crackheadintheclouds

[crackheadintheclouds]

Your First Draft Is Supposed to Be Awful

Somewhere, in some cursed corner of the internet, a writer whispered the dangerous idea that your first draft should be… good. And like all bad ideas, it spread. Suddenly, everyone’s trying to make their draft read like it could be printed and shelved in the bookstore tomorrow. Which is ridiculous.

Your first draft isn’t a book. It’s… well, it’s barely even a thing. It’s the ugly braindump you slap down before the real work begins. The plot doesn’t make sense yet. Half the characters sound the same. There’s a paragraph in chapter six you don’t even remember writing. And that’s totally fine.

Right now, your only job is to get the story out of your head and onto a page before it rots in there. Forget about making it pretty or “good.” You’ll get to that later. <3

[crackheadintheclouds]

Don't Be Kind to Me

SHANKS EDITION

“…Shanks.”

“Oh! I didn’t see you, love. Hello!”

What a pitiful excuse of a lie. He’d been standing in front of a mirror, even if your red-haired captain didn’t have constant access to superhuman observational skills, his eyes could have met yours at any moment.

Shanks just chose to ignore you, letting you watch him as you casually leaned against his door frame. He reckoned that you’d already forgotten why you were there in the first place, too entranced by his strange behaviour that only you caught glimpses of from time to time. For someone so open-minded and outgoing, Shanks kept his cards close to his chest and protected them with his life. Not out of shame – he didn’t fear irreparable harm to his image and persona, not at all, but he was so troubled by the weight of his own life that the doom and gloom of every seemingly normal day just got to him sometimes... Maybe that’s why you kept tabs on him whenever he hasn’t been able to satisfy that fun-loving daredevil side of his for a long period of time; when you were all stuck at sea and forced to eat stew seven times a week out of necessity rather than pleasure and Shanks couldn’t even get enthusiastic about mindless drinking and partying anymore, you just naturally found yourself standing basically right next to him.

At this point, Shanks couldn’t decode whether this was just something you did for everybody as evidenced by your selfless dedication to every crew member’s well-being… or whether you felt the same pull towards him as he did to you.

Fascinating, that mind of yours. But he dearly wished it was the latter.

“…Don’t kid yourself, Captain. You probably sensed me before I even stood in your doorstep. You wanna… talk about it?”

…Right. Or maybe Shanks just deluded himself into being doted on like that for no reason other than the fact that he liked the idea of having you all to himself. Still, that fascinating, fascinating mind of yours was a bit of a problem right now. You’d often used your quick thinking to rip your enemies’ plans apart, but you can be quite the unstoppable force when you use those skills against your dear captain.

It was all made worse by the fact that you weren’t exactly off in your silent assumptions. Just like how he knew you were approaching when he couldn’t see you yet, you knew that something wasn’t quite right as soon as you saw him.

The depressingly misery he he donned in private right now was certainly an uncanny match-up when attached to the name of the Red-Haired Shanks.

To most others, he must have looked quite the same. His hair was stylishly tousled, effortlessly handsome without even trying. Those deep eyes of his were just as strong as ever. Really, you shouldn’t have perceived anything unusual.

And yet, and yet… you noticed. Of course you did. You saw him.

“Talk about what?”

“…Kay. I’ll take that as a resounding ‘no’, then.”, you sighed.

Shanks could only chuckle in response. Yeah, as if you’d ever let him have this one. Once you smelled that something was awry with your captain, you’d pursue it no matter what. Even if Shanks didn’t like it. Especially if he didn’t like it.

You walked up to him, watching Shanks stand in front of his full-body mirror as he was getting dressed. His loose pair of trousers sat lopsidedly low on his hips, his white linen shirt had yet to be buttoned and he was completely barefoot. If he didn’t seem so lost in thought, you would have assumed that he was out-of-his mind drunk and couldn’t remember where or who he was, that’s for sure.

But you did see it, way before you even walked up to him.

Shanks watched as your eyes darted to his missing arm. Well, the light fabric that was in place of it, wrinkled and slightly stained. Like the majority of his shirts, the left sleeve had been tied into a knot to protect the end of his stump. His long sleeves were, thus, always mismatched.

See, that’s the thing.

People usually didn’t even see that he wrapped his left sleeve around itself in a loop, tying it tightly and securely, because he wore his signature cape all the time. It usually covered his entire left shoulder, fully concealing what’s beneath – or precisely what is not there – that black cape at all cost.

Said piece of clothing was thrown across his bed, mocking his reflection in the mirror as his eyes caught sight of it again, choosing to ignore your nearing form.

You stood next to him, looking right into your mirror image as well. Shanks would have loved to know what went through your head at that moment. Knowing you, it was probably deeply profound. Heh.

How cute that you kept worrying about a man like him. You were subtle, but it was still endearing. You followed him around like he was worth it, and his eyes, in return, trailed your form everywhere you went.

“Do you ever regret it?”

“Hm?” Shanks could only mutter a vague sound that didn’t mean anything to either of you.

He pretended he didn’t know what you were talking about just so he could cease talking about it. You just kept digging, though. Every time. Just like you always did, you sought him out to, as you claim repeatedly, ‘get it through his thick skull that there are people who’ll listen’… Well, yeah, but your captain also wanted to look… cool in front of you, for a lack of a better word.

“Losing an arm. Everybody knows, but you still cannot go anywhere without that stupid cape.” “Stupid cape you say, eh?”, he chuckled, shaking his head, bronze red eyes downcast, “Thought it makes me mysterious.”

“Dodging questions now?”, you grinned, knowing that he’d take the bait immediately – hook, line and sinker, “Those are not the actions of the man I chose to serve…”

Oh you damn minx. Why in the world did he decide to recruit you? You were exhilarating, but oh so dangerous. He was but a clueless sailor following your siren song.

As soon as Shanks laid eyes on you, he knew that you’d be his undoing – and he’s been right about that, even if neither of you spoke about the nameless connection you two shared. Both of you just went about your lives as if nothing ever happened, but your captain was aware that he was in deep trouble. How could he ever talk to random women with you watching him flirt away inside a tavern? How could he take anyone to bed knowing that you’d find out, living so close to his private quarters? He’d given into his carnal desires only a handful of times after meeting you since he is a weak, weak man who understands that he will never be with you, but he regretted it every time. He doubted that you were the type to care about things like that.

After all, you probably weren’t even in love with him, even if you haunted his every thought. He just mistook your kindness for affection.

…But if Shanks just thought about you pulling the same stunts as he did – God, it was so hypocritical, so wrong, but he’d actually go properly insane if you ever showed any interest in the men who flirted with you. The captain of the Red Force was filled with relief every single time you shooed curious onlookers and bold strangers away from you, preferring to stay with your crew and make lasting memories instead. Those strangers only saw you for your beauty and while he would have to commend their taste, they couldn’t ever love you like he did.

They all wanted you for a moment, but Shanks wanted you for life.

And words like that – you didn’t know how dangerous they were.

The man you chose to serve?

Don’t get his hopes up, love. He might just get burnt.

He sighed heavily.

He will never escape you for all you have to do to render this Emperor of the Sea defenceless is bat your pretty eyes, offer him a fraction of your attention and flash him one of those smiles that make his heart race uncontrollably.

“I don’t regret it. I would do it again if I had to… It’s just… If I’d just handled things a little better, maybe used a bit more –“

You interrupted him by touching his left shoulder. That’s all it took to shut him up and stop his train of thought right in its tracks. Shanks’ eyes met yours – your real eyes, not that of your reflection – and he swallowed thickly.

His Adam's apple bopped in protest since his throat felt much drier than it did just seconds ago. He was so eager to listen to your thoughts…

Certainly not only because your opinion was valuable as a member of his crew, and not just since you always made sense of any situation with your brilliant mind and deduction skills, no… mainly because Shanks just needed to hear what you thought about anything, really.

He remembered it all – from childhood anecdotes you shared in passing without a second thought down to the tiny details like which temperature you preferred.

“You acted without thinking, so you would have lost a part of yourself either way. It was the right thing to do. That’s the man I chose to serve – that reckless man who helps everyone.”

You gaze, it was so–

–angelic.

That’s the only way he could describe it somewhat accurately. You looked at your captain like he was your lifeline and all you’ve ever been waiting for. That’s why you had the prettiest eyes in the whole world; many people in this world revered Shanks for his sheer power or, if they were lucky, they could admire his attractive features up close – and don’t get him wrong, he loved the attention, but it wasn’t real. As generous and flattering as it all was, none of it was authentic. Everybody saw him for who he appeared to be from the outside looking in, but you actually squeezed his heart with your actions. Your loyalty towards him was unwavering. He trusted you blind but would never say so openly, thinking that it might offend some of his men who’d been with him since the start of his solo adventure.

Shanks suspected that his most trusted confidants knew regardless, though. They were nosy like that. Not like he’d be any different if the roles were reversed…

“W-well!”, he coughed into his closed fist, briefly breaking eye contact with you, “Maybe, but almost letting a Sea King kill me and an innocent child? How pathetic.”

Your hues glazed over in pensiveness, the natural colour of your iris partially hidden by your eyelids. You blinked repeatedly before you lowered your head, now focused on his naked chest instead. Yet before Shanks could joke around to make light of the sombre mood, you suddenly fell forward and landed right in his arms. Well, arm.

You buried your face right above his left collarbone and he could very much feel how your lashes tickled his bare flesh with every blink of your eyes. The feeling that really got to him, however, was how your hand dug into his waist just below the arm that was no more, almost cuddling him, while your left arm dragged him into a side hug he reciprocated instantaneously. If Shanks concentrated hard enough, he could smell your fading perfume and the hypnotic rumble within your chest as you quietly hummed against him. Those vibrations sent tingly shock waves through his heart.

You were always there, always.

It was so easy to imagine that you were here because you loved him just as much, because you just had to keep him close to you – you were just as attached as he was. Your bond didn’t need to be expressed in words, you, despite the horrible job he was doing, understood him and gave him what he needed.

Seeing him struggle was painful because you adored him so much, you couldn’t bear the thought of letting him suffer in silence, which is why every drop of affection was lapped up by him as if he were a man dying of thirst.

“Shanks…”, you started, lifting your head just enough for your lips to hover above his sun-kissed skin, “That missing limb is not a testament of your failure. You’re only human, making mistakes is part of that. So what, you didn’t use your Haki sooner? You almost bled out in the open sea for your friend, for a little boy whose life could run its course because of you. You chose his life over your own in that moment – that’s what counts to me. And I’ll be here to tell you the same thing over and over again because you mean so much to m–”

Shanks crashed into you all of the sudden. There was no trace of hesitation in any of his movements; he pressed his lips against your own with such urgency and desperation that you barely had the chance to react to his actions in any way. You could do no more than close your eyes peacefully as his lone hand gently stroked alongside your soft jawline, only to firmly hold you in place by the edge of your face once he realised that you were kissing him back with just as much vigour.

This deliberate kiss alone had him reeling, but he had to pull away to catch his breath, which means that he was free to watch you as he pleased. He couldn’t help but zero in on your dilated pupils, the wetness on your lips that had you licking your lips to get rid of the feeling.

That alone made Shanks’ chest swell with pride, but the well you nuzzled his left shoulder where his cape would normally lie had him choking on air. He fought a dopey smile until he just couldn’t contain himself anymore.

His hand wandered from your jawline down, down, down to your waist. He lovingly held you there before diving in to give you giddy pecks.

“Now– you’ll never– get rid– of me– ever!”

He couldn’t help but laugh, relieved to hold you, to love you.

You were his, finally! Finally… he would no longer have to worship the idea of you, now that he has you, he is that much closer to being at peace with himself.

He will be there whether you need him or not – his love for you has always been inevitable, but he’s glad he took the dive.

"Wouldn't have it any other way...", you muttered, caressing his stubbled cheek.

You're his now.

[crackheadintheclouds]

He Smells Like...

feat. ZORO, BROOK, LAW, ACE, SHANKS, MIHAWK, CROCODILE

ZORO

…agarwood/jinko/oud, patchouli and black amber.

MOOD: masculine, traditional and earthy

Zoro smells like a forgotten temple that has been taken over by nature. A structure so imposing that the vines running along its architectural design seem insignificant in comparison, but every cut into the finely cut stone tells a story, every blemish reminds the visitor of years of pain. Nonetheless, the temple is still here, having overcome every invasion.

Just like Zoro, who piles other people’s burdens onto his own… just to protect them. He offers security, and only accepts sincere gratitude as payment, nothing else. He cannot change the world, but he would die trying if it came down to it – for his beliefs, his friends… and for you. You care for that abandoned temple of his like a priestess would, never once thinking of leaving it be. Really, you… are his saviour. You wouldn't let him succumb to the elements.

BROOK

…tea leaves, rain and cashmere.

MOOD: unisex, nostalgic and deep

Most people would say that they find the smell of rain comforting, but most people would also much prefer a sunny day. The scent is a circumstance of life – or the absence of it, depending on who you might ask. Standing next to Brook, thus, reminds you of… simpler times, times where happiness was so palpable and so real, more easily within your grasp, when the pressure of life didn’t get to you yet. It doesn’t surprise you at all that he naturally mirrors his soul’s gloom despite having such a joyous and accessibly kind personality.

Brook is beyond glad that you were at peace with his being. He doesn’t quite believe you when you tell him that he doesn’t smell like death at all, but he’d take the compliment with a hearty chuckle. He trusts your judgement more than he trusts his own. Besides, how can he turn you down when you look at him like he's all you've ever dreamt of?

LAW

…books, common sage and lavender.

MOOD: unisex, herbaceous and comforting

Tranquil and calm with a sharp minty tang that vaguely reminds you of medicinal properties, that’s how you’d describe it. It’s so soothing that it might even make some people deliriously sleepy – but again, deeply refreshing. It’s also a bit of an ancient smell, fitting for his old soul that’s been through so much. For someone so disturbed by himself, you think it’s delightful what a calming effect he has on others. Always the voice of reason, always ready to utter a wise word…

So you nurture him when he’s had enough for the day, the week, the entire year. When the noise gets to be too much for him, you enter the room with a fresh cup of tea or coffee – just how he likes it – and talk to him about happier things, things that take his mind off of his demons. Now you’ll never miss that steady presence in your life, just like how he will never miss yours, for you have each other now.

ACE

…common jasmine, honeydew melon and smoke.

MOOD: feminine, light and delicate with musky undertones

A scent that reminiscent of heady spring nights that end up around a barely glimmering bonfire. A marking of new beginnings and scorched earth alike – Ace smells cheerful, innocent and floral with a hint of depth to it, like a secret that’s never been lifted, a cry nobody ever bore witness to… Well, until you came along. You always thought the smoke was the strongest note within that concoction and not just because he ate the Flame Flame Fruit, no, because… still waters, ironically, are very deep. At first, you didn’t detect that smoky musk at all, yet once he’s let you in, the smoke overpowered the lighter, more cheerful parts. He was an enigma worth exploring, worthy of being seen and being offered a shoulder to lean on. He’d never thought that crying in your arms would appease the flames within him, but… well, he didn’t think he’d ever love someone this truthfully either.

Every spring follows a dark winter.

SHANKS

…rum, cedarwood and raspberry.

MOOD: masculine, balsamic and playful

It’s a surprisingly grounding scent. He smells like an adventure and feels very warm and approachable because of it. How funny that Shanks – Shanks! – smells approachable when he’s prone to burying his problems and keeping his heart under lock and key. He’s so… so silly, so fun, so him, but he’s also quite the introspective thinker who craves harmony and everlasting peace. Very well aware of his legacy and the laid-back nature he projects to ease other people’s worries, he tries not to think about the missing arm, the loss of strength that came with it, the phantom pain, the… problems; he tries to forget that he’s almost lost an eye, and that it all amounted to nothing. The world is still rotten, evil still runs rampant… it makes him chuckle wistfully. You’re always there to catch him when the mood turns sombre, holding him close and telling this living legend that he’s done well, that you’re proud of him and that his sacrifices changed the world.

If he’s balsam for the soul, you’re his much needed anchor.

MIHAWK

…black lily, sandalwood and wine.

MOOD: feminine, mysterious and elegant

Very much a complex, sophisticated scent. Nothing ever seems like it is on its surface level, and you have to dig deep to perceive the base note, because Mihawk doesn’t let people in on his... life most of the time. He’s fleeting and evasive, rarely ever blossoming. He keeps people at an arm’s length, deeming most people a liability, or shooing them away because they'd just annoy him… but somehow, you stuck with him.

You’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly, but let him keep his air of secrecy, never pried once. Your own independence kept you busy. He... appreciates it. Like a good red wine, his trust needs time to age properly. Once he’s decided to keep you, though, there’s no going back. The slow burn has erupted into an open fire and his loyalty is indeed forever. He’s your sword and shield, and you are his heart.

CROCODILE

…tobacco, leather and burnt amber.

MOOD: masculine, domineering and warm

Crocodile smells like he could take over any room, that deep aroma keeps dominating the senses. The spiciness of the tobacco has permanently seeped into his luxurious clothes, and every cigar lit between his fingers just adds to the sensation. It’s a rich scent that is truly inevitable, just like he is. His frame is imposing, his intimidating appearance undeniable and yet, and yet… there’s this warmth in there, something leathery, something raw. You often interpret it as anger – anger at the world, at himself, at friends and foes alike… it’s easy to stoke the flames, but you’ve come to realise that Crocodile has never once been unreasonable in his anger.

His dismissiveness would be almost impressive if it weren’t for his other side; possessive, domineering… irrational. For a man of his calibre, he sure seems to have a problem with you trying to sever your ties to him by finding a job with a better work and life balance... He claims that he cannot find anyone who could do your job, but you knew that that’s a horrible lie.

Neither of you acknowledge what's happening out of pride.

[crackheadintheclouds]

Hello again 👋 since you did such a stellar job last time, i'm here to request another Ace, Doffy, Law and Zoro story, this time about their first kiss x reader! Tysm and i hope you feel better soon ❤️

Thank you so much, anon. I feel much better, just suffering from a stuffy nose and a bit of a cough now 🫂(❁´◡`❁) It's actually so sweet to have recurring faces in my inbox~ And thank you so much for this request! I was super enthusiastic about writing this and poured everything I had into this 🫡Hope you enjoy it just as much!

PS. I'm so sorry for abusing your request like this, but I wanted to address another anon in my ask box 👀You requested a certain Corazon and hehe, yes I've just reached that part of Dressrosa! I just don't feel confident enough to portray him just yet so your request will be pushed a bit into the future, hope that's okay with you ♥ So excited to write about this man though ╰(*°▽°*)╯

PPS. I cooked. Again!!

First Kiss

feat. ACE, DOFLAMINGO, LAW, ZORO

ACE

Your first kiss was… sweet.

For quite some time, Ace and you have been inseparable. You’ve become fast friends after hitting it off, deciding to even go on missions together. Most of the others have caught onto you by now, silently offering their blessings, but you two were completely oblivious to the budding romance between you. It was perfectly normal to go up to Vista and give him a hug – why would it be different when Ace twirled you around after you returned from your little scout session on an unexplored island? Nobody blinked twice after you spent an evening playing cards with Marco in his room, but low whistles and wiggling eyebrows would follow you when Ace wanted to show you some random trinket he caught with his fishing rod. Additionally, everybody aw-ed and cooed when Whitebeard patted your hair and smiled down at you, but if Ace ever went as far as touch your shoulder out on the open deck, some other commander was always near to berate him on ‘how to treat a lady properly’.

You haven’t been around as long as most of the others, so… maybe this is just how the crew decided to affectionately tease Ace since he was the youngest commander around?

However, Ace was very much aware of the others’ constant meddling and why they were so keen on making his life miserable.

He’d told Marco to back off once – just once! – because the doctor had been acting too familiar with you when Ace was the one who was madly in love with you. That single sentence spread like wildfire amongst the crew and now he cannot even do best-friend-esque things with you without someone else trying to ruin the moment.

It was totally normal to develop a huge crush on your best friend. You are gorgeous, so loving and you care so much – maybe too much.

It was also perfectly fine and not unusual to stare at them for moments at a time, trying to muster up the courage to ask you out on a da-

“ACE!!! YOU’RE SETTING THE BED ON FIRE. OUT WITH YOU!”

Marco’s scream rang across the entire Moby Dick, alerting everyone with ears that Ace had just embarrassed himself again. Originally, he went in to see Marco because of ...certain problems, but he couldn’t quite tell him that you were constantly in his head and making his heart leap into his throat every single time he thought about your smile or how nice you smelled today and how cute you looked in the outfit you showed him…

Sigh.

Luckily for him, you were just within earshot to hear Marco’s crazy rant… that still ran its course in the background, and you immediately sought Ace out to help him.

You had your own hammock with you and let him follow you wordlessly into his room. This time, nobody was even there to interrupt.

You started talking about what you were up to before you heard Marco’s alarm bells ringing in the med bay. Of course, you were a natural at taking care of Ace… but that was very much part of the problem!!

He couldn’t help but steal glances at you with so much longing in his eyes that it would have made anyone blush. You were his missing piece, better half – whatever they want to call it.

You’ve seen him through it all, but you weren’t tired of him. You didn’t mind his quieter moments and you always offered your shoulder to him – just to lean on and cry if necessary.

Of course, you wouldn’t think much of sleeping next to him. Your actions were platonic in nature and Ace would actually quit the crew if he made you uncomfortable in any way… but he almost got pulled back into reality when you innocently pointed at his own hammock, not knowing that he was lost in thought.

“Or do you wanna cuddle?”, you questioned innocently.

...And Ace choked on his own saliva. He just knew that his cheeks were crimson red and boiling. This was humiliating… he unusually had excellent control over his powers, but you rendered him completely powerless against you and you didn’t even know it!

…That being said, of course he wants to cuddle.

He lied down next to you and wrapped his arms around your torso, feeling just how warm you were and how your steady breathing immediately calmed him down. It was like a magical remedy, but he could feel his eyes flutter –

– and that’s when his eyes locked onto yours. You wore a precious smile and you seemed to glow next to him. That’s how happy you looked… absolutely stunning.

But he did almost faint when you leaned in to briefly peck his lips to tell him that you love him, too.

WAIT.

“TOO?!”

DOFLAMINGO

Your first kiss was… dangerous.

“I can’t believe you’d do this to me! You cannot push me around, Doflamingo!”

You spit words of venom at him just after you realised that you were now working… directly under his command, just like he threatened.

Doflamingo, meanwhile, could only grin in amusement. Of course you thought he was bluffing, thinking of you as nothing more than a little plaything. Oh, how utterly wrong you were. He saw right through you – you were probably testing him, just like how he tested your loyalty. You wanted him to take the bait and push you away, just so you’d have a reason to close yourself off again and go solo. He knew those tactics by heart, sweetheart.

No, he wasn’t kidding when he said that you should be working for him. If you wanted to work, that is. You could just enter the family business, love, after all… you might as well be family at this point. Heh.

He’d entertain your need for independence for as long as you want him to, though. This is how he took notice of you after all.

So what if he stole you right out of another underground broker’s filthy pawns? They weren’t fit to stand next to you anyway. You outshone everybody… especially your former employer. Doflamingo’s been watching you for longer than you may have realised, just to find a flaw within you… but when he found none, the obsession swung in the opposite direction: He was no longer pettily snappish towards you for going after his clients to boost your boss’s image, sweetheart no… you were suddenly a woman worthy of his own calibre. No mistakes, no fear and… one glaringly obvious flaw turned asset – you trusted absolutely nobody.

And just like him, your desire for unmitigated loyalty was like a noose around your pretty neck.

You’d no longer have to deal with these rats who waste your talent away for arms deals that amount to nothing, you were meant to shape the new world order alongside yours truly.

You were just waiting for him.

“Say something!”

Doflamingo smirked before he walked up to you, grabbing your jaw with such speed that you barely had the time to react. It was laughable how he didn’t even have to activate his Devil Fruit powers to restrain you. His freakish height didn’t just give him the opportunity to loom over you, it also came with unimaginable strength. He could almost feel your jawbone crack under the pressure, but you would be caught dead before you uttered a single complaint.

“We crave the same thing, you and I. Letting you rot away pointlessly… might as well break my heart.”

A chuckle echoed through the otherwise empty room, but you weren’t amused at all. You rolled your eyes and clenched your jaw. He could feel the muscles beneath his fingers contract and his pupils dilated at the sight and the sensation.

“How dramatic. Almost brought me to tears.”

Your sarcasm earned yourself a laugh. He let go of you, but you could very much feel a string attach itself to your hand. Doflamingo knew better than to turn you into his puppet, but he very much wanted to remind you of what he was capable of. You were above everybody else, but still beneath him. You don’t have to submit, but you should know when to behave.

“You’re the only one to speak to me like that.”, he noted nonchalantly, “And after we’ve been on a bunch of dates, too. Tragic. Woe is me.”

You crossed your arms over your chest, sighing in defeat. You knew that he was right.

Yeah, he might have… pulled some strings to get you to agree to meeting him away from glamorous galas and dangerous deals, but he got to know you and your innermost desire. You wanted to trust someone wholeheartedly.

Well, Doflamingo happened to know just the guy.

“Dates where you’ve tried to kill yourself or me.”, you added just as coolly, voice monotone and face neutral. Totally befitting for a Queen.

“And you kept us both safe, my love.”

He licked his lips before breaking out in a dark chuckle that turned maniacal for just a moment. Oh, he was ecstatic that you’ve proven your loyalty towards him. You were everything he’s ever wanted.

“Now it’s my turn to protect you.”, he vowed before he kissed your hand, looking into your eyes while doing so.

Your pupils were blown out.

Bingo.

“Lean down.”, you calmly ordered.

And it’s one of the only commands he’s ever taken from someone else.

You gingerly kissed him, not even letting him taste a drop of your essence before you pulled away, smirking at him with self-satisfaction.

He turned his head with a smile until you blew him another kiss, turning heel and then walking to your new room.

Damn.

He just let go of the string holding onto you.

LAW

Your first kiss was… an accident.

Law had been pretty nervous about this.

He’s always been a profoundly reserved man who kept matters of the heart private, but he couldn’t deny that he was actually quite excited to take your relationship to the next level. He really, really trusted you – and now that he has you, he’s not going to let go. You’re his forever love now. After all, despite seeming like he couldn’t care less, he was a romantic deep down… and terribly inexperienced. It didn’t matter to him whether you were in the same boat or not, he couldn’t actually care less about that part; he was just insecure about making a decision on whether… he was ready at all to open up like that and offer his heart to you.

Law was very much self-aware and intelligent enough to recognise the signs: He wasn’t just in love with you; he truly loved you.

This bond ran deep.

And although he trusted you completely and wholeheartedly, he wasn’t sure if you wouldn’t be put off by that constant contradiction in his behaviour… most others judged it quite harshly, after all.

He didn’t reciprocate much, aside from talking. Yes, he held you in the privacy of his room and nuzzled his head against your neck, but if you wanted something like that, you could just pick up any stray cat from the streets.

He knew! He knew that it wasn’t enough, damn it. But it was just so hard to keep his composure whenever you placed a gentle kiss against his cheek and lovingly patted his spotted hat before placing those warm hands on his shoulders. You always squeezed him with so much affection and care that he just froze in shock.

The man who couldn’t even hold your hand in public loved you so purely that he wanted to kiss you? How ludicrous.

Most of the people who knew about your relationship probably thought that he was doing you a favour and entertaining the idea of a relationship without actual commitment, but… they had no idea. Absolutely no idea.

Even if he had trouble showing it, Law was proud to call himself your boyfriend. The thought alone made him bashful, though. His breath hitched, those tattooed fingers twitched very briefly before he closed his hand into a loose fist, rubbing his sweaty palms with his fingertips and he could hear his own heartbeat echo in his ear canals.

“I brought you tea, Law. You’re working so hard… don’t push yourself too far.”

…Yeah, he didn’t have the heart to tell you that he didn’t get any work done today; his head was just in the clouds since he’s been too caught up in his own thoughts…about you. These maps weren’t studied at all – all he did was study how soft your lips would feel against his-

“Thank you, (Y/N)-ya.”, he tried to play it off smoothly, but he had to clear his throat after saying your name. His longing for you made his voice a lot softer, a lot more… vulnerable. He didn’t want to scare you off with his sudden change in behaviour, which meant that he had to keep his voice monotone at all cost.

Today, you put your hands on his shoulders first, causing Law to tense up immediately. He turned his head to hide his pathetic blush from you – immediately butting heads with you.

And-

Oh my God.

He tore his lips away from yours. That was so sloppy and clumsy, he-

Law is devastated. If you look closely, you could actually watch his soul leave this plane-

He looked at you, noting how your eyes swam around looking anywhere but him and that you couldn’t contain your smile. The corners of your mouth trembled before curling up into a sweet grin that had him melt on the spot.

“I’m sorry, Law, I didn’t mean to-”

Law couldn’t help but cut you off with a kiss that surprised the both of you. It wasn’t a good one; he was too nervous, too tense, his face was stiff and he couldn’t quite close his eyes, looking at you to burn this image into his mind instead.

You didn’t have to apologise. He didn’t want to make you feel like you had to feel sorry for anything – especially not something as meaningful as this.

Besides, the fact that you enjoyed it just as much and went lax in his arms was… everything.

ZORO

Your first kiss was… powerful.

“Again!”

“…”

“Again!”

“…”

“One more!”

“…Zoro.”

“Just once.”

“Zoro,” you sighed, “You need a break. You’ve been at it for hours now.”

Zoro knew that. God, did he know it. Frustrated with himself, he grunted lowly before lowering his swords. His jaw was already hurting from biting down on the blade’s handle for so long, but he couldn’t help himself.

He’s been living inside the crow’s nest for the past two days at this point.

Two days ago, you got hurt. It shouldn’t affect him this bad… Luffy got hurt, too, as did Usopp, but you were… his partner. Your injuries might as well have been cuts into his heart – he saw you fall into Franky’s arms with a nasty gnash right across your thigh. You were bleeding so much and that scream… it will haunt him now.

Someone thought that you were an easier target than Brook or Franky, who were standing firmly by your side as you bought time for Nami to set sail, protecting the Sunny from any assault raining down on you guys. Zoro could barely watch from the sidelines, too engrossed in fighting his own opponent as Luffy and Sanji took on their captain right next to him. It was obvious to anyone with eyes that the Straw Hats could defeat any enemy with enough time and focus as everyone had their unique skill set and purpose, yet as soon as Zoro’s blades clashed against the fellow swordsman’s rapier, he heard your blood-curdling scream. It must have heard so bad – he knew what deep cuts felt like and just how badly they burnt when saltwater got into the fresh wound, but he’d been training himself to deal with any bit of pain. You were never meant to be the recipient of an injury at the hands of another, because Zoro had sworn to himself that they’d have to go through him first.

But there were you – crying and hyperventilating as Franky tried applying pressure onto your seeping wound while Brook had to unsheathe his sword and cut down those enemies all by himself now…

Well, until Zoro zoomed across the battlefield with unprecedented fury, pushing himself to his very own limits.

Usually, the crew promised to minimise casualties. In a matter of life and death, of capture or kill, Luffy would always choose capture – he knew that some things had to be done, some sins had to be committed, but overall, you were all quite peaceful…

Until that scream.

“We can ask Sanji for a drink, you know… I bet he’d even make you a snack.”, you mused happily.

Zoro’s eyes snapped up and he calmly took a deep breath in, disguising it as an annoyed huff. You were fine. Well, as fine as you could be. Your leg was swollen and the blood has soaked through the bandages on your thigh, leaving a bit of red residue that perfectly mimicked the shape of your wound. Otherwise, you were okay. You had to redress that cut with fresh bandages every night because of the humid climate, but everything was okay.

Logically, your green-haired friend knew that there was nothing to worry about, but he couldn’t help but feel like a failure.

You were important to him! You… weren’t protected when you needed it the most.

You needed him and he wasn’t there.

You were damn good at what you do. That’s why Zoro often chose to hang off of you, following you around. It was so easy to be around you. Most often, you’d even talk to him… you knew very well that your swordsman wasn’t actually fast asleep, he was just preserving energy if it came down to the worst.

Ugh, it did come down to it and he wasn’t there.

Fucking-

“This isn’t about getting stronger, is it, Zoro?” Your hands grasped at his bulging forearms, strained from swinging his swords at the objects you threw all day, and you affectionately caressed his scarred flesh. You were even kind enough to offer him a sad smile.

“I… You… I… You’re important to me.”, he confessed through gritted teeth, averting his gaze. He tried to fight being obvious about it, but you could feel goosebumps rise beneath your warm hands even though he’d just finished a workout and was drenched in sweat.

“Zoro… You’re important to me, too. That’s why you shouldn’t beat yourself up over this. You were there, in the end, as you always are. I know I can rely on you.”

He shook his head in disapproval but leaned in to press his lips against yours. It was a measured kiss, just long enough to get you to briefly feel his plush lips and get especially close to him while your hands still held onto his arms.

And when you smiled, Zoro knew that… yes, you could rely on him. Forever.

[crackheadintheclouds]

Hello! I was wondering if i could get Ace, Marco, and Rayleigh, (maybe shanks, beckman and hongo if youre able to!) On their favorite thing they love about you!

Sure thing! I modified the request very slightly (just so I'm able to spin this into a short scenario with a catchy title🫡💕[you guys know I love my titles lol]), hope that's okay with you!! Thank you so much for such a diverse cast LOL I'm sorry I didn't include Hongo - it's just that I never heard him talk and saw him basically once in my life 😭But I included Kid and Mihawk instead just to balance it out (I was randomly inspired to choose these two), it's like a 2 for 1 deal so I hope it's not too bad (✿◡‿◡)

PS. German-speaking op fans...? My people 🤝

He Can’t Resist You…!

feat. ACE, MARCO, RAYLEIGH, SHANKS, BENN BECKMAN, KID, MIHAWK

ACE …when you listen to his troubles and comfort him!

Ace is often pretty hard on himself. He cannot count how many insults and beatings he had to take just because someone else thought the idea of the son of Roger existing was either a fabricated lie or that said child should have been killed on sight. That’s how Ace learnt to fight, took on much bigger and stronger opponents as the years went by, which eventually made him who he was. He earned his spot as one of Whitebeard’s commanders and has accepted this new family, but that doesn’t mean that rejection isn’t hard-coded into his brain. He fears not being enough and firmly believes that if he didn’t push himself so much, he’d be a disgraced pirate, terrible son and worse brother. But… he’s forgotten how to be kind to himself – he has plenty kindness for everyone around him, but Ace is a master at punishing himself for things that do not matter. It’s gotten better, though.

You’re suddenly there – and you care very much… about everyone, but mostly about him. This presence next to him that cannot be swayed is a great source of comfort for him. The first time he opened up to reveal some things about his upbringing, you were so upset that you were close to tears. How sweet… he hasn’t cried about these things in years, too intimately familiar with the pain to cope with its sorrow, but you decided to share his grief and pile it onto your own out of the pure goodness of your heart and love for him. Ace thinks it’s one of the greatest gifts he’s ever been given.

MARCO

…when you help him out!

Marco is a pretty busy man who’s always needed somewhere. Quiet days actually unsettle him; it’s like the universe is just out to get him and will decide to hand him a freshly infected open fracture if he can enjoy his morning coffee in peace… The crew is made up of excellent fighters and these men and women are just dying to test their strength time and time again, protecting their dad who’s very much capable of taking care of himself in a fight despite the chronic issues he’s dealing with. Marco has never lost his kind spirit though, meaning he’s willing to help anyone who needs it. Having you helping the man who’s vehemently trying to aid all the others is thus the best part of the day. You’re always there, even if you’re not physically present… you often leave him little snacks that remind him to eat, there’s always a pot of coffee waiting for him in the med bay, and – the best thing, honestly – at the end of the day, you come into his room just to make up for the time that you’ve lost throughout the maddening daytime. You talk, laugh and just exist together. It’s domestic bliss for Marco, who finally feels like he can wind down and relax with you curled up in his arms, chatting about your day and how you can’t look at Vista ever again because he shaved and he looks so weird and-

He listens to everything, but rarely offers his own commentary. He’s just happy you’re there with him.

RAYLEIGH

…when you look at him like he’s your hero!

Silvers Rayleigh – a name that strikes the fear of God in most people. His infamous image is that of a terrifyingly strong man who served as Gold Roger’s right-hand man; he’s amongst the few lucky men who conquered the Grandline and lived to tell the tale… at the same time, to most naive rookies on Sabaody, he’s a senile old man who keeps “escaping from” his handlers and ending up in the same auction house over and over and over again. You happen to know that strange man, though. “Dark King” Rayleigh… being in the same room as someone like him… what an honour! You couldn’t help but steal glances at him, alerting him of your presence immediately. At first, he thought you were looking for a fight. He’s seen your bounty poster near the port and wow, your picture doesn’t do you justice, sweetheart and wait a minute… oh, those eyes aren’t hostile at all. He flashes you a smile, noting how nervously you shifted around all of the sudden, looking at your crew to subtly celebrate this moment.

Well, Rayleigh cannot help but love an opportunity to show off in front of a pretty face, so… he just offers to teach you some tricks. That’s how you got to know him in the first place, having long realised that he’s just some man who know a thing or two about piracy… but every single time you come back to him, you look at him with the same look of reverence. It’s very flattering to know that he’s still got it… and he’s got the confidence and shamelessness to make a move on you. That hand on the small of your back? Oh, sorry, love, must’ve been lost in thought… You still give him the look and bashfully chew on your lip, though. Nothing’s changed. Hm… maybe the hearts in your eyes did become bigger… heh.

What a lucky man he is indeed.

SHANKS

…when you care for him like he needs it!

Shanks is just as much of a living legend who cannot go anywhere where people of a certain calibre won’t cower in fear before him. How ironic that a man like him just loves when you have to fight him just to go to bed before the daylight greets him, he absolutely adores when you repeatedly push your index finger against his bare chest to tell him that he cannot keep drinking like this if he wants to find the One Piece and he is so weak for you who berates him whenever you have the chance to do so. He could sigh like a lovesick fool at your stern eyes and firm words, knowing that your love for him runs so deep… that you’d be willing to not just take on your captain in protest, you’d take on Shanks.

He is free to be just… himself around you; he needs it more than he needs air. You respect him as a man but you don’t respect him for his status at all, you push him around more than he does his crew for God’s sake!

He loves it.

And whenever he cannot keep up the facade anymore, when flirtatiously telling you to drop it and let him keep his bad habits, you’re right there with him in his private quarters, letting his head rest on your lap as you play with his deep red locks. And you let this lovesick, drunken fool rant about his problems like he isn’t Shanks – like he doesn’t have to save the world all by himself.

BENN BECKMAN

…when you engage in deep conversations that stimulate the mind!

He’s far more dangerous than his broad frame would suggest since he’s both pure brawn and brain. His intellect is one of his greatest assets, but with such a crew… It’s honestly a trait that makes rather lonesome. Benn is extremely laid-back despite being such a serious guy – that’s many because he has never been challenged properly. Nothing is mentally stimulating enough for him to fully lock in. You’re different… Shanks, of course, didn’t recruit you because of your intelligence, that’s a skill much better suited for the city rather than the sea, but you happen to have both brawn and brain as well. Benn noticed that immediately, you’re just as resigned as he is and nothing can quite satiate that natural curiosity in you for all the sea offers are battles and fever dreams… Still, you chose this life for a reason and thus, Benn Beckman himself starts following you around. It’s weird to watch your vice captain hunt you down like you’re the enemy when you’re just trying to mind your business aboard the Red Force, but he cannot help but ask you what you’re up to. Your suspicion only ever goes away after a few times, after you noticed that he’s just… trying to talk.

His opinions are fascinating. He takes you stargazing and casually asks you what you think about the passage of time, what it means to be alive, what you hoped to become – he’s throwing all these deeply profound questions at you and instead of stammering through them like a silly child, you answer them with just as much seriousness as he hoped you would. You understand the gravitas of his words, process them quickly and you never say things without meaning them. You’ve become his happy place – a place where he can express himself.

KID …when you talk back!

Kid expects everyone to just fall in line with what he says… no matter how stupid his “suggestions” actually are. If he has a plan, he wants to see it executed. Someone else might offer up a better plan down the line, but Kid would be so bitter about not having the same thought first that he’d double down on his initial idea and make the crew work even harder just to prove a point. Everybody knows that he’s a complete and utter hypocrite, but they put up with him – they believe in his ability to lead and they all want to see him become King of the Pirates since he’s offered something very few captains could: Unconditional freedom. Regardless of how unconventional and socially unacceptable someone was, they’d have a place on the Victoria Punk as long as they managed to prove themselves worthy of being there and didn’t belittle anybody else’s aspirations.

…But you knew that Kid just couldn’t help dunking on people left and right due to his explosive anger. Once he feels slighted in any way, he’s making it everyone’s problem. So – after the captain called everyone on deck to rant about his loyal crew just minutes after reading that Straw Hat Luffy has acquired a new bounty in the Newscoo newspaper, you couldn’t help yourself either. As soon as the captain got to you, your unimpressed glance turned vitriolic – you went off on your captain, telling him that everyone here chose to follow him because he’s the best option, because they want to be around him and that he has absolutely no business being this upset over someone else’s bounty when he believes that he can conquer the Grandline first. He should suck it up and prove his frenemy wrong! You screamed at him, your passionate speech getting drowned out by the deafening silence of… Captain Kid…

Honestly, Killer and Heat thought you were toast.

But nobody anticipated that, with ruby red cheeks, Kid suddenly dismissed everyone on deck and gave all of you tasks that… didn’t make any damn sense!

MIHAWK

…when you trust him first!

Mihawk is the apex predator – lethal, efficient and an unprecedented danger. People instinctively know to keep their guard up around him… as does he. He would claim that he prefers it that way, but you happen to, after literal years of knowing each other, let him in, slowly but surely. Even if he can go no-contact for months on end, even if you have your own life to worry about, you both find yourselves returning to each other and maintaining a weird… friendship (?), if you could call it that. Mihawk isn’t one for talking to random strangers, but you’re no nobody. You’re capable of handling yourself and he’s seen your strength, secretly thinks you’re quite impressive even, but you’re certainly no match for him… Still, you seem to trust him to keep your secrets safe, to keep you, by extension, safe. You firmly believe that he wouldn’t abandon you.

And he wouldn’t. Trust doesn’t come naturally to someone like him. He distrusts the world and doesn’t tell anybody anything, but he does appreciate it when he isn’t viewed like a cold-blooded killer whose only goal is to maintain a reputation that came with a title.

You want to see him for who he is, you roll over and show him your belly; you basically gave him an opening to kill you – all voluntarily. You’re so vulnerable when you talk about your burdens, but you also look like confiding in… a friend (?) heals all those wounds.

Somehow, he’s determined to prove himself to you now. It’s a slow puncture wound, but your trust will eventually pierce his heart.

[crackheadintheclouds]

Hi! I'm the one who asked for the Straw Hats' ideal types. I'm here to ask the same for other characters: Law, Ace, Sabo, Shanks, and anyone else you want; honestly, I'd read about anyone. Thanks for feeding me <3

Hello anon, thank you so much for your continous interest (●ˇ∀ˇ●) 💕 Glad you like my writing so much and shower me with compliments LOL And I'm so sorry for not replying sooner. I've been sick since Monday morning 🤡I'm still kind of feverish, but I'm recovering

Anyway, this was a lot of fun!!

Ideal Types

feat. LAW, ACE, SABO, SHANKS, BUGGY

Straw Hat crew's version here

LAW

Law needs someone who…

is honest, intelligent and kind

puts more weight behind their actions rather than their words

has a nerdy or geeky quirk

is willing to let him have his space and demands some independence of their own

Law can help you cope with these character flaws:

self-doubt

feelings of inadequacy

seeming cold-hearted (to others)

An absolute dealbreaker would be…

clinginess and being too emotional

Law sees you and knows, because you resemble him so much, that you’re misunderstood. You aren’t cold or arrogant, you’re just a little too… reserved. You naturally distrust people who haven’t proven themselves and he finds comfort in that, eager to do just that. And just like that, the image you’ve wrongfully earned yourself just melts away. Like him, you’re a deep thinker, introspective and self-critical without even trying but nonetheless very much skilled and a valuable addition to any crew. Law feels lucky to have you because it’s validating to have someone around who gets him, who understands every precarious situation and who’s able to see the bigger picture. You trust in his ability to make the right call, assisting him in every step of the way. You watch over him without expecting anything in return, you’re just loyal to a fault and want to show your gratitude. Your actions make him do a double take and he starts talking to you more often. And once your walls crumble, he realises that you’re actually… incredibly cute and kind of… what he’s been waiting for.

ACE

Ace needs someone who…

values family a lot; they need to love the Whitebeard Pirates and Luffy (and Sabo) unconditionally

lives in the moment, but regularly thinks about the past and the “what ifs” of life

wants to prove themselves or others wrong/ wants to achieve great things

is self-aware, caring and compassionate

Ace can help you cope with these character flaws:

self-loathing

impulsivity

people pleasing

An absolute dealbreaker would be…

arrogance and dismissiveness

Ace sees you and, at first, views you as a threat. Deep down, he still cannot come to terms with who he is, and thus believes that you’re the upgrade. You don’t carry the same baggage he does, which means being around you is actually pretty great – and Whitebeard thinks so, too, that’s why you’re on the Moby Dick and not just some random member aboard the grand fleet. Yet… once Ace digs deep and tries getting to know you, he feels terrible for treating you so horribly; you’re unlike anything he’s ever seen. Your hardships are a part of you, but you don’t let the past define who you are, you use it as a tool to improve the present. On top of everything, you don’t push him away after he’s opened up. If anything, you pull him even closer. He’s so, so grateful to have found you. Maybe – just maybe – he’ll learn to like himself… after all, if someone like you can love him so dearly, he cannot be so bad, right?

SABO

Sabo needs someone who…

lives freely without constraints, doesn’t care what other people think about them

pursues a deeply humanitarian dream

is just, hard-working and unique

thinks rather than feels

Sabo can help you cope with these character flaws:

being too idealistic

sorrow

perfectionist tendencies

An absolute dealbreaker would be…

different political ideology and laziness

Sabo sees you and knows you have what it takes. You’re unafraid of tension and you’re quite abrasive when it comes to the intolerable… and your track record is just as impressive. You’re a rare gem who doesn’t sell their principles to get ahead in life – you chose this path out of conviction, not due to a lack of options. Maybe that’s why he recommends you for a position much higher up the ladder where your potential would be seen, where your voice would be heard and matter… Eventually, Sabo would notice a dangerous flutter in his chest every time you worked together. He would linger around you longer than necessary and try to get you to talk about your personal life just to get closer to you. Your story is fascinating, he cannot help but be angry at the world for throwing you away. Well, kind of – you’ve landed right in his arms, so it’s not that bad now, is it?

SHANKS

Shanks needs someone who…

wants to go about life at their own pace

is outgoing, emotionally intelligent and warm

has the street-smarts and strength to defend themselves if it came down to it

hopes for peace and believes in equality

Shanks can help you cope with these character flaws:

procrastination

bottling up negative feelings

stubbornness

An absolute dealbreaker would be…

being too fragile and selfishness

Shanks sees you and doesn’t know why he’s suddenly so eager to be taken care of – you just sniff him out like a hound dog and nag at him about his terrible habits constantly. He thinks it’s sweet that there’s someone amongst his loyal crew members who still believes he would change his ways. They all let go of it at some point.

…Until you don’t let go of it at all. You shadow him and relentlessly pursue his heath and happiness. At first, Shanks wrongfully assumes that you’re trying to be the captain’s favourite, but he could only watch in astonishment as you pull the same stunt on all the others. “Benn, you smoke too much. Roux, why in the world are you lifting that crate by yourself, let me help. Yasopp, you will cook these beans before eating them or so God help us all.” – he hears your voice in his head echoing his own sentiments towards his friends. It suddenly feels too real. You’re just… like this. It’s in your nature to be warm. And you offer the same warmth to… Shanks. Larger-than-life, mythical, legendary Shanks. He’s just another man in your eyes… It makes him nervous.

BUGGY

Buggy needs someone who…

feels rather than thinks

engages in creative activities and has something that fulfils them

is loving, direct/ straightforward and clingy

reassures him and would be his anchor in life, an unshakeable constant

Buggycan help you cope with these character flaws:

deep insecurity/ self-pity

abandonment issues

competitiveness

An absolute dealbreaker would be…

being distant and indifference

Buggy sees you and knows that you’re different from the rest. Not unlike him, to be honest, but that might be wishful thinking. He just feels inexplicably drawn to you; he revels in your proud smile whenever he praises you for a job well done. Sometimes he thinks that you crave his approval just as much as he craves yours… once you tore down his walls, you’re all up in Buggy’s business. Worst thing is that he doesn’t mind at all. He likes having you around, you’re not half as much of an idiot as all the other troglodytes he keeps around. The thing that he doesn’t get is, though… you actually don’t think quite as highly of yourself. It’s not humility, you’re plenty humble, but it reeks of insecurity… and believe him when he says that he knows that stench all too well. Well, you might just need a proper hype man to tell you that you’re the most amazing person to ever walk this wretched Earth, darling! One day you’ll wear that title with pride.

[crackheadintheclouds]

One Piece: Fantasy Flirt

Who really knows how to make ‘em swoon?

feat. BENN BECKMAN, SHANKS, SABO, MARCO

BENN BECKMAN

10/10 [canon fact btw]

What a force of nature, this so-called Benn Beckman. The mysterious aura he has makes him alluring – worst thing: he’s intelligent enough to realise it. Whenever the Red Force docks at a port, the local tavern is filled to the brim with pirates and laughter. That’s just the nature of the crew, they haven’t lost their charm… that, naturally, attracts the locals. These pirates seem powerful, but not necessarily dangerous. In fact, their captain even pays full price for all the supplies! What a weird bunch. You heard about this mysterious group from your friend who works at the market… and you couldn’t help but find it a bit suspicious. Most of these men had exorbitant bounties… and they aren’t actually horrible people? Something isn’t adding up. Pirates pillage and ravage the lands, they don’t buy overpriced mackerels and potatoes from local merchants.

As soon as you enter the bar, it reeks of hard liquor and smoke. That’s not unusual, but the men certainly are. They all look a bit strange, but you didn’t fear them at all, even if most of them spared you a glance as you entered.

Well, that is until you felt a heavy gaze on you – that one did make you beyond nervous. Your eyes immediately locked onto another man who sat quietly inside a corner, watching everybody else… particularly a man with red hair.

He called you over with a wave of his fingers and you couldn’t help but point at yourself. Really… you? What’s his deal? Was this going to be some sort of low-brow robbery?

You shouldn’t have faced him so easily. This man was far more intimidating up-close. So tall and broad – a truly hardened sailor. Those scars littering his body didn’t go unnoticed by you either. He followed your eyes and grinned, shaking his head in amusement, like he could read your mind. You raked over him with a harsh glare, noticing that he carried both a gun and a dagger… yet both of them were clean.

How unusual. Why in the world did he call you over if not to rob you? Or was he asking for a brawl? How dishonourable, striking someone who’s shorter and weake-

He suddenly started to speak, alerting you.

“Seemed to me like you needed a friend.”

“Oh, and you’re my friend now?”

He smirked, chuckling at your scoff.

He didn’t respond at first, opting to take a drag of his cigarette instead.

“Could be, if you’ll have me.”, Benn responded before waving at the old owner from across the bar. The older man lit up like a kid on Christmas, loudly telling the First Mate of the Red Hair Pirates that he owes him another story and that the ale would be on the house for chasing away the World Government. You remember when the newspaper announced that they wanted to collect some hefty taxes for any service-based trades, but you also remember that no representative ever visited, meaning your economy flourished.

You were too stunned to speak. These… these guys were pirates? Those bounties rang true? Nothing was on fire and these guys don’t seem to be too interested in stealing for pleasure.

“So… friend. Mind telling me your name and where to get the best sake in town? Know someone who’s got quite the problem.”

“You mean yourself?”, you chuckled back, not even realising that you sat down next to him.

“I meant my idiot captain over there, sweetheart. But sure, I’ll take the bait. Am I that obvious?”

“A little.”

“Ouch. And I thought I had to save the pretty girl that entered the lion’s den – turns out she’s got claws.”

“Me? Pretty girl?”, you wondered aloud, leaning into him as soon as he leaned back, like a magnet.

“Uh-huh. You’re the prettiest. Obviously... that's why everyone was looking. Including me.”, Benn replied curtly, as if he was telling you a fact.

Silence befell you two. You were totally flustered, having been verbally disarmed. You… didn’t know what to say. This wasn’t even a heartfelt compliment, but the conversation flowed so easily that it made your heart skip a beat.

“Where’d those claws go now, love?”

Your face was now hot to the touch – and Benn Beckman, of course, noticed it.

SHANKS

9.5/10

Shanks is so different from everybody else… Most people know his name, they fear him greatly due to his status and proven strength. Other pirates quiver in fear as soon as they feel that crackle of energy in the air that almost knocks them out cold if they do not have the courage or power to withstand his Haki. They view him as this legend with a mythical aura, but you’ve known Shanks to be quite the catastrophe, which is funny… if it weren’t for the fact that he, as a leader, makes terrible decisions sometimes.

“Hey, Captain. I am here to bring you dinner because you thought a whole bottle of rum and a pint of beer was enough. How does it feel, hm?”

Shanks could only chuckle in despair, nursing a tall glass of a water like he wasn’t thirsty at all. On top of everything, he leaned against the door frame leading into his quarters with a sway that is just too uncoordinated to be careless. He’s completely and utterly wasted… like he most often is, that fool!

“Ah, my dearest personal nurse. Come in, come in. You can sit… uh… here? Sit wherever you like! Are you going to feed me now?”

...This guy, he always did this! His bedroom looked like a total mess. Sure, you haven’t seen a harbour in two months, which means your supplies were dwindling, which means that everyone was going a little insane, but Shanks was always the most ridiculous. He’s a social butterfly that craves attention, so as soon as he cannot distract himself with strangers, he’s totally trying it on you. It’s become a habit at this point.

“I’m not a nurse, Captain. And you’re not that old to warrant a personal one yet, Sir.”

“Oh~ You wound me!”, he dramatically touched his chest with his sole hand before fiddling with his black coat, “And I thought we had something special. Once again, you let this poor man suffer. Worst thing is that I let you –…”

“–because you love me?”, you interrupted, chuckling disapprovingly.

“–because I love you!”, he echoed immediately.

You sighed. Stupid Shanks. Stupid Benn for making you do this in the first place. Stupid crew for laughing at you when you whipped up some leftovers with a groan. They knew you had a compulsion to take care of everybody on this ship, especially when you’ve been at sea for too long. You liked to keep yourself busy; you were meant to be a free adventurer, not watch Yasopp lose a game of cards for the sixtieth time or sort potatoes in the ship’s hold because most of the unsused ones were sprouting by now…

You hummed, looking away from Shanks as he dug into his food. You instead stole glances around his room, ignoring all the laundry that ended up on the floor. This was someone else’s problem, clearly – you had your own forgotten hamper shoved into the back of your closet to deal with. Once you see a glimpse of freshwater, it’s going to be over for you – you’ll be scrubbing your clothes until you hands are raw and bloodied.

But something else caught your eye.

“It’s actually so sweet that you put up Luffy’s poster over your desk.” You smiled genuinely, remembering how fondly Shanks talked about his little friend from Foosha Village all those years ago. You hadn’t been a part of the crew then – you were far too young to be a pirate at that point, even if you already dreamt of travelling the world. The others frequently talked about it, though.

“W-well! That… that’s because-” The captain almost choked on the kale you gave him, opting for something light and healthy to help with his hangover.

“You’re a great man, Captain.”

Shanks blushed bright red, trying to dismiss your comment with his flailing arm and shy giggles. His legs shifted around under him, which means that the food was just inches away from spilling all over his bed. You just ignored him, knowing that he wasn’t serious. He wasn’t ever serious, he was fun – that’s why you admired him so much. He took all of your anxieties about sailing away since he was so reliable; you owe him so much.

“I still remember it clearly,” you sighed longingly, looking out of the only window in the room that was partially covered by curtains, “Mihawk looked like a man on a mission – the scouts were so scared! But all he did was deliver good news – the best news we got all week at the time. Hope I can meet this Luffy soon; he’s so cute – he’s smiling so brightly in his picture! He must be so happy to be a rookie pirate. Quite the bounty for a rookie, really impressive. I’d love to talk to Luffy, get to know him… see what makes him so special. Nobody should be this cute when they’re so strong!”

“…I don’t think it would be a good idea to meet Luffy, darling.”

“And why’s that, Shanks?”, you replied sarcastically, thinking he was trying to tease you. He was so predictable!

“Because you’re mine, love. Don’t forget it, m’kay?”

...Oh.

Your heart stopped beating for a moment, but Shanks was just playing. He was a shameless flirt, that’s how he got ‘em every time. Ha, two can play that game!

“I… I’d never leave, Shanks. Here to dote on you for life.”

“Good.”, he said, no hesitation in his voice. And, worst of all, he looked really serious about it.

He started eating again, visibly happy. Giddy. That blush of his still hasn't died down. You stayed silent.

…So… Is neither of you going to address this now?!

SABO

8.5/10

“So… this is where it all began, the heart of the revolution. I must admit, it’s more peaceful than I thought… I was expecting oppression and civil war, not… this.”, you mused, petting a bunch of cows as you fed them hay nearby a farm just outside of Foosha Village.

You were here on a spy mission alongside some trusted revolutionaries. Well, you and a certain someone were crazy enough to travel through half the island because it was easier to navigate from East to West, even if your fellow commanders thought the idea was bonkers. You weren’t that high up the ladder, which meant you had a supervisor with you. Someone… who took this mission without a second thought, really eager to see his home once again.

“Well, I can’t promise civil war, but you’re in for a lot of crimes against humanity and a caste system that rivals that of the Red Line once we're within city walls. We’ll just have to climb that mountain there and traverse the Midway Forest until we’re at Gray Terminal. Maybe we’ll climb the walls during the night to be quicker, but we’d have to check for guards first! So we will sleep in the forest. I know just the place! Uh… if it’s still there. I would need to see it first. It’s only going to take-”

Sabo rambled on and on, his expression unusually happy. He hated talking about injustice, but he did love this place. It was clear to anyone that the thought of reigniting lost childhood memories excited him.

He didn’t even notice that he was standing too close to the fence.

“They’re eating your coat, Sabo.”

“W-wah!”, he shrieked, tearing the fabric away from the hungry cattle. He wore an angry grimace, but couldn’t be too mad at them for too long, choosing to pet them alongside you.

Sabo was frighteningly competent for someone so young. Sure, he knew this place like the back of his hand – even if some things had changed – and confidently trod through the muddy paths leading up the mountain all while avoiding groups of bandits whose locations he was strangely familiar with. All the rain that had crashed down the mountain landed in the freshwater rivers near the villages you passed through, which meant everything was surprisingly humid and – despite all the physical ability your boss put you through, it was getting cold once the sun set.

“Are you cold? You can have my coat.” Sabo, thoughtful as ever, enquired. Even though his head was still facing forward, he noticed your discomfort.

“Oh, thanks, but-”

“Here.”

“…Thank you, Sabo.”, you accepted his offer because he had already taken it off…

Sabo took care of his people without putting a moment of thought into his actions. He was protective like that, had a heart made of pure gold. Maybe that’s why he became a revolutionary – it was simply his calling. He would have ended up in this place no matter what. He couldn’t stand the sight of the privileged taking advantage of the marginalised. To him, it was a disgusting display of sin – one that deserved to be felled.

Taking care of others was the right thing to do, but he always took it up a notch when it came to you. Always a tad bit too touchy, always a tad bit too possessive.

“Oh, this is quite the cliff. Come here, take my hand. Hold onto me, and step very carefully. I'll be your guide.”

You tried following his instructions, but you weren’t used to being so close to him. The army didn’t prepare you for this at all!

“Great job!”

It really wasn’t, but Sabo made anyone feel appreciated with his smile. That trait of his took up almost as much space in his heart as his moral compass did.

"You, too!", you replied, smiling, "Thanks for all the help."

"A-ah!", he exclaimed nervously, hiding his face from you, "It's fine. You did most of the sailing, now I have to pull my weight, okay?"

Sabo was a great guy. Maybe too great, because he made you... think. His words - surely he meant them platonically - were... so sweet, all the time.

“You trust me so easily, being with you is so natural...”, he chuckled, looking back at you while trying to hide his smile, “Makes me feel… really special, you know?”

He had some nerve… saying that after he almost made your heart leap out of your chest by pulling you in by the small of your back, helping you cross a tiny canyon… smiling at you like you were the love of his life.

MARCO

7/10

As a ship doctor, Marco had a keen eye for spotting anyone’s ailments. Whatever burdens plagued the crew, he was there to set it straight. You knew that he was attentive and relentless in his care for others, never truly letting up. He always claimed that it was to avoid work – if more people ended up in the med bay, he’d start a riot all by himself, but you knew that it was just who he was.

With such a large crew, he was always busy. You’ve seen him reset dislocated joints countless times, wipe copious amounts of blood off his hands just after rudimentary emergency surgery and make up medical treatment on the go with the little supplies they had…

You thought bothering him with your silly problems would just take some necessary resources away from others. You knew that it wasn’t exactly right to let any problem fester, but you didn’t want anyone other than calm, collected Marco to know about it. You don’t want to seem weak; you were capable and independent, a pirate with a high bounty yourself…

But you didn’t know that Marco had already sniffed you out, eyes always on you.

You were dealing with nightly troubles due to heightened anxiety for seemingly no reason. It was frustrating. This was just your life now, you realised.

You hadn’t been sleeping at all that night, and you knew that it was futile at this point. You knew your body – this was just torture at this point.

Getting up was the worst. You were exhausted enough to feel like the weight of the world rested on your shoulders but, at the same time, worried too much to truly be at peace with yourself.

As soon as you stepped into the empty kitchen to drink some coffee from the day before – yuck – you felt a presence graze your back. Your heart rate kicked into overdrive, adrenaline flowing through your veins and erasing any traces of desperate need for sleep. You probably looked a mess too, but who would be-

“Marco?!”

“I’ve been waiting for you, yoi.”

His tone was stern, but not accusatory. You knew exactly what he meant. Of course he’d been watching, of course he noticed! Those eye bags were probably getting obvious by now, how in the world did you think you could fool someone as intelligent as Marco?!

Instead of the med bay, though, he took you to his room. It smelled like lavender – oh, he’d set up incense. How… nice…

“Drink this.”, he said dryly, handing a mug.

Without even looking at its contents, you took a sip. It was warm milk and honey. The temperature was perfect and warmed you from the inside.

“Marco, I’m sorry I didn’t co-”

“I don’t want to hear it. You’re here now.”, he countered, gesturing towards a plush chair he’d probably stolen from another commander’s room…

You sat down, facing him with shame dancing in your eyes. Though he implied that you shouldn’t worry about it, you felt like a child caught with their hand still stuck inside the cookie jar.

“You can take my bed. I will be here, waiting. Might read a book, but feel free to interrupt anytime. We don’t have to talk, but I won’t leave you.”

…You nodded, smiling ever so slightly. That was beyond kind of him. He was such a good person. You knew that one night of this wouldn’t cure you immediately, but… well, you would definitely come to him with your burdens from now on. You… respected him, just like he respected you by speaking to you in private about this instead of having the crew around.

You were still in your sleepwear, so you got under the covers and stared at Marco, who suddenly hovered above you.

“I hope you’ll sleep well. Again, I’m here. I will be here. You are safe with me.”

With those words, he blew out the candles on his bedside table, giving you one last look before he retreated into a corner of the room where the moonlight shone through.

You turned around, laying on your side. The bed smelled like him – well, of course it did. It was his bed! But you never noticed how pleasant it was. You never noticed that Marco had been watching you, a consistent presence in your life. You never noticed that there was someone who was there… unconditionally.

You were suddenly very nervous for a different reason. Worst of all: you absolutely couldn’t tell Marco about this one either!

COUNTERPART POST - One Piece: Clueless and Clumsy

[crackheadintheclouds]

One Piece: Clueless and Clumsy

Who is just… a little dense?

feat. LUFFY, SANJI, ACE, BUGGY, KID

LUFFY

∞/10

CLUELESS AND CLUMSY

Okay so… Luffy is not the best at flirting or being flirted with... That means that he is the worst.

He has a lot of empathy and can easily see other people’s perspective, but he is in dire need of direct, straightforward communication when it’s about him. Anything that is subtle enough to fly under his radar just doesn’t exist, because he’s rather spend his time thinking about achieving his dream and being the freest person ever. That being said, I wouldn’t say he’s totally disinterested. Once someone emerges who truly stands out to him, he’d feel the change. The queasiness… the unrest… the sudden heart palpitations… Luffy has never been sick – he has been injured plenty of times, even to the point of being on the verge of death, but he’s never experienced illness. He’d go to Chopper and bluntly ask the ship’s doctor what’s wrong with him, which would lead to a plethora of tests that would ultimately amount to nothing other than solidifying, in Chopper’s mind, that Luffy is a freak of nature.

Maybe he needs more meat, SANJI!!!

He'd go through every single one of his friends' pointless advice, to no avail. Franky made him solve a jigsaw puzzle, which took literal weeks, but he's still so sick, and now it gets worse when you're not there!!

Eventually, he would ask you about it - casually over dinner, with all the other crew memebers dropping their cutlery in disbelief. Luffy is incredibly embarrassing and endearing. The others would leave you to your awkward moment... and you'd just talk.

You wouldn’t have expected Luffy to like you back; he’s so free-spirited and oblivious to anyone’s advances. Even women who lay it on thick can’t get through to him when his head is in the clouds… But his heart is with you and he soon realises that this is no sickness, it’s a source of great strength and resolve for him. You make him believe in things beyond his scope – your future will be so bright, he’ll make sure of it.

SANJI

10/10

CLUELESS

Sanji is an unbelievably shameless flirt in a hopeless romantic’s body, which means that he definitely recognises the signs – the incessant need to be with you, his petty jealousy towards everyone who eyed you a little too curiously for his taste, his never-ending longing to hear your praise for any of his acts of service. It’s all right there, but he doesn’t acknowledge it once, thinking that once he started bargaining with himself, he’ll make you uncomfortable and realise just how weak he is. He doesn’t expect anything from anyone because his insecure conscience makes him selfless to the point of self-abandonment, so having you stubbornly patch him up after he got hurt during a nasty bar fight (that Zoro started, that bastard!!!) was making the hair at the back of his neck stand up. He shivered every time he felt your hands on him, because his body craved to be doted on by you so badly, but he would just believe that he’s being gross and unreasionable about a stupid crush. He’d immediately think you were disgusted by him, you couldn’t possibly return his feelings, could you? You’ve seen him look at countless women for a quick confidence boost, trying feel his own worth by doing nice things for others, so the nice things you were doing for him… yeah, you must be pitying him.

Then his gaze meets yours, though. Your eyes, so beautiful, so deep, look at him like he’s an angel in human form. He’s not, he’s really not! ...The thought makes him fidget around, trying to flee from your care. He’ll get delusional if you keep this up! He would try to rationalise his way out of anything, so you almost have to shut him up with a romantic kiss for him to get it.

ACE

9/10

CLUELESS

Ace is very much aware that he attracts people. He feels their eyes on him whenever the Whitebeard Pirates dock at an island – it doesn’t even have to be foreign. The people could be under his dad’s protection, they could have seen him multiple times, but they still want to sneak a peek. He knows that he looks… a certain way; appealing to some, apparently.

He hates it. He hates it so, so much. It doesn’t flatter him, because he’s been told – even by Whitebeard himself, once, God bless him – that he looks a lot like his "actual father" when that guy was his age. The freckles throw some people off, but the resemblance is said to be undeniable to those who really knew Roger. He doesn’t know whether that is true, to be honest. Anyone could have black hair, so many people have dark eyes and everyone who does physical labour gains a little muscle definition. Those were all coincidences! These people don’t like Ace at all, they like the illusion of the late, oh-so-great King of the Pirates and cannot put their finger on Ace’s allure because of it. He denies everyone since he’s so bitter about it.

So all is well when you make it very much known that you just want to be his friend. That’s nice, another friend. How neat! In fact, he’s quite happy about it – he can lay his one-sided dislike aside and start fresh, which delights Whitebeard, too. Everyone's just content being a harmonious crew.

…Which makes it extra weird for him when he’s the one falling for you. You’re so… gentle, so nice, so kind to Ace. Ace! The real Ace. Pathetic, worthless and depressing Ace. Why couldn’t you see him for the Devil he was? Why… when you could do so much better?

You must be insane, being kind to such a failure.

Why couldn't he stop loving you for it, though...?

BUGGY

8/10

CLUMSY

Buggy would like to claim that he’s scarily perceptive and sniffs out people’s true intentions like it’s second nature, but his insecurities have poisoned the well. He firmly believes that no one’s ever flirted with him, ever, because… nobody could love that face, sweetheart. He doesn’t really know how to tell friend from foe, that’s just his anger issues talking every time he feels ridiculed and/or wronged. Naturally, he pushes everyone away who meets the criteria, causing him to spiral even further in his misery. It’s like a self-fulfilling prophecy, really…

So… how how badly he’d try to explain your gestures. Surely, you must have mistaken Buggy’s joyous whimper for a manly grunt – a hardened criminal like him wouldn’t wag his tail for being noticed and touched by a beautiful woman like yourself, please. Oh, the leftovers you bring over into his quarters? You’re clearly paying tribute to your amazing captain, keep it up! You tell him that you admire him and he’s like – yeah, duh, look at the show he’s put on today! Only an experienced showman could rile up a crowd like that. Go as far as to tell him that you like him, he dares you. He’d stand still for a moment, suffer a mini stroke that causes several body parts to end up on the floor, stutter his way through a meek, “Well, who doesn’t like the great Captain Buggy?!” and the he just leaves immediately. He wouldn’t come out of his room to retrieve his missing hand, ear and ankle until the next morning…

He absolutely cannot deal with it. He liked you too much to cast you aside, now that you’re actually getting bolder and bolder with your teases (?!), he’s at his wits end. He cannot handle it at all. You don’t like him like that, do you? No. You’re… look at you. This has got to be the loneliness talking!

If you ask him out, it’s game over. His heart would flutter, but he's also go into cardiac arrest...

KID

7.5/10

CLUMSY

Kid is unreasonably stubborn. He is also unreasonably prideful. Paired with his explosive anger, he’s a walking, talking brushfire that burns bridges left and right. People have got to have a thick skin around him, because his is just incredibly thin. Naturally, people aren’t interested for too long, which hasn’t ever bothered him. Kid's out on a mission! He’s going to be King of the Pirates, there’s no time for sideshows when some sorry lowlifes try chasing the same dream without having a single brave bone in their body. Don’t worry, he’s here to set the record straight. So… no, it doesn’t bother him at all. What does bother him, however, is someone trying to make a move on you all of the sudden. First of all, you’re definitely not interested in some weakling, second of all, keep those eyes to yourself, pal. Now scram.

Everybody but him knows why he’s so possessive, but he is trapped in a minefield of his own mistakes – you teased him about falling for you once, after he made you a new alarm clock from scratch because he broke yours and he’s been trying to prove a point from then on. It’s like he’s arguing with himself, because now that he did notice you and watched you like a warden, he cannot help but… think you’re kinda cute. He haunts you and pokes fun at you every chance he gets, just to see you get mad. Killer thinks it’s embarrassing, but doesn’t intervene. He doesn’t want to be caught in the crossfire.

Literally everyone watches as Kid actually begins falling in love with you while you’re the one who now has a short fuse…

COUNTERPART POST - One Piece: Fantasy Flirt

[crackheadintheclouds]

[crackheadintheclouds]

Oh my gosh I love your stuff! And brook is my favorite too, love what you've written about him. What WOULD be a senerio that you think brook would actually confess his feelings? I feel like it would take accidentally finding the person he's fallen for like talking to themselves (or some other situation) but clearly saying that they love him, or if said person was dead/at deaths door. I'd love to hear your opinion, or if you'd feel inspired to write something from this even better

Brook Nation, you’re very welcome (✿◠‿◠)I’m so happy I got two Brook requests already. I know most people following me (thanks btw guys!!) probably do not care at all about the funny skeleton man, but this is my calling – and I think you’re absolutely right in both cases. He would certainly act fast when the reader was dying/had a near death experience, but this would also break him beyond repair… since I’m not in the mood for heavy angst today, I chose the former!! So… here’s the scenario🫡 It's cute and funny, yay

PS. I regret nothing, but this is quite long... (like almost 3k words long bye)

Love Me Tender, Love Me Sweet

BROOK EDITION

Today had been a bad day for Brook. It seemed that the world was just against him on this cursed day!

First thing in the morning: He woke up late because he’d been playing piano well into the night, trying to perfect a tune his beloved would never even hear, but he’s coping well with that. He just has to get it all out on a weekly basis, mastering his compositions until he was certain that you’d like them. His music has gotten a lot sadder and slower within the last few months – the more his love for you grew, the deeper his heartbreak cut into him. To want something this badly, knowing that he’ll never get it… it was a miserable experience, but your presence certainly sweetened the deal he made with himself. Brook would allow himself to dote on you as long as it wouldn’t ever cross a line. Maybe he’d be the best man at your wedding… you know, because he cares so much as your best friend. He’d love to see you happy even if it would kill him.

Of course, that wasn’t all. Those feelings – he’s gotten used to them by now. They just… exist. The thing that really annoyed him was the fact that, due to waking up so late in the first place, he couldn’t brew a tea pot for you and him to share. Instead, when he sat down at the breakfast nook, he watched as you accepted a nice cup of tea with honey from Sanji, who swooned at your praise at the surprising taste, with you voicing that you weren’t used to beverages this sweet.

Dejected, Brook ate a tuna sandwich and the scrambled eggs you saved for him in silence and drank coffee for the first time in a long time.

This was supposed to be your alone time! You loved sleeping in, so Brook usually saved a plate for you before Luffy could get to your favourites. He’d read the News Coo Newspaper and watched as, one by one, the others left the room; Usopp normally helped cleaning up with Sanji and Robin sneaked Chopper a sweet treat. That’s how it goes.

Not today, clearly. Nami immediately snatched you up after breakfast and took you to the observation room, probably making you bring her all sorts of maps and foreign books.

Which means that Brook was all alone again, his routine entirely broken.

He aimlessly wandered around the ship. Just before lunch, he bumped into Zoro in the crow’s nest. The fellow swordsman challenged him to a spar, but the virtuoso knew it was going to be a pitiful struggle because he wasn’t on top of his game at all. He’d rather think about you than evade Zoro’s ruthless swings and hard-hitting jabs. So… expectedly, Brook was beaten horribly – a new low. His First Mate friend even commented that the skeleton had been kind of off since this morning, and wondered aloud whether Franky would be up for a sparring session instead.

Tired of dealing with everyone, Brook decided to skip lunch. He wasn’t hungry anyway. Well, he was dead, so those nourishing calories would be wasted on him anyway. Eating and drinking was a simple pleasure of life he didn’t want to miss, but it hasn’t been a need for so long…

You and him should be in the library right now. Or he could help you pick fresh tangerines from Nami’s trees, grasping at the fruit that were too high up, ones you couldn’t reach and gently placing them in your woven basket with his signature laugh. You’d wear Luffy’s straw hat to shield you from the harsh sun because the captain was usually napping around with Zoro after lunch and you’d look so, so beautiful looking up at the skeleton man and thanking him with a bright grin that would cause any man’s heart to stop. You truly looked the best when you smiled at Brook, though, he concluded.

Maybe that’s why it hurt to be alone right now. Yes, yes… you weren’t gone – God forbid. You were just busy. It happens to anyone on this crew from time to time, especially when their captain drags them, yet again, into one of his messes, but you were regularly busy with Brook. Like a package deal, you were inseparable. The others even started signing you up for the same tasks on the same days, just to help you two out. Brook was eternally grateful for such amazing friends, but he couldn’t help but wish that there were just two people on this ship right now.

Music always cheered him up. Music was his lifeline. It would clear his head and maybe he’d even come to terms with a new routine… even though the mere idea of you drifting away from him from now on sent shivers of agony down his bony spine. Music it is!

He ignored all the compositions of sheet music flying out of his locker in the men’s quarters. Most of these were dedicated to you, which means he absolutely couldn’t play them now. It would probably cause him to cry – you’d be around to listen to his love confession without a clue of what it’d mean, as intended by him. That wouldn’t do, no! Brook was supposed to be happy for your sake, even in your absence, even if it did hurt to be away from you, without talking to you for a mere day.

How in the world did he manage to go half a century without this?!

He picked up his secret stash of paper and shoved it back into his locker, slamming the door shut with a grumble. He’d just play one of the old sea shanties he knew by heart, no written notes needed. This would certainly take his mind off of things!

…Yet as soon as he positioned his violin at his chin and started tuning it, the A-string broke with the first touch of his finger and the end still attached to the tuning box hit him square in the face. Just when he was out of replacement strings, too! Damn it!

In that very moment, Brook wanted to snap his precious instrument in half.

“This is it”, he thought angrily. He still had a few hours to kill before dinner, so… he sighed, defeated. This day wasn’t ever supposed to be like this. You should be here, letting his head rest on your lap as he fiddled with his violin, just to play you a song. Hell, he’d even try and make up a song without using any notes on the A string, harmonious sound be damned. You liked his music because he liked playing all kinds of instruments and singing along, not necessarily because you wanted to hear vintage tunes from 50 years ago…

And he loved that about you.

You’d know what to do. Yes, you’d… you’d know how to fix this, even if you didn’t miss him at all. You probably had a wonderful time spending the day with Nami and Jinbe, discussing the best route to take once the Log Pose recalibrated…

But… he needed you. As a friend. As a friend.

Brook stalked through the halls, his thin, long legs carrying him at a breakneck pace without even working up a sweat. He was standing in the library, looking at Jinbe’s drawing board with interest. Just like that, you vanished. Again. And the other crew members weren’t here either! What… what in the world happened?!

“You’re terrible.”, you chuckled all of the sudden, clearly amused.

Oh great, now he’s hearing you inside his head.

Hearing the voices of his friends – he thought he ended that habit thirty years ago. The illusions of company were, at some point after all, more painful than coming to terms with his solitude. It makes total sense to hear your beloved’s voice when you miss them, though.

Absolutely no need to worry…

“I’m just saying, (Y/N)! He hasn’t made that joke in months. Come on, you have to tell us!”

…Nami? Why would he hear Nami now? And why is she talking to you?! Has he finally succumbed to reality? Was he but a ghost watching you interact with others, imagining his skeletal body-

“I have to admit, I’m curious, too.”

“Not you too, Robin!”, you cried out. The other women evidently laughed at your expense.

Wait… wait a damn minute. Brook wasn’t going crazy.

“Come on, (Y/N)~ Even Chopper knows all about it. Right, Robin?”

“Well…, yes. It’s hardly subtle.”

There was a slight pause.

“Haaaah… fine.”

Th-the ladder… next to him… it led right into the bathhouse.

“Yes, I… like him. No, we are not a couple.”, you murmured, voice uncharacteristically meek.

…

???!??!??!?!?!?!?!?!?

WHO?!

Brook grit his teeth, feeling his jaw tighten up.

He should be happy! So happy! You’ll find love, likely even within this crew. He’d be so happy to see you enjoy your life. This pain won’t linger, it’ll be gone tomorrow. Maybe he’ll get over it even sooner, because he knows that you’re experiencing all facets of being alive, something your resident musician here cannot claim for himself. He doesn’t want to take that from you with his petty jealousy.

BUT… now that this is out in the open, he cannot walk away from here. He has to listen to who it is that you loved.

“YOU’RE NOT EVEN A-!!”

“SHHHH! Nami!!”

He heard splashes of water and Robin hummed in acknowledgment of the scene.

Was it Luffy?! He wouldn’t treat you right at all! He’s too naive and doesn’t know how to respect you properly. Brook remembers how awfully disappointed you were when the captain ate one of the dishes you brought with you from your childhood home…

Maybe Zoro… even though, well. Brook admires his skills, but he is quite rough. Doesn’t talk much, doesn’t offer emotional security. Zoro lets you talk most of the time, which may be comfortable for some, but you, you deserved better…

Usopp – Brook just couldn’t see it. Sure, you were friends, too. But you need someone who could take care of you! Besides, Usopp spilled paint on you two weeks ago and ruined your favourite shoes. You and Brook spent a whole evening cleaning them…

Hopefully not Sanji! That man may be a great chef and decent guy, but his flirting habit would only cause you pain. That has to go before Brook would even begin to approve of him. So, no!

What about Fr-

“No, we’re not. He probably doesn’t even like me back, guys.”

This man! Whoever it is, he should have to pay for making you so sad! Any man would be lucky to have you fall for him. As soon as Brook knows his name, he’ll give him a stern talking to. You won’t be this dejected after your best friend rips him apa-

“But Brook likes you.”

“ROBIN!!!”, you squeaked.

YES, ROBIN?!??!?!?! What was that for?! Robin may know, but you don’t have to know that???!??!?

This will make everything so awk-

“He does, though. Have you considered asking him?”

“Robin, with all due respect, I can’t make a move on a man who’s finally found himself after years and years of loneliness, that’s cruel.”

...Huh?

“That won’t bother him. Brook would appreciate it.”

“Please, Rob-”

“No, (Y/N), she’s right! He wanted to kill Sanji this morning, just because you liked Sanji’s tea… and Sanji then gave you the heart eyes. Oh, he was livid!”

“Nami, you are surely misinterpreting-”

“I saw it with my own eyes!!”

You… you like him, too?

You…

You…

“Did you guys hear that thud?”

“I think Brook fainted in the library.”

“WHAT?!”

Brook dreamt of you. Oh, you were finally paying attention to him. This day wasn’t so bad after all, now that he has you back right where you belonged. He could smell your shampoo, as if it was still sopping wet and lathered. He loved that scent, just because you liked it and now it smelt like familiar comfort to him.

And you said his name like you loved him. He’s had that dream often, but it’s never been this vivid. You’d usually play card games or maybe you’d take a walk near the shore together, or…

“Brook!”

Ah, what a sound. So worried, so pure.

“Brook!”

Yes, my love?

“BROOK!”

Haha, I love you, too. Forever and ever.

Then Nami entered his field of vision. Strange, she's never been in these dreams. And she looked particularly angry. In her tight grasp, she held a jug – wait, he's seen this. Franky showed it to him once, bragging about the Lotus Robin grew, apparently native to Water 7. Before the musician could even think about its contents, she dumped it all over him.

“He has Devil fruit powers! Oh, no! Brook!”, you cradled his head against your chest while he heaved, feeling just how badly the stale water affected him. Where did Nami even get seawater from?!

“It’s not that bad. Look. He’s awake. And I’ll be going. Good luck!!”

You looked at him with wide eyes, touching his hair to flick pieces of algae away. You looked truly lost in that moment, and it’s been quite some time since Brook has seen you like this, like you wanted to cry because of him. Poor you… you probably thought that your friendship was in jeopardy, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. This was just like when you accidentally spilled ink on his sheet music from his Soul King Tour. The song wasn’t that important. In fact, he barely remembers writing it. You were still so sad about it, apologised profusely, even though you copied the entire page by hand, just for him – with gaps, since you didn’t know what lied beneath the ink stains. You thought you’d destroyed something precious to him, but that also couldn’t be further from the truth.

He was happy to see you practising with his notes in the first place, like his world was worth something to you.

He wrote an even better song that night. Your favourite genre, of course.

“I love you.”

You drew in a deep breath, bracing for pain.

“You don’t have to say that, Brook. I’m grown, I can deal with-”

But Brook would never cause you pain again. Not when he can take the weight off of you and lift your burdens, like a proper partner should.

“It seems that I hurt you, my dear. My apologies. I promise to never, ever keep a secret from you again. If I have to decide between causing you agony or seeing you thrive, the choice is quite easy. I’m sorry for not letting you bind yourself to me. I mistakenly thought you’d be happier without… me, free without baggage, alive without death clinging to your everything. I was blind to your love, because I denied my own. I love you – so, so much. You’re such a rare treasure. The kindest soul at sea, don’t you ever forget it...”

Tears ran down your cheeks, but Brook could only smile. He loved your expressions – your face always mirrored his own, only that he doesn’t have the means to express himself quite so vividly anymore. That’s okay, for he has you, and you have him. Forever.

His hand weakly supported your head as your hold on him weakened, trying to regain your composure. You were probably embarrassed for showing your emotions so openly and promptly, but he’s known what love does to a person. Irrationality is no sin, especially not when it’s about you loving him like he loves you.

“I love you. I really do. I… always did.”

You nuzzled your cheek into his bony palm. For a moment, he feared that you might hate the hardness of his bones as opposed to the softness of skin and tissue, but you never once minded his touch, not even now.

“I love you, too, Brook. Always did.”

“Always?”

“Always.”

This really turned out to be the best day of his life. Ever.

[crackheadintheclouds]

Hello Tasha, i have also just recently found your blog and i love your writing style! Could i ask you to do Ace, Doflamingo, Law and Zoro and their ideal first date location (or something similiar). Thank you so much and keep writing, you are amazing!

Hello anon (✿◠‿◠) Thank you so much for your kind words. Happy to hear you like my style :D Hope you like this one as well <3

Ideal Dates

feat. ACE, DOFLAMINGO, LAW, ZORO

ACE

IDEAL DATE: Reliving childhood memories

LOCATION: Midway Forest, Goa Kingdom, East Blue

Aside from the Whitebeard Pirates and his brothers, Ace doesn’t take pride in many things. He’s pretty down-to-earth and ready to go with the flow anywhere, but… since you’ve had to have been his friends before getting into a relationship, he’s already fixated on you. You deserve an experience that actually reveals some things about him, things that nobody but his loved ones know. To show you that he trusts you completely, he’d take you on a surprise journey, never quite telling you where you’re going. Ironically, Whitebeard is the only one who knows and he cannot help but grin as you depart the Moby Dick for an adventure that will end up having you bond for life.

Ace very much knew that, way back, when Gray Terminal was set on fire, parts of the Midway Forest burnt alongside the metal debris as well. It was a gruelling scene, one he remembers in his darkest moments – but that forest… he’s still fond of it. It made him who he is today, honed his skills and tested his strength. Without that special place, he wouldn’t ever be a member of the Whitebeard Pirates, he wouldn’t have met you… It is certainly special.

And he loves you for agreeing with everything he suggests. Whether it’s climbing trees or trying to look for the treehouse Luffy, Sabo and him set up when they were children, sleeping under the starry night sky, curled up in his warmth or hunting the beasts that haunt this magical place… for him, you did it all with a smile.

Even when he suggests climbing Mt. Colubo for you to finally put a face to the name ‘Curly Dadan’…, you agreed.

Ace was overjoyed. You… actually love him. Why? How did he deserve this?

He hoisted you up with a laugh, climbing the steep mountain while you were clinging to his back like a koala. You had to meet his foster mother, he was absolutely sure of it.

He needed her blessings, as well as his dad’s.

DOFLAMINGO

IDEAL DATE: Private cruise on the royal yacht

LOCATION: Open waters, Grandline

A game of cat and mouse.

Doflamingo has taken an interest in you due to your superb abilities. You were particularly good, and impossible to crack. Whenever he met you, you evaded his silver tongue with saccharine poison, excusing yourself before he could retort. Honestly, you thrilled him. Strong people like you were exciting, so different from the weak vermin that inhabit this wretched world. No, you had a purpose, even if you might not even know it yet. And if he was correct, your place was directly beneath him. Still under his command, but above everybody else. That’s how highly he thought of you – you should feel honoured.

“So… why the long face, sweetheart?”, he’d ask while licking his lips as soon as you very accurately noticed that you and him were alone on this yacht. No captain, no navigator, nothing – they all abandoned ship as he requested.

Those are the pests he’s been talking about. Pathetic.

Doflamingo would test your trust and loyalty. Being weak makes one worthless but being a traitor makes one a sinner.

No, not you… never you. You had the guts to question him. You didn’t just talk the talk, you could back it up with frightening strength. Well, you were not as spooky as he was, certainly, but up there.

You can certainly pick your poison, but he knows that you’ll pick the right choice. He’s obsessed with you, studied your moral compass – of course he knows that you, too, have this twisted sense of loyalty about you. Like two peas in a pod, he sensed your weakness just as you sensed his.

No worldly riches he could offer would truly impress you, and that makes you one of a kind. You wanted a ride or die, someone who would be there no matter what, someone who would burn the world down for harming you.

You wanted unconditional trust, just like he did.

Well, he’s known to be rather discreet, isn’t he?

So, he jumps into the water without hesitation, laughing at your disbelief – and grins as soon as he felt your arms around him, pulling him back on board.

Down came the claw.

LAW

IDEAL DATE: Playing board games in his room

LOCATION: Polar Tang, Grandline

Law knew that any relationship only ever flourishes if both parties have a deep understanding of one another… and since is very reluctant to let people in, he decides to invite you in on a date in his room. He’s been pacing up and down the hallway for the past two weeks leading up to this day. Hell, he even asked Bepo for help! He must be in a terrible state, if he considers his advice. Yet… why was it kind of solid though? He’s made tea – good tea, expensive tea. The one he had to brew with a timer and a thermometer to get the best possible taste. He laid out some cute pillows and a blanket for you. He knew you liked it particularly cosy. Oh, and he bought you a plushie… just because it reminded him of you. It sat nearly on your designated seat before you arrived, looking up at him with its beady eyes as he prepared the game. His collectibles and treasured items sat neatly behind him on a shelf… you’d be one of the first people to get to know him like that. Once Law got over his trust issues and accepted you, it was totally over for him. He still wasn’t obvious, but you knew that he was smitten.

Basically, he was disarmed quite easily.

And he knew why.

You knocked gently, remembering the secret code he told you. Then you were wearing one of his sweatshirts… and you brought a plushie with you, too. It looked… awfully familiar.

He turned back around to see the same stuffed animal waiting for you, its eyes now somehow mocking him.

You just giggled at you boyfriend, “Seems we know each other too well. I’ll take yours if you take mine.”

He couldn’t help but nod, cheeks tinted pink. You were right – you knew him way too well.

The best thing was that he could laugh freely in your presence, unafraid of seeming strange. Usually, there was no point in expressing himself like that, it would only open himself up to more pain, but you… he knew you were there, always.

ZORO

IDEAL DATE: Conversation over dinner and drinks

LOCATION: Baratie, East Blue

Zoro is a simple man who enjoys the simple things in life. Naturally, he frequently invites you out to dinner and drinks because that’s where he feels most comfortable socialising. It’s just nice seeing you enjoy yourself, handing him a treat or letting him try out a dish he was sure he’d hate to Hell and back, only for him to say, “It’s not bad…”

However, you were surprised when he said that he wanted to go to the East Blue with you when all of this is over, when the Straw Hat crew conquered the Grandline. Zoro knows that this would be the day he’d call himself the world’s greatest swordsman, having defeated his former mentor and rival. So… he wants to make it special and take you to the place where it all began. Zoro received his nearly fatal wound here; had it not been for Mihawk’s mercy, he wouldn’t stand here today. He wouldn’t have ever met you, perhaps… the Straw Hats might not even exist right now if fate didn’t play its cards right. He’s not really a spiritual person, but he is grateful for everything that’s happened.

It’ll take some time to get there, but in the meantime, Zoro is happy to watch you reach over the broad table by the aquarium bar, stuffing your partner’s cheeks with a treat you baked… under Sanji’s careful supervision. It may not be as grand of a gesture as his idealised version of a date, but he truly loved spending time with you. He loved that you had your own dreams, that you were just as much of a free, independent spirit as he was – it made him feel seen. You know that he doesn’t have to prove himself to be worth something, that one lost battle doesn’t translate to utter failure.

Your presence makes him want to honour your commitment to him.

Your care is much appreciated.

[crackheadintheclouds]

Masterlist

Latest Original: One Piece: Kaleidoscope Kisses (feat. ZORO, USOPP, SHANKS, BUGGY, MIHAWK)

Latest Request: Ideal Dates (feat. ACE, DOFLAMINGO, LAW, ZORO)

Upcoming: N/A

ONE PIECE

His Love Is... (feat. LUFFY, ZORO, USOPP, SANJI, FRANKY, BROOK, JINBE)

One Piece: The Princes of Pining (feat. SANJI, ACE, BUGGY, BROOK)

His Love Is... (feat. SABO, ACE, LAW)

The Longing Hearts Club (feat. BROOK)

Love Me Tender, Love Me Sweet (feat. BROOK)

[crackheadintheclouds]

His Love Is…

STRAW HAT EDITION

LUFFY

...freeing.

Luffy lives wholly in the moment and seeks adventure, often attracting trouble wherever he goes. He is so unapologetically, authentically himself that nobody can help themselves – their true colours come forth around him; he brings out the best and the worst in people, depending on their personal moral compass. He is a beacon of hope, so bright and warm, so lively and wild. Anyone would believe in happiness and a purpose when travelling with him, but his forever allegiance lies with you because you complement him. You nurture his freedom-driven explorations because you believe in him, you believe in your friends and Luffy sparked that same assuredness in yourself, too. You were pulled into his world as soon as you met him, but neither of you expected you to merge your visions for a happy world. He made you feel hopeful, softer, kinder… you don’t have to pretend anymore. He knows that you’ve been so strong for too long. He’s seen it, that’s why he recruited you. That magnetic pull towards you was magical and it made him want to pursue a world where you wouldn’t have to hide to save face anymore. He wanted you to peer into his eyes and see you in them.

You deserve to be free.

ZORO

…thorough.

Zoro is a fiercely independent man who chases his dream and does everything he can to ensure that his end goal won’t be up to fate – his success, due to his efforts, can’t be measured in probabilities, they’re certainties. One of his core beliefs is that he’s the architect of his own future, that he can carve out his own path and mould the world to his liking if he just tries hard enough. He doesn’t care how arduous his chosen path is, he’ll gladly face every challenge and shoulder every bit of pain… since he’s confident enough that he won’t break under pressure. You’ve been an unmovable force, a damn thorn in his side, for quite some time now, you’re so stubborn in your care for him that he couldn’t help but perceive you – truly perceive you. He admired your spirit, acknowledged your quiet strength and continuos efforts. He sees himself mirrored in your soul because you’ve been with him so consistently. He’d adopted your habits without him noticing. Your presence makes him want to be a man you can be proud of. He’d promise to take better care of himself and try his best to be open about his emotions with you. He made you feel confident, whole and equal. He’ll take on your demons if you, as his equal, help him confront his.

You deserve to be protected.

USOPP

…kind.

People say that absence makes the heart grow fonder and you don’t quite understand that sentiment until Usopp isn’t around for you to lean on one day. Maybe he’s been assigned to stay back and watch the ship, maybe he’s looking at cute little trinkets near the harbour… whatever it is, you suddenly realise that Usopp is the glue that keeps this crew together. He is so open-minded and funny that everyone feels welcome in his presence; he turns your friend group into a community and he makes you feel included in every aspect of his life, shares every conversation with you and trusts you blind. He is devoted to your comfort because you look behind the carefully-constructed mask he wears, you take over when his social battery has run dry and you reassure him that both of his parents would be proud of the person he’s become. He feels a connection to you that goes beyond usual conventions. Most often, he cannot even put it into words how lucky he thinks he is. He is loyal to you and wants you to view him as part of your family. He dreams of watching you achieve your dreams with him as your forever home and save haven.

You deserve to be seen.

SANJI

…gentle.

Sanji loves to make people feel special and strives to do better. If he can put a smile on someone’s face, he’s done his deed and he lawfully approaches every day with the same quaint attitude. He knows that life can be hard – it can be so, so hard. That’s exactly why he cannot stand anyone piling onto someone else’s plight. Maybe that’s why he’s taken such a liking to you. You’re just like him, eager to make yourself useful and help your friends whenever you can… at the same time, just like him, you don’t see your own worth. A happy relationship grows out of an ironically selfish desire to make you see yourself for who you are. He naively thought that helping you would help him, but all it did was reveal your innermost thoughts and feelings and he found himself so in tune with you that he, as a hopeless romantic, finally felt like he’s found his match. Sanji can be intense and he knows it, you are great at communicating your likes and dislikes and he treasures your honestly. Knowing that he’s your safe place has him seeing stars whenever you’re near, you’re that important to him. Also, your sweetness only fuels his desire for a happy world, and he’ll be by your side for as long as you’ll have him.

You deserve to be cared for.

FRANKY

…exciting.

Franky knows that he’s unconventional. His life’s work literally breathed life into him and gave him a second chance at the game. His mind is so vast and feeds on his own curiosity and his longing for spectacular experiences. He is the heart of any party and entertains every joke, every conversation and loves seeing just how diverse people can be in personality and looks alike. It makes him feel less like an anomaly and more like an appreciator of surprises. He knows that he’s bold, passionate and confident, but you cared enough to explore all parts of his personality like it was second nature. You stuck around, watched him tinkering away well into the deep night when the mood turns sombre, and you never seemed to mind. No, when he went quiet, you started talking his ear off… just to cheer him up. That sold him on the idea of a relationship. He thinks so highly of you, thinks that your energy works super well with his natural charm and he adores bouncing off of different topics with your much appreciated input. You complete him in ways he didn’t think were possible. Your creativity and ideas for silly project make the gears in his head turn and before you know it, you’re both drafting up a blueprint for a gimmick nobody but you two would ever appreciate.

You deserve to smile.

BROOK

…deep.

Brook inspires people effortlessly. He encourages everyone to chase their dreams and stroll about the path of life at their own pace and on their own terms. He’s known hardships and he wishes to shield others from those feelings of melancholy and sorrow, even if he knows that working through every bit of pain gives one the tools to walk through life with a little more resilience. Still, he wishes to influence people with his music and give them a break from their everyday troubles, make them forget… it makes him feel useful, like he’s a part of something that makes being somewhat alive truly worth it. You saw right through that… immediately, too. You two were in complete harmony, you understood him wordlessly and the way you carried your own baggage with pride, shockingly, inspired him. You made him feel like his entire existence amounted to something. He longs for a soul-binding connection and a strong, secure relationship. Brook may need some time to trust and let go, but once he’s in, you’ve found a partner for life. He just wishes you’d look at yourself with the same innocent wonder you grace him with, laugh at your own jokes the way you laugh at his – you’re his muse, his everything. Life isn’t quite as scary when you’re with him, he knows that you can rely on each other as he slowly copes with his decades old loneliness with you by his side.

You deserve to trust.

JINBE

...easy.

Jinbe was so wise, so admirable, so… him. It was impossible to not feel secure in his presence. He’d always been naturally observant and thus, caring for others is second nature to him. Expressing his emotions isn’t a matter of pride for him, he’s just so easy-going and calm that he may seem cold to those who don’t know him, but his heart is always set aflame from passion alone. He feels and thinks deeply about others, engages in soul-searching conversation and never shies away from giving a good piece of advice to those who might want it. Without even thinking about it, he started taking care of you and remembered the little things that mattered – he wasn’t just available, he was there. Jinbe made you feel like your problems didn’t matter so much, he’s seen you through your highest highs and lowest lows, and it didn’t matter once. He only saw your heart, your soul, your mind… and he adored it all, no matter what you thought about it. You were a part of his crew, his friends, his family… knowing that you were just as fond of him as he was of you was a blessing. His love is mature, deeply respectful, and binds your souls together. You feel as though you are one.

You deserve to heal.

[crackheadintheclouds]

One Piece: The Princes of Pining

How down bad are they?

SANJI

∞/10

Sanji… oh, poor Sanji! He’s a hopeless romantic through and through. He wants to be at your beck and call, he wants to make you happy… because he’s never been happy. He has his dreams, yes, but they pale in comparison to his bleeding heart he tries to protect by uselessly flirting with every woman he comes across. Can’t reject him that way, can they? They know he doesn’t really mean it. Sure… he genuinely cares and wants to make people smile and show him that he’s worth something, but deep down he doesn’t believe a word they say. Yes, he’s a great chef, an even better prince charming and a phenomenal judge of character – but he’s also depressingly sad. At first, you were just like all the others. A woman to be taken care of! Another way to get a drop of validation and a whisper of true love without the real work that goes into a relationship, without showing who he really is, without revealing just how pathetic he thinks he is…

Unfortunately for him, you’re so glad he’s here, and you tell him that quite confidently. Often.

And it breaks him.

Why are you trying to do something nice for him? It’s fine! You don’t have to talk to him at all, he’s fine with cooking in silence and humming on occasion. Absolutely not! You’re not cleaning up after him, you’re a delicate flow-

The thing is, though, it scares him. Sticking around without expecting anything from him shocks him to his very core. Sanji knows that you’re amazing. You pull your own weight, you’re a vital part of the crew and you care for everyone… but his heart cannot help but beat uncontrollably whenever you’re near, even if you just see him as a good friend. He fantasises about what could have been if he were more of a man and woo you properly, if only he had the courage to sweep you off your feet – but… life has dealt its cards.

So he’s pining. Bad.

The others think it’s super obvious, but then again… they also think you’re quite obviously affectionate with him and he doesn’t notice a damn thing.

Sanji subtly tries way harder, even if he thinks that he doesn’t have a chance anyway. He stands up straighter, argues with Zoro even more frequently, makes you two an extra meal, just to feel closer to you... He talks to you all the time and remembers every detail.

Sometimes he’s smoking, leaning on the railing and dreaming about you. Those moments have become an everyday occurrence these days, because he just cannot stand being on the same ship as you without being able to hug and kiss you, without touching your skin, without loving you.

And Sanji desperately tries to hide his smile when you come find him and talk to him about the latest gossip in the girls’ quarters while you hand absentmindedly reaches for him.

Somehow, you always come around to find him when he's down.

You’re always there.

And you appreciate him even when he doesn’t go out of his way to show you what a catch he is.

…He loves you, doesn’t he?

ACE

10/10

Ace is another one who ranks high on the self-hatred scale, but for entirely different reasons. His self-worth issues poison every single aspect of his life and he cannot recognise his own worth even though he rationally knows that he’s an okay-guy, maybe more… he doesn’t know. All that he knows is the visceral pain in the pits of his soul whenever he thinks of his unique circumstances – he wishes he’d never been born in the first place. He’d hate to disrespect his mother like that, she wouldn’t know about his plight, but he doesn’t know how to come to terms with the fact that his biological father abandoned him, abandoned his purpose, and made him into a Devil. Ace doesn’t know why that guy is so famed and feared when his chosen father isn’t just a great leader but a phenomenal role model, too. Many may disagree – particularly those belonging to the Navy kind, but he doesn’t care. Whenever he’s with his friends, he doesn’t feel any sudden fatigue plaguing him. The restless nights and endless nightmares filled with taunts and hate suddenly don’t seem so problematic anymore. He’s found his calling and he is so happy to call Whitebeard his dad. Said title seemed so humble compared to the saviour he really is in his eyes.

Perhaps that’s why you unsettled him. His dad liked you a lot. The old man spent time with you and enjoyed your gentle nature. Ace didn’t know your role back then, he didn’t care to know if he was honest with himself… he hated you. He was jealous of you and the way you instantaneously clicked with the man who’d saved his life, a man so careless he’d crouch down to make himself appear less intimidating in front of you despite his old age and terrible state of health.

You noticed that Ace began competing with you… and you didn’t know why. He was technically your boss, why would he see you as an equal in the first place? In your confusion, you turned to Whitebeard who just laughed in amusement. And your Commander watched from the sidelines, pouting.

Ace hated you. He hated you so much.

...Until you started spending time with him because your captain, his dad, suggested it. And Ace would rather die than disappoint the man who’d given him what he always wanted – a father figure. So he kept you around, passively at first but getting more enthusiastic with time.

His dislike towards you was so natural in the beginning but he found himself enjoying your presence at some point. You were more than comrades in arms – you became true friends. And sleeping by your side eased his nightly troubles. You didn’t cure the flesh wound on his heart, but you consistently mended it, one day at a time.

He couldn’t bear looking at you when you turned around in your own hammock, shivering from the wind.

You’d hate it if he helped you out.

He’s broken. Totally shattered. Nobody wants that baggage, especially not when he lifts the veil and shows his true personality.

Less extravagant, less confident, less fun – worthless.

His flame would die.

He’d just keep being your friend.

It’s all a monster like him can ask for…

BUGGY

9/10

Buggy believes that nobody would ever love him… or even like him for all that matters. He’s so cynical that he scoffs at women before they’ve taken a proper glance at him – before they could laugh in his face and whisper amongst themselves about his… rather strange looks. He completely ruled out the chance of ever being with someone who means it and it made him bitter. Buggy is so dejected by this that every bit of self-loathing turns outwards in fits of blind rage and petty anger. His crew knows that he’s easy to tip off; one word about that godforsaken nose and there would be Hell on Earth waiting for them for days to come.

He plays the tough guy to discourage anyone from mocking him any further. His need for self-aggrandising displays of strength and cunning stem from a place of deep insecurity about his appearance. Whatever he can do to make it less painful, to cushion the impact – He does it. He’s become a fanatic perfectionist when it comes to matters of make-up because it may distract some people from the you-know-what in the middle of his face. He’s taken on the image of a fool and oversees a pillaging circus because he’d rather force people to laugh with him instead of at him.

He’d never admit that he’s miserable though.

Maybe that’s why he started treating you so poorly recently…

All had been normal for the first few months. You briefly got to know him when your social circle overlapped, meaning you find yourself serving Buggy the Star Clown far more often than you’d anticipated. It’d been professional, you did your job diligently and without any complaints. He was the boss. Whatever he says, goes.

With enough time he became sour, criticised things that meant absolutely nothing, but you acknowledged it because it was still reasonable and solely about your craft. As soon as he riled you up just to get a rise out of you, you were electrified with anger as well. So you talked back – all the time now.

Meanwhile, Buggy was painfully aware of his gigantic crush on you. It shouldn’t even have happened. You certainly didn’t make it known that you were interested, but your honesty and morale is what completely drew him in. Sure, you were easy on the eyes, too, but that doesn’t keep his interest for long because he hates himself too much to entertain the mere thought of that. This attitude had protected him throughout the years, yet as soon as he faces an actually nice person his coping mechanism breaks down?! Ridiculous!!

You never lashed out at him, no matter how hard he tried to squeeze the truth out of you, how much he wanted to see you blow up at him and ridicule his looks just to prove it to himself that he was utterly hopeless… but you just wouldn’t budge. You started arguing with him but wouldn’t take a swing and land a right hook right on his fucking nose. No…

You had turned to banter. You’d lost all respect because you were suddenly very aware of the fact that he was constantly bluffing, and you just smirked at him.

You damn tease, prancing around without a care in the world after you dug your claws into him and stole his heart.

But at least you were polite enough to ignore his whimper whenever you’d playfully tease him with your hands around his shoulders.

Oh fuck…

BROOK

8/10

Despite his advanced age he has shockingly little life experience. Sometimes he thinks that he’s hallucinating and haunts the ship in the dead of the night when all the other members of the Straw Hat crew are asleep. He believes that, at any moment now, he will wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the Florian Triangle while holding onto the skeletal corpses of his former comrades – during those moments, he cannot properly rationalise that he gave them a proper burial at sea decades ago so that they may rest in peace. Music is the only thing that saves him when he’s like this. The wind carries his anguished melodies miles away, causing many villagers and pirates alike to mention an eerie song they heard in their sleep, like an omen of death.

Brook wants to be so much more than that, he wants to bring joy and mess around with people, just like he was used to when the unthinkable happened. He is grateful for his second chance at life, he just cannot help but mourn the life that he’s lost.

He’s an acclaimed musician, people love his music, they recognise him, and he’s found some reliable friends who have his back no matter what – not that he has one!

Anyways… he wishes he could sing more accurately about love. He knows family, he knows friendship but romance completely evaded him. Brook doesn’t know whether the memories that creep up in his head are him actually indulging in real flings with real people or whether they’ve been made up by half a century of loneliness and solitude. He wishes he’d know for certain because he knows that it’s all that he has left now.

Nobody would want a literal bag of bones – his longing was long dead before it emerged again, before he felt sane enough to let his mind wander again… but never stray too far.

His fellow crew mates were all beautiful in their own way, so bright and youthful. The women in particular were tough – so otherworldly beautiful, far exceeding the fragments of his lost life, so lethally intelligent and so different from one another. He appreciated Nami for her excellence, diligence and her silver tongue. She always knew how to live it up, yohoho! Robin was known for her survival skills, sharp mind and spooky comments. They were great friends and he cherished them.

You, though… you were his friend, too. Brook treasured your friendship greatly. It’s just that… you were so much more than that. He drew inspiration from your beauty, grace and tenderness, like you were his muse. All those songs he dedicated to your greatness was nothing compared to the graciousness you provided. Some of the others were hesitant to touch him, assuming that he was frail, but you sought him out for protection even know he knew that you could take care of some classless scoundrels. Still, you trusted him, wrapped your arms around his thin torso and pressed your warm skin against his cold bones. He could hardly feel the sensation because it suddenly felt like he’s had his heart back… just for a moment. Brook sensed the flutter in his chest and shivered, not knowing how to express himself.

He was falling in love with you. This is what this was.

But he wouldn’t ever confess his love to you, thinking that he’d be robbing you of your life.

He’s a dead man walking… and you’re so vibrantly alive.

He couldn't do that to you.

[crackheadintheclouds]

One Piece: Kaleidoscope Kisses

feat. ZORO, USOPP, SHANKS, BUGGY, MIHAWK

ZORO

Mood: FAMILIAR

Type: KISS ON THE LIPS

Zoro is a man who keeps most matters private. People don’t need to be all up in his business; he can decide for himself, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. He isn’t used to truly committed relationships since he’s intensely concentrated on becoming the world’s greatest swordsman – that’s his dream and he does everything in his power to chase that title. Naturally, since his training is so taxing and all-encompassing, he hasn’t had the time to focus on what he wants. He knows the in and outs of serious relationships solely due to social conditioning, but hasn’t reached past the age-old traditions yet. Zoro would never be embarrassed of you, anyone associated with him is a great source of pride for him – you’re certainly not an exception. He’s proud to call himself your partner. Still, he’s rather reserved. The Zoro you know to be intimate and open is a thing between you two. Deeply private, thoroughly perceptive and confident in his abilities – that is the Zoro you know.

A kiss on the lips shared between lovers – what a classic! He finds great comfort in emulating what generations of people have done long before you two were born. If their love has been persistent enough for him to worship its sacred nature, then he wishes that your relationship, by sealing every promise muttered to you in-between kisses with love, will, too, be remembered by generations to come.

USOPP

Mood: SHEEPISH

Type: KISS ON THE CHEEK

Usopp doesn’t mind showing that you and him belong to one another, in fact, he prefers it. It makes it so real and… palpable. Whenever others acknowledge that you and him are a couple, he puffs out his chest; it doesn’t make him feel small at all, if anything, it’s quite the opposite. You like him because of who he already is, not who he projects to be. You are interested in what he will be, instead of who he could be. That makes him feel very secure in your shared connection. Usopp just cannot help but blush whenever you kiss him – his skin is scorching hot all of the sudden and laughs weakly, absolutely smitten. He finds it hard to reciprocate, but doesn’t ever want to think that he doesn’t want your daily confirmations of your love for him, so he started kissing your cheek whenever you’re near.

It’s gentle, sweet and fleeting. He never lingers and often just does it to surprise you, to see a firework dancing in your eyes. It quickly turns playful and the adoration burning in his soul softly dimmers down into domestic bliss, grateful to have found you. He’s happy to express himself in ways that make him feel powerful, after all… you belong to him, just like how he belongs to you.

SHANKS

Mood: SENSUAL

Type: FRENCH KISS

Shanks has developed some unhealthy habits throughout the years… and they run deep. Incredibly, his drinking isn’t the main problem; no, instead, he has acquired the nasty habit to push the people he loves the most away from him. Shanks is someone who firmly believes that he has to shoulder the pain of the world, that he alone can help the helpless and the weak by internalising every bit of evil and piling it onto his peace-loving personality. He is by no means a bad man, but behind the image of the strongest, the most reckless, perhaps the happiest pirate on the planet lies a flower bed of missed opportunities and mistakes. Sometimes, he tries to pull his little stunt with you, trying to cope with a sudden bursts of regret due to melancholy. The only thing that helps is a firm kiss that you are his endgame.

And then, the Shanks who regrets mostly everything joins the Shanks who doesn’t regret anything – both are him, he is early sunshine and he is midnight… all by himself. And just like the tides of time, he consumes you whole. You get dizzy when this rare mood strikes him, because he is all-engulfing, and he wants to remind himself, every time, without fail, that pushing you away wouldn’t do anything but break him further.

Shanks, someone who appears to be larger than life, loves you for reminding him that he is only human after all.

BUGGY

Mood: VULNERABLE

Type: KISS ON THE NOSE

A man like him couldn’t ever be loved, he takes that assumption his self-loathing made up just for him as fact. Less so, now that he actually has a partner who loves him, but he cannot help but look in the mirror after a particularly difficult day. He’s taken his make-up off, his stubble is slowly growing into a beard, and the hair he cares for has become greasy from sweat and grime. When Buggy was a mere boy, you were someone he could only dream of being with; your kind and his kind usually don’t mingle. Meanwhile… he finds it hard to believe that you dreamt of someone like him when you were still little. Someone like him? Really? What… is there to love? Aside from being a liar on a grand scale, Buggy has accomplished nothing that would justify your interest. You were… everything. And he was nothing.

You see the change in his eyes and demeanour as soon as he leaves the bathroom again. He looks… so sad. Frighteningly sad. It breaks your heart to see him like that, but he’s slowly getting better at dealing with his own insecurities, bit by bit. It may never go away completely, but you want to make him see just how little you care for his everything, for he is your everything. A chaste kiss on his swollen nose stops him in his tracks, and genuine wonder replaces the sorrow in his gaze. And then, for the rest of time, you tell him you are proud to call him yours.

MIHAWK

Mood: INTIMATE

Type: KISS ON THE BACK OF THE HAND

Mihawk is accomplished, classy and has an acquired taste for the unconventional. A hardened life, marked by rigorous training, thrilling adventure and an unprecedented amount of power, makes quite lonely by nature. Solitude hasn’t evaded him just because he’s the best – quite the opposite, actually. It went after him directly, because he never noticed his own strength and the strange persona he managed to craft didn't help him in the realisation department. He's come to one conclusion, though… you don’t just believe that you’re the best all of the sudden, you notice it as soon as adversaries cannot keep up with your progress anymore. A lone wolf by nature, Mihawk’s immense pride couldn’t let him believe that it might become a problem. He’d rather feel thousands of years worth of pain than to admit defeat once.

You… always managed to disarm him, though. You aren’t as good as him, you’ll never be – both of you know that. Doesn’t mean that you aren’t allowed to try. Whenever you engage in the dance of battle with him, he can’t help but notice deadly amounts of admiration for you. Distractions like these are what get people killed out there.

He swiftly cuts you down with the back of his sword, handle digging into the back of your shoulder. He applied enough pressure to dominate the fight, but not enough to hurt you once. Dryly, he commented that he won. 281:0.

The two… he affectionately calls them “nit-wits” he housed and mentored watched in amusement, because they didn’t know who you were, but they certainly almost doubled over when Lord Dracule Mihawk helped you up before kneeling down and lowering his head, kissing your hand like it was normal.

[crackheadintheclouds]

One Piece: The Princes of Pining

How down bad are they?

SANJI

∞/10

Sanji… oh, poor Sanji! He’s a hopeless romantic through and through. He wants to be at your beck and call, he wants to make you happy… because he’s never been happy. He has his dreams, yes, but they pale in comparison to his bleeding heart he tries to protect by uselessly flirting with every woman he comes across. Can’t reject him that way, can they? They know he doesn’t really mean it. Sure… he genuinely cares and wants to make people smile and show him that he’s worth something, but deep down he doesn’t believe a word they say. Yes, he’s a great chef, an even better prince charming and a phenomenal judge of character – but he’s also depressingly sad. At first, you were just like all the others. A woman to be taken care of! Another way to get a drop of validation and a whisper of true love without the real work that goes into a relationship, without showing who he really is, without revealing just how pathetic he thinks he is…

Unfortunately for him, you’re so glad he’s here, and you tell him that quite confidently. Often.

And it breaks him.

Why are you trying to do something nice for him? It’s fine! You don’t have to talk to him at all, he’s fine with cooking in silence and humming on occasion. Absolutely not! You’re not cleaning up after him, you’re a delicate flow-

The thing is, though, it scares him. Sticking around without expecting anything from him shocks him to his very core. Sanji knows that you’re amazing. You pull your own weight, you’re a vital part of the crew and you care for everyone… but his heart cannot help but beat uncontrollably whenever you’re near, even if you just see him as a good friend. He fantasises about what could have been if he were more of a man and woo you properly, if only he had the courage to sweep you off your feet – but… life has dealt its cards.

So he’s pining. Bad.

The others think it’s super obvious, but then again… they also think you’re quite obviously affectionate with him and he doesn’t notice a damn thing.

Sanji subtly tries way harder, even if he thinks that he doesn’t have a chance anyway. He stands up straighter, argues with Zoro even more frequently, makes you two an extra meal, just to feel closer to you... He talks to you all the time and remembers every detail.

Sometimes he’s smoking, leaning on the railing and dreaming about you. Those moments have become an everyday occurrence these days, because he just cannot stand being on the same ship as you without being able to hug and kiss you, without touching your skin, without loving you.

And Sanji desperately tries to hide his smile when you come find him and talk to him about the latest gossip in the girls’ quarters while you hand absentmindedly reaches for him.

Somehow, you always come around to find him when he's down.

You’re always there.

And you appreciate him even when he doesn’t go out of his way to show you what a catch he is.

…He loves you, doesn’t he?

ACE

10/10

Ace is another one who ranks high on the self-hatred scale, but for entirely different reasons. His self-worth issues poison every single aspect of his life and he cannot recognise his own worth even though he rationally knows that he’s an okay-guy, maybe more… he doesn’t know. All that he knows is the visceral pain in the pits of his soul whenever he thinks of his unique circumstances – he wishes he’d never been born in the first place. He’d hate to disrespect his mother like that, she wouldn’t know about his plight, but he doesn’t know how to come to terms with the fact that his biological father abandoned him, abandoned his purpose, and made him into a Devil. Ace doesn’t know why that guy is so famed and feared when his chosen father isn’t just a great leader but a phenomenal role model, too. Many may disagree – particularly those belonging to the Navy kind, but he doesn’t care. Whenever he’s with his friends, he doesn’t feel any sudden fatigue plaguing him. The restless nights and endless nightmares filled with taunts and hate suddenly don’t seem so problematic anymore. He’s found his calling and he is so happy to call Whitebeard his dad. Said title seemed so humble compared to the saviour he really is in his eyes.

Perhaps that’s why you unsettled him. His dad liked you a lot. The old man spent time with you and enjoyed your gentle nature. Ace didn’t know your role back then, he didn’t care to know if he was honest with himself… he hated you. He was jealous of you and the way you instantaneously clicked with the man who’d saved his life, a man so careless he’d crouch down to make himself appear less intimidating in front of you despite his old age and terrible state of health.

You noticed that Ace began competing with you… and you didn’t know why. He was technically your boss, why would he see you as an equal in the first place? In your confusion, you turned to Whitebeard who just laughed in amusement. And your Commander watched from the sidelines, pouting.

Ace hated you. He hated you so much.

...Until you started spending time with him because your captain, his dad, suggested it. And Ace would rather die than disappoint the man who’d given him what he always wanted – a father figure. So he kept you around, passively at first but getting more enthusiastic with time.

His dislike towards you was so natural in the beginning but he found himself enjoying your presence at some point. You were more than comrades in arms – you became true friends. And sleeping by your side eased his nightly troubles. You didn’t cure the flesh wound on his heart, but you consistently mended it, one day at a time.

He couldn’t bear looking at you when you turned around in your own hammock, shivering from the wind.

You’d hate it if he helped you out.

He’s broken. Totally shattered. Nobody wants that baggage, especially not when he lifts the veil and shows his true personality.

Less extravagant, less confident, less fun – worthless.

His flame would die.

He’d just keep being your friend.

It’s all a monster like him can ask for…

BUGGY

9/10

Buggy believes that nobody would ever love him… or even like him for all that matters. He’s so cynical that he scoffs at women before they’ve taken a proper glance at him – before they could laugh in his face and whisper amongst themselves about his… rather strange looks. He completely ruled out the chance of ever being with someone who means it and it made him bitter. Buggy is so dejected by this that every bit of self-loathing turns outwards in fits of blind rage and petty anger. His crew knows that he’s easy to tip off; one word about that godforsaken nose and there would be Hell on Earth waiting for them for days to come.

He plays the tough guy to discourage anyone from mocking him any further. His need for self-aggrandising displays of strength and cunning stem from a place of deep insecurity about his appearance. Whatever he can do to make it less painful, to cushion the impact – He does it. He’s become a fanatic perfectionist when it comes to matters of make-up because it may distract some people from the you-know-what in the middle of his face. He’s taken on the image of a fool and oversees a pillaging circus because he’d rather force people to laugh with him instead of at him.

He’d never admit that he’s miserable though.

Maybe that’s why he started treating you so poorly recently…

All had been normal for the first few months. You briefly got to know him when your social circle overlapped, meaning you find yourself serving Buggy the Star Clown far more often than you’d anticipated. It’d been professional, you did your job diligently and without any complaints. He was the boss. Whatever he says, goes.

With enough time he became sour, criticised things that meant absolutely nothing, but you acknowledged it because it was still reasonable and solely about your craft. As soon as he riled you up just to get a rise out of you, you were electrified with anger as well. So you talked back – all the time now.

Meanwhile, Buggy was painfully aware of his gigantic crush on you. It shouldn’t even have happened. You certainly didn’t make it known that you were interested, but your honesty and morale is what completely drew him in. Sure, you were easy on the eyes, too, but that doesn’t keep his interest for long because he hates himself too much to entertain the mere thought of that. This attitude had protected him throughout the years, yet as soon as he faces an actually nice person his coping mechanism breaks down?! Ridiculous!!

You never lashed out at him, no matter how hard he tried to squeeze the truth out of you, how much he wanted to see you blow up at him and ridicule his looks just to prove it to himself that he was utterly hopeless… but you just wouldn’t budge. You started arguing with him but wouldn’t take a swing and land a right hook right on his fucking nose. No…

You had turned to banter. You’d lost all respect because you were suddenly very aware of the fact that he was constantly bluffing, and you just smirked at him.

You damn tease, prancing around without a care in the world after you dug your claws into him and stole his heart.

But at least you were polite enough to ignore his whimper whenever you’d playfully tease him with your hands around his shoulders.

Oh fuck…

BROOK

8/10

Despite his advanced age he has shockingly little life experience. Sometimes he thinks that he’s hallucinating and haunts the ship in the dead of the night when all the other members of the Straw Hat crew are asleep. He believes that, at any moment now, he will wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the Florian Triangle while holding onto the skeletal corpses of his former comrades – during those moments, he cannot properly rationalise that he gave them a proper burial at sea decades ago so that they may rest in peace. Music is the only thing that saves him when he’s like this. The wind carries his anguished melodies miles away, causing many villagers and pirates alike to mention an eerie song they heard in their sleep, like an omen of death.

Brook wants to be so much more than that, he wants to bring joy and mess around with people, just like he was used to when the unthinkable happened. He is grateful for his second chance at life, he just cannot help but mourn the life that he’s lost.

He’s an acclaimed musician, people love his music, they recognise him, and he’s found some reliable friends who have his back no matter what – not that he has one!

Anyways… he wishes he could sing more accurately about love. He knows family, he knows friendship but romance completely evaded him. Brook doesn’t know whether the memories that creep up in his head are him actually indulging in real flings with real people or whether they’ve been made up by half a century of loneliness and solitude. He wishes he’d know for certain because he knows that it’s all that he has left now.

Nobody would want a literal bag of bones – his longing was long dead before it emerged again, before he felt sane enough to let his mind wander again… but never stray too far.

His fellow crew mates were all beautiful in their own way, so bright and youthful. The women in particular were tough – so otherworldly beautiful, far exceeding the fragments of his lost life, so lethally intelligent and so different from one another. He appreciated Nami for her excellence, diligence and her silver tongue. She always knew how to live it up, yohoho! Robin was known for her survival skills, sharp mind and spooky comments. They were great friends and he cherished them.

You, though… you were his friend, too. Brook treasured your friendship greatly. It’s just that… you were so much more than that. He drew inspiration from your beauty, grace and tenderness, like you were his muse. All those songs he dedicated to your greatness was nothing compared to the graciousness you provided. Some of the others were hesitant to touch him, assuming that he was frail, but you sought him out for protection even know he knew that you could take care of some classless scoundrels. Still, you trusted him, wrapped your arms around his thin torso and pressed your warm skin against his cold bones. He could hardly feel the sensation because it suddenly felt like he’s had his heart back… just for a moment. Brook sensed the flutter in his chest and shivered, not knowing how to express himself.

He was falling in love with you. This is what this was.

But he wouldn’t ever confess his love to you, thinking that he’d be robbing you of your life.

He’s a dead man walking… and you’re so vibrantly alive.

He couldn't do that to you.

[crackheadintheclouds]

characters going “we were lovers once”: eh, it’s okay i guess. it’s nice enough

characters going “we were friends once”: absolutely devastating. one hit knockout i’m gone