The Road Trip. {Thatch x Reader}

R.I.P TH47CH 69.

"Come on, baby! Don't give up on me now!" Thatch mutters pleadingly to his car, attempting to start the engine for the umpteenth time now and once again, the poor SUV tries and sounds like she's almost there before she cuts out. "Damn it!"

"What now yoi?" Marco sighs from outside, his arms folding over his chest as he leans back against the car bonnet. He raises a good question though, you're out in the middle of nowhere with no other vehicles or buildings nearby.

"Anyone got a phone? We'll have to call pops." Thatch questions with his eyebrows furrowed, trying to start the engine once again but only getting the same old result. You notice both Ace and Sabo take their phones from their pockets, although Sabo slips his straight back again. You'd assume all that facetiming with Koala killed his battery.

Ace seems promising though, the freckled male tapping the screen a few times before a distant dialing noise fills the air. "...C'mon...answer the phone, you old far--H-Hey pops~!" The freckled male chimes sheepishly, you can hear the old man laughing on the other end of the line faintly before he begins to speak.

Though, you can't really hear what he's saying but you'd imagine he's calling Ace out since the boy was about to insult him. Thatch finally giving up with the car and leaning back into the drivers seat, a deep sigh leaving his lips and his eyes falling closed in complete and utter defeat. 

Your heart just aching at the sight before you. Sure, he doesn't look too upset, just bummed out. But it's still a very noticeable difference, considering how chirpy Thatch usually is. 

The poor man has already had a pretty long day and it's only 3:44pm; First he had to save Luffy from drowning and got soaked in the process. Then while he was shopping for some dry clothes, you had to give him the third degree. 

The thought of him with a prostitute was driving you insane and had led you to essentially cornering him in the changing room when the shop assistants weren't looking and asking him if he's ever had sex with one. Naturally, he probably thinks you're slightly crazy now but he pleased you with his answer anyway.

He said that he has never bought a prostitute but he does sympathize with them, a lot of women and even some men have no choice but to take that job when they literally have no other sources of income. And that he wouldn't take advantage of them when they're at such a low. 

And naturally, that answer swooned you more than you care to admit. So much that you ended up ripping those damp clothes off of him then and there to experience your first public sexual encounter. 

Of course, it's because he's a sweet man that he gets all the bad luck. In attempts to cheer him up now, you scoot over from the passenger seat and climb into his lap, wrapping your arms around his neck before giving him a gentle hug plus a peck on the lips. 

"I love you, Thatchy~" You chime playfully, the brunette's eyes flickering open at your actions, a slight hesitation before his arms ultimately drape themselves around your waist, a small smile spreading across his face.

"I love you too, beautiful." Sure, he might not sound too chirpy but he sure as hell sounds genuine. The handsome gent leaning up to kiss you properly this time, a slight fluttery feeling inside your stomach the second his lips make contact with yours. Honestly, you'd think after last night, his kisses won't have much effect anymore but here you are with a butterfly belly.

A sharp wolf whistle sounding from outside the car, you'd guess it was either Ace or Marco. Sabo's too polite to pull a stunt like that and Luffy's still inside the car and far too innocent to take much notice of a kiss. "What the hell yoi?! You scared the shit outta me! Are you tryna deafen pops too?!" Oh yeah, definitely Ace.

"Oh, pops~! Did you hear that Thatch has a giiiiirlfrieeeend~?" The freckled boy snickers down the phone and although your eyes are shut since you're still very much enjoying your lip-lock with the older brother, you can simply imagine that Ace has a Chesire cat grin on his face right now. "Yep, he finally told her~!!"

Pops knew Thatch liked me?!

The kiss sadly ending on account of you needing to catch your breath, Thatch's lips trailing across to your cheek instead. There's a pleasant warmth radiating from the man now, soothing you as you rest against his chest.

Seems he's no longer bummed out.

"Thatch, you look absolutely smitten yoi~!" Marco chuckles as Ace approaches the SUV, holding the phone out to the brunette and receiving a look that undoubtedly screams go away. But he takes the cell regardless, holding it to his ear.

"Hey pops, Ace was meant to ask you for hel--"

"There you are, my boy! I hear you bring good tidings~!" Newgate's words now reaching your ears from the speaker, the old man sounds ecstatic and poor Thatch already looks completely mortified. "I was beginning to worry about you, lad! I thought that you were batting for the other team or something!" 

Luckily for me, he isn't.

"Pops--" Thatch being cut off again by further proud dad talk. Quite frankly, you're barely containing your giggles, the brunette growing redder and redder by the second as he flashes you an apologetic look before his dark orbs drift up to the car ceiling.

"[F/n] is a beautiful lass, Thatch! I'm happy for ya, now don't mess it up!"

Aw, thanks Newgate~!

"I know she is and I won't! A-Anyway, we need a lift..." By this point Thatch's face looks about as red as the coca-cola logo. Newgate's tone finally lowering, the only downside to this is that you can no longer hear anything he's saying.

"THERE'S A TIGGER PLUSHIE BACK HERE~?! COOOLSHISHISHI~!! CAN I KEEP IT~?"

NO! YOU HAVE A DOLPHIN, LUFFY! LEAVE MY TIGGER ALONE!

"Alright, thanks pops! See ya s--"

"Wait, lad! Don't be so shy, give me details! How many grandchildren are you planning to bless me with?"

Wow, I heard that part!

Thatch hanging up without even answering his poor old father and handing the phone back to Ace as he smiles up at you sheepishly. The precious angel-of-a-man looking about as nervous as a child meeting a group of strangers for the first time.

"I-I'm sorry about him, beautiful. He gets...over-excited sometimes."

I'm gonna be the one getting over-excited if you call me beautiful again, you handsome bastard!

"THAAATCH~! IS THIS TIGGER YOURS~? CAN I HAVE HIM~?!"

"No. You've already got a dolphin that you almost killed yourself to receive today, you're not having Tigger too."

Thank you, Thatch!

I mean usually, you wouldn't hesitate to let Luffy have this plush toy but...it means a lot to you. No one is taking it away.

-------------end------------