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Being Smoker’s sister and dating Bartolomeo would involve…

Bartolomeo x reader. Pre-canon. (moodboard)

*****

💚 It’s the anniversary of Gold Roger’s death, and the annual celebration is taking place in Loguetown. Barto has little interest in piracy and even less in the Marines, but the event is the perfect opportunity to find a victim to rob, swindling a purse or a wallet out of whatever chum is unlucky enough to be chosen while they’re too focused on a show or a stall to notice. Nothing exciting, but one has to make a living somehow.

💚 Barto is walking around under the pavilion, hands in his pockets and gaze discreetly darting around in search of a prey; in the end he notices a woman standing at the end of a queue in front of an ice cream stand. She has a very nice to look at backside, but Barto’s eyes zero on the wallet peeking out of her bag; grinning to himself he approaches, careful not to meet the woman’s eyes as he walks behind her. A quick swipe of his finger, and the wallet is safe in his pocket.

💚 Satisfied with his success, Barto starts walking away, careful not to look too in a hurry in order not to raise suspicion, when suddenly… “Where the hell is my wallet? You, with the green hair! Don’t move!” someone cries. Barto swears under his breath; a look behind his shoulder confirms that the woman -you- is now running in his direction, murder in her eyes.

💚 He bolts as if he had a troop of Marines on his tail. You pursue as if you were a mother whose baby has been snatched from her arms. You exit the pavilion in a run, and Barto tries losing you in the labyrinth of alleys of the city’s oldest neighbourhood; he manages briefly before you find him again.

💚 He could get rid of you throwing the wallet behind him, he’s pretty sure you wouldn’t keep chasing him merely to tell him off, but Barto’s honour stops him from surrendering; after a while the distance between you starts decreasing -you’re a stubborn wench, he has to admit in begrudging admiration- and so Barto decides to turn and fight. He doesn’t plan on hurting you, he’s not that sort of guy, but he is sure that feinting a bit and making himself look scary will convince you to back off.

💚 He’s wrong.

💚 “Give me back my wallet, you thief!” you scream again, punching the air where Barto’s head was a moment before; he grabs your arm to twist it behind your back, shouting at you to back off if you don't want to catch it, but you manage to wriggle out and attack again. Before either of you has realised, a brutal brawl is taking place in the barely lit alley; Barto is quite experienced as street fights go, having had to make a virtue out of necessity since he was barely a kid, but you are quite capable as well, and clearly determined not to back down.

💚 His blood is pumping; a grin blossoms on Barto’s lips as he lifts his fists in a defensive position, observing you as you prepare to attack again, sore but unwilling to concede defeat. He’s having fun, much more than he expected when he decided to rob you.

💚 The fight ends in a draw, with both opponents out of breath and hurt in several places; the left side of Barto’s face is swollen courtesy of one of your punches, while you’re limping because a kick of his has reached your shin. Your gazes meet, and rather than anger or resentment, both express sympathy, and the earned respect for a valid adversary. “You know what, it’s not like I was carrying a lot of money; you can take it if you give me back my wallet.” you say, and Barto’s honour would normally forbid him from accepting, but he hasn’t eaten all day, so he retrieves the wallet from his pocket and returns it to you after taking the money out.

💚 “You, err, fight well.” he awkwardly compliments you, rubbing the back of his head; he’s embarrassed, for a reason he can’t quite understand himself, and you grin in return, openly flattered. “Thank you; you’re a pretty hard nut to crack as well. I’m (name), by the way; what’s your name?”

💚 Becoming friendly with a person he had just robbed -well, tried to at least- and then brawled with was not Barto’s intention, nor something he would have thought possible, but the fight helped break the ice between the two of you. Spontaneously, you end up spending the next two hours together; Barto accompanies you to an ice cream parlour that he swears is way better than the one you were queueing it, and after he paid for your cone with the money you let him have you keep him company as he buys some food for himself as well.

💚 You quickly get to know each other, discovering you have a lot in common. Both of you come from difficult family situations and had to start taking care of yourselves since you were barely more than kids, even though you were lucky in that regard since you had your older brother taking care of you. Learning that you only moved to Loguetown a month ago -which explains why he had never seen you before; he would surely remember a pretty face like yours, Barto thinks, and immediately blushes at the realisation- he tells about his favourite places in town, far from the area tourists hang around and the Marines patrol.

💚 “You got beef with the Marines? Are you a pirate?” you inquire curiously, and Barto shrugs before admitting he doesn’t really have an interest in the feud between the World Government and piracy, he just doesn’t like the way the Marines keep the town under their command, using the yearly celebration of Gold Roger’s death as a warning to remind people what happens to those who defy them. You listen intently, not offering an opinion of your own even though Barto can see from your expression you don’t completely disagree with his point of view.

💚 The evening ends up being the best Barto has spent in a long time, much better than what he expected when he decided to attend the festival in order to make a quick buck out of an unsuspecting mark. Making friends with a man who first tried to rob you and then you fought viciously with takes a special sort of person, and Barto quickly realises you are exactly that. As the evening draws to a close, after you’ve escaped the crowded chaos of the pavilion to enjoy a tranquil stroll along the pier, Barto feels the irrepressible desire to take your hand in his; maybe you’d allow him, he considers, but before he can muster the courage to make his move -

💚 “(name)!” a young woman, breathless and with a sword hanging from her side, reaches the two of you at a run, a sight you react to with clear disappointment. “Here you are, I looked everywhere for you! Your brother sent me to look for you.” she says, and you sigh in response, well aware the evening you had hoped would last a little longer is definitively over. “Alright then; just give me a moment.” you say, and the woman complies, walking a few steps away after glancing suspiciously at Barto.

💚 “Well, I’m afraid I need to go; my brother gets worried when he can’t keep an eye on me for more than half an hour.” you explain with a tone that somehow expresses exasperation, disappointment and fondness all in one “Thanks for keeping me company, Bartolomeo; I hope I’ll see you around.”, and then, before he has a chance to react, you kiss him on the cheek, a simple and innocent action that has the power to leave him completely bowled over.

💚 “Y-yeah, sure, see you around.” he manages to stammer, and you grin in satisfaction before walking away, the lady with the sword trailing after you. “Hey! Who taught you to fight like that?” Barto calls after you, more out of a desire to talk to you for a moment more than out of a curiosity to have that trivial question answered. You turn to look at him, smiling the way a person about to reveal the punchline of a joke does. “My brother did! He’s a Marine captain.” you explain, before grinning at him and turning again to walk away.

💚 Barto remains where he is for a moment, feeling pleasantly dazed, your kiss still hot on his cheek, as the meaning of your last revelation settles in his mind. Fuck, he thinks, but he can’t bring himself to mind, not even after thinking back to the disparaging comments he made about the Marines only two hours ago; he feels elated. He has food in his stomach and even a few berry left in his pocket, but what he has found tonight is infinitely more precious than dinner or money, and Bartolomeo knows it already.

💚 He keeps thinking about you as he walks to the crappy apartment he calls home, and then as he lies in bed; when he falls asleep, he dreams of your face.

💚 The following afternoon sees you in Loguetown’s main plaza, attending a Marine ceremony; a month after his arrival, your brother is officially appointed head of the corps’ contingent of the town. Smoker knows Marine matters are usually of little interest for you, he doesn’t seem particularly bothered by the fact and, to his credit, he has never insisted you follow his footsteps and enlist in the corps. On the other hand, you know well how important being transferred to Loguetown was for your brother, and you are sincerely proud his superiors chose him for such an important post: as his sister, you decided it was your duty to be present at the event to support him.

💚 Witnessing the ceremony from your first-row seat, clapping politely at the speeches and various formalities, you keep thinking back to last night, when you were able to slip past your brother’s protective gaze to go visit the town festival… and to the young man you met in such unexpected circumstances. The mere memory of Bartolomeo’s handsome face and vaguely awkward but earnest disposition brings a smile to your face; the time you spent together was the best you remember having in a long time, and who knows, maybe if your paths were to cross again you could prove to him that dating a Marine’s sister could be worth it, despite one’s dislike of the corps…

💚 You have barely had the time to consider that thought in your mind, when your eyes chance upon a familiar green mohawk-styled mane of hair, the owner of which is already looking in your direction. Barto, standing among the crowd amassed on one side of the plaza, grins and waves at you, a gesture you return before signaling him to wait and returning your attention to the ceremony, joy and anticipation bubbling in your heart.

💚 Once the ceremony is concluded, you go hug your brother to tell him how proud you are and how lucky the people of Loguetown are to have him looking after them - all things you really think. “Listen, I’m going to go now, alright? I’ll see you home tonight.” you propose; you had promised to cook his favourite dishes for dinner in celebration of today’s event and you are determined to keep your word. Smoker frowns, not disappointed but slightly suspicious of your eagerness to leave, but once again he keeps his questions to himself and doesn’t protest. “Take care of yourself.” he tells you; you promise you will, kiss him on the cheek, and then run away.

💚 You and Barto meet just outside the plaza, away from prying eyes. “I didn’t think I’d see you here, among so many Marines.” you tease him, and Barto grins, shamelessly checking you out. “Well, I didn’t come here to ask out one of the Marines, that’s for sure.” he points out before taking your hand in his; flirting and courting have never been his strong suit, but he couldn’t pass up the chance to see you again, having correctly guessed you would be present at the ceremony in the plaza. The fact that your brother is not only a Marine, but the Marine, the man tasked with maintaining law and order in town, is probably the worst thing that could happen, but Barto has never been particularly good at choosing what’s best for him “You want to get out of here?”

💚 You do.

💚 You let Barto’s hand pull you away, and the two of you end up spending the rest of the day together, happy and almost famished for each other’s company. In the end you insist you need to return home, determined to be there for your brother and prepare his favourites as you had promised despite the disappointment of having to put an end to your and Barto’s time together. He insists on walking you home, and then “Listen, this was fun, so… we could do it again.” he says awkwardly, torn between wanting you to know how much he wants to see you again and looking nonchalant in order to save face just in case you refuse.

💚 He has, of course, no reason to fear, and you make sure to communicate how enthusiastic you are at the prospect of seeing him again, especially if those meetings were to become a recurring event. You end up kissing passionately, your back pressed against the wall and Barto’s arms closed around your waist, the embrace close enough you can feel his heart pounding against your chest. It’s messy and passionate and you can hear yourself moan when Barto’s pointed teeth gently bite your lip. Emboldened, Barto tilts his head to add his tongue to the kiss, and you are suddenly grateful for the wall keeping you standing, because you can feel your legs buckle under you.

💚 You remain together longer than you probably should, since you are just outside your home and your brother could be back any moment. Later on, as you and Smoker have dinner together discussing his responsibilities as the highest-ranking Marine in town, you notice he’s looking at you, not exactly stern but vaguely suspicious, the sort of gaze whose more intense version could make any bloodthirsty pirate quake in their boots. “Is something wrong? I think everything tasted quite good.” “It does, in fact; I really appreciate you preparing all my favourite dishes. It’s just… is something wrong, (name)? You look like you had something on your mind; has it to do with the way you spent the afternoon after the ceremony?”

💚 Smoker’s intelligence and perceptiveness are characteristics you had always admired, even though right now you can’t help feeling ill at ease. He has always been protective of you, and while he would normally not oppose the fact you have a partner, you know after only two meetings that he won’t approve of Barto, which is inconvenient since you have just decided you want him in your life. “Nothing, really; I, uh, had forgotten I had to buy some things for dinner.” you lie, and your brother looks sharply at you, clearly unconvinced, but he seemingly decides not to press the issue and takes a second helping from the plate between you.

💚 You got away with it, you think with an inward sigh of relief. For tonight, at least.

💚 You meet Barto again on the next day, and the two of you soon become inseparable. Anyone could see you are deeply infatuated with each other, but what exists between you is much more than a mere crush topped by the sort of lust that at times makes it impossible to keep your hands off each other. You sincerely, deeply care for each other, and spend long hours talking, sharing memories and thoughts you normally would jealously guard, or just enjoying each other’s company sitting in an embrace, Barto’s arms wrapped around your waist, your cheek resting against his shoulder.

💚 When you’re with him, you feel peace.

💚 You knew it wouldn’t be easy to keep your new relationship secret from your brother, and indeed, Smoker notices a tell-tale mark on your neck only a week after your and Barto’s first meeting. “So, you got a new friend? What’s their name?” he asks, trying to sound casual and failing miserably. You try deflecting the question, especially when your brother proposes you could introduce the two of them, but the stubbornness and single-mindness that have allowed Smoker to advance rapidly through the Marine ranks are equally fatal when used in a more domestic setting, and after deflecting the question for a few days you are forced to spill the beans.

💚 The fact that Barto is not a pirate is of little consolation to your brother, who has quickly learnt the names of the various petty thieves and assorted small-time criminals who populate Loguetown - a list your partner is sadly a part of. As you expected, he tries to hinder your relationship in any way he can, pointing out that companies like Barto will only lead you to the wrong path and get you in trouble; he even tries forbidding you from seeing him, and you point out that you are an adult and he has no right to tell you who you can or can’t associate with. “Listen, Barto is a good person and treats me very well; please stop fighting me on this, Smoker, because I’m afraid it could end badly for all of us.”

💚 In the end your brother relents, sort of, even though he keeps finding new ways to express his disapproval, which in turn creates an underline of tension in your usually close, loving relationship. That state of things pains and frustrates you, because you love your brother deeply and understand he only wants what’s best for you, which has been the case since he was barely more than a kid himself and still took responsibility for you, in order to take you away from your catastrophic home situation. You are grateful for his years of care and protection and the last thing you want is to make him worry, especially now that his work responsibilities have increased; on the other hand, your feelings for Barto, which he returns with equal intensity, are not something you can forget or easily give up on. You feel torn between your loyalty to the two men you care so much about, and dread the day you’ll be forced to choose.

💚 Barto, on his part, is not particularly bothered by the fact he’s dating the sister of a Marine officer, even though you know he resents the fact Smoker’s protective eye prevents you from living your relationship freely. He complains a couple of times, protesting that an older brother has no right to stop a grown woman from dating whoever she wants, until you beg him to avoid the subject, since it pains you too much to reflect on how your partner and your brother can’t stand each other.

💚 In the end, each of the two becomes a forbidden topic of conversation when you’re with the other, which is painful but also much better than it could get, and so you make do. One thing Smoker has forced you to promise, threatening to lock you up in your room if you don’t acquiesce, is that you won’t spend the night at Barto’s place, which in turn means that any sleepover with your partner must take place in your shared house. Barto complains that not only Smoker keeps glaring at him whenever they’re in the same room, but knowing a man who hates him is sleeping, or probably standing guard, across the corridor puts a damp on his ardour, no matter how enticing he finds you. It doesn’t help that Barto is quite a vocal lover, which you would normally appreciate, and every time your brother starts slamming his hand against the wall screaming at him to keep it quiet or he’ll throw him out.

💚 You try twice to organize a shared meal so that your brother and your partner can get to know each other better, both times with disastrous results. You consider that having them get along and become friendly was probably too much to hope for and you’re already lucky to have two people who love and care for you, even if they can’t see eye to eye. Since you don’t want to lose Barto, nor to ruin your close relationship with Smoker, maybe the best you can do is to keep your relationship and family life, and therefore the two of them, separated.

💚 Even if you only have the courage to face that truth in the privacy of your heart, you know the situation would be completely different if Barto weren’t a petty thief and didn't spend his days stealing and swindling money from any simpleton dumb enough to fall into his trap. Your partner rarely works, when he does it he gets paid under the table, and no job he’s ever had has lasted for more than three months. Barto insists he quite enjoys that unenviable lifestyle, and has never accepted any help from you, not even when you insisted it would only be a loan, or a warm meal at your place.

💚 You, on your part, don’t mind it that your partner can’t afford to take you out to dinner or buy you a costly present for your birthday; you like to think you’re less shallow than this, and you enjoy Barto’s company whatever you do. On the other hand, you have privately reflected, you can’t really blame your brother for being against your relationship; Smoker is all but superficial, nor the sort of man who would necessarily want a wealthy and well-connected partner by your side, but you can understand why he worries for you, and you know his disapproval for Barto would disappear, or at least subside, if your partner got his head together and found himself a job.

💚 You never told him, of course, because even as his partner the way Barto decides to live his life is not your business, and you are perfectly happy with things the way they are between you. Your partner is as sweet, devoted and protective as they come, and you fall more in love with him with every passing day; vaguely awkward but earnest, Barto makes sure to prove how important you are to him as often as he can, and he has never spoken to you unkindly, not even in the course of your rare fights. On the other hand, you can’t help wondering whether Barto actually likes the way he lives, aimlessly spending his youth drifting through Loguetown, never knowing what tomorrow might bring, or if what keeps him anchored to that sort of existence is simply fear of the unknown, and a lack of other options.

💚 You try asking him once, while you are enjoying an ice cream cone -you’ve gone halfsies, as usual- walking along the pier. “Do you have dreams about the future? Is there something you’d like to do, like… a great ambition, or a job?” you ask, doing your best to sound casual just in case Barto thinks you’re judging him or expressing dissatisfaction with his lifestyle, but sadly that’s exactly what your partner seems to perceive. He tenses, looking suspiciously at you, and “What sort of question is that?” he asks “What sort of ambition? Like becoming rich, or becoming a pirate?” “No, I was thinking… you know, about jobs or a career…” “I don’t need a job. What, has your brother convinced you to enlist? Are you gonna become a little goody two-shoes Marine as well, (name)?”

💚 You feel you are dangerously close to a fight, and that Barto’s abrupt tone is due more to his own sense of discomfort than to a desire to upset you; you quickly change the subject and your partner, regretting the way he has spoken to you, promises he’ll take you dancing tomorrow - something he usually hates even though you have told him he’s naturally inclined. You never touch the subject again, and think that while as Barto’s partner you have both a right and a duty to worry about his future, you will from now on limit yourself to support whatever decision he takes of his own accord, without pushing or taking the initiative for him. Who are you to say what’s best for him, after all? Maybe one day he will find his path, something -or someone- to give meaning to his life, and you…

💚 … you will remain by his side, whatever it takes. It’s a promise you make to yourself, in the secrecy of your heart, as you move your ice cream to one side to let Barto’s hungry mouth devour yours in a kiss that tastes like chocolate and destiny.

💚 Little less than a year has passed since your and Barto’s first meeting, and your relationship is going strong as ever, when your brother informs you that he’ll have to depart from Loguetown for the night, to attend a meeting with other officers that has been called to discuss a new danger threatening the world: the Revolutionary Army, led by a man named Dragon. “I’ll be back tomorrow night. Take care of yourself, and… well, you know; behave.” your brother says with a sigh, well aware that you will forget his admonishments as soon as he closes the door behind him “I’ll send Tashigi keep an eye on you.”

💚 You avoid telling him that you don’t need a babysitter, especially not one who is practically the same age as you, because you are thrilled, just like a little girl who is allowed to remain at home alone for the first time. Without your brother’s invasive presence, you and Barto will have the house for yourselves, and you know you will make good use of every moment of intimacy you’re afforded. Smoker won’t be happy, but given his resigned expression as he hugs you goodbye he knows already he can’t stop you from receiving guests while he’s away.

💚 When you tell him, Barto is immediately enthusiastic and promises he’ll meet you at your place. “I can’t wait to see you; I promise you won’t walk straight for a week.” he tells you, and you blush, already looking forward to the evening. On impulse, you go out to buy a new lingerie set that you’re sure your partner will appreciate; it takes you a while to choose since you really want this night to be special, and night has fallen by the time you come into view of your home. You hurry, not wanting Barto to arrive before you’re ready to welcome him, until-

💚 “Hey, girlie! What’s your hurry?” someone calls to you. The group of men, at least half a dozen of them and fierce-looking, were gathered outside a seedy bar your brother had begged you not to set foot in, but all their gazes immediately zero on you as you walk by. A couple of them shamelessly stare at your body, while one notices the lingerie logo on the bag you’re carrying and sniggers in anticipation. And then, as one, they start moving towards you.

💚 It’s a sort of situation you have been warned against since you were a girl, and that every woman in the world sadly finds herself in at least once in the course of her life; most of them escape with a nasty shock but unharmed, a few don’t. You have always been careful, and thanks to Smoker’s help you are better trained in self-defence than any civilian woman in Loguetown. Alone against six opponents, on the other hand, would be a difficult position to find oneself in for anyone, and the men, who seem to act in concert without the need to discuss or exchange orders, are quick to surround you. You try to run, to protest, to cry for help, to punch and kick your way out of the throng, but it’s useless; you are quickly overpowered, and thrown to the ground as the men gather around you.

💚 You have no need to ask what they intend on doing to you; the merciless hunger filling their gazes is telling enough. It has all happened in less than one minute, and if they hadn’t noticed you, if only you had come home from a different direction or if they had gathered at a different bar, none of this would have happened, you think as panic mounts like a wave inside you. But knowing that what is happening is no more likely than winning the lottery brings you no comfort; you are terrified, and while determined to go down swinging -literally; a couple of the men are already nursing a cracked rib or a black eye- you are destined to succumb, unless…

💚 “(name)! Oh, fuck, (name)! You bastards leave her alone!”

💚 Even after a year of close relationship, you have never been so happy to see Barto before. He struggles to make his way through the wall of men, but when he sees you, and realises what was going to be done to you, you see ire inflame his eyes. In less than a moment, the brass knuckles you have gifted him for his birthday two months ago have been slipped around his fingers. “Bring it on, you bastards!”

💚 Of course you get the worst of it; even with the new courage Barto’s arrival has instilled in you, and the fact that you are now able to fight back to back, defending each other as you deal with your enemies, it doesn’t change the fact that you are vastly outnumbered. In the end the assaulters, none of them unscathed, relent, and Barto barely has the strength to pick you up and carry you home.

💚 Those bastards really did a number on you, but fortunately your brother’s providence has led him to keep a particularly well-stocked first aid kit in the house, which you and Barto use to patch each other up, quickly agreeing that going to the hospital would create more harm than good. “Thank you for coming to help me; I’m sorry, I… I really wanted this night to be special for us.” you apologise miserably, the guilt and disappointment adding to the stress of your recent misadventure. You know nothing of what happened is your fault, but you can’t help mourning all you had looked forward to “I had bought something special to wear, and it’s the first time we can be alone here, and…”

💚 … and I want my brother. You stop yourself from uttering those words, but the substance remains; it has nothing to do with Barto, who you are deeply grateful to for what he did and whose presence is the only thing stopping you from slipping into hysterics, but you can’t help it. Smoker has always been your rock, your protector, your model, and even as an adult woman, mostly able to take care of herself, the only thing you want at the moment is to cry on his shoulder and have his embrace reassure you everything is well.

💚 “I know; thank God I was a little early for our date. I really don’t know what I would do if something had happened to you.” Barto murmurs as he holds you in his arms; moments like this, when your partner abandons his tough guy persona and feels at ease enough to express his fears, are rare, and despite the guilt gnawing at you it does make you feel a little better to see him lower his defenses. “I know; but I’m fine, we’re both fine, and that’s all that matters.” you say “Now hug me some more. Can you stay the night? I don’t want to be alone, and… and I’d really like you to stay.”

💚 Barto immediately states that he has no intention of leaving you, at least until your brother returns, and so your longed-for sleepover still takes place, albeit in very different circumstances from what both of you expected. Having taken advantage of the supplies of painkillers included in the first aid kit, you feel well enough to prepare dinner, and you and Barto spend a quiet night in before going to sleep in your bed. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.” he murmurs as you lie side to side, and you protest: “Are you kidding? You literally saved my life! I don’t even want to think about what would have happened if you hadn’t intervened…”

💚 Barto stubbornly insists he should have done more; after all he’s your partner, and even if outnumbered he should have been able to protect you. “But I couldn’t; I… I wasn’t strong enough, (name), I’m so sorry, I wish I could have done more and make those bastards pay for hurting you.” he laments, and you do your best to reassure him he did all he could and then some, which you are grateful and proud of him for, and you could never blame him for having been unable to best six assailants on his own. Truth to be told, you wouldn’t be angry if he had been unable to fight them either.

💚 “You came for me; that’s all that matters.” you say, and kiss him in the quiet darkness of the room; Barto sniffs, mumbles something about how being with you has turned him into a chicken shit, and five minutes later you are both asleep, still holding each other close.

💚 You and Barto wake up late the next morning and spend a relaxing day together, content in each other’s company. Smoker gets home in the late afternoon, finding not only Barto’s jacket hanging from the coat rack, which he expected, but also you, looking like the victim of a beating up - which you actually are, since the bruises and wounds of last night haven’t had the time to heal yet, just not by the hands of the perpetrator he immediately accuses.

💚 “You’re gonna pay for this, you bastard! Have you forced yourself on her? I’m gonna kill you!” he cries as he grabs Barto by the collar and prepares to pummel him while your poor partner struggles desperately to free himself. Fortunately you’re quick enough to intervene and “He did nothing wrong; can’t you see he’s hurt as well?” you point out “In fact, if it wasn’t for Barto’s intervention I would be in worse, much worse conditions.”

💚 The terrible misadventure of last night, which you fear you will have nightmares about for the weeks and months to come, ends up having a silver lining, since Smoker can’t help but being impressed when you recount the events of last night to him and insist that your partner’s intervention and his fighting by your side is what saved you from being brutalised. Your brother has never doubted Barto’s feelings for you -“Loving you is easy, (name); loving someone and treating them well are two completely different matters, that’s all.” he pointed out more than once- but what happened yesterday proves that he cares enough to put his own safety, his life even, at risk. Once again, a person willing to defend you might also unwillingly lead you on the wrong path, but Smoker can’t deny that knowing that your partner will not abandon you in the hour of danger does give him some relief.

💚 An honourable man despite the embarrassment, Smoker feels compelled to apologise to Barto for accusing and roughhousing him, and to thank him for the help he gave you. “You don’t have to thank me; (name) is my partner, I’m just sorry I couldn’t make all those bastards pay for what they did to her.” Barto answers, and for a brief, precious moment you see the two people who are dearest to you in the world be in agreement and even harmony with each other, their mutual love for you allowing them to overcome their differences.

💚 It doesn’t last, of course, not after Smoker notices Barto has taken advance of his absence last night to pilfer his liquor stash and then makes a snide remark about your partner’s unemployed state, but thank God they are able to establish and respect a truce as you have dinner, the three of you together for the first time. It’s vaguely awkward and you can see them glare at each from above their glasses, but you’re happy nonetheless, especially when Smoker allows you to spend the night at Barto’s place, for this time only, and just because I need to sleep. You happily prepare a small bag, including the lingerie you had bought yesterday, eager to make up for the missed opportunity.

💚 “Thank you; seriously, I know what it’s costing you.” you murmur in your brother’s ear as the two of you share an embrace, and Smoker sighs before mumbling that at least you chose a guy capable of watching your back, and if you’re not home tomorrow morning before ten he’s sending his entire troop to take you back.

💚 You promise, and happily follow Barto out of the door and to his apartment, where the two of you take full advantage of the privacy you’re afforded for a night of passion and lovemaking. He kisses your still bruised face as you lie in an embrace, silently promising he will never leave you alone, no matter the cost, and you hold him close, running your hands up and down his body as you commit every inch of him to memory, well aware that Barto has gotten under your skin and you will never let him go.

💚 “You know, I think your brother might grow to like me one day; a dozen or so more brawls and he’ll be fine with us dating.” Barto tells you after a while, as you rest between rounds. You grin, vaguely wistful, and think that perhaps the two will never really see you eye to eye, but both of them love you and both know it, and that might be enough for the three of you to live in peace.

💚 Two days later you get a cold while out running errands, which forces you to remain at home for a while, buried under a pile of blankets with a glass of water and medicines at the ready. Today it’s the anniversary of Gold Roger’s death, which marks one year since your and Barto’s first meeting, but sadly you’re unable to celebrate the occasion as it deserves, since you can’t even keep yourself upright. Barto offers to remain and keep you company, but you tell him he’d only end up falling sick himself, and urge him to go and find something to do; you can always celebrate your first anniversary as soon as you’re back on your feet.

💚 “Just call me tomorrow; I love you.” you tell him with a kiss blown on the tip of your fingers; Barto grins, blushes, and tells you he loves you too.

💚 He decides to attend the festival to make a quick buck to buy you an anniversary present. That is the night his path crosses that of a young straw-hatted pirate, and from that moment on, Barto’s, and Smoker’s, and your, lives will never be the same again.

#bartolomeo x reader

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