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Fire.
Flames danced in all directions, swimming malevolently towards him like phantoms. The heat licked at his skin and sunk its teeth into his flesh, and he recoiled but found that his body was heavy as if he were made of stone. He cried out, begging for help, for someone to save him as the inferno engulfed him.
“Luffy.”
A familiar voice soothed him, a balm on his soul. It was a voice that he knew better than any other, one that instantly brought him comfort and consoled his tortured self.
“Ace.” Luffy murmured.
Ace’s visage rippled into view. His piercing eyes, the freckles that peppered his cheeks, his sharp nose, his smile that had softened over the years. All of this Luffy saw so vividly, and he stopped trying to move.
The heat was stifling, but Ace kept him focused.
“Thank you, Luffy, for caring about me so much.” Ace said, his eyes yielding sadness.
Luffy blinked, confused. “What are you talking about? Of course I care, you’re my brother.”
Ace’s smile flickered across his face. “And we’ll always be brothers. Don’t forget that, Luffy.”
Luffy paused. Why was Ace saying all this all of a sudden? Just where were they anyway?
Again, he became aware of the oppressive hotness. The smoke that smothered him and burned his lungs, the fire that danced around him. He looked around but could only see flames that burned malignantly. It was as if he had been cast into Hell, surrounded by a scorching wasteland.
A drop of something splattered on his cheek and he wiped it away, looking down at the crimson liquid spread across his skin. Blood. A lightning bolt of horror struck his core, and he looked up to see Ace’s sad smile. Blood poured from an open wound in his chest, soaking his clothes and staining the ground.
“Ace.” Luffy whispered, his eyes wide in terror. “Ace!” He cried out, still unable to move his body.
“Live, Luffy. You have to live. For both of us.” Ace choked, spitting out more blood.
Luffy screamed Ace’s name, again and again, as tears rained from his eyes in a torrent. He still couldn’t move, could do nothing but watch as his brother died right before his very eyes again.
“No! No! Not this again! Please, Ace, please don’t go! I need you! Ace!”
“Luffy!” another voice cut through the pain, barely audible over his cries.
“Luffy!” it called again, and a sharp jolt caused him to stumble, his vision blurring.
“Luffy! Oi, wake up!”
Slowly, his consciousness began to seep back in and Luffy’s eyes flickered open, blinking away a blurred image until it became clear.
He was lying on the floor of the bunk and Usopp was above him, his face twisted with concern, hands anchored on Luffy’s shoulders.
“Usopp?” Luffy's voice cracked, groggy from sleep.
Usopp heaved out a sigh and leaned back on his haunches.
“You were having a nightmare.” He explained as Luffy pushed himself up on his elbows and rubbed his eyes. He pulled his hand back in surprise when he realised it was wet, but it was only his tears.
“It should’ve been me.” Luffy whispered, reality crashing over him like a wave. “It should’ve been me who died that day, and Ace should’ve lived.” His voice cracked and his shoulders shook.
“Luffy…” Usopp uttered.
“Oi don’t say things like that,” Sanji chided, crouching next to his captain and placing his hand on the man’s head. “You know Ace wouldn’t want you to feel that way.”
Luffy stifled a sob, hanging his head and letting the tears fall onto the floor. “I know, I just… miss him so much.”
“Luffy.” Chopper’s lips quivered, his eyes wet, and he rested a hoof on Luffy’s arm.
“Luffy-san.” Brook joined in, his hand on Luffy’s shoulder.
The weight of their hands was comforting. They grounded him. Luffy thought back to what Jinbei had said when he’d broken down in front of him and he felt guilty. He had his friends and his dream to live for. He knew deep down Ace had wanted him to live on, but sometimes the memories plagued him like poison in his veins, eating away at his resolve.
“I’m sorry.” He croaked, shuddering, and holding his head in his hands. “I’m so sorry.”
“What are you apologising for?” Usopp let out an awkward chuckle, his face betraying his feelings of concern.
“It’s okay, Luffy. We know.” Zoro's voice reassured him.
“We’re here for you, bro.” Franky added in.
Brook, Sanji, Chopper and Usopp leaned in, wrapping their arms around Luffy as he cried. They held him, quietly soothing his wracking sobs and silently reminding him he was not alone, and that his pain was okay. It hurt them all to see their captain like this, the man who had brought them all together with his rambunctious and carefree nature. The man who had saved them all now needed saving.
When Luffy was spent and had no more tears to shed, Zoro and Sanji helped lift him back into his bunk. Chopper climbed up and nuzzled into Luffy as he succumbed to the tender embrace of sleep once more.