#works as a platonic trio

[castleofravens]

the “we’re so mentally fucked up that we can only find comfort/connection/kinship/solace in each other” dynamic is very applicable to sokeefitz & i want more of it

[st4rpiece]

Hi, could you do like some fluffy headcanons with Crocodile. Like with a daughter!reader, he found her and raised her. She's been by his side throughout Baroque Works, jails separates them for a while, but then she makes her way back to him as the Cross Guild is former.

Just, fluffy crocodad headcannons with a daughter!reader. She could work alongside him to, like a secretary. Reader is just happy to be by their dad again^^

father figure

SFW

characters: sir crocodile x daughter!reader summary: crocodile takes in an orphaned child not expecting to grow fondly of her CW: just fluff, lowercase intended, not proofread

—————

crocodile had always been known as a figure of unyielding stoicism and calculated ruthlessness. as the leader of Baroque Works, this was the kind of man his associates and his enemies knew him to be. his lack of affection made dealing with his job much easier as it left no weak points. something he never planned on changing but, fate had a peculiar way of challenging those with the coldest hearts.

it all started when he stumbled upon a small, orphaned child during one of his operations. his sharp eyes started down your dirty and frail figure with initial disgust. your wide eyes, frightened with terror as you clutched the bread you had stolen from his crew.

"who are you?" his voice was gruff, but there was a hint of curiosity.

you looked up, the piece of bread tightly held against you. "i'm just trying to survive," you replied, your voice surprisingly steady despite the fear in your eyes.

crocodile studied you for a moment, something in your gaze stirred a long-buried part of him and for reasons he couldn't quite fathom. leading him to make a decision that surprised even himself. "come with me," he said, turning on his heel.

he wasn't sure why he took you in, but when asked, he justified it as "practical"—you needed protection, and he had the means to provide it. and for a while, his interactions with you matched his words. he was distant and formal, more akin to a business transaction than a familial bond. providing you with your basic needs, leaving the rest up to his crew.

you, however, was undeterred by his cold demeanor. you approached him with the fearless curiosity only a child could muster. you followed him around, your small hand often tugging at his coat, asking endless questions about everything you saw. you drew pictures, and even attempted to braid his hair one evening. despite himself, crocodile found his heart softening. he started to look forward to your chatter, you innocent laughter, and the way you clung to him whenever you were scared.

but as days turned into weeks and weeks into months, something began to change. he found himself spending more time with you, teaching you about the world in his own gruff manner. he showed you how to read maps, how to defend herself, and even how to play chess. 

while he was going through his newest findings on the poneglyph's, you approached him with one of your textbooks. "dad, can you help me with this reading?" you asked, your voice filled with anticipation. crocodile's heart skipped a beat at the word "dad." he didn't have it in him to correct you, and though he would never admit it, he cherished the title. he set aside his papers and spent the evening helping you with your book, his rough exterior melting away in your presence.

from then on he became your dad. a change his associates noticed almost immediately. exchanging knowing glances with each other whenever they saw him gently fixing your hair or reading you a bedtime story. Over time, they grew fondly of you, often bringing you small gifts or teaching you tricks of their trade. the once cold and fearsome headquarters of Baroque Works became a place of warmth and laughter whenever you were around.

after his defeat in Alabasta, crocodile was arrested. the charges against him were numerous, and the trial was swift. giving him no time to say goodbye or send you to a proper caretaker. a thought that consumed his thoughts daily as he sat in his cell. despite the harsh conditions of his confinement, crocodile's primary concern was always you. 

countless sleepless nights were spent wondering. wondering if you were being taken care of properly. wondering if you were happy and eating well. wondering if you missed him as much as he missed you. the uncertainty gnawed at him, making his imprisonment even more unbearable. but he held onto the hope of seeing his daughter again, the thought of your smile was his only solace.

once he was released, crocodile wasted no time, moving with the singular purpose of reuniting with you again. his heart pounding with fear and anticipation as he and his associates, who had also been released, searched for you. they scoured the streets of the last island they were on, asking everyone they met if they had seen a little girl with bright eyes and a fearless spirit. after days of searching, they found you. you were staying with one of crocodile's old associates, a retired assassin, who had taken you in and cared for you as best as she could.

when crocodile saw you, his heart swelled with relief and joy. his anxiety and worries vanish after confirming his daughter was safe during his absences. you immediately ran into his arms, your face lighting up as tears streamed down your face. "dad!" you cried, throwing your arms around him.

crocodile hugged you tightly, his usual stoic mask slipping away. "i'm here, princess. i'm here," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. he then lifts you up carrying you in his arms as he turns to look at his associate, gratitude shining in his eyes. "thank you for taking care of my daughter."

the associate nodded, a small smile on her lips. this was the first time her boss thanked her. "she’s a special girl."

crocodile nodded in agreement, his heart full. you had become his world, and he would do anything to keep his world safe. which meant getting locked up like that wasn't an option, but that was for later. making a mental note to call mihawk later, but right now he had some catching up to do.

—————

thank you so much for the request!!

i thought of a few ways to go about it, but this one just felt right, although it isn't really an hc.

and i loved the idea of the reader working with their crocodile, but i see crocodile as the kind of dad who would much rather preserve their innocence, by keeping them away from the dangers of his job as best as he could.

in the end, i hope i did your idea some justice and you (and everyone else) enjoyed !!

[catcomixzstudios]

I can barely begin to express how much the course of my life has been altered because of a 40 minute highlight video done by @jelloapocalypse and friends riffing over a 20 year old sky pirate game.

I made an off-handed comment after watching it together with two of my longtime friends, about how much I wish I had what Vyrsa had, and one of those friends STRAIGHT-UP TELLS ME that her and her wife have been crushing on me for a while.

The feeling was mutual, though I'd been of course hesitant to even hint at it.

Anyway now a few months later, we're a thruple, and we decided to honor the genesis of our relationship by cosplaying as the trio that made it a reality for my 30th birthday!

PinkCatNinja, me (CatComixzStudios), and ArtieStokes as Aika, Vyce Vyrsa, and Fina respectively, from SKIES OF ARCADIA!

And as a bonus, a comment I left on the video before my egg would crack completely (was still IDing as genderfluid at the time)

[goldrushenthusiast]

Everyone gangsta until the amortentia lesson that character A is late to and walks in and asks “why does this smell like character B?”

[goldenautism]

my babies :(

(also i hc harry as latino.... bc im latino)

[kumakuma-circus]

tbh i think stopping playing p3p early on and switching to playing p4 for our first persona game was probably a good decision because as much as i love p3. i don't know if we could handle that crap-

[watermel0ns-dumb-cringe]

Penny Lamb 🤝 Ricky Potts

Love is the closest you come to another person because it is the closest you come to being another person

[literarywhoard]

to elaborate why i like atsushi and ryuunosuke better as friends (mentioned previously), i just don't think ryuu can get over the dazai situation right away like that.

ryuu is an abuse survivor. he went through hell and dazai is the devil. yet dazai turns around, dotes on atsushi and gives him the world, all while ryuu watches. so, ryuu in canon being a little bitter to atsushi, even after working together a few times, makes perfect sense from a psychological standpoint.

do you know what does not, in my opinion, make sense from a psychological standpoint? them dating.

don't get me wrong! i still think that, after a long talk, they probably would be good friends. ryuu would have to recount to atsushi exactly what dazai did (clearly, in season 5, atsushi is at least curious and interested in listening.) atsushi would then have to come to terms with, maybe dazai isn't all that great. he's not. i think, only after something like this, could i see them being chill together outside of work. dating, though??? i'm sorry, guys, it's a pass from me. i am all here for /p (platonic) atsuaku.

[mechazushi]

Kaiju Number 8 Incorrect Quotes <take 6>

*depressed Iharu sitting on a bench* *Aoi and Haruichi come over and sit on either side of him* *Few minutes of silence later* Haruichi: Wah nee nah nu nee nu nee nu Wah nee nah nu nee nu nee nu- Aoi: *Starts thumping out the beat on the wall behind them* Iharu: . . . Iharu: SHE'S GOT A SMILE THAT SEEMS TO ME, REMINDS ME OF CHILDHOOD MEMORIES-!

[slythmultishipper]

This feels like Chengxian and Sangcheng at the same time.

What about Sangchengxian

both of them are lockpicking JC's door. you wake up at 4 am to see NHS and WWX up and greeting you happily. after a few screams inside JC's room you see them dead asleep till like 1 pm if work allows.

JYL almost called the cops when she saw two suspicious dark figures fiddling with JC's door. NMJ almost beat them up. and JZX straight up bonked both of them on the head.

JC is very thankful to all of them for waking up normally on those days.

Person A: “Must you always wake me up like this?”

Person B: “If you didn’t want me waking you up, you should have locked the door~ ☆”

Person A: “I did.”

[marauder-misprint]

Platonic Fred and Reader where they make everyone think their dating, but it’s all a joke to them

Hi! I know you said platonic, but this is 100% a friends-to-lovers fake dating trope ❤︎ So it started platonic...

I have no regrets. Hope y'all enjoy ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎

Friend who is a girl

Fred Weasley x fem!reader

8.6k words

cw: fluff, mutual pining, fake dating, Y/N

It wasn’t uncommon to find you doing your homework in the common room. Sure, a lot of people did their homework there, but you had the ability of getting work done while the Weasley twins and Lee planned pranks and fine-tuned products for the Weasleys’ future joke shop. You picked up this skill over the years as the trio of troublemakers decided that you would be their fourth member. Sometimes you think back to the first time they talked to you and wonder if you actually had a choice in joining their group. 

“Oi, what are you doing later?” Fred asks you, leaning over the table you’re sitting at.

“Nothing that I’m aware of,” you answer, not looking up from your book.

“Great! You’ll come watch quidditch practice then.”

You snort a laugh. “And why would I do that?”

“Because Wood’s girlfriend is going to watch and he told us to ask our girlfriends so she wouldn’t be so out of place in the stands.”

“Right… Um, two things. One, don’t you and George have a fan club or something that already goes to your practices? And two, we aren’t dating so I’m not… your girlfriend?” 

“Ah, but you’re my girl… friend. Friend who is a girl. I figure it’s close enough. And there’s no fan club. Good to know you think I’m attractive enough to warrant one though,” he says with a wink.”

You roll your eyes. Yes, Fred was attractive, but he didn’t need you to tell him that. He already had one of the biggest egos. You’re not sure if you could handle him if he was any more cocky. He’s already assuming you’ll drop your plans to do nothing to sit outside and watch him fly around on a broom. 

“Who’s George asking?” 

“Dunno. George!” His voice carries across the common room to where his twin is sitting Lee. 

The two look over at you and Fred. George immediately grins widely. 

“She say yes?” he yelled back.

Fred gives you a look before saying, “Course she did. Who’re you asking again?” 

George gets up and walks over to you and Fred, not wanting to yell across the common room. 

“Beatrice Haywood, Hufflepuff, sixth year, doesn’t give a rat’s ass about quidditch,” George says. “We figured you could explain what’s going on to them.” 

“Because I’m so knowledgeable about quidditch,” you snark.

You do know a fair bit about quidditch. How could you not with Gryffindor’s beaters and the regular match announcer as your closest friends? It was knowledge by association, proximity. Not by choice. 

“More than they do,” Fred says. “You’re coming.” 

You roll your eyes again and return to your book. But when the time came, you were walking down to the pitch with the boys. You sat between Beatrice and Oliver’s girlfriend, Gabrielle. As George predicted, you explained what was going on. More to Gabrielle than Beatrice. Thankfully, Oliver was running the Weasleys’ least favorite drills, meaning they had complained for hours on end about said drills and you actually knew what was going on. One of the more distracting parts of the practice was the group of fangirls who sat in the section behind you. Despite Fred’s denial of their existence, they were most certainly there for the twins and Harry Potter. 

After the practice ended, you waited for the twins outside the locker room with Gabrielle as she waited for Oliver. You made polite conversation with her, asking about how her classes were going and what she was looking to go into after Hogwarts. Just simple questions to ask a seventh year that you didn’t really know. Soon enough, the twins walk out. Fred throws a casual arm over your shoulder, which you immediately duck under.

“Get your sweaty arm off me,” you say mirthfully. Was his sweaty arm gross? Yes, but it wasn’t like you hadn’t hugged the twins when they were sweaty after a match before. 

“Oh, is my sweaty arm okay then?” George asks before putting his arm around your shoulders. 

Fred seizes the opportunity and returns his arm to your shoulders as well. You’re effectively trapped between the two. 

“Ugh, neither of your sweatinesses are appreciated!” you groan, causing both of them to laugh. 

They don’t remove their arms from you until you’re back inside the castle. The walk back to the common room is filled with them complaining about the drills Oliver made them do over and over again. 

“You know, if you did it correctly the first time, he wouldn’t have you do it ten times,” you say. 

“Oi, she thinks it’s easy,” George says.

“I’d love to see you try it.” 

“Ha,” you say dryly. “I will not be getting on that deathstick. No thank you.” 

“I think you need to give it a second chance. Use one of our brooms. It’ll be a step up from the shitty school brooms we used first year,” Fred says. 

“Madam Hooch said she passed me out of pity.”

“Ah, we’ll get you on a broom next time you come round the Burrow,” George says with some finality in his voice.

By then you’ve reached the Fat Lady and Fred gives her the password. You bid the boys good night and head to your dorm with the intent of showering to get their sweaty stench off of you. Alicia and Angelina are already in your dorm and doing homework when you walk in. They give you brief smiles before turning back to their work. Frankly, you’re a bit surprised that they didn’t ask about you being at practice, but you just assume that they are dead set on getting their homework done.

---

It didn’t take long for the first rumors to spread. 

“Oliver’s new girlfriend went to watch the Gryffindors’ practice. She was there, sitting with her. That probably means she’s dating one of them too.”

“I saw Fred Weasley talking to her.”

“I didn’t know they were dating.”

“Must be a new thing.”

You slam your books down on the table at lunch as you wink into your usual spot next to Fred. 

“The whispers, rumors, gossip. It’s driving me crazy, Fred. And it’s all your fault,” you say. 

“My fault?” 

“Insisting I go watch your little practice? Sit next to your captain’s girlfriend? All because being a friend who is a girl is, as you put it, close enough? Now it feels like half the school thinks we’re dating.” 

Fred just shrugs. “Let them. Who cares?”

You did. You care. Not that you’re overly sociable, but you want the freedom to flirt and be flirted with. You’re an honest person and it feels weird to not correct people that you aren’t dating Fred. His not caring attitude just feels off for the situation. But you try to brush it under the rug. You can be nonchalant about it, or at least that’s what you’re going to tell yourself. 

---

“Weasley!” Oliver calls, getting Fred’s attention as the ginger exits his last class of the day.

Fred nods to acknowledge Oliver before heading his way. 

“What’s up, capt?” 

“How would you feel about a double date?”

Fred raises his eyebrows in surprise. “A double date?” 

“Yeah, erm, Gabrielle really liked sitting with Y/N at practice. Was hoping the four of us could do something together. Hogsmeade, next weekend?”

“I’ll talk to Y/N about it…” 

“Brilliant. Gabs will be excited! You better get her to say yes, Weasley,” Oliver says before heading down the corridor. 

Fred runs a hand through his hair, partially worried about what Oliver has just roped him into. You were already feeling iffy about people thinking you two were a couple. But you would say yes, right? 

He heads to Charms, knowing it’s your last class of the day and won’t be too far. You’re chatting with Alicia when he finds you. Alicia excuses herself as soon as she spots Fred heading your way. He has a determined look on his face which she interprets as “incoming prank” and she didn’t want to be involved. 

“Hey, Y/N. How would you fancy going on a double date?”

“Have you suddenly gotten yourself a proper girlfriend? And found me a suitor at the same time?” you report.

“Hmm, well, no. It seems Gabrielle, Wood’s girl, you know,” he starts to say.

“I’m familiar,” you interrupt.

“She’s taken a liking to you. They want a double date. So, clear your schedule for next weekend.”

“So not only does the whole castle think we’re dating, but now we’re going on dates? Despite not dating?” 

“It’s one day, love. An afternoon, really. We’ll go, get drinks and chat and that’ll be all. Easy. No harm, no foul. You get free drinks and I keep my captain happy,” he says, trying to sell you on it. 

You narrow your eyes at Fred. “Fine. But you owe me.”

“Fantastic!” he says with a smile. “You’re the best, you know that/”

“I could stand to hear it more.”

“If you think about it, you’ll probably be hearing it all Saturday.”

“I will?”

“I mean, we’re leaning into this dating thing. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t remind you how great you are?”

You roll your eyes. “Probably a shite one. But still, you could remind me, as a friend, being that I do most of your Arithmancy homework.”

“I provide you with plenty of entertainment as compensation!”

“Entertainment you would provide either way.”

“How ‘bout this: I’ll buy you some chocolate frogs while we’re in Hogsmeade.”

You cross your arms with a satisfied look on your face. “Finally, proper payment.”

---

The walk to Hogsmeade on Saturday with Fred doesn’t feel like a date. It is just two close friends going to the wizarding village. Then you meet up with Oliver and Gabrille, who are holding hands and look very couple-y. It suddenly feels like you’re third wheeling, and Fred is also third wheeling, but that’s two third wheels and that’s not how things work. Gabrielle is nice and so is Oliver, but you still feel weird being here under the guise of having a relationship with Fred. 

You and Fred both cringe as the other two lead you toward Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop. It isn’t somewhere either of you would be caught dead in any other situation. You grab Fred’s arm as Oliver and Gabrielle enter without any qualms.

“You seriously owe me, Weasley,” you hiss before shoving him toward the door. 

The shop is far too warm, too cramped and too frilly for your liking. Oliver and Gabrielle appear to have no issues with practically sitting in each other’s laps, electing to focus on each other rather than the steaming cups of tea in front of them. You sit as close as you can to the fogged-up windows. Any extra space between you and Fred would be appreciated, but despite your best efforts, his knee bumps into yours every few seconds as you both shift uncomfortably. 

Everywhere you look inside the small shop, there are couples being overly affectionate. And that’s including across the table. That leaves you with two places to look: at Fred, who you’re afraid that if you look at him for too long, he might try something to further your dating ruse, or at your tea. You stare at your cup with its swirling steam. You assume it’s an enchanted brew, given the way the steam curls into hearts. 

“Tea really that interesting?” Fred asks you in a low voice, almost as if to not bring attention to you despite there being no way that Oliver or Gabrielle are looking away from each other any time soon. 

“Don’t think I’ve ever had enchanted tea, you know? Do you think it tastes funny? Or will it make this shop any less nauseating?” you reply, voice just as low. 

“Yeah, not my first choice either. I’m guessing her choice.”

You look at Fred to ensure that he sees you rolling your eyes. 

“Maybe he secretly loves lacy table runners. Have you considered that?”

“My boy loves one thing, Y/N. And it’s quidditch.”

“If he keeps at this like he is now, he’ll have two loves soon enough.”

“Then we’ll never win the Cup!” 

“Oh no,” you say in mock horror. “What ever will we do?” 

“What if I told you it was the same as suggesting you’ll never get an O in Transfiguration?”

You gasp loudly. “No! Take that back!” 

“And now you see how dire the situation is.”

“No, that’s not fair. I actually need to do well in that class for my career. The Quidditch Cup is just bragging rights.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“Tell me, Fred. How is winning the Cup going to help you with your joke shop?” 

“Uh… Teamwork?” 

You laugh. “I think losing would teach you better teamwork. And a bit of resilience.”

“I can’t believe what I’m hearing,” Fred mutters while shaking his head.

“What? That joke product industry might be more cut-throat than you’re prepared for?”

“That you think we aren’t resilient!”

You scoff. “I know you are resilient. And there’s no one you work better with than George. You’ve already got those skills. Winning the Cup isn’t going to change that.”

“You’re ridiculous…”

“I have to agree with you on that.” 

About half an hour passes with you and Fed chatting like that while you periodically take sips of your tea. The tea doesn’t make sitting in the shop any easier as you had hoped. It’s the chatting with Fred that distracts you from the fact that Oliver and Gabrielle are essentially snogging across the table from you. When you finish your tea, you set your cup on its saucer with a sharp clink. That gets their attention.

“You ready to head out?” Fred asks them as they sheepishly separate. 

Their tea is completely untouched, yet they nod and get up. As the four of you walk around Hogsmeade, you plaster yourself to Fred’s side. Normally, you wouldn’t stand this close for so long. And normally, you wouldn’t entertain the way his hand continuously bumps into yours until he just grabs it. But you’re spending the afternoon with two people you don’t know all that well and the familiarity of Fred is necessary to get through the day. 

Fred and Oliver exchange excited looks as you come up on Spintwitches Sporting Needs.

“Do you ladies mind if we nip in for a look around?” Oliver asks.

You drop Fred’s hand and cross your arms.

“Yeah, sure. I’ll wait out here,” you say. 

“Me too” Gabrielle adds and the boys disappear into the shop with a tinkle of the door’s bell. “You and Fred are real cute together.”

“Thank you,” you choke out, certain it sounds like you’re being strangled. You, Fred and cute weren’t in a genuine statement often. 

“No, really, I mean it. You really work together.”

You shrug. “Probably because he’s my best friend.”

That makes her smile. And it’s the truth. Out of everyone at Hogwarts, you are closest with Fred, which is probably why you agreed to this charade. 

“Aw, that’s so sweet,” Gabrielle coos. “Your person should be your best friend. Oliver and I, well, we just started dating so I can’t say he’s my best friend just yet, but I think we’ll get there.”

You mentally will the boys to hurry up. Talking with Gabrielle isn’t bad. It’s the talking about your relationship with Fred. What you have with him is platonic and you really don’t want to think about “how good you work together” romantically. If you entertained that idea, being in a real romantic relationship with Fred, the consequences are all that you can think about. What would happen to your friend group? What if you broke up and it was messy? What would happen to your friends then? Nope. Fred is your best friend and that’s all he will be. 

You carefully direct the conversation to focus mainly on Gabrielle and her relationship with Oliver. You’re able to get by with not saying much about you and Fred. You try to not sigh a breath of relief when the boys walk out of the shop. 

Your next stop is Honeydukes. On the walk over, you grab Fred’s hand and give it a squeeze. Fred looks down at you with a soft look on his face, but you don’t see it. You’re too focused on getting to the sweets shop to get your promised chocolate frogs. Once inside, you’re practically dragging Fred from stand to stand. This is something he’s used to. The amount of time the twins and Lee can spend in Zonko’s is the only rival to the amount of time you’ll take to decide which sweets and how many of each you want. The amounts you spend respectively are also similar. 

After Honeydukes, Oliver and Gabrielle say they’re ready to head back, but you look at Fred and ask if he’d want to get butterbeers first. He nods and that’s where the double date ends. Despite no longer having to put on a show for Oliver and Gabrielle, you don’t let go of Fred’s hand until you’re sitting in the booth across from him. 

“Sorry, but I need something to get that tea’s flavor out of my mouth,” you say, reaching to grab a chocolate frog already.

“Oi, make sure some of those make it back to the castle!”

“I’m having one, Fred. Don’t get your knickers in a twist.” 

“And you’re thinking about my knickers? Disgusting.” 

You slap his hand that’s resting on the table and he gives you his trademark teasing grin. 

“Oh! You want to know something funny?” 

Fred gives you a look that says, ‘Really? Do you know who you’re talking to?’

“Right, of course you do,” you say flatly before continuing with more in your voice. “Gabrielle says we really work together. She called us cute.” 

Fred tilts his head in confusion. “And why is this funny?” 

“Because we’re not actually dating? It’s like, wow, shocker, two friends get along, totally weird, right?” 

“Ah.” 

“I didn’t mean it in a bad way, Fred. Just amusing to me how easily we pull off the couple look. That’s all.” 

“You’re the one who’s all worried about the castle assuming we’re dating.”

“And you’re the one adding fuel to their fire!” you exclaim before placing your head in your hands. “Oh my Merlin. I think we already bicker like a couple and this isn’t even us getting into it. Remember when you wanted to paint the Transfiguration room red and gold after you got an O on your essay?”

Fred laughs. “You wouldn’t talk to me for a week, even after I told you we weren’t going to do it.”

“It was the principle! I stand by what I did.” 

“Fucking spoke through Lee the entire time too. I think it would’ve been easier if you avoided me for the week rather than that.”

“Why?” you ask through a laugh.

“If you avoided me, you’d be avoiding George and Lee too. It wouldn’t’ve felt like it was just me, you know? But you spoke through Lee. You talked to George. It was so clearly me.” 

“Your dumb idea, your dumb punishment.” 

“So, when you say I really owe you for today…”

“It’s your price to pay. Not George’s and certainly not Lee’s.”

“Right. I figured as much.” 

After you finish your butterbeers, you walk back to the castle. You don’t think about why Fred puts his arm around your shoulders as you walk. It makes you feel a smidge warmer, which is nice since the sun’s gone down. Tired from socializing all day, you head straight to your dorm once you get back to the Gryffindor Common Room. 

You’re tired, but there’s assigned reading to get done so you recline on your bed with your Transfiguration book in front of you. You read about half the chapter when the door opens. Alicia, Angelina and Katie all come in. Katie’s got her school supplies with her so you assume it’s their Chaser Study TIme. 

“So…. Y/N, when were you going to tell us about you ‘n’ Fred?” Angelina asks as she gets her own homework out. 

“Yeah, since when did you start dating?” Alicia adds. 

“Don’t… know…” you say slowly, trying not to lose your spot. “Ask Fred.” 

You had been able to handle Gabrielle outside of the quidditch shop. You barely knew her and could parry her questions easily. These girls? After Fred, George and Lee, they are your next closest friends. You could talk about more girlier topics with them, stuff that you wouldn’t dream of talking about with the boys. 

“Seriously cute together, you know,” Alicia says. 

There’s that word again: cute.

Then she continues, “I knew you’d get with one of the twins. No way you’re that close for so long without doing one of them.”

Katie throws a pillow at her. “Don’t be so crude!”

“I’m just saying! They are fit!” She pointed at Angelina. “And it’s not just them! You remember their older brother – Charlie! Some of them Weasley genes are something else.”

Angelina snorts a laugh. “Some.”

“No, she has a point,” you say, closing your book. You know you’re not going to be able to read any more with these three in the room. “Fred, George, Charlie, dare I say Ron, they all have something that Percy seriously lacks.” 

The rest of the girls start giggling. 

“Looks, personality, charm. You name it!” Katie exclaims. 

After a few more jabs at Percy’s lack of charisma, Angelina turns to you again.

“But really, Y/N, we didn’t even know you had a crush on him. How did it happen?” 

“I… I guess I didn’t know I had a crush on him,” you say. You needed something believable. “He’s just always been my best friend. We’ve been close since first year and it… sorta just happened?” 

“Is he a good kisser?” Katie asks, leaning forward with curiosity.

You turn bright red and look away from the girls. “We, um, we haven’t kissed.”

The room is filled with a mix of gasps and shrieks.

“What do you mean you haven’t kissed?”

“Is that not how you became ‘more than friends’?” 

“I don’t believe you!” 

Their reactions are too much for you. You get off your bed and head for the door.

“I’ll be, uh, back…” you say hurriedly. 

Once the door is closed behind you, you take a deep breath. So you haven’t kissed Fred. You aren’t actually dating. You didn’t need to kiss him. Part of you, however, is wondering if maybe you should’ve lied to the girls, just said that he is a good kisser. Another part of you is wondering what he’s told his friends, what he’s told George and Lee because surely they’ve heard the rumors and knew that you were going on a double date today. Maybe they knew it was all fake – that would make you feel better if they did. 

The common room is empty. You relish the quiet atmosphere as you take a seat in front of the couch on the floor in front of the fireplace. It isn’t too big or providing much warmth, dwindling down to just embers. But it’s something to look at as you think. 

‘Let them,’ Fred had said. ‘We’re leaning into this dating thing.’ 

Right, ignore what people think. It’s your friendship with Fred. That shouldn’t be a spectacle for the whole castle. Even if it seems like Fred likes being the center of gossip.  

---

You’re not sure what possesses you on Monday, but when the twins and the rest of the quidditch team start to head to the pitch, you’re right along with them. Once Fred gets over the momentary shock of seeing you walking with them, he slings his arm around your shoulder like it was something he did every day. After having his arm around you on Saturday, it doesn’t feel so foreign. His arm stays around you until you reach the locker rooms at the pitch. 

“I’ll see you after practice,” you say, turning toward the stand.

Fred watches you until you disappear up the stairs. George and Harry had gone into the locker room without him. George gives Fred a curious look when he does join them, to which Fred just shakes his head in response. If George wanted to ask him about you, it could wait until after practice. 

You take a seat next to Gabrielle, where you had sat at the previous practice. Only this time, it’s just the two of you, no Beatrice. Even with Oliver as her boyfriend, you are still explaining most of the practice to her. You think it’s a fair assumption that she likes you because you explain quidditch in simple terms, leaving out the effects of tailwind on velocity and how much the quaffle should spin if you’re doing a drop pass. 

Your presence next to Grabrielle at practices quickly became commonplace. You both skipped out on Wednesday’s morning practice, but you were back for Thursday and Friday’s practices. Those next two practices, you walked down with Fred’s arm around you. If the rest of the team didn’t believe the dating rumors before, they certainly did now. 

After Friday’s practice, you work on your homework in the common room. There’s a match tomorrow against Hufflepuff and everyone’s been talking about how it’ll be an easy win. That means you need to get your homework done ahead of time because while you can work through your friends’ prank planning, you can’t work through a party. Lee’s sitting next to you as you work. He has his Potions essay in front of him, but with the way his head is propped up on his hand, it’s clear that he’s not working. 

George is the next to join you. Freshly showered and his own essay for Snape in hand, he plops down in the seat next to Lee, leaving one more spot at the table to your right. For Fred, you thought. But Fred doesn’t come down anytime soon after George. You hate that you’re distracted by waiting for him to appear. Instead of working on your Transfiguration assignment, your eyes keep drifting to the boys’ staircase. 

“Snape wants… how many inches again?” George groans, letting the top half of his parchment curl over itself. 

“Two feet,” Lee says. He had managed to get a little bit done with George working on the same assignment. “I’m like six inches short.”

“Ditto… Swap?” 

“Swap.”

You roll your eyes as the boys lean closer together to read each other’s essay in hopes the other has information they can use to fill the last bits of space on their parchment. You’re not judging them. You’ve done the same thing with them before. That’s why you know that it’s more beneficial for them to swap with you than each other. The three boys’ essays always read fairly similar while yours have different points. 

You’re working slower than molasses, trying to finish this one assignment before you give up. Your endless peaks toward the stairs aren’t helping. 

Then he appears. His hair is dryer than when George came down, so you can assume that he hung around his dorm for a while before deciding to grace the common room with his presence. Only when he walks toward your table, you notice that he’s not carrying homework. He’s carrying a red fabric. He sets it in front of you before taking the open seat next to you.

“What’s this?” you ask, picking it up and letting it unfurl.

It was a quidditch jersey. With Weasley and 2 across the back. 

“Girlfriends wear their boyfriend’s jersey to matches,” he says nonchalantly with a smirk. 

You lean closer to him and whisper, “Are we still doing this?”

His smirk turns into a mischievous grin. “Might as well. It’s fun, isn’t it?”

“Don’t push your luck, Weasley,” you snap, sitting up straighter. 

You quickly gather your things, including the crimson jersey, and head to your dorm. It is fun being with Fred, even if it’s just pretend. Because, well, it’s Fred. Fun is practically synonymous with him. 

That doesn’t mean that you don’t feel odd as you stare at your reflection in the morning, wearing Fred’s extra jersey and jeans. You look positively like a girlfriend. You think about everyone who’s called you and Fred cute. Do you look like his girlfriend? You turn around and then look over your shoulder to see the letters spelling his last name sprawling across your back. 

It’s a shame that your roommates are all on the team and had to be at the field early. There’s no one to tell you that you look okay, that it’s normal for a girlfriend, albeit fake, to wear her boyfriend’s jersey. That it was cute that he gave it to you without you asking. There’s no one here to pull you out of your dorm. You have to go on your own accord. Which you do. Eventually. After talking yourself up in the mirror for a few more minutes. 

The all-consuming out-of-place feeling you have remains as you make your way to the pitch. You can feel eyes on you, on the jersey, reading your back as you pass by. 

W-E-A-S-L-E-Y

You’re branded as his. And you find that you don’t think you would mind it if it wasn’t fake. 

The eyes remain as you find a spot in the stands. You swear you see Ron and Hermione whispering to each other when you pass them. You wonder what Ron thinks about seeing his last name across your back. Why did you care what he thought? 

Then Gabrielle finds you. You feel the weight of feeling out of place lift off of you. She’s wearing Oliver’s jersey. Even if they are a real couple, it’s nice to not be the only one in someone’s jersey. And then you realize why Fred gave you his jersey – Oliver must have mentioned that he was giving his to Gabrielle to wear. First it was practices, then the double date, and now game days. This was for Oliver and Gabrielle. 

Even if that is what this is, you can’t deny the look on Fred’s face when he spots you. You swore you saw him scanning the crowd, looking for you. And when he finds you, he gets the brightest smile you’ve seen from him in a while. Then there’s a yell from Oliver to get into position and Fred’s game face takes over. 

Fred plays better than you’ve ever seen. He’s everywhere and all of his hits are going exactly where he wants them to. And he still has the time to look your way. Sure, he’s looked your way during a match before, but this felt different. You know it’s because he’s pretending to be your boyfriend. The looks aren’t as platonic, if that’s possible. It’s strange that he can make miniscule changes in his expression to convey a deeper meaning that you understand from across the pitch. 

Just as predicted, Hufflepuff doesn’t stand a chance. The score is heavily in Gryffindor’s favor when Harry catches the snitch. You join the rest of the Gryffindors in storming the pitch to congratulate the team. You feel yourself being shoved toward Fred, who picks you up in a bone-crushing hug to spin you around. You let out a giddy laugh that Fred mirrors. Like usual at this point, when he sets you back down, his arm is left slung over your shoulder and your arm is loosely around his waist. Once again, you feel that if anyone was still doubting the status of your relationship with Fred, they wouldn’t now. 

You remain at Fred’s side as he talks with everyone congratulating him on the win. He’s basking in the attention and you can’t help but smile up at him. It’s nice to see your best friend so happy. You miss the knowing look that George gives Fred after seeing you like that. 

Under Fred’s arm you stay until the pitch empties out and the team starts disappearing into the locker room to put away their things before returning to the common room. 

“I’ll see you up there, love,” Fred says softly as he lets go of you.

You smile and wave to him. Just like that Monday practice, Fred watches you walk away until you’re out of sight before going into the locker room. He smiles to himself. He doesn’t even care that George sees him looking like a fool. 

You’ve chosen one of the arm chairs by the fire to sit in while you wait for the team. Can’t really have a party to celebrate their win without them. You’re just observing the other Gryffindors when you feel a hand on your shoulder.

“You must be good for him,” Percy says. “Never seen Fred play that well.”

You’re not sure if Percy’s ever actually spoken to you before, besides the occasional side note of telling you to try to keep your friends out of trouble. Like you could control them. 

“Thank you?” you say, it sounding more like a question than anything. 

He nods and walks away. Okay, weird encounter. You shake your head and turn to people-watching. 

A roar of cheers announces the team’s arrival with Oliver and Harry leading the bunch. Anyone who hadn’t gotten the chance to congratulate them on the pitch is crowding them now, clapping hands on their shoulders and backs. Somehow, through the masses, Fred spots you and makes his way toward your chair. You suddenly realize that you haven’t congratulated him yet. 

“You played really well,” you say, grinning up at him.

“I know,” he replies casually, sitting down on the couch right next to you. “Come ‘ere. Let George or Lee sit there.”

You roll your eyes but get up anyway. He grabs your waist and pulls you into his lap. You hadn’t realized that’s what he meant by “Come here.” His lap. You’d sat next to Fred during post-quidditch parties before, but never in his lap. This is new territory that you’re unable to leave because Fred’s got his arm anchored around your waist. 

When George and Lee make their way to the armchair and couch, they are both carrying two drinks. Lee hands one to you and George hands the other to Fred. 

“Thank you very much,” Fred says, enunciating each word. 

“So, Y/N, what have you been doing to him?” Lee asks.

You give him a pointed yet confused look.

“Fred’s accuracy has never been that good.”

You lean forward as much as you can with Fred’s arm holding you in place. 

“What if I told you I tampered with the bludgers?”

“Only to respond to Fred’s bat then? Georgie’s aim could’ve been better.”

“Oi!” George exclaims, looking insulted.

“He’s not wrong,” Fred says with a laugh. 

That was the joke that kept coming back for the rest of the day as your quartet lounged around. The rest of the common room was filled with louder conversation and music. Drinks were passed around and refilled. Someone at some point went to get snacks for everyone. It wasn’t the wildest party Gryffindor’s thrown but it was good. It felt nice to just sit and be held by Fred. 

And then an up-beat, high-tempo song comes. It gets the attention of several people and suddenly, the area behind the couch is filled with people dancing. 

You lean backwards to whisper into Fred’s ear, “Care to dance?” 

He nods and loosens his grip on your waist, allowing you to get up. You grab his head and lead him to where the dancing is happening. You don’t think about what you’re doing. All you know is that the music is very danceable. It’s easy to match the energy of the people around you. And it’s even easier when Fred’s hands find your hips to hold your body closer to his, moving in sync. 

For half a second, you want to take a step backwards and say, ‘Leave room for Merlin’ with a laugh. But you remember that you’re still leaning into the dating rumors. You let Fred continue to move your body, even if it made your heart pound in a way you didn’t want to think about. Song after song, you’re up against Fred. You’ve never been this close to him, never been able to feel his body, his muscles like this, never been able to smell his cologne this strongly. (Why they showered in the locker rooms after games and not practices is lost on you.)

Eventually, you tire and drag Fred back to the couch. Lee and George have disappeared elsewhere so it’s just you and him. And a few other Gryffindors but you weren’t talking to them. He sits down first and pulls you back into his lap, resuming how you were before you got up to dance. 

“You’re still in my jersey,” Fred mutters as his fingers play with the hem of it.

“I didn’t know if I should’ve changed after the game.”

“You decided correctly.”

“Gabrielle still wearing Oliver’s?”

“I’d assume so… Although I haven’t seen them in a while so she might not be anymore…” His voice trails off as he waggles his eyes.

“Oh my Godric! You did not need to go there!” 

He laughs. “But you know it’s true.”

“And you know I didn’t need to think about Oliver naked.” 

“Are you thinking about…” A mischievous glint sparkles in Fred’s eyes. “Wood’s wood?”

You slap his shoulder, which only makes him laugh louder. 

“You are disgusting, Fred Weasley.” 

“Maybe I just wanted to see you blush,” he says teasingly. 

It’s then that you realize his comment did make you blush. You hide your face in his shoulder. The arm that’s wrapped around you gives you a little squeeze. 

“Ah, come on, love. I’m just teasin’. You know that.” 

“I do,” you mumble into his shoulder. “I just don’t talk about people’s… wood with you guys.” 

Now Fred’s desperately trying to get your face out of his shoulder, moving it backwards and using his other hand to create space between your cheek and his shoulder.

“Are you saying you discuss that with not guys?” he asks with a cheeky grin. 

Your blush deepens to match the jersey you’re wearing. 

“Oh my Merlin, you do!” 

You groan loudly and attempt to hide your face again, but Fred doesn’t let you.

“Tell me, does mine come up?” 

Despite his grip on you, you rip yourself off of his lap. You did not need to tell Fred that, yes, you and your roommates had discussed what you thought each guy in your year was packing. Those were conversations that are better left in the confines of your dorm. You decide that that’s enough for the night. You’ve danced, drank and chatted. You can go to bed without anyone calling you a party pooper. 

But then Fred’s arm is around your waist again and he’s directing you to the boys’ stairs rather than the girls’.

“Weasley,” you warn quietly. 

A quick glance over your shoulder has you seeing George, Lee and their other roommate, Kenneth. Still, Fred continues to push you up the stairs and into their dorm. Your mind is spinning. What was he expecting?

He closes the door behind you and then lays down on his bed. His eyes flutter closed. You stand by the door, unmoving for a minute.

“You going to stand there all night?” he asks, not opening his eyes. 

“I… I hope you’re not… ah, expecting anything?” 

He pats the area on his bed next to him. You reluctantly sit on the edge of the bed near where he patted. You’re sitting too far away for Fred’s liking. You’d laid on his bed before. It was always his bed you laid on when the four of you hung out in their dorm. Kenneth was often banished the moment you showed up. 

“Y/N, I’m going to jump or anything,” Fred says, peeking through his eyelids to see you sitting just within arms reach. “If that’s what you’re thinking… Because of what I said downstairs…”

“Yeah…” you murmur.

Then you move more onto his bed and recline slowly. You’re both laying on your backs, shoulder to shoulder. Fred’s got his hands behind his head and you’re hugging yourself. 

After a few minutes of silence, you ask, “So why couldn’t I go to my dorm?” 

“Wasn’t done hanging out with you.” 

You snort a laugh. “Right.”

“I made a dumb comment, yeah? And then you go hide away for the rest of the night? Nah.”

“Nah,” you echo softly. “So you figure that you’ll drag me up here to what?” 

He hums. “This.”

“Stare at your canopy?”

“I guess.” He pauses before adding, “Anything really. ‘S my job to keep you from hiding in your dorm all night.”

“It’s a perfectly reasonable time to go to bed!” 

“You’d be doing homework! Reading your Transfiguration book or something.”

“And this is so much better?” 

“Yes.” 

Silence falls between you again, but it isn’t awkward or uncomfortable. Thank goodness Fred’s your best friend or you’re certain it would be uncomfortable to lay next to him like this. There’s a question that you keep turning over in your mind that you can’t bring yourself to ask. You want to know how long Fred plans on pretending to be your boyfriend. Should you be pretend-breaking it off soon so that your friend group can stay intact without being weird? Do George and Lee know it’s fake? Lee didn’t appear to know it was, but maybe he was acting earlier. But as you lay next to Fred, now doesn’t feel like the right time to ask him. 

When his breathing evens out to shallow breaths, you look over at him. He is most definitely sleeping. You smile at his peaceful form. Then you get up and quietly leave his dorm. You’re not sure what time it is, but you’re trying to be sneaky. You are leaving the boys’ dorms after a party and that could start some more rumors if you aren’t careful. You think you’ve successfully switched from the boys’ stairs to the girls’ when a hand grabs your bicep. 

“Y/N.” 

George. 

You turn and give him a polite smile. 

“Um, you know you could’ve spent the night,” he says rather sheepishly. “Me and Lee, we don’t mind. And Towler can deal.” 

So maybe George doesn’t know it was fake. 

“Thanks, George, but I think it’s too soon to be spending the night,” you say. 

He nods and lets go of your arm, like he didn’t realize he was still holding onto it. You head up the rest of the stairs. Maybe you should ask Fred at some point what he did tell George and Lee about this faux relationship. 

---

You never can ask him. You can’t bring yourself to ask Fred when this is going to end, how it’s going to end and what did he tell your friends. The moment never feels right. 

It doesn’t help that pretending to be Fred’s girlfriend gets easier with each passing day. It’s just like being best friends, but on overdrive. There are also more times when Fred leaves George and Lee behind to find you, to hang out with you. He’s even gone to the library to study with you when you needed extra books for an assignment. 

The one thing that might have had people second guessing your relationship was a lack of public kissing. There was the occasional kiss pressed to your hairline or your forehead or your cheek, but that was it. The top of the head kisses weren’t new. Fred and George had given you those over the years as you helped with pranks or various homework assignments. But the first time Fred kissed your cheek, it left you more flustered than you would ever admit. It was the most genuine affection you had ever received from a boy. It wasn’t followed by an off-hand ‘you’re the best.’ No. The kiss had been placed on your cheek right before Fred left breakfast early, having forgotten his homework in his dorm. It was a goodbye kiss that you hadn’t been expecting. A goodbye kiss that had you hiding behind your mug for the rest of breakfast, willing your blush to disappear. 

You went to Hogsmeade with Fred, George and Lee. They went into Zonko’s, leaving you to either follow them around for at least an hour in that shop or go off on your own for a bit. You chose the latter, not caring to look over the same products that they would spend another hour in their dorm later showing you. You wander around for a little bit before going into Spintwitches. You’re not exactly sure why, but you were drawn inside. You look around, thinking about how Fred really had been performing better this term.

You stop in front of the beater section of the store. In the middle of the display is a new bat that you’ve heard Fred talk about for months. He even wrote about it in his letters to you over the summer. Something about it having better grip and a special weight distribution to help with aim. You’re not really sure what made it all that special, but you’re sure that Fred wants it. You barely glance at the cost before telling the shopkeep that you’d like to buy it. 

You claim a booth in the Three Broomsticks and wait for the boys. Meeting them there after their Zonko’s visit was the usual plan and sure enough, after fifteen minutes or so, they appear. 

“Got you somethin’,” you say casually as Fred slides onto the bench next to you. 

His eyes go wide as you place the box in front of him. George has an identical look on his face, staring at the box.

“Y/N… you shouldn’t have…” 

“You’ve been eyeing it for months. Plus, isn’t this what girlfriends do? Spoil our boyfriends?” you say with a teasing lilt. 

Fred pulls you into a tight hug and whispers, “Leaning into it now, are you?”

“Mhmm,” you hum. “Now, you really owe me.”

Fred chuckles as he pulls back.

“No, really, Y/N, thank you.” 

“Wait, where’s mine?” George asks. “I want a new bat!”

“Get a girlfriend, then mate,” Lee laughs.

For the rest of the time that you’re in Hogsmeade, Fred keeps stealing glances at you. You don’t notice, nor do you notice the way that when he does look at you, it’s with the softest look, full of adoration. 

In your head, you know that Fred doesn’t owe you. If he was your real boyfriend, you would’ve bought the bat for him without a second thought. You would’ve suffered through as many Madam Puddifoot’s dates with Oliver and Gabrielle as he needed you to. You would spend the night in his dorm, rather than leave when he falls asleep. You would do anything for him. 

---

It’s about halfway through December when something changes. 

“Y/N!” Fred calls from across the corridor. He didn’t have a class last period and it looks like he’s been waiting for you. He jogs up to you. “Mum wants to know when you’ll be joining us at the Burrow.”

You look taken aback. You shake your head briefly to shake the confused look from your features.

“I didn’t know I was coming to the Burrow?”

“You’re my girlfriend. Of course you’re coming to the Burrow,” he says like it’s common knowledge. 

You grab his arm and pull into the nearest alcove, away from the students now filling the corridor. 

“Fake girlfriend. I didn’t know that this extended past the wall of Hogwarts?” 

Fred runs an anxious hand through his hair. “Well, I mean, Ginny’s written to Mum about you. I think Perc has mentioned you too.. You have to come. I think Mum would murder me if I broke up with you right before Christmas.” 

“Merlin, Fred!” you sigh exasperated, throwing your head back and reaching to run a hand through your own hair. 

“Did it get a bit out of hand? Yes. But… I mean… I’m not complaining.”

“You got a happy captain and a new bat. You have no reason to complain.” 

He huffs a laugh. “I have one reason to complain.”

“Really?” you say disbelievingly. 

You cross your arms and give Fred an expectant look.

“Yes, a happy captain is good and the new bat was a widely unexpected plus. But spending time with you and seeing you in my jersey? Fuck Y/N…” He paused momentarily, giving you the brief impression that spending time with you was his complaint. “My complaint is that you keep saying this is fake.” 

Your expression immediately scrunches into something resembling confusion. 

“Because it is? You said I’m your friend who is a girl. You called this fun.” You try to take in Fred’s unreadable expression. “Isn’t that all it’s been? Just fun to mess with people for believing a rumor? And to make Oliver happy?”

“That’s… That’s certainly how it started.”

A beat passes.

“And now?” you ask. 

“I don’t think I can go back to being just friends.”

Oh. 

“This… more than friends… I want it. I want it with you.”

Oh.

He stares into your eyes for a few seconds, searching for something, some kind of reaction beyond shock. Then he leans in quickly. The kiss is soft, gentle and barely there. But it happened. His lips touched yours and now you’re breathless. 

He takes a step back and presses his lips together for a moment. He’s still watching you. 

“Y/N… please say something,” he whispers.

Right, words. You need to say those. You open your mouth but all that comes out is a squeak. 

“Is… Is that a good noise? Bad noise? Should I be running? Groveling? Going to tell George and Lee I just ruined our group?”

“Burrow,” you manage to say.

You want to disappear on the spot. That’s the word you went with? Your brain must’ve short circuited because that didn’t answer a single one of Fred’s flurry of questions. Except he seems to understand what you meant as he sighs with a small smile playing at his lips. 

“Mum’s not expecting you to stay for the whole time. Honestly, I think she’d love to have you for one day. I’d like to have you there for a few days, but I know I kinda sprung this on you and you probably already have plans with your family.”

You nod. You don’t trust yourself to speak just yet. Not when your last attempt ended up with you saying ‘Burrow.’ Fred watches intently as you walk deeper into the alcove and sit down beneath the window. He cautiously sits next to you, unsure of what else to do. 

“How long?” you ask quietly.

“As long as you want to stay. Mum loves hosting people.”

You shake your head and take a deep breath.

“When did it stop being fake for you?” you ask, clarifying your previous question.

“Oh…” he says with a sharp breath. “When you started regularly coming to practice. 

That wasn’t long after this whole thing started, you realize. It was before he even gave you his jersey. Before you randomly gifted him a new beater’s bat. So this whole semester that you’ve been having to remind yourself that it’s fake, he’s been having to do the same thing?

“Love, can you say something?” he asks, his voice shaky and unsure. “Where do we stand?” 

“I… I kept saying it was fake to remind myself that it was, that we were doing this for fun.”

Fred waits a moment for you to say more, but when you don’t, he asks again, “So where do we stand?”

“You don’t need to tell George and Lee that you ruined the friend group. As long as you don’t break my heart.” 

tags: @navs-bhat

[widowlyy]

💉 Uncongratulations, Unthank You

analysis. Money was hard, especially working as a waitress fulltime for income. Especially when your wife is an alcoholic who wastes all your earned money on beer and gambling. When you find out you're pregnant, you couldn't think your day could be worse until you find out your new doctor is an agitating, adorable, dork. pairings. Natasha Romanoff x Maria Hill (married), Hela x Reader (married), Natasha Romanoff x Reader (cheating, affair later on), Reader x Wanda Maximoff x Rio Vidal (iconic platonic trio) warnings. alcohol consumption, hints of manipulative relationship, unwanted pregnancy

an. uploading again due to catching up on challenge, i know denny wenny was excited for this one. @thewidowsledger

tags. @fxckmiup @ihartnat @scarlettbitchx @moimmmm

wc. 2.3k

Your hands kneaded the dough softly as you finished mixing the ingredients. Sugar, butter, flour. Sugar, butter, flour. Your thoughts were quiet, nauseous enough as you put the pie in the oven to bake. Clapping your hands together as you put the already made pies towards the counter near the burners where Agatha would scramble eggs, before the sound of a door opening had your senses widen.

“What’s the flavor today?” Agatha asked as she went to check on the supplies for eggs, tomatoes, anything else she would require for today. Her dark hair pulled up in a messy bun with a blue cap on, blue polo and jeans. You quirked a brow before wittily replying.

“My day has been shit pie,” You snarked slightly, checking the time as you tied the white sash over your waist atop of the short pink dress you wore for the work uniform. Your hair was put in two dutch braids which ended off in a neat ponytail, swallowing slightly as you saw the glare.

“Y/N,” Agatha responded sharply, before you rolled your eyes, “Honey my Blackberry Exploded pie,”

Agatha sighed, she wiped the counters before the ding of the door cut off the tension as a familiar ginger walked in followed by a darker-haired woman.

“You two are late,” Agatha scolded as Wanda came to hug you as she kissed your cheek in greeting. Rio scoffed, snapping out, “You can kiss my ass, there’s no such thing as late,” 

Agatha glared, before grumbling, tossed you three a washcloth and washing sprays as you started cleaning. Customers started walking in, and at your station Fury had sat himself down, Nicholas J. Fury, the man who started this diner himself. Fury’s diner and pie shop, you put the cleaning utensils away and grabbed a menu for the elder.

“Good morning Nick, what would you like today?” You offered, handing him the menu as he looked up at you before he started his rant.

“It’s too hot in here Y/N, can you turn the air on,” Cranky as usual, you patted his shoulder and reassuringly smiled.

“I’ll tell Agatha,” You reassured, before he snapped back, “Tell Agatha it’s too hot in here, anyways. I’d like my eggs scrambled, the ‘Honey my Blackberry Exploded’ and tomato on the side. I want the tomato on a separate plate,”

You scribbled that down in the notepad, nodding before you added on, “And to drink?”

“Coffee, but I want water to come first. Coffee comes with the meal, not before, not after. With the meal,” Fury stated, you felt more nauseous than ever. The bile in your throat threatening everything, “The coffee has to come with the meal, Y/N, what’s the matter, am I making you that sick?” 

You rushed out of the main room to the bathroom, Agatha stepped out from the kitchen, “Hey! Y/N, where are you going? You have a customer to serve!” Wanda dropped everything and followed, Rio lifted the finger to Agatha before waltzing into the bathroom after the two of you and Agatha snapped out, “Get back to work!” “Make me bitch!” The familiar bickering between Rio and Agatha started to occur, Agatha who pouted had grumbled, “Don’t make me say it again!” Silence emitted from the bathroom, the cook tapped her foot against the flooring before continuing on, “You’re getting one more chance!” …

“I can dock your pay!” Hopelessly, she was bickering with a wall at this point. Rolling her eyes as she walked back into the kitchen.

You were in a cubicle hunched over before walking out. Going to the sink to wash your hands, hands found your shoulders before you murmured out, “I’m fine Wands, really, we need to go,” You spun away from the ginger before Rio grabbed you and spun you around while slamming a box into your chest back to the cubicle with a lifted brow. Concern was on her face before tutting out, “We aren’t leaving until you pee on the stick,” A groan had left your lips, taking the pregnancy test with you to the cubicle. Stress was consuming you, after you did your business. You went over to the sink and set a timer on your phone, before going back to the three before complaining, “It was a stupid mistake! I was drunk, I shouldn’t of slept with Hela,” The mention of your wife had you recoil, you don’t know what changed, was it the alcohol? You pushed your face into your hands as a sigh left your lungs, Wanda rubbed your shoulders before offering out, “Look, you need to leave Hela. She ain’t good,” “I have no money Wands, she takes everything just for bottles of beer, if I leave her I have nowhere to go,” You told the two again, shaking your head, “Hela wasn’t always like this, she’s just going through something,” 

“Look, dump her, you can stay with me,” Wanda suggested again, eyes roaming over to Rio for help as the woman shrugged, before Rio added on, “Especially for that baby,” “I’m not pregnant, it’s going to be negative!” You snapped, the ringing went off. Before you knew it you were on your feet and moving to the sink. Picking up the test, two lines. You groaned and threw the test in the trash before sighing, “I’ll figure something out, I promise, but let’s just go,” s soft and reassuring for you before you shook your head, “No I can’t possible do this, I’ll be fine, the test is negative,”

“Honey, positive or negative you need to get out of there,” Rio added on, a brow quirked before the ringer sounded from your phone. You walked over and flipped the test over and you felt everything slow.

Sugar. Butter. Flour.

You walked out of the bathroom after the two, noticing your spouse sitting among the stools at the bar. You went on over, hands slightly shaky before asking softly, “Hela? Honey? What are you doing here, you’re supposed to be working,”

“Well I quit that job, Stark said I was late, complains I’m always late. I don’t fucking care!” She snapped out, rough hands grabbing your soft hands, eyes softening as a pie was slid between the two of you, and she took a bite.

“How much money are you making? Because this won’t do,” A frown found your lips, worry finding your mindset as you opened your pouch and handed her the dollars.

“You said my pie is so good I could open up my own pie shop,” You murmured, a questioning look found your face before your wife actually looked you in the eyes. She scoffed.

“Well, I only said that back then so I could butter you up and put a ring on your finger, now give me my kiss,” You leaned in, pressing a peck against Hela’s cheek. She ran a hand over your hips before asking, “What’s going on with you? All the sudden your tits are bigger, are you doing some sorcery to make me fuck you more?”

You winced, letting out a quiet sigh at her antics. It wasn’t until Hela stood, pressing a haste kiss against your lips before pulling back, “well, I’m going out to the casino, I’ll see you soon,”

And just like that, your wife left the diner. You pulled out your phone and went outside for a moment, calling your local doctors office to schedule an appointment after your shift. Taking a moment to process everything before you turn to go in the kitchen, snagging the ingredients that your doctor loved. Baking a quick pie before you went back to work.

Sugar. Butter. Flour.

Your mind was racing, a freshly made pie was sitting in your hands and you couldn’t help but think that everyone’s eyes were on you, talking about you. Knocked up. You saw how some heads ducked in to talk, you swallowed before a nurse walked out, “Y/N,” As your name was called, you stood up. Following the nurse, after getting your height and weight you were led into a room and you sat on the examination table, common questions were asked before you had your bloodwork done. What were you kidding? If you were actually pregnant what would you do? Your spouse was a wreck, you were hardly surviving on money and worst of all is that you don’t want this baby. The pie was held in your lap as you waited for Doctor Danvers, it wasn’t until a knock sounded and the door opened to show a stranger. Who the hell was this woman? She was fit, biceps slightly showing through the white coat and her hair was neatly tied back in a bun.

“Ms.L/N,” She pronounced your last name wrong, and as your brows pinched and jaw opened about to correct her she stumbled over her feet and the stool that was near the examination table as she slipped, caught herself with her hand on the floor and pushed herself up. “It’s L/N,” You retorted, noticing her scratch the back of her neck, a brow furrowed. Just as she was about to apologize you snapped out, “Where is Doctor Danvers?” “Errrm, right, Doctor Danvers is.. semi-retired?” She responded to your question, green eyes analyzing your frame. You were gorgeous, but she mentally slapped herself. She was married with a wife, and she shuffled, “I’m the new doctor here, Doctor Romanoff, two weeks in, from New York, originally Russia,” “I don’t care where you’re from! You are not my doctor,” You snapped, cutting her off and sending Natasha a glare that could shatter glass as you roughly turned your head away. 

“Okay, if you are that uncomfortable with me as your new doctor, can I refer you to someone else local?” She asked, eyes flitting over to the pastry in your lap as you slid it off of your thighs before you shook your head. Giving up, you dragged a hand down your face in exasperation. “No, it’s fine, but you’re not my doctor,” You grumbled, and she noted how stubborn you were. She held the clipboard and sat down on the stool that she tripped over. A brow quirked. “So, why are you in here today, Mrs.L/N,” She once again pronounced your last name incorrectly, it was agitating. Maybe a little bit cute, but mostly agitating. You nibbled on your bottom lip to help with the stress before dropping the bomb.

“I’m pregnant,” You rumbled grumpily, arms wrapping around your lower abdomen.

“Congratulations!” She enthusiastically added on after your statement, but she took a note to sit her ass back down when you looked back over and glared at her.

“I’m not happy about it, I don’t want it,” You snapped, seeing her eyes fill with concern. It wasn’t the first time she heard it, but coming from a gorgeous woman like you brought up a surprise.

“So, I can refer you to–,” “No, I’m keeping it, I’m not that cruel,” You murmured out sheepishly after, fingers picking at the beds of your nails as you exhaled softly, before the harsher voice came out, “it’s not a party though,” “Okay,” She murmured, clicking her pen and writing down in the notes box of her sheet, before mumbling quietly enough for you to hear, “it is not a party,” Another knock sounded on the door, and Doctor Romanoff stood up and went to the door to gather the file the nurse handed her. A small conversation picked up, you listened quietly before the door shut again and the redhead walked behind you back to her stool and opened the file. “So, Ms.L/N,” Finally she pronounced your last name right, a sigh left your lips as you rubbed your temples with your fingers before she announced, “You’re pregnant! Uncongratulations!”

“Unthank you!” You retorted back, biting down sharply on your tongue before you groaned to yourself. “The receptionist will hand you a packet of dos and don'ts, alongside good and bad foods. No coffee, alcohol, much more,” Natasha told you, she stood up and patted you on the shoulder before you slammed the pie into her chest carefully so it would not make a mess. “Here, have it, it was Doctor Danver’s favorite pie. Honey with roasted walnuts and a hint of marshmallow,” You murmured softly, eyes meeting Natasha’s before she nervously chuckled. “I don’t really eat pastries or sugar-y foods that much anymore. Not good for me,I kinda wanna live long” She held the pie in one hand, and scratched the back of her neck in the other. “Well my mama told me that you can live for as long as you like as long as you do what your heart wants you to do,” You pouted, eyes daring the doctor to decline your offer as she sighed. Giving in and setting it to the side. “Okay, I’ll take it, just call me or the office if you have any concerns or questions,” She spoke softly. Eyes soft, before she was going to go to the door you spoke out again.

“How pregnant am I?” you asked softly, turning slightly to look at the doctor. “Very much pregnant,” She responded, turning her shoulder slightly to get another look at you You scoffed, before groaning out, “I meant weeks,” “Oh! Oh! Sorry, weeks, about eight so you have a while,” She answered, before opening the door and holding it for you to leave. “Please Y/N, do call if you need anything,” She said softly, you simply nodded before leaving. Her eyes shut as she closed the door and pressed her forehead into the wood. Taking a moment to process, before turning to the pie. She bit on her lower lip, she really shouldn’t. Innocently looking at it before locking the door and grabbing a fork. Placing the utensil back down as she debated.

After a bit, she lifted it up and dug it into the pastry and took a bite. Moaning at the flavorful tastes on her tongue, it was delicious. Spooning mouthfuls as she favored the dish, now she knew who to rely on for pies. In hope you don’t go to another doctor. 

[chez-cinnamon]

Loving your game master AU!! Do Caine and Kinger get together before Queenie comes back or after? You said it’d be a friends to rivals to lovers situation, would it also be a slow burn? And is Queenie with Caine romantically or platonically?

Thank you!! <3 Yeah, Caine and Kinger are a couple when Queenie comes back, and they're very much in a rhythm by the time she's revived. It took some time to get there, with Pomni and Kinger trying to get Caine to work through his anxiety and jealousy and eventually it works out for the best!

As for Caine and Queenie's relationship-

It's very much romantic !! Thanks to this fic which you should REALLY check out, I now HC that Checkmates and Caine were a trio pre Queenie's abstraction, with Caine crushing on them w/o understanding what the feeling was, and Checkmates crushing on him but unsure on how to bring it up to the other spouse

[livelaughloveluffy]

being with monkey d. luffy

a/n: whatever the opposite of writer's block is, thats what i have, its like a disease. i cant stop writing 😭😭😭 so here's the luffy version of my little romantic headcannons!!! i'm planning on posting a zoro version a little later, because i might as well make a set for the monster trio 😌

nothing but fluff here 💗

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- luffy, who simply just radiates joy. he lights up a room the second he walks into it, with his stupid, silly, gorgeous, wide smile plastered across his face.

- his dire need for constant closeness and physical touch. even platonically, luffy couldn't keep his hands off of you. his arms, each respectively resting over your shoulders, his chin on top of your head as he stands behind you looking down to see what you're working on. when he got too excited to bump into you on the sunny, instantly pulling you into a tight hug

- his laugh, the most wholeheartedly pure sound that has ever graced your ears. music pales in comparison to luffy's laugh, what a high honor it is to hear on the daily

- his pure and unfaltering commitment to you. the second monkey d. luffy decides you are important and he wants you in his life, he's holding on to you for dear life and never letting go, he'd wage war, travel the world, fight gods, just to get to you

- but you know you really have him when, one evening on the sunny, crowded around the dinner table when he snatched the last piece of meat, only to turn to you with a cheeky smile and say "you need to eat up!!" and place it on your plate instead

oh how i dream of being loved by and loving monkey d. luffy....

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a/n: the "giving you his food instead" is so unbelievably true its practically luffy's own personal trope 😭😭😭 i couldn't resist adding it to this list 😭😭

a/n: enjoyed this fic? here's my masterlist!!

[simp999]

Lazy Day.

Knuckles The Echidna (movie/tv series) x reader

Sypnosis: Imagine being the first person to help knuckles finally truly relax.

Series: Knuckles (tv series)/ The Sonic Movies

Wc: 1.1k

Themes: Fluff, comfort, can be seen as platonic or romantic.

Note: Takes place in episode 1 of the Knuckles series

Masterlist

“That’s it, I’m gonna be late for work. You two,” Mrs. Wakowski gestures towards Sonic and Tails, “keep away from Knuckles.” 

“Roger that!” Sonic salutes dramatically, and Tails follows suit,

“Noted, Mrs. Wakowski,”

Mrs. Wakowski manages to phone another friend to give her a ride to work, still fuming, while Sonic shrugs and figures he’ll spend time with Tails. They leave the house to go for a walk- it was a beautiful day after all. Sonic picks up baseball gloves and a ball on the way out of the house, and Tails swishes his tails in excitement when he spots the objects, setting foot out of the house.

A few minutes later you walk in through the doors, a few bags in hand. 

“Hellooo!” You call out.

With no response, you raise a brow. Usually, the trio greets you. You then remember Mrs. Wakosky having work, but that still doesn’t explain the other three. You shrug it off, unloading the groceries on the countertop. You wash a bowl of grapes, walking around with them on the search for your favorite echidna. 

You first check out the workout room, but he’s nowhere to be found. Then, the couch where you’re expecting to find Sonic and tails, but still nothing. Eventually you make it to the attic where Knuckles resides, a grape being tossed into your mouth.

“Knux?” 

He grunts in response, not bothering to turn his head towards you. You tilt your head at him, raising a brow. Then you finally ask him what’s on your mind;

“Knux, what are you doing on the floor?”

“I have been grounded.”

You think for a moment, then chuckle.

“Hun, that doesn’t mean you have to lie on the ground. I expected you to be the type to still train or work out while grounded,”

“I cannot go to the workout area,”

“Are you making up excuses? You? Surely you can still do pushups-and sit-ups,” you teased. 

He swiftly sits up, exclaiming; “You are a genius!” 

You giggle as he sets off to start doing pushups, doing them at an ungodly speed. You always were impressed by his strength, praising him often. Although he claimed that your praises meant nothing, you couldn’t help but notice the way he smiled and sped up whatever exercise he was doing at the time.

You watched him for a little while longer, eating your grapes before getting an idea. You stood next you him and he paused his now one-handed pushups, looking up at you, 

“What do you want?” You knew he didn’t mean to sound rude, so you smiled and replied, “I was just thinking- what if I sat on your back as an extra challenge?”

You’ve done it before, he was the one to ask you to do it last time. 

“Excellent idea! Though, that is no challenge for me.” 

He got back into pushup position, and you quietly sat on his upper back, attempting to balance. Once he counted 10 more pushups, your hand hovered in front of his mouth, grape in hand. He froze for a second, analyzing it, before taking a bite and humming. From then on, you offered him a grape for every 10 pushups. It seemed like a good way to keep him going, as he seemed to speed up.

Once the bowl of grapes was finished, you encouraged him to take a break. It wasn’t easy of course, but you got him to hold off on pushups until you came back with a bowl of other fruit- peaches, apple slices, and mangoes. You came back only to find him doing sit-ups. You sighed and he told you between soft grunts- “I am not doing pushups, like you asked.”

“Well- yes, but the whole point was to give you a small break. How about let’s pause for a little and spend some time together instead?”

He squinted at you, glancing over at your soft smile- one he couldn’t resist. You grabbed a few pillows and blankets from around the house while you got Knuckles to pick a movie that he’d be interested in. When you came back, he hadn’t chosen one, claiming that he only wanted to watch something you would enjoy. Very sweet and all, but you wanted to make sure he didn’t just get up and start working out halfway through the movie. So, you picked three movies of varying genres, and he picked the action one out of them- the one you already assumed he’d like most.

As it played in the background, you asked him what had gotten him grounded. 

“The blue hedgehog wants me to ‘relax,’” he answered with air quotes.

You nod, humming, focusing on the movie. After you’d gotten all snuggled up in the blankets and pillows, he sat a few feet away from you.

“You don’t have to be a stranger, y’know. Come on, sit closer,” You muttered in a low voice, not wanting to talk over the movie too much. He contemplated for a moment, sitting much closer to you now. You offer him an apple slice, holding it to his lips. 

It doesn’t take long before he’s asking you about the movie and why people are doing certain regular human things, you enjoying his short excited comments. He punches the air and kicks his feet when he’s excited over a scene in the movie, too adorable. 

Eventually, he gets tired out and you feel a weight on your shoulder. You smile at the scene before you- you’ve never seen him so calm and peaceful. You’ve seen him happy, you loved playing games with him and the boys, but this was different. Seeing him sleeping was something unusual, as he rarely slept around others. ‘This must mean he feels completely comfortable,’ you thought with a content expression.

You lean back, putting the plate of snacks aside, and his head falls to your chest. As it rises and falls, he snuggles into you in his sleep. You begin to gently pet his fur, taking a moment to press a soft kiss to it. He wraps his arms further around you, tugging you impossibly closer, then loosening his grip. 

It doesn’t take long for you to follow him into dreamland, soft snores emitting from you. Your hand still on his quills, head resting on the pillow behind you.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Hours later, Sonic, Tails, and Mrs. Wakowski come back home only to find knuckles relaxing in your hold.

“Huh, I can’t believe I didn’t think of that. He does always seem to calm down around them.”

“I knew they had a thing for eachother!”

“Sonic! Shh, let them rest,”

Tails quietly closes the door, letting the two of you relax in eachother’s arms.

.

.

.

April.26.24

[mercillery]

SUMMARY OF REQUEST: You, a half-blind witch, form a sibling-like bond with Luffy, Ace, and Sabo after a chance meeting in your childhood, sharing joyous moments together. However, when your magic accidentally destroys villagers’ homes, fear and guilt convince you that witches like you don’t belong in society. To protect the boys, you choose to leave them behind. Years later, they reunite with you—no longer the sweet, innocent sister they cherished but a feared “wicked witch,” shaped by the world’s rejection. Luffy, Ace, and Sabo, now fiercely protective of you, refuse to let you go again, regardless of what it takes.

NOTES: Sorry this took so long! I hope I pulled off the platonic Yandere thing well. It’s been a while since I’ve written, haha.

WARNINGS: FEMALE READER + NOT PROOFREAD

You, a half-blind young witch with a knack for avoiding trouble (or so you tell yourself), are peacefully gathering herbs in the forest near Grey Terminal. You’re humming a little tune under your breath, your wand at the ready as you delicately pluck some rare leaves off a bush. The goal is simple: stay hidden, avoid the villagers who already think you’re the star of some horror story, and keep your magic under wraps.

Easy, right? Wrong.

Because when you least expect it, the whirlwind trio known as Luffy, Sabo, and Ace quite literally crash into your life.

It starts with Luffy, because of course, it does. You’re mid-spell—probably something harmless like mending a torn leaf—when you hear an enthusiastic, “HEY! What are you doing with that stick?!” His voice is so loud it might as well echo across the entire forest.

You whip around in shock, clutching your wand like it’s your lifeline. Luffy’s wide-eyed grin is already locked onto you like he’s just found the coolest treasure in the East Blue. “Wait, is that magic? Can you make me fly?!” he continues, completely ignoring the obvious panic on your face.

Sabo, ever the voice of reason, walks up behind him, his hat tilted slightly as he gives you a calm, reassuring smile. “Luffy, maybe don’t freak her out, okay? Look, you’re scaring her.” Then he turns to you, hands raised like he’s trying to show you he’s not a threat. “Hey, sorry about him. He’s just… loud. Really loud.”

But you can tell even Sabo is curious. His sharp eyes keep flicking toward your wand like he’s trying to figure out how it works. He’s calm, sure, but there’s a twinkle in his eye that says, Tell me your secrets, and I’ll tell you mine.

Then there’s Ace.

While Luffy’s practically bouncing in place and Sabo’s trying to play mediator, Ace hangs back with his arms crossed, leaning against a tree. He’s doing his best to look disinterested, but his glances toward you are far from subtle. He’s clearly curious too, but his pride won’t let him admit it.

Instead, he grumbles under his breath, “It’s just a stick. What’s the big deal?” But then he catches you shrinking back a little, clutching your wand like it’s a shield, and his expression softens just a fraction. He doesn’t say it out loud, but his thoughts are something like, If these idiots scare her off, I’ll bonk their heads.

You, meanwhile, are frozen. These three boys are loud, chaotic, and way too close for comfort. You’re used to being the weird girl that everyone avoids, not someone who suddenly has an audience. You keep your head down, trying to mumble some excuse about just gathering herbs, but Luffy isn’t having it.

“Why are you hiding your face? Are you a witch or something?!” he blurts out, completely ruining your subtle attempt to slip away unnoticed. Sabo smacks him on the head with a look that screams, Seriously? Did you have to say that?

But despite your nervousness, you can’t help but notice that they’re… different. Chaotic, definitely. But still different nonetheless.

Luffy’s unrelenting cheerfulness and total lack of judgment start to chip away at your defenses. He keeps firing off questions: “Can you turn me into a frog? What about Ace? He’d make a funny frog.” He’s impossible to ignore, and before you know it, you find yourself giggling—just a little—at his antics.

Sabo, ever observant, notices your hesitation and starts asking gentler questions, like, “So how’d you learn to use magic?” or “What are you gathering the herbs for?” He’s patient, waiting for you to answer in your own time, and you start to feel like maybe he really wants to understand.

Ace is the last to come around, but when he does, it’s in his own blunt, awkward way. “You don’t need to be scared of us,” he says one day, still leaning against that same tree, watching you quietly. “We’re not like those villagers. And if anyone bothers you, I’ll punch ‘em.” It’s not exactly poetry, but it’s enough to make you feel like maybe you don’t have to hide from them.

Over time, the three of them settle into their roles as your self-appointed guardians. Luffy is the overenthusiastic protector, ready to fight anyone who looks at you funny. “She’s my little sister now!” he declares one day, completely out of the blue.

Sabo, the logical one, tries to reign Luffy in but still makes it his mission to teach you things like self-defense and how to stand up for yourself.

Ace, though still a little gruff, is fiercely protective, always keeping an eye out for trouble—even if it means starting a fight before one even begins.

From the moment you meet the trio, they decide you're their little sister. It’s not a question, not something you get to vote on—it’s just a fact now.

“You’re stuck with us,” Luffy announces proudly one day, grinning from ear to ear. You try to argue, maybe mumble something about being fine on your own, but it’s like talking to a brick wall with too much energy???

The more time you spend with them, the more you realize that, half-blind or not, witch or not, these three couldn’t care less about the things that made you feel like an outcast. Instead, they admire you for it.

Luffy is your personal cheerleader. He’s constantly pestering you to show off your magic, bouncing in excitement every time you do. “Do the thing again! The flower thing! That was so cool!” he demands, eyes sparkling. If you try to argue that it’s not a big deal, he pouts like a child denied dessert.

The second you cave and make something levitate or bloom, he cheers so loudly it startles the birds. “You’re so cool!” he shouts, clapping like you just won the World Cup.

Ace, of course, is Ace. He teases you relentlessly, calling you a “little show-off” whenever Luffy gets his way and you perform some magical trick. But there’s an undertone to his teasing that’s almost… proud.

He’ll smirk and say something like, “Guess you’re not completely useless, huh?” but the next thing you know, he’s nudging you and whispering, “Hey, can you teach me how to do that? But don’t tell Luffy—I don’t need him getting ideas.” He even goes out of his way to help you practice in secret, keeping an eye out for nosy villagers while you experiment with spells.

And then there’s Sabo. Ever the curious intellectual, he bombards you with questions about witchcraft. “So how does it work? Is it instinct or something you have to study? What’s the difference between a potion and a spell?”

He listens intently to every answer, nodding like he’s filing the information away for future use. You suspect he’s secretly trying to find a way to combine your magic with his own cunning plans, but you let it slide. At least someone respects your craft in a way that feels… academic.

The three of them quickly become your fiercest protectors. Any time someone in the village so much as mutters the word “witch” in a tone that isn’t pure reverence, Luffy is already halfway to throwing hands. “What did you say about her?!” he yells, fists up and ready.

Ace isn’t much better—he glares daggers at anyone who dares insult you, his body practically radiating heat like he’s daring them to try something.

Sabo, ever the peacemaker, steps in to smooth things over. But even he isn’t above reminding people to watch their tongues, even if he’s a little kid.

And then there’s Ace’s quiet gestures of care. He has this uncanny ability to position himself exactly where your blind eye is, like he’s made it his personal mission to act as your missing sight.

If you’re sitting and eating together, he’ll subtly take the spot where your blind side faces, keeping watch without making a big deal about it. If you ask him about it, he’ll just shrug and mumble, “What? Someone’s gotta make sure nothing sneaks up on you.” It’s his way of protecting you without drawing too much attention to it—well, that, and he secretly likes knowing you trust him to have your back.

The four of you became a force of nature—barefoot chaos tearing through the forests, climbing trees, and building treehouses that somehow always managed to collapse halfway through construction because, surprise, Luffy would decide mid-project that “we should add a slide!” or “what if we make it taller so it touches the clouds?!”

Despite the structural failures, those rickety treehouses became your safe havens, filled with laughter, scraps of stolen food, and the occasional argument over who got to sit in the “cool corner.” Sneaking into the Grey Terminal became your second favorite activity—after surviving the treehouse disasters, of course. For the first time in your life, you didn’t feel like “the blind witch” or an outsider; you were just you.

The boys never treated your blindness or magic as weaknesses—instead, they were quirks they’d hype up endlessly. Ace would nudge you and go, “C’mon, show me that spell again. You know, the one that made Luffy trip over his own feet for an hour.”

Sabo, ever the strategist, decided to take a more practical approach: “You should learn to fight with a pipe like me,” he said one day, handing you one. “Imagine if you combined magic and combat. You’d be unbeatable!” Of course, this idea got Luffy so hyped that he tried to fight both of you at once. It ended with him tangled in vines after you accidentally cast a spell mid-sparring session.

And Luffy? Oh, Luffy was a one-man cheer squad who took his role very seriously. He’d bounce around like a rubber ball, practically yelling, “Do something cool! Do something cool!” every time you so much as looked at your wand. If you didn’t comply fast enough, he’d lean in way too close with a giant grin and plead, “Pleeeeeeease?” until you caved.

On one memorable occasion, you enchanted a stick to bop him on the head every time he spoke. Instead of being mad, he laughed so hard he cried, running in circles and yelling, “IT’S ALIVE! THIS IS AWESOME!” Sabo and Ace had to physically hold him down to stop him from naming it and keeping it as a pet.

Ace, ever the “cool big brother,” tried to play it off like he wasn’t as impressed by your magic. “Yeah, it’s okay, I guess,” he’d say with a smirk before sneaking over later to ask if you could enchant his pipe or teach him a spell.

Despite his teasing, he was the most protective of your abilities. If anyone so much as looked at you funny for being a witch, Ace would give them the most nastiest glare a child could give. And if they dared to say something out loud? Oh, boy. Let’s just say the villagers learned quickly to keep their opinions to themselves when Ace was around. He’s got a mean mouth too.

Despite the chaos and the bickering, the boys loved your optimistic view of the world. You’d sit together under the stars, your eyes shining with hope as you said things like, “Maybe one day, they’ll see witches aren’t all bad.”

Luffy would nod so earnestly it made you smile. “Yeah! And if they don’t, I’ll just punch ‘em until they do!” he’d declare with his trademark confidence. Sabo would chuckle, resting his chin in his hand. “Or we could change their minds without violence. That tends to work better,” he’d add, though his smile always carried a hint of mischief. And Ace? He’d ruffle your hair in that big-brother way of his and say, “Don’t worry about them. We’ve got your back, and that’s all you’ll ever need.”

No matter how bleak things looked, they made sure you never lost that spark of hope. “We’ll make the world better for you,” Sabo promised one night, his voice soft but sure. “For all of us.” Ace nodded, his expression unusually serious. “And anyone who tries to hurt you? They’ll have to deal with us first.” Luffy, of course, chimed in last, his voice full of unshakable determination. “You’re never gonna be alone again! We’re your big brothers now, and that means forever!”

For the first time in forever, you believed it.

One fateful day, your world turned upside down in a way none of you could have foreseen. You were playing near the edge of the village with your three chaos-bringers-turned-big-brothers, attempting a new spell you’d seen in an old grimoire.

It was meant to be harmless—a little flick of your wand, a few whispered words, and voilà! A flower blooming out of season. Easy, right? Wrong. Maybe it was the pressure of your brothers cheering (read: screaming) in the background, or maybe it was the rock a villager hurled at you while yelling, "Get out of here, witch!" Either way, your concentration shattered, and the spell spun wildly out of control.

The explosion that followed wasn’t huge, but it was big enough to leave a crater in the ground and send a nearby chicken coop flying into the air like some bizarre farm-themed firework display. Several homes suffered damage too, their walls splintering from the force, and villagers scrambled in terror. It was chaos—absolute chaos—and in the middle of it all, you stood frozen, your wand trembling in your hand, horrified at what had just happened.

“I—I didn’t mean to," you stammered, tears streaming down your cheeks as you turned toward the villagers. “I’m sorry! I swear, I didn’t mean to!” But they weren’t listening. To them, this wasn’t an accident. It was proof—proof that the strange little witch-child was dangerous and couldn’t be trusted. Their fear quickly turned to anger, and soon a mob was forming, voices shouting things like, “She’s a menace!” and “She’ll destroy the whole village if we let her stay!”

Luffy’s response was as immediate as it was predictable: rage. “HEY, SHUT UP!” he yelled, stomping toward the crowd with all the righteous fury a child could muster. “It’s not her fault! She didn’t do anything wrong!” He planted himself firmly between you and the mob, his small fists clenched at his sides, his face red with anger. “You’re all just a bunch of jerks!” he added for good measure, as if that would settle the matter.

Sabo, the ever-calm strategist, tried a different approach. “Please, listen,” he said, stepping forward with his hands raised in a gesture of peace. “It was an accident, okay? She didn’t mean to hurt anyone.” His voice was steady, reasonable, the kind of voice that made people want to stop and think. Unfortunately, reason didn’t stand much of a chance against an angry mob.

Ace, however, wasn’t interested in reasoning. While Sabo tried to talk sense into the villagers and Luffy yelled at anyone who dared to interrupt, Ace grabbed a stick from the ground, his eyes blazing with determination. “If any of you so much as look at her wrong, you’ll have to go through me first,” he growled, positioning himself directly in front of you. Despite his small stature, he looked every bit the future fire-wielding pirate he’d one day become.

The three of them stood their ground like a tiny, scrappy army of misfits. Luffy stomped his foot and shouted threats at anyone who dared to step closer. Sabo spoke with a diplomat’s calm, though his clenched fists betrayed his growing frustration. And Ace? Ace was ready to fight. If anyone so much as twitched in your direction, that stick in his hand was going to meet its mark.

Despite being just kids, they were unyielding, their loyalty to you outweighing any fear they might have felt. Luffy’s voice cracked as he shouted, “You’re not taking her! She’s our sister, and we’re gonna protect her no matter what!” Sabo, still trying to be the reasonable one, added, “If you force her to leave, you’re making a mistake. She’s not dangerous—she’s kind!” Ace, of course, kept it blunt: “If you lay a finger on her, I’ll beat you into next week.”

Despite everything the boys had done to defend you, the guilt gnawed away at you like a parasite. The villagers’ words echoed in your mind, cruel and unrelenting: “You don’t belong here. You’re a danger to everyone around you.”

No matter how much Luffy’s loud assurances, Sabo’s calm reasoning, or Ace’s fierce protection tried to drown out those accusations, they clung to you like a curse. You believed it all, convinced that you were the problem. Worse, you feared that by staying, you’d drag the boys into even more trouble.

The thought of them getting hurt because of you—it was unbearable. You imagined Luffy throwing himself into yet another fight on your behalf, Sabo pleading with people who wouldn’t listen, and Ace taking on an entire mob with nothing but his fists and his righteous fury.

Late that night, when the forest was dark and the only sounds were the rustling leaves and distant chirps of crickets, you slipped away. The moonlight guided your trembling hands as you scribbled out a tear-soaked letter. You kept it short but heartfelt, explaining your reasons:

“I can’t stay. I’m too dangerous. I love you three so much, but I can’t keep putting you in harm’s way. I need to find somewhere I can belong, somewhere I won’t hurt anyone. Please don’t come looking for me. I’m so sorry. Please take care of each other.”

You folded the letter carefully, as though it were the last piece of you you could leave behind, and placed it where you knew they’d find it. Then, clutching your wand and what little you could carry, you walked into the shadows of the forest. With every step, your chest ached as if someone had taken your heart and squeezed it until it couldn’t bear the pain anymore.

Morning came, and chaos erupted the moment they realized you were gone. Luffy was the first to notice, and his reaction was classic Luffy—pure, unrestrained emotion.

He bolted out of the treehouse, running in frantic circles as he yelled your name at the top of his lungs. When his search turned up nothing, the tears started, big, fat droplets streaming down his face as he wailed, “SHE LEFT US! SHE LEFT ME!”

Sabo tried to be the calm one, but even he was visibly shaken, clutching your letter in his hands so tightly it crumpled. His voice cracked as he read your words aloud to Ace and Luffy, his composure slipping with every sentence. “She… she thinks she’s dangerous,” he muttered, his usually steady voice trembling. “She thinks she’s protecting us by leaving.” His hands balled into fists, and for the first time, you saw a flicker of anger behind his calm demeanor. “I should’ve seen this coming. I should’ve stopped her.”

Ace, on the other hand, was a storm brewing on the horizon. He stood there silently for a long moment after hearing your letter, his expression unreadable. Then, without warning, he grabbed a stick and smashed it against the nearest tree. “This is all their fault!” he snarled, referring to the villagers who had driven you to this point. His hands shook with barely-contained rage as he glared at the horizon, as if daring the universe to throw another obstacle in his way. “They did this. Not her. And now she’s gone because of them!”

But even in his anger, Ace’s determination shone through. He turned to Sabo and Luffy, his voice steady but fierce. “We’re going to find her. One day, no matter how far she goes, we’re bringing her back.”

“Yeah!” Luffy sobbed, his fists clenched tightly. “We’re not gonna let her go forever! She’s our sister!” His face was red and blotchy, tears still spilling as he stomped his foot for emphasis. “We’ll get her back, and then I’m gonna make her promise to stay forever!”

Sabo nodded, his usual composed demeanor replaced with quiet resolve. “She belongs with us. And we’ll make sure she knows that, no matter how long it takes.”

From that day forward, it became an unspoken vow between the three of them. They didn’t know when or how, but they would find you again. Ace reminded them of it constantly, his fiery determination keeping their spirits high. Luffy, as always, wore his heart on his sleeve, loudly declaring to anyone who would listen that he had a sister and he was going to find her someday. And Sabo, ever the planner, quietly began preparing, mapping out potential paths you might have taken and thinking of how they’d convince you to return.

You may have walked away that night thinking you were doing what was best for them, but little did you know, those three boys had made you a promise—a promise that no distance, no obstacle, and no force in the world could ever break.

After leaving your childhood behind, you wandered aimlessly through endless forests, dark swamps, and towering mountains, each step taking you farther from the trio who once made you feel like you mattered. Surviving alone as a child wasn’t just hard—it was soul-crushing.

Nights were the worst. The silence was so loud it drowned out your thoughts, leaving you alone with memories of Luffy’s laughter, Ace’s teasing smirk, and Sabo’s reassuring words. Those memories had once been a source of comfort, a little spark of warmth to get you through the cold. But as the years went on, they became a cruel reminder of what you lost.

At first, you clung to their love like a lifeline, hoping it could fill the hole in your heart. But reality was unforgiving. You met villagers who screamed at the sight of you, merchants who refused to sell you food, and travelers who spat cruel words at the mention of witches. No matter how small your magic or kind your intentions, people feared you. And fear always turned to hatred.

Slowly, their hatred began to drown out the lingering love you once felt from Sabo, Ace, and Luffy. Every cruel word, every stone thrown, chipped away at the sweet, optimistic child you had been. You started believing what the world seemed so desperate to prove: that you were unworthy of love, unworthy of kindness, and destined to walk alone.

Eventually, you gave up trying to prove yourself.

If the world wanted you to be a monster, then fine—you’d be a monster. You threw yourself into your magic, pushing its limits until it felt like the only thing that couldn’t hurt you. Spells that once brought you joy—like making flowers bloom or levitating tiny objects—were replaced with defensive barriers, fire conjurations, and illusions so terrifying they could make the bravest soul flee. You weren’t practicing to entertain anyone anymore. You were practicing to survive.

With every spell you perfected, a little more of your warmth faded away. By the time you reached adulthood, the hopeful dreams of your childhood had been buried beneath layers of bitterness and fear. Helping others was no longer your goal—protecting yourself was. If people feared you, at least they wouldn’t come close enough to hurt you.

Your appearance changed with your growing power and isolation. Gone were cheerful smiles of your youth. Instead, you donned long, flowing robes of dark green and black, their edges frayed from years of wandering. Your blind eye, once a source of insecurity, now became a symbol of your transformation. It faintly glowed when you used your magic, an eerie light that only added to your intimidating presence. Your gaze, once soft and full of curiosity, had hardened into something cold and unyielding.

Stories of the "wicked witch" began spreading like wildfire. They whispered of a woman who lived deep in the mountains, wielding magic so powerful it could summon storms or make crops wither. Some said you cursed anyone who dared enter your domain. Others claimed you were the reason children went missing or villages mysteriously disappeared. Of course, none of it was true—well, most of it wasn’t true. But you didn’t care to correct the rumors. If they kept people away, all the better.

You told yourself this isolation was for the best. The farther people stayed from you, the safer they’d be. And maybe you believed that, at least at first. But there were nights—rare, fleeting nights—when the old memories crept back in.

You’d find yourself staring at the stars, thinking of how Luffy used to point out constellations with his tiny, sticky hands. Or you’d hear the crackle of a fire and remember Ace’s mischievous grin as he dared you to roast marshmallows with magic. Or maybe you’d see your reflection in a still pond and hear Sabo’s gentle voice saying, “You’re not dangerous. You’re just you.”

Those memories hurt more than any stone or insult ever could. Because deep down, you knew the truth. You weren’t the monster the world painted you to be. But it was easier to live as the wicked witch than to let anyone close enough to hurt you again. So you embraced the role, burying your longing for love and acceptance beneath layers of bitterness and pride.

The years didn’t dim their determination. From the moment you vanished, Luffy, Sabo, and Ace vowed to find you, no matter how long it took. You were their sibling, the missing piece of their chaotic trio-turned-quartet, and the idea of leaving you out there alone—especially in a world that didn’t understand or accept you—was unthinkable.

Sure, life moved on, and they had their own battles to fight, but every step they took, every new place they explored, carried the same question: Could you be here?

When they finally found you, it wasn’t a tearful, joyous reunion like they had imagined countless times. No, the figure standing before them—dark robes, piercing gaze, blind eye faintly glowing in the dim light—was a far cry from the sweet, hopeful sibling they had grown up with. The “wicked witch” they had heard whispered about in fear and awe was unmistakably you, but the change was so drastic, it made their chests ache.

Naturally, Luffy was the first to act, because of course he was. Despite the eerie vibe you gave off, despite the cold, unreadable look in your eyes, he threw caution to the wind. “IT’S YOU!!!” he yelled, his voice ringing through the air like a cannon blast. Before you could even blink, he launched himself at you like a human missile, wrapping his arms tightly around your waist. His grin was as bright as ever, but it faltered when you didn’t react, your arms hanging limp at your sides.

“Get off me,” you said flatly, your voice sharp enough to cut through the moment.

Luffy blinked, his smile faltering. “Huh? But—it’s me! It’s Luffy! Remember?” His arms stayed locked around you, though, like if he let go, you might disappear again.

Sabo approached next, his heart twisting at the sight of you. He could tell from the way you stood, your guarded posture and the steely edge in your voice, that life had hardened you in ways he and the others couldn’t begin to imagine. Still, he wasn’t ready to give up. “It’s been a long time,” he said softly, his tone carefully measured. “We’ve been looking for you all these years. You’re—well, you’re different, but you’re still you, right? You’re still our little sibling.”

“No,” you snapped, your voice colder than the frost in the mountains you now called home. “Stop calling me that.”

That’s when Ace stepped forward, his jaw tight and his fists clenched at his sides. “Why?” he demanded, his voice filled with the frustration and heartbreak he had bottled up for years. “Why did you leave us? We know what the letter said, but that’s not good enough. I want to hear it from you. The real reason.”

Your gaze flickered to him, a flash of emotion—guilt, maybe, or regret—briefly breaking through your hardened exterior before you quickly masked it. “I left because I had to. Because people like me don’t get to have happy endings. I would’ve just dragged you down. Don’t you get it? You were better off without me.”

Luffy, of course, shook his head so furiously it was a wonder it didn’t fall off. “That’s not true! You’re wrong! We’re better with you! You’re our family, and family doesn’t leave family behind!”

“We’re not kids anymore,” you retorted, your voice laced with bitterness. “You can’t just fix everything with hugs and stubbornness, Luffy. I’m not the person you remember. I’ve accepted who I am—what I am. I don’t need your protection, and I definitely don’t need your pity.”

Sabo’s heart ached at your words, but he didn’t let it show. Instead, he stepped closer, his tone gentle but firm. “It’s not pity. It’s love. And it’s not something you can just turn off, no matter how much you try to push us away.”

Ace, his frustration reaching its peak, finally snapped. “You’re not fooling us. I don’t care how powerful or scary you think you’ve become—beneath all that, you’re still the same person who used to trip over her own feet trying to show off her magic. You’re still our sister, and we’re not leaving without you.”

His words struck a nerve, and for a split second, the mask you wore so carefully slipped. The memories they stirred—the laughter, the teasing, the warmth—hit you like a tidal wave. But you quickly pushed it all down, shoving the emotions back into the box you had sealed away years ago.

“You don’t understand,” you said, your voice quieter now but no less firm. “You can’t just barge in here and expect everything to go back to the way it was. I’ve changed. You should’ve let me go.”

Deep down, though, their presence stirred something in you—something you thought you had buried for good. For the first time in years, the icy walls you had built around yourself felt like they were beginning to crack. But you weren’t ready to let them in, not yet. So you turned away, your heart aching as you whispered, “Just go. Please.”

Luffy, of course, refused to let go of you, clinging to you like a stubborn child. Sabo’s eyes softened with understanding but also sadness, and Ace clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. It’s not that he’s upset with you, he’s more so upset with what the world has done to you to make you this cold. But they didn’t care how long it took. They weren’t going anywhere. They’d lost you once, and they weren’t about to let it happen again.

Luffy, as always, is the most relentless. No matter how many times you tell him to leave, no matter how coldly you speak or how fiercely you use your magic to push him away—he keeps coming back. Even if you send him flying through the air with a gust of wind or trap him in vines, he shows up minutes later, scratched and dirty but grinning as if nothing happened.

“I’m not leaving!” he shouts, planting his feet firmly on the ground. “You can throw me, trap me, or zap me—I don’t care! You’re my family, and I’m not losing you again!”

His determination is maddening, but it’s also heartbreakingly familiar. Deep down, it stirs something in you, a flicker of the bond you thought you’d severed long ago. But you shove the feeling aside, insisting that it’s better this way. Yet, Luffy’s persistence never wavers. He follows you everywhere like an overgrown puppy, his sheer presence a constant reminder of the love you’ve tried so hard to forget.

Sabo, ever the strategist, takes a different approach. He doesn’t push or demand; instead, he quietly works his way back into your life. He’s always nearby, watching, waiting, making sure you’re safe. He uses his calm demeanor and sharp intellect to subtly manipulate situations, ensuring you never feel completely alone.

“We don’t have to talk about the past,” he says one evening, his voice gentle as he sits near you by a crackling fire. “I just want to be here, that’s all. No expectations, no pressure.”

He gives you space when you need it, offering his presence as a steady anchor rather than a demand for reconciliation. Still, his unwavering kindness wears down your defenses bit by bit, even if you don’t want to admit it.

Ace is as fiery as ever, his protectiveness dialed up to an almost overwhelming level. Anyone who dares speak ill of you—whether they call you the “wicked witch” or something worse—immediately faces his wrath. He doesn’t hesitate to threaten them, his fists clenched and his fiery abilities ready to strike if needed.

“Say that again,” he growls at one unfortunate villager who muttered something under their breath. “I dare you.”

Around you, though, Ace’s fierce demeanor softens, though his protectiveness remains just as strong. He still instinctively positions himself on your blind side, just like he did when you were kids, standing in the perfect spot so he can “be your eye.” It’s a small, endearing gesture that tugs at your heart every time, no matter how much you try to ignore it.

“You don’t have to do that,” you murmur one day, your voice quieter than usual.

“Yes, I do,” Ace replies firmly, his expression softening as he looks at you. “I’ve always done it, and I’m not stopping now. I’m not letting you face anything alone—not ever again.”

No matter how much you try to push them away, they refuse to give up. Luffy’s relentless optimism, Sabo’s quiet persistence, and Ace’s fierce protectiveness create a barrier you can’t seem to break through. Slowly but surely, they chip away at the icy walls you’ve built around yourself, their love and determination refusing to fade.

The brothers' determination eventually cracks the ice around your heart, their love and loyalty proving stronger than the bitterness and pain you’ve clung to for so long. Slowly but surely, they remind you of the person you used to be—the kind-hearted, optimistic sibling who once dreamed of helping others. Though it’s not easy, you begin to let them back in, allowing yourself to feel the warmth of their bond again.

They don’t just offer you their love—they offer you protection, in every sense of the word. They stand beside you as you begin using your magic for good again, shielding you from the judgment of others and reassuring you that you’ll never have to face the cruelty of the world alone. Luffy’s boundless enthusiasm reignites your hope, Sabo’s steady support grounds you, and Ace’s fiery devotion reminds you that you’re worth fighting for.

“You don’t have to do it all yourself,” Sabo tells you one day, his voice steady but warm. “We’re here, and we always will be.”

“And if anyone has a problem with you,” Ace adds, cracking his knuckles, “they’re gonna have a problem with us first.”

“Yeah!” Luffy chimes in, throwing his arms around you with his usual exuberance. “You’re stuck with us now, and no one’s taking you away!”

Their protectiveness becomes almost comical at times, but you know it comes from a place of love. If anyone so much as looks at you the wrong way, they’re immediately on high alert.

Villagers whisper about how the “wicked witch” has terrifyingly powerful guardians now, and anyone foolish enough to test that quickly regrets it. One unfortunate soul who dared insult you was swiftly met with Ace’s fire, Luffy’s fists, and Sabo’s calculated fury. Let’s just say they didn’t make that mistake twice.

Honestly, everything is back to normal. Ace is back, Sabo is back, Luffy is back, and it feels like the old cheerful days. This time, however, there’s no leaving. No tearful goodbyes, no lonely nights wandering through forests, no self-loathing letters explaining why you had to go. They’ve made it clear: you’re staying, no matter what. Either you stay with them or they follow you around endlessly.

“We’re stronger now,” Ace says firmly, his voice filled with conviction. “And we’re never letting you go again.” Luffy nods enthusiastically, while Sabo places a reassuring hand on your shoulder. They don’t just say it—they prove it, every day, with their unwavering loyalty and love.

Though this means they likely don’t let you out of their sights for even a nanosecond, you feel like you’ve truly found your place again. The darkness of your past doesn’t disappear, but with your brothers by your side, it becomes easier to face.