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After Wano, and Luffy’s victory over Kaido, their own victories over King and Queen, as well as the Alliance's victory in avenging Oden and freeing Wano from Kaido’s rule, the three of them were sitting in the kitchen of the Sunny.
Warm drinks in hand, the three members of the so-called ‘monster-trio’ were taking a break from everything going on outside. Ever since Momo reclaimed Wano, the whole country was in party mode and with Kaido not being able to keep all the food for the Flower Capital, people from far and wide came closer to the beach where the alliance was resting to celebrate their freedom.
While it had been hard to get Luffy away from the party - read the food there - Sanji promised to make the three of them something while Zoro went to fetch them something to drink. True to his word, Sanji turned around at the stove to prepare some snacks.
As Zoro returned with a bottle of sake, which Sanji heated up to ward off the chill that was coming in, and took a seat, the both of them looked at Luffy.
Their eyes met, and Luffy tilted his head even before anything had been said by either his first mate or the third in command.
“Didn’t we already have this conversation?”
Zoro snorted at that, hiding his smirk in his cup of sake, “That’s because we have a conversation like this every time any of us gets wounded, or almost dies, Captain.”
Luffy hummed, while Sanji shook his head. Sometimes he wondered how they started these talks - until he remembered Zoro’s first fight with Mihawk, and his semi-dissection by the Shichibukai. On the ship towards Cocoyashi Village, they had their first talk about making sure they would be together until the end of the line.
That hadn’t been the last time they sat together, but for now, this was the last time. To make sure that they could keep sailing together to Laugh Tale. These talks are to make sure that they learn from these moments, and to make sure that they talked about this and reminded both themselves, and the other two parts of the trio, that they were still mortal.
They were strong, and only growing stronger, which was only obvious as the Fifth Yonko, and his left and right hand, taking the New World by storm - going to the end of the Line.
“Captain, we almost lost you in this battle.”
Luffy nodded, knowing that had the Heart Pirates not been there when he fell down, he would have died in the sea. He was well aware of that, but was glad his crew wanted to take a moment to talk about this.
“I know, I have to thank Tarao about what his crew did, and what he did for all of us here in Wano.”
Zoro and Sanji nodded, “He was a real help, as was Kidd to our surprise. But the biggest help was still Marco, even if he did it in part because of revenge for Oden, and in part because of your connection to Ace - but still. We’re gathering allies, captain, which is something we need when we take on Blackbeard, or when Akainu makes his move.”
Luffy scowled, taking the plate Sanji handed to him as he thought about the two men that were - in part - responsible for the death of his brother. It was just another horde he had to get over to get Laugh Tale.
He wouldn’t get himself be wounded like that again, certainly not when he was up against Akainu or Bleachbeard, he would deal with both of them when the time came.
“I won’t get wounded then, or I’ll try my best not to -shishishi.”
Both Sanji and Zoro rolled their eyes, it was the same answer they always got. They really should get used to it.