Chapter Text
Brightness. The temperate water warmed his skin, the sea was huge, infinite, and full of life.
He was back at home. He had been for a while, and it felt different, for the first time in decades, the sea looked clear and calm, it was beautiful.
The knight of the sea would never admit it out loud, but he had been counting the days, thanks to that, he had clear why the sea had looked so beautifully the past weeks. The eclipse was finally fading. There was no denying it. It had taken two long years, but it was finally happening, and the Fishman's heart couldn't stop bouncing excitedly, thrilled, of course, as a grown adult, he kept his demeanor in check, he couldn't act that childish, but he still waited, expectant.
Time healed, that was true, but wounds too deep would leave a scar. Jinbei could still feel the burning pain from two years ago, near his chest. He did have a physical scar there, Akainu's signature, but the pain wasn't coming from there, it came from his heart. Luffy was okay, he had to be, because if the boy wasn't he would beat Rayleigh's old ass himself, still, those teary eyes, his frightened expression, his broken soul and spirit, simply wouldn't leave his mind.
The kid's screams kept haunting his memories like his ears had recorded them. The teen had the kindest heart and the purest soul. He had only seen It once, for a second, he had caught just a glimpse of it, that mature look in his eyes had been replaced by that of an innocent young child, confused, lost, afraid of not having somewhere to return to, someone he could cry with, scared of things he couldn't understand the reason for. "Why did he need to go through all of this?" ''What had he done to deserve such torture?''.
The Fishman had never considered himself very affectionate, but that rubber boy had been stuck in his mind like the sun tattoo he had.
For the first time in decades, Jinbei missed his family. Almost missed being young again, no, it wasn't that, he just missed not being an adult, having to carry on his back responsibilities he wasn't prepared for like the feelings or lives of others, losing people he loved for things he couldn't control, having to put on a tough face because everything depended on him. Not complaining, nothing would change how life was, but maybe that was why people were born in a family, to have people by their side when the time came and they went through all those hard times, they wouldn't be alone. But they were.
He had been there when that moment came for Luffy. And no one else seemed to be. Why was that? He wouldn't know, but he'd blame the universe for that because unfairness had always been its favorite word. The only thing he knew was that, at the time, everything the teen needed was a family, someone who would listen and understand his pain. But he (and a seemingly, equally depressed and traumatized doctor) were the only ones there. Back then he didn't know what to do or how to react, but he accepted the task, he had already grown fond of the kid by then, and after what they had gone through, Jinbei considered Luffy part of his family. He wasn't quite sure If he was more like a brother or... like a son. Did that matter?
Maybe he was none, thanks to the Queen and other friends and allies, he understood that the kid had grown up with only two family terms, "Grandpa" and "brother", maybe he would be that person you consider family, even If they don't have a specific role, there was no name or title, just family.
He kept staring at the void of endless water, lost in thought. He recognized some of the Straw Hat’s crew, they had arrived a while ago, but the most important one hadn’t arrived yet.
He heard his voice. The happiness in his tone could be felt from miles away. Jinbei's heart stopped for a second to process. That was the first time he heard that voice so happy. Oh, and the teen was loud.
Once again, he stared from the distance, uncertain of what to expect. He saw the kid talking to the Princess and the people from before, then decided to examine the boy's body. The familiar straw hat and the x-like scar were there, the wounds had healed, and there were no bandages, bruises, or blood anywhere. The Fishman sighed thankful, then he looked up to the most important thing.
As he walked closer to them, his eyes met a smile. Huge and bright, the kid was beaming, amazing. An unknown, yet so welcome sight. From that moment, Jinbei understood it, this Luffy wasn't the one he'd met two years ago, this one was happy. 'I still have my friends!' said the small captain in tears. The moment resounded in his mind, making him smile in a mix of sadness and relief.
He would be glad to meet this part of him, now this was a real sun. What was this happy Luffy like? In fact, there were a lot of things Jinbei didn't know about the captain, he'd have to ask later.
The third sun Jinbei met was a pure one, a beaming child, still a kid no matter how many years passed. And the type of warmness he carried, was the one you’d feel embraced in a long hug, in your chest when you see promises fulfilled, in your soul when you feel safe. His name was Luffy, but he’d make sure everyone would call him their king. His family was full of stars, aiming to become suns, to achieve power as if they were gods. Criminal only by title, because no one would take him as one. A hug, something so common and yet so rare, something so simple and yet so meaningful, just like promises, like safety, people simply forgot that was a thing you could have.
Apart from Luffy, the place was filled with people that either he hadn’t met yet or people who shouldn’t be there, Jinbei started to understand that Luffy was always surrounded by weirdos or troublemakers. The boy had become stronger, but it was obvious the Dark King didn’t care much about intelligence, or maybe he had given up after getting to know him. Even if the little captain acted like an idiot, everyone trusted him, that had to mean something because it made no sense and yet, he found himself doing the same, running directly towards the center of the fight because the kid said so.
During the 2 years, the name of their crew became famous, and Jinbei had the chance to meet those friends Luffy had mentioned, by pictures in wanted posters and articles in the news, but with that, he also learned all the things they did to deserve their bounty numbers, including their meeting with the Arlong pirates.
He still felt guilty about some decisions he had made before. Luffy had taken care of the disaster he had created even before meeting him, and he owed him the confession, if the kid was going to hate him for his decisions, he should do so as soon as possible, before he got more attached. Before he got his hopes too high.
The Fishman’s heart trembled when he confessed what he’d done, and realized the probability of them hating him were higher, as one of the girls in the crew knew Arlong personally. The look on everyone’s faces, in Luffy’s face. Maybe he’d never be forgiven.
He finished his story, he had said there was no way to know which of them was right, Otohime, the queen, or Fisher Tiger, but he had a hint that there might have been a right answer after all. The queen’s understanding was right, her words spoke the truth, but Fisher Tiger’s actions were the right ones, he did what the queen couldn’t by freeing everyone and giving their race the power they had been craving for. He even saved a little girl and yet, he learned nothing from it, because of that, he couldn’t teach anyone either. Only until the very end. ‘’Their blood is filthy!’’ he said. But they shared the same blood.
‘’You can’t protect anyone with that punch!’’ Fisher Tiger had told him.
‘’Huh? Protect?’’
Jinbei’s thoughts came back to the present. His head was filled with memories, with blood. That girl, ‘’Nami’’, probably felt the same.
The orange-haired girl forgave him, which made Jinbei’s heart relax, but then they all noticed Luffy didn’t even listen, the Fishman didn’t know how to react but everyone seemed used to it, what was that supposed to mean? How should he take it?
***
The fight ended. The princess returned crying, frightened.
‘’Someone! Please help me!! I cannot stop Luffy’s bleeding!!’’
No one had seen how the fight went. But the small doctor soon gave his diagnosis.
‘’He lost too much blood, if he doesn’t get a blood transfusion soon he could die’’
Those words, Jinbei knew them from before. His blood ran cold. He watched as they realized none in their crew had the same blood as their captain, they asked around for help in panic, but they already knew that everyone would refuse. That kid had just saved them and yet, they would all watch him die. Ridiculous, but he knew arguing with everyone wouldn’t change a thing, he wouldn’t bother. His priority was the kid’s safety; he wouldn’t let him die for some nonsensical law.
When he offered to help, to his relief, no one from the crew complained, they just thanked him and started the process. Jinbei stared. This idiot teen would end up killing himself one day. He’d go so far just to avoid… just to avoid losing someone again.
‘’Protect’’ Resounded in his mind. Fisher Tiger’s voice. Everyone’s voice. ‘’A real Sun’’.
Luffy sighed, making the Fishman come back from his daydreaming.
‘’Jinbei’’
‘’What is it? I didn’t know you were awake’’
‘’Hey, Jinbei. Join my Crew!’’
***
The party was almost over.
‘’I really can’t, but I still don’t understand, you want me on your crew? But I…’’
‘’Nami forgave you, didn’t she?’’
‘’…weren’t you asleep?’’
‘’Oh, yeah I was, but I already knew she would, because she’s kind, just like I know you are too, that’s all that matters to me, Arlong was cruel, and I kicked his ass, I’ve met cruel people, I know how to deal with them, just kick their ass, I’ve also met nice people, it's even easier, just smile’’
Luffy understood it. Luffy understood him.
‘’Hatred towards humans’’ ‘’ Hatred towards fishmen’’. Stupid. Both races felt pain and happiness. Both dreamed and learned. They had the same blood. They both hated each other. There were no differences between them. People weren’t separated by how they looked, or their genes. It didn’t matter if they were humans, fishmen, giants, or small people, the only real difference, was ‘’kind’’ or ‘’cruel’’.
‘’That’s too simple’’ The knight of the sea answered.
‘’That just proves people are all stupid’’
‘’You’re right’’
‘’Even if you can’t right now, will you join me one day?’’
‘’Of course, I’d follow you anywhere, I would join you right now if I could, but I have responsibilities’’
‘’Just promise you’ll come to find me the moment you can’’
‘’Sure, but why are you so insistent on it?’’
‘’Because I need you there. Just like the rest of my crew’’
Luffy didn’t say it. Maybe he didn’t know how, or maybe he knew he didn’t need to because Jinbei understood perfectly. Luffy had his blood running through his veins, this time nothing could deny it, they were family now. Jinbei had seen a side of the little captain that only a few had before. Only his family.
‘’I'll be there’’
‘’I'll wait for you then’’