꒰ ˙✧ ˖° 𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ ༘ ˚ ꒱ Being a marine your duty to serve the government would always come first. Whether that was to your friends or family you would always have a clear priority in mind. A shame that your soon to be husband disagrees with this notion.
꒰ pairings! ꒱ yandere! shanks x reader! & yandere! mihawk x reader! ( separate )
꒰ author's note! ꒱ؘ : Decided to try my hand at a darker love story and was pretty satisfied how it turned out! Originally the reader wasn't supposed to be as toxic as they are but I just couldn't help myself lowkey.
— Red-haired Shanks
Being a Vice-admiral was rough on the soul. Having to deal with paperwork, annoying criminals that only knew how to cause trouble, and of course having to handle an overbearing Yonko.
So, maybe you did bring the last one down on your head. But who could blame you? Being the apprentice of Garp the Hero meant being exposed to a wide variety of pirates of the great era. Amongst the most important were the Roger Pirates, of course. Which was probably when you first laid your eyes on the bright bundle of red hair who was staring into your soul from behind the dock. It had not been something all that interesting to you at first. Matter of fact you dismissed it as something not worth your time, and instead focused on proving your worth to your mentor.
( Many would argue that bringing a child to a fight against one of the more notorious pirate crew would be insanity. However, you would argue that you turned out pretty well all things considered and it certainly wasn’t that bad )
What you didn’t consider was that such a cold dismissal had sparked something in the future captain of the red haired pirates that you would never quite be able to extinguish.
Shanks would after this moment repeatedly seek you out much to Buggy’s chagrin. It was like watching a moth desperately chase a flame — and try to fight it?
Well, when you’re raised in a pirate ship your whole life things may become a little warped in terms of behaving normally. For Shanks who had seen Roger fight Garp his whole life and call it ‘friendly roughhousing' it wasn’t too unexpected that he would copy what he saw.
This being going after you every time he saw you to fight as a way to get your attention. It baffled you at first — as you had believed the two cabin boys did not participate much in combat. Only to have to dodge a punch to your face in a normal afternoon. But you weren’t the one to backdown from a challenge, not back then and not even now. So you gave it your all right back to the scrawny red-haired boy that always seemed eager to chase after you.
What you didn’t know was that Shanks had surprised the whole crew by going after you. Their young protege had not been someone who sought after fights. Rather he dealt with them if they came to him or to his friend. So, seeing him be so eager to run after Garp’s young apprentice had left many scratching their head in confusion.
But not their Captain. The future king of the pirates had simply stared after Shank who seemed to be almost jumping in anticipation to see you again and laughed himself silly. Afterwards, it seemed that Roger left Shanks to his own devices when Garp was nearby, and if anybody asked he would simply shrug and call it “young love”
The intensity of the so called “young love” was upped by a hundred after the execution of Roger.
A day that would be engraved in the red haired’s memory for two reasons. The death of the man who raised him, and your presence. It had been a surprise to see you wondering around in the execution — Shanks didn’t think Garp would have let you witness the gory parts but perhaps he was mistaken.
Not that he had much time to think about what Garp was doing after being rejected by his closest friend under the rain. Shanks felt the rain seep into his clothes, and he couldn’t bring himself to care. The streets seemed to be empty, and he had forgotten where exactly Buggy had run off to. He felt too numb to acknowledge the tears dripping down his face as he stared down at his hands.
Until a hand grabbed his hand and brought him into an unsure hug. You had seen Shanks take off onto the distance and worried for someone you had considered a friend you took after him. Only to find him drenched by the rain like a pathetic cat that was thrown away.
You weren’t someone usually moved by pity, but to see someone who was usually so bright and cheerful drenched in rain looked like his life had been drained away did move your heart just a little.
However, if future you could go back into the past and stop you from comforting Shanks without doubt you would have done it without hesitation.
Because this very moment would give birth to your biggest headache know to earth.
Shanks became almost obsessive with how much he had started checking on your whereabouts. Sending you parts of the treasure he would obtain with his start up crew, and talking his crew’s ears off when it came to you. What had once been an innocent, albeit persistent, puppy love had snowballed into a possessive devotion from one of the strongest pirate this new era had ever seen.
And you? Well, initially you found it amusing. It was funny to think a pirate had fallen in love with a marine whose job was to bring the guillotine down on his head. A situation that would probably make him the butt of the joke in many places.
In the back of your mind you could admit that you held some sort of affection for the pirate that you deemed pathetic. However, the bigger part of you knew that most of the indulgences you let him take was to boost your ego. Having someone like him practically begging at your feet for your attention? Who wouldn’t be flattered?
But perhaps you had forgotten that you should never feed a stray dog; they always keep coming back for more.
So, perhaps you started indulging him. Perhaps you let him into your bed to have a good time with him. But who could blame you when whimpered so pretty? Batting his eyelashes and leaving his shirt unbuttoned every time he came into your bed at night. Clinging into you and shedding tears every time he wishes to sway you into keeping him longer by your side.
But at the end of the day. You were a marine. Somebody who shouldn’t let their affairs with a nefarious pirate get in the way of their job or a good relationship with a trustworthy civilian or fellow marine officer. Which was why you didn’t assume that Shanks would take it too personally when you started seeing other people. After all, it wasn’t a serious arrangement for you so why should it be one for him?
And the one day he found you indulging a young officer who had gifted you a bouquet of flowers to ask you out. Shanks, disguised as a marine, stared down with a blank look on his face at the marine who had pink cheeks and stuttering words, and then looked at you who had an amused smirk in your face while accepting the flowers.
His hands dug so deeply into the tree he was hiding behind that it caused a hole to be blasted into it.
Rage didn’t cut what he felt after seeing this. Neither did betrayal. What he felt was more easily compared to somebody reaching inside his chest and holding his heart tight enough that it caused death from pain.
The confrontation afterwards did not do him any good either.
“Who was that you were with?” Shanks asked as he cornered you in your office while staring daggers at the flowers you held in your arms with a detached look on your face.
Walking past him you gently set your flowers down on the table and took off your coat and shrugged nonchalantly.
“A nice recruit — truly kind of him to be looking out for me don’t you think?” You asked with a low chuckle. Shanks felt his eye twitching at the sheer rage he was experiencing and grabbed your shoulder so he could look straight into your eyes and twisted you around.
“Really? That’s all you have to say? A nice recruit? He was obviously asking you out!” You had never seen him quite like this. Shanks seemed to be loosing his grip on his temper as he stared at your unbothered face who seemed to find no issues with the situation.
“So what?” You said as you attempted to shrug his hand of your shoulders and put some distance between the two of you. Only for him to dig his hand more deeply and drag you back closer to him, “What we have is nothing serious. Especially with both of our positions.”
Your words seemed to have stunned him. Something you didn’t really understand. Thinking that he may have simply having one of his possessive streaks again you placed your hands in his waist and dragged him closer until both of your hips were touching one another.
“What’s wrong Shanks? Don’t tell me you’re jealous?” You asked with a lighthearted smile not noticing the way his haki seemed to be loosing control.
“Really, you’re thinking too much about this. I’ll still be seeing you, okey? But I need to start thinking about a relationship that will help me out.” The implication that this relationship that you both had was only dragging you down was not lost to him.
His hand slowly moved down until they rested on the hem of your shirt. And rested his head on your shoulders as the cogs in his head started turning.
“So that’s what you need, huh?” He muttered into your shoulders while slowly placing kisses on your neck. His hand moved down to get rid of the buttons that held your shirt together to place his hands on your chest, “Someone that’s strong?”
You chuckled and assumed this was just another conversation like the others you had before.
“Not only that. Someone that’s strong would help me in terms of reputation would be nice.” Now you were just talking about an unlikely fantasy. Getting with someone that was strong and had a good reputation? Unlikely.
That’s not what Shanks heard, though. He now knew that you would only seriously take his advances if he was strong enough that everybody would think twice before attacking him — or anybody under his protection. You let your shirt fall onto the ground, and spun both of you over so Shanks could rest against the wall while you leaned closer to him to press a kiss in his lips which he returned eagerly.
And then he smirked with a dark glint as he entangled his hands onto your hair. Already imagining a bright future for the both of you. If it included you without your white uniform then that was something that only he needed to know.
Months later his visits had started to decrease, and you had no doubts as to why. Everybody had heard about Shanks’ more active fights in the Grand Line, and the new world. Challenging pirates who had a strong standing to defeat them then taking their territory under their flag so fast it could be considered a sport. What you hadn’t expected was for Shanks to eventually clash with a Yonko and win. The marines around you were in a frenzy after hearing that there was a new Yonko, especially with the strong skills he was showcasing.
Many were expecting a bloodbath to start occurring with the new pirate having such a grand tittle.
You held no such worries. Shanks? Shanks who begged on his knees for you to let him sleep over? That Shanks?
And perhaps you had let the version of him in the bedroom and your personal life cloud your mind as to how much of a menace he could be. Which was why you hadn’t been bothered when you had been assigned to the New World.
Until you had woken up to Shanks lounging in one of the rooms’ chairs that was placed next to your bed. You startled yourself into a sitting position as you yelped. Your heart thumped in your chest as you looked at Shanks who greeted you with an easy smile and a wave of his right hand.
Ignoring your widened eyes he widened his smile and leaned forwards to be closer to you.
“It’s been a while! I’ve missed not seeing you so regularly.” He had the audacity to pout at you as if you both were old friends catching up.
You blinked rapidly at him almost sure that you could blink him away from reality.
“Shanks…? What are you doing here! If somebody catches you — “ You whispered with urgency as you yanked his shirt closer to you to shake him around. He chuckled with mirth as he let himself be yanked around. A lovesick glint in his eyes which you failed to notice became more prominent.
He gently placed his hands on top of yours, and rubbed his thumb across your hands who tightened their hold on his shirt.
“I’ve missed you.” He repeated his previous stamens as if that was enough to explain what he was doing here. In a guarded marine base that had more than just the average security.
You furrowed your eyebrows with annoyance now rising in the face of his nonchalant attitude. But just as you opened your mouth to rip him a new one a loud explosion rattled your bedroom and left you in a flight or fight mode.
You snapped your neck back to Shanks who sighed with annoyance and muttered, “Really, those guys don’t know how to take it easy.”
His tone resembled a child whining over spilled ice cream and you couldn’t help but look at him with an open mouth.
“I need to go!” You shouted as you attempted to run towards the door and figure out who exactly was attacking the base ( although in the back of your mind you were suspicious of who exactly was behind this ) but before you could get back a hand sneaked round your wait and dragged you back to bed.
You snapped your head back to shout at Shanks only for him to also move on the bed along with you and sit on top of your hips to keep you immobile.
“Shanks! Just what do you think you’re doing?! The base is —“ Just as you were about to attempt to leave again he placed one of his hands over your mouth to silence you and smiled down at you. For the first time since you’ve met him you couldn’t help but think that it looked quite sinister with the moonlight shinning down on him.
“Don’t be silly.” He tutted with the grace of someone chastising their pet for misbehaving.
“I’m the one who called this attack!” Shanks stated with closed eyes as his smile widened. He pressed down more harshly onto you as you attempted to get rid of his constricting hold.
“After all, you were the one to tell me you need someone strong right? Who better to do that than a Yonko.”
‘Was this man nuts?’ You thought as you stared back at him. Who could your words have been twisted into this?
However what you didn’t quite understand was why your limbs were becoming more sluggish. It was as if an invisible weight was pressing down on you. Your hands were they were attempting to push Shanks away only for them to loose their strength and become more of a light touch than an actual attempt to escape.
“Don’t worry, I understand this may be new to you but I think it’s time we both move forwards with our relationship.” Shanks stated as he let his hand fall away from your mouth and instead move to pet and caress your hair.
“But I already did what you wanted you know?” He whispered at a lower volume like a secret between the two of you, “I think it’s time we both do what I want.”
— Mihawk Dracule
You were one of the top contestants for the open position of CP0. A marine who specializes in covert operations and gathering of information. It truly was your speciality.
But perhaps your own strength dragged you too close to the sun. The reason for this? Your most recent target had been Dracule Mihawk, and your part of the mission had gone exceptionally well. Everybody’s else part? Not so well.
A rising swordsman who had been terrorizing anybody who he deemed a ‘worthy’ swordsman was more of a pain than your marine higher ups realized. This man was know was Dracule Mihawk and he seemed determined who challenge anybody who he deemed challenge worthy. However, he didn’t seem to show any mercy onto anybody who got on his way either. Which was why seven marine warships had been lost to his ire. This swordsman seemed to challenge anybody who crossed his path that was strong indiscriminately. Whether it was marine, revolutionary, or even a bounty hunter.
And it had become a problem faster than anybody expected. Which was why you were dispatched. Before making another reckless decision your boss decided that gathering information regarding the man’s weakness would be beneficial for the marines. Going as far as to offer you a promotion if this mission went well.
With eagerness you accepted and started planning how to make contact with your target.
Thankfully for you there was an edge you had over other agents that would make it more likely for Mihawk to approach you.
Your swordsman skills.
You certainly weren’t worthy enough to be put in the level of an admiral but your skills are regarded as one of the best in the marines.
Which was why you decided to take a simple route of approach and challenge him to a duel. Although you doubted you could defeat him without serious injuries, a duel would be easier to control rather than a battle to the death.
And it was a success.
This man had accepted your duel and won just like you expected. However he seemed quite eager for a rematch. Claiming that you could better than that. The fact that he realized that you were holding back was a suprised, but not an unwelcome one. As you twisted it into your favor to keep yourself closer to him for a while longer.
“Ah! I recently got into a little spat with some pirates so I’m not in my best shape.” You mentioned offhandedly noticing how his eyebrow twitched in annoyance at the idea of his opponent not being in their top shape when fighting him.
“Could I buy you dinner as an apology?” This was supposed to make you look a little pathetic and not much of a threat. After all, what type of person invites their opponent for a drink after loosing a fight? However, you had not expected for him to actually ponder it silently then nod in acknowledgment.
As he sheathed his sword you were left a little out of your depth as you realized that this man who had started to become feared across the four seas had accepted to eat dinner with you. It was almost enough to make you smile in victory. Almost.
So, that was how your afternoon went. You invited Mihawk to a nice restaurant in town to eat alongside you. Although, you hated to admit it this was more enjoyable than you had realized. You expected a man who would boast of his accomplishments to his opponents to boost his own ego. Instead, you met a man who was surprisingly thoughtful and not that bad of a company.
A shame he wasn’t a marine. You would have loved to take him out on an actual date. But duty calls so instead of lamenting your losses you upped your own act to make it obvious in what sense you were interested in him.
A light touch on his upper arm, a laugh that was just a little too eager, and your body resting just a little too into his personal space to be a coincidence. At the end of the night you had given him your Den den mushi number with the clear expectation of making this a reoccurring event.
However, just as a precaution you mentioned offhandedly that in a couple of days you would be in your top shape and you wouldn’t mind a second round.
Under the moonlight at night, your vision must have failed you because you could almost fool yourself into believing you had seen a ghost of a smile in his face. But in the next second after you blinked it was as if nothing had occurred so you shook it off.
While Mihawk went back to his boat looking a little more at ease you went back to a private room to report your findings to your superiors. And your positive progress of the mission. Depending on the information you brought throughout the mission was what the end goal would be. Whether that was ambushing the swordsman or recruiting him was none of your business. As long as you committed your mission correctly you did not care for anything else.
And just like you expected a couple of days later you received a call from the infamous swordsman. Who demanded your presence like a king did for his jester.
“Demanding aren’t we?” You teased as if you both were old friends. A smile on your face as you waved at the outlaw in front of you who seemed to be waiting under a palm tree with his arms crossed.
Once he saw you he grunted in acknowledgment and rolled his eyes, but didn’t correct you or make you stop your teasing behavior.
“You’re late.” He stated as he raised an eyebrow before turning his back on you to start walking towards the field both of you would be clashing at.
You chuckled good heartedly and followed him while making idle chat. Taking any comment he didn’t ignore as encouragement that progress was being made.
‘And this is the cold-hearted swordsman everybody fears?’ You thought with a secretive smile as you stared at his side profile. Deciding not to mention that he had purposely arrived earlier at the meeting spot.
This back and forth continued occurring. A spar between the two of you would occur and then you would spout an outlandish excuse as to why you both needed to clash again, and he would accept it. Of course these would always end with you dragging him somewhere to visit or eat at. It was almost baffling to you with how much he let you get away with. Taking him by the hand like you both were lovers, buying him clothes for him to wear, and even demanding him to help you get better with the sword.
Eventually it would all reach a new level when the weather became harsh enough that your spoken worries of sickness would sway him enough to stay at a hotel with you over night. One that just so happened to only have one room left with one bed.
And perhaps you let your hand trailed long enough to imply something, your smile may have become more seductive, and your words took a more suggestive tone to them. Enough so that once you both got to the room he didn’t stop you when your hand trailed to the back of his neck. Or when your lips touched his throat in a slow manner, and perhaps he was also looking forwards to this with the speed in which he let his clothes fall onto the ground.
You took him by the hand and lead him to the only bed that was present in the room. Slowly pushing him down until you were straddling him and intertwined your hands together to place them in your waist. Taking note of the soft pink hue that appeared on his cheeks you leaned closer until your mouth was next to the shell of his ear.
“I’ve been looking towards this for a while you know?” You mentioned like you were commenting on the weather and not about having your way with him.
Mihawk grunted and shifted his hips to be closer to yours and muttered in a tone that if you didn’t know any better would call bashful, “I’m aware.”
You chuckled and started trailing kisses down his throat.
“And you just let me? Were you that eager to see me chasing after you?” You muttered in a low volume with the intent of teasing him. Keeping a keen eye on the way he momentarily looked away and cleared his throat with some fluster.
“It’s okay — I quite liked it.” You whispered like it was a secret between the two of you nobody was allowed to know. And just for this night you let yourself think you both were lovers that were simply taking the next step in your relationship and that you weren’t on a mission to ruin him by the marines.
What you weren’t aware of was that Mihawk was by far a hesitant man. Taking more drastic measures with those who started getting in the way of your time together. Marines who he would usually just gravelly injure started getting killed, and pirates that gave him too long of a glance while looking to fight would get beaten down without time to showcase their skills. Something that he previously avoided doing to savor the clash between swords. He had almost become a mad dog since meeting you.
Which was all that the marines needed to know to believe that he couldn’t be reasoned with and should instead be put down before he became a bigger issue.
This was the order that you received a week after you spent your first night with him. And like the good soldier you were you followed through. Not before giving him a last kiss on the cheek. Which he wouldn’t know would be your so called ‘goodbye’ kiss.
Your new task? Get him to go to a remote island to be ambushed by marine personnel. Of course, you wouldn’t personally fight him head on. Rather your invitation to another spar would drive him to go to this specific location where he would be ambushed and put down for good.
Your mission was deemed a success up to that point. Everybody’s else? Not so much.
You wouldn’t only be made aware of this once your personal Den den mushi started to ring in the middle of the night. Assuming it was your boss you responded like you had been programmed to do so.
“Marine officer reporting to duty—“
“Cute.” A low voice muttered through the connection device which was not your boss. This voice was one you had made cry out in pleasure and had become familiar with through the span of months. The voice that had filled you with warmth now only filled you with cold, cold dread.
“…how did you get this number?” You questioned with as much professionalism you could inject into your shaky tone. The person across the line made a ‘tsk’ sound as if he was chastising you for such a foolish comment.
“Perhaps we should ask the man who had this transporter snail.” The man who you knew as Mihawk stated with a flat tone that did wonders to hide the rage that was coursing through his veins, “However, he is incapacitated at this moment.”
He commented as if what your superior was going through was a common cold that made it difficult for him to speak and not his limbs being amputated from his body in a cruel manner that had left him in suffering for as long as possible.
“Mihawk—“ Your sentence got cut off by the swordsman who started speaking with a tone that was as sharp as his sword.
“I thought that what you needed was time.” He mentioned while making a clean slash of his sword to get rid of the blood that was now coating Yoru. Surrounding him were the leftovers of the eight warships which had attempted to take him down. Wood splattered across the floor from the slashes he made to the so called ‘impenetrable’ ships. Alongside were the bodies of hundreds of marine officers alongside two vice admirals which had underestimated just how much of a hassle it would to take this swordsman.
Mihawk started taking some steps onto the shore while efficiently avoiding the bodies that were still twitching in the ground, “I am not a fool, and I do not enjoy being made one.”
Before you could speak Mihawk continued talking and his next words would leave you petrified.
“From the start I was aware you were a marine. I am not unaware of what goes behind the close doors of the marines — I simply do not care for it.” Your mouth was left opened in disbelief at what you were hearing through the phone.
“I let you keep your charade because I knew your guilt was the only thing keeping you back from being truthful.” He muttered while slowly turning his blank face into a frown that you had never seen before aimed at you.
“I let you into my bed believing that it would be the last step you would need to give yourself completely to me.” Like a man who wasn’t used to being wrong his words seemed stilled as if they didn’t want to completely leave his mouth.
“However, this?” You didn’t have to see what he was pointing at to know what he was referring to. You closed your eyes and put your hands in your head at the absurdity of the situation. You? Feel guilty? What type of nonsense was he spouting?
“Perhaps I let your leach be too wide. I’ll make sure to certify such mistake.” You almost sputtered with indignity. You? Having a leach from the man who allowed himself to be dragged around like a well trained dog? It was ridiculous!
“So I’ll give you one warning,” You were tempted to interrupt but you felt as if you would greatly regret it in the future if you went through it, “You can hide as much as you want, but I’ll hunt you down and make those around you pay for this betrayal of yours.”
You gulped with trepidation after hearing the promise in his tone, and you were left without leg to stand on in this situation.
“Mihawk, sweetheart — can’t we talk this out? I know this looks bad, but surely this is too much for this type of situation.” You were grasping straws and you knew it. There was no way you could turn this in your favor. The mission had completely failed and Mihawk now had a personal vendetta against you and possibly the marines.
“Is that it?”, He asked with an entertained tone of voice you doubted was completely without anger, “Perhaps I should teach you a thing or two about begging for forgiveness. Do not fret I’ll make sure to be throughout once I find you.”
Those were his last words before he hung up on you. Leaving you with tremors in the hand that you had be holding your Den den mushi with. It was as if his presence had filled your room for a moment. A finality on his words that let you know he would make sure they were made a reality. You couldn’t even comfort yourself with the promotion you were going to get. Having a sinking feeling in your gut that this was far from over.
And you were unfortunately right.
Mihawk made himself notorious for the marines. Making sure to hunt down anybody that wore the white uniform and efficiently taking care of them albeit cruel enough to leave many begging for mercy.
There was no place in the four seas that was safe from his wrath. Nobody that was not part of the mission knew what exactly the marines had done to earn his wrath.
The government had lost thousands of marines alongside millions of berries with the damage that Mihawk had cause every time he was spotted. It was bad enough that the Fleet Admiral had to get involved. Unsurprising, as he had been the one to reccomend your boss to deal with Mihawk.
His solution? Offer Mihawk Dracule a position as a warlord. A position that was denied for months until a second clase was offered. Which by that point the damage had become severe enough that he had been recently called, “The strongest swordsman in the four seas”.
So what type of clause could they offer to make him consider the offer of becoming a warlord?
You.
Even to get such a strong asset into their hands the Marines refused to completely hand over an officer to someone that was considered an outlaw.
So the solution? You would become a supervisor of the swordsman. Glorified babysitting is what some would call it. A date with the guillotine is what you would call it. Worse part of this? There was no other position you could go to while being the supervisor of a warlord. It was impossible to leave the job as he would accept nobody else and as a result resign the position. You were in a cage and you had were becoming keenly aware that it seemed to have no door.
So, you accepted your task with none of the joy that the Pirate King seemed to have at his execution. What can you say? Not everybody was excited to meet their end.
As you walked back to your office you couldn’t help but drag your feet along the way. Knowing that you would get one week before having to meet with Mihawk, the bane of your existence.
You opened the door and closed it with the speed of someone who had the devil on their toes. Which wouldn’t be too far when you consider the situation you found yourself in.
However just as you did that your chair spun around to reveal Mihawk. Who was calmly nursing a glass of wine ( your wine ) and sitting down with the grace of someone who belonged there.
For a second you stared at each other in silence. Before you attempted to sprint back out from your office only to stop last minute as Mihawk’s words reached your ears.
“Take a step out of that door and only you and I will be left alive by the end of today.” He stated with the calmness of someone who knew that there was nobody in this building who could truly pose a challenge to him. The admirals were nowhere near and neither was the fleet admirals. Those who were in this building were of less ranking than a vice admiral. You were truly trapped.
“Mihawk…” You muttered with apprehension as you saw the sword that was resting on his lap.
“It’s been a while hasn’t it, beloved?” He stated with a small quirk of his lip. You had no doubt that he was finding sadistic amusement from this. Before you could answer he continued as if you had responded.
“I am a man of my word at the end of the day so I thought I should start your lessons early.” Your body shuddered at the implications of his anger being directed at you, “So, how about you start your apologies by getting on your knees?”
Although he worded the sentence as a question it was the furthest it could be from it.
And you were keenly aware you would never get away from this man unless he killed you first.
thinking about how shanks would be like when you’re pregnant with his child…
he’d be a mix of quiet strength and mischievous warmth - the same way he commands his crew but softens completely around you. everyday, he watches you carefully, like you’re the most precious treasure he’s ever laid eyes on.
not just you, but the life blooming inside of you, too.
he fusses over your every need, but never like you’re fragile - more like a captain tending to his crew:
when you stand too fast, he’s instantly there, steadying you with his hand and a teasing grin, brow raised, “careful, you’ve got precious cargo now.” and even as he jokes, his eyes never leave your face, always alert, analysing it for any sign of discomfort or pain.
the crew? they’re on high alert, benn carries your plate before you can even reach for it, lucky roux tries to sneak in healthy meals (which shanks secretly finds hilarious), and hongo stands watch like a loyal guardian, waiting to leap into action with his medical tools if you sneeze wrong.
your nausea though, hits hard sometimes, and shanks tries everything - singing off key sea shanties to your belly, offering lemons and pickles (sometimes both at once, just to see your reaction), and holding your hair back with the gentle patience of a man ready to be a father.
he’s hopelessly earnest, but it makes your heart ache with endless love every single time.
at night, when the world is quiet and the ship sways gently on the waves, he pulls you close, resting his hand over your bump whispering stories about luffy - the stubborn, fiery kid, his voice softens, warm and full of pride.
you smile against his chest, feeling a peace you never knew you needed.
this is the family he’s always dreamed of, and he’s ready to protect it with everything he has.
a/n: you could never convince me that he's a deadbeat
The fire’s warm. The moon hangs heavy above the ship.
Luffy leans back, arms behind his head, grinning “So, how’d you two end up together anyway?”
You blink “Us?”
Shanks smirks, sitting beside you on a crate “You wanna tell it, or should I?”
“Like hell I’m letting you tell it.” you mutter.
Nami leans in, curious. Sanji pours wine for Robin. Zoro pretends he’s not listening. Even Usopp’s wide-eyed. They’ve heard of Shanks the Yonko, but they never thought they’d hear him laughing like this.
You sigh “It started when we were kids.”
“She hated me.” Shanks says.
You shoot him a look “I ignored you.”
“Same thing.”
“No, it isn’t.”
“She’d walk past me every day like I was just a chair.”
“You sat like one. On the dock. All day.”
“I was watching the sea! I was thoughtful.”
“You were stupid.”
Shanks grins at the crew “See? True love.”
They laugh. You roll your eyes.
You look down at your hands “We were kids in the same village. I liked books. He liked trouble.”
“She liked pretending she didn’t care.” he adds.
“I didn’t.”
“You still don’t.” he teases.
Your voice softens “He followed me everywhere.”
Shanks turns to the crew “Everywhere.”
You smack his arm “Stop making it weird.”
He grins “I’m just saying. If she climbed a tree, I climbed it. If she stole an apple, I stole two.”
“And got caught.”
“I let them catch me so that they wouldn't catch you.”
You scoff “You cried.”
“I was seven!”
Everyone laughs again, but this time it fades slower.
You rest your chin on your hand “We grew up. He left first. Said the sea was calling. I said ‘Good. Don’t come back’.”
“But I did.” he says. Quiet now.
“You always did.” you say.
There’s a pause. The kind that only happens when people are listening too hard.
Nami’s voice breaks the silence “But when did you fall in love?”
You look at Shanks. He’s already looking at you.
You shrug “I don’t know. Maybe when he stopped being an idiot.”
“So never.” Luffy says.
Shanks chuckles “I knew before she did. I was always waiting.”
You swallow. Your voice is barely a whisper “I was afraid.”
“Why?” Luffy asks.
“Because he was everything I didn’t want to need.”
Shanks leans back, watching the fire “And I was just waiting for her to look at me the way I looked at her.”
Zoro snorts “That’s depressing.”
Robin smiles “It’s real.”
You toss a tangerine at Shanks. He catches it, grinning.
“You’re still annoying.” you say.
“And you still love me.” he says.
You don’t answer but you don’t deny it, either.
You throw another tangerine at Luffy. He dodges it, laughing with his mouth wide open.
“Why are you asking so many questions, huh?” you say, pointing at him “You’ve heard this story a million times.”
Luffy shrugs, still grinning “Because I love it!”
You squint at him “You didn’t even listen the first hundred times.”
“Yeah, but I remember all of it now,” he says “When I was a kid, I used to look up at Shanks like he was the sun. Strong. Loud. Impossible.”
Shanks rubs the back of his neck “Don’t make me sound too cool.”
“But when he was with you,” Luffy continues, softer now, “or talking about you… he changed.”
You blink. The fire crackles again.
“It was like you were his captain.” Luffy says.
Everyone goes quiet. Zoro pauses mid-drink. Nami watches you closely. Robin’s smile grows just a little.
Shanks doesn’t look at you. Not yet.
Luffy’s voice drops “And that always made me feel like… maybe the Shanks everyone fears... wasn’t that scary after all.”
Shanks finally glances at you. There’s no teasing in his eyes now.
You don’t know what to say to that.
Because it’s true. All those years he was off sailing, getting stronger, louder, more famous... he’d write to you like nothing had changed. Like he was still that barefoot boy chasing after you in the mud.
You hated those letters. You kept every single one.
“He never stops talking about you.” Luffy adds.
Shanks groans “Luffy—”
“No, really! He’d be telling us about a fight or a treasure, and then... bam ‘That reminds me of her’ or, ‘She would’ve laughed at that’ or—”
You point at him “You kissed me first. And you were obvious since you were 6.”
“Yeah, but you said it first.” he counters.
“Only because you were dying.”
“I wasn’t dying!”
“You had a spear in your shoulder!”
“A tiny spear.”
“You fainted.”
“I was tired!”
Nami shakes her head “You two are a mess.”
Robin sips her wine “A beautiful mess.”
Luffy lies back on the deck, hands behind his head again “I just knew you two would end up like this.”
“You weren't even there... But yeah,” you say quietly as you look at Shanks, and he’s already watching you “I think deep down… I always knew too.”
“So you didn’t join Shanks on the sea from the start?” Usopp asks, still wide-eyed like he’s listening to a bedtime story.
You snort “No. I didn’t want to.”
“She followed me anyway.” Shanks says, puffing his chest like a proud idiot.
You roll your eyes “I studied. For years. Maps. Languages. History. Ship mechanics. All of it. I worked harder than anyone.”
Robin tilts her head “So you could sail?”
You pause “So I could stand next to him without being a burden.”
Shanks turns to you, slower now, like he doesn’t want to ruin the moment “You never told me that.”
You pick at the edge of your sleeve “Yeah, well. You never shut up long enough to hear it.”
The crew laughs, but it’s gentler now.
“You know what’s funny?” you say, turning back to Luffy “The first time I met you, you looked at me like I was your mom and Shanks used to make fun of me.”
“What?” Luffy blinks.“No I didn’t!”
“Yes you did,” you say “You followed me around, asked if I had snacks, and called me ‘Miss Cool Pirate Lady’ for three days.”
Shanks throws his head back, laughing “I remember that!”
“You sat in the corner and drew me with a sword,” you add “And then said I was cooler than Shanks. And you called me mom by mistakes multiple times.”
“I WAS FIVE!” Luffy yells, red in the face now.
You smirk “Still true though.”
Shanks puts a hand over his heart “He used to blush like crazy everytime he realised he called you mom.”
There’s a quiet moment as the waves lap softly against the ship.
“Going back to that question... I didn’t plan to go to sea at first,” you admit “I wanted a small, quiet life.”
Shanks smiles, listening.
“But then he left,” you say, eyes on the stars “And I couldn’t stop wondering if he’d die without me.”
“That’s romantic,” Sanji says, dreamily.
“No,” you shake your head “That’s just the truth.”
“I didn’t ask you to come.” Shanks says softly.
“No,” you nod “You didn’t have to.”
You turn back to the Straw Hats “I joined the crew two years after he left. I showed up with a packed bag and told Benn, ‘Don’t make a big deal’.”
“And I immediately made a big deal.” Shanks grins.
“You tripped running down the dock.”
“I was moved, okay?”
“You fell into a crate of bananas.”
“It was an emotional day!”
Everyone’s laughing again. The air is full of warmth now, wine and fire and stories wrapped around the mast like wind.
Luffy lies on the floor of the Sunny, staring up at the sails “You two were the first people I ever saw who felt like family.”
You go still.
He says it so easily, like it’s always been true.
“I didn’t understand it then,” Luffy goes on, “but… when you were together, it felt safe. Not boring. Just… safe. Like home.”
You glance at Shanks. He’s not smiling now, not in the big, cocky way. This one’s smaller. Quieter. Like he can barely hold it.
“I guess I raised two idiots” you mutter, wiping your nose.
“You did,” Shanks says “And somehow, we both turned out okay.”
“Debatable.”
He bumps his shoulder against yours “Speak for yourself. I’m perfect.”
“You’re loud.”
“You love it.”
You don’t answer.
You just lean into him, just enough.
Luffy’s snoring now. Flat on his back, mouth open, arms spread like he owns the whole ship.
You nudge him with your toe. Nothing. Just louder snoring.
“I guess storytime’s over.” you say, standing and brushing off your pants.
Shanks stretches, groaning a little too dramatically “Guess that’s our cue to go.”
“Yeah,” you nod, already turning to leave “Let’s let the kids sleep.”
“Wait—WAIT.” Nami’s voice cuts through the quiet.
You freeze “What?”
“You’re not leaving yet,” she says, standing with her hands on her hips “You haven’t told us the best part.”
You sigh “Oh no.”
“How did he propose?” she grins.
“Oh no...” you repeat.
Usopp leans forward “Did he cry?”
Sanji fans himself “Was it romantic?”
Chopper is bouncing now “Did you say yes right away?!”
Franky still crying over your romantic stories.
Robin smiles “You must share. We’re invested now.”
You turn slowly toward Shanks.
He looks like a man standing in front of a cannon.
“We were supposed to not to tell anyone” you whisper.
He grins sheepishly “I didn’t!… Yet.”
You groan into your hands “You’re a menace.”
“But a charming menace.” he adds, winking.
“Don’t wink at me. I’m still mad.”
You face the crew with a deep sigh.
“Fine,” you say “But it wasn’t romantic.”
“Yes it was!” Shanks says.
“No. It wasn’t.”
“I tried to make it romantic.”
“You proposed during a storm.”
“It was dramatic!”
“We were sinking.”
“That’s memorable!”
Robin’s eyes sparkle “Please continue.”
You sit back down, crossing your arms “Okay. So. We’re in the middle of this horrible storm, waves taller than the ship. I’m tying down barrels, he’s yelling commands, the usual chaos.”
“And she looks amazing.” Shanks adds.
“Drenched.” You glare at him “Hair stuck to my face, one boot missing, and I’m yelling at the crew.”
“Very commanding... and sexy...” he says dreamily.
“And then,” you continue, ignoring him, “this idiot climbs the main mast with a ring in his mouth.”
Gasps around the fire.
“You didn’t...” Nami whispers.
“I did.” Shanks says proudly.
“And he screams... screams ‘WILL YOU MARRY ME?!’ while lightning is literally striking the ocean behind him.”
“You said yes.” he grins.
“I said, ‘GET DOWN BEFORE YOU DIE, YOU LUNATIC!’”
Robin is laughing quietly now. Chopper is wide-eyed. Usopp is trying not to cry while Franky is bawling.
Sanji puts a hand on his heart “That’s the most pirate thing I’ve ever heard.”
Zoro raises a brow “So when did you actually say yes?”
You sigh “Two days later. Calm seas. Clear skies. I was brushing my hair.”
“She just looks at me and goes, ‘I guess I’m stuck with you now’.”
“And then I threw the ring at him.” you say.
“You missed.”
“I aimed for your face.”
Everyone laughs again. The fire’s burning lower now, but no one wants to move.
Shanks wraps an arm around your shoulders, casual. Warm.
“And you still married me.” he says.
You glance up at him.
“You forgot the ring at the wedding.”
“It was in my other coat!”
“You don’t have another coat.”
“Exactly.”
You sigh, shaking your head, but you’re smiling now. Soft. Quiet. Real.
“He’s a disaster.” you say.
“She’s the reason I survive it.”
The fire’s nothing but glowing coals now.
Luffy’s curled up like a kid. Most of the Straw Hats are asleep, heads resting on arms, backs against barrels, dreams thick in the night air.
You and Shanks sit side by side, knees almost touching.
He’s quiet now. Not laughing. Just watching the waves.
You look out too.
Then he says, softly, “You never really wanted this life.”
You don’t look at him “I didn’t.”
“You wanted quiet.”
You nod “I wanted peace. Soft mornings.”
“And you got storms. Blood. Chaos.”
You smile, just a little “And you.”
He swallows “Sorry.”
You shake your head “Don’t be. I said yes.”
Shanks looks at you “Even after everything?”
You finally meet his eyes “Especially after everything.”
The ship rocks gently.
“You know,” you whisper, “when we were young, I thought you were the kind of boy who would burn the world just to see what was under it.”
“I was.” he says.
“And I thought I’d spend my life trying to stop you.”
He smiles faintly “Did you?”
“No,” you say “I ended up helping you light the match.”
You both laugh, soft and low.
You reach into your coat pocket and pull out a candy.
Shanks raises an eyebrow “You still carry those?”
“I always do, they're my favourite.” you say. You hand it to him.
You rest your head on his shoulder.
He doesn’t say anything. He just leans into you, warm and steady.
And in the quiet, in the dark, with the sea all around you and stars blinking like old friends overhead, you think:
No, I didn’t get the life I planned. But I got the one I chose.
Hiiii hope all is well 💖 Could I request Doflamingo, Shanks, Crocodile and Mihawk with a reader that somehow always ends up in danger, like typical damsel in distress
Sorry for not answering sooner, but my Professor found my account here and told me to stop writing and I was literally "I can do whatever the fuck I want since I'm an adult." So yeah sorry starlight I hope you enjoy ✨
The door to the warehouse splinters into kindling. Doflamingo steps inside, dragging a severed head by the hair—the leader of the crew who took you—before tossing it casually into a corner. He steps over the bodies, his grin sharp and terrifying.
"Fufufu. Did you miss me?" he asks, strolling over to where you’re tied up. He slices your bonds with a flick of his pinky and grabs your face, his grip tight enough to bruise. "I had to cancel a very important meeting because of your little field trip. Do you have any idea how annoying that is?"
"I didn't mean to cause trouble," you stammer, looking up at him.
"Trouble is your middle name," he corrects, lifting you up and throwing you over his shoulder effortlessly. He slaps your thigh, not quite a spank but a warning. "You’re hopeless. Completely incompetent at staying alive. It’s a good thing you’re entertaining, or I’d have left you here to rot."
"Doffy, put me down," you huff, squirming slightly.
"Quiet," he commands, walking out of the bloody room. "You're coming back to the castle. I’m locking you in my room until I decide you’ve learned your lesson. Don't give me that look—you brought this on yourself."
𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕜𝕤
The alley is filled with groaning thugs clutching their heads, victims of Shanks' Conqueror's Haki. Shanks himself is leaning against the wall, nursing a bottle of sake, looking more bored than angry. He spots you huddled by the crates and sighs dramatically.
"You know, for someone who claims to hate violence, you sure end up in the middle of a lot of fistfights," he remarks, pushing off the wall and sauntering over. He picks you up by your waist, setting you on your feet but keeping a hand on your hip to steady you. "I was in the middle of a negotiation, too. Beckman is going to lecture me for days."
"I didn't ask them to grab me," you protest, dusting off your shirt.
"Never said you did," he grins, tipping his bottle back. "You just have one of those faces. The 'come ruin my day' face." He ruffles your hair, messing it up completely. "Try to be a little less pathetic next time, yeah? Maybe scream a little louder? I almost didn't hear you over the sound of my own boredom."
"Shanks!" you pout.
"Alright, alright," he laughs, wrapping an arm around your shoulders and steering you toward the ship. "Let's get you back before you accidentally wander into a naval fleet. I can't protect you 24/7, you know. Well, I could, but I’d rather be drinking."
𝕊𝕚𝕣 ℂ𝕣𝕠𝕔𝕠𝕕𝕚𝕝𝕖
The marine base is half-buried in sand, the structures melted into glass by Crocodile's power. He walks through the devastation, his hook resting on his shoulder, looking thoroughly unimpressed. He finds you sitting on a pile of rubble, waiting for him.
"You have a talent for getting captured," he says, stopping in front of you. He blows a cloud of smoke in your direction. "It’s almost impressive, really. Most people try to avoid Marines. You seem to run toward them."
"They ambushed me," you retort, crossing your arms.
"And you let them," he counters, offering you his hook. "Up. We’re leaving." When you take it, he hauls you up onto his floating sand cloud. "I’m not your babysitter. If you keep this up, I’m going to start charging you for my services. I could be running an underground crime syndicate right now, but instead, I’m here playing hero."
"I'm just lucky you like me," you mutter.
"Don't flatter yourself," he scoffs, turning his gaze to the horizon. "You're just high maintenance. Like a very loud, very expensive piece of furniture." He glances at you sideways. "Try not to fall off. I won't stop the ship to scrape you off the deck."
𝕄𝕚𝕙𝕒𝕨𝕜
Mihawk wipes a speck of blood from his cheek with a handkerchief, looking down at the heap of unconscious bounty hunters. He sighs, the sound long-suffering and deep. He steps over the bodies and crouches beside you, slicing through your ropes with a small dagger.
"This is the third time this month," he states, his tone flat and unamused. "I am beginning to think you do this on purpose. Do you enjoy interrupting my evenings?"
"I just wanted to go for a walk," you say, rubbing your wrists.
"A walk," he repeats dryly, sheathing his dagger. "In a forest known for harboring criminals. Brilliant." He stands up and offers you his hand, pulling you to your feet with a sigh. "You are a liability. A magnet for mediocrity. I swear, fighting Shanks is less trouble than keeping you alive."
"I'm sorry, okay? It's not like I can fight like you."
"Clearly," he says, dusting off your shoulder. "I suppose I’ll have to work on your survival skills again. You’re hopeless." He starts walking toward the castle, expecting you to follow. "Come along. And try to walk without tripping over your own feet. I have a headache, and I don't need you adding to it by screaming because you saw a spider."
You trot to catch up to him. "I love you too, Mihawk."
He doesn't look back, but you catch the faintest smirk on his lips. "Hmph. Just be quiet and keep up."
WARNINGS: nothing too explicit. Reader is in states of undress/naked but kept lighthearted. Mutual feelings/pining. Scenario is set before they are in a relationship with reader.
CHARACTERS: Shanks, Sabo
WORDS: 2,347
A/N: So this was meant to be done with more characters and meant to come out at the start of December but the extra work and general busyness of this month took its toll on me more than expected. I'm not super happy with how this turned out and sadly only got two characters written. Maybe if you all like it I might revisit the idea with more characters in the future. Hoping to have more stuff posted soon and hope you all enjoy
*REQUESTS ARE OPEN*
DIRECTORY | PROMPT LIST | KO-FI
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SHANKS
Shanks yawned long and stretched out his body, making use of the full expanse of his bed to loosen the tightened muscles from having slept for so long and deeply. Slowly he rolled onto his back and rubbed his his eyes before dropping his arm over his face, trying to work himself up to actually get out of bed. On days like this while they were docked on an island nestled safely and secured deep in his territory there was no need for rushing about, set routines and watches to bother with. He and the crew could just go at their own pace, spend their days off of the ship if they desired- which many of them did- and soak up as much enjoyment as they could on land before the open seas called to them again.
From outside his cabin, Shanks couldn’t seem to hear or sense too much activity, not that his mind was awake enough to really put too much effort into anything just yet. Maybe if he got up and washed he’d be more alert? Regardless of being in his own territory he still had to act as the captain in some capacity and at least make an appearance in case he was truly needed for something. With a low groan, Shanks pulled himself out of the bed and shuffled lazily out of his cabin and down the quiet hallways of the Red Force until he was at the shared bathroom and with another long yawn he pushed open the door and stepped inside.
As the door swung shut your head snapped up and you froze, widening eyes locking with your Captain’s. There you were, the shock keeping you stuck in the middle of climbing out of the tub with Shanks staring only at your face, at least in those first extremely tense seconds. Shanks knew he shouldn’t look anywhere but your face, he kept his attention solely on your eyes. If he’d walked in on anyone else it would have been no problem but this was you. You were different. Sure he’d had thoughts about you and was definitely attracted to you but this was not a scenario he wished to happen when it came to actually seeing you like this for the first time.
He couldn’t fuck this up. He told himself he wouldn’t. Then in the middle of his mental lecture a droplet of water caught his attention as it rolled down your check and neck. Forgetting himself in that moment Shanks’ eyes dropped. Then the tension snapped and everything set into motion again. The second Shanks’ eyes moved from your gaze, you whipped the damp washcloth through the air, letting it slap against your Captain’s face with a crack at the same time you dropped back into the water. Out of instinct, Shanks lifted his hand to the cloth covering his eyes but stopped when your voice spoke up. “Don’t you dare!”
“Right! Right!” Shanks immediately pressed his hand against the fabric and turned around to face away from you. “Sorry! This was all-”
“Just…don’t.” You muttered as you eyed him steadily and reattempted to leave the tub, hurriedly grabbing the closest towel and wrapped it tightly around you. Fuelled by your own embarrassment of being seen like this unexpectedly by the man you’d been having feelings for you just wanted to move passed this and go back to normal. “The less said about this, the better.”
“Okay, whatever you say!” Shanks quickly agreed, deciding to do anything to keep you at ease. The last thing he wanted was to make you uncomfortable or make it seem like he’d planned on this to happen. Keeping his back to you he lightly cleared his throat. “So who do you think will come back to the ship the most hungover?”
“Great small-talk Shanks.” You said with a small laugh as you pulled on your clothes. As tense as you had been, Shanks always found a way to settle you, even a little to help which you appreciated. “I hope they’re all too hungover to even think about coming back here until a lot later. Last thing I need is running into Lucky or Yasopp after this.”
“Oh yeah those two do enjoy a good gossip don’t they?” Shanks mused with a small smile, tensing slightly when he sensed you approach his side and pulled the cloth away. Only then did he blink and look down to meet your gaze. Even though you were clothed he kept his gaze firmly on your face. He could see the worry faintly hiding in your practiced stare and gently curled his fingers under your chin. “Hey, no-one’s going to hear about this from me. Promise.”
“Not even when there’s another competition for whose got the best story?”
“Not even then. I’m taking this to the grave.” Shanks promised, relaxing when he saw you smile in relief. It wasn’t just relief that he’d be quiet about this, but also because this little incident hadn’t ruined the way things were between you both Happy to leave things like that you moved to the door and stepped out to let Shanks wash since that was his reason for being here in the first place. You prepared to head to the deck only to pause when Shanks softly spoke your name to catch your attention again.“The last thing I want is any of those guys to picture you that way, I don’t need the extra competition.”
You’re eyes widened slightly when Shanks added fuel to the fire and increased beating of your heart when he threw you a wink and that dangerously charming smile of his before retreating back into the bathroom and shutting the door. Slowly you turned and made your way to the deck. It wasn’t long after that when the others returned and Shanks decided to lift anchor and set sail once more. The addition of the crew and sudden motion into setting about tasks managed to keep your mind off of what had happened. It wasn’t until night fell and you sat on the railing of the ship, talking and laughing with everyone that you glanced over at the same time Shanks. For a moment your gazes lingered and your lips curved into a small smile that you quickly hid with your mug at the same time he looked away. You’d been silly to think things would just continue as normal with Shanks. There was definitely a shift in the air between you two but you could definitely say you didn’t regret the change.
SABO
You ordinarily didn’t mind the undercover operations when you were tasked with them. You just saw it as part of the job, just an mild inconvenience on the path to achieving leading a kingdom or island under tyranny to rise up and revolt against their cruel and corrupt leaders. You took every mission seriously and pushed through every obstacle presented with steeled focus and a clear view that it would be worth it in the long run. You were a Revolutionary, there were more important things at stake than petty complaints and momentary annoyances and for a lot of the time you ignored them and moved on. Tonight though? Tonight had taken all of your mental energy to set yourself amongst the worst of the worst, to smile and nod, and pretend you shared their evil ideals and views. To make matters worse you were also outfitted in the most outrageous of outfits to fit in with rest.
So many unnecessary layers and ruffles and uncomfortable assembly that no matter which way you moved somehow something would dig and pinch into your body, not enough for injury but just enough to irritate and whittle away at your patience with every second you wore it. As you mingled and worked the crowd, you endured the growing annoyance and discomfort. Through it all you trained your expression into the mask of a party-goer enjoying the festivities and keeping the attention of the host and his friends while waiting for the signal that your partner had accomplished his side of the mission. Thankfully the signal came in the not-so subtle fashion of smoke billowing from the kitchen causing the servants to flee with coughs and splutters drawing the attention of others. Then the lights in the large ballroom flickered and plunged everything into darkness and chaos.
Amidst the frightened and scrambling crowd you manoeuvred calmly but stiffly to get to the pre-determined exit, your usual skill and swiftness incredibly hindered by the ludicrous outfit you knew you would soon be free from. Slipping outside the building and down the alleyway nearby you lightly cleared your throat to catch the attention of the man waiting for you. You both had to arrive at the party at separate times so this was the first time either of you got to see the other and seeing Sabo’s given disguise made your face fall into annoyance. His expression however lit into immediate joy and the Chief of Staff did all that he could to suppress his building laughter. Now fuelled by even more irritation and want to get back into your own clothes you sharply elbowed the blond in the ribs and continued passed him to head for the hotel you were both staying in.
“Seriously what are you wearing?” Sabo choked out, quickly looking away. He knew he would burst out laughing if he properly looked at you and not wanting to draw attention he did all that he could to stay focussed on the mission. Once you were both safely inside he could laugh and tease you to his hearts content. Instead of answering him you threw another jab at his side, not using your full strength but just enough to tell him you weren’t in the mood for his jokes. “I’m honestly curious! You look….nice.”
“You’re an awful liar when it suits you to be Sabo.” You muttered throwing a disgusted look at his clothes, the jealousy and bitterness shaping your lips as you glared at the ground. “So unfair. You get to wear actual clothes that look comfy and I’m given this literal torture device.” To prove your point your foot caught on an unnecessary panel of fabric of your clothes and you stumbled. Sabo caught you effortless and his carefree laugh snapped the last thread of patience you had.
When you were both in your room without anyone spotting you, you charged into the bedroom and slammed the door, you goal of getting out of your clothes in mind. Sabo however grinned broadly and laughed fully now that he saw the clothes in the proper lighting before you had disappeared. “Oh I have to get a picture of this! Koala will die!” He laughed, rifling through his pockets to find the snail-camera. As his hand secured around the device he hurried to the door. Throwing it open and quickly snapping a picture while calling out “Hey, don’t change yet! I want to preserve this forev…er” Sabo trailed off the last word as he stood clumsily in the doorway staring with wide eyes as he had barged in on the sight of you.
From the second you’d entered the room you’d gotten to work pulling apart the outfit, not caring to be delicate or gentle. The more damage you enacted on it the better. You’d been too preoccupied in freeing yourself and relishing in the sounds of fabric ripping and snapping that you hadn’t properly heard Sabo approach or enter. Not until the flash of the camera came. Your head snapped over and you stared from Sabo to the snail and back to Sabo again. “Did you…did you just take a picture?” You asked in a dangerous whisper.
“No! I mean yes!” Sabo hurriedly answered while turning his head and wildly gesturing with his free hand. “Not in a perverted way! I swear!”
“Perverted?” You repeated in confusion only now looking down to see just how undressed you now were now that you’d rid yourself of so many of those layers. Your breath choked into your throat and heat flared in your face. Diving at the bed you hurriedly grabbed the bathrobe and pulled it on. When you let out a sigh of relief of being more appropriately covered Sabo chanced a look, sighing in relief himself to see you covered. “Okay give me the snail-cam.”
“Uhh.” You tilted your head to the side when Sabo shook his head. You took a step toward him and held out your hand only to scoff when he moved it out of reach.
“Sabo! Gimmie!” You demanded, throwing yourself at him while reaching for the camera. “No one is seeing that photo!”
“You can’t delete it without deleting everything on the film.” Sabo explained, holding the camera higher just as you managed to tackle him to the ground. At his words you paused and stared at him with growing horror. And realisation. “It has to stay until Dragon sees the evidence I got.”
With a groan your hands dropped and you slumped forward on top of him, face pressed in his chest, only able to think of the growing mortification of Dragon, your Boss and leader of the Revolutionary Army seeing you half-dressed. “I’m so sorry. I’ll explain everything to him.”
“Damn right you are.” You grumbled, lifting your head to scowl at Sabo. You knew he didn’t mean for this to happen and seeing his usually cheerful face now fallen into a miserable and guilty expression lessened your annoyance slightly.You got to your feet and gathered the ruined parts of the outfit and dumped them unceremoniously onto Sabo’s head. “But in the future, you’re the one to wear the elaborate disguises.”
“You got yourself a deal!” Sabo laughed up at you, unable to shake the overwhelming feeling of elation that washed over him. You still wanted to go on missions with him, even after this and he silently swore to himself that he would not take that for granted.
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A/N: thanks Ann(on) for the request "shanks x kind f reader who is member of Kuja Pirates( not leader and before boa) who gets love sickness." So i took some liberties writing this since there's not that much known how love sickness truly works and I honestly still don't quite get it, so this is my interpretation.
Word Count >5.000
Plot: you see shanks for the first time at a port and that encounter is throwing your whole life upside down and it gets worse when he docks at amazon lily.
Warnings: sfw, fluff, love sickness, use of Y/N, I feel the Kujas and Nyon are very OOC and I have honestly no clue how this whole love sickness and Kuja hierarchy works, not proofread
Characters: Shanks x FKujaReader
The port was a chaotic symphony of gulls, shouting merchants, and the heavy thud of cargo hitting the docks. As a member of the Kuja pirates, you moved through the crowd with a natural, predatory grace. Your sisters were scattered nearby, their expressions curled in the usual masks of cold indifference or outright disgust toward the local men.
"Keep your eyes forward," your squad leader hissed, hoisting a barrel onto her shoulder. "Don't let these scavengers think we’re soft."
"Understood," you murmured, lifting a heavy wooden crate filled with medicinal herbs. You felt strong, disciplined and entirely untouchable.
Until you saw him.
Through a gap in the moving crowd, a splash of deep crimson caught your eye. Standing by a stack of lumber was a man, but not like the others. Sun-kissed, scar over his eye, infuriatingly handsome. He wore a strawhat, an unbuttoned white shirt and a tattered black cloak that caught the sea breeze. He was laughing, his head thrown back, one hand resting on the hilt of a sword while he joked with a large man eating a piece of meat on a bone.
It wasn't just his appearance, it was the warmth radiating from him. His smile felt like the sun breaking through a storm. For the first time in your life, the "disgust" you were trained to feel was replaced by a strange, soaring lightness in your lungs.
Then, the world slowed down.
The man turned his head. His gaze swept over the crowd and landed squarely on you. His eyes crinkled at the corners, and he offered a casual, friendly grin, a silent acknowledgment from one pirate to another. And just like that, something inside your chest fluttered wildly, like a hummingbird had gotten trapped behind your ribs.
Then a loud thud.
The heavy crate slipped from your numb fingers, hitting the cobblestones with a bone-jarring crack. A high-pitched, strangled "Eep!" escaped your throat, a sound so uncharacteristic of a Kuja warrior that a few nearby civilians turned to stare.
Heat exploded across your face, turning your skin a shade of red that rivaled the stranger's hair. In a blind panic, you didn't pick the crate up. Instead, you dropped to your knees and scrambled behind the spilled wood and herbs, tucking your head down.
Your heart was hammering against your ribs like a drum. "What was that?" you thought wildly, clutching your burning cheeks. "What is wrong with my legs? Why can't I breathe?"
From the other side of the crates, you heard a deep, melodic chuckle and the steady thump-thump of boots approaching.
"Hey there," a smooth, cheerful voice called out. "That was quite a spill. You okay, or did the crate win that round?"
You peeked out from behind the splintered wood, just enough for one eye to crest the top of the crate. There he was. Up close, he was even more overwhelming and handsome, the scent of salt air and expensive sake clung to him and his presence felt like a physical heat.
"There you are," he said, his voice dropping into a warm, amused hum. He didn't look offended by your hiding, if anything, he looked genuinely concerned or maybe amused you weren't quite sure.
"I-I... u-uh..." You tried to pull your warrior’s mask back on, but it had melted away. Your tongue felt like a heavy piece of lead in your mouth. "Crate... the floor... it just... it jumped."
He let out a short, bark-like laugh, his eyes dancing with mischief. "Jumped, huh? Sounds like a dangerous piece of cargo." He reached up adjusting the strawhat to get a better look at you. "I'm Shanks. Captain of those rowdy types over there. And you’re one of the famous Kuja, aren't you? I’d recognize those serpent earrings anywhere."
Every time he smiled, it felt like a tiny shockwave hit your heart. You were supposed to be a hunter, a protector of Amazon Lily, but right now you felt like a leaf in a gale because no one had ever prepared you for a smile like this.
"I'm [Y/N]," you finally managed to squeak out, though it came out an octave higher than usual.
"Well, [Y/N]," he said, moving with a casual, effortless grace as he knelt down on the dusty cobblestones. "Let’s get this sorted before your Captain comes looking for you. I’d hate for you to get in trouble on my account."
He began picking up the spilled medicinal herbs and jars, his large, scarred hands moving with surprising gentleness. As he handed you a bundle of dried roots, his fingers brushed against yours.
The contact sent a jolt through your entire body. Heat flared instinctively for a split second before fizzling out into a puddle of nerves. Your face was so hot you were certain steam was actually rising from your skin.
"You're shaking," Shanks noted softly, pausing as he looked at you. His expression softened, his gaze searching yours with an intensity that made your breath catch. "Are you ill? The sun is pretty brutal today."
Ill. That was the word. You weren't just ill, you were catching the one disease the Kuja feared more than death. And as you looked into his kind, curious eyes, you realized you didn't want the cure.
"...fine...I'm fine" you managed to stammer, though your voice lacked any of its usual steel.
The lie felt paper-thin, even to your own ears. You were a warrior of the sea, a woman who could take down a Sea King with a single arrow, yet here you were, undone by a man with a crooked grin and a strawhat.
Your eyes, betrayed by your racing heart, began to wander. You noticed the rough texture of his hand as he placed the last of the herbs back into the crate. You traced the three distinct scars over his left eye, wondering what kind of beast or blade could have left its mark on a man who felt so untouchable.
But despite the scars, your eyes always snapped back to his mouth. That smile. It was infectious, bright and utterly devastating. It made the world around you, the shouting merchants, the smell of fish, the calls of your sisters, fade into a dull hum.
Shanks stood up, effortlessly lifting the now-repacked crate as if it weighed nothing at all. He held it out to you, his head tilted slightly to the side.
"If you say so," he said, his voice laced with a playful skepticism. "But you're a bit lopsided, [Y/N]. If you keep staring at me like I've got two heads, you’re going to trip over that crate again."
He chuckled, a deep sound that seemed to vibrate right through your chest, landing exactly where your heart was currently trying to beat it's way out of your ribs.
"There," he said, settling the weight of the crate back into your arms. His hand lingered on the wood for a second too long, his thumb brushing your wrist. "Try to keep your grip this time. It’d be a shame to lose such a pretty face behind a pile of lumber again."
He gave you a final, wink before turning to walk back toward his crew. "See ya around, Kuja girl!"
You stood there, frozen, clutching the crate to your chest like a lifeline. Your legs felt like they had been replaced by jelly and a strange, hollow ache began to bloom right behind your sternum. You watched his retreating back, the way his red hair caught the sun and you realized with a surge of genuine terror that the world felt colder the further away he walked.
"Hey! What are you doing?" a sharp voice suddenly barked.
You jumped, nearly dropping the crate a second time as your squad leader marched over, her brow furrowed in suspicion. "Why is your face that color? And why were you speaking to that man? You look like you're about to faint."
"I... the sun," you whispered, the lie tasting like ash. "The sun is just... very bright today and he.....I told him to get lost."
She looked at you a moment longer but bought the lie. "Well next time bring a hat or something" she said before she turned to walk onto the ship.
You let out a deep sigh before you followed her and after putting the herbs away got to your cabin instead of the galley to eat something.
The door to your cabin clicked shut, muffling the rhythmic sounds of the Kuja ship, the snapping of sails and the distant calls of your sisters. Usually, the scent of the sea and the hardwood of the ship brought you comfort, but now, the room felt stiflingly quiet.
You slumped against the door, sliding down until you were sitting on the floor, the crate of herbs forgotten in the corner.
"Pretty..." you breathed out, the word feeling like a secret on your tongue. "He called me... pretty."
You let out a long, shaky sigh that seemed to drain the last of the strength from your limbs. Normally, if a man had dared to comment on your appearance, you would have laid him flat or pierced him with an arrow. But with Shanks, the word hadn't felt like an insult, it felt like so ething sweeter, genuine.
You squeezed your eyes shut and his image was immediately burned into the back of your eyelids. Not the powerful pirate captain, but the man who had knelt in the dirt just to help you.
"Such a warm smile," you whispered, a dizzying swoon washing over you.
Your chest felt tight, not the tightness of a corset or armor, but a strange, heavy ache that made it hard to draw a full breath. You knew you should be at the galley. The Kuja warriors ate heartily to keep their strength and today's haul of sea-king meat was supposed to be excellent. But the very thought of food made your stomach flutter uncomfortably.
You weren't hungry for meat. You weren't thirsty for water.
You reached up, touching your own cheek, which was still radiating heat. You could still feel the phantom sensation of his thumb brushing your wrist. Every time you replayed the moment he winked at you, a sharp, stabbing pain shot through your heart—a pain that was somehow... delicious?
"What is happening to me?" you groaned, burying your face in your hands.
You were a warrior. You were cold as steel and sharpened liked a knife. Yet, here you were, hiding in your cabin because a red-haired man had been kind to you, had disarmed you with a smile.
No one knew that this encounter would become a turning point in your life.
A few weeks later you still couldn't get him out of your head, still seeing his smile whenever you closed your eyes and feeling the warmth of his tumb brushing your wrist. You tried to focus on your training, on the pride of Amazon Lily, but your thoughts were like a compass caught in a magnetic storm, spinning wildly and always pointing back to the smiling red haired Captain.
You were no longer allowed near the training fields. Not since you accidentally daydreamed mid-sparring session and almost shot someone with your arrow because you were distracted by a cloud that seemed to look like Shanks' smile and then you were too busy imagining what it would be like to brush Shanks’ hair behind his ear.
You had just been in the garden, tending to the rare herbs used for salves and trying to distract yourself when the sound of a very familiar laugh made your spine go stiff.
You climbed a vine-covered wall to get a better look and there he was. Shanks. His coat billowed despite there being no wind, red hair shimmering in the sun, a laugh like thunder. He turned and looked up......only to smile right at you and just like that, something inside your chest fluttered even wilder now and you felt like you had been shot with an arrow. "You again" he called over.
And you, you slipped and fell down scraping your cheek slightly on the stone wall.
Damn him. Damn his charm. Damn the way your face was suddenly burning and your fingers trembled like you had touched poison and damn how your mind spiraled even more now that you saw him again.
You heard Shanks chuckle but before he could approach you one of your sisters got in the way demanding to know what they were doing here. "We just need to do some repairing on the ship we'll be gone within 3 days. We won't leave the shore just fix some things" he explained and then he smiled at the warrior sisters who were ready to skewer him and somehow it melted into negotiations. Smirks turned into shared drinks. Harsh stares turned into chuckles. And the red hair pirates were allowed to stay on the beach and repair their ship.
But their stay seemed to throw your world upside down once again, if you were clumsy before you were chaos now, your focus non existing, you couldn’t even hold a conversation without trailing off mid-sentence and smiling at nothing like a lovesick fool and you swooned and daydreamed about him constantly as you watched him from afar not daring to get closer to him......yet.
Shanks was just helping his men by fixing some things on their ship, completely unaware of the emotional devastation he had left in his wake.
Your sisters walked by and froze in place as they saw you lean over the wall, chin resting in your hand staring softly at him. "…She’s doing it again," one whispered. "She’s been like this all morning," said another.
The older Kuja warriors were losing their minds. "You’re insane" one snapped, shaking her spear. "Get up! You are a warrior of Amazon Lily, not some simpering man’s plaything!"
A few hours later you felt a tiny bit better but not much. You still didn’t eat and instead spent hours just lying in the grass, sighing dramatically into the wind, staring at the clouds like they were all shaped like his handsome face.
Your sisters were horrified and didn't know what to do anymore. "She won’t touch her food!" one of the guards complained, holding a tray of fresh-cooked bird meat. "She just… stared at it for fifteen minutes and whispered, ‘I wonder if he likes mangoes more than papayas…’"
You though didn't hear or realize any of their concerns, you were too busy watching Shanks move around his ship, talk and laugh with his men as they worked.
When you started burning up with a fever, the elder healers took one look at you and sighed.
“She’s love-sick,” one muttered.
You though denied it. Of course you did. You were a proud Kuja warrior! You had trained with sea serpents, hunted beasts in the jungle! You would not be felled by a man and his lopsided grin!
But you couldn’t stop dreaming of him. Couldn’t stop remembering the way his eyes sparkled when he laughed, the kindness in his voice, his warm and charming smile or how his scar made him look rugged in a way that made your knees weak.
You used to be composed, graceful, thoughtful and respected among your sisters for your calm demeanor and healing hands. You used to tend wounds without hesitation, stare down beasts twice your size and carry yourself with the quiet confidence of a true Kuja warrior.
And now?
Now you kicked your feet in the air like a teenager at the edge of the cliffside, hands squished against your cheeks, squealing under your breath because he said your name.
On the second evening, long after the fires burned low and most were asleep you sat close to the shore under the star-speckled sky by yourself, trying to will your heart into behaving.
"You alright there?" You froze as Shanks walked up to you. He lowered himself beside you, a flask in one hand, his scent warm and heady, salt, sea and something wild.
"I’m fine," you murmured not able to look at him.
"Hmm. You look flushed," he said, teasingly and leaned closer. "Don’t tell me you’ve caught a bit of... sickness?"
You wanted the ground to eat you whole but instead, you crossed your arms, biting your lip. "It’s a... tropical flu."
He laughed. That deep, devastating sound again.
"You Kuja women are something else," he said, looking up at the stars. "Strong as hell. Deadly. But you—"
He turned to you and those damn eyes were boring into you, tearing every wall you ever had down. "You’re... softer. Gentle. That’s rare in this world."
You finally dared to meet his gaze fully and you wished you hadn’t. His expression was open, warm and honest. He wasn’t teasing anymore.
"I noticed you from the start," he admitted. "Didn’t think that after last time I could get close to you again."
He looked at you and then smiled. That smile, that beautiful, radiant, hopelessly charming smile. The one that made the air in your lungs evaporate. The one that curved the corners of his mouth and made his scars look softer somehow. The one that made it feel like the jungle around you blurred, like the world itself leaned just a little closer to watch.
Your knees buckled, your heart thudded, love sickness reaching its final, critical stage.
"I HATE YOU!" you suddenly shouted despite knowing it wasn'ttrue but you panicked.
Shanks reeled back, wide-eyed at your sudden outburst. "What?! What’d I do?!"
"You made me feel things!" you shouted. "You—you SMILED and now I can’t sleep and I trip over my feet and I can’t train and I giggle when I see clouds or fruit that looks like you!"
"…You’ve seen fruit that looks like me?"
"THAT’S NOT THE POINT!" You turned away, flustered beyond repair. "I’m a warrior. I’m strong. And you—you ruined me with one damn smile!"
There was a beat of silence before Shanks chuckled, inching closer.
"Well… if it makes you feel any better," he said gently, "I’m starting to feel a little ruined too."
"You are?" You asked looking up at him slowly, eyes wide.
"Yeah," he grinned, tilting your chin up. "By a very sweet, flustered warrior who keeps hiding every time I say hi and try to get close." He continued laughing softly not knowing what was truly going on.
And then just like that he kissed you.
It was soft, careful. Like he knew you were melting on the spot and didn’t want to push too far.
And you... you leaned into it, damn the rules, damn the island, damn the fever that now burned only for him.
"Ah," you breathed faintly and then....thud. You collapsed on your back like you had been taken down by a sniper.
Shanks panicked and looked wide eyed at you crouching beside you asking what was going on until a few of your sisters arrived startled by the shouting.
"She’s been struck! The love sickness has claimed her!" One of the elder warriors declared, horrified.
And in the middle of the chaos, Shanks looked utterly baffled, having no clue what was going on right now.
"What? What happened?!" he asked confused.
Two of your sisters surrounded you protectively. You were half-conscious, face flushed, mumbling something about his smile, his hair, his….everything.
"It’s your fault! She has fallen for you and now she’s about to die!" One of your sisters shouted.
"Wait, what?!" Shanks blinked. "I just—smiled?"
"She’s in the throes of love sickness!" another woman snapped, as if it were the most obvious curse in the world. "She cannot eat, cannot sleep, she is overwhelmed by feelings for you! And if it continues— "
"She’ll die!" finished the healer gravely.
Shanks paled. "Wait, wait. I didn’t harm her I just......kissed her!"
"That's the worst you could have done," the healer growled. "She has already fallen for you," she continued more to herself.
Shanks opened his mouth to argue, but then his eyes dropped to you, lying on the ground like a withered lily, cheeks red, lips parted in a faint sigh of his name, hand on your forehead.
His heart thudded once, deep in his chest. "Fuck, I’m sorry I didn’t know anything about this sickness. But she’ll be alright again right?" Shanks asked, a little concerned.
"We’ll have to see, for now we should get her to her room and give her some rest and maybe you should go back to your ship." one of your sisters said as you were carefully taken away by them.
A few hours later you were in your room but not doing much better ypur thoughts still occupied by Shanks and his heart-melting smile.
You didn't hear the soft footsteps in the hallway, nor the shadow that stopped outside your door.
"Staring at the walls won't make the fever go away," a raspy, knowing voice sounded from the other side.
You jolted upright, your heart leaping into your throat. The door creaked open wider and Elder Nyon shuffled in, her snake-topped staff clicking rhythmically against the floorboards. She didn't look angry, she looked pitying, which was far worse.
"It’s a heavy burden, isn't it?" she asked, her small eyes fixed on your flushed face. "The weight of a man’s smile when it takes root in a heart that was taught to be made of stone."
You tried to stand, to find your dignity, but your knees wobbled. "It's just... the heat, the shock of his sudden closeness Elder Nyon. I'll be fine by morning."
"We both know you won't" she countered. "I know that look. I felt it once, long ago, when the Great Pirate Gol D. Roger stood on his deck. I felt my spirit begin to wilt like a flower in a drought. I nearly withered away to nothing because I tried to fight the truth."
Your eyes widened. You had heard legends of the Pirate King, but to imagine the stern Elder Nyon feeling this... this weakness?
"And I was not the only one," Nyon continued, her voice dropping to a nostalgic whisper. "Shakuyaku, she was a captain of the Kuja, the pride of our people. But when she met the Dark King, Rayleigh, the sickness claimed her too. She didn't stay to die of a broken heart. She chose the path of the exile. She left the Kuja, gave up her title and followed that man."
She turned back to you, her expression grave.
"This 'Love Sickness' is not a common cold, child. It is the body’s rebellion against the soul’s denial. To love a man is the ultimate taboo for our kind, yet our hearts do not care for laws. Shakky survived because she went to him. I survived because I left Amazon Lilly to join another crew and eventually let the feeling go, though I feel like a part of me died in the process."
The ache in your chest sharpened, a literal pang that made you gasp and clutch at your tunic.
"The Red-Haired man," Nyon said, narrowing her eyes. "He is of the same breed as Roger and Rayleigh. A man like that is a hurricane. You can either be swept up in his wake, or you can stay here and let the storm tear you apart from the inside."
You looked down at your trembling hands. "But... the Empress... my sisters... I am a Kuja!"
"You are a woman," Nyon corrected sternly. "And right now, you are a woman who is dying for a glimpse of red hair and a reckless laugh. Tell me, [Y/N], do you think you can survive a week without seeing his smile again after he sailed away, after tonight?"
The silence that followed was your answer. The mere thought of never seeing Shanks again felt like a death sentence more certain than any executioner’s blade.
"No" you admitted. "His smile is…..thinking of it makes my heart feel like exploding and the way he kissed me...." you confessed already swooning again before ypu turned to look at Nyon again.
"My child," she said solemnly. "There is only one cure now."
You blinked slowly. "…Death?"
"No you idiot. Departure." She stepped closer, using her staff to tilt your chin up so you had to look her in the eye. "That is the nature of the sickness. It strips away your armor and leaves you raw. But listen to me, a man like Red-Haired Shanks doesn't help a woman pick up herbs and call her 'pretty', let alone kiss her if he intends to be cruel. He has a spirit as vast as the Grand Line but he is not heartless."
Your breath hitched. "You’re telling me to... to desert?"
"I am telling you to live happily," she countered. "Shakky chose her path and she us happy now. If you stay here, you will be a corpse in a week and your sisters will have to bury a girl whose only crime was wanting to be loved. Don't worry I'll talk to them in the meantime pack your things." She said before leaving you alone.
When you emerged later on with a small satchel around your shoulder some of the older women had agreed to let you go.
"You must leave Amazon Lily… and go with the man you have fallen in love with."
The moment those words were spoken, chaos erupted.
Until one of the elders stood, arms raised to silence the crowd. "Do you not see? She is already gone" the woman said. "She walks among us, but her soul follows that red-haired fool across the sea."
A heavy silence followed before you raised your hand slowly.
"Um… I kind of… agree with her." Gasps followed your words. "I mean," you mumbled, face bright red, "he smiles and I feel like… I don’t know. Like maybe I could be happy somewhere else, too. Even if I’m not home, even if I'm with a man."
After everything was settled you made your way to the Red Force though not everyone was happy that youwere leaving but you didn't care anymore.
"Shanks the Kuja are coming," Beckman called out to Shanks as they prepared everything to sail off.
Shanks raised a brow. "Are we getting banned from the island because I doomed the cute one?" he asked.
"Nope looks more like they’re giving you a gift" Lucky Roux chimed in smirking as he saw you standing there.
"A what?" Shanks asked as he finally looked over the railing.
You stood there at the gangplank, hands twisting nervously behind your back, a half-packed satchel slung over your shoulder. You were glowing and twitching and sweating all at once.
"So," you squeaked. "Apparently your kiss is going to kill me and the only way I won’t die is if I… go with you."
Shanks blinked then gave a slow, lopsided smile. "You saying you want to come with me?"
"I’m saying," you gulped, "if I stay here I’ll literally pass away because you’re too charming and now I need to be near you at all times to survive, I guess."
A long pause and then he walked down the gangplank towards you.
"…Then I guess I better not let you out of my sight again." Shanks said as he stepped closer and leaned down until his forehead brushed against yours.
Your knees gave out. Again but he steadied you and carried you onto the ship.
You sat at the railing of the Red Force, head resting on Shanks’ shoulder, watching the island fade into the distance.
"You know," he said, "I’ve never had a girl almost die just because she liked me."
You groaned, hiding your face in his arm. "Don’t talk about it. It’s humiliating."
He chuckled, reaching over to brush a loose stray behind your air. "Don’t worry, sweetheart."
"You’ll forget?" You asked eyes full of hope.
"No," he grinned. "I’ll remind you every day."
You groaned louder but secretly smiled because you were healing, you could already feel it.
As the days passed you no longer stared dreamily at Shanks for seven hours straight without blinking. You no longer stopped breathing every time he casually tousled your hair or called you sweetheart in that low, rumbling voice of his, nor did you feel like the breath was stolen from your lungs.
Progress.
You were eating and sleeping gain. The dizziness and chest-aching longing had quieted. The Amazon Lily elders were right, being near him really was the cure. The love sickness didn’t vanish, exactly. It just… settled. Warm and golden. Less like a wildfire and more like a hearth fire. Still hot, still burning but no longer threatening to kill you.
And now that you weren’t constantly overwhelmed by how handsome he was, you had space to realize how good and kind he was, too, though you had to admit that he was indeed ridiculously good looking.
And when you saw him one morning helping tie down the sails during a sudden storm, soaked to the skin, hair plastered to his face, still laughing as if he were born of salt and chaos your heart ached again but this time it wasn’t sickness. It was love. Simple, certain and very real.
That night, when you passed him on deck after dinner, he caught your hand. You blinked up at him, startled and he was quiet for a moment.
"You’re looking better."
You smiled, a little bashful. "I feel better."
His thumb brushed over your knuckles. "Good. I was starting to think I’d have to marry you just to keep you alive."
Your breath caught for a moment. "…Would that be so bad?" you whispered.
He looked at you, really looked at you and for once, his grin faltered just a second like the weight of what you had said hit him deep but it vanished just as fast again and his smile returned, gentler this time.
"No," he said, voice low. "No, it wouldn’t be bad at all."
You blushed and turned your head towards the sea to hide it.
"Pretty view," Shanks teased
You were relieved for the change of the subject. "Very pretty."
He looked at you sidelong, eyes glinting. "I wasn’t talking about the sea."
Your heart flipped and our breath caught, making you look away again, cheeks heating even more. "Y-you’re terrible."
"Terrible?" He chuckled, moving closer, until his shoulder brushed yours. "I thought I was charming and handsome."
"You are," you whispered. The words slipped out before you could stop them.
He turned to fully face you then. The laughter in his expression softened into something steadier, heavier. That grin of his was still there but quieter now, like he was smiling just for you. He looked at you like you were the most precious thing on this ship.
He lifted his hand and gently cupped your cheek. Rough palm feeling warm against your skin and then his forehead rested against yours.
"You cured yourself of love sickness," he whispered. "But now I think I caught it."
You let out a helpless laugh. "That’s not how it works…"
He tilted his head just enough so his nose brushed yours. "Sure it is."
And before you could argue he kissed you. It wasn’t rushed nor was it greedy. It was slow, warm, almost reverent the kind of kiss that made your chest ache with how right it felt. His lips were soft, his hand steady against your cheek, holding you like you might slip away if he let go.
Your hands trembled, then rose instinctively to clutch his shirt, pulling him closer.
When he finally drew back, his grin was there again, softer this time, lingering at the corners of his mouth.
"Well," he murmured, "at least you didn't collapse this time" he teased and you nudged his arm making him chuckle. "I guess that means you’re truly mine now." He added wrapping his arms around your waist.
You smiled through your blush. "I think I always was." You said softly and he smiled and kissed you again.
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