(Again language warning)
---
They scooped up the little balls of tapioca and plopped them into the cup enjoying the way they bounced off the bottom. A voice interrupted their relaxed thoughts as they poured the syrup over them and reached for the milk tea.
"C'mon Y/N, you've done enough work today. You don't wanna be late for your date with that pretty boy you're always talking about, do you?" Makino teased.
"It's probably not a date ,Makino, and you're pregnant." Y/n said with a hint of disappointment.
"I'll be fine. I can afford to close early today, besides, I've been hearing about him for two years. You can't miss a chance like this!" She teased and gave a light push.
"Alright, you got me there, but I'm still calling Shanks to help you close up shop." They laughed throwing off the apron and running to the door.
Makino smiled as she watched their form fade away from view.
---
Trees and houses passed by as whispers of reality. Their thoughts clouded in pink as they rode through town. A gust of cool air brought them out of the cherry blossom mental mist and to the realization that the Baratie was only a right turn away.
Upon arriving they were welcomed to the sight of Sanji smoking outside.
"So, you made it. I thought you might not come."
"Am I late?" They pulled out their phone to check the time, worried they might've taken too long calling Shanks.
"No, no, It's not that." He gently pushed their hand back down. "You just don't seem like the type to show up without a really good reason. I didn't exactly give you an explanation."
"Yeah, you're right, but I dunno. I'd rather not have left you out here waiting for me." Y/n thought aloud as they stepped off their board. "And you don't seem like the type to smoke."
"Touché...You can hide the skateboard behind the bush to avoid it being stolen." He said putting out the cigarette and turning toward the door.
Y/n took his advice and followed him inside to a table in a dimly lit room.
The table was decorated with a red lace cloth, a small vase filled with red roses and dark crimson carnations sitting in the center, and clearly recently lit candles.
"Looks rather romantic to me, Sanji~" They teased in a honeyed voice.
"I- It wasn't me. I'm not the one who set the table. I-I'm- I'm gonna kill them." The poor flustered boy stomped toward the kitchen door, which quickly shut before he got there. Muffled laughter could be heard from the other room, which only made him grow a deeper shade of red.
He pried the door open and closed it behind him.
After some distant embarrassed yelling and a slam later, he came back with two full plates and sat down at the table where they had already made themself comfortable while waiting.
"I'm sorry about them..." He mumbled, still a bit warm in the face.
"Eh, it's fine. Makino is just as bad sometimes."
"Wait, you know Makino? Luffy talks about her. I've heard she's a very nice woman."
"She's the only one kind enough to hire someone like me... Her cafe is the best paying work in the area too." They mumbled distracted by how delicious the food was. They hadn't eaten anything good since the last time they visited Makino and Shanks' lovely home, which wasn't recent.
"If it pays so well, how come you barely have enough for food?" His voiced was laced with concern as he carefully analyzed them.
"Most of it goes into paying for my apartment, unfortunately." Normally, Y/n wouldn't have been so willing to answer such questions, but free food was free food, and it was damn good.
His heart dropped to his stomach. He couldn't help, but feel bitter regret.
"Y'know I should ask how you managed to afford this? Isn't this place expensive?" They finally asked the burning question that'd been bothering them.
"Well, I work here and It's free since I made it." His voice was soft in tone, not that they'd notice the change.
"YOU MADE THIS!?" Y/n yelled then immediately covered their mouth.
"Yes." He laughed, satisfied that he'd managed get such a reaction from them.
"It's very good..." They looked away, self-conscious.
---
He watched them hop on and glide away in the moonlight like a feather across a silk sheet in the wind. He'd never seen someone ride a skateboard so gracefully.
He slowly curled into a remorseful ball on the sidewalk.
How could he have thought so poorly of such a lovely person. They way they rarely showed up on time, drank boba in class, fell asleep anywhere at anytime, and every complaint he'd heard from the teachers about their grades. All of it had misconstrued his view of them.
He was wrong, so horribly wrong.
"Y/n's not the problem I made them out to be. I was such an ass. No wonder they're so tired in class. They aren't eating enough, and working too... They even offered me some of their drink when it was probably the only thing they had for breakfast. I promise I'll be better, Y/n. I promise."
A tear fell and absorbed into the cold concrete below.
Can you tell I ship Makino and Shanks XD
