Chapter Text
Trigger Warnings:
Panic attacks
Domestic violence
Blood
Suicide attempt
Graphic violence
(If your heart is weak, walk away. The warning list is longer than a shopping receipt.)
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A new morning rose upon an unknown beginning.
Inside the bandits’ cabin in the forests of Dawn Island, two brothers lay asleep. The younger of them awoke first, blinking sluggishly as the memories of what had happened, and the disappearance of his brothers, crashed back into his mind. He jolted upright in panic.
A movement beside him caught his attention; his older brother had woken from the sudden motion. He smiled softly, tears of relief threatening to fall as he pulled him into a tight embrace.
Luffy returned the hug warmly, grateful his brother was safe. Ace noticed the absence of their youngest and panic twisted inside him. Scenarios flooded his mind, each worse than the last.
Luffy, knowing exactly what was going on in his brother’s head, pushed away his worries.
“Don’t worry, minha*, Sabo is fine. He’s being treated right now. He’ll be back in a few days.”
(*Explained at the end of the chapter.)
Ace exhaled in relief and smiled, though concern still lingered. He remembered all that had happened and realized he still didn’t know what exactly had gone on.
“Lu… what happened? You disappeared for two days and came back injured. Where did these clothes come from? And the cloak? Why were you late? Where is Sabo? Where have you been for days..?”
His questions poured out endlessly. Luffy calmed him down then told him everything, hesitating only when he reached the part where he admitted to killing them.
“I’m sorry. I know I killed them and—”
“What are you talking about? Luffy, you killed them because they hurt our little brother. They deserved it. You had no other choice. Don’t blame yourself ever again or I swear I’ll hit you.”
A soft laugh escaped Luffy. It was the reassurance he needed, knowing his older brother wouldn’t bear guilt for something like this.
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Two days later, Dragon appeared with the blond boy beside him. Sabo looked much better than he had days earlier. Dragon left him and vanished like a passing breeze.
Luffy carried Sabo into their room at Dadan’s hut, where Ace was waiting. Hours slipped by with the three simply lying beside each other until night fell.
It was already past midnight. Sabo slept with his head resting on Ace’s thigh. Ace himself dozed lightly, while Luffy absentmindedly played with their hair.
Suddenly, they heard a loud crash downstairs followed by terrified shouting.
Luffy activated his Observation Haki and immediately sensed his grandfather’s furious aura.
He shot up.
“Ace, stay here with our little brother. Don’t leave him no matter what. I’ll be back soon.”
He didn’t wait for a reply before running down.
As soon as Garp saw him, his rage doubled and he charged at him. Luffy dodged and ran into the forest, deeper and deeper until no one could hear them.
Luffy tried to understand what was going on inside his grandfather’s mind, but nothing made sense.
“Grandpa, what—”
“Silence! What do you mean you killed the king?!!!”
He cut him off, shouting his judgment of Luffy’s actions.
At last Luffy understood the source of his fury. He wasn’t angry at his grandsons… he was angry about what they had done while defending themselves.
“He hurt my little brother. I had no choice but to kill him. He deserved death. All of them did, and in the most painful ways.”
“And who are you to judge someone else’s death?!”
“But you’ve judged countless pirates before. You knew nothing about them. They never harmed you.”
Luffy’s voice was calm, unlike his grandfather’s raging one.
It wasn’t the calm of peace… but the calm of a breaking heart.
“Don’t meddle in what doesn’t concern you, boy. You killed him and caused a massacre there. Have you lost your mind? All that for a child who belongs to them anyway?”
Something snapped inside Luffy.
The thread between reason and tongue broke.
The thin line between calm and fury snapped.
He screamed.
“Don’t you dare. Yes, I lost my mind after they touched my brothers! They’re mine! I won’t let anyone lay a hand on them! Who are they to touch my family?! I raised them! He doesn’t belong to them, he belongs with us!!!”
“And you think they’re actually happy living with a demon like you? That blond boy was probably happier with them. I’m sure he’s crying right now for the chance he lost.”
He didn’t think.
He didn’t need to.
“No. No no no no. You’re lying. Impossible. You don’t know anything about us. You don’t care. Don’t decide our lives. Sabo was tortured brutally, and Ace was burned because of them. Did you even think about what happened to us?! No. You didn’t, and you never will, because all you care about is your job!! You want to see what happened—”
Luffy tore off the bandages around his neck, revealing a horrifying burn stretching from his collarbone to his jaw, stained red from how violently he’d ripped them.
Garp didn’t flinch.
Not one hair moved.
“It doesn’t matter to me. A demon like you deserves worse. I wish you had died then.”
“…Hah.”
I wish you had died.
Am I really that worthless to him?
Was I ever important to anyone?
Was all of it an act?
No. Forget him.
He doesn’t deserve you.
Leave him to me.
“What did you just say, Garp!”
“Who are you?!”
Luffy’s expression went blank.
He raised his head again—his eyes glowing blood-red, wider, sharper, as if they were ready to devour everything.
Strands of hair turned white.
The world warped around them.
Red lightning shot from his body, cracking the ground, splitting trees, shattering stone.
His voice echoed like war drums.
“What did you dare say to him? Who are you to cause sorrow to the sun? If you don’t leave right now, Garp, I don’t know what I’ll do to you. Leave. And never return here. You are not welcome.”
Death.
Run.
Fear.
The instinct of prey before a predator far above it.
Even death wouldn’t save him.
Garp withdrew.
He left the place, shaken to the core.
But his mark remained.
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Once he left, Nika disappeared again. Luffy collapsed by a tree, unable to believe what had just happened.
How could his grandfather say something like that?
Why does he hate me this much?
Am I truly a demon to him?
Are my brothers forced to love me?
Afraid of me?
Is that why my father abandoned me?
Did Shanks befriend me out of pity?
Was I the only one who ever thought of him as an older brother?
Was I nothing but a curse to everyone?
Why…
Why…
Why?!!!!
Why can’t I just be happy with those I love?
Why…
He didn’t notice his hands pulling his hair violently.
Didn’t notice he was slamming his head against a rock beside him.
Didn’t notice he grabbed a stone and smashed it into his hand until the grass turned red beneath him.
His hat fell beside him.
He struck his wrist with the jagged stone until the skin split open and blood burst out like a fountain, staining his straw hat.
Still he didn’t stop.
He took his black dagger and stabbed his own hand over and over.
He finally slowed only when the choking began.
He couldn’t breathe.
The world spun.
His body trembled with exhaustion.
He gasped but no air came.
Tears streamed down his face, whether from the suffocation or the despair he didn’t know.
His vision blurred… then cleared.
A warm white light cradled him.
Arms wrapped around him gently, humming an ancient forgotten melody.
“Don’t be afraid, Sol. You’re safe now. You’re okay. No one is worth hurting yourself over.”
A soft, warm voice whispered in his ear.
Delicate fingers touched his wrist, and the pain disappeared.
The dagger slipped from his hand, falling to the ground with a dull thud.
Nika continued gently:
“They need you. Go back to them. They’re waiting. That’s family… the ones who love you no matter what. Be yourself with them.”
Footsteps rushed toward him.
A moment later, his younger brother threw himself onto him, hugging him tightly. He was terrified for him.
Luffy saw only black… Ace’s hair filling his vision.
He didn’t know how long they stayed like that, but eventually Ace pulled away, picked up the straw hat and placed it gently on Luffy’s head, then took the dagger and sheathed it.
He helped Luffy stand.
Neither spoke on the way back…
but the silence was comforting.
When they returned, the bandits froze in shock at Luffy’s condition.
A single look from Ace shut them up.
He grabbed the first aid kit and took Luffy upstairs where Sabo waited.
Luffy sat in front of him silently as Ace removed his ruined bandages and treated him gently.
When he finished, he pushed Luffy to lie down on his lap.
Ace ran his fingers through his hair.
It was the first night Luffy had ever slept feeling safe.
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Next chapter: Shanks finds out what happened and returns to the island… and yes, the shock is going to be real.
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Also: Congratulations on getting your school tablet, and may you get to visit the Grand Egyptian Museum tomorrow!
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