#jazz bar

It was nice when you finally came across an island where all you had to do was relax; no qualms or fights in sight. This island was an incredibly festive one, the people seemingly always in celebration of something. It was a nice switch up, the change in the environment soothing your soul to the point you were confident you would be safe on this island even as a pirate. There was simply too much joy going around for anyone to care if you were a pirate or not, it just mattered that you were kind.

By the time you had anchored the Sunny at the docks, the locals had already come by to invite you to the bar that evening. Zoro was the first to accept the invitation of course, but the rest of the crew was quick to follow behind, deeply in need of a relaxing and carefree evening on land. Offering free drinks was an easy way to win everyone's heart over, and soon the nearest bar was filled to the brim with patrons, laughter and song spilling out of the doors with thee occasional drink or two spilling onto the floor. The tables were large enough to seat twelve, allowing your crewmates to take one up for yourselves entirely. The first round of drinks were on one of the regulars, and so was the second round. This town was clearly neutral, or at least not too keep on siding with the government fully. It was a nice change of pace to just be treated like a regular bar patron without being chased around as the payment for your ale.

The bar you were at had live music, an incredibly talented jazz band playing up on a small elevated stage in the corner, setting the mood with a good groove. You sat next to Brook who was enjoying the music as much as you were, both of you tapping your fingers on the table to the beat of the groove, truly immersed in the song. As the two musicians of the crew, it was no wonder you seemed to be enjoying yourselves the most, taking only leisurely sips of your drinks as time went on.

Just as you were about to finish your drink after the current song had ended, a sudden fight startled you and made you snort out what little ale you had managed to sip. It wasn't even a standard bar fight, it was a band fight. The saxophone player was having a whole fit while arguing with his bandmates, eventually stomping off from the stage and out a side door. Because of the lack of music, the bar chatter naturally picked up, causing some noticeable panic in the remaining members as they tried to handle the situation with their now missing player.

"Aw, I was really enjoying hearing them play more." You grumbled, going back for a proper sip of your drink.

"Right? I was loving being the audience for once." Brook nodded in agreement from his spot next to you.

"Ughhhh the atmosphere is so lame now." Luffy complained audibly as he smacked the side of his head into the table, looking up at you. "Fix it."

"Luffy, you can't just fix a band fight." You sighed.

"But you have an idea. I can see it." Luffy insisted, looking at you with big round eyes of suspicion while your eyes narrowed at him.

"Luffy…"

"I know you do." He insisted.

You held eye contact with him as you started to finish the last drops of your drink, maintaining that eye contact until you stared at him over the edge of your empty tankard.

"Tsk, I'll be back." You said after slamming your mug down on the table.

Both Brook and Luffy watched you with confused curiosity as you got up from your seat and made your way over to the stage where the band was frantically bickering. You cleared your throat, grabbing their attention with turned heads and quiet voices, all eyes on you from the stage.

"Hey, uh, I just wanted to ask what's up? I was really enjoying your playing until you stopped. What happened to your sax player?" You spoke up, showing genuine concern for their situation.

"Sorry! Sorry he—ugh." The lead singer tried to explain things through her frustrations. "He doesn't wanna do the solo for our next song. I know he can, he just refuses to do it for some reason…"

"Bet you five thousand berry it's cause he didn't think of a good improvisation for the solo in advance. Even though that's not how improvising works." The drummer scoffed, slicking his drumsticks against each other in an annoyed manner.

"Ah… So it;s just a sax solo that needs replacing then, hey? Do you have sheet music for the rest of the song? And maybe a spare saxophone in the back? I could fill his part if you wanted to keep playing." You finally offered, revealing the plan that Luffy had seen through you.

"Can you play???" The pianist asked, sounding quite surprised by your proposition.

"I can indeed. Quite well too." You nodded confidently. "I don't wanna step on anyone's toes, but my crew was really enjoying your music. I hope you can continue to play with me as you replacement saxophonist for this one song."

The whole band hesitated for a moment, looking at one another before gazing out at the crowd. Their eyes eventually locked on their lead singer, looking to her expectantly to give the answer they all seemingly decided on. She let out a deep sigh, telling you that this wasn't the first time they had done this with her.

"Okay, I'm assuming you asked if we have a spare because you currently do not have your own saxophone on hand?" She questioned.

"I… Yeah, that's pretty much it. My own sax is back on our ship, and I didn't think it'd be worth it to walk all the way there and back. The vibe might be dead by then." You chuckled sheepishly.

"Well, you're in luck." She huffed. "We keep a spare sax or two on hand in the back. Our usual player has a tendency to… break his belongings. His instrument is not excluded from that list of things he breaks."

"Damn. I mean, that's convenient, but damn." You remarked.

"He'll have stomped off somewhere across town by now, so don't worry about offending the guy. We really wanted to do this song too." said the guitarist, resetting the knocked over music stand and replacing the scattered sheet music.

"It'll be fiiiine. The real question is: how well can you improvise? The solo does have dictation, but is intended to be played with." The trumpet player asked, placing a leather case on a small table nearby.

"I can improvise well enough that I had the confidence to come and ask if I could play along with you." You said calmly.

The band members nodded, liking the answer you gave.

"Good enough for me. Welcome to the band, even if it's just for one song." The trumpet player laughed, lifting the lid of the leather case to reveal a perfectly polished brass baritone saxophone to you. "Our guy normally plays tenor, but we all think the bari would sound better for this specific song."

"Hah, you got a harness I can borrow then?" You asked as you looked over the precious instrument.

"Sure do; with a clean reed too." noted the pianist. "I promise it was presoaked in a shot glass of water, not anyone's mouth. That's why it's wet."

You laughed and took the harness and reed, setting yourself up. Once the reed was in your mouth though, you noticed… something was off.

"Yo, are you sure that was water you soaked this reed in? Cuz it tastes a lot like vodka to me." You questioned.

"… Shit. Wrong shot glass." The pianist winced.

"It's fine, it's fine~. It's still playable. There's just a featured flavour this time around~" You joked, keeping things lighthearted as you clipped the large bari sax to the harness on your chest. "It's showtime."

The band gave a few cheers, amazed with how easily you meshed in with them. The drummer counted everyone in with a few clicks of his drumsticks, you now positioned behind a music stand at the front of the stage. The whole band played the starting note and held that chord loud and proud until the whole bar's attention had turned back to the little stage in the corner. Once everyone cut off their held note, you could see that the entire bar had eyes on the stage; more specifically they had eyes on you, the newest addition.

"We had a slight hiccup, but that has been solved." The lead singer said in a sultry voice, cutting through the silence. "The show simply must go on~!"

By now, the crew had noticed you. Brook had noticed you, his jaw nearly detaching from his skull from how far it hung open. The Straw Hat's were grinning from ear to ear, all eyes on you. No pressure, hey?

You couldn't think about backing out now; not when the whole bar was all smiles and the first measure had been played. Forgetting where you were, you let the music envelop you completely and got lost in the melody, nothing but music notes filling your vision and ears. It was so easy to blend in with this band that you could've been their original sax player this whole time, singing out counter melodies through the beast of a saxophone that you had been blessed to borrow.

The bar had returned to melodic hooting and hollering, some patrons even getting up to dance along to the quicker paced jazz beat. Life had been restored, but you weren't done yet. Your solo was a mere eight measures away, and you were ready for it. The lead singer gave her cue, and your eyes were no longer glued to your sheet music. You had studied it quickly before playing, remembering the simplistic melody with ease. That must've been why they hoped you could improvise. The solo was too simple, so you were happy to jazz it up and add some musical flavour.

From the moment you were in the spotlight you had faded from reality, becoming one with the melody as you stepped out from behind your music stand to play loud and proud, leaning so far back you needed to lean on the singer for support before you snapped back upright again.

Every note was played with passion as you then climbed up onto one of the nearby tables, playing eighth and sixteenth notes like you were getting paid to do so until your cheeks turned purple. The passion was so clear in your playing that it drew Brook in completely as he watched in awe from his seat, dearly wishing the table you had climbed on was his. Luffy was entirely oblivious to Brook's admiration that showed he was hopelessly in love.

When you heard the piano and trumpet playing a few melodic notes to let you know the solo was done, you leapt back on stage and squeezed back in with the others, the loud and harmonic rhythm took over once more, playing together again like it was natural. You were even dancing while you played, stepping to the beat like the rest until the closing measures started, the repeat symbol letting you know to loop that section over and over again, each band member giving it a slight variation each time it repeated.

Brook had never seen you so happy and in your element before. You were always beautiful when you played, but somehow, this time you were even more beautiful. The confidence you radiated was intensely attractive. He knew you loved music and loved to play it, but he never knew how good you were. You always said music was just a hobby to you, but he saw now that it was clearly a passion. His eye sockets were shaped like hearts by now, rivalling how Sanji swooned and fell onto the table. If he wasn't sure before, now he could be absolutely positive that he was in love with you.

As the final measures of music were played and you tipped back into the lead singer again, both of you leaning into each other for the finale. The bar erupted with cheers, loving the whole performance. Words of praise went around from the band members to you as you gave back the saxophone; all of them wanting you to stay and play an encore with them.

"C'mon! One more song!" Encouraged the singer.

"As much as I would love to, I don't think my crew knew I could play that well. I've got some explaining to do, I think." You chuckled, pointing at the table you once sat at that had dropped jaws all around it; Brook's specifically now unhinged and sitting on the table.

"That's your crew? Man, you made 'em literally drop their jaw!"

"Yep. It's lookin' like I'm gonna be the one to pick it up too, cuz they're all laughing too hard at the sight of him." You laughed yourself. "Thank you for letting me play though. It truly made my night!"

"And you made ours! Come back and play with us again before you leave the island, hey?" She offered.

"Will do!"

After saying your goodbyes, you hopped off the stage and returned to your table where you received many applause and praise from everyone. They were all proud of you and your performance; and of course Brook's lower jaw still sat on the edge of the table. He hadn't even tried to pick it up yet, still staring straight at you with a comical blush decorating his boney features.

"Hey, Brook. I think you dropped something." You snickered, picking it up for him.

He scrambled to grab the bone from your hands and snap it back into place, stammering and tripping over his words now. The man was a total mess, Nami laughing particularly hard as she collected what you assumed was a bet from Zoro. Typical.

"What, sax got your tongue?" You asked.

"Yes." He answered back, biting back as much nervous chatter as he could.

"Oh damn. Are you alright, Brook?"

"He is entirely not okay." Nami chimed in. "He just realized he can't deny how in love with you he is anymore."

"Ohhh???" You inquired, raising a brow at Nami before turning to Brook again.

"I-I, well, I didn't know that… t-that you could play that well. I-It's only natural as a musician to be so in love with someone who speaks the language of the soul so well" Brook stammered, looking back and forth between you and Nami.

"That's your cue to stop keeping your own secrets." Nami quipped back at you.

"Hey! Don't ruin my smooth moves!" You scolded her before turning back to Brook and his still dumbfounded expression. "Ah, well, it looks like he's hardly noticed what you said at all. Lucky me."

Brook was still dumbfounded, making an odd noise as he tried to justify his antics to those who were chuckling about it nearby. While he was distracted, you shook your head before you put your foot on the chair right between his legs, grabbing his attention with a bit of a yelp when you hooked your fingers under his jaw bone and pulled him in close to to your face.

"I wish you would've said something sooner. 'S not fair to either of us to have been in love so close yet so far when we could have easily closed that gap." You huffed before kissing his skull multiple times, lingering the longest where lips lips would be—if he had them.

The poor skeletal man started steaming, swooning so hard he fell off of his chair. You let go of him to avoid yanking his jaw off again, laughing up a storm while Sanji bit down on his sleeve, filled with envy. You leaned over where Brook fell and offered him your hand with a flirty smile.

"I wasn't just always hanging out by your side because you play good music. I like you, you boney fool. You speak to my soul."

Brook continued to stare at you like a fool before he suddenly took your hand and pulled himself upright from the ground, wrapping an arm around you to pick you up with him when he stood to his full height. You yelped, not expecting him to lift you up like that. He laughed, fille with sudden joy as he spun you around, the sounds of the band cheering for you in the background, clearly pleased by the outcome going in your favor.

"Yohoho! You like me?! You're not… You don't find the idea of us strange?" He asked once more.

"Not in the slightest." You nodded, stabilizing yourself with a strong grip on his shoulders. "I've been in love with the Soul King long before his debut concert."

The way you looked at him when you spoke those words did something to him and cleared up any and all doubt from his heart and soul. You uplifted him in such a way that he felt more alive than ever before. He damn near squished you to death with the hug he gave you, nuzzling into your neck until you smacked him to stop because it tickled.

"Please, go through life in a duet with me, you savvy soloist?"

you weren’t planning to stay long. just a drink, maybe two. something about the hazy atmosphere, the way the music thrums against your skin, feels dangerously intoxicating. you settle onto a barstool, trailing a finger along the rim of your glass, when you feel it—

a gaze.

you glance up, and there he is.

white button-up, sleeves rolled to his elbows, a brown vest snug against his frame. his dark hair is gelled back, but a few strands have slipped free, framing the sharp angles of his face. under the low-hanging lights, his skin glows like brushed gold, deep shadows carving into his cheekbones.

and those eyes. dark, warm, unreadable. locked on you like he’s already decided how this night will end.

you arch a brow. “see something you like?”

his lips curve up slowly. he doesn’t look away.

instead, he pushes off from where he’s leaning against the piano, making his way over with the kind of confidence that doesn’t demand attention—it simply commands it.

“maybe,” he says, voice smooth as the whiskey in his hand. he settles into the stool beside you, elbow resting on the bar, head tilting just slightly. “but i like to be sure.”

your fingers tighten around your glass, the ice shifting with a quiet clink. up close, he smells like cedarwood and a hint of something warm, something expensive.

“hm,” you hum, taking a slow sip. “what if i wasn’t interested?”

he exhales a quiet chuckle, eyes dropping to your lips before flicking back up. “then i’d have to work harder, wouldn’t i?”

the bartender slides him another drink, and he lifts it in a silent toast before taking a sip, watching you over the rim.

the music swells, the double bass thrumming deep in your chest.

he sets his glass down with a soft clink. “dance with me.”

it’s not a question.

your lips part slightly, caught somewhere between amusement and intrigue. “what makes you think i dance with strangers?”

his smirk deepens, leaning in, just enough for you to catch the rasp of his voice over the music. “jaehyun,”

grinning fully in amusement this time, you take his hand shaking it slowly. “y/n…”

he stands, smirk still plastered on his face, holding out a hand, palm up—patient, expectant.

you should say no. should laugh, shake your head, tell him you’re not that easily swayed.

but something about the way he looks at you, like he already knows your answer, makes your pulse stutter.

your fingers brush against his.

and just like that, the night takes its next breath.

—

you don’t expect the way your heart stutters when his fingers close around yours. there’s a moment, a hesitation, where you almost pull away. but instead, you let him guide you onto the dance floor, his hand firm in yours, warm against your skin.

the air is thick with the haze of smoke and whiskey, the sound of jazz curling around you like a lover’s embrace. you both step in time to the slow, steady rhythm, your body naturally swaying to the music. the world outside the bar seems to melt away, leaving just the two of you in the soft golden glow of the lights.

jaehyun doesn’t break his gaze as he leads you, eyes dark and focused. his movements are smooth, almost effortless, as though he’s done this a thousand times. you can feel the tension between you, the way your chest brushes lightly against his as you move.

“you dance well,” you say, more to break the silence than anything.

he tilts his head, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. “i could say the same about you.”

there’s something in his tone, deeper, softer, that lingers in the air between you. it’s no longer just playful, but something more, something undeniably intimate. you try to brush it off, but the way his hand settles at the small of your back, pulling you in closer, makes it hard to ignore.

“i wasn’t expecting to get pulled out onto the floor tonight,” you admit, your voice quieter now, as you let the music surround you.

jaehyun’s lips curve into a grin, and he leans in just enough for you to feel his breath against your ear. “you think i’d let you leave without dancing with me? not a chance.”

you can’t help but chuckle at his confidence, though it’s clear there’s no teasing in his words. his hand slides from your back to your waist, the touch now more possessive, but still light. it’s like he’s holding you close without actually holding you, if that makes sense. the way he moves, the way he’s so sure of everything, pulls you in deeper.

“you’re a bit bold,” you say, your heart beating a little faster now.

he leans back just enough to look at you, eyes searching yours. there’s an intensity in his gaze, something almost unreadable. “i’m not bold. i’m certain,” he replies, his voice low, steady.

you swallow, not sure what to make of the sudden shift in the atmosphere. the space between you is electric, and the moment feels like it’s teetering on the edge of something more.

“so what now?” you ask, half teasing, half uncertain.

jaehyun’s smirk is slow, deliberate, but his eyes soften. “now? we keep dancing. and if i’m lucky, i’ll get you to stay a little longer.”

the music swells, and you let yourself get lost in it, in the way his hand tightens just slightly, pulling you a fraction closer. you can feel the warmth of his body against yours, the subtle, rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. his fingers graze the side of your neck as he keeps you near, and you’re not sure if it’s the music or him, but you find yourself leaning in a little more.

his lips brush the shell of your ear as he whispers, his voice almost a growl: “you’re not leaving soon, are you?”

the question hangs in the air, a challenge, a request, all wrapped in one. you meet his eyes, your pulse racing in your throat, and something inside you dares to wonder if maybe, just maybe, staying was always the plan.

well you were, but now… “no,” you reply, barely above a whisper. “i’m not.”

jaehyun’s smile is full of satisfaction as the music takes you both deeper into the night. his hold on you never wavers, and as the song carries on, you realize that nothing else matters but this moment—this stolen time under the warm, golden lights.

—

the song fades, but neither of you step away. jaehyun’s hand still rests at your waist, his touch light yet lingering, like he’s memorizing the feel of you beneath his fingertips.

your breath comes a little uneven, the space between you thick with something unspoken.

“you lead well,” you murmur, tilting your head.

jaehyun exhales a quiet chuckle, his thumb brushing faintly over your side before settling again. “you follow well.”

“you make it easy,” you admit, before you can think better of it.

his gaze flickers, something knowing glinting behind the golden glow of the bar lights. “so do you.”

you roll your eyes, but your lips curve. “do you ever stop flirting?”

his grip tightens—just briefly, just enough to make your breath catch. “why would i, when it’s working?”

your stomach flips, but you keep your expression even. “bold assumption.”

he leans in slightly, voice lower now. “am i wrong?”

your fingers brush the bar behind you, grounding yourself, because the way he’s looking at you—like he already knows your answer—has your heart racing again.

“depends,” you say, tilting your chin. “are you trying to impress me, or just entertain yourself?”

his smirk is slow, deliberate. “can’t it be both?”

you shake your head, exhaling through your nose. “you’re impossible.”

jaehyun hums, stepping back just slightly—but his hand doesn’t leave your waist. “and yet, you’re still here.”

he lets the words settle, then—softly, smoothly—says, “let me buy you another drink.”

your fingers hover over his for half a second too long.

jaehyun notices.

you sigh, shaking your head, but there’s a small smile playing at your lips. “just one.”

his grin deepens. “we’ll see.”

the bartender slides another glass in front of you, the golden liquid catching in the dim light. you take a sip, feeling the warmth spread through your chest.

you had only planned to stay for a drink. maybe two.

but somehow, the night had stretched longer, weaving itself between stolen glances and lingering touches, between the rich hum of jazz and the quiet thrill of something just beginning.

and for once, you don’t mind.

—