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“I bet...” Nami said, placing a beri bill on the table, “that there is nothing in the world that Luffy loves more than that hat of his.” The navigator smiled smugly to herself, this was an easy way for her to make some quick money. She was pretty confident in her win. Sure, she had just jumped overboard to save Luffy, who in turn had jumped to save said hat because of a stupid bird, but the incident in Orange Town with Buggy was proof enough to give her good odds.
Sanji sighed from his seat at the table. Grabbing a cigarette from his pocket, he leant forward. “I’m sure he loves shitty meat more” he grumbled, as he positioned the cigarette between his teeth. Him retiring to collapse in the chair after cooking bouts of the food was the biggest indicator of that. Deciding to entertain his precious Nami san, however, he placed a bill on top of her’s. In all fairness, Luffy probably did love that hat more than meat. Oh well. What harm will another debt added to his ever-growing list filed under Nami san’s name do?
“Actually...” Usopp piped up from Sanji’s right, where he was mending a hole in the side of the ship, “I think Luffy loves going on adventures more.” Sanji cocked an eyebrow at this, turning to face him. The teen shuddered, as he recalled his captain’s ordinary antics. “I mean look at the amount of times we’ve ended up in trouble because Luffy just wanted to explore!” Nami and Sanji nodded, sharing the pained experience all too well. He did have a point. Luffy always rushed off at the first sign of adventure when arriving on any new island. Usopp, seeing the nod from his two crew mates as a green light, pulled out a crumpled beri bill and planted it in the middle of the table.
Zoro snorted from the bannister he was slumped on. “Really?” he yawned, before getting up to stretch out his legs. “I think what our captain loves the most is something...” He came over to the table, slamming a bill down, “more obvious.” Sanji exhaled a puff of smoke at the completely unnecessary and, in his opinion, irritating movement. “I bet that he loves his dream. His dream to be Pirate King, more than anything else!” He took a step back, smirking. Zoro was fairly certain of his bet, after all that was the reason why Luffy had even set sail in the first place. It was the reason why he had gathered them. Why his captain placed the burden of all their dreams, along with his own, on his shoulders.
“Hat!”
“... Meat.”
“Adventure!”
“Dream!”
The four grinned at each other before glancing over to their captain, who was currently playing tag with Chopper on the front part of the deck. “Oi Luffy!” Nami called out, waving him over. Both captain and doctor paused their game. “What do you love the most in the world, Luffy?” Nami continued sweetly, almost innocently if you didn’t know her well. The boy cocked his head to the side, understandably not anticipating the question, but soon without a moment’s hesitation he broke out into a wide grin. He released a brief, airy laugh.
“Ace!” he answered in tone as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, as if he were stating a fact of life, which perhaps he was.
This earned a chorus of groans and moans from his crew mates and Luffy felt obliged to tell them that they shouldn’t feel bad and he still loved them too but “Ace is... Ace!” Robin couldn’t help but snicker from the hammock she was lounging in. “I don’t think that’s what upset them, Captain san,” she managed between her small giggles. Said boy turned to face her with wide, visibly confused eyes, and Robin had to hide her face behind the book she was currently reading.
Nami stalked past the group, heading towards the back of the ship. She was so sure she’d make some money today, yet she couldn’t say she was surprised at Luffy’s answer. Rolling her eyes fondly, with a half hearted pout on her lips, she reached out to grab the general ‘towards Merry’s expenses’ jar.
“You know... seeing them in Alabasta, it makes sense.” Usopp said to Sanji, who chucked his bill into the jar. The sniper recognised his captain’s wide grin from earlier, it was one reserved only for that older brother of his. A warmth spread slowly in his chest. It must be nice to have a sibling, he thought, stuffing his own bill in the jar.
Sanji hummed in response, smiling softly. He was glad that at least his captain had a brother he loved more than anything. More than his hat, more than meat, and even more than his adventures and dream, something Sanji didn’t even know was possible. He bit his lip, quelling the ache that threatened to rise in his throat. It was a love so foreign. A concept that he never actually knew.
Zoro muttered to himself, readjusting the swords at his hip. He was considerably sour for losing out on potential sake money. As he slid his bill into the jar he made a mental note to ask Ace when they’d meet again why Luffy loved him, in particular, more than anything. More than any of the other choices, which were pretty good ones if you asked him. He was sure it’d be one hell of a story.
(He never did get the chance to ask Ace.)