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feirceangel · 6 months

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Imagine | Harassed (Shanks)

Imagine doing some shopping when a strange man won’t leave you alone.

Warnings: some violence, reader is harassed and threatened, reader is a badass

Word Count: 1143

(Not my gif)

You couldn’t remember the last time you stayed on an island this long. It must’ve been years ago, long before you met him.

Traveling had always been a desire of yours. To traverse the world, discovering different cultures and landscapes, that was your dream.

And you’ve been living it gratefully for years.

Of course, it’s always nice to spend more than a few days ashore once you have the opportunity.

Your Captain has business on this tropic island, and you’ve been enjoying the leisure time that this gives you.

Right now, you’re shopping at the local markets, admiring the bright jewelry and clothing that the various vendors offer.

A raucous laugh sounds off behind you. You ignore it, minding your own business, even as you hear a loud whistle.

“Hey, pretty lady,” a man’s voice says.

You continue ignoring it, instead reading the price of a beautiful red jewel.

This apparently aggravates the man trying to get your attention. He grabs your shoulder roughly, expecting it to be easy to turn you towards him.

You remain in place, stronger than the man anticipated.

After he removes his hand, you turn to him with a frown, “May I help you?”

He’s a tall man in a nice suit, not too shabby looking. Too bad his personality is rotten. Behind him are five more men in similar fashion. You take clear note of the weapons strapped to their sides.

“I was talking to you,” he growls. “I don’t like being ignored.”

“I don’t like being hassled,” you retort, crossing your arms.

“I was just saying how gorgeous you are,” he explains with a slimy grin.

You turn on your heel, “Thanks.”

“Hey!” He shouts, getting closer to you so that you can feel his breath. “Don’t you know who I am?”

“Do you know who I am?” You ask pointedly.

“You’re a pretty piece of ass that needs to be taught a lesson,” he scowls, stepping back. “And we’ll gladly be your teachers.”

Disgust washes over you.

“Are you trying to hit on me? Because you’re doing a poor job of it. And you’re wasting your breath- I’m already taken.”

“I could take you better than he ever could,” he tries to argue.

Your laughter is impossible to hold back, “You’re delusional, you aren’t even near his level. You should stop talking now.”

A smirk forms on your lips as you watch the man shake with anger. His eyes are alight with rage at being shot down and humiliated in front of his friends.

Meanwhile, you’ve mentally checked out, comparing the red of the jewel to your man’s hair. He loves seeing you in his colour.

A loud click goes off near your ear, the kiss of cold metal on your temple a warning not to move.

“You’re gonna regret speaking to me like that.”

You step back from the market stall, shooting an apologetic look towards the owner. The poor girl looks terrified.

One of the man’s lackeys has pulled his gun on you, standing much too close for comfort.

Unimpressed, you shake your head, “How immature.”

“I’m going to-“

He stops as a malevolent aura suddenly appears, causing sweat to form on his brow.

“What exactly are you going to do?” A deceptively calm voice speaks out, followed by footsteps as a red-haired man approaches.

The man in front of you has gone paler than a corpse, shaking just like the man holding the gun against your head.

“Red-Haired Shanks,” a man near you whispers in terror.

They seem to be grasping the situation now. Although, you could have handled the situation just fine on your own.

You smile at your man, who raises a quizzical brow.

“These guys bothering you?”

Before you can reply, the hassler interrupts, “Please, sir we had no idea-“

A gunshot rings out and the gun pressed against your head suddenly falls as the man collapses in a display of bright red blood.

Infuriated, you kick out, knocking the guy to the floor next to his dead buddy.

“Shut up. You should have respected me regardless of who I associate with,” you deliver a harsh kick to his side before pressing your foot on top of his chest.

“Scum like you are less than worms to me,” you grit out, adding more pressure until you hear a sickening crack of a broken rib and the man cries out in pain. “You never know when to quit.”

You reach out a hand towards Shanks and he hands you his sword without hesitation. None of this dimwit’s posse do anything to try and help their leader.

They know it’s a battle they could never win.

With a graceful flick of your wrist, the man below you is impaled through the heart. A clear message to anyone watching.

You fix your gaze on the remaining losers, “Don’t harass people, okay?”

They nod profusely, muttering nonstop apologies as they retreat quickly.

You crouch down to wipe the blood off of Shank’s sword, handing it back with a smirk.

“Darling,” he sheathes his weapon, moving closer to you and pressing a soft kiss to your cheek. “That was stunning.”

“Shanks, I was handling it just fine before you showed up,” you say, passing a glance over his shoulder to offer a smile to Benn Beckman. “But thanks for the assist anyways.”

“I know, but you know how I get seeing someone get so close to you,” Shanks says, looping his arm around your shoulders. “Especially when they threaten what’s mine.”

You grin, pressing your lips against his and nipping at him playfully.

“Why didn’t you deal with them sooner?” He inquires once you break away.

“Maybe I wanted to play the part of the damsel for once,” you tease. “Seeing you all protective and possessive gets me riled up.”

“Vixen,” he laughs, “You knew I was watching.”

“I always know, Shanks,” you wink at him. “Just like I know you’ll buy this for me.”

You show him the jewel that perfectly matches the shade of his hair.

He laughs, handing the money over to the shopkeeper, “I could never deny you, Y/n.”

He embraces you again and you lean into his warmth, inhaling the familiar scent of sake and sea breeze.

“I think I’ll have it made into a ring, that way everyone will know you’re mine.”

The grin that breaks onto your face is enough to brighten his whole lifetime.

He hugs you closer and presses a chaste kiss to your head.

He’d never let anyone else touch his treasure, he’d destroy anyone if they tried.

But he also knows you can fend for yourself, one of the many qualities that he adores about you.

You take his hand, leading him down the market, “Now you’re stuck shopping with me~”

He can’t think of anywhere else he’d rather be.

#female reader #imagine #reader insert #x reader #one piece #one piece x reader #shanks x reader #shanks #akagami no shanks #red haired shanks #one piece imagine #one piece shanks #op #op x reader #red haired shanks x reader

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wood-white-writer · 8 months

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"Didn't mean to make your heart Blue" || [5/...]

“Where I'll be looking in their eyes when they're down, I'll be there on their side. I'm losing by their side.”

— Mitski, "Bet On Losing Dogs"

Pairing: Buggy the Clown (Live action) x F!Reader

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 6

Summary: You were an apprentice of Gol D. Roger’s crew in your youth, long before his eventual demise. Along with the Red-Haired Shanks and Buggy, you were a formidable trio; the embodiment of a new generation of pirates yet to come. But times changed, and so did you and your friends.

It's been a few weeks since the events in Orange Town, and Luffy notices something that others do not. So, he decides to ask you.

Warnings: Canon typical violence, LA!Verse, No (fully bodied) Buggy this chapter, Luffy being the precious cinnamon we all love and must protect above all else, flashbacks about Shanks, past discussions, Luffy and Reader have a heart-to-heart.

A/N: I was initially going to write them going to the Baratie this chapter, but it became too long so next one for sho.

Taglist:@kurinhimenezu, @carpinchootaku, @ay0nha, @teh-vampire-bunny, @lokiscure, @internationalsuper-spy @detectivesparrow , @yuriwk, @notyuralycat, @angeli-fucking-cat, @machinema7k (If you want to be tagged for this story, just send me a message or leave a comment :))

You're sitting by the table in Party's bar, nursing a cold glass of rum against your cracked lips as you observe to the kid - Luffy - demonstrating his newfound Devil Fruit powers without any regard for poor Makino's furniture.

You don't get him, at all. Then again, you don’t get kids.

You've never thought of yourself as someone who easily got along with them ... or people in general. Shanks has always been the better-suited one for that kind of work. Whereas he is smiling and grinning at the kid’s mischief, you've barely offered him more than a glance at most.

Your crew has been positioned in Foosha village for the better part of the month, stacking up on resources and food in preparation for your next job. Incidentally, the Red-Haired Pirates also happened to be in town for similar excursions. You rarely see Shanks nowadays since you parted ways several years ago, but whenever you happen to come across one another, you share a drink on his tab.

While your crew is around and about, replenishing their strength and vigor for the work to come, you're content with just sitting here at your leisure. When you're not plundering or fighting or attacking Marine bases, you can't find it in yourself to do much of anything anymore.

Nothing adds any purpose to your life save for what keeps you fed and clothed, which in the life of a pirate, simply means pirating.

"I've heard you had good fortune on your latest heist," Shanks says from where he's sitting opposite of you. "For your efforts, the Marines have granted you among the highest bounties in all of the East-Blue."

You hum noncommittally in response, not offering much to the conversation in terms of merriment. "The quality of the Marines has been in decline. It says more about their effort, or lack thereof, than mine."

"Do you know what they call you nowadays?"

"They call me a lot of names, you got to be more specific."

"'Cross-Hairs, the Beast of the East'. It's got a certain ring to it, don't you think?"

"Sure."

Shanks smiles the kind way he always does. Always has done.

"Gum-Gum Pistol!"

The sound of yet another chair breaking has you rolling your eyes without even looking, and poor Makino ages ten years in seconds across the bar counter.

"Luffy!"

"Sorry!"

Shanks laughs heartedly at the display, only to cut it short upon noticing Makino's even glare sent his way from across the bar.

"You were careless," you state matter-of-factly and take another gulp from your drink. "You should've kept the fruit hidden more securely."

"Now, in my defense, I didn't think the lad would searching through my loot."

"Well, you should've." You slam your glass down, strong enough to leave a dent in the wooden surface. "What kind of captain leaves his loot undefended and unsupervised? Especially when it contains a Devil Fruit?"

Shanks doesn't argue with your statement and settles with taking a gulp of his own drink, letting your words simmer in his head. "You're right, I should've been more observant. Now, it'll be more difficult for him to achieve his dream."

"His dream? Of what? Becoming the King of the Pirates?" Try as you might, there's no suppressing the snort that escapes through your nose. "There's only ever been one King, and we all saw what happened to him. What do you think is going to happen to a kid who can't even swim?"

"Oh, come off it!" He gives you a playful nudge to the rib, which you reciprocate with a glare. He remains undeterred. "You mean to tell me you've never thought about finding the One Piece? Not even once?"

"I have no interest in whatever plunder Gol D. left behind."

"Then, what does interest you?" He rests his elbow on the edge of the table and leans over to your side. "What is your dream?"

You grit your teeth under your lips, a flash of blue circulating in your head. "Dreams are for fools and children," you point your head to where Luffy is currently sitting, trying to put the chair back together with a half-empty tube of glue and little luck.

"Come on, I know you better than that. Surely there's something in this world you want more than anything?"

"What I want is ..." You have half a mind to tell him the truth, whereas the other half wants to push the idea further down to the bottom of your chest. "Is another bottle of rum."

You raise your arm to Makino to gesture for another one, but Shanks is quick to lower it with a gentle shove of his arm. You flash him a scowl and brush off his hand, but unlike your crew or anyone else, he's not afraid.

"The point which I'm trying to make before you're completely pissed," he starts. "Is that no matter how much opposition one faces, it's that dreams are never out of reach if you have the will to reach for them."

He inclines his head over your shoulder, and you turn around to see Luffy successfully putting the chair back together. You don't know how he did it - it looked pretty busted minutes ago - but there it is, wholly intact.

And when the boy smiles, it's so vibrant and full of joy that it's almost blinding. He proudly runs over and shows the repaired chair to Makino, who proceeds to pat his head and hand him a plate of food.

"See?" Shanks grins. "Nothing is impossible."

"You can hardly consider putting a chair back together the same as achieving an impossible goal."

He shrugs. "Maybe not, but you won't know unless you try. All it takes is a little spirit."

You watch Shanks for a couple of minutes in silence, processing his mythic words, then shift your attention over to Luffy who's preoccupied with shoving an unholy amount of food into his mouth. If this is to become the future King of the Pirates one day, then it'll be an interesting future indeed.

"A little spirit, huh?"

— — —

You're sad.

Luffy first notices it when you leave Orange Town, and it lingers throughout your voyage.

For as long as he's known you, you've always been a person of relatively few words; never speaking unless you feel the situation requires it, and only acting when necessary. Even following the Kuro situation™, getting the Going Merry, and adding Usopp to his crew, he can tell that you're not all there anymore.

Not to be mistaken, you're not conspicuous with the way you behave. You still act like usual, talk like usual, however little, and commit yourself to your work on the ship, almost to an excessive extent.

All in all, nothing’s changed about you. However, he’s gotten used to your face and general lack of expression most of the time, and though it doesn't seem to alter, he still catches onto the fact that you're sad.

"Hey," he asks the group and props himself in the kitchen, legs crossed atop his seat. "Do you think she's any different?"

"Who? Your friend?" Nami asks, raising an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Well, I think she's sad."

"Doesn't look any different to me," Zoro supplies while polishing his swords on the table.

Usopp's in the middle of munching a piece of loaf, and answers with his mouth still halfway occupied. "Dunno how she usually is, but she's kinda terrifying if you ask me."

"No, she's not," Luffy dismisses lightly.

"What's her position on the ship, anyhow? How'd you come across her?"

"She's always been with me," Luffy answers without any thought. "And she’s a good fighter.”

Zoro — to everyone’s surprise — nods his head to this in concurrence.

Their Captain claps his hands together to get the subject back on track. "But anyway, I just think she seems kind of down now."

"How can you even tell? With eyes like these, —” Usopp puts both of his index fingers at the crow’s feet of his eyes and draws them back to imitate yours. It’s borderline shameful, truth be told. “— I can’t tell for shit what she’s feeling or thinking.”

“I just can.” Luffy shrugs.

“Has she said anything?” Nami asks. “Anything to make you ask?”

“No, not really.” He heaves a sigh and props his hand under his chin, contemplating. “But she's been different since we left Orange Town.”

"If you ask me," Zoro speaks up. "You should ask her about her relationship with that fucking clown."

"Who? Boogie?"

"Buggy," Nami corrects. "Didn't you notice that at the end? They have a history, it's obvious. They know each other, and I don't know what pirate customs are like nowadays, but I doubt you'd touch the face of an enemy unless there was something going on. Has she said anything about it?"

Luffy shakes his head. “No... but then again, she never does tell me much about anything unless I ask.”

The tangerine-haired girl blinks as if the answer to this whole predicament is obvious. She quickly comes to realize that, to Luffy, it’s not.

“So…” she prompts slowly.

“So…?”

She rolls her eyes at his inability to catch her drift. “Go ask her.”

It’s like the thought never even crossed Luffy’s mind in the first place because truth be told, it hasn’t. He lights up like a candlestick on the spot. “Yeah, I should just ask her!”

“Ask me what?”

The members of the Straw Hat pirates (save for Zoro) withdraw in various unique positions, having not heard you make your entrance before you speak.

You’re standing in the doorway to the kitchen, eyebrow slightly quirked at the Baroque-esque scene in front of you. Deciding not to address the display, you simply ask, “Anything I should know about, Captain Luffy?”

Usopp doesn’t even dare to answer, because he knows you sure as hell don’t see him as a captain in general, much less your captain. He swears he notices you briefly look in his direction at the mention of the title, and a shiver runs across his skin. Like static electricity in the air.

“Oh, yeah,” Luffy turns to you, not an ounce of fear in his eyes as he pops the question. “Are you sad?”

You blink once, then twice, like the inquiry on its own is of unfathomable origins to you. “Do I look sad?”

The boy in the straw hat nods. “I think you do.”

“Then I’m not.” It’s not only an answer, but also a sentence that marks this subject as finished on your part. One that does not permit any subsequent additions.

You incline your head to the deck above. “We’re going to have company soon, likely Marines, and they seem to be in supply of heavy fire this time.”

———

The situation with the aforementioned opponents temporarily distracts the crew, yet Luffy maintains a close eye on you, taking note of anything that can point him to the source of the unknown problem. You talk relatively little with the other crew members, but you seem to have developed an amicable enough relationship with them compared to when you first met.

Before, you could care less about getting to know them. Now, you’re actively going out of your way to ask Nami about her cartographic skills, even giving her tips for additions to her geographical detailing. You provide Zoro pointers on self-developed defensive techniques and ways to paralyze opponents in certain spots (which he seems appreciative of).

You even give Usopp a short nod when he tells you one of his fantastical stories, even knowing that they’re full of shit.

Luffy’s happy, but he still sees that you are not.

It’s all in your eyes. They’re hollow somehow, like the end of a barrel. He doesn’t know how he knows, only that he knows, and he’s known for a good while now.

So, that night, Luffy finds you in the kitchen by the windows, absentmindedly snacking on a red apple while you gaze into the dark nothingness outside. He also discovers that he’s subconsciously become quite observant of your habits as of late.

For example, you specifically pick red apples above any other color when they happen to dock someplace, not even paying any mind to the green or yellow ones. Just the red ones.

“Hey,” he positions himself next to you on the bench, a piece of loaf tight in his hand. “Why are you sad?”

You turn your head just a fraction to the side to look at him, not annoyed, but not appreciative of the focus he’s settled on as of late. "Shouldn't I be asking you that? The Vice-Admiral looks a little weary as of late, after all. Are you sad about it?"

"Nope."

“So why do you insist that I’m sad?”

“Because you are,” he states like it’s obvious.

You huff humorously and return your attention to the window that supplies no real view. “How can you tell?”

“I just can.” He takes a generous bite of his food and continues talking, oblivious to the crumbles that fall while doing so. “When I’m sad, I—”

“Eat?”

“Well, yeah.” He swallows the bite down. “But I also like to talk about it with someone I trust. Shanks used to say that true friends are the kind of people you can share your heart with and not get hurt.”

This annoys you, that much he can tell. A nail digs into the apple you’re holding, leaving a crescent-shaped indent on the red skin. “Shanks said many things, and not all of it's true.”

This doesn’t deter him from pressing on the matter. “If you keep all the hurt inside, it’s going to turn bad. You know, Makino said that if you leave a piece of ham in the fridge too long, it’ll get sour and people can’t eat it.”

“Only you could find a way to compare this sort of thing to food.” You withdraw your finger from the apple and end up leaving it alone altogether. A minute or ten of silence waves between you, laced with unspoken questions and denied answers. “Tell me, Luffy, just how much did Shanks tell you about his past?”

He thinks for a moment, mimicking your movements by putting his loaf aside. “Just about his adventures with the Red-Haired Pirates, and a little about the time you served with him. Is it true you were strong enough to throw a three-hundred-pound man to the ground when you were thirteen?”

He swears it’s a snort that he catches leaving your throat, but it’s hard to differentiate it from your more-than-usual scoffs. “He exaggerated.”

“Really?”

“The man was two-fifty, at most.”

Luffy grins with genuine admiration, so much so that your face tilts back slightly, being overwhelmed by the mere brightness that is him. “Wow! You must’ve been quite a beast when you were a kid!”

He notices it again, the sadness that latches onto your eyes like insects to sour meat. Whatever brief smile adorned your lips moments ago disappears like it was never there at all. Thinking he said something wrong, Luffy prepares to apologize when you speak again.

Your voice is soft yet faint like you’re afraid speaking too loudly will make something bad happen. “It wasn’t just me and Shanks, back then, you know.”

The Captain of the Straw Hats thinks it’s almost unnatural of you to be this demure, but he doesn’t interrupt you.

“Buggy was there, too. It was the three of us, together.”

“Oh, yeah.” He remembers it now. “He did mention that in Orange Town. You served the same crew.”

“… He did, did he?”

“He said you and Shanks betrayed him, but I didn’t believe him.” Luffy knows you and has known you for longer than he’s known a lot of people in his life. You’re one of the few permanent people he’s had, and he knows with a certainty that you’re not the kind of person who leaves anyone behind, not without reason.

Even if you did have a reason for leaving Buggy, it must have been a good one.

Your mouth opens and shuts several times in the span of a minute like you’re hesitating to talk about the past. You’ve never been one to talk about it, except to share some details about your time as captain, and even that was limited to the bare minimum.

Still, Luffy, being in no hurry for you to reach an answer, waits patiently by your side until you do decide to talk about it.

Talk about what he believes is the reason for your sadness.

“We were close back in the days,” you begin slowly. “Me, him, and Shanks. It was us against the rest of the world, and we were going to sail together to the end of the seas one day. It was our dream.”

“Then, what happened?”

You put your palm over both your eyes and rest your elbow on the window frame, heaving a sigh that resembles someone who’s spent too much of their life working and working and working without catching any breaks. Pure, simple exhaustion weighs you down, Luffy can tell.

When you speak next, you sound tired too, and perhaps a little strained. He can’t see your eyes, and so, he can’t truthfully tell what you’re thinking now. “The thing is, I don’t know what happened. All I know is that he decided he didn’t want to stick around.” You breathe through your nostrils. “Our captain was gone, and so was the crew, but we three were still together, and I thought we were going to stay together.”

“But you didn’t.”

“No … We didn’t. I don’t know what happened, but one day when I was talking with Shanks about what to do next, Buggy came in, and it … He looked at me like … Like he hated me.” You exhale. “He did hate me, and I don’t know what it was I did, but he practically told me that we were done … And then he left. I never saw him again, up until Orange Town.”

Luffy doesn’t require your eyes this time to tell that you’re sad now because you are. You’re so sad that it’s destroying you from the inside, and even that is an understatement on its own. There are no tears trickling down your cheeks, no quivers or thickness to your voice, no nothing to base his assumptions on, but he knows.

He stays silent for a short while, doing nothing but look at you. You’re one of the strongest people he knows. He’s seen you fight; seen the strength you possess, the fire in your eyes. You’ve stayed with him ever since Shanks left Foosha Village, you’ve looked after him from the sidelines when you thought no one was watching.

You’ve been with him throughout everything, and seeing you like this makes him feel blue on your behalf. You don’t express it yourself – you never do. You carry your weight with the same kind of strength you always do, never letting anyone see you beyond just that, and sometimes, he wonders if you’re lonely because of it.

At least, now he knows why you’re so sad. You’re heartbroken.

He’s never been acquainted with the feeling himself, has never felt any particular inclination toward it, but he can tell it’s your heart that’s hurting now, and it’s not as easy to heal as that cuts he received on his chest from the butler.

His hat seems to itch the harder he thinks about it, as if there’s something digging at his scalp through his hat. He thought Nami patched it up for him. He tries to scratch at it, but for some reason, it doesn’t cease. Maybe he’s got lice?

He ignores it. “It’s weird. Bunky seems to think you were the one who left him for Shanks.”

“I didn’t.”

“I know. You’re not that kind of person.” He says it so easily, without a smidgen of doubt or hesitation. You look at him through your peripheral vision, and your eyes slightly widen at his statement. “But, do you know what happened between them? Shanks and Bonky, I mean?”

“No, I don’t.” You admit with a shake of your head. You’ve tried to figure it out for years, and at some point, you decided to give up. “Shanks never told me, but whatever it was, it was enough for the stupid clown to leave for… He chose a childish rivalry over me.”

“Then, there you have it. It’s all just a big misunderstanding, so why don’t you just tell him if you meet him again?”

“You seem awfully defensive of the guy who destroyed an entire village and almost drowned you.”

“Yeah, but talking about him seems to make you happy.”

You freeze for a bit, snort, and turn your back to the window frame, leaning back and crossing your arms across your chest in silent resignation. “I tried to explain things to him back in Orange Town, and a fat load of good that did. Like I said, he hates me, and he’s sure as hell not my favorite person at the moment. If we do meet again, it likely won’t end any better than it back in Orange Town.”

“You know, –” Luffy takes another bite of his bread. “It didn’t sound like he hated you.”

“Hmm?” You raise an eyebrow, halfway curious and halfway skeptical.

“He still remembers that you like red apples and that you hide knives in your shoes. Is that true?”

You raise both your eyebrows and look at Luffy like he’s just grown a second head. Without a word, you pull your left foot up until it rests on the bench, and withdraw not one or two knives, but four. Small and subtle, hardly enough to turn any heads, but in a flash, you throw it across the kitchen until it lands on a specific spot on the opposite wall.

Bull’s eye.

“We used to have knife-throwing competitions,” you reminisce idly, staring at the knife lodged deep into the wall. “I was good, but Buggy was better.” Your lip tilts up an inch or two. “We made bets, and whoever lost would have to steal a bottle of whatever liquor we happened to find in the next town we docked at.”

“Oh?”

“I ended up snatching quite a lot of bottles, but once every blue moon, he would have to snatch one instead.” You smile. It’s an actual, genuine, honest smile this time, and Luffy can’t help but marvel at the sight. It’s a rare thing for you to smile like you’re doing now. It’s usually brief or sarcastic and never seems to reach your eyes.

This one does.

He thinks you look pretty when you smile. It’s your smile, and it’s so warm that he wishes you could do it more often. He tells you as much, and a red color falls over your cheek. You promptly turn your face to the other side to save face, and it makes Luffy think.

When he thinks about his dream of becoming King of the Pirates, he can’t stop himself from smiling ear to ear. So, that begs the question: “What is your dream?”

What makes you smile?

“My dream …” You reach for your apple and hold it against your face, the uneaten side of it shining against your face. “Is unattainable.

“I don’t think it is,” Luffy says without missing a beat and takes your hand in his, determined to make you see that. “I think that no matter how much stands against us, dreams are never impossible if you have the will to reach for them. All it takes is a little spirit.”

He doesn’t know where those words come from, but he’s heard them from someplace, and judging by your staggered reaction, you’ve heard them too.

“A little spirit, huh?”

“Exactly! So, please tell me, what’s your dream?”

You look straight ahead into the room, resting your elbows back on the window frame without a word. He thinks you’re about to decline his question or ignore it altogether. However, he’s surprised to hear you actually answer this time, truthfully too.

“My dream was to sail the seas with him again.”

Suddenly, the itchiness on his head stops, and it stays that way.

#buggy the clown #buggy one piece #buggy x reader #buggy the clown x reader #one piece live action #one piece x reader #buggy the clown fanfiction #buggy x you #buggy x female reader #one piece #monkey d. luffy #one piece luffy #straw hat luffy #straw hat pirates #shanks #red haired shanks #akagami no shanks

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layla4567 · 5 months

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A WHOLE NEW WORLD

Shanks x Mermaid!reader

Part 2

Summary: A curious and reckless little mermaid with a love for humans glimpses a beach with a dock from afar and a child playing, she will learn more about the human world

Warnings: fluffyfluffyfluffy - no proofread - inspired by the little mermaid (duh)

Wc: 4k

What you loved most in the world was observing humans and not only them but also everything that was on the surface. Sometimes you sat on rocks in the middle of the sea and looked at the coast where there were things that you didn't have at the bottom of the ocean. It's not that you despised your life down there but sometimes it used to be kind of boring. Up there there were different kinds of plants, animals, and the human homes had strange shapes but were tall and beautiful. Your parents weren't so strict and understood your curiosity better than anyone so they often let you surface as long as you stayed away from the coast. But what they were really harsh on was the pirate ships, they hated them. They always told you stories about heartless humans who hunted animals and mermaids to do who knows what with them. These stories scared you a little but you knew that your parents weren't trying to do that when telling them to you, they simply wanted you to be aware of the dangers up there.

One day you were lying belly down on some flat rocks enjoying the sun on your scales when in the distance you heard a high-pitched, squeaky voice followed by laughter. You stood up like a seal, resting your hands on the rock and in the distance you saw a child who was playing near a dock. You've never seen a child so small. Moved by curiosity, you sank into the water and slowly approached the wooden dock to get a better look. This would definitely not please your parents who told you so many times to stay away from the coast, but they didn't have to know it.

"GIVE UP MARINE OR YOU WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES, GRAAAH!"

You couldn't help but smile. The little boy had curly brown hair and was wearing a white t-shirt with red stripes. He was playing with some wooden dolls. The boy emanated such a happy energy that you got even closer until you were under the dock, trying not to let him see you.

"YOU CAN'T AGAINST THE GREAT LUFFY, KING OF THE PIRATES!"

You giggled when you heard it, but even though you tried to be silent, the boy heard you and turned around looking for where the laughter was coming from. Scared, you went deeper into the water.

"What was that? Is there anyone there?"

Little Luffy approached the dock and you could hear his footsteps echoing on the wood while you prayed from below that he wouldn't see you.

"Come on, get out of wherever you are!"

Suddenly the boy turned upside down and stuck his head out from under the dock, discovering you. You walked away while hugging a pole that supported the pier, scared. The boy opened his eyes wide but then smiled widely and his eyes narrowed.

"Hi!! what's your name?"

You remained silent, looking at him scared. You had never been so close to a human and even though he was just a child you were afraid that he would give you away, the existence of mermaids was supposed to be a mystery, a myth, legends that were told to children to entertain them. Luffy noticed your fear and calmed you down.

"Please don't be afraid, I won't hurt you."

You decided to trust the boy, he seemed to be honest so with your ability to speak different languages, even dead languages, you answered him.

"I'm (y/n)"

You moved a little away from where you were holding and waved your tail in the water, the little one gasped excitedly and you smiled.

"Oh what a pretty tail you have, I've never seen a mermaid before!!!"

The boy, who was already a little dizzy from having his head hanging, straightened up and rested his head between his hands and his elbows on the wood while you approached the edge timidly. Little Luffy was excited to chat with you and learn new things about you. With your hands on the edge of the dock you told him about your life at the bottom of the sea.

"Luffy do you want to see a trick?"

He nodded his head vigorously, smiling happily, showing all his white teeth. You placed your palm on the water and collected a little water, then with your other hand you made a movement and the water became a large drop that floated in the air and then a few seconds later it burst and became a puddle again. . Luffy shouted happily and clapped his hands enthusiastically. You laughed, infected by his joy, that child was adorable. Suddenly a voice came from afar and seemed to get closer.

"LUFFY! WHERE ARE YOU, KID?"

The two of you looked at each other startled as the boy jumped to his feet and you went back to hide under the dock. A man with an open white shirt and red hair was heading towards Luffy.

"Luffy, where have you been, brat? I looked for you everywhere". He told him affectionately

"Sorry Shanks, I was just playing pirates and marines"

"Again? You always play that, don't you get tired?"

"Never, because when I grow up I will also be a great pirate like you!"

The little guy puffed out his chest proudly and stood on his hips while Shanks laughed and ruffled his hair.

"Alright pirate let's get back to the ship you still have to help me"

The redhead walked away from there and you slowly came out of hiding to spy on him, you were sorry you couldn't get a good look at him but his hair color caught your attention and you liked it. You also thought it was cute the way he addressed Luffy, so kind and warm. When he left you approached the edge of the dock again and Luffy told you

"I'm sorry, I have to go or he'll be angry."

Now the boy's face seemed downcast and his tone was sad, very different from his happy attitude before. You nodded and told him you understood. Before he ran away you begged him.

"Please don't tell anyone that you saw me."

"Don't worry, it will be our secret. Will I see you again tomorrow?"

"I'll be here". You said sealing a promise

The brown boy trotted happily towards where the adult had gone and you stood there sighing. You hoped he would keep his word and not say anything and at the same time you were excited to have found a human friend.

DAYS AFTER

The next day you returned to the dock with Luffy and so on the next day and the day after that. Several days passed where you played with the boy that you were a damsel in distress and he had to save you. And just as he learned from you, you learned from him, you knew that Shanks cared for him and lived on his ship and his pirate crew. One sunny afternoon you and Luffy were playing on the coast a little far from the pier, the boy had entered the sea next to you and was caressing your mermaid tail that shone in the sun's rays. It was the color of sunsets when the sun dies on the horizon.

"Ah! it's very slippery!". The surprised boy laughed

You laughed happily "Thank you, I follow an intensive beauty treatment". You mocked

They were both laughing while you did tricks in the water. Suddenly a familiar voice came to you again, it was Shanks.

"Come on Luffy! It's late, go back to the ship!"

You barely had time to hide by sinking your head in the water and the boy ran to the shore splashing water. Shanks approached with a small furry white dog.

"Oh please just a little longer"

"I already said no besides, why do you want to be here? Were you playing alone?"

Luffy looked towards the sea and you were praying under the water that the little one wouldn't miss saying that he was playing with a real mermaid. Luffy saw the red-haired man again.

"Yes, what's wrong with that? I was jumping the waves."

Shanks laughed shaking his head "Alright, alright you can continue jumping waves tomorrow but that's enough for today, come on"

The pirate patted the boy's shoulder and gently pushed him away. Luffy snorted but obeyed him and trotted away. Shanks stood for a while admiring the sun bet. The little dog followed him and started barking.

"Hey little one, why did you follow me? Do you feel like playing?"

In response, the white dog barked twice and Shanks, laughing, started chasing him, throwing small branches at him and the canine returned them happily. Under the water you smiled, feeling your heart warmer. You got a little closer without taking your head out of the water to see him better. He was still wearing that white shirt but now he was wearing a straw hat on his head. He had a smile as warm as the sun and beautiful brown eyes, you had met hundreds of humans but no one as beautiful as him, he was beautiful inside and out. At one point Shanks threw the branch into the water and the dog went to look for it but before grabbing it he started barking like crazy looking in your direction. You see the redhead calling the dog

"Come on, bring it! What's going on?"

The little white dog wouldn't stop barking and Shanks got impatient and came dangerously close to the shore, putting his feet in the water. Impulsively you swam deeper into the water and that caused waves in the sea. The curious redhead got a little closer as the dog began to walk towards the dock, he was following you. Shanks trotted after him while you hid under the wooden dock but the dog was very smart and easily found your hiding place. You stuck your head out as you desperately tried to shush the dog and make him shut up. Too late. The red-haired captain had already arrived at the small dock and was looking for the dog.

"What's the problem, crazy dog? What do you-!"

Standing in the sand on the side of the pier, Shanks saw you there motionless and with your face twisted in terror. A mermaid. You had long hair with tiny pearls and a seaweed top with a single strap, your tail that could be seen in the crystal clear water was an ombré between red and orange. Shanks froze in place and he couldn't help but admire you with his eyebrows raised. He slowly approached but you gasped and quickly got into the water.

"Wait no! Don't leave!"

The man slowly climbed onto the dock and sat down trying to see you but the water was still. He looked around as he scratched his neck in confusion. Had it been his imagination or had he really seen a mermaid? And a beautiful one at that.

"Please don't go, I didn't want to scare you, I'm so sorry" . He tried to calm down

Shanks waited for a response, a movement in the water but it never came, without giving up he spoke again.

"I'm Shanks, what's your name?"

Silence

The captain sighed and was about to get up and turn to leave when he heard a slight splashing noise. I looked at the sea and there you were close, barely sticking out half of your face so that only your eyes stood out to see it. He smiled and sat like a Buddha on the edge of the pier. He didn't know what to say, he just looked at you dumbfounded. Your eyes were so expressive that with just one look you said everything. You looked at him surprised and with a hint of curiosity.

"Hi, come closer, I promise not to hurt you" . He raised his hands in a sign of peace.

You frowned but decided to trust him since the little you had seen of that pirate were good things. You sank your head and swam until you were close to the edge, you stuck your head out again and looked at him expectantly. The captain thought that up close you were even more stunning.

"You are the most fascinating creature I have ever seen."

You smiled, wrinkling your nose, and the redhead felt like his heart was about to explode in his chest.

"Well, now will you tell me your name?". He asked hopefully.

You pouted thoughtfully and then opened your mouth doubtfully.

"(y/n)"

He smiled happily "(y/n)~, beautiful name"

You felt your heart beat faster. Hearing your name slip across his lips with so much grace made you see stars in broad daylight. Suddenly the little dog approached the edge of the dock and lowered his head to see you and smell you. More animated, you gently took a finger out of the water and touched the dog's nose, laughing childishly. Shanks felt in paradise with you and listening to your voice.

"Is the puppy yours?" You asked softly.

"Who, this rascal? No, he just followed me when I was walking around the island". He petted the dog and you giggled happily, he smiled back at you.

Moved by the curiosity to know more about this man who made your heart beat, you rested your arms on the edge of the dock closer to him. You shouldn't be so reckless, but could a pirate who is compassionate towards children and animals really be so cruel? Shanks was surprised but feeling the same curiosity as you, he began to ask you things.

"So tell me what mermaids like you do apart from making the poor men who walk along the coasts fall in love with them?"

You opened your eyes wide and buried your face in your hands as he let out soft laughs shaking his shoulders. Why did he say those sweet things to you?

"Is it true that they also bewitch them and throw them into the sea?"

You frowned until you wrinkled your face and shook your head vigorously. "No! Those are the sirens, we are very different!". You said ofended

He laughed nervously, raising his hands again in a sign of surrender "Ok ok I'm sorry I didn't mean to offend you."

So the minutes passed and they continued talking impatiently. He delighted in hearing your bell-shaped voice and staring at your eyes that seemed to shine with excitement when you commented on your admiration for the surface. Your little face wrinkled when you talked about something you didn't like and relaxed again when I told him about your family, you were an open book. Shanks learned a lot about you and your soul, you were a naturally curious being with a kind heart. You absorbed every bit of information he gave you about him like a sponge while you rested your head tilted on your arms and cast a dreamy gaze on him. You suddenly laughed in delight and casually commented

"You're just like Luffy." You said with a sing-song laugh.

He looked at you confused "Wait, Luffy? Do you know him?"

At that moment you raised your eyebrows worried and then bit your lip looking down. Those meetings were supposed to be a secret but when you started talking there was no one to stop you. Shanks, far from getting angry, laughed out loud, clutching his stomach.

"Now I understand why he went alone to the dock every afternoon"

He looked at you happy and you smiled in relief. Then Shanks took off his hat and delicately reached out to put it on your head. At first you wanted to back away scared but you stayed in your place. The hat was a little bigger than your head and covered your face. When he finished putting it on you, you raised your head slightly to see him from below with your shoulders slightly hunched and your face red like the pirate's hair. He laughed softly, you looked so cute in his hat. You bit your lower lip in a smile that wanted to be mischievous but on you it looked innocent as if you had committed a prank. In his eyes you were the sweetest mermaid in all of East Blue. You touched the brim of the hat and made to take it off but he stopped you by placing his hand in yours and placing the straw hat back on your head.

"Please keep it, so I'll have an excuse to see you again."

Gasping surprised, looking with her mouth slightly open, did he want to see you again? Why suddenly all the humans you met wanted to see you again?

"I'll give it back to you tomorrow, I promise."

"I know you'll do it"

And you put out a dripping hand to take his. The change in temperature was noticeable between the two of you, your hand was very cold and his was warm. You extended your pinky and intertwined his. You didn't know what it meant but you had seen children do it once.

He laughed and walked away with the dog following him, wagging his tail happily. You stayed near the dock trying to retain that feeling that the pirate had left you. Now you felt that the water was warmer as well as your skin. You sighed long and smiling you returned to the sea

The next day you kept your promise and returned to the dock. There Shanks was already waiting for you, drawing doodles in the sand. When he saw you from a distance, his face lit up with a big smile and he approached the wooden surface barefoot. The first thing he saw was your red tail and then he saw your expressive and mischievous eyes peek out from under the water. You pulled your face out completely as he crouched down a little and placed his hands on his bent knees to get a better look at you.

"Have you brought my hat, miss?"

You nod cheerfully and take your hand out of the water to reveal a soaked straw hat, the fabric had softened a little from the humidity but it was healthy. When you gave it to him he crumpled it a little to get rid of the water and put it on his head. Some drops from the hat continued to drip down his face and wet his hair. The brim of the hat fell towards his face and you could only laugh. He smiled and laughed with you, lifting the straw brim to look at you better.

"I guess it looks better on you than it does on me."

"I'm sorry" You said between laughs. "I tried to keep it as dry as possible, that's why I wanted you to keep it but you insisted on taking it with me."

He sat down "Don't worry honey, it will dry out if I put it in the sun. Plus I wanted to give it to you so you can think about me". He finished saying flirty

Your face turned slightly the color of your tail and you tilted your head towards your shoulder as you gripped the edge of the dock. Now being closer you could see his features. His brown eyes shining just for you, his small beard of days. Everything about him was perfect and he caught your attention, a kind face, that's what you wanted to see for a long time. You were so enthralled admiring its beauty that you almost forgot something.

"Oh wait I almost forgot!" . You said, raising your hand and waving it in front of him, asking him to wait for you right there.

In the blink of an eye you disappeared into the water before Shanks' perplexed but amused gaze. After a few minutes you reappeared and left a beautiful mother-of-pearl shell on the dock near his feet. He grabbed it and examined it curiously. She was really beautiful

"This is for me?". He looked at you

You nod, staring at him "It's a tradition and a kind of legend. Inside that conch I enclosed a song, every time you put it to your ear you will be able to hear my voice. But you will have to return it to me after six days or I will not be able to sing again. When a mermaid gives a conch to a person… she's swearing eternal love." . You finished shyly

The pirate was listening to you attentively until you mentioned the last part and his eyes widened and his eyebrows raised. He stayed looking at you for a few seconds, your eyes seemed sincere and now he felt his own cheeks getting hot. To hide his embarrassment he looked towards the conch and was going to put it to his ear when you stopped him.

"No!... not yet. Listen to it when you feel alone and I'm not by your side"

Shanks smiled tenderly at you with that warm smile you loved to see. Then he took your hand and intertwined it with yours, promising to do so. You two continued talking animatedly about anything. The red-haired man felt like he could be the same with you and you felt the same way. You even playfully pushed him into the water to play. When the afternoon fell you saw the horizon with sadness and he noticed it.

"What's wrong sweetness?"

You stopped seeing the horizon and looked at him sadly. "It's time for me to come back, my family will be worried…"

He simply sighed and nodded and stared at you. Before you could leave he came over and threatened to kiss you on the cheek.

"Did you know that if you do that you will get scales…?"

Shanks frowned and scoffed at his confused expression, his expressions softening.

"I was kidding Shanks, you should see your face." . You said playfully

He raised an eyebrow, playing along with you and smiling. “I was going to take the risk anyway, little one.”

He finished tilting his face and gave you the warmest, sweetest kiss. His lips were soft on your cheek and his beard scratched you lightly. They promised to see each other again. That night Shanks locked himself in his room and listened to the conch. The sound was sweet and in tune like hearing an angel sing. He closed his eyes and fell asleep listening to your singing

TIME AFTER

Shanks walked around the deck of his ship carrying things from here to there. Despite that, he seemed quite distracted, earning the ridicule of his crew.

"Is the captain drunk again or is it because of a woman?"". A sailor laughed out loud

The redhead ignored the mockery, rolling his eyes. No one knew that he was seeing a beautiful mermaid, not even young Luffy. Every night he would lie in his bed and listen to the conch, imagining that it was you singing for him. So the afternoon passed and suddenly he remembered what you had told him. But you will have to return it to me after six days or I will not be able to sing again

Startled, he tried to remember the last time he saw you. Exactly six days had passed. Shit. But night had not yet fallen, perhaps I could return it to you before the end of the day and save your voice.

The most exalted captain ordered them to hoist the sails and set out to sea. The others looked at him confused but obeyed his orders. Even Luffy asked him what was happening but Shanks answered vague things. In his mind there was only room for you and the desire to be able to give you the conch.

Meanwhile you were in the sea sticking your head out waiting to see your loved one. You were worried because you couldn't find him anywhere and he wasn't on the shore like he usually did. You didn't care that much about the conch, you just wanted to see him again and the thought that he had forgotten about you sank your heart like a heavy rock. Suddenly in the distance you saw a pirate ship. Was it Shanks'? All the pirate stories that your parents had told you came to your mind.

"Be strong and brave (y/n). It's now or never". You said with determination

If your parents saw you now they would have a fit. You swam quickly towards the ship until you were a few meters away. Suddenly a scream startled you and you looked up. There was Shanks looking at you with a relieved smile. Just in time as the sun was very close to the horizon

"HELP ME GET HER ON BOARD!!"

Somewhat scared, you saw how they pulled a boat and the pirate told you to get on it. With effort you jumped into the wooden boat. With some ropes they began to lift you up quickly. The pirates' voices became louder and closer and when you were up there a lot of curious eyes were looking at you. You felt intimidated and helpless. Shanks knew it so he approached you trying to make you look only at him to calm you down.

"Here I am, calm down"

And it worked because as soon as you saw it, it was as if everything around you had become more blurry. I smiled shyly. Then Shanks called a pirate and when he approached he handed him something. It was the conch. He handed it to you delicately as if it were a ritual, fearing that it would break the pearl. You grabbed it and at that moment the conch began to twinkle softly like a star, until it shone as bright as a small sun. The pirates approached curiously as the light illuminated them. Shanks's brown eyes turned amber as they were illuminated by the conch.

Suddenly the pearly object suddenly went out. You hummed softly to check if it had worked and your face lit up in a big smile when you saw that you could indeed sing. You were happy and looked at him excitedly, laughing airily. He smiled back at you and came closer to you, resting his arms on the boat.

"What had you told me about kissing a mermaid? That I would grow scales and turn into a fish?"

You laughed loudly until your nose wrinkled. Without thinking you wrapped your arms around his neck and leaned in to kiss him. With so much force that you pulled him and he fell into the boat with you. He hugged you, putting his arms around your waist while the pirates whistled, applauded and cheered for their captain.

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