Bad First Dates (One Piece x Reader)

Somewhere Only They Knew

Yamato

Using he/him pronouns for Yamato.

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You had felt pretty good about the date that you had planned. After agonizing over it for weeks and hyping yourself up, you had finally asked out the cute travel journalist that frequented your work.

You worked at a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant that was owned by your family. Not many wandered in, but those that did came often for a home cooked meal away from home. The recipes had all been handed down from one generation to the next and everyone took great pride in that.

Even you, despite not being allowed within five feet of anything in the kitchen. Cooking... wasn't your thing, as much as you tried to force it growing up.

Yamato had first stumbled in almost a year ago, out of breath and hair in disarray. You had noticed the way he had to grab the top of the doorframe and duck to enter before you really took in any of his features.

Striking white hair that bled into teal and big brown eyes. Looking back, you were done for the moment he first grinned down at you.

For a while, your conversations never went further than what a server would normally discuss with a customer. You asked him how his day was, took his order, and answered any questions he might have had.

He had quickly become a regular and you noticed the weeks when he wouldn't come by. You would find that work seemed duller, dimmer. Your brief conversations with Yamato had become something you eagerly awaited, perking up at each chime of the bell and hoping it was him.

When he first showed you pictures from some of his travels, you had been elated. You took it as a sign that the two of you were growing closer. And you had. It wasn't long after that you exchanged numbers and found yourselves talking outside of the restaurant.

All those months and late night calls had brought you to where you were now, hiking up a winding trail with a small pack on your back.

You felt sweat trickling down your brow and the palms of your hands despite it being a relatively cool afternoon. You weren't sure if it was from the sun beaming down directly on you or from nerves.

The pictures you saw online hadn't done the mountain trail justice. It had taken your breath away before you had even left the car. Towering evergreens and slender birch trees lined the path with bushes of berries resting around their stumps.

"Have you been hiking before?" Yamato asked and although he was smiling sweetly, you felt like you were being teased.

You rubbed the back of your neck with a short, nervous laugh. "Ah, well... this is actually the first hike I've ever gone on."

"Oh?" He bent forward and tilted his head to catch your eye, his hair spilling over his shoulder. "And you decided on it for our date?"

You swallowed.

"Because I thought you would enjoy it."

"You should enjoy it too, you know!" He scooped you into a one armed hug, lifting your feet off the ground as he did so. You flailed for a moment, heart momentarily dipping when the thought that he might just drop you passed your mind. "But this is really great! I haven't been here in forever, thank you."

You tripped over your own feet when he righted you again and proceeded to struggle to fall into step with his longer strides. The view was definitely better from a few steps behind.

Yamato reminded you of an excited puppy and you could almost envision perked, floppy ears on either side of his head. After implying he had been there before, his eyes still lit up and his head whipped around to take in every sight as though it was his first time taking it all in. He picked out creatures hidden within the leaves and told you little facts he knew; it was the same for peculiar plants that caught your own eye along the way.

"So, what got you into writing for a travel magazine and going on all these adventures?" You asked after some time.

You regretted the question when your date's expression darkened. It was only for the brief time it took him to reply, but it was enough that you would have rather just avoided bringing it up to begin with. But you had been curious.

"My father kept me caged growing up."

You didn't like the emphasis on father nor did you like the mention of being caged. Was he being metaphorical? You hoped so.

"All I wanted was freedom, so I took off backpacking as soon as the opportunity came." He flashed you a small grin over his shoulder before he continued. "I didn't have any intention of writing until someone from the magazine randomly crossed paths with me when I was twenty. I've been with the magazine ever since.

What about you? Was it always the plan to work with your family at the restaurant?"

"It was." You replied without a thought, smiling wide. "Well, I wanted to cook, but I'm not allowed anywhere near the kitchen. I'm terrible at it."

"You can't be that bad." Yamato turned to walk backwards along the trail, eyebrow raised playfully. "You could cook for me sometime!"

"You wouldn't have a kitchen by the time I was done."

The two of you shared a laugh just before your eyes caught sight of what appeared to be a deer-beaten path.

It was easily missed; the tall grasses bending to shade the flattened grass. Curiosity had you creeping closer and peering between the trees. You didn't spot a deer, but you could see straight through to some sort of overlook.

The afternoon sun hung low, painting the sky in warm hues of red and orange.

"Oh wow." You gasped softly, stepping onto the grassy path. "I bet the view is beautiful over there."

If you would have looked back then, you would have seen the way Yamato tensed. The way he hesitated with parted lips to suggest continuing on the original trail. Even as he watched your back grow smaller, he couldn't get himself to follow. Not straight away.

The trees ended before a rocky ledge overlooking the ocean. The waves crashing against the rocky mountainside below. You hadn't realized just how close you had been to the East Blue. The cool breeze brushed through your hair as you savored everything- the view, the smell, the sounds.

You only tore your gaze away from the horizon when you heard Yamato step out from the trees. His eyes were on the water, a distant and sorrowful expression twisting his features.

"Ace used to bring me here." He spoke fondly, but you couldn't miss the way his voice cracked when he spoke the name. "I had never snuck out before, but I found myself doing it a lot when I met him. This is where we'd always end up. No one could find us here; not even father."

"Was Ace..." You wetted your lips, unable to finish your original question. "Did things not end well?"

Yamato moved past you to sit at the edge of the cliff, letting his legs dangle. He shook his head and it was only then that you noticed he sat next to three smooth stones stacked on top of one another. And on top of them was a red beaded necklace. You didn't need anyone to tell you that it was a memorial.

You covered your face with your hands, absolutely beside yourself with how badly you felt you had ruined the date.

"I'm so sorry.. We, we can--" You stuttered and fumbled with your words. "I didn't know."

I didn't know how significant this place would be and what it would mean to you.