#pulls franky out of the secret muse box specifically for this.

[selccuth]

❝ Everything has been great since I left. Don’t you ever read the papers? It’s hard to miss this superrr display of mechanical genius. ❞ Whether well-received or the usual eyeroll, Franky flexes and poses in that familiar, endearing but over-bearing manner. The bright glint on the blue of stars atop metallic plates is enough to blind someone. Relaxed again, an abnormal pop of the neck as though more simulated than real, and a large finger finds itself pressed gently into Paulie’s chest without a thought given to personal space.

❝ And you’re one to talk - yours pockets are probably empty right now! When’s the last time you had everything and everybody paid off? ❞ His tone is skeptical and oddly petty, undoubtedly played up in the moment. Still, what words hadn’t he drawn out for show when given the chance? A wide grin, as if it was a necessary clue in order to figure out precisely what he was up to in following. ❝ I bet you can’t give me a hundred beli right now. ❞

@bsrkr​ || because paulie

[vannahfanfics]

How about Nami/Chopper/Robin?

Here you go, Anon! This was fun to write; I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Pampered

Nami frowned deeply as she inspected her fingernails on both her hands. Just as she had feared, they had seen better days. Her arms extended to peruse the skin of her arms, finding them in a similar state of disrepair; all the salt and wind of being on the open sea had left them dry an unappealing. Surely her legs fared no better. Finally, she tugged at her twisting locks of tangerine hair. Split ends abounded, and the texture was more akin to rope than hair. Well, that was that.

Nami was in desperate need of a spa day.

She had been sitting on her bed the entire time, so she slung her legs off the side to hop up and stroll over to where Robin was sitting in her designated reading chair, poring over some history book or another. The dark-haired woman’s bright eyes flickered up to meet hers as she stopped in front of her, and she politely closed the book and set it on the small table next to her to properly address her.

“A spa day?” she inquired when Nami voiced her intentions.

“Mm-hmm! A girl requires a little pampering every now and then, you know. It would be no fun to do it all by myself, though,” she pouted slightly. The best part about spa days was having a girl friend to share it with, gossiping and trading personal care secrets. She clasped her hands together in a pleading gesture, brown eyes sparkling innocently. “Please, Robin? It’ll be so much fun! Once we’re all dolled up we can go upstairs and see who can make Sanji pass out from blood loss first!” she teased, appealing to the woman’s undeniable mischievous side. Robin smirked slightly and tapped at her chin with the pad of her index finger.

“I’m intrigued. Sure, let’s have a spa day together, Nami.”

“Oh, boy! Hold on, hold on, I gotta get prepared!” Nami squealed with delight and whirled in a quick pirouette of glee before zooming to the chest sitting at the end of her bed. She rattled off the various items required for a perfect spa day as she dragged them from the contents of the chest, occasionally jumping about to rifle through her nightstand or other various storage containers scattered about the room. As Nami was bursting through the door to their shared bedroom to carry her various articles to the bathroom down the hall, little Chopper came hopping down the steps leading to the upper deck.

“Hello, Nami, Robin!” he chirped happily. His little reindeer hooves clacked against the wooden floor as he approached them. “What is all that, Nami?” he asked curiously as he beheld the pile of stuff the navigator had crammed in her arms.

“We’re having a spa day,” Robin informed him matter-of-factly. He blinked up at them for a minute, and then his black eyes went wide and a big wondrous smile appeared on his furry face.

“A spa day? I’ve never had one of those… Can I have a spa day, too?” Nami and Robin looked at one another in surprise. Chopper hung around the boys a lot, so it was interesting that he desired to partake in something that was societally considered girlish. He was a boy, but Nami generally regarded him as more of a child than anything, and she had been naked in front of him before; he was a doctor, after all. Robin shrugged in indifference, leading Nami to look at Chopper with a nod.

“Of course, Chopper!” The little reindeer and exclaimed in glee, jumping up and down before hastily trotting after the two women as they headed to the bathroom. Nami dumped all of her necessary supplies on the tiled floor before she grabbed the large wooden tub that would hold their bathwater, dragging it over to the faucet and flipping the switch. Hot, steaming water burst from the metal apparatus, sending clouds of steam wisping before her face. Nami grabbed a bottle of her hand-crafted tangerine-scented shampoo and squeezed a little glob of it into the gushing stream; bubbles immediately began billowing up, coating the edge of the tub in the frothing white substance. Once the tub was filled high enough, she cut off the stream and lugged it over to where the two others were waiting. “Part one of Nami’s Spa Day Special- a bubble bath!” she squealed with delight and all but wrenched off her clothes.

She and Robin took seats on the small stools that were situated nearby and scoured themselves with soft, spongy loofas, while Chopper elected to climb into the little tub and sink down to his chin. It didn’t take long for him to start playing with the bubbles, and he had Robin and Nami in fits of laughter as he arranged different ridiculous hats and hairstyles on his head from the plentiful suds, and they joined in once Nami took out the shampoo and conditioner. Robin imitated Franky’s cockatiel-like hair, and it had them rolling around on the tiles giggling. Once he had frolicked to his heart’s content, the two of them scrubbed every square inch of his thick fur with shampoo and conditioner. He climbed out of the tub, standing awkwardly to the side a sopping mess, while Nami tipped the tub over to dump the leftover water out and allow it to drain. The air was filled with the fragrant aroma of citrus fruits, and it clung to their freshly-cleaned bodies. Nami quickly dabbed herself dry with the fluffy towel she had picked specifically for the occasion before gesturing Chopper over so she could dry his voluminous fur.

“Your shampoo and conditioner smells so good, Nami!” he chirped as Nami rubbed the strands of his fur between the cottony surface.

“Thank you, Chopper. Tangerine is a good scent on you!”

“You think so?” She confirmed it with a happy nod. Once Chopper’s hair was reduced to an acceptable level of damp, she set the towel aside and plugged up her hair dryer, sure to leave the cord far away from the puddles of water still glistening across the floor. She dried her hair first, spreading the dark orange waves apart as she ran the hair dryer up and down the strands, until they returned to their shiny, bright tangerine hue. Robin had already finished hers with a second hair dryer, and it shone like threads of obsidian over her slim shoulders. They set Chopper on a stool and each took a side to blow-dry his fur. He sat contented under the warm air and soft strokes of their brushes. “Ahh… This is so nice…”

“Isn’t it?” Nami mused. Between the two of them, the ladies were able to completely dry him from head to toe, and his reindeer fur took on a lovely sheen that it never had before. He kept running his hooves over the fur of his belly, appreciating the cozy softness.

“What are we gonna do now?” he asked Nami excitedly. She and Robin were currently rubbing some vanilla lotion into their skin (Nami thought that the scent would compliment the aroma of her tangerines, and she was right).

“Hold on just a second, Chopper! Once we finish this, we’re gonna do face masks next!”

“Oooh! Face masks!” he squealed elatedly. Once she was finished, Nami rubbed the excess lotion from her hands with her towel and then wrapped the fluffy textile around her body. The rest of her spa kit was piled on her bed back in their bedroom, and so they took the party there. They dressed themselves in a matching set of pajamas that Nami had gotten them one girl’s night out; they were a plaid set of short-shorts and a tank top, Nami’s a summer yellow and Robin’s a soothing lavender. So Chopper didn’t feel left out, she managed to find a graphic tee that would fit him with a bunch of purple and yellow flowers on it, so he matched them, too. The three of them then piled onto Nami’s bed to partake in the face masks.

“Now, Chopper, face masks are for skin, so these won’t really work for you,” Nami told him. Chopper’s little ears flattened to his head as he slumped miserably into the mattress. He instantly perked up when she continued, “But, while Robin and I have these, we’re gonna do something special for your hooves, okay?” She took a buffing pad and threw it to Robin, then procured herself one. “They’re gonna be so shiny and smooth! But you have to be still, okay?”

“Okay!” he beamed brightly. They put the facemasks on before they set to buffing Chopper’s hooves, busying themselves while the creamy concoctions hardened on the sensitive skin of their faces. Chopper obediently remained very still as the two of them smoothed out the chipped, scratched keratin of his dark brown hooves, but his little eyes kept flicking back and forth to watch them, obviously very excited. Nami had estimated the time perfectly; at the moment they finished polishing his hooves, the face masks had finished their work. It clung to Nami’s skin insistently as she peeled it off, and she made a point not to look at all the nastiness that had adhered to its sticky surface. She tossed it in the trash before looking down at Chopper.

“Would you like to paint your hooves?”

“Uh-huh! Can you paint them to match my PJ’s?”

“Of course!” Nami grinned and pulled out her box of nail polish. She had quite the collection; after all, she needed shades for all her outfits! She perused the numerous shades before she found a pair titled Daffodil Days and Lavender Sunrise. “We’ll all have matching nails, right, Robin?”

“Naturally,” she confirmed with a smile. Chopper bounced up and down on the mattress in excitement until Nami tutted at him to be still, lest she smear the paint. She applied the daffodil color as the base, and while it dried on the tips of Chopper’s hooves, she and Robin applied it to both their fingernails and toenails (after buffing their own nails, of course). Once they started waving their hands above to dry them faster, Chopper copied the motion, laughing with glee. Once they were sufficiently dry, Nami added a bit of floral flair by dabbing dots on each one to make something reminiscent of lavender blossoms. She added a touch of white on the ends to make them pop. Chopper’s eyes went big as he stared at his decorated hooves in wonder.

“Wow, Nami! You’re so talented!” he cooed. Nami chuckled, but not too much because she didn’t want to blur the paint she was dabbing onto Robin’s toenails.

“I’m not the best nail artist, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve.”

The girls waited for their nails to dry before adding a coat of sealing polish for gloss, and then their spa routine was complete. “So, Chopper, what did you think of our spa day?”

“It was so much fun!” he squealed, painted hooves waving about in the air. She and Robin chuckled light-heartedly. “Can we do it again sometime?”

“Sure!”

“We’d love to, Chopper.” His smile practically radiated sunshine, and Nami was again struck by how absolutely adorable their little doctor was. It was almost like having a child to dote on. Based on the motherly smile Robin gave him as she patted the top of his head, Robin agreed. The smile then fell from his face, and his little shoulders slumped dejectedly. “What is it, Chopper?”

“I’m sad because it’s over now…”

“Don’t be sad!” Nami grinned, and he looked up at her with wide eyes. “Don’t you know what comes after spa days? Sleepovers!”

“Oh boy, oh boy!” he cried, instantly elated again. He jumped down from Nami’s bed to scurry over to the door and throw it open. “I’m gonna go get a pillow and blanket! And ask Sanji for popcorn! And show everyone my pretty hooves! Oh boy, oh boy, I can’t wait!” he howled as he ran down the hall. Nami giggled at his boundless energy and leaned back into her pillows, looking at her now neatly manicured and painted nails.

Reindeers need pampering every now and then too, I guess!

Enjoy this oneshot? Feel free to perusemy Tableof Contents!

Tag List: @searchfortheonepiece

[ficdirectory]

Somewhere Inside (Disuphere series #4) Chapter 61

(To listen, click here) - 13:39

For dinner, their last night together, it’s kinda fitting that Pearl suggests tatertot hotdish.  It’s the same thing she packed for Jesus to take on the trip home with him, and she has a ton left.  So, it’s heating in the pan in their oven.  

Jesus is a bit more relaxed about this meal.  He trusts Pearl with tatertot hotdish because of his history with it.  Because she’s proven to him that she’ll go out of her way - with this food - to make sure he’s safe.

They all sit at the table together.  Levi’s still next to Jesus, because Jesus is pretty sure unless he gives Levi specific directions that he doesn’t need Levi to sit by him?  Levi will just keep assuming he does, and keep doing it.

It’s kinda awesome.  To not have to repeatedly ask his friends to accommodate him.  That they just get it.

The hotdish looks different this time, but Jesus can’t put his finger on why until he tastes it.  

“Pearl, what did you do to this?  It’s even better now,” Jesus wonders, around a bite.

“Oh, it’s nothing.  Just got a little creative, over the years.  This one also had Levi’s seal of approval, so I figured it was a safe bet.”

“It’s really freaking amazing,” Jesus insists.

“So...I know we didn’t talk about this...like, I didn’t ask you…” Mariana ventures.  Jesus thinks for a minute she might be talking to him, but she’s talking to Levi.  “But I was thinking...like...if you’d feel better if all of us went next door with you once, before we go?  So you could feel extra protected?”

Levi blinks.  “I guess…  Yeah, that’d be cool.  I know a few of you already went over there with us.  But if you all wanted to come, that’d be cool.”

“I do.  I love your cabin,” Francesca pipes up around a bite of hotdish.  “Do you ever use the swing, Levi?”

Jesus is surprised that Frankie’s asking the very question Jesus had thought himself.

“Nah, it’s Pearl’s,” he says.

“She shares,” Francesca tells him seriously.

“Yeah,” Pearl adds, smiling.  “I share.  If you ever wanna try it out, you’re welcome to.  You live there, now, too.”

“I know.  I just...didn’t wanna be rude, or whatever.” Levi ventures.

“It’s not rude if you ask first,” Francesca insists.  “And only use it if Pearl says yes.”

“Good to know,” Levi nods.

“Hey! Did you guys know that how I jump from fire alarms and being scared is a CP thing?”

“Is it really?” Pearl asks, interested.

“Yeah,” Frankie nods.  “Dominique and I Googled it.  We read a thing by another person with CP like me.  She said fire alarms scared her.”

“What do you think about that?” Jesus asks.

“It’s pretty good,” Francesca nods, satisfied.  “Because it makes me feel not-alone.”

“That is pretty good,” he nods.

“Sorry I keep talking,” Francesca apologizes.  “I just have one more thing to say.  A question.”

“What is it?” Jesus asks.

“Well, it’s for Mariana,” Francesca says, turning to her.  “Because you’re the only person here who might know the answer.”

Jesus listens as a hush falls over the table.  It’s not that anybody’s particularly into whatever gossip they might learn.  It’s out of respect for Mari.  Minimizing the crosstalk for her, so she has less to filter.  Jesus is gonna miss the hell out of the Avoiders, who just seamlessly adapt like this.  And Jesus is pretty sure Mariana and Frankie will miss it even more.

“Okay,” Mariana nods.  “What’s up?”

“Do you…  Well, I mean…” Francesca casts a worried look to Pearl.  To Dominique.  Jesus wonders what they know.

“You’re doing fine,” Dominique encourages Francesca.  “You can ask.  You don’t need to feel scared or ashamed.”

“I can’t help it…” Francesca giggles, nervous.  “I keep feeling like I’m gonna get ignored...or in trouble.  One of those.”

“Well, I won’t ignore you,” Mari reassures.  “And if it’s something you’re really wondering, I’ll know you’re not...like…”

“Acting out?” Jesus asks, attempting to fill in Mariana’s blank.

“Right.  So you wouldn’t be in trouble,” Mariana finishes.

“It’s just…  Do you know who my dad is?  Pearl just found out who her dad is and I can’t stop wondering.  About mine.  Moms won’t say anything about him.”

Jesus watches as Mariana opens her mouth.  Closes it.  “Um...I do know…” she admits, squinting.  “Just not sure if I can think of his name right now.”

“Well whenever you do think of it?  Will you tell me?” Francesca asks.  “It’s important.”

“Of course I will.  Yeah.” Mariana nods.

“Promise?” Francesca asks.  “Because Moms always act like it’s some big secret I can’t know.”

“Yeah…” Jesus mutters under his breath.

“What?” Levi asks.

“I just...don’t agree with hiding that kind of info from a kid.” Jesus comments, disapproving.

“I’ll tell you.  When I remember.  I promise,” Mariana says.  “And thanks.  For knowing I will remember, and not...acting like I won’t.”

Francesca shrugs.  “You don’t treat me like a baby.  I don’t treat you like a baby.  Bam.  Respect.  By the way?  Sorry if I was supposed to wait for Feelings Time to tell you that, Mari.  Just...I waited a long time already.”

“I get it,” Mariana reassures.  “No one’s mad.  Keep eating, though.”

Jesus tenses just a little, but Dudley’s here.  Sitting right where Jesus can always feel him.

“She was telling Francesca,” Levi murmurs.  “And it’s like Mari said.  No one’s mad.”

“Right,” Jesus breathes.

“Levi?  Is it cool if we go out on the dock in a bit?” Dominique asks.

“Oh my God, I was hoping, yeah.” Levi nods.

“Are you okay staying in, babe?  We’re not trying to leave you out,” Dominique reassures Francesca.

“I know.  I got to go out on the dock with you guys.  It was good.  But just like, regular-good, not like amazing-good.  So, I can stay and be Pearl’s assistant for Feelings Time snacks.  Or Mariana.  Or Jesus.  Whoever wants to make them,” Francesca reasons.

“Okay, sounds good,” Dominique smiles.

--

“So, would y’all really be cool with walking me back next door sometime?” Levi asks.

“Yeah,” Dominique nods.  “Maybe when we’re done here.  Before we head back inside?”

“If you’re sure it’s fine,” Levi insists.

“It is,” Dominique nods.

It’s quiet.  And Dominique doesn’t wanna think about what’s coming.  About the idea of leaving Levi behind here.  Even, leaving Pearl.  They’ve both proven themselves over the week.  To be solid people.  Friends she’d want in her corner in the best of times.  And in the worst.

“So...did your sis talk to you?” Dominique asks.  

“About her mean Grandma?” Levi side-eyes her.  “Yeah, she did.  We’re actually gonna meet up with my mom sometime.  Have dinner.”

“Without mean Grandma, right?” Dominique confirms.

“Oh, she is definitely not invited.  I hope Pearl changes her number again though.  And I hope her family stops bugging us…”

“Let me know how family dinner goes?” Dominique asks.  “My parents are big fans of those.  We do spaghetti a lot of times.”

“My mom and I make lasagna,” Levi confesses.  “We haven’t in a while.  But, it’s about time.  Hey, what if…” he swallows.  “What if...Carla comes around again?  What if she, like, emails, or starts harassing us?  Does that mean Jesus is really gonna out all the stuff she did to me?  Like...maybe she doesn’t really think anybody has dirt on her?”

“Jesus is smart,” Dominique reassures.  “He’ll find a way to hit her where it hurts, while also respecting you and Pearl.”

“But like…” Levi shudders.  “I just...don’t want it getting out.  It’s weird.  ‘Cause part of me?  I feel like, what am I hiding for?   Why am I ashamed?  She should feel that.  I should get to talk the hell about it if I want to.  But then the other part of me...is scared to death.”

“‘Cause she threatened you,” Dominique says.  She has a way of asking questions so they aren’t questions.  Because she’s pretty sure she’s onto something.

“Hell yeah, she did.  There’s this proof I got.  That she probably got, too, still?  I mean, the way Pearl never gave her a key and she had that?  The way she tossed the cabin?  It’s like she was looking for mine.  Even if she did, though, she wouldn’t be able to get in it…” Levi reaches for the beaded lanyard Dominique has noticed - purple and black - around his neck.  He pulls it out from under his tee shirt.  Several keys are on it.  “Lock box key, with all the rest,” he gestures.  

“Smart,” Dominique breathes, impressed.

“Figured she wouldn’t notice it, even if she noticed…” Levi tucks the necklace back beneath his shirt.

His words about Carla not noticing one key with all the others makes Dominique think of how she couches her lies similarly.  Hidden among several truths, they are less likely to stick out.  Strangely, she has no desire to lie right now.

“Don’t wanna go,” Dominique admits.  “I mean, I do.  I miss Roberta so much I keep dreaming of her.”

“What do you dream?” Levi asks, intrigued.

“Last night?  I dreamed she went to Broadway to watch shows without me.  And she was angry ‘cause the ushers kept kicking her out of the theaters.”

“You said she’s your cat, right?” Levi mentions, laughing.

“Yeah.  She likes showtunes.” Dominique insists, as serious as she can be, ‘til she starts laughing, too.  “She really, actually does.  Her favorite’s RENT.  Least favorite’s Cats.”

“Huh.”  Levi muses.

Dominique’s sure he’s about to say he’s not familiar with either of those, when he starts to sing.  And his voice...is easily one of the most incredible she has ever heard:

“Love doesn’t discriminate between the sinners and the saints.  It takes and it takes and it takes.  And we keep loving anyway.  We laugh and we cry and we break and we make our mistakes.  And if there’s a reason I’m by her side when so many have tried, then I’m willing to wait for it.  I’m willing to wait for it…”   

“Okay,” Dominique smiles.

“Does Roberta have an opinion on Hamilton?” Levi asks.

“She likes a good Cabinet Battle,” Dominique shares.  “Both of them.  I think she just likes the rapping.”

“Ah, okay!” Levi smiles.  “A cat with some taste!  I like that!”

“All my friends can sing, and it’s like, this big secret…” Dominique mutters, laughing to herself.

“What do you mean?” Levi asks.

“I mean, y’all are more like me than I thought,” Dominique confesses.  “But especially you.  None of these guys know musicals.  I’m teaching Francesca.  She wants to learn some songs so Roberta will like her?  But I don’t think it’s really her scene.”

“She can sing, though?” Levi asks.

“She can.  Mariana can.  You can,” Dominique lists.

“I assume you can,” Levi says.

“You’d assume correctly.  But I’m not about to right now.  I’m done with that performing on demand shit,” she mutters, sliding from carefree conversation to the opposite in half a second flat.

“I won’t ask you to,” Levi says, quiet.

“People used to.  You know?” she comments, catching his eye for a second and then looking back out at the lake.

“Avoiders don’t make each other do anything we don’t feel comfortable doing.  I didn’t mean to...like...put you on the spot about singing.  You just...seem to know a lot of Broadway.  Pearl doesn’t.  Can’t sing a lick, either.”

Dominique sighs.  “So, you were just looking to relate?”

“I guess, yeah.  Nobody up here is really into that.  Everybody’s super conservative.” He wrinkles his nose.

“Nasty,” Dominique shakes her head.  “So...y’all have zero mental health services.  Living right close to the people who hurt you both.  And the town’s full of conservatives?”

“I know, right?” Levi winces.

“You gotta get out of here…” Dominique laughs nervously.  

“I know,” Levi grins, nervous, too.

“Seriously.  This is a bad place for y’all to be.  Come to California.  One of Pearl’s friends?  Char?  She lives in LA.” Dominique adds.

“And?” Levi asks.

“And, maybe if you didn’t wanna live at Gateway with Jesus and I, Char would let you and Pearl live with her.  Oh.  Maybe not.  Shoot.  Okay.” Dominique goes quiet again.  “I’ll keep thinking.”

“Maybe we could all just stay…” Levi sighs.  “You know?  Maybe time could stop?  And everything could just stay like this?”

“But with like a quick scenery change,” Dominique suggests.  “Where we all just snapped our fingers and landed in San Diego.  With sun, mental health services, and open-minded people.  And two-thirds of the Avoiders…”

“Oh, God, if only,” Levi laughs, but there are tears in his eyes.

“Yeah,” Dominique echoes.  “If only…”