Wind Demon (One Piece x Male Reader)

The Flying Merry

The night hung heavy with a shroud of cold darkness, the vast ocean stretching endlessly under a canopy of stars. The Going Merry creaked and groaned, her wounded frame a testament to the battle that had scarred her. The salty sea air was thick with the mingling scents of wood, sweat, and determination as the crew worked tirelessly to mend their beloved ship.

"Uho! Uho! Fix the ship! Uho! Uho! Raise the bow!" Masira’s booming voice echoed across the deck, a rhythmic chant to rally the crew as he strained against the ropes with his team. Their collective effort strained to lift the fallen portion of the Merry, muscles bulging and faces glistening with exertion. Each pull sent vibrations through the ship, a reminder of both her fragility and their unyielding resolve.

Nearby, Y/N knelt on the splintered deck, methodically hammering wooden planks into place. Each strike of the hammer was steady and deliberate, a metronome of focus amid the chaotic symphony of repairs.

“So…” Nami’s voice cut through the noise, calm but laced with curiosity. She stood a few feet behind him, her back turned, her hands busy with her own tasks. “Why didn’t you go?”

Y/N paused mid-swing, glancing over his shoulder at her. “Hm?” His tone was casual, almost dismissive.

“With Luffy,” she clarified, not turning to face him. The question lingered in the air, hanging between them like a fragile thread.

A small smile tugged at Y/N’s lips as he returned to his work, his hammer meeting the wood with a decisive thud. “He can get the gold back all by himself.”

Nami, tying off a frayed rope a few feet away, paused mid-knot. Turning slowly, she faced him with a furrowed brow, her gaze curious but probing.

“But they beat you too,” she said quietly, her voice carrying an undertone of challenge, as if testing his resolve.

The hammer in Y/N’s hand froze mid-swing. The wood beneath his hand felt suddenly rougher, the night colder. For a moment, he said nothing. Then, with deliberate calm, he placed the hammer down beside him and stood, brushing his hands off on his pants.

Turning to face Nami, his expression was resolute, his grin sharp with an unyielding determination. “Beat me?” he said, the words rolling off his tongue like a dare. “Those guys weren’t even a real fight. They’re not worth my effort, not when I know they’d crumble like straws if they faced me.”

His voice dropped slightly, taking on a weight that cut through the night air. “What's the point of fighting if it just ends in pity. A real fight one where the stakes matter, where the challenge is worth every ounce of strength I’ve got. That's what I'm after.” His fists clenched, his knuckles whitening as he spoke, the fire in his eyes reflecting his words.

Nami studied him, her brows knitting together as her lips pressed into a thin line. “What the heck is that supposed to mean?” she demanded, her voice rising slightly as frustration edged her tone. “Are you just making excuses or are you an idiot?”

“SHUT UP AND LISTEN FOR ONCE!” Y/N pointed at her, his voice carried across the deck.

“I don’t care about fighting to prove something to anyone else. I fight for the for the honour of a fair match where every move counts and every hit lands because both sides are desperate to win.” His voice was passionate, unwavering, and raw with the weight of his convictions. “And those guys? They didn’t earn that from me nor Luffy and Zoro. They weren’t worth it.”

The determination radiating from him was almost tangible, an invisible force that seemed to push against the very air around them. Nami, for all her defiance, faltered slightly, her expression shifting to something quieter, more contemplative.