Chapter Text
Getting back to the sea was a nice thought for everyone. They had loaded all the supplies that would last them a lifetime if they didn't have such a hungry captain, said the captain was now taking a letter from a messenger seagull that had just come before they departed.
"Oi Luffy come eat!" Yelled Sanji from the kitchen. Strange the normal Luffy would've come even before Sanji started cooking, they waited for the captain to come so they could eat but a few minutes passed with no movement seen, and their captain didn't come rushing in yelling MEAT!~
"Where is he!" said Zoro in a slightly aggravated tone "I'll see what Captain-sama is doing" voiced Robin in an ever calm tone, one of robins eyes appeared on deck searching for a certain boy with a straw hat when it's sight landed on the target. His back was faced but it was clear he wasn't in his cheerful mood, he seemed to be looking at something which Robin could identify as the piece of paper the seagull had given.
"Captain-sama" Robin whispered quietly.
"Did something happen to the idiot?" questioned Sanji while taking a drag from his cigarette
"He seems to be in a bad mood after reading what the seagull had given him"
"I wonder what was on that piece of paper for him to be spaced out AND forget meat" wondered Nami while leaning back on the chair with Sanji passing her a drink, "No he seems to be...Sad?" Robin answered in a worried voice. Robin moved her eye closer to see that Luffy was bawling his eyes out quietly "Captain-sama is crying!" shouted Robin.
This seemed to be enough for the others to start getting worried and throwing questions around like a ball "Why would he be crying!" "What do you mean?!" "I've NEVER seen him cry?!"
"If he's crying we should go comfort him," said chopper with tears ready to fall at the mention of his happy captain suffering for an unknown cause "YOU'RE RIGHT!" shouted Usopp already dashing out "Wait for us" yelled the others catching up to the long-nosed fellow.
"LUFFY!" Usopp ran up to Luffy while panting, Luffy quickly turned around hiding something, and took a breather before turning back with his usual smile "What's up Usopp?" Usopp stared dumbfounded at Luffy's attempt to hide his sorrow. "Are you ok?" asked Chopper as soon as he reached with the others behind him "Yea! why wouldn't I be?"
The others mirror Usopp's expression "You didn't come to eat and Robin mentioned that you were crying" said Sanji in a matter-of-fact tone. Luffy's face had an expression of sadness and realization before he attempted to act again "Ah don't worry I wasn't crying I just wasn't hungry, you must've seen wrong" lied Luffy, the others stared with slight amusement at their captain trying to lie but was quickly covered with worry, frustration, and confusion as to why their captain wouldn't just tell them ? they were his crew after all and he was their captain, his second family and they would help him with whatever he was going through no matter what.
"Luffy why are you lying?" "I'm sure you were crying Captain-sama!" "Luffy just tell us!" " We are your friends just tell us!"
Amid this Luffy kept trying to keep up his act with 'I'm not lying or 'I haven't been crying why do you guys keep asking that?' but they all fell on deaf ears.
"Luffy TELL US!" they said in unison
"STOP IT ALL OF YOU!" yelled Luffy hard enough for birds to fly away his Nakama flinched not used to his rage being directed towards them "I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU GUYS ANYTHING YOU DON'T ME NOR MY PAST!" he shouted again for everyone far and wide to hear, the crew felt hurt but they knew it was true they didn't know much about his past at all he knew everything about them and comforted them but when it came to Luffy they just assumed everything was fine and basked in his attention on them, Only. On. Them.
"GO AWAY JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" he yelled again but only this time it was fainter like a silent plea with a broken edge, they broke hearing his voice it hurt them more than Luffy would ever know. Their Luffy is the one who gave them their dreams doing whatever it takes to help them achieve them, their Luffy is the one who was there during tough times and helped them without asking for anything in return except for their friendship, he's helped them more times than they can count but the knowledge that they can't help him in return breaks them in more ways than one.
"Luffy," said Zoro in a voice that had an underlying of concern, frustration, and comfort which was rare coming from the swordsman, Luffy looks up and you would have to be blind to not see a silent rage and grief behind his eyes "Please just tell us what happened, we can help but only if know what is hurting you," say's Nami in a soft and careful voice.
Luffy looks away but Sanji doesn't let him for long he turns his head back to face them gently but the look on his shows that Luffy shouldn't try to run away from them lest he wants to face the wrath of the cook "I don't know" Luffy replies "What do you not know Luffy-sama?" asks Robin while using his name which she only uses during serious situations "I don't know if I should tell you guys" mutters Luffy, chopper and he misses the dark look that crosses the others faces as well as the change in mood but the others are quick to revert back in case chopper takes notice.
" Luffy~ just tell us do you not trust us to help you or comfort you? " say's Nami in her alluring voice one that Luffy pays no mind to but takes note of.
"NO i-its not that I don't trust you guys but what if you guys leave me because of how broken you guys realize I am?" replies Luffy in a rushed way to get rid of the absurd misunderstanding. Usopp quickly hugs him "Oh Luffy~ don't worry we're never leaving you, like how you're never gonna leave us right?" replies Sanji in a husky-like voice that sends shivers down Luffy's spine but he doesn't pay much mind to it and just nods.
The others quickly surround him making him sit in the center while they're right next to him except for the chopper who had left to go get water and make some sleeping and stress pills for Luffy. "If it's true that you don't hate us why don't you start telling us what happened" asked Nami in a demanding voice that left no room for arguments ".." he stays silent not quite ready to share his sob story's because a part of him thinks they won't care "Luffy," says Sanji in an impatient voice Nami glares at him from where she sits "It was a letter from my hometown," Luffy says softly a contrast to his usual cheery, boastful voice. This intrigued them Luffy never told them much about his childhood in fact they don't know if he's told them anything at all.
"What did the letter say Luffy?" asks Usopp in a patient tone much calmer than the one Sanji had used earlier (Usopp may or may not have stuck his tongue out at Sanji after and Sanji may or may not have already planned to murder him after this is over and they have their captain back) "My mother figure Dadan had been bedridden after some pirates tried to raid our village, they had chopped off a good piece of her leg which led her to have blood loss so she died a few days later a-and I wasn't able to go to her funeral" Luffy sounded dead while saying this as if a piece of him broke off and threw itself in the sea.
The crew however didn't know how to react, it's true, not all pirates are as kind and understanding as they are but they should have known better than to have messed with Luffy.
The pirates look at each other and have a silent conversation about what to do, "Luffy why don't we take you to your hometown so you can see her grave?." Luffy lights up at that suggestion and even if it was only by a little Usopp was glad to have said it. "Really?!." Luffy asked in a voice that sounded as if they were merely joking when asking "Yes really shall we set sail now?."
"Yea thanks you guys are really the best pirate crew a captain could ever ask for" Luffy definitely seemed in a better mood than before but he needed food and rest and it seems that the crew was already getting ready for him to eat and sleep so he can at least look somewhat more presentable before he sees his deceased mother figure.
"Back at ya captain!" Usopp said in a more hearty way to lift the tension that weighed heavy on their shoulders, "But first Luffy you will eat something, and then after you are going straight to bed, got it?" Nami was not going to let him even let out another word before she dragged him to the kitchen where Sanji had already started heating up Luffy's food. After Luffy finished the lunch which had more meat on it because Sanji wanted him to feel a little happier at least even if the cost of it was having a half-empty fridge, Luffy swallowed the last bite before passing the plate back to Sanji "Nami I get why I need to eat more but why should I sleep I'm not even tired!"
"Captain-sama you look tired and exhausted sleep will help and after you wake up we will already be there plus I don't think your family would like to see you so tired, it would be better to get some sleep."
"Yea your right" replied Luffy getting up from the weirdly shaped circle "Wait Luffy do you want us to be with you while you sleep?" Nami asked with a hopeful gaze "I want to be alone" Luffy answered and left for his cabin.