💫🫧⋆✴︎｡⋆ Atomo ⋆✴︎˚🫧💫

Issa was an island off the coast of Sabaody, a lush green jungle that was constantly prowling with large worgs with teeth stronger than obsidian and vipers that gave the one in Skypiea a run for its money. Parts of the deep jungle had its soil cracked due to the force of the large vipers massive bodies sliding across the undergrowth. Issa was an island that many avoided not only due to its vicious wildlife, but also because of its shores. Beaches that were covered in old shipwrecks of pirates and marines that had taken their chances against its inhabitants and failed. But to the monstar pirates? This was a damn buffet of free food, honestly what's better in life on these seas than free food and a damn good fight?

"First one to drag more than three boars back to the ship gets seconds set aside for them" Echdina states as she readies her cleavers, cracking her shoulders and back after being stuck on the boat for a good few weeks as they sailed towards Sabaody Archipelago. They hadn't had a good fight in ages. So they' settle for this place, even if it was only some beasts and not the marines like Baz preferred to pick the flesh from.

"Hah, i bet that i can get more than you" Baz grins as they get their blades ready, his tail twitches with anticipation as he begins to lick the old blood from the dagger.

Echidna bares her fangs as she starts to slither off into the eastern parts of the island in order to start hunting. Her gauntlets edges have already been sharpened with the help of Doctor Mallard in order to help her hunt more efficiently. There was only so much that crushing the life out of prey with her tail and sinking her fangs into them could do before it got old.

Baz immediately darts off to the west of the island, there was no point in trying to follow Echdina in order to steal kills, that was a battle that Baz had tried and severely failed to do before, back when they had first recruited her.

The sunlight barely manages to crack through the leaves of the thick trees that never seem to end almost makes Baz's tail glow, the golden prosthetic glinting and causing most beasts to do a double take, but that was just enough time for Baz to leap and take advantage of their brief disorientation. They quickly sink their teeth into the large worgs neck before jabbing their blades into its hide and drags them down, splitting open its side. Baz drags his new kill by an old shelter, making sure to place leaves over it, he sticks one of his blades beside it. Echidina or Goose would find it later and drag it back to the ship...probably.

One down, twelve to go, was twelve too overzealous?… Nahhhhh, surely Echidna couldn't get twelve and he was the captain! He had to atleast outdo his crew!

And then Baz's nose twitches as he picks up a scent, some of the stray feathers on his body puffing up slightly as instinct takes over.

That smell.

It's not something that Baz has ever smelt before, it was doughy obviously, something was grilling and there was the heavy scent of butter in the air. And well, his crew had obviously been foolish enough not to set a time limit on the hunt, it could be all day knowing them… well, they'd probably stay here until the ecosystem was nearly exhausted and then leave it so it had time to repair. They were ravenous but they weren't stupid, if you completely exhausted an ecosystem then it couldn't repair itself and they'd lose a good island with a massive food source.

There.

In the clearing, there was a small stand that had multiple plates on the side. There were four grills that were currently sizzling with butter and a half ruined takoyaki sign that read 'Takoyaki 8'. It was clearly the beginning of something. There was a small group of catfish fishmen that were all eating out of the boxes, whilst a few others were dragging some wood and old nails from shipwrecks towards the shore. They seemed to be taking it in turns in order to build whilst others ate and then vice versa.

And there he was, Hatchan, an octopus Fishman that had a massive grin on his face as he whisks up batter whilst simultaneously sprinkling the colossal octopus chunks and sliced green onion and ginger into the batter. The takoyaki pans were sizzling as the doughy goodness starts to turn golden brown. Hatchan fills another plate once more and places it on the side, before he moves his head to give a quick glance at the ocean to check for marine ships on the horizon. He'd had a damn close call at Sabaody and he had been making sure that he, Pappag and Camie hadn't been followed from that damn auction house.

And then his gaze catches Baz as he locks eyes with them. Onyx eyes meeting shining gold irises.

And well, Hatchi does feel some fear with the fact that Baz is in the tree line and his horns are glowing pure gold, they look like a charging bull. But when they step out? They are actually...cute to him. Hatchan smiles awkwardly as he keeps making the takoyaki.

"Nyuuu~ are you hungry? I have some spare dough so i can make you another batch?"

Oh…

Oh Baz is so screwed, this guy was offering to make them food. Food that looks so good, [not that Echidna's isn't, she'd kill them if he ever said that and he did NOT want to be on the receiving end of those gauntlets or that tail],

Okay, Baz, don't reply so quickly, that may show desperat-

"Yes…The entire tray"

Damnit.

Hatchan's cheeks flush slightly but he grins as he starts to work on making another batch. Baz slinks over and their tail twitches as they sit on the makeshift log that had been washed up, watching the takoyaki sizzle intently as they rest their claws on the wood, anticipation glinting in their eyes as he restrains himself from eating the dough raw immediatley.

"Hey! Don't worry, Hatchi's takoyaki is the best in the Grand Line!!" Camie grins as she moves around in the water, dragging the planks of wood to the small structure that is in the process of being created in the ocean. Rope is being pulled by the other catfish in order to secure the sails that have been made out of damp cloth and Pappag is complaining as he tries to haul the paint bucket up in order to finish painting the 'takoyaki 8' symbol on the cloth sail.

"Camie!" Hatchi protests, embarrassed at the compliments to his cooking. He knows hes good and his dream is to make the best Takoyaki stand in the world.

"Names Baz" Baz grins as they put their hand out, only for Hatchi to instinctively put one of his free hands out to clasp it in greeting.

"Hatchan, but my friends call me Hatchi!"

And then Hatchi looks down as he sees that he's gotten batter all over Baz's hand and he starts to grab a cloth in order to clean it.

"ah, I'm sorr-"

Only for Baz to fully put his own hand in their mouth and lick the batter off themselves. Their blue tongue flicking at the corner of their lips as their grin widens, sharp teeth fully showing off.

And well, Hatchi feels butterflies.

~☆~

The bar is quiet and maybe Baz has had a bit too much to drink, their tailing coiling slightly around Hatchan's leg as they both sit and watch the seas.

The Takoyaki 8 has been thriving and the Monstar pirates of course come and eat Hatchi's entire stock. The man is just happy that people love his cooking, and that a certain monstar pirates captain seems to like his company even more than his food.

"Night sky's pretty" Baz murmurs, eyes slightly glassy from the alcohol, slowly across the night he had ended up at Hatchi's side, leaning against him and they can feel those strong arms settle around his side.

"Nyuuu~" Hatchi hums in agreement, before looking down at Baz and smiling nervously as he says, "Not as nice to look at as you"

Baz's remaining feathers puff up slightly and their ears pin back. And Hatchi thinks maybe he might not have gotten the signals right until Baz leans more into his side, head tilting to fit under Hatchans chin.

"...I know other dishes, I used to be really good at making Banana bread when I was younger." Hatchi speaks up after a few minutes, "The bananas used to be in surplus. Had to do something with them as they were all that was there. Do you...wanna bake it sometime?"

"...I'd love to" Baz murmurs back softly, returning his gaze back to the ocean as they both sat on the floating restaurant. Side by side, in eachothers arms.

The hunger that gnawed at Baz, finally satiated for once ♡

2026 by Spark-Canon-Spark. Any and all works cannot be used, edited or republished without the creators permission!