YOUR MARTYR.

[laawlesss]

♡ 𝐕𝐄𝐍 / 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐘𝐑. —- 19yrs. gndrfld. any prns. — 🎧

𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴𝘴𝘴. ╳ 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘴. ╳ 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴𝘴𝘴. ╳ 𝘯𝘢𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

🖇 ,, neurodivergent & hyperfixated on one piece <3 . this blog contains sfw works, i mostly write fluff/comfort !! <3 requests r always open!

🔪 ;; do NOT repost, claim, or modify my work in any way. <3

[laawlesss]

—- hihi ! mini update.

i know i haven’t been active with posting / i’ve been mad inconsistent, but there’s reason for that!

i’m currently in the middle of returning to college, working two jobs, preparing for conventions, and working on art commissions! between all of these things, i have very little time to devote towards fic writing, which was a labor of love i started for fun! i appreciate all of the support that i’ve received on the minifics i’ve written, and it makes me genuinely so happy to know that people really do enjoy what i write! unfortunately, i don’t have the same time that i previously had to write, nor the motivation to in the small break periods i get.

fret not! i do still write, and i am working on several new minifics! i just don’t have a set schedule or a timeframe on when they will be completed.

if you are interested in the snippets i complete or just wanna hang out on my down time, feel free to join my discord server! i’m most active there, and when i’m not busy with the rest of my life, i’m usually hanging out in one of the vc channels.

i can’t thank enough the people who’ve supported me by enjoying my silly little fics, i hope to continue to write things that y’all enjoy whenever i have the time.

— ly! martyr.

[laawlesss]

;; Camp Grand Line !! , pt. iii

>> link to pt i.

; words? ; 11.1k

; warnings? ; mild language, description of anxiety.

; genre? ; fluff, slowburn, eventual comfort/angst.

; request? ; no.

; pairing? ; portgas d. ace/reader || mild trafalgar d. law/reader, roronoa zoro/reader, eustass kid/reader.

; notes ; aha…. hey….. sure been a while, huh….. ahaha….. all jokes aside im sorry for the late update! life has been mad hectic recently. writers block came for my throat i stg. nonetheless, i hope yall enjoy this one, extra long to make up for my absence <3 crossposted on ao3 as always

The two of you had found Eustass laid out by the lake, reclined in an old lawn chair with his head resting on his prosthetic arm, a solo cup held in his other. Killer was sitting beside him carrying on casual conversation, seemingly just relaxing by the lake. Their chairs were plopped onto the shore, feeble metal legs shoved amidst the pebbles and grainy sand of the lake shore. It was a pretty view, that was for sure. The lake was deep in emerald greens, fading to the light cerulean shades as the water got more shallow. 

Reeds and cattails framed the edges of the water, thick layers of lily pads decorated the shallows, soft chirps from frogs and crickets filling the air. Your eyes caught on a shiny dragonfly, watching it flit amidst the grass and pebbles before skittering out of your view. The long pier that stretched out into the lake was made of an old but sturdy wood, the sun-bleached planks always warm from the afternoon rays. It had a few inlets where small kayaks were tied, drifting lazily from the small ripples in the calm lake. 

Trees bordered the perimeter and you could see one part of the lake drifting off around a bend, curious as to what lay beyond what was blocking your view. Distant coos from doves and summer birds sounded from all around you. The sky overheard was a crystal shade of blue and was scattered with soft, fluffy white clouds. You could make out the shape of a distant hawk soaring through the wide blue far over the tree line. The whole scene was picture perfect and seemed like something out of a postcard. 

Franky’s shed stood to one side of the pier, affixed with a few signs warning campers to not swim alone, to wear life jackets, all the usual safety regulations. Its old wood was graying, but it still stood strong, kept in perfect shape by your fellow counselor. You knew he’d already checked out the interior, made sure all of the fishing rods were clean and functional, and that the oars were all sturdy and firm. He loved taking care of the things inside, and patching up the kayaks and canoes if there ever was an accident that damaged them. 

The two men on the shore were alerted to your presence as your shoes crunched on the sand and grit, Ace trailing a few steps behind you as you marched over to Eustass, mustering up as much courage as you could. Why did he have your walkie? You could clearly see the hunk of metal that was his own walkie hanging from his waist, he didn’t need two of them. Besides, he had Killer with him too, and Killer had his own respective walkie as well. 

“Long time no see, sweetheart!” Eustass cheered, his words falling into his signature raucous laugh as a twisted grin marred his features. He had pushed himself up from his chair, straightening to his full height of six-foot-nine. It was genuinely terrifying, and you had to will your legs to keep moving as you approached him. “Come to drink with us?” Eustass purred, clutching the solo cup in his grip and holding it out to you. 

Quickly declining, you rubbed the back of your neck nervously. You heard Ace drop the box of walkies neatly on the shore, standing behind you with crossed arms. “Ah, no, that’s okay. I get you guys have your little ritual thing but I don’t really drink—“ You trailed off with a sigh, reminding yourself to stay focused. Who was he, anyways? Just some stupid mechanic blessed with a few extra inches of height. Nothing to be scared of, you’d be fine. “I actually came to get my walkie back.” You nodded affirmatively, steeling your nerves as you crossed your arms. 

“Why do you have it, anyways?” Ace piped up from behind you, resting his elbow on your shoulder. “If you can’t figure out how it works, you can just ask for help instead of taking a second one.” The ravenette shrugged, his tanned skin practically glowing in the summer light. 

“I know how it works, moron.” Eustass spat, a malicious sneer crossing his face. You internally begged Ace to just keep his mouth shut, you did not want to get on the mechanic’s bad side. “You’d probably say no if I just asked you outright, so I had to get a little sneaky.” The tall redhead shrugged, his eyes glinting with something dark. 

“Say no to.. what exactly?” You frowned, furrowing your brow. What did he want from you? The two of you hardly ever spoke more than a word or two every week, so why was he so intent on getting you out here? You were on worse terms with him than Ace, which was saying a lot. 

“You sound like a pervert, Eustass.” Ace deadpanned, idly scratching his head before shifting his weight on his feet. You shot him a glare, to which he just grinned as if he wasn’t purposely riling up the man who could probably break all of your bones with a calculated punch. 

“And you are a pervert, Portgas.” Eustass sneered, unclipping your lovingly decorated walkie-talkie from his belt and striding over to you, pushing Ace away with a hand to his face. You resisted a giggle as the ravenette looked pissed off for half a second, then replaced his cool demeanor. Your amusement vanished in an instant as the mechanic dangled your walkie just out of your reach, entertained by your inability to recover your precious instrument. “Don’t be so eager, doll.” 

You huffed, giving up in your tirade as you crossed your arms over your chest, an annoyed twitch of your eyebrow present as Eustass was beginning to piss you off. “What’s your damage, Eustass? What the hell do you want?” You growled, though something in the back of your mind was screaming at you to shut up and put as much distance between yourself and the violence-inclined red-haired giant in front of you. 

If anything, your frustration only seemed to amuse Eustass further, and he grinned. “If this is one of your weird fantasies, Kid, we don’t want any part of it.” Ace shoved his hands neatly into his pockets as he whistled to some made up tune, kicking at the sand under his boots. 

“Portgas I swear I—“ 

“What do you want?!” You shouted, repeating yourself again. You didn’t need the two getting into a fight on the first day. “I haven’t done anything to you, have I?” You huffed. You had scoured your brain for anything that you could have possibly done to piss the mechanic off, and you had come up blank. 

“You’re the only counselor that hasn’t done the ritual.” Killer spoke up, standing just off to the side. His stature was confident, his shoulders broad. His golden blond hair shone in the bright light of the afternoon. He was just slightly shorter than his friend, his signature striped mask set securely in place despite the heat. 

You were confused for a split second before your eyes widened. Thinking hard, you listed off every counselor in your mind. Luffy, Nami, Ace, hell, even Chopper did the damn ritual that Killer was talking about. Nervousness filled your body, and you took a step back, only to bump into Ace. You were effectively trapped in the circle of taller men, each of them staring at you. 

The ritual was a yearly thing that the more daring of the counselors did in the days before the campers arrived. You had to climb up onto the tallest outcropping over the lake, one affectionately nicknamed “heartbreak hill”, and jump almost seventy feet into the water below. It was a feat not for the faint of heart, and you’d managed to slip out of it in your previous years. You knew Luffy, Ace, and Kid did it every year, finding some kind of sick pleasure in torturing themselves with the adrenaline rushes, but you were perfectly happy staying safely on the shore. 

Turning and staring at Ace, he just shrugged, “I mean, he’s right.” You sent the freckled man a scowl, hoping that he would’ve offered you an out, but he seemed just as intent on your early demise as Kid and Killer. Your attention was drawn back to Kid as he cackled, loud and low. 

“Can’t get out of it this year, dolly!” He grinned, bracing his arms on his hips. “Ya got until sundown, and one of us has to be a witness.” You gulped before shaking your head, your hands balling up into fists. You could say no! The boys were intimidating as hell, that was for sure, but they couldn’t force you to do anything you didn’t want to. 

“You can’t make me jump.” You sneered, deciding instead to cross your arms over your chest. “The ritual is stupid anyways, I’m not an adrenaline whore like the rest of you.” Killer put a hand over his mask as if to cover his mouth at your words, and you heard Kid sigh. 

“Nah, you’re right. We can’t. But, we can…“ He lifted your walkie-talkie in his good hand, before cocking back his arm. He was prepped to hurl your device to the deepest part of the lake, his eyes narrowed as a sickeningly sly grin stretched over his face. “..Do this!” He shot his arm forward, and you screeched a ‘No!!’ before leaping into the air and grabbing onto his forearm, your legs dangling slightly in the air. 

“Fine! Fine, I’ll do it.” You grumbled, still eyeing the colors of your walkie in Kid’s grip. A triumphant grin stretched across the redhead’s face, his dark lipstick always impeccable. He lowered his arm enough that your feet hit the sand, letting you down as his eyes swirled with mischief. You huffed, letting go of him and putting distance between yourself and the ginger. 

“Atta’ girl.” His grin turned into a dark smirk, and you suddenly felt safer with the pyromaniac behind you than you did with the mechanic in front of you. “I’ll just hold onto this for ya, for the time being. Wouldn’t want it to sink in the lake after you jump, now would we?” Kid leered, clipping your walkie back to his belt and giving the side of it an affectionate flick with a painted nail. 

You were nearly fuming, and still entirely unsure as to why Eustass was so adamant about you doing the ritual, but you had put too much time and effort into lovingly decorating your walkie-talkie that you couldn’t bear to see disappear into the depths of the crystalline camp lake. It wasn’t just a hunk of metal to you, you had memories attached to the little box. Every year you had added something new to the design to remind you of that summer’s events and it was covered in mementos and inside jokes that were priceless to you. 

Scrunching up your face, you stuck your tongue out at Eustass, before spinning on your heel and stomping away. You needed to build up your courage before sundown and that was nearly impossible with the giant staring you down. “Remember your deadline, angel!” Kid cackled, not bothering to follow after you since he still held your walkie hostage. You flipped him off over your shoulder, shouting for Ace to get the box and follow you. 

Ace had scrambled to scoop the box up, his boots digging into the dirt as he hurried to catch up to you. It was quiet for a moment before he broke the silence, watching your back as you stormed down the path away from the lake. 

“You coulda said no, y’know! Eustass is a bastard, but he wouldn’t have forced you to jump if you really didn’t want to.” He shrugged, adjusting the box under his arm. In an instant, you had spun on him, nearly getting steamrolled before Ace quickly stopped in his tracks. 

“Thank you for your input, peanut gallery, I know.” You rolled your eyes,  picking up a stick and smacking Ace on the shoulder, the bundle of leaves still attached nearly suffocating him as you attacked him weakly. He managed to dodge most of your swings, but the last one caught him in the mouth and he was left sputtering leaves. “But my beloved walkie would have suffered, and I really don’t want to see it sink to its watery grave.” 

Pivoting, you kept ahold of your branch in case Ace decided to say something else that you deemed stupid. “Okay, fair point, but I didn’t need to taste leaves for you to get your point across.” He huffed, picking up the pace behind you. “If it makes you feel any better, the jump really isn’t that bad, just close your eyes and hold your breath and it’s over in a second.” The ravenette spoke matter-of-factly, nodding his head as the trail widened enough for him to walk alongside you. 

“That’s not the part I’m worried about, pyro. That part of the lake isn’t as deep as the rest of it, and the rocks at the bottom of the cliff are definitely real.” You used your hands to mimic jumping off the cliff and landing with a big explosion onto the boulders and mires at the base of the rock face. 

Ace laughed, hearty and deep, a sound that nearly had you swaying on your feet. “Nah, you don’t have anything to worry about. The water’ll catch ya. Now if it was someone like Zoro jumping, he might need to freak, since he’s more dense than you are. Literally and figuratively.” 

“I’m surprised you didn’t shatter, since you’re about as dense as the cliff itself.” 

“Why thank you, sweetheart.” 

His cheeky retort had you scoffing, choosing instead to focus on the path ahead. Pacing back to the main road of the camp, the two of you looked around for other counselors. Most everyone had retreated to their assigned cabins, even the kitchen of the dining hall was empty. You heaved a sigh since it meant you’d have to wander all across camp again. Your poor, poor legs. 

You had decided to take one of the smaller boxes from the dining hall and divide up the rest of the walkies. Ace would take the ones for the Newgate and New World cabins, while you’d take the ones for the TSGM and doctor cabins. You smiled as you admired each of the carefully decorated instruments, enjoying that you could see each counselor’s distinct personality in the way they designed their walkie. You were more than happy to get away from Ace, especially since you no longer needed his help now that the box was much lighter. 

He’d gone off with a wink and a flick of his sun-bleached orange hat, promising that he wouldn’t be gone for too long, to which you stuck your tongue out and hoped he’d get lost in the woods around camp. You went to find one of your closest confidants, Nami. 

+++

“What a dirtbag! Who does he think he is, forcing you to go through something like that!” Nami was pacing back and forth in the admissions building, her walkie secured beside her three-part walking stick that hung on her belt. It was designed cutely, with tangerines and pinwheels neatly painted on it. 

“Exactly what I was thinking. But I don’t want my walkie to become fish food, so I have to jump.” You sighed, slumping over the main desk as you toyed with a stray pen you’d found, spinning it in your hand. 

“Why does he want you to jump so bad anyways? Why’d he take your stuff in the first place?” Nami was working herself into a tizzy, fuming as she paced. She was just as frustrated as you were, if not more so. Your old friend was pretty protective over you, especially when it came to drama over men. You could tell that she was just itching to smother Kid with his own bunk pillow. 

“No idea. I’ve found it’s better to just think he’s insane rather than to try and find a motive.” You nodded solemnly, watching as the pen you were messing with left little ink marks on the counter when you twirled it. 

The ginger huffed, letting out a noise of frustration. She seemed to regain herself as she turned to you, leaning against the counter. After watching you twirl the pen, she let out a soft sigh, releasing some of her built up anger. “…So are you actually gonna do it?” Nami absentmindedly turned the friendship bracelets she had on her wrist. 

You dropped your head onto your arms, letting out a groan. “…Yeah. I’m trying to work up the courage right now. I didn’t exactly plan to jump off a seventy-foot cliff when I left for camp.” Your mind was spinning in circles and nervousness tugged at the pit of your stomach. You never were the type to go chasing after the wild somersaulting of your heart that came with adrenaline rushes, you preferred to leave that to the trio of impulsive brothers that you were friends with. 

You tugged on Nami’s hand until she held it out to you, using the pen you were fiddling with to draw little scribbles on her skin. Her soft brown eyes followed your movements as you inked miniature flowers and hearts. “It’s not that scary in hindsight, if it helps any. It’s over in an instant so you don’t really have time to be scared. Then again, Luffy did push me off for mine, so it could be different for you.” She spoke with her usual melodic tone, something that offered you comfort. 

You were reminded of the year prior when Nami had made her way up to heartbreak hill claiming she was going to jump, before her anxiety got the better of her. Luffy had run up behind her and given her a massive shove, sending them both tumbling into the cold lake below. Neither of them were hurt, but Nami held a grudge for most of the summer and Luffy wasn’t able to stop laughing if someone brought it up. 

“What about that part of the lake? Aren’t there rocks and stuff?” You hummed, chewing anxiously at the inside of your cheek. “What if I hit one? Can you die from falling into water from that height?” Each of your questions were perfectly reasonable, and caused Nami to give you a caring smile. 

“It’s safe. Well, as long as you don’t jump like Eustass did last year and land on your stomach.” The two of you shared a look before busting out into laughter, remembering the events of the summer prior. Eustass had been boasting and chasing his adrenaline high, forgetting to pivot his body in air as he fell. He landed with a loud slap into the water, earning raucous, hysterical laughter from Ace and Luffy, a smirk from Law, and concerned gasps from most everyone else. He’d pulled himself out of the lake, a bit woozy but otherwise fine, a crooked grin on his face. You had no idea how his ribs weren’t shattered, but the male counselors at camp seemed to have a running theme of superhuman resilience. 

“I don’t plan on doing that.” You giggled, still covering the back of Nami’s hand in faint doodles. “Is it cold?” 

“At first you don’t really notice because of everything going on, but then it hits you all at once. You know how the lake is always freezing, even at noon?” Nami watched you give her little tattoos. “It’s kind of worse because you can’t predict just how cold it is when you finally land. It’s more just a quick shock than anything, not any worse than when Sabo threw you into the lake last year.”  

You gave an involuntary shiver. “I’m really not looking forward to this, Nami.” You groaned, putting down your pen and laying your head on the counter of the main desk. The girl lay a soft, newly-decorated hand on the crest of your head and gave you a meager smile. 

“Can you just… say you did it? I’ll vouch, and I’m sure the rest of the guys would too.” She nodded, and your heart warmed. Your friends would always have your back. 

“No. Kid said there’s gotta be a witness, him or Killer, and I don’t think Killer is gonna lie on my behalf.” The two of you sighed in unison, before the sound of the front door opening drew your attention. Sabo was pushing the old wooden door open with a foot, arms piled with boxes of stuff that was likely going to be used later on for events. Setting them down onto the floor and pushing them out of the way with his boot, Sabo looked up and saw the two of you, his eyes lighting up. 

“Oh, hey! You two didn’t invite me in on the gossip?” The blonde smiled warmly, crossing his arms and raising a brow in false hurt. He tugged his recognizable hat off his head and set it on the main desk, before leaning on the counter on the other side of you. 

“It’s not really gossip—“ Nami exhaled, an irritated look crossing her face again. 

“I have to do the ritual this year or else Kid’s gonna waterboard my walkie.” You frowned, giving your friend a lazy wave. Your voice was flat and sounded tired, causing Sabo to narrow his eyes. Concern was rising in him, and he turned to you. 

“What do you mean?” His tone had dropped all of its previous glee, and his eyes were dark. You rarely saw such a serious side of him, his demeanor went from kind and placid to dangerous in an instant. You held your hand out to Sabo, and he recognized what you wanted to do in an instant, tugging off one of the gloves that he usually wore and placing his palm in yours. 

As you began to doodle on his hand much like you did Nami’s, the girl spoke up and began to explain. “Kid is holding her walkie-talkie hostage if she doesn’t jump off of heartbreak hill. We can’t vouch and say that she already jumped, because Kid or Killer has to be a witness.” Sabo seemed frustrated, but he held his hand still for you. 

“What a jerk.” He muttered, resting his chin on his free hand, seeming lost in thought. “Are you gonna do it?” He repeated the same question that Nami asked earlier, looking at you with concern. Shrugging your shoulders, you nodded again, trying not to think about the mess you had gotten yourself into. It would probably be best if you just got it over with instead of making yourself crazy thinking in circles about it. You comforted yourself by telling your brain that when you jumped it would be over in an instant, then you could get your walkie back and forget about the entire thing. 

“I’m kind of putting it off. We have, what, two hours until sunset?” You asked Nami as you sat up and began digging in the cardboard box behind you to find Sabo’s walkie. He gave you a thankful look before he clipped it to his belt, then held his hand up to get a closer look at the scribbles you had inked. 

“An hour and thirty.” Nami nodded, checking her various weather apps installed on her phone. Her face scrunched slightly in worry for you, and she chewed anxiously on her bottom lip. You pushed yourself up out of your seat as your best friend shot you a look of apprehension, her bright brown eyes still unsure. “Are you gonna be okay?” 

Sabo turned to you as well, waiting for your response. You gave another half-hearted shrug as you put your pen away, stretching your arms above your head. “Yeah. I just gotta get it over with. Will you two come with me?” Wringing your hands together you looked nervously between your two friends. Your courage was starting to build from what everyone had told you, but anxiety still roiled in the pit of your stomach. Nami moved to link her arm through yours, and Sabo placed a warm hand on your shoulder, the two of them showing their support for you. 

“Of course! If they try anything else, I’ll pummel them!” Nami made a fist with her other hand, her eyes darkening significantly. Her expression was matched by a wild fire burning in Sabo’s gaze. 

“Ditto.” The blonde nodded, and you laughed softly to dissuade the newfound tension. The two relaxed at the sound, sending you gentle and comforting smiles. After scooping up your box, the three of you marched out of the admissions building, making small talk and catching up as you strode down the road towards the lake. 

Nami’s idle chatter made a pleasant background to your thoughts as the three of you walked, your boots crunching on the gravel path. You didn’t know why exactly Eustass was so adamant about having you jump, maybe he was going crazy? You didn’t have any dirt on him, you had hardly spoken more than a few sentences in the couple of years that you’d known him. Trying to lighten the mood, Nami had made a joke about him bullying you because he liked you, which only shot a wave of fear through you. Eustass? Liking you? You resisted a shudder. 

“Heyyyy! Where are you guys goin’?” A cheerful voice called, breaking you out of your thoughts. You had about three seconds to brace yourself before strong arms wrapped around your shoulders, nearly knocking you over as Luffy jumped onto your back. You grunted as the walkies in your grasp threatened to spill out of the teetering box before you could right yourself, but ultimately couldn’t be upset at him due to the look on his face. His boyish smile was back, he was happy to see you. 

“The lake, Luffy.” Sabo stepped away from you to tug Luffy off of your back by the collar of his shirt, holding him in the air for a second as you recovered. 

“Ohhhh! Sounds like fun, can we come too?” You could hear the grin in his voice, turning to see Zoro, Law, Usopp, and Chopper all pacing down the path from the TSGM cabins. You perked up as you dug through the box, making sure everyone got their respective equipment, before Sabo took the box from you to carry instead. 

“Yeah, you probably won’t want to miss what’s going down.” You laughed nervously, rubbing the back of your neck as Law’s brows furrowed. 

“What’s going down?” Zoro piped up, his interest newly piqued. “Someone gonna fight?” He crossed his arms over his chest, tilting his head to the side as he fixed you with a smirk. He looked as though he’d just woken up from a nap, but then again, that was kind of his resting state. 

“A FIGHT? I want in!” Luffy cheered, pumping his fists excitedly as his boundless energy overflowed. 

“Not quite, I’m jumping this year.” In an instant, each of the newcomers’ eyes had widened, and they shouted in unison. You ran a hand over your face, your stress only amplified by the overlapping and very loud voices that surrounded you. It took Nami hitting each of them, save for Chopper, on the head to get them all to shut up. Seeing your annoyance, Sabo took the lead and re-explained everything that you had told him. 

“Seriously?! That guy is a top-notch asshole.” Usopp scoffed, kicking his boot at the soft earth below. “What’s he got against you anyway?” He huffed, earning a nod of agreement from Chopper. Law wasn’t saying anything, he instead had his eyes downcast as he was deep in thought. Zoro was staring at you with a look of what could have been concern, his brows knitted and his fists clenched. 

“That’s exactly what we’ve been trying to figure out.” Nami sighed, and you patted her shoulder good-naturedly. 

“Whatever it is, I just have to jump, and he’ll leave me alone! No biggy.” You grinned half-heartedly, but it definitely wasn’t fooling your group of friends. Chopper hurried forward and wrapped his arms around you, cheering you on with sweet words of encouragement. 

“You got this, Y/N! If I can do it, so can you!!” 

You couldn’t help but to relax and give him a genuine smile, ruffling his hair gently. “Thanks, Chopper.” He wiggled with excitement, before Luffy decided to get in on the hug too, squeezing you a bit too hard for your liking. 

“YEAH! It’s fun!!!” Luffy leapt back onto you, smushing you and Chopper into another hug. This time, Law was the one to pry him off, and the doctor sent you a glance that conveyed any words he wanted to say. You nodded, reassuring him, and he shoved his tattooed hands into his pockets, not fully believing you when you gestured that you’d be fine. 

His concern for you continued to build, and he felt like something was certainly off. First you had to bunk with Ace, who he wouldn’t trust further than he could throw him, now Eustass, who he trusted even less than Ace, was coercing you into doing something he knew terrified you. It filled him with anger, and he kept his hands in his pockets to disguise how he had them curled tightly into fists. He’d definitely have to have a chat with the mechanic later, after he made sure you were alright after your jump. 

“…We’ll see.” You lightly flicked Luffy’s straw hat, then wriggled out of his embrace, hooking your arm back through Nami’s as you continued your march down to the lakeshore. Your newly formed group followed you, chattering and filling the air with a multitude of friendly voices. 

Soon you were ushered onto the lakeshore, taking deep breaths as you stared across the lake to the hill where you’d soon be jumping. You gave a look to Nami, and she showed you her app, listing an hour until sunset. She offered to pull your hair up for you, and you nodded, taking a seat on one of the chairs by the lake as she slowly swept her hands over your hair. It offered a soothing comfort, and you stayed quiet as your friends continued their conversations around you. 

Ace arrived at the lakeshore a few minutes after your group, alongside Koala and Marco, who were discussing the classes they were going to hold, and Thatch and Sanji, who’d been cleaning the kitchen and going over inventory. The second Sanji saw you and Nami, he was spun into a frenzy, fawning over the two of you, until he was knocked out of it by a hefty smack on the head by Zoro. They launched into their usual bickering, turning into frustrated grumbling when Luffy told them both to knock it off. 

Bepo had hurried down from the doctor’s cabin in search of Law, and was practically clinging to him for dear life as your friend tried to hide his annoyance. Ace got into a playful scuffle with his younger brother, only to drag Sabo into it when he tried to break them up. A comfortable and familiar kind of chaos surrounded you, one that filled your heart with a warm sense of calm. You had sunk back into your feelings of camp being your home the second you’d arrived, with your friends around you being such a big part of what made the camp one of your favorite places. 

Just as Nami finished your hair, she gave you a soft pat on the shoulder, leaning over and wrapping her arms around your neck to give you a hug. You leaned against her arms, thanking her quietly, to which she gave you a playful wink. “You can pay me later.” She joked, and you let out a giggle. 

The chaos around you quieted in an instant as heavy boots stomped up the shore, and Eustass came into view. He let out a low whistle, his non-prosthetic arm braced on his hip as he came to a stop in front of you. “Looks like you brought your entourage.” He grinned as your eyes narrowed, and a few sharp glares were fixed onto the wild redhead, save for Luffy, who was still very much trying to wrestle with Sabo. You shrunk down at his gaze, and could practically feel Nami fuming behind you. 

It was dead silent, dark glares fixed on Eustass as you slowly pushed yourself up out of the chair. “Let’s get this over with.” You exhaled, clenching your fists as you faced off against the mechanic. 

“You don’t have to jump—“ Nami shot forward, and if you had glanced behind you, you likely would’ve been terrified by what you saw. Law had his hat obscuring his eyes, his face shadowed except for his mouth, twisted into a scowl. Ace’s fiery glare was fixed sharply on Eustass, his jaw clenching. Zoro looked ready to get into a brawl, and even Luffy had stopped his scuffle with his brother, sensing something was up. You put on a light-hearted smile, though you didn’t really mean it. 

“It’s like you said, I’ll be fine! I can’t be the only person who hasn’t done it.” You were trying your best to disguise your anxiety behind your somewhat positive thinking. 

“Yeah!! You got this!! It’ll be fun!!” Luffy cheered, and Chopper quickly joined in on the cheer. Usopp gave you an enthusiastic grin, doing his best to hide his own worries for you. 

“Looks like you made up your mind, sweetheart.” Eustass smirked, and crossed his arms over his broad chest. Your walkie-talkie still dangled from his belt, and he seemed even more amused every time you glanced at it. “Killer’ll row you out there, I wouldn’t wanna risk your precious tool’s safety.” He winked, and you did your best to control the annoyance he caused you. Turning towards the shore, you noticed that Killer had pulled one of the canoes off of the large racks and had it already in the water, though the blonde stood next to it. 

Eustass gave you a little wave and strode off to lay back in one of the lawn chairs, bracing his arms behind his head. Your time to jump was slowly being eaten away, the sun ever betraying you by sinking lower in the sky. You began to walk towards Killer, only to be tugged back by a firm grip on your wrist. Glancing back, you saw Law, his brows knitted and his expression stern. 

“You can back out of this. If you don’t want to jump, don’t. I’ll kick Eustass’s ass until he gives it back.” He muttered lowly, just for you to hear. You had no doubt the doctor meant what he said from the way his golden eyes were glowing. His firm hand relaxed a bit when you sent him a smile. 

“It’ll be fine, Torao. As much as I’d love to see Eustass with a black eye, I think I’m better off jumping.” You gave him a quick hug, then started back off towards the boat. You knew if Law started throwing punches, Luffy would back him up, and there’d be a massive divide between the counselors for the rest of the year. “Lemme just get it over with so I stop worrying!” You laughed in an attempt to dissuade your anxiety. 

Law watched with concerned eyes as you slunk into the boat, Killer slipping in after you and grabbing the oars. You stared at the bottom of the canoe, knowing that if you looked back at your group of friends you’d likely feel the urge to chicken out. Clenching your fists, you instead became determined to jump and prove Eustass’s idea of you being a coward wrong. Unbeknownst to you, one man in particular on the shore was watching you go with dark eyes, flaming with annoyance and anger at the mechanic. He tucked his hat down over his eyes, and paced off to another part of the shore. He wasn’t going to leave, for once he felt the need to make sure you were safe before he went anywhere. 

The water of the lake was gentle on your ears, a soft swishing surrounding you as Killer rowed the two of you over to the little island in the middle of the lake, and subsequently, heartbreak hill. It was calm, sort of pretty, the way the setting sun cast deep pinks and oranges over the water. If nothing else, you’d at least have a stunning view before you jumped. 

“It’s not all that bad.” Killer’s low voice startled you out of your thoughts, his expression hidden behind his mask as his muscles tensed when he pulled and pushed the oars. “It’s really over in a second.” The man’s kind nature was showing through, and he gave you a sympathetic tilt of his head. His blonde locks looked like pure gold in the melting sunlight, shining like treasure. 

You let out a sigh. “That’s what Nami said.” Your shoulders slumped and you huddled into yourself, staring out at the slowly approaching hill. “I know it’s a stupid thing to be afraid of, but I’m not a junkie for terror like the guys are. It’s like they traded their common sense for adrenaline highs.” You muttered, rolling your eyes. A muffled but deep and warm chuckle came from Killer. 

“Can you blame them? Seems like they’re always having fun.” The blonde nodded, his hair disturbed slightly by a thin breeze that blew over the surface of the lake. He continued to row, pulling the small boat along through the water. “Not a bad way to live, chasing excitement. ‘S how Kid is, believe it or not. It’s never boring.” 

You frowned, crossing your arms over your chest. “It’s hard to believe Kid is anything but an asshole. I mean I didn’t even do anything to him!” You scoffed, rolling your eyes. Hell, the first year he’d started working at the camp with you, he’d chosen you as the object of his twisted affections and ceaselessly tormented you with pranks. He’d stuck bugs under your pillow, filled your shoes with mud, and one time he even locked you in the art hut for a few hours until Usopp came to save you. 

“He can be a little brash,” You snorted at Killer’s words, “But he is a good guy underneath.” The blonde nodded, confident in his best friend’s true nature. 

You still didn’t believe that Kid could be anything other than a jerk. “I’ll believe it when I see it.” 

The two of you went the rest of the way in silence, your eyes glued to the water that sloshed around the boat. The reflection of the sky was enough to distract your mind until Killer brought the canoe to a halt on the shore of the island in the middle of the lake. Once he hopped out, he used his strength to drag the boat onto the sand, seemingly unbothered by the fact that you were still seated neatly inside. Once he was content that the canoe wouldn’t slip back into the water, he held out a hand for you and helped you up, waiting until you found your footing on the sand before letting go. 

You’d been on the little island before for a couple picnics and after-summer parties that the counselors threw, but now it seemed different. The trees seemed to loom over your head, the birds seemed quieter than what you remembered. You were coming closer and closer to jumping, and it made your head feel foggy. 

“Been on the cliff before?” Killer asked as he led the way up the terrain, holding leaves and twigs out of the way for you as he went. You were definitely thankful, maybe some of the other men you knew could stand to learn a thing or two from the hulking blonde. 

“Yeah, just not by the edge.” You ducked under a low-hanging branch that Killer held up for you. “Didn’t want to slip or anything.” 

“Makes sense. The view is worth the danger, though.” Killer held out a hand to help you up a steep outcrop of stone. When you nearly lost your footing on loose gravel, he caught you and quickly hefted you up ahead of him so that you wouldn’t go tumbling down the path. 

“If you say so.” You shrugged, though a part of you couldn’t wait to see it. You were an avid collector of beautiful memories, and you had no doubt that heartbreak hill would be absolutely stunning. The trees and bushes around you cast lengthening shadows across you and your companion, and by the time you reached the cliff the sun was a sliver of its former self. The wind whistled past your ears, surrounding you now that you were out of the cover of the tall flora, and you crouched slightly to lower your center of gravity. You wouldn’t go launching off the cliff until you decided to, dammit. 

Killer was right about the view, it was breathtaking. The lake reflected the darkening sky above, and it seemed as though the cosmos was rising up from the water’s depths. Small stars sparkled above and below, their image only distorted by the canoes your friends had brought out onto the lake to cheer you on in. Luffy’s cheers reached your ears, and you spotted him rocking a canoe he shared with Zoro, the taller man looking quite annoyed by Luffy’s actions. In another was Nami, Sanji, and Chopper, and another held Sabo, Law, and Ace. Those not in a canoe stayed on shore, waving their arms and calling out to you. Kid stood safely on the docks, his arms crossed, and you could imagine him grinning slyly. 

“You got this, Y/N!” 

“Yeah, you can do it!” 

“Don’t look down!” 

Numerous cheers and taunts rang out from your friends, and you took a deep breath. Your boots reached the edge of the stone, and you glanced down, much to your immediate regret. Your stomach flipped and rolled as you stared down at the large rocks at the base of the cliff. What if you hit them? Would you die from a fall from this height? Anxiety was rife within you, and you stumbled back from the edge. Killer was quickly there to make sure you didn’t fall, stabilizing you with a light touch on your back. 

“You’re good, take a deep breath.” He spoke softly, waiting until you were collected. “It’ll be over in a second. Don’t think, just jump.” You couldn’t see it because of his striped mask, but you could hear his smile in his voice. 

Nodding, you curled your hands into fists, and pushed yourself forward again, standing on the edge of the cliff. You took in the view again, doing your best to bring your courage to the forefront of your mind. Inhaling and exhaling, you took a few steps back. All at once, you darted to the edge and leapt into the air before your nerves could get the better of you. At the last second, your foot caught on a ledge in the rock, and you stumbled over the edge. 

A screech left your lips as you went, free-falling through the air as wind whipped around you. You squeezed your eyes tightly shut, your heart racing and feeling as though your stomach was going to leap out of your throat. The fall lasted minutes, hours, it felt like it took forever for you to hit the water, even though it was mere seconds. When you did hit the icy surface, your lungs forgot how to function, and all the air rushed out of you at once as your body was shot under the water. Fighting the urge to gasp, you winced at the strain in your chest, struggling to claw your way back to the surface, desperate for relief. 

You broke out a cough, water rushing into your mouth as your legs kicked fruitlessly, your hair obscuring your vision as it came out of your ponytail and it made you feel as though you were caught in a net. You didn’t know which way was up, and you began to panic. You heard nothing but the eerie sounds of underwater silence. It was freezing cold, moreso than you had expected, and it had your limbs locking up as they were unused to the frigid temperature. You weren’t sure just how long you’d been fighting to get to the surface, but you felt the strain on your entire body, your muscles weak from your struggle. 

Everything around you was dark, and your brain was struggling to think. You knew you needed air, your lungs were screaming at you, but you couldn’t figure out how to get to it. Despite your preparations, your body wasn’t exactly ready for the temperature shock, and it took your system a minute to collect itself. However, during that moment, your instincts had told you to breathe, to gasp, as oxygen rushed out of you in surprise. Now you were stuck beneath the surface, clawing desperately at the water that surrounded you. 

Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around your torso, and you clung to the person, grabbing onto whatever you could. They pulled you up quickly, strong legs kicking at the water and drawing you from the depths. The second your head breached the surface you were hacking and spitting up water, gasping for air and scrambling for a safer hold on your savior. 

“...I didn't think she’d nearly drown!” 

“...Your fucking fault, Eustass. Stay the fuck away from her.” 

Wild voices and shouts echoed from around you, overstimulating your worn out brain. Water and desperate tears mingled and ran down your cheeks, another broken cough leaving your lips. You strained to keep yourself afloat, but whoever had a hold on you was doing a well enough job keeping the both of you above the water. 

“Hang on, stop flailing around. I gotcha.” A low voice rumbled, and you didn’t have the mind to place it. “Hold up your arms.” You did as you were gently commanded, releasing the neck of your savior for a split second. As you did so, someone grabbed a hold of your wrists and drew you up into a canoe, stabilizing you in the vessel. 

“Are you okay? Is she okay?”

“Oh my god is she going to drown?!”

“She’s out of the water and breathing, Usopp, she’s not gonna drown.” 

“You’re good, you’re out, you did it.” 

You threw up water into the floor of the canoe, and slumped against one of the wooden seats. You were the definition of exhausted, leaning against someone’s legs. 

“You good, Zoro?” Someone else shouted from another boat nearby. 

“Yeah, don’t worry about me, I can swim back. Get her to shore.” Zoro must have been the one to save you. It made sense, he was one of the camp lifeguards. The sounds of him swimming echoed in your ears. Someone in the canoe hefted you up, pulling you into their arms. 

“Alright, she’s in shock, we need to get her warm.” You recognized this voice as Law. You could hear oars hurriedly scraping through the water, though you were a bit too out of it to look around and see who was rowing. The familiar bump of the canoe hitting the sand of the shore rocked your body and you were hefted up again, and once you were on solid ground your stomach emptied all the water you had swallowed. Someone soothingly rubbed your back, mumbling little words to you that you couldn’t really comprehend. Your nose and throat burned, and tears pricked at your eyes from the discomfort and from the embarrassment that was beginning to set in. 

“Y/N, look at me.” You heard Law snap his fingers, and saw him kneel down in front of you. You stared at him, your face burning. “Good, you’re conscious.” His gaze flickered across your face. “Think you got everything up?” He asked in a lower voice. You were trained in water rescues for campers, but you’d never thought about having to save yourself. How did you lose your cool so easily? 

You nodded slowly, and a bit of the worry left Law’s face for a moment. It returned, however, when you gave a weak shiver, and he pulled you into an embrace. 

“Does Franky keep any blankets in the shed?” Marco jogged over to the two of you, asking the general crowd. He kneeled down alongside Law, adding his expertise to his fellow doctor. 

“Yeah! There’s some quilts for picnics in there.” Chopper piped up, scrambling over to the little shed at the end of the dock. As he did so, Law ran his hands up and down your arms, trying to warm you up. Marco rubbed your back, mumbling something about encouraging blood flow. 

“Is she gonna be okay?” You heard Ace speak up from near you, sounding the most serious you had ever heard him in all your years of knowing him.

“I’ll be fine.” You weakly answered, your teeth chattering as a breeze hit you full force, freezing your sopping body to the bone. Ace entered your field of vision, looking extremely worried for your safety. You almost felt a warmth settle inside your bones at the expression, if it wasn’t for your heart still threatening to pound out of your chest. It didn’t look as though he really believed you, especially when you coughed again and it wracked your entire body. “God, this is embarrassing.” You muttered under your breath. 

“Deep breath, hyperventilating is not going to help you right now.” Law’s voice acted like an anchor, stabilizing you and giving you something to focus on. Sand and gravel crunched behind you, and soon another figure was leaning over you. “Back up, Ace. Give her space.” Law’s voice undertook a sharper, more defensive tone, and you didn’t need to see his face to know that he was glaring. 

You closed your eyes, trying to focus on catching your breath and slowing your heart rate. The world around you refused to stop spinning, and trying to focus your gaze on a single point was just adding to your nausea. Every noise was magnified, and the building crowd around you was doing the opposite of calming you down. Chopper arrived quickly with a large cotton blanket, but the feeling of it scratched your skin and everything began to overwhelm you. It was heavy atop your drenched clothes, and you felt as though you were being slowly crushed. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

 

“That was awesome! I wanna jump now!”

 

“Luffy, get back here!” 

“Take deep breaths, you’re doing fine.”

 

“Can I get you anything? Water? Er— maybe not—“ 

“Is my darling alright? Are you hurt at all, beloved?” 

“Does she need surgery? Do we need to go to the ER?!” 

“She doesn’t need surgery, Usopp, she needs food!” 

As much as you loved them, your friends were causing a pressure to build up inside of you. Their worry was almost palpable in the cooling night air. Your head pounded with a fury, and your brow knit in distress. “Would all of you shut up?! I don’t need surgery, I don’t need food, I need to be left alone!” Attempting to stand, Law caught you quickly when you almost stumbled over. The growing noise died down immediately, and you immediately regretted your outburst. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like—“ You hurriedly moved to apologize, your heartbeat racing, but Law cut you off. 

“No, you’re right. Nothing good’ll come from overstimulation. Bepo, c’mon, we’re going to the doctor’s cabin.” Law slung your arm over his shoulders and kept an arm around your waist to support you. “You’ll be fine, just need a little bit of rest.” He spoke affirmatively, and Bepo hurried after you two, a worried expression on his face. The sudden eerie silence was broken up only by the sounds of crickets and owls, night having fallen during the chaos. Embarrassment burned in your cheeks and your stomach, and you hunched into the blanket that was wrapped over your shoulders. “Feel free to disperse. She’ll be taken care of.” Law stated simply as he glanced over his shoulder before helping you make the trek up the hill. 

Bepo’s nervous energy was rubbing off on you as he paced beside you, but you did your best to ignore it. Your throat still burned from coughing up lake water, but your head was slowly beginning to clear thanks to the cool, clear mountain air that filled your lungs. Law made sure that your shaky steps were stable, and you were thankful for once that your best friend wasn’t much of a conversationalist. 

The silent walk took a good fifteen minutes at your ambling pace, and for the last stretch, Law just picked you up and carried you on his back. You were definitely thankful, because your legs felt like they were made of putty. Bepo hurried ahead of you two to open the screen door, and your friend set you down gently on the spare bed. You let out a sigh of relief, your eyes heavy from exhaustion. “Never doing that again.” You murmured, letting your head fall against the pillow. 

Law gently righted you back to a seated position, getting a stethoscope from one of the drawers. “Don’t lay down yet. I need to make sure there isn’t any fluid in your lungs.” You let out a groan, and he waved you off. “Bepo, see if there’s any gatorade or juice in the cooler.” The white-haired boy rushed over to the small refrigerators set on one side of the room, one designated to hold the camper’s medicines that needed to be cooled, like insulin, and the other for personal use for the counselors. Bepo set about digging through the personal one, humming to calm his nerves as he did so. 

While he searched, Law stepped around to the other side of the bed to stand behind you. He lifted the back of your shirt, something that would have earned a slap if it was anyone else, his hands cold against your skin. “Cold!” You yelped, and though the ravenette was silent, you knew he was probably rolling his eyes. He settled the ear pieces of the stethoscope into his ears, then held the chest piece of the instrument up to your back. The metal was even colder than Law’s hands, and you flinched away at first. 

“Deep breath in.” He listened intently as you did as he instructed, “Now out.” You followed what he said, and soon he stepped around to your front after putting the back of your shirt down. “Pulse next.” You tugged down the soggy collar of your shirt, and Law set the stethoscope piece over your heart. He repeated his process of waiting, before he pulled away and set the instrument around his neck. At that exact moment, Bepo came bounding back with a bottle of blue gatorade and some crackers he’d found. 

Law opened them for you, making sure you drank at least half of the gatorade before he allowed you to lay back down. A knock at the cabin door drew the attention of all three of you, and Bepo ran to get it while Law crossed his arms over his chest. 

“I figured you’d need a change of clothes.” Nami’s face peeked around the corner, and she was quickly waved in. You let out a happy sigh, eager to get out of your damp clothes, and ambled towards the door. The ginger gave you a quick hug, glancing hesitantly at Law as she did so. “I’m glad you’re okay. You really scared us all pretty bad.”

 

“I scared myself pretty bad.” You tried to joke, taking what Nami offered, and stepping behind the thin curtain that separated the spare bed from the rest of the cabin to change. Folding your wet clothes as best you could, you felt yourself relax as the dry fabrics offered you comfort and warmth. It was a spare set of loose jeans, a t-shirt, and a large sweatshirt that was a few sizes too big for you. It wasn’t yours, you weren’t really sure who it belonged to. Nonetheless, you slipped it on, tucking your hands into the sleeves. 

Both of the boys gave you plenty of privacy as you changed, Law deep in thought as he went about sterilizing the stethoscope. When you had tumbled off the cliff, his heart had dropped in his chest. His grip on the canoe oars had turned his knuckles white, his jaw clenched as he felt pure anxiety ricochet through him, one of the first times since he was a kid. He never lost his cool, but with you, he almost dove straight in after you, worried like a mother hen.  When you hit the water, his body still didn’t relax, waiting for your head to bob above the surface. Every second you were submerged felt like an eternity, and after you were under for about a minute, he pushed up his sleeves and leaned for the edge of the boat. He almost jumped in after you, despite his difficulty swimming, though Zoro got to you first. 

You were submerged for two minutes before you had been hauled into his canoe, and for those two minutes, Law thought he was going to lose you. Your leap off the cliff didn’t have the momentum he knew you had meant it to, your little stumble causing you to forget to stay calm. Thankfully you had remembered to maneuver around in the air to hit the lake feet-first, but you had forgotten to suck in a breath just before impact. Law had been truly and utterly terrified. 

After pulling you back to shore, your shock had worn off decently quick. He knew embarrassment probably still stung at your mind, but he would rather you be embarrassed than dead. Seeing you absent-minded, foggy-eyed, and panting for air, he almost felt all reason leave him. Thankfully you came to, and you seemed to be coping fine. He’d have to have a long talk with Eustass in the morning. 

Nami didn’t stay long after dropping off the change of clothes, something you were thankful for. You didn’t really feel like talking to anyone for the time being. Bepo ran to the mess hall to grab something for all three of you, but you didn’t really feel like eating either. You wanted to go back to your cabin and knock out, and wake up late. Law took you back to the Newgate cabins, and made sure you were settled into your bunk, leaving you with an extra bottle of gatorade. He told you to drain both of them to replenish your fluids before bidding you goodnight, and telling you to call him if you needed anything. 

Now you sat on your bunny-printed sheets, wrapped in one of your thick blankets, and one that Nami had let you borrow. She must have come in and made your bed for you, knowing that you’d be exhausted after your check-up with Law. You were still in your head about the night’s events, replaying it over and over and thinking about just how stupid you probably looked. You were a fine swimmer, how did you almost drown? 

The door to the counselor’s section of the cabin swung open, and your tired eyes fell onto Ace, pushing the door with his foot as he held two plates in his hands and a bag of chips in his mouth. His eyes widened when he saw you, and he set everything down on his bunk. “Hey! I thought you’d be crashing with doctor boy. Feeling okay?” He crouched down so that he was eye level, his gaze scanning your face.

 

“…I’m better now, yeah.” You brought your knees up to your chest, resting your head on your shoulder. As tired as you were, after walking from the doctor’s cabin to the Newgate cabins, you had somehow gotten a third wind. Your body was aching and eager for sleep, but your eyes refused to close. “Did Sanji make dinner?” You asked, peering over Ace’s shoulder at the plates on his bed. 

He perked up, snagging one of the plates. “Yeah. It’s barbecue, want some?” He offered it to you, and you hesitantly accepted. You knew you needed to eat, but you didn’t really feel all too hungry. “It’s pretty good. Then again, everything that blonde chainsmoker makes is.” Ace shrugged, grabbing the other and sitting down next to you on your bunk. Before he lifted his fork to his mouth, he gave you another look. “Are you sure you’re okay?” His cheekiness all but vanished for a moment. 

You let out a sigh, leaning back against the wall behind the bunk. “Physically yes. I’m still a little shaken, but I’ll get over it.” You stared at your food for a few long moments, before taking a bite and realizing just how hungry you were. Within seconds you were scarfing down everything on the plate, Ace watching on with subtle amusement. You missed the glint of worry in his eyes. 

“If you say so. I recommend maybe swearing off cliffs for a while.” He tried to joke, though it only earned him a glare. He laughed off the tension, digging into his own dinner. 

You suddenly realized that Ace had brought two plates into the cabin with him, had he planned to eat both? “Did Law ask you to get me dinner? You didn’t know that I’d be back yet, did you?” You peered at him curiously, using a napkin to wipe your face. Ace seemed to pause for a second, before he shot you a blinding grin. 

“Growing boys gotta eat.” He shoveled more barbecue into his face and you rolled your eyes. He wasn’t being thoughtful, he was being a pig. You let out a sigh, setting your empty plate on the floor. You were too tired to retort to his cheekiness. Even though the temperature in the cabin was warm, you fought a shiver, burying further into the blankets that you had wrapped tightly around yourself. It was as if the chill of the lake had seeped into your very bones. 

A yawn left your mouth, and you propped your pillow up against the corner of your bed, leaning against it. Sleep still refused to claim you, despite your efforts. Your attention was drawn back to Ace when the bed dipped as he stood up, crossing the room to the doorway where he had left his backpack when he entered. Digging through the green and black bag, he exclaimed when he found what he was looking for. His long legs brought him back to you in minimal steps, and your eyes widened when you saw what sat snugly in his palm. 

“I got it from Kid once you were on shore.” He nodded, his eyes shaded by his hat. “He won’t bother you again, for a while at least.” His voice was grim, something entirely unfamiliar, but you were too excited by what he held to notice that something was off. 

“My walkie!” Launching forward, you grabbed it and held it to your chest, having forgotten the reason of your suffering. You let out a sigh of relief, setting it neatly on the small dresser next to the bunk beds.  “Thank god.” You murmured, laying down on your bed. Ace shot you a smile, picking up your empty plate and stacking it with his. He’d take them back to the dining hall in the morning, but for now, he was happy to see some excitement return to your face. 

Turning around and lifting his hat to rest it on a hook by the door, he felt a bubbly sensation rise in his chest. “Yeah, I made sure it was in good shape. There’s not a single scratch on it, and if there was, I would’a pummeled Eustass into the dirt.” When you didn’t respond, he slowly turned. “No need to thank me, really—“ He cut himself off when he saw that you had finally fallen asleep, bundled in your blankets so tightly that you looked like you were drowning in a mass of fluff. 

It was like a weight had been lifted from your shoulders and you had finally relaxed enough to let sleep claim you. A soft smile rested on Ace’s lips, and he let out a breath, what was left of his worry leaving him as he observed you in such a peaceful state. Leaning down to you, he made sure you were tucked in well, before sitting back on his own bunk. His own stress was soothed at the gentle sight and sound of your chest rising and falling, the silent cabin disturbed only by your quiet breaths. Ace’s heart thrummed in his chest, and he carded his fingers through his shaggy black hair. 

Tossing himself down, he stared up at the bottom of the bunk above him, folding his arms under his head. His heart had been through a lot that evening, it was almost therapeutic for him to see that you were sleeping soundly. He’d hated the idea of you jumping in the first place, he could see just how much it scared you in your jerky movements and shifting eyes whenever you discussed it. He wasn’t friends with Eustass by a long shot, but his little prank that he’d pulled on you made Ace decide that he didn’t like the mechanic at all. Shifty bastard. 

He found his gaze drifting back to you, his breaths unconsciously matching the pattern of yours. He was happy that you were safe, more than anything. Sure, something in him had been a little annoyed that Law had pulled you into his arms instead, but you were safe in the end, and that was what mattered. Ace wasn’t expecting you to come back to the Newgate cabins at all that evening, but he was glad you did. Something about you managed to lift his mood. 

“Guess it was a good thing I brought you a plate after all, yeah, Spitfire?” He mumbled under his breath in an attempt not to rouse you. “Crazy good intuition you got there, Ace.” He praised himself with a grin, the glowing feeling of pride in his chest that you had come back to sleep in the cabin with him instead of staying in the doctor’s cabin with Law. Ace drifted off to sleep with a grin on his face and a gentle murmur of “You don’t look too bad in my sweatshirt either”.

[laawlesss]

zoro & sanji reacting to being called pet names by their ( gn ) s/o? like maybe they call them " love " , " baby/babe ", " beloved ", " sweetheart ", " honey ", " sexy ", " angel/angel face " ( this one can be used for sanji probably bc he's a literal angel 🥺) & it turns them into a blushing mess? <3 tysm!

yeah!!! this is such a cute idea thank u for the prompt anon!! i’ll get to work on it soon!!

[laawlesss]

putting a pause on minfics for a bit bc i’m gonna be working on a nami cosplay !! fingers crossed i get the days off work to go to holiday matsuri, and figure out how to sew in time for the con <3

[laawlesss]

no minific this week, sorry! my battery is so low, i’m focusing on recharging w my bestie <3 next week’s will be double the usual length tho to make up for it <333

[laawlesss]

(HC) ;; Asking to lay in their lap ..

[ headcanons ! ]—-

; genre ? ; fluff.

; request ? ; yes! (anon <3)

; characters ? ; roronoa zoro ; vinsmoke sanji.

; notes ; first time writing headcanons !! critique is welcome sjdfhjdh.

☆ Roronoa Zoro ;; “…Fine. I guess.”

This poor man is so horrendously emotionally constipated when it comes to positive emotions, he wouldn’t really know how to react. 

After a long day, he’s weary, and you come to ask if you can lay in his lap? Are you crazy? He’d scoff and turn away from you, a faint blush just barely evident on his cheeks. 

When he realizes that you’re serious, he’d be a little bit bewildered. Why him? Though it wouldn’t take much more convincing before he moves his swords out of your way and shifts his coat for you. “…Fine. I guess.”

He’d definitely feign being unbothered by you, but the second you lay down and rest your head on his thigh he wouldn’t be able to look at you without getting flustered. 

If you moved around too much trying to get comfortable, he’d tell you to sit still or go find somewhere else to lay down.

 “Oi, if you’re gonna keep movin’ around like that, then you can get lost. I’m not your bed.” 

He would definitely enjoy your company, and after you asking the first time, he’d get used to you laying on him and come to expect it. 

Sit beside him or just lean on his shoulder and he’d look at you funny, expecting you to lay in his lap again. 

He would begin to feel comfortable enough to take his usual naps with you in his lap, head leaning back against the ship’s railing while you both dozed. 

If anyone tried to disturb you, he’d send them a sharp, threatening glare and rest a hand on his swords until they scurried off, make sure you were still comfortable, then let himself fall back asleep. 

He’s. Comfortable. To say the least. He’s muscular all over, the man is definitely a top tier pillow. 

Despite acting grumpy about it, if you got up to go somewhere, he’d definitely be a little disappointed, even though he’d probably say something like, “Finally got offa me, thank god.”

☆ Vinsmoke Sanji ;; “… Of course~!!”

We all know this man would be ECSTATIC to have you in his lap, though he’d be shocked at first that you asked him instead of him offering first. 

He’d lay his legs out immediately, brush off his pants, and wait for you to get comfortable, trying not to freak out. “Of course, of course!” 

Sanji would be blushing up a storm, his face and ears pink while he holds a hand over his face to prevent a nosebleed. 

He’d be careful while smoking to not let any of the ash from his cigarette fall on you, tapping it off to the side and blowing the smoke away from you so you can rest soundly. 

He would not move at all, he wouldn’t want to disturb you at all even if his legs are falling asleep or he’s sitting in an uncomfortable position. Your comfort is priority to him, even if his legs are hurting a bit. 

“Let me know if you’re comfortable, I can move however you need.” 

Your weight on his lap is such a nice feeling for him, and he definitely gets used to it immediately. Whenever you’re sitting together after first asking, he’ll offer you his lap whenever you seem tired or uncomfortable. 

If you’re comfortable with it, he’d run his hands through / over your hair and shoulders in soothing patterns, trying to hide just how giddy he is by releasing his tension through soft touches to your back. 

If anyone tried to disturb you if you dozed off or were finally relaxing, he would not hesitate to tell them off with a furious shout and a threat or two. 

Out of everyone, his lap is definitely the most comfortable. He fights with his legs, his thighs are gonna be muscular as hell and the best pillow on the entirety of the grand line. 

If you had to get up, he’d pout good-naturedly, but let you up nonetheless. “You’re welcome to use me as a pillow anytime, darling!” 

If he had to get up to cook, he’d feel so guilty about gently shaking you awake, muttering little apologies to you over and over even if you said it was okay.

[laawlesss]

!! yo! if ur someone who’s interested in my cgl fic, i’ve drawn up a map and some walkie-talkies for the fic!! u can see em in my discord server <33333 i also post snippets and updates there too, and maybe some hints on what’s coming in the next chapter ;)

[laawlesss]

;; Envy of the Empress ..

— ;; minific monday !! a oneshot (almost) every monday, usually under 5k words.. (..usually..)

>> in which a certain empress is jealous of you.

; words ? ; 2.6k.

; warnings ? ; none.

; genre ? ; fluff/comfort.

; request ? ; yes! ( @nani-nani-nani )

; pairing ? ; monkey d. luffy x reader.

; notes ; really happy w characterization in this fic !! y/n used, they/them pronouns also used. this was fun to write, i think i got luffy pretty okay in this one :3 tysm for the request, i hope u like!! crossposted on ao3 :3

    You had heard tales of the stunning Amazon Lily, an island inhabited by the Kuja tribe, overflowing with majesty. You had even heard tales of the shichibukai who made her home there, the fierce and terrifying Boa Hancock. The rumors said she was the most beautiful woman in the world, and with her standing in front of you, she really was an intimidating kind of ethereal. 

    Her long black hair tumbled down her back, and her figure was a perfect hourglass. Her limbs were long and slender, her pearly skin smooth, and her eyes round and soft. She was the kind of woman who caught the eye of everyone who managed to grace her presence. Now, as she stood ahead of you with all the poise of a goddess, you couldn’t help but to feel subpar. 

    “And… What exactly are you?” Boa sneered, rearing her head back and staring down her nose at you. Her elegant arms were crossed over her large chest, her eyes narrowed at you as you stood alone, waiting for your captain to climb off his ship that docked nearby. You suddenly felt plain in the outfit you wore, although you’d been so happy with it when you had picked it earlier that morning. Her extravagant clothing seemed to outshine yours in every way, with bright colors and expensive fabrics that put you to shame. 

    You were about to open your mouth and retort, before you felt a familiar weight settle over your shoulders. Your captain had leapt off of the Thousand Sunny and made a beeline for your side, a wide grin on his face. “Hiya, Hammock!” Luffy greeted the warlord, his tone bright and playful. Your tense muscles relaxed and you felt your heart soar at the presence of your partner. 

    “Luffy my darling! Oh, it’s so good to see you again my love!” The warlord’s demeanor had switched within an instant, and she held her hands to her face with a bright blush now present on her lovely face. She had an expression of shy bliss, swaying side to side as she fell into her own imagination. You tilted your head slightly in confusion, what was she talking about? Was she crazy, or did she and Luffy actually have something going on that you didn’t know about?

    You shrugged it off, sure that it was nothing. You leaned your head on Luffy’s shoulder, and your captain turned his head slightly to give you a smile. Heart a flutter, you relaxed, any doubts leaving your mind instantly. His fluffy hair tickled your cheek, causing you to giggle softly, and the sound of your glee knocked Hancock out of her stupor. 

    “Who are you, pitiful creature?” She sneered, her face twisted into an expression of envy. Hancock looked disgusted, offended that you had the audacity to stand in the mere vicinity of her love. 

    “They’re my smanibican other!” Luffy cheered, smushing his cheek against yours. You raised a brow and smiled in amusement. He lifted your spirits immensely, his happy-go-lucky and sunshine-y nature ended up being addictive. 

    “Significant, Lu. We still gotta work on that.” You hummed, and Luffy just laughed wildly. He wrapped his arm around yours, all the while Hancock looked as though you just puked on her shoes. She practically snarled at you, her eyes fierce and intimidating. Her massive snake weapon, Salome, had coiled up behind her and was baring her fangs at you, something that had you nervous. 

    Luffy didn’t seem bothered by Hancock or her snake at all, reaching down to hold onto your hand happily. He swung your connected hands, his signature grin on his face. “So where’s the food, Hammock? I’m starving!” Luffy drew the warlord’s gaze, and she melted again in an instant. The bright blush returned to her cheeks and she clasped her hands together with a schoolgirlish giggle. 

    “I’ve prepared only the finest feast for you, my beloved! Meat, fruits, cuisine of all types just for you, Luffy darling~!” She sighed happily, and held her face in her hands. Her long hair swayed behind her in her excitement as she imagined some false scenario in her mind. When your stomach growled, causing Luffy to laugh, she dropped her sweet demeanor again, glaring at you. “You are not welcome, harlot. Only Luffy may dine at my table.” Hancock scoffed, crossing her arms and turning her head away. 

    “Hey, why not?!” Luffy huffed, his brows furrowing and a sharp frown crossing his face. “I dunno what a hutlet is, but Y/N is not one of them!!!” He clutched harder onto your hand, and it took you letting out a sigh and laying your head on his shoulder to get him to calm down. Your captain only quieted his words, his angered expression remained in place. 

    Hancock looked torn, her heart shattered, before she recovered and turned her back to you. Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she huffed. “…Very well.” She sent a glance at you, one so full of venom that you couldn’t help but shudder and slide closer to your boyfriend. The rumors that stated that she was as terrifying as she was beautiful were correct in every way. 

    Luffy cheered, letting go of any anger he felt and wrapping his arms and legs around you in a hug. “You hear that? We can both go eat together!” You smiled, and wrapped your arms around him in return. 

    “Yeah, we can. Do you wanna go get the others?” You suggested, looking around for your crewmates. The entirety of the Straw Hat crew had decided to stop on Amazon Lily as they passed through the area, most everyone excited to meet the Kuja warriors. Sanji, of course, was practically losing his mind even before you reached the island, and Usopp seemed genuinely terrified to step foot near Amazon Lily at all. 

    Luffy’s eyes widened, and he shot off with a wild yell, using his arms to swing back towards the ship docked further down the island. You felt a sense of contentment wash over you, watching your captain go so happily. In the meantime, you figured you’d take a stroll around and take in the sights of the beautiful island. 

    The forests were still but not silent in the least, teeming with wildlife that cooed and hummed. You had been told that Amazon Lily never saw a storm due to its location in the Calm Belt, and you figured Nami would get a kick out of the meteorology of the island. All around you vivid colors sprouted, wide leaves of trees and plants soaked up the sun, and brightly colored birds sang a chorus of songs. The island was as beautiful as its empress, filled with an incredible kind of majesty that had you floored. 

    Your hand lightly grazed over the bark of one of the taller trees in the jungle, your thoughts wandering as you wondered if Robin knew any secrets of the island that she’d be willing to share with you. It was perfectly peaceful, and you let yourself get lost in the forest until it was time for the banquet. 

    +++

    The dining room in Hancock’s palace was extravagant, lined with gorgeous fabrics in every hue, glimmering jewels and gems lining every cup and plate. The elegant aroma of delicious food wafted over the long table, and you had to keep a firm grip on Luffy’s arm to prevent him from leaping out of his seat and scarfing down the nearest entree. After fervently insisting that the rest of his nakama be allowed on the island, Zoro, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Franky, and Brook were allowed to attend the banquet, although Sanji did get punched and kicked a few times by a few Kuja warriors who he got a bit too close to. 

    You sat on one side of Luffy, while Hancock sat on the other side at the head of the table. Your crewmates were scattered about in the other seats, eager to begin the banquet. Although you sent a grateful smile to Hancock, she returned it with a sharp glare and a sneer, her hands itching to use her devil fruit powers on you. The only thing holding her back was Luffy, braced between you two, and his arm around your shoulders. 

    “Let’s eat! I’m starving!” Luffy whined, practically drooling as he stared at the onslaught of perfectly cooked meals for him and his crew to enjoy. Chopper sat on the other side of you, a few pillows stacked on his seat so that he could reach the table. He cheered in unison with Luffy, and you laughed. The atmosphere with the crew around had lifted, and you felt at home and safe once again. Who cared about what that warlord thought? Just because she was intimidatingly pretty she thought she could ruin your day? Your found family and your boyfriend were secure around you, and you couldn’t have been happier if you tried. 

    Soon you couldn’t hold Luffy back any longer, and he began to scarf down anything within reach. You could only laugh at his wild nature, and did your best to avoid his rampage while you ate. It was a bit of a task, dodging Luffy’s arms as he swiped food from other people, but made sure that you still had enough of the things you wanted to eat. You discreetly slid Chopper some of the fruit from your plate after Luffy had stolen his, only for your beloved captain to take notice and fall into a fit of laughter. 

    Throughout the meal, Hancock glared at you with fire in her eyes. When you took Luffy’s hand and leaned in to place an affectionate kiss on his cheek while he snacked on something, it seemed to be her last straw. She abruptly stood and slammed her hands down on the table, her face twisted into an expression of rage. The silence that fell over the table was the perfect backdrop for her speech. 

    “Get your disgusting mouth off of my betrothed! You don’t even deserve to be in my palace, I allowed you here out of my admiration for my Luffy. Now you dare to disrespect me by kissing my beloved?” Her voice was filled with venom and hatred, her eyes seething as her snake rose up behind her. “You are worth less than dirt, you don’t even deserve my spit.” Hancock hissed, entirely fuming. 

    You could hear Usopp whisper something to Franky, “I thought they were dating? Don’t people who date usually kiss their partners?” Out of the corner of your eye, you watched Franky nod, but you were too taken aback to move. You didn’t realize just how obsessed Hancock was with your captain, and you didn’t know how to respond. 

    “That’s no way to speak to them!” Nami stood up, matching the anger on Hancock’s face. Your heart swelled when you saw your crewmates coming to your defense, even Chopper, as timid as he was, leapt onto the table to agree with the navigator. 

    “Now, now, let’s all settle down—“ Brook said nervously, clasping his bony hands together. His head swiveled around between the irked warlord and the crewmates coming to your defense, and all you could do was shrink in your seat beside Luffy. 

    “You think Luffy would love someone like you? When he could have me?” Hancock spat, her furious gaze never leaving you. “I am better than you in every possible way, worm, you don’t even deserve to be in his presence!” Her voice trailed off into a screech, Zoro giving a short whistle as if to say, ‘damn, this chick is crazy’. Nami was about to say something, before Robin held up a hand, ever the picture of elegance. 

    “How about we let Luffy decide who he likes most?” She spoke with a calm voice, sending you a comforting smile. The entire time, Luffy had been chewing on a piece of meat, his eyes shadowed by his signature straw hat. Your heart started to pound, what if he chose Hancock? She wasn’t halfway wrong when she said that she was better than you, she was a warlord after all. Strong, beautiful, and empress of her own empire. Luffy had every reason to choose her over you. 

    Hancock crossed her arms and a confident grin sparked on her lips. “He’ll choose me, obviously—“ Her words trailed off as she watched Luffy yank his hat off of his head and drop it onto yours. WIthout a word, he swallowed his food and planted a kiss on your cheek, his arm firmly around your waist. When he looked up, he had danger in his eyes, returning Hancock’s glare with one of his own. It was obvious what his choice was. 

    “Quit talking about them like that.” His tone was slow but menacing, his eyes wide as he stared the warlord down. She was taken aback, a slight gasp leaving her. Relief washed over you, and you leaned into Luffy’s side, smiling softly to yourself. Was it bad that you felt proud? Either way, you had won over the pirate empress. 

    Luffy wrapped his arm around your waist, and tugged you closer, never once breaking his stare down with Hancock. The rest of the crew felt the dangerous aura that their captain gave off and tensed as though they were about to witness a fight. Chopper clung to your other arm, and Usopp hid behind Franky. 

    Without another word, Luffy stood up, pulling you with him. The rest of the crew followed suit, following behind him as he stomped back to the ship. You felt a little embarrassed, because of your actions the banquet was apparently canceled, and though you felt a strong disinclination towards Hancock, it twisted your heart to see her on the verge of tears as Luffy left her behind. 

    The crew didn’t seem to mind, Nami was raving about what a psycho the warlord was while Robin sent you a conspiratorial wink. Usopp was claiming that he could’ve beaten her if they went head to head, Zoro didn’t seem to care, and Sanji was lighting up a brand new cigarette. Everyone seemed nonchalant, but it had made you feel so cared for when they stood up for you. 

    Everyone seemed to be back to normal when you boarded the Thousand Sunny again, except Luffy. He still seemed to be carrying something, and you turned to him to ask him what was wrong. 

    “I didn’t like how she was talkin’ about you. You’re not a worm, you’re strong! That’s why you’re a part of my crew!” He looked to you and sent you a big grin, wrapping his arm around your shoulders and pulling you flush to his side. You still wore his hat, and he gently flicked the brim upwards so that he could see your eyes. His boyish expression sent a shock through you that had your head spinning. “And you’re my sanipigcant other! Of course I’m gonna pick you!” He pressed his cheek against yours, before giving you an affectionate kiss on your forehead. 

    You fought back a blush as you smiled, leaning into him as your found family made small talk around you. “Significant, Luffy.” You corrected him softly, to which he just laughed. You placed his hat back onto his head and his grin widened, looking at you like you were his whole world. 

    As the crew began to ship out from Amazon Lily after their very short excursion, you didn’t stray much from Luffy’s side, and he eventually pulled you up to sit on the lion figurehead with him as night fell. Your heart swelled with love for your captain and partner, and your affections only grew every time he sent you his excitable grin. Pressing a kiss to his nose that made him giggle, the two of you spent the evening watching the stars fade into view. 

[laawlesss]

Hi, can I request some fluffy hcs with Zoro & Sanji ( separately ) where gn!reader is sleepy & wants to use their lap as a pillow? :3 tysm!

ofc!!! <33 such a cute req, since its just headcanons i’ll probably have them done within the week <3

[laawlesss]

;; Close Quarters ..

— ;; minific tuesday monday !! a oneshot (almost) every monday, usually under 5k words.. (.. usually.. )

>> in which you get stuck in an elevator with a handsome stranger.

; words ? ; 3.2k.

; warnings ? ; none.

; genre ? ; fluff.

; request ? ; no.

; pairing ? ; roronoa zoro x reader.

; notes ; this is just a silly goofy funny fic pls dont take it seriously, its from a random prompt list and the folks in my server chose which one to do ! it gets kind of fast at the end but i think it works. reader is mentioned as ‘they’ once, but otherwise theres no pronouns used <3 crossposted on ao3 !! <3

    You scoffed, crossing your arms and refusing to look at the man across the small quarters of the elevator. “Unbelievable.” You set your bag on the floor and leaned against the wall, rubbing your temple with a hand as a headache began to set in. 

    “What? What’s your deal?” The man across from you spoke up, his voice low and raspy. You had told yourself that you found him fairly attractive, but after his actions, you had thrown any ideas of pursuing him out the window. 

    “What kind of dumbass punches an elevator button? I’m so going to be late for my meeting—” You opened an eye and peered at the man, venom in your tone. He was tall— taller than you, at least— and had a wicked scar running over his left eye. The man’s hair was an odd shade of green, cut fairly short in a way that suited him. He was well built and obviously took care of himself, his arms toned and tanned. Leaning against the thin bar railing of the elevator, he definitely looked tempting and he was your type, but your frustration outweighed your attraction. 

    “The doors weren’t closin’.” He shrugged, and you nearly lost it. He was so nonchalant about breaking the elevator and it was pissing you off. His deep black eye was focused onto his hand, where blood was pooling over his knuckles. 

    “How did you even manage to punch a hole in metal?” You sighed, feeling a little taken aback as drops of crimson fell to the elegantly tiled elevator floor. You had a meeting you couldn’t miss, and now you were stuck with an oddly inhumanly strong idiot. Letting a groan fill the air, you crouched down to rifle through your bag, finding a tiny ziploc bag of bandaids you kept in case of emergencies. Though you were definitely upset at him, you didn’t want to leave him bleeding all over the place. 

    He turned to you, tilting his head. “…It was pretty thin, it wouldn’t have been hard for anyone.” The green-haired man shrugged again, his eyes half-lidded. He was dressed in a simple black ensemble, and you couldn’t really pin down what department of the building he worked in. He wasn’t even wearing his name badge, which was a requirement in most departments. 

    “I’m pretty sure that was steel, regardless of how thin it was.” You stared at him in bewilderment before blinking the emotion away. You held out your hand to him, and deep confusion sparked in his eyes. 

    “What? Want a handshake or somethin’?” He gave you a deadpan look and held out his bloody hand, making you sneer. By now his hand was covered in smeared blood, and you shuddered.

    “..Yuck. No way. I took a basic health class a couple years ago, I can at least keep you from bleeding all over the place if we’re going to be stuck in here.” Swiping a couple of napkins from your bag, you waited for him to relax his hand. He gave you an odd look before muttering something under his breath and letting you have access to his hand. Taking care to not hit the open wounds on his knuckles from where he’d hit the steel, you wiped up as much blood as you could. 

    The man seemed to have a decent pain tolerance because he didn't even flinch when you’d wiped the blood from his open wounds. He winced slightly when you’d exhaled over the exposed area accidentally, but didn’t show any weakness other than that. Once enough of the crimson liquid was wiped away, you carefully placed the bandaids over his knuckles. 

    Satisfied with your work, you took a step back, glancing up at the man. You felt the hair at the back of your neck rise when you met his gaze, his one-eyed stare so intense that a wave of embarrassment flooded through you. He watched for another moment, before raising his hand to look at your handiwork. 

    “Hello Kitty?” He quirked a brow, then looked back at you with a minuscule smirk. It did look a bit silly, an intimidating man of his size with cutesy pink and white bandaids all over his hands. You stared at the cutesy figures of Hello Kitty and My Melody dancing across his knuckles. “…Cute.”

    You froze, a bit startled, before you crossed your arms over your chest and looked away. “You’re welcome. At least you aren’t bleeding all over the floor anymore.” You checked your watch and sighed, noting that you were late for your meeting. With a low exhale, you slid to the floor and sat down, leaning your back against the wall. You were upset at first, angry that you were missing such an important thing, but now you had resigned yourself to your fate stuck in an elevator with an odd stranger. 

    “You alright? Legs give out or somethin’?” You glanced up at the man, who had placed his hands into his pockets and was leaning casually against the elevator wall across from you. His gaze was sharp and though his scar was somewhat intimidating, the man seemed laid back and collected. 

    “No, my legs didn’t give out.” You rolled your eyes, leaning your head back against the wall. “I’m missing a really important meeting right now, and I’m not getting any signal to tell my boss why.” You frowned down at your phone, totally useless in your grasp. The signal was nonexistent, likely because of the layers of thick metal making up the elevator. 

    “Mm.” The man just hummed, turning his gaze to stare at the panel of buttons he’d mauled. 

    With a sigh, you let your eyes fall closed, your heart sinking in your chest. “This’ll probably be why I get fired. My boss really isn’t the most forgiving.” You had let go of all of your anger and figured you’d just look for a new job when you got out of your predicament. You’d been a few minutes late too many times, and you weren’t kidding when you said your boss was ruthless. 

    “Who’s your boss?” The man piped up, his tenor echoing off the close quarters. Somehow you felt comfortable enough with the stranger to complain about your boss. Rubbing a hand over your face, you drew your knees to your chest and stared off at nothing as you began to speak. 

    “Mr. Bartolomeo. Everyone calls him the cannibal, since he practically eats the new hires alive. He’s so strict about everything, and he won’t let go of ‘maintaining the perfect reputation of StrawHat Co.’. I’m literally just trying to get a paycheck, I don’t think me being a few minutes late because I’m so tired from overtime will ruin the image of a billion-dollar corporation.” You muttered, rubbing your temple. 

    The green-haired man let out a smooth chuckle, something that drew your gaze. His smirk had widened, and his eye sparkled. “He’s really harmless.” He shrugged, laughing to himself over something he knew. 

    “Maybe to you! You’re built like a freight train!” You scoffed, throwing your hands up as you flustered. “He’s like, two heads taller than I am, and his appearance doesn’t exactly scream sunshine and rainbows.” 

    The man threw his head back in a wild laugh, before glancing down at his arms. “A freight train, huh?” He snorted, lifting a brow in amusement and giving his arm a slight flex to make his muscles more prominent. You quickly turned your head away so that you wouldn’t be caught staring, but damn was that man built. It was making more sense to you now how he would be able to punch through steel. “That’s a new one.” 

    You took to fiddling with a hem in your pocket as you waited for someone to free the two of you, making idle chatter. You learned that the man was a part of the security sector of the company, though he wouldn’t tell you what his position was exactly. He’d caught the pen you’d thrown at him with a practiced ease that had you admiring his reflexes as well as his figure. He wasn’t much for continual conversation, and seemed to prefer listening to you rather than chattering off on his own, but for once you didn’t seem like you were talking too much. 

    “That’s what I said! He needs to loosen up.” You laughed, your discomfort around the stranger having disappeared. He had shifted to sit down across from you, and the two of you were playing catch with one of the papers you had prepared for your meeting that you had crumpled into a ball. No matter how high or how awkwardly you managed to throw the makeshift projectile, the green-haired man always caught it with ease, it didn’t even seem like it was difficult for him. 

    “Barto’s just kind of like that. Very… set in his ways.” He mused, his smirk returning and making your heart flutter. You had decidedly become glad that the elevator was broken, fate had decided that you deserved something nice for once, and that something nice just happened to be a very pretty man whose company you had begun to enjoy. 

    A comfortable silence fell over the elevator, the only sound was the noise of the crew outside, working hard to get the two of you out. Someone had very quickly discovered that the elevator wasn’t working, due to a frustrated shout from the man and a loud sigh from you. It had been about an hour since you two had gotten stuck, but you weren’t minding it. The only discomfort you felt was from the soft rumbling of your stomach, to which you dug through your bag searching for the small snack you had packed for yourself that morning. You felt a little embarrassed to eat in front of the man, but you were hungry, and who really cared anyways? You were going to get fired after this, and never see the handsome stranger again. 

    Pulling the small granola bar out and beginning to unwrap it, the man across from you smirked and spoke up. “Don’t suppose you have any sake hidden in there?” He was sitting with his knees drawn up, an arm rested on his knee while he leaned his face on his fist. 

    “Sorry, fresh out.” You laughed softly, breaking the snack bar in half. “You can have half of this though, if you want.” 

    He shrugged and held out his hand, accepting your offering and chewing on his portion of the granola bar. “This is the stupidest survivalist situation ever. You think they teach surviving being stuck in an elevator in boy scouts?” You hummed, finishing your piece and dusting off your hands. 

    “Probably not.” He mused, twirling the pen you’d thrown at him in his fingers. “I don’t think you’d survive very long if you didn’t have food and water. Half a granola bar won’t really get you very far.” You nodded.

    “This is true.” 

    ———

    After another hour and you semi-dozing off, the crew outside had managed to open the elevator doors from the floor below. The elevator car was stuck between two floors, and one of the people below called out that the two of you would have to open the hatch in the top of the ceiling and hop off the roof to the floor above. It was a complicated scheme, one you were having a hard time following through with. Your new acquaintance, however, had no problem shrugging his shoulders, before turning to you. 

    “I’ll give you a boost, and you can push the hatch.” You gave him a hesitant look, one that must have been too obvious, because he sighed and got into a crouch. Faster than you could blink, he shot upwards, palm facing the hatch and giving it such a hard shove that it swung halfway open before slamming back shut. “I can’t get it more than halfway. That’s where you come in. I can pick you up and you can push it open, deal?” 

    “Uhh… I’m not sure that’s workplace appropriate—“

    “Or I can toss you up there and hope you don’t get a concussion on your way out.” 

    “I’m sure I could totally lift the hatch no problem!” Your false cheer echoed around the elevator quarters, and you nervously stepped over to the man. He waited for you to secure your bag around yourself before he wrapped a tense arm around your waist and hefted you up easily. You sat on the man’s shoulders, definitely self-conscious, but he seemed entirely focused on the task at hand. 

    With you sitting on his shoulders, you easily reached the ceiling, though you struggled to open the heavy hatch above you. Even with both of your arms shoving at the panel and the man beneath you holding you steady, you were only able to push it open a few inches. “Holy shit, it’s heavy— how the fuck did you open it earlier?” You stared down at him, bewildered, as you shifted to shove the panel with your shoulder. 

    “I dunno. I just pushed it.” He shrugged, fighting off a twinge of annoyance that it was taking you so long. You muttered something under your breath about him being inhumanly strong, and after a few more tries, managed to get enough leverage on the panel that it swung open. The man sent you a confident grin, his dark eye sparkling with an emotion you couldn’t quite place. “There ya go.”

    You held onto the lip of the hatch and pulled yourself through, relying on your meager upper body strength. “Don’t look at my ass!” You shouted behind you as you pulled yourself up, hearing a short response from the man below, who was helping guide you up. 

    “I’m not lookin’ at your ass!” He scoffed, and you could see a faint blush on his cheeks when you glanced down. Settling yourself on the roof of the elevator, you gazed wide-eyed at all the intricacies of the interior, the side of things you never got to see. In the wall panel in front of you, the main doors had been wedged open by another crew of people, and they were waiting for you to step down onto the level’s floor. Looking back over your shoulder, you moved to give the green-haired man a hand, but in an instant he had stepped back, launched himself up, grabbed onto the edge of the hatch, and pulled himself up with an ease that had your head spinning. 

    “What even are you?” You snorted, watching as the man dusted himself off and slid through the opening in the outer doors, waiting for you to follow. You stared down at the floor, before cramming yourself through the opening, landing less than gracefully. Just when you thought you were going to end up kissing the tile beneath your feet, a familiar arm righted you. “…Thanks.”

    “Don’t mention it.” His damned smirk made him seem so attractive. You rubbed your temple while you adjusted your outfit, gathering yourself as best you could. The second you were out, the usual spiky green hair of your boss came into view, and he was absolutely fuming. 

    “There you are! Ya think ya can just get away with missin’ a whole meetin’?!” Bartolomeo was in your face in an instant, sweat beading along your brow. “That was your last chance, I won’t let ya ruin Mr. Luffy’s reputation! When ya get back to your desk, ya can pack ya things!!” You let out a weak sigh, finally confronted by the moment you were dreading. What would the CEO of a billion-dollar company care if one measly worker missed one meeting? Why were you getting fired over nothing? 

    “Barto, give em’ a break.” Your acquaintance spoke up in a gruff voice, and the second your boss turned and looked at him, his eyes went wide and he fell to his knees. 

    “Ohh, Mista Zoro!!!! Forgive me, I didn’t know I was in ya presence!!” Bartolomeo was bowing his head, and it looked like he was sobbing actual tears. You glanced from him to your acquaintance and back, confusion evident on your face. Zoro? As in, one of the founders of the company you worked at? You turned to him with wide eyes, realizing that you were stuck in an elevator for over two hours with your boss’s boss. 

    “You said you were from the security department..?” You tilted your head in confusion. 

    “Yeah, I run it.” His smirk widened, and you slapped a hand over your face. Just your luck, you had been extremely unprofessional with one of the people who could ruin your career with a snap of his fingers. You must have been holding your breath, your heart pounding out of control in your chest as you finally exhaled. Your thoughts were racing like crazy and you were only shocked out of them when a toned arm lay over your shoulders. “Oi, chill out.” You looked up to see Zoro, one hand casually in his pocket, the other laid over your shoulder. 

    “I’m so sorry Mista Zoro! I neva woulda said those things had I known you was here too!” Bartolomeo sobbed on the floor, crawling forward as he reached out to tug on the hem of Zoro’s pants. The man in question just sighed, before leading you away from Bartolomeo. “Y/N, I’m sorry! Ya can have ya job back and everything!” Your old boss pleaded, but something in you was against going back to your old job of being an errand intern for ungrateful coworkers. 

    “‘S alright, they won’t need it.” Confusion must have still been written all over your face, because Zoro simply grinned and continued to lead you off towards a large office. “A new position has just opened up.” He nodded, his three earrings glinting in the sunlight that streamed through the floor to ceiling glass windows that outlined the perimeter of the office building. 

    You couldn’t make heads or tails of what was going on, so you decided to just go along with it. Bartolomeo had decided to fire you, and now Zoro was rehiring you to some position in the security sector. You sighed, and ran a hand through your hair. “So… you’re hiring me in the security division? I don’t have experience with the security side of things.” You spoke up, and Zoro shrugged his shoulders. 

    “No big deal. Don’t need it if you’re gonna be my assistant.” You couldn’t be any more surprised, almost stepping back in your startle. Zoro adjusted, continuing his pace forward to his office, and you watched him walk off in your bewilderment. 

    In the span of two hours, you’d lost your job, gotten rehired, promoted, and were now apparently the personal assistant of one of the most powerful people in a billion dollar company. Something in you was hesitant to follow, but the majority of you was giddy with excitement. 

    “Yes sir!” You called, hurrying to catch up with him, and he just shot you his signature smirk from over his shoulder. 

    You had a feeling things were going to get more exciting around your workplace, even more exciting than being stuck in an elevator with a handsome stranger. 

[laawlesss]

minific will b posted tmrw instead ! its cute tho i think yall will like it <3

[laawlesss]

watching jujutsu kaisen finally, i may end up writing gojo at this rate <3 who let him be so pretty

[laawlesss]

Hey!! I really loved your sanji fic so much 😭✨️💖💖💖💖💖💖💖 I feel like your writing was very true to his character, he would be a real gentleman once he's past the comedic relief fawning over women thing, but he still had an element of being a little vulnerable too ahhhhhh I just know he would be so sweet and princely 😩💖💖💖💖 so good it was such a nice, tender fic I'll def be going back to reread, PLSSSS write more for him if you can 🙏😭 would love to read <3

AAA i’m so glad you liked it !!!!! i dooo have an alternate ending that i scrapped that i will probably turn into a part 2 sooner or later >:) it was a lot of fun like. making him a romantic instead of a simp and making him all charming and sweeet <333 hes definitely a character that i’ll write for again !! tysm for the feedback this literally made my day <33333

[laawlesss]

I’m so obsessed with your stuff!! Your writing flows so well and I love your brain and way you portray the OP men so much!!! Do you think you will continue writing CGL? of course not saying this to rush you or anything I know you’re busy with life, just wanted to say it was so good that I read both of them instead of listening to lectures in class ❤️

wAAH i’m so glad u like everything !!!! cgl is currently in the works, i got caught in some heavy writer block trying to figure out how to write kid and killer since i haven’t really gotten to know them super well with where i am in the anime yet, but with fingers crossed i should have it out soon !! got past my writers block and now im just trying to find the time to write TvT it’ll be a long chapter to make up for the absence tho <3333

[laawlesss]

;; Midnight Escapades .. 

— ;; minific monday ! a oneshot (almost) every monday, usually under 5k words.. (.. usually ..)

>> in which sanji cheers you up.

; words ? ; 4.8k.

; warnings ? ; none.

; genre ? ; fluff/comfort.

; request ? ; no.

; pairing ? ; vinsmoke sanji x reader.

; notes ; first sanji fic !!! this was chosen by the lovely folks in my discord server <3 fem terms used for reader, also sanji is toned down from straight up simp to just a hopeless romantic. fast burn ! bc i was in the mood to write romance. hope u like !!! crossposted on ao3.

    You could feel tears pooling at the edges of your eyes, a stray drop rolling down your cheek. You were so embarrassed. Your first date in ages and you’d been stood up. Sitting all alone, three drinks deep, you probably looked pathetic. Running your hands over your face, you let out a sigh, before pulling out your phone. Your last message of, ‘Hey! I’m here!’ had been read by your date, who’d apparently decided you weren’t worth their time. Dropping your phone down on the table, you picked up your wine glass, trying to decide what to do.

 

    While you were busy staring into the swirling depths of your wine, your waiter had stepped up to your table again. In his hand was a new bottle and a notepad, his posture relaxed as smoke from his cigarette drifted toward the ceiling. You weren’t sure if it was code, but it gave him an odd, charming air that you were drawn to. His striking blonde hair covered one eye, and he had a soft smirk on his face. The small name tag on his apron read “Sanji”.

    “Ready to order now, darling?” The way he spoke was smooth and full of charisma. “Or would you prefer another refill?” He set the bottle down on the table, prepping his notepad as he readied his pen. Seeing your face drop slightly, his demeanor shifted, and his brow furrowed. 

    “Ah, no, no thank you.” You hastily wiped your tears. You didn’t need anyone seeing you cry. “Sorry, I‘ll just uhm, get the check.” You trailed off, clutching the fancy napkin in your lap. You had been so excited, dressed up a little nicer than you usually did, and had saved up your paychecks to go to a fancier restaurant, the one you were currently sat in, the Baratie. You had felt so pretty, so happy, now you felt ridiculous. Your dress seemed foolish and tacky, and you definitely looked a scene sitting alone for going on almost two hours, only asking for a refill as you hoped your date would show. 

    They didn’t. 

    The waiter, Sanji, looked confused, before he slid his notepad back into his pocket and set an elegant hand on the table. “Was something not to your liking?” He pulled his cigarette from his lips and put it out, blowing the smoke away from you. The man didn’t seem like your usual waiter, more intent and focused on you. 

    “Oh! Um, no, the wine was lovely.” Your gaze fell back to your hands folded in your lap, and you bit your lip to hide your emotions that threatened to breach the surface. “I didn’t mean to hog a table, I’m sure another group of customers could have used the seats.” You sighed, reaching for your bag and wallet. “I guess it’s what I get, huh? Choosing a fancy restaurant on a first date and they don’t even show.” 

    Sanji was taken aback for a moment, before a sudden anger and frustration filled his eyes, though it wasn’t directed at you. The way you sent him a wide, half-broken fake smile while you ignored the sparkles of tears that bordered your lashes sent a pang of fury through him. Who would dare to crush your hopes like this? His hand on the table curled into a fist. 

    “So you were stood up?” It was an unnecessary comment, but he was vocalizing his anger. “What kind of bastard does that to such a sweet lady.” His brows were furrowed as his voice took on a furious tone, a slight growl leaving his throat. You weren’t sure why he was so upset, you were sure that he had to deal with similar situations as a waiter for such a nice restaurant. He had been nothing but charming to you as you were waiting for your date, and now that he was showing such emotion on your behalf somewhat drew you to him. 

    You nodded slowly, fiddling with your fingers. “…It’s alright! Maybe something came up.” You fed yourself the line in the attempt to make yourself feel better. The waiter seemed to have fire burning in his eyes. “I’ll, um, get out of your way, I'll just pay for the wine.” Lowering your voice, you pulled your card out of your wallet and held it out to the waiter. With a lightly calloused hand, he gently pushed your card away. 

    “Nah, I’m not going to make you pay for this.” Sanji cracked his knuckles then began to undo his apron, untying the knot from behind his back. You looked at him in confusion. He… wasn’t going to make you pay? What kind of waiter was he? 

    “What? Why?” You stared up at him as he lay his apron on the table, holding his hand out to you. He sent you a wide smile, his eyes sparkling with pure innocence and excitement. 

    “I don’t make a habit of disappointing ladies like yourself. I think that bastard has made you suffer enough on your own tonight, what kind of man would I be if I burdened your wallet as well?” His voice was airy and light, and he seemed to have good intentions. You stayed seated, more confused than anything. “C’mon.” 

    Sticking your wallet back into your bag, you slung it over your shoulder. “Are you.. quitting? What’s going on?” You asked, still unable to really get a read on the situation. He’d taken off his apron, did he decide to quit because you got stood up? It made no sense. 

    “Oh no, not at all. I just figured I’d offer a lady such as yourself a better evening than having to dwell on being stood up.” You took his hand, standing and gently dusting off your dress. “I’m technically the sous chef here, but I was standing in as a waiter due to lack of staff.” He shrugged, steadying you as you gathered yourself. With a soft smile you went along with it, welcoming a distraction. You knew to be wary of strangers, but the man in front of you seemed genuine and harmless. 

    Making sure you had all of your things, you let him lead you away from the table. “Oh. That makes sense, I suppose.” You decided not to think too hard on it. The waiter was attractive and warm with his actions, and you’d found yourself drawn to him from the moment you had sat down. 

    He flashed you a dazzling smile, before stopping by the kitchen. Pausing, he raised his voice enough for the chefs in the kitchen to hear him over the ruckus of their cooking. “HEY OLD MAN! I’M LEAVING EARLY!” Sanji shouted, making sure you were out of the way so he wouldn’t be yelling at you. 

    “NO THE HELL YOU AREN’T, YOU BRAT!” A loud, brash voice answered, and Sanji just sent a middle finger towards the kitchen, not bothering to respond. You didn’t know how to react, before you held a hand over your mouth to suppress a light giggle. You never expected the gentlemanly chef to have such a harsh side to him. 

    “You won’t get fired if you shout like that?” You questioned, amused. In an instant he turned back to you, lightly gripping your hand and leading you to the front of the restaurant. 

    “Probably not.” He shrugged, taking your hand and giving you a light-hearted twirl before moving to hold the front door open for you. “The chef’s like my old man, he’s too soft-hearted to kick me out.” You hadn’t noticed before, but Sanji wore a black double-breasted suit with the sleeves rolled up, something that made him seem endlessly elegant. His gaze was fixed back towards the restaurant as you stepped out, and you took the chance to really look at him. 

    His jaw was sharp and angled, and his dark goatee seemed to fit him perfectly. The eye that wasn’t covered by his fluffy blonde hair was a lovely steel blue, sparkling and intelligent. His brow had an interesting spiral to it at the end, something that intrigued you in the fact that it suited him. His arms were strong and seemed toned, his hands calloused from what you now knew was likely years of experience in the kitchen. 

    He turned his head to you, and you quickly spun away, giving him a small thank you as you stepped out onto the street. The lights of the Baratie glowed behind you, the elegant sign above the front door bright and inviting. There weren’t too many people out since it had grown pretty late, the sky fading to shades of dusk and early night. There was a slight chill in the air and you bundled into yourself to fight off the cold. 

    After noticing your minuscule shiver, Sanji had pulled off his suit jacket in an instant and laid it over your shoulders. “Would hate for a darling like you to catch a cold.” He nodded, resting his hand hesitantly on your lower back. His gesture was welcome, and you weren’t about to reject the warm jacket, but now you worried about him. 

    “Won’t you be cold then?” You asked him with a gentle smile. 

    With a shrug, he gave you a comforting smile. “I’d much rather freeze than allow a lady to shiver.” He nodded, his chivalry shining through with everything he did. Though he was basically a stranger, you felt like you could trust him. Speaking of, he seemed to realize in that instant that he didn’t know your name, and made a show out of asking. 

    With a flourish, he had bowed to one knee in front of you, holding one hand in your grasp as if he was about to propose to you. “Please excuse my incorrigible manners my lady, but may I have the honor of knowing your name?” He was staring up at you like you were made of stars and jewels. 

    You laughed, and urged him to stand, giving him your name. Even just the knowledge of your name seemed to make him elated. He spun, clasping his hands together as he endlessly mumbled affectionate praises. 

    “A lovely name for an even lovelier lady!” He cheered, his attitude much different from when he was arguing with the head chef of his restaurant. His nature, however silly, did lighten your mood. Sanji seemed to glow with glee as you lit up with a smile, embarrassment rising to your cheeks as his compliments struck you. 

    His compliments never seemed to cease, and they began to fluster you thoroughly. It went from subtle ones, like “I’m sure you were out of that damn bastard’s league anyways.” to, “The way your eyes sparkle in the moonlight reminds me of dew in a king’s garden, like jewels in the most extravagant of treasuries.” At this point your stomach was roving with butterflies, and you honestly had never felt prettier. Sanji had a way of speaking that made you feel like the only woman on earth. 

    “How about we go grab a coffee?” He offered, sure that it would warm the two of you up. It was late, but the night could still be considered young. You didn’t have work the next day and could sleep in if you wanted to, and you didn’t think you were quite ready to cut your evening with Sanji short just yet. Though his jacket was offering you a well of warmth, the tips of your fingers were beginning to feel frigid. In a burst of confidence, you reached for your companion’s hand, slipping into his grasp sheepishly. 

    “Yeah. That sounds good to me.” You responded with a short nod, becoming more comfortable with the idea that this was a date. Sanji seemed as though he was going to pass out, the combined feeling of your smaller hand tucked neatly into his alongside your soft voice sounding pleasant and happy hit him like a truck. With his free hand he slapped a hand over his face and turned away from you, a heavy flush over his pretty boy features. His mind was racing and he struggled to calm himself down, taking deep breaths to still his pounding heart. 

    Sanji managed to relax, giving your hand a gentle squeeze. Regaining his dignity, he shot you a dazzling smile that sent your head spinning. He led the way down the street, shortening his strides to match yours. His hand was warm and strong in your grip, something that definitely comforted you. Tugging on him gently, you slipped your joined hands into the pocket of his coat that was still draped over your shoulders. His cheeks were ablaze with heat, his eyes wide as his confusion slowly faded once he realized what you were doing. 

    You sent him a sunshine-filled smile, and Sanji let out a soft sigh. Managing to keep his cool, the chef just focused his eyes ahead of him. He was unsure if he would be able to form actual words if he had tried to speak. Your sweet nature was making him melt, and he hadn’t even known you for more than an hour. He had ultimately decided that he’d made a good decision choosing to take you out to cheer you up. 

    The two of you spoke back and forth, conversation flowing easily as you made your way to the small but picturesque coffee shop that was still open. You ordered your favorite, something sweet, and waited patiently as Sanji ordered a simple americano. You moved to pay, but the blonde fervently declined, adding a honeyed croissant to his order before paying for the both of you. You sent him a look, but he just made another remark about how he wouldn’t be a true man if he let a lady pay for her own order. 

    It didn’t take long for the barista to make your drinks, and soon you had your hands wrapped firmly around the base of a styrofoam cup, enjoying the warmth your drink offered. Sanji took a sip of his americano and let out a satisfied exhale, content with the taste. You blew softly on the steam that rose from yours and waited for it cool before closing your eyes to revel in the sweet flavor. 

    “Good?” Sanji questioned, something in him a bit disappointed that you no longer had the need to hold his hand to keep warm. 

    “Mhm! It’s always good, every time I order it.” You nodded, your breath making small clouds in the chilly night air. Leaning further into Sanji’s coat, you sent him a look, curious about the croissant he had purchased. “To be honest, I didn’t peg you as a pastry kind of guy.” You gave a short, soft laugh as the two of you began walking again, off to an unknown destination. 

    “Oh? Everyone likes pastries, angel.” He grinned wide and gleefully, sending you a smirk. He took the mentioned treat out of the little paper bag the barista had given him and split it evenly, offering half to you which you graciously took. The flaky pastry all but melted on your tongue and it caused you to hum with delight. “See?” Sanji took his own half and savored the sweet honey, pondering thoughtfully for a moment. 

    “I guess so.” Shrugging, you paused for a moment in your walk when you felt your phone buzz. Your eyes widened when you read a text from your date, and you had to tighten your grip on your coffee for fear of accidentally dropping it. 

    ‘im here. wru?’

    Sanji must have noticed your sudden shift in demeanor because he stepped a little closer to you, concern sparking in his bright blue eyes. He didn’t mean to read your texts, but with his short glance he had seen a text from someone who he could only assume was the bastard who had stood you up. From the look of it, he had ignored you for a good two hours, and it sent a wave of fury through the cook. What kind of person left a lady like yourself waiting for two hours? He placed a light but steady hand on the small of your back to make sure you were okay. Somehow you had felt more comfortable with Sanji during the entirety of your short walk than you had when you were messaging your date. 

    “Everything alright, sweetheart?” He asked, partially in an attempt to make sure you were okay, and partially because he wanted to draw your attention off of your date. That smile you had worn so happily had dropped in an instant the second you had received that text and it was beginning to make Sanji’s blood boil. You looked so divine when you were enjoying yourself, now the bastard had gone and filled your beautiful eyes with apprehension and sorrow. Sanji had never met the guy, but he knew he hated him already. 

    “Oh, uh, yeah.” You were startled out of your anxious thoughts by his gentle voice, turning to look at him. “Um, my date just said he’s at Baratie.” Your lips quirked downwards as you tried to figure out what to do. 

    Sanji furrowed his brows and gently tugged you over to a more secluded bench off the sidewalk and next to a cute little park, his hand on your back becoming more of an anchor as your thoughts began to race. Did you go back to the Baratie and pretend as if your date hadn’t left you waiting with no explanation for two hours, or did you stay with Sanji and continue the little coffee date you had found yourself thoroughly enjoying? You felt inclined to return to the restaurant, only because you had set up prior plans even if he hadn’t shown, but what you really wanted to do was stay with the charming blonde cook. Sanji had already treated you better than your date ever had, but your prior engagements still shouted at you. 

    “That bastard.” You heard Sanji mumble before he stepped a foot or two away to light up a cigarette, making sure to blow the sultry smoke away from where you had seated yourself on the bench. “Do you wanna go back?” He asked, glancing over his shoulder. Annoyance and anger was evident in his tone, but you knew it wasn’t directed at you. It took you a moment before you quietly spoke up. 

    “…Honestly, no.” You sighed, coming to a conclusion rather easily. “I just feel kind of bad about it since we did make plans and I won’t be showing up.” Your head tilted down as you messed with the styrofoam cup of coffee that you had set in your lap. You used your fingernails to make small indentations, a small frowny face soon evident in the cup’s exterior. 

    “Why would you feel bad about that? That’s what he did to you. He left you hanging for hours, and he thinks he can just show up now? It’d be perfectly reasonable to tell him to fuck off and block his number. ‘Scuse my language, angel.” He scoffed, unhappily taking a puff of his cigarette as he held his coffee cup loosely in his other hand. It peeved him enough that the guy had the balls to stand you up, but now he was back and demanding your attention. After two hours. 

    You thought over it, before nodding. “Yeah. I probably will.” Biting your lip, you took a final sip from your coffee cup before disposing of it in a nearby bin. You paced over to Sanji, enjoying the slight heat his body gave off against the cold night air. He glanced down at you and jokingly offered you a puff of his cigarette to cheer you up, but was utterly in shock when you took it from his hand and took a long drag. His eyes widened and for a split second, Sanji thought he was in love. 

    You exhaled and watched the smoke drift away, still burdened by too many thoughts. The feeling of a short nicotine rush cleared your head for a second before everything came rushing back. You made a move to take another drag, but Sanji slipped the cigarette out of your fingers before you could. “Careful, princess, these’ll kill ya.” He sent you a comforting smile, to which you sighed and returned. 

    Tugging at his tie to loosen it, Sanji shoved his hands into his pockets and watched the smoke from his cigarette dissipate into the night. Your heart felt weighed down still by your date’s texts. The chef glanced over at you and tilted his head, before holding out a hand to you. You had no hesitancy in your mind when you took it, letting him lead you into the park. The usual bright colors of the neatly kept flowerbeds were dulled by the low light, everything cast in a silver glow from the bright crescent moon. 

    Humming along to some tune in his head, Sanji led you to an open part of the park, before stepping underneath the arched roof of a round gazebo. He waited until you were set on your feet before he spun you gracefully, a delighted laugh leaving your lips. His hum increased in volume as he began to lead you in a dance, skillfully stepping with you in time to an invisible rhythm. A content smirk settled on the man’s face as he held you carefully, his eyes taking in the sight of you gleefully going along with his movements. 

    The two of you danced around the gazebo, laughter filling the air as you felt pure elation building in your chest. Sanji picked up on it, a heavy blush evident on his cheeks. “You’re beautiful.” His softly whispered words drew you to a halt, glancing over at his awestruck face. He seemed utterly taken aback, his eyes wide. Quickly regaining his senses, he slapped a hand over his face and leaned back against one of the short railings creating the outline of the gazebo. Embarrassment was abated in his expression, obviously he didn’t mean to speak with so much intent in such a serious tone. 

    Your heart warmed, and you could feel heat rising to your own cheeks as you stepped closer to him. “So are you.” You responded, sending him a smile that held the sun, moon, and stars. You had really never felt so attached to someone so quickly, you yearned to learn more about the man in front of you, something about him piqued your curiosity. 

    His blue eyes widened, and he pulled his cigarette from his lips to let out the sweetest laugh you’d ever heard. He ran his hand up his face and through his hair, leaning his head to the side as he rested his eyes on you. “I never expected I’d be complimented by an angel.” Exhaling a puff of smoke, he pushed himself up, dreading the words he was about to say. 

    The night had grown long and cold, and it was beyond midnight. He wanted to keep you well into the morning, talk about nothing and just enjoy your presence. But he could also see the tiredness creeping into your features, the small yawns you hid behind your palm. Your eyes blinked slowly, and your breaths were long and deep. Catching you on the trail end of a yawn, Sanji put his cigarette out and dusted himself off. 

    “Alright, sweetheart. It’s getting late and you’re getting tired. Can’t have you falling asleep on the way home.” He leaned over you slightly, resting his hands casually in his pockets. You gave a joking pout, before you stretched and nodded. 

    “Yeah, that’s fair.” Tucking your hands in the sleeves of his jacket, you frowned at the idea of giving it up. You’d found it more comfortable then you had expected, draping over your form. “Thanks for.. y’know.” You gestured vaguely. “Helping me out. I had fun.” You sent him a smile that shocked him to his core, and he turned his face away to hide his utter dismay at having to bring your mini date to an end. 

    “Anything for you, darling.” He managed to wink, hastily gathering his dignity. “Allow me to walk you back to your car? I assume you drove to the Baratie.” He offered you his hand. Part of the reason that he suggested walking you back was to prolong his time with you, and the other was to make sure you got back to your vehicle safely. It was late and dark, and he wouldn’t forgive himself if something happened while you were on your own and he could have made sure you were safe. 

    “Oh! Yeah, that would be nice, thank you.” You took his hand as he led you out of the park and back down the sidewalk. Exhaustion was beginning to tug at your limbs. You lightheartedly swung your joined hands, making Sanji smirk down at you. You had him on cloud nine with every cute motion you made. Eventually you leaned into his side, the blonde man happily supporting you. He was thankful somewhat for the dark and your sleepiness, you weren’t able to see the dark blush across his face. 

    He carefully put an arm around you, making sure you were alright with it, before he tugged you a little bit closer. It had only been an hour or two since he’d pulled you from the Baratie on a hare-brained whim to cheer you up, but now it was the best part of his day— week, even. You had felt safe and comfortable the entire time you were with him, establishing a connection that you felt eager to explore. 

    You weren’t sure if it was the wine in your system, but nonetheless a wave of confidence flowed through you. Standing on your tiptoes, you pressed a light, appreciative kiss to Sanji’s cheek, causing him to freeze and tense up. His fists clenched as he struggled to keep himself together, his heart pounding out of his chest. “Thank you, Sanji.” The way his name rolled off your tongue was the breaking point for him, and he pulled away, hiding his face in his hands. He took a deep breath before knocking his head back and staring up at the night sky. 

    “You’re something else. I think you might be the death of me when I take you out again.” He chuckled to himself, his romantic nature setting loose as he had already made plans in his head to take you on a proper date. 

    “When you take me out again?” Sanji glanced over his shoulder at your words, his eyes growing wide as a sheepish grin stretched over his face. You definitely weren’t against the idea. 

    A sunshine-filled smile lit up your expression, and the chef felt internally relieved when he realized he hadn’t spooked you off. Regaining his confidence, he bowed with a flourish, sending you a teasing wink. 

    “Of course, I’d like to take you on a proper date, angel, if you’d let me.” 

    “I’d like that a lot.” 

    The two of you shared gleeful expressions as you neared the Baratie, content in the glow of each other. Sanji brought you to the front door then followed you to your car, leaning on your window once you’d rolled it down. He looked picturesque, his strong arms rested on the frame while his face was accentuated by golden streetlights and silver moonlight. He sent you a charming smile before suddenly remembering to ask for your number, to which you laughed and obliged. He sent you a short text to make sure you had gotten his number in return, and you saved his number to your contacts. 

    “I had a nice time. Thank you for the coffee.” You nodded, leaning back into your seat as you admired the way the soft breeze shifted his fluffy hair. You hated to leave, but he probably had to help close up, and you didn’t want to keep him long enough to become a nuisance. You satisfied yourself with the thought that you’d meet up again. 

    “Anytime! I’m glad I could help cheer you up a bit. Broke my heart seeing such a pretty thing upset.” He grinned, before giving your door a light tap and sending you a wink. He was as charming as ever. “Get home safe, alright angel?” Your heart fluttered in your chest at his words. You bid each other goodnight, and you drove off, watching Sanji wave you off in your rear view mirror. 

    It was only when you’d made it home that you realized you still wore Sanji’s thick suit jacket, panicking for a second before you shot him a text. 

‘hey!!!! i forgot to return your jacket!!!!’ 

    You smiled warmly at his response, clutching your phone to your chest. 

    ‘No worries, princess. You can return it on our next date ;)’

[laawlesss]

sanji post tmrw <3 thanks for being patient w me yall