didn’t pierce Zoro straight in the heart. 

“Me? By your side?” Zoro asked in some disbelief. 

“Of course, I trust you,” Luffy smiled. One stab. 

“We’ve known each other the longest,” Luffy reminded him. Second stab. 

“And... I just want to be with you,” Luffy shrugged. Third stab, shattered. Zoro suddenly was melting and in pieces over his captain who was right in front of him. 

I just want to be with you

Zoro was in awe of what he was saying, he had a shocked look on his face. “Me? Just me?” Zoro asked just as Luffy was being pulled away by Nami. 

“Oi, Luffy!” Nami scolded before she leaned into him and whispered something into his ear which seemed to surprise the captain. 

“Really? But I mean that,” Luffy pouted at the woman who looked at Zoro in surprise. 

“You do? Well, sorry then. Continue,” Nami said as she left the deck and went to get Chopper and Usopp away from Zoro and Luffy. “Hurry up!” she scolded to Chopper and Usopp as she dragged him away. 

They were finally alone. 

Zoro took in a deep breath and looked at Luffy in confusion. And if he wasn’t mistaken, was Luffy looking at him with that same look. It seemed like they were in a fairy tale. Both of them confused, looking at each other with the same eyes but neither of them knowing how to explain the tension that was between them. 

“What did Nami tell you?” Zoro quietly asked him as he crossed his arms, he was trying to guard himself up again, act indifferent when he honestly was curious. 

“She said something about leading something on? I don’t know what she meant,” Luffy admitted as he scratched the scar on his chest. It took Zoro a second to put the pieces together. 

Oh. 

Was Nami talking about Luffy leading him on? Was that what was happening here? Zoro exhaled sharply and looked off the side. Was Luffy leading him on?

“Maybe she’s right,” Zoro said as he went to walk away. He let his guard too much, he was too weak. He knew his observation was right, why would the most powerful man in the world want to spend his future with him?

“What? Zoro, no, what do you mean? What’s going on? What is she talking about?” Luffy asked as he started to go after Zoro as he went up to the crow’s nest. 

“It’s better if you didn’t know. If you didn’t ever know. It’s complicated and you don’t need that if you’re gonna be the pirate king. You need to focus on your dream.” Zoro stated as he shut the door when Luffy followed him inside of the nest. 

“How can I focus when you’re acting like this? You’re my friend, I’m worried about you!” Luffy frowned. Friend. Friend. Friend. Was that all he was to Luffy? After all these years, these sleepless nights he had over his captain?

“And I lo--” Zoro bit his tongue hard enough to draw blood. The restraint he had to show in this moment hurt him. “Nothing is wrong.” He felt tired of having to put up that facade, but if it protected his captain, he would do it as long as he needed to.

“You’re lying! You know I can tell when you’re lying, what is going on?” Luffy insisted. Like always, his sense of social cues and boundaries seemed to be nonexistent. Zoro was looking away at this point, his perceived notion was taking over his mind. While he knew better, he knew he should listen to Luffy’s reasoning, he couldn’t bring himself to do that now. 

“Zoro!” Luffy pleaded to his closest companion as the look of worry on his face grew. 

“Nothing. Happened.” Zoro got flashbacks to Thriller Bark, the pain he took on for his captain. He didn’t regret a word or action he said and took back then. Why should he now?

Luffy grabbed Zoro’s shoulders and shook the swordsman, that painful look of worry and fear didn’t leave Luffy’s face when he looked up at the swordsman. 

“You’re lying... why’re you lying to me?” Luffy asked as he rested his head on Zoro’s chest. 

Zoro had to resist the urge to hug Luffy, to comfort him in that moment, was he even allowed a luxury like that? 

“It’s a weakness I need to overcome.” Zoro said. 

“What? A weakness? Maybe I can help - “

“No.” Zoro stated as he grabbed Luffy’s shoulder’s and pinned him against the wall. “My weakness is you!” Zoro finally confessed as he looked at his captain with confused eyes. Luffy’s eyes widened in shock as he looked up at the swordsman in front of him. 

“Me...?” Luffy asked in disbelief. Zoro physically couldn’t bring himself to speak, confessing to a weakness like that made him feel ashamed, embarrassed. It wasn’t the right time, the moment wasn’t right. He nodded his head and sighed before he started to pull back from Luffy. 

Before he could get too far, Luffy grabbed Zoro’s hand and pulled him in closer. “I want to spend my future with you, didn’t that make sense to you?” He asked. 

“No, Luffy it didn’t make sense. I’m only here because of my strength, but I’m so weak around you and I -- “ Zoro was suddenly caught off when he was pulled closer to Luffy by another set of hands. And before he knew it, he was met by warm lips. Zoro looked at Luffy in shock before he quickly pulled away. By Luffy’s side, two arms transformed into flower petals before disappearing. Robin had pulled them closer. Damn that woman.

Luffy looked surprised and looked off to the side, but he didn’t look upset by the kiss, he instead seemed to have enjoyed it. That didn’t slip by Zoro, that was one observation he was able to catch onto. Without saying another word, Zoro kissed Luffy again and brushed his hands through his captain’s hair, his hat falling to the ground in the process. 

While the kiss lasted only a few seconds, it left both of them breathless and pleasantly dazed. 

“My observation was wrong,” Zoro softly panted out. “I want to be there with you, I need to be with you, Luffy,” he admitted as he looked at his star struck captain. 

“Zoro...” Luffy mumbled before he softly started to smile and laugh his signature laugh. “You were wrong!” He said as he pulled away from him. And as if one of the biggest changes in his life didn’t just occur, he started to leave the crows nest. “Come on! Let’s go! Everyone is waiting for us!” He smiled. 

Zoro smiled with him and shook his head. “Yes, captain.”

[sanjisock]

keep playing that song (hey mister dj)

ao3

Usopp isn’t scared.

The stranger might be a tall, burly dude with one eye, two large scars, and muscles that could rival a god’s, but Usopp is not scared. Nope. Sure, the guy could probably crush Usopp’s head if he does so much as flex , and the scars seem to indicate that he’s trained in some kind of deadly martial arts, and even without all those things he’s still big enough to be able to beat Usopp up into a pulp through sheer strength, and —

Okay, so Usopp might be a little scared.

But it’s not his fault, okay! Who can blame him for being scared when their usual hangout place-slash-music studio is suddenly occupied by such a scary-looking man! Scars, green hair (is that natural color ?), earrings…all signs seem to point to him being a delinquent, if not a yakuza . And on top of that — are those swords lying on top of him? Real swords? Three of them?

The only saving grace of it all is the fact that the man is sleeping soundly, so it’s unlikely that he could kill Usopp right now. Maybe. Usopp isn’t ruling out the possibility that the man could identify weaker life forces in his sleep and eliminate them accordingly, Drunken Master-style.

Usopp yelps when the door to the studio swings open.

“Yohoho, you’re here early, Usopp!” Brook greets with a wave and, completely unperturbed by the existence of the Scary Green Man, makes his way to his guitar. The others start filing in behind Brook one by one, chatting among themselves.

“All right, I’m going to get started over here,” Sanji announces to the group as he starts plugging things up onto his booth, before pointing at the keyboard. “Oi, Usopp, those keys aren’t going to play themselves.”

Okay, so they are not acknowledging this.

Okay. Usopp’s fine with that. Usopp’s good with that. He knows all the wise words like let sleeping dogs lie — or, in this case, let green-haired men with visible battle scars and three swords lie so nobody (read: Usopp) gets maimed and/or fatally injured. He can work with that, sure.

The session starts, and it does get easier to ignore the man when you’re enjoying the music. Before Usopp realizes, they’ve been playing for a couple of hours, made plans for the next jam sessions, and bid their goodbyes. He’s three blocks away on his bicycle before the whole thing dawns on him.

Who the hell was that man?

 -

 When Usopp opens the door to the studio, the green-haired man is still sleeping on the couch.

Usopp closes the door again.

All right. Back up. It’s been a week since their last jam session, but somehow the man is still there. Usopp is a smart, rational man — he can work this out.

Option one: the man is a homeless man who somehow has found his way to the studio and started living there. Possibly dangerous, but enough grounds to call the cops. This, however, doesn’t explain why no one seems to be aware of the man’s existence, which leads to the other possibility —

Option two: the man is actually a ghost haunting the studio and Usopp, being the amazing and attentive man that he is, is the only person who could see him, and now he has to find a way for the ghost to move on or he will drag Usopp down to hell with him.

Usopp laughs at his own idea, opens the door again, just as Sanji drops onto the sofa, right beside the man’s head, all-too-close and completely oblivious to the proximity.

Option two, it is.

Usopp is mentally chanting some exorcism spells in his head when Sanji suddenly calls out, “you’re just going to stand around there or what?”

“Ah, right, was just, checking some texts on my phone,” he replies, half-rambling, hoping Sanji would buy some of the lies he’s selling. He quickly scrambles towards the keyboard. “Just gonna practice some variations first before we start.”

“Okay, I’ll wait for the others to come in before setting up,” Sanji says, half-distracted by the book he’s currently reading. If he notices that Usopp is more on edge than usual, he doesn’t point it out, and simply returns to his book.

Usopp takes the opportunity to make some observations.

The situation is downright baffling , because Sanji, generally, is not a tactile person. That’s more of Luffy’s thing — throwing his limbs all over his friends and wrapping them in hugs like a monkey would to a tree. Sanji generally keeps his distance, even with friends, and especially male ones.

But right now, Sanji somehow looks completely comfortable beside the green-haired man, despite the closeness. His shoulders are slumped comfortably against the backrest, with only one hand holding the book — his other hand rests on the empty spot near the man’s head, and Usopp thinks he’s started hallucinating, because — are those fingers absentmindedly playing with the man’s hair?

Men-are-lowly-creatures Sanji? Playing with another man’s hair?

Usopp is beginning to question his own sanity.

 -

 Usopp swears he is cursed, because how else could he find himself in a room with the man. Again. With no one else around.

And because the universe hates him, the man suddenly snorts, yawns, and blinks awake.

Usopp has half the mind to run out of the room, and doesn’t do it only because he’s pretty sure the man is like a wild beast that can sense fear. Instead he stays rooted to his spot as the man blearily looks around before finally noticing Usopp’s presence.

Their eyes meet. The man blinks again, before frowning. “Who are you?”  

“That’s my question,” Usopp wants to yell at the top of his lungs, which he does, except it’s more of a whisper, and he’s also jumping behind the DJ table. Just in case. “Wait, you can see me?”

The man continues to frown at him. “Why can’t I?”

“You’re alive,” Usopp can’t help pointing out instead.

“...Yeah?” The man looks like he’s questioning Usopp’s mental health, but he also doesn’t look like he’s going to stab anyone anytime soon, so Usopp considers this a win. The man runs his hand through his hair. “Look, I assume you know the Cook.”

The Cook. There can only be one person in their group that fits the nickname. “Sanji. Yeah,” Usopp quickly says, “I’m Sanji’s friend. Also in the band. The name’s Usopp, by the way.”

“Heard ‘bout you. I’m Zoro,” the man — Zoro — introduces himself. And — doesn’t elaborate.

“Right,” Usopp responds, mostly to fill in the silence, “you, uh, you know Sanji?”

It seems like the natural direction for the conversation to take, but it earns him another look from Zoro. “Seriously? The Cook never…” he pauses, before groaning. “Of course he hasn’t. Bet he’s told you more about Nami than he does about me, huh.”

Usopp knows Nami — she’s a friend from Sanji’s university, and sometimes she’d drop by and help with the band’s finances. Zoro, on the other hand... “Look, I’m sorry, man, but all I know is that you’re this guy who started coming into our practice sessions and slept throughout the whole thing.”

“Because it’s boring as hell, that’s why,” Zoro says, before quickly adding, “no offense.”

“None taken, I know it’s not everyone’s thing. Although —” Usopp gulps, wonders if the question is appropriate, but curiosity got the best of him. “If it’s boring to you, why are you here?”

Zoro surprisingly blushes at that. He rubs the back of his neck in a shocking display of embarrassment. “Well, don’t tell him this, but —” he clears his throat, clearly flustered, before mumbling, “the Shit Cook said he’d be happy if I come and support and shit like that.”

“Come and support,” Usopp echoes, brain refusing to work. “Sanji wants you to... come and support him.”

“Yeah, you know,” Zoro says. “As his boyfriend.”

Usopp chokes on air at that. The ghost theory would’ve made so much more sense. Really .

 -

 “I wish I could’ve seen your face,” Sanji says in between peals of laughter, “you really thought this Mosshead was a ghost ?”

“It seems to be the most plausible explanation at the time, okay,” Usopp retorts, indignant. In his defense, it would be less surprising than this whole... boyfriend thing.

It’s not like Usopp has a problem with his male friend getting a boyfriend — god, no, not that. But this is Sanji . Woman-loving, romance-obsessed Sanji, who wouldn’t shut up about how it is a gentleman’s duty to take good care of ladies, or how women are so much more beautiful than gross, uncultured men.

That very same Sanji is currently sitting with Zoro’s arm around his back, his head resting comfortably on Zoro’s shoulder. Zoro’s hand is in Sanji’s hair, the gesture familiar, and Sanji clearly preens under the attention like a cat.

“Sorry, I forgot you weren’t there during Nami’s birthday,” Sanji says after he’s finally done laughing, “that’s when I first brought Zoro to meet the band.”

“Wait. Nami’s birthday?” The timeline doesn't add up — “Oh my god, Sanji, that was six months ago .”

Sanji shrugs, “yeah, my bad, I just kinda assumed everyone knew after that.”

Usopp is reeling from it all, because it’s just one revelation after another — not only Sanji started dating a man, Zoro isn’t even some random fling; they might even be going steady . Something he hasn’t seen Sanji do since he was fifteen and got his heart broken by a girl Usopp can’t even remember the name of anymore.

It’s turning Usopp’s world upside down, except when it’s — not. He never considered the possibility before, but looking back, it makes perfect sense. Sanji, with all his self-sabotaging insecurities, would find comfort in Zoro, who is clearly a man of actions. Sweet nothings would’ve done nothing to Sanji, but Zoro, who comes in to his boyfriend’s band practices despite his lack of interest, just because it’d make Sanji happy...Usopp can’t help but smile at the thought.

“Oi, what are you grinning for, Long Nose,” Sanji points out. “That’s creepy.”

“Nah, I was just thinking how sweet it is that Zoro would come to our band practices to support you,” Usopp answers without thinking. “He told me he got bored by it, but he still comes in because you want him to.”

Usopp watches the two men in front of him blush simultaneously at his words as Sanji disentangles himself from Zoro’s arm and sits up straighter. “What? The Marimo told you that?”

“I told you not to tell him!” Zoro growls, and looks away when Sanji turns to him with wide eyes. He buries his face in his hand, but even Usopp can see the blush reach the tips of Zoro’s ears. Sanji beams at the sight, and Usopp has never seen him so happy.

It’s sweet, and Usopp is happy for Sanji, but he still doesn’t want them to start making out here, ew, so he clears his throat.

Zoro and Sanji jump away from each other, clearly having forgotten about the only other person in the room. Sanji instantly scrambles to his feet and make his way to the DJ table, blabbering, “anyway, uh, I’m going to set things up, you just be a good boy and wait there as usual.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Zoro says, plopping back into the sofa, but Usopp notices how Zoro doesn’t immediately go to sleep like usual. Instead, his gaze lands on Sanji.

Zoro doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who beams, but right now there’s one of those little smiles on his face, the kind that someone wears when they think no one is looking. It erases the hard lines on his face, and there’s a flash of something — soft , in the way his gaze clings onto Sanji’s back.

Zoro is not so scary after all.

[where-s-all-blue]

Okay so I've entered the Alabasta Arc now (I am actually pretty close to the climax in my rererewatch) so here's some thoughts:

Reverse Mountain:

I personally adored the mishaps the crew has on their way to the GrandLine, and the entire reverse mountain is very intriguing to me to this day. One day, I'll figure out just how on earth that thing works.

Laboon's story, tear jerking, absolutely devastating. Luffy being able to talk sense into a WHALE tells all you need about his ability to befriend beings. He also was the first one to hear Laboon, foreshadow for his later on found ability to Hear All Things or Haki?

Whiskey Peaks:

Ahh the time Vivi tried to be a villain. And Mister 9 is an absolute sweetheart. Honestly they made a pretty good team even if neither of them actually knew how fighting works. Personally I would've loved to see more of them, Mister 9 and Miss Monday seemed like interesting characters.

I keep forgetting about Zoro having supersonic speed in these, I kind of miss him just disappearing only to reappear right in middle of the group to mock their reaction of looking at the place he just was sitting on. The speed of him and his ability to momentarily cut through things he later on can't pretty much just tells you that he does have it in him, but it just isn't conscious thing yet. Also unconscious usage of haki spotted?

Vivi being The Vivi Nefertari is one of the more interesting and intense sequences in the pre-timeskip era, even if it takes less time than for example the Arlong Park does and shows just how devastatingly strong both Luffy and Zoro are. I can't believe that these idiots would retort to a fist fight mid battle.

Mister 5's ability is very unhygienic and I'd like to drown him in sanitizer, Miss Valentine needs to be silenced forever, her laughter creeps me out and she honestly doesn't add any value into the conversation. This is a duo I'd like to murder slowly.

Igram blowing up still gets me, the reactions of the characters, the devastated facial expression of Vivi, the sound design, the shocked looks, it's just so well executed.

Vivi's reaction of mixed feelings regarding Miss All Sunday/Robin, albeit just, is very confusing for me. I remember when I met her the first time and all I could think of was "She's a nice person" just based on her facial expression and the words she used.

I forgot that Luffy broke the eternal log pose Robin gave them. Not because he didn't trust her but because the choice Vivi would've been forced to make after the shock of loosing Igram would've been too much. Also because he didn't want anyone to dictate HOW they get there, he's the captain and as such it's his job to make the final decision, he also appears to have been convinced that this way Vivi would be safe.

Little Garden:

Aah, Little Garden, the island I'd simultaneously love and hate. Love because dinosaurs, hate because loud and probably insects large enough to use me as a quick caffeine filled pick-me-up. I might have a problem.

The fact that I can understand the thought process of these giants concerns me greatly. Is this the power of the Monkey Brain?

Mister 3 would be an amazing character if only we could see his self proclaimed genius in action and hear him go through plans etc. I feel like he's just trying to compensate on his lack of battlefield knowledge and experience. Miss Golden Week is highkey a mood and I love her. I, too, want to paint whatever I want and get paid for it.

Zoro actually started to hack through his own leg because he wanted to fight so badly, what a mad lad. Usopp honestly is flexing with his quick thinking and reflexes here. We love that for him. Go you funky little sniper.

Luffy might've used observation haki instinctively in the Mister 3 crowd.

Sanji managing to outright fool Crocodile to believe that he is Mister 3 indicates that Crocodile has never heard the voices of his underlings before and just assuming that the man who answered is Mister 3. The two also apparently have similar sense of humour. That Crocodile is aware of based on what Robin has told him.

Sanji both taking down the Unluckies without any hesitation nor stopping to think about where they came from really tells volumes about him. He also apparently lied so convincingly that Crocodile was 100% sure that it was Mister 3 fighting Luffy and not a chef beating up his long distance murder pets.

Nami was bitten by a bug, which was the carrier of a rare, nearly dead disease. Based on the amount of time one would usually need to wait for the sickness to develop, I'd say that they were about a week on the ocean before Nami developed the fever.

None of the crew members, Vivi included, thought about doing a full body check on her to see if there were any other symptoms than fever, ie her body actively fighting against the infection/sickness. Also her sickness isn't apparently something that spreads, so it's very unlikely for it to be virus based or spread similar to flu.

Drum Island/Sakura Kingdom:

Nami is capable of sensing the weather, and act upon her feelings, under 40C fever. If I have any level of fever, I am rendered near vegetative state until my fever either goes down or raises past certain level. What I'm saying is that Nami is some sort of Goddess or superhero because of being able to do anything with that fever.

Vivi needing to think about whether or not she can afford waiting extra days for being taken to Alabasta or to change the course to find a doctor is one of the stupidest things ever especially since the person who is sick with such a high fever happens to be the navigator.

Warm welcome by residents is warm. And by warm I mean freezingly cold. I can't believe that Luffy thought about yelling to the person before Vivi bowed her head prompting Luffy to do the same (though heavily "encouraged" by Vivi). Vivi saying that Luffy isn't fit to be the captain reflects very strongly her own views and beliefs, but she keeps forgetting something very simple, yet important. Background. She has no idea about Luffy's past nor how he grew up, she hasn't been long enough with the crew to be able to tell just why people follow Luffy, nor is she aware of how he communicates with people. She doesn't realise that when it comes to Luffy, humility isn't a word to describe him with nor that he would be able to set his own pride aside just yet, Luffy is a 17 year old, a mere child, who has just set out on the sea few months ago, who only knows the harshness of the world, where to survive, you must take things with force or be aggressive. She also isn't familiar with Luffy's way of helping others and going all in no matter the situation.

It's interesting to see how from the time Vivi is with them, Luffy is clearly paying attention to how she does things and how she presents herself, the mannerisms and the likes. It's not as clear idolisation and wish for being equal/better than someone as it was with Katakuri's use of haki, but he is striving to learn. If not because he acknowledges how important manners and humility are, but because it makes things easier on certain places. He especially starts to pay more attention to it once Ace joins them.

By the way the sickness Nami is struck with? It's most likely the same as the one that cost the life of Captain Yorkie of the Rumbar Pirates. After all, the ship doctor couldn't heal it, he didn't know how to, he could only prolong his death for a little while, few days max.

Chopper is a joy to have around and I'd physically fight Doctor Kureha at first sight because WOMAN! YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ATTACKING YOUR PATIENTS JUST BECAUSE THEY GOT OUT OF THE BED! What if they need to use the restroom. I don't care if you're a youthful 139 year old lady, you can't just do that. Also how the hell are you still able to move that well? Most people I see start to slowly loose their mobility at 60 as their joints are starting to wear out causing pain and their muscle mass is lowering due to the inability to move as much as during their prime.

I am surprised that a reindeer even cares about something like a blue nose. The devilfruit thing? Yeah sure, but not the blue nose. These local reindeer are dicks with human level of obsession to look like the "norm". News flash, there is no default anything. Your appearances are purely dictated by a set of genes that decide to either activate or deactivate as they please without any warning and genes can skip multiple generations. That's why I apparently look identical to my great grandmother.

Nami is kind towards other women and animals. Men not so much, my assumption is that she is carrying a trauma from the Arlong time that she hasn't yet processed and as such she is even now a bit guarded against the rest of the crew.

Hiriluk's character is closer to that of a mad scientist or a very enthusiastic chemist who keeps forgetting that people aren't test subjects. His curiosity and and enthusiasm are something to strive for even if his methods are questionable, all he does want is to bring people sense of hope, wonder and awe. Though I can't help but to wonder about his story. The thief (him) having a serious incurable heart condition and seeing cherry blossoms that cured him. A metaphor for his past self being relentless and uncaring while thieving, but the indescribable beauty of the scenery he saw changed his heart to be more generous and kind?

Hiriluk's death is one of the most important ones in the series if you ask me, it defined Chopper and who he became; Doctor hoping to be capable of curing any disease there is.

[thekytchensynk]

Ain’t No Picnic (7/9)

Summary: They were just supposed to head over to the island real quick, just to see what was going on. After all, if pirates were trying to ambush and kill the Straw Hat crew, how could Coby NOT go? And how could Helmeppo let him go alone? It should be simple enough, but nothing can be taken for granted in the New World, and when things go awry, Helmeppo finds himself separated from his captain on an island chain full of pirates who probably won’t be too happy to see a Marine if their paths cross.Oh yeah. And one of those pirates is the infamous “Surgeon of Death,” Trafalgar Law… Warnings: Occasional strong language Read it on AO3

__________

As they approached, Helmeppo heard someone shout out another line of words. This was followed a few seconds later by explosions, off to their left.

“This is a … sniper?” Helmeppo asked. It sounded more like a small artillery unit crossed with a demented gardener.

Law’s answer took so long to arrive that Helmeppo half thought the man wasn’t going to answer. “I guess maybe that’s not exactly right,” he amended. “But it’s the easiest way to put it. Let me go first.”

They stepped around a cluster of three massive leaves, Helmeppo letting Law lead the way. On the other side, they found a dark-skinned young man with a truly massive slingshot in hand. His sodden clothes and damp hair suggested he’d also taken at least one dunking today, and somewhat recently. He must have figured out the same thing Law had, then. He watched growing smoke plumes about half a mile off through a pair of goggles, a look of grim satisfaction on his face.

“Nose-ya,” Law said as he approached. His voice startled the sniper, who hopped in surprise and whirled on the pair. “Where is he?”

The sniper’s face told a whole story -- from relief at seeing it was someone he recognized to surprise at seeing a second person behind Law, to a searching glance away from them, off in the direction of the smoke plumes, as he considered the question. Whatever their relationship, apparently the guy trusted that if Helmeppo were a problem, Law wouldn’t have allowed him over here. Which … fair. So rather than asking the obvious question himself, he just said, “A little under a mile that way. I don’t know what exactly is going on, but I think they could use you.”

“Something wrong?”

“Maybe. Something’s going on near her tank. Everything I try gets intercepted. And Luffy should have already ended this. For some reason they can’t get to her and it’s hamstringing them.” Frustration weighed down his words. His attention kept going to the horizon, though there was too much distance and foliage for him to be seeing a mile off clearly. Haki. Definitely.

“And everyone else?”

The sniper looked like he wanted to protest the query, then thought the better of it. “Beppo was over there last I knew.” he pointed at about two o’clock from where he’d said Luffy was. “Shachi, Penguin, Franky and a couple others went back to protect the ships, in case they got rushed. Brook is with Luffy. Nami and Robin are with Chopper on one of the other islands.” He idly pointed in the direction of the stormclouds. “Zoro and Sanji both keep moving. For different reasons I assume.” He added the last partly under his breath.

Helmeppo couldn’t help it. “And Coby?”

For the first time, the sniper looked directly at Helmeppo, studying his bedraggled state. Then his eyes slid over toward Law, asking a question he didn’t want heard.

“That guy who showed up right before the island swallowed everyone,” Law clarified.

“Ah.” He looked off toward the battle’s center again, then back to Helmeppo. “Can’t be sure, but I think he’s up there too. Not too many people just hopping around in the sky, and I know the other one.”

Some internal spring that had been wound so tight for so long that Helmeppo had stopped even noticing it relaxed at that. So he’s still alive and fighting. He’s OK.

“Thanks,” he said, trying to pass it off as nonchalant. But this close, he could see the guy’s eyes through the lenses of his goggles. And in those eyes, he saw two things. First, the sniper was not buying his tone.

And second, the guy understood. Understood the relief of knowing a friend was safe, and understood the need to pretend that things were otherwise.

So- “Thanks,” Helmeppo said again, and this time it sounded like he meant it.

“I’ll cover you guys if you’re going in,” the sniper said. “Oh, and here.” He tossed something small, one to Law and then, after a brief hesitation, one to Helmeppo. Helmeppo glanced at the item -- a clear capsule with something green inside. Green and squirming. “Snap it if you need to get some distance. And cover your ears, I haven’t had much of a chance to test them yet.” He grinned.

Helmeppo pocketed the item, still a little unnerved that the guy was just accepting his presence -- and honestly still weirded out that Law hadn’t just ditched him once they got back here. Grateful, sure, but also very weirded out.

The pair moved through the ruined undergrowth in the rough direction of the first battlefield. The fighting must have been intense, and the ammunition types the Straw Hat sniper -- God Usopp, wasn’t it? -- used were doing it no favors. Large patches were open all the way down to the dark water,the surface littered with little torn bits of plant material. Massive leaves had been knocked over, letting the sun beat down on their path. Unconscious pirates lay here and there, often with no visible damage. Helmeppo tried not to be too impressed with the pirate, and maybe it was the stress of the day or the heat of the sun, but he was finding it difficult once again.

Despite the story not getting out to the public at large, Helmeppo had heard a fair amount from gossip around headquarters. Of a guy using a slingshot to out-shoot the crew’s guns from the top of one of the towers. If this was him -- the guy who’d shot the World Government flag, the one with apparently superhuman range as he protected Nico Robin -- well, he was glad they were on the same side for now.

Now and then, something would go whizzing past them, close but not too close, and something would explode or erupt ahead of them, and dismayed pirate voices would shout. And thus, Law and Helmeppo made it to the main battlefield without actually having to fight anyone else. Helmeppo wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

The battlefield featured far fewer combatants than it had earlier, but that just made the specific clashes easier to see. There seemed to be two big knots -- one by the mermaid’s tank, which still stood where it had been before and one all the way across the clear area. Like the last time he’d arrived on this battlefield, the guy he was following didn’t even hesitate, and that left Helmeppo trying very hard to keep up while attempting to even begin formulating a plan.

Coby was indeed on the battlefield, engaged with a wiry-looking fighter with bright red hair wearing loose, flowing clothing. They were darting around the space, clashing and parting and clashing again. Helmeppo could see the grim focus on his captain’s face. The other man said something, distance rendering it just movement for Helmeppo, but it led Coby to swing hard at the guy’s face.

It was a clean hit.

It should have been a clean hit.

It was a miss.

Helmeppo’s pace lagged as he tried to make sense of what he’d seen. The guy hadn’t moved. Coby’s punch should have caught him square in the jaw, but somehow slid off target, ruffling the ends of the guy’s red hair but causing no damage. The guy laughed, then countered, but Coby slid under his return strike.

Despite wanting to help, Helmeppo forced his attention away from that. He’d only be a distraction. Coby could take care of that guy, no problem, as long as he could focus.

Law was going to help out at the mermaid’s tank, where a press of people stood guard still, mostly watching the other fights. Though now, one or two had noticed Law’s approach and were pointing him out to the others.

Guess that’s the right place to go, Helmeppo thought, adjusting his angle.

From behind them, he heard another of the sniper’s projectiles whining across the island, growing closer. It shot overhead, on the dead-on course for the area near the Mermaid’s container.

Until it wasn’t.

At the last second, the projectile took a hard turn, veering into the undergrowth and exploding out of sight.

Law stopped at that, whirling to look back the way they’d come from, then toward the thin plume of smoke coming from, presumably, the impact site. Helmeppo stopped as well. What had the sniper said? Everything I try gets intercepted. That push and pull power -- was this related to that? That might also explain the weird difficulty Coby was having with his opponent.

“Hey.” Law’s voice cut through his thoughts. Helmeppo looked at the pirate, who gestured toward thesmoke with a tilt of his head. “The person who did that should be near the impact site. Can you take care of them?”

How was he supposed to know? But the guy did seem to have a quick mind for figuring things out. Would he ask if he thought the answer was no? And it might be the place he could be most useful.

“Sure.”

“Then go.”

He said it as though giving Helmeppo orders were an everyday thing. Maybe it was just a captain thing? Well, whatever. He wanted to watch Coby’s back, but maybe the best way would be to figure out what was going on. Law certainly seemed to have a better grasp on this situation than he did. So he only hesitated for a moment before changing his bearing yet again.

Ahead of him, a couple pirates moved to intercept him, though most eyes were still on other folks on the battlefield. Helmeppo pulled his weapons free, ready to cut his way through.

Then they were gone.

No. He was in a whole different place.

Slowing, he glanced over his shoulder to see those two pirates looking around, as confused as he felt. He’d been moved from there to … here. Near the edge of the clearing.

Well, that was unsettling. But again, he wasn’t going to let the moment escape. He shoved aside a leaf taller than he was and pushed into the dense vegetation yet again.

He wasn’t moving very quietly, but luckily the island was alive with massive noises -- shouts and explosions and the susurration of wind in the leaves. So he didn’t worry too much about it as he headed for the thin plume of smoke that indicated where the sniper’s attack had ultimately hit.

He wasn’t far from the battlefield when he caught sight of movement.

Slowing his pace, Helmeppo crept closer. Up ahead, a small cluster of pirates stood a little ways from a charred leaf stump. Smoke trailed from its sizzling ends in a thin line.

“I’m telling you, it’s not working,” one of them was saying as he got in earshot. “We lost the element of surprise. We need to run. And now that other pirate’s there!”

“No. Not yet,” another said. “We still have both twins. They’ll be calling him in any moment, as soon as someone takes care of that sniper. They still don’t really understand what they’re in for. We have to take this opportunity.”

“It’s not worth it. We’re going to lose!”

A slap echoed around the area, accompanied by a shocked sound from the first speaker. Helmeppo peered through a fan of long, grass-like leaves, trying to ignore that he’d stepped in something super oozy.

“You want to run, run Darvell,” the second person said. Helmeppo could see it was an older man, hair going salt and pepper, with a build and skin color that suggested there was shark fishman somewhere in his blood. Captain Darvell, presumably, stood a few feet away from him, one hand on his cheek, eyes furious. The captain wore a flamboyant coat over plain clothing. All looked dry.

“I just want us to be reasonable,��� Darvell replied, voice tight and careful, enunciating every word. “Sure, Straw Hat killed the slave trade, but ain’t much revenge if you let the guy who ruined your life take it as well.”

“He ain’t taking anything yet,” the second man said.

In addition to the two arguing pirates, Helmeppo saw three others -- A woman in tight clothes and wearing two crossed belts full of little knives watching the pair with narrowed eyes, a scrawny young man with bright red hair who was looking up at the sky and a massive, older man with short hair with his back to everyone, talking to what Helmeppo assumed was a den den mushi in his hand.

Any further squabbling got cut off as the scrawny young man tilted his head and said, “Someone’s trying again. Watch out.”

He said it nonchalantly, as though commenting on the weather, while he walked toward the sizzling stump. The rest of the group shifted subtly away from the spot. The scrawny guy tilted his head the other way, then reached up into the air with both hands, closed his fingers as though grabbing the sky itself, and pulled.

As he did, Helmeppo heard it -- the whistling sound of another of the sniper’s shots, coming closer. The scrawny guy scampered away as something came hurtling out of the sky. On impact it unfolded into a series of vines -- not the same sort as had grabbed Helmeppo earlier, but clearly looking to do something similar. With no one close enough, they just waggled about impotently.

“He’s persistent,” the graying man said as the lady wandered over to peer at the vines from a safe distance.

“They all are,” the scrawny guy replied, looking at the sky once more. The others mirrored the movement. “We can’t let our guard down while we wait for the call.”

So, as if the hair wasn’t proof enough, that guy was the other twin. He didn’t understand the power, but figured that guy was the most important out of this group here. He felt like anyone else with the sort of power to match the Straw Hats would be out there fighting. So maybe they were here as a privilege of position or as a token defense force for that guy until he went to the battle? They definitely looked stronger than the ones from the cave, but he saw no guns and there were fewer of them. The power user looked like a kitten might be able to knock him over. Helmeppo thought he could take them.

Probably.

Assuming they didn’t have anything hidden up their sleeves.

At the very least, five on one wasn’t the worst odds he’d faced today.

He shifted his fingers, changing his grip until the kukri sat comfortably in his hands. The scrawny guy could use a pulling power, so he might lose his weapons fairly early. That meant he needed to move quick, get at least one of them out of the way very fast. If he went for the devil fruit user right away, they’d just gang up, and at this point, he didn’t want to deal with that. But if he took one out, that would mean fewer attackers and the others might hesitate.

He decided on the maybe-fishman first. He looked strongest of the four nearby pirates, and was the closest. Plus, he didn’t see a weapon, which might give Helmeppo a slight reach advantage. After that, he’d need to go for the power user. Either the woman or Darvell could be dangerous, but hopefully if they were, they’d display their strength quickly.

What was it people said? No plan survives contact with the enemy? No point in overthinking it. He focused on the fishman and rushed forward.

His target was caught off guard, eyes still turned toward the sky instead of the surroundings, but he recovered fast, crossing his arms to block Helmeppo’s strike. The blades bit in about half an inch, drawing blood and leaving a pair of long slices down his gray forearms.

“Attacker!” the guy shouted, pivoting and striking out at Helmeppo, who narrowly dodged. He could feel the strength of the punch as it split the air by his face.

Ok. This would need to end quickly.

Planting one foot, he spun and put the speed of that move into the next strike.

“Ren, duck!” Darvell shouted.

The shout disrupted them both. Helmeppo lost focus on where he intended to strike. As he was turning, the man started to duck, more out of knee-jerk reaction to the shouted suggestion than because he planned to. So what was intended to be two strikes near his elbow, to hopefully render it temporarily useless, turned into one knife into the shoulder.

And one in the neck.

Helmeppo froze as the fishman stumbled back away from him, one hand clapping to his wound. Blood spilled -- not to where Helmeppo thought he’d hit an artery, but enough. A lot.

“Shit. Get back to the ship, Ren! We’ll handle him,” the woman barked, casting a murderous look at Darvell, who shrank from her. The fishman backed off a few more steps, then turned and ran, presumably to do as she said.

Okay, four on one… wait, where had the one with the den den mushi gone?

No time to think about it. He’d take the better odds.

The woman had begun moving toward him, maybe angry about what he’d done to her friend. He considered just fighting her next. In all honesty, she looked stronger than Darvell, and her eyes showed more intensity than his. So while the man in the ridiculous coat was still closer, Helmeppo ignored that and eyed her.

Nope. Don’t draw this out. You have something to do.

He whirled toward the scrawny guy, blades ready. The man looked not at Helmeppo, but at the woman -- for orders? No matter. Helmeppo felt sure he could get to that guy before she could stop him. So he charged, trying to bypass her entirely.

The woman seemed ready for it, pulling one of the small knives from her belt and throwing it, not at him, but angled behind him.. To Darvell? But that man had a sword already, and the little knives didn’t even really have a handle -- they were meant for throwing, so-

He realized belatedly what might be happening, but understanding came at the same time as a sharp pain, lancing through him from a point low on the left side of his back. He stopped, startled, and reached back to yank the item free. The knife. Blood warned his fingertips and made a spot on the hilt of his kukri sticky. Looking up he saw the red-haired man’s hands balled into fists in front of him, not as though ready to hit him, but like he was holding something.

Fantastic. The guy had pulled that sniper's attack toward himself earlier, yanking it out of the sky. He’d realized he might lose his kukri to it. He’d had all the information he needed to realize that the guy could do the same thing with a tiny knife, he’d just been an idiot and not thought about it.

The woman already had another pair of the little weapons between her fingers. His understanding of the situation must have made its way to his face, because she grinned at him.

“Still time to run,” she said.

Not a bad idea.

So he did.

“Hey, hey!” the devil fruit user shouted, falling back a step as he saw Helmeppo again pounding in his direction. The guy almost bolted, then something caught his attention. He reached out, grabbing at the air.

Helmeppo threw himself to the left before the guy pulled. A knife soared by Helmeppo, flying straight toward the devil fruit user, who shrieked in an undignified manner and tried to dodge, but coordination didn’t seem to be a strong suit. He turned more than actually moving. The knife sunk into his left bicep. Then Helmeppo was there, channeling his first fight with Butterfingers.

At least this time, it only took one solid strike to the temple to put the guy out. Or maybe he wasn’t pulling his punches this time. With the water right there, he caught the guy by one limp arm and lowered him to the ground.

Jeeze, with the way this fight was going, maybe he could understand why these folks had been left out of the big fight.

If Darvell had kept his mouth shut, the blind-side attack he tried next might have actually hit home. Fortunately for Helmeppo, the guy let out a loud shout as before swinging at his back. There wasn’t enough time to move, but he did swing a weapon up and across his back before the sword struck home. The strike carried incredible weight, forcing his arm to an awkward angle and pushing the blunt side of Helmeppo’s weapon against his back hard enough that he felt sure he’d have a bruise across his shoulders later. Better than being split down the spine, he thought.

“Darvell, we’re getting beat by some sort of castaway,” the woman shouted in frustration. He thought she sounded closer. “Stop screwing around!”

The pressure on his blade let up enough that Helmeppo could shove it away and turn to face the two remaining fighters. “You should leave,” he said, both blades up in a ready stance as he tried to keep both of them in sight. “The Straw Hats and their allies are back together. They’re going to be cleaning up the ringleaders soon.”

The woman held fast, but Darvell had been primed for this. At Helmeppo’s words, he stepped back a few paces, glancing over at his sole remaining teammate. “Anne, I told you guys-”

“He’s trying to scare us off because we still have him outnumbered,” she replied with a patience that suggested this sort of dialogue was common between them. “We can take him if we just treat it like always. You always overreact.”

“Then where did Cap go?” Darvell said. “He was getting the reports from the guys with the mermaid. He booked it. Maybe this guy’s right.”

Anne’s eyes slid from her teammate to Helmeppo’s ready form. “Well if that’s the case, let’s kill him first. Maybe give us more time. Plus I’m mad now.”

As they discussed, Helmeppo took stock of his situation. Coming for the devil fruit user had put him at the edge of the huge hole in the lilypad -- not a great place to be, especially with the memory of those vines still fairly fresh. Plus, he wasn't exactly in great shape anymore. He didn’t have the free hand to check the wound in his back, but it definitely still hurt, and he could feel his clothes sticking to him worse where the blood soaked them. He didn’t fancy getting another dozen or so of those in him. He’d taken out the devil fruit user. Was that enough? If so, maybe a retreat of his own was in order. Maybe he could even draw them after him, so they couldn’t wake the guy back up.

Carefully, he side-stepped around the devil fruit user, edging toward the long, concealing leaves of the nearby forest. “Actually,” he said, “Maybe I’ll just go call one or two of them over here.” Come on, come on...

“Stop!” Anne shouted.

He pivoted and ran for cover, feeling a sense of relief as the plants closed around him.

Then something stepped into his path, too quick for Helmeppo to stop. The collision didn’t move the thing, but sent him rebounding back a step, caught entirely off guard. Before he could properly register what it was, a powerful kick slammed into his midsection, driving his breath from him and forcing him back out into the open. He tried to keep his balance, but the uneven ground tangled his feet and he fell backward to the ground.

“Cap!” Anne said. “Finally. Where did you go?”

“I was making sure this Marine didn’t run for help,” growled a voice.

“Marine?” Darvell sounded scandalized.

On the ground Helmeppo had released one of his weapons to wrap an arm around his chest. Oh boy. Something had definitely broken with that kick. Breathing in too deeply sent pain radiating from the center-right part of his torso. Got to get up,” he thought, pressing the knuckles of his other hand shakily to the ground. Got to get up now

“One of the two who showed up uninvited,” the new voice continued. “Weren’t you idiots paying attention to anything?”

The figure stepped out of the underbrush. In a petulant voice, Darvell said, “We had other things on our mind, Cap. You remember -- everyone getting dumped in the water?”

“So we should definitely kill him,” Anne mused.

Helmeppo looked up, gritting his teeth against the pain -- and stopped. His breath knotted in his throat for a second.

No.

The figure stopped just beyond the edge of the undergrowth, arms crossed. Helmeppo had to force his gaze up to the man’s face, just to confirm what he already knew in just those few words and that posture. The newcomer gazed down with a glower, all irritation and impatience, at the injured Marine. There was nothing like recognition there, and nothing like pity. But Helmeppo couldn’t stop one word from slipping past his lips.

“Dad?”

[itsthemoofacewriting]

You’re the only high that I want

Well… it’s been a while, huh? And I’m not even back with something grand, just a silly little thing that would not leave me alone until I wrote it.

Summary: Sanji’s a flirt at the best of times, but after an operation when he’s drugged up? Nami doesn’t know whether her cheeks will ever return to their normal colour. AU. SaNami. Rating: T

This can also be found on FFN and AO3

Enjoy some hilarity.

Everything had happened very quickly.

One minute, Sanji was doing an inventory check at his restaurant and the next he was stooped over as an unbearable pain shot through his abdomen, sweat beading on his forehead. That’s how he was found by his staff as they panicked, rushing around in a flutter as their normally tough, hardy manager was writhing in pain.

Sanji had bragged one too many times to Zoro about never having been sick before and really, when he’d done it that one time when Zoro was sick, this was probably karma coming around to give him a reality check.

“I miss Sanji’s cooking already,” Luffy whined, hanging off the uncomfortable hospital chair next to Sanji’s bed.

“It’s been a day. If you’re hungry go to the café down the hall,” Nami sighed, rolling her eyes from the other side.

“Food sucks,” he muttered like a child being told they can’t have ice cream from the truck. The hospital food wasn’t awful, but Luffy’s problem was that it wasn’t Sanji’s. Nami rolled her eyes.

Usopp and Zoro walk into the room shortly after. They’d all been at work when they’d gotten the call but only Nami and Luffy had been able to leave immediately, she’d swung by to pick him up on the way. Zoro and Usopp had text to say they’d be over as soon as possible. Well, Usopp did. Zoro just grunted when asked if he was going to come. That was confirmation enough for Nami.

“Is he okay?” Usopp asked, handing Luffy a packet of crisps from the vending machine outside. It seemed to be enough to brighten Luffy’s mood and get him to stop sulking.

“Yeah, the operation went well, they’re waiting for him to wake up. Should everything be okay when they check him over, he can be discharged,” Nami informed them but it didn’t stop her worrying.

He was so still and pale. He’d never bragged to her about never being sick, but she knew the fact well, so it never prepared her for when he would eventually get sick. Why couldn’t he just get a cold like the rest of them and be done with it?

A bag of crisps was thrust in her face, blocking her view of Sanji and she blinked. Luffy was leaning over the bed and smiling at her. “It’ll be okay!” He reassured, then looked contemplative for a moment, sparing a glance at Sanji. “Maybe he’ll feel better if he had some.”

That did it.

“As if! Sit down you idiot,” she barked and Luffy laughed. The tension in the room lifting as Usopp and Luffy started loudly chattering. Even Zoro nodded at her. She knew she was being a bit of a worry wart; it was a straightforward appendectomy after all.

The room went silent when Sanji stirred and his eyes slowly started to open. They all stared at him with bated breath as he blinked at each of them, eyes slowly moving around the room, as if trying to piece together what was going on by himself. His gaze finally settled on Nami and he just stared.

Her hand came to rest on his arm. “Sanji, how do you feel?” Admittedly, it was a stupid question, how else would he feel? But he wasn’t saying anything. He was looking at her oddly, almost stupefied.

“Oh beautiful angel, I’m blessed just by being in your overwhelming presence, let alone your concern for me,” Sanji crooned, taking the hand on his arm to clasp in his own.

“Yeah. He’s fine,” Usopp said blandly, unimpressed.

Nami squeezed his hand, relieved but that just appeared to spur him on.

“I’ve never seen someone so gorgeous in all my years. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve having you look upon me, but I won’t curse my good fortune.”

Luffy starts asking him questions in the background, food related of course, but Sanji’s eyes don’t leave her. It appears he’s not even listening. They run from the top of her head and as far down as they can before the bed blocks her and then back up. Did he just check her out?

“It’s like you’re carved from marble, just utterly flawless.” She doesn’t miss the way his eyes flick down to her lips and then back up to her eyes. “This is probably a stretch, but considering my good luck already, I have to know, are you single?”

“Uuuh-” Her brain short circuits and she can’t get it to form words at the unexpected question.

“Because if you are, I’d be honoured to take you out,” he said lowly and brings the hand in his grip up to his lips to place a delicate kiss to her knuckles and she almost can’t believe the hot flush working over her face at such an innocent gesture.

“Holy shit, is he hitting on you?” Usopp questions in disbelief and behind him Zoro snorts.

“Course he is, idiot can’t keep it in his pants even when he’s been cut open,” Zoro replies.  

And suddenly it makes sense. The stupefied look he sent her, the heated looks he’s giving her… the ridiculous, over the top words coming from his mouth. Well, the last thing wasn’t too out of character for him, but over the years he’d toned it down. He hasn’t been like that since they met.

But- he’s loopy from the anaesthesia… and is trying to woo her.

Zoro snorts behind her and she directs a glare at him. When she looks back at Sanji, he’s no longer giving her an adoring look but instead looks suspicious. Apparently, she’d been silent for too long and he’d taken it as a negative to his question.

“Who is it?” And Sanji’s glaring at the three men in the room, sizing them up. He disregards Luffy quickly, who looks utterly bored and then eliminates Usopp a second after, who looks confused. Although, Usopp soon looked offended after when he realised he’d been overlooked so quickly.

His eyes settled on Zoro.

“It’s him, isn’t it?” He sneered at Zoro as he said it, and even though he’s the one in the bed, Sanji still somehow managed to look down his nose at the other man. “You could do so much better than him, just look at that nasty face.”

“Oi, I can still kick your arse, operation or not!” Zoro replied angrily, Nami’s laughter no doubt infuriating him further.

“It’s not him,” Nami said, humour thick in her voice.

“Whoever it is, I’m sure they couldn’t look after you as well as I could. You’re a goddess, you deserve to be treated like one,” Sanji babbled, grasping her hand desperately. “Run away with me.”

“Hmm, well…” She pretends to consider his offer and smirks when the grip on her hand tightens slightly and he’s looking up at her with so much hope.

“Would you just tell him already?” Zoro growled, his temper thinning, still not over the previous insult and the idiots prattling was starting to grind on him.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Usopp asked, trying to peer around at her face.

When she looked over her shoulder at them, the look she gave them was downright evil. Sanji was a flatterer normally, it wasn’t anything new but to hear him so fervent when he had no clue who she was… well, it was an ego boost to say the least.

But her fun had to come to an end at some point, especially as he was still going on in the background.

“-Grow old with me?”

She paused for a second, considering how she wanted to respond, before shrugging, “Okay.”

“R-really?” Sanji asked, stunned at her simple answer, almost like he wasn’t expecting it. Or at least expecting more of a fight.

“I already promised to do that anyway,” she explained simply and lifted her previously hidden hand from her lap so the ring on her finger could twinkle cheekily at him.

“Me?” Sanji pointed to himself and looked blown away, gobsmacked as he stared at her. All she did was smile back at him and nod.

There was a pause as he took this all in.

“You’re my fiancé?” His voice raised an octave.

“Oh for god- yes, yes! She’s your fiancé!” Usopp snapped, bored and irritated with the show in front of them all.

“But you’re so beautiful?” He said like a question, still in awe.

Nami laughed. “Seems you’re quite lucky, indeed.” And winked at him.

Sanji almost looked like he was going to pass out as she did when the door suddenly opened, and a nurse walked in. Nami looked at Sanji apprehensively, if he was still loopy and couldn’t remember that she was his fiancé, was he going to go back to his old flirting ways? She would hit him, surgery be damned.

“Well, it’s nice a lively in here, that’s always a nice sign,” the nurse said cheerfully.

Sanji eyed the nurse for a second but it seemed Nami’s worries were all for nothing when he looked back at her. “Can you believe this is my fiancé? I still can’t, she’s out of this world. I’m the luckiest man alive.” He beamed and squeezed both of her hands in his.

The nurse laughed in response and Nami could feel her cheeks growing hot. “Ah, the anaesthesia has all sorts of different effects on people, looks like you got the fun one.” She winked at Nami. “I’ll go get the doctor.”

When the young doctor had entered, he’d ushered out Luffy, Zoro and Usopp. Nami told them to go home now that he was awake, and she’d call them later. They’d probably all be invading their home tomorrow anyway.

It didn’t take much more convincing when Usopp said he saw a McDonalds close by. With a whoop, Luffy was out the door and running down the hallways with Usopp and Zoro hot on his heels.

With them now gone, Sanji had been given a quick once over, asked how he felt (“I’m on top of the world with this goddess next to me.” Jesus) and that was it. She was told that he had to take it easy for two weeks and no heavy lifting. That wouldn’t be easy, he struggled to sit still for long periods.

They were left after that, so he could get changed out of his gown and they could leave.

“Can I kiss you?” And he was looking down at her, so earnestly, as his arms slipped into his shirt and she worked on buttoning it up.

This was the second time he’d asked, the first had been with Luffy, Usopp and Zoro in the room. The latter had looked disgusted and she’d quickly denied him out of embarrassment.

But with that look she couldn’t again. “Okay, just a quick one.”

He didn’t hesitate and swooped down to connect their lips. Apparently, he hadn’t heard anything past her ‘okay’, as his lips pressed against hers firmly and his hands grasped her hips to press her up against him. She tried to pull away to reprimand him, but he followed after her to reconnect their lips and when his tongue brushed her bottom lip, she found herself throwing caution to the wind.

When her arms wrapped around his shoulders and she slanted their lips together, he hummed in delight at her enthusiasm. She found herself forgetting where they were when his tongue reached out to caress hers and she wrinkled her nose at the morning (or afternoon?) breath but she found herself not caring. Sanji was before her, well and safe and apparently really getting into this as a moan slipped from his mouth and his hands were groping at her behind.

Okay, that’s more than enough.

She leaned back, turning her head to avoid his lips but he brushed them under her ear instead, nuzzling there afterwards.

“Wow,” he whispered, sending goose bumps down her neck.  

“And that’s all you’re getting, so you better have got your fill.” Her tone still a bit too breathy to be believable but she did push against his shoulders slightly to create a bit of distance.  

“I don’t think I ever will.”

Nami snorted but nonetheless was delighted. “Come on, let’s get you discharged.”

Getting over to the nurse’s station took far longer than it should have, but Sanji kept stopping to inform anyone who passed them that she was his fiancé and wasn’t he the luckiest man alive? She drowned out his babbling and lead him by their connected hands, she was a woman on a mission. She was ready to leave this place.

She signed whatever was put in front of her, asking any questions and listened as the nurse explained everything, occasionally throwing an amused look towards Sanji who would not shut up.

He cut off his own rambling when a thought occurred to him. “Can I kiss you again?!” He asked excitedly, already moving closer.

“Not right now,” She said, cheeks flushed when the nurses nearby started to giggle and smile over at them. This was all incredibly flattering but it was starting to get embarrassing, he had no filter right now. She smacked his hand away when it started to wander lower. She needed to get him home.

“Okay, you’re all set! Any issues, please call your doctor and they’ll advise you,” the nurse informed her.

“Thank you,” Nami said to the nurse and then turned to Sanji, “Let’s go home.”

“You’re taking me home with you?” He asked eagerly, a glint in his eye.  

“Oh my god,” she said, exasperated and started guiding him towards the sliding doors so they could leave.

He let go of her hand to slide it around her waist and murmured into her ear, “You can do whatever you want with me.” His breath is hot against her ear and if he hadn’t just had surgery, she would elbow him so hard right now.

“But I really do want forever with you,” he follows up with and that takes the murderous edge off her face.

“Forever to do whatever you want with me.”

She doesn’t feel bad about elbowing him after that. She just wishes it was on the side they’d made the cut. That’d teach him.

For all his big talk at the hospital and perverted uttering on the car ride home, he passed out on the sofa the moment he sat down.

Perverted he may be, but that was her pervert she thinks as she plays with the ring on her finger.

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

Did some light googling on appendectomy and anaesthesia, but I’m no doctor. So please don’t come at me about details.

As always, please forgive any errors.

Thanks for reading.  

[kbstories]

Bricolage

bri·co·lage (n.) The process of making do with what one has.

A talk about a captain's heart and acceptable consequences.

(Or: On Luffy’s Gears and the damage they cause.)

Tags: Aftermath of Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Recovery, Medical Inaccuracies, Nakamaship

Set between Whole Cake and Wano. No additional warnings apply.

***

Beyond the maelstrom and the currents raging in-between Jinbei disappears from view, and Luffy’s legs finally give.

It’s Sanji who catches him, at his side in an instant and taking his weight with a low grunt of effort, arm gentle around Luffy’s bandaged waist. Sanji’s gaze searches, falls on him; he calls, “Chopper!”

And Chopper forces his body to move, Rumble Ball and injuries and exhaustion be damned.

They’re still in Big Mom’s territory, the thrum of battle still pounding away in their chests; Carrot settles into the Crow’s Nest while Brook remains steadfast at the helm and Nami steps between Luffy and the world to command their retreat. With big, careful hands, Chopper carries their captain to the part of Sunny’s grass deck least affected by the scars left behind and gets to work under the open sky.

Just in case Luffy wakes. Just in case they don’t get a word in before he fades again. You made it. We’re safe. You’re free–

This is the thing Chopper does best.

*

Luffy’s out for two days and Chopper is with him.

He’s there when the wound won’t stop bleeding in a flurry of cotton candy snow; when night falls around them and fever hits; when Luffy mumbles – not yet, not yet – caught between unconsciousness and delirium and all there is left to do is hold his hand and hope.

Yet Luffy’s body is as much a miracle as the soul it contains: Luffy pulls through as he always does, and Sanji looks near-faint with relief when he’s finally, finally allowed to Luffy’s bedside.

Chopper drifts, then, one ear turned towards the quiet admonishments and even quieter apologies spoken in the safety of the infirmary. After that it’s the barely-there sound of Nami’s fingers running through unruly hair, hitching against invisible knots that she untangles with patience. Brook brings along a chipper tune hummed under his breath and the lingering scent of his favorite tea.

Underneath it all, a strong heart falters and recovers and continues to beat. That, only that, finally guides Chopper into sleep.

The New World decides to have mercy with them, for now. The cerulean horizon is only interrupted by the occasional cloud – made of nothing but water and air – and for once Chopper is glad there is no candy in sight. Ever faithful, the Thousand Sunny doesn’t mind their inexperienced hands as they try to fix the damage done to her, from the holes in her hull to the tear in the main sail that Chopper sews together like he would any other wound. Sanji descends on the sorry state of his galley like he’s possessed by the devil himself and emerges hours later, lunchboxes in hand and looking as close to calm as Chopper has seen him in weeks.

Luffy is there for parts of it, awake if droopy-eyed and pale under all that gauze. He’s immediately banned to the sidelines and doesn’t put up more than a token protest, chuckling at the unanimous veto from his crew.

“Yeesh! Okay, okay. You guys got this!”

It’s quickly forgotten as Sanji gives him his lunch to drool over before settling right next to him with his own. Without another word the rest of the crew joins them on Sunny’s lawn to eat and it’s healing, Chopper finds, to sit among friends and listen to them talk and laugh over a shared meal.

One made by Sanji, that is, and even if Luffy’s too worn out to steal anything out of their boxes he still tries. It just so happens that he gets a bite of every portion regardless.

And it’s Luffy’s pleased smile and the fond eye-roll it provokes from Sanji that melts the constant stress and worry of the past few days off Chopper’s bones entirely. Soon, they will reach Wano Country and they will be united once more – Chopper sighs happily, thinking of the stories Robin will read to him and the nice, long nap he will share with Zoro.

And if Sunny goes a little slower than usual, well, Franky will know what to do and Usopp will help mend their ship as he always has. In the grand scheme of things, this will soon be just another step on the path of her becoming a ship of legend, and of them becoming the crew of the Pirate King.

Carrot beams at Chopper from where she sits with her lunchbox propped on her knees and her cheeks full. Chances are, somewhere out there, Jinbei is wounded but alive and celebrating the past to embrace a future to come all the more freely.

Munching on another forkful, Chopper decides to have faith. Luffy gave Jinbei an order, after all.

*

“Oi, Chopper?”

Hooves pause on the clasps of the doctor’s bag; Chopper glances up and into brown eyes, surprisingly serious. “Luffy?”

Sitting cross-legged and relaxed against Sunny’s mast, Luffy says: “I gotta tell you something.”

Chopper blinks, follows the wordless pat on wood to Luffy’s side. The man smiles and reaches over, rubbing a knuckle across Chopper’s fluffy cheek and it helps, the gesture inherently comforting and so familiar.

“Um. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah.” No hesitation, no doubts, and Luffy’s gaze is fond now, solid like little else is on an ocean as capricious as this. Yet it’s rare, for him to linger after one of his check-ups when there’s a dozen more fun things to be done.

“Remember what we said, when we met again? About this.”

Luffy places a hand on his chest then, fingers splayed from the middle of his scar like he’s holding it – himself – together. Concern races across Chopper’s mind and he nods, mouth drawn with determination.

(Tell me, Luffy, please. If–

–anything changes or hurts, I’ll let you know. That’s a promise, okay? Don’t worry about it now.)

Luffy nods, too. “It hurts. Not the scar, I don’t think but– Below? Right here.”

Gently, Chopper’s hoof is taken and held just off-center. Calm and steady, Luffy’s heart beats against his palm. Chopper starts counting out of habit.

“Not always. Right now, it’s fine ‘cause it comes and goes. Like–”

Thump. Chopper is close enough to see the subtle wince of Luffy’s mouth before it eases again and he murmurs, “Yeah. Like that.”

Closing his eyes, Chopper puts both hooves on Luffy’s chest and he waits, feels the warmth of his skin and listens to the soft breathing that hitches with every beat Luffy’s heart skips– No, every beat it adds, fluttering in-between.

And still, Luffy’s pulse marches on, strong as ever.

Chopper squints for a moment against the day’s brightness and the swirl of theories and half-formed treatment plans in his brain. “Since when?”, he asks, keeping his voice light because there is worry in Luffy’s expression. It’s just well-hidden.

Luffy thinks then, head tilted and a thumb on his chin. “Dunno exactly but, um. Definitely when I was fighting Katakuri. My chest kept hurting and I thought it was… y’know. Everything else going on.”

Everything else being Luffy getting beaten blue and bloody by a man three times his size for hours on end, and out of all the things Chopper has been able to get through his thick skull, the details of his fights have always remained out of reach. Yet Luffy looks a little nervous, shifting with another beat that goes awry under Chopper’s touch.

“Luffy… Has this happened before?”

It’s not like Luffy’s made a habit of lying – not when his tells are so obvious even Chopper knows, sometimes – just that there are things he simply doesn’t talk about, not unless directly asked. Luffy glances at Chopper and there’s something there, not exactly guilt but close enough to make him worry, too.

“I think? A long time ago. When I went after Ace, everything hurt too. Don’t know if like this, though. It’s kinda hard to tell.”

And Chopper doesn’t know what to say to that because it’s Ace, and because he wasn’t there. All the information Chopper has about the war and its aftermath exists as a bundle of handwritten notes in his locker, neatly tied and given to him without further comment by the man who was.

But… There was nothing about Luffy’s heart in there, and Traffy wouldn’t have left anything out just to spare Chopper’s feelings. There is no room for that where life and death hang in such delicate balance.

“Chopper?”

Luffy’s voice is quiet now, like Chopper’s the one whose heart is struggling. Chopper looks at him, at the uncertainty on Luffy’s face that’s so rare it’s practically unheard of, and he knows his captain needs a doctor more than he needs a friend right now.

“It’s your heart, Luffy. It’s doing okay overall but it keeps beating out of rhythm– Feel that? It’s probably been that way for a while and only got painful because you pushed yourself beyond your limits.”

Again, Chopper wants to add but it's not needed, not when Luffy is listening with an intensity Chopper isn’t used to and it makes sense, what he did. It’s unlikely they’d be sitting here to talk about this at all if Luffy hadn’t kept Katakuri away from his crew for as long as he did – Chopper can’t argue with results like that.

But–

“This… This is a warning sign, Luffy. We have to take it seriously or your heart will give sooner rather than later.”

Luffy’s brows draw together – then he nods. Chopper exhales, finally easing off Luffy’s chest to sit on his knee instead.

“It’s my Gears, isn’t it?”

It’s worded as a question even though the answer is obvious to both of them. Luffy smiles at the tired look Chopper gives him. “I know. You warned me a million times about how tough they are on my body. I’m still figuring out a way around that… Can I still use them?”

Chopper sighs. There’s no point in sugarcoating this, either.

“You really, really shouldn’t. Just… hold back on them for now? I’ll come up with some medicine to help your heart heal. It’s important for it to recover while it still can.”

Out of all the things to be put off by in that statement, Luffy grimaces at the word ‘medicine’. “… ‘kay. But I can still fight. Right? I’ll be careful. No Gears.”

Chopper hears the implied if I can help it loud and clear. He lets him have it, patting his hand comfortingly. “Yeah. Ah, and another thing… Captain?”

“Hm?”

“Can I talk to Traffy about this? I want to ask him some questions about, um. About the war.”

There’s surprise on Luffy’s face, quick to melt away. “Oh. Sure thing. Although–”

It’s Chopper’s turn to tilt his head at him. For a moment, Luffy chews on what he wants to say.

“Maybe don’t tell the others? Traffy’s okay, he’ll fuss no matter what. But… Let’s keep all this heart stuff between us for now, yeah?”

Chopper is not one for secrets but this is Luffy’s decision to make and he trusts Luffy. And while it’s technically not an order it’s still important. Especially with the faraway look Luffy gives the galley, and the way he tends to sit a little straighter and smile a little brighter every time Sanji is close-by.

“Of course”, Chopper promises him with a smile, because some wounds need longer to mend than others and some scars ache even years later. 

Only a few days more and the crew will be complete; together, Chopper knows, they’ve always been strongest. Perhaps then, Luffy will be able to set aside some of the weight on his shoulders.

Soon, they will have time again. And if there’s anything that can’t heal, well – that’s what Chopper is for. It’s the thing he’s best at.

[recentanimenews]

FEATURE SERIES: My Favorite One Piece Arc with Daniel Barnes

  I love One Piece and I love talking to people who love One Piece. And with the series going on 23 years now, there is a whole lot to talk about. As the series is about to publish its 1000th chapter, a true feat in and of itself, we thought we should reflect upon the high-seas adventure and sit down with some notable names in the One Piece fan community and chat about the arcs they found to be especially important, or just ones they really, really liked.

  Welcome to the next article in the series "My Favorite One Piece Arc!"

  My next guest in this series is Daniel Barnes, writer for the Aggretsuko comic, and his original graphic novel The Black Mage. For my chat with him, he chose the Marineford arc, in which Luffy drops into a World Government headquarters in a desperate race against time to save his "brother" Ace from execution.

  A note on spoilers: If you haven't seen the Marineford arc yet, this interview does contain major plot points. Watch the Marineford arc starting RIGHT HERE if you'd like to catch up or rewatch!

    Dan Dockery: Let’s say that for some reason, I get to the end of Impel Down, just before Luffy & Co. drop into Marineford, and I’m like “I’m done. This is it. I can’t handle any more One Piece.” In one sentence, what do you tell me to keep me going?

  Daniel Barnes: Why are you stopping before you reach the payoff of everything you’ve read so far?

  I like that! How long have you been into One Piece?

  When I first started consuming One Piece in earnest, ironically enough, I was in the Navy at the time. It was 2014, and up until that point, my only exposure had been the 4Kids dub on FoxBox.

    Nice. I love a good FoxBox reference. Was it recommended to you? Because I know that, when a lot of people start One Piece, it’s like “FINE. I’ll watch One Piece. You’ve convinced me.”

  I don’t consume anime as voraciously as I did back then. Back then, I was an anime vacuum, but I was also in this weird spot where I was semi-depressed. But someone told me, “You gotta try One Piece, it’s the best.” And my first reaction was “Umm, the art style’s kinda weird, though.” But they told me “You’ll get over it,” and the thing that made me finally take that leap was Gurren Lagann, which also had an unusual art style and then became one of my favorite things ever. So I figured I should at least give it a shot. 

  That’s something I’ve heard a few times. Because in other big series like Naruto and Bleach, the character designs are much more proportionate and straightforward. And I felt the same way...until I watched it, and realized the art style is PERFECT for what it is. So, Marineford is pretty much the halfway point of the series, with characters returning from all over the place. Were there any that you were excited to see come back?

  There’s a few of them. I always love it when Mihawk shows up, but I think the big one is Whitebeard. Because up until this point, he’s just sitting around and you know he’s a big deal but you’re always wondering why he’s a big deal. And then you find out in Marineford. I enjoy seeing characters that are kind of defined as the “power ceiling” in an anime universe get to do stuff, and it was cool to see him make the entire world quake.

    I think I called it in an article a “Be Quiet, The Parents Are Talking” character. You’ll go through Luffy getting new power-ups and increasingly strong villains and these seemingly insurmountable admirals with their elemental powers and then Whitebeard comes in, and he’s leaps and bounds above everyone. And like you said, for the most part, he’s just sitting down beforehand.

  Yeah, he’s sitting down drinking a giant gourd of sake. His name is Whitebeard, but he doesn’t have a beard. Got a real Hulk Hogan vibe to him. Who is this guy? But then you finally see him after all this time, and that’s the magic of One Piece. You see all of these things over the years and you wonder what part they’ll play and then it finally hits you and their role and strength becomes clear. 

  Marineford, obviously, is all built around Ace. And what you get out of the arc probably depends on how much you enjoy Ace’s character. How did you feel about him? Did it make you emotional at all? I know he has the one scene with Garp where they talk about finding your purpose in life, and that really got to me, even though I’m not the biggest fan of Ace.

  Okay, I think Ace looks cool and I think he has good powers, but I didn’t really care that much when he died. I didn’t really know him enough. 

    Were there any characters that you did get attached to or like a lot in Marineford? I know you said you liked Whitebeard and Mihawk, but who was your Marineford MVP? Who shines brightest among all those crazy diamonds?

  Okay, so the cop-out answer is probably Luffy. He’s one of the weakest characters there and he manages to survive and he plays such a big role by rallying everyone despite being constantly outmatched. So, objectively, Luffy. But maybe I give it to Coby, because Coby stands his ground against Akainu. He gives you hope that maybe the Marines can change their ways one day and when he refuses to move in front of an Admiral, I thought that was a real stand-out, awesome moment. 

  So Ace dies, Whitebeard just wrecks Akainu and throws him into a pit, and then, out of nowhere, Blackbeard shows up. Whitebeard beats up Blackbeard and Blackbeard’s forces kill Whitebeard. What do you think about Blackbeard as a villain? Because he’s so unlikeable. He’s underhanded, he whines whenever he gets hurt, he’s super pompous. He has cool powers, but there’s nothing cool about who he is. 

  He’s super interesting, to me. He has a mystery around him with his two Devil Fruit powers, and he doesn’t really fit into any shonen villain stereotype. He’s an inverse of Luffy, but not in all of the super obvious ways. When you first see him in Jaya, you see him start with basically nothing, and you watch him work through the system and the powers that be, just like Luffy. They’re both trying to achieve the same thing and reach the same goal. But Blackbeard’s methods are different. 

    Yeah, Luffy will punch you in the face, while Blackbeard will stab you in the back.

  And getting to see that evolution is great, because they easily could’ve just said, boom, here’s the next big bad guy and given him to you without context. But it’s like I said about One Piece earlier, where it shows you stuff over time and gets you to look forward to what will happen with it later. That’s Blackbeard’s whole appeal. 

  You talked earlier about Coby standing up to Akainu, ready to die for his beliefs. And then Shanks comes and stops the war. How did you feel about that? Because we’re all still waiting to see what his deal is (which as you said is a big part of the continuing appeal of One Piece,) but were you hyped to see him show up?

  I thought it was cool, because One Piece has done a good job of establishing him as an awesome guy. He’s a lot like Zero from Mega Man X, where he shows up at the beginning, they imply how powerful he is, they make the main character want to be as strong as him, and then they take him away and only show him sparingly. So whenever Shanks drops by, he's been handled so well that you’re just on the edge of your seat wondering what he’s gonna do.

    So, after the war is over, Jimbei has to remind Luffy that he still has things worth fighting for. And then, the timeskip. Were you aware that a timeskip was coming?

  Oh yeah. It’s kind of hard to exist on social media and not get a bunch of these little hints about what’s gonna happen. But that was my goal with One Piece for a little while: I’m gonna get to the timeskip. I have to get there. It’s coming, I know it’s coming, I don’t know when it’s coming, but I just have to reach it. 

  There are so many big moments in this arc, but looking back at it, are there any moments that stand out as prime One Piece to you? 

  The obvious one, for me, is when Luffy goes Third Gear and punches the giant out of the way. That’s so cool and such quintessential One Piece. A giant on an arena made of ice and a rubbery kid inflates his fist to make it huge and knocks him around. It’s so weird and it works. 

  ONE PIECE LIGHTNING ROUND!

  Favorite One Piece character?

  Usopp.

  Favorite One Piece villain?

  Crocodile.

  Favorite One Piece arc?

  Sabaody Archipelago.

  Which Devil Fruit would you eat if you had the choice? 

  Bellamy’s Spring Spring fruit. 

  If you had to live on any island in the One Piece universe, which would you choose?

  Does the Gran Tesoro from the Film: Gold movie count? That one’s pretty dope.

  Favorite One Piece fight?

  Luffy vs Blueno, when he first reveals the Second Gear.

  One Piece moment that made you cry the hardest?

  When the Franky Gang beats up Usopp and Nami finds him and Usopp is like “I’m useless. I can’t do anything.” Whenever Usopp gets beaten up, his nose gets all crooked and he loses teeth. There’s so many cartoon-ey visual indicators for Usopp in pain. It got me.

  One Piece moment that made you cheer the loudest?

  When Luffy punches the Celestial Dragon in the face. It’s so cathartic. 

      Stay tuned for the next installment of "My Favorite One Piece Arc" as we speak with One Piece Podcast Co-Host and storyboard artist Steve Yurko about his favorite One Piece arc: Baratie!!

      Daniel Dockery is a Senior Staff Writer for Crunchyroll. Follow him on Twitter!

  Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features.

By: Daniel Dockery

[theverybestpencilsoftuscaloosa]

May I Have You For Dinner?

My second story for OP Bingo 2020, hosted by @op-pirate-fleet. Is it low-quality Hannibal pastiche? No, it’s high-grade Hannibal pastiche. I wrote it in two hours after seeing the first two episodes of Hannibal before I knew Hannibal actually had a castle. Is it funny? At this point, I don’t know. I did work all nine Straw Hats in there, though, which is actually much harder to do than you’d think, especially in a comedic cannibal fic. God, WHY DID I DECIDE TO WRITE CANNIBAL FANFICTION? In three years when I get into fandom drama this is gonna be the one that gets my ass. AO3 link here.

“Excuse me,” said Usopp. “Do you think I could have a sandwich?”

“Pardon me?”

Usopp swallowed. “No, I mean, I’m sure you’re a great cook, but, well, um -- I just have this disease I actually got from a swarm of vicious mosquitoes, and if I have any dish with a red sauce I’ll--”

“You cannot have a sandwich,” snapped the host, Count De Lisces. Usopp quailed, and nodded quickly.

“Right! Right! Of course! I’ll just, uh, enjoy this meal! Yum yum! Yummy!” And he began picking at the vegetables without intent.

Sanji’s frown deepened, and he glared at the count. That was no way to treat a dinner guest. He could sympathize with not wanting to waste food, of course, but he could make an exception if the diner was clearly not going to eat it anyway. And from the way he was tucking in, their host would have no trouble polishing off another serving of -- Sanji looked down -- ...pork. With red sauce.

Sanji shot Usopp a look and mouthed I’ll fix something up when we get back to the ship. Then he cleared his throat, catching their host’s attention. “Count,” he said evenly, “this is a very interesting preparation. What did you say your secret was again?”

The count grinned. “The thing, you see, is to marinate the meat well. After seventy-two hours, you create a flavor so deep, so sublime --”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

Count De Lisces blinked. For a second his mouth worked silently before he managed to spit out an “Excuse me?”

“You don’t marinate anything for three days. It’d start falling apart.” Sanji poked the uncarved slice of meat on his plate. “Honestly, do you even know how to cook?

The count’s eyes flicked from his plate to Sanji’s face. “Look,” he began, and stopped. “It’s an old family…” he trailed off. He closed his eyes for a second, collecting himself, and began again. “Why don’t we just -- what on earth are you doing?!”

Nami and Zoro turned, halfway to the ornate liquor cabinet. Zoro held up the empty bottle. “Refill.”

The count reddened. “That-- that was a seventy-nine year old vintage! That wine was an heirloom! And you finished it?”

“Yeah,” Zoro said at the same time as Nami clasped her hands together.

“Your Excellency,” she said in a syrupy-sweet voice, “we were only trying to be good guests. If we don’t sample your wines, how can we compliment you on the range and profile of your good tastes?”

“This is a place of decency,” said the count in a low, dangerous, tolling tone. “For years and years my castle, my island, has been a place of culture. A place of class! Sit down and eat your food and stop ruining the ambience!”

Franky cracked open a bottle of cola on his nose.

“Hey,” he said between gulps of carbonated sugar water, “where’s Robin?” Beside him, Chopper was examining his own untouched meal with forensic care.

“Sanji,” Chopper said, urgency in his voice. “Do you recognize this cut of pork?”

“No,” Sanji growled, “I don’t.” His hand closed around the knife reflexively, and he had to force it to open. He settled for pulling a cigarette from his pocket and lighting up. Unforgivably bad manners in most fine dining situations? Sure. In these conditions, though, he didn’t particularly care. And he was enjoying the look on Count De Lisces’ face.

“Luffy,” he said after a long pull. “What do you think?” Luffy looked up from his plate. It, too, was untouched. That about did it, Sanji thought. There was no reason Luffy wouldn’t clean his plate unless something was seriously wrong.

“It smells weird,” he said. “And this guy’s weird.”

“Hey!” squawked the count. Luffy turned to him, brow furrowed.

“What did you say your name was again?”

A smile spread across their host’s face like a bloodstain on a fine white tablecloth. He stood slowly, drawing himself up to his full height, savoring the moment like the finest of wines -- one his irritating guests couldn’t sample. “Count De Lisces,” he said slowly. “Count Yannibal De Lisces.” He bit each syllable off, and let them fall into the spreading silence.

“Oh!” Said Brook. “How funny! Your name rhymes with cannibal! Yohohoho-- that’s not really a skull joke, is it?”

“So this guy--” Sanji began.

“Cannibal,” said Usopp, shivering so hard the word came out with three Cs and five Bs.

“This is people?” Said Luffy, pointing at his plate. Chopper nodded. Sanji stood so fast his chair went flying, raising one leg to lash out, but Yannibal’s hand was raised.

“Ah-ah-ah,” he said slowly. “Not so fast, Mister Know-It-All-About-Marinades. You’re forgetting someone, aren’t you?”

Sanji’s breath caught in his chest, and he froze. “Robin.”

“Indeed!” Yannibal cackled. “That lovely dark-haired angel… where is she now, I wonder?”

Franky sat upright, knocking his plate to the ground. His left hand was already unhinged, revealing the wide dark mouth of the gun barrel beneath. He leveled it at Yannibal’s chest. “Where is she?”

“I have no way of knowing,” the count said. “She went wandering off, did she not? My castle is large and dark and full of… secrets. If she has delved too deeply, searched too ardently, she may not like what she has found. And I cannot guarantee no harm has come to her…” Sanji’s weight shifted, and Yannibal turned, clicking his tongue. “Mister Cook! No no no… indeed, her safety is not guaranteed. Indeed, a woman as… refined as her…” Yannibal’s eyes glazed over.

“What class. What taste. She is a cut above the rest of you, certainly. Perhaps I will be having her for dinner soon…” He focused on Sanji again. “Regardless, sir. I cannot guarantee her safety… but if you raise a hand to me, I can guarantee you will never see her again--”

“Excuse me,” said Robin from the doorway. “I’m back.” Sanji turned, hearts in his eyes.

“Dearest, lovely Robin! You’re safe! Oh, darling, thank goodness, I was so worried! You aren’t hurt, are you? Where have you been?”

“Ah,” Robin said. “I was gone some time, wasn’t I? I apologize. I was on my way back from the restroom when a small, strange man with facial deformities tried to knock me unconscious.”

“A-hem.”

Robin looked down. Standing by her hip, a small, strange man with facial deformities was scowling up at her, arms crossed. She smiled.

“My apologies. I meant to say a small, strange man with an interesting and unique face tried to knock me unconscious.” The small, strange man with the interesting and unique face smiled. It was a very interesting and unique smile.

“Is he… cool?” Franky said after a long moment of awkward silence.

“Oh, certainly,” said Robin.

“Cool,” said Franky. “We were figuring out if this guy’s a cannibal or not.”

“Oh, he’s definitely a cannibal,” said Robin. “He told me all about it.” She gestured to the small, strange man, who nodded vigorously. She smiled, and looked up at the Count De Lisces. “Your castle has a fascinating history, count. I was hoping to learn a little more about it from you. Such a shame it turned out to be written in blood.”

Sanji was a little more economical with his words: “I’m gonna beat the shit out of you, you no-good excuse for a cook!”

The count laughed, and stepped back. In the glow of the fire, his silhouette seemed to stretch, to warp, to grow. “Oh, you poor souls…” There was an edge to his voice, a hard, rough undertone that hadn’t been there before. “You think this story ends with you defeating the monster, emerging victorious?” The small, strange man shrank behind Robin.

“No… no, I’m afraid not. Tell me, did you know that of all the animals of the world, only one hunts man for sport… besides man, that is?” The count was definitely growing now, his shadow blocking out the roaring fire. “On a certain island in the South Blue, villagers began disappearing without a trace. They suspected slavers, pirates, but do you know what the true culprit was?”A growl ripped through the air.

“It was the hunter of the forest! The only true equal to man in his viciousness! The shadow of the night! And I have made its power my own!” Count Yannibal De Lisces stood in the firelight. Orange and black flickered over his skin, but the stripes ran deeper than the light of the fire. They were laid into his skin, and beneath them bulged rippling muscle packed onto a frame that dwarfed even Brook. “Witness the strength of the true apex predator, the top of the food chain! Cat-Cat Fruit, Model: Tiger! I will feast on your--”

“Yeah, okay,” said Sanji, and kicked him in the face. Count De Lisces went over backwards yowling.

“Now listen to me, Count,” said Sanji, stepping forward. “In my opinion, you’re a shitty host leaving the human meat aside. But cannibalism? Serving human flesh to your unsuspecting guests?” On either side of him, Luffy and Chopper stepped up, fists clenched. “Do you have any idea how --”

“--unethical--”

“--gross--”

“--unprofessional that is?”

The count leapt, but Sanji’s leg moved faster, sending the tiger-count crashing into the finely decorated wall. In the light of the fire, the ember of his cigarette burning, he looked positively demonic. He leaned down, the sound of Luffy’s knuckles cracking echoing behind him.

“Consider this a lesson in cookery.”

As the chaos started at the far end of the dining table, Robin walked over to Nami and Zoro, who were surrounded by empty bottles -- apparently, far fewer than Zoro was hoping for.

“This one?” He said, exasperated. Nami shook her head. “No! Don’t open anything more than seventy-five years old!”

“Yeah, it’s eighty-three years old, from a vineyard that hasn’t been shit for two centuries! No one’ll give you more than fifty, fifty-five thousand berries for it! You have pants that cost more than that!”

“My pants are none of your -- wait, how do you know what a good vintage is?”

“Which one of us spends more time in liquor stores?”

Robin snuck a bottle away from the squabbling pair and sat down next to Franky. She  popped the cork, offered him a swig, and when he declined took a few deep gulps for herself. Brook helped her finish off the bottle, and along with a queasy-looking Usopp, the four sat in companionable silence and watched. Dinner had been ruined, but at least the show was nice.

Some time later, Sanji stepped back, panting. He took a long draw of his cigarette, and ashed it over the feebly moaning count. Luffy and Chopper, who had worn themselves out a bit earlier, watched from the table. Sanji straightened his tie.

“When preparing tiger--” He stopped. “Wait, no, fuck this, no one cooks tiger! And no one cooks people! No food-related metaphors for you, shithead!” And with a final kick, he turned away.

“So, uh, what are we going to do about this?” Usopp said. Everyone else looked at him. He looked back defensively. “I mean, I don’t think the marines are going to take him! What, are we going to kill him?”

“Well…” Sanj said slowly.

Robin cleared her throat. The Straw Hats turned to look. Behind her stood the small, strange man. Behind him stood another few dozen small, strange people.

“The count’s servants,” she said. “Apparently, they have some, ah, grievances. I’m sure they’d appreciate being left alone to… renegotiate the terms of their employment.” Sanji rubbed his chin. He walked over to the small, strange man and bent down.

“Look me in the eye,” he said. “No, both eyes. Oh, you-- your-- oh. Oh gosh. Okay, that’s fine. One eye is fine. Look,” he said, pushing past the pitfall, “this is important. Are you going to eat him?”

The small, strange man screwed up his face in disgust. Sanji looked him in the eye a second longer, then stood.

“Well, if you guys are okay with it…��

The Straw Hats left the castle of the Count of De Lisces behind, stumbling in the darkness (and, for some of them, drunkenness). They left with empty stomachs and arms full of old and expensive wines. When at last they arrived at the Sunny, Sanji went to the kitchen. Usopp was already swearing up and down that he’d never eat again, and he was pretty sure Zoro had drunk two or three dinners, but everyone else would need the calories. And Usopp would probably be hungry in an hour. He had an excellent cut in the fridge; he could fry it up and --

Sanji opened the walk-in and saw the meat he was thinking of. It was a prize-winning slab of pork shoulder. Sanji thought about it for a long time. Come on, he said to himself. You watched the butcher cut it off the pig yourself. It’s fine. Are you really going to let that stupid count go to your head?

Sanji threw it over the side anyway, although he felt a pang of guilt as ten pounds of pork vanished below the waves. Tonight, at least, he thought to himself, he would stick with fish.

[vannahfanfics]

Could I request a Nami and Bepo friendship fic with the theme "Mittens," please? I'd just love a cute fic starring my two favorite navigators!

Here it is, lovely! I threw some dashes of LawNa in there just because I know you love them so much LOL. Thanks for the wonderful prompts and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it!

EDIT: This lovely image was drawn by @searchfortheonepiece whom from this moment forth has all my love and affection. 

Even Polar Bears Need Mittens, Too!

Nami was painfully aware of two things upon waking up that morning. Dirst, the ordinarily comfortable warmth of her bedroom had been replaced by a bitter, breath-fogging chill. Second, the soothing rocking motion of the waves beating upon the Thousand Sunny was eerily absent. Panicked, she threw the covers off herself. She immediately hissed in displeasure and flung the warm, soft blanket back on as the winter air leaped forward to dig into the sensitive bare flesh of her legs with eager teeth. 

She rubbed her palm over her legs to find that goosebumps had already sprouted. Treading more carefully this time, she gathered the comforter around her body to serve as a fluffy shield from the cold and eased out of bed. She hopped around, not wishing to touch the icy wooden floors with her bare feet for too long until she found the slippers she always kept at her bedside. 

After a few minutes of digging, she was able to procure a set of winter gear— slim-fitting, dark jeans, black combat boots, a maroon knitted sweater, a black overcoat inlaid with ginger faux fur, and a pair of maroon gloves with a matching beanie complete with a black pom-pom. Dark colors absorbed the sunlight better and made Nami’s tresses of tangerine hair pop all the more (because a girl always had to consider her image!). 

She walked out into the hall, and it was no wonder it was so cold. Snow flurries buried themselves into her hair, decorating her like glitter, while others spiraled down the current into the hall to flutter lazily down to the iced-over wooden floors. Shivering, she carefully walked up the icy steps out onto the Thousand Sunny’s main deck.

The Grand Line’s unpredictable weather patterns had struck again; the Sunny looked like it had ventured into the Arctic. Snow was steadily falling from the cloudy heavens. It had piled up on the deck about half a foot deep and decorated the balustrade in a fluffy layer. Everything else was completely encased in a sheath of fine, crystalline ice. It wove fern-like patterns within the glass windowpanes, the only reference to the green world in this universe of white and gray and blue.

“Zoro?” she called as she tromped through the snow. Sinking up to her calves, Nami had to take extra-large steps to keep from tripping in the thick icy fluff. The swordsman was often awake in the wee hours of the morning. Yet, he was usually taking an early morning nap around the time the others were awakening, and Nami knew that the dense man could easily sleep through a snowstorm and awaken with hypothermia or frostbite— if he didn’t just wake up a solid blue corpse. 

Thankfully, it seemed the chill had roused him plenty. He came stomping through the snow dressed in a coat, though the lout insisted on keeping his chest bared to the unforgiving winter’s bite. Sanji, with a small snow shovel propped on his shoulder and wearing a blue winter coat lined with cotton, came tromping along after him.

“Nami-swan! Please tell me you know when this damn blizzard is gonna end!” 

“Why does that matter? We can just sail out of it,” Nami shrugged. 

“Not exactly,” Zoro grunted and gestured to the railing of the ship. Nami sloughed through the snow until she got to the edge of the boat and immediately groaned in annoyance. The sea was frozen over in a solid block of ice. Even if they attacked it with pickaxes and tried to coax the Sunny to the faint line of warm blue water hovering at the ice’s edge, it would take days to do so. Nami grimaced at the thought. Who knows how long that’ll take, and it’s cold as balls out here! 

“Guess we’ll just have to suffer,” she moaned. Raucous laughter at the end of the deck caught her attention; she turned to see Usopp, Chopper, and Luffy gathering up little handfuls of snow and flinging them in each other’s faces. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth; they were idiots sometimes, but it always did do her heart good to see them having some good plain fun.

“Hey, why don’t you make us all some hot chocolate?” she called to Sanji. “I’ll see if Law is okay in the submarine, too.” 

While the cook tossed heart eyes her way and dashed off to cater to her whim, Nami walked the edge of the boat until she reached the place that the Polar Tang moored against the Sunny.

After the business in Wano, the Straw Hats and Heart Pirates’ alliance had decided to appreciate their company a little longer (which was more Luffy’s doing than Law’s). Franky had rigged up a handy contraption to allow the submarine to the Sunny without damaging it when they were fully underway, and by combining the natural sailing capability with the submarine’s engine, they had improved their speed by fifty percent as well. 

“Law? Hey, are you guys popsicles in there?” she called as she climbed down the set of ladder rungs leading to the submarine. The soles of her boots striking the surface of the uppermost deck made dull clunking noises. She walked across the deck to the door, preparing to knock, but was startled when it was suddenly thrust open. She instinctively jumped backward.

She pinwheeled as she lost her balance and tipped back, but before she could land on her behind, the submarine’s captain grabbed her firmly by the elbow and hooked his foot under one of hers to brace her. He held her up by the strength of one arm, which brought a hint of rose to Nami’s cheeks and reminded her once more of how strong Law was even though he hid all his muscles under that long coat of his.

“Careful, Nami-ya. I wouldn’t want you hitting that pretty head of yours.” 

Nami’s relationship with Law was an interesting one; one never knew what would come out of their mouths, whether it be purred compliments or insulting jibes. They yipped at each other like a couple of cunning foxes in a perpetual game that dangerously bordered on courtship; it was not uncommon that their words and looks mirrored those of two individuals in a saucy game of “hard-to-get.” 

Sure enough, his mouth curled in that undeniable smirk that just begged Nami to retort with some minxy jibe, but with the persistent cold seeping beneath her coat to nibble at her skin, she decided to save it. Using Law’s grip as a bracer, she straightened herself up and ensured that she had a solid stance on the ice. It was only then that she could get a good look at him and see that he too was not immune to the brisk weather, as he had zipped his coat up to hide his sprawling tattoos and had white gloves on his hands. 

“So, I imagine that we won’t be escaping this climate anytime soon,” he guessed with one glance at the surrounding ice.

“Nope.” She glanced up at the sky to analyze the speed of the clouds. “The system is moving pretty slowly, so I guess that we’ll be trapped in this ice storm for at least a few days or so.”

“Damn… It’s taking our heating system all it can to keep all the metalworks from freezing over…”

Before the two of them could exchange any more words, a snowball exploded in Law’s face and sent him shooting back into the depths of the Polar Tang. The furry bulk of the arriving Bepo provided a soft landing, thankfully. Nami made no attempt to stifle her laughter as the Surgeon of Death came stalking back out, shaking snow out of his face and hair. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who had flung it at him, either. “Straw Hat-ya, you imbecile, now is not the time for games!”

“Trafalguy! Come have a snowball fight with us!”

“Did you not hear me?!”

“A snowball fight?! We wanna play!” came the simultaneous chiming of Penguin and Shachi from the entryway, and Law let out a strangled urk! as the two boys muscles past him to scamper out onto the deck of the Polar Tang. They slid around on the ice like a couple of buffoons for a few minutes trying to reach the ladder, eventually resorting to easing over on their hands and knees.

“Aw, come on, Law, they’re just having fun. We might as well play in the snow; there’s nothing better to do,” she smiled as she listened to his crewmates’ raucous hoots and hollers of laughter drift down from the Thousand Sunny with the occasional stray snowball.

“I don’t play, Nami-ya.”

“Law! Will you come build a snowman with me?” 

As Chopper’s innocent sing-song voice preceded his little furry form and hopeful eyes peeking over the railing of the Sunny, Nami watched Law’s body stiffen. He flushed pink and pulled down his hat, mumbling under his breath for a moment, before he thickly called up, “I’m coming, Chopper-ya…” 

Nami chuckled heartily as she watched Law Room himself up beside Chopper, who jumped up and down and hugged his arm elatedly. Not even the Surgeon of Death can say no to our sweet little Chopper.

“N-Nami?” 

The navigator turned her head as the polar bear Mink abruptly addressed her.

“What’s up, Bepo?” His watery black eyes could not bear to meet hers but flickered downward to train on the intricate icy patterns adorning the wood. His nails clicked lightly as he tapped them together in a nervous fidget. “Would you mind teaching me more about maps?” 

Nami blinked slightly in confusion. In the time that the two crews had spent together, the talented cartographer had been sharing her knowledge of maps with him. Still, she wasn’t sure why he wanted to do such an everyday activity when the opportunity to do something new and fun had presented itself.

“Wouldn’t you like to come play in the snow with us, Bepo?” she suggested with a bright smile. The poor thing couldn’t blush, but she could tell that he was embarrassed from the way he flattened his ears to his head and twitched his massive body.

“I can’t… My paws get cold.” 

Nami had no idea how a polar bear’s paws could freeze but considering the circus troupe of colorful people she sailed with, anything was possible. 

“Everyone else can play just fine because they have mittens, but we’ve never been able to find any in my size,” he lamented while holding up his clawed paws. Naturally, no market would sell mittens for a bear. Poor thing! He doesn’t deserve to have to sit out while everyone else has fun! Nami thought as a pang of pity pierced her heart. She grinned brightly and reached up to grab one of his furry paws with both of her hands.

“Don’t worry, Bepo! Come with me. I’ll whip up some mittens for you!” she assured him before whirling on her heel and pulling him across the deck of the Polar Tang. The bear just silently shuffled along behind her. 

She trekked back through the snow covering the spacious deck of the Sunny. It was falling so heavily that the small trench she had produced just a few minutes ago had already largely filled, forcing Nami to track a new path through the thick fluff. The layer had already thickened up to her knees. Nami pulled out her Climatact to help shovel the snow to wither side to help clear her way, but only with marginal improvement; very soon, her arms were aching. 

“Jeez! You wouldn’t think snow would be so heavy. I’ll have to get Franky to shovel some of this stuff off before our deck collapses!” she panted. Bepo, despite his bulk, seemed to have no problem pushing through the snow; after a moment of watching her struggle, he let out a nervous mumble before lightly tapping her on the shoulder. Nami paused to turn around, leaning on her Climatact for support. His tiny ears fluttered, and his little nails clicked together as he considered something silently for a moment. Then, to Nami’s surprise, he leaned down to pull her gently into his big furry arms.

“U-um, I thought it would be easier this way…” he admitted shyly while scratching the side of his head with one claw. Nami beamed, wrapped her slim arms around his thick neck, and nuzzled her nose into his fluffy cheek.

“How considerate! Thank you, Bepo.” She felt the bear’s skin warm as he did the Mink equivalent of blushing, and his words were an incoherent gush of mumbles. Feeling a burning gaze, Nami glanced over her shoulder to see Law staring intently from across the deck. 

“Jealous?” she called over while sticking out her tongue. Law snorted in derision and pulled his hat down over his face, but Nami could see the haze of pink over his cheeks. “Don’t worry, Law, I’m sure Bepo would carry you too if you asked him!” she laughed while rubbing the top of Bepo’s head through his hat.

“Ugh, Nami-ya, that’s not what I—” he snapped at her, then flushed further. Grumbling under his breath, he whirled around to instead re-focus his energy on the half-finished snowman that Chopper was molding with his hooves. Nami laughed mischievously again before looking back at the polar bear, who was just trying to pretend that Nami hadn’t been so boldly flirting with his captain.

“Mittens, right? Let’s go!”

Bepo carried her the last leg across the deck in record time. He gently set her down on the steps once they arrived, and Nami carefully picked her way down them, holding one hand against the frosty wall to aid her balance. She would hate to ungracefully slip and tumble down the stairs to earn herself a bruised bottom or sprained ankle on a day that promised a lot of fun. 

She led Bepo to her and Robin’s room. His massive frame barely was able to squeeze through the threshold, and he took up a large amount of space, requiring Nami to navigate around him as she searched her belongings for old clothes that she could retrofit into a pair of mittens for him.

“I’m sorry if I’m in the way…” he sighed apologetically and resorted to his nervous tick again. Nami smiled brightly up at him as she rifled through one of her trunks of sweaters.

“There’s nothing to apologize for, Bepo. You’re never a bother!” It was no secret that he was a little insecure, and so Nami always tried to do her best to encourage him. He smiled shyly and shuffled his feet, indicating that Nami’s compliments were warming him a little. 

“Ah-ha!” she cried merrily as she procured a lovely yellow wool sweater patterned with black stripes. “It’ll match your jumpsuit, too!” she grinned as she poked at the jolly roger emblazoned on the fabric as she passed him. She walked over to a small sewing machine situated on a table in the corner. 

With how much Nami loved clothes and saving money, she of course knew how to sew, and with the boys tearing their clothes to shreds all the time, she had invested in the small machine to make quick work of the many repair jobs. Bepo lumbered over to stand over her shoulder to watch her work, ears fluttering in curiosity; smiling, Nami leaned back so that he could observe her handiwork.

“You’re going to make mittens from that sweater?”

“Mhmm. There’s no sense in letting this fabric just collect dust,” Nami nodded as she cut out the patterns of the mittens using a large pair of shearing scissors. Tossing the rest of the fabric aside into a little basket for later use, she turned on the sewing machine and put the fabric in place. She felt Bepo release an awed breath over her shoulder as the needle began punching thread into them at high speeds. 

Nami’s nimble fingers guided the fabric to form the seams. In no time at all, she had produced one bear-sized pair of mittens, complete with holes in the fingertips so his claws wouldn’t shred the fabric. His ears flattened to his head as she whirled around in her little stool to hold them up. “Here you go! Try those on.” He very gently took the mittens in his paws before slipping them on, pushing his claws through the added holes and flexing his hands experimentally. He then gave Nami a huge smile that crinkled his already small eyes.

“Thank you, Nami! They’re wonderful! Now I can play in the snow too!” he rejoiced and jumped from foot to foot. Nami giggled and stood up from her chair.

“I’m so glad you like them.” 

“Nami! Will you make snow angels with me?!”

“Of course!” She grinned, then gasped in alarm as Bepo suddenly took off to squeeze out of the doorway and hurry up the steps. “Hey! Not so fast; you’ll fa—” 

She heard a startled yelp followed by a series of rapid thunks that could only be the polar bear Mink tumbling down the stairs. 

She exhaled deeply with a wan smile, shaking her head before walking out to see if he was all right. She found him on his back at the base of the steps in the process of rolling over; it seemed the fall didn’t do much, as he immediately scrambled back to his paws and went shambling up the stairs with an excited, impatient, “Come on, come on!”

“I’m coming!” she assured with another laugh and carefully followed him back up to the winter wonderland that the Sunny had become. For the next several days, the two crews busied themselves with all sorts of winter revelry, and Bepo made sure he showed everybody the marvelous mittens that the gracious Nami had made for him…

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