euriiverse

[euriiverse]

he is, in fact, right

plain wrong (plain perverted)

“Well hello…” Dick hums to himself, picking up a lacy pair of panties from the laundry basket. He makes a pleased noise as he uncrumples them, smoothing out any little wrinkles. These have to be a new pair, Dick would know, he makes a big deal out of aquatinting himself with all your undergarments. “Dick!” You make a noise of protest, he pulls away when you try to snatch them away. “Ah-ah-ah, not so fast gorgeous, whats the rush?” He laughs, showing off his boxy smile. “When’d you even get these?” He giggles boyishly, playing keep away with your underwear. “Last time I went shopping! I invited you to go.” You dig your fingers under his arm, he tenses, you have to play dirty when you’re dating such a strong gymnast. He lets out a nervous laugh when you wiggle your fingers, finally able to snatch your panties away from his clenched fingers. “Well if I knew you were buying those I would’ve gone!” He pants , he should’ve never told you he���s ticklish, all you do it use it against him. You shove his arm, he’s nice enough to fake a wince.

“Please? It can be like an early birthday present.” Dick pleads, dragging his mouth all over your skin. He’s trying to seduce you into his pervy little schemes, but you’re so brainy you won’t let yourself get fooled. “Dick I am not a lingerie model, I’m not prancing around in my underwear for you.” He makes a sad whine, maybe it’s for the best, he thinks seeing you in something that hot would make his brain and cock explode. Though death by cutie pie girlfriend doesn’t sound so bad to him.

“Please” It’s his most prettiest puppy dog eyes.

“No.”

“You’re cruel.” He groans, frowning as you tuck the underwear into the dresser. “It’s good for you to be denied a little, desire is the root of all suffering or whatever.” You murmur, sitting back in the edge of bed. “Buddha? Seriously?” Dick rolls his eyes, of course the reason he can’t see his girlfriend in her brand new sexy underwear is because of a couple of bald monks. He’s really gonna go crazy. “Yes seriously, y’know if you actually wait for your birthday it’ll be worth it.” He perks up at that. “So you will model them for me?” Dick could drool just thinking about it. “Down boy.” You motion with your finger, he laughs, licking your cheek, smiling when you shriek with disgust. “Freak!” You hiccup, yeah but his spit down your throat is okay. “Oh you love it.” Dick gives you a loving squeeze, and he’s a little right, whatever.

dividers by @uzmacchiato

[euriiverse]

ㅤㅤㅤㅤcome get the body that loves youㅤㅤ＼ㅤace, his devil fruit, falling in loveㅤㅤ𖥟

♡ㅤ𓎟𓎟𓎟ㅤㅤ፧ㅤㅤ ͟🀢͟ ͟ ͟  sabo ver ㅤ𓇬ㅤluffy ver (wip) ＼

火拳の၇⃪⃖ꪆ୧ㅤ𝒑. ace x fem! readerㅤ 𓊉 ㅤ~𝟤𝟩𝟢𝟢𝗐𝖼ㅤ───drabble, not beta'd, canon compliant, (un)requited love, yearning, feelings, fuck ton of other stuff to make a girl's sunday feel religious, his dick makes an appearance and probably not in the way you guys want..., crack throughout᭮ ━─⠀ ❤︎ ㅤ2025©vyainide ㅤㅤ︶ིྀᩧㅤ1864lib

vyon's mouthpiece. i got carried away with this... it was meant to be an asl drabble but i realised halfway through sabo's that they're too long for drabbles and no one's gna read em all in one sitting on tumblr so i think i'm going to post them separately

Burning is not new for Ace.

He's always been the skin for a match to find its flame: goosebump flesh, scarred and scuffed, rough around every corner of his body, dry 'round the contact spots that make you shiver when he touches, calloused skin that always cracked from the burn of a sun no one else sees. A catch and brush against his flesh is always pregnant with the scorch.

Before he ate his devil fruit, he was little more than spitting of embers crackling for resuscitation. It was always a low feeling in his stomach, a shift that never quite sat quite right, a hollowness so chronic that it mimicked the heavy of fullness. Ace had always been made for the burn. When the fire came, he remembered his younger life at Foosa in its scarlet, fighting with Sabo and Luffy over meat, over prey, over the blanket they shared, over the miniscule things.

Something about it felt right. Ace was always the hearth of a home for flames— burning was always in his blood.

"You run cold," is the first thing you tell Ace. An observation that everyone's always made, leaking with its tepid surprise. He can tell you're hesitant about making that comment, as if it betrays the notion of careful observation you've been keeping reserved for him.

Ace merely grins, sees himself flicker on the hues of fire on your cheek with the lamps dotted 'round the quiet Moby Dick and agrees, "sure do!"

He realised two days into your sudden stay that you're the pirate from Whitey Bay's crew that Izou was always talking to, had been providing general crew expansion updates for. He recognises your voice, the intonation that betrays your hailing from the east. Izou's doomed Ace though, talked enough about Ace that you've picked up an awful misconception that Ace was going to kill Whitebeard. It's not his fault— Ace considers himself a new man, a phoenix from the ashes of his multiple failed attempts to kill a dying man, but all you see is a squawking chicken running around headless.

Your brows furrow and you don't look fairly impressed. In fact, you are so unamused that it wins over your curiosity and suspicion of Ace, so your next move is to stretch out your foot and continue walking to where you were previously heading before Ace barged into you.

The flare warps, stretches out with the short toss of wind that your body kicks up when it passes him and follows after the shape of you— snaps away from the safety of his chest and then disperses like it'd never been his in the first place. Ace frowns after you, confused at best.

You're still around after that, dotted in between crew members that Ace hasn't quite gotten close to, joking around with the sterner division leaders who are always beating him up in guise of 'training', and scolding Whitebeard on behalf of your own captain. Ace doesn't exactly know why you're there, but it's easy to find you since Whitebeard's crew is namely full of men.

You talk a couple more times after that and Ace knows that you're still testing him, checking to see where his loyalties lie with every passing conversation.

Unfortunately, you don't seem to take to his charm like the Whitebeard pirates have so easily, who saw something endearing about him trying to kill their father— he remembers something about Dadan saying that women are so much better than men at detecting bullshit. That only serves to confuse Ace though, 'cause as far as he's concerned, he's accepted his role as Whitebeard's son.

He makes up his mind to ask you about it after a particularly stern staring contest that gave him indigestion, but you're gone the next day.

"She don't like me much." He stirs the spoon 'round the soup that he's left long enough for it to draw a film over the top. He's only musing to himself, speaking it aloud to see if it makes much sense— Ace thinks that it does, but he ain't too sure why he feels weird about it.

Haruta frowns at his cooling soup, judging him probably. "Why'd you think that?" The twist of his face only deepens when Ace uses his spoon to bring the clump of film up to his lips, eating it without care.

Ace looks at Haruta like he's stupid, the way the twelfth division leader is already looking at him, "did'ya not see the way she was looking at me?"

Haruta kicks Ace under the table, so hard that it rattles his bowl of soup— luckily, Ace manages to stabilise it in time and when he offers some look of betrayal at the man, Haruta's already looking at him weird. "Don't be mean; that's just her face. She's insecure about it."

That's the only thing that Ace really takes away from the conversation, that and the fact that Haruta is a liar; no woman glares like that unless she fully well means to do so. It was intentional.

Ace doesn't see you again until Marco has the scare of his life as Whitebeard has a bad reaction to some new medicine that he's administrated. It's lucky that Marco's devil fruit essentially makes him immortal, otherwise he'd have lost half the years of his own life taking care of Whitebeard's.

The closer of the fleets loiter around their father's ship, even as his stats come back to normal; unfortunately for Ace, Whitey Bay is one of those. That gives you an excuse to linger around odd corners, watching him like he's the reason that Whitebeard had taken his pills with alcohol (like he always does behind Marco's back) and that was— unsurprisingly— a horrible idea.

He's mature enough to ignore it, years with Luffy had nurtured him into the bigger person so he's pretty good at tolerating the weird stuff. That is, of course, until you accost him tucking himself back into his pants after a piss.

He'd like to say he's proficient with his devil fruit now— and not just as an excuse to get out of devil fruit mastery training with Marco— and moments where a sudden jerk or an unexpected scare makes him burst into flames have been scarce and far between, but you get it out of him. Manage to coax out that hypnic jerk, make the fire explode through the pyre laid beneath his chest first before swallowing whole up to his neck and he feels hot, but he knows it's not the fire but the embarrassment.

"What the hell are you doing—!"

"Oh," you blink, pinching off the fried crisps of your bangs, "it's hot."

Ace baulks, he feels like he's talking to Luffy about something that should be common sense. "Of course it's hot! It's fire!" He fumbles with the zipper of his shorts, turning his front away from your view, he remembers Luffy again for some reason— very specifically his stupid face with a finger up his nose— and then a dreadful realisation comes dawning upon him. "Is this the reason why you've been glaring at me?"

You seem almost upset by the accusation, "I haven't been glaring— plus, you're cold."

With his pants no longer at risk of dropping to his ankles, Ace finally spins back around to face you. "What?"

"You're cold, but you're made up of flames." You carefully explain to him— the way that Makino used to talk to him and the brothers when they were younger, "don't you think that there's something wrong with you?"

"I don't want to hear that from a gal who walked in whilst my dick was out!"

"Don't worry, it doesn't look like there was much to see."

He ends up yelling at you— which has been a lot of conclusions to his conversations with Luffy actually so it gives him a strange sense of deja vu, makes him miss Luffy even more. It really ain't the time to think about it though because he's got you by the shoulders, pushing you out of the men's bathroom when Thatch stops at the corner down the hall, blinks, and then just very carefully takes a step backwards and continues away.

Though he's mortified and his pride is irreversibly damaged and some of the division leaders are clapping him on the back and giving him congratulations and unnecessary advice on keeping women happy, you manage to get somewhat closer. You've got a dry kind of humour, a cut–throat habit of speaking before thinking, a childish kind of thought process that Ace can't help but find endearing sometimes. He thinks it's those moments where he can draw out the similarities of your personality and Luffy's or Sabo's; being around you reminds him of the fire.

And not only because your question gave him some kind of identity crisis (because why is he cold when he's literally fire?), but because you stoke the flames. It's the way you want to test whatever unreliable theory you've formed up in your head about his diametric body temperature and his logia; how easy it is for you to sweep your hands over him, part away the flames through your fingers like you're cutting through wisps of his hair to remind yourself it was hot. Then, press your palm against his bicep, curl your fingers around the 'a' of his tattoo and then drag down until you're at 'e', palm prickling with the frostbite as you do.

You're at his side often. The Whitebeards think you guys are in your honeymoon phase. Ace knows that he's merely a lab rat, even when Vista whistles lowly when you intentionally sit close enough to have your arms pressed against Ace's. Bare skin against his tattooed arm, warm and smooth against his cold and prickly, scritching, tickling. Then, like it doesn't matter, you'll touch with your fingers— feel it all out.

"Have you always been cold? I mean, before the devil fruit too?"

You're not shy about these things.

"Yeah. Always." Luffy and Sabo complained when they had to sleep next to him.

Ace ain't the kind of guy to flush and fumble over some light touching either but what you're doing feels light years away from what he's trying to rationalise it to be.

No one's ever been the kind of person to touch like you do— to caress and linger; Luffy was always big on touching, but that's only because he ain't ever learnt any better. He's the kind that smothers, chokes Ace out and leaves him as a heap of grey ash and black smoke. Your touch is the tending kind. Treading carefully, dropping another body onto the pyre, feeding the hollow with blood and flesh, keeping him a weighty full.

The next time you come 'round to the Moby Dick, it only seems natural that Ace feels the fire burn through his flesh, accelerating with a revv and leaving him with the sensation of skidding against carpet. A full body friction burn.

It's an immature thing: when you draw close, it excites the hearth, spitting out specks of broken coal and wisps of flames, threatens to melt all the calcium in him. Then, there's the cold after it, where Ace feels himself ooze back into his own skin, solidify against the cold of his flesh when you're far. The collapse of a star: the rapid energy that swirls into an intoxicating roast, spins itself round 'til it catches smoke, edges frayed and lighting up into bright hues of citrus until it's shot out as flecks of cool greys, goes around, comes around, goes and then comes, goes, then gone.

Haunting him is not the fire. Not the way you brush past him, dig your finger in and scrape your calloused print against the fold of his nape; not the way you don't stop; not the way you continue to walk off, talking to Whitey Bay about your provisions, what you got, what you don't. It's your back when he turns to follow, seeing you getting further away, feeling the warmth of your fingers fade away, fuzzy and carious and thoughtless. It's the cold after that haunts. The thought that comes to him after the frown, the soft, nagging insecurity that leaves him confused.

The day after, Whitey Bay has plans to set sail so Whitebeard makes it an excuse to celebrate, to have a drink.

Pirate parties are always the same kind of chaos.

Ace settles in front of all the food, never strays too far from the feast and lets himself be laughed at when he slumps face–first into his plate. Whenever he glances up to try and find you, you've moved. Weaseled your way into conversations with fleet members of other crews that he assumes you don't get to see often.

You'd started the night out by his side with your usual routine of checking the temperature of his flesh with your hands, assessing him carefully. Appraising his skin without even looking up to glance at him, leaving him with only the view of the top of your head— he wonders if you've got that glare on, the thoughtful one that makes him think you don't like him. He'd fallen asleep wondering that and when he woke up, you were gone. Must've not been too long since you left though, 'cause he can still feel an impression of the burn you left, fingers at the top of his shoulder, curling around to reach his collarbones before you've dragged your hand— fingers, palm, fuck, maybe even the shy of your wrist, all of it, intimate— down the curve of his slumped back.

You ain't come back since.

It's the third time that Ace has fallen asleep mid–chew. It's not as funny as it was the first time but there's still some splattering of laughter, a fuzzy noise over the tankards of beers and glasses of wine. Ace wipes the grease and spit from the corner of his mouth with an arm, yawning loudly to get air to kick start his brain and his bleary eyes wander around the beach of the stray island that they'd docked at.

He's chewing the meat that was already in his mouth when Thatch starts a second round of stir–fried something in front of him, the oil he pours into the fire revvs it alive, kicking and roaring to a metre of a man and a monolith of life until he slams a pan over it. The fire splits and breaks apart, when it parts over the edges of burnt steel, Ace sees you.

Mid–laugh, you are, lips curled back thin and your cheeks full, lava spluttering out of the dimples, warmed from the fire in front of you. A laugh that's so evident with the fire splitting through rakes of leaves and branches. Shoulders stuttering up, down; body shaking; drink sloshing out of your glass with the shake; foot stomping a rhythm against the ground that slaps and twangs loud in his skull— the flames smother, spread out even and he feels his flesh warm just beneath the skin. Your hair bulges with the hues of the campfire that crackles, billowing with the sweet lick of a sunrise dawn, melting into all the strands at the low of your chin. Violent and fond: Ace can see how the fire stirs at your feet, encroaching so carefully as not to alarm. He knows how it works, more intimate with the flames than you, so he can almost know how quickly it'll burn through your lens, taking the world down with it until it's a calm, quiet landscape with only the fact that you won't want to acknowledge.

Whatever he feels though— whatever stands in that clear landscape across from him comes and goes, quick because it's a blink of his eyes and then he's falling asleep again, with that image of the bright, supernova you: haunting.

Like always, you're gone before the fire is smothered; in the cold of your absence, Ace shrinks back into his skin and scratches along the paths that your hands took in its careful observations and studying.

[euriiverse]

❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

[euriiverse]

ᴏʀ ɪ'ʟʟ ʀᴀɪꜱᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴅᴇ ꜱᴏ ʜɪɢʜ...

[euriiverse]

clark’s too cautious

Clark gripped your waist tightly, pulling you flush against him as you straddled his lap. The closeness between you was electric, each kiss growing deeper and more urgent, leaving you breathless. His lips moved against yours with an intensity that made your pulse race, his chest rising and falling in rhythm with your own. A deep groan escaped Clark's throat as your hips ground against his, sending a chill through his body. His own hips bucked instinctively, seeking more friction, more contact. His hands roamed your body, sliding under your shirt to caress the smooth skin of your back.

Clark's breath hitched as your lips trailed along his neck and jawline, your pelvis rolling against his in a tantalizing rhythm. His grip on you tightened, fingers digging into your skin as he guided your movements, urging you to grind deeper against him. His brain was scattered. He knew he should stop— knew this was quickly slipping past the line where he could think clearly, but the feel of you, the way your fingers tangled in his hair and your body pressed so perfectly against his, made it impossible to pull away.

“Tell me to stop,” Clark whispered hoarsely, his voice strained with the effort of holding back. His chest rose and fell unevenly, his resolve faltering with every kiss, even as a voice in the back of his mind whispered that he should let go. He was acutely aware of his own power, the potential to cause harm if he lost control.

“No,” you breathe out, your lips brushing against his. “I don't want you to stop.” Your words ignited a fire within him, but the thought of hurting you was unbearable.

“I don't want to hurt you,” he murmured. Despite his words, his hips bucked upwards, seeking more of your touch, more of the sweet friction that threatened to drive him mad.

“You won’t, I’ll be okay.” you tangle your fingers through the small curlycues on the back of his neck. “I can take it.”

He pulled back and his eyes bore into yours, searching for any hint of hesitation or fear. Finding none, he crushed his lips against yours in a searing kiss, pouring all of his pent-up yearning into the embrace.

With trembling hands, you removed your shorts, revealing the smooth expanse of your skin. Clark followed suit, shedding his pants and boxers in a frenzied rush. Clark's eyes widened as he took in the sight of you, perched in his lap once again, your skin glowing in the dim light. His hands trembled as they slid up your thighs, his touch gentle despite the intensity of his arousal.

Leaning forward, he captured your lips in a searing kiss, his tongue delving into your mouth with a hunger that bordered on desperation. His hands wrapped around your torso, pulling you impossibly closer.

A shudder ran through his body as you positioned him at your slick folds, the heat of your cunt enveloping him. With a slow, deliberate motion, you sank down onto him, taking him deep inside you. A guttural moan escaped his lips, his fingers digging into your hips as he fought to maintain control.

Clark's eyes fluttered closed as he felt you adjust to his size, the tight heat of your body enveloping him like a vice. He remained still, giving you time to acclimate to the sensation.

“Are you okay?” he whispered, his voice strained with concern. “Tell me if it's too much.”

“So big Clark,” you whined. Slowly, you began to move, your hips rising and falling in a sensual rhythm. Clark's hands gripped your hips, guiding you as you found your pace, the tension building between you with each passing moment. His head fell back against the pillow, a low groan escaping his lips as he reveled in the feeling of your body moving against his.

Clark's hips rose to meet yours, his movements careful and controlled despite the overwhelming urge to lose himself in the moment. His hands slid up your body, caressing your curves as he marveled at the sight of you above him. But as much as you were enjoying taking the lead, you could feel your legs burning already. As your movements slowed, Clark wrapped his arms around your body, pulling you close. With a surge of strength, he began to thrust up into you, his hips driving forward with a force that left you breathless.

“I've got you,” he growled, his voice low and intense. “Just hold on. I'll make it good for you.” His hands gripped your hips, guiding you as he set a relentless pace. His strength was immense, his body a coiled spring of power that threatened to overwhelm you. His hips slammed against yours, driving you deeper onto him with each powerful thrust.

Your body went limp in Clark's arms, your mind consumed by the overwhelming sensations coursing through you. The world narrowed down to the feeling of him inside you, his cock jackhammering inside you at a relentless rhythm.

“Close,” you managed to slur, your words barely audible over the sound of your ragged breathing. “So close.”

“I know,” Clark panted, his voice strained with the effort of holding back his own orgasm. With a final, powerful thrust, he buried himself deep inside you, his body tensing as he reached his peak. The sensation of your walls clenching around him, milking him for all he was worth, sent him over the edge, his cum spilling into you in hot, pulsing waves. At the same moment, you cried out, your body trembling in ecstasy as you came undone.

You remained in Clark's arms, your body molded against his as you both caught your breath. His heartbeat gradually slowed, the rapid thrum of excitement giving way to a steady, soothing rhythm.

[euriiverse]

the alchemy

summary: clark’s always been adamant on being private with his personal life. few friends, low profile, and a hushed relationship. he can’t understand why people would want to publicize everything about their life. that is until he sees you talking to one of the school’s football players.

pairing: quarterback!clark x student body president!fem!reader

tags: tooth rotting FLUFF, legally aged students making out, established secret relationships, clark being Whipped with a capital W, slightly insecure clark, emotionally mature reader, football descriptions, no use of y/n

The faint smell of donuts and caramel coffee fill the council office as you hear the soft click of the door lock. You turn around and you're immediately met with your boyfriend, clad in his plaid blue button-up longsleeve shirt, worn-out bag slung over his shoulders, and lips immediately placing a soft kiss on your cheek.

"Woah, woah, hold it there Farm Boy," you laugh, placing a hand right in the middle of his chest as his kisses quickly descended to your neck. The thought of him not actually locking the door haunted your mind.

"What?" He breathes. Still continuing his attacks on the column of your neck while carefully placing your food and beverage on your table. "I missed you."

With a little more effort on your push—which was exceptionally hard considering how much Clark has improved in terms of making you lose your mind—he finally pulls away. A bummed-out pout shaping his lips.

You smile even wider. Who knew the big friendly farm boy everyone walks all over on is actually the biggest grump when he doesn't get kisses?

No one, of course. Not one soul in Smallville High School knows because your relationship with Clark isn't even out to the public. Not even your closest friend knows about it—and you're sure his closest friends don't know either.

But it's been like that for three out of the on-going four years you two have spent in Smallville High and so naturally neither of you wanted to break the streak.

You run your head through his soft brown locks, giving him a sweet kiss on the lips. Clark's face immediately lights up, already pulling you off of the table you were leaning on to exchange positions. This time, he has a better view of the blank canvas that is your collarbone.

"Missed you," he repeated. "Brought you donuts and coffee from the Talon."

"Didn't know they did deliveries again." You humor him, grabbing the brown bag and pulling a donut out. Clark watched as you point the donut at him, urging him to take a bite. With his eyes locked in yours, he takes a slow and relaxed bite. You wipe the side of his mouth with your finger before taking your own bite. Groaning when the sweet taste of the glazed donut touches your tongue.

"They allow it for certain people." Clark plays along, nodding at you. His eyes wander to the gigantic bulletin board you had in the council office, seeing almost ten listed items now struck-off with a bright red marker. "Specifically people that are overworking themselves again."

You roll your eyes, rolling to his side as you grab the cup of coffee. "Who says I was? I just did my job."

"Babe, you aren't the only one on the council. You can't just cover for everyone's jobs just 'cause they aren't doing theirs," Clark replies, watching you eat.

"Says the one that always takes on Chloe's extra load," You retort with a sly grin. "You do know that the reason most of Chloe's writers are bailing on her is because they don't like her way of gathering her news, right?" You place down the coffee, still eating your donut as you place a hand on the one Clark had resting on the table.

Clark chuckles, "Chloe's my friend, what can I say? She's been like that since fifth grade."

"At least she's passionate about it. It's so rare to see someone so committed in their craft that I can't even deny whenever Chloe asks me for an exclusive… which, mind you, is almost seven times a week." You sigh, head subtly shaking.

"Weren't you the one that wanted somebody aside from me to interview you?" Clark furrows his eyebrows, putting on a thinking face. His eyes squint, "Something along the lines of not getting work done."

Your eyes roll back, finishing the glazed donut in your hand. "Yeah, 'cause I clearly remember how we spent twenty-five minutes eating each other's faces and five minutes actually answering questions."

You throw the crumpled brown bag to the trash bin from afar. You miss, badly, but Clark's quick to distract you from your lack of shooting skills by kissing you. Again.

"Let's shorten that twenty-five minutes then," he smiles into the kiss. Snaking his arm around your waist as he could still taste the sugary taste of the donut on your tongue.

The kiss was anything but sweet. It was full of hunger, desire… and something you can't quite pinpoint. Usually Clark has his own rhythm of sucking the air out of you but this time it's messy—all over the place. Like you'd disappear any moment now if he didn't move faster.

He doesn't mistake the very subtle jingle of door handle. He hears it crystal clear and yet, he doesn't pull away. When the sound registers in your ear, you pull away without a second to think.

You immediately grab a spare folder on the other table. Clearing your throat as you looked down on it, pretending to flip through the papers. Clark on the other hand looked directly at the student who came in.

It was Adam. The same guy he saw you with earlier.

"Oh—is this a bad time? I can come by later?"

"Actually," Clark begins but you cut him off.

"No, it's fine. Do you have a concern?" You ask directly. Putting on your professional mask as you looked at Adam by the door. Ignoring how you can actually feel Clark  glaring holes at the side of your face with his jaw clenched.

Adam stutters. Shifting from you to Clark, then back to you. "I, uh, I was wondering if there were any other tutors available? I'm kinda flunking Chemistry and I need to ace the upcoming test."

"Then study," you hear Clark mumble. It was a little louder than he had expected but who cares, obviously not him.

You inhale sharply, turning your head to the bulletin board for the tutoring sessions for the month. Your shoulders flunk when you see your name under the Chemistry border. The other one—Lana—was already done with her tutoring hours so it was only you left.

Your head turns to Clark. He had already seen the arrangement on the bulletin board, he was looking at you now to wait for your response to Adam's request.

"Uhm, you can take my slot. What time works for you?"

"Any time you're free." Adam smiles at you. Clark rolls his eyes.

You nod unenthusiastically. Taking the clipboard beside Clark and handing it to Adam. "You can write on the 4:30 PM row. I'll be at the library fifteen minutes prior to our schedule, and I can wait for you until quarter to five."

Adam happily writes his name, glancing up to see you and Clark exchanging looks. "Is he signing up for a tutoring class too?"

"No," the two of you say in unison.

Your eyebrows furrow slightly at Clark. The farm boy breathing deeply before he responds. "I'm asking about the, uh, football schedule," he looks at you for confirmation. When you nod approvingly, he does too. "Yeah, the football schedule."

"Oh… Well, shouldn't you be asking Coach Teague that?"

"How would you know?" Clark raises an eyebrow, sounding way sassier than you ever heard him speak. Adam looks at him with subtle surprise, masking it with a friendly smile. "Because I am in the football team?"

The air quickly shifts as Clark and Adam have a stare-down. Only broken off when you clear your throat. Adam reluctantly says goodbye, stepping out of the office with a wave directed to you.

When the door closes, you turn to Clark with your arms crossed. "What?" He groans. He knows that look all too well.

"Are you okay with me tutoring him?" You ask straightforwardly.

"Why wouldn't I be? You've tutored dozens of our classmates over the years." He shrugs. His hand slowly coming up to tug on the strap of his bag.

"You sure? 'Cause it's a yes or no question, Clark. I can have someone else cover for me if you don't want me to tutor him," you say genuinely. Brushing away the lock of hair that fell in front of his handsome face.

Clark's lips purse into a thin line as he nods, hands finding solace on your hips. "Yes, baby, I'm sure. Just… don't overwork yourself, okay? I don't want you gettin' tired from something that isn't even your job."

You bite back a smile, looking into his eyes with stars in yours while he pulls you in for a hug. Your head rests on his shoulder as you wonder to yourself—how exactly did I manage to score a man like this?

"Gotta go, Handsome. I'll see you back home," you give him a chaste kiss. Using every self-control you have not to respond to Clark's obvious attempts of deepening the kiss.

The first tutoring session you had with Adam was a quick one. Adam had a pretty solid foundation, he understood the concepts clearly, his only flaw was in his application of said concepts. Usually, he'd do well on the conceptual-based questions while also failing the problems connected to it.

One session wasn't going to cut it and so he booked you for four other sessions. All of which had a longer time frame, extending thirty minutes more from the usual one and a half hour long session. That only meant that you had to spend two hours with him every Tuesday and Thursday for two whole weeks.

Now if Clark didn't find it bothersome the first time, he definitely did now.

"So, uh, we still up for six later?" Adam leans on the locker next to years, smiling.

"Yeah, uh, sure. Of course. I'll see you at the library." You smile back. You quickly turn back to your locker and grab your things fast. Adam wasted no time diving into another subject.

"Oh, by the way, I—y'know, I really appreciate you being my tutor. I know you're juggling a lot of responsibilities and still, you never come to a session late and…" your eyebrow arches, waiting for him to finish. Thankfully, he takes the look in your face as a hint. "I was wondering if you'd let me treat you to a coffee? Just something after our session to show my thanks."

Your response arrives fast, without any hesitation. "No, Adam."

Adam gets caught off-guard by the firmness in your voice. He didn't expect you to say yes right away but he didn't exactly expect you to deny it in a split second too. He thought you'd at least think it over for a minute.

"Oh! But, it's, uh, y'know, coffee as friends. I'm not asking you out on a date," he laughs awkwardly but you could see right through him.

"I appreciate the thought, Adam, but no. If you have any questions about the lessons we're discussing, you can reach out to me—but anything else besides that, please do not." You breathe deeply. Eyes catching on the tall figure at the end of the hall, watching your encounter with Adam. "I have to go. I'll see you at the library."

You don't give Adam a second to respond, immediately slipping out of his sight only to find the end of the hall empty. No plaid-wearing farm boy in sight. You swallow on nothing, beginning to feel a thump in your chest.

It takes you some time of walking around to finally catch a glimpse of him. He was standing beside Chloe, visibly talking about something as they had laughs on their faces. You walk over to them, locking eyes with Clark in the process.

Just as you were about to walk by them—and possibly strike up some small talk—your shoulder gets nudged by your friends.

"Hey! We were looking all over for you! Did you hear the news?" Janet, your friend, says.

"What news?"

"Not so fresh meat just made it onto the roster. Rumor says he's starting quarterback," another friend, Rose, says. Her tone held a bit of bite to it, as if she didn't want him on the spot in the first place.

"Now that's a nice headline," a bright voice speaks. All three of you turning to the shaggy-haired blonde. "What d'you think, Clark? Not so fresh senior meat now starting quarterback. Kinda has a ring to me."

You tried to act naturally, chuckling at Chloe's words despite your friends glaring at them. Since he is the topic, you look at Clark. Eyes round and awaiting a response from him.

He doesn't respond though. He simply shrugs, looking at you like your were nothing before pulling Chloe away from probably stirring up a fight.

"That guy has some problems," Rose rolls her eyes, checking her nails carelessly.

"Yeah. He's already senior and he's only just tried out for football now? Damn. Talk about a late bloomer," Janet says high-fiving Rose.

"At least he's cute… right?" Janet turns to you.

"Huh?"

"Clark Kent. He's cute, right?" When Janet repeats her question, you felt something inside of you twitch. Janet's calling your boyfriend cute, and Rose's agreeing with her too. They're checking your boyfriend out. Shamelessly.

But you can't even worry about that now—your mind is filled with the way Clark looked at you moments ago. Like you were nothing. Like he hasn't met you even once.

Of course, you two hide your relationship to the school but there's always something unspoken of each time you look into each other's eyes. It's a comfort and a pleasure at the same time. A cozy blanket in the cold air. Hot chocolate every Christmas. Donuts and caramel coffee in hidden rendezvouses.

There were none of those when Clark looked at you earlier. You can't help but feel there's something wrong.

"Hey Mr. and Mrs. K! I was wondering if Clark was around?" You ask with a smile.

Your relationship with Clark may be a secret to everyone in Smallville, but his parents are a definite exception. Yours, not so much.

Jonathan and Martha share a look you recognize to be an apologetic one. "He's, uh, he's at the barn. He's been there since he got home." Martha answers with a strained smile.

You feel even weirder because Clark's parents have been nothing short of supportive. You two may have hidden the relationship from them for four months but they definitely enjoyed the idea of their son going out with you.

When you nod determinedly, turning around to head to said barn, Jonathan calls you. "Clark's, uh… you may want to be careful approaching him. He's a bit pent-up, with the football and stuff."

You nod. "Oh, of course! I'll be careful. Maybe he just needs a little cheer up." 

You head over to the barn in haste. Walking up the loft to see Clark with his head down, writing something in his notebook as a stack of textbooks sat beside it.

"Knock knock." You knock on the wooden rails, letting the sound resonate through the barn.

Clark looks up from his notebook, smiling the moment he registers it was you. But you notice his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. Still, you set that aside.

"What a surprise," he replies, voice clipped. "I thought you'd be slumped up with your council work and tutoring."

"And miss out an awesome opportunity to spend time with the charming plaid-wearing farm boy? Pftt, never," you drop yourself beside him. Propping your elbow up on the backrest as you turned your body towards him.

Clark chuckles, looking back down on the coffee table as he began writing again. You felt an even stronger twitch in your body when he does that—ignore you.

He may be tired, drained, or pissed off—but he had never gone through a second of seeing you without kissing you the moment the coast was clear. He'd always sneak in the quickest of kisses even though you two would get caught if he was slower by a millisecond.

"Clark, hey," you touch his shoulder. "I missed you."

His head keeps itself in place, "Missed you too, baby. How was your day?"

"Clearly not as harsh as yours has been. Wanna talk about it? I can spend the night…" you pause. "Oh, also, I heard you're starting quarterback! How'd that happen?"

"Did you now?" He laughs dryly.

The smile on your face falters, his tone felt like a bucket of ice was dumped on your head without your knowledge. He drops his pen, leaning back on the couch as he actually looks at you for the first time this night.

"Well, the previous one was injured. I stepped in." His answer is short and direct. His voice lacking the enthusiasm you're used to. "How about your day?"

You blink. Once. Twice. Thrice.

"Clark, what's the problem?"

Clark's eyes flicker up towards yours, hurt and anxiety evident in your pupils. He feels a tinge of guilt in his chest. Licking his lips, he reaches out for you only for you to pull away.

"Did I do something wrong?" You question. Though no matter how firm your voice was, Clark knew it was close to breaking.

"No, no, baby, you did nothing wrong—" Clark's voice rises as he panics. Fully reaching out to you so he can pull you to his chest. "It's… it's me, okay? I… I just—" he takes in a deep breath. "Don't you think it's time we made our relationship public?" 

It's clear that you were surprised with his question. The sharp inhale and your raised eyebrows gave it away no doubt. But why wouldn't you be? Not once has Clark ever thought about making your relationship public. In fact, he was the one that actually proposed it in the first place.

You tried your best to understand him though. "Is there a reason why you want to make our relationship public?"

"Babe, we've been hiding our relationship for three years. We started when we were sophomores, we're seniors now. No one can worry about us anymore. We're graduating in a few months—who cares by now?" This is the first time his voice actually held some energy to it. His hands intertwined with yours as he looks at you for approval.

"Clark, I know when you're lying," you say. Clark's throat bobbing up and down as he clenches his jaw. You place a hand on his cheek, your other hand running through his hair comfortingly, "You know you can tell me anything, Clark. Let's talk about this like adults."

It takes him a second to actually decide to speak, and another second to construct the words in his head. "I don't like how people still think you're single," he starts. "The guys talk about you, people in the hall talk about you… I hear so many promises from people that they'll ask you out either after the game or after graduation—regardless, I can't even respond. I can't tell them that you're my girlfriend because in the first place, no one knows about us—no one'd believe me." You feel his heart beat faster. The continuous thump underneath his chest makes your stomach flip as well.

"Call me selfish, but I can't take it when other people look at you and think that they can have you." His voice drops, hands tightening on yours.

"Like Adam?"

A scoff comes from him. "Yeah, like Adam. Have you even heard half of the stuff he says about you in the locker rooms?" Clark's voice raises. His sharp features straining furiously before he feels your hand tighten around his. It prompts him to raise your intertwined hands, kissing your knuckles. "It's nothing bad, baby, believe me. He wouldn't be walkin' straight if they were bad. It was just that he's so in his head that he actually thought he can take you out on a date."

"So this is about Adam?" You arch a brow, testing the waters. When Clark shakes his head, looking away to hide the smile on his face, you laugh. "Well, y'know, Farm Boy, he actually just asked me out earlier."

"I know. I heard."

"Then you also heard what I responded with?" Your lips widen slowly.

He sighs, turning his head back to you. "Yes, I did."

You smile at him. He returns it, ten times wider than yours. Your heart flips as the smile finally reaches his eyes—finally feeling right.

Quiet envelopes you both. A comfortable silence before you snuggle on his lap, resting your head on his muscular chest. "I understand how you feel, baby."

One of the things Clark loved about you was your ability to always have him heard and understood. Even the dozens of times he's missed your dates, suddenly cancelling unannounced; you've always been there for him with a patient mind, an awaiting ear… and probably a grumpy attitude when Clark specifically dipped on a day you were really looking forward to.

Now, one thing definitely changed; if before you had to trap him in the barn, force him to be honest and say his feelings, you were content that now all you had to do was talk to him sincerely and directly, no interruptions, and no hotheads.

"Does this mean we're going public?" Clark asks cautiously.

You lift your head, letting your chin rest on the center of his chest. "Just do good on the game tomorrow, 'kay Farm Boy? We'll see how the day goes."

It wasn't the answer Clark expected but he accepted it. It was better than giving him the hard no.

And so you laid there the whole night, trying your best to stay awake while Clark told you about his day. His hands running aimlessly through your hair and body until you fell asleep. When you did, he took you to his bedroom and let you sleep there.

A soft and tender kiss on your forehead to end the night.

Loud roars of the crowd could be heard from any side of the field.

The bleachers were packed with people, majority came from Smallville High while some were from the rival school playing. It's been quite some time since the game started and yet, it still feels like a win can be called any moment now.

You were there—since the very start—sitting at the very front row with Chloe by your side. Your friends Janet and Rose sitting away where the cheerleaders were sat. Each time you watched Clark fall short of a goal, you could feel your heart thump even harder.

Way before the game started, you had another little rendezvous with Clark. Giving him the best good luck charm in the form of red lace—which God knows where he kept—and a kiss on the cheek.

Clark's been training for this game for so long now. Weeks of hardworking and sweat come to this very day where he finally gets to earn his teammates' respect.

31-28, in favor of the opponent.

The air gets struck out of your system when you see the opposing team score another point. Slowly building on their lead against the Crows. Your teeth unconsciously nibbles on your lower lip, pulling and biting the soft tissue as you prayed for a plot twist.

"C'mon Clark, c'mon," you mumble under your breath. Glancing at Jonathan and Martha from a far as they too shared nervous and worried looks.

You hear a ring from somewhere, and suddenly they're all splitting into their respective teams. "The Crows asked for a time out," Chloe says. You nod, noting that on the pad of paper that Chloe gave you earlier. Both of you have been noting game highlights since the start of the game.

"Should we try interviewing them?" The blonde was already standing when she asks you that, eyes narrowed at the group of players bundled far from them.

"No." You shake your head. Chloe looks at you weirdly, you sounded way too energetic. "It's not really the best time, Chloe."

Seven seconds remain on the clock. All players head back to the center line as the game resumes back. Your eyes lock with Clark despite the distance. You could barely make out the expression on his face while he could clearly see yours—full of anxiety and hope, hands in a prayer position in the middle of your face.

With a new found drive to make you proud, he turns to the front to look at the opposing team.

You watch as all of the players scramble fast as soon as the clock began. Clark inhaled, clocking his arm back before throwing the football with all of his human force, every fiber in his being hoping that the other quarterback is able to catch it before the time ran out.

The football felt like it was on air for more than five minutes. Every head in the football grounds followed the brown ball as it made its way across the field, every person holding in their breaths as the second player reached up as the time hit two seconds.

On the last second, he lands a touchdown.

Happiness through your body as you jump with Chloe on the stands. Lungs screaming Clark's name as thunderous cheers filled the space, loud enough to even make the ground shake. The players run over to Clark, crashing into him while he throws away his helmet, eyes immediately searching for you. Just you.

Your heart begins beating faster, the idea in your head being thrown away as your legs move on their own.

Clark watches as you rush down the bleachers, sliding past everyone and anyone in your way. Confusion hits him for a second until he finally understands what you're going to do. Shrugging off his teammates, he runs over to the bleachers' side, the amount of adrenaline running in his veins was almost enough to push him to super speed onto your side and lift you up—almost.

The moment you reach the ground, Clark's already jumping over the fence, catching you in his arms.

"Clark!" You yell out, feeling his strong arms tighten around your waist as he spins you around. Your hair moves with the wind as it splatters messily all over Clark's face, his lips stretched into the widest and biggest smile you've ever seen from him. "You did—"

Your words are cut off as Clark lifts you even higher, crashing his lips into yours. The outside world is anything but a figment of his imagination now that he has you in his arms just after winning his first game as a quarterback—and the best thing of it all, was that it was in front of the whole school.

The deafening sound of cheers and wolf whistles make you smile into the kiss, head subtly pulling back only for Clark to hungrily chase after you, not letting you up so easily. When he finally does, with his lips all puffy and swollen, he's staring at you with nothing but affection.

"A real quarterback now, huh?" You tease, smirking lightheartedly at him.

Clark rolls his eyes, lunging forward to give you another kiss on your lips. "Not really, just your boyfriend."

You lose yourself in his smile, only to be pulled away from it when your head moves to the side. You see Clark's parents looking at you two with proud smiles while beside them were his friends—all of which had a shocked look on their faces.

Clark squeezes your side to get your attention back. A contented look grows on his face as he keeps his hold around you, making the moment last just a little longer before you two face the outcome of whatever just happened.

"Ready to put me down, Farm Boy?"

"Never.”

hearts, reblogs, and comments are highly appreaciated if you loved the fic !

[euriiverse]

NEED THIS LEMURIAN DIH SO BAD

[euriiverse]

face card so hard and body so tea even the british want it

[euriiverse]

at home

|| Dick Grayson x Reader || Fluff || 1 522 Words ||

a/n - this is my bday fic uhh i just love dick grayson my affection for him came back in full force this year for some reason and its maybe not like the most amazing in chracter fic for him but i promise ive read a lot about him i just wanted a purely fluffy piece :(( ive got a few more things w him but his voice isnt quite yet perfectly solid in my head

The days always crawled by slowly whenever Dick wasn’t home.

It’s not like you two lived together or anything. You also worked hard not to be fully codependent despite both of you having slightly clingy tendencies that were only unable to come to fruition in thanks to Dick’s incredibly hectic schedule.

You thought you’d grow used to it by now, but you never really truly did.

After all, if you had you wouldn’t find yourself buried deep in the closet of his slightly shitty apartment, laying on some makeshift nest comprised of the sheets that sorta still smell like him wrapped around your body.

You doze off a bit, clinging to a pillow that wears his shirt. The coolness of his cologne rests against your cheek and you ignore the slightly acrid taste in your mouth in favour of having the idea of him wrapped around you again. You’re so caught up in your daydreaming that you don’t hear the door to his apartment open, nor do you realise he’s too tired to notice that the pair of shoes sitting in the foyer are yours. He creeps up the stairs silently, Escrima sticks in hand, only putting them away when he sees the mess of blankets on the ground.

For a moment, his heart stops. He thinks something’s wrong, that you came in to find him and instead found yourself face to face with someone who wanted you dead. It’s not until he sees the easy way your chest rises and falls, how relaxed you look in your little cocoon that he exhales softly.

A shadow falls over your body as you look up, Dick now looming over you as his bright blue eyes focus on you laid across the floor of his bedroom like it’s a luxury mattress.

“…comfy down there?” he asks after a minute, the softest hint of a laugh in his voice.

“Yeah,” you mumble in response, turning to bury your face in the pillow.

Dick tries not to look too offended as you seem far too comfortable snubbing his actual real moving up and down chest in favour of whatever contraption you’ve got set up inside his closet.

“What are you trying to do?”

You ignore him as he crouches down to get at eye level with you, chuckling a bit at his slight wince and the way his joints sound clicking into place.

“Ha. You’re getting fucking old,” you taunt as he lightly flicks you wherever he can reach.

“I literally just got home. What did I do to deserve that?” he asks petulantly.

It takes him another moment before he decides to see what all the fuss is about, laying on the ground next to you. Unlike you however, he has none of the amenities you’d acquired – stolen – from his bed. You look at him out of the corner of your eye as he just lays there for a bit, turning his face to look at you with half a grin.

“I don’t get it. Why are we both down here?”

You don’t reply to him, simply taking in the way he looks finally being here with you. Your eyes slowly trail over his face, catching the way his freckles are disappearing into his tanned skin since it’s not very sunny outside, the way his dimple is fighting for its life right now as he pretends he isn’t wanting to grin like a madman from just seeing you. Subtly, you begin shifting to lay down on your side, continuing to observe him.

You also don’t want to open your mouth, afraid to admit that this was the best way you were able to feel his presence whenever he left for long periods of time. His closet would always vaguely smell like him and as long as you made a nest to lay down on it really wasn’t all that bad. He watches you curiously, mirth filling his eyes as he watches you settle.

“I think I’m missing something,” he muses, something filling his voice and you know it’s not good.

You squeal out loud when he suddenly reaches an arm out and grabs you, pulling you into his chest tightly. The sheets drag along the small, cramped space of the floor as he buries his nose into your neck. After a moment, he starts taking comedically deep breaths as he gnaws on your shoulder in way that’s clearly not meant to be sexy.

“There. Much better,” he says when he’s satisfied with whatever he’s done to you, sighing happily as his leg hooks over your hip to keep your back in place against his chest. 

“Dick stop it – Dick -  oh my god-“

You make another noise of surprise when his hands slide under your shirt, hands resting against the planes of your chest as his thumbs keep themselves busy by circling on your skin. You try to fight his grip but it’s totally no use, Dick’s strength always impossible for you to fight out of.

“Quit squirming,” he mumbles, biting the back of your neck.

“I’m trying to get comfortable. You’re moving too much.”

He continues to manhandle you into place, ignoring the way you yelp and laugh as he does, finally satisfied when he’s got you pressed up against him as tight as he can possibly get you. His leg slots itself between both of yours, the thick muscle of his thigh pressing right up against your core. His arms are holding you so tightly against his chest you would think he’s restricting your airflow but somehow, he’s got you at a perfect medium.

“Done now?” you ask when he finally stops moving around, his breathing beginning to even out against you.

“Done,” he mumbles, now busying himself with pressing kisses to the bites he left earlier.

“Now, are you going to tell me what we’re doing on the floor of my closet?”

You let his words sit in the air for a bit, half heartedly shrugging before you decide to come clean.

“I missed you,” you say simply, hoping it’ll be enough to sate his curiosity.

“Ah. So, you missed me so much you wanted to become a part of my floorboards? I don’t think that’s quite how it works,” he teases, lightly squishing you a bit.

You’d rather him think that was the truth, barely nodding as you bury your face into the pillows. Dick can tell immediately that you’re trying to hide something from him and he’s not very happy about it, sighing softly.

“C’mon,” he coaxes, thumbs rubbing circles against your skin.

“Tell good ol’ Dick what’s wrong. Promise I won’t make fun of you.”

“Say that again and I’m breaking up with you,” you retort, elbowing him somewhere and feeling satisfied when he lets out a sharp noise of pain.

“Baby. I bruised my ribs,” he whines.

“Oh. Sorry.”

“You don’t sound it,” he replies, the pout quite obvious in his voice.

You take a moment, letting Dick continue to wine before you cut him off.

“Your closet smells like you. That’s why I’m here.”

He falls silent, the words settling against him. He’s equal parts flattered and upset that this is what you resort to in his absence, trying to figure out exactly what to say to you.

“’m sorry for being gone for so long,” he decides on after a bit, nuzzling against your skin.

“I know you understand, and you’ve been much more accommodating than you need to be. Just know I think about you every day whenever I’m away from you. Really,” he mumbles against you.

“I love you. More than anything. You make everything I go through worth it.”

“I know you do. I love you too. That’s why I miss you so much,” you reply, finally turning to face him.

He looks at you so earnestly, the fatigue in his eyes still there but somehow duller in the light of his love for you. His hand comes up to cup your face tenderly, rough pads of his fingers gently running along your cheekbone.

“You should just move in,” he suggests, shrugging.

You raise a brow, his tone far too casual for such a loaded suggestion. If you didn’t know him better, you wouldn’t see the light dusting of pink along the bridge of his nose or how his ears are turning a pretty red. He somehow still manages to keep his eyes on yours, an incredibly soft look in them.

“You wouldn’t have to break into my apartment then. And you’d see me as soon as I return home. Home doesn’t mean much to me anyway. It never was a place,” he mumbles lowly, nose pressed against yours.

You roll your eyes, knowing that Dick’s about to break out some cheesy line to romance you. You also know that it really doesn’t matter – you’re going to fully fall for it anyway.

“Home is wherever the heart is you know. And I’ve pretty much torn mine out of my chest and thrown it at you the second you batted your eyelashes at me,” he grins, pulling you in impossibly closer to press a kiss to your lips.

[euriiverse]

acceeee

[euriiverse]

HOT BOY SUMMER🔥

my gift to u for pride month🤲🏳️‍⚧️

[euriiverse]

HOT BOY SUMMER🔥

my gift to u for pride month🤲🏳️‍⚧️

[euriiverse]

you get it you get it

Being in a relationship with Ace wasn’t what you thought it would be.

Ace in love with you, wasn’t exactly what you expected. But somehow, you grew used to it anyway.

You got used to the love letters he left when you were going to be apart for a while.

Or rather—the pile of half-charred confessions that always smelled like smoke.

That’s what made them very Ace letters. He’d get so excited writing down how much he loved you that he’d accidentally set the paper on fire. And honestly, you never had the heart to complain.

You got used to him eating and talking at the same time, food stuffed in his mouth as he rambled.

“Ace! Chew with your mouth closed—talk after you swallow!”

He’d just grin, scratching the back of his head sheepishly, go quiet for a second… then shove more food into his mouth and continue just as loudly.

It became no surprise that after clearing his plate, he’d glance at yours with those hopeful eyes, silently begging you to say you were full.

And sometimes—even when you weren’t—you’d lie. You’d push the plate toward him just to see that excited, childlike joy light up his face again. Watching him eat like that warmed your heart more than any meal ever could.

You got used to the late-night talks when it was cold. You’d curl up beside him, letting his hands warm your body as you spoke excitedly about your plans for the next island you’d dock at, your dream date, your little ideas and stories.

Only to glance over and realize he’d fallen asleep mid-conversation.

You were always this close to shaking him awake. But one look at that peaceful, soft smile—and the frustration melted.

His excuse?

“I just feel so comfortable with you… my eyes get heavy,” he’d say with a lazy grin.

You got used to how competitive he was. How stubborn he could get. Even over playfights.

A pillow fight? He’d swing like it was a final battle, feathers flying until the pillows became more stuffing than fabric.

Tickling? He’d keep going until you were breathless, clutching your stomach and crying from laughter while he shouted some ridiculous victory line.

You got used to how he flirted with you—constantly, shamelessly—but the second you flirted back more boldly, he’d go redder than his flames.

Ears flushed, eyes wide, trying so hard to play it cool as he muttered a flustered, “Shut up…” whenever you teased him for it.

But what you could never quite get used to?

The casual touches.

How he’d drape an arm around you while talking to someone else. How he’d absentmindedly stroke your hair while zoning out, completely unaware of how much it made your heart flutter. It was second nature to him—but for you, it was utterly distracting. Every single time.

You got used to it all. Every side of Ace. Every little quirk. Every flame, every fault, every fire-sparked affection.

And most importantly—

You fell in love with every single detail of him.

[euriiverse]

stuck in the trees – one-shot[?]

[neighbor!firefighter!]portgas d. ace x f!reader

word count: 1.6k

summary: based off of this request...

content: lotta flirting from ace, possible mini series??, cute lil blurb, no use of y/n

leave all requests here…

a/n: [UNEDITED] helloooo!! finally got back into writing after finals kicked my ass so sorry for the delay :(( i hope you guys enjoy and i have a couple ideas for two more parts of this so i may poll it soon??

—

“Tofu!” you shouted, running down the sidewalk. “C’mon, boy! Where’d you go?”

It had been almost ten embarrassing minutes of you parading up and down the street looking for your lost cat. A package had gotten delivered to your house, one you had been anticipating for weeks. It was a large box, one wide enough to create an awkward hold, but nothing you couldn’t handle. Or at least you thought.

With the rickety screen door being held open by your ankle, your balance was already off as you swayed back and forth. The rest of your body was leaned forward, fingers grasping the edges of cardboard. You couldn’t even get the box off the ground.

Before you could admit defeat however, your mischievous cat, Tofu, decided to make a break for it.

It all happened so fast: he skittered through your legs, a white ball of fluff, as he scurried down the street.

The door slammed shut behind you and the corner of the box you had lifted thudded to the ground. Your bare feet burned against the pavement, but you didn’t let that stop your pursuit. 

Only a few seconds had passed, but Tofu was already out of sight.

“You’ve got to me kidding me…” you muttered, studying each yard as you passed.

Tofu had a habit of listening to his hunting instinct despite the fact he’s lived off canned meals his whole life. So, when you heard the familiar hiss and rustling of leaves, you knew you only had moments before he was up in a tree.

Darting off into the surrounding woods, pinecones and loose sticks jabbed your feet, but you barely noticed. All you could hear was Tofu’s distressed mewling.

There he was—clumsily perched on a tree branch, just out of reach.

“No treats for a month you stupid furball,” you huffed, stomping to the base of the tree.

Latching onto the nearest branch, you yelped as your feet scraped against the jagged bark. The cuts in your feet from chasing Tofu around, plus the searing hot pavement practically melting your skin, sent you flying backwards, your grip on the branch not enough to support you.

“Shit!”

Eyes shut tight, you braced for impact, picturing your clueless cat staring at you from above. But the collision never came. Instead, two warm arms–almost warmer than the sun beating down on you–wrapped around your waist, pulling you into their unclothed chest. 

You gasped, your eyes fluttering open in shock.

“Looked like you needed a little help.” 

The muscular arms of the shirtless stranger propped you back up on your feet, his touch lingering slightly on your waist. Your gaze met his–the lopsided grin, dotted freckles, intense eyes–an immediate heat rising to your cheeks. You couldn’t tell if it was from embarrassment of how you probably looked flailing off the tree, or simply from just how hot this man was–in temperature and in looks. 

Running your hands across your shirt, brushing off any dirt, you smiled up at him. “I- uh yeah…thank you for catching me,” you said sheepishly. “Looks like climbing trees isn't my thing.”

“Might help if you had shoes,” he chuckled, nudging off his boots and kicking them toward you. “How are you not melting out here?”

“I kinda am,” you admitted, pushing the boots back. “But no way- I can’t take your shoes! What about your feet?”

He clicked his tongue, crouching down on one knee in front of you–the motion made you blush.

“Not taking, just borrowing.” He met your gaze, taking a quick, hesitant glance, before taking your ankle in a gentle hold. “Besides, I like the heat.”

You scoffed, unable to hold the stranger’s gaze while he tightly tied the oversized boots around your ankles. “You’ve got to be crazy, it’s like a hundred degrees.”

“Not hot enough,” he teased.

You stole a glance. He looked built for summer–dark shorts tightened to his waist with an orange cloth belt, his toes wiggling through his bright, matching socks, and a chunky, red beaded necklace sat strung across his collarbone. And although the sun beat down on his tattooed skin, not a drop of sweat clung to him.

He patted your knee, signaling he was done fastening the shoes, and finally you met his unwavering stare. It wasn’t threatening or scary, just intense–enticing even. Something too personal for just a stranger.

You opened your mouth to say something, words getting caught in your throat at his lingering touch. Through a tense silence, you both stared, unable to speak, until a whining cry from Tofu rang out from above.

With a gasp, you turned back towards the tree, completely having forgotten your original point of being there.

“Shit, Tofu! I completely forgot!” You turned towards the man frantically, eyes wide. “My cat got out, I was gonna try and climb up to get him but…”

“But you’re not the best at climbing trees?” he chuckled, glancing up to the cloud of fluff in the tree.

You shook your head, scratching the back of your neck. “Yeah…and I don’t even own a ladder. Should I call the fire department? They do that kind of stuff, right?”

“We get calls like that all the time,” he said, already jumping to grab the first branch. “Doesn’t look too high. I’ve got this.”

You raised a brow. “We?”

The stranger was already hurling himself around the first branch, his toes curling around the bark as he maneuvered his way upwards–much more gracefully than you had before. His chest heaved and the muscles in his arms and shoulders tensed and flexed underneath the pressure. Still, he hoisted himself up the tree with ease, not a drop of sweat even on his brow.

“I work at the station downtown,” he said proudly, despite him being so high up, you could still see the toothy grin on his face. “I’ve been working there for a few years now. I do a lot more than rescue cats though. That’s just a bonus.”

You smiled up at the man as he neared Tofu–digging his claws warily into the branch he was perched on, his tail battered against the wind, and a low, eerie grow rumbled in his chest. As the rescuer approached though, his cry softened as he used all his courage to shuffle towards him. Scooping him securely underneath his arm, he made a quick descent down the tree, opting to jump halfway.

He landed swiftly on his feet, Tofu held steadily in his grasp, right in the leaves in front of you. Shocked, you stumbled back a couple steps before thanking him.

“Thank you so much, you did that so fast!” You clapped your hands together excitedly, taking your cat back into your arms. “I can’t believe a firefighter just happened to be here at the right time.”

Tofu struggled in your grip, trying to urge his way back towards the kind stranger. He outstretched his paws to the man, a soft cry leaving his lips.

“I think Tofu says thank you too,” you laughed, handing back over the cat to his welcoming arms.

He joined in on your laughter, smothering his face into Tofu’s plush, white coat, with a wide smile. “Well thank you Tofu, for letting me pet you.”

Suddenly, through the thick cloud of fluff, that intense stare from before met your eyes again. Cheeks tinted pink, you felt your whole body get enveloped in a swarm of heat.

“I was working out in my garage when I saw you running around,” he continued. “Looked important so I figured I’d see if you needed help. I’m glad I did.”

He lifted his head from the ball of fur, his back straightened and shoulders rolled back, eyes locked on you the entire time. A lazy grin was plastered on his face and his head tilted to the side, his dark, messy hair falling with it.

Then, he outstretched a hand, the one of his tattooed arm, the bold ink catching the light when you took his grip. His unusually warm touch encased your soft skin, fingers wrapped around yours for a moment until his fingertips grazed your palm in retreat.

“I’m Ace.”

Breathlessly, you whispered your name. His presence, not only his looks, but the easy confidence he radited capitaved you in a way you couldn’t trace.

Those couple of seconds couldn’t have felt any longer, the silence growing thick in the space between you. It wasn’t awkward, but the underlying sense of something new began to brew in the air.

Silently, Ace placed the cat back into your arms, breaking the gap–and tension.

“Thank you again,” you said, hugging Tofu close. “For everything. And...apparently he likes you, which is rare. He’s not a fan of guys.”

Ace’s lips curled. “Looks like he has good taste.”

You felt small under his gaze. It wasn’t until then that you realized how tall he was, and the way he was staring at you wasn’t helping. His eyes were burning holes through your skin–his touch doing the same–each action oozing with anticipation.

“Listen,” Ace took a step back, hands fumbling into his pockets. “If this little guy ever gets out again, I’m in that house- open garage, punching bag, can’t miss it.” He motioned his head back towards the street. 

You smiled warmly up at him, nodding at his offer. “I’ll take you up on that. Beats trying to climb a tree again.”

Ace scratched the back of his neck, a sudden hint of shyness peeking through. 

“And like I said, firefighters are good for more than getting cats out of trees. Don’t hesitate to stop by if you need anything.”

You tilted your head, lips curling into a grin.

“You good at moving boxes?” 

He laughed–a real, warm, sunlit laugh.

“The best.”

—

a special thanks to my taglist ♡ (message me to be added or removed)

[euriiverse]

Cabin by the Lake | Fireworks

Portgas D Ace x F!Reader, Modern AU series

08- When Luffy’s birthday turns into a group get away to a small cabin by a lake, you cannot deny his own brothers an invitation. Surely the week long get away would leave a lasting impression with his eldest sibling.

Friday: Fireworks

Today was the day.

It was the day you had all gathered for.

And the kitchen was in full swing. Sanji had woken up a bit early to start the preparation for the absolute feast meant for your very own Monkey D Luffy’s birthday. It seems that most of the others are off with their own plans as well- Franky, Ussop, and Zoro heading off for their very own “secret mission” while Nami and Robin do a last minute general store run.

You had spent the morning in attempt to clean up after the rowdy group so the following day of packing up would not be as large of a task. Once finished, a bit sweaty, you move to check in with Sanji. There, you are met with flurry of movement and absolute focus.

“Sanji, this is,” You cast a look around the kitchen in awe and slight concern. It seemed that every counter space was covered with some form of meal prep. The fridge was absolutely stocked with the same- bowls and freezer bags of chopped vegetables, marinating meat, and copious sweet. “Insane. Are you sure you have this handled?”

“Please, darling, i’m a professional.” He waves you off with a sly grin, fingers coated in a flaky breading.

“Well, yeah, but you usually have help. Like a lot of-“

“The only help I need is for you to keep those black holes out of the kitchen. All three of them. Nightmare brothers, they are.” Sanji shakes his head dejectedly.

“Sanji!”

The loud voice squeals from outside. Despite how distant it was, Luffy is standing in the kitchen in mere moments, water dripping from the ends of his hair. “Luffy! You’re getting water everywhere!” The chef barks, but Luffy simply ignores him to peer at the many bowls scattered about.

“Oh! What’s this?” Luffy reaches forth, water running down his forearm and threatening to contaminate the food with lake water. Sanji smacks his hand in effort to stop him. “But I’m hungry.” Luffy withdraws with a pout.

As Ace and Sabo waltz into the kitchen, towels bunched up in their hands but still dripping water, Sanji gives you a pointed look. “This is dinner.”

“But I’m hungry now!” Luffy whines out. “What about lunch!”

Ace’s laugh is a melody to your ears, his grin bright and catching your attention. The water dripping from the ends of his hair and down his collarbone then steals your focus. “He’s not your personal chef, Lu.”

Yet the brothers all take interest in the various bowls. Sanji grumbles under his breath as he attempts to keep an eye out in three different directions for the sake of his prep work. Ace manages to swipe a julienned carrot as Sanji wards off Luffy and Sabo from a batch of frosting, his brows quirking up at you as he comes to lean on the counter at your side.

You hold back a laugh as Sanji picks up the target bowl, waltzing across the kitchen, “I’m gonna start kicking people.” He mutters as he brushes past you. Ace holds up his hands innocently, but chews the carrot stick with a smirk falling on his face.

“Hey, why don’t we go to the diner for lunch?” You prompt in attempt to put Sanji out of his misery.

Luffy instantly lights up, shoving a pie filling covered finger into his mouth. “Great idea, you’re so smart, let’s go eat.” He nods, before glaring at Sanji. “Since he’s a big meanie.”

“Smart, Luffy’s a big baby when he’s hungry.” Sabo smirks, ruffling his brothers hair.

“Hey! It’s my birthday, you can’t be mean to me.” Luffy protests.

“Awh, come of Luffy, let’s go change. I doubt the diner will be as gracious as Sanji is with you dripping lake water all over his food.” Ace offers a kind smile to the man, before waltzing over to collect his youngest brother in a head lock. Luffy squeaks in protest at this as Sabo laughs joyfully, the three trailing off towards the bedroom with Luffy still squeezed into Ace’s bicep.

Sanji hums in acknowledgment, shoulders easing. “Thank you.” He returns back to his place at his cutting board. “I can see why you like him so much.”

Your eyes widen in shock at the comment. “What are you talking about?”

“Ace.” Sanji replies easily. “Seems like he was at least taught manners.”

“I, uh, I don’t-“

“Come on,” Sanji narrows his eyes. “I told you before- It sucks to lose one of my girls, but I guess it’s okay if it’s a guy like him.”

“Sanji-“

“Go get ready. I want those guys out of here so I can actually focus.” He smiles at you in effort to stunt any or your protests.

“Fine.” You huff off upstairs.

After taking a moment to freshen up and collect your thoughts, you meet the brothers out front by Ace’s car. He offers you a bright smile in greeting before moving past his brothers and opening the passenger door. Your brows shoot up but Ace simply tips his head in a silent answer.

Heat floods your body, “How chivalrous.”

Ace opens his mouth to speak, but his brothers are soon at his side. “Ace, are you gonna open the door for me?” Sabo teases.

“No, open mine! It’s my birthday!” Luffy interjects with a bright laugh.

“Get in the car.” Ace snaps at the two, offering you an apologetic smile, then shutting the door. He quickly rounds the car as Sabo and Luffy climb into the back. Ace settles into his seat and a loud conversation instantly sparks in the back seat.

“Let me play music.” Sabo leans between the front seats with his phone in hand.

“No,” Ace laughs, waving the guy off. Instead, his phone is plopped into your lap as a silent request and you feel your heart flutter as Sabo turns his eyes, brow lifted.

The blonde hums in thought.

You clear your throat as the car is thrown into reverse, Sabo nearly falling with the sudden movement before he is settling back into his seat. “You can give me requests,” You turn to look at the two. “But I will veto it if it’s bad.”

“It will be bad.” Ace mutters.

“Really?” You quickly turn to look at him, a teasing smile on your face. “You remember that i’m holding your phone, right? Your music taste is crazy-“

“He hates anything we suggest.” Sabo dramatically rolls his eyes.

“Not true.”

“Is so.” Luffy agrees.

You laugh as the brothers bicker back and forth, making your song selection and queuing up a few more to follow.

Sabo is then tapping you on the arm, “Play something by The Neighborhood.”

“No.” Ace groans.

“And what if i already had one of their songs queued?” You look expectantly at the driver.

Ace frowns, glancing over at you, “Did you?” You simply stare back at him to give nothing away. “I’ll allow it.”

“You’re so predictable.” Sabo scoffs.

The remainder of the ride is full of loud conversations shouted over the music, Ace eventually pulling into the gravel lot. The brothers explode from the car as Luffy complains of how hungry he is as he approaches the building with a large grin. The bell jingles as the door swings shut behind you all.

“You’re back!” The cheery smile you’re greeted with is familiar as Jana, your waitress from last time, meets you all at the door. “Thought blondie was preparing some big feast for you today?”

“Oh he is, but i’m starving right now.” Luffy offers a toothy smile.

“I’m sure you are, honey.” She laughs, collecting four menus and gesturing for you all to follow. The booth she leads you to is significant smaller than the last time but perfectly accommodates your smaller group.

The way everyone falls into the booth is entirely natural, no thought put behind it as Luffy bounces into the seat across from you with Sabo sliding in at his side. It seems like you’re the only one who considers the way Ace moves in beside of you. He sits a bit too close, your shoulder pressed against his and his knee bumping yours as he manspreads into the booth. It’s such a man thing to do. Such an inconvenience. But it’s him.

So you say nothing.

“I want one of everything this time.” Luffy hums in thought, eyes glancing over pictures of food rather than the listed items.

“Just remember, Sanji is putting in the work, so don’t order too-“ Your words trail off as Luffy blinks absently at you. After all, you were talking to the men affectionately deemed black holes due to how much food they could put down. No matter how much the brothers ate now, they would certainly be starving come dinner time. “Nevermind.”

“Oh! They have fancy lemonade drinks, looks like something Sanji would make for you, Nami, and Robin.” Luffy thrusts his menu forwards to show you the picture of the nonalcoholic mixed drinks. “We should all get one, because it’s my birthday.” His reasoning has you all laughing, but easily giving in. You were almost certain that wasn’t going to be his last abuse of the birthday power.

Jana reappears to collect your drink orders, making comments and offering suggestions on the best drinks. She quickly waltzes away to put in the orders and it is not long before she is back with four glasses, the small diner being rather empty at the odd time of day.

“Here we are.“ She hands out the brightly colored drinks respectively. “And why don’t i go ahead and take your orders?” Going around the table, having to flip her page at least once, she collects everyone’s orders and it off to put those in.

Grabbing one of the straws, you watch as a straw wrapper flies past your head to hit Ace. His is then swiftly shot back at Sabo. Luffy makes an attempt to shoot his at you, but it simply falls unceremoniously to the table before you. You quickly twirl the end of the wrapper to shoot Luffy right between the eyes before he could attempt saving his and reshooting.

“No fair! It’s my birthday.” He pouts, rubbing the spot between his eyes as if any damage was dealt.

“You started it.” You stick your tongue out before plunging the straw into the cherry limeade. Taking a sip, the lime flavor immediately attacks your taste buds and has your nose wrinkling.

“Don’t like it?” Ace prompts.

“No, it’s good, the lime is just crazy sour.”

Ace smiles, “Try mine. It’s mango lemonade.” He moves the bright orange drink over to you, tilting his straw in your direction.

You hesitate, “You sure.”

“Yeah?” Ace laughs as if your hesitation was odd. As if sharing food and drinks- something you had never seen him do with his brothers- was entirely normal. Natural.

So you trade him drinks, telling him to try the sour drink. His lips pucker as the red liquid touches his tongue, “Oh man, you’re right. That’s sour.” He shakes his head like a dog, all exaggerated and floppy hair.

His drink, however, was a striking sweetness that you certainly favored over your own. “Oh wow, that’s good.” You mutter and take another small sip, before offering the glass back to him.

Ace takes another slow sip of the limeade, nose crinkling, then decisively placing the glass out of your reach. “We’re switching, yours is better.”

You roll your eyes at the notion, “You’re definitely lying. Give me my drink back.” Your hand hangs in the air as you motion for your glass.

“I’m not lying, now take your drink.” Ace nudges the red glass back over to you.

Sabo watches the interaction closely, a lopsided smile falling on his face as his eyes zero in on his brother. “Thought you didn’t like cherry?” Sabo lifts a brow.

Your eyes narrow at Ace, “We don’t have to switch-“

“I like any food, okay, now drink your drink.” Ace easily waves you off. Sabo opens his mouth again, but any words are subject to a sudden yelp as he jumps in his seat. Ace holds a satisfied smirk at this.

↟ ↟ ↟ ↟ ↟ ↟ ↟

The day has grown dark and Luffy is more than restless in anticipation. He was banished from going outside… what ever projects Ussop, Franky, and Zoro were working on now being shifted onto the sand. He was kicked out of the kitchen… Sanji would go insane if the guy tried to swipe one more piece of meat. And you have now lost count how many times Nami has yelled at him for pacing and complaining in his wait, unable to keep his focus on the card game Robin attempted to initiate.

You were certain the guy would have been throttled by now if not for it being his birthday.

Then, Sanji pops into the living room with an easy air about him, meaning only one thing. Luffy practically leaps out of his seat in his haste to get to the kitchen. The guys are already gathered there, Sanji very well knowing that Luffy wouldn’t have waited for them to trail in from outside.

So everyone settles around the table with mouths watering from the smell of each and every dish meticulously crafted and somehow still hot. Sanji settles in his seat with a proud smile as his friends dig into the food. Compliments are thrown around and the food is absolutely devoured. Hours upon hours of work that didn’t even hold up for a whole hour- but every dish was reduced to crumbs and every piece of meat picked clean from the bone. You were almost certain those would have been consumed too, if possible.

With a few helping hands, plates are cleared away, and Sanji is throwing the fridge open for the final piece. He collects the tray and presents a three tiered cake, covered in white frosting and chopped pieces of fruit. Perfectly crafted. Perfectly detailed. And absolutely gorgeous.

Dipping three candles into the top, Sanji flicks his golden lighter and all eyes fall on Luffy.

Cheerful voices echo the words of happy birthday and Luffy drops his head as feelings overwhelm. To be in a room full of his loved ones, all gathered for him, all planned for him. Monkey D Luffy was the richest guy in the world.

He blows the candles out and Sanji quickly cuts him a pieces before the cakes integrity could be compromised. There would be no face smashing or cake biting while the chef was around. Plates adorning the decadent birthday cake are passed around and the flavors absolutely burst in your mouth. Not too sweet. Fruit not too bitter. Everything a perfect balance.

You almost think you see tears in Luffy’s eyes.

With the food devoured in its entirety and the dishes stacked by the sink, Franky calls everyone but Luffy outside to put the finishing touches. Luffy groans at the prospect of being stuck inside alone for a moment, but he relents.

However, as everyone trails outside, he catches your arm.

“Hey, keep me company for a minute?” He prompts. You signal Nami to let her know and she quickly waves you off. Luffy’s eyes are glossy but he looks full of nothing but joy. “I think I forgot to say it, but I just wanted to thank you for this entire week.” Luffy smiles his bright, toothy smile.

“Don’t mention it, really, it was a group effort-“

“And i’ll thank all of them too.” He rolls his eyes playfully. “But now, I’m thanking you. You really are one of my best friends. I was…” Luffy’s head tilts in thought. “Lonely… as a kid. Before i met Ace and Sabo. So it means a lot that you would do something like this for me of all people.”

“Of course, i’d do anything for you.” You smile back at him. “We all would. None of us would be together without you, and i’m sure that would be a horribly boring life.”

Luffy laughs through his grin, throwing his arms around you and pulling you tight to his chest. “I am fun, aren’t I?” He hums happily.

Lost in the conversation, you’re entirely unaware of the man lingering just outside of the room. Ace feels his heart in his throat as the words ring through his mind. You would do anything for Luffy. For his little brother. Is that something he could mess up?

He doesn’t realize the two of you have moved until you nearly knock into him. Shaking out of his daze, he offers a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “They’re all ready for you.” He informs Luffy.

You slow to a stop before him as Luffy excitedly runs for the door. “Everything okay?”

Ace nods slowly, “Of course.”

Lips purse, unsure if you believe him, you shake your head and relent. “Right, well, we better head out before we miss the big surprise.” Ace nods silently.

The two of you trail outside just in time to see Luffy excitedly crouched down, a lighter in hand. His laugh echoing in the air is followed by a low whistling. Then, something shoots into the night sky to explode into a flurry of red and orange lights.

A grin falls on your face, “A fireworks show.”

“Oh yeah, and they’re stacked.” Ace chuckles, nodding his head towards the huge display of fireworks. “We, uh, we should take a seat. I don’t think anyone’s getting that lighter from Luffy or Ussop, so we can just, ya know, enjoy the show.” The way he speaks is muttered and clearly something seems to be bothering him.

But you let it go. Just for the night.

Instead you settle beside of Ace on one of the many blankets, watching as the night sky explodes in every color of the rainbow. It seems that the trio didn’t hold back in their selections. Not only were there the common starbursts, but fireworks that erupt into the shape of skulls and food and anything else you could imagine.

As one particularly loud one booms into the night sky, you can feel eyes on you. Your lips press together as you try to focus your eyes ahead but you can practically feel the heat radiating off of the man at your side.

Your head turns and your eyes lock with his.

Completely entranced. Neither of you can tear your eyes aware from each other despite the booming that echoes in the air. The colorful reflections sparkle in Ace’s eyes and draw you in even closer.

A warm hand falls to your cheek as his thumb brushes gently over your skin. His gaze softens before flickering down to your lips. You swallow hard and your lips part in anticipation. He finally meets your gaze again and you’re both leaning in closer, as if being pulled by an invisible string.

Your lips are only inches apart and you can feel his breath on your face. You lean in even closer, about to close the gap…

When he turns his head.

He turns his head.

And suddenly an overwhelming anxiety strikes inside of you. Heat fills your entire being and you’re certain he can feel it against the hand still on your face. “Doll, i’m sorry, I-“

“No,” You immediately cut him off. You jump at the sound of the next firework, unexpected. “It’s, uh, yeah.” Muttering the words that you can’t even seem to form, you’re unable to meet his eye at the embarrassment that squeezes at your throat. Scrambling to your feet, you break away from his side and rush towards the cabin. Tears sting at your eyes and the entire week comes crashing down on you.

How could you be so stupid?

Series Masterlist | Chapter 09

tag list: @flooofity @certain-tragedies @zzzzzoey @stuckinmymind22 @kanekisheart @lxpofthegods @weirdothatreads @dailybrekker @spyderst4r @nejilost @thekatisspooky @narnian-neverlander

[euriiverse]

Cabin by the Lake | Distracted

Portgas D. Ace x F!Reader, Modern AU series

07- When Luffy’s birthday turns into a group get away to a small cabin by a lake, you cannot deny his own brothers an invitation. Surely the week long get away would leave a lasting impression with his eldest sibling.

Thursday: Distracted

“I don’t think i’ve seen his face since we broke up.”

The words play on a loop in your mind, reverberating against your skull to bounce back with some power behind them. It kept you up far later than you wanted to admit and now your eyes burn. It kept your gaze on the white ceiling, light poking through the cracks in the curtains and trying its hardest to reach you. It made you want to stay in bed forever.

But it was breakfast time and if you didn’t go downstairs soon, there wouldn’t be anything left.

You shuffle down to a boom of conversation. Trailing into the kitchen, your eyes scan over the table for an empty seat. Ace’s side, as always, was empty. As if the group now expected for you to take place together.

Yet, as you look to the head of the table, guilt begins to gnaw at your being.

Instead, you take place between Ussop and Sanji. The meal begins and as everyone begins filling their plates, you notice Ace remains stationary with brows pulled together as if trying to hide the hurt flashing across his features. You push past the lump in your throat and begin a conversation with Ussop instead.

Ussop only now seems to recognize your presence. “Is, uh, everything okay?” His head tips to the side in a tired confusion.

“Fine.” You force a smile.

Yet your conflicting feelings clash to stint your appetite. You swirl the juice in your cup, looking for some sort of distraction, when it is handed to you on a silver platter. Sanji and Nami discuss the obnoxious feast that Sanji would have to prepare tomorrow as it was the day of Luffy’s birthday. “Yeah, it’s gonna be a huge grocery haul.” Sanji shakes his head exaggeratedly as Nami nods in understanding.

“You gonna need help with that, Sanji?” You lean over towards him and the man offers a gentle smile.

“I should be able to handle it.”

“Yeah, but I can go with.” You smile at him, “The general store is fun, I want to look around a little bit more.”

He nods slowly, brows raising, “If you’re sure?”

“Of course.”

“Then okay,” He beams at you. “We’ll head there after I clean up breakfast, if that’s okay?” You nod in agreement and a weight seems to be lifted off your shoulders.

“Can I go?” Luffy leans forwards with a bright grin.

Sanji stares at him for a long moment, “Fine, but we have a list, okay? A set menu. No last minute add ons.”

“Okay!” He chuckles, bouncing out of his seat. “Come on, this is gonna be fun, let go get ready.” Luffy grabs at your arm, pulling your off towards the stairs as he vibrates in excitement. “I haven’t gone yet, but Ace said he had a great time when he went.” Luffy babbles on and suddenly your distraction strikes you with even heavier nerves.

You adored Luffy. He is one of your best friends. And that very thing made you curse yourself for the entire situation. For the way Ace- his brother- made your heart flutter in your chest.

He shoves you towards the girls room before he is bounding off towards his own to get ready for the day. Digging through your bags, you collect your own outfit for the day. Your motions are slowed as you attempt to give Sanji ample time to complete his tasks. To not have to find something to distract yourself from the man you drift towards without any thought.

You groan out loud as you drop down onto the mattress of your shared bed.

Then, there’s a knock on the door. You call for them to enter and your breath catches in your throat as Ace hesitatantly opens up the door. He offers a sheepish smile as he leans into the door frame.

“Hey, is everything okay?”

You pop up from the mattress with a forced smile. “Yup, why wouldn’t it be?”

“Because you didn’t-“ Ace cuts himself off, mouth gaping for a moment, before he shakes his head. “Nothing, nothing. Just checking on you, doll.” The nickname sends heat coursing over your skin.

Your throat dries up, “Thanks, I’m- I’m all good.”

Ace nods slowly, lingering in the door way for a long moment as his eyes remain on you. His brows pull together and he seems entirely conflicted. But, in a house of ten, it doesn’t take long.

“Hey, Y/N- oh hey Ace.” Luffy’s voice makes the man jump in place. He leans over his brother’s shoulder to peek his head inside, “You ready to go?”

“Yeah, yup. I’m ready.” You shove your hands in your pocket, as Luffy jerks his head towards the stairs as a sign for you to follow. Ace lingers for a bit longer, blocking your path for a brief moment, words on the tip of his tongue. But the silence just drones on. “ ‘Scuse me.”

Ace takes a step into the hallway to allow you past him.

You internally groan as you follow after Luffy, his energy far too high for what you were feeling in the moment. There, you meet with Sanji who offers you a sweet smile and gestures you ahead. Luffy has already ran outside in his excitement, tugging repeatedly at the locked car door despite it not giving.

“Back seat!” Sanji barks from your side. “No way i’m throwing a lady in the back.” He waves off any of Luffy’s protests, swatting the guy out of his way to open up the passenger door for you. “Here you are, darling.”

“Thanks Sanji.” You laugh to yourself as you climb into the car.

Conversation flows as Luffy enthusiastically leans forwards in the seat, his elbow almost knocking Sanji in the head in his effort to squeeze in the space between the front seats. The two are bickering but your eyes watch each tree that passes, blurs of brown and spots of green as leaves regrow on trees. The blend of colors pull a smile to your face. It reminds you of bright eyes- of comfort and that flutter in your stomach.

That smile is quickly wiped off as your heart begins to pound and you catch yourself in such a thought. Your fingers press against your eyes and you rub them vigorously in effort to muddy the mental image. When your eyes blink open, the little shop is coming into view instead.

“Let’s go!” Luffy is throwing the door open before Sanji can even put the car in park.

Sanji huffs, looking over to you. “I’m already regretting letting him come.” The man’s smile quickly falls and his head tips as he notes the look on your face. “Are you-“ He trails off, sighing low. Lips roll together as you watch him in nervous anticipation of what he may say. “If this is about what I think it’s about,” Sanji begins, “You shouldn’t feel guilty.”

Your brows pull together, caught entirely off guard. “What are you talking about?”

Sanji taps his fingers along the wheel, “I just mean that,” He sighs, blue eyes leveling on you. “Siblings don’t dictate each other’s lives.” His gazes turns towards the windshield, as if he fears overstepping. “And Luffy especially wouldn’t let anything that may or may not happen between you and Ace ruin your guys’ relationship.”

The words settle in the air, blowing gusts of wind at you that dry out your throat. You swallow hard, “How can you be so sure?”

“It’s Luffy.” Sanji smiles in a knowing way, as if that was explanation enough.

And you suppose it was.

Luffy was a man that would listen to no one. He chose his friends carefully, even though it seemed to be the opposite at times. And he stood by his people fearlessly. If something happened with Ace… maybe the outcome wouldn’t follow Ussop’s familiar path.

You shouldn’t feel guilty.

Sometimes it was annoying how in tune your little group of friends are to each other.

“Thank you, Sanji.”

“Course, darling.” He grins at you. “Sucks that I may lose one of my girls, but I knew the day would come. You’re too pretty.”

“Awh, stop.” You playfully swat at his arm as the two of you laugh.

“Now come on, let’s go make sure Luffy hasn’t broken anything yet.” Sanji nudges you as you sigh in agreement. He was quite the definition of a bull in a China shop, after all.

As the two of you enter the shop, you notice Luffy standing with his lip poked out and an intense glare set on a small, elderly man. “I saw it first, you geezer.”

“Geezer? I should bend you over my knee for that, boy.” The old man glares, jowls only working to emphasize his deep frown. “Hats mine.”

And only then do you realize the tan fishing hat they both hold. Luffy has the chin strap hooked around his wrist and balled up in his fist while the old man holds a tight grip to the rim.

“No, it’s mine.” Luffy offers a tug. “I saw it first!”

“You’re out of your mind!” The man fires back.

Sanji groans exasperatedly. “What on earth is going on here?” The man’s glare deepens as he noticed the two of you approaching.

“This old dude is trying to take this hat I found!” Luffy points a finger at him, almost touching the tip of his nose from their proximity.

The man grunts angrily, “And this little brat is trying to take the hat that I found first.”

“Did not!” Luffy tugs.

“Did too!” He argues, tugging harder.

You roll your eyes towards the hat rack- a heat filling your cheeks at the ridiculous fish hats- before noting the identical fishing hat hanging on one of the wooden pegs. “There’s another hat just like it right there! Just take that, Lu.”

“No way!” He argues, pulling the strap towards him. “This one is mine!”

“Listen to the girl, you selfish brat.” The guy harrumphs, throwing his weight into the pull back. That’s when a quiet rip catches in the air.

Luffy’s jaw drop. The old man freeze.

“You ripped it kid!” The man finally balks.

“Did not! That was totally your fault.”

The man man inspects the torn red band of it, “Maybe i’ll get a discount since you damaged it.”

The store associate, an exhausted looking teenager that has been watching from the short distance at the counter, groans. “Break it, you buy it. Full price. No discussion.” He points a painted finger towards a bright red sign that holds the same sentiment.

The old man then shoves the hat towards Luffy, “Fine, it’s the kids fault anyways.”

“Nuh uh!” Luffy pulls the hat into his chest. “I’ll still totally take it, i’m sure it can be fixed anyways.” He mutters to himself as he thumbs at the red band.

“Yeah, whatever, brat.” The man quickly snatches the identical hat and stalks off to the checkout.

Luffy holds the material out towards you with a pout, “Think it can be fixed?”

You take the hat with a playfully exasperated eye roll towards Sanji, the man smiling at you. The tear is small and holds no threat to the integrity of the hat itself. “Yeah, shouldn’t be too bad. Nami or I could take care of it.”

Luffy grins bright at this, “Good, then i’ll take it.”

“You better.” The store clerk rolls his eyes.

“Hey, why don’t we get our actual shopping done so we can have your birthday feast tomorrow, ‘kay?” Sanji urges with hope that the trip will actually be productive.

And he is easily nodding at the prospect of the following days meal.

↟ ↟ ↟ ↟ ↟ ↟ ↟

The arrival back at the cabin revealed that Ace and Sabo had gone off on their own trip, allowing you a moment to breathe. To process your own thoughts that you couldn’t seem to take ahold of. To figure out what exactly it was that you even wanted.

On one hand, Ace makes you feel things that you aren’t even sure you have felt before. And Sanji was right. It was unlikely that anything between you and Ace would ruin your relationship with his brother.

On the other hand, Ussop’s words plagued your mind. Losing Luffy would absolutely destroy you and place all of your friends in a weird spot. This, of course, only considered the worst. What could happen if anything went wrong opposed to everything going right.

Draped across your shared bed, you groan into the comforter. It was hard to get a true read on your stance with the eldest sibling while stuck in such close proximity of a cabin together. Would he even show the same level of interest when in your every day lives? This rose some level of skepticism.

It was then that you decided to not give in so soon. To see if everything was just viewed through rose tinted glasses. And most importantly, to distance yourself from Ace as you try to navigate this new situation you have found yourself in.

Surely that would be the best course of action and not too difficult of a task… Right?

Thundering footsteps soon draw your attention away from the spiral of thoughts and the door is thrown open. “There you are!” Nami booms, taking in your state of being draped over the mattress. “Are you good?”

“Yeah, i’m alright.” You confirm.

“Really?” Nami pushes, mischievous smile on her lips. “Because if you’re not, I could always go grab- ouch!” She yelps as Robin pinches her arm.

“The boys want to go night swimming.” Robin announces unceremoniously.

“Really?” You snort, “Ussop isn’t scared of like, alligators or something?”

“Oh, he is.” Robin nods.

“But Luffy and Zoro made fun of him until he gave in.” Nami crosses the room to collect her bathing suit. “Now. Birthday boys orders, so get up and get ready.” She levels her eyes on you as she unties the strings.

You groan, “I’m not really in the mood to-“

“Too bad!” Nami tosses your outfit at you before you can further protest.

You echo a few more complaints but comply nevertheless. At the sound of loud voices filling the hall, the three of you scramble to get ready and join them.

The cabin outside holds a certain eerie edge to it. The moon and stars make their attempt at combating the night sky, but the darkness seems to triumph and wash the lake in a vaguely threatening hue. As you trail after them, you note that most of the guys have already hit the water. Sanji stands by the waters edge with a lit cigarette and a pouting Ussop at his side.

“No way that water is safe right now!” Ussop huffs out.

“Come on, you big baby.” Luffy laughs loudly at the guy. “Just get in.”

“Do you know how many alligators could be hiding in that water? There could be thousands!” His voice pitched higher. “With their scaley selves and razor sharp teeth and their death rolls.” He physically shivers at the thought.

“There aren’t any, you scaredy cat.” Zoro rolls his eyes with a teasing edge to his voice.

“And if there were, they wouldn’t come near with us yelling and splashing around like this.” Luffy hurls his arms in emphasis, effectively dousing his brothers in lake water.

Sabo wiped the water from his eyes, “That’s actually not true. If anything, that would attract-“ He is cut off as Ace lands a swift punch to his arm in effort to avoid scaring Ussop further.

Ace catches your eye in that moment, adopting a boyish smile as he shifts under your gaze. You offer him a tight smile and quickly look back towards Ussop. The nervous man gestures wildly towards Sabo for emphasis.

“There are no alligators around here.” Robin speaks as she approaches the waters edge, allowing the water to lap at her feet. “It’s actually quite nice.”

“Ace, Sabo, and I could take them if there are any.” Luffy announces, chest puffing up in emphasis. “Right guys?” He looks to the brothers, Sabo rolling his eyes at the idea, but Ace looking entirely distracted. The eldest brother looks like a kicked puppy with brows pulled tight together. Luffy ignores this, “See!”

“Alright, come on Ussop.” Sanji drops his cigarette butt into an empty can acting as his ash tray, placing the thing into the sand, before pushing the man forwards. Ussop yelps loudly as he stumbles towards the lake.

He stands ankle deep, a dramatic gasp pulling from him despite the warm water.

From there, Luffy grapples him deeper into the lake with loud protests echoing the night air. The rest of the group joins soon after, falling into the usual routine of rough housing and splashing, but your heart isn’t quite in it.

Even as the hours pass and the night grows later, you keep getting distracted by the man whose laugh seems a little bit heavier. It pushes a weight of guilt on your shoulders. Making you sink deeper into the water as you join Nami’s side.

The woman yawns loudly, catching a few eyes in the process. At her announcement of bed time some of the others voice their agreement. Until eventually, the entire group is turning to retire inside.

Before you can follow, a hand catches your arm.

Your head whips around to be met with Ace’s concern filled eyes. “Sorry, uh,” He quickly pulls his hand away to rub at the back of his neck. “Did I do something?”

“What? No?”

“You’ve been avoiding me all day.” He sinks to his shoulders in the water to mimic your submerged position.

“No, no I haven’t.” You stammer out, eyes flickering towards the glowing moon. It cast light to bounce across the ripples of lake water. “I’ve just been,” Hesitation. “Distracted.”

“Distracted?” Ace mimics with a confused head tilt. You have to ignore the way butterflies erupt into your stomach at this.

“Yeah.” A hand glides through the water in effort to find a distraction, grounding yourself in the way it feels to have water freely moving between your fingers. To remind yourself to not give in. Of Ussop’s words.

“Then you won’t mind staying out a little bit longer?” He asks with eyes shining hope.

You hesitate the reply.

“C’mon, swim out with me.” He slowly pushes himself back, moving further into the depths of the lake. “Luffy and Sabo are weak swimmers so they wouldn’t do it.”

“Ace, I-“

“Awh, don’t tell me you’re chicken too?” He taunts.

You let out a breath, feeling yourself being sucked in by his presence. This. This was the very reason that you had been avoiding him. All of your attempts to hold him at an arms length. You didn’t want to admit just how weak you were to him. “Ace, it’s late.”

“Good thing we’re on vacation then, huh?” A bright grin pulls to his lips. “Come on, I know you’re not that eager to hop in bed with Nami still awake.”

And you finally relent.

Hands part the water and you kick yourself off the sand to press forwards. Ace grins bright before turning to swim off ahead of you. “Wait up!” You laugh, but Ace dives under the still water and out of sight. Sucking in a deep breath, you dive in after him, feet kicking in effort to catch up with him. The water is a bit muddy and the dark hour prevents you from being able to see anything.

When your lungs start to burn, you surface, disoriented in the low moon light.

“Over here.” Ace calls out as water ripples around you. His fingers gently graze your elbow so you’re able to turn and fully face him. “Hey there, doll.” His voice is low as he gazes at you, freckled shoulders barely poking out of the water, a tension sparking between you.

“Hi.” It comes out breathy and you’re suddenly aware of his every move swirling in the water. You clear your throat and look away from his intense gaze. “So you got me out here, but what for?”

“Look around us.” Ace grins at you.

You offer a confused look but cast your eyes around the water nevertheless. “What am I looking at here?”

“How calm everything is.” His voice is low and he leans in a little bit closer. “How beautiful the moon looks out here in the middle of the lake.” He draws in a deep breath. “How beautiful everything looks out here.” The words send a shiver down your spine.

You let out a shaky breath, “Ace.”

“Just relax.” He breathes. Neither of you even seem aware of how close you drift towards each other. “Lay back and float in the water with me a minute.” His head tips to the side enticingly and his curls shift with the action.

You swallow hard. “I can’t touch the bottom.”

But he only laughs and swims a little bit closer. “You’re okay, I won’t let anything happen to you.” He presses a hand to the small of your back and his warmth immediately soothes you. “Just lay back and trust me.” His raspy voice is right by your ear and you have to take a deep breath to ground yourself.

Ace guides you to float on your back in the water. Water laps at your cheekbones and nearly causes you to panic, but Ace smiles down at you, hand still pressed against your back. “You okay?” The words barely resonate through the water covering your ears, yet you still understand the gentle intent and hum in response. “Gonna let you go now, alright?” And he is slowly moving away from you.

He lingers for a long moment, ready to catch you, but your eyes close and a content smile falls on your face. Ace allows himself to watch you for a brief moment with warmth blooming in his chest. Then, he moves to fall back and float in the water at your side.

Water mutes his senses and he feels completely weightless. Lingering close, careful to ensure he would be there if you needed him, your fingers end up grazing against his in the water. Your fingers twitch against his and Ace almost jerks away at the movement. That is, until you push your arm closer to link your pinkies together.

He offers a gentle squeeze to your finger and you quickly reciprocate it.

And you float there together, the small contact lingering the entire time you stay like that. It’s calm. Serene. Filling you both with a particular longing that only came about when you were together.

Series Masterlist | Chapter 08

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[euriiverse]

part two | part three | wc: 2.1k

“Oh, shit.” Ace hears you before he sees you. And he tries to keep the memories at bay. But one look at you and his senses are flooded with images of you from last weekend. The two of you cramped in the cabin of your pick up. You on your back with your knees pushed to your chest. Your calves hooked over his elbow. He shouldn’t have folded you in half. He probably shouldn’t even have fucked you. 

Too late now. 

“This is my brother Ace!” Luffy shouts beside you. Pointing at Ace. Completely unaware of how familiar you already are with each other. Ace should’ve known better. Everyone knows everyone. He knew he would be running into you again. This is just the last place he expected to find you. 

“We’ve met,” you say, shifting awkwardly away from Luffy and pointedly not looking at Ace. If it was anyone else maybe he’d be offended. But knowing why you’re not looking at him scratches a satisfied itch Ace didn’t even know he had. 

“Yeah at Whitebeard’s,” he clarifies, even though it’s essentially unnecessary since he knows Luffy doesn’t care about the details. “But how do you know each other?”

“Apparently Luffy works for me,” you explain, but you’re looking at Marco. Ace cannot help the small smile that tugs at his lips. “Technically he was my grandpa’s employee. I just inherited him with the property.”

“Yeah she almost shot me this mornin’,” Luffy says casually and with a cackle. 

“He was going through my fridge at 6am. I thought he was a burglar,” you say, eyeing Luffy like he’s lost his mind. And whenever people first meet him that’s usually their initial impression. But he grows on you quickly. 

“She’s got some terrible aim on her though,” Luffy replies. “Maybe you can teach her to shoot, Ace!”

“No,” you say immediately. “I mean that’s not necessary. I don’t plan on shooting you ever again. Just warn me the next time you’re in my house.”

“I thought he got kicked in the head by a horse?” Ace looks at Marco. Confused as all hell. 

“I did,” Luffy says at the same time as you go “he did.”

“Seems like y’all had a busy mornin’,” Ace chuckles, eyes still glued to you. 

“About that.” You hop off the bed and wipe your hands on your pants. “I’ve gotta get to work. Thanks again, Marco.”

“Yeah, no problem, kid,” he answers, looking suspiciously between you and Ace.

“Nice seeing you,” you nod to him as you walk towards the door. The one he’s currently blocking. “Again.”

He doesn’t move, though. Not when you’re standing a few inches from him and waiting expectantly for him to do something. You look up at him through your lashes. Just like you did that night. Right before you– “Excuse me.”

Ace almost jumps out of the way, your words forcing him out of the flashback. “Sorry.”

“See you later, Luffy,” you call out over your shoulder, hurrying out of the room without another word. Ace watches you go. He doesn’t intend to. You’re just so interesting. 

“What was that about?” Marco says, clearly amused. And smart enough to read between the lines. 

“What was what about?” Ace asks, turning towards Marco trying his hardest to remain nonchalant. It’s not really working though. Marco knows him too well.

“What did you do?” Marco presses, crossing his arms over his chest absolutely amused. 

“Why do you think I did somethin’?” 

“Well, she was fine until you showed up,” Marco adds, lips shifting into a smirk that Ace knows well. “You made her run.”

“I don’t know if you heard her, but she said she had to get to work. Maybe this idiot made her late,” Ace points at Luffy, who’s watching the exchange curiously while his feet kick over the edge of the hospital bed. 

“Is she the one you were talking to Sabo about?” Luffy adds, not helping Ace’s case in the slightest. “Something about doin’ it in her truck?”

Ace pales. Or maybe he bursts bright red. He can’t tell. Other than the fact that he’s both ice cold and burning hot. He reaches over and grabs Luffy by the collar, bunching his shirt in a fist and yanking him off of the bed in one movement. 

“How hard did you get hit in the head? Must’ve affected your memory,” Ace says, avoiding Marco’s eyes entirely. 

“Nope,” Luffy grins, “Memory’s all good. Doc said so himself.”

“We’re leavin’ then,” Ace grumbles, ready to strangle Luffy but he’s already in the hospital. And three attempts on his life in a single morning would be overkill. Ace will just have to wait until tomorrow. 

“We’ll talk about this later,” Marco yells to Ace’s back. He can hear the laugh in his voice. But he refuses to turn around. 

“Nothin’ to talk about!” 

****

Ace doesn’t think your hook up was a mistake. It’s actually the opposite. He wants to do it again. And then a third time. Perhaps maybe even a fourth if you’re up to it. What he regrets are the circumstances. Ace isn’t one for one night stands. He never has been. And in a town as small as this one, they are never a good idea. The only person who seems to get away unscathed and without a scarlet letter stamped to their forehead is Sabo. He doesn’t get it. But some things aren’t meant for Ace to understand. 

“So what exactly were you doin’ in SJ’s truck?” Luffy asks from beside Ace in his own truck this time. It’s much larger than yours. More leg room. But he refuses to spiral down that thought process.

“Who the hell is SJ?” Ace replies, slowing to a stop at a red light. They’re passing through the main part of town now. The dance studio is a block or so ahead. Ace wonders if you’re already there. 

“Are ya dumb? We were just with her,” Luffy laughs, removing the ice pack from his head entirely. 

“That’s not her name,” Ace says shortly, not really in the mood to entertain his little brother’s antics. 

“Yeah, but I can’t remember what it really is,” he shrugs, staring out the window. “And I don’t think she’d like it if I called her small Jinbe.”

“Probably not,” Ace agrees. 

“So what were you do-”

“We’re not talkin’ bout this.” Ace pulls into the diner and parks near the door. He’s starving. And he’s sure Luffy is too considering all the energy he’s burned in the few short hours they’ve been separated.  

Ace jumps out the car and Luffy follows, jabbering senselessly behind him. Ace isn’t listening though. He’s stuck thinking about you. He hasn’t really been able to stop since he saw you at the bar. He wouldn’t describe what he’s feeling as a crush though. It feels childish. Immature. And he doesn’t know you well enough to admit he likes you. Not like that anyway. But you’re obviously attracted to each other. And the chemistry is insane, especially considering you only spent a single night together and he can't seem to get you out of his head. 

Maybe it’s infatuation. It’s been awhile since Ace has actually felt anything at all for someone, so it feels like a bigger deal than it probably is. 

The bell chimes above his head. The diner isn’t crowded but the regulars are here. In their usual seats spread out amongst the tables. When Ace’s gaze falls on the cook and owner of the diner he suppresses a groan. One because Sanji is shamelessly flirting with the girl picking up her order. Two, that girl happens to be you. He quite literally cannot escape you.

“How much do I owe you?” You ask politely, sticking your hand in your bag to pull out some cash. 

“On the house,” Sanji replies, pushing the small paper bag towards you along with four drinks. 

“I can’t accept this without paying,” you urge him, pulling out a few dollars from your stack of cash. 

“A smile from a pretty girl like you is payment enough,” he says, leaning over the counter and into your space. Ace witnesses the way you smile and look away. Bashful. Well, now he’s jealous. That’s fucking great.

“Fine, but I’m at least tipping you.” You stick the dollars you counted before into the tip jar by the register. “Can’t have you thinking I’m taking advantage of your kindness.”

“Oh, sugar, I’d let ya do whatever–”

“Hiya, Sanji,” Ace interrupts, “we’ll have our usual.”

Perhaps, maybe just a little, Ace’s feelings for you are childish. A tad bit immature. He doesn’t like watching Sanji flirt with you. Even though he knows full well, as well as half the people in this town, that Sanji’s fucking the butcher. It’s harmless. Doesn’t make Ace like it any more, though. 

Sanji’s eyes slide over to Ace. He hears the edge in Ace’s tone, but he doesn’t say anything. Sanji is also very aware that Ace never orders at the counter. Luffy has a booth practically assigned to him at the diner. He sits in the same spot every time he comes in to eat. So obviously Sanji is skeptical. But thankfully he spares Ace the awkward confrontation and says “you got it.”

Before turning back to you and saying, “have a great day, beautiful. I’ll see you later.”

Ace watches you look through the bag to make sure everything is there before you glance over at him. It hasn’t even been thirty minutes since you were last together, yet Ace feels the silence between you starting to balloon uncomfortably. 

“Are you following me?” You pop it first. And he’s grateful that you sound much more playful than you did earlier. 

“No,” he smiles at you. “Seems like a coincidence if ya ask me.”

“Mm, right,” you nod, gathering your order in your arms. “Two times in an hour. What did I do to be so lucky?”

“I have an idea,” he says with a slight shrug. He knows what he’s insinuating and you seem to catch on quickly when the air shifts into something a little more thick. Dense. Flashes of lips, hands, tangling limbs is all Ace can think of. You’re standing so close he can smell you. Makes him feel like a creep. But he can’t control it. You had sex one time and it’s as though you’ve already permanently branded yourself to his memory. His senses. 

He doesn’t even know how. Or why. 

You bite down on your bottom lip. Chewing it between your teeth. He doesn’t have to be a mind reader to know your thoughts are probably going down the same tracks as his. He can see it in your eyes. In the way you return his gaze. 

“Listen, I usua–”

“SJ!” Luffy interrupts loudly. So loud it's as if he shakes the air around the two of you. Ace almost forgot you aren’t alone. But in public. “You joinin’ us for breakfast? Sanji makes the best corned beef hash!” 

“SJ?” You look over at Ace, evidently confused. 

“I’ll explain later,” he dismisses, not really in the mood to get into Luffy’s tendency to assign names to people.

“No,” you answer, turning your attention back to Luffy. “I just came over to pick up some coffees for the crew.”

“Bummer,” Luffy says before walking behind the counter and letting himself into the kitchen. 

“Does he always do whatever he wants?” You ask curiously, peeking over the counter through the small window to watch Luffy pester Sanji while he cooks. 

“Yes. All the time. Consequences be damned.”

“Ok well that’s good to know considering how often I will be seeing him.”

Ace chuckles at the concerned look on your face. He finds it endearing how you can’t seem to control your expressions. You wouldn’t even have to say anything and Ace could probably guess what you’re thinking. 

“Anyway, I should get going.” You angle yourself towards the door. “Can’t have Nami’s coffee getting cold.”

“I’ll see you around,” he tilts his head in goodbye. And this time when you leave instead of scurrying away from him, you smile at him over your shoulder. A feeling, weird and full and dizzying, fills his chest. 

“Can’t believe you already slept with her,” Sanji interrupts Ace’s thoughts abruptly. The feeling that he was indulging in immediately solidifies and falls rock solid into his gut. His head whips around to look at Sanji, who’s balancing three plates on his forearm and wearing an expression so casual that Ace is convinced he misheard him.

“What?”

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