#ace army | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

arkaiveofurown · 1 month ago

Text

you left him a kiss mark without him knowing 💋

Pairings: Law x Reader, Sabo x Reader, Zoro x Reader, Ace x Reader

Word Count: ~1,000 - 2,000 words each

tags: fluff

my masterlist here ♡

——

Law

You caught Law alone in his cabin after a long day at sea. The sun was dipping low outside, casting a warm orange glow through the small window, stretching shadows across the sparse, functional room. Maps, medical supplies, and a few personal items cluttered the desk where Law was bent over his work.

“Mind if I crash here for a bit?” you asked, voice teasing as you leaned against the doorframe.

Law looked up slowly, his dark eyes sharp, narrowed in mock suspicion. “You mean, just to bother me?”

You smirked and stepped inside, closing the door behind you. “Maybe.”

His usual calm stayed unshaken, but you caught the faintest lift at the corner of his mouth, like a secret smile.

“Alright,” he said quietly. “But only for a moment.”

The cabin smelled faintly of antiseptic and sea salt, and you moved closer, feeling the coolness of the room contrast with the heat of your fingers as you brushed your hand lightly over his wrist.

Your lips brushed softly over his jawline, then you quickly pressed a kiss mark just below his ear—red and bold against his pale skin.

Law froze for a heartbeat, eyes flicking down to the spot, but then he simply tilted his head so you could see better.

“Well, well.”

You bit your lip, trying not to laugh softly. “What?”

His expression stayed unreadable, cool as ever. He didn’t say more, eyes flickering between you and the maps scattered before him.

Without breaking focus, he spoke, “You’re unpredictable.”

You grinned. “And you like that.”

Law’s eyes darkened, but he didn’t react to the mark on his neck—not outwardly.

You stepped back, heart pounding just a little, pleased that your secret was still safe.

——

The night air was cool, the stars blinking faintly overhead as the crew slowly filtered onto the deck. The work was done for the day, and a casual, easy quiet settled over the Polar Tang.

You leaned against the railing, glancing toward Law who stood near the helm, staring out over the dark sea. The faint red stain on his neck was hidden beneath his high collar, but not to everyone.

Bepo was the first to notice.

“Heh,” he said low, nudging Shachi with his paw. “You see that on Captain?”

Shachi followed his gaze, then grinned. “The lipstick? Yeah. She’s got guts, putting that there.”

Bepo laughed softly. “Captain’s so serious, he probably thinks it’s just a scratch.”

Shachi shook his head. “I bet you five berries he doesn’t even know.”

Bepo’s eyes sparkled. “That’s hilarious. Can you imagine? The Surgeon of Death, with a bright kiss mark?”

Just then, Penguin ambled over, curious about their whispering.

“What’s so funny?” he asked, tilting his head.

Shachi lowered his voice even more. “You know Captain, right? Well… someone left a little gift on him.”

Penguin blinked, eyes wide. “Really? But Captain’s so focused. He wouldn’t notice.”

Bepo grinned. “Exactly. It’s our little secret.”

Penguin chuckled quietly, and Jean Bart, leaning nearby with a cigarette, flicked ash and smirked.

“That’s bold. But no one messes with Captain like that unless they’re special.”

Bepo grinned wider. “We keep quiet though. No need to ruin the surprise.”

They all exchanged knowing looks, careful to keep their voices low so the Captain wouldn’t hear—except, of course, Law did.

You spotted the slight narrowing of his eyes, the subtle tightening of his jaw as he remained still near the helm, pretending to watch the dark sea.

Bepo whispered again, “Better keep it down, Captain’s listening.”

But Law’s voice cut through, calm and even. “If you’re all talking about me, I suggest you be more discreet.”

The crew froze for a heartbeat, then quickly scattered, chuckling quietly as they moved away.

You stepped forward, heart pounding slightly as you approached Law.

“Got caught,” you murmured, brushing your fingers lightly over the collar hiding your kiss.

Law’s eyes met yours, sharp but unreadable. “Did you think you’d get away with it?”

You smiled, trying to keep your cool. “Maybe I hoped. It’s not exactly subtle.”

He reached out, gently tugging the collar down just enough to reveal the faint red mark.

“Bold,” he said, voice low.

Your breath hitched. “You don’t mind?”

Law tilted his head, smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “I might even say I like it.”

You blinked, caught off-guard by the honesty buried in the calm edge of his voice. “Really?” you asked, tone teasing but quiet, testing him.

He didn’t look away. “I just don’t appreciate being the last to know I’ve been branded like property in front of my own crew.”

Your brows rose, lips twitching into a slow grin. “Property, huh? That’s a strong word for someone who lets me crawl into his bed every time I’m cold.”

Law didn’t flinch, though his fingers twitched slightly where they still held the edge of his collar. “That’s different. That’s quiet. This—” He glanced down toward the faint stain near his neck again, “—this is loud.”

“Mm.” You leaned in slightly, so close your lips nearly brushed his ear. “Then maybe I should go louder next time. Somewhere they can’t miss.”

His breath caught just enough for you to notice.

He turned his face just slightly toward yours, voice low and clipped. “You’re trouble.”

“And you like it.”

Law’s eyes searched yours for a long, still moment. Then he murmured, “Too much.”

There was something almost dangerous in how softly he said it. Not a warning. A confession.

The silence between you tightened, slow and heavy like a pull between magnets. You could hear Shachi and Penguin laughing faintly from below deck, Jean Bart’s footsteps fading toward the galley. But up here, it felt like the rest of the crew had disappeared.

You brushed your knuckles against his coat lapel, playful but deliberate.

“I can stop if it bothers you,” you offered gently—meant it, even if your tone still carried that bite.

He studied you for a second longer, unreadable. Then he reached forward and slipped two fingers under your chin, tilting your face up—not roughly, just enough.

“Do it again,” he said simply.

You blinked. “What?”

He stepped in, barely an inch of space between your bodies now. “Next time you decide to mark me—do it where I can feel it happen.”

Your stomach dropped and soared all at once.

“Oh?” you breathed, eyes gleaming. “Captain giving orders now?”

Law’s smirk was razor-sharp. “Just making sure I’m aware of the battlefield.”

You laughed under your breath, hand sliding to rest lightly on his chest. “And here I thought you’d be the one hiding in the dark, pretending not to care.”

He leaned in—close enough that your noses nearly touched.

“I always notice, y/n. Don’t forget who you’re dealing with.”

Your heart kicked hard behind your ribs.

But instead of kissing you, he stepped back. Just slightly. Just enough to drive you crazy.

Then: “Now get below deck,” he said smoothly, the Captain voice back in place. “Before you tempt me into something more reckless.”

You grinned and turned, making your way toward the hatch.

But just before you disappeared below, you looked over your shoulder and shot him a wink.

“Next time,” you promised, “I’ll use redder lipstick.”

Law exhaled a slow breath as you vanished from view, head tilting back toward the sky.

He didn’t say anything.

But he didn’t pull his collar up again, either.

——

Sabo

The meeting room inside Baltigo’s command hall was quiet, the long table lit by afternoon sun filtering through cracked windows. Maps were spread out across the surface, alongside hastily scrawled notes about incoming cipher intel and revolutionary cells in East Blue. Dragon sat at the head of the table, silent and composed, while Sabo leaned over the documents with his usual sharp focus.

You were seated to his right, scribbling logistics into a worn notebook, trying very hard not to grin.

Because you knew something Sabo didn’t.

You’d kissed him earlier. Just once. Light, teasing. A playful brush of lips as he adjusted that damn cravat of his. You’d leaned in and left a perfectly placed red lipstick mark right under the tied fold, tucked slightly into the side of the pristine white fabric.

He hadn’t noticed. Too busy grumbling about supply routes.

Now here you were, all gathered for a high-level meeting—and Sabo had a bright crimson signature under his collar.

Belo Betty sat across from you, eyeing the spot.

Koala leaned forward, whispering in her ear, trying and failing to suppress her smirk.

Hack was stone-faced… but you noticed the twitch of his fin as he sipped his tea.

Lindbergh was humming faintly, fiddling with his toolkit, eyes darting toward Sabo every few seconds.

You kept your head down, pen moving smoothly, until—

Dragon’s voice cut through the room like a blade.

“Sabo.”

Sabo glanced up from the map. “Yeah?”

Dragon didn’t even blink. “You have something red on your neck.”

Silence.

Sabo froze. “…What?”

Dragon gestured mildly, eyes back on the war map. “On the left side. Under your scarf. Lipstick, I think.”

Sabo’s hand flew up to his neck like he’d been stabbed.

He touched the edge of the scarf. Paused. Fumbled.

Everyone was watching.

Koala choked on her breath.

Betty outright cackled.

Lindbergh slapped the table.

You buried your face in your notebook, trying to look innocent—and failing miserably.

“I—” Sabo stammered, yanking the scarf free with slightly shaking hands. His eyes found the red smudge instantly.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” he muttered, bright scarlet blooming across his face.

Betty leaned over, voice sweet like poison. “Aw, who left you a souvenir, Chief of Staff?”

Koala was grinning ear to ear. “You said you were reviewing reports this morning.”

“I was!” Sabo snapped, his ears going pink. “I was—”

“Uh-huh,” Lindbergh snorted. “And was that part of the report? A personal… stamp of approval?”

You reached out and tapped your pen on the table, biting your lip. “Well… I did approve him.”

Sabo whipped toward you, scandalized. “You—!”

You blinked, all innocent eyes. “What? I figured you’d notice and wipe it off.”

Dragon cleared his throat. Everyone went quiet.

Then he looked at you with the faintest quirk of a brow. “Efficient marking technique.”

Another wave of laughter echoed through the room.

Sabo groaned and dropped his face into his hands. “I cannot believe this…”

Koala giggled, nudging you with her elbow. “Honestly, we should’ve guessed. You’ve had that lipstick all day.”

You shrugged with a smirk. “He looked too good not to. You know how he gets when he ties that scarf.”

“Do not encourage her,” Sabo muttered behind his palms.

Dragon turned back to the map like nothing happened. “Alright. If we’re done discussing Sabo’s love life—”

“We are not,” Betty cut in gleefully.

“—we can return to the South Blue supply chain.”

Sabo gave you a betrayed look as you leaned toward him, whispering with a grin. “You’re cute when you’re flustered.”

He gave a long-suffering sigh, cheeks still red, and muttered, “You’re dangerous.”

You bumped your knee against his under the table. “That’s why you like me.”

——

The meeting finally adjourned with scattered murmurs and the shuffling of papers. Dragon was already gone, Hack and Lindbergh trailing after him. Koala gave you one last wink before slipping out, and Betty was still laughing to herself as she lit a cigarette in the hallway.

You stayed seated. So did Sabo.

He hadn’t looked at you after that small talk, still pretending to organize his notes even though his ears were visibly red. The scarf lay useless in his lap now, the crimson smear glaring up at him like a crime scene.

You cleared your throat. “You gonna wear that again tomorrow?”

His pen paused mid-line. “Not if you’re going to vandalize it.”

You tilted your head with mock innocence. “Is that what it’s called now?”

He exhaled sharply, finally turning toward you—blue eyes narrowed, cheeks stubbornly flushed. “You think you’re so clever.”

“I don’t think it,” you said, sliding your notebook shut and leaning in, voice low and teasing. “I know it.”

He watched you, still not smiling. But his foot nudged yours lightly under the table. “That was a meeting with Dragon.”

“Yup.”

“And I walked in there like a target with lipstick on my neck.”

“Mmhmm.” You grinned. “You should’ve checked.”

Sabo rolled his eyes, but his voice had softened. “You’re going to be the death of me.”

“Oh please,” you said, inching closer. “You didn’t even flinch during the briefing on Cipher Pol infiltration. One kiss and suddenly you forget how to speak?”

“You call that one kiss?” he muttered. “That was strategic sabotage.”

You laughed, brushing a lock of hair behind your ear. “You love it.”

He didn’t deny it. Just stared at you for a moment, then quietly set his papers aside.

“Come with me.”

Your brows rose. “Where?”

“Somewhere without Betty’s commentary,” he said under his breath, already standing and rolling his scarf into his coat pocket. “I need five uninterrupted minutes with you.”

You raised a brow. “To yell at me?”

“To retaliate,” he said simply, and offered you his hand.

You didn’t hesitate.

As you followed him down the empty hallway, your fingers laced with his, the mark might’ve faded—but the heat he carried from it definitely hadn’t.

——

Zoro

“Someone’s gonna come looking for you.”

Zoro didn’t move. Just leaned back against the wooden crate behind him, arms crossed, eyes half-lidded, watching you like you were the only thing in the world worth tracking.

“They won’t look here.”

Your back pressed to the other crate across from him, just a few feet apart, breath still quick from the last kiss. Straw Hat’s supply storage — tucked behind the galley — was quiet. Safe. Stolen.

“I told you to stop sneaking off mid-training,” you said, not even trying to sound annoyed anymore.

“I told you to stop wearing that lipstick.”

You licked your teeth. “Why?”

He pushed off the crate and closed the distance.

“You know why.”

You tilted your head as he boxed you in. “You gonna complain?”

He didn’t answer — just kissed you again. Rough, hot, a little clumsy in that way he always was when he lost control first.

His hand curled under your jaw. Your palm slipped beneath his open collar. Lips clashed once, twice, then he paused—

You kissed the side of his throat.

Firm. Slow. On purpose.

He froze. “The hell was that?”

You smirked against his skin. “You’ll find out.”

“You’re being annoying.”

“You like it.”

Zoro grunted. “Tch. You’re lucky you’re cute.”

Then came the sound of heavy footsteps up above — someone stomping across the upper deck.

Zoro tensed.

You stepped back, patting his chest. “Go.”

“You’re the one who—”

“Go before someone asks where your shirt went.”

He muttered something rude under his breath, grabbed his gear from the crate, and disappeared out the side passage.

You waited a beat, adjusted your jacket, checked your lipstick.

Still perfect — aside from the very deliberate red smear now painted just below Zoro’s jaw.

You grinned to yourself.

And walked back up to the galley like nothing happened.

——

“Zoro.”

Sanji’s voice snapped across the deck like a whip.

Zoro didn’t look up. “What.”

“Zoro,” Sanji hissed again, marching over, pointing like he’d found a crime scene. “The hell is that on your neck?”

Zoro blinked. “What’re you talking about.”

Sanji stopped a meter away, planted his hands on his hips, and leaned in.

“That, moss-brain,” he said, stabbing a finger toward the side of Zoro’s neck. “That bright red smear. Looks like a damn kiss.”

Zoro frowned, reaching up. “What the hell—”

“You’re not even gonna deny it?!”

“I didn’t say it was—!”

“Oh my god,” Sanji reeled backward, spinning in a circle. “Who?! Who the hell would be desperate enough to kiss you?!”

“Shut up.”

“I swear, if you laid a finger on Robin-chwan—!”

“I didn’t!”

“Nami-swan?!” Sanji staggered. “I’ll kill you!”

“You’ll try.”

Then Sanji froze, eyes going wide.

“…Y/N?!”

Zoro blinked. “What?”

“You’ve been training with her a lot lately—skipping meals, disappearing after dinner—and now this?! Don’t tell me you corrupted her, you goddamn muscle goblin—!”

Zoro stood up slowly. “You say one more word about her and I’ll slice your tongue off.”

Sanji gawked. “So it was her?!”

“I didn’t say that!”

“You didn’t deny it!!”

Across the deck, Nami shielded her face with her hand, laughing silently. Robin sipped her tea with amusement.

You leaned against the railing nearby, pretending to watch the clouds.

Usopp leaned over toward you, stage-whispering, “So…was it you?”

You blinked innocently. “Why would I kiss Zoro?”

Usopp raised both brows. “You tell me.”

You sipped your drink. “Maybe the same reason someone hasn’t said a damn thing to stop Sanji yet.”

The swordsman still stood there, scowling as Sanji ranted about honor and lipstick and romantic delusions.

Nami leaned casually against the railing, one hand covering her mouth to hide a grin. “Well, well, looks like someone isn’t as sneaky as they think.”

You shot her a playful glare but smiled. “Maybe I like showing off a little.”

Robin sipped her tea, raising an eyebrow with a knowing look.

Sanji, still visibly steamed, muttered, “I can’t believe I’m the last to know.”

Zoro didn’t say much, just gave you a side glance — the slightest hint of a smirk twitching his lips.

“You really gonna keep doing this?” he asked, voice low.

You stepped closer, brushing your fingers lightly over his wrist.

“Only if you promise to keep noticing.”

Zoro’s eyes flickered to the spot on his neck.

“Damn it, you’re impossible.”

Nami laughed softly. “Honestly, it’s cute.”

Sanji groaned dramatically, throwing his hands up.

“Cute? I’m surrounded by fools.”

Zoro ignored him, pulling you just a little closer.

“Let’s keep this between us. No need to make it a crew thing.”

You nodded, resting your forehead briefly against his.

“Just us.”

Sanji muttered, “Good luck keeping that secret…”

Zoro glanced down at the faint lipstick mark on his neck, then quickly looked away like he wasn’t supposed to have noticed. His voice was quieter than usual, almost shy.

“You… left that there.”

You smiled gently, stepping closer.

“Yeah. Didn’t think you’d catch it.”

He cleared his throat, fingers twitching slightly as if unsure what to do next.

“I… I don’t really like showing off.”

You reached out, brushing a stray hair behind his ear.

“I know. That’s why I made it small. For just you.”

Zoro’s jaw clenched, but it wasn’t anger — more like trying to keep his cool.

“Don’t make a habit of it.”

You laughed softly, leaning into his side.

“Only if you want me to.”

His hand found yours quietly, thumb brushing over your knuckles.

“Just… don’t be too obvious next time.”

You looked up, catching the small, almost-hidden smile tugging at his lips.

“Deal.”

And for once, Zoro didn’t say anything else—just pulled you a little closer, and the quiet said everything.

——

Ace

The armory wasn’t where most crewmates snuck off to flirt, but you liked the smell of steel and the thick walls. It was cool inside.

Ace leaned against a stack of crates, sweat glistening at the base of his throat, shirt half undone and clinging to his back. The heat from his body didn’t help the temperature, but you didn’t complain.

“You’re late,” you said, arms crossed as you leaned back against the door.

Ace grinned, slow and sharp. “You said ‘when you’re done with rounds.’ I did my rounds.”

You pushed off the wall and walked toward him, letting your fingers trail over a rack of throwing knives. “Did you? Or did you let Blenheim take your shift again?”

“Does it matter?” he asked, voice dipping.

You stepped into his space, crowding him back against the crates. “Only if you’re trying to get out of putting your hands to use.”

“Oh, I’ll use my hands,” he said, catching your waist with one and tugging you in.

You didn’t resist. You kissed him first — hard, deep, your fingers digging into his belt loops as you bit at his lower lip just enough to draw a low noise from his chest.

Ace responded like he always did: with heat, with hunger, with that slight lack of patience that always gave you the upper hand.

You broke the kiss and let your lips trail down to his jaw. “Stay still,” you whispered.

“What—”

You pressed a slow kiss to the curve of his neck, right under his ear. Intentional. Deliberate.

When you pulled back, he looked dazed — but not suspicious.

“What was that?” he asked, breathless.

“Nothing.”

Ace blinked, confused. “You look smug.”

“I always look smug when I get what I want.”

His eyes narrowed, but he looked too wrecked to question it. “What the hell did you do?”

“Why don’t you go help Haruta with the cargo like you promised,” you said sweetly, pressing a hand to his chest. “You’re already late.”

“You’re kicking me out?”

“I’m letting you walk away before I keep you here another hour.”

Ace licked his lips, clearly debating it. He smirked finally, tapping your hip. “Fine. But you’re not done with me.”

You leaned in and whispered, “I know.”

And just like that, he walked out — shirt open, cheeks flushed, and a very bright lipstick mark stamped on his neck.

He didn’t feel it.

He didn’t look in a mirror.

And you?

You knew the second someone would notice.

Because you heard Izo’s voice echo across the deck less than a minute later:

“Oi… Ace. You forget to wipe off your girlfriend again?”

Ace froze.

You leaned against the armory door, smile creeping back into place.

Checkmate.

The moment hit the deck like a cannonball.

Ace stood dumbfounded, halfway to the rigging, completely unaware. The wind caught the edge of his shirt — still half open, still clinging to his flushed skin — and revealed the bold, unmistakable stamp of your lipstick on the side of his neck.

Bright. Smudged. Deliberate.

From your spot by the armory, you watched it unfold with delicious satisfaction.

“Yo, Ace,” Thatch called from across the deck, barely masking the amusement in his voice. “You get into a fight with a very small, very specific octopus?”

Ace stopped walking. “The hell does that mean?”

“Little red target on your neck, bro,” Thatch said, biting back a grin. “Kinda hard to miss.”

Izo appeared out of nowhere, sipping tea, his eyes sparkling. “That shade of red is very flattering on you. Subtle as a punch to the face.”

Ace reached up instinctively, rubbing the back of his neck. “What? There’s nothing—”

“You’re rubbing the wrong side, hothead,” Marco muttered as he passed by with a bored look and zero intention of helping.

Ace turned in place, trying to look over his shoulder.

“Is this a prank? What is this?”

“Better question,” Vista added with a raised brow. “Who’s bold enough to claim Fire Fist in broad daylight?”

You watched the scene build from the sidelines, arms folded, head tilted slightly. You didn’t say a word. Not even when Ace turned and locked eyes with you.

He knew. Oh, he knew.

“You,” he called out, striding toward you. “What did you do?”

“I didn’t say anything,” you replied, smiling too wide to be innocent.

“That’s exactly what’s suspicious!” His fingers pointed wildly at the crew. “Everyone’s laughing at me, and you’re just standing there looking—smug!”

“Maybe they’re just admiring your fashion choices.”

“Oh my god, you planned this,” he groaned, one hand dragging down his face. “You—You weaponized your mouth.”

You sauntered toward him. “You didn’t seem to mind my mouth ten minutes ago.”

That shut him up. Briefly.

From behind him, Haruta whispered loudly, “He’s been branded.”

“Like cattle,” Thatch added.

Marco raised his cup lazily. “Official property.”

You stood on your toes, brushing your thumb right under his jaw — not wiping it off, just getting close enough to make his breath hitch.

“Next time,” you murmured, “check the mirror before leaving me.”

Ace stared at you, eyes burning like a slow flame. “Oh. You think this is funny?”

You smirked. “I think it’s adorable how long it took you to notice.”

He stepped in, body heat radiating like a furnace. “You know what happens to brats who play games with fire?”

You leaned in, lips brushing his jaw. “They get burned?”

“No,” he growled, fingers curling at your waist. “They get dragged back into the armory and ruined.”

That got a loud wolf-whistle from Thatch.

“Only if you make it past Marco,” you whispered, grinning.

“Try me.”

——

Later that night, the ship was quiet — a lull after laughter and teasing had finally faded into the gentle creak of the Moby Dick’s hull and the ocean beneath.

You were halfway to your quarters when you felt it.

Heat. Behind you.

A hand caught your wrist, pulled you backward into the shadows between two storage rooms. Warm breath skimmed your neck.

“I owe you one.”

You didn’t flinch. You didn’t have to.

“I was wondering when you’d come collect.”

Ace pressed you to the wall, chest brushing yours, one arm braced by your head.

“Wanna tell me why I walked around for half the day marked like your territory?”

You tilted your chin. “Because you are.”

He went still.

Just for a second.

Then he grinned — that cocky, dangerous, beautiful grin that always meant trouble.

“You trying to start something, sweetheart?”

“I think I already did.”

He leaned in, slow and close, until his lips nearly brushed your cheek. “You know everyone saw it, right? Half the crew won’t shut up. Marco asked me if I needed help cleaning up.”

You snorted. “You left me desperate and smug in the armory. That was fair play.”

“Oh, no. That was bait.”

He grabbed your jaw gently, made you look up at him. “You wanted me to find out in public.”

You didn’t deny it. You just held his gaze, lips parted slightly. “You looked good in red.”

“I look better when I return the favor,” he murmured.

And before you could shoot back a smart reply, his mouth was on yours.

Hot. Deep. Claiming.

Not rushed — deliberate. Like he was carving the memory of this moment into your skin. Like he wanted you to remember exactly who you belonged to, the same way you’d left your signature on him.

His knee slid between yours, pressing your thigh up against the wall. His hands found your hips, then your waist, then back to your jaw — like he couldn’t decide where he wanted you most.

You barely managed to whisper against his mouth, “Thought you were mad at me.”

“I am,” he growled. “I’m furious.”

“Liar.”

He kissed you again, hard enough to steal breath.

When he finally pulled back, he was panting lightly, his voice hoarse. “You wanna make this a game? Fine. But don’t think you’re the only one who can leave marks.”

You opened your mouth to tease him—try me on your lips—but his fingers trailed under your jaw, brushing your neck like he was already choosing where he’d leave his signature next time.

He didn’t have to.

You were already melting.

“Next time,” he murmured, “I’ll make sure it’s somewhere you can’t hide.”

You smirked. “Big words, fire boy.”

He chuckled, resting his forehead against yours.

Then his tone softened — quiet in a way that made your chest ache.

“But for what it’s worth…” he whispered, voice barely a breath, “I liked it.”

You blinked.

“The mark,” he clarified, fingers lacing with yours. “Didn’t even care when I saw it. Just thought, hell… someone really loves me, huh?”

That hit you harder than anything else had all day.

Your heart stuttered.

So you leaned up and kissed him again — not to tease this time, not to stir him up. Just to say, yeah. I do.

When you pulled back, you whispered against his skin, “Maybe I’ll leave two next time.”

He groaned. “I knew you weren’t done.”

1K notes · View notes

uramakimochi · 1 year ago

Note

Could I request an ASL headcanons of them trying to make their fem s/o smile? A short summary is that their s/o had trauma and is now incapable of showing any emotions, nor they could smile now. I like to imagine that Luffy made it his life goal to atleast see her smile at him for once but can you also add Ace and Sabo?

Absolutely~ I'm sorry but i personally don't like headcanons so i wrote three scenarios, i hope it's still okay🙏

One Piece Scenario:

WHEN THEY TRY TO MAKE THEIR S/O SMILE

- Luffy Ace and Sabo x Reader -

Warnings: FEM!R, use of Y/n, fluff + angst, implied trauma but nothing is described, you can imagine whatever you want. Sabo's story is long, (they're all long but his one is longer) i'm sorry, hope it doesn't bore you.

English is not my first language so feel free to correct me.

LUFFY (feat. the Strawhat crew)

Luffy had asked you to join his crew because he had immediately seen the potential you kept hidden, even if he didn't even know you. Your meeting was totally coincidental, but we know what Luffy is like, don't we? Once he makes a decision, there is no going back.

So you had abandoned everything to join the straw hats, because honestly, you believed that now, after what you had experienced, you had nothing left to lose. Although some members of the crew weren't totally convinced of you at the beginning, like Nami and Zoro, in a short time you managed to get used to it and all your new companions accepted you into their family without problems.

But there was one detail that hadn't escaped any of them and that was that you had never shown them your emotions. The only ones you expressed were the negative ones, like anger and sadness, but NEVER had the Strawhats seen you smile.

It was as if it were impossible for you to do so, as if your lips had been paralyzed in the same position for years, never curling upwards and never showing your teeth. You always tried to express your gratitude towards your crewmates with words, but by now you knew that you no longer had the ability to feel the joy that had been deprived of you in the past.

And although your friends had understood and accepted it, although some like Robin, Nami and Chopper had tried to take you aside and talk to you, but in vain, there was still one person who still hadn't lost heart.

Luffy still didn't understand why he never saw you smile when Zoro and Sanji were arguing like children, when Usopp and Chopper were whining in fear over something stupid or when Nami punched Brook because he wanted to see her panties. It was impossible! Smiling and being happy was something that came naturally, so why couldn't you do it?

And that was exactly what he asked you in person.

"Y/n, why do you never smile?" he asked you one day, catching you off guard.

Before you could even answer him, someone punched him in the head.

SBONK!

"DOES THIS SEEM TO BE A QUESTION TO ASK?!" Sanji and Nami's voices chorused behind him.

"Oww..." Luffy moaned in pain. "But what did i do?"

The two dragged him away, into the kitchen, under your confused eyes.

And after they had given him a long lecture about how he had the touch of an elephant in a glass shop, they then explained to him how things were. Luffy understood, but at the same time he still didn't.

"But it's unfair! How can she not feel happiness? It's impossible!"

"Luffy..." Nami sighed. "We understand that you are worried about her, in fact we all are, but this is something that should be taken with caution. It was what Y/n went through in the past that made her like this"

"We would all love to see a smile on sweet Y/n's face, but i don't think that will happen anytime soon" Sanji said, then took a drag of his cigarette sadly.

It was at that moment that Luffy automatically gave himself a personal mission and that was to make you happy again. Because he thought it was unfair that you couldn't feel the emotions everyone else felt, you didn't deserve this.

He loved you more than anything and just wanted to share his joy with you.

"Hey Y/n!" Luffy called to you waving a hand and you closed the book you were reading to pay attention to him.

Your captain gave you a huge smile, which you didn't return, but he didn't give up.

"Look what i can do!"

He squeezed his nose between two fingers and then pulled it forward, making it lengthen a few centimeters and he did the same with his ears and lips. Then he began to tie his rubbery skin as if it were a bow, only it all came out as just a funny face or a messy bow.

"Ta-da!"

You looked at him in silence for a few seconds, blinking, while Robin who was nearby smiled amusedly.

"It's funny, Luffy" you then said, reopening your book.

"Really??" Luffy asked you, his voice muffled by the knot he had created with his nose.

You nodded.

"Really. You're very funny"

Luffy smiled, satisfied with his work. He knew your tone wasn't ironic, you weren't making fun of him. You really appreciated his childish gestures and even though you thought you would've never been able to feel happiness again, being with Luffy lightened your heart and made you feel good.

And Luffy took your monotonous words as a gesture of encouragement to keep going. He would have made it, he absolutely HAD to make it.

"And then i stuffed all the food in my mouth and ran away. There was Smoker chasing me and Ace was chasing Smoker! Only i didn't realize that when i entered the inn, i had pushed them both into the wall. I was too hungry, i couldn't take it anymore!" Luffy started laughing, throwing his head back and you looked at him.

"You're such a careless Luffy" you told him. "You risk getting into some serious trouble if you're not careful"

"Shishishi! But it's a funny story, isn't it? It's a shame you weren't there. Alabasta was beautiful, but it was too hot"

Luffy started laughing again, while you went back to watching the sun set on the horizon, from sitting on the figurehead of the Sunny.

Yes, it was a funny story and you weren't too surprised by Luffy's reckless behavior and how he talked as if there was nothing to worry about. It was fun.

Time passed and Luffy never gave up.

None of the crew told him that perhaps it was better to end it, that it wasn't worth it anymore, that it was useless. No, Luffy would've never stopped. He was stubborn and that was what you and the others admired about him as your captain.

And then, if for them it seemed that there was no progress, Luffy instead was convinced that he had seen your lips lift one day. Even though it was very small, almost imperceptible, Luffy was firmly convinced that it was a hint of a smile. It meant that he wasn't far away, he was sure of it!

So Luffy continued in his quest: he told you the adventures of him and his brothers when they were little, of what had happened before you joined the crew, he told you jokes to try to make you smile and some weren't even funny, but you didn't care. You always listened to him and you always would have.

And the more Luffy kept trying to make you smile, the more it seemed to him that your lips always curved up a little more as time went by.

Then one day, while it was raining outside, Sanji called you all into the kitchen for dinner time and while you were in the bathroom washing yourself, Robin came to tell you that it was ready on the table.

When you reached everyone else and opened the door, the mass of voices of your crewmates drowned you out at once.

"You insolent idiot, don't you dare eat, everyone isn't at the table yet!" Sanji exclaimed, turning to Luffy and taking the plate away from him.

"But i'm hungry! I'm hungry Sanji! I'm hungry!" the other complained, slamming the cutlery on the table.

Nami gritted her teeth, annoyed by his complaints.

"Stop whining or i'll punch you!"

Meanwhile, Chopper and Usopp were arguing next to each other.

"Hey! Why are you stealing food from my plate?!" exclaimed the reindeer.

"No no, you're very wrong" the sniper waved a hand, whistling innocently. "I did not do anything!"

Chopper lunged at Usopp and he started screaming, trying to get him off him. Next to them, Zoro took a sip of sake, looking at them boredly.

"Yes you did! I just saw you do it, don't lie!"

"Lies? I never tell lies!"

"Hey you two, stop arguing. How annoying..."

From the other end of the table, Franky smirked amusedly.

"It's like a circus here eheh"

"Yohohoho~" Brook laughed. "If you want, i can play something to brighten up the evening"

Robin watched the scene, covering her smile with one hand.

Your eyes passed over each of your crewmates and it was in that moment, when your gaze locked on Luffy's pouting figure, that you realized that they weren't just your crewmates. They were your family.

And then, suddenly someone started laughing and in a few seconds everyone fell silent, focusing on the sound of that laughter. Everyone turned to look at you when they noticed your presence and their eyes widened as they realized that the one who was laughing out loud was you.

Luffy felt a huge smile spread across his face when he saw you. It had finally happened, you were actually laughing. Oh, and how genuine that laugh was, you could clearly hear it was a laugh that hadn't been heard in too long.

"Y/n!" Luffy exclaimed, then stretched out his arms and catapulted in front of you. But his smile fell when he saw the tears that were spilling out of your eyes and sliding down your cheeks.

"Y/n…"

Luffy tilted his head in confusion, because even though you were crying you were still laughing like there was no tomorrow.

"Y-Yes, Luffy?" You sniffed and opened your eyes to look at him, feeling his palm on your cheek trying to wipe away the tears.

"Why are you crying?" he asked you.

You shook your head, your laughter growing weaker and weaker. The tears continued to flow, but your lips remained curved upwards in a trembling smile.

"S-Sorry it’s just that…" you raised a hand to cover his on your face. "These are tears of joy, Luffy"

"Huh? Joy? So..." Luffy's eyes widened again when he realized. "Wait, so you're happy now??"

You nodded, squeezing his fingers.

"I am. And it's all thanks to you. And everyone else too. Because when i'm with our crew i can forget everything that happened. And you Luffy, you never gave up. Thanks to you i found every day the strength to move forward. Thank you for everything you have done for me. Thank you all, guys"

Behind Luffy, Franky, Usopp and Chopper were crying tears of emotion, while everyone else gave you happy smiles.

"I'm so happy to see you smile Y/n!" Luffy exclaimed, closing his eyes. "Everyone deserves to be happy, it wasn't fair that all of us were happy except you"

You looked at him tenderly with your heart pounding in your chest. You hadn't felt this way in too long. It was so beautiful.

Then Luffy removed his hand from your cheek.

"Look!"

He pinched his cheeks with his fingers and pulled them, stretching his face into various shapes.

"Ta-da!"

And this time you started laughing again, while more tears continued to come out of your eyes and Luffy started laughing too, hearing your laughter mixed with sobs. Luffy knew in that moment that his mission was accomplished.

And outside, in the sky, the rain stopped, as the sun began to set.

ACE (feat. the Whitebeard Pirates)

You were part of Whitebeard's crew even before Ace joined. Whitebeard had invited you to join knowing the weight of your past that you carried on your shoulders and you had accepted. From the first moment you considered Whitebeard as the father you never had and all the commanders had welcomed you into the crew as if you were their younger sister.

They were your new family and you loved each of them and you tried in every way to demonstrate the immense gratitude you felt for them. But you couldn't.

The ghosts of the past tormented you day and night and you had lost the ability to feel happiness. It seemed impossible to you and yet it had happened. But that didn't make your brothers and father love you any less, on the contrary, they had become very protective of you because of that. The only one after your father who you were closest to ever was Marco, who had taken you under his wing (no pun intended) from day one.

And when Ace joined the crew he asked him about you.

"Oi. Is that Y/n like, depressed or something?"

Let's remember that initially Ace didn't want to be part of Whitebeard's crew and was quite grumpy. So the way he said that question didn't please the phoenix man at all.

"If you talk about her like that again i swear i'll throw you into the sea in your sleep" he told him threateningly.

When things calmed down between Ace and Whitebeard, the former found the courage to ask the captain what happened to you. And this time he did it more delicately.

So Whitebeard explained the situation to him and Ace understood why all the commanders were particularly touchy when it came to you.

"We've tried for a long time, but it was all in vain" Whitebeard sighed. "We have never seen that girl smile. We have seen her cry with sadness, scream with anger and paralyze with fear. But we have never seen the shadow of a smile on that beautiful, pure and innocent face of hers. But we have accepted her for what she is. And we will never abandon her because of this"

Ace retreated to his quarters with his head in the clouds.

He had interacted with you often, but he didn't believe that a person like you would hide such a tormented past. But Ace had grown fond of you and therefore decided that to make up for how he had behaved during the period of his arrival, he would've made you relive your happiness.

He would have done it for you, for Whitebeard and for your brothers.

"Good morning Y/n"

You lifted your head from your plate to greet Ace, who had just joined you for breakfast.

"Good morning Ace. Did you sleep well?"

"Like an angel. What about you?"

"Good enough"

Ace chewed a piece of bread.

"You know" he said. "Today is a beautiful day and the sun is shining. If only i hadn't eaten a devil fruit i would go for a swim"

You frowned at him, not understanding what he was getting at. Then he swallowed the bite and looked at you with a smirk.

"But i'm already drowning in your eyes anyway~"

The dining room fell silent and everyone in the room turned to look at him. Marco and Izo, who were sitting on either side of you, opened their eyes and mouths wide. A little further away, Thatch and Whitebeard smirked in amusement.

"You did NOT just say that in front of me..." Izo muttered with a disgusted expression.

Ace blushed like a tomato and to avoid Marco's murderous gaze he moved his eyes to you, to see your reaction. You blinked at him and then quickly lowered your head to your bowl, starting to eat again.

"It was a little embarrassing, don't you think?" you asked, squeezing a hand nervously under the table.

"B-But it was funny, wasn't it?" Ace asked.

And you nodded silently, making him smile. It was a small step, wasn't it?

Marco turned to Whitebeard.

"Pops!"

But Whitebeard just laughed from his chair.

"Gurarara, nothing happened Marco. It's just a joke"

For a while Ace continued with the pickup lines, since he was sure that on the inside you found them funny and even if he liked seeing your embarrassed look and your red cheeks, your lips never showed the slightest hint of a smile. So he tried to change his strategy.

"What are those two doing?" Marco muttered, observing you and Ace on the deck of the ship.

"More like what are you doing" Thatch retorted, hands on hips. "Are you spying on them?"

"Ace is acting strange. I don't understand what he wants to do with Y/n" the blond retorted, narrowing his eyes at Ace.

Thatch came to his side.

"He's just trying to do what we did too. Pops told me"

Marco pursed his lips.

"Don't you think he will make her suffer more than she already is?"

Thatch shook his head with a smile.

"Nah. Ace cares about her, you know? In fact, he's obsessed with her. And so is she"

Then Thatch placed a hand on Marco's shoulder.

"Give him a chance. Pops trusts him. And then..." he said, pointing at your figures with a finger. "I don't think she's sad at all right now"

Marco realized how at that moment, your eyes were wide open and fixed on the fiery figures that Ace was creating in the sky with his powers. They shone in wonder at the sight that lit up the night sky above the Moby Dick.

And while your gaze was pointed upwards, Ace's was fixed on your face, which was making him fall in love more and more.

"Ace!"

Ace could hear your voice calling out to him. But it was muffled and so far away.

"Please hold on! Stay with us! Ace!"

Ace didn't understand. What the hell was going on? Why couldn't he see anything? Where were you? Was he dying? No, he absolutely couldn't allow that. After everything he was doing to fulfill his mission, he couldn't afford to leave you for something stupid like that.

After seconds that seemed endless, Ace found the strength to open his eyes. He wanted to move, but as soon as he tried to, a bolt of pain shot through his chest and he hissed in pain.

"Stay still"

Ace's eyes fell on the figure of Marco, who was walking around the room. Ace looked around and realized he was on a bed in the Moby Dick infirmary.

"Do you remember what happened?" the blond asked him, looking at him from behind his glasses.

Ace nodded, remembering everything. One minute he and everyone else were fighting and the next someone had hit him from behind. Then he remembered your voice, calling him desperately.

Ace looked down at his chest, which was bandaged and then noticed the figure who was sleeping with her head resting on her arms, which in turn were crossed on the mattress, next to his body. Ace felt his heart start beating again when he saw your hand holding his in his sleep, warming it with your warmth.

"You gave us a scare, especially to her" Marco murmured, trying not to wake you. "She's been here the whole time"

Marco approached the bed and placed a blanket over your shoulders, before gently rubbing your back.

"I'm relieved you're okay" the blond then said.

"I thought you hated me" Ace retorted.

Marco shrugged.

"We know what you're doing for her. And we're all grateful. And i'm sure she is, too. Even though it may not seem like it"

Ace opened his eyes slightly, surprised by his words.

"Do you really believe that?"

Marco nodded.

"If you keep doing this, i know you will succeed where we failed. Now rest, you need it"

Ace didn't have to be told twice and closed his eyes, abandoning himself to the presence of your touch.

When Ace reopened his eyes, he saw your face again and the blinding daylight coming through the infirmary windows.

"Ace!"

He didn't even have time to realize it, that you threw yourself onto his body, hugging his neck with all your strength.

"Thank goodness you're okay!"

Ace smiled and placed a hand on your back, but couldn't stop himself from making the noise of pain that the wound on his chest was causing him.

"Oh shoot, i'm sorry!" you exclaimed, immediately pulling away from him. "I didn't mean to hurt you"

Ace waved a hand.

"It's no problem, don't worry. Are you okay?"

You looked at him with teary eyes.

"Oh Ace…" you murmured. "After everything that happened to you, how can you still worry about me?"

"Well, are you sure you're not tired?" he asked you again.

And before you could respond he continued.

"Because you've been running through my mind all day~" he said with a smirk, accompanied by a wink.

You looked at him silently, eyes wide. That's when Ace saw you lower your head, covering your face with your hair. And then, after a few seconds, he saw your shoulders move in small spasms.

Ace widened his eyes, thinking you were crying and reached out to you.

"Y/n, i'm sorry-"

When his fingers brushed your shoulder, you raised your head to look at him. And to his shock, Ace realized that you were actually giggling.

"D-Does this feel like the time to say your stupid jokes?" You murmured, as if trying to hold back the laughter that was slowly escaping your lips.

Ace noticed a couple of tears coming out of your eyes, but you quickly wiped them away with your hands. He smiled and remembering the first time he told you one of his pickup lines, he said...

"But it was funny, wasn't it?"

You nodded, still giggling and covered your mouth with your hand. Ace looked at you tenderly, as he felt his heart warm with each passing second.

"You have a beautiful laugh, you know?" he asked you.

You looked at him, managing to stop laughing for a few seconds, while Ace continued.

"I'm glad i was able to make you smile. Pops and the others wanted it so much. And i wanted it too"

You reached out to his hand, stroking the back of it with your thumb, then brought his palm to cover your cheek.

"I thought i lost you Ace. And seeing that you're okay makes me happy. More than anything"

You looked at each other with sweet smiles and Ace could see in your eyes all the affection you felt for him. So he gathered courage and leaned forward until your lips touched softly. After a few seconds he pulled away.

"Well, if i had known that just ending up in a hospital bed was enough to make you happy, i would have done it a lot sooner"

At those words you couldn't help but burst out laughing, quickly covering your face with your hands.

"D-Don't say that!" you said mortified. "You make me look like a bad person!"

And Ace chuckled back, joining you.

At that moment, unbeknownst to you, certain commanders of a certain emperor's fleet and that emperor himself were gathering outside the infirmary door, trying not to be heard. And when they heard the sweet sound of your laughter for the first time, they felt their eyes become shiny.

"She's laughing!" Vista murmured. "Our darling little sister is laughing with joy!"

"Oh, i'm so happy!" continued Blamenco.

Whitebeard sniffed, but refrained from crying, unlike his sons, and he glanced at Marco, who was rubbing his eyes from behind his glasses, biting his lower lip.

Ace's voice rang out in the infirmary again.

"I'd offer you a cigarette but you're already smokin' hot~"

"Ace!" you called out to him between laughs, feeling your cheeks heat up under your palms.

He too continued to laugh and then he grimaced in pain, putting a hand to his chest.

"Thank you Ace"

Was what Whitebeard thought, looking back at you and Ace with a tender gaze.

"You saved her"

SABO (feat. the Revolutionary Army)

With Sabo i imagine a scenario that is similar to Senor Pink's backstory. (From Dressrosa arc but there are no spoilers)

You were both part of the Revolutionary Army, but you didn't always were together in missions. Sabo was sorry about this, especially because he was quite protective of you and despite being aware of your fighting skills, he was always afraid for you.

That day was a day like many others, where you and Sabo had said goodbye to each other by exchanging a kiss, you on his cheek and him on your forehead, and then wishing each other good luck, separating and going on your missions.

Sabo and Koala returned after a month and they both couldn't wait to see you and have a chat about the adventures you had. But when the two entered the headquarters, they did not expect the silence that reigned inside the room to welcome them. Usually when someone from the army returned from a mission after a long time, there was a celebration and when it came to Sabo and Koala you were the first to run to greet them.

Not surprisingly, Sabo immediately noticed your absence, but initially didn't give it too much thought, thinking that you were just busy with Dragon.

"Sabo"

Sabo lifted his head, meeting Ivan's gaze and when he noticed his less than happy tone and worried look, it didn't take him long to connect the dots.

Koala flashed him a smile.

"Hi Ivan-"

"Where is Y/n?" Sabo interrupted, taking a step forward.

Ivankov sighed, knowing there was no point beating around the bush with Sabo.

"In the infirmary" he only said.

Sabo passed him without waiting for him and Koala, heading towards the infirmary at full speed.

When he entered, throwing open the doors with force, he expected to find all kinds of dark scenarios, like you with a body full of bandages, you bleeding, or worse...

But he didn't expect to see your body under the covers of the infirmary bed, lying on its side in a fetal position, with your back facing him. Sabo wasted no time and ran in front of you, immediately taking your hand in his.

"Y/n!"

You opened your eyes when you heard his voice and Sabo immediately noticed how your eyes seemed emptier since the last time he saw you.

"Sabo... You're back"

Sabo looked at you worriedly, stroking the back of your hand with his thumb.

"What happened??" he asked frantically, looking from your eyes to the band-aid on your cheek.

But you just bit your lower lip, not having the strength to answer him and after your eyes filled with tears, you started crying in front of his eyes. Sabo looked at you, his heart breaking more and more with every tear he saw and every sob he heard.

"Y/n… Hey…" he murmured, placing his other hand on your cheek. He tried to comfort you in every way possible, but to no avail.

Then, Ivankov's voice called him again.

"Sabo"

Slowly Sabo raised his head towards the infirmary door and saw Dragon's figure in the doorway, next to Ivan's. Then, behind him, Koala reached him and after placing a hand on his shoulder she gave him a smile.

"I'll stay with her" said the girl.

Sabo gave you one last look, hoping he could look you in the eyes one more time, but you were too busy crying and you were even trying to hide your face under the bed sheet.

He quickly stood up, whispering a "I'll be right back" to you, then joined Ivan and Dragon. After the three exited the infirmary, they went to Dragon's office to talk in private and as soon as the door closed behind them, Sabo began to speak.

"What happened in that mission?? Who the hell made her like that?!"

"Sabo-"

"Tell me Ivan!" the blond interrupted abruptly, clenching his fists at his sides.

But Dragon and Ivan didn't take offense at his angry tone, because they knew him and they knew that when it came to you or his brothers, Sabo could lose his temper in seconds.

"They caught us off guard" Ivan said calmly, but still sadly. "Everything was going as planned, but someone probably discovered our plan and managed to get ahead of us. And Y/n..."

Ivan continued to talk and the more he went on, the more it didn't seem true to Sabo. Why did what happened have to happen to you? What did you do wrong?

"There's a bigger problem" Dragon then interjected, catching Sabo's attention. "What she suffered put her into a sort of depressive state. It's as if she's costantly tired and none of us were able to get her out of bed of her own free will"

"We can only get her to move to go to the bathroom..." Ivan continued. "For the rest she has always remained in bed and eats very little"

Sabo remained silent, shocked.

"I'm sorry Sabo" Ivan concluded then, lowering his head, feeling humiliated under the blond's gaze. "Y/n is suffering because of me, because i failed to protect her. If you're angry with me i understand, i-"

"Ivan"

Ivankov looked back at Sabo with teary eyes when he heard him call him.

"Yes?" he asked, sniffling.

"It's not your fault and i'm not angry with you, really" the other said calmly, trying to smile, although he couldn't. "I'm sure you all did your best"

Sabo turned his back to him and lowering his head, he clenched his fists at his sides again. The more he thought about what they had told him, about what you had suffered, without him, the more he felt his heart burning with anger inside his chest.

"But please, tell me..." he said, gritting his teeth. "Tell me that at least those bastards got what they deserved. Tell me you didn't let them get away with it. I need to know this, Ivankov"

Ivan nodded solemnly.

"We took care of it, i promise Sabo"

"Good"

After asking for permission to leave, Sabo left and obviously returned to the infirmary, to make up for all the time he had lost without you.

And even though he believed that Ivan and Dragon's words were exaggerated and didn't want to believe them, unfortunately Sabo realized that they were true about you.

After he left on his mission he just couldn't wait to get back to you and spend time with you, doing everything he could to make you happy. But despite him coming to keep you company in the infirmary every single day, Sabo still hadn't seen the slightest shadow of your beloved smile on your face. And he missed that so much.

Not to mention what happened in the infirmary: Sabo tried to interact with you in every way possible, but aside from the day he and Koala returned, it was like you didn't even notice he was there. He spent all his time holding your hand, caressing you, kissing you and telling you little stories to entertain the time. But he never had a full reaction, other than simple words or noises of approval and disapproval. You laid on the bed in the same position for hours and hours, just staring out of the window.

The more time passed, the more Sabo didn't know what to do. Koala tried to stay close to him, talk to him and give him some advice, like taking some time to take care of himself too, because staying in that state wasn't good for him or you.

"No!" he told her with determination. "I'm not going to lose Y/n like this. It's not fair at all. I won't give up Koala, i won't give up until i have the same Y/n as before. I won't give up until i see her smiling again like she used to!"

Sabo started with the flowers.

Every week, on the advice of Koala, Betty and Ivankov, he brought you bouquets of all kinds of flowers, always decorated with colored bows and small love notes. Now don't get it wrong, Sabo was a gentleman and he often gave you flowers even before, which you always kept in your bedroom. He hoped that by doing this, maybe he could rekindle that little flame inside your heart that fueled your love.

"Hey, good morning" Sabo carefully entered the room, hoping he hadn't disturbed you and approached your bed.

"I ordered these flowers especially for you, they come from far away" he said, sitting on the chair next to the bed. "They are rare, but they have a very particular scent and i thought you'd like them. Come on, smell them"

He handed you the bouquet of flowers, bringing it closer to your face, making sure you could smell it. After a few seconds he pulled away.

"They smell good, don't they?" he asked you with a hopeful smile.

Sabo saw your head move just a few inches, nodding.

"Mh" you hummed under your breath.

But Sabo didn't give up.

"I knew you would've liked them" he said. "The world is full of flowers you haven't seen yet, but i know you would love them all"

This time you remained silent, with your gaze regularly fixed out the window.

Sabo let out a heartbroken huff through his nose and placed the bouquet of flowers on the cabinet next to the bed. Then he leaned forward and clasped your cold hand in both of his, warming it with his gloves. He quickly glanced at all the flowers that were slowly accumulating on one of the empty beds in the infirmary. Then he looked back at you, hoping that your eyes would move to meet his, even if just for a split second. But it didn't happen.

Sabo continued with the flowers, but then he realized that there was something else you loved. Books.

Thanks to him you had rediscovered the pleasure of reading and when you spent time together, you often spent it reading with him. Sometimes you remained in the same room in silence for hours and hours, each reading a book on your own, and then commenting it. Other times, one of you would read pages to the other and vice versa, activity you often did before going to sleep. The books had become your thing.

So Sabo also began to bring a book along with the flowers. And since you didn't have the energy to sit and read with him, he spent his time reading aloud, sitting next to your bed.

He spent time reading you chapter after chapter and sometimes he even changed the tone of his voice when there was a dialogue between the characters, like when you read a fairy tale to a child. He had never done this, but he hoped that by doing it maybe you would've laughed or smiled at the way he was making a fool of himself. But nothing from you.

Until one day, Sabo entered the infirmary, greeted you with a kiss on your hair, placed the flowers on the bedside table, sat down and opened the new book he had started reading to you, like he did every day.

But this time, before he could read the first word of the chapter aloud, a hand on his knee made him slightly jump.

"Sabo" Sabo's eyes widened when he heard you say his name.

"Y-Yes?? What's wrong Y/n? Tell me everything" he said frantically, hoping he hadn't imagined it.

Suddenly you began to move on the bed and slowly sat up.

"Could you... Could you sit next to me while you read?" you asked him, your voice hoarse.

Sabo felt as if his heart had started beating again. Despite the monotone tone in which you asked him that question and your facial expression that seemed paralyzed, he knew that this only meant he was making progress.

Sabo nodded frantically, unable to hold back the smile forming on his lips. You moved away along the mattress, making room for him and he wasted no time in climbing up and sitting next to your body. Once he had settled into the most suitable position he glanced at you.

He stood stiff as a board at your silence. Your bodies were touching, yes, but at the same time it was as if they weren't. Maybe you regretted asking him? Maybe you felt uncomfortable? He decided it was best to start reading, so he cleared his throat and continued where he was about to start earlier.

Then, a few minutes later, in the middle of the narration, Sabo felt something soft touch his arm and something else rest against his shoulder. He jumped once more, stopping and turning to face you. And he realized that after so long, he could finally feel the warmth of your hand resting on his arm and the softness of your hair covering his shoulder, with your head on top of it. Oh, how he had missed that feeling.

Even though he suddenly fell silent, you didn't say anything either. You remained staring at the pages of the book, waiting for him to start again. And with a smile, that's what Sabo did.

Then one day Sabo had an idea. He wasn't sure about it, but he might as well try, right?

He entered the room and saw you sitting, with your back resting on the pillow. He reached you and if before he usually sat in the chair next to the bed, this time he sat next to your body on the edge of the mattress and took your hand. He flashed you a smile, but you didn't notice, too busy staring out the window, the only thing you did while he was gone.

Sabo continued to caress the back of your hand, then he turned to look out the window as well.

"Today is a beautiful day, isn't it?"

"Yes it is" you replied calmly.

He slowly looked back at you.

"How... How about we go out for a walk?" he asked you slowly, fearing for your reaction.

Silence fell, but after a few seconds you turned to him and then nodded without saying anything. Sabo smiled at you and stood up, before offering you his gloved hand, which you slowly took.

He helped you to your feet and as soon as you were next to him, you wrapped your arm around his, resting your cheek against his shoulder. That gesture caught him off guard, but he recovered quickly and together you walked out of the infirmary.

The people of the army looked at you in amazement, but they refrained from commenting, even though they would have been positive comments, happy that you were improving thanks to Sabo. Sitting at a table, Ivankov opened his eyes wide with a gasp when he saw you. While Koala, next to him, smiled happily. But Sabo ignored everyone and led you out of the headquarters, even away from the new recruits who were training with Hack and Kuma.

So you spent the day walking slowly under the blue sky, arm in arm. And you did the same the following days, when the warm presence of the sun allowed you to go outside.

Usually you walked in silence, enjoying the atmosphere and the sounds of nature, but the only one of the two who every now and then said something to break the ice was Sabo, when, after pointing out a cloud in the sky, he invented its shape. And you agreed with him, even if it actually wasn't like that.

Other times, when there was a breeze that made goosebumps on your arms, Sabo wasted no time and took off his jacket, placing it on your shoulders and making sure you were well covered. You thanked him every time and even though he would have loved to see your smile, he knew that you were still grateful for his kind gestures.

Or he would start telling some stories about his brothers, about his missions with Koala or he would make you remember your dates and the good moments you had spent together and which he would've always kept in his heart. And reluctantly, you replied saying that you missed the person you used to be too.

Once your walks were over, you often became too tired to do anything else and Sabo would take you back to bed.

One evening, when darkness had fallen, Sabo gently placed your body on the infirmary bed, then covered it with the sheets. Usually he would read you a few pages of a book even before falling asleep, but since your eyes were already closed and you now seemed abandoned in the world of dreams, he decided to let you sleep.

He leaned in to kiss you on the forehead, bidding you goodnight in a whisper and when he turned to leave, you grabbed a piece of his clothes, making him stop in his tracks. Sabo turned to look at you, seeing you staring at him with eyes that were struggling to stay open.

"Stay… Please" you murmured, then moved away along the mattress, making room for him.

Sabo couldn't help but smile and he nodded.

"Of course, darling. Anything you want"

He took off his gloves, jacket and boots and settled under the covers, next to you. You wasted no time and snuggled into his body, resting your head on his chest. Sabo heard you let out a deep breath through your nose, as if you hadn't been waiting for anything but that.

He said nothing and closed his eyes, thinking he would've gone to sleep, but...

"Thank you, Sabo" he heard you say suddenly, in the middle of the silence.

Sabo lowered his head to look at you. Your eyes were still closed, but he knew you were still conscious enough to speak.

And then, in the dark of night, he finally saw it.

After all that time, Sabo saw your sweet, genuine smile slowly grow on your face, illuminated by the moon's rays.

Sabo continued to look at you in silence and couldn't stop his heartbeat, which was speeding up as the seconds passed. You could hear it clearly under your ear and continued to smile.

"I'm happy for everything you've done for me. You've brought joy back to my heart and i will be infinitely grateful to you for that" you said, clutching the clothes on his abdomen with one hand. "I couldn't have asked for a better person than you. I'm so happy to have you in my life. Thank you. I love you"

Sabo saw a couple of tears fall silently from your closed eyes and he felt his eyes becoming shiny too, but he managed to hold back. With one hand he ran his thumb gently under your eyes, wiping them of tears. He sniffed and flashed you a smile.

He had done it. After weeks and weeks of agony that he had tried so hard not to show you, he could finally feel his heart swell with joy and relief at the sight of your face that no longer reflected the pain you were feeling.

Sabo wrapped his arms around you and leaned in to give you another small series of kisses on the top of your head.

"I love you too" he murmured against your hair.

Then he closed his eyes, knowing he would've finally had a peaceful night with you by his side. And all he could think was only one thing: that he would've done anything to never make you lose your smile again.

///

1K notes · View notes