Manhandling Follow Up ( On Bsky )

No No No! 🙀 Don’t take your hands. I feel so comfy. 💕🐊

Hey there! I hope you’re doing well! I was kinda thinking if maybe you could write a lil something with Bartolomeo✌🏻He’s just so cute and funny looking and I love him very much😻I was thinking maybe something with a strawhat reader who actually happens to be a fan of Bartolomeo and has a crush on him. And maybe rooster head also has this massive obsession with her cause she’s his favorite and fell in love with her the first time he saw her. Just maybe something cute. Thank You!

Hello, sorry for the long wait, as said previously I was busy with exams but am done now. Your suggestion was very cute to write so I hope you enjoy it

Warnings/Tags:

Female reader

Dressrosa/beginning of Zou spoilers

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Narrator POV

The strawhats... Oh how they were just perfect in Bartolomeo's eyes. Ever since that day in Logue town he'd been obsessed with them! Following every one of their adventures and obsessing over each one. But there was one that he loved more than all, one that actually passed his love for Luffy (by only a small bit of course) and that was, you.

There was just something special about you that charmed Bartolomeo to become obsessed with you more than the others. You were so sweet, but so wild too, even a bit more violent than the others, and that just made him fall hard. Once the word that Doflamingo had the flame flame fruit that previously belonged to Luffy’s brother Ace, Bartolomeo knew he had to win it so he could bring it to the Strawhats to win Luffy's praise, and maybe even get yours...

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Bartolomeo POV

Right now I was helping defending Robin Senpai against Doflamingos men when someone came flying towards me, I didn't care too much but the outline of the person falling seemed too familiar, so I caught them and oh boy... It was... You. You were injured now laying in my arms, I just froze in place, my heart racing and my body heating up. You stirred and looked up at me, and you seemed, reassured. "Hey, you're Bartolomeo the cannibal, right?" Oh god she knows who I am... "Luffy told me you're a big fan of us, that's cool because I actually really like you too" Oh my god, she likes me?? "I've been a big fan of your stuff, I like seeing what you're getting up to when I see you in the newspaper" Oh my God... She's... She's a fan of mine! This is too much for me to handle! I can feel my body shaking and heating up! This si so overwhelming!!! "I actually think you're kinda cute..."

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHOHMYGODMYSENPAILIKESMEBACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I shouted out, making everyone look back at me in confusion. I was sobbing at this point. M-my favorite Strawhat, they think I'm cute! They like me! God, this is so much more than I could ever ask for!!! I swear, my sweet Senpai, I will defend you with my life! I am undeserving of your grace but I am eternally thankful for you appreciation!

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Bartolomeo did not put you down, making sure you wet safe. It was only when he fought against Gladius that he put you down to safety. And once that was taken care of you were quick to make sure he was okay and healed up, which he loved so much, being pampered and taken care of by you. And during the days of rest, you two got closer and he couldn't ask for anything more than to get close to you.

Now, you and the others were on Bartolomeos ship, heading for Zou to meet up with Nami, Sanji, Chopper and Brook. Barto had been following you around like a lost puppy, he knew you'd be leaving with the others soon and he wanted to spend as much time with you as possible. And when the time came for you all to leave, Bartolomeo was crying and clinging to you, not wanting you to leave. "Barto, I have to go..." you said softly while running your hand through his hair, "PLEASE! Just a minute longer... I'm gonna miss you so much!!" he cried out, "Oh don't say that, we'll definitely see each other again, our crews are friends now, it'd be a shame to just not see you again." "But when will I see you again!?" "Well probably in the newspapers, but, if you're ever in trouble, I promise we'll come as soon as we can to help. And if the crew can't come, then I'll come for you myself~" he was all red again, all flustered because of your kindness and love towards him, "R-Really? You'd do that for me???" He asked, his eyes sparkling. You leaned down and gave him a quick but tender kiss on the lips, "Yes, I'd do anything to come and save you~" He was frozen. You... You kissed him! Not only that but on the lips! He just collapsed unconscious in your arms, bus crew helped him to lay down and he just lay unconscious with his face all red and his expression completely lovestruck. You chuckled at his reaction and kissed him on the forehead before leaving with the rest of the crew.

Bartolomeo was now filled with determination, he would see you again, and he'd get you to kiss him like that again! He will see you again, and nothing was going to stop him.

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A short sweet one for now. But I've got one more request to do, so I'll be back very soon, see ya.

Kelly🐸

The Red String of Fate: Ch. 3

Pair: Donatello x Reader

Word Count: 3.9k

Rating: T?? (Characters depicted are adults)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Uuuh... I wish tumblr had a "mark as spoiler" option like discord, but depiction of physical assault.

Authors Notes: I'm sorry this took me so long to get out, but I hope you like it! ;w; The fourth chapter should be the final one (which I have not started yet, lol).

||Chapter 1|| ||Chapter 2|| ||Chapter 3|| ||Chapter 4||

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CHAPTER 3: GUIDING LIGHT

To say you were disappointed when the magical red string hadn’t reappeared on your ring finger when you awoke in the morning was putting it lightly… 

You had tried to convince yourself the night before that it wouldn’t have been a big deal if it hadn’t returned, but really, you were devastated. You canceled all the plans you had for the day and relinquished your responsibilities for the time being. Feeling numb to your mental and physical needs, it was easy to stay in bed for the majority of the day. You just couldn’t be bothered to do anything after taking such a substantial blow like that. 

Somehow, you had squandered a seemingly foolproof opportunity at finding your one true love. Although the myth did insinuate that you were ‘soulmates’; perhaps it meant you would get another chance in another lifetime but you couldn’t be certain. Even if that was the case, it didn’t make you feel any better about losing your shot in this timeline. 

It just wasn’t fair… There was no guide on how to approach this situation. No fairy godmother had presented herself and instructed you on what to do. You didn’t suddenly receive clairvoyant insight along with the mythical thread. How were you possibly supposed to know how to go about it? Yeah, now that you had time to reflect, the string did give you a small indicator of direction, but it had been the middle of the night and you lived in New York. Any sane person knew better to go out after dark, alone, in the crime ridden state. 

And it wasn’t like the string had GPS. You had no clue how far away your soulmate had been last night. They might’ve been somewhere you physically couldn’t have commuted to, hell, they could’ve been outside of New York for all you knew! It was rational to be cautious about going out and finding them right away… At least, that’s what you were telling yourself just to ease your mind. You did your best to fill your head with reasonable excuses to keep the demeaning thoughts out. 

It was difficult to not be hard on yourself, but there was nothing that could be done about it now… Nothing other than to let your sadness flow, which you had been successful with as your pillow was thoroughly wet with tears. Still, as much as you wanted to let the magical occurrence go, there was still the smallest spark of hope within you that it would show itself once more. If it were to give you one more chance to find your soulmate, you wouldn’t hesitate. It wouldn’t matter how far you’d have to travel or what obstacles you would have to overcome, you’d find them. —————————————————– It was a small relief not having to worry about hiding the red string of fate from his other two brothers when Donatello returned to the lair, but it didn’t outweigh the worry he had for it not reappearing. Normally, he’d run multiple tests when he was trying to validate the credibility of something, but he hadn’t wanted to alarm anyone by returning late to his home. He could trust his cool colored brother to not be overbearing about his predicament, but the other two warm colored brothers?…Raphael probably wouldn’t bother him too much about it, but Mikey would surely be insistent. 

He’d tell them soon enough, but after he had scouted you out on his own. Because even if you were his soulmate, there were many things to take into account, for both your sake and his families. The main factor being that you were more than likely human. It was easy for him to grow and maintain an interest in humans, especially when his father had appointed him and his brothers as protectors of the species. But most humans did not share the same interest for them. Sure, they eventually came across a handful of humans who liked and trusted them, but it was still a very small handful. After all–

They only had six fingers as opposed to the human ten. 

Having been accustomed to life at night, the daylit hours were generally spent sleeping, however Donatello knew the task would be pointless. There was no way he could shut off his mind and fall into the rem cycle of sleep when this kind of phenomenon had happened to him. He couldn’t stop thinking about when the red string had first appeared to him tonight. All the articles he had read about the urban legend. You…

Were you man or woman? Or did you prefer to not identify as such? What was your current occupation? He supposed you shared the same or similar interest considering that you were soulmates. He could also assume that you lived relatively close by the information he had learned and how the string tried to direct him to your location, but he wondered if you had always been a New Yorker? Perhaps you had been born and raised elsewhere and recently moved to the Big Apple. 

Were you thinking about him right now like he was thinking about you?... The idea stirred butterflies in his stomach and he felt silly. But also– happy. There was someone out there in the world for him. A seven-foot tall, genetically mutated box turtle who practiced ninjutsu and loved pizza. Being what he was, he never thought he’d have the chance at a relationship, and when his father had said he was destined, he figured it was only to serve the human race. Not to be loved.  —————————————————– You would think that with all the crying you had done you wouldn’t have any fluids left in your body to have to use the restroom, and yet your bladder had been nagging at you for the past thirty minutes to go. It was easy to ignore your appetite and thirst as you napped the day away, but you weren’t depressed enough to self-inflict a kidney infection. Begrudgingly, you got your ass out of bed and did your business. 

Not-so-surprisingly, getting up had motivated you to tend to other needs. After having stretched your back and limbs, you made way to your kitchen. Downing a full cup of water in a matter of seconds before finding something in your pantry to nibble on for a snack while you placed an order on a delivery app for food. Pizza had always been a great comfort to you every other time your problems came crashing down. Surely it would be able to lift your spirits in this scenario as well, at least a little bit.

You had instructed your delivery driver to leave your order at your front door, but when the application informed you that they were dropping off your food a message followed shortly after. 

[Can’t find your door. Can you meet me outside?] 8:58 PM

A low frustrated sigh hissed out of your nostrils. How hard was it to fucking read? You grumbled internally but walked off to the front of your residence. There you had realized you hadn’t flipped on the switch for the outside light after putting in your order and you winced at your passive-aggressive remark. At least you hadn’t said it out loud, so no real harm done. However, opening your door and finding the delivery driver standing right outside it made the corner of your lip twitch in annoyance. 

Couldn’t find the door, huh?

“Sorry about that.” They held out a pizza box for you to take. 

“No problem,” you lied and took the cardboard container into your hands only to feel a tug of resistance from the other end. Confused, you arched an eyebrow at the delivery driver, but their gaze didn’t meet yours. 

Their attention had been pulled below. “What’s that?” They pointed to your hand with a single digit.

You declined your head, following their direction until you found the source of their curiosity and your heart jumped in your chest. 

Red shimmered brightly in the reflection of your glossy eyes. You lifted your ring finger hand, bringing it closer to your body for inspection. You held your breath as you carefully wiggled the digit, testing the authenticity of the apparition as to not get your hopes up. Your chest seized anxiously when the crimson lace around your finger didn’t waver and seconds later you wheezed out a shaky breath. 

It had returned.

“Are you okay?” The delivery driver leaned into your view, snapping you out of your thoughts. 

Your other hand let go of the pizza box, and it slipped out of their hands, falling to the ground with a loud thud. They flinched in surprise and startled again when you slammed your front door shut behind you.

“Uh–” Was all they were able to get out before you thanked them for their service and pushed past them. 

Within a few steps, your bare feet met the cold hard cement of New York’s’ sidewalks but you barely noticed it. Your pounding heart overpowered all sensations at the moment. There had been a very small voice in your head telling you to turn back. Not to give up, but to be rational about the situation. You were going out into New York, barefooted, in your lounging clothes, you hadn’t locked your door, you didn’t have your phone, and it was nine o’clock at night!! But there was no way you were turning back now. 

It didn’t matter if your feet hurt, if you weren’t properly dressed for the occasion, if someone broke into your home and stole your stuff, or if there was little light to guide you in search. You were not going to miss your chance at meeting your soulmate again.

You felt your heart skip a beat when the tail end of your string changed in directions and your breath caught in your throat. Turning sharply on your feet, you began to pick up pace. The sounds of your steps growing louder and louder as your stride changed from walking briskly to full on running. You weaved between the few bystanders still out at this time at night. Each and every one of them breaking their necks to stare you down as you passed them by. You probably looked like a crazy person, running bare foot through the streets with your arm extended out in front of you, but so what? 

Crazier things had gone on in New York. 

It wasn’t long before your lungs began to burn and exhaustion forcibly slowed your pace, but you kept moving. As long as the crimson string existed and led the way, you had no plans of stopping. However, when the thread began to change in hue your stride slowed naturally due to intrigue. The color faded to an orangish-yellow and eventually shined a bright gold. The spectacle brought you to a full-on stop, to which you realized was very much needed by the hard breaths you were swallowing. 

Suddenly, your red string of fate was now golden. Not only that, but the string itself was shining brighter than it ever had before and the tether of the tail seemed to be getting… thinner. As if you were coming to the end of the stra– Taking a deep breath you lifted your head and looked around you. At some point of your search, you had ended up moving from the public streets of New York to a backstreet alleyway. From what you could see, there was no one around, but your string of fate was still pointing off in the distance. Sucking in another breath through your nose, you continued onward. —————————————————– While he was confined underneath New York during the daylit hours, Donatello spent his time putting a trajectory of possible coordinates of your location using the knowledge he already had. Frankly, it wasn’t much to go off of but with his intellect he was able to narrow down his search to three possible locations you resided at. As long as the string returned to his finger when he resurfaced, he would be able to pinpoint your exact location. 

Fortunately for him, the crimson thread returned before he even breached the ground level of New York. A small smile of content crossed his face seeing its reappearance. You were close, and that filled his chest with tingles of excitement. 

Following the tail end of the lace, he recorded his steps into the multitool on his right arm along the way. In the event that he was unable to meet with you personally; say, you were in the company of others, he wanted to make sure he knew the way back to you for when the time was right. A twinge of concern scratched his mind at the thought of you not being alone. He had risked his chance of not finding you by waiting all day before going out on his search. The possibility of not having a moment to himself with you annoyed him.

However, that worry deepened when he considered the opposing angle. What if you were out at this time by yourself? Even with his prowess and size, he generally did not go out on patrol alone. As much as he loved New York, the city just wasn’t safe after dark. Although, he assumed you had managed to be safe up until this point, that fact didn’t stop him from subconsciously picking up his pace. 

He did as he would any other outing on the surface and traveled by rooftop. It was the safest and stealthiest option for someone like him, even in the later hours of the night. Jumping down from one building to a shorter one, the top of his mask pushed upwards behind his glasses as he noticed a change to the string. The stark red of the magical lace had begun to dull into an orangish-yellow hue. 

Immediately, he stopped in his tracks to record the findings into his multitool and consider what had caused the change. There had been no mention of the string changing colors in all the information he had gathered on the phenomenon, and the two times it had shown itself to him before, it was red. Naturally, he wondered if the shift in color was a good or bad thing. From a scientific standpoint, yellow was often a representation of happiness, hope and spontaneity. Which was certainly the case at this point. 

Having to use the fire escape of the building he was currently on to cross to another, the string flared in vibrance as he descended the stairs. The sudden change in brightness caught him by surprise and he recoiled from the light, shielding his eyes with his other hand. Narrowing his eyes to help them adjust to new source of light, an epiphany came to him. He turned his body to look back at the building he was just on and then to the ground below him in silent thought before moving. 

He traveled downwards until he met the bottom of the stairs and then jumped off of them from there. The bottom of his boots making a loud thud when they planted firmly against the concrete ground of the alleyway. Slowly, he rose to standing straight, and his gaze immediately went to the string on his ring finger. 

Still, yellow. No… Gold actually.

It didn’t make any sense. The night before he had been on the surface it was red, and down in the sewers it was red as well. The sudden change in altitude shouldn’t have had any effect on its hue in theory. 

Turning over his hand for further inspection he noticed the thread seemed to be… thinning? Concern prodded at his mind at the idea of the string vanishing again, but the feeling quickly turned into confused curiosity when he realized only the tail end of the string was slimming out. The band around the base of his finger looked as if it was becoming denser and he swore he could feel a subtle hint of weight where it resided. 

Without thought, he raised his other hand and pinched his thumb and pointer together to touch the apparition, but his test was cut short by the sound of hard breaths and padded footsteps approaching. His eyes grew at the sounds, his glasses amplifying the surprised expression. It was then that he realized that all the current changes in the string wasn’t due to change in elevation. It was because he was getting close… To you. 

How could he be so stupid? Of course, that was it! But by the volume of your approach, there wasn’t time to reprimand himself on his ignorance. You were coming, and fast! 

The excitement he had initially felt going out tonight to find you turned into all out panic realizing that it was actually going to come to fruition within a few seconds. What was going to happen when you came down a dark alleyway and suddenly found a giant mutant beast standing within the middle of it? Surely, the only response you would have would be one of fear. Even if you two were soulmates, it would be a reasonable reaction. Hell, he’d be a little thrown off if you didn’t react that way upon first seeing him, but he didn’t want you to flee entirely. 

Your introduction needed to be taken slow. Carefully and with caution. So, he did what him and his family did best. Hid. 

Not having time to climb back up a building, and not wanting to make any noise with the ascension, he opted for a familiar practice and went underground. Fortunately, a manhole cover was nearby for him to escape into, however in hindsight, he realized it wasn’t the best option. The enclosed space quickly became a beacon of light due to the luminance of the now golden string but luckily, real word physics applied to magical construct and he was able to smother the light with the use of his other hand. 

He silenced his breath but his heart sounded off loudly in his ears as it pounded against his plated chest. The seconds waiting for you to arrive felt like hours, and when he finally heard you come into the alleyway his whole body went rigid. Afraid that the slightest moment would give away his location and you would find him. Which was ironic considering that, that was exactly what he wanted to do tonight except in reverse… This would’ve been much easier to deal with if he had been able to come to you, instead of you to him, but within the flood of panic he felt there was a drop of fondness.

You came out all this way in search of him.

Before he could enjoy the feeling, you were on top of him. Out of instinct, he drew in a silent breath and clamped his lips shut. He didn’t dare to peer through the small holes that had been drilled into the cast-ironed lid, and he desperately hoped you had no inkling to look down either. While it was endearing that you were looking for him, he figured you wouldn’t think it was so cute to find him holed up in a passageway to the city’s sewer systems. 

He tensed hearing your feet shuffle on the covering of the hole and he came to the conclusion that the damn string had led you to his exact location, but you were unable to make sense of it due to his lack of appearance. His suspicions were confirmed when you let out an exhausted huff of air, and he prayed that you would step away from the manhole quickly. He wasn’t religious; his existence kind of went against most laws of religion, but he needed some supernatural force to step in and persuade you to move on. 

Seconds of silence went by as he waited for you to do… anything. But it still caught him off guard when you spoke into the empty alleyway. 

“I’m sorry.” You breathed.

Donatello blinked in confusion not expecting at all to receive an apology. You had done nothing wrong, but as if you were reading his thoughts, you were quick to explain.

“I probably look crazy right now and… you’re probably scared. I get it. I’m kind of scared too, but–” He heard the tone of your voice waver as you spoke. “I’m more afraid of losing the chance to meet you more than anything. So, please. If you could… Just tell me that you’re here?” 

The grip on his ring-finger hand tightened as he considered your plea. You sounded so…lovely, and sweet. 

He hadn’t even seen your face, and yet he was falling head over heels at the sound of your voice. For a second he considered that you might actually be otherworldly the way your words had captivated him. As if you were a siren or something of the sort. Whatever mysticism you possessed nearly compelled him to speak, but his own body prevented him from doing so. A massive lump had formed within his throat, choking back any words from coming out as he parted his lips. 

And then he felt something. Something wet. 

He now realized it was his heart that had inched its way up his throat, because it plummeted into his gut when he heard the soft sound of cries emit from your being. Sniffles and hiccups followed the quiet sobs and his mouth gaped at the realization but he was still unable to speak. He hadn’t even known you for longer than ten minutes and he already made you cry. He was supposed to be your soulmate! Shame weighed on him, pulling his head and features downwards to his feet, but he quickly perked to attention when he heard you move off the iron lid. 

The universe had heard his prayer but now he prayed for you to stay. He had to make up for his cowardice! Just as he opened his mouth once more to try and speak again, a different voice came out. One that wasn’t yours…

“You know it’s dangerous to be out at a time like this?” 

Donatello’s chest tightened at the low spoken words knowing the exact implication this unknown voice was getting at with their tone. By the sound of your own, you were aware of it too.

“Yeah, I was just… Taking out some trash. Gonna be heading back inside now.” You lied, but the stranger didn’t even care to call you out on it.

“That’s a bright little thing on your finger. I’ve never seen gold glisten like that.”

Donatello’s blood ran cold at the observation. His gaze dropped to his hands and he uncovered his ring fingered one to take a peek at the magical apparition, only to instantly regret his hesitancy. 

“Stay back!!” You screamed, and he flinched. 

Throwing all caution to the wind, he grabbed the metal ladder to ascend the unground tunnel but he didn’t move quick enough. Something made of glass shattered and echoed in the alleyway, followed by a loud thud of something– someone– collapsing to the ground. 

Despite the bright gold color that lit the space around him; all he was able to see was red. —————————————————–

Tag: @eveandtheturtles

Kiss, Marry, Kill: Part 1/2 (LA!Buggy the Clown x F!Reader)

Summary: In which Buggy overhears a private conversation and uses that knowledge against you. Pairing: LA!Buggy the Clown x F!Reader Rating: Semi-explicit. Word Count: ~3k (of 5.3k) Warnings: Clown abuse, strong language, incorrect use of a straight razor.

Never had you on my mind Now you're there all the time Never knew what I missed until I kissed ya

---

By all accounts, Buggy should be having a great time. There's food, alcohol, gambling... hell, there's even a swimming pool. Not that he can partake, but he can live vicariously.

Instead, he's got a whole school of shark eyes trained on him as he sits on a stool next to Arlong's throne. This water park sucks.

He's not chained up or anything. The threat of a couple dozen sets of teeth ripping into him is reason enough to sit perfectly still, keep his mouth shut, and try to look as small as possible. No sudden movements, no change in expression, no—

"Kiss the clown, marry the waiter, kill Pink Hair."

Buggy sits bolt upright and looks around. Who the hell said that?

Arlong doesn't even deign to look at him. "Hear something?"

Clear. Crisp. With a little bit of an accent, maybe. He's heard it somewhere recently, but where?

Certainly not here. It was a woman's voice, and Arlong Park is a bit of a sausage party at the moment. Not that he can tell on sight with fishpeople.

"Answer me, clown," Arlong rumbles.

He forgets who he's talking to for a moment. "Eavesdropping's an art," he snaps. "You can't rush art."

Big mistake. Arlong responds with a low, wet growl. "It's been three days. My patience is running thin."

Quiet chatter. The clinking of silverware. Someone chewing with their mouth open. The little pirates are at a restaurant, it seems.

He relays this to Arlong. He's less than pleased. He enunciates every word to show his teeth. "Care to be more specific?"

A shudder crawls up the back of Buggy's neck. He takes a swig of his drink to cover it. He places his fingers over his remaining ear, straining.

"You're shitting me." That voice he recognizes. The redhead. The one who ruined his show. The one Arlong's so interested in. Nadi? Nani? Noni?

The other woman speaks. "Nami, you rejected him," she says. "Girl Code only applies if you were dating."

Nami. That's her, the conniving little bitch. "No, not the waiter. I mean you'd seriously kiss the clown? He nearly killed us."

He'd recognize Rubber Boy's voice anywhere, the little shitheel. "And his nose would get in the way."

The mystery woman speaks up again. "That's nothing new. I’ve smacked noses with plenty of guys."

Okay, that narrows it down. It’s not the redhead, it can't be Rubber Boy or the bounty hunter, so that leaves...

...you. Of course it's you. How could he forget you? You're the only one who laughed at Axe-Hand Moron. Granted, it was more like a snnrrrk and you immediately clapped your hand over your mouth, eyes wide with horror, but it was a laugh all the same.

And in that moment, he knew he liked you. Bad sense of humor. Cute smile. A little bashful. He appreciates that. Sure, you helped humiliate him not an hour after the fact, but all's fair in love and piracy.

"Look, I'm not saying it’s a good idea," you continue, "but sometimes you gotta live dangerously."

The bounty hunter speaks, dry and droll. "Storms are dangerous. Bar fights are dangerous. You're just insane."

"Oh, c'mon, you're not seriously gonna hold Fu..." You pause. "Kiss Marry Kill answers against me."

So that's what's going on. "They're just chattering like they always are," he says to Arlong.

Arlong does not like that answer. He snatches Buggy up by the neck, lifting him clear off the ground with only one hand.

"Wait! Wait wait wait! They're still talking! I might have something!" He kicks and struggles, but it's no use.

You speak. "You think everything pops off? ‘Cause a gal could really— hyurk.”

Laughter all around as you’re cut off by something. Sounds like you choked.

“Thank you, Usopp,” Nami says. “I am not having that conversation.”

Arlong saunters over to the pool, carrying Buggy like a ragdoll. He has precious few seconds now. C'mon, he wills them, say something useful!

A slap, a spit, then a couple of hard coughs. “Nice shot,” you wheeze. “Use the unspicy peanut next time. I think I burned my windpipe.”

The new guy — Usopp — scoffs. “Spicy? Please. This isn’t spicy. Baratie spicy is barely a zip. Now, you want spicy, you gotta hit up the Great Pepper Isles. Their chilis are so hot, I had an out-of-body experience.”

And boom, there it is. Right as he's about to be dropped into the water, his ticket to life.

“Baratie! They're at Baratie," he chokes out. "That floating restaurant. That really nice one I got thrown out of, the pricks."

It was Cabaji's fault. Turns out whipping a unicycle out at the bar is frowned upon. Who'd've thunk.

Arlong 'smiles.' All teeth and gums and no mirth at all. "Consult our charts," he says to the nearest fishman. "I'll prepare our compass."

He grabs Buggy by the hair and yanks. In the interest of not getting his neck broken, he separates his head from his body. Unfortunately, gravity takes over and his body plunges into the pool.

Weakness swamps him like a rogue wave. He can't say a word as he's stuffed into a cloth sack and everything goes dark.

In both ears, all he can hear are the sounds of laughter.

---

Someday, Buggy will learn not to run his fat mouth. That day is not today.

Usopp barges into the galley and lobs his head through the air, a low slow toss. He only has a moment to appreciate not being overhand pitched before landing on the floor. Not on his nose, fortunately, but it still hurts.

He points at the blonde guy — Sanji? Sanji. "I can't take it anymore. He's your problem now. I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

He tramps off as Buggy flips himself upright. “What’s his problem?” he asks no one in particular. “Sheesh, you make one ‘your mom’ joke and—“

A decidedly unmanly yelp escapes him as he's popped up into the air. The world spins and turns and he braces himself to hit the ground again, only to be caught in soft hands. He's spun around...

...and comes face to face with you, regarding him with curious, contemptuous eyes.

Oh, you're even prettier up close. The redhead's a looker, but she's still a kid. Soft. Pale. Set like a mousetrap, ready to spring and break some poor chump's neck at the slightest provocation.

But you? You're a grown-ass woman. Comfortable in your sun-kissed skin. A twinkle of experience in your eye and the ease of someone who's been sailing her ship for years.

He can't help but smile. "Well, well, well. Fancy meeting you here, gorgeous," he says with a wink.

From the corner of his eye, he sees Sanji shoot him a glare. Your expression remains cool and uninterested. Shifting his head to your side, you hold him against your hip like a laundry basket. Even through your trousers, the soft swell of flesh warms his cheek.

“Weren't you just on buggysitting duty?” you ask Sanji.

Buggysitting? Really? "I'm right here, y'know," he grumbles.

He's ignored, as per usual. Sanji straightens up and huffs. “New guy always gets the shit jobs.”

“Let’s trade,” you say. “You take my watch and I’ll mind our chatty compass.”

Rude. “I’m still right here.”

Sanji shakes his head. “Go get your beauty sleep. Not that you need it, of course."

Wow, that was a bad line. Buggy makes his displeasure known with a retch.

“Sleep is for people who don’t have coffee.” You flap your hand toward the door. "Shoo.”

Sanji glances between you and Buggy, but heads for the door. "Any trouble at all, love, and I’m a shout away."

A little smile colors your voice. "If he starts gnawing my ankles, you’ll be the first to know."

Sanji returns the smile, sickeningly sweet. As he leaves, you sit at the table, placing Buggy across from you.

He wants nothing more than to plant his leg on a stool, lean in on his knee, and give you a toothy grin. But alas, he must settle for the grin. "Alone at last. Come here often?"

You don't even bother to look at him, too preoccupied with picking up a very shiny straight razor and a strip of leather. Muscle ripples under your skin as you slide the blade back and forth.

"So you're the barber," he says. You don't respond. "Can't imagine you're too busy on a ship with a bunch of babyfaces." Still nothing. "Don't suppose I could get a shave, then? Last time I used a straight razor, I ended up like this!"

"Barber surgeon," you say as you inspect the blade. Dissatisfied with some invisible blemish, you continue stropping.

He shrugs, only to remember he can’t. "Say, doc, I can't feel anything below my neck. Could you take a look?”

Irritation tints your voice. “Not a doctor,” you say. You’ve clearly had to explain this countless times before. “Doctors treat the inside. I fix up the outside.”

“Splitting hairs, Miss Sawbones.”

Shiff shiff shiff goes the razor. "If you don't stop talking, we’re gonna see if cutting off the nose really does spite the face. Might be an improvement for you.”

That’s just low. “Keep talking shit and this bark is gonna turn into bite.”

You finally look up. You level the razor at him, glaring down the blade. “You’re the only one talking, clown.”

Damn. Your eyes are pretty. Warm as the first sunbeam of a summer morning, but dark as the blotches he gets in his eyes when he looks into a spotlight by accident. Hot like one, too. Heat lurks below the dark surface, like warm charcoal about to catch fire.

Nerves ball up in his absent chest. He swallows them and summons his bravado. “Can ya blame me? I’ve got shit else to do. I’ve met parrots with more to say than you.”

"Count the cracks in the ceiling."

"One, two, three—“ He gives an exaggerated groan. “Didn't you say you were gonna make coffee? Can I get in on that?"

You scoff, but you do stand. "Last thing you need is caffeine.”

“The last thing I need is to be held hostage by a bunch of greenhorn nobodies,” he says, "and yet here I am."

“Sucks to suck,” you say. You pull a pot out of a cupboard and fill it with water. “How do you take it? Sugar? Cream?”

“Black. Like my heart.”

You let out that snnnrrrrk of a suppressed laugh again. What a nice sound. “Something we got in common.”

“Black heart or black coffee?”

“Yes.”

Such a simple, easy response. Not even particularly clever. But the delivery with no hesitation, no intonation, no second guessing the punchline. He laughs. “I knew I liked you!”

You glance over your shoulder at him. “You try to kill everyone you like? No wonder you have no friends.”

He hops to the edge of the table. Not an easy feat with only a stump. “C’mon, babe. All’s fair in love and piracy.”

Calling you babe was a blindfolded over-the-shoulder shot in the dark, but it lands. You add a smile to your glance. “I’ll give you that and nothing more.”

Somewhere, miles away, his heart flutters. He lets it. “Will you still give me coffee?”

“Only if you shut up ‘til this water boils.”

In this state, he’ll take any scrap of stimulus he can get. He bites his tongue and bites it hard, willing himself not to speak.

Silence creeps in. Silence leads to stewing, and stewing leads to bad thoughts. Bad feelings. Lonely feelings. Like how long it’s been since he’s had a friendly cuppa joe with someone. Or had someone honestly laugh at his stupid jokes.

Especially not someone as quick as you. Or as pretty. Or with such a nice ass. Or who maybe-sorta-kinda-might-possibly be interested in him. Potentially. Hypothetically.

There’s no damn way, he tells himself. You’re humoring him. You’re definitely shacking up with that cook — young, charming, handsome. Or the bounty hunter, maybe — tall, dark, broody.

You wouldn’t give him a second glance. Him, a pathetic, painted, big-nosed weirdo. Who is currently a severed head. A temporary state, but still not a good first impression. Even though his actual first impression was trying to kill you and your buddies. This second first impression is just as bad.

A sharp groan escapes him before he can stop it. He eyes you, expecting you to snap at him or worse.

But you don’t. You pause in your pouring to peer over your shoulder at him, gaze soft. “Y’alright?”

There goes his heart again. Ugh. “Peachy. That coffee done yet?”

You curl your lip. “What’s got your panties in a knot?”

“Just realized I’m gonna need a straw or some shit.”

Still sneering, you set a shallow mug in front of him. “I’ll see what I can find.”

See? You definitely don’t like him. Stupid fucking jackass, letting his hopes get up. This is what he gets.

…A nice, warm cup of coffee. If you really hated him, you wouldn’t have given him coffee, right? Or be looking for a straw?

You’re just humoring him. You just want to save your friend. Catch more flies with honey and all that. He’ll be more agreeable if you’re friendly.

Across the room, you open a drawer. “Hey, bendy straws. Perfect.”

You’re breaking out bendy straws for him? There’s gotta be something there! At least a little something!

No. No way. Coincidence.

You place an oddly long straw into the mug. He realizes it’s three normal ones jammed end-to-end, creating a pipe ending just about level with his mouth.

You just pulled some engineering shit so he can drink coffee with you. There’s definitely something.

An ice cube plops into the mug and you slide back into the booth with your own cup. “Might dilute it a bit, but can’t have you burning your mouth.”

His distant heart flips again. He has to say something. Before he can convince himself otherwise. He says the first thing that comes to mind.

“So,” he says, “‘kiss the clown,’ eh?”

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. That’s the first thing he thought of? Seriously? He braces himself for boiling coffee thrown in his face.

You freeze mid-sip, brows raised. “Excuse me?”

Okay, you don’t look mad. “Don’t deny it, babe. I heard everything. Kiss Marry Kill? Nice job keeping it kid-friendly, wink wink."

You stare at him with those dark eyes. "No idea what you're on about."

"I know you know. And I know you know I know." He waggles his eyebrows, hoping for a laugh, but he gets nothing.

You watch the steam swirling up from your mug. "What do you want me to say, exactly? That I chose you to kiss?"

"I just wanna know what possesses a woman to make her want to shack up with the guy who tried to kill her and her friends." He lips the straw into his mouth and takes a test sip. Still quite hot.

"Circumstance. Process of elimination. Being put on the spot." You pick up the razor. Your fiddling with it belies your agitation.

"Don't lie to me, babe," he croons. "I can see right through you."

You stare at him. "And what is it that you see?"

What does he see? "A woman on a knife's edge of self-satisfaction and self-destruction. Once bitten, twice shy, but when he comes around the third time, you just can't help yourself."

Your fiddling becomes more insistent. You break eye contact to look at the razor. He's hitting on something. Time to push some buttons.

"You bet on the wrong horse every time. You think it'll be different this time. But it never is." He smiles bitterly. "Something else we got in common. Birds of one ugly feather."

Your gaze softens as you return your gaze to him. "So you found the problem, Doctor Headshrink. What’s the prescription?"

Shoot your shot, Buggy. "Kiss the clown and maybe we'll find out."

You're still for a few moments. Then slowly, carefully, you slide your hand across the table. You pull him closer as you lean lower in your seat to eye level with him.

He can't help the way his breath quickens. It's been so, so long since he had any kind of intimacy. Your reedy fingers trace his jaw down to his chin. Your thumb comes up to pull at his bottom lip, and he lets out a satin-soft whimper as he opens his mouth to you.

You strike like a snake, yanking his tongue out with one hand and readying your razor with the other. His choke turns into a scream as you bring it down, severing his tongue clean at the root.

It's one thing to disconnect body parts. Pop a leg off, drop an ear — he’s used to it. But it's a different story when said part is supposed to be inside of him. His tongue waggles like a fish as he tries to return it to his mouth, but you keep a firm grip.

"You can have this back in the morning," you say.

He wants to cuss you out, but what comes out is ew bihck, whadda fuhck iss won wif ew, gif ih bahck.

You laugh. And lord, what a laugh you've got. Loud, like a party gone late into the hours of the night. Clattery, like a dozen plates shattering on the floor. Full of mirth, like a drunk on payday.

And, for the briefest of moments, his rage is forgotten. He wants to make you laugh like that.

But it returns with a vengeance, replaced with a desire to see you squirm.

---

<<< | mastahpost | >>>

support group

The Red String of Fate: Ch. 4

Pair: Donatello x Reader

Word Count: 4.6k

Rating: T?? (Characters depicted are adults)

Content/Trigger Warnings: None other than minor injury?? (I never know what needs warning or tagged. If there's anything let me know!!)

Authors Notes: aaaaAAAAAHHHH!! It's finally done!! 😭 I apologize again for this taking so long. I got hit with writers' block pretty bad, but it's finally here!! I just hope you all like it. 🥺 This chapter is very dialogue heavy btw, but onto the story!~

||Chapter 1|| ||Chapter 2|| ||Chapter 3|| ||Chapter 4||

—————————————————–

CHAPTER 4: FATE FULFILLED

Pain throbbed from the top of your head and you had a hard time opening your eyes. Your lids feeling heavy as they blinked, your vision blurry and dark. Just as your sight began to clear, you felt something touch your hand. Turning your head to the source, you saw a figure squatting next to you. Picking up your arm from the ground and reaching for the glowing light on your finger, and it was then that you remembered what was going on… 

You had gone out tonight in search of your soulmate all by your lonesome, without any means to protect yourself, and some fool had mistaken your cosmic tether for a real piece of jewelry and attacked you for it. Now you had to hope that your assailant was sane enough, doubtful, to leave you be once they realized that the ring wasn’t actually tangible. But of course, you weren’t that lucky… No, it only made them more curious when they couldn’t pry the light from your finger, and they took a cautious step closer to your body. Surely to inspect your being for any other possible valuables, since their first inquiry was technically a bust. 

Stupidly, you parted your lips to inform them that you had nothing on you. Except for your phone, which would suck if they stole it, but it would be better losing that than your own life. As soon as you took in a breath to speak however, the assailant suddenly levitated from the ground, and you heard them cry out as they were thrown into some nearby clutter. 

Your eyes grew wide, realizing this was your chance to escape. Quickly, you used your hands to push up from the ground and sit up. But just as you got on one knee, a spell of dizziness rushed to your head and your vision began to fade. Feeling that you were going to pass out, you put your hands to the cold hard ground once more and just as you braced yourself everything went black. 

You weren’t sure how long you had been out for, but there had been a strange sound of something solid colliding with, what you could only assume was your assailant by the groans of pain that followed; that brought you back to consciousness. You opened your eyes to find yourself lying on the ground again. Remembering that you had feinted, you opted to pick yourself up slowly this time, despite the concerning circumstance. The last thing you needed was to slip and knock yourself out entirely after being given the opportunity to escape. 

Shuffling onto your knees, you sat up carefully and rubbed the cloudiness from your eyes until you felt something wet on your left hand. Looking at the back of your palm, you squinted to make out the substance, but it became clear when red leaked into your vision. 

That would certainly explain why you were having so much trouble picking yourself up. 

“Please…” Your assailant croaked, but the only response that was given was another smack of that reinforced noise you had heard before. 

While you knew you should just mind your own business and get the hell out of dodge, there was a part of you that wanted to know who had come to your rescue. Quietly, you turned your body to face the scene. With your head still swimming from the blow and the limited light in the alleyway, you weren’t confident you were seeing things clearly. Looming over your assailant was a giant of a figure. You blinked in disbelief, not quite understanding the outline of their body. There appeared to be a large apparatus on their back covered with a variety of vaguely recognizable objects attached to it. 

They wielded a weapon that was foreign to you. There had been rumor of a masked vigilante in New York who would use a hockey stick, or cricket bat to fight off assailants. But this mysterious figure had been using what looked like a long metal rod, just as tall as they were to fend off your aggressor. You were unsure you could trust your eyes with anything you saw in the darkness of that alley, but there was one thing that couldn’t be mistaken. And that was the was your soulmate.

This shadowy savior that was violently beating down the fiend that attacked you, was your soulmate.

Your throat tickled with unease, forcing you to swallow your disbelief. Although, it did make sense. The love-binding string had led you to this area, and as unfortunate as it was to admit, you couldn’t count on the average New Yorker to come to your aid in an attack. A strange sense of pride and appreciation clashed with your concerned nerves, however, at the sight of your soulmate’s brutal retaliation on your behalf. If you didn’t stop them, they were going to kill the stranger who attacked you. And regardless of what their intentions were, you weren’t gonna let your soulmate commit such a tragedy for you. Even if the two of you were cosmically tied. 

“S-Stop…” Your voice came out weak, and it was clear that the command hadn’t reached your soulmates ears as they lifted the long rod over their head again; rearing to bring it down once more over the thief. “Stop! Please!!” You exclaimed with all of your chest and that struck them. 

They immediately froze on the spot. Their weapon halfway through its swing. 

You stared in silence at them, trying to take in their features now that they were standing still. Unfortunately, they had their back turned towards you, and the gold light that shined from their hand was mostly blocked by their massive stature. You extended a hand to inch yourself forward on the ground, and they suddenly moved. Turning their body quickly, and making an attempt to flee. 

“Wait!!” You called out to them and they stopped again, their back still facing you. “Please, don’t go! I–” You fumbled for words as you tried to come up with a reasonable excuse for them to stay. They should want to stay on their own, shouldn’t they? Didn’t they know that you two were soulmates? Fated by the magical string? But as you pondered these thoughts, you remembered your plea before you had been attacked. 

You had been begging for them to show their self. You knew they were in the alleyway with you, but they had chosen to stay hidden. They were… afraid. Which seemed a bit ironic for the fact that they nearly had beat a person to death, but perhaps that added to their fear. 

Blood trembling down your forehead and over your eyelid snapped you out of your thoughts. You rubbed the back of your hand over your eyes and injury. Smearing the red substance across your skin, but you could care less about that at the moment. “L-Look…” You placed your hands back to the ground and began to pick yourself up. “We don’t have to talk about the soulmate thing but could you help me get some medical assistance? I think there’s a gash on my forehead…”

Your soulmates' breath hitched and they covered the gold light on their hand. Submerging their self in the shadows completely, but you could hear them shuffling indecisively in the dark. If it had been anyone else, you would’ve just disregarded them and been on your way. But you came out tonight with the goal of meeting your soulmate… You just hoped they would make their decision before you passed out from blood loss. 

Finally, they spoke and it took you by surprise. Your own breath catching in your throat.  “I… want to help, it’s just–” they paused briefly before continuing their explanation. “I-I’m going to step out of the shadows now. Please, don’t scream.” 

You’d be lying if that didn’t rustle your nerves. Anytime you heard that phrase be used, it unintentionally gave you the heebie-jeebies. However, there was a tenderness to their voice that quelled your unease. You might’ve been more easily swayed since it was your soulmate the horror movie line had come from. Regardless, you could tell by their tone that they were genuinely concerned about coming face-to-face with you, and it tickled your heart.

“Only if you don’t judge me for coming out bare foot and in my pj’s.” You joked, and swallowed nervously when you didn’t receive an amused response from them. 

You strained your ears to listen for their approach, but they caught you off guard when they silently emerged from the shadows and into the minimal light of the alleyway. Your gaze was pulled upwards as you took in their towering height. They had looked massive before, but it simply did not compare to actually standing in front of them. Your eyes met along the way of taking in their stature. Emerald pools circumferenced with bronze halos, glimmered behind glass lens, and just as you noticed the purple material framing their eyes; you were blinded by a gold light that erupted from below. 

You recoiled from the abrupt light, shielding your eyes with an arm.

“Oh! Sorry…” They quickly smothered the light with their other hand once more.

“It’s okay.” You squinted your eyes to help adjust your vision. 

This time, they slowly revealed the golden light, which in turn illuminated the rest of their shadowed features. Your eyes expanded at the sight of them. 

Pebbled olive colored flesh patterned the top of their dome, and covered their cheeks. The texture extending down their neck and exposed skin of their upper body. Toned muscles stiffened behind what looked like pale plates of armor covering their torso. Which explained how they so easily maneuvered the long weapon against your assailant. You noticed that the weapon itself had been sheathed behind their back, on what you thought was a large pack of some sort, but now that you were in close proximity for inspection….. You still weren’t sure what it was.

Besides some knee pads and a few strips of purple colored fabric, the only clothes were modified pants and boots to fit the armored body of your soulmate. They brought up their left hand, giving you a meek wave, the golden light bringing attention to their digits… Or lack thereof. Three fingers, instead of the average five, and in an instant, it became abundantly clear why they were hesitant in revealing their self to you. What you were looking at… wasn’t human.

Your lips parted in awe, and you hadn’t even realized you didn’t return the small gesture until they frowned and dropped their hand. Fidgeting with their other, they turned slightly and averted their gaze from yours. The skittish motion made you frown in response, and you immediately felt compelled to console them. There was a part of you that questioned the sudden need to be so sympathetic to a total stranger but– They weren’t really a stranger… They were your soulmate. 

“I’m sorry, I just–” The two of you spoke at the exact same time and that pulled their attention back to you. Their eyes blinking in disbelief just like yours had at the strange occurrence. 

“You go ahead–” You echoed one another, followed by nervous laughter. 

“Ah–” A frustrated huff expelled from their nostrils after you both parted your lips to speak once more. However, they finally took initiative. Taking a step closer to you, you drew in a silent breath as you braced yourself. Lips pursing into a thin line as you stared up at them with curious eyes. 

You watched as their right hand approached your face. Noticing that the underside of the three-digit palm was lighter in hue than the top. Just before they made contact with your skin, their hand flinched and they pulled it back. Realization flickering in their gaze. They swallowed and you saw the tiniest blip of pink swipe over their bottom lip before it disappeared back inside their mouth. 

“Is it… Okay if I touch you?” They paused waiting for your approval but quickly added on to their statement, “J-Just to take a look at your injury?” 

You felt your cheeks rise as a small smile carved into your face. “What are you, a doctor?” you teased and your heart fluttered seeing their lips curve upwards into a soft smile as well. 

“Well, I don’t have a degree perse…” Their head cocked slightly as they inspected your injury with just their eyes. “But I am quite knowledgeable in the medical field.” 

A soft snort blew out of your nose. “Then sure.” 

They reached out for your forehead again, but stopped just before touching it once more. Their tongue clicked against the roof of their mouth. It opening to speak but nothing came out. Instead, there was a brief moment of silence where you noticed something processing behind their eyes. Their smaller digit curled downwards as the larger pointed up.

“Actually… Would it be okay if I– Took you somewhere else to be checked over? I promise I’m not trying to be weird or anything it’s just that right now I’m–”

“Exposed?” You filled in the blank, and they looked at you with genuine surprise. Although, it wasn’t exactly hard to guess. If they were hiding from you, their soulmate, then it was probably safe to assume that they kept their self hidden from others as well. Not to mention the fact that they were some giant reptilian man thing… 

“...Yes.” They confirmed with a slow nod of their head. 

“Ye–Yeah…” You nodded your head back but internally cringed at how hesitant you sounded. You wanted to trust them; they were your soulmate after all. But it was still a scary scenario to be put in, especially after what had just happened. At the thought, you leaned past your soulmate and back at your assailant who was lying on the ground. You couldn’t make out much through the dim alleyway lighting, but you could hear the sounds of labored breath, wheezing from their lungs. You couldn’t help but wonder what kind of injury they had sustained from your soulmate’s hand and it made you frown again.

“Will they– be okay?” You asked hesitantly.

Your soulmate turned to the source of your inquiry, as if they had completely forgotten about the person they had just beaten down. “...They should be.” They answered solemnly, their tone making your eyebrows arch but before you could ask anything more, you were suddenly lifted off your feet. In one quick motion, they had positioned you in their arms. One hand pressed against your back, and the other in the pit of your knees. The shock and sudden motion sending a rush of dizziness to your head again.

The same heaviness that had hit you just before you passed out the first two times came over you again. Your vision blurred and darkened, but through it all, you heard the voice of your soulmate call out to you. 

“Oh no… H-Hey! Stay with me!” They commanded and you mumbled in compliance. Although it was difficult to keep your head up and eyes open. Feeling the abrupt sensation of ascension, consciousness was futile. Your head rolled onto your shoulders and your eyes fell shut as you drifted away for the third time this night. 

—————————————————–

You regained consciousness feeling your shoulder being gently shaken. “Hey… Hey…” Your soulmate called, and you forced your eyes open. Albeit your vision came back slowly. You blinked the blurriness from your eyes and when everything cleared, you found your soulmate kneeling before you. Even on their knees they still towered in height. 

You couldn’t help but notice the change in lighting. Soft blue rays from the moon cascaded down from above, making more of your soulmates' features evident, than the dim lighting of the alleyway had. Your eyes focused on their shoulders and specifically the way the skin there seemed to be pulled into the textured rim that clung to their back. Just as you drew the observation it finally clicked for you. 

“You’re a… turtle?” You breathed. 

They blinked behind their glasses and their chest deflated with a soft sigh expelling from their nostrils. “Correct....” They answered sounding a little surprised. Without taking their eyes off of you, they reached behind their back and pulled out a small black container. Opening it, you saw a small stash of medical supplies that could be found in the average household. Band-Aids, disinfectant wipes, gauze, Q-tips, a wash cloth, etc… This time they didn’t bother asking your permission before going to work on your head.

You flinched and hissed at the touch of the wet wipe doing its job, sterilizing the cut on your forehead. 

“Sorry…” They cringed in response but you nodded your head for them to carry on.

“Is it bad?” You asked, and there was a click again as they parted their lips to answer but they lingered in thought. Their eyes flickered down to yours just as they noticed your brows bend with worry and they quickly spoke up.

“You won’t need stitches, but I’m worried you might have a concussion.” They finally answered, dropping the disinfectant wipe to then pick up a roll of gauze. They unfurled a section of the medical dressing before wrapping it around your head. Ripping it apart when the area of your injury was covered and securely taping it off to make sure it wouldn’t come undone. “I’m gonna ask you a series of question, answer to the best of your abilities.” They explained and pulled out a small flashlight from one of their pants pockets. 

You had a few questions of your own…

“Well, isn’t that slick?” You huffed and they paused briefly before running the light over your eyes. 

“What do you mean?”

You followed the light back and forth until they were satisfied with… whatever results was needed from this kind of test. You never knew what it was for when you went to the doctor's... “Claiming that I might have a concussion so that you can get information out of me.” Your lips curled upwards just a bit, but they just stared in confusion. You could tell they were processing the insinuation in their head, and when they finally got what you had meant their eyes popped. The prescription of their glasses making the expression look a tad comedic.

…But in a cute way.

“Don’t be–Don’t be silly! I’m genuinely concerned for your well-being! Not trying to inadvertently learn things about you!…” They refuted and dropped their gaze in avoidance. “But… Would that be so wrong if I was curious about you?” They sheepishly glanced back your way and you smirked. 

“Fine. Shoot.” You sighed, leaning back into whatever is what that had you propped up. Although, the soft smile that carved into your soulmates face at your compliance made your brows perk with attention and you felt a flutter in your chest once more.

“What’s your name?” They asked first.

“Y/N…”

“What state do you live in?”

“New York.”

“What were you doing before this?”

“Looking for you.” 

They blinked and shifted back slightly. Their gaze dropping once more but it flickered between you and their hands as they contemplated over something internally. “Right…” They finally spoke. Their voice coming out low and quiet. You were quickly realizing that your soulmate didn’t have much of a poker face as it was evident by their soured expression that something was eating away at them. 

“Are we… on a rooftop?” You tried to distract. 

“Yes,” they answered but their voice was distant. Obviously, still caught up in their thoughts. 

Still, you had to take a moment to let the amazement sink in. Even though it was clear that they had the muscle to support you, you still wondered how they maneuvered to the top of a building with your unconscious body. Regardless, your brows furrowed at the failed attempt to distract them from whatever was on their mind, so you tried a different approach.

“Can I ask some questions about you?” 

Finally, they turned their attention back to you. Success. 

“Ah…” Their body shifted, readjusting their weight that had been put on their one knee. You saw the bulge in their neck bob as they swallowed nervously. “Ah, yeah… Shoot.” They forced a reassuring smile. 

“What’s your name?”

“Donatello. Although, most refer to me by ‘Donnie.’”

Most, huh? So, there were other’s that knew him? Were they like him or was he talking about other humans? You’d be lying if you said the query didn’t prick at you. You were just so curious to know, but you didn’t want to pry. Not right now at least… So, you stuck with the basics. 

“Do you… also live in New York?” Your brows arched with interest.

His chest swelled at the question and he smiled again. Although, this one was genuine. “Born and raised.” 

You couldn’t help but to smile back at that response, but it was short-lived because of your next inquiry. “What’s bothering you?” You asked, or really commanded to know and he gave you that same wide-eyed look of surprise that you had caught him off guard again. 

“Don’t you…” He started but paused on his thought. Hesitant to finish what he was going to say. “...wanna know why I’m a giant turtle man thing?”

“Well, yes, but I figured that’s a subject I can ask about at any time because you’re always gonna be a giant turtle man thing. Unless… You’re a wereturtle by night?” One brow rose over the other and you smirked. 

Air blew from his nostrils in amusement. “Noo…” 

“I didn’t think so.” You smiled softly. “....So what’s the matter?” 

The corner of his mouth twitched and he lowered his gaze once again. He bent his other knee down on the rooftop and sat back on his rear. Hands in his lap. “It’s just…” He started, and you saw the little bit of pink wet his bottom lip again. “If I hadn’t been such a coward, I wouldn’t have to be concerned about you having a concussion right now. And because you were hurt, I lost control of myself… That’s never happened before.” His voice was quiet as he spoke, regret evident in his tone. 

You straightened your back at his admission. Feeling warmth spread throughout your chest, but there was also a sting of sadness in your heart. It was sweet knowing that he cared so much about your wellbeing, but he wouldn’t be so troubled if you hadn’t been foolish in going out tonight like you had. Your gaze dropped to his lap and your eyes were pulled to the golden glowing string attached to the smaller digit on his left hand. Just a few minutes of preparation and you might not have been attacked, but in those few minutes you might’ve missed the opportunity to meet your soulmate.

The situation might not have been ideal, but you didn’t regret it.

You extended your arm, reaching out with your left hand and gently placing it atop his. A small smile pulling at the corners of your lips feeling the texture of his scales against your smooth fingertips. You hadn’t noticed before when he initially picked you up, but they weren’t as rough as you expected them to be. When you looked back up, you found him staring down at your hand as if you were the one to only have three fingers. 

“You’re not a coward. Anyone with some common sense could understand why you would be hesitant on revealing yourself to strangers–” You saw him begin to part his lips to interject, so you hardened your gaze and continued before he could get anything out. “But what ended up happening was not on you, okay?” You spoke firmly and gave them a short nod. “If anything, I should be the one apologizing for putting the both of us in that situation.” 

You watched as he took in a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds in thought before letting out his exhaustion through his nose. “I just can’t accept that.” He shook his head.

Your brows furrowed with frustration, and your lips puckered in a small pout at his defiance. “Why not?”

“Because… I’m–I’m supposed to protect the citizens of New York. It’s… kind of the reason for the way I am.” He explained, averting his gaze again. 

You weren’t sure if it was a nervous gesture of his, or if it was because the whole ‘soulmate’ thing was making him more bashful the normal but it stung every time he looked away from you. You wanted to look into those beautiful hazel-colored eyes that lit up the dark. You needed him to know that he didn’t have to be afraid of you. So… you did something unexpected. 

“But Donatello…” You started, and then slowly wrapped your fingers around the top of his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. 

That did the trick.

Instantly, he turned his attention back to you. His eyes flickering between your gaze and the hand wrapped around his. You couldn’t help but smile at the flustered response, but you continued. “You did protect me. You saved me and now I’m here, with you... The only place I wanted to be tonight.” 

His chest swelled and the pigment of his cheeks turned a shade darker at your words. He parted his lips to speak, but whatever he was thinking about saying got lodged in his throat so you took initiative again. 

Delicately, you moved your fingers between his. Your pinky on the outside of his largest digit and thumb, ring and middle finger in the gap of his hand, and your index and thumb between his smaller digit. It was… different than what you were used to, but it felt right.

This time it was you who dropped your gaze, but only to look at the gold strings attached to both of your hands. The glow of the fabric mellowed into a serene light, but it was still strong. “Is this… Where you wanted to be tonight?“ You asked, looking back up to him with large, hopeful eyes. 

Finally, he held your gaze. The green-bronze color of his eyes almost disappeared to the black of his pupils as he stared longingly into your pools. It sent an unexpected, but pleasant chill down your spine, and you did your best not to shudder. He drew in a silent breath, and relaxed his shoulders but tightened his grip on your hand before speaking. 

“I didn’t believe in this–” he nodded to his string, “before it appeared to me and even when it did, I was skeptical. It didn’t seem probable for the universe to pick someone like me to be fated to someone like you, but regardless… I came out tonight with the intention of finding you. So yes, this is exactly where I wanted to be.” He smiled and gave your hand a soft squeeze. 

Your heart overflowed with bliss and you could feel your throat seize with emotion. Moisture began to collect in your eyes for the third time tonight, but before they could over flow, the gold light coming from your strings of fate erupted into a flash. You clenched your eyes shut until you sensed the light die out. Peering one eye open slowly, you checked to see what had happened to the magical apparition and both of your eyes shimmered with intrigue when you found something new in its place.

Your once red string of fate had now solidified into a golden band of destiny…

—————————————————–

Iiiiiit's donnnneeee!! FINALLY!! I hoped you enjoyed it. This was a challenge for myself to write something on the fluffier side and I think I did alright. ^^; I do apologize for the lack of.... romance? I guess??? KISSING basically, lol. Idk if people will be mad about reader and Donnie not kissing at the end but the way I see it... Even though they are soulmates, they still gotta build up their relationship! I may do another one-shot in the future diving into some romance, but not any time soon. (I also have ideas for doing a RSOF fic for the other brothers but those too will be put on the back burner for now...)

Anywhoo... Hope you liked it!! Thanks to everyone who liked and reblogged the fic! And to those who sent me messages about it! It means so much to me and always brightened my day to see them! Love ya'll! 💖💕💕💖💕💖

Tag: @eveandtheturtles

imagine katakuri resting his large head on your lap while you scratch his scalp like he's a big cat 💜

Big, “scary”, “mean” men from One Piece blushing>>>>>>

Sweet Abduction

Thank you anon for this super cute request! I loved the idea, and I hope you enjoy the fic!

Pairings: Charlotte Katakuri x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 4084

Ao3 Link

Summary: Times are tough, and you're afraid you'll have to give up the family business, until you find people who cherish your work. Who knew making doughnuts would gain you the attention of an Emperor of the Sea, and her second son? Will your new life be as sweet as it seemed?

Rating/Warnings: SFW, AFAB!Reader, She/Her Pronouns for Reader, Reader-Insert, Fluff, Grief, (reader's dad has passed and she thinks about him a lot), Arranged Marriage, Forced Marriage, Kidnapping, Minor Violence (hardly anything, just being grabbed by the arms briefly), Kissing, No Smut, Human/Monster Romance, He's freaking 16 ft tall, Reader is too sweet for this world

A/N: Turns out Katakuri is over 16 ft tall. I stuck with canon, hope you don't mind! Please heed the tags! This is very sweet romance type fluff, but there is some kidnapping and shit, so be wary 😅

Your body naturally woke you in the quiet, early morning light, but you still felt like you were in a bad dream.

After all your years of struggling to get by, of trying to make a living off the only skills you had, you still had nothing. You had kept your dad’s shop running, learning all you could, trying to honor his memory. But now that he’s gone, prepping these early mornings alone felt like losing him all over again.

Especially since hardly anyone in this town could afford to waste their berries on sweets.

Even buying ingredients for one day's batch was brutal.

I’m sorry, dad. I don’t want to sell your shop. Please, I wish you were here to tell me what to do.

You blinked back your tears as you started frying the morning's first batch of doughnuts.

Falling into your rhythm, you glazed and displayed each doughnut with care. Still taking pride in your work, you treated each pastry with love, even though they would probably be wasted. 

You gave a little yelp as the tiny bell on the shop’s door chimed.

Your mouth hung wide as you looked at the two potential customers. Shaking yourself, you greeted them, turning on your customer service charm.

‘The best way to keep a customer is to show them you really care.’

Your dad’s sweet voice filled your mind, and you smiled, genuinely hoping that these people would have a wonderful day. And that if they tried your doughnuts, it might make their day even brighter. 

The two strangers made their way to the display case, reviewing the little menu above the counter, and they asked you detailed questions that surprised you. 

You had been too busy trying to make sense of the colorful, almost outrageous way they dressed, that it took you a second to realize how excited they seemed to be here. 

They can’t be from around here. Everyone here is too poor to be that colorful.

You pinched your wrist at the sour thought, reminding yourself of your dad’s view of the world. He’d tell you to focus on the good things happening right now.

The two customers ordered four doughnuts each, and you carried their plates to the dingy little table in the corner, filling their cups with coffee.

The urge to stare was almost too powerful. It had been so long since someone new came to enjoy your work. 

They smacked their lips, and licked their fingers, and their bright eyes warmed your heart. 

‘There’s nothing better than watching someone enjoy the work you put your heart into.’ 

You cleared your throat, turning away from them as you wiped away a tear at your dad’s words in your mind.

“Ooh, Mama’s gonna enjoy this,” the taller one hissed in a mock whisper.

“Excuse me,” the other patron called, waving you over. 

You wiped flour off your hands, grabbing the pot of coffee. You felt their eyes on you, feeling examined as you refilled their cups.

“Is there anythi–”

“How would you like a sponsorship to open a shop in the sweetest capital of the world?”

“... I’m sorry. What did you–”

The tall one grabbed your wrist, eyes almost manic as he leaned toward you.

“We’re scouts, you see. We’re from Totto Land, and we’ve been looking for someone with your talents. Everything will be taken care of. We already have a doughnut shop that's just waiting for an artist like you.”

Your eyes were so wide it was almost painful, and part of you told you to run from these strangers. 

‘Don’t fight miracles, sweetheart. Sometimes good people really do get good things.’

“Okay,” you stuttered, following your dad’s advice one more time. 

~ 

You had heard the name Big Mom before, seen her wanted poster. She didn’t seem like a real person when you were struggling in your run down town. 

And you thought that Emperors of the Sea were meant to be terrifying, almost demonic. 

But here you were on her archipelago, her myriad of islands filled with so many happy people. So many people who love what you do.

It's surreal! 

You’d been given a doughnut shop on Komugi Island, along with a beautiful apartment above the shop. You wanted to explore and meet people, but you couldn’t think of closing the shop for even a day. 

All the ingredients you could dream of, equipment that you’d never seen before, and a dining area inside and outside with plenty of tables so you could enjoy the happy noises people made when they ate your doughnuts and pastries. 

It was heaven. It felt like your dad was there with you, kneading the dough, pouring the coffee. You could almost hear his laugh, his silly songs that he used to hum.

It felt like home.

After a few days, you noticed that the shop cleared out a little before lunchtime. You had been having a steady stream of customers all day since the day you opened, but now it was empty. You tried to remind yourself that things wouldn’t always be that busy, and that it didn’t mean anything.

I guess I’m just worried, dad. I want to do well here. I want to stay.

You had a pile of plates in one hand as you wiped down a table outside.

“Good afternoon,” boomed a deep voice from above, and your ankle shifted against the stone tiles.

You were slipping, trying and failing to keep a grip on the porcelain plates.

Then a huge, warm hand held you steady, and your mouth gaped at the sight of another gloved hand catching the plates before they fell.

“I’m so sorry,” you choked out, heart racing.

Shifting away to look at your new patron, you steadied yourself, pressing your palm against the warmth beside you.

Your breath hitched as your hand touched firm leather. You stumbled back a step, and he grabbed your shoulder to steady you, before setting the dishes on the table, and towering over you.

“I apologize. I should have waited until you set down the plates.”

The deep, measured voice made you shiver as you looked up at the man it belonged to. 

He was so tall. Insanely tall.

Is he a giant?

He sat down beside the shop on what you just now realized was a bench, made for someone his size.

Realizing how rude you were being, you cleared your throat, giving him a smile.

“No need to apologize. Thank you so much for saving my plates!”

You dipped your head, letting your eyes go wide as you looked at the ground after getting a better look at him. 

He had deep crimson hair, with eyes to match. Those intense eyes were framed with arched brows, and eyelashes so dark and thick that you could see them from where you were.

You brought your head back up to meet those eyes, and you bobbed on your toes as you tried not to gape at the rest of him. 

You’d never seen anyone like him before. He wore a layered scarf that draped around his shoulders, covering his neck, and the lower half of his face. 

Below the scarf was an expanse of muscle, pink tattoos accentuating his chiseled abs. His leather vest covered nothing, but it matched the leather across the rest of his body, belts, straps, and spikes giving you so much to look at.

Then you looked back at his eyes, and realized you’d been staring.

“I–I am so sorry. I’m new here, and my head is a little off still. Would you like me to bring you a menu?”

He hardly spoke while he was there, but his gaze felt heavy and warm. Thankfully, no one else came by to witness you making a fool out of yourself. 

He made a huge order, and you packed three large boxes to the brim.

Your dad would have been so happy in that moment. You could picture his smile. Practically hear his voice.

‘Look, sweetheart. Your love is gonna touch all those people that eat your sweets. Isn’t that just lovely?’

“Are you afraid?”

“What,” you choked out, quickly brushing a tear from your eye as you thought of your father.

He’d taken the boxes from you after paying, but now his brows were furrowed as he looked down at you.

“Oh my– oh no! I’m sorry,” you panicked, realizing what he meant.

“I wasn’t crying because of– I was just thinking about my dad. He would have been really happy with your order. You picked all his favorites!”

He stiffened, one of his gloved hands flexing on his knee.

Clearing his throat, he stood, his height leaving you speechless again. 

“Thank you, miss. Have a pleasant day.”

“... Th-Thank you! Please, come again soon!”

You were waving at his back, and he froze for a moment at your words. But he kept walking, finally leaving your sight. 

Slumping into one of the chairs, you felt the blood rushing through your body, your head feeling fuzzy after all of that. 

Then a line of customers started trickling back in, and you poured yourself into work. 

What an interesting place this is. 

~

He came back again. And again. And you always forgot to ask for his name. 

He never said much. He always ordered at least three boxes. And you always spaced out as you stared at him at least once before he left. 

Luckily he always seemed to come during a slow hour, catching you cleaning with no other customers to attend to.

You wanted to ask if he liked them. If he liked your dad’s favorite recipes. It seemed like a silly question, since he ordered so many every time.

But you liked his voice, and you thought it would sound really nice if he said it. 

You caught yourself grinning in the mirror at the thought as you got ready for the day.

I think I like it here.

“Good morning, miss Y/N!”

You had just stepped downstairs, morning light still not quite touching the world, but your shop was full of people.

“I… I’m sorry. The shop’s not open yet. But I’m happy to share my pot of coffee with you if you’re willing to wait on the doughnuts!”

You felt extra grateful that you’d dressed for the day before coming downstairs.

“Thank you dear, but you’ll be coming with us.”

A tall, thin woman moved toward you, a rough scar bisecting her face, and you clenched your fist to stop yourself from recoiling. It was too damn early for someone who looked like a gnarled old witch to break in and threaten you.

Is she threatening me?

“Sorry, uh,” you said awkwardly as you moved behind the counter. “I’ve got a lot of doughnuts to get started for the day.”

“Not today, sweetie,” the witch-like woman said, her reddish nose bobbing as she shook her head.

“I don’t– Did I do something wrong?”

You shrank back against the wall as guards moved against you, gripping your arms.

“Not at all,” the woman nearly shrieked, failing to sound comforting. “In fact, you are being granted the highest of honors. You are about to become part of Big Mom’s family!”

You had been squirming only slightly, not really fighting against the men holding and moving you. But now you slumped, confusion hurting your brain too much to keep steady.

“What do you mean? What’s happening,” you asked, panic building in your throat the closer they got you to the door. 

“You have been chosen to wed the shining star of the Charlotte family. Our strongest warrior, a man whose back has never touched the ground. My perfect big brother, Charlotte Katakuri!”

Your mouth hung open as she continued, her voice manic, louder with each word. She may as well have been speaking another language. 

She pointed a long, twig-like arm at you, and you tried to clear your head to understand.

“You can call me Brulee, sister in law. Tomorrow you will become Charlotte Y/N.” 

You stood, frozen and dizzy.

“Come now, lots to do, sister,” she tutted, snapping her fingers.

“But why? Why me?”

She reared on you, her red nose inches from yours.

“You’re special, of course. You were chosen. And you’d better learn not to question Mama.”

“Please,” you pleaded, twisting against the guard's hold. “I don’t–”

“Don’t question mama! And don’t even think about refusing her.”

The guards tightened their grip, leading you toward the door.

“Wait!”

“Don’t res—”

“Please change the sign! Please let my customers know I’ll be gone, I don’t want them to wait out there for me.”

Brulee frowned at you, but had one of the guards write a note, hanging it on the door.

“Thank you,” you sighed with relief, giving her a grateful smile.

She frowned again.

You didn’t resist, and the guards let you walk freely. You felt the stares of citizens on you, and watched a group of onlookers waving as the ship departed for the main island. 

Whole Cake Island. 

It was incredible. The sounds, the colors, the smells! Excited locals rushing around, as if preparing for something big. 

Like a wedding.

Brulee spent the travel time regaling you with stories of her brother. 

The second son of the Big Mom Pirates. One of the Three Sweet Commanders. The Minister of Flour who governs over your new home, Komugi Island.

“When he was born he stood straight up, and slept on a chair. His back has never touched the ground. He’s never laid down, and never been knocked down either.”

“That sounds tiring,” you muttered under your breath, but she turned, grasping your wrist.

“Not to my brother. He’s more than strong. He’s superhuman. He’s noble, and cool-headed. And you are going to be the perfect wife for my perfect brother. Got it?”

“I-I got it.”

She released your arm, and you tried to fight your nerves, but you couldn’t stop shaking. 

You were led through a massive castle that looked like, or was it a cake? The ceilings were so massive, you had to crane your neck to see them.

Brulee left the guards outside, leading you into a gorgeous bedroom, with an extravagant bathroom, and at least ten servants carrying all sorts of fabrics, powders, shoes, and more. 

You felt like you were in a whirlwind, just staying still and letting these strangers touch you, pamper you, fit the white dress to your body.

Now and then you’d pay attention to what they were saying between their giggles and demands. 

“She’s so lucky.” 

“I wish I could join the family.”

“I wonder if his children will be as perfect as he is?”

Finally, you were freed from their hands. Dinner was brought to your guarded room, and you watched the night fall.

You curled up in the luxurious bed, and sobbed silently. You caught yourself whispering under the blankets, eyes burning as you tried to make sense of it all.

“Dad, I’m sorry. I’m trying to see the good here. But I’m scared. I love this place. I love making people smile. But what if this man… What if my husband is a bad person? What if he’s mean? What if he doesn’t like me?”

Visions of terror filled your mind. If they could kidnap you for this, could they really be good people? This land seems so happy and prosperous, could this marriage be a good thing?

“Is this a miracle, dad? Should I let it happen, and hope for the best?” 

“Will they kill me if I try to run?” 

“I’m scared, dad. I wish you were here.”

Finally, your quiet sobs fell into slow breaths as sleep pulled you under.

Morning arrived, and the servants were buzzing with excitement as they prepared you for the wedding. You felt empty, hollow. They kept pinching your cheeks lightly, trying to wake you up, to convince you to be happy.

All you could manage was a weak smile as you looked at your reflection.

“You look beautiful, sister,” Brulee praised, patting your hand. “It’s almost time.”

She led you to a massive stone room, guiding you to a small bench before leaning over you. 

“Just wait here. It won't be long.”

She left, and you didn't turn to watch her go. You thought about running. There were no guards in this chamber. 

You bit your lip to keep from crying, afraid of what might happen to you if you ruined your makeup.

“Y/N…”

A choked gasp left your throat as you turned, looking for the owner of that deep voice.

Your favorite customer was there, his height looking almost normal in this massive room. He sat along the wall on a giant bench, leaning toward you.

“Oh, hello,” you practically squeaked, throat caught with unshed tears. “What are you doing here? I’m sorry I couldn’t make your order today!”

“Please,” he stopped you, holding out his gloved hands. You blinked at him, noticing that his normally black attire was white, somehow making his hair and tattoos stand out even more.

“What are you…”

“I’m sorry, Y/N. I shouldn’t have let this happen.” 

“Let what happen,” you asked, your mind moving so fast it felt like it was tripping over itself. You stood without meaning to, walking closer.

“You were brought to my island as a gift. For me.”

His dark eyes poured over you as you stood, silently waiting.

“I shouldn’t have told mama that I liked you. I tried to convince her to stop, but there’s no way to stop this without violence now. And I cannot hurt my family.”

Violence? 

Your heart beat in your chest like a bird, wings flapping desperately to escape a cage. 

“Mama is a decisive woman. When she makes her mind up on something, it will happen. I am usually the one to make it happen. Most of my siblings have their marriages arranged. I didn't…”

Regret tinged his voice, and you met his eyes.

“Why me?”

He looked away, sighing as he leaned back against the wall.

“My siblings brought you to my island because they thought I would enjoy your doughnuts. I happened to mention how much I’ve enjoyed your work, and your… company. So Mama has decided that you’ll be joining the family. That you and I will marry. In less than an hour.”

You’d never heard him say so many words at once, and his voice rolled over you while you tried to comprehend everything. Your mouth hung open as you stared at him.

“You must be frightened.”

He shifted on the bench, looking almost uncomfortable before he caught himself. He adjusted the movement, making it look deliberate. But you noticed.

He’s just a person.

“I think having a first date might have been nice,” you teased with a small smile. 

He stared down at you for a long moment, before his brows furrowed.

“You shouldn’t have to marry a monster.” 

“What do you mean,” you questioned, starting to feel lightheaded from everything.

“When we kiss, it will be over…”

“We’ll be married?” 

“No.”

You hadn’t thought his eyes could get any more intense, but they sure did. You stood, still as a statue, waiting for him to explain. 

“There’s something I have to show you.” 

Katakuri unraveled his scarf, slowly revealing the lower half of his face.

Your eyes went wide at the sight of his large mouth, scars stretching from ear to ear. Sharp teeth or fangs jutted out at the edges of his lips. 

Your first thought was that he did look like a monster.

‘You can’t tell somebody’s heart from the outside, sweetheart. Always give people a chance.’

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, after you stood there too long, thinking of your dad’s voice.

You watched those huge hands start to drape the scarf, looking away from you as he covered his scars.

“Wait,” you commanded, voice almost too loud in the echoing room. You reached up to put your hand on his knee, shoving aside a brief thought about how things would work with his height.

“Will you be kind to me?” 

He paused his movements, face still uncovered. Your whole body rolled with warm shivers as he laid his hand on yours.

“I will be kind to you. And I will protect you.” 

“And you’ll tell me how much you like my doughnuts?”

An almost surprised huff left him, and you were pleasantly shocked to see his wide lips twitch up, a hint of a smile there. 

“I love your doughnuts. They make me very happy.” 

Your toes curled in your shoes as you grinned up at him

“Okay,” you nodded, dread shifting to excitement. “I guess we’re getting married then? Please, promise to be kind.” 

“I promise,” he agreed, head tilted as he looked at you, before wrapping his scarf back around. 

You were practically bouncing on your feet now, and your words came out high and fast.

“So, your name is Katakuri?”

“Yes.”

“Is it true you never lie on your back?”

“We’ll learn a lot of interesting things about each other later,” he promised, voice low as he patted you on the head.

“Right now we have somewhere to be.”

There were so many people. So much food, so many sweets. 

Big Mom was enormous, even taller than Katakuri. All of her children looked so different, so interesting. 

Everyone seemed happy.

I’ll choose to be happy too, dad. I just wish you were here with me.

The ceremony and vows flew by, and luckily you remembered what to say. Then the end arrived, and you realized that you didn’t know what to do.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may start your marriage with a kiss!”

How am I supposed to kiss him?

Your question was answered as his large hand scooped down beside you. Looking into his face, you could have sworn he was smiling by the slight crinkling of his eyes.

A giggle left your lips as you nodded, and you gasped as he grabbed you gently around the waist, lifting you up.

You heard the cheers of his family as he turned away from the crowd, keeping his face from their sight.

“I am sorry, Y/N.”

His whisper made your heart ache for this strange man. He seemed so lonely, even with all of his family looking up to him. 

Maybe neither of us have to be lonely anymore.

You touched a hand to his cheekbone, and he seemed to freeze.

“Don’t be sorry, Katakuri. Let’s just be good to each other.”

You felt a hum move through him before he carefully pulled his scarf down, just enough, just for you.

He’s so big!

That thought hit you again, but you’d already decided. You’re already his. You leaned forward, and kissed him between the sharp fangs at the edges of his mouth.

His lips were warm, and soft, and sweet.

You let out a hum of contentment, wiggling slightly in his grasp. He pulled back, covering his face, then he stared at you. 

“Hi,” you said softly, feeling your skin flush as you felt suddenly shy.

“Oh mama, mama,” Big Mom laughed, making him turn to face the party.

“My family is getting bigger and bigger! What a wonderful day. Let’s start with the cake!”

~

Katakuri didn’t join in on the fun, sitting on the edge as if keeping watch over his own wedding. Everytime you tried to talk to him, new in-laws would drag you away, light conversations and laughter hogging the day. 

Finally, you were ushered away, waving back at the crowd as your husband joined you. 

Instead of a carriage, you were carried away from your wedding on Katakuri’s shoulder, adjusting the scarf so that it would stay in place. 

A procession of onlookers applauded, calling his name. You even heard your own name once or twice. It felt like the entire island was cheering for you, and you were caught in the chaos of a world you never could have imagined. 

Your mind started racing as the wedding was over, the real world starting to return. A million questions tore through you, and you didn’t know where to start, until one came tumbling out.

“How are we going to sleep if you never lay on your back?”

He let out a sound that could have been a laugh as he kept moving toward your new home. 

“Don’t worry, Y/N. I’ll show you.”

Likes and reblogs bring me much ✨dopamine✨ thank you so much!

a/n: Once again, I'm so happy to take requests! I probably wouldn't have thought to write for this big guy, but now I love this lil doughnut man. He's so sweet 😭😭 (Let me know if I should write the honeymoon... 😳)

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