__echo__

If you lighten a Black character's skin I am Going to Get You.

If you straighten a Black character's hair I am Going to Get You.

If you make a Black character's lips or nose smaller I am Going to Get You.

If you are attempting to draw a Black character but are too afraid of their Blackness to draw them accurately, then you have two options:

A) Stop drawing Black characters if you have no interest in putting effort into portraying them.

B) Stop being afraid of portraying Blackness.

(B is the only option btw, not being racist is mandatory)

Originally posted to Bsky 💙

———

Sanji comes out as bi to his friends days before they go to an annual Pride event and he’s feeling brave enough to brandish his flag colors for the first time.

He knows Zoro’s gay and usually shows up to these things, typically in his usual simple attire with only a small gay pride pin on his shirt to signify any sort of celebration. The man likely doesn’t see the need to go all out he supposes.

But Sanji’s a little nervous… Zoro’s the only one who didn’t say a thing in the group chat while everyone expressed their excitement and happiness over his self-acceptance.

He was expecting a bit of teasing from the brute, but silence is somehow worse.

It’s days later now, the day of the event. He’s getting ready, all decked out in pink, purple, and blue — the colors beautifully dusting his eyelids — when he looks at himself fully in the mirror, and the anxiety sets in.

He knows it should be a safe space but the reality of more people, people he doesn’t trust, knowing the truth is terrifying.

Now he’s thinking he should hold it off, dress up like he usually does and wait for next year when he’s more ready...

He quickly changes the cute shirt he was planning to wear, a soft pink button up covered in bi pride hearts, to a simple baby blue top. He sighs.

He steps into his bathroom to wash off the makeup. The anxiety turns to sadness at the thought he’ll be cleaning off something he’d been so proud of just minutes before.

He pumps a bit of makeup remover into his hand when an abrupt pounding sounds at his door, causing him to spill the remover across the sink and countertop.

Pissed, he quickly rinses his hand, and rushes to his apartment door, swinging it open.

“Who the hell-!” He comes to a full stop when he sees Zoro standing there, shocked at what he’s seeing.

Zoro shoves past him to make his way into the apartment, a large gay pride flag fluttering behind him like a cape.

He stops in the middle of the room and turns to look at Sanji, crossing his arms.

Sanji’s anger abates as he takes Zoro in.

The musclehead’s dressed head to toe in gaudy gay pride wear; a bright colored tee that’s a little too small, a pair of equally as bright shorts, high tops with the pride colors roughly painted on, the large pride flag adorning his back, a flashy bandana that covers his moss.

He even has a bit of glitter dusting his cheeks. His eyelashes look like they’ve been done too.

Sanji just stands there in shock, “What’re you-“

“Where’s the dumb shirt you’re gonna wear?”

Sanji scoffs, “Wha- I wasn’t-!“

“I know you, cook. Go put the damn shirt on and let’s go,” Zoro grunts at him, avoiding direct eye contact.

Suddenly, it dawns on him why Zoro’s dressed this way. Sanji can’t help but smile.

“Were you worried about me, marimo?” He says teasingly.

Zoro’s arms tighten across his chest, still avoiding Sanji’s eye. He swears he sees Zoro’s cheeks flush.

“Of course not… Now hurry up and change before I leave your ass,” He might be pouting.

Sanji hums, walking past the blushing man to his bedroom, making sure to run a hand through the long cape along the way.

“Cute cape,” Sanji teases.

Zoro doesn’t say a word, his ruddy cheeks deepening.

Sanji chuckles to himself. He goes to the bedroom, the door still slightly open as he quickly switches out his top.

He steps back out, feeling a bit lighter now, the anxiety long gone.

Zoro’s leaning against the wall, eye closed, the tips of ears now dusted in pink.

He opens his eye when Sanji approaches. Before Sanji can say anything, Zoro reaches into his shorts pocket and holds his hand out in offering.

A small heart pin with the bi pride colors sits in the center of his large palm.

“Here,” Zoro grunts.

Sanji’s wide-eyed, blushing as he accepts the gift and immediately pins it to his shirt.

He smooths the ruffled fabric over his heart back into place.

He looks at Zoro with a warm grateful smile, “Thank you.”

Zoro stares at him, clearly fighting a smile.

He stands up from the wall and grabs Sanji’s wrist, immediately turning and tugging him towards the door.

He’s opening it when -Sanji shouts.

“H-hey, hold on! I needa put my shoes on, idiot!”

Zoro clicks his tongue, letting him go as he stands outside the door facing away from him.

“Hurry up then.”

Sanji bends to pull on his shoes, grumbling to himself about stupid impatient meatheads. He looks up to glare at Zoro, expecting a comeback to his grumbling.

Instead he’s met with a small smile, only a peek of it in sight from his angle on the floor.

Sanji’s heart thumps as warmth blooms in his chest.

Cute bastard.

He looks down to finish tying off his shoe. He’s fighting off his ever growing blush and steps out into the hallway, feeling braver now standing next to the thoughtful man beside him.

He locks the door and, feeling bold, slips his fingers through Zoro’s and tugs him down the hallway.

“Let’s go before they think you got us lost again.”

“Oi!”

✨🌈 The End 🌈✨

———

This literally started with “I have some thoughts about…” and then this got a little out of hand lol

I hope this was enjoyable, and perhaps a little relatable, I loved writing this little drabble 💖

Happy Pride everyone!

✨❤️🧡💛💚💙💜✨

P.S. Zoro 100% went to Nami asking for clothing advice ‘cause “he just wanted to try something different” and she clocked him immediately lol she and Usopp had fun with it~

Franky and Robin join the cuddle pile!! 🏴‍☠️💗💞

Author: one_more_offbeat_anthem Artist: echo-is-bones

Fifteen years ago, Cas Shurley’s life changed forever. Fresh out of undergrad with a degree in criminal justice under his belt, he decided to join the Chicago PD and met former mechanic Dean Winchester at the academy. It was friendship (and in Cas’s case, love) at first sight.

In the years that have gone by, Cas and Dean spent time as beat cops and eventually as detectives before deciding that they could do more good outside of the force, and with the help of Cas’s computer whiz friend Charlie and Dean’s lawyer brother Sam, they opened up Free Will Investigations. For the most part, business is steady but dull…until television star Megan Masters, victim of a mysterious heist-turned-bomb threat, waltzes into their office on the recommendation of reporter J.B. Harvelle. She thinks the police have missed something, and after reviewing the evidence, the detectives can’t help but agree.

It’s the team’s biggest investigation yet, and the danger it plunges them into is unprecedented. When Cas is confronted with both his past and his own mortality, will he finally tell Dean the truth after a decade and a half? Or is their love one case destined to go unsolved?

Link to fic and art