Branchina watched Yasopp from where she sat, her fingers loosely wrapped around a wooden mug she hadn't touched in a while.
He was laughing, really laughing. The kind that shook his shoulders and made his eyes crease at the corners. A beer sloshed dangerously in his hand as he danced clumsily with Shanks and Sterling, the three of them spinning in uneven circles near the center of the bar. Shanks had one arm slung around Yasopp's shoulders, roaring with laughter, while Sterling hopped up and down, wildly off-beat, clearly several drinks past sensible.
They were in the only bar Syrup Village had to offer. A small place, warm and crowded, filled with the smell of alcohol, sweat, and old wood. Shanks had declared loudly that a celebration was mandatory, and no one had really argued with him. The sniping competition had ended hours ago, and the tension that once filled the air had long since dissolved into laughter, clinking mugs, and drunken stories.
Branchina's eyes stayed on Yasopp.
This was the widest smile she had ever seen on his face.
Her grip tightened slightly around her mug as a memory surfaced uninvited.
They had been kids then, sitting on the grass near the edge of the village, staring out at the distant sea. Yasopp had been animated, waving his arms as he spoke, eyes shining brighter than the sun reflecting off the water.
One day, he had told her, I'm going to set sail. I'll become a Pirate and travel the seas. Everyone will know my name, the best sniper in the world.
She had laughed back then, not because she didn't believe him, but because he had said it with such absolute certainty. She remembered smiling at him and replying without hesitation:
When that time comes, I'll cheer you on.
Now, that time was standing right in front of him.
And her heart felt painfully conflicted.
She didn't want to block Yasopp from chasing the dream he had carried since childhood. But the thought of him leaving, of the house growing quiet, of days passing without his voice, his laughter made her chest feel tight.
She was still staring when someone took the seat beside her.
"Looks like they're having quite a bit of fun," Benn Beckman said calmly.
Branchina turned her head. "Benn-san."
She followed his gaze back to the center of the bar, where Shanks had nearly tripped over a stool and Sterling was laughing so hard he had to steady himself on a table.
"They sure are," she said softly. "Aren't they?"
Benn studied her for a moment longer than necessary, sharp eyes missing very little. Then he spoke again, voice low enough not to carry.
"You've got something on your chest," he said. "You can talk to me about it."
Branchina blinked. "No… it's nothing."
Benn didn't push immediately. He simply asked, "Is it something you can't talk about?"
She hesitated.
"…Not really."
She exhaled slowly, eyes drifting back to the three men. After a brief pause, she spoke again. "You and Shanks-san… you just came from recruiting Sterling-san, right?"
Benn nodded. "Yes. What of it?"
Branchina turned slightly toward him. "Did Sterling-san not have anyone who didn't want him to leave? Someone who opposed it?" She frowned faintly. "Was it really just… we want you to join our crew and that was that?"
Benn chuckled quietly. "Only one person was against it."
Her eyes lifted. "Really?"
"Yes," Benn replied. "A friend of his. Though it wasn't so much about him leaving the village. It was more about being opposed of him becoming a Pirate."
Branchina absorbed that, then murmured, "So… nobody was actually against him leaving."
Benn shrugged slightly. "The only person who could've truly told him to stay was his mother." He paused, then added, "But she was the one who encouraged him to go."
Branchina's eyes widened. "Really? That's… crazy." She shook her head faintly. "Aren't mothers supposed to be completely against their children becoming criminals?"
Benn's lips curved faintly. "Perhaps. But Sterling's father is a Pirate as well. She might already be used to that kind of life." He leaned back slightly. "Ironically, the person most against leaving was Sterling himself. His mother was the one who pushed him forward."
"I see…" Branchina murmured.
There was a brief silence between them, filled by laughter from across the bar, Sterling nearly slipping off the table as Shanks caught him by the arm at the last second.
Benn glanced back at Branchina. "This is about Yasopp, isn't it?"
She didn't answer immediately.
Then she nodded.
"He's wanted to be a Pirate since we were kids," she said quietly. "Now the opportunity is right in front of him… and I'm reluctant to let him leave."
Benn hummed thoughtfully. "I see. So that's the issue."
He was silent for a few seconds, clearly thinking. Then he spoke again.
"Branchina-san," he said evenly, "in situations like these, you're never truly right or wrong." He met her gaze. "All I can advise is that you follow your heart."
She repeated softly, "Follow my heart…"
A small smile formed on her lips. "I will," she said. "Thank you, Benn-san."
Benn shook his head slightly. "I haven't done anything worth thanking me for."
Before either of them could say anything else, a loud voice cut through the bar.
"BENN! BRANCHINAAAA-CHAAAAN!"
They both looked up.
Sterling, now shirtless was standing on top of a table, swinging his shirt around his head like a flag, his face flushed red from alcohol.
"Don't be boring!" he yelled. "Come join us!"
Benn's eye twitched.
"…What the hell have we brought onto our crew," he muttered.
Branchina let out a small chuckle, one that quickly turned into laughter.
Beside her, Benn Beckman allowed himself a faint smile.
---
Later that night, Shanks and Co had decided to book into an Inn that night.
Shanks, Benn Beckman, and a thoroughly drunk Sterling had already retired to their rooms, the earlier laughter from the bar replaced by the steady hush of the sleeping village outside. Only the faint chirping of insects and the soft creak of wooden beams accompanied the night.
At their house in the bedroom, Yasopp lay on the bed, arms folded behind his head, staring up at the ceiling as he prepared to sleep.
Behind him, Branchina stood before the mirror, carefully adjusting her nightwear. She smoothed out a crease, fixed a loose strand of hair, and took a quiet breath before stepping away from the mirror.
Yasopp glanced at her from the corner of his eye and scoffed lightly.
"Branchina," he said, sounding genuinely puzzled, "what's the point of trying to look beautiful when you're going to bed? Isn't it just going to get ruined when you sleep anyway?"
Branchina stopped, then walked over and sat down at the edge of the bed, her back straight.
"It's a woman's thing, Yasopp," she said calmly. "You'll never understand."
Yasopp let out a quiet chuckle. "I'll never understand indeed, will I?"
For a moment, silence settled between them.
Branchina's fingers curled slightly against the bedsheet. She hesitated, lips parting as if weighing her words. Then, quietly but firmly, she spoke.
"Yasopp… we need to talk."
He turned his head toward her. "Oh? About what?"
Branchina said. "About you joining Shanks-san's crew."
Yasopp blinked once.
"Oh. That." He waved a hand dismissively. "I don't plan on joining them."
Branchina's expression didn't change. "That's exactly what I want to talk about."
Yasopp frowned. "What do you mean?"
She turned fully to face him. "I want you to leave with them."
"Huh?"
The confusion on Yasopp's face was genuine, his brows knitting together as he propped himself up slightly on one elbow.
Branchina spoke steadily. "It's been your dream to become a pirate since we were kids."
Yasopp shook his head and waved his hand again. "Those were childish dreams. I've grown out of them now."
Branchina puffed out her cheeks in a pout. "Don't lie to me."
"It's true," he insisted.
"Then why were you having so much fun with Shanks-san and Sterling-san?" she shot back.
Yasopp answered without hesitation. "Because they're genuinely good and fun people to be around. That has nothing to do with wanting to join them."
Branchina's eyes softened, but her voice didn't.
"Then look me in the eyes," she said quietly, "and tell me you don't want to be a pirate anymore."
Yasopp turned to her.
Their eyes met.
And he froze.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find the confidence to lie to her. The words refused to come, caught somewhere deep in his chest.
Branchina stood up slowly.
"See?" she said softly. "You still want to be a pirate."
Yasopp let out a long sigh and sat up properly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Okay… maybe I still have a bit of a dream left," he admitted. "But that's all it is now. A dream. I've got more things to care about than just being a pirate."
"That's exactly what I don't want," Branchina said immediately.
He looked up at her.
"I don't want you stuck here because of me," she continued. "I don't want you to wake up one day full of regret."
Yasopp shook his head quickly. "No. No, that's not it. I wouldn't blame you. It's not a lie to say that I wouldn't mind giving up being a pirate if it meant spending an eternity with you."
Branchina stared at him for a long moment.
Then she spoke.
"Okay then."
Yasopp relaxed slightly, until she finished her sentence.
"Become a pirate," she said calmly, "or I'll leave you."
"…Huh?"
This time, Yasopp was genuinely shocked.
He stared at her, eyes wide. "What?"
"You heard me," Branchina said evenly. "And I'm not joking."
Yasopp searched her face desperately, looking for even the smallest hint of teasing, sarcasm, anything.
There was nothing.
After a long moment, he let out another sigh.
Then he smiled.
"Fine," he said.
He stood up, walked over to her, and gently kissed her on the cheek.
"But you're not getting rid of me that easily," he added with a grin. "First, I'll leave you with a baby."
Branchina's cheeks immediately flushed red.
"Yasopp," she scolded, trying and failing to hide her smile. "Don't be naughty."
He laughed, then suddenly grabbed her and pulled her onto the bed with him. Both of them burst into laughter as they tumbled onto the sheets, the tension of the night finally melting away.
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