It starts with Whitebeard making an offhand comment about wanting a grandchild. Most of the crew laughs it off, but you and Marco don’t. Turns out, you’re both more than willing to follow through.
If Pops wants a grandkid, you’ll give him one. Together.
_____
A/N: Special thanks to @hannahbarberra162 for proofreading and helping me adjust details related to the pregnancy. I’ve included nearly every idea you were willing to share with me. 💕
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~ 8.000 words I Part 3/3 << Previous Part
Every book you read about pregnancy tells you the second trimester would be easier with no more nausea, fewer mood swings, and a magical new glow to carry you through.
Yeah, right.
You’re still nauseous every morning. Still gagging at random smells. And with the extra weight settling in your hips and back, you feel less like yourself every day.
“I don’t want to be pregnant anymore,” you mutter, stabbing your fruit with unnecessary force.
Marco’s sitting beside you at the breakfast table, but it’s not just him who reacts. Thatch freezes mid-sip of his tea. Izou lifts a brow from across the table. Even Ace glances over, mid-chew, suddenly interested. Marco barely flinches. He just starts rubbing slow, lazy circles into your back, calm as ever. “You said that yesterday, yoi.”
You groan at his comment and swat his hand away from you. “You don’t get to say that to me. You’re the reason why I’m pregnant in the first place. So, this is all your fault.”
“Technically,” Marco hums, “you were pretty enthusiastic about the process.”
Your glare sharpens. “That’s not the point and you know it.”
He smiles into his coffee mug like he’s got all the time in the world. “I’m just saying, you didn’t exactly complain at the time.”
“Marco.”
His name comes out flat, warning, but there’s no real heat behind it. Just exhaustion. Then, your shoulders sag. “I’m tired. I’m tired all the time. And I don’t feel like me anymore.”
For a moment, you all just sit there in silence until you let out another low groan and finally push the plate of fruit away from you. The several slices of melon, apple, and banana have never looked more unappetizing to you, because you didn’t want fruit in the first place. Hell, you don’t want anything right now. But not eating? Not really an option and you know that.
Out of the corner of your eye, you catch Marco lifting a brow. His mouth starts to open probably to suggest you eat just a little more, but before he can say anything, Thatch abruptly shoves his chair back with a loud screech.
“I can’t look at you anymore,” he suddenly declares, throwing his hands in the air. “You look like you’re two seconds away from crying, and I swear if you cry, I’m gonna cry, and then we’re all gonna be a mess before nine in the morning.”
You blink, startled, as he points an accusing finger at your plate like it personally offended him.
“You feel terrible? Okay, I’m sorry but I can’t do anything to help you with that. You don’t like fruit for breakfast? Now, that’s something I can certainly change.” He scoffs and then grins at you like he knows he’ll be your hero. “Tell me what you really want. Something greasy? Fried? Oily and horrible for you?”
You hesitate, lips trembling, and for a second everyone goes quiet.
“Yes,” you whisper, eyes tearing up. “Please.”
Thatch softens immediately. “There we go,” he says, already walking toward the kitchen. “Finally, someone gets you, huh? Sit tight, Mama, I got you. I’m making the worst possible breakfast the galley’s got to offer. Deep fried and served with no judgment.”
You sniffle and nod, wiping your cheek with your sleeve. “Thank you, Thatch. I love you.”
He pauses for half a second, then grins like he just won something. His posture straightens, puffed up with pride, before he turns on his heel and heads to the kitchen with an exaggerated bounce in his step.
Not only you, but Ace too, still chewing the last bite of his breakfast, watches Thatch go. But compared to your grateful eyes he’s watching him go with a squint. Then his eyes slowly shift back to you. Then to Marco. Then to you again.
Suddenly something’s clearly clicking into place in his head.
“Wait a sec…,” he mutters and then sets his fork down, stands abruptly, and points between you and the kitchen. “So, we can just… do stuff? Help out? We don’t have to wait for Marco to handle everything because he’s the baby daddy?”
Marco raises a brow, amused. “No one’s stopping you, yoi.”
Ace blinks like that thought had never occurred to him.
“I’m getting cushions,” he announces suddenly. “You’ve been sitting like that for twenty minutes and no one’s even thought about your poor back.”
“Ace…” You try to protest, but before you can even get more than his name out, he’s already halfway across the room, somehow finding a few seat cushions and returning with an armful of a mismatched variety.
“C’mon,” he says, crouching beside you. “Lean forward a little, I’m making this throne-worthy. You’re practically royalty now. Is that good? Warm? Do you need a blanket too? A footrest?”
You laugh, startled and touched and kind of overwhelmed, but in the best possible way. It warms your chest, cracks something open in you that’s been tight all morning. The ache in your back eases. So does the pressure behind your eyes. Not just because you’re more comfortable, but because Ace is trying so hard.
“I love this,” you murmur, mostly to yourself. “You’re all so—”
“Delivery!” Thatch announces proudly as he kicks the galley door open with his hip, arms full of plates piled high with fried, greasy goodness: fried potatoes, greasy eggs, and something that smells like bacon even if it doesn’t look like it. “I brought enough for a small army or just you, depending on how you're feelin’ today.”
Your mouth waters.
“Oh my god,” you whisper. “I love you even more now.”
Thatch instantly beams. “I knew it!”
However, before you can reach for your fork, Ace is already sliding one into your hand. “You shouldn’t have to reach for things. You just point and we’ll bring it to you.”
“I’m pregnant, not royalty,” you mumble around a mouthful of fried potatoes.
You giggle again, your shoulders finally relaxing. For once, no one’s telling you to eat more fruit or get some air or lie down. No one’s giving you ‘that look’, the one that says you’re glowing, while you secretly want to scream.
No, this? This is exactly what you needed.
You’re humming, enjoying each bite of your food, not even realizing that Marco pulls out your usual vitamin drop to hand it to you. “Here, you should…”
“I got it!” Ace suddenly swoops in, snatching the little bottle before Marco can finish. “She shouldn’t have to interrupt her breakfast for that. I make sure she’s taking her vitamins once she’s done.”
“Okay,” Marco’s lips press together even so slightly, just for a second, but he lets it go. As long as you get what your body needs it doesn’t matter who provides it for you, right? Right?
So, he continues to watch you enjoying your breakfast until Marco eventually tries again, quietly refilling your glass of water and setting it down beside you, just in case. But Izou immediately nudges it aside and replaces it with a cup of ginger tea. “Here, drink this. It helps with nausea.”
Marco pauses, hand still hovering where the glass had been, then slowly pulls back. You, however, don’t even notice. Moreover, you’re glowing now, but not because of hormones, but because your brothers are surrounding you with more love than you know what to do with. You’re smiling, you’re laughing, you’re eating like a champion.
And Marco?
Well, Marco watches from his place beside you, hands shoved loosely in his pockets, smile soft but just slightly distant. You’re not clinging to his arm today. Not leaning into him with that exhausted sigh. You’re not curling into his chest with tears prickling your lashes like you have the past few mornings, complaining about nausea.
No… Now you’re held up by ten pillows and three brothers determined to out-care him.
And it stings a little.
Not because Marco wants the spotlight, but because he’s always been the one to soothe you. The one to hold you through the rough parts of pregnancy. The one you leaned on when it was too heavy and scary to carry alone.
But now? Now they’ve got you and it looks like you’re finally okay… like they managed to accomplish something in a few minutes what Marco hasn’t managed to do in over a month.
So, he exhales through his nose, the sound almost a sigh, but then your laughter rings out again, light and unburdened, and the sting in his chest dulls. Then Marco steps back, picks up his coffee, and lets himself fade into the background, leaving the table to head to his office.
If this is what it takes to make you smile again… then yeah. He’ll take it. Even if it means giving up center stage.
And just like that the morning passes in a blur of food, laughter, and too many napkins, but eventually, the whirlwind slows and the crew members drift back to their routines. The galley clears out and this is when you notice that Marco isn’t beside you anymore.
So, later that day, you find him in his office, seated behind his desk with a pen in hand and a stack of reports untouched in front of him. You didn’t even bother to knock before opening the door, leaning in the doorway next, arms crossed lightly over your belly.
“Do you have a moment? We have a check-up today,” you say, your voice soft. “Remember?”
Instantly Marco looks up, blinking like he’s been pulled out of deep thought. Then he nods and rises without question, setting the pen down. “Right. Of course.”
You’ve done this check-up more times than you can count always in the same little medbay in his office so that you don’t have to head to the infirmary and have some privacy while Marco makes sure you and the baby are doing okay.
Marco helps you onto the cushioned bench like he always does, his hands steady at your waist. Like always, you joke that you’re fine and don’t need help. And like always, he ignores that and does it anyway.
Then he runs through the basics first. Pulse. Blood pressure. Temperature. Then he presses two fingers to your wrist again, slower this time. This is how he notices that even though your heartbeat is steady, your breathing isn’t.
“You’re anxious again,” he murmurs, thumb brushing gently over your pulse point.
You nod. “I don’t know why. Everything’s fine, right?”
Marco moves to the side of the bench and picks up a small listening device amplified for low frequencies. He warms the end of it between his palms before placing it gently on your belly.
A few seconds of silence… but then there’s a steady, rhythmic thump. The baby’s heart, strong and clear.
“There,” he says softly, eyes still on you. “Everything’s okay, yoi.”
You nod again, but your hand drifts toward him on instinct, searching for that grounding moment you always share. Only this time… you hesitate, fingers hovering just short of his.
“Marco, can I ask you something?” you say quietly, not looking at him now. “Why did you leave breakfast earlier today?” Marco goes still beside you, so you continue. “You didn’t say anything. You just… left.”
His silence is calm, but it stretches too long before he finally answers. “I just figured everyone else had it covered. I didn’t want to get in the way, yoi.”
This causes your brows to knit, and your hand finally finds his, your fingers curling gently around his. “You’re never in the way, Marco.”
Marco exhales slowly, shoulders easing a little at your touch. “Well, you were laughing… You weren’t miserable for once, yoi. I didn’t want to ruin it.”
“You think you’d ruin it just by being there?” You ask surprised.
He, however, simply shrugs, but there’s no real indifference in the gesture. “It felt like they were doing a better job today.”
You frown, your grip on his hand tightening. “You do a better job every day. They’re just filling in the gaps and helping out. No one could replace you... I mean this is just as much your child as it is mine. You’re the baby’s dad and I’m so glad to have you by my side through all of this.”
His gaze finally meets yours. However, Marco doesn’t say anything at first, just watches you with that intensity you know so well. But then, softly, he says. “I must admit, yoi. I like being the one you lean on.”
You squeeze his hand. “You still are.”
For a moment longer Marco’s hand stays curled around yours, warm and steady. You’ve held it so many times by now, but today… It feels different. Not because he’s doing anything new, but because you are… because something’s shifted, and you feel it in the way your heart’s beating just a little too fast, not from nerves, however, or worry but… butterflies.
But then it happened… It happens so suddenly you almost yelp—a sharp, unexpected jab deep in your lower belly that makes you double over slightly. The breath punches out of you, and your hand instinctively presses to the spot.
You suck in air through your teeth, still half-wincing. “I… hang on…” Your brow furrows, trying to make sense of it. “That… that wasn’t like before. It wasn’t a cramp, it was…”
Another jolt, softer this time but still enough to make your eyes widen. Your mouth drops open. “Oh my god. Marco. I think the baby just kicked.”
He blinks at you like he’s making sure you’re not joking. “Kicked?”
“Yeah,” you breathe, your voice a mix of shock and disbelief. “Like… actually kicked.” A laugh slips out, shaky and incredulous. “That’s so weird.”
You grab his hand before he can say anything, pressing his palm to your stomach. “Here. Wait, just… don’t move.”
For once, Marco is silent. He leans in slightly, brows drawn, every bit of him tuned to the feel of your skin under his hand. You can sense the restraint in him and the way his fingers twitch like he wants to rub soothing circles but is afraid to miss it.
And then… thump
You feel it. He feels it.
Marco blinks, lips parting just slightly as he processes it. His hand doesn’t flinch, but it tightens a little like he’s grounding himself in the moment. Then he glances at you, voice barely above a whisper. “That was them?”
You nod, smiling at him in a way you didn’t plan. “I guess they wanted to say hi.”
Marco lowers his gaze again, watching his hand on your stomach. He rubs slow, careful circles with his thumb, eyes soft. “I wasn’t sure I’d feel it like this,” he murmurs. “I thought it’d happen when you’re surrounded by the crew… or I’d miss it.”
“You didn’t,” you whisper.
He’s quiet for a long moment. Then he leans in, brushing his forehead against yours, a small breath escaping him as the baby kicks again, gentler this time. “Their strong already… like their mama.”
You smile, eyes sparkling. “Mmm, I don’t know about that.”
Marco lifts an eyebrow, so you continue.
“Well, it’s the way they’re already fighting in there, kicking and punching and causing chaos,” You pause, a soft grin tugging at your lips. “That’s a clear sight that their just like their daddy.”
Marco huffs a quiet laugh through his nose, the corners of his mouth twitching into a smile as he leans down a little close enough that his lips are just above your stomach.
“Hey,” he whispers to the bump, voice low and fond. “Settle down in there, alright? Don’t go hurting your mama.” Another kick answers him, softer this time and more like a nudge. So, Marco chuckles. “Stubborn already, yoi.”
You thread your fingers through is hair, heart full. “Yeah… that’s definitely your kid.”
For a long moment, Marco stays like this, but eventually he sits down next to you, one hand still resting against your belly as he watches the spot where the baby last kicked. His expression is soft, eyes even a little distant now like something’s unfolding behind them.
You hesitate but then put your hand over his, still catching your breath from the moment. Everything feels warmer and lighter like some invisible weight has suddenly shifted. And then, after a pause, Marco speaks quietly like he’s not sure if he’s allowed to ask.
“Have you…” He trails off, then lifts his eyes to yours. “Have you thought about names yet?”
You blink, a little surprised by the question.
“I mean,” he continues, a little sheepishly. “It’s not urgent. I just figured maybe you had something in mind already. You’re good at that kind of thing.”
Your brows lift, amused. “Naming things?”
“You named your cactus ‘Commander Spikes’, yoi.”
You grin. “And he’s still alive. That’s a whole success story.”
Marco smiles at that, but his gaze flicks back down to your belly again, somehow more thoughtful now. So, you hesitate and then finally admit. “I’ve thought about it a little. Mostly late at night, when I can’t sleep and the baby’s doing somersaults.”
He hums. “Yeah?”
“Only a few,” you add. “And I haven’t settled on anything. I don’t know if I want something traditional or something… weird… pirate-y… something strong.”
Marco tilts his head slightly. “Or something soft… something meaningful”
You look at him and he promptly elaborates. “Doesn’t have to sound like a fighter,” he says, thumb brushing gently across your belly. “Just something that feels like them.”
You fall quiet, tilting your head and watching him. “You’ve already got a name in mind, don’t you?”
He doesn’t answer at first. He just lets the silence settle for a moment, his thumb brushing slowly across your skin and then he speaks again. “I was thinking… It’s a boy…”
He hesitates.
Your smile softens. “Marco.”
He lifts his eyes to meet yours, and there’s something uncharacteristically unsure in them, even if his voice is calm when he finally says it: “… we could name him after Pops.”
You blink, stunned quiet for a second.
“Edward,” he adds gently. “Doesn’t have to be his full name. It could be a middle name or a variation… just something to keep a part of him with us.”
The words land heavy, but not in a bad way. They settle deep in your chest like a warm weight, like something sacred. You swallow, eyes stinging a little. “You never said you were thinking about that.”
Marco shrugs one shoulder. “I didn’t want to push it. But… he means a lot to both of us. And I think…” He pauses. “I think because he started all of this… it would be nice to make sure he knows he’s always part of our family one way or another… no matter what the future holds.”
You’re quiet again, one hand sliding over your belly, the other holding his still.
“Edward,” you repeat softly. The name feels warm in your mouth. “I love that.”
Marco doesn’t say anything at first, but the way his eyes soften, says enough. Then he leans in, brushing a kiss against your temple. “And if it’s a girl… We’ll find the right name too, yoi.”
You chuckle, the sound light and full of warmth. “Before Ace calls dubs and names her little flamethrower.”
Marco huffs a laugh, shaking his head. “He would,” he mutters.
“He absolutely would.”
“He’s probably already got a list,” Marco adds next dryly. “All fire-related. Blaze, Ember, Scorch…”
“Something tells me that he’ll call our child one of those names no matter what their actual name will be.” You then laugh again, and the baby gives another soft nudge under Marco’s hand like they’re joining in on the joke.
Marco pauses instantly, eyes flicking down the where he feels the movement. Then, without thinking, he leans down and brushes a kiss right where the baby kicked.
“No matter what your name will be,” he says softly, barely above a whisper, “you’ve already got a whole crew waiting to spoil you rotten, yoi.”
For a moment, you and Marco stay like this, letting the soft moment wrap around you two. But eventually Marco eases his hand from your belly and straightens, his palm naturally finding your arm next.
“Let’s get you down, yoi,” he says softly. “Nice and easy.”
You nod, letting him guide you off the examination bench. Just like always his hands are sure and steady, not rushing you in any way or form, like he’s done this a thousand times already. And once your feet touch the floor, he lingers a moment longer, making certain you’re balanced before letting you move.
Then, together you step out into the corridor and soon up toward the deck. The warmth of the sun greets you first, warming your face instantly, followed by the briny sea air. However, you barely take five steps before chaos aka. your brothers finds you.
“Cold drink?” Thatch appears out of thin air with a glass of cold water, already handing it over to you without waiting for your answer. The cold and slightly wet glass is cooling your fingers and when you look into the bright smile of Thatch’s face you can’t bring yourself to deny the offered drink.
“Thanks,” you reply softly, even taking a small sip.
And while you take another small sip you suddenly see them – Ace, walking over with a blanket, Izou carrying a parachute, and Vista with more fruit. Hell no. This is already too much.
So, you glance over to Marco, who remains by your side but looks at his brothers with a disapproval in his eyes like he already knows that you appreciate the effort, but would rather have some time to yourself. Then his eyes find you. “You’re okay, yoi?”
“Yes,” you reply with a soft smile and put the water down on a nearby crate. “But I was thinking of spending the afternoon in a quieter place not surrounded by our brothers.”
Marco hums nodding like he knows just the right place. “I might have an idea…” You open your mouth to ask for more details, but then you see his gaze shift upwards. Naturally, you follow it and it lands on… the crow's nest.
“You’re sure?”
“No one would bother you there, yoi.”
For a beat, both of you just look at each other, but with each second passing the others are coming closer and closer with all their well-meaning words and actions that slowly threaten to suffocate you.
“Alright, let’s go up there,” you nod, but before you can take a step towards the mass, Marco crouches down beside you and gestures to you to get on his back.
“Jump on, sweetheart.”
Before you can question it, blue flames burst around him with a soft
whoosh
. His entire form changes in an instant, human legs stretching into talons, arms sweeping outwards into blue wings, but what remains his the smug glint in his eyes even in his complete phoenix form.
“Marco? Wait. You want me to… ride you?”
He makes a quiet cuffing sound that sounds like almost a laugh, and then he nudges you closer to him with his wind like he’s telling you to hop on and trust him.
“You’re insane,” you chuckle softly and shake your head, reaching out to take hold and preparing yourself to swing you on his back without bumping your pregnancy belly against him.
And that’s when you hear it.
“Oh my god, I think he’s gonna fly her!” Ace’s voice cracks like a teenager hitting puberty. “SOMEONE STOP HIM!!”
Okay, you should hurry up a bit. Carefully you climb onto Marco’s back, gripping the thick, warm feathers at the base of his neck. He’s hot but soft, his feathers surprisingly plush under your fingers.
“Marco,” you whisper, leaning low. “Just don’t fly too fast. If I fall –“
Fwoosh!
And as the world drops and grows smaller, the deck below explodes into screams.
“MARCOOO!” Ace bellows, sprinting across the deck like he is chasing you and Marco even though he can’t reach you. “SHE’S PREGNANT! SHE’S PREGNANT!!”
“Oh god… PUT HER BACK!” Thatch is spinning in place, waving his hands like a madman. “YOU’RE OUT OF YOUR GOD DAMN MIND!”
“Marco I swear –!” Izou’s voice is sharp, though his hand is already on his face in exasperation. “If she so much as slips, you’re a dead man!”
With each second the chorus of chaos rises below you, but all you can do is laugh bright and unrestrained. Meanwhile, the wind rushes against your face as Marco glides higher and higher. And this is when you notice that this is the first time in a very long time that you don’t have an aching back or suffocating exhaustion.
Still, below Ace’s voice carries over to you again. “IF YOU DROP HER, I’M TELLING POPS! FUCK IT! I’M TELLING HIM RIGHT NOW!!”
And then you feel how Marco tilts his wings, slowing into a careful, smooth glide toward the crow’s nest. Then he lands so gently it barely feels like a bump.
Next, you slide off his back with care, your legs a little shaky from excitement, and the moment your feet touch the wood, he transforms back into his human form, blue flames curling off his skin as he returns. He’s instantly steadying you putting one hand around your waist while the other instinctively slides to your belly.
You’re still laughing, slightly breathless. “That… was exactly what I needed.”
“I’m glad I could provide, yoi,” he says softly, his usual small, warm smile curving his lips.
This is when you face him fully, your heart light and bubbling over, and before you can stop yourself, the words spill out. “You know, I’m really glad you’re the father.”
Marco freezes for just a heartbeat, eyes softening in the sunlight. Then his arm wraps securely around your waist, pulling you closer. But eventually, you hear him murmur low and sincere into your ear. “I’m really glad too.”
You smile hearing that. “I’m glad to hear that. You know, with you I really think I can conquer this pregnancy just fine.”
__________________
Only a few months later things seem to not be the same anymore. The sun’s too bright, the ship’s moving too much, and someone’s laughing on deck makes you want to throw them overboard.
But instead of giving in to the urge you lean over the railing and throw up into the sea.
Pff, morning sickness… what a joke. This is more like a 24/7 sickness now and being on a god damn ship doesn’t help the situation one bit. Now you don’t even need a calendar to know that you truly are in third-trimester hell.
But through all of this, a warm hand rests between your shoulder blades, steady and rubbing slow circles. Moreover, Marco’s voice is low by your ear. “Breath, yoi.”
You, however, just grip the railing a bit tighter and spit down. “I am breathing.”
He hums like he’s heard this a hundred times, and he probably has. You’d bite the head off anyone else who tried to tell you to calm down, but he’s the only one you can stand right now.
Still, you take a deep breath because if you don’t you’ll probably fall over, but it comes out in short, shallow pulls. Your hair sticks to your face. Marco brushes it back, fingers careful not to tug, then keeps his hand there like he’s holding you together.
And this is when you hear footsteps approaching you from the side.
“Hey…” Ace’s voice. He’s been on the railing a few yards away, coiling a length of line, and now he’s edging closer, rope still looped in his hands. “You’re okay?”
You lift your head just enough to glare at him. “Do I look okay?”
He hesitates, eyes flicking from you to Marco before returning to you. “…No.”
“Then why’d you ask?”
Ace freezes for a beat, then wisely decides to walk away, muttering something under his breath as he hauls his rope to the opposite side of the deck.
The nausea fades enough for you to straighten. Marco shifts with you, one hand sliding to your arm like he’s ready if you stumble. You take the water skin he offers, swish, spit, and drink.
“This better be worth it,” you mutter, wiping your mouth.
His mouth tips at one corner. “Sure, sweetheart. Now, let’s get you in the shade before you throw up again, alright?”
“Okay,” you agree and allow him to guide you away from the railing. However, the deck somehow feels even more crowded now with too many people moving in every direction.
Your steps are slow, uneven. The skin around your ankles feels hot and tight, each step pulling a little throb up your calves. Marco adjusts his pace to match yours, steering you around a barrel without a word.
“Y’know,” he says finally, voice light but pointed, “you didn’t have to snap at Ace.”
You sigh through your nose, eyes fixed ahead. “I know.”
It’s not like you want to be mean to him. Or anyone else. But lately, it’s like there’s a fuse burning under your skin—you’re pissed at everything and nothing all at once, and it takes barely anything to light you up.
Thankfully Marco doesn’t push. Just keeps walking beside you, palm warm against your back, like he knows that right now, that’s all you really need.
He leads you into a patch of shade near the mainmast, where a couple of crates sit empty. You lower yourself onto one with a sound that’s half relief, half complaint. Your legs stretch out in front of you, swollen ankles glaring in the daylight.
And that’s when you notice one of your shoelaces has come undone.
You lean forward to tie it, but your bump pushes into your thighs, and your arms can’t quite reach without squeezing the air out of your lungs. You try a second time, grunting, but it’s useless.
Suddenly a low chuckle rumbles beside you. “Need a hand, yoi?”
You shoot him a look. “I’m fine.”
Another failed attempt later, Marco’s already crouched in front of you, fingers moving quickly to tie it for you.
“Damn you,” you mutter, “and your night for making a huge-ass baby.”
He smirks without looking up. “Didn’t hear you complaining that night.”
You huff, but the quip doesn’t land the same this time. The words “huge-ass baby” stick in your head, and suddenly you can’t stop picturing the actual process of getting them out. Your palms drift over your belly, a flicker of unease tightening your chest.
Marco finishes the knot and glances up, catching the shift in your expression. Marco’s eyes narrow as he watches you, quiet for a moment. Then he says, “You’ve got that look again.”
You snap your head up, surprised. “I don’t have a look.”
He tilts his head slightly, voice softer now, patient. “Yes, you do.”
You frown, trying to shake it off, but he doesn’t let up.
“It’s the look that tells me you’re thinking about something terrible,” he says carefully, his gaze locked on you. “And with your hands resting on your stomach like that… It’s probably about the baby.”
You groan, hating and loving in equal measure that he can read you so well. “Fine, okay… I was just thinking that the baby still needs to somehow get out. And I mean, look at the size of my bump! I swear I haven’t seen my feet in an eternity.”
Marco’s mouth curves slowly, a spark of amusement in his eyes. “What did you expect? I’m a big man, yoi.”
You blink at him. “…You did not just say that.
He shrugs, all smug. “Can’t grow a small one when you start with good stock.”
“Marco!”
He chuckles like you’ve just proven his point.
So, you point a warning finger at him. “Say one more thing and I’ll bite you.”
He tilts his head, grin widening. “I don’t mind some biting — you should know that, yoi.”
You groan, giving his shoulder a shove. “No. Stop. You don’t get to tease me when I’m carrying your child. I’m doing all the work. I deserve some princess treatment.”
“You’re getting the princess treatment,” Marco counters, utterly unbothered. “I hold your hair back when you throw up.”
You gape at him, then smack his thigh. “That’s the bare minimum. Step up.”
Marco exhales a quiet laugh, shaking his head like he’s indulging a spoiled brat. “Okay… do you want some ice cream?”
You deadpan, crossing your arms over your bump. “I want my body back, mister know-it-all… but for the moment, ice cream will do. But let’s stop at the bathrooms first. I need to pee.”
Marco blinks as he stands, offering you his hand. You take it and let him pull you up. “You went a few minutes ago.”
You roll your eyes as you brush yourself off. “Well, I need to go again. The baby’s using my bladder as a trampoline.”
He huffs a laugh under his breath, falling into step beside you as you start toward the nearest door.
“You know,” Marco says casually, “if the baby’s already practicing gymnastics in there, maybe they’ll be a natural fighter. Or a dancer. Guess we’ll see which side of the family wins out.”
You groan. “Stop. You make everything sound like your genetics are the gift that keeps on giving.”
He glances at you sidelong, smirk in place. “Aren’t they?”
“I hate you.”
“No, you don’t, yoi.”
And just like that the break’s cut short and you shuffle below deck, muttering under your breath about the ship’s planks being uneven, the sun being too hot, and the fact that your ankles feel like overstuffed bread dough. It is truly not surprising that nearly everyone is avoiding you these days and honestly, you prefer it that way.
You don’t think you could tolerate anyone else’s company besides Marco’s right now even though you’d never admit it out loud. There is no need to inflate the man’s ego even more. Marco’s smug enough already.
“Who even designed this ship?” You mutter barely below your breath as you step inside the bathroom, which is barely big enough to turn around in, which is a problem, because turning around now involves a three-point maneuver.
So, you grip the wall for balance, trying not to think about how much effort it takes just to get your pants down these days. And just like in most situations the baby isn’t helping at all, because they’re pressing down like they’re trying an early escape, and every shift sends another urgent jolt to your bladder.
From outside the door, Marco’s voice floats in. “You’re okay in there, yoi?”
“I’m peeing, Marco,” you call back, deadpan. “Do you want to come in and check for yourself?”
There’s a low chuckle. “I’m just making sure. Peeing usually doesn’t involve this much cursing… and it’s been five minutes already…”
“It does when you’re pregnant.” You roll your eyes so hard it almost hurts. “I swear the next time you’re in here for ten minutes I’m going to bang on the door the whole time, asking if you’re okay, just to see how you like it.”
Before he can answer, however, you hear some shuffling like someone is squeezing past him. Then the other person knocks – no, bangs – at the door. “Come on… hurry up! Some of us gotta go too!”
That’s it. Your head snaps toward the door like you could burn a hole through it. “I’m literally growing a human being right now, Fossa! So, I take my god damn time and you can hold it for two minutes!”
Silence. Then the sound of Marco and a few more people talking in a hushed voice before the sound of retreating footsteps can he heard.
Good.
When you finally emerge, Marco’s leaning against the wall with that infuriatingly calm expression, arms folded like he’s been standing guard, and possibly warning anyone else not to even think about stepping closer and rather go and find another bathroom.
“What?” you demand.
“Nothing, yoi,” he pushes off the wall and takes your hand, steering you toward the galley. “Just… you’re terrifying when you’re like this.”
You smirk, rubbing your belly. “Good. I’m going to need that intimidation factor for labor.”
Marco laughs under his breath. “Remind me to warn the nurses.”
——————————
“Push!”
“Hnaaaaah! Fuuuck! Marco, I hate you so much!!”
Everything in the room seems to tilt as heat presses down from every direction. Moreover, the air in the delivery room is thick and heavy, and the voices around you blur together. Still, you do what the nurse told you and push, hoping this is the moment when you finally manage to push the baby out.
“Good… good… you’re almost there.”
Almost there. The nurses crowding you have told you that at least five times by now. You don’t believe them anymore. Gosh, you’ve been doing this forever by now!
“You’re doing great, sweetheart,” Marco tells you from your left, holding your hand in his, thumb brushing over your white knuckles in a soothing rhythm. “Only a little bit more, yoi.”
Suddenly your head whips towards him, eyes blazing. “Shut the fuck up!”
Marco doesn’t even flinch. His thumb keeps moving in slow circles over your knuckles, calm and unbothered, like he expected the outburst. “Alright, then just breathe with me. In…. Out…”
“I don’t want to breathe! I want this baby out!” You gasp between gritted teeth, every muscle in your body bracing against the pain. “This is all your fault! Why did I agree to this?!”
A faint smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth, not mocking, but familiar. “Do you want me to tell you the story about how Pops brought up the whole grandkid topic while we all hang out on deck? It could distract you a bit, yoi.”
The growl the tears from your throat is nearly primal, and you tighten your grip on his hand until your knuckles ache. “Say yoi one more time and I swear to god –!”
“Alright, here comes the next one, big push! The nurse cuts in, snapping you back into the moment.
Again the world narrows to the searing strain in your lower body, the relentless demand from every muscle, every nerve. You lush, throat-tearing with the growling sound you make, sweat sliding down your temple. It feels like you’ve been holding your breath for hours.
Then… release. The contraction ebbs just enough to let you drop back into the pillow, chest heaving, and skin damp with sweat.
Marco doesn’t move from your side. His hand is still in yours, his thumb still brushing over your white knuckles again. You let your head fall back, eyelids heavy. “I really want this baby out…”
“I know,” Marco murmurs, saying it like he really does know, like he can feel the weight of every second with you.
You glance up to him, taking in his calm expression and the smile he gives you like even though you’re red and sweaty you’ve never been more beautiful. You open your mouth to say something, but before a single word passes your lips, the door opens and Izou calmly steps in.
“I have the ice cubs you wanted,” he announces while stepping closer, his kimono swinging elegantly with each step.
The sight of him makes you light up instantly. “Izou, you’re an angel!”
He walks over with no rush, placing the container beside Marco. Marco instantly reaches for it, but Izou plunges one ice cube out himself and holds it against your lips. You open your mouth and let the ice melt on your tongue.
“You’re doing great, you know?” Izou says warmly. “The whole crew can’t wait to meet the newest member. How are you holding up?”
You close your eyes briefly at the words, savoring both the ice and his words, but then with a sigh you decide to answer his question. “How am I holding up? I’m telling you… I’ve been ‘almost there’ for hours. These nurses are liars and Marco can’t stop being so fucking calm with I’m in here getting ripped into half.”
Izou’s lips twitch like he’s fighting back a smile. He leans down and presses a gentle kiss to your damp hair. “So that you know, we’re all right outside if you need anything.”
“All of you?” You echo, a little disbelieving.
“Yes, all of us,” Izou confirms softly. “Ace, Thatch, Vista, Haruta, basically all the commanders and many more. Even Pops comes to check in every few minutes, but he can’t bear to hear you crying, so he’s in and out.”
That hits you in a place the pain hasn’t touched. Tears well instantly, hot and unsteady. “I love them,” you whisper thickly. “I love all of you so much.”
Izou smiles, his hand squeezing yours for a moment. Then one of the nurses leans in quickly. “Next contraction. Push!”
The moment shatters. You gasp as the pain crests again, both hands flying to grip the bed as your whole body bears down. Izou steps back toward the door, giving you space, and with one last warm look he slips outside, leaving you with Marco’s steady presence.
“Push!” the nurse urges again, her voice riding over the sound of your strained breathing.
You grip the edge of the bed with one hand and Marco’s hand with the other, every bit of strength in you channeling into the effort. Your fingers clamp around his so tight you’re amazed they don’t snap.
“Breathe, love. Push through it,” he says, low and even, leaning close enough that his forehead nearly brushes yours.
You grit your teeth, sweat sliding down your temple. “Don’t tell me to breathe. I am breathing! And pushing!”
“Almost there,” Marco murmurs next, his thumb rubbing over your knuckles again.
Your head snaps toward him. “Stop saying that! You’ve been saying that for an hour!”
His lips twitch, but his eyes stay calm, steady, fixed on you like you’re the only thing that exists. “Alright. Then I’ll say this… you’re stronger than you think.”
You let out a strained, half-broken laugh that turns into a groan. “I hate you.”
“I know,” he says softly, his tone so warm it almost breaks you. “I love you, too.”
The contraction peaks, white-hot and all-consuming, and you push with everything you have left. Every muscle in your lower body screams, your heart hammers in your chest, and the air tastes metallic from how hard you’re breathing.
Then, just as the burn feels like it’s too much, you hear the nurse’s voice rise with excitement. “That’s it! The head’s crowning!”
The final contraction rips through you like fire, pulling the air from your lungs. You squeeze Marco’s hand so tightly your nails dig into his skin, your other hand gripping the sheets like you might tear them apart.
“Push!” the nurse shouts.
You push with everything left in you, the sound that tears from your throat loud and raw… and then another sound joins it. A high, thin wail. Not yours. So, you freeze, your own voice faltering as the cry fills the room, piercing and new.
Your chest heaves. The heat, the pain. It all blurs as your gaze snaps to the nurse. She’s smiling, careful, hands steady as she lifts the tiny, wriggling shape into view.
“It’s a boy,” she says gently.
Your breath catches, and suddenly you feel Marco’s hand squeeze yours, not the steady, patient squeeze from before, but something firmer, full of quiet joy. You turn your head, and his eyes are on you, soft in a way you’ve never seen before.
A shaky laugh escapes you, wet with tears you didn’t realize had started to fall. Your free hand hovers uselessly toward the nurse as if you could reach him from here.
Then the baby cries again, smaller now, and Marco’s thumb presses over your knuckles like he’s anchoring you both in this exact second.
“Yoi,” he murmurs, voice low and rougher than usual. “He’s here.”
Your throat tightens. “Yeah,” you whisper, tears sliding freely now. “He’s here.”
Finally, the nurse moves to clean and wrap him, but your eyes never leave the tiny, squirming bundle. And Marco’s hand never leaves yours as you both watch the nurse work quickly but carefully, wiping your baby down before wrapping him in a towel.
However, as your son’s cries soften into little hiccupping whimpers, each one is slowly making your chest ache in a way nothing else ever has. Like on instinct, your hand twitches toward him again before you even realize you’re moving.
“Alright,” the nurse says gently after a moment, stepping closer, “let’s meet your mama and papa.”
You shift instinctively, sitting up as much as your exhausted body will allow. The moment the weight settles into your arms, something inside you cracks wide open.
“He’s so small…” The words tumble out of you in a trembling whisper.
You stare down at him, taking in every tiny detail—the curve of his cheek, the soft puff of dark hair, the way his little mouth opens and closes like he’s testing out the air for the first time.
Marco leans in close, his shoulder brushing yours, one arm coming around your back. His other hand stays wrapped in yours, the connection never breaking. You feel the steady pressure of his palm, the warmth of him right beside you.
He doesn’t say much, but just watches quietly, a faint smile tugging at his lips, his eyes locked on the baby like he’s trying to memorize him.
“Perfect,” he murmurs finally, the word almost swallowed by the quiet of the room.
You glance up at him through blurred vision, your voice catching. “Yeah. He is.”
The baby lets out a small sigh, his tiny fingers curling just enough to brush the edge of the towel. You adjust it gently, brushing the soft fabric over his shoulder, and Marco’s thumb strokes over the back of your hand.
And just like that, after all the screaming and cursing, the room is quiet, except for small sounds your son makes as he shifts in your arms. You and Marco are still staring at him, caught in that strange and beautiful haze, when you hear someone hesitantly knocking at the door.
You and Marco turn toward the door only to see it getting pushed open enough for Thatch to push his head inside. “Is it… Okay if we come in?”
Marco glances at you. You nod, still smiling down at the baby. “Come in. Here’s someone who we want you all to meet.”
Thatch slips in first, his usual grin muted, but still there. Izou follows, next Ace peeks in, eyes wide and curious, and just like that Vista, Haruta, and a few more commanders come inside until the room feels warmer, but not crowded.
For a change, no one’s yelling. Their voices are low, almost reverent. So, you tilt the towel slightly, so they can see your son’s little face. “Everyone… meet Edward Jr.”
“Edward Jr.?” Thatch repeats, his eyebrows climbing. His grin spreads wider, but there’s a flicker of genuine surprise in his eyes. “As in… Pops?”
Ace, however, nearly falls forward. “Wait… you named him after Pops? Like… actually after Pops?!”
Marco shifts his weight slightly, his free hand resting protectively on your shoulder. “Yoi, it felt right.”
That’s all it takes. The room stirs with murmurs and quiet exclamations. Vista’s deep chuckle rumbles over the softer voices, Haruta grins wide enough to crinkle his eyes, and Fossa lets out a low whistle.
“I never thought I’d see the day,” Thatch says, shaking his head, though his voice is warm. “The old man’s gonna—”
Before he could finish the sentence the door slowly opened again. It’s not loud or hurried, but the sudden shift in energy is enough for everyone to instantly fall quiet.
Whitebeard steps inside.
His sheer size fills the doorway, the light from the corridor framing him for a moment before he moves forward. The familiar weight of his presence seems to press against the walls, and yet… there’s something different in his expression tonight.
The commanders closest to your bed instinctively step aside, parting like a tide to give him a clear path.
He doesn’t speak right away. His eyes find you first, lingering on your tired face, the sheen of sweat on your brow, the small but certain smile that you give him in return. His gaze softens almost imperceptibly, the faintest crease at the corners deepening.
Only then does it drop to what you’re holding. Then Marco shifts slightly beside you, his hand still resting on your shoulder. “Pops,” he says quietly. “Meet Edward Jr.”
The words seem to hang in the air for a moment before they fully land. And when Pops stops at the foot of your bed. His head tilts a fraction, his eyes narrowing slightly, and not in suspicion, but in the way a man tries to focus on something precious.
“You two…” his voice is low, rumbling deep in his chest. “… gave him my name?”
“Yes,” Marco answers for both of you. “Family should carry family.”
And while those words leave his mouth the old man’s gaze stays on the tiny face swaddled in the towel. For a long moment, he just… looks. His breathing slows. His shoulders ease, just a little. The edges of his mouth begin to curve, slow and deliberate, into a smile that’s both proud and achingly gentle.
And when he speaks again, his voice shifts a little. It’s still deep and strong, but roughened at the edge.
“You’ve given me a lot to be proud of over the years…” His eyes flick briefly to you, then back to Marco. “…but this…” He lets the words trail off into a low exhale, almost a laugh. “…this means more than I can put into words.”
A flicker of light catches at the corner of his eye. It’s not much, just a single tear, gathering before it slides into his beard, but it’s enough to make your chest tighten.
No one comments on it, but you can feel the change ripple through the room. Izou’s lips press together as his gaze drops to the floor. Vista’s arms fold loosely, his eyes warmer than usual. Ace shifts his weight, looking everywhere but at Pops, as if avoiding the truth of his own stinging eyes.
Pops steps closer. He doesn’t try to take the baby, his hands are too big for that, but he lowers one massive palm to the edge of the bed. Carefully, he leans in, bringing the tip of one finger close enough for Edward Jr.’s tiny hand to brush against it.
The baby’s fingers curl instinctively, gripping that single fingertip like it’s all the world.
Pops’ smile deepens. “Welcome to the family, Edward Jr.,” he says, his voice low but carrying to every corner of the room. “You’ve got a whole ship waiting to love you.”
hiii could you please do a Luffy x Wife reader? Like, they promised to marry each other when they were kids, eventually did get married as soon as they were of legal age and they go everywhere together but the crew only noticed they were married once Nami noticed that little shine of Readers ring because idk I feel like Luffy isn't a very kissy kissy type more just huggy huggy YK WHAT I MEAN? but the crew never thought much of it cause he was like that with everyone and like... yer
please and thank you 😣🙏
This is such a cute idea! Thank you for for your request! Hope you enjoy!
Gold Ring, Red Vest
Luffy x Wife!Reader
You and Luffy had promised to marry each other when you were seven.
It was under a tree, after a shared meat skewer, sticky sauce on both your cheeks and dirt on your hands. You didn’t know what marriage really meant. Luffy didn’t either. But the idea of being together forever? That was enough.
“Let’s get married when we grow up!”
“Yeah! And we’ll eat meat every day!”
“And we’ll fight bad guys.”
“And we’ll sail the whole world!”
“I’ll be Pirate King—so you can be Pirate Queen!”
You’d sealed it with a spit handshake. Ace gagged in the background. Sabo called it “kinda romantic, kinda gross.” Dadan told you both to stop being weirdos and come inside before the wolves showed up again.
You were there for all of it—your trips to the mountain bandit hideout frequent and full of scraped knees and louder laughs. You met Ace the same way everyone else did: by getting punched and yelling right back. Sabo shared his book with you before he ever shared it with Luffy. You were their fourth member. Your gang. Your boys.
But Luffy was always yours.
He held your hand when the campfire crackled too loud. You tucked daisies into his hair when he pouted. And when he said he’d set off to sea one day, you told him to wait.
“Wait for me to be old enough. You promised, remember?”
Luffy blinked. Then grinned so wide his cheeks dimpled.
“I remember. I always remember.”
Years later…
The Straw Hat crew never did notice anything unusual between you and Luffy.
Sure, he was always affectionate—but that’s just how Luffy was, right?
Zoro got tackled in hugs. Chopper got cuddled like a plush toy. Even Franky had been given a surprise nuzzle once. Luffy was… just like that.
You were a little like that too. So no one blinked when Luffy wrapped his arms around you from behind. Or dragged you to sit on his lap. Or chewed meat and offered you the next bite, all smile and no shame.
Until Nami noticed your ring.
It wasn’t flashy. Just a small gold band, catching the sun when you lifted your hand to wave.
She squinted.
“…Is that a wedding ring?”
You blinked down at it. “Oh. Yeah.”
“WHAT.”
Cue chaos.
Zoro’s sword dropped mid-clean.
Sanji’s cigarette fell out of his mouth.
Usopp choked on his orange juice and Franky literally spat cola.
Robin chuckled behind her hand. Chopper was just confused.
“Married!?”
“To Luffy!?”
“Since when?!”
Luffy walked in mid-outburst, meat bone in hand. “Huh? What’s up?”
You smiled. “They just found out.”
Luffy blinked. “About the wedding?”
“Mmhm.”
“Ohhh. Cool. Wanna see the dance we made?” He grabbed your hands instantly and started swinging you around the deck, recreating the silly spin-step-spin you’d both done barefoot in Foosha village the day you turned legal and immediately got married. Makino had cried. Dadan bawled. The mayor gave a speech. You and Luffy made paper rings and traded real ones after.
Your wedding photo—drawn by Luffy with crayons—was still crumpled in your coat pocket.
“Hold on, hold on,” Nami said, pushing the two of you apart. “You’re telling me you’ve been married this whole time?”
“Yep,” you chirped.
“And you never told us?!”
Luffy tilted his head. “You never asked.”
You shrugged. “Didn’t come up.”
Brook fanned himself dramatically. “But when—how—where—”
“Foosha village,” you said.
“Under the big tree,” Luffy added, proud.
You both grinned at each other, eyes crinkling.
Zoro groaned. “This explains so much.”
Sanji was still weeping into a handkerchief. “My heart... my dreams… shattered…”
Later that night, with Luffy wrapped around you like a scarf on the Sunny’s figurehead, you twirled your ring between your fingers.
“You think they’ll get used to it?” you asked.
“They always do,” Luffy mumbled, cheek squished against your shoulder. “You’re mine. I’m yours. That’s all.”
You kissed the top of his head.
He didn’t kiss you back—he just smiled and pulled you closer. His kind of love wasn’t made of passionate declarations or sweeping gestures. It was loud laughter and warm hugs. Trust and tandem naps. Your fingers linked as you stood at the bow. That was Luffy’s way.
And it had always been enough. From spit handshakes to gold rings.
Forever, just like you’d promised.
Sanji made a whole dinner in your honor.
Nami made you a spreadsheet of exactly how long you kept it secret.
Franky offered to remake your rings into SUPER matching wedding bands.
Zoro made gagging noises every time Luffy hugged you for the next three days.
Robin gave you both a book on “Married Life and Maritime Adventures.”
Brook wrote a love ballad for your union.
Usopp designed a “Just Married… 5 Years Ago” banner.
And Chopper?
Chopper made you a “Top Secret Straw Hat Love Club” badge and insisted on wearing his too. Just because
--
It had been a few days since the Big Reveal™.
Everyone was still adjusting.
Well, “adjusting” was generous.
More like staring at you and Luffy with unblinking suspicion, as if the way he handed you his half-eaten meat skewer now had depth or the way you leaned into him during sunny naps was suddenly illegal. The dynamic hadn’t changed.
But the context had.
You were lounging beside Luffy, both your legs tossed lazily over his lap as he absently traced shapes on your shin. He was laughing—genuinely wheezing—at a joke you made about the seagull that dive-bombed Zoro’s hair gel.
Sanji was watching from the kitchen window, arms crossed, suffering.
“…They’ve always done that,” Nami whispered beside him, eyeing the scene with a strange mix of amusement and betrayal. “Why does it feel so different now?”
“Because now it’s real,” Sanji hissed, like he’d been personally wounded. “She’s married. To Luffy.”
Usopp, next to him, rubbed his chin. “They’ve been married.”
“That doesn’t help, Usopp.”
Franky adjusted his sunglasses. “To be fair, I always assumed they were just weirdly close childhood besties.”
“They are,” Robin said smoothly, sipping her tea. “They just also share a legal union and a bed.”
Sanji wailed.
Later that afternoon, you strolled into the kitchen humming, barefoot and relaxed, reaching over to grab an apple. Luffy, as usual, clung to your back like a sleepy koala, his chin resting on your shoulder.
Sanji straightened. His eyes were full of betrayal.
“(Y/N)-swan…” he began dramatically. “How could you?”
You blinked. “Huh?”
He dropped to his knees. “How could you let him marry you?! I would’ve cooked you candlelit dinners every night! I would’ve carried you across every puddle! I would've—”
Luffy, mid-apple bite, stared blankly. “Wait… you like her?”
Sanji stopped mid-rant.
“Of course I do! I always have!”
Luffy frowned, slowly leaning more of his weight into you like a pouty blanket. “But you do that with every girl.”
“This was different!” Sanji wailed. “I meant it! I liked her liked her!”
Luffy’s eyebrows pinched. “You can’t like her liked her.”
“Why not?!”
“Because she’s mine!”
The kitchen went dead silent.
Luffy rarely used words like that. Not seriously. Not possessively. Not with that strange, almost growly edge in his voice.
You turned slightly in his arms, surprised—but not shocked. You knew how much Luffy loved you. It was in every action, every grin, every time he let you wear his straw hat without flinching. He didn’t do possessive. Not often.
But this?
This was different.
“She’s my wife,” Luffy said again, slower this time. “I married her. We promised. When we were kids. And I’m not sharing.”
Sanji looked genuinely heartbroken.
“But you never said—”
“I didn’t know I needed to,” Luffy said, squeezing his arms around your waist. “You didn’t ask.”
You leaned your head against his.
“She’s the funniest girl in the world,” he added. “And the prettiest. She makes me laugh all the time. She makes me feel like I can fight a million bad guys if she’s cheering for me. She smells nice. Her feet are cold but I like when she puts them on my legs at night. Her voice makes my brain quiet. And she’s mine. So stop trying to steal her.”
Sanji looked like he might cry again.
You blinked, cheeks warm.
“…I thought I was the one who gets poetic,” you whispered, stunned.
Luffy just grinned. “You rub off on me.”
From that moment on, Luffy was—how to put it?
More... Luffy. But with a bite.
He started holding your hand more often. Pulling you into his lap even when you were just trying to read. Giving Sanji death glares if he offered you juice. Refusing to leave you out of his hugs, tugging you with him even when stretching to another ship.
Robin smirked. “It’s fascinating. Like a monkey guarding a precious fruit.”
“He is a monkey,” Nami muttered.
You didn’t mind. You were used to clingy, squishy Luffy.
This was just a possessive, competitive version of that.
And honestly?
You kinda liked it.
It was nice, being claimed by someone who didn’t want anything from you but your smile.
Nice, knowing that to him, you were everything.
Still, you kissed Sanji on the cheek one night, just to tease.
He immediately fainted.
Luffy sulked for the rest of the evening, hiding under your shirt like a ticked-off blanket.
“Mine,” he muttered.
“Yours,” you agreed, playing with his hair.
“Forever.”
“Since we were seven.”
“Spit handshake and all.”
“Grossest wedding proposal in history.”
“Best wedding proposal in history.”
You snorted, wrapping your arms around his head.
And outside, the rest of the crew gave up trying to understand it.
“It makes sense now,” Usopp whispered.
“They’re just… stupidly in love.”
“Like really, really dumb in love,” Nami added.
Zoro nodded. “Disgusting.”
Chopper wiped a tear. “I want that one day…”
Robin flipped her book shut and sighed dreamily. “Childhood promises that lasted into adulthood… how romantic.”
Franky wept.
Brook wrote another ballad.
Sanji cooked in tragic silence.
And Luffy?
He held you tighter. Always did. Always would.
--
t started subtly.
You were mid-fight—some nameless island goons talking big and swinging bigger—and you kicked one square in the chest, sending him flying into a fruit stand.
Luffy, fists at his sides, beamed proudly from the edge of the battlefield and yelled:
“THAT’S MY WIFE!”
The Straw Hats all froze for a half-second.
“Did… did he just—?” Usopp squinted.
“Yep,” Zoro grunted, slicing through two thugs. “Keep count.”
It didn’t stop.
Every time you threw a punch, landed a clean sweep, or flipped someone over your shoulder, Luffy would yell it like it was the ultimate battle cry.
“That’s my WIFE!”
“She’s SO COOL!”
“You see that?! My wife did that!!”
You stabbed a pirate’s weapon out of his hand mid-lunge.
Luffy, from a rooftop:
“MARRY ME AGAIN!!!”
You grabbed two guys by their collars and headbutted them into each other.
Luffy, starry-eyed:
“THAT’S HER!! THAT’S MY GIRL!! MY WIFE!!”
“Can he not,” Sanji hissed under his breath as he roundhouse-kicked someone.
“He can and he will,” Nami said, blocking with her staff. “I think he’s even prouder of her fighting skills than his own.”
Robin chuckled. “I find it endearing. He’s fully committed.”
“Too committed,” Zoro grunted, parrying a blade. “I’ve heard him shout that line eight times and the fight’s only halfway done.”
Chopper was practically vibrating with joy. “She’s so cool, though!”
“We know, Chopper.”
“Luffy knows.”
“The whole damn island knows now!”
The final blow of that skirmish?
You jump-spun over a cannon, kicked a guy in the jaw mid-air, and landed without a stumble.
Luffy actually screamed.
Dropped to his knees like he’d just watched a divine miracle.
“THAT’S MY WIIIIIIIFE—!!!”
A flock of startled seagulls flew off a nearby roof.
The townspeople who had hidden inside started clapping.
Franky cried.
Sanji threw his cigarette into the dirt in dramatic despair.
Zoro turned around and walked away like this was not his circus.
Back on the Sunny, bruised and bandaged and full of post-battle stew, the teasing didn’t stop.
“So, just to be clear,” Nami said, leaning her cheek on her hand, “you really like your wife.”
Luffy blinked. “Yeah?”
Robin smiled. “She’s quite skilled.”
Luffy nodded seriously. “The best. She’s funny and scary and she smells good and she’s got that move with the knee thing that goes bam! and—”
You smushed a pillow in his face mid-ramble. “Okay okay okay, I get it.”
He peeled it off, face pink but grinning. “You’re my wife.”
“Yes, Luffy. That is a fact.”
“My wife,” he repeated smugly.
“And we all know it now,” Usopp groaned from his hammock. “Loud and clear.”
Later that week, the crew split up to take on different pirate squads. You took the left flank.
When your group regrouped, Luffy jogged back, covered in soot and laughing.
“Did you see what she did?!”
Zoro sighed. “Yes, Luffy. We saw. You yelled ‘that’s my wife’ six times, two of which she wasn’t even in the frame.”
“But she was there!” Luffy argued. “I felt it. The air changed.”
Nami stared flatly. “You also shouted it when Sanji landed a high kick.”
Luffy tilted his head. “He kicked like (Y/N) does sometimes. I got confused.”
Sanji fumed. “You compared me to your wife?! I—!”
“I mean it as a compliment!!” Luffy beamed.
Eventually?
It became a Straw Hat inside joke.
Franky started building a sound system that played “THAT’S MY WIFE!” on command.
Usopp started taking bets on how many times Luffy would shout it per battle.
Robin offered to count them out loud.
Chopper made a badge that said “Wife of the Captain (Certified Cool)” and insisted you wear it during island visits.
And Luffy?
He never stopped.
Didn’t care if it was a tavern scuffle or a full-scale war.
If you landed a punch?
If you flipped someone over your shoulder?
If you so much as raised an eyebrow and a whole navy soldier fainted?
Luffy, beaming like you’d just turned into the sun:
“THAT’S MY WIFE!!!”
And honestly?
You kinda loved it.
---
It began as mockery.
(As most things on the Sunny did.)
The next battle was a chaotic scrap in a busy port town—clashing blades, smoke, screams, your knee in someone’s gut. A typical Tuesday.
Luffy, balanced on a rooftop, grinned wide as you body-checked a pirate into a market stall and bellowed:
“THAT’S MY WIFE!!”
And this time, without missing a beat—
“THAT’S HIS WIFE!”
—came from Zoro, ducking a sword swing.
“HIS WIFE!”
—Usopp echoed, hanging upside-down from a balcony.
“MARRIED TO HIM!!”
—Nami yelled, smacking someone with her staff.
“SHE IS, IN FACT, HIS LEGAL SPOUSE!!”
—Franky, tears in his eyes, while launching someone into orbit.
Luffy blinked.
Paused mid-arm stretch.
Then let out a giddy, sunbeam laugh that rattled the tiles beneath his feet.
“…You guys noticed!!”
After that, it became a thing.
Every time Luffy yelled “That’s my wife!” (which was often), the crew would chime in with increasingly ridiculous affirmations.
You knocked someone out with one punch?
Luffy: “That’s my wife!!”
Crew:
“CONFIRMED!!!”
“TIED THE KNOT, BABY!”
“RING ON HER FINGER, NAME ON THE PAPER!”
You swung down from a rooftop and roundhouse kicked two goons at once?
Luffy, practically levitating: “THAT’S MY WIIIIIFE—!!”
Crew chorus:
“HIS SPOUSE!!”
“HIS RIDE OR DIE!!”
“THE MISSUS!”
Luffy ate it up.
The first time it happened, he was confused. His head tilted, a soft “Huh?” slipping out as he processed the call-and-response echoing around the battlefield. But then he grinned so hard it looked like his face might split in half.
He was delighted.
Later that night, Luffy plopped beside you on the deck, still laughing.
“They’re all sayin’ it now!” he said, wiggling with joy. “I yell it and they yell it too! It’s like… our move!”
You, calmly sipping water and icing a scraped knuckle, nodded. “It is technically a fact.”
Luffy blinked at you. “Only technically?”
“Well, you’re not wrong. I am your wife.”
He lit up like a lantern. “You like when I say it, right?”
You shrugged. “I don’t mind. You’re proud. It’s cute.”
“I am proud,” he said, leaning in to nuzzle your cheek with a wide, sleepy grin. “You’re my favorite thing.”
Robin passed behind you both, murmuring with a smile, “That’s his wife.”
Luffy squealed in delight.
You didn’t react.
Because again: it was just a fact.
he next island brought new enemies, and with them:
Luffy: “THAT’S MY WIFE!!”
Crew:
“HIS BELOVED!”
“FIRST LADY OF THE PIRATE KINGDOM!”
“MRS. STRAW HAT!”
Someone once tried to flirt with you in a tavern.
Luffy didn’t notice at first. But then—
“Back off, dude, that’s his WIFE.”
—Zoro, dragging the guy away by his collar.
“Like, legally and spiritually,” Usopp added from under the table.
Luffy blinked, confused. “Huh? Who—? Oh, yeah. She is.”
Cue smug arm-wrapping.
Cue chest-puffing.
Cue a full twenty-minute explanation of your wedding under a Foosha tree that no one asked for.
You just sipped your drink.
Neutral.
Still technically true.
One day, while you were in the middle of high-kicking a bounty hunter off a staircase, a random civilian watching from afar whispered:
“…That’s his wife, right?”
“Yeah,” Chopper said from the bushes, full of pride. “She is.”
a/n: the way Ace has me gripped by the BALLS is insane i have woken up every day the past two(?) weeks thinking about him send help anyway here’s part 2 of the zoro fic i wrote last week. also if you;re reading this, this is a plea for Ace requests ty
contents: hurt/comfort, fluff!!, making up, zoro tries his best :’)
wc. 2.3k
wanna be on my taglist?
part 1
i.
you know Zoro loves you.
you can tell from the way he’s always watching over you, even when you’ve been avoiding him for most of the past week. he keeps an eye on you during meals when you’re seated far away and not in your usual spot beside him, always ready to pass the salt or the whatever it is you need even before you ask for it.
you can tell he loves you from the way he checks up on you every night when you’re sleeping in Nami and Robin’s room instead of the one you share with him. Zoro never questions why you haven’t been sleeping beside him–he already knows the answer–instead, he takes a quick peek into the room you’re in and leaves once he spots your peacefully sleeping form draped across Nami. some nights, he does it multiple times, as if he’s unable to sleep and checking on you is the only thing he wants to do in his waking hours.
you can tell Zoro loves you from how Robin tells you he’s been asking the other Straw Hats what he should do to make it up to you. while having tea with her in the Sunny’s aquarium on a particularly cold day on the seas, you ask her how he’s been and she says he’s been resting, without needing Chopper to even breathe down his neck.
“he’s been asking everyone what he should do,” she says, taking a sip.
“do what?” you ask, tilting your head.
“he wants to apologise to you but doesn’t know how.” you can’t help but smile at the thought of Zoro overthinking such a simple matter–though, matters of the heart never seem to be simple to a man like him.
“he could just say sorry,” you think aloud with a shrug and Robin laughs lightly.
“i think you’re too special to him for that.”
ii.
it’s been a little over a week since your perilous experience on Thriller Bark and you find yourselves docked at a new island. it’s fairly small compared to the other places you’ve been to but since it’ll take a few days for the log pose to set, everyone splits up to kill time in their own way.
Zoro heads straight to town with Nami accompanying him so he doesn’t get lost (and also because she has berry). holding a small piece of paper in his hands, he frowns down at it, prompting the navigator to ask what’s up.
“‘m just not sure if i can find everything i need here,” the swordsman replies with a deep sigh, missing the way Nami smiles at him. as tempted as she is to make fun of him for being broke and–possibly in the near future–single, she bites her tongue, knowing Zoro’s putting a whole lot of effort into his apology. she’ll be nice to him, for you.
“don’t worry about it so much, what could possibly be so hard to find anyway?”
Sanji felt Zoro’s stare burning into the back of his head for nearly five whole, silent minutes before the shitty swordsman finally decided to speak up.
“hey… i need your help.”
well. that certainly was not what Sanji thought he was gonna say but the chef would be lying if he said he was totally surprised.
almost everyone in the crew heard firsthand what Zoro said to you several days ago. the commotion inside the infirmary had drawn everyone to linger outside nearby in case an intervention was needed and it ended up backfiring in the worst way possible. you’d walked out of the infirmary in tears and cried even harder once you realised all your friends were looking at you after hearing what should have been a private moment.
Sanji nearly offered to kick his ass upon seeing your distraught face but stopped himself when he remembered the sight that greeted him once he’d woken up after encountering Kuma. as much as he wanted to avenge your feelings, he knew Zoro was going through a lot, too.
“the shitty co– i mean, Sanji told me to get ‘em roses because ‘it’s romantic’,” he said with a scoff, as if physically incapable of talking about the blond chef without insulting him. “but i know (Y/N)’s favourite flowers are daffodils. i just don’t know if this island has them or not.”
the next person he approached was Nami, who was much less courteous than her previous counterpart. upon seeing his face, she’d started tearing into him immediately, stopping only when she noticed he was just letting himself take all of it.
“not gonna fight back?” she scoffed, unable to push away the anger she felt on your behalf.
“why would i fight back if you’re right?” he replied, his jaw clenched. “i know i fucked up. that’s why i came here for help.”
“you told me to get her a gift, like a necklace or something,” Zoro continues talking without missing a beat as the two weave through the crowded shopping street. “(Y/N) doesn’t like necklaces, though, they make her neck feel itchy, so i thought i’d get a bracelet instead.” even though he’s finished his sentence, Nami can’t help but notice how he looks like he has more to say.
“you’re broke, aren’t you?”
he nods, looking almost like a child being scolded by his mother.
“fine, i’ll pay for it this time. only because it’s for (Y/N).” Nami keeps it to herself, but she’s impressed he remembers such specific details. if only he could do the same with directions, she sighs.
he never intended to ask Luffy for relationship advice but his captain, with his weirdly high emotional intelligence, sniffed out Zoro’s distress without even realising it. he was one of the few who didn’t catch the argument so he wasn’t really sure why his first mate and chronicler weren’t seen together as much as usual but he knew something was up and wanted to help.
“i think you should buy her meat. lots of it. just all the meat the island has to offer.” Luffy nearly started drooling as he spoke and Zoro wasn’t sure if he even remembered what the conversation was about at that point.
the whole meat thing was useless but the conversation did spark an idea in him.
“there’s this candy that (Y/N) talks about a lot, it’s her favourite,” Zoro says with a smile, unable to help remembering all the times you yapped on and on about how it’s the best thing ever from your childhood and how you hope one day he gets to try it. he’s not a fan of sweets but if you love it, he knows he will, too.
“that’s gonna be the hardest thing to find here, i think,” Nami says exactly what Zoro’s been most concerned about. “but i think if we try hard enough, we can probably find it.” she gives him an encouraging look. “c’mon, i’ll help you look.”
iii.
you only see Zoro again when the sun has set and everyone slowly starts gathering in the dining room for dinner. you’re not sure if they’re just trying to be funny or if they’re actually this bad at subtlety because your beloved crewmates don’t even try to hide how they’re leaving the last available seat next to you. Chopper’s even draped across two chairs for no reason aside from “i just feel like lying down today”. you don’t point it out, though, having reflected on your role in the argument after your conversation with Robin, you no longer feel the need to be petty.
with an awkwardness only two complete strangers could possess, your boyfriend slowly takes a seat right beside you. to Zoro’s surprise, you turn to look at him for a second–so starved for your attention, he nearly feels his heart stop–before asking, “you okay?” your eyes flicker down to the fresh set of bandages wrapped around his upper body.
“yeah, i’m good.” Zoro coughs and looks away, inadvertently making eye-contact with Nami. she frowns at him and mouths "don't be a loser!” turning back to you, he feels his heart drop when he realises you’re talking to Sanji about something else now. not wanting to draw too much attention to himself, the swordsman tugs gently at the hem of your shirt.
almost instantaneously, you look back at him, a hint of a smile on your face. “what’s up?” you ask, reaching your own hand over to rest it over his before rubbing your thumb over his knuckles.
swallowing thickly, Zoro murmurs, just loud enough for only you to hear, “can you meet me in our room after dinner? i have something to show you.” his face is burning red and you swear you can feel his calloused hand start to tremble ever so slightly.
the last person he ended up approaching for help was Chopper. it wasn’t planned since he’s just a little reindeer but Zoro thought it wouldn’t hurt asking him for his opinion, especially since redressing his wounds always took a bit of time and the silence sometimes got a little awkward.
“hmm…” the doctor hummed thoughtfully as he opened a new pack of bandages. “wouldn’t the best thing be to just do what she wanted you to? i mean, you guys fought because she didn’t want you to train while still injured, right?” Chopper sniffled a little but held it together. it wasn’t a secret that he felt a little responsible for your falling out since he was the one who asked you for help in getting Zoro to rest that fateful day.
“i think i might have an idea.”
“here,” Zoro says as he hands you a neatly folded piece of paper. there’s an obvious lump on your bed under the blanket but you opt to ignore it for now. in the distance, you can hear the clanking of utensils and muffled chatter as your crewmates carry on with dessert without the both of you.
unfolding the paper, the first thing that catches your eye is a large stamp of what looks like a hoof at the very bottom.
this note is to verify that Roronoa Zoro has locked all his training equipment and swords in the crow’s nest and that the sole key is in the possession of Tony Tony Chopper.
if in any case Roronoa Zoro tries to exercise before he is cleared to do so by Tony Tony Chopper, the latter reserves the right to throw the key into the ocean.
signed,
Roronoa Zoro & Tony Tony Chopper
the laugh bursts out of your mouth before you can help yourself and for a full minute that’s all you do as the silliness of it all tickles at your heart. too preoccupied, you fail to notice how Zoro’s eyes soften as he watches you in silence. seeing the familiar smile on your face, after more than a week of being deprived of your voice and warmth, soothes his nerves in a way he should frankly find alarming. no one person should hold this much power over him and yet he wilfully leaves his entire heart in your possession to keep safe or to break.
folding back the extremely precious document in your hands before slipping it into your pocket, you return your attention to the man standing in front of you, his physical size a stark contrast to the shy smile on his flushed face.
“i got you some stuff, too–” before Zoro can turn away to bring out the gifts, you lunge towards him and lock your arms around his neck. he’s quick to return the embrace, instantly nuzzling his face into the junction between your neck and shoulder as he holds you close.
“i’m so sorry, (Y/N),” he mutters into your skin, brushing his lips against your jaw as his warm breath brushes past your ear, “i didn’t mean what i said. i was pissed at myself and took it out on you.” Zoro hears you draw in a shuddering breath and his fingers curl around the fabric of the back of your shirt instinctively. “i’m sorry. you’re never a burden and… i-i want to be the one who protects you for the rest of our lives, so please,” your boyfriend pleads as he presses a kiss to your neck, “keep fussing over me and taking care of me. i’ll listen to everything you say.”
for a while, you remain silent, basking in the warmth of his embrace as you think about what he’d just said. you feel almost breathless from how rapidly your heart pounds in your chest and you briefly wonder if Zoro feels it, too. mistaking your silence for hesitation, the swordsman presses his lips against your neck and jawline a few more times as he runs his hands up and down your back.
“i love you,” Zoro mutters as he shuts his eyes and leans his temple against yours, wondering if this will be the last time he gets to touch you like this. “whatever you choose to do with me, i’ll always love you.”
“i love you, too,” you sniffle, finding yourself suddenly tearing up as you’re caught completely off-guard by his words. “i didn’t know you could be so cheesy,” you add with a soft laugh, only to feel his fingers brush against a particularly ticklish part of your body. you try to wriggle away but even an injured-Zoro is much too strong for you to break free from.
“don’t make fun of me, brat,” your lover replies, his own lips tugging into a smile as he keeps you locked in place and unable to escape from his wandering hands. “this is what i get for pouring my heart out to you, huh?”
“no, you get this,” you giggle before pulling your head away just enough to kiss all over his face. shutting his eyes, Zoro basks in the feeling of your brushing against all parts of his face as his heart nearly bursts from the overwhelming affection; and he can’t help but wonder what he’d done in his life to deserve such a beautiful thing.
zoro knowing he’s on thin ice but going out of his to look after reader anyway awwww
“i think you’re too special to him for that.”
lines that make me 🥰🥰🥰
zoro swallowing his pride and asking the strawhats how to make it up to reader is so <333 i love how he didn’t just mindlessly follow the advice and made his own adjustments because of how well he knows reader and cares for them by showing how he remembers the little things like their preferences (choosing a bracelet over a necklace). nami tearing into zoro made me 😂. good on her for showing mercy and lending zoro money without putting him into debt lol. also the last bit with chopper and his little hoof signature 🥺 and zoro promising not to touch his swords until he’s all better. zoro went above and beyond apologizing here!
and he can’t help but wonder what he’d done in his life to deserve such a beautiful thing.
i’m glad you liked the hoof signature idea heh i wanted to include chopper but couldn’t think of how until i thought abt how if he signed a doctor’s note his signature could be a hoof print 😭😭
ty for ur kind comments once again :3c i always feel super excited when i see you’ve reblogged another one of my fics 🥹 it always makes my day
may I request the strawhats reaction to reader crying for the first time?🙏 Like she has a strong facade, but something happens that instantly breaks them. Thank you💕💕
Hellooo, yes! This is such a cute idea <3 Hope you like it ^^
When the Mask Cracks
One piece x Fem!Reader
You were the strong one.
That was your role.
Not officially, of course — Luffy never assigned positions like that. But unofficially, in the unspoken spaces between laughter and battle, everyone knew: you were the one who didn’t bend.
You grinned in the face of chaos. You fought with a spark that scared even Zoro sometimes. You stitched up your own wounds with a shrug and told Chopper you were “all good, doc.”
No one had ever seen you cry.
Until today.
It started like any normal day. A sunny island port, a cheerful crew disembarking for supplies and sightseeing, and you walking beside them with your usual swagger. Sanji offered you a drink. Luffy raced ahead. Nami warned him not to get into trouble, and Usopp was mid-monologue about some imaginary creature he swore he saw in the sky. The world felt… simple.
But it wasn't.
Not when you saw that.
A familiar merchant stall.
A faded, raggedy blue plush rabbit.
The exact one.
Same floppy ears. Same mismatched button eyes.
It looked just like the one you used to clutch as a child. The one you buried in your arms the night your family was taken. The one you dropped as you ran, feet bloody and lungs burning, into the night — and never saw again.
You froze mid-step. The crew kept walking. Laughing.
And then the crack in your armor came quick, violent — like glass shattering under pressure.
Your breath hitched. Eyes widened. Hands trembled before you even realized you were reaching for it. Your fingers brushed the fur, and something inside you snapped.
A sob burst from your chest, raw and guttural.
You dropped to your knees.
Zoro was the first to hear. His head turned like a hawk’s, eyes narrowing. That sound wasn’t one he’d ever heard from you — or expected to. He sprinted back without a word, sword at the ready… until he saw you kneeling in front of the toy, tears streaming down your face, completely broken.
The sword lowered. His guard didn’t.
Sanji skidded to a halt right after, panic instantly flaring. “Oi—hey, hey, what’s wrong? What the hell—who hurt you?!” His voice cracked at the end. He’d flirted with you a thousand times but never seen you so much as frown. Now you looked like the whole world had just ended. He crouched down slowly, like approaching a wounded animal. “Talk to me, sweetheart…”
Nami arrived next. And unlike the others, she didn't speak at first. She just looked. Looked at the plush. Looked at you. Her expression shifted from confusion, to realization, to gentle sorrow. She crouched too, putting a hand carefully on your back. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “You don’t have to explain.”
Usopp froze. “...She’s crying?” he whispered, stunned. “No way. That’s—she doesn’t do that.” He looked to Chopper, whose eyes were already glossy.
“Yeah,” the little doctor murmured, “but everyone does. Eventually.”
Robin stayed back at first. Watching. Understanding. “Even the strongest trees can crack in a storm,” she said softly. “Especially if they’ve stood alone for too long.”
Franky pulled his sunglasses off. “Damn,” he muttered, voice low. “She’s never looked so small.”
He hated it. Hated seeing his crewmate like that. But he didn’t look away.
Brook knelt beside you with eerie grace, resting a bony hand near yours. “Would you… like me to play something soft?” he asked. “Sometimes, music can catch tears when nothing else can.”
And then came Luffy.
He didn’t say anything at first. Just walked right up, crouched in front of you, and mirrored your posture.
You hiccuped a sob. Still clinging to the stuffed rabbit like a lifeline.
“I’m sorry,” you choked out. “I don’t—I don’t know why I—”
But Luffy shook his head. “You don’t have to say sorry.”
You blinked at him. And saw, in his eyes, no confusion. No pity.
Only understanding.
“I cry too,” he said simply. “When it hurts.”
And with that, he reached out — and pulled you into a tight, grounding hug.
No one said a word.
The strongest one had cracked.
And instead of falling apart—
She was held.
The plush rabbit was still cradled in your arms, soft and familiar in a way that made your chest hurt.
The vendor stood frozen behind the stall, a middle-aged man with a sun-wrinkled face and stunned eyes. He looked like he’d just seen a ghost — or a miracle — as he watched you cry into something so small and frayed that most people would’ve passed it by without a glance.
Then—
Clink.
A small pouch of beli hit the counter.
Nami stood there with a look that dared the man to argue, hand on her hip, the other tossing the coin bag like it weighed nothing.
“For the rabbit,” she said, voice firm but not unkind.
The vendor blinked. “No—no, miss, please.” He raised both hands quickly. “I couldn’t possibly charge. Just—take it. It obviously means something. I—I found it in a box of old goods, wasn’t even sure why I put it out—”
He cut himself off, eyes drifting back to you.
You still hadn’t let go.
You sniffled, trying to pull yourself together, but it was like your body hadn’t caught up to your brain yet. Tears were still slipping down your cheeks even though the wave had passed. Your shoulders trembled faintly under Luffy’s hands, and your throat burned with how hard you’d sobbed.
But you were here.
Still here.
And so was the rabbit.
You pulled back a little, enough to look down at the toy now nestled in your lap. Your fingers grazed its stitched belly. The fabric was older, sun-bleached in places, but it was the one. Or close enough that the universe clearly wasn’t being subtle.
You let out a ragged breath.
“…Stupid thing,” you mumbled, a shaky laugh in your voice. “Didn’t even think I’d recognize it.”
Zoro stood nearby, arms crossed, watching you with a quiet intensity. “Guess it remembered you first.”
Usopp nodded slowly. “It’s like one of those enchanted childhood objects, right? You imprint on it, and then—boom. Years later, you’re crying in the middle of a marketplace.”
Chopper elbowed him. “Now’s not the time, Usopp.”
You swiped your sleeve under your nose, awkward and clumsy. “Sorry,” you said again, even though Luffy had already told you not to be. “I didn’t mean to… freak everyone out.”
“Too late,” Sanji said gently, lighting a cigarette that trembled between his fingers. “I think I aged a decade.”
“Don’t apologize,” Robin added. “We’re your crew. If we can’t be here for you when you do break, then what are we even doing?”
You looked around — and really saw them this time.
The worry in their faces.
The way Franky had stopped his pose halfway.
Brook’s violin still slung under one arm.
Chopper, half-waddled forward, clearly trying to hold himself back from tackling you in a hug.
And Nami.
Nami, who gave you a small smile and sat down next to you, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear as she plucked the bunny from your lap for a moment, checking it over.
“He’s seen better days,” she said.
You nodded. “So have I.”
She chuckled, handed him back. “Then you’re a good match.”
And for the first time in what felt like a long, long while — you smiled. Soft. Still watery. But real.
You held the bunny close to your chest again, more gently this time.
HAII, I heard your request is now open again and I wanted to request this!
wherein the reader has feelings for (any character you want!) and they friend zone her, and she gets the hanahaki disease!😁 they don't tell anyone until they're almost at the brink of death. well, you can choose if the reader lives or not but the character you choose will happen to realize they do have feelings for the reader and they were only confused at the beginning!
it's kinda like angst sorry😅 But I really want to see something like this from you, since you are an excellent writer! ty smmm
Petals in Silence
zoro x fem!reader
Hanahaki Disease (花吐き病 (Japanese); 하나하키병 (Korean); 花吐病 (Chinese)) is a fictional disease in which the victim coughs up flower petals when they suffer from one-sided love. It ends when the beloved returns their feelings (romantic love only; strong friendship is not enough), or when the victim dies. It can be cured through surgical removal, but when the infection is removed, the victim’s romantic feelings for their love also disappear.
a/n: wrote about this for one of my old kpop fanfics so I got really exciting to write this again for a different media
words count: 4.0k
tags: illness, angst and fluff, chopper and law being good doctors, unrequited love, slow burn, emotional hurt
masterlist || ao3 || ko-fi
The first time you cough up a petal, it’s early morning.
You’re brushing your teeth in the bathroom when something tickles your throat. You cough once, then harder.
A soft, white petal drops into the sink.
You blink. Stare. It’s delicate. Real.
“What the hell…?”
You look up at the mirror. Your reflection stares back, pale and confused.
You cough again.
Another petal.
“No. No, no, no.”
You quickly wash the sink, flush the petals, and press a trembling hand to your mouth. You’re breathing fast now.
“What is this?” you whisper.
You sneak into the library on the ship when no one’s around. Robin might be there later, but right now it’s quiet.
You pull out an old medical book. Then another.
Finally, you find it.
Hanahaki Disease: A rare, fatal illness caused by unrequited love. The infected cough up flower petals as feelings deepen. The only cures are returned love… or surgery that erases all memory of the beloved person.
You reread it five times.
Then you sit back, stunned.
“No way...” you say out loud “That’s not real.”
But the pain in your chest disagrees.
You press your hand over your heart. It feels like something is blooming. Slowly. Cruelly.
You whisper the name you’ve been hiding in your heart for so long “…Zoro.”
You try to act normal during dinner. You sit beside Luffy and across from Zoro. You talk with Nami, laugh with Usopp. But you keep sneaking glances at him.
Zoro’s sipping sake, listening to Sanji rant about proper cooking technique. He doesn’t even look your way.
That tiny ache in your chest grows just a bit stronger.
You excuse yourself early and go to bed.
Later that night, Zoro finds you on the deck. You’re alone, staring at the sea. You don’t notice him until he speaks.
“Couldn’t sleep?”
You flinch a little “Oh yeah. Just thinking.”
He steps beside you. Arms crossed “You’ve been quiet lately.”
“I’m fine” you say quickly.
“Didn’t ask if you were fine,” he says, tone flat “I said you’ve been quiet.”
You don’t answer. You look away, afraid you’ll start coughing again.
“Anyway,” he says after a moment, “don’t push yourself too hard. You get weird when you're tired.”
You smile, small and sad “Thanks, Zoro.”
He nods and walks away, like nothing’s wrong. Like your heart isn’t trying to kill you.
You start avoiding him.
Not in a big, obvious way. Just enough to keep the pain small. Manageable.
You leave the room when he enters. You sit farther away at meals. You laugh at his jokes less. You pretend you’re busy when he trains, even though you used to watch him every day.
Still, he notices.
“You mad at me or something?” Zoro asks one afternoon.
You blink “What? No.”
He raises an eyebrow “You’ve been weird. Distant.”
You shrug “Maybe I’m just tired.”
He watches you, arms crossed “You’ve said that a lot lately.”
You force a smile “Guess I’m always tired.”
You walk away before you start coughing again.
Later that night, you’re alone again on the deck. Same spot. Same stars. Same sea.
Your chest feels heavy tonight. Your throat burns.
You cough hard. Petals. So many.
They spill from your mouth, red and white, soft and cruel.
You cover your mouth with your hand, trying to stop the sound, trying not to cry.
This is getting worse.
You fall to your knees.
It’s too late to stop it now.
The next morning, you can’t take it anymore.
You find Chopper in the infirmary. You pull him aside, whispering.
“Can I ask you something… privately?”
He looks up at you, curious “Of course. What’s wrong?”
You swallow hard “Do you know anything about… Hanahaki disease?”
His eyes widen.
“What?” he says “Why? Who—who has it?”
You don’t answer. Just pull a crumpled petal from your pocket and place it in his hand.
His face falls.
“Oh no… Y/N...” he whispers.
You don’t speak.
He looks at you with tears in his eyes “Why didn’t you say anything sooner?!”
You give him the weakest smile “I didn’t want anyone to know. Especially not him.”
Zoro finds you the next day.
“You’ve been ignoring me” he says bluntly.
You sigh “I haven’t.”
“You have. What’s going on?”
You look at him. Really look at him.
Strong. Focused. Brave. And not yours.
You take a deep breath.
“Zoro,” you say softly, “do you see me as… anything more than a friend?”
He frowns “What kind of question is that?”
“Just answer.”
He looks confused for a second, then says, “You’re a great friend. You know that.”
Your heart cracks right there “I see.”
He tilts his head “Why?”
You shake your head and step back “No reason.”
“Wait—”
“I have to go” you whisper, already walking away.
You cough again as you turn the corner. This time, petals fall from your hands like snow.
You visit Chopper again the next day. This time, you don’t bother hiding the blood on your sleeve.
He panics the moment he sees you.
“Y/N, sit down, right now.”
You do.
He shines a light in your throat, listens to your breathing, checks your heartbeat. His hooves are trembling.
“Your lungs…” he says quietly “the flowers are growing faster.”
“I know.”
“You’re in the second stage. If this keeps up—”
“I know, Chopper.”
Silence.
You break it first.
“Is there any way to slow it down?” you ask, voice thin “Just a little?”
Chopper hesitates “I can give you medicine to ease the pain. But it won’t stop the petals.”
You nod. That’s enough. For now.
He wraps your wrist where you’d scratched it raw from coughing.
“You need to tell the others” he says softly.
“I can’t.”
“Y/N—”
“No.”
He looks at you, torn between doctor and friend. But he nods.
For now, he’ll keep your secret.
At lunch, you barely touch your food. Sanji notices right away.
“You feelin’ alright, sweetheart?” he asks, kneeling beside your chair with a plate in hand.
You blink “I’m fine.”
“Liar,” Nami says across the table “You look like a ghost.”
Usopp leans in “Have you been throwing up or something?”
Your grip tightens on your fork “Just tired.”
“You keep saying that,” Luffy mumbles with food in his mouth “You said that yesterday, and the day before that, and the—”
“I said I’m fine!” you snap.
Silence falls.
You don’t look at anyone. You stand quickly, chair scraping back.
“I’m sorry. I just... I need some air.”
You rush out before they see your hand fly to your mouth.
You cough behind a crate on the lower deck. Violet petals. Tiny thorns. Blood.
You shake as they fall into your palm.
Someone walks by above you, and you press your mouth shut until your lungs burn. You can’t let them hear.
You slide down to the floor, heart pounding.
You can’t keep this up much longer.
That night, Zoro knocks on your door.
You don’t answer.
He opens it anyway “Hey. We need to talk.”
You sit on your bed, facing the wall.
He walks in slowly “You’ve been avoiding everyone. Something’s wrong.”
You don’t move “I’m just tired.”
“That’s not gonna work anymore,” he says “Your voice is weak. You’re pale. And you’re breathing weird.”
You say nothing.
Zoro narrows his eyes “Did someone hurt you?”
That makes you laugh. It’s a broken sound “No. Not someone.”
You look down at your hands. But you don’t answer.
Not yet.
He understands and leaves you alone.
It’s been weeks.
You’re coughing more now. Petals come in waves, in your sleep, in the middle of meals, behind closed doors. You can barely hide it anymore. Chopper’s running out of ways to explain your pale skin and shaking hands.
Then one afternoon, Law steps onto the Sunny.
The crew cheers, it’s been a long time since you’ve seen the Heart Pirates. But you don’t move from the railing. Your body feels too heavy.
Zoro notices.
So does Chopper.
Later, Chopper finds you in the infirmary, Law just behind him.
He stares at you for a long moment, then sighs “Chopper told me everything. Including the petals.”
Your breath catches.
Chopper looks hopeful, desperate even “He thinks he can do the surgery. It’s risky, but it might work.”
You go cold “The memory one?”
Law nods “I can remove the infection. The petals. You’ll survive. But you’ll forget everything tied to the person who caused it.”
You don’t even have to think.
“No.”
Chopper gasps “What? Y/N, you’re dying.”
“I don’t care,” you whisper “I don’t want to forget him.”
Law watches you carefully “You’d rather die than let go?”
You nod.
There’s a pause. Then Law gestures for Chopper to leave the room.
He does, slowly.
Now it’s just you and Law.
“I don’t do emotional attachments” he says, leaning against the wall “But even I know this is stupid.”
You laugh bitterly “Yeah. It is.”
He folds his arms “You sure he doesn’t feel anything for you?”
“He made it clear,” you say, staring at the floor “He sees me as a friend. That’s all.”
Law raises an eyebrow “You asked him?”
“Of course, I'm dying... I asked if he could ever see me as more. He said I’m a great friend. That’s it.”
He doesn’t reply for a moment. Then quietly, he says, “You should tell him about the disease.”
You look up sharply “No. That’s the one thing I won’t do.”
“Why?”
Your voice cracks “Because I don’t want to be loved out of pity. I want it to be real. Not because I’m dying.”
Behind the cracked door, someone stands frozen.
Zoro.
He hadn’t meant to listen. He was just walking by.
He wasn’t trying to find you. Not on purpose.
But now your words are echoing in his head, and they won’t stop.
“I don’t want to forget him.”
“I want it to be real.”
He feels like something is unraveling in his chest.
Suddenly, memories flood in. You watching him train. Laughing at his jokes. Smiling when you thought he wasn’t looking. Bleeding silently.
And him, brushing you off. Pushing the feelings down. Because love was a weakness. A distraction. Something he couldn’t afford.
But now you're dying, and it’s his fault you’re alone.
He presses his hand to the wall beside the door.
“Idiot” he whispers.
He doesn’t even know if he means you or himself.
Zoro doesn’t sleep that night.
He leans against the railing of the upper deck, sword resting by his side, your words stuck in his mind like a thorn he can’t pull out.
“I want it to be real.”
“I don’t want to forget him.”
He tightens his grip on the hilt.
He doesn’t understand everything about emotions... hell, he usually avoids them altogether but he’s not dumb.
He heard enough to know what this is.
Enough to know you’ve been dying quietly, and everyone’s been hiding it from him.
The next morning, he finds Chopper in the kitchen, alone, fiddling with a pile of vitamins and bandages.
Zoro crosses his arms and speaks flatly “What’s wrong with her?”
Chopper freezes “W-Who?”
Zoro just stares.
Chopper sweats “You mean…uh…Nami? I think she had a cold last week—”
“Y/N” Zoro says, voice sharp “Don’t play dumb.”
Chopper drops the spoon in his hoof “Oh.”
Zoro leans in, towering over the small reindeer “I heard Law talking to her. I heard enough. Now tell me everything.”
Chopper swallows “I-I promised not to—”
“Chopper.”
“I—I mean—she’s—”
He folds immediately “Okay! Okay! It’s Hanahaki!”
Zoro stiffens “Hanahaki…?”
“She’s been coughing up petals for weeks. She’s in stage two, probably. Her lungs are already getting worse. If she doesn’t get surgery, she’ll—” Chopper gulps before continuing “She’ll die.”
Zoro goes completely still.
“And it’s because of—” Chopper shuts his mouth with both hooves.
“Because of what, Chopper?”
“I—I can’t say that part—”
Zoro crouches down, voice low “Is it because of me?”
Chopper's eyes fill with panic.
“That’s a yes.”
“Zoro...”
He stands up suddenly, knocking over a chair. His jaw clenches.
Chopper reaches out “Please don’t get mad at her! She didn’t want to say anything. She didn’t want you to know. She didn’t want to make you feel bad—”
Zoro turns away, fists clenched “She’s dying and she’s worried about me?”
“She loves you,” Chopper says quietly “But she’d rather die than force you to love her back.”
Zoro doesn’t answer.
He just stands there, breathing hard and then he walks out.
Fast.
Not toward you.
Not yet.
He needs to get his head straight because for the first time in a long time, Zoro is afraid.
Not of losing a fight.
But of losing you.
You’re sitting alone in the small reading room on the Sunny, legs tucked up beneath you, a blanket wrapped around your shoulders. A book is open on your lap, unread. The words blur. Your head throbs.
You’ve been coughing all morning. You can taste iron in the back of your throat.
You hear the door open and close behind you.
You don’t look up “Chopper, I already took the medicine—”
“It’s not Chopper.”
Your breath catches.
You look up.
Zoro.
Standing there, arms crossed. Shadows under his eyes. A strange look on his face — like something sharp and unfinished.
You blink slowly “What do you want?”
He walks forward. No swords. No usual swagger. Just…Zoro.
“I know” he says.
Your stomach drops.
“I know everything. Hanahaki. The petals. That it’s because of me.”
You go still.
“I didn’t want you to find out,” you say quietly “Not like that.”
“Why not?”
“Because I didn’t want your pity.”
He sits across from you. His eyes are unreadable.
“You didn’t want to tell me... but you told Law?”
You wince “Chopper dragged him in. Said he could save me.”
Zoro stares at you for a moment. Then “You turned down the surgery.”
“Yes.”
“Because you didn’t want to forget.”
“Yes.”
Silence.
You speak first “I asked you once if you saw me as anything more than a friend. You said no.”
“I said you’re a great friend,” Zoro says “But I didn’t say no.”
You freeze “That’s not what it felt like.”
He leans forward “I didn’t answer you honestly. I didn’t want to answer.”
You whisper “Why?”
His voice is low “Because I was scared it would mess everything up. You’re... you’ve always been close. If I let myself feel something else, I thought it would get in the way.”
“Of your goal,” you say “Becoming the world’s strongest swordman.”
He nods once “I told myself there was no room for anything else.”
Your hands are shaking in your lap.
“And now?” you whisper.
Zoro hesitates. For the first time in forever, he looks unsure.
“I don’t know,” he says “But when I heard what you said to Law… that you’d rather die than forget me… I realized I don’t want to lose you.”
Your heart slams against your ribs.
“I don’t know if I deserve this,” he says “But I want to try. If you’ll let me. I should’ve said it before you ever started coughing.”
Zoro’s confession echoes in the small room.
You sit there for a long moment, stunned, heart beating so fast it hurts more than your lungs.
But the pain in your chest doesn’t stop. In fact, it starts to burn.
That isn’t supposed to happen.
“I…” You swallow hard, forcing your voice to stay calm “Can I ask something?”
Zoro looks at you, still tense “Yeah.”
You grip the blanket tighter around your shoulders “Do you actually mean it? Or are you just saying that because you don’t want me to die?”
He flinches.
You nod slowly “That’s what I thought.”
Zoro opens his mouth, but you cut him off.
“It’s okay. Really. You don’t have to feel guilty. I’m... glad you care. But you don’t have to pretend to love me. That would hurt more.”
His jaw tightens “I’m not pretending.”
You give him a sad smile “Zoro... if this was real, the petals would’ve stopped by now.”
You cough hard. A violent shake rips through your chest, and something wet and warm fills your palm.
You look down.
A full, red flower lies there, soaked in blood.
Your fingers tremble as you wipe it away, turning your face from him.
“See?” you whisper.
Zoro doesn’t say anything.
He just leaves.
He storms through the Sunny like a blade cutting through mist.
Straight to the infirmary.
Chopper and Law both look up from the counter.
Zoro slams his hands down “Why isn’t she better?”
Chopper blinks “Wh-What?”
“I told her. Everything. I confessed. So why is she still coughing up flowers?!”
Law stands slowly “Did she believe you?”
“What?”
Law narrows his eyes “Hanahaki is rooted in emotion, not logic. You can say whatever you want but if she doesn’t believe it in her heart, it won’t stop.”
Zoro’s throat goes dry.
“She thinks I said it out of pity...” he mutters.
Law’s voice drops “Then her body still thinks it’s unrequited.”
Zoro swears under his breath.
Chopper tugs at his sleeve, eyes big and worried “Zoro, she’s getting worse. No matter what I give her, the petals will start to grow into her lungs. They’ll wrap around her ribs. After that...”
He doesn’t finish the sentence.
Zoro steps back.
He’s never felt so helpless.
“I’ll fix it” he says, turning toward the door.
Law raises a brow “How?”
Zoro doesn’t answer because he doesn’t know yet. But he’s sure of one thing, this time, words aren’t enough.
The sun is setting. Gold light spills over the deck of the Sunny.
You sit alone again, wrapped in your blanket, watching the sea blur into the sky. The petals are getting worse now, they come up more easily, more violently. You can feel them in your lungs even when you're not coughing.
You don’t know how much time you have left.
You don’t hear Zoro approach.
He stands beside you silently for a few seconds. Then, without a word, he sits down.
You look at him. His expression is unreadable. Focused. But his eyes are storming.
“I’m not good at this” he says quietly.
You don’t answer.
He pulls something from his waist. A worn cloth. He unfolds it slowly.
Inside is a small charm. Hand-carved wood, shaped like a sword crossed with a flower.
Your breath catches.
“I made it back on Wano,” he says “Took me three days. I almost threw it out. Thought it was stupid.”
He doesn’t look at you. Just the charm.
“I didn’t know why I was making it. I told myself it was just something to pass the time. But I carried it with me every day since.”
“Why are you showing me this?”
Zoro finally turns to you.
“Because I didn’t just come here to say something this time. I’m here to prove it.”
He places the charm in your lap.
Then Zoro kneels.
Your heart skips “Zoro—what—”
“I’m not asking you to believe me because I said I care,” he says, voice rough “I’m asking you to believe me because I was a coward, and I missed my chance, and I don’t want to make the same mistake twice.”
You stare at him, stunned.
“I don’t want to lose you,” he continues “Not because I feel guilty. Not because you’re sick. Because I’ve loved you longer than I was willing to admit.”
Your eyes well with tears. You shake your head “But... Zoro... why didn’t you—”
“Because I thought I couldn’t afford it” he says “But I realized... what’s the point of becoming the world’s strongest swordsman if you’re not there to see it?”
Your lungs seize.
You cough.
A petal falls into your palm.
Just one.
Small.
Thin.
You stare at it.
Zoro sees too. And for the first time you see hope in his eyes.
It’s slow.
You still wake up coughing sometimes but not with blood anymore. Not with full blossoms tearing your throat raw.
Now, it’s just a few pale petals, thinner than paper. Some mornings, none at all.
You’re healing.
And every time you wake up, Zoro is there.
Not hovering. Just close. Training. Napping with one arm slung over a chair. But always there.
He doesn’t say much. He lets his presence do the talking.
One night, you sit outside the infirmary, wrapped in a jacket that’s obviously not yours, too big, too warm. Smells like steel, sweat, and something familiar.
Zoro’s jacket.
He comes up beside you, leaning against the wall.
You glance at him “Still watching me?”
“Still making sure you don’t keel over,” he says “It’d ruin my day.”
You laugh softly “Chopper says the petals might stop completely soon.”
He nods “Good.”
You look at him “Do you remember what you said? On the deck. About… me seeing you become the world’s strongest swordman?”
Zoro doesn’t look away “Yeah.”
“Do you still want that?”
“More than ever.”
You swallow “And… do you still mean it? What you said about loving me?”
Zoro turns to you fully.
“I’ve said a lot of things I didn’t mean in my life,” he says “But that wasn’t one of them.”
Silence.
Then you reach out, fingers brushing his hand.
“Zoro?”
He meets your eyes.
“Can I kiss you?”
His answer is a quiet but firm “Yeah.”
You lean in slowly, giving him time to pull away.
He doesn’t.
His lips are warm. Dry at first... hesitant. But then you feel him tilt toward you, just a little. And his hand rises to rest on your back.
It’s not perfect. It’s a little clumsy. But it’s real.
And when you pull back, breathless and flushed, you cough but not a single petal falls.
Zoro watches you, eyes searching.
When he speaks, his voice is low “Guess that’s one way to test if it’s real.”
You smile “Feels pretty real to me.”
It’s been days since your last petal.
Chopper checks your lungs every morning now with his stethoscope and a hopeful smile, and every time he hears nothing but clean, healthy breathing, he squeaks in joy and flails his little hooves around.
You owe him everything.
Which is why you're now crouched outside the kitchen with a stack of pink cupcakes, a tiny hand-sewn thank-you card (drawn with crayons), and one extremely annoyed swordsman beside you.
Zoro crosses his arms “I still don’t get why I have to be here.”
“Because you helped me live,” you say, balancing the cupcakes with exaggerated care “And Chopper basically didn’t sleep for a week watching over me. We’re doing this together.”
Zoro grumbles “I could’ve just said thanks.”
You grin “And yet, here you are. Holding a party hat.”
“I’m not wearing it.”
“You will wear it.”
He grunts again but doesn’t argue further.
You knock on the door.
“Chopper! Can you come out here for a sec?”
He waddles out, sleepy-eyed, blinking up at youmand freezes.
His eyes go huge.
The cupcakes are stacked with pink frosting, each topped with tiny candy flowers. The card is messy and full of stickers, and you made sure to draw you, Chopper, and Zoro in crayon (Zoro has three swords and a frowny face, just for accuracy).
Zoro groans beside you.
“Thanks for helping me” you say brightly, holding it all out “We love you, Chopper.”
Chopper’s cheeks go red “Wha—whaaa?! I—I—I was just doing my job! Y-You didn’t have to—!”
Zoro, looking like he’d rather be stabbed, mumbles, “Thanks, you tiny doctor.”
Chopper makes a noise. A mix between a squeak and a sob.
He bursts into tears, flinging his tiny arms around your leg and Zoro’s knee at the same time.
“I’m so happy you’re not dead!!!”
Zoro looks at you, completely frozen.
You just smile, slip the party hat onto his head, and whisper “Told you this would be worth it.”
Can I request reader making friendship bracelets for the strawhats but the bracelets are attached to their devil fruit power, I'm thinking it's a variation of 'red string of fate' except that when reader froms a strong bond with someone they become tied together allowing them to gain power through these ties (basically the power of friendship lol) the bracelets themselves aren't a part of the devil fruit just a cute thing reader does to help others visualize what they mean to them (as only reader can actually see the strings of fate)
Anyways the plot would be the strawhats reactions to the friendship bracelets (whether or not they know about the significance of them is up to you) this is mostly platonic strawhats but if you wanted to add romance that's cool too!
You don't have to write for all the strawhats if you don't want to but I definitely wanna see Robin's reaction to a friendship bracelet! (I think she'd really enjoy having a physical object to embody friendship)
(Sorry the ask was so long, love your writing! <3)
Glad you love my writing! Lovely to hear <3
I really liked this prompt - i love the string of fate stuff, makes me feel a bit gooey inside hehe
I could have kept going on this forevvverrrrrrrr i love the concept... spin off mini series anyone?!?!
Hope you enjoy reading!
Ties That Bind
One Piece x Fem!Reader
The kitchen was warm with the scent of Sanji’s post-lunch tea blend, a hint of citrus and mint lingering in the air. Everyone had gathered around the table like they usually did after a big meal, laughter still dying down from Luffy’s latest story about nearly punching a sky island seagull by accident.
You sat near the end of the table, a small box of thread, beads, and charm trinkets sitting beside your teacup. Nami had noticed it earlier and complimented the little braided bracelet you wore on your wrist—blue with a tiny compass bead. You smiled and muttered something vague, but now, with everyone calm and relatively in one place, you figured it was time to explain it properly.
You shifted in your seat, fiddling with a half-finished bracelet in your hands.
"Hey... can I tell you guys something?" you asked, your voice a little hesitant but clear.
Zoro tilted his head lazily, arms crossed. "If it's a confession about secretly being a government spy, say it now."
"I knew something was weird!" Usopp pointed dramatically.
"Shut up, Usopp," said Nami, elbowing him gently. "Go on, [Y/N]."
Luffy leaned forward like a kid about to hear a ghost story, chin propped up on his hands. "Yeah, yeah! Is it about your powers?"
You blinked, surprised. "...You knew?"
"Of course!" he beamed. "You smell like magic. Or maybe cinnamon. I dunno."
You laughed nervously but nodded. "Okay, yeah. So, my Devil Fruit is called the Saiken saiken no Mi—it means something like the Bond-Bond Fruit. It's… hard to explain, but basically, when I form a strong bond with someone, I can see it. Like... a thread tying us together."
Robin perked up with interest, lacing her fingers together. "A thread of fate, perhaps?"
You nodded. "Exactly. Only I can see them. Some are faint, some are bright, but the stronger the connection, the more... real they feel. And through them, I get stronger. I borrow strength from the people I'm tied to."
"So like the power of friendship?" Franky grinned. "That's super classic."
"Basically, yeah." You smiled sheepishly. "But I didn't want to freak anyone out by suddenly saying I see invisible strings attached to you all, so I started making these—" you held up the bracelet in your hand, bright orange with a tiny seashell charm, “—to kinda... represent the bonds I feel. For me, and maybe for you too. Something physical. Something nice."
Chopper gasped, eyes sparkling. "That's so cool! Wait—do I have one?"
You reached into the box and pulled out a little bracelet with white and pink beads, shaped like sakura petals. "Here."
Chopper practically exploded into a blushing mess as he took it, clutching it like it was the most sacred treasure in the Grand Line.
"You've been tying us together this whole time..." Brook said wistfully, his empty eye sockets looking soft. "Even without us knowing."
"You don’t have to wear them," you quickly added. "I just… wanted you all to know what you mean to me."
Nami’s bracelet was gold and teal with a tiny bell. Sanji’s was red and black, with a flame-shaped charm. Usopp’s had earthy tones and a little slingshot bead. Robin’s was elegant, deep violet and lace-like. Franky's had tiny gear charms. Brook’s was ivory and had musical notes.
You hesitated before pulling out the one meant for Zoro—green with a single white bead shaped like a sword—and Luffy’s: red, simple, but with a tiny anchor charm that seemed to glow with joy.
Zoro took his with a grunt of approval and a quiet, "Thanks." You swore his ears turned pink.
Sanji nearly cried over his. "You handmade this for me? Angel."
Robin turned the bracelet in her fingers thoughtfully. "You truly see something special in everyone, don’t you?"
You just smiled. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”
"Wait, wait!" Luffy waved his hands. "So if you get stronger from bonds, what happens if you get, like, super close with someone?"
You blinked, surprised by the question—and the slight glimmer of teasing in his grin.
"Well," you said, "the bond gets stronger, and so does the power. I guess, in theory… the closest bond of all would make me unstoppable."
"Like a best friend?" Usopp grinned.
"...Sure," you said, smiling softly.
The mood on the Sunny shifted, but in the best way. A kind of quiet awe had settled over the table as each member of the crew examined their bracelet like it was a rare treasure.
Robin wore hers immediately, slipping it onto her wrist with a graceful flick. “It’s strange,” she murmured. “I’ve spent a long time surrounded by people who only wanted to use me. And now, someone wants to... tie themselves to me.” She looked up and smiled warmly. “It’s rather beautiful.”
Brook held his up to the sunlight. “Yohohoho! If only I had skin to feel this against. Still, I will treasure it forever, just as I treasure our friendship. Though if you ever want to make me a matching anklet—”
“No,” Zoro muttered flatly.
Nami had looped hers around her wrist, then her ankle, then back to her wrist. “It’s fashionable. Very versatile. And handmade, which gives it value.” She glanced at you with an amused smirk. “Also, you’re incredibly sentimental, aren’t you?”
Sanji sighed like he’d just been proposed to. “You tied a thread to my heart, mon ange…”
Usopp had immediately put his on and now kept glancing down at it like it was going to disappear. “So wait, if I make my bond with you stronger, do you get stronger, or do I get stronger too? ‘Cause I’m just saying, team synergy is really underrated in combat situations—”
“HEY!” Luffy suddenly slammed his hands on the table, bracelet proudly on display. “If getting strong means making super strong bonds, then we gotta do that right now. Everyone! Bonding time!”
Chopper gasped. “Really?!”
Franky slammed his drink down. “Super bonding?! Count me in!”
You blinked. “Wait, what—”
“We should do a group activity,” Luffy declared with the confidence of a king. “Something that makes [Y/N] feel extra connected to us. Like… a trust fall. Or a big team nap.”
“That’s not how it works,” you laughed. “You can’t force connection, it just happens over time.”
“Time? We don’t have time! What if we fight someone really strong next week? You gotta be ready!”
Zoro leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “You’re gonna give her emotional whiplash.”
But Luffy was already on his feet. “Let’s all tell [Y/N] a secret! That’ll make us close, right?”
“Captain,” Robin said lightly, “you’re rather enthusiastic about this.”
He beamed at you. “You’re part of my crew now. That means we’re all family. And if your powers run on family juice, then we need to juice it up!”
“…I’m gonna pretend that made sense,” you muttered, but your heart felt like it might burst.
Chopper jumped onto the table. “Okay, okay! I’ll go first! I pretend to be tough sometimes, but sometimes I cry when people call me a monster. But you never did, [Y/N]. That’s why I love you.”
Your eyes welled up immediately. “Chopper…”
“MY TURN,” Sanji shouted. “Sometimes I make extra portions ‘by accident’ just to see if you’ll pick mine over the others.”
“Obviously she does,” Zoro muttered. “Your curry’s hotter than a volcano’s butt.”
“I ENJOY COMPLIMENTS.”
Nami tapped her bracelet thoughtfully. “I hoard money because I’m still afraid. I trust you, though. You never once looked at me like I was a thief. Just… a navigator.”
Usopp cleared his throat. “I, uh… I used to make up stories about people like you. People who cared without needing a reason. Now one of them’s real.”
Your hand trembled as you clutched the box of threads to your chest. “You guys…”
Robin gave you a serene look. “You’re weaving more than bracelets, [Y/N]. You’re weaving a place for yourself. And we’re honored to be caught in your thread.”
Then all heads turned to Luffy.
He was sitting quietly now, looking down at his bracelet. And for once, his usual grin was softer. Quieter.
“My secret is…” he looked up, “...I already feel strongest when I know you guys are with me. That’s why I don’t need a power like yours. I already believe in it.”
You didn’t realize you were crying until Chopper started panicking and tossing tissues at your face.
Luffy stood up, walked over, and plopped his hat on your head.
“So, bonding time worked?” he asked, eyes hopeful.
You sniffled, clutching the rim of his hat. “Yeah. Yeah, it really worked.”
--
The sky had begun to blush with streaks of orange and lavender, soft waves lapping gently at the Sunny's hull. The energy from Luffy’s “crew bonding time” had finally died down, with Franky tinkering below deck, Sanji prepping dinner, and Zoro pretending not to nap on the lawn. A peaceful calm had settled over the ship.
You sat on a lounge chair on the deck, a warm cup of tea cradled in your hands. Steam curled upward, swirling through the threads—those glowing, invisible strings that stretched between you and every corner of the Sunny.
Some shimmered like fresh starlight, others pulsed like gentle heartbeats. Each one was different—some chaotic, some serene—but they all led back to you. A net of connection. Of love, loyalty, and laughter. And though no one else could see them, they were as real to you as the sea itself.
You smiled softly.
“May I join you?” came a gentle voice.
You looked up to find Robin approaching, a book tucked under one arm, her bracelet glinting softly in the fading light. Deep violet thread, tiny rose-gold accents, and a small book charm nestled at its center.
“Of course,” you said, shifting to make room.
She sat beside you, graceful as ever, folding one leg over the other and setting her book in her lap. For a moment, she said nothing—just sipped her own tea, gazing out at the horizon.
Then her voice broke the silence, low and thoughtful. “I’ve received many gifts in my life. Few as... sincere as this.”
You glanced at her wrist, where the bracelet sat snugly. “I’m glad you like it.”
“I don’t just like it,” she said. “I feel it. It’s strange. Even without seeing the threads, it feels like something is tied between us. Like it’s always been there, waiting.”
You stared into your cup for a long second, then spoke. “Sometimes… I wonder if people will misunderstand. That they’ll think I’m only getting close to others because it makes me stronger. That I’m just… using them.”
Robin turned toward you, eyes calm but sharp.
“That kind of power can’t be forced. And it certainly can’t be faked.”
You looked up.
“Your ability,” she said gently, “only works because you truly care. That’s what makes it powerful. And dangerous. Because if someone hurt one of us…” Her expression darkened for the briefest second. “I imagine you’d become unstoppable.”
You laughed softly, the sound half-embarrassed, half-relieved. “I guess I’d better stay on your good side.”
Robin smiled, but her gaze lingered on her bracelet. She ran her fingers over the little book charm, and for a brief moment, her lips trembled.
“I’ve spent most of my life being hunted,” she said. “Wanted. Feared. I never imagined someone would look at me and think, She matters enough to tie a thread to. But you did. And it means more than I know how to say.”
You nudged her shoulder gently, trying to keep things light. “Aw, Robin, don’t get all weepy on me now. You’re gonna make me cry, and then Chopper’s gonna panic again.”
She chuckled, brushing beneath one eye. “Too late.”
The sun dipped lower, gold spilling over the deck like spilled treasure. The threads shimmered in your mind’s eye—especially hers, now glowing warmer than ever.
“Thanks for sitting with me,” you murmured.
“Any time,” she said. “After all… we’re tied together now.”
-
Time aboard the Sunny had passed quick, and with each moment, your bonds grew stronger. You grew stronger.
-
Smoke curled through the dense trees of the island, the once-quiet jungle now a torn battlefield. Explosions echoed through the valley, and the Straw Hats were spread out, locked in skirmishes with a group of mercenaries hired to capture Devil Fruit users.
You stood at the center of it all—heart pounding, blood buzzing, a quiet hum in your ears like a rising crescendo.
This fight was different.
Not just because it was brutal—but because something inside you had clicked.
You could see the threads now. Not just shimmering faintly, but glowing. Pulsing. They surrounded you like a constellation, each one tied to someone you loved—and every single one sang with emotion.
Fear. Loyalty. Determination. Trust.
Power.
A whip lashed toward you, charged with Haki. You dodged on instinct—not your own, but one you'd learned from watching Sanji every time he danced through the air.
You spun and dropped into a low sweep-kick, following through with an upward strike so fast your knuckles cracked the air—Luffy’s wild, rubbery rhythm channeled through your limbs, even without the stretch.
Your opponent staggered.
Then another merc came at you from behind, swinging a jagged blade—and you turned, blade in hand. Not your usual style. But the grip? The stance?
Zoro.
You moved with clean precision, a flash of green and steel in your mind, parrying the attack with force that sent vibrations up your arm. You didn’t hesitate—you let the bonds guide you.
You weren’t mimicking them—you were fighting like someone who knew them inside and out. Someone shaped by them.
Across the battlefield, the others started to notice.
“Whoa—IS THAT [Y/N]?!” Usopp shouted from behind a crumbling stone wall.
“No way…” Chopper gasped, peeking over a boulder. “That move looked just like Sanji’s!”
Sanji froze mid-spin-kick, locking eyes with you across the field. “What the hell—did you just copy my move, sweetheart?!”
You grinned, lips bloody but eyes blazing. “Call it inspiration!”
“Oi!” Zoro barked, slicing through a trio of enemies. “I taught you that stance in a spar ONCE. ONCE!”
You shrugged, twirling the enemy’s weapon and chucking it back at another target with expert aim. “Guess it stuck.”
Robin, from above on a summoned flower-wing platform, watched with quiet awe. “She’s drawing strength from us… not like a parasite, but like a mirror.”
“She’s shining,” Nami whispered.
Luffy was the last to notice, mid-fight and laughing as he socked someone square in the jaw. Then his eyes landed on you—your form alive with golden threads dancing at your back like celestial ribbons.
His grin stretched wide.
“[Y/N]!!!” he called, ducking a punch and flinging an arm toward you. “YOU LOOK SO COOL RIGHT NOW!!!”
You burst out laughing, mid-spin, driving your heel into the ground and launching a mercenary several feet through the air.
One by one, the mercenaries began to retreat. You stood there panting, the threads still glowing—stronger than ever. And through them, you could feel it:
The bond. The trust. The undeniable connection.
Not just power borrowed—but power forged. Through shared meals. Inside jokes. Long nights and sea storms.
This strength wasn’t just yours.
It was theirs, too.
As the battlefield quieted and the others regrouped, Luffy jogged up to you, hands on his hips.
“That was awesome,” he said, breathless with excitement. “You fought like all of us at once!”
You wiped blood from your lip and smiled. “Guess you guys are rubbing off on me.”
“Or maybe,” Robin said as she landed beside you, her bracelet faintly glowing, “you’ve finally started to see just how deeply we’re all tied together.”
You looked around at your crew—your family. The threads between you pulsed in soft, steady rhythm.
Yeah.
You saw it.
And now, they could, too.
-
The stars were beginning to peek through the darkened sky, the moon a silver coin casting gentle light across the deck. The crew was scattered around the Sunny in various states of exhaustion and satisfaction—wounds bandaged, bellies full, spirits high.
You sat at the bow, legs swinging over the edge, a mug of something warm cradled in your hands. The threads in your mind’s eye were quiet now, humming softly. Still glowing. Still strong.
You hadn’t stopped thinking about the battle—how instinctively the power had come, how natural it had felt to move with pieces of your friends inside you. It hadn’t been overwhelming. It had been comforting. Empowering.
You smiled faintly.
“Hey.”
You turned. Luffy stood behind you, hands in his pockets, his bracelet catching the moonlight. There was something different about his expression—still playful, still curious, but... softer. Quieter.
“Can I ask you something?” he said.
“Sure.”
He stepped closer, then sat beside you, stretching his legs out. “Can I… see them?”
You blinked. “See what?”
He turned to you, eyes wide with that impossible brightness. “The threads. The ones that tie us all together.”
Your heart stilled.
No one had ever asked before. Not seriously. Not like this. You’d always assumed it was just your burden—your gift. Your curse. A secret window only you could peer through.
You stared down at your hand, at the glowing lines stretching outward like an unseen web. “I… I don’t know if I can make them visible to others.”
Luffy didn’t push. He just tilted his head. “Wanna try?”
You looked at him for a moment.
Then nodded.
You set your mug down, sat up straight, and closed your eyes.
It started as a pull in your chest—like tugging thread through a needle. Carefully, slowly, you began to unravel that perception, pushing it outward. Extending it beyond yourself. You reached into the core of your fruit’s power, channeling not just energy, but emotion. Every laugh, every fight, every quiet cup of tea and silly card game and comforting shoulder.
You felt your fingers tremble.
Then—
“…Whoa,” Luffy whispered.
You opened your eyes.
The deck glowed.
Not brightly, not like fire or lightning—but soft, gentle light. Golden threads stretched between you and every single one of your crewmates, weaving through the ship like constellations. Some threads pulsed bright and strong—like the one leading from you to Luffy, or to Chopper, or to Robin. Others had more subtle glows, warm and steady.
Each thread was unique—colors, textures, patterns. You could feel their personalities through them.
Zoro’s thread was taut and grounded, like woven steel.
Sanji’s danced with warmth, flickering like firelight.
Nami’s sparkled with bursts of gold, laced with stormy energy.
Robin’s was velvet-smooth, deep violet with intricate knots.
Luffy’s—brightest of all—was wild and fluid, chaotic and beautiful. A living firework.
The crew slowly gathered, one by one, drawn by the shift in the air.
“What is this…” Nami whispered, stepping closer to one of the floating threads.
“Are these… ours?” Chopper asked, reaching out with trembling hooves.
“They’re real,” Zoro muttered, watching one pulse with his breath.
You were sweating now, concentrating hard. It took everything to maintain this projection—but you wanted them to see it. You wanted them to know.
“This is what I see,” you said quietly. “Every day. Every bond. Every thread that ties me to you.”
Robin stood beside you, eyes shimmering. “It’s beautiful.”
Usopp sniffled. “Why does mine look like it’s got beads on it?”
“Because I know how much you love flair,” you teased, voice trembling.
Luffy’s eyes hadn’t left the threads. His face was a mix of awe and joy, the kind of pure reaction only he could pull off.
“They’re alive,” he said. “These bonds… they’re really alive.”
You nodded. “They are. You make them real. You all do.”
And then—Luffy grinned.
He stood, arms stretched out wide as if trying to catch the sky.
“I LOVE IT!!!”
The others laughed, their voices light with wonder. Even Zoro cracked a smirk. Sanji tried to light a cigarette with shaking hands and gave up entirely, just staring at the glowing thread between you.
You held the image a few seconds longer—long enough to burn it into their memories—before gently letting it fade, like smoke in the wind.
The deck returned to normal.
But something lingered.
A feeling. A warmth.
A knowing.
You leaned back with a breathless smile.
Luffy looked down at you, still grinning. “You’re awesome.”
You met his eyes, soft and shining. “So are you.”
-
The morning sun spilled golden light across the deck, warming the wood and shimmering off the sea. The crew gathered around the table for breakfast—freshly made by Sanji, as always—still glowing in the afterglow of yesterday’s battle and the reveal.
The memory of golden threads dancing in the air hadn’t left them.
Neither had the awe.
“So,” Sanji said casually, setting down a plate of sunny-side-up eggs in front of you with a flourish, “I believe it’s only right to point out that [Y/N] used my fighting style in that battle.”
“Light on your feet. Beautiful form. Graceful kicks that could kill a sea king.” He spun with a wink. “Clearly, the power of our bond is unmatched.”
Zoro made a sound. A sound. Low, dismissive, impatient.
“Your fancy footwork was one thing,” he said through a mouthful of rice. “But the real strength came when she ended that merc with a full-on counterstrike. That was my technique.”
You raised a brow at your plate. Here we go.
Sanji bristled. “Counterstrike? She deflected a two-ton punch with a spinning heel kick. That’s my move.”
“Please,” Zoro scoffed. “She stood her ground and overpowered him. No spinning. Just raw strength. That was me.”
“She even moved like me,” Sanji snapped. “You couldn’t twirl to save your life.”
“Because I don’t need to twirl to win, curly-brow.”
“Want me to twirl you overboard—?!”
Nami sighed. “It’s too early for testosterone.”
Usopp munched toast, watching them with wide eyes. “This is weirdly flattering. They’re fighting over who has a better connection with [Y/N].”
“They’re fighting over whose bond is stronger,” Robin said lightly, sipping tea. “It’s oddly romantic.”
You sat back, sipping your own tea, amused beyond words.
But Sanji wasn’t done.
He turned from Zoro mid-argue, marched over to you, and—
Knelt. On one knee. Took your hand.
You blinked.
You flushed.
Your brain, traitorous and immediate: MARRIAGE?!
“[Y/N],” Sanji said with utmost sincerity, gazing up at you like you’d hung the stars yourself. “Out of all the bonds you hold… which one is the most powerful?”
The entire table went silent.
Zoro choked on his rice.
You stared, your face slowly going crimson. “I—um. That’s… I mean…”
He lifted your hand to his lips.
Your heart actually stopped.
You gave a slow, thoughtful hum, eyes narrowing mischievously. “Hmm… Sanji, Zoro… it’s honestly so close.”
Sanji’s smile widened like he was about to win.
But then—
You grinned.
Eyes gleaming.
You gripped his hand tighter, leaned in just slightly, and said with a soft, velvety voice:
“Of course… I could always strengthen the bond in… other ways.”
Sanji made a sound like someone had just pulled the pin on a very flustered grenade.
Then—
He died.
He dropped like a marionette whose strings had been cut, flat on the deck with swirly eyes and a blissed-out smile.
Usopp dropped his toast. Chopper shrieked. Robin covered her mouth, amused. Luffy burst out laughing so hard he fell backward off the bench.
You threw your head back, laughing with your whole chest. “Oh my god, I didn’t think he’d actually pass out—”
Zoro rolled his eyes but was smirking. “Serves him right.”
As Sanji twitched on the floor, hearts floating from his head like steam, you picked up your tea again and sipped calmly.
“Guess that answers his question.”
-
The waves rocked the Sunny gently, a lullaby of the sea, as the last rays of the sun kissed the horizon in shades of peach and gold. Most of the crew had turned in early, worn out from the chaos of the past few days.
But you stayed on deck, sitting near the figurehead with your knees tucked up to your chest and a blanket around your shoulders. The breeze was cool, but the warmth in your chest kept you from feeling it.
You could see them again—the threads.
Still glowing.
Still alive.
They shimmered faintly in the dusk light, stretched like constellations across the deck and walls and sails. So many beautiful bonds. So many pieces of yourself that had once been broken, now tied to others.
You felt whole.
But one thread…
One thread blazed like sunlight.
It wasn’t just bright. It wasn’t just strong.
It radiated.
Wild and untamed. Joyful and fierce.
The thread tied to Luffy.
You didn’t even have to look to feel him behind you.
“Hey,” he said softly.
You turned. He was barefoot, messy-haired as always, arms behind his head like he had all the time in the world. He plopped down beside you, crisscross applesauce, and stared out at the sea with a relaxed smile.
“I knew you’d be up here,” he added, glancing at you. “You always look at the sky when you’re thinking.”
You smiled back. “I could say the same to you.”
He grinned wider, and for a long moment, you both just sat in comfortable silence.
The wind tugged at your hair. The sea whispered. And the thread between you glowed like firelight in your chest.
“Hey, Luffy,” you said finally. “Do you… remember when you first found me?”
He blinked, then nodded once, slow. “Yeah. You were in that weird old port town. Working for that rich jerk.”
You nodded, eyes distant. “More like owned. I didn’t even realize I was fading until you walked in, like a storm. You didn’t even hesitate. Just looked at me and said, ‘Wanna come with us?’”
Luffy’s smile softened. “Well, yeah. You looked like someone who needed the sky.”
Your throat tightened.
“You saved me, you know,” you whispered. “Not just from that place, but from… me. I used to think my powers only worked if I earned people’s love. Like I had to be useful. Like I had to deserve it.”
Luffy was quiet, watching your face.
“But you…” Your voice wavered. “You just… took me. Like I was already something precious. Like I didn’t have to earn anything.”
He didn’t say anything right away. Then he reached out—softly, gently—and tugged the edge of your blanket until you scooted closer. Your shoulder touched his.
“You are something precious,” he said matter-of-factly. “That’s why you shine so much.”
You felt your chest tighten in the best way. That thread between you burned golden. Stronger than any other. Stronger than steel, stronger than fate.
“I used to think I needed someone to be my light,” you murmured. “But I think… maybe I just needed someone to let me shine.”
You looked at him.
And smiled.
“You’re the sun, Luffy. You just don’t know it.”
He laughed, a little awkward, rubbing the back of his neck. “Nah. You’re the one glowing all the time.”
You reached over and took his hand—warm and calloused and steady. The thread between you flared in your mind like a second heartbeat.
“Yeah,” you said. “But only because I’m standing in your light.”
For once, Luffy didn’t answer with words. He just grinned—really grinned—and leaned his forehead against yours, laughing under his breath like you’d told him a secret that made him happy.
And you laughed too. Because you’d never felt more seen. Or more safe.
Wrapped in his sunlight.
Tied to something bigger than fate.
you two acts like a loving couple all the time, so what happens when someone points it out?
characters: zoro, sanji, law, ace and sabo
(luffy, kidd, katakuri, shanks and mihawk)
words count: around 0.8k - 1.3k each
masterlist || ao3 || ko-fi
── .✦ Roronoa Zoro:
You do a lot of things for Zoro without thinking.
You wake him up when it’s time to eat. You stop him from training too much. You make sure he doesn’t get lost whenever the crew visits a new island.
It’s normal for you. Someone has to do it.
But one day, the others start teasing you about it.
It happens at lunch. You are eating with the crew when Usopp laughs and nudges your arm.
“Hey, aren’t you gonna get your boyfriend?”
You blink. “What?”
Sanji, cleaning his hands with a towel, nods toward the deck “That moss-brained idiot. You always bring him to meals. It’s like a little routine between you two now. Like a couple…”
“We’re not—” You nearly choke on your drink “We’re not a couple!”
Usopp grins “Then why do you always take so much care of him?”
“Because he’s stupid and forgets to eat!” you say, standing up “I’ll go get him, but not because of whatever weird ideas you guys have.”
You walk away while they laugh behind you.
You find Zoro exactly where you expect, napping against the ship’s railing, his swords next to him.
You roll your eyes and shake his shoulder “Oi, wake up. Lunch is ready.”
Nothing.
You shake him harder “Zoro. If you don’t get up, I’ll eat your food.”
He grumbles and waves his hand, like he’s trying to swat away a fly.
Sighing, you do what you always do. You grab his wrist and pull him up with both hands. He lets you. He always does, like it’s natural.
Zoro blinks at you, still half-asleep “Huh. You again.”
“Yeah, me again,” you say “Come eat before Sanji ‘forgets’ to save you anything.”
You’re still holding his wrist, making sure he doesn’t fall back asleep. That’s when you notice Nami and Robin watching from across the deck, smiling.
“What?” you ask, feeling awkward.
Nami smirks “You two are cute.”
Your face heats up “We’re not—he’s not—we’re not together!”
Robin chuckles “You do take care of him a lot.”
Zoro frowns, confused “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Nothing,” you mutterl “Come eat.”
You let go of his wrist too fast and walk away, ignoring the warm feeling in your chest.
You think it’s over, but now you notice things.
Zoro always sits next to you at meals, even when there are other seats. You always save food for him without realizing. And during fights, he always protects you first, like it’s a habit.
And, worst of all, people keep pointing it out.
“y/n,” Chopper asks one day, tilting his head “Are you and Zoro dating?”
You almost trip “What?! No!”
“Oh...” He looks confused “But you act like it”
You groan “Not you too”
After that, you can’t stop thinking about it.
The next time you wake Zoro up, your fingers stay on his wrist a second too long. The next time he pulls you behind him in a fight, your heart beats faster.
And then one evening, when you catch him watching you with a thoughtful look, you realize you might be in trouble.
That night, Zoro speaks first.
“Oi”
You look up from your seat on the deck “What?”
He leans against the railing, arms crossed “Does it bother you?”
You frown “Does what bother me?”
“What people are saying” His eyes stay on you “About us.”
You swallow “Why? Does it bother you?”
He doesn’t answer right away “No” his voice is quieter than usual.
Your stomach flips and you look at the ocean “I mean… it’s just dumb teasing, right?”
Zoro doesn’t reply. Instead, he watches you for a long time. Then, finally, he smirks.
“Doesn’t really matter what they say” he says, voice calm but sure “I’d still stick with you either way.”
Your breath catches and suddenly, your heart won’t let you ignore this anymore.
For the next days you try to brush off what the crew said.
You really do, but it’s impossible to ignore when Zoro keeps acting the same way.
Like when you’re on lookout duty together, and he hands you his jacket without a word.
Or when you spar with him, and he pulls his hits just enough so you don’t get hurt.
Or when you fall asleep on the Sunny’s deck, and you wake up covered with a blanket, one you know you didn’t grab.
And every time it happens, you catch the crew watching. Smirking.
It’s driving you insane.
One afternoon, you finally decide to do something about it.
You find Zoro by the training room, lifting weights. His shirt is half undone, sweat glistening on his skin, but you shove that thought aside.
You cross your arms “Hey, Zoro.”
He grunts in acknowledgment, not stopping his reps.
You hesitate “…Why do you treat me differently?”
He finally sets the weight down, wiping his face with a towel “What?”
“You heard me...” You shift uncomfortably “You do things for me that you don’t do for anyone else.”
Zoro leans back against the wall, looking at you like you just asked a stupid question “So?”
“So?” You huff “That means something, doesn’t it?”
He shrugs “I guess.”
You blink “That’s it? You guess?”
Zoro sighs, scratching his head “Look, I don’t really think about it. I just—” He pauses, then shrugs again “I want to.”
Your heart skips a beat “…What?”
“I want to do those things for you,” he says simply “it’s not a big deal”
You stare at him “Not a... Zoro, are you serious?”
He frowns “What, you don’t like it?”
“That’s not the point!” Your face feels hot “You don’t do this for Nami or Robin or anyone else!”
Zoro looks at you, unimpressed “Yeah. Because it’s you.”
You freeze.
The way he says it, so blunt, so obvious, it makes your stomach flip.
He isn’t flustered. He isn’t overthinking it. He’s just stating a fact.
“…Oh.”
Zoro crosses his arms, watching you carefully “Is that a problem?”
You swallow “No. It’s just…”
It’s everything. It’s him always being there, always looking out for you, always treating you like someone important.
It’s a realization you should have had ages ago.
You let out a breathless laugh “I’m an idiot.”
Zoro raises an eyebrow “Well, yeah.”
You smack his arm. He smirks.
But when your hand lingers just a little too long, he doesn’t pull away.
And suddenly, you both understand... this isn’t just a habit.
It never was.
Ever since that conversation in the training room, things between you and Zoro have… shifted, but not in a bad way.
He still trains for hours. Still naps in random spots. Still bickers with Sanji.
But now, when you sit beside him, his arm naturally rests along the back of your chair.
Now, when you fight, he doesn’t just watch your back, he makes sure you’re never out of reach.
Now, when you look at him for a second too long, he looks right back.
Like he’s waiting.
Like he’s giving you the choice.
One evening, you find him on the Sunny’s deck, looking out at the ocean.
“…Can’t sleep?” he asks.
You shake your head, stepping closer “Thinking too much.”
Zoro smirks “Dangerous habit...”
You huff a laugh but don’t argue.
Instead, you stand beside him, silent for a moment before you finally ask...
“Do you regret telling me?”
Zoro frowns “Telling you what?”
“That you… actually treat me differently. That you want to.”
His jaw tightens slightly “No.”
Your heart does something strange “Good.”
You don’t give yourself time to hesitate.
Before doubt can creep in, you grab him and pull him down.
Zoro freezes.
For half a second, he doesn’t move. Doesn’t even breathe.
Then a quiet growl rumbles from his chest, and his hand cups the back of your neck as he kisses you back.
It’s firm. Solid. Like he’s been holding back for too long and refuses to anymore.
When you finally break apart, Zoro leans his forehead against yours, exhaling through his nose.
“…Finally” he mutters.
You grin “You were waiting for me?”
“Wasn’t gonna rush you” His fingers brush your jaw “You get there when you get there.”
You hum, leaning into him “And now?”
Zoro smirks “Now, you’re stuck with me.”
You kiss him again, just to make sure he knows you wouldn’t want it any other way.
── .✦ Vinsmoke Sanji:
Sanji has always been a flirt. That’s just how he is.
He calls Nami and Robin “my love” and “my dear”. He spins around the kitchen whenever they compliment him. He offers to carry their bags when the crew goes shopping.
But when it comes to you, it’s different.
It starts when the crew is eating dinner together.
“Sanji, can you pass the salt?” you ask.
Instead of handing you the salt shaker, Sanji grabs it, twists off the lid, and sprinkles just the right amount onto your plate.
You blink “Uh. Thanks?”
“Of course, my dear” he says smoothly. Then, as if nothing happened, he turns back to his own plate.
You think nothing of it... until you notice the way the others are watching.
Usopp raises an eyebrow “Did he just season your food for you?”
“Yeah?” You shrug “What's new about it? He's a chef and he’s just being nice.”
Luffy grins “He doesn’t do that for anyone else.”
“That’s not true,” you argue “Sanji treats everyone like this.”
Nami hums “Not exactly like this. If we wanted more salt he would start a lecture about how it would ruin his masterpiece.”
Before you can ask what she means, Sanji stands up to grab dessert. He places a plate in front of you first. It’s your favorite.
The crew stares.
You stare too “Sanji…”
He smiles “What? I made extra for you.”
Usopp coughs “Yeah. Okay. Totally normal.”
Robin chuckles behind her hand.
You shake your head and go back to eating. It’s nothing. Sanji is just being Sanji.
…Right?
But then, you start noticing other things.
When you’re cold, Sanji drapes his jacket over your shoulders without you asking.
When you need something from a high shelf, Sanji wordlessly reaches up and hands it to you.
When you’re about to trip, his hand is always there to steady you.
And every time, every single time, he does it so naturally that you don’t even think about it.
Until one day, Franky whistles and says, “You two sure act like a couple.”
You nearly drop the drink in your hands “What?!”
Sanji, who was stirring a pot at the stove, pauses.
Franky leans against the counter, grinning “You two do all that coupley stuff. He gives you the best food, takes care of you, treats you differently from everyone else—”
“That’s not true,” you say quickly “Sanji’s like this with everyone.”
Franky snorts “Nah. He does flirt with everyone. But this?” He gestures between you and Sanji “This is different.”
You glance at Sanji. He’s staring into the pot, silent.
Your face feels hot now “You guys are reading too much into things.”
“Sure we are...” Franky says, smirking. Then he leaves.
The kitchen is quiet now. You swallow and turn to Sanji.
“…Is it true?”
He looks at you. His usual confident smile is gone. Instead, there’s something softer in his eyes.
“I don’t know” he says “is it?”
Your heartbeat quickens.
Suddenly, every touch, every sweet gesture, it all feels different.
Maybe it wasn’t just a habit.
Maybe it was something else all along.
After all this the teasing has only gotten worse.
Ever since Nami and Usopp pointed out how Sanji treats you, they will not let it go.
“Here comes Sanji’s beloveeeed~” Usopp sings when you walk into the kitchen.
“I should start charging you for all the extra food Sanji makes only for you” Nami smirks.
Even Luffy, who usually doesn’t care about these things, grins at Sanji one afternoon and says “Oi, cook, when are you gonna marry y/n?”
Sanji chokes on his cigarette so hard he has to brace himself on the counter.
You groan and drag a hand down your face.
But what really drives you insane?
Sanji never denies it.
He stutters, blushes, waves his hands, but he never says “That’s not true.”
Because it is true.
And it’s starting to drive you crazy.
You try to ignore it. But then you start noticing things, even the smallest ones.
Sanji never lets you carry anything heavy.
He always pours you tea first, even before Nami and Robin.
He adjusts your chair at dinner like it’s second nature.
And the worst part? He doesn’t even realize he’s doing it.
But you do.
And now, every time he gives you that look—the one that’s soft, full of admiration, like you hung the damn sun in the sky—your heart stumbles over itself.
This has to stop.
Or something has to change.
It happens one evening after dinner.
You’re in the kitchen, helping Sanji clean up. He hums as he washes the dishes, sleeves rolled up, golden hair falling over his forehead.
You watch him for a second, then take a deep breath.
“Sanji.”
He glances at you, smiling “Yes, my love?”
You grip the counter “Why do you act like we’re together?”
Sanji freezes.
The faucet keeps running. The kitchen is warm with the smell of spices. But Sanji is frozen.
Slowly, he turns his head toward you “…P-Pardon?”
You cross your arms “You treat me differently. Even the crew notices. You never do this stuff for anyone else.”
Sanji swallows hard “I—”
“You never deny it,” you press “and honestly? I’m tired of waiting for you to finally say something.”
Sanji stares at you like you’ve just flipped his entire world upside down.
His hands shake. His lips part like he wants to speak, but nothing comes out.
“…Sanji.” Your voice softens “Do you want this to be real?”
A shuddering breath leaves him. He looks at you, eyes wide, vulnerable.
“More than anything...” he whispers.
Your heartbeat stutters.
That’s it. That’s all you need to hear.
You step forward, grab the front of his shirt, and kiss him.
Sanji malfunctions.
His entire body locks up, like his brain has completely short-circuited.
For a solid two seconds, he does not move.
Then a noise escapes him, something between a whimper and a desperate sigh, and his hands come up to cup your face, pulling you closer.
The kiss is warm, overwhelming, but soft, like he’s afraid you’ll disappear if he holds on too tight.
When you finally pull away, he’s redder than his own suit.
“…M-Mon amour,” he breathes, voice shaking “You...you actually...”
You smirk “Took us long enough, cook.”
Sanji makes a strangled sound and immediately buries his face in your shoulder, arms wrapped tight around you.
Outside, the crew is losing their minds.
“TOLD YOU!” Usopp shouts.
“I WON THE BET!” Nami cheers.
“Oi, Sanji, you alive in there?” Zoro snickers.
Sanji doesn’t answer. He’s too busy melting against you, whispering sweet nothings into your skin.
And honestly?
You think you’ll let him.
── .✦ Trafalgar D. Law:
Law is not the kind of person who likes physical contact. He doesn’t let most people touch him. He keeps his distance, always standing at the edge of conversations with his arms crossed. If someone bumps into him, they get a glare.
But for some reason, you are different.
It starts when Bepo hands you a coat one evening.
“Here,” he says, tail flicking “you left this in the lounge.”
You blink at it. It’s black, long, and definitely not yours.
“This isn’t mine” you say, confused.
Bepo tilts his head “Oh. But you always wear the captain’s coat, so I thought it was yours now...”
You freeze.
“Wait. What?”
Shachi walks by and hears the conversation. He grins “Yeah, you totally do. Every time you’re cold, you steal his coat.”
Penguin nods “And Law never complains.”
You open your mouth. Close it. Try to remember.
…Okay, maybe you have borrowed Law’s coat a few times. But that’s just because it’s warm! And because it’s there! And because...
Oh no.
Your stomach twists “I... I do not...”
“Sure you don’t...” Shachi teases “What’s next? Calling him ‘dear’?”
You groan and shove the coat at Bepo before walking away.
But now, you can’t stop thinking about it.
After this, you start noticing other things. Like how Law always lets you into his personal space.
How you can tug his hat down over his eyes without him pushing you away.
How he casually rests his hand on your shoulder when he stands next to you.
One day, you trip over a loose crate. Before you even hit the ground, a familiar blue glow surrounds you... Law’s Room.
In an instant, you’re back on your feet, completely unharmed.
The Heart Pirates snicker.
“Captain didn’t even think” Penguin whispers.
“He never uses Room for anyone else’s clumsiness” Shachi adds.
You glare at them “I heard that.”
They just smirk.
Law doesn’t say anything. He just sighs and keeps walking, like saving you without thinking is the most natural thing in the world.
Your heart does something weird. You ignore it.
Later, you sit on a crate, arms crossed. Law stands next to you, reading a medical book.
You glance at him “Your crew keeps calling me ‘Captain’s partner.’”
He doesn’t look up “So?”
“So, why?”
He flips a page “Probably because you act like one.”
Your brain short-circuits.
You stare “Excuse me?”
Law finally looks at you, raising an eyebrow “You’re always in my quarters, you steal my coat, and you act like you belong next to me. They’re not wrong.”
Your face burns “I... You let me do all that!”
He smirks “I know.”
You open your mouth, but no words come out.
Because suddenly, you realize... he has let you. And he still is.
Ever since Bepo and the others pointed out how Law treats you differently, it’s been impossible to ignore.
The extra care during missions. The way he always stands just a little closer than necessary. The way he lets you touch him, his arm, his shoulder, even his hand, when no one else would dare.
But what really gives him away?
The way his ears burn red every time you get too close.
And yet he never says anything.
If you didn’t know better, you’d think he was running an experiment to see how long he could keep this up before you lost your mind.
So tonight you’re calling him out.
You find him in his quarters, buried in medical books.
“Hey, Law.” You lean against the desk, arms crossed “Can I ask you something?”
His eyes flick up “What?”
You tilt your head “Do you like me?”
Law chokes.
Not just a little cough... he full-on chokes on air, slamming his book shut as if that’ll somehow save him.
“What—?!” He coughs into his fist “Where the hell did that come from?”
You raise an eyebrow “You tell me.”
Law scowls, shifting uncomfortably “You’re being ridiculous.”
“Oh? Am I?” You step closer.
He stiffens “What are you...?”
You place your hands on the arms of his chair and lean in, caging him in.
His breath hitches.
Oh. Oh.
He is not prepared for this.
“Law,” you murmur, watching his face closely “you never let anyone touch you, but you let me.”
His jaw clenches “That doesn’t—”
“You always make sure I rest. You check my injuries before anyone else’s.”
“Because you’re reckless—”
“And...” you lean even closer “your ears are red right now.”
Law swallows.
You smirk “So, wanna try again?”
For a long moment, he just stares at you, lips parted, golden eyes darting between yours.
Then, in a last-ditch effort, he growls... “You’re annoying.”
You hum “Maybe.”
And then you kiss him.
Law goes still.
For the first time since you’ve known him, he is completely speechless.
But then a quiet sound escapes him, and his hand suddenly grips your wrist, holding you there.
You almost pull back, unsure, until his other hand slides around the back of your neck, fingers threading into your hair, and he kisses you back.
It’s hesitant at first, but when you don’t pull away, something shifts.
The kiss deepens, his grip tightens, and the heat radiating off of him is enough to make you dizzy.
When you finally part, Law exhales sharply, pressing his forehead against yours.
“…You’re gonna be a problem” he mutters, voice rough.
You grin “Yeah?”
His fingers tighten in your hair “Yeah.”
And then, despite everything, he kisses you again.
Because for once in his life he’s done running.
── .✦ Portgas D. Ace:
Ace is naturally affectionate.
He throws an arm around people’s shoulders, laughs loudly, and grins like the world is a joke he’s in on. He’s warm but also because he makes people feel welcome.
So it’s not weird that he touches you a lot.
Right?
It starts when Marco sits down next to you, smirking.
“You and Ace finally together, yoi?”
You look at him confused “what do you mean?”
“A couple… are you two a couple?”
You almost drop your drink “What? No!”
Marco raises an eyebrow “You sure? He always saves you a seat at meals. Always gives you his food if you ask. Always keeps an eye on you during fights.”
You roll your eyes “That doesn’t mean anything. He’s just like that.”
“Not with everyone” Marco takes a sip of his drink “Just you.”
You open your mouth to argue, but then you don’t know what to say, because now, you’re thinking about it.
The next time Ace sits beside you at dinner, you notice how he slides his plate a little closer to yours, letting you steal his food.
The next time the crew docks at an island, you notice how he instinctively waits for you before walking off together.
The next time you’re about to trip, you don’t even get the chance to fall, Ace grabs your wrist and steadies you like it’s second nature.
And maybe it is second nature.
“Careful, Ace,” one of the division commanders teases “If you keep acting like that, y/n might actually think you’re in love.”
Ace laughs, scratching the back of his head “Yeah, yeah.”
You laugh too. Because it’s just a joke… Right?
One night, you sit together on the deck, watching the ocean.
You fidget for a second before saying “The crew keeps calling us a couple”
Ace hums “Yeah?”
You glance at him “Why do you think that is?”
He leans back, arms behind his head, and grins “Probably because we act like one.”
You choke on your own breath “Excuse me?!”
Ace tilts his head “I mean, we do everything together. You always take my food, and I always let you. You always pull me out of trouble, and I always let you. Feels natural, doesn’t it?”
Your brain short-circuits.
Because now that you think about it... yeah, it does feel natural.
“…Ace,” you say slowly “Are we...?”
He looks at you, amusement flickering in his eyes “What do you think?”
Your stomach flips.
Because suddenly, you’re not sure where the habit ends and the feelings begin.
After this, Ace keeps flirting with you all the time.
It’s just who he is.
Winks across the deck. Throwing an arm around your shoulders. Calling you hot stuff like it’s your actual name.
You’re used to it.
But after the teasing from Marco and Thatch, after realizing that Ace treats you differently, you start to wonder.
Is he just playing around? Or is there something real underneath?
There’s only one way to find out.
The perfect opportunity comes one afternoon, when Ace flops down next to you on the Moby Dick’s deck, grinning.
“Hey,” he drawls, resting an arm behind his head “Miss me?”
You smirk “I saw you literally two hours ago.”
“That’s two hours too long.” He winks “Bet you were thinking about me the whole time.”
You hum, tilting your head “You really think that, huh?”
Ace chuckles “C’mon, you love me.”
You raise an eyebrow “Prove it.”
He blinks “Huh?”
You shift, leaning closer with a sly smile “You say all this stuff, Ace. You flirt, you tease... but are you actually serious?”
For the first time, he hesitates.
Just for a second, but it’s enough.
“…Of course I am,” he says, but his usual confidence isn’t all there.
You smirk “Then show me.”
Before he can react, you grab his hat, his precious hat, and plop it onto your own head.
Ace short-circuits.
“Oi! That’s...!” He reaches for it instinctively but stops mid-motion, staring at you.
You tilt the brim with a smirk “What? You said you liked me, right?”
Ace swallows “Y-Yeah?”
“Then just take it back.”
You expect him to snatch it back playfully.
What you don’t expect is for Ace to grin, eyes flickering with mischief, and suddenly tackle you onto the deck.
You yelp as he hovers over you, forearms braced on either side of your head.
The crew whoops in the background, but neither of you pay them any attention.
Ace smirks down at you “You think you’re funny, huh?”
You grin “A little.”
Ace shakes his head, chuckling, but then his expression softens.
He reaches up, tilts the hat back just enough to see your face properly.
And then without thinking he leans down and kisses you.
It’s grinning into the kiss kind of playful. It’s warm and teasing but full of something deeper.
And when he pulls back, face way too close, he murmurs “Now you gotta prove it.”
Your heart races.
You don’t back down. Instead, you tug him down by his necklace and kiss him again.
This time, Ace melts.
When you finally break apart, Ace huffs out a breathless laugh.
“Well,” he grins “Guess you do love me.”
You roll your eyes “Shut up.”
But you don’t stop him when he kisses you one more time.
Because, honestly?
He’s right.
── .✦ Sabo:
Sabo is easy to be around.
He’s kind, smart, and always ready to listen. He laughs at your jokes, never forgets your favorite things, and somehow always knows when you need him.
So it’s no surprise that you spend a lot of time together.
But apparently, the way you act around him is a little… suspicious.
It starts when you’re walking through the Revolutionary Army base with Koala.
“So,” she says casually “when are you and Sabo going to make it official?”
You nearly trip over your own feet “What?!”
Koala grins “Come on, don’t play dumb. You two already act like a couple.”
You scoff “No, we don’t.”
She raises an eyebrow “Oh really? Who’s the first person Sabo looks for when he gets back from a mission?”
“…Me.”
“Who’s the only person he lets borrow his gloves?”
“…Me.”
“And who’s the only one he lets fall asleep on his shoulder without complaining?”
You open your mouth, but nothing comes out.
Because—oh.
Oh.
Koala smirks “See what I mean?”
You shake your head “That doesn’t mean anything. We’re just close.”
She shrugs “If you say so.”
But now, you can’t stop thinking about it. You start noticing things, like how Sabo always finds a reason to sit next to you during meals, or how he reaches out to fix your collar or tuck your hair behind your ear like it’s normal, or how he always makes sure you have a blanket when you fall asleep at your desk, even though no one else gets that treatment.
And the worst part?
Now that you’re paying attention, everyone else is too.
“I swear, it’s like they’re married” one soldier mutters.
“They finish each other’s sentences” another whispers.
“Bet they don’t even realize” someone else chuckles.
You groan and drop your head onto the table.
Sabo, sitting beside you, blinks “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing” you mumble.
He frowns, then wordlessly slides his drink toward you.
You stare at it “…Did you just give me your drink?”
He shrugs “You like it more than I do.”
You glance around. Several soldiers are watching now, smirking.
Slowly, you push the drink back to him.
Sabo looks confused “You don’t want it?”
Your face burns “Nope. I’m fine.”
He tilts his head, then shrugs and takes a sip.
The others snicker.
You sigh.
Later that night, you sit beside him on the rooftop, watching the stars.
“Sabo,” you say carefully “do we… act like a couple?”
He hums “Why?”
“People keep saying we do.”
Sabo leans back on his hands, thinking. Then he smiles “I guess I can see why.”
Your heart skips a beat “You can?”
“Well, we’re always together,” he says easily “I trust you more than anyone. You take care of me, I take care of you. Feels normal.”
You stare at him “That’s… kind of a couple thing, don’t you think?”
Sabo looks at you for a long moment. Then he smirks.
“Well,” he says, voice teasing but gentle “do you want it to be?”
Your breath catches.
And suddenly, the answer seems obvious.
Sabo has always been easy to be around.
You never have to force a conversation. Never have to second-guess his presence.
He’s just there, a steady warmth beside you, the hand that always steadies your back when you walk through the Revolutionary camp, the person you find yourself naturally leaning against when you’re tired.
And the thing is?
He never pulls away.
Even now, sitting beside you near the fire after a long day, his arm rests lightly along the back of your seat. Close enough to feel, but not demanding.
It’s natural.
But tonight, something’s different.
There’s a quiet between you, not uncomfortable, but charged with something unsaid.
You don’t know who moves first, but suddenly your head is resting against his shoulder, and instead of shifting away, Sabo just exhales softly, tilting his head against yours.
You close your eyes, feeling the warmth of him, the steady rise and fall of his breathing.
“…I like this” you murmur, barely thinking.
Sabo hums “Me too” A pause. Then... “I always have.”
Your heart stutters.
Slowly, you lift your head, turning just enough to meet his gaze.
His expression is calm, too calm, like he’s waiting for you to understand something he’s known for a long time.
And you do.
Because of course it was always him.
You don’t say anything. You don’t need to.
Instead, you reach up, gently tracing your fingers along his jaw.
Sabo closes his eyes briefly at the touch before opening them again, watching you with something unreadable, something deep.
Then, without hesitation, he leans in.
The kiss is slow, certain.
It’s not rushed, not desperate because this was never a question.
It was always going to be this.
When you part, Sabo lingers, his forehead resting against yours.
His hand finds yours, fingers lacing together easily.
“…Feels like we should’ve done that a long time ago” he murmurs, lips brushing against yours.
You smile “Maybe. But I think we got here at the right time.”
Sabo chuckles softly, squeezing your hand “Yeah. I think so too.”
And when he kisses you again, it feels like something that was simply meant to be.
in a way or another, accidentally or not, they end up making fake proposals...
characters: luffy, zoro, sanji, ace, law and shanks
a/n: put my whole heart for the shanks one and now I feel lonely af lmao
words count: around 0.6k - 1.9k each
masterlist || ao3 || ko-fi
── .✦ Monkey D. Luffy:
The smell of grilled fish and sizzling meats fills the air as you and Luffy settle into your seats at a bustling restaurant by the shore. The place is packed, laughter and chatter surrounding you as waiters move between tables carrying plates stacked high with food.
Luffy is already bouncing in his chair, eyes darting between different dishes on the menu. He’s practically vibrating with excitement.
“Oi, look at this!” He shoves the menu in your face, pointing at a special section “‘Lovebird Feast’, free dessert for nearly married couples! That’s awesome! I want it!!”
You snort, pushing the menu back down “You’d fake a whole marriage just for free food?”
Luffy tilts his head like it’s the most obvious thing in the world “Duh! Free food’s free food! It's always the most delicious.”
Before you can protest, he’s already turning to the nearest waiter, waving them down enthusiastically, “Hey! We want the lovebird thingy!”
The waiter, a woman with a kind smile, gasps in excitement “Oh! How wonderful! Congratulations, you two!”
You open your mouth to correct her “Stop Luffy, we’re not—“ but Luffy is already jumping ahead.
“Shishishi! We aren’t yet but I’ll do it right now!”
Wait what?!
He suddenly slides out of his chair and drops onto one knee in front of you. The entire restaurant seems to hush. A few heads turn. Somewhere in the back, a musician starts playing soft romantic music.
Oh. Oh no.
Luffy grabs your hand, grinning up at you like he’s having the time of his life “Y/N! We’ve been on so many adventures together, and you always give me food, and you’re really fun to be around!” His grip tightens “So, do you want to marry me?”
The restaurant erupts. People cheer, clapping and whistling like this is the most romantic thing they’ve ever seen.
Your face burns.
This idiot! He didn’t even try to make it sound real!
Still, two can play at this game.
You bring a hand to your chest, gasping dramatically “Luffy, I—I don’t know what to say!” You blink rapidly, pretending to fight back tears “This is so sudden! But...” You clasp his hands in yours, shaking them for extra effect “Yes! A thousand times yes!”
The cheering gets louder. Someone throws flower petals over you. The musician in the back picks up the tempo.
Luffy beams, bouncing to his feet “AWESOME! Now where’s the food?”
The waiter, practically swooning, claps her hands together “Right away, sir! And don’t worry, your Lovebird Feast comes with our cutest personalised decorations, so give us a moment and we’ll get it to you”
Luffy turns to you, grinning ear to ear “See? Told ya it’d work!”
You pinch the bridge of your nose, trying so hard not to laugh “You’re impossible.”
A few minutes later, your table is overflowing with steaming plates of grilled seafood, buttery rolls, and a massive chocolate cake that says Congratulations, Lovebirds! in fancy frosting and two small drawings of your caricatures with hearts around them.
Luffy digs in immediately, stuffing his face with meat and laughing between bites “Man, this was such a good idea! Maybe we should do it again at another restaurant!”
You snort, shaking your head “What, you gonna propose to me at every place we eat now?”
He swallows a mouthful of food and grins “Maybe! You’d say yes every time, right?”
Your heart stumbles over itself for a second, but you quickly recover “Only if there’s free food involved, I guess.”
Luffy laughs, shoving another piece of cake into his mouth “Then it’s a deal!”
You roll your eyes, but you can’t stop smiling. Even if it was fake, and even if he only did it for the food…
You kinda wouldn’t mind hearing him say those words again.
Maybe for real, next time.
You’re now on your way back to the ship and just thinking about telling everyone what happened makes you laugh.
“What are you laughin at?” Luffy asks while bouncing his own belly.
“Sanji’s gonna hate us when we’ll tell him what we did to get free food…” you laugh more.
Luffy suddenly stops and you turn to see what’s going on with him. Only to see him trying to mimic Sanji’s face and expression, “Food isn’t a game!! And why did you use my y/n for your stupid plan?!?”.
You start laughing so hard that your stomach starts to hurt.
“Let’s make a bet Y/N… I bet he’s gonna say the exact same words I said just now” he says putting his hand in front of you.
“Mmh okay. I bet he’s going to say something like ‘How dare you propose to Y/N before me!!!’”
Luffy smiles and “That’s a good one. What do you want if ya win?”
Oh, now this is a hard question… What do you want?
Then an idea pop up in your mind.
“If I win I’ll be the captain for one day!” You say smiling proudly at your own mind, imagining already the things you could do and make Luffy do as his Captain.
“Shishishi, that’s a good one. Okay. But if I win… we’re gonna get a real ring your size for the next time!” His eyes close as his smile widens even more, “So? Deal?”
You heart start beating so fast that you’re bearing breathing.
Why?
Why does he want a ring?
And why is he planning on proposing again?
Then you snap out of your thoughts as you hear his laugh again. You look at his hand in front of you, waiting to be shaken.
“Deal…” you say as you now shake his hand.
Back to the Thousand Sunny the first thing Luffy does is looking for Sanji and tell him everything that happened, excluding the bet part of course.
He even mimicked the expressions the waiters and waitresses had while he was proposing.
Then, after a moment of shock and as you were anticipating, Sanji finally speaks “Mon Dieu , food isn’t a game, idiot! And why did you use my precious Y/N for your dumb game…”
“Oh, you lost Y/N. Now we’ll get a ring!!” Luffy smiles at you, ignoring the way Sanji stopped his desperate act just to look at him like he murdered someone.
You blush hard, not being able to even say a word.
“WHAT RING NOW? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? Y/N STOP LAUGHING, THE IDIOT IS BEING SERIOUS!!”
Sanji keeps trying to stop both you and Luffy, but honestly?
You wouldn’t mind getting proposed again, and who knows maybe with the ring it will feel real.
And you don’t mind it at all.
── .✦ Roronoa Zoro:
Zoro knew coming here was a mistake.
The restaurant is way too fancy for his taste, golden chandeliers, white tablecloths, expensive plates that look like they belong in a museum. The portions are tiny, the waiters have that I’m better than you attitude, and worst of all… Sanji recommended it.
You, however, are having a great time.
You sip your drink, smiling at the romantic ambiance, while Zoro sulks across from you, arms crossed, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else.
“This place is nice” you hum.
Zoro scoffs “Tch. Feels like a prison.”
You roll your eyes, about to retort, when his fork suddenly slips off the table. With a sigh, Zoro pushes his chair back and kneels down to grab it.
And that’s when it happens.
A loud gasp echoes through the restaurant.
The soft clinking of silverware stops. Conversations halt. The waiter carrying a tray of wine nearly drops it.
Zoro freezes, fork in hand.
“…What the hell?” he mutters.
You glance around and immediately see the problem. The entire restaurant is staring at him, some people are covering their mouths, others are tearing up, and the woman at the table next to you whispers excitedly to her date “omg look, he’s proposing!”
They think he’s proposing...
Your lips twitch. Oh, this is gold.
Zoro must realize it too, because he slowly looks up at you, processing the situation. The restaurant waits with bated breath. You see the exact moment he decides to roll with it.
Still kneeling, he sighs dramatically and reaches for your hand instead of his fork.
“Guess there’s no backing out now” he says flatly.
A chorus of awws sweeps through the restaurant. Someone sniffles.
You bite your lip, holding back laughter. If Zoro’s gonna pull this, you might as well make him suffer.
So, with your most dramatic expression, you gasp, bringing a hand to your chest “Zoro! Is this—” You choke up for effect “Is this really happening?”
Zoro glares at you, silently daring you to push further.
You do.
You blink rapidly, pretending to fight back tears “I—I never thought this day would come!” You squeeze his hand, voice trembling “Ever since I first saw you, I knew—” You pause, just to let the anticipation build “that you were the love of my life!”
A woman two tables down bursts into tears.
Zoro’s jaw tightens. His ears are definitely red now. But he won’t let you win so easily.
He lets out a long, exaggerated sigh, rubbing the back of his neck “Yeah… you know, it’s been real annoying, carrying this ring around for so long.”
Your eyes widen. Oh, he did NOT just—
The restaurant collectively gasps again. Even the chef peeks out from the kitchen.
Zoro still doesn’t have a ring, so the bastard reaches over, plucks a tiny onion ring off his plate, and slides it onto your finger.
“There,” he says, smirking “You happy now?”
You nearly choke on air.
The restaurant erupts. Cheers. Clapping. Someone throws flower petals. A waiter rushes forward with champagne.
You need to end this. Fast.
So, with all the enthusiasm of a dramatic soap opera heroine, you throw yourself into Zoro’s arms, hugging him tightly.
“YES! A MILLION TIMES YES!”
The place loses it. Some guy at the bar is sobbing. The waiter brings out a massive cake with Congratulations! written in fancy chocolate drizzle. The restaurant manager himself personally congratulates you.
You and Zoro finally lock eyes, both of you struggling to keep a straight face.
Still holding you, he leans down, voice low enough for only you to hear.
“You are so dead after this” he mutters.
You grin “Worth it.”
Zoro sighs, but there’s amusement in his expression. He still hasn’t let go of your waist, and for a second, the noise around you fades, the restaurant blurring into the background.
His thumb brushes against your hip.
“You really wanna sell this?” he murmurs.
You raise a brow “What are you—”
And then he kisses you.
It’s quick, barely more than a brush of lips, but it still shuts you up completely. Your breath catches as the warmth of him lingers, his grip firm and steady as if grounding himself.
Then he pulls back, smirking at your stunned expression “Figured we had to make it convincing.”
The crowd loses it again. Someone pops open a bottle of wine. The cheering is deafening.
Zoro slides back into his seat, reaching for his drink like nothing happened, while you just stare at him. Your face is burning, your heart racing.
Did he... did he really just...
“Oi,” he calls, snapping you out of your thoughts. He nods toward your plate “Eat. We scammed our way into this food, might as well enjoy it.”
You pick up your fork numbly, still processing.
Later that night, walking back to the Sunny, still slightly tipsy from the free champagne, Zoro shakes his head, chuckling.
“You’re the worst.”
“And yet, you still went along with it” you tease.
He gives you a sideways glance, smirking “Yeah, well… guess I’d propose to you eventually anyway.”
You trip.
Zoro catches you easily, steadying you with a firm grip, and when he helps you up, he doesn’t let go of your hand right away.
Your heart does something stupid.
“…You serious?” you murmur.
Zoro just smirks, squeezing your hand and giving you a quick peck on your lips before letting go.
“Guess you’ll have to wait and see, idiot.”
── .✦ Sanji:
Sunlight spills over the ocean, turning the water into shimmering gold as the sea breeze carries the scent of freshly baked pastries. The café you and Sanji are at is charming, small round tables with white tablecloths, elegant teacups, and a dessert display so tempting even you had to stop and admire it before sitting down.
Sanji, as always, is in his element. He leans back in his chair, cigarette between his fingers, looking completely at ease as he watches the waves roll in. He’s been extra flirty today, not that it’s anything new, but there’s something almost mischievous about his smile as he rests his chin on his hand, eyes locked on you.
“You look stunning today, mon amour.”
You snort, sipping your drink “You’ve said that three times already.”
“And I’ll say it a hundred more if it makes you smile” he replies smoothly, winking.
You roll your eyes but can’t hide the way your lips twitch upward. Hopeless flirt.
A waiter suddenly approaches your table, setting down a small menu “Would you two be interested in our Eternal Love Special? It comes with a complimentary dessert for newly engaged couples.”
Sanji’s brows lift, and immediately, you see the dangerous glint in his eyes.
You raise a hand, ready to shut this down “Oh, we’re not—”
Sanji reaches across the table and gently takes your hand in his, cutting you off completely.
“Ma chérie” he sighs, looking at you with the softest, most heartfelt expression you’ve ever seen “I’ve been waiting for the perfect moment to do this.”
Then he quickly turns to the waiter “Thank you, I took it as a sign to finally do what I was planning for months now”
Your brain short-circuits.
Wait. WAIT.
The waiter gasps. The couple at the next table stops mid-bite. A hush falls over the café as all eyes turn to the two of you.
You know Sanji. You know this is fake. But the way he’s looking at you, the warmth in his eyes, the way his thumb gently strokes the back of your hand, it feels real.
You swallow hard “Sanji—”
He stands up, gracefully stepping around the table before lowering himself onto one knee. The sunlight catches his golden hair, framing him like something out of a damn romance novel.
“From the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you were special,” he says, voice smooth as silk “Your laughter is my favorite melody, your kindness is my greatest treasure, and every day with you is sweeter than the finest dessert.”
Someone sniffs. You don’t dare look away, afraid your own face might betray you.
Sanji reaches into his pocket, and for a horrifying second, you think he might actually have a ring... He pulls out a thin silver napkin ring from the table setting.
The café erupts into cheers. Someone claps. A woman dabs at her eyes with a handkerchief. The waiter looks about two seconds away from fainting.
Sanji takes your hand, slipping the napkin ring onto your finger with such tenderness that your heart physically aches.
“Tell me, my love,” he murmurs, his voice low and teasing, but with an edge of something more “Will you make me the happiest man in the world?”
You could end this now. Laugh it off, tell everyone it’s fake, and move on.
…But where’s the fun in that?
You inhale sharply, pressing a hand to your chest like you just can’t believe this is happening “Sanji, I—” You let your voice waver for dramatic effect “Of course! Yes!”
The café erupts. Cheers, applause, a waiter brings out a fancy chocolate cake with “Congratulations, Lovebirds!” written in delicate script.
Sanji presses a lingering kiss to the back of your hand before rising to his feet. He leans in, his breath warm against your ear.
“You play dirty, sweetheart” he murmurs.
You smirk up at him “Right back at you.”
The two of you sit back down, and while Sanji smoothly dives into his slice of cake, you… you can’t stop staring at him. Your heart is still racing. He’s been teasing you for so long, but this felt different.
And maybe the little gleam in his eyes says he knows it too.
Sanji casually picks up his fork, cutting into his cake as if he hasn’t just dropped a bombshell in the middle of the café. But there’s something different about the way he looks at you now, a quiet intensity behind his smirk.
You, on the other hand, are trying your best to keep your composure, but your heart is still fluttering uncontrollably. That was not part of the act, you think, biting your lip.
“So,” you begin, trying to regain some semblance of control over your thoughts, “you think I’ll just say ‘yes’ to a napkin ring?”
Sanji grins like a cat who’s just gotten the cream “Only if you’re truly as smitten with me as I am with you,” he teases, his voice dripping with charm “Was that not the most romantic proposal you’ve ever heard?”
You blink at him. That damn smirk. It’s hard to keep a straight face when he’s so pleased with himself.
“Romantic?” You arch an eyebrow, playing along “More like cheesy, Sanji. I mean, come on... napkin ring? Really?”
He chuckles, brushing a lock of hair behind his ear “It’s not the ring that matters, my dear. It’s the gesture.” He winks, leaning back in his chair, looking completely smug now that the moment has passed “Besides, I’m sure I’ll get you a real one soon enough. Once I find the perfect one.”
You blink at him again, still processing how he just seamlessly went from a joke proposal to something that feels strangely serious. Did he mean it?
Before you can dwell on it too much, the waiter returns with another plate, this time with a much larger piece of cake.
Sanji’s eyes light up “Ah, my favorite!” He takes the plate and picks up his fork, but before taking a bite, he looks at you again, that same intensity in his gaze.
“So,” he says, his voice suddenly more quiet, more sincere “did you like it? The proposal, I mean. I know it was a little… unorthodox.”
You’re caught off guard by the seriousness of his tone. He’s not teasing you now, not putting on that flirty act he does so well. His gaze is soft, like he’s searching for your answer, his expression almost vulnerable.
You bite your lip, fighting back the heat creeping up your neck “I...” You hesitate for a moment, unsure of what to say. You want to tease him, but there’s something there in his eyes “It was… unexpected” you finally say, your voice softening “But… sweet, I guess.”
Sanji’s lips curl into a grin again, but this time, it’s gentler, less playful and more genuine. “You know, you’re the only woman I’d do something this stupid for.” He leans closer, his voice dropping even lower, his breath warm against your ear “So, maybe... just maybe, you know... when the time is right, I’ll actually make it real.”
Your heart skips a beat, and your breath catches in your throat. You can’t tell if he’s joking or if this is one of his moments of sincerity. But then, the way his hand brushes against yours as he pulls back from the table feels like something more.
You stare at him, and he meets your gaze, his blue eyes twinkling with something you can’t quite place.
Before you can say anything, Sanji’s finger gently taps the napkin ring on your finger, the little silver band now feeling strangely significant “Just wait,” he says softly, “the real proposal will be a thousand times more romantic. And you’ll be the one telling me yes.”
You smile, feeling a warmth spread through your chest at the thought, knowing he’s both serious and playful, making you realize that, despite all the teasing and drama, he does mean it. And maybe, just maybe, you’re a little bit more excited about the idea than you want to admit.
“You better keep that promise, chef” you reply softly, your voice almost teasing, but with a genuine undercurrent that you both recognize.
Sanji leans back in his chair, clearly pleased with himself “I’ll hold you to it, mon amour. You’ll see. I’m a man of my word.”
And as the two of you continue eating, the quiet intimacy that lingers between you both speaks volumes. Even if the proposal was a joke, the feelings beneath it were anything but a joke.
── .✦ Portgas D. Ace:
The crew is in the midst of celebrating their latest victory, mugs of rum and plates of food scattered across the long table. Everyone is laughing and teasing each other, the air thick with camaraderie and joy. Ace is leaning against the railing, surrounded by his crew, his usual playful energy filling the space.
You’re off to the side, chatting quietly with Marco, enjoying the rare peace amidst the rowdy celebration.
“Looks like everyone’s having a good time” you say, smiling as you watch the crew’s antics.
“Yeah,” Marco replies, “they definitely need moments like this. It’s been a while since we’ve had a reason to really celebrate.” He glances at you, a soft smile on his lips.
Meanwhile, Ace is leaning over the table, listening to the crew, and you notice the mischievous glint in his eyes as he exchanges a few words with Thatch. The two of them laugh, and you can see Ace’s trademark grin forming.
Suddenly, someone’s voice rises above the others, slurring slightly from the alcohol “Hey, Ace!” he shouts, clearly a little tipsy “I dare you to do something! You’re always pulling pranks, it’s your turn!”
Ace smirks and looks over at them, his eyes flicking to the rest of the crew who eagerly start egging him on “What do you have in mind?” he asks, leaning in as if he’s genuinely curious.
The others grin at each other, clearly having had too many drinks “I dare you to propose to Y/N, right now!”
The crew erupts into laughter, clearly loving the idea. You’re still talking to Marco and don’t hear it, unaware of the dare.
You turn around, confused, just as Ace, with his usual confidence, strides over to you. His eyes lock onto yours, and his smirk widens, his posture already dramatic as he drops to one knee in front of you.
“Y/N,” he says, his voice loud and theatrical, “will you marry me?”
The entire crew gasps and then bursts into laughter. You freeze, completely caught off guard.
For a split second your heart skips a beat, but then you notice the glint in his eyes. He’s teasing. It’s the same playful look he always has when he’s messing with someone.
You swallow hard, trying to laugh it off “Ace, what are you—”
But before you can finish your sentence, Ace stands up quickly, his grin widening as he grabs your shoulder and laughs loudly “Haha, come on! I’m just kidding! You know me!”
The crew, still in fits of laughter, cheers him on, but your heart sinks. You feel embarrassed, and the sudden realization hits you hard. You knew it was just another one of his jokes but for some reason, this one stings more than the others. You’re left standing there, staring at him, feeling both foolish and hurt.
“Ace…” you start, your voice quiet and suddenly trembling with a mixture of anger and something deeper. You can’t put your finger on it, but it feels like your heart’s being pulled in two directions.
Ace notices the change in your tone and looks at you, the playful glint in his eyes dimming for a moment as if he’s unsure of what’s happening “Hey, come on. It was just for fun, right?” He chuckles, brushing it off, but there’s something in his voice now, a hint of unease that wasn’t there before.
You force a smile “Yeah, sure, just for fun” you say, but your voice cracks slightly. You quickly turn away from him, walking off toward the edge of the ship, away from the crew and the laughter. You don’t want to face anyone right now, not Ace, not anyone.
Ace calls after you, but you don’t look back. You can feel his gaze on your back, but you don’t know if you’re ready to face the playful tone that always comes with his jokes. You’re hurt, and you can’t tell if it’s because you really thought he was serious for a moment or because it felt like he didn’t take your feelings into account.
The sound of the crew’s laughter is still behind you, but it feels distant now. You rest your hands on the cold metal of the ship’s railing, staring out at the dark, endless sea, trying to breathe through the hurt.
“Hey,” Ace’s voice suddenly cuts through the night air. You hadn’t realized he was following you. His playful tone gone, replaced by something softer, maybe even regretful “I’m sorry if I upset you. I didn’t mean to.”
You shake your head, not turning to face him “It’s fine, Ace. Just... just go back to the crew. I don’t want to make a scene.”
There’s a long silence, and you can feel him standing behind you, still close, but not daring to push further. You can hear the deep sigh he lets out.
“You know I mess around a lot, right?” Ace says quietly, after a beat “But that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you.”
Ace seems to sense your hesitation, and he steps a little closer.
“I was just having fun with the guys,” he continues, his voice low, almost apologetic now “I didn’t think it would upset you. I’m sorry. If you want to talk about it… I’m here.”
You take a deep breath, trying to push back the frustration that’s built up in you. You hate how vulnerable you feel, too exposed. But you can’t let him see that, not right now.
“I just need some space” you reply quietly.
There’s another long pause before you hear him step back and you finally allow yourself to breathe a little easier. Ace doesn’t push you any further. You hear his footsteps retreat, but you know he’s still watching you, waiting, just in case you need him.
You know Ace didn’t mean to hurt you. You know he’s always been like this reckless, playful, always laughing things off. But tonight, it felt different.
Why did it bother me so much?
You hear footsteps behind you again, slower this time, more hesitant. You sigh “Ace, I said I needed some space—”
“It’s not Ace.”
You turn and find Marco standing there, arms crossed.
“You okay?” he asks, but his sharp eyes tell you he already knows the answer.
You manage a small, tired smile “Do I look okay?”
Marco huffs a soft laugh “Not really.” He steps beside you, leaning against the railing. For a moment, the two of you just stand there in silence.
Finally, he speaks again “Ace is an idiot.”
You let out a surprised laugh, though it’s weaker than usual “Yeah, tell me something I don’t know.”
Marco tilts his head slightly, watching you “But he’s not heartless” he continues “He cares about you more than he probably realizes. And right now, he’s sitting over there, looking like a kicked puppy because he knows he messed up.”
Your fingers tighten on the railing “I know he didn’t mean to hurt me, Marco. But…” You hesitate, feeling vulnerable “I guess it just stung more than I expected. He laughed it off like it was nothing.”
Marco hums in understanding “Because to him, it was just a joke. But to you… it wasn’t.”
You don’t reply, but you know he’s right. Even if you hadn’t admitted it to yourself before, a small part of you had wanted it to be real.
Marco pushes off the railing and pats your shoulder lightly “You don’t have to talk to him yet if you don’t want to. But if you do…” He glances toward the other side of the ship, where Ace is sitting on a barrel, staring down at his drink, barely touching it. His usual carefree energy is gone “He’s waiting.”
You hesitate. A part of you still wants to be mad. But another part, the part that cares too much, wants to hear what more he has to say.
With a deep breath, you push off the railing and make your way toward him.
Ace notices you immediately, his head snapping up, eyes widening slightly. He doesn’t grin this time, doesn’t make a joke. He just watches you cautiously, like he’s bracing himself.
You stop a few steps away “Hey.”
Ace exhales, setting his drink down “Hey...” He looks uncertain, which is rare for him “Can I...” He hesitates “Can I talk to you?”
You nod and sit down on the crate across from him. He looks relieved but still fidgety, rubbing the back of his neck like he’s trying to figure out what to say.
After a long pause, he finally speaks “I didn’t think, okay?” His voice is quieter than usual, missing its usual cocky edge “I didn’t think about how it would feel for you. I was just messing around with the crew, and when they dared me, I just… went with it. I didn’t mean for it to be a joke at your expense.”
You cross your arms “Then why did you laugh it off like that?”
Ace winces slightly “Because… I panicked.”
That catches you off guard “Panicked?”
He lets out a slow breath and runs a hand through his messy black hair “Yeah. Because for a second, when I was kneeling there, looking at you, it didn’t feel like a joke anymore” He pauses, his voice dropping lower “And that scared the hell out of me.”
He looks at your confused face, and for once, there’s no teasing in his eyes. Just raw honesty.
“I mean…” He rubs his face, frustrated with himself “I mean that maybe it wasn’t just a joke to me, either.”
The world seems to tilt slightly. Your breath catches, and you stare at him, trying to process his words.
Ace sighs, leaning forward, resting his forearms on his knees “I don’t know how to say this the right way. I’ve never been good at this kind of thing. But you—” He exhales sharply “You matter to me. More than I probably let on. And when I saw how upset you were, I realized that I really, really don’t want to lose you.”
You swallow thickly, your emotions all tangled up “Ace…”
He leans back, giving you a small, hesitant smile “I won’t joke about something like that again. I swear. But…” He rubs the back of his neck “If—if I ever did propose… I’d want it to be real.”
For a long moment, you don’t speak. You’re still mad. Still hurt. But beneath all of that, there’s a warmth spreading through your chest, something dangerously close to hope.
Finally, you shake your head and stand up. Ace tenses, as if expecting you to walk away again.
Instead, you go closer. And before you can overthink it, you grab the front of his shirt and tug him down into a kiss.
Ace freezes for a second, caught completely off guard. But then he melts into it, his hands finding your waist, holding you like he’s afraid you’ll slip away. The kiss is slow, uncertain at first, but then it deepens, warm, real, full of everything you haven’t been able to put into words.
When you finally pull away, Ace blinks at you, completely dazed “...Whoa.”
You smirk, your heart still racing “No jokes this time?”
He grins, breathless “No jokes.”
You roll your eyes but smile anyway “Good.”
Ace watches you for a moment, then his grin softens into something more genuine “So… does this mean you forgive me?”
You pretend to think about it “Hmm. I dunno. Maybe you should actually try proposing for real and see how I feel.”
His eyes widen, and you laugh at the way he suddenly looks flustered. But the warmth in his expression tells you that maybe, just maybe, that day isn’t as far off as you once thought.
── .✦ Trafalgar D. Law:
The ballroom is suffocating in its elegance, gold chandeliers, velvet curtains, and nobles dressed in the finest silks. Conversations flow with laughter, political gossip, and expensive wine. You navigate the crowd effortlessly, your arm looped around Law’s as the two of you blend in among the guests.
This is just another mission.
Your goal this time is to gather intel on the underground auction happening later tonight. And to do so, you have to pretend to be a wealthy couple and gain access to informations. Tonight you are Law’s fiancée.
“You’re tense” Law murmurs beside you, barely moving his lips.
You glare up at him, keeping a pleasant smile for the guests “Maybe because I’m still processing how I went from ‘crewmate’ to ‘fake fiancée.’”
He hums “Would you rather be my wife?”
You elbow him discreetly, and he chuckles under his breath.
“Ah, you're Torao, right?” a nobleman approaches with a warm smile and glass in hand, but Law suddently snorts at the name already planning on getting revenge to however was supposed to arrange a fake name for him... you try your best to not laugh “And who is this stunning young woman?”
Before you can even open your mouth, Law speaks smoothly.
“My fiancée”
You freeze for just a fraction of a second, but you recover quickly, forcing a demure smile as the nobleman’s eyes widen in delight.
“Oh, my! I had no idea you were engaged! Congratulations!”
More nobles turn their attention toward you both, excited murmurs rippling through the crowd. You barely resist the urge to shoot Law a look, because you figured he’d introduce you as a partner or companion, but fiancée? That just complicate things.
You manage to slip away after a few more introdutions, excusing yourself to get a drink and some air. Meanwhile, Law stays behind, sipping his wine in silence.
That’s when an older noblewoman leans in conspiratorially.
“You know,” she hums, swirling her drink, “I couldn’t help but notice something peculiar.”
Law barely reacts “Oh?”
She grins “She’s not wearing a ring.”
His fingers tighten subtly around his glass.
Another noble nods “Yes, rather unusual for an engagement, don’t you think?”
A dozen responses flash through Law’s mind, he could say something like it’s being resized, or that you don’t like wearing jewelry. But instead, for reasons even he doesn’t fully understand, the words that come out are, “I have a ring.”
The noblewoman’s eyes sparkle “Oh? Then why isn’t she wearing it?”
Law exhales through his nose “I was planning to propose soon.”
The group of nobles collectively gasps.
“Tonight?!”
Law immediately regrets his words.
“Oh, how romantic!” one woman gushes “You must do it here!”
Law resists the urge to teleport himself out of this conversation, but when he turns, he sees you making your way back, completely oblivious to the trap he just walked into. And something shifts inside him, because in his pocket, there is a ring. Your exact size.
He never planned to use it. He doesn’t even fully understand why he bought it in the first place. Maybe it was impulse, or maybe it was something deeper, something he refuses to acknowledge.
But now he stands. The room falls silent.
You slow your steps, eyes flicking to him in confusion “What...”
And then he kneels.
Your heart stops.
The nobles erupt into cheers.
Law looks up at you as he pulls out the ring.
Your breath catches.
Why is he doing this? Why does he have that?
Law exhales, his voice quieter now, just for you.
“y/n,” he says, his fingers brushing against yours, “marry me.”
There’s no teasing in his tone. No playfulness. Just Law, holding your hand, holding a ring he never intended to actually reveal, and looking at you like he means every single word.
The entire ballroom is silent, every noble watching with excitement. Somewhere in the distance, someone murmurs about how romantic this is, but all you can hear is the rushing in your ears, the unsteady rhythm of your breathing... because Law is holding a ring. Your exact size. And for he looks like he actually means it.
Your mouth opens, but no words come out.
Law exhales softly, gaze unreadable. His fingers ghost over yours as he holds the ring between them, and you swear you feel a slight tremor.
“Uhm... say yes” he murmurs, voice too low for anyone else to hear.
Your breath catches “What?”
His fingers tighten around your hand, almost imperceptibly “Say yes...” he repeats, softer this time.
You swallow hard. You know this is a performance. Something must have happened while you weren't there and he's doing all this to keep up the cover and complete the mission. But something in the way he’s looking at you, so calm, so sure, makes your throat tighten.
You force yourself to move, to push away the whirlwind of emotions threatening to consume you.
“…Yes.”
The second the word leaves your lips, the room erupts. Cheers, applause, laughters, as the nobles celebrate.
Law stands smoothly, still holding your hand, and in one fluid motion, he slides the ring onto your finger.
A perfect fit.
Your chest tightens.
Why do you have this? you want to ask. Why do you have my size? Why does this feel real?
But instead, you let him pull you closer, his fingers resting lightly against your waist as someone shouts “The kiss! You have to seal it with a kiss!”
Your stomach flips violently. You glance up at Law, expecting him to show hesitation, annoyance... anything.
But his expression remains unreadable.
He exhales quietly, as if resigning himself to what comes next. Then, in one smooth movement, he cups your face, his calloused fingers brushing against your jaw.
His lips press against yours as the world blurs.
It’s soft at first, gentle, the perfect display for an adoring fiancé. But then his fingers slide into your hair, pulling you a fraction closer, and something shifts.
The air between you crackles, the warmth of his body pressing into yours. Your fingers clutch at his suit, unsure whether to push him away or pull him closer.
It doesn’t feel fake, not even for a second, and that breaks you.
When he finally pulls away, the crowd is ecstatic, clapping and cheering. You barely register them.
Law leans in, his forehead nearly brushing yours.
“You okay?” he murmurs, voice just for you.
You’re not. Not even close. But you have to force a smirk, masking the confusion, the longing, the ache in your chest.
“You’re a better actor than I thought” you whisper, trying to sound teasing, but it comes out unsteady.
His lips twitch slightly in almost a smirk.
And then, just as he turns to lead you away, his voice drops to a whisper.
“Am I acting?”
Your breath catches.
But before you can even process his words, he’s already pulling you through the crowd, his fingers brushing against yours.
“Come on,” he says “We still have a mission to finish.”
And just like that, the moment is gone.
The ring on your finger feels heavier than it should, and now you don’t know if you’ll ever be able to take it off.
── .✦ Shanks:
The Red-Haired Pirates are celebrating their recent success, the air filled with the sounds of laughter, clinking mugs, and music. You and Shanks are at the center of it all, the crew’s favorite couple. You’ve been together for a while now, everyone around you knows how close you two are. The bond you share is evident, whether you’re laughing together, sharing a drink, or pulling off your signature “fake proposal” routine at taverns to get free food.
Today was no different. You’d pulled off yet another hilarious fake proposal at a local tavern with Shanks dramatically getting down on one knee and you playing the blushing fiancée, and everyone else had completely fallen for it. The whole crew had watched from the sidelines, laughing at the reaction of other people around. You and Shanks had left the tavern with free drinks and a standing ovation, and now you’re back on the ship, basking in the afterglow of your latest successful scam.
The crew is still laughing, recalling the events from earlier.
“That was too good,” Yasopp says, slapping his knee as he chuckles “I swear, you two are getting better at this with every try.”
“Yeah, honestly, I almost thought it was real” Benn Beckman adds, leaning back in his chair.
You roll your eyes, trying to hide your smile “You guys are terrible” you tease, nudging Shanks playfully.
Shanks simply grins casually leaning against the railing of the ship as the crew continues to tease the two of you about your newer “engagement”. His eyes are full of mischief, the same spark you’ve always loved. But there’s something different tonight, they seem a little more serious, almost like he’s thinking about something far beyond the joke.
“You know...” Shanks starts, his voice quieter than usual, drawing your attention. The rest of the crew falls into a hushed silence, sensing something is about to shift “Maybe one day, we should do it for real.”
You blink, staring at him “What?” you ask, not sure if he’s still joking or if something else is going on.
Shanks smirks, but there’s a certain vulnerability in his gaze now that makes your heart skip a beat “I mean it. What would you say if I asked you for real one day? Like, if I asked you to marry me, what would you say?”
For a moment, everything around you goes still. The sounds of the crew’s laughter fade, and it’s just you and Shanks, standing there. You can see the sincerity in his eyes, something deeper than the usual playful teasing.
You feel a flutter in your chest as you meet his gaze, your breath catching in your throat. It’s clear he’s not messing around anymore.
“You really want to know?” you ask softly, your voice a little unsteady.
Shanks doesn’t break eye contact, his expression soft but steady “Yeah, I do.”
Your heart pounds in your chest. For a heartbeat, everything feels heavier... your emotions swirling as you take in the meaning behind his words. Then you smile, a warm, genuine smile. You take a deep breath, knowing what this means “Then ask me, and find out.”
Shanks’ lips curl into a gentle, tender smile, and for a moment, you think maybe he’s going to kiss you right then and there. But instead, he leans in slightly, lowering his voice.
“I’ll make you notice right away when it’s for real,” he says, his words full of affection “You’ll be so surprised when I’ll do it, you won’t even know what hit you.”
You laugh softly, a mix of emotions rushing through you “I can’t wait...” you say, your voice light but with a hint of excitement.
Without another word, Shanks pulls you closer, his arms wrapping around you as he presses his lips against yours in a slow, lingering kiss. You melt into it, the taste of his lips familiar and comforting, and for a moment, it feels like the rest of the world fades away.
The crew is watching you two, stunned into silence at first, but then the cheers start.
“Get a room!” Lucky Roux shouts with a laugh, and the rest of the crew joins in, clapping.
You pull back slightly, your forehead resting against Shanks’ as you both smile at the crew’s reaction. He gives you a playful wink, and you can’t help but chuckle.
“I’ll take that as a yes” he says softly, his grin full of mischief again.
“Yeah,” you reply with a smile, still feeling the warmth of his kiss on your lips “I kinda spoilered you my answer.”
The crew continues to laugh and tease, but you and Shanks know this moment is real. It might not have been an official proposal yet, but you both understand that when the time is right, he’ll ask, and you’ll say yes. For now, though, you’ll just enjoy this moment with him, the love between you two shining brighter than anything else.
And as the crew celebrates, you and Shanks share another kiss, a promise of what’s to come.
Shanks barely pulls away from your lips before a familiar glint of mischief sparks in his eyes. The crew is still laughing and whistling, throwing jabs about how disgustingly in love the two of you are, and you can practically see the gears turning in his head.
You know that look.
Before you can react, Shanks suddenly drops to one knee again, right there on the deck, holding out his empty hand like he’s presenting a ring.
“Alright, alright! Since the moment is so perfect... Y/N, will you make me the happiest pirate alive and marry me? For real this time?” His voice is exaggerated, his expression overly dramatic as he bats his lashes up at you.
The crew erupts, laughing and cheering like this is the best show they’ve ever seen. Some of them start slamming their mugs, chanting, “SAY YES! SAY YES!” Lucky Roux even tosses a handful of peanuts in the air like they’re flower petals.
Shanks is still kneeling, hand outstretched “Well?” he asks, tilting his head with a teasing grin “Are you gonna break my heart in front of my beloved crew, Y/N?”
You let out a dramatic sigh and step closer, leaning down just enough to flick his forehead.
The exaggerated thunk makes the crew howl with laughter.
Shanks rocks back like you’ve physically struck him, clutching his chest as if mortally wounded “Rejected… just like that?” he gasps, looking up at you with the most pathetic pout you’ve ever seen “You didn’t even consider it? Not even for a second?”
You shake your head, grinning “Oh, shut up. If I say yes to every proposal of yours, we’d be married a hundred times over by now. I can’t accept two in just one day.”
The crew explodes into laughter again, slamming their mugs together, completely losing it over the ridiculousness of it all.
“I think this is the first time Shanks has ever been turned down,” Yasopp says, wiping tears from his eyes “Somebody write this down, it’s history in the making!”
Shanks, still on one knee, sighs dramatically before looking up at you with a lopsided grin “Guess I’ll just have to try again some other day”
There’s something in the way he says it, something in the way his gaze lingers on yours, that makes your chest tighten.
And then, without warning, he rises to his feet and takes your hand.
You raise an eyebrow, confused, but he just smiles as he pulls you in closer “What are you—?”
“Dancing” he answers simply.
There’s no music playing, just the sound of the crew’s laughter and the gentle crash of the waves against the ship. But that doesn’t stop him.
Shanks starts to sway, leading you effortlessly into a slow dance, like the two of you are at some grand ballroom instead of the deck of a pirate ship, surrounded by a bunch of rowdy, drunken idiots.
The crew quiets slightly, watching in amusement. But then you hear Yasopp groan “Oh, come on. Really?”
“Oi, we’re in the middle of a celebration, not a honeymoon!” someone else calls out.
“Get a room, this time for real!” Lucky Roux laughs.
But you barely hear them.
Because you’re looking at Shanks, and he’s looking at you.
And suddenly, it doesn’t matter that there’s no music, or that your idiot pirate family is teasing you both in the background. It doesn’t matter that this started as a joke, or that moments ago, he was on one knee in the most ridiculous, over-the-top fake proposal.
Because right now, the way he’s holding you, one hand in yours, the other resting on your waist, feels so natural. So right.
You let yourself melt into him, following his lead as the two of you continue to sway in the middle of the chaos.
“You’re ridiculous” you murmur, but your voice is soft, affectionate.
Shanks smirks “And yet, you’re still here.”
You let out a quiet laugh, shaking your head “Yeah,” you whisper “I am.”
His grip on you tightens just slightly, and his expression softens “Perfect.”
Then, grinning, Shanks playfully lowers you backward while holding you, like in a dramatic dance move. Catching you completely off guard. You gasp, clutching at his coat, and the crew loses their minds.
“ALRIGHT, THAT’S ENOUGH!” Yasopp groans “I CAN’T TAKE THIS ANYMORE! If you're not going into a room then I am!”
The crew bursts into laughter, some covering their eyes, others raising their drinks in amusement.
Shanks, still grinning like a fool, pulls you back up and presses a quick kiss to your forehead.
“You really are the love of my life, y’know that?” he murmurs.
Your heart skips a beat.
You smile, reaching up to brush a few strands of red hair away from his face “Yeah,” you whisper “I know.”
And as the crew continues their antics around you, you realize that this is the best moment of your life.
Summary: Zhongli hated the mark on his neck, and he hated whoever the mark bounded him to. But fate plays a cruel joke, matching him with you, as he swore he would love no one else but Guizhong.
Tags: Angst/No Comfort, Short Story, Rejection, Hurtful Words, Hatred to Love
Soulmark - A mark that binds two individuals as soulmates.
~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~
Morax had always been frustrated by the mark on his neck.
A glowing, permanent part of his body that marks him tied to a soulmate. He thinks its stupid, for the love of his life was already in front of him, a gray-haired inventor that no carving in his body could ever stop him from adoring.
He finds it unbelievable that his neck is claimed by a soulmark yet Guizhong's remain blank, and he curses Celestia above for such a foul joke.
How could he be for anyone else but her?
When her dust settled in the field of glaze lilies he thought were incomparable to her beauty, he was utterly devasted, his clawed hands held onto his neck, wanting to rip the soulmark that had been taunting him for centuries.
How could he be marked for someone else while the love of his life laid lifeless?
He loathed his mark, everything about it, and he will till his last breath.
...
Zhongli deeply dislikes you.
You are a messy, silly, babbling buffoon.
An adventurer from Mondstadt that embodies the nation's will of freedom. Bubbly, carefree, and loud, much like a fellow god he didn't particularly like.
Despite of his disdain of you, your affection towards him never wavered. You filled his somber days with excitement as you joyfully tell him stories about your adventures, share some new recipes you've learned, even ushering him to talk about obscure Liyue historical facts that you've always found interesting.
He was much too proper to shoo you away, and his cold looks and short responses didn't discourage you to try to make friends with the man that peeked your curiosity.
Ever so slowly, you had pried open his caged heart, planting a small seed that was so distinctly you.
He would have accepted you, he would have seen you as a friend... and yet...
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a faint, familiar mark on your neck, revealed when you put your hair up into a ponytail.
Zhongli knew he truly disliked you.
...
"I don't believe in the marks either, Mr. Zhongli..." You reasoned with him, but his gaze still stung you with daggers.
He caged himself back up, ensuring that you could not care for the little seed you planted, no light would be able to reach it again.
His heart would not open...
No matter how many times he catches himself smiling at your antics.
No matter if he displays every gift and trinket you give him from your travels.
No matter how much he preferred your cooking over anyone else's.
No matter how beautiful you look staring up at him with your doe eyes as you confess your affection.
No matter how frustrated he felt at himself when he made you cry as he rejects your feelings.
Because, for him, how could there be anyone else but her?
...
"Do you see why it could never be you?"
You both stood in front of a monument, surrounded by various plants and objects you assume to be from friends of this ancient goddess.
"I bet she was amazing."
"She was perfect. Perhaps that's why I was not worthy to share a mark with her."
At this point, you were used to his words, how they praise her, how they degrade you.
"You're pretty great too, Zhongli..."
Faith places identical marks on the necks of two soulmates, and the rest is a romantic story of the passion that builds up as people pursue their marks of love.
Fate is cruel to you and him.
"That mark is not for you, Y/N." The Geo Archon says to you, tearing you apart silently, as you stand and take his words.
His heart quivers despite the harsh words coming from his own mouth. Even after millennia of having the mark engraved on his neck, after concluding that maybe he would allow your little seed to prosper even just for a bit, he still chooses to cling onto his hopeless past.
Tears fall down from your eyes, but you remain quiet, only nodding in agreement.
You loathed the mark on your neck.
...
Zhongli opens the cage of his heart a little, allowing him to peak at the small sprout from the seed you planted.
So distinctly you, it was the only thing he has of you.
After letting you leave him at Guizhong's monument with tears still staining your face, he couldn't help but miss you.
He couldn't help but let you finally take your place in his heart, after so long of hating his soulmark, hating whoever the mark tied him to, he fears he has finally accepted faith.
...
"Where is it?" He grips your arm harshly, his hold not faltering as you try to shake him off. His gaze was cold, yet you could still catch the hint of alarm in his eyes. "What have you done?"
After weeks... you return to him... missing something.
You winced at the stress of his words, feeling frightened under his tense hold. "I..." His bruising grip didn't falter, urging you to explain yourself. "S-Surprise...?"
"You..." Zhongli looks at you in disbelief. "How stupid could you be?"
"M-Mr. Zhongli... it's a blessing of the Anemo Archon... I prayed for him set us free from fate."
"Y/N... I..." He was at a loss for words, his heart ached as his eyes searched your neck in vain. "Fate... going against it is painful. It must've been excruciating."
"It was... but this if for you, Zhongli..." You smiled, feeling him loosen his grip. "Because I love... loved you." You fully free yourself from him, rubbing at where he previously held you.
The wind around him picked up, and he hears the faint whispers of an old friend along with it. Whispers of comfort, as he clearly ruined what would have been the light of the rest of his days.
Your soulmark fades, but his remains...
Zhongli loathed his mark, for it bears no meaning, no one but him bears that mark.
As you leave, trying to fade away in the background of his life, you remain under a spotlight in his eyes, for you will always be the one that shares his mark, no matter if it is visible.
yeah, I said "practice". remember how much joy there was in getting a new toy/book/game as a kid, and practice feeling that excitement again. a lot of us had that instinct squashed out of us, and you may not even know that you've internalized the idea that being excited and joyful isn't "mature" or "cool".
fuck that! let yourself experience joy and excitement! part of being an adult is learning that not only should you be able to feel anger/sadness/hard emotions without suppressing them, you have to do that for joy/excitement/wonder too.
let yourself feel unhindered, unbridled excitement!
synopsis - your bangboo decides that it's time to set you on a date
includes - wise, belle, seth, ellen
warnings - gn!reader, fluff, slight crack, strangers to lovers, friends to lovers, awkward encounters, wc - 1.6k
a/n: shout-out to my friend, she was sat there in the hotel with me and gave me some amazing ideas (and listened to my rambling and even joined in-)
wise ★↷
you stared down at the list in your hand, you needed quite a few items although you reckoned that most could be obtained from the one four one. it was only going to be a simple errand or two but you still thought to bring along your bangboo, the company would be rather nice.
you managed to get most of your things, some extras as well, before deciding that a couple would have to be sought elsewhere. but as you looked up from the list you noticed that your bangboo was nowhere to be seen. slight panic was rising inside of you and then you finally noticed it.
out the corner of your eye you could see your bangboo running down the street, more panic set in as you went after it. luckily it only ran into the video store down the street, not any further but you definitely would have to apologise to whoever the owner was for your bangboo’s poor behaviour - it'd never done this before so you wondered what had gotten into it all of a sudden.
your panic only doubled however when you opened the door to the video store just in time to see your bangboo run into a grey haired guy. fortunately he didn't seem too bothered, more concerned about the bangboo that was now lying on the ground. wise quickly noted how the bangboo must belong to you, based upon how quickly you ran towards it and the look of concern on your face.
you hurriedly helped your bangboo back up before apologising to the unfortunate victim of your bangboo's “rampage”. wise assured you that it wasn't an issue, you were rather relieved that he wasn't so bothered but a small bit of guilt nagged away at you. while you were talking with wise, your bangboo kept observing the two of you before coming to it's own conclusion that neither of you were aware of.
and so as you tried to leave you noticed your bangboo stood rather firmly next to wise. you both tried encouraging it but it refused. eventually it made it's way over only to try and push you back towards wise. you let out a sigh of disbelief as wise held back a small laugh. after a very long while you managed to convince it to leave.
now everytime you visited sixth street your bangboo would end up dragging you to random play, and more specifically wise. and eventually as you started becoming friends with wise, your bangboo never looked so proud of itself - but it certainly wouldn't stop until you two actually got together.
belle ★↷
recently you had heard of a new video tape circulating that you were dying to get ahold of and see, fortunately you knew of a great video store on sixth street. so as soon as you had the time you made your way to random play accompanied by your bangboo.
admittedly you were quite the regular there, it definitely held up to the reputation it had. so you figured that if anyone would have that new video tape, it'd be them. over the times you visited, you'd become quite friendly with the siblings who ran the store and so you're sure that they'd help you find it regardless of whether or not they actually had it themselves.
you arrived eventually and immediately went to ask the bangboo at the counter for some assistance, belle emerged from the staff only rather quickly afterwards. she listened to your request before agreeing to help you find it, she wasn't too sure that they had it, they hadn't exactly updated their stock recently, but she would try to get ahold of it for you.
she promised to return in a few minutes before disappearing to the staff only for a while, and in the meantime you decided to glance through the other video tapes to pass the time. eventually she re-emerged with good news but you'd have to return the next day to collect it. you thanked her before making your way home, except as soon as you left the store, you noticed your bangboo was nowhere to be seen.
immediately, you turned heel and went back into random play and saw belle trying to urge your bangboo out of the staff only. this wasn't exactly the first time your bangboo had tried to stay at the store and you had a bad feeling it wouldn't be the last. belle only laughed when you apologised again as she assured you it's not a big deal - if anything she found it rather cute that your bangboo liked the store so much, unaware of its real reason.
and as soon as you returned the next day, your bangboo did the exact same thing. every single time. it certainly wasn't going to give up, it wanted the two of you to spend more time with each other and you both would soon come to learn that it would stop at nothing.
seth lowell ★↷
you sighed as you stretched out your arms, you looked down at the remaining paperwork on the desk before glancing at the clock. the remaining paperwork would have to wait, it was your break and you certainly weren't going to waste it on leftover files. standing up, you started thinking what to actually do with your free time before you noticed the lack of bangboo's around you.
more specifically your bangboo who usually stayed by your side at all times. only now it wasn't anywhere to be seen, not near your desk or anywhere in sight. panic started setting in as you now had to go search for your bangboo - not exactly how you saw your break going but maybe you could find it quickly enough.
so far, you're bangboo was nowhere to be found. the panic was increasing and you were worried something bad had happened to it. but you were quickly snapped out your worried daze by the sight of seth crouched down in front of something in the hallway. he heard you approaching and stood up to reveal your bangboo behind him.
he explained how he saw it wondering around aimlessly and got rather excited when it spotted him, and since he knew it was yours he figured he could wait with it untill you showed up. you thanked seth for helping return your bangboo, you both knew how much trouble you could land in for letting it run around like it did - even if it wasn't entirely your fault.
he assured you it was no real problem and he was glad that you two were reunited. you and seth bid farewell but your bangboo wasn't so happy about the short encounter and before anybody noticed it ran infront of you as you walked off, causing you to trip.
rather fortunately, seth was just quick enough to catch you before you fell. except now you were both a blushing mess and your bangboo was rather proud of itself - admittedly your bangboo was much more aware of your feelings for eachother than either of you. you and seth quickly parted afterwards, but your bangboo was not going to stop until one of you confessed.
ellen joe ★↷
lumina square was always busy around this time. you knew that but yet you still couldn't help but agree to meet with some of your friends there. idly glancing down at your phone, you became less aware of your surroundings, only noticing anything when you realised the weight of your bangboo leaning on your leg was no longer there.
panic set in almost immediately as you were worried something may have happened to your bangboo or it could get lost. fortunately, you managed to spot it waddling its way over towards the teamilk store and you could only hope to catch up to it before something bad happened - the busy streets didn't exactly fill you with much hope that it wouldn't be hurt if you didn't catch it quick enough.
it had never done something like this before and so you were struggling to think why it would run off all of a sudden, maybe it just really wanted some teamilk? the reasons didn't matter, all that mattered now was catching your bangboo and making sure it didn't cause any trouble.
you paused when you watched it run toward your classmate ellen. you two had talked on occasion, more so recently, but you two were definitely not friendly enough to walk away from this encounter being anything other than embarrassing. as soon as you realised you stopped, you quickly caught up to your bangboo which was now bothering ellen.
luckily, she was currently waiting alone and so you wouldn't run the risk of anyone else seeing the awkward encounter. still, you apologised and explained that you didn't know what had gotten into your bangboo and ellen only muttered something as you tried ushering your bangboo away.
you felt slightly bad and so you offered to buy her a teamilk as an apology, one she didn't turn down. fortunately for you, she agreed but only to share one seeing as she was planning to meet with her friends later. but this simple encounter couldn't of made your bangboo more happy as it new it was helping you two move in the right direction.
𝐅𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐌𝐞 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐒𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫! | t. fushiguro + k. nanami
𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: Taking your daughter to a sleepover with her best buds is easy peasy; ending up staying over at said sleepover to have some fun of your own with the two single dads you're crushing on? Not so much...
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬: dilfs! Toji + Nanami x fem! reader - explicit content; minors DNI - modern setting; single parents au - implied you + Nanami are in early 30s; Toji is in late 30s - Tsumiki (age 10), Megumi, Yuuji and Nobara (8) - mutual pining/crushing - fluff then SMUT then fluff - kissing/making out - mutual masturbation (m! + f! receiving) - breast fondling + nipple play + sucking - Daddy kink - threesome - double penetration; anal and vaginal - spoon/sidesaddle dp + reverse cowgirl dp positions - clitoral play (swiping) - praise - breeding kink - cervix fucking - unprotected sex (psa: wrap the willy; don't be silly) - pet names (angel, baby, good girl, love, mama, sweetheart, sweetie) - Nobara is your daughter; Yuuji is Nanami's - mention of drool/spit and tears.
𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 9.8k (Christ almighty...)
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞: based on this ask from one of my anons; so happy to be writing an actual fic after a month, yippeee!! and tysm for 7.7k, my loveliesss!!
“Hahah, I win again!”
“No fair, I used the aerials like you taught me, what!?
“Yeah, but there’s no point using them if you’re just gonna let Itadori counter.”
“Shut up, Megumi! Hey, Yuuji, one more time!”
“Hey, keep it down, you three.” You warn the children who cause a ruckus in the living room from the dining table.
There’s nothing wrong with hanging with friends or going to someone’s house to play. Children are highly encouraged to do so to form deeper relationships! It’s what you’d want for your child, your sweet daughter poking out of her public shyness now that she’s playing video games with two of her best friends at a playdate.
Your daughter, Nobara, heard your warning and swerved her head back to apologize. “Sorry, momma! Itadori’s just cheating!”
“No, I’m not!” The pink-haired boy sitting next to your brunette daughter on the living room floor retorts. “She just sucks at playing!”
“Why you…” The two kids glare and argue to themselves while another sits on the living room couch and sighs at the interaction before him. Megumi was his name, the raven-haired boy putting his attention back on the animal encyclopedia he was reading.
You chuckle before speaking again, “Well, cheating or not, keep your voices down, okay? Tsumiki is trying to do her homework.”The kids nod and return to their fun on the television; the sounds of controller buttons mashing and clicking fill the absence of their voices, and you go back to what you were primarily doing. “Need any help there, Tsumiki?”
The fourth grader perks up from using her name, flashing a weary smile in your direction. “I’m trying to find these countries for my quiz on Monday, but where are Colombia and Guyana…?” The paper before the little girl exhibited a blank sheet with a map of the North and Southern American continents; a word bank is provided to the side with a list of countries.
Getting up from your chair, you walk to the vacant side where Tsumiki is and sit alongside her. “Hmm, let’s look at this together…”
This wasn’t your home; it belonged to the father of Yuuji Itadori. Staying during your daughter’s playdates was a rarity, particularly in another parent’s house. Yet today is a Friday, and you didn’t really have much to do other than clean the apartment and maybe catch up on a show or two. Besides, it didn’t hurt to watch the kids play and laugh now and then.
Luckily, you aren’t the only parent here; two other parents are taking out of their day to monitor the kids with you! The only problem is that…they make your stay a bit difficult.
Footsteps are heard descending the hall from the bedrooms, and your eyes peer to find a man walking into the kitchen area. “How’s studying going?” Golden blonde hair was the first you see, followed by the pleasant look of his chocolate brown eyes. A slim-fit grey long-sleeved shirt hugs his frame well, accompanied by dark-fitted jeans and dress socks. Kento Nanami, Yuuji’s adoptive father, has entered the scene and has made your heart skip to an irregular tune.
Thankfully, saving you from making a fool, Tsumiki answers the man. “Good, Auntie Y/n is helping me remember countries of South America!” She says with a blinding smile.
“Is that so?” Nanami opens a cupboard to pull out a glass to pour water. “You think you’ll be okay for the quiz?”
“Mmmm, if I remember five countries out of ten, I should be fine. I know more, thanks to Y/n!”
“Good,” your breath hitches when he walks to stand behind the chair you were sitting on. “And how are those three?”
You cough before averting your gaze to the living room. “They’re fine,” you watch your daughter exclaim in glory after finally beating Yuuji in the video game. The salmon-haired child groans in defeat, standing up to switch with Megumi so the other can play. “Nobara loves playing with the boys; they make her competitive spirit wild. It’s funny because she’s usually quiet and soft-spoken around me and others. However, that doesn’t explain her track record with terrorizing the boys of the school…”
Nanami chortles at your observation, the sound almost hypnotizing you. “Children bring out a different side in each other, helps them grow.”
“Wise words—“
Grrooorrr!
You both stop at the sound of a rumble, glancing at Tsumiki to see that it is her grumbling stomach. The child chews her quivering lip and hides her face by looking back at her homework. You giggle, “You hungry?” She nods slowly. “Me too, sweetie; the pizza should be here any minute.”
“That’s odd,” Nanami takes a sip from his glass. “He said the food would be done by the time he’s off work. It’s almost 7 o’clock, is there traffic on—“
KA-CHA! CLACK-CLINK!
“Yo, I’m here with the pizzas,” another voice, a lot lower and gruff than the blonde’s, enters the space. Your heart skips again, and you instinctively turn to find the source — you know who the source is.
Giant steps draw near the kitchen area, keys rustle as he stuffs them inside his jeans pocket, and the other hand holds three pizza boxes. After putting the food on the kitchen island, the man scratches his onyx head and stretches. His loose-fit cotton sweatshirt slips for a peak of his abs to be seen, and your eyes pull back before they hook onto the tanned skin for too long. Green eyes capture yours, and a smirk uproots the scar on the right of his lips. “Hey, Y/n,” the way he says your name pulls you in. “Good thing I caught ya before you could leave.”
You gulp to wet a dry throat. “It’s good to see you, too, Toji.”
Toji Fushiguro, the father of Tsumiki and Megumi, strides from the island down to where you three are, ruffling his daughter’s brown hair as a greeting. “How’s homework goin’?”
She swats her father’s hand away, fixing her ponytail. “It’s okay, I’m just hungry now.”
On that note, you decided it was time for everyone to take a break and eat. “All right, kids, the pizza’s here; come over and eat!” Nobara wastes no time springing out of the couch and sprints for the dining chair next to Tsumiki after you stand to grab the paper plates.
The boys don’t move, eyes glued to the screen and fingers moving across the controllers. Nanami tries to get their attention again, only for Yuuji to excuse themselves for a few minutes. The golden-haired father looks to the other before giving him a curt nod, a signal for Toji to walk to where the boys were sitting and turn off the television. They groan in unison before the black-haired man picks them up effortlessly and waltzs back to the dining table. “Time to eat, squirts.”
You have known Nanami for a long time, meeting him around when Nobara was still aged by months and could barely walk. Being a first-time parent is no easy task, especially since the man took Yuuji as his own after the death of the baby’s parents and grandfather when he was just a newborn. The transition from sober salaryman to committed fatherhood wasn’t an gradual one. But you know what they say: it takes a village, no matter how big or small. You found Nanami at the perfect time while you took care of Nobara, lending a helping hand to the single guardian whenever he needed advice or help looking after the pink-haired babe. He’d return the favor, of course, having you two spending and getting to know more about each other throughout the years. So, as the babies grew and became friends, so did you and him.
Toji entered your life around the same time as well; a single father of two was just as [if not more] challenging as your scenario. Not to mention – the poor man had to work ungodly hours, sometimes calling up a friend to look after his kids. You felt for him, even Nanami, so you’d help him out as well whenever he needed it, whether it be picking up Tsumiki and dropping her off at daycare or rocking three-month-old Megumi to sleep and waiting for the father to return home safely deep in the night.
Without the hood of parenthood, you three wouldn’t have become such good friends. Although there have been rough moments, at least you had the two to share and relate with if necessary. You’re so thankful for both fathers being in your life, serving as dependable outlets as you three grow along with your children. And it’s an even bigger blessing watching the kids have become great friends — practically inseparable! Words cannot express the gratitude for Nanami and Toji, treasuring the men so much that you’d love to maintain this mutual relationship with them as long as possible.
Being friends is more than enough; however, a tiny piece of yourself wishes something more to come out of this friendship. Admitting that to yourself is enough to have your ears heat up in shame. Crushing on the two fathers like some school girl, how embarrassing…
But can you blame yourself? As you all sit down and eat around the dinner table, you find it hard to restrict your eyes from wandering to either side of the table where the men sit.
Don’t get it twisted; you’ve always thought of the dads to be attractive men. However, the more time you’ve spent visiting and getting to know them, you’ve found that they’ve become more and more charming as the years go by. Now, it has gotten a lot worse.
Nanami is so entrancing to the eye — damn near looks as if he walked out of a movie set. His mocha eyes were so soft and perfect with his mellow tone. The charismatic blonde easily played with your heart with how attentive he was, making sure if you and Nobara ever needed anything or ever wanted someone to voice with. God, he was too good to be true, it was hard not to fall in love with him — you were honestly mesmerized the moment he first said your name. Now, solely seeing him is enough to make your ears hot and your heart race. Your admiration for him threatens to dwell into that of a childish crush — how mortifying!
And Toji — fuck, that man. Aside from having a body literally sculpted like an Olympic athlete, the dark-haired man was somebody who knew how to wind you down. Maybe it was the baritone voice that always captured your attention or the mischievous jokes and flirts he’d throw your way; whatever it was, Toji knew how to draw you in. Sure, you were a little intimidated by him at the start, but that’s long been substituted with feelings of trust and mutual respect from seeing how much of a good father he tries to be for his children. Although, the more you hear his gruff laugh, see his smile pull the scar, or forest green eyes drilling holes into your very being, the more you want to slap yourself for thinking about him day by day!
Goddamn it! As you sit at this table chewing on your pizza slice with the others, all you can think about is how pathetic you must be for falling for the two heartthrobs of your life. It’s appalling how these two fathers have yet to snatch up somebody, knowing there would be lines of people wanting a piece of them. And you sigh heavily, thinking if there’s ever a possibility you’d be lucky enough to be on the receiving end with either.
Probably not…
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───
“Annnnd BAM! UNO!”
“What?? You’re cheating!”
“Am not! You can put draw twos on plus fours!”
“Hah!? That’s not in the rules!”
“So? That’s how my mom plays.”
Why am I being brought into this… You shake your head as you observe the kids play their final card game before bed. All the children are dressed in their respective pajamas, sitting in a circle around couch pillows as they draw and place cards down. The sunset has long been set as the hour hand touches the eleventh number; the kids usually go to bed at eight or nine. But it’s the weekend and meant to be a sleepover, so one or two more hours of fun shouldn’t hurt anyone.
“UNO Out!!” Except for the heavy groans shared with Megumi and Yuuji as Nobara finishes the card game with an enthusiastic slam, turning around to give the older brunette a high five. “See, Tsumiki? I told you I can handle it!”
“Man, that’s not fair,” Yuuji throws his card pile to the floor in exasperation. “Wish I knew about that rule beforehand.”
Megumi does the same, “You should’ve made the rules clear before we played the game.”
“Wahh, keep complaining, loser,” Your daughter annoys the boy with a blown raspberry. “Fine, we can try again; if I win, I’ll have Yuuji's bed to myself and Tsumiki.”
“Not happening!” You and the salmon-haired child deny the winner’s request, and the girl only snickers mischievously while Tsumiki deals the cards.
Saved by the sound of footsteps approaching from the hall, Nanami is now here to dismiss the bunch. “All right, kids, time for bed.” Every one of them mourned at the statement; Yuuji quickly requested five more minutes, only to be shut down by his father. “Nope. I’m done with my shower, so you four must get to bed — that was the deal.”
“Aww man…” The four begrudgingly get up from the living room floor after putting the cards away and setting the pillows back on the couches. Before they leave, they wish you a good night. “Goodnight, Mom!” Nobara comes rushing to you for you to kiss her cheek.
“Goodnight, sweetpea,” you let go of her so she could run back. “And you three — where are my kisses?” Yuuji and Tsumiki happily come for you to place a goodnight kiss on their cheek. All that’s left is the silent child of the bunch who, unfortunately, doesn’t slip past your eyes. “That means you too, Megumi. Or else I’ll chase you down and kiss you up a storm like last time, you hear?”
The black-haired one fights a smile creeping his face, slowly taking steps to where you sat and fidgets as you kiss his cheek. You wish the boy goodnight, and he follows the others down the hall to the bedroom after doing the same.
“Fushiguro’s in the shower now.” Now that the children are gone, Nanami sits on the left side of the couch before dimming the ceiling lights. He turns on the television, “Seems like they’re having fun.”
“Mmm, they are,” you settle by the middle to be close to him. “I can’t believe they’re all so big now. Didn’t Yuuji just turn eight years old last month?”
“Mhmm, he’s now the same age as Nobara and Megumi,” he says with a smile. “For a little while, that is. He is the youngest, after all.”
“You’re right, poor thing.” You giggle with a stretch. “Nobara’s gonna be nine this August, and Megumi at the end of the year…”
“Hmm. We are old.”
That made you laugh hysterically as the delivery of the comment sounded so defeated yet true. It’s okay, though, since Nanami was laughing himself with a shaken head. “Don’t say it like that! They say you get sexier during your thirties.”
“Are you sure about that? My grandfather had photos from his thirties, and he was balding and getting chunkier before turning thirty-five.” More laughter seeps through your lips. “I don’t know, Y/n; not all of us can keep fit like Fushiguro; he still works out while halfway approaching forty.”
“Now, hold on, Nanamin,” you grin while pointing to Nanami, and you can see him try to fight a smile after using the nickname he supposedly doesn’t like. “You can’t say shit, either; you still look like a model coming straight out of a Men’s Vogue magazine!” That made him laugh more, the sound warming your heart. "You still got it, Kento; a real prince charming."
“Why thank you, Y/n,” he appreciates the compliment.
“Of course.”
The silence following that felt unsettling and had you fidgeting with the bottom of your halter top. Five uncomfortable minutes of nothing but the lowered volume of the television to fill the space. Come on, Y/n, keep the conversation going. “So, almost ten years, huh? A whole decade.” You watch Nanami nod along through your peripheral. “I remember the first time I met you; you looked like you barely got any sleep for the past month.”
“Because I didn’t. I was hassling with back-to-back meetings, on the cusp of finding another job to take outside of being a salaryman, and then had little newborn Yuuji to come home and put to sleep after feeding. Thank God you could babysit for him with Nobara; I’m forever grateful.”
“Oh God, I remember when you came home so tired while I was rocking both to sleep. I think that was the first and only time I’ve ever seen you fall asleep on the couch; so tired you forgot to greet me!”
“We don’t talk about that,” he scratches his ear. “That wasn’t so bad when we promised to watch over Megumi and Tsumiki during the weekend while Fushiguro went to take up so many jobs. He fell to his knees once he passed the threshold, and I had to walk him to his bed.”
You tittered at the recollection — all the memories mentioned made you feel warm and glad, all the years coming back to you with a happy memory. “We’ve done good, though. We managed, and the kids are growing to be good friends.”
“Before you know it, maybe Nobara will come to you about liking the boys—“
“That isn’t happening; I asked her the question like three weeks ago, and she said if she and the boys were the last people on Earth, she’d kill herself.” Nanami gasped and stifled a laugh, but you could see his shoulders bounce. “A third grader — an eight-year-old – telling me she’d off herself rather than be with one of the boys. Talk about radical...At least she loves to hang with them; she loves those boys like they’re her little brothers.”
The blonde hums to your words. “Them being close is a blessing. I guess that’s thanks to us, having each other’s backs all these years.”
It’s your turn to nod to him. “True, and I’m just glad they like being with each other.”
“Same here; Yuuji likes being with you guys,” he throws his head back. “…Just like I do.”
You blink. “What do you mean?” Suddenly, you feel as though you shouldn’t have asked that question because the way Nanami turns his head to look at you nearly paralyzes you. Oh my God…
“I like being with you.” He says it tenderly, only for your ears to pick up. “You make me feel at peace when you’re around, and I’m not as close to anyone as I am with you. A decade of you being in my life has made it more serene and…fun. So, I like it when you’re with me.”
You didn’t breathe a single puff of air during his speech. The worst part was that these were Nanami’s words — they were genuine. You could feel it in his bronze gaze, your heart unable to control itself.
And it doesn’t help that your eyes took in every detail of him; his hair, usually neat and styled, is now down and damp from the shower, strands of hair sticking to his forehead. His home wear comprised a loose sweatshirt and dark grey sweats, but you snuck a glance of his collarbone that peaks from the opening collar of his shirt. You move your gaze to the floor to stop yourself from looking any further, or else more fuel for indecent fantasies will be stored for later!
Fingers fiddle with each other as you chew on your lip. God, Y/n, just fucking say it! “I, uhh…I like being with you, too, Nanami.”
“Do you really have to go?” He scoots in. “You know I don’t mind you staying over.”
“I—ahem—I think, yeah…I wouldn’t want to intrude on you and Toji; I’m sure you two would wanna catch up on stuff. I’ll just come back and pick Nobara up in the morning before—”
You stop uttering more once you feel a sudden hand on your right shoulder. Turning to your left, you didn’t even realize Nanami scooting to be so close to you, his face a hand’s length away from yours. Once again, you have forgotten how to breathe. And when he places his left hand on your right that lies on your lap? You don’t move a centimeter.
“I want you to stay,” his tone low and sincere. “I wasn’t kidding when I said I like you being around me. I…” He brings your hand to his lips, and a soft kiss makes you gasp faintly. “I love it, actually.”
You gulped. There’s no way this is happening right now. There’s just no way! “Kento—“
“I mean it.” He kisses your knuckles again, his eyes locked in with yours. He chuckles, “You were right.”
“About…what?”
“As you grew older, you have changed quite a lot. You’re…Well, no, you’ve always been pretty. But, all these years, you’ve become a lot more beautiful,” he draws his face in closer. “Breathtaking,” you instinctively close your eyes when his nose brushes yours. “Sexier.”
Nanami’s lips land on yours on the final word, and you don’t move a muscle when he does so. They felt soft against yours, perfect for the mellow kiss. It doesn’t last long, only a few seconds. Yet you quivered as he withdrew, placing his forehead against yours as his hand weaved with your fingers.
“Ken…” Fuck, this is too much. The hand on your shoulder exhibits no interest in getting off. “I can’t, I have to—“ he shushes you with another kiss.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” What the fuck!? Did he just use a pet name on you? “You know I can take care of you, right? Even for one night,” you tremble when he licks your bottom lip. “Stay for tonight, okay?”
“Kento..” He pauses when you hesitantly remove your right hand from his grasp, thinking you’d push him off. But then you bring both hands to cup his sunken cheeks, caressing him with your thumbs. “…More.”
He doesn’t wait a second, accepting your request and bringing his back on yours. Small pecks to the lips gradually become more arousing and tilted heads to achieve a better angle for entry. You moan to his mouth, and so does he. Tongues slowly become adventurous, twirling with each other and exploring the other’s mouth. It feels so good; you lean into Nanami’s hold with every kiss. And he happily accepts you as he gives you more.
Jesus Christ, something straight out of a dream. And if it was, you only hope to indulge in it for a little longer. More, more—
“What do we have here?”
However, you can’t indulge if another person comes into the frey unsuspectedly.
Two bodies retreat from each other, sitting awkwardly on the couch appropriately as Toji walks into the living room. Your lips shook with anxiousness, stealing a glimpse of Toji’s smirk as he walked to your right. You sneak a glance at Nanami, seeing the shade of pink rise on his skin lightly, and you cover your face to shield yourself. Fucking fuck, this is embarrassing!
“Don’t act all shy on me now, you two.” Toji’s weight dents the right side of the couch, extending his arm to be behind you. “Don’t be scared, I won’t tell anyone.”
“Did you check the kids?” Nanami fakes a cough.
“Out like a light,” he answers, creeping his hand from behind onto your shoulder. You shudder at his calloused touch and gruff laugh. “What’s goin’ on, Y/n?” You meekly turned to look at him. Same with Nanami, Toji’s dark hair was damp from the shower, substituting his day outfit with a blank tank top and grey sweatpants. It took everything in your power not to peek at his pecs or exposed biceps.
You avert your eyes from his. “Nothing…” You saw his chest jerk from a scoff.
“Wow, you two are really gonna act like some kids, huh.” His snark remark has you both flattening your lips in shame. “Act all quiet when somethin’ happened.”
He prompted you to question. “How much…did you see?”
“I saw the kiss — you looked like you were enjoyin’ it.” He purposely said that to make your cheeks hot, the brazen bastard. “But I heard Kent here say he means it when he likes havin’ ya ‘round.”
Nanami speaks up while scratching his brow. “Y/n was, uhh, just about to leave.”
Toji lifts a brow. “Leave? When the night is still young?” He subtly shakes you. “Why so soon, hmm? It’s the weekend; I just got outta the shower an’ hoped you’d be here a lil' while.” He spoke to you slowly. It was a dangerous approach with that husky voice. He squeezes your shoulder when you’re not answering.
“I just….You and Nanami probably have some ‘guy stuff’ you wanna catch up on, and I don’t want to come in between that, you know?” It’s here you muster the courage to look at the raven-haired man. Big mistake; now he has your attention where he wants it.
“So considerate, huh,” his free hand comes to your cheek, and you’re frozen as he plays with the flesh of it. “I think you should stay, Y/n. What kind of friends would we be if we let you drive out late."
It’s hard to remind your body to breathe when Toji is surveying you intimately. What the fuck—why is this happening all of a sudden!?? “You–Toji, it’s okay, I’ll—“
“Besides,” he teases you by rubbing your earlobe with his thumb and forefinger. “I like you bein’ here, too.” You’re too distracted from him bringing his face to your neck to kiss, evoking an unstable gasp. “Lookin’ all pretty fr’ me…”
“Toji…—Ahh!” You didn’t notice him slide his hands down to the chest area of your halter top, his large palms groping your breasts affectionately. His kneads are rough yet pleasing, having you whimpering for him. “Don’t touch so…Hahhh…”
“Bad girl,” he chuckles to your ear after placing a kiss on your cheek. “Over here lettin' Kent touch you and think you can leave without me havin’ you for a bit, especially when you were eyein' us up earlier today...” He kisses your lips to take in your silent squeaks from fondling your chest, and you mewl for him. “Daddy wants you, too, baby…Heh, so does Kent.”
You peer to your left to see the mentioned man, and you’re taken aback to see him close to your side again. Holy shit. You literally questioned about this earlier, wondering if you’d ever be on the receiving side of these two. You did NOT expect this answer to come out of the blue within a few hours! And now that it’s here, how could you leave now?! This is what you wanted. And – to your surprise – so did they.
You swallow spit and lift your left leg to the couch. And Nanami notices the initiative, coming between your legs to kiss your lips again. Your back pressed against Toji’s chest, you’re caged between the two men who seek to pleasure you in this proximity. You moan to Nanami sucking on your tongue, coinciding with the satisfying kneads of your breasts.
Suddenly, Nanami breaks the kiss with a groan, and Toji chortles close to your ear. Curious, your eyes venture down to find that Toji’s hand grasps the tent of the blonde’s sweatpants. “Enjoyin’ y’rself, huh, Kent?” Toji strokes his hand on the boner, evident through the clothes.
“Toji, st—Hnnn…!” You watch this, eyeing Nanami’s composure slip away as his cock is being touched. The older man willingly massages his friend’s dick, and you observe how he effortlessly makes the sand-headed man hornier with his hand alone. It makes you feel hot, sensing a throbbing sensation in between your thighs. So, you silently bring a hand to sneak inside the hem of your wide-leg jeans.
But you don’t go unnoticed because Toji kisses your cheek. “Like what ya see, sweetie?” He rests his chin on your shoulder. “Want me to take care of you? Here,” he then takes your hand to swap with his, your fingers feeling the rough skin of Nanami’s cock as you hold it. “Make him feel good, ‘kay?”
You couldn’t believe it — Nanami’s hot, living cock was in your grasp. And as you have begun to stroke him, the noises he made turned you on even more. His veins are felt in your very palm, and precum exuding from his urethra lubricates the pretty fingers around his length. You can’t help but imagine how it would feel to have him ease the aching pulses between your legs, how good it would feel to have his girth massage your insides.
But your crude thoughts are interrupted by Toji’s left hand skillfully unbuttoning and unzipping your jeans, slithering inside your panties, and meeting your wet cunt with his fingers. You jolt, but he’s right there to coo, “Relax, mama,” his free hand squeezes your chin to turn and face him. “Daddy’s gotcha…So fuckin’ beautiful,” Toji slams his lips into you for a steamier kiss, and you lose yourself.
Your hand on Nanami goes faster, eliciting extra precum to escape and stain the material of his sweats. Nanami leans forward to lick and suck the skin of your neck, forcing you to break the kiss with Toji to wail inaudibly while his fingers brush up on your soaked folds with unforgiving speed. Not to mention his bulge grinding against your back…
“Ahhnn, wait, guyss, we can’t—Mmmm…!” Toji kisses you again, grinning at your expression as he sucks and nibbles on your tongue. “We can’t do this…Not here…”
“Why?“ Nanami blows on your ear. “What’s wrong, love?”
CREEAAKK!!
That’s what’s wrong!
Like a flipped switch, all three adults unscrew themselves away from each other and sit back into their original positions. Nanami immediately pulls his pants back up, using a couch pillow to hide the situation that shouldn’t be present as he’s sitting in the living room. Toji follows suit, leaning on the couch arm.
Sounds of tiny footsteps draw near, and they belong to none other than your daughter, who sleepily rubs her eyes coming into the space. You are the first thing she sees, “Momma? You’re still here?”
“Mhmm,” you hoped you didn’t sound too off. “I’m just watching a movie with Uncle Toji and Kento. What are you doing up?”
“I thought I heard your voice,” Nobara walks to you and puts her head on your shoulder, and you voluntarily pick her up to have her sit on your lap. You smile; even though she’s growing day by day, she’s still your baby at heart. “Didn’t you say you’d leave after I go to bed?”
“Yeah, I was supposed to,” the two men sitting on either side of the couch say nothing. “And I can’t go now, seeing you’re still up.”
Nobara nuzzles into your neck. “Does that mean you’ll spend the night, too?”
“Mmm, I wish I could, sweetpea,” you kiss her forehead. “But I didn’t bring any change of clothes or pajamas. I don’t even have my toothbrush – I’d be walking around with stinky breath.” You hear the girl giggle at your words.
What you just said gave the two fathers an idea, the men giving each other a look before saying anything. “I have some unused travel-size toothbrushes and toothpaste I’ve kept from business trips.” Nanami inquires; you put your foot in your mouth on that one.
Toji adds, “You can use the sweatshirt I wore today as PJs. I don’t mind.”
Of course, you don’t. Shaking your head, you knew what the two were insinuating. The adult language is too nuanced for your daughter to pick up on. It’s not like you’ve never slept over Nanami’s place before; you’ve done it dozens of times — even Toji’s! However, this time was different; you three have crossed a line you didn’t think was possible. What happened minutes ago was a mere taste of what could happen if you three decided to change this relationship into something more intimate. And now, after revealing the curiosity, the men were all in to see it through.
…And yet, you can’t say you don’t feel the same either. Are you kidding? You have goosebumps just thinking back on how close you three were, how their hands and lips felt on your skin, and their attention placed on nothing – on no one else – but you. It made your heart beat uncontrollably, knowing that your decade-long crush on them was being favored in more ways than one — like a dream come true!
“Mom?” Snapping back to reality, you peer to Nobara, who awaits your answer. With a smile, you boop her nose with a finger.
“Only if you go back to sleep, sweetpea.”
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───
The hour hand had finally met the twelfth number, the midnight hour designating the quiet neighborhood into a calm slumber. Light posts automatically turn on to display the sidewalk, yet the darkness of the night serves as a blanket to cover the silent homes.
Nanami’s home was simple — a one-floor house perfect for the blonde man and his son. Aside from the living room and kitchen, it had a hall that harbored the bedrooms, Yuuji’s guest bathroom, and closet. The children were all resting in Yuuji’s room, the first door to the left you’d meet when entering the hallway. Other than the master bedroom, there was no other room besides the living room couch for you to sleep in.
Being by yourself is something Nanami wouldn’t want, and Toji would’ve primarily taken the couch since you had no plans of staying. But since that’s been changed, the two men took this opportunity to enjoy their sleepover with your company, using the master bedroom at the end of the hall to further themselves from the ears of the snoring kids. Tonight, you’d finally have your answer by being spoiled by your crushes all night.
“Dahhh, Toji, yer tongue…fingers…Ohhh!”
“Fuck, Y/n, you look so gorgeous…Here, kiss me, angel.”
“Mmmm, fuckin’ shit, y’ taste so good…Waited so long fr' this..."
You were practically stuck with them the moment they locked the door. After borrowing Nanami’s shower, your nude body was met with hungry hands and hot kisses, drowning your senses with their overwhelming presence. Three naked bodies lie on the bed, you with your back to the sheets and legs spread. To your right was Nanami, making out with you lovingly while a hand cups and massages a breast. Toji had his face nestled between your thighs, his tongue licking around your labia and fucking your vagina, inspiring you to cry for the blonde next to you. The older man also pleases you by fingering your asshole with lube, conditioning it for future use.
You melt into Nanami’s kiss, and soft tweaks on your nipple make you mewl into his lips more. But you withdraw to scream, “Ahhaaa! Kentoo, touch me more…”
“Hmm? What, baby?” He presses his lips to your cheek, kissing your chin to the outlet between your neck and shoulders. “You like it when I play with your chest?” A low snicker humors him from watching you nod, and he brings his mouth to your nipple to suck on.
You grip the sheets, “Ohhh, hooo…! Tojiii, y’re gonna make me c—Uuuhh!”
He separates his mouth from your soapy folds, and your liquids stick to his chin. What an obscene sight with the grin he has on his face. “Yeah? Ya wanna cum on my mouth, mama?” Unlike Nanami, Toji doesn’t take a nod; he’s a bit of an asshat, so he licks your clitoris to tease. “Use them words, baby; wanna hear you say it fr’ me.”
“Y–Yesss, yes, I do,” a hushed howl after Toji sucks on your pearl and the other rubbing on your nipple to the roof of his mouth. “Pleaseee, I wanna cum…!”
“Heh, well, don’t go cummin’ on me just yet,” he kisses your slit before straightening up and pats your inner thigh. “All ready fr’ ya, Kent.”
Nanami then releases your nipple with a ‘pop’ and maneuvers to lay on his side. “Come here,” he asks, resting your head on his arm and lifting your leg. You hum at the contact of his glans meeting your cunt, “So wet for me, huh?” He pushes his cock to the entrance, and you gasp at the tip inserted into your vagina. “Relax, angel,” he coos to you with a kiss on your nose, gauging your reaction as he slowly snugs your vagina with every inch of his cock.
Your mouth goes agape at the stretch of you taking him in; the feeling of his cock feels too good and surreal. And the brush of his dick on your sweet spots has you squeak, same with him poking on your cervix. He throws in a few thrusts to start, but you didn’t expect that. No, fuck! He rubs on your walls at a precise angle, prompting your orgasm to come a bit too quickly to comprehend. So, you have to bite your lip to keep your scream hushed, letting the flutter of your cunt speak for you.
And Nanami notices it, hissing at the contraction. “—Hnnm! Shit…Did you cum, sweetheart?”
“Oh, did they?” And here comes Toji, straddling both the bodies below him. He leans into your face, licking your ear. “Felt that good, huh, baby? We haven’t even started.” He kisses your forehead before uncurling back up and aligning his dick to your lubed anus. Then, he pushes the tip to be swallowed by your puckered hole, and you mumble small prayers as his fat length is pushed inside. “Shit, this tight ass…”
The older man begins to move into you, his shaft churning the inside of your ass. Nanami does the same, his cock scraping your insides synched with Toji’s rhythm. The movement has you immediately making noise beyond your control, wails bouncing around the space between you and the men.
It isn’t long before the two find a groove; Toji pistons his cock with every pull of Nanami’s, and sounds of skin slapping lasciviously against each other are picked up by your ears. How could you not tighten more around the limbs inside you, especially when they scrape on against your tender wails so accurately? Especially after coming, your nerves have not yet recovered from the wave earlier.
“Ohh! Hoooh fuuuck,” your back arches a bit, helping the sand-haired man to find a better angle to scratch the upper wall of your vagina. Your vision is screwed shut, making it easier to indulge in the sensation of their cocks ravaging your insides.
Toji sees you from up top, his eyes traveling down to your ass and whistling at the sight of you taking his and the other’s dick. “Damn, ya feel so good, Y/n. Ass so tight, act like ya don’t wanna let go.”
God, why’d he have to say it like that? Your face was hot enough; did he want to make you melt on this bed? And Nanami doesn’t make it any better. “Heheh, they twitched,” he says matter-of-factly.
“Yeah, felt it, too…What’s goin’ on, sweetie?” Toji pulls his cock until his cockhead is on the verge of coming out, and he slams it back down to have you moan aloud. “Ya like bein’ fucked like this? Takin’ Daddy’s cock like a good girl…?”
“They’re gripping me again.”
“Ken, stoop!!” The fair-headed man laughs at your protest, your resilience still present even if it’s wiped away in seconds when Toji quickens his pace. “Nnhhh…! N-Not too fast, I’m sensit’veee—Ahhh!”
“You say that, but your body says otherwise, love,” Kento brings a hand to your hip to massage. “—Nnnn! Jesus…wanna cum so bad…”
Oh, fuck, imagine: being filled to the brim by Nanami’s come? Being stuffed by both of them? It turned you on so bad. “—OhhhGod, please, cum inside me!”
“It’s okay, I want it…!” The thought of getting pregnant again should be the very last thing that should pop into your mind right now. And yet, being knocked up by these two has you craving Nanami’s release even more. “Pleaseeplease, I want you to fill me up…! Don’t hold back for me, Ken.” You can tell he’s still on the fence about it. But with a kiss on his nose and a soft hand on his cheek, you convince him otherwise.
“Wanna be the mother of my child so bad, huh?” He says with a chortle, “So beautiful…” Before he snaps his hips into you, Nanami brings you in for one more kiss and wraps his hand on your shoulder to keep you close. He ruts into you with purpose, making sure he’s balls-deep with every push and reaching the deepest he can. You howl at the brush of your cervix again, allowing him to use you to chase his climax.
“Oh? You got him going, now,” Toji comments from above with a smirk, still maintaining the pace with Nanami despite the younger male going erratic. Your screams go higher and higher, so you bring in a hand to cover up the noise. This was not the time to test how thick the bedroom walls were, despite the kids sleeping a closet and office away.
Nanami groans into your lips; his length relentlessly rubs your silky texture. And when his orgasm does reach him, he grinds his pelvis, stirring his length so deep that you can’t help but writhe with him. You can feel his penis pulsate with every pump of his load inside you, satisfying your excitement as your hand massages his skull. He keeps you like this until his body has calmed down, sluggishly removing his pillowy lips from yours with a sigh.
Chocolate brown orbs are fixated on yours, the hand on your hip coming up to wipe spit from your face. “God, you drive me crazy. Making me cum inside, one child’s not enough?”
You titter, “Well, wouldn’t hurt to have another, you think?…Mmmm,” you almost forget about Toji. The raven-haired man removes himself from your ass, his shaft still standing.
“Don’t forget ‘bout me, now,” he reminds you two of his presence, getting his frame off you both so you can move around.
You stand with your knees between Nanami’s legs while he sits upright. “Come here,” he places his hands on your hips and leads you back onto his cock. This time, he’s the one entering your asshole, and you both moan at the union of your sexes. Once your ass meets the base of his pelvis, his arms wrap around your waist and carefully bring you down with him. Your back to his chest, his lips to your ear. “So tight and warm…Hmmm.”
This position is new to you – in fact, this was all new! You can’t remember the last time you had your body this close and intimate with another figure. It’s been so long – damn near bizarre - especially when your heat is transferring with the gold-haired man behind you. The aroused hums to your ears have you throb involuntarily; you could melt into his arms right about now.
That thought goes out the window when Toji’s weight has you looking in front of you, and your brain nearly shuts down at the sight of the older man coming in between your legs to lift them, his emerald eyes locked on yours. Jesus, fuck! You had to turn away – it was all too much!
“Ah ahh, don’t go turnin’ ‘way from me,” he gives your legs for Nanami to hold from the back of your knees, and then he cups your cheeks and moves your face back to him. “Waited almost ten years to have you like this, so I wanna see all of you, mama.” Just when your face couldn’t get any more unreasonably hot, this handsome bastard just had to say that while fondling your chest! And it doesn’t help the other charming face is placing kisses on your neck.
Toji uses this position to spread your folds; he can’t suppress the ardent smirk lifting his scar. “Kent did his thing on you, and ya still want more, huh?” You press your lips together when he slaps his glans on your leaky chasm. “Watch...” Your eyes follow down to the tip of his dick, vulgarly using the come seeping out of you as lube. You gasp sharply at the insertion, “Breathe fr’ me, baby,” he coaxes you through every inch of him, burrowing inside your inner channel that you almost forget to blink from the display. The girth of him has you wail beneath him, and you cry at the poke of your cervix again! Christ, you don’t know how long you can do this.
“—Hnngh…! Fuck, good girl,” the dark-haired one praises, grinding his pelvis down to churn more friction inside you. “So good fr’ Daddy...”
Slow ruts to your chasm begin the second round, three bodies rocking within a mutual cadence. You throw your head back with shut eyelids concentrating on the two dicks that push to and fro from your holes and scrape your walls. And a choked scream leaves your frame at the jab of your cervix again.
“Ohhhshiit,” eyebrows furrow with a chewed lip, and the two men begin to quicken the pace. “HooohGod! F’eel so good…Ahahhn!”
Toji puts his hands on the headboard as leverage, using his hips and the flex of his abdomen to take control. Fuck, seeing his nude physique so up close was too marvelous; it couldn’t be true — it shouldn’t be!
And Nanami is no better while whispering to your ear. “Feeling good, Y/n?” He teases your lobe with a lick, “Gripping on us like crazy as if you’ve been waiting for this, hmm?” You try to protest, but all that comes out are sobs when he jerks his hips unexpectedly. He chuckles, “So cute…Hmm? Heh, you are feeling good, huh, love.”
Can you believe it? Being fucked by these two attractive men, and you’re fingering your clit in the midst of it all? Embarrassment rings your ears as your fingers swipe and grind around the neglected pearl. Toji and Nanami share a look for a split second, and then Nanami switches his hands with the other. Instead, an arm snakes around your waist to keep you on him, and the other silently moves yours aside to play with your clit.
That only has you crying even harder. Pinches to your clit and kisses to your leg accompany the increased speed of their thrusts. Tears well up at every jolt of your body from the frequent jabs to your vaginal walls, scraping your G-spot so precisely. And the length in your butt keeps feeling so fucking good! Grazing your velvet texture that you can’t think straight.
“—Gaahhh! Mmmph!” Your hand finds Nanami’s wrist to hold on to as his middle and ring fingers swipe on your clitoris. You scream his name when he pitches it softly, “Kent—Ohhh! Shhtop, ish too much!!”
“Yeah, too much?” He toys with it gently. “But I don’t hear you telling me to stop…”
The two of them go at a sporadic pace, skin slapping onto yours harshly in sync. They nearly take your breath away, thanking God they have a hold on you before the momentum steers you away. “Hahah, ohhh, ohmyGod, guys,” Toji bends down to add more of his weight, making you howl from the angle of his fat cock. “I cannn’t; again, I’m about to cuuhmm agaiinn!!!”
“Really? You wanna cum, baby? Mmph! Fuck, this pussy…” He groans. “Gonna be a good girl and let Daddy finish here, yeah?” You nod, and Nanami pinches your clit again on Toji’s behalf. “Words, sweetie, words.”
“Yesss, Daddyyy!”
“Gonna lay there and look cute while I knock ya up, right?” Again, the thought of having another baby should not have you excited. But again, there’s no way your head could be right during all of this. “Hmm? Want Daddy to give ya a baby?”
“Mmmm! Please, Daddyyy, fill me up…!” You were spouting out nonsense, but who cares? “Make me a mama again…Ohhh!”
And he does just that, pounding his shaft at you so harshly that it rocks your entire body, especially with how he brings your legs up to your chest to have your slit fully exposed for him. “Holy shit,” he bites his lip as he eyes your nude frame before him. “Look so fuckin’ sexy like this, Y/n.”
You couldn’t thank him for the compliment, your lips busy with Nanami’s as he takes you in for a steamy kiss. Both men drill their members into you in erratic unison, leaving you a squealing mess for the fair-headed one to deal with. His hands continue to tweak and grind on your clitoris, and your orgasm hits you before you can prepare yourself with a tear trickling down.
And the flutter of your walls around their cocks eggs them onto waves of their own, groaning along with your cries as they piston you with the final ruts of their hips. Their pulsating lengths exert their loads inside your holes simultaneously, filling you up with their essence as their sweaty bodies heave and shudder. Nanami releases your clit from his grasp, the same with your lips.
He hums pleasantly, his brown orbs hooded yet comforting. “Told you I love having you around me.”
“Bet y’re glad you stayed over,” Toji’s hand finds its way to your chin after putting your legs down. He scoffs when you bashfully nod, bringing you in for a kiss. “Did so well, mama…”
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───
Mornings are typically a thing you share with your daughter in the comfort of your home. From the moment she came into your world to having her own room and bed, Nobara would always be the first thing you’d see when waking up. Coming into your room to greet you, pulling you out for something, or get dressed and ready for the day with you – it was a routine the two of you shared, a sacred thing to enjoy between parent and daughter. So, to wake up in a room different from yours or see a different face has been a rarity ever since she became your top priority.
This morning, though, was one of those rarities.
“Good morning, Y/n.”
Your eyes flickered open from birds chirping and the sun peaking from the bedroom curtains. Drowsy eyes scan around to see that you are not in your room, already being alerted that something had happened last night of the change of scenery. And when you look to see who lies beside you, it all hits you like a slap.
It was like a scene from a romance movie, waking up to Nanami’s stunning face that was highlighted by the sunlight. Fair blonde hair that matched the softness of his russet eyes and a kind smile to match. And your breath hitches when he brings a hand to caress your cheek.
“Mornin’, Y/n.”
And, of course, he wasn’t the only one who’d be greeting you. You sheepishly turn around to see the other man looking at you, viridian orbs ready to meet your pretty face. The smile on his face pulls the scar on his lips, the man effortlessly shooting an arrow into your heart.
Everything that occurred the night before flashes, and the heat returns to dance on your cheeks and ears. Waking up in a different bed with two handsome men is one thing. To wake up to your crushes greeting you good morning, all three of you nude and comfortable after a night of mutual passion? Oh, you had to be dreaming still.
And yet, you couldn’t look at either of them in the eyes, averting your gaze modestly. “…Good morning,” you say quietly, almost squeaking your heart out when they both move to be closer. They kiss you, embrace you, and give you attention as if your decade-long crush has finally been lifted for them to spoil you. It’s kind of suffocating in a way. But, God, it felt so good.
Eventually, you got up and threw on some clothes to make food for everyone, Nanami joining you after putting his sleepwear back on. Toji had to leave for a moment to grab stuff from the store, his daughter waking up to the sound of him slamming the front door close. Then came Megumi, then Yuuji, who greeted Nanami with a hug, and now Nobara. The children sit around the table and mingle while you and the blonde fix some blueberry waffles, eggs, and bacon.
“Isn’t that my dad’s shirt?” Megumi was the first to notice it, pointing to the sweatshirt that went with your loose jeans — the same sweatshirt that Toji wore yesterday.
You flatten your lips before coming up with an answer. “Yes…I had nothing to wear for sleeping over, so he gave me his shirt. He didn’t mind; he brought an extra one.”
“You stayed over, Auntie?” Yuuji inquired after taking a sip of his apple juice. “Where did you sleep?”
“On the couch.”
Brown brows scrunch together before Nobara asks, “But wasn’t Uncle Toji the one who’d sleep on the couch?”
You open your mouth, but words fail to exit out. Sharing a glance with Nanami, who coughs while putting waffles on plates, he covers for you. “He slept in my bed with me.”
“You slept with my father?” Tsumiki interrogates, trying to stifle a laugh. “He snores a lot, so I’m sorry if you couldn’t sleep, Uncle Nanami.”
As if on cue, the front door opens and closes with the arrival of her father, walking to kiss Tsumiki’s cheek and ruffle Megumi’s hair before entering the kitchen. He pulls something out of the plastic grocery bag and hands it to you. Putting the mixing bowl down, you take what seems to be a box, and your eyes widen to Toji’s amusement. “I’d take those before leaving if I were you.”
“Jesus Christ,” you put the box of birth control to the side with a flustered face. “Thank you…” And before you can process it, Toji sneaks a kiss on your cheek with you distracted. The older man cackles to himself when you slap his arm and push him off. Thankfully, none of the kids notice.
“Uncle Toji,” Nobara grabs the man’s attention. “Is it true you slept with Uncle Nanami?”
The question takes him aback, but Toji’s quick on his feet to reply. “Yeah, I did. Your dad looks like a dead man when asleep, Yuyu.”
The pink-haired child nods along to the nickname. “Mhmm! Even when he comes home from work, he looks like he hasn’t slept in weeks, like some kind of vampire.” You snuck a glimpse at the sand-haired man, who rolled his eyes before bringing plates to put on the table.
“Anyways,” he diverts the conversation to a different subject, placing a plate full of food in front of the boys. “Be ready for the zoo after breakfast, Yuuji. Didn’t you say you wanted to see the new tiger cubs?”
The Fushiguro siblings brighten with interest at the mention of the zoo, turning to their father, who instantly shuts them down with crossed arms. “Don’t even think about it. I’m already takin’ you two to the aquarium tomorrow; you want me to pay for more tickets for some animals?”
The joy in their eyes diminishes in seconds. “Cheapskate,” Megumi mumbled under his breath, earning a blueberry to be thrown at him by Toji. But the siblings smile when Nanami says that they can come along.
“Momma,” you dreaded hearing your daughter’s voice during this conversation, hesitantly peering at the dark-haired girl after being given her breakfast. “Can I go, too?”
Oh, goddamn it. “I’m sorry, baby, but I can’t keep going back and forth from the house and wherever. Besides, you have karate today.”
“I can skip!” Your mouth drops at her enthusiasm. “Besides, we can just sleep over again!”
This girl! “Nobara, you can’t just go making those decisions like this is your home. Did you ask Yuuji’s father if it was okay to stay another night?” You probably shouldn’t have said that, as the girl immediately asks the blonde father the exact question. And to your shock, he says they’re free to stay another night. You’re not helping! “You don’t even have an extra pair of clothes!”
And to make it worse, the onyx-haired man beside you says this, which makes you facepalm with a groan. “I can drive you two home and back. Saves ya some gas.” You’re not helping either, and you’re just losing gas for my sake!
Mornings were supposed to be an easy thing to deal with. And yet here you are, dealing with a predicament. Shit like this is precisely why you don’t stay for too long during Nobara’s playdates and sleepovers; now you’re backed into a position where saying no seems futile. Nothing wrong with the children wanting to hang out more, but fuck does it throw the routine off. However, it wasn’t all bad. Because the whole point of this was for the little girl to have fun with her friends, who are you to be a Debby downer on her parade?
Plus…you’d get to hang out with Toji and Nanami for another day; that alone has your stomach running laps right now. Not only did you have your feelings reciprocated by the two men within a single night and then some, but you’re now invited to stay another day and enjoy the weekend in their company. You can sense their gazes on you, awaiting your answer – your approval to spoil and please you for one more night. And what makes your heart skip into flips is that there would probably be more days and nights to deepen this relationship between you three…
So, with a heavy sigh, you slide your hand down your face.
“…Can we at least go get some spare clothes first?”
Hey, could you write some Gaara angst. He and his fiancé fought over something and the argument was that bad where he said things that he shouldn’t have. His fiancé has to leave for a mission the next day,a dangerous one at that. Things go wrong on her mission and she’s now in the hospital and it’s hard to say if she’ll live or not. Gaara is in complete emotional distress and guilt because he feels that it’s his fault that his fiancé might not live.
Have a lovely day!
author's note: I saw "she" in the request, so I am rolling with a fem! reader. It's not a secret I love writing angst, so I really enjoyed writing this one. I hope you like it as well! <3 Thank you for requesting!
warnings: none, other than reader can be a little bit annoying in the first half lol
This is not how the evening was supposed to go.
As the last day before your two-week mission, you imagined it as a romantic day, filled with lots of laughter, kisses, and good homemade food, which you had spent all day making.
A screaming match in your fiancé's office was definitely not part of the plan.
"Lower your voice", Gaara sighed, his fingers making their way to rub soothing circles on the side of his forehead. You had stormed into the Kazekage's building about an hour ago, and while your demeanour was progressively getting worse and more aggressive, somehow he had still managed to remain collected.
"Excuse me?", you let out a scoff, marching towards his desk and slamming your hands on top of it, "Don't command me like that! Who do you think you are?"
The words triggered something inside of him and he abruptly stood up, slamming his hands right next to yours and getting right in your face. His eyes, usually calm and inviting, were now cold and dark, showing that there was a storm brewing inside of him.
"I am your fiancé, but most importantly your Kazekage", he gritted his teeth, emphasizing his title, " I know you are upset and I said I am sorry! But your shenanigans stop now!"
Tilting your head, you remained silent and narrowed your eyes, determined not to give up on the little staring contest you had going on. Pressing your lips together, you moved your jaw in annoyance, your breathing heavy with the pent-up frustration.
"Well, guess what, Kazekage?", your words came out almost mocking, while a small sarcastic smirk appeared on your face, "If you tired of dealing with my "shenanigans", maybe you should run and complain to your little friend from the Leaf. I am sure he would be more than happy to hear we are on the verge of breaking up because of him."
"Are you hearing yourself?", Gaara finally raised his voice, moving away from the desk, while running his hand through his red locks, "Break up because of Naruto? You are being absolutely ridiculous, Y/N!"
"I am being ridiculous? This is our last day before my mission and you decide to spend it with Naruto!", you screamed, shaking your hands in the air and making a few steps towards him, "One would've thought that you two are engaged, instead!”
A dry chuckle made its way past his lips and he shook his head, trying to calm his mind. Gods knew he loved you more than life itself but in moments like these he questioned how fate decided to bring you together, considering you were polar opposites.
Gaara was a calm, collected, and reserved individual. He was extremely hard-working and devoted to his nation, so naturally every decision he made was always centered around the well-being of others. He always carefully considered all his options before acting, and rarely resolved to action, if the problem could be resolved peacefully with talks.
You ,on the other hand, were hot-headed, impulsive, and stubborn. Always acting before thinking, you often fail to consider anyone else's needs and wishes in moments like this, too blinded by your selfish desire and feeling of injustice. Unlike the red-headed shinobi, who you described as your "better half", you faced problems head-on, even if that meant you would regret it later.
There has always been some tension between you two, even since you met during your Chunin Exams, but no one believed you would get together, especially after Gaara went through his life-changing phase when he realised the importance of friends and family.
Yet, years later, here you were - a Leaf shinobi who transferred to Suna and was engaged to the Kazekage. Somehow your clashing personalities worked in harmony and you managed to bring the best out of each other.
Well, most of the time...
Today, after he decided to spend the whole day with Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi, thus resulting in him having to work through the evening, was not one of these times.
While the Leaf ninjas were your old comrades, it was not a secret that you did not share a close bond with them, especially with the blonde.
Naruto has openly vocalized his opinion that Gaara is too good for you and he can find a better, calmer half, who would compliment him as a future spouse of the Kazekage. He always made it clear that while he did not exactly hate you, he did not approve of you.
In response, you did not hide your thoughts about their friendship and the fact that your partner was giving him too much credit. Of course, Naruto did have some role in his decision to change for the better, but ultimately it was Gaara who did all the work. Additionally, the blonde was loud, assertive, and loved to poke his nose in other people's business, including your relationship.
"Y/N, enough!", your fiancé's voice boomed, his aura suddenly darker, "Do not talk about my friends like this!"
"Do you keep the same energy when he talks about me?", your brow raised, "When he says how I don't deserve you and tries to fill your head with the craziest ideas about us!"
Gaara let out a puff of air, before turning around and marching towards you. Stopping just a foot away, he lifted his hands towards you, laying them on your shoulder.
"I. Had. Enough!", he hissed each word through his teeth, a sign he was really pissed off at you now, "No one talks about you and no one is trying to fill my head with anything! I don't need anyone to tell me that we are incompatible when I can clearly see that myself!"
The insults and swears that were ready to fall from your mouth got stuck in your throat and your eyes widened for a few seconds, before narrowing again.
"What are you getting at?", this time your voice was quieter, but still with a note of challenge behind it.
Suddenly there was a spark of uncertainty behind his blue eyes. Slowly removing his hands from your body, he walked towards the window with his back facing you.
"I think we need a break. It's just... It's not working anymore", he murmured, gaze focused on the peaceful streets of Suna. He found it easier to say what he was thinking right now if he avoided looking at you.
A minute passed.
Gaara expected you to scream at him, swear at him, or even grab something from his desk and throw it at his head. But when he heard the door of his office opening and slamming shut, he jumped in surprise. Turning around, he found the spot where you were standing just a minute ago, empty, while your diamond ring shined lonely at the edge of his desk.
It's strange how distorted a person's time perception becomes once they are eagerly waiting for something.
Two weeks, which usually flew by, given his busy schedule, now felt like an eternal nightmare for the young Kazekage. Eaten by the guilt of how your last conversation ended, he severely punished his mind and body by refusing to eat, drink, or socialize with anyone outside his work. He practically lived in his office and if it wasn't for Kankuro to send him to shower every morning, after working the whole night, he probably would had not set a foot outside.
This morning, however, he refused to do even that. You were supposed to come to report about your mission any moment now and he shifted nervously in his seat, mentally rehearsing the apology he wanted to say to you.
An hour passed.
Then two.
Gaara kept glancing towards the door, yet no one entered, except his secretary who kept dropping piles of paperwork on his desk. He tried to question if any ninjas have showed in the building today, but she kept shaking her head "no" with an apologetic smile on her lips.
Finally, just after noon, a small, barely audible knock reached his ear and he immediately straightened his posture and fixed his hair, before giving his response. His eyes gleamed with anticipation and he stood up, ready to greet you back home.
His, smile, however, quickly dropped once he saw that only one of your teammates, Bumi, entered his office. Covered in scratches across his face and hands, he looked like he had taken some rough beating not long ago. Gaara's blood froze.
If Bumi, the largest and the most skilled ninja in your squad, looked like this, what has happened to you?
"Lord Kazekage", the man greeted, before bowing his head. He made his way towards the desk and placed a tightly wrapped scroll on it, but his gaze remained cast downward.
"The report for our mission."
"Where is Y/N?", the red-headed ninja asked, not even glancing at the document given to him. He had a bad feeling about what was happening and Bumi's lack of eye contact and nervous twitching did not help to ease his worries.
Your teammate looked up, meeting Gaara's intense stare for just a second, before clearing his throat and focusing on his shoes again.
"She...", he stopped, nervously shifting his weight from one foot to another, "Um... she is not here at the moment."
"I can see that", the Kazekage pointed out, completely unamused, "Which is why I am asking - where is she?"
Bumi moved uncomfortably again, before letting out a sigh and taking a seat opposite his red-headed leader. His knee kept bouncing and he nervously shifted around his seat, before opening his mouth again:
"The Elders warned me not to tell you... yet."
Gaara's glare hardened and he crossed his fingers on top of his desk. Pressing his lips in a thin line, he took a deep breath, trying to calm the rising feeling of panic inside of him.
"You answer to me, not the Elders", he almost growled, his eyes not moving away from your teammate. His jaw tensed and that was enough of a sign for Bumi to spill out what was on his mind
"She is in the hospital", he blurted out and Gaara's breath hitched. His fingers started to tremble and he quickly placed them on his knees below his desk, a poor attempt to cover the shock that hit him when he heard the other male's words.
'Maybe it is just a check-up', he tried to reason in his head, 'maybe it is nothing too serious.'
Almost like he read his thoughts, Bumi decided to continue:
"It all happened so fast", he looked down, mentally reliving what happened just this morning, "We were on our way back when we were ambushed. Y/N... She has been acting weird the whole mission. She kept missing her shots and her reactions were slower than normal... I don't know what happened, but it was almost like she was not herself."
Cold sweat started forming on Gaara's temples and he felt his heart speeding inside his ribcage. He felt like he wanted to jump out of his seat and run to the hospital, but it was almost like his body was disconnected from his brain and it chose to stay frozen in place.
"So when this ninja swung his katana towards her stomach, it was too late for her to block it or move away...", Bumi gulped, his eyes now glossy, "The doctors said the cut was so deep, it damaged some of her insides too. And by the time we arrived, she also lost a ton of blood. They... They are not sure if she can make it."
Gaara always considered himself a man who knew what pain was. He has endured so much during his childhood, that he always thought nothing could hurt him anymore.
But the way his whole soul shattered the second he heard you may not make it, was a whole new type of pain. One that pointed its ugly finger to his face, screaming "It is all your fault!", while simultaneously creating feelings of rage and bloodthirst... feelings that stayed buried deep inside of him for years.
"Which village?", was all he said, his blue eyes now empty and staring at the blank wall at the opposite end of his office.
Bumi gulped, standing from his seat. The look on Gaara's face... He has not seen that look since their Chunin days. He was about to sneakily exit the office when the Kazekage's cold gaze fixated him on the spot.
"They had Leaf headbands...", he mumbled, before quickly adding, "But they could've gotten them from anywhere. I don't believe our allies-"
His words were interrupted by the Kazekage's hand which lifted in the air, cutting him mid-sentence. Getting up from his chair, he grabbed his hat, before walking past Bumi towards the door. Thousand different thoughts and ideas were racing through his brain about how he should deal with the situation, but they ultimately led to his need to see you straight away.
The last words he said to you kept echoing in his mind and he felt like throwing up. If he had shown up for your scheduled date night, if he had kept his tongue behind his teeth, if he had shown up at the gates the morning before you left... maybe you would be here, with him, instead of fighting for your life.
He knew he had to get to you, to be with you and somehow beg you to stay with him. But before that, he had one final request to make:
"Gather the Elders and the War Council", he instructed Bumi, while making his way past him, "Our alliance with the Leaf is over."
cc artwork: concept art for "Assassin's Creed: Mirage"
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