Two

It took only a few days to receive a response. The Straw Hats were on Fish-Man Island longer than originally planned, making it so that Pudding was still well within the safety of the pirates' territory when she received the reply. She opened it on the ship's deck, the single sentence sending a chill down her spine.

If you return to Totto Land, you will die.

The teenager shivered at the words, unsure of how to process them. It was written in her mother's hand, on her paper, with her seal. There was nothing to make her doubt that this was her mother's word and will, purely and freely, which meant one thing:

She was completely on her own. Cut off. The plan was aborted so easily it happened without her even realizing it until it was too late.

There wasn't even a backup plan.

The Straw Hats ruined her entire life's work.

Seventeen years completely down the drain and out into the seawater.

"Pudding-chan? Are you alright?" She glanced over and saw her husband standing there, a concerned look upon his face. Tch, husband… he was nothing more than dead weight now. He approached her, arm outstretched, and she backed away with a snarl.

"You simpering idiot," she sneered. "You have no idea what you ruined."

Turning on her heel, Pudding bit the insides of her lips to stop herself from crying on the way back to her cabin. She slammed the door behind her and collapsed into her bed, sobbing uncontrollably into the pillow.

Her mother had rejected her.

She was now no better to her family than scum.

All because she had to act off the script… all because the bloody pirates had to play hero… all because she was a freak whose only purpose was no longer able to be fulfilled.

"Pudding…?" A gentle knock at the door. "Pudding, what's wrong?" She ignored him, leading Sanji to cautiously open the door. "Pudding, what was in that letter…?"

"Just go away."

"Not until I make sure you're alright." She barely registered the fact that he picked up the discarded letter from the floor, let alone that he sat down on the edge of the mattress to read it. "Who sent this?"

"Big Mom."

Silence.

"The least she could have done was tell it to your face—that's what Judge did."

She lifted her head from the pillow and stared at him. "What…?"

"I know you don't really buy that I was off being educated at fine schools, or that I had been kidnapped, right? I really did run away, no joke, because my father never wanted to see my face ever again. He hated me. It's why when Big Mom had you and offered a betrothal to a Germae prince, he chose me, because I was the one he could very much stand to lose if things went sour." He furrowed his brow as he reached out towards her face, wondering why there was tears beneath her bangs. She swatted his hand away, sending a clear signal that it was off-limits. "We're the same now, I guess."

"We're not the same."

Honestly, how could they be? She rolled onto her side, back facing Sanji, while she cried and cried. A mother's love was supposed to be eternal, wasn't it? Unconditional? Forgiving? She wiped her nose with her sleeve before being turned around, a weight settling in her stomach as she realized he had laid down as well. He dabbed at her eyes with a tissue, looking at her with concern.

"We're the same, Pudding," he firmly reiterated. "Our parents not only hate us, but can't name any living thing worth a damn. The only thing we can do about it is just prove them wrong."

"...and how do you think we'll do that?"

"...by succeeding." He pressed another tissue into her hand and she wiped her forehead before blowing her nose. "Are you a member of the Three-Eye Clan?"

She nodded.

"...can I… can I see…?"

She shook her head.

"That's alright; I won't tell," he chuckled lowly. Instead, he gently placed an arm around her waist and pulled her close to his chest. She breathed in deeply, realizing how good he smelled—butter, seafood, soy sauce, and a faint hint of musky smokiness—and finally let herself go. As he pressed a kiss to the top of her hair, she began to cry again, clutching his shirt and allowing him to rub gentle circles into her back.

Later on, when they were alone working in the kitchen, after lunch had long been served and the dinner prep had begun, she would thank him with a quick peck to his cheek and a muttered thanks.

"What sort of husband would I be if I just left you?" he posed, awkwardly avoiding eye contact. "You deserve all the comfort I can give, even if it's not that much in the grand scheme of things."

That was the day that Pudding stopped being a princess, and fully became the ship's baker.

Her first bounty poster was cause for celebration.

It was not long after she had resigned herself to being part of the Straw Hat Pirates for good, the newspaper came with a fresh batch of bounties. It was mostly rookies, cutting their teeth in Paradise before moving onto Fish-Man Island and the New World, yet there was one that caught the Thousand Sunny's captain's attention rather soundly.

"Pudding! Pudding! It looks like you've already been given a bounty!" Luffy waved the poster wildly in the air as he raced up to the deck where Nami and Pudding were lounging in the sun. The latter took the poster from him and frowned—that was her alright, with a picture taken while she was still Minister of Chocolate back on Cacao Island. Could have been worse, she thought, as it could have been a photo from her wedding day.

"...but why…?" she wondered. She read the amount and swallowed hard. "Forty million beri…? What did I do?!"

"No doubt it's connected to the fact you're a Charlotte by birth and a Vinsmoke through marriage," Nami offered. "Don't worry; Robin's gotten a bigger bounty for knowing how to read."

"That's not encouraging," Pudding deadpanned. She looked over at Luffy, who was still excited, and frowned. "I would think that this is a dangerous thing."

"Oh, come on—you grew up with a mom that had a large bounty! Siblings too! Didn't you ever think that was cool?!"

"I hate to break it to you, Luffy, but not everyone thinks of these as good things," Nami reminded him. "This is actually something some might think as traumatic."

"...but Nami! Her first bounty is bigger than mine was! How cool is that?!"

"I… think I'm gonna go do some work," Pudding said quietly. She retreated down below deck as she went and changed into clothes better suited for the kitchen, leaving the poster in her room as she went to do some work instead.

'What in the hell is going on?' she wondered as she took out the necessary ingredients for a torte that she had been planning on making. 'I haven't killed anyone or done anything else that was bounty-worthy to my knowledge…' She scowled while starting the torte, her thoughts inward as she put her hands through familiar motions.

"Pudding-chan…?" She glanced up and saw Sanji, looking disheveled and a bit worse for wear. He was straightening his tie and tucking his shirt back in, hiding the fact that he had clearly come from a liaison with Zoro. "What's wrong?"

"The paper came today," she said vaguely.

"…what's wrong with the paper?"

"It came with new bounty posters… including mine."

"Oh really?" He raised a curled brow at that. "How much?"

Her voice was small as she squeaked out, "Forty million."

"Really? That's great!" His beaming expression faded as he saw the uncertainty in hers. He pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear and shook his head. "It's scary for someone who wasn't gunning for one, isn't it?"

She nodded.

"Well, at least you know that you're not the highest bounty on the ship, not by a long shot," he offered, "and not even the lowest. You're important enough that the Marines have taken notice."

"...because of the families we were born into."

He considered that before shrugging. "It's not like we've got a choice in that, but family alone doesn't give you a bounty. You had to earn it. They have to be afraid of you and what you can do… that's what bounties are."

"...they are…?"

"For us they are," he said. "Some people? Yeah, they deserve to be chased down because they've caused nothing but grief and chaos and destruction. There are Marines who really deserve bounties. Us…? It just shows how far we've come from nothing."

"You're a prince, Luffy has high-ranking Marines and Revolutionaries in his family, Robin…"

"You get the idea." Pudding looked at him and everything felt a bit better, as though things settled safely all around them. "Kids don't automatically get bounties for being born—not unless their very existence is a threat to the World Government, and even then…" Sanji sighed heavily. "You're in this for good now."

"There are worse things," she decided. He ran his fingers through his hair before scratching his scalp.

"Yeah," he agreed, "I guess there is."

"I… erm… don't know if I want to be called 'Pudding' anymore."

Pudding, Zoro, and Sanji were out together, shopping for supplies to tide their captain over until the next large port. The green-haired man raised an eyebrow at the brunette, as the blond was at a stall just out of earshot.

"What else would we call you?" he asked. He shifted the shopping bags in his hands, only partially regretting accompanying them.

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "I know I'll never be able to outrun the Charlotte name, but at the same time, I want something that is more me… you know? Something that she didn't touch… didn't necessarily taint… never necessarily said…"

"I don't know," he acknowledged, "but Eyebrows might have an idea. Oi! Shit Cook!" Sanji came stomping over, a scowl on his face.

"This better be important, asshole," he snarled. He then caught the expression on Pudding's face and something in him drew taut. "He wasn't out of line, was he?"

"No… we'd just like your thoughts," she said. "The bounty poster put some things into perspective; I don't know if I want my name to be 'Pudding' anymore. I keep hearing it in Big Mom's voice." She avoided eye contact, signaling that it was a bit more concerning than that.

"That is a problem," the blond nodded. "Maybe, another name for the delicious treat? So that the spirit that made you isn't eliminated? The locals here call their puddings 'maragan'… is that a possible contender?"

"'Maragan'…?" She felt how it sounded on her lips and tongue, not entirely certain.

"That's too much," the swordsman scowled. "I'd say 'Mara'."

"Mara…?"

"You asshole, that's not…!"

"I like it," she nodded, surprising both the men and cutting their fight off short. "I'm now Mara. Charlotte Mara."

"Wait, really…?" Sanji wondered. "Charlotte Mara?" She shrugged.

"I shouldn't exactly take your name if you don't even like it, now should I?" she teased. "I wonder if I need to tell the Marines in a letter or if they'll figure it out themselves."

"They're not exactly known for being the sharpest swords in the shop," Zoro laughed. "Don't worry—I'm sure one of them will let the poster team know sooner than later. It fits you."

"You think so?"

"Well, yeah. It's been kinda weird calling you 'Pudding' all the time, like it's a pet name. Why would any of us do that? It's creepy."

"We're literally referring to Sanji's placement amongst his brothers every time we say his name, which in of itself is super-weird, so it could be a lot worse," she reminded him. Sanji smirked at the way Zoro's shoulders drooped in defeat—the only true way to take him down was words, after all.

By the time they had made it back to the ship, the new name had mostly stuck with the cook and swordsman. The baker called everyone's attention as they were sitting down to dinner, wanting to repeat herself as little as possible.

"I won't be angry if it slips, but please, I don't want to be called 'Pudding' anymore," she requested. "My name is Mara now."

"So… now you're Charlotte Mara…?" Jinbe asked. The young woman nodded. "If you were to change your name, would you not want an entirely new one? I do not think that anyone on this ship would blame you for doing so."

"Maybe, in time, but for now, I'm not concerned about that," she replied. Being her mother's former subordinate, the Fish-Man's acceptance meant more to her than he realized. "It's not like you all call me 'Charlotte', now do you?"

"You're right, we don't," Luffy nodded. "Then that settles it. You're now Mara."

No one really bothered to mention it after that, not drawing attention to the topic of conversation unless they were correcting themselves. It wasn't even the end of dinner and it felt as though everything adjusted, sliding into place with a soft click. Once Luffy got something in his head, it wasn't like it was ever getting out, so it was almost second nature to go along after he made a decision… for there were things their captain was and things their captain wasn't, and contrary was certainly something he wasn't in the habit of being. Weird? Definitely. Contrary? Not really, and not in this case.

Although there was little that could be considered routine when it came to being a pirate, it did seem as though there were patterns to be had whilst sailing on the Thousand Sunny, as Mara found. She usually associated such things with being on land and living in a physically-stationary place, and yet, routine came all the same.

It seemed as though the captain was brash and unpredictable, but it was increasingly clear to his newest crewmate that he had his habits as any other. Less scheduled and more cause-and-effect, the captain was, and it was interesting to discover his quirks. How after a long fight he would need to eat, or how the frequency of his naps correlated with how often they got into skirmishes with other bands of pirates… there was a rhythm, if one chose to look for it. The first mate and cook both bickered from sun-up to sun-down, and then misused the pantry for less-than-sanitary purposes when few crewmates were liable to walk in. Money earned by the crew came under the shrewd eye of the navigator, though there were also ways in which she could be persuaded to give a little extra here and there. It was not yet a day if the marksman did not make something explode, or the helmsman and historian failed to share a pot of tea, or the musician not make a morbid joke about his lack of skin and sinew. To top it all off, there was only so long before the shipwright was pulling the historian into his workshop and locking the door, giving the two a few minutes of rare privacy just as the pantry enabled their crewmates in similar ways.

The most curious one, however, was when the ship's doctor checked in on each of the Straw Hats like clockwork—everyone could expect him to poke in on them one day out of the week, giving them a quick look-over as well as engage in a quick chat. He was just as serious about mental health as physical. Never pried, but was always there to offer an open ear and a friendly hoof. He seemed to be the one most eager for Mara to take down her walls—mostly because he was the only one who actively acknowledged they were still up at all.

"Let me know if you ever need anything," he assured her. "I'm not only here as your doctor, but I'm here as your friend too. Don't be afraid to come to be about anything."

It was clear to Mara what he meant, as he would avoid eye contact for a few minutes afterwards, talking about some nonsense such as vitamin intake and variegating exercises in order to futilely distract from the many implications possible. She would then pretend to ignore it and they would finish the visit with him thinking she was none the wiser… except… there was no way that she could ignore the situation at-hand.

Well… to be honest… could she…?

Laying on the top of the crow's nest, just on the bit of roof before it started sloping, Sanji and Zoro laid next to one another, fingers entwined as they held hands and stared up at the stars.

"You ever think about how weird this all is?" Sanji thought aloud.

"Not really," Zoro grunted. "I mean… we're effectively Luffy's enforcers. Luffy. There's definitely weirder things to be and do."

"Yeah, I know that, but I'm talking about just stuff in general. It's not just Luffy, but the crew, the ship, us… I wouldn't change it for anything, but that doesn't make it not-weird."

"So you wouldn't change Mara?"

"What I'd change would just make it less… wrong… like if her and I first met right after she was the one who turned twenty-one. I might enjoy women on a normal basis, but… that was wrong of Linlin, of Judge."

"Lots of nobles do that to their kids though, don't they?"

"Doesn't make it right, and doesn't mean that they had to do it when they did."

"I guess." He kissed the back of the blond's hand and exhaled heavily. "C'mon; I wanna go turn you over one of the weight benches."

"Now why the fuck would you want to do that specifically, moss-head? Wouldn't anywhere do?"

"Yeah, but this way, I don't have to tell Usopp which one when he comes in claiming to want to exercise later on and end up being a pest."

Now that was a prank that Sanji could get in on. They clamored for the trap door that led them down into the crow's nest, fighting for dominance in their foreplay the moment their shoes touched the floor. It didn't work very well, as Sanji soon found himself with his pants at his ankles, being worked open by a calloused, thick finger—then two, then three—as he clutched onto the edge of the weight bench. No matter how many times they did this, it was always maddening as he felt his paramour in him, adding more of himself, and then falling apart as he flexed his fingers with a cheeky sort of lust. The fucking moss-brain knew him too well, how to get to places that would make him lose his mind, and there was absolutely nothing wrong with that.

"Mara… when's your birthday?"

"Hmm…?" The aforementioned woman glanced up from the powdered sugar she was sifting to see Usopp sitting across the bar from her, finishing off an afternoon snack.

"You've been traveling with us for over a year and I don't think we've celebrated your birthday."

"Oh, yeah, it's… in three weeks."

"That's your eighteenth birthday, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but, it's no big deal. Sixteen is adulthood in Totto Land, so it's not as big a milestone for eighteen."

"It still is to the rest of us," he noted. "You know, Luffy and I didn't get to celebrate our eighteenth birthdays with anyone from the crew—that's why we went so big for Chopper last year. Having a party is one of the best parts about having friends."

"Really, Usopp…"

"Come on, Mara! Even Brook celebrates birthdays, and he's already dead!" Usopp grinned. "It'll be a blast! I'd be a shit brother if I didn't try to throw my little sister a birthday party."

"Little… sister…?"

"Well, yeah, you're the little sister of the crew—I did always want a little sister growing up—and although Sanji brought you into this mess, you're the one who stayed of your own accord." He stood and took his drink with him as he went to leave the kitchen. "Luffy's gonna love hearing this!"

Her stomach lurched. "Don't you dare!"

"Too late!" he laughed. Usopp put his glass on the table and then bolted, causing Mara to panic as she ran after him. She didn't catch up until he was nearly pitched over the side of the ship, grabbing the attention of Luffy and Chopper as they fished off the railing. "Hey guys! Guess who's going to be having a birthday soon!"

"Nami's birthday's next, Usopp," Chopper said, puzzled. He glanced over the man's shoulder to see Mara standing there, a look of horror on her face. "Wait…"

"Mara?!" Luffy gasped. "Your birthday's soon?!"

"Her eighteenth birthday."

Stars formed in the eyes of captain and physician alike, solidifying the fact that their youngest crewmate was doomed. She tried not to cringe as excitement overtook the trio before her, watching as they began to vibrate in excitement.

"What's going on?" Franky asked, appearing in the doorway to below decks.

"N-n-noth—!"

"Mara's birthday is in three weeks!" Usopp supplied. It took no time at all for Franky to drop the planks of wood he was carrying and head over to the group, equally excited.

"Mara-sis is all grown up!" Franky verbalized. "We'll have to give her the best party ever!"

Hell… she was doomed.

Three weeks passed and Mara's birthday finally came. She was forcibly banned from the kitchen by not only the cook, but the rest of the crew as well. There was nothing to do all day except for relax and enjoy the sun that filled the clear sky above. Not a single ship or island was in sight, so the day was filled with snacks and games and forgetting any troubles they might have had before. Something washed over Mara as she allowed herself to be caught up in the fun and games that she was not entirely sure she understood, not until it was late in the afternoon, when Luffy was attempting to see how far his arm would stretch with the aid of other members of the crew.

It was peace.

That night, there was a banquet, where there was all sorts of foods and drinks laid out, meticulously prepared by Sanji. There was even a cake that was one of the best Mara ever had, one that Sanji was drunkenly proud of. They were all fairly drunk, truth be told, and despite the large amount of food, there was a larger amount of alcohol. She laughed and snorted at the silliest things, her face hot and the room nearly spinning. More and more toasts went on throughout the night, the only one not participating being the ship's physician.

Oh, what a feeling! Mara felt as though she was looking at her crewmates with new eyes. There was something unguarded and raw about the others now—as though any extenuating layers had been peeled away—and it was incredible! The reindeer said… a thing… as they cracked open another casket, the liquid flowing freely. What did he say? He did not look very pleased with anything, though the extra sake particularly so.

Though the rest of the crew was acting silly under the auspices of fun and alcohol, there were two that Mara could not keep her eyes off of, even if she tried. She stared at Sanji and Zoro as they kissed languidly, a fire pooling low in her gut. The man technically her husband appeared to be an amazing kisser, and she was curious. The way his tongue flit, how he nibbled on lips, the depth and precision with which he worked… it made her want to simply scream.

The evening wound down and the birthday gal staggered out of the kitchen to get some fresh air, enjoying the brilliant night sky above. Most of the crew was asleep where they sat around the table, making the atmosphere even quieter as a gentle breeze off the sea tickled her skin.

"What are you doing out here?" She turned around and saw Sanji, a bit worse for wear, but still not entirely recovered. "It's cold."

"It's refreshing," she smiled. A moment and he was slipping his jacket off and draping it over her shoulders. "Thank you… for everything."

"It's the least we can do," he replied. "You're worth so much more than a measly party."

"Ha… I wish that were true."

"...but it is," he assured. He laid down on the grass and stared up at the sky. "You've always been."

She hesitated, but to hell with it. "Despite the fact I was only supposed to marry you to get Germa 66 secrets, then kill you?"

"Oh, I knew that from the beginning."

"You did…?" She raised an eyebrow.

"It was obvious, but that's alright. We all forgave you before sailing into Totto Land's territory. We wanted to make you one of us the very moment we set foot on Whole Cake Island. We didn't care about any of that. Every single one of the people on this ship."

"Really…?"

"Really." He reached up and brushed some hair behind her ear, gazing up at her adoringly. "You've always been more than your mother's pawn, Mara-chan, and I'm glad you now know that."

Hesitating, Mara leaned down and, after a moment to allow him time to protest, kissed the man laying next to her. She pressed their lips together cautiously, realizing what sort of a decision she had made until she made to part… only for him to gently guide her back and silently urge her to climb atop of him. Once she did, his hands began to wander and explore, feeling all around her body in ways that made her heart race.

They tumbled for a bit on the lawn, taking turns being the one on top, and Sanji's movements began to slow. He was hard in his trousers and already covered in bites, and yet he fell asleep half on Mara, the alcohol in his system only allowing him to go so far. She rolled him off of her and made sure he was securely on his side before taking his hand in hers, going to sleep forehead-to-forehead.

What a birthday.

Waking up to something stabbing the side of her face, Mara groaned loudly as she was subjected to the intense light of the morning sun… oh, no, wait, it was the noonday sun. The seagull that was pecking at her squawked loudly as it flew away, leaving her with a nauseous stomach and a splitting migraine. She pulled the suit jacket from her shoulders to over her head, shielding herself from the bright, noisy outdoors.

Shit… the suit jacket. She looked next to her to find that Sanji was not there. If it were not for the fact she was still in possession of his jacket, she would have thought the previous night a dream. She licked her lips, remembering the soft feeling of his kiss before realizing that she was extremely thirsty. Staggering to her feet, she wobbled her way into the kitchen, grabbing a cup of water that she downed with gusto. Her mouth felt like sandpaper and her entire body trembled.

"Oh, there it is." Mara almost dropped her glass at the sound of Sanji's voice. He was stepping out of the pantry, a bag of flour tucked in an arm. Her face went red as she saw the bite marks on his neck, though it felt undercut by his monotone voice and generally haggard appearance. "I was looking for my jacket."

"You put it on me when we were outside last night," she reminded him. "Don't you remember?"

"Zoro got some strong stuff—I blacked out sometime after Usopp tried to juggle some hammers. Woke up stark-naked in the men's quarters. All my clothes were around me except that."

"So… then you remember nothing after that…?"

"Nope. Fuck… Moss-Brain is not allowed to get the booze ever again. I feel like hell."

"At least it's not just me."

"I wish it was just me." He also got himself some water and chugged it. "You're the first person other than Chopper I've seen awake all day—we'll be recovering from this for a while."

"I'm sorry…"

"Nah, don't be." He leaned over and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. It sent a jolt through her system, like fire and electric and burning cold all at once. He did not remember—she had to remind herself—and she knew that he had already blamed his new bruises on his regular paramour despite the fact they were smaller than normal. "We all could have stopped at any time. It was fun, from what I can remember."

"I wonder if anyone does," Mara chuckled awkwardly. She watched as Zoro shuffled into the kitchen, looking worse for wear than her or Sanji, as he was only in pants, was missing his swords, and could barely open his one eye. "You survived too, I see."

"Stop shouting—you're as bad as the witch," he grumbled, sitting down at the bar.

"I'm not shouting."

"Yeah, you are." He then glared at Sanji. "Egg thing."

"That doesn't work."

"Yes, it does."

"It doesn't work and never has—Chopper told you so."

"It makes me feel better."

"It's a fucking placebo, as we've told you time and again, because you have the medical know-how of a superstitious auntie who thinks that scurvy is produced by bad aura."

"As though you're any better, considering when Nami was sick, you couldn't—!"

The argument was cut off by Mara placing a glass between the men. Zoro looked at the red liquid inside, then at her.

"What the fuck is this?"

"A Red Line Oyster—the egg's hiding in it." He continued to stare at her, which caused her to groan. "Don't tell me you've never had a Red Line Oyster without tomato juice…"

"Why the fuck is there tomato juice?"

"Otherwise it wouldn't be a Red Line Oyster, now would it? You wanted it, now drink up before I actually shout at you."

Zoro cringed before taking the glass and downing the concoction in one go. He grimaced as he swallowed and put the glass back down on the counter with a thunk that made him wince.

"Thanks… fuck… I'll be in the crow's nest."

"See you for dinner," Sanji called after him. Zoro flipped him a middle finger before disappearing beyond the doorway, making him chuckle. "Red Line? East Blue calls them Dairy Oysters."

"Galette taught me when I was very little—I think I was four or five when she had me making them after a long night of partying. They didn't work for her then either, but it was fun watching her drink them anyhow."

Sanji chuckled at that—at least he knew he had an ally in messing with the crew's resident dumbass swordsman after all.

The bar they were in was dimly-lit and rowdy as one would expect with an establishment full of pirates. The Straw Hat Pirates were scattered amongst the varying patrons, having arrived after the larger tables were all taken that could have accommodated them all. Music was playing and some of the younger members were dancing, with Luffy, Usopp, Mara, and Chopper all taking turns at the lively steps with one another.

"Oi, Curlybrow, eyes here," Zoro grunted, waving his hand in front of Sanji's face. The blond blinked a few times as he was catapulted back to consciousness.

"Sorry—just lost in thought."

"You keep staring," he claimed. Zoro glanced over at Chopper and Mara as they danced, their movements becoming increasingly more fast-paced. "She's our kid sister."

"You're just jealous because it no longer feels weird if I flirt with her like I do Robin and Nami."

"Yeah, and they're not our kid sister."

"Mara-chan was never my kid sister, only yours," the cook scoffed. "I'd be worried if you thought of her as anything other than a kid sister."

"Alright, so stop looking at her like you want to drag her into a cupboard and eat her out." Sanji raised a brow at that. "Admit it."

"You're fucking insane." The blond took a long drought of his drink, needing the buzz more and more with each passing minute.

"Perv."

"Then why do you keep sleeping with me?"

"Someone has to protect the ladies from your floppy little dick, and a good way to do that is to keep it busy."

"Have I ever told you how much I hate you?"

"…and yet you're turned on, predictably as ever." Zoro reached down and, under the table, grabbed at Sanji's crotch, feeling that he was indeed correct. The blond squeaked and twitched at the contact, knowing how public of a place it was for such a thing. "Want to take this out back?"

That was all the convincing he needed before Sanji was downing the remainder of his drink and standing, pulling Zoro along as he went out the back door and started to head towards the Thousand Sunny. Instead of risking Jinbe seeing them as they returned, Zoro tackled Sanji into some nearby bushes, the pair well-hidden by dense foliage.

Just as Sanji opened his mouth to protest, Zoro crashed into a kiss. He did not care that he was getting the cook's suit all dirt-filled and grass-stained; all he wanted was to grind his hips against the other man's and let him know exactly how aroused he was. The two tussled in the grass for a few moments before Sanji was able to break the kiss and catch his breath.

"You asshole," he panted headily. "I just pressed this suit, and now you have to get it looking like this."

"Bit more exciting this way, eh?" The swordsman smirked as he unbuckled the cook's trousers, his calloused hands pulling it and underwear down to expose his paramour's cock, twitching and throbbing in absolute arousal. "See? You like it."

"Now who's the fucking perv?" Sanji hissed. He bit his lips together as he felt Zoro's mouth surround him, a whimper caught in his throat as his hips bucked up. The tip of his cock hit the back of Zoro's throat, and the green-haired man gagged at the unexpected contact. "Serves you fucking right."

Dark eyes glittered in the moonlight as they looked up at him devilishly.

Shit.

"Can you teach me?"

Robin glanced up from her book to see Mara standing there, the younger woman's eyes meeting hers in trepidation. The sky was overcast that day, and yet that did not mean she couldn't see her expression clearly.

"Teach you what, precisely?"

"Poneglyphs; I want to be able to read them." Mara's fists clenched as she tried not to vomit in nerves—they were the only two around, which was why she was able to hold it together this long. "I am the one of Big Mom's kids that is part of the Three-Eye Tribe, and…" She trailed off for a moment, unsure of her wording. "I want to be able to read because of my efforts, not anything else."

"You know what you risk by asking this," Robin noted. "The Marines have been hunting me for over twenty years because I can read Poneglyphs. They began their hunt when I was only a child."

"...and now I'm an adult, who knows what she's asking. I'd like to be able to read, to be able to have knowledge that can be passed down to a new generation. I can be the start of that new generation, if you'll allow it."

A long silence passed between the two as Robin considered the offer.

"You know that your bounty will rise exponentially," the older woman noted, "as will mine."

"Then let it—reading is not a crime."

"When it comes to the Poneglyphs it is."

"They're already chasing us—let's just make it worth their while."

Robin smiled at that; it was just the sort of thing she had been hoping to hear one day.

The Vivre Card that Mara had received via post brought the Straw Hats to a small spit of an island, where two of her other sisters were currently hiding from their mother. Identical twins, they had both broken away from the Tottonese Queen and her wrath to pursue lives and ideals separate from their overbearing matriarch. The visiting crew was welcomed with open arms, their teenaged baker almost tackling her sisters into a tight hug.

"I can't believe it's been so long…" Mara sniffled. The twins both hugged her, whilst the rest of the crew stared awkwardly at her brothers-in-law. "How have you been?"

"We've been better, but we're free," Chiffon said. "Pez isn't growing up under the thumb of his grandmother as we did, and that's worth it to me."

"Yes, you have to meet the children," Lola decided. They pulled her away, followed by most of her crewmates, headed towards a pen where some toddlers were playing. Sanji approached the men nominally his in-laws and tried to seem aloof, the swordsman hanging back as well.

"Sorry again for dropping in on you like this," he said, "but when Mara learned this was where you were…"

"Don't worry about it," Bege scoffed. He waived his hand dismissively, though the action was not condescending. "Family is important to us, and the gals have been missing their family; with one as large as they've got, it's a real shock when they're banned from their homeland. They miss the chaos at times."

"We sometimes see Praline when we check in on Fish-Man Island," Zoro added. "The Sun Pirates are all the chaos she needs—her nephew thinks he can beat me in a duel."

"Maybe one day, Roronoa, but at least the kid has a fanciful imagination," Gotti shrugged. He glanced over at the visiting group and saw how the children were taking to the strangers. "You know it's a good sign when the kids meet a group of strange adults for the first time and none of them cry."

"Their aunt is one of them," Zoro noted.

"Only Pez has met their auntie, and I'm sure he doesn't remember," Gotti reminded him. He saw his daughter, only a toddler, jump into the arms of the adoring—though uncertain—Jinbe and chuckled. Both child and Fish-Man were beaming, clearly enamored with one another in the way that happens when a child discovers their new favorite adult. "What is your captain's policy on children?"

"Luffy's a giant child himself some days, so I don't think he'd mind," Sanji mused. "You don't think there's going to be visits to Auntie Mara's, do you?"

"As much as I hate to admit it, your ship is the safest place should something happen to us," Bege scowled. "You are their uncle, and by association, your entire crew are their extended uncles and aunties—you are family now. I need to talk with your captain about it… or should other members of the crew talk first?"

Both Straw Hats blinked at the suggestion.

"What do you mean by that?" the swordsman asked. His body language shifted and he became defensive, turning towards his role of first mate, wondering what sort of turn this encounter was going to take.

"Your historian and shipwright are involved with one another, yeah?" Bege noted. "Many times, that means that children will be involved eventually."

"That's up to them to decide, and they haven't exactly confided in any of the rest of us," Zoro cringed. He glanced over towards his crewmates—one child was marveling at Robin's Devil Fruit ability as she created a tower of hands, whilst Franky wowed the other children with his battle modifications.

"Then I shall certainly need to talk to Straw Hat," Bege decided. "Becoming a parent… it has a way of changing priorities… at least in normal people." He watched the children interact with the strangers, an implacable expression on his face. "I need to make sure my children and niece have a place to go should the worst happen… a place that will not hate them for who they are and what their parents did."

"Something tells me that Luffy won't have any problem with that," Sanji assured. "Just look at him—he's one of the best out of us when it comes to kids." It was true, as his finger was being pulled, and pulled, and pulled, wrapping around his body as he stored gas in his lower half, his butt ballooning until the finger was released and he ripped a cartoonishly large fart. "Key part of that being 'one of', as I'm sure you can figure out."

"Still better than most of my wife's family," Bege grumbled.

There was no way for the cook or the first mate to refute that. All they could do was simply cringe when their captain decided to turn himself into an inflatable trampoline for the toddlers, threatening to accidentally bounce them to the ceiling.