#onepiecesecretsanta2018

[zefiar]

Merry Christmas, @sir-crocodile

Date night with MarcoAce; I’m your secret Santa for this year^^ Wish you the best!!

@onepiecesecretsanta2018

[noartificialfruitjuice]

Happy holidays Manah! @mad-straw-hatter    

I had a lot of fun with this one. its A holding hands after battle cuddle party!

it was supper sick to participate in the @onepiecesecretsanta2018

[justm3h]

@onepiecesecretsanta2018 for @wofwalker

Tah Dah~ I was your secret santa!~ Seeing you wanted some SU fusion art, I rubbed my hands together like a mad woman and had some fun with it, placing in a modern Au too. Then I liked the idea so if you keep an eye out, you'll see more about it after the holidays~

There are people with strange powers that legends say come from the stars called Gems. Gems have all sorts of abilities but the strongest and strangest power is the ability to fuse, held only by Diamonds.

Law is the last of the Yellow Diamonds, a legacy he has no memory of after the murder of his family. Raise and protected by the Donquixote family, he lives a normal peaceful life.

Til he runs into a stranger, tumbles and twirls, and Lawlu is sitting on the ground very very confused.

[stjarnskrik]

Secret Santa gift to @opdoodless who wanted Sabo helping Smoker make a clay pot! I think I might’ve made Sabo look like a child compared to Smoker but I assure you, he’s not. He’s just... short here. Hope you like it!

This was organized by @onepiecesecretsanta2018

[cayenne-knight]

Tea Time

My Secret Santa gift for @dual-mayhem for @onepiecesecretsanta2018.

Merry Christmas~

Creating pastries is delicate work. Charlotte Katakuri, whose shadow alone could swallow up an entire patisserie if the sun was angled just right at a certain time, did not look like the kind of man whose work would described in the same ocean as “delicate”. And yet, there he was, standing at his workstation with an apron draped over his chest piping, piping, piping choux pastry after choux pastry with hands that looked like blurs. Pick up a ball. Penetrate the underside with the tip of his nozzle. Squeeze the sweet cream into its hollow interior. Set aside. Next ball.

His face was smooth in absorbed focus. Not the kind of focus when he was constantly straining himself to see the potential danger carried by the future. There was a time and place for that but it was not here and not now. Here and now he did not have to worry about those things. His siblings were safe. These choux pastries, on the other hand, were woefully unfilled, unassembled, and uneaten. Once he finished piping them he would move on to arranging them into a towering construction held together by salted caramel. And after that, well, what else needed to be done? He could barely muster up the willpower not to devour his work after each piping. The only thought holding him back was how indulging himself now before the job was even minimally complete would be an absolute disgrace to his manhood. When the time was right, and the right time always came, he could cut himself loose and dive into these sweet golden balls of sugar and vanilla, lying on his back without a care in the world.

Sweet, indulgent freedom! The whole Grand Line couldn’t stop him if he was determined!

Pick. Penetrate. Squeeze. Next. Katakuri did not take his eyes from his work. Luffy did not take his eyes from Katakuri or his quick-moving hands. He’d seen Katakuri eat before, and fight before, but he’d never seen him cook before. If he was asked, Luffy would definitely say the third thing was the strangest. He certainly didn’t know how to cook (that’s what Sanji was for!) but even his untrained eye could tell that Katakuri, just like with eating and fighting, did it with a natural expertise. Perched at the end of his seat, Luffy concentrated on holding still and waiting for Katakuri to finish. The air smelled so sweet Luffy could practically taste it, but smell alone could hardly satisfy the craving that had been slowly building in his stomach for the past hour.

After a while, the pile of empty pastries was gone, and the pile of filled pastries was so high Luffy had to crane his neck all the way back to see the top of it. He gave Katakuri an eager smile, one with complete abandon that diverted Katakuri’s attention for a second as he placed the final pastry aside.

‘Finally,’ Luffy said, or started to say, because Katakuri suddenly slammed his hand down defensively in front of the choux pastries. Luffy’s hand twitched at his side, all plans to reach out abandoned.

‘Not yet.’

‘Not yet?’ Luffy made a sound of impatient frustration. ‘How much longer?’

‘As long as it takes,’ Katakuri answered vaguely.

‘That’s too long!’

‘If you can’t wait until it is finished, then I overestimated you.’

There was no overestimating Luffy’s stubbornness, though. Katakuri didn’t even need to see the future to know what the other was planning and intercept the hand snaking its way to the pastries. There was a brief battle, fingers batting at fingers in the aromatic air, ending with Luffy’s hand pinned to the table.

‘Not yet,’ he said again, voice low. Luffy huffed. ‘If I can hold myself back, then so can you.’

In the time they’d spent together, Katakuri had learned how easy it was to tease Luffy. The trick was to show him something, preferably food, and then forbid him from touching it. In this way, it could be said Luffy was truly a pure-blooded pirate. To Katakuri this provided no end to the amusement he could draw from their private tea parties.

Massaging the stiffness from his hands, Katakuri set to work on final assembly of the croquembouche. A new set of motions now, an exciting reprieve from the previous pattern of piping. Wielding his spoon like a scepter, he erected a golden tower from the sprawling, disordered pile of choux pastry. Ribbons of caramel hardened in the cool air to form halos around his creation. Luffy watched with a face that expressed every emotion he felt, from the tiniest inkling of irritation to excitement to hunger to abject admiration. Katakuri pressed his tongue to the roof of his mouth and realized he too had begun drooling.

‘I have been studying the art of baking for some time now,’ Katakuri said to distract himself. He couldn’t tell if the slight way Luffy tilted his head to the right was to show he was listening or looking for an opening. ‘It is my experience that anticipation is a critical part of the overall experience. If you indulge in your every whim all of the time, then you cannot truly enjoy life’s luxuries. Imagination is as important as experience.’

‘Stop trying to act all wise! I want to eat cake and I know you do, too! It’s three o’clock! It’s tea time!’ Red-faced and scowling, Luffy sneered at Katakuri with gritted teeth.

‘Do you even want tea?’ Katakuri couldn’t help but reply sarcastically after being detected and called out so easily.

‘You’re the worst. I’m going to eat more cake than you, just to make you pay for that.’

‘That’s not what I see happening.’

‘I see it happening definitely.’

‘You need to train more, then.’

Somewhere outside the makeshift mochi hut, a clock tolled three P.M. sharp. The two men inside stared at each other, the sweet air as thick between them as custard.

‘You know I hate being late for merienda,’ Katakuri warned. Luffy smirked in response. ‘Very well. You can try, I suppose.’

‘If it’s your cake, I’ll definitely eat all of it.’

As Katakuri assumed his position on his back for eating sweets, he heard the first crack of hard caramel being broken into. It was more like a shattering, really. He looked up and he saw Luffy with his cheeks already bulging out, with that careless smile of complete abandon, and Katakuri’s chest warmed. He reached out and indulged himself to his heart’s content.

[the-bucket-lover]

This is my @onepiecesecretsanta2018 for @pingo1387. I wish you only the best and I hope you enjoy this. This is the first time I'm writing for this ship, or any OP ship for that matter. I hope it is good and that you will like it! Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year! :D

~~~

Sanji started cutting the potatoes for tonight's dinner, only to have something to with his hands. He finished the soup he made for Zoro already and even though it was way too early to get started on the food, just waiting around was killing him.

The door to the sick bay opened and the small reindeer walked out.

“How is he?” Sanji asked attempting to be as nonchalant as possible and failing since Chopper gave him a weird, worried look. It wasn't every day that Sanji expressed his concern for the marimo.

“He got a couple of broken ribs. He just needs to rest. Nothing to be worried about,” Chopper replied with an encouraging smile.

“Who says I'm worried?!” Sanji exclaimed determined to make the doctor change his opinion.

Chopper's smile widened before he slipped out the door leaving Sanji alone in the kitchen. He glanced at the chopped potatoes before he sighed and moved to sit down at the table. He wasn't really in the mood to do it anymore, which was highly unusual for him.

He lit a cigarette, brought it to his mouth and took a long drag. He leaned back on the chair and closed his eyes remembering the battle from before.

It wasn't anything they couldn't handle. Just some noname pirates who had more numbers than any real combat skill. The problem was that they showed up during a storm. And they liked to play dirty.

Who would have thought that they would fire freaking canons at the Straw Hats? Certainly not Sanji who was too busy making sure that those bastards would keep their filthy hands away from his kitchen. That’s why he wasn't on the lookout for cannonballs.

If asked he would never admit to letting his guard down. But he did. He thought that these small fry would not be worth the effort. In the end it wasn't him who paid the price.

He didn't hear the first shot, or he assumed it was thunder, so Sanji never really checked behind him. He only looked when he heard the sound of a cannonball hitting something and then a deep groan. His breath hitched when he recognized who it belonged to.

He kicked the heads of the three pirates in front of him and dropped down on his knees besides Zoro. He let out a breath of relief when he saw that the swordsman was still breathing.

“What are you doing? Are you an idiot?” Zoro groaned as he attempted to stand up. He stabbed the floor with Ichimonji and leaning on it, he stood up clutching his side. Sanji briefly wondered how many canons it would take to put this guy down for good.

“Wait, what are you doing? You just got hit by a canon!” Sanji shouted, being met with only silence.

“Hey!” Sanji insisted and he heard Zoro click his tongue.

“Shut up. You’re annoying!” Zoro put Wado in his mouth and unsheathed his other katana. “Tatsumaki,” he barely whispered before about a dozen enemy crewmembers flew up into the air.

Sanji spent longer than necessary watching Zoro's back before he sensed two enemies trying to sneak up on him. He turned towards them and kicked their skulls with ease.

It wasn't long until all of the enemy pirates were down. The only thing they had to worry about now, was the storm. It took about an hour or two for the skies and waters to finally calm down and it was only then they had time to breath.

Just as everyone debated celebrating their victory Zoro began coughing loud and violent and Chopper was near him in an instant. A few second later, they disappearing in the infirmary.

Sanji opened his eyes again when the door opened, watching as the Straw Hats walked inside chatting merily. He looked through the small window noticing the darkened sky and the rain falling.

“Is everything going to be alright, Nami-san?” Sanji asked nodding towards the rain.

“Yeah, it should be fine,” she replied as everyone moved to take a seat at the table.

“More importantly are you going to be alright?” Usopp asked with a sly smirk.

Sanji raised an eyebrow. “Why wouldn't I be?”

“Your knight just took a hit for you, Mr. Prince,” Robin replied with the same weird smile.

Sanji narrowed his brows and looked around the table. Everyone except Luffy and Chopper had weird look on their face. As if they were all let on on something and he wasn't.

“What are you talking about? What's going on?”

“Oh, please, Sanji-kun. As if you could ever fool us,” Nami said her tone indicating that she had just solved a mystery.

“I really don't know what you guys are talking about,” Sanji replied dumbfounded.

“Nami-san is talking about how much closer you and Zoro-san have gotten lately,” Brook said followed by a small “Yoho.”

“Yeah, so much closer,” Usopp said with a suggestive wink and Sanji finally understood what they were implying.

“What?” Sanji sputtered and he felt his cheeks heat up like he was fifteen. “That's ridiculous! No way!”

“Is that so?” Robin asked before she laughed at his bewildered expression.

“I love women! Women! Not men and most certainly not that marimo in there!” Sanji exclaimed feeling more unsure with every spoken word.

“Wait? Sanji loves Zoro?” Luffy asked suddenly joining the conversation probably getting bored by the game he was playing with Chopper.

“I do not!” Sanji yelled feeling that it most certainly won't change anyone's opinion.

Everyone around the table laughed at his reaction before Usopp began singing. “Sanji and Zoro sitting in a tree,”

Sanji clicked his tongue in annoyance even though he still felt the blush on his cheeks. “What are you, five?”

“K-I-S-S--”

Usopp stopped abruptly when Sanji glared at him. He could see him gulp before he pressed his lips into a firm line and not say anything anymore.

Suddenly, a groan was heard from the sick bay and Sanji was on his feet even before Chopper. The reindeer rushed into the infirmary and Sanji glared at everyone in the room. Except for Nami and Robin. He would never hold anything against them.

“Not a word,” he warned.

“Ou, no need to be ashamed! Love works in strange ways!” Franky said loud as ever and Sanji wondered how it took him so long to say anything about the subject.

Chopper stepped out of the infirmary and he turned to Sanji. “Is the soup ready? He should eat to gain strength again.”

Sanji nodded and walked up the stove, grateful for the distraction. He got a bowl and poured the soup in it. He grabbed a spoon and walked right past the expectant reindeer.

He looked down at Chopper who seemed confused. “I was hoping to-” Sanji pointed to the door.

“Sure, go ahead. I think he wanted to see you as well,” Chopper said moving to sit down at the table.

Sanji ignored the suggestive looks thrown his way and entered the infirmary. Zoro was on the bed his entire torso bandaged. Sanji already felt guilty enough about Zoro’s condition without seeing him all beat up like that.

“Hi,” Sanji breathed out after he realized that he didn’t say anything for a good minute.

Zoro only nodded in acknowledgement and Sanji walked up to the bed. He handed him the soup and spoon and sat down on a chair.

“Thanks,” Zoro barely muttered before he dug in. It didn't take him long to finish it and handed the bowl back to Sanji. “I don't suppose you go some booze, do you?”

While eating, the silence was heavy and almost awkward and Sanji found it hard to believe all that heaviness would evaporate with only one sentence.

“You're not serious right now, are you?” Sanji asked in disbelief. “You don't seriously think I would sneak booze in Chopper's infirmary?”

Zoro shrugged and Sanji felt irritation build up inside him. He gazed at Zoro’s chest and decided to confront him. “What were you thinking?”

The swordsman raised an eyebrow. “What was I thinking? What were you thinking? You let your guard down!”

That made the comeback on Sanji's tongue die down. Silence followed, the cook not knowing what to say anymore. He decided on the question that had been nagging him since he first saw Zoro lying on the ground from the cannonball. “Why did you take the hit for me?”

Zoro didn't answer and for the first time since Sabji had known him, he averted his gaze. It seemed to take him a great deal of effort to say what he said next. “I just didn't want to see you lying here on this bed.”

If Sanji didn't know what to say before, now he was completely speechless. He studied Zoro's face for any sign of deceit or something to prove it was a joke, but he couldn't find anything. Not for the first time, the cook noticed how handsome he looked and he felt he had to look away in order to stop his thoughts from straying too far. But he didn’t look away.

Zoro must have felt his gaze on him, but he still looked at Sogeking's wanted poster on Chopper's wall. Sanji wasn't sure, but he thought he saw a blush on Zoro's cheeks.

He suddenly felt like it was too much. How could he feel this way about Zoro, Sanji didn't understand so he averted his gaze again, deciding that his lap would be a much better alternative.

He looked at Zoro's hand, who was close to Sanji’s knee and he suddenly the urge to hold it. So he did. His fingers barely brushed Zoro, but in that moment the swordsman abandoned the King of Snipers to look at Sanji again. He seemed surprised and confused.

Since he didn't pull away, Sanji took it as a good sign so he took Zoro's entire hand in his own. It was calloused and rough and nothing like a lady's. But Sanji didn't mind.

“Don't do it again,” Sanji finally said.

“Do what?” Zoro seemed even more confused than before.

“Take a hit for me,” Sanji replied quietly. “I was worried.”

Zoro smirked. “Were you now?”

“I'm serious, you dumb marimo!” That made Zoro shut up.

The swordsman sighed before he put his fingers under Sanji's chin to make him look at him again.

He didn't think he could ever get used to this. To Zoro being so gentle; to wanting to be close to a man so much and that man being Zoro. It was weird and new and Sanji didn't really know what he was supposed to do.

“I don't think I could ever get used to this,” Sanji whispered saying his thoughts against Zoro's lips only then realizing how close they got. He didn't really know why he told Zoro this, but maybe being honest was best.

“There’s plenty of time,” Zoro answered and Sanji couldn't stand it any longer. He closed the distance between them with a kiss.

It wasn't the best kiss he’d had, far from it but it was so different than the rest and it felt good and he wondered why it took so long for this to happen.

Brook and Usopp were right: They became closer lately. Not only during battles when they had each other's back, but even their fights were different and they lacked the fire from before. Sanji could understand how those fights could be mistaken for flirting.

The door opened and Chopper entered. They pulled back the moment they heard the creak of the door but it wasn't quick enough. Chopper had seen and Sanji idn't really know what to think of that.

The doctor's eyes widened and he stepped back. “Luffy was right. Sanji does love Zoro!”

That was one way to put it, but the triumphant smirk on the swordsman face made everything that happened absolutely not worth it.

“Does he now?”

Sanji sighed and shook his head. “You'd sure like to hear that. Well then, you won't. Sleep well.”

With that Sanji was out the door trying his best to ignore the Straw Hats who were cheering at him. He stepped out onto the deck, lit a cigarette and took a long drag. He couldn't help but wonder what would happen from now on, but whatever it was, Sanji knew he would not regret it.

[onepiecesecretsanta2018]

Hey guys! The Holiday season is quickly approaching and I thought this would be a fun event to bring the One Piece community together!

The event is based off of a secret santa exchange, which is when one person creates something for another person in secret and will also receive a gift that is a surprise! 

To kick things off here are the rules in order to participate:

To sign up for the exchange, simply fill out this form: One Piece Secret Santa

Sign ups are open until November 15th 2018

During November 16th- November 30th the mod will match up people and send out the forms about your partner in the event

People will be matched up randomly- the person you are making a gift for will NOT be the same person making your gift!

Keep who you get to make a gift for a secret! 

Sending your partner nice asks anonymously throughout the month of December is not required but advised- this is an event to spread cheer and be friendly with each other!

Gifts MUST be completed by December 24th 

Gifts MUST be posted between December 25th- December 26th

Post your gift tagging your partner in the post as well as this blog

If you change your URL during the event period please let me know!

If you have any problems at all contact me via private message and I will help however I can!

Remember that nothing is considered “not good enough” for this event, so please have fun creating your gift!

Signal boosts are much appreciated!

[i-am-just-a-dreamer-ball]

Hello, @ask-loofee ! I was your secret Santa for the @onepiecesecretsanta2018 ! I saw you mentioned the flowershop AU and I am a fool for such prompts, so here’s florist Nami and her girlfriend Vivi!

Happy holidays and a Happy New Year! ^*^

[namizaela]

i have a weird headcanon that the warlords have their own version of secret santa every year and everyone actively tries to get each other the worst gifts possible…i think doflamingo succeeded this year

this is my secret santa present for @stjarnskrik! sorry for being a little out of the box lol but i hope u enjoy it! as always thanks to @onepiecesecretsanta2018 :)

[itslliri]

MERRY CHRISTMAS @askayladasilva !! SS for @onepiecesecretsanta2018 - Thank you for hosting this! It’s probably a day early due to timezones lol

I chose to draw our fav. pineapple boy ;; ♡♡

Wishing you all the best for 2019! Best wishes and have a happy new year!

[oluka]

Merry Christmas Sorahoshi! I was your secret santa!

@onepiecesecretsanta2018 @iduns-golden-apples

[noartificialfruitjuice]

@namizaela I wasn't your original santa but I got to fill in! Hope you dig it!

@onepiecesecretsanta2018

[elldan]

Merry Christmas @i-am-just-a-dreamer-ball! I was your secret santa for the @onepiecesecretsanta2018 :) sorry for the delay!

[iduns-golden-apples]

Odds and Ends and Family - Secret Santa Entry 2018

This here’s my entry for the @onepiecesecretsanta2018 event, dedicated to Con @condraws!  Happy Holidays to all who read this, especially Con! 

If there is one thing that’s become difficult to adjust to, it’s the fact that true silence can never be found on the Sunny. Jinbe knows this very well, and it’s all the more obvious as he’s watching Brook fret over the strings on his guitar. While the instrument itself isn’t being used outright, the skeleton is humming while he’s adjusting the strings.

It’s strange to watch the one who’s supposed to be on night watch as well be completely absorbed in something else entirely, but if it was truly a problem, then the musician would have stopped long ago.

Since he’s so freely fidgeting with his instrument, this likely means that he manages to keep watch through other means than just keeping an eye out. Though, Jinbe muses if it would be eye socket instead, since the skeleton doesn’t have any eyes to speak of.

Eventually, Brook stops humming. He places the guitar against the wall of the crow’s nest before turning around to look at the fishman, tilting his head in lieu of making any sort of facial expression.

“Could I ask you a question about your previous career?” Brook asks, briefly reaching up to adjust his hat. The gaudy crown reflects the moonlight, but only slightly.

“I don’t see why not.” Jinbe replies, blinking. He’s a little curious, since this is the first time the musician has brought up the topic. What are his reasons?

“Very well, thank you for indulging my curiousity. I heard from Sanji that you were once a part of Fishman Island’s royal guard, and I can’t help but want to know more, as a fellow former military man.” Brook says, chuckling a little as he returns to his seat. Crossing one thin leg over the other, he then waits for an answer.

“It’s not too interesting of a story, really.” Jinbe replies, sighing. He eyes the musician for a moment, and notes that he is still waiting for an answer. There’s no escaping this one, it seems.

“I joined the military in the hopes of making some difference, and actually put my strength to use for the sake of the people, rather than myself.” Jinbe says, looking out the window for a moment or so before continuing.

“I formally resigned after Fisher Tiger’s raid on Marie Geoise, to join him as a pirate. So, I suppose I acted a little selfishly back then.”

“Perhaps, but it led to many good things, did it not?” Brook asks, tapping out a faint rhythm on his leg as he speaks. “You’ve done many things that most couldn’t even dream of, and that was before you came to be one of us.”

“In any case, I’d like to know about your own time in the military, if you wouldn’t mind sharing.” Jinbe says, more or less stopping the discussion of his deeds in particular right then and there.

Brook tilts his head, and then laughs.

“I’m afraid that I can’t recall much of it, but I’ll try my best!”

What Brook does end up sharing is mostly stories of playful ribbing and pranks shared between young recruits, and not so much about his career. However, he does share his reason for becoming a pirate, much like Jinbe.

“There was a man I loved, you see.” Brook says, pulling out his violin.

“Is that so?” Jinbe asks, blinking. He hadn’t taken the skeleton as someone who’d found love before, with how fond he was of asking intrusive questions.

“Yes, though it’s probably hard to believe!” he answers, chuckling heartily as he tests the strings. “Even so, I did love him with all of my heart, and I still do. I just don’t know whether to hope that I meet him again in this world, or on the other side.”

“Does that distinction really matter?” Jinbe asks, reaching into his sleeve to pull out a thin pipe. Lighting it, he puts it to his lips and takes a drag, waiting for Brook to finish thinking.

“... I suppose, it really doesn’t. We’ll all go there one day, after all… But, I guess I’m a little impatient. It has been fifty years, after all.” Brook muses, and then turns his focus to the pipe. “Didn’t Chopper ban you from smoking?”

Jinbe at least has enough sense to look a little guilty as he exhales a small plume of smoke, and then puts out the pipe. “He did. So, I’d appreciate if you kept this a secret from him.”

“If you entrust that pipe to me, then my lips are sealed. Though, I don’t have any!” Brook happily exclaims, and swiftly takes the smoking pipe from the fishman’s hand to tuck it away into his skull.

“... Well you snatched that choice right out of my hands.” Jinbe says, and grins as he shakes his head. “My lungs will thank you, in time.”

“As they should. It’s not good to smoke!” Brook replies, and starts to play one of the songs he picked up on during their time on Fishman Island.

It’s a calming song, reminiscent of waves lulling against the shorelines. It tells the story of children going to gather sea shells, to hunt the elusive green room, and to laugh together.

Their watch finishes without trouble, and when the time to change shifts comes, Brook heads down first.

Jinbe looks out at the slowly rising sun, and sighs.

It feels like coming home again, even though it’s only the start of a new day.

---

It’s not often Usopp finds himself in the Sunny’s library, but sometimes, he finds the time to slip in and read something. Other times, he only seeks the quiet to be able to sketch in peace. This is more so the former than the latter, as he leafs through a yellow-paged novel to find where he left a bookmark the last time he read it.

But alas, he finds no trace of it, and frowns as he puts it back on the shelf.

“Looking for something?” A voice suddenly asks, and he can’t help but jump before he spins around and comes face to face with Robin.

“Don’t scare me like that, Robin… But yeah, I can’t find a bookmark.” Usopp says, and sighs.

“I see… That’s a problem.” she muses, and takes out the very same book he was leafing through moments ago to flip through it. “Are you sure you didn’t just dog-ear one of the pages?”

“After that look you gave me the last time I did that? I wouldn’t dare.” Usopp replies, taking a peek at the pages as he watches her quickly turn them.

“Old habits die hard, as they say.” Robin says, and stops at a page that has indeed been folded in one corner. “Is this the part you’d reached?”

He blinks, and skims through the first two paragraphs before begrudgingly taking it from her. “... Yeah, that’s the one. Sorry.”

“It’s a well-loved story, so don’t apologize.” Robin replies, and picks out another book from the shelf. “I’ve read it a few times myself, so I’m a little attached.”

“Really? Then, what’s your favorite part? I’ve already read it once before, so I’m not afraid of spoilers or anything.” Usopp asks, quickly slipping in a bookmark before righting the folded page and closing the book to plop down on the couch as Robin takes a seat.

“Hm, that is a good question.. I suppose the part where the protagonist has to face that manifestation of his inner demons. The imagery used in that particular chapter was delightfully morbid, but still fitting to his character and worldview.” Robin says, and looks over to him. “And yours is?”

“Obviously, the part where he manages to reconcile his personal issues and step up to help the group move forward. I really liked seeing how far he’s come, you know? Makes me hope that I’ll be able to do the same, instead of falling behind.” Usopp says, and sighs as he leans back against the couch.

“If you’ll let me be honest for a moment, Usopp, I think you’ve already gone far beyond what you once were. You’ve done many things for us, and for yourself.” Robin replies, and smiles softly as she watches him. “So, try not to get too hung up on your weaknesses. You have strengths as well, some that the rest of us lack.”

“... You sure about that?” Usopp asks, before he can stop himself.

“Yes, I’m sure. You are needed, that’s why you’re here. That’s why we’re all here, with him.” Robin answers, closing her eyes briefly before looking at him again.

“... You’re right about that. Without us, God knows he’d never get anywhere.” Usopp replies, snorting a little before getting up. “Thanks, Robin.”

“You’re welcome. Do come back if you want to talk some more about that book.” Robin says, and opens her new catch to start reading.

“I will, after I’ve done some trimming.” Usopp replies, and starts to leave the library. Though, he pauses in the doorway, and turns around.

“Beware the doodle on page 44, that’s Luffy’s doing.” he says, and then closes the door.

Robin blinks, and flips to the described page to find a small doodle in the margin. It’s of a strange clock with a face, but the style is unmistakably Luffy’s.

“... I’ll see if I can find the answer to this mystery in the preceding pages, then.”

----

“Franky, what the fuck is that?” Zoro asks, staring at the odd contraption that Franky is currently holding in one of his gigantic metal hands.

“A Super automatic blade sharpener, of course!” Franky replies, beaming with pride as he puts it down in front of Zoro. “Both Sanji-bro and Brook-bro didn’t want to let me test it, so I’m getting kinda desperate.”

Zoro looks between Franky, the machine, and his swords once before shaking his head.

“Put that thing anywhere near my swords and I’ll cut you.” Zoro then says, completely ignoring the look of disappointment and mild heartbreak that crosses the cyborg’s face.

But, to his credit, Franky doesn’t push, and instead sighs before sitting down on the deck.

“Can I at least ask why?”

“It’s a matter of principle, for me. My swords aren’t just tools, but extensions of myself and my will. So, I have to take care of them myself, and make sure that they won’t break or chip before I reach my goal.” Zoro answers, crossing his arms over his chest with a huff. “I’m sure that your gadget works just fine, but I don’t want to risk anything.”

Franky is silent for a few moments or so, and then nods.

“Okay, I get it now. I guess it’s the same for Brook-bro and Sanji-bro, then?” he asks, blinking.

“You’ve seen how the cook is with his knives, he’s got some specific way of sharpening them without the help of a machine. Though, I don’t really know about Brook… His sword is really old, so it might not stand up to the machine very well.” Zoro says, sighing. “It’s already sharp enough for his moves, too.”

“I see… Guess I’ll have to repurpose it into something new then.” Franky muses, already running wild with various ideas now that he’s gone through the potential list of users.

“Can’t you use it for the Franky Shogun’s sword?” Zoro asks, closing his eyes as he leans back against the railing.

“It’s too small for that, but I could rebuild it so it’ll actually work! Thanks for that Super Idea, Zoro-bro!” Franky replies, and grins before getting up to his feet.

“No problem.” Zoro replies, and watches him go.

It’s not so bad to talk to the shipwright like this, though it could do without the weird gadgetry. There’s obviously some interest in putting his skills to use in ways besides repairing and upgrading the Sunny, even if that energy sometimes is put into the wrong place.

It’s admirable, at the very least.

----

“Nami, can I see your hand?” Chopper asks, standing next to the sun chair that Nami usually occupied during the more warm strings of weather during their travels.

“Sure, but why do you ask?” Nami asks in response, pulling up her sunglasses before sitting up straight and offering her right hand to him.

“You do a lot of writing and drawing for your maps, right? I just want to check that you aren’t straining your hand and wrist needlessly.” Chopper answers, carefully inspecting the navigator’s hand. “Are you left or right-handed?”

“Ambidextrous, actually.” she replies, and holds out her left hand once the doctor finishes looking at her right.

“I see… Do you use them equally, or do you favor one for certain tasks?” As he speaks, he inspects the other hand as well, and maneuvers her arm and hand to see if anything seems off.

“I try to use them equally, but I mostly end up relying on the right for a lot of the finer details.” Nami answers, and waits until he’s done before pulling her hands back. “How do they look?”

“Mostly fine, but try to let them rest every now and then. Your work is important, but it shouldn’t go before your health if you can avoid it.” Chopper says, and sighs a little.

“Okay, Chopper.” Nami replies, and smiles softly as she looks at him. “Though, I think you should do the same sometimes. Both Robin and I have found you sleeping in your books, you know?”

Chopper blinks, and quickly tugs his hat down to hide his face.

“S-Sorry! I just get caught up in research, and.. Forget to do other things.” he says, quite thoroughly embarrassed at having been found like that.

“It’s okay, I just want to make sure. You’re our only doctor, after all.” Nami replies, and pats him on the head. “So, if you promise to not get so caught up in your books, I’ll promise to rest my hands more often. Got it?”

Chopper slowly lets his hat rise back up, and then nods.

“It’s a promise!”

----

There are few constants in Sanji’s life, but he knows those constants very well. The smell and taste of cigarettes, the feeling of a knife in his hands, and the ever-returning sound of Luffy asking him to make something long before anything resembling breakfast, lunch, or dinner is close.

Usually, he kicks the captain out of the kitchen without batting an eye (or dropping his cigarette), but this time, after seeing the look Luffy is giving him from across the counter, he doesn’t.

Instead, he passes over a plate of failed experiments. They could’ve become decent compost for the flowerbeds, but as it stands now, it’s better that Luffy eats.

Call it an unfounded fear, but he really, truly doesn’t want to see Luffy emaciated again. Not in the way he was when he found him during the worst day of his life.

Sanji takes a drag of his cigarette to stave off those thoughts, and shakes his head a little before he feels a pair of rubber arms wrap all around him, and the weight of Luffy being thrown into his back.

“I’m gonna need you to go back to sitting on the other side of the counter, before I throw you out.” Sanji says, but nonetheless returns to his chopping. His arms are still free enough to do that, which is a surprise.

“Nah, I’m comfy like this. And I get to watch what you do up close, so it’s all good!” Luffy replies, and Sanji can practically hear his grin.

The cook rolls his eyes, and then swiftly whacks one wandering rubber hand away from the waiting pieces of bacon.

“Did you think I wasn’t going to notice that?” he asks, putting out the cigarette in an ashtray as he speaks.

“I’m hungry!” is Luffy’s only answer to that, and there his hand goes a-wandering again towards the bowl of bacon, leaving Sanji with half a mind to tie the rubber man’s fingers together in knots.

“You literally ate five seconds ago!” Sanji retorts, but nonetheless passes him a piece of carrot over his shoulder.

“Yeah, but that wasn’t enough!” Luffy replies, still clinging to the cook like a stubborn rubbery koala.

Sanji’s only response to that is a sigh, and he shakes his head again before finishing up the remaining preparations. It’s not easy to maneuver around the kitchen with Luffy hanging off of him, but he manages.

And, after a while, Luffy is surprisingly quiet as he watches Sanji cook.

Then, he speaks up.

“You know, Sanji.. I’m really happy that you’re back.” With those words, Luffy rests his head on Sanji’s shoulder, perfectly content.

“You’ve said that.” Sanji replies, biting his tongue for a moment as he stares down at the frying pan.

“Yeah, but it’s still true. You’re my cook, and your food is the best food I’ve ever, ever tasted. So, I’m happy that you’re here.” Luffy says, and grins against his shoulder.

Then, he untangles his arms from around Sanji and heads out of the kitchen, as if those words hadn’t just left the cook speechless.

“... What the hell am I supposed to say to that?” Sanji asks the silence left behind, but he still smiles as he returns to his life’s work.

He wouldn’t want to be anywhere else than here, on this ship, and with the people that he loves.

---

The Strawhat Pirates are known for being ferocious and protective of their members, with the captain himself being the very first to throw himself into battle for their sakes.

But, this is born from love, a love that clearly ties them all together, even during the days where the waters are calm.

They’ll all find opportunities to simply be, and come to new insights regarding habits and all of their little quirks.

And even with all of their differences in dreams, physique, talents, and skills, they’re all still a whole.

One might even say that they’re family.

[holykhepri]

@alienliaru was my @onepiecesecretsanta2018 !! I hope you like my little gift for ya and I hope you have a nice last few days of 2018! :D 

[drawingterror]

Merry Christmas @majoraop

I hope you can enjoy your Secret-Santa-Gift <3 

@onepiecesecretsanta2018