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[spiderlandry]

Okay hear me out! Koby x pirate reader? I mean, he's so sweet! So imagine how would him react to being in love with a pirate reader

Omg thank you so much for your request sweetheart! Never really wrote for Koby, but I am excited to do so! He’s such a sweetie, I love him so much 💕💕 I’m not sure why I never really thought to write for him before, and writing this was such a pleasure, so I really appreciate your suggestion of this.

I wasn’t sure about gender specifics or which format you wanted (headcanon or blurb), so I did both and kept the terms gender neutral! I really hope this is kind of what you’re looking for dear ❤️

Headcanons ❤️

Your first meeting is one that I commonly like to dub as the ‘marine/pirate love story trope’: the one in which you are captured by Marines.

Koby isn’t the one to officially arrest you — that honor belongs to a one Monkey D. Garp, who was more than frustrated at the disruption your capture posed to his goal, which was to apprehend his grandson; but a pirate is a pirate, and all needed to see justice, so when Garp’s ship intercepted yours he did his duty to curb your devious activities.

Koby was, however, tasked with the assignment of keeping watch over your cell in the brig, and truthfully, you couldn’t have been more delighted by it.

The timid bespectacled man had quickly caught your attention the moment you were loaded onto the deck; and by the way his eyes lingered on yours for longer than what was appropriate, you knew you’d captured his as well.

Conversation didn’t come easily at first, not at any fault of your own; despite Koby’s clear interest displayed on the deck, he was hesitant to engage in any sort of talk with you, no matter how much you coaxed or teased him.

It wasn’t until hours later that you two had any semblance of a conversation, and after getting over his initial hesitation, words and stories flowed freely and easily between you

Koby found himself deeply entranced by your sharp wit and buttery tongue, and was heavily flustered by every compliment and sultry sentence you sent his way. It wasn’t something he was accustomed to, especially not from a pirate, but what bothered Koby most wasn’t necessarily that you were a pirate, but that he was enjoying the attention from a pirate. Koby had closed down a bit after that, but you already had him around your finger, whether you knew it or not, and Koby was unable to resist the temptation to know you more and hear your voice.

Feelings spiraled quickly on both ends; you were so intoxicated by Koby’s bashful reactions to your attention, so entranced by the way his soft features colored so prettily when you’d offer him a compliment or a sultry tease — but the more you got to know him, the more you realized it wasn’t just mindless physical attraction; you liked Koby for Koby, for his admirable dedication to his own dream, for his ideology, for his soft spoken mannerisms, for the way he looked at you with those eyes — eyes that said he shared the exact same depth of feeling as you did.

It was so fast that it nearly caused you whiplash; but Koby was even more affected. Never in his life had he had the opportunity to feel anything other than fear or loathing, and emotions such as love or desire were completely foreign to him — it was even more confusing and irritating for him as you two stood on opposite sides of the law.

In total, you were kept in the brig for three and a half days; and over those three and a half days, you and Koby grew close. He was tasked with guarding your cell more often than not, and to your surprise, not only did Koby spill his entire backstory to you, but you did the same to him. It was something you’d never revealed to anyone, not even your own crew mates, so the fact that you shared it with Koby, who was a Marine, was so baffling and frankly disturbing to you; but the way Koby’s eyes glittered as he paid rapt attention to every word you spoke, as if he were desperate to drink in every single detail about you, made those ill feelings trickle away quickly.

By the time you were to face your sentencing (by now you’d already accepted the fact that you were more than likely going to face justice by means of beheading or a life in Impel Down, though it wasn’t the idea of losing your own life that hurt you, but rather the idea of never being able to speak or see Koby again), Koby was already smitten, and unbeknownst to you, he was already determined to commit mutiny.

Koby was the one assigned to drag you from the brig to the Marine headquarters, but soon as your feet hit solid ground, Koby glanced around nervously and then quickly unshackled your cuffs when he noticed you two were alone. You were completely baffled.

“Punch me.” Koby demanded, and all you could do was gawk at him and then sputter out a single consonant sound in reply.

“Just do it, fast. Punch me and run.” Koby urged again, nerves racking up with every second that passed. You licked your lips as your heart fluttered in your chest. You knew the risk Koby was taking for you, and it made your heart clench painfully.

“You could get in a lot of trouble.” You whispered back, and Koby simply shook his head.

“I don’t care about that right now. I just want you to run. You’re one of the good ones, I can tell.” Koby said sincerely, and the way his crystal blues bore into your eyes made your entire being shake.

You truly couldn’t believe what you were experiencing. You’d encountered many marines, hell, you’d been captured and escaped many times before, but never once had a marine let you escape; and Koby was throwing himself into the fire just so you could have your freedom.

Knowing the risk for Koby and feeling extreme trepidation, but also knowing that escape would mean a chance to see Koby again, and filled with so much gratitude and pure feeling for Koby, you did something you never thought you’d ever do; you grabbed the man by the shoulders and planted your lips firmly on his.

Koby was so stunned that he didn’t respond to the sudden kiss, and just when he was about to you pulled away and nodded at him before wrenching your hand back and clocking him in the jaw.

“I’ll see you again, Koby.” You promised as you darted away, fading away into the distance without looking back; you knew that if you did, you’d run back to the man behind you.

Blurb ❤️

It had been three months since Koby’s last encounter with you; and he swore that he could still feel the phantom pain of your strike and the pleasant tingle of your lips against his.

Every day Koby held your parting words close to his heart, hoping beyond hope that he’d see you again, but as the days turned to weeks turned to months, he began to lose that spark — it will still dimly glowing within his chest, but it was dimmed exponentially.

Koby was fairly useless ever since your ‘escape’; his mind was always plagued with you, with your voice, with your lips, with your laugh, with everything about you. It was irritating and slightly depressing for him, how smitten he was with you. He couldn’t entirely understand it — not only was it something completely new and foreign to him, feeling this depth of emotion, but it was for someone he’d barely known for three days, who was a pirate on top of all that; his sworn enemy, the same enemy he’d promised to capture and bring to justice.

Koby had never even considered mutiny before; not even in the case of Luffy. Though Luffy was a dear friend and an inspiration to Koby, Koby had steeled it within himself that should he meet with Luffy, he would apprehend him the same as any other pirate, and he wouldn’t dare to let him escape.

Yet he let you.

It was very frustrating, and all these emotions within Koby caused him to lose his focus. Garp barked at him many a time to focus on training, but Koby just couldn’t. Even Helmeppo had asked him what the hell was up, if he still felt guilty about royally screwing up on his first ever escort mission, but there was no way Koby could ever tell anyone the truth.

How do you tell your entire branch and admiral that you’re in love with a pirate, and you let that pirate escape, and even held a useless hope to actually see that pirate again?

Yeah, he couldn’t do that. Not in a million years.

On the third day of the fourth month of your absence, Koby laid his head down with the conviction that he’d never see you again.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The sound was rapping but light, quiet but loud enough to cause Koby to stir to consciousness beneath his covers.

Koby reached blindly for his glasses as the tapping became more insistent, and when he finally slid them on and glanced in the direction of the noise, his heart leapt into his throat.

There, perched on the window sill of his window, was you, smiling widely and waving.

Koby threw his covers off and nearly toppled out of bed in his hurry to reach the window. With a grunt he wrenched open the pane and gawked at you.

“Heya, sweetcheeks.” You cooed, absolutely adoring the dazed smile he sent you as his cheeks colored. You wanted desperately to reach forward and bring him into your arms; except there was one problem, and that was that you were still perched on the window sill.

With little to no subtlety you clambered through the window, and Koby sputtered beside you as you did so. His gentle, dazzling smile was wiped from his face and was now replaced by a grimace of panic.

“What are you doing here?” He whisper-yelled, and you simply shrugged and smiled at him.

“I said I would see you again, sweetheart.” You said casually, and Koby glanced around the room warily, as if it any moment another marine would pop out and catch you.

“No, I know, it’s just — how did you know where to find me?”

“I have my ways.” You said, none-too-mysteriously, and Koby resisted the urge to shiver at the implication; he should he freaked out by that, but honestly, he was too overcome with happiness at seeing you again to even consider being freaked out.

Koby fell silent and appraised you; your form was hard to make out in the pale moonlight that filtered through the window, but you were still just as breathtaking as Koby remembered. Still as sultry and mouthwatering, too. The reality of where exactly you were, in his room, with him, alone, hit him like a ton of bricks, and his cheeks flushed deeply. You couldn’t help the grin that pulled your lips at the sight.

“I know it’s a bit unconventional and even risky, but I don’t like not seeing you, Koby.” You said honestly, and the way Koby’s flush deepened even further fueled your ever-present adoration for the boy. Stepping close, you wrapped your hands around his wrists and brought them to your torso. Koby’s breath hitched as you leaned closer, until your lips were mere centimeters apart. Shivers ran up Koby’s spine as you whispered against his lips, your breath tickling the sensitive skin.

“Let’s see each other more, yeah?”

MOAR HEADCANONS (because I can) ❤️

After the first night of sneaking into Koby’s room, it became a bit of a habit. The times and days varied, and sometimes you would go weeks without appearing at his window (those were the hardest times for Koby, but he understood the two completely different lives you lead). It was a little rocky at first as Koby was still unsettled by your status as a pirate, but over time he grew to accept it.

For a long time Koby kept your relationship secret; he knew the dangers of ever revealing it to anyone — it was dangerous for the both of you, and could lead to a death sentence. But Helmeppo, ever observant, noticed the change in Koby’s demeanor immediately, and after months of being pestered by the blonde, Koby finally admitted to your relationship.

Koby immediately regretted it; he just knew that Helmeppo would talk, and that your lives would be over. But Helmeppo didn’t. Instead, he clapped Koby on the shoulder and said simply,

“Good catch.”

From then on Helmeppo kept the secret; he even aided in your secret meetings with Koby, which made things exponentially easier for the both of you. The amount of time you could spend together grew, and before you knew it, you were both completely tied together.

Damn right there’s been many times you’ve tried to scoop Koby away into the life at sea.

And damn right Koby many times tried to coax you to be a Marine just like him.

But neither of you would budge, and within time just became accepting of each others life choices; Koby protected you at all costs, and kept you hidden from the marines. He would never let any harm come to you. That he promised.

The idea to label his love for you as mutiny never crossed his mind; in reality, he felt love could never be a crime, even between a pirate and a marine.

By the time Koby rose through the ranks and became an admiral himself, your relationship had grown so deeply that neither of you could stand the thought of ever being separated and it killed the both of you inside. So what did you do?

You made sure to get captured by his ship at every possible opportunity.

It became quite a thorn in his side, especially when he would have to explain to the higher ups how you somehow ‘managed to escape time and time again.’

No one ever truly caught on, much to your surprise. However, your bounty did raise a few million Berry every time, and the amount of bounty hunters you had to fight off was insane.

But it was totally worth it to have Koby get protective over you ❤️ and the way he would blush when you teased him about it was the best!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I just want to say thank you again for your request anon ❤️ this was such a pleasure to write! Ngl I wanted to add some steamy parts in there, but since it wasn’t specified in the request I held back! If that’s something you would like to see, please lemme know!

REQUESTS ARE OPEN!

[spiderlandry]

still on hiatus, but i’ve been getting back into the groove of writing during the break. happy (belated) holidays, and i hope everyone has a safe new year!

[spiderlandry]

birthday wishes ⋆ sanji x reader

summary: sanji has big plans for your big day

♡: female reader. 3,090+ words. sfw content.

the going merry had never been so quiet, especially the night after first docking on an island. after returning from a long day exploring, the merry was usually loud and hectic and to find it quiet and peaceful was a bit of a surprise.

after an unusually eager offer from nami to take you shopping for your birthday, you hadn't been able to take one step back on the merry all day. but with the prices nami could get you, you weren't too quick to complain.

normally sanji would accompany you both on your excursion, to give his input on your purchases and to be there to hold the bags nami didn’t want to carry herself, but today he wasn’t. come to think of it, you hadn’t seen sanji since breakfast this morning before you departed.

“okay, okay stop here” nami hummed, grabbing ahold of your wrist causing you to stop dead in your tracks. your brow slowly raises as you watch her dig through one of her bags to finally pull out a blindfold.

“a blindfold?” you question watching her grin grow from ear to ear. she nodded, gesturing for you to spin around so she could place it over your eyes. “why?...” you trailed off, knowing nami was always planning tricks (mostly on the boys but still).

skeptically you allow her to blind you as she led you down onto the wooden dock, the ocean’s crashing waves silencing the murmurs of the crew onboard.

“wait, how am i supposed to get up?” you asked, barely being able to see where you were stepping. a yelp escaped your lips as a familiar pair of hands began carrying you onboard, setting you down gracefully onto the deck.

there are whispers and giggles, but just as you're about to say anything, you can feel a gentle hand caress your cheek.

“happy birthday, my swan.”

sanji untied the blindfold and your eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness of the lights strung up all around the ship, your friends stood there, the going merry decorated with balloons and streamers, giant grins plastered along their faces.

you gasped slightly, never knowing such kindness from anyone, finally feeling at home with the strawhats.

“happy birthday y/n!” luffy cheers, pulling your arm into a hug and away from sanji who was about to place a kiss on your cheek. “it was all sanji’s idea, but i helped decorate. what do you think?” he innocently, but proudly, asked pointing to the mismatched colored streamers that swirled around the mast and all along the railing. along with the table, which was neatly set and a tiered cake sitting in the middle of it half-covered in sprinkles (which you assumed was luffy’s doing too).

“i love it luffy, thank you. thank you, everyone,” you say, perhaps thanking them for a bit more than just the party as tears begin to well up in your eyes.

before the strawhats you didn’t have much of a family; you hadn’t been thrown a birthday party since you were a child, let alone a surprise party. you left your home island not too long ago, and then when luffy had asked you to join his crew you didn’t deny his request knowing there was nothing left for you back home anymore but blissful memories.

you settled in quickly, and as everyone predicted, sanji instantly took a liking to you.

“i really don’t deserve this” you murmur with a small tear running down your face. blowing off your ridiculous accusation, robin offered you a tissue, a red hue filling your cheeks as you weren’t one to be extremely emotional with the crew until this point.

"you're a part of my crew, aren't ya? then you deserve a huge birthday celebration!" luffy shouts, earning cheering of agreement from the others.

everyone began sitting around the table, engaging in conversation with one another. sanji placed a hand around your waist softly whispering in your ear how beautiful you looked, although you were flattered you were too grateful for this party that you couldn’t hear a word he was saying.

the love you had in your heart for everyone in the crew and feel that love reciprocated back was heavenly, a feeling you had been longing for a long time.

the overwhelming love you felt for sanji at this moment was something you thought didn’t even exist. you interrupted his stream of compliments by cupping his cheeks and pulling him in for a sweet kiss, taking him off guard. “thank you sanji, this is the best birthday ever,” you smiled leaning your forehead against his.

“you deserve a birthday as special as you, my love.”

you sat down at the table, instantly getting entertained with a story from usopp while sanji finished up your birthday dinner he had learned to make especially for tonight. it wasn’t long until sanji brought out the food, basically having to fight luffy off so you could get first helpings.

“now that everyone is settled, i would like to propose a toast” sanji announces, gaining everyone's attention as glasses raise in the air, even luffy's who was taking bites of meat with the other hand. “to y/n: the kindest and most beautiful girl we know, with the biggest most sweetest heart in the world. happy birthday."

“yeah! to y/n!” luffy praises, downing his drink and eliciting cheers from the other crewmates. you laughed, taking a sip of the champagne and rubbing your thumb over sanji’s hand which he's quick to feverishly kiss.

dinner was over as fast as it came, plates were practically licked clean, and bellies were full.

“can we do presents yet? i’m so excited i can barely contain my excitement” chopper squealed, sitting restlessly in his seat.

sanji agreed, clearing off the table from all the plates, having to pull one out of luffy’s grip after he insisted there was still more food on his plate (there wasn’t) in fear he might swallow the damn thing.

“you guys didn’t have to get me presents, this party was far more than enough for me,” you gracefully sigh, feeling those tears from before making their return.

“don’t be silly, of course, we got you presents,” usopp remarks matter-of-factly, grabbing several decorated boxes and bags and bringing them to you. “open mine first, i’ve been working on it for a couple of months.”

upon opening the bag, you find a smaller version of the slingshot he uses, but in your favorite color. it feels as though your inner child is released, immediately taking practice shots and giggling like a school girl as he demonstrates the perfect technique for you.

“you gave her your slingshot, usopp?” Nami asked, slightly confused.

“of course not, y/n had asked me if i could make her one like mine after i practically saved her life using it.”

“yeah, it was really cool. it was just a normal day for the great captain usopp, i suppose” you joked sarcastically, knowing he’d start getting a big head about it despite the clear sarcasm. as you predicted he began marching around singing about how great he was causing everyone else to laugh at his idiocy.

“ooh ooh, open mine next!” chopper giggled, running out of his chair to grab the box off the table and hand it to you directly. you scooted down the bench so he could sit next to you as he hopped up without hesitation. things like sage, healing crystals, and a couple of home remedy books were inside. “doctorine taught me all about herbal natural remedies and now i'm excited to teach you too!” chopper smiles, eager to begin teaching you as you had once requested.

“this is amazing chopper, i know you’ll teach me everything. you are the best doctor i know after all!”

“oh stop it, you’re just saying that. you’re not gonna make me all soft on your birthday, you big dummy.”

you giggled, setting the box onto the floor and picking up a bright orange and yellow bag. inside it was one of the prettiest light blue sundresses you had ever seen, similar to the one nami and you had seen in the display window at a shop a couple of islands ago.

“i had to heckle the guy, but i got a really good deal on it!” Nami winked as you ran over to hug her, thanking her.

“more like robbed him blind” zoro muttered under his breath, earning a chuckle from you and robin and a swift blow to the head from nami.

“y/n-swan! you’re going to look absolutely beautiful in that dress! nami has such a great sense of fashion” sanji cried, wiping genuine tears away as he imagines how you'd look.

“oh wow, who’s this one from?” you questioned, picking up a long, heavy box.

there was no wrapping, no tag, just a plain brown cardboard box that looked like it had seen better days. you lifted the lid, pulling out a small dull sword that looked as if it has been used many times before. everyone turned their head to look at zoro, who was leaning back in his chair, one of his eyes shut.

“it’s one of the old swords i had found underneath my bed. i figured we could, you know, practice together sometime,” he shrugs.

to aid everyone's confusion you begin to tell them the story of how you had dabbled in swordsmanship when you were a child, nothing too intense and nothing like zoro had endured.

while fighting off the marines, zoro dropped one of his swords and it slid across the deck of the merry, hitting your feet. instinctively you picked up the sword and began fighting off marines tenfold. zoro had only seen two women handle a sword the way you did in his entire life, he was impressed as much as he hated to admit it.

when you had explained to the crew that practicing swordsmanship just helped you feel better as an asset to this team, it had become routine that when you got bored you would go and spar with zoro.

you were touched, everyone knew that zoro didn’t show his emotions well so you ran up to hug him, wrapping your arms around his neck. unfamiliar with this affection, zoro freezes and then awkwardly places a hand on the small of your back.

“thank you marimo, i love it. i can’t wait to kick your ass” you joked, earning a disapproving grunt from him.

“whatever, get off of me. i’d kick your ass more” he grumbled, pushing you off trying to play off the light pink tint that stained his cheeks from your affection and also the lame-ass comeback he retorted.

"here’s mine. i hope you like it.” robin smiles, handing you a small wrapped present. you tore off the wrapping paper, a small book underneath it. “i saw it in the bookstore in town, it seemed interesting. i’m excited for you to tell me about it once you finish.”

“i’ve been looking for a new read” you giggled, walking over to robin, and enveloping her in a hug which she gladly returned.

“okay y/n, it’s my turn.” sanji nervously says, handing you a huge box, one you couldn’t even carry yourself.

stripping the box of it's wrapping, you reveal a sleek pots and pans set with a hand-painted design in your favorite color.

after the first couple of days of joining the crew, you stumbled into the kitchen well after everyone had fallen asleep. everyone except sanji. you lazily opened the door expecting darkness, but sanji sat at the end of the dining table looking through a cookbook he had found on your home island.

upon noticing the door open, he looked up at you, equally surprised to see you up at the late hour, but still glad it was you rather than luffy trying to sneak a midnight snack.

“oh sanji! i'm sorry, i wasn’t expecting anyone to be up. i was just trying to get some water.”

“don’t even worry about it, my darling. i’ll make you some hot tea, it'll lull you right back to sleep. here sit down,” he coos, pulling out the bench, already getting a kettle pot out of the cabinets before you had time to protest. you giggled, glancing at the cookbook and recognizing the recipes.

“ooh this one is really good, i used to make it all the time for my family. do you think you could make it for us sanji?” you ask, but persuasion is almost pointless when sanji is able to catch your eyes light up causing his heartbeat to increase.

letting the kettle boil, he looks over the recipe.

“i could help you, i’ve made it before but i’m sure it’ll be so much better with your help,” you bashfully offer.

he felt his heart gush, agreeing almost instantly.

“sanji, they’re beautiful. thank you,” you comment, wrapping your arms around his neck to place a quick but well-deserved kiss on his lips.

“here’s my gift y/n.”

you turned your attention away from sanji’s embrace to luffy who had his arm extended to you, holding a light blue flower. you gasped, hand covering your mouth, as you reached out to grab it a huge smile across luffy’s face.

with no warning tears begin to cascade down your face, a mixture of heartbreak and happiness filling you. everyone looked around, equally confused as to why this flower was making you so emotional.

“one time y/n told me the story of how her parents used to grow these flowers at their house when she was little. i saw them when we were docked there a while ago and decided to bring them to her,” he explains.

“oh my god Luffy,” you began, inhaling the all too familiar scent. it filled you with nostalgia in the best way, memories of your family flooding you. “i’ve never received anything so thoughtful, thank you.”

you hugged him so tightly you were thanking yourself that he was rubber. he chuckled, hugging you back not before placing his straw hat on your head.

for the duration of the night, you barely left luffy’s side as he had asked to hear more stories about your childhood, much to sanji’s dismay.

he wasn’t jealous, but rather, hurt. some would call it insecurity, but sanji really just wanted to give you the best in life because of how special he knew you were to him.

in sanji’s eyes, he wasn't giving you the best. it wasn’t a competition to you, but it was different for him. sanji felt defeated, a pain stinging in his chest. he didn’t blame you, he didn’t even blame luffy, but himself for not giving you the perfect gift.

at some point in the night, you noticed sanji’s absence from the table and noticed the light peering in from the slightly ajar kitchen door.

while everyone was immersed in their conversations, you placed luffy’s hat back on his head getting up to find your boyfriend. you peered into the kitchen, sanji leaning against the sink washing the dishes. you strolled up behind him, snaking your arms around his waist and leaning your head against his back contently.

a soft sniffle alerted you, one that was different from his sniffles that followed a nosebleed. you notice his body tenser than before, his hands now holding onto the edge of the sink, trembling slightly.

“sanji?”

you turned him to face you by grabbing onto his hips, his eyes not meeting yours but staring down at the ground letting more tears fall. your fingers settle under his stubbly chin, forcing him to look at you, “what’s wrong?” you ask, worried that something you did had upset him.

he bit his lip, not knowing whether he actually wanted to share with you the insecurity he felt from such a harmless, innocent gift.

“did you really like my gift?” his voice cracked, slightly hoarse. he dried his hands, loosely holding onto the edges of the shirt you were wearing, tugging at the ends nervously.

“of course i did, why?” you absurdly asked, cupping his cheeks, and wiping away his tears with your thumb. his blue eyes finally met yours in defeat.

“luffy’s gift was so much better than mine,” he winced, causing him to panic even more.

you shushed him, pulling his head down to rest on your shoulder and letting him cry a little more while running your hands through his hair.

“sanji, i loved your present. it was so beautiful. you know that, right?”

you knew he knew that. he leaned into your hands which were rubbing small circles on his cheeks. “sanji..i love you.” you slightly mumble, letting those three words escape your lips, this being the first time you had told him.

without hesitation his lips quickly collided with yours, the saltiness of his tears could be tasted as you let him guide the kiss. his hands held onto your waist tightly, his fingers twitching at the contact digging his nails into your exposed skin. your desperation for air didn’t stop you from breaking this moment, your hands lightly pulling at his hair.

“i love you y/n,” he whimpers once the kiss had finally ended. you hugged him tightly, his stained smell of cigarettes on his clothes filling your nose.

a small tug at your leg pulled you away from sanji, a soft whimper leaving his lips when your hands weren’t holding him anymore.

“i’m sorry to interrupt, but usopp wanted me to come and get you guys” chopper smiled up at you both.

you followed the little reindeer out onto the deck where everyone was sitting in lawn chairs, and usopp who was holding a remote control in his hand waiting for you.

“now!” chopper shouts, running to sit down in one of the chairs too.

without a moment’s notice, usopp hit the button and large fireworks began shooting up from the ship, illuminating the night sky with multiple bright colors.

everyone began cheering and laughing, the display being quite impressive even for usopp. you leaned into sanji’s taller frame and he leaned back into you, enjoying this moment knowing that you were finally at home.

likes, reblogs, and comments are always appreciated! (✿◠‿◠)

[spiderlandry]

More lesbian sanami was requested, so please have one of the many headcanons that live in my brain rent-free

[spiderlandry]

Thanks!

Bonus:

[spiderlandry]

hey! still here but on an indefinite hiatus 😅 school is hard but i’ve also been getting into some new hobbies and it’s kinda helping my brain a little bit. im not accepting any requests and any current ones i’ve already accepted are on hold ! thank u for ur patience 😇

[spiderlandry]

;; State of Repair ..

— ;; minific monday ! a oneshot (almost) every monday, usually under 5k words.. (.. usually .. )

>> in which law comforts you.

; words ? ; 2.1k.

; warnings ? ; description of a depressive / overthinking episode.

; genre ? ; fluff/comfort.

; request ? ; no.

; pairing ? ; trafalgar law x reader.

; notes ; hooo boy this one was written bc. why not. we all need a lil bit of comfort. no pronouns used for reader, so can be presumed however! ily, please make sure to eat and drink when you can <3 i might make this a mini series with some of the other one piece fellas, who knows ! i do wanna eventually tackle one for ace too :33 crossposted on ao3!

   You felt entirely numb. Your heartbeat was slow and heavy, an aching pain present in your chest. There wasn’t a specific name for the emotion— or lack of— that you were feeling, you just felt empty. You didn’t have the energy to feel anything, you couldn’t even get yourself to cry. Curling up in your boyfriend’s borrowed sweatshirt, you continued your doom-scrolling through social media, trying to find something that would hold your attention for more than a few seconds. 

    Soon you tossed your phone to the side, bored. Nothing was interesting, and there was nothing to do. You felt exhausted even though you hadn’t done anything that day. Your back had been glued to the couch, only ever moving to make yourself more comfortable amidst the plush cushions. The inner turmoil you were feeling was nearly bubbling over, you cursed yourself for being so lazy. You wanted to get up, to find something productive to do, but you couldn’t get your legs to move. The apartment you shared with your boyfriend was messy and could use a thorough cleaning, something you’d promised yourself you’d do the day before. But now the task seemed daunting and impossible, something that you’d never be able to do on your own. 

    Your thoughts began to spiral, taking you to even darker places. You were pathetic, not even able to get off the couch and do something as simple as a load of laundry. What was wrong with you? You were perfectly capable of getting up and doing the things that needed to be done, so why wouldn’t you? Too lazy to just stand up and get started. What a garbage excuse for a human being you were. 

    You were startled out of your thoughts for a short second when you heard the opening of your front door. Though your eyes never moved from the spot on the ceiling where they fixed, you knew who it was by the person’s footsteps and his relieved sigh as he came in the door. His gaze fell on the still-messy apartment, a slight frown on his face. Pulling his fluffy hat off his head, he hung it on a hook by the entry, before pacing towards you. You were still laid out on the couch, your breaths slow, not bothering to move even as your boyfriend approached. 

    “I thought you said you were going to clean the apartment?” He questioned, his dark mop of hair coming into view. He wasn’t mad, he was just confused as to why you’d been so determined to clean the day before, only to ignore the mess the next day. The second your eyes met his golden ones, you felt a pang in your chest, and you pulled your knees to your chest. You felt guilt and shame burning in your gut, and you turned to face the back of the couch. Your tongue felt like lead in your mouth, you couldn’t get yourself to form a full sentence. 

    “I—“ Was all you could manage before your throat felt tight and painful, tears finally beginning to well up in your eyes. You shrunk into his sweatshirt, craving nothing but to disappear. “‘M sorry—“ You mumbled, covering your face with your hands. The man furrowed his eyebrows, before realizing what was happening. The way you hadn’t even reacted to him coming home when usually you’d race to him with a wide, warm smile should’ve been the first tell that something was wrong, but he’d been so distracted with his own thoughts that he hadn’t noticed. 

    Sitting down on the couch next to you, he scooped you up and pulled you into his lap with ease. “You don’t need to apologize, I’m not mad.” He gently moved your hands away from your face, his expression soft. He wasn’t lying, he wasn’t mad. Sure, he was confused at first, but he recognized the signs of your episodes, and was happy to help you through what you were dealing with. 

    Your eyes widened and you peered up at your boyfriend with watery eyes. Law’s expression was stern but kind, his gaze soft. One of his tattooed hands came up to brush your cheek, his loving caress breaking the dam behind your eyes. Fat tears rolled down your face, and he pulled you into his chest, supporting your head as you let yourself cry. Law stroked your hair and let you release your built up emotion, holding you firmly. 

    Once you’d let out your tears, you pulled your head away from his chest, wiping weakly at his shirt. “Sorry, I.. I got your shirt wet.” You mumbled, wiping your face with the sleeves of your sweatshirt. A soft chuckle rumbled from his chest, and he helped dry your face with his thumb. As a second wave of tears threatened to spill from your weary eyes, he gave you a light kiss on your forehead. 

    “I can wash it. It’s not a big deal.” Law began to stroke your back, pulling you back into his chest. “Tell me what’s going on.” He said in a softer tone, shifting to get more comfortable as you curled up in his lap. Your hands gripped at his shirt, a quiet hiccup leaving you as you tried to verbalize what exactly you were feeling. It was like you felt everything and yet nothing, all at once. You felt bare and empty, and yet overwhelmed, out of your element. How were you supposed to describe the way your mind was making you feel? There weren’t accurate words, nothing would convey just what you were dealing with. 

    “…Just… A lot.” You finally breathed, letting your head drop onto Law’s firm shoulder. Every analogy you could come up with seemed cliche and stupid, nothing to really fit your situation. Your body felt weak and slow, your mind raced and battered you with destructive thoughts. Focusing on your boyfriend’s steady heartbeat, you let yourself be lulled into a state of placency, not quite healed, but not quite as shattered as you were. The surgeon’s presence was comforting, putting you slowly back together as you lay in his warm embrace. 

    He hummed softly, his hands still tracing slow circles on your back. “Alright, let’s start with how you feel physically. We can take it a step at a time.” Law nodded, ever the picture of calm and rational thinking. He was a rock in your chaotic river, unmoving and strong. After inhaling a shaky breath, you began. 

    “Nothing hurts, well, my throat does a little. So does my chest and my heart. It’s a little hard to breathe, but it’s not too bad.” You paused to regain your courage, swallowing thickly as tears threatened to spill again. “‘N my eyes hurt. My throat is starting to sting again.” Your fingers brushed against your throat, your cheeks burning as you slowly began to describe how your body was feeling. You couldn’t meet your boyfriend’s gaze, no matter how hard you tried. 

    He stayed quiet, his hand moving to massage the back of your neck as the other cupped your thigh, pulling you closer to him. Taking another deliberate deep breath, you continued. “Other than that, I have a little headache. But mostly my chest keeps aching and it won’t stop.” You murmured, fiddling with the hem of your sleeves. “It’s letting up a little now that you’re home, but it’s still there.” Your words were little more than a whisper, your body slowly relaxing and letting go of the tension that was wound so tightly in your muscles. 

    Law waited for you to continue, but once he realized you had finished speaking, he gave your thigh an affectionate squeeze before speaking up. “Good. Now what you’re feeling emotionally.” He encouraged you to continue with a soothing tone, so different from his usual aloof demeanor. You saw a side of him that he showed to very few people, so kind and genuine. Nodding slowly, you moved your tongue around in your mouth before you were ready to speak again. 

    “I don’t feel… anything. And it’s scary. I don’t like it.” You whispered, your heart starting to pound again. Law noticed your tells, seeing that you were starting to get worked up, and he placed one of his large hands on the small of your back, a sign to tell you to focus on your breathing and steady it. You did so, matching your pace to his, and soon you were breathing in time with him. “I just feel numb and empty. Not even sad, I don’t know why I have the urge to cry.” You sniffled, your tears pushing at your eyes and beginning to spill over your lash line. You didn’t bother wiping them away, though your boyfriend made a move to. 

    Gently tilting your head back, he wiped your tears away, pressing feather-light kisses to your eyelids. His gaze was half-lidded, but full of admiration as he calmed you down, each movement slow and cautious. “It’s okay to cry.” He mused, cupping your face. “It releases oxytocin and natural opioids, it’ll help you feel better.” Law nodded, his medical knowledge coming in handy. “Keep going, what’s going on in that head of yours?” He mumbled softly. 

    Sniffling and no longer bothering to hold back your steady streams of tears, you slowly began to speak up again. “It’s like… my brain is mad at me. I wanted to get up and clean the apartment, but when I woke up and made breakfast I just felt so… deflated after.” You trucked through your voice cracking with emotion. “I couldn’t even clean the dishes, I’m sorry, I—“ 

    Law cut you off for the first time since you’d begun your explanations. “Don’t apologize. Continue.” He urged you onward with a light tap on your back, only speaking up to say his small piece. His expression was still stern, but he wore an affectionate smile, his golden eyes full of care. Moving one hand, he laced his fingers together with yours, watching as you traced over the dull ink in his skin as you spoke. 

    “I… I wanted to get up and do stuff but I couldn’t. I tried, I promise.” Your voice grew hoarse and thin, and you smushed your face into your boyfriend’s chest. Law simply stroked your hair and back, letting you lean into him. He had no issue supporting you, he was proud that you felt comfortable enough to rely on him. He’d had his own share of self-doubts and he knew how difficult they were to manage on his own, so if he could offer you a shred of comfort, he’d be content. 

    “I believe you.” He ruffled your hair, and gave your hand a gentle squeeze. The surgeon kept you securely in his embrace, even as you shifted to get more comfortable. “How about I help you with the dishes from earlier, then I can make dinner?” He offered, giving you a chance to back out. Though he phrased it as a question, a small part of you recognized the little cheat code he was using to help you out of your slump. “Do you wanna wash, dry, or put up?” He smiled, sweeping your hair behind your ear. He was breaking down the daunting task into smaller, easier steps for the both of you to conquer. 

    “I can dry?” You replied hesitantly, a bit unsure about how you’d react to the feeling of soap and old food. You really did want to help, but your overstimulated state was begging for an excuse to get out of the chore. At your words, Law pressed a kiss to your forehead, and affirmed what you said. He knew what you would pick before he asked, but figured you would feel more helpful if you got to choose. He was right, acting more like a psychologist than a surgeon, but it was all in the intention of helping you feel better. 

    “You can dry.” He nodded, pushing back his sleeves as he moved to get up, only to be stopped by your hand on his arm. Glancing down at you, he watched as you snuggled deeper into his embrace, leaning your head in the crook of his neck. You wrapped your arms around his abdomen as best you could, your next words slightly muffled. 

    “Can we have five minutes?” You asked sheepishly, wanting to stay in his arms for just a few more minutes. The comfort he offered you was second to none, and you could hear the smile in his voice as he rested his head atop yours, breathing a soft sigh as he rubbed your back. 

    “Sure. However long you want.” 

[spiderlandry]

Sleepless Nights

Pairing: OPLA Sanji x Reader

Rating/Content Warnings: R/18+? I guess there's TECHNICALLY no actual smut here but...you'll see. A lotta sexual implications...discussions of sex, I guess you could call it? Bargaining, maybe? It's hard to explain but just know reader is talking about getting freaky here alright.

Summary: Reader is suffering from a bout of insomnia that it seems nothing can fix. After many other failed attempts, they turn to Sanji for help. In a...less than appropriate way.

Disclaimer(s): Except guess what plot twist this bitch is CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE BABY TWO DIFFERENT ENDINGS!!!! Each ending should take a day or two for me to get out and will be it's own separate post and will be hyper linked at the end of this one when they're posted, but rest assured they ARE BOTH PORN OKAY WE'RE GETTING FREAKY. The difference is that one will be a sweeter, softer kind and the other will be. Well. Not that.

Despite what most might think, Sanji spends his days largely on ritual.

The devil-may-care attitude he adopted back at the Baratie (and often still does in arguments with Zoro) and his tendency to drop whatever he's doing when presented the opportunity to spend that time with a woman instead often become the talk of those around him, even the crew. It's largely an inoffensive mistake, and he truly doesn't mind being boiled down to the basics if those basics involve what some might call desperation, but he would call chivalry.

They are wrong, though.

Sanji is, at his essence, a creature of habit. His habits become like meditation at a point, some that he still carries with him from his time at the Baratie. Feed anyone who's hungry. Serve them the food if they forget to come get it themselves. Clean as you go and save nights for practice.

And so he does, even long after he's left the floating restaurant for greener pastures (or, he supposes, bluer waters?) It's where you find him that night, engrossed in some delicate pastry when he's shaken from his reverie by a quiet knock at the doorframe of the galley and soft, padding footsteps entering the space.

He's usually the only one awake at this hour, a solitary sentry keeping watch over what is, in his eyes, at least, the ship's most precious cargo. A soft voice calls his name and-

Well. Maybe he guards the ship's second most precious cargo.

He looks up as you offer him a small smile- though it's really not necessary. He'd recognize your voice on it's own if he were drowning, if his hearing gave out. He'd always find a way to recognize you, somehow.

He almost doesn't recognize you like this, though- the sweetest, most upbeat of his crewmates with exhaustion in their eyes and a yawn interrupting their words, tone flat and uneven.

"Hey, Sanji."

You'd come here for a reason.

Not a reason you'd willingly admit, at least not so readily, but a reason nonetheless. You knew you would find Sanji here if he was awake, he was always here. The predictability of it is...comforting. A small comfort, yes, but still.

"You're up late," you note softly, sitting down on a stool at the side of the counter opposite him, watching him cook, the steady motions and gentle confidence like the visual equivalent of white noise- soothing and blank.

Maybe a part of you didn't want him to be here. Wanted tonight to coincidentally be one of the rare few when he decided to hang up his apron and turn in early.

"So are you."

You came here as a last resort, but now you find yourself unable to access the words for your request at all.

Sanji chuckles softly at your lack of response, looking up and into your tired eyes with a soft sort of curiosity for a moment- but it's gone in a flash as he seems to remember what he's doing here in the first place, returning his gaze back to his cooking.

"It's late, you should be in bed." He mumbles softly, taking the responsibility of continuing the conversation for himself rather than watching you continue to struggle. If you were aware enough to at the time, you'd think it was sweet. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, really."

He looks up at you again for just a moment and raises a brow. You're almost annoyed that he took the time to look away from his precious baking just to make it obvious how much he doesn't believe you.

"Just...can't sleep, 's all."

You finally confess, too tired to make yourself care about how out of it you sound. You fold your arms on the counter and rest your chin on them, watching him cook peacefully with your legs curled up on the seat under you.

For a while, the silence is enough.

It's only when you curl your legs under yourself that he notices you're still in your sleep clothes- nothing but an oversized T-shirt and panties. He thanks his stars that you don't seem to notice the blush that blooms across his face when he realizes.

He pauses, almost as if waiting for you to notice and scold him for it. Instead, you blink lazily up at him, exhaustion evident in the way it takes you a little bit longer to convince your eyes to open again each time.

When he speaks again, it's only in an attempt to relieve the tension from his own throat.

"Can't sleep, huh?"

You nod and this time there's no sympathetic glance, his eyes staying glued to the plate in front of him as he adds the last little finishing touches to his work. Wordlessly, he leans in and slides the plate in front of you, the pastry in question making your nose twitch curiously.

It takes a while for your mind to catch up with you, but when it does you smile gratefully, heart warming at the gesture. You had been...on the fence about this before. Whatever this even was. You knew what you were going to ask (or try to ask, anyway, you didn't know if you'd have enough courage to get the words out) but you were going back and forth on whether it was a good idea. You'd had feelings for Sanji for a long time, but that didn't mean you knew if he would be any good for you.

"The things we want aren't always the things we need" and what have you.

But the gesture - casually giving up something he'd been working on so diligently to try to make you feel better - your heart flutters a bit and you look back down at the plate shyly to avoid his gaze, taking a bite. Immediately warmth floods you and you shiver happily, hoping your heart eyes aren't too obvious when you look back at him.

"...it's wonderful. Thank you, Sanji."

"Love, it's a pleasure to serve someone like you."

He responds softly with a satisfied smile, the words entirely too genuine. It was funny- you'd always heard that the way to a man's heart was his stomach, but Sanji was perfectly content to do all the cooking himself. All you had to do was compliment it and he'd shatter like glass.

"Anything I can do to help?" He asks softly after a moment, and you appreciate that he doesn't dwell too much on your issue with sleeping, seeming to sense that simply sitting around and talking about it would do you no good.

Still, no matter how thankful you are not to have to endure his pity, your cheeks flush at the question.

You don't say anything at first, just look away and fidget sheepishly with your sleeves. There is something he could do to help, what you'd come here to ask him for in the first place, but now that it comes down to actually saying it...your voice fails you.

This truly was a last resort- you'd tried handling it yourself, but it seemed that even if your mind wouldn't let you sleep, your body was too exhausted and your own hands ineffective when you tried, only leaving you more desperate. So you'd come here. To him.

"...fuck me to sleep. Please."

For a split second, there's nothing but silence. You aren't sure which of the two of you is more surprised by the fact that your words don't cause the whole world to spin off its axis.

But all things come to an end eventually. So is the nature of the world.

"Pardon?"

Sanji's cheeks slowly start to flood with pink and his eyes widen before he seems to get them under control again, schooling his expression back to as neutral as he can get it. But the relocation of all the red pigment in his body to his face tells the true story. Blood doesn't lie.

He pauses for a long moment in silence, as if afraid that he'll snap himself right out of this daydream, before he finally tries his voice again. "Love, are you...being serious?"

"Sanji, I haven't slept in two days."

The first admission is raw, whispered with a crack in your voice.

"I keep trying, but I can't-"

You shake your head, and it's obvious the toll your lack of sleep is taking on you. He can't help but sympathize- insomnia could be a complete bitch, especially on a ship like this, with so much work to do each day.

Sanji takes a breath, about to speak, before you continue on and he cuts himself off.

"I've tried everything. Silence, chamomile tea, reading - hell, I tried doing it myself-"

And oh, like that isn't one of the hottest things he's ever imagined. You, drowsy and fuzzy around the edges with need, teary from the lack of sleep with your hand between your legs, breathless whimpers breaking the near silence of the waves crashing against the ship's sides from outside- he cuts that train of thought off and does his best to save it as mental material for later, shaking his head minutely. More important things.

"I just...nothing works. Please, Sanji, don't make me beg."

Your rambling finally ceases and he's left thinking the galley sounds oddly quiet this late at night without it. He hadn't noticed that before.

When he manages to wrap his head around your request, it's not long before he makes up his mind, looking at you with a sympathetic spark in his eyes as he coos the answer.

"Oh, sweetheart..."

Soft:

"...come here."

Rough:

"...I'll put you to sleep, love, on one condition."

[spiderlandry]

some gesture studies from episode 1 of OPLA

[spiderlandry]

ʚ 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐞 ɞ chapter one

ʚ synopsis ɞ You haven't been able to sleep for a while, and Bepo has the solution to your problem. As you develop a friendship with the polar bear, you fail to notice the jealousy of a certain captain.

pairings : Bepo & Fem!Reader / Trafalgar D. Water Law x Fem!Reader

words count : 2090

content : fluff, a very tired reader, mention of nightmares.

note : Boo! This is officially my FIRST fanfiction! I'm super excited to share my writing with you. I started watching One Piece in 2013 and stopped around the fish-man arc. The live action revived my passion for One Piece, but this time I'm reading the manga and I'm at Water 7! So, the timeline of this fanfic makes no sense, sorry 😭 Also, very important, English is not my first language! If you see any mistakes, please let me know ~ + Law will appear more in the coming chapters, but the first ones are dedicated to the friendship between the reader and Bepo (●'◡'●)

In the middle of the ocean, on a small island lost in thick fog, were the Straw Hat Pirates and the Heart Pirates. Once again by pure accident, the two crews crossed paths, much to Trafalgar Law's misfortune and Monkey D. Luffy's delight. Even though they had seen each other a few weeks earlier, Luffy insisted that this umpteenth encounter should be celebrated with a big feast, a bonfire and music. The Heart Pirates, equally fond of a good night's drinking, gladly accepted the offer, without consulting their captain, who said he wasn't crazy about the idea. Even though Law was negative, his crewmates knew he didn't hate the Straw Hat Pirates and that he'd be incapable of declining an evening with them. Why? Well, let's just say they knew their captain's weak spot... a weak spot that was hiding in the opposite crew.

A cheerful melody of violin takes possession of the night. Between the beach and the tropical forest, a huge fire lights up the faces of those around it. Luffy, Penguin, Shachi, Usopp, Bepo and Hakugan dance around the fire, waving their arms and having fun. Even after a huge meal, the guys find the energy to spin around and celebrate. Chopper, with a belly full of food, sleeps peacefully in Robin's arms, as she talks to Jean Bart and Jinbe. Brook plays the violin and Franky accompanies him by singing an old song. Nami, Zoro, Uni and Clione are competing to see who can best hold their liquor, and Nami is winning, of course. Sanji tries to seduce Ikkaku by promising her the moon and the stars, without success. Law is leaning against a tree and observing the scene, looking bored, but a small smile is visible. And you, you are sitting in a spot a bit apart from the others.

No one tries to convince you to join them in their activity. You don't want to dance, you don't feel like singing. You don't drink alcohol, so there's no point in facing Nami and losing money. You're not in the mood to get into deep conversations with the older members of the group. You stay away from Sanji to avoid hearing him shout his love in your ears. You wouldn't refuse to be close to Law, but you suspect that he doesn't want you near him at all. You know he's not too fond of Luffy and his crew. You don't want to add to his annoyance. At least he's smiling. You noticed it when your gaze landed on him. The glow of the fire is so beautiful on his skin. He's wearing a white tank top that shows off his black tattoos. You're secretly admiring the artwork - well, you think you're being discreet, but you soon realize that Law is watching you. Caught red-handed, you turn your head in another direction. You can feel that he's still watching you, it's embarrassing. No, really, you are happy just watching the fire and being surrounded by your loved ones. 

The guys stop dancing when Brook takes a short break to stretch his bones. Bepo is exhausted and needs to sit down for a moment to catch his breath, so he decides to settle down next to you. "Bepo." you say, offering him a warm smile. He didn't sit here by coincidence. During the dance, he noticed that you were the only one not enjoying the evening. You seemed distant and tired.

"How are you doing?" 

"Fine and you? Life with the Heart Pirates isn't too hard?"

"I could ask you the same question with the Straw Hat Pirates," he replies, laughing. "I'm fine, a little out of breath."

You snort as you understand what he means - after all, you've just seen him dance for thirty minutes non-stop. It was a great entertainment. It's a good thing everyone was wearing casual clothes, otherwise you're sure Bepo would have fainted. 

Brook picks up his violin and starts playing again, but the polar bear doesn't leave your side. You can feel the warmth of his body against your arm, it's not unpleasant.

Over the years, Bepo has become an expert at spotting signs of fatigue in his captain. He had no choice, otherwise the guy would stay awake for days in a row, and that's never a good thing. Although Law had good reasons for not wanting to sleep, it's dangerous to have a commander who's not in his right mind. So yeah, the navigator recognizes when a person is in a terrible or unusual state. He met you at Sabaody and remembers seeing a young woman full of life and ready to attack. Which is quite the opposite of you right now, ready to fall asleep on your feet. If the marines were to attack the beach, Bepo isn't sure you'd react. 

"Are you sure everything's okay? Your dark circles are starting to look like Law's, that's never a good sign."

You appreciate the little joke, even if you know that it hides a strong concern. It's true that the captain of the Heart Pirates has impressive dark circles, and even though they look great on him, you'd rather not have the same look.

"I have trouble sleeping. As soon as I close my eyes, nightmares invade my dreams and they're so… real. I haven't had a full night's sleep in a while."

You don't know what made you decide to be honest with Bepo, but you did. Maybe it's his kind, caring side that's pierced your defense. Even Chopper couldn't get you to open up. You don't want to worry the reindeer with your anxieties and fears, his mind is too pure.

"Have you talked to your crewmates about it?"

You look briefly at your friends and sigh.

"No... They know I don't sleep much, but I don't want to tell them why. I don't want them to see me as fragile."

"I'm sure your friends won't treat you any different, but I understand what you mean. It's not always easy to let your guards down and open up to those you love and respect."

You put your hands over your face and drop your head. Okay, what the hell was that? Bepo panics at your reaction - he wasn't trying to make you sad! He shakes his hands and mumbles a series of "Sorry, I'm so sorry". Should he give you a hug? Is he allowed to hug you?? Oh no, the mugiwaras are going to kill him! 

Behind your hands, a strange noise escapes, causing the bear to stop freaking out. "Huh?" You remove your hands from your face and reveal a huge smile and tears in the corner of your eyes. You laugh out loud, relieving the navigator. Damn, he thought he'd committed a crime, but no, you're smiling!

"I don't allow myself to talk about my problems to my friends, but I had no trouble opening up to you!"

You gently tap your interlocutor on the arm. Unsurprisingly, he apologizes and bows his head. You continue to giggle softly and to reassure the bear, you decide to cuddle him. You don't know if he likes to cuddle, but... he looks like a guy who enjoys a good hug! But to do that, you have to get up. Bepo is much taller than you, towering over you by a few heads, so you have no choice but to stand up and wrap your arms around his neck. It's the first time you've exchanged a hug with him and wow, you regret not doing it sooner. He's so... so... SO FLUFFY! Your heart explodes with joy and your eyes turn into heart shapes.

"Bepo!!!"

"W-what?!"

"Give me your fur!"

"Huh?! No way!"

His answer makes you laugh. You don't know what's gotten into you, but the warmth in your chest encourages you to climb on the polar bear and sit on his lap. It's impossible to wrap your legs around his waist, his stature is impressive, but that doesn't stop you from trying. You squeeze him with all your strength and rub your face on his furry chest, releasing a high-pitched squeal. "You're so cute and soft, I want to bite you!" Your sentence surprises him; he's used to getting compliments on his fur, but this is the first time someone's wanted to bite him for it. He doesn't know how to respond verbally, so he responds physically by wrapping his arms around you and rubbing his head against yours. The two of you smile and giggle like children. 

It's official, you can die in peace.

You let out another cry of joy that turns all heads in your direction. Within seconds, rubber arms are wrapped around your bodies. Luffy laughs as hard as you do.

"Oi Bepo, you are soft shishishi!"

Soon Penguin, Shachi, Hakugan, Franky and Brook join the hug.

"Yohohoho, your fur is so soft! Oh but I can't feel it, I have no skin yohohoho!"

When the group hug ends, you're the only one left in Bepo's arms. His face is flushed with embarrassment, but he seems happy to have caused this lovely moment. You let out a long, satisfied sigh and close your eyes. Slowly, your body relaxes. You listen to the crackling of the fire, Bepo's heartbeat, Brook's music, the many voices exchanging words... the atmosphere is perfect. You feel a protective hand on your back, a confirmation that Bepo isn't complaining about your presence on his lap. In no time, you end up falling asleep in this position. It feels like you've got a huge teddy bear protecting you from the demons of the night. He kicks your bad memories and the monsters of the past away, making sure you're safe and sound in his arms.

A little further away from you is Law, arms crossed and jaw clenched. He shouldn't be feeling jealous, especially not of his best friend , but... he can't deny that this situation annoys him to no end. It takes him all the effort in the world not to get up and go back to the submarine, that would be too suspicious. Anyway, the party will go on for maybe another hour, and everyone will go back to their rooms and sleep in their beds.

"Holy shit!" exclaims Nami. She taps Zoro on the shoulder and points to the glued duo. The swordsman nods and glances at his captain. "Oi, Luffy." The young man tilts his head to the side and stops playing with the guys. He follows the navigator's finger and a huge grin spreads across his face when he sees you sleeping in Bepo's arms.

"The party's over."

Oh hell no, Law thought. He knows what's coming. 

Brook and Franky immediately stop playing music, leaving only the sound of the fire and nature. The Heart Pirates are visibly intrigued by this drastic change of mood. When Luffy says the party's over, something's wrong.

"What's going on?" Ikkaku asks, a worried look on her face.

Robin stands up while keeping the little reindeer in her arms, gently stroking its head.

"(Y/n) hasn't been sleeping much lately, and this is the first time we've seen her sleeping peacefully. Bepo, would you agree to keep her with you tonight so she can get a good night's sleep?"

"Sure, no problem!"

"Thank you. Maybe we don't have to interrupt the festivities. Bepo, stand up."

The polar bear tries to stand up, but halfway through, your eyebrows furrow and you look like you're about to wake up. He immediately sits back down.

"Hm, looks like you'll have to stay here all night, and therefore it's impossible to continue the party. Sorry captain."

"That's okay." Luffy replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Don't worry bro, I'll go and get some blankets and pillows to keep you comfy, I'll be right back." Franky adds, thumbs-up, walking toward the boat.

Law is living a nightmare.

[spiderlandry]

reading so many fantastic fics in this fandom inspired me to write my own! would love to write more for this character so feel free to send prompts my way if you’d like! and as always, i hope you guys enjoy ❤️

sun sweet (sanji x gender neutral!reader, one piece: live action)

Your heart’s in your throat by the time you make it back to the Going Merry, though a quick glance over your shoulder is enough to reassure you that you haven’t been followed. You blow out a breath, loosening your hold on the sack of supplies cradled to your chest and wincing at the sight of the dented lettuce on top. 

At least that’s the worst of it, you think, grateful that you’d managed to escape your confrontation with the marine with most of your produce intact. You couldn’t say the same about your hand, unfortunately - the punch you’d aimed at the cadet’s jaw had lacked any trace of finesse, more wild flailing than any of the focused swings Luffy had been trying to teach you. 

It had gotten the job done, at least, leaving the man knocked out cold in the dirt and giving you the opportunity to book it back to the ship. You just had to reach the galley without any of the crew spotting your busted hand, and then you could retreat to your cabin to tend to your aching knuckles. 

“Darling,” Sanji greets you brightly, apron adorned and fingers working at his cuffs. “You’re just in time!” 

You plaster a smile onto your face, hiding your bruised knuckles behind your back. Shit. “Sanji! I didn’t know anyone was back yet.” You surreptitiously glance around the galley, relieved that none of the other Straw Hats seem to be around - the last thing you needed was the entire crew fretting over you. 

“It’s just me, I’m afraid,” he explains, rolling up his sleeves. The sun spilling through the portholes pools golden along his shoulders, and for a moment you’re so distracted you forget about the pain shooting through your fingers. “The others should be along shortly, though.”

“Great,” you breathe, fighting a wince as your hand proceeds to throb. You lift the sack of produce onto the counter. “Well, I was just going to drop this off - “

“Actually - ” Sanji interrupts, lips tilting into a cajoling smile. “I could use an extra pair of hands, if you’re up for it?”

Fresh out of those, I’m afraid, you think with a grimace, your bruised knuckles throbbing in time with your heartbeat. If you were smart, you’d drum up some excuse and then escape back to your cabin before Luffy and the others showed up. 

“I’d just get in your way,” you deflect instead, sparing a moment to wonder why you’re so hesitant to refuse him outright, and then flushing when you catch another glimpse of that smile. Oh yeah. That’s why.

“Nonsense!” Sanji gathers up an extra apron and tosses it your way. It takes a second of fumbling before you remember to grab it with the fingers that aren’t 

smeared with blood, though your hard-won success is immediately overshadowed by the realization that you’ll never be able to put the thing on with only one working hand. 

You sigh, glancing helplessly at Sanji bent over the veggies you’d carted home. “I might need a little help.”

Sanji glances up from his chopping, eyes sparkling with mirth. “Oh?” he murmurs coyly, crooking a finger your way. “Come along then.”

“Not just with the apron,” you clarify, drawing your bruised hand out from behind your back and presenting it with a grimace. “This, too.”

The change is immediate, Sanji’s expression shifting from flirtatious to concerned in an instant before he drops his knife and approaches you, reaching for your throbbing hand and cradling it carefully between his own. 

“What happened?” he asks, searching your face with eyes that have grown sharp, fierce. You quell beneath them, your heart giving a resounding thump in your chest. 

“Ran into an off-duty marine,” you tell him, hissing as he prods gently at your bruised skin. “Recognized me. Guess he thought turning me in would make for some easy berry.”

“Not so easy,” Sanji quips, lips tilting into a smile as though he can’t help himself, and then settling into a firm line as he thumbs along the ridges of your split knuckles. “We should tend to this.”

“I was going to - “ you start, only to choke out a gasp as Sanji wraps his arms around your waist and hefts you unceremoniously onto the kitchen island. The rest of your words turn to static in your brain, dispersing from your lips as a rush of breath instead, and Sanji’s soft laughter at your dumbstruck expression only serves to lock whatever’s left behind a lump in your throat. 

“Give me a moment,” he tells you, gently squeezing your wrist before ducking from the galley. You’re left to stare in flustered shock at the partially chopped veggies he had left behind, your heart doing its level best to escape from your chest. 

You rub at your sternum with your uninjured hand in an attempt to chase the feeling away, annoyed at your reaction to Sanji’s theatrics. His little flirtations meant nothing, his easy affection a given rather than unique to only you. Once upon a time you had accepted that without doubt. But now?

You sigh. His concern was genuine, at least, and more than evident in the way his expression had sharpened at the sight of your wound, in the way he hurried into the galley now, bandages in hand, in the way he reaches for you, slender fingers wrapping gently around your bruised knuckles.  

“This may sting,” he cautions you, before beginning the delicate task of cleaning the drying blood from your torn skin. You wince at the pain, sharp across your nerves, and dig your teeth into your cheek to suppress a hiss. Sanji’s lips twitch into a smile, his breath warm against your brow when he murmurs, “That’s it, darling. Well done.”

You flush, feeling the heat rising through the column of your throat and settling into your cheeks. He’s too close, his voice too soft, both overwhelming in their own right but devastating when coupled with his praise. Even now you can feel yourself preening beneath it, warm, eager for more.

Pathetic, you think with a grimace, though it’s pointless to deny the heat bubbling through your veins as Sanji applies a salve to your knuckles, sharp and medicinal, and wraps your hand in clean bandages. His movements are delicate, practiced, his hands those of a skilled artisan, and you find yourself watching them move about your flesh with rapt attention. 

Sanji huffs a laugh, low. Fond. “Careful, darling,” he warns, drawing your attention away from his hands and to the handsome planes of his face instead. His eyes dart up to meet yours. “You’re bound to make me blush, with a look like that.”

Your heart leaps into your throat. “Sorry,” you bluster, wrenching your gaze from his and planting it firmly on the nearest porthole. Outside, the ocean sits, calm and serene for the moment, and despite the absurdity of it all, envy curdles thickly in your gut. 

Sanji huffs a second time, exasperated but no less fond, before folding your freshly bandaged hand between his. “I wasn’t complaining, sweetheart. Far from it, in fact.”

Your heart thumps like a mad thing inside your chest. It’s becoming harder than ever to rationalize his sweet words away as mere flirtations, the fondness writ across his face as anything more than friendly affection. 

He must see something of your inner thoughts warring across your face, because he gathers up your fingers between his and squeezes them gently, the touch a reassurance that succeeds in easing the turmoil brewing inside you. 

“I had thought I’d made myself clear, my darling, where you were concerned,” he confesses, his fingers slipping through the gaps between yours for a brief moment, digits warm and strong, only to flit away and then return to tangle with yours once more. 

He’s nervous, you realize with muted shock, his words barely managing to register in your brain. 

At your silence, Sanji’s lips twist in a self-deprecating grin. “Obviously not,” he mutters, before his eyes flick to your hand and he lifts it to his mouth, lips settling gently against your palm. You feel the warmth even through your bandages, and heat swiftly gathers in your cheeks. Sanji’s eyes are warm, bright. “But surely now… ?”

Your fingertips twitch against his lips, a lump forming in your throat. He’s serious, you realize. “You’re serious,” you speak aloud. It comes out like a question. 

Sanji laughs, soft, low, and ducks his head to press a lingering kiss against your brow. “Does that answer your question?” he murmurs against your skin, a teasing lilt to his voice. 

Your body warms, the scent of cigarette smoke and fresh herbs making your head spin. A flustered laugh bubbles in your throat, spilling into the space between you, and emboldened, you reach for Sanji and curl nerveless fingers into his apron. 

“I should see to lunch before the others return,” he tells you, but makes no move to remove himself from your hold. “Will you stay?”

“I won’t be much help,” you murmur, thrilling at his warmth, his proximity. You feel drunk off them, heavy-headed with excitement, with relief. 

Dexterous fingers curl around your jaw, tilting your head until you’re met with Sanji’s gaze, warm and inviting. Your breath hitches as his mouth finds yours, fingers tightening within the folds of his apron as you register the softness of his lips and the hush of his breath, the taste of smoke and salt and skin.

“Please?” he pleads against your mouth, lips curling at the expression on your face - eager, no doubt, and desperately smitten. 

How could you say no to that?

[spiderlandry]

Die Happy - Sanji x Reader

SUMMARY: Sanji is disillusioned about your lack of interest in him. Someone like you could pick and choose among princes, kings and emperors. What's a measly cook to you? Nevertheless, his lovesick heart continuously rejoices when you choose him to waste time with.

WORDCOUNT: ~ 1.3k

Part 2 -> "Maelstrom"

Sanji has never believed in ghouls, witches, faeries and the like. However, when he met you his belief began to shatter:

Like a dark sorceress covering the whole world with a curse, you lured all the influential, important men like fire does moths. At first, Sanji fooled himself that all those generals, merchants and noblemen only wanted something pretty to hang onto their shoulders but reality destroyed his comforting illusion when the said men offered riches most people couldn’t even fathom. If you asked them for an armada to sail to the Grand Line, they’d only ask what type of wood you’d prefer. Despite something akin to world domination lying at your fingertips, you always laughed those offers off, telling your powerful suitors that you would think about their words and get back to them.

Sanji once asked whether you’re truly considering marrying one of the generals or kings. Some more naive part of him hoped you’d say no. Alas, the truth, once again, was his adversary:

“Obviously!” you giggled at his silly question. “But I won’t marry the first one that offers me wealth and whatnot. First, I’d like to see all of my options and the world…” your voice trailed away as you vaguely pointed around the two of you. “Well, it’s a big place. Many more kingdoms to visit.”

But to his own demise, the cook was a fool unlike any other. He had no chance at winning your heart, no matter how much he’d try. Still, his untamable desire egged him on, whispering sweet songs of your grace. Even if he could taste your lips only in his imagination, he could do his best for you to have a reason to keep him around like a dog that begs for scraps at his master’s table.

Sanji knows he’s only hurting himself, only furthering his desperation when he makes you smile or earns a speck of your affection. Every dawn, he promises to free himself from your sorcery but when dusk comes and his left with the Moon, his only confidant, he realizes that he could never possess enough power to cut himself free from you. You’ve pierced his heart right through and if he pulls your knife out of his chest, he’s bound to bleed out and die. It’s better if he lets you have complete control over his mind and soul - it’s the only way he will make it out alive.

He’s left cold and lonely on that night. Soft, silver moonlight washes over him through the small porthole in the wall of his room. The sea is almost black at this hour of the night but it becomes a mystical sapphire when the Moon’s glow washes over the lazy waves making them glisten like pure diamonds.

Diamonds… maybe if he had diamonds, you’d see him as a man and not just a shipmate.

Quiet knocking on his door wakes Sanji up from his thoughts. Before he has a chance to get up and open the door or tell the guest to come in, the mysterious visitor enters out of their own volition.

Your tired face makes Sanji think about painting in museums - the ones all connoisseurs consider “classics” and “timeless”. The silk shirt you’re wearing looks not only awfully expensive but, which is much worse, to be a men’s size. Its hem ends right underneath your buttcheeks, threatening to expose your body should you lift your hands. In the darkness of his cabin, you appear as nothing beyond a phantom, a hallucination born out of desperation. And just like a ghost, you’ve come to haunt and torment him in the sweetest of ways; in a way only you can.

“What’s wrong, love?” he asks in a raspy voice. Sanji is doing a great job at appearing unaffected by your rather scantily clad form.

Carefully, you close the door behind you and walk towards him. Your skin glows when you step into the rays of soft moonlight pouring in through the porthole. Dishevelled hair, half-closed eyes and a slightly puffy face - Sanji has imagined you this way countless times but never actually seen. He can feel his body burning up, telling him to seize the opportunity, to wash you in the most charming and suave words he can think of.

“Nami kicks while sleeping,” you say quietly. “I swear to god my whole side is bruised at this point. Can I sleep with you?”

Sanji has to remind himself to breathe and to do so calmly. He’s cool, completely in control of himself. His mouth feels unbearably dry.

“‘Course you can,” he answers casually. With a swift move of his arm, he lifts the duvet. “Come on in.”

The pure bliss that suddenly appears on your face forces Sanji to take in a sharp, ragged breath. It’s an expression he also imagined one too many times when his desperation poisons his mind - not that he’s willing to admit it even to himself. He knows it’s wrong to even entertain a scenario in which you would grace him with such an enraptured face. Still, his will is not as strong as he often makes it out to be.

“Sanji, you are my salvation,” you tell him while getting under the covers with him.

“I know, love.”

It’s both strange and natural, the way your body fits his. As though the two of you have done it so much the memory of your muscles twists and turns your limbs to rest in the most comfortable and intimate way. The odd familiarity makes Sanji think that maybe in another lifetime this is how he always sleeps. He wishes he could find himself in that reality even for a second. Alas, it’s too far out of his reach.

“Damn, you’re really comfortable,” you mumble against his chest. Your hot breath makes him shiver. “And warm. I don’t think I’ll be going back to my bed.” A small grin of cosiness appears on your face - one that Sanji will never forget.

His broad chest and strong arm normally go unnoticed by you but now they’re like a fortress. And just like high stone walls are an unspoken promise of security and happiness, his firm hold on your body is a silent oath of a good night's sleep.

“Stay as long as you want,” he whispers back to you. 

Maybe if you weren’t so exhausted, you’d notice that his words aren’t a statement but a plea. They’re the last thing you remember before drifting off to a restful slumber.

Your breathing slows down and gains a steady, shallow rhythm. Keeping you close to his chest, Sanji allows his hands to gently brush against your arm and back. His movements are feathery, almost fearful. He wouldn’t want you to wake up and change your mind about spending the night beside him - he can indulge in his heart’s desire but he must do so carefully.

“If you only gave me a chance,” he whispers into the night.

Knowing you’re asleep and bound to remain ignorant of his affections, Sanji kisses the top of your head. His lips linger against your hair while he takes in the scent that haunts him day and night. Unknowingly, his grip around your body tightens at that moment as though he has suddenly grown most terrified of having you disappear. Too many nights he’s dreamed of this exact scenario only to wake up to a cold, empty bed.

When the dawn arrives and you leave his arms, this little moment of affection won't mean anything to you. It means nothing now. Sanji knows this very well. He doesn't try to lie to himself that maybe you'll wake up a changed person and finally see him as more than a friendly comrade. Although tonight means nothing to you, it holds an unspeakable weight to Sanji, who will forever gloat about the fact that when you needed help, it was him you turned to. It was his arms that guarded your sleep for a few hours.

Fighting off sleep until he collapses, Sanji revels in the feeling of you against his body and pretends, even if for one night, that you’re his the same way he will always be yours. Watching you sleep cuddled into him, he swears he could die happy now.

[spiderlandry]

a few recent additions to my character list - polyam zosan, nikolai lantsov, nina zenik, polyam helnik ^-^ im currently only taking opla requests, but feel free to talk to me in my inbox abt any of these (and other characters) bc it gets me motivated and if you send me a cool idea i might even get inspired to write it :]

[spiderlandry]

connect — ethan landry

Description: Ethan is enamoured with the girl who beats him during a college trivia night.

Pairing: Ethan Landry x F!Reader (she/her pronouns, reader is referred to as a girl)

Warnings/Tags: non-gf ethan, fluff, probably super corny (you have been warned.)

Word Count: 3k

Author’s Note: the trivia is based off an episode of only connect. for the record, i’m not british i just love that show

There aren’t many things in college that really matter to Ethan besides his grades. Sure, he has his friends—but they understand his incessant need to excel in academics once he opened up about his aspirations, which more often than not have him holed up in the apartment he shares with his longtime roommate, Chad. They’ve been roommates since freshman year in the dorms, and Chad said he didn’t want anyone else to be his roommate, so they decided to rent an apartment for junior year. Being a good roommate is third in the list of important things.

However, the thing that takes second place is something that his friends don’t understand. It’s the annual trivia competition held by Blackmore’s Honor Students Society. Particularly, one held by the STEM students. This tradition, having existed since the society was founded, has been a loved custom.

Spanning three days, the winner gets a donation to a charity of their choice under their name at the end. It’s been vital for frats and sororities to win because of the reputation points earned for their society, but Ethan is not part of one; yet he still wants to win.

Often, he gets teased by Chad and Mindy while he prepares for the upcoming few days. But he lets them, knowing they’d agree to be his teammates like they always do. His team during the first part—the trivia bowl—has always consisted of him, Chad, Mindy, Anika, and Tara. They switch out teammates for different categories. It has worked all these years, there’s no reason for it not to work again.

Well, he’d be proven wrong this time.

The first day is by far the most difficult due to the amount of people participating: twelve teams.

The lecture hall is alight with excitement, nerves running through the crowd as the host gets on the stage. Ethan being the team captain, he sits in the middle with Chad and Anika on his left, Mindy and Tara on his right.

(After some trial and error, it was best Chad and Mindy didn’t get to sit together because of their banter, and if the arrangement was Mindy with Anika and Chad with Tara, it’s just Ethan fifth-wheeling.)

“Who’s ready to rumble?!” The host shouts, the boom of the microphone travelling around the room. They cheer in anticipation. “Alright! I’ll explain the rules for the quiz bowl, then we’ll get to introducing our teams.

“For this first day, we’ll play connections—the goal is for your team to find the connection between the clues we put on the screen,” he points to the big projector screen. “For the first ten seconds, there will be two clues. After that, the other two clues will be shown and there are fifteen seconds for your team to figure it out.

“The clues will get harder as it goes on. Every team has a bell, whoever dings first gets to answer. Now! Let’s get to introducing! From the front of the room, you—“ he points.

Chad speaks for the team, “We are the Fab Five, and we’ve got a champion with us.” He half jokes, shaking Ethan by the shoulders.

The host chuckles, “That’s right. Certainly a legend, Ethan Landry, who’s won the past two years. Think you can keep your streak?”

Ethan, confidently nodding, “Absolutely.”

Every other team introduces themselves. Nobody stands out, at least not for now. There are only some familiar faces to Ethan and that’s it.

It’s not until about halfway through the game, during a question that Ethan realizes he may have actual competition. Of course, he’s been confident throughout the past hour, his team in the lead with the most points, but there’s a close runner-up that answers from across the room.

The screen reads:

Audio CDs. Details of The Budget.

The silence in the room is cut with a familiar ding. Ethan looks to the source, spotting the one person who seemed to have an edge over his entire team. You.

“Red books,” You answer.

God, who are you? Ethan thinks. He shakes his head—he has to get it together. His strategy has been to focus on his team only, and he can’t stray from that now. His brows furrow when the host says you’re correct.

“This has been interesting,” the host smiles, “The Fab Five has tied with the Three Fates.”

Ethan looks closer, and indeed, there are only three people on your team.

You don’t seem to pay him any mind.

So the game continues.

Aqua Regis. Aqua Fortis.

“Alchemist names for acids,” Ethan answers.

Oscar Niemeyer, Brasilia. Charles Barry, London.

“Architects of parliaments,” you chime.

Meanwhile, his friends can definitely sense the nervousness radiating off Ethan. He isn’t usually concerned with staying first place, but he keeps sneaking glances to your position in the room and they’re beginning to think it’s not just about trivia.

All in all, their team still stays in the lead with two points ahead of yours.

-

The second day.

The host welcomes everyone back into the room, a few less people than yesterday. He leans against the podium, grinning as your team and Ethan’s are forced closer together, tables next to each other.

“The teams have been cut down to the top four who earned the most points yesterday,” he explains. “The other teams are invited to come watch, as well as anyone else interested as the game finally gets interesting.

“For the next hour, you’ll play sequences. The goal is to predict the fourth in a sequence—if you predict it with less clues on the screen, you get more points. Two seconds in between each clue. No need for introductions, let’s do it!”

Fear.

Surprise.

Ethan rings the bell. “Devotion to the Pope.”

“Three points to the Fab Five. Next!”

Observation.

Statement.

“Testing.” You answer.

“Three points to the Three Fates, well done.”

It goes on like that, with the other two teams occasionally answering. But mainly it’s just either yours or his that answers.

A game of cat and mouse. It gets under Ethan’s skin, the way you easily answer the questions while laying back in your chair all the while Ethan is probably bouncing off his seat.

Amidst the chaos inside his own head, a jumble of questions and answers, there’s something about you that stands out. In his own circles, he’d never seen or heard about you. Though Blackmore was a big college, the amount of STEM honors students they had was relatively small, with the university being known for its film programs. He needed to know who you are.

The game is over before he knows it.

Hours later, thinking about his choices and zoning out, his train of thought is interrupted by an object being hurled at his head.

“You okay?” Chad throws a pillow at Ethan, who is sitting on the couch. He catches it last second.

“Why?” Ethan hugs the pillow close to his chest as his roommate gets something from the kitchen.

“You just seemed fidgety today. At the trivia thing.”

Even after knowing Chad all these years, it surprises him that he notices.

“No, yeah. I’m fine. Nobody’s just come close like that before.”

“Well, Y/N’s smart.”

Ethan’s interest piques. “You know her?”

“Yeah. I met her at a party, last semester. She just transferred here. She was drunk, going off to me about this new thing they discovered in physics.”

“Oh,” is all he can say.

“What, are you nervous?”

“Why would I be nervous?”

“Tomorrow’s the big day. You’re gonna have to face her without us.”

“Shit.” He sighs. He was so caught up in beating you that he’d forgotten the last part of the challenge. He has to face you individually with other teams watching to see who gets the winning prize.

“You guys would get along, I think.”

“Are you kidding? She’s getting on my nerves.”

Chad tilts his head, akin to that of a confused puppy. “I don’t think you know the real reason, bud.”

“Don’t start.”

“I’m just saying!” He shrugs. “She’s very pretty.”

And as his (infuriating) roommate walks away, Ethan can’t help but silently agree.

-

A few continuous buzzes from Ethan’s phone is what finally takes him out of a studying session. Picking up the device, the screen reads:

Quinn

can you come pick up ur notes

He groans. The sun had taken its place above, a contrast to when it was just dawn as he woke up to study for the final part of the quiz. It was probably a good idea to go outside, though.

On the steps of the Carpenter/Quinn residence, he taps his foot against the welcome mat impatiently.

The door swings open.

Here’s the thing: With the three people living in this apartment, it was a common occurrence for friends to be over. Tara’s got a big group that she knows, Sam has coworkers over, often Danny even opens the door or one of Quinn’s flings.

But out of all the possibilities, the last person in his mind to open the door is you.

Ethan’s smile drops, and you seem to notice it. “Oh, sorry.” You stand aside to let him in, yet he doesn’t move an inch. “Who are you looking for? You’re Ethan, right? Chad’s roommate?“

Just then, Tara’s voice booms from the other room. “Come in, Ethan!”

One second under your scrutinizing gaze is enough to make him stumble into the apartment, and he’s sure he can feel your stare burning the back of his head as he rushes to Quinn’s room.

He closes his sister’s door with a slam, making her jump. “What’s your problem, asshole?” She turns from her spot on the bed, facing him.

It takes a minute for him to catch his breath. “My problem? I should be asking you that!” He’s careful not to be too loud, his words coming out more as a whisper. “Why would you ask me to come here?”

“To pick up your notes? I told you.”

“No that—” He shakes his head, “That Y/N is here. Didn’t I tell you about that girl from trivia?”

“The one you have a crush on?” She laughs. “So? She’s friends with Tara.”

“Friends with—” His head tilts to rest against the wall. “You didn’t tell me she was here.”

“…I did. Didn’t you read my texts?”

Texts. As in plural. He fully opens his phone into the app, and lo and behold, the texts are there.

Quinn

the girl you have a crush on is here lol

where have u been

can you come pick up ur notes

She laughs even harder when she realizes his mistake.

“Please shut up, Quinn.”

“Why don’t you just talk to her? She’s nice!”

“Keep it down.”

“Fine,” she sighs, rolling her eyes. “Your notes are on my desk.”

He picks them up and turns to leave, however not without an additional comment from his sister.

“I promise you won’t regret talking to her.”

He only grumbles, walking out. He has to face you again, though he’s sure if he’s fast enough he can avoid you.

Nope. Totally wrong.

You stop him before he exits the apartment, he shoots a stern look to Tara in the background when she audibly holds back a snicker.

“Hey, you.” You nod to him. “You’re my competition.”

He finally faces you. His eyes scan your expression, treading lightly as to not get lost in your eyes. “I am.”

You flash him a devilish smirk, “You think you’ll win?”

“I know I will.” He quips back, slowly gaining confidence. You slide in front of him, opening the door to let him out.

“See you tonight?”

“Good luck,” he smiles. “You’ll need it.”

Unbeknownst to him, it was Tara who invited you over just to psych him out. And it worked.

“The final day of this competition,” The host speaks to the crowd consisting of the teams who competed. “It’s been a close race between the Three Fates and the Fab Five.

“Per our tradition, the team captain of the two leading teams are to face off each other in a timed game of missing vowels.

“On my right is Ethan Landry, team captain of the Fab Five with twenty-two points,” He reads off an index card. “He’s an honors statistics major, in his third year here at Blackmore. On my left is Y/N Y/L/N, team captain of the Three Fates who have twenty, she is a double major on linguistics and anthropology. She recently transferred here from Rutgers University.“

The audience cheers. You and Ethan stare at each other intensely, like you can see straight through his soul.

“The objective of this game is to fill in the missing vowels of what’s on the screen. You’ll be given a category, the first one being endangered mammals. Thirty minutes on the clock, use your bell to answer, and best of luck. Time starts now.”

FRC NLPH NT

Your bell goes off before he can even think, “African Elephant.”

You have an advantage, he realizes. But he studied.

BLC KRH NCR S

“Black rhinoceros,” Ethan answers. You smirk—for a second he’s thinking if you hadn’t answered on purpose.

The game is back and forth.

RN GTN

“Orangutan.”

BC TRNC ML

“Bactrian Camel.”

He can feel the audience’s eyes jumping between him and you, and besides either of your voices and the host moving onto the next category, the room is unusually quiet. It’s not like any other year, he should have worked harder.

It does not help that you’re gorgeous, but it takes all of his willpower not to get distracted by your frustratingly enchanting smile and the crinkle of your eyes when you beat him—

You beat him, and he lost.

“Time’s up!” The man announces, and he meets you halfway on the stage to shake your hand.

“There’s always next year, man.” Chad pats him on the back pitifully, though he knows it’s out of kindness. “Look who’s coming,” His roommate gestures to behind him. He turns around, and of course you’re there.

Ethan can see your group exiting the room, and he can sense his group leaving, too. It’s just you and him now.

“You did well,” you say. And to his chagrin, it really does sound like you mean it. “Wanna get a milkshake?”

He tries not to show surprise. “With me?”

“The least I can do,” you nod.

“Lead the way.”

He hopes you don’t notice the beads of sweat on his forehead.

He can’t help but feel slightly guilty when you pay for his drink. Slightly. You did beat him.

Expecting to separate from you after that, he moves to leave but you catch his wrist. “Where are you going?” There’s a laugh brewing, but you hold it back.

“I’m—“ He pauses. “I thought—“

Thankfully, you get him. “No, I wanted to talk to you. Come on, I know a spot.”

The cold drink in his hand is surely a good distraction. He follows you into a small academic building, and you start making small talk with him. He really doesn’t mind, not when it’s you.

“Where are we going?” He finally questions when you lead him to a set of stairs.

“Rooftop,” you reply when you both reach the top.

“Isn’t that illegal?”

“Illegal?” You open the door, ushering him outside as you follow.

The sunset is the first thing he sees. He’s drawn to it, staring in awe. Various pink and orange hues paint the sky.

“It’s not illegal,” you pipe up. “Blackmore just doesn’t allow it. It’s a liability.”

He knows that, though. “So how did you get us up here?”

“That’s for me to know.”

He mirrors your grin. “Come on, tell me.”

“Maybe one day.”

The implication of a deeper friendship with you makes his heart soar. Or something more than that.

“What does the competition mean to you? Do you just like the bragging rights?”

His brows furrow. “I don’t know,” he shrugs. That’s a lie, he knows. “I donate the money to this animal shelter where I got my childhood dog.”

It’s a moment of honesty that is unexpected, even for him.

“What’s the shelter?”

“Why?”

“So I can donate it under your name.”

Hm? “What?”

You chuckle, “I like your reason. It’s nice.”

“But you won.”

“And I get to decide,” you say.

He can’t really argue with that. So he does the next best thing, “We can do it under both our names. You keep the bragging rights.”

“What makes you think I want it?”

“You were teasing me!” He bickers.

You go back and forth again, this time without any prying eyes. You stay talking until your milkshakes are done, even more after that. The sun has almost gone down, with only a little bit of light left.

When it’s time to leave, though, neither of you want to. It’s an invisible string.

“Just text me the name of the shelter.”

“Text—“ he starts, “I don’t have your number.”

You raise your brows, as if asking something. “Well?”

Getting the hint, “…Can I have your number?”

“Thought you’d never ask.”

[spiderlandry]

fuck off my blog if you’re pro-israel btw

[spiderlandry]

please take everything you read with a grain of salt. misinformation spreads everywhere like wildfire, and i've been having major trouble wading through false journalism to get actual updates on everything. some resources i've compiled for myself and anyone who's interested:

fact sheet: israel and palestine conflict (october 2023)

live updates - intense israeli bombardments strike gaza as the war rages on

live updates - israel plans to step up attacks on the gaza strip

little light, no beds, not enough anesthesia: a view from the 'nightmare' of gaza's hospitals

what international law has to say about the israel-hamas war

a dangerous new phase in the israeli-palestinian conflict - expert commentary by the foreign policy research institute (FPRI)

the global conflict tracker (israeli-palestinian conflict)

the arab-israeli war of 1948

the 1967 arab-israeli war

the 1973 arab-israeli war

dr. ghassan abu sitta is a doctor on-site who's also been reporting about the atrocities transpiring in gaza.

also some palestinian aid orgs to donate to. if you have some money to spare/know anyone who does, please consider donating/spreading the word:

palestine children's relief fund

palestine red crescent society

medical aid for palestine

gaza emergency appeal

donate to arab.org with one click

the middle east children's alliance gaza emergency fund

help UNRWA USA reach their palestinian aid fundraiser goal

[spiderlandry]

Places to donate to help Palestine

PCRF.net - They did over a 100 medical missions in 2022 (Palestine Children’s Relief Fund)

Middle East Children's Alliance - A Non-profit organization fighting for the well-being and rights of Middle Eastern Children. They also have a link to a 'tool kit' to help spread information about the Gaza Genocide. I'm linking to it directly HERE

Anera: Where Hope Finds a Way - They provide everything from food, medicine and hygiene kits. $30 equals 16 blood bags - an essential thing for helping doctors help people survive horrible physical trauma.

UNICEF.org - Link to where you can donate to help UNICEF get aid to those suffering in Palestine.

And because I know damn well that lots of people don't have the extra funds to donate money - you can help by simply clicking here once a day. It donates ad revenue. Click to help Palestine

[I wanted so much to find other places people could donate that weren't in the US or Canada, but I was having problems figuring out how to ensure that they were reputable. If anyone knows of any, please reblog and add the links!]

And some basic informational sources for those who want to understand what's really going on other than the misleading information from the media.

BDS - The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement works to end international support for Israel's oppression of Palestinians. Offers actual news about what's happening.

Decolonize Palestine - In depth information about the history and origins of Palestine. Also has a great 'debunked myths' section that lists almost all of all the lies the Media has been peddling.

Mondoweiss - An independent website devoted to informing readers about developments in Israel/Palestine and related US foreign policy. (Be aware: Some articles show disturbing images of the horrors happening in Gaza.)

Petitions I found with reputable track records (there are a LOT of fakes out there)

Canada:

Independant Jewish Voices Canada - Gaza on the Brink Ceasefire Now! - Prewritten letter to Justin Trudeau and Mélanie Joly calling for an immediate ceasefire, and for an end to the collective punishment of Palestinians. Just sign your name and it sends a letter!

There are several other ways (Including email addresses to various people/companies, as well as physical addresses you can mail letters to) listed here.

DON'T send threats/hate mail. That does nothing but make them double down on their current stances. Be polite. You don't have to take a happy tone, but be polite.

United States:

USA - Tell Congress: Stop Fueling the Gaza Genocide - Demanding an immediate ceasefire and for Humanitarian Aid to be allowed into Gaza.

Jewish Voice for Peace - You can use their form for send a letter to Congress to demand that they should focus on de-escalation instead of sending money and weapons to Israel so they can continue their genocidal war against Palestinians.

Jewish Voice for Peace (part 2) - Fill out this form and inform President Biden that he should call for a ceasefire and stop supplying money and weapons to Israel.