Chapter Text
When Luffy woke up, it was to the feeling of water rushing to his mouth.
Quickly rolling onto his side, he coughed, leaving a burning in his throat. He sat there for a bit, just making sure all of the water was out, until he finally noticed the voices around him.
But he wasn’t listening.
No, he was too busy hearing the cold voice in his head.
Look at you, having to be saved again.
Luffy frowned, not looking up.
You couldn’t even save your friend. Someone else had to help you both.
Luffy curled his knees into his chest, willing the voice to stop, already knowing where it was heading.
You couldn’t even save yourself.
Please, stop this! Luffy screamed in his mind, he could feel the walls he had built up breaking.
Just like you couldn’t even save your brother.
And then they broke.
Images started flashing through his mind, destruction, yelling, screaming, fighting, war, broken ships and broken bodies and oh God everything is broken and I’m broken this war is brokenbrokenbrokenbroken brokenbrokenbroken - and fire.
All he could see was fire. At first it was warm, nice and comforting. It made him feel safe, and at home. But then it turned dark, and cruel, and suddenly it wasn’t fire anymore. Now it was an oozing magma, still dripping out of the hole in his brother’s chest.
The hole in Ace’s chest. He hadn’t even noticed he’d started crying.
“No… Please..”
He knew what he was seeing wasn’t happening, he knew he wasn’t there, because - hey it’s okay you’re fine it’s alright you aren’t there now- that was two years ago, but it looked so real and so vivid that he couldn’t see the world around him anymore.
“Ace… no!”
Then suddenly he was back there, back in the war, the ruins of Marineford scattered around him as he held his brother’s bloody body- and oh the blood there’s so much blood, blood on his hands and his face and how can a person have that much blood?- in the middle of it, tears cascading down his face as Ace whispered his last words, “Thank you for loving me.” - No please don’t say that you’re gonna be okay it’s okay we’re okay- And he sobbed.
“Please stop!”
And he cried and cried until he couldn’t cry anymore and he was finally able to see around himself.
“..uffy!”
He tried opening his eyes, but the tears blurred his vision so all he could see were colorful blobs around him.
“Luf..y!”
He felt arms wrap around him, thin, yet strong arms, and heard a soft gentle voice talking to him through the ringing in his ears.
“... Okay Luffy…. It’s… Gonna be okay..”
Luffy tried to focus on the voice, and hung onto it like a lifeline, the soothing sound slowly washing away the images in his mind, until he could finally hear her.
“It’s okay Luffy, it’s okay. You can cry, crying is good. It’s gonna be okay.”
Luffy could see her now, she was holding him in her arms, rubbing soothing patterns into his back. Everyone else was sitting around them, worry shifting into relief when he looked at them.
“I- I- I’m sorr-” Luffy choked, his voice raw from crying. Nami only hugged him tighter in response.
“Hey, hey, it’s alright. Don’t apologize. I’m okay, see?” Nami leaned back a bit, and he finally noticed the towels wrapped around them both, “I was a little scared, but I’m okay now!”
Luffy could see her face, could she her kind brown eyes, and the worry that swirled around inside them. It hurt him to think he was the cause of that worry.
“But- but I- I couldn’t save you..”
Nami smiled, and it looked a little sad, “And that’s alright.” What..? “You don’t have to always save us Luffy. We can take care of ourselves. And if we’re in trouble, we’ll help each other. You don’t have to carry that burden all by yourself.”
Luffy looked around at all of his friends, and saw the strength and determination on their faces. He himself knew how strong they are, he’s seen it multiple times up close, how could he ever have doubted them?
“Do you.. Wanna talk about it Luffy?”
“.. Huh?”
“You were talking a lot.. I don’t think you knew we could hear.”
“I-” “No… Please..” ''Ace… No!” “Oh… Right.”
Luffy sat there for a moment, still wrapped in Nami’s arms, his head resting on her shoulder. But then he hugged her back and talked.
He isn’t sure how long he talked for, or how many more times he cried, he didn’t even know he could cry anymore at all.
He told them everything, told them about the war, the carnage, the pain he felt, he told them about the Whitebeard pirates and how they fought, all the things they sacrificed. He talked about the Marines, how they attacked, and how they suffered. He even told them about when he went to Imple Down, how he met Iva-chan, and how he had failed to reach Ace in time. He talked about Akainu, and he cried to them about how he had held his brother in his final moments.
The entire time Nami still held him, her presence helping him to stay calm. And by the time he had neared the end, all of his friends had huddled closer, all giving some form of comfort. Whether it be a hand on his shoulder, a small smile, or even just their presence.
When he was finished, and his tears were dry, he sat back, moving out of the hug.
“I’m sorry guys… I’m sorry I ever doubted you. And I’m sorry for hiding all of that from you all.” Luffy uttered, dipping his head down.
“Oh Luffy, you idiot. You don’t have to apologize to us! Though it was dumb of you to hide all of that. It definitely isn’t healthy.”
“Ow! We’ve always got your back Luffy bro!”
“Fuckin’ dumbass, not only do I gotta give you mountains of food, but now I’ve gotta comfort you.”
“Don’t worry Luffy-san! I shall play you a song!”
“Ah, but first, do you have any other injuries Luffy?”
“Haha! You’re lucky you had the great Captain Usopp to comfort you Luf-OW!”
“Shut up you liar!”
“I’m glad you’re alright Captain-san.”
“And don’t forget your treasure.”
Zoro stepped forward, placing Luffy’s straw hat back on his head. And as Luffy listened to his family bicker and laugh in the afternoon sun, Luffy smiled his first real smile since Ace. Then he laughed with them.
On top of the mast stood ‘Adgar Fleece’, his hood falling off from around his face. His brown hair grew, it’s color turning lighter until it was blonde and wavy, reaching the man’s jaw. His eye’s rounded, and their color turned into a beautiful shade of blue. The scar on his face contracted, shaping itself into a large burn scar over his left eye. The man smiled, and a laugh escaped his lips.
“Man, Akane’s devil fruit sure is helpful with appearances! And to think Sora had a drink that could show people’s true emotions… My comrades sure are incredible.” The man jolted as a buzzing came from his pocket. He brought out the small snail phone, and answered the call.
“Hello-”
“ Sabo! What are you doing? You were supposed to report back 10 minutes ago!” Koala’s voice rang out from the snail, causing Sabo to wince.
“Ah, sorry, sorry! I’ll be back in a bit okay?”
“ Ugh! I swear! What am I going to do with y-” Sabo hung up and put the snail back in his pocket.
“Ah.. She’s gonna yell at me later.” Sabo sighed, taking out a large top hat and placing it on his head.
He looked down at the deck of the Sunny-go, smiling at the sight of the crew all laughing together.
“I’m glad you have such good friends Luffy.. Ace would be proud.”
And with a tip of his hat, Sabo disappeared in a burst of smoke, smiling at the sound of Luffy’s laugh echoing through the air.