Home at last...well your second home anyway. You were finally back in the comfort of your own bakery with a tired smile and a thoughtful sigh, it felt as though you had just been reunited with an old friend from long ago. Nothing appeared to have been disturbed in your absence which was both a blessing and a curse because you were definitely going to clean and clear it all later. Currently leaning on the counter for support you waited patiently for Liv's patience to wear out.

"Now wait a damn minute" Liv grumbled as she tapped her foot impatiently. "You guys do realise she's only a mirror away right? On top of that you're seeing her every month, so why did you all have to come back with us!?"

"Don't be like that Alivia we just wanted to wish you well" Brûlée explained. "We never know when we'll get to see each other again, though the younger ones are gonna be devastated"

'I think you missed the crucial point about that we need you to travel' you sweat-dropped.

"No! I get why you're here" she stressed as she pointed at her but quickly swivelled her body to point in another direction "but why are you lot here!?"

Brûlée, Perospero, Katakuri, Daifuku, and Oven were all wishing you farewell, but you never expected them to follow you all the way back to the bakery. You were too tired from playing in the snow with all the children, trying to dodge lethal snowballs and just sitting up all night watching the snow, to try and confront all of them on their intentions. Liv, on the other hand, was still recovering from her snowball war from yesterday along with a small hangover from drinking with the girls her usually composed self took a swan dive out the tallest building from the highest window. In short, she was not in a good mood.

"Alivia please stop, it's early, you're tired, you didn't like the mirrors, and it's making you crank-upset" you corrected yourself quickly.

"I'm NOT upset! I'm a ray of f*cking sunshine!" she corrected as she stomped her foot and crossed her arms like a child.

'...I can see that...' Everyone sweat-dropped.

"Just hurry up and say goodbye already!" She huffed.

You quickly mouthed an apology to everyone present as you rubbed circles on Liv's back. It hadn't occurred to you how many new friends you'd made during your stay. Everyone was crammed into the bakery trying much like your first encounter; this was how it all began. A gentle light slowly filtered through the window, filling you with a strong sense of nostalgia, as most of your goodbyes took place under the stars.

"Still as loud as ever" Daifuku grumbled, still bitter about his losses in the snowball war.

"Wanna go twinkle toes?" Liv growled.

"Liv why don't you head on out first!?" you blurted out shoving her towards the door before things got out of hand. "Don't worry, I'll handle everything"

Liv showed some reluctance but understood you were safe. With one last glance around the room, she sighed.

"Fine... I'll head home first. But next time we leave the island, let's do it as a holiday, no business" she sighed and smiled at you.

"Of course!" you nodded.

As soon as Liv left the room there was a noticeable sense of relaxation among most of the men present.

'I guess the Amazonian just have that effect on guys'

"Are you guys really that nervous around Liv?" you laughed.

"Nervous? No, I believe the term you're looking for is cautious pero-lick" Perospero interjected.

'To think this is where it all started' you reminisced. 'I should say thank you again'

Katakuri raised a hand to stop you, a small spark of anger in his eyes.

"There is no need to thank us (Y/n), the only person who should be doing that is me" he growled, furious at the idea of you thanking him for what happened to you.

"You would thank us for what happened!?" Daifuku raised a doubtful brow at you

"Well, I mean, it makes sense for me to thank you for your hospitality!" you reasoned

"...No" they all denied you flatly

All you could do was laugh.

"(Y/n), we've been talking" Perospero began

'that's not good' you thought

"Should I be worried?" you joked

"Well not exactly, how do you put it?" Oven gave you a nervous chuckle

"(Y/n) do you want to live with us?" Daifuku sighed slightly irritated.

.

.

.

'... I'm so tired I think I've started hallucinating' you let out a weak airy chuckle, entering a mild stage of shock/panic

*Thwack*

The painful sound snapped you out of your hysteria forcing you to face a now keeled over Daifuku and a group of very irritated brothers. From the looks of it, Perospero had used his candy cane to beat Daifuku in the stomach and was clearly holding himself back for another attack.

"WHY DID YOU MAKE IT SOUND LIKE A BOTHER!?" Brûlée screeched as she dragged her sibling back into the mirror.

"What my brother was trying to say was seen as how the Charlottes are the only people who know about your situation, then it would benefit you to stay with us" Perospero continued as though nothing happened.

By this point, you'd entered an extreme stage of panic expressed through your inability to speak.

"This was our decision (Y/n)" Katakuri read you like an open book "Don't concern yourself with the smaller details"

"I'd be more than happy to help you set up your own brand new bakery; you will be able to live your life peacefully guaranteed" Oven grinned "and if you gain Mama's favour, she may even be willing to extend your life"

Under any normal circumstances you would've shot down the idea straight away, but these people were the only ones who knew your time was truly limited. The island was often quiet and your chances of seeing Ace and Luffy again in that time were slim. Would a home even matter? Katakuri stared you down harshly before letting out a sigh.

"I see..." Katakuri nodded. "Well if you truly feel that way, I will not complain"

"I haven't/She hasn't even said anything!" You and Oven gawked

"I guess you already have obligations here, it can't be helped" Perospero shrugged with disappointment

"Wait! What's going on with you two!?" Oven growled.

"It was truly a privilege to meet someone like you miss (Y/n), I guarantee this will not be our last meeting Pero-lick" Perospero smiled sweetly but his brown eyes were saying something else.

He reached out for you but it was quickly intercepted by Katakuri who'd stepped between the two of you.

"That's enough," Katakuri informed. "Brûlée is here"

Perospero appeared somewhat irked that Katakuri had intervened but withdrew his arm.

"Is that so, then I suppose we'll head off first (Y/n)" Perospero smiled.

"I don't really get it but if you want to stay here then I'll respect that" Oven scratched his beard but gave a heartfelt smile "But you have to come to visit sometime"

"Fortunately for you, I've already promised your younger brothers and sisters I'd come back and play" you laughed. "I no longer have a choice"

Oven nodded eagerly while he gave you the biggest grin.

"Great! Until then (Y/n)!"

Waving goodbye you watched as Brûlée shoved her brothers through the mirror.

"Before I forget this is for you" Katakuri put down a small sack in front of you with a small note attached to it. "That is the payment for your last delivery along with our next order"

Staring blankly at the large bag of berries, it was obvious that this was too much. With that, Katakuri swiftly turned and made his way to the mirror.

'Wait is that it? Is that how he's going to say goodbye?'

If Katakuri was being honest with himself he was rather downcast at the fact that you'd rejected their proposal to stay with them. Your presence alone worked wonders for him. So when he saw the future just now he suddenly jumped.

"Katakuri!"

As much as he didn't want to admit it, he'd gotten used to his given nickname. He stared down at you and watched in curiosity as you beckoned him to come down to your level. Glancing around to see if anyone was watching he reluctantly knelt to a point you were satisfied. During his time with you, Katakuri had learnt many things about you; one being that you were very predictable, two was that you were very unpredictable, and three, both statements were correct because they contradicted themselves. Nevertheless, he was always taken aback by your ability to offer compassion to someone like him. Even now as you embraced him on your tippy-toes, you were relaxed in his presence knowing the truth.

"I was really happy that you wanted me to stay with you, so don't be upset and don't blame yourself" you whispered as you hugged him tighter "Look after yourself, the last thing you need is for me to come back for another tea party" you giggled into his scarf.

Pulling away gently, you were allowed to see Kata staring motionless into space for a good minute before shooting up out of your grasp and spinning on his heel. His entire face exploding into a bright red.

"G-Goodbye (Y/n), I'll be back in a month" He gushed out as he made a mad dash for the mirror before stopping abruptly "...But in the unlikely event that you need me before then, I'll be there"

The mirror reflection rippled as a hand reached out and brought Katakuri into the mirror before you could even reply. Just like that, they were gone. Silence filled the crevices of the room, and it became more apparent that you enjoyed the chaos of company more than the quiet of solitude.

'But home is where I need to be' you reminded yourself, 'and that's that'

—————————————————————————————

Dragging your feet up the familiar trail that led to your house, you envisioned your long lost loves awaiting your return. Bed and oversized hoodies were just a few more footsteps away and you had plans to spend the rest of the day with them. As the path opened up and the view of your house was now no longer a fantasy home was now a goal in sight.

'I'm really back...' you motivated yourself to pick up the pace for the final stretch.

Striding up the steps in eagerness, you snatched your keys (which you'd kept in the bakery the entire time) and motioned to unlock your door.

'...What was that?'

————————————————————————————————

"You're going to have to plunge that knife through me before you even think about touching them!" You declared

Your arms were spread out to shield the incredibly surprised pirates who stood behind you.

"I can't let you hurt these men!"

——————————————————————————-

(A little earlier)

Currently reclined on a lush velvet sofa you allowed the sweet scent of baked buns and biscuits to dance around the room with the pleasant aromas of foreign fragrant tea leaves. Taking another sip of your drink you began to make the hardest decision of the day...

'Which sweet treat should I try next?' You hummed happily 'The luxury of it all is enough to make even the most paranoid individual let their guard down...'

"Alivia!!! Come quickly!!! There's trouble at the harb-wagh!" the frantic man barged in only to have a lovely shoe lobbed at the dead centre of his forehead.

'...Unless you're Alivia... She never lets her guard down...'

"OMG! Liv why did you throw your heels at him?!" you sprang to your feet and hurried to the man's aid.

Today was one of the lucky few days where Liv and you were both available to hang out. She'd invited you over to her mansion to chill in her cosy room just to eat drink and relax for the whole day and you were totally cool with that. After all, you were still balancing babysitting and kickstarting a bakery at this point; you were in dire need of a rest. Neither of you were to be disturbed under any circumstances at her orders. Liv slowly lifted herself from the sofa facing across from you and strolled up leisurely beside you, now taking a better look at the man sprawled out beside you.

"Quite right (Y/n), I should've used a less expensive shoe" she muttered, not quite understanding the issue.

"That's not what I was referring to-!" You started only to be interrupted by the man jumping up again

"PIRATES!" He hollered.

The two of you remained silent.

'...Pirates?'

there was a brief moment of confusion. Not because there were pirates but because someone was sincerely concerned that there were pirates. Yes, your island was pretty hard to find, even merchants with eternal poses struggled to find their way sometimes, but that never stopped the odd pirate from being able to drift into your waters. And of course, they were dealt with appropriately by the villagers. Their disgust for pirates and marines mixed with their experience with fighting for survival was enough to hold off low bounty pirates.

"Are you telling me that you interrupted my day off because of some lousy pirates!?" Liv growled, shoe in hand. "Just go deal with them as we do with all the occasional strangers that wander onto our island"

"W-W-WAIT!! It's not just any old pirates!! It's a Yonko!!!!"

Again silence dominated the room and you froze.

"WHY DIDNT YOU SAY THAT EARLIER?" Liv screamed.

Snatching up her jacket you watched in a partial-daze as Liv rushed out the room in a storm leaving both you and the injured man to just stare. Though your island barely got news of the outside world, even the Yonkos were well known, especially among the older generation.

"(Y/n)! Stay here! I'll be back soon!" was all you heard before the sharp slamming of the door was heard.

'A Yonko? As in an actual Yonko!?...Aren't they extremely powerful!?' you hummed in concern 'will they try and claim this island'

"To think that red hair Shanks would make it here" the man muttered.

'Wh-What?!'

"What did you just say!?" You gripped the poor man's shoulders a lot tighter than intended. "Did you just say, Shanks!?"

"Y-Yea..."

Time slowed and your mouth felt dry. Slowly you pried your hands from the poor man's shoulders. The possibilities were so slim, but if there was a chance.

'Could it really be the same man'

"(Y/n)!? Where are you going!?"

——————————————————————————————————-

"Leave this place, you aren't welcome here" Briggs' voice was rough and unwavering

"Aw don't be like that!" the red-haired man chuckled "we only want to stock up on supplies for a few days then we'll be outta your hair"

Briggs was stood next to the other representatives of the island. Technically speaking, there was no definitive leader for our island, however, Briggs was a highly respected individual, a true man of the people. Not only did his son join the revolutionary army but during the mutiny, Briggs was the one who set most people free whilst everyone else was focused on fighting. So it was no surprise he would step up and deal with the situation on behalf of the rest.

"You aren't welcome here" Liv repeated, her grip on her dagger tightened.

"This is our final warning" Gin grimaced his hand twitching over his holster hanging loosely from his hip.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Red hair's tone darkened and it sent waves of uncertainty through the crowd "those aren't toys you know?"

"DON'T MOCK US!" Alivia lunged forward, dagger drawn.

"ALIVIA STOP!!!" You screamed

Your arms were spread out to shield the incredibly surprised pirates who stood behind you. Liv had only managed to stop her blade a few centimetres from your neck.

"You're going to have to plunge that knife through me before you even think about touching them!" You declared "I can't let you hurt these men!"

"(Y/n)!? Wh-What are you doing here!?" Liv seemed to be having an internal struggle on whether to be shocked or angry.

"(Y/n)" Gin called out to you, hand outstretched and eager to pull you away from the imminent danger behind you "come here"

Again you shook your head violently.

"Please! If all they want to do is stock then let them!" you pleaded "I don't think they are like the others, and I'm willing to bet my life on it"

"(Y/n)! Are you insa-!?"

"Please!" You insisted.

Everyone was quiet.

"Enough!" Brigg's authoritative voice cut through the unpredictable commotion "(Y/n)?"

"I know these men! I think they truly just need to stock up and rest, I'll even go with them and ensure they don't cause trouble!" you suggested in hopes of swaying his opinion"...please Briggs"

By this point, Liv has retracted her bladder and was now glaring in disgust at the men before her. Briggs hummed in thought for a mere moment before he giving a tired sigh and offering you a smile.

"If they are your friends, then we'll trust you, but we'll only allow 5 of you on the island at a time"

"But Briggs-!" Teddy interrupted

"(Y/n) isn't someone who would risk the lives of others, if we can trust her with the children, our future for this island, then we can trust her on this too!" Briggs snapped "That, and I'd prefer to avoid fighting a Yonko if possible"

"You don't need to worry about that, we'll be on our best behaviour," said a man with a long pipe and a massive gun.

'When you're holding that gun, nothing you say sounds reassuring' you sweat dropped

"You all need to get back to work!? I didn't make those trade deals for nothing!" She clapped her hands and ushered everyone back to their own devices.

'But Liv is still scarier'

You let out a breath that you didn't realise you were holding. Whether it was from the strong tension in the atmosphere, contemplation on your wager or just complete shock was too difficult to determine. A firm hand rested on your shoulder causing you to almost leap into the afterlife.

"You know, I don't think it's right for you to risk your life for some strangers little lady" red hair began his hand resting on the hilt of his blade "After all, we are pirates, and we are very capable of completely decimating this town"

"But I know you won't do that" you stated in a matter of faculty tone

"Oh?" he mused "and why's that?"

"Because I don't think the man who lost his arm for my friend, is capable of doing something like that" you smiled at him with confidence.

Now if you were to describe the phases of Shank's face it would take a while, as he went through a whole lot of emotions in a short period. Thankfully the most prominent emotion that you could identify was quite literally 'confusion'

"How did you-?" Red hair scratched his head in confusion.

"When I was younger I grew up with Luffy in the mountains where he told me many stories about you. Thank you for saving my Luffy Mr Shanks" You bowed slightly "he gives you very high praise but for saving his life I am forever in your debt"

Shanks and his crew blinked about three times before they all erupted in cheers and smiles. You were swept into a rough hug. The speed of it only caused you to squeak and flush in surprise.

"You know Luffy!? That's incredible!" He cried out in pure delight

"Didn't see that one coming!"

"How's the little brat doing?!"

"We've come a long way since then!"