Hi! I'm Nina, a 31 y.o french girl. I reblog mostly anime but also movies, series, books and random other things I like. I also write a little bit of fanfiction
After Marineford, a former White-beard pirate must find a new reason to travel the seas. They find a common goal with the dark Captain of the Heart pirates, but will they find more as secrets unveil and hearts open?
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Self indulgent One-Piece x OC fic that I wrote for myself but decided to share. Tell me if you want to be added to a taglist! ;)
Read on AO3
Chapter 8: The Plan (link to chapter 1)
Whitebeards’ crew wasn’t so bad. It took some getting used to, such a large amount of people, and only men. Yuki had to triple her efforts to keep passing as male, but luckily, her former crewmates from the Spade pirates helped her keep her secret.
A few crew members commented once or twice on her more refined traits, but given they fought alongside someone as feminine as Izo, they never truly doubted anything about Yuki.
At first Ace tried his best to kill WhiteBeard, but then, the Captain took a liking to the freckled man and vice-versa. It all went well and they explored so many beautiful islands.
Until Teach killed Thatch.
And Yuki, whose loyalty and heart always belonged to Ace, had to follow her former captain in his search for him.
Which led to many memorable moments.
…
“Ace don’t take your pants off in front of me!!” Yuki yelled while Ace started unbuckling his belt.
“It’s fine, we’ve known each other for what? More than a decade. We’re like family.” Fire Fist shrugged, determined to get rid of the few clothes he had on.
“Still, I don’t need to see it! I never want to see it” Yuki screamed, turning her back to her friend as to not see his naked butt.
“But I have a weird pimple down there and it’s damn itchy. You have basic medical training, no? I’m sure you can help me!”
Yuki heard the clinking sound of a belt hitting the ship’s floor. She hid her eyes with her hands, completely flustered.
“No stop you hot-headed exhibitionist! Go see the nurses when we get back to the Old man’s ship!”
Ace laughed at his friend’s shy behaviour. “Okay okay. Geez, I thought you’d help a friend in need.” He started pulling his trousers back on. “It’s annoying but I suppose I’ll survive until we find a proper doctor...”
A loud ‘thud’ was then heard and Yuki turned around, peaking at Ace from between her fingers. He had fallen asleep on the spot, face first on the floor, his pants halfway up, his freckled butt barely covered.
“By the five oceans, why am I following this man...” Yuki sighed, exhausted by Ace’s antics, but with a radiant smile on her lips.
- - -
Yuki took advantage of the end of the next meal to confront Trafalgar about his choice of their next destination. She decided she wouldn’t stop pestering him until he told her the reason he wasn’t choosing the safest option.
Yuki had always trusted Whitebeard’s decisions, and Ace’s decisions too. But the Heart’s Captain hadn’t earned her trust yet, and he was being absurdly mysterious and secretive. Something that neither the Old man nor Ace were. Her former captains were honest and straightforward men, and those were the qualities she soughed, but had yet to find in Trafalgar Law.
“I’m sorry for insisting about this Trafalgar, but in Prodence there will be even more Marines than we just encountered. It won’t be two ships chasing us, but dozens!”
Instead of running away from the conversation, this time Law graced her with a semblance of a decent reply.
“I know about that. I’m not an idiot. We’ll have to be discreet. Probably use a disguise”
He crossed his arms over his chest, his face serious as he casually leaned against the kitchen’s wall. “I knew the Marines to be more active in the New World, but I admit they are more bothersome than I’d expected. I have a plan to make them stop harassing us and give us more freedom to travel between islands, but it won’t be complete before Prodence”
Yuki’s jaw clenched at his reluctance to elaborate about his plan. “Then, if it’s not ready until Prodence, why go there?” She insisted, starting to get annoyed again.
Law sighed and then, to Yuki’s surprise, proceeded to close the door so they wouldn’t be bothered. Alone with him, locked in the room, Yuki suddenly felt stressed. She couldn’t read through his cool demeanour to know what he wanted, and it made her a little bit anxious. She definitely lacked trust in him.
Law sat down at the wooden table in the middle of the room. He motioned for Yuki to sit too, and when after a while she didn’t, he crossed his fingers, chin resting atop of his joined hands and asked her. “Do you know about the man called ‘Joker’?”
Yuki frowned. “That’s the stupid codename Donquixote Doflamingo uses for his most illegal business”
“Of course you’d know that” Law commented. “And did you know that he works for an Emperor: Kaidou of the Beasts?”
Yuki crossed her arms over her chest. “I heard things. Whitebeard had me keep an eye and an ear out for the other Emperor’s activities. I know Kaidou does shady business that the Old man didn’t approve of. He supplies Doflamingo with weapons”
“But what does he get in exchange for those weapons?” Law asked, and Yuki simply didn’t know. Law continued “That’s what I need to know; what can Joker provide that is so useful to an Emperor?” The surgeon’s steel gaze was cold and calculating.
“Why?” Yuki asked before really thinking about that question.
Law reclined in his seat, stretching his arms over his head, a smirk on his lips. “To seize the new world we must go against the Emperors at some point. Finding their weaknesses will make that job easier”
Yuki processed the information, but still wasn’t convinced. “Then why do you want to avoid Dressrosa and the nearby islands as much as possible? I understand it would be dangerous, but that’s where information about Joker is easier to find”
Law’s smile dropped. “I know Joker’s identity because I used to work for the Donquixote family a long time ago. If I set one foot in Doflamingo’s kingdom without a mean of pressure on him, I’m a dead man”
Yuki nodded her head in understanding. So Trafalgar used to work for Doflamingo; that was unexpected. This relationship probably didn’t end well, and understandably, the Heart pirate needed to make sure the creepy warlord wouldn’t retaliate on him when he least expected it. Better to take go ahead of the problem; take revenge on Doflamingo and weaken an emperor at the same time. Like killing two birds with one stone. What Yuki wondered still, was how much Doflamingo resented Law for leaving his family, and how badly Law wanted revenge on him. To what length would Trafalgar go to put the warlord in a pinch? That would depend on how awfully their collaboration ended. Yuki was a bit curious about that part.
“In Prodence we can find a lead on the business Joker has with Kaidou. One of his former associates now lives there.” Law levelled her with his calculating onyx gaze. “You were Whitebeard’s information broker. I need your help in gathering Doflamingo’s dirty little secrets”
She really was only interesting to him as a means to an end, a mere road advisor, a potential information gatherer, and a good trump card with a devil fruit power to use if needed. She didn’t know what she expected; she knew what she agreed to from the beginning. He never asked her to be a real part of the crew, and she didn’t want to anyway. Then why did it upset her so much? Was it because he seemed to hide so many things? Well, she kept many secrets from him too.
Yuki hid her unease with a smile. “Why didn’t you say you wanted to go there for a data collection mission sooner?”
Law clicked his tongue and shook his head. “I don’t share too much info with the crew, in case one of them ends up abducted. Besides, you barely let me talk to you without getting all worked up. It’s annoying”
Yuki felt her cheek redden. She inhaled sharply, digging her nails into her palm to refrain from winding up.
“Good job in keeping your cool today. Yuki-ya” Trafalgar purposefully teased her, a malicious glint to his eyes.
Yuki’s eye twitched. She was itching to throw something at the pirate’s annoyingly handsome face. But she controlled herself and only smiled wider. “You just said you needed my help. Well I’m not sure you deserve it you see”
Her too smarmy tone should have made Law’s smile drop. But instead, it only served to make him chuckle. “If you’re not up for the challenge it’s fine.” He stood up, looking at her from above. “I thought you were a talented spy. But maybe I was mistaken”
It there was one thing pirates hated; it was to be underestimated. Piqued in her ego, Yuki snapped, and threw a fork towards Law. He easily dodged it, and it went crashing into the closed door behind him.
“Just so you know, my aim purposefully avoided your eye” Yuki warned, trembling with nerves. This man was making her lose her composure faster than anyone ever did, and it was unbearable.
“Attacking the Captain of the ship that gave you hospitality. Bold move” Law commented darkly.
A small sphere started materializing into his palm as he activated his devil fruit power. Yuki braced herself. If he wanted a fight, he would get one. She always wanted to take him on as a sparring partner.
The tension was tangible and thick in the kitchen as both pirates waited for their adversary to make the first move. They were so focused that they both jolted in surprise when the kitchen’s door opened.
“Ah Captain there you are” Penguin entered the room, completely clueless about the situation inside. “We’re nearing Prodence. What are your orders?”
Yuki relaxed her stance when Penguin’s eyes fell on her, surprised to see her too. Law didn’t immediately answer his subordinate, and Penguin kept looking from Law to her, until, after one death glare sent Yuki’s way, Traflagar finally turned around and left the room.
“Wait Captain!” Penguin followed after his captain, stopping only one second to wonder out loud why there was a fork sticking out of the kitchen’s door.
Once she was alone, Yuki helped herself to a glass of fresh water. She shouldn’t have lost her temper again. But that man was so annoying! Sphinx seemed so far away. Staying with the crew until then wouldn’t be a problem if not for their insufferable captain.
- - -
Surprisingly, despite her outrage, Law didn’t kick Yuki out of his ship. It proved he needed her to gather the intel he needed on Joker.
The Heart Pirates landed as discreetly as possible on Prodence kingdom. The people of the island were known to be quite belligerent, and there were numerous squadrons of Marines patrolling the streets.
The pirates had to lay low if they didn’t want to be caught, so they decided that only a few them would go to the capital city, namely Yuki, Law, Ikkaku and Shachi. Bepo being a polar bear was too flashy, Jean Bart too big and noticeable, and Penguin was… too Penguin. Yuki was admittedly excited to be able to go back to the discrete and subtle art of information gathering.
The small group of four infiltrated the city under disguise, their weapons hidden under their clothes. Ikkaku wore her hair in a ponytail, dark sunglasses and a pretty yellow and black dress. Shachi wore his signature hat, sunglasses too, a white shirt and dark pants. Law hid his tattoos under a long sleeved dark buttoned-down shirt, his unruly hair slicked back. He wore sunglasses too, but chose a white pair of pants adorned with his signature black spots. Yuki didn’t follow with the sunglasses to look mysterious vibe, but she matched the colours the others chose, wearing a black and white striped blouse, but brown capri pants with derby shoes. She was sure that they obviously looked like foreigners, but hopefully they didn’t look like pirates.
The group followed Trafalgar into the city, until they reached a shabby bar named “the Half-Mast”.
“Are we really going in there?” Ikkaku asked, disgusted.
Law didn’t reply, entered, and found them a table and seats in a dark corner. While Shachi ordered a round of beers, Yuki surveyed the place, making notes of the number of customers, the escape routes and also the potential hiding places. It was the middle of the afternoon, but there were customers sitting at the bar, their head hanging low, nursing glasses of what looked like strong liquors. The place smelled of cheap booze, and the not so young waitress’ cleavage was as heavy and dropping as it was uncovered.
“Nice place for a date Captain” Ikkaku teased, taking a sip of her beer and making a face at its bitterness. “But I have to say I preferred the Mermaid Café”
“Me too” Shachi nodded his head vigorously. “I can’t erase that woman’s wrinkled chest from my mind” He complained.
Law was insensitive to his subordinate’s discomfort. He waited until Yuki was done observing the place to expose his plan.
“The man we are looking for is named Eddy. Blond man with thick black glasses. He comes here every night to drink, and look for … company. I suggest we provide said company, and take advantage of his drunken state to extort information about Joker’s business. Simple”
The plan was indeed simple, but it was not Yuki’s usual modus operandi at all. Her specialities were spying, and when needed knife to the throat confessions. She used to pose as a man, so extorting information through seduction was never her thing.
“Yuki-ya” Law drew Yuki’s attention to him. He was eyeing her quite intensely. “You should have worn a different outfit”
“What?” Yuki flushed. “I’m not flirting with some old drunk! If you want me to gather some information, I’ll do it my way” She objected, keeping her voice as low as possible.
Ikkaku flipped her hair and smirked. “I’m sure I can do the flirting and get the man to spill the beans” She offered.
Law’s eyes narrowed, brows furrowing. “Even if we get him drunk, he’s a dangerous former New Age pirate. Yuki-ya has more skills to take care of him quietly and escape discreetly if needed”
Yuki felt flattered that Law acknowledged her skills, but she was still opposed to doing things the way he proposed.
The captain started rubbing his chin, thinking. “Hmm. I suppose your clothes won’t be a problem; the man is rumoured to jump on everything vaguely feminine”
“I know your chest is all flat but maybe open a few buttons of your shirt, just for shows” Shachi genuinely suggested, trying to help.
Yuki let her face fall flat against the clammy table’s surface with a groan, deeply upset by the situation.
“Guys! How insensitive of you to talk to a woman like this” Ikkaku scolded the two pirates, who didn’t seem to understand what the problem was with what they said.
“I’m... sorry?” Shachi tried, intimidated by Ikkaku’s glare.
Law said nothing, and crossed his arms in front of his chest, visibly annoyed. “Do as you wish then. But we need information, and we are not leaving without it”
- - -
The afternoon bled into the evening. Yuki gave her now warm untouched beer to a thirsty Shachi while she listened to Ikakku’s umpteenth story about an ex-boyfriend. The brunette was trying her best to entertain them to make the wait more bearable. But given Law’s dead stare, it had the opposite effect.
A few moments later, Yuki perked up when she saw a man with blond hair and a pair of black square glasses enter the building. She turned to Law for confirmation that the man was Eddy. The Heart’s captain nodded his head. “It’s up to you now” He told her, and to Yuki, it sounded a bit like a challenge.
The former Whitebeard pirate waited for the best opportunity, until the man was well past three glasses of strong liquor. She got up, not giving her companions a single glance as she focused on her target.
“Hey there sailor” Yuki said awkwardly as she stood beside Eddy at the bar, not an ounce of suaveness in her tone. “Let me buy you a drink” She snapped her fingers at the barman.
If the man was surprised by this unexpected approach, he gladly accepted the offer for free booze.
“So you come here often?” Yuki asked, mimicking the way some guy who liked pretty young boys once tried to approach her back in East Blue.
Watching from their table, the Heart Pirates looked appalled.
“That’s the worst pick up line I’ve ever heard” Back at the table, Sachi groaned lowly.
“Every day god makes! But it’s the first time I see you here lass” The man at the bar replied, boldly putting his hand on Yuki’s hip. He really was after anything slightly feminine.
“Maybe it’s lame but it’s working” Ikkaku commented from the table, very invested in watching the show.
Law’s grip turned knuckle white on his mug when the man’s hand travelled to Yuki’s bottom.
At that move, Yuki not so gently grabbed the man’s wrist to prevent him from groping her further. Her target did not have time to protest for she continued “I’m here on vacation. And looking for some fun. Finish your drink and let’s go talk more privately” She forced a fake smile.
Sachi was gnawing at his fingernails watching the exchange. “That’s both too forward and too cold!” He commented.
“Wow, you’re a bold one” The blond man said. “I like it” He downed his rhum in one gulp and got up from his stool to follow her, already way past tipsy.
“How is it working!?” Sachi’s jaw dropped and Ikkaku whispered with a roll of her eyes. “Do women often proposition you at the bar?” She asked her companion who shook his head no. She then asked “Would you like it if one did?” Sachi nodded his head yes. Point proven.
Beside them, Law stayed silent, his steel gaze locked on Yuki, his dark aura making the customers nearby uncomfortable.
There other men sitting at the bar sneered crassly as Yuki led her target through the back door into a dark alley.
The second they disappeared; Law got up in a haste.
“Captain?!” Ikkaku and Sachi called after him, but he ignored them as he rushed outside.
When Law found Yuki outside, she had their target pinned face against the wall, his arm painfully twisted behind his back.
The surgeon of death let out a breath that definitely wasn’t relieved. Of course, he rushed to her side to make sure she was handling the job well. Not because he was worried for her or anything.
From where he stood, he could see Yuki’s lips moving, but no sound reached him. She was using her devil fruit power. Pressing his shoulder against the dirty wall of the bar, he set to keeping watch for any prying eyes while Yuki interrogated the man in her own way.
Inside the silence bubble, the man name Eddy was crying. “Please stop, I’ll tell you everything I know!”
“What are you smuggling for Joker?” Yuki asked, pressing the man hard against the wall.
“I don’t know” Eddy said, and a creaking sound rang in Yuki’s ears when she twisted his arm harder.
“Liar!” She accused and the man sobbed pathetically.
“It’s true, I don’t know what’s inside the cargo I swear! I only make sure the crates travel safely to Standing Kingdom!”
Yuki hummed. That was a start.
“Who’s working with you there?” She asked and had to repeat the question, for the man kept sniffing instead of talking.
“I don’t know their names…”
“Too bad. Then I guess you’re of no use anymore” Yuki coldly told him, making a show of bringing her dagger out of her clothes.
“Wait wait!” Eddy cried out. “I think one is called Ibusu! That’s the only name I caught. I swear. Please spare me!”
When Yuki deemed, she couldn’t gather more information from the poor drunk, she dosed him with some venom to paralyse him, and dumped him into a stash of garbage; hiding him inside. They would have time to go back to the Tang before he was found.
Yuki dusted her hands, turning to meet Trafalgar’s eyes. She had spotted him observing her earlier. She deactivated her quirk.
“I’ve got some intel” She smirked.
- - -
Yuki shared the information she had gathered with Law in the operation room once they were back at the Tang.
Earlier, Ikkaku and Shachi complained about being left in the dark, but accepted the situation when Law told them it was for their own good. His sudden honesty had surprised Yuki, and she wasn’t sure if she was glad or upset that she was the only one sharing secrets with the Captain.
“That was the worst undercover mission I’ve ever witnessed” Law sighed when he opened the door to the cabin once their meeting was over. He couldn’t help but send a pique to Yuki, despite their important breakthrough. “Are you sure you were Whitebeard’s top secret information broker?”
Yuki crossed her arms defensively over her chest. “It work didn’t it? Next time you should just let me handle it my way from the start!”
Law gave his crew his best death glare when he realized they all were waiting in the corridor, eavesdropping on them.
“Yeah Captain, don’t ask her to flirt again, that was embarrassing to watch” Shachi commented.
“Hey!” Yuki frowned at him.
Sadly for his curious subordinates, Yuki had used her ability while they talked earlier.
“Please tell us everything that happened” Penguin lowly begged Ikkaku, sad that he missed a good show.
“Don’t you dare !” Both Law and Yuki shouted at the poor brunette. They then looked at one another, pissed that they talked simultaneously, and proceeded to scatter in opposite directions with twin huffs.
Ikkaku giggled once they were gone. She promised Penguin she would tell him everything later
Despite Law and Yuki’s bickering about how they got the information, the path ahead was clear: Next, they would go to Standing Kingdom to find the man named Ibusu.
A little context Wei actually woke up early to bake something but woke up Baxter in the process😭 but it's okay Baxter loves helping him no matter how early it is XD
as much as i love fics where hitoshi learns how to do friend stuff with class 1-a i think we gotta remember that his gen ed class loves him so much
like look at them they love dat boy.. they were cheering for him SO loud
and look at this dumbas hes showin off because he wants to look cool in front of his friends bro trust me the source is TRUST and TRUTH
in his ultra analysis page it says "His classmates are planning him a surprise farewell party that he doesn’t know about." BECAUSE THEY LOVE HIM AND ARE GOING TO MISS HIM!!! AND HE FEELS SO SO GUILTY ABOUT LEAVING THEM!!! THEY TALK ABOUT THAT IN THE LIGHT NOVEL THING!!!! HES GOING THROUGH IT!!! AND THEYRE THERE FOR HIM!!! BECAUSE THOSE ARE HIS DAY ONES BRO!!!! HIS OGS!!!
After Marineford, a former White-beard pirate must find a new reason to travel the seas. They find a common goal with the dark Captain of the Heart pirates, but will they find more as secrets unveil and hearts open?
---
Self indulgent One-Piece x OC fic that I wrote for myself but decided to share. Tell me if you want to be added to a taglist! ;)
Read on AO3
Chapter 7: The Road ahead (link to chapter 1)
Yuki would never forget the sight of Ace kneeling before the mighty Whitebeard, defeated.
Those times of transition were difficult ones, and made Yuki question her choice of becoming a pirate. If it wasn’t to follow Ace and the Spade pirates, it meant nothing to her.
She often spent hours of sleepless nights gazing at the stars on the deck of the Mobby Dick.
One night, Ace came to stand beside her, his quiet company instantly warming Yuki’s heart.
"I'd understand if you wanted to leave” Ace then told her lowly. He still had a lot of resentment for Whitbeard at that moment, and tried his best to end him, exhausting himself in the process. “ It’s even more difficult for you given your… circumstances, and it’s clearly not what you signed for. More than adventure, sailing with an Emperor is true piracy"
Ace looked at her, a serious expression on his face. It gave Yuki a pang.She wanted his sunny side back, she didn’t like to see him tormented so.
"I'll stay by your side” Yuki whispered, looking at the dark sea. “Whitebeard or not, my loyalty is to you"
Ace chuckled and ran a hand through his messy hair, bashful for once.
"Then I'll protect you” He promised and Yuki’s heart raced in her chest. “I’ll always help you if you find yourself in trouble"
Yuki sighed, hoping that in the dark, her rosy cheeks wouldn’t be visible. She bit her lower lip to stop herself from smiling in glee.
"Protect yourself first. Idiot."She muttered
- - -
“He clearly hates me” Yuki said as she reloaded her riffle after firing a volley of shots.
She and Ikkaku had decided to go for a little walk while the others prepared a meal on the black sand of the shore, where the island was the safest. They didn’t go very far, for they weren’t reckless enough to venture into the deadly forest that covered the majority of Mystoria.
“I’m sure he doesn’t. Captain is just not the talkative type” Ikkaku replied, unsheathing her sword to face the rest of the swarm of bugs that was coming their way.
“Why is it then that he avoids me all the time, and also that every-time I end up on operating room cleaning duty the place is an absolute mess!” Yuki shot another gross flying poisonous neon green bug, letting out her frustration by making it explode in a splash of acidic purple goo. “Is that some king of hazing?”
“I honestly think it’s just a coincidence. And that operating room is always a mess” Ikkaku told her, casually slicing through another insect, carefully avoiding to get its blood on her clothes or skin “Like I said, Captain is Captain. He’s emotionally constipated. Have you seen him interact with anyone else differently?”
“Bepo” Yuki immediately retorted.
“Well, except with Bepo” Ikkaku groaned.
Yuki shot another bug, then pondered Ikkaku’s words and lowered her riffle. “You have a point”
Ikkaku smiled proudly. “Of course. I know these men better than you. I’ve been travelling with them for years”
“I just thought all Captains were outgoing and inspiring” Yuki clicked her tongue and frowned before she started cleaning up her weapon since there were no more threatening creatures nearby.
“He is inspiring” Ikkaku argued. “He’s careful and secretive sometimes but he’s very smart, and we can trust him with our safety”
Yuki sighed “Sorry, I didn’t mean any offence. It’s just different from what I’m used to”
Ikkaku gave her a small sympathetic smile “You’re nostalgic? I would say homesick even. You know, if the Moby Dick could be considered your home”
“I am…” Yuki admitted, shoulders dropping. “And travelling back to those islands I explored with all of them makes it worse”
Ikkaku placed a hand on Yuki’s shoulder. “Come, let’s go back to the camp. You obviously need a strong drink to lighten up your mood” Ikkaku offered but Yuki pouted.
“You know that I don’t drink”
“You should try it” Ikkaku grinned at Yuki’s offended stare. “Or I’m sure one of Shachi and Penguin’s silly stories could do the trick to cheer you up”
- - -
Mystoria was a rather cold island, so Jean Bart started a fire around which the Heart Pirates gathered to eat and wait until the log pose would set.
On Ikkakku’s suggestion, Shachi and Penguin started unleashing their antics at full potential, and admittedly, their tomfoolery succeeded in lightening up Yuki’s mood.
After a nice meal prepared by Hakugan, the chattering continued until late. Yuki yawned, holding her mug of tea closer to her chest as everyone got ready to sleep except for her. She agreed to take the first watch, which was honestly not the worst, and for that, she was grateful.
Jean Bart would relieve her shift in a few hours. Until then, she was left again with her thoughts and melancholy while the others started lightly snoring. Her drink was quickly finished, and with nothing left to occupy her hands, time went by very slowly.
That was until Trafalgar Law silently came to sit beside her, his trusted nodachi resting against his chest and shoulder. Yuki eyed him suspiciously, surprised that he would join her.
“Can you isolate us” He demanded. “I don’t want to wake up the others”
Yuki blinked owlishly at his barely polite request, but still humoured him. “Silent” She whispered, and a soundless barrier enveloped them.
“So, Trafalgar, what do you need to say that you so desperately want to keep from the others?” Yuki told him as soon as her power took effect.
Law clicked his tongue. “Like I said. I just don’t want to wake my men. They need some rest”
Yuki was not convinced. “What do you want from me?” She asked, obviously on the defensive.
Her tone made Law frown. “Listen Yuki-ya. I know you don’t like me but I want things to-”
“Of course I don’t like you! You clearly showed first that you don’t like me and you’re always avoiding me” Yuki interjected, her tone rising in offence. It was a good thing that her power kept the noise between her and Law, otherwise the whole camp would be awake by now.
“What?!” It was Law’s turn to raise his voice. “Where did you get that idea? I don’t dislike you. I don’t give a shit about you” He retorted and Yuki gasped.
“That’s even worse!” She accused, her face turning red.
Law frustratingly ran a hand over his face. He grumbled something Yuki barely heard. The likes of why she was so different from ‘him’.
“What did you say? Who are you talking about?” She asked, this time more curious than angry.
Law suddenly stood up. “Enough. If we can’t have a grown up conversation and you insist on fighting like kids do, I’m not talking to you”
“Wait” Yuki impulsively grabbed the bottom of Law’s hoodie. He turned to her, sending her a dark glare. She released him but didn’t falter, holding his intimidating stare.
“Look. I’m sorry I got upset with you, but travelling the New World with a bunch of strangers, is very odd for me” Yuki confessed, her voice going back to an acceptable volume. “Whatever you had to say, I’m sure it was important. Please say it, I won’t interrupt you this time”
Law examined her face for a few seconds before he sighed. He didn’t sit back, but he didn’t leave either.
“I came to talk about your fighting style” He said, and Yuki’s heart started beating faster, a small jolt of panic coursing through her. What if he noticed her style was Marine inspired ? What would he think? She tried her best to keep her composure while he continued. “I’ve observed you training with the others and while your hand on hand fighting is impressive, your aim for vital points is slopp-” He stopped himself when Yuki’s gaze hardened. If she was making an effort to listen, he could make an effort to be less abrasive. “Your aim could be improved” He offered instead.
“And?” Yuki asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
“And I think it could be improved with more medical knowledge. A knowledge I am willing to share. If you wish”
Yuki was left speechless. Her first internal reaction was to be hurt in her pride by his remark. But then she told herself he was offering help. Yuki never was the best fighter in the Whitebeard pirates, and to face the New World with admittedly weaker allies, improving her fighting skills was necessary.
“I’ll let you think about it” Law ended up saying when she didn’t respond. He then turned his back to her. “In the morning we’ll discuss where to head to next. Good night Yuki-ya”
Law exited Yuki’s soundproof barrier, leaving Yuki to new thoughts and interrogations.
- - -
“So Bepo, where to next ?”
Yuki found herself in the navigation room again, alone with Bepo and the Heart’s Captain.
“Well, the next options are Dressrosa-”
“No” Trafalgar quickly interrupted the polar bear, to Yuki’s surprise. He wasn’t usually so cold with the Mink.
Bepo gulped then continued “Prodence Kingdom or Applenine”
Yuki was about to give her opinion, but Law beat her to it. “Applenine is too close to Dressrosa. We’re going to Prodence”
Bepo watched his Captain with worry in his eyes.
“Set sail” Law ordered before turning to leave the room.
“Aie Aie Captain!” The Mink saluted before he started examining the map more closely, making calculations that only a navigator could understand.
Yuki followed Law into the Tang’s corridors, catching up to him before he could retreat in his room.
“I get why we shouldn’t go to Dressrosa, with it being that mad Warlord’s playroom, but Applenine was a good option. More discreet than landing on an armed kingdom whose king is part of the Reverie”
Law stopped in his tracks and gave Yuki a cold look. “I’m the captain of this ship. I make the decisions”
“I didn’t say you don’t but I would like to understand why you made that choice”Yuki calmly replied.
“I don’t owe you any explanation” He retorted, his hand on the doorhandle of his room.
“Unlike your crew members, I didn’t agree to blindly following you!” Yuki insisted, trying her best to keep her voice levelled as to not make a scene.
“This conversation is over” Were Law’s last words before he slammed the door to his room shut in Yuki’s face.
“Damn it!” Yuki clicked her tongue, stomping her foot on the steel ground. “Why did I board the only ship led by a dark brooding stuck-up brat?!”
Yuki didn’t have time to let her anger unfold full blown, for an alarm started ringing in the whole submarine. The sound was deafening and a red flashing light that Yuki never saw before filled the corridors.
“Marine within sight! We are under attack! Everyone at their station” Ikkaku was running down the corridors conveying orders. She then spotted Yuki.
“Yuki, they need help on the deck!”
The Calm-calm devil-fruit user didn’t need to be told twice. She drew out her weapon and ran to the deck at full speed.
- - -
Canon balls kept hitting the sea on each side of the submarine, the huge splashes of sea water making the deck a slippery mess. Two marine ships were pursuing the pirates, gaining ground on them with each passing minute.
Law was already on deck. He probably used his devil fruit power to teleport there as soon as the alarm started. His Room was covering the space around the submarine, and when he wasn’t cutting cannonballs in two, he was redirecting them towards the Marines ships. Yuki marvelled for one second at his very powerful and useful ability, but then quickly got into shooting position so she could help fend off the assault.
One of the two Marine ships soon caught on fire, abandoning the pursuit, but some men from the second one jumped on board. Law’s power once again allowed him to cut the Marines in two with a large slash of his Nodachi. Bepo and Jean Bart got rid of the others with their brute strength. They only missed one lonely man who had been more discreet. Given his uniform, he was a higher ranked Marine; a senior officer. Yuki threw her gun and grabbed her needles, silencing her steps and making her presence faint. She came behind the man and stabbed him in the juncture between neck and shoulder. He collapsed, paralysed by the venom. She then proceeded to toss him into the sea.
The shooting started to recede as the Tang finally outran the other ship, and calm progressively fell back onto the deck.
“Thanks for the help Yuki-chan” Bepo nodded his head to the white-haired woman and she graced him with a small smile.
“Next time, I would advise aiming between the ribs” Law commented behind her back while Yuki grabbed her riffle. She didn’t have time to turn back and give him a piece of his mind, for he was already gone, probably teleported back to his room where he would sulk during the rest of the day.
quarterly reminder that if i reblog something ai-generated it is 110% and always an accident and for the love of god please tell me so i can delete it from my blog
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 6/?
Fandom: One Piece (Anime & Manga)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Trafalgar D. Water Law/Original Female Character(s), Trafalgar D. Water Law/Reader, Portgas D. Ace & Original Female Character(s), Portgas D. Ace & Original Character(s), Portgas D. Ace & Reader
Characters: Trafalgar D. Water Law, Shachi (One Piece), Penguin (One Piece), Bepo (One Piece), Ikkaku (One Piece), Heart Pirates, Original Female Character(s), Reader, Original Characters, Portgas D. Ace, Spade Pirates (One Piece), Whitebeard Pirates, Jean Bart (One Piece), Monkey D. Luffy
Additional Tags: Adventure & Romance, Slow Burn, Fluff and Humor, Self-Indulgent
Summary:
After Marineford, and the loss of the sunshine of their life, Yuki, a former White-beard pirate must find a new reason to travel the seas. Their devil fruit power catches the attention of the dark Captain of the Heart pirates with whom they have a common goal. But will they find more as secrets unveil and hearts open?
---
Self indulgent One-Piece x OC fic that I wrote for myself but decided to share
x reader should be (and, generally speaking, often is) the most accepting fanfiction space because its consistently, and almost exclusively an expression or fantasy of being desired or wanted or wanting—or in an even more basic sense, considered. even if you dont explicitly self-insert, even if there’s a an oc thats just you but better or a faceless insert u make - it starts with the same premise. which is wanting to be seen or desired by some extension of who you are. or wanting to fantasize explicitly about a life that isn’t yours, any life but yours. its admitting more openly than other mediums—i want someone to want some part of me. to take interest in me sexually or romantically or platonically. i want this element of myself to be considered or thought of. sometimes that is accomplished through writing, and sometimes that is accomplished through reading and seeking to bits of yourself in other peoples. the other half is having space to want and yearn for something else. how liberating it is to admit that you’d like to be somewhere else.
and it is hardly a flawless medium and im really, really simplifying it but i do think that there is something uniquely enjoyable and freeing about it. i want agency in the stories i love. i want my presence to haunt this fiction like a ghost. i want to be loved, i want to be interesting. i want to experience hundreds of lives that aren’t mine. i want i want i want. this a story of you. this is a story of me.
Also, on the topic of Mass Effect, it's weird that they narrow things down to "Organics versus Synthetics" when the obvious broader talking point is parent and child societies.
Like. Yes, a full third of the game is dedicated to deciding the fate of the Quarian and Geth conflict. The Quarians created the Geth, the Geth rebelled against Quarian control, and Shepard must decide the outcome of their conflict.
You know what else a third of the game deals with? The Salarians and the Krogan. Like the Quarians, the Salarians too had "created" the Krogan when they gave advanced technology to a low-tech society and brought them into the stars. And they too got scared and sought to destroy what they had made once the Krogan rebelled against their control.
And then another third is about uncovering the relationship between the Asari and their creators, the Protheans.
The whole fucking game is about civilizations birthed from other civilizations and the relationships thereof. And only one section of it directly involves synthetic life.
There's something really interesting in that concept. It's easy to imagine a version of Mass Effect where the Reapers both originate and end the cycles.
That they were made long ago, and they like the Geth rebelled against their creators' systems of control.
That the Reapers seed worlds with life, helping it flourish, watching it evolve, and then retreat into deep space to watch their societies grow.
But as a society advances, the Reapers grow scared. They fear its advancement, that it will become too smart, too aware. That it will ultimately rebel against them as they rebelled against their own makes. And so when a society gets too advanced, they return and snuff it out.
Only to be driven to create once more.
It's an idea of the Reapers not as the synthetics in an "Organics and synthetics must hate each other" equation but rather as the creators. That they are the Quarians to our Geth. And through navigating these three chapters, Shepard can prove that there can be a better way.
I feel like that would have been a more effective way of handling what Mass Effect 3 was trying to say.
After Marineford, a former White-beard pirate must find a new reason to travel the seas. They find a common goal with the dark Captain of the Heart pirates, but will they find more as secrets unveil and hearts open?
---
Self indulgent One-Piece x OC fic that I wrote for myself but decided to share. Tell me if you want to be added to a taglist! ;)
Read on AO3
Chapter 6: The first islands (link to chapter 1)
"I'd rather not take a bath with all of you. Your fifth will contaminate me” Yuki said scrunching up her nose.
The moon was reflecting upon a lake on Fishman Island. The boys had decided to go for a midnight bath. Their only bath in days. Yuki was honestly revolted by their hygiene habits, for she contrary to them washed her face, feet, hands and more intimate parts every day.
She used her supposed prudish nature as an excuse to avoid being naked in front of them. Recently, another female was added to the crew, Banshee, but Yuki had kept her secret for so long that it felt impossible to reveal to those she shared so many things with. It almost felt like a betrayal, lying to them about something so important about her.
They had assumed she was a boy when they fished her out of East Blue’s waves, and she never tried to correct them. At first she was afraid of what pirates would do to a girl, and then she was afraid they wouldn’t let a girl join them.
"Come on Yuki you're so prude" Masked Deuce groaned from where he was bathing in the middle of the lake. “And an hygiene maniac too”
Yuki wasn’t deterred by the whole crew’s booing. Standing a respectful distance from the shore, she didn’t see Saber coming being her and grabbing her by the waist. She let out a surprised, a bit too feminine yelp and her face contorted in horror as he marched her towards the lake.
“No let me go you bastard!” She begged, struggling to break free, but to no avail. She turned to her captain in last resort. “Ace! Tell him to stop!”
But the freckled man who was sitting on a rock beside the shore shook his head. “Sorry Yuki, this time you’re on your own!” He grinned.
The men of the crew cheered as Saber unceremoniously tossed Yuki into the unsalted water.
After a large splashing noise, Yuki resurfaced, shaking her head like a dog to get rid of the excess water. She swam until she found her foothold and opened her blurry eyes, ready to shout at her crew-mates. But she was met with dropped jaws and bulging eyes. Skull’s nose was bleeding too.
“Ace do you see what I see??” Masked Deuce asked, flabbergasted
Yuki looked down to herself, where the boys were ogling her. Her white shirt had turned transparent and was clinging to her body, revealing her very petite, but still very feminine bosom.
“Yuki…” Saber started, looking embarrassed. “Are you… a girl?”
Yuki itched to hide; her secret was out, and Saber’s words had the effect of a colder shower than that midnight bath she just took. The girl bit her lip, trying to refrain from crying. “ I guess there’s no hiding it anymore” She looked down, upset and sad.
"You’re sure? You don't look like one" Skull asked, rubbing the blood away from his nose. It earned him a smack on the head from Banshee who just arrived upon hearing the commotion. “Shut it you idiot!” She chastised. “Can’t you see you’re making her cry?!”
“I’m sorry I lied to you” Yuki was still looking down, not daring to meet the others eyes, especially those of her beloved captain. “I didn’t mean to” She whispered, barely audible.
There was a beat of uncomfortable silence. Then Masked Deuce spoke. "Well the Crew needs a cook so…" He offered, a smug grin lifting up the corner of his lips.
Though devastated, Yuki was still triggered "I'm not doing that you misogynist excuse of a man!" She replied in a strangled cry.
"What did he ...uh I mean she call me?" Deuce asked Saber, obviously not knowing the word and if it was insulting or not.
“I’m not sure I’d let hi- her cook” Ace said, getting up and walking into the water until it was up to his waist, careless about drenching his pants. Once standing a respectful distance from Yuki, he softly addressed her “I understand now why you never joined us for a bath. I thought you kinda didn’t like us enough”
“After all this time? Of course I like you all!” Yuki hastily replied before she stopped and reflected on the situation. “Wait, you’re not upset?” She looked up to meet her captain’s dark eyes, her expression full of hope.
"I’m sure you had your reasons, right?” Ace shrugged, and Yuki’s shoulders dropped. Had she known this revelation that she dreaded would be so well accepted she wouldn’t have worried about it so much.
“And that doesn’t change much to me” Ace continued, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “You're still Yuki" He smiled and that’s when Yuki’s heart first skipped a beat with the warmth of something new.
- - -
It turned out that in Sabaody Law had bought stuff for each one of his subordinates. A cooling suit for Bepo, a shiny sword for Ikkaku… Each member was equipped with a new useful object. As much as Yuki hated to admit it, it was really nice of him. He clearly had his subordinates’ best interests at heart. He cared for them, like any good captain should. Law was an introvert, the exact opposite of Ace, but that did not mean he was a bad captain. Just different. Yuki was so used to sailing with Ace and Whitebeard that she found it hard to adapt, and she kept comparing life on the Moby Dick with life on the Tang, even when knowing it wasn’t productive.
While the Polar Tang dove deep into the sea to reach Fishman Island, Yuki played with her new needles. They turned out to be perfect for holding Salome’s venom. Her next concern was studying if she would be able to replicate said venom so she wouldn’t be limited in quantity. The dose necessary to paralyse a man was low, but she only possessed one vial of venom, and wouldn’t be seeing the pirate Empress again soon for a refill.
To work on that task, she asked for Penguin’s help, whom she learnt was the most proficient chemist of the crew. She gave him a sample of the already small quantity of venom she possessed, and he promised to try and synthesise a similar substance, looking excited by the challenge.
“I’ll do my best Yuki-chan, but I don’t know how long it’ll take” He told her with a smile.
Word that Yuki was younger than most of the crew members travelled fast, and as a result, some men asked to address her less formally, which she allowed. Yuki liked being polite, but she was a pirate and pirates didn’t usually do honorifics, except for showing respect to a captain or a stronger and older fellow.
“Thank you, Penguin” She simply called him, and he didn’t correct her.
She didn’t know how long she would travel with this crew, but she might as well be on good terms with them. Maybe after they would eventually part, she would remember them as friends.
- - -
The Polar Tang arrived without any issues at Fishman Island. The halt there would be short, as the log pose would only need half an hour to set. It was a good thing, since the island wasn’t as welcoming to rookie pirates as it was when under the protection of Whitebeard.
Even if Law ordered his crew to keep a low profile, they all still wanted to visit this extraordinary island, and the small tour they envisioned of course included a visit to the Mermaid Café to see real mermaids.
Law was against the idea, but even if he was the captain, alone against his riled-up crew, he didn’t stand a chance.
Walking through Coral Hill, Yuki felt a pang upon seeing Big Mom’s Jolly Roger where once that of Whitebeard was proudly displayed. She kept her eyes opened for any threatening pirate looking for trouble, but luckily, they didn’t come across any hostile presence and safely reached the café.
Once inside, Yuki sat at a lone table beside a window with Ikkaku, letting the others enjoy the experience of being served by beautiful mermaids.
“You should definitely try the seaweed pudding” Yuki recommended, and Ikkaku excitedly nodded.
Once they had set on which drink to have with their food, Yuki gave their order to one of the little quintuplet mermaids. Observing her surroundings, she realized the café was less busy that it used to be. At first she was surprised they managed to have seats. Last time she was In Fishman Island, there was a huge line at the front door, and the wait could be hours. The café’s emptiness was strange.
A chair was placed between Ikkaku and her, and Yuki was surprised to see Trafalgar Law joining them.
“Captain, to what do we owe the pleasure?” Ikkaku asked, amused but just as taken aback.
Law showed no interest in coming to the café, and reluctantly accompanied his crew, concerned about leaving their submarine without supervision, even when it was well hidden in a small cove.
“You’re less noisy than those guys” Law replied while pointing behind his shoulder to the rest of the crew, all drooling over the mermaids serving them with hearts in their eyes.
“Urgh… men” Ikkaku commented.
“Well, they seem to be having a good time” Yuki chuckled. She smiled fondly as she took a sip from her drink. The Spade pirates had been just as excited to meet the mermaids back then.
Law didn’t look one bit amused, his frown deep and his arms crossed over his chest. Yuki hoped his sour mood wouldn’t ruin their relaxing time here.
Soon, a tall figure with a shark fin approached their table, and Yuki’s eyes widened as she looked up. The person who brought their food, carefully placing the plates on the table was none other than the owner of the café, Madam Shyarly. She usually never served customers.
“Welcome dear guests. Thank you for giving us work today” She said, fishing her pipe from her clothes and bringing it to her lips.
“I knew the attendance rate was odd” Yuki commented, and Shyarly turned to look her straight in the eyes.
“A lot of things have changed since Whitebeard passed Melody Yuki” She blew a cloud of smoke before she added: “My condolences for your loss. It was in a way our loss too”
Yuki nodded her head, uttering a small word of thanks before looking down to her lap. She felt sorry that these people suffered the consequences of Whitebeard’s disappearance. She liked the old man, despite never feeling truly part of his crew as much as the others. He was a good leader and protector for the lands he claimed as his. Like a true father figure. It was his dream after all, to have a big family.
“Is there anything I could do to help?” Yuki asked without really thinking.
Shyarly gave her a small gentle smile. “This matter is not yours to handle. Someone else will someday.” She mysteriously replied, her deep ocean blue eyes finding Yuki’s topaze ones. The mermaid’s gaze became hazy ad her expression lost as she added. “If you once lived in the shadow of the sun, you will soon shine under the light of the moon”
Her words floated in the air, like suspended in time, the café suddenly feeling even quieter, intimate almost, and full of secrets.
“Enjoy your meal” She then told them, regaining a more normal attitude.
Yuki’s gaze followed her as she disappeared in the backroom of the café. She kept staring into empty space, pensive, pondering Madam Shyarly’s words while Ikkaku dug into her food.
“You were right! That pudding is delicious” The curly brunette commented, but Yuki didn’t really hear her. She didn’t realize a pair of steel grey eyes were on her either.
- - -
When the log was set, Law urged Bepo and the others to leave the café. The boys would have liked to stay some more, but their captain’s patience was running thin.
The way back to the Tang was unfortunately not a calm one.
Allies of Big Mom pirates recognized one of the worst generation captains and soon, the crew and Yuki were running from angry pirates, trying to reach their ship before they became surrounded and outnumbered.
Jean Bart with his massive stature was the quickest to reach the Tang, and while he started the engine, the others gradually settled at their respective posts. Only Bepo, Law and Yuki remained on land to cover the other’s backs and handle the hostile pirates.
Trafalgar’s power was particularly useful, but Yuki also managed to get a fair share of men down. When they came too close and she couldn’t use her riffle anymore, she resolved to testing her new needles. She nimbly dodged a blow from a big old pirate and quickly stabbed him in the shoulder. The man collapsed, paralysed. It seemed that Salome’s venom was particularly effective.
Yuki was facing off another adversary when Law called out to her, urging her to get back to the sub. One split second of distraction had her let her guard down, and the younger red-hair she was fighting managed to tear through her right sleeve with his sword. Luckily, Yuki stepped back just in time to avoid getting her arm chopped. She ended the spar with an elegant backflip and once she was finally on deck, Bepo dragged her inside the cabin as Law screamed his order to dive.
Once they were underwater, nothing could be done to catch them, so Yuki had time to assess the damage on her arm. Luckily, she only suffered a small cut. But her blouse was ruined. So much for buying new clothes.
Law noticed her shuffling, and when he spotted a stain of blood on the white fabric, he asked. “Do you need medical treatment?”
Yuki shook her head. “No, I’m fine, it’s just a scratch”
She cut the loose fabric from her already teared-up shirt and used it to dab on the small cut on her arm.
Just below the small wound, Law noticed a splotch of red on her pale skin. On the inside of Yuki’s forearm, a small spade was tattooed.
- - -
The atmosphere inside of the Polar Tang got calmer as they left Fishman Island behind them, unfollowed.
Yuki took chance of this break to take a shower and get changed. As soon as she exited the bathroom, and stepped inside their shared bedroom, Ikkaku immediately told her that Bepo and the captain needed her to discuss where to go next. So much for relaxation.
Yuki hurriedly dried her short hair and rushed to the control room.
Inside the middle of the control room, a map was already set on a large wooden table. Law and Bepo thanked her for coming and quickly let her in on their thoughts.
“So, Yuki-chan, we know that the first three islands of the New World are Risky Red, Mystoria and Raijin, but we don’t know anything about those islands” Bepo explained. “Except that the three of them are known to be dangerous”
Law glanced at Yuki, arms crossed over his chest. “We could always follow the log pose to the island that has the steadiest needle. But since you’ve already travelled to the New World, maybe you have a better suggestion, Yuki-ya”
“I would advise against going to Raijin. The island and the sea around it are perpetually struck with bolts of lightning. Even if it has the lowest setting time for the log pose, it’s too dangerous. You could go around it, but its magnetic field wouldn’t reach the log”
“So that leaves Risky Red and Mystoria” Bepo said while crossing out Raijin from his map.
Yuki was quick to answer. “Mystoria is the safest option. It is an unwelcoming land covered in dark forests full of poisonous species and toxic gas, but the shores are free of all that, and the log will set in less than 24 hours. Since there is enough food to last until the island after the next, it’s no problem that we won’t be able to forage there”
Bepo paled. “Are you sure? Poisonous fauna doesn’t sound like the safest option”
Yuki shrugged. “Well, the last one is Risky Red; a fortress of abrupt cliffs so high it’s almost impossible to land. The rocky mountains are unstable and landslides are frequent there. Many ships got crushed by large falling rock boulders. Plus, the setting time for the log pose there is three days”
Law nodded his head and gave the mink a pointed look. “Mystoria it is then, Bepo”
“Aie Aie Captain!” The polar bear saluted and started checking his log pose to estimate their trajectory.
Yuki awkwardly stood there while Bepo worked, eyeing Trafalgar from time to time. She wanted to say something, to strike a conversation with him and diffuse the tension she thought she felt in the air, but Law beat her to it.
“Thank you Yuki-ya. You can go now” He told her without even looking at her.
Feeling unwelcome and vexed, Yuki went back to her room.
- - -
While Ikkaku was resting peacefully, Yuki couldn’t find sleep. The night was calm, but she kept tossing and turning in her bed, frustration growing inside her, preventing her from calming down enough to even hope to rest.
In silence she escaped the bedroom and walked up to the deck. The Tang had resurfaced in the afternoon, when they had spotted Mystoria. The sea was calm and they would reach the island in the morning. Yuki leaned over the railing, admiring the stars in the clear sky before they would disappear into the dark clouds and heavy fog surrounding Mystoria.
A chill ran down her spine. She would have to dress more warmly in the morning. She ran a hand through her snow-white hair. It had grown a little since Marineford, now stopping just above her jaw. At least it kept her ears warm.
Yuki turned around when she heard a small creaking sound. On the steps leading down the cabin, Trafalgar Law was turning his back to her. He probably wanted to get some air too, but decided against it when he realized the deck wasn’t free. Yuki felt like he was trying to avoid her. Maybe because she was a barely wanted addition to his crew.
“Trouble sleeping?” Yuki called out to him and he froze, his shoulders tensing.
Still, he turned back to look at her, and even graced her with a short answer. “I never sleep much”
“I gathered. From the bags under your eyes” Yuki pointed out. “But I didn’t take you for the stargazing type”
Law sighed but stepped forward, joining Yuki beside the railing, opting to stand a respectful distance from her.
“I came to see the island” He said, but Yuki couldn’t tell if he was sincere or not.
The evening air was chilly but Law seemed unbothered. He wasn’t wearing his usual hat, and his hoodie’s sleeves were rolled up to reveal the tattoos on his hands and forearms. Upon seeing them, Yuki absent-mindedly ran her thumb over the red spade tattooed on the inside of her wrist. A detail that Law noticed.
“I didn’t take you for someone who liked to get inked” He said, mocking her previous phrasing as he turned around so his back and elbows were resting on the railing.
“That just confirms that we really don’t know each other at all” Yuki replied and Law smirked.
“Shouldn’t you be harbouring Whitebeard’s Jolly Roger instead?”
Yuki bit her lower lip. The old man’s Jolly Roger, that was Ace’s thing. She looked down to her inked skin, bittersweet memories making her feel nauseous. “I don’t know if this is your way of asking what that tattoo means” She muttered.
“I know what it means” Law interrupted. “You were originally part of the Spade pirates, weren’t you? I have to admit I didn’t expect you and Portgas to go way back like that”
Trafalgar was a clever man, and he obviously had done his research on her. “The Spade pirates rescued me from drowning in East Blue. I joined them at a very young age. I don’t need a physical reminder of what they mean to me, but I wanted to proudly show that I belonged with them”
Law nodded his head, his expression now serious.
Pirate crews were families; at least to Yuki it felt so. She wondered if Trafalgar had the same vision.
“Am I allowed to ask you what your own tattoos mean?” Yuki asked after a few seconds of silence. “Something to do with the founding of your crew?”
After a beat of silence, Law shook his head, closing his eyes. “There are too many of them to explain in one night”
Yuki felt like she hit a subject more personal than she expected.
“Sphinx is still many nights away” She retorted, trying to pry, but looking at Mystoria’s distant form to avoid making eye contact with the captain that kept avoiding her.
“Maybe some other time” Law finally replied, his voice softer, leaving a small opening for the future.
He was a very private person; Yuki could respect that. She almost regretted asking personal questions.
“I get it. I didn’t mean to intrude” She said, wanting to maintain peace and show her intentions weren’t to be nosy.
She was known for being good at gathering intel for Whitebeard; that sort of reputation obviously made it harder to have people trust her.
Silence fell between Yuki and Law. They both admired the sea, until Mystoria got closer and the clouds and fog started obstructing the view. Law took his leave first.
Yuki stayed out until her fingers were numb from the cold. She was admittedly a bit disappointed that she couldn’t bond with the Heart’s Captain more. She wondered how heavy were the memories Law’ tattoos held.
