Chapter Text
Pain, pain was all he could feel. Blood soaked hands shake in terror as screams ripped through a sore throat that blood could be seen dripping down from. Screams and cries echo all around a screaming boy as he finally loses a failing battle against conciseness and exhaustion as he is swallowed up by grief and sorrow of a lost childhood and bonds that had been severed by the cruel fate of death.
"Lu…" A voice suddenly pierced through the pitch black, startling the boy. "Luf…" A bright light suddenly appeared engulfing the him…
"…fy…Luffy!" A boy with a strawhat slowly sat up and looked around the ship -that was currently docked at a random island to restock supplies- before turning to the person addressing him.
Noticing the firm scowl set upon the mans face the boy scrunched his face in confusion, "Nani?"
"How many times have I told you to not fall asleep on the figure head without someone watching you?! The man exclaimed. "You could roll off or a wave could grab and pull you under or-" The mans rant was cut off by a distinct, "Shishishi." The man scowled deeper this time. "What's so funny about you possibly drowning?"
"You worry too much! Zoro is right there, he wouldn't let me get hurt!" The man starred in disbelief and pointed at said green haired swordsman in disbelief.
"He's asleep!" He exclaimed.
"So?" The boy asked.
"'So'?!" The man exclaimed again once more in disbelief. "How is he suppose to protect you if he's asleep?!" The boy suddenly had a devious grin spread across his face.
"Like this." So before anyone could stop him he purposely lost his balance and fell overboard.
"Luff-" Three swords were suddenly thrust into the man's chest as the once dead asleep swordsman jumped into the ocean. The man ran over to the edge and threw a rope out to the duo as Zoro hauled them both up. Zoro ungracefully dropped the boy on the floor and as he sat back down and started to wring out his shirt while the boy shot up laughing, only to end up getting punched with a haki-infused fist.
"Ittai!"
"Baka! What were you thinking?!"
"I told you he would save me!"
"But what if he-" A loud sigh cut him off.
"Look, I know how protective you are him, but you should put more trust in him. He did personally choose as well as save us; so why would I, or any of the others for that matter, not protect him and risk him getting hurt over little things?" Zoro asked the man who stared dumb folded in shock.
Luffy snickered rubbing under his nose mocking the man. "Shishishi, told ya so, Ace! Zoro won't allow anything to happen to me." Said man sighed and pushed his bangs out of his face as he glared at his older brother.
"Shut up, Luffy."
Chapter 1 - Ma
"You did what, yoi?!" Marco screeched when Ace ratted Luffy out on his little 'stunt' earlier on.
"Ace, you pansy! You ratted me out to Marco!" Luffy shouted at the triumphant looking Ace.
Before Luffy could say more, Marco grabbed him by the shoulders and started to insanely shake him. "Are you insane?! I know you trust Zoro a lot to not let you get hurt, yoi," At this Ace's face fell a little. "but voluntarily falling into the ocean is not allowed! Honestly, out of the all the idio-"
Marco's rant was cut short when Luffy quietly sighed and held up his hand. "Honestly, this is why Thatch and Ace make fun of you and call you a mother hen." Marco slowly relaxed and sighed in annoyance. "Do I need to get Pops?" Marco glared but shook his head. "Shishishi, good, it's no fun when Ma has to be put on 'bed rest' cause he got to stressed out again." Luffy stated, emphasizing on the 'again'.
Marco sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "That's just because you can't use me to get out of trouble or pull pranks on, yoi."
"That's not true! It's just more quiet and boring without Ma's yelling at everyone and everything." A scowl and sigh was all he got from him before Marco suddenly remember something.
Marco's shoulders tensed as he asked in a low voice. "Ace?" There was a audible *gulp* from said man as he tried to slowly back up.
"H-Hai?"
Marco spun around and grabbed his shoulders with a odd smile decorating his face. "Why didn't you stop him instead of tattling? You were right here, yoi." He stated as he glared Ace down.
"I-I tried! B-But he-he-"
"He just stood there yelling at me while I fell over." Luffy informed while picking his nose.
He waved Namur over to them, who bid farewell to Sabo and promise to finish whatever it was they were discussing later, just as Marco grabbed Ace and threw him overboard exclaiming in calm annoyance, "Let's see how you like it then, yoi."
All that could be heard from Ace was- "Wait, stop, stop! There's no one that can swim~~!" Before a heavy *splash* was heard.
"Namur, can you go get him?" Luffy asked boredly as Namur nodded with a sigh and jumped in after the devil fruit user.
Marco spun back around and folded his arms, analyzing critically. "Are you really ok Lu?"
"*sighs* Yes Ma, I'm fine. Zoro got me out, same as always." At Marco's nod a splash and grunt were heard, causing both to look over at a gasping Ace and annoyed Namur ringing out his shirt this time.
Ace snapped up and grabbed Marco by his jacket, shaking him. "What as that for Marco?! You're lucky Namur was there or-"
"Calmed down Ace, I called him over before you were thrown." Luffy stated brightly as he hugged Namur. "Right Namur?"
He nodded his head as he answered returning the hug, plenty use to Luffy's random need and or wants of affections. "That's right. It was pretty obvious what was about to happen." Something was nagging Namur about Luffy, he seemed different. "Lu?" Said person looked up. "Everything alright?" That got the attention of the other two (who had gone back to bickering) to look over at them. For a second all was quiet as something flickered though Luffy's eyes but was gone before Namur could read it.
"*grins* Shishishi, of course I'm alright! *stomach growls* F~o~o~d~! Thatch, Sanji, MEAT!!" He yelled running for the kitchen, only to get kicked out by Sanji, with one of his death sticks being lit and stuck in his mouth.
"You can wait till dinner-" Something stopped Sanji as he stared wide eye before softening and sighing. "Again huh?" He said softly under his breath letting Luffy into the kitchen; were clanks and sizzles could be heard and the mouth watering smell of meat came wafting from the window. Everyone stared wide-eyed in shock at the fact that the Sanji, one of Luffy's most ruthless (to men) nakama he found on his travels, just willingly folded and is now cooking for him?!
But to those who had heard what he said, stared at the closed door confused. "Pops?" Izo asked standing by the other gathered commanders worried. Whitebeard looked at his children sighing and shook his head.
"He'll tell us when he's ready too." They all nodded but the worry still remained. As Izo walked past the window he peeked in and saw Luffy, koala style, glued to an unphased Thatch's back (who went in after Sanji suddenly called him in for help, something about Luffy eating all the food again), with remains of meat covering his mouth.
"Just what are you hiding from us Lu?" Izo asked quietly before sighing and returning to his room to fix his hair since it was still only 9 in the morning…