Doubt (Zoro X Reader)

cw: fluff. set after timeskip.

Tonight you’ve taken charge of kitchen cleaning duty, and Luffy - initially reluctant to do any type of chore but now eagerly mopping the floor because it means he gets to spend some alone time with you - is singing loudly as he works just paces away. Stationed in front of a mountain of dishes to wash and store away, courtesy of the man just mentioned, you find that despite his questionable singing voice you’re in some way lulled into a sort of quietude by it.

Scrub, dunk, set to dry. Scrub, dunk, set to dry. 

You find yourself humming under your breath.

It’s been several months since you’ve all come together again to continue your collective journey and the time just spent with Luffy, particularly the last six months between the Island of Women and Luffy’s training island, is starting to become a remote memory. You wonder how much of the blossoming of your relationship was spurred from the combination of painful grief, loneliness and forced proximity, and what will remain now that that no longer exists.

You and Luffy are happy, as are all of the Straw Hats, to be a crew again. Raucous dinners abounding every night, nary a moment alone; there is always constant play and the ever pressing hope of adventure.

You wonder every once in a while if that will change things. 

Luffy stops singing abruptly, and somehow the sound of silence is deafening, as though the mirthful notes were sucked out by a vacuum. You turn a little too fast, such that it almost appears accusatory, and look right at him.

“Is everything okay?”

Luffy looks at the suds-filled bucket in front of him for a moment, then looks up at you. A big grin resumes on his face in response to your worried one, which only serves to confuse you further.

“I missed sleeping next to you, what if-”

Your cheeks warm.

“No.”

You turn back to wash the dishes but you can practically feel the pout in your direction, and in a comically long single stride over next to you, he places his chin on your shoulder.

“But-”

“Luffy, Nami and Robin will be right there-”

“Okay, they can cuddle too!”

Your eyes widen and you turn to look at him but he’s grinning, impossible to faze.

“Go cuddle with your mates in the men’s quarters then!” you hiss.

He pouts, wrapping his arms around your waist multiple times over. “But the point is to cuddle with you,” he whines.

“It’s inappropriate,” you insist, even if your face is growing hotter by the second. You turn on the faucet again, but forgetting what you’re doing you end up scrubbing your hands furiously even though you don’t need to in the least before realizing what you’re doing and stopping abruptly, letting out a sigh.

Luffy still hasn’t let go.

“I can kick everyone out of the men’s quarters,” Luffy offers, grinning. “They’ll understand!”

“Like hell they will.” You reply, just imagining the sheer dirty look Zoro would give you and Sanji would give Luffy, and he pouts.

“Well, how about the lifeboat?”

You finally wriggle around in his grasp to face him.

“All this just to sleep in the same bed?” you ask, incredulous. He nods emphatically, then kisses you on the forehead.

“Yeah, duh.”

Mollified despite yourself, you give him a long discerning look then let your arms wrap around his shoulders before pressing a kiss to his nose.

“How about we start with a nap on the couch in a couple minutes, okay?” you suggest, and he smiles, finally unwrapping you to finish his work. His song resumes and the mountain of dishes to wash continues to decrease just like any one of your misgivings about how much Luffy loves you.

And to think you thought things would change.

YEEEESSSSS WE ARE SO BACK!!!! ROBIN FLEQUILLO!!!

emily is definitely for the girls and women i don't make the rules

🍊

Sir🦋

Surrender

Word count: 4400

Synopsis: You have been feeling tension in your back and neck for several days. You try to manage it on your own, but your captain has other plans and decides to relieve you…

Tags: Kidxf!Reader, not really NSFW, massage, possessive!Kid, soft!Kid, dom!Kid, fluff.

Notes: Just in time before the end of my birthday ^^ I’ve been working on this piece for a long time... I’m happy to share it with you today! @jintaka-hane and @pandora-writes-one-piece, this text is for you. I hope you like it and that I managed to capture the atmosphere well in both English and French. Thank you for everything—for your support, your encouragement, your messages, your comments, your reblogs. You are truly a source of inspiration for me. I love exchanging and sharing with you and rambling about our beloved grumpy Captain with the fiery hair. I love you, girls! English is not my first language, so I apologize for any mistakes.

The common room was bathed in a soft, flickering light cast by the lanterns hanging from the dark wooden beams. The steady swaying of the ship added a slight oscillation to the dancing shadows on the walls, making the atmosphere almost hypnotic. An enveloping silence reigned, punctuated only by the gentle creaking of the wood under the pressure of the waves, creating a familiar and reassuring melody. The air was imbued with the salty scent of the sea, mingled with the residual warmth of the day.

With your body heavy and your movements marked by the fatigue of a long and demanding day, you had settled on a high chair near the counter, seeking support that could ease the tension in your back and neck. Shoulders slumped, you absentmindedly brought your fingers to your neck, where a dull, insistent pain throbbed. The tension had taken hold for days, clinging to your muscles like an invisible weight, turning each movement into a nagging reminder of your exhaustion. Despite your efforts to ignore it, the sensation intensified, as if it fed on your will to push it away.

The ambient calm seemed to amplify each breath you took, each tremor of your fingers sliding over your tired skin. You closed your eyes for a moment, letting the darkness offer you a brief, albeit fleeting, reprieve from your tumultuous thoughts. The space around you felt both comforting and heavy, filled with that temporary solitude which, paradoxically, made every sensation more palpable and more intense.

Yet, it was not only fatigue that made you tense. There was something else in the air, a far subtler but equally oppressive tension. Kid, your captain, had said almost nothing all day, but you knew he was watching you. You could feel his gaze on you, that piercing and weighty look that made you shiver more than you cared to admit.

For weeks, a sort of change had taken place between the two of you. Something you couldn’t name but felt every time you were near him. This silent bond, this almost tangible electricity hanging between you, like a storm on the verge of breaking. Conversations had become rarer, replaced by long, heavy glances and silences that seemed to stretch far longer than necessary. A silent storm, full of unspoken words and hidden emotions.

You unconsciously bit your lip, trying not to focus on the warmth in your chest that surged every time you thought of him, of his imposing presence. You tried to chase those thoughts away, to push them to the back of your mind, but they were always there, lurking, ready to overwhelm you when a thrill ran down your skin.

And you knew this thrill well.

You slowly opened your eyes, and it was only then that you saw him. Kid was standing in the shadows, leaning against the back wall, his massive silhouette outlined by the flickering lanterns light. In an instant, your breath caught, surprised by his presence that you hadn’t noticed until now. He was unusually silent, arms crossed over his chest, his intense gaze fixed on you.

He had been watching you out of the corner of his eye for several hours, frowning each time you rubbed your neck or stretched your shoulders. You had exchanged more glances than usual without saying a word. The tension between you kept growing day by day, and it had become almost unbearable for you.

Once the surprise passed, you tried to collect yourself, quickly looking away to break the burning connection of his eyes on you. But the silence remained heavy, and the air seemed charged with an indefinable anticipation, as if even the ship held its breath at this unexpected face-to-face.

Kid still didn’t move, his stillness amplifying the effect of his presence. You knew that when he was this calm, it never signaled anything ordinary.

He finally moved, crossing the room with his determined, imposing stride. You followed him with your eyes, thinking he would leave the room and let you be, but you didn’t expect him to stop right next to you. He was imposing, magnetic, and that mere proximity made you shiver.

“Sit properly,” he ordered in a rough voice, without preamble.

You looked up, surprised. “Excuse me?”

“Your back, your neck... You’re going to completely lock up if you keep going like that.” His piercing eyes left no room for argument. “Let me take care of it,” he said, guiding you to adjust your posture and placing his right hand gently on your shoulder.

What?

Your heart skipped a beat. The idea that Kid, the feared captain, was offering... a massage? You didn’t know what to think anymore.

“No, it’s fine, it’s just a little tension. It’ll pass,” you replied, swallowing hard.

A wave of warmth flushed your cheeks, and you could already feel your heartbeat quickening. This exchange was becoming far too intimate.

But Kid wasn’t the type to accept refusal. He moved around the chair, pressing his hand more firmly on your shoulder to keep you from leaving.

“Stop pretending to be strong and let me do this.” Your breath caught in your throat as he positioned himself behind you, imposing, and you felt the weight of his presence overwhelm you. With a confident gesture, he moved his hand up to your neck, his fingers pressing lightly into your tense muscles.

The warmth of his palm radiated instantly through your skin, flooding every inch of your body. You couldn’t decide if it was the contact, his closeness, or the intensity of the moment that made you so nervous, but your whole body reacted. It was like an electric current spreading at an alarming speed. Your skin responded immediately, every fiber sensitive to the slightest movement of his fingers.

He was surprisingly skilled, despite having only one functional hand. Every movement was precise, as if he knew exactly where to press to release the accumulated tension. There was no hesitation in his touch, no doubt.

He knew exactly what he was doing.

“You’re as tense as a bowstring about to snap,” he murmured, almost to himself, continuing the massage with a surprising expertise.

You bit your lip, trying to stifle the sigh of relief that threatened to escape. The pain that had been weighing on you all day gradually dissipated under his fingers. You felt your muscles relaxing, despite yourself. His hand, rough and large, brought an unexpected comfort. He said nothing, focused on his task, but his slow, steady breathing against your bare skin made you shiver.

His fingers pressed slightly into a knot of tension, and you couldn’t suppress a sigh as your body instinctively yielded to the pressure. That warmth... it spread like a slow fire through you, transforming the pain into an unexpected kind of pleasure. Every inch of your skin seemed hypersensitive to his touch, and you struggled to keep your body from betraying the effect he had on you.

No matter how hard you tried to stay calm, every movement of Kid made pushed you further off balance. The warmth of his hand spread through your body, sparking a troubling sensation that mingled with the fatigue and pain you had accumulated. But it was no longer just tension in your muscles; it was something else. Something much deeper, more intimate, that burned softly beneath your skin.

“You really don’t know how to relax,” he breathed softly, his breath brushing against your skin as he leaned slightly closer, his deep voice resonating in the almost oppressive silence of the room.

His fingers began to slide under the strap of your tank top, exploring the tense muscles of your shoulders. The precision of his movements was disconcerting. Despite his imposing stature and reputation as a brute, he massaged you with a gentleness you would have never imagined. Even with just one hand, he made you feel every pressure, every movement as if your entire body belonged to him. You bit your lip discreetly, trying to suppress another sigh that threatened to escape."

His hand moved a bit lower, lingering on a sensitive spot between your shoulder blades, and a shiver ran through your entire body. You closed your eyes, trying to push away the sensation that overwhelmed you, but it was impossible. The way his fingers pressed, the way his warmth spread... It was too much. Too intense, too intoxicating.

'Kid, I...' your voice faltered slightly, unable to find the right words. You wanted to say something, anything, to regain a bit of control. But everything seemed futile against the mastery he displayed."

"Let it go," he replied calmly, but with a firmness that allowed no argument. It wasn't a suggestion. It was an order. You felt trapped by that deep voice, by that burning hand wrapping you in a silent embrace. And you no longer had the strength to fight.

Nor the desire.

His hand moved slowly up, caressing the curve of your neck before returning to your shoulder, his thumb gliding with calculated slowness over the tense line of your muscles. You felt your body relax despite yourself, surrendering to his touch. You were no longer in control, and each brush of his skin against yours made you shiver even more.

"You're much more sensitive than you let on," he murmured, an almost audible smile in his voice.

He knew.

He knew what his touch did to you, how you tried to hide the effect he had on you. But he wouldn’t let you escape.

His fingers ventured even lower, lingering on your back, tracing the natural curve of your spine. The heat of his hand only grew, and each slow, precise movement seemed to awaken sensations you had never felt before. It was almost too much. Your breath quickened, and you desperately tried to maintain control, but your body betrayed you.

“Kid…” you tried to protest again, but your voice sounded foreign, muffled by the intensity of the moment.

"Shh," he replied, his deep voice resonating right by your ear. He leaned in closer, his warm breath brushing against your bare skin, sending a wave of shivers through your body. "Just let it happen."

He was far too close now. You could almost feel the heat of his body against yours, and just the thought of that proximity was enough to make your heart race. His hand, still firm but attentive, continued its exploration as if he knew every corner of your body, every sensitive spot you tried to hide. Every time he pressed a little harder, a sigh escaped your lips despite yourself, and you could no longer control your reactions. He knew it. He felt your body yielding under his touch, surrendering to his movements.

“Let go,” he repeated, this time in a lower, almost husky whisper. His fingers slid gently over the curve of your collarbone, moving up to your neck with an exasperating slowness. And this time, you didn’t even try to resist.

Your breathing became deeper, more ragged, as you lost yourself in the sensations. Each movement of his hand seemed to ignite your skin a little more, each pressure sending shivers racing through you. Your mind wandered, unable to think of anything but that hand on you, the heat enveloping your whole body. Your world had shrunk to this single touch, to this intimacy you had barely dared to dream of.

Then, slowly, Kid leaned even closer. His chest almost brushed against your back, his burning breath caressing the back of your neck. The tension between you was unbearable, and yet, you had never wanted something so intensely. The closeness, the heat, that hand capable of controlling everything... You were swept away, lost in this wave of sensations.

"I know how you feel," he purred close to your ear, his deep voice piercing right through you.

An uncontrollable shiver ran through you. His words were a promise, an invitation to relinquish that last shred of control. And at that moment, you knew there was no escape. Kid had taken over, not just your body, but every thought, every sensation. All that was left was to surrender.

And he was going to make it happen.

Your mind was in turmoil. Kid’s words echoed within you, striking every thought, breaking down the barriers you had tried so hard to maintain. He was too close, his warm hand still on your neck, sliding slowly down your back with disconcerting expertise. Your breathing quickened, each breath harder than the last, as the proximity of his body and the heat of his breath overwhelmed you.

"Don't hide from me what you want," he had murmured, his voice resonating in your ear like an invitation impossible to ignore.

You wanted to protest, to say something, but the words wouldn’t come. You were trapped by your own emotions, by the heat consuming you, by the tension that kept building between you. Your throat tightened, your skin burned under his fingers, and despite yourself, you felt incapable of resisting any longer.

"I know you feel it too," he whispered again, his deep voice making you shiver. His fingers brushed against your skin with such slowness that you thought your heart might explode from the intensity of that simple touch. "This tension... it won't disappear if we ignore it."

His words hit the mark. The tension between you had never dissipated. For weeks, it had only grown, weaving into every glance, every gesture, until now, when it had become unbearable. You closed your eyes, trying to steady yourself, but you were already too far gone to turn back.

"Kid..." you breathed, your voice trembling. It wasn’t a protest, nor a request. It was just his name, slipping from your lips like a plea for help, but also a surrender.

"Do you really think you can still resist me, lass?" he murmured, his warm breath caressing your face.

His eyes traced the line of your neck and lingered on your hair, neatly braided, a detail that stirred something within him.

Slowly, he let his fingers slide down to the base of the first braid, his touch light at first, almost hesitant, before becoming more assured. With calculated precision, he took hold of the elastic holding the braid, sliding it off slowly, unhurriedly. His grip, usually firm and rough, was surprisingly delicate here. The simple contact of his fingers against your hair felt searing, sending a shiver down your spine.

" You won't need it now," he murmured in a deep, rough voice, his warm breath brushing against your neck.

You felt your throat tighten at his touch, a gentle yet intense heat spreading throughout your body. Kid began to undo the braid, strand by strand, each of his movements slow and meticulous. He let his fingers glide over each lock, seeming to savor the moment, as if he wanted every action to remind you that you were under his control, at his mercy.

When he finished undoing the first braid, he slowly ran his hand through your hair, pushing it aside and letting it fall freely over your shoulders.

His hand lingered for a moment on your neck, brushing your skin with an almost possessive touch. The contrast between the gentleness of his touch and the force of his presence left you defenseless, each brush of his fingers sending shivers through you that you could no longer suppress.

He moved to the second braid, repeating the same ritual with an exasperating slowness, undoing each strand with measured precision. Occasionally, he let his fingers sink gently into your hair, caressing your scalp in a way that sparked electric sensations overwhelming you. You could no longer stifle your moans, and Kid smirked, satisfied with the effect he was having on you.

When the second braid was undone, he ran his hand through your loose hair, gently separating it to let it fall around your face.

He then tugged lightly on your locks, just enough to tilt your head back, exposing your neck further. His hand in your hair didn’t loosen its grip, and you felt a wave of intense heat wash over you, as if this simple act plunged you into an abyss of sensations you had never known. His hold wasn’t rough, but it kept you firmly anchored, grounding you in the moment.

Then, without warning, his metal hand gently settled around your throat. The coldness of his touch contrasted with the burning heat of his skin, and you felt your breath catch as the metallic fingers encircled your neck. He didn’t squeeze. He just held you, a gesture that was both incredibly tender and intensely possessive.

His metal thumb traced softly along the line of your jaw, and you felt your chest rise with the burning desire that surged within you. You were trapped in this moment, unable to move, yet every fiber of your being craved more.

“I’ve got you,” he murmured in a husky voice, his warm breath brushing your ear as his fingers tightened slightly around your throat, never harming you. It wasn’t a threat. It was a promise. A declaration of quiet, yet infinite dominance.

The combination of his two hands – the warmth of his skin in your hair and the cold metal around your neck – overwhelmed you with sensation. And in that moment, you knew you no longer wanted to escape. You surrendered completely to his will, your body responding to every movement, every touch, every brush.

“You’re mine now,” he whispered close to your ear, his deep, rough voice sending a shockwave through you.

His metal hand slid softly, tracing your neck, lingering just enough for you to feel that possessive presence. You were completely at his mercy, every fiber of your body instinctively reacting to this silent yet total domination. And as you tried to maintain control, Kid moved closer, pressing his chest against your back, his warmth engulfing you entirely.

He gently tugged at your hair, tilting your head back further until it rested on his shoulder, his metal fingers now brushing your collarbone before slowly moving down along your chest. The coldness of the metal contrasted with the heat of his body, each touch drawing you deeper into this intensity. Kid didn’t loosen his grip. On the contrary, he enveloped you fully with his presence, his body against yours, holding you firmly under his control.

“I know what you feel,” he repeated, his voice deeper, slower, as if savoring every moment. “You don’t need to hide anymore.”

His lips grazed the back of your neck, leaving light but searing kisses as his flesh hand, still buried in your hair, applied a delicate yet unyielding pressure, holding you in place. His metal hand, meanwhile, slid lower, grazing the sensitive skin of your neckline with an unbearable slowness, each touch awakening uncontrollable shivers within you. He didn’t go further, but just the fact that he held you like this, at his mercy, was enough to overwhelm you.

“Someone could come in…” you tried to murmur, your voice betraying your unease. But you knew your words were futile. Kid had already thought of everything, orchestrated everything.

“No one will come in unless I decide it,” he replied simply, his metal fingers tracing new lines on your skin, pulling more uncontrollable shivers from you. “And even if they did, it wouldn’t change anything. You are mine, here and now.”

“I control everything here… just as I control you.”

He tightened his grip slightly on your throat, forcing your head to tilt back even more, exposing your neck to his insistent gaze. “Look at me,” he ordered, his deep, commanding voice resonating in the silence.

You obeyed without thinking, your eyes meeting his. His gaze was intense, filled with that relentless domination that made you tremble. Kid gently tugged on a strand of your hair, his expression showing a mix of satisfaction and desire, and he let his fingers slide slowly down your neck, brushing your skin with a surprising yet possessive gentleness.

“Know one thing,” he whispered, his eyes holding yours. “From now on… you are mine. And I won’t let anyone or anything change that. I want you completely at my mercy,” he murmured, his rough, low voice making you shiver to your fingertips. “Every breath, every shiver, belongs to me.”

Without breaking eye contact, he lowered his lips to your throat, placing a slow, burning kiss at the exact spot where he could feel your pulse racing. The touch of his lips, so close to that sensitive point, made you lose control of your breathing. Each breath became shorter, more ragged, as if your body struggled to contain everything you were feeling. Your throat tightened slightly under his kisses, and you felt an intense shiver run from your neck to the tips of your fingers.

Your lips trembled slightly, and you felt your cheeks flush with heat. You tried to regain control of your breath, but it was a losing battle.

He felt your body tense, desperately seeking an anchor. That drew a slight smile to his lips. Kid relished this sense of control, this soft yet relentless dominance he exerted over you. He could feel how hard you fought to maintain your composure, but each movement, each tremble of your body showed him that you were yielding to him completely, that you no longer had the strength to resist.

His lips continued to travel across your throat, his kisses becoming deeper, more demanding. He wanted to feel you completely let go, to reach that moment where you would abandon all resistance. Kid loved this game, this slow build-up of tension where he made you surrender, forcing you to accept each touch, each caress as proof of his domination. He tightened his hand slightly on your neck, holding you firmly in place, savoring the sensation of your body trembling against his.

Despite his brute strength and reputation as a ruthless pirate, Kid showed remarkable control over himself at this moment. He wasn’t rushing. He knew that pushing you gently, slowly, into this state of submission made the moment even more intense. He delighted in every reaction you offered him, every shiver he provoked in you. Your ragged breath, your moans, the tremors that coursed through your body—all of it fed him, filled him with a satisfaction he couldn’t hide.

His eyes darkened as he looked at you, his lips grazing your skin, his warm breath brushing your throat. “You’re mine,” he murmured, more to himself than to you, his rough voice full of absolute certainty. He could feel your body tense under that declaration, but instead of giving you an escape, he held you firmly, letting his fingers trace slowly down your stomach, savoring every movement, every response of your body.

He loved the idea that no one else could make you feel what he made you feel.

The constant pressure of his metal hand on your throat, combined with the softness of his lips, plunged you into total confusion. Your body responded with both uncontrollable shivers and tremors that coursed through you with each moment. You felt your muscles tense with each kiss, each caress, your stomach tightening almost painfully under the burning desire consuming you.

Kid slightly loosened his grip around your throat, just enough to turn you toward him, forcing you to meet his smoldering gaze. Your muscles tensed, every fiber of your being seeking to resist, but his hands applied a gentle yet unyielding pressure, letting you know that there would be no escape. His hard, possessive gaze captured every emotion playing across your face, and he savored this moment, this vulnerability he saw in you.

“Look at me,” he ordered in a deep, husky voice, his tone cutting through you like a blade. “I want to see you surrender… completely.”

Your breath came in uneven gasps, your eyes searching for a momentary escape, but you were held captive by his stare. Your lips parted under the weight of his silent dominance, a slight tremble betraying your state of surrender. The distance between you seemed to dissolve under the intensity of his hold, his gaze piercing you, demanding the total submission you felt was inevitable.

He slid his flesh hand up to your jaw, holding your face with controlled firmness, his fingers exerting a possessive pressure that left no doubt: he had you, and he intended to mark every moment of it. His thumb gently stroked your cheek, tracing burning lines across your skin, his eyes never leaving yours.

“Say it,” he murmured commandingly, his lips mere inches from yours, his breath mingling with yours. “Tell me that you belong to me.”

Your hands, almost trembling, rested instinctively on his chest to find support, an anchor in this sea of sensations. Your heart pounded so hard that you could feel each beat resonate throughout your entire body, every fiber of you responding to this relentless domination. A whisper escaped your lips, your voice weak, almost broken by the intensity of the moment: “I am… yours.”

A satisfied smile touched his lips. His gaze, filled with an unbridled possessiveness, shone with an intensity that made you shiver. He lowered his lips to your ear, his words reverberating like a promise, dark and undeniable.

Before you could respond, he claimed your lips in an unyielding, demanding kiss.

This kiss was a claim, an assertion of his power over you, and you felt each pressure, each touch of his lips as an indelible mark. Kid controlled every movement, and you let yourself be swept away by this total hold, your body surrendering completely to this silent domination.

His hands roamed your back and neck with calculated precision, alternating between the warmth of his skin and the coolness of steel. You felt your last defenses crumble under this touch, each shiver, each tremble betraying your complete submission. You were his, utterly and without reservation, and he knew it.

When he finally pulled back, his intense gaze remained locked on yours, as if probing every thought, every emotion. He slowly ran his fingers through your disheveled hair, a gesture that was both possessive and tender.

He finally released his hold, but his gaze, filled with that absolute dominance, made it clear that this connection would never fade. Your heart pounded so hard that you felt each beat resonate through your body, and the warmth of his gaze, his voice, his embrace enveloped you entirely. Kid’s eyes bore into yours with that possessive intensity that left no doubt about his intentions.

He observed you for another moment, as if to imprint every detail of your surrender, and his lips brushed yours again, his voice murmuring with unyielding certainty: “From now on… every part of you is mine.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Masterlist

ONE PIECE 🏀 LOS ANGELES LAKERS

Can we talk about how normal and incredibly human Luffy was in this scene?

His earth shattering grief didnt awaken any supernatural haki or abilities within him, instead it overwhelmed him, it was destroying him. The bleeding from his throat while his eyes lose focus and his body goes into shock - grief is ugly, loud, destructive and it tears you apart and leaves you vulnerable out in the open- thats what happening to him.

This was Luffy's, a 17 year old kid's moment of overwhelming realization that humans are powerless and weak on the face of death as his brother bled out in his arms while he (and world's most powerful pirate whitebeard) watched it helplessly. This was the biggest loss of his life as he understood that sometimes no matter how hard you try, things don't work out for you. This was when Luffy witnessed the consequence of the path he (and ace) had chosen, that a pirate life was actually much harder than just adventure and freedom and that there was a heavy price to pay, that death could take anyone anytime.

This wasnt just sadness, this was the end of the world for Luffy and he wasn't the same person after this moment.

I love the concept of Baratie not just bc it's a sea restaurant and that's cool but because their policy is the absolute antithesis of "the customer is always right." Oh you wanna be a jerk to the staff? Get decked, loser. Being terrible on a date? Congratulations, our sous chef will steal your girl. Ordered a wine that pairs badly? Ignored, we're picking a better one. It's like objectively the funniest way to run a restaurant and I can't stop thinking about it.