Chapter Text
It had been a little too close and a damn near reckless stunt he'd pulled. Maybe Kuzan was trying to prove something, maybe he just didn't want to look like he'd become…less than after he'd lost his leg and lost to Sakazuki.
But he was determined to be better than he'd been when he'd been an Admiral.
The knock on the door had him pausing his self-recrimination and he cleared his throat and let them in. Of course, seeing who it was, he wasn't surprised to find his captain standing there and wearing her huge, bright grin.
"Kuzan! Dinner's ready~"
Luffy practically lunged forward and grabbed his arm, turning to rush out of his room. He made to hurry after her, knowing to keep pace with the young lady when she was like this. Despite how much it made his left leg —what was left of it —ache, he'd wanted to make sure he seemed as normal as he would've been otherwise.
"Hey now," he tugged firmly at her arm. "Don't be in such a hurry, Luffy."
She pouted exaggeratedly but slowed down. She did wrap herself more around his arm though.
"But Sanji made lots of food tonight! We managed to outrun those Marines and beat down that Hurl and his crew!"
"Harkens," Kuzan corrected her in amusement.
Luffy waved him off impatiently. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, that guy. They shouldn't have been trying to skim off the island's people."
For vehemently denying being a hero, she (and the others) tended to play heroes one too many times…
She slowed down even more and eyed him from the corner of her eye. "Speaking of…I know it pissed you off too. You didn't use your Devil Fruit powers and just slugged the bastards around with your fists…One of the Marines got the better of you and even shattered your ice prosthetic with a bullet that you didn't even notice."
"I got reckless," he muttered, frowning to himself. "I was also angry they were more focused on us than on those jerks that had been holding that island hostage for who knows how long."
"Shishishishi!" Luffy gave him a huge grin. "Felt good to make sure those assholes got it coming to them, right?"
It did. It really freaking did and it felt more satisfying than all the years he'd served in the Marines. But…
Luffy stopped abruptly, looking at him closely. "That bullet could've hit your other leg," she said darkly, glancing at his healthy, organic leg that he was leaning on more than usual.
Kuzan let his hand plop heavily onto her head, rubbing it gently. The red on her cheeks was sweet and made his lips twitch.
"My leg's good," he told her. "Both of them," he even pulled up the leg sleeve of his 'ice leg', showing his new leg that he'd procured with his ice abilities.
She puffed out her cheeks and pouted, looking at him grumpily but heeding his words. He let her grab onto him again and lead the way, but he wouldn't admit to the strain his new leg was putting on his stump. Sweat beaded his temples and he didn't want to admit to swaying a bit, but even though he knew he was a strong person and he had a strong will, losing a leg still was a lot to get used to.
Especially in the manner and to who he lost his leg to.
But Luffy didn't comment on it anymore, even if her grip on him was firmer and she'd subtly pulled him to lean on her more. Kuzan was grateful for it, even as more shame came over him.
How fitting for a disgraced, former Marine Admiral.
They entered the galley, where Sanji was already plating up food for him and Luffy. Seeing their captain, hearts in his eyes, Sanji whirlwind over to them, handing Kuzan's plate to him without even a glance over. Instead, he focused on Luffy and held her plate up.
"For you, my dearest Captain!"
Luffy squealed and her hands snatched the plate up, stars in her eyes. "It looks so yummy!"
The sudden movement away from Kuzan caught him off guard and he swayed in place, righting himself quickly. But it wasn't quickly enough as Sanji's smug countenance gave way to a sharp look at him, while Luffy's happiness went to alert and she stretched a hand out to steady him.
Hot shame shot through him and if he'd been the same man before Punk Hazard, he wouldn't be like this and they wouldn't be so worried.
"I'm good," he forced a smile out and took hold of Luffy's hand this time, leading her to the table where the others were waiting.
He sat down with his plate and began eating, and after a moment so did the others. Uncharacteristically, Luffy was still watching him and hadn't touched her food. Kuzan stopped eating and squeezed her hand, surprised he'd forgotten he'd still been holding it.
"Go on now," he murmured. "Eat your food. I know you want to."
She only furrowed her eyebrows though, reaching with a napkin to dab at his forehead. He felt his face warm up.
"You're sweating," she frowned. "Kuzan, does Chopper need to look you over again?"
At hearing his name, the reindeer immediately focused on them. "Is Kuzan okay? Do I need to bring him to the infirmary? Does he have a fever?"
Hearing and seeing the commotion, the rest of the Straw Hat crew's focus went to him and he felt himself feel a mixture of shame and happy warmth. Shame because before, when he was an Admiral and their enemy, he had been strong enough to not be concerned over and could have easily put them down in a fight back then.
But the warmth of having people to actually care whether he was okay or not, to worry over him when he was hurt, was brand new and addicting and he had never felt like this or had people that actually cared.
"Hopefully it's just exertion and not scurvy, especially considering we haven't stocked up on any limes," Robin commented out of the blue.
"Really?! Do you have to be so morbid, Robin?" Usopp yelled exasperatedly, and the usual chaos that enveloped this crew started up.
Kuzan was still getting used to it, but it was a nice change of pace and he felt more at home than he'd had anywhere else.
"I'm okay, really I am," he reiterated to Luffy, who was still scrutinizing him. He gave her another smile, bigger and more content. "I have a lot of things to get used to, but I will."
Luffy nodded then, sure and confident before giving him a blinding smile. "That's right; of course you will! You're one of mine now after all!"
Being claimed by her was a different experience, Kuzan decided. He didn't mind it at all.
He was still getting used to walking around with an ice prosthetic he'd made himself (unprofessionally, mind you), so he knew the limp was there to stay until he could learn to overcome it and walk as he had. However, having to deal with it was yet another reminder of how things had changed for him over the past two years and that he had found himself walking a different path than he'd thought he would.
Kuzan was certain most Marines don't end up becoming a pirate. That was a whole damn career change that usually never happened, not unless you were either greedy or like Kuzan —fresh out of luck.
He was working it out until he had things settled, but he was sure damn lucky Luffy and her crew had picked him up when they did. Having left after he resigned, he'd been wandering around for the last two years until them. He was thankful of course, but being around them was a stark difference to what he was used to; a reminder of what kind of life he'd led up until then and why he resigned.
He wasn't sure if it was resentment towards the people and organization in his old life that he was reminded of, or the realization that these pirates were good people (better people) than most of the people he'd known that bothered him. Maybe it was their, despite their claims of piracy, desire to help people and make things right, the way the Navy should have been (proclaimed they were) and the fact he'd been against them and on a side of people that served depraved assholes.
Or maybe it was being around people who actually deeply cared about him and who he'd fast come to care about.
Back then, he and the other Admirals orbited around each other most times than not, despite Borsalino trying to get the three of them to hang out. Sakazuki was a hardass on most days and a stoic, uncompromising bastard on others. Kuzan'd preferred sleeping through his days, until he was forced to get up and complete an assignment. He'd had no one to care about him or to care about.
Now he had a whole crew that was actively looking out for each other and checking in with him, and who he found himself wanting to make sure were alright and felt anxious when they might not be (especially a certain rubber captain).
Finding the ship's training room, he paused at seeing Zoro already there and in the midst of using the weights. The green-haired man glanced over to him and grunted as he set the weights down and sat up.
"Want the place?"
Kuzan tilted his head to the younger man. "You don't have to leave. I won't need much space."
Zoro smirked. "In that case, how about a spar?"
That gave him pause and his blood going at the idea of testing himself in a friendly fight. He smirked back and gestured to the empty space, where they had enough room to have a small spar at. Zoro's smirk became wild and soon enough, they were sparring together.
Afterwards, satisfied with his performance in the spar, he'd settled down on the bench and hid his wince at the ache around his stump and the tightness surrounding his burn scars.
"Hey, catch."
He looked up and caught the light-colored bag, feeling the heat. The hot compress was warm and not too hot and he gingerly placed it where his organic limb cut off.
"Captain's orders," Zoro said nonchalantly. "Got one of these ready in any of the main rooms for you; just ask any of us where they are."
Kuzan awkwardly cleared his throat. "She didn't have to…"
"Chopper told us about your injuries," so much for doctor-patient privileges, "so that we're prepared to support you. You're not on your own anymore, you know. Yeah, you're badass and can handle yourself just fine, but we still got you."
Hearing that reminded him again that he was really lucky he'd run into the Straw Hats and they'd taken him in.
"You can use that for your scars too," Zoro mumbled, not looking his way as he did some light stretches. "Magma Bastard did a number, I hear."
Kuzan twitched, remembering that duel. "He did."
"Don't have to hide that limp either…"
That actually startled him. "Ara ara, how'd you know?"
Zoro chuckled, giving him a look. "Really? You're good at hiding it, especially with that damn coat of yours. But you're on a ship with a bunch of nosy busybodies. Of course we all know."
That tore a surprised laugh out of him, but he did should've known.
Kuzan didn't know how long he'd have to limp around or sway because his balance wasn't the same as it was, but he'd try to take it easy on himself and his expectations.
Started 4/7/24 – Completed 4/8/24