Pink and Gold Skies

Candlelight, Books, and Blankets.

It was late in the night when Koby got up. He was sleeping on a spare hammock, strung above Luffy's bed. He carefully slid down, silent as a mouse, and crept to the kitchen for some water.
He hadn't been able to sleep.
Oh, Koby, why couldn't you sleep? Aren't you sleepy from all the games, you ask?
Yeah, he was. But whenever he closed his eyes, a certain boy with a scar under his eye and a straw hat beaming at him appeared in his mind, and he turned red. So he'd just sat awake, and listened to the slight snoring from the others, but focused most on Luffy's freight train snores, which oddly was relaxing, despite it being.. well, freight train snoring.
So now he was sitting in the dark kitchen lit only by a dim candle and a glass of cold water. He didn't know how long he'd been in there, but after a while he started to doze off.
Suddenly, he heard the footsteps of somebody (very poorly) making an effort to be quiet as they approached the kitchen.
Koby panicked and tried to think of a reason he was in the kitchen when a boys face peered at him from the door.
"Luffy-san?" He said quietly, suprised.
"Koby?" Luffy silently shut the door and walked over to him, sitting so close to Koby there was less than two inches between them. "Why're you here? Wanna help me pick the lock on the fridge?" He snickered.
"Uh.." Koby realized Luffy wasn't wearing a shirt. He stared at the X shaped scar on his chest, and the fine-toned muscles he'd developed. Some may have called the pirate scrawny, but Luffy was anything but. He had abs. Actual abs.
"Abs.." Koby muttered.
"What?"
Crap.
"I- Absolutely n-no way." Koby sweated tremendously at his poor coverup. Since when was he so obsessed with his old friend? The Marine knew deep down he had a little crush on Luffy. He'd always had it, ever since he'd been a marine at Shells. But when did it get so bad be couldn't even breathe around him and subconsciously muttered about his muscles? And it was just a little tiny harmless crush, and Koby had never even took it seriously. He just brushed it off with an, "oh, i'll get over it."
Jesus, he's warm.
"Shishishi! I guess your still a goody-two shoes marine, even with pirates!" Luffy smiled that beautiful smile and nudged Koby with his shoulder.
Suddenly Koby was grateful for the scarce candlelight, hiding his pink face. He was gonna wear the blood vessels in his face out at this rate.
"I-I was just getting water, because I cant sleep." Koby stuttered a bit, gesturing toward the glass that was still halfway full.
"Oh! I woke up because I was SUPER hungry." Luffy said, and his words were followed by a loud stomach growl.
The marine giggled slightly and got up, finding a few pieces of fruit for him and Luffy to snack on.
"I guess your appetite is still the same as always, huh, Luffy-san?"
"Shishishi!" Luffy stuffed his face full with strawberries, not even bothering to pluck the stems off. The only reason he wasn't eating the leaves is because Koby was pulling them off before the ravenous boy got to them.
"So, since you can't sleep, how about you read to me?" He suggested out of the blue, surprising the pinkette yet again.
"You mean The Rainbow Mist?"
"Yeah! I normally don't like books, but I like it when you read! You have a nice voice."
Nice- what? Koby what? Luffy thought so? He liked it? And Koby didn't even realize he was up and grabbing the book and a blanket until he had sat down again, this time on the couch against the wall where Luffy had relocated.
"And the Pumpkin Pirates fell into the endless mist known as Ape's Concert, leaving one of their dearest friends behind..." Koby read, and Luffy sat so close that they're arms and legs touched. Of course they did, because the blanket was stretched to fit over them both and they had to squish together for warmth in the cold air. Koby definitely did not lean into Luffy for anything other than warmth, and he definitely did not fall asleep. Definitely did not.
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"Oh my, my, my.."
Luffy groggily opened his eyes, and yawned. Had he fallen asleep trying to steal snacks again? Oh, wait, no. He'd been in the kitchen, listening to Koby read. He must've fell asleep from that. And he felt a weight on his leg which must've been the book or something. Yawning, Luffy rotated his neck slowly, wincing at the ache. He'd been sleeping sitting up. The pirate turned his head slightly, and realized the weight on his lap wasn't a book, but was instead Koby. He was silently sleeping, breathing deep and relaxed, his glasses halfway off of his head.The blanket was slightly bunched around Luffy, and was only covering a small portion of Koby himself, so he fixed the blanket and patted Koby's pink-covered head. The pirate didn't mind, and smiled a little. At least his friend got to sleep a bit.
Oh, right. Someone had said something. He looked up to see Brook staring at them with an odd expression. (If thats possible for a skeleton?)
"What?"
"Yohoho.. nothing, Captain, nothing at all. I just came to get some tea brewing before Sanji comes in and makes breakfast." Brook said with a slight chuckle.
"Crap! If Sanji comes in and sees me, he'll think i was sneaking meat again!" Luffy winced at the thought of another kick to the head.
"Yes, he'll be in soon. He's getting ready for the day."
Luffy yelped slightly and started to get up, but looked down at Koby. Carefully, he set his head on the seat, stood up and turned back around to his friend, then bent down and scooped Koby up in his arms, bridal-style. Brook looked very amused for some reason.
Luffy hurried outside the kitchen, while trying not to let his friend's head hit anything and him getting woke up. He looked around and decided to take Koby back to the mens cabin. He was just about to start walking to it, when Nami and Usopp came out of nowhere. Usopp looked at Koby in Luffy's arms, and suddenly whistled in surprise at him, and Nami rolled her eyes. Then they walked away, whispering to eachother and giggling.
"Huh?" Luffy literally spun his head around to watch them, confused. He looked back when he felt Koby shift a little bit, and looked down to see him open his eyes.
".." Koby yawned and tucked his head in the crook of Luffy's elbow for a minute, looking up at him with half-closed eyes. It was generally kind of adorable, sleepy Koby, he meant. Luffy's cheeks got warm for some reason, and he frowned. Why did he feel so jittery inside? Koby sighed almost wistfully and began to close his eyes again, paused, and then totally lost it.
"L-L-LUFFY-SAN! LUFFY-SAN IS HOLDING ME- WH-WH- WHERES YOUR SHIRT?! WHY ARE YOU CARRYING ME?!" Koby squeaked, but not angrily, more like ohmygodimightdieimsohappy, or atleast thats what Koby knew it meant. Luffy just thought he was surprised. He squirmed and covered his face, curling up into a ball so Luffy had to pull his arms closer together so Koby didn't drop to the ground.
"Why are you so freaked out?" Luffy said curiously, pulling Koby closer to him to peer at the boy.
"I- you- HRMMMHNG-" Koby flapped his mouth a bit, and eventually stopped trying to talk and buried his face in his arms.
"Koby is cute when he's weird." Luffy laughed.
Koby's brain may have short-circuited right then and there. He stared up at Luffy, mouth agape slightly. He was a mess, dried drool on his chin from sleeping, his pink hair an absolute mess, his glasses askew on his head.
Cute? Cute?? Koby turned the word over in his mind. Did Luffy actually just say Koby Is Cute?
Koby decided that maybe dying right there in the arms of this boy who smiles like the sun itself, no, brighter than the sun, wouldn't be something he'd dislike. Infact, he'd prefer it. Koby realized he really screwed up.
Crap. Im in love with the future Pirate King. Nice move, Koby. Declaring you'd capture Luffy, become the next Admiral. But of course you just make life so simple by falling in love with him.
Also, he'd never love me back.
Koby wasn't sure why that last part was the one that bothered him the most.
Luffy poking his cheek brought the Marine back to reality. "Hungry?"
"..wha?"
"Are you hungry?" Luffy asked him.
"Um.. yeah." Koby admitted, cheeks burning a bit.
"Okay! Let's go eat!"
Koby waited for Luffy to put him down, but apparently that wasn't on his agenda. And, oh boy, did the Marine have a serious gay panic. His crew- what if they don't like their captain getting friendly with a marine? And also, if Luffy keeps holding me so close to him, I might have a heart attack. But, god, he's so warm and comfortable and I can't seem to bring myself to ask him to put me down.
Koby sighed outwardly. Yeah, I'm in trouble.
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Boy oh boy, did i get major gayness from this chapter. Didnt really have much motivation yet AGAIN, but put a little bit of effort into this. Again, im still trying to think of actual angst to put in here thats not super annoying. I suck at angst, in general.
Anyway, through pure boredom in Achieve today, I found myself reading The Sun and The Sea by Stygianheart on AO3/ArchivesOfOurOwn lately. Its amazing, and I love the originality of it all. PS, RYANBRYAN, DONT DIE SO U CAN BE FRUITY FOR HELLHIPPO!!!
Im in love with it. Stygianhearts writing style is just, 💋, chef's kiss. Or should i say "Zeff's Kiss?" wait no that was supposed to be a rhyme joke not a pedophile joke wait wait wait-
OKAY ummm so go CHECK OUT STYGIANHEARTS STORY!!! I have found myself a new idol...
*crab walks away*