#bogard x reader

[gav-san]

'Not Today, Herpes': ft. Marines

'Not Today, Herpes' MasterList

One Piece Masterlist Here

One, Two, Three, Four

Kizaru

He’s leaning on a balcony, coat draped loose, tongue-deep with someone like he has all the time in the world. Which—technically—he does.

You arrive. You see it.

Your soulmate mark ignites, blazing gold-hot, like the sun personally took offense.

You stand there for half a second.

Then you run.

Not a dignified run. Not a strategic retreat. A full, feral, sound-barrier-threatening sprint that sends pigeons exploding into the air and civilians diving for cover.

Behind you, his voice drifts, lazy and amused. “Ooh~? That’s them? How exciting…”

You run harder.

He does not chase.

Light flashes.

You skid to a stop on a rooftop you were not on a moment ago, lungs burning, curses spilling out of you. He’s already there, hands in his pockets, posture relaxed like he just stepped out for tea.

“You’re quick,” he says, tilting his head. “That’s cute.”

You scream something unpublishable and hurl your shoe at him.

He tilts half an inch. The shoe passes through where his head was a heartbeat ago and detonates someone’s laundry line three buildings down.

“Mmm~ dangerous,” he hums, smiling wider. “I like that.”

You pivot and bolt again.

Light flashes.

He appears ahead of you again, standing sideways on a lamppost that should not be supporting a man, let alone an admiral. “You know,” he adds conversationally, “running from destiny tends to make it… brighter.”

Your mark pulses like it wants to throw hands.

You grab the second shoe and fling it. He lets it hit him this time. It phases through his chest, clatters uselessly behind him.

“…Rude,” he says mildly. Then, with a curious glance at your glowing mark, “But understandable.”

You glare, shaking with adrenaline and fury. “You were busy.”

“Was I?” He squints thoughtfully. “Ah. Right. That.”

There is, for the first time, the faintest pause in his smile. Barely there. A hairline crack.

“Well,” he drawls, stepping aside and letting the path open, “guess we should talk, huh?”

You don’t answer.

You turn and sprint again.

Behind you, light scatters across the city like laughter, and his voice follows, warm and unbothered and entirely too pleased.

“Take your time,” he calls. “I’ll catch up eventually~.”

Akainu

He’s standing in the courtyard, uniform immaculate, posture rigid, one hand gripping someone by the collar while he speaks low and brutal into their face. No kiss. No romance. Just intimidation sharpened to an art form.

Your soulmate mark detonates.

White-hot. Molten. Like magma flooding your veins.

You stop short.

He feels it.

Akainu stiffens. His grip tightens by instinct, knuckles whitening. Slowly, deliberately, he turns his head.

Your eyes meet.

His expression does not soften. Does not widen. Does not crack into surprise or delight. It hardens.

“…So,” he says, voice low, dangerous, vibrating with heat, “it’s you.”

You do not wait.

You turn and run.

Boots pounding stone, heart in your throat, every survival instinct screaming. This is not a chase you win. This is a natural disaster gaining interest.

Behind you, there is a single heavy step.

Then the sound of stone liquefying.

“RUNNING,” he snarls, magma blooming up his arm as he advances, “IS AN ADMISSION OF GUILT.”

You vault a railing. Hit the ground hard. Roll. Keep moving.

A blast of heat scorches past your shoulder, the wall beside you hissing and melting. Civilians scream. Marines scatter.

“You don’t get to appear,” his voice booms behind you, controlled fury barely leashed, “ignite a bond I never asked for, and flee like a criminal!”

You skid around a corner, lungs burning, skin prickling with heat. Your mark throbs like it’s furious at both of you.

You scream back, without slowing, “TRY NOT MAKING WAR CRIMES, AND MAYBE I’D STAY—”

A crater explodes where you were half a second ago.

“You can run,” Akainu says calmly, already following the trail of your presence like a bloodhound. “You can scream. You can hate me.”

His lips thin.

“But you are mine. And justice,” he adds, voice ironclad, “is patient.”

Somewhere ahead, you trip.

Behind you, the ground begins to glow.

Kuzan

He’s leaning against a dock piling, coat half-off, lazily kissing someone like he might fall asleep halfway through it.

Your soulmate mark freezes up.

Not hot. Arctic.

You stop. Stare. Blink once.

“…Nope.”

You turn and run. Ice cracks. You skid as the dock flash-freezes under your feet. You windmill. Recover. Keep sprinting.

“Oh, c’mon,” he sighs, footsteps crunching behind you, not rushing at all. “I didn’t know I had a soulmate yet.”

You yell back, “YOU WERE KISSING A STRANGER—”

“Yeah, well,” he says mildly, “I didn’t know I was married to destiny yet.”

You round a corner.

Ice blooms up the wall in front of you, forming a perfect ramp. You scream, run up it anyway, and vault off the edge like your life is a parkour compilation.

You land hard. Roll. Pop up.

He’s already there, sitting on a crate, elbows on knees, watching you like this is a mildly interesting documentary.

“…You’re fast,” he admits. “That’s kinda impressive.”

You grab a chunk of ice and hurl it at his head.

It shatters on his shoulder.

He blinks. “Rude.”

You bolt again.

This time, he doesn’t freeze the ground. He just calls after you, voice lazy and amused, “Y’know, runnin’ isn’t a first response to this.”

You trip as your own feet go numb.

You feel hands catch you before you hit the ground. Solid. Warm, somehow, despite the cold.

Kuzan sighs above you. “See? That’s why I prefer talkin’ first.”

You glare up at him. “Put me down.”

“…Yeah,” he says thoughtfully. “In a second.”

He doesn’t.

Greenbull

He is absolutely, unequivocally flirting.

Not subtle flirting. Not tasteful flirting. Full-on, unhinged, nature-documentary flirting. He’s leaning far too close to someone under a blooming tree he definitely summoned himself, petals drifting dramatically, hand braced against the trunk like he rehearsed this in a mirror.

The other person is giggling. Vines are involved. There is pollen. It’s a crime scene.

You step into the clearing.

Your soulmate mark goes off like an environmental disaster warning.

Green Bull freezes mid-line. Slowly turns his head.

You stop. Stare. “…Oh absolutely the fuck not.”

You run.

Like, immediately. No commentary. No confrontation. Just turn and go, crashing through brush and undergrowth like you’re being chased by fate, bad decisions, and a very aggressive ecosystem.

Behind you: “Huh? Oh—OH! WAIT!”

The ground moves.

Roots burst out of the dirt, trying to grab your ankles like the earth itself has opinions. You shriek, leap, keep sprinting.

“HEY!” Green Bull shouts, jogging after you way too cheerfully. “I DIDN’T KNOW YOU EXISTED YET—!”

You scream again, pivot, vault over a log, nearly faceplant, and recover through pure spite. A vine snaps at your wrist. You slap it away. “TELL IT TO YOUR GARDEN DATE—!”

“THAT WAS CASUAL!” he yells. “VERY CASUAL!”

You duck into an alley.

Leaves explode from the walls. Flowers bloom mid-brick. A tree grows sideways to block you.

You skid to a halt.

He pops out of the greenery, hands on his hips, beaming like this is the best day of his life. “Wow. You’re fast. I like that.”

You grab a potted plant and throw it at his head.

It roots itself in his coat instead.

He laughs. “Okay, okay! Violent and hot. Noted.”

You turn to run again.

Garp

He’s kissing someone.

Sloppy. Loud. Zero finesse. The kind of kiss that involves laughter, crumbs, and a hand still clutching a turkey leg like it might try to escape. Marines are pretending not to see it. One has turned fully around to face the wall.

You walk into the mess hall.

Your soulmate mark goes Galaxy Impact.

You freeze. He freezes mid-kiss, lips still on someone else’s face, eyes drifting to you like a battleship slowly changing course. You make eye contact.

There is a full second of silence.

Then you turn and run.

“EH?!” Garp bellows, finally letting go of the other person, who stumbles back in confusion. “WAIT—HEY—!”

You are already gone, sprinting down the corridor like the building is on fire and you started it.

“WHY’RE YOU RUNNIN’—?!” he shouts, immediately giving chase, boots pounding, still chewing. “IF YOU’RE MY SOULMATE YOU CAN’T JUST LEAVE—!”

“That was a PUBLIC KISS—!” you scream back.

He laughs, delighted. “HAHA! YEAH! WASN’T IT GREAT?!”

A wall explodes behind you.

“WHOOPS!” Garp yells cheerfully. “TURNED TOO HARD!”

Marines scatter. Someone dives. Someone salutes out of reflex. You vault crates, skid on spilled gravy, and nearly die of cardio. You glance back. He’s still coming. Grinning. Fist cocked. Having the time of his life.

“C’MON!” he yells. “YOU RUN LIKE KUZAN WHEN HE OWES ME MONEY!”

You burst out of the exit and vanish. Minutes later, Garp finally stops, hands on his knees, laughing until he wheezes.

“…Man,” he says proudly. “She’s got spirit.”

Back in the mess hall, the person he kissed blinks at the wreckage. “…Was that your girlfriend?”

Garp grins. “Probably.”

Smoker

He’s kissing someone like it’s a bad habit he’s trying to quit.

No romance. No flair. Just a rough, impatient kiss that says this was a mistake halfway through, but I’m committing out of spite. His coat’s still on. His cigars are still lit. Ash is absolutely falling on someone.

You walk into the alley. Your soulmate mark flares like it just saw a crime and took it personally.

You freeze.

Smoker freezes mid-kiss. One eye cracks open. Then both. He sees you. Sees the glow. “…You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

You turn and run.

“HEY—WAIT—!” he snaps, shoving the other person gently but urgently away. “DAMMIT—!”

Smoke explodes behind you as he launches after you, boots pounding, jaw clenched, clearly already done with this entire destiny thing.

“THIS IS NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE—!” he yells.

You shout back, “YOU WERE ACTIVELY CHEATING YOU SHITTY SENTIENT LUNG CANCER—!”

“That’s MEDICINAL,” he roars. “AND I DIDN’T KNOW YOU EXISTED YET—!”

You cut through a market. He turns into smoke and reappears ahead of you. You skid to a stop, flip him off, and bolt the other direction.

“DON’T DO THAT,” he growls, reforming behind you. “I’M TRYING TO APOLOGIZE.”

“You had TONGUE INVOLVED,” you yell. “That’s not step one.”

He groans like a man aged ten years in ten seconds. “I HAVEN’T BEEN ON A DATE IN A DECADE—!”

You leap over a crate. He turns into smoke again. Reforms. Trips. Catches himself. Loses a cigar.

“…DAMMIT.”

You finally disappear into a crowd.

Smoker stops, hands on his hips, smoke curling irritably around him. He drags a hand down his face, exhales hard, and mutters, “Great. My soulmate hates me.”

Someone nearby clears their throat. “Should we… arrest her?”

Smoker glares. “Touch her, and I’ll arrest you.”

Beat.

“…And cancel my lunch.”

Lucci

He’s kissing someone like it’s an assignment.

Precise. Controlled. Zero emotion. The kind of kiss that feels like it came with a checklist and a deadline. His posture is perfect. His hand placement is efficient. Hattori the pigeon is there, watching like a supervisor.

You step into the corridor.

Your soulmate mark breaks cover.

Lucci’s does too. He pauses mid-kiss. Does not pull away. Just… stops. Slowly turns his head while still touching someone else’s face.

You make eye contact. There is a long, terrible second where the universe waits to see who will commit first.

You turn and run.

Lucci releases the other person immediately, already moving. No shouting. No chasing noises. Just the sound of very fast footsteps gaining on you.

“Stop,” he says calmly, like this is a work-related request.

You sprint harder.

The hallway ahead fractures as he Geppos past you and lands cleanly in your path, coat barely stirring. He straightens his cuffs.

“You are inefficient,” he says mildly.

You scream and pivot. He appears again. Closer.

“This will not change the outcome.”

You throw a chair at him.  He catches it. Sets it down. Steps forward.

Behind him, Hattori flaps. “Lucci~”

“Quiet,” Lucci says.

You bolt again.

He sighs. Just once. A man inconvenienced by destiny.

“I was unaware of the bond,” he says evenly, matching your pace without looking strained. “Corrective action will be taken.”

“That is the WORST POSSIBLE WAY TO PHRASE THAT—!” you yell.

He cuts in front of you again, finally blocking your escape. Close now. Too close. Eyes sharp, assessing, unreadable.

“…You run well,” he says after a beat. “Acceptable.”

You stare at him, panting. “I am not accepting anything.”

Hattori nods solemnly. “Coo.”

Lucci’s mouth twitches. Barely. Almost imaginary.

“Then we will renegotiate later,” he says, stepping aside and letting you flee again.

He watches you go, hands in pockets, expression thoughtful.

“…Troublesome,” he murmurs.

Hattori tilts his head. “Coo?”

Lucci turns away. “Prepare for pursuit. And a wedding.”

Spandam

He’s sloppily kissing some poor intern against a file cabinet when you walk into CP-5 headquarters.

Sloppy. Loud. Overconfident. Funkfreed is there, facing the wall like he’s respecting a minute of silence.

Your soulmate mark about vomits, but politely lights up instead.

So does his.

You stare.

He notices the glow, looks down, then back up at you. His eyes go wide. His face splits into a grin so manic it should be classified as a biohazard.

“I HAVE A SOULMATE—?!”

You run.

Like, an Olympic qualifier run. You nearly tear a hamstring, but you commit.

“AND THEY’RE HOT?!” Spandam screams, shoving the intern away and immediately tripping over his own feet. “WAIT—COME BACK—GET THEM—!”

Every agent in the building suddenly activates like it’s a fire drill written by idiots.

You don’t stop.

You kick one agent into a vending machine. It eats him. You break a window and swan dive out of the building with the grace of someone who refuses to die here.

Behind you, Spandam is shrieking into a Den Den Mushi while Funkfreed tries to help by honking encouragingly.

“SEAL THE EXITS! NO—THE OTHER EXITS! WHY ARE THERE SO MANY EXITS—?!”

You vanish.

Two weeks later, a Den Den Mushi rings.

You answered by mistake.

It’s Spandam, sweaty, beaming, holding a ring that looks stolen from a gift shop. “I’VE BEEN THINKING,” he says proudly. “AND BY THINKING I MEAN OBSESSING. WILL YOU—”

You hang up.

You change your number. You change cities. You change outfits mid-stride like a fugitive in a montage.

Somewhere in a government building, your name is on a watchlist titled “DO NOT LET THEM GET AWAY AGAIN.”

You get away again.

Spandam tells everyone it’s a “slow burn romance.”

It is not.

Koby

He’s trying to kiss someone.

That’s the keyword: trying.

It’s awkward. Polite. The kind of kiss where both parties are apologizing with their eyes. His hands are hovering like he’s afraid of committing a felony. Someone nearby is whispering encouragement, like this is a school play.

You walk past the training yard.

Your soulmate mark lights up.

So does his.

Koby freezes mid-lean. Full system reboot. His eyes widen. He looks at his wrist. Looks at you. Looks back at his wrist.

“O–OH.”

You make eye contact.

You run.

“Oh no—WAIT—PLEASE WAIT—!” Koby yelps, immediately shoving himself backward so hard he trips over his own feet. “I DIDN’T KNOW—! I SWEAR I DIDN’T KNOW—!”

You sprint. He scrambles after you, tripping, apologizing to everyone he passes.

“I’M REALLY SORRY—TO YOU—AND ALSO TO HER—AND TO JUSTICE—!”

You vault a fence.

He stops at the fence, panics, then very carefully climbs it like a normal, non-parkour-enabled human being.

“PLEASE DON’T THINK I’M A BAD PERSON—!” he shouts as you disappear. “I WAS JUST TRYING TO PRACTICE BEING CONFIDENT—!”

You are gone.

Ten minutes later, Koby is sitting on the ground, red-faced, soulmark still glowing, holding his head.

Garp strolls by, chewing something. “Soulmate?”

Koby nods miserably. “I think I scared them…”

Garp laughs so hard he nearly chokes. “HAHAHA! GOOD! THAT MEANS YOU LIKE ‘EM!”

Koby stares into the distance, doomed. “…I have to become stronger, don’t I?”

Somewhere far away, you sneeze.

He apologizes out loud.

X-Drake

He’s kissing someone like it’s an obligation.

Awkward. Stiff. The kind of kiss that happens because he didn’t know how to say no fast enough. His hand is hovering two inches away from their back like touching would violate a code somewhere.

You walk into the plaza.

Your soulmate mark lights up.

So does his.

Drake freezes mid-kiss. Entire body locks up like a malfunctioning robot. He slowly pulls back, looks at his wrist, then at you.

“…Oh.”

You do not stay for explanations.

You turn and run.

“WAIT—!” he blurts, immediately shoving the other person away, far too carefully. “THIS IS NOT—!”

You’re already gone.

He visibly panics, which is impressive because he usually panics internally. He takes off after you, boots pounding, knocking over a crate, apologizing to it on reflex.

“I DIDN’T KNOW—! I THOUGHT SOULMATES WERE A MYTH—!”

You sprint through the market. He follows, very tall, very stressed, absolutely not built for stealth. People scatter.

“PLEASE SLOW DOWN—!” he yells. “I AM NOT CHASING YOU FOR ROMANTIC REASONS—!”

“YOU ARE THE WORST—!” you shout back.

He trips. Catches himself. Trips again. Almost transforms out of panic. Does not, because that would be unprofessional. You vault a railing and vanish into an alley. Drake skids to a halt, bent over, hands on his knees, soulmark glowing accusingly.

“…This is bad,” he mutters.

Two hours later, he files an internal report titled: UNEXPECTED SOULMATE CONTACT: SUBJECT FLED. STATUS: EXTREMELY FAST.

He stares at it, sighs, then adds: NOTE: SUBJECT THREW A FRUIT AT MY HEAD. DESERVED.

Somewhere far away, you feel a chill.

Drake adjusts his coat.

“…I will find her,” he says grimly.

He will undoubtedly try. Success is not guaranteed.

Bogard

He’s kissing someone quietly.

No spectacle. No crowd. Just a dim corridor in Marineford, one hand braced on the wall, the other at someone’s waist, precise and restrained like even this has rules. His hat is still on. Of course it is.

You turn the corner.

Your soulmate mark lights up.

So does his.

Bogard pauses mid-kiss.

Not startled, not flustered. He simply… stops. Slowly pulls back, eyes flicking to the glow on his wrist. Then to you.

You make eye contact.

You immediately turn and run.

Footsteps echo behind you. Not loud. Not rushed. Measured. Unavoidable.

You sprint anyway.

“Stop,” Bogard says calmly, voice carrying without effort.

You do not stop.

A shadow passes over you. You skid to a halt just in time to not run face-first into his coat as he steps into your path, sword still sheathed, posture immaculate.

“You run fast,” he observes. Neutral. Informational.

You fake left.

He shifts one step and blocks you again.

You groan. “Are you teleporting?”

“No,” he says. “You are predictable.”

You throw a clipboard at him. He catches it without looking. Hands it back to a stunned marine who didn’t realize they dropped it.

“Apologies,” Bogard says to the marine, then back to you, “This will take a moment.”

“I do not consent to this conversation,” you snap, pivoting and bolting again. This time, he lets you go.

You get ten steps.

Then his coat flicks past you, and suddenly he’s there again, walking beside you like this is a patrol.

“You made a good attempt,” he says mildly. “But let’s be adults about this.”

You dive through a side door, slam it shut, and barricade it.

Silence.

Five seconds pass.

Then Bogard knocks. Once. Polite.

“You left your shoe,” he says through the door.

You look down.

Damn it.

By the time you escape through a window, scale two walls, and vanish into the city, Bogard is standing back in the corridor, hands behind his back, soulmark glowing faintly.

Garp strolls past, chewing. “That your soulmate?”

Bogard adjusts his hat. “…Yes.”

Garp grins. “You gonna chase ‘em?”

Bogard pauses.

“…Eventually.”

He already knows where you’ll run next.

[thatanonymouschocolate]

Another love triangle...? Polygon???

Marco and Shanks both liking the reader is hardly see any of that

Or Mihawk and Doflamingo both liking the reader.

Garp, Sengoku, and Bogard all liking the reader would be interesting as well 🤔

[nyarlathotep-thecrawlingchaos]

Helloooo, happy to distract you with unhinged headcanons...

So, my mind is a random place and it takes me back to the A or B Headcanons constantly 🤭

While I wholeheartly agree with all of them, I also think that Mihawk would be more of a neck and shoulders man because vampire aesthetic 🦇😚 An off shoulders dress and he's gone.

And then I think of Bogard because Noir Husband lives rent free in my head. He's a total legs man to me 🦵 Just let him take off your stockings already!

Who I can't pin point is Beckman 🤔 Which body part would be his obssession??? 👀

Ooooh yes this all of this 🥴🫠

Agreed heavily on Mihawk. Since it was ass or boobs specifically on those headcanons I didn't think on much else at the time. Actually already had something planned involving a red off-shoulder dress in Flight Risk for this exact reason 👀

Legs make sense for Bogard. I have no idea why, they just do. Maybe because he's so tall. Garp is listed as being around 9'5" (287 cm) in manga/anime canon and Bogard is just a bit taller than him. The correlation makes sense in my head anyway.

In my continued (rather slow) work on my ABC headcanons for Beck, I've come to the conclusion that it's waist/tummy area.

He's not as tall as Bogard (6'9") but he is BROAD and has particularly large hands, perfect for splaying across your stomach and guiding you to lean back against him so he can wrap his arms around your waist and keep you close. This comes a lot from the protective-gentle-giant vibes I get from him. Same reason I have an OC in my Hearing Problems AU-canon (who I've mentioned maybe once on this blog like a year ago) that I ended up pairing with Beck, who's around 5'3" and incredibly anxious/mistrustful around men in general with Beck being the only real exception. I've been drafting their back-story in a characterXreader format for a while that I'll post once it's finished, but she'll eventually show up in Hearing Problems as a named character as well.

[indydonuts]

Bogard SWF Alphabet

For @i-am-vita. Your man deserves more love. ❤️

A = Admiration (what do they absolutely adore about you?)

The way you still hide your spicy romance novels behind another book even though he is well aware of your literary tastes. He tried reading one once, it wasn't too bad, actually.

B = Body (what is their favorite part of your body?)

He’s a legs man. The gentle curve of your ankle connecting to your calf and upwards — priceless artwork in his eyes.

C = Cuddling (how do they like to cuddle?)

He’s usually the big spoon, wrapping his arms around you from behind. In a perfect world, you’d let him sleep like this, but you always push him off after a while, complaining he’s too hot. On the couch, you curl against his side as he throws his arm around you. He loves it when you tuck your head under his chin, too.

D = Dates (what does their ideal date with you look like?)

He’s very old-fashioned when it comes to dates. He will pick you up at your place, he always brings flowers, he always pays, and he always walks you home, but he’ll never come inside unless you invite him (or that one time where you yanked him in by the tie).

His favorite date activity is dancing. He loves twirling you around on the dance floor, watching you smile and laugh as you move to the music. He doesn’t miss the other eyes that follow you and your fluttering skirt, but he knows with all his heart you only have eyes for him.

E = Emotions (how do they express emotion around you?)

Bogard’s a pretty serious man; he also believes in keeping things close to the chest. He’s been in the Marines long enough to know that words should always be chosen carefully. But around you, he notices he’s much less guarded. He doesn’t have to weigh every word before it leaves his mouth.

F = Family (do they want one? If they do, when?)

Absolutely. Even though he’s made a career out of the Marines, he’s never been able to shake the image of a nice house with a wife and a couple of kids running around the yard. And ever since you came along, that image has been getting clearer and clearer.

G = Gifts (how do they feel about gift giving? What are their habits when it comes to this?)

He usually plays it safe and goes for generic gifts, like flowers and candy. But one day, while at port on yet another island, he saw a postcard that he thought you might like and sent it off. The next time you spoke on the phone (snail?), you mentioned how much you loved the card and had posted it on your fridge. So he sent you another and another, and then it became a tradition. Every time he got shore leave, he found you another postcard. Now you have an entire wall covered in them, and each one has a note with some thought or another scribbled across the back: “The flowers are beautiful here,” “Put this one on our list to visit,” “All they had was this stupid teddybear card - sorry!”

H = Holding Hands (when/how do they like to hold hands?)

He always holds your hand when you're out and about and is a very active hand-holder. He likes to squeeze your palm or rub circles with his thumb along the back of your hand.

I = Injury (how would they act if you got hurt?)

Bogard's first concern would be to see to you. He’d check your wounds, tend to any immediate needs and then take you to safety. From the outside, his sole focus would seem to be you, but internally, he’d be running through every scenario and every resource at his disposal to find the bastards who laid hands on you and obliterate them.

J = Jokes (do they like to joke around with or prank you? how?)

He doesn't usually tell jokes. Not because he doesn't have a sense of humor but because he can't tell a joke to save his life. He cracks up before he can even get to the punchline. He is hopeless, but you find it adorable.

K = Kisses (how do they like to kiss you?)

Bogard is, first and foremost, a gentleman. So when his first kiss with you turned out to be a spur-of-the-moment, grab-you-by-the-face in a passionate embrace, he was more than embarrassed and apologized profusely. Since then, he always tries to ask you fro permission first, but you think its fun to see if you can rile him up enough that he forgets. (And you’re pretty good at it.)

L = Love (how do they show you they love you?)

While Bogard isn’t afraid to say, “I love you,” he reserves them for special occasions, not wanting to cheapen their meaning. He expresses his love in the small, everyday things — he always takes your coat or purse when you enter the house, he always offers his arm when you go out together, he always opens the door or pulls out the chair. The man is an old-fashioned sap.

M = Memory (favorite memory together?)

You were enjoying a night in at his place. He even cooked! The two of you were sitting in the living room enjoying a glass of wine. Apparently, you’d had one too many and started giggling uncontrollably. You were so cute with your wrinkled nose and rosy cheeks. The laughing wouldn’t stop, so he went to get you a glass of water. And when he returned, you were passed out. He carried you to his bed and spent the night on the couch.

N = Nightmare (what is their worst fear?)

That you’ll end up in prison. His influence can only reach so far. He knows the Marines won’t stop pursuing you and your crew. He knows it’s his job to bring you to “justice,” but every time he hears your name spoken at work, he worries. And every time he hears you’ve gotten away once more, he can’t help but smile.

O = Oddity (what is one quirk they have?)

He’s really into hats and the history of hats. You once listened to him rant for 45 minutes straight about the difference between a fedora and a trilby after one of his cadets misidentified his hat. (It’s a fedora.)

P = Pet Names (what do they like to call you?)

Sweetheart, Dollface, Honey, Beautiful

Q = Quality Time (how do they like to spend time with you?)

He loves spending Sunday mornings with you. The two of you sleeping in late, wrapped around each other and snuggled beneath the covers. It’s like the rest of the world doesn’t even exist. Eventually, one of you will slip out to make coffee or breakfast, but you quickly retreat back to your bed oasis, happy to talk about everything and nothing, basking in each other’s company.

R = Rhythm (what song reminds you of them?)

In the Mood by Glen Miller, A Kiss to Build a Dream On by Louis Armstrong — pretty much any jazz and big band swing from the 30s and 40s.

S = Secrets (how open are they with you?)

Because of the nature of his job, Bogard can only share so much of his professional life with you. You know he works for Vice Admiral Garp. You know his work is dangerous. You also know that he questions some of the decisions by the higher ups, but he’s too loyal a man to go against them. It weighs on him sometimes, you know that much, and you do your best to assure him that he is a good man.

T = Time (how long did it take you to get together?)

A few months. You worked at a local shop near the base he was stationed at at the time. You caught his eye immediately with your charm and warm smile. He just kept showing up. Eventually, he gets up the courage to ask you to dinner and you smiled and said, “I was beginning to wonder if I should ask you myself.”

U = Upset (how do they act when you’re upset?)

Step one: Make sure it’s not his fault. Is it your birthday? Your anniversary? Did he leave the toilet seat up?

Step two: Ask if you are looking for advice or just someone to listen.

Step three: Fulfill request from step two.

Step four: Provide wine, chocolate and cuddles as needed.

Step five: Make a list of any connections he has to make the perpetrator’s life much much harder.

V = Vaunt (what are they proud of? Do they like to show you off?)

Bogard is damn proud to have you by his side, but he doesn’t feel a need to show you off. There are a few reasons for this. To start, in his opinion, anyone who looks at the two of you will instantly know he’s a lucky man. But also, he doesn’t want to call too much attention to you. Being in the Marines as long as he has, he’s made more than a few enemies, and he doesn’t want to draw their attention to you.

W = Warrior (how do they feel about you fighting? Would they fight for you, beside you, etc?)

He’s a traditionalist and feels like it’s the man’s job to fight and protect. At least, that’s what he thought until he took you to the shooting range, and you blew right past his best score. It definitely got him hot on the collar. He’d still prefer to do the fighting for you, but he can also rest a bit easier knowing that you can put up a good fight on your own.

X = X-Ray (how well are they able to read you?)

He can read you very well, and while he doesn’t always have the right words, he always has the right actions and is a very good listener. If you come over mad, he pours your favorite drink; if you’re upset, he’ll wrap you in his arms and tell you it’s okay. And if you’re happy, he tries to commit every line of your smile to memory.

Y = Yes (how would they propose to you?)

Ok, so the way he does it is pretty slick. He takes you out for a nice night of dinner and dancing at your favorite local haunts. Then, on the walk home, he asks if you could try something on really quick as he slides the ring on your finger. Then he get down on one knee and asks, “Care to try me on as a husband while you're at it?”

Z = Zen (what makes them feel calm?)

Doing the daily crossword puzzle in the paper.

[mask-knife-is-buggys-wife]

Bogard Relationship Headcanons

This man has zero content and he deserves it especially after his stellar performance in the Live Action

-You can call him Bo but you don't know that you're literally the only person in existence that he allows to. Not that many address him or call him anything beyond sir half the Marine Corp is terrified of him

-He considers himself an old fashioned guy. Asks you to dinner like a gentleman and it catches you off guard to be asked so directly as guys tend to beat around the bush you can't help but giggle in his face and make him nervous lol. But you say yes which is a relief and seeing him get a bit flustered is adorable

-He doesn't seem talkative. But that's just because he's doing his job. He enjoys listening to you about anything and everything

-He's big on gift giving. His work pays well and his love language is giving you gifts from all ports and acts of service. It shows he's thinking of you.

-He smokes but will always avoid doing so around you if you say so. Mostly does so to relax

-Not a great cook but will make you breakfast you'll wake up to him with a kitchen towel tucked into his waist band and soft music playing as he attempts to not burn eggs

-Pretty meticulous with his clothes so if he leaves any at your place consider it a huge sign of trust and love in your relationship

-Has an unexpectedly loud laugh especially when he drinks

-Likes to be the big spoon. Keeping you safe and warm completely makes him happy. Definitely a little bit of the jealous type but nobody not even you knows this

-Sleeps with a pistol by the bed and a hidden blade because of course

[i-am-vita]

Yesterday, @gingernut1314 got me thinking about having to choose between my two blorbos as endgame for my Oc Ghost Rose, then I remembered THIS scene (NSFW link, trio, nakedness) from a spanish movie (you can activate english subs) I saw by chance like more than ten years ago and crackep up so hard because how on earth one can write these two to interact like THAT 🤣🤣🤣

Another idea for the Mihawk x Ghost Rose x Bogard Modern AU vault...

[jintaka-hane]

Fight for her

(Bogard x f!reader based on @i-am-vita's Ghost Rose)

Summary: Bogard lost you a decade ago, burying himself in his career as a Marine. For years, he endured your absence while you found comfort in Mihawk's arms. But a chance encounter shakes his resolve, reigniting the passion he thought was lost. Now, he wrestles with the truth—can he let you go, or is there still a way back? Notes: This short fic is a poisoned gift to my friend @i-am-vita, because she deserves everything 💕. It is based on her Ghost Rose OC and its aim is to add a bit more angst to A Night at Loguetown and try to... make her... doubt 😈. Vita, you can't make us all fall in love with Bogard and then not expect us to act accordingly! Come on, Bogard!! Fight for your love!! ⚔️  Words: 900 Warnings: angst, some violence, not NSFW but sexy Song that inspired me: Quizas, Quizas - Cuarteto patria, Manu Dibango

The night was oppressively hot, the air thick with humidity. A relentless chirping of crickets was punctuated by the soft whir of the ceiling fan, its blades attempting to cool the stuffy inn room.

A nearly drained bottle of whiskey graced the bedside table, and alongside it rested a well-worn tumbler. Draped over a chair, an elegant suit jacket and marine coat were meticulously poised for the coming morning. A gleaming, well-kept, and sharp sword slumbered in its scabbard, resting upon the chair's seat. Atop the backrest, Bogard's signature fedora added the finishing touch to the ensemble.

The bed was a mess, its sheets tangled and creased from repeated use, damp patches betraying the night's discomfort. The pillow lay askew, disrupting the bed's symmetry and adding to its air of disarray and weariness.

Bogard embraced you from behind, his arms tenderly pressing against your abdomen to keep your body as close to his as possible. With his face buried in your hair, he inhaled your intoxicating scent of spring flowers while delicately lowering one strap of your black dress with his fingers. Revealing your bare shoulder, he placed a tender kiss upon it, making you chuckle softly.

“Rick…”

Smiling, you turned around to face him and encircled his neck with your arms. You sealed your lips against his in a slow, deep kiss which he willingly reciprocated, his hands now caressing your bare back through the opening of your dress.

With slow, deliberate movements, you both reclined on the bed. You straddled him, your thighs framing his hips and the dress hitched up, revealing them. His hands trailed between your shoulder blades, pulling you closer, and you leaned in to kiss him again while your hands caressed his freshly shaved chin.

“Rick…”

Your kisses grew increasingly passionate on his neck, and he surrendered it entirely to you, like a blank canvas awaiting the brush of your crimson lips to paint sins upon.

“Rick… I love you”

Fight for her

Bogard woke abruptly, his body drenched in sweat and his breath coming in ragged gasps. His trembling hands reached out desperately, searching for the warmth of lips around his neck, only to find emptiness. He looked around frantically, his pupils struggling against the darkness as they searched for you, disoriented.

His fingers fiercely stroked his damp neck, desperately trying to fill the void left by your touch and warmth. They descended to his torso to hold and comfort himself, his chest rising and falling in an agitated rhythm as he struggled to catch his breath. He continued touching his skin, granting his body respite to adjust to your absence.

He sat up in bed, growling loudly with frustration, and brought his hands to either side of his head, gripping it tightly as he rocked back and forth in a small, restless motion.

She still loves you...

Catching his breath, he managed to calm down. He reached for the whiskey bottle on the nightstand, bringing it before his eyes to confirm its nearly empty state. With a grunt, he returned it to its place and stood up to wipe away the sweat and freshen his face in the bathroom.

Leaning over the sink, he turned on the cold water and let it run for a few seconds before cupping it in his hands and splashing it onto his face, the coolness gradually pulling him out of his daze and back into reality. With the water still running, he leaned his hands on either side of the sink for support and looked at himself in the mirror, his reflection infuriating him and causing his fingers to grip the sink's edge tightly.

You had her. You had her and you lost her. And now that you've got her back, you're losing her again.

In a burst of anger, he released his right hand from the sink, clenched it into a fist, and struck the mirror forcefully in the center, creating a crack that diagonally sliced through his reflection. It took a few seconds for him to feel the pain in his knuckles, staring blankly as a trickle of blood made its way through his skin.

You still loved him, he was sure of it. The kisses you gave him the other night were unlike any he had found before on other lips, when he sought solace in other women. Women who weren't you.

Your kisses were pure, unbridled passion. And he had felt it when he held you in his arms, his chest overflowing with love and desire, as his fingers traced the heart-shaped curve of your upper lip.

You still loved him…

He raised his eyes and stared at his shattered reflection in the broken mirror, bitterly reflecting on how it perfectly mirrored his heart.

It was clear you were hiding something, and he wasn't a fool... he could perfectly well imagine what your new life consisted of. And this information made everything even more complicated, turning you both into antagonists of a forbidden tale.

But... what if things didn't have to be this way?

In his career as a Marine, he had seen many things outside the norm. He had witnessed various kinds of relationships: pirates falling in love with Marines, Marines secretly marrying individuals wanted by the law...

And he wasn't just some random guy. He was the damn right-hand man of the Vice Admiral Garp. With the right steps and circumstances, he could make the right moves to have you again.

You could have a clandestine relationship that no one would dare to judge, and with his power and authority, he could offer you protection if you ever needed it.

You were the love of his life.

And a love like that was worth fighting for.

Even if that meant he would have to challenge the world's greatest swordman himself.

.

[soultek]

In Another Life - Bogard x Female!Reader (One Piece Live Action)

A/N: This actually started as much more based on the lyrics of this song than it ended up - I guess this wasn't exactly my intent! It was initially meant to be so much more angsty. But that's how you roll when you just let the characters point you in a direction when you're writing. Every point on my plan got covered - that's all that matters! 😁✌

ALSO this is the first work I've EVER had properly edited for me, so, thank you very much Josh! I appreciate you taking the time to read this! [You don't know what you've got yourself in for agreeing to do more... haha! 😈]

The format editing on Tumblr broke me. So you get what you get below and I'm very sorry but I just could NOT anymore... You'll see it because it is very SPECIFICALLY one sentence that Tumblr seems to find issue with - so now that's just a random paragraph by itself in the middle of a conversation.

Disclaimer: Only the reader character is mine. He's kinda pieced together using elements of his anime counterpart because hell yeah I went back and watched those episodes for further characterisation. Nothing I've used is spoilers. The origami thing is original - but that's only because I've seen a ton of [fan] art of him with birds and I was like "Is this a thing? I need to include it somehow!" Turns out the birds are just a Marine HQ thing - but I liked the idea so I've kept it!

The 'backstory' is also originally because we don't know a whole lot about him yet in either media... sooooo...

Warnings: innuendo, sexual connotations, mention of injury, smoking, mild swearing, mild plot-relevant OOC.

Premise: HQ 3 is back in town. And for you, that ship brings a lot more with it than just injured marines. You're prepared for the usual push and pull this 'situationship' brings. You might not be so prepared for the other news he has for you...

Word Count: 7906

Song Inspo: Another Life - Tenille Arts

Full Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/29SKzlmL31pHFk54BwnO7k

--- Cause I don't wanna kiss anybody else's lips I don't wanna feel anybody else's touch I just wanna be the old you and me We'd be married, have a house and kids by this time In another life

In another life I would get to kiss you goodnight Hold your hand, play with your hair, feel your arms around me Giving me the best hug Yeah, we'd be so in love

In another life

I wouldn't have to kiss anybody else's lips I wouldn't have to feel anybody else's touch We could just be the old you and me We'd be married, have a house and kids by this time And you'd be here tonight In another life

---

Nothing new. That was how you would describe the day. Sitting in your office working through the papers of every Marine coming in and out of your ward; you weren’t sure you knew what busy was anymore. It seemed to be the same all the time - with very little variation in the amount of work you had to do day-to-day - sometimes you just had to work on them faster. With more and more to do for the Marines on the front lines, and with seemingly every other person declaring themselves to be a 'Pirate' these days, at least things were never dull - that you could count on. Today, another ship arrived, apparently with a lot of injured Marines on board, given how many new papers you had stacked up on your desk. You sat back in your chair and blew out a breath. You were glad at least none of these new patients appeared to be in any serious condition. The most interesting thing to you was the newly docked ship's designation: HQ 3. You regarded the papers again, and began to rifle through them slowly. He hasn’t said anything, you thought. Figures. There could be a reason for that, of course… he could be in here. You dared not go through them too quickly to find out. These days he had no reason to tell you, either.

Marking another case as not urgent, you became aware of a sudden clamouring outside your office. Back and forth yelling that sounded more like panic. So much for hiding away... Pushing yourself up from your desk, you opened the door and leaned against the frame, poking your head out into the corridor. Several nurses and doctors were running between rooms, each and every one worked for you now. Which meant that when you called out to them, they stood to attention. "What's going on out here!?" "Nothing we can't handle." "Oh, I have no doubt - is everything okay?" "Some of the new inpatients have a flair for the dramatic is all M'am!" You chuckled, folding your arms, and touched your head to the doorframe too. "Sounds right. Maybe we should give them something to be dramatic about!" You cracked a grin. "If sedative is necessary, get that going - but nothing appears serious. I don't want anyone else on the ward panicking or getting distressed though. Try to get them to keep it down." You winked. "Else I’ll be forced to tell them to, and I'm pretty sure they won't want that."

The small group who had paused to listen to you nodded along, before almost shying away from you, and retreating into the rooms they had come from. You were about to ask why – unless they were scared you were about to force something more upon them yourself – before your question was answered for you. "Oh, I don't know about that." You couldn't have stopped the smile spreading across your face if you'd tried. Not at the sound of that voice. You turned your head to him slowly. HQ 3 meant Garp, and the Vice Admiral brought with him his right-hand man, who was now staring back at you with something of a small smile lifting the corner of his mouth.

Bogard was leaning against the wall right outside your door, letting it support his full weight, right arm held across his body, left hand raised to his chin. If you'd have bet on that stance, you might have won. He had a nasty habit of just appearing like this, but you would never be one to complain about that.   You let your eyes linger on him as you drew them up and down his body. You could pretend it was for your deduction, but you both knew better. "What are you doing here? You don’t look injured to me.” His dark eyes swept the ward, which now hosted a group of Marines from the ship he sailed on. “Where he goes, I follow.” He started. “And, if I leave the ship here, I get to see you. So, it’s not all bad. Guess we’ll be staying while we stock back up, do repairs,” he paused briefly. “The usual.” You bit back the words you really wanted to say. "Doesn't sound so bad. Guess you'll be wanting the recent discharge list?" "You read my mind." "I know you!" You let that statement linger before adding, "all business. Let me get you that list."

You withdrew back into your office, gathering the papers of cleared Marines now waiting to be assigned back onto any ships that were currently docked who were in need of recruits. Much to your surprise you found your hands were shaking. You took a deep breath to steady your nerves; maybe you were more excited about this encounter than you anticipated. To say your relationship with the man standing outside your door was complicated would be an understatement. Something along the lines of a long distance, long term situationship might sum it up best - but they were just a few words that meant nothing to the history of it.

You had been a cadet when you'd first met him. He was a few years older than you. Back when Bogard was just finding himself in the Marine's. It was obvious to you then how fast he was going to climb the ranks. You'd been friends since day one - well, almost. Once you'd graduated your cadet training and had chosen to be stationed as part of the medical division, you began to realise just how injury prone and stubborn he was. At least that was the way he always presented himself to you. The number of times early on you'd found yourself patching up his gashes and wounds with him insisting they were just scratches were innumerable. You found yourself very quickly worried about him in ways that went beyond mere friendship. And the next time he'd done it had been your final straw. You couldn't recall your confession exactly, but you did remember that it came out in the middle of a heated ramble. You had been in tears – you were mad at him for getting hurt, and you were crying because you didn’t want to lose him. Fixing him up that time quickly led to a first kiss, and soon after a relationship. But it didn’t last.

Although he would never tell the story that way, the truth was at that point Bogard had been just dumb enough to make sure he always got an injury, so he had an excuse to stop by and see you, but smart enough to make sure he was never in any real danger. He had mellowed out a lot since then - he was so much more serious and careful now - especially with the responsibilities he had. Man, the more you thought about it, the more you realised just how much time had passed... You carried just as many responsibilities yourself now, but could you say that you didn't still worry about him? No - but he was always so far away that you couldn't allow yourself to dwell on it too much. The 'see you when I see you' was fine if he was going to turn up at your door looking as pristine as he did today. Bogard knew what he was doing - he wouldn't be Garp's second in command if he didn't. You trusted that you had no reason to worry about him. Not even on the Grand Line. If he did ever come back injured - you didn't want to think too much about it - you knew you'd go above and beyond. If anyone had ever been curious about what you were, then that scenario would probably hold all the answers. Though while that wasn't happening, it was fine as a mystery.

He hadn't moved an inch when you returned with the stack. "Here you are, unless I should be giving these to the Vice Admiral?" Bogard took the papers in a way that suggested which was wisest; to him. You held your hands up to indicate that was well noted. "Just let me know who stays and who goes so I can update my records." He flipped through them quickly. "Of course. I suppose it will depend on how many we want that aren't cadets." "Cadets? I mean there might be some fresh faces there, but they will come with a little experience." "Might need that where we're going." This time it was his right hand held to his chin as he moved to answering your question quickly. "Yes, cadets. We're training them." "You're training cadets?" You could see it, actually. He'd be good at that - tough but fair. His captain too. "Lucky cadets." Bogard placed the papers in his pocket. His expression seemed to suggest that might not be the phrase he'd use. He looked up and passed you, studying the corridor and listening to the activity you'd just set in motion, before turning his attention fully back to you. "The whole ward, huh?" "It'll be the whole medical centre soon." "So I hear. Never in doubt when it comes to you." You looked away bashfully - voice quiet. "Thank you." "Still, you could be out on a ship as the main doctor. A HQ ship even. You're plenty good enough." You made a noise, but didn't want to look like you were laughing at his suggestion. "Despite being a Marine, I still prefer dry land. I'm comfortable here. I enjoy my work! I’m even about to be promoted. Where do you go once you're a ship doctor for a HQ vessel?" "It would be worth it for all the places you would see,” he continued. “The prestige." You knew where this was headed, and turned it back on him as quickly as you could. "And you, what about when they call you to World Government bureaucracy and pen-pushing, and you spend more time in a building than you do on the open ocean?" You asked. Bogard made a face like he was considering it, but you knew he wasn't. “Right now, I would probably decline such a position.” he huffed. “I think I have much to learn before I go there." “Uh huh." You knew that, how could you not? Just like he knew you didn't want to be out at sea. No matter how many times he would try to persuade you out there every time he saw you.

That was the point you had known it wouldn't work out. You wanted him safe with you, whereas he wanted you to go travelling the world with him. Neither would comprise. And so, every time you met, you would dance around this question again. Asking without saying 'why aren't we together, really?' in a different way every time. The reality was you'd both chosen your preferred lifestyles and your work over each other. But you weren’t about to admit that out loud, and Bogard wasn't either. So, here you stayed.

To make sure this didn't get too heavy immediately, you cleared your throat and changed the subject. "I heard you were in the East Blue?" He gave a short nod, but instead of offering any more information, he hit back with a rumour of his own. You couldn't say you was surprised that he would keep his official work a secret - such the man he was these days. You knew you'd get it out of him eventually. Though it might take something a little less... professional... "I heard you were with some captain." Try as he might to hide it, Bogard let his emotion seep into his voice. It was obvious who and what he was referring to, and he wasn't happy about it. You bit the inside of your cheek to keep yourself from teasing him about being jealous - that wouldn't end well. And what with where you were right now, you had to be very careful what you let slip, just in case of any prying eyes and ears. And you also knew that Bogard knew he had no right to be jealous - regardless of the truth. Still, this was one thing you wouldn’t tease him about. Reassurance was the only way forward. "Rumours fly.” You dismissed. “That was never a thing." Which was true, after all, you still only had eyes for the man in front of you. Despite the fact that there had never been a conversation about it between you. You could date someone else. You just weren’t sure if Bogard believed you, especially as you didn't know how long he had been holding onto that knowledge for. You knew how much he valued the truth though, so lying would have been unwise at best. “I’d never do that.” you continued. To you, you thought. But you left that part off. You were met with the same steady look he'd been regarding you with throughout this whole conversation so far. You sighed, glancing behind you back down the ward - all seemed calm right now. They knew how to reach you if they needed your help. Turning back to him, you offered a gentle smile. "Care to take a walk with me?" He pushed himself away from the wall with a smile. Turning across, he offered you his arm - ever the gentleman. You smiled back sweetly, wrapping yourself around him, and allowing yourself a moment to admit in your mind just how much you'd missed him.

For a while there was silence, but it was comfortable and more relaxed. You both knew you wouldn’t be able to stray very far. It'd be more like a walk around the block, but it was still away from unwanted attention. He watched you closely. You carried yourself and your rank well. You coped with the pressure of it all. You could handle yourself. You just wouldn't answer the call to open ocean. It seemed strange to him, but he admired how sure of yourself, and your convictions you were. He would not change your mind, no matter how much he wanted to. Still, there was something about the rumour that was bothering him. It wasn't that Bogard thought you were lying - of course you wouldn't. You knew how much he disapproved of it. It was the subject of the rumour that hurt Bogard most. Of all the people that rumours could fly about with you, not him, but someone else? Someone who must have seen you far less than Bogard did… at least he would hope so. People were aware you had been something once. Was it so hard to believe that you might be making it work again? Bogard put in the work even when he was so far away. There were more than enough reasons to conclude that he was still with you. In many ways, he wanted to be asked. Even if he went against his principles and denied it. Though, given you weren't technically a couple, it wasn’t technically lying. He hated how much it caused him to wonder if you had ever been with anyone else ever since you broke up. If Bogard couldn't even get a rumour going, but someone else could? It bothered him that he could get wrapped up in such a way. You weren’t his. But the exclusivity was an unwritten rule. It was expected that you would always be able to return to each other like this. That didn't mean if either of you fell in love with someone else… Surely you had both expected the other to have moved on by now. You both should have moved on by now! It hadn’t been months after all; it hadn’t even been a few years. It was closer to decades, and here you both were. Bogard just didn't want to hear it being discussed. He wasn't sure what heartbreak would feel like; but he didn't want to know either way. And he hated even more that, after all this time, if he lost you for good, he knew his heart would break.

The silence from him wasn't something that you thought was particularly unusual - Bogard was notoriously a man of very few words.  Though you often wondered what ran through that head of his; but someone had to keep Garp in check, so you knew his mind was sharp at least. They seemed like complete opposites - which, you thought, made them perfect for each other. Walking with him this close around the medical centre was enough for you right now. It was nice getting used to his presence again. Even if you knew you'd have to let him go soon. And too soon at that. Glancing over to him, you recognised Bogard’s look was a little further away than you had expected. Realising that you wanted those gorgeous brown eyes back on you, you broke the silence. If he was in his head about this stupid rumour - which you wouldn't be surprised if the Marine Captain had started and stoked himself - then you knew what he needed to hear. And if he felt the truth was so important, he was about to get some. "I have to say, I'm not entirely sure why you're so worried about that rumour. It's me who should be thinking about things like that. Why, I bet you have a girl in every port!" It was clearly a joke, but his look was a little too sharp - Bogard clearly took offence to the idea he was worried. Even if he was. Luckily, his expression quickly softened. "Guy on every ship." He quipped back. You gasped, ready to take full offence to that. "That's way worse than the rumour! Stop it! What do you take me for!? At least mine could happen!" You weren’t stupid - he was a good-looking man. Loyal, dedicated; an old-fashioned romantic. Work-driven sure, but you'd seen other women fall for him. All it would take was for him to find one who he could fall for too, who would share in his dream and actually want to travel the world on a ship with him as a Marine. It scared you a little how easy it was for you to imagine that he could be in a very happy relationship right now. Bogard raised an eyebrow. Surely you didn't believe that, he thought. And if you did, how wrong you were. Surely the ridiculousness of his own statement only highlighted the ludicrousness of your own? How untrue it was? For you though, it was clear you had a point. Besides, what did he have to be worried about? Who would you date anyway? It wasn't like you were about to pick up a guy at a bar or something. "Nearly all the men I see around here are either sick or injured." You protested. He shrugged, and when he doubled down, you were glad you could hear the jokey tone to his voice. "All the more time to get to know them then." "Please." You scoffed, pushing his arm a little. "Besides, you're the only one writing to me, and making me origami, so..." He stopped so abruptly, but you were ready for that. Halting to measure his reaction. He looked across to you curiously. You never wrote him back; he didn't expect you to. Bogard smiled - for once a little wider than usual. Possibly more of a smirk. "Like those, do you?" He teased. You allowed yourself to blush under the weight of his look. The bolstered confidence in him at your words, and then your admittance. "Maybe a little too much."

Despite the jokes you made, it was barely covering up what you really meant - bringing to light exactly what you were both most worried about. And the ego-boosting rush of hearing that it wasn't true. The real truth was no matter how nonchalantly either of you said goodbye - see you later - neither of you wanted to see the other with someone else. Neither of you would like it very much. The difference was you were quite prepared for the possibility of that eventuality. Bogard was not.

Once you had made the full circle and wandered back to your office, you resumed much the same positions as you had before. Although closer and more comfortable this time. Once the ice had thawed a little, you were now acting more as friends. (As if that was all you were.) Where you could get him to smile a little, and if you were very, very, very lucky, you might even get a huffed laugh out of him. Although he did have one last piece of official business to pass by you. He pulled some rolled-up papers out of his Marine coat. "You asked about the East Blue before." He started. "I did." You straightened your relaxed posture a little. Assuming you wouldn't have to do any work to get a candid answer this time. "We were there chasing around a new upstart young group of Pirates." He continued. "Another group?!" You very nearly rolled your eyes; you’d lost count of the crews popping up all over the place over the years. HQ 3 seemed a little overkill, though. "You guys? Really?!" Bogard shook his head. "Understandable reaction. But this crew has potential." He held the roll out to you. "May I request you put these up around the wards?" You looked from the roll to him and back and took it gently. "These upstarts already have bounties?" You asked. "Their captain does." He replied. You continued to stare at him questioningly, but when all he did was stare back, you knew the answer was on the paper itself. You unravelled them and almost let out a laugh.

'Monkey D. Luffy' - the name explained everything. You looked back at Bogard with an amused expression and raised eyebrow. Bogard merely shook his head, expression in understanding of your reaction. 'Let's not go there!' "Sure. I'll put these ones up! That's quite the bounty for the East Blue though! Who'd he piss off!?" You walked back into your office to put it with your unfinished pile of admission checks. This time Bogard followed you, standing in the doorway. "Nezumi.” He replied. “Oh, that weirdo? With the rat face?” You circled your head with your finger. “Rat would certainly be one way to put it.” You couldn’t help your perhaps overly loud reaction. “Oooh! Ooooh. Ooh! Would you like me to tell him that next time I see him?” Bogard placed his hands either side of your door frame, leaning in a little.  ‘Oh yeah you would badmouth me like that!,’ he thought - instant reaction - mouth opening before he changed his mind. Returning to a more relaxed lean, and crossing his arms. “I wouldn’t waste my breath.” You whistled. “Damn! You got a mouth on you.” Sharp as the blade he carried - when he wanted to be. But perhaps also a sign of how close you were, that he would speak as freely as this. Instead of responding, he opted to watch you with his eyes narrowed. You chuckled. “No, I know you. I know that you don’t waste your words.” Pausing for thought, you placed the papers down slowly. Raising your eyes to the window, you mused. “I guess I feel honoured that you share so many of them with me.” “Writing letters is completely different.” He replied. You looked across to him; voice sweet, and smile gentle. “That’s not what I meant.” Bogard bit his lips together, unsure of a comeback. Instead he wound the conversation back, nodding to the poster you just placed down. “Highest bounty on the East Blue now, actually. Doubt he'll stay there though." He said. "Ah. Grand Line bound!" You replied inquisitively. For a while the whimsy of it all had you smiling, until your smile dropped in realisation. If HQ 3 had been chasing them around the East Blue? You looked back to him slowly. Was Bogard going to follow them around the Grand Line? How long would that take? How long would it be until you saw him again? Even he knew he didn't have the answer to that. As he'd stated - where Garp went, he did. No questions asked. Still, Bogard couldn't leave it like that. He felt compelled to reassure you. "Of course, we might not follow them. We had investigations going on before they arrived on the scene." You remembered. "What now then? You really think you'll be back to 'Baroque Works'?" "We were heading that way anyway. I don't see why that would change now." He shrugged. "Doubtless you'll find out when I write to you!" You chuckled, running your fingertips over the picture in the wanted poster. A new kid on the block in a straw hat? Generations had seen this before.

Silence fell for a moment, which allowed him time to look around your office. Then he really couldn't help but smile. Lined up along the window frame, and just about every spare space on your shelves were collections of intricate origami. Bogard had sent you every single one of them. His preference was birds of different shapes, sizes, and colours. But they were all there. Every letter he had sent you came with one, and he'd sent you a letter every time he felt he had something worth saying. Writing back wasn't the point of it. He could guarantee that no one else knew where these came from. Whether you made them or they just appeared. But they weren't there for anyone else to know about - they were there for you. And every time Bogard saw them he wondered how the hell he could ever let himself get worried about any feelings you might have for anyone else. He looked back to you - having finished studying the picture of Luffy, you were now watching him - and Bogard knew he'd been caught with a rare smile on his face. He let it bleed into his words. "You kept them all." It wasn't a question, and his heart swelled. You giggled, pulling a box draw out from the top of your desk. "Honey, you have no idea!" From within it spilled forth letters upon letters, all wrapped up in Marine paper and blue ribbon. You had kept every single one of them too.

It was a little later in the day, as you were finishing up another round of administering medication, when you returned to your office and found that another Marine had made himself comfortable there. And not the one you would have expected. "V-Vice Admiral!" You stood to attention as he rose from your chair, "Sir! How can I help you?" "At ease, please!" His smile was warm, "In fact it's me that I think can help you!" He held out the stack of papers you'd given Bogard earlier. "I trust my second in command’s judgement on these." You took them gratefully. "Of course. I'll make sure everyone is prepped and ready to cast off when you're ready to set sail, Sir." "Better make it sooner rather than later, Lieutenant.” Garp placed his hands in his pockets, expression serious. "I don't want to be hanging around for too long. We have much to get started on." "Oh- I see." You knew you was failing at hiding your look of disappointment. Letting go was never easy, but if you had to do it sooner than you expected? You'd only just got Bogard back - you weren’t ready to let him go again just yet. Garp could see it on your face. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen Bogard interact with you before. They'd stopped off here plenty of times. He'd just never pried into the private life of his second in command before. But something was clearly going on this time. If he hadn't thought so before. He indicated to the origami on your shelves. "I always wondered where these went. Clearly, Y/N, they all come to you!" Your eyes widened. You didn't even know anyone else knew Bogard made them. "Y-yes, when he writes he always sends..." You gestured to the shelves, wondering if you'd said too much. Did Garp know that he... wrote to you? "Would have thought writing was his preferred method of communication. I know he’s a man that’s concise at best.” he continued. “Though he never seems to have that problem around you. Which is something in itself." You knew you was blushing by now, and you couldn't quite meet the Vice Admiral’s eyes. What he was saying was by no means untrue. "He's not always been like that." You were lying and you knew it. But you had to say something. You had no idea what Garp did or didn't know, or what Bogard would even want his superior to know! "Mhm." You weren’t sure that response was convincing enough. "Can't help but wonder exactly what's going on between you two." he enquired. Dammit! You were definitely turning redder now. "He-" You paused. Then took a deep breath, locking eyes with Garp this time. "We were once a couple, yes. But, we went our separate ways due to our own work preferences." You gave a shrug, realising how sad you suddenly felt as you smiled. "He wouldn't stay. I wouldn't go." "...Shame." Garp nodded. "From what I’ve heard, you have enormous potential. Definitely something we could use out there." You bowed deeply. "Those are kind words, Sir. Thank you. But it was never what I wanted. The front line isn't for me, and I would be outright useless in a fight. I'm no field medic." "We could change that." He interjected. You laughed. "I hear you're training cadets?" You weren’t sure you wanted to go back to that, weren’t sure how you would act being trained by them, honestly. "With all due respect Sir, many have tried and at this point I think I'm fine being a competent medic, and a pathetic fighter. I barely scraped through weapons training, and I decided that I would never want to handle one again! At least not by choice." "Competent would not be the word I'd use." He took a few steps forward, causing you to stiffen your posture. "Brilliant, maybe." He tilted his head. "Funny you should say that and be going off with a swordsman." You gaped for a minute. "We-Well I--" You tried to compose yourself. "That was always Bogard's thing." Your laugh was nervous. "Though I admit I can't help but be fascinated. I notice that people are intimidated by him without him even having to draw. So, once he does?" It was hot. It made you feel a little something something, and you'd never really seen him in action in a real fight.

Though of course you were not about to mention this to Garp.

"Well, there's always room on my ship. If you want this to be something more.” He paused for a brief second. “Intimate again." Garp's stare was intense. "I do hope you'll consider it, Y/N." You swallowed hard. Intimate? As if you weren't still--- "A HQ ship would be an incredible honour, Sir. I…” you paused. “Surely will consider it." "Glad to hear it." he replied enthusiastically. Garp swept past you, but stopped at the door. "I have no doubt you'll have the Marine's prepped and ready for our departure. I do suggest if you want to spend any more time with my second, you get as much of it in as possible." Even if you couldn't see him, you could hear the amusement and smirk in his voice. "Should I send him back up to your office, Y/N?" You opened your mouth, but found you couldn't answer before he walked away laughing.

Next thing you knew you was back in the arms of your situationship - under the sheets.

***

Despite what Bogard and Garp had said, it was nice for them to stick around for a little while. It reminded you that you shouldn’t get your hopes up that it would be permanent. But it gave you a taste you couldn’t help but crave. He really was all yours here. And you could pretend you were somewhere in the past, thinking about this as your far-off future. One where neither of you had ever put anything above the other. Breaks were rare when you had work to do, but right now, you also couldn’t afford to spend any free time anywhere else.

Bogard was sitting on the steps to the medical wing when you found him. Hunched over what could only have been a lighter, given the small smoke trail.

You sighed gently, folding your arms and shaking your head. Taking the steps slowly towards him - it wasn’t like you were about to sneak up on the swordsman, he knew your footfall well enough by now - it still didn’t cause him to extinguish his smoke. You stopped on the step above the one he was sitting on. Two heavy steps down, to let him know you were less than impressed, hands moving to your pockets as you bent slightly over him - feeling all at once like a doctor scolding your patient. (Well, it wasn’t like you hadn’t already had the opportunity to check his full physical health at this point.) “You know those aren’t good for your health, right?” You started. As if to mock you, he took a long deliberate drag. “Trust me, if you were on my ship, you would need these to relax too.” He replied. You narrowed your eyes. “Oh no, Mister. No using your captain as an excuse!” “He’s a damn good one.” He protested. Another drag, before he removed it from his lips, but he didn’t put it out. You leaned yourself a little closer to him, lowering your voice – positively saccharine. “Don’t worry, you can order me around!” Bogard raised a hand to his mouth slowly, and coughed. You waited with a smirk on your face for him to take the bait. “Don’t tempt me.” Bogard gave his voice the appropriate stern edge. You had the cheekiest little grin on your face, and hummed like you were a little too happy with yourself for that one. He gave you enough time to bask in it, before looking back to his smoke. “You’re going to ask me to stop, right?” You folded your arms, sighing. “At the risk of sounding like a broken record. You know my spiel by now.” Bogard gave a single nod of agreement. “You’ve never quite got me to quit yet. I think by now you’d know it wasn’t going to happen.” His eyeline had remained level until that moment, but he looked up at you now. “How’s work?” He asked. “Nothing changes…” You shrugged. “But I do have five minutes.” You took the next step down and sank to sit with him. Bogard’s smile was gentle, no matter how obvious it was that you would choose to spend your precious free time with him when he was around, it didn’t make it any less significant of an act.  “Smoke?” He held it out to you. “Ha!” You liked that he smiled at your sarcasm though, his eyes back on whatever he was watching before. “What are you-?” Bogard nodded forward, then pointed, you followed his fingertip down to the beach. Upon it were Garp, and two marines whom he looked like he was giving a stern talking to. “Oh! Your cadets?” “Mhm.” “And you’re up here because?” He scoffed. “Please, you think they’re ready to take me on yet?” You almost rolled your eyes as he took another drag, making sure to blow the smoke away from you. “I can take on both of them using only my less dominant hand. It’d be hardly worth their time either. What does it teach them? Something they aren’t ready for?” You couldn’t help the smirk that toyed with your lips. “Do you have one of those?” “One of what?” He enquired. “A less dominant hand?” You teased. You couldn’t look at him, because you knew you’d crack - but you knew the kind of stare he was giving you, before he jogged your shoulder. “Stop.” You couldn’t help the quick burst of laughter you let escape.

You continued to watch the two young men train with Garp for a while. And eventually you let yourself unwind enough to lean up against his shoulder. It was funny how much more you felt his body sink into relaxation below yours after that. And he put his smoke out too. He was content to sit with you like this. Yes. This was exactly what you dreamed of. Even if you couldn’t say you missed Bogard often (you were far too busy working here to do much of anything!), at least you didn’t let yourself and your thoughts linger on that feeling for too long. This physical contact was exactly what you needed. His letters could cover almost everything else, letting you know he was okay and that you didn’t have to worry. It was exactly what made this work without it having to be a relationship. But they couldn’t hold you. They couldn’t replace his touch. Your eyes lowered to his hands. It was weird for you to think just what they were capable of. He could be so gentle, but his swordsmanship? Just how many lives had Bogard taken with the exact same hands that held you the way he did? You sank your teeth into your lip as you frowned. You could think these things all you liked. Right now you just wanted to hold them - that’s what you knew for sure.

Bogard regarded your body language. Even when you weren’t looking at him, he knew what you desired. It didn’t matter how damn long you had been away from each other. At this point, it was simply muscle memory. You could both say whatever you wanted. Sometimes he wondered if being “single” really was the easiest option for you. It sure sounded like it. But he knew how it complicated things. How it twisted your feelings. Maybe you couldn’t make it work together. But you couldn’t make it work without each other either. Bogard knew you were thinking about how this could be your life. How could you not be? He was thinking it too – and by now he knew you better than you knew yourself.

He moved his hand from his knee, extending it towards yours - palm up - still watching your reaction. You hesitated; too shy to look at him now. Bogard knew, of course he knew. At this point he might as well have been a mind reader. Your movements were slow and deliberate. You took his hand gingerly; lacing your fingers together. Before moving your other to fit his hand between yours. He watched you do this with a smile, before pulling your hands gently back into his lap. You made a small noise before burying your face in his shoulder; surely blushing now. He focused back on the beach, running his thumb over the back of your hand. Yes - this was worth coming back for. Even if accepting the way you otherwise lived meant he sacrificed this to miss you the rest of the time. And if neither of you would move to give that up, you always would.

*** Seeing him off came all too quick. His return seemed but a fleeting moment - a heartbeat, and you were having to let him go again. The thing that stopped you from letting this be anything more than it was. But you were kidding yourself. You were in a relationship. The code; the unwritten rule, the exclusivity of it. There'd never been anyone else. Neither of you were calling it that, though. Neither of you referred to each other as ‘Partners', or ever enquired if it would be like that again. Everything but in name. Yet you would continue to tell yourself this was for the best - and that you wouldn't hurt for a little while as he sailed off into the distance.

Everyone around you on the dock was moving fast, getting final-final preparations done before they set sail. For the two of you, time was virtually standing still. Your hands were in his, and right now all you wanted was for them to stay there as long as possible. As tradition stated, you both had one more try in you - one more line of persuasion before the same conclusion would be reached, and you went your separate ways once again. Bogard leaned into you. That small near smile on his lips that reflected so much more brilliantly in his eyes. And in that moment the light was hitting them just right; illuminating that brown colour in a million beautiful shades. His voice was soft and sweet - as if this time he was really pulling out all the stops. "You should come with us.” he said. “We could always use a doctor." You chuckled, shaking your head. But you were grinning. You couldn't help but smile brilliantly at the way he was making you feel. Of course he was still trying to get you to go with him, despite already knowing your answer. You had to admire that spirit – every single time. "My place is here." You said firmly. You bit your tongue between your teeth cheekily for a moment, before teasing back with. "You could always stay." It was Bogard's turn to chuckle. "You know I can't do that." Your head tilted. 'Exactly'.

But he kept leaning, and you weren’t about to stop him. Now might have been the time to be professional. But it was also the exact time to be unprofessional. You pushed yourself up to meet him in a goodbye kiss. Both of you probably expected it to be short and sweet, but then again neither of you were pulling away - content to stay in it. You couldn't take it anymore, wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling him closer. He reciprocated, hands on your waist pulling you into his arms. At some point someone whistled. You felt him laugh, but he didn't pull back – Bogard just kept kissing you. Not even with the thought in his head that he was doing this in public. A little harder, edge a little more possessive of you. There was something in this kiss meant to completely destroy the idea that there was, or ever would be, anyone else, ever. Even when you were merely joking about it, even when he was too. You surrendered to it, and to him, completely.

Back on the ship, Helmeppo has spotted what was happening on the docks below. And if he was surprised by the kiss in the first place, the fact that it was going on - the stoic second in command swordsman that Bogard was? The guy who wore a perpetual frown most of the time! This wasn't happening - in fact it was beyond being seen to be believed! It was a ‘pinch me I must be dreaming’ moment. He smacked Coby - who was only oblivious because he was working - perhaps a little too hard. But he didn't care, and threw his other hand just to check that he wasn't the only one seeing this! The smaller cadet also couldn't help but stop and stare, almost gaping.

Garp watched the scene with a shake of his head, and a laugh. Sometimes it was good to be right!

Eventually you both had to pull back, if for nothing but a need to breathe. But you kept close. Your fingers gripped his Marine coat tight as you held him close to you. His head dipped to yours. Bogard kept his arms wrapped around you. You closed your eyes and tried your best to hold back your tears. "Stay safe." You whispered, emotion flooding your voice. "I don’t want to see you back here anything less than immaculate.” “Stay safe too." His voice was equally emotional, strained against the proper tone he was trying to emulate. "Don’t take any shit.” You pulled slightly back from him, laughing. “You come back to me.” "You know where we're going. I can't make any promises. But…" He relinquished your warmth none too fast, reassuring you. "I always do."

You stood for a moment like that, unsure where to go from here. You couldn't help it, pulling him back for one more kiss goodbye - and much shorter, to your own dismay. Before drawing your hands to the centre of his chest, fussing with his Marine coat for a second, and making certain to pull it straight, ensuring that the emblem presented itself dead centre. If you were going to tell him to be immaculate when he returned, you damn well weren’t sending him away if he was anything less! "You tell those other girls..." You laughed, unable to finish the joke. "Tell them what?" "They c- can't have—y-!” You kept laughing through it. “I can't even finish that thought." You grinned, putting it another way instead. "You're mine." He shook his head at you. "Always was." Before bowing low, "Until next time, Y/N." Bogard left you with a smile, and with that, began walking a few feet to the ship’s gangplank. You called after him, "I'm already looking forward to that letter!" He nearly laughed.

Upon boarding, Helmeppo and Coby still hadn't got over the scene. Staring at him almost in awe - definitely with a million questions for the man helping to train them. It took just one look, a single stare to swear both of them to eternal silence. Maybe they would get their answers one day. Maybe he would want to talk about it. Right now, Bogard wasn't sure. He did know he considered it private, no matter how passionate and public his goodbye was to you.

You stood back, listened to him shouting commands to get the ship running with a smile on your face. Just like that he was in his element again. He was working now. He was the second in command to a Vice Admiral. 'That's my man.' For a moment, you wondered if you should have asked. You’d still never had a concrete conversation around being officially together again. You supposed it was as unsaid as the exclusivity. The illusion that you would both still be single; until the time you met again. But what was more official than 'Always was.'?

Whatever you were, you were content.

As the ship pushed away from the dock, Bogard appeared at the starboard side railing, offering a hand up gesture as a wave goodbye. You waved back enthusiastically. Glad to see him one last time before he sailed into the sunset. And here you would be the next time he was able to visit you. Because you would wait for him. And maybe one day, you’d give in to him. Or he would settle down with you.

Whoever’s will won out in the end, right now you knew one thing for sure. You didn't care if it meant you were together.

---

Two swordsmen down one to go! 🖤💚💛

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