So when the mysterious man had moved into the towering mansion at the very end of the village without a word, it had caused a rather large fuss within the community. Rumors started sprouting every hour of the man, each one getting more and more ridiculous than the last one. 

“I heard he’s so ugly, he can’t show his face to anyone!”

“I heard he did some terrible crime and he fled to this town to hide.”

“I heard he’s a vampire and he’s here to look for his next victim.”

It only got more and more outlandish from there, with people reporting that they saw ‘suspicious’ activity from his manor and that he was surely up to no good. Apparently, doing your grocery shopping late at night and having a rather poor nicotine addiction was enough to be regarded as suspicious in this village. 

You’ve learned to not mind the stories the villagers tended to make up. It was all in fun and jest, you convinced yourself. Technically speaking, it wasn’t harming anyone and the man surely didn’t seem to mind, not that you heard of at least. You were curious about this mysterious man, however. Every now and then you would hear brief descriptions of his appearance, he has unkempt blonde hair, you know! and whispers of his actions, he buys such fancy ingredients, he must be one of those fancy gentlemen from the city.

You desperately wanted to achieve your own interaction with him, just so you could categorize him personally in your head. Was he kind? Gentlemanly? Mean? Stuck-up? You just wanted to know. 

Despite your wants, life moved on. Early summer was creeping into the town, with hot winds and long nights settling into the crooks of the cobblestone roads. It was a late night when you had decided to step out of the small cottage you called home and out into the streets. Street lamps lit the weathered roads orange as your shadow danced across the stones. It was late, but you simply couldn’t sleep. It was one of those nights where the sheets were sticking to your legs, the heat clinging to your skin, and your thoughts were drifting to every random question that shooed sleep away. Hopefully, a late night walk would be just the cure to tire you out enough to finally get some sleep. 

The night wasn’t too scary of an endeavor in this town – most people knew not to mess with others during this late at night lest they wanted the whole town to hear about it the very next day. You hummed as you walked, the breeze in the air bringing some slight relief from the pounding heat. You walked and walked and walked until your feet led you to the edge of the forest, the dark towering trees looming nearby and adding an edge to the moonlit night that made you swallow in trepidation. The mysterious man’s manor sat right at the cusp of the forest, the trees serving nearly as a gated fence to the property.

Tentatively, you walk closer to the forest, attempting to peer in the dark woods. Beyond the sound of the night creatures, you hear something else. A distinct shuffling, a quickened pace, and you step closer to the forest to see what it is despite the warning bells ringing in your head. You inch forward, the canopy of leaves from the trees blocking out the moonlight, your only source of light. You swear you can hear the sound getting closer to you when - “Ouch!” 

The lack of light made seeing the path difficult and it led you to land on the ground. Your knee had skidded against some sharp rocks right as you fell and the stinging of the rocks against your skin burned brightly. Thankfully, you weren’t bleeding but it would surely leave a bruise against your skin. 

“Are you okay, ma belle?” 

A gloved hand reached out to take yours, pulling you up from the ground. The figure led you out of the woods and back into the moonlit night, the mansion once more hovering just beyond the hill of forest. The man was blonde and was looking at you with concern in his eyes as he knelt to his knees to brush any dirt that stuck to your skin. 

You felt heat rise to your cheeks as you realized that this man that you didn’t even know was standing there doting on you while you stood there processing everything that occurred in the past five minutes. Backing away you stammed, “I’m okay! I’m alright, thank you, I’m sorry for worrying you.” 

He chuckled, “Nonsense, I was just hoping the forest didn’t scare you off. Ah, where are my manners? I am Sanji, the town’s new neighbor. And you are…?” He trailed off, his eyes light with curiosity. 

Quickly, you told him your name and he smiled at you brightly. He was so pretty, something you could deduce even in the darkness of the night. The layers of his blonde hair brushed the nape of his neck and were a contrast to the dark curl of his eyebrows. He dressed dapper - like a city gentleman, his whole ensemble topped off with the chain of a pocket watch hung on the loops of his pants. The smell of cigarette smoke and cloves hung off him and you had the strange desire to bury yourself nose deep in the scent. 

“Since it is so late, shall I walk you back to your home? A lady shouldn’t walk alone at night, you know.” He offered out his arm to you and tentatively you looped your arm around his as he escorted you down the cobbled path. 

Clearing your throat you look over to him, “So, what made you want to move over to this town, Sanji? You seem more like you’re meant for the city than anything.” 

There’s a slight pause as if Sanji is searching for the words to come to him, for a story to land on the tip of his tongue. “I’m… I heard that this manor has some strange history. So, I have come to explore more of that.” He stops once more in speech as if combing over his words and then nods, seemingly satisfied with his response. “What about you? What does a beautiful lady like yourself do here?” 

You duck your head at his pretty words, miffed at the fact that you could be so easily wooed by him. “I’m the librarian here, I have been for a couple of years now. If you want to explore the history here, I could always help you.” You debate saying the next few words, wondering if perhaps they would be too bold for someone you had only just met. Ah, well, he was already flirting wasn’t he? It wouldn’t be all so horrible if you tried the same. “Or I could fend off any dangers from your handsome person.” 

At that he stops walking, leading you to pause as well. The start of a grin begins forming across his face. “Oh? You think I’m handsome, then?”

Perhaps you couldn’t do this flirting thing. “Well- I mean- I suppose-” you take a deep breath. “Yes, maybe I do.” 

With that, the two of you start walking once more and you swear you can feel him tug you just the slightest bit closer to his body. The moon shone upon your backs as you led him toward the wooden door of your house, swaying slightly on your feet once you were stood upon the welcome mat. “We’re here! This is my place.” You gesture with a flourish of your hand. Tentatively, you unhook your other arm from where it rested on the crook of his elbow. “I’ll see you around, then?” 

Sanji gave you a quiet smile, ever so alluring in this time of night. He nodded. “I shall see you, ma belle.” 

✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡˚

He did indeed see you rather soon. Only a few days had passed when you heard the clang of the library door opening and closing. It was dusk, the sun nearly completely set and the sky colored in pretty reds and pinks. It was nearing the end of your shift, only a few people still left in the quietness of the library, a few students hunched over their homework and an old lady nose deep into a book about architecture. Sanji sauntered over to the front desk where you were immersed into a book yourself, when he leaned his body over the desk and whispered to you in a conspiratorial manner, “I heard there’s a rather pretty lady who works here, have you heard of her?”

You jumped at his presence and immediately felt heat rush to your face at his flirtatious words. Slowly, you close the heavy book with a thump and look up at him, face resting on your hand. “Hm, I don’t recall but I did hear something about a rather handsome gentleman that moved into town recently.” 

You grin at the redness that takes over the tips of his ears before looking back down at your book. “Oh! Look at this book I’m reading, our conversation from before made me look more into the history of this place. Did you know that this place has a history of weird mythical creatures? I saw something about vampires?”

Something shifted within his expression as he tried to school his face into neutrality, “Is that so? How odd that they would add something like that in the books.” 

You nod eagerly, excited at all the possibilities this research could lead to. Pointing at the text upon the pages, you shake his shoulders in anticipation, “We have to look more into this, it looks so interesting.”

He nods, gazing woefully at the ancient book before dragging his eyes away and back onto you. The look in his eyes melt into something softer as he places a gentle hand on the small of your back. “How about we get some food first before we look more into this, hm? You’re probably tired from work.”

Dramatically, you sigh and lean your head upon his shoulder. He stiffens just slightly before softening into your touch. “Food sounds nice but –” 

Before you can finish your sentence he claps his hands together and ushers you to pack your stuff and out the door. “Great! I know just the place, I’ve helped train some of their cooks. Their food will be the absolute best.”

Just like that, it becomes a routine. You grow used to his constant presence in your life. He makes himself known. It’s in the way the bell of the library jangles in a particular melody when he enters through. The click-clack sound his fancy city boy shoes make against the linoleum floors. It’s in the way the crook of his elbow now seems perfectly molded for your arm to link with. The way he comes knocking upon your door when you haven’t seen each other in a day or two with freshly made food and a brilliant smile. 

Sanji has made sure to make his presence known in a manner where when he is not there, you feel hollow. Empty. But even then, that was a rare occurrence and he always made sure to make up for it every time. 

There were bouts where he just seemed so drained, so tired and then he’d be gone from your life for a day or two. No visits, no message, no nothing. Silence. He’d come back every time like a stray cat hounding for affection and looking much more rejuvenated. You never minded of course, you could stand some time to yourself and to steel yourself against his constant flirtations. 

A prime example would be when he had insisted on a surprise outing and had clasped his gloved palms against your eyes. His gloves were soft against your skin but it made you wonder whether he was hot beneath all the layers he donned. Any time the two of you met during the daytime instead of the typical nightly outings, he was always dressed in so many layers, almost like a protection against the sun. You wondered how his skin looked under all those clothes - the paleness but still so pretty. How it would feel to kiss – 

“We’re here!” 

His hands fell away from your eyes to reveal a quaint red-brick building. Robin’s Bookstore was painted at the very top in bright purple letters, the paint still seemingly fresh. 

You look at him, a smile growing infectiously across your face. “You took me to a bookstore?” 

He returned your smile, his happiness only growing at the sight of yours. “Of course, you loved telling me all about what you’ve found so far on these uh, vampires, I figured you’d like to find some more books that weren’t in your library. Of course, I’ll buy any book you desire, this outing is all for you, my darling.” 

Your heart surged at his kind words, you didn’t know what to do with yourself. To have someone pay attention to you so diligently and take interest in your interests, it was such a lovely thing to experience. 

Without thinking, you rush into him, wrapping your arms around his waist and holding him tight. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love it.” 

You feel him pause momentarily before returning your embrace. His chin rests atop your head and he pulls you even tighter against him. “Anything for the smartest girl I know.” 

You look up at him, eyes narrowed playfully, “Your pretty words will have no effect on me.”

Releasing you from the embrace, his hand slides around your waist as he leads you into the store. “Ah, is that so? How unfortunate, I’m only repeating the truth to you.” 

In that fashion, the two of you progressed further, the shape of your relationship looking more and more like a pair of lovers. It continued in that manner until the day where you had mistakenly thought the two of you would finally address this game the two of you were playing. 

“I do believe you’re trying to kill me, darling.” He said as he twirled you around so your dress could flourish around your frame. 

You grinned at him and bumped your hip against his, “I would never.”

Your hands laced together tentatively, his long and slender fingers twined with yours. This affection was a new development, teetering your relationship further and further to something you weren’t quite sure how to define. You surely liked Sanji – he was practically perfect. Always kind, gentlemanly, eager to hear your rants in your new found research, but still there was still missing. It was like he was hiding something, something you just couldn't put your finger on. 

Shaking the thought away, you turned to him and asked, “What are we doing today? Another fancy dinner?”

Sanji shook his head before looking away bashfully. “I found a pretty place in the forest near the manor, if you wanted to go?” He scratches the back of his head nervously, “I figured it was something you’d like to see but if –”

“Well let’s go then, pretty boy.” You say dragging him forward by his hand and he tumbles slightly on the sidewalk as he catches up with you. The smile on his face grows wider as he holds your hand tighter and leads you to the clearing. 

The sight was indeed an area you enjoyed, it looked something out of a fairytale with the moonlight basking everything in a pretty silver light and the cool breeze offering some relief from the summer night. You sat near some rocks, careful of stepping on any sparse flowers sprouting in the area. “It’s beautiful, Sanji.” 

You feel him come sit by you, thigh to thigh, arms pressed against each other. He plucks a stray white flower gently and places it by your ear. “You are indeed.” 

Heat rises on your face and you look away bashfully, “Oh well, I don’t –” 

He leans closer, grasping your chin and bringing your face to look back at his. His eyes glint brightly in the night light, he looks other-wordly. He was pressed so close to you, you could feel his warm chest so near, the feel of his fingers against your cheek, brushing against your cheekbone. He glances down to your lips before looking back up to you. Your heart races faster at the motion – was this it? Would he finally tell you of his feelings? 

“Sanji,” you breathed. “I wanted to tell you that I – ouch!” 

The rock you had sat on had a jagged end near the back and in your panic to get the words out to Sanji, the words to tell him that you liked him, you cut your hand on the sharp parts of the boulder. It wasn’t a deep cut by any means, but the blood still spilled out from the opening on your palm. “Ah, look at me being clumsy, I’m sorry Sanji – Sanji?” 

Sanji’s eyes were wide, round, and pupils blown wide at the sight on your palm. He blinked hard as you repeated his name, seemingly shaking himself out of a daze. All at once, he looked away from you, turning his head in the complete opposite direction. 

“Sanji? Are you okay?” 

He nodded, still refusing to look at you, bent over and covering the lower half of his face. Cautiously, you walked closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, “Sanji –” 

“Don’t come near me.” 

He turned, hands still covering the lower half of his face. Even with his face half covered, he seemed… different. He looked sharp almost, his eyes seemingly predatory and hungry, such a stark contrast from the soft way he was looking at you only five minutes prior. 

“What?” you asked, confused. Why was he acting like this so suddenly? Was he sensitive to blood perhaps? 

He shook your hand off and took a few steps away from you. Shaking his head, he backed away even more. “I can’t – I’m sorry – I have to go.” With that, he sprints off, disappearing into the darkness of the forest. 

You stared at his disappearing silhouette, gaping at the situation that just unfolded in front of you. Still clutching your bleeding hand, you sigh and glare at the boulder, kicking some grass at the innocent piece of rock. “This is all your fault, you know.”

The rock did not bother to respond. 

✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡˚

Similarly, Sanji never bothered to respond. He never bothered to come back to clarify on his odd behavior, never came to apologize, no. Rather, he decided to completely disappear from your life. Gone were the near-daily library visits, the dinner not-dates, the affectionate touches and caresses of his. He had just uprooted himself from your life with no remorse. 

And so you rearranged the slight aching in your chest at the missing presence in your life and kept moving. Life did not end when (a rather handsome) romantic conquest decided to disappear on you. No, life would keep cycling forward and you would do your damndest to keep up with it. 

You kept up the rigorous amount of research, not for Sanji’s curiosity anymore, for yours. You found the depth of history within this town to be interesting, the near-mythical traditions it carried were something rooted deep into the grounds you walked daily. The books reported on the villagers of the then-time and how they’d ward against a variety of creatures, the most stark mention being vampires. The wild roses upon the doors, the ash-wood stakes always prepared in stashes, the adamant use of blackwood, it was all something of a fairytale, you thought.

Beyond that, you threw yourself into any activity you could, if just to ignore the hollow ache in your chest. Visiting the farmer’s market, taking yourself out on solo dinner dates, crafting just to have something to do with your hands. Anything to bring a brief distraction and peace of mind to yourself. Sure, your time with Sanji wasn’t anything long but you had found your heart attached to him and his manners in a way that made you hope for a future. 

Scoffing at the thought now, you shuffled around in your cottage, grimly getting up to make dinner for yourself. It was a rainy day, the dim weather only further greyed out your own mood. “Maybe I should make pasta…” you murmured, still half in a daze as you scooted around in your slippers. 

There is the single knock on your door just then, pulling you out of your thoughts. Pulling open the door, you try to stop the gaping of your mouth as you stare at the mouth standing in front of you. Just at your doorstep stood Sanji, the rain making his blond hair cling to the sides of his face and the back of his neck. There was an expression of desperation on his face as he stood in front of you, hands clasped together. 

“I’m sorry.”

Despite your heart lurching in your chest, you crossed your arms and squinted at him. “For what?”

His eyes search yours, desperate and begging, before he lowers his head. “For disappearing. I- I didn’t mean to and it was wrong of me to leave you like that, I just - I had to.”

You narrow your eyes further at him, “What do you mean you had to?” Pausing, you think back over to the events that occurred that night that he left you. “Are you scared of blood? Is that it? If that’s what it is, you should’ve told me. I wouldn’t have judged you for it, Sanji.”

There is a brief moment where it seems like he is digesting your words before he nods fervently, “Yes, yes, that’s exactly it. I just can’t stand blood.” His nose crinkles at the last word. 

A crack of thunder roars in the back and you frown at the sky before opening your door wider, indicating for him to come inside. Sanji just looks back at you, hesitating while looking at the entry frame of your door. “Sanji.” you say, concern on your lips. “Come inside, you’ll get sick.” 

You swear you hear a murmur of “...can’t get sick.” But at your words, he comes in leaving a forming puddle of water in the hall of your entryway. Pushing him forward into your home, you sit him down on the couch before running to fetch him a towel.

Rummaging through your drawers you manage to scrounge up an old baggy sweatshirt and some unused sweatpants and you rush back to toss the clothes at him. “Wear this.” At his protests, you give him a glare that makes him close his mouth immediately, and continue, “I’m going to cook dinner for us and you will eat it and you can sleep here for the night, it’s supposed to rain till the morning.” 

Shooing him off to the bathroom, you go to the bathroom and start on the food. Something quick and easy and hopefully warming enough to heat up his perpetually cold, rained on, skin. 

By the time Sanji comes out, the food is already half ready. He shuffles onto one of the seats on the wooden dinner table, looking utterly at place in your home. He folded the sleeves of the sweatshirt, showing his long forearms and his hair had been swept back and ruffled, giving the impression that he had just taken a rather long nap rather than being rained on. 

You set a warm bowl in front of him before settling into the seat next to him. He looks at you, adoration in his eyes, “Thank you. For this,” he gestures to the clothes and the warm food, “and for giving me another chance.” 

Looking at him from the corner of your eye, you bite back your smile as you say, “Who says I’m giving you another chance? Maybe I just felt bad for keeping you in the rain.” 

His expression blanches and you don’t hold back your laughter this time around. Turning fully towards him, you reach out to tuck a stray strand of his hair from his face. “I’m kidding. We can restart, if that’s what you want. But,” you point a finger at him, “if you disappear on me again, that’ll be the last time you ever see me.” 

He nods eagerly, “I promise you, darling, I won’t disappear from you again. Not ever.”

✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡˚

Just like that, you once more readjust your life to Sanji’s presence. He comes swooping into your life even harder than before, whisking you away at any given opportunity. This time, however, you make sure to be just a bit more wary of his gestures, lest there is a repeat of what happened before. 

Despite that, you can feel yourself falling deeper and deeper for him. More of you wants to reach out to him, to caress his hair, to melt straight into his arms and kiss the life out of him. He is gentle in every form of the word and always reaches out to take care of you in words you couldn’t explain. In some way, it felt like you had already been in a relationship for years and you had somehow fallen in the midst of it without experiencing the beginning of it. 

In a late night where your shift at the library was drearily long, sorting through archives becoming something dreary and not enjoyable in the moment – you were dragging your feet home at the thought of having to do even more tasks at home. The mere thought of having to change your clothes or even cooking felt so dreadful, you just wanted to lay in a pile right there on the street. 

Yet somehow, when you opened the door to your cottage, a welcome mat now placed near the entryway at Sanji’s insistence, you find the blonde already bent over in your kitchen hard at work chopping vegetables. It was no surprise to find him in your house; the two of you had exchanged spare house keys with one another, after realizing just how often the pair of you were basically co-habitating together. 

No, the surprise was that he took the time to memorize your schedule and he took it upon himself to cook you dinner so you’d have something warm and restful to come home to. At the sound of you bustling in from the door, he looks up with his hair half-covering his eyes. “You’re home.” The words creep into your heart, home. “Rough day? I laid out your favorite pajamas on the bed and I made some noodle soup.” 

In that moment, you swear you could’ve melted into him right then and there. You feel your eyes prick with the familiarity of tears and you just stand there in the middle of the room, shoulders slumped and staring at him with glassy eyes. When he glances over to you, he does a doubletake at your expression before setting down the knife and enveloping you in his arms. “Oh, darling. It’s been a long day, hm?”

You wrap your arms around his waist and lay your head on his chest, breathing in the scent of him deeply. You nod against him and he hums incomprehensible words of comfort into your hair, keeping you tight against him. He holds you until you finally let go and offer him a watery smile. Smiling back, he brushes a thumb against your cheekbone and presses a gentle kiss on your forehead. “Go change and then we can eat, okay? Maybe watch your favorite show too, if you want to.” 

Nodding, you make your way to your room with your heart fluttering madly with the feel of his kiss on your skin. It was the new things like this that you simply couldn't get used to. You wanted more from him, more of him, but something just held you back, a fear that speaking it out loud or making a move first would break the spell that held the two of you locked in this grey-area. 

The two of you danced in this unknown area for months. For months, it continued that way, with the two of you closing the gap until there was no way to move without toeing the line that both of you were too scared to cross. It had all bubbled to that day – it had been a couple of days since you had seen Sanji, a rare occurrence and something in you was warning you something was wrong. He hadn't visited, left a note, or given you a warning and something within you was telling you that there was something amiss in his behavior. 

Near sunset, after lazing about within the town and soaking up the sunlight, you decided to go visit him. You had visited him in his manor-like house many times and this wasn’t any different. Still, your heart plucked in anxiety as you walked up the steep hill to his front door, the sky darkening as you made your way up. Knocking tentatively, you call out, “Sanji?” 

There is a silence beyond the door and you shift nervously on your feet, wondering if you should knock again or simply just come in. Just like he had with your home, you had grown comfortable with the idea of coming into his house with the key he had given you, but in the case he was home, the idea of knocking just sounded right. 

After waiting a couple of more minutes on the front door, you fish out the rustic key from your pocket and open the creaking door. Looking around the home, you call out his name once more, dazed by the silence in his home. He always made himself known in the house, whether it was with music playing or simply by being busy enough to create noise – you had known him well enough now to know he was not someone who was fond of silence, but was someone who liked the hustle and bustle of life. 

Walking deeper into the home, you squint against the darkness before spotting a candle near a desk. Glancing past that, you see Sanji curled up on the couch and clutching his stomach. 

“Sanji?”

His eyes flash open and he looks at you in pure confusion before sitting up and backing away. “Why - Why are you here?” 

“I was worried about you and I haven’t seen you in a couple of days so-” 

“Leave.”

You swear you can see a flash of white as he speaks but that slips your focus as indignation rises in your chest. “Excuse me? I will not leave, I was worried for you-”

Once more, he cuts you off. With almost super human speed, he stood in front of you, his eyes darkened with an unread emotion. Grasping your wrist, he brings it close to his face, his nose leaned against your wrist, right near the pulse point. “I would be more worried for you, right now darling.” 

The flash of white appears once more and you realize dimly what they are. Fangs. Swallowing your nerves, you look him in the eyes and ask, “What do you mean? Why are you worried?”

He inhales, his pupils blown out with desire. “Because, my dear librarian, I am the creature you so deeply researched.” He presses a kiss to your wrist before trailing down your arm leaving more down the path. “I am the vampire, you’ve been reading about all this time. I’ve been avoiding you because I haven’t fed in a very long time and I fear I am particularly…hungry.” Another kiss. 

“I wouldn’t want my beloved human to be hurt.” Your pulse is jumping from your skin, the veins almost pulsating with the rapidness of your heart. “Unless she wants to be, of course.” 

You lean into him, sighing out his name. “Sanji.”

“Hm?”

You weren’t surprised at his revelation. There was always a sneaking suspicion within you that he was holding some kind of secret like this, with his constant aversion to sunlight, frequenting out at nighttime or being completely covered in the daylight – or how he would only come in to your home when you asked him to until he placed the welcome mat upon your doorstep. Better yet, when he ran off on you when he saw the brief glimpse of your blood. It all made sense. Truly, when it came down to it, you didn’t mind. You had fallen for him completely and a secret like this was something you could live with, if only it meant that you could have him. 

Trailing your hand up to cup his face, you lean closer into him, your nose brushing against his. “Kiss me, please. I want you, I don’t care that you’re a vampire, I want you.”

He didn’t spare a single moment before crashing his lips into yours. You can feel the sharpness of his fangs as he kissed you, the press of his tongue as he explored your mouth. Separating away, just so you could take a breath, he pulled away as your chest rose for air. He didn’t stop, he pressed you into the desk as he pulled down the collar of your shirt to leave open-mouthed kisses against your collarbone. 

You could feel the swirl of his tongue against your skin, kissing and leaving marks all over. Moaning, you swept a hand into his hair, pressing him closer into your skin. You wanted him to devour you, to be so close to you that you melded into one. Wrapping your legs around his waist, you pulled him closer to you, so you could feel him right against your heat. 

“Sanji, please.”

He grinds against your clothed cunt before laying you down on the desk, pushing aside anything in the way. He kisses you once more, needy and urgent for your touch and you can feel him moving against you, desperate for any friction to get the two of you off. 

His dark eyes gleam with hunger and desire as he looks down your heated face, drinking in every detail, the way your chest heaved with each ragged breath, the pulse fluttering wildly at the base of your throat, the intoxicating scent of your arousal filling his nostrils. A low, approving growl rumbled in his chest.

“Mmm, such an eager little thing, aren't you? So desperate.” His cool fingers trailed feather-light caresses along your inner thighs, teasing higher and higher until they brushed against the damp fabric covering your most intimate area. He inhaled deeply, savoring your essence.

Just as quickly, Sanji pinned your wrists above your head, looming over you with a wicked grin that flashed glimpses of his elongated canines. His other hand made quick work of your lower garments, baring you completely to his hungry gaze. Leaning down, he dragged the flat of his tongue along the column of your throat, mapping out your racing pulse. Sharp teeth nipped playfully at your earlobe. 

“Tell me, darling, do you have any idea what you're offering yourself up to?”

His knee nudged your thighs apart as he settled between them, the hard ridge of his arousal pressing insistently against your core through the confines of his trousers.

“I do,” you say, raising your hips against his, desperate for any sort of friction. “Just, please, I can take it, give it to me, Sanji.” 

A dark chuckle escaped him at your plea, his eyes flashing with primal hunger. In one swift motion, he ripped away the remaining barriers between your bodies, freeing his length. The swollen head notched against your slick entrance, teasing you with the promise of what’s to come.

“As you wish, my dear.” he breathed hotly against your ear, his grip tightening on your hips. To emphasize his point, he licked a slow stripe up your neck before grazing his fangs over your jumping pulse, not quite breaking the skin. 

With that, he surged forward, sheathing himself to the hilt inside your tight heat with a guttural groan. One hand grips your hip bruisingly tight while the other tangles in your hair, yanking your head back to expose the column of your throat. He stilled for a moment, savoring the sensation of your walls clenching around him. “You feel incredible, like you were made just for me, my pretty girl.”

You whine against him, words lost on you as you're drowning in the feeling of him inside you. With glassy eyes, you look at him pleadingly, wanting him to continue fucking you, to bite you. Incomprehensible babbles escaped you and he obliged. 

Sanji began to move then, setting a relentless pace as he drove into you again and again, each powerful thrust hitting that perfect spot deep inside. The wet sounds of your joining filled the room, mingling with your wanton cries and his own guttural moans of pleasure.

“That's it,” he growled. “Let me hear you, let me hear how good you feel,”  his hips snapping forward with supernatural strength and control.

His lips latched onto your throat, suckling hard as his fangs pierced the delicate skin. Hot, tingling pleasure-pain radiated out from the points of entry as he began to drink deeply, your rich, warm blood flooding his senses. He swallowed greedily, the taste of you igniting his passion to new heights. 

“You taste so good,” he rasps in between gulps. “I’ve wanted you for so long and I can’t believe you’re letting me, hah, you feel so good ma belle.”

Lost in the passion, he continued his relentless assault on your senses, drinking deeply from your throat even as he pistoned his hips, driving into your welcoming heat with inhuman vigor. The dual sensations of his fangs and his thick cock stretching you deliciously sent jolts of electric pleasure coursing through your veins.

He panted praises against your skin as he lapped at the puncture wounds on your neck to seal them. “I could feast on you for eternity and never tire.” 

One hand released its bruising grip on your hip to snake between your sweat-slicked bodies, clever fingers finding your aching clit. He circled the sensitive bundle of nerves with ruthless precision, determined to push you over the edge into blissful oblivion. 

Feeling your body begin to tense and quiver beneath him, Sanji doubled his efforts, his fingers working your clit in tight, fast circles as he angled his hips to hit that special spot inside you with every deep thrust. The obscene slap of flesh on flesh echoed through the room, punctuated by your keening cries and his own animalistic grunts.

“Yes, yes, that's it! Let go for me, mon amour,” he urged huskily. “Come undone on my cock, I want to feel you as I fill you with my cum.” His movements grew more erratic, chasing his own rapidly approaching orgasm.

With a final, brutal thrust, Sanji buried himself to the hilt inside you, his cock pulsing and twitching as he spilled his release deep within your spasming walls. A guttural moan tore from his throat, echoing off the stone walls as wave after wave of intense pleasure crashed over him. 

He collapsed against you, his weight pinning you to the desk as the last tremors of your climax worked their way through your body. After a long moment, he lifted his head to gaze at you with hooded, satisfied eyes, a lazy smile playing about his kiss-swollen lips. “That wasn’t how I had wanted to ask you to be yours but,” he bites his lip almost nervously, despite the show he had just presented to you. “Let me be yours. Let me court you properly.” 

Heaving a heavy breath, you run a hand through his hair, a laugh on your lips. “Is that how the vampires do it? You’ll court me?”

He tucks his face into the crook of your neck, almost hiding. “If that’s what you’d like of course, darling.” 

Unable to hide the smile spreading across your face, you bring his face back to yours and press a kiss to his lips. “I would love nothing more, my dear vampire.” 

Truthfully, there were many things about his past he hadn’t managed to share yet. You had probably pieced fragments together already through conversations, things overheard from the crew, and your own intuition. Your relationship was still young enough that there were chapters of each other’s lives left unread, but old enough that neither of you needed every detail to understand the other.

He loved finding you curled up in the library with a book, or half-asleep in bed—sometimes your own, sometimes his—waiting for him to finally stop working and come lie down too.

He loved the spark that lit your eyes whenever the two of you visited museums in whatever city the crew temporarily docked at. The conversations about paintings, writers, history, myths. The way your excitement spilled into every topic you touched.

And he loved your affection for sweet things.

Especially, as you constantly reminded him, for him.

“The sweetest thing of all.”

Every single time, it earned an exasperated eye roll, ears tinged pink beneath the brim of his hat, and a desperate attempt to change the subject or stare intensely at the nearest wall.

Sweet. Sweet. Sweet.

Law wasn’t always fond of revisiting the past. It followed him regardless of where he went, a shadow he had never quite managed to outrun.

But that evening, his thoughts drifted to his family.

To his father.

He remembered the way his father would surprise his mother with bouquets of the freshest flowers he could find. There was always a small note tucked among the stems, usually containing only a few words, yet somehow capable of bringing an even brighter smile and a blush to her cheeks.

Sometimes his father would return home early from work, a near impossibility for a doctor as respected as he had been, simply because he wanted more time with his wife and children.

Law remembered him helping around the house without being asked. Cooking lunch. Washing windows. Dusting shelves. Even the smallest, most ordinary little acts had been woven together with care and affection.

The captain found himself yearning for that too.

Love didn’t always have to be spoken.

Perhaps that was why the memories lingered.

Because words had never been his strongest point.

He loved you.

God, he loved you.

There was never any doubt about that.

Yet sometimes it felt as though an unbearable invisible weight sat heavily across his shoulders, preventing him from taking that final step and showing you every ounce of tenderness he carried for you.

And there was so much tenderness. More than he knew how to express.

He only hoped you knew that already.

So he started small.

Just as you were about to leave your room and march down the corridor to his office and force your chronically sleep-deprived boyfriend into getting at least a tolerable amount of rest, the door slid open.

Law stood there holding two mugs of hot chocolate piled high with whipped cream and two books tucked beneath one arm.

“I figured you could use about three hundred milliliters of concentrated sugar shock right now.”

His voice was as flat as ever, but the warmth in his eyes betrayed him. One corner of his mouth twitched upward as he stepped inside.

You blinked.

Before you could say anything, he crossed the room, placed one of your favorite books in your lap, and set the mugs on the nightstands on either side of the bed.

A moment later he slipped beneath the blankets beside you. Without a word, he nudged you gently against his shoulder and opened his own book.

You stared at him. Then at the hot chocolate. Then at him again.

“…Are you feeling alright?”

Law snorted.

“Unfortunately.”

You laughed, and the sound alone made the strange fluttering sensation in his chest feel worthwhile.

A few mornings later, you woke to something even stranger.

Instead of waking up alone in bed while Law disappeared into another round of research before sunrise, you woke up wrapped tightly in your lover’s arms, his hands resting securely around your waist.

For a long moment, you simply stared.

It wasn’t unusual to fall asleep together.

It was unusual to wake up together.

Usually, by the time dawn painted pale streaks across the submarine’s metal walls, he had already disappeared into his office to bury himself beneath stacks of notes and medical journals.

As though he sensed you stirring awake, he pulled you even closer, a sleepy sound escaping him.

Then he buried his face deeper into your hair.

“Keep sleeping.”

His voice was muffled against your head.

“We’re comfortable like this.”

You smiled despite yourself.

“Captain, are you cuddling me?”

“No.”

“You literally have me trapped.”

“It’s a strategic embrace.”

A laugh escaped you.

The vibration of it made him pull you even closer. He inhaled slowly, catching the familiar scent of coconut and mango from your shampoo.

Warm. Comforting. Home.

For once, neither of you moved.

On another morning, you walked into the kitchen expecting to begin preparing breakfast for the crew since it happened to be your turn.

Instead, you found Law already there.

The counters were occupied by ingredients, dirty bowls, and evidence of what could only be described as organized chaos. He was in the middle of arranging food onto plates.

When he noticed you standing in the doorway, he immediately became very interested in the knife he was holding.

“I couldn’t sleep. Thought I’d make things easier for you.”

His eyes flicked toward yours, nervous despite himself as he waited for your reaction.

Your entire face lit up and you immediately walked up to shower him with kisses..

Before he could retreat, you crossed the kitchen and threw your arms around his neck.

“Law!”

You kissed one cheek.

Then the other.

Then his jaw.

Then his forehead.

The poor man nearly short-circuited.

He blushing so hard it was almost concerning, grumbling under his breath and pretending to complain the entire time.

Heat rushed straight to his ears.

“H-Hey.”

Another kiss.

“Cut it out.”

Another kiss.

“I’m serious.”

Another.

You finally pulled away enough to see his face.

Bright red.

Absolutely mortified.

And cute. Very cute.

Law muttered something incoherent under his breath and turned back toward the food as if the frying pan had suddenly become the most fascinating object in the world.

You only laughed harder.

The gifts continued.

Whenever the Polar Tang docked somewhere for supplies and circumstances forced you to stay behind to guard the submarine, your Surgeon of Death always returned with something for you.

A rare edition of a book.

A dress he’d spotted in a shop window.

A local dessert from a bakery tucked away in some side street.

A trinket tied to the history of the island.

Something thoughtful, chosen specifically for you.

He never made a big deal out of it. Usually he’d leave the gift beside you with a muttered explanation before pretending it wasn’t important.

Once, he returned with a shirt he clearly intended for you to sleep in—a design modeled after the tattoos stretched across his chest.

He didn’t even stay long enough to watch you open it.

The second he dropped the bag onto the couch beside you—where you sat listening to yet another one of Penguin’s ridiculously long jokes—he turned on his heel and marched straight back to his office.

He did not wait to watch you open it.

His stomach was performing acrobatics the entire way there. His pulse wouldn’t settle and something beneath his ribs felt unbearably strange.

Fifteen minutes later, a knock sounded at his door.

Then it opened.

You stepped inside wearing only your robe and the shirt.

Law glanced up and promptly forgot how breathing worked.

The oversized black fabric disappeared beneath your bathrobe, but the familiar tattoo design stretched across your chest exactly as he’d imagined.

Heat rushed violently up Law’s neck, spreading over his ears and across his cheeks in seconds.

“H-Hey… what are you doing?” he asked, heart pounding so hard he was convinced it might burst straight through his ribs and sink the entire submarine.

You smiled at him from beneath your lashes.

“I wanted to show you how much I like my gift.”

You walked over slowly, placing both hands on his shoulders before covering his face in kisses—his jaw, cheek, forehead, eyes, eyebrows, nose, and finally his lips.

By that time whatever remained of his composure had surrendered completely.

He deepened the kiss immediately.

Strong arms wrapped around your waist before sliding lower, lifting you effortlessly into his lap and pulling you flush against him.

When the kiss finally broke, his forehead rested against yours.

“I like it too,” he whispered against your mouth, the corners of his lips curved slightly.

“Especially on you.”

The following week, the Polar Tang surfaced near a small coastal town.

For once, there were no emergencies and the crew scattered to enjoy the rare sunlight however they pleased. Some swam. Others wandered into town. Some napped on deck, read books, or simply enjoyed the fresh air before the submarine inevitably returned to the dark depths below. Some headed into town.

You and Bepo claimed a comfortable spot on deck and spent the morning enjoying the warmth.

Law had gone into town on urgent business—restocking ingredients for his medicines—but insisted he wouldn’t be long and that there was no need for you to come with him.

Bepo had strangely supported this argument with suspicious enthusiasm.

Still, you didn’t think much of it. Days like this were rare. 

At some point, Bepo wandered off to grab cold lemonade while you stayed stretched out in your chair, eyes closed, listening to the waves and feeling the ocean breeze brush softly against your legs.

Everything felt peaceful.

Then suddenly, a tall shadow blocked the warmth of the sun.

You peeked over your sunglasses and found your beautiful, impossibly tall boyfriend standing over you, holding an enormous bouquet of peonies in soft pastel shades—soft pink, white, creamy, pale lilac. Petals layered like clouds.

Your breath caught.

“They’re beautiful,” you whispered, eyes shining as you buried your nose into the sweet floral scent. “How did you know these were my favorite?”

Law watched you quietly.

His expression softened.

He’d known because months ago you’d stopped in front of a flower stall and spent nearly ten minutes admiring peonies.

You hadn’t realized he’d noticed, but he did of course.

Law noticed everything about you.

“Lucky guess,” he replied quietly, watching you instead of the flowers.

You narrowed your eyes.

“Liar.”

He shrugged.

Your fingers brushed against a folded note tucked between the stems.

The moment you noticed it, Law swallowed hard.

Suddenly he felt far more nervous than he had facing emperors, marines, or sea monsters.

Slowly, you unfolded it and three words stared back at you.

I love you.

You looked up at him immediately, startled and flushed pink.

Then Law exhaled.

“I mean it,” he said before you could speak.

“Even if saying it out loud is hard for me sometimes. I love you. Breathing feels easier when you’re around. I sleep better beside you. You make every day better.”

He continued before courage could abandon him.

“Everything is better.”

The vulnerability in his expression nearly broke your heart. And he swallowed thickly.

“Sorry if I’m not always good at showing it.”

Tears gathered in your eyes before you could stop them and you laughed softly and shook your head.

“I love you too, idiot,” you whispered, hugging the bouquet tighter. “Very, very much.” A tear escaped despite your smile.

“And trust me—you show it plenty. I never want you to stop.”

Something warm settled inside his chest. The anxious knot he’d been carrying all morning finally unraveled.

“I don’t plan to.”

He carefully took the bouquet from your arms and placed it on the lounge chair beside you, You could put them in a vase later.

♡ on that note, whenever you plan on being apart for awhile (which he hates, why can't you guys all just walk in the same direction?) he always gives you his hat, and with the all too familiar grin he exclaims

♡ "stay safe (name)! you can give it back to me when we finish up with this island, yeah?"

♡ it was his way of guaranteeing that you'd see each other again, after all you had his hat, the one he shanks gifted him until they saw each other again, as long as you had it your return was practically guaranteed, or at least that's how he saw it

♡ he loves it when you give him back hugs (or "suprise attack hugs" as he likes to call it), feeling your warmth and every beat of your heart felt like something special, something that only the two of you shared

♡ sometimes whenever he feels lonely at night he sneaks into your room and cuddles with you, it became so frequent that at some point you decided to just leave your door open for him, makes things easier

♡ he gives you cuddles whenever, a crew meeting? cuddles! in between a dangerous fight? cuddles! wandering in a completely new town? more cuddles!

♡ luffy doesn't have a filter, you could tell that much from the moment you met. but his lack of filter heightened after dating you, in the sense that out of nowhere he'd say "i think about you more than food" or "i love you lots, don't leave me ok?" or (his favourite) running at you out of nowhere, and exclaiming "(name), i love youuuu~!" before quickly running away giggling to himself

Luffy: rowdy and hungry

He’s pretty predictable; he gets rowdy, eats a lot, and has horrible hangovers (one of the main reasons he abstains from drinking almost entirely).

Rarely drinks. One of the reasons in his mind for not over-indulging is that if he gets too drunk he won’t be able to remember all the meat he ate.

Literally no impulse control. So when he does drink, he racks up a HUGE tab (mostly bar food) and one of the crew has to pick up his bill because he forgets to close it out. You make sure to tip extra because it’s his tab.

Eats even more than usual because (obviously) eating good food while you’re drunk makes it taste even better. Chokes on his food more, too. It's kind of a pain in the ass.

Luffy is a MENACE about the food. He’ll gomu gomu his arm to the other side of the bar to swoop up some unsuspecting random’s food and he’ll shove it in his gullet in the blink of an eye. No evidence or crumbs. A monster.

He gets dehydrated because he doesn’t drink water when he’s drunk, and his salt intake is crazy, so he literally has to be reminded to do so. At some point you just start pushing a glass of water into his hands and rolling your eyes because you know he’s going to be the biggest complainer the next morning.

Luffy and Usopp egg each other on, it’s bad because sometimes they have drinking contests (or eating contests). They get scrappy sometimes and you have to tell them off because they cause a scene.

He won’t shut up about being king of the pirates. No one minds but, goddamn, how many times can one person say that in a night?

He’s endearingly sweet when he’s had too much to drink. He can’t stop staring at you when his face isn’t buried in a plate of food.

His eyes are glued to your face.

“Luffy, what? Why are you staring at me?”

“You just look so pretty.”

He even wants to hold your hand when you walk back to the ship at the end of the night. The whole crew thinks you make a cute couple, and they love how happy you make each other.

When you crawl into bed at the end of the night, he clings onto you like a sloth and then starts snoring in your ear. He wraps himself around you and conks out almost immediately.

Sure enough, the next morning he’s complaining so much it would be insufferable if you didn’t love him to pieces. He whines and you take care of him.

Luffy recovers from his monster hangover at a superhuman speed, which makes the whining not so bad—it’ll be less than an hour of complaining and whining and pouting, but when you’ve made him drink enough water and brought him enough food, he is as good as new in mere minutes. It’s uncanny.

Favorite drink?: Anything he can get his hands on, but he likes beer best (more volume). Will never do shots.

Zoro: over-indulges like clockwork

When he's drunk he generally does things he shouldn’t. Drinks too much and flirts too much. Eats way too much and runs his mouth too much, too.

He flirts with anyone he wants to, which is usually VERY out of character, but he doesn’t care at all when he’s drunk. He’ll flirt with you, with Sanji’s partner, with Sanji (?), the bartender, anyone and everyone he feels like.

It’s when he’s tipsy that the flirting starts. He’s deviously subtle about it at first. Zoro jokes and tease, but after coaxing so much laughter out of you one too many times, you start to wonder if he’s flirting with you (he is).

He gets more blunt as the night goes on. The drunker he is the bolder he is. He manages to elicit more crimson, flushed faces in the bar than anyone on the crew, and this can be attributed to the fact that he’s strikingly handsome and he almost never says anything suggestive. But the liquor brings out his cheeky smiles. And it’s hard to look away from those muscles or flashing eyes.

Drinks wayyyy too much but has a super high tolerance, so he doesn’t usually act very drunk. He can drink the whole crew (and usually whole bar) under the table.

Always down for a drinking game and loves to bet on it because he knows he’ll win. He pouts when no one wants to participate because everyone can only lose to him so many times before they start to refuse for good.

Generally just down for gambling in general, but when he’s drunk he goes balls to the wall with it. And he actually doesn’t lose very much. Almost makes enough to pay off his tab.

While he doesn’t act very drunk, if you know him well enough you can tell when he’s too far gone. His eyes linger, he smiles harder, his glass empties faster, and he turns his body towards yours more with each passing second. His knee or thigh rests against yours and you’re so intoxicated with his presence that it’s hard to pay attention to his words.

Zoro orders more than he knows he should, and more than he knows he can pay for. Somehow it always works out—one of the crew members bails him out (usually Nami, and when she does, she adds 300% interest, but Zoro is too drunk to care).

Surprisingly polite to waitstaff, maybe a little curt at times.

It’s no secret that he just loves a good glass of sake, beer, wine, anything and everything with alcohol. One of his favorite things is to just sit back, relax, and drink. It would concern you if you didn’t know how strict his discipline and self-control are.

He gets extra handsy when he’s drunk (and possessive). He never crosses lines with you, but since you started seeing each other in an intimate capacity, he can’t take his hands off of you, especially when he’s drunk. Doesn’t care if he’s in public, doesn’t care if people are watching. The rest of the crew is shocked when they first witness him getting a rough handful of your ass.

Zoro pulls out pet names, which you’d assume is out of character. Somehow the liquor makes him sweet. “C’mere gorgeous.”

But it also makes him spicier. “God, you’re so fucking hot.”

Loves sloppy make out sessions after he's had a few drinks. Also is prone to pulling you away somewhere and... well, you know. The man's a dog.

Zoro’s voice gets lower and huskier when he’s too far gone. It makes you feel some sort of way. And your bashfulness does not escape him.

But when he’s wayyyy drunk, he just falls asleep. Like he’ll pass out at the bar. He makes it back to the ship by himself usually, but you’ve had to shake the sleepy swordsman awake a couple of times.

“Zoro, get up. We’re going back to the ship.”

You have no idea how he can sleep in such a loud bar, and the bartender has been glaring at him for a good 20 minutes at this point.

“Wha-?” He raises his head and blinks sleep out of his eyes while he instinctively reaches for his (empty) pint. “Oh hey, pretty.” He mumbles and your heart does a flip for the 100th time that night.

Zoro gets MONSTER, BRUTAL hangovers. Next level. He doesn’t complain, per say, but he’ll walk around squinting, shielding his eyes from light, wincing, muttering curse words, and hissing in air through his teeth the whole time. Forces himself to train through the hangovers and gets grumpy about it.

Favorite drink: sake. Really nice sake.

Sanji: as doting as ever

Ohhh Sanji. He’s adorable when he’s drunk.

His whole face gets red and his hair gets a bit ruffled. He blushes more than usual and you can practically see his eyes turn into hearts when he looks at you.

Sanji drunk flirts wayyy more audaciously than Zoro, and when he’s drunk he actually spits mad game.

He’s incapable of doing so when he’s sober, but when he’s drunk he literally attracts a crowd of women. But his eyes are only for you.

If the bar has music and people are dancing, Sanji begs you to dance with him. He loves to twirl you around, feel your hand in his, and let loose. And he’s surprisingly good at it.

Orders bar food even though he’s continually unimpressed by it.

He somehow manages to weasel his way into the kitchen every time he sets foot in a bar. He wants to see what’s going on in there—when’s the last time they cleaned the stove? Are the knives sharp? What’s the mise en place setup? What’s their speciality? Why are they using cabernet sauvignon to cook, instead of a pinot noir that would obviously be the better choice? God forbid they use frozen french fries.

Inevitably, he ends up cooking something and either getting along with or fighting with the cooks.

Sometimes he even ends up behind the bar. He isn’t just a spectacular chef, he’s also good at making drinks. Obviously his are better than the bartender’s.

Smokes so many cigs when he’s drunk (because nothing trumps a drunk cigarette) >_>

When he isn’t fucking around in the kitchen or slinging cocktails, Sanji waits on you hand and foot. He gets you literally anything you desire when you’re at the bar, and when you’re back home he asks you (and everyone else) what food you’d like.

“Princess, would you like another cocktail?” and “Have you been drinking enough water, sweetheart?”

If a creepy guy at the bar so much as looks at you, let alone puts an unwanted hand on your arm or small of your back, Sanji flips his shit. “Hey asshole, watch it. Do that again and I’ll kick your ass.”

This goes without saying, but Sanji loves to cook when he’s drunk and somehow his food is even better than usual—and that isn’t because you’re drunk, too. It’s just that good.

“What would you like me to make you, my love?”

If you don’t know what particular dish you’re in the mood for, he makes you a feast comprised of your favorite foods.

Even if you request something elaborate, he has no problems with it. Cooking is his love language, and he puts extra love into your food.

“God, you’re so beautiful. I can’t take my eyes off of you.” He praises you beyond belief, even when he’s at the stovetop. “You’re perfect, my angel.”

Sanji smothers you in kisses and wants to entwine his fingers with yours. He’s a huge hand holder and cuddler.

If you get way too drunk, he carries you to bed, helps you into some comfy clothes and makes sure you’re sleeping on your side. He’ll pet your hair and watch over you carefully. He’d never let you get to the point of throwing up, but just in case you do, he brings you the necessary supplies.

He sets out everything he thinks you could possibly want in case you wake up before him, and when he is awake, he brings you whatever you ask for. He’s attentive, never overbearing, thoughtful, and darling.

“You somehow get more beautiful every day,” he tells you first thing in the morning when you feel like shit from your hangover and (objectively) look a damn mess. “So perfect, like always.”

Favorite drink(s): bougie and carefully curated glass of pinot gris. Even better if it comes with complementary accoutrements. Also enjoys a negroni.

Ace: charming and protective

When Ace is drunk, he’s smooth, flirty, charming, polite, and a bit forward. But he gets just as rowdy as Luffy. God forbid they’re at the same bar.

He loves it when a bar has pool. He’s crazy good at it and begs everyone to play.

When the situation calls for it, he either breaks up bar fights or runs his mouth so much that he starts them. He’s sassy in general but also talks big game (that he can back up). Especially if someone starts slandering or talking out of their ass about someone he knows.

Somehow manages to gain control over the music every bar he walks into. And he has good playlists too. He hates it if the vibe is off so he takes it upon himself to remedy or prevent that.

Also a big fan of drinking games.

Weirdly excited if there is any opportunity to grill meat. Thinks it’s fun to fuck around with his powers and show off (but it doesn’t get too cringey or anything).

Won’t smoke any drunk cigs (like Sanji) but will accompany people outside and give them a light if they need one (he’s just so thoughtful!!!)

He’s wildly protective over you.

Makes you flustered nonstop and pays for everything. Making you flustered is like a sport to him.

And while he’s obsessed with you, he doesn’t cling to you at the bar or demand your attention every second. He wants you to have fun with your friends, but he also wants you to be safe, so he keeps a watchful eye.

Sings random bar pirate songs with his friends and crew and gets super goofy.

Raucous laughter. Spit-take level

When his cheeks are ruddy and his eyes are glazed over he looks painfully good. The flush makes his freckles pop and when he scrunches his nose up to laugh they’re emphasized even more. He looks ridiculously good. Like, squeeze your thighs together good.

Ace TEARS UP bar food when he’s drunk. He’s a beast for it. Can put away plates of fries, wings, pizza, pretzels, you name it. The man is a machine.

Loves to put a hand on your thigh when you’re sitting next to him. He does this sober but when he’s drunk it’s feels so much more intense.

Pulls out the sweetest pet names.

“How’s it going, sugar?”

“You drinking enough water, pumpkin?”

Among others: buttercup, darling, angel, princess, doll, etc.

His polite tendencies are multiplied by 1000 any time he gets a drop of alcohol in him.

Gets into sports (or strength) debates at bars.

Has a penchant for accidentally leaving stuff at bars, e.g. wallet. Gets embarrassed about it afterwards.

Ace’s body gets HOT when he’s drunk—his ability (or attention) to control his temperature slips a bit and he can sometimes forget to regulate himself (regarding his devil fruit). And while he’s physically hot, he doesn’t get sweaty or anything. And it’s nice to hold his hand when it’s warm, too. Super comforting.

He’s all hands (and lips) when he’s drunk, and when you let him/when neither of you are too wasted, but if you’re really drunk and try to initiate anything with him, he IMMEDIATELY puts a stop to it. He’s a gentleman (not implying that anyone mentioned here would do the opposite of this, just stressing it for Ace because I think he’d put a lot of intention and thought into this, along with Sanji).

He makes sure you don’t drink too much (and tries to do the same) because he hates seeing you miserable with a hangover. But if you do over-indulge, he’s there to bring you anything you need—ibuprophen, water, Pedialyte, more blankets, different clothes, food, literally anything you could think of.

When you’re out of bed the morning after, he literally chews people out for speaking too loudly around you when he knows you have a headache. He's attentive and gets grumpy (not towards you, of course) whenever you're feeling bad.

Favorite drink: whiskey or rum and coke. Beer guy, too, so might indulge in the occasional IPA and pretend like it tastes good.

Law: awkward, silly, and endearing

Frequently refuses to drink because he hates having his senses dulled in the slightest. But on rare occasions when he does drink, the whole crew has a blast.

His standoffish and cold disposition melts away when he has a few drinks in him.

The first time you witness his coldness melting away, you’re sitting around a table with the crew at a pub. He’s a couple drinks in, mean mugging like usual, deadpan and unamused. But someone says something ridiculously funny and he breaks into roaring laughter. You weren’t expecting that but everyone else is grinning because they love to see their captain happy.

When Law gets past a certain point he lets loose. It’s fun to see him mess around with the crew. He’ll laugh so hard he doubles over.

He's so sweet and tender inside. And that makes more of a prominent impression when he lets his guard down just a tad.

When he’s drunk he thinks Bepo is even cuter and goes a little overboard about it to the point where Bepo side eyes him >_> he thinks it’s weird to have his captain hang all over him sometimes. But Bepo is just so fluffy and cute!

When Law is intoxicated and you’re around, his face is covered in big, goofy, sweet smiles. Flashing eyes and lingering touches. He gets rosy cheeks and his hair gets messed up. Makes him look even better.

But he also has the tendency to make blisteringly intense eye contact. So strong and scathing that it makes you squirm in awkwardness if you aren’t used to it. He can’t help it though, he’s locked-in on how beautiful you are.

Surprisingly a fan of drinking games (no gambling though), but what he likes best is if a bar has old arcade games (air hockey and pool will suffice, if not). He could play them for hours and gets super excited about them. He knows all the facts and history behind each arcade game and will rant about it to anyone in earshot.

His ears perk up if he hears some nerdy shit. Did someone mention a comic he read when he was five? A commemorative coin that he has been on the hunt for? He’ll get to the bottom of it.

If he hears a bad take on his interests^^ he’ll sit down for a heated debate and he always wins.

Surprisingly cute when he’s wasted because he slurs the “-ya”

Watches the crew's water intake like a hawk. Reminds everyone to drink water and makes sure everyone has a glass of it at all times.

Will make sure the crew has enough bar food to eat, family-style.

Picks up the crew's huge tab without being fussy about it. Might pretend to be grumpy about it. But he does it lovingly because he cherishes his crew so much and it's a nice way to showcase that without having to say it out loud.

If you’re one on one, Law can be persuaded to talk about deep and personal things, or rather, he’s more comfortable speaking about them when he has some liquid courage in his veins.

The first time he got too drunk and you took care of him was before you started seeing each other. You practically had to carry him back to the Polar Tang. He almost left his hat at the bar, too.

Law was being uncharacteristically sweet to you all night. When you got back to his cabin, you helped him get into bed and brought him water. He (drunkenly) thanked you profusely and called you beautiful (you didn’t expect that).

The next morning he blushed bright red and was painfully awkward when he said thank you. He had a massive hangover and tried to hide it but you could tell every time he winced.

After that, Law figured out he could just use his devil fruit powers to remove the last traces of alcohol from his (or someone else's) systems, so it's safe to say that the Polar Tang doesn't experience hangovers much.

Favorite drink: Espresso martini.

tysm for reading ヽ(>∀<☆)ノ

i'm back from my mini-hiatus! but i can't say i'll be posting regularly (or at all? idk) until mid december. (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ it's final papers and app season so i'm going to be getting it from all sides 😭 but holy shit i can't wait to go absolutely crazy when i'm free from those obligations!

“Why are you here, again?”

“I told you, I’m hiding,” you press your face to the window of the crow’s nest.

“But, why here?”

“Because no one likes to bother you when you’re working out.”

“Yeah, that’s cause I don’t like to be bothered.”

“Right! Which makes it the perfect place for me to hide!” You smile wide at him over your shoulder and Zoro rolls his eyes.

“Fine, whatever, just don’t bother me,” he grumbles. But he’s absolutely not bothered by your presence whatsoever. At least, not in the way he is with everyone else. There’s a distinct difference and he feels it sharply as his eyes trail over your body- still in your bikini with just that little sarong wrapped around your waist. He’s glad his body is already flushed from his exertion because otherwise he’d have nothing to blame it on.

“As soon as they put the explosives away, I’ll go back down.” You’d quickly evacuated your sunny spot on deck when Usopp and Luffy declared they were going to test one of Usopp’s new inventions. Which involved both gunpowder and a case of Franky’s cola. The latter of which the Shipwright had handed over a little too eagerly. So, not wanting to be completely locked away below deck, you climbed up to the crow’s nest instead.

You get comfortable in the window seat, opening your book back up. An easy silence settles between you and Zoro, only the sound of your turning pages and his clank of metal winds through it. High above the deck, the distant sound of commotion below is far enough to be forgotten- for now.

Only, you’ve been reading the same page for the past twenty minutes. Your eyes keep roaming up to catch a glimpse of Zoro as he goes through his routine- completely ignoring your presence entirely. Which was perfectly fine because you’d probably burn right through the floor if he caught you staring.

But it is so hard not to. Unlike yourself, you think, Zoro’s presence is not one so easily ignored. It never has been. The hulking wall of his physique commands attention anywhere he goes. Yours especially.

He’s shirtless, loose pants hanging sinfully low on his hips. His body is a map of muscle, and your eyes navigate every dip and dale therein. With every movement, the landscape of him shifts, the peaks and valleys of his brawn rolling and quaking under the strain he forces upon it. He is so demandingly masculine that his nearness alone is intoxicating and you simply can’t stop drinking him in.

Zoro knows you’re watching him. Knows you have been for a while. It’s been a long time since he heard you turn a page and he can feel the heat of your gaze as it sizzles across his skin. It’s a delicious feeling that he greedily indulges. He’s turned away from you, allowing you to watch him openly. And if he’s being honest, he’s putting on a a bit of show. Moving his body in ways that accent his rigid shape, paying extra attention to the places he feels your eyes linger most. His routine has gone completely off script, but he’s certain you don’t know that. He pushes his body through drills that showcase his strength and flaunt his stamina. Just so you will watch. Just so you will see.

When you drop your book, he has to turn his head to keep his grin hidden. There’s a hot rush of pride coursing through his veins hearing you respond to his exhibitionism.

“What are you reading?”

You jump at the sound of his voice as you pick up your book and settle back into your spot. “Um…” you glance down at the title, mind blanking as Zoro drops into a push-up. “Swords of Her Savior,” you read, blushing as you just now realize how prominent that title is when you say it out loud.

“Swords, huh?” Zoro dips his body low and slow before pushing it back up again. “What’s it about?”

Your tongue darts across your lips. “…swords.”

“Really,” Zoro scoffs. “Read it to me.”

You glance down at the page, eyes slipping over a passage that you most certainly are not going to read out loud to him. “You wouldn’t like it.”

“I like swords.”

“Well, it’s about… other stuff too.”

“Let me guess. It’s about swords… and a Savior.” Zoro glances over at you, not wanting to miss that indignant little pout he knows he’s draw from your lips and is rewarded with the sight of it.

“Well, yes. But, it’s more than that!” you tell him, now in defense of your story. “It’s about a knight and his princess.”

“How original,” he teases.

But the sigh that pulls from you as you trail your fingers over the cover completely washes through him. “Oh, but it’s so romantic,” you coo and his heart flips at the soft yearning of your voice. “She’s the princess of a long cursed kingdom and he protects her from the beasts that lurk there as they venture into the heart of the land.”

“Why would they go there?” Zoro asks, liking the way your voice rises with excitement.

“To break the curse and restore the kingdom!”

“And live happily every after?”

“I sure hope so,” you sigh, “but I haven’t made it that far. Right now, it’s just been revealed that he’s afflicted with the curse too! It makes him strong, but it eats away at his goodness every time he uses it.”

“That’s not strength,” Zoro offers, dipping again, “that’s just sacrifice.” He pushes himself back up, “true strength doesn’t sacrifice honor.”

Your teeth gently press into your bottom lip as you mull over his words. There’s an adorable crease between your eyes when you ask him, “what about true love?”

Zoro stops moving. “What?”

“Would true love sacrifice honor?”

Zoro’s brows draw together and there’s a twitch in his jaw and you think perhaps that question offends him. But, he resumes his movements, staring back down at the floor, voice low as he mutters, “where did you get this book, anyway?”

“Sanji gave it to me.”

Zoro huffed, “of course he did.” Zoro doesn’t feel your eyes on him anymore. You’re gazing out the window- staring off into something that can’t be seen. He can feel the warmth drain from that tether between you as you drift away from him and he throws himself into the reach of it- tugging you back in.

“How many swords does he have?”

He has your focus once more and a small smile starts to pull at the edges of your lips, “only two.”

“Bet I could kick his ass.”

Your giggle is a song that bubbles in his chest, “yeah, I bet you could.”

Zoro grins with your affirmation. “Come get on my back.”

You blink, “what?”

He nods his head over his shoulder, “I need the extra weight.”

“You’re serious?”

“Yeah,” Zoro says, lowering himself to the floor, laying his head on his arms. “Get on.” He likes the way you can’t fight the smile that draws the corners of your lips despite how you try.

You slowly sidle up to him, sinking to the floor next to his colossal body. “Um… how should I?”

“Just get on.”

“But-“ Zoro grabs your arm and slings it across his back, draping you across him. There’s a yelp as you fall onto him, but then- a delighted squeal as you feel the rise and the dip of his movements. “Zoro!” You chide, but it’s full of a laughter that rings joyously through the room and through his body.

Your hands cling to his shoulders to keep yourself from falling and you feel the solid weight of him beneath your hands. Your blood rushes as you realize just how much of him you can feel as you lie prone on his broad back. His sturdy form doesn’t so much as tremble even with your added weight- it hardly seems to have slowed him down at all. The wave of his muscles roll against the shore of your body, and it occurs to you just how much you’re touching him. You still in your bathing suit, with nothing but a thin slip around your waist- and him, with the top half of his body completely disrobed.

Zoro feels your breath hitch against his back as you settle onto him. The weight of you doesn’t present any challenge to him. Your soft body settles comfortably onto the plane of his back. Slotted perfectly like he had been chiseled into a shape designed just for you. He could feel the plush press of your breasts into his back and the divine curve of your thighs draped over his hips.

“Um… how many push-ups are you trying to do?” Your voice is so close to his ear that can just barely feel the whisper of your breath.

“A thousand.”

“A thous-!?”

“Maybe two.” He’ll do a million if it means he can keep you this close to him. “Just to wind down.”

“You call that winding down?” You sigh and drop your head against the divot between his shoulders and Zoro nearly drops to the floor, but he just keeps pushing.

“Tell me more about your book,” he requests. Wanting to feel your breath on his skin, the vibrate of words against his spine, the whisper of your voice on his neck.

You hesitate at first, but slowly you begin to tell him about it and Zoro doesn’t interrupt you- just lets you talk. Occasionally offering a teasing remark or asking a question, but for the most part- he’s silent. Just enjoying the way your words grow comfortable around him.

Zoro’s steady motion is soothing as a hammock in the wind and you sigh into his back. He hears your words come heavier, the pattern of your breath descending into something slower- deeper.

Somewhere around the four-hundredth push-up, you fall asleep. But, Zoro keeps going- worried that the cease of his motion would wake you. He isn’t ready for this moment to end.

Only once he hits his thousand is he confident that you’re deep enough into it that he slows down. Gently he lowers himself to the floor, places his head onto his arms, and closes his eyes.