Chapter Text
Dying was something I never really thought too deeply about. If I died while reaching my dream, I simply died. That mentality was quickly shot down when Ace died. Being in the aftermath of his death and the horrible feelings of loneliness that followed him like a shadow, I realized it hurt. Thinking about leaving any one of my friends, family even behind, shook me to my core.
I reached my dream, the grand title of Pirate King, freest man alive. And I have kept that title since I was 21. It’s been 43 years since then. And slowly but surely, my crew passed on, some were much older than others, they all died happily though, doing what they loved. He couldn’t have asked for anything more.
Only a few were left, scattered around the world, having fun and living. I still travel. Going with the wind and the sea. The sea was always forgiving and selfish, he should’ve known that one day it would be the one to claim him. He felt as if he was sinking into darkness, being swallowed up on every side. The storm had been brutal, the wind caused the waves to climb up like mountains. If Nami was still here she would’ve laughed her ass off about how stupid and unprepared I was for the storm. Years of fighting, living, and breathing, still wasn’t enough for the terrible storms of the New World.
The water was cold, a freezing chill crawled under his skill. The air in his lungs wasn’t enough and a sharp tightness was forming in his chest. He was happy though, death by the very sea he had been said to rule and claim. Not that he had ever wanted to rule anything, just be free, not that any of the new moronic pirates that seem to pop up out of nowhere seem to understand. He stared at the surface of the water, the dim light from the sun that barely came through the storm clouds reflected in the water.
He took a deep breath, the feeling of the water clogging his lungs and the salty sea burning his throat, quickly disappeared, leaving only the fated death of the second coming, Pirate King.
————————————-
When Luffy hadn’t been seen for some time the News Coo released a paper on the disappearance of the Pirate King. ‘PIRATE KING MONKEY D. LUFFY DISAPPEARS IN NEW WORLD STORM NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN?’
It wasn’t until his drifting raft showed up on an island nearby that the stories were seen as true.
—————————————
I had never cried, drank, and laughed so much since that day
Zoro saw the paper, he laughed at his Captain's stupidity, Nami would be mad at him for drowning on her watch. She would raise him from the dead just to kill him all over again. Lucky you Captain, you get to see them again.
Zoro understood what Rayleigh had meant that day, the day in Shaky’s bar. He had never laughed, drank, and cried so much.
——————————————-
Death was one thing he always feared, now that he knew what was left behind after. But even the skies must sleep, so who is Luffy to say no.