#op ruth

[turquoisewritermaster]

Ruth, cross posted from Bluesky, for @mew-ya and the Maren Selfie collab!

[turquoisewritermaster]

((Happy birthday to my favorite grumpy smoking Marine who captured my heart the moment I saw him.))

The first thing Smoker noticed was the neatly wrapped package on his desk. Directly under it was a package that looked like it had been wrapped by a twelve year old, which must have been Ruth’s. He knew exactly what both gifts were; his favorite brands of cigars and a bottle of good brandy, but he didn’t mind. They got him that every year and he appreciated it every time.

When he got home, there was a slim line of smoke rising from behind the house. He wasn’t worried about it, because Ruth had a strange thing about fire and would have torn the house down rather than let it burn. Which meant someone was probably cooking. When he headed around the back, Ruth was sitting in front of the smoker, staring at the thermometer like it owed her Berri. He moved to stand next to her.

“So. Trying again this year?”

“No. Sanji’s cooking, I’m just watching it. He’ll be out of here once it’s finished, don’t worry. And I locked the bedroom.”

“Good.”

Ruth might trust her crew, he’ll Drake didn’t seem to have much of a problem with them, but Smoker still thought the cook was a weird little pervert.

“Also, Drake has been following him around. It’s hilarious. Did you get your presents?”

“I did. Perfect, as always.”

He murmured, leaning down to kiss at the side of her neck.

“Of course. We got you something else, but it’s in the bedroom. So we gotta evict Sanji first.”

It was a bonsai tree. Smoker had been talking about how his office felt… barren. He’d been fine with it for years, before Ruth had smashed into his life, and then Drake had come in, and they’d brought their things along with them. Ruth’s collection of objects from islands across the Grand Line, Drake’s figurines from some comic book Smoker didn’t really know anything about, the dinosaur stuff… it all made his office feel empty. Like they weren’t there. It sucked. Tashigi had suggested a few things but he hadn’t bothered, instead focusing on getting back to his partners.

“It’s a pine, but Usopp said this variety can do really well with very little attention, so if you’re out for a while it’ll be fine.”

He brushed a finger over the fine needles, watched as they sprung back into place.

“Thank you.”

When he got back to work, the bonsai took a spot right on his desk.

[turquoisewritermaster]

((Valentines, several days late as is tradition here. Because I’m lazy. Drake gifts his partners a big fish, Smoker tries cooking and mostly succeeds, and Ruth thinks about the past and the future.))

Smoker awoke to a loud thud from outside, following by a low rumbling. He became aware of the fact that Ruth was snuggled up against him next, which meant Drake was out of bed, since she usually attached herself to him in the morning. Then he saw the calendar.

“Ah, fuck.”

Ruth groaned when he got out of bed, but didn’t wake up. Which made sense, she’d come to bed late last night after doing god knows what for hours. Smoker dressed himself in his casual clothes and headed outside, where he was greeted by an Allosaurus and one very large dead fish.

“Drake. What the hell.”

“I brought breakfast.”

The deep, rumbly tone Drake’s voice took in Zoan form used to send a shiver down Smoker’s spine. Well, it still did. Just not at seven in the morning, when it was supposed to be his day off.

“You could have just gone to the store, idiot.”

“Ruth thinks this is charming.”

“Ruth also tried to eat Doflamingo. Her sense of what’s normal is not reliable.”

Drake huffed, and Smoker stepped towards the fish. It was big, but not sea king big. They could probably take it apart and freeze or dry what they didn’t use over the next few days.

“Are you going to help me take this thing apart?”

“Sure. Is Ruth still-“

“Sleeping. She’ll probably wake up when she smells food.”

Ruth did emerge once Smoker started cooking. She still looked half asleep, but she’d gotten dressed, and paused to kiss Drake’s cheek before coming over and doing the same to Smoker.

“Morning.”

“Morning. Breakfast’s almost done, you can go wait with your fisherman over there.”

She’d turned, and Drake had smiled softly at her. He moved one of the books on the table as she sat down, placing it on the side none of them used.

“You brought in the fish?”

“Yeah. Happy Valentines.”

The way Ruth smiled at him, that made it worth it. Even if he was pretty sure he’d need to take a long hot shower tonight to get the fish smell off.

“Alright. Here you go. We’re still on for dinner at your idiot cook’s place tonight, don’t forget.”

“I’d never forget.”

Ruth said softly, and Drake nodded, letting Smoker set their plates down. Normally, Marine officers didn’t learn to cook. Mess halls took care of dietary needs, and restaurants were always an option during shore leave, but Smoker had learned sometime between Drake leaving on his undercover operation and the three of them getting together.

“Stop contemplating your food and eat, Drake.”

“Alright, alright.”

He took a bite of the fish, and let a calm silence settle over them.

If you’d told me three years ago that I would be here, I would have called you insane. One because I’d died. Legit died, my spine had been severed and my heart and brain had stopped functioning. I’d learned that at Laugh Tale, which was fun. Two, because I was in a relationship with two people who cared about me. I had gone from zero experience with romance or sex, to having two boyfriends. And also the Devil Fruit thing. There had been a long period of time, especially when I’d been separated from the rest of the Straw Hats, that I’d found myself missing my old life. A life I could never go back to. It was the past, gone like the wind, and I had to keep moving forward. Drake and Smoker gave me a reason to do that, to keep looking towards the sunrise.

“You’re awfully quiet.”

Smoker’s voice snapped me from my thoughts, and I shrugged, taking a bite of rice.

“Just thinking. Breakfast’s good, as usual.”

“You say that like your cooking isn’t better than mine”.

He said dryly, which made Drake bite back a laugh. Never expected I’d hear that either, but having people who genuinely cared, who he could be open with, had done a lot for Drake. I was happy for him.

“I love you two.”

They both paused at that, Smoker looking at me before huffing and Drake nodding.

“I love you too. Both of you. Is everything-“

“Yeah. Just thinking about the future.”

A future I hoped was as bright as the morning sun, and would last a long, long time.

[turquoisewritermaster]

[turquoisewritermaster]

Hellfire.

(Ruth, in her attempt to save Ace from his untimely demise, earns her first major battle scar, and spits in death’s face.)

The smell of blood and iron was dulling all my other senses. There was pain, definitely, and someone was shouting, but my ears were ringing so badly I couldn’t make out what they were actually saying. My gaze slipped from Akainu, who looked infuriatingly pleased with himself,down to my chest. His his was dragging across it, smouldering like it was still burning through my body, and I blinked once.

Someone else started yelling, as my vision went fuzzy.

And then I was awake again. But not in the cold dark grasp of death like I’d expected. It was- I wasn’t entirely sure what it was. Like still water extending forever, and the only reason I knew that was because my ankles were wet and I could see my reflection looking out as well, complete with a still smouldering burn. It was comet shaped, with a burst mark where he’d first hit me trailing off as it went to my left side.

‘You are not meant to be here.’

Something spoke from behind me, but when I turned there wasn’t anything there.

‘It is not your time. I saved you once, I shall do it again. Be more careful, for here on. Bravery is worth nothing if there is not sense behind it.’

“I’m… sorry, I guess?”

‘Do not apologize. But be wary, little sparrow. You are in a world of hawks, and they have already felled many with their talons.’

What the fuck was the supposed to mean-

And then I was back. Well, I was on the ground, staring up at the sky that was infuriatingly still blue in spite of all the horrible shit that had happened, but regardless. I was alive. I pushed myself off the ground, and turned to find Ace and Luffy in a frantic retreat, Akainu hit on their heels. He was try to kill them. There was a gleaming flash of silver as I raised my hand. He was going to kill them.

I wouldn’t let him.