#romancedawn333

mihawk had become accustomed to being alone.

for ages, he’s spent countless hours by himself. whether it be during battle, at sea, or simply within the quiet croaks of his castle.

and for a long time, mihawk thought that he’d prefer the silence. that it was better to be alone, as it created less issues. or maybe it was that it’s easier to keep everyone at arms length than let them in.

i guess maybe it was just his lack of trust. how was he supposed to trust anyone in a world like this?

somewhere along the lines, he ran into you.

mihawk can remember the exact moment he laid his eyes on you. it lays vivid in his memory.

beautiful legs that were accentuated by those black strappy heels. a figure of a goddess. lips painted in a dark blood red, tempting him to smear it with his lips and fingers. and most of all, eyes that made him feel like he was drowning in something unknown.

you quickly began to make a mess of mihawk’s life. or maybe his mind. or maybe his heart. whatever it was, mihawk wasn’t sure how he survived this long without you.

and today, as he returns home after a cross guild meeting he sees you in your shared bedroom. wearing a black thin silk robe with lace on the edges.

you sat on your vanity. soft music played off the record player. you had just completed your makeup, and were putting on a pair of earrings that mihawk had bought you for your wedding anniversary.

mihawk got drunk off the sight of you. divine creature, bewitching his mind, body, and heart.

how could this feeling be real.

within a moment, you noticed mihawk staring at you through the mirror.

“dracule,” you said breathlessly.

you turned your head to face him. his gaze was so sharp, always so laser focused. and it made your heart thump.

sometimes it’s hard to believe this is real.

mihawk walked closer to you. he reached out for your hand, slowly pressing a soft kiss.

mihawk thought he didn’t understand what soft meant before you. he thought everything in life was supposed to be done harsh and rough. but with something as delicate as you, how could he be anything but soft?

you were the reason for every breath. you were the reason for the end of every battle he fought. you were the reason he fought carefully. you were the reason he saw good.

deep down, you were the only thing that kept him bound to the world.

“i say we skip this gala, darling wife,”

“and what do you propose we do instead?”

you were both standing now. you stood so closely together, eyes intently staring at each other. his hands lay tight on your waist, as if you were his anchor.

in turn, you placed both of your hands softly on either sides of his face. it grounded both of you.

for a moment, mihawk really didn’t think.

i mean how could he, when his eyes were locked on yours. pools of thoughts and lust we’re gathered in his mind.

“dracule?”

mihawk softly placed his head against yours. and he began to move slowly, so that you both ended up dancing to the melody playing softly.

when it came to you, truly sanji was a changed man.

at first, it was unnoticeable. you were the shiny new thing. as the new addition to the crew (and as a woman), sanji was naturally inclined to fawn over you.

and it's not like you fawned over him from this sudden adoration. rather, as you spent time with him, you saw pieces of him that fell in between cracks.

as time began to pass, after new scars from battle, there began to be a small, undeniable shift.

moments lingered.

and neither of you knows where it began.

maybe between the stolen glances at dinner. maybe from the heat of his touch (accidentally, of course). or maybe it started in the kitchen.

it was midnight, dark and stormy. you sought to seek some solace. naturally you felt yourself drawn to sanji. so, you headed for the kitchen.

the kitchen was dimly lit. most of the lights have been turned off, except for the few hanging lights. sanji was slowly dragging on a cigarette while leaning over the kitchen counter. beside him was a pile of dirty dishes left from the preparation of tonight's dinner.

"lost in thought?" you spoke quietly, not willing to disturb the peace.

"maybe." there was a pause before sanji spoke. a small smirk danced on his lips.

rather than leaving room for interpretation, you eased into the silence. you grabbed the rubber gloves, a sponge with some dish soap, and then began scrubbing the dishes to ease his burden.

that's how it began. but it quickly progressed; he became your ritual habit.

and now here you both were, slowly dancing in that same dimly lit kitchen. slow jazz played softly out of the old radio. sanji's arms rested on your hips, while he placed his head on top of yours. you were holding onto his neck like he was your anchor.

slowly, he removed one of his hands and tilted your head so he can look at you.

so he can see the twinkle in your eye, or how your eyebrows were slightly raised in confusion, so he can see you lick your lips out of habit.

what you saw was how his softness was more a strength than a burden. how a man with a soft touch remained uncalloused despite the hard years he endured.

taking your hand, you brought it up to his face, attempting to push his hair aside.

he caught your hand, stopping you. his face highlighted concern, fear, and a sense of vulnerability.

"i want to see you," you whispered.

"you're seeing me," he replied quickly. taking your hand and placing a small kiss on it.

you nodded your head no.

"i-, i want to really see you."

he let go of your hand. you reached up slowly, brushing his soft blonde hair behind his ear.

his face was beyond your wildest dreams.

and his eyes. god, HIS eyes. the dark blue of his eyes called out to you like a siren's song in the ocean. you were breathless.

it felt like there was no one in the world but you two.

instinctually, you pushed up on your tippy toes. you placed your lips on his, softly.

at first, he was shocked. here you are, the woman of his dreams, reaching out to kiss him.

then, he mentally slapped himself. the last thing he needed was to have a nosebleed all over you.

sanji melted into the kiss, placing his hand behind your head and pushing your lips onto him hard. and he kissed you, like you were his every prayer.

as time passed, sanji truly became a changed man.

while he remained polite to women, he dropped his flirtatious nature. that truly was reserved for you.

and when sanji loves, he loves hard.

every meal included an aspect of what you love. every snack he made (for you and you only) included a love note. every new drink was named after you in some form.

and when the day dwindled, and the meal prep for tomorrow's dinner was done, and as sleep hit your eyes sanji would find you- probably snuggled with a book (in your new reading nook within the kitchen).

he'd pick you up softly, carrying you to your new shared room. he'd help you quickly change into pajamas without waking you up, and place you into the soft comforter.

he'd quickly strip off to just his boxers. and, he'd brush his hair out of his face and away from his eye.

the world knew luffy’s dream to be king of the pirates. hell, he uttered those lines every chance he got.

but, right now standing on this new island- watching the group of small children tackle you into a hug. it made his heart spin.

the children were fighting for your attention, you being careful to not trample them over.

and the children, they LOVE you.

“when i get bigger, i want you on my pirate crew…..” the words coming from the children were droning out in luffy’s ears.

all he could see is the light in your eyes. or the way your smile held genuine care and affection. or maybe he noticed something in you he didn’t se before.

he saw the mother in you.

and slowly he began to envision something different.

a time where you were both a little older.

you and luffy both lived in a house within his old village.

you and luffy watching your little ones play within the flowers and long grass.

you’d move closer, and lean your head onto his shoulder.

he would wrap his hands around you and place a gentle kiss on top your head.

maybe what luffy really realized is there was more to dream for then just becoming the king.

falling for ace felt like a fools move.

you knew it was. way back, back when you were just a child looking for some friends.

when you first had laid your eyes on him. you can remember the feeling. time stopped, your heart soared.

and there was that idiot, who smiled right back at you laughing.

you were hooked since then.

maybe even inseparable since then.

you can even remember the first time he whispered i love you. how it was a night full of stars. how close your bodies lay in the long blowing grass. and how he looked at you like he never felt more certain about anything in his life. he wasn’t even mature yet. but he spoke it to you like a deep sacred truth.

there was life before ace. there was life with ace.

you didn’t think there was going to be a life without ace.

life with immense indescribable pain. nights of silent crying.

life without much meaning.

life where you couldn’t hear one of his jokes again. life where you couldn’t hold him one more time. life where you couldn’t place a gentle kiss on his lips. life without him to hold you tight.

and now you really feel like the fool for falling for ace. the fool because you didn’t know how much pain it would leave you in.

luffy loves, he loves hard and reckless. and you were no exception to this.

to luffy, loves comes easy-unlike you. from the second he spots a person, he can tell whether he’ll click with them.

you, you’re reserved with your heart. who can blame you? a thousand times your hearts been shattered, a thousand times you’d have to mend the pieces alone.

because of that, you’ve learned to hold hard to those you finally let past those high walls you’ve built for yourself.

but, with luffy, it’s different. luffy’s different.

luffy felt the sunshine on a summers day, kissing your skin with warmth. luffy felt like the bright light of a night sky, watching the stars twinkle and light up the night sky. luffy felt like spring, fresh bloom after the dreariness of a long winter.

when luffy had first laid his eyes on you, a year or two back in amazon lily, he knew you were the one.

well, whatever “the one” meant to luffy anyways.

boa had been insistent with her obsession with luffy. while you were boa were sisters, you knew better than to step on her toes when she was acting like this.

after all, he was just some wild and reckless man. what was so special about him? she was 12 years his senior, doesn’t she have anyone better to find?

as she fawned over him, falling to her knees you watched from a distance.

and then your eyes met.

luffy had stars in his eyes. his heart beat loud, out of his chest. what was this feeling, he thought. he stared in awe, one hand placed on his chest above his heart.

although everyone anticipated a big romantic moment, you could care less. what a hopeless man. falling victim to the women in the island.

“who is she?” he pointed directly at you.

“her? oh that’s just my sister, don’t mind her. i’ve prepared a feast for you, don’t you worry. i’ve got to feed you, so you can stay strong for the future. when you’re mine,” boa rambles before you cut her off.

“sister, catch yourself.” quiet enough so she can hear it

if eyes can throw daggers, hers would have killed you.

later that night, you found yourself sitting at the edge of the cliff staring at the crash of the waves.

you could see the fireworks from the feast, and hear the chatter and laughter.

“all alone?”

you turned your head.

luffy’s heart was beating like a drum. he couldn’t even describe the emotions that were wiping through him from staring at you.

seeing the pale moonlight highlight your beautiful face. seeing your hair blow lightly in the wind, begging for him to touch it. the way your eyes held a designated softness, like no one but him got to see. and the way you bit your lip, to filter out cursing him out.

luffy sat next to you, testing the waters.

a few moments pass of both of you gazing at the stars (with luffy of course taking a few glances at you).

and just like everything with luffy, he makes a bold choice. he scoots closer. then closer, closer, and then finally till your shoulder is pressed against his arm.

“my sister would kill me if she saw that i was touching you.” you said. you didn’t face him, just uttered it into the sky.

“i would never let that happen.”

you rolled your eyes. good for nothing men.

instead, you decide to push yourself back slightly. then, you lay down so you watch the stars.

luffy follows your actions immediately after.

“i’ve heard when stars die, they explode. and from the explosion they create life across space.” you let a moment rest before speaking.

“those two stars, the vega and altair- they’re actually lovers. i think it’s a myth or some folklore.”

“and those, they create a constellation,” you stopped talking.

you turned your heard to glance at him, but he was already staring at you.

his smile beamed so brightly, it felt like hope in a sense of darkness. his eyes were blown out, pupils dilated. and within them was this sense of softness, like there was a softness. like this expression was meant just for you and you only.

and then your heart skipped a beat. you started to see what the world saw in luffy. his careless smile and his free reign heart. every expression and emotion so raw and unfiltered.

daring luffy, propped himself up slightly and shifted himself so that his face was over yours. he looked into your eyes, like he was searching for an answer and you’d given it to him.

the he placed his callous hands on your face, brushing away the loose hairs.

and he moved closer. closer.

finally you took both hands placing it on his face you brought his face to yours, letting your lips collide.

kissing until you both pulled away panting for air.

time freezes when you lock eyes with the one you love.

imagine how long it felt, when your eyes finally met sanji’s. and he’s standing there, next to pudding. she’s in a wedding dress.

free will is a blessing and a curse. a blessing because of the beauty of a choice and freedom. a curse because of this deep residual burning ache you’re feeling in your heart, your lungs, and your eyes looking at sanji.

he doesn’t even attempt to close the gap. he leans closer to her, grabbing her hand.

he’s holding her hand so tightly.

he’s looking at you like he doesn’t recognize you. a stranger.

outside of the heavy thumps your heart is making, you can only think of your sanji. the sanji that would have ran to you by now. the one that would have took his fingers and dry to dab away your tears without smudging your makeup.

the soft spoken sanji, who would have placed a gentle kiss on your forehead, then your nose, then your lips lightly. every kiss like a silent prayer.

who is this sanji. why is he with another woman? your sanji is a gentleman, he’s not like this. this can’t be him.

you open your mouth, yet nothing comes out. you can’t even utter a single word. just a lovely broken sob escapes.

and without realizing, you collapse. you fall to your knees. you use your hands to cover your face, to shield yourself maybe from this pain.

but your heart doesn’t work that way. it can’t simply erase the image burned into your mind.

“leave.” sanji spoke.

it was soft.

it felt like an hour had passed by before he spoke again.

“i said LEAVE.” loud and clear.

those words sounded like ones from a stranger, not your sanji.

you felt someone’s arms around you, steadying you up and holding you tight.

zoro places you tightly in his grasp holding you, letting all your tears soak into his shirt.

he didn’t try to console you much. he didn’t think anything said could reduce your ache.

instead, he took one look up at sanji.

“you’ve made the most stupid choice of your life, sanji.”

clear and simple.

and it was obvious that it struck a blow on sanji.

zoro rarely, if ever, has called sanji by his name. but this time, he knew. it wasn’t a joke, it wasn’t mindless chatter or arguments. this was final. definitive.

you didn’t wanna leave much time for talking. neither did you want to take another look at sanji or into his eyes.

zoro knows what he wants, and its you.

the ship was messy and loud. a vibrant mess of colors shading the sky as the sun began to set. after the long battle in wano, a sense of peace had taken hold of the crew.

and as the colors faded from the sky, as the moon and stars cast their light, the crew began to settle down to themselves. yet, you remained on the deck.

you lie on the patch of grass, gazing up at the midnight sky. you were worn and exhausted, yet grateful to survive. as you stared out into the night sky, you thought of all it had taken to finally get here.

zoro had stumbled on the deck, a bottle of booze glued into his hand like a permanent accessory. he had just fought sanji in the kitchen. with no sake left, a bottle of wine would have to do.

he swigged some of the bottle before his eye landed on you.

zoro didn't know softness; he had never known softness. he is a swordsman. a swordsman is rugged and rough. his hands were callous and rough.

but when his eye fell upon you, they softened ever so slightly. something warm shot through his body. he felt a lump in his throat, for every word he should be spilling to you tonight.

he didn't think. he softly walked over and took in your sight.

he felt drunk off the sight of you. the way the moonlight cascaded on your body. how the stars twinkled in your eyes. you looked so delicate, somehow still soft when everything else in his life had hardened.

you had realized zoro was near you until he had sat down beside you. swiftly, he shoved his hand out and placed the bottle in front of you. you sat up, took a big sip before returning your gaze back to the night sky.

zoro watched as you took one more big gulp. watching the way your lips puckered up to the bottle. he watched your throat rise and fall as you swallowed the big sip.

zoro isn't a man with hyperfixations of women. he's not like that idiot cook. neither was he a man of temporary interests. when zoro commits to something, it becomes a commitment. something life-long, like it is sacred. and when zoro first laid his eyes on you, he knew you were his.

a moment later, you turned your head to find zoro's deep gaze on you. you couldn't help but laugh, like it was an instinct.

god that laugh. zoro thought it could bring life to the dead. every battle, every scar, every bruising, all of he'd endured just to come home to the laugh. and just maybe when everything settles, when luffy becomes the king, you and him could settle down within a quiet village.

your voice had snapped him out of his thoughts.

"zoro?"

none of brook's songs or music could rival the sweet melody of your voice. sweeter than honey, unwavering, and bold. zoro didn't know how to describe perfect; he knew you embodied the word in every sense of the way.

"earth to zoro?" you said before letting out an unforgiving laugh.

then without thought, he turned to you.

"i love you."

strong and bold, without much declaration. like zoro.

his words soaked into the air. they were heavy; they lingered without consideration.

"what?" you whispered.

to say you and zoro didn't have unbridled tension would be a lie. yet there had been a sense of constraint.

"don't make me repeat myself woman. i love you." he huffed.

he spoke as if this was the most natural thing. like it wasn't something unspoken or unsaid.

with no words coming from your mouth, you turned to face him while sitting on your knees. you leaned forward, hooking your hands around his neck while his locked tightly on your hips.

and with his breath tickling your face, you leaned forward, tilting your face until your lips locked.

zoro was quick to respond. pushing his head forward, melting into the kiss.

the first time mihawk laid his eyes upon you, his breath stuttered. an audible hitch. the dracule mihawk, known and revered as cold and calculated. the mihawk who didn't care for women, but sought solace in a glass of wine. the same mihawk who was so deeply bewitched by your mere presence alone, unravelling after seeing something so divine.

you were a sight to behold. something curated from god himself. and your eyes, god your eyes. men would fight wars just so they could take a peak at your eyes. mihawk would fight a war just to see your eyes. your face was framed in mihawk's mind.

you looked down at the gold watch on your wrist and frowned. your friend was supposed to meet you in town. you had put on your new black dress and heels, an outfit that could cause a saint to sin. you'd even done your hair and makeup all nicely, eager to spend some time with your friend.

you were late, yet your friend still wasn't here. instead of fretting, you scanned the area around you and spotted a bench. you took a seat, pulled out a compact mirror from your purse and reapplied some of your lipstick.

red. perfectly red. not too bright, yet not too dark. mihawk was entranced. how could something hold so much beauty? how did you walk, unaware of the casual effect you were stirring in his heart?

and when a man approached and took a seat beside you, he wanted to run. he wanted to be your savior. he wanted nothing more than to see those beautiful eyes as your sweet red lips spoke about how grateful you were for scaring away this creep. but, mihawk waited.

the man who sat next to you, was disheveled. he reeked of alcohol. the man started slowly moving over, until his leg was only a hair apart from yours. then, he turned and looked at you.

"how many berries for a good time?" his breath smelled rancid.

mihawk thought you'd be afraid. he prepared to stride towards you, but he stopped. he saw you turn towards the man and smile, and then start slowly lifting up your dress. the man was smirking, eyes steadfast on your slowly exposed legs. slowly, your slid your dress up to your thigh. there, a holster with a dagger.

you slowly brought up your gaze to lock eyes with the man sitting next to you. the man gasped, standing up quickly before backing away. you simply laughed. the laugh of a siren who knows she could bring any man down to his knees.

mihawk internally had combusted. while his composure remained as usual, his heart and brain were on fire. in his 43 years of life, he has never thought as much to ask god for something. but after seeing you, his vision has changed. that night, he entered a small local church on the island. he got down on his knees, closed his eyes, and prayed. he prayed god would bring the heavenly creature that has stolen his breath into his life. that he could worship every inch of you, admire the way you were crafted, and that you would find an eternal bliss with him the way no other man could provide. he prayed that for every accomplished dream you would be by his side, and through you he'd find fate.