#this song SCREAMS Nico robin

[maru-alidades]

leave all your love and your longing behind you can’t carry it with you if you want to survive

[astelren]

OP to you being clueless to their flirting/feelings II

ೃ⁀➷ TW/CW: Fluff, Gender Neutral Reader, Teasing, Nothing much, Doflamingo being extra like always, let me know if I need to add more TW/Tags ♡ Minors please interact with me only by liking or reblogs. ➳ Characters: Nico Robin, Nami, Eustass Kid, Killer, Donquixote Doflamingo, Crocodile, Dracule Mihawk, Koby

⤠ Part I ⤟ One Piece Masterlist ⤠ Cbat Song ⤟

someone asked for Doflamingo, Mihawk, and Crocodile so here they are 💞💞 I hope you will like this, I'm not so sure about certain characters fhfkf

In Robin's eyes, you are the cutest thing she ever saw in her life. You are so adorable over how completely oblivious you are to her flirting or everyone else's, she doesn't really have the heart to tease you that much. Still expect a very soft and kind "I like you very much" from her while she caresses your cheek in a very intimate moment.

Truth to be told, Kid hates you just a little bit. How fucking oblivious can you actually be?? Like, hello??? He's being flirting with you for ages, why don't you get the hint already??? Does he have to scream at you his love?! Because he won't do it. Just no. Accept his gifts of love which consisting of intense bullying (with love)

Killer doesn't mind that much. Sure, sometimes he does get slightly annoyed by it, but seeing you smile makes him forget about it. He also seems the type to not confess and prefers to watch you from afar, so it doesn't surprise me that you didn't get his "flirting", since he just clearly favours you (don't say it in front of Kidd though, he might get pissed about it lmao)

Just endless teasing from Nami, we can end it there. You are just so cute, so oblivious, so adorable that she wants to squeeze you! Doesn't mind that much that you don't get it when she is flirting you, she just makes it very hard to not get the hint when she is so straightforward with her feelings, loving to see you getting so embarrassed.

How the fuck did you managed to think that Doflamingo is just being friendly (or nice) is beyond me. But okay. He clearly favours you with; luxurious gifts (even if you try to reject them), his attention only on you, and his not at all subtle flirting. Why should he hide his feelings when he can say time and time again how he likes you and wishes you to be a part of his family, he swears you will make a new beautiful addition.

The same could be said about Crocodile, much to his despise. He clearly favours you over others and doesn't mind flirting to the point of calling you different pet names without shame (I feel like he's the type of calling you doll, pretty face, beauty, etc). More protective of you since your obliviousness, but overall just finds it a charme. Sometimes he wishes you will get the hint though, deeply sighing whatever you comment over how nice Crocodile is.

I feel like Mihawk would be very similar to Killer; just a lot more open with his feelings, his eyebrows frowning whatever you say what good friends you two are when he thought his way of courting you was very obvious but it's not like he minds it that much, he finds it quite cute how clueless you are. More excuses to protect you!

Koby is as bad as you are, so don't worry. He can't fathom the idea that his biggest crush ever has feelings for him, he simply can't accept it. However that doesn't mean he won't stop flirting with you even if you don't it get, he finds it a bit cute to be honest, but he will make sure you get how much his heart beats for you. He is very determined.

This work belongs to @/sevywy, do not repost, translate, copy, rewrite or share on tiktok without my permission. Reblogs are appreciated and encouraged♡

[oneirataxia-girl]

Top 5 one piece characters whose design you love and 5 designs you just don't feel

SCREAMS. okay so I should say that I am Not Good At Styling (or pairing stuff in general), so just take my comments as the rantings of a gremlin probably way shorter than you, but other than that-

five one piece character designs I like:

Trafalgar Law - I could go on and on and on about how hot good he looks in every arc he’s in (yes, even stoner!Law), plus all the hearts in his tattoos with the connection to his crew the Heart Pirates and Corazon is elite tbh his tattoos and accessories in general have me looking respectfully

Killer - at first I was intimidated, but after Wano I have a newfound appreciation for him + his design, the mask makes him stand out bc not many characters cover their faces, and his hair is the single most glorious thing I have ever seen, I want a Rapunzel!Killer au for shits and giggles (Kid can be Pascal lmao) (if there's a fanfic of this pls link it)

Uta - UTA MY BELOVED, her look is gorgeous, the two-color hair?? the hairstyle?? the asymmetrical dress?? YES PLEASE, she looks absolutely beautiful and very pop singer-ish if you know what I mean, tbh if she was real I would go in the song realms no questions asked

Doflamingo - now let us be clear, I hate this mutated flamingo as much as the next person, but his design fits him so perfectly that I have to grudgingly give him this win, it's bright, it's over the top, it's hideous to look at, it feels like he too the flamingo part of his name too literally, it feels like Doffy, and so I do think it fits him well

Nico Robin - or more specifically, pre-timeskip!Robin, I just adore the gothy cowboy aesthetic (purple-black and leather fits you'll always be famous to me) and I feel like Robin looks really nice with those bangs. I'm sorry but I'm a part of the pre-timeskip!Robin squad through and through, which brings us to...

five one piece character designs I don't like:

Nico Robin - this time it's post-timeskip!Robin. when I say that I couldn't recognize her, I mean that I actually thought she was Boa Hancock but with a slightly different hairstyle. she's literally so different looks-wise it's hard to reconcile pre and post Robin as the same character. also, (and this is a nitpick) the sunglasses make me stressed bc I keep thinking they might fall off

Rebecca - I know, I know, One Piece defies the laws of everything real-world related, but the gladiator armor makes me unreasonably upset because it's virtually useless. I guess it's a testament to her skills that she's barely hurt during Dressrosa, but still, everytime I see the stupid armor it makes my eye twitch

Carrot - or just most of the Minks to be honest. Oda make them more animal-like challenge, give Carrot the round fluffy body of an actual bunny, don't just slap a fluffy tail and some ears and call it a day, I want a bunny Mink that's like Peter Rabbit, but considering that Oda's... preference as to drawing females, I'm not expecting a miracle

Caesar Clown - it might be influenced by his laugh, but I genuinely sigh whenever this guy comes on screen, his appearance does him No Favors, absolutely no drip whatsoever, he’s so difficult to stand on screen so I won’t talk about him more, I just have an irrational hatred for him

Kozuki Momonosuke - more of a ‘wistful sigh of what could’ve been’ than anything, I just think it would be cool to have Momo be near Toki’s height and Hiyori similar to Oden.

[lttommy]

tags ! these songs all bang 

[chxrlynn]

reacting to their female s/o singing one of her favorite love songs

characters : robin, shanks, mihawk

warning/s : none!

a/n : thank you so much for the request, @sacredwarrior88! aw, man this was fun to write because i LOVE the song you sent. it was on loop as i write the headcanons/scenarios. it's still on loop rn lmao.

happiest birthday to our girl nico robin, too! i hope you enjoy this. take care and stay safe <3!

song is no matter what by papa roach.

likes, reblogs, and replies are appreciated <3!

nico robin

she would be reading and will look up from her book.

is... is that you singing?

once she realizes it's you, a smile would slowly form on her face.

she'd stare into nothing lovingly and rest her cheeks on her palm.

she's summon an extra ear in the room you're in to hear you clearly.

congratulations you are now her background music.

her favorite line is "i need you right here by my side. you're everything i'm not in my life."

all her life she was just running away, trying to survive of off her superiors to fulfill her dream, giving up and wanting to die.

now she has you and the crew.

if living means i get to be with her, then that's enough reason to live.

"you have a beautiful voice, darling. i wish i get to hear more of you singing." before kissing your forehead.

even if you're shy or not, with robin's charm, she'll make you sing.

she's gonna be humming no matter what for a few days now, take it as a sign she wants to hear you sing it again.

you sang happy birthday for her birthday and she was in love all over again.

you have a solo when you're alone with her and another with the whole crew.

kisses your forehead and whispers a thank you, and another kiss to your forehead.

you asked her what gift she wants and she says a recording of you singing.

"happy birthday to the love of my life!" you held the cake with the rest of the crew beside you shooting confettis.

"it's a happy birthday indeed." <3

shanks

you were tipsy and your favorite song came on at the bar.

and you just started singing and screaming the chorus.

well, you're in luck because shanks loves these type of love songs, and now he's screaming it with you.

he knows this song because it's his song for you ☹️.

"no matter what, i got your back. i'll take a bullet for you when it comes to that. i swear to god, that in the bitter end, we're gonna be the last ones standing." his favorite lines.

because he is the "i"!

god forbid you get hurt and everyone will know why he's an emperor of the sea.

as you both scream the lyrics, he cups your cheeks during the chorus and connects your forehead together.

makes it clear he dedicates his life and this song to you.

wouldn't sing the full song because he wants to hear your voice clearly without his shitty voice.

give him the same energy he gave >:(.

he is deeply in love with you and hearing you sing just made him fall into a deeper abyss.

stares at you lovingly, following your every step and movement.

he's like a puppy in love, everyone in his crew says so.

"you should sing and scream more songs, not just my name."

he'd do anything the hear you sing, use that to your advantage ;).

dracule mihawk

you were singing from the kitched but he hears you because everything echoes in his god damn castle.

he thought he's be irritated because this was the song red hair always screams when he's drunk for no reason.

but no, it was nice. it felt nice hearing you sing.

he only ever listens to classical music so it was new to him (aside from red hair screaming it).

surprisingly likes the song, or maybe because it was YOU singing it?

"you are so beautiful, it should be criminal that you could be mine." how it was true to him.

well it was more of he was beautiful to you, but to him you're more beautiful than anything he's ever seen.

walks to the kitchen with his newspaper and tea and will read by the kitchen table.

you'll stop singing and watch as a frown form on his face.

he walked here for you, why'd you stop? >:(

"do you not like me here?" he'll query about the lack of singing.

cue you singing again and watch the frown on his face turn into the tiniest smile.

HE SINGS WITH YOU!!!

in his mind because shanks made him memorize that song :).

taps his fingers to the beat while he reads.

he has to reread the paper again because he was just focusing on your voice and wasn't processing shit.

"you should sing more, love." he stands up and helps you with whatever you're cooking.

enamored by your voice so much he uses his haki if you're too far away.

kisses the corner of your eye once he sees you after you sing ☹️💗.

© chxrlynn

[whirlybirdwhat]

1. Tiny hands in big hands. (Did i put it right?)

u put it right anon!!!

i hope u enjoy frobin aha - suggested song for this fic is for the dancing and the dreaming from httyd2 - i remembered the song after writing the fic and wennt :OOO it fits perfectly! anyway - fic time.

Frobin, 1.2k, sweetness ahead.

-

When she was a child, Robin had dreamed of exploring the world, just like her mother. It wasn’t her Dream, but it was something close to her heart. As she got older, she never thought she would actually live to see the sights she had dreamed of.

Now -

Now she lets out a dreamy sigh as the world fades into darkness around her, the only light that of their ship of dreams as the Thousand Sunny drifts down into the currents that will lead them into Fish Man Island and onto the New World. It’s beautiful down here, with endless sea around them, sea kings and other sea life flickering in and out of the deep. It reminds Robin of all the horror books she’s read, of all the sights she dreamed of, and it brings a smile to her face.

The first time she believed she would be able to see these wonders - ships sailing under the sea, how amazing - was when she was standing underneath a burning flag.

And now she’s here, with her crew laughing behind her instead of standing defiant in front of her, and nothing has ever felt so sweet.

“YOW! Nico Robin!” A voice cries, and Robin laughs as she turns to look at Franky approaching from the left. They’re in a secluded spot behind the bath house, not quite out of sight from the crew, but enough to give a little more privacy, a little chance to reflect.

“Franky,” She acknowledges softly, moving to the side to let him settle beside her easily. He towers over her now, even more so than before, but his face is the same that she remembers from all those years ago. Sweet with a hint of recklessness in his smile, just as he’s always been. And the hair, well - height or no, Robin easily reaches up to press a finger to his nose, just enough to let his hair poof up into that familiar shade of blue. She pulls him down then, moments careful and soft, to card her fingers through the hair.

“Like the new ‘do?” Franky asks with a grin, and she lets her other hand curl around his cheek.

“It’s still you - of course I do.” She says smoothly, giving a soft enough flutter of the eyes to make him blush and -

Just like before, this hasn’t changed. His cheeks still redden with artificial flush and his eyes dart to the side, still too used to sunglasses to remain focused entirely.

“Fufufu!” She laughs, and lets go, his hair styled into a close resemblance of what it was before their two years apart. “You’ve changed Franky.”

“So have you! Into one super woman! Ah - not that you weren’t super before,” He quickly adds, jokingly squeezing his legs together even as he puts a hand around her waist and pulls her closer to his side. She melds there easily, the fabric against her cheek the same as before but the warmth of his shoulder gone now. It’s still comforting. Still crew. Still Franky.

They settle then, with her humming and leaning, him a solid presence by her side.

“The kids seem happy,” He comments, fondness in every word. She nods as he continues. “Captain especially.”

“I was worried at first,” She admits softly. “Wounds like that… they don’t fade easily.” She still remembers fire. Still remembers the screams. She does not, however, remember her mother dying. The thought stays with her anyway. “But he’s happy. He’s…”

“Luffy?”

“Yes,” she smiles. it’s true, even if they are both noting the way Luffy’s eyes seem to track all of them without fail, the way he’s holding on to a crewmate at all times unless he has something too distract him, the way he had gathered each and every one of them in a hug tight and strong and just a little bit desperate. He laughs, freely and without regrets, but the wound on his chest is still healing and his eyes have shadows.

And yet…

He moves on. Stronger and stronger and stronger without looking back. They would do well to follow in his footsteps.

“I missed this,” She admits, sliding her hand from the railing so that she’s holding on to Franky’s hand. The two years, as kind as the revolutionaries were, had reminded her a bit too much of her time before pirates in straw hats.

“Aye,” Franky agrees, and she heard him earlier, how he surrounded himself in metal with few for company, and oh, the must have hurt. Franky has always valued family. Valued partnership. Valued a ships crew. Like Luffy, like her though - he’s grown stronger. So perhaps… no, it was worth it in the end. He leans down, and presses a kiss to her temple, soft and barely there but just like he used to before a war and two years. And then -

He grabs her by the hand and waist, just as a tempo from Brook’s violin strikes up in the background, and oh, this is’t like before but it makes her smile bright.

“Care to dance, mi’lady?” He teases, already sweeping her along , and its all she can do but say -

“Of course, good sir!”

And it’s off they go, his hand huge around her waist but feather soft, and her hand so tiny in his as he leads. Her hand doesn’t quite meet his shoulder, so she makes do with a bicep, squeezing gently along the metal. They dance, slowly, a soft melody in the background a thousand feet under the sea. Her skirt sways softly around her feet, Franky’s hand cool against her exposed skin, his hair drifting as they spin. There’s bumbling, shuffling, especially in the close quarters of their secluded corner, but Robin just presses close and lets the moment sway with her.

An eye sprouts upon the main deck, just so she can remind her self that her entire crew is here, loved and sure, and she breaks into a bigger smile at what they are doing. It seems she and Franky are not the only ones swept into a dance of closeness. Luffy and Zoro are in step mimicking hers and Franky, Usopp is dipping Nami, and Sanji is twirling around with Chopper standing on his feet. All the while Brook plays a melody that shifts in tempo, kicking the crew up into a more rapid dance.

It’s only a moment Robin has to prepare before she herself is spinning into a dip, her entire back cradled in Franky’s hand as she kicks her leg up into the hair. His hair hangs down as he smiles at her, herself looking up at the love that’s on his face and - oh.

They’re kissing, gently, her hand still cradled in his. They break off to smile at each other as their crewmates laugh across the deck, Franky’s forehead pressed to Robins.

“I missed you,” She says just for his ears, and it’s good enough as an I love you.

“Me too, Nico Robin,” And he presses his forehead just a bit firmer against hers, so that their eyes lock and their breaths share. “Me too.”

And perhaps this - dancing hand in hand with her crew and love under the sea all aboard a ship of dreams - perhaps this is happiness. This is a dream. This is hers.

[purplehairedwonder]

Hearts With(out) Chains Chapter 1

Fandom: One Piece Rating: PG-13 Pairings: Gen (eventual Lawlu) Words: 3062 Characters: Trafalgar Law, Donquixote Doflamingo, Penguin, Shachi, Bepo, Disco, Eustass Kid, Monkey D. Luffy, Nico Robin, Usopp, Silvers Rayleigh, Jean Bart Note: I’m taking my turn at the Corazon!Law AU because my brain won’t leave me alone until this is written down. Tags will be updated as the chapters come out.

The story title is based on the Ellie Goulding song “Hearts Without Chains.”

Summary: Law is reclaimed by the Family when he’s 17 and, with Doflamingo holding the lives of his crew as collateral for his good behavior, eventually becomes the third Corazon. Years later, trapped by his impossible situation, Law can’t help but resent Monkey D. Luffy for offering a glimpse of something he’s repeatedly had ripped away from him: hope.

Previous chapters: Prologue

Read also at AO3 / FF.N

Seven Years Later

Law grumbled to himself as he wound his way through Grove 1 toward Doffy’s auction house. He disliked being sent on errands like this, but he had little choice in the matter. His grip tightened on Kikoku as he glanced behind him to see Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo following a half step behind him. He nodded and kept moving. He was here to do a job, after all.

Sabaody was particularly lively today, with the presence of the so-called Supernovas, ten super rookies with bounties over 100,000,000 berries. Law had never had a bounty of his own, as he’d been the subordinate of a Warlord since he was 17, though he’d often wondered what it might have been had Doflamingo not found him that day in the North Blue.

Though, he supposed, it didn’t really matter. His position had earned him a certain amount of infamy, even without a bounty.

Shachi had the wanted poster for each Supernova, keeping an eye out for any information to be had. Law’s crew had proven itself adept at intel gathering over the years, so they were often sent on such missions. Though today’s job wasn’t reconnaissance, that didn’t mean there weren’t any rumors to dig up while in the lawless zones of Sabaody—especially with such interesting figures on hand. Getting a preview of the next generation of pirates to enter the New World could be valuable.

As they moved in the direction of the auction house, Shachi pointed out some of the Supernova, including X Drake from the North Blue and Mad Monk Urouge. Law took note of each one with passing interest; while they might seem impressive after making their way through Paradise, he doubted most of them would last in the New World. Over the years, many rookies had made their names before arriving at Sabaody only to fall quite spectacularly in the second half of the Grand Line. Law had learned to keep his expectations low and had thus stopped paying so much attention to the rookies until they did something to earn the attention.

Penguin threw Law a confused look as they headed for the front door of the auction house rather than the back entrance, but Law shook the other man off. Penguin shrugged and followed his lead; these three had been dealing with his moods since he was a teenager, so this was hardly anything new. The guards at the auction house gaped as they approached, scrambling to greet them.

“C-corazon!” one stammered as another grabbed the door. “We didn’t know to expect you today!”

“Please, come in! Should we get Disco for you?”

Law waved them off. “No need. And no need to tell Disco-ya I’m here either. I’ll find him after business is done for the day.” Law couldn’t stand the slaver and wanted to spend as little time in his presence as possible.

“Of course.”

The guards bowed Law, Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo into the auction house. Law took a seat toward the back, draping his arms over the back of the bench, the others filling in around him. He handed Kikoku to Bepo, who took the nodachi without a word, and casually surveyed the room. When the Celestial Dragons waltzed in, Law ground his teeth but said nothing. It wasn’t part of his mission today.

“Well, well, well,” a gravelly voice said from behind Law. “It looks like there are some big names here today. First Celestial Dragons and now the second-in-command of the Donquixote Pirates. I’ve heard some nasty rumors about you, Corazon.”

Law turned his head to see a ragtag group of pirates standing at the back of the auction house. The redhead in the garish pants was clearly the leader; he stood out front of the others and exuded arrogance.

“Eustass ‘Captain’ Kid,” Shachi murmured. “He has the highest bounty of all the Supernova. His first mate, Killer, is also on the list.”

Law considered this then proceeded to flip the rookie captain off, smirking, before looking away. He heard Eustass laugh.

“Shit manners though.”

“Politeness won’t get you far in the New World, Eustass-ya,” Law said without looking back. The New World tended to humble people like Eustass Kid, Law knew from experience.

“Yeah?” Eustass had stepped down to stand adjacent to Law’s row of seats. “I suppose you’d know all about the New World, working for a government dog.”

Law glanced his way but turned his attention back to the empty stage. Petty taunts rolled off him; he’d heard far worse over the years, often from his own Family.

“What, nothing to say?”

Law rolled his eyes. “I’m busy.”

Eustass snorted. “You look it.”

Law nodded toward the stage. “You see the Jolly Roger on the wall there? If you know who I am, then you know who owns this place.” He gave Eustass an unimpressed look. “I’m here on business.”

Whatever Eustass was going to say was drowned out as the emcee took to the stage to introduce Disco and begin the auction. Baring a few teeth, Law made a shooing motion at Eustass to dismiss him. The rookie captain growled lowly but headed back to his crew to observe.

“Was that a good idea?” Bepo asked, glancing at the rookie crew and back toward Law.

Law shrugged, unconcerned. “He’ll be missing a heart before he can try anything.” And maybe a few other limbs. Being around the slave trade put Law in a foul mood, and an outlet would be welcome. The sooner the auction ended, the sooner Law could find Disco and finish his job.

Law paid little attention to the auction until Disco brought out a pirate who bit off his own tongue, choosing death over slavery. The scene was bloody and the auction house descended into horror, but Law couldn’t blame the poor son of a bitch; he briefly considered the day Doffy had found him and his own terror at being reclaimed by the Family. What would have happened if he’d tried a stunt like that?

Doffy probably would have stitched his tongue back together with his Fruit and then taken out Law’s disobedience on Bepo, Shachi, or Penguin. He had made it clear over the last seven years that neither would Law be the architect of his own death nor would he get out of the Family again so easily.

The weak do not choose how they die, he thought with distaste before turning his thoughts back to the present.

The auction was briefly back on track when Disco brought out a mermaid, but the room fell into utter chaos once another Supernova (Monkey D. Luffy, Shachi noted amidst the confusion) came blasting through the wall… and then proceeded to punch one of the Celestial Dragons in the face.

Now that might be deserving of attention, Law thought with no little amusement before noticing Disco fleeing from the stage. As the Straw Hats jumped into action against the guards and the occupants of the auction house fled for the front door, Law knew he couldn’t put his task off any longer. He grabbed Kikoku from Bepo, the only warning to his crew that he was on the move.

He opened a Room and switched places with the podium on the stage, moving the moment his feet hit the wood in pursuit of the slaver and auctioneer. The chaos behind him barely registered as he followed the man backstage. He jogged past guards running toward the stage. He knew he got a few open stares, but he ignored them now that he was on the hunt for his prey. His status meant no one would dare stop him here anyway.

Law stopped at the door to what seemed to be Disco’s office. The man stood at his desk and was fumbling with a Den Den Mushi.

“No need to call Joker, Disco-ya,” Law said, leaning against the doorway.

Disco jerked badly, the snail slipping from his fingers and clattering to the desk. He whirled around. “Corazon?” he squeaked. “What are you doing here?” Then he seemed to collect himself. “Shouldn’t you be helping get the situation under control? This is Joker’s operation.”

Law shrugged, uninterested. “I’m here with a message from Doflamingo, not to clean up your messes.”

Disco paled. “W-what kind of message couldn’t he send over Den Den Mushi?”

Law lifted his free hand and opened a Room.

Disco gaped like a fish out of water at the small blue dome encompassing him. “P-please, no! Corazon! I’ve been loyal! I’ve done everything Joker asked of me.”

“And he’s grateful for your cooperation,” Law replied, straightening. He withdrew Kikoku from her sheath, the sword humming in anticipation. “But he’s decided it’s time to move on to newer ventures.”

“N-newer ventures?” The auctioneer couldn’t pull his eyes from the nodachi in Law’s hand.

“Nothing for you to worry about, Disco-ya. It’s just business.”

The man’s scream was drowned out by the rest of the chaos in the auction house.

-----

Returning from his completed errand at a more leisurely pace, Law paused as he felt a wave of Conqueror’s Haki rush through the auction house, causing his skin to prickle, followed a few moments later by an explosion. He frowned. Who was on hand that could use that? Could one of those Supernova…?

He hurried back to the stage to see the auction house guards unconscious. The only people standing were the Straw Hats—more of whom had appeared while Law was taking care of his task—the Kid Pirates, Law’s own crew, and…

“Dark King Rayleigh,” Law said, lips lifting in a smirk. The Family’s spies had put the man on the island, though he was running a ship coating business these days—when he wasn’t gambling. Law wasn’t expecting to run into the living legend, though.

The older man, mermaid on his back, turned back toward the stage. His eyes landed on Law, and he raised an eyebrow. With a quick Room and Shambles, Law switched places with the podium and was once more standing with his crew.

“Whoa!” Straw Hat Luffy gaped. “That was so cool! And what’s up with the bear?”

“What?” Bepo started.

Rayleigh simply turned his gaze to Law’s new position. “Now, now. Don’t use that name when so many Marines are around. Not all of us have immunity from the government.”

“Luffy,” a female voice said. Law glanced to see Nico Robin, the Demon Child, standing near the Straw Hat captain. She was eyeing him warily. “That’s Corazon. He’s the second-in-command of the Donquixote Family. Be careful.”

“Donquixote? The Warlord?” the one with the long-nose squawked.

“See the Jolly Roger on the wall?” Nico Robin said. “This auction house is owned by Donquixote Doflamingo.”

The gathered pirates looked between the symbol on the wall and the damage throughout the building before turning to Law, stances turning defensive.

Law raised his hands. “I’m not interested in a fight.” He’d done what he’d come here to do. He was ready to get off this shithole of an island, even if that meant returning to Dressrosa. “But you all might want to get moving. The whole place is surrounded by Marines.”

“Marines?”

“They surrounded the place not long after the auction started,” Law replied. “I don’t know who they were here to catch, but the attack on a family of Celestial Dragons only riled them up more.” He couldn’t help his lips turning upward at that. “I’d recommend leaving before an admiral arrives.”

“What about you?” Straw Hat asked.

Law shrugged and gestured to himself and his crew. “Government dogs, remember?”

Eustass snorted and turned toward the door. “Well, I have no interest in facing an admiral today. I did get to see Straw Hat Luffy pull some crazy shit, though, so I’m satisfied.” He threw a hand up in a wave. “We’ll even lend you guys a hand and clean up outside on our way out.”

Law snorted as it was clear Straw Hat Luffy took that as a personal affront, immediately following the other pirate, voice rising in indignation. He watched as the remaining members sighed long-sufferingly and trailed their captain. Law received a few more suspicious looks as the pirates and their friends passed him, but Law had no intention of getting involved—fighting against the Marines was against the rules for the Warlords and their subordinates, after all.

It wasn’t long before Law could hear gunfire and yelling coming from outside the auction house. He thought he could make out the sound of gleeful laughter as well.

Law’s lips curled upward in spite of himself. “Monkey D. Luffy, huh?”

Another D, Cora-san…

Law turned back to Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo. They were watching him curiously.

Law frowned at them. “What?”

“Nothing,” Penguin said immediately.

Law narrowed his eyes. “Out with it.”

The trio was saved from having to answer when Law’s Den Den Mushi started ringing. Law sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Of course he would be checking in for an update. Law pulled the snail from his pocket and answered, knowing how the man got when Law took too long to answer.

“Doffy.”

“Corazon. Is the job done?”

Law blinked at the immediate question. Doffy was usually chattier when he called; it was one of Law’s least favorite things about him—among many least favorite things. “Yes. Disco-ya’s no longer a concern.”

“Good. Don’t set sail yet, though. I need you to stay on Sabaody for now.”

Law grimaced. “For what?”

“You may be needed in Marineford soon.”

Law glanced at the other three, bemused. They shrugged in return. “Why?”

A snort. “Haven’t you seen the paper?”

“I’ve been a bit busy with the errand you sent me on,” Law replied irritably.

“The Marines have set Fire Fist’s execution. They’re summoning all the Warlords to be there.”

Law felt his stomach drop as the implications hit him. There were some hissed breaths to his side as the others came to the same conclusion Law had.

“Do they want a war?”

“Seems that way.” Unsurprisingly, Doffy sounded practically giddy at that. He was a warmonger and profiteer, after all. “Which is why I may need you.”

“Right,” he said blandly. A war between the Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates was exactly the last thing he wanted to get pulled into.

“Corazon.” Doflamingo’s voice had a warning edge to it.

Law pursed his lips but knew better than to argue. “We’ll stay on Sabaody and be ready to sail.”

“Better.”

Once the call ended, Law sighed and dropped the snail back into his pocket. “Guess we’re not leaving after all.”

“This is going to be ugly, isn’t it?” Penguin asked.

“No doubt.” Law rubbed a hand over his face before looking toward the auction house entrance. “Sounds like things have quieted down. Let’s head out.”

When the four reached the entrance, Law let out a surprised huff as he surveyed the scene. There was mass chaos, as Marines were littered across the ground as well as rushing around the help the wounded. The Straw Hat and Kid Pirates seemed to have already fled, though.

“Looks like the rookies did some damage,” Law chuckled. “Not bad.”

A few Marines looked up to see them and yelled, scrabbling for their weapons. “More pirates coming from the auction house!”

“Stand down, idiots!” one of the commanders called back. “They’re with Donquixote. Leave them alone.”

Law’s eye twitched at that, but he didn’t argue as he led Penguin, Shachi, and Bepo down the steps. He paused at the sight of a large slave left abandoned outside the house. After a moment, Law blinked; he knew this man.

“Pirate captain Jean Bart,” he greeted.

The large man looked down at him, startled. “It’s been a long time since anyone’s called me that.”

“It would be a shame to leave a man like you in shackles,” Law said, forming a Room and using Kikoku to slice through the collar around Jean Bart’s neck. It fell to the ground with a harmless clank.

Jean Bart put a hand to his neck, eyes wide in disbelief. “How?”

“Devil Fruit,” Law replied simply, making a small Room in his palm before letting it go.

“Why? They,” Jean Bart said, nodding back toward the Marines, “said you work for Donquixote Doflamingo.” Or, Law translated, they said you work for one of the biggest names in the slave trade.

“It’s complicated,” Penguin said.

“That, and I’m happy to fuck over the Celestial Dragons in any way I can,” Law replied with a shrug. He glanced around, noting the Marines gaping at him for daring to free a Celestial Dragon’s slave. He saluted them with a smirk before turning back to Jean Bart. “If I were you, I’d get out of here quickly; shit’s about to get ugly.”

“You don’t want me to serve under you in return for my freedom?” After all, why free him if not to get something in return?

“You wouldn’t be much freer under me than here.”

The former captain frowned at him. “You don’t serve Doflamingo willingly?”

“Like we said, it’s complicated,” Shachi added.

Jean Bart looked between them. “I see no collars on your necks, no man riding on your back. Nothing could be worse than that.” He shook his head. “I have nothing but the rags on my back. My crew is either dead or enslaved. My family is long dead. Where would I go?” He swallowed. “If you’d have me, I’d serve under a man who would free a slave that others ignored and gladly taunt the Celestial Dragons to do it.”

Law glanced back at Shachi, Bepo, and Penguin. They looked back at him steadily, as if to say, Your choice, Captain.

Law’s crew—though they were part of the Donquixote Pirates, their original name of Heart Pirates had stuck as a nickname among the Family considering Law held the Heart seat—had grown from the original four Doflamingo had taken from the North Blue, but Law was always hesitant to bring on anyone new considering Doflamingo’s use of his crew to assure Law’s good behavior. Somehow, he’d still found a loyal group who willingly followed him despite his warnings to the contrary; he had no idea what he’d done to deserve them.

“All right,” Law said finally. “Let’s get back to the ship.”

Next Chapter

[doctorgerth]

On Sauerkraut and Stairs

Written by: @feminist-zoro

Pseudo name: Basilisa Title: On Sauerkraut and Stairs Characters: Blackleg Sanji, Nico Robin, Trafalgar Law, Roronoa Zoro Chosen word: Drunk Fic type: humor, (kind of) domestic pirate life Warnings: cursing, weird food, drunk people being drunk

Although he would rather die than admit it, Sanji really wasn’t much of a drinker. It wasn’t a big problem since he was usually too busy providing food during parties - but from time to time the crew stumbled upon groups that were interested in getting wasted more than anything else. The Heart Pirates were – as weird as it sounds – such a group and every meeting with them had ended badly for poor Sanji and for his even poorer head. It was like they were compensating for their captain’s seriousness and strictness. The Heart Pirates had been using the opportunity of meeting the Straw Hats to its fullest and had been always dropping a heavy drinking tempo, one that even Zoro couldn’t keep up with. This time wasn’t any different and Sanji quickly found himself blabbering and stumbling, with the night still young and both crews still eager to empty all the barrels. As he was still able to control himself, he decided to withdraw for a while, with an excuse of looking for a restroom. 

He intended to head straight to the men’s quarters and dive into his bed, but he sensed someone’s presence on the deck. Well, so much for sleeping. He really couldn’t show that drunk weakness of his now, when someone had spotted him. Especially, if that person was precious Robin-chan, enjoying her book in the light of deck’s lamp and wrapped in a cute blanket.

“Robin-chwaaan~”, Sanji rushed towards her, swirling up the gangway. He tripped midway and almost fell, but Robin caught him in time.

“Sanji, are you alright?” her eyes showed concern as she smiled at him so gently and lovely as only she could smile (Sanji would definitely melt right away, but the world was still circling around him and he wasn’t fully sure what was going on). She held on to him and didn’t withdraw with her Devil Fruit ability until Sanji stood firmly on the deck and stopped looking like he’s just about to faint.

“Of course I am”, he huffed a bit more harshly than he usually talked to women, but almost immediately turned back to his silly self, eyes shining, and cheeks covered in vivid blush. “My amazing Robin-chan is so strong and beautiful! I was blessed with this wonderful rescue!”

“I’m being serious here, Sanji”, she gave him a piercing look and it knocked all ideas and resistance out of his drunk mind. “Are you really alright?”

“… I might have overdone the booze a bit.”

“Oh my”, she couldn’t help but chuckle under her breath seeing Sanji making a face of a kid caught on stealing candies. “They went too hard on you, didn’t they? My poor cook.”

Sanji just whined , “I’ll be so dead tomorrow. And this wild bunch of animals will demand a special hangover breakfast, I’m sure of it.”

“Judging by their tempo, I doubt anyone besides Zoro and Luffy will show up anywhere near food in the close future.”

“Those two alone are enough to kill me.”

Robin laughed aloud, not even bothering to cover her mouth with a hand. She stretched under blankets around her and massaged her stiff nape.

“Would you be so kind and tell Law to bring a cup of coffee for me too?”

“Everything for you, Robin-chwaaa- wait”, Sanji was already half up the stairs when he realized what exactly Robin had said to him. “Tra-guy is here?”

“He said he needed some caffeine, so he should be in the kitchen?” she pointed, but Sanji was already gone, only some muffled swears audible from distance.

Trafalgar Law was indeed in the kitchen, half buried in Sanji’s precious fridge. It took a lot of willpower for Sanji to not kick his butt to teach him a lesson on raiding the allies’ food supplies.

“Has no one told you it’s a dick move to touch other people’s stuff without permission?”, he teased him instead. “Especially if there’s a padlock on it?”

Law turned to him and gazed straight into his eyes as he continued devouring a slice of cheese. He had his pockets stuffed with – as Sanji suspected – the dainties hidden for special meals for Nami and Robin and held a jar of Nami’s hand-made tangerines in syrup. Sanji could feel his anger boiling as the Heart Pirates captain reached for another treat, a slice of ham this time, and – without breaking eye contact – slowly consumed it whole.

Sanji would really kick him for this but the world made a move against him and started swirling around again. He had to grip a counter to prevent an embarrassing fall on his ass. Law looked like he was about to interfere but with one deeper breath he realized it’s not an illness, but just the result of rum and sake.

“Blackleg-ya, you better go to sleep.” He patted Sanji’s shoulder in an awkward attempt of showing sympathy and continued with looting the kitchen. Sanji didn’t really feel like stopping him anymore, just observing him with eyes half opened, so the world wouldn’t dance anymore.

“If you’re looking for something for Robin-chan, then give her cookies with that coffee”, he suggested as Law finally got his hands on the coffee maker. “No sugar nor cream, by the way. And candies are in the storage.”

He threw him a key, missing a good foot in distance. Law immediately roomed it right into his hands, giving Sanji a disapproving look. Yeah, it was definitely time to do something about this spinning. Sanji hummed to himself some old song he randomly recalled, trying to find in the mess of his head some kind of solution. What would the old geezer tell him to do? The answer was so obvious it made Sanji laugh and almost loose his balance when he rushed to execute the idea.

In the corner of the kitchen there was that one specific barrel, which Sanji had never let anyone touch. It was full of high-quality sauerkraut he had been storing for a rainy day. The good, old (but smelly as heck and hard to feed Luffy a dose of) life-saving treat had been with the Strawhats in all dark hours, when Nami’s trees hadn’t been bearing fruit and they were out of other citruses. Sanji thought he could never be its bigger fan than he had already been – until now, as he remembered the magical feature of its juice, the real-life antidote against alcohol. The taste maybe wasn’t the best but the result? Sanji almost cried due to happiness of saving himself from a long and painful process of sobering and surviving the hangover.

Law, though, was far away from happy when he caught him gathering the juice into a cup straight from the barrel and gulping on it like on fresh, cold water. He couldn’t even look straight into Sanji’s face as he gave him the key back, “Blackleg-ya, you don’t need to be that disgusting in public.”

 “You’re the one who got his ass into my kitchen”, Sanji, teasingly, took a long and loud sip. “Shoo, get lost.”

Law looked like he was about to return the late-night snacks. He grabbed the coffeepot and cups and almost bolted out, murmuring some lame excuse under his nose. Sanji celebrated his little win with the last full cup of sauerkraut blessing.

“Robin-chwaaaan, I’m going to use the bathroom~” Then he glanced over the deck, finding his beautiful archeologist and the traumatized surgeon enjoying their coffee and relaxing on the lawn. “Wanna have a bath with me?~”

“I’ll pass but enjoy your time.” Robin sent him her cute, precious smile and he almost melted again.

“You sure you gonna make it up there, Blackleg-ya?” Law still didn’t dare to look straight at his face after their little encounter – or at least Sanji couldn’t tell it from the distance. “You’re drunk as a skunk – and I’m not putting you together, if you fall from there.”

Sanji flipped the bird at him and firmly made his way on the top level. He could feel Robin’s concerned gaze on his back, so he obviously couldn’t fail right now. There’s no way he could make her worried, not his precious Robin-chan! And with the power of sauerkraut behind him, nothing could possibly knock him dead.

He, indeed, won the fight with the stairs – but wasn’t expecting the bathroom door being slammed open for him. It alone almost made him jump but…

“DAVY FUCKING JONES!”, he screamed in pure horror as a weird creature came out, slouching and lurching towards him. He could swear it had multiple limbs and at least two heads. Sanji jumped back, way too far, as he soon learned, leaning over a railing. And, finally, falling headfirst down on the deck.

Robin and Law both acted on reflex, clashing their activated Devil Fruit abilities as a result. The upper part of Sanji’s body was held firmly by Robin’s hands and he could see his legs flying away in the opposite direction, carried by the Law’s power. Someone – maybe even he himself – cursed like an old sailor, something was thrown on the deck and been rolling while making weird noises. The terrifying creature on the top level glanced over the broken railing as Robin put half-conscious Sanji’s part on the lawn.

“Is he finally dead?”, it asked, revealing itself as Roronoa Zoro; very confused and heavily drunk as well – but definitely pleased at a sight of what he had done. The extra limbs Sanji saw were nothing more than his three swords, moved for some reason on the shoulder instead of hip. The ‘second head’ was meanwhile a huge pitcher full of delicious sake. Zoro drank straight from it, almost chocking on the drink and his own laugh.

“You could have killed him, you idiot”, Law scolded him. Together with Robin he tried to put Sanji back together into one piece, what, obviously, wasn’t that easy. The cook was resisting, kicking like mad and turning his torso around in nothing but a pure drunk panic. Robin had to sit on his chest and pin him down, so Law could room the rest back on its place without any other fail.

“Like hell I was expecting him to walk into the bathroom in the middle of a night party”, the main offender didn’t even try to hide a mischievous grin. “Need any help with knocking him out?”

Robin gave him a warning frown, “You rocked the boat enough”. Her serious poker face broke a bit and even Zoro didn’t want to see her really pissed.

“I’ll carry him to the quarters then”, he proposed almost apologetically and rushed down the stairs.

“You better watch yourself; you are wasted and…” Zoro didn’t even let Nico Robin end her sentence as he slipped and drove down the stairs on his ass.

Law just groaned and facepalmed, “Now you know why I don’t let my people drink, Nico-ya”.

When later asked by Chopper how on Earth he got splinters in his butt cheeks, Zoro honestly couldn’t remember anything and Robin, when asked, just made a weird face, suggesting she wouldn’t answer any questions even under torture. So no one asked, including Sanji who’s memories ended very vaguely on seeing something weird in the bathroom. But when you live on the one ship with a living skeleton, humanized reindeer and a dude made of rubber, you quickly learn to exclude the word ‘weird’ from your dictionary.

The barrel of sauerkraut became the only victim of the night. It got ejected into the back of the storeroom and covered with a few layers of rugs. For some unknown reason, Sanji developed a strong disgust towards its smell and taste.

“I would rather die on scurvy than touch this shit”, he claimed, much to Luffy’s happiness.

[sxpermachine]

if you could choose songs to describe your crew mates what songs would you choose?

“That’s a pretty good question. Give me a minute and I’ll get some good ones.” Franky sat down and began writing down the names of his friends and songs he thought fit them well. 

Captain Luffy: Born to Lead. “I chose this song because the person in the song starts off by telling you they were born to be a leader and that you won’t defeat them, but there are also a lot of positive messages like not letting people hold you down and to never give up on your dreams. Plus I’ve personally been inspired to rise up from a beat down and keep pressing on by him more times than I can count. It just screams Luffy to me.”

Zoro: Seven Nation Army.  “There are so many parts of this song that make me think of Zoro. Plus I really do think a seven nation army might have issues holding him back.”

Nami: Money, Money, Money. “This song would totally represent Nami if it was about robbing a rich man rather than marrying one. One time she said she was going to take a bath, but really she filled the tub with cash and relaxed in it. I know because she made me check the plumbing for a coin that fell down the drain.”

Usopp: King of COD. “This one explains itself. I think Usopp might’ve been the one to write this song.”

Sanji: Sacré Samedi Soir. “I have no idea what they’re saying, but the vibe of the song really makes me think of Sanji.” 

Tony Tony Chopper: Hated. “This song more relates to his past. Chopper had to overcome a lot more than most people would be able to handle. He might be a little guy, but he’s tougher than even my body.” 

Nico Robin: You’re Not Alone. “This is a song that most of you might think revolves around her past like the one I chose for Chopper, but Robin has been one of the most supportive and kind people that I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. In my eyes this song choice is because no matter what hardships or dark days you’re going through she’d be the first person to offer her hand and the last to let go.”

Brook: Soul Man. “OW! This funky song is one that Brook would for sure love being associated with. In fact I’m going to rock this one with my calcium composed brother right now!“

[nightmareduringxmas]

[ONE PIECE] [ZOSAN ADVENT CALENDAR, DAY 7] MORE THAN YOU COULD EVER KNOW

Pairings: Zoro/Sanji, Law/Sanji (mentioned: KidLaw, UsoppNami, FrankyRobin). Characters: Roronoa Zoro, (Vinsmoke) Sanji, Monkey D. Luffy, Usopp, Nami, Nico Robin, Trafalgar Water D. Law, Franky, Brook, Tony Tony Chopper. Mentioned: Eustass Kid, all the time. Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me. Warnings: Title comes from the song “ All I want for Christmas is you ”, by Mariah Carey. This is an unrevised work, so I’m sorry for my mistakes. Summary: It’s a winter island they are in. The snow falls from the sky on a slow dance, and Zoro feels that if he stares at the snowflakes, they’ll stop in midair. The village they are is warm and homey. Lights adorn houses and markets, statues of a fat man wearing red clothes are everywhere. It’s part of a tradition at this time of the year, one of the men that greeted them at the port said. They are celebrating something and the Strawhats are in the middle of it. Not by their choice. The log pose takes thirty-one days to settle and so they are forced to be around these people and celebrate their Christmas thingy. Law doesn’t like it. It will take too long, why thirty-one days exactly, why people keep kissing me whenever I stand too long in a place. Questions, questions. Nami only shrugs. “We can’t do anything about it. And at least they aren’t trying to kill us.” “Yet.” Robin reminds them, smiling. “Maybe the main point of this celebration is to kill us and have a feast with our flesh.”

Read on: AO3

It’s a winter island they are in. The snow falls from the sky on a slow dance, and Zoro feels that if he stares at the snowflakes, they’ll stop in midair. Even he must admit it is beautiful, almost romantic, but he could live without Nami’s sighs every time she stares at the ice falling slowly from the sky.

The village they are is warm and homey. Lights adorn houses and markets, statues of a fat man wearing red clothes are everywhere and reindeers are treated like gods (Chopper loved it, even though many called him a raccoon when they saw him). It’s part of the tradition at this time of the year, one of the men that greeted them at the port said. His cheeks were red with something and when Zoro asked about what kind of drink, he answered Joy. So far he has not found this type of booze around, though every barkeeper he asks laugh and tells him he will find if he looks deep enough (deep where?).

They are celebrating something and the Strawhats are in the middle of it. Not by their choice. The log pose takes thirty-one days to settle and so they are forced to be around these people and celebrate their Christmas thingy. Something religious, apparently.

Law doesn’t like it. It will take too long, why thirty-one days exactly, why people keep kissing me whenever I stand too long in a place. Questions, questions. Nami, who is too intrigued by the number of days, only shrugs. “We can’t do anything about it. And at least they aren’t trying to kill us.”

“Yet.” Robin reminds them, smiling. “Maybe the main point of this celebration is to kill us and have a feast with our flesh.”

The eerie silence that would have settled on them for a few minutes is broken by Luffy screaming “MEAT!” and soon there is a discussion of who would be tastier.

They all vote on Chopper, who bursts crying in fear.

Day one

The Cook taps his shoes on the deck of Sunny slowly, every two seconds. They barely reached the place and he soon changed his usual black shoes for black boots with white fur adorning it. Once Zoro asked him why he changed his shoes on winter islands and not on summer islands and the Cook stared at him as if he was an idiot for about five seconds before answering that his shoes can take the heat quite well, but its sole are too slippery for iced ground. It made sense in that way many things the Cook did make sense to Zoro: almost none. When he told him this, the Cook attacked him and they soon were stopped by the Witch who became even better at aiming barrels at them.

Zoro stares at the boots and the rhythm they make, how the snow soon falls with the tapping and wonders if the weight of them make any difference on the Cook’s kicks. Before he got fully acquainted with his swords they too felt too heavy for some movements. The Cook barely uses those boots, does it not feel strange when he puts them for the first time? In a battle, would this make any difference?

“Well?” The Cook says and Zoro looks up, to stare at the Cook’s eyes, well, eye, the way the smoke from his cigarette disappears on this weather, on this whiteness. He has a small notebook in hand and his cheeks are a little red.

Did he find it? Joy?

“‘Well’ what?”

The Cook huffs annoyed. The tapping stops. “Do you want to eat anything special?”

“Booze.”

“That’s not food!”

“Says you.” Zoro answers and stares at the sky. Snow is coming down heavier, a sign of a storm. He should go to the crow’s nest and sleep there. The cold doesn’t affect him anymore.

“Says everyone that has a brain, you moss—” The Cook stops midsentence and inhales smokes, the tip of the cigarette becoming redder with the movement. “Do you want to eat anything special?” He repeats his question and grips the pencil harder.

“Booze.”

“BOOZE IS NOT— FINE!” He writes it down. “Anything else?”

Zoro frowns. “You really gonna make some booze? You know how?”

“Of course I know how, it’s not that hard.”

“Great, I expect it today.”

“YOU CAN’T MAKE ALCOHOL SO FAST!” The Cook screams again and Zoro just stares him hard enough, offended. That’s not true. It’s easy to make booze. It’s everywhere, on every island and in every bar. Can’t take so long.

“I don’t believe in you, shitty Cook. I want it today.”

“YOU’RE IMPOSSIBLE.” Sanji screams and throws the notebook on Zoro. It hits him on his chest and falls on his lap.

After the man leaves, fuming and stomping hard on the ground, Zoro picks the notebook and notices something odd: there is only his name on its pages as if he has only asked Zoro for food.

“Tch. He probably got this one for me after he filled three with the girl's requests.” He says to no one.

Day two

The Cook brings him soup when Zoro is training. It’s weird all in itself, because normally he would just scream food is ready and wait for everyone to show up. Zoro, who is kind of hungry but too busy doing weights, is pretty sure he didn’t hear anyone screaming.

“It’s pumpkin soup.” The Cook answers before Zoro— well, Zoro wasn’t going to ask. It’s food. It’s soup. He doesn’t need the receipt.

“Ok.” He says. He puts down the weights he had and walks over to the Cook, who holds a small spoon. “Thanks.”

The Cook smiles a little and his cheeks get red again. The wind must be very strong out there. “No problem.”

Silence settles in as Zoro takes the bowl and the spoon. He feels the Cook stare at him and doesn’t know what is going on. He looks at him, with his stupid smile and the way his fingers brush his golden hair out of his nose. There are some snowflakes melting on his fringe and Zoro wonders if he feels them touching his skin. If he shudders when they do.

Zoro suppresses himself a shudder and looks at the window. He can’t see anything with the snow and the wind.

“Cook.” Zoro whispers.

“Yes?” The Cook answers, expectantly.

“Is someone watching us?”

“JUST EAT YOUR DAMN FUCKING FOOD, YOU STUPID, BRAINLESS MARIMO, I CAN’T BELIEVE I—”

He leaves after that, his words growing lower as he walks away from the Crow’s nest.

It’s Pumpkin soup, Zoro finds out after he tastes it. The same receipt the Cook made on the last island. The same one Zoro liked so much he repeated over and over and almost had to fight the witch for more.

Day Three

“Do you want to go to the park with me?”

“What?” Zoro asks.

“The park. Where the big tree is being decorated. They said they’ll light it up today.”

Zoro frowns. He doesn’t know what he is talking about.

“Nevermind.” The Cook says after a moment, and his voice sounds a little dejected. “You wouldn’t find it not even if you tried.”

“HEY.”

Day four

“Here.”

Zoro stares at the cookies. They smile at him, small men all dressed like the so-called Santa Claus.

“I didn’t ask for cookies. I asked for booze.”

“I know. Be patient.”

“I don’t like sweet things.”

“I know. But I made these for you, so.” He puts the plate next to Zoro and leaves. “You better eat them.” The Cook threatens.

Zoro gives them to Luffy.

Day five

Hot cocoa is great before training. The Cook keeps talking to everyone how he found this place that has this amazing cocoa and how one of the women of the village gave him some receipts he wants to try and that he hopes they (the Witch and Robin, though he does stares at Zoro and Chopper when he says it) enjoy it as much as he did making them.

It’s good. Delicious. His have dark chocolate and Zoro likes to think of how much the Cook knows him. Even Law seems impressed and he finishes his beverage too quickly to be normal. The Cook sees this and his smile is so wild something ugly inside Zoro curls. He gives his own cocoa to Law and when he tries to refuse, the Cook says it would be a pleasure to share his food with Law, if he liked it so much.

Zoro tries to finish his own hot cocoa as fast as Law did, but all he gets is a burned tongue.

Day six

Zoro is awakened by music. Soft music, cheerful and entirely too Brook, even if that doesn’t make much sense. Before Brook, every music was just music played my a musician, but now he knows the differences as it is played, the same way he is capable of identifying the Cook’s kicks by intensity and even smell (they burn the air and the leather of the shoes when they are coming, even when his leg is not on fire).

“Morning.” Zoro says to nowhere in particular and the music changes for a moment, making him smile. He can hear Brook’s tone when the arc touches the string.

The songs Brook is learning are the ones he listens every night when he goes to sleep. In this island, it’s tradition that a group of people sings to others these songs and now that if he has been on this place only six days, he knows them all by heart. Sometimes Robin hums it when she is reading and Franky did new versions on his guitar. Chopper likes Jingle Bells specifically and Usopp is trying to record them for him, as a present — something else they do at the end of the month. Give presents to each other, something Zoro thinks is ridiculous, because he can show he loves his Nakama by getting strong to protect them, not by giving them some stupid object that will soon wither by time or be destroyed by an enemy.

The funniest thing? Law hates them. He loathes every song that is sung on this island and once he did threaten those villagers who came to sing for them in the ship. Luffy laughed too much and said something about telling a kid about this, but Zoro didn’t really get it.

He walks around the ship and the music follows him, almost if it was part of the wind, and in moments like this Zoro understands why Luffy wanted so badly a musician in this ship.

When he enters the galley unannounced, the image that greets him is of the Cook reading a book with his glasses falling on his nose, staring at the words very intently as something delicious smells on the background. Zoro tilts his head to read the cover and it has something to do with Christmas. Again.

“Cooking book?” Zoro wonders as he fetches himself a glass of water.

The cook mumbles something he does not hear. “What?”

“I said—” and his voice has that dangerous edge that always has when Zoro does not hear him the first time, almost as if he asked him to repeat what he said on purpose (only most of the times). “—it’s a short stories collection.”

“Oh.” Zoro comments and drinks his water.

“Law wanted my opinion on it.”

“Oh.” Zoro mentions and he fetches himself a second glass of water, because his mouth is suddenly dry.

The music outside changes for one much more cheerful that makes the Cook close the book and go scream at Brook to change the music. Something about not being able to read the mood.

It becomes his favorite song.

Day seven

“Did you like it?” The Cook asks suddenly when they are once again alone in the galley. The song Brook played yesterday starts again, almost the moment they are left alone. The Cook’s ears became redder the moment it started. Is it a sexual one? Is that it?

“What?” Zoro asks.

“The cookies.” The Cooks supplies and stares at Zoro for a moment before looking at his feet. Zoro’s eyes follow his. He doesn’t get it. His boots are clean. There is no need to stare at his shoes if they are not dirting his precious kitchen.

“Oh. Yeah.” Zoro says. He meant that he knows about the cookies, not that he liked it, but Zoro finds himself unable to explain this for the other, who just smiles brightly and makes all sort of questions about the taste and other things. He comments on things Zoro doesn’t even know what is about. Cooking, probably.

Zoro doesn’t have the heart to tell him he didn’t, so he grunts and nods and hesitates on his response. It seems to be enough.

The music gets louder and louder and suddenly Franky starts singing about the fact that all he wants for Christmas is someone. The Cook keeps smiling when Zoro leaves the galley, his insides both warm and cold — the same way he gets when he finds a worthy adversary.

Later, when they are eating breakfast and the Cook mentions the cookies again, Zoro finds himself staring at Law, who glares at him as he eats his oatmeal.

Day eight

The little men stare at Zoro with a dumb smile. His brothers and sisters do the same and Zoro can’t hold their empty glares.

“You said you liked it.” The Cook comments, his voice tingling with an unsure tone.

“Uh, yeah, I did.” Zoro tries to explain himself. “I just didn’t think you would… Do more.”

Much more. Three times more.

The Cook stares at the window, eyes warm, cheeks flushing. “I thought it would be nice to practice a little more. Ginger men are not something I’m used to making.”

Could have me fooled, Zoro thinks.

He opens his mouth to thanks the Cook and take some and leave before the truth comes out, but it’s too late. Luffy barges in asking for meat. Zoro starts to sweat.

“LOOK ALL THESE COOKIES. THE SAME ONES YOU DID FOR ZORO! ARE YOU FINALLY MAKING FOR ME? THEY TASTE SO GOOD! YOU’LL GIVE ME YOURS AGAIN, RIGHT ZORO?”

There is silence.

“What.”

.

Usopp grimaces as his hair gets gradually wetter and wetter. Snow isn’t exactly good for it and he is taking extra care of his hair now that they are spending so much time on this island, but. But he might have to bring in the big guns just because of all these tears.

“It’s okay.” He says as he pats Sanji in the back. “I know. It’s okay. He’s an idiot, but you knew this when you decided to fall in love with him.”

“I DIDN’T DECIDE ANYTHING.” Sanji screams right at his ear. Usopp flinches. “IT JUST HAPPENED, I WAS FINE WITH NAMI-SWAN.”

“Right. I’m sorry.”

Usopp sighs again and curses Zoro.

Day nine

Robin comes at him in the morning and tells him the Cook will buy extra groceries for a special dinner on a special day, as it is a tradition on this island. “It would be wonderful if you helped him.”

Zoro narrows his eyes, sensing the small threat in her smile, in the way the warmth doesn’t reach her eyes. She’s not just offering advice.

Though Robin is Zoro’s favorite female companion, he prefers the Witch on these. Her threats aren’t veiled. They are also not as dangerous as Robin’s.

“Why would I do that?” He asks, analyzing her.

Robin’s grin widens. “Because then he would have to ask Law and I have a feeling he would not oppose.”

So here is Zoro, walking right next to the Cook and he feels like he was fooled into doing something. He doesn’t know what, exactly. The Cook at least isn’t bitching and seems glad Zoro so promptly offered himself to go.

“This is nice, isn’t it?” The Cook asks, looking around. The market is bursting with life, people smiling as they shop, smiling as they eat, smiling as they live. It’s very utopical and entirely unnerving if you ask Zoro, but not right now.

The Cook too is smiling like them.

Zoro smells his cigarette and it mixes with the smell of hot food, baked or fried, around them. It remembers him of the Cook on his own kitchen, preparing dish after dish and not expecting a eulogy after people eat — though their Nakama do tell him how much the food is delicious (most of them, anyway. All but Zoro, really). His hair shines with the lights around the place, changing color as they pass. Yellow is one of the primary colors, Zoro knows this much. It mixes easily with every other color, the beginning of thousand others.

“Yes.” Zoro says. “Yes, it’s great.” And his eyes never leave the Cook’s face, his shadow, his body.

Day ten

“Are you sure—” The Cook starts “—That Joy is the right name.”

“Yes.” Zoro hisses and they hop from bar to bar. “I asked what the guy was drunk on to be so red in the face. And he said Joy.”

The Cook stares at him for a long moment. They are still shopping for groceries, though today only the lighter stuff. They have time to wander from bar to bar and ask if they have Joy.

The barkeeper at the bar on the main street, a woman of huge bosom that winks too much at Sanji, leans suggestively at the table she just cleaned and says: “I sure do, honey. But it’s gonna cost ya.”

The Cook’s nose bleeds so much Zoro has to take him back to ship for a transfusion.

“I’M NEVER TAKING YOU TO A BAR AGAIN!” Zoro keeps screaming all the way back, disgusted.

Day eleven

Zoro wakes up and does what he normally does: he walks around the ship a little and then fetches himself a glass of water. Brook is already up, playing on his violin, and he nods at Zoro before changing the music halfway. It’s the same one he always plays when he sees Zoro, apparently. It is suspicious, sure, but if the Cook hates it, then he’s fine with it.

He always had more patience.

What he doesn’t have is enough intelligence to understand why, when he opens the door to the galley, Law is hanging weird plants all over the kitchen. He stares at Zoro as Luffy does sometimes when they catch him eating off the clock, but soon Law’s face becomes neutral again.

The Cook is nowhere to be found.

“Good morning, Zoro-ya.” Law says and moves on from another part of the ceiling to hang…

“What is that?”

“Mistletoe.”

“What?”

Law huffs. “I finally figured it out why people kept kissing me when I got out on the city. It’s a tradition, you see.” He hands another one and then moves closer to the sink. “When two people are underneath one, they must kiss. On the cheek or on the mouth. Now all I have to do is look up and avoid these things.”

“If you want to avoid, why are you hanging these in the galley?”

“Perhaps—” Law starts and looks at the ceiling, as if making sure all the mistletoes are in place. “I want two certain people to kiss.”

Zoro frowns. “Why?”

“It’s due. And I am not patient with those things.”

Oh. Oh. “So, who do you want to—”

“Why are you at the door of my kitchen—?” The Cook screams as he barges in, shoving Zoro inside the galley. Brook’s music becomes faster somehow, those apt fingers speeding up. “What is this?”

Zoro feels his heart break. Oh.

“Good morning, Sanji-ya.” Law says, his voice the same monotonous tone. “I’m just here for some coffee.”

Liar.

“Why is there mistletoe on my kitchen? All over it?”

Law’s eyes fall on Zoro. He arches an eyebrow, as if prompting him to say something. Anything.

Zoro can’t. “Law put them up.”

“Why?”

“You know why.”

Oh.

The Cook sputters something, gets red-faced and stares at Zoro. Who stares at Law, glaring. Who stares at Zoro, challenging him.

Brook keeps playing the same song, but this time he changes the tone. It sounds like one of those songs used in public plays to show the audience they are nearing the cliffhanger or that something (usually really bad) is going to happen.

“Do it, then.” Zoro suddenly says and they all fall into silence.

Even Brook.

Law snaps. “Oh, for fuck’s sake— Fine! You think I’ll—? Fine! I’ll do it!”

“What?” The Cook asks and when he looks at Law, he is pulled into a kiss, on the mouth. With tongue.

Something in Zoro breaks and this is new. He leaves, mouth dry, eyes wet. All he hears is Brook barging in the galley seconds after he leaves. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING, THIS ISN’T THE PLAN!” Brook screams.

“THE PLAN DOESN’T WORK WITH IDIOTS!” Law screams back.

“THERE IS NO PLAN! ONLY YOU GUYS RUINING MY LIFE— WHERE IS USOPP!”

Zoro doesn’t hear anything anymore.

Doesn’t understand either.

Day twelve

To keep things normal between them, the Cook makes him onigiri. They taste bitter, nothing like what they tasted before Law kissed the Cook and Zoro hates himself for this. For being so jealous of something so frivolous. For letting this affect one of the things the Cook always loved — to feed people. Nakama. Them.

Zoro does his best to keep things cool between them. Normal.

He ignores the Cook. Eats and keeps quiet, even when Law isn’t around — he has been curiously absent from yesterday’s breakfast, lunch, supper, dinner and today is the same. Eats and keeps quiet even when Luffy stares at him, intently.

It’s fine. Everything is fine. Will be fine. Soon he’ll get over it and soon Law will leave them and soon the Cook will stop making these sad faces at Zoro and opening his mouth and closing, but not saying anything.

Zoro finishes eating as fast as he can and leaves without saying anything to anyone.

And if he trains harder, it’s because he knows he can use these feelings into making himself stronger. And if he hopes Law dies before he ever comes back to the ship, well, he still has a lot to learn.

Day thirteen

Usopp comes to him before Zoro manages to escape. Between training and miserably eating next to the Cook — who keeps trying to start a conversation, before shutting himself up and proceed to eat too — he is trying to find Joy, because now he could use a very good drink.

“Zoro, I want to talk to you about what you saw a few days ago.”

Zoro grunts. “There is nothing to talk about.”

“Are you sure…? Because I feel we should talk about whatever you thought you saw. I mean, Sanji and Law kissing? Pfff!” He waves a hand around and starts talking about all the possible ways to read into that, all of them unrelated with the possibility of Law and the Cook being in love with each other.

Zoro admires Usopp’s ability to lie to himself. He creates intrinsic readings of one moment that is quite clear and, well, they could fool Zoro had he not seen Law kiss the Cook in the mouth.

Why he is telling Zoro this is another mystery.

“Maybe Law was trying to get something out of it, you know?” Usopp says and he stares directly at Zoro. He looks serious. “Like… Make someone see something that is right in front of them…?”

Oh.

I’m such an idiot, Zoro thinks and smiles sadly. He puts a hand on one of Usopp’s shoulder and pats him a few times. “I understand.”

Usopp blinks. “You… You do?”

“You need to let him go.” Zoro says. “The Cook… He chose someone else, Usopp. It’s not healthy.”

“...Oh my God Law is right, you are an idiot!”

“What?”

Day fourteen

Chopper invites Zoro to walk with him around town to talk to the reindeers and Zoro is glad for it. Now that Law and the Cook are together and he knows Usopp too had feelings for him, Zoro feels as if he is a stranger on Sunny. That he doesn’t know what is going on there anymore. Things were fine two weeks ago… Now…

“Zoro, you don’t like Sanji?” Chopper asks during their walk. His expression is worried, almost sad.

“Uh…”

“Because he likes you, a lot.”

“Uh…”

“Robin told me you guys fight to show affection, like you’re mating animals—”

“What?”

“—but now you seem so distant.” Chopper sniffs and looks so sad a small girl that passes by them moans at this. Her companion holds her hand, pushing her away from Chopper. By the looks of it, she was going to grab him and hug him. Not that Zoro can judge her for this.

“We— Hm— I don’t— Uh— Uhhh— Look! Candy!”

“WHERE?!”

Day fifteen

Zoro stares at the Beli given by the Witch with suspicion.

“What?” She says, smiling too much. “I’m not going to charge you for this.”

“Yeah, right.” He says, snorting. “Don’t think you can fool me, witch.”

The Witch rolls her eyes. “I promise. I won’t. This is for you to buy presents to everyone.”

“What.”

“Presents.” The Witch says again, slowly. “You know. As it’s tradition. I figured it out you weren’t buying because you had no money, so, because I am an angel, I decided to lend you some.”

Zoro snorts again.

“Just get the money, Zoro.” The Witch hisses and slams her hand on the table.

“I’m not going to buy anyone anything.” Zoro mumbles. He won’t stay out in the cold looking for presents that mean nothing. Absolutely nothing. Buying a book to Robin means nothing if compared to what he can give her if he gets stronger. What he can give them all. Their dreams. This means more than ephemeral gifts.

The Witch doesn’t think like him, however. “Yes, you will.” She smiles and Zoro is not afraid all of sudden. He is not. “Because if you don’t, I’ll start charging 300% interest on what you own me.”

“You can’t do—”

“—But if you buy me a good gift, maybe it’ll be enough to forget this idea…”

“I don’t even know what you like.” Besides treasure. Maybe he can give her more treasure?

“But you know someone who does.”

Zoro freezes. “No.”

The Witch smile widens.

.

The Cook almost drops the plate when Zoro barges in. Seconds later, Brook starts playing that goddamned song again and, okay, Zoro knows why the Cook doesn’t like it.

“Yes?” He asks, sounding too hopeful. Zoro’s heart clenches.

“The Witch—”

“DON’T CALL NAMI-SWAN THAT”

“—is forcing me to buy a gift for everyone. And I need help with that.”

“Oh. Sure. When do you want to go?”

“Tomorrow.” Zoro says and the pained expression on the Cook’s face makes his stomach churn. “What.”

“I— Um— I’m going with Law. Tomorrow.” He explains. “He asked me a few days ago before—”

Before the kiss is what he means.

“No problem.” Zoro says and stares at the window. The snow falls outside. Behind her, the village’s lights shine as bright as when they first arrived. Things were easier, better then.

He hates this island. Hates what it did to him, to them.

Zoro looks back at the Cook, who does not look at him. “The day after?”

The Cook smiles. “Sure.”

Day sixteen

“Zoro,” Luffy says, face still serious. “I’m your captain. You should do everything I say!”

Zoro huffs. “I already told you” He looks around. Fuck, where is the Cook? Can’t be that hard to find the man around all these people, where is— Oh, there he is! “I’m not going to spend the money the Witch gave me with meat.”

“WHY?”

“SHUT UP, I’M TRYING TO FOLLOW SOMEONE HERE!”

The woman walking past them jumps when Zoro screams and narrows his eyes, protecting her shopping bags, as if they were following her. Why would he follow her anyway? He’s a pirate, not a thief and, anyway, she’s not the Cook, who is seemingly on a date with his—

—His Law? What are then in this moment? Are they boyfriends? Lovers? Fuck buddies? Zoro hates all possibilities and yet every time the Cook smiled at Law as they talked, he wanted to ask are you happy? Are you happy with him? I want you to. To be happy. You deserve it.

His heart hurts so much Zoro could stab it to see if it would stop for just a moment. What if he died? Better than feeling this for(ever) god knows how long.

“No, you’re not. You’re lost again.” Luffy points it out and smiles. “Shishishi you lost Torao and Sanji three stores ago.”

“No, I didn’t.” Zoro says. “They’re right there.”

He points to the blonde man he just found as if to make a point, but when he turns, it’s an Okama. She stares at them and blushes, winking.

“Shit.”

Day seventeen

It’s the day after tomorrow and Zoro is nervous. So nervous Robin sat with him and told him that everything would be fine. That the Cook’s feelings for him wouldn’t change if Zoro did something stupid because he always does something stupid and it didn’t help. Zoro wants the Cook to feel something else. Something close to what he feels right now, for him.

Hell, he could do with just a mild attraction. He can do all the loving; he just needs the Cook.

“Oh.” Robin says after a moment. “Call Cook-san by his name.” She smiles. “I’m sure he would like that.”

And here they are. Zoro looking around necklaces with such intensity they could melt. Truth is, he doesn’t — can’t — look at the Cook right now. Not when he is dressed in a black overcoat that looks new and expensive. Underneath it, the grey sweater keeps him warm and covers his tie and white shirt. The wool pants he is using hug his thighs so perfectly even some women stopped to admire. And yet the Cook barely looked at them, all the time talking to Zoro, showing him where he bought his presents for each of their Nakama.

Zoro wants to ask him what he bought Law.

“You must really love her, huh?” A saleswoman says and Zoro laughs out loud. “Nah, I just don’t want her bitching to me and saying I bought her something ugly on purpose.”

“You—” The Cook appears out of nowhere, as if he knew Zoro was trash talking the witch. “—Nami-swan is a goddess! You don’t deserve to buy her anything!”

“Tell her that, then.”

They start arguing about the witch and suddenly the saleswoman laughs. “Oh. I see how it is. My mistake, then.” When Zoro opens his mouth to ask what she is talking about, she shows him a ring so shiny he flinches a little. “What about these?”

“Nami-swan likes necklaces better.” The Cook comments.

The saleswoman looks at Zoro. “Do you have anything like this for a necklace?”

“I have cute pendants.”

The look at each other and Zoro smiles. “Do you have anything that looks like an orange?”

.

When they are done and all the gifts are bought — and Zoro must confess he feels a little nervous, not knowing if they will like what he bought them — and they are going back to the ship, Zoro remembers what Robin told him. About calling the Cook his name. His original one.

“So— Hm.” He starts and his mouth feel suddenly dry.

“Yes?” The Cook — Sanji — answers and looks at him. There are snowflakes in his hair and Zoro really wants to brush them away. Touch those golden locks and kiss them and—

“Nevermind.”

Coward, he thinks and he sounds like Mihawk.

Day eighteen

Law is drinking tea inside the galley and so Zoro goes again in the city. He bought a present for him after the Cook reminded Zoro he had to, but that doesn’t change anything. Law doesn’t deserve the Cook. He isn’t even going to stay around them much longer. It will end in heartbreak and one of them wears his heart on his sleeve — always shows it around, to girls, most of the time.

Zoro thinks he could take care of it. He would be careful. He could be kind.

His steps lead him to the same place he bought the Witch’s orange pendant. Before he even recognizes him, the saleswoman from the day before comes out, smiling. “You!” She says.

“Yeah?”

“I thought you wouldn’t come around here anymore, but here you are! I recognized you because of your hair—”

“What do you want?”

If the Cook was here, Zoro would be kicked by his gruff tone and unkind words. However, the girl only laughs and shoves him inside the shop again.

“I have something to give you.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Her smile widens before she starts searching for something inside her pockets. “You know, when  saw you yesterday I knew it had to be you.”

Zoro freezes at that. Of course. His hair. She must have recognized him from his wanted poster. He looks at her, really looks. If she is a pirate hunter, she surely doesn’t look like. She poses no threat, and maybe that is her biggest advantage. However, when she exclaims like Chopper sometimes does when someone gives him candy, Zoro relaxes. Nah, she’s just some dumb woman.

“This is for you.” She says and gives him two rings made of wood.

Zoro frowns. “I don’t have any money.”

“It’s on the house.”

“Ha?”

“It’s a family tradition. My great grandpa was very poor, but he was so very in love with my great grandma he became a jewelry maker himself to make a wedding ring out of wood for her. He was quite talented and soon he found work in this jewelry shop. The owner, when he died, passed it away to him since he had no kids himself. He taught his daughter, who taught my dad, who taught me!” She laughs again. “He always said his love for his wife saved him and because of that, every year on this month, he would give a couple wedding rings made of wood as a good luck charm. My grandma said he always knew who to give — because you can feel true love when you see in front of you. So—” She places the two rings on his palm. “—I want to give you this.”

Zoro frowns again. “Nice story, but as I said, I’m not in love with the witch.”

“But you are in love with that blonde man, aren’t you?”

He blushes. “What? No—”

“Everyone with two eyes can see.” She says and giggles a little. “You’ll be very happy with him.”

“He doesn’t love me.”

“As I said.” The saleswoman leads him out of the shop. The rings on the palm of his hand are already warm. “Everyone with two eyes can see.”

Before he can ask what that means, she slams the door on his face. Rude.

Day nineteen

“Strawhat-ya.” Law says, voice very serious. “Stop eating the decorations. They are not edible.”

“They look so yummy, though! Shishishi”

“...No, they look like plastic, which is exactly what it is.”

“You’re no fun, Torao!” Luffy whines as Law takes away from him the wreaths they are supposed to hang on every door. Law looks at Zoro as he passes by the Aquarium and narrows his eyes at his direction.

Zoro looks back at his job — decorating the Christmas tree — and tilts his head. It looks like shit. He can feel Law’s judgment from the other room, by the way he hits the nail on the door.

“It looks like shit.” The witch says, staring from her place on the seats of the Aquarium, book open in her lap and hot tea on her hands.

“IT LOOKS FINE TO ME!”

“Do it again, Zoro.” She orders him before looking back to her book.

“Why don’t you do something besides boss everyone around.” Zoro grumbles as he dismantles the tree once again.

“I heard that. You own me twice as much as you did before.”

“YOU WITCH, I’LL KILL YOU.”

“Ten times as much as it did before, is that it?”

“WHAT KIND OF MATH IS—”

“Did I hear twenty times as much—”

“...”

The Witch hums something and Zoro wishes they never saved her from Arlong. He doesn’t even know how much he owns her now. Not that he did before, since the amount always changes at least three times a week.

“Nami-swan, you look beautiful today~” The Cook’s voice breaks the silence and Zoro almost drops the tree on the ground. The Cook and the witch stare at him for a few seconds and he politely ignores them. “I see you are busy.”

“Oi, what does that—”

“Never for you, Sanji!” She says sweetly and as the Cook melts because of this (why it had to be him? Of all the men on this ship, why it had to be the pathetic one?) she asks: “Are you asking around already?”

Asking for what?, Zoro wonders as he places the star at the top of the tree, first and foremost. It’s said to be last thing on the tree, but Zoro didn’t want to decorate the Christmas tree. He didn’t want to decorate anything, really. The villagers, however, gave lots of decorations for them and since it was free, the Witch gave everyone something to hang around the Sunny. Since Zoro refused many tasks, she said he would join her on decorating the most important thing: the tree.

That fucking Witch.

“Yes!” He says. “I’ll start the cooking tomorrow. Have you decided yet, my dear?”

“I’ll have a lobster frittata. I never had it before!”

“Oh, it will be my pleasure to prepare it, then! I’ll make the best one I have ever done in my life!”

“What’s that?” Zoro asks, suddenly curious. He never heard of lobster batata.

“It’s a special dish I will make to my mellorine because she deserves everything~” The Cook answers and that’s not even the response he wanted.

“What about you, Zoro? Did you chose already?”

“Choose what?”

“He did, already, Nami-swan.” The Cook answers and Zoro glares at him. “Marimo chose alcohol.”

The Witch laughs. “That’s not even food!”

“I know!”

“Oi, what are you talking about?”

The Cook tilts his head to one side. The fringe covering one eye falls out of place and shows the blue iris. Zoro loses his breath for a moment. What a rarity, to see both his eyes like this.

“Don’t you remember? I asked if you wanted anything special dish and you kept telling me you wanted booze.”

It feels like years ago, but the memory comes. “Oh. That. Right.”

“Do you want something else, Zoro?” The Witch asks, voice soft. “I’m sure Sanji will do it, since you asked for booze and, well, it’s not food.”

“Pumpkin soup.” Zoro says suddenly.

The Cook’s smile is so beautiful Zoro hurts just by looking at it. The rings he kept in his pocket suddenly feel heavier than all of this weights. He should throw them at the see and stop hoping.

“Pumpkin soup it is.”

Day twenty

The kitchen becomes off limits and Zoro pretends he doesn’t care. Well, he really doesn’t, except when he notices he has not seen the Cook all day. It’s weird to not see one of his nakama for a whole day when they live together and as soon as he notices he is wandering near the galley for no reason but to catch a glimpse of the Cook, Zoro decides it’s his great chance to forget him.

He can use these days to forget the Cook, to force his heart to give up on him.

He spends the whole day at the crow’s nest, meditating.

Day twenty-one

In a bar, he finds not Joy, but this man that looks a lot like the Cook. The same eyes and almost the same face and he seems interested, so.

He kisses him and he feels wrong. Zoro tastes booze, but not cigarettes. His fingers are calloused and ill kept. His legs are weak.

“No.” Zoro says suddenly. Steps away from the man and leaves.

Day twenty-two

Franky and Usopp are doing something for the Cook. Robin and the Witch comment this to him as they eat on the aquarium, both looking a little bit angry at the Cook.

Weird.

“What is it?”

“I don’t know.” Robin says. “They were excited, however. Could not even go to sleep.”

“Yeah.” The Witch nods and she looks particularly resentful at that. “Assholes.”

“How do you know they didn’t go to bed?”

“Just eat your oatmeal, dear.” They both say at once. And, well, he does.

Day twenty-three

“Have you seen him today?”

Law looks up from his book to stare at Zoro. “What?”

“The Cook. Have you seen him today?”

“No.” Law says slowly and stares at his book for a moment before he closes it, securing the page he was one with a withered leaf. Zoro wonders where did he get it or from who.

(can’t be the Cook, that is for sure)

“We should talk.”

“We are.” Zoro tries and smirks as Law rolls his eyes.

“Funny. Look, I’m not—”

“TORAO, THE BIRD IS HERE!” Luffy screeches from the deck.

Law gets up so fast that Zoro is pretty sure he forgot his shadow in his haste.

Day twenty-four

The first nakama Zoro sees when he wakes up and leaves the crow’s nest are Franky and Usopp. They seem tired, but are restless as they talk about whatever they build to Sanji. When they see him, they exchange giddy — yes, giddy — looks and try to look as if they didn’t know something Zoro doesn’t.

They fail.

“What.”

“Nothing! You’re just in for a SUPER SURPRISE!” Franky screams and then starts to cry a little. “Love is beautiful, bro!”

Usopp just shrugs, but he is smiling, and Zoro narrows his eyes at him. He gulps. “Nothing! Nothing bad is going to happen! You’re just— You’ll see.”

“I don’t like where this is going.”

“We wouldn’t need to do this if you weren’t an idiot.”

“What?”

“Eep!”

.

The Cook is still cooking and Zoro knows what that means. It means tons of food, great food, food he made thinking of the others when the point of this whole island tradition is to spend time together.

Or so he was told.

At least he’s not the only one who didn’t like all this. Luffy seems moodier and because of that Law is too unsettled. He stops asking for meat and just starts screaming for the Cook. “Sanji this and Sanji that”, silly things that he never really gets answers, before he annoys Law into doing something with him. Chopper asks Usopp and Franky every ten minutes if the Cook is alright. If he is eating, if he is sleeping, if he is tired. Usopp says he is fine, he is okay, but doesn’t disagree when the Witch mumbles that the Cook is working too hard. Franky tries to cheer them by saying how super the food is going and that the Cook will be seen after today.

Robin and Brook just offer to help the Cook in something and when they disappear too, it’s obvious they won the argument and are keeping an eye out for their shitty Cook.

Zoro waits.

Zoro waits and Zoro thinks and Zoro feels like he is losing a battle, because the Cook is there when he closes his eyes and when he opens and when he listens to the others or when he listens to himself. It’s overwhelming to have every sense filled with the Cook, even more now that he hasLaw, and yet it’s not enough.

He hasn’t seen the Cook in almost a week.

.

And when it’s near midnight and the Cook opens the door with a smile and tells them it’s ready, the smiles he receives are not because they are grateful he cooked to them, but because they missed him so much.

.

It’s glorious, delicious, perfect, as always. And the Cook eats and the Cook laughs and Zoro closes his eyes and thinks of the wooden ring (still) on his pocket and understands now why love is enough for some people to live.

Day twenty-five

Midnight comes with fireworks and Merry Christmas echoing in every household of the village, in every ship docked, and in Sunny. When they are satisfied with the food and with talking on deck, watching the stars and the fireworks, listening to songs sung by Brook and Franky — and Usopp and Luffy when they get shitfaced —, Robin remembers it’s the day to exchange gifts.

Usopp, Chopper, Luffy and even the Witch are not able to not open their presents, and they race to the aquarium the moment it is mentioned. Robin stares at Franky for a moment before he excuses himself and leaves, that demon woman following him, his shadow almost hiding her completely.

Zoro finally gets it. He stares at the two before his eyes fall on the Coo— on Sanji and he is suddenly not there either. Near Zoro, Law stares at the sky, as if expecting to see some bird carrying letters and gifts coming for them. He wonders if he is thinking of his nakama. He must miss them more than he lets on.

Brook, who was following some songs echoing through the village with his violin, stretches and mentions something about a cup of tea. “I’ll join you.” Zoro says even though he doesn’t drink tea, but Brook doesn’t comment on that, only nods.

They enter the kitchen, only to find it empty and Zoro tries his best not to look disappointed. He was better at schooling his emotions before, but this island and it’s stupid traditions have ruined this.

(or was it you?, his mind supplies and it sounds like Perona)

“You’re in the way.” Zoro jumps when he hears the voice near him and when he looks back, there is the— there is Sanji, holding something in his hand.

“Tch.” He answers and moves to let him enter the galley. His eyes follow Sanji’s back and when he turns, Zoro is forced to look away. That is when he notices Brook has slipped away and they are alone.

“Here.” Sanji says and extends a package for him.

Zoro knows that form.

“Did you find Joy?” He asks, surprised, but when he tears the thin material open, he stares at a bottle of something that doesn’t look like a strong drink.

“Nope. I think you got conned on that, Marimo.” Sanji says and Zoro can hear the smile in his voice. “This is something I promised, though.”

“You—?” And then it hits him. He looks at the drink and opens it. The smell of apples are very distinguished and his heart aches. He brings the bottle to his lips and tastes it, only to find it is as perfect as the pumpkin soup, or the tender, or the potatoes or anything he ate a few hours ago, in the company of their nakama.

“This is what you were making all these days?”

Sanji huffs a laughter. “Of course. It was hard, but Usopp and Franky are awesome like that. Don’t worry. There are more. I just wrapped it in as a symbolic gesture.”

“Thanks.”

Sanji shrugs, but he is smiling too much, his eye is sparkling with something warm. Zoro looks at the ceiling, sees the mistletoe — dried and dying — and remembers what Law said about the tradition surrounding this small plant. A kiss.

He stares at Sanji and how he doesn’t have a cigarette in his mouth. How he too stares at Zoro and—

Zoro drinks some more apple cider. Tries to drown that desire with something made by Sanji, by his hands and his mind and his knowledge, because it has to be enough.

Be enough, he asks all the gods he never believed in, knowing it won’t be answered.

Day twenty-six

Law is smiling. It’s weirdly unsettling and when Zoro asks Luffy about it, he just laughs and says he received some good news and hey, is Zoro gonna eat that? And of course Zoro is going to eat that, stop trying to steal his food.

Anyway, it makes Zoro wonder what could've be. It makes him wonder if Sanji would be able to make a man smile like that after a night —  after his voice lowers and he finds something else to occupy his mouth with —  and he shivers at the idea. Zoro also feels something akin to jealousy (real, poisonous jealousy) and decides it's time to cool his head off as he searches for something else that also seems impossible for him.

Joy.

Before he can leave by himself, however, Sanji decides to join him, saying he wants to buy some more potatoes. “You'll cook soon?” Zoro wonders, a little suspicious and Sanji scoffs.

“Of course I will! Not right now, but soon.”

“We have food to feed— " he stops his observation as he remembers Luffy and his will to eat the entire ship. “Right.”

“Yeah.” Sanji says and they soon fall into a comfortable silence.

As if.

Zoro's comfortable silence is for those he has finished a conversation, have sorted everything out with. With Sanji, there's always something else to be said when they are not fighting —  each other and strangers.

Now the silence is worse than poison because holds the promise of unfinished business and unrequited emotions.

“Why are you looking for it?” Sanji breaks it first. He never liked the quietness, being raised in a loud environment, stressful and dangerous. A kitchen of a former pirate doesn't sound as calm as a kendo dojo. “Joy, is it?”

Zoro shrugs “I want to taste it. And it keeps me busy.”

Sanji snorts. “And here I thought you liked laziness.”

“Not these days.” He confesses and his voice sounds too sincere, he bites the inside of his cheek when Sanji stares at him. “If I sleep too much, I freeze to death.” He explains.

Sanji laughs, and Zoro thinks of Law's smile.

Fuck.

“Are you happy?” He asks suddenly and Sanji tilts his head or at least seems to do by the corner of his eyes. Zoro keeps his head straight, eyes staring at where he is walking. In his head, he wishes for an enemy.

“What do you mean?” Sanji asks after a moment. His voice is hesitant and small.

“I hope you are. Law seems to be a nice man.” Zoro explains and flinches at the way he says Law. There is some bitterness in his tone. Some angry resignation.

Sanji stops walking. Zoro doesn’t.

.

“I don't understand.” Sanji confesses, holding a lit cigarette in one hand and an unlit one on the other. “Why is he still talking about Law?”

Usopp sighs at the same time Nami-swan does. If Sanji wasn’t so confused and distracted, he would wonder why those seem to be in symmetry with the other.

Luffy, who is a little bit of an idiot but knows his nakama enough to understand what is happening between them, only turns to Sanji and says: “Maybe he didn't understand Law has a boyfriend.”

“HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND.” A voice screeches from somewhere and Sanji, Usopp and Nami-swan jump. Luffy only giggles as he hears Franky screaming “STOP TALKING TO THE WALLS, BRO, IT'S SUPER WEIRD.”

“How did he hear that?” Nami-swan asks Usopp, voice low and he just shrugs.

“I guess this is part of Things We’ll Never Truly Know or Understand About This Wolrd.” Usopp says, shrugging. “Together if How Zoro Can Be So Blind.”

Sanji mutters something and then hugs Luffy who only pats his back and tells him about all the kinds of meat he wants to eat tomorrow. Now would be awesome, too.

Day twenty-seven

The Witch follows Zoro after breakfast to remember they are going to leave the island soon. “We left some orders to be collected after Christmas and Chopper is going to get them today. Go with him.” It’s not a request.

“I don't remember Luffy dying and you becoming the captain, Witch.”

“Luffy, Zoro doesn't want to go get meat!” She speaks louder and Zoro flinches.

“ZORO, GO GET MY MEAT, IT’S CAPTAIN’S ORDERS!”

The Witch’s smile is so pleasant that Zoro wants to drop her on the freezing ocean.

.

Turns out, there is a lot they ordered on this island during the month. Medicines and food, yes, but also ink, notebooks, paper, some instruments, wood... Things that would take Chopper a long time to collect and bring to the ship.

All the while, Chopper is talking about animal's different mating rituals that he has read in a book recently and Zoro just wants a distraction, really.

This is when he looks around and sees Franky and Robin on a date.

It's a date alright. Zoro knows that because Franky is wearing pants and Robin's hair is done in a different way. Her clothes seem nicer than usual, too.

“And then the morse stands on his mate's body and looks like he is actually standing on a dead body, but the books said it was still alive, even with all the blood and— ROBIN! I got the books you ordered from the bookstore! Do you want them now?” Chopper screams and runs to her before Zoro can stop him. She turns to look at him and though her smile is kind, her eyes show she is surprised. Franky chokes on his coffee the moment Chopper comments he has pants on. “ARE YOU OKAY? SOMEONE CALL A DOCTOR!”

“You're the doctor.” Zoro comments casually.

“IT’S TRUE! HANG ON, FRANKY, I’LL COLLECT SOME BLOOD!”

“There is no need for that, Doctor-san.” Robin says and pats one of Franky’s arms. They cling a little, being metal and all and Franky gives them a weak smile. “Yeah. I’m super! Just... Choked on my drink.”

“And you don't even have blood, right?” Zoro says, but then he gets genuinely curious. “You don't, right?”

They all stare at Franky, and Chopper slowly takes a syringe from his pocket, eyes shining.

.

Later that day, when Franky is avoiding Chopper and Chopper is looking for Franky, Law in tow because he too never wondered about this, Robin sits near Zoro on the Crow's nest and asks: “When did you learn you liked Cook-san?”

“Uh…”

“It can't be this month.” She goes on and maybe this is revenge for earlier. “I have the impression you already knew, just didn't realize the depth.”

“Thriller's bark.” He answers.

“Oh.” She says. For a moment Zoro wonders she will ask the context, but she doesn't. He narrows his eyes and wonders if she already knows.

This woman.

“What about you? When did you realize you liked Franky?”

She turns to smile at him. Her eyes are cold. “I have no idea what you are talking about, Swordsman-san.”

The Crow's nest temperature drops three degrees and Zoro fears.

This woman.

Day twenty-eight

“Let’s fight.” Sanji says and Zoro stares at him. They were on deck, cleaning out the snow that has poured during the night.

“What?”

“I said—” And suddenly he is just there, feet against an unsheathed Kitetsu. “—Let’s fight!”

Sanji throws another kick, right at Zoro’s stomach and he skids through the deck, wet and slippery because of the ice. Zoro grits his teeth as he charges towards the Cook (Sanji, but he is never Sanji when they are fighting, is he? Sanji cooks and Sanji smiles and Sanji shines during the day and even during the night. In a fight, he is all Cook, dangerous feet and dangerous hands, even if he doesn’t use them — have you seen he using a knife? He would be just as dangerous with a sword, if he wasn’t so afraid — and this glint on his eyes that promise death and blood), unsheathes Kitetsu and watches him dodge easily, as if he was dancing instead of fighting.

It makes Zoro angrier somehow. Angry because he doesn’t seem to take Zoro seriously and angry that he lost him to Law, Law, who isn’t even nakama. I should have been faster, he think. And stronger. And kissed him instead of telling Law to do it.

When the Cook starts to hit again, Zoro slips and suddenly his back is against the main mast and the Cook is just there, ankle pressuring Kitetsu. Their faces are so close that Zoro can taste the cigarette on the Cook’s breath. Something falls near them and Zoro glances down — something dangerous, yes, but.

Mistletoe.

It’s tradition, Law voice tells him inside his head. He sounds as if he is smirking at Zoro.

Zoro kisses the Cook.

Kisses him like he is going to bite him, angry and bitter, and the Cook — Sanji — is so surprised he slips and falls.

They stare at each other for what feels like hours instead of seconds.

And then Zoro leaves.

Day twenty-nine

He doesn’t go back to the ship until it’s morning of the next day. He wanders around the village, still annoyingly cheerful, and drinks on bars and gets into fights. Zoro expects the anger to simmer down, but it doesn’t. It just keeps coming and coming, like lava coming out of a volcano in eruption. He wishes it had happened before, not when they are ready to leave and stay in close proximity — Zoro, Sanji and Law — for gods know how long.

Still, there is nothing he can do and they can’t afford to waste more days around here, so—

So he comes back when the sun is rising.

The first person he sees is Law.

“Not now.” Zoro grunts as he passes the man.

“When, then?” Law asks and he sounds almost sarcastic. “When? Because we need to talk, Zoro-ya.”

“Not. Now.” Zoro warns.

“You’re mistaken.” Law says and Zoro turns his body to stare at him.

“Just—” Zoro sighs. “Just make him happy. Don’t ruin him.”

Law tilts his head, smirking as if he is delighted with something. “You really are mistaken, Zoro-ya.” Zoro opens his mouth to snap at this smug motherfucker when Law just continues. “There is nothing between Cook-ya and me.”

A pause.

“What?”

“I have no intentions or feelings for him. And he feels nothing for me either.”

“You kissed—”

“—Because you didn’t. I thought you would do something then, not— Not plan our wedding, but alas.”

Zoro narrows his eyes, angrier now. And not even he knew he could be this angry at someone he trusted. Kind of. A little bit. Enough to fight alongside him. “You didn’t tell me.”

Law laughs. He just throws his head back and laughs as if it was the funniest joke he had ever heard.

Probably was.

He leaves again and heads to a bar.

Day thirty

To say that he always wanted to spend two days just drinking and brooding over Sanji is a far stretch, but life is surprising like that. At least he hasn’t started complaining to anyone who sits next to him. Not like the man sitting next to him that is complaining something about—

About Joy.

“What?” Zoro says suddenly and turns to see the man who is drinking because the Joy of Christmas is gone. “It’s gone?”

“Sure is.” The man says and sniffs a little. “It’s gone now.”

Zoro curses and the man nods and drinks some more.

“I spend the whole month looking for it.” And all I found was a headache. And heartache.

“That’s the thing about Joy. You may look for it, but it only comes when you stop searching.”

“Yeah— What?”

“Joy is a state of mind, my lady always said to me.”

“It isn’t a drink?”

The man bursts out laughing.

.

“Let me tell you this, young— What’s your name?” His voice is slurred and he points out not to Zoro, but to the space next to him. Zoro only directs his finger in the right direction.

“Zoro”

“Let me tell you this, young Zoro. You think you can find joy at the bottom of a bottle, but you can’t. You can’t. Joy is a state of mind. Is when your more than happy, more than— More than—”

“Happy?”

“Yes. Your happy and then your joyful and your thankful and your—” He drinks some more. “You can’t find it at the bottom of a bottle.”

“You’re doing this right now.”

“I’M MOURNING IT.” He says and slams his glass of sake on the table. “Joy is easy to find in Christmas because everyone is happy and cheerful and there are lights and children and—”

“And joy.”

“Yes! Now go find yours!”

“I—”

“GO FIND IT WHILE YOUR STILL YOUNG!”

Zoro just goes. This isn’t the only bar at the village anyway.

Day thirty-one

On his way back to the Sunny, a little drunk and less confused, Zoro finds some people putting some decorations. "More celebration?" He asks, half curious and half amazing. How many things do they celebrate?

“It's New Year's Eve!” One of the women say. “Don't you celebrate the beginning of a new year?”

“No. There is no point celebrating something like that.”

“Well, here we celebrate. We have gatherings and we kiss at midnight for good luck.”

Zoro snorts. “Mistletoe?”

“Oh no. That is just for fun.” The woman laughs. “We kiss our loved ones on New Year's Eve.” She sighs dreamily. “I kiss my wife every time one year ends and the other begins so we can have a good year together and make all our dreams come true.”

“Does it work?” He asks.

“That depends on what you're aiming for.” She says and their eyes meet. She smiles knowingly.

.

He reaches the Sunny and is greeted by everyone.

Well, not everyone.

Sanji is nowhere to be seen and the Witch and Usopp ignore him and, yeah, he guesses he deserves that. “You look terrible, Swordsman-san.” Robin says instead of hello. “You should sleep a little.”

Zoro came back wanting to talk to Sanji and sort things out, but, yeah, sleep sounds great too.

.

He wakes up and it's night already. He looks out of the Crow's nest and sees darkness.

(we kiss our loved ones on New Year's Eve)

Zoro runs. He barely knows how he left the Crow's nest so fast but he runs towards the deck and runs and runs and—

“What the hell!” Sanji screams as Zoro barges in the kitchen. He opens his mouth to scream again but is muffled by Zoro's mouth on his.

He doesn't let go this time. Zoro wraps his arm around Sanji's hips and holds him there. Slips his tongue inside Sanji's mouth and that seems to wake the Cook up because his hands wrap around his neck. All the places his fingers touch becomes warm, hot even and something in Zoro spreads as he finds himself unable to hold back a smile. He has been an idiot all this time, the way Sanji kisses him keep telling him this, but it’s ok. They have time now. They have this now. And they will have this tomorrow and the other day and for the next year and beyond.

Oh, that's it, isn't it?

Joy.

“Bastard.” Sanji mutters against his mouth and breaks the kiss. “I should kick you right now.”

“I know.”

“You just bring me headaches.”

“I do.”

“I love you.” Sanji whispers and before Zoro can say it back, he kisses him. “Go take a shower, you smell of death.”

“You don’t seem to mind.”

“I do, very much.”

“Come with me.”

Sanji kisses him again. Moans against his lips and Zoro brushes his hard-on against his. “I have to cook.” He remembers.

“And here I thought it was past midnight.”

“What? No, it’s seven— Oh, the kissing thing.”

“Yeah. I thought I had lost my chance.”

Sanji steps away, cheeks red and eyes malicious. This man. “Don’t worry, if you did, I’m pretty sure Law would kindly step in.”

“You little shit—” And Zoro brings him close again.

.

In the end, Zoro manages to have Sanji take a shower with him. A long one. And when midnight arrived, they decided they could move past kissing and onto more meaningful, hotter ways to celebrate the New Year.

Law and Luffy stare at the Crow’s nest. “Shishishi, finally!”

“I’m never setting foot there again.” Law complains.

“Did Kid write back?” Luffy asks suddenly.

“Yeah. He’s going after Kaido.”

“Shishishi so we’re gonna rescue him after defeating Doflamingo?”

Law huffs. “Probably.”

Day one

“You are leaving already?” The same man who greeted them when they docked on this island asks, curious. “Most people tend to stay longer.”

“We have places to be!” Luffy says, expression serious and unwavering. “Boyfriend’s to save—”

“‘HE’S NOT MY BOYFRIEND.” Law screeches.

“— And people to defeat!”

“Alright.” The old man says. “I understand. Well, but first, take this.” He extends a box of wine bottles to them. Luffy takes it, nodding, and passes to Zoro, who runs one of the bottles to read the label.

It reads Joy.

“For good luck!” The man says at the same time Zoro screeches: “SO IT WAS A DRINK AFTER ALL?!”

“Why, yes.”

“I looked everywhere.” Zoro explains. All his nakama nod, even Robin and Chopper. “We looked everywhere.”

“The only person who produces and sells is Nancy. Her grandmother, Joyce, was the one who created this drink.” He explains, smiling. “You know, the woman with a big bosom that has a bar downtown.”

There is silence on the Sunny.

And then.

“IT IS ALL YOUR FAULT, YOU SHITTY COOK!”

“MY FAULT? HOW IS IT MY FAULT?”

“YOU HAD NOSEBLEEDS AFTER SHE ANSWERED MY QUESTION!”

Nami sighs as Sanji kicks Zoro and he defends the attack with Shusui. “It’s good that things are back to normal.”

“Yeah.” Usopp says. “‘Normal’”.

A/N.: So I decided to join the advent calendar even if I didn't know what to write. I chose day 7 because it's my sister's birthday and felt symbolic (she doesn't read OP, jokes on her).

I kept thinking of what to write and all that, but nothing would come. No idea, no nothing.Until three days ago this came and I obviously lost control, but there it is.For those who are wondering what song is Brook is playing all the fucking time, click here.Anyway, I hope you guys like it and Merry Christmas <3

No, I didn’t forget the rings. Zoro did, tho. 

[tokyotheglaive]

For the writing prompts: chocolate, kipper and Nico

List of prompts

Ask me things

Who are Kipper and Nico? @bpdcecilpalmer @backwardscompatibility

When Nicholas returned from his brief outing, his head felt clearer, but he couldn’t entirely quash the guilt that came with it. He’d needed the walk, the fresh air--the time alone. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d gone out by himself. Lately, Kipper had been with him at all hours, and while Nicholas loved him--and he did, that was the frightening thing, for so many reasons--every time Nicholas saw Kipper, he remembered: the lab, Chris, those stop-motion few weeks in which Nicholas had pieced together the terrible, immutable truth of everything that had happened in his absence.

It was driving him mad. Nicholas wanted to hold Kipper close and punch Chris and scream and cry all at the same time, and he’d been able to do none of it.

A walk had helped, but the memory of Kipper’s face when he said, “No, I’m going by myself,” remained, reminding him of this latest sin.

Nicholas trudged up the stairs. It was agony, he thought, loving something so much better than he. Kipper’s idea of the world, while not strictly naïve, was simpler, cleaner. Nicholas got bogged down in the murky grey areas, and now it was catching up to him.

Feeling contrite, foolish, and old by turns, Nicholas made his way to their shared living space. He could hear clatter from the kitchen; Linus’ door was closed, suggesting that he’d shut himself in yet again. Nicholas understood the desire all too well.

When he poked his head into the kitchen, his heart stopped.

There was Matt, standing at the stove in a pink apron Kipper had picked out on a trip to a kitchen supply store about a week and a half ago. It had an enormous cupcake on the front, and the saleswoman had looked at them all rather strangely as she rang up the purchase. Matt had worn it diligently, as had Kipper, on his few attempts in the kitchen.

Beside Matt stood Kipper, peering at a pot on the stove as if it held all of the answers to the universe at large. When he heard footsteps, he spun, his eyes refocusing quickly.

“Nico!” he called, a little too loud. He bounded across the kitchen to give Nicholas a hug, one he reciprocated immediately. Kipper’s hurt at being left behind had, apparently, been forgotten. Nicholas could unpack that later; for now, Kipper had grasped his hand--lightly, Nicholas noted, and with better control than he’d exhibited previously--and pulled him to the stove.

“Look!” he said, “Matt’s making Hot Chocolate!”

“Oh?” Nicholas asked.

Kipper nodded, eyes shining. He glanced back to the pot, which had just begun to steam. Tiny bubbles rose from the hot chocolate, but it hadn’t yet come to a full boil.

“Almost done,” Matt said, eyes on the pan. “I made enough for three.”

“Three?” Nicholas asked, feeling stupid as soon as he said so much.

Matt smiled. “Linus isn’t a fan,” he said.

Kipper frowned. “He doesn’t like chocolate?” he asked.

“He likes chocolate plenty,” Matt replied. “He’s just not a fan of hot chocolate.”

“So he likes chocolate ice cream?” Kipper asked. Nicholas could almost see the synthetics working in his head, going through each and every possibility that could encourage Linus to eat with them.

“You’d have to ask him,” Matt said amicably. Nicholas knew, as Matt did, that Kipper wouldn’t go asking questions now, not when the hot chocolate was almost done. That bullet could be dodged for a little while longer.

Nicholas found three mugs and set them on the counter beside the stove. They didn’t match, but there was something oddly beautiful about the mismatch. Kipper had picked his out; it had been a little pricey, with hand-painted birds on the outside of it and a flower motif in the bottom. It needed to be washed by hand, something that Kipper insisted on doing every time it was used, washing the mug with incredible care. Once, Nicholas had heard him talking to the birds. He’d named each one of them, and even though they weren’t mechanical, had had the idea that they were real in their own right.

“There,” Matt said. He turned off the heat and gave the hot chocolate one last stir, then poured some into each of the three mugs.

Kipper snatched his off of the counter, nearly spilling it in his haste to grab it.

“Careful,” Nicholas warned. “It’s very hot.”

Kipper pulled a face, but he blew across the surface of the hot chocolate anyway. Matt smiled at the both of them.

“I’m going to see if Linus wants any,” he said smoothly.

“And ask him if he likes chocolate ice cream?” Kipper asked.

“Of course,” Matt said. Nicholas smiled at Kipper.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s drink our chocolate before it gets too cold.”

They sat in Nicholas’ bedroom--their shared bedroom, really. Kipper sat next to Nicholas, pressed against him from shoulder to knee, and sipped at his hot chocolate.

“Nico?” he asked. “Where did you go today?”

The question was small, but Nicholas could tell it meant more to Kipper than he let on. Nicholas allowed his mug to warm his hands as he considered how best to answer.

“I walked down to the park where I found you,” Nicholas said. “I made a few turns, then came back.”

When Kipper spoke again, his voice was even softer: “Did I do something Bad?”

“Why would you think that?” Nicholas asked, already knowing the answer. It was a habit he couldn’t shake, though he desperately wanted to. Never ask a question if you don’t know the answer, Chris had told him once, hands on his hips as he tossed a wrench across the floor. Nicholas couldn’t remember why they’d had the conversation at all, only that more things had been thrown than just the wrench, and Nicholas himself had been shouting. That’s basic lawyer shit. Aren’t you supposed to be smart?

“Because you said I couldn’t come,” Kipper said, kicking his feet back and forth. “You said you needed Space, and I looked it up and people say that when they’re angry and they want to get away from someone, and I wanted to know if I’d done something wrong because I’m sorry and I missed you and I--” Kipper choked on air. “I don’t know what I did.”

Nicholas brought one hand to Kipper’s back to rub what he hoped would be reassuring circles. Kipper leaned heavily against him and lifted the hot chocolate to his lips.

“I needed some space,” Nicholas confirmed, “because I’ve had a lot to think about.”

“Like what?”

Nicholas wanted to punch himself in the face, but he said, “You know how there are some things you don’t like to think about?” Kipper fidgeted but otherwise didn’t respond. Nicholas took that as a sign to continue. “I have those, too, but I’m not good at not thinking about them. Sometimes, I need to be by myself to clear my head.”

“Like emptying your memory?” Kipper asked.

“Sort of,” Nicholas responded. “I don’t forget, but I can come to terms with things easier. It’s a way I relax.” Or used to, Nicholas thought, suddenly sour.

Kipper was silent for a long moment, and Nicholas let himself think that was the end of it. They drank their hot chocolate to the dregs, and Nicholas was about to propose a new line of conversation when Kipper spoke.

“If I’m quiet and promise not to squeeze your hand too tightly,” Kipper said slowly, “can I come Clear My Head next time, too?”

“Kipper?”

Kipper stroked one of the birds on his mug--a robin, Nicholas saw. Kipper had gone through a period where he’d looked up everything he could about the American Robin. He still hummed Rockin’ Robin from time to time when the song got stuck in his head.

“Please?” Kipper asked, not elaborating any further.

Nicholas couldn’t resist that look. “Of course,” he said. “I’d be honored.”

[nightmareduringxmas]

[ONE PIECE] IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO [2/2]

Pairings: Zoro/Sanji, Kid/Law and a hint of Kid/Sanji Characters: Eustass Kid, Trafalgar D. Water Law, (Vinsmoke) Sanji, Roronoa Zoro. Also mentioned: Nami, Nico Robin and Luffy. Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me. Warnings: Title comes from the song “Jealous girl”, by Lana Del Rey. This is an unrevised work, so I’m sorry for my mistakes. Summary: Kid and Sanji flirt, Zoro and Sanji kiss and Law's not jealous and not drunk, you guys.

Also on: AO3

Sanji is angry. Was angry? Is angry still, but not right now, he means.

Point: Zoro is an idiot and they have been only screaming and not screwing like they did in the past — two years ago, when they were too young and too weak and Ace was still alive — and, well, this withdraw makes Sanji angrier. He misses Zoro, misses his idiotic voice, his warm eyes, the face he did when he came inside Sanji, the face he did when Sanji came inside him… But between Zoro and he there is so much pride they hardly talk these days.

Or have sex.

So nobody can blame him that, when Sanji catches Eustass Kid staring at him during a party between the three crews — the Mugiwaras, the Kid pirates and the heart pirates —, he winks at the man, curious and bored. And now here he is, openly flirting with the man. And he is big — bigger than he thought he was before he met him halfway, drink in hand and smile on his face. Eustass Kid is almost a giant and he crowds Sanji in such a good way when he leans in to tell him how good Sanji would look spread open for him in a bed (or nearest surface, it is implied).

Sanji agrees. “I'd look amazing.” He purrs and the man laughs, throws his head back and laughs like Sanji sometimes does, like Zoro never does (unless it’s Luffy and he’s not jealous, just… Bitter). It's weird and it's good because he doesn't know what to say to him, doesn't know what is to flirt without fighting, but Kid doesn't seem to mind his fire, his tongue. He doesn’t misinterpret his comments and doesn’t get into a battle instance when things get too personal and not very sexy.

He kinda likes the attention, if he is sincere. The way Kid looks at him, like he wants to take him apart and make Sanji beg for more. It's the same look Zoro used to look at him after a fight between the two, aroused and dangerous and—

Sanji glances at Zoro. He is drinking more than usual, frowning angrily at nothing, trying his best to look as if he wasn’t watching Sanji. Is he jealous?, he thinks.

“He’s jealous.” Kid says and Sanji jumps. He wonders if he said that out loud, but then he notices Kid isn't looking at Zoro, but at—

“Oh.”

Kid turns to look at Sanji. His smile is borderline psychotic. Not very sexy; entirely scary. The kind of look someone like Law would enjoy in bed, he is sure. “Ex-boyfriend?” Sanji asks.

“Hah.” It's his answer and it's good enough, Sanji figures. It would be the same thing he would say if someone asked the same thing about Zoro and him.

“Do you want him now?” Sanji wonders, cocks his head to one side, smiling seductively. He leans on the table they are close to and opens his leg a little bit. Eustass Kid licks his lips, back on focusing solely on him.

“If you try hard enough, I might want you.” He answers truthfully and Sanji laughs this time. The challenge is set. His eyes catch Zoro staring openly at them and he looks like he wants to say something, but doesn’t know exactly what. Sanji winks at him and Zoro blushes and ducks his head, bottle already close to his mouth.

Kid snorts near him. He got close, closer than Sanji expected and they are almost kissing. Their noses brush and Sanji starts to close his eyes and—

“SANJI, STOP MAKING OUT AND GIVE ME MORE MEAT!” Luffy screams and they both jump, stepping away from each other. Well, Kid does; Sanji almost slips from the table and falls on the floor.

Sanji sighs and scratches his head. “I’ll be right back.” He says to Kid as he steps away. Kid doesn’t nod but grumbles something that Sanji totally agrees with. He slowly walks away and when he stops by the galley's door to see how Kid is doing, if he is staring at him, he notices Law is in his place, face angry and body open and he smiles at that.

.

“I didn't know he was your type.” Zoro says and Sanji jumps a little, not expecting to see him inside the galley. He is leaning against the sink, drinking a new bottle of sake, when Sanji comes out of the pantry with rice in hand. The meat is cooking inside the oven, unbothered by sneaky rubber captains.

“Who? Kid? He’s everyone’s type.” Zoro makes a face. “Well, almost everyone’s”. My type, he means. Zoro understands that.

“People these days got no taste.” Zoro says, a jab at him and it works, but Sanji doesn’t let him see that. In fact, he only snorts and comments: “Tell that to Law.”

“I will.” Zoro says, defiantly.

“Good. He’s outside making out with Kid.” Probably.

Zoro looks surprised at that. “What?” Sanji asks and he smiles. “He’s not the only guy that’s my type on this ship.”

The shitty swordsman, as usual, takes some time to understand that. When he does, however, he blushes a little. He mumbles something Sanji doesn't quite get and when Sanji opens his mouth to ask what he is saying, Zoro says, face showing how uncomfortable he is: “So, uh. Do you come here often?”

Sanji doesn’t even try to muffle the laughter that comes out of his mouth. Zoro blushes harder. “What? I’m trying!”

He hides his eyes with one hand and thinks of telling Zoro he doesn’t have to try, that he can get Sanji on his knees with just a glance, but that would be counterproductive. So Sanji leans in and kisses Zoro on the lips, just a peck. “You have got to train more. No one will get seduced if you keep like this.”

“Why? I’m not gonna flirt with anyone else.”

The silence that fills the galley is enough to absorb all the music and chatter from outside, to Sanji at least. Something inside him breaks at the same time it heals as Zoro looks at him like that. Everything will be alright, he knows that. The rage he has been feeling these days melts away and he smiles brightly as he kisses Zoro again, open mouth and open heart and the tongue that invades him make his toes curl.

“SANJI! MEAT!” Luffy screams again.

Sanji says “I’m going to kill him”, grinding his teeth, at the same time Zoro yells: “I’M TRYING TO FLIRT HERE!”

When they go outside, Sanji holding in one hand meat and on the other Zoro’s hand, there is a king size bed where both Law and Kid stood. Nami and Robin are sitting on it and chatting.

“He was drunk, huh.” Sanji says.

“Totally.” Zoro answers, rather impressed.

Zoro doesn't know how to flirt, pass it on.