#something something-Sabo cried

[buff-muffin]

I always personally thought that Sabo was a child that was actually rather academically gifted, he had a thirst for knowledge and was a genius at retaining information. The problem was he was never allowed to explore topics of his own interest, so when he ran away and started living on his own he started reading any and all books on whatever topic he could find in the Grey Terminal. And when he, Ace and Luffy teamed up they would steal from bookstores. (idk I feel like Goa wouldn't have libraries. I mean free knowledge?? in GOA??? nahh)

Of course this was a lot of books on sailing, making boats, wilderness survival in the Grandline and the sorts of things they would need to know as pirates. But he would also try snag books Ace and Luffy would love.

Getting Luffy to actually read a book willingly was impossible but Luffy being a bug boy, would point to every bug he finds and looked at Sabo like "WHATS THAT ONE!?" And Sabo having stolen a huge book of East Blue bugs will flip through and read to Luffy facts about the bug. and its the most excited they have ever seen him about a book. When Sabo got all his memories back he became a walking bug encyclopaedia. I think Ace would be against reading no matter how hard Sabo tried to pitch the stories to him. But Once Sabo was gone and there was a pile of books left in the treehouse to rot, he picked them up as a way of staying connected to his brother.

I think Ace would read a lot of fiction books but keep it rather secret, reading in the evening when Luffy already fell asleep. He wasn't at all very fast at reading at first having to sound out words like he was six, but as he finished one book, a favourite of Sabo's, he read another and another. He got better at spelling, grammar even his handwriting got a little neater. He grew out of fiction when he got older. but leaving reality for a moment to be someone else was something he really savoured when he was a teen. This also ended up saving him as a commander considering all the paperwork he would have to do and thank god his handwriting was at least legible.

[namism]

one too many | sabo

➳ categories: college au, friends to lovers au, female she/her reader, best friend's brother trope, light angst

➳ warnings: lots of drinking

➳ word count: 17.4k

➳ summary: A drinking game hosted by your friends causes you to evaluate your feelings for your best friend's brother.

➳ notes: this is an exchange fic for @justsomeoneintoomanyfandoms in celebration of #infixopmarch2025 @infixop! more personal notes at the bottom :)

➳ cross-posted on ao3

ONE.

Contrary to popular belief, people love to attend Monkey D. Luffy’s college parties because his tight circle of high school friends save the night with free food, drinking games, and comedic entertainment. 

It’s no secret that the Monkey-Portgas residence has taken Foosha Village by storm because it’s buzzing with twenty-somethings every Friday night. You’re starting to think they’re pissing off the restobar owners down central street for stealing their most loyal frat boys and sorority girls, but you can’t blame Luffy for that. He’s charming, and his brothers are, too. Their energy is influential, drawing you in like a moth to a flame, contagious. Life is never dull with them around, so you find yourself, along with many others, frequenting their house often. 

On days when Luffy isn’t hosting, he likes to invite you and his friends from high school to come over. He called this one in particular a simple get-together, a meeting with friends. Not wild, just chill. Naturally, he scheduled it on the day when his older brothers were out of town for “Seniors’ Night,” a mandatory event out of school grounds supposedly spent stress-free. Even then, all efforts at keeping the small gathering simple was lost once Zoro (certified rice wine lover) showed up with Nami (certified drinker) with a bag of alcohol squished in the backseat of Usopp’s Mazda.

You arrived at Luffy’s an hour early, so you witnessed your friends storm his home under the impression that it was an alcoholic party. As time passed, sobriety slipped from your grasp as you downed a bottle of who-knows-what until words came out slurred and conduct turned disgraceful.

The events that transpired from that point onward are incomprehensible.

“Drinks, drinks, anybody? Hey, would you care for a shot?”

“Stop it, Sanji. Leave the girl alone,” Nami hissed as the man tried to offer you another beautifully concocted drink. Upon her orders, Sanji retreated into the kitchen with a waiting tray, four—five?—shots into Jägermeister because Zoro challenged him to a drinking competition thirty minutes ago.

Nami relaxed into the cushion behind her and sighed deeply, her head buzzing from the alcohol she gloriously bought.

“Sanji! Zoro! You’re in the living room in the next two minutes, or I’m kicking you out!”

The following events are blurry, but you remember several things if you try hard enough. First, Sanji came back from the kitchen with a bottle of Jose Cuervo after Nami’s angry mandate; second, Nami unveiled a brand new deck of cards from her purse, a few of which suspiciously had an 18+ label stamped on the back; third, Luffy crashed your circle by barreling down the staircase in a yellow straw hat, a sign that he was already wasted; and fourth, Usopp cried into your side as the rest of the group realized that Nami was forcing everyone to a wild game of Truth or Drink.

You remember chasing a shot with ice-cold Sprite, deciding it was better to match everyone else’s drunkenness. A few rounds passed before you were chosen through a lucky spin of an empty glass bottle, to which Nami responded by shuffling the deck expertly and letting you choose from the display.

Afraid you would do something more than you bargained for, you chose the safe cards closest to you.

“Tell us which one of your friends’ siblings you would date… or drink the number of letters they have in their name.”

You don’t remember which one of your friends dared to howl aloud, but you recall Nami displaying an awful grin on her face, like watching you suffer was fun for her. Zoro erupted in genuine laughter, Luffy laughed through a mouthful of barbecue, Usopp covered his mouth in shock, and Sanji made a face of disagreement, waving his hands frantically in the air.

“Please,” he said your name, “do not say any of my brothers.”

You shook your head. “I don’t intend to.”

“Good,” he exhaled.

“Honestly, I don’t intend on saying anything.”

The small crowd erupted in oohs and ahhs at your display of bravery, surprised that you decided to drink x number of shots just to save face. You vaguely recall what they talked about as you chugged one shot after the other, but distinct voices at the back of your brain exchange a series of concerned mumbles that you can somewhat remember.

“How much is she going to drink?” Usopp.

“Not much. If I’m being honest, I don’t think she can handle drinking six.” Nami.

“She isn’t drinking past five because she emptied my Jäger an hour ago.” Zoro.

“That crosses out Nojiko and Ichiji. She’s two shots in.” Usopp again.

As you guzzled the third, the group waited for your next move. Stopping at three meant the obvious since Luffy’s brother Ace—hot, muscular, tattooed, and a little bit older—is the only suspect with three letters in his name. It was harder to tell otherwise. When you poured yourself another shot, your friends pressed on with concern.

“A fourth. God, she’s probably taking five,” Nami remarked.

Sanji was losing his cool. “I refuse to believe this.”

“I refuse your refusal,” Luffy joked.

“Tell me it isn’t Yonji,” begged Sanji. “Not Yonji, not Yonji, not Yonji, not Yonji—”

Nami shot him a glare, but his wish was granted soon enough. Silence fell in the room as you sat back on the armchair after having downed four shots nonstop. Sanji’s ears shot blood red as he realized that you weren’t hinting at his younger brother, but his older brother.

Vinsmoke Niji.

Zoro snickered. “You’re forgetting Sabo.”

After spending some time wordless, Luffy giggled. “Yeah, my brother! Sabo is a good man!” he uttered, happy to hear his brother’s name.

Sanji was unconvinced. Usopp shared the same sentiments.

Turning toward you, he asked, “Who is it?”

A hiccup erupted from the back of your throat. With every passing second, your vision began to darken. “I’m-I’m not telling,” you slurred stubbornly. Zoro laughed at your resistance, while Sanji broke down.

A few moments later, you blacked out.

The lights are out when Ace drives his Honda Civic into the parking spot by their front yard, which he finds rather unusual for a night like this. Luffy was supposed to host a get-together today—small and exclusive, sure, but Ace knows better than to expect any celebration thrown by his brother to actually stay that way. Luffy, after all, is an energetic twit. Plus, he scheduled it on a Friday night when most people at university are free.

Currently, it’s two hours past Saturday midnight and a quiet home is more suspicious to him than not.

Ace slaps Sabo awake in the passenger seat. Sabo stirs grumpily.

“What is it?” the blond mumbles, voice hoarse and laced with sleep. He’s been in that position for over an hour, just snoozing throughout the entire car ride home. That stupid Seniors’ Night robbed him of all his energy, so he passed out in the car as soon as he entered. Ace points a thumb past his shoulder.

“House is quiet. You enter first.”

“The hell?” Sabo whispers confusedly, not realizing that they’ve arrived home.

“Check if the coast is clear because I do not want to walk in on uni kids doing stupid stuff,” Ace reasons. “And can you bring my stuff inside while you’re at it?”

Sabo whines, but he doesn’t question it anymore because his feet are taking him to the front door in a matter of seconds, his bags and Ace’s slung across his body. With shoulders relaxed and eyes half-lidded, Sabo fiddles with his keys and unlocks the big timber doors to welcome the scent of old sweet home.

He acknowledges the scent of alcohol and the evident mess on the floor, but he walks past it nonchalantly, recognizing it as a typical occurrence at home. He checks the kitchen, takes note of the soda spill on the counter and the Dorito crumbs by his feet, then groggily saunters to Ace’s bedroom in the basement.

He drops his brother’s bags by the door before realizing that Ace is right about the eerie stillness. The house is dark, too. The only light comes from the faint glow of Sabo’s phone screen as he navigates the hallway toward his bedroom upstairs. Too exhausted to second-guess anything, he nudges his door open, drops his duffel bag to the floor, and collapses onto his bed.

But the moment his body hits what should’ve been his mattress, he screams at the bone and flesh he just collided into.

“AHHH!” he yelps, his body instantly rolling over to the side of the bed. His eyes shoot open as he collects himself, standing upright then scrambling to the light switch. He flicks it on.

“Oww,” someone groans pathetically underneath his sheets at the impact. Sabo freezes. He watches their hands clutch at the ends of his comforter and toss it aside swiftly.

He exhales a breath of relief when he realizes it’s you.

“What’s happening?” you mumble, eyes falling close no matter your efforts to keep them open. “Luffy? Sanji?”

“Uh, no,” Sabo answers. Eyes still closed, you stretch your limbs and roll over the mattress, getting comfortable once again in his sheets. “Um…”

“Wake me… in the morning… please,” you mumble, your voice barely above a whisper. Sabo lingers awkwardly by the door as you drift back to sleep within seconds, completely unaware of his dilemma.

Normally, he’d let you sleep undisturbed. He’s nice like that, and he avoids confrontation whenever he can. Plus, he has a soft spot for drunk people as the token caretaker of his friend group on a drunk night out. Luffy is probably passed out somewhere in the house, too, snoring alongside his equally rowdy friends.

But tonight, Sabo is too exhausted to be nice. He’s not in the mood to surrender his bed, even if he could just crash on the floor. For once, he wants to be selfish—either kick you off the mattress or wedge himself into the tiny sliver of space you’ve left behind.

“Hey, wake up,” he says, gently shaking your shoulder. You don’t respond. “Wake up. Please. I need to sleep.”

He pokes your nose, your side. He even tries to tickle you—still nothing. After a few more failed attempts, he sighs in defeat and sinks to the floor with a groan.

Having surrendered to exhaustion, he turns off the light, digs through his duffel bag for a fresh set of clothes, and quickly changes before finally collapsing into the space beside you. 

TWO.

Nami always insisted on cleanliness, and that involved keeping your shared apartment fragrant. It was her first complaint when she stepped foot in your flat—she thought she could brighten up the place with her aroma lamp and essential oils, something Zoro or Usopp never considered doing before she moved in with the three of you. From that moment onward, every waking morning at your four-bedroom apartment smelled of fresh bamboo or white tea, depending on the oil she chose to diffuse in her lamp earlier that week.

Apart from their clean crisp odor, Nami’s essential oils are pervasive. It wafts through every inch of the house, fighting with the aroma of grease and umami from the dishes that Sanji cooks whenever he comes over. The odor of fresh bamboo is simply something you cannot miss. Quite frankly, you love it. Even Zoro does.

That said, you find it strange when your senses come together and you smell nothing of the sort in your bedroom. It’s the morning after Luffy’s get-together—you’re aware of that, but for some reason, your senses perceive foreign textures and smells the more you stir. Your fingers, running across the soft comforter underneath you, move farther as you stretch your limbs awake. You feel the softness of the material until you brush against something warm, something soft… and flesh-like. 

You force your eyes open.

“What?!”

The morning calmness is disrupted by your cry. You sit up from the mattress, the comforter falling to your lap as you move away from the sleeping boy next to you. Sabo, the middle child of Luffy’s confusing family, is crammed into the narrow space by the edge of the bed. He sleeps soundly in a fetal position, his right arm tucked under his head as a makeshift pillow. His bangs fall softly on his face, covering the scar by his left eye.

Your heart skips a beat.

You hop off the bed and slip out of his room. How you ended up in Sabo’s bedroom after last night’s events is a mystery. It’s equally mysterious that he (and presumably Ace) are back home from their trip. Against all odds, you fell asleep beside him. The only logical response at this point is to evacuate the premises before he wakes up.

You retrieve your items from the living room, thanking yourself for keeping them clustered together on the couch. When you pass the staircase on the way to the door, Ace zombie-walks from the basement and greets you with bedhead hair.

“Why are you awake so early?” he asks, leaning against the banister. It’s 6:00 in the morning, and last he checked, not a single one of Luffy’s friends wakes up at this hour.

“Why are you awake so early?” you return the question, much to Ace’s dismay. He frowns.

“Serving me attitude at 6:00 AM? Okay,” he says through a yawn. “I’m surprised you can walk just fine after killing your liver last night. That, and not having serious bruises after sleeping next to Sabo.”

“Hey, I’m no— wait, what?” You blink.

“Sabo used to kick me in his sleep when we were children,” he continues. His face contorts into bewilderment when he notices your discomfort. “What’s with that look?”

“How did you know I slept at Sabo’s?” you question, tone firm.

“Oh, that.” He shrugs, scratching the morning itch on his elbow. He explains ordering Sabo last night when they got home. “Figured he’d gone straight to bed, but I wanted to make sure. To my surprise, you were there with him.”

Yawning, he runs his fingers through his soiled hair.

“What were you doing in his room, anyway?”

You look onward with a troubled expression. What were you doing in his room? Your latest memory of Luffy’s get-together was Sanji bickering with Zoro over shots of Jäger, which you delightfully emptied after they abandoned the bottle. You remember playing a game or two with alcohol as punishment, but you’re not exactly sure what occurred. You headed to the bathroom somewhere in between, and you don’t recall much after that.

“I don’t know,” you tell him truthfully, yet ashamed. It’s one thing to get drunk, but it’s another to lose memory of all that transpired. “I know it’s a hard ask, but can you promise me just this once that you won’t tell anyone?”

“About what?”

“About me winding up in your brother’s bedroom,” you deadpan.

Ace thinks you're being a little ridiculous for freaking out over this, but he gets it. Among the three of them, you know Sabo the least, so the awkwardness checks out. He’d bet good money that Sabo had a near-death infarction upon seeing you passed out on his bed.

You like to think Ace thought about it for a while before answering.

“Sabo wasn’t drunk, you know. He’ll remember what happened last night.”

You groan.

“But if you’re worried about my brother conspiring against you for stealing 80% of his bed space”—you shove your hands into your palms—“I can assure you there is nothing to worry about. He’s not the type.”

Ace decides to be a role model and gives you an aspirin tablet to kill your migraine. Not long after that, you walk home and snuggle in bed.

You don’t wake up for the next four hours, even when your subconscious hears the tinkling of Nami’s keys unlocking the front door.

THREE.

Your university is located along busy Conomi Avenue, where locals and tourists dash in and out of establishments, stores, and embellished infrastructures. Along the main road stands an authentic Japanese ramen shop, which you and your friends swing by often after school.

On this particular day, you’re with the usual pack: Nami, Usopp, and Zoro. Sanji is away preparing for a cookout hosted by his adoptive father Zeff, while Luffy is somewhere over the rainbow. Nobody really knows where he is; Usopp’s brightest guess is Sanji’s place, probably snuffling all the food he and Zeff are putting out before the big event.

That aside, your friends have made it a big deal to bring up the events that occurred one night ago. Well, “friends” being Nami and Usopp—Zoro is just there to eat.

“Care to explain what that was about?” Nami asks keenly, swirling her drink with a metallic straw. When you display ignorance to some parts of their wild recollection, Usopp runs with you the full sequence of events that you wish never happened.

“I did what?!”

“Maybe I should have lied,” he mutters.

“God, you’ve got to be kidding me,” you grumble. “I didn’t actually do any of that, did I?”

“Winding up in someone’s bed completely drunk was already embarrassing enough,” Nami says, “but what did it for me was the fact that you drank four shots of Cuervo in the name of the very guy whose bed you ended up sleeping on.”

“I was not drinking for Sabo!” you protest. Your friends are unamused. “Don’t give me that look. I could have been drinking for no reason!”

“Yeah, totally,” Usopp deadpans. There is silence before he speaks again. “So, about Vinsmoke Niji…”

“I am not interested in Vinsmoke.”

“Right, so, you’re into Sabo.”

“I—” you stammer, your brain going haywire. “Look, I don’t really know where this is coming from.”

“U-huh.”

“All I did was play a game and drink a few shots, which shouldn’t mean anything considering I wasn’t in the right headspace.” Usopp looks at Nami with a raised brow, and that’s how they communicate their thoughts. They’re calling nonsense, but you object. “It’s the truth!”

“I think her reasoning is fair,” Zoro chimes in for the first time in ten minutes. He swallows a mouthful of tuna onigiri and leans into another generous bite like the glutton he is. Nothing beats an authentic Japanese restaurant smack-dab in the middle of tourist central.

“Thank you, Zoro.”

“But their arguments are just as fair.” He sprinkles grounded pepper into his ramen bowl. Your mouth closes in shock. “There is no forgetting what we witnessed.”

A stubborn back-and-forth breaks out in the middle of your lunch date. According to Usopp—backed by Zoro’s half-grunted observations—you were carried off to Luffy’s bedroom for a proper night’s rest after getting absolutely wrecked by Nami’s stupid drinking game. But somewhere in the middle of the night, you apparently woke up, wandered off, and insisted on crashing in the next room over, which just so happened to be Sabo’s, where you proceeded to sleep like a rock until he came home. Your friends tried to get you out of there a few times, but you had clung to the door frame and refused to be lugged away.

“Maybe I just found his bed more comfy,” you guess. Really, there’s no telling what was going through your drunk brain that night. Sabo is just Luffy’s older brother to you. Nothing more, nothing less. You don’t even talk often. While he has the looks as any of his siblings would have, you don’t like him the way Nami and Usopp make your feelings out to be.

Although Nami objects regardless. “That’s a little extra, don’t you think?”

“There’s nothing else I can think of that can justify what happened. I don’t like Sabo that way,” you say firmly, but end up mumbling toward the end. Nami isn’t wrong. It does seem a little extra. All your actions align as if to indicate some hidden feelings that you haven’t been telling anyone.

Suddenly, a realization dawns on you.

“Unless I do like him. Could it be that I actually like him?”

“Everyone thought you did. It seemed real when you were insistent on not telling,” she points out.

“To my sober and fully awakened knowledge, I don’t like that boy, thank you very much.” You shake your head, collapsing on your chair. “But it’s food for thought. Maybe I do like him, and I just don’t know it.”

Truth be told, your friends make sense to some degree. You find Sabo quite interesting because he’s easy to like, but not in the same loud, chaotic way his brothers are. Liking him platonically is more subtle, quieter, and in many ways different. He has a side of him that is strangely similar to his brothers, but he stands apart with his calm demeanor and thoughtful gestures.

Although it’s a problem now that your feelings are being questioned. You never saw him romantically. You think he’s nice, but you have never thought of him in that light. Sabo is just Luffy’s brother to you, someone you can depend on in the event of an emergency, but not someone you actively think of and speak to. Before going back to his devices, Zoro spews out some words of wisdom that he ought you hear.

“You’re rarely yourself when drunk, but alcohol imparts people’s deepest desires,” he says. “On one hand, it changes people. On the other hand, it tempts you to say the truth. Think about it.”

So you do. You think about it as the conversation fades into something else. You think about it as you pay the bill and leave the store well-fed. It’s in your mind as you go to bed that night, as you hop in the shower the following morning, as you get ready for another week of university, as you do your homework at the library. Zoro’s words haunt you everywhere you go, and it doesn’t help when Nami and Usopp tease you whenever Sabo’s name is thrown around. You can’t shake off the feeling that Zoro might be right.

That, or you’re just delusional. Feelings are weird. You might just be infatuated, for all you care.

You’re back at the ramen shop with Zoro a week later. You haven’t seen Luffy, much less come over at his place, since your schedules have become increasingly different over time. But if it meant avoiding any and all interactions with his brother by steering clear of their home, it might be for the better.

“Usopp wants a mild bowl,” you tell Zoro. Having known the owner, he volunteers to order takeout, while you sit and wait for him at an empty table by the front window.

You’re on your phone when you’re approached by the very person you don’t want to see.

“Oh, hey. Nice to see you here.”

You lift your head to find Luffy’s brothers standing before you. Ace, who greeted you out of the blue, is in a black hoodie and shorts like he came straight out of the gym. Sabo, standing behind him, is more well-dressed, with a backpack strapped to his shoulders like he just got out of the lecture hall. When Sabo catches your eye, you quickly look away.

“What are you doing here?” you blurt out, unintentionally coming off as rude. “Sorry, I meant, what’s up? Here for some ramen?”

“Yeah, I’ve had a tiring day,” says Ace. You don’t point out the odd fact that he claims to be tired at 12 noon, but you remember he’s narcoleptic. “Anyway, I’ll catch up with you later. I’m getting food.” He nudges Sabo behind him. “Sabo can keep you company.”

“Wait—” Sabo is pushed aside as Ace lines up two customers behind Zoro. Your eyes fall on the man standing before you, but you avert your gaze quickly.

Sabo regains his composure and decides to sit across you, paying no mind at how undeniably awkward it’s getting.

Your sentiments aren’t any better, especially when the man in front of you has been on your mind the past week. If anything, you find it more suffocating. Sabo doesn’t know, but he’s all you ever think about because you’re confused with your feelings. Your roommates don’t make it any better, either. Your conversation with them flashes before your eyes, and momentarily, you hope Sabo is clueless about your drunken antics.

“Where’s Luffy?” you ask, a poor attempt to relieve the tension between you.

He’s a little surprised, like he doesn’t expect you to talk to him at all. Even then, he answers your question with a rather short reply. “At home.”

“Oh.” You nod. He looks down at his lap, and you figure he’s on his phone. Your shoulders sag, and shame creeps up your spine. He doesn’t want to talk.

But you’re proven otherwise a few moments later.

“Ace mentioned something about you being anxious that I was mad,” he says out of the blue. He awaits your reaction, only continuing when you look up at him with parted lips and a creased brow. “If you’re worried about the bed thing, I hope you know it’s okay. I kinda thought it was funny.”

You almost don’t believe him, but he supplies it with a light chuckle, so you do. His words become even more alluring when the corners of his lips lift upward and his front teeth show. Sabo is cute, but has he always been this cute?

“Thanks for not lashing out,” you say. “I was drunk, but I was worried it was inappropriate. Not that it wasn’t—it was, since I snuck in your room and slept there the whole night.”

“No, I should apologize for forcing myself on the bed beside you. I was tired,” he explains. You don’t think he should apologize, but it’s a habit of his. Sabo doesn’t want bad blood with anyone, it seems. “If what Luffy says is true, you blacked out first before your friends did. There’s no need to feel bad about wanting to sleep on a proper bed.”

Blood rushes to your face, and suddenly, your cheeks are hot.

“Yeah…” you mumble sheepishly, opting for such a reply instead of something else. “Just so you know, that doesn’t normally happen.”

“I understand it was a fun night.”

You shake your head. “Well, yes, but I never get that drunk. I drink moderately, and I’m not a lightweight either.” Realizing you’re getting defensive, your head falls in shame. “Sorry.”

“Hey, it’s okay. I don’t judge,” says Sabo. His tone is gentle like he means it, like he promises he isn’t judging. And the crazy thing is, you believe him. Relief washes over you at his reassurance, and you feel more at ease with your rambunctious display of behavior many nights ago. “I blacked out one time after Ace gave me Everclear. I know the feeling.”

A lighthearted laugh makes it past your lips, and for the first time in more than a week, you feel like you can talk to him normally again. It’s good to have brought it up, and suddenly you realize that he’s sort of confrontational, but gentle.

Zoro comes back a few minutes later with a paper bag of Japanese takeout. You don’t see it yourself, but you know he shoots you with an amused look when you seem to happily bid Sabo farewell. Even then, he doesn’t bring it up and just follows you on the walk back home, keeping his thoughts to himself.

FOUR.

From that day onward, you see Sabo more often than you expect. You cross paths on campus, sometimes on the way to class, and more surprisingly at random food chains along Conomi Avenue. It’s strange, and while it helps to have cleared up your awkward encounter, seeing him as often as you do now doesn’t help your confusing feelings. It’s especially problematic since he’s so nice to you, and you tend to be a sucker for courteous actions.

The next time you see Sabo, you’re at his house. Luffy begged you to come over because he’s been suffering the symptoms of food poisoning, which earned him a playful slap from Nami and a well-deserved lecture from Sanji. You decided to visit him with your roommates, and by the time you arrive, Sanji is already there.

“You’re going to die an early death if you keep this up,” Nami scolds him, pressing harder on the cooling gel on Luffy’s forehead. Sitting by the foot of his bed, your friends look at him pitifully.

“I’m sorry,” is all Luffy says, which sounds rather genuine given his pitiful state.

After some time, everyone shuffles out of his bedroom for lunch, leaving you to look after Luffy yourself. He falls asleep an hour or so later, and only then does Sabo decide to appear.

He approaches his brother, sits beside him on the mattress, and tucks the blanket under his chin. “He looks better than last night thanks to Sanji’s cooking,” he says, and you hum in acknowledgement.

“That’s great,” you mumble. Luffy hardly gets sick, but when he does, it sucks the life out of him. Thankfully, this isn’t your first rodeo with a sick friend. Living with three people and no trusted adult leaves you to just figure things out on your own. “How did he get poisoned?”

Sabo sighs. He stands from the mattress and crosses his arms on his chest. He tries to stifle a chuckle, saying, “He and Ace ate at a barbecue place when I wasn’t around. Lufy ate a bunch of undercooked meat and couldn’t handle it.”

Laughter erupts from the back of your throat, but you resist the urge in fear of waking your friend. Luffy shuffles in his bed.

“You can laugh,” Sabo tells you.

“I’d rather not,” you retort. “It’s already bad enough that he’s skipping uni. You should have more sympathy for your brother.”

“Hey, hey,” he says, looking at Luffy then back at you, “let’s tone down the accusations. And for the record, Ace had been making fun of him a whole lot worse.”

Sabo decides to stay at Luffy’s bedroom with you, oftentimes asking you things about his brother and commenting on nonsense that he thinks you would find hilarious. It feels strange to talk to Sabo this way after many years of just passively acknowledging each other, but his attempt to talk to you is sweeter than not. And for some reason, it makes you feel warm inside. Zoro’s words from a couple of weeks ago find their way into your brain, and for a moment, you’re distracted.

When you seem to have short-circuited, he asks, “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” you respond quickly. He nods. He inches closer toward Luffy and presses the back of his hand to his brother’s forehead. “Is he?”

“Not quite,” he says. “I’ll get him another gel pack. Could you slip into the bathroom and get some paracetamol?”

Upon Sabo’s orders, you walk to the common bathroom down the hallway of Luffy’s bedroom in search of the tablets. You open the medicine cabinet by the door, but the paracetamol isn’t there.

You look around the bathroom. Open shelves with toiletries line the back wall of the sink. At the topmost shelf sits a first aid kit, collecting dust. But there’s no stool in sight.

Standing on your tiptoes, you take your chances and reach for the kit, but it’s too far up. A grumble rips from your throat. Who stows away an emergency kit out of reach? Although when you stand back on your heels, you’re reminded that Luffy's brothers are unnecessarily tall on top of being bad organizers. Clearly, Sabo didn’t think your job through.

Slowly, you hoist yourself up on the small counter space by the sink. You kneel, but the marble hurts your kneecaps. You recoil backward before trying again.

That’s when Sabo comes in.

“Hey, I got—”

In a panic, he enters the bathroom and drops the pack of cooling gel on the counter to redirect his hands on supporting you from behind. His right hand clutches your hips, the other the back of your thighs. His touches are light and delicate, done out of courtesy and fear that you might fall, but it makes you somewhat dizzy.

“I’m okay,” you tell him, and slowly, you descend the counter with his help, even if you don’t need it. Sabo reaches for the kit and apologizes for its odd placement. “I’m guessing Ace put that there.”

“He probably did when he used it some weeks ago. He misplaces things often,” he explains. “You sure you’re okay?”

You appreciate his concern, but your stomach flips like you’re conflicted. Sabo doesn’t miss the way your lips purse tightly, a subtle sign that he should ignore, but instead chooses to address in an equally subtle gaze of concern.

“Seems A-okay,” he says. “We should head back.’

When you come back to Luffy’s bedroom, Usopp is already there. You throw him the first aid kit, which he catches, and pass down the duty before finding an excuse to leave, the events just a few moments before replaying in your head.

Sabo doesn’t question it. He just lets you.

A few days later, however, you see him again.

This time, you’re back at the ramen shop from a few weeks back, but you’re alone. When you enter, you notice him in the same circumstances. Ace and Luffy aren’t around.

It’s you who approaches him first, figuring there’s no point in trying to avoid him. Not that you have a proper reason to begin with—you spent some time reflecting on his actions at Luffy’s bedroom the other day, and after much contemplation, you concluded that you were just delusional. Sabo is a nice man. He likes to help people and he smiles at everyone often. He doesn't want bad blood, so he has a habit of apologizing. Most importantly, he’s just well-mannered.

Avoiding him makes you the problem, and you don’t want that.

“Hi,” you greet simply as you approach him by the counter, where he claims a bag of packaged ramen. He returns your greeting with his own, coupled with a smile that stretches on his lips. He asks where your friends are. “Half of them are in class. Zoro is taking a nap.”

“That goes the same for Ace. He won’t be waking up until evening,” he says in a joking manner. He nods toward the cashier. “Ordering something?”

“Just a quick meal before I head to the library,” you reply. “Are you a regular?”

Sabo looks down at the paper bag of food in his hands and cutely chuckles to himself. “Caught me red-handed? I come here often to buy their ramen.”

“Just like Zoro. Do you like Japanese food?”

“I think the cuisine is great, ramen most especially,” he says. It’s quiet for a moment until he realizes you’re there to dine, not to order takeout. An idea crosses his mind. “Can I sit with you?”

“Oh,” you stutter, “but I thought—”

“This? Nah, it’s for Ace,” he says before you can even finish your sentence. He’s lying, but you don’t look convinced, so he takes it up a notch. “He ordered a bowl with ghost peppers since he’s crazy like that. He said he couldn’t come since he was, uh, with friends… but he’s asleep now, so I’m in no rush to bring this to him.”

While Sabo isn’t a good liar, you decide to just nod and pretend to believe him. The takeout ramen in the paper bag is obviously his, but whatever his reasons are for lying, you shrug them off and instead appreciate his kindness.

You’re seated across him some time later, steaming hot bowls of noodles placed in front of you. Sabo offers you the first bite, and conversation flows naturally from there.

You ask how Luffy’s doing, and he laughs. “He’s somewhat in a predicament,” he tells you. Luffy’s been better since you last visited him, but as a precautionary measure, his grandfather imposed a no-meat ban for two weeks. In true Luffy fashion, he hasn’t followed it one bit, but Sabo stresses that he’s been looking after his brother’s diet to counterbalance his stubbornness.

“Your family is something else,” you remark.

“It runs in the blood,” he says, not long before he corrects himself. “Their blood. I’m kinda just there. I prevent them from doing dumb and dumber stuff, like a mediator.”

You hum over a mouthful of noodles, then you shake your head. “You’re blood-related at this point. You act like your brothers more often than you think.” But you’re more tolerable. And gentler. 

“Do I?” You nod. “Guess they’ve infected me. I would’ve turned out differently if it weren’t for them.”

“It might have been for the better,” you say after much internal debate. As far as your memory goes, Ace and Luffy are half-brothers, while Sabo is adopted. It was something along the lines of being disowned and left to fend for himself at a young age, which explains the visible scar on the left side of his face. You don’t know much beyond that, but you’re aware it was rather tragic. No child deserves to go through what he did.

“You might be right.” Sabo is surprisingly not offended or hurt that the topic shifted to his past. He figured you knew—most likely from Ace—but he trusts you with that sensitive knowledge, so it’s not a big deal. “Speaking of Luffy, he’d like to say thank you for taking care of him. He wants to host another party to show his gratitude..”

“I’m just glad he’s recovered,” you say. Food poisoning sucks. It sucks even more when you’re a massive foodie like Luffy. “When is it?”

“No clue. But if I were to guess, probably within the next three weeks.” Sabo has heard of the undergraduates’ suffering because the semester is ending in a month. He’s a senior, so his semester ended earlier than Luffy’s and his third-year friends. Sabo knows you’re a third-year yourself, so you’re in the same situation right now.

You note down the date in your head, then you joke about your wariness of Nami, her drinking game, and the presence of strong alcohol in this upcoming party. Sabo laughs with you, but he’s confused.

“Nami’s drinking game?” he asks, reaching for the chili bottle in front of you. Without a second thought, he drizzles his entire bowl with a layer of chili flakes. “What’s that about?”

“Well, if you remember Luffy’s so-called get-together a few weeks ago”—you grab a bottle of condiments and sprinkle a generous amount on your bowl—“I got totally wasted. It turns out that Nami, my dearest friend, decided it was fun to play this game, where you basically—”

You stop yourself.

Nami’s drinking game. Everybody getting themselves drunk through many rounds of Truth or Drink. You downing four shots because your subconscious just felt like it, not because you were intentionally naming one of your friends’ siblings in response to the prompt you drew.

Your friends poking fun at you for having feelings for Sabo.

Sabo doesn’t know what happened that night. The way he curiously questions you proves it. He doesn’t know about Nami’s game and the cause of your blackout. All he knows is that you drank one too many shots on a fun night with your friends, which caused you to drunkenly stumble into his bedroom and snooze there for the rest of the night until he came home.

Sabo finds your silence uneasy. Chewing on a mouthful of noodles, he asks what’s wrong.

“Nothing’s wrong,” you reassure him, but it comes out a little shaky, like you’re hiding the fact that there is something wrong.

Sabo decides to ignore it. “Anyway, you were saying?”

“Well…” you stutter, eventually becoming speechless, winding up wordless. You stuff some of the noodles in your mouth and chew on it aggressively. Sabo narrows his eyes at you, and something clicks inside his head.

“Is it a secret? Something I can’t know?” he asks.

“Pretty much,” you say truthfully.

“I’m guessing it has something to do with why you blacked out.” And why you ended up in my bed. He thinks. “Was it something that happened during the game?”

You’re sweating buckets, and it’s not because of the malfunctioning AC within the shop. You’re incredibly nervous, and Sabo notices it as you look down at your bowl and keep eating.

“You’re easy to figure out,” he teases.

“I’m not,” you defend.

He nods. “Well, does Luffy know what happened?”

“Yes?” you answer in a questioning tone. “Of course he does. Why wouldn’t he?”

As you look up from your ramen bowl, you see him holding a stupidly arrogant smirk on his face. You almost drop your chopsticks. You’ve been fooled.

“You are not going to ask Luffy what happened.”

“I’m sure it’ll reach me either way,” he teases. You whine in your seat, face falling into your hands. “Hey, if it’s just an innocent drinking game, then what’s the harm?”

You groan. You just dug your grave. You tried to run away, but you were backed into a corner at the last second. “It wasn’t as bad as I made it out to be, but there are some things that need to be kept buried. That event is Exhibit A.”

Sabo hums to himself, thinking deeply. He tries his hardest to guess what could have possibly occurred that night that makes you so uptight about keeping your mouth shut, but he ends up empty-handed. If he truly is curious, Luffy is his best source.

In the end, Sabo decides to be a good friend and respect your privacy, but his curiosity doesn’t leave as he continues to dwell on it for the next few minutes. Out of keen observation of your resistance, he asks something even he was surprised by.

“Does it have anything to do with me?”

You choke on your noodles. Your life flashes before Sabo’s eyes and in a matter of seconds, he’s up and standing, fetching you a glass of water from the self-service station. When he comes back, you’ve calmed down.

“I’m sorry!” he cries as he watches you drink the very last drop of your glass. Although his comment was nothing but a joke, it was truthfully riddled with narcissism, and you were probably taken aback by his prideful confidence. Stupid Sabo. He thinks to himself.

“It’s okay!” you tell him weakly, your airway relaxing with the subtle burn. Sabo apologizes for the nth time, and once he’s convinced that you’re okay, he shifts the conversation elsewhere.

But for some reason, his gut tells him that he was right.

The next two weeks pass by in the blink of an eye. You’ve been working yourself to the bone that you’ve forgotten how it feels to sleep on your bed. Your friends aren’t doing any better either; Nami has been working on a thesis proposal, Usopp on an architectural build, and Zoro on a paper debunking a mathematical theorem (“Nerd activities,” you once told him). As the semester comes to a close, you’ve finished the bulk of what has to be done before finals, so you’re now working on the less important matters (that are honestly quite important on their own, but less important than your other tasks).

You’re cooped up in the library to get them done, but as the clock strikes six in the evening, your body relaxes into your seat, your shoulders sagging in the process. Tiredness overwhelms your body, your energy expended after working all day. The paper you’ve been writing is nearly done, but you can’t find the brain power to finish it tonight.

“Somebody’s in a slump.”

You raise your head at the sound of Sabo’s voice. He stands before you in his usual get-up, well-dressed and presentable like he normally is. Unlike your pitiful self, his eyes are full of life, his face full of color. Clearly, he’s been stress-free. You try not to think about how tired you look, and instead acknowledge his presence.

“Up to something tonight?” he asks.

“Just trying to get this paper done.” He looks down at the mess you call your workspace, and his eyes flit to the many drafts and sticky notes you have on the table. “It’s for an elective. ECON 185. Not my strongest suit, so I’ve been fighting for my life.”

He nods. “‘Law, Economics, and Public Policy.’ It’s a tough elective if you don’t major in it.”

“It was the last open class left. Everyone else took the easier ones.” Your nose scrunches up at the bitter memory. You’re always unlucky with selecting free electives—you eventually just take what you can get when the promising classes are already full. “What have you been up to?”

“Helping Luffy with a project,” he answers. “Says he has to interview me for something. I dropped by to work on it since it needs a little bit of research. Involves local policies and all that boring stuff.”

Your eyes light up at the mention of your friend, and at that moment, your face regains color.

“Right! You major in diplomacy, don’t you?”

A few heads a couple tables away turn toward you, and you shrink into your seat. Sabo contains a chuckle and presses a finger to his lips, his teeth showing behind a grin.

“I do International Relations,” he whispers. A smile makes its way onto your face as you realize the gold mine of knowledge in front of you. Sabo can probably lend a hand or two with this godforsaken paper you’ve been working on.

You tell him this, and like the kind man he is, he agrees to take a look.

“Yeah? What’s it about?” He rounds the corner and drags an empty chair from the table across you to sit at your table. You scoot over to the side, but even with the large space the library has to offer, he decides to sit quite close. You note the proximity he’s subjected the both of you to, but you don’t dwell on the thought.

“Um, about international policies… and other stuff,” you tell him as you shuffle through your handwritten drafts. Sabo observes them from the corner of his eye. “Part of it is a case study, and the other part is somewhat subjective. It’s a final assessment, so you can imagine the extra instructions.”

You show him your working draft, a 12-page long essay formatted in Times New Roman 12 and correctly cited Chicago footnotes. Sabo is impressed by your progress, and with that, he’s convinced you don’t even need any of his help.

“It’s bound to get longer,” you say. “I’m 90% done, but it’s due in two days and I haven’t reviewed for a final. I’m not making that deadline without sacrificing many hours of sleep.”

“This calls for help then,” he says. He takes your latest working draft at the top of the pile and skims through the first couple of paragraphs. He reads them silently, his eyes scanning every word, every letter, every punctuation that you’ve inked down on the pages. You sit in silence as you await his remarks. “Looks pretty good to me. Do you have an outline?”

The next hour is spent on Sabo overlooking what you’ve written with the occasional questions on your work. You crunch a few concluding paragraphs in between his silent readings, your eyes focused on the laptop in front of you as you digitize your work. Your shoulders sag, relaxed. The load of stress disappears from your body. It feels good to be supported.

“Huh?” Sabo whispers to himself some time in between, immersed in your writing. You look up from your screen. “Oh.”

“Yeah?” you ask softly, but he doesn’t reply. He keeps his head down, eyes trained on the draft before him. He continues to read through it, unbothered.

You debate asking again, but you don’t. Sabo doesn’t seem to notice anything else, his attention all drawn to the words written before him. At that moment, your fingers rest on your keyboard, and you watch him silently.

He leans on the table, his cheek resting on the palm of his propped hand. Locks of his blond hair fall on his face, now longer than before. You don’t think you’ve ever seen him this up close. He’s pretty. Gorgeous, even. You found him cute just a few months ago, but it feels different now. He feels different now. For some reason, everything is.

What changed? It’s a question that comes from a place of unknowing. You’ve grown accustomed to seeing him so often that it might just be the answer, but that doesn’t explain your newfound fondness for his looks, out of all things. Pressing your lips inward, your thoughts jumble with the feelings in your heart, and you’re distressed.

Do I like him?

It feels almost wrong to think that way. You don’t know if it’s a claim you should be making. Your feelings tell you it’s true, but your brain says otherwise. Maybe you’re infatuated with the thought of him as you lack enough reason for how you feel, but that thought is only equally troubling because it feels wrong, too.

Your laptop enters sleep mode, and you realize you’ve been pondering for far too long. Sabo is on the last page of your draft, just a few paragraphs away from your concluding section. You tune back into your work, your fingers flying once more across your keyboard to distract yourself from your inner dilemma.

“You’re a great writer,” he says after reviewing your work the second time. “I like your voice. It’s clear. You don’t have to tweak anything else other than, well, finish the essay.”

Warmth simmers at the pit of your stomach, but you hide it behind a nervous laugh. “You’re sugarcoating it.”

“Does it sound like I am?” He tilts his head toward you, and you catch his eyes—round, black, and gentle. It knocks the wind out of you, and it doesn’t help the warmness of your insides.

“It,” you stutter, “it does.”

He smiles. “Please, take it as a compliment. I meant it.”

Staring becomes too much. You avert your gaze and turn to your drafts before you, shuffling through them in a make-pretend excuse for looking away. God. You’re a mess.

And just like before, Sabo notices. Your panic is evident to him. Beyond that are other things he’s noticed the more he lingers around you—how you get flustered, how you think before acting the way you do, how you move with bursts of confidence before thinking deeply again. You don’t do too well at hiding, he thinks.

“Your observance is only limited to me and Luffy though.”

Sabo shakes his head. A chill runs down his spine. Ace haunts him at untimely places.

While you busy yourself with writing your paper, he fishes his laptop from his backpack and gets some work done himself. The next hour is spent in silence, but Sabo wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I should get you something to drink.”

Your ears lift at the voice that disrupts your quietude. Sabo speaks to your right, having changed positions half an hour ago because his laptop died on him and you were closer to the charging port than he was. You roll your head to face him, but you don’t lift it from your arms, your body slumped into the table to get some rest.

“I’m okay.”

“You seem tired.”

“Just haven’t been getting enough sleep, that’s all.” As if to prove a point, a yawn forces its way past your mouth, your eyes shutting close momentarily. You look away out of courtesy and apologize.

“Yeah, I’ll get you something. Is water fine?”

You shake your head stubbornly, but Sabo resists just the same. Grabbing his wallet, he stands from his seat, although you stop him before he could go any further.

“I’ll come with you.”

That’s how you end up in the convenience store just across campus. Walking does you a great deal as sleepiness disappears from your body, only to be replaced with fuel as you take a few sips of an energy drink Sabo insisted on paying for.

When you meet him at the far corner of the store, he’s two hands deep into the ice cream freezer. Packaged cones line the first rows with the larger tubs occupying the back wall. He grabs two cones, one of them a flavor you like, and hands it to you.

“How did you know I like this?”

“Oh,” he says, but it’s met with a couple seconds of silence as he slides the freezer close. “You talked about it once.”

“I did? When?”

“Well,” he says, “you might have been drunk when you did. It’s a distant memory. Kinda hazy from my head, to be honest.”

You find it strange. Even your roommates wouldn’t know what ice cream flavor you would pick—it’s kind of just a random background detail that you don’t speak of. Sanji, out of all people, would probably be the only person to know. Still, you don’t press on. Maybe you really did overshare once.

“Hey, check this out. It’s a card game.”

Your eyes drift to several stacked cardboard boxes on the top shelf of the miscellaneous section. Your eyes widen by surprise.

“It’s a drinking card game,” you deadpan, grabbing a box and reading the labels. The memories from many weeks ago flood your head. Your nose scrunches up irksomely. “I’m not fond of this game.”

Chuckling, Sabo grabs a box of his own and he reads through it. “Why not?” he asks, but he remembers eventually. “Ah, I see. It was that small gathering, was it?”

“I don’t even want to remember what happened then,” you say, rolling your eyes. Sabo laughs at your misery, but it’s playful and not condescending.

“You should get back at your friends for that.”

“How I wish. Revenge sounds hellish when it comes to those dorks,” you say.

“I figured— wait a sec.”

You look at him.

“You know, I never got to hear what happened during that game,” he begins. You shake your head, looking away in a muffled groan. “Wow, did you just groan?”

“You’re persistent,” you remark.

“Please, it couldn’t have been that bad!” he exclaims. You look at him, unamused. “Oh, come on.”

You shake your head, lips sealed tight. Sabo can’t know. He can’t. Not when your feelings are still jumbled, not when you still haven’t figured out if drinking to his name meant anything. You haven’t had the time to reflect on it. All you know is that you like being around him, and you enjoy seeing him. It’s complicated.

“I’m the most curious of the bunch.” He places your box back on the shelf after mentally taking note of its name. “So? Do you really not plan on telling me?”

Grinning wildly, Sabo pokes your side a couple of times to elicit a response. You almost break, you’ll give him that, but you stay true to yourself. You can’t admit something so hastily. You need more time to think.

“I’ll tell you when I’ll tell you,” is all you say.

“Alright, alright. I’m just teasing.”

“You say that only to ask again a few hours later,” you tease back. He laughs. If you can’t share the truth behind that game, then he’ll just settle for the many jokes you’ll milk from it. This is fine with him. Getting to laugh with you is enough.

“No, no, I won’t. You don't have to worry about that.”

“Sure I don’t,” you reply sarcastically. You grab the ice cream cones from his hands and skip to the counter, leaving him down the aisle. “But I know you will.”

When you disappear into the next aisle, Sabo giggles softly before reaching for the box of playing cards in his pocket, tucking it up his sleeve, and heading to the counter before you do.

FIVE.

Luffy’s party, as usual, is a fun mess.

“Why is there a flamingo floatie on the roof?” Usopp asks when they arrive at Luffy’s home for the semester-end party he and his brothers have been planning. It was initially Luffy’s “thank-you” party for taking care of him when he was sick, but word somehow got out and everybody else showed up. Nami, tonight’s designated driver, steers Usopp’s car toward the curb and parallel parks with ease.

“People are passed out yet it’s still 9 o’clock in the evening,” you point out as you check your phone screen. You and your roommates file out of the car together and walk up the front door.

“Yeah, well,” Usopp says as he spots a guy straight-up drunk, face planted in the grass of Luffy’s lawn, “that was you two months ago. Can’t really criticize now.”

You roll your eyes. “Shut it.”

Around three weeks have passed since you’ve written your essay and you have survived your finals for the most part. Many days were spent cooped up in the library to get things done, oftentimes with the help of your friends, but you’re one step closer to freedom now as the school year comes to a close. Just a few things here and there for clearance is all you need to take care of, which shouldn’t take long if you tend to them swiftly.

But for now, you want to rest. Part of that is letting yourself loose at Luffy’s party with some drinks. Nami brings up the idea of another drinking game, but you reject her invitation right away, followed by a firm announcement of your abstinence for the next two months.

As soon as you enter Luffy’s home, your eyes scan the room. You squeeze in between hot bodies on the makeshift dance floor, excusing yourself when you get too close. You search for a particular blond. Your eyes narrow at the sea of people, your irises dilating under the faint light. To your dismay, he isn’t to be found.

“Where did you go? You got lost.” Zoro gently tugs the fabric of your top as he stands close to you. The music muffles his words, so you lean forward.

“I was looking for Luffy,” you lie. He nods.

“They’re on the patio. Let’s go.”

With one hand on Zoro’s wrist, you lead the both of you out of the wild crowd, past a populated hallway, and into the outdoor space adjoining the kitchen. Nami sits beside Luffy on a poolside loveseat, while Usopp stands before Sanji, who’s manning the grill. On the other side of the patio sits Ace with his older graduate friends, his shirt off and hair damped. Zoro is confused when you approach them first, but he doesn’t question it.

When you approach Ace, he’s wasted and surprisingly energetic, a complete 180º from his usual narcoleptic self.

“Hey! You came!” he greets enthusiastically. He tries to stand up, but his legs wobble, a sight you have never seen before from Portgas D. Ace, so he sits back down on the poolside furniture.

“Wouldn’t have wanted to miss out on the party,” says Zoro.

“And I’m kinda surprised you’re already drunk,” you say, crossing your arms over your chest. Ace laughs.

“Attitude!” he snaps. “A bottle a day keeps the”—he hiccups—“narcolepsy away!”

“That’s enough.” Marco, a tall blond guy with tattoos similar to that of Ace’s, snatches the bottle of alcohol from his grasp. He passes the bottle around, far from Ace’s reach. “God, you’re a problem.”

“What did you come for?” he asks anyway through a stifled hiccup, but his chest rises again and he lets out a burp. “Actually, I think I know. If you’re looking for him, he’s inside.”

“I was looking for your brother,” you say, intentionally vague. Zoro grunts behind you.

“U-huh, sure you are. He’s all you ever think of, I bet,” he teases. Your eyebrows knit in confusion. “He’s somewhere inside. Probably looking for something to drink, or looking for you—I don’t know!”

You roll your eyes. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” he says, “oh, and, you weren’t as mysterious as you thought you were. You could’ve just said his name. I’m sure you’re aware that Luffy’s behind you.”

Right behind you, Zoro snickers. Your hands clench into balls of fists, but Marco shuts Ace up with a dry towel and a bottle of water. Turning on your heel, you decide to approach your friends at the other side of the patio and plop on the couch when you hear Ace’s scornful cackling from the distance.

“What’s up with him?” Sanji asks over the grill. The scent of melted cheese on marinated steak patties wafts through the area, and for a moment, you’re calm.

“Someone is finding one of his brothers in the middle of the party,” Zoro answers.

“I want to push him in the pool,” you joke.

“You’re looking for Sabo?” Luffy pipes up at the mention of his brothers. “He was just here. He went to look for something.”

Nami smirks devilishly. “More like someone.”

“Nami,” you warn.

She giggles. “I didn’t mention any names.”

“Let’s put our anger aside and get something to eat first,” says Sanji as he plates the first few burgers on serving plates from Luffy’s kitchen. He brings you a plate and an accompanying drink, just the way you like them served.

“You put seaweed on mine,” Zoro points out the evident nori flakes on his burger. Sanji glares at him.

“Yeah? Well, I didn’t want you complaining, so I added them ahead of time. Got a problem?”

Zoro’s forehead creases. “I was showing my gratitude.”

“It’s not my fault for assuming otherwise since you always talk like—”

“Hey, you guys came!”

Suddenly, Sabo emerges from the crowded kitchen, a red cup of liquor in hand with a pack of Nerds’ Gummy Clusters in the other. Your eyes shoot upward upon seeing him, and you fix your seated position on the couch.

“We were just talking about you,” Luffy says through a wide grin, his burger long gone. Nami nudges his side in an attempt to caution his words, which seemingly works since Luffy shifts his attention to Sanji’s food. “Sanji! Do you have any more patties there?”

“No, but I could cook some more,” replies the chef.

As your friends draw their focus to Sanji’s cooking, Sabo sits himself next to you on the couch. You scoot to the side, but your legs touch given the cramped space. “Have you eaten?”

You chuckle. “Haven’t even pre-gamed yet.”

“Planning on drinking tonight?” 

“As long as I’m not roped into anyone’s crazy game, yep.”

“It’s been two months since that happened yet you’re still so cautious,” he points out.

You shrug. He’s right. Maybe you should let it go, but you can’t. Not that you’re at his house, not that he’s in the vicinity. Your feelings are still at a state of tug of war, your heart and brain telling you two different things.

But Sabo has been challenging your feelings as of late. He’s been helping you constantly with whatever you needed, be it an essay he could proofread or a last-minute grocery run to get you something to eat. He’s been too kind, too generous. And perhaps the worst part of it all is that he’s too good at doing those things, keeping you on your toes all the time, always catching your heart effortlessly.

“Just trying to be cautious this time around. Like I said, I never get that drunk. I’d rather not blackout on your bed and wake up next to you again,” you deadpan.

Laughing, he leans on the couch and extends one arm behind you. You inhale sharply. He isn’t even touching you, yet…

“Why not?” he asks. “Not that I want to see you that drunk again, but I doubt it’d be weird this time. You’re no stranger to me. Unlike before, you’re… you’re a friend.”

You look at him. That’s when you see it. His eyelids hang lower than normal, his circular eyes glowing in the dark, the colors of his irises reflecting the light of the bonfire in front of you. He’s a little tipsy, but his words are softly curated that you find the sincerity behind them nonetheless.

“I’d really rather not give you a heart attack by waking up next to you,” you whisper.

“You really won’t,” he whispers back.

“ACE!” A screech of Ace’s name sounds from the other side of the patio, where you just were. Startled, you and Sabo whip your heads behind you to find his brother running amok, his footsteps heavy on the wooden floorboards. He stops just behind you, his movements somewhat wobbly.

“Man, how much have you been drinking?” Sabo scrunches his nose at the sight of his brother, his damp hair sticking to his forehead. Marco and a bunch of his friends follow.

“Not a deal, honestly. Where’s that card game you bought a few weeks back?”

Sabo shakes his head. “What are you talking about?”

“It was like a game or something. You showed it to me after you went on that date with—”

You raise an eyebrow. Sabo glances at you before looking back at his brother. “Shut up! It wasn’t—I wasn’t—”

“The card game, please,” says Ace with an extended hand.

Sabo grumbles under his breath. He places his drink on the ground, tells you that he’ll be back in a few minutes, then disappears into the buzzing crowd inside his house. Ace laughs maniacally when his brother leaves.

“What was that about?” Usopp asks.

“Just him being stubborn,” Ace says in a sing-song. He looks at you. “I see that look on your face. You’re curious, aren’t you?”

Your eyebrows knit in anger. “Wasn’t even going to ask.”

“Aw, don’t be mad!” He giggles. You pick up Sabo’s drink from the ground and lean back into the couch, drinking your own. Lowering his voice, he says, “I promise you, I was just teasing.”

You huff, but you don’t let Ace see any more of your troubled expression. “Like I said, I don’t care,” you lie through your teeth. Ace is a great older figure when he’s his normal self. When he’s drunk, he becomes annoying ten-fold.

“We’ll see about that,” he chirps. He tries to wrest Sabo’s abandoned drink from you, but Marco stops him from doing so.

When Sabo comes back, he’s rather sheepish. He slides the so-called “card game” in Ace’s hands before repositioning himself on the space next to you.

Before you can ask him any questions, he chugs the rest of his drink and apologizes.

Ten minutes later, you’re confronting Sabo as your friends unite in laughter behind you.

“You did what?!” you exclaim.

“I was curious, but I wanted to play the game, too!” Sabo defends himself. Your head falls into your hands. Sabo caresses your shoulder. “I’m sorry!”

“I have my reasons, Sabo. They’re embarrassing.”

“I understand, but it’s nothing to worry about,” he consoles you. He pats your shoulder once, then reluctantly your head. Your heart misses a beat. “Nobody knows what went down that night, okay? I do hope it wasn’t homicidal, but embarrassing or not, you’re safe.”

Sabo smiles when he evokes a response from you, a light laughter that gets drowned in the noise, but he hears it nonetheless. You lean into him closer.

“You’re not joining that game, are you?” Sabo looks at Ace and his group of friends, where your group of friends now sit after inviting you over. Nami left you under Sabo’s custody when you declined, warning him intently to keep an eye on you throughout the night—and he takes the job seriously because you’re closer to each other than before, like he’s guarding anything and anyone who dares try anything on you.

“Not tonight, no,” he says. “I’m keeping an eye on you.”

“A drunk man watching over me,” you goad him. “It’s funny, but I appreciate it.”

“I promised your friends,” he says. Suddenly, the crowd erupts in laughter. “They’re having a lot of fun.”

You nod. In all honesty, you didn’t expect Ace’s friends to concur with his antics. Ace is the youngest of the bunch, and Truth or Drink doesn’t seem like a party game that graduate and postdoctoral dudes play. Sabo tells you they’re all like-minded regardless of age, which makes a whole lot of sense considering their closeness.

“Ew! Marco, you’re gross! You’re gross!” Ace yells in response to Marco’s revolting story, reminisced in light of the card he chose. “You could have taken the shot instead of saying all that!”

“I’m not getting myself drunk,” the man in question says. With a flick of his hand, he tells Usopp with the empty bottle, “Spin it.”

You spend some time with Sabo at the patio until he excuses himself to the restroom, saying he drank too much prior to your arrival. You promise him you won’t go anywhere, so he walks back inside with ease.

But you’re adventurous. And most of all, curious. Without Sabo beside you for a suspiciously long amount of time—it’s been more than ten minutes and you’re worried; he must be puking his brains out over the toilet—there’s nothing to do.

After much debate, you walk over to the crowded end of the patio and peek through the crowd to see the mastermind of it all. Ace is as energetic as ever, and it doesn’t seem like he’s ending the game any time soon. Your eyes flicker across the crowd, and there, you see your friends—Nami, Usopp, Zoro, and Sanji. You can’t find Luffy anywhere, but your instincts tell you he’s somewhere there, hidden.

“Yikes, it landed on me,” Ace hisses through gritted teeth. Right beside him, Nami expertly shuffles the deck and lays it out neatly. Ace picks a card somewhere in the middle, and with bated breath, he awaits.

“Tell us which one of your friends’ siblings you would date, or drink the number of letters they have in their name.”

You freeze in place.

“The hell? Their siblings are, like, older than 35,” he says, unamused. “These people don’t do dating.”

Usopp shrugs. “Try your brothers’ friends, then?”

“Ah,” Ace gives it a thought or two, “well, you guys are little siblings to me. Sabo only has two friends outside of this circle, who I don’t really know. Let’s see…”

“Hey,” Sabo whispers beside you, and just like that, you’re distracted. He spares Ace a glance before looking back. “You alright?”

“I need a drink.” He nods. He takes your hand in his, and together, you leave the patio and squeeze through the sea of partygoers before winding up in the kitchen. Sabo snatches two bottles of Smirnoff from the counter with your express approval, then leads you back outside, past the swimming pool to the far corner of the backyard, where a big hardwood tree stands tall.

Sabo sneaks behind the tree, and with a push of a lever in a discreet junction box, the corner of the yard lights up. Lanterns hang from the branches of the oak, emitting a faint orange glow that consumes the night with warmth. Sabo points to the ladder by the base that extends upward to the branches.

You know this place. A tree house sits at the first fork of the oak, its design attributed to the large trunk that transverses the middle. The tree house is the brothers’ childhood playground, back when the adults used to live with them. You’ve been to their home enough times to know this, but none of your friends have ever stepped foot inside. You always assumed it was an off-limits area for the sake of preserving the space. It’s almost sacred.

“In here?” you ask Sabo just to make sure you aren’t entering a place you aren’t supposed to.

He nods.

“It’s too loud anywhere else. My room isn’t any better.”

He convinces you enough to climb up. He follows suit. When you make it to the top, you look around in awe.

Sabo has to crouch down because he’s too tall for the life of him, and there is only so much space before he’s smacked in the face by leaves. You laugh at him. He marches over to a small door, fiddles with the lock and keys in his hands, then pushes it open once unlocked.

You enter first. It seems almost magical. “Nostalgic” is another word to describe it. The light from the lanterns spill through the cracks and windows of the space, providing enough light to guide you around. Part of the oak’s trunk is in the middle, designed with LED lights and guarded by rails that encircle it. On the back wall are three bean bags of different colors. Sabo walks over to them, patting away the light dust that has collected on top of the blue bag, and pats the yellow one next to him.

“I’m guessing this is your color?” you ask, sitting on the bag as you’re told.

“Luffy’s. Mine’s blue. We kinda had a thing for playing pirates, and the colors assigned themselves with our costumes,” he says sheepishly. He then points to a black tapestry behind you, the word “ASL” painted on top of a crossbone. “Luffy tends to wear his straw hat when he’s drunk.”

“I’ve witnessed that,” you remark. You look around the room, scanning the many pictures and drawings hung up on the wall. Sabo cracks open the bottles and hands one of them to you, ensuring to inspect them first before letting you drink anything.

“Thanks,” you mumble. You clink your bottle with his before chugging down a generous amount. Sabo just watches you go, like taking a swig this impressive is second nature to you.

“You sure drink like you’re 30,” he comments.

“I’d argue otherwise,” you reply. “Those in their thirties usually drink some wine. That, I don't really have access to. Alcohol is much, much cheaper for uni students.”

“Can’t argue with you on that,” he mumbles, only after which he drinks some of his own. It’s your turn to watch him. “What?”

“No reason.” It’s true. You’ve just grown accustomed to watching Sabo so much that it feels a little fun to watch him just be himself, doing his own things. You drink another gulp of the liquor. Sabo tells you to slow down, but you don’t listen.

“Don’t shock your digestive system with the sudden influx of 45% ABV,” he warns. You find it incredibly nice of him, a warning out of genuine concern for you. But if you’re going to spend the rest of the night with Sabo alone at his childhood space, you might as well match his tipsy level.

When you’ve drunk one-thirds of the bottle, you rest your body on the bean bag and face the man next to you. Sabo is more exhausted than he makes himself out to be. His eyes hang lower than earlier, his blond hair tousled all over. But it’s in a handsome way most women like, making him look more vulnerable, but raw.

Sabo routinely notices this—how you’ve gone quiet, how your eyes scan his face. Bravely, he asks, “Are you checking me out?”

You sneer. “Does it look like I am?”

“Totally, yeah,” he says, but it’s hypocritical because he goes silent and he starts checking you out himself. You look different under the dim lighting, but he stares right back nonetheless.

It’s endearing, to say the least. Sabo holds so much charismatic power in his eyes that it almost drives you crazy. Then you realize it’s all he’s been doing the past weeks you’ve known him. Your heart swells.

“Thanks for sticking with me tonight,” you decide to tell him instead. He hums.

“It’s the least I could do.”

The conversation ends like that, leaving you with your silent thoughts as the muffled noise from the sound system outside passes through the walls of the tree house. You and Sabo sip from your bottles until sobriety slips from your grasp many minutes later.

Your head is buzzing when you move around the bean bag, figuring that if you move too much, the subtle ache in your head will turn into an intolerable migraine. You look down at your bottle and notice that you’ve drunk all of it. That explains it.

Your eyes flit to Sabo, who’s in the same position, but he’s tipsier than you are with his bottle equally empty. His eyes are almost closing, but he keeps them open as he gazes past the windows, eyes trained on the dark void outside.

He seems to be zoning out. He hasn’t blinked in the ten seconds you look at him, but it’s not truly what it seems.

He’s been preoccupied since that evening. His thoughts have been floating in his head the moment you arrived a couple hours ago. Frankly, he hasn’t thought about anything else but you. Sabo notices that you occupy his mind a lot, like you’re living rent-free in his small head for an unfair amount of time, but he doesn’t know whether or not he should consider it a problem.

His lips thin out into a straight line as he falls deeper in thought.

“Your observance is only limited to me and Luffy though.”

He’s been telling Ace about his interesting predicament since the start of your friendship. It hadn’t been a secret to him—or to anyone, for that matter—that you weren’t close to begin with. For some reason, you always hung around Ace, which made him ponder a few times about your fondness for his brother.

“Does she like you?” Sabo asked one day.

Ace’s features contorted into confusion. “Um, hello? Chill out. I’m basically her older brother.”

“She seems to hang around you a lot. I mean, when Luffy’s friends are over.”

“Doesn’t really mean much. I just talk a lot more than you do.”

Sabo always thought it was odd how you were closer to Ace more than you did him. Not that he was jealous of Ace—no, it wasn’t that. It wasn’t anything in particular that you did either, but rather it was the bizarreness of it all that did. Sabo thought it felt strange that the both of you weren’t tight when you saw each other as often as you saw Ace. It made him wonder if he’d done anything wrong that seemed to repel your presence from him, but he always ended up clueless.

Ace shot him a look of doubt. “Are you implying that you want to impress Luffy’s friends?”

“Uh,” Sabo hesitates, “no.”

“Kinda seems like you’re worried about them not liking you, though,” his brother teased. Sabo was becoming flustered. “I guarantee you it’s my mouth. I doubt Luffy’s circle would approach me if I wasn’t loud.”

Sabo shrugged. Ace slid next to him on the kitchen island, gripping a glass of water.

“Hey, do you have a crush on someone you haven’t told me about?”

Sabo glared at him. “Don’t play with me.”

“I’m just saying, you’re asking an awful lot of questions. Some might say they lead back to one person in particular.”

The blond groaned, eyes rolling to the side before he hopped off the stool and trudged away. “Shut up, Ace.”

“If you like her, you should tell her! You heard it first from me.”

It killed Sabo thinking about it. The atmosphere always turned different every time your friends left the both of you alone, just sitting around in the living room and giving each other respectful looks before directing your attention to your phones. You’ve talked before—quite obviously—but it was always awkward, a thick layer of silence never failing to engulf the space between you after a short-lived conversation. Sabo never understood it. What was wrong?

He figured you just didn’t connect as well as you did with his two brothers. After all, Sabo was less energetic than those two. Maybe it was just a ‘him’ problem all along.

“Right, so, you’re conflicted because you’re awkward, and she’s not.”

He groaned once more. “Correction: we both are.”

“You just need to talk to her. She doesn’t hate you, you know,” said Ace.

“I don’t trust that,” replied Sabo.

“Well, Mr. Nice-Guy-Who-Wants-To-Be-Friends-With-Everyone,” Ace started, “she doesn’t. If you want to be friends with her so badly, just walk up to her. Start talking. But I personally wouldn’t do that.”

“You wouldn’t?” Sabo blinked. “What does that mean?”

“I personally would never disguise my crush on somebody as ‘wanting to be friends with them.’ I’d cut to the chase and ask them out directly.” said Ace with finger quotations in the air. Sabo frowned. “Dude, don’t give me that look. Sadness doesn’t suit you.”

“I don’t like her,” he said, “I just want to be—”

“Want to be friends with her. Yeah, yeah, sure.” Ace waved his hands in the air, then took a huge gulp of water. “Maybe you do. But you only do because you’re nice to everybody. And when you want to be at peace with someone who seemingly hates you, you don’t make a fuss about it. Do you?”

Sabo was silent. Ace was victorious.

“Look, attraction is very weird. Some people get attracted to people who hate their guts. Or when they get ignored by the person they like.” Ace laughed. “You probably think of her because you know her least, so you keep thinking of her until she’s in your head every time she’s near. And suddenly, you’re attracted.”

Sabo grumbled. Screw Ace for being a natural romantic. “Even if I were, that doesn’t mean I like her enough to date her.”

Ace shrugged. He marched over to the fridge to get a bottle of Yakult. He threw one toward Sabo, who caught it just in time.

“It doesn’t. But that’s where the dating part comes. You go out to get to know them.” He downed the bottle in one go and tossed it in the bin under the island. “Dude, you’ve dated people before. Think about it. She’s your type. Don’t waste your time and just ask her out.”

Sabo was red by the end of that exchange. You are his type. He wouldn’t hide that at all, because if he tried hard enough, he could imagine dating you. But he didn’t know if he should take his chances or not. You’re one of Luffy’s best friends. He didn’t know how his brother would react if he found out that he was making moves on you. Beyond that, it also felt wrong to ask you so soon. Not when you couldn’t spare each other a glance, not when you couldn’t hold a proper conversation without ending on an awkward note. If Sabo were to make his move, he’d make sure you’re on talking terms first.

Finding you asleep on his bed two months ago was the push. Like a catalyst to speed his reactions. He hadn’t thought of approaching you so soon, but he was glad. Whatever could’ve been the reason for your drunkard antics, he was glad you ended up in his room, then because he could talk to you, then he could clear things up, then he could finally befriend you and dissolve that wall of discomfort.

He hadn’t known it back then, but you’re nice. You’re sweet. You get shy when he’s around because of the bedroom incident that happened a few weeks back, but you hold yourself accountable. You're apologetic for your actions. Even then, Sabo always reassured you that it was fine because it really was. He wouldn’t have gotten the chance to be with you the way he is now if it weren’t for it. But he couldn’t say that, of course. He’d save the explanation another time.

Although the thing with Sabo is that he gets himself in the most baffling of situations. Unlucky, if you will. But they might also be blessings-in-disguise. Regardless, it’s clear that his brain is running on alcohol and he can’t control his thoughts from pouring out the way he normally would sober. His thoughts seem like they have a mind of their own. So through his drunkenness, through the dim lights of the lanterns at his childhood tree house, he just conveniently decides that now is that time.

“I thought you were with Ace,” Sabo said. He had come upstairs to use the restroom and miraculously ran into Luffy seated by the foot of his bedroom. “Are you alright?”

“I’m hungry, but my tummy hurts,” he admitted. Sabo looked down at his brother, who had one hand on his stomach. He shook his head. “I can’t open my room.”

Like the good brother he was, Sabo unlocked Luffy’s bedroom door and rushed him inside, laying him down on his mattress. He tucked his brother in bed despite his protests.

“I don’t want to go to bed, I still want to eat!”

Sabo flicked his forehead. “Don’t even try. You’ll get sick again.”

“I want to go downstairs with Ace! He’s playing that game we played before!”

He heaves a sigh. “Yeah, because I brought it to him.”

“That game was dangerous. It got me drunk, too,” Luffy reminisced. “Everyone was barfing, and—”

“Go to sleep, idiot.” Sabo threw the blanket over his face.

“—she picked the worst card, but she didn’t want to tell us who it was, so she ended up drinking four shots like they were nothing!”

Sabo stopped moving. He removed the blanket covering Luffy’s face.

“Wait, say that again. What happened?”

Luffy began to ramble. He narrated the events that transpired that fateful night, from the moment Nami revealed the deck of playing cards to when you blacked out. Sabo tried to process the information as much as he could, but Luffy rapped through his words, only slowing down when Sabo’s name was roped into the game.

“Hey, don’t tell her this, but she drank four of them. I think she was spelling your name! Not Niji!” Luffy whispered.

So, as he sits right next to you, Sabo is conflicted. He just learned something he wasn’t supposed to, something he wasn’t allowed to hear. No wonder why you were so insistent on not telling him—everything that occurred that night had everything to do with him. He was right all along.

On one hand, it satisfies Sabo that he’s been on your mind the same way you’ve been in his. On the other hand, he feels like a traitor. He knows it isn’t his fault, but he can’t prevent the guilt that gnaws at his conscience. It will probably haunt him for the rest of his life if he hides it from you. He has to apologize. He has to.

So he wants to say it. He wants to be honest, at least. It’s the least he could do for finding out something he wasn’t supposed to, then he can apologize by the end of it. And maybe, just maybe, he can be honest about his feelings for you, too.

He opens his mouth, but he hesitates at the last second. He has his doubts, and just like that, he begins to second-guess his decisions. He probably shouldn’t say it because he’ll end up being this jerk who doesn’t know any better than to snoop around your business. He doesn’t want to be so cocky and arrogant that your eyes well up with tears, your lips form into a frown. So he decides to shut up. He decides to be a good boy and a gentleman, providing you with amazing company in comfortable silence, until you’re in the mood to chat.

But his mouth betrays him, and he says it without hesitation.

“Can I ask you something?”

You look at him. Sabo’s heart thumps in his chest. You’ve made him nervous before, back when you would sit so close at the library or at a jam-packed restaurant around Conomi Avenue. But the nerves that hit him this time around are different. They're far greater than the ones he’s experienced, like his heart is about to leap out of his chest.

You nod.

Sabo sucks in a deep breath.

“Is it,” he hesitates, “is it true that you would date me over your friends’ siblings?”

He drops the bomb. Your face instantly morphs into shock, your mouth falling ajar and your eyes becoming wide with fear. Sabo immediately regrets it. His heart falls to the pit of his stomach when you don’t reply.

You don’t seem too pleased. You stare into the night silently, like you’re giving Sabo the cold shoulder after his utterance. Little does he know, alarms blare inside your brain to signal a fight-or-flight response to his words. Adrenaline rushes through your bloodstream and you think of what to say, but your body fails to do anything productive as you simply tremble in place.

Sabo notices your internal dilemma when you don’t respond. He keeps quiet for a few moments as he waits for you to speak, but silence remains.

“You okay?” he decides to ask. A safe question, nothing to be afraid of, even though your answer is clear as day.

“Who told you?” is your first question, but you don’t sound mad. Just surprised.

Sabo leans back on the bean bag, then brings his bottle to his lips, drinking the last droplets that have pooled at the bottom.

“Luffy,” he admits soon afterward. A sigh escapes your lips. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“I knew you didn’t want me knowing things, and believe me, I never acted on it,” he continues. “I just got too close.”

“Too close?”

“It just came out mid-convo,” he explains. “Luffy was M.I.A. earlier due to a sick stomach. I found him upstairs when I left. Everything just came out, and… I was too shocked. I had no idea how to stop him from divulging more than what he already had.”

Your head falls forward in defeat, but the liquor makes it heavier. A subtle throb aches in your right temple.

Typical Luffy. Of course he would tell him that. He probably thought it wasn’t a big deal since you and Sabo seemed to have been getting along recently.

“If there’s anyone you should be mad of, it should be me,” says Sabo.

But there’s no point. Getting mad at Sabo won’t get you anywhere. After all, his name was just dragged into your stupid drinking antics. If anything, beyond the bed issue, he should be mad at you. He should be mad that your feelings are jumbled, to the point that you can’t even properly tell him what happened in that stupid drinking game many weeks ago.

“I’m sorry.”

You suck in a deep breath. “It’s fine.”

He looks up from the ground.

“Really, it’s fine.” Turning toward him, you force out a smile. It’s the best that you can offer right now. A part of you is relieved that he doesn’t seem to be mad at you after learning what he learned, but the other part remains anxious. You don’t want your friendship to end badly. You’ve only warmed up to him recently, so the last thing you want to happen is to go back to ignoring each other.

“I’m sorry,” he says again.

“I told you, it’s fine.” You laugh breathily. You reposition yourself on the bean bag, so you’re facing him. You call out his name. “Sabo.”

He twists his head slowly, looking at you. The warm glow of the tree lights reflect on his face, and for a second, you’re speechless.

“Hm?”

“I…” He waits patiently. “Well, I…”

Is it worth telling him the truth? What happens when you do? He’s drunk and he looks so smitten under the moonlight, so you can only imagine how deeply it would hurt to tell him the truth behind your stupid drinking spree. You gulp.

Why are you so reluctant?

“I don’t want to hurt you,” you say, “but that… all that didn’t mean anything.”

Sabo purses his lips. Your words leave a bitter taste in his mouth, but he sucks it up.

“I see.”

“But it was short-lived,” you interject. He listens. “All of it didn’t mean anything then, but it started meaning something when you came. When you started showing up in my life often a few days later.”

Silence falls.

“I thought I was going to lose my mind,” you confess. “I drank recklessly, but that was the end of it. You weren’t on my mind until the morning after, and the many days after that.”

“Until you woke up on my bed,” he finishes. “Right next to me.”

“You just knew when and where to show up,” you joke. “You were always there. You showed up whenever I thought of you, like you knew I was thinking of you… Did you know I was thinking of you?”

Sabo’s heart flutters in his chest. He never knew it felt good to hear someone say that. In some way, he felt honored. And for some reason, finding out your feelings for himself is a million times better than learning it from someone else.

“Even if you didn’t drink for me, I can’t say I didn’t like thinking as if you did,” he confesses. Your stomach turns. “For the time I thought it meant anything, it was rather short, but it felt good to know I crossed your mind that way.”

“Sorry,” you mumble. He waves his hand, disagreeing.

“An apology isn’t needed. Knowing you thought of me eventually in that light is good enough.” Smiling to himself, he replays your confession inside his head. He feels a jolt of electricity course through his body. He’s more than thrilled right now. “To make things even, I should let you know that it’s mutual. Always has been.”

“It is?” you ask.

He gives you a look. “I was obvious, wasn’t I?”

“But I was confused,” you explain. You’re into him, and you always have been into him—for once, you’re being honest with yourself. But it scares you to a degree that your feelings are merely infatuation. “What if I only liked you because you kept appearing around me? Because I’ve been thinking about you since I stumbled into your bedroom?”

You look at Sabo, your eyes a little glossy.

“I worried too much about these things that I didn’t pick up on your intentions.”

You’re not crying, but you might as well be. Alcohol is flushed into your system and it’s wiring your brain differently. You look helpless.

“What are you saying?” he asks, but he empathizes. He thinks he understands.

“I just didn’t know what’s fair and what’s not, and I still don’t,” you tell him honestly. “I’m into you, but how do I know if I truly do? Not because I see you so often, not because you’re nice to me?”

Sabo doesn’t respond right away and instead thinks to himself. It’s a great question, immensely reminiscent of his exchange with Ace. He and Ace don’t have a lot of differences, but it seems their views on dating is one of them. Ace likes things quick, fast, and straightforward. Sabo likes things slow, sweet, and just the right amount of pining. He doesn’t go out with people easily because he has an intrinsic fear of waking up one day and realizing that it isn’t love all along. It checks out with his dating history—he might as well be speaking from experience.

The problem now is that you seem to be in the same ditch. Other than the anxiety that comes with the doubt, he guesses it’s because he’s your best friend’s brother, too. Any problem between you will make things difficult for your friends, so Sabo understands where you’re coming from. You’re not about that risky life when the future appears blurry. When you commit, you want to be sure.

Sabo is smitten just the same, though, so he wants you to be sure. He wants it for the both of you.

“It takes time to know that,” he answers. “You go out and do things. You go on dates. When your heart is free of doubt, that’s when you know.”

Sabo watches you bite your lip. You’re still troubled, but the sight of you has him spiraling. Suddenly, he has the urge to hold you.

“It makes sense, but”—you bite your lip harder—”I still fear it. I don’t want to be wrong. I want to be sure. I want to be sure that it’s you.”

And I want that, too, Sabo says to himself. A sigh passes his lips. “We’re not far off. I didn’t know if I liked you because I knew you least or because I saw you as often as I did.” Standing up, he offers you his hand. You take it and let him hoist you up. As you stand before him, you look into his eyes while he peers down at you. “I got ahead of myself by bringing this up tonight. I’m sorry for causing you confusion. I hope you can forgive me.”

You frown. That’s not what you expected him to say.

“You don’t have to apologize for that,” you argue. “You don’t think this was a mistake, do you?”

“Being into you will never be a mistake,” he says, “but forcing us to have this conversation tonight might have been one. I brought it up early. I should have waited a little longer.”

Your lips form into a pout and you look so… sad. Sabo feels guilty for it. He wants to hold you closer, possibly even do the unthinkable and peck the sadness away from your lips. But it’s the alcohol talking in his system, so he prevents himself, not wanting to take advantage of you drunk.

“Thinking about it upsets me, but you’re not wrong,” you mumble. Things would’ve been different if you had this conversation at a later time. By then, you would have figured out your feelings and be more sure about Sabo than you are now. On the flip side, you’re challenged by the uncertainty of tomorrow. What happens after tonight? Will you continue your friendship as if nothing happened? There is no guarantee this will end well.

Sabo comforts you with gentle strokes of your head, patting your hair down as he surmises a reply. He’s distressed, but he’s glad you’re on the same footing.

“What do we do now, then?” He hears the brokenness in your voice, sees the genuine sadness in your eyes. He has to fix this.

“I’m still into you, you know?” He brings one hand up to your cheek, then pinches your skin softly. Blood rushes to your face at the endearing act. “That will never change. We just need time to figure things out together.”

He reaches for your hand. Sabo runs a thumb across your knuckles to soothe your nerves.

“If you want to, that is.”

You hold his hands in yours.

“I want to.”

“Then come here.”

He opens his arms, and almost automatically, you fall into them. Your arms encircle his waist as he lays an arm around your shoulder to bring you closer. You smell the liquor on him mixed with his cologne, and just like that, you’re entranced. You’re comforted. Sabo just does it so well.

“Just so we’re clear, I’m not remembering a single thing tomorrow,” you warn him softly.

“It’s okay,” he whispers through a hearty laugh. “I’m no better. We’ll just see where this goes.”

SIX.

You remember every single thing.

When you and Sabo got back to the patio, it was past midnight. Ace and his friends were down by the poolside, while your friends packed themselves like sardines in Luffy’s bedroom, sleeping soundly as a 2000’s romantic comedy played in the background. The house had been less crowded then, allowing you to navigate around better without having to link hands with Sabo as tightly.

You ate some crackers to fill your stomach before heading to his room upstairs, where he offered to let you sleep on his bed. You initially refused, but he insisted, promising you that he could sleep on the floor just fine.

That’s how you find yourself in his bedroom the following morning. You wake up a few minutes before the clock strikes 7, jolting awake by the sudden unfamiliarity of your surroundings. When you realize you’re in Sabo’s room, you relax back into the mattress, your head hitting his soft pillows.

You realize that Sabo is gone when you look down to check his make-do bed on the floor. He’s woken up early, it seems.

You sling your feet off the side of the mattress when you feel the first throb of an impending migraine. You hiss in pain. Even then, you fight through the ache and make a beeline for the bathroom in search of some hangover pills, then tread to the kitchen for a glass of water.

When you get there, someone has beaten you to it.

“Good morning,” Sabo chirps from the other side of the island, tossing a pan of eggs over the stove. The side of your head throbs again, but you resist to flinch. “You’re up early.”

“I have a migraine,” you mutter. Approaching the stool just across him, you lay your head on the counter and pat your own head gently. “Got anything there for it?”

“Other than the classic pain-relievers, I can give you something good to eat,” he says. A few minutes later, he slides a plate of seasoned eggs in front of you, hot and freshly cooked. He rounds the island and sits on the stool beside you, watching you silently.

But you meet his gaze when you tilt your head to the side. Your head throbs again, and again, and again, but you stare at him, and he stares back.

You laugh.

You both laugh.

“Remember anything?” he asks, hopping off his seat and leaning on the countertop next to you. Reflex causes you to look away, but you aren’t rattled one bit. Flirt.

“Very much so.”

“That saves me the trouble of explaining things from the start. How much do you remember?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” you say. “Like, all of it?”

Sabo pinches your cheek. “I had a feeling. You’re a tough nut.”

“And so are you.”

“Mm-hmm, but you could give me that. I was pretty out of it for the most part,” he says. “You kept me sober. I fought the effects of the alcohol so I could remember.”

“Oh, Sabo,” you call his name. He smiles, and you’re ruined. You feel warm again, your heart beating a little faster. Your stomach swarms with a million butterflies and for a moment, your headache is gone, like Sabo was all you needed to get rid of it.

“What are you two doing, flirting in my kitchen?” as if on cue, Ace bellows from the living room, his hair untidy and his shirt gone. He looks around the space, deciding what to do first, then walks straight to the fridge where he hunts for food.

“We were having a moment,” Sabo snaps. Ace makes a face of feigned disgust, but you don’t see it from your seat.

“Gross. Let me have some breakfast first, then you can continue,” he says, drinking Luffy’s leftover can of orange juice from the fridge. “Not sure if anyone’s told you yet, but congratulations. I hope I was the first.”

Before Ace strolls out the kitchen, he bids you goodbye. “Remind your friends that they owe me some money!” After that, he’s gone.

You giggle. Annoyed, Sabo rolls his eyes. He has to confront Ace later for betting on his love life behind his back, but for now, his focus is on you and the migraine that seems to prick at your head.

“Hangover soup and a few more hours of sleep can fix this,” Sabo advises. You nod. “I’ll make you something, then we can order anything you’d like at noon.”

“Thank you,” you reply shyly.

“Anything for you.” He pats your head, ruffling your bedhead hair in the process. And there it is again—he smiles, and you melt. He’s handsome without even trying. “You have me.”

“I have you,” you echo.

-

thanks for reading! i apologize to everyone for taking so long to post this, especially to my giftee @justsomeoneintoomanyfandoms. i underestimated this semester's workload, so i barely got enough time to write on time:( my first idea was to write about the ASL brothers going on a glamping trip with reader, which i had written a substantial amount of, but i scrapped the idea because it was going nowhere. that was originally around 4k words, while this was supposed to be within 8k. it ended up stretching to 17k (i'm sorry).

some other things: i wanted to write about law, but i was afraid everyone else would write about him (and i was right), so i settled with sabo, who barely gets enough fics. i had a lot of fun writing this. sabo is very sweet and he deserves more stories written about him. following that thought, ASL modern AU's should definitely be more common. i don't understand why barely anyone writes them, it's kinda criminal.

other than being my first full-length sabo fic, this is the longest one shot i've ever written, so it's kinda special to me. i didn't have enough time to get it beta-read, but i proofread it myself so i hope it's good enough lol. that's about it. thanks for tuning in!

[uramakimochi]

One Piece scenario:

A CELESTIAL DRAGON WANTS THEIR fem!S/O

- Zoro Sanji and Law x Reader -

Luffy Ace and Sabo version

Warnings: nothing just fluff, use of Y/n, FEM!R who is sweet and a bit of a crybaby in Zoro and Law ones but everyone cries in this anime so idc.

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

ZORO

Zoro was lost. Again. But this is not new anyway, right?

After you and your crewmates friends had landed on an island to refuel, you had decided to separate into groups, so everyone was free to do what they wanted and then you would've met up again on the Sunny.

You wanted to go for a look and a walk and had asked Zoro if he wanted to accompany you. Now don't get me wrong, you and Zoro loved each other, but you always, always asked him if he wanted to join you when you wanted to do something or go somewhere, knowing his somewhat grumpy cat personality and knowing that he often preferred to remain alone. But if there was something that Zoro was very good at hiding, it was the affection he felt for you and he cared about spending time with you whenever there was the opportunity, especially because it wasn't every day that it was just the two of you alone, without feeling the presence and gaze of your companions on you (you actually didn't care that much, Zoro was the one who was embarrassed to show his love in public).

So when you asked him that question he didn't think twice.

"You think i'll let you wander around by yourself in a place we don't know, as if it's nothing? Absolutely not. I'll come with you" he had said, making you giggle.

Zoro was protective, but when it came to roads and orientation it was better for him to keep quiet. In fact who, between the two of you, was the one that had gotten lost without even realizing it, after turning around just for a second and losing sight of the other?

Zoro let out a sigh, squeezing the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, closing his eyes.

"Great. How am i going go find her now?" he wondered to himself, even though something inside him already told him that you would've been the one to find him first. As usual.

But Zoro didn't want to sit still and wait. No, you wanted him to spend some time with you so he would've done anything to find you and make up for lost time, no matter what the cost. Zoro was loyal to Luffy before anyone else, but you came right after him and he would have done everything to make you happy.

So the swordsman could do nothing but start walking again and in the meantime he asked passers-by if they had met you somewhere.

“Have you by any chance seen a girl around this height, she's wearing…” Zoro kept saying, describing your appearance. "She looks like she's always happy, she's like a walking smiley, you know what i mean?"

But everyone he met shook their heads, apologized and told him they had never seen you. But Zoro didn't give up and continued searching.

As he walked he would listen every now and then, hoping to hear your voice, but all he heard were people's gossip that he didn't care about. But then something caught his attention.

"I heard that a Celestial Dragon arrived at the port just now" a man murmured, and the one he was talking to looked at him with worried eyes.

"Oh no, but what is he doing on our island?"

Zoro stopped in his tracks to listen to the two citizens.

"I have no idea, but i don't want to know either. I think i'll go and hide in my house until he's gone" replied the first.

"You're right. Maybe it's best to warn the others" said the second one and then Zoro saw them hurrying away.

Shit. He thought. All we needed was a World Noble too.

He had to hurry. He had to find you first and then together you would go and tell Luffy and the others. Although Zoro normally would have had no problems about facing a Celestial Dragon, unfortunately he knew it was best to let it go, given the consequences of what had happened in Sabaody.

Zoro started walking again and this time faster. Yet it seemed to him that he had already passed that pharmacy twice... Had he continued to go around in circles??

Until suddenly...

"Let me go!"

Zoro froze, believing it was just his imagination, for a second, but noticed that slowly around him, people were falling silent. Some even seemed to be running away.

Then the voice continued.

"No! Let me go! Please!"

No, there was no doubt. That was you. And you seemed in danger. Zoro ran in the direction your voice came from, which didn't seem far away fortunately. And when he arrived on site, the scene that appeared before him was not a pleasant one, at all.

In the midst of some people who were kneeling with their foreheads pressed to the ground, a Celestial Dragon himself watched with a smug smile as one of his bodyguards tried to drag you away, pulling you by the arm.

"Stop complaining woman, i've made up my mind now!" exclaimed the noble. "You will be my new wife!"

You shook your head.

"No, i can't! Please!" You exclaimed, trying to free your arm from the bodyguard's grip, but failing. "I don't want to!"

The Celestial Dragon ignored you and turned to look at the other bodyguard.

“You have a collar here, right?” he asked and your eyes widened when you saw the man nod.

"Yes sir"

"Well, what are you waiting for?? Put it on her so she'll stop!"

When you saw the other bodyguard take out the collar they used for the slaves, you felt like your heart fell down.

You immediately started kicking, trying to free yourself with all your strength. You didn't want to wear that stupid collar, you didn't want to die, and you definitely didn't want to get married to anyone other than Zoro. Damn it, where the hell was Zoro when you needed him?! Did he have to get lost just now?? And there wasn't even a shadow of your friends around there.

The bodyguard holding you tightened his hands around your wrists to block your arms and then with a kick to the back of your knees he made you kneel on the ground. You squinted in pain for a few seconds, but didn't give up.

"Don't do it, please! I don't want to! Leave me alone!"

The one with the collar got closer and closer to you and you saw with teary eyes the Celestial Dragon behind him, who was looking at you with an almost maniacal look, happy to have found new prey.

You closed your eyes, trying to move your face away from the collar.

SWISH!

The people around you let out murmurs of shock and you opened your eyes when you heard the familiar sound of a sword slashing through the air.

"Zoro!"

You smiled when you saw his figure positioned in front of you, one of his swords pointed straight at the throat of the one who was about to collar you.

"Oi. What the hell do you think you're doing?" he asked menacingly.

The Celestial Dragon widened his eyes, surprised that someone was opposing him.

"Who are you?! How dare you?!"

Zoro shifted his icy gaze to the Celestial Dragon.

"I should be the one asking you that" the swordsman replied in a low and calm tone of voice, unlike the murderous look with which he was looking at him. “How dare you think that she wants to become the wife of someone as despicable and disgusting as you?”

You felt your heart pounding with emotion as you looked at Zoro with shining eyes. It wasn't the first time Zoro defended you, but every time you saw him act like that, it warmed your heart.

"Now i'll suggest something to you" he continued, taking out the second sword and pointing it at the bodyguard who was pinning you to the ground. "Let her go and there will be no serious consequences. Understood?"

The noble gritted his teeth angrily, looking at his two bodyguards.

"Don't you dare obey him, do you hear me!? I am a Celestial Dragon, i'm the one who decides here! And that woman will become my wife!" he exclaimed, pointing a finger at you.

Then you saw him take out a gun and after loading it, he pointed it at Zoro's face.

"Get out of my way! You'll pay for threatening me!" he shouted and your eyes widened.

"ZORO!"

BANG! BANG!

It all happened in a matter of seconds. Zoro dodged the bullets as if it were nothing and with a swing of his sword, he made a cut on the Celestial Dragon's legs and everyone's eyes widened when they saw him fall to the ground screaming in pain, while the bubble covering his head burst. Next, Zoro turned towards the two bodyguards and after cutting the first one in the chest, cutting at the same time the collar he was holding, with one move he appeared behind the one holding you, cutting him on the back.

Zoro put the swords away and then lowered his head to look at you.

“Y/n, are you okay?” He asked slightly worried, helping you to your feet.

You wasted no time and threw yourself against his body, tightening your arms around his waist and hugging him tightly. Zoro's eye widened and he felt his cheeks growing warmer as the seconds passed, but he recovered when he felt your tears wetting his chest, accompanied by the sound of your sniffles.

"O-Oi" he called, placing a hand on your cheek and pulling your face away so he could look you in the eyes. "What's wrong?"

You sniffed, looking at him with teary eyes and clutching your hands on his robes, crying like Chopper usually did.

“I-I'm sorry it’s just that…” you sobbed. "I was s-scared! I was so scared Zoro! I d-didn't want to marry him and become h-his slave! I didn't w-want him to take me away from you! T-Thank you for saving me!"

Zoro looked at you silently and then let out a small sigh. Then he placed his hand on the back of your head and held you close again, this time leaving a kiss on your hair.

"I will never let anyone take you away from me" he whispered next to your ear. "Never, Y/n. Do you hear me?"

You nodded, continuing to cry against his body.

After a few seconds Zoro pulled away to wrap an arm around your waist and hold you against his body, while you wiped the last tears from your face.

"Now we'd better go to the others" he said. "If anyone calls the Navy, we're screwed"

And as he passed by the body of the Celestial Dragon, who was still crying in pain with his legs bloodied, Zoro looked at him with an icy gaze, but said nothing. Last time, it was Bonney who had stopped him from killing Charloss, but this time only Luffy's words, had he been present, would have stopped him. Anyone who dared to harm you would've suffered the consequences.

"Zoro" you called him shyly.

"Mh?"

"The port is that way" you replied, pointing in the right direction with a finger.

"Ah… Yeah of course, i knew that" he muttered and you giggled, resting your head against his shoulder.

SANJI (my personal favorite, i love this man so much and i won't tolerate any Sanji slander on my page, i'm warning you🫵🤺)

Even though Sanji was the kind of boyfriend who never wanted to leave you alone for a second and would do anything and i mean anything for you, in that moment he was shopping alone to find some food. You told him that you wanted to go shopping alone, but you promised him that it wouldn't have taken too long and you would 've met up a little later. So Sanji reluctantly let you go and in the meantime he was wandering around the various stalls in the market, he was also looking for something nice to give you as a surprise.

At that moment he was just fantasizing about the surprised look and red cheeks you would've gotten as a reaction to his gesture of affection. Yes, you were the first to fall in love with him, but he fell even harder for you and everyone knew this.

"Aah i can't wait to see my lovely Y/n's face when she sees this" Sanji sighed with a dreamy smile, not noticing the slightly confused look of the merchant in front of him.

And Sanji could already imagine what you would've said to him after receiving the gift.

"Sanji... You really shouldn't have. Who knows how much it cost you..."

And he would have gently taken your hand and after kissing the back of it, he would have simply answered you.

"My sweet Y/n, i would give you the sun, the moon and all the stars in the sky if only i could do it. I don't care how much money i spend, because the love i feel for you will always be greater. I do it with pleasure"

Sanji chuckled to himself, looking forward to reuniting with you and spoiling you like he always insisted on doing.

"SANJIII!"

Sanji snapped out of his daydream when he heard a familiar voice calling out to him and when he turned he saw Chopper running towards him.

"What is it Chopper?" he asked him. "Is everything okay?"

The reindeer stopped in front of him and looked at him with a fearful expression.

"Something terrible has happened!" he panted between words. "Y/n is in trouble! You have to help her!"

As soon as Sanji's brain connected your name and the word 'trouble', the loving look in his eyes faded to give way to one of worry.

"What?! What happened to Y/n?!" he asked frantically. "Tell me Chopper!"

Chopper looked at him with shining eyes and a trembling lower lip.

"A-A Celestial Dragon has come to this island and-and..." he sobbed. “Y/n w-was about to leave, but he s-saw her and he said… H-He said he wants to make her h-his slave!”

Sanji froze and remained silent for a few seconds, while the only audible sound was Chopper's sobs.

"W-What... What..."

Until...

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAAAYYYYY?!?!"

Chopper raised his eyes to look at the blonde and opened them wide when he saw his body covered in flames. Sanji screamed with clenched fists and the people around him looked at him in fear of his behavior.

"A CELESTIAL DRAGON WANTS TO MAKE MY Y/N HIS SLAVE?!? OH, HE JUST HAS TO TRY! THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN! NEVER!"

Sanji then whipped around to look at Chopper with a murderous glare and gritted teeth.

"Where is that bastard?! And where is my sweet Y/n?!?"

Chopper pointed with a shaking hoof in the direction and before Sanji could run, the reindeer said one last thing to him.

"Y-You have to hurry! The Celestial Dragon said t-that... That he wants Y/n to be his n-new wife!"

"HIS NEW WHAAAT?!?"

Chopper screamed in fear when he saw the cook's body literally explode in the flames, overcome by complete fury. Chopper remembered that time in Thriller Bark, when Absalom had kidnapped Nami and wanted to marry her. The situation wasn't that different, but this time it was about you, Sanji's girlfriend, his one and only true love. Sanji, like Zoro, was a very, veeery protective guy, especially when it came to you. And the anger he was feeling right now was in no way comparable to anything he had faced so far.

"MY BELOVED Y/N WILL NEVER BE THE WIFE OF A CELESTIAL DRAGON! SHE WILL NEVER BE THE WIFE OF ANYONE BUT ME! I WILL MAKE THAT PERVERTED MANIAC PAY FOR EVEN TOUCHING HER!"

And with a battle cry, Sanji began running at full speed in the direction Chopper had pointed, leaving a trail of smoke behind him.

"Y/N MY DEAR! I'M COMING!"

Meanwhile, you were trying to rebel against the grip of one of the Celestial Dragon's guards, who was dragging you towards the port, where his ship was.

"I can't be your wife!" You exclaimed, trying to plant your feet on the ground. "I already have a boyfriend! Please, let me go!"

You continued to struggle and scream, even though you knew that unfortunately all the people around you could not and did not have the courage to do anything to stop a World Noble.

The Celestial Dragon himself turned towards you, causing you to stop in your tracks and he looked at you with an annoyed look.

"Slap her" he ordered another of his guards.

You didn't even have time to reply that-

SMACK!

Your face was abruptly turned away and your eyes widened, but you couldn't even touch your cheek with one hand as both of your arms were stuck in the guard's hands.

"This is what you get" the Celestial Dragon hissed, looking at you with narrowed eyes. "Now you will be quiet and good and you will come with me. You will become my wife and you will be my slave, forev-"

"STAY AWAY FROM HER!"

You would have been able to recognize that voice everywhere.

In a flash you saw the fiery figure of Sanji flying towards one of the guards and with a kick straight to the face, he was thrown away, flying back many meters. Then he turned and before focusing on you, his gaze fell on the other guard's hands that were wrapping around your arms.

"You…" he hissed, gritting his cigarette between his teeth "Get your filthy hands off my Y/n, right now!"

And with another kick, the man holding you was also thrown away as if nothing had happened, while you fell to the ground, taken aback.

Sanji crouched down to help you stand up, but as soon as his eyes fell on your face, he noticed the reddish imprint of the slap that was left on your cheek and you saw him grit his teeth.

"Sanji?" You murmured worriedly, but he didn't listen to you and slowly stood up, turning towards the Celestial Dragon.

"Now listen to me carefully..." he said slowly, starting to walk towards him.

Damn, he's really angry. You thought.

"A woman should never be touched even with a flower. I don't give a damn if you are a Celestial Dragon. You dared to harm not only a woman, but you dared to harm my woman. And anyone who dares to touch my Y/n, will have to deal with me!"

The Celestial Dragon opened his eyes wide, visibly scared and pulled out a gun, loading it and pointing it at Sanji. But before he could even shoot, Sanji kicked him and the noble's body was thrown against the wall of a house, as he let out a scream.

The citizens who were watching remained silent, amazed by what had just happened before their eyes.

Sanji then turned again and ran towards you.

"My sweet Y/n!" he exclaimed, taking your hands in his and helping you up. "Are you okay?? Forgive me, if only i had known earlier what was going to happen-"

"Sanji" you called, interrupting him.

"Yes?"

You looked at him with a sweet smile and placed a hand on his cheek.

"It's okay, i'm fine"

"B-But..." he retorted, also stretching out a hand towards your face and delicately touching the mark of the slap with his fingertips. "They hurt you, my love"

"It doesn't hurt that much anymore, really" you reassured him. "The only thing that matters is that we're together, right?"

Sanji hesitated for a couple of seconds, but then he let go and smiled.

You took both of his hands, clasping them in yours.

"Thank you for saving me" you said. "I really didn't want to go with him"

Sanji brought your hands to his lips, kissing the back of them and when he looked at you, you saw nothing but eyes full of love and devotion.

"I will always save you, Y/n. And if anyone still wants to come between us, they'll have to go over my dead body first. I swear"

You felt your cheeks heat up and looked at him with a small, sheepish smile, but then you leaned over to give him a small but loud kiss on the cheek.

"My hero. I love you, Sanji"

His face immediately turned red and Sanji began to twirl around, his eyes shaped like hearts.

"WAAAH I LOVE YOU TOO MY SWEET Y/N~"

You giggled, but then he stopped and he looked at you with a sweet smile, handing you something.

"Oh, i almost forgot... I got you a present, my dear"

LAW (sorry if this one sucks, i'm not used to writing about him because he's not my favorite character)

Law was a bit like Zoro. Usually he preferred to remain closed inside the Polar Tang, studying new treatments and medicines or even just reading a book. The most important thing for him was to stay away from noisy people who disturbed his eardrums. Cough cough... Like Luffy... Cough cough...

But when you were the one asking him if he wanted to go somewhere with you... Law didn't refuse, he just couldn't. He always acted like the tough guy, but all it took was for you to make sweet eyes at him and he would give up with a sigh.

So you and Law found yourself wandering around the city together, with you dragging him by clasping one of his two hands in both of yours and him following you without resisting.

"Do you think we could get a present for Bepo?" You asked suddenly, turning to Law.

He looked at you confused.

“Why should we buy something for Bepo?”

“Because he's sooo cuteee” you said, sticking out your lower lip in a tender pout. "And he's always so kind and always apologizes even when he doesn't need to. I think we should do a kindness for him every now and then"

“Y/n-ya i don’t-”

"But Shachi and Penguin should have a gift too..." you then muttered to yourself, ignoring the surgeon's irritated look. "And if we buy some gifts for them, then we have to get some for the rest of the crew too..."

“Y/n-ya-”

"Yes, that can be done. Let's buy gifts for everyone"

“Y/n!” Law exclaimed and you turned to look at him, not understanding the reason for his irritated expression. When he called you only by your name without the suffix, it meant he was serious.

Law let out a sigh. The truth was that you were simply too good and generous and although that was one of the reasons why Law fell in love with you, you often didn't think about the fact that doing kind deeds for others didn't always lead to good consequences. In the New World there were no people who would accept your gifts just to make peace, your good heart risked putting you in danger. And Law just wanted to keep you safe, he had already lost too many people in his life.

And then, the most important reason was...

"With what money do you think you can buy all the presents for Bepo and the others?" he asked you, tilting his head.

You looked at him silently and then let out a small, embarrassed laugh.

"Uhm... With the one you would lend me...? Because you love me...?"

Law stared at you in silence.

“I would give it all back to you, of course!” you hastened to add. "I would never want to take advantage of you, Law! You know that, right?"

Law let out yet another sigh and then reached into his pocket, pulling out a handful of berries, which he then handed to you.

"Just this once. I won't buy gifts for the others anymore"

You are the only exception. He wanted to add at that moment, but refrained from commenting.

You, however, smiled and after taking the money you gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Thanks Law~” you said and he looked away, his cheeks red.

And while you were carefully analyzing which stuffed animal to buy for Bepo, because you knew he would've liked it as a gift, with Law behind you watching you patiently, suddenly the sound of a shot rang through the air.

BANG!

The people around you let out frightened screams and you and Law whipped around to see what had just happened.

"Kneel! Everyone!" a voice shouted. "Didn't you see who is in front of you?!"

Your eyes widened when you saw none other than a World Noble a few meters away from you, waving a gun in the air as if nothing had happened. And all the people around him threw themselves on their knees, obeying without a word.

"Aaah!" someone else shouted.

You saw a woman and a little girl kneel next to the body of a man bleeding from the chest, lying at the noble's feet.

"Someone help him! Someone help my husband! Please!" the woman cried desperately, looking around, but no one lifted a finger. They were too scared of ending up like him.

You watched the scene with a broken heart, realizing that it was the Celestial Dragon who shot that poor man, probably because he had just happened to find himself in his path. But nothing gave him the right to shoot innocent people at will!

“Law…” you murmured, looking up at him.

Law didn't say anything, but with one hand he made you step back, bringing you behind his body.

"We'd better leave" he said in a low voice. "I don't want to get in trouble..."

“But-” you tried to say, but Law turned to look at you.

“Y/n-ya” he called to you seriously. "We can't do anything for him. The Celestial Dragons have always done this and we are nobody to stop them"

You looked at him silently, but you felt your eyes become teary at his words. He was right, but... It was unfair.

"I'm sure as soon as he leaves someone will treat that man" Law then continued in a softer tone, as he wanted to reassure you.

You nodded understandingly and Law grabbed your wrist, wanting to walk in the direction you left the submarine. You would have gotten the gifts elsewhere. Leaving was the priority now.

"Hey! You two!"

Law let out a soft curse and stopped in his tracks when he heard the voice of the Celestial Dragon calling out to you.

"Why didn't you kneel down like everyone else?" the man asked, approaching. “Do you dare to walk away in the presence of a World Noble?”

Law gritted his teeth and gently pushed you behind him again, his other hand gripping his sword.

Before he could use his powers or do anything else though, you stepped past him to look at the noble.

"You don't deserve our respect!" you exclaimed.

Law, the Celestial Dragon and all the citizens around you widened their eyes when they saw you approaching in a menacing manner the Celestial Dragon's face, covered by his bubble.

“I will not kneel for a person who shoots innocent people for pleasure!”

Law grabbed your arm, trying to pull you back, but you didn't give up.

"What you nobles do is unfair!"

Law pulled you back next to him and turned to look at you with panicked eyes.

"Y/n! What's wrong with you?!" he exclaimed, but you looked at him with determination, clenching your fists at your sides. "Are you crazy?!"

“You know…” the voice of the Celestial Dragon then interjected and both you and Law turned to look at him. "Right now i would have killed you for daring to speak to me like that, so close to my face. But since you are a beautiful woman, i will not kill you. Not yet..."

You saw his open eyes, probably shocked by your attitude, but little by little his expression changed into a mischievous smile that sent a shiver down your spine.

"No... I have decided, you will become my new wife"

"What?!"

Your eyes widened and Law gritted his teeth.

“Yes, you will be my personal slave” the noble continued, taking a step towards you. “You will prepare food for me, you will always follow me everywhere and you will sleep with me~”

"That's enough!"

You stepped back as Law drew his sword, standing in front of you.

The Celestial Dragon bodyguards drew their guns too, but just before they could fire, Law raised a hand.

"Room!"

Immediately the blue bubble of his power encompassed everyone in it, including some citizens, but you knew that the surgeon's only targets were the Celestial Dragon and his bodyguards.

Swiftly moving his sword, Law split the body of the Celestial Dragon and the bodyguards into many small pieces that fell to the ground and the people around you let out screams of fright.

"AAAH! What happened to me?!" screamed the Celestial Dragon, or rather, just his head.

Law approached his head and picked it up, tossing it in the air a couple of times, as if it were a game.

"Put the pieces of my body back together immediately! I order you!" the noble shouted, looking at Law with tears in his eyes.

Law, however, looked at him without showing the slightest compassion.

"No" he said sternly. "This is what you deserve"

Then he dropped his head and kicked it, causing it to end up who knows where, while the Celestial Dragon let out a final cry that got further and further away.

Meanwhile, you ran to the man who had been injured by the Celestial Dragon and gave him an encouraging smile.

"Don't worry" you said. "Now they will take you to the hospital and everything will be fine. You just have to hold on"

Law clenched his fists and watched you call out for someone who could take the man to the hospital and luckily two men loaded him onto a stretcher, taking him away and his wife and daughter, after thanking you, followed them.

Behind him, you approached Law with your hands on your hips and a proud smile on your lips.

"Well that was fun!" you said chuckling, referring to what had happened to the noble.

"No, it wasn't fun at all!" Law exclaimed turning to you.

Your smile slowly disappeared from your face when you saw his angry look.

"I told you not to do anything, Y/n-ya! But you never listen to me! If someone called the Navy now we'll have to run before we get in trouble with an Admiral!"

You felt your eyes get teary and you looked down in shame.

"You can't rebel against a World Noble, because they can do whatever they want! If i hadn't been there you would be on his ship right now with a collar around your neck and you would be his slave!"

You closed your eyes and a couple of tears ran down your cheeks. You never liked seeing him angry, especially when he was angry with you, but he was right so you didn't say anything.

"But above all..." Law then said and when you felt his hands rest on your shoulders, you jumped slightly and reopened your eyes to look at him, finding his eyes fixed on yours. "You risked your life, do you understand? I know you are a good soul, but you are too good for this world, Y/n. You need to be more careful with the people you meet in your life, because not everyone will be willing to listen your words and apologize"

You felt your heart pounding in your chest. And the more you looked into his eyes, the more you realized that little by little the anger in his gaze was turning into concern, especially from how he was lightly tightening his hands on your shoulders.

“Law i…” you murmured, bringing your hands to your chest, then lowering your head. "I'm sorry. Y-You're right, forgive me. It was foolish and impulsive of me..."

You heard Law let out a sigh and his hands left your body.

“I'm sorry too” he murmured, lowering his spotted hat over his eyes. "I didn't mean to get mad at you. I was just... Worried"

You watched him out of the corner of your eye as he gently took your hand, stroking it with his thumb.

"I've lost too many people in my life and... I don't want to lose you too. I'll be damned if i'll let anything happen to you. I promise Y/n"

You looked at him in silence with your eyes open and after a few seconds you smiled at him, wiping the tears from your face.

"And i promise i'll be more careful Law" you said with a determined smile, squeezing his hand. "So you won't have to worry about me anymore"

You saw one corner of his mouth curve upwards slightly, under the shadow of his hat.

"I don't think you'd last a day without me" he retorted.

You opened your eyes and mouth wide, acting as if you were shocked.

"How dare you insinuate something like that?? Do you really think i'm that incompetent? Well, i'll show you!"

You turned on your heel ready to walk away and prove him wrong, but you stopped when you realized something.

"Um…" you said, slowly turning towards him with a shy smile. "Do we still have time to buy the presents for everyone? Or do we really have to leave?"

Law looked at you silently with his arms crossed, but then he smiled again, reaching out to you.

"I saw nicer stuffed animals on the other side" he said, tilting his head towards another direction of the market. "Just don't take too long to choose which one to get. You can also buy one for yourself, if you want"

You smiled toothily and with a giggle and red cheeks you took his hand in both of yours, dragging him towards the place he had indicated and he let himself be led without saying anything, still with a soft smile.

///

[penkura]

OP Men and Their Kids

Note: Hey, this is something I wrote randomly one day instead of paper I needed to work on. :) Don't worry, the paper was finished and turned in. I will also fully admit I have baby fever at this point in my life, I just gotta get a man lol. These are just some headcanon blurbs about a couple OP men and their kids, how many they'd have, the genders, that's all! Hope you like it!

Part Two Here!

Ace has a daughter, then another three years later. He's happy with just those two, he's a great girl dad and his oldest keeps his last name even if she gets married; he cries when his babies get married. If you can convince him to have one more, it'd be a third girl, you wouldn't even complain about it. Ace would cry again, holding her after she's born and happily introducing her to her big sisters. He sees himself, Sabo, and Luffy in the dynamics between his daughters. Your youngest daughter might be a crybaby, but she's the more adventurous of the three and her sisters are her biggest protectors. You're all his girls and Ace couldn't be happier.

~~

Law has a son first, then five or six years later a daughter, both fully planned and prepared for. Then surprise, there's another little boy two years after your daughter, totally unplanned but welcomed all the same. All three are beyond loved, the daughter is definitely named Cora. Your daughter might be a little bit spoiled, but Law tries to even it out amongst the three, that pirate captain side of him coming out as he tries to make sure they're all even. On nights when the five of you settle in your living room, Law still can't believe how lucky and blessed he is to have such a loving family again.

~~

Penguin has two daughters within four years of each other! Girl dad all the way, until the third child comes along and it's a boy, a total surprise, he'd fully expect another little girl. He finds it even more fun to have all three of them, the girls are protective of their baby brother, it almost reminds him of he and Shachi with Law when they were still teens. It's even more apparent how your children parallel that relationship, when your youngest daughter, at six years old, brings your two year old son to you when he's crying from a nightmare, you're both able to comfort and quell his tears. Penguin feels lucky to have all of you, and wants nothing more than for you to all be safe and happy.

~~

Sanji! Has a son AND daughter first, a cute little set of twins! He dotes on them and gives them all the attention they need. Eventually another little girl comes along, then one more boy a couple years after her. Sanji loves them all, but his girls do get just a tad more attention at times, especially once they realize that giving him puppy dog eyes net them whatever they want. Your youngest son attaches to him like glue, wanting to be with Sanji all the time, and he can see the similarities in how alike the two are, minus the abuse of course, and it makes him want to protect your youngest son from the world at times. 

~~

Zoro has a son, one that isn't planned at all. He hadn't even expected to have kids until this little baby boy that looks just like him comes along. After that, he expects that to be it. No more kids, just the one, just your son, until not even three years later you're pregnant again, with a little girl that's just as unplanned. Everyone is shocked, but when she's born, Zoro is instantly wrapped around her tiny finger and she's spoiled rotten by him. Your kids are both loved beyond belief though, both learning how to use a sword as soon as they're big enough to do so. Zoro is the one to convince you to have one more when your daughter is about five, and its a set of twin boys that make you swear off more kids in the end. They also start learning to use the sword one day, your third child falling into the three sword style that just inflates Zoro's pride even more. And yes, his daughter would be named Kuina.

~~

Note 2: I would absolutely marry Zoro and have his babies in a heartbeat. I'm sorry Penguin, I still love you.

Note 3: If you saw this briefly yesterday, no you didn't shut up 😆

[cozage]

Coza! congrats on 2K followers. I like your smuts and i don't know what. idea I want.CouldI request for the Option 1? Reaction of Luffy + ace + Zoro + sabo + taking care of you when your sick.

I am actually very sick today so this one was nice to think about :) 

Characters: gn reader x Luffy, Ace, Zoro, Sabo CW: I didn’t proofread this forgive me for errors   Total word count: 860

In Sickness and Health

Luffy

He is worried sick about you. He spends the whole morning just trying to get you to laugh. 

He tells jokes, makes funny faces, and plays pranks on Zoro. Anything he can think of to get you smiling and laughing.

Sometimes he succeeds in getting you to laugh, but it quickly turns into a coughing fit, so he eventually gives up on the laughing endeavor. 

Instead, he climbs into bed with you and pulls you flush against his body. He holds you and whispers sweet nothings into your ears to lull you to sleep. 

He wipes the sweat off your brow and rubs your face with a cool rag when you get hot. Even when you're asleep, he still does it. 

When it’s time to eat, he doesn’t ask for your food. It’s probably one of the first times in his life that he hopes there are no leftovers. He knows you need the food to get strong. 

And when you finally get out of bed, he bounces with joy, excited to resume his normal routine with you again. 

Ace

Ace doesn’t know what to do when he wakes up and you’re the warm one in the bed. So he runs to get Marco. 

“They're fine,” Marco says. “It’s just a fever. It will pass.”

“Can’t you just heal them?!” Ace whispered, looking at you nervously. 

“With little things like this it does more harm than good. Let their body fight it. If it’s still bad in 24 hours, come back to me.”

Ace is so worried he doesn’t eat. He doesn’t leave your side. He had tried to cuddle up to you, but you had kicked him away. 

Now he sits on the floor beside the bed, his hand outstretched and intertwined with yours as you sleep. 

He only wakes you to drink water and to eat. Even though it’s the last thing you want, he makes you consume something to keep your energy up. 

After a few hours, he still hasn’t moved from his spot, and you finally allow him to rejoin you in bed. The heat is still miserable, but at least he’s a comfy pillow. 

The next night your fever finally breaks. And though you’re still miserable, at least he knows you’re going to be okay. 

Zoro

Zoro was surprised that you weren’t out on the deck by mid morning. You hadn’t had a particularly late night, so it strikes him as strange. 

As he opens the door to your room, you groan and roll away from the light. 

He barks out a laugh. “That hungover? I didn’t even see you drink!”

“Migraine,” you moan, pressing your hands to your temple as you speak. 

“Oh.” Zoro's voice instantly drops several octaves. “What can I do?”

“Just come lay here with me.” You stretch out an arm to him, beckoning him into bed. 

He has no option but to join you, his strong arms immediately wrapping around you and flexing against you. You feel safe in his arms, and slip into unconsciousness immediately. 

When you finally wake up, the sharp stabbing has left, but Zoro still has you firmly in his arms. 

“Are you hungry? Do you-“

“Shower,” you cut him off with your own words. “I’d really like a shower.”

So he leads you to the bath house and he gingerly washes your hair and your body as you keep your eyes closed, trying to minimize the effects of your migraine. 

When you finish in the shower, he silently takes you back to your room and the two of you lay around for the rest of the day, quietly talking or sleeping or just enjoying each other's company. 

Sabo

“Soup?” He whispered, cracking the door open just a tad as he held a bowl.

“How’d you know?” You groaned, throwing a pillow over your head. 

He laughed, deciding not to tell you how it was almost noon. He knew you weren’t always an early riser, but you were only in bed at this time if you were sick. 

“I called out, so we can-“

“Sabo!” You cried. “You shouldn’t have called out!”

“But you’re sick.” He held out a book. “I got you a new book and everything.”

You hummed in delight, taking the book from him and setting it down on the nightstand. 

“Do you want to be alone, or can I join you?”

You really didn’t want another body in the bed with you while you were feeling so gross. But you also didn’t want to be alone. 

“Can you just stay in the room?” You asked. 

“Let me grab some work, I’ll be right back.”

He worked quietly at his desk in your room, only taking breaks to fetch you water or food or anything else you would ask for.

And you fell asleep to the quiet scratching of his pen, sleeping well in the fact that he would never leave you alone when you needed him. 

[innerfare]

Angsty Ace Headcanons 

Summary: A collection of angsty Ace headcanons

Genre: Angst

CW: None // SFW

———

Ace never knew what his mother looked like, never even saw a photograph of her. 

At a certain point, Ace wanted nothing more than to become the marine Garp wanted him to be. He wanted desperately to please his grandfather, a man who could have turned him over to the World Government in exchange for a nice reward and even promotion but chose instead to harbor him. And when Ace learned the truth about his biological father, when Ace realized the World Government would never accept him as one of their own no matter what Garp said, he went to the seashore and cried, forced to accept he would only ever draw the ire of the one man he wanted to please.  

Ace always felt like a monster for beating Luffy. He had a very valid thought process: I have to make him stronger. But he still felt like he was doing something horribly wrong. The guilt stuck with him as he grew older, consuming him when he recalled the times he treated Luffy more like a brother than a son (parentification can be a bitch). 

Ace only began valuing his life after Sabo died. He only did it because he thought he had to for Luffy’s sake. Without Luffy, he would have lost the will to live entirely, and on some level, he did lose the will to live when he met the Straw Hats and realized Luffy was taken care of without him. Rather than feeling peace at having fulfilled the promise he’d made to a deceased Sabo to care for their little brother, he felt a sense of failure because he wasn’t needed. 

Ace once came across one of his father’s old wanted posters and, to his horror, recognized himself. Thus, he avoids his reflection at all costs. He’s been called attractive, but he doesn’t understand why because all he sees when he looks in the mirror is a monster. Burns his own wanted posters when he encounters them because he can’t stand the sight of himself. 

Ace always shrugged it off, but deep down, he felt horribly guilty for sleeping on the floor at Dadan’s place. Bringing food to her doorstep was his way of earning his keep, even as a small child, but the need to pay her back for sheltering a little monster like him didn’t go away when he set sail. He began sending money back to her every month in hopes it would ease the burden he had undoubtedly put on her by existing. 

When Whitebeard tried adopting him, he didn’t resort to violence because he was still trying to take down an Emperor. He did so because he was triggered by Whitebeard’s compassion. It was such a foreign feeling to him he could only think to attack, scared of what that compassion stirred in him. 

Ace was petrified of sex, even when taking every precaution. He was terrified of getting a girl pregnant and bringing a child into the world that hated him before he was ever born and would surely hate his child for all the same reasons, would perhaps even hate that child more because they would be blamed for his crimes in addition to his father’s. He had vivid nightmares about becoming a father, and then felt guilty for having those nightmares about it because he felt like he was inflicting psychological wounds on his nonexistent unborn child by not wanting them. 

Ace died thinking Sabo would be waiting for him on the other side. 

———

Hope you enjoyed it! If you want more, you can check out my masterlist here!

[demonio-fleurs]

rewatching one piece episode 1119 has me thinking a lot about sabo + his emotions

like. you can see in the episode that what happened to king cobra genuinely affected him. he wanted to save king cobra, and he was obviously upset at his inability to save king cobra. and we know from the manga that when he is a stowaway on the ship back to lulusia, he thinks back to king cobra's dying words and has a pained expression.

yet... to dragon and ivankov, he tells them he is okay with what happened if it fuels the flames of the revolution. he keeps a straight face, despite shaking a bit, and does his best to seem unaffected by what happened.

and then i think back to dressrosa, when koala called sabo after he reunited with luffy, and how sabo didn't cry when he saw luffy, but cried after when talking to koala.

and then i remember how young he was when he was named chief of staff. what a heavy burden that is on the shoulders of someone so young. how he has probably forced himself to be strong, to show no weakness or vulnerability because weakness and vulnerability can be used against him and he is responsible for the lives of hundreds if not thousands of people. how he has probably tried to model himself off of dragon, who is stoic and doesn't easily show his emotions. or kuma, who after suffering a massive loss threw himself harder into his work, pushed himself further to achieve their goals.

and it makes me wonder... if we'll ever get to a breaking point with sabo. if something will happen that will just make him snap and lose that mask, that strength he hides his vulnerabilities behind. and i wonder what that would look like.

[nameless-pirate]

Sabo: fluff headcanons

Summary: just some fluff headcanons for Sabo! Tags: fluff! Notes: This was a request! Sabo is a bit hard to read as we don't have much to go on, but I hope I did him justice.

Fluff relationship headcanons

Sabo's love feels like the sun in winter or the cold wind on a hot summer day. It brings you hope.

You started off as friends in the Revolutionary Army. You would spend a lot of time together, training, reading, or going through mission files. One day, you were sent to check out the situation in one of the islands near the base. You happened upon a huge parade, and Sabo grabbed your hand, so you wouldn't get lost. Nothing has been the same since.

Suddenly, you craved his touch and presence. You didn't even dream of him feeling the same way, and you hoped it would eventually go away. “It will pass”, you told yourself. When Sabo suggested going swimming, you immediately said yes. You two would do that often in the bay. Swim first, then eat at the beach, watching the sun go down. Everything seemed normal until you two sat down on the blanket. You dug your feet into the sand, and as soon as you reached for the basket, you heard Sabo say, “Yeah, I don't think this will pass”.

You looked at him surprised. His wet hair stuck to his forehead and small drops were going down his nose and temples. “What did you say?” you asked nervously.

In Sabo's mind, it was meant to be a confession. Instead, he blabbed. About your smile, eyes, your skin, how great you are, how comfortable he feels around you, how competent you are on missions, and how he can't for the life of him get that feeling from holding your hand from his mind. It felt right. And before you knew it, you leaned towards him, bringing your face closer, and to this day, neither of you knows who kissed who first. But it felt right. And the sun may have been hiding behind the horizon, but a new flame started burning between you two.

You always sit next to each other, arms and legs touching. Some people in the army say you're glued together.

Sabo trusts you completely. He's not one to be jealous or tell you something is too dangerous for you to handle. He believes you can do anything.

Loves to hold hands.

Kisses your fingertips.

Every now and then when you cuddle, he peppers your face with kisses.

After his memory came back and he became the flame emperor, there's a whole new side to Sabo. He's still your love, but now you get to understand him fully. To see him as a whole.

One night, he doesn't come to bed. You find him in the archive room, rereading old newspapers and gathering all he can about Ace. You don't say anything, but you stay to help him.

Now that he can't swim with you, he stays on the beach and watches you.

But it irks him that something you used to do together is no longer an option. So he's determined to teach you how to climb trees properly.

You used to be jealous of Koala, but now the three of you are friends. You often drink beers together in the evening, and somehow you end up teasing Sabo.

His favourite sound? Your laugh. If he can't make you laugh, he starts a tickle war, which you always end up losing.

Whenever you go on missions without each other, you leave notes or short letters. You have two chests stored: one with your letters for Sabo and one with Sabo's for you. You wear the key to the one with his letters on a little chain on your neck. He keeps his in a little pocket in his hat. You promised each other to open the chests only if something happened to the other person.

Can't go to sleep without a goodnight kiss. He actually likes to fall asleep cuddling, and it doesn't matter who's the big spoon. Your presence and touch is what makes it easy for him to drift off.

He will never leave without a kiss either. Sometimes he wakes you up just for a little peck on the lips. It's his good luck charm. At least that's what he says.

When you fight, it gets explosive at first—all screams and cries. Sabo often leaves so you can both calm down and comes back later to have a proper conversation. He doesn't want to scream at you.

[thetempleofthemasaigoddess]

Friends with benefits to lovers with Sabo

Sabo x reader, Sabo x Koala. (moodboard)

*****

🎩 You and Sabo have been best friends since childhood, given the fact you both joined the Revolutionary Army as children. Your parents, a couple of high-level operatives, had been killed on a mission, and Dragon decided to take care of you from then on; this is how you meet Sabo, who had just been rescued after running away from home.

🎩 Given the fact you are the only two minors in the whole base at Baltigo island your friendship is almost a foregone conclusion, but it’s actually the losses both of you have sustained, the solitude and longing for what you have lost, that allow you to bond. Sabo no longer remembers he has two brothers, but he feels something important is missing in his life, an emptiness your friendship allows him to fill; you, on your part, devote to him all the love and affection you once held for your parents. You become each other’s safe place, confidant and supporter; even when surrounded by people you soon grow to care for and trust, you immediately look for Sabo when you enter a room, dry his tears with your fingers when he feels sad, and patch his wounds after training; and he does the same for you. You run away from the base to join him on his first mission, violating Dragon’s direct orders; Sabo beats the crap out of any man who touches you without your consent. 

🎩 You have promised to be friends forever, no matter what, and you can’t imagine a reason why that situation could one day change, not even after Sabo remembers his past. You hold him in your arms as he cries for Ace, feeling guilty he didn’t get to say good-bye, and when you accompany him to Dressrosa your friend introduces you to Luffy; you are happy for him, and never fear he could love you less, or even just neglect you, because there is someone else he cares for… 

🎩 … which is why you have absolutely no objection to your friend finding a girlfriend. Koala is a great person: kind, clever, brave and generous, not to mention very pretty, and the two of you become friendly when you find yourselves sharing a room in the base’s dormitories. In fact, when Sabo admits that he had developed feelings for her, you immediately take it upon yourself to arrange a date between the two of them: you take advantage of a rare moment in which none of the three of you have duties to attend to, steal two beers from the kitchen, and invite both Sabo and Koala on the roof, to enjoy the quiet and the starry sky as you share a drink. Both happily accept; you meet them on the roof, give them the beers and simply say “Enjoy your date.” before walking away, leaving a flabbergasted Koala and a blushing Sabo. 

🎩 They are a couple from that day on, and while you are happy for your friend, and to leave him some alone time with his girlfriend rather than being the sort of friend who always insists to tag along, you can’t help wishing you also had someone by your side. Many operatives of the RA find it difficult to pursue a long-term relationship, given that there is little time for romanticism in your way of life, no chance of going on dates or enjoying some privacy in four- or even eight-bed rooms, and the all-present danger and enormous pressure most of you are subjected to. It isn’t unusual for operatives to resort to other types of arrangements: friendships with benefits, occasional hook-ups, no strings attached affairs - anything, to find even just an hour of peace in the arms of someone who cares for you at least a little, and feel you are not completely alone and have reason to fight another day. It isn’t ideal but most of you make do, including you, who have had your first sexual experiences with some of your comrades but, no matter how satisfying and enjoyable those have been, you can’t help wishing for more.

🎩 Sabo always says that you are a great person, and that anyone would be crazy not to want you; he even offers to return the favour and act as your wingman if you ever need one, which you appreciate, but the truth is that there is no one you are particularly interested in, neither in Baltigo nor among the other agents you occasionally meet. You could find someone to sleep with; there are at least a couple people who would be glad to accept your invitation. The matter is, you want more - not simply a lover, but a partner, someone who cares for you beyond the warmth of your body, someone who you know would look for you as soon as he steps in a crowded room, think about you while you are distant, and with whom to hope for a future together, some day there will be no need for the RA anymore.

🎩 (Sabo does and would do all of it, of course. You know he cares for you enormously, worries when you are sent on a mission, and is always ready to welcome you with a big hug when you return; you have also promised to remain friends forever, whatever the future may bring. You can’t deny he is an extremely attractive young man either, slim but strong, with expressive eyes and a nice smile. Yes, you find yourself reflecting more than once, sometimes even as you lie in bed with someone else, Sabo does have everything you look for in a partner, and since you get along so well as friends, you would probably work nicely as a couple; who knows what could happen, had you met in different circumstances…)

🎩 Sabo and Koala have been a couple for roughly eight months, and clearly happy with each other, when Dragon asks her to transfer to another base of the Army, far away from Baltigo, to carry out a year-long mission. She and Sabo -who then tells you everything; beyond the most intimate details, there is little you and your friend don’t share about your relationships- talk about it, and agree that she has to go, since their duty towards the Army, and all the people she will contribute to defend and protect, has to come first… and also that they have to separate. “We knew a long-distance relationship couldn’t work, and since we had decided to be exclusive since the beginning, opening our relationship so that we could find solace in other people while we were distant felt wrong too.” your friend sadly explains that night as you have dinner “So we decided to break up, and one day, when Koala returns from her mission, we’ll talk and, if we both want it, we’ll get back together.”

🎩 You tell him that you’re very sorry for him, and he nods in appreciation, admitting that he has had better moments, but knowing that it was the right decision to make, and that they have parted amicably, is of some comfort. He will miss Koala a lot, but he’s proud of her for having been chosen for this important mission, and knows she’ll do great things; the next year will pass quickly, you try to comfort him, and the more they miss each other, the happier they will be once she returns. Sabo smiles, and later, as you leave the mess hall, he hugs you with his arm around your shoulders, before planting a kiss on your cheek. “Thank God you’re still here, (name).” he says “I really wouldn’t know what to do without you.”

🎩 Koala leaves two days later; you, like her other friends, hug her tight and wish her good luck, while she and Sabo, who have said their goodbyes privately, simply share a smile. 

🎩 You keep an eye on Sabo from then on, to make sure he is fine, eats and sleeps when he should, and that the loss of his girlfriend hasn’t distressed him more than he can handle. Thank God your friend seems to come to terms with his returned singledom relatively quickly; he takes care of himself, keeps busy with training and work, and he assures you that while he still misses Koala very much, and doesn’t feel ready to begin a new relationship, he feels alright and doesn’t regret breaking up with Koala. You make sure to be there for your friend, not wanting him to think you’re pitying him or to suffocate him with your affection -”Come on, (name), I just broke up with a girlfriend; it hurts, but it’s not the end of the world.”- but letting him know, without the need for words as usual between the two of you, that you are there for him, ready to help and support in any way he could need.

🎩 You never stop to reflect on the implications of your promise until one night, soon after the end of a mission, you return to Baltigo to find a particularly despondent Sabo; today is Koala’s birthday, and he misses her more than ever. Determined to take his mind off his ex, you steal more than two beers from the kitchen and invite your friend to drink them together, not on the roof under the stars -it would be indelicate, not to mention counterproductive, since it was there and doing that that he and Koala became a couple- but on the small balcony of your room. You start discussing your recent mission, but as the empty beer cans pile up at your feet, your conversation shifts towards more private matters… specifically, your sex life, or lack thereof.

🎩 “So they were very attractive, right? And they filled me with attention and compliments, which was flattering, and they made it clear that they liked me, so I thought, I haven’t had sex in more than a year and I just survived an attack unscathed, I deserve some fun.” you recount miserably, having already told him of the RA operative, a person you had never met before, you were introduced to at the beginning of your latest mission “And then we did it, and… and it was horrible! They did nothing wrong, I think they actually tried to make me feel good, but… but I felt nothing, nothing at all. I’m so disappointed… Five minutes into it, and I couldn’t wait for it to end. What’s wrong with me, Sabo? I’ve been with people I knew and liked much less, and it was still more pleasurable than this.” Your friend assures you that there’s nothing wrong with you at all, sometimes people are simply incompatible, and while he can sympathise with your plight, he’s probably in an even worse situation… “I’m horny.” Sabo confesses, intoxication evident in the telltale flush on his face “I know she’s been away for less than a month, but Koala and I had sex almost every day, and now… I’m literally bursting. I tried doing it by myself, but it’s not enough, and I have no other choice, since even though we agreed we would be free to see other people there’s no one I am even remotely interested in. I swear, if I don’t have sex soon, and a lot of it, I’m gonna lose my mind.”

🎩 You both reflect on your misfortune for a while, sitting in companionable silence; you have drunk much more than you are used to and you know it, but nonetheless, the idea that suddenly blossoms in your mind feels like the best you’ve ever had, a brilliant solution to both your and your friend’s problem. “You could have it with me.” you suggest. “... what? Have what?” “Sex, of course. Think about it! There is no one we are closer to than each other; this has to count for something, right? I’m sure it’d be great between us, even though we don’t love each other like that. We could simply have fun, keep each other company, and when Koala returns we simply stop and go back to being friends. What’s wrong?” you ask, seeing the hesitation on Sabo’s face “Is the prospect of having sex with me so unbearable? Don’t you think I’m attractive?”

🎩 “Of course I do! (name), I think you are as beautiful on the outside as you are inside, which is saying something. But you know how complicated things can get between people who date or have sex, especially when there isn’t a stable relationship behind it; the last thing I want is there to be tension or misunderstanding between us. I can live without sex, but losing you, or knowing I made you cry? No, that I couldn’t bear it; isn’t it better if things remain like they have always been?” he points out. You understand his point of view, but, you consider, you do share a stable relationship, the longest and most affectionate of your lives, and neither of you would ever do anything to hurt the other; as long as you establish some rules, you can’t imagine a single reason why you you could come to regret this arrangement; if anything, your friendship will come out strengthened, because it will be another experience that you have shared. 

🎩 “You seem so optimistic…” Sabo considers “Is actually you talking, or the beer?”, but you can see in his eyes your proposal has intrigued him, and part of him is tempted to accept. “Let me think about it for a while, alright? And you should too, once you’re sober.” You promise, and you spend a few minutes more enjoying each other’s company before returning in, swaying a bit and holding on to each other to remain upright. When he says goodbye on the door of your room, Sabo’s kiss on your cheek feels warmer than usual.

🎩 Over the next few days, as you reflect on the conversation you and your friend shared -it takes you almost forty-eight hours to sober up, and the headache and the nausea are the worst of your life- you don’t regret offering yourself to him. You still think it’s a good idea, the perfect solution to both Sabo’s sexual frustration and yours, and in any case Koala is going to come back in less than a year, right? You’re ready to bet both she and Sabo will immediately decide to get back together, so you and your friend will simply have fun and share your pleasure until he can once again focus on his girlfriend and you hopefully find someone you really care for. Non-exclusive relationships do entail the risk of the two partners discovering they want different things, but you and Sabo have been friends for so long that it’s impossible for your feelings to change; once he’s back with Koala, you’ll stop sleeping together and your relationship will turn platonic once more, like it was before.  

🎩 There is no risk whatsoever; you are absolutely sure of it.

🎩 A few days pass, during which Sabo makes no mention of your proposal, even though you spend plenty of time together as usual. He has promised to give you his answer soon, so you’re not worried, and in any case, you know he’s thinking about it. It is the way you sometimes notice he’s looking at you, at your body, from across the room, as if he were wondering what you look like under your clothes; the fact he almost chokes, even though he is neither eating nor drinking, one day in the mess hall as he hears you moaning in pleasure for the delicious chocolate cake you have just tasted; the sensation of his hands lingering on your hips for a moment too long when he helps you descend from a step-ladder you had climbed onto to repair a hole in the wall. He is thinking about it, your proposal intrigues and perhaps even tempts him, and no matter how completely platonic your relationship has always been you can’t deny it, you are excited… and you have started looking at your friend differently as well, thinking things you never considered before. 

🎩 And then, terrible news reached Baltigo. Two of your top operatives have been captured by the Marines, and if they are led to confess the RA’s secrets under torture, it will be the end for you all. Dragon tasks Sabo with retrieving them; you beg to be allowed to accompany him, aware of the danger he’s walking into, but your leader refuses. Sabo hugs you tight. “I’ll be back before you know it.” he says, and a moment later he has slipped from your fingers.

🎩 Danger is a natural state of being for RA operatives, and Sabo is probably stronger than anyone else in the organization after Dragon himself, not to mention that if either of you  worried every time the other left for a mission, there wouldn’t be space for anything else in your life. You know he’ll risk his life, yes, but he’ll be happy and even proud to do it, to help your comrades, and because he, like you, is ready to give his life for what he believes in; you try to stay positive, which is easier said than done, hoping that he’ll be able to get away with it, like he has done a million times already. Days pass without any news of your comrades - any of them, including your blond-haired, fire-wielding best friend, until one night, at the end of a long training session, you are lying in bed -coincidentally, the only one occupied among the four in the room, since Koala’s space is yet to be occupied and the other two women are away on a short-term mission- waiting for sleep to claim you when you hear a soft, quick knock on the door.

🎩 “Yes?” “It’s Sabo. Open the door.” 

🎩 You obey, your heartbeat quickening, and you and your friend share a long, silent look, both knowing what the other is thinking and feeling. “Are you alright?” you ask, since given the state he’s in, Sabo must have come to you without stopping in his own room to clean himself or rest. He nods, quietly whispering that the two people he was sent to retrieve are back, exhausted but safe, just like he is, beyond a superficial wound on his arm that he already bandaged; he has already reported to Dragon, who then sent him to bed. 

🎩 You should urge him to obey, since your friend can barely stand and looks like he hasn’t slept in three days, but you don’t, rather you stand back to allow Sabo to enter, and then close the door behind him; he’s been in your room plenty of times, but this is different, tonight is different, and you both feel it without the need for words. “I’m happy you’re back; I missed you very much.” you murmur, feeling shy like you’ve never been with him, and your friend smiles, taking your face in his hand; your gazes meet once more. “Is the offer still valid?” Sabo murmurs -or at least you think he does; the pounding of your heart is almost deafening- and you can feel he’s trembling. “Of course.” you whisper, taking his hands in yours to intertwine your fingers, and then his forehead is resting against yours, only for a moment, before both of you move to allow your mouths to meet.

🎩 Your first kiss is an explosion of fireworks in your chest. It’s messy and awkward and uncoordinated, like two relatively expert dancers who pair up for the first time and struggle to keep up with each other, and there’s too much saliva and Sabo must have recently eaten something very spicy, which you’ve always found unpleasant, but it’s him, it’s you, the two of you together, and this is why it feels like magic, a bit unreal and new but in no way wrong. Quite the opposite really…

🎩 By the time you break the kiss, Sabo is holding you by the hips, the touch gentle but firm, and you’ve wrapped your arms around his neck, your fingers playing with his hair; your gazes meet once more, and you can see he’s blushing. “It was… amazing…” you murmur, and you see a smile of relief blossom on your friend’s mouth. “It was; I couldn’t stop thinking about you, about kissing you, it was driving me crazy… and I know we should stop and talk before we do anything else, but I can’t…” Your finger pressed on his lips silences him. “It’s alright.” you murmur “There will be time to talk; now I just want to feel you.”  

🎩 You share a long kiss while you walk to your bed, and another as you start removing your clothes, still a bit clumsy but more and more enthusiastic as you realise how pleasant what you are doing is, and how the other person seems to appreciate it. You’ve seen Sabo shirtless a thousand times, since that is how he usually trains and you’ve often been required to patch his wounds, but tonight the sight of his naked torso is enough to take your breath away. Soon you’re sitting on the bed together, and “May I?” Sabo asks softly, reaching towards you, and you nod, and he takes care of your underclothes and you of his, and a moment later you’re kissing again, you lying on the bed and him bent over you, as you touch each other. Sabo’s mouth descends from your mouth to your throat and your chest, sweet and shy and worshipful; he murmurs that you’re beautiful and soft and that he wants you like he’s never wanted anyone before, and you know, simply know, that he’s sincere.

🎩 Sex between you is intense, slow but passionate, desire and pleasure made almost uncontrollable by the affection you share. You blush when Sabo holds your breasts in his hands and murmurs they are bigger than he imagined, and you hear him make the most delicious moans when you take him in your mouth, filling your senses with his taste and his smell. You’ve always thought he’s handsome, but you’ve never seen him so breath-takingly beautiful as he is now that he holds you in his arms, murmuring sweet words in your ear as his warm hand caresses your skin. “I want you; Sabo, I need you, I need you so much.” you confess, and you see awe in his eyes when he touches the most intimate part of you and feels how wet you are for him. 

🎩 He’s gentle and careful not to cause you pain as he finally penetrates you, but the realisation that the sounds you’re making express pleasure rather than pain makes him more bold, and soon you’re moving together, his hips pressing against yours, your nails scratching his back, and the world outside the room disappears as you hold on to Sabo and pray this night never ends. You end up having sex two times; Sabo apologises for being too tired to do it a third time and you assure him that you don’t mind, that it was amazing and perfect, and that in any case you have a year to do it as many times as you want, so what’s the hurry?

🎩 Sabo laughs softly, his fingers playing with your hair. “Thank you.” he murmurs, his eyes so full of affection and gratitude it’s almost overwhelming “I am glad we got to share this; it has never been like this before, and I’d have never experienced it if you hadn’t offered.” You assure him that he’s more than welcome, and that you can’t wait to see what this new side of your friendship will lead you to. “Do you want to stay? Please?” you ask; Sabo’s happy smile is the only answer that you need, and what happens next is something neither of you has ever experienced before, with any of their previous partners: you fall asleep together, holding each other, lulled by the sound of your heartbeats.

🎩 The next morning Sabo has to wake up earlier than usual to make sure no one sees him leave your room; now that you’re both well-rested, not remaining together for the previously promised third round is the hardest thing you ever had to do. You share a kiss, quick but loving, and promise to meet later; Sabo leaves after making sure the coast is clear while you remain in bed for a little more, enjoying the warmth of his body still lingering around you. You’ve never felt so happy in your life, and you can’t wait for the two of you to have some time alone again; Koala has been gone for six weeks, which means you and Sabo have roughly ten months and a half to spend together, and you’re determined to make the best use of the time at your disposal.

🎩 That night, after you have both taken part in a meeting with Dragon and other high-level operatives, planning a series of operations for the next six months, you and Sabo take a brief walk outside to talk in peace. You both agree what happened last night was amazing, probably the best sex of your lives, and since you want to do it again -and again, and again, and again- you decide to set a few rules. Number one: either of you can say no, stop, not now, or let’s end it here whenever you want. Number two: protecting your friendship is what matters the most; if you ever feel that what you are doing could make it impossible for your relationship to return to what it was before, you’ll stop. Number three: your relationship will end once Koala and Sabo get back together, or in case you meet someone special before that happens. Number four: no one else has to know what you are doing, since neither of you wants to be the subject of gossip among your comrades. 

🎩 And so it begins. You had heard someone say once that a close friendship is the best foundation on which to build a romantic relationship, and you can confidently say it is the same for a purely sexual one, because being with Sabo is unlike anything you have experienced before. He is, objectively speaking, a very good lover: relentless, generous, inventive, respectful, enough to make you forget any person you have ever been. 

🎩 With so little free time available during the day and the presence of your roommates making it almost impossible to have a space to yourselves during the night, you and Sabo have to get inventive in order to keep your relationship secret, which adds to the fun and excitement of being together. Your favourite meeting places are the pantry, a tiny room where you don’t even have the space to lie on the floor but with the added bonus of a door that can be locked from the inside, and the training room, whose isolated position relative to the dormitories relieves you from having to suffocate your screams in your hand, or against Sabo’s shoulders, to stop the whole base, or the whole of Baltigo island really, from knowing what you are up to.

🎩 You remember Sabo telling you that he and Koala had sex almost every day, and you privately have to admit it’s not only for his sake that you’re determined to at least measure up to that standard, which is not an imposition, since for days, weeks even, you are literally unable to keep your hands off each other. Kisses are stolen, gifted and exchanged in a corridor every time you can spare a minute before the start of your duties for the day; hands linger, only for a moment more, on bare skin at the end of a training session; reunions at the end of a mission become the occasion for a brief, intense rapport consummated on one of your beds, both of you aware that any of your roommates could enter any moment and unable to care. 

🎩 Despite having to share the relatively small spaces of the RA base with so many other people, no one seems to perceive something has changed in your relationship, mainly because your comrades are used to seeing you and Sabo together, and know how close you have always been. People occasionally ask Sabo about Koala, expressing sympathy for the end of their relationship, and an older operative offers to introduce you to an acquaintance of theirs who will stop by the island for a few days; both of you simply smile, thank your friends for their concern, and tell them that you’re fine as you are, while your hands touch under the table or your gazes, knowing and amused, meet across the room. 

🎩 Until last month, until a moment before this crazy, genial idea blossomed in your half-intoxicated mind, you had thought having sex with your best friend since childhood would have felt somehow wrong, impure even, since until then you had considered Sabo the brother you never had; you couldn’t have been more wrong. You had sincerely liked and cared for some of your previous partners, but as you expected he is different, enormously so, and you both know the deep trust and affection between you and Sabo does make sex even more pleasurable, while your new shared intimacy allows you to deepen and expand your previously platonic friendship.

🎩 Like you, Sabo is open to trying more or less everything at least once, so you compensate for the little time you have to spend together making sure every rapport is unforgettable, fun and passionate. You enjoy being pressed on the bed by the warm weight of Sabo’s body, as his lips descend to kiss every inch of your skin; and you feel equal pleasure in being pulled to his lap, your legs circling his hips, as your friend makes you bounce on his cock, his strong -very much so; you knew Sabo was more vigorous than his slim built suggests, what you couldn’t imagine was how titillated would be to have him manhandle you- hands holding you by the hips as he sucks on your breasts. You feel a shiver of pride when Sabo is forced to wear a scarf to cover the hickey you have sucked on his neck, and he can’t help smiling when he’s able to coax a fourth orgasm out of you, a personal record for both, in the course of a single amplexus. Having come into possession of a visual Den Den Mushi, you take a few photographs of your naked body, which you then develop and hide in Sabo’s jacket pocket, on the day he’s meant to depart for a week-long mission; he appreciates the thought very much, makes good use of them, and then shows you, beyond any doubt, that no matter how good the pictures are, nothing compares to the real feeling of your warm skin against his. On your birthday, Sabo gifts you a very skimpy set of lingerie, which you have no idea how he obtained even though it fits you perfectly, with a few strategically-situated slits and holes that allow you to have sex while you’re still dressed.

🎩 You have sex on Dragon’s desk. Twice.

🎩 He calls, and tells, you things you never imagined you would hear. Darling, doll, my beauty, my pretty girl, you dirty girl; these are only some of the terms of endearment Sabo never tires to use while you’re together, some tender, other sexy, and some both things together. He’s never been particularly loquacious, even with the people he cares and trusts, which is why you are pleasantly surprised to discover that while having sex Sabo simply can’t stop talking. “God, you look so beautiful. What pretty sounds you make! Does it feel good, (name)? Does it feel good when I put my cock inside you? Yes, like this, I want to make you moan loud enough for the whole base to hear… Mmh, you’re so wet for me, I know you like it when I do this…” 

🎩 You and Sabo still consider each other your best friend. You spend as much time together as you did before, train together, sit together in the mess hall, talk and joke as usual, without any awkwardness or tension. You know the affection you have held for each other since you were children hasn’t changed, and that while you’ll miss having what is without a doubt the best sex of your life -and how disappointed you are, knowing you only have a few months left to enjoy it!- you know your and Sabo’s friendship will easily return to what it was before, a purely platonic and perfectly satisfying feeling, once he and Koala get back together. 

🎩 At least this is what you keep telling yourself. 

🎩 Once, as you catch your breath together after Sabo fucked you senselessly against the wall of the training room, you ask him what is better, sex with you or with Koala; Sabo looks at you, startled, and at first he doesn’t seem to know how to answer. “Do you really want to know?” he asks you back in the end, and you, already regretting your curiosity and fearing the answer won’t be to your liking, hurry to shake your head in response. You avoid returning on the subject, but later, as you reflect on it at the end of a training session, you decide that yes, you really want to know whether Sabo prefers having sex with you or with his -currently former, soon to be once again- girlfriend. It’s a matter of personal pride, since while you don’t dislike Koala, quite the opposite, what woman would enjoy knowing she is less desirable than another? It shouldn’t matter so much, not when your arrangement is nothing more than that, a pact you and your friend have made to find relief from sexual frustration, but it does, it matters, even though it takes you a while to understand exactly why. 

🎩 Sabo never talks about Koala when you’re together, not even while you’re simply eating sitting face to face, fighting in the training room, or enjoying the cool of the evening on the roof with a single beer to share; out of tactfulness, no doubt, because he doesn’t want you to think he’s still thinking about her, maybe even looking forward to her return. There would be nothing wrong with it, you tell yourself firmly, since you know well how much he loves her, and in any case, feeling jealous of one’s friend with benefits would be absolutely ridiculous. You should stop brooding over it, you decide before finally drifting to sleep, and enjoy your time with Sabo while it lasts. 

🎩 Your good intentions last no more than a few days. You and Sabo have met in the training room once again, and are making love with you sitting on his lap, his lips burning as they kiss every inch of your body they can reach. It’s perfect -it rarely isn’t, when it’s you and him- Sabo is being as sweet and attentive as usual as he murmurs how beautiful you are and how good you’re making him feel, kisses you deeply and, as he always does, makes sure you have come at least twice before finding his relief between your thighs. Pleasantly sore, you hold him against you as you pet his hair and Sabo happily nuzzles against the side of your neck. “You are gorgeous, doll.” he murmurs, and you freeze.

🎩 Doll. This is one of his favourite pet names, which you usually like, even though right now it troubles you. Did he ever call you by your name, tonight?, you start asking yourself, and how often has he done it since you started sleeping together? Does he use those terms of endearment out of affection, or is there another, more hidden, reason? Maybe… that he wants to make sure he doesn’t say the wrong name? Also, you did notice that often he keeps his eyes closed as he comes, or hides his face in the crook of your neck, as if he wanted to avoid looking at you… as if he wanted to maintain the illusion it’s another woman he’s having sex with.

🎩 You are getting anxious over nothing, the more rational part of you knows it well, and your doubts have a perfectly rational explanation, but you can’t think rationally, and suddenly you’re tense, afraid even, in a moment when you normally should feel at your most relaxed, satisfied and happy in the arms of a man who has given you more than anyone else ever could. Broaching the subject now is probably the stupidest thing you could ever do, because it’s sure to upset Sabo and cause a fight between the two of you, but you can’t help it, because you’re afraid, afraid that everything you’ve done together, all the intimacy and pleasure you have shared, never existed, because the woman Sabo wished he had in his arms isn’t you…

🎩 You haven’t uttered a word, brooding over the matter as you played with Sabo’s hair and kissed his cheeks, as usual in moments like this, but he knows you better than you know yourself -even though, it will turn out, not as well as he thinks he knows you- which is why he easily perceives something is troubling you. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing!” “(name), I can feel you are tense. What’s wrong? Wasn’t it good?” You assure him it was more than good, as usual, but you were just wondering, and it’s perfectly alright either way, but… “When we make love…” it’s the first time you call it that “... is it me you think about? Or Koala?”

🎩 As you feared, you see hurt fill Sabo’s eyes; hurt, and disbelief, as he lets his hands fall from your hips. “What? How can you ask me that? Why do you keep thinking about her while we are together?” he asks, and you apologise, because you really shouldn’t have, just like, you privately add, you shouldn’t let the matter upset and sadden you, but it’s already too late for that “After all that is why we’re doing it, right? Because you missed Koala, and needed to… unburden. It’s fine, it’s not like we are… a couple or anything, there’s nothing wrong, I shouldn’t let this affect me… I’m sorry, I don’t know why I’m doing this…”

🎩 Sabo looks at you, half hurt, half worried, and completely incredulous. “Do you really think I could do that? Think about her - think about someone else when I’m with you? (name), what sort of man do you think I am? Haven’t I shown you how much you mean to me?” “Of course you did! But I know how much you care for Koala, and it would be perfectly understandable if you…” “Is this what all of this means to you? Just empty sex? I can’t believe it!” Sabo exclaims; you end up arguing for a while, both angry and secretly guilty, and in the end you part to spend the rest of the day apart. 

🎩 You sleep badly that night, and spend hours staring at the ceiling of your room, calling yourself stupid and childish and cruel; the fact that Sabo wasn’t thinking about another woman while he was with you should make you happy, and it does, but at the same time you’re still worried, and afraid, because no one feels jealous of a friend with benefits, nor has the right to demand loyalty like they would from a partner. You didn’t mean to accuse Sabo of disloyalty, but you have to admit that the thought of Koala, a woman you sincerely like and consider a friend, has become a source of frustration, even of regret, even though you and Sabo would have never mad-had sex if it hadn’t been for the two of them dating.

🎩 You have no reason, and no right, to feel upset, or least of all jealous, that Sabo’s feelings for his ex-girlfriend didn’t suddenly disappear the moment he started sleeping with you; even someone with as little experience in romance as you knows that is not how it works. You know that Sabo still considers you his dearest friend, that he feels pleasure when you’re together, and that he’s not merely using you to forget another woman; but then, you can’t stop asking yourself, why does it hurt so much? Why can some part of you not stop wishing his feelings for Koala changed, and he decided he’d rather remain her friend rather than getting back together once she’s back?

🎩 Because that is what worries - no, what scares you the most; that one day, in a few months, Koala will return, she and Sabo will resume their relationship, and you’ll be relegated to the side once again - a thought that feels unbearable, even though Sabo never neglected you after he and his girlfriend started dating. The three of you had naturally found a balance, friendship and romance each having its own space without jealousy or recrimination, and there’s no reason to think you could not go back to it once Koala will have returned. It’s just… that you don’t want to. Sabo’s friendship is the most important thing in your life, something you’d defend with your life if needed, but knowing that he’ll be doing with someone else what you are now sharing… this breaks your heart. And for all of this, for this mess that has led you to fight with Sabo for the first time since you were twelve, you have only yourself to blame.

🎩 The next morning you look for Sabo in the mess hall, but you’re told that he came earlier than usual, ate quickly and left, without waiting for you as you usually do. If he thinks he can avoid you Sabo clearly doesn’t know you as well as you thought he did, and a few hours later, having made sure he’s not busy with something important, you corner him and insist you have to talk, which your friend agrees with a sigh. You both apologise for what you said yesterday; Sabo assures you that while you did start having sex because neither of you could find a more desirable partner -”Neither of us, remember? you were as frustrated as I was.”- he could never think about someone else, not even his ex-girlfriend, while he’s with you, because what you share is too precious and special, and he feels pleasure because you are the one giving it to him. 

🎩 While reassured, you still think the situation is different, because you didn’t have a partner Sabo might be jealous of, but while your friend suggests you conclude your arrangement, because as you had agreed when deciding on your rules not even the best sex in the world is worth the two of you fighting and he’d gladly remain celibate for the next decade rather than cause you pain, you hurry to reassure him you are fine, it was stupid of you to worry and you’d happily go on like you have done until now. You manage to reassure Sabo, who kisses you deeply and proposes to meet tonight, and you enthusiastically accept, joy and relief filling your heart.

🎩 You haven’t told Sabo what led you to suspect he was thinking about Koala while he was with you, but you do notice that from then on, he does start looking you deeply in the eyes as he comes, and using your name as well as the various pet-names. Maybe he always did and fear and anxiety simply forbade you from thinking clearly, maybe your friend is actively trying to reassure you; whatever the reason you are happier and more grateful than ever that you get to live this, with him, and that night in the training room, you hold on to Sabo’s warm and solid body for dear life, determined to enjoy every second of your time together as if it were the last of your life. 

🎩 Weeks pass, and things are going great between you and Sabo. A while ago a few new operatives have joined your base, among which a very attractive man named Tomo you quickly become friendly with; even Sabo approves of him, even though, he says, “I’m pretty sure he’s into you.” You disagree, pointing out that Tomo has never expressed any interest in you, but you are forced to admit you were wrong when, only a few days later, while the two of you are leaving the mess hall together, Tomo cups your face in his hands and kisses you deeply. It’s a very nice first kiss, the right balance between gentle and passionate, and it leaves you pleasantly dizzy, but you are too shocked to enjoy it properly, not to mention you feel vaguely guilty. Tomo apologises for having caught you off guard, admits he’s more than a little interested in you, and proposes that you spend some time together. “You don’t have anyone at the moment, do you?” he asks, and you find yourself hesitating for a moment before shaking your head in response, and ask for a bit of time to think about it.

🎩 You do what you have always done in times of doubt: you talk to Sabo asking for his opinion and advice. Your friend doesn’t seem particularly happy to discover he was right about Tomo’s interest in you. “What do you want to do?” he asks, and you, while vaguely nervous about the risk of causing another quarrel, answer truthfully, telling him that you do like Tomo, and would be happy to spend some time in his company, but given the fact you have been sleeping together for months now, you thought it necessary to ask for his opinion, in order not to create tension between you. “I mean.” you stammer, praying that the blush you feel creeping up your cheeks is hidden by the soft lights in the room “I know we are not… a couple or anything, and that we agreed I would be free to see someone else if I found a person I cared for, but I thought… we never talked about being exclusive, so…”

🎩 The few seconds Sabo takes to answer are the longest in your life; you warn yourself not to get your hopes up, because while you did the right thing sharing Tomo’s offer with him, Sabo knows he has no right to be jealous of you, and would most likely not be so in the first place; why should he? You are not dating, and while even a purely sexual relationship can be exclusive, he had to expect you’d get interested in someone else sooner or later. 

🎩 Part of you still wishes he were; that he was jealous of you, at least a little bit. It’s childish, and unfair, and even cruel, to wish someone you love to suffer because of you, but you can’t help it, because no matter how happy and flattered you are that someone else has expressed an interest in you, and well aware of the relative non-binding nature of your and Sabo’s relationship, you do wish the thought of you and another person together caused him some distress, because that would mean that he cares…

🎩 “I have nothing against it. Thank you for telling me, (name), but it’s perfectly fine if you spend time with Tomo. Do you want me to step aside while you see him? It’s fine by me either way.” Sabo says, which is more or less the reaction you had to expect, and the exact opposite of what you wished for; disappointed, and even a tiny bit heartbroken, you force yourself to smile and thank your friend for his advice.  

🎩 You are not particularly enthusiastic about the prospect of meeting your new suitor, but Tomo, to his credit, does manage to make you smile again. You meet that night outside, and he has prepared a small picnic for the two of you: a blanket, a bottle of saké and some snacks he has prepared personally, all of it to create a pleasant, romantic atmosphere for the two of you. No one has ever done anything like this for you, and it really warms your heart; you spend some time eating, and drinking, and talking about yourself, the past that has led you to join the RA, and your dreams and aspirations for the future. Tomo is funny, clever and kind as well as handsome; this time you’re the one to take the initiative and kiss him, and a couple minutes later the remains of your picnic have been pushed aside to make space on the blanket for your clasped bodies.

🎩 It feels nice; very nice, in fact, and you’re happy, and excited, when you and Tomo start undressing each other, and he’s sweet and attentive and passionate, and soon you’re having sex, him holding you close as he moves above and inside you, his kisses swallowing your moans of pleasure. The whole experience is more than pleasurable, both the sex itself and the time before that, that the two of you spent getting to know each other better. You do like Tomo, and would gladly see him again - in fact, you’d be ready to ask him yourself, if not for a small but crucial detail…

🎩 … that you did what you only recently accused Sabo of doing: you had sex with a person, thinking about someone else. 

🎩 The conversation you are forced to have with Tomo is the hardest of your life, and it fills you with shame, because the poor guy had perceived you have enjoyed his company, and felt confident you would accept to see him again; even worse, you’re not even able to tell him the reason for your refusal, vaguely stammering something about not feeling ready and having a past lover who you can’t forget. You part amicably, all things considered, but Tomo is clearly deeply saddened by your refusal, which fills you with guilt. 

🎩 Your first instinct as you return inside is to look for Sabo, but once you reach the door of his room you stop, suddenly aware of your own foolishness. Given the hour your friend is most likely sleeping, and no matter how close the two of you are it’s unlikely he would appreciate being woken up to listen to your plights, especially since you would never dare to tell him the real reason why you decided not to see Tomo again. No, it’s better if you go to bed, sleep on it, and then simply tell Sabo you decided you and your suitor are not compatible…

🎩 “(name)? What are you doing here at this time? Is everything alright?” Sabo asks, seeing you in front of his room on his way back from the bathroom; then he sees your face, and immediately gets alarmed. “What happened? Is it Tomo? Did he do something to you? I swear I’ll kill him!” he says, holding your shoulders in his hands, and you shake your head; his anger warms your heart, but at the same time you barely have the strength to meet his eyes, irrationally afraid that he might perceive what you did, and that it was his face, his smile and the way he has to say your name, that you thought about as you had sex with another man. He would not get mad, nor would he accuse you of hypocrisy, even though he’d have reason to; Sabo is above such vileness, but you can’t tell him, because you dare not think about how he would react…

🎩 “I’m fine, don’t worry, and Tomo has no fault. We… we did have sex, and he was fantastic, he was so sweet, but… but I don’t think I’ll see him again; in fact, I told him already I plan not to.” Sabo sighs - with what you perceive as exasperation, which is something relief can be easily mistaken for. “I see.” “It makes no sense, I know; but I couldn’t do otherwise, and now I feel so stupid…” You sigh. “I’m sorry, I know you want to go back to bed, but… could you hug me? Just for a moment?”

🎩 He obliges, naturally, and as usual, the warmth and safety of Sabo’s embrace is enough to drown all your pain and shame; you cling to his arms as his fingers run gently through your hair, and wish you could spend the rest of your life like this. 

🎩 Two days later, you and Sabo are eating in the mess hall. “I was thinking, and you’re free to say no…” your friend begins, his tone low to keep your conversation private, his eyes trained on his plate “Our… thing. I know we decided we would stop when she returns or you meet someone else, but would you be alright with being exclusive while it lasts?” “Yes, alright.” “It’s fine if you want to think about… What?” “I said it’s fine, Sabo.” you confirm with a smile, joy bubbling in your heart “To be honest, I wanted to ask you the same. Will you pass the water, please?”

🎩 You have always had the bad habit of making things more difficult than they are; but sometimes, things are easy, and one only needs the courage to see it. 

🎩 Time passes; beyond the occasional quarrel or misunderstanding your relationship is going great, both on the side of friendship, which is more solid than ever, and the one that concerns the benefits. Sex with Sabo really is the best of your life, to the point that you know you’ll miss it terribly. Part of you even fantasizes about asking Koala’s permission to keep sleeping with Sabo while the two of them date; she would no doubt find it unacceptable, and he would as well, no matter how pleasant your arrangement has been. 

🎩 Still, you dearly wish you didn’t have to give up on it; less than two months remain until Koala is due to return from her mission, and you find yourself counting the days with the anxiety of a student who is not ready to take a quickly approaching exam. You are confident that your friendship with Sabo will return to what it was before, and you feel grateful and blessed for it, but if you think about him and Koala together once again, enjoying the sort of affection he now shares with you… it’s unbearable. You have no right to complain, since all of this was your idea and Sabo did warn you either of you might end up suffering for it, and you don’t mean to. You don’t regret any of it, not a single moment of what you and your friend have shared in these months, and that is exactly why you wish it didn’t have to end.

🎩 It’s not just the great sex you dread having to give up; it would be much easier if that were the case. The truth is, sharing your body with Sabo has opened your relationship to an intimacy and level of emotion you had never experienced before. It’s something precious, special, delicate but addictive, that you doubt you could experience again with another person… while Sabo certainly will, and maybe he already has, with Koala, and it’s this -the thought of losing him and suffering for it, potentially for the rest of your life, while he quickly finds a more than worthy replacement- that makes it so hard to accept the fact that your arrangement with Sabo is soon coming to an end. 

🎩 This time Sabo doesn’t seem to realise you are worried and upset, which is a relief since you have already given him enough troubles to last for a lifetime, and you did agree to keep the truth about your new relationship secret, but you do need to confide in someone and ask for advice; fortunately, the wisest, kindest person you have ever met has recently come to Baltigo from her own island for a meeting with Dragon and the other RA commanders, and is happy to find a moment to talk to you. 

🎩 You and Ivankov have long been close; in fact, it was him who took care of you in the immediate aftermath of your parents’ death, making sure you were fed, comforted, and kept safe. You trust him more than anyone else besides Sabo, and he’s the only person you could ask for advice. You meet in the mess hall late at night, once most of your comrades have gone to bed, and Iva listens to your story intently; you tell him everything, even the most personal and embarrassing details, and admit that the problem doesn’t really exist, since you can’t stop Koala from returning home at the end of her mission nor would you ever ask Sabo not to pursue a relationship with her once again. “It’s just that I feel terrible, Iva, and I don’t know why.” you admit miserably, almost slumped over the table “I don’t want to lose what Sabo and I have now, but I have no other choice, do I? I’ll always be happy with being his friend, but I’m afraid I will regret losing him for the rest of my life. I really don’t know what is happening to me…” 

🎩 Iva sighs, looking at you with eyes full of compassion. “I think what you’re feeling is very clear, (name)-girl.” he says gently “I think you’ve fallen in love with Sabo-boy.” “WHAT?!” you exclaim, stunned, and Iva points out that would explain everything: your relationship with Sabo was already incredibly close to begin with, and the pleasure and intimacy you have shared in the last months have changed your feelings from pure, platonic friendship to something different. “That’s why the thought of seeing him and Koala-girl together hurts so much; because you’d want to be in her place, and know Sabo loves you back; and loving someone whose affection is directed towards someone else is a pain I would not wish on my worst enemy, no matter how close you and Sabo could go back to be as friends.”

🎩 Love. Is this what you feel? Part of you can’t believe it; you’ve thought Sabo is handsome for half your life without doubting your feelings were different from pure friendship, and you’re not naive and romantic to the point of thinking good, even exceptional sex, can make a person fall in love with another. You’re not in love with Sabo, for God’s sake! It’s just that something beautiful and special has developed between the two of you and you don’t want to lose it, no matter how equally precious your friendship was to begin with! And yes, you can’t deny you occasionally fantasise about being in Koala’s stead, and about a relationship that hadn’t been born with an expiration date, and hearing him propose you become exclusive made you happy, because it meant that he did care about you, beyond friendship, beyond pleasure and convenience, that he wanted to be with you because of you…

🎩 Crap. You are in love with him!

🎩 “There, there, it’s alright.” Iva gently soothes you, patting your back “Just breathe, (name)-girl. It’s not the end of the world, even if it looks like it.” It really does. “It’s over, Iva; what do I do?” you miserably ask your friend “He doesn’t love me, and he never will.” “You don’t know it.” “Of course I do; he loves Koala, and he’s been waiting for her for almost a year. I know he cares for me, we are best friends, and we’ve had some great sex for months, but what we share is just relief because she was away and I couldn’t find anyone. The moment Koala returns, Sabo will want her and no one else.” Iva, who has already met Sabo after his arrival in Baltigo, looks at you skeptically, and then suggests you discuss the matter with Sabo himself. 

🎩 “Why should I? It would serve only to create awkwardness between us, and I know Sabo enough to know he’ll probably try to distance himself from me in order to spare me pain, and so I’ll lose his friendship as well.” you point out “I don’t want that, nor do I want to spend the rest of my life hoping he and Koala break up so that I can… step forward. I need to keep this thing for myself, and be happy for what we had, and the friendship we still share; please, Iva, promise me you won’t tell him anything.” Your friend promises, clearly unconvinced of the justness of your decision, and asks you to call him, or write, whenever you feel the need to talk. You promise, and the two of you share a hug.

🎩 You remember the exact date of Koala’s departure, and soon its first anniversary is exactly four days away. “I bet you are counting the hours.” you comment one night as you and Sabo lie together in your bed, courtesy of the absence of your two roommates, both of whom have volunteered for a mission and won’t be back before tomorrow. You are curled up against his side, your hand playing with the soft hair of his chest, his legs intertwined with yours. Sabo, who despite his more than considerable stamina is completely out of breath -something you can’t help being proud of!- blinks, as if he had no idea what you’re talking about. “Sorry?” “About Koala’s return! It’s soon, isn’t it? Have you been told the exact day? We should organise a little celebration for her.”

🎩 And you really want to, because you do like Koala, and you don’t want to ruin what has until now been a good friendship; seeing her and Sabo together will break your heart, but at least you know he’s happy with his girlfriend. You’re determined to be positive, and be content with what you have. “Sabo? I said…” “Yeah, I heard you; it’s a good idea, but I don’t know when she’ll return exactly.” “Shouldn’t you ask Dragon?” “I will.” He doesn’t seem particularly enthusiastic, you think, rather his expression betrays tension, even guilt, to the point he can barely meet your eyes. But why? Does he fear his girlfriend will disapprove of the two of you sleeping together while she was away? It makes no sense, since the two of them had broken up and agreed they would be free to see other people. What then? Well, a year is a long time to spend apart when a couple has been together for less than that; maybe Sabo fears he and Koala won’t be able to simply pick up where they left off. What - oh God, what if Koala has met someone else? What if they decide not to…?

🎩 Stop. Don’t get your hopes up, (name); the higher you try to fly, the harder your fall will be, you tell yourself; it’s something your mother used to say. “Is everything alright? You know that whatever worries you, whatever you fear, you can tell me.” you murmur, taking Sabo’s face in your hands to force him to meet your eyes, and he nods, his eyes full of emotion. He doesn’t speak, but he takes advantage of the proximity to kiss you, hard, and you spend the rest of the night making love as if this were the last of your lives; you hold Sabo in your arms, not demanding to know what worries him, but making sure he understands that whatever he’s going through, he doesn’t have to face it alone.

🎩 You do love him. The feeling has been growing slowly inside you, and maybe you would have never realised it if not with Iva’s help, but now you know it’s true, and whatever happens you don’t regret having fallen for him, or having pursued a sexual relationship with him and then having to stop. You know Sabo will forever want to be your friend, and this is enough. You just want to be with him; nothing else matters. 

🎩 The next day you meet Dragon outside the mess hall, and ask him if he knows when Koala will be back, explaining that you’d like to organise a celebration for her return, and your leader looks at you strangely. “Koala has decided to remain at her current base indefinitely; she has been doing a great job, and the commander has asked her to stay.” he explains “I told Sabo almost a month ago, I thought he would have informed you.”

🎩 He hasn’t. 

🎩 You make sure not to meet Sabo for the rest of the day, including your now daily sessions in the training room late at night; you don't want him to worry, but the truth is you really need a little time to reflect on the recent revelation. Koala will not be returning to Baltigo, and Sabo knew already; he has avoided telling you for a whole month, and while you think you can understand why, you’re not sure whether what you’re thinking is rational reasoning or simple wishful thinking, and this scares you. You might ask for Iva’s advice, or simply remain silent and wait for Sabo to decide what to do; or you could act, speak up and tackle the matter directly. You could be sincere, like you and your friend have always promised to be with each other, and tell him exactly what you feel and think. 

🎩 Which is why in the afternoon you go to him and tell him that you have arranged for someone else to cover his duty for the rest of the day; Sabo blinks, nonplussed. “Why would you do something like that?” “Because we need to talk, Sabo, and I think you know about what; come on, we need to leave before Dragon sees us and finds something else for us to do.” Your friend follows you, his expression an odd mix of resignation and relief; you find a quiet corner to talk outside. “You know, right?” “If you’re talking about Koala deciding not to return, I do. Sabo… why didn’t you tell me? For a whole month?” you ask, and your friend sighs, taking your hands in his. “Do you really not know?” he asks quietly, and you, suddenly unsure, admit that you have your suspicions, but it feels presumptuous to even just hope they are true. 

🎩 “I thought… that it had to do with me; with us. That since we had agreed we’d continue to sleep together until Koala returned, the fact that she plans not to do so could mean that we can go on doing it indefinitely, should we both want it.” you explain, suddenly fearing you did get your hopes up for nothing; after all the fact that Sabo preferred not to lose his friend with benefits doesn’t necessarily mean he shares your feelings “You could have told me; you know I enjoy our time together, it… it wouldn’t have been an imposition.”

🎩 Sabo admits he was wrong to keep the truth from you… and that the possibility of you deciding to stop sleeping with him was only half the reason why he did it. “It’s just… well, I have cared for Koala very much, I missed her a lot and I’m still incredibly fond of her; but I have come to the conclusion that what I felt for her wasn’t love. I got to speak to her over the Den Den Mushi a month ago, and we agreed it was better for us to break up. She’s fine, I actually think she has met someone else; I don’t regret dating her, at all, but remaining together would have only made both miserable.” You nod, understanding his reasoning, determined to express what you feel but not knowing how. “I think you both did the right thing, and I would have never come between you, but I have to confess… recently I have found myself feeling jealous of Koala; of her… role in your life. You know how important our friendship is for me, and how great sex is between us, but… but I can’t help wanting something different; not something more, I would be more than happy either way, and I know you might never see me as anything other than a friend, but…” 

🎩 You stammer, not knowing how to conclude, but Sabo wordlessly opens his arms towards you, and a moment later you are embracing; he kisses your forehead. “You know I said I had realised what I felt for Koala wasn’t love? It was thanks to you that I understood that.” he murmurs “And I still want to be your friend, and to sleep with you; but knowing that we belong to each other would really be the best thing ever.”

🎩 No other words are necessary; you and Sabo hug each other tight, he kisses your tears, murmuring words in your ears you never dared to think you would one day get to hear, and you tell him how happy you are, happy to have him in your life, and to know that once again, you have chosen each other.

[diminuel]

I have so many questions about Grumpy, especially the fact that he and Luffy are so close in age and so dramatically different in personality. How do he and Luffy get along? Does he grow up alongside ASL and if so how does that work? And when he announces he wants to be a Marine, how do his brothers react? I know that they are raised significantly less feral than in canon but I’m still picturing Ace, Sabo and Luffy running off into the wilderness with their pipes and Crocodile asking, “Aren’t you going to go play with your brothers?” and Grumpy not even looking up from his book and going, “Not even if you paid me.”

I just love him so much (And mini-Mingo too but I think you said she was a few years younger than Grumpy + Luffy so I'm imagining that Ace and Sabo were already off pirating/revolutionary-ing by the time she was old enough to join their hijinx)

All very good questions but I don't really know the answers either because surely the addition of other children is going to affect the dynamic. For example, Ace finds himself the fierce guardian of not only Luffy (who just showers him in constant sweet baby affection and a lot of crying) but also a second little brother. One that is a lot more reserved, doesn't offer smiles quite as willingly but at least he cries less than Luffy! Ace probably spends a lot of time with Luffy to give his parents a bit of time to look after the Grumpy. Once Luffy can walk, they're off in the village, at the beach. Just constantly on adventures.

And they will include Grumpy as soon as he's a bit older. I think there's just no way around being a bit feral if you're a Monkey D, with parents who don't really know what a normal childhood is.

And I think Luffy is getting a lot of pointers from Ace (and Sabo) about what a solemn duty it is to be a big brother. I think Luffy would just pull Grumpy along to play and fight and hunt wild animals.

It would probably also be one of the main ASL activities and competition to get a smile out of their grumpy little brother. Which isn't toooooo hard because I think he can be rather cheerful as well, especially as a child. He's just a lot more quiet and thoughtful than Luffy is, not as interested in beating each other up but the wildness of the D.clan lineage just has to find an outlet somehow! He and Dragon can sit at a desk for hours, just quietly reading and working. Sabo likes to read too but if you give him the choice between reading and beating something or someone up with a pipe, he's gonna choose the latter.

(I'm a bit amused about how Shanks might react when there are two kids in Makino's bar because she's probably watching the kids and Luffy drags Grumpy everywhere. And if we go with the idea that Shanks knows Dragon, the kid's quiet way of handling things would be very familiar, but surely that's just a coincidence.)

The events of Grey Terminal are probably going to affect all of the boys differently, setting them off on their own trajectories towards becoming pirates, a revolutionary and, well, a marine. A lot of pirates are rough and cruel after all and will hurt those who are defenseless. Grumpy wants to help and there are just not a lot of ways of doing it.

I don't think Grumpy will tell anyone about what he wants to do, especially not Grandpa Garp because he'd just become more intense, maybe forcing him to train even harder. And they also all have different things to worry about: the aftermath of Grey Terminal as well as the birth of Mini Mingo not long after mean that there's just not any time for Grumpy to bring up what he thinks he's going to do. When asked, he probably just says he's thinking about becoming a doctor.

When Luffy is about to sail off, I think Grumpy will set out as well and he'll tell Luffy where he's going (a Marine base, to enlist). And just like with Koby, Luffy instantly accepts it. That's his little brother after all, he knows what he's doing! And he'd probably insist on taking Grumpy with him, just for a bit, but no, thank you, Grumpy isn't going to sail on a pirate's ship ;3 He's going to take commercial vessels, do it properly.

(And then when Grumpy makes his way to the base he wanted to enlist in he finds it completely demolished by Luffy. Great. Okay, then let's head to Logue Town, Smoker is rather well known here as well. And then, well... Again. In the middle of the meeting with Smoker to enlist, Luffy happens to Logue Town and Tashigi bumps into something, spilling coffee over his enlistment form. What was his name again? Can't read it... Oh well, make sure No Brows catches the first ship heading towards HQ tomorrow! Says the man who has no brows either. I think. Does Smoker have eyebrows?? *lol*)

I think Dragon will be the one the most worried about Grumpy's choice to enlist. He did the same thing, he walked the same path and it is soul crushing. But Grumpy has to make those choices himself, they can't tell him no and allow the other kids to follow their (very dangerous) dreams. It is a big risk, considering that there will be people in HQ who will look at the boy and go "huh, I swear I've seen this face before" but Garp's in HQ as well and Crocodile is technically an employee of the WG as well. It'll be fine.

It's far from fine, Marineford wrecks all of them.

(Of course, if anyone has any ideas let me know, this verse isn't particularly fleshed out, I'm just listing various ideas and we'll see what sticks around *lol*)

[goodlucktai]

love that doesn’t have a place to rest

one piece word count: 2.5k pairing: sabo & luffy, ASL brothers this was my piece for the @flameemperorzine ! leftover sales are open now ❤️‍🔥 title borrowed from never love an anchor by the crane wives

x

When Sabo wakes up, he does it slowly. It’s a peaceful, drifting sort of journey back into the world.

He’s comfortable, which must mean that he’s safe, which must mean that he’s home. When he opens his eyes, he’ll see a familiar canopy of rich greenery hanging over him, the pale light of fresh dawn peeking through the leaves.

Sabo isn’t usually the first one awake, and when he is, it’s only by a slim margin.

Any second now, he thinks, not even fooling himself with the put-upon annoyance, there will be a tiny rubber body flinging itself on top of him like a fun-sized catapult. Luffy’s voice will be loud enough to rouse the whole mountain when he cries, “Good morning!” He always says it like every single day they get to wake up in their ramshackle little treehouse together is a wonderful surprise, even though they’ll always get to wake up here together, forever and ever until they grow up. It's not the type of thing a little kid should be grateful for, but Luffy has all sorts of silly ideas. 

With a groan, Ace will roll over and tug his blanket up over his head. “Before breakfast, he’s your brother,” he’ll grumble.

Sabo will make sure to complain about the early hour, and call Luffy names and tug on his cheek so that beaming smile stretches even wider—but he’ll still get up and follow Luffy down the ladder into the jungle and stumble into half a dozen little adventures well before the sun has a chance to really shine. 

And sooner than later, Ace will join them, because he can’t fool himself, either. The sky always looks the best and bluest when they’re looking up at it together. Sabo knows he’d give up every extra hour of sleep and everything else in his whole life for that view, side by side by side.

He opens his eyes. He sees the ceiling of the infirmary instead. And then he remembers.

The person Sabo was ten years ago and the person he is today meet in the middle with an earth-shattering crash. He lurches upright so suddenly that Koala, dozing on the chair beside the bed in a precarious lean, tumbles to the floor with a screech.   

Sabo crashes into the communications room at a dead sprint, taking the door halfway off its hinges, and demands an update. He looks manic enough that three people start talking at once, about three different missions, and a fourth slips cautiously out of his line of sight in the direction of the kitchens.

Once deep breaths are had and calming tea has been acquired and Sabo is slightly more specific about his request, he’s read in on Fire Fist’s botched execution and all other relevant developments he missed during his episode. He thanks everyone for their assistance, knocks back the cup of herbal tea he let go cold, to the entire room’s collective disgust, and then stalks off to steal a carriage.

He could probably just requisition one, if he spoke to Dragon—but he would probably also fling himself at the man claws first like a territorial jungle cat, and demand to know what the fuck he was doing that was more important than helping his own son, if he spoke to Dragon. So he’s going to just steal it and spare them both the trouble.

Sabo doesn’t think about Ace. He can’t think about Ace without crumpling to the floor under the weight of impossible grief and letting it crush him into tiny, insubstantial pieces, and right now there’s something he still has to do. He very, very carefully doesn’t think about Ace.

Luffy disappeared before the end of the Summit War, long-gone when the dust finally settled, but it isn’t hard to find him. The oceans are unknowable and wild, but so is Sabo, and so is the place that raised him, the looming rainforest and its giant beasts and birds and deadly-beautiful flora. If he had to, he would bend the world into the shape he wanted, he would force it to give up its secrets at knifepoint—but he doesn’t have to. There is an army of intelligence at his disposal, contacts in all corners of every country.

And there is Ivankov, whose feelings are obvious even over the snailphone. They sound bone-tired and worried in a way that pricks restlessly at Sabo’s heart like a million needles. Iva explains that they hitched a ride away from Marineford with the Pirate Empress, of all people, who seems to treat anyone allied with Luffy as an ally of her own. Boa Hancock’s ship was hailed by the Heart Pirates, the rookie crew that had rescued and absconded with Sabo’s injured brother, and she gave them enthusiastic permission to shelter at Amazon Lily indefinitely.

“That,” Iva told him, their voice world-wearier than Sabo had ever heard it, “is where Strawhat-boy will be. Whatever need you have of him, please go gently.”

Sabo doesn’t have a gentle bone left in his body and arrives on Amazon Lily like a tropical storm. He’s met with open hostility at first, for all of ten seconds. That’s how long it takes Trafalgar Law to lift his head and say, “So you’re Strawhat’s brother? Emporio warned me you were coming. Took your time showing up.” At which point Sabo becomes an honored guest and the eldest Boa all but trips over herself trying to make a good impression.

He’ll definitely have an opinion about all of these things some other time. It all goes up on the shelf where he’s keeping Ace, safe in the back of his brain. He has to focus on what he can still do—the person he can still reach. It’s too late for him to save anybody but Luffy is his responsibility. His only family. His little brother.  

“Where is he?” Sabo says, doing a passable job of sounding like a human being.

Trafalgar tilts his head eastward, where the coast begins to climb upwards into a craggy cliffside. Jinbe, beside him, has his arms folded over an impressive swathe of bandages that wrap around his chest and midsection and looks Sabo up and down with a critical gaze. He clearly isn’t eager to interject where it isn’t his place, but he’s equally as unwilling to let someone who might be a threat go near the young captain in question while he’s hurting. It’s surprisingly proprietary for a person who has only had Luffy’s acquaintance for a short time.

But then Luffy has always had that effect on people, hasn’t he? He worms his way in. He makes you care.

“The surgery was a success,” Trafalgar says without overture, like the word ‘surgery’ in correlation to Sabo’s brother doesn’t send ice down his spine. “But it wouldn’t have been for anyone without the Op-op Fruit. And there’s still a good chance that all my hard work will be rendered a waste of time if that kid goes on another rampage.”

“He was disoriented when he woke up,” Jinbe adds carefully. “He went looking for his brother. And it—pained him. To realize that Ace was gone. He was hurting himself. I told him to look past what he lost, at the things he still had.” His deep, strong voice softens as he goes on, “If his grief wasn’t so self-destructive, I would have let him have it. He deserves to have it.”

Sabo is halfway up a hill before he’s aware of moving in the first place, using his hands to climb when it gets steep, not feeling it when sharp branches cut against his face as he shoves his way through them. Observation Haki comes naturally to him but he thinks he’d be able to find Luffy even without it. His soul or heart or something equally as important inside him would tug him in the right direction.

He was always the best at finding his brothers.

Sabo knows right where to go. He doesn’t know how he knows, but his feet guide him without faltering, picking his way over the river stepping-stone by -stone. And as he gets closer, over the cheerful babbling of the water and the thrushes in the trees, Sabo can hear the faint sound that’s become so familiar to him over the last couple of months—the sound of a little kid crying.

“This is why Ace calls you a baby, you know,” Sabo says to the hollow log Luffy is hiding in.

Luffy stubbornly won’t budge, so Sabo crawls in after him. Luffy’s face is all sticky and dirty, and Makino would have a lot to say about it if she could see him, but she’s not here. A little dirt never killed anybody. The tears bother Sabo, though.

They bother Ace, too. He probably remembers as well as Sabo does how it feels to be left alone while you cried. They both learned a long time ago that no one was going to come make it better.

Luffy hasn’t learned that yet. He still cries over every little thing that hurts or scares him, and Ace gets loud and mean because he hates it when his siblings are hurt or scared. He hates it even more that this crummy world failed Luffy as wholly as it failed Ace and Sabo. 

But it’s not the same, not really. Luffy can tear up over every heartache and frustration and nighttime fear, and his big brothers will come running. It’s annoying sometimes, and upsetting other times, and they can’t always make it better, but Sabo and Ace would never leave Luffy to cry all by himself.

Luffy isn’t crying when Sabo sits beside him. His dark eyes are wide and faraway, gazing out over the water the way he used to when they were children, dreaming about their future.

His brown skin has a sickly, ashen pallor to it. There are bruises beneath his eyes and an unhealthy thinness to his frame. He is covered, head to toe, in bandages. Even his hands are wrapped up, finger by finger. It’s proof of how far he would go, how much damage he’s willing to do to himself for just the opportunity to reach out and save someone he loves.

Sabo doesn’t know what to say. This is one of the most important people in his life, and he failed this person so spectacularly. He opens his mouth, but he can feel the words forming right before he speaks them—Do you hate me? He closes his mouth.

Coward, he berates himself venomously. If Luffy hates you, it’s as much as you deserve.

But his lips stay glued shut. He can’t open himself to that inevitable blow, not yet. The question goes up on that mental shelf next to Ace. Instead, Sabo sits beside his only living brother for as long as he’s allowed.

“I haven’t seen you since I was little, Sabo,” Luffy says suddenly. “I saw you all the time back then.”

Sabo’s heart is racing. He’s confused and unsettled and hurting so keenly he could lay down and die from it. But he can’t let Luffy go unanswered, so he says, “Of course you did. We lived together.”

A faint smile touches the corners of Luffy’s mouth, like some distant part of him wants to laugh.

“I mean after you died. We saw you a lot. We talked to you and you would talk back. Sometimes I wondered if maybe you were really still there and everyone just got it wrong. I was dumb.”

“No,” Sabo says quietly.

“I thought I’d see Ace now,” Luffy goes on, in a meandering, conversational way. “The way we used to see Sabo. But Sabo is here again instead. I’m not mad, ‘Bo. I missed you. I wish you hadn’t left.”

Sabo doesn’t know how to hold this without it breaking him. He needs more hands. He needs his twin, his anchor, his other half, to help with the heavy-lifting. He isn’t enough on his own. He will never, ever, ever be enough on his own to make up for Ace dying in Luffy’s arms, bleeding all over Luffy’s hands, carving a hole into Luffy’s heart right next to the one Sabo left there ten years ago.

There is nothing that he can say that will make this better. The only thing he can do is be here, and put his arm around Luffy the way he used to when they were children, and whisper, “I missed you, too, Lu. I wanted to stay.”

Luffy doesn’t cry how Sabo remembers. He doesn’t throw his head back and wail and shove balled fists into his eyes. But the way he curls against Sabo’s side is familiar—the way he makes himself smaller, and tucks his face against Sabo’s shoulder like he’s seeking shelter, and winds rubber limbs around him until they’re too well-tangled to do anything but hold each other.

The sun sinks slowly through the sky, and Luffy’s body gets heavy and loose. He falls asleep between one thick, hitching breath and the next. 

“I don’t believe him,” Sabo’s twin says incredulously, staring down at the little boy sprawled like a sack of potatoes across the mossy rocks. “As soon as it gets dark, he’s out like a light.”

Sabo laughs, the way he’s only recently learned how to laugh. It bubbles up all the way from his stomach, from the squishy warm center of him. He isn’t allowed to be noisy at the mansion, but Ace’s face always scrunches in a wolfish grin at the sound.

“And he’s up with the sun, too,” Sabo says. “Better than an alarm clock.”

He sloshes across the shallow part of the river and kneels in the muddy bank, beginning the familiar chore of gathering up a seven-year-old’s sprawling rubber limbs so they can carry him home. Luffy always droops when he sleeps, like taffy left out in the sun, his bones going all bendy since there isn’t conscious thought to keep them firm. He’s as light as a kid half his size, and twice as much work.

“Brat’s lucky we don’t just leave him here,” Ace mutters, but he doesn’t mean it. He sits carefully still while Sabo situates Luffy on his back, and keeps one rough, scarred hand wrapped carefully around one of Luffy’s soft wrists the whole way back up the mountain.

Their little brother only comes close to stirring once, and all he does is press his face against Ace’s shoulder with a content sigh that’s so quiet it could almost be a secret. 

Luffy is lucky that he has someone to carry him home. But Sabo and Ace are lucky, too. They have someone to carry.

Sabo rests his cheek on the top of Luffy’s head, and listens to the marathon march of his heart. He counts every beat. He feels like a ghost.

“I wanted to stay,” Sabo says again. He hopes that someone’s listening.

[itsannalosers]

“Why did you choose Ace as your favorite character?”

I didn’t choose him, he chose me. Saw him at the end of drum island in that all black ensemble and something in my brain clicked. I was really good at avoiding spoilers up until i got to the end of Alabasta. thanks netflix

spoilers under the cut from marineford and onwards specifically Dressrosa)

All I saw was “Aces death” and I was like nahhhhhhhhhhh *enter denial* and I could NOT help myself and looked up fanfics…… saw an Ace Lives tag and fell to my knees in horror

I didn’t know how he died though. I was working with my bestie and she doesn’t watch anime that much hi sav and she watched how he died right there 😭 I just knew it happened during marineford and Luffy was there 😭

And by this point I was steadfast in watching one piece like September-December ‘23 I got to impel down and could not pick it back up for 6 months. I was not prepared, then I binged marineford in a week so I could rip the bandaid off. The bandaid did NOT rip off. In fact you know how the bandaid gets caught on like every single little hair you have and then you’re peeling it off slowly and it hurts. Yeah that’s what it was like.

I cried so much it was embarrassing, you could not even mention his name around me.

I hate getting attached to a character or having a favorite because they die every. single. time.

And for a while I was good to watch One Piece until Dressrosa and Sabo showed up and it was like someone slapped that same bandaid back on and was slowly ripping it off me again. How he talked about Ace and what would have happened if he had been there- I cried for 20 minutes. The scene where he saw the newspaper with aces death plastered all over it? Sobbing. Then he ate Ace’s fruit and I could not catch a break. Everytime he yelled out Fire Fist I’d start crying again.

So yeah 😜 we have fun here and I’m totally mentally stable and have a healthy relationship with fictional characters

Also I hate Blackbeard and Akainu so much so i apologize if you like either of them but this is NOT a safe zone

[aachria]

Am I the only one that doesn't think Ace would actually shovel Talk Ed?

So far he's the character that had the most heart-to-hearts with them. I highly doubt he would ever think that either Lu or Ed would need something along the lines of shovel talks

FIRST PERSON TO SAY THAT.

Portgas D. "fuck wait one of these people are my brother and the other I've cried to about my daddy issues I don't know how I'm supposed to navigate a threat here" Ace vs Portgas D. "I need to be threatening somebody, right??? That's my job here????? Threaten whoever is trying to be with my brother and my very close good friend?????? What the fuck am I supposed to be doing?????????" Ace fight to the death cage match four rounds in the ring no survivors.

Sabo absolutely will follow through on the shovel talk tho that man has no reservations and is always down to threaten people. Terribly sexy of his imo.

[penkura]

Can I request a Sanji x Female Reader where the reader is Luffy's older sister? She's younger than Ace and Sabo, but was always the mother-hen of the group. Always taking care of others before herself even if it causes her pain in the process. Her brothers are extremely overprotective of her as she is of them. She may be smaller in size and the sweetest thing, but she is not weak by any means and can hold her own. How would Sanji treat her knowing her self sacrificing nature? And how would the brothers react to her being in her first relationship?

Omg I love this idea! I love writing the Reader being Luffy's sister, it's so much fun. And thinking about how Sabo and Ace would react, omg, I had fun with this one! :) I hope you enjoy it!

You and Sanji met through Robin, who believed the two of you would be perfect together. She’d told you everything about him and it endeared you to this stranger that worked at the bakery you loved going to, while Sanji was constantly hearing about you from Luffy, though he doesn’t know the two of you are related for a while. You weren’t keeping it a secret for any real reason, just taking things slow with Sanji because it’s your first relationship, you don’t want to rush into things and he’s okay with that too.

Once Sanji realizes how much you sacrifice for others, especially your family, he starts to take over doing somethings for you. If you make dinner for the two of you he does all the dishes, even does that when he’s the one who made dinner. He won’t let you be a ‘yes’ man when people ask for help, if you’re not able to he takes over or just pulls you away so you don’t get in over your head. Sanji becomes protective of you very quickly, trying to keep you safe and from being taken advantage of by others.

It makes him think too much of his mother, and he’s very open with you about his own family and what he went through as he grew up, explaining how his mom gave up so much for him and how his brothers treated him. He felt bad when it made you cry, Sanji tried to console you and you just said how you didn’t understand how siblings could be so mean, yours weren’t anything like that.

Sanji is surprised when you tell him you actually have three brothers, that one of them is Luffy, he never expected it despite him having three himself, he’s glad to hear yours were much nicer than his were. When you laugh and tell him they’re the greatest brothers you could’ve asked for, he feels relieved (and thinks about how he’d like to hear you laugh every day). Sanji doesn’t want to pry too much, so he waits until your next date to ask about your family.

“Well, Luffy is my biological brother, Ace and Sabo were adopted. They’re both a year older than me.”

“So you’re basically the middle child then.”

“Hmm…I guess so!”

Like how Sanji keeps your relationship from his family for now, you’ve kept it from Ace and Sabo just in case they become too overprotective of you. The two scared off most boys that liked you in high school, to the point it frustrated you so much you cried about it to Garp who nearly beat the two over the head for making you upset, even threatened them with military school if they did it again. Ace and Sabo just wanted you to be safe, they knew how sixteen year old boys were, none of them were good enough for you. Even in college they were watchful of any guy you went on a date with, they stalked social media accounts and asked the friends of the guy, but when you’d come back home with a frown saying it wasn’t going to work out, the two would breathe sighs of relief. Honestly, they were just worried for you. You’ve always put others first and willingly given up so much for those around you, you wrangled the three boys like you were their mom half the time, considering your parents weren’t around it made sense. Ace and Sabo didn’t think they could bare the thought of you coming home in tears with a broken heart, they’d want to go kill whoever did it and then come back to comfort you.

Nothing ever stuck as a real relationship, not until you finally met Sanji and started to think this could be the real deal. Its about six months into it when he tells you that he has thoughts about getting married and having children one day, asking for your thoughts on the matters before you talk through it, coming to agreements and it makes you realize that you’re in love with Sanji, and he knew already that he felt the same.

You still wait several months after that before you bring him over to meet them, Luffy already knows and hangs around you both, you’re surprised but grateful he hadn’t told Ace or Sabo about it. You would’ve kept it secret longer, just to be safe, but once Sanji proposes and you accept, you know you’ve got to tell them about it. It makes you nervous just because they’re your brothers, you’ve kept your relationship a secret and now you’re engaged, but Sanji is nervous because he's not sure how Ace and Sabo will react. Even with Luffy saying they’ll be happy for the two of you, he’s expecting two big guys that are ready to pick him up and throw him out like a stray cat.

But he doesn’t expect them to be so excited to see you and trapping you in a hug which Luffy joins. It’s like you haven’t been home in months, but he knows that’s not true. You’re over there every Friday night to catch up with them. Even when you push the two off you, there’s a smile on your face.

“All right, enough, you’re gonna smother me at this rate.”

“Hey, we only see you once a week, it’s not enough time!”

Ace nods in agreement with Sabo, about to pull you into another big hug before the two look at Sanji and their smiles pretty much disappear. They’ve met him before, since he’s friends with Luffy, but now that they know you and Sanji are dating, it makes everything different. You roll your eyes though, going back to Sanji’s side and taking his hand.

“Ace, Sabo, this is—”

“We know.”

“We’ve met him.”

It gets quiet, you aren’t entirely sure what to say and neither is Sanji. Ace and Sabo almost give him a stare down, like they just know already how serious the two of you are, to the point you sigh.

“Yeah, so, Sanji and I are dating. It’s been about a year now.”

“Yeah uh,” Sabo scratches the back of his head, looking away when you raise an eyebrow, “We…we knew that too…”

“…you’ve been stalking my socials haven’t you?”

“Ace did it.”

“What?! Dude, you did too!”

While you start to reprimand Ace and Sabo, Luffy joining in that it was no fun to tell people things when they already knew, Sanji just watches and he’s not sure why, but he can’t help feeling happy and smiling as he watches the four of you.

It's so different from his own family, even though he hasn’t spoken to the majority of them in years. You and your brothers actually seem happy when you talk, your smile tells him you’re not worried about anything, the nerves you’d told him you had about introducing everyone were gone. Sanji is very quick with an offer to make dinner for everyone when you try to start it yourself, making you ask if he’s sure before he gives you a smile.

“You should hang out with your brothers, I can handle it!”

You return the smile before kissing his cheek and going back to the living room, sitting by Luffy as Sabo looks back to you.

“You really like him?”

“Mm-hm, a lot.”

“Does he make you do stuff for him?” Ace calls over the game he and Luffy are playing, not looking away from the TV.

“No, he actually barely lets me do anything at all. Like, I’ll do laundry and he’ll offer to fold it, then still make us dinner…he does way too much for me.”

“Nah, that’s a good thing, sounds like he’s a good guy.”

“Means he’s not taking advantage of you,” Sabo smiles while he nods, “That’s all we were worried about.”

You confirming that Sanji is treating you right, like a princess, lets Sabo and Ace feel like this is good, you’re happy and not acting like there’s something wrong that you’re hiding. You don’t plan to tell then the two of you are actually engaged tonight, but next week instead, only because it’s still the first real meeting between your brothers and Sanji.

You’re really glad it all worked out well, especially when they try his cooking, Ace and Sabo acting like they’ve died and gone to heaven. They quickly demand Sanji has to cone over every Friday night with you and make dinner, something he’s glad to agree to.

[mangyraccooon]

Random head canons about monkey d dragon that I think would make his character better (some of these are implanted into no regrets)

- he gets sea sick (I will never not say this it’s hilarious)

- he had a panic attack after smoking weed once (don’t give him weed)

- cries in the shower while listening to divorce dad rock (and lady antebellum)

- gets like max 5 hours of sleep

- has facial blindness (recognizes people mainly by their haki signature and other tells)

- gravelly voice is from vocal cord damage

- falls asleep in weird places, usually common areas (something about knowing there are people who will protect him)

- his mom is Tsuru

- he has a difficult relationship with his mother as she was engaged to another man when she had him. She never raised him, stayed out of his life as much as possible but he figured it out when He was 12-13

- his childhood friend was Dandan

- he is a pacifist (like a clenched fist, bloody fingers pacifist)

- he loves fighting, like to an almost problematic degree (mainly because at a certain point many people couldn’t even spar with him without risking their lives)

- he dated Sakazuki/Akainu during his marine career

- he wears a cloak and billowy clothes because he overheats easily and retains heat easily

- he likes laying on the fooor

- he has very complicated feelings towards Sabo regarding him being like a father yet leaving his own child

- he will never forgive himself for leaving Luffy

- his secret dream was to get married and have a family in a peaceful world

- accidentally seduces people a lot, he has no idea how hot he is (he has almost been married to katakuri twice now)

- is weirdly hot, because he’s also very weird

- acts like a big cat, blinks slowly around people he likes

- has a happy wiggle he does when no one is around

[one-idea]

Shanks raise ASL part 9

First - Previous

Luffy made his way to Makino’s bar. It’s was late enough in the morning that the villagers were milling around. When Luffy made it to Party Bar he was almost surprised to not see any members of the Red Hair Pirates in there drinking yet.

“Luffy! What are you doing here so early?” Makino greeted the little boy when she saw him walk in. She was surprised to see Luffy but it wasn’t a bad thing. She was more surprised that he was here without either of his brothers or Shanks with him.

“Morning Makino! Me, Ace, and Sabo went hunting this morning! We wanted to catch something for Shanks and the crew. Did you know we’re going with him!” Luffy told her all about his morning and his plan, full of excitement for the future. He did so without any thought to how Makino would react to him leaving with a group of violent pirates.

Makino to her credit wasn’t to surprised or concerned. While she wished Luffy would wait until he was older to leave, she always knew he and his brothers were too big for their sleepy island. And she knew Shanks would protect the boys with his life, no questions asked, the boys would be as safe on the sea as they could be. Garp won’t agree but he had lost this argument long ago, these three boys were made to be pirates, not marines.

Just then the door to the bar was violently thrown open. A group of rough men walking into the bar. Makino recognized their leader almost immediately.

It was Higuma. He led a rival mountain bandit crew to Dadan’s and he was not fond of Curly Dadan or her family. He also had a hatred for Shanks after the last time the red haired pirate was in town and drank the Party Bar dry. He hadn’t been back since and Makino had hopped it would stay that way.

“I heard those weak pirates are back in town.” Higuma stated as soon as he walked into the bar his men spreading out. “I thought we’d pay them a visit but it seems the weaklings aren’t here yet. All the better I’d hate to kill the red head in here and dirty your floors when he’s not alive to clean them up.”

Makino had moved to try and put herself between the man and Luffy as soon as he entered but she wasn’t quick enough.

“Shanks isn’t weak!” The little seven year old bellowed, drawling the bandit’s eyes right to him. “Don’t you dare mock him and his crew. He could kill you without even trying”

“Oh I remember you, you’re the little brat who hangs around with the pirates.” Higuma stated as he moved closer to the little boy.

“Hey boss, I think I’ve seen him running around with Dadan’s brat as well.” Called out one of the bandits. Makino cursed the man in her mind.

“Curly Dadan huh, well looks like we’ll kill two birds with one stone.” The man said before he back handed Luffy across the face.

“Luffy.” Makino cried out running to the little boy.

“Trash the place boys!” Higuma called out to his men. They cheered and started flipping the tables and breaking the stools.

Makino looked at the destruction occurring and quickly grabbed Luffy. “Luffy lets go.” There was no way they could stop these men.

“No Makino! They can’t do this!” Luffy struggled against her as she tried to get him out of the bar. Higuma saw them trying to escape and blocked their path.

“Now where do you think you’re going?” He asked as he reached for Makino. With a scream Luffy launched himself at the bandit.

“Go get help Makino.” He called as he knocked the bandit over. Makino hated this. Hated the idea of leaving Luffy with these men, but she couldn’t fight them. If she stayed then no one would come to help them. So she ran. Ran as fast as she could to Woop Slap.

Higuma quickly threw Luffy off of him. The little boy landed roughly, groaning as he bounced off the ground. Luffy started to push himself up but wasn’t quick enough to avoid the kick Higuma aimed at his stomach. Yet to Higuma and the bandits’ shock instead of the boy being sent flying by the kick, his body streched with the impact.

“What the?” Higuma cried as Luffy’s body snapped back to normal. He reached down and grabbed Luffy’s cheek stretching it out and letting it snap back into place. “Devil fruit.” He whispered in awe.

“Hey boss we could get a lot of money from selling this kid.” Called out one of the bandits.

“Ya I heard some Celestial Dragons were going to be visiting the island soon. Maybe they’d buy him. I heard they love exotic things.” Another tacked on.

Higuma smirked as he bent down and grabbed Luffy by the neck, picking the struggling boy up. “That’s not a bad idea.” He said as he started to lead the bandits out of the bar.

Luffy tried to struggle out of his grip but nothing was working, so he did the only thing he could think of. He spat at Higuma. The man paused wiping the spit from his face, huffing out a breath of a chuckle. Before he slammed Luffy into the ground. The little boy cried out at the impact. He started to push himself up when Higuma stepped in the boy’s head.

“I’m not going anywhere with you!” Luffy shouted at the bandit.

“You need to watch yourself kid, no one who’s made me mad has lived to tell the horrifying tale.” Higuma said as he reached for his sword.

“Wait stop!” Woop Slap yelled as he and Makino arrived on the scene. “I don’t know what he’s done and I don’t intended to fight you over it. If you accept I’ll even pay you for it but please just spare the poor boy’s life.”

“Mayor!” Luffy called out intent on telling the old man to stop.

“Sorry but this rotten boy’s already made me angry.” Higuma said as he drew his sword.

“You’re the rotten one!” Luffy yell back. Never standing down from a fight.

“And your a lost cause which you can regret in the next life.” Higuma said placing his sword at Luffy’s neck. Both Makino and Woop Slap begged him to stop. But everything stopped when they heard a voice behind them.

“I was wondering why the bar was empty on such a fine day.” While his tone was light and jovial his eyes were hard, trained on Higuma and Luffy. He learned a long time ago to act as though nothing bothered him so that his enemies couldn’t see his weak points, but with a sword at Luffy’s throat it was hard to remember that. “So it’s the mountain bandits again.”

Shanks had been tracking the boy’s haki all morning. He’d noticed when Luffy separated from his brothers, when he crossed paths with Mihawk, and when he ran into the bar. He had also noticed when the multiple dull presences entered the bar after his son had. He didn’t hesitate to get the crew together and head over there. Something was wrong. He knew it. If he was right, hopefully they would get to Luffy in time, and if he was wrong well, drinks on him.

But he wasn’t wrong. This lowlife was back, but this time he had attacked Luffy. He and his men wouldn’t live to see the sunset.

“Shanks.” He heard Luffy gasp out from around the man’s shoe. His fist tightened at the sound wanting to remove this man from his son as quickly as possible. But this was delicate as Luffy was too close to the man. They would have to be careful.

“Pirates, just now showing your heads? Have you spent all this time scrubbing the village?” Higuma taunted but Shanks ignored him. He wasn’t going to rise to a weak man’s bait, especially when said man had a sword tip so close to his son’s neck.

Instead he focused on Luffy. “Luffy didn’t you say earlier that your punches were stronger than pistols?” He made the question light. Luffy’s response would allow him to gauge how hurt his boy was. If Luffy didn’t respond or only grunted then his boy was desperately injured and they’d have to act fast.

“Shut your mouth.” Luffy responded with his regular fire. Good he wasn’t hurt to badly then. Shanks was still going to kill all of these bandits for even trying to hurt him.

Shanks start to calmly walk towards Higuma and Luffy. “Listen I don’t know what you’re doing here but you might want to leave.” Higuma obviously didn’t know who Luffy was to Shanks. Good that would make this far easier if he thought this was a stupid pirate butting in and not a father protecting his son. “You wouldn’t want something bad to happen.” The threat was empty. Shanks could tell, as Higuma’s sword hadn’t moved any closer to Luffy. “And I I have just the man to deliver the message.” Higuma finished his threat as one of his men swung his pistol to be level with Shanks’s head.

Oh. He was trying to threaten Shanks. He was dumber than he looked. But Shanks stopped moving forward with the gun pointed at his head. He wasn’t worried. He was making a point.

“I’ll blow your head off if I have to, but that’s up to you my friend.” The bandit taunted and the men around them laughed. Just as Shanks excepted, all talk. He wondered how many weaker souls had fallen for this bluff. He could see the confident smirk on Higuma’s face and the fear in Luffy’s. This was Luffy’s first time seeing Shanks and his crew in a fight. He understood the boy’s worry, but it was misplaced. After today Luffy would know not to worry in situations like this, would understand men like this were not a threat. Yet a part of Shanks mourned the innocence Luffy was about to lose.

“Would you risk your life?” Shanks asked not looking at the man, but hearing his noise of disbelief. “Now that you’ve drawn your pistol are you willing to use it?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” The man asked in shock. Shanks finally turned to look at the man, his face would be the last this man ever saw. He could see Lucky Roux starting to move.

“I’m saying guns aren’t for threats they’re for actions.” And with that statement, Lucky’s gun went off. The bandit dropping dead.

Shanks kept his head down, silently hoping Luffy could forgive him one day for introducing this violence to him. He knew Luffy had fought before, had rescued him and his brothers from the Bluejam pirates, but killing someone so coldly was different. It was a violence that would have touched his son eventually as they traveled out to sea, but to have it happen in Luffy’s home village felt wrong.

He could hear Makino and Woop Slap’s horrified gasps and Luffy’s shocked breath, but he couldn’t focus on them now.

“You! You’re a dead man!” Cried one of the bandits.

“These guys fight dirty.” Called another.

Shanks could feel his crew moving closer around him, offering strength, if you fought one Red Haired Pirate you fought them all.

“Dirty?” Yasopp asked almost sounding confused and affronted by the word.

“Who did you think you were dealing with?” Benn asked, picking up were Yasopp left off. “We didn’t claim to be saints or anything.” His statement meant for the shocked towns people as much as it was for the bandits.

“You fellows are staring down a crew of pirates.” Shanks said taking in the fear from the men in front of him.

“Shut up!” One called. “We just want the boy not you.” That was the stupidest thing he could have said to Shanks. As if Shanks would ever let them hurt his boy.

“Listen up bandits.” He somehow managed to keep his rage out of his voice, keeping it calm and collected the whole time. “Whether I’m sprayed with alcohol, doused with booze, hell even if I’m spit on, most of the time I’ll just laugh it off and forget about it.” His head snapped up to look Higuma dead in the eye. His voice finally darkening. “But if you hurt a friend of mine, you’ll pay for it regardless of your reason.” It was a true statement, Shanks would set an island a blaze for any of his friends, but for his sons, he’d burn the world.

And this man was still. Touching. His. Kid.

Higuma just laughed. “So we’re going to pay? Lousy pirates kill them all men!” He ordered as all the bandits screamed and rushed forward.

Shanks didn’t move as Benn step forward on his right, his hand already on his gun. “I’ll take care of this. Shouldn’t be a big deal.” Benn didn’t want his captain wasting his time on these lowlifes. Plus they had hurt his nephew, he wasn’t letting them leave here breathing. He drew his gun, his movements were faster than these men could track, lining up his shot and firing. The bandits hadn’t realized one of their own had dropped before his next shot was fired. He decimated the whole gang in under a minute, lining his gun up with Higuma’s head. “You shouldn’t get to cocky. If you really wanted to fight us, looks like a battleship or something bigger would have been more useful.”

The man stood there in fear and shock but Shanks ignored him, his eyes tracking to his son’s slack faces. He was ready for there to be fear in his son’s eyes but instead Luffy was looking at Benn in awe. A quiet “Wow.” Leaving his lips.

Higuma panicked, finally removing his foot from Luffy’s face. “Hold on it was the kid who attacked us.” He cried out.

Shanks wasn’t about to let an adult blame a child for their actions. “I thought you were a wanted man.” This man was dying today.

Higuma, realizing there was nothing he could say to save himself, let out a cry and threw something on the ground. The thing exploded and for a heart stopping second Shanks worried the man decided to blow himself and Luffy up rather than fight them. But then the smoke started billowing out at them at a rapid rate.

“A smoke screen.” He growled. What a coward. When then the smoke cleared Higuma was there, but that was expected. What wasn’t expected was that Luffy was gone to. “Luffy?” Skanks called shocked that his son wasn’t where he last saw him. For a second he hoped the boy would pop out, maybe he ran away from the smoke.

But when that didn’t happen ice filled Shanks veins again. His hand flew to the sides of this head as he yelled out, “Oh no I let that guy take him!” He quickly turned around to face his crew in his panic. One of them had to know what to do. “What are we going to do?!” He screamed looking at Lucky Roux.

“Boss calm down! Stop freaking out we’ll find him in no time.” Lucky Roux tried to reassure him. They all knew just how important Luffy was to Shanks. They also adored the little anchor themselves. They’d spread out and search the whole island for the boy if they had to. Higuma wasn’t getting away from them, and he certainly wasn’t going to take Luffy from them.

The Red Hair Pirates took off to search the town. All eager to be the one to find Higuma and put an end to the man who thought he could take Luffy from them.

Shanks was about to run off as well when Benn grabbed his arm. “Captain I know your worried but,”

“No Benn! I can’t wait I need to find Luffy now!” Shanks head was consumed by worry for his son. He couldn’t believe his first mate would be the one to slow him down.

“And is there anything you can do that might help you find him faster?” Benn said giving his captain a pointed look. It took Shanks a second to understand what his first mate was getting at. Oh, his observation Haki. In his panic he almost forgot. He sent out a wave looking for his boy.

There. He could feel Luffy being taken away from the village, but he wasn’t heading in land. No he was heading out to sea.

“I found them. Come on Benn.” Shanks called as he took off running.

“Right behind you Captain.” Been called as he chased after the younger man.