The sun starts to rise and the warmth is enough to warm everyone up from the chill that the night brought. You haven't been asleep since Vivi went to sleep after chatting with her and making up. You were afraid of getting nightmares again as they constantly appear while you're sleeping so you pass the time by running your calloused fingers through Ace's hair, not minding that he would occasionally nuzzle his cheek into your thighs. Slowly, one by one, the rest of the crew woke up. Sanji was already working on something for everyone to eat while the rest were either sleeping or just lounging around, getting as much rest as they could before the harsh trek started again.
To be honest, you were so used to not sleeping at night that you might as well be nocturnal. Your eyelids started to get heavy when they snapped open when you heard a shriek. You look over to the source to see Usopp screaming about a scorpion on his face. You sighed in annoyance.
While everyone was packing their things, Chopper sensed something coming this way and you narrowed your eyes a little to get a clearer picture. Vivi was the first to notice what it was.
"Everyone!! Hide behind the rocks!!" Vivi shouted.
"Huh? What?"
"A storm!! A sandstorm is coming!!"
"Shit, the princess is right. Prepare yourselves" you instructed when you saw the storm getting nearer.
When the storms pass over, all the tents are blown away and almost everyone is buried underneath the sand.
"Where's (First Name)?" Ghin spoke up after brushing off the sand on his body.
Everyone looked around to find the (H/c)-nette until Usopp found something sticking out of the sand, not far from the group. "Hey, guys!! I found something!!" he called out as he went over and pulled it out to find that it was a leg. Your leg in particular. When the rest came over, Luffy helped out and pulled the leg over to find you sleeping.
"Why is she sleeping under the sand?!" Nami shrieked.
"She hasn't slept since last night" Ace replied as he squatted near your face.
"What?! She hasn't slept at all?! What was she thinking?!" Usopp shouted.
"Is it because of her hypersomnia?" Zoro deadpanned.
"Shishishi!! Wake up, (First Name)!! No time napping!!" Luffy knelt and shook you awake.
You slowly open your eyes to find Luffy right in front of your face. "Oh, morning Luffy. I don't think I can move right now since I still feel sleepy"
Nami walked over and smacked the back of your head. "And whose fault is it that hasn't slept last night?!"
"Ittai . . .that hurt, you know. I can't help it . . ." you pouted as you rubbed the aching pain on your head, not noticing the red faces of everyone.
'Cute' was what everyone thought about your pouting face.
After the whole fiasco, the trek continues while you are being carried or should you say, dragged by Ace from behind since you're still sleepy.
"Sorry for making you do this. I must be quite heavy, aren't I??"
"You?? Pfft, no way. You're kinda light" Ace snorted.
"Are you sure?? Cuz I don't think your legs match with your words" You looked down to see Ace's legs shaking a little from your weight.
"I'll be fine. Just go back to sleep" he assured.
You know that he's lying but you don't want to reject his goodwill so you just let it be as you close your eyes with a small smile and nuzzle your cheek on his neck. Ace looked calm with a poker face on the outside but inside, he was a blushing mess and panicking a lot. You are too close and your breath breathing on his neck is not helping either but he doesn't want to drop you while you are sleeping.
A few hours passed and Luffy started whining again. It started to irritate you and your sleep so you stopped Ace and got back on your feet causing the rest to stop since you were right in front of them with him. You turned to Luffy and walked over to the sulking rubber boy and lifted his chin in your hand, tilting his head up so that he had to look at you in the eyes. Your long fingers gently squeezed the fat of his cheeks together causing his lips to pucker.
"There's no need to keep whining. You're only wasting more energy and it's making everyone here more irritable. Can you do something for me?" You waited for Luffy to nod his head which he slowly did.
"That's a good boy. I want you to come to me or Ace if you want something for the rest of the journey, alright?? I know it seems harsh but it's for the comfort and convenience of everyone else" Luffy nodded with his tail rapidly wagging from the 'good boy' praise you just gave him. You smiled and patted his head before turning around and walking back to your spot next to Ace in the front.
"I'm not sleepy anymore so thanks for the troublesome weight I gave you, Ace" you smiled.
"It's nothing much, (First Name). Don't mention it" Ace rubbed the back of his neck with his cheeks filled with color.
"Woah . . ." Vivi murmured, never witnessed you tame the rubber captain in such a manner before.
"I know right? She's such a dom" Nami said while fanning herself. Both girls' cheeks flushed from her indication of words and started to giggle to themselves while hiding their grins behind their hands.
"I wish she would call me a good boy~!!" Sanji swooned with his usual perverted self and fantasies running in his head. Zoro jabbed his sword into the back of Sanji's head causing him to choke on his spit.
"Shut up, Ero cook. I can tell what kind of fantasies you're swarming in that head of yours" Zoro seethed while on the inside he couldn't help but imagine those things as well.
"Like you're any better," Ghin remarked.
You tuned out everything from behind as you wanted to get this over with. You're trying to minimize the involvement with herself and Crocodile as much as she can. Although what you told the Straw hats was logical and sound, deep down, you didn't want to fight him or have anything to do with his schemes. You already have other important business in your pockets than something like this no matter how much you want to kick his ass.
.
.
.
"YES!! I won, shishishi!!" Luffy cheered as he pumped his fist in the air, none the wiser that everyone deliberately let him win. His happy smile was quick to turn into a pout as everyone besides you and Ace unloaded their belongings onto the sled for him to pull. Luffy wanted to start whining again but he remembered the head pat and the praise you gave him. He wanted more praise from you.
Everyone continued to trudge on with Luffy huffing to himself in the back.
"Hey, I think I see some rocks up ahead" Usopp called out while adjusting the focus on his goggles.
Luffy gasped in elation and took off in the storm of dust toward the outcropping. You sighed and ran after him.
"I swear, he's so reckless!!" Nami groaned as Vivi hummed in agreement but before anyone could say anything, Luffy's shouts for help interrupted them. A dust cloud was racing back toward the group before ultimately stopping.
Luffy was gasping for breath and his eyes widened in panic. "Chopper!! I need Chopper to come with me!!"
Chopper instantly perked up from his prone position on the makeshift sled Zoro was pulling. Luffy raced over to the little reindeer and pulled him to his feet.
"There is a bunch of injured birds at the rocks so they need your help!!" Luffy quickly explained but before Chopper could reply, Luffy was kicked to the back by you.
"You dumbass shouldn't have left your supplies behind!!" you shouted.
"The birds aren't injured. They took advantage of you to steal all your belongings. Fortunately, I scared them off before they even get a chance" you explained while dusting your hands together.
"They what?!"
"Uhm, I forgot to mention that there are bandit-like birds in the desert called Warusagi birds. They are bandits who trick travelers and then proceed to steal all of their belongings" Vivi added with her gaze downtrodden.
"And this is why I don't rely on you too much when it comes to information" you bluntly said as Vivi was shot through with an imaginary arrow.
Luffy let out a growl as he ran off in a random direction. You sweatdropped at him but you decided to let it be. You shrugged and walked over to the rocks to rest underneath the shade as the rest followed after.
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Okay, this is quite unexpected. . . who would have thought that both you and Ace got separated from the crew in the middle of the desert?
"Did they get lost. . . or did we?" Both of you looked at each other with perplexed expressions before shrugging your shoulders and continuing the way you were going.
"I'm sure they'll be fine. We'll find them eventually" you said plainly.
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No offense but you have no idea what to feel about riding on the back of the lizard who runs while standing vertically while on the other hand, Ace seems to be in paradise and you know why. Not gonna explain cuz you're tired of this shit. So let's just say that he's using this as an excuse to hold your body close to his and he's thriving.