Chapter 43
Hancock was following Luffy around the beach of the Island both The Strawhat Pirates and The Kuja Pirates somehow managed to both be on at the same time, as Luffy and Usopp looked for seashells. The sun kissed the horizon, casting a warm glow over the sand and the waves gently kissing the shore. The strawhat grand fleet scattered around the beach, some playing, others preparing food. Hancock watched Luffy with a mix of admiration and adoration, his heart fluttering with every step she took.
Hancock had heard through the grapevine that Luffy was holding a party-barbecue-type thing for her Grand Fleet, and that she’s been doing it often, maybe once or twice every month and that was no good for Hancock, he had to be there so he was there.
Hancock was admiring Luffy's carefree attitude and the way the sunlight danced in her eyes, making them sparkle like the ocean. And Hancock felt his cheeks heat up even more every time he looked at Luffy’s outfit. It’s was a completely unbutton red button-up long-sleeve shirt, with nothing but a red lace bra underneath it, with ripped jeans short shorts with frayed edges the show off the bottom half of her ass cheeks and the strawhat Pirates Jolly Roger embroidered on the pockets, and her iconic straw hat with a red hatband, and sandals.
It’s not much different from what she was wearing when they met two years ago, everything is the exact same, but for some reason, it just looks so much sexier on her now!
But Suddenly something caught Luffy’s eyes, snapping Hancock out of his thoughts, he followed Luffy gaze to see a guy. If Hancock remembers correctly. He’s a… supernova, and Hancock was pretty sure he was the captain of Luffy’s strawhat grand fleet. And not one of the good ones either, he’s heard of this guy, Bartolomeo, or whatever he’s called. Hancock doesn’t know, but he does know he doesn’t like Bartolomeo. The tall, green haired man looked like he stepped right out of a punk rock concert, with dramatic dark smudge makeup and a smug grin as he watches some people argue and fight, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
Hancock took another step closer to Luffy, his hand going out to tentatively wrap around her wrist. But before one finger could even touch her wrist, Luffy was walking off towards Bartolomeo, her entire demeanor shifting from her normal carefree and recklessness to something that looked… giddy? Flirtatious? Hancock doesn’t know, but he didn’t like it as he watched Luffy lace her fingers behind her back as she walked up to Bartolomeo, her hips swaying slightly, and the way her fingers were laced behind her back her chest was puffed out, making her breasts stick out even more than usual.
“Bartolomeo!” Luffy called out, her voice echoing through the beach as she approached the tanned pirate. The tension in Hancock’s body tightened as he watched her from afar, his heart racing with a mix of jealousy and anxiety.
Bartolomeo’s eyes lit up at the sound of her voice. He turned around, a wide grin spreading across his face, revealing his sharp teeth. “Luffy-dabe!” he exclaimed, his enthusiasm palpable even from a distance. He bowed dramatically, one hand behind his back and the other flourishing the air, his purple coat fluttering in the breeze.
Luffy bit her bottom lip as she chuckled, as he stood back up from his dramatic bow, his purple coat billowing around him like a dark storm cloud. Luffy’s eyes unabashedly raking over him up and down as she approached him. Hancock felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach as he watched the exchange, his hand hovering in the air where he had intended to grab Luffy’s wrist.
Bartolomeo’s grin grew even wider, his cheeks dimpling, as he took in Luffy’s attire. “Luffy, you’re looking as lovely as ever. Did you dress up just for me?” he teased, his voice thick with flirtation.
“I might have I might have not.” Luffy sighed dramatically, stopping barely a foot away from Bartolomeo, leaning in slightly, her hands still laced behind her back as she looks up at him through her eyelashes. “But, you know, since you said something, you could always take me on a date so people can see me in this outfit if I look oh so lovely as you say.”
Bartolomeo's face flushed a bright shade of red, his eyes wide with excitement. "A-A date with the legendary future pirate Queen herself?! It would be an honor, Luffy-dabe!" He stuttered, his hands shaking slightly as he reached out to take hers.
Luffy grin grew wider as she took his hand and pulling him closer to her, looping her arm through his before lacing their fingers together and leaning on him, leading him off towards the town.
Hancock's chest tightened as he watched Luffy and Bartolomeo walk off hand in hand. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Luffy, the one person who didn't care about his beauty, was now flirting openly with this...this...punk? He felt a sudden surge of anger and jealousy, his hand clenching into a fist. He had to do something, but what? He didn't want to ruin the party, and he knew Luffy would just laugh it off.
The sound of splashing water snapped Hancock out of his thoughts. He turned to see Nami, the Strawhat's navigator, emerging from the sea. Her long, wet hair clung to her body, revealing her curves in a way that would make any man's heart race.
“What’s got you looking like you swallowed a lemon, Hancock?” Nami asked, genuinely curious about the sudden change in the usually stoic man’s demeanor.
Hancock’s jaw clenched tightly as he watched Luffy and Bartolomeo disappear into the festive crowd. He knew he couldn’t let this stand; Luffy’s heart was his, and he couldn’t bear to see her with another man, even if it was just a simple flirtation. He took a deep breath and turned to Nami, his eyes narrowing slightly.
“Luffy just asked a… a… gangster out on a date?!” Hancock spluttered, his voice tight with tension. Nami looked at him with an arched brow, a smirk playing on her lips.
“Oh, Luffy finally asked Bartolomeo out, huh?” Nami said casually, waking up beside Hancock and looking for the figures Luffy and Bartolomeo. “I’ve been telling that girl if she wants to go out with them. She’s going to have to be forward and blunt with him because Bartolomo might have the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the face but he’s denser than a black hole when it comes to reading the room. Luffy’s been trying to get him to notice she's been flirting with him for ages!” Nami laughed, flipping her wet hair over her shoulder and giving Hancock a playful nudge.
Hancock’s eyes widened in shock, his jaw dropping slightly. “What? No, no, no, she can’t do that!” He sputtered, his mind racing. Luffy flirting with Bartolomeo? This was not the outcome he had planned. His love for Luffy was all-consuming, and the thought of her with another man was too much to handle.
“Why not?” Nami asked, looking up at him through the rim of her sunglasses. “It’s not like you two are a thing, right?”
Hancock’s cheeks flushed a deep shade of red, and he stuttered, trying to formulate a response. “W-well, no, but she’s just playing around, right? She wouldn’t actually—"
Nami cut him off with a knowing smile. “You know Luffy; she’s not one to play games. If she’s asking someone out, she means it. And let’s be real, she’s got a type, and that type is not you, Hancock. You’re too much of a pretty boy for her taste, she likes them rough around the edges, she like the ones that are afraid to get down and dirty with her." She winked, before walking away, leaving Hancock to stew in his own thoughts.