#it's not a Zoro hate post to be clear

[unrelatedsideblog]

Honestly it's kinda funny how big part of the fandom believes in loser Sanji and rizzer Zoro as if Sanji didn't pulled 2 girls in his introduction Arc (in front of their dates too lol) and Zoro pulled 1 girl in entirity of the canon if I remember correctly

In Zoro's defence may be that he doesn't exactly try + baths once a week but still, canon lol

[purplepenntapus]

I’m not gonna begrudge anyone their ships but when people talk about Zoro settling down with Tashigi post canon like it’s the obvious end to his arc it confuses me so much lmao

[st-osmanthus]

Every so often I recall the funniest blink-and-you-miss-it moment on Dressrosa, when Luffy picks up Zoro and Law and is about to jump off a plateau. Law is panicking but Zoro is calm and steady, his captain’s arm around his neck in a chokehold, ready to go wherever his captain chooses to take him. (CHAPTER 746) (Ep 682)

Remember how much Zoro hated being hauled around by Luffy pre-timeskip? Pepperidge farm This ZoLu shipper remembers! Zoro used to hit Luffy, yell at him, threaten to cut him for physically manhandling him (usually with a Gomu Gomu no Rocket). Look at this fool now! His damn face is horizontal and he’s just, like, “Cool.” This 180 was so out of character that I remember pausing in my reading out of surprise. Over time, I realized this is just part of a growing pattern of behavior:

Post-timeskip, Zoro got soft.

Okay, yeah, post-timeskip Zoro is more muscular, has a prominent facial scar, doesn’t smile or laugh as much anymore, and spouts these tough-guy one-liners. But when it comes to Luffy, Zoro got sooooo soft.

Pre-timeskip, Zoro scolded Luffy often for being impulsive, for rocketing people around, for blowing their cover, etc. He was mostly on the same wavelength as Luffy, but there were frequent moments of exasperation where he would threaten to cut Luffy (jokingly?) or yell at Luffy for being an idiot.

But post-timeskip? Those two years clearly did a number on our swordsman because compared to before, he is a complete pushover when it comes to his captain.

Luffy is quiet because he senses something is amiss? Zoro immediately notices and asks “What’s wrong” like a worried mother hen.

Luffy needs to get across a frozen lake? Zoro is already stretching.

Luffy is fighting in the coliseum despite being on an undercover mission? Zoro laments not being there fighting alongside him.

Luffy wants to cause a ruckus over Otama/red bean soup? Zoro draws his sword and is ready to tag-team this mess.

Luffy jumps Zoro and nearly suffocates him face-hugger style? Not only does Zoro not reprimand Luffy, he is over the moon smiling like a moron and offering up food.

A lot can be said about WHY Zoro is now so tolerant of Luffy’s antics, way more than before. But setting aside “why,” it’s clear that Zoro is officially Luffy’s number one enabler. He will indulge Luffy’s every whim. He will lay all their enemies at his captain’s feet. He will follow Luffy into disasters and celebrations alike. He will forgive AND defend all of Luffy’s wrongs.

This man is so whipped. This man is so soft for his captain. This man is a fucking marshmallow.

[chibinasuu2]

One of my favorite ZoSan lore has got to be how their rivalry actually only started in Little Garden.

It wasn't "hate-at-first-sight" for them – believe it or not, Zoro and Sanji were quite amicable when they first met!

Exhibit A: them chilling together at the party post-Arlong Park

Exhibit B: Zoro giving Sanji an "order" at Loguetown and he just said "Got it!!" without a single name-calling or complaint?? Unheard of nowadays.

They had some other civil conversations around that time as well – no bickering in sight!

[spoilers for Little Garden below the cut]

This. This page right here is where everything started.

Ever since that first "contest", they became the ever-bickering, always-head-to-head Zoro and Sanji that we all know and love.

Their rivalry has become such a staple in all of their interactions – a force of habit, a routine, the status quo – and it has been going on for sooo long that I doubt Zoro and Sanji themselves even remember what started it anymore...

Just like another pair of rivals we know (whose 100-year rivalry also started with an argument over who caught the bigger prey).

This obvious Zoro/Sanji–Dorry/Brogy parallel has always been so interesting to me, especially since Dorry and Brogy were very explicitly presented as equals.

Those two giants had had a whopping 73,466 battles by the time the Straw Hats reached Little Garden, and not a single instance had one ever won over the other.

They were equal in strength, and even prior to their feud, they were in equal positions as co-captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates.

This is exactly the dynamic that Oda assigned Zoro and Sanji, presenting them in equal positions as the Wings of the Future Pirate King (probably also why Oda never explicitly stated that Zoro is First Mate)

Zoro and Sanji are also clearly very strong in their own rights, each with their unique abilities and skillsets. I truly believe a full-power battle between them would end up exactly like Dorry and Brogy's: a never-ending duel between two equally matched fighters.

TL;DR – I don't care what powerscalers say, Zoro and Sanji are equals in every sense of the word, period.

[spoilers for Wano and end of Egghead below]

Also, now that Dorry and Brogy are back in the picture, I really hope that Oda would circle around to this rivalry parallel in Elbaf.

I think it would be interesting to see further development in Zoro and Sanji's dynamics that goes beyond "rivals-that-actually-really-care-for-each-other-but-their-egos-are-too-big-to-show-it".

The Death Pact in Wano gave us probably the deepest glimpse so far into the nature of their relationship, showing us, clear as day, the incredible bond between them and just how far their trust for each other goes.

I mean, Dorry and Brogy ended up reconciling at the end of Little Garden and became best buddies again after fighting for one hundred years, so who knows what Oda has planned for ZoSan? I, for one, am really excited to see what he has in store for them in the Final Saga.

[zosan-secondchances]

The Pirate King of the North: Part 4

Main Themes: Villain Sanji, Alternate Universe, Zosan Ship

Warning: Long post ahead with One Piece spoilers. Contains strong language and explicit content.

Part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 (Special) | 19

Three days after the call, Sanji follows Zoro’s instructions to the book and waits for him at an island with a bustling town in the middle of the day. The blonde is well aware of the local Marine base in the area but he ignores this fact and turns up at the townsquare just as he promised, not wanting to disappoint his, hopefully, future fiance. Unsurprisingly, he is met by navy officers who tell him to come along quietly.

Law had refused to use The Polar Tang to contain their guest as he didn’t want to risk his submarine and crew to suffer any potential consequences as a result of the interrogation that they're planning. Zoro had to pull strings to borrow a room at the Marine base, stating that it’s for an official Warlord business. He and the doctor had been waiting for over half an hour overtime for the soldiers to return with Sanji. Zoro sends additional troops to investigate the delay. After another suspicious amount of time of having received no news, the two decide to investigate the matter themselves.

Zoro and Law make their way to the townsquare where the swordsman had instructed Sanji to be. Upon arrival, it was clear what had happened to the navy soldiers that he’d sent out. Deep red and severed body parts taint the white tiles throughout the block. A few had somehow made their way on top of trees and the shops’ window sills. Some float lifelessly in the fountain right in the middle–its sprinkling water had changed to a scarlet red. Liquid splatters grossly against the white marble sculptures that decorated the water feature.

Law grits his teeth, his knuckles turn white from gripping his sword tightly.

Zoro all but rolls his eyes. He hates the fact that he’s used to Sanji doing this sort of thing.

Zoro

What a waste.

They follow a trail. It’s not hard to find where Sanji had gone given how much blood there was, and Zoro had a sneaking suspicion that the blonde had purposely left his stained footprints to show where he’s going. He enjoys Zoro chasing him this way after all.

While walking, Law sends a message through his own den-den mushi to his crew, ordering them to check in on the citizens and make sure that everyone’s safe. Not long after, Bepo reports that the citizens are unharmed–extremely shaken but they’re untouched. The polar bear adds that a few witnesses say that it was only the Marines who tried to force the Pirate King into cuffs that had been torn apart. Some had apparently been allowed to flee.

Law looked to Zoro, as if expecting him to have a reasonable explanation as to why the Pirate King behaves the way he does. Cutting down local town Marines seems a bit too excessive in his opinion. The swordsman confesses that he's just as confused, and that over the years he'd just accepted that he's just mad because it's just the way he was born.

Zoro

All the more reason he deserves to die.

Zoro stops in his tracks, standing on the wooden pier of the docks. It looks like the rest of the bloody footprints lead right through to the very end. Looking at the ocean, he sees a distinct murky area of red on one spot. A head of blonde and white hair pokes out from the middle, the sun shining beautifully over it. Zoro felt–

Zoro shakes his head at the thought. 

Law follows Zoro's gaze, ending the call on his transponder snail when he sees who's in the water.

Law

Speak of the devil….

 

Zoro

OI!!!

The blonde turns to look at the source of sound.

Sanji

MELLORINE!!!

Sanji waves enthusiastically at the duo staring at him.

From afar, Zoro could tell that the man practically had heart eyes bulging out of his eye sockets.

Sanji takes a plunge into the water, swimming away from the murky area then reappears next to the wooden pier just under where Zoro was standing. His head pokes out gracefully, then gives the swordsman a warm smile.

Zoro takes a step back to distance himself, suddenly feeling like a girl whose skirt is being perverted on.

Zoro

Don’t give me that, idiot. Your outlash may have cost me some pull from the Marines.

Sanji

Oh? Has it occurred to you that that may have been my plan?

Zoro’s eye twitches, clearly infuriated at being toyed with. He pulls himself together internally and lets out a defeated sigh.

Zoro

Is this for not meeting up with you in person like I said I would? I got stuck with all the bureaucratic paper bullshit.

Sanji

I don’t know…

Sanji had a teasing tone behind his voice. He effortlessly pulls himself up to sit at the edge of the wooden planks, shakes his head and starts wringing his hair over his shoulder.

Sanji

Next time, don’t make promises you can’t keep.

Zoro lets out an offended huff.

Zoro

Next ti–? NO! There’s no next time! We're enemies. And what, is this your way of punishing me? To make me feel guilty? By murdering a bunch of Marines?

Sanji

Oh please, it was out of self-defense! They came onto me first….

Sanji calmly stands on his feet. Slowly, he begins to strip off his top, revealing his lean but muscular figure.

Zoro’s eye trails from Sanji’s scar across throat, down to the defined v-shape below his waistline. He recognises the cuts and burns from their battles, and some he guesses are from his own volition. When the blonde turns to fix his hair, Zoro eyes a small red tattoo, located below the nape of his neck. For some reason, he’s never noticed it on him before–a red circle with four triangles, arranged to look like the claws of a dragon. It has a cluster of messy scars over it, as if it'd been attempted to be removed by means of violent scratching. Like all else, he’s wondered what the story behind this is–

Zoro almost slaps himself to shake the thoughts out of his head. He makes an effort to look the blonde in the eye before he notices him staring.

Sanji gives Zoro a side glance before squeezing the damp clothing in his hands to dry it. He closes his eyes and his mouth curves into a cheeky smile. He gives his top one last flick before tossing it over his shoulder.

Sanji

I gave them a chance to apologise but some of them didn’t have any manners and charged in. Really, they were quite rude.

Zoro

You could have just knocked them out. Some of them were fresh blood. They’re probably just trying to prove they can do a good job to impress their seniors.

Sanji

By overdoing it. And now that fresh blood is all over my poor clothes. All because they tried to force me into those…heavy, rusty fuckin’ pieces of– 

Law clears his throat.

Zoro and Sanji look at him, annoyed at the interruption.

Law

If you’re done bickering like an old married couple….

Zoro’s eye visibly twitches, his brows furrowing angrily at Law's poor choice of words.

Sanji practically swoons, his hands slap his own reddened cheeks while the rest of his body squirm comically.

Sanji

OH, YOU–stop that! We’re not married yet, you bastard!

Zoro

WE’RE NOT GETTING MARRIED. PERIOD!!!

Law could practically feel the veins in his forehead pop.

—

They start the trek back to the Marine base, purposely taking the longer way through the shoreline to avoid panicked citizens after Sanji’s onslaught.

Sanji

Marimo-kun~!

Zoro ignores the man, and concentrates on walking quietly. He attempts to put his mind in a meditative state.

Sanji

Ma–ri–mo-kun~?

The shade under Zoro’s brows darkens. He focuses on his breathing–he inhales, holds it, then exhales. He repeats it several times more.

Sanji crumples his heavy damp clothing into a ball then throws it at the back of Zoro’s head, causing the other man to stumble.

Sanji

I SAID “MARIMO”, YOU ASS!!!

Zoro grabs the wet top and throws it hard onto Sanji’s face square on, knocking the man down on his butt.

Sanji

THAT HURT!

Zoro

DON’T THROW GROSS THINGS AT ME! WHAT DO YOU WANT?!

With a blink of an eye, Sanji’s demeanour changes. He bites his lip and looks up to Zoro with a large puppy eye.

Sanji

Why is he here? Isn’t this a date?

Zoro

Fuck off. I never said it is. We’ll tell you when we get to the base.

Sanji

Hmm…no, then I’m not going.

Sanji crosses his arms stubbornly. His legs do the same, planting himself firmly on the ground.

Law

Zoro-ya, can’t you just tie him up and drag his ass along? I just want this over and done with.

Zoro

You’ve seen what happens if you force him into things, idiot.

Sanji

Yeah, idiot.

Zoro

I’m not talking to you.

Sanji

Then do, otherwise I’m not coming along. You're taking me into a Marine base after all. I'd be at a disadvantage as soon as I step inside. You have to give me a good reason to go with you.

Zoro

You said you'd help me.

Sanji

You? Sure. I was hoping to gain your personal favour. Him? Ehh…. He's not exactly my type.

Sanji looks at Law, slowly dragging his eyes down his frame.

Sanji

Hmm…I guess he could be if he's willing to play.

Law nervously takes a step back, feeling hot and bothered.

Zoro sighs. He considers for a moment, trying to come up with a way to make sure that Sanji cooperates with them peacefully for as long as possible without sacrificing anyone to indulge in whatever sexual fantasies are in his head. After a time, he speaks firmly.

Zoro

Tra-guy, tell him everything you told me.

Law

Here? We’re doing this right here, right now?

Sanji

I'm glad you understand, Marimo.

Law

I… I don’t know.

Sanji

I don’t need the whole sob story, Trafalgar D. Water Law.

Law blinks in surprise that Sanji knows his name. Sure he had a bounty but he didn’t think it was anything noteworthy. He certainly wasn’t aware that the Pirate King would care enough to know about it. He opens his mouth as if to say something but gets interrupted.

Sanji

I have eyes and ears everywhere, love. What I don’t know is why the Surgeon of Death is looking for Doffy.

Zoro

Doffy? The same guy who gave you your new weapon?

Sanji

Aww! You remembered?! …Are you jealous?

Sanji gives Zoro a suggestive wink, taking the swordsman aback.

Zoro

Don't be ridiculous.

Sanji

If you like, I can call off my affairs with him and just make it exclusive with you….

Law

As much as I want to kill that monster, I don’t think I can right now. Not at my current strength.

Sanji snaps his gaze to Law, giving him a dangerous look.

Sanji

You’re right. You can’t.

Law

I’m just looking for my friend. It’s…it’s his brother, Donquixote Rosinante.

Sanji raises a brow.

Sanji

Corazon has been dead for years.

Law

Then you better check your sources, Mr. Prince-ya. Because I have letters from him from the last several months.

Sanji stands on his feet and approaches Law slowly.

Sanji

Show me.

—

Back at the Marine base, Sanji and Law escalated into a heated argument in the interrogation room. Sanji insists that if they truly want his insight into Donquixote Rosinante, the doctor should show all the letters that he claims to have.

Naturally, Law refused to show the blonde, stating that it’s all too personal.

Zoro knows he shouldn’t, but for once, he feels relieved that someone else is dealing with the mad king’s temper. He hides a smirk behind a bottle of sake, taking a swill.

Sanji

Don’t be an idiot. I don’t give a flying fuck what’s in them!

Law

Then there’s no reason for you to see a single one.

Sanji clasps both of his hands together, and gently sets them down the wooden table in front of him. With a deep voice, he speaks.

Sanji

Enlighten me then, how do you truly know it is him?

Law

If you must know, all his letters have…details that only he and I know.

Sanji firmly presses his fingers down the table, then speaks slowly but clearly.

Sanji

All the more reason that you could be in bigger danger than you think, doctor.

Law frowns.

Sanji

You're far too enamoured to think straight. How do you know it’s not just someone else messing with you? Hmm? Someone like Doffy?

Law crosses his arms then leans back against his chair, listening intently.

Sanji

Think about this… very… carefully.

Sanji shuffles in his pockets and fishes out a pack of cigarettes. When he opens the box, his eyes furrow in disappointment, seeing that all of his smokes are heavily damaged from water and blood. He throws the pack over his shoulder then snatches Zoro’s bottle of sake as the swordsman was about to take a drink.

Zoro

Oi!

Sanji takes three big gulps before slamming the bottle down on the table.

Sanji

Given how touchy you are about the idea of me reading them, I’m guessing you’ve become quite emotionally attached to the letters, haven’t you? Just consider, whoever wrote them knows an awful lot of details about you. What’s more, they know where to find you, and how to find you.

Zoro raises a brow at that. He notices that the doctor is starting to lose his composure slightly as a tiny bead of sweat falls on the side of his face.

Law

You assume it’s being sent to me.

Sanji

A trail, then? He’s leaving you clues and you’re more than happy to follow it.

Law

That’s…

Sanji takes another big drink, then explains his point further, waving Zoro’s bottle in front of him as he makes hand gestures to emphasize his speech.

Sanji

What if it’s a trap? If someone, say…I don’t know–like Doffy–is pretending to be Corazon, then you’d have been sold out for a fool.

Law slams his hand aggressively on the table, cracking its surface where his fist landed.

Law

You’re wrong!

Sanji stares at him unimpressed but doesn’t say anything, as if allowing him the chance to explain himself. He leans back against his chair.

Law

Look, I just know, okay? It’s him. I’m sure of it.

Sanji

You just know…?

Law

Yes.

Sanji

Then you’re hopeless.

As Zoro attempts to steal his sake back, the blonde slaps his hands away and takes several more swills from the bottle, as if telling the swordsman that he’s not done with his turn yet. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand then returns his focus back to Law.

Sanji

And how is it that you just know?

Zoro

Tra-guy, he’s not going to stop until you show him.

Law

You’re on his side, Zoro-ya?

Zoro

Look, you don’t have to show him everything, just show him one–like the bit where you’re stuck. It was enough to convince me.

Law pinches the gap between his brows.

Law

What you’re basically telling me…is that I should trust him with this information? That I should trust this mass murdering fucker with something extremely important to me?

Sanji

I told you, I don’t give a shit what’s in it–

Law

That’s what worries me! Because I care–a lot! I….

Law’s ears visibly reddens in embarrassment. He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly, averting his gaze.

Law

He was… is… very important to me. The letter is from him. I’m sure of it. And if you don’t care about it then I’m not letting you get your hands on it.

There was a moment of silence. Sanji watches Law in his vulnerable state. After a while, the blonde takes another drink from the bottle and sets it in front of Zoro.

Zoro grabs the bottle enthusiastically. He raises it above his mouth and nothing but a single drop falls onto his tongue. His smile vanishes, and his shoulders droop sadly until his arms and face melt onto the table. He sets the bottle down, pushing it away from him.

Sanji

I apologise, doctor.

Zoro and Law both look at Sanji in surprise.

Sanji offers a warm smile to Law.

Sanji

I’m afraid I’m not so good at these things. I’ll help you however I can.

Zoro stares at him in disbelief, cocking his head on the side against the table, processing the genuinity behind Sanji’s tone. He detects no ill will or malice behind it. He tells himself he’s just a bloody good liar.

Sanji

However, I still need to see a letter–just one will do, like the swordsman said–so I can study it. I promise I’ll take good care of it. If it resembles Doffy’s writing in any way, I will tell you. If it’s not, I’ll see what I can deduct from it, given that you’re apparently…”stuck”.

Law

I…thank you, Mr. Prince-ya.

Sanji slightly bows his head at him in acknowledgement.

Law

However, there is one thing that still bugs me….

Sanji

Oh?

Law

Why the interest in Corazon? You seem very keen to find out if he’s really dead or not.

Sanji

Corazon was–is…Doffy’s brother after all. His death shook a number of undercover Marine agents, enough to blow their covers.

Zoro

How would you know that?

Sanji

Because it all happened under wraps, which I make it my business to know. Your precious World Government made sure to cover it up nice and snug to keep up appearances.

Meanwhile, everyone else who actually did the work started pointing fingers, accusing each other of who ratted out your mate, afraid that they’re next. Ultimately, they hunted each other down. Now, while I don’t give two shits about the Marines, this whole ordeal should not be taken lightly.

Sanji leans forward on his seat.

Sanji

If he is alive, then Doffy has lied to me, which violates the rules of our country’s alliance. I’ll need to look into this matter personally to keep this quiet. If you let me help you, this will be beneficial for the both of us, I assure you.

Law takes a moment to process everything that Sanji had laid out for him. Reluctantly, he nods. Thinking it takes a criminal to know one. He reminds himself that he just needs advice and nothing more. He leans forward and shuffles in his pockets. He pulls out a folded piece of paper but before he could stretch his arm to offer it to Sanji, the blonde raises his hands in front of him.

Sanji

Let me just wash up. I still have Marine blood on me and I don’t want to get them all over your letters.

Sanji stands, then walks to the door.

Zoro’s eyes follow him. His expression softens at the blonde’s thoughtfulness and unexpected change in character. It must just be the single sip of the sake that clouds his own thoughts. He makes it clear to himself that it’s just acting–no doubt to get on Law’s good side then at the last second stab him in the back.

Sanji

Marimo-kun, the door, please?

Zoro

Ah. Right.

Zoro unlocks the door, then hollers for a couple of Marines to take the Pirate King to the washroom, instructing them specifically to “be nice” if they value their lives. Hesitantly, they do as he says, even with the odd request, too scared to do anything out of hand especially after learning what had happened to their colleagues in the townsquare.

Law kicks back on his seat, placing his hands behind his head.

Law

He’s not what I expected.

Zoor closes the door behind him, and turns to the doctor, glaring at him.

Zoro

That may be the last thing in your head if you let your guard down. Remember what I told you earlier.

Law

His mind is his real weapon, not his claws. I know. But he–

Zoro

As soon as he charms you, he’ll make you do things you’ll regret. Luffy would kill me if he gets to you.

Law

You sound like you talk from experience….

Zoro

Don’t even go there. Have you forgotten that he’s just murdered a bunch of Marines not far from here?

Law

I…you’re right.

Zoro approaches Law, jabbing a finger on his chest.

Zoro

Don’t forget what I said.

Moments later, Sanji returns to the interrogation room, escorted by a couple of trembling Marines behind him. They bring him inside, then rush out the door, locking it behind them in a panicked state. The blonde looks and smells a lot cleaner this time, and his hair is damp again–presumably after having borrowed the navy’s shower room. Zoro and Law also can’t help but notice that he’s completely changed out of his blood-stained clothes, and is now sporting a Marine officer uniform worn with the coat buttons undone and no shirt underneath, keeping his front exposed.

Sanji saunters, twirls gracefully, then strikes a pose to show off his new outfit proudly. Zoro can’t help but let out an unexpected hearty laugh.

Zoro

That looks awful on you! You didn’t just pry it from the dead, did you?

Sanji

Goodness, no. They had spares. I admit, it’s a little loose, but you don’t have to be so mean.

Sanji flicks his hair, keeping his other hand on his hip. The small spray of water from his hair strands makes it look like sparkles in the air with the way the room’s light shone on it. He looks down at the swordsman, making the other man stop in his fit of laughter.

Sanji

Besides, I feel fantastic in it.

Hey, tattoo guy, let’s do this. 

Sanji is back on his seat. The look of confidence he usually wears on his face has dithered away. He looks dumbfoundedly at the piece of paper that Law had given him. He flips the paper to check its back, looks at the front again, then flips it once more.

Sanji

This is it?

Law nods. His face had gone red.

Sanji

It just says “I love you.”

Law pulls out a stack of the similarly sized papers of varying shades from his breast pocket and lays it down in the middle of the table.

Law

Now you’ve seen one, you’ve seen it all. But uh… you can’t touch these.

Sanji slaps his forehead with the palm of his hand.

Sanji

I don’t know what I expected. THEY’RE NOT EVEN SIGNED!

Law

It’s something he’d do, okay?! You wouldn’t understand.

Sanji

No, I don’t!!! This is ridiculous! Is this seriously it?!

Sanji stops abruptly. His eyes stare at the stack of papers, shifting left and right, as if suddenly deep in thought–and he’s thinking fast. He inspects the one closely in his hand, then holds it close to the stack on the table, comparing the two.

Sanji

These papers are all not from the same place.

Law

Why does the paper matter?

Sanji

Because, my dear, this means that you’re always in his thoughts–or whoever’s writing it anyway. They didn’t write this all in one go then went about scattering it. They took their time, and wrote down a new letter each time they thought of you with whatever they could get their hands on.

Law freezes. Whatever thoughts he has, he keeps it in his head but it’s noticeably making his hands and lips tremble. After a few quiet moments, Zoro breaks the silence to help him out.

Zoro

Tra-guy, show him the other thing.

Law

Right….

Law pulls out a long envelope the length of his arm. He carefully places it in front of Sanji

Law

This came with the letter that you’ve got in your hand.

Sanji tilts his head curiously. He carefully sets down the letter he’d been given earlier, then gestures towards the envelope.

Sanji

May I?

Law nods.

Sanji gently lifts the flap, then pulls out a delicate feather from the envelope.

Law

The letters always come with a clue where to go next. My crew and I have been travelling for several months now, mostly in the Grand Line. This is the latest, and the reason why we thought Doflamingo may know something, or has got Corazon locked up somewhere. But we haven’t been able to track him down for quite some time.

Sanji pinches the hollow shaft, spinning the feather to admire its features.

Sanji

Hmm…I don’t think it’s Doffy. Though this would make a nice feather for a hat.

Law

What makes you say that?

Sanji claps his hands excitedly.

Sanji

Ooh, I’m glad you asked! There’s this hat that Zoro’s dad wears everywhere. It’s got this gorgeous white feather that makes it stand out nicely with–

Zoro

Not about the hat, stupid! Why do you think it’s not Doflamingo?

Sanji

Rude. But that’s a simple question. Doffy’s coat is pink. This is more purple-pink. Hmm… I think this might be from a South Bird. They’ve got a big body and an even bigger personality. They’re native to Skypiea.

Zoro’s brows shoot up.

Law

Skypiea? The legendary island in the sky? Isn’t that just a tall tale? 

Zoro

I remember those birds. I can see why there’d be some confusion now.

Sanji

Have you been there, Marimo-kun?

Zoro smiles softly at the feather, then reaches out for it. Sanji obliges, handing it to him by the hollow shaft gently, their fingers brushing each other. The swordsman runs his hands through its soft barbs.

Zoro

Sure have, while travelling with my old captain.

Sanji watches Zoro admire the feather, taking notice of his brightened expression and hazel eye. He wonders what sort of tales he has in store. He doesn’t speak much of his old captain to him. Then again, he doesn’t really share a lot of things with him because why would he?

Only now did Sanji realise that he hasn’t really taken his time to admire the swordsman’s features up close. He makes a mental note to plan a sneaky peek under a different light–maybe outside during dawn or dusk when the colours of the sky would bring out his eye colour more.

Law

How do you know for certain that it’s from a South Bird, Mr. Prince-ya? I don’t recall you being an aviary expert.

Sanji

Oh, I’m not claiming to be a scientist in any way. But I have this thing for feather coats since Doffy likes to use it for sex.

Zoro drops the feather from his hands.

----------

Here's a more polished art to make up for the longer chapter.

[ikuramachi]

someone on twitter said that Sanji haters hate the fact that he’s not the mindless slave they make Zoro out to be (neither of them are, obviously, but this is how generally most Zoro fans treat him unfortunately) and honestly it didn’t struck me until now how accurate that is

putting aside the hated side of Sanji’s gag and pervertness. almost always it is guaranteed that if you come across any post praising literally any good quality about Sanji it’s immediately followed by hoards of people saying “what about Zoro? Zoro did this better. Zoro this and that” it’s insane. I’m obviously not downplaying Zoro’s importance and impact and what he’s done to the crew and Luffy, but I’m honestly baffled at how HARD Zoro fans try to dismiss any act of loyalty and sacrifice from Sanji and their “better” example is almost ALWAYS the singular moment of “Nothing happened”

also, I honestly can’t believe people think that questioning Luffy in the slightest means disloyalty from any of the Straw Hats because “he’s the captain he’s the boss his word is absolute” while yes it’s true he has the authority of decision, for one, to even think that someone who’s 17-19 whose barely developed into a proper adult and whose blatantly childish and whose prefrontal cortex hasn’t developed, people expect Luffy to be way smarter than he is. obviously we can all acknowledge that Luffy can be very emotionally intelligent when he needs to be, that doesn’t mean he’ll always know what to do right. I think One Piece has made it abundantly clear that in MANY many instances the captains of other crews as well as Luffy himself aren’t always making the best decisions and sometimes those wrong decisions easily lead to the whole crew’s demise, preventing Luffy from potentially making the same mistake IS CRUCIAL even if it means “questioning his orders” cause at the end of the day, Luffy is still a TEENAGER with a teenage understanding of the world even if he always knows what’s the right call

what bewilders me the most about what I mentioned previously specifically is, why is EVERYONE else on the crew held accountable and questioned of their loyalty to Luffy when they disagree with him and keep Zoro on this pedestal and seriously think that he’d mindlessly do ANYTHING Luffy says WHEN HE LITERALLY DIDN’T LET USSOP REJOIN THE GROUP UNLESS HE APOLOGIZED IN WATER 7 otherwise Zoro himself would LEAVE the crew?? why are we collectively acting like Sanji was SO disrespectful for disagreeing with Luffy on occasions (such as him kicking Luffy when he almost said something completely regrettable to Ussop and HE ADMITS that it was bad) but somehow forget that Zoro did the same thing??

Zoro fans are a phenomenon that I will never understand. don’t get me wrong I LOVE Zoro, I swear, as much as I bully him and call him stupid and ugly I truly love him so much. but I HATEEEE this insane mischaracterization of him that also somehow FUELS the Sanji hate train. what a strange bunch of people you are.

[cntloup]

inspired by this lovely post by @laws-hat-headcanons . a continuation to zoro's part <3

zoro drags his tired feet into your shared room after he went out to take a walk to clear his head, moving quietly in case you’re asleep, but deep down he knows that's impossible for you since you had that stupid argument. your head must still be racing with different thoughts and emotions as well.

he finds you lying down on your side of the bed with your back facing him and when he nears the bed to lie down, he hears your quiet sobs and sniffles. he mentally curses himself for making you feel this way.

"hey..." he murmurs and reaches over, gently touching your shoulder, careful not to startle you.

"i'm sorry, love. please forgive me..." although he's met by silence, but he knows you're listening.

and he's taken by surprise when you slowly turn around to face him, tear-stained cheeks and puffy eyes looking back at him, causing the gnawing guilt to clench his heart once again.

"i hate when we fight." you finally speak, voice hoarse and low, "and i'm sorry too. it was my fault as well. it shouldn't have happened in the first place."

"i'm sorry for lashing out. i shouldn't have done that. but i want you to know that i would never hurt you..." he gulps and there's a small quiver in his voice, "the last thing i want is for you to be afraid of me." his eyes are filled with sincerity and pleas of forgiveness as he holds you in his arms.

"i know, zoro. i trust you. i don't know why i reacted the way i did. it was so long ago..." you begin to speak and he notices the break in your voice, a lump forming in your throat, "you don't have to talk about it." he says and moves closer to you so your bodies are flushed together, enveloping you in his strong arms protectively.

"i'll kill whoever did that to you." he whispers in your hair, half joking but you know him well enough to know that he's at least somewhat serious. you chuckle nevertheless, "you don't have to do that. he's far, far away from me now... probably dead in a ditch somewhere or whatever!" you reply jokingly with a chuckle, "good! and i'll make sure it stays that way. no harm will come your way ever again, my love." he speaks with such wholehearted honesty as his eyes stare into yours. he leans in to seal his promise with a kiss and you gladly reciprocate with a soft smile tugging at your lips as you hum contently.

[eternalmoonlight18]

Please Please Please (Don't Prove 'Em Right) Chapter 9

Trafaglar Law x afab Female!Reader

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Chapter warnings: none!

Summary:

You are the Heart Pirates' beloved cook and sniper. However, you were also an insufferable troublemaker who always seemed to get on Law's nerves. He swears he's going to get rid of you one day, but as much as he hates it, why does he find you fascinating? Was it because you reminded him of someone he was greatly fond of?

As your relationship with Law grows, he only hopes you don't fucking embarrass him. After all, he has an image to uphold as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

This story starts off as short stories between (Y/N), Law and the Heart Pirates, then picks up into the One Piece canon timeline, starting from Punk Hazard. This is a slow-burn Law x Female Reader story!

Updates every Monday!

Cross-posted in Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/57651295/chapters/146705491

Chapter 9: Cooking Competitions and Confessions

Chapter summary: On the way to Dressrosa, you and Sanji bond over cooking. Luffy proposes a cooking competition between you two, and if you lose, you will have to go on a date with Sanji! If Sanji lost, he would have to give you a cookbook full of the recipes he learned from Kambaka Land. However, everyone doesn't realize that Law rigs the competition to your favour, not wanting Sanji to go on a date with you. 

A/N: FINALLY!!!!

I also created a taglist. Let me know if you want to be a part of it!

wc: 3k

It was a quiet night in the Thousand Sunny. The sea was calm and peaceful, with the clear night sky littered with thousands of stars. 

You were lying out on the grassy deck of the ship. You would never admit it, but your brother's ship was way better than Law's yellow submarine. 

With your hands behind your head, you stared up into the night sky, observing the various constellations that painted the world above you. You were so engrossed in the moment that you failed to notice your brother took a seat beside you.

"Hey, sis, why aren't you sleeping yet?" Luffy piqued up as he sat right next to you.

He shuffled closer when you didn't answer him. "Sis, are you still mad at me for what I did yesterday? I said I was sorry!" he whined. 

You glanced at Luffy and saw he was pouting in your direction. 

It was hard to stay mad at him for so long. After all, he is your baby brother. 

With the grass on your palms, you hoisted yourself up and tackled him to the ground, resulting in a tickle fight.

"H-hey! That's not fair you got a head start!" he squeaked as he scrambled to leverage himself against your attack. You continued to relentlessly tickle Luffy, and he did the same to you. The Sunny was soon filled with shrieks of laughter, which resulted in a sleepy Zoro angrily throwing his barbell down at you and Luffy. 

"Spoilsport," you muttered as you squinted your eyes at the angry green-haired swordsman who was stomping back into the men's sleeping quarters. 

Luffy laughed. "Zoro's always grumpy these days, big sis. I don't mind, though, he's super reliable."

You sighed as you laid back down on the grass once more. "Hey, Luffy, I'm proud of how far you've gone with your journey." 

"You mean that? You're the best, sis!" he exclaimed as he lay next to you. 

A quiet hum left your lips as you and your brother stargazed together. A few minutes passed before the straw-hatted boy spoke up once again.

"Hey, sis, want to join my crew?" he asked out of the blue.

"Nah, I'm good," you immediately answered back. 

"Huh? Why not?"

"Because," you started. Twisting to your side to face Luffy, you continued, "I want to stay in Captain Law's crew."

Luffy looked at you with a confused expression. "Traffy? Why with him?"

"Oh, you airhead, I'm loyal to him, just like how Zoro is loyal to you!"

"But I'm you're brother! You should join me instead!" he whined.

You chuckled. "Well, Captain Law is my..."  

Your voice faded as your mind started to reel. What was Law to you? Your relationship blossomed greatly in the past couple of months, surpassing the simple captain and subordinate dynamic. You knew there was something more, something beyond friendship, but you couldn't bring yourself to acknowledge it.

"Traffy is what?" Luffy pressed on, noticing that you stopped talking.

You snapped out of your thoughts and flashed him a gentle smile. "Well, he's special to me."

"What about me?! Am I not special to you, big sis?" your brother pouted.

A hearty laugh escaped your lungs. "Oh, Luffy, you'll always be special to me! Just like Ace and Sabo! But I meant that Captain Law means a lot to me, like someone I could spend the rest of my days with."

Luffy tilted his head, still confused.

"I don't know how to explain it, Lu, it's different from the love you feel for your friends. Do you kiss your friends?"

"No."

"Do you want to kiss your friends?"

"Not really."

"Well, I want to kiss Captain Law. That's how I feel about him," you explained.

"OH! Is that why you almost threw me overboard?" he asked.

You rolled your eyes. "Now you get it."

"So if you want to kiss Traffy, that means that you love him? Like more than a friend?" Luffy questioned.

"Well..."

"Why won't you admit it? If you feel that way, then it's okay!" your brother declared.

You froze. The whole time, you were overthinking your relationship with your captain, but your brother made you realize it was so simple. You did love him, and it's okay to love him. 

A large grin broke out on your face. You tackled your brother in a crushing bear hug.

"You're so simpleminded, yet you move people with your words," you sighed.

"Thank you!" Luffy said, not knowing what you meant.

That night, your mind was put at ease, and you were able to sleep peacefully for the first time in a while.

-------

You blankly stared at the mixing bowl in front of you. Around the bowl were various cooking utensils and ingredients, all organized and laid out. In front of you were the Strawhats, plus Kin'emon and Momonosuke were staring at you eagerly. Law was there, too, in the corner, giving you an unreadable expression. On your left was Sanji, the cook of the crew, who gave you a bright smile.

"You ready (Y/n)-Chan?" he cheerfully asked you.

You gave a weary smile at the blonde man. You were going to kill Luffy for putting you in this mess.

.

"Good morning (Y/n)-Chan! What brings you in the kitchen so early in the morning!" Sanji greeted. He was holding a bowl of eggs and whisking it as he watched you walk into the kitchen. 

You groaned and flashed a sleepy smile. "Good morning, Sanji. I woke up to a wonderful smell of pancakes and bacon and couldn't help but see what you made," you admitted as you sat down at the dining table. 

A chuckle left Sanji's lips. "My heart swells to know that my food prompted a beautiful lady like yourself to keep me company here."

"Wow, the girls weren't joking when they said you were a smooth talker. Anyway, I wanted to ask, how did you find these recipes in your dishes? They're absolutely divine, and I would love it if you had some sort of cookbook I could borrow so I can learn how to make them!" you eagerly asked as you placed your head in your palm. 

The blonde cook looked at you with a surprised expression. "Oh wow! No one asked me for a cookbook before." he walked up to you before he continued, "But I think I deserve something if I were to give you the recipes I learned. It's only fair; I went through a lot to get those recipes in my hand."

"Is that so?" you mustered, tilting your head in curiosity. "Well, in that case, what do you propose that I give you?"

The two of you basked yourselves in silence, thinking of how an exchange of knowledge would go down. Then, an idea suddenly popped into your head, but before you could speak, a loud crash interrupted your thoughts.

"Sanji!!! Big sis!!! Good morning!!' your brother hollered as he barrelled his way into the kitchen. He scampered towards the dining table and sat next to you. "Sanji, is food ready? I'm hungry!" 

"Oh Luffy, yeah, food's almost done give me a second." Sanji huffed as he hurriedly got back to work.

"By the way, big sis, can you cook your signature spaghetti? I do miss your cooking. Oh, I know! I have an awesome idea!" he exclaimed as he turned to you and shook you by the shoulders.

You groaned. He was always up to no good.

Luffy whipped his head towards the blonde cook and grinned widely. "You guys should do a cooking competition! Shishishishi!"

"Luffy!" you angrily hissed. Grabbing him by the neck, you started wringing him as his rubbery head flopped to the floor.

"Hey, that's a great idea!" Sanji exclaimed as he started plating the breakfast. 

You nervously laughed as you slowly let go of your brother, who was now coughing up a fit on the kitchen floor. "Yeah...I guess we can do that..."

"Im screwed." you thought to yourself. "Sanji's cooking is way better than mine. Oh well, it doesn't hurt to try."

"Okay, I accept the challenge. If I win, I get those recipes," you affirmed.

Sanji grabbed the rest of the plates and placed them on the dining table. "Deal. And if I win..."

The cook stroked his chin for a second, then continued, "Go on a date with me when we reach Dressrosa after we finish our business there." he cheekily responded.

.

And now you were here, about to participate in a cooking competition that you knew you were going to lose and go on a date that you didn't agree to.

You can feel the impending migraine coming through already.

"Alright, chefs! Today, you will be making takoyaki! In front of you are all the ingredients you need. You have 45 minutes to whip up a batch! We will be the judges for your cooking and determine the winner! Now, do you all know the stakes of the competition?" Nami announced.

The navigator placed herself between you and Sanji and continued. "If Sanji-kun loses, he has to give a cookbook full of his recipes!"

The crew started to mutter amongst themselves.

"And if (Y/n) loses, she has to go on a date with Sanji-kun!" she giggled.

"WHAT?!" everyone screamed.

You shut your eyes in embarrassment, wishing you could hide in the corner and disappear. You opened one eye and glanced at Law. His jaw was wired shut, and his stormy eyes pierced into you and Sanji. 

He was pissed.

"Exciting, right!" Now chefs, ready..." Nami raised her hand and then did an air chop with her arm. "Get cooking!"

Everyone cheered as you and Sanji scrambled around the kitchen. The first thing you thought about grabbing was flour, but it was inconveniently placed high up in the cabinets. You groaned in annoyance as you hopped onto the counter to reach it, however, when your hand was stretching out to grab it, the bag of flour magically appeared on your hands. Confused, you promptly got down and gave a quick glance at Law, who gave you a small smirk in the corner of the room.

Oh, that sneaky bastard. 

You couldn't help but let out a small laugh. This could work in your favour.

The next 45 minutes breezed by as you got to work. Every time you were looking for an ingredient or utensil, it always appeared right in front of you. Your confidence started to grow by the minute, and you paid no mind to Sanji, who was actually struggling beside you.

It turns out that while your captain was secretly helping you, he was sabotaging the Strawhat cook at the same time. Each time he would try to grab something, Law quickly shifted the item with his powers so that Sanji would accidentally miss it or knock it down. He even managed to 'Shambles' a rotten dead octopus from the sea and set it on Sanji's counter. The poor cook took longer than usual to prepare the dish because of it.

Once the 45 minutes were up, you painstakingly set your freshly made takoyaki balls in front of everyone, with Sanji following closely behind and setting his plate beside yours.

The blonde chef sighed deeply as he rummaged through his pockets and fished out a lighter and cigarette. "That was the most frustrating cooking session I've had in a while," he muttered as he started to smoke.

"Was it? I didn't notice," you commented lightheartedly.

"It was like someone was sabotaging me, but I couldn't pinpoint one who and how." he sighed as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Wow!! These look so good!" Luffy exclaimed as he took a handful from your plate and Sanji's plate. He shoved the food straight into his mouth. "Dish ish shuper delishious!" he exclaimed with his mouth full.

"Idiot! You're supposed to try them one at a time!" Nami shrieked as her fist connected with the Strawhat's head, causing him to spit out his food.

Law gingerly took one from your plate and slowly munched on it. You silently gasped when you saw and made your way towards him.

"Captain, you hate anything with flour and bread! Why did you taste it?" you whispered.

He gave you a teasing look with his eyes. "Because you made it."

A blush appeared on your cheeks. The kitchen suddenly felt a little hot. 

Everyone cleaned out both plates in a matter of minutes. Then Kin'emon first spoke up.

"Man, it's so hard to choose, both of you make delicious takoyaki! But if I had to choose...Sorry (Y/n), I'd have to go with Sanji." he said.

Soon, everyone poured their votes in. In the end, Sanji still won the majority of votes even though you had assistance, much to your and Law's annoyance.

The crew soon broke out once the competition was over. You saw Law leave the kitchen as soon as the winner was announced, so you assumed that he was going to be mad for the rest of the day.

You and Sanji stayed behind to clean up the mess. The two of you worked in silence until Sanji spoke up. 

"Good game (Y/n)-Chan!" he said as he gave a small smile.

"Yeah, there was no way I could beat you, Sanji. Looks like I owe you a date?" you said with fake cheerfulness. 

The blonde cook stopped wiping the counters and faced you. "Actually, you don't have to go on a date with me," he announced.

Your eyes widened. "What? But you won!"

"Yeah, but I could see how uncomfortable you are with the idea. I don't want to force a lady into doing something she doesn't want to do," he explained. "I'll just give you a few of my favourite recipes. Sound fair?"

Your mood was immediately uplifted. You ran up to Sanji and gave him a bone-crushing hug and a peck on the cheek. "Thank you, thank you! You're the best, Sanji!" you squealed.

The poor chef was taken aback by your actions. His nose started to bleed once he realized that you kissed him, but you didn't care. You happily skipped out of the kitchen and made your way down to the deck when you stumbled into someone.

"Ow!" you yelped. Looking up, you saw that you ran into your tattooed captain, and you broke out into a large grin. "Captain!"

"(Y/n)-ya." he greeted. "Watch where you're going."

"Sorry, I'm just in a really good mood right now!" you giggled.

Law's expression darkened. "Oh? Is it because you're going on a date with the cook?" he brooded. He faced away from you, clearly bothered by the idea of you going on a date with someone else.

"Huh? No! He actually said I didn't have to! And he said he's going to give me some of his recipes! I can't wait to cook them for you and our crew!" you gleaned. 

The tattooed doctor's turned his head towards you and looked at you with hopeful eyes, even though his face remained neutral. "Is that so?"

"Yeah!" you exclaimed. You were so caught up in the moment that you giddily grabbed his cheeks with both of your palms and pulled him close to your face.

"(Y-Y/n)-ya! What-!" he exclaimed. Your sudden action had the poor doctor's heart and mind racing as he started to turn red from head to toe.

"Captain, I believe I owe you something." you cheekily declared.

"If you feel that way, then it's okay!" your brother's words relayed in your head.

You'd finally admit it. You're in love with your captain, Trafalgar Law.

"W-what- UMPF!"

Trafalgar Law was met with a soft pair of lips against his own. His grey eyes widened in shock once he realized that you had kissed him on the lips. You kissed him on his lips.

He swears that his heart is going to jump out of his chest. The number of times he's dreamed about initiating the first kiss between the two of you, but you had beaten him to his own game. 

You shyly pulled away and continued to cradle Law's cheeks. Your eyes shimmered with happiness as you looked into Law's shocked expression. He was still processing on what had just happened.

"You cheeky bastard, helping me cheat in that competition! You're so cute when you're jealous!" you teased.

Law couldn't bring himself to speak. His throat felt unbearably dry. 

You gave out a hearty laugh as you finally pulled away and started to make your way down the stairs to the deck.

Once you were gone, the tattooed captain clutched his chest and stumbled forward. Then, without even knowing, he started to laugh.

Luffy saw what had happened and walked up to the fellow captain. "Hey Traffy! Are you okay? Why are you so red?" he innocently asked. 

Law quickly recollected himself and covered his face with his tattooed hand. He refused to be seen as a lovesick teenage girl in front of others. He glanced at Luffy, who was still staring at him intently and sighed. "Your sister is going to be the death of me one day."

"Huh? Why would she kill you?" Luffy asked.

The doctor scoffed. "What I mean is... never mind."

"Ah, I think I know now. Don't worry. She told me everything. She said she wants to kiss you."

Law turned red once again. "She told you that?"

"Yeah, I don't know what it means, but all I know is that she really, really likes you!"

Law didn't respond. Instead, he started to walk away and head back into the guest quarters.

This mission he was on was imperative. It was important for him to focus and to put all his mind and soul into taking down Doflamingo. But yet he couldn't help but get sidetracked with you. And now that you've basically confessed to him, well...

He was actually okay with it. It just meant that he had to add a new plan.

A new plan to court you properly, even amongst the mess he was in. Because for him, that's what you deserved. 

-----

TAGLIST:

@hopelesslover06 @shakysif @eyes-ofhell @letmereadchristonabike @bi-narystars @valval08 @urbisexualfriend @emmaiscool22 @deathsmajestysworld @sp1ng @kitsunechan707 @orange-milky @whore-of-many-hot-men @acesdiary

[fireheartwraith]

While I was watching the anime I didn’t interact with the fandom at all because I didn't want any spoilers but now I am seeing a lot of posts about how toei changes scenes to make sanji look worse... i'm very curious to read the manga and see if my opinion of him improves

Me and Sanji have a very complicated relationship. I've mentioned this before but the one piece live action was my introduction to op and in that Sanji was my favorite character. I had heard that he was worse in the anime but i started it hopeful and willing to give him the benefit of the doubt since, as i said, he was my favorite character. And it was fine. What annoyed me the most wasn't his simping but actually his refusal to fight women because at times this would backfire on the rest of the crew, like in Enies Lobby.

And like, I don’t mind characters with a gag. Like, I do like Zenitsu and will defend him! But I hate Mineta. There is a difference between being a simp and being a sex pest.

And, in the anime, Sanji crossed the line for me and made me see the worse in his every action. To me, the line was crossed in thriller bark. At first, I really liked how he was protecting Nami when she needed help, but then he revealed that he was pissed because Absalom had ruined his dream of getting the clear clear fruit for himself and being able to sneak into women's baths. Absalom had assaulted Robin, drugged Nami and was trying to marry her by force and rape her, and here comes Sanji saying that he wanted to be just like him because he had watched Nami bathe while invisible. This was the moment that I started hating Sanji.

But I really lost my respect for him in Fishman Island. The whole thing with him having so many nosebleeds he was hemorrhaging was annoying but nothing unexpected of him. But what really pissed me off is when he told the mermaids "you are my all blue"

Really Sanji? I don't care if it was a joke. You would never hear any of the strawhats saying anything like that about their dreams. The fact that he could turn his dream into a joke and a pick up line signaled to me that his dream isn't that important to him, and made me lose any respect I still had for him.

Now I'm hoping that these scenes were made worse in the anime. Another thing that I noticed is that, among the strawhats with a clear goal, he is the only one who doesn't seem to be doing anything to achieve it. Obviously we constantly see Robin researching the poneglyphs, Usopp trying to become a brave warrior like the giants, Zoro is always trying to better his swordsmanship and obviously Luffy is always talking about how he will be King of the Pirates. But Sanji barely talks about wanting to find the all blue. We go hundreds of episodes without a peep from him. It feels less like his dream, his endgoal, and more like a sidequest he'll get to eventually

I can hate characters and still respect them (like Blackbeard until very recently), so this was just disappointing.

Let's see how he's like in the manga, I guess!

[zolo-san]

How can a boy (or a girl) win Zoros heart? 💋👀

So I think for Zoro, things that are important/attractive to him are all based on the persons personality

I think the person has to have a certain level of confidence and a drive to better themselves/have something that truly drives them This is something that he looks for and tries to encourage in his friends and allies as well I truly think that he joins Luffy mostly because he sees him as someone with a lot of confidence and a drive towards his goal We also see him take pretty quickly to Sanji, someone who on the surface (I have opinions on this that I'm not gonna get into here) seems very confident, and has a clear goal that he's working towards (I could write a whole other post on how I feel that Zoro originally trusted Sanji just based on the fact that Luffy trusted him and he trusts Luffy's judgment, but after fighting along side Sanji at Arlong Park, he actually got to know the type of man Sanji is and that's when he officially decided he liked him) We also see Zoro's tendency to encourage confidence and improvement in allies with his behavior towards Tashigi When Tashigi fist challenges Zoro, he doesn't back down, but fights her despite the fact that he definitely knows that he is leagues above her in skill - but who is he to squash that type of confidence and determination? Later in Punk Hazard we see him try to push her towards success again when he refuses to help her fight Monet even though he (and Tashigi for that matter) knows that he could end that fight 10x quicker than Tashigi can But he doesn't help because he wants Tashigi to do it herself He wants her to have the confidence that she can do it and to grow in skill to match that confidence (I think that this scene with Tashigi in Punk Hazard says a lot about Zoro's character tbh)

Another thing that I think is incredibly important to Zoro and would be something that he would look for in a partner is compassion and loyalty We continuously see Zoro take the time to be kind and compassionate towards other people despite being perceived as someone who is cold and violent by those who don't know him He himself is also an extremely loyal friend and one would assume he's be a loyal partner (who are we kidding this man would literally kill for his partner or die trying), so I think that type of loyalty would also be something that he would look for in a relationship

Something that I'd like to mention, however, is that I think that Zoro is also the type of person who would hate/never want to be saved idk, I just think that he's the one who prefers to help and save others (he's truly a protector at heart), but the idea of not being able to save himself or the potential of someone else getting hurt (or killed) trying to save him is something he can't stand I think this aspect of his character is best highlighted in Thriller Bark and Sabaody We quite literally see Zoro try to sacrifice himself and refuse to let Sanji "save him" during Thriller Bark (this is another topic I could on about forever: Zoro being afraid of loosing people, especially if he feels he wasn't able to do anything to help them, and Sanji being afraid of people leaving him and being more willing to die than let that happen) And then again, we see Zoro get frustrated and struggle to try to hold his own during their fight on Sabaody, not wanting to be "saved" by any of his friends to the point that he could have easily died Anyways...that's a bit of a side tangent but I think it is relevant to Zoro and relationships in general (also what is me answering these asks if not an excuse to force you all to read me stream of consciousness about these characters lol)

The last thing I want to add about Zoro and romantic relationships is that I think he would very much be the type of person who prefers subtly and private moments over big gestures and pda It's a canon fact that Zoro is a bit shy (owo 👉👈) and so he's probably not prone to large, loud displays of affection (we do see evidence in the small, quiet ways he shows he care for his crew mates) In a way, I think Zoro is a bit like a stereotypical Japanese man in that he's not likely to be overly forward about his emotions and would almost never speak them out loud in any direct way I think he shows affection mostly through actions (tho I have a hc that Zoro also just says the most poetic shit out of nowhere without even really realizing or thinking about it lol)

idk if that's what you were looking for anon, but it's what you got lol~

I'd also like to note that I do hc Zoro as both Gay and Demisexual So obviously that influences a lot of my views on him and romantic relationships especially the fact that I don't think that Zoro is ever looking for a relationship In fact, I think he has no interest in a relationship and doesn't give it much thought, but once he catches feelings it's like getting slapped in the face and he's just like "WTF is that allowed??????"

[hsrwife]

here's my one piece self insert with some minor changes from before! info is pretty much the same - which ik i havent shared here before but ive had them since FOREVER so!!! all the details can be found under the cut!

BASICS

Name: Julian Jay Species: Skypedian (hides it pre-timeskip) -- Epithet: "Smiling Stowaway" -- Bounty: 56,000,000 (first), 700,000,000 (current) Age: 18 (pre-timeskip), 20 (post timeskip) Pronouns: it/any Gender: Unlabeled Orientation: Queer (technically abro but doesn't care to label it) Height: 5ft 6in

PERSONALITY

PRE-TIMESKIP Julian is a snarky and sarcastic individual. Though not outwardly hostile, it's not considered the nicest person either. It jokes about everything, it doesn't take anything seriously, and sometimes it's attitude can get on the nerves of other people. Deep down it really care about those it loves, though, it just has trouble showing it. But with it's enemies? It's vindictive, hateful and angry - ready to fight whenever the opportunity arises.

POST TIMESKIP Julian had time to grow from it's previous self. The two years away from it's only friends had shown it just how much of a huge jerk it was being, and slowly but surely, it began to see the kindness around them in the world too. Such a perspective change practically changed it as a whole. Now optimistic and cheerful, it is much more open about it's care for others and have an open heart for other's situations as well.

COMBAT

weapon of choice: fists strengths: hard hitter & very good defense w/ devil fruit weaknesses: slow and can't dodge very well. devil fruit - rock rock fruit (iwa iwa no mi) the rock rock fruit allows the user to harderntheir skin, creating rock-like layers that act as both an extra layer of damage and a protective shield. -- pros: the rock-like layers are hard to penetrate with blades or bullets, making the user a very good tank. -- cons: the rock-like layers add weight, making the user incredibly slow to move. it also makes them susceptible to heat exhaustion if they don't crack the shell off for too long. the layers when removed can leave the skin tender and red, and is often painful to the touch.

BACKSTORY

Julian grew up on the streets on an island where a clear hierarchy was established between the authorities, the rich, and the poor. It doesn't remember how it got there or why it was there, all it remembered was the cold winter nights alone, bundled in whatever it could find. That was until a homeless man who it affectionately called 'Pa' took it under his wing.

Pa taught it everything it had to know about surviving in a cold, cruel space. He basically raised it from a child to a teen - that was until the authorities tracked him down and arrested him. They claimed he stole an ancient artifact from them. A prize locket that was fabled to be a clue to the One Piece. Julian was furious, knowing that it's adoptive father was innocent. So it began their search.

Eventually, after many break-ins and robberies, it finally found the culprit. A fellow marine who'd been there at the arresting of Pa. Presenting the evidence to the authorities, they wished to take it back - but it only would give it back if Pa was released.

That's when the marines revealed that Pa had died in prison. Sick, frail, hungry. They laughed in their face about how it probably was better for him than being on the streets as a poor man. Infuriated beyond belief, Julian smashed the locket into the ground and stomped on it, shattering it completely. Now not only a pathetic peasant, but a criminal in the eyes of the law, it ran away and hid in an idle ship - it hid until it set sail, and since then, it jumped from ship to ship, hiding in their stock and stealing their supplies for itself until eventually meeting their forever home: the Going Merry.

TRIVIA

it joins the strawhats after robin and before franky

it perceives objects with names, personalities, etc, but still recognizes that they're objects with no sentience -- they perceive zoro's swords with different personalities and likes one of them, is neutral with one, and hates another

pre timeskip julian is a smoker and often steals sanji's cigarettes

it ate the rock rock fruit on a ship it was hiding on, not realizing it was a devil fruit. it's fate was sealed that day /j

paired romantically with luffy, zoro, nami, usopp, sanji, robin, franky, jinbe, yamato (yes, all at the same time) paired familially with chopper (little brother), pa (father)

[usernameforaboredcat]

Things I DID Like About The One Piece Live Action

So, I’ve been getting a lot of hate for my most recent post about how I PERSONALLY didn’t like how they writ Sanji, and a lot of people are saying I hated it when I never said that like once.

SO since I “hate” it so much why don’t I tell y’all stuff I DO like so hopefully I stop getting yelled at and called a hater when I’m really not.

Let’s get started!

Inaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy

In only the nicest way possible, Inaki as Luffy has the same cutie patootie wide eyed idiot vibes as the original Luffy himself. “Idiot” being in quotation because he’s just goofy, Luffy is definitely one of the most emotionally intelligent characters in One Piece.

I love his wide eyed “IM SO EXCITED TO BE HERE” mentality until shit hits the fan and he gets serious when it comes to those close to him/his friends.

There isn’t a lot to say other than I did enjoy his performance as Luffy, and I’m excited to see more from him as an actor.

On that note as well check out The Imperfects, I liked that and it has out cutie Inaki.

Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro

A complaint I personally see is “he’s too serious”… have they SEEN the first couple of episodes or chapters of one piece? Yes, Zoro is goofy later on but he’s also serious, more importantly he’s serious in the beginning. Zoro was always serious, but he’s goofy depending who he’s with.

He’s not serious, per say, he’s closed off, much like another character I’ll talk about later. In the live action they removed Zoros two bounty hunter friends to assumably make Zoro more of a lone wolf and I like that, it show how much Kuinas death really effected him and his will to open up to people and make friends. Until he meets Luffy.

Zoro slowly opens up, it takes time to open up to people after loosing a friend and wanting to make more friends at risk of them dying as well. Especially his drinking scene with Nami at the Baratie, this goes for the both of them, but they’re both willing to opened up to another person and grow closer as friends, and I LOVED THAT!!

I hope Zoro does the foot clap in Drum Island.

Speaking of…

Emily Rudd as Nami

Loved, adored, I LOVE WOMEN!!!

Look I’m not biased because I’m an aggressive bisexual, I just like her a lot as Nami. Something little I love that they added for Nami is how nervous and on edge she is basically all the time, scared to fuck up or get caught because the dread of Arlong is always lingering over her.

The moments she does open up are few, but you can tell that the bricks to her thick built walls are slowly crumbling, like the dressing room scene in Kayas mansion, her scene with Kaya in her bedroom I think was an amazing add, the previously mentioned drinking scene at the Baratie with Zoro.

I can’t wait to see more from her.

Taz Skylar as Sanji Vinsmoke

Alright alright alright alright now I know what some of y’all are thinking, but PLEASE PLEASE HEAR ME OUT IM BEGGING 😭

I said the aspects I didn’t like, but I’m being positive and saying what I DO like about Sanji, so stop bullying me please.

I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I was instantly rizzed up, bite a chunk out of that WholeCake he’s packing, okay I’ll stop. But he’s still dashing, charming, and I do like his chemistry with Luffy in relating on “my father figure lost a limb for me” that was cute.

His love of cooking is there, his strength is there, and I like the little colder Sanji because his past still lingers with him and he’s being denied his true passion in life which is cooking.

And I wanna give a special shout out to Taz himself, getting a degree in cooking and training in kick boxing for his role as Sanji, true dedication to the role.

Are we all cleared up now? Has my hate train arrived at its station? Yes? Please?

Jacob Romero as Usopp

He’s a massive pussy and a charmer and I love it!

I’ve heard some people say the live action “fixed” Usopp because he’s less annoying, which…bro. He’s not annoying, he’s scared, I think ANY sane person would be scared doing half the shit they have to go through, I know I would be.

I wouldn’t say they fixed him, just saying he’s more composed. He’s a liar, he’s an actor essentially, and he plays that well.

Speaking of Usopp…

Usopp (Jacob Romero) & Kaya (Celeste Loots)

*inhail*…AAAAHHHHH!!!!!

I love them, adore, so cute, love and kisses and rainbows and glitter and roses and unicorns all around!

We all know that the fandom has shipped one woman with Usopp since day one and it was Kaya, their chemistry was there and with Usopp leaving to adventure with Luffy it seemingly held off and blue balled their relationship until later in the story.

Oda doesn’t write romance, but when he does it always goes hard!

Am I saying Usopp and Kaya are officially boyfriend and girlfriend? No, course not. But do I think it’s more motivation for Usopp to come back and survive to see the woman who loves him.

So sweet.

Morgan Davies as Koby (Coby?)

First of all, love the Aussie in the cast, me too the fuck! Plus, personally it was great to see him again in a franchise I love, the first movie I saw him in being in Evil Dead.

Anyway, if I had to admit, probably my personally favourite when it comes to manga, to anime, to live action. How nervous and skittish he is at the beginning, to becoming more confident in himself and his role as a marine are so well done, especially him already so early literally growing into his uniform, a sign of his growth later in the series.

I also love the little nod from Garp, since Koby used to work on a pirate ship he already knows how to man and take care of a ship, which gives him a level above other rookie marines.

They’ll probably push Garps group to the side in season two to focus more on Smoker and Tashigi, but I do hope to see Morgan again in season two.

Steven Ward as Mihawk

When I say perfect, I mean perfect. Chefs kiss even. As iconic as his intro in the anime and manga is, I don’t think it shows the true power of the title Warlord probably, I don’t think we see that till Crocodile, but even he got his ass beat by a 17 year old. Warlords are powerful and feared, and Mihawks introduced does that perfectly.

How carelessly and effortlessly he destroys an entire ship and it’s men and captain with ease, all because they woke him up from his nap. He may be called MiHAWK but he’s always been more like a cat to me personally. Plus, now that we’ve seen the power of a warlord, it’ll really hype up Crocodile for Season 2/3, especially for those who are live action only.

Side note, Steven was at the last con I was at, so sweet and lovely, please adopt me. I got him to sign my Crossguild poster it was epic, can’t wait to add Joe (Crocodile) and Jeff (Buggy)

Speaking of Buggy…

Jeff Ward as Buggy

The Buggy cult is real, some of y’all may remember the little Buggy in the bottom corner of Tumblr to promote the live action.

What I love most is how they terrifying they made Buggy. Less we forget this is the same man who fired a canon in a dudes face because he thought he said something about his nose in the manga. There’s also the clown phobia and the real life clown attacks back in I think 2016.

Buggy is both terrifying and hilarious and they pull that 50/50 amazingly. I love goofy Buggy, but I hope they keep how ruthless he is.

Also lemme suck that nose, ANYWAY!!!

Peter Gadiot as Shanks

(I reached my image/gif limit by the time I got to Shanks…ALSO THERES A LIMIT?!)

I don’t have a lot to say because he’s not on screen much, but I think that’s okay because Shanks appears like every ten years in real life in the anime like some cryptic.

But, he still kept that warm Shanks charm that he has that we all know and love from Shanks. And as Emily said herself, “Shanks is daddy” and I can’t agree more queen.

Shout Outs

These are for characters/performances that didn’t leave much of an impact on me personally but I still liked them.

Vincent Regan as Garp

Aiden Scott as Helmeppo

Ilia Isorelys Paulino as Alvida

Kathleen Stephens as Makino

McKinley Belcher as Arlong

Celeste Loots as Kaya

Alexander Maniatis as Captain Kuro

Craig Fairbrass as Zeff

Again, I really hope all this clears up my feelings for the live action, I never said I hated, not once, cause I never did.

It’s just like one piece itself, we all have bits and pieces we don’t like, from arcs to characters to designs to anything.

I like Skypia when many don’t, same with Thriller Bark. My friends don’t like Skypia or Thriller Bark. My friend likes Long Ring where I don’t.

We all have our own thoughts and opinions regarding one piece especially with it being such a huge series with so much.

I love one piece, and I’m not going to stop loving such a masterpiece.

[softxsuki]

💐Oh my! Someone's just confessed to you!! Who is this mysterious person and what do you say??💐

How Zoro Confesses

Pairing: Zoro x Fem!Reader

Warnings: none

Genre: Fluff

Post-Type: headcanons

Word Count: 710

Summary: In which Zoro "confesses" to you

[A/N: Is this an actual request? No, it isn't. Have I been craving to finally write for one piece? Yes, yes I have. So here it is. My official debut with my first writing for OP. AND I AM TAKING OP REQUESTS SO SEND THEM ALL MY WAY. At the moment I write for Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Ace, Shanks, and Law. As I continue to watch, I'l add more characters (if any stand out to me and inspire me to write) I'll update that on my 'who I write for' page linked on my navigation page. SO YES PLEASE SEND ME ALL YOUR OP REQUESTS I WANT TO WRITE FOR THEM MORE FREQUENTLY PLS. ]

Zoro:

Confession? Yeah you're not getting a direct confession from this guy--not happening

So how can you tell that this green-haired looker has a thing for you?

Lets just say his subtle acts over time definitely hint to it

It starts with small glances

His eyes seem to linger on you a little longer than necessary

When he walks into the kitchen for a meal with the crew, he finds himself looking for you first

Though he doesn't think much of it at first, and neither do you

You were close to Zoro as he was usually chill and you felt comfortable in his presence--though you couldn't deny the way your heart beat a little faster whenever he chose to sit next to you

Or the way you held your breath a little when he leaned slightly over you at the dining table to grab some food, his chest brushing against your face lightly

Zoro gets annoyed at himself when his ears get red whenever you playfully tease him

He hates the way his stomach knots up when he see's you too close to any of the guys on the crew, especially Sanji since he knows how bold the cook is with you

Whenever he says something you might find funny, he looks in your direction to see if he got a laugh out of you

These subtleties get a little more obvious and direct as even more time passes

When you arrive at a new island and the crew decide to split up to cover more ground, he volunteers to go with you, not giving curly-brows a chance to get his hands on you

He typically likes to be alone, but he can't help but enjoy your presence, so you find yourself having many naps with him on the Sunny

Your naps get cozier the more frequently they happen

They start with the two of you sat-up beside each other, and eventually his head or your head fall over onto the others shoulder

But eventually one of you uses the others lap as a pillow and sometimes Zoro can't help his curious fingers as they traverse the tresses of your hair, flinching away whenever you stir in your sleep

After a new months, you do everything together, from training, to washing dishes, napping, shopping, etc

It gets to the point where the crew always expect you to be together

So no, a verbal confession never does happen, you kinda naturally end up together

Perhaps Zoro gets fed up with Sanji one day and snatches you away from him with his ears flaring red and he yells profanities at the cook for always touching you and being close to you for no reason

Or it become obvious that you're a thing when you both glare at anyone who gets too close to the other for comfort

Yet you whenever you're close to each other it feels...right

Your hands brush each other as you walk side by side

Your thighs touch as you sit next to each other at dinner

God-forbid someone takes his self-proclaimed assigned seat beside you, he'd throw a fit

It isn't until one night at one of the many celebrations you all had that it becomes crystal clear how you both feel about each other

Zoro was drinking, like usual and was a little buzzed, but not completely drunk

He was watching you like usual as he drank, naturally protective of you and wanting to make sure no one took advantage of you

His heart beats a little faster as you approach him, a little buzzed yourself

You take the seat beside him and turn in his direction, but he's already looking at you

Your bodies seem to gravitate to one another and he can't help but close the remaining space between you as his lips crash onto yours

Without even thinking, your hands wrap around his neck and his own hands slither their way around your waist

He pulls aways flustered and flushed as usual, but downs another drink and you do that same as a small smile graces your lips

From that day forwards, kisses became more frequent between you whenever you were alone

But still, not a word was ever really said, it kinda just...happened :)

REQUESTS ARE OPEN :D

Posted: 6/13/2023

[macbethsymphony]

The Swordsman and the Blacksmith | Chapter 17

Roronoa Zoro x Reader

Chapter wc: 2.9k

Chapter rating: SFW

Content/Warnings: NSFW, 18+, Fem!Reader, Enemies to lovers, SLOW slow burn, Eventual smut

Summary: Your skills as a blacksmith have made you desirable to both the government and pirates. You know you have to leave this island if you want to escape your fate, but that doesn't make the choice of leaving any easier. Roronoa Zoro is intrigued by your skills as a blacksmith. Your work is like nothing he's ever seen before. Unfortunately, you're hot-headed and he's rude and you both definitely hate each other.

Chapters [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]

Masterlist

Slowly crossposting from AO3 Feel like binging the rest of it? it's all there!

Chapter 17: The Government’s Research, Part 2

“Have you guys had your first shift yet?” the baby-faced marine chirped, ignorant of the silent conversation and simmering hostility between you and the swordsman as he guided you through the maze-like corridors.

“Not yet,” you both replied in perfect unison, your voices tight in mock indifference.

The boy chuckled, his easy demeanor grating on your nerves. “Don’t worry about it, this post is pretty boring. Nothing ever happens here.”

You forced a polite smile, struggling to mask your growing impatience. “How long have you been stationed here?” you inquired, desperate to fill the awkward ambiance that hung between you.

“Almost as long as it’s been up,” he boasted, puffing out his chest with pride. “We’ve hit a breakthrough recently, so we’ve only just started to need new blood, you see.”

Zoro grunted noncommittally, his expression unreadable as he surveyed the surroundings with a detached air.

“Everyone here is pretty friendly,” the boy continued, his enthusiasm undimmed. “I’m sure you’ll love it.”

As he pushed open the door before him, your eyes narrowed against the brightness of the lights, a cacophony of chatter and laughter assaulting your senses. Marines were scattered throughout the space, their hands clutching bottles of alcohol, cards splayed before them, their voices raised in jovial conversation.

“Have you two been serving together for long?” The marine continued his array of questions, his gaze flitting between you and Zoro as he handed each of you a bottle from the crate he had just deposited on a nearby table.

“I suppose we have,” you replied on behalf of both of you, the swordsman already downing the contents with reckless abandon.

You twisted open your own bottle, taking a cautious sip as you tried to gauge the mood of the room.

“Ah, I knew it!” he exclaimed, his eyes alight with jollity. “The way the two of you talk, I figured it was either that or you were together.”

You choked on your drink, the amber liquid searing your throat as you struggled to suppress a coughing fit. Zoro gave you a sidelong glance, a ghost of a smirk threading his lips as he raised an eyebrow in silent amusement.

Coughing to clear your throat, you threw the swordsman an angry glare, hoping to convey your plea for him to play along. However, he seemed to be enjoying the situation far too much, his smirk growing into a full-fledged grin.

"You’ve got a great imagination, just serving together," you managed to choke out, praying the swordsman would take the hint.

His grin only widened, his eye sparkling with mischief as he leaned casually against the table. "Yeah, more like the constant thorn in my side," he remarked, his tone teasing.

You shot him a heated glare.

The marine laughed heartily at Zoro's comment, seemingly unfazed by the awkwardness of the situation. "Well, you two certainly make quite the pair," he observed jovially, oblivious to the tension crackling between you and Zoro.

Your scowl deepened, silently cursing him for his lack of cooperation. However, he merely shrugged in response, his grin unrepentant as he took another swig from his bottle.

Deciding to change the subject before things became even worse, you turned your attention back to the boy. "So, what kind of breakthrough did you guys have?" you asked, hoping to steer the conversation away from your supposed relationship with the swordsman.

The marine's eyes lit up with excitement as he launched into an animated explanation of the recent advancements made at the research facility. Something about haki you couldn’t quite understand through the flow of scientific words he threw at you. As he spoke, you couldn't help but feel a sense of unease gnawing at the pit of your stomach. The whole situation just didn't sit right with you.

It was then, the boy started to enthusiastically talk about steel and the process of infusion with haki. Your spine grew cold, blood draining from your face. You noticed the swordsman’s fingers casually shifting to the swords at his side as he put down the bottle in his hand on the table.

"What about the impact on the test subjects?" you couldn’t help but ask, the cacophony of activities around you suddenly feeling muffled as panic threatened to overcome you.

The boy's expression darkened, but the cheer in his voice didn’t waver, sending a cold shiver down your back. "They die," he said simply, his tone chillingly matter-of-fact. "We use prisoners from Impel Down. They usually last a few months, one even did for a year."

As the marine spoke, the implications of his words sank in like a lead weight in your stomach. Your heart dropped, the casual disregard for human life made you want to retch. Disgust coursed through you as you struggled to maintain composure in the face of such callousness.

Unbeknownst to you, Zoro's grip tightened on the pommel of his sword, his jaw clenching in silent fury. You barely registered his hand on your shoulder as you asked with a forced smile, "How long have you been studying this?"

"Five years," he answered nonchalantly, entirely unknowing of your distress. The din faded to a ringing in your ears, your surroundings feeling distant and unreal. "I heard we’ve found someone who can replicate what we do here," the boy continued, his voice prattling on. "Once we get them, we believe we’ll be able to figure out how the process really works, even start an actual production line."

You swayed slightly, the only thing keeping you in place the swordsman’s firm grip on you.

"That's... quite the operation you have here," you remarked, your tone carefully neutral as you struggled to maintain a facade of normalcy. "It must be fascinating to be involved in such groundbreaking research."

The boy's eyes sparkled with pride. "Oh, it's absolutely thrilling!" he exclaimed, his zealousness undimmed. "We're on the cutting edge of science here, pushing the boundaries of what's possible. It's an honor to be a part of it.”

You nodded, your expression carefully crafted into one of polite interest. "I can imagine," you replied, your voice infused with forced enthusiasm. "It must be incredibly rewarding to see your hard work paying off."

The boy's eyes gleamed with anticipation as he extended an offer. "Would you like to see?" he asked, reaching for a concealed knife at his side.

You accepted the offering wordlessly, taking the blade in your hand and unsheathing it. The craftsmanship was amateurish at best, the balance slightly off, and the edge not as sharp as it should be. Yet, there was something unsettling about the black steel, something that sent a shiver down your spine as your fingers grazed its surface.

Sorrow, pain, despair flooded your senses, emanating from the very metal itself. It was as though the blade carried a mass of suffering, a burden too heavy to bear. It wanted to die. You glanced back up at the marine, a mixture of discomfort and apprehension flickering in your gaze.

"Marvelous, isn't it?" he questioned eagerly, unaware of the mayhem stirring within you.

You hesitated for a moment, feeling the weight of the knife in your hand, the echoes of its silent plea haunting your thoughts. Despite the unease gnawing at your gut, you managed to muster a small smile, nodding in agreement with the young man's enthusiastic remark.

"Indeed, it's quite impressive," you replied, your voice masking the turmoil brewing beneath the surface. "The craftsmanship is... unique."

The boy beamed with pride at your response. "I'm glad you think so!" he exclaimed, his excitement palpable. "We've been making great strides in our research, and this is just the beginning."

As he spoke, an unnerving feeling of foreboding settled over you like a suffocating fog, blurring your surroundings. Every instinct urged you to flee, to escape the oppressive atmosphere of the marine base and its ominous secrets. But you fought to maintain your composure, unwilling to risk drawing attention to yourself or jeopardizing the your crewmates by revealing your fury and revulsion.

With a forced smile, you returned the knife to the marine, relieved to be rid of its weight in your palm. "Thank you for showing me," you said politely, your words tinged with a hint of urgency. "I'm feeling a bit unwell," you added, swaying slightly from side to side. "Please excuse me."

Turning away in a daze, you sought the exit, only to feel the marine's fingers grasp the hem of your sleeve, his eyes hopeful. Before you could react, Zoro's hand moved with lightning speed, swatting the boy's hold from you.

"I wouldn't leave if I were you, (Y/n)," the young man warned, his tone carrying a chilling edge.

A wave of unease washed over you as the realization dawned that this encounter was not a coincidence. He had known all along. The bottle in your hands slipped through your fingers, hitting the floor and shattering loudly.

You turned to face him, your voice trembling slightly as you spoke. "I never gave you my name," you said dumbly, a note of confusion coloring your sentence.

The marine's smile faltered for a fraction of a second, a discerning glint in his eyes. "Did you think I wouldn't recognize the object of my research?" he replied, his innocent tone thinly veiling the menace of his words.

You flinched, a cold knot forming in the pit of your stomach as Zoro stepped in front of you, beginning to unsheathe Wado Ichimonji, his movements deliberate and threatening.

"Oh, please, there's no need for violence," the marine interjected, his hands raised in a placating gesture. "I'm sure we can find a way to resolve this peacefully."

As if on cue, the lights overhead flickered to a menacing shade of red. A low rumble pulsated through the floor, causing the ground to tremble beneath your feet. Then, a deafening announcement crackled to life over the speakers, reverberating ominously in the room.

"Intruders on level 3." It kept on repeating.

The voice snapped you out of the terror of your mind, fury filling you with a vengeance. "Resolve this peacefully?" you shrieked, cutting through the tension like a knife.

The marine's tsk echoed in the atmosphere, annoyance replacing the false cheerfulness that had adorned his features moments before.

Your eyes settled on Uragiri, tightly held in place at the swordsman’s side. It seemed to call to you in that moment. It was only fitting that the sword that started it all would be the one to end it. You were suddenly grateful to the swordsman for having brought it along.

“Swordsman,” you shouted over the commotion. “Pass me Uragiri.”

Zoro turned to you, his gaze narrowing at your command, his expression hardening at your resoluteness. Without a word he slipped out your sword from the complex knots at his side.

He granted you the blade, a steely glint dancing in his eye. “You going to do something stupid, witch?” he asked grip still tight on the scabbard.

You gave the swordsman an annoyed glance, eyes flickering between him, the marine before you and Uragiri. “Do you care?” You queried.

“Not really, no.” He relented with a scoff, releasing the sword to your hands.

You took in a breath, savoring the way your haki merged with the steel in an almost intoxicating sensation. You and Uragiri hadn’t seen eye to eye in years. The blade a reflection of the hopeful girl that had died years ago but it was perfect for what you wanted to do in this moment. It longed to please, craved to be useful.

“I’m no government dog,” you said to the marine as you synchronized your Haki with the steel's eager pulses of power, their harmonious resonance sending shockwaves through the soldiers before you. They fell like leaves in the wind, rendered unconscious.

You eyed the dagger that had clanged to the floor in the commotion. You silently picked it up, unable to ignore its plea. “We need to leave,” you declared, turning to the swordsman, handing him Uragiri back and briskly making your way out of the room.

“Show me how to do that,” he demanded, trailing behind you.

A faint smile tugged at the corners of your lips, a pleasant distraction from the turmoil of your mind. “Where's the fun in that?” you teased.

He scoffed in response.

“Well, maybe if you ask nicely,” you relented, your words punctuated by another tremor coursing through the ground.

You panted, metallic taste in your mouth as you tried to keep up with the swordsman before you. “Turn left,” you yelled at the man, running with all your might.

"You're too slow!" Zoro's voice echoed down the corridor, cutting through the tense atmosphere of the marine base. With a swift motion, he circled back towards you, effortlessly hoisting you over his shoulder.

"What are you doing? Put me down!" you protested, squirming in his grasp.

"Shut up, this isn't the time to argue," he shouted back, his tone urgent as he took a quick turn.

"We're going the wrong way!" you bellowed at him, your heart pounding in your chest. "I said turn left! Do you not even know your left and right?" you panicked, frustration bubbling up inside you as you struggled to maintain your composure in the labyrinthine corridors of the marine base.

“No! No! NO!” You heard Nami and Usopp’s shrill screams down the hall. They passed both you and the swordsman not stopping in their tracks, “RUN!” they called back to you in unison.

Zoro skidded to a halt, the abrupt motion causing your face to fall painfully against his back. “Follow them! And be careful, would you,” you hissed angrily with a weak punch.

His grip tightened on your upper thigh with a force that bordered on excruciating. “Don’t order me around,” he shot back, his voice laced with irritation as he begrudgingly complied to your instructions.

“Nami! Usopp!” you called out as you reached them, urgency in your voice. “What’s wrong?”

“This place is going to collapse!” Nami yelled, her words frantic as she expertly navigated the corridors.

“HUH?!” You and Zoro exclaimed simultaneously, the shock evident in your tone as the gravity of the situation sank in.

“What happened? What about the others?” questions flowed out of your lips.

“Luffy happened,” Usopp shouted between loud screams.

“The others are on their way out” Nami said skidding sharply at the intersection. “Different exit.”

Nami took a few quick turns, everyone following her. The familiar ladder growing visible at the end of the hallway.

The navigator reached it first, wasting no time in starting her ascent. Usopp tailed closely behind, his movements swift despite the fear etched on his face.

Zoro put you down unceremoniously. “Up,” he commanded, his voice urgent and authoritative.

“Don’t order me around,” you snapped at him, feet clanging hastily on each rung.

As you climbed, with Zoro slightly behind you, the ground beneath trembled with increasing intensity, threatening to swallow you whole at any moment.

Your hand reached the top, fingers digging into the wet earth as you lifted yourself out of the metal confines. You struggled for breath, heart pounding in your chest as adrenaline surged through your veins. With a final effort, you heaved over the edge, only to collapse face first into the dirt, the coolness a welcome relief against your overheated skin.

“You alright?” The swordsman inquired standing over you as you turned to lie on your back. You gave him a scowl choosing not to answer his question. You extended your hand silently asking for help. He pulled you up without difficulty.

“Are all of your stops this fucking dangerous?” You complained, dusting your jumpsuit.

The trio before you laughed heartily, happy to be alive.

“Get used to it,” Nami uttered between chuckles.

The way back to the Thousand Sunny proved arduous but uneventful. Your fingers clenched tightly around the stolen knife, indifferent to the sharp sting as its blade sliced through your skin, leaving tiny droplets of blood to stain the earth below. Zoro cast a concerned glance in your direction, his silent worry palpable in the furrow of his brow, yet he refrained from intervening. The pain, though unwelcome, served as a poignant reminder of the harrowing revelations that had transpired within the confines of the underground research facility.

Robin, Brook, Sanji, and Luffy arrived a few hours later than you, their hair tousled and streaks of ash marring their faces. As they approached, Robin handed you a stack of binders, her voice tinged with exhaustion as she explained, "It's their research. I wasn't sure if you'd like to look at it."

You accepted the binders with a nod of gratitude, but there was an unusual uncertainty in Robin's eyes that didn't go unnoticed. Flipping through the pages rapidly, you felt your heart sink at the contents you deciphered, the blood draining from your face as you absorbed the grim reality laid out before you.

"Are you alright?" Robin asked, her voice laced with concern as she observed your reaction.

You didn't answer immediately, your gaze averting from hers as you closed the cover of the binder. The weight of the information pressed heavily upon you, leaving you speechless in its wake.

As the sun dipped low on the horizon and the ship set sail for its next adventure, you couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered within you. Your fingers grazed against the cursed steel of the knife at your side, longing to leave behind the horrors you had uncovered as easily as the ship had departed from the island.

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Masterlist

[zosan-secondchances]

The Pirate King of the North: Part 14

Main Themes: V̷̨͈̘̻̂i̴̗̯̅͒l̸̳̾l̶̲̣͈̉̎͊ä̷̧̭̫̘ḯ̵̜̯̬̜͚̓̀̽n̶̛͚̦̯̈́̄̍͜ ̴͎̭͎̄͜Ś̶̲͆̈́̋ạ̵̢̉ń̵̨̘̲̫̮̎j̶̻̮̝̳̐̊͑͠͝ͅǐ̴̝̱, Alternate Universe, Zosan Ship

Warning: Long post ahead and some One Piece spoilers. Contains strong language and explicit content.

Part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 (Special) | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22

All eyes fell on Sanji as the trio are led inside and through the city, escorted by Wyper and a handful of the God's Guards. Normally, entering any form of settlement involves the occasional parade that his people would arrange for him in countries that allied to Germa. For those that aren't, he wears a hood to cover himself with for a discreet way in. This was different. It was the middle of the day and he was in chains with no way to protect his identity.

The frightened citizens whisper suspiciously among each other. Those who are along the stone path part way for them, while some hurriedly carry their young ones inside their houses and lock their doors and windows behind them. From an outsider's perspective, it looks like he'd been arrested and is sent on a humiliating march through the city. Sanji felt exposed and vulnerable. He considers turning around while the exit is closeby.

The weight and the cold temperature of the chains doesn't help. He feels the urge to tear the bloody things off his wrist, and hopes to get their business with Gan Fall out of the way so they can leave and take the restraints off him as soon as possible.

A wave of uneasy pain surges through his body as he sees a flash of Doflamingo's wide grin appear in front of him again. He resists the instinct to flee and focuses on the sensations of his feet, placing one foot forwards one step at a time. Not wanting to be alone, he steels his heart and commits. He tries to keep calm and stay emotionless, knowing that his every move is being watched behind the citizens’ judgemental eyes.

Wyper glances next to him and notices his discomfort. He clears his throat to get his attention.

Wyper 

It's not a long walk to see God. I've sent word ahead to get a place ready for you lot to sleep in–if you're staying for the festival.

Sanji curiously blinks at him, feeling relieved and comforted at the hospitality being offered to them.

Sanji

Thanks, but that's not up to me. Run it through with Trafalgar Law.

Wyper 

Aren't you in charge? Being Pirate King and all.

Sanji mildly chuckles.

Sanji

That title doesn't mean shit to me. I'm just trying to help out a friend.

Wyper raises a brow.

Wyper

Aren't you trying to recruit pirates under your rule to wage war against the Celestial Dragons and take over the world?

Sanji

Now that's an idea. But where the hell did you hear that from?

Wyper 

The papers.

Sanji

The pa–?! Okay, first off, don't believe everything you read from that. I think Morgans hate me for not signing off the rights to use our image to make his silly comics.

Wyper

Morgans?

Sanji

Have you not heard his name? He's in charge of printing out that poor excuse of a newspaper.

Wyper shrugs, looking unbothered.

Wyper 

Don't care about who runs it. We just need the information to know what's going on around the world.

Sanji

You should very much care! You said that I'm not bad in real life–your words, not mine! What does that tell you about the stuff you read?

Wyper 

That you're a sneaky bastard, probably.

Sanji gasps sarcastically and throws his hands to cover his mouth.

Sanji

You might have just figured me out, Wyper of the God's Guards.

The warrior lets out a small lighthearted chuckle, feeling a bit proud of himself. After a brief pause, Wyper speaks.

Wyper

Hey uh…what’s a “comics”?

They proceed to discuss the topic of entertainment and other content in the WENP for the next five minutes of their walk. Zoro notices their banter from a short distance behind them, walking alongside the doctor who's quietly paying attention to their surroundings.

Then he sees it–that big stupid smile that Sanji brings out that he loves so much. The blonde laughs at something that Wyper had told him, making Zoro scowl. Watching the two of them get along should bring him some comfort that his friends are getting along, but for some reason, this interaction makes him want to hurl the warrior over the valley of the city so he can take his place.

Law

Interesting…

Zoro

Tch.

The swordsman grumpily crosses his arms and tears his gaze away from the two. Desperate for a distraction, he entertains Law.

Zoro

What's interesting?

Law

Wyper is relaxed around the Pirate King.

Zoro

So?

Law

So…look.

Law nods his head towards the crowd who are eyeing them. While the people still part to give way along the path, none of them are running back into their houses. Some have simply glanced towards them and paid them no mind, continuing on their day as usual.

Law

With our God's Guard friend at ease, people seem to be more tolerable of our presence now. At least they're not running away anymore.

The swordsman mumbles grumpily under his breath and glances back to Wyper and Sanji. The blonde looks over his shoulder and meets his eye. Zoro flinches and quickly looks away shyly. He feels the temperature around his face rise.

As they arrive at an open clearing with hundreds of Shandian teepees scattered through the field, one of Wyper’s men runs from behind them to stride alongside the warrior. He leans over and cups his hand to whisper something in his ear. They slow down their walk until they stop. Everyone follows.

Wyper

Ah…that’s a shame.

Wyper waves a hand to dismiss the guard who salutes and runs off. He turns his attention to Zoro.

Wyper

Zoro, I was hoping to have a surprise for you, but unfortunately it didn't quite work out.

Zoro

A… surprise…?

Wyper

One of the other Straw Hats–Nico Robin–was here to study ancient ruins and some of our relics.

Zoro

Robin's here? Why didn't you tell me sooner?!

Wyper

She was. I was too focused on the immediate threat–

Sanji raises an unimpressed brow towards him. Wyper clears his throat to correct himself.

Wyper 

Immediate… situation.

Zoro

So where is she now? What did you mean when you said it didn't work out?

Wyper 

Apparently she'd been gone for at least a week now. I thought she'd at least say goodbye so we didn’t know that she’d already left.

Zoro

Do you know why?

Wyper shrugs his shoulders.

Wyper 

No. Sorry.

Zoro sighs in disappointment as he remembers Nami's advice to keep in touch more often. What he would do right now to be in the presence of someone familiar who he can truly trust. If he had spoken to Robin earlier, maybe she could have told him her current whereabouts and that she could have stayed a bit longer to see him.

Now of all times would be the perfect time to gather allies. He considers reaching out to Luffy to see if they can reunite the Straw Hats to take down Doflamingo for Sanji's sake.

Wyper

All I know is that she was here to learn more about our ancient civilization and the island's Poneglyph.

Zoro

I see. That does sound like her.

Wyper 

I like your new ship by the way. The other one had charm but–

Zoro

THE SUNNY WAS HERE?!

Wyper 

Do you not know where your crewmates are? I thought you knew from what you told me earlier.

Zoro

I guess I don't know as much as I thought I did.

Was anyone else with her?

Wyper

Err…some big metal guy with blue hair? Fran-something or other. They seem close.

Zoro groans out loud, beating himself up for missing out yet another friend he could have caught up with.

Zoro

Franky….

Wyper

That's the one.

Let's continue this conversation inside. We've arrived.

Wyper approaches one of the teepees–while it’s made of the same material and is decorated similarly compared to the other dwellings, it’s slightly bigger than the rest. He pulls back the piece of canvas to reveal an opening for them to enter through.

Sanji expected a temple or a palace of sorts–a place fitting for a “God” as they called their leader. He was surprised at how humble the home looked from the outside and the inside. Near the entrance, there is a dedicated sleeping area with a stack of pillows and blankets over a fur rug, and at the far side there are small wooden shelves and drying racks stocked with essential food ingredients.

Sitting in the middle of the small dwelling is an old man with a long beard wearing a well crafted full body metal armour. He has a large platter of various fresh fruits on a wide tree stump table in front of him. Next to him is a winged woman with blonde hair and two orbs sticking out of it which look like her antennas. She looks like she's in the middle of feeding the older man a piece of fruit from the platter using a small fork.

Wyper walks after Zoro, Sanji and Law, squeezing into the small cloth tent. He stands by the far side and takes a small bow.

Wyper 

Old man…we talked about this. Why are you in full armour?

Old Man

Old habits die hard I'm afraid.

You've brought guests!

Wyper

Yes, I sent a message ahead. Didn't you get it?

Woman

We got it, but…

Oh my, is that you–Zoro?!

The woman hurriedly drops the utensil and scrambles up on her feet. She runs to the swordsman, giving him a big and tight hug.

Zoro pats her head and grins widely.

Zoro

Conis. It's been years.

The winged woman releases him and places her hands on her chest. She gives him a warm-hearted smile.

Conis 

I never thought I'd see you again!

Zoro turns to the old man and gives him a courteous bow.

Zoro

Gan Fall. It's good to see you.

From what I hear though, should we be addressing you as something else?

Gan Fall stands on his feet, albeit unsteadily until the blonde woman catches him and holds him up by the arm.

Conis

Careful!

Gan Fall

Ah, the world's greatest swordsman–Roronoa Zoro!

Are these your friends? Please, join us!

Conis carefully guides the old man back to sit in front of the tree stump table and settles herself next to him. Zoro stands aside so Law and Sanji can take his place standing in front of Gan Fall.

Wyper

God, these are Zoro's companions, Trafalgar Law and the Pirate King of the North. They're both from the North Blue.

Law and Sanji take turns bowing to Gan Fall as their names are called.

Gan Fall

You've come a long way!

No need to be so formal, Wyper. Sit! Sit! Any friend of Zoro’s is a friend of ours.

Wyper gestures for the trio to follow. They sit on the pillows and rugs laid around the tree stump. The sounds of the restraints clinking from Sanji's wrists catch the old man's attention.

Gan Fall

Oi, why's this one in chains?!

Wyper

He's the one who destroyed the sacred site just outside Upper Yard.

Gan Fall

Aha! Oh, that old thing. Don't worry, the grass will grow back. And those old ruins aren't of much use. We need to expand the city anyway. It's getting awfully crowded in the valley. Also, they're a sight for sore eyes! Good riddance, I say!

Wyper 

Gan Fall!

Sanji had felt nervous meeting their “God”, not wanting to become enemies so quickly with another country's leader. While he'd normally have more confidence introducing himself to new folks, the guilt of his earlier actions, among other things, have taken a significant impact on his morale. After hearing the old man's words, however, he felt a heavy weight off his shoulders. He returns his kindness with a bow.

Sanji

You're too forgiving, Your Highness.

Gan Fall

But your name is too long–Pirate North something or other–what can I call you?

Sanji chuckles in a deep low voice. He closes his eyes and opens them after a brief pause.

Sanji

I like you, Your Grace. Just call me S–

Gan Fall

Northy! That's easier to remember than...what–King North of the Pirates! And please, Just “Gan Fall” will do. Or Grandpa–like a lot of the other kids do! Haha!

Sanji

Sss…sure.

Zoro blinks at Sanji, then turns away with a grumpy pout,  frustrated at missing out an opportunity to potentially learn the man's true name. He tells himself that at least he has another clue now.

Wyper sits himself next to Zoro. The warrior leans over and whispers to him.

Wyper 

Err…Zoro, the Sky Knight that you remember may not be the same as before…. His memory hasn't been… reliable.

Zoro quietly nods in acknowledgement, feeling pity for the old man. When he looks up, Conis is plating various fruits from the platter and distributing them around the table.

Gan Fall

Eat! Eat! Don’t wait for my account. You must be weary from the journey.

…So to what honour do we owe the greatest swordsman and his friends?

Zoro rubs the back of his neck awkwardly.

Zoro

I'm not…the greatest swordsman. Not yet anyway.

Gan Fall

Nonsense! You are in our eyes, young man. You took part in saving the entire country from a tyrannical rule. What more can be greater than that? I wouldn't be here if it weren’t for your efforts. Don’t forget that.

Zoro stares at him blankly. He'd genuinely hoped to have returned to Skypiea with the title officiated but Gan Fall's statement left him flattered. Speechless, he smiles warmly at him and starts digging in on his food.

Sanji smirks at Zoro's reaction, feeling happy to see that someone else agrees with him that he’s already the greatest of all swordsmen. He pulls out a cigarette. As he was about to light it, the old man held his hand up.

Gan Fall

Ah-ah. We don't do that here, Northy.

Sanji

Oh–sorry. How rude of me…. I should have asked first. I'll–

Gan Fall

We do this here! Bwahaha!

Gan Fall shuffles around in his waistband and procures a small enclosed bag, tossing it onto the table in front of the blonde. It falls open, revealing buds with a distinct strong scent that Sanji is too familiar with. With his other hand, he leans over and grabs one of the long wooden pipes leaning on a nearby shelf and begins stuffing its chamber with the contents from the bag. Sanji grins widely and turns to Zoro.

Sanji

Oh, I definitely like him.

Conis

Gan Fall!

Gan Fall

What? It's time for my medication! And in my house, we share!

—

Gan Fall's home has a layer of cloudy smoke inside after a couple of hours catching up. The group had become more loose and relaxed under the exposure of Gan Fall's “smoking ceremony”. The swordsman had politely declined on taking a puff but he's happily sharing a large jug of sake with Wyper. Sanji had finally caught up on food that he's skipped for the entire day, and Law felt more energised having directly shared some of Gan Fall's “medication”. “For research,” the doctor insists.

Sanji

Old man, this hits different. Where do you get your stock?

Gan Fall

Hah! As if I'd tell you. If you want to take some home, forget it. You'd just have to visit me more often! Haha!

He leans over and whispers in Sanji's ear…loudly.

Gan Fall

Because you know…I grow them myself. I got a little garden behind some tall corn stalks so Conis can’t find–

Conis

I heard that!

Gan Fall

Let me have my fun, woman!

Conis and Zoro eventually fall into a conversation about the good old days and their recent doings. She proudly shared news of her position as a waitress in a local establishment called the Pumpkin Cafe. She welcomes the trio to come down any time for a treat, to which Zoro promises to drop by at some point.

After a while, Gan Fall finally turns to Law to continue their conversation about Corazon.

Gan Fall

The Marines, huh? We don't get a lot of those up here. They invite trouble.

Wyper nods on the side in agreement as he takes a swill from the jug of sake.

Law

So I've been told.

Corazon may have not dressed like one. He has shaggy blonde hair, wears distinct makeup–wide red lipstick, dark blue spiky shapes on one side of his face–does any of that ring a bell?

Gan Fall

A…bell? Oh! Wyper, is it time?!

Wyper

No, that's not what he meant…we don't ring the other bell until tonight. Trafalgar Law here is asking about a Marine, Corazon…remember?

Gan Fall runs a hand down his beard, thinking carefully.

Gan Fall

Hmm… Corazon… hmm….

Oh, is that one of our saviors, Roronoa Zoro?!

Conis takes a sharp breath in. Zoro blinks at him and sets his jug of sake down.

Conis

Alright, I think you're overdue for your afternoon nap, God. Please–

Gan Fall

Nonsense! We have to entertain our guests!

Conis

Oh…

Sanji takes a long puff from their shared pipe and sets it down on the table gently. He breathes out and eyes the old man up and down. With a gentle voice, he speaks.

Sanji

You were just saying you wanted a nap, Gan Fall.

Gan Fall stares at him.

Gan Fall

Oh, of course! Of course.

Law

But…

Wyper stands abruptly.

Wyper

I was afraid of this… Law, we can try asking more about your Marine friend again tomorrow.

Gan Fall

Wait!

Everyone stills and looks at the old man.

Gan Fall

I don't know about a “Corazon”, but there was a group of Marines that came down here a long time ago. Around thirty years ago, I think. Troublesome bunch. They’re not the first of the navy to visit, but that lot in particular stuck to me…. I think one of them was prone to fire.

Law

F–fire…?

Gan Fall

Yes. I saw the whole thing. This tall handsome man was just trying to light up his cigarette but he somehow spontaneously combusted into flames.

Law

That’s him!

Gan Fall

Hah! Your friend is quite clumsy isn’t he?

…Oh yes, I think it’s coming back to me now!

Gan Fall continues to run his hand over his long beard and closes his eyes, thinking deeply.

Gan Fall

Well, that man was kind enough from what I saw, but the others…they wanted to take and weaponise Nola! The poor girl. They drove her out of her own home to try to capture her. That or they just wanted to study the burrow where she was born. No one has ever stepped foot in there and come out alive, not to our knowledge…. It is said to be home to the “heart” of Sky Island.

Law

Nola… the giant snake?

Gan Fall

Don't worry, she's completely harmless! You're free to visit her old burrow if you wish.

Mind you…I don’t know what lurks in the old girl’s burrow anymore…. Tread carefully.

Sanji

Marimo, do you think your archeologist friend may have checked it out?

Zoro

I honestly wouldn’t know.

Wyper

I didn’t even know of its existence until just now….

Gan Fall

You wouldn’t know where it is unless you know what to look for.

At that, Gan Fall stands. He walks around weakly and kneels in front of Law who sheds a nervous sweatdrop on the side of his brow. The old man reaches out and points a finger onto his chest.

Gan Fall

Whatever you find in there, please, take good care of it.

Law

"It"? Do you have a clue what we'll find?

Gan Fall gives him a warm smile and stands. When his legs wobble, Conis runs and holds his arms stead just in time.

Gan Fall

Something…ancient. If it’s still there.

If you’re destined to find it, you will reach it. Follow the path of the rainbow serpent.

Oh and uh…

The old man turns his gaze to Sanji.

Gan Fall

I'll trust you to keep the bag. The effects should wear off in a couple of hours…unless you have another way of sobering up. Hah!

At that he winks at the blonde and turns away, walking towards the pile of beddings where Conis gently sets him down to rest. Wyper takes one last swill from the jug of sake before clearing his throat.

Wyper

What's it to be, Trafalgar Law? Are you staying?

Law turns his gaze to the swordsman who shrugs.

Zoro

The festival could be fun if you're up for it. Unless….

Zoro and Law both look at Sanji who is stuffing his pocket with the bag that Gan Fall had left him.

Sanji

What?

Zoro

The longer we stay here, the longer you have to put up with those…things.

He nods towards the chains between the blonde's wrists.

Sanji

Y'know, the smoking ceremony made me forget about the stuff. I feel lighter.

Zoro

You’re just…okay with them now?

Sanji

I didn’t say that…. It just makes it more…bearable, I suppose.

Law

So you don't mind if we stay longer?

Sanji

I didn't say that either… but…

He looks down worriedly, trying to think of where Niji may be. What he needs is time to gather his thoughts and somehow find a way to sneak out by himself to look for his brother.

Sanji

I…guess there’s no reason not to stay?

He forces a smile, trying to hide his ever increasing anxiousness.

The doctor sighs and turns to Wyper.

Law

We'll stay but leave at first light.

Wyper 

Good. I'll show you to your hut.

—

Wyper escorts the trio towards an isolated side of the city within the perimeter of the valley. The area opens up to an untouched jungle with a small hut in the middle of a clearing. When they arrive inside, they find their belongings already transported and piled neatly in a corner of a cozy living area.

Wyper

It's a little off from town but I figured you'd want some quiet.

Zoro

Thanks Wyper. We appreciate it.

Wyper

I’m required to return to my duties but if you need me, I’ll be in the city.

Law

Thanks.

Zoro-ya, Mr. Prince-ya, I need to contact the Polar Tang to check on my crew. Don’t bother me or do anything dumb while I’m busy.

At that, Law grabs his pack and hurries into a room closest to the exit then locks the door behind him.

Zoro hoists his own bag over his shoulder and bends over to pick up Sanji's out of habit. Upon remembering that there’s no longer a reason to sleep together in the same room, he stops. He stands and takes the farthest room without a word, avoiding eye contact.

Wyper 

Uh…Zoro, that's the bathroom.

Zoro

I KNEW THAT!

Zoro shyly shifts into the room next to it and slams the door behind him.

Sanji chuckles and walks over to his own bag. Wyper eyes him and rubs the back of his neck, hesitant to say something.

Sanji

I assume that I’m not allowed to take a break from these?

He holds up his wrists and shakes the shackles side to side, showing Wyper what he's referring to.

Wyper

Sorry, you’re still within the city boundaries. I know you like Gan Fall but if you noticed, he didn't tell me to remove them from you.

Sanji groans.

Sanji

I did notice, actually. I just…

His eyes glance towards the swordsman’s room.

Wyper

What?

Sanji

It’s kinda hard to change with it on.

Wyper

Oh… in that case…

Wyper takes a step forward, nearly closing the distance between them.

Sanji

Woah–wait, wait, wait. What are you doing?

Wyper

I’m taking them off for the moment so you can change your clothes.

Sanji

That’s…allowed?

Wyper

If it’s done quickly.

The warrior raises a hand and offers it to him.

Wyper

So?

Sanji hesitates. After a brief pause, he places a hand in Wyper’s.

Wyper smirks at him and gently pulls him closer. With his other hand, he fishes out the key from his pocket and begins unlocking the restraints from the blonde’s wrists slowly, never breaking eye contact.

Wyper

If you want, I can help you dress down too.

Sanji’s eyes dart to Zoro’s room.

Sanji

I…

A heavy thump catches his attention. When he looks down, his wrists feel a lot lighter and his binds have fallen onto the wooden floor. A wave of relief washes over him. He rubs and stretches his now free hands, appreciative to have a small moment without the cursed things.

Suddenly, he feels hands slide up to his elbows as his body gets pulled flush against the warrior’s.

Wyper

So what’s it going to be?

Sanji can’t help but smirk at him.

Sanji

You do this with all your prisoners?

Wyper

You’d be the first.

As Wyper angles his head and makes his move, Sanji quickly places a finger between their lips, blocking him.

Sanji

I’m going to need some privacy. And…space.

The warrior blinks at him and quickly takes a step back. He averts his gaze.

Wyper

S–sorry… I think I just had too much to drink.

Sanji eyes him up and down. He doesn’t detect any malice from the man so he takes a step forward, careful to maintain a short distance between them. He attempts to comfort him.

Sanji

Look, there’s just… a lot of things going on. I don’t want you to get all mixed up in all the mess. I’ve made a lot of those already.

I…actually thought you’re into the Marimo.

Wyper

Marimo…? You mean Zoro?

Well…yeah.

Sanji

Oh…

After a brief pause, the realisation dawns on him.

Sanji

OH!

Wyper shrugs his shoulders.

Wyper

If you two are up for it.

Sanji

Where have you been all my life?

You know, I would have taken you up on that offer earlier in the year but…

Wyper notices the blonde eye Zoro’s room once more. 

Sanji

I think it’s best if I… don’t mess up his life any more than I already have.

The warrior gives him a warm smile and nods in understanding. He turns his heel and walks to the exit.

Sanji

Oh…Wyper, I–

Wyper

No need to explain. But…the offer’s there.

Wyper gives him one last wink before opening the door.

Wyper

Can I trust you to have those shackles back on before you leave the hut?

Sanji

You’d… let me leave it off?

Wyper

As long as you’re in here. I know that it must have been painful for you to keep it on. I’m not dumb enough to try and put them back on you either, especially after all that trouble that you and your swordsman went through. But…you didn’t hear any of this from me.

See you later at the festival?

Sanji

Uh…y–yes.

At that, Wyper leaves and closes the door behind him.

Feeling exasperated from the day, Sanji runs his hands over his face and turns away from the door. He finds himself smiling.

Sanji

What the hell just happened?

----------

Due to health issues, I'll probably be slowing down on writing and drawing stuff for my fics 🙏 Thanks for reading!

[sailorspica]

basil hawkins' cartomancy continued: "probability"

prompted by convo with @shzdoffy <3, part one here

knowing that this is more work than oda put in, here's what i've worked out as a possible way to use an enormous tarot spread for hawkins' probability readings. to be clear, i think this is total bullshit, moreso than tarot itself. the most any serious tarot reader would do is pose a question, draw a single card, and take that as a "yes," "no," "likely," "unlikely," what have you based on the gist of the card's meaning. however, i need this model for myself as i write the kawkins prequel fic, where we will argue about it

the spread

i like that oda didn't entertain for one second that hawkins would place his cards horizontally. firstly, it doesn't make for nice manga panels and practically requires a flat surface. secondly, hawkins' spreads seem to have at minimum eight cards, which is enormous. more to interpret if you're doing a classic 10-card spread like the celtic cross.

appropriately, i'm using my pip deck, the golden visconti-sforza where the minor arcana resemble playing cards instead of the classic smith illustrations. i don't read reversals and shuffle my cards so they don't happen, but this is not my daily deck, so i'll make it hawkins' and allow reversals (jesus christ we're down bad). what i drew with the question, "what's the probability i will finish my hawkins horoscope post this week?":

i laid this out counter clockwise like a birth chart but you could do this in a line or rows it does not matter

3 of coins, reversed

the hanged man (xii), reversed

judgment (xx), reversed

7 of coins

the devil (xv), reversed

the chariot (vii), reversed

ace of wands, reversed

the emperor (iv), reversed

justice (viii)^, reversed

two of cups

^ the major arcana have different numbering in different traditions. viii is strength in the waite-smith.

method 1: pure arithmetic (meaning-neutral)

draw 10 cards. your starting value is 50% for 1:1 odds.

for the minor arcana, add or subtract from 1-14 as matches their orientation.

for the major arcana, add or subtract from 0-21 as appropriate.

as you can see, none of this really has anything to do with tarot, so you could do something similar with a 52-card playing deck. this gets us the simple arithmetic of

50 - 3 - 12 - 20 + 7 - 15 - 7 - 1 - 4 - 8 + 2 = -11 (????)

-11 percent! (yikes! and probability can't be negative!!)

here's what i don't like about this option: it's simplistic, and most cards have more nuance. they're not black and white, positive or negative (hence why i hate reversals). allowing reversals closes you to the possibilities of roses to thorns, you know?

method 2: with interpretation

i agree with most of the above except for two cards: the devil and the emperor.

3 of coins reversed: upright, this is card about community and collaboration and tbh mutual aid; more of an alliance or coalition than cozy friendship. reversed, it's about a lack of cooperation. so i stand by -3.

the hanged man reversed: I LIKE THE HANGED MAN. i think it's a neutral to positive card. he hangs by his foot, not his neck. he is j chilling, contemplating, he's chosen to be there as an act of sacrifice. in one piece, the hanged man is luffy smiling on the gallows in loguetown, or the g-5 showing a thumbs up as they save tashigi, or any of the times zoro or sanji fall back to defend the rear as the other straw hats run ahead. reversed? that is not my friend. the hanged man reversed is just the doubt and fear that is surely running under the surface of all the aforementioned. can you tell i hate reversals? whatever. still -12.

judgment reversed: judgment is assessment. luffy in udon saying "not enough" or "still not right" when trying to learn ryou. reversed, it's stubbornness and a refusal to learn from your past or take advice, like hawkins ignoring drake's suggestion that he betray kaidou, or law and kid going after emperors despite knowing they needed each other to defeat big mom. i guess i stand by -20 for this too.

seven of coins upright: the classic imagery for the seven of coins is a guy sowing, hard work that will pay off later. +7 stands here too.

the devil reversed: NOW we're getting somewhere. firstly, i think the first thing hawkins would have thought upon seeing kaidou was he looks like the devil. secondly, the devil is one of few major arcana i struggle to see as double-edged. classic booklet interpretations frankly get finger-waggy and ableist by saying the devil signifies addiction, mental instability, violence, what have you, but it's way more about temptation and fear to me, giving in to fear with unhealthy copes and trapping yourself. it's hawkins losing to his animal fear of kaidou and big mom that he can't believe kid and killer don't feel or are able to ignore. reversed? reversed is kid and killer! this is positive! +15!

the chariot reversed: the chariot is about advancing forward despite fear, perhaps in a suicide charge. there's something about contradictions here that feels related to temperance. it's associated with mars, but also cancer, a sign where it's fallen (that i gave hawkins in his birth chart). reversed? man i don't know. i guess it's someone who can't square with those contradictions and just freezes. still a -7.

ace of wands reversed: i want to ignore this integer so bad. aces are my favorite cards, really, as the purest manifestation of their suit/element, but. whatever we'll stick to -1.

the emperor reversed: i don't know how we didn't see this card in the arc where two yonko fall. the emperor is stubborn and conservative and martial, tightly controlling his domain possibly through isolation. does this sound familiar? does this sound like, i don't know, sakoku? reversed, i think it must be the one piece myth of a benevolent, open-minded king, the sort that the straw hats go around restoring to the throne: nefertari cobra, riku, momonosuke. much like with the devil and much like sabo not really giving a fuck about cobra (based), i reject a subtraction. +4.

justice reversed. this is a loaded term in one piece and if justice came up in a reading done for any marine they would start crying. i think. i don't have much to say here though. still -8.

two of cups. a lovely card about balance. still +2.

as you can see, my opinions of the emperor and the devil are colored by my anti-imperialism and anti-monarchism, and my relationship to the concept of "sin" as a lapsed catholic who obviously got into tarot and astrology as a rebellion.

our end result is:

50 - 3 - 12 - 20 + 7 + 15 - 7 - 1 + 4 - 8 + 2 = 27

27 percent?

i'm no math whiz, but i'm sure it's still possible to get a negative value in the second method. here's a third one for shits and gigs:

method 3: that's too many majors

draw 10 cards. your starting value is 50% for 1:1 odds.

for the minor arcana, add or subtract from 1-14 as matches their orientation.

for the major arcana, multiply by 2 if upright; divide by 2 if reversed.

this is also stupid as hell, to be clear, because it means we have to think about PEMDAS. jesus christ. i do not want to try because this spread is 70% majors. no!! and i think this would result in non-integers

a conclusion

this is absolute nonsense and shenanigans and i'm even more pissed that i tried it