Welcome to the world of sleepykina °⧠đ đ đ Â·ïœĄ
Welcome to my blog! You can either call me sleepy or Kina, whichever you prefer || She/Her || Fics are posted every 1-3 weeks at random times, depending on how busy I am || I donât write any chapter/part twos/ongoing fics unless I really want to, I prefer writing oneshots || I mostly write SFW, Iâll rarely ever write smut unless heavily requested
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â Everything I write is created by me. I do not support anything stolen or AI. Iâm a heavy believer that AI shouldnât be used for anything and things should be created by YOU, not something or someone else.
megumi fushiguro x specialgrade!reader headcannons
boyfriend!megumi who doesnât say it aloud but is hyper-aware of the gap between you. youâre well known in the jujutsu world, and heâs still climbing. it pushes him to train harder, spending long hours perfecting his technique. and it shows too, he has more scars and wounds than before. you donât say anything, knowing itâs a sensitive topic
boyfriend!megumi who begs you to train him. you warn him itâs not a good idea but he begs you to anyway. he wants to be able to keep up with you. he doesnât want to be left behind.
boyfriend!megumi who absolutely hates the higher ups. they donât see you as a human being, just as a weapon of mass destruction. if they talk about you like youâre some tool, his mood immediately tanks. he gets curt, colder than usual.
boyfriend!megumi who patches you up in the middle of the night when you get back from missions. âyou should be more careful.â he scolds you. he can never sleep when youâre out late exorcising curses. but every time he pulls you into a hug and smells your hair, grateful youâre still alive.
boyfriend!megumi who stays up at night wondering what would happen if you died doing something no one else could survive, and heâll be left behind. he couldnât imagine a world without you by his side. it was too painful to envision.
boyfriend!megumi whoâs afraid heâs holding you back. heâs a grade 2 sorcerer and is still learning as he goes. he hopes he isnât a burden to you, afraid of stopping you from reaching your true potential
boyfriend!megumi who memorizes the stories people tell about you. not the flashy headlines but the small details. the mission where you stayed behind so everyone else could escape, the time you went back for a civilian. he holds them close, equal parts proud and terrified.
boyfriend!megumi who watches you fight with that tight look on his face. he trusts you, he does, but seeing the way you throw yourself into danger makes something ugly twist in his chest.
boyfriend!megumi who gets quiet whenever you talk about future promotions or overseas requests. heâll nod, say thatâs good, that you deserve it. later that night he trains until his hands shake.
boyfriend!megumi who tries to hide how relieved he is when you cancel plans to stay in with him instead of taking extra work. he doesnât want to be selfish, but he wants you safe more than he wants to be noble.
boyfriend!megumi who learns your limits even when you pretend you donât have any. the slight delay in your step, the way your voice gets flatter when youâre exhausted. he notices every time.
boyfriend!megumi who thinks about the day you might be sent somewhere he canât follow. he tells himself heâd accept it, because youâre needed. the thought still keeps him awake.
boyfriend!megumi who never asks you to be less strong. he just wants to be strong enough to stand beside you.
Hii! Iâm so glad to be hearing from you! Everythingâs been going great, i finally got over my flu đ„č I havenât been up to much, I hung out with my friend yesterday for my birthday, we ate like 3 different cakes and fell asleep afterwards, I ordered two one piece look up figures so Iâm really excited for those to get delivered soon!
How have you been? I hope everythingâs been wonderful with you! I always love hearing from you!!
OH MY GOSHHHH YOU WERE RIGHT, I DID INFACT PURCHASE ACE AND LUFFY!! Both of them have been on my wishlist for sooo long so Iâm finally glad I was able to purchase them!
Ughh, I know how you feel I always dread having exams, especially when I wanna do other things but canât because I have to focus on them >_< I hope you do good on them!!
Donât worry, Iâll be visiting your blog a lotttt more since Iâm no longer busy with my exams!
Hii! Iâm so glad to be hearing from you! Everythingâs been going great, i finally got over my flu đ„č I havenât been up to much, I hung out with my friend yesterday for my birthday, we ate like 3 different cakes and fell asleep afterwards, I ordered two one piece look up figures so Iâm really excited for those to get delivered soon!
How have you been? I hope everythingâs been wonderful with you! I always love hearing from you!!
Hellooo! I was wondering if you could write s luffy x reader?
Wherein she's been with him since day one(she's their log manager)of his adventureâwhere he was still on his first ever boat before he got dragged into a Whirlpool typa long. With that, he's definitely closer with her. And when she goes missing/kidnapped, the whole crew just realizes how important she is to him because of how he acts when she goes missing/kidnapped.
The rest is up to you! I've had this thought since forever!
â€ïž Wanna Be Yours !
pairing: Luffy x fem!reader
synopsis: you've always been there for luffy, from the moment you both hopped into that small rickety boat all those months ago, - broke, dirty, and starving, with only his dream and your presence keeping everything together. And now that you've been kidnapped he's dedicated himself to bring you back no matter what it takes.
w.c: 3.3k
note: she/her pronouns are used, no use of y/n, third person
warnings: none
song: I wanna be yours by Arctic Monkeys
a/n: Hello~! Thanks so much for requesting, and this idea is marvellous! I'm so glad you shared it with me! I tried making it apparent the difference in Luffy's demeanour when it comes to you, and that he's no longer the carefree food-loving captain everyone's used to. Hopefully you like how it turned out, if not feel free to let me know what you'd like to change! Btw just know this is only my second time writing a long fic for Luffy so please forgive me if he appears OOC too some degree, with time i'll be able to portray him far better, but for now, take this instead! One more thing, if you're wondering where Franky is, he isn't here, i haven't reached that far in the anime so just ignore the little inaccuracies! Divder were made by the wonderful @/kodaswrld!
It had been a month since the Strawhats had set dock in the towns waters, things had been surprisingly peaceful, and gave time for the crew to gather supplies. The Thousand Sunny was finally able to get its much needed repairs after a storm had torn through its hulls.
Thankfully, Nami was able to find a nearby town, though no one had expected the repairs to take quite so long, it had finally been finished, and everyone merely began preparing for their continued journey by gathering some much needed supplies.
Nami and Robin went to buy everyone new outfits for the colder climates they were surely to meet on the way.
Sanji went to buy more ingredients that could last some another few months (and Luffy's ravenous appetite).
Zoro went out to go buy some booze, since it had all but run out. Chopper went with Zoro, since he feared the swordsman would get lost without him (he would) and because he desperately needed more medical supplies to keep everyone in tip-top shape.
Usopp remained on the ship, to give it a look over before they headed out.
And Luffy, well Luffy was hungry (when was he not?), and so he headed into town with the sole purpose of finding food, preferably meat, but anything even slightly edible would do just fine by him.
And you had decided to join him, mainly because your feared the trouble he could get himself into, but you also hoped that a new supply of ink had finally reached the shops, you were all but running out, and as the crews log manager it was your duty to log every adventure you'd encounter with the Strawhats...which, with Luffy and the crew, was a lot, and so the ink would do you good. You also hoped to find some extra paper and binding for when your current log ran out, but it would last to the next town at least, and so it wasn't as urgent.
As you both began walking towards the town, you made sure to remind Luffy of the time limit looming over both your heads.
"Lu, we should really try and make it quick this time, Nami wants us to leave before another storm rolls in, and she really doesn't want to pay for more ships part"
"Okey dokey~!" he hummed to whatever tune was playing in his head, not at all bothered by the threat of Nami launching you both headfirst into the sea, or worse selling you off to the marines for your bounty.
You shivered at the thought, turning to Luffy to urge him on faster, but at the sight of him so relaxed and happy you couldn't help but relax yourself, that was just the effect Luffy had on others it seemed, to follow him despite the risks.
And then he started singing, which wasn't unusual for Luffy in the slightest, you were actually more surprised it took him this long to start.
"Food, food, food~" he began, swinging his arms back and forth as he continued walking
"Me and (name) are getting food~" he began skipping ahead, a grin forming on his lips as he turned to stare at you over his shoulder
"We'll eat lots of meat, and go on lots of adventures~" he offered you his hand, and you couldn't help but laugh, that's just the way things were with Luffy, freeing and full of joy.
"I'll become king of the pirates and she'll be queen of the logs~!" tightly taking hold of your hand, he led you to what you hoped was a place to buy your much needed supplies.
He intertwined his fingers with yours, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and not one that set your heart beating at a completely unnatural pace (were those wedding bells in the distance?), a soft coat of blush dusted your face and coated the tips of your ears pink as you tightened your grip, and began running ahead of him.
He glanced at you, surprised that you had let go of his hand and had overtaken him, but that only lasted a moment as he stared at you with wide eyes.
Your face, you were grinning from ear-to-ear, face tinted pink as you exclaimed
"You better not slow me down, Lu!"
His brain took a few seconds longer to catch them then he'd liked.
But then he grinned back at you, as if nothing was wrong, as if your smile hadn't just sent his mind in a very-confused spiral, as if you hadn't just forced him to wonder if he could hold onto your hand forever and ever.
Was that something friends did?
It didn't matter, he'd hold your hand however long he wanted! He was the captain afterall!
Then all of a sudden (because of course it would), his stomach began grumbling, loudly.
As a few heads turned his way, he clutched his stomach, leaning over he whimpered
"Food..."
All that thinking had made him even hungrier, and uncomfortable, not a good combo.
But he did his best not to show it, since he was about to buy food anyway, but because you were you, you had noticed.
"Hey Lu, whoever makes it to the market last has to pay for both meals!" you called over your shoulder, laughing
He grinned, not waiting another second as he raced after you, shouting
"You won't beat me (Name)! I'm gonna be the future King Of The Pirates, so the free meal will be mine!"
As you raced through the crowds of people, apologizing as you waved through the crowd, he was finally able to catch up to you.
Grasping your hand in his, he ended up forgetting about the competition completely, leading you to an open area, where only a few scattered civilians walked about, shopping at nearby market stands.
"Oi, this means you're paying dummy!" you teased, bumping his shoulder with your own, to which Luffy merely grinned, giving you a thumbs up he replied (way too enthusiastically, you couldn't help but think)
"Ok!"
As the silence settled, you couldn't help but ask
"Do you...Do you even have money?"
"Nope!"
Ah, why would you ever think otherwise?
"How're you planning on paying for the food if i hadn't come?"
"Wasn't going to"
You blinked, then sighed, of course he wasn't, he was a pirate through and through after all.
Fishing through your purse, you managed to find some money Nami had lent you awhile back.
"And I should still have enough to buy my supplies" you thought, pleased
Stopping in front of a food stall, he ordered six tokoyaki sticks (because you wouldn't let him buy the entire stand), handing you two he quickly began eating the other four.
As silence settled over you both, you began making your way to the bookkeeping shop.
He didn't notice it at first, too content with the food in his stomach and your presence beside his.
But then he stared at you, nothing obvious, just out of the corner of his eye, not in a creepy way, just in a Luffy way; open, curious, and happy.
He noticed things he wouldn't usually pay attention to, not because he didn't care but because it never occurred to him that he wasn't paying enough attention to you in the first place.
He noticed the way you looked up at him with earnest eyes, a soft pink flush dusting your cheeks, and shy smile on your lips, and all he could give you back was a stupid grin, holding your hand tighter he held up your oh so small hand in his much larger calloused one and blurted the first thing that came to mind
"You gotta hold my hand the whole way, captains orders!" and as he had hoped, you let out a laugh, carefree and content, it was the one that held him and comforted all those days stranded at sea with you in a too tight barrel. The one that made him want to stop whatever he was doing (even eating) to stare at you, as if he stared long enough, hard enough, he could capture the moment in his mind and play it whenever he wanted.
"Aye-aye captain!" you teased, giving him a joking salute, then out of nowhere you began running, still holding onto your hand he raced after you.
~
After buying the supplies you needed (even managing to find some extra paper and bindings in the back) you headed towards the Thousand Sunny, with Luffy leading the way.
But instead of seeing the open sea, you both ended up in a closed-off alleyway.
Looking up to the sky, you saw how dark it was getting, the sun just beginning to set as the sky faded from a pale blue to a dark purple.
âShoot, guess it'll take us a bit longer to get to the ship, must've taken a wrong turn somewhereâŠâ you muttered, already beginning to turn around, determined to take the lead this time, but not before a threatening voice shouted out from behind
âDonât moveâÂ
Luffy immediately turned around and found himself face to face with a gruff looking older man, covered head-to-toe with all kinds of scars, otherwise known as trouble.
And so, in an ever Luffy like manner, he didn't wait a single second, smile gone, he swung back his arms in an all too familiar motion
âGum Gum Pistol!âÂ
âI wouldnât do that if i were youâŠâ another voice jeered, this time from behind him
âLuffy...âÂ
His whole body froze at the sound of your previously laughter filled voice now reduced to nothing but a shaky whimper.Â
He turns around slowly, his vision tinted red, feeling nothing but an empty rage at the sight of you being held hostage, with a bloodstained knife at your throat.
Your eyes were wide with terror, limbs shaking
"There's a knife at her throat. Why is there a damn knife at her throat?!"
And for once he didn't jump first ask questions later, because this time it wasn't his life at stake, it was yours.
And that's something he would never be willing to gamble away
âLet her goâ he was barely able to restrain his rage, willing himself to stay as still as possible, not wanting a misunderstanding to occur and for you to pay the deadly price.
There was a pause, then a burst of laughter as the two men jeered and taunted him, the man holding the knife pressed it against the thin skin of your throat, drawing a trickle of blood.
"We're not joking around, and you shouldn't be either. You're a pirate aren't you?"
"Yeah, so what?!" he shouted, being unable to help you outright was making him impatient and reckless, but he held back, because being reckless would only end up harming you
"Well then Mr.Pirate, we'll meet you at Otomi Cliff, be prepared to give up everything if you want her back"
Well the man spoke, a smoke bomb was dropped from above, likely from one of his allies, and they disappeared in a puff of smoke, and you with them.
Luffy didn't know a lot of stuff, he wasn't smart like Robin, he couldn't read the weather like Nami, couldn't heal others like Chopper could, he couldn't fix things the way Usopp could, he couldn't even cook to save his life, especially not the way Sanji did, and he wasn't as grounding as Zoro was.
But he knew this.
He'd watch the world burn first before he let anything bad happen to you.
And so, he raced after you.
Because no matter how hopeless it seemed, or how impossible the odds, he would chase after you - his anchor, his right hand, and his best friend, and nothing would stand in his way
âŠâąâàč â€ïž àčââąâŠ
Nami immediately noticed the shift in the air, the cool sea air had left a sting on her skin.
Something was wrong.
Everyone else had met up at their meeting spot in front of an old closed down shop.
"Has anyone seen Luffy?" Nami demanded
"Not since we left" Usopp replied, then went on to mutter anxiously as he took a look around for you and Luffy
"He was with (Name) last I saw" Robin murmured
Nami sighed,
"Yeah, but we haven't seen or heard them yet"
"He's probably stuffing his face before we leave" Zoro muttered, eyes closed as he leaned against the building.
And that's when she saw him.
Luffy, running as if his life depended on it, smile gone and eyes darkened with a type of desperation she had never seen in him before.
"Hey Luffy-!" she shouted, running after him with the others trailing behind her
Barely catching up to him, she shouted
"Where's (Name)-"
"She's been kidnapped by thieves"
"What?!"the crew all shouted in unison
"They want me to meet them at Otomi cliff, but i need you, Usopp, Robin and Chopper to get back to the ship and get it ready, meet the rest of us at the cliff"
"Luffy, wait!" grabbing onto his arm, she forced him to a stop
He glared at her, then as if he remembered who she was, relaxed his gaze, though she could tell he was already getting restless by the way he tapped his foot.
"We need a proper plan, we can't just go rushing in, not when it'll risk (Name)'s life-"
"You don't think I know that?!" he shouted back, eyes wide with worry and fear
He was met with stunned silence.
But he continued on as if he didn't notice, because he hadn't, the only thing on his mind was you.
"I know her life's at risk, that's why we can't waste time making a plan!"
You who had been by his side through it all.
"I won't lose her!"
You who had cheered him on as he screamed his dream to the sky.
"Please Nami, just trust me."
Nami froze, as she saw the pleading desperation in his eyes.
She knew you were special to him, everyone did, but she would never have guessed it was to the extent
With a grim nod, she replied
"Ok, let's do this then"
âŠâąâàč â€ïž àčââąâŠ
You had never been one to fear heights.
But this, this was just ridiculous.
Hanging by a single cord of thick rope, you were tied to a thick branch of a nearby tree, with a forced view of the sea below you and the occasional wind causing the rope to sway dangerously over the edge of the cliff, things were not looking good for you.
And then the all too familiar feeling of cold steel against your neck caused your thoughts to come to a sudden, terrifying, stop.
"Don't you dare to try and escape" the scarred man hissed
You snorted,
Where would you even escape too?
There was only a slight stretch of grass beneath your feet, and if you landed wrong you'd end up plummeting to your cold watery death 100 feet below.
He'd been placed as your guard, while the other thieves hide within the thicket not to far from where you were, waiting for Luffy to arrive.
Knowing Luffy he'd surely arrive anytime now, he'd be impatient and wouldn't go back to get help from the rest of the crew, rushing headfirst into danger as he always did, no matter how much you prayed he wouldn't.
You let out a shaky breath, not quite a laugh (the situation you were in was not funny), but amused nonetheless that you'd even think Luffy wouldn't do anything impulsive, he was impulsivity incarnate.
"Oi, boss! When's the pirate gonna arrive?"
For a moment he took his eyes off you, shouting at his subordinate to shut up and hide, and that was all you needed.
Slamming your foot into the side of his face, you relaxed your hold on the knife hidden in your sleeve, quickly cutting at the cord until it finally snapped.
You twisted your position so that you'd land on the small patch of land, but at the last minute you lost your balance at teetered over the edge and-
A hand wrapped around your waist, pulling you up and by his side
"(Name), you alright?" Luffy demanded, looking up and down to make sure you weren't hurt
"Yes, but what happened to the thieves-"
"We've got 'em" Zoro shouted from behind, to which you finally noticed the defeated thieves, all laying in a pitiful pile behind him.
"I'm here too (Name)-chan~!" Sanji exclaimed, waving his arms excitedly
You let out a shaky breath, but before you could fully relax Luffy picked you up, bridal style, turning to Zoro and Sanji he called out
"Let's get going, Nami and the others are waiting for us down below!"
"Down below?!" you screeched, before he launched himself, and you with him, off the cliff and into the dark waters below
"Luffy, what're you doing?! You can't swim, remember!" you shouted over the rushing of the wind, eyes shut tight as you hid your face in his chest
"Don't worry (Name)! I've got you, the ships just below us!"
Stretching his free arm so that it grabbed onto something below, he shouted an all too familiar "Gum Gum Rocket!" and brought you to safety
âŠâąâàč â€ïž àčââąâŠ
You couldn't sleep.
Watching the lapping waves below you let out a shaky breath, the reality of what you had gone through taking it's toll.
Though, thanks to everyones help it was over now, and you were safe, heading to whatever Island Luffy had in mind next.
"(Name)"
You turned to find Luffy trudging towards you, black hair a mess, and eyes half-opened from exhaustion.
He didn't wait, slumping his full weight on top of you, he let out a happy sigh
" 'm really glad you're safe" he mumbled into your neck, arms gently wrapping around your waist as he embraced you
"All thanks to you and the crew" you murmured softly, smiling down at him as you raked your fingers through his hair
"Mostly me though..." he replied, voice low and rough as he leaned into your gentle touch
You laughed,
"That so?"
"Mhm"
Then he abruptly stepped back, staring at you with dark brown eyes that held something you'd never quite seen before, at least not in Luffy.
"I love you"
...
"HAH?!" you exclaimed with wide eyes, but then remembering the time you quickly covered your mouth, whispering
"Mind saying that again?" you demanded softly
At this he pouted, looking as if you had stolen his food,
"I love you"
"You love...me?" the last part came in a disbelieving squeak as you pointed at yourself
But he didn't give you his answer in words, after all, Luffy was a man of action.
Grabbing your arm he pulled you closer, your breath hitched as he came closer, and then he kissed you.
Soft, reverent, and warm like the sun.
You responded naturally, brushing your thumb against his cheek as you kissed him back.
It was a kiss filled with innocent love, sweet and something you wanted to savour.
But then he stepped back, and before you could say anything began attacking your face with kisses.
"Stop, that tickles!" you giggled, gently pushing him back
As you took in his grinning face, you couldn't help but be thankful that you were given the chance to be his friend.
What would my life be like if you weren't here?
You chuckled to yourself, thankfully you'd never have to know
"(Name)...(Name)?" he called, waving a hand in front of you face
You blinked,
"Uh, yes?"
"Promise me something, yeah?"
You waited for him to continue
"That you'll always stay by my side?"
You grinned, grabbing his hat from the top of his head ,you placed it on your own
" 'Course I will, after all you'll need me to become King Of The Pirates!"
a/n pt2: dating luffy can only be described in one word, spontaneous. my precious lil fatso, hopefully you thought this was decent, took so long. I'll to take a break since exams are coming, so the rest of the requests will be done in the summer! very rushed ending btw, my computer is about to die so i won't be able to read it over 'n stuff, forgive me đ
The first thing Levi notices about you is that you donât flinch.
Most recruits do.
Some straighten when he walks by. Others avoid eye contact entirely. A few practically stop breathing whenever he enters a room.
You just glance up from cleaning your gear and continue what youâre doing.
It annoys him immediately.
You were transferred into his squad after proving yourself during an expedition. Not the strongest soldier heâd seen. Not the fastest but the most reliable , competent, stubborn, and apparently incapable of being intimidated.
Levi discovers this during your first week.
âYour blade maintenance is sloppy.â
You glance down.
âNo it isnât.â
Levi stares.
Most people would apologize instantly.
You donât.
Instead, you point toward the hinge.
âThe oilâs fresh. The edge is sharpened. The locking mechanism isnât worn.â
Levi narrows his eyes.
âSo unless thereâs something specific wrong with it, Captain, I think itâs fine.â
The nerve.
The absolute nerve.
Levi snatches the blade from your hand.
Inspects it before realizing you were right. ââŠFine.â He mumbled, walking away with a slightly clenched jaw.
It becomes a pattern.
Not disrespect.
You always follow orders.
Always.
You simply refuse to treat Levi like some untouchable legend.
If he says something wrong, you point it out.
If you disagree, you say so.
If heâs being unreasonableââYouâre being unreasonable.â
Leviâs eye twitches. It always did when you said that.
The worst part? You arenât usually wrong.
Which makes it significantly more irritating.
One afternoon the squad is cleaning headquarters.
Levi naturally inspects everyoneâs work, being the clean freak he is he hates seeing even the slightest bit of dust somewhere.
When he finally checks on the area your cleaning, he pauses.
Everything is spotless.
Not clean.
Spotless.
Levi slowly looks around.
There werenât any dust, stains, or even clutter.
You glance up from folding blankets.
âWhat?â
Levi studies the room.
ââŠNothing.â
Then leaves.
During expeditions you become one of the few soldiers he never worries about.
You stay focused.
You donât panic.
You donât freeze.
You donât need constant supervision.
When Levi gives an order, itâs done.
Immediately.
Correctly.
No questions.
No hesitation.
Itâs infuriatingly convenient.
The first time Levi truly notices you is during a mission gone wrong.
A Titan appears from an unexpected direction.
One of the younger recruits freezes.
The Titan reaches.
Too fast.
Too close.
Everyone sees it.
Nobody can get there in time.
Except you.
You donât think.
You move.
Your ODM gear screams.
Steel flashes.
You slam into the recruit, sending both of you crashing through tree branches.
The Titan misses by inches.
The recruit survives.
You donât escape unharmed.
Your shoulder dislocates during the impact.
Levi arrives seconds later.
The mission continues, thereâs no time for discussion.
But afterwards when the injured are being treated, Levi notices you sitting quietly while a medic forces your shoulder back into place.
No screaming, no complaints, just clenched teeth and a few beads of sweat.
The medic leaves. You think youâre alone.
ThenââThat was reckless.â
You look up.
Levi.
Of course it was.
âThanks.â You said, letting out a sigh as you adjusted in your seat.
âThat wasnât a compliment.â
âThe recruit lived.â
âYou couldâve died.â
You shrug.
âSo could they.â
Leviâs expression hardens.
For a moment he looks genuinely angry.
Not annoyed, but angry.
Then he leaves.
You stare after him, confused.
For some reason Levi becomes more critical afterward.
He corrects you more.
Watches you more.
Seems irritated by your existence more than usual.
You assume heâs just being Levi.
You donât realize something has changed.
Because now when he sees you take risksâHis chest tightens.
And he hates it.
The problem starts small.
Embarrassingly small.
Levi notices your laugh.
Not because itâs special.
Not because itâs beautiful.
Just because he hears it.
One afternoon.
Petra says something stupid, you laugh.
And Levi immediately realizes heâs memorized the sound.
Which is ridiculous.
Then he notices your smile.
Then the way you roll your eyes.
Then the way you cross your arms whenever youâre annoyed.
Then the way you mutter to yourself while working.
Then the way you always steal extra tea.
This is becoming a problem.
Because now he notices when youâre absent.
If youâre late to breakfast.
If youâre assigned elsewhere.
If he hasnât seen you all day.
He notices. And he hates that too.
Meanwhile, youâre completely oblivious.
As far as you know? Levi barely tolerates you. The man spends half his time criticizing you. You assume thatâs just how he expresses approval.
The expedition gets caught in a storm.
A bad one.
Visibility drops.
Snow blinds everyone.
Squads become separated.
Communication collapses.
And somehow you end up stranded with Levi.
Alone.
For the entire night.
You find shelter in an abandoned cabin.
Itâs freezing.
Wind howls outside.
The walls shake.
Neither of you can leave until morning.
The silence is unbearable.
You sit near the fire.
Levi sits across from you.
Arms crossed.
Expression unreadable.
Hours pass.
Eventually you sigh.
âAre you always this pleasant?â
Levi looks up.
âAre you always this annoying?â
âThere he is.â
âWhat does that mean?â
âThatâs the Levi I know.â
A pause.
Then to your complete shock, his mouth twitches.
Not a smile.
Barely.
But enough.
You nearly fall over.
âDid you just almost smile?â
âNo.â
âYou did.â
âNo.â
âYou absolutelyââ
âNo.â
You grin while Levi looks away.
And for the first time since youâve known him,
The atmosphere feels easy.
You talk for hours.
Not serious things just small things like storyâs, complaints, observations.
Little pieces of yourselves.
Things neither of you share often.
By morning something feels different.
Neither of you mention it, but itâs there.
The realization comes much later.
And Levi hates every second of it.
Youâre injured.
Not seriously.
Just enough to be confined to headquarters for recovery.
A few weeks.
Nothing dangerous.
But headquarters feels wrong.
Too quiet.
Too empty.
Levi catches himself looking for you.
Constantly.
In hallways.
At meals.
During meetings.
Everywhere.
Then one evening he finds himself standing outside your room.
For absolutely no reason.
Just standing there.
Staring at the door.
Like an idiot.
ââŠTch.â
Because now he finally understands.
And understanding is significantly worse.
Because Levi AckermanâHumanityâs strongest soldier has somehow fallen in love with the most stubborn woman in his squad.
And he has absolutely no idea what to do about it.
Meanwhile, inside your roomâYouâre staring at the ceiling.
Thinking about your captain.
Far more often than is probably healthy.
Wondering when exactly irritation turned into admiration, when admiration became something else.
Wondering why seeing him smileâonce, barelyâhas occupied your thoughts for three weeks.
It's currently almost 2 in the morning and your getting ready for bed after drinking and partying all night.
Knock
Knock
Knock
You try to ignore the knocking, wanting to go to sleep.
Knock
Knock
No matter how much you tried to ignore it, the knocking just got louder and louder until you couldn't stand it anymore.
Standing up from your bed, you storm towards the door ready to throw hands at the person behind the door.
Pulling the door open, you open your mouth, ready to shout at the person but then before you could react, a pair of large arms suddenly wrap around your body.
"Huh?" You yelped.
"Y/n" he mumbles.
Your eyes widen, recognizing his voice.
A deep flush of red spreads across your face.
"Ace? What are you doing" you try to move away slightly but failed.
His grip on your body tightened slightly at the feeling of you moving.
"Mhm, why baby?" He whispers in your ear.
"Why won't you m'just look at me?" he sniffled.
"What? Why huh?" you asked, confused.
He trembled against you, and you could feel tears soaking your shirt.
"Ace?" you pull back a little, just to meet his gaze.
His hold on you loosens a little, letting you pull back a little.
His black hair was messy and all over the place. A flush of pink spread across his face. He looked drunk and exhausted, trying hard not to let the tears in his eyes fall down again.
You cup his cheek, and wiped the tears falling from his eyes. "What's wrong?"
He leaned onto your touch, tilting his face onto your hand.
"You're what's wrong" He grumbled.
âYou looked so happy talking to that guy tonight,â Ace muttered, refusing to meet your eyes.
âThe one that kept flirting with you.â
You frowned slightly. âReally? I dont even know the guy.â
âThat doesn't really matterâ he whispered.
âHe got your attention so easilyâ He chuckled
âAnd Iâve been trying forever and you just brush me awayâ
Your chest tightened at his words.
âAceâŠâ
âI know I flirt a lot,â he explained. âBut Im serious about youâ
For a moment, all you could do was stare at him.
âI thought you were joking aroundâ you admitted softly.
âYou act like that with everyone, so I didnât think you were serious and I was scared of embarrassing myselfâ you explained.
Ace finally looked up at you, eyes red and glassy. âSo you really didnât know?â
You shook your head before pressing your lips on his cheek.
OH MY GOSH ITS MY GOAT đđ I DIDNT even have to look at your @ to know who this was, I recognize those orange exclamation points anywhere đ„čâïž
Yes thank you so much!! Iâve always wanted to change my theme to Luffy but I decided to wait until I finished all my jjk requests to do it, so glad I finally got to change it!!
The first thing Armin noticed about you was that you were loud. Not obnoxious loud, just everywhere.
Every hallway he walked through, every classroom he entered, every lunch period he spent hiding behind a bookâyou seemed to somehow be there.
Laughing with friends.
Talking to teachers.
Helping underclassmen.
You carried yourself so effortlessly that Armin couldnât understand how someone could exist like that.
Meanwhile, he struggled to ask cashiers how their day was going.
You were simply from a different world.
So naturally, the first conversation you ever had lasted less than ten seconds.
âYouâre Armin, right?â
He looked up from his notebook.
You were standing beside his desk.
His stomach immediately dropped.
âY-Yes?â
You smiled.
The kind of smile that made people smile back without thinking.
âCan I borrow your notes?â
âOh.â
He blinked.
âSure.â
âThanks.â
Then you were gone.
That shouldâve been the end of it.
Instead, somehow, it wasnât.
A week later, you returned. âCan I borrow yesterdayâs notes too?â
Then again.
And again.
And again.
Eventually Armin started suspecting you werenât actually paying attention in class.
âDo you even take notes?â
You laughed.
âI do.â
âThen why do you keep asking for mine?â
You grabbed his notebook before he could stop you.
âBecause yours are prettier.â
Armin stared. ââŠPrettier?â
âYou color-code everything.â
âThatâs practical.â
âItâs adorable.â
Armin almost dropped his pencil.
You didnât seem to notice.
The strange thing was that you didnât just talk to him when you needed something.
You started stopping by his desk before class.
Sometimes after class.
Sometimes during lunch.
Never for very long. Just enough to say something random.
âDid you know octopuses have three hearts?â
Armin looked up.
ââŠYes.â
âOh.â
You looked disappointed.
âOkay, what about this? Did you know wombats poop cubes?â
Armin paused.
ââŠActually, yes.â
You groaned.
âYouâre impossible.â
Then you walked away.
Armin spent the next ten minutes smiling at his textbook.
The problem wasnât that he liked you.
That wouldâve been manageable.
The problem was that he wasnât supposed to.
Because people like you didnât date people like him.
Everyone knew that.
You were beautiful.
Popular.
Confident.
The type of person who got asked to dances before invitations were even announced.
Armin was⊠Armin.
So he ignored the flutter in his chest every time you sat beside him.
Ignored how quickly he looked for you when he entered a room.
Ignored how he started remembering tiny details about you.
Your favorite drink, your favorite songs, the way you twisted a ring on your finger when you were nervous.
He ignored all of it.
Or at least he tried.
Then came the group project.
The worst invention in human history.
Unfortunately, fate hated him.
Because somehow, the two of you got paired together.
âLooks like weâre partners.â
You seemed excited.
Armin wanted to disappear.
Working together turned out to be dangerous.
Because you were different when nobody else was around.
The cheerful, popular girl everyone knew wasnât fake.
But it wasnât all of you either.
When it was just the two of you sitting in a library corner, you became quieter.
More honest.
You admitted you hated how everyone assumed things about you.
You admitted you felt pressure to constantly be outgoing.
You admitted you sometimes wished people cared more about who you actually were.
Armin listened.
Really listened.
And every conversation made him like you more.
Which was a problem.
A huge problem.
Because now he wasnât just attracted to you. He genuinely liked being around you.
You started noticing things too.
Like how Armin always remembered every detail you told him.
How he pushed his glasses up when he got excited talking about something.
How passionate he became whenever he discussed history or books.
How kind he was.
God. That was the worst part.
Armin was kind in ways nobody seemed to notice.
The quiet kind.
The kind that remembered your favorite snack and bought it without mentioning it.
The kind that stayed after class helping people understand assignments.
The kind that listened.
Actually listened.
Most people waited for their turn to talk.
Armin cared about what you said.
And somehow that felt more dangerous than any pretty smile.
Months passed.
Neither of you said anything.
Neither of you planned to.
At least thatâs what you both told yourselves.
Then rumors started.
âDo you like Armin?â
Your friend asked it so casually that you almost choked on your drink.
âWhat?â
âArmin.â
âNo.â
Too fast. Way too fast.
Your friend narrowed her eyes.
âMhm.â
You immediately changed the subject.
Across campus, Armin was having a similar conversation.
âJust ask her out.â
Eren sounded exhausted.
Armin nearly walked into a wall.
âNo.â
âWhy not?â
âBecause she doesnât like me.â
âShe literally spends all her time with you.â
âWeâre friends.â
Eren stared at him.
âYou are the smartest person I know.â
âThank you.â
âAnd somehow the dumbest.â
Things got worse after that.
Because once the idea existed, neither of you could stop noticing things.
The accidental touches.
The lingering eye contact.
The moments where conversations became too quiet.
Too comfortable.
Too meaningful.
Neither of you knew what to do with it.
So neither of you did anything.
And the tension kept growing.
Then one evening, while studying together, the power went out in the library.
The entire building went dark.
A few students groaned.
Some laughed.
You instinctively grabbed Arminâs arm.
For a second neither of you moved.
Your hand remained wrapped around his sleeve.
His heartbeat immediately went insane.
When the emergency lights flickered on, you quickly let go.
âSorry.â
âNo, itâs okay.â
The words came out too quickly.
Too soft.
You looked at each other.
For a moment, neither of you looked away.
Then someone across the room yelled and ruined everything.
But the feeling stayed.
For days.
By the time spring arrived, everyone around you was losing their minds.
Because the two of you were clearly something.
You just refused to acknowledge it.
Even to yourselves.
Especially to yourselves.
And somewhere beneath all the awkward smiles, stolen glances, and unfinished sentences, both of you were slowly reaching the same terrifying conclusion.
You didnât just have a crush anymore.
You were falling in love.
And neither of you had any idea what to do about it.
The school festival changed everything.
Not because either of you confessed.
Because neither of you did.
Of course.
That wouldâve been too easy.
You spent most of the evening together.
Walking around.
Playing games.
Talking.
Laughing.
Just like always.
Except it didnât feel like always.
Something felt different.
Heavier.
Like something was building.
Eventually you ended up sitting together beneath the festival lights.
Everyone else had gone home.
For once, it was quiet.
Just you.
And Armin.
âI donât want this year to end.â
The words slipped out before you could stop them.
Armin looked at you.
Neither did he.
But graduation was approaching.
College applications.
Life.
Everything was changing.
And suddenly the idea of losing this terrified both of you.
âEven if we go different placesâŠâ
Armin swallowed.
âWeâll still talk.â
âPromise?â
His chest tightened.
âPromise.â
The way you smiled at him made his heart ache.
For one terrifying second he almost said it.
Almost.
But then someone called your name.
And the moment disappeared.
A few weeks later, everything fell apart.
Not dramatically.
Not all at once.
Just enough.
Someone started a rumor.
A stupid rumor.
That Armin was interested in another girl.
You heard it.
And believed it.
Because why wouldnât you?
Pretty girls liked Armin now.
People noticed him.
People saw what you saw.
So you started pulling away.
Not intentionally.
But enough.
Shorter texts.
Less time together.
More distance.
Armin noticed immediately.
And panicked.
Because suddenly the person he talked to every day seemed miles away.
âWhat did I do?â
You blinked.
âWhat?â
âWhat happened?â
The hurt in his voice nearly broke you.
But you couldnât bring yourself to ask.
Couldnât bring yourself to admit why it hurt.
So you lied.
âNothing.â
It was absolutely not nothing.
The distance lasted three miserable weeks.
Three weeks of pretending.
Three weeks of missing each other.
Three weeks of absolute hell.
Until finally Eren snapped.
âASK HER OUT.â
Armin nearly fell out of his chair.
âWhat?â
âYou love her.â
Silence.
ââŠI do?â
Eren looked ready to commit a crime.
âYES.â
Meanwhile, your friends were having the exact same conversation with you.
âYou are literally in love with him.â
âWhat?!â
âYou cry when he doesnât text.â
âI do not.â
âYou absolutely do.â
ââŠOh.â Because yeah, now it made sense. You didnât just like him, that wasnât a strong enough word to describe what you felt towards him. You loved him.
The confession wasnât grand.
It wasnât planned.
It wasnât perfect.
It happened after graduation practice.
The two of you ended up alone.
Again.
Like always.
Except this time neither of you wanted to run.
âI heard that rumor.â
You blurted it out.
Armin blinked.
âWhat rumor?â
âThe girl.â
ââŠWhat girl?â
You stared.
He stared.
And suddenly everything clicked.
âYou thought I liked someone else?â
âYou thought I didnât care?â
Silence.
Then both of you started laughing.
Because of course.
Months.
Almost a year.
And thatâs what kept you apart.
Eventually the laughter faded.
And neither of you looked away.
âI like you.â
Armin said it first.
Quietly.
Honestly.
Like he was terrified.
Your eyes immediately filled with tears.
Which made him panic.
âOh noââ
âI like you too, idiot.â
Armin froze.
âYou do?â
You laughed.
Then kissed him before he could ask another question.
And for the first time in almost a year, everything finally made sense.
after many rejects you have to go on a date with ace and your plan is to do your worse to ruin it â you fail!
a/n: okay this one is made with the same prompt as the law one!
tags: first date, fluff, kinda enemies to lovers, soft, humor
word count: 4.4k
ace m.list || anime m.list || ao3 || ko-fi
You should have known this would happen.
It always starts the same way.
A lazy afternoon with the ship rocking gently and the crew scattered across the deck.
And himâŠ
Always himâŠ
âHey.â
You donât look at him âNo.â
Ace laughs.
You donât even need to see his face to know heâs smiling.
âI didnât even ask yet.â
âYou were going to.â
âYeah.â he admits easily.
You sigh and finally look at him.
Heâs sitting backwards on a chair, arms folded over the backrest, chin resting on them like this is the most natural thing in the world.
âYou should really start saving yourself the effort,â you mutter âitâs still no.â
âCâmon,â he says lightly âjust one date.â
âNo.â
âWhy not?â
You stare at him⊠because youâre tired, because heâs warm and loud and impossible to ignore, because everyone loves him, because you donât trust things that feel that easy.
You look away âBecause I said so.â
Ace tilts his head.
He doesnât push immediately.
ââŠYou donât even hesitate.â he says quietly.
âI donât need to.â
âAlright,â he says, standing âmeans Iâll ask again tomorrow.â
You groan âYouâre insufferable.â
âYouâll miss me when I stop.â
You snort âThatâs not happening.â
He just smiles like he knows something you donât.
You hate that smile. You hate how it makes your chest feel weird.
It becomes routine annoyingly fast.
Breakfast?
âMorning. Date?â
âNo.â
Lunch?
âSo, later?â
âNo.â
Training deck?
âYou know, sunsets are romantic.â
âNo.â
Evening?
âOne day youâre gonna say yes.â
âIn your dreams maybe.â
You tell yourself itâs harmless, heâs just like this⊠persistent and bright.
He asks like itâs a joke, like it doesnât matter, like your answer doesnât carry weight.
Thatâs why you keep saying no. Maybe if it mattered you donât let yourself finish that thought.
âYouâre being mean.â
You look up.
Thatch is leaning against the railing, watching you with an amused expression.
âIâm being realistic.â you reply.
âHe likes you, you know.â
You immediately stiffen âNo he doesnât.â
Thatch raises an eyebrow âKid, he asks you out every single day.â
âHe asks everyone for things.â you argue.
âNot like that.â
You glare at the deck âHeâll get bored soon or later.â
Thatch goes quiet ââŠIs that what youâre waiting for?â
You donât answer.
You know that at first people burn bright, but then they leave ashes.
You donât say it out loud, but something must show on your face because Thatchâs expression softens.
âHeâs not like that.â he says gently.
You shake your head âThey all are.â
You almost forget about it.
Until that night.
Youâre heading below deck when you see him sitting on the railing, legs dangling over the sea, firelight flickering faintly in his palm.
You try to walk past quietly.
âHey.â he sayv without turning.
You stop ââŠWhat?â
He looks over his shoulder, softer now. This time there's no grin⊠no teasing.
âYou never actually told me why.â
Your chest tightens âWhy what?â
âWhy you keep saying no.â
You cross your arms âI donât owe you an explanation.â
He nods âYouâre right.â
And that should be the end of it, but he keeps looking at you as if he's waiting for something.
It makes something twist inside you and you hate that, so you go on the offensive.
âYou ask like itâs nothing,â you say sharply âlike itâs just a game. And to be honest, I just don't like playing.â
His brows knit slightly âItâs not a game.â
âThen why do you keep asking?â you snap âYou barely even know me.â
Thatâs not true and you both know it, but you say it anyway. Because distance is safer than honesty.
Ace looks at you for a long moment, then he looks back at the ocean.
ââŠI know enough.â he says quietly.
Something in your throat tightens.
You hate this.
You hate how he says things like that.
Simple.
Honest.
You look away.
âYouâll get tired of it,â you say âeveryone does.â
The words slip out before you can stop them.
Ace goes very still.
ââŠIs that what you think?â he asks softly.
You donât answer⊠because yes.
ââŠOne date.â he says.
You blink âWhat?â
âOne.â he repeats âThatâs it.â
You stare at him.
Heâs not smiling. Not joking.
âIf you still donât want me around after that,â he says, voice steady, âIâll stop asking.â
Your heart stutters.
You frown âYouâre serious.â
âYeah.â
You study his face, searching for the punchline. There isnât one.
That makes it worse.
You should say no.
You want to say no.
You open your mouth⊠and hesitate.
One date.
And that will be proof that the warmth is temporary, that heâll lose interest and that youâre right.
You inhale slowly ââŠFine.â
The word slips out before you can stop it.
Ace freezes.
âYouâre joking.â he says.
âIâm not,â you mutter immediately, âbut donât get too excited.â
Too late because his entire face lights up like sunrise.
You regret everything instantly.
âJust one,â you warn âand if I won't change my mind about you, you stop asking.â
He laughs, bright and disbelieving âDeal.â
You turn away quickly before you can see how happy he looks.
As you walk off, you donât notice the way his smile softens into something quieter.
ââŠOne dateâŠâ he murmurs to himself like itâs something precious, like it matters more than heâs letting on.
You regret agreeing immediately.
It starts the second the ship docks.
A new island.
Youâre halfway through stretching your arms when you hear âHey!â
You donât even have to turn around.
âNo.â you say automatically.
âI didnât ask yet!â
You groan into your hands.
Too early for this.
You turn slowly.
Heâs already looking at you like a kid who just remembered a holiday.
ââŠToday.â he says, pointing at the island like it personally owes him something âWeâre here. New place. Perfect timing.â
Your stomach drops âNo.â
His grin widens âYou promised.â
You hate that heâs right.
ââŠFine,â you mutter âlater.â
âNow.â he says immediately.
You stare at him.
He looks genuinely hopeful.
That makes it worse.
ââŠGive me time to get ready.â you grumble.
His face lights up again âOkay!â
You donât get ready.
You stare at your clothes for a long time.
You could dress up.
You could make an effort.
You could make this feel real.
But at the end you grab the same clothes you always wear.
If this is going to end badly, youâre not dressing for the occasion.
You step out of your room with zero ceremony and immediately freeze⊠because the entire crew is on deck.
And at the center of it? Him.
Leaning against the railing.
Surrounded.
Grinning nervously while everyone absolutely destroys him.
âLook at him!â someone laughs âHeâs pacing!â
âYouâve been up here for an hour!â
âDid you bring flowers??â
âI swear if you start cryingââ
âI am not gonna cry!â Ace protests.
You almost turn around but itâs too late.
Someone already spotted you âOh!â
Heads turn.
You consider jumping overboard but you step forward instead.
Youâre hyperaware of everything. The way the crew goes quiet. The way some of them grin.
The way Ace turns and stops completely. His expression softens instantly.
Not surprised.
Not disappointed.
Just⊠soft.
Like he expected you exactly like this.
You look away quickly.
ââŠWhat?â you mutter defensively âI said Iâd come. I didnât say Iâd dress up.â
âI didnât expect you to.â he says gently.
You blink and risk a glance.
He means it.
That annoys you more than anything.
You cross your arms âGood.â
Behind him, someone coughs dramatically.
âOh my god heâs gone soft.â
âLook at his face!â
âHeâs doomed.â
You want to disappear.
Ace groans âYou guys are the worst.â
Then he turns back to you and pulls something from behind his back.
Your brain short-circuits.
A handful of bright flowers tied together with a thin string.
Your stomach drops.
You were not prepared for that.
ââŠI, uhâŠâ he says, suddenly awkward âFound them earlier.â
The deck is too quiet.
You donât know what to do with your hands. You donât know what to do with your face.
No one warned you there would be flowers.
You stare at them, then at him.
He looks weirdly nervous now.
ââŠYou didnât have to.â you say quickly.
âI wanted to.â
Simple.
You take them and your fingers brush his.
Warm.
You immediately pull back.
ââŠThanks.â you mutter.
You donât look at him.
You can feel the crew vibrating with contained chaos.
Someone is absolutely about to scream.
You panic.
You pass the flowers to the nearest person without looking.
âHere.â you say, shoving the bouquet into their hands âPut these in water. I guess.â
They freeze âYou justââ
Youâre already walking away, off the ship, before anyone can react or say anything.
Before you can think too hard about how your hands are shaking.
âHeyâ wait!â of course he follows.
You hear his footsteps hitting the dock behind you, light and quick.
You donât slow down.
He catches up easily and he doesnât say anything for a second.
You shove your hands into your pockets.
ââŠSo,â you mutter, not looking at him âwhatâs the plan?â
He lights up.
âOh! Okay, soââ he starts, already talking with his hands âI asked around earlier, and thereâs this market near the center of town? And theyâve got food stalls and music andââ
You glance at him despite yourself.
Heâs animated and excited.
âAnd then,â he continues, barely pausing for air, âthereâs this hill that overlooks the harbor. Someone said the sunsetâs really good from there. I figured we could go later, if youâre not tired, I mean, we donât have toââ
He stops suddenly, like he just realized heâs rambling.
ââŠSorry,â he says, scratching the back of his neck âI mightâve planned too much.â
You didnât expect this.
You look away quickly when you realise you're staring.
ââŠYouâre doing a lot for one date.â you say.
He shrugs, a little sheepish âI told you it mattered.â
Your chest tightens.
You werenât supposed to hear that.
You kick a small pebble on the dock.
ââŠYouâre weird.â you mutter.
He grins again, softer âYeah.â
You exhale slowly.
This is already going wrong.
You tell yourself this is still a mission for you.
A very important one, make Ace stop liking you.
It should be easy.
Youâve survived worse, life threatening missions.
The island is loud and bright and alive, full of music and chatter and colors that feel way too cheerful for your mood. You still walk a step ahead of Ace, hands shoved into your pockets, trying to look as uninterested as possible.
Heâs doing the opposite.
Heâs practically bouncing beside you.
âSo first,â he says, pointing dramatically down the street, âfood.â
You sigh âOf course it is.â
âYou canât have a proper date without food.â he insists.
âItâs not a date.â
He grins âSure.â
You glare at him.
He just keeps smiling.
Very annoying.
The food stall smells amazing. Which is unfortunate, because youâre trying to be awful, not enjoy yourself.
Ace orders like he hasnât eaten in years, stacking plates between you both until the tiny wooden table looks like it might collapse.
You stare at the mountain of food âAre you trying to kill me?â
âNope,â he says cheerfully âjust trying to impress you.â
You snort âWith carbs? Not that I mind them butâŠâ
âWith love.â he corrects.
You immediately shove food into your mouth so you donât have to answer.
You eat fast and messy on purpose. Sauce drips on your fingers. Rice falls everywhere. You chew loudly. You even slouch.
You are the worst date in existence.
You even burp. Loud.
Okay⊠that mightâve been too much.
You slowly look up, ready to see horror, regret, disgust.
Aceâs eyes go wide.
And then he smiles âNice.â
Before you can react he leans back and lets out a burp that is way louder than yours.
You stare at him in disbelief.
He looks proud.
âThat was amazing,â he says, wiping his mouth âYouâre amazing.â
ââŠYouâre disgustingâŠâ you say weakly.
He laughs like you just told the best joke in the world.
And somehow, against your will, your lips twitch.
You leave before the smile can betray you.
The market is even more crowded now, people brushing past you, music drifting from somewhere nearby.
You spot a stall filled with random accessories, bright scarves, weird hats, gaudy trinkets.
You stop suddenly.
Ace almost walks into you.
âWhat?â he asks.
You point at the ugliest thing you can find.
Itâs⊠a hat, if you can even call it that.
Itâs oversized, neon orange, with fake feathers sticking out and little dangling bells that jingle when the wind moves.
You stare at it with the most serious face you can manage âThat would look good on you.â
You expect confusion, maybe offense, at least hesitation.
Instead Aceâs eyes light up âReally?â
You blink âNo, Iââ
Too late because he grabs it.
âHow much?â he asks the vendor.
You stare, horrified, as he slaps the coins down and plops the monstrosity onto his head.
It is worse than you imagined.
He turns to you, glowing âWell?â
You really tryâŠâŠ You press your lips together, looking away, pretending to inspect another stall. But you see him in your peripheral vision, standing there like an excited kid, waiting for your reaction.
And then a small, accidental but real laugh escapes.
Your hand flies to your mouth too late.
Ace goes still.
You freeze too.
Heâs staring at you softly.
âYou smiledâŠâ he says quietly.
You immediately look away âDonât get used to it.â
His grin returns, brighter than before.
You need to regain control.
Your eyes scan the market until they land on a display inside a fancy shop window.
Jewelry. Ridiculously expensive-looking.
You walk straight toward it.
Ace follows, bells jingling with every step.
You stop in front of the display and point at the most over-the-top item you can find.
A bracelet.
Studded with gemstones that probably cost more than an entire ship âI want that.â
You say it flatly.
The worst version of yourself.
Ace doesnât even hesitate âOkay.â
He walks inside.
You stare.
No no no.
You rush after him âWaitââ
Too late.
Heâs already talking to the shopkeeper âHow much for that one?â
The number the shopkeeper says makes your stomach drop.
You almost choke.
Thatâs not expensive.
Thatâs catastrophic.
And Ace⊠just nods.
Reaches for his pouch.
Your heart leaps into your throat.
Is he insane?!
âThatâs the crewâs money.â you hiss, grabbing his wrist.
The moment your fingers wrap around his arm he stops.
You feel his warmth immediately.
You look up and see that his face is red all the way to his ears.
You realize youâre still holding him.
Your brain short-circuits.
You let go like youâve been burned.
âIâ donât buy it.â you mutter, suddenly very interested in the floor âItâs ugly anyway.â
Silence.
You risk a glance.
Heâs still looking at you.
Still flushed.
Then he smiles.
âOkay.â he says quietly.
And somehow that makes your chest feel weird. In a way that has (unfortunately) nothing to do with you ruining the date anymore.
You donât notice when it happens and thatâs the worst part. At some point between the ugly hat, the food, the chaos, and the warmth of his laugh⊠you stop trying to ruin the date. You stop planning your next disaster. You stop thinking about how to ruin the moment.
And somehow, youâre actually having fun.
The kind that sneaks up on you and sits quietly in your chest until you suddenly realize itâs there.
Youâre laughing at something stupid he says.
Youâre pointing at random things for fun now, not to test his patience.
Youâre arguing about which stall smells better.
You forget to be difficult.
You forget to be cold.
You forget your own plan.
And that realization hits you like a brick.
Youâre still trying to process that terrifying truth when Ace suddenly stops walking.
âWeâre close.â he says, softer now.
You blink âTo what?â
He looks at you, and for once, heâs not grinning like an idiot âThe last part.â
The fireworks.
You swallow ââŠLead the way.â
The climb isnât hard, but itâs quiet.
The noise of the island fades behind you with every step, replaced by wind and distant music and chatter drifting up from the town below.
When you reach the top, you stop without meaning to.
Itâs beautiful.
The hill overlooks the entire island, lights scattered below like fallen stars. The ocean stretches endlessly beyond it, reflecting the moon.
And thereâs a bench.
You look at him.
He shrugs, suddenly shy âI found it earlier.â
You donât tease him, you just sit.
He sits beside you, not too close but not too far.
The sky above is clear, scattered with stars that feel brighter away from the island lights.
For a while, neither of you speaks, but itâs not awkward, itâs⊠calm.
You hate how much you like it.
Ace is quieter and softer. Even his energy feels warmer instead of his usual loudness.
When he finally speaks, his voice is low.
âStill early,â he murmurs, looking up âfireworks arenât for a bit.â
You nod.
You should say something sarcastic, something mean, something that puts the distance back where it belongs.
Instead, you hear yourself ask, âDid you come here earlier?â
He smiles faintly âNah. First time.â
ââŠThen how were you so sure about it?â
He scratches the back of his neck âI asked around. Wanted somewhere⊠special. And a lot of people pointed at this.â
Your heart stutters.
You stare harder at the sky.
You realize youâre staring at him. You donât even know when you startedâŠ
Maybe when his voice softened, maybe when the wind moved his hair, or maybe when he stopped trying to impress you and just⊠existed.
Youâre staring way too much.
You force yourself to look away but then he speaks again âYou know?â
Your chest tightens.
âI donât know how you feel now about this date,â he says quietly, eyes still on the sky âbut I was and still am serious about it⊠and about you.â
Your breath catches.
He doesnât look at you.
âIâm not asking you out just for the fun of it as you saidâŠâ he continues âI had a crush on you since⊠ever.â
Your brain goes blank.
The words donât feel real, they float in the air between you, fragile and warm.
You canât move, canât speak.
And he keeps going.
âYou said I donât even know you,â he murmurs âbut I actually know a lot.â
Your hands tighten in your lap.
âI know that you likeâŠâ and he does a full list of things you really like and that you thought no one knew.
He continues âI know that you hate loud mornings. That you pretend you donât care about sunsets but you always look at them. That you act tough when youâre tired. That you hum when you think no oneâs listening.â
Your heart is pounding now, too fast and too loud.
âAnd I know you hateâŠâ he continues softly, almost smiling âbeing the center of attention. People touching your stuff without asking. Losing at card games. When people lie to you.â
You canât breathe.
You canât think.
He exhales slowly.
âAnd I know about your past,â he adds quietly âabout everything that happened to youâŠâ
Your eyes burn.
âAnd not to look like a stalker,â he says quickly, almost nervous now, smiling at the sky to not look at you âbut weâve been friends. Youâre the one who told me all these things. I just⊠listened. And paid attention to the details.â
Silence. The kind that wraps around you and squeezes your chest.
You donât know what to do with this⊠or with him and the fact that he noticed, that he remembered.
That he cared.
A distant boom cracks the air.
The first firework explodes above the island, blooming into color.
Aceâs face and eyes light up in pure awe, like a child seeing magic for the first time.
You donât look at the fireworks. You canât because you canât stop staring at him from the shock of the things he said.
And suddenly, everything makes sense.
Why he kept asking.
Why he never gave up.
Why he looked at you like that.
Why today felt different.
Why your chest feels like itâs about to burst.
Youâve been trying so hard to push him away.
And heâs just been⊠there.
You swallow.
Your voice comes out small âAce...â
He turns immediately, half worried from your tone and half still dreamy from the fireworks and from everything he had the courage to say.
âYeah?â
And thatâs the moment, the point of no return.
Before your brain can stop you, your hands reach up, cupping his cheeks.
He freezes completely.
His freckles are closer than youâve ever seen them.
His eyes widen and you kiss him softly and carefully. For a heartbeat, he donât move, still in pure shock.
Then he closes his eyes and he melts in the kiss as his hand comes up instinctively, fingers brushing your wrist before sliding to your waist.
He kisses you back, deeper and warmer, taking the lead without hesitation.
Fireworks explode behind you two, lighting the sky in bursts of lights and warm colours, but you barely see them., all you feel is warmth and him, and the way your chest finally feels right.
When you pull back, youâre both breathless and stunned. A little dazed.
You rest your forehead against his for a second before whispering âIâm glad you made me change my mind about this dateâŠâ
He stares at you like you just gave him the world.
Then he smiles brightly, and before you can get embarrassed he leans in and kisses you again quick and happy, like he canât help it.
Then he pulls you into a hug, arms wrapping around you tight and warm as if heâs having a cute aggression.
You donât resist.
As he calms down, you lean into him, resting against his chest as the fireworks continue to bloom across the sky, and finally you watch them together.
The walk back is quiet, but not awkward.
Your fingers are laced with his, warm and solid and very, very real.
Every now and then, Ace swings your joined hands slightly like he canât help himself, like heâs having the best moment of his life.
You just smile and let him, and, of course, you donât let go.
The island is calmer now. The festival has started winding down, lanterns glowing softer, laughter drifting through the streets like echoes instead of noise.
âYouâre quiet.â Ace murmurs.
You glance at him âSo are you.â
He grins sheepishly âIâm trying not to mess it up.â
Your chest tightens âMess what up?â
He squeezes your hand gently âThis.â
Your ears burn.
You look away immediately âYouâre being dramatic.â
âAlways have been.â he says easily.
You try to roll your eyes, but the smile creeping onto your face betrays you.
He notices and his grin grows.
The ship comes into view too soon.
You stop walking.
Ace takes one more step before realizing youâre not moving anymore.
He turns âHey, whatââ
Youâre staring at the Moby Dick like it personally betrayed you.
ââŠWe have to face themâŠâ you mutter.
The realization hits âOh.â
You both look at the ship, then at each other, then back at the ship.
You can almost hear the chaos waiting up there.
Ace scratches his cheek âWe could⊠run away.â
You snort âWeâd last five minutes before Marco finds us.â
ââŠFair.â
You sigh deeply.
Youâve fought marines. Sea kings. Warlords. And somehow, this feels worse.
You climb aboard together still holding hands.
You donât realize youâre still doing it until you hear an⊠âOH MY GOD.â
Way too late.
Half the crew is already there like vultures waiting, watching and smiling.
You and Ace freeze.
Your hands are still linked.
Someone drops something dramatically in the background.
âI KNEW IT!â someone shouts.
âPAY UP!â another voice yells.
You close your eyes slowly.
This is a nightmare. A living, breathing nightmare.
âSOâŠâ a voice sings.
You open one eye.
Of course itâs Thatch, grinning like heâs been waiting his entire life for this moment.
You immediately try to let go of Aceâs hand but he tightens his grip and the traitor he is.
You shoot him a look and he looks back with a sheepish smile that says sorry not sorry.
Unbelievable.
âWell?â Thatch leans forward âHow was the date?â
âIt wasnât a date.â you say instantly.
âIt was the best date.â Ace says at the exact same time.
You both turn to glare at each other.
The crew explodes in laughter and whistles. Someone is clapping like theyâre at a play.
You consider jumping overboard.
Marco is leaning against the railing, smirking in that calm, knowing way that makes everything worse.
âSo,â he says lazily, âyou finally figured it out, huh?â
âFigured what out?â you snap.
He just gestures vaguely at your hands.
You look down and your face burns.
âYou kissed, didnât you?â someone shouts.
You and Ace choke.
The crew goes feral.
You try to yank your hand free again and this time, Ace lets go, but not because he wants to, you can tell.
He rubs the back of his neck, laughing awkwardly âOkay, okay, thatâs enoughââ
âDID YOU CRY?â someone yells.
âWERE THERE FIREWORKS?â
You and Ace freeze painfully slowly, and look at each other.
The crew goes silent. Then erupts louder than before.
You bury your face in your hands.
Youâre never recovering from this.
You might actually die right here on this deck from embarrassment instead of the pirate life.
Then warm fingers brush yours again, tentative and careful.
You look up.
Ace isnât laughing anymore.
Heâs smiling softly at you, and suddenly, the noise fades a little.
âYou okay?â he asks quietly.
You should lie, but instead, you sigh ââŠNo.â
He laughs softly, then, without hesitation, he takes your hand again, firm this time.
Your heart flips.
The crew notices immediately, but this time, you donât let go, you squeeze back.
And the teasing doesnât stop, the laughter doesnât stop, the chaos definitely doesnât stop, but for this time you donât mind facing it, because youâre not facing it alone.
Ace in love with you, wasnât exactly what you expected. But somehow, you grew used to it anyway.
You got used to the love letters he left when you were going to be apart for a while.
Or rather â the pile of half charred confessions that always smelled like smoke.
Thatâs what made them very Ace letters. Heâd get so excited writing down how much he loved you that heâd accidentally set the paper on fire. And honestly, you never had the heart to complain.
You got used to him eating and talking at the same time, food stuffed in his mouth as he rambled.
âAce! Chew with your mouth closed â talk after you swallow!â
Heâd just grin, scratching the back of his head sheepishly, go quiet for a second⊠then shove more food into his mouth and continue just as loudly.
It became no surprise that after clearing his plate, heâd glance at yours with those hopeful eyes, silently begging you to say you were full.
And sometimes â even when you werenât âyouâd lie. Youâd push the plate toward him just to see that excited, childlike joy light up his face again. Watching him eat like that warmed your heart more than any meal ever could.
You got used to the late night talks when it was cold. Youâd curl up beside him, letting his hands warm your body as you spoke excitedly about your plans for the next island youâd dock at, your dream date, your little ideas and stories.
Only to glance over and realize heâd fallen asleep mid-conversation.
You were always this close to shaking him awake. But one look at that peaceful, soft smile â and the frustration melted.
His excuse?
âI just feel so comfortable with you⊠my eyes get heavy,â heâd say with a lazy grin.
You got used to how competitive he was. How stubborn he could get. Even over playfights.
A pillow fight? Heâd swing like it was a final battle, feathers flying until the pillows became more stuffing than fabric.
Tickling? Heâd keep going until you were breathless, clutching your stomach and crying from laughter while he shouted some ridiculous victory line.
You got used to how he flirted with you âconstantly, shamelessly â but the second you flirted back more boldly, heâd go redder than his flames.
Ears flushed, eyes wide, trying so hard to play it cool as he muttered a flustered, âShut upâŠâ whenever you teased him for it.
But what you could never quite get used to?
The casual touches.
How heâd drape an arm around you while talking to someone else. How heâd absentmindedly stroke your hair while zoning out, completely unaware of how much it made your heart flutter. It was second nature to him â but for you, it was utterly distracting. Every single time.
You got used to it all. Every side of Ace. Every little quirk. Every flame, every fault, every fire sparked affection.
And most importantly â You fell in love with every single detail of him.
not that youâre complaining â how could you? especially since something has changed in recent months. something has become sticky, mushy, needy.
feelings. there are new feelings, but you both ignore the aforementioned sticky, mushy, needy feelings because youâre best friends, and best friends donât have sticky, mushy, needy feelings for one another.
portgas d. ace is always hanging off you. his arm, freckled and strong, is always slung around your shoulders. he leans and slouches, pressing the full length of his body against your side whenever he can. heâs always there, in your orbit, tangling himself up in your space.
the crew knows that you, a vice-lieutenant shipwright, and the division commander are two peas in a pod; inseparable, indivisible, and integral. where his voice carries, your laughter is soon to follow. ace burns bright, like a star streaking across the sky, and youâre the moon he dances for. you call his name from high up on the mast, and he always calls yours back.
no one pities the fool portgas d. ace makes himself for the sake of your smile. no one pretends there isnât something else there, either. marco thinks itâs gonna kill him â ace, with his longing looks, and you with your lingering smiles. always when the other isnât looking, but for fuckâs sake, marco is looking. marco sees it. marco canât unsee it.
feelings! sticky, mushy, needy feelings!
portgas d. ace, whose threshold for appropriate touching is quickly diminishing despite the whole best friend title. his newest, baddest habit is a sturdy kiss to your temple in passing â always paired with a murmured hey you. heâs recently started to tangle his fingers in yours during quiet moments up on deck. always during the setting sun, always when youâre off shift, and heâs avoiding whatever new responsibility pops throws him.
portgas d. ace, who starts sleeping in your bed â he blames the barracks. theyâre too crowded. marco, his bunkmate, snores. youâre lucky, he says, youâve got a tiny little cabin, with a tiny little bed, and a tiny little water room. a perk of being one of the few female crewmembers. the perk is stolen by ace, who starfishes out and runs hot. you start sleeping with less and less clothing, and ace chases the feeling of your skin against his in his sleep.
thereâs a line. always. youâre best friends. best friends who touch and roughhouse and laugh. best friends who fall asleep in one anotherâs arms, best friends who knock foreheads together when they hug, best friends who daydream about kissing one anotherâ
portgas d. ace is your best friend. best friends donât kiss.
when sanji walks into the kitchen, the last thing he expected was to find you. slumped over the dinner table and clearly asleep.
sanji was an extremely early riser, usually awake before the sun had barely just opened itâs eyes as well. a habit he couldnât quite lose, but he liked it that way, meant he could start up early with preparations for breakfast and although it deprived him of the luxury to wake up to you, it still gave him the great honour ( in his words) of cooking for you.
(at was his duty after all.)
however, he hadnât known you to be an early riser. you always woke up around the same time as everybody else, or sometimes later. but it was difficult to stay asleep on the sunny thanks to the bumbling buffoons running around the ship the second they were awake enough to have their brains kickstart again.Â
but now here you were, and sanji worries immediately: did you have troubles sleeping ? were you unwell ? how long had you been here all alone ?Â
slowly he makes his way to you, the cigarette he was about to light long forgotten. careful not to rouse you too suddenly he crouches to your level. his palm runs up and down the expanse of your back. gently, soothing.Â
âmon ange ?â he calls quietly. you stir quickly, groaning a little you turn to him and sanji thinks if his heart could actually soar it would leave him behind. you always looked cute first thing in the morning.
(youâd argue otherwise, but sanji always wished youâd be able to see yourself as he saw you.)
âhrmmnâŠgâmorninâ, sânjiâŠâ you mumble drowsily. he smiles lightly, his heart kicks against his chest like it hates him for keeping him trapped inside his ribs and away from you.
âgood morning. how long have you been here ? werenât you cold ? you donât even have a blanketâŠâ he frets. you place a hand against his cheek to stop him from continuing in his mutterings. you smile at him and sanji cannot possibly fall more in love, he thinks.
âiâm surprised i even got here before you,â you jest. you continue when you see the confusion on his face.
âyou always wake up first. before everyone else, always workinâ sâhard. i figured iâd try and keep you company but youâd never wake me up if i asked you. i beat you to it.â you explain, trailing off sleepily. your thumb brushes lovingly against his cheek.
oh, how could he possible have thought you couldnât make him fall for you even more ? he was an idiot. completely, utterly moronic.
âah,â sanji sighs, sinking to his knees. âahâŠah, youâre an angel..â he cries into his hands.
âohâsanji...â you groan sleepily, shaking your head affectionately at his dramatics.
âan angelâŠmy very own angel..sent to me from the heavens,â he whimpers, heâs shaking a little. âhow did i get so lucky with you ?â he finally looks up at you. dead seriously wondering to himself. you swear you see tears in his eyes.Â
you scoff, but you canât fight back your grin âyouâre so silly.â you sigh, brushing his hair back and holding his cheeks. you canât help yourself and pinch them causing him to let out the tiniest whine.Â
(it sounds a little too happy for it to have hurt him. you snort, freak..)
âi love you,â he responds, like it was an actual answer. âyouâre my world, my lifeâmy everything. my shining light in the darkness, myââ
âalright, enough of that.â you cut him off, leaning down and pressing a smooch right to his nose. itâs a wet, noisy one that freezes him in his tracks and makes him let out an embarrassing little âhnngâ!â noise. you snort against his nose.
âsorry, wouldâve given you a proper one but i havenât brushed my teeth yet.â you giggle bashfully.
sanji blinks. and promptly slumps to the floor face first.
luffy whines as you press the bandaid to the small gash on his cheek. nothing too serious, if anything, you were honestly thankful he had gotten off with only minor bruises and cuts. most of them because he was being reckless as usual. you decided youâd just take care of them yourself and save your doctor some trouble as he was already very busy dealing with other injuries.Â
âhurts,â he pouts. itâs hard to take luffy serious when he gets like this. he goes from giving you chills, looking like a man during intense fightsâand then right back to the silly boy your heart knows so well. pouting and whining at you with big brown eyes.
âshouldâve thought about that before running head on into trouble, captain.â you respond. your thumb lingers against the bandaid on his cheek. you quickly pull away, clearing your throat. luffy doesnât seem phased, as usual.Â
he leans in closer to you, grinning âbut i looked cool, right ? you thought i looked cool ?â
âall done,â you pat his thighs quickly and turn away from him. luffy frowns slightly at you ignoring his question. he grumbles, âhrmmm..â a spoiled, whiny noise. you almost giggle but manage to hold it. you roll your eyes.
âyes, you looked super cool, captain. you always do.â he grins at that. swaying slightly with a giggle on his lips. the whiplash luffy was able to give was astonishing.
youâre in a pretty crowded haul, full of people recovering with your chefâs food or getting treated. itâs noisy, crowdedâbut pleasant. itâs even more pleasant when luffyâs around. it feels warmer, safer, familiar.Â
some people point in your direction, no doubt talking about your captainâs impressive feat from merely a few hours ago. surely, the people who hadnât been there to witness his exploits had expected someone bigger, widerâmore serious and stoned faced.
but never your captain. your stupid, silly boy, luffy. the same one with millions of millions of berries on his head.Â
âare they bothering you ?âÂ
you snap out of your daze, realising youâd been zoning out staring at the strangers further away. theyâd already turned away whistling, ashamed a being caught (and accidentally stared down) no doubt. you blink and whip back towards luffy whoâs already blinking at you.
âohâno, no ! i just started zoning outâŠâ you explain, luffy hums wordlessly in response and you decide to keep it at that. if youâd told him you were just thinking heâd have asked what you were thinking about and you donât think you would be able to handle having to explain that you were thinking about him.
luffy suddenly sighs out loud, leaning back on his palms âman, iâm sooooo hungry. should we go eat something ?â
âwe ?â you snicker. he nods excitedly, smiling wider at your laughter. heâs already leaning closer again.
âyeah ! letâs go eat something.â he decides.
you look back at his plate of âsnacksâ âwhich constisted of different kinds of meat, noodles and fruitsâ on the long table. heâd already devoured the whole plate but you knew your captain well enough to know that a single damn plate wouldnât be enough for his black hole of a stomach.
you ask anyways, just because you feel like teasing âyou seriously got room for more ?â
âi always got room for more.â he nods firmly. you laugh, and he laughs too.Â
âyouâre unbelievable.â you sigh, shaking your head affectionately. luffyâs smile stays, but it softens. in that one way youâd started to be more familiar with just recently. it makes your heart pick up.Â
luffy doesnât respond, instead he leans inâand kisses you.
muuuahhâ! itâs a quick, closed mouth peck where you can still feel the smile on his face pressed against your lips as he takes yours away with him.Â
he pulls away quickly after. your mouth parts in shock and his eyes flicker down to it like he hadnât just felt it a second ago. he grabs onto your shoulders quickly, like itâs instinct. you grab onto him, to stop himâŠmaybe. either way, when luffy leans in again, taking your lips again, you donât do much to push him away.
you donât remember exactly when luffy had started kissing you. it felt strangely natural, like it was bound to happen. one day heâd started kissing your cheek a bit too often and you were too shocked and flustered to reprimand him for it. heâd started getting greedy and going for your mouth only recently though and you do remember that.
it was a late night campfire at some island youâd stopped at and ended up staying around to party with the locals. and somewhere in between the laughs and the drinks (mostly all drank by zoro) and the dancing on the beach luffy had slumped over next to you and grabbed your cheeks to smush his lips to yours. heâd acted like it was normal at the time and even after, saving you a seat next to him like usual during breakfast the very next day.Â
so you never said anything about it. luffy was strange to you in ways, you never knew what he was thinking, especially about thingsâfeelings like this. you know heâs not stupidâyou learn that you kiss people you really really like when youâre a child. but you never know what he thought.
luffy was someone who always felt harder than he thoughtâand you donât know if he thinks about what heâs feeling for you much. would he be confused if you asked him what you meant to him ? would he not crave you like you craved him ? would he just want to stay in this strange little relationship because it was just more fun for him ?Â
(you knew luffy wasnât heartless. but he was a man of feelings, and you felt way too much for him to just live by the whims of what his heart wants at the moment.)
âluâluff,â you try to speak. luffy hasnât pulled away yet, huffing through his nose to stay pressed to you longer. his grip on your shoulders tighten and when he leans back only to press his lips to yours again it makes a soft peck sound that makes you shiver and him whimper faintly. he leans into you more.
âwaiâcapââluffy !â you grip his shoulders, nudging and pushing and he finally leans back just a bit, he listens. eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
âyou donât wanna ?â he heaves, breath heavy against your face.Â
you do wanna. oh, you do. but you start getting nervous of the glances youâre getting, some people are even giggling. not maliciously you assume, but still embarrassing.
âp-people are watchingâŠâ you respond. luffy, still confused, looks towards where you were glancing at. he glares a little and the people who had been looking quickly turn away, startled.Â
he turns towards you again âso they were bothering you.â he frowns.
âno ! no thatâs notâthey werenât bothering me.â
âgood, they wonât bother you anymore.â he says, already leaning in again. a startled sound gets clogged in your throat and you turn your head away so luffy misses and his lips press to the corner of your mouth instead. he doesnât give up of course, huffing while he tries to win his prize.Â
youâre sure you look a couple of idiots with you spinning your head around and luffy spinning his to catch you with lips outstretched. youâre sure your crewmates would have laughed themselves to tears at the display, but luffy had the ability to make you forget everything but him when he was close to you like this.
âlemme kiss yaâŠâ he whines petulantly. he resorts to grabbing your face and smushing your cheeks, like that night. you grab his wrists. not pushing, not stopping. but you grip tight enough where luffy knows itâs not a game anymore. he leans back, eyes wide, not far enough for you but far enough for him.
âwhy are ya mad ? did i do somethinâ ?â luffy bumps his nose to yours, he wonât kiss you âcus you asked âmâsorry i was reckless. wonât do itâbe more careful, swear.âÂ
âliar.â you snort, you canât will yourself to let go of his wrist. you know he wonât be careful and you know heâll do it again, despite it all you like him just like that. you donât think you could stop.
âiâm not mad,â you start, your thumb rubs the little bone on his wrist âbut we shouldnât just be doing this, luffy.â
he tilts his head âwhy not ?â
ââcus were notâtogether like that.â you force out.
luffy lets out an shocked hah ? âlike what ? i thought we were togetherâwe gotta be together another way to kiss ?â he asks.
you blink. he waits.
âweâre not together, luffy.â
âwe are.âÂ
âŠhuh ?
ââŠare we ?â
âyeah.â
you jump at how easy, how quickly he responds. like it was something you shouldâve known. he even adds an âyou doinâ okay ?â when you donât respond.
âbut youâyou never asked me out or anything.â
âask you out for what ? to eat ?â
âyou never asked me to be together with you.â you explain. luffyâs mouth forms an âohâ shape, his eyebrows raise.
âoooooohâmusta forgot !â he responds cheerfully â but you know i like you, yeah ?â
there should be absolutely no reason you wouldnât have known he liked you. if it werenât for his behaviour towards you, it wouldâve been with all of your friends telling you to wake up because he was âclearly into youâ.Â
(even strangers would tell you you were a lovely couple, or refer to him as your boyfriend when talking to you. you didnât bother correcting them because none of your crew mates would let you when they were around.)
âiâŠi donât know what i thought.â you say, almost to yourself. this was giving you a headache. the headache in question laughs gleefully,
âyouâre so silly.â he hums. youâre about to respond when he stops you, leaning close again. âcan i kiss you now ? i really like it. i wanna hold you when i do.â he says bluntly. âwe can be together if you wanna.âÂ
you shake your head at his antics. as you thought, being together with luffy was a whole other experience, but he wasnât as confused as you thought.
âyeah. yeah, i wanna be together.â you smile. luffy grins like the sun. you let go of his wrists and he grabs your hands to intertwine your fingers together sweetly, he runs your knuckles over his lips.Â
âmissed you. during the fight, i mean.â
âif you really miss me, youâll finish it faster next time.â you tease, squeezing his hands.Â
âi will !â he chuckles. he mouths at your knuckles causing you to groan. he giggles again like he canât help himself and pulls you to him.
âdonât stop me this time, kay ? wanna really feel you.â he whispers.
you feel your face burn. luffy's ability to give you whiplash needed to be studied.
âwaitâshouldnât we go somewhere else ? people can see us here...â you mumble, embarrassed.Â
âoh, yeah. i donât care.âÂ
âi do.â you pinch his hand. he whines but relents, standing up and dragging you off somewhere more secluded.Â
a thought pops into your head âthought you were hungry.â you tease.Â
luffy smiles wider, your hand still securely in his grip. together.
âmm, not anymore, thatâs for later. mâhungry for you now.â
đčđ đČportgas d ace the (not so) smooth criminal
âace..â
âmm ?â
âiâm gonna ask you something, and i need you to answer me honestly, okay ?â
ây-yeah, sure. shoot me, sweetheart.â
he smirks. a sloppy, sideways grin thatâs supposed to exude ease, nonchalance. itâs immediately shattered when something flickers at the back of his neck and he quickly grabs his nape, too quick, the smack against his sweaty skin makes your lips twitch in amusement and his with nervousness.Â
(his gaze doesnât drop, though. he sweats but his eyes and smile stay on yours.)
you smile anyway, pausing to prep him.
ââŠhave you ever kissed..anyone ?âÂ
ace spontaneously combusts. literally.
âah.â you giggle. then you burst out laughing and ace sighs loudly. his shoulders still smouldering.
âsâitâŠthat obvious ?â he chuckles nervously. you love how ace always tries to act like he always just knows what to do, knows what to say, but the slightest fumble makes him absolutely collapse. itâs a bit petty on your part, because you find ace very cool anyway, his charm, his personality, the way he puts everyone so at ease. and the way he put you at ease, you like to see him fumble even just a little bit, especially for you.
you place a hand against his cheeks and his eyebrows fly up, he stumbles a bitânot because he doesnât like your touch, quite the opposite and he makes that very obviousâbut because he worries his flames might lick at you. you, who heâd never even dream of hurting.Â
âitâs very, very, veryââ and the more you exaggerate, just to mess with him, the more he winces, smile shaky ââvery obvious, hot shot.â you smirk.
he throws his head into your cheek, âaargh, great..â he chuckles, and your giggle makes him smirk and lean over to pinch your sides. always smooth though, his hands soothingly brush your sides as he pulls you closer.
âalright, mind if i have a redo then ?â he smiles, leaning in closer to you. you snort but feel your face heat with his devil fruit being nowhere near the reason for it, your arms wrap around his neck.
âi dunno, that mightâve killed it for me forever.âÂ
aceâs face drops, youâve never seen his always bright face pale as quick as it does now. his mouth drops and a clogged sound leaves him.
you pat his cheeks twice, almost worried he managed to learn how to fall asleep with his eyes open. though this would be a bit of an awkward time for his narcolepsy to hit.Â
âiâm kidding.â you reassure.Â
ace gulps like he hadnât been breathing waiting for you to speak again. (he hadn't.) his head drops to your collar bone. âhoh, fuck, thanks..â he breathes. you smile again, pressing sweet kisses to his steamy nape and he groans appreciatively.
âbe honest though..did i really suck that bad ?â
you look down at him, ears red but still hiding his gaze from you. ace has a harder time lying and acting smooth when heâs looking at you directly, so he takes the opportunity to be honest now while you cannot see him.
(except heâs even easier to see through when heâs like this, ironically.)Â
ânot bad, my love,â you ease with a pat to his nape, voice airy âjust..obvious.â
aceâs shoulders relax and he sighs. he lifts his head a little too eagerly and the brim of his hat knocks against your chin and nose. not hard, itâs only a graze that makes you both snorts but he tightens his hold to settle you.Â
âwoah, there, woops..!â he fumbles. he thinks, then drops his hat on your head with a small thump.
âwell, now i really want that redo..â he mumbles, leaning under his hat to press his nose to yours. your giggle makes him smile as well, albeit a little shyly.Â
âyou can have as many redos as you wish,â you say sweetly. ace burns in your hold, but he melts when your lips press to his again.
ace, for one, can immediately tell that his little brother has a crush on you.
he was delighted to see his oaf of a younger brother (affectionately speaking, of course) managed to land a crew of respectable looking people. said crew managed to keep luffy on his toes and mostly well behaved, but ace saw that respect amongst the crew was mutual, there was a love there that only an idiot like luffy would be to find. he always had this god-like luck.
in fact, ace thinks luffy is especially lucky to have found someone like you. during his many years as a pirate, he's made it a habit of trying to analyse others and when his gaze fell on you and his brother he knew there was something...different there.
from what he could tell. you were incredibly patient. patient enough to allow his brother to cling to you like a baby monkey. luffy hadn't even hugged him after they'd reunited, yet you'd think it had been ages since he last saw you, the way he clung to you like you'd disappear.
"yn's super cool, huh, ace ?" luffy cheered, chin propped onto your shoulder and arm wrapped around it as well. you patted his arms, clearly embarrassed and trying to shrug his praise off.
luffy looked at you in confusion at your sudden silence. his face clearly way too close to you but still analysing your face like there was something to miss.
"luffy..."
"what ? you are ! they're duper smart i'm tellin' ya ! knew i wanted ya in my crew the moment i saw ya !" he laughed, roughly slapping your shoulder.
by that point, ace knew something was up.
"the captain speaks too highly of me," you chuckled "i'm really not that great..!"
"but you are."
"luffy ! shut up !" you hissed.
"s'true ! you won't stop me from saying it ! ace thinks you're cool, too. right, ace ?!" luffy turned to his brother for support, but ace was sure that even his opinion wouldn't deter him. stubborn as a mule, that one.
he was sure he'd almost phased out of luffy's mind by now, his mission now solely to convince you of how cool you were while you tried to stay humble.
at some point ace even became referee in the matter of if you were as amazing as luffy said you were or not, luffy being uncharacteristically serious about it. so much so that you ended up having to grab his cheeks to shut him up. in the end, ace ended up having to mediate what ended up being a fight for your honour...between luffy and you. the person in question.
his brother was always a clingy boy, he'd climb on ace's shoulders, which usually led to wrestling. but he was more affectionate with his crew and especially to you.
he'd do everything and anything to get your attention, pulling silly stunts during dinner time that unsurprisingly ended with him getting a whack on the head from the cook for playing with his food. but he seemed unfazed when you laughed at his antics, smiling bright and wide like the spot on his head wasn't already starting to swell.
(he won't even mention the way he almost choked on his food when he saw luffy share a piece of his meal with you..)
luffy was always around to show you something cool, to tell you about something he saw or something his crewmate, ussop, told him. ussop would exclaim that luffy was a joke thief, but again, nothing mattered to his baby brother so long as you smiled at him, it seemed.
ace saw how luffy's eyes searched for you and your reactions first and foremost. he could tell he loved his crew dearly, the boy had his heart on his sleeve and couldn't lie to save his life, but ace could tell. he could always tell when it was about luffy, you were different.
and ace, for all his worries, is reassured he's found himself a group that will follow him with faith. and someone like you, who managed to captivate his brother so, and allow ace to see something interesting before he had to leave his brother again. though luckily, not on his own. at least as long as you were around.
before his departure, ace pressed a hand to your shoulder, leaning in close to whisper softly in your ear. "i leave my little brother to you. you take care of him, yeah ?"
he leaned back and chuckled at your flabbergasted expression. luffy was quick to lean in, pressing his hand to your opposite shoulder to demand to know what ace told you. "oi, ace !! what'd you do to yn ?!"
ace smirked, sticking his tongue out "not tellin' !" he jeered.
it's childish, something he'd do when both him and luffy were still kids. but which older brother doesn't enjoy messing with their younger sibling once in a while. and by the pout on luffy's face, he still had it.
"you take care of each other, kay ?" ace teased. luffy blinked, face melting into a blank expression before he raised a brow.
"huh ? course i do !" he grinned, looking at you again "right, yn ? i take good care of you, right !"
ace could only sigh affectionately while your groans and the captain's cheers faded from his ears as he made his way.
he could immediately tell that luffy had a crush on you. regrettably, even before the boy himself had. ace prays you'll remain patient and allow him to connect the dots on his own time.
but he thinks it probably won't take his dense little brother long to figure it out...hopefully.
a/n: please also have this. take it. it's yours. seriously, just take it already. don't keep our cook waiting. let him keep you busy well i continue writing the requests.
⥠he loves, loves cooking for you! acts of service is his main love language and so giving you your favourite meal, especially after he notices you've been having a hard day, is his favourite thing
⥠before he asked you out, everyone (accept luffy, of course) could see how differently he acted towards you, than with Nami and Robin, he spoke your name with a reverence that was on border of being worshipful. He never flirted in that big overdramatic way of his, he only ever showed his love in the small things, the little details.
⥠in the way he held your gaze far longer than what was necessary
⥠in the way he'd give you those soft smiles, his eyes giving away all the yearning he held for you in his heart
⥠in the way he'd hold you after long and tiring days, listening as you silently sobbed through whatever pain you were going through
⥠in the way he'd brush his hand against yours far too long for it to have been an accident
⥠always gives you the biggest (and best) portions of whatever he's made
⥠if you ever wake up hungry he's always willing to sneak off with you to make whatever midnight snack your heart desires
⥠almost never leaves your side, obviously he gives you your space, but if he had to choose who to be with, no questions asked, it would be with you
⥠whenever he can't seem to find you on the main deck, the first place he goes to is the library, where he find you and Robin sitting together reading your books in silence
⥠knowing you don't like being disrupted well deep in a book he merely sits beside you gently resting his head against your shoulder
⥠bonus if you give him head scratches! to which he always finds himself leaning into your touch
⥠loves whenever you ask for him to teach you how to cook a dish! he gets so ridiculously giddy, and immediately begins preparing all the cooking utensils and gets you a matching apron (he bought it at the last town in preparation for this day), pink laced and frilly with the words "Kiss the chef" in bold black letters (yes, he did that on purpose)
⥠loves it when you play with is hair, just feeling your fingers brush against his golden locks is truly a gift from heaven
⥠always leaves little encouraging notes in your lunchbox
⥠whenever you lay your head against his chest he swears his is working double time to keep up with the heavenly sensation of you being so close
⥠on that note he also loves it when your head is resting on his lap, your hair spilling across his thighs as he runs his fingers through your hair
⥠Sanji is still as in love with you as the day you first met, his love for you deepens with every new day, and prays that things will stay this way for the rest of eternity