"why are you staring? is there something on my face?" ehe :) ehehehehehe :)
slow burn for friends to lovers | @mugiwaraou gets whatever this is :' ))
chiyoko hisakawa is not a woman of great faith. she doubts everyone, and she knows it's not fair. many people have never given her a reason to doubt them -- some have even given her reason to believe in them -- yet her mind is all too hasty to assume the worst. it's not fair, and it doesn't feel good when she's right, but at least she can lie to herself that the disappointment doesn't hurt so much when she expects it.
chiyo is not a woman of great faith, but she still believed luffy would save her.
he isn't like most people chiyo's known in her life. it's hard to play to a person's preferences when that person accepts everyone, when their thoughts aren't a puzzle to decipher, when they speak openly, bluntly, honestly. it's hard to wear a mask when none is needed, when your masks are all met with prying fingers, when your true face is greeted with a smile like sunlight and the sharing of a precious hat.
luffy isn't like anyone she's ever known, unwilling to abandon a friend in need, no matter how new. that's what chiyo's learned over the last few months of sailing with the strawhats, and that's why she believed in him even as a fist rendered her unconscious. but he won't save her now. she's too far from the fighting, carried aboard an unfamiliar ship amidst the chaos and sucker punched before she could struggle anew. luffy probably hasn't even noticed her absence from the fight. why would he when opponents were in front of him?
there are others on board, stolen like her, who have no one to save them. chiyo feels the weight of their stares as she glares up at grinning pirates, mind racing much like her heart. her calloused hands clench into tight fists upon the deck. she doesn't have a weapon nor a plan, but she can save herself. she's done it before, and she'll do it again. her lips part, words sharp like knives as the blonde rises to her feet.
but something unexpected happens, as it often does with the strawhats. a boisterous scream pierces the tense atmosphere, and all turn their heads as monkey d. luffy shoots through the cool, evening air to barrel right into the group of pirates. the sight overwhelms her. chiyo can only stare, brown eyes wide and mouth agape while luffy takes on her would-be captors. he came for her. he found her. he proved her wrong.
she doesn't feel big enough for the emotion that builds inside her chest. it comes out as a battle cry, spurring her into joining the fight. chiyo doesn't have a weapon nor a plan, but she has luffy at her side, and that's worth a lot more.
chiyoko hisakawa is not a woman of great faith, but she believes in luffy. how silly of her to doubt him.
" why are you staring? is there something on my face? "
her captain's voice breaks the brief quiet between them. with the fight over, chiyo stands there, chest heaving with all her effort while the kidnapped villagers rush off the ship. she hadn't even realized she was staring, lost in thought and feeling something stir within her chest again. it's as overwhelming as before, building until she feels it pouring from her eyes and spilling down her cheeks. chiyo lets out a watery laugh and shakes her head, wipes at her eyes as she stumbles over to luffy.
" no, " she tells him before pulling him into a hug. his warmth soothes her aches -- the ones neither of them can see but know are there. " i'm just really happy to see ya. "
