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Koby starts the day as usual. Wake up, stretch like a cat, slap around for his glasses, look at Luffy and remember how cute he is. Chicken out of giving his captain’s forehead a tiny little kiss, then quietly run out and commandeer the bathroom before anyone else wakes up for the day.
He puts on his shirt for the day, the yellow-white striped one all the way back from Syrup Village. It’s much smaller on him than it used to be, but it’s surprisingly still a bit baggy.
‘Guess Nami was right that I’d have to grow into it…’ Koby smiled a bit at the thought. ‘To be fair, what has she really been wrong about so far?’
He gets ready to start training, after examining the rigging from the night before, when he remembers a request he had received last night.
“Koby! I’ve been experimenting with some new medicine! I’m going to need Usopp’s help with my next batch, so could you clear off my desk tomorrow morning? You can just push whatever’s there out of the way, it doesn’t have to be neat at all!”
“Of course, Chopper! I’ll make sure to remember!” Koby had given his biggest grin as he made that promise. Who wouldn’t, when it made the cutest reindeer on earth start dancing like that?
He smiles at the memory. They do have the cutest doctor, don’t they? The Straw Hat Pirates have always been lucky. Probably due to their captain.
He sneaks into Chopper’s office, using his haki to avoid Sanji as usual. He doesn’t feel like drinking a protein shake just yet, with it being so early in the morning. Sue him!
The desk is as messy as a doctor could call it, equipment strewn about, neat piles of various colored powders, and beakers scattered on every possible surface. There’s even various liquids in vials, spread out from the edge of the desk and even spilling onto the adjacent bed. He sweatdrops, ‘Is this really experimenting? Or is he messing around with the new equipment from that last party island?’ With how happy Chopper seemed, it was probably a healthy mix of both in the most literal sense possible. ‘What was that island called, again? Noen… Spark, Island? Or something? Whatever it’s called, the residents sure know it’s called a party island.’
He pushes back the thingamajigs as requested, and neatens the bedsheets for good measure. May as well, after all! He steps back to admire his shoddily done work, humming a random tune under his breath.
And when he turns around, there’s angry electric blue eyes boring into his brain and trying to scoop out his soul.
“Okay. Let’s get this in your head now before you start getting any other ideas. I’m the twelfth run, so the others before and after me call me 12. You are the thirteenth, so you will be referred to as 13. You’ve been getting too attached to the crew. You have to remember that this is for Luffy, not you. Do you understand?”
“Wh- I uh. Yes? What is this about?”
What did he mean by too attached? And why go over a naming system? It’s never been an issue before, as far as Koby is aware. He turns to continue adjusting fragile equipment on the desk.
“What is this about? What is this ABOUT?”
12 slams his hand into Koby’s chest, grabbing a fistful of his shirt and yanking Koby back to face him. The cotton of his shirt suddenly feels strangling, and 12’s face is getting far too close for comfort. His eyes are an startling, queasy blue, seething at his own startled expression.
Koby despises how the first thought that went through his head was ‘for the love of the sea please don’t kiss me again.’ It’s rather embarrassing, all things considered. He puts his hands up in a startled surrender. He really isn’t sure what he did this time.
“W- we’re making good headway from that… Noen island! And we’re on schedule for the next island, like we’re supposed to be! Why would I be- why would I get into trouble for that?”
“Do you have any idea just how surely you have fucked up? How surely you’ve just screwed over Luffy?!” 12’s face is turned up in a scowl, brows pinched as he begins to rant.
“W- eh?!” Had he done something? ‘I must have, if 12 is reacting this much, oh seas what did I do?!’
“No one has ever reported the Straw Hat Pirates being on that island in any timeline! They’ve never been there before, and the only time they have been there is when you’re on the crew! You’ve created a massive time loss! Luffy has to find his next crew mate, and you’re using up the time he needs to get to wherever that is!” Ouch. “Don’t you see how they’ve been acting since they’ve been gone from that island?! They’re not eating as much, they’re acting mopey and lazy and they aren’t eating nearly enough, even Luffy! That stupid nonchalant attitude is going to get them killed in a place like the Grand Line!”
That doesn’t make any sense!
“But- but I thought it didn’t matter too much! We were docked less than a day! Luffy punched someone somewhere, we partied, and we got necessary supplies, all within the last 24 hours! How would-”
“Would you shut your mouth!? We had no idea about that island, you should have steered the crew clear of it to be certain of the ship's course! And now Luffy is completely stuffed, depressed that the crew had to leave, disgustingly inhibited, and clearly vulnerable to an attack!”
13 can’t smell 12’s breath. It’s unnerving.
13 tries to pull away again. It doesn’t work. His face feels itchy. He kind of gets it now, how could he not have thought this through?
‘Nobody knew where the Straw Hats were during this point in their journey, and I’ve gotten sloppy… I can’t even remember the name of the previous island…! Seas…’ His stomach churns.
There’s a haki signature in the hallway. It’s warm on 13’s skin, but he can’t focus. Not when he needs to fix this. Is there any way to get the crew back on their feet?
The haki in the hallway is coming close, swirling like a whirlpool, stirring like a sort of inevitable combustion.
Oh seas, something had apparently happened that caused the crew to be in such disarray that even he was affected by it, and it was his fault that it happened at all. And there’s a chance it could have been prevented if 13 had just paid a bit more attention?
Did Chopper leave some sort of chemical in here? It’s getting hard to breathe for some reason. The room feels like it’s boiling, but it was cool this morning. Grand Line weather is strange.
“Do you realize how badly you’ve fucked up?! How bad of a fuck up this run is?! How bad of a fuck up you’ve made this out to be?! This is your fault, do you understand?! This entire run is hinging on your decisions, you might have just killed the whole crew with your negligence! If they’re acting this sluggish, something must have happened to them! What if everyone got poisoned, or drugged?! It will be all your fault if this run goes to shit! How dare you…!” 12 is still screaming.
The signature is in the doorway. 13 doesn’t think he can deal with another Koby right now. He needs to think about what he’s done. He can’t hear the words 12 is saying, he can’t breathe and-
14 is right around the corner. Everything he does can be replicated. He isn’t going to succeed, Luffy won’t succeed and it’s his fault, he’s ruined the run, he needs to leave maybe he can fix all of this if he just-
Everything stops. 13’s heartbeat is loud in his ears, but he can breathe. 12’s eyes are panicked, still staring at his face, looking at the unlucky 13th run-
“Who’s he? How’d he get on board?”
13’s head whips towards Luffy’s voice. Then back to the man with a fist in his shirt that has his hair, his eyes, his nose, his ears, and overall his exact face.
‘Seas, his facial recognition is terrible!’ Both Kobies thought at the same time. Only one Koby thought that sentence in a disgustingly fond tone, though.
13 sees his counterpart’s distraction, and tightens his fists to protect his face, to distance himself, to throw a punch, to do something, anything to get away from… himself.
12’s gaze sharpens to a deadly point. The tension in the room skyrockets, and everyone pauses.
Luffy is staring like he’s 0.2 seconds away from rocking 12's shit.
12 has the imperfect mask of a calm visage as he states, “A different Koby ate a Devil Fruit, and made a bunch of Kobies without Devil Fruits. We’re both versions of Koby,” leaving no room for debate. Even though it wasn’t true at all, what else was 13 supposed to say?
“Alright, so you’re Ninja Koby,” pointing at a now flabbergasted 12 who has no idea how to respond.
Then he quickly goes on, pointing at 13, saying, “and he’s my Koby?”
…
After a few seconds of internal screaming, Koby’s brain comes back online.
“… yes, fine. We can go with that.”
13 sees a flicker of haki from 12, just for a moment, that has the color of the greenest envy he’s ever witnessed. And he used to be a Navy prodigy. He doesn’t have to try too hard to stop himself from laughing, but he tries anyway.
“He’s, uh… he’s a friend…?” It sounds fake, even to his own ears. He can still hear his heartbeat in between his skull, but it’s slowing down.
Luffy doesn’t say anything. He hasn’t looked away from 12 for a second. He hasn’t blinked, either. His hands are clenched.
“Wh-… why are you out of bed? You never normally wake up this early, and with the party yesterday…” Luffy is capable of sleeping through getting crushed by a ship’s stern, after all. 13 doesn’t know where he’s going with that comment. It’s getting hard to think.
“You were gone, and I had a bad feeling, so I found you.” He’s staring directly at 12, eyes blank.
12’s fist is still grappled in 13’s shirt.
13 has only seen Luffy look at someone like that a few times, and it makes him feel strange knowing that the people who gave him his mission are receiving the same treatment. He wonders…
“So who’s the different Koby? Are there more Kobies?” It’s said with such innocence, but 13 can see the rage in Luffy’s eyes. He’s not entirely sure if 12 can.
“Yes, Luffy, there are more Kobies. We’ve been trying to make you King of the Pirates,” 12’s hand tightens in his shirt again. “But some runs are more successful than others…”
13 can hear his heartbeat again.
He can’t hear anything else.
Luffy and 12 are talking. He can’t hear them. He can hear the beat pounding in his ears, he can feel the rush of blood through his head, everything is blurry, and he can’t get enough air, his hands feel useless, he’s only upright because the fist in his shirt is holding him up against his will, his tongue feels heavy, everything is so loud-
“…a council member might show up!” 12 is screaming in his face.
He feels like he would cry, but he’s strangely numb. It’s weird. He still can’t breathe, he can’t get enough air, it’s not enough-
“There’s a Council of Kobies? What’s that?” Luffy has his pinky up his nose. It shouldn’t be endearing. It’s ridiculous.
—
12 has a brief moment of uncertainty.
Telling people about either the Council or the mission didn’t go right the few times they tried, and this time wouldn’t be any different.
But this run is likely getting reset anyways. He’s been caught by the last person that any of the Council wanted to be seen by. No harm in humoring dead men.
But at the same time there’s no way they can tell Luffy about the Council of Kobies. Luffy would be so upset about the Council of Kobies.
He glances at 13. He isn’t seeing anything right now. He’s lost in his own head, so technically now may be the only time he could say something.
So he talks. And he tells Luffy about the Council of Kobies.
Luffy is going to be so upset with the Council of Kobies.
—
Luffy is very upset with the Council of Kobies. He doesn’t like those guys.
“I don’t like those guys!”
He hates that these people love him so much that they threw away their lives to try to help him.
He circles the room, going towards the window.
The selfish, lonely part of him is really happy that someone cares about him that much.
But the rest of him?
Rage.
“You’re stupid to throw away your life! I don’t want that! Who repays someone who gave their life for you by dying?!”
An image of red hair. Of blonde hair and cigarettes in a floating restaurant. Of yelling a dream on a dock while clutching a gift, on the edge of a cliff beside brothers, in the belly of an ugly pink boat.
“How dare you guys give up on your dream for me?!”
—
The thought is sudden.
‘He’s not wrong. Luffy would never ask that of someone. He would never ask that of us. Of me. But…’
“We want to do it! We’ve been trying! All of us have been trying! Ever since the Original, we’ve been trying to fix whatever went wrong that stopped you from succeeding! He started all of this and we are going to finish it! All of this is for you, Luffy, do you get it!? None of this is for us! It’s never been for us, and it never has been! Just for you! Just for Luffy! He gave us this chance to finish what he couldn’t, and each and every run should be grateful they even get a second chance!”
Luffy seems livid. He hasn’t moved. Yet.
13 takes advantage of the moment of blind rage from 12, finally pushing him away. Gaining the much needed breathing room is like snapping a finely strung wire, and 12 immediately turns away, jerking towards Luffy. He looks like he’s about to start yelling at Luffy, teeth bared and eyes alight.
Luffy whips his head toward the far wall near the door, expecting some result neither Koby can think of. “Where is he?”
12 and 13 look at each other. They’re both there, what was Luffy talking about? Then Luffy asks again, “Where is he?”
Oh.
—
There’s shuffling behind them.
Luffy turns to see another Koby, the same age as his Koby, sitting on the windowsill.
He looks tired.
Luffy knows this is the one to blame.
Because this Koby is a marine.
———
“What was that dream worth without you, Luffy-san?”
—
“If your dream died with someone else, then it was never yours to begin with.” Luffy’s gaze is cold. But there’s also a strange fiery thing in his glare that 13 isn’t used to seeing. It’s… other.
Koby’s dream was Luffy. It hurts.
13 wants to do good. That’s his dream, to do good recklessly. His hero he chased after, the same man he loves and admires for his ability to do so much good, Monkey D. Luffy… he’s dead.
And so Koby’s dream was buried with him.
13 can’t breathe.
—
The Original Koby has simply been observing the whole train wreck, scanning the room.
‘12 was careless and is now revealed, 13 looks completely lost in his own head, and Luffy Knows. Multiple rules have been broken within just a few minutes, and this really is just a headache to deal with. So…’
“This run is obviously a disaster… we can just start a new one. The time loss is an annoyance, but manageable. 12, make sure that 14 is given the usual instructions, and explain our purpose properly. Include a new rule this time. ‘Do not join the Straw Hat Pirates.’ This headache of a run cannot happen again. Understood?”
It’s the most efficient course of action. The next run will be better.
Luffy will be King of the Pirates.
And Koby will make sure he gets there alive.
—
13 can’t really believe what he’s hearing. ‘Just like that? Someone overheard an argument, and he dies? Everything he did just doesn’t matter? Luffy won’t remember any of this? It’ll just be another run? Another failed run? But…’
13 can barely hear 12 give a vague noise of approval, and go off… somewhere. He isn’t in the room, that’s for sure. Probably. 13 has never really been able to tell where 12 is.
Luffy isn’t making any sound, but his haki is a thunderstorm.
The Original says, “This is going to hurt. You probably won’t remember it, though, so don’t embarrass yourself further by struggling. We need to try again,” in an unwavering, apathetic voice.
The Original starts advancing towards 13 with the intent to kill.
And Luffy goes absolutely feral.
And 13 is standing there, watching his captain scream and rush forward, as if sent from the heavens, seeking divine retribution.
And he doesn’t know if Luffy would lose against this version of himself.
That can’t happen.
So he screams with everything he’s worth, just for a chance to be overheard above the voices, “Luffy isn’t dead!”
All eyes are on him.
13 is getting really tired of justifying his existence.
He goes over the reasons again, “He’s not dead so the run still has a chance,” “it’s not worth resetting just yet, give it some time,” “if we’ve waited so long through the other 12 runs we can always wait until this one is indefinitely over,” blah, blah, blah. All the Kobies know this script already.
—
Luffy can tell this is an argument that his Koby has made before. He can tell this isn’t the first time he’s had to beg this stranger, this marine, for his life.
—
Luffy is just staring. That blank Stare.
And he’s staring at the Original.
The one who started all of this.
The one who can’t help but stare back at Luffy as he recites his own script to 13, the 13 who’s crying, begging on his hands and knees.
“Just let me have this chance, please! Please! I don’t want to see it all happen again when I could have done something of value!”
The one who can’t help but see the man he fell in love with, on that prison boat in the East. The one he would give anything to save. The one he would give anything to see crowned as King.
13 is still in a kowtow (he’s begging for the ultimate forgiveness? For asking to live? Luffy doesn’t know any of the other Kobies. Not really, anyway. What he knows is that his Koby is the one who is in pain and who needs help. Luffy’s anger is only growing-) in the background. “I don’t want this, I don’t want my efforts to be in vain!”
(And growing-)
“I don’t want to just be unlucky number 13!”
(And growing-)
“I don’t want to die! Luffy-”
(Until he snaps.)
“PLEASE HELP!”
Luffy moves.
(All the Kobies learn that day that Luffy is willing to use any technique necessary to help whoever is his. Including biting. With unsurprisingly very sharp teeth.)
The moment Luffy moves, so too does the Original. Luffy throws a punch, a powerful, short burst that would break the bones of a normal person.
It’s dodged.
And then dodged again, and again, as the Original ignores him and keeps moving, keeps stalking towards his Koby-
And then finally, his fist lands.
Or it would, if it didn’t go
Right.
Through.
—
There’s a moment of horror.
A pause that’s sickening, nearly as sickening as the fist that’s through the Original’s chest. The fist that’s run clean through, almost as if there’s nothing there, as if there’s a ghost-
The Original keeps walking.
Luffy is screaming, “No! No go away! Leave Koby alone!”
The Original gets closer and closer as 13 can’t seem to move. This was it. The run is going to be reset, he’s going to be reset, he’s going to die and Luffy will have to see it-
Luffy is still screaming. Still trying to punch a ghost.
13 is still watching.
The Original has his fist back, going into a stance, winding up to throw a punch that Koby only knows will land with his haki, as he watches and watches-
“No! Leave my Koby ALONE!”
There’s a pressure in the air. A pressure that’s so immense, it’s crushing Koby’s lungs. His ears pop, and his knees give out.
Somehow, it’s like he can breathe again.
The Original stumbles, shock completely overtaking his face.
And everything stops.
A king made his order.
—
Everyone in the room, himself, the marine, and his Koby takes a breath.
‘That was the same as when Ace-’
Koby is shaking, staring at him. Actually, everyone is staring at him.
Well, at least they finally decided to listen to him. These guys are really weird. “You guys are really weird, and I don’t like you! Stop trying to hurt my Koby!”
—
As quickly as it came, the pressure lifts.
Koby can’t seem to comprehend what just happened. That pressure wasn’t directed at him, but it still hit him all the same. It was stifling, but it wasn’t unfamiliar.
It was just Luffy. Completely and wholly, his Captain.
Koby tries and fails to hide his jolt as the Original straightens his posture. He looks between the two, face just nearly a perfect blank, except for that twitch, that barest sliver of longing. Then it evaporated, leaving barely anything of note.
It’s a very cold expression.
Luffy’s haki still feels warm on his skin.
It’s enough.
“If you keep encouraging progress like this, we will let the run continue. Make sure that the rest of the Straw Hats are uninvolved, and keep your mouth shut. The 14th run is still just around the corner. Dismissed.” The Original begins to walk towards the window.
What?
What?
“Hey wait, what do you mean?! That’s really mean! I already told you, leave my Koby alone! And get off of my ship! Don’t come back! You’re not allowed back here ever again!” Luffy points a finger at the Original, flailing his limbs around in a seemingly agitated way that only someone made out of rubber could.
His haki feels like a battering ram, or an incredibly incessant door-knocker, or a New World geyser, or like how Garp’s haki felt when someone tried to hurt someone from his division.
Luffy’s eyes are filled with an open rage that 13 isn’t familiar with. 13’s haki creeps around Luffy in a protective wave that envelops him entirely. It won’t do anything, especially if the Original actually tries to do anything, but it’s a message. Don’t hurt him.
The Original stops for a moment, and goes back to staring at Luffy with a sort of blank look, eyes betraying only a complete unknown. He merely glances around for a moment, then continues to walk towards the window, one step after another in uncomfortable Navy issued boots that are just a bit too tight at the toes-
And he’s at the window, and he’s been at the window, he will be at the window until the stars run out of fuel, he has never been at that window before, he is in the room, but he is not at the window. He is not on the ship. He is not there. There is sunlight streaming in from the window, where even the dust that should be swirling around it lays uninterrupted.
No footprints.
The Original is not there.
There was no sound, no change, no alteration, no effect, just there one moment and gone the next in an uncanny creep of the senses that haki could not, cannot comprehend.
13 cannot stop staring at that window-
“Koby! Are you okay!?”
Koby startles so bad he falls on his ass. It’s very graceful.
Luffy’s Conqueror’s Haki has faded completely at this point, but now that 13 has felt it again (it feels like it’s been so long since he’s felt that command, that power-) he can tell where that power has been lying in wait. It’s been sitting right between Luffy’s eyes, right between that stare that could make a grown man cry and a crew of the forgotten and rejected laugh with an uncontrollable joy.
“Kobyyy~ c’mon! Are you hungry? We can catch something with your mystery sense and eat it together! I’m hungry! Let’s go!”
Luffy picks him up by the shoulder and drags him towards the door (away from the window-), yelling for the world, but mostly Sanji, to hear. 13 is quickly reminded that it’s about 5:30 AM. He’ll have to apologize to everyone during breakfast.
“You’re still shaking, and you’re being really quiet. Why are you shaking?” He asks, index finger searching for wax inside his right ear.
Leave it to Luffy to ask questions 13 has no idea how to answer. “I mean- it’s not like I don’t think they’ll listen to you, it’s just that… I think they really want to keep you safe. Like, I mean they really want to see you succeed, and I think-”
“PHBHBFT! That’s what Koby’s problem is! Koby’s thinking too much again! You should stop that, it’s a whole lot easier, y’know?” Luffy blows a raspberry, getting spit everywhere and being generally rude. 13 kind of wants to kiss him.
“But Luffy! They might come back! That’s what I’m trying to say, they might not listen to what you say because they just want to see you be King that much!”
“Well if they want that so badly they should do what I say!”
13 is starting to get a headache. Headaches normally take some time to wear off (especially when your haki is frayed and going haywire all at the same time) and that would be really annoying to deal with right now.
“I just…”
“If Koby’s really worried, then I’ll stay close! I can make them listen again! And Koby won’t have to worry about anything at all when we’re all here!” His captain has a very proud smile on. 13 quietly doubts that his captain would do that again on command, especially for someone like himself, but…
Luffy has a big grin that only gets wider due to his rubber cheeks. 13 really wants to kiss those cheeks. They have little dimples, and freckles on them that you can’t really see unless you’re really close. They’re very cute.
Luffy is smiling at him. He still hasn’t gotten used to it. His captain never smiles if he doesn’t mean it.
“…yeah. I’d like that.” Koby only realizes he’s started to smile after he says it. It’s a small, embarrassing thing, but it’s a smile nonetheless.
—
There’s that smile! It’s exactly what Luffy has been looking for. It makes him feel all warm, so it must be a mystery sense thing! He only gets it around Koby, after all.
“Awesome! I’m really hungry now! Let’s go get some food!”
His Koby makes a tiny sound that’s halfway between a laugh and a gasp. Luffy won’t say anything. It’s not nice to mention your friend’s tears.
But at least there was a laugh.
At least. At least.
—
They walk towards the galley, Luffy tromping along loudly and Koby padding along quietly, both of them thinking very intently. But while Koby was thinking about the train wreck that today has been, Luffy was just thinking about food. Luffy was drooling a little.
“Hey, Luffy?” Koby doesn’t know what he’s asking, but he knows he’s scared.
“Mm? Yeah, what’s up Koby?” Luffy’s wipes away the drool he’s got from thinking about food.
“Should… Do you want me to… tell you? About what happened back there?” Koby knows that he’s probably just backed himself into a metaphorical corner (not a window-) by asking, but he really should tell Luffy what he knows.
“Hmmmm. Does Koby want to tell me?” Without a care in the world, Luffy once again stops Koby’s racing mind in its tracks.
“Eh?- I mean- I really think I should, but I don’t… I don’t really feel… I feel…-” Koby’s lost his words.
How does he even say it? That sinking feeling he’s felt since Cocoyashi that has never fully dissipated, that nondescript feeling of awfulness that comes back every time he thinks about that Council, the way he wants to throw up his guts whenever he thinks about how he really isn’t doing enough, and the timeline isn’t changing, his efforts are in vain, he doesn’t know what he’s doing and no one is explaining anything to him, and he just feels…
“…I think I’m just tired, Luffy-san.”
“…so food, then a nap! Got it!” Luffy smacks his fist into his palm, looking like he’s just had the most profound idea of his life.
Koby laughs a little louder, this time. It feels nice.
—
Luffy knows that Koby didn’t mean the sleepy kind of tired.
He meant the same kind of tired Ace felt after Sabo died.
Luffy didn’t like that kind of tired. That kind of tired meant sleeping a lot though, even when they had to get up to get food.
But they’ve got Sanji here! So they don’t have to worry about food, and Koby can sleep as much as he wants! Luffy can even drag him around if he doesn’t want to get up! So even when Koby is feeling tired, they can still eat!
Miss Makino said that food is life, after all!
“Hey Sanji! Koby wants some food!”
They’ve made it to the galley.
They eat. They talk. They don’t talk about the other Kobies. They don’t have to. Koby will tell Luffy the important things, because that’s what Nakama does! So Luffy will pay attention when he tells him. But that isn’t now.
So they eat some more. Sanji kicks them out for being loud, but not before he sneaks Koby a few sweets they stockpiled from port.
They fish. They talk. Usopp and Chopper thank Koby profusely for the cleaning, and don’t mention his red, puffy eyes. They catch a fish. It doesn’t taste good. Sanji screams at them to let him cook it first.
They train with Zoro, and he doesn’t ask why Luffy is joining them today. They spar, and Koby gets his ass kicked, but it’s a little less than last time.
They pass Robin as she gets her drink from Sanji. She’s giving them glances, and her haki betrays her curiosity more than her face ever will. It’s a comfort that she doesn’t ask anything just yet.
They follow Nami’s orders when a storm hits. She hits them for being too slow to stop the mainsail from ripping near the bottom, but they help Usopp fix it within the hour, so it’s not so bad. Zoro helps with repairs, surprisingly. Something about being used to stitching up cloth with slashes. It’s grounding.
They eat.
They talk.
But, more importantly, they laugh all the while. And then they laugh some more.
And they sleep.
—
As they lay in their hammock, continuing to talk about meaningless things, past adventures, future hopes, and anything that isn’t the present moment, as the two drift away, Koby can barely hear what Luffy says before they fall away into their dreams.
“I’m glad that Koby chose to stay with me! I’m glad that it’s you who chose to stay too, those other Kobies sucked. Like a lot.”
Koby wants to kiss him. Like a lot.
“I’m glad you’re still here, Luffy. I really glad you’re alive. I love-…”
Whoops.
“…-that I stayed with this crew. That I stayed with you.”
‘…a bit too close but I guess it works?’
He may die from embarrassment, but at least it won’t be while confessing to his crush. That would just be pathetic, especially so coming from him.
—
His Koby keeps muttering stuff about how he’s happy, and it makes Luffy happy too! Koby’s cheeks are red. They have sunspots that you can only see when you’re really really close, and there’s a little tiny brown spot right near the top of them. They’re very cute.
—
Their haki is as intertwined as it always is when they sleep, even if neither of them realizes it. They both hold on tight to each other, and breathe the same air.
Koby’s breath feels soft on his hair.
Luffy’s haki feels warm on his skin.
It’s enough.
They both fall asleep, happy.