#love island the game one shot

[0shewrites0]

rainbow 🌈

S8 | Jin/MC | 2.700 words | @0shewrites0

for @libelle949 🫶🏼

"and if you’ve never felt your soul being torn apart, you’ve never loved anyone with all your heart."

genre | fluff with a little bit of smut and a dose of hurt/no comfort. a lot of heavy feels and tears. heartbreak.

Read on ao3.

[azizemsin]

Ozzy x Oc (Love Island: Double Trouble) One Shot <3

— Romantic reunion after Casa Amor. (aka how I imagined it to be)

🩷 song: august by taylor swift

Jennifers heart pounded with a mix of nervousness and excitement. She had missed Ozzy dearly during their time apart, her thoughts consumed by memories of stolen kisses and shared laughter. As the reunion party began, Jen couldn't help but scan the crowd, searching for that familiar face.

And then, she saw him. Ozzy stood at a distance, looking slightly unsure, but his eyes lit up with joy and an astonished expression went over his face as he locked gazes with Jennifer. Time seemed to stand still as he made his way towards her, oblivious to the noise and the curious gazes of the other islanders. Jen walked towards him also.

When they finally reached each other, Jennifer could no longer hold back her emotions. She pulled Ozzy into an everlasting tight embrace, feeling the warmth of his body against hers. A soft sigh escaped her beautiful lips, and she whispered, "I missed you so, so much, Ozzy."

Ozzy held her tightly, burying his face in her long, soft hair, inhaling her scent. She smelled like the sun, a warm summer beach day, just the sun went down and there was this windy breeze and such an indefinable feeling went over his whole body that frightened him, because he felt himself get lost in Jens arms. "I missed you too, more than words can express," he replied, his voice filled with raw emotion. "I couldn't stop thinking about you. Casa Amor made me realize how much you mean to me. I wish…I wish I would‘ve walked out with you, but I was such a coward. When I thoughtI had to show respect and loyalty to Grace, I lost myself within what I actually wanted. What I needed. Who I had to give the same respect to. "

Jennifer pulled away slightly, her eyes searching Ozzy's for any signs of doubt. "Do you really mean that?" she asked, her voice laced with vulnerability.

Ozzy cupped her face in his hands, his thumb gently stroking her cheek. "I mean every word, Love. Being apart from you made me realize that my heart arches for you, and I can‘t imagine being here without you anymore. I want you to be with me. I want you mine." He came closer to her face, his lips almost touching her lips. His hot breath touching hers.

A surge of overwhelming joy washed over Jen. Tears welled up in her eyes as both of them leaned in, their lips meeting in a tender, passionate kiss. In that moment, all doubts and insecurities vanished, replaced by an unshakable belief in him.

They spent the rest of the evening wrapped up in each other's arms, sharing stories and catching up on all they had missed. Laughter mingled with whispers of affection as they strolled along the moonlit beach, their fingers intertwined.

As the night deepened, they found themselves in a secluded spot, away from prying eyes. The soft sound of waves crashing against the shore provided the soundtrack to their intimate conversation. With a shy smile, Ozzy confessed, "I've never felt this way before. This feeling, it‘s becoming stronger by the second and I fear, when I let myself fully go, I will never be able to stop this."

Jennifers heart swelled with adoration, her brown eyes sparkling with love. "I feel the same way. Our stolen moments, being with you has brought me more happiness than I ever thought I deserved. I'm so grateful to be here with you."

The moon cast a gentle glow on their faces as they moved closer, their lips meeting once again in a lingering, passionate kiss. They reveled in the warmth of each other's embrace, their bodies entwined as this fresh couple reached new heights.

Underneath the starlit sky, Ozzy and Jen shared a night of romance and intimacy, their connection deepening with every touch and every whispered declaration of their feelings for each other. The world seemed to fade away as they surrendered to the depth of their feelings, a promise of forever woven into every stolen glance and every caress.

As the night wore on, they found themselves lying side by side on a blanket, their fingers gently tracing patterns on each other's skin. The air was filled with a sense of tranquility, as if the world had paused just for them.

Ozzy turned to the woman beside him, his eyes filled with a mixture of desire and tenderness. Feeling so stunned, that someone like her would choose him, out of all people. "Love, there's something else I want to share with you," he whispered, his voice husky with emotion. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box, opening it to reveal a delicate silver necklace.

"While you girls where in Casa, we had a city stroll challenge. I found this one in a local jewelry store and immediately thought of you," Ozzy said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I knew it would be close to impossible of me ever giving it to you, especially after I didn‘t walk out with you, but I thought I could cherish the remembrance of you through it. But now, you deserve it. I hope you don‘t mind this and don’t think it‘s too much" He seemed a bit shy, almost unsure.

Jens eyes watered up as she accepted the necklace, her heart overflowing with so many emotions. She drew closer to him and turned him her back. Ozzy caressed her hair out of the way and clasped the piece around her neck. Jen felt the weight of his devotion resting against her tanned skin.

"Thank you, Ozzy," she whispered ever so softly, her voice filled with gratitude. "It is stunning."

Ozzy brushed a gentle kiss against Jens shoulder, his touch sending shivers down her spine. "You deserve every bit of my devotion and happiness, Love" he murmured, his breath mingling with the cool night air. "You look absolutely beautiful."

With those heartfelt words, their connection deepened, their souls intertwining as they embraced the magic of the night. They shared whispered secrets and dreams, their laughter blending with the distant sound of crashing waves. In each other's arms, they found solace and a sense of belonging.

[justtuesdays]

my ao3 wrapped 2023

it’s that time of the year again. i had nothing better to do and made a few edits. thanks to the crew for nodding along to my shenanigans. if ya’ll want to have a go feel free to use the template.

tagging: @rebelrayne @whatisreggieshortfor @sunshinejihyun @perfectlysunny02 @csmicletters @ariendiel @beesandfigsart @lucas-koh

[hauntingblue]

Choose your favourite reaction

[sparxaf]

I just DO things.

Kasslix has arrived.

This is a Felix fic. It's angsty. It's affirming. It's about discovering your worth. But it's also about having smutty sex with a complete douchebag.

A03

Wattpad

Oh and again, this is @longbobmckenzie's idea. And thank you to @mrsbsmooth for editing the absolute fuck outta this. And Sam for doing all the things all the time and being amazing.

[krislizz]

Happy Birthday, Beautiful

ao3 link: here

It’s Belle’s birthday and Suresh wants to make sure she starts the day off right.

Pre-villa one-shot in which I expanded on a flashback from my villa fic, Written in the Stars.

------------------------------------------------------

Belle tossed and turned as the sunlight beamed in through the windows of her apartment and the warm summer air breezed her body. Her head was pounding from the night before, the thought of getting out of bed enough to make her nauseous. Begging for more sleep, she threw the blanket over her head and shut her eyes, but she was abruptly awoken when she heard the door to her bedroom creak open. She peeked through the blanket and saw him, standing there with a warm smile on his face, holding a tray with all of her favorites. A stack of chocolate chip pancakes with bananas on top and just the right amount of syrup. A bowl of her favorite fruits; strawberries, mangoes, and pineapple. A mug filled with what she presumed was green tea, her favorite drink in the morning. A tall glass of champagne topped with orange juice. And a vase filled with red roses, her favorite flower. A smile grew on her tired face as she felt her hangover disappear, and her heart felt warm with love as she admired the man in front of her.

“Resh…”

She hurriedly began to get out of bed to show her appreciation for his beautiful gesture, but he quickly stopped her.

“Shh. Stay in bed, don’t get up.”

He approached the bed and placed the tray down in front of her, leaning in to place a gentle kiss on her soft lips.

“Happy birthday, beautiful.”

She felt her whole body relax and her heart grew warm as she realized how much she truly loved him. As he sat down next to her, she reached for the mimosa he had prepared for her and took a sip. Feeling his eyes locked onto her, she turned to face him and was met with complete adoration in his eyes. Holding each other’s gaze, his soft expression soon turned into a hungry stare, and his eyes darkened.

“Have I ever told you how fucking hot you look in the mornings?” he asked as he swiftly picked up the tray and moved it onto the bedside table, not breaking eye contact for a second.

“Yes, but I still love hearing it,” she responded, biting her lip in anticipation.

“Well, I think you deserve an early birthday present.”

He threw the covers off of the bed and positioned his body right over hers, going in for a hungry kiss filled with passion and desperation. He pressed his tongue into her mouth and was soon met with hers, their kiss becoming quicker and more desperate by the minute. He pulled away and quickly pulled her satin tank top over her head, exposing her tender breasts. He looked down over her body with a greedy smoulder, as if admiring what he knew belonged to him.

He went in for another hungry kiss, trailing them down her body. Starting from her soft lips, to her defined jawline, down her neck, spending extra time on the spot where her neck met her shoulder, which he knew would drive her wild. He grabbed her breast with one of his hands, playing with her nipple as he sucked and kissed at her neck. His other hand, which he had around her waist, began to make it’s way lower, his thumb toying with the top of her lace underwear.

In between moans and shaky breaths, she spoke softly, pleadingly.

“Resh… Please… I, I need you…”

He let out a deep groan and trailed kisses up the side of her neck, stopping right before her ear.

“I love when you beg for it,” he growled, before moving his head lower and putting his soft lips all over her breast, sucking at her nipple and flicking it with his tongue. At the same time, he allowed his fingers that had been playing with her underwear to slip underneath the fabric and began touching her where she so desperately needed him, his thumb circling her sensitive clit.

She knew how much he loved to hear her, how much it drove him wild. Not making any attempt to stay quiet, she let out a guttural moan and moved her hands to his head, running her fingers through his thick black hair.

Thumb still tracing circles on her clit, without warning he slammed two fingers deep into her entrance, making her whine with desperation.

“Fuck , you’re so fucking wet for me baby,” he growled, slowly moving his fingers in and out of her sopping wet pussy. “So wet for me, and it’s all mine,” he said, licking his lips.

He raised his head so he was positioned perfectly above her, removed his fingers, and slammed them back into her, adding a third. The loud moan that wanted so desperately to escape her was caught by Suresh’s lips crashing onto hers, and she groaned into his mouth with agony, causing him to quicken his pace on her clit.

He moved his lips back to her ear, his breath hot on her neck, and whispered softly. “Tell me what you want me to do, baby. Anything you need. I want to make you feel good.”

She swiftly pulled his t-shirt over his head, exposing his beautifully chiseled chest. Keeping one hand tangled in his hair, she allowed the other to wrap around his body, running her long nails up and down his defined back.

“I need to feel you inside me, baby,” she said, voice shaking with anticipation. “And I want you to fuck me so hard, I can’t walk for days.”

As the last word escaped her mouth, she dug her nails deep into his skin, slowly sliding them down his back, causing him to groan so loud she thought she might come undone right then and there.

“Fuck baby, you’re so fucking hot,” he growled, removing his hand from underneath her underwear and tearing them off of her with one swift motion. “I’m gonna make you wish you never said that.”

He got to his knees above her, hurriedly taking off his pants and boxers, exposing his already hard cock. She went to reach for it, desperate to take his length in her hand, but he stopped her, pinning both her hands against the pillow above her head.

“Be patient my love,” he said, devilishly grinning. “Be a good girl and I’ll give you what you want.”

In one swift motion, he let go of her hands and grabbed her by the waist, flipping her onto her stomach. She immediately got on her knees, arching her back, ready for him. But instead of feeling his hard length against her like she so desperately needed, she felt his fingers teasing her entrance once again, slipping their way inside with ease. Desperate for more, she pushed her body back against him, and he quickly removed his fingers from her soaking wet pussy. Before she had time to beg for more, she felt a sharp pain as he forcefully slapped her ass, grabbing it so hard after she imagined his knuckles were turning white. She let out a loud, desperate, moan as he lowered his voice into a commanding growl.

“I told you to be a good girl for me, Arabella.”

He took the hand that was gripping her ass and snaked it around her waist, lining his cock up with her sopping wet entrance. He inched the tip in, letting a breathy moan escape him, driving her absolutely wild.

“Please Resh, pl- please baby…”

“Fuck ”

He slammed his entire length into her, causing an almost animalistic groan to escape her. He paused for a minute, allowing her to adjust to his size as he always did. After a moment, keeping his one hand on the back of her waist just above her ass, he reached for her hair with the other, pulling it hard so that her head was yanked back, giving him complete control.

He slammed in and out of her with a steady rhythm, groaning and growling and panting like an animal devouring it’s prey. Overwhelmed with pleasure, no words could escape her, only breathy moans and whimpers, and he gave her praises in between his own moans.

“Fuck baby, you take it so well. You take all of me so well, you little slut. You feel so fucking good, baby.”

He took the one hand that was gripping her waist and moved it up her back, pressing down so that her back was arched so much she thought it might break. Pulling her hair back even harder, he increased his pace and slammed in and out of her harder and harder. Her breath was caught in her throat, only loud and pleading whimpers escaping her as the pressure started to build inside of her.

“I know baby, I know,” he groaned. “If it’s too much for you just give me the signal, okay?”

But stopping was the last thing she wanted to do. He released her hair, her head immediately falling onto the pillow, and delivered another forceful slap to her ass as she buried her face into the satin underneath her and let out a guttural moan.

Slowing down his rhythm, he spanked her again, making her see stars. “Harder,” she managed to say, in between shaky breaths and whimpers. He slapped her one final time, and she was sure that one would leave a bruise. Desperate for more, she pushed her hips back into him, trying to match his pace. He sped up again, obviously getting the message, and bent her back even more to the point where her stomach was nearly touching the sheets beneath her.

The pressure was building more and more with each forceful stroke, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to last much longer.

“Baby… I- I’m so close… fuck baby I’m really close…”

He growled and took the hand that was gripping her ass and snaked it around to the front of her stomach, getting closer and closer to where she desperately needed to feel him.

“Beg me for it, baby… I- fuck…I need you to beg me to let you cum.”

“Please…”

“Please what?”

“Fuck, please let me c- cum, baby… please”

“Good girl.”

He lowered his hand and started to quickly trace circles on her clit with his thumb, matching his own rhythm. Before long, the pressure enveloped her and she felt her much awaited release. She writhed and whimpered below him, eyes rolling to the back of her head, and she soon felt his own release inside of her as well. In between his loud groans, he let out a series of curses and praises, her name on his tongue like the most beautiful sound on earth.

“Fuck, Belle, baby, you’re so good for me when you take me like that,” he growled. “You love it when I fill you up, you little slut.”

With a few final strokes they were both out of breath, and at once he let go of her waist, allowing her to collapse onto the bed. He lowered himself on top of her, planting soft kisses up and down her body, holding her so close as if clinging onto the only thing that mattered to him in that moment.

After a few moments he pulled out from her, and he collapsed onto the bed next to her, pulling her in close. She knew how affectionate he was every time after they had sex, holding her tight and making sure she was okay. It was one of her favorite things about him, the way he could be rough and animalistic in bed, and then hold her like a soft, delicate, flower afterwards.

“Baby, that was so fucking good,” she said softly, almost whispering.

“I know,” he responded, still out of breath. “Was it too much for you?”

“It was perfect, baby.”

He held her even tighter, planting soft kisses to her forehead and cheeks, and giving her a passionate, delicate kiss to her soft lips.

“Resh,” she said, caught in a haze, feeling as if she was in a dream she never wanted to wake up from.

“Hm?”

“Promise me you’ll never let go.”

She saw him smile, and he closed his eyes contentedly, holding her tight.

“Promise.”

[dbphantom]

WHOAG I slept for 14 hours and had a very long dream about Bl/3 H2O au

[tammyisobsessedwith]

Was I naïve to expect some dramatic turnaround when Hazeem came up to congratulate MC and Will on winning the show? Like there would actually be a follow up on the fucking kiss he made such a big deal about during that fight?

Yes, you can bet I was. A girl can always dream and headcanon, right?

[crimswnred]

gold rush

a Kassam x OC one-shot for the r/LITGFanFiction monthly prompt competition on Reddit.

I don't like a gold rush. I don't like that you make me anticipate my face in a red flush. I don't like that anyone would die to feel your touch. Everybody wants you, and everybody wonders what it would be like to love you. I walk past you, there's a quick brush, and I don't like this slow motion, double vision in a rose blush moment. I don't like that falling feels like flying to my bones crush.

No, I don't like this gold rush.

Based on gold rush by Taylor Swift

Read it on AO3.

[nthflower]

Taking everything bad I said to Pickman blade it's so cool

[0shewrites0]

cotton candy clouds 🍬

S8 | Jin/MC | +4.4k words | by @0shewrites0

“After all, soul mates always end up together.”

genre | fluff. shameless smut. jealous!Jin.

READ THE TAGS ON AO3!

Read on ao3.

[chrissfawn]

tense

pairing ;; matt sturniolo x fem!reader

warnings ;; oral (fem receiving), fingering, praise, use of y/n, fluffy beginning and ending, softdom!matt, pet names (sweetheart n princess, etc), no actual p in v, lowercase intended !!

word count ;; 1.1k

a/n ;; this was based off a request!! had lots of fun writing this:) also sorry if this is bad im ovulating and im a little bit high

yk the basics .. pink is u , blue is matt !!

. . .

your pov

i stepped into my boyfriend’s house after a long shift at work. “hey chris.” i sigh, putting my bag down on the island. “hey y/n, matt wanted me to tell you that he was gonna be streaming when you got back.” the brunette boy spoke from the couch, sipping on a can of pepsi.

i nodded before making my way down the hall to matt’s room. i knocked softly on the door and a small “come in” was heard from inside. i slowly walk into the room with a light smile on my face. “alright guys ima go on mute real quick.” matt spoke into his mic, muting it then getting out of his seat.

“hey baby, how was work?” he asked me, bringing me into a hug. i let out a small mumble in reply as my arms wrapped around his neck. "could be better, my legs hurt so bad from running around all day. but i got a $100 tip from this guy since he said my ass was fat" i laugh, letting go of matt so i could take off my hooters uniform. matt was literally forgetting that he had been streaming the entire time.

“could you get me a shirt baby?” i ask matt, struggling to take off the tight white long sleeve uniform top. he nodded, tossing me one of his shirts that i missed terribly. we laughed about it quietly as i took off the extremely revealing shorts. i put on the pink hershey bear shirt, then body flopping down on his silk sheets. “im gonna lay down, my legs hurt so bad.” i pointed out as my body laid comfortably in his bed.

matt hummed, looking at his pc. he quickly walked over and sat down in his gaming chair. “hey guys, sorry ima have to end the stream a bit earlier. thanks for watching love you guys.” matt spoke into his mic after he unmuted. he clicked the red ‘end’ button before he stood up. “matt you didn’t have to end it” i smile, opening my arms for him. “eh its whatever, i was already streaming for a few hours so its okay.” he reassured as he laid down next to me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

he kissed my temple softly, rubbing my lower back gently. “tell me about your day y/n/n.” he whispered into my skin. i let out a small sigh. “well, it was a bit stressful. a lot of guys asked for my number, got a lot of tips since i had good tits and ass…” i trail off, playing with matt’s hair. “i also fell, so that’s probably why my legs hurt.” i pout. he hummed quietly, figuring something that could help me. “i can give you a massage if you’d like.” the brunette boy suggested.

my eyes twinkle a little bit, “hm i’d like that a lot.” i giggle. matt rolled over to his nightstand and grabbed a small bottle of lavender scented lotion from his drawer. i sat up slightly, throwing the blanket to the side.

matt sat crisscrossed while squirting a bit of lotion into his hands. “is this the lavender one i bought you?” i ask with a small smile. he nodded, spreading the lotion evenly on my thighs and calfs. his thumbs kneeded into my skin, making sure every inch of my skin got touched.

his palms massaged every part of my leg. i let out a quiet shaky moan as matt soon neared his fingers close to my inner thighs. he looked up at me with slight doe eyes. “is this okay sweetheart?” he asked, tilting his head to the side slightly. i nod slowly, allowing matt to give soft kisses on my thighs.

matt’s hands ran up and down the sides of my thighs with a bit of pressure, leaving goosebumps. “does this feel good princess?” matt whispered as his eyes shot through mine. i whine in agreement, the spot in between my legs starting to ache. his fingers continued to get closer to where i needed them to be. “matt, baby.” i whine. matt hummed quietly, looking back up at me. “hm? what is it sweetheart?” he whispered, spreading my legs apart. i blinked at him slowly, “mh, i need you.” i breath softly.

“awh my poor baby.” he teased, his thumb rubbing small circles on my clothed clit. my back arched off the bed just a bit. his fingers hooked around the waistband of my panties and he slowly pulled them down.

matt looked up at me, his hand sliding under my lower back. his fingers traced my entrance teasingly, making me let out soft moans. “i barely touched you sweetheart, and your already wet.” he laughed softly, allowing his fingers inside of me. “mgh, baby.” i whine to the slight burning sensation of matt stretching me out. his fingers slid in and out of me easily, sending me over the moon. “taking my fingers so well huh?” matt purred, his tongue soon flicking over my clit. his tongue started to work wonders on my cunt, it swirling around my bundle of nerves.

i whimper out quietly, my legs wrapping around his head slightly. my hands reached down to his hair, tugging on it gently. a string of curses left my mouth that was falling agape. “fuck fuck please keep going.” i moan out. “such a needy girl.” matt whispered softly with a cocky smile on his face. my breath quickened so fast as his fingers continued to thrust in and out of me, hitting my g-spot repeatedly.

matt was determined to continue eye contact with me as his mouth worked on me perfectly. “mmmm. matt please dont stop it feels so good.” i whimper out as the familiar knot started to form in my stomach. “oh yeah?” he teased, letting his fingers out of my pussy and replaced them with his tongue. my back completely arched off of the bed, moaning out to the sensation of his tongue starting to fuck me.

i continued to let out small whimpers while matt continued to fuck me faster with his tongue. my eyes roll to the back of my head as my hips jolt upwards into his face. “m-matt im gonna cum.” i whimper, my hands pushing his head closer to my cunt. ”cum for me angel.” matt whispered, making the knot in my stomach unknot. he lapped up anything that he could and his mouth detached from my pussy.

his slender fingers curled up into me a few more times before he kissed my clit softly one last time. matt let soft wet open mouthed kisses on my inner thighs. “lets finish giving you that massage, yeah?” he laughed, as if he didn’t just practically make out with my pussy. “yes, please.” i pant out with a lazy smile on my face. we both giggled about it for the next few minuetes of matt kneeding his fingers into my skin.

taglist ;; @cheetahmadi @sturniol0s @luverboychris @mattsluttywaist

[justtuesdays]

what if you weren’t afraid: lies make friends

One-Shot | Link to AO3

Aviel wasn't sure she wanted to know the results of the Lie Detector Test. Her best mate, Gary was sure she'd do well. She was honest. But, how honest can you be when you're hiding from your feelings?

— for the lie detector test prompt by @litgwritersroom.

[writtenfangirl]

Hungry For You

Another TikTok trend has sparked an idea in me.

Another (short) Charles Leclerc Fanfic

Y/N spooned the food carefully on to the two plates, casting the hidden camera a wide grin as she did so. While the plates were similar in size, one had a significantly larger portion. The grilled chicken on one of the plates was practically the size of her palm, the pesto pasta still steaming as she dumped it on the plate. On her own plate, she placed barely a handful of food, the chicken cut into three small strips and the pasta’s serving size so tiny, not even a small cat would feel full.

“Babe, it’s time to eat!” Y/N called out as she shot her phone another wink. She’s placed the devise inside one of the cups of utensils, hidden away from Charles’ keen eyes. The camera had a full view of the kitchen island, where she and Charles frequently ate their meals when they were alone.

She heard his footsteps bounding towards the kitchen, the door to his gaming room slamming shut behind him.

“I am starving and it smells delicious.” He practically beamed at her as he took his place on the kitchen isle, oblivious to the camera that was filming his every move. “I don’t know how you manage to impress me with your cooking every time, cherie.”

“You haven’t even tasted it yet.”

“It’s pesto. I already know I’ll love it.”

Pesto pasta was one of his favorite dishes and with the aromatic smells of the basil and garlic hanging in the air, Y/N had no doubts about his statement.

She circled around the isle taking her seat next to Charles, placing the plate with the larger portions in front of him and the smaller sized portion in front of her. But Charles paid the food no heed.

He grinned up at her, placing a kiss on her cheek. “Thank you for cooking for us, cherie.”

He did this every time she cooked. Thanked her for her efforts and grinned up at her like she hung the moon and starts. And every single time, without fail, her heart skipped a beat at the sight of that smile.

She handed him his utensils, his food finally snagging his attention before his eyes wandered to her plate. He frowned at the sight of it. “Why is your food so little?”

“What do you mean?” She asked innocently as she took the pitcher of water she had set and carefully filling their glass.

“Your food, it is so little.”

“Yeah, this was all we had,” she shrugged. “I forgot to stop by the grocery store this week and this was the last of the chicken and the pasta.” She took her utensils, getting ready to dig in when all of a sudden her plate disappeared. 

“Charles? What are you doing?” Bewildered she watched as her boyfriend dumped the contents of her plate on to his already full one.

“Eat,” he said as he pushed the fully loaded plate in front of her. There was no annoyance in his eyes, no hint of his previous hunger as he looked at her in earnest, waiting for her to dig in.

“Babe, I’m not even really that hungry,” she protested. “Come on, you need to eat.”

“I’m not hungry either,” he shrugged.

Liar. He’d been complaining the whole time she was cooking about how hungry and excited he was to eat. He always got that way after a training session and he’d been training since 9AM. Whatever lunch Charles ate during a training day was usually only enough to get him going and by the time he found his way home, he was always positively starving. And Y/N knew today was no exception.

“Just five minutes ago you said you were starving,” she deadpanned.

“You spent two hours on your feet, cooking. I know how tiring that is. I really am not hungry.”

She rolled her eyes, even as love bloomed at her chest. “You came from training.”

He waved off her concerns. “I promise, I am not hungry. And tomorrow, I will go to the grocery, buy our stuff and cook you a meal.”

It was a true miracle that Y/N didn’t grab her boyfriend right then and there and drag him to the bedroom. How she managed to snag a boyfriend so thoughtful and so selfless was beyond her. “You’re sure you’re not hungry?”

He grinned at her, his voice going deep and husky as his eyes darkened. “I’m hungry for you.” He gave her what he probably thought was sultry wink but that only served to have Y/N howling in laughter.

There was no denying how in love she was with her boyfriend but she had always been immune to his attempts at flirting. His charms would no doubt have worked on other girls but Y/N only found them cute. 

She was shaking her head as she took the other plate and dumped half of the food onto it. She ignored his protesting as she pushed the other plate towards him. She had given him the bigger chunk of chicken and the bigger half of the pasta but the piles of food were still more or less equal to each other. She doubted he even noticed the slight difference, especially since she pushed the other plate far away from him. “If we’re still hungry at the end of the meal, we can go to the cafe down the street.” 

He raised a brow at her, a smirk pulling at his lips. His face was barely an inch away from her, his green eyes practically glittering as he spoke. “Is that your move, cherie? Starving a man so you can take him out on a coffee date?”

She didn’t even try to stop her laughter, not as Charles pulled her chair closer to his own until she was pressed flushed against him. His arm automatically pulled her to him, his own lips pulled into a smile before he lowered himself on to her mouth. Their kiss was sweet, as sweet as this moment was. A moment that Y/N was sure she would never forget.

[sparxaf]

Just a little tease for my fic coming this week! Probably Wednesday. It's smutty. It's angsty. It's about accepting who you are and deciding what you deserve. It's Felix x Kassam. If you're in need of an explanation, ask @longbobmckenzie, this is 100% her fault 😂 I'm not responsible.

[revasserium]

Hey, can I request zoro x reader (established relationship) where the Strawhats end up going to reader’s home island (unknown to anyone in the group aside from reader), and the reader is super nervous and refuses to leave the boat, so the crew goes out and walk around and they find a missing/wanted poster of the reader and find out she’s a run away princess that needed to be. Later they coke to find out that reader ran away cause her parents and the servants mistreated and was about to marry her off to a violent prince

opla requests are: open

lips on every cross

opla!zoro; 5,989 words; fem!reader, semi-established?? relationship, posessive!zoro, strawhat!reader, no "y/n", reader gets kidnapped, fluff and angst, very brief! mentions of past familial abuse and trauma, nicknames ("Princess"), slow-ish burn???, more plot than not

summary: zoro has never thought himself a holy man. but he'd kiss every cross if it meant finding his way back to you.

a/n: idk why every opla fic i write is like... more plot than i bargained for but here we are. literally, this fic was just supposed to be "zoro calls the reader 'princess'".

01. when love arrives

(“Hey Princess —“)

The nickname starts, as almost all things do on the Going Merry, as a joke. And, as with most jokes made amongst the rag-tag crew, it sticks. He’d said it because he’s sure you’d mentioned your name once or twice already, but he’d been napping or eating and he didn’t feel like looking like an asshole right that moment.

The ribbon in your hair had caught the light in just the right way, pale pink satin — such a strange, soft color amidst the careening, careless ocean, and the word just… slipped.

“Why’dyou call her that?” Luffy asks, lounging back against the main mast as Zoro works through the umpteenth rep of single-armed pushups.

Zoro puffs out a breath and switches arms.

“Dunno. Seemed like it fit.”

Luffy slates you a long glance, blinking owlishly.

“Really? Eh — I guess… well, she is really pretty.”

Zoro only grunts, jumping up and stretching both arms over his head with a long, steady breath. His eyes flicker towards you as well, laughing with Nami on the foredeck, sipping on cocktails, Sanji probably simping somewhere nearby.

He thinks back to where they’d found you, hood pulled low over your eyes, the tell-tale signs of distress carved into every line of your body, from the curve of your spine to the bend of your shoulders.

Luffy hadn’t asked questions, so Zoro hadn’t either.

Curiosity, the fatal flaw that runs so sharp and obvious through the entirety of Luffy’s being, hasn’t always been rewarded well in Zoro’s experience. And he’s learned by now that “truth will out”, or so they say.

(“C’mon, Princess, I thought you said you could drink.”)

Caution, on the other hand, is Zoro’s oldest friend. You are cautious, if nothing else, and the first time he sees you relax in his presence, he wonders to himself if there’s a drug in this world strong enough to induce this feeling.

Later, he would learn that this is simply called falling in love.

He isn’t the only one who notices how you casually dip a silver fork or knife into every single drink before you take a sip, or that sometimes, you blurt out the word “no’ like a promise to yourself, and “sorry” like a plea for help.

And he’s spent long enough being a hunter to know what being hunted looks like. So he doesn’t ask, and you don’t answer, and somehow, you still manage to make yourself a home in the dark caverns of his chest, curling up there till he can’t count his heartbeats without it sounding like the shadow of your name on the midnight wind.

02. a study of light and dark

The drinking game starts off innocently enough (and don’t they always), but it takes half a round for the questions and subsequent answers to devolve into loud laughter and debauchery, delirium and debasement.

“Alright, alright —“ Sanji holds up a hand, tossing back his shot to raucous cheers, “worst thing you’ve done in a closet. Go —“

Zoro rolls his eyes and takes the shot, foregoing his answer. Nami simply grins, catlike, swirling her own drink around her glass.

“In your wildest dreams, cook,” she says before taking her shot as well. Sanji lets out a contemplative whistle, followed by a good-natured wink.

“Define worst, cause… I mean, I’ve puked in like… most of them back in Syrup Village,” Usopp says. Sanji only chuckles, shrugging.

“We’ll take it, we’ll take it.”

Luffy hums, frowning for a second before smacking a fist into his open palm, grinning, “I took a nap!”

Everyone laughs, helpless and buoyed up by the casual effervescence of a night like this — when the moon is dark and the stars are bright and thin wisps of silver clouds mar the sky like tendrils of lost daydreams, caught on the wrong side of sunset.

When the laughter settles down, everyone turns to you.

You purse your lips, feeling the weight of your answer pressing down on the tip of your tongue — I hid. And I waited. And I tried not to listen.

As the silence stretches on, Zoro leans forward and uncrosses his arms, reaching out to nudge a full shot glass towards you.

“Times up, Princess — drink,” and though there’s nothing soft or even forgiving in his voice, but you feel yourself relax as everyone boos and you take your shot.

The heat of Zoro’s gaze only lingers on your skin for a moment longer before he leans back again, that familiar almost-grin tugging lazily at his lips as he turns half-lidded eyes towards the rest of his crew.

(“Talk to me, Princess.”)

When you find him later, fumbling in the dark of the hallway just outside his room, you kiss him without saying “thank you” and he doesn’t question it when, pressed beneath him on the rough linen of his sheets, you ask to keep the lights on.

03. etymology

Princess — it’s a nice word, Zoro muses to himself. The light pop of the ‘p’ rolling into the warm, round ‘r’, thinning out into the sensual layering of the double ‘s’s, till you’re left with nothing but a hiss, a shadow, a memory.

It’s a regal word; a pretty word. Though its origins might be anything but.

From the Latin primus “first” and cept “catcher”, or so Robin had told him over the pages of an ancient book he hadn’t bothered to ask the name of, because Princes and Kings have always obtained their powers through taking, and never asking. Reaping, and never sowing.

Zoro thinks then that this, too, is a form conquest — you over him. The totality of your power stunning to behold, if only because he has to let you take it in the first place. And he does so willingly.

He wonders if you, too, are as multifaceted as his nickname for you — delicacy and desire wrapped around a darker something, lace laid over a knife’s unforgiving edge.

The first time he dares to kiss you, he feels you kissing him back, the sharp canines of your teeth catching on his lower lip, drawing out a soft grunt from him. You’d paused, and then you’d bitten down harder just to hear him gasp into your mouth.

He knew then, without ever having to ask, that you are.

04. tip of the iceberg

It is winter when they arrive — but then again, it is always winter here. Here, the cold runs so deep it drives frost crystals into the marrow of your bones. Here, the wind howls like a wounded animal and the night falls with a savage, carnal vengeance, all black velvet and a blood-tinted moon.

Here, the snow storms turn living, breathing heroes into song lyrics and poetry rhymes.

You inhale a single breath before turning and heading back below deck.

Zoro frowns, and at a single look from Luffy, he follows you beneath, only to find you rummaging around the kitchen, tugging a bottle of moonshine out from under the sink.

“Whoa,” Zoro says, reaching out to stop you from uncorking the bottle, an eyebrow raised. He doesn’t miss the way you shiver, “bit early, isn’t it?”

“Bit rich, coming from you,” you snap, eyes sharp, voice stinging.

Zoro only cocks his other eyebrow in tandem and pulls the bottle from your hands before turning and grabbing two glasses from the cupboard. He takes his time filling them both with ice, and then pouring a finger into each glass.

You don’t meet his eyes as you reach out for your glass, but he catches your wrist.

“A drink for an answer,” he says.

You pause, your lips pressed into a thin, white line. And he knows it’s unfair, to turn this game around on you, because he can tell from the hard set of your shoulders that this is so much more than a drinking game but if this is what it takes to get the truth — then so be it.

“Fine,” you say, glancing away, voice clipped.

You move to take a sip, but Zoro pushes down your hand again.

“No lying.”

You scoff, narrowing your eyes, “Obviously.”

He eases off, picking up his own glass and clinking it against yours before taking a light swig, “You know this place.”

This time, you’re the one who turns around with a cocked brow.

“Got a question in there somewhere?”

Zoro’s lips twitch, “Yes, or no.”

You sigh, tapping a finger against the edge of your cup, “Yes.”

Zoro hums, “Your turn.”

You chew on your lips before taking a sip, “Why do you care so much?”

Zoro ticks his tongue against his teeth, “Stupid question. Next.”

You huff, “That’s not how this game goes.”

Zoro swirls his glass before setting it down on the counter with a loud clack, “Because I care about you.”

You pause with your own drink halfway to your mouth and look up. Zoro doesn’t shy away from meeting your gaze and for a moment, time statics to a halt around you.

Then, Zoro sighs, unclenching his jaw as he attempts a lopsided smile.

“Hey, talk to me,” he reaches out to trail a finger along the high of your cheekbones, up to the shell of your ear.

The ‘please’ hangs silent in the air between you; the ‘Princess’ is implied.

And for the first time, he thinks he sees you flinch. He makes to pull back but you tug his hand forward, pressing your cheek against his palm.

“This island,” you say, finally, the tremor in your voice like a hairline fracture snaking through a porcelain vase, “it’s… well, it used to be… my home.”

05. the secret history

It is the most beautiful place any of them have ever been.

The castle is made entirely of ice, the cold winter sun refracting the light into a million and one unseen colors. Giant ice-carved sculptures dot the crystal-flower gardens, and it takes them all a few minutes to realize that the gorgeous, delicate blooms are made of glass, blown and shaped to mirror real-life snowflakes — each unique, glittering, and eternal.

“Dude… how long do you think all this took to make?” Usopp asks, his head turning as if on a swivel, his jaw hinging off his face in awe.

Robin sighs, “Too long, perhaps.”

Zoro stays quiet, and beside him, so does Nami.

You’d insisted on staying back, to guard the ship, you’d said. But the space you usually fill in the group hangs solid in the air, a gaping hole of lack when there should be none.

Luffy hums and he marches out in front of them, ever the dubious, fearless leader. Though most of the crew has now come to terms with the fact that “courage” and “sheer bull-headedness” are often two sides of the same coin for him.

It’s Sanji who pauses first, causing Chopper to ram into the back of his knees.

“Ouch! What’dyou do that f —”

“Look,” Sanji says, pointing at a poster pasted to the slick outer wall of the castle gates.

And they do, leaning in, crowding too close. Zoro grunts as Chopper jumps and scrambles up his back to peer over his shoulder at the face plastered on the dew-soaked poster, the words LOST PRINCESS: 120,000,000 FOR ANY INFORMATION THAT LEADS TO HER WHEREABOUTS printed in giant, familiar block letters along the bottom.

Beside him, Zoro can feel Nami swallowing. Hard.

“A hundred and twenty million berry…” she murmurs, her breath going shallow as they all stare, dumbfounded at the poster of what is unmistakably you.

You, with your exquisite features schooled into something like solemnity, your usually wind-swept hair twisted up into a tight braid across the crown of your head, a diadem of ice-white silver and light-cut jewels jutting up from your severe updo like so many broken teeth, sharp and unforgiving as stalagmites.

If none of them had known, it’d be impossible to reconcile you with this cold, distant portrait, your eyes rendered lifeless and dull by the depthless black ink.

Luffy, however, only blinks and turns to stare at Zoro.

“Did you know?”

“What?”

Luffy continues to stare, “When I asked why you always call her ‘Princess’.”

Zoro sighs, turning his eyes back to the WANTED poster before shaking his head.

“No. Like I said… I thought it just… fit.”

06. eternal day

Zoro is itching to get back to the ship. There’s a fish-line sliver of worry tugging at the place behind his chest where his heart should be, and he knows implicitly that something is wrong.

“Don’t worry, she can take care of herself!” Luffy says, smiling bright, his confidence unwavering.

“No Luffy, Zoro’s right — someone should be with her. What if —” and here, Nami glances at Zoro before turning her attention back to Luffy, “— she might need the backup,” is what she finally settles with. And to Zoro’s great relief, Luffy agrees.

And then, to everyone’s horror, off in the distance, your voice rises over the wind in a blood-curdling scream.

07. endless night

By the time Zoro makes it back to the ship, you are already gone.

08. torn asunder

Gone, gone, gone. The word echoes like an ill-fated alarm bell, ringing through Zoro’s entire body as he catapults himself through the ship, slamming open every door, checking every nook, corner, and crevice. Signs of a struggle, that much is clear, scuffs on the freshly waxed planks of the aft deck, nail marks along the railings, and —

Zoro’s breath freezes in his chest.

A smear of blood that drips over the side of the ship, trailing down the ladder.

A flash of pale pink catches his eye.

Your satin hair ribbon lies abandoned on the wharfs’ boardwalk, the faintest splatter of red soaking its ends.

He picks it up between gentle fingers and tucks it deep into his pocket.

His vision blurs red as he thinks about the things your captors might’ve done to you before dragging you off. He’s seen you fight and it wouldn’t have been easy to bring you down.

And by the time the rest of the crew reach him, he’s already sprinting back towards the castle, his jaw set, his teeth gritted.

It takes the combined effort of Sanji, Luffy, and Robin to stop him from charging through the castle gates and tearing the whole place down.

“Runnin’ round like a headless chicken’s not gonna do her any good, mate,” Sanji says, a smoke already caught between his teeth. A pre-fight ritual of his.

Zoro jerks his arm out of Sanji’s grasp, stalking down the street with a huff.

Robin strolls after him, somehow keeping pace, looking unhurried as Zoro tamps down the blind urge to slash the entire island in half.

“We’ll find her,” Robin says, her voice level, even as her sharp eyes scan the white-specked horizon, the usually amused half-twist of her lips laid flat by worry, “and she’s stronger than you think.”

At this, Zoro whips around, “I know —” but he bites down the venom threatening to surge up the back of his throat with a sigh. Robin doesn’t flinch, and Zoro attempts a steadying breath before repeating himself in a slightly softer tone, “I know… I’m just…”

Robin nods, and Zoro is thankful that he doesn’t have to finish his sentence.

09. the tower and the throne

The cold greets you like a scorned lover— a spiteful, savage mistress. Tendrils of frost creep along the walls of your old bedroom to caress your cheeks. You shiver and wrap your arms around yourself, sitting on familiar satin sheets.

“Dinner is soon, darling,” your mother’s cool voice calls from outside your bedroom door, “and make yourself presentable — we’ve got guests.”

The sadistic lilt of her voice as she says the word ‘guests’ makes you jerk your head up, staring at the door as if you might be able to bore through the thick wood with nothing but your eyes. And, almost as if she can feel you staring, you hear your mother’s cold, tinkling laughter.

“Hurry now… I had your favorite dress put out for you. It should still fit — and we don’t want to keep them… waiting.”

The slow, sanguine pause before her last word makes you want to rip out your hair and scream into the wind till your voice gives out.

Instead, you push yourself up and reach for the dress laid out at the foot of your bed with shaking fingers.

The dress fits you like a second skin, the delicate lace trim barely sweeping the floor as you adjust the bodice, grimacing at your reflection in the large, floor-length mirror. It is as if the last ten months had never happened, as if you’d never escaped this terrifying hellscape of a winter wonderland. As if you’d simply dreamed every single sun-filled afternoon, every star-strewn night spent laughing and singing amongst your new-found crew.

Here, in the fragile glass reflection, you are once again a girl trapped behind her own ribcage, with a destiny carved into stone and ice, with no hope of summer in sight. You take a long breath and tighten the ribbons of your dress.

You are still and silent as the maid slips in through the door after a single knock and begins to twist up your hair. Tighter and tighter, till it sets your teeth on edge. When she pins the crown in place, it takes everything inside you not to fall apart, to shatter at the weight, the sight of it sitting on your head. You swallow as the maid dips her head and backs out of the room with a murmured dinner is served, Princess.

For the first time, you wince openly at her words.

10. waiting for the rain

The hall is just how you remembered it, huge and cavernous, gaping like the empty maw of some petrified monster, the ceiling hanging with so many cold, sparkling chandeliers, ice-carved statues jutting up from the floors like teeth.

You’re marched in like a show animal, the great marble doors swinging open before you as you step forward and feel your breath freeze in your chest.

There, strung up on a massive statue of some long-forgotten saint, is Zoro, cuts and bruises marring his already scarred and puckered torso. But he smirks as he sees you come in, his eyes bright as he spits a mouthful of blood onto the seemingly endless white floors. Around him, the rest of your crew sits, tied and slumped over in chairs like so many sleeping mannequins.

“Hey there, Princess. Just in time for dinner.”

You nearly wince at the raspiness in his voice, the faint trickle of blood that leaks out the corner of his mouth.

“Silence,” your father’s voice echoes out from the high-backed chair at the head of the ludicrously long table. You don’t have to see to know his face is as smooth as just-applied plaster. But Zoro only has eyes for you — and he continues to talk as if he hadn’t been interrupted.

“If you’d told us we’d be welcomed like this, we might’ve packed differently.”

You bite down on your bottom lip so hard you almost taste the metallic tang of blood.

“Our daughter has always been a skillful liar — though it’s a habit we tried to… rid her of in her youth. The lesson never seemed to have stuck.” Your mother this time. And now, you can see the muscle ticking in Zoro’s jaw as he scoffs.

“Really? And here I always thought she was shit at lying.”

You swallow down a whimper as the maid wordlessly leads you to the far end of the table, where Zoro is still tied. You drop into the seat between a snoring Luffy and an eerily still Nami, and it’s all you can do not to turn around and retch onto the silk embroidered rug.

“Be that as it may…” your mother’s voice drops a few degrees — an admirable feat, as her voice is usually just on the other side of frigid, “it’s bad luck to kill on the eve of a royal wedding.”

At this, Zoro’s head snaps around and you shrink back in your chair, your eyes fixed on your fists, clenched in your lap.

“Mother,” you grind out, finally forcing your head up so as to meet her piercing, blizzard-bright gaze, “I’ve told you, I’ve no intention of getting married. At least not to the mongrel you’ve decided to set me up with.”

You spit out the last sentence, trying to remember all the snark, all the confidence that’d built up inside you over the past weeks and months. Away from this dreaded castle and on the sun-soaked bow of the Going Merry, it was the first time you’d begun to discover who you are — the things you liked, the ways of life that you yearned for.

Your father slams a hand on the table at the same moment that Zoro lets out a bark of laughter.

“Insolence!”

“Damn, Princess — you never told me you could bite.”

And, to your horror and perhaps deep-seated pleasure, a blush works its way into your cheeks at Zoro’s words. Your eyes snap towards him, catching his gaze as he smirks at you. And even though his shirt is slashed, his sword hilts hanging woefully empty at this hip, his hands twisted painfully behind him on the statue, he still manages an easy, condescending air.

You seize at this tiny tendril of normalcy as you force a wane smile.

“I might be persuaded to do more than that… if you ask nicely.”

Zoro’s snicker is drowned out by your mother’s sharp gasp. But you don’t look away, holding Zoro’s gaze for as long as you dare — in it, you find an entire abyss of barely concealed rage (and is that… amusement?), his entire body straining against the shackles that hold him. Then, his eyes slip from you to a point just over your shoulder.

It’s then that you realize: Luffy’s not snoring anymore.

11. to reap and to sow

You’re never quite certain of how the Merry’s crew seems to always just wriggle out of frankly gruesome and untimely deaths, but here you are, racing for the docks like your lives depended on it. Because, well, it kind of does.

“Remind me —” you shout between pants, one hand clutched firmly in Zoro’s, the other doing its best to lift the ridiculous dinner dress they’d put you in — a confection of lace and tulle, the bodice laced with pale pink satin ribbon, “how the hell did you guys manage to trick my parents into thinking you’d eaten the spiked food?”

Sanji flashes you a toothy grin, “Ah love… you know how it is — ask us no questions, and we’ll tell you no lies!”

Luffy, however, whoops as he launches himself from a pair of solid brick buildings, catapulting himself over your sprinting crew.

“We just — pretended to eat! I mean — I did kinda actually eat a bit — but — it wasn’t that bad!”

You resist the urge to pinch your nose bridge at the nonchalance with which Luffy is talking about consuming poisoned food, but you’ve only got two hands and both are equally occupied at the moment. You settle for an exasperated sigh.

“That was — really stupid! — What if — they’d — poisoned the food — with something — other than — sleeping medicine?!” you ask, forcing air into your lungs as finally, you all round the bend onto the bustling pier, the Going Merry’s unmistakable shape silhouetted against the misty horizon.

“We can talk when — we’re all back — on the ship!” Nami calls as she sprints passed you, reaching out a hand for Luffy, who’s elongated arm grabs her and slings her onto the deck of the ship. You barely have a second to breathe before Zoro’s arm loops around your waist and you’re being pulled tight into his side.

His breath is hot against your collarbone as he smirks, “Hold on tight, Princess.”

It’s all you can do to listen as you’re suddenly whipped through the air like a doll on a drunken marionette’s string. A bright peal of Luffy-tinted laughter later, you thud onto the deck of the Going Merry, the breath knocked clean from your lungs as the world spins and spins. You’d expected to hit solid wood, or maybe even the railing or the mast but —

Zoro groans beneath you, and it takes you a long second to realize that he’d cushioned your fall, your bodies pressed chest to chest, hip to hip, your arms still wrapped around his shoulders, his still steady around your waist.

“O-oh! Sorry —” you try to pull away but Zoro’s grip on you only tightens.

You freeze as he blinks up at you, eyes slightly narrowed.

“Crown’s crooked,” Zoro finally says, that tell-tale smirk twisting the edge of his lips as his gaze flickers upwards. Your hand jumps to the crown, somehow still clipped into your now disheveled hair, lopping to one side as the braids start to come loose. You purse your lips.

“I never liked it anyway…” You make to tug it out but Zoro reaches up to right it, though he lets his hand linger as he falls along the side of your face.

“Nah, looks good on you.” His voice is so low, and suddenly, air is such a language that you’re certain you’d forgotten how to speak. Slowly, he pushes up till you’re both sitting, you still pressed against him and him still pressed against you. Distantly, you can hear shouting, Usopp’s voice raised high over the wind as the Merry careens out of port and towards the open sea.

But strangely, no one makes to pull you away from him, or him from you.

“I should’ve told you guys…” you say, eyes casting down as you rest your palms against his chest. Beneath it, you can feel his heart — pounding, pounding, pounding. There’s a light sheen of sweat glimmering on his honeyed skin as you swallow, looking back up even as he chuckles.

“Sure, but we should’ve asked.”

You bite your lips, “I think you did.”

Zoro grins, shrugging as he helps you up, somehow managing to keep his arm slipped around your waist.

“Well. Should’ve asked better, then.”

12. lost stars

It takes you a while to tell them the story — the real story, the whole story. And there’s drinking involved, but it’s mostly just you clutching at your half-filled glass, Zoro’s knee pressed comfortingly against yours, even though his eyes are closed, his head leaned back, his arms crossed loosely over his chest.

You tell them about the dark underbelly of royalty that everyone knows but no one wants to talk about — the blood and teeth beneath the silk and silver. You tell them about being raised a bargaining chip, of being sold and promised like a prized heifer on auction day.

You tell them about the moonless nights when the only thing you had to keep you company was the cold, about the “lessons” your mother would teach you, about how the maids would be instructed to hide the bruises just so, about the Prince who you were set to marry and the rumors that plagued his castle —

“They say that he’d take the prettiest girls from the surrounding town as his maids and that none of them ever walked out of his castle again,” you say. The moonshine burns on its way down your throat as you finish your drink.

Wordlessly, Zoro reaches over to pluck the glass from your hand and set it on the table. It’s only then that you realize your fingers are white and trembling.

“Did he hurt you?”

Zoro’s voice is not loud, but everyone turns to look at him. You shake your head, clasping your hands in your lap.

“No. I only ever… met him once, at a dinner party. It was after that that I… ran away.”

Zoro hums, leaning back again, “Good.”

Across the room, Sanji blows out a series of smoke rings and frowns.

“Were you about to offer to hunt him down?” Robin asks, sounding amused.

Zoro shrugs, “Wouldn’t have offered — would’ve just done it.”

“He sounds like the kinda guy we should hunt down anyway, no?” Luffy asks, cocking his head as he looks back at you, “I mean, I’m glad he never hurt you but… he’s still hurting people!”

“Luffy’s got a point,” Sanji says, stubbing out his cigarette.

“For once, I agree with Sanji,” Nami says.

There’s a light squabble during which Sanji makes an aggrieved noise and Nami rolls her eyes, and then everyone is laughing and chatting and more drinks are being poured. Next to you, Zoro reaches out to wrap his arm around your waist again. It’s something he’s been doing more lately, and you can’t honestly say that you mind it much at all.

“We don’t have to,” he says, leaning forward, almost as if to brush his lips by your ear, “if… if you don’t want to.”

You shiver at the base rumble of his voice, at the way his eyes are so warm and full of some uncertain promise.

“No, I… I do want to. It’s just…”

Zoro’s fingers trace small, absent-minded circles into the skin of your waist and you fight down another shiver.

“I don’t plan on letting you get kidnapped again, Princess.”

Your gaze snaps up to meet Zoro’s, and there’s a faint smile kissing the line of his lips. And suddenly, the lightness of his touch doesn’t feel so thoughtless as heat curls out from the place where his palm meets your skin, radiating out till you’re breathless with it.

“Oh?”

“Never liked people trying to take what’s mine.”

And the dark possessiveness with which he says mine leaves little room for interpretation, even as you lick your lips and try to think of something witty to say.

“I don’t remember agreeing to be yours.”

It’s the best you can come up with; Zoro’s only response is a soft, contemplative grunt.

“What’s that saying? ‘Actions speak louder than words’?” he flashes you a satisfied grin as you narrow your eyes at him, swatting at his chest as he laughs.

“I meant it though,” he says, a moment later, as the rest of the crew all chatter around you, “about calling it off if you don’t want to. But…” he reaches up a free hand to tug a strand of your hair free from the ponytail it’s tied up in.

“Figured you might sleep better at night knowing he’s gone.”

You let out a breath you hadn’t been aware you were holding, your whole body softening as you lean into him, pressing your palms to his chest as he looks at you.

“Yeah… I think I might. And… like you said… it’s not like I’m gonna get kidnapped again.”

You smile, letting your eyes flicker down to Zoro’s lips. His smile is pleased and just a little jagged as he tugs you up by the hand and the pair of you slip from the room.

Above deck, the sun is setting, and the warm, slanted light casts the entire ship in a glaze of gold that looks almost gilded. You lean against the railings, closing your eyes and letting the warmth of the sun seep into your skin, chasing away the chill that’d been lingering at your fingertips since you’d all made your spectacular escape from your home island.

You feel rather than hear Zoro join you. You take your time breathing in the salty tang of the humid sea air before opening your eyes and slating him a side-long look.

“Thank you,” you say.

“For what?”

“For coming after me.”

Zoro scoffs, turning away from the roiling waves to lean back against the railings, his head cocked as he looks you over.

“Like I said… I don’t like it when people try to take what’s mine.”

But this time, you laugh, nodding, “So you’ve said. But still… thanks.”

“Hn.”

Zoro closes his eyes, seemingly enjoying the last vestiges of the setting sun as it sinks ever-lower along the horizon. Then, he opens one eye to peer at you.

“Though I’ve been meaning to ask —”

“Hm?”

“What’s this about doing more than biting… if asked about it nicely enough?”

You try to duck your head but Zoro catches your chin in his fingers.

“I — I just… knew it would piss off my mother if she —”

“Mm, sounded like more than that to me.”

Your breath hitches as Zoro��s thumb traces a rough line along your bottom lip.

“How about… I show you?” and the offer is barely out of your mouth before Zoro is kissing you, his mouth seeking out yours with a soft groan that betrays all the lightness in his touch as he trails his free hand down your arm to pull hard at your waist.

And it’s not the first time you’ve kissed. It’s not even the first time a kiss with Zoro has become more than just a kiss, though you’d always been careful before to make sure that he knew (though thinking back, it might’ve just been an ill-fated attempt at lying to yourself) that the pleasure shared between bodies was just that — pleasure and bodies.

But this — this kiss becomes, and becomes.

It becomes breath and heartbeats, pleasure and heat. It becomes truth and promises and the tantalizing taste of fairy-tale endings.

“Z-Zoro…”

“Yes Princess?”

You hiss as his teeth grazes along your pulse point and your fingers fist in his hair.

“Y’know…” your voice comes out as nothing more than a soft pant as Zoro tugs you over to one of the reclining chairs beneath the orange trees and pulls you over his hips, “I’ve never liked being called that but…”

“But?” his thumbs inch beneath the material of your shirt, circling your hipbones as he smirks up at you.

“I don’t mind it when it’s you.”

Zoro’s grin goes wide and wolfish. Above him, the first stars spark into being as the sun finally sinks beyond the far horizon. For a second, his smile softens as he reaches up to toy with the end of the pale pink ribbon in your hair. Then, he gives it a single, solid tug, and your hair falls open around your shoulders, tumbling down in waves.

Zoro leans up to press a light kiss to the blood-stained satin before letting it flutter off in the wind, twisting into the rapidly darkening night.

“Good… cause I ain’t about to let anyone else call you that either.”