xiaomeiimim

You were one of the few children that lived in Shimotsuki Village who hadn’t come from the doujou — one of the few children he knew that (at least to the best of his knowledge) had a thing called family. A mother to braid your hair, a father to chase the darkness away, a warm bed and a kitchen that always smelled of freshly made rice. And perhaps it was jealousy, or some other more complicated emotion that had been then too big to name with one single word, but he’d never gone out of his way to befriend you like the other kids from the doujou did — fascinated as they were by your soft hands and round cheeks and the bright, glittering array of homemade sweets you’d bring with you once every couple of weeks.

He’d learn later on that it was because Shimotsuki-sensei had saved your father’s life at some point in time; the story now lost to the annals of legend and withering memory, but back then, he’d only assumed it was the natural way of things. Of waking up for kata practice and then settling in for lunch, and then maybe, if it was to be a good day, you, with your basket of sweets and your blue-bell laughter.

And perhaps this is why, years later, when he meets you again in a dark, nameless village tavern, he doesn’t recognize you — not at first. Because you’d looked so different. Gone was the roundness in your cheeks, or the natural star-bright light in your eyes. Gone, too, were the bright braids that your hair had always been set in — he remembers so clearly, watching the other boys from the doujou jab their fingers into the rings of your pinned up braids, pulling down just to hear you squeak. He hadn’t said anything then, stupidly thinking him above it all, watching as you tried to jerk away, but laughing when the boys finally relented with half-hearted apologies.

You always threatened to take their sweets away; you never did, in the end.

But there, then, in that tiny tavern, you’d been thin, your hair dark as an oil spill, loose and inky as it cascades over your shoulders, your eyes lightless as the windows to an abandoned house — the hollowness made all the more visceral by the light he knew once inhabited them. The way loneliness is always more potent when coming back to it, the second time around.

He wanders up to the bar, slates you a glance before rapping his knuckles on the worn wood to catch the bartender’s attention.

“I’ll have beer and a refill of whatever the lady’s having.”

You shift slightly, shoulders hunching towards your ears.

“Thanks, but no thanks,” you say, shifting to shield your face from his gaze.

Zoro cocks his head, tossing a few Berry towards the bartender as they set down a stein of beer and a champagne flute to replace the one in front of you.

“Can’t a guy buy a girl a drink?” Zoro asks, rolling his shoulders as he reaches out for his beer. You eye him warily.

“Not for a guy that’s been tracking me for three weeks straight.”

Zoro hums, thumb poised on the hilt of his swords.

“We just happened to be going in the same direction.”

You reach out to run a forefinger along the rim of the thin champagne flute before swirling it once by the base. You watch the bubbles fizzle before leaning in to take a dainty sip.

“And they say chivalry is dead…” you murmur, almost too softly for him to hear. Zoro scoffs, allowing himself a twinge of a smirk before his mouth falls flat.

“You let me track you for three whole weeks.”

There’s no question in his words, only a harsh, accusatory certainty.

You lick your lips, leaning back in your stool, tugging your glass of champagne with you.

“Maybe I wanted the company.”

“Or maybe… you wanted me to follow you here.”

Every muscle in his body is tense, drawn taut as a tightrope, coiled tight as a spring.

You sigh, twisting a single lock of your hair around a finger, examining the ends as if looking for split hairs.

Then, quick as a flash, you’re at each other’s throats — him with a sword poised at your jugular, you with a knife pressed against his stomach.

“One move —” you warn, digging the knife slightly further into his skin. Distinctly, Zoro feels the pressure slice through his thick linen shirt, the cool kiss of the blade against his abdomen. And he’s killed enough by now to know that you’ve picked a major artery — one that would hurt, and take minutes for him bleed out. Just long enough for him to suffer, but not enough to get help.

The edge of his mouth ticks upward — not bad.

It’s then, in the infinitesimal flicker of your eyes meeting his, that he realizes who you are.

He nearly topples back, jerking away slightly with the revelation. Your eyes go wide, jolted by his sudden movement. But he’s quick enough to evade the sharp jab of your knife and a second later, you’re on either ends of the tavern, drawn blades and bared teeth.

“Y-you!” the word rips from Zoro like an unripe scab, thick and hard and still bloody underneath.

You lick your lips, eyes narrowing to slits beneath your long, lanky hair.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“The hell you don’t.”

“Oi! No fighting in the bar!” the barkeep’s voice is gruff and loud, and for a second, Zoro wonders if you’ll listen. The next, the sharp clang of metal on metal stuns him backwards a few steps as you wrest your knives from between two of his katanas, snarling.

“If you’re so much of a gentleman — let’s take this outside.”

“Ladies first,” Zoro spits out as he whips both swords through the air before sheathing them. He makes a show of holding the tavern door for you as you stalk out in front of him, your hackles raised, your knives jutting out from your belt like so many pairs of sharpened claws.

“What do you want?” you ask, as soon as you’re both out of the bar and standing in the moonlit street outside, the wharf to your left, the strip of small, rundown taverns to your right.

The air twangs with the metallic smell of fish and the thick, oppressive sweetness of rotting wood.

“An explanation,” Zoro says, crossing his arms and planting his feet.

“I don’t owe you anything.”

Zoro nods, “Sure. But that doesn’t mean I don’t wanna know.”

You lick your lips, glaring at him for a second longer before turning and marching down the rickety boardwalk. A moment later, Zoro levels himself with you as you round a corner onto a small stretch of beach, pillowed against a backdrop of sharp, unrelenting rocks, the tips bleached white by the round, silver moon.

“There was a beach just like this,” you say, stepping onto the tide-soaked sand, leaning down to pick up a fragment of a broken seashell, washed ashore by an errant wave.

It takes Zoro a second to realize you’re talking about Shimotsuki village, and the tiny little beach on the other side of the dense, cedar wood.

“Yeah. A bunch of us used to play there — see who can throw rocks out the furthest.”

“You were always the best at that,” you say, your voice softer than he’d heard all night.

“Yeah, well…” Zoro shrugs, leaning down to pick up a piece of rock, weighing it in his palm a few times before whipping his arm back to snap it into the gentle, shushing waves. You both watch as the rock skids out over the water before plunking into the sea, “Guess I’ve always been kind of a show-off.”

The sound of your laughter sends summertime sparklers racing up his spine.

The quiet pools between you like spilt blood, rank and dripping.

“So. You go by Ms. Double Nines now, I heard,” Zoro says, in a flagging attempt to be casual as he turns to glance at you, both his hands resting on the hilt of his swords.

You stand next to him, your eyes focused on a point far out on the horizon, still as statue.

“What’s it to you?”

Zoro sighs, looking down. In the pale, cool moonlight, his earrings glint like baring teeth.

“What happened?”

You suck in a breath.

"Life happened,” you say, turning back towards him with a steely glint in your eyes. Zoro stiffens, his grip tightening on his swords as he sizes you up. He does the mental calculations — you’re just far enough for him to defend against an attack, but close enough where if things were to go south entirely, he’d have a hard time getting back to safety.

You grin, seemingly noticing his rough internal calculations.

“Do yourself a favor, Roronoa — and don’t ask questions you don’t wanna know the answers to,” you say, flicking out one of your blades and tossing it up into the air, only to catch it around your finger, swinging it round and round, the sharp edge of the blade nicking the air just shy of your cheekbone.

“Who said I didn’t want to know?” Zoro presses, bracing himself for a fight.

You chuckle, the sound harsh and mirthless.

“If you’d wanted to fight me properly, you wouldn’t have waited till I got you onto this stretch of deserted beach.”

“Maybe I just wanted a quiet place to kill you.”

“Or maybe…” your voice is so low Zoro almost doesn’t catch the stomach-wrenching longing in your words, “I just wanted a quiet place to die.”

The sharp shink of blades being drawn is heart-rendingly familiar, but the bone-rattling clash of metal on metal still shakes him to the roots of his teeth. Zoro grunts as he parries a blow from either side, before crossing his swords to catch your assault down the center.

You’re fast, he’ll give you that, your body smaller and quicker. You slip through the shadows with the comfort of a person who knows nothing but and he can’t help wondering at the life you’ve led that had pushed you to this point.

To having a mark on your back, a bounty on your head.

You’re a good fighter — this much, he acknowledges. But good isn’t usually good enough to best him. This much, he also knows. Yet somehow, you’re keeping up, somehow, you’re pushing him back, forcing him to retreat one step and then another. It’s not until you duck beneath one of his pin-wheeling blades and force yourself into a knife’s-breath of his space that he realizes — it isn’t that you’re good, it’s that you’re reckless.

Reckless with your own body in a way that makes him stumble back at the realization. Reckless, in the way you charge forward and thrust your body into spaces where he’d easily be able to slip a blade between your ribs — and later, when he’s wiping his swords clean of your oxidizing blood, he’d wonder why he didn’t.

Still, there’s something terrifying in the way you barely flinch when he knicks your arm, drawing a dark line of blood through your clothes, or how you jerk yourself forward when the tip of his sword catches your stomach, almost as if daring him to impale you in one fell swoop.

“You — you used to be… someone else,” he says, panting as he steadies himself against a sharp jut of moonlit rocks. Behind you, the ocean churns, dark and foaming as it throws itself onto the jagged reefs.

You lick your lips, wiping a smear of blood from your cheek. Your chest heaves with the exertion, but there’s a pale, flickering ache behind your eyes that sets Zoro’s whole body on edge.

He shivers as you grin, savage and unrecognizable as the tiny girl with mochi-round cheeks who had once upon a time offered him sweets in a hand-woven basket.

“Yeah? Well — so did you.”

You were one of the few children that lived in Shimotsuki Village who hadn’t come from the doujou — one of the few children he knew that (at least to the best of his knowledge) had a thing called family. A mother to braid your hair, a father to chase the darkness away, a warm bed and a kitchen that always smelled of freshly made rice. And perhaps it was jealousy, or some other more complicated emotion that had been then too big to name with one single word, but he’d never gone out of his way to befriend you like the other kids from the doujou did — fascinated as they were by your soft hands and round cheeks and the bright, glittering array of homemade sweets you’d bring with you once every couple of weeks.

He’d learn later on that it was because Shimotsuki-sensei had saved your father’s life at some point in time; the story now lost to the annals of legend and withering memory, but back then, he’d only assumed it was the natural way of things. Of waking up for kata practice and then settling in for lunch, and then maybe, if it was to be a good day, you, with your basket of sweets and your blue-bell laughter.

And perhaps this is why, years later, when he meets you again in a dark, nameless village tavern, he doesn’t recognize you — not at first. Because you’d looked so different. Gone was the roundness in your cheeks, or the natural star-bright light in your eyes. Gone, too, were the bright braids that your hair had always been set in — he remembers so clearly, watching the other boys from the doujou jab their fingers into the rings of your pinned up braids, pulling down just to hear you squeak. He hadn’t said anything then, stupidly thinking him above it all, watching as you tried to jerk away, but laughing when the boys finally relented with half-hearted apologies.

You always threatened to take their sweets away; you never did, in the end.

But there, then, in that tiny tavern, you’d been thin, your hair dark as an oil spill, loose and inky as it cascades over your shoulders, your eyes lightless as the windows to an abandoned house — the hollowness made all the more visceral by the light he knew once inhabited them. The way loneliness is always more potent when coming back to it, the second time around.

He wanders up to the bar, slates you a glance before rapping his knuckles on the worn wood to catch the bartender’s attention.

“I’ll have beer and a refill of whatever the lady’s having.”

You shift slightly, shoulders hunching towards your ears.

“Thanks, but no thanks,” you say, shifting to shield your face from his gaze.

Zoro cocks his head, tossing a few Berry towards the bartender as they set down a stein of beer and a champagne flute to replace the one in front of you.

“Can’t a guy buy a girl a drink?” Zoro asks, rolling his shoulders as he reaches out for his beer. You eye him warily.

“Not for a guy that’s been tracking me for three weeks straight.”

Zoro hums, thumb poised on the hilt of his swords.

“We just happened to be going in the same direction.”

You reach out to run a forefinger along the rim of the thin champagne flute before swirling it once by the base. You watch the bubbles fizzle before leaning in to take a dainty sip.

“And they say chivalry is dead…” you murmur, almost too softly for him to hear. Zoro scoffs, allowing himself a twinge of a smirk before his mouth falls flat.

“You let me track you for three whole weeks.”

There’s no question in his words, only a harsh, accusatory certainty.

You lick your lips, leaning back in your stool, tugging your glass of champagne with you.

“Maybe I wanted the company.”

“Or maybe… you wanted me to follow you here.”

Every muscle in his body is tense, drawn taut as a tightrope, coiled tight as a spring.

You sigh, twisting a single lock of your hair around a finger, examining the ends as if looking for split hairs.

Then, quick as a flash, you’re at each other’s throats — him with a sword poised at your jugular, you with a knife pressed against his stomach.

“One move —” you warn, digging the knife slightly further into his skin. Distinctly, Zoro feels the pressure slice through his thick linen shirt, the cool kiss of the blade against his abdomen. And he’s killed enough by now to know that you’ve picked a major artery — one that would hurt, and take minutes for him bleed out. Just long enough for him to suffer, but not enough to get help.

The edge of his mouth ticks upward — not bad.

It’s then, in the infinitesimal flicker of your eyes meeting his, that he realizes who you are.

He nearly topples back, jerking away slightly with the revelation. Your eyes go wide, jolted by his sudden movement. But he’s quick enough to evade the sharp jab of your knife and a second later, you’re on either ends of the tavern, drawn blades and bared teeth.

“Y-you!” the word rips from Zoro like an unripe scab, thick and hard and still bloody underneath.

You lick your lips, eyes narrowing to slits beneath your long, lanky hair.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“The hell you don’t.”

“Oi! No fighting in the bar!” the barkeep’s voice is gruff and loud, and for a second, Zoro wonders if you’ll listen. The next, the sharp clang of metal on metal stuns him backwards a few steps as you wrest your knives from between two of his katanas, snarling.

“If you’re so much of a gentleman — let’s take this outside.”

“Ladies first,” Zoro spits out as he whips both swords through the air before sheathing them. He makes a show of holding the tavern door for you as you stalk out in front of him, your hackles raised, your knives jutting out from your belt like so many pairs of sharpened claws.

“What do you want?” you ask, as soon as you’re both out of the bar and standing in the moonlit street outside, the wharf to your left, the strip of small, rundown taverns to your right.

The air twangs with the metallic smell of fish and the thick, oppressive sweetness of rotting wood.

“An explanation,” Zoro says, crossing his arms and planting his feet.

“I don’t owe you anything.”

Zoro nods, “Sure. But that doesn’t mean I don’t wanna know.”

You lick your lips, glaring at him for a second longer before turning and marching down the rickety boardwalk. A moment later, Zoro levels himself with you as you round a corner onto a small stretch of beach, pillowed against a backdrop of sharp, unrelenting rocks, the tips bleached white by the round, silver moon.

“There was a beach just like this,” you say, stepping onto the tide-soaked sand, leaning down to pick up a fragment of a broken seashell, washed ashore by an errant wave.

It takes Zoro a second to realize you’re talking about Shimotsuki village, and the tiny little beach on the other side of the dense, cedar wood.

“Yeah. A bunch of us used to play there — see who can throw rocks out the furthest.”

“You were always the best at that,” you say, your voice softer than he’d heard all night.

“Yeah, well…” Zoro shrugs, leaning down to pick up a piece of rock, weighing it in his palm a few times before whipping his arm back to snap it into the gentle, shushing waves. You both watch as the rock skids out over the water before plunking into the sea, “Guess I’ve always been kind of a show-off.”

The sound of your laughter sends summertime sparklers racing up his spine.

The quiet pools between you like spilt blood, rank and dripping.

“So. You go by Ms. Double Nines now, I heard,” Zoro says, in a flagging attempt to be casual as he turns to glance at you, both his hands resting on the hilt of his swords.

You stand next to him, your eyes focused on a point far out on the horizon, still as statue.

“What’s it to you?”

Zoro sighs, looking down. In the pale, cool moonlight, his earrings glint like baring teeth.

“What happened?”

You suck in a breath.

"Life happened,” you say, turning back towards him with a steely glint in your eyes. Zoro stiffens, his grip tightening on his swords as he sizes you up. He does the mental calculations — you’re just far enough for him to defend against an attack, but close enough where if things were to go south entirely, he’d have a hard time getting back to safety.

You grin, seemingly noticing his rough internal calculations.

“Do yourself a favor, Roronoa — and don’t ask questions you don’t wanna know the answers to,” you say, flicking out one of your blades and tossing it up into the air, only to catch it around your finger, swinging it round and round, the sharp edge of the blade nicking the air just shy of your cheekbone.

“Who said I didn’t want to know?” Zoro presses, bracing himself for a fight.

You chuckle, the sound harsh and mirthless.

“If you’d wanted to fight me properly, you wouldn’t have waited till I got you onto this stretch of deserted beach.”

“Maybe I just wanted a quiet place to kill you.”

“Or maybe…” your voice is so low Zoro almost doesn’t catch the stomach-wrenching longing in your words, “I just wanted a quiet place to die.”

The sharp shink of blades being drawn is heart-rendingly familiar, but the bone-rattling clash of metal on metal still shakes him to the roots of his teeth. Zoro grunts as he parries a blow from either side, before crossing his swords to catch your assault down the center.

You’re fast, he’ll give you that, your body smaller and quicker. You slip through the shadows with the comfort of a person who knows nothing but and he can’t help wondering at the life you’ve led that had pushed you to this point.

To having a mark on your back, a bounty on your head.

You’re a good fighter — this much, he acknowledges. But good isn’t usually good enough to best him. This much, he also knows. Yet somehow, you’re keeping up, somehow, you’re pushing him back, forcing him to retreat one step and then another. It’s not until you duck beneath one of his pin-wheeling blades and force yourself into a knife’s-breath of his space that he realizes — it isn’t that you’re good, it’s that you’re reckless.

Reckless with your own body in a way that makes him stumble back at the realization. Reckless, in the way you charge forward and thrust your body into spaces where he’d easily be able to slip a blade between your ribs — and later, when he’s wiping his swords clean of your oxidizing blood, he’d wonder why he didn’t.

Still, there’s something terrifying in the way you barely flinch when he knicks your arm, drawing a dark line of blood through your clothes, or how you jerk yourself forward when the tip of his sword catches your stomach, almost as if daring him to impale you in one fell swoop.

“You — you used to be… someone else,” he says, panting as he steadies himself against a sharp jut of moonlit rocks. Behind you, the ocean churns, dark and foaming as it throws itself onto the jagged reefs.

You lick your lips, wiping a smear of blood from your cheek. Your chest heaves with the exertion, but there’s a pale, flickering ache behind your eyes that sets Zoro’s whole body on edge.

He shivers as you grin, savage and unrecognizable as the tiny girl with mochi-round cheeks who had once upon a time offered him sweets in a hand-woven basket.

“Yeah? Well — so did you.”

“Double or nothing.” he says, leaning back against the railing, arms crossed “If you lose, you do whatever I say. No backing out.”

You squint at the cards in your hand “That’s suspiciously vague.”

Nami hums “Very suspicious.”

Luffy, sprawled on the deck, doesn’t even look up “Do it.”

You should not listen to Luffy.

You sigh “Fine. Double or nothing.”

Two minutes later, Usopp slams his cards down with a victorious laugh “Yes! I win!”

Groans erupt around the table.

You stare at your hand, then at the cards on the table “…You cheated.”

“I absolutely did not!” Usopp says immediately, which is how you know he absolutely did.

“What do I have to do?” you ask, already bracing yourself.

Usopp’s grin widens slowly and dangerously “You have to take Trafalgar Law out.”

The deck goes quiet.

“…Out where?” you ask.

Sanji’s cigarette nearly falls out of his mouth “Oi.”

Zoro opens his one eye “Good luck.”

Nami looks at you with actual concern, “Usopp...”

“On a date” Usopp finishes, far too cheerfully.

You choke “Absolutely not.”

Law, who has been leaning against a mast nearby, arms crossed, hat shadowing his eyes, lets out a low, unimpressed huff “Tch. As if I’d agree.”

You snap your head toward him “Good. We’re on the same page.”

Usopp raises a finger “Ah ah ah! You can’t back out. Those were the rules.”

Law’s eyes flick up, sharp and unimpressed “I wasn’t part of your little game.”

Robin smiles serenely “But you are part of the alliance. Cooperation is important, don’t you think?”

Law stares at her “…You planned this.”

Robin’s smile does not change.

You cross your arms “This is ridiculous. I don’t even understand him.”

Law scoffs “The feeling is mutual.”

“Great! Then this should be easy.” you say, pointing at Usopp “I take him out, we both hate it, bet fulfilled.”

Usopp blinks “…That’s not how it—”

“I’ll take him,” you interrupt “but it’s not a date, I refuse to call it a date.”

Law raises an eyebrow “Then what is it?”

You think for half a second “…Undercover reconnaissance. Studying the enemy together.”

Law stares at you “…You’re unbelievable.”

You grin sweetly “Glad we agree.”

Later that night, you regret everything.

The city is quiet, lanterns glowing softly, people moving through the streets.

You pull your cloak tighter around you, scowling while Law walks beside you, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable as always.

The silence is unbearable.

“So,” you say brightly, already planning his suffering “This is fun.”

“It’s not.” Law replies flatly.

“Wow, you didn’t even let me pretend.”

He stops walking.

“This alliance is already irritating enough,” he says, turning to face you “Don’t make it worse by acting like this.”

You tilt your head “Like what?”

“Like you’re enjoying this.”

“Oh, I’m not.” you say immediately “Trust me.”

He studies you for a moment, eyes narrowing “Then why did you insist on coming?”

“Because I lost a bet.”

“…You’re joking.”

“Nope.”

Law exhales slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose “I should’ve stayed on the ship.”

“You still can,” you say “I won’t stop you.”

“…And give your crew the satisfaction? No.”

You snort “Wow. So noble.”

He shoots you a glare “Watch your mouth.”

You grin wider… annoyance achieved.

You know him well enough now to know he doesn't like noise and people, so you drag him into the busiest street you can find with merchants shouting and people bumping into him from every direction.

Law clicks his tongue “This is inefficient.”

“Relax,” you say “blend in. Be normal.”

“I am normal.”

You laugh way too loudly for his liking and several people glance over “Sure you are, Surgeon of Death.”

His jaw tightens “Don’t call me that.”

“Why? It’s your title.”

“I don't need people to hear it.”

“Oh,” you say innocently “my bad.”

Silence again.

You stop at a food stall, the smell of fried batter thick in the air.

“Oooh, this looks terrible…” you say, already reaching for your wallet “We should eat here.”

Law looks at the oil, the questionable hygiene, the vendor coughing into his sleeve “…Absolutely not.”

“Too late!” you say, ordering two skewers “Come on, it’ll build character.”

“I don’t need character.”

“Everyone needs character!” you say, shoving one into his hand.

He stares at it like it might explode “This is your idea of reconnaissance?”

“Yep.”

“…You’re doing this on purpose.”

You beam “You’re smarter than you look.”

He finally takes a bite and freezes.

You watch closely “Well?”

“…It’s fine.” he admits reluctantly.

You blink “Wait, really?”

He glares at you “Don’t make a big deal out of it.”

“Well now I’m disappointed…” you say “That was supposed to be awful… I should have been more evil and bought you a sandwich instead.”

Law looks at you again as he mutters “You’re strange.”

You shrug “You’re rude.”

“Hm.”

Another silence, but it’s… different. Less sharp… still uncomfortable, but not hostile.

You start walking again.

“Just so we’re clear,” Law says quietly, “this doesn’t count as a date.”

You grin to yourself “Good. I’m not done ruining it anyway.”

He sighs and for just a second you swear there’s the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Your next plan is simple.

If you can’t ruin the date with attitude, you’ll ruin it with incompetence.

You lead Law down a quieter street, too peaceful and way too atmospheric.

In simple words… disgusting for him and for you.

“So,” you say, hands clasped behind your back “We should split up.”

Law stops immediately “No.”

You blink “…No?”

“No.” he repeats, flat and final “That defeats the entire point of an undercover reconnaissance.”

You frown “Wow. You’re really committed to this fake mission.”

“It’s not fake.”

“It absolutely is…” you say “you’re just allergic to fun.”

He gives you a sideways look “And you’re allergic to common sense.”

You grin “That’s fair.”

You take one step forward and immediately trip “WHoa!”

Your foot catches on absolutely nothing. You flail, arms windmilling, dignity leaving your body…

Before a hand grabs the back of your cloak and yanks you upright.

You slam straight into Law’s chest. His arms instinctively come up, steadying you by the shoulders.

For a second, neither of you moves.

You’re painfully aware of how close he is, of the warmth through his coat, of the way his grip tightens slightly, like he’s making sure you’re actually standing.

“…Are you always like this?” he asks.

You wheeze “Gravity hates me.”

He exhales through his nose “Clearly.”

You pull back quickly, cheeks warm “Relax. I meant to do that.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Rude.”

“You nearly broke your neck.”

“But I didn’t,” you say proudly “See? Ruining the mood already.”

Law stares at you “…That’s what you’re trying to do?”

You squint “Is it not working?”

“No.” he says immediately.

You smile “Good.”

You keep walking. Slightly more carefully this time.

You drag him into a tiny shop selling trinkets and charms, bells chiming as you enter.

Law pauses at the door “Why are we here?”

You pick up a cheap-looking good-luck charm and shove it toward him “Souvenir.”

“I don’t want one.”

“Too bad,” you say “this one’s for emotional damage.”

He pinches the bridge of his nose “You’re terrible at this.”

“At what?”

“At making me miserable.”

You gasp “Wow. That almost sounded like a compliment.”

“It obviously wasn’t.”

You move deeper into the shop, immediately knocking over a small display “Oh! Oh no! Sorry!”

You scramble to catch it, knocking over another one in the process.

Law watches in silence as you crouch on the floor, apologizing profusely to the shopkeeper, hands full of tangled strings and charms.

“…You don’t do this on purpose.” he says slowly.

You look up “Do what?”

“Trip. Drop things. Get distracted.”

You snort “Please. If I could control it, my life would be way easier.”

The shopkeeper waves you off, muttering, and you stand up, mortified.

“See?” you say quickly, shoving a random charm into Law’s hand “Awful date. Mission accomplished.”

Law looks down at the charm, then at you.

“…You’re not pretending.” he murmurs.

You pause “Pretending what?”

“That you don’t care.” something in his tone makes you falter.

You scoff lightly “Don’t read into it, Surgeon. I just don’t want to be here.”

“Hm.” he says, unconvinced. But he doesn’t put the charm down.

Later you’re sitting on the edge of a quiet bridge, legs dangling over the water.

You kick your feet back and forth “Okay, new strategy.”

Law leans against the railing beside you “I’m almost afraid to ask.”

“I’m going to be honest…” you say “Brutally honest.”

He glances at you “You haven’t been?”

“Oh no, this is worse.” you take a breath “Your attitude sucks.”

He doesn’t react.

“You’re rude,” you continue “you push people away. You act like you’re smarter than everyone else.”

“Hm...”

“And you’re kind of exhausting.”

Silence.

You nod to yourself “There. Ruined.”

Law turns to face you fully “…Is that really what you think?”

You shrug “Yeah.”

“…Then why are you here?” he asks quietly.

You open your mouth, then stop as your brain short-circuits.

“…Because… I lost a bet.” you say again, but it comes out weaker this time.

Law studies you for a long moment.

“You could’ve half-assed it,” he says “but you didn’t.”

You frown “I literally tried to make this awful.”

“And failed.” he says.

You huff “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re,” he hesitates, “different.”

You stiffen “Different how?”

He looks away “Annoyingly sincere.”

You blink “That’s new.”

“I don’t like it.” he adds quickly.

You grin “Liar.”

He shoots you a glare, but there’s no heat behind it.

“…You’re clumsy.” he mutters “You say the wrong thing. You don’t think before you act.”

“Hey—”

“And yet,” he continues, “you’re honest. You don’t pretend to like me. You don’t try to impress me. You're not scared.”

You go quiet.

Law crosses his arms “It’s… refreshing.”

Your chest does something weird.

You clear your throat “Don’t get used to it.”

“I won’t.” he says immediately.

Another silence falls but this one is comfortable.

You kick your feet again.

“…So,” you say casually “Did I ruin the date?”

Law watches the lantern reflections in the water.

“…No.” he admits.

You smile defeated.

“Damn…” you say “Guess I’ll have to try harder.”

Law exhales, almost amused and he absolutely does not notice how he doesn’t want the night to end.

The night goes on.

The fact that Law hasn’t insulted you in at least ten minutes makes you feel weird.

You walk side by side, close enough that your sleeves brush every now and then.

At some point you trip again and Law’s hand is already there, fingers curling around your wrist, steady and firm.

“…Watch your step.” he says.

You blink at his hand “…You grabbed me before I even moved.”

He freezes, then lets go immediately, like he’s been burned “Habit.”

“From what?” you ask.

“…Keeping idiots alive.”

You laugh softly “Lucky me.”

He doesn’t respond but he slows his pace after that.

You notice.

You stop at another stall, this one selling warm drinks. You squint at the menu.

“What is that?” you ask, pointing.

Law leans in to look “Sweet bean soup.”

“That sounds fake.”

“It’s not.”

You grimace “I don’t trust it.”

“…I’ll get it.” he says.

You blink “You don’t have to.”

“I know.”

He orders two anyway, and when the cups are handed over, he passes one to you and your fingers brush.

You immediately fumble it “Oh… oh no—”

Before it spills, Law’s other hand covers yours, steadying the cup.

“Careful.” he mutters.

Your face feels warm “I’m being careful.”

“You’re really not.”

You take a sip “…Okay. That’s actually good.”

“Hm.”

You glance at him “Did you just look smug?”

“No.”

“You absolutely did.”

“I didn’t.”

You smile into your cup.

At some point, you realize you’ve stopped trying to ruin things. The thought hits you out of nowhere, sharp and uncomfortable.

You’re sitting on the steps of a closed building now, shoulders brushing. Law is looking over a map, brows furrowed.

“…You’re frowning.” you say.

“I always frown.”

“No, this is a thinking frown.” you argue “Different… shape.”

He sighs “Stop staring.”

“Make me.”

He glances at you “You’re doing it again.”

“Doing what?”

“Acting like you’re not tired.”

You blink “…What?”

“You yawned five minutes ago,” he says “And you’ve been rubbing your eyes.”

You scoff “You’re imagining things.”

“Lie better.”

You open your mouth to argue but you yawn again.

Law looks away, hiding his face from you.

“…Did you just… laugh?” you ask.

“No.”

“You did.”

“I didn’t.”

“Wow,” you say “I should yawn more often if this is what it gets me.”

He snorts softly before he can stop himself. He goes very still.

“…You heard that.” he says flatly.

You grin “Absolutely.”

“Tch.”

But he doesn’t look annoyed, just… flustered. And that’s worse.

Later, your foot starts to ache. You don’t mention it, you just slow down.

Law notices anyway.

“Sit,” he says, nodding toward a low wall “I’m fine.”

“You’re limping.”

“I am not.”

“You are.”

You sigh dramatically “You’re very bossy for someone who hates me.”

“I don’t hate you.” he says.

The words land between you, heavy.

You look at him “…You don’t?”

He pauses “…I thought I did.”

Your chest tightens a little.

He crouches in front of you without another word, inspecting your ankle.

“Law—what are you doing?”

“You twisted it earlier,” he says “it’s minor.”

He presses gently and you flinch.

“Sorry.” he says immediately, hands pulling back.

You stare “…You said sorry.”

He stiffens “…Don’t make it weird.”

You laugh softly “Too late.”

He stands, offering a hand, and you take it.

When the night starts winding down, neither of you mentions going back.

You reach the edge of the district, lanterns thinning, quiet settling in.

“…This wasn’t as bad as I expected.” you admit.

Law hums “Same.”

You hesitate “I didn’t ruin it.”

“No,” he says “You didn’t.”

You look at the ground “I kind of forgot to try at some point.”

Another pause.

“…Me too.” he says.

You look up.

He’s not looking at you but his ears are faintly red.

Your heart does something stupid.

“…This still wasn’t a date.” you say weakly.

“No.” he agrees.

But neither of you sounds convinced.

When you part ways, he hesitates.

“…Seems like they're all sleeping. Get some rest.” he says “You’re reckless when you’re tired.”

You smile “You worry a lot for someone who doesn’t like me.”

He meets your eyes this time “…I never said that.”

And then he turns and walks away before you can respond.

You stand there, heart racing, realizing something terrifying.

You lost the bet.

And somehow, you don’t feel like you really lost it. 

You wake up tired, aware that something shifted last night, aware that Law’s voice keeps replaying in your head.

You bury your face into your pillow.

“This is stupid” you mumble.

You make the mistake of going to breakfast.

The second you sit down, Usopp leans across the table.

“Well?” he asks.

You don’t look at him “Well what?”

Nami sips her tea “Don’t play dumb.”

“I’m not.”

“You absolutely are!” Usopp says “How was the date?”

“It wasn’t a date.”

Luffy looks up from his food “Did you kiss?”

You choke “WHAT?! No!”

Everyone is looking at you as if they're waiting for you to say something wow.

“It was reconnaissance.” you insist.

Nami hums “And did you gather valuable intelligence?”

You freeze “…Maybe.”

Usopp gasps dramatically “YOU KISSED HIM!”

“I DID NOT!!”

Nami narrows her eyes “You’re smiling.”

You immediately wipe your face “No I’m not.”

“You are.”

You stand abruptly “This conversation is over.”

Usopp leans back in his chair, smug “So you had fun.”

You turn slowly “…I didn’t hate it.”

The table goes silent.

Nami and Usopp exchange a look.

“Oh no…” Nami whispers.

You avoid Law all morning, which is difficult, because he doesn’t avoid you.

He’s on deck when you pass by. His eyes flick toward you and you look away first.

Coward.

Later, during a strategy discussion, you both speak at the same time.

You stop “You go.”

He shakes his head “No. You.”

You stare at him.

He waits.

“…You just let me go first?” you say slowly.

“I did.”

“…Why?”

He shrugs “You looked like you were about to argue.”

You blink.

He noticed that?

You clear your throat and explain your plan while he just listens.

When you finish, he nods once “That works.”

Your stomach flips.

Zoro raises an eyebrow when Law silently hands you a map without being asked.

Sanji nearly drops a tray when Law moves you out of the way of a swinging rope before you can trip over it.

Usopp straight up squints at you both.

“Why are you standing so close?” he demands at one point.

You and Law both step away immediately.

“We’re not.” you say.

“We weren’t.” Law says at the same time.

You glare at each other.

Usopp gasps “You even argue in sync now!”

That evening, you’re alone on deck, or you think you are.

“…You’re avoiding me.”

You don’t jump this time, you just sigh “No I’m not.”

Law steps beside you, leaning on the railing “You are.”

You stare at the water “Maybe.”

Silence stretches.

“…Did I do something?” he asks.

You look at him “…Why would you think that?”

“Because you’re different today.”

You huff softly “You’re different too.”

He frowns “How?”

“You’re… nicer.”

He looks almost offended “I am not.”

“You are,” you insist “You’ve been watching where I walk. You let me talk in the meeting. You handed me that map.”

“That’s basic decency.”

“You never did basic decency before.”

He opens his mouth and then closes it with a “…Tch.”

You laugh under your breath.

“Law,” you say, softer now “What are we doing?”

His jaw tightens slightly “…Nothing.”

“That’s not true.” you swallow “Last night wasn’t nothing.”

His eyes shift to you.

“…No.” he admits.

Your heart pounds.

“You meant it… you don’t hate me.” you say.

“No.”

“And I don’t hate you.”

“I know.”

You blink “You… know?”

“You’re terrible at hiding things.” he says quietly.

You look away quickly “You’re worse.”

He doesn’t deny it this time.

Your shoulder brushes his and neither of you moves away.

“…I didn’t mean to.” he says suddenly.

“To what?”

“Start… stopping disliking you.”

You laugh softly at his word play and say “So you like me.”

“Yes.” He says with no hesitation.

Your brain goes completely blank “…You… what?”

He exhales sharply “You’re clumsy. You’re loud. You’re impulsive.”

“Wow, romance.”

“And you’re honest,” he continues, ignoring you “And stubborn. And you don’t treat me like I’m made of glass or like I’m something to fear.”

You stare at him.

“You trip over your own feet,” he mutters “but you don’t back down from me.”

Your chest feels too tight.

“I tried to ruin that night.” you whisper.

“I know.”

“…I forgot how.”

He looks at you fully now “…I’m glad.”

The confession hangs there, fragile and terrifying.

You take a breath “I like you too.”

It’s small, but it’s steady.

Law goes very still “…Say that again.”

You narrow your eyes “Don’t push it.”

A faint smile touches his mouth.

You freeze “…You’re smiling again.”

“You’re imagining it.”

“I’m not.”

He steps closer.

“…If I asked you,” he says carefully, “to go out again.”

Your heart skips.

“Not fake or real reconnaissance.” he adds “Not a bet.”

Your throat goes dry “…A real date?”

“Yes.”

You grin despite yourself “You’re terrible at this.”

“I know.”

You step closer too.

“Okay,” you say “but this time, I’m not going to try to ruin it.”

He tilts his head slightly “…Good.”

Your fingers brush his.

You don't tell anyone, that’s the first rule.

The second rule is simple: you don’t call it a date, even if it is… because it’s just embarrassing now.

It’s late when you sneak out, and climb down as quietly as you can.

You almost slip, but a hand steadies your waist.

“…Careful.” Law murmurs.

You freeze.

He’s closer than you expected. One hand still on you, firm and warm.

“Is everyone asleep?” you whisper.

“They are, if you stop tripping with air. You could hurt yourself badly.”

You try not to smile “You worry too much.”

“And you don’t worry enough.”

You hop down onto the dock.

The night feels different from the other evening.

Softer.

Lanterns glow warm against wooden walls, laughter echoing faintly from distant streets.

You glance at him.

He looks… less guarded but still serious and composed.

“…So,” you say “no undercover mission.”

“No.”

“No fake reconnaissance.”

“No.”

You grin “Just us?”

He hesitates “…Just us.”

Your heart does something stupid again.

Layer on, you spot something shiny hanging between two buildings “Oh—wait!”

Without thinking, you grab his sleeve and pull.

Law stiffens immediately.

You drag him toward a small display of glass wind chimes painted in soft colors.

“Look at them!” you whisper “They’re so pretty.”

He looks at the chimes, then at your hand gripping his sleeve, then back at the chimes.

“Hm…” he says.

You squint at him “That’s your review?”

“They’re… well-crafted.”

You laugh “You’re hopeless.”

You lean closer to inspect one. Your shoulder presses against his chest, and he goes rigid.

You don’t notice.

“They make such a soft sound” you say, nudging one gently.

The chime rings lightly in the night air.

Law swallows.

“…You like delicate things?” he says quietly.

You blink at him “I like pretty things.”

He looks at you like that answers something for him “…It suits you.”

Your brain short-circuits “…What does?”

“Liking them.”

You stare, and he looks away first.

You keep walking.

At some point, your fingers brush.

Then again.

The third time, neither of you pull back immediately.

Your pinky hooks with his.

It’s subtle.

But it’s enough to make your heart race.

Law’s ears turn faintly red and you notice, but don’t say anything, just smile at it.

Then as you keep walking around, you see a stall glowing brighter than the rest.

Flowers everywhere. Red ribbons. Heart-shaped decorations. Boxes of chocolates stacked neatly.

You slow.

“…That wasn’t here last time.” you murmur.

Law follows your gaze and his steps falter slightly.

A sign above the stall reads: Celebrate Love — Special Evening Offer

You blink “…Is it—?”

“…It appears so.” he says.

Realization hits you both at the same time.

“Valentine’s Day.”

You look at each other, then immediately look away.

Silence.

The stall owner, an older woman with kind eyes, beams at you both.

“Oh! What a lovely pair!” she says brightly “New couples are most welcome to celebrate love tonight!”

You freeze.

Law freezes harder.

“…We’re not—” you both start at the same time.

The woman laughs gently “Oh, you don’t need to deny it. It’s written all over your faces.”

Your face burns.

Law clears his throat “It’s a misunderstanding.”

“Of course.” she says knowingly, already reaching for two roses “Here. A gift for young love.”

She holds them out.

You hesitate only half a second before accepting one.

“…Thank you.” you say, trying to sound normal… but you absolutely fail.

You don’t look at Law. You don’t acknowledge the warmth in your chest at being called a couple. You definitely don’t smile at the thought.

Law takes the other rose stiffly.

“…You don’t have to.” he mutters to the vendor.

“It’s my pleasure.” she says warmly.

She winks at you.

You might combust.

You walk away from the stall in silence.

You can feel the tension and the awareness.

You glance at him and see him staring very intently at the rose in his hand.

“…You don’t have to keep it,” you say quickly “if it’s awkward.”

He tightens his grip slightly “I didn’t say that.”

You look down at yours “…It’s nice.”

“Yes.”

“…Do you mind?” he asks quietly.

You look up confused.

He gestures slightly toward your hand “…May I?”

Your heart skips but you nod.

Slowly and carefully, his fingers slide around yours.

This time, it’s not accidental, not brushing and not subtle. It’s deliberate.

His hand is warm. You squeeze it.

He exhales softly, almost like he’s been holding that breath all night.

“…You’re blushing.” you whisper.

“And you look embarrassed.”

“…I’m allowed.”

“So am I.”

You laugh quietly and then you keep walking like that, hand in hand.

Later, you stop by the river again, the same bridge from the other night.

You lean against the railing, rose tucked carefully into your coat.

“…This is better.” you admit.

“Yes.”

“No sabotage.”

“No.”

You look at him “…Are you having fun?”

He studies you for a moment “…I am.”

Your smile softens “…Me too.”

The night air is cool, making you shiver slightly, and without a word, he removes his coat and drapes it over your shoulders.

“Law—”

“Don’t argue.”

You wrap it around yourself, it smells faintly like him.

“You’re unfair…” you murmur.

“How?”

“You do these things.”

“What things?”

“Small things.”

He goes quiet “…I don’t do them intentionally.”

“I know.”

That’s what makes it worse.

You’re closer now, close enough that your foreheads nearly brush.

You swallow “…Can I ask something?”

“Yes.”

“…Can I kiss you?”

Law stops breathing “…You don’t have to ask.”

“I want to.”

He studies your face. Your nervousness. Your honesty.

“…Yes.” he says softly.

And when you lean in, he meets you halfway.

It’s gentle, tentative… warm.

His hand tightens slightly around yours like he’s afraid you’ll disappear.

You pull back slowly.

He rests his forehead against yours.

“…This.” he murmurs, voice low, almost vulnerable.

“…Yeah.” you whisper.

“This is better than reconnaissance.”

You laugh softly against his lips “Definitely.”

And under the lantern light, with roses in your hands and the quiet hum of the city around you, your second first date becomes something really special.

The walk back is quiet but not awkward.

You don’t hold hands. Not because you don’t want to, but because Law is Law and also because he walks half a step ahead of you, hands in his pockets, posture composed again. The closer you get to the Sunny, the more you can feel him rebuilding those familiar walls.

Still, he slows when you slow.

You walk closer than before. When you trip slightly on the dock, again, his hand immediately finds your elbow, it's automatic.

You glance at him and he lets go quickly.

“…Careful.” he mutters.

You smile softly “You too.”

He huffs quietly, like he knows exactly what you mean.

The ship is dark and quiet.

You exhale in relief.

“See?” you whisper “Everyone’s still asleep.”

Law nods once “Good.”

You both climb aboard.

You turn toward him, suddenly shy now that it’s over “…So.”

“So.” he echoes.

Your fingers fidget with the stem of the rose you’re still holding “…Tonight was nice.”

He looks at you softly.

“Yes.” he says simply.

Your heart does the thing again.

You step a little closer “…Goodnight, Law.”

He hesitates, then, very quietly “Goodnight.”

And then, suddenly, the lights explode on.

You jump and scream.

Law visibly flinches.

Every single Straw Hat is there.

Staring.

Lined up like a firing squad.

You freeze “Oh no...”

Nami crosses her arms “Oh yes.”

Usopp is already vibrating “YOU WERE GONE FOR HOURS.”

Sanji looks like he’s holding back tears “My poor, innocent—”

“Stop talking.” you croak.

Luffy grins “So did you kiss?”

You choke on air.

Zoro looks like he was dragged there but he snorts at that.

Robin sips tea calmly like this is a stage play she paid to attend.

You slowly turn to Law “…Kill me.”

“…I might.” he mutters.

“Where were you?” Usopp demands.

“Nowhere.” you say immediately.

“Together…” Nami adds sweetly.

You stiffen “We were not—”

“You’re holding a rose.” Robin points out gently.

You look down and try to hide it behind your back, but it’s too late.

Sanji gasps like he’s been shot “A LOVE TOKEN?!”

“IT WAS FREE!” you shout.

“FROM WHERE?!” Usopp yells.

You panic “FROM—FROM A STALL.”

Nami narrows her eyes “A romantic stall?”

You sweat “A… seasonal one.”

Robin smiles knowingly “I wonder what celebration day is today.”

You want the ocean to swallow you.

You risk a glance at Law. Big mistake. Because they’re all looking at him now.

Predators.

“Oh this is good.” Zoro mutters.

“Traffy~,” Luffy sings “Why are you blushing?”

Law immediately turns away “I’m not.”

His ears are red.

Usopp gasps like he just discovered fire “HE IS!”

You clap your hands over your face “I’m going to die.”

Nami steps closer, eyes sharp “Let’s skip the nonsense.”

Your soul leaves your body.

“How,” she asks slowly, “did you two go from mutual irritation…” she gestures between you “…to this?”

Silence.

You look at Law and he looks at you.

You both immediately look away.

You want to evaporate.

“We’re not—” you start weakly.

“Don’t.” Law mutters.

You stop.

The crew collectively leans forward.

Oh no no no………

Law exhales slowly, like he’s about to walk into battle.

“…It wasn’t planned.” he says flatly.

Usopp squints “That sounds like a confession.”

“It’s not.” Law snaps.

Robin tilts her head “But it is an explanation.”

Law goes still.

You can see the exact moment he realizes there is no winning this.

He sighs “…We went out. So what?”

Sanji clutches his chest. Nami’s smile turns feral. Usopp collapses dramatically onto the deck “IT’S REAL.”

You grab your head “STOP MAKING IT A THING.”

“It IS a thing!” Usopp screeches.

“It’s not!”

“You’re standing closer than usual!” he fires back.

You both immediately step apart, but it’s too late, because everyone sees.

Luffy beams “So you’re together now?”

You freeze, your brain shuts down completely. You look at Law and he looks at you. And for once, he doesn’t look away.

“…Yes.” he says.

Soft and certain.

Your heart explodes while the ship erupts.

Sanji screams into the night. Usopp sobs. Nami smirks like she just won a lifetime bet. Robin smiles warmly. Zoro just shakes his head, amused.

You stand there, completely stunned.

“…You said it like that?” you whisper.

Law glances at you, calm despite the chaos.

“You were going to panic.” he says quietly.

“…I was.” you admit.

“I know.”

Your chest aches in the best way.

You glare weakly at the crew “I hate all of you.”

“We love you too!” Usopp cries.

Nami pats your shoulder “You were never subtle.”

“I was extremely subtle!”

“You brought a rose.” she says flatly.

You deflate. Fair.

As the chaos continues, Law leans slightly closer to you enough that your shoulders touch again.

“…You’re terrible at sneaking.” he murmurs.

You groan “This is your fault too.”

“…Hm.”

You glance at him. He looks almost amused.

“You’re not even embarrassed?” you accuse.

“I am.” he says calmly.

“You don’t look it.”

“I’m choosing not to show it.”

You squint “Unfair.”

He looks down at you, something warm in his eyes “…You show enough for both of us.”

You sigh, defeated “…Next time we sneak out, we sail to another island.”

“Agreed.”

You both pause, then… “…There will be a next time?” you ask quietly.

He doesn’t hesitate “Yes.”

“Shit,” Sanji cursed under his breath.

“Sanji?” His body stiffens from already recognizing your calm, polite voice.

“Yes, my love?” He questions as he turns to face you.

“Zoro said that he wants more sake. Is there any more left?” Sanji’s eyebrows furrow out of anger before he lets out a sigh.

“That moss-head can get it himself.” But Sanji already picked up the bottle despite talking badly about the swordsman a second ago. When he gave it to you, his fingers lingered on yours a little bit longer than expected before letting go of the bottle.

Sanji could’ve sworn that his heart was about to beat right out his chest. He noticed how your eyes slightly widened and your cheeks turned into a brighter shade of pink. Him on the other hand, was shaking but hiding it by placing it in his trouser pockets.

“T-thanks!” You stuttered a bit before forcing it out. Sanji nodded, trying to be casual, which obviously didn’t work well. Even when Sanji tried to brush it off, the whole crew’s attention was on you two. They already noticed it. They always had.

The crew watched as Sanji fumbled on the spot, and the shyness brushed past you, which earned grins, nods, and whispers from everyone around. As you walked away from the kitchen to deliver the sake to the grumpy green-haired man, everyone exclaimed teasingly.

“You’re blushing, Sanji,” Nami teased, which made Sanji’s hands shake.

“Look at that! Y/n has really done it for him!” A chuckle escaped from Franky.

“Why are you guys only talking about Sanji?” Robin interrupts,

“Thank you, Robin-dear! – Wait – what?” Sanji looked at Robin confusedly.

“You guys should also question the other victim. She was stuttering.” Robin grinned before taking a sip of her lemonade, which made Sanji’s ears warm up.

“Actually, that was a good one, Robin!” Ussop cackled.

“Oh, shut it, Ussop!” Everyone could’ve sworn they saw him grow taller with spikey teeth, but Sanji turned back to the counter and continued fixing everyone's plates.

A FEW HOURS LATER – 11:28 P.M

You tiptoed into the kitchen, hoping the creaky floor wouldn’t alarm everyone, but once you turned the corner, you jumped back in surprise.

“Y/n-dear, are you okay?!” Sanji’s voice was higher than he intended it to be. “What are you doing here this late?”

“I was trying to get a late-night snack. I’m sorry!” You covered your mouth just in case your laugh becomes louder. Sanji gave a small smile.

“What would you like, my love?” The man’s hand already reached towards the refrigerator door.

“I’m not exactly sure what I want, but I’m craving for something sweet!” You leaned over the island counter.

“Alright! I will surprise you with something that will fill your stomach.” The corner of your lips quirked as you watched him get the ingredients from the fridge.

“Would you maybe…” You stretched the word ‘maybe’ longer then intended, “teach me how to cook along the way?”

You saw the man’s eyes light up immediately in surprise and amazement. “I would be glad to teach you, love.” 

“That means you’ll have to tell me what you’re making.” You watched the blonde-haired man grab the flour, egg carton, and milk from the fridge and place them on the counter. 

“Why don’t you be surprised? I’ll tell you once we get prepared to cook it.”

“Fine.” You say as you drift your attention to the window. Once he grabbed the bowl and spatula, he turned to face you. 

“Are you ready?” He questioned as a bright smile appeared on his face. You nodded eagerly until you realized how fast it was.

“Yep. I’m ready!” Sanji then added the amount of flour and told you how many eggs you could crack. You took an egg from the carton, pressed it on the counter a little roughly until you heard it crack, and spread the shell apart. You watched as the egg yolk fell into the bowl before the blonde chef grabbed the spatula, which stopped you in your tracks.

“Let me add milk.” Sanji took the milk carton, poured the right amount, closed the lid, and put it in the fridge. The cook then moved aside so you could stir.

As you were stirring the batter, the chef pulled the bacon from its clear wrapping and placed it in the pan. “I won’t let you do this because I don’t want the grease to pop at you.” You nodded before continuing your movement. Your movements were steady and precise as you were stirring the batter.

After Sanji checked the bacon strips in the pan, his attention drifted to you. “You're doing very well, my sweet.” Your lips curved from his compliment before stopping your tracks. “Oh, wait. It still needs to mix with vanilla.” Sanji grabbed the vanilla extract, dipped a few into the bowl, and moved so you could stir.

The chef went back to his original position to flip the bacon and place the rest on the plate. Then Sanji went to the fridge and grabbed the margarine before closing the door. Once he grabbed the butter knife, sliced the right amount of the smooth butter, and placed it on the pan effortlessly.

“I feel like I know what you’re doing, and it’s kind of too late to make it.” You giggled.

“It’s not a lot of battery. It’s only enough for a few.”

“And this is supposed to be a snack?”

“It’s enough to fill your stomach.” The chef smiled, making you mirror it.

“Sure. This will definitely fill me in the morning as well.” You poured the batter into the pan.

“And I thought you said that you wanted me to teach you how to cook,” Sanji remarked as he crossed his arms.

“Maybe you should’ve thought that I wanted to spend time with you.” You glanced at him before grabbing the spatula.

TEN MINUTES LATER

Sanji placed the golden, fluffy pancakes onto your plate along with the bacon. Your eyes lit up as you could feel your mouth watering.

“This looks so good,” you said, licking the corner of your lips.

“It is for you.” Sanji placed the plate across the island counter. You walked around the counter, but before you could sit down, Sanji, like a gentleman he is, moved the chair back enough for you to pass by. “My lady,” He gestured his hand out.

“You didn’t have to do that, Sanji,” You say as you drift your attention to him.

“But I wanted to” The chef gave a soft smile, making you mirror it before sitting in the chair. The man pushed the chair in enough for you to reach the counter, then he walked around the other side of the island.

Sanji watched as you used the side of your fork to cut off a slice of the fluffy pancake before pressing it into your mouth. He smiled once he heard a satisfied sound from you.

“This is so good.” You closed your eyes in satisfaction. “Thank you so much, Sanji!”

“Anything for you, my lady.” Sanji tilted his head in confusion as he noticed you shifting in your chair while looking everywhere else but his face. He brushed it off before he turned to face the counter.

Sanji started to overthink. Everything he was thinking about led straight to you, making you the answer to everything. His train of thought, daydreams, his wishes, and his future. Even if it does hurt his chest, he really wants to be there for you. Even if you don’t accept his confession, it was worth risking to express himself.

“Y/n, I have something to tell you,” he says, making you pause your movements. You had your attention on him, which made him even more nervous about saying how he felt. “Uhm,” He stared into your eyes as he swallowed the lump in his throat. “Never mind. It’s nothing.” Sanji faced the dishes and started rolling up his sleeves.

“What was it?” You questioned as you stood beside him.

“It’s nothing to worry about. And it probably would've ruined this moment anyway.”

“Sanji…” You crossed your arms, leaving your elbow at the edge of the counter. “I know something is up. Please tell me.” Oh, how could he ignore it? Especially when you are asking nicely. But he was scared. Scared of destroying your friendship because nine times out of ten, you might not see him the same way he sees you.

“It’s just…” Sanji’s fingers held a small grip on the edge of the sink. “I’m scared that what I would say would make you uncomfortable and might not see me the same.”

“It wouldn’t hurt to tell, ‘cause you never know how I would react.” Your comforting words made him feel a little better, but he was still very anxious.

Sanji let out a sigh and removed his gloves before placing them aside. His eyes drifted towards the floor before looking into your confused eyes. “Y/n, I am in love with you.” He finally says, making your eyes widen.

“I am in love with you, and I always have ever since I met you. I fell in love with you the moment I first laid eyes on you. I was attracted to your beauty from the inside and out. Before you joined the Strawhats, you helped out your village and showed how much you care about them, even if they didn’t believe that you could save them. You were independent and declined my offer when I tried reaching out a hand to help.”

You felt your eyes watering from his words, “I felt crazy when I couldn’t help out. Luffy had to stop me since he said it was your fight and your decision. But you stopped them even when you were really badly injured. Your beauty leaves me breathless. Every time I look into your eyes, it’s always so gentle, like it’s welcoming me home. Every time you laugh, I can’t help but feel warmth. And every time you help out the people around you, my heart always feels at ease.”

Sanji paused for a moment as he was trying to find anything else to say because he had a whole list, but that would take a million years even to finish explaining. “I know that you probably won’t feel the same because of how I act towards everyone. Even the thought of you being with me sounds impossible, you know? Not in a bad way, but impossible since I am way under your league-”

“Sanji,” You interrupted him. You stepped closer, making him freeze on the spot. Sanji could already feel his hands becoming sweaty and his heart thumping against his chest.

Your hand reached to his cheek, thumb brushing against his skin before pressing your lips against his. Right then and there, he felt like his fireworks exploded around him. Was this real? It took Sanji a few seconds to register what had happened before he leaned into the kiss. You felt one of his hands wrap around your waist, and the other cupping your cheek.

The kiss started off slow before building with more tension. You felt his soft lips move in sync with yours as his hands explored your curves, and your fingers locked in his blonde hair. He could taste the sweetness from the pancake and the syrup remiainings on your lips. After a minute, you pulled back, and your eyes fluttered open. He was speechless, breathing heavily from the adrenaline.

“Wha – what was that?” He was cut off from his heavy breathing.

Your lips curved into a light smile. “Your answer.”

“Do that again, and I will go crazy-” And you interrupted him with another kiss. His face turned red as his lips parted. “I’m being serious!” You giggled at his reaction.

“Sanji, I love you too. I have been in love with you for a while now, and I just thought you only saw me the same way you see Nami and Robin.”

“You don’t have to worry about that, my love.” He lifted your hand and kissed the back of it tenderly. “You are the only one I have eyes for.”

You were one of the few children that lived in Shimotsuki Village who hadn’t come from the doujou — one of the few children he knew that (at least to the best of his knowledge) had a thing called family. A mother to braid your hair, a father to chase the darkness away, a warm bed and a kitchen that always smelled of freshly made rice. And perhaps it was jealousy, or some other more complicated emotion that had been then too big to name with one single word, but he’d never gone out of his way to befriend you like the other kids from the doujou did — fascinated as they were by your soft hands and round cheeks and the bright, glittering array of homemade sweets you’d bring with you once every couple of weeks.

He’d learn later on that it was because Shimotsuki-sensei had saved your father’s life at some point in time; the story now lost to the annals of legend and withering memory, but back then, he’d only assumed it was the natural way of things. Of waking up for kata practice and then settling in for lunch, and then maybe, if it was to be a good day, you, with your basket of sweets and your blue-bell laughter.

And perhaps this is why, years later, when he meets you again in a dark, nameless village tavern, he doesn’t recognize you — not at first. Because you’d looked so different. Gone was the roundness in your cheeks, or the natural star-bright light in your eyes. Gone, too, were the bright braids that your hair had always been set in — he remembers so clearly, watching the other boys from the doujou jab their fingers into the rings of your pinned up braids, pulling down just to hear you squeak. He hadn’t said anything then, stupidly thinking him above it all, watching as you tried to jerk away, but laughing when the boys finally relented with half-hearted apologies.

You always threatened to take their sweets away; you never did, in the end.

But there, then, in that tiny tavern, you’d been thin, your hair dark as an oil spill, loose and inky as it cascades over your shoulders, your eyes lightless as the windows to an abandoned house — the hollowness made all the more visceral by the light he knew once inhabited them. The way loneliness is always more potent when coming back to it, the second time around.

He wanders up to the bar, slates you a glance before rapping his knuckles on the worn wood to catch the bartender’s attention.

“I’ll have beer and a refill of whatever the lady’s having.”

You shift slightly, shoulders hunching towards your ears.

“Thanks, but no thanks,” you say, shifting to shield your face from his gaze.

Zoro cocks his head, tossing a few Berry towards the bartender as they set down a stein of beer and a champagne flute to replace the one in front of you.

“Can’t a guy buy a girl a drink?” Zoro asks, rolling his shoulders as he reaches out for his beer. You eye him warily.

“Not for a guy that’s been tracking me for three weeks straight.”

Zoro hums, thumb poised on the hilt of his swords.

“We just happened to be going in the same direction.”

You reach out to run a forefinger along the rim of the thin champagne flute before swirling it once by the base. You watch the bubbles fizzle before leaning in to take a dainty sip.

“And they say chivalry is dead…” you murmur, almost too softly for him to hear. Zoro scoffs, allowing himself a twinge of a smirk before his mouth falls flat.

“You let me track you for three whole weeks.”

There’s no question in his words, only a harsh, accusatory certainty.

You lick your lips, leaning back in your stool, tugging your glass of champagne with you.

“Maybe I wanted the company.”

“Or maybe… you wanted me to follow you here.”

Every muscle in his body is tense, drawn taut as a tightrope, coiled tight as a spring.

You sigh, twisting a single lock of your hair around a finger, examining the ends as if looking for split hairs.

Then, quick as a flash, you’re at each other’s throats — him with a sword poised at your jugular, you with a knife pressed against his stomach.

“One move —” you warn, digging the knife slightly further into his skin. Distinctly, Zoro feels the pressure slice through his thick linen shirt, the cool kiss of the blade against his abdomen. And he’s killed enough by now to know that you’ve picked a major artery — one that would hurt, and take minutes for him bleed out. Just long enough for him to suffer, but not enough to get help.

The edge of his mouth ticks upward — not bad.

It’s then, in the infinitesimal flicker of your eyes meeting his, that he realizes who you are.

He nearly topples back, jerking away slightly with the revelation. Your eyes go wide, jolted by his sudden movement. But he’s quick enough to evade the sharp jab of your knife and a second later, you’re on either ends of the tavern, drawn blades and bared teeth.

“Y-you!” the word rips from Zoro like an unripe scab, thick and hard and still bloody underneath.

You lick your lips, eyes narrowing to slits beneath your long, lanky hair.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“The hell you don’t.”

“Oi! No fighting in the bar!” the barkeep’s voice is gruff and loud, and for a second, Zoro wonders if you’ll listen. The next, the sharp clang of metal on metal stuns him backwards a few steps as you wrest your knives from between two of his katanas, snarling.

“If you’re so much of a gentleman — let’s take this outside.”

“Ladies first,” Zoro spits out as he whips both swords through the air before sheathing them. He makes a show of holding the tavern door for you as you stalk out in front of him, your hackles raised, your knives jutting out from your belt like so many pairs of sharpened claws.

“What do you want?” you ask, as soon as you’re both out of the bar and standing in the moonlit street outside, the wharf to your left, the strip of small, rundown taverns to your right.

The air twangs with the metallic smell of fish and the thick, oppressive sweetness of rotting wood.

“An explanation,” Zoro says, crossing his arms and planting his feet.

“I don’t owe you anything.”

Zoro nods, “Sure. But that doesn’t mean I don’t wanna know.”

You lick your lips, glaring at him for a second longer before turning and marching down the rickety boardwalk. A moment later, Zoro levels himself with you as you round a corner onto a small stretch of beach, pillowed against a backdrop of sharp, unrelenting rocks, the tips bleached white by the round, silver moon.

“There was a beach just like this,” you say, stepping onto the tide-soaked sand, leaning down to pick up a fragment of a broken seashell, washed ashore by an errant wave.

It takes Zoro a second to realize you’re talking about Shimotsuki village, and the tiny little beach on the other side of the dense, cedar wood.

“Yeah. A bunch of us used to play there — see who can throw rocks out the furthest.”

“You were always the best at that,” you say, your voice softer than he’d heard all night.

“Yeah, well…” Zoro shrugs, leaning down to pick up a piece of rock, weighing it in his palm a few times before whipping his arm back to snap it into the gentle, shushing waves. You both watch as the rock skids out over the water before plunking into the sea, “Guess I’ve always been kind of a show-off.”

The sound of your laughter sends summertime sparklers racing up his spine.

The quiet pools between you like spilt blood, rank and dripping.

“So. You go by Ms. Double Nines now, I heard,” Zoro says, in a flagging attempt to be casual as he turns to glance at you, both his hands resting on the hilt of his swords.

You stand next to him, your eyes focused on a point far out on the horizon, still as statue.

“What’s it to you?”

Zoro sighs, looking down. In the pale, cool moonlight, his earrings glint like baring teeth.

“What happened?”

You suck in a breath.

"Life happened,” you say, turning back towards him with a steely glint in your eyes. Zoro stiffens, his grip tightening on his swords as he sizes you up. He does the mental calculations — you’re just far enough for him to defend against an attack, but close enough where if things were to go south entirely, he’d have a hard time getting back to safety.

You grin, seemingly noticing his rough internal calculations.

“Do yourself a favor, Roronoa — and don’t ask questions you don’t wanna know the answers to,” you say, flicking out one of your blades and tossing it up into the air, only to catch it around your finger, swinging it round and round, the sharp edge of the blade nicking the air just shy of your cheekbone.

“Who said I didn’t want to know?” Zoro presses, bracing himself for a fight.

You chuckle, the sound harsh and mirthless.

“If you’d wanted to fight me properly, you wouldn’t have waited till I got you onto this stretch of deserted beach.”

“Maybe I just wanted a quiet place to kill you.”

“Or maybe…” your voice is so low Zoro almost doesn’t catch the stomach-wrenching longing in your words, “I just wanted a quiet place to die.”

The sharp shink of blades being drawn is heart-rendingly familiar, but the bone-rattling clash of metal on metal still shakes him to the roots of his teeth. Zoro grunts as he parries a blow from either side, before crossing his swords to catch your assault down the center.

You’re fast, he’ll give you that, your body smaller and quicker. You slip through the shadows with the comfort of a person who knows nothing but and he can’t help wondering at the life you’ve led that had pushed you to this point.

To having a mark on your back, a bounty on your head.

You’re a good fighter — this much, he acknowledges. But good isn’t usually good enough to best him. This much, he also knows. Yet somehow, you’re keeping up, somehow, you’re pushing him back, forcing him to retreat one step and then another. It’s not until you duck beneath one of his pin-wheeling blades and force yourself into a knife’s-breath of his space that he realizes — it isn’t that you’re good, it’s that you’re reckless.

Reckless with your own body in a way that makes him stumble back at the realization. Reckless, in the way you charge forward and thrust your body into spaces where he’d easily be able to slip a blade between your ribs — and later, when he’s wiping his swords clean of your oxidizing blood, he’d wonder why he didn’t.

Still, there’s something terrifying in the way you barely flinch when he knicks your arm, drawing a dark line of blood through your clothes, or how you jerk yourself forward when the tip of his sword catches your stomach, almost as if daring him to impale you in one fell swoop.

“You — you used to be… someone else,” he says, panting as he steadies himself against a sharp jut of moonlit rocks. Behind you, the ocean churns, dark and foaming as it throws itself onto the jagged reefs.

You lick your lips, wiping a smear of blood from your cheek. Your chest heaves with the exertion, but there’s a pale, flickering ache behind your eyes that sets Zoro’s whole body on edge.

He shivers as you grin, savage and unrecognizable as the tiny girl with mochi-round cheeks who had once upon a time offered him sweets in a hand-woven basket.

“Yeah? Well — so did you.”

Law does not look up from the medical reports in front of him “No.”

“I didn’t even ask anything.”

“You yelled. Whatever follows is a problem.”

Shachi appears from nowhere and drops into the seat beside Penguin.

“It’s not a problem, it’s actually a solution!”

“It’s absolutely a problem.” Law says.

Bepo walks in carrying tea “What happened?”

Penguin points dramatically at the newspaper “We found science.”

Law already hates where this is going “Leave.”

“No.”

“That’s not a request.”

Penguin ignores him completely “Look at this.”

He shoves the paper into Law’s face.

Law glances at it, then glances again… then slowly lowers the newspaper… then he says “...Is this a love quiz?”

“It’s in the lifestyle section.” Shachi says seriously “As all important science is.”

Law pinches the bridge of his nose and sarcastically says “I became a pirate for this.”

Bepo leans over to read and his eyes widen “Oh.”

“Oh?” Law repeats.

“Oh.”

“Stop saying oh.”

Penguin suddenly stands on a chair “Today’s experiment is simple.”

“No.”

“We determine whether Captain is in love.”

“No.”

“With a certain person.”

“No.”

“Who definitely is our dear crewmate y/n.”

Law glares.

Shachi gasps dramatically “He didn’t deny that part!”

“I literally denied everything.”

“Not strongly enough.”

Law stands “I’m leaving.”

Penguin points at him “RUNNING FROM THE TRUTH.”

“I’m running from you idiots.”

Before Law can escape, Bepo gently grabs his sleeve “Captain…”

Law looks down.

Bepo gives him the saddest eyes imaginable “...Please?”

Law stares.

Bepo stares back.

Penguin and Shachi are holding their breath.

Finally Law sighs… a long, defeated sigh “One question.”

The room explodes.

“YES!”

“HE AGREED!”

“SCIENCE WINS!”

Five minutes later Law finds himself trapped at the table.

Penguin has a pen.

Shachi has the newspaper.

Bepo has become the official emotional support bear.

The rest of the crew around are pretending not to listen. Pretending very badly.

Shachi clears his throat “Question one.”

Law already regrets everything.

Shachi reads dramatically “First of all, do you have a specific person in mind before starting this test?”

Penguin immediately checks a box “Yes.”

Law blinks “You didn’t even let me answer.”

Penguin looks offended “Captain.”

“What?”

“We’re doing this for a reason.”

Shachi nods “It would be weird if you didn’t have y/n in mind.”

“You don’t know if I do.”

The entire room stares at him.

Penguin marks the answer harder “Definitely yes.”

Law considers murder… just a little.

“Question two.”

Shachi sits up straighter “Could you spend six months on an isolated island with no one else but them?”

Law immediately frowns “What kind of question is that?”

“A powerful one.”

“There are options.”

Penguin points at the paper “Option one: Yes, and I would enjoy it. Option two: It would be difficult, but I could do it. Option three: I don’t think I could survive that with anyone.”

Law doesn’t answer immediately, which is already suspicious.

Shachi notices first “Oh?”

Law ignores him.

He taps his fingers against the table.

An isolated island.

Six months.

No crew.

No pirates.

No newspaper.

Just…

His thoughts stop before THEM reach your name, but unfortunately his silence lasts too long.

The crew is watching and waiting.

Law sighs “Yes.”

The room goes silent.

Penguin slowly turns toward Shachi. Shachi slowly turns toward Penguin. Both grin wildly.

Penguin checks the first option “Yes, and I would enjoy it.”

Law immediately points at the paper “I didn’t say I’d enjoy it.”

“Oh?”

“I just said yes.”

Shachi leans forward “You’d spend six months alone with them.”

“Yes.”

“In a tiny hut on an isolated island.”

“Yes.”

“No books.”

“Yes.”

“No one else.”

“Yes.”

Shachi raises an eyebrow “You’d hate it.”

Law opens his mouth, then pauses for a second too long “...No.”

The word is almost a whisper.

The room freezes.

Bepo’s jaw drops.

Penguin drops the pen.

Someone at the other side of the room chokes on water.

Law realizes what he said.

Shachi slowly places both hands on the table “Captain.”

“No.”

“You would enjoy it.”

“No.”

“You literally just—”

“No.”

Penguin checks the answer anyway, very aggressively.

“This quiz is stupid.”

“Question three!”

Law groans.

Shachi reads “Imagine your partner became wildly successful and always had a lot of attention on them, comparatively making you constantly in their shadow.”

Law already hates the wording.

“How would you feel?”

Penguin reads the options “Option A: Incredibly proud. Option B: Proud, for sure, but maybe a little inadequate with myself, too. Option C: I think, in all honesty, I wouldn’t like that sense of inequality.”

Law stands “I’m leaving.”

“Nope.”

“I’m serious.”

“So are we.”

“This is ridiculous.”

Bepo looks up from the paper “Captain?”

“What?”

“If, for example, y/n would defeat some big pirate…”

Law freezes for a moment, but everyone sees it.

Bepo smiles “Captain would be proud.”

The room becomes silent.

Law looks at the door, then at the table, then at Bepo… then away.

But he doesn’t leave.

Penguin slowly reaches for the answer sheet “Silence means yes.”

Law doesn’t argue, because somehow arguing right now feels worse.

Shachi points dramatically “Option one!”

The box gets checked.

Law immediately grabs the newspaper “How many questions are left?”

Penguin grins “A lot.”

Law’s eye twitches “A lot?”

“A terrifying amount.”

“I hate this test.”

Shachi leans back in his chair “Oh, Captain.”

“What?”

“We’re only getting started.”

From somewtheme behind them, a familiar voice speaks “Getting started with what?”

The entire crew freezes.

Law nearly drops the newspaper.

Because standing in the doorway is you, looking confused and holding a stack of supplies.

Penguin slowly covers the answer sheet with both hands.

Shachi smiles far too brightly “Nothing.”

You narrow your eyes “Why does it feel like you’re lying?”

Law immediately stands “Good question.”

You look at him, he stops and you smile at him “I’m going back into my shopping, do you need something? Any clothes? Books?”

Shachi speaks first “Why are you only asking him?? We might need something too.”

You look at him with disgust “You can go get them yourself if you need something.”

He gasps “Captain could go himself as well, you’re being unfair!”

You fight back “Or maybe he has Captain things to do? You are useless so what do you even have to do—”

You two fight for a while then Law tells you “I don’t need anything, don’t worry.”

You nod and leave after punching Shachi, too soft to hurt but Shachi is dramatic, so that was enough.

The door closes behind you.

Silence.

Then someone says… or better yells “CAPTAIN IS SO IN LOVE.”

Law closes his eyes “I hate all of you.”

Penguin looks down at the newspaper “No time for hate.”

“There is always time to hate you.”

“Question four!”

Shachi clears his throat dramatically “Do you think this person is special?”

He reads the answers.

“Option A: Yes, I feel lucky to know them. Option B: Yeah, to me. Option C: Maybe not ‘special’, but they’re definitely a good person.”

Now, he fastly add “To be honest I don’t understand, they’re annoying and stupid. They’re not special at all…”

Law looks at Shachi with disgust “You’re the annoying and stupid one.”

Shachi gasps and adds “Defensive, aren’t we??”

Law looks at the wall, the wall is suddenly fascinating.

“Captain?” Penguin asks.

Law sighs… a long sigh.

Finally he speaks “they're…”

The room waits.

“...Y/N.”

Silence.

The crew stare.

Law frowns “What?”

Nobody answers.

Penguin slowly turns toward Shachi, who slowly turns toward Penguin. Then both look back at Law.

Penguin nods “Yeah.”

Shachi nods too “Definitely.”

Law narrows his eyes “Definitely what?”

Penguin checks a box “‘Yeah, to me.’”

“What?”

“That’s what that means.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“It absolutely is.”

“You asked if they're special.”

“Exactly.”

“And?”

“And you answered by saying that they're Y/N… which means they're special to you.”

Shachi says “Yeah, or you would have said they're annoying, like you do with us.”

Law's eye twitches.

Shachi points at him “Special.”

Law decides silence is safer.

Unfortunately, silence is apparently an answer today.

“Next question!”

Law regrets staying.

Penguin reads “How does the idea of… sleeping with them, and only them, for the rest of your life make you feel?”

The room becomes very quiet.

Very, very quiet.

Even Shachi stops smiling.

Bepo coughs.

Clione, whose silence in the room, nearly falls off a chair.

Law immediately says “I ain’t answering this.”

His answer comes so fast everyone starts laughing.

“Captain’s ears are red.”

“They are not.”

“They are.”

“They absolutely are.”

Law pulls his hat lower, but unfortunately it does nothing for his ears.

Shachi looks at the options and reads them “A: I should be so lucky!! B: I’d rather only sleep with them than not sleep with them at all. B: I’d rather only sleep with one person than potentially not sleep with anyone at all. C: I don’t think I could do that, to be honest.”

Nobody knows what to do or say, so the room falls into deep thoughts.

Finally Shachi speaks “Okay…”

“No.”

“Let’s think with Captain’s brain.”

“Don’t.”

“He doesn’t care much about that stuff.”

Bepo nods “That’s true.”

“So normally,” Shachi continues, “he wouldn’t care.”

“Correct.”

“But.”

Everyone looks at Law and Law looks away.

“But,” Shachi repeats, “he’s obviously completely gone for Y/N.”

“I’m not.”

Nobody listens.

“So…”

The whole crew think. Penguin thinks. Bepo thinks. Jean Bart somehow thinks.

Then “Oh.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“That makes sense.”

Everybody nods together.

Penguin checks the first answer “I should be so lucky!!”

Law stares at the paper, then at them.

He sighs… a very tired sigh.

But he doesn’t leave.

“Next question!”

“Please stop.”

“Can you name their favourite food, book, and music?”

The room immediately turns toward Law.

Law blinks “What?”

Shachi lowers the newspaper “Captain.”

“What?”

“You know all of them, don’t you?”

Law answers without thinking “their favourite food changes every few months and depends on their mood, but currently it’s—”

The room erupts “HE STARTED ANSWERING.”

“He actually knows!”

“Current favourite food?!”

Law immediately stops talking and looks at the wall, but it’s way too late.

Penguin is already checking the box “I don’t need to hear more.”

Law buries his face in one hand.

The quiz continues.

Shachi reads the next one “Do you think that this relationship is special and unreplicable? Yes, definitely. Or… I think it's a good relationship, but ultimately there are many people with whom I could have a good relationship.”

Shachi doesn't even finish reading that he checks the first box “There.”

Law looks up “You didn’t even ask.”

“I didn’t need to.”

“You absolutely did.”

Shachi points at him “Same logic as before.”

“That isn’t logic.”

“It is.”

“It isn’t.”

“It is.”

Penguin joins him “You only care about Y/N.”

Law looks offended “You’re all here and alive, aren’t you.”

The room immediately becomes emotional.

“Aww.”

“Captain.”

“He cares.”

Law immediately regrets speaking.

“But.” Sahchi raises a finger “Not like he cares about Y/N.”

The emotional moment dies instantly.

Law wishes for a sea king attack “Last question on this page.”

“Thank God.”

Penguin reads “they got a new job offer that meant they’d have to be in a totally different part of the world for eighteen months.”

Law already hates this.

“What would you do?”

He reads the answers.

"A: We’d do long distance, or maybe I'd even move with them. We’d make it work. B: I would give long distance a go, maybe reassess in due course. C: I would ask them not to do it. D: I wouldn’t stop them from going, but we’d probably break up."

Law immediately frowns.

"We’re pirates in the same crew, they works with me."

The room freezes.

Penguin's grin slowly grows dangerously.

“We’re pirates in the same crew…” he repeats.

Law is confused, because isn’t that obvious?

So he answers “Yes.”

“Same crew.”

“Yes.”

“Working together.”

“Yes.”

“Every day.”

“Yes.”

“WITH you.”

Law closes his eyes and the room explodes.

“HE SAID WITH ME.”

“NOT FOR ME.”

“WITH ME.”

“THAT’S SO CUTE.”

Law seriously considers jumping into the ocean.

Bepo smiles “I think the second answer is better in our case.”

Everyone pauses and then nods.

“Yeah.”

“That's reasonable.”

“Very healthy.”

Penguin checks the box.

Law doesn't even bother arguing anymore. He has lost control of this situation completely.

Shachi looks down at the end of the page, then he slowly smiles “Oh.”

Law immediately doesn't like that smile “What?”

“Oh no.”

“What?”

“There are more questions.”

Law stands “I’m leaving.”

“Captain—”

“I'm leaving.”

“Captain, wait.”

“No.”

“Just two! And then there’s a result section.”

Law stops.

“Don't you want to know your score?”

Law stares “...Maybe.”

The crew immediately scream.

After a few minutes… Law should have left. That is the only thought running through his head. He should have left after the first question.

Or the second.

Or when Shachi and Penguin started answering for him.

Instead he’s still here, sitting at the table. Watching his dignity sink deeper and deeper into the ocean.

Penguin clears his throat “Second-to-last question.”

“Thank God.”

“Do you find yourself daydreaming about them and smiling?”

Penguin reads the answers “Literally all the time! Or… Definitely when we first met; less now but it still happens on occasion, especially when they're away. C: No, I’m too busy. D: That's lame as hell.”

Law immediately answers “No. I’m too busy.”

The answer comes so fast that nobody even finishes reading the options.

The room falls silent, then—“Bullshit.”

Law points at Penguin “Oi.”

“Bullshit.”

“Shachi.”

“Bullshit.”

“Bepo?”

Bepo looks guilty “...Maybe a little? …Sorry.”

Law stares.

Bepo immediately looks away.

Shachi suddenly points “Question. When Y/N goes on supply runs alone, what do you do?”

Law frowns “What?”

“What do you do?”

“Work.”

“Liar.”

“I work.”

“You stand near the window.”

Law opens his mouth and closes it.

“Aha!”

“I stand near the window because it's a window.”

The room explodes with laughter.

Penguin wipes tears from his eyes “Captain.”

“What?”

“Last month Y/N was gone for three hours.”

“So?”

“You checked the time seventeen times.”

Law freezes “...Who counted?”

“I did.”

“Why?”

“I was curious. Plus, when they were back you totally stopped. And I tried to see if you do the same when it’s someone else going alone. You checked three times for Bepo and ZERO for the rest.”

“That’s disturbing of you.”

“Not as disturbing as staring out the window for three hours.”

Bepo scratches his cheek “And you smile when they bring you books.”

Law immediately looks at him “I do not.”

“You do.”

“I don’t.”

“You really do.”

“I don’t.”

“You get a little smile.”

‘I don’t.”

“A tiny one.”

“I don’t.”

“A really tiny one.”

Law looks around and sees that nobody is agreeing with him, not even a single person.

Shachi checks the first answer “Literally all the time.”

Law drops his forehead onto the table.

“Last question!”

“Please let it end.”

Penguin reads “Is they your best friend?”

Law immediately regrets staying again.

“A: yes, absolutely. B: they're one of my best friends. C: no, someone else is my best friend.”

Before Law can speak, Shachi shouts “Obviously not!”

Penguin gasps “What do you mean obviously not?”

“I’m his best friend.”

Bepo calmly says “I’m his best friend.”

“No, me.”

“No, me.”

“No, me.”

The room descends into chaos and everyone starts arguing.

At some point Jean Bart claims he’s Law’s best friend. At another point someone says Law doesn’t have friends and Law says that’s the most accurate thing he’s heard all day.

Nobody listens.

“Captain likes me more.”

“No, me.”

“He trusted me with medical supplies once.”

“He asked me to close the door.”

“He told me good job.”

“He also told you to stop talking.”

“That’s basically affection from him.”

The argument somehow lasts five whole minutes.

Law sits there, dead inside.

Finally Bepo raises both paws “Okay!”

The room quiets.

Bepo looks at the newspaper, then at Law.

Then back at the paper “I think we should just put the second answer.”

Everyone pauses, then nods.

“Fair.”

“Yeah.”

“Reasonable.”

“I can live with that.”

Law isn't even asked.

The box gets checked.

And finally.

Finally.

The questions are over.

The crew stare at the paper.

Shachi rubs his hands together “Oh boy.”

Penguin grabs a pencil “We have to calculate the score.”

Law immediately stands “I’ll stop here.”

Bepo gently pushes him back into his chair “Captain, we’ve come this far.”

“I haven’t.”

“You have.”

“I really haven’t.”

“You have.”

For several minutes the crew add points.

Then argue about points.

Then add more points.

Then argue again.

Law has absolutely no idea what they’re doing, he isn't sure they know either.

Finally.

Penguin slams both hands onto the table “WE HAVE THE RESULTS.”

The entire submarine goes quiet.

Even people who weren't involved are now listening.

Shachi clears his throat.

Bepo looks excited.

Law looks like he's preparing for execution.

Penguin stands, unfolds the newspaper dramatically and then he reads “YES, YOU’RE MADLY IN LOVE!”

The room explodes.

“YOU ARE DEEP IN THE THROES OF LOVE.”

“WHAT YOU HAVE IS VERY SPECIAL AND NEEDS NURTURING.”

“WHICH YOU HAPPILY GIVE IT.”

Silence.

Then—“CAPTAIN’S IN LOVE!”

“CAPTAIN’S IN LOVE!”

“CAPTAIN’S IN LOVE!”

Law’s face goes completely blank.

“Congratulations, Captain.”

“Shut up.”

“When’s the wedding?”

“Shut up.”

“Can I be the best man?”

“Shut up.”

“I called it months ago.”

“Shut up.”

Bepo is smiling so hard his cheeks hurt “You really love Y/N, Captain.”

The room quiets a little, because unlike everyone else, Bepo says it sincerely, without any teasing.

Law opens his mouth, ready to deny it, but this time the words don't come, because suddenly he remembers you asking if he needed anything, you bringing him books without him asking, the way you always save a seat for him, the way you smile when he actually takes a break, the way the submarine feels different whenever you're not there.

“...Captain?” Bepo asks softly.

Law looks away and pulls his hat down a little lower and mutters “...It’s a stupid quiz.”

The crew scream.

Because that is not a denial.

“I KNEW IT.”

“THAT COUNTS.”

“CAPTAIN’S IN LOVE.”

Law gets up and the crew immediately start running, and as chaos fills the Polar Tang, the newspaper remains forgotten on the table.

The result still visible, with a big circle around the final answer.

YES, YOU’RE MADLY IN LOVE.

Law says nothing for about ten seconds, then he snatches the newspaper from Penguin's hands.

The room goes silent.

Penguin blinks “Captain?”

Law flips back to the first page “I’m doing it again.”

Silence.

Then the entire crew bursts out laughing “YOU CAN'T RETAKE LOVE.”

“I CAN RETAKE A STUPID QUIZ.”

Shachi falls to the floor dramatically “He's in denial!”

“I'm not.”

“You literally got the highest score possible!”

“The questions and your answers were biased.”

“They weren't!”

“They absolutely were.”

Law slams the paper on the table “Ask.”

Penguin is crying “Oh my God, he's serious.”

“I'm serious.”

Bepo looks hesitant “Captain…”

“Ask.”

Shachi wipes tears from his eyes “Fine.”

He clears his throat dramatically.

“Question one. Do you have a specific person in mind before starting this test?”

Law immediately says, “No.”

The room gasps, then Penguin points at him “You answered too quickly.”

“I didn't.”

“You did.”

“I didn't.”

Shachi narrows his eyes “Captain.”

“What?”

“Who were you thinking about while waiting for me to read the question?”

Law opens his mouth and closes it.

Penguin aggressively checks the box.

Law glares “This is stupid.”

The second question somehow goes worse “Could you spend six months alone on an isolated island with this person?”

“No.”

Everyone stares.

Law crosses his arms “No.”

Shachi leans forward “You wouldn't miss Y/N?”

“No.”

“You wouldn't want to hear their voice?”

“No.”

“You wouldn't like having them all to yourself?”

Law freezes and here the room goes completely silent.

“...That's not what the question says”

Penguin slowly lowers his head onto the table.

Bepo covers his mouth.

Shachi starts screaming “CHECK THE ANSWER.”

Someone says “CHECK IT TWICE.”

“I HATE ALL OF YOU.”

After a few more questions, the answers barely change.

Actually… they get worse.

Because now Law is answering himself, and unfortunately, he's honest.

Ten minutes later Penguin finishes counting.

Law crosses his arms “Well?”

Penguin is shaking.

Shachi is on the floor again.

Bepo looks apologetic “...Captain.”

“What.”

“You scored…”

He flips the page.

YES, YOU'RE MADLY IN LOVE.

And underneath one of the idiots wrote:

YOU ARE EVEN MORE IN LOVE THAN BEFORE, YOU GOT A 100/100!

Silence.

Law stares, then grabs the newspaper and flips it upside down, as if maybe the result will change.

He flips it back.

Bepo smiles sheepishly “I think... maybe it's accurate?”

Law stares at the page a little longer, then quietly mutters, “...This quiz is a scam.”

“THAT'S NOT A DENIAL.”

“SHUT UP.”

By now there are papers everywhere.

Crossed-out answers.

Ink circles.

Notes.

Arguments.

At one point Shachi has written: HE’S IN LOVE

Across an entire page.

Law immediately threw that page away, but unfortunately someone picked it back up.

Penguin dramatically points at the final score.

But before he can even say something, the door opens.

“Oh. You’re all still here?” your voice echoes through the room.

Everybody freezes.

You stand in the doorway carrying several shopping bags.

Your eyes travel across the disaster in the room.

“...Should I ask?”

Nobody answers.

You slowly walk into the room, looking around. More confused with every step.

Law immediately speaks “It’s nothing.”

You look at him, then at the room and then back at him.

“It’s clearly something.”

“It’s not.”

“It is.”

“It’s not.”

“It is.”

“It’s not.”

You look at the others “What’s going on?”

The entire crew suddenly becomes very interested in the ceiling… but also the walls, the floor… literally anything except you.

You narrow your eyes and give them the kind of look that has made grown pirates confess crimes they didn't even commit.

“What. Did. You. Do.”

Shachi breaks first, predictably “IT WAS PENGUIN’S IDEA.”

“TRAITOR!”

And suddenly everyone starts talking.

“There was a quiz.”

“A love quiz.”

“He got full points!”

Law closes his eyes. The headache is becoming physical.

You blink. Then reach for the newspaper.

Nobody stops you.

You pick it up, look at the title, look at the answers, look at the circles and look at the notes.

Your eyes move quickly until you reach the result.

You stare at it for a few seconds.

The room is silent.

Then you look up, confused “...Who is in love with me?”

Silence.

Nobody moves.

Nobody breathes.

Nobody blinks.

Even Law freezes.

You look around, waiting.

Then Shachi suddenly points at you “You’re so full of yourself that you assume it’s about you?”

You slowly turn toward him.

The room collectively prepares for his funeral.

“Idiot.”

Shachi immediately regrets everything.

You point at the newspaper “There’s literally a note near the results.”

Everyone looks down and written in messy handwriting there’s:

HE LOVES Y/N AWWW

Shachi slowly lowers his head “Ah.”

You look back at the crew “So?”

Pause.

“Who is it?”

Nobody answers. Which is an answer by itself, because suddenly, every single person in that room looks at Law.

You follow their gaze and find Law staring at the floor.

The pieces connect.

Your eyes widen a little.

Law notices and his soul immediately leaves his body.

For a moment nobody speaks.

Then, unexpectedly, you relax. The tension leaves your shoulders. The surprise leaves your face and something softer appears instead.

You look at Law for a second, then you smile and tell him “I bought you a necklace.”

The room freezes again.

“What?” Penguin blurts.

You continue like nothing happened “It’s really cool.”

Law blinks.

You point at him “It’s totally your style.”

Nobody understands what's happening, not even Law.

“And don’t worry.” you raise a hand “I didn’t use the crew’s money.”

Shachi immediately nods “Good.”

“I used mine.”

“Even better.”

You smile proudly, then start backing toward the door “I have it somewhere between all my new clothes.”

Law is still staring, completely lost.

“So…” you point toward the hallway “I’ll give it to you later.”

A pause, then you smile at him again.

A little brighter this time “Bye!”

And before anyone can answer, you rush out.

The door slams shut.

Absolute silence.

The crew slowly turn toward Law.

Law is still staring at the door.

Penguin speaks first, very carefully “...Captain.”

No answer.

“Captain…”

Still nothing.

“Captain.”

Law finally blinks then quietly asks “...Do you think they figured it out?”

The room explodes.

“HE ASKED IF they FIGURED IT OUT.”

“they DEFINITELY FIGURED IT OUT.”

“they BOUGHT YOU A GIFT.”

“A PERSONAL GIFT.”

“A NECKLACE.”

“they CHANGED THE SUBJECT TO SAVE YOU.”

“CAPTAIN YOU ARE SO DONE.”

Law drops his face into his hands and sighs, regretting all his life’s choices.

The moment you close your bedroom door behind you, your brain starts screaming.

“Oh my God.”

You pace.

“Oh my God.”

Turn.

“Oh my God.”

Turn again.

You bury your face in your hands “What was that?”

You groan loudly and fall face-first onto your bed.

Then immediately sit back up, because that doesn't solve anything.

“He likes me.”

Pause.

“No.”

Pause.

“Maybe.”

Pause.

“Definitely.”

Pause.

“Maybe?”

You scream into your pillow.

A few minutes later you're still pacing.

The necklace sits on your bed, mocking you.

You stare at it and then at the wall, and back at the necklace again.

Finally, Ikkaku enters the room.

“Ikkaku, you’re here!”

“Oh no.” She says.

You stop pacing “What do you mean, ‘oh no’?”

“You're using your emergency tone.”

“...”

“What’s wrong?”

Five minutes later Ikkaku knows everything, the quiz, the results, the notes, the staring, the necklace and the panic.

There is a concerning silence on the other end “Just confess to him.”

You nearly choke “WHAT?”

“Confess.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“No.”

“Good argument.”

You throw yourself onto your bed “I can’t just confess.”

Ikkaku watches you and sits on the edge of your bed, “Why not?”

“Because.”

“Excellent point.”

You groan “Ikkaku.”

“What?”

“What if I’m wrong?”

A pause to judge your stupidity, then “Y/N.”

“What?”

“The entire crew practically pointed at him. He didn't deny it. And according to you, he looked ready to die when you figured it out.”

“...”

“He likes you.”

You cover your face “I hate this.”

‘No, you don’t.”

You hate how right she is.

Hours pass.

Dinner comes and goes.

You barely remember eating.

The necklace remains on your bed. Waiting.

Eventually, very late at night, when most of the submarine is quiet, you finally pick it up.

Your hands shake a little “Okay.”

You take a deep breath “Okay.”

Another deep breath and you leave your room.

Your heart is trying to kill you. Every step feels heavier than the last.

Eventually you stop in front of a familiar door.

Light still shines from underneath, of course he's awake.

You knock and he answers immediately “Come in.”

You open the door.

Law is sitting at his desk. Several books are spread around him. The usual.

He looks up and freezes.

You almost turn around and run.

“Y/N?”

“Hi.”

Brilliant.

Amazing.

A true master of conversation.

Law sets his pen down.

You walk forward slowly, but your eyes never leave the floor.

You stop in front of the desk and hold out the small box “The necklace.”

Law blinks, and then takes it “...Thank you.”

You nod, still staring at the floor.

The silence stretches.

Law notices and then he sighs softly… a tired sigh.

And says “Don’t worry about all that.”

Your stomach drops.

“It was just a stupid test they forced me to do.”

You don't move.

“They answered all the questions for me.” Law leans back in his chair “I didn’t even have a say in it.”

The words hit harder than they should.

You stare at the floor.

Law opens the box, inside rests the necklace. Simple dark metal, exactly his style.

A small smile appears on his face “Thank you for this.”

Your throat tightens.

You don't care about the necklace anymore.

Instead, very quietly, you ask “So the test…”

Law looks up.

“The results and everything…” Your voice gets smaller “Were just for their fun?”

The room suddenly feels too warm.

“So…” You swallow “It’s not true.”

Law's expression changes immediately, because now he's really looking at you and finally notices the tears gathering in your eyes.

The way you’re refusing to blink and the way your hands are shaking.

His heart sinks “Oh.”

For the first time all evening, Law understands.

He stands up quickly “Y/N—”

You immediately step back and his chest tightens.

You look down, still refusing to blink… trying so hard not to cry.

“I thought…” Your voice cracks.

You hate that it cracks but you continue, “I thought I had a chance.”

Law freezes.

Your fingers curl around your sleeves “But it was all just fun and games for the other idiots?”

The room becomes silent.

Law stares, for once, completely speechless.

Because somehow… you wanted there to be a chance… with him.

His heart pounds.

Then slowly, carefully, he takes a step forward and this time you don't move.

His voice is quieter than you’ve ever heard it, almost gentle “I agree with all the answers they gave in my stead.”

You finally blink and a tear escapes.

Law’s chest aches “And…”

He swallows, his eyes never leave yours “I agree with the results, Y/N.”

The world stops.

You stare and he stares back.

“I didn't say anything because… you know me, I was… embarrassed.”

A tiny smile appears.

“And because I was trying to figure out how they managed to know before I did.”

Another tear slips down your cheek.

Law reaches out slowly, giving you every chance to pull away. When you don't, his thumb brushes beneath your eye and wipes it away.

“You had a chance. You have a chance. Actually I’m the one who needs a chance.” his voice is barely above a whisper.

The corner of his mouth lifts slightly “Apparently I was just the last person on the submarine to realize it.”

You stare at him.

Your heart is pounding so hard you're sure he can hear it.

“So…” your voice is small “So you really…”

Law lets out a quiet breath. For someone who always seems to have an answer, he suddenly looks almost nervous “I really do.”

You laugh weakly through your tears, then cover your face “Oh my God.”

Law actually smiles, small and soft, but real.

“Oh my God.” you repeat.

“That’s your response?”

“I’ve been panicking for six hours.”

“Fair.”

You laugh again.

Then neither of you says anything, you just look at each other, and somehow that feels even more dangerous, because now there is nothing left to misunderstand and nothing left to hide behind.

The silence stretches, then Law sighs softly as if he can finally breathe normally.

And before he can think too much about it, he reaches for your wrist and gently pulls you closer.

Your breath catches as his hand slides to your cheek.

For a moment he just looks at you, like he’s still making sure this is real.

Then he murmurs “You know…”

“What?”

“For someone who basically read it, you’re the last one to find out…” a tiny smirk appears "You were pretty slow too.”

Your jaw drops “Excuse me?!”

Law chuckles.

The unfair bastard.

You barely have time to complain before he leans down and kisses you.

The argument dies instantly… your brain dies instantly too.

The kiss is soft and careful, like he's still giving you a chance to pull away… as if that's going to happen.

You grab the front of his shirt and kiss him back immediately. That earns a quiet laugh against your lips.

When you finally separate, both of you are breathing a little harder.

Neither of you lets go.

You rest your forehead against his chest “...The quiz was really accurate. It was basically science.”

Law groans “It wasn’t.”

You start laughing “It literally was.”

“It was a stupid quiz.”

“It was an accurate stupid quiz.”

“It was not.”

“It predicted your feelings.”

Law drops his forehead onto the top of your head “I’m never hearing the end of this.”

“Nope.”

“Penguin is going to be unbearable.”

“Yep.”

“Shachi is going to tell everyone he’s a doctor.”

“Absolutely.”

Law closes his eyes “Maybe I should just throw them both into the ocean.”

You grin, then tilt your head up and steal another quick kiss.

His expression softens instantly and suddenly neither of you cares very much about what the crew will say tomorrow.

Eplogue:

The relationship lasts exactly three days before the crew figures it out.

Which is honestly impressive (negatively) considering everyone was involved in that love test.

You don’t announce it and you don’t hold hands in public. You don’t suddenly become disgustingly affectionate.

At least that's what the two of you think.

Unfortunately, everyone else has functioning eyes and they’re nosy.

It starts at breakfast.

Law sits down first and a few minutes later, you walk into the mess hall.

There are at least twenty empty seats, but without thinking, you sit beside him.

Nobody says anything at first, because it's not the first time you sit next to him, but it's weird enough after that love test day.

So Penguin slowly lowers his coffee “...Interesting.”

The next day is somehow worse… you pass Law in the hallway and either of you stop or speak.

But your fingers brush for half a second.

HALF A SECOND but Bepo sees it… Bepo, who is absolutely terrible at keeping secrets.

His eyes become huge and yells”CAPTAIN HELD Y/N’S HAND!”

Law kinda panics “I DID NOT!”

“You totally did!”

“It was an accident!”

You panic as well “IT LASTED ONE SECOND!”

“SO IT WAS THERE!”

By the third day, the entire submarine knows, including people who weren't even involved in the original quiz.

The problem is that nobody tells you they know, they just become weird… weirder than usual.

Penguin starts making kissing noises at you everytime Law enters a room.

Shachi somehow becomes worse, like one morning he walks into the mess hall with his chest puffed out “Good morning.”

You look at him with disgust and ask “...Why are you smiling like that?”

Shachi places a hand dramatically over his heart “Please.”

You already don’t like where this is going.

“Address me properly.”

“Never, but go on. I want to see where you’re trying to get to.”

“That’s Doctor Shachi to you.”

“No.”

“The Love Doctor.”

You stare.

Law, who is drinking coffee nearby, slowly lowers his cup.

“You can’t just call yourself that.”

“I absolutely can.”

“No.”

“I literally united two souls.”

“You found a newspaper.”

“Details.” Shachi points dramatically at himself “I saw the truth before anyone else.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“I did.”

“You literally thought Law was in love with his sword three months ago.”

The room explodes.

“I WAS GOING THROUGH A THEORY PHASE!”

A week later things somehow get even worse.

You walk into the mess hall and immediately spot Shachi waiting near the entrance and the second he sees you, he points dramatically “How’s married life?”

You freeze.

Law freezes.

The room freezes.

Then you grab the nearest thing you could find… “Oh, you’re dead.”

Shachi immediately runs “CAPTAIN!”

You jump over a chair to follow him “COME BACK HERE!”

“CAPTAIN, YOUR LOVER IS TRYING TO KILL ME!”

“That’s not my problem”

“IT SHOULD BE!”

The chase lasts almost thirty seconds before a hand catches the back of your shirt.

You stop and you turn around. Law is holding your shirt.

“Let me go.”

“No.”

“Law.”

“No.”

“Law.”

“No.”

You point at Shachi, who is currently hiding behind Bepo “His head is empty anyway.”

“I know.”

“Then let me hit it.”

“No.”

“Just two times.”

“No.”

“Once?”

“No.”

You cross your arms and Law sighs.

Then he pulls you a step backward before you can launch yourself at Shachi again.

The crew immediately loses their minds.

“DID YOU SEE THAT?”

“HE JUST DRAGGED THEM AWAY.”

“THAT WAS SO DOMESTIC.”

“I’M GOING TO THROW UP.”

Law's eye twitches.

You point at Penguin “You’re next.”

“THE LOVE DOCTOR WILL PROTECT ME!”

“NONE OF YOU IDIOTS IS A LOVE DOCTOR!”

Shachi gasps dramatically “Excuse me? I’m the greatest romantic genius of our generation.”

“No.”

“I diagnosed Captain.”

You narrow your eyes “You bullied him.”

“I guided him.”

“You harassed him.”

“I enlightened him.”

“You gave him a headache.”

The room is laughing so hard people are crying.

Even Law looks like he’s trying not to smile.

Then Shachi points triumphantly toward a wall.

Everyone turns, and you immediately regret it, because somehow… some way… the original newspaper quiz has been framed.

Under the final result someone (guess who) has written:

LOVE DOCTOR SACHI WAS RIGHT

You immediately grab something else near you again “Oh, now you’re definitely dead.”

“CAPTAIN!”

This time Law catches you before you even take two steps “Stop trying to assault my crew now.”

“I’m trying to improve your crew.”

“By hitting them?”

“Maybe it will make them smart.”

Law pinches the bridge of his nose.

You smile innocently, but nobody is fooled, especially not him.

A few minutes later the chaos settles down.

You end up sitting beside Law while the crew keeps talking, teasing, and generally making everyone's life worse.

Shachi is currently explaining his future plans “The Love Doctor’s Guide to Romance.”

“No one is reading that.”

“I’ll make Captain read it.”

“No.”

“I’ll dedicate the first chapter to you two. My first success.”

Law looks ready to slice him.

You laugh and lean your head against his shoulder without even thinking about it and of course the room immediately explodes again.

“OH MY GOD.”

“THEM'RE SO CUTE.”

“DOMESTIC.”

Law groans and you laugh harder, but despite all the noise, all the teasing, all the comments that you'll never hear the end of… his arm quietly settles around your shoulders.

The crew starts screaming again.

And somewhere in the corner, Shachi wipes away a fake tear “My work here is done.”

You throw a bread roll directly at his face.

Everyone cheers, even Law smirks.

But the Love Doctor survives.

𝓨OU only know the future world’s greatest swordsman as a prick. Roronoa Zoro, a cocky, dry-humored, nonchalant man who never stepped out of a battle and showed no mercy towards his opponents. You and Zoro are always at each other's throats and bicker with one another. Always ending the conversation with none of you winning, besides one of the other crew members. But for once, you didn’t feel any of the hatred towards him.

Zoro challenged a duel against Dracule Mihawk, one of the seven warlords of the sea and also known as the world's greatest swordsman. In which he ended the duel with a large, deep wound on his chest.

You were sitting beside Zoro, trying to find the right words to say to him as you remembered what Nami had said; you had to communicate with him in order for him to come back to the living.

“Zoro…” you whispered. “A lot has happened since you've been gone. I know it’s not really much to say, but I kind of already miss your weird presence even though we have known each other for a few weeks.” Your eyes drifted to his resting figure. 

You had a lot more to say, but you kept those thoughts to yourself. You really wished he would wake up so you could punch him in the chest and call him an idiot, like how you usually do, but you couldn’t, and you knew that you shouldn’t.

So you say, “Whatever you do, please don't die on us. You haven't even accomplished your dream.”

Luffy and Usopp, who were standing inside the room with you, softened their eyes at your words. Even though they – well, all of you – only knew you two as cats fighting against each other, they still could feel that it came from the heart as a crewmate or even something deeper than that – a friend.

Your attention drifted to the boys. “I really hope he can wake up soon.” Luffy nodded to your response, understanding how you were feeling.

You felt a tight pain in your chest along with something you couldn't figure out exactly. Guilt? Sorrow? But the feeling was hard to control. It won’t stop hurting, as you could feel tears starting to form in your eyes.

“It's okay, Y/n,” Luffy says as he rests his hand on your shoulder, bringing you closer to his chest. Your eyes drifted to his arm before closing them. “He’ll come back to us.”

“But what if it's like how Ussop said. What if the chances are low of him coming back?” Ussop's lips parted as he was going to say something, but nothing came out.

After a few seconds, you backed away from the hug and wiped your tears away.

“Can I stay here for a bit?” You sniffed before facing Ussop, then at Luffy.

Luffy nodded. “Of course.” Ussop nodded along as he followed Luffy out of the room. Before they walked away, Ussop stopped in his tracks.

“If anything happens, let us know.” You nodded at his response before he walked out of the room. You turned back to face Zoro before sitting down at a chair beside the bed.

Your mouth opened, only letting out a hiccup before you rested your elbows on your knees, resting the palms of your hands on your head in distress.

“That’s the first time I've heard you worry about me.” You heard a familiar, low voice from beside you, making you lift your head in an instant.

“ZORO??” Your palms rested on the mattress as you leaned in front of him. “YOU’RE AWAKE! LUFFY! USSOP! ZORO IS AWAKE!-” You called out their names before leaning in to hug him, receiving a painful groan from him.

“Careful-” Once you noticed, you backed away from him quickly.

“Sorry.” Zoro examined you for a moment before letting out a small chuckle. You stared at his figure and sighed.

“All of us were so worried about you.” You finally say. “And you even frightened us. I’m not going to argue with you anymore about it since you did what you had to do, and it was your dream. I understand where Luffy is coming from, but next time you want to just pick a fight with someone, do it with someone you know who is weaker than you.”

Zoro’s mouth parted as if something was going to come out, but he closed it. He rested his eyes for a moment as his eyebrows furrowed.

“You’re so bossy.” He mumbled, not even in an annoyed way, but in a playful way.

After a few seconds, his eyes fluttered open and drifted to yours. You two held eye contact for a moment. And during that moment, you felt like time had stopped for you. You felt heavy tension rising in the air along with your heart beating in your chest. You always looked at him, but not in this kind of way. You finally got the chance to see his facial features more clearly. His dark brown, narrowed eyes always make him look intimidating, but he has softened his gaze.

You liked this side of him. The surprisingly relaxing side of him, where he isn’t being cocky, nor being aggressive. The only time you would see him relaxing like this is when he sleeps outside, which makes your cheeks warm up. You want to ignore these feelings. The feeling where you could feel butterflies dancing in your stomach, and the feeling where you wished you could stare at him all day, but it was impossible to stop it.

You averted your gaze from him. “Stop looking at me like that.” You say as you found the wall more interesting.

“Looking at you like what?” He questions innocently, even though there was a hint of teasing.

“That look you do! Ugh–” You placed your hand on your head in frustration. Zoro chuckled again at your reaction.

You two paused again, letting the comfortable silence fall between you. For once, you wished this could go on for hours. Both of you are staring at one another with curiosity about who would make a move and with tension. You felt intimidated by his unreadable face. You weren’t sure what he felt. Is he trying to argue with you? Or does he want this tension to go on forever just like you?

Zoro leaned his head closer to yours until you could feel each other’s lips brushing against one another. Before he could lean in fully, you heard the door creak open, making you jump away from his body.

“ZORO!” Luffy says as he rushes over to him, making Ussop’s eyebrow raise at you. You laughed at how Luffy did the same thing you did, which was hugging him tight. Zoro winced in pain again, making Luffy back away. “You’re awake!”

“Maybe you could do that later.” Zoro sounded like he was at his last breath, making Luffy back away.

“I’m sorry.” Luffy still had his hands on the swordsman’s shoulders. You stepped out of the room to give Luffy space alone with Zoro.

What had just happened a few moments ago?

—

A FEW HOURS LATER – 4:23 P.M

It had been hours since Zoro woke up, and when everyone was preparing to set sail, you were surprised by a new crewmate: Sanji, the cook from Baratie.

“Sanji?” Luffy used his hand to cover his eyes as he spotted his figure approaching the deck with his bag.

“You said that you needed a cook.” Sanji grinned.

Luffy approached Sanji, reaching his hand to him. “Welcome aboard.” Luffy greeted, making Sanji shake and continue walking ahead.

“Sanji joining?” You leaned against the railing.

“I guess so,” Ussop says as he leans against the railing beside you, staring at Sanji, who walks onto the ship.

“What the hell is that cook doing here?” A familiar calm voice startled you. You swiftly turned your attention to him. Zoro rested his hand on his sword, which was placed beside his hip.

“Zoro, you’re supposed to be resting!” You groaned. “Just go back to the room and-”

“You’re not the boss of me.” You let out a huff. You were annoyed that he was always nonchalant and calm, which was testing your nerves.

“We need a cook! We can’t go on our journey starving!” Luffy's lips quirked up, making Sanji mirror his smile.

Zoro’s eyes drifted to everyone, then at you, before turning around and sitting near the chilly area on the ship.

As Sanji scanned everyone, his eyes drifted to yours before smiling. “You’re the sweetheart who sat at the same table as them.”

“Yeah,” you say as you flash a light smile.

“Are you hungry?” Sanji says as he adjusts his jacket.

“I am a little bit.”

“What would you like? Breakfast, lunch, or a snack? French toast, pancakes, scrambled eggs, grilled cheese sandwich, soup, or the specialties from the Baratie-”

“I would like some French toast.” You interrupted him before he could name off something you had never heard of before.

The blonde’s lips curved into a smile, “Alright, madam. Give me about ten to fifteen minutes. Would you like water or juice?”

“I would like some water, please. Thank you!” Sanji readjusted his strap from the bag before walking inside the cabin. 

Zoro watched you and Sanji from afar before mumbling something to himself and grabbing one of the weights.

20 MINUTES LATER

It’s been twenty minutes since you set sail to search for Nami. Sanji was in the kitchen cooking everyone's lunch while chatting with Luffy and Usopp. Then there was Zoro, who was lifting one of the lighter weights in the shade.

Zoro placed the weight on the ground and tried to stand up from the wooden floor, but winced in pain. “Shit,” he cursed under his breath.

You rushed to his figure and immediately held onto his arm. “Zoro, just go and lie down back on the bed–”

Zoro grumbled, “How many times do I have to tell you? You’re not the boss of me, and I don’t need your help.”

“If you keep trying to move around, you could seriously open your wounds.” Zoro turned to face you while crossing his muscular arms over his chest. “I’m being serious, Zoro!”

“Since when were you so protective of me?” Zoro tilted his head in curiosity.

“You literally almost died, and you think you will be able to fight Arlong with the current state that you’re in!” You fired at him.

“Do you know how many fights I won being in a bad state?” Zoro leaned in close to you, but not too close to suffocate your space. “I can beat a hundred men with one arm tied behind my back if I wanted to.” 

“You’re so stubborn. You always do things the hard way–” You pointed towards him.

The rest of the crew walked in on you two fighting and stared at one another before facing you again.

“When will they stop fighting?” Ussop says to himself.

“Were they always like this?” Sanji quizzed before facing Ussop.

“Yeah. Even when I met them, they were like this.”

“Fine, I will let you go. I don’t care anymore since you always want to do everything your way.” 

“I never wanted your help to begin with.” You felt your eyebrows twitch from his words.

“Well, at least I–”  You were interrupted by Zoro stepping in front of you, cupping your cheek with his hand, and smashing his lips against yours in a quick motion, leaving everyone in shock.

Everything happened at once; you couldn’t even process what even happened in those few seconds. The kiss was rough, as if he had waited for an opening, but it slowed down to something different. You felt a hint of him meaning it. You could feel how slightly chapped, yet soft, his lips were as they moved in sync with yours.

Luffy tilted his head in confusion before a slight grin spread across his face, while Ussop and Sanji’s mouths dropped.

“They were not always like this,” Ussop says as he faces Sanji, who had his mouth agape.

“Well, that solved their problem.” Luffy laughed as he gestured his hand out.

After a few seconds, Zoro backed away, leaving you speechless. “That’ll make you shut up.” He stepped away from your figure and walked to the front of the ship.

“Hey! You can’t just kiss a woman without her consent!” Sanji scolded.

“Shut it, cook,” Zoro says before he walks inside the ship.

You were still frozen in your position while still processing what had just happened a few moments ago. Your heart was beating at a rapid pace, and you could still feel his presence lingering on your lips. Your finger reached your lips as your cheeks turned pink from thinking about it.

It happens at lunch. You are eating with the crew when Usopp laughs and nudges your arm.

“Hey, aren’t you gonna get your boyfriend?”

You blink. “What?”

Sanji, cleaning his hands with a towel, nods toward the deck “That moss-brained idiot. You always bring him to meals. It’s like a little routine between you two now. Like a couple…”

“We’re not—” You nearly choke on your drink “We’re not a couple!”

Usopp grins “Then why do you always take so much care of him?”

“Because he’s stupid and forgets to eat!” you say, standing up “I’ll go get him, but not because of whatever weird ideas you guys have.”

You walk away while they laugh behind you.

You find Zoro exactly where you expect, napping against the ship’s railing, his swords next to him.

You roll your eyes and shake his shoulder “Oi, wake up. Lunch is ready.”

Nothing.

You shake him harder “Zoro. If you don’t get up, I’ll eat your food.”

He grumbles and waves his hand, like he’s trying to swat away a fly.

Sighing, you do what you always do. You grab his wrist and pull him up with both hands. He lets you. He always does, like it’s natural.

Zoro blinks at you, still half-asleep “Huh. You again.”

“Yeah, me again,” you say “Come eat before Sanji ‘forgets’ to save you anything.”

You’re still holding his wrist, making sure he doesn’t fall back asleep. That’s when you notice Nami and Robin watching from across the deck, smiling.

“What?” you ask, feeling awkward.

Nami smirks “You two are cute.”

Your face heats up “We’re not—he’s not—we’re not together!”

Robin chuckles “You do take care of him a lot.”

Zoro frowns, confused “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Nothing,” you mutterl “Come eat.”

You let go of his wrist too fast and walk away, ignoring the warm feeling in your chest.

You think it’s over, but now you notice things.

Zoro always sits next to you at meals, even when there are other seats. You always save food for him without realizing. And during fights, he always protects you first, like it’s a habit.

And, worst of all, people keep pointing it out.

“y/n,” Chopper asks one day, tilting his head “Are you and Zoro dating?”

You almost trip “What?! No!”

“Oh...” He looks confused “But you act like it”

You groan “Not you too”

After that, you can’t stop thinking about it.

The next time you wake Zoro up, your fingers stay on his wrist a second too long. The next time he pulls you behind him in a fight, your heart beats faster.

And then one evening, when you catch him watching you with a thoughtful look, you realize you might be in trouble.

That night, Zoro speaks first.

“Oi”

You look up from your seat on the deck “What?”

He leans against the railing, arms crossed “Does it bother you?”

You frown “Does what bother me?”

“What people are saying” His eyes stay on you “About us.”

You swallow “Why? Does it bother you?”

He doesn’t answer right away “No” his voice is quieter than usual.

Your stomach flips and you look at the ocean “I mean… it’s just dumb teasing, right?”

Zoro doesn’t reply. Instead, he watches you for a long time. Then, finally, he smirks.

“Doesn’t really matter what they say” he says, voice calm but sure “I’d still stick with you either way.”

Your breath catches and suddenly, your heart won’t let you ignore this anymore.

For the next days you try to brush off what the crew said.

You really do, but it’s impossible to ignore when Zoro keeps acting the same way.

Like when you’re on lookout duty together, and he hands you his jacket without a word.

Or when you spar with him, and he pulls his hits just enough so you don’t get hurt.

Or when you fall asleep on the Sunny’s deck, and you wake up covered with a blanket, one you know you didn’t grab.

And every time it happens, you catch the crew watching. Smirking.

It’s driving you insane.

One afternoon, you finally decide to do something about it.

You find Zoro by the training room, lifting weights. His shirt is half undone, sweat glistening on his skin, but you shove that thought aside.

You cross your arms “Hey, Zoro.”

He grunts in acknowledgment, not stopping his reps.

You hesitate “…Why do you treat me differently?”

He finally sets the weight down, wiping his face with a towel “What?”

“You heard me...” You shift uncomfortably “You do things for me that you don’t do for anyone else.”

Zoro leans back against the wall, looking at you like you just asked a stupid question “So?”

“So?” You huff “That means something, doesn’t it?”

He shrugs “I guess.”

You blink “That’s it? You guess?”

Zoro sighs, scratching his head “Look, I don’t really think about it. I just—” He pauses, then shrugs again “I want to.”

Your heart skips a beat “…What?”

“I want to do those things for you,” he says simply “it’s not a big deal”

You stare at him “Not a... Zoro, are you serious?”

He frowns “What, you don’t like it?”

“That’s not the point!” Your face feels hot “You don’t do this for Nami or Robin or anyone else!”

Zoro looks at you, unimpressed “Yeah. Because it’s you.”

You freeze.

The way he says it, so blunt, so obvious, it makes your stomach flip.

He isn’t flustered. He isn’t overthinking it. He’s just stating a fact.

“…Oh.”

Zoro crosses his arms, watching you carefully “Is that a problem?”

You swallow “No. It’s just…”

It’s everything. It’s him always being there, always looking out for you, always treating you like someone important.

It’s a realization you should have had ages ago.

You let out a breathless laugh “I’m an idiot.”

Zoro raises an eyebrow “Well, yeah.”

You smack his arm. He smirks.

But when your hand lingers just a little too long, he doesn’t pull away.

And suddenly, you both understand... this isn’t just a habit.

It never was.

Ever since that conversation in the training room, things between you and Zoro have… shifted, but not in a bad way.

He still trains for hours. Still naps in random spots. Still bickers with Sanji.

But now, when you sit beside him, his arm naturally rests along the back of your chair.

Now, when you fight, he doesn’t just watch your back, he makes sure you’re never out of reach.

Now, when you look at him for a second too long, he looks right back.

Like he’s waiting.

Like he’s giving you the choice.

One evening, you find him on the Sunny’s deck, looking out at the ocean.

“…Can’t sleep?” he asks.

You shake your head, stepping closer “Thinking too much.”

Zoro smirks “Dangerous habit...”

You huff a laugh but don’t argue.

Instead, you stand beside him, silent for a moment before you finally ask...

“Do you regret telling me?”

Zoro frowns “Telling you what?”

“That you… actually treat me differently. That you want to.”

His jaw tightens slightly “No.”

Your heart does something strange “Good.”

You don’t give yourself time to hesitate.

Before doubt can creep in, you grab him and pull him down.

Zoro freezes.

For half a second, he doesn’t move. Doesn’t even breathe.

Then a quiet growl rumbles from his chest, and his hand cups the back of your neck as he kisses you back.

It’s firm. Solid. Like he’s been holding back for too long and refuses to anymore.

When you finally break apart, Zoro leans his forehead against yours, exhaling through his nose.

“…Finally” he mutters.

You grin “You were waiting for me?”

“Wasn’t gonna rush you” His fingers brush your jaw “You get there when you get there.”

You hum, leaning into him “And now?”

Zoro smirks “Now, you’re stuck with me.”

You kiss him again, just to make sure he knows you wouldn’t want it any other way.

── .✦ Sanji:

Sanji has always been a flirt. That’s just how he is.

He calls Nami and Robin “my love” and “my dear”. He spins around the kitchen whenever they compliment him. He offers to carry their bags when the crew goes shopping.

But when it comes to you, it’s different.

It starts when the crew is eating dinner together.

“Sanji, can you pass the salt?” you ask.

Instead of handing you the salt shaker, Sanji grabs it, twists off the lid, and sprinkles just the right amount onto your plate.

You blink “Uh. Thanks?”

“Of course, my dear” he says smoothly. Then, as if nothing happened, he turns back to his own plate.

You think nothing of it... until you notice the way the others are watching.

Usopp raises an eyebrow “Did he just season your food for you?”

“Yeah?” You shrug “What's new about it? He's a chef and he’s just being nice.”

Luffy grins “He doesn’t do that for anyone else.”

“That’s not true,” you argue “Sanji treats everyone like this.”

Nami hums “Not exactly like this. If we wanted more salt he would start a lecture about how it would ruin his masterpiece.”

Before you can ask what she means, Sanji stands up to grab dessert. He places a plate in front of you first. It’s your favorite.

The crew stares.

You stare too “Sanji…”

He smiles “What? I made extra for you.”

Usopp coughs “Yeah. Okay. Totally normal.”

Robin chuckles behind her hand.

You shake your head and go back to eating. It’s nothing. Sanji is just being Sanji.

…Right?

But then, you start noticing other things.

When you’re cold, Sanji drapes his jacket over your shoulders without you asking.

When you need something from a high shelf, Sanji wordlessly reaches up and hands it to you.

When you’re about to trip, his hand is always there to steady you.

And every time, every single time, he does it so naturally that you don’t even think about it.

Until one day, Franky whistles and says, “You two sure act like a couple.”

You nearly drop the drink in your hands “What?!”

Sanji, who was stirring a pot at the stove, pauses.

Franky leans against the counter, grinning “You two do all that coupley stuff. He gives you the best food, takes care of you, treats you differently from everyone else—”

“That’s not true,” you say quickly “Sanji’s like this with everyone.”

Franky snorts “Nah. He does flirt with everyone. But this?” He gestures between you and Sanji “This is different.”

You glance at Sanji. He’s staring into the pot, silent.

Your face feels hot now “You guys are reading too much into things.”

“Sure we are...” Franky says, smirking. Then he leaves.

The kitchen is quiet now. You swallow and turn to Sanji.

“…Is it true?”

He looks at you. His usual confident smile is gone. Instead, there’s something softer in his eyes.

“I don’t know” he says “is it?”

Your heartbeat quickens.

Suddenly, every touch, every sweet gesture, it all feels different.

Maybe it wasn’t just a habit.

Maybe it was something else all along.

After all this the teasing has only gotten worse.

Ever since Nami and Usopp pointed out how Sanji treats you, they will not let it go.

“Here comes Sanji’s beloveeeed~” Usopp sings when you walk into the kitchen.

“I should start charging you for all the extra food Sanji makes only for you” Nami smirks.

Even Luffy, who usually doesn’t care about these things, grins at Sanji one afternoon and says “Oi, cook, when are you gonna marry y/n?”

Sanji chokes on his cigarette so hard he has to brace himself on the counter.

You groan and drag a hand down your face.

But what really drives you insane?

Sanji never denies it.

He stutters, blushes, waves his hands, but he never says “That’s not true.”

Because it is true.

And it’s starting to drive you crazy.

You try to ignore it. But then you start noticing things, even the smallest ones.

Sanji never lets you carry anything heavy.

He always pours you tea first, even before Nami and Robin.

He adjusts your chair at dinner like it’s second nature.

And the worst part? He doesn’t even realize he’s doing it.

But you do.

And now, every time he gives you that look—the one that’s soft, full of admiration, like you hung the damn sun in the sky—your heart stumbles over itself.

This has to stop.

Or something has to change.

It happens one evening after dinner.

You’re in the kitchen, helping Sanji clean up. He hums as he washes the dishes, sleeves rolled up, golden hair falling over his forehead.

You watch him for a second, then take a deep breath.

“Sanji.”

He glances at you, smiling “Yes, my love?”

You grip the counter “Why do you act like we’re together?”

Sanji freezes.

The faucet keeps running. The kitchen is warm with the smell of spices. But Sanji is frozen.

Slowly, he turns his head toward you “…P-Pardon?”

You cross your arms “You treat me differently. Even the crew notices. You never do this stuff for anyone else.”

Sanji swallows hard “I—”

“You never deny it,” you press “and honestly? I’m tired of waiting for you to finally say something.”

Sanji stares at you like you’ve just flipped his entire world upside down.

His hands shake. His lips part like he wants to speak, but nothing comes out.

“…Sanji.” Your voice softens “Do you want this to be real?”

A shuddering breath leaves him. He looks at you, eyes wide, vulnerable.

“More than anything...” he whispers.

Your heartbeat stutters.

That’s it. That’s all you need to hear.

You step forward, grab the front of his shirt, and kiss him.

Sanji malfunctions.

His entire body locks up, like his brain has completely short-circuited.

For a solid two seconds, he does not move.

Then a noise escapes him, something between a whimper and a desperate sigh, and his hands come up to cup your face, pulling you closer.

The kiss is warm, overwhelming, but soft, like he’s afraid you’ll disappear if he holds on too tight.

When you finally pull away, he’s redder than his own suit.

“…M-Mon amour,” he breathes, voice shaking “You...you actually...”

You smirk “Took us long enough, cook.”

Sanji makes a strangled sound and immediately buries his face in your shoulder, arms wrapped tight around you.

Outside, the crew is losing their minds.

“TOLD YOU!” Usopp shouts.

“I WON THE BET!” Nami cheers.

“Oi, Sanji, you alive in there?” Zoro snickers.

Sanji doesn’t answer. He’s too busy melting against you, whispering sweet nothings into your skin.

And honestly?

You think you’ll let him.

── .✦ Law:

Law is not the kind of person who likes physical contact. He doesn’t let most people touch him. He keeps his distance, always standing at the edge of conversations with his arms crossed. If someone bumps into him, they get a glare.

But for some reason, you are different.

It starts when Bepo hands you a coat one evening.

“Here,” he says, tail flicking “you left this in the lounge.”

You blink at it. It’s black, long, and definitely not yours.

“This isn’t mine” you say, confused.

Bepo tilts his head “Oh. But you always wear the captain’s coat, so I thought it was yours now...”

You freeze.

“Wait. What?”

Shachi walks by and hears the conversation. He grins “Yeah, you totally do. Every time you’re cold, you steal his coat.”

Penguin nods “And Law never complains.”

You open your mouth. Close it. Try to remember.

…Okay, maybe you have borrowed Law’s coat a few times. But that’s just because it’s warm! And because it’s there! And because...

Oh no.

Your stomach twists “I... I do not...”

“Sure you don’t...” Shachi teases “What’s next? Calling him ‘dear’?”

You groan and shove the coat at Bepo before walking away.

But now, you can’t stop thinking about it.

After this, you start noticing other things. Like how Law always lets you into his personal space.

How you can tug his hat down over his eyes without him pushing you away.

How he casually rests his hand on your shoulder when he stands next to you.

One day, you trip over a loose crate. Before you even hit the ground, a familiar blue glow surrounds you... Law’s Room.

In an instant, you’re back on your feet, completely unharmed.

The Heart Pirates snicker.

“Captain didn’t even think” Penguin whispers.

“He never uses Room for anyone else’s clumsiness” Shachi adds.

You glare at them “I heard that.”

They just smirk.

Law doesn’t say anything. He just sighs and keeps walking, like saving you without thinking is the most natural thing in the world.

Your heart does something weird. You ignore it.

Later, you sit on a crate, arms crossed. Law stands next to you, reading a medical book.

You glance at him “Your crew keeps calling me ‘Captain’s partner.’”

He doesn’t look up “So?”

“So, why?”

He flips a page “Probably because you act like one.”

Your brain short-circuits.

You stare “Excuse me?”

Law finally looks at you, raising an eyebrow “You’re always in my quarters, you steal my coat, and you act like you belong next to me. They’re not wrong.”

Your face burns “I... You let me do all that!”

He smirks “I know.”

You open your mouth, but no words come out.

Because suddenly, you realize... he has let you. And he still is.

Ever since Bepo and the others pointed out how Law treats you differently, it’s been impossible to ignore.

The extra care during missions. The way he always stands just a little closer than necessary. The way he lets you touch him, his arm, his shoulder, even his hand, when no one else would dare.

But what really gives him away?

The way his ears burn red every time you get too close.

And yet he never says anything.

If you didn’t know better, you’d think he was running an experiment to see how long he could keep this up before you lost your mind.

So tonight you’re calling him out.

You find him in his quarters, buried in medical books.

“Hey, Law.” You lean against the desk, arms crossed “Can I ask you something?”

His eyes flick up “What?”

You tilt your head “Do you like me?”

Law chokes.

Not just a little cough... he full-on chokes on air, slamming his book shut as if that’ll somehow save him.

“What—?!” He coughs into his fist “Where the hell did that come from?”

You raise an eyebrow “You tell me.”

Law scowls, shifting uncomfortably “You’re being ridiculous.”

“Oh? Am I?” You step closer.

He stiffens “What are you...?”

You place your hands on the arms of his chair and lean in, caging him in.

His breath hitches.

Oh. Oh.

He is not prepared for this.

“Law,” you murmur, watching his face closely “you never let anyone touch you, but you let me.”

His jaw clenches “That doesn’t—”

“You always make sure I rest. You check my injuries before anyone else’s.”

“Because you’re reckless—”

“And...” you lean even closer “your ears are red right now.”

Law swallows.

You smirk “So, wanna try again?”

For a long moment, he just stares at you, lips parted, golden eyes darting between yours.

Then, in a last-ditch effort, he growls... “You’re annoying.”

You hum “Maybe.”

And then you kiss him.

Law goes still.

For the first time since you’ve known him, he is completely speechless.

But then a quiet sound escapes him, and his hand suddenly grips your wrist, holding you there.

You almost pull back, unsure, until his other hand slides around the back of your neck, fingers threading into your hair, and he kisses you back.

It’s hesitant at first, but when you don’t pull away, something shifts.

The kiss deepens, his grip tightens, and the heat radiating off of him is enough to make you dizzy.

When you finally part, Law exhales sharply, pressing his forehead against yours.

“…You’re gonna be a problem” he mutters, voice rough.

You grin “Yeah?”

His fingers tighten in your hair “Yeah.”

And then, despite everything, he kisses you again.

Because for once in his life he’s done running.

── .✦ Ace:

Ace is naturally affectionate.

He throws an arm around people’s shoulders, laughs loudly, and grins like the world is a joke he’s in on. He’s warm but also because he makes people feel welcome.

So it’s not weird that he touches you a lot.

Right?

It starts when Marco sits down next to you, smirking.

“You and Ace finally together, yoi?”

You look at him confused “what do you mean?”

“A couple… are you two a couple?”

You almost drop your drink “What? No!”

Marco raises an eyebrow “You sure? He always saves you a seat at meals. Always gives you his food if you ask. Always keeps an eye on you during fights.”

You roll your eyes “That doesn’t mean anything. He’s just like that.”

“Not with everyone” Marco takes a sip of his drink “Just you.”

You open your mouth to argue, but then you don’t know what to say, because now, you’re thinking about it.

The next time Ace sits beside you at dinner, you notice how he slides his plate a little closer to yours, letting you steal his food.

The next time the crew docks at an island, you notice how he instinctively waits for you before walking off together.

The next time you’re about to trip, you don’t even get the chance to fall, Ace grabs your wrist and steadies you like it’s second nature.

And maybe it is second nature.

“Careful, Ace,” one of the division commanders teases “If you keep acting like that, y/n might actually think you’re in love.”

Ace laughs, scratching the back of his head “Yeah, yeah.”

You laugh too. Because it’s just a joke… Right?

One night, you sit together on the deck, watching the ocean.

You fidget for a second before saying “The crew keeps calling us a couple”

Ace hums “Yeah?”

You glance at him “Why do you think that is?”

He leans back, arms behind his head, and grins “Probably because we act like one.”

You choke on your own breath “Excuse me?!”

Ace tilts his head “I mean, we do everything together. You always take my food, and I always let you. You always pull me out of trouble, and I always let you. Feels natural, doesn’t it?”

Your brain short-circuits.

Because now that you think about it... yeah, it does feel natural.

“…Ace,” you say slowly “Are we...?”

He looks at you, amusement flickering in his eyes “What do you think?”

Your stomach flips.

Because suddenly, you’re not sure where the habit ends and the feelings begin.

After this, Ace keeps flirting with you all the time.

It’s just who he is.

Winks across the deck. Throwing an arm around your shoulders. Calling you hot stuff like it’s your actual name.

You’re used to it.

But after the teasing from Marco and Thatch, after realizing that Ace treats you differently, you start to wonder.

Is he just playing around? Or is there something real underneath?

There’s only one way to find out.

The perfect opportunity comes one afternoon, when Ace flops down next to you on the Moby Dick’s deck, grinning.

“Hey,” he drawls, resting an arm behind his head “Miss me?”

You smirk “I saw you literally two hours ago.”

“That’s two hours too long.” He winks “Bet you were thinking about me the whole time.”

You hum, tilting your head “You really think that, huh?”

Ace chuckles “C’mon, you love me.”

You raise an eyebrow “Prove it.”

He blinks “Huh?”

You shift, leaning closer with a sly smile “You say all this stuff, Ace. You flirt, you tease... but are you actually serious?”

For the first time, he hesitates.

Just for a second, but it’s enough.

“…Of course I am,” he says, but his usual confidence isn’t all there.

You smirk “Then show me.”

Before he can react, you grab his hat, his precious hat, and plop it onto your own head.

Ace short-circuits.

“Oi! That’s...!” He reaches for it instinctively but stops mid-motion, staring at you.

You tilt the brim with a smirk “What? You said you liked me, right?”

Ace swallows “Y-Yeah?”

“Then just take it back.”

You expect him to snatch it back playfully.

What you don’t expect is for Ace to grin, eyes flickering with mischief, and suddenly tackle you onto the deck.

You yelp as he hovers over you, forearms braced on either side of your head.

The crew whoops in the background, but neither of you pay them any attention.

Ace smirks down at you “You think you’re funny, huh?”

You grin “A little.”

Ace shakes his head, chuckling, but then his expression softens.

He reaches up, tilts the hat back just enough to see your face properly.

And then without thinking he leans down and kisses you.

It’s grinning into the kiss kind of playful. It’s warm and teasing but full of something deeper.

And when he pulls back, face way too close, he murmurs “Now you gotta prove it.”

Your heart races.

You don’t back down. Instead, you tug him down by his necklace and kiss him again.

This time, Ace melts.

When you finally break apart, Ace huffs out a breathless laugh.

“Well,” he grins “Guess you do love me.”

You roll your eyes “Shut up.”

But you don’t stop him when he kisses you one more time.

Because, honestly?

He’s right.

── .✦ Sabo:

Sabo is easy to be around.

He’s kind, smart, and always ready to listen. He laughs at your jokes, never forgets your favorite things, and somehow always knows when you need him.

So it’s no surprise that you spend a lot of time together.

But apparently, the way you act around him is a little… suspicious.

It starts when you’re walking through the Revolutionary Army base with Koala.

“So,” she says casually “when are you and Sabo going to make it official?”

You nearly trip over your own feet “What?!”

Koala grins “Come on, don’t play dumb. You two already act like a couple.”

You scoff “No, we don’t.”

She raises an eyebrow “Oh really? Who’s the first person Sabo looks for when he gets back from a mission?”

“…Me.”

“Who’s the only person he lets borrow his gloves?”

“…Me.”

“And who’s the only one he lets fall asleep on his shoulder without complaining?”

You open your mouth, but nothing comes out.

Because—oh.

Oh.

Koala smirks “See what I mean?”

You shake your head “That doesn’t mean anything. We’re just close.”

She shrugs “If you say so.”

But now, you can’t stop thinking about it. You start noticing things, like how Sabo always finds a reason to sit next to you during meals, or how he reaches out to fix your collar or tuck your hair behind your ear like it’s normal, or how he always makes sure you have a blanket when you fall asleep at your desk, even though no one else gets that treatment.

And the worst part?

Now that you’re paying attention, everyone else is too.

“I swear, it’s like they’re married” one soldier mutters.

“They finish each other’s sentences” another whispers.

“Bet they don’t even realize” someone else chuckles.

You groan and drop your head onto the table.

Sabo, sitting beside you, blinks “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing” you mumble.

He frowns, then wordlessly slides his drink toward you.

You stare at it “…Did you just give me your drink?”

He shrugs “You like it more than I do.”

You glance around. Several soldiers are watching now, smirking.

Slowly, you push the drink back to him.

Sabo looks confused “You don’t want it?”

Your face burns “Nope. I’m fine.”

He tilts his head, then shrugs and takes a sip.

The others snicker.

You sigh.

Later that night, you sit beside him on the rooftop, watching the stars.

“Sabo,” you say carefully “do we… act like a couple?”

He hums “Why?”

“People keep saying we do.”

Sabo leans back on his hands, thinking. Then he smiles “I guess I can see why.”

Your heart skips a beat “You can?”

“Well, we’re always together,” he says easily “I trust you more than anyone. You take care of me, I take care of you. Feels normal.”

You stare at him “That’s… kind of a couple thing, don’t you think?”

Sabo looks at you for a long moment. Then he smirks.

“Well,” he says, voice teasing but gentle “do you want it to be?”

Your breath catches.

And suddenly, the answer seems obvious.

Sabo has always been easy to be around.

You never have to force a conversation. Never have to second-guess his presence.

He’s just there, a steady warmth beside you, the hand that always steadies your back when you walk through the Revolutionary camp, the person you find yourself naturally leaning against when you’re tired.

And the thing is?

He never pulls away.

Even now, sitting beside you near the fire after a long day, his arm rests lightly along the back of your seat. Close enough to feel, but not demanding.

It’s natural.

But tonight, something’s different.

There’s a quiet between you, not uncomfortable, but charged with something unsaid.

You don’t know who moves first, but suddenly your head is resting against his shoulder, and instead of shifting away, Sabo just exhales softly, tilting his head against yours.

You close your eyes, feeling the warmth of him, the steady rise and fall of his breathing.

“…I like this” you murmur, barely thinking.

Sabo hums “Me too” A pause. Then... “I always have.”

Your heart stutters.

Slowly, you lift your head, turning just enough to meet his gaze.

His expression is calm, too calm, like he’s waiting for you to understand something he’s known for a long time.

And you do.

Because of course it was always him.

You don’t say anything. You don’t need to.

Instead, you reach up, gently tracing your fingers along his jaw.

Sabo closes his eyes briefly at the touch before opening them again, watching you with something unreadable, something deep.

Then, without hesitation, he leans in.

The kiss is slow, certain.

It’s not rushed, not desperate because this was never a question.

It was always going to be this.

When you part, Sabo lingers, his forehead resting against yours.

His hand finds yours, fingers lacing together easily.

“…Feels like we should’ve done that a long time ago” he murmurs, lips brushing against yours.

You smile “Maybe. But I think we got here at the right time.”

Sabo chuckles softly, squeezing your hand “Yeah. I think so too.”

𝓣HE Sunny was lively, with crewmates chatting with one another and doing their own thing, while some sat under the sun, including you. You were lying down on the grass in front of Robin and Nami, feeling the breeze brush against your skin. You closed your eyes before inhaling the chilly air and let out a relaxed sigh. 

“It feels so nice outside.” You say, loosening your shoulders before placing your arms behind your head as a comfort.

“I know, right?!” Nami stretched her arms out, letting out a relieved sigh from the stretch. “The temperature is perfect, and the wind is relaxing.”

“And don’t forget the smell of tangerines and the sea!” You remarked.

“Yes! It feels like a perfect summer!” You opened your eyes, hearing Nami’s giggles.

Robin chuckled. “You’re right about that.” The woman gave a soft smile before flipping the page in her book.

“Y/n, why don’t you lie down on the chair?” Nami pats the chair beside her.

You shook your head. “I’m good.”

“Okay then.” Nami grabs her sunglasses and puts them on. From a distance, you can already see Sanji’s heart eyes rushing to you.

“You all look so magnificent, my ladies!” Sanji moved his tray in front of you. “Would you guys care for some lemonade?”

“Yes, please!” Nami says as she takes one, making Sanji place one of the glasses beside Robin.

“Do you want one, Y/n-dear?” Sanji says, holding the tray beside you.

“Yes!” You nodded, watching Sanji carefully hand you the glass. “Thank you!”

“No problem, love.” Sanji walked back into the cabin. You moved the glass in front of you, watching how the sun beams through it, making it look perfect with the blocks of ice cubes dancing slowly. You pressed the glass to your lips before taking a sip.

Once you moved the glass away, you let out a relieved sound. “Ah, that tastes so refreshing.” You closed your eyes as you leaned back.

“Y/N!” You recognized the cheerful voice approaching your figure. Your eyes widened in an instant, and you pulled yourself up. Before you could escape his daily routine of bothering you, Luffy wrapped his arms around you. He placed you on his lap and smooched wet kisses on your cheek, making Robin and Nami giggle at his actions.

“Luffy!” You giggled as his ticklish kisses traveled around your face. “Why do you always kiss me?”

He placed a last kiss on your cheek, “‘Cause I always feel like it.”

“But we are friends.” Luffy stared at you before looking up at the sky. He pulled you closer against his chest before placing his head on your shoulder.

“Friends can do this. I don’t see a problem.” You tilted your head in confusion. Before you could think deeply about it, he pressed more kisses on your cheek.

“Luffy!” You shrieked.

“Get off of her!” Nami says, dropping her glasses to the tip of her nose.

“You don’t tell me what to do!” Luffy says, pressing you closer to him, making your cheeks warm up. “She’s enjoying the moment!” Luffy pressed his hands on your cheeks, showing Nami your face, which reddened from his actions. “See?!”

Nami’s eyebrows furrowed, looking as if she were searching for something. “Y/n, are you…blushing?!” Nami tilted her head.

“NO! I’m not blushing!” You tried escaping the stretchy man’s grip, but he pulled you closer as giggles escaped his lips.

“You’re pretty weird!” You gave both Nami and Luffy a slight glare from embarrassment.

“Leave me alone!” You finally escaped his grip as you stood up, backing away from them. “You guys are so annoying!” You turned your head.

“It’s not my fault you were blushing at him,” Nami smirked, earning a chuckle from Robin.

“You’re with her too, Robin?!” You turned to face the other woman, who was still reading her book.

“I didn’t say anything,” Robin’s eyes drifted to yours before returning to her book.

“Ugh! You guys suck.” You walked back inside the cabin, making Luffy scratch the back of his head.

“What did I do?” Luffy scratched the back of his head.

“You know what you did!” Nami’s hand landed on the back of his head, making Luffy yelp.

“But you were laughing and asking weird questions too!” Luffy whined.

5 DAYS LATER

Ever since that day, you haven’t been able to look at Luffy the same. Even though it was a small, dumb reason to ignore Luffy, you couldn’t help your heart racing. Every time you saw Luffy roam around the ship, you always ignored him and helped the crewmembers, keeping yourself busy away from him. You couldn’t face him yet. You were scared. Scared of telling him how you feel because you didn’t want to distract him from his dream, and even so, get rejected because of that reason. Plus, you didn’t want that to ruin your guys’ friendship.

It took a few days for Luffy to realize that there was something wrong. You wouldn’t even notice his existence unless the members order you and Luffy to help out. Every time he sat beside you, you would make an excuse to leave the area, and every time he tried to ask you something, you always seemed to be in a rush. What’s wrong with her? Luffy thought to himself.

Luffy walked inside the kitchen to meet Nami’s figure, scavenging through the fridge for something. Great timing. 

The stretchy boy sat on the stool. “Nami, do you know why Y/n isn’t trying to talk to me? She won’t even look at me.” Luffy rested his head on his arms, cluelessly. It was one of the first times that Nami saw him look down that wasn’t because of some dangerous fight.

“Maybe because you made her uncomfortable.” Nami leaned in front of him. “I know me and the rest of the crew have been watching from a distance, but how long have you been doing this?”

Luffy lifted his head for a second to try to remember before shrugging. “I dunno. Probably for a few months. But she doesn’t react or say anything besides to let her go.”

“Then why didn’t you let go when she said to?” Nami’s eyes furrowed.

“Because she doesn’t seem to mind when I hug her back.” At this point, Luffy’s logic was confusing the orange-haired woman. She even knew that what Luffy was saying was non-consensual, but then again, he did prove a point.

“Have you ever tried apologizing?”

“Why do I have to do that?” Nami slapped her hand on her forehead.

“What you are doing is making her uncomfortable! Plus, you never asked to hug her.”

“But I’m captain! I can do whatever I want!”

“Stepping into people’s boundaries is disrespectful! Just apologize and ask to hug her!” Luffy pouted as he was thinking about it. If he apologized, would you finally look at him? He couldn’t bear to see you ignoring his existence, and it’s not because he craves it. He just doesn’t want to see you upset or uncomfortable because of him.

THE NEXT DAY

Luffy waited the day out, which felt like forever since Nami ordered him to stay away longer, but guess what? He couldn’t wait any longer. So he took matters into his own hands and decided to find you around the ship.

You were resting under the sun. Arms wrapped behind your head while resting your eyes, feeling the chilly breeze giving you slight goosebumps, but you ignored it.

As you felt your body relaxing, your mind slowly drifted into a dream until you noticed something darkened. You opened your eyes to meet your captain, who was standing in front of your figure. You held eye contact for a few moments until he sat beside you.

You two sat in silence, hearing the wind howl and the sea brushing against the ship.

“I’m sorry.” Luffy finally says, making you face him. He turned his head to meet your eyes. “M’sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” You noticed how his tone dropped from something playful to something more sincere.

“You didn’t make me uncomfortable or anything!” You say, trying not to make him worry.

“Then why won’t you look at me?” Luffy’s face dropped with concern. “You walk past me and won’t even sit beside me anymore. I will stop hugging you, and I will give you my food if it makes you feel better-”

“No, you don’t have to do all of that! It’s because of something else.”

“Then what is it?” You turned your head away from him, feeling like your heart was beating out of your chest.

“It’s weird. So don’t worry about it. For now, I accept your apology.” Luffy stared at you for a few moments before looking away.

“Can I know what it is? Please?” Luffy’s tone was softer than before. You both stared into each other's eyes as the only sound in the distance was the wind. You noticed the small freckles and the bumpy scar under his eye, and the shadow underneath from his long eyelashes.

“You wouldn’t get it.” You averted your gaze from him.

“Hey! At least I’m trying! Now tell me!” Luffy's tone was stern, sounding more playful from your perspective, even though he was being dead serious.

Your hand reached for his vest, pulling him closer to you, which you noticed turned a little pink from confusion, before pressing a kiss on his cheek. You closed your eyes as you gave a passionate kiss on his cheek. You stayed in that position for about ten seconds before pulling away. Luffy’s face was flushed pink without him even realizing it, and his mouth agape from the sudden movement.

“W-what was that?” Luffy trembled on the first word before forcing it out.

“I like you, Luffy. I really do. I kept disappearing from you because I felt weird – not in a bad way, though! I just didn’t know how to face you, so I just kept pushing you away. I’m sorry for worrying you without an explanation.”

“I like you too!” Your eyes widen from his words.

“Huh-”

“I like you like how I love meat! But surprisingly better than that. I always feel like I want to keep you beside me because I feel like one day you’ll disappear from me. You won’t, will you?” Your mouth was parted. Your captain left you speechless.

“I won’t leave you, Luffy. Ever.” A soft expression spread across both of your faces. Luffy scooted closer to where you could feel his fingers brush against yours before lacing them together.

Luffy placed both of your hands on your lap as he leaned in to kiss your cheek. This time, it wasn’t a messy kiss he would usually give to you. It was passionate, filled with sincerity, and felt like he gave his whole world to you.