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yayakoishii · 9 months

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Want | Sanji x Chubby! Reader

Fandom: One Piece

Pairing: Vinsmoke Sanji x Chubby! Reader

WC: 5.5k

Genre: Fluff, slight Angst

Warnings: Sexual harrasment, derogatory terms for chubby people, mentions of blood, insecurities that lead to a bit of light self derogation (Please remember you're absolutely beautiful as you are <3)

A/n: The response on Hunger is insane. Over 700 likes?! I didn't expect much beyond a few 10-20 likes, thank you for all the love 😭 This is another self indulgent fic, more personal to me because I'm chubby myself so... I'm not super proud of the pacing tbh, but it's still pretty good, in my (biased) opinion, haha. I hope you enjoy it!!! ♡

also available on ao3!

When you joined the Straw Hat crew, you didn't expect to fall in love with the blonde chef.

Actually, when you joined them, you weren't in the mindset to think about love and silly crushes. Your island had been destroyed by the Marines for a 'good cause' and despite the Straw Hats' best attempt, you were the only remaining survivor. Luffy kindly offered you a place on his crew, and you joined as an assistant to Chopper, slowly learning from him.

The first few weeks after you joined were tough for you, who had never travelled outside of your island. It took time to get used to the environmental changes along with the emotional grief of losing all your loved ones. The crew tried their best to cheer you up in their own ways, and you would forever be grateful for every one of them for at least trying, even if their methods weren't the most effective for you. It was the thought and the sentiment behind it that counted.

But what did work for you was… food. Ever since you were a child, you had loved food and it was the way you connected to life. Though you were not the greatest cook out there, you were capable of making things that were edible and quite good at times. On the ship though, you never had to cook, because Sanji would always do all the cooking. Whenever you offered to help, to take your mind off the pain you were feeling, he would kindly decline, saying that he would make you whatever you wanted.

But he couldn't. The dishes from your island were not recipes known quite to the rest of the world. Hell, even you didn't know all of them, save for some of your favourite foods that you had learnt from your mother. So you snuck in after dinner and made a dish from your hometown. It wasn't the best food you ever cooked, but it still meant something to you, because you were reminded of home.

You wrote down all the recipes you knew into a book, and kept it close. Whenever you missed your home, you would sneak into the kitchen at night and make yourself something with your wonky cooking skills that made the dish taste different every time. Still, the familiarity was enough to comfort you and let you wallow in the grief at the same time.

Until one day, you couldn't find your book.

"Nami?" You called unsurely to the navigator, who was lying on the deck under shade next to Robin. Behind them, Sanji was serving drinks. The three looked at you in question and suddenly under the scrutiny, your confidence faltered. "Um, uh.. d- did you see a journal somewhere? I can't find mine…"

"The brown one?" She asked, pushing her sunglasses up into her hair. You nodded frantically, hoping she knew. "I don't think I did. Did you check under your bed?"

"I did," you whispered, feeling the sadness wash over you again. It's not like you didn't still remember the recipes, but your memory wasn't the best. Without the book, it would be hard to remember them all.

"Don't worry, we'll find it," Nami got up and reassured you, looking concerned. "Sanji. Robin."

The two of them nodded along and then the four of you were searching for it everywhere, until Sanji had to excuse himself apologetically because he had to go cook lunch. You could only nod, trying not to get down in the dumps again over a book, but it felt a little hopeless. Until you heard Sanji shout from the kitchen. The three of you ran over to find him scolding Luffy, your journal in his hand.

"I just wanted to see what was in it!" Luffy pouted, his rubbery hands swinging around to try and get it back.

"That's an invasion of privacy, Luffy!" Sanji looked angry, but you were too relieved about the fact that you had found the book to get upset with Luffy.

"It's okay," you said, reaching forward to get the book. "It's just… recipes, Luffy. From my hometown."

There was silence in the kitchen for a few seconds and Luffy's face dropped into a serious look.

"I'm sorry," he said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "I thought… If I knew how to help you, you'd be happier."

It made you laugh softly, your heart warm at his kind intentions.

"Thank you, Captain," you smiled at him, eyes crinkling into crescent moons. "I am happy here. I just… miss my home, sometimes."

He wrapped you into a hug and Nami ruffled your hair a little. You smiled under the attention, holding the book close. Sanji for once was quiet, just staring at the book thoughtfully, though you didn't notice it then.

A few days after that event, Sanji called you to the kitchen before lunchtime. Curiously, you followed him to find… a plate of your favourite dish from your hometown. It was plated beautifully, making it look fancy and yet it still had that homey feeling to it. Sanji didn't say a word, just held out the chair for you to sit. You sat down in a daze, too focused on the smell of it lingering in the room.

It smelled like home.

And when you tasted it, you burst into tears. Because it tasted like home. It tasted exactly like your mom's. All the tears you had held back to not worry the crew were now spilling out without any end but you didn't care. Here, where only Sanji could see you, you let it all out. He didn't say anything, just placed a gentle hand on your shoulder and squeezed to let you know he's there for you. You turned around to face him, but the tears made it all blurry. Knocking your head against his stomach, you cried harder.

Sanji just held your head, carding fingers through your hair in comfort, offering you a handkerchief. That, you realised later, was the moment your feelings for Sanji began.

✿

After that day, you became a lot happier. Somehow, without words, just eating the food that Sanji made was enough to heal your broken heart bit by bit. Sometimes, he made extra because Luffy was curious and wanted to taste it too; and then the whole crew wanted it so Sanji made a few of your dishes for dinner. In that moment, surrounded by the smell of home, around your new family, your heart finally started healing.

You started noticing Sanji everywhere after you got used to life on the Thousand Sunny. From the small things he does, to the loud expressions of love he made, everything about him seemed wonderful and warm to you. Because you knew that beneath his overt affections for all the ladies, he was an infinitely kind, caring and observant person. How were you supposed to not fall for him, when he went above and beyond for you?

And yet, for all his admissions of love, you never believed that he could truly like you back like you felt for him. You were after all, not the prettiest girl around and you knew that. You were not slim like Nami or Robin, and it's not like you absolutely hated your soft and squishy body. But you wondered if Sanji would like you even though you weren't pretty.

All that self consciousness went out the window every time you were in his presence. He never made you feel less, or ugly– in fact, the way he spoke to you always left you a blushing mess. He made you feel special, and in the moment, it would be enough. Until you saw him fawning over Nami or Robin, and then the sneaky voice in your brain would whisper quiet thoughts comparing you to them. You had no chance with him, and you knew that.

And that was fine. You could live with that, couldn't you? You had to, because wanting more than you should never ended well. All it would leave behind is rejection, hurt and awkwardness. So you pressed down the feelings and acted as normally as you could.

The moment you realised that you loved Sanji was probably a memory you would never forget. Although it was unforgettable for you, it probably wasn't particularly that unique to others. That didn't matter to you because it was a memory you cherished ultimately.

It happened when the ship docked on a peaceful little island. Everyone else was going out to enjoy their time, and you wanted to spend that time with Sanji. So, casually, you made your request.

"Sanji?" Your timid utterance of his name got an instant reaction from the chef, who straightened up and looked at you with hearts in his eyes.

"Yes, (y/n)-chan?" He asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Um, you're gonna go grocery shopping, right?" You had seen Nami complaining while handing him the money for the shopping.

"That's right," he leaned closer, almost too close but not quite into your personal bubble. Still, the proximity was enough for you to smell the mild smell of his perfume that left you a little weak in the knees. "Did you want me to get something for you, sweetheart?"

"I just," you hesitated, suddenly scared that he might realise your feelings and get disgusted. No, Sanji wasn't like that, you had to remind yourself. He would never treat you unkindly, even if he knew your feelings. "I heard you always do it alone. I thought you might enjoy some company?"

The hearts in Sanji's eyes disappeared as he stared at you like you were speaking gibberish for a few seconds. Under the intensity of that stare, you fidgeted and waited for his response.

"You're too kind, (y/n)-chan!" He finally cried, holding up your hands in his own bigger and colder ones. You flushed at the action, stammering out an actual gibberish response this time before you were whisked away by the blonde chef to town.

It felt all too much like a date to you, when you walked next to him. Sanji somehow made grocery shopping fun, or maybe that was just because of how much you liked him that anything with him was enjoyable? It didn't matter, you decided, because whichever it was, you couldn't deny that Sanji was equivalent to the sun on a cold day.

He enthusiastically showed you around, as if you were a tourist and he were a guide (when in fact, it was the first time in this town for both of you) causing you to giggle. Whenever you stopped to buy things, he would humour your curious questions on how to pick which vegetable and what cuts of which meat are the best. It felt awfully like a domestic date, one that made you smile when you imagined doing this with Sanji years down the line every week.

"And that's the last of it!" Sanji said happily, picking up the last bag. He was holding all the bags since the start, despite your insistence and now you were anxious, seeing him hold so many bags in his hands.

"Sanji, let me hold a few," you tried again, hands reaching out to take some of them. But Sanji just turned around so you couldn't reach the bags and grinned down at you.

"Nonsense, how could I let such a delicate lady hold such heavy bags?" His words made you flush in embarrassment. You were not delicate in any sense; surely, Sanji knew that too. And in spite of all his sincerity, the word just felt like it was mocking you.

"I'm… not…," you struggled to say, not wanting to argue but unable to keep it in either. With your chubby frame, no one had ever considered you as delicate.

"Let me do this for you, my love," Sanji's voice was soft and infinitely gentle, as if he was indeed holding something fragile in his hands. "I wouldn't feel good letting you carry anything when I'm more than capable."

"But Sanji!" you lightly whined, wringing your hands. "I don't feel good letting you carry all the burden either! Come on, just a few bags?"

Before Sanji could respond, you heard a scared squeak. Your brows furrowed and you looked around the marketplace, finding a man cornering a girl a few feet behind Sanji. She seemed uncomfortable and he was all in her personal space, saying something in a rough, sleazy voice that gave you shivers.

You were not a fighter, but the instinct to protect her overtook the rational part of your brain and you crossed the distance to where they were. Pushing him back, you stood in front of the girl to block her from him.

"Can't you see she's uncomfortable?" You said coldly. "Back off."

The man took an involuntary step back until his eyes fell on you. He reeked of alcohol and smoke and you felt like puking from the putrid stench coming off him but you held it together, trying to come off as more confident than you felt. His eyes roamed over your body shamelessly, and you felt dirty and uncomfortable from the action.

"Don't get in our business, fatty," he grinned, the smell of alcohol doubling the moment he opened his mouth. "Are you jealous that no one will ever give you the attention she's getting?"

The words stabbed you in the gut, even though you knew rationally that you were better off without the bad attention. That was the one perk of being conventionally average in looks– no one really looked at you, in good ways or bad. Or maybe you had just been lucky so far. But hearing him call you that, saying those words, even from someone like him, it hurt a small part of you. Before you could respond, a leg in black slacks came up and kicked the man down with such a force that everybody around paused, shocked by the sudden action.

Even you stepped back automatically, gasping when you saw that it was Sanji, still balancing all the bags perfectly while he had roundhouse kicked the man into the ground with so much force that you could see his teeth had become bloody and he was on the verge of unconsciousness.

"(Y/n)-chan doesn't need the attention of sewer rats like you," he said calmly, straightening back into position smoothly. "Her beauty only deserves the best of the best."

The sight of Sanji saying that with a calm face, his hair slightly tousled, his hands balancing the bags and his leg muscles rippling under the slacks – that image was imprinted in your heart and brain for the rest of your life. The words sent you into a shock, but when they finally processed, you couldn't deny the overwhelming realisation that crashed into you.

You love Sanji.

It wasn't just a silly crush, or something that could go away if you gave it time. The chef had unknowingly carved himself a place into your heart. He was taking over it, chamber by chamber.

"Sanji…" The word came out as a whisper, inaudible under the din of the market as people were talking about what was going on. You snapped out of it when you felt the girl behind you shuffle and you immediately squashed your thoughts down to examine them later. You turned around and asked her, "Are you okay?"

She looked very alarmed and upset, but she still shot you a grateful smile as she murmured, "Yes, thanks to you two."

"He didn't hurt you?" You asked, hands hovering over her as you looked to ensure if she was safe. A peek of crimson caught your eye when she raised her hand to rub her face. Her elbows had scraped against the rough brick wall in his tousling. "You have some scratches!"

"Oh," she turned her arms to look at the wounds, now feeling the burn after the adrenaline and fear response was receding.

"Come on, I'll treat it for you," you offered, opening your sling bag which had some emergency first aid. You usually carried it around for the members when you were off the ship, knowing that they were all too reckless to give a second thought to any wounds.

"Oh, no, no, I couldn't trouble you more!" She said, mortified but you gently shook your head, offering her a hand.

"It's no trouble," you reassured her. It took a little bit of convincing but she eventually calmed down and let you clean up the wound before you parted. Finally, you allowed yourself to look at Sanji, who immediately schooled his features so you wouldn't see the warm adoring look he was giving you the whole time. "Sanji… Are you okay too? You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"

"Do you think I'm that weak, sweetheart?" He smiled teasingly, but you felt the need to defend yourself.

"I know you are strong," you insisted, worrying your lower lip as you tried to look him straight in the eyes but kept getting flustered. "But even strong people get wounds. Just because they are strong, doesn't mean that they don't feel the pain. So tell me honestly, Sanji. Are you hurt anywhere?'

"No," he promised. "But if you're that worried, I'll let you check me all out back on the ship."

He ended that with a wink, and this time, you couldn't hold back the flush threatening to overtake your face again. Sanji couldn't help making the mood light again, but he had no idea of the effect his words had on you.

"Stupid," you weakly pawed at his arm, walking away before he could say anything. The blonde chef just laughed and followed you, face once again soft and fond as he watched you.

✿

Sanji may have been one of the only people onboard who was oblivious to your feelings, because a few of them did figure it out after watching the way you interacted with him. The first ones to realise were Nami and Robin, who called you out on it when the three of you were lying under the shade on the sunny deck.

"Really?" Nami had scrunched her nose, eyes critically analysing Sanji as he walked (danced, really) back to the kitchens after serving drinks to the three of you.

"Really what?" You asked, too busy sipping the cool drink to notice that she had noticed the way you had warmly thanked Sanji and given him a bright smile.

"Sanji?" Nami gave you a pointed look. The name made you freeze, and you tried to play it off.

"What about him?"

"Oh, come on!" Nami threw the slice of lemon that was on her drink. You caught it before it could fall on your shirt and muttered an indignant 'hey!' that the navigator ignored. "You like him, don't you?"

The words were enough to make you hide your face in embarrassment. Robin was smiling knowingly from the other side of Nami and you felt exposed, like they had both just turned you inside out.

"I do," you whispered after the few minutes of silent mortification that Nami had spent in self satisfaction.

"Why that loser though?" She said without any real bite. You knew she wasn't actually demeaning him; it was affectionate, in the way one would talk about their sibling's lovelife.

"Because!" You whispered, eyes running everywhere to check if no one else was around to hear you. "Have you looked at him? He's literally so pretty! He is kind, caring, and so, so thoughtful and generous. Without expecting anything in return, he is always giving and giving and he makes my stomach do silly things. He has curly eyebrows, Nami! I didn't think those could look good on anyone. Hell, I know I would look ugly with them, but he makes it work! It suits him, and he's so beautiful and I'm just–"

You collapsed onto your chair, your wet fingers from the condensation on the drink glass finding purchase in the dips of your face to hide it. Just talking about him was enough to get your heart beating fast, and the mortification of what you had just spilled to the two girls made you want the ground to swallow you already.

"You really like him," Robin's soft observation made you relax. She wasn't teasing you. You turned to look at her and caught the comforting smile she was sending your way.

"I was going to say you could do better," Nami turned to face you, swinging her feet around to your side, "but after hearing all that, I think… You two are perfect for each other. Despite all his antics, he has a good heart. And you'll be good for him, because you see him as he is."

"Yeah?" You couldn't help the small flower of hope blossoming in your chest.

"Really," Nami smiled, a rare genuine smile that was usually reserved for late night talks and reassurances in down times.

"You don't think…." You trailed off, fidgeting with the hem of your top, "he won't… find me good enough?"

"Are you crazy?" Nami snorted, picking up her drink. The melted ice had made the level go up so much that it was threatening to spill any moment. "You're better than anything he could dream of. I told you, didn't I? You would be good for him. Having someone like you in his life to ground him, I think there's nothing better than that. You're one of the sweetest people I have ever met. If anyone here isn't good enough, it's him."

"Hey now," you frowned, ready to defend Sanji but hearing his voice stopped you.

"Who isn't good enough for (y/n)-chan?" His face was stuck in a weird smile, like he was forcing it. He carefully placed the plate of pastries he had brought as he continued casually despite the silence, "I don't know who we are talking about but Nami-chan is right. No one is good enough for our lovely (y/n)-chan."

"Oh, look at that!" You hurriedly switched the topic, looking at the plate he had brought. The tiny pastries were adorable and colourful, looking so delicious that it would have made your mouth water if you weren't distracted at the moment. "This looks so good, Sanji. Seriously, if you keep feeding me like this, my weight will keep increasing!"

The last line became a teasing complaint, but you didn't expect Sanji to come to the side of your chair and lean down to where you were tilted. The proximity caused your eyes to widen, the blood thundering in your ears as he carefully tucked in a stray strand of your hair behind your ear, face so soft and warm that it make your insides feel like they were vibrating.

"All the more for me to love, so I would keep winning, wouldn't I, sweetheart?"

You choked, and the need to get away from him before you did something wild like grab him and kiss him got so much that your knee accidentally shot up and into Sanji's back, pushing him forward. The chef's eyes widened at the sudden attack, but he managed to not collapse on you by quickly holding onto the sides of the chair but now you were trapped in between his arms on top of the close proximity.

It made you so weak in the knees, and there was something hot and warm curling in your gut as you stammered gibberish, feeling like you were about to faint because Sanji's chest was practically touching yours and it was all too much.

"SORRY!" He hurriedly backed off the moment he got his bearings, and for the first time since you had come onboard, you saw him have a genuinely heavily flushed face. There was a little blood starting to leak from one of his nostrils and somehow, it helped you calm down. He was just as affected as you were. The idea was enough to lessen your embarrassment by a little.

"I'm the one who's sorry, Sanji," you said remorsefully, hiding your face completely in your hands this time. "I kicked you!"

"It wasn't on purpose," he said, right hand coming up to hide the blush on his own face. "I'm sorry for… for making you uncomfortable, (y/n)-chan!"

Uncomfortable? Did Sanji have any clue just how comfortable you actually felt? The problem wasn't that you were uncomfortable in the proximity; it was that you were too comfortable, to the point that you never wanted to leave. But that would be a dead giveaway of your feelings, right?

"Okay, this is just painful to watch now," Nami sighed, jolting the two of you. You had nearly forgotten that she and Robin were right there, and they had seen everything. She looked at you unhappily, mouth set in a tight line. "How about you two get a room and make out there?"

"Nami!" You cried out. She really just gave away your crush like that?!

"Just be grateful I'm not demanding money to make up for what I just had to witness," she sniffed haughtily, swinging her legs back onto the chair and pulling down her sunglasses. "Seriously, you two, go talk shit out. Or else, knowing you, you will just be awkward around each other and that's gonna be even more painful to watch."

She wasn't totally wrong. You were planning to avoid him, possibly by jumping off the Sunny and drowning to death since you didn't know how to swim. But that wasn't really a solution and even you could admit that.

"W- What's there to talk-?" Sanji seemed a little scared, wide eyes glancing between the three of you. Nami ignored him, and you were too flustered to look him in the eyes. Nami's suggestion was essentially for you to come clean, wasn't it? But that was easier said than done. The fear of rejection and the eventual awkwardness was gripping your insides in a chokehold, and you couldn't move your feet even if you tried.

"Sanji," Robin said calmly. "Pick up (y/n) and go to the kitchen."

"Huh?" You were startled at her words. Pick you up?! No way! "No, no way, I'm too… I'm too heavy, there's no need for that!" Even as you said that, you couldn't actually bring yourself to move.

"I don't really get it," Sanji admitted, looking between the three of you as he spoke, "but I can do that. (Y/n)-chan?"

"No, Sanji–" the protests died down the moment he bent down and picked you up like you weighed nothing. Even as he walked you across the deck, you couldn't help but think that it was kind of hot just how easily he picked you up. "Sanji…"

He didn't look at you until you were in the kitchen and the door was closed behind the two of you. He walked over to the table and then carefully placed you on it, as if you were a teacup made of fine china teetering with tea. Finally, he let his clear blue eyes stare down at you, the expression on his face more vulnerable and exposed than you had ever seen on him.

"Sanji?"

"I know I made you uncomfortable," he said quietly, backing away. His hands came up to rub away the blood but it only made it spread around and you winced at seeing that. You never wanted to see any blood on Sanji, if you could help it. "I touched your… you. It wasn't my intention, I swear! I just, I wanted, I–"

He abruptly shut up, looking frustrated with himself.

"Sanji."

He didn't look up, fists clenching at his side the moment you said his name.

"Come here, Sanji," you whispered, holding out your hands to beckon him closer. His eyes flickered over your face, as if trying to gauge out what you were feeling, even as he followed through your request without a second thought. You pulled out the handkerchief he had given you long back, and wiped away the blood over his upper lip and cheeks carefully before you picked up his hand. The thumb was bloody too, so you gently held the limb in one of your hands and wiped it with the other. "You didn't make me uncomfortable, Sanji."

He stayed quiet as you continued to wipe it until it was all gone.

"Didn't I?" He said the moment you were done.

"No," you said, looking up at him. You didn't let go of the hand, though you dropped the handkerchief beside you. Somehow, holding his hand seemed to give you the courage to make the admission Nami had told you to. "I… Sanji, I like you. A lot more than I ever thought it was possible to feel towards someone. I like you so much that it physically hurts when I see you flirting with other women. I like you so much that my heart feels warm whenever you are around, and I feel so safe in your arms that I never want to leave. I like it when you are close to me. But I know that you don't like me like that, so whenever you get so close, and I can't help but want you so much, it's painful for me. I never want to let you go."

Sanji's eyes darkened with every word you spoke, a gradual change that you didn't notice at first because you were all in over your head. His hands hovered around your waist as you finished.

"Who told you?" His voice was a little hoarse, and he cleared his throat the moment he realised how desperate he sounded.

"Told me what?" You asked timidly, looking down at your lap.

"That I don't like you?" Sanji's voice was a broken whisper like yours had been. "I have never heard anything more untrue than that. All this time, I wanted you but I kept my feelings to myself. Because you deserve so much, so much more than I am, so much more than I can give. I wanted and I wanted and I felt so greedy, wanting more and more of you, more than you would let me have– I wanted anything you were ready to give, and I also wanted everything you have to give. I thought you wouldn't want someone like me, when there are so many better options around for you–"

"What?" You couldn't help but laugh. All his words were making you delirious; this had to be some wild dream you had conjured up. It didn't feel real. None of it did. "I had better options around? Sanji, I was so sure you would never look twice at me! I never felt like I was pretty enough, or good enough to get your attention and you're telling me… I had better options? That's so–"

You kept laughing, body shaking from the weight of the laughter. Sanji stared at you, unsure hands still hovering around you. His fingers twitched from holding back the urge to pull you into him.

"You are the prettiest girl I have ever seen," he mumbled. "Not good enough to get my attention? Darling, you have had all of my attention ever since I met you. No other woman could compare to you from the moment you made your place in my heart known."

"Did I really have all your attention?" You asked, letting your insecurities bubble up. Now that you were both being honest, it was better to get it all out of the way, right? "Even when you looked at the other women…"

"I never looked at them the way I did you," his words were sincere, and in that moment, they were enough. You looked up at him, and your body broke into shivers the moment you realised the heat in his eyes as he stared down at you; like you were some unique dish he was finally getting the chance to eat after years of craving it.

"I didn't want the other options, Sanji," you whispered, the volume enough for the proximity you were in. "The only one I ever wanted was you."

You held his collars and pulled him in, and it was like he finally snapped, now that he had permission. His hands immediately grasped at your sides, gently holding the soft flesh there as he kissed you. And now it was your time to give and give, while he took from you like your lips were spilling with ambrosia and he was determined to get every drop. His warm breath fanned over your lips and the goosebumps on your skin rose again, your fingers tightening around the collars of his shirt.

When he let your lips go, he was greeted with the sight of your flushed and pleasantly buzzed expression, like you were drunk on him. Seeing you like that, because of him, it was enough to get him groaning.

"So beautiful," he whispered, leaving feather light kisses all over your face. "So gorgeous. All for me. All… for me to have?"

"Yeah," you whispered, looking up at him and seeing the devastated yet over-the-moon expression on Sanji's face. Even without words, he could always just cleave into your heart and press himself within its walls like they were made to fit him, and only him. "You can be greedy. Take all you want. I'm all yours."

°•❀•°

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deathbypufferfish · 3 months

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I'm cooking up a sims challenge!

The working title is The World After challenge. Years after a flu has wiped out most of the population you make your journey out into the world to find others and rebuild a community. You've lost all your gear in the fire that took out your last settlement, along with your community. You've ended up on the Crumbling Isle in Windenburg. Now it's time to set down camp, gather supplies, find other survivors, and choose the place you will rebuild. Will you set sail for the islands of Sulani? Start a ranch in Chestnut Ridge? Or hole up for the winter in Moonwood Mill. You miss the world before, but now it's time to build an after.

I'm working out all the rules and ideas rn with my sim, Midge, but I hope to someday post it as a real challenge! This is all majorly inspired by Station Eleven (def read the book or watch the show)

#the world after challenge #the sims 4 #ts4 #ts4 challenge #ts4 gameplay #sims 4 #simblr #Midge Crocker #Momo #it does require some world building #either using a blank save; manually deleting; and placing abandoned builds #which im going to keep track of the builds ii use #and i hope once i get it into a real challenge #it will need a no walkby mod still for townies even if you delete everyone #someone force lotharihoe to take their mods off cf or at least have alt download options

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morallyinept · 2 months

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Adrift With You - A Frankie Morales Series - Chapter 13

Summary: Heading away on a work re-location, Frankie embarks on a flight, but unbeknownst to him, his life is about to change forever. For starters, he will need to fight for it; harder than he's ever fought for anything else before.

Marooned on an isolated island in the middle of the ocean, still recovering from an addiction, his chances of survival are bleak; but he’s not alone on the island, and soon he’s running towards a different kind of life - a life with fellow survivor, Jude, fighting right beside him every step of the way.

And if they can both survive the island together, they can survive anything, right?

Pairing: Frankie Morales x OFC Jude

Chapter word count: 7.3k

SERIES MASTERLIST | MAIN MASTERLIST

☝🏻See Series Masterlist for full smut warnings & triggers in this story. Chapters that contain smut or triggers will be highlighted in the chapter notes below. 👇🏻

Chapter notes: Frankie and Jude are tested to their absolute limit. Mentions of smut.

Enjoy! 🖤

Chapter 12

The pen runs out of ink on the fourteenth of April.

Frankie looks down at the notebook as his scrawl becomes nothing but faint indents on the paper. He shakes the pen in frustration, but it’s no use. His writing days are over now.

They’ve been on the island for almost a whole year. Surviving, barely, on fish - and now tamarind - and rain water.

Jude would make a pulpy sweet mush of the tamarind to flavour the fish, and it jazzed up the cooking for a while. But soon, like the fish, eating the tamarind soon lost its sweet taste on their tongues.

The school of fish had dwindled dangerously for a while, but soon more began to appear in the bay as the weather shifted. The rainy season seemed to end and the scorching sun was back with a vengeance.

One day whilst they were fishing, Frankie continued to scout around the rock pools and found a few mussels - and was careful not to step on any urchins this time - as he pried them off the rocks with the completely dull switchblade.

He proceeded to explain to Jude in great detail about all the tasty ways you can cook mussels; rambling on excitedly like a five year-old who won’t shut the fuck up about dinosaurs, and it made her smile fondly at him to see him smile about something again.

They ate the mussels from their shells, steaming them in the tin over the fire and that seemed like a treat, something different which revitalised their spirits for a little while.

But still they continued to appear more gaunt, often going days without eating at all, not because they didn’t have any food - what with the tamarind pods filling up a suitcase that they’d taken out as Frankie climbed the trees and shook them loose onto the ground for Jude to collect - but because when you eat the same thing over and over, you soon begin to lose your appetite for it.

“If we ever get off this island, I’m never eating fish or tamarind again.” Jude remarks one evening as they’re sitting by the fire outside together.

Frankie has his arm slung over her shoulder and is twirling his fingers idly in the sand beside him, drawing squiggly lines absentmindedly.

“I second that.” He smirks. “I think I might just live off of Mcdonalds for a month or something. Get a bit fat.”

“Mm. I can see you with chubby cheeks and wearing sweatpants with your gut out, shovelling burgers in your mouth. Hot.” Jude giggles.

“Living the dream,” he agrees. She feels his chest heave as he chuckles.

“Do you think they had a funeral for us?” Jude asks a little time later, and the question winds Frankie; he stops drawing in the sand.

He wraps his arm around her tighter and kisses the top of her head.

“I think they probably did.” He admits, trying not to think about it, admittedly.

“What do you think they would’ve said about you?”

“Hopefully good things, but I doubt it." He says, sadly.

“Of course they did. You’re a good person.”

“Here, maybe. But I’ve done a lot of shit I’m not proud of. Even before the coke.” He kisses her head again and rests his chin on it, staring out into the flames. Thinking about all the mistakes.

“I miss my mom so much.” Jude whispers.

“Me too, I miss all of ‘em. Everyone.” Frankie confirms.

He thinks about his family and the guys. Their faces flit behind his eyes. He even thinks about Carla a little too; wondering if she’d attended his funeral. He considers if she’d stood up and read from anything, or said anything heartfelt and cried with black mascara tears streaming down her face. Whether she’s mourning the loss of him and wishing things had been different.

His chest feels tight at all of the murky recall.

Jude feels him sigh out and cuddles into him further. “You okay?”

“Yeah. Just thinking is all.” Frankie assures.

“I know, I can hear the cogs turning.”

His fingers jab, tickling into her side and she flinches, laughing.

“I’m alright. Just comes in waves, y’know?” He explains.

“I know. When I think about it, it’s like I can’t breathe. I can’t imagine their pain. Not knowing what happened to us; that we’re right here, waiting.”

“Yeah.” Frankie nods.

Jude reaches for his hand and interlocks his fingers, squeezing them tightly inside her own. “We have each other though, right?”

“Right,” Frankie nods to her as she looks up at him.

She kisses him, lingering on his lips and breathing him in. He kisses her, his beard scratching against her lips and it makes her giggle.

“You’re so fuckin’ beautiful, you know that?” Frankie says.

“No. You don’t tell me nearly enough.” She grins.

“C’mere,” he says, pulling her in and squeezing her hips and she laughs.

They spend time curled up together by the fire as it gets dark and she hears Frankie yawn.

“You feeling sleepy?” Jude asks him and he nods, those eyes of his looking a little droopy.

“Let’s go to bed,” she smiles at him and stands up. As she does so, she stumbles backwards a little unsteady on her feet.

“Dizzy?” Frankie asks her, steadying her with a hand on her back and one on her stomach.

“Yeah. I’m okay.” She pats his hand and begins walking towards the shack with his arm around her.

Jude rolls over on the cushion bed a few days later and watches Frankie as he sleeps through her fuzzy vision coming into focus, rubbing crusted sleep from her eyes.

She notices small beads of perspiration on his forehead like diamonds glittering in the sunlight streaming in through the window hole, and watches as his eyes dance crazily back and forth under his eyelids.

He flinches a little and groans as he dreams.

She places her hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat thrumming inside it. His skin is boiling to the touch and she sits up, a little concerned.

“Frankie...” She whispers close to his ear and he stirs, groaning. “Frankie, wake up. You’re having a bad dream.”

He opens his eyes slowly and turns his head towards her; focusing in on her face as she wipes at his forehead that seems utterly drenched.

“Hey,” she greets him and he blinks several times before smiling, then frowning.

“Fuck, my head is hammering,” Frankie reaches up and runs his hand over the top of his skull with his thick fingers.

“Are you feeling alright, you’re pretty hot?” Jude touches his skin around his scarred neck. “Having a sexy dream, were you?” She snickers.

“Pornographic.” Frankie smirks.

He sits up slowly and the shack begins to spin. “Fuck.” He slumps back down on the bed and Jude fetches him some water.

“Here, drink this.” She unscrews the cap and he glugs quickly from the bottle feeling incredibly parched.

“How much do we have left?” He gasps as though the thirst will never be satiated.

“Enough, just drink it.” She encourages, touching over his head and feeling how hot he is. “You’re burning up. Just stay in bed today, you need the rest, okay?”

Frankie nods and flops back down on the bed grunting.

“I’ll go catch us some fish, you need to eat something. I know you haven’t been.” Jude says, narrowing her eyes at him.

He smiles faintly at her through purplish-pink lips. He runs his pointer finger around the top of his head in a circle indicating there’s a halo there, and she smirks with a little unimpressed snort.

“Take my cap, it's hot out.” He says, tossing his cap at her and she plonks it on her head.

Jude leaves him to sleep off what is probably chronic exhaustion and hunger, and heads to the bay to fish.

The water is mostly still as Jude wades around the rock pools, watching the fish and spearing them.

She catches several and smiles as they fill the tin; a sight she hasn’t seen for a long time. She glances up to see the empty shell of the fuselage on the sandbank still, ageing with an early birthing of speckled rust as the sun scorches it daily.

Her mind wanders back to the harrowing moments of the plane crash, a memory etched into her consciousness like a scar on her soul.

The cabin engulfed in chaos as the plane shuddered and lurched through the turbulent skies. Panic-stricken passengers clinging to their seats, their faces contorted in fear as the realisation of their impending doom washes over them like a tidal wave.

Jude can feel her heart pounding in her chest, each beat a thunderous drumming in her ears as she braces herself for the inevitable impact, but it goes dark, just like it did when she blacked out.

She looks out at the horizon, thinking about the impending anniversary of them both being on the island for three hundred and sixty-five days, and all that they’ve accomplished and endured on this piece of shitty rock they’re still marooned on.

She feels a tickle around her thighs and looks down, freezing instantly.

It’s a small shark in the water, barely longer than her arm in length, swimming around her legs curiously and she smiles widely as she aims her spear.

Jude heads back to the shack with the tin of fish and slimy shark corpse. She approaches the fire, tossing more kindling on it, encouraging the flames to grow once more ready for their meal, and goes to check on Frankie.

She enters under the plastic sheet. “Hey, guess what I caught in the bay, it’s a-”

She stops dead in her tracks when she sees Frankie on the ground, laying on his front, vomit all around his face and a red blotchy rash covering his back and arms.

“Frankie!” Jude lurches forward and shakes him; he’s unresponsive and she immediately sticks her fingers into his mouth, clearing away the vomit.

“Frankie! Wake up! Frankie!” She shakes him again and he groans with a choked gurgle.

“Oh, thank God! Frankie, can you hear me?” She pulls back his eyelid with her thumb and his eyes are rolled into the back of his head.

She pours water from a bottle over his chin, rinsing away his vomit from around his mouth, and then uses her wet hand to touch his forehead that still feels aflame.

“Frankie!” Jude calls out to him again, shaking him and once more he groans.

He’s alive, but she’s completely panic stricken. His breathing is shallow and laboured, his pulse weak and thready beneath her touch.

A wave of dread washes over Jude as she realises the gravity of the situation. He's sick. He's sick on an island without a doctor or any meds.

She strips him of his clothes; his body is saturated with sweat, and the heat radiating off of it feels like the sun’s corona burning her fingertips.

The rash is all over his torso, in and around his groin in patches of red lichen-like blotches which look mean and an angry red.

She hooks her arms under his armpits and drags him towards the bed, groaning out at the weight of him.

Despite his drastic weight loss, he’s still heavy. Jude lugs him backwards more until she’s able to roll him onto the bed. She turns him over into the recovery position, tilting his head up so he doesn't swallow his tongue.

She dabs away vomit chunks from Frankie’s beard and washes him down with sea water she collects, trying to cool his body temperature.

Jude spends the next two days by his side, periodically pouring water down his throat as he drifts in and out of a heavy consciousness.

“Wake up, Frankie, please.”

But Frankie remains stubbornly unconscious, his features slack and pale against the crimson blotches. He’s sick several more times, and when there’s blood in it, she freaks.

“Frankie, stay with me,” Jude pleads to him as he passes out again; the water dribbling from his lips.

She doesn’t sleep. She never got to cook the fish or the shark.

Instead it stays untouched outside on the beach, slowly rotting in the sun.

Dengue fever isn’t pleasant.

Of course, at the time neither Jude nor Frankie knew that’s what he had.

It’s caused by mosquito bites, and only a few days prior to falling ill, Frankie had been bitten by one that was infected as he fished in the bay.

He’d slapped the pest dead against his arm and didn’t think much of it. He’d been bitten around the ankles by horseflies in the grasses and all sorts of bugs since being on the island - just another pest taking a bite out of his tasty skin.

But it was as simple as that - a simple, little bite.

Ordinarily, if he’d been fully healthy, the effects of the fever wouldn’t have maimed him as much. But we all know that from his current state of malnourishment and dehydration, he wasn’t strong enough, and his immune system struggled to suppress the infection.

It had already begun to spread through his body and started laying down the foundations of the attack.

The signs were there; hot flushes, stomach cramps and vomiting. But yet he’d been doing that on the regular, so what was there to notice differently, really?

Frankie had caught an abundance of fish; nine in total, before the school figured out their numbers were dwindling before their eyes, and scooted off into the deep again from whence they came.

He’d cooked them all over the fire and mashed more tamarind with it, and they’d feasted like kings that evening, filling their bellies up until they felt like they would pop uncomfortably.

They sat opposite one another, eating and playing another game of Tic-Tac-Toe in the sand and talking like they usually would.

Frankie had the hiccups; probably from eating too fast he assumed at the time, and the little belches that rolled out of him had made Jude giggle.

“Where did you get that scar on your hip?” She’d asked him randomly, as he placed down a shell in the middle box of the hand drawn grid in the sand.

“I was shot.” Frankie’s mind casts back to the helicopter crash and the feel of the bullet ripping through his skin.

“Jesus.”

“Yeah.” He’d hiccupped again, keeping his mouth closed.

“You were shot at a lot, weren’t you?” She placed her pebble down.

“Nine times.” He holds his wrist up at her with the numbers tattoo.

“I couldn’t imagine that.” She said, scrunching up her face.

“I shot back, too. Thirty-nine confirmed kills.” He was concentrating on the grid and looking carefully at where to place his next shell, when his shoulders heaved again from another rolling hiccup.

“You got any scars, aside from the crippling emotional ones?” Frankie had questioned and she’d tossed one of her pebbles at him. He whinnied as it landed in his lap.

“A few,” she’d drawn her leg up and caught sight of the pink, ragged scar on the back of her calf, probably the most prominent one now to adorn her body.

“I have this one,” Jude had said, turning her face to the right and pointing just under the top of her cheekbone. A small, faded circle was there, indented into her flesh.

“I wondered about that one. It looks like someone hole-punched your face,” Frankie marvelled.

He hiccupped again and put his hand over his mouth tasting bile in the back of his throat.

“No, it was chicken pox. My mom says I kept scratching it and scratching it, and now I have a scar there.” She shrugged.

“My brother and I got the pox at the same time. It was fuckin’ carnage in our house when our cousins got it too. My pop just threw us all out in the garden in the pool and let us get on with it.” Frankie smiled, putting down another shell, and she’d blocked him making a complete line with another pebble.

She watched as his face changed; a sudden look of widening eyes and a serious mouth as he looked across at her.

“What?” She questioned him curiously.

Frankie promptly stood up and dashed off over towards the tree line.

Once there, he threw up; barely making it to the ground on his knees before it flooded out of him.

He pulled off his t-shirt and wiped his mouth with it, looking disgusted at the lumpy swill of barely digested fish. He groaned out as he felt it rise up again in the back of his throat and he bent forward heaving it all out.

“Hey, you okay?” Jude asked him, approaching and rubbing his back as he’d sat upright on his knees, the pile of fish and tamarind mixed puke visible in front of them.

“I’m fine. Except everything comes out of my body in liquid form now,” Frankie winced, gripping his stomach and spitting onto the ground.

“Too much fish?” Jude asked him tenderly as he stood up.

He nodded. “Maybe, I dunno. Probably.” He scrunched the t-shirt up in his hand.

“Come on,” she had said sympathetically, putting her arm around his waist and walking with him slowly back to the fire.

Four days later and he’s drifting in and out of consciousness; dreaming of nothing but black feverish voids as he burns up and his body gives birth to a ferocious rash that prickles at his already scorched skin.

Jude dips a t-shirt into the tin of sea water and wrings it out on the third day that Frankie remains hardly responsive.

She dabs at his chest and shoulders, giving him a tiresome bed bath to cool him off, titling his head back and tipping rain water into his mouth in the small instances when he’ll come to.

She occasionally dozes off for a few moments beside him, absolutely shattered.

She’ll suddenly jolt awake when he groans out or throws up again, and the longer he remains like this, the more fearful she becomes that he’ll actually die.

“Don’t you fucking dare die on me. You hear me, Frankie.” Jude warns him as she watches him just lying there, occasionally grunting in pain.

She hovers her fingers under his nostrils to feel for any air flowing out of them when she’s staring at his chest, convinced she can’t see it rising and falling like it should be, and working herself up all over again.

She picks up his hand and kisses it, holding it close to her lips and feeling utterly helpless and terrified.

With each shallow breath that escapes Frankie's mouth, Jude's heart clenches with a sense of impending doom, the fear of losing him clawing at her chest like a ravenous beast.

She can't bear the thought of him slipping away from her, of being left alone in this desolate wilderness with nothing but memories of what could have been.

There’s no way she can get through this without him; she’s resolute in that fact. It’s thanks to him that she’s even made it this far; the swamping loneliness on the island would have driven her insane during the first few weeks alone.

With him here, grinning at her moronically through mouthfuls of fish to make her laugh, or showing her how to light the fire; rubbing the small of her back when she sleeps in his arms, are the moments that make life bearable on the island - make it seem normal somehow in their routine.

The island is him - it’s Frankie.

A whole year almost of just being in his personal space and learning about his life previously makes facing each day worthwhile, something to look forward to. And to take that from her now would be cruel.

She knows if he slips away she’ll undoubtedly follow. A life without him on the island isn’t a life she wants to live through. She’s confident in that thought, as harrowing and scary as it is to consider.

It would drive you mad, a year in this place, all alone. Loneliness is an acute disease; people die of loneliness all the time.

Have you ever heard about those stories of an elderly couple being married for years and years, and when one of them sadly passes on, the other physically can’t live without them and passes away not too soon after, dying of a broken heart? Yeah, that.

You give up; you don’t want to face the world alone without them, because you simply know you can’t.

Imagine wandering the shoreline without anyone to talk to out loud, no-one to share your fears or worries with or talk them through rationally when they try to overcome you and drown you like the ocean’s waves.

No-one to calm you down when the sheer terror will rattle through your bones convincing you that you’re going to die out here.

No-one looking into your eyes with their warm cocoa ones and telling you to breathe deeply and try again, with an encouraging smile beaming out at you from under a navy Standard Heating Oil baseball cap.

No-one to hold you in his strong, broad arms and tell you stories about his life, his hopes, wishes and dreams as you listen to the music of his body; twirling your fingers around the curly hair at the nape of his neck that has grown longer as the days had worn on.

It doesn’t bear thinking about, right?

Frankie was a stranger once; just another passenger on a plane headed for a final destination into carnage, but now he’s the better half of Jude - the stronger one, her protector.

The one to get her through, the one who had seen every single side of her, including the vulnerable, the weak and the damn right acutely terrified.

He’d seen all the ugly parts of her when no-one else had seen them before, and yet he still scooped her up in his arms and told her she was strong, brave and beautiful.

It dawns on her that if he actually dies, if he is to slip away right now from her on this thin thread of a hard life they’ve been walking on for some time now, she’ll never recover from the loss.

Because he’s everything; he’s saved her, without a shadow of a doubt, and in more ways than one.

I love him. I fucking love him.

Jude’s dabbing him with the wet t-shirt again around his neck, looking closely at the faint, pink scars on his skin from when he was burned by the aviation fuel in the water, when Frankie reaches for her hand.

She looks up at his face, his eyes bloodshot and blinking at her through heavy, tired lids.

She scrambles up closer to his face and strokes through his wiry hair, her eyes filling with water.

“Hey,” she says, and kisses the top of his head in relief. Thank God.

“Why you crying?” Frankie croaks out through a constricted throat.

“Because of you, you dummy.” Jude reaches for the water and tilts the bottle towards him so he can drink. “I think you caught a fever or something. You had a rash and passed out. You’ve been out for days.” Jude rubs away the water that drips from his mouth and glistens in his beard, over-spilling.

“What?” Frankie coughs. He tries to sit upright on the bed.

“Slowly,” she urges.

“I passed out?” Frankie asks her, a little confused, rubbing his eyes.

“Yeah.” She wipes her own eyes as he lifts his fingers to them and smears away a tear or two.

For a moment, Frankie seems disoriented, his gaze searching hers as though trying to make sense of the world around him.

But then, as the fog begins to lift and clarity returns, a small smile tugs at the corners of his lips - a silent reassurance that speaks volumes without a word being said.

“How are you feeling?”

“My head is still fuckin’ throbbing,” he says with eyes like he’s squinting.

Jude places the wet t-shirt on his head as a cool compress for him. “I caught a shark.” She smirks as he closes his eyes in relief of the compress.

“I knew you were badass,” Frankie smiles.

“It was a bay shark, kinda small. I couldn’t cook it; it’s probably no good now.”

“That sucks.” Frankie remarks with a faint smile through his cracked lips. He can taste blood on them and the stench of vomit lingers in his nostrils.

She leans forward and kisses his forehead. Most of the rash has disappeared from his body except around his legs where it’s still fading. His palms and ankles are a little puffy and swollen and he looks pretty out of it still.

Jude's eyes shine with tears as she reaches out to grasp his hand, her fingers trembling with emotion.

"Thank God you're okay," she murmurs, her voice thick with emotion. "I was so scared..."

“You look tired,” he observes, pulling on her braid gently.

“I didn’t sleep much for the last three days.” She smiles faintly, blinking and her eyes feel incredibly irritated, despite the tears now falling out of them.

“Come here, hermosa,” Frankie encourages, holding out his arms and she shuffles into them. He wraps her in tight and he feels much cooler to the touch.

He kisses the top of her head several times and squeezes her, a silent reassurance that he’s still with her, that they’ve weathered yet another storm together.

“I thought you were gonna die” she peeps timidly, her voice breaking.

“No. You don’t get rid of me that easily,” Frankie breathes into her hair, his throat feeling tight and raw.

Jude looks up at him and he leans in for a kiss, but she baulks as she can smell vomit on his breath.

“Maybe wash your mouth out first,” she laughs, wiping her eyes.

“Fuck that.” Frankie pulls her face towards him and kisses her, smiling.

They both sleep for what feels like a hundred years.

Frankie is stroking her face as she sleeps in his arms. Her rhythmic breathing is a soothing melody in the otherwise quiet dawn, a reminder of the fragility of their existence on the deserted island.

The idea of Jude navigating the challenges of survival without him fills him with a sense of guilt, a pang of regret for the moments he had been unconscious, unaware of her struggles.

He can't bear the thought of her facing the dangers of the island alone, her resilience and strength a testament to her unwavering determination to survive.

And yet, as he gazes down at her peaceful expression, a sense of gratitude washes over him - a deep-seated appreciation for her unwavering faith in him, her steadfast belief that they’ll overcome whatever obstacles lay in their path, together.

And he believes it too, knowing that with Jude by his side, he's the strongest he's ever been in his life.

With a soft sigh, Frankie presses a tender kiss to the top of Jude's head, his heart heavy with the weight of his own fears and insecurities, but they’re muted for a while longer as he lies with her.

She wakes a little while later and it’s barely light out.

“How are you feeling?” Jude asks him through a stifled yawn.

“Better.” His stomach rumbles and they chuckle together. “Hungry.”

“You feel up to going fishing today? Might find another shark.” She asks with a small birth of hope in her voice.

“Yeah. I’ll give it a go.” He nods and kisses her forehead again.

Frankie sits up slowly and takes his time standing fully upright on his legs that feel weak and like they don’t belong to him.

“I need a wash first though, I stink.” He says, getting a whiff of himself.

“Yeah. You’re a bit ripe.” Jude laughs, wrinkling her nose.

She takes him by the hand and leads him slowly down towards the shore, stopping by the cave mouth to pick up the remaining soap and shampoo. He looks at her expression and shrugs as she explains that it’s the last of it.

“Well, it was a nice luxury whilst we had it,” Frankie remarks casually.

They wade into the sea and he dips under the water and resurfaces, running his hands over his face, water dripping from his beard that’s longer and more coarse.

Jude squirts some of the shower gel into her palm. He holds his out and she squirts the last of it into his hands in a bubbly dollop, and watches as he rubs them together making a creamy lather.

Smirking, Frankie runs his hands across her chest, massaging the soap into her breasts, and stopping momentarily to feel her nipples harden under his palms.

She leans in, kissing him and tasting salt on his lips. She runs her soapy hands through his hair, scratching through it as she works the lather and makes him groan out in a satisfied grunt.

“I like it when you make that noise...” She breathes, smiling as he opens his eyes and looks back at her.

“I like the noises you make, too.” He grins.

Jude presses up against his chest; her breasts crushed tight against him as he kisses her with some sudden uncontrollable urgency. His tongue darts into her mouth and his hands paw at her ass.

She reaches down into the water and finds his cock, hard and rigid. He grunts out into her lips as his fingers swim up inside her pussy, and makes her gasp out too as his thumb brushes against her clit.

“Fuck me...” Frankie whines into her mouth enticingly as she pumps him.

“You should really take it easy,” she says around his lips, unable to resist that pull of him as his fingers slide in and out of her.

He shakes his head. “Fuck me, Jude.” Frankie whines again, smirking with glittery eyes.

She bites down on his lip making him hiss. He lifts her up onto him; the soft, bounding waves keep her buoyant as she wraps her legs around his waist.

Jude cries out as she feels him slide into her, making him grunt in unison.

He holds onto her ass cheeks as he rocks his hips back and forth in the water, fucking her deep and with intense strokes.

“You feel so good,” she whines.

Jude clings on around his neck, crushing her lips to his and moaning out as she bounces up and down on his thick cock, with a little help from the waves in a deliciously intense rhythm.

“Fuck!” Frankie grunts out, gripping onto her ass tighter.

“Frankie!” She throws her head back as she comes hard and fast; her braid dipping into the water and he’s gasping out through his own rolling orgasm as he pumps out inside of her, shaking.

She holds onto him as they stop moving, feeling his cock slide out of her, and he kisses her again.

They chuckle, and she watches as he dives under the water, rinsing the suds from his hair and swimming around her, poking her in the stomach or butt cheek from under the water.

Jude looks up at the sky, a huge weight of relief sliding off of her shoulders that had been wrought and tense for the last few days.

Thank you...

She’s running, but no matter how fast she runs, the helicopter is falling further and further out of sight, away from the island.

“Wait! Don’t leave me!”

Her voice is being swallowed up by the sound of the crashing tide rolling in beside her as she runs down the beach.

Jude can see Frankie inside the helicopter looking out at her; the wind flapping through his unruly locks, and waving back at her as he shrinks further and further into the horizon, until the helicopter disappears completely and Jude is left on the beachfront, falling to her knees in horrific disbelief.

No, NO!

She wakes up with a jolt; her heartbeat reverberating crazily inside her chest like it’s trying to escape.

She’s had this nightmare a few times since being on the island, but it seems more intense this time - more like it could be real and she’s waiting for it to happen where she won’t wake up, no matter how many times she pinches herself.

She finds Frankie crouched by the fire pit cooking a singular fish and turning it over on the flat stone.

Egon is perched beside him on the rock watching the fish sizzling intently; looking for a snatch-and-run opportunity.

Frankie scoops a piece of tamarind out of the tin he’s been mashing up and offers it out to Egon; the little monkey’s fingers curl around his own.

“That’s all you’re getting.” Frankie advises him.

He looks over his shoulder as Jude approaches. “Hey,” he croons to her with a sleepy smile.

“Morning, Captain Morales,” she yawns, planting a kiss on his crown before heading down to the shore for a swim to wake her up.

It’s been several weeks since Frankie suffered through his horrific fever, and although it seems as though he’s recovered well physically, mentally is another question.

He’s been a little quiet; withdrawn and reflective as she often catches him just staring into nothing.

Completely zoned out at the furthest reaches from her, until she’ll touch his hand and he’ll come back to her with a little startle and a faint smile to convince her that he’s okay.

She wonders what it is that he sees in that thousand yard stare.

She slips off her clothes that are like a tent on her now. She’s been reduced to just wearing the bikini bottoms and a t-shirt that swamps her as of late; the shorts and her jeans no longer stay up around her waist of their own volition and she’s tired of hanging onto them all the time.

Frankie wears a t-shirt, or a plaid woollen jacket on the days it’s a little chillier, and he often drapes it around her shoulders to keep her warm at night.

When it’s unbearably hot, he’s often fully naked and letting it all hang out and free, and it's a sight that admittedly, she won’t tire of.

The flip-flops have long since broken and so he walks on bare feet, the skin on his soles hard and dry.

Jude’s hair has grown so long that it almost touches her lower back and it seems almost daily that Frankie re-braids it for her after combing the knots out with his fingers as they sit by the fire or on the shore whilst he does it.

His own hair and beard is even shaggier now and grease slicked from sweat. The cap barely keeps its unruly mess at bay.

She’s noticed his weight loss increase further over the last few months, seeing the bony bulges of his spine now too when he hunches over the fire.

How his rib cage is showing under his skin and how sunken and sullen his face looks, more so than it ever had before. He’s so skinny it’s spooky.

It’s a harsh reality to confront that essentially they’re only just keeping full starvation at bay. She dreads to think what they'll do when the tamarind stops growing, or the fish stop coming into the bay altogether.

It gives her shivers to even venture down that route of dark, swirly thoughts that are like gnarled fingers reaching out for them and following them around, ready to snap them up at any given moment.

Jude wades into the water to cool her skin and notices the sky is a swirl of blue and grey. Clouds are forming on the horizon and the breeze contains a little nip, even through the heavy heat.

She swims around in the water, untying her braid and diving under to resurface again to wash her hair without shampoo as she scratches through her salty scalp with her fingers.

Frankie’s padding into the water, and she smiles warmly as he swims towards her and kisses her deeply.

She wraps her legs around his waist as he holds her whilst they bob in the water.

“I made some food. Fish and tamarind paste, my specialty.” Frankie smirks at her.

She clutches his chin with her thumb and finger and kisses him again.

“And maybe some monkey, because if Egon steals it I will actually gut him.”

“You love him really,” Jude smiles, patting his hairy cheek.

He dives under the waves and as he resurfaces, he clocks the panic stricken look morphing on Jude’s face as the water rinses out his ears.

“What?” He questions, frowning.

Then he feels it himself; the intense shaking and rocking of the seabed floor.

She plops backwards in the water as the heavy rumbling intensifies, knocking her off balance.

“Fuck!” Frankie swims to her as she resurfaces, wiping at her face and spluttering in shock.

“Holy shit, was that an earthquake?!” Jude exclaims to him as he hoists her up on her feet in the shifting water as the rumbles die out.

“We need to get outta the fuckin’ water!” Frankie presses to her with wide eyes.

“Wait,” she pulls him back, but he simply grabs at her hand, pulling her forward

“I’m serious, Jude. We need to get to high ground, quickly.” The panic is palpable in his voice. “That was a fuckin’ earthquake. We’re on an island in the middle of the ocean. A tsunami will be imminent. We have to get to high ground!” Frankie repeats to her, looking Jude dead in the eye.

He isn’t messing around.

Jude can feel her heartbeat crashing inside her chest as he says the words. “A-a tsunami?”

“Yeah, we have maybe fifteen minutes or so, maybe less.”

“How do you know that, it might not even happen?”

“Do you wanna take that chance? C’mon!” Frankie makes a dash for the shoreline and they run naked towards the shack.

She frantically pulls on clothes as does he inside of it.

“Here!” Frankie tosses her a life jacket; one of the two he’d kept rolled up all this time on the case beside the bed.

A warning sign; a deadly prediction from his gut thriving into fruition right under their noses all this time.

It only perplexes him how, at the time all those months ago when he’d made that decision not to cut these two life jackets up, that he would be right not to.

He hopes he’s wrong. Hopes that nothing will happen and that his overzealousness will be met with a rational calm later.

With trembling hands, his senses on high alert, he searches in his mind for the safest route to higher ground. Every second feels like an eternity as they stumble through the frantic chaos.

Jude unravels it and puts it over her head, fastening the ties, but not inflating it.

He nods at her as she glances at him as her hands work the ties in a blur, time seeming like it grinds to a complete halt as the looks they exchange terrify them both to their cores.

They both run out of the shack. Frankie looks out at the sea and it all seems calm and normal. No signs of any turbulent water, but they can’t take the chance and be caught unawares.

“Up to the ridge, go!” Frankie instructs.

They scramble up the hill towards the ridge; getting up there in half the time it usually takes them. Frankie’s pulling her by the arm, almost yanking it out the socket as they pelt up the hill as fast as they can muster.

They reach the top of the ridge and Frankie’s branch igloo is still there; as is the ugly shirt flag fluttering in the breeze. Jude puts her hands on her knees and breathes in heavily, staring out at the horizon, watching... waiting.

“What do we do?” She puffs.

“We wait. It’s all we can do.” Frankie confirms bleakly.

“It might not happen,” she murmurs, convincing herself.

“Almost after every earthquake at sea, there’s a tsunami that follows,” Frankie informs her, but it doesn’t make it any better.

His mind races with the memories of the devastating effects of tsunamis he’d witnessed during his time in the military, on search and rescue recon’s - the sheer power of the waves etched into his memory like a nightmare he can't shake.

“Are we up high enough?” Jude asks, fear gripping her.

He doesn’t answer, feeling the heavy breeze blow through his beard and watches as the wind whips around her hair, casting it about wildly like a sea monster with several hundred tentacles coming at him.

Frankie secures his own life jacket around his waist and then tugs on Jude’s to check its tightness. He undoes it and ties it again for her, and she feels him pull on it again afterwards to test it won’t come undone.

Frankie looks up at the flag shirt and reaches for it, tearing it down from the branch. She watches him rip through the fabric with ease.

He takes her right arm and wraps it around hers and then around his left one, effectively tying their two hands together.

She locks her fingers into his and he grips onto them tightly.

She can already feel the bind of the shirt cutting off her circulation, but it’s nothing compared to the sheer terror raging through her body right now.

And that's when she realises it. Realises how eerily quiet it’s suddenly become.

“Shit...” Frankie gasps looking over her head at the horizon, his eyes widening in fear.

He pulls her back towards him as she turns and sees the waves high in the sky in the distance.

All she can do is gulp at the sight of it hurtling towards the island.

Frankie tugs on the pull cord of her life jacket, the hiss pours out of it as it inflates around her chest and throat.

He does the same with his, but nothing happens.

Jude looks wide-eyed at him; hearing nothing but her heartbeat inside of her ears almost deafening her now.

“No, no, no-”

“It’s ok,” he reassures. “Just don’t let go. It’ll be okay.” Frankie squeezes her hand tighter than ever. "Don't fuckin' let go."

Jude looks out at the horizon, at the waves hurtling towards them; thundering across the ocean and staring at imminent death in the face as it smiles back at them viciously.

It’s been waiting for them, waiting for so long and is now coming to reap the reward of its patience.

“Frankie-” She begins in a terrified voice that whimpers and cracks. “Frankie!”

“I fuckin’ love you, Jude!” Frankie calls out to her frantically over the storm of the relentless tidal commotion that bellows through their eardrums.

She looks back and sees the transformation on his face.

It’s like super, slow motion as his nostrils flare, his eyes widen as big as they'll go, and his mouth morphs into a large engulfing hole; his teeth bared and shouting as loudly as he can at her.

He wrenches Jude backwards into his arms as the waves fully engulf the island in a thunderous roar.

“BRAAACE!!” Frankie yells.

To be continued...

SERIES MASTERLIST | PREVIOUS CHAPTER | NEXT CHAPTER

Thank you for taking the time to read my story; it really means so much to me. I'd love to know your thoughts, and I'd really appreciate a re-blog so others can enjoy this story too. Thank you so much 🖤

MAIN MASTERLIST

TAGLIST: I'm no longer adding tags due to some of them not working correctly. Please ensure you're following me and turn on notifications so you don't miss a chapter instead. If you'd like to be removed from the tag list, please let me know.

Tagging everyone who asked to be tagged/commented on/re-blogged my initial teaser & prologue:

@suzdin @missladym1981 @magpiepills @millennial-teenybopper @legendary-pink-dot @msjarvis @tightjeansjavi @burntheedges @inept-the-magnificent @casa-boiardi @sin-djarin @rhoorl @disassociation-daydreams @quinnnfabrgay @chronically-ghosted @fuckyeahdindjarin @chiriwritesstuff @copperhalfcent @bluestar22x @5oh5 @gobaaby-blog-blog @myloveistoolittle @pastawench @maggiemayhemnj @secretelephanttattoo @yesjazzywazzylove-blog @thethirstwivesclub @seratuyo @mysterious-moonstruck-musings @toomanytookas @survivingandenduring @lizzie-cakes @sawymredfox @iloveenya @elegantduckturtle @covetyou @undercoverpena @connectioneverywhere @trulybetty @nerdieforpedro @thisneozonerecs @fckyeapedrothots99 @goodwithcheese @anavatazes @doughmonkey @lilmizmoz @76bookworm76

#pedro pascal #pedro paacal x reader #frankie morales #frankie morales x reader #pedro pascal characters #francisco catfish morales #frankie morales x ofc #frankie morales x you #frankie morales smut #triple frontier fic #adrift with you series #jett's writing

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shankss-magnificent-ass · 10 months

Text

Imagine Shanks yearning domesticity

Author's note: I head canon that Shanks has ADHD, and sometimes for people with ADHD (and I'm speaking from 20+years of personal experience) have trouble identifying their emotions. And kind of like Luffy, that Shanks is some shade of demisexual and or aromantic.

After a scouting mission

Hongo: hey boss we got a problem.

Shanks: uh oh, what problem is that?

Hongo: we found this at a ship wreck on the other side of the island

Howling Gab: *puts a bassinet on the table in front of Shanks*

Shanks: oh no, we've done this before, and it did not end well. I ended up not getting any sleep for months. Put that thing back where you got it.

Hongo: there were no other survivors from the wreck, and there is no one else on the island. So leaving the child on the island isn't an option.

Shanks: *groans*

Benn: Are you going to be the one to take cared of the little shit?

Hongo: about that *his eyes drift over to you*

Benn and Shanks: *follow his gaze*

Benn: perfect, the rookie'll take care of it.

You: oh no, I didn't sign up to become a nanny.

Shanks: but you're so good at taking care of the rest of us, what's one more? *Picks up the baby wrong*

You: Shanks, you have to support its head! *Repositions the infant on to his shoulder *

Shanks: *shivers at your touch in a way that takes him off guard*

Benn: see, you're a natural.

You: well too bad, it's going to have to stay with you lot while I finish cooking dinner.

Lucky Roux: I can do that for you. *Doesn't wait for your answer, and just removes your apron and places the baby in your hands*

You: this is despotism by the way.

Shanks: probably, but the baby looks comfy

Baby: *fell asleep the moment you wrapped your arms around it*

You: *sighs and looks around for a place to sit down, only for every spot to be taken*

Shanks: *pats his knee in invitation*

You: *sits down across his lap, putting your feet in Benn's lap, and leaning yourself and the baby against his chest*

The crew: *coos at how cute the three of you look*

An hour later

The crew: * left the room to finish their chores*

You: *asleep with your head pressed into the crook of Shank's neck*

Shanks: *stroking the baby's cheek and periodically glancing over at your resting face*

Benn: You three look quite cozy *pulls out his cigarettes*

Shanks: no smoking around the wee one, and I know it won't last.

Benn: I'm sensing a 'but' coming.

Shanks: *shakes his head*, it's just that this feels... right. I almost don't want it to end, but we need to get the baby back to their family or at least somewhere safer than my ship.

Benn: the baby aside, you and (y/n) don't have to end. I know you've known you've had feelings for them for weeks. It's not like you to ruminate for so long, you usually know exactly how you feel.

Shanks: *sighs* this is different, they're different, and it feels like I'm different now too.

Benn: explains a lot about your behavior lately.

Shanks: my behavior?

Benn: you haven't seemed like yourself lately.

Shanks: because I haven't felt like myself for a few weeks. *Tucks a strand of your hair to the side* I have so many doubts and a lot of anxiety with them here. If they'll live to see tomorrow. If they'll get sick and need medication we don't have. If they're safe here, or if they'd be safer hidden away on an island only we know. But despite all of that the thought of them leaving fills me with even more anxiety. Like what would happen if someone showed up to hurt them, and I wasn't there to protect them.

Benn: you're in love dude.

Shanks: nah, I just want them to be around to bring me sweets, or to straighten my outfit before I go out to port. It's not like I want them to kiss me or ... *Looks at your sleeping face*... Oh, dear

Benn: dummy

Shanks: don't you have duties to finish up?

Benn: good night boss.

Shanks: *takes you to sleep in his bed and puts the baby in the bassinet for the night before crawling into bed with you* all of this makes no sense, but for once I don't mind.

List of Up-and-coming works

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#one piece #one piece x reader #one piece imagine #red haired shanks #red hair shanks #akagami no shanks #shanks x reader #akagami no shanks x reader #red hair pirates #benn beckman #hongo #from the depths of the dragon's hoard #tma original #8/7/23 #no beta we die like men

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wistfulcynic · 7 months

Text

the inn is a metaphor

They are terrible at running an inn.

In the beginning.

They don’t know the first goddamn thing about the hospitality industry. Or carpentry, plumbing, invoicing, logistics. Anything, really. They know nothing.

They learn.

There’s a lot of trial, even more error. But by the first time the Revenge returns for a visit they have something. A roof that doesn’t leak. Un-rotted floorboards. Nooks and crannies free from feral beasts of any kind. Zero spiders. Twin armchairs in front of the fire and a bed just big enough for the two of them. It’s a start.

The Revenge comes bearing gifts. Wee John has knitted them some afghans and Frenchie sewed an enormous quilt, which takes pride of place on the bed. They’ve towed in another ship as well, a wreck whose timber they all pitch in to rebuild into an extension and some outbuildings. Roach helps them plant a kitchen garden and a medicinal one.

Jackie gives them business advice and contacts for her old suppliers. Lucius has a guestbook for them, with marginalia he drew himself. Some of it at least is appropriate for guests to see. The rest…

“Are you planning to have guests who’ll faint at the sight of a cock?” Lucius inquires innocently. “Because I’ll be honest with you, that seems unlikely.”

The idea of guests of any kind is still a long way off, but they’re getting there. They can envision it now, and not just as a wild fantasy they spin each other at night as they lie entwined with sweat cooling on their skin. They have actual plans, concrete ones, and a decent understanding of how to realise them.

They get to work.

Jackie’s contacts prove invaluable. Soon they have a liquor supplier, deals with local butchers, bakers, candlestick-makers, and even a reliable fisherman to give them first dibs on his haul.

(It’s not Pop-Pop.)

A few survivors of Zheng’s old crew hire on as housekeeping and kitchen staff. The soup is phenomenal. Ed learns how to make it and how to cook a fish without burning it. They have fresh-smelling towels, expertly folded. They have guest rooms, and soon they have guests.

It’s an adjustment, having new people in their space. Some of the guests are gawkers, eager for a piece of Blackbeard and the Gentleman Pirate. They reserve the right to refuse service to anyone, namely those particular assholes. But other guests are much more pleasant. Locals looking for a bit of a mini-break, people from nearby islands wanting a getaway, even the occasional European who doesn’t know who they are.

The guests are mostly happy with their stay. There’s excellent soup and decent fish, fresh linens and great views. The walls could be a bit thicker, perhaps, for everyone’s comfort, but the hosts are always most apologetic in the morning and offer copious marmalade in exchange for good reviews.

The Revenge returns frequently, each time with some new trinkets and finery for their former co-captains. In exchange, they host bonfires on the beach with music and dancing and wine, until they all fall asleep together in a pile, so like the old days on the ship that Stede watches them in the soft light of the embers with tears in his eyes.

“All right, love?” Ed asks him. He slips an arm around Stede’s waist. Stede tugs him in until Ed’s head is nestled against his shoulder. He strokes Ed’s hair. Ed sighs and snuggles closer.

“I’m all right,” Stede says. “A bit nostalgic is all.”

“You miss it.”

“I miss the crew. I wish they could visit more often. I suppose I miss the sea, though of course it’s right there in front of us. But I’m happy, Ed. I have no regrets.”

“Really?” The whisper of doubt in Ed’s voice has Stede pulling back to look down at his dear face.

“Yes really! Do you doubt it?”

“Kind of.” Ed shrugs. “It’s easier for me, I think. I was ready to be done with it, Stede. Desperate to do anything else but be Blackbeard. But you—you had just got started. You could be out there now with the crew, pirating away. You could be famous. You could—”

“Ed Teach, you listen to me.” Stede’s got his Captain Voice on now and the sound of it has Ed’s stomach turning cartwheels, his dick leaping to attention. “I don’t care about any of that. I only wanted to be a pirate for the freedom. To escape my old life. But I have a life now that I would never want to escape. Do you know why?”

Ed shakes his head.

“Because I chose it. I chose you. I love you and I would be happy anywhere you were.” He cups Ed’s cheek in his palm and kisses his forehead, his nose, his lips. Ed moans and presses closer but Stede pulls back, just far enough to whisper, “You make Stede happy.”

They spend that night alone in the inn, no guests, far enough from the beach that when they serve breakfast to the crew the next morning not a single smirk or smart remark is sent their way.

They wave goodbye to their friends that evening and stand together on their porch to watch the ship sail off into the sunset. Stede turns to Ed with a smile. “New guests checking in tomorrow,” he says. “We should probably fix the creak in the door hinge of Room 1.”

“I’ll do it,” says Ed, “if you polish the candlesticks. Fuckin’ polish makes my nose itch.”

“Deal,” says Stede. He turns to head inside. “What’ll we have for dinner?”

“Got a nice turbot we could roast.”

“Ooh, fab.”

The inn’s front door closes behind them.

It’s still a bit rickety, their inn. It’s old, it creaks, it springs leaks from time to time. It’s hard work, keeping it going. But they are devoted to the task. Whatever it takes, they will see their inn thrive.

It’s what makes them happy.

#blackbonnet #blackbonnet fanfic #gentlebeard #gentlebeard fanfic #ofmd #ofmd fanfic #our flag means death #post season two #profdanglais

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jisuto · 27 days

Note

You have a list of DS games everyone should play?

*unravels dusty scroll*

Pokemon Platinum

Pokemon HeartGold SoulSilver

Pokemon BW and B2W2 (YES BOTH)

Animal Crossing Wild World

Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow

Castlevania Order of Ecclesia

Nintendogs

Ace Attorney (first 3)

Hotel Dusk: Room 215

New Super Mario Bros

Mario Kart

Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

Kirby Super Star Ultra

Kirby Mass Attack

Kirby Canvas Curse

Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword

Yoshi's Island

Cooking Mama (any but I like 3 best)

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team

Metroid Prime Hunters

Metroid Prime Pinball

Sonic Rush

Sonic Colors

Final Fantasy IV remake

Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2

The World Ends with You

Okamiden

Star Fox Command

Legendary Starfy

Pokemon Conquest

Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey

Super Princess Peach

Mario Party

Mario Hoops 3 on 3

999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors

Contra 4

These games I've played and recommend but there's plenty more out there too!!

#asks

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spacecoffeeandcartoons · 2 years

Text

ahahahahaaha

AHAHAHAHAHA

Jonathan and Candice think they're so smart, mutinying to Raro....

you utter Fooles -- you're just CREATED A FOUND FAMILY

you forged the Aitu Four's relationship in fire!

Penner specifically is reaping so much karma in this game, from straight out the gate with the chickens to THIS

#survivor cook islands #survivor

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macbethsymphony · 11 days

Text

The Swordsman and the Blacksmith | Chapter 9

Roronoa Zoro x Reader

Chapter wc: 3.4k

Chapter rating: SFW

Content/Warnings: NSFW, 18+, Fem!Reader, Enemies to lovers, SLOW slow burn, Eventual smut, vaguely referenced past abuse

Summary: Your skills as a blacksmith have made you desirable to both the government and pirates. You know you have to leave this island if you want to escape your fate, but that doesn't make the choice of leaving any easier. Roronoa Zoro is intrigued by your skills as a blacksmith. Your work is like nothing he's ever seen before. Unfortunately, you're hot-headed and he's rude and you both definitely hate each other.

Chapters [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

Masterlist

Slowly crossposting from AO3 Feel like binging the rest of it? it's all there!

Chapter 9: A Tale of Three Swords

You sat at the worn wooden table in the bustling galley, your foot tapping impatiently against the floor as you picked at your breakfast. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the alluring scent of Sanji's cooking, but your mind was elsewhere, consumed with thoughts of the forge awaiting your return.

The door creaked open, and one by one, the members of the Straw Hat crew trickled into the room, their voices rising in animated chatter as they greeted each other with hearty laughs and wide smiles. Luffy bounded in first, his infectious energy filling the room as he plopped down beside you, his stomach growling loudly in anticipation of the meal to come.

Nami followed, today’s news under her arm as she settled herself not far from you, her sharp eyes flicking between the articles and the crew members gathered around the table. Usopp joined her, his eyes landing on your anxious form.

“You alright, (Y/n)?” He asked.

You offered him a weak smile. “I’m fine, Usopp.” You replied your tone more curt than intended. “Just itching to get back to work” you explained.

Nami shot you a sympathetic glance from across the table, her expression softening with understanding. “I know it’s hard, but you need to listen to Chopper” She chided gently as she turned the page she was reading.

You sighed. “I know, I know,” you muttered, stabbing at your food with more force than necessary.

You didn’t see Nami blanch, only looking up after Robin asked her what was wrong. Your wanted poster had fallen out of the pages of the newspaper.

1 billion Berry.

You knew it was coming. It still didn’t soften the blow.

“Pass me that, would you?” You asked with a small smile, gesturing at the newspaper Nami was holding.

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea” She said meekly.

Ah. It was bad then.

“I’ll be alright, Nami” you assured her, prying the paper out of her grip.

The Blacksmith of Hell joins the Straw Hat Pirates after annihilating a marine base. You snorted. Blacksmith of hell? They couldn’t come up with something… better? You continued reading, your eyes settling on the phrase ‘No survivors’. You hadn’t held out much hope, but you’d still wished for something else.

You handed back the papers to Nami, trying to keep the inner turmoil of your emotions off your face. “Not too tempted to turn me in? Imagine the things you could buy with a billion Berry” You joked, the mirth in your voice not reaching your eyes.

Nami’s expression shifted, a mixture of concern and empathy etched across her features. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she said firmly, her voice tinged with indignation. She started to say something else, but you cut her off, not wanting to have the conversation she was heading towards.

“What’s all of you guys’ bounties anyways?” you asked in fake cheerfulness.

It seemed to distract them enough. You listened half-mindedly at their responses and arguing. You leaned back as you watched Zoro settle in front of you.

“What about you, swordsman?” You asked him after everyone had answered.

“120 million,” he said under his breath.

“That’s it?” You snorted.

He scowled.

You made a quick tally in your mind. “So… I’ve more than doubled your collective bounty.”

Zoro’s expression darkened at your remark, his jaw clenching visibly as he shot you a withering glare. “Don’t get too cocky, Witch,” he retorted, his voice laced with thinly veiled irritation. “Bounties don’t mean a damn thing when it comes down to it.”

You raised an eyebrow in amusement, unfazed by his hostility. “Oh, I’m well aware,” you replied, a smirk playing at the corners of your lips. “But it’s still amusing to think about, isn’t it?”

“Don’t worry about it (Y/n)! I’m going to surpass you in no time.” Luffy exclaimed.

You laughed. “I’m counting on it, Luffy. Makes no sense for a blacksmith to have a higher bounty than their captain’s”

You pushed your empty plate away from you before leaning forward, an evil glint in your eyes. “Let me study your swords, Mr. 120 million” You demanded.

His eye twitched. “No.”

The crew’s attention went back to what they’d been doing, uncaring of the familiar argument about to take place.

“Aw, come on! I’m not allowed in my forge! Let me study your swords, swordsman” You said with exasperation.

“If you think I’m letting you close to my swords, you’re out of your mind, witch” He retorted, crossing his arms in defiance.

“Do you have to be such an asshole about it?” you asked, condescension lacing your tone. “I’m bored out of my fucking mind, let me study them!”

“Your temper tantrum isn’t going to change my mind, brat” he snarled.

“Brat?” You screeched. That was a new one. “Please, swordsman, I’m clearly older than you.” You scoffed looking him up and down. “I bet you can’t even grow a beard, you fuckin child.”

His eye narrowed at your taunt. “I’ll consider it if you let me hold that sword of yours” he turned the table of the argument on you.

You scowled. “You’re insane if you think I’ll let you do that.”

Zoro leaned in, his gaze unwavering. “Let me hold it.” He demanded.

“That’s enough, you two” Chopper’s voice cut in, stopping the argument as he entered the galley. “(Y/n) you need rest, not… this” He gestured frantically at the two of you. “Try to get along for once.”

You leaned back in your chair, crossing your arms defiantly. “Fucking glorified sword rack with an attitude” you muttered under your breath looking at the swordsman unabashedly.

“Temperamental witch” He muttered back, looking away.

Chopper’s exasperated expression mirrored your own frustration. With a sigh you apologized to the small reindeer, unable to withstand the guilt you felt at not listening to the doctor.

You watched as the sun lowered on the horizon. You hadn’t been able to shake off your anxiety nor the contents of the article out of your mind all day long. Everyone had unsuccessfully tried to distract you throughout the day. It was kind of them, but your mind was stuck on your forge, hands itching to create. You groaned, longingly looking at your workbench, visible through the doorway. With hesitant steps, you went in. Your eyes landed on your hammer.

“Soon” You told it, fingers grazing the hilt.

Instead, you turned towards the swords, displayed on the wall. They seemed to call to you. Without much thought, you grabbed them. Turning around, your eyes landed on the pile of steel. You yearned to take one in your hands, but you stopped yourself. Not yet. A deep, frustrated grunt escaped your lips as you turned away, your steps heavy with reluctance.

You made your way to the kitchen instead, the comforting smell of the sea air mingling with the faint aroma of cooking drifting from within. You entered the well organized room, the dim light casting long shadows across the worn wooden floor. Sanji was surprisingly out. You grinned at the luck of your timing. You clenched your swords under your arm, careful not to accidentally bump into the various objects in your path as you made your way towards the pantry. Your eyes scanned the shelves, searching for something, anything, to ease the knot of anxiety tightening in your chest. Your hand reached out, fingers grazing the cool ceramic of a bottle of sake tucked away on the top shelf.

A small, relieved smile tugged at the corners of your lips as you retrieved the bottle, the promise of its contents offering a fleeting respite from the turmoil of your thoughts. With careful hands, you uncorked the bottle, the soft pop of the cork releasing a tantalizing aroma that filled the air with warmth and comfort.

“I wouldn’t let Chopper catch you with that” You froze, the bottle of sake suspended in your hand as Sanji's voice cut through the silence of the kitchen. With a quick, guilty glance over your shoulder, you found the cook leaning casually against the doorframe, his trademark cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth.

A sheepish grin spread across your face as you turned to face him, the bottle of sake held aloft like a guilty trophy. "You caught me," you admitted with a chuckle, feeling a flush of embarrassment creeping into your cheeks.

Sanji's expression softened, his stern demeanor giving way to a knowing smile. "I won't tell if you won't," he said with a wink, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

Relief flooded through you at his easy acceptance, the tension in your shoulders easing slightly as you recorked the bottle in your hands "Thanks, Sanji," you replied gratefully, a genuine smile playing at the corners of your lips.

He waved off your thanks with a casual flick of his hand, his attention already drifting back to the stove where a pot of something sweet was bubbling away. "Just don't make it a habit," he admonished lightly, his tone tinged with mock seriousness.

You made your way out of the kitchen, looking both ways to make sure the small doctor wasn’t in sight. Satisfied, you let the door close behind you, eyes searching for a good hideout to wallow in your self-pity. The crow’s nest. Yes. That would be good.

You clumsily ascended the ladder, the bottle of sake and your three swords teetering precariously in your grip with each rung climbed. As you reached the top, you pushed open the trap door and peeked into the makeshift gym. The space was empty, only the soft hum of the wind against the windows shattering the silence around you.

Perfect.

With a triumphant grin, you collapsed against the wooden wall, the bottle of sake cradled in your arms like a precious treasure. You set your three swords in front of you in a neat row. Fingers fumbling, you uncorked the bottle and took a long, satisfying swig of sake, the fiery liquid warming you from the inside out.

As the sweet burn of alcohol danced down your throat, you couldn't help but let out a contented sigh, the stress and tension of the day melting away with each passing moment.

Just as you started to get lost in the comforting haze of drunkenness, the trap door creaked open, familiar green hair emerging. Zoro ascended the ladder with his usual nonchalance, his three swords strapped to his side, two bottles of cheap booze in his hand. His eye flickered with mild annoyance upon spotting you, but he said nothing, opting to lean against the opposite wall.

“Couldn’t find a better spot to get drunk?” he remarked, his tone laced with a mixture of boredom and irritation.

You shot him a mocking smile. “Thought I’d enjoy some peace and quiet. Can’t even take a shit without Chopper worrying about it.”

A snort of amusement escaped Zoro as he took a swig from his bottle, the bob of his throat catching the dim light.

Feeling the warmth of the sake coursing through your veins, you erupted into a drunken exclamation. "Ah! If you breathe a word about this to anyone, I'll kill you, swordsman." Your words slurred slightly, the alcohol adding a playful edge to your threat.

Zoro’s eyebrow raised in mild amusement as he took another sip. “I won’t” he said. “Besides you couldn’t land a hit on me even if you tried.”

Your lips curved in a mischievous grin, the effects of the sake making your movements sluggish. “Oh you’d be surprised” You slurred trying to get up unsuccessfully. “I’ve got more tricks up my sleeve than you give me credit for.” You let yourself slump back down.

The swordsman let out a low chuckle, the sound rumbling deep in his chest. “That so?”

The unfamiliar sound of his laughter brought a soft heat on your cheeks before you let out a small laugh at your own condition. “Maybe not right now, and I’m actually shit with swords, so probably not with that but I bet I could land a punch…probably.”

He didn’t say anything.

“You know” you slurred, eyes falling down to the bottle in your hands. “I think you’re a real pain in the ass.”

His brows furrowed in annoyance at your words. His jaw clenched tightly as he glared at you. “Don’t worry, the feeling’s mutual” he shot back, tone bitter.

You scoffed, taking a sip of sake. “But you know what?” You whispered against the bottle, your words barely audible over the sound of the wind. “Despite everything, I still think you’re a damn good swordsman.”

Zoro’s expression softened slightly at the unexpected compliment, his features relaxing into a reluctant grin. “And you’re a damn good swordsmith for a temperamental witch.” He muttered, his tone gruff yet oddly genuine.

You smiled.

A comfortable silence settled between the two of you.

“What’s with the swords?” He asked after a while.

You looked up at him, an odd look in your eyes. “I thought I should have a conversation with these three” you said after long deliberation. “But I haven’t found what I’ve been wanting to say just yet.”

Zoro arched an eyebrow skeptically. “A conversation with your swords?” He repeated, his tone incredulous. “Are you that drunk, or did I miss something about talking weapons?”

You giggled, the alcohol making everything seem funnier than it was. “Not exactly talk” You start to explain. “But, if you learn to listen, steel will talk back to you. Each one has its own personality, its own spirit.”

Your gaze was soft as your eyes surveyed the swords before you.

“I think I know what you mean” He muttered softly.

“I’ve made over a thousand swords you know.” You said eyes not leaving the blades. “But these three are the only ones I’ve made with haki.”

He didn’t say anything.

“What I do... It’s a dangerous process.” You continued. “If I’m not careful, if I don’t control it well enough or if my attention wanders, the steel sucks in my own life force.”

You spot the slight shift in the stance of the swordsman as he listened to your words.

“My teacher figured that early on, but he was a greedy man.” Your gaze seemed far away as memories filled your eyes.

Zoro’s eye remained fixed on you, his expression unreadable as you spoke, the weight of your words hanging heavy in the air between you. The soft glow of the moon highlighted the sharp features of his face.

You took another swig of sake, the warmth of the alcohol soothing the ache in your chest as you continued to share your thoughts with the swordsman. “Now that I look back, I was still just a child when he asked me to forge Uragiri. But when he asked me to forge him a sword, I was so proud. Proud that he would deem my skills good enough for him to carry it.”

Your hand went to the first sword before you. “I didn’t really understand the consequences back then, so I poured my soul into making this one.” You unsheathed it slightly. The gleam of the black blade reflected the moonlight. The air seemed to still for a moment. “If I had to guess, this one cost me at least three years of my life.” You twirled the blade in your hands, testing the balance. “It’s a beautiful blade, but it’s got a strong will. Very few can handle it.”

You looked back at the swordsman. “They’re not unlike cursed swords, you know.” You sheathed back the sword in your hand. “Ultimately, it drove him mad.” You took a pause, guilt, regret. You put back the sword before you. “He became violent after wielding it for a while. My sister took the brunt of it, but when we tried to escape, he shackled me to the forge. That’s when he made me make Yokubari.” Your eyes shifted to the infamous sword before you, taking it in your hands. Your fingers danced on the pommel for a few moments before wrapping against the silk wrap.

Zoro’s eye widened in alarm as he watched you unsheathe Yokubari, his hand instinctively reaching for one of his swords. The air crackled with tension as you allowed the sword’s power to wash over you, your haki merging with the blade’s soul in a familiar waltz.

For a moment, the crow’s nest seemed to pulse with the weight of Yokubari, its presence palpable in the air. Zoro’s grip tightened on Wado Ichimonji, his muscle coiled like a spring as he remembered his encounter with the sword.

“Don’t worry, I’m drunk, not dumb” you said with a chuckle at his reaction. You set the scabbard on the floor before bringing your hand alongst the sharp edge of the blade. “What happened back at the base…it was an accident. I lost control of my body before I could bring it into control.” There was sorrow in your gaze as you remembered your mistake. Your thumb danced too close to the edge, a bead of blood forming against your skin. “Yokubari and I, we’re one and the same. It’s a result of the suffering I endured at the time. Sometimes I wonder how many years of my life forging this blade has taken away from me… but I think I’d rather not know.”

The weight of your confession hung heavy in the air, the gravity of your words sinking into the swordsman’s consciousness like lead in water.

“In the end, his own greed killed him, when he tried to wield this stubborn sword.” You sheathed Yokubari with a bitter smile. “It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it?”

You took a gulp of the sake, trying to make the ball of emotion in your throat disappear.

“It took me years before I made a sword again.” You pointed at the third sword before you. “Shiawase is the kindest of these three. Doesn’t mean it’s not a temperamental bitch though” You chuckled. “By the time I made it, I’d mastered the process of infusing steel with haki without much consequences but the process of making a blade of this quality is long. It took almost everything out of me.”

Zoro took a swig of his own bottle, his eye not leaving yours. “So.. that one.” He gestured towards Yokubari. “It’s the most troublesome one of the lot?”

You snorted. “That’s all you got out of the whole story?” Your tone was laced with irritation. “It’s not necessarily the most troublesome, but it’s the one that’ll kill you the fastest” You answered anyways.

Zoro’s eyebrow arched as he listened to your blunt response, a smirk playing on his lips. You tried to take a swig out of your bottle, only to find it empty.

“Damn it” You muttered under your breath.

“Here” He tossed you the unopened bottle next to him. The gesture saying more than he knew how to say.

You caught the bottle with a sloppy grab, the alcohol inside it sloshing as you fumbled to open it. Zoro observed your tipsy struggle, a subdued chuckle slipping past his stoic facade. With an almost imperceptible shake of his head, he reached over, his weathered fingers skillfully unscrewing the cap before casually handing it back to you.

“Thanks,” you mumbled, bringing the bottle to your lips for a long, liberating sip. The alcohol hit your senses with an unexpected intensity, a fiery burn coursing down your throat. It was strong. As you lowered the bottle, you glanced up at Zoro, a mischievous glint in your eyes.

"Now that you know what an amazing blacksmith I am," you began, your words carrying a hint of playful arrogance, "why don't you consider letting me delve into the secrets of your swords?"

Zoro responded with an exasperated eye roll, the subtlest hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"I'll let you study them," he replied, his voice surprisingly soft, "on the condition that you allow me to wield yours."

Caught off guard, whether by the alcohol-induced haze or the unexpected warmth in his tone, you found yourself responding with an uncharacteristically contemplative tone.

"I'll... consider it," you admitted, a surprising openness in your words that lingered in the air like a shared secret between two souls navigating the blurry lines of camaraderie.

A comfortable silence settled over you as you both took a swig out of your respective bottles.

“Glorified sword rack with an attitude was a good one” he admitted, shattering the silence.

You laughed, a clear cheerful din reverberating on the windows of the crow’s nest.

He smiled.

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Masterlist

#the swordsman and the blacksmith #roronoa zoro #roronoa zoro x reader #roronoa zoro x you #roronoa zoro x y/n #one piece x reader #zoro x reader #charlou writes

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bidisastersanji · 4 months

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Was talking with @anniilaugh about would be the funniest/stupidest reality tv shows for Sanji and Zoro to meet at so here’s a few ideas and please feel free to add your own lol

The Bachelor: hopeless romantic Sanji as the bachelor being courted by Gin, Pudding, Ace, Pedro, Violet, Katakuri, etc (all the other ships) as well as a debt-ridden Zoro who was pushed by Nami to sign up to try and get prize money (in this instance you can get a lot of prize money if you’re chosen by the bachelor and leave, or you split with him if you stay or something?) the ANGST as Zoro gets a very bad first impression but fights to stay on (for the money) and tries to charm his way into Sanji’s heart, only to start falling for him too . Sanji would struggle SO much deciding who to give roses to lol. pudding would be sweet and kind to him but calculating/ manufacturing drama behind the scenes.

Survivor- now you’ll tell me how dare you put Sanji on an island to starve again and to that I say- this time he’s prepared and he’ll forage and fish and is doing it to prove to himself he can/that he’s over his trauma . He and Zoro are on opposing teams at first and then get to know each other at reunification

A baking/cooking show for non-professionals, with Zoro as a contestant and Sanji as a chef judge . Alternatively, Sanji as a contestant on a pro one and Zoro is a celebrity guest with the difficult palate they need to please

Fort Boyard: Sanji freaking out with the bugs and spiders, the team losing their mind because all the instructions they scream at Zoro through the door are being carried out in the exact opposite manner, both parties impressing the other with their feats. Fort boyard is a show for half-famous people so it could be fun if they’d heard of each other before/are each others celebrity crushes

Mister Universe- mister France and mister Japan meet and fall in love Ehehe

The bi life/any dating by the pool type dating show: Sanji is a hopeless romantic and Zoro got signed up by Perona. They butt heads at first

The Amazing Race: established relationship ZSZ , fan favourites, always arguing and getting lost because of Zoro, the underdogs

Love on the spectrum: Zoro, swords and sword fighting special interest guy meets Sanji, romcoms and cooking special interests guy

Too hot to handle : Demi!Zoro signs up thinking it’ll be a piece of cake since there’s no way he’ll develop feelings for superficial people like the ones that usually come into that show, he’ll manage to stay celibate no problem and get away with the prize money easy . Enter Sanji, and all his plans go to hell

Queer eye: zoro is the « hero of the week » and Sanji is the food and wine expert, need i say more?

L’amour est dans le pré(love is in the field)/Farmer wants a wife husband: farmer zoro and city boy Sanji

Naked attraction: this would actually be super hilarious if for some reason one of them didn’t fully read or understand the concept of the show being full frontal nudity as the basis for selecting a partner

My mind is going wild with the possibilities but you get it lol- what shows did I miss ??

#reality tv au #zosan #zoro x sanji #zosan fic idea #sanzo fic idea #zosanzo fic idea #zosanzo #sanzo #one piece zosan #one piece sanzo

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lil-ms-darkness · 10 months

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Warm Like Baked Bread: Bigby Wolf x Goldilocks!Fem!Reader

A/N: I wrote this a while ago, and I hope you enjoy it.

For comic readers, this is an AU where Goldilocks is not a total extremist psychopath and is, instead, a survivor of circumstance. Living with the human Fable community in New York.

I have a few more small continuations to this in the works, so if you enjoyed this one, you can look forward to those.

-Lil_Ms_Darkness

“Come on in!” The woman calls from inside.

Bigby knocks on the wooden door, already able to smell the fresh baked goods from outside.

He looked to his right, finding her in the small kitchenette with a loaf of freshly baked bread cooling on the counter next to a couple cubes of decorated fabric, two decently sized boxes on the small island.

Just inviting people inside can’t be very safe But he tries the doorknob anyway, stepping through the door, closing it and walking down the small hallway that opens up into a one room apartment, a small love seat to the far right, back against a pony wall that a twin sized bed rested against on the other side. The bed has one long pillow, a plush looking throw at the end and a sea of stuffed animals. Against the wall across from the love seat, a tv set rests, framing two windows with sheer curtains.

“Are you just going to stand there, inspecting my home or are you going to come in, properly?” She asks and he notices the curly blonde hair tied into a messy bun, plain jeans and t-shirt covered by a pink apron. When she looks over at him, a single curl falls past her brow, warm eyes examining him for a brief moment before returning to her work.

Yeah, I do have the smallest apartment. Damn.

“Nice place you got here.” He muses as she sets a plastic container holding 6 muffins on top of one of the fabric squares, covering them and popping the holes in to protect the product before she wraps them up with a small bow tied in the fabric on top. She moves to set the muffins in one of the boxes, but he can still smell the baked blueberries and sweet, cooked sugar.

“Thank you, Sheriff. You’re welcome to sit at the island, if you’d like.” She offers without looking at him.

“I’m not here for an order, I need to ask you a few questions.” But he steps on the other side of the counter to stay out of her way. Her meticulous movements seem rehearsed and fluid like water.

“Ask away.” She says simply, continuing on her work.

“I understand you have a baking business,” he gestures to the pans and assorted baked items littering her countertops, “-do you do this full time?”

“Doesn’t leave you much down time.” He mutters

“Not quite. I have a full time job at the Trip Trap as a bartender. It’s not super busy, but since Lily was- ahem, since Lily passed, Holly needed a little more time so she could focus on herself a bit more. Woody talked me up to her, and boom, full time gig. When I’m not working there, I’m either delivering orders, or preparing orders.”

“No, but if you have a goal, sacrificing a little bit of forever doesn’t seem so bad.” She smiles, faintly. “And when I open up my Bed and Breakfast, it’ll all be worth it.” She sighs, softly and dreamily.

“Bed and Breakfast, huh?”

“Many of us are down on our luck, barely scraping by. Just look at Toad and TJ. I’m planning to open up my Bed and Breakfast to help Fables have a safe, clean place to go. Besides the Farm.” She wraps up the now cooled loaf of bread, “Why the interest in my career?”

“Have you been approached by anyone wanting to purchase sweets specifically for Snow White?” He leans forward, gauging her reaction.

Her eyes move up to his in an instant,

“She’s okay, right?”

“If you know something you need to tell me.”

“You do know something.” He examines her eyes, and he can read concern in them.

She definitely was approached by our guy.

“No, she’s safe.” He says, calmly.

“Yes, a gentleman asked for a special delivery to the Business Office for Snow White. 3 boxes of white chocolate covered strawberries and a raspberry drizzle with an apple crumble pie.” She says cautiously and Bigby squints at the mention of an apple pie. “I had the same reaction, Sheriff. I don’t read other Fables stories, but it doesn’t take a genius to know how she’d feel about that one...she is okay, right? I refused to do it, he didn’t do anything to her, did he?”

“Good.” She sighs, and pulls down a plate and a small fork, setting a muffin onto it.

“Did he give you a name?”

“I’m pretty sure he gave me a fake one,” she uses a butter knife to cut open the muffin before adding some butter to it, “but he gave me an alternate delivery address before I refused the order. Something about 'I understand that interacting with a princess would be nerve wracking'.”

“Do you still have it? The address?”

“I might, let me check.” She sets the plate with the muffin in front of him, wiping her hands on her apron and opening a drawer, digging around it.

“Free sample?” He asks, glancing down at the muffin. He can smell it already and it smells delicious.

“A thank you.” She corrects without looking up from the drawer.

“For?”

“Can’t say I’m surprised you don’t remember. You ate a man who was trying to get into my treehouse back in the Homelands. I doubt you did it to help me, you looked hungry, but it doesn’t change the fact that you may have saved me from worse horrors that day.”

“Mmm, most people would’ve been worried I’d eat them, too.” He muses.

“Maybe that’s why I’m feeding you now, you’ll never know.” She pushes something else aside in the drawer as she speaks, then lets out a little “There you are.” before pulling out a piece of paper, torn from a full sized piece of lined paper. She hands it over and he takes it, reading the address.

He has what he came for, but the muffin still permeates his senses. He picks up the fork and tears a piece of muffin off, inhaling the scent again with a slow sniff through his nose.

“Don’t worry, I only use the best poison for clients of your magnitude.” She smirks for the first time and his brown eyes lifted to meet hers, clearly not amused with the joke. “I’m joking, I doubt poison would kill you anyway. And the last thing I need is the charge of killing the Sheriff of Fabletown on my rear.” He looks down at the muffin on the fork before he decides to take a bite. It was warm and fresh, the blueberries moist and the sugar sprinkled on top of the muffin crunchy and flavorful. “Besides, I’m sure there’s a reason the other Fables fear you.”

He pauses, another piece of muffin close to his lips.

“You don’t know why they’re all afraid of me?” He sounds genuinely confused and surprised.

“I don’t read stories of other Fables, remember? Red did try to tell me about an encounter you two had at some point, something about her grandmother, but to tell you the truth, I was dealing with my own demons that I didn’t really hear her story fully. Then when Woody took me under his wing, he told me a bunch of stories about you, but honestly they all just sounded like someone trying to be bigger and badder than the next. So, I felt like it was pointless to hate you for things that didn’t directly involve me.” She shrugs, “Easy to say when you’re not experiencing what everyone is telling you about, but I don’t really care.”

“You knew Red?” He sounds surprised, “And the Woodsman?” Then he just sounded dumbfounded.

“Woody isn’t a bad guy, a little unorthodox maybe, and a little bit of an alcoholic with a tendency for dumb decisions, but not inherently bad. As for lil Red, she was my best friend after my mother abandoned me.” She smiles softly at the thought of her friend. His brow furrows as he looks at her; he’d always thought she got lost in the woods after going too far out, or maybe just got bored and decided to wreak some havoc like many children do. Maybe made a mistake but tried to rectify it and be better, like himself. “Surprised, aren’t ya? That��s why I don’t read the stories, because mine is all messed up. Mom abandoned me in the middle of the woods and left, I haven’t seen her since. One thing they don’t mention was I was 5 at the time, and had spent the better part of a month in the woods, starving and freezing. So when I came across the Bear’s home, I went in and I ate their porridge and slept in their beds, I tracked mud in their chairs. But not because I wanted to, but because it was either that or die, and I wanted to take advantage of the little bit of comfort I’d found.”

He didn’t remember asking, and he wonders why she seems so comfortable telling him her whole life story. Then again, he was still eating her muffin and he supposes he owes her a small token, after feeding him and giving the information he needed without any trace of being needing to pry it out of her. It likely would have taken this long if it were Holly or anybody else in Fabletown. He supposes she deserves an ear to listen. Besides, the strange sense of normalcy in how she spoke to him was oddly pleasant. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think they were friends for years. But the moment comes to a close as he finishes the last bite of his muffin and decides it’s time to get on his way.

He stands and sets the fork on his plate,

“Do you want me to put this in the sink for you?” He asks but she shakes her head, “Alright then. Have a good night.” He heads for the door.

“Sheriff,” She calls and he glances over his shoulder to offer her his attention in pure silence. “In my line of work, both at the Trip Trap and in my own business, a lot of gossip passes me by. If you ever need information, my door is open to you. If I know something, I’ll share it.”

“And what do you want in return?” There’s always a catch, he knows there’s something. Nobody ever gives something for nothing, especially not to the Big Bad Wolf.

“You let me feed you when you come to visit.”

“That’s not much of an exchange.”

“Then, how about you get to know me, that way if you hear a version of that messed up story you can debunk it.”

He’s quiet for a moment, looking at her kind, inviting eyes. He nods once and turns,

“Thank you, Goldilocks.”

“[F/N].”

“Hmm?”

“Call me [F/N].”

Now alone in the hallway, he pulls out his pack of cigarettes and grabs one between his lips before he lights it. He takes a puff and pulls out the address on the paper. He suspects he’ll see her again, whether it be for information or just for another muffin. As he tucks the address away and walks down the hall, he almost looks forward to coming back.

“...Thank you, [F/N].” He heads to the door, opening it and closing it behind him.

#bigby wolf x reader #goldilocks #fem reader #the wolf among us

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