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Resting your cheek on your palm, you watch with a gentle smile as Luffy and Usopp sing together. They have their arms over each other's shoulders, their voices carried by the ocean breeze. Glancing around, you spot Brook with some villagers. The steady beat of drums complement the joyous melody from his violin. Sanji was busy trying to woo the ladies around him. Having hearts for eyes, compliments roll off his tongue like a stream of water. Franky and Chopper were dancing with some of the younger kids. A few climbed onto his shoulders and pressed his nose upon his request, squealing in delight when his hair turned into a whale. Robin observes Franky and Chopper, chuckling when they all strike Franky's pose. Nami and Zoro were holding a drinking contest, though most of the villagers were passed out. Nami downs another drink before shooting a smug grin at the swordsman, a gleam in her eyes. Zoro takes her up on the challenge (you're certain he's going to be even more in debt to her) by grabbing another drink.
Nothing like a celebration, Strawhats pirate style, after a battle.
Luffy was the sun that chased away the dark clouds. He brought light to the villagers. He liberated them from the tyrant that ruled over them for so many years. The villagers worship him. Not as a hero, but as a god.
Your eyes flicker back to Luffy and you see villagers presenting plates of food to him. With their heads bowed and holding their hands up to show their offerings, they kneel in front of him.
"Please accept this, Sun God Nika!"
"This is all for you, Nika!"
"May you provide us with more blessings!"
"I'm not Nika," Luffy says through a chuck of meat, but takes the food from them nonetheless.
According to some half buried ruins, Robin noted how this island centers around the worship of the Sun God. The engravings foretold that when they were surrounded by darkness and consumed by despair, Nika would come save them. For the villagers, the stories about Nika came true. When they saw Luffy's Gear 5, many had tears in their eyes and all of them fell to their knees in submission.
You don't really understand Gear 5. Well, no one really understands. But, the one thing you do know is that Luffy was Luffy.
You soften your gaze when Luffy catches your eye. You pick up a chicken leg from your plate and wave it in your hand. He perks up, stretching his neck towards you and takes the meat off the bone in one swift movement (the chance of him biting your hand was 50/50, but you took the chance anyways). Then, he kisses you. A tangy flavor lingers on your tongue. Pulling back, he shows you a beaming smile before he stretches his arm to place his beloved strawhat on top of your head. This wasn't anything new. He lets you wear his hat from time to time. His smile widens when he takes in your appearance.
"I like it when you wear my hat."
Smiling back at him, you respond, "You look better in it." You touch the brim of his hat. "I'll keep it safe."
"I know."
Your chest feels warm. Luffy's trust was more precious than any jewel on the planet. He says it so easily, finds it so easy to place his trust in you.
His neck snaps back into place. You're content to just observe him, though you're aware of the piercing glare directed towards you. You sensed the animosity from the beginning of the feast, but paid no attention to it. You can't ignore the intense hostility now. You already know who the glare belonged to.
There's a jab to your side. Hissing, you look up to see the elderly chieftess. She pulls back her cane, narrowing her eyes at you. If you had to guess, the chieftess wants to kill you with her gaze alone. "Come with me." Her clipped tone leaves no room for protests. She doesn't even wait for you. Turning around, she starts walking, expecting you to follow. Sighing, you rise to your feet. You don't bother asking her any questions, knowing she won't answer you.
Once you two were far away from the festivities, the chieftess faces you, the glare still present. She never hid the fact that she didn't like you. "What is your relationship with Nika-"
"Luffy," you instantly correct her.
She huffs at your interruption. "What is your relationship with him?" She settles with, refusing to use Luffy's name.
This isn't going to be a fun conversation for her or you.
"We're together," you simply state.
Her eyes widen, from shock or horror you don't know. A scandalized gasp escapes her as if you personally offended her. "T-together?" She sputters. "You and Nika-"
"Luffy."
Her jaw clenches. "You are not worthy." she says through gritted teeth.
"Didn't ask for your opinion nor do I care," you deadpan. Throwing more fuel to a fire wasn't a good idea, but you're not afraid to get burned.
"You insolent-" The chieftess stops herself, breathing deeply. "Sun God Nika-"
"Luffy," you say, exasperated. "He may look like Nika, but he's Luffy."
She looks like she wants to smack you. To her credit, she doesn't. "You must want the best for him, don't you?" She tries a different approach.
"I do, but I'm not looking to take advice from you, so kindly stay out of my relationship." Your tone is firm, but there is an underlying edge to it. You stare her down, daring her to say something. The chieftess opens her mouth to retort, but closes it. Silence settles between the two of you. It seemed like she had nothing more to say, so you turned around to walk back to the feast, only to be stopped by the chieftess' sudden question.
"Would you die for him?"
The question catches you off guard. Shifting your attention back to her, you note how the chieftess isn't glaring at you anymore. It looks more like she was searching for answers based on your expression. Your lack of response prompts her to repeat the question.
"Would you die for him?" Her gaze is unwavering.
Tilting your head back, you see the moon and stars. They bear witness to your words. "If I'm dead, I won't see Luffy become Pirate King," you murmur more to yourself than to answer the chieftess, but she hears you anyway.
"So you won't die for him."
You look at her through the corner of your eye. "I'd rather fight to live for him than die."
"But you won't die for him," she reiterates again, clicking her tongue. "Tch. I should have known."
You wanted to ask why she was so interested in this question, but you realize something. "You want me to be a sacrifice."
"Gods require sacrifice," the chieftess calmly remarks.
"I'm not some sacrificial lamb," you snap back. Your hands ball into fists. "I'm going to live and be by his side and see him become Pirate King with the rest of the crew." That was your resolve. Your study, unshakeable resolve.
Without giving her a chance to respond, you pivot and stride back to the feast.
The chieftess watches you walk away. Clouds cover the moon, bathing her in shadows.
"Naive girl," she mutters, shaking her head. "Death will come for you."
Hours later, the festivities quieted down. Many of the villagers were sprawled across the beach, sleeping soundly with their bellies full. Zoro has his back against a boulder, arms crossed over his chest and his head tipped forward. Nami and Chopper are slumped against him on either side. Sanji and Usopp lay on their sides, facing each other. Franky lays flat on his back, starfish mode, with a couple of kids sleeping on top of him. Robin uses Franky's arm as a pillow, turned on her side and has her hand over Franky's hand. Then there was you, sitting with your legs out in front of you. Luffy lays between your legs, head tilted to the side and his cheek resting on your inner thigh. He snores loudly with drool dribbling down the side of his mouth. Your hands rest over his chest, feeling the rise and fall of each breath. He looks at peace, far different from how you were feeling.
Would you die for him?
The strawhat weighs heavy on your head. You hate to admit it, but the question the chieftess posed to you fills up every corner of your mind. She wanted an immediate, no hesitation answer 'yes.' To her, death was the ultimate form of devotion. To die for someone without a second thought, to not have a single thought about yourself. But when you think about leaving Luffy and everyone else behind, you think about what you'll miss. The sun warming your skin when you stand out on the deck, inhaling the salty breeze of the ocean. Nami's schemes when it comes to money. Robin's morbid jokes. The stupid bickering between Zoro and Sanji. Usopp's fantastical tales. Chopper's little dance when someone compliments him. Franky tinkering away in his workshop. Brook's melodies. And most of all, Luffy's smile. That bright, warm smile that pulls you in and makes you believe that everything will be okay.
You want to protect him, all of them. You want to live to be with him, all of them.
"Is everything alright?"
The sudden question snaps you out of your thoughts. Turning your head to the side, you find Brook gazing at you. He holds up his hand.
"I didn't mean to startle you."
You shake your head. "It's okay, Brook."
The musician gestures to the spot next to you. "May I?"
"Of course."
He sits next to you. "It seemed like something weighed heavy in your mind. I wanted to check if you were okay," Brook explains.
You smile at his concern. "Thanks Brook. I'm fine, just thinking about some things."
"Well, I'm open to hear your thoughts if you feel comfortable sharing them. Oh, but I don't have any ears, yohoo!"
You chuckle. Your eyes drift towards the sky. Brook died once. He's the perfect person to talk about death, but you don't know what to say. After a couple of moments, you decide on a question.
"What's more difficult, living or dying?"
Brook hums. "Living, of course."
There's a pang of guilt when you remember the years Brook spent on a drifting ship all alone in darkness, waiting for someone, wondering if he'll ever be found. "I'm sorry," you say in a hushed voice. "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."
"It's quite alright. After all, I wouldn't have met Luffy-san if I weren't alive." Even though he's all bones, it's clear that there's a smile on his face.
You look down at Luffy, expression softening. "What a wonderful thing it is to be alive."
"Indeed it is."
The rustling of leaves make Chopper and Usopp jump and cling to you tightly, trembling behind you.
"W-What was that?" Usopp asks, voice shaky.
"S-Some sort of monster?" Chopper peeks around your leg.
Narrowing your eyes, you flex your fingers, ready to strike if necessary. A fast blur moves through your line of sight. Usopp and Chopper scream in terror, but you blink. A cat. A giant cat. A giant cat with wings. Standing in front of you for a moment, the giant cat flies away. Your companions stare with their jaws hanging open. On the other hand, you sigh.
"This island is just weird."
Docked on an island to replenish supplies, you, Usopp, and Chopper explore the forest together to find medicinal herbs. Except, there were a lot of...interesting creatures around. You continue walking forward, Chopper and Usopp following close behind you. Though there were a couple of more scares, the three of you gathered lots of medicinal plants. As you all converse, you come across someone sitting under a tree wearing a black cloak. The hood hides their face so you can't make out their expression.
"Would you like to have your fortune told?" A raspy voice calls out to you. They lift their head slightly, revealing a grin. It makes your stomach twist and the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
"I don't have a good feeling about this," Usopp whispers in your ear, taking the words out of your mouth.
Straightening your back, you look straight ahead. "Not interested," you calmly say, trying to rush by the hooded figure.
Suddenly, a cold hand clamps down on your wrist like a shackle, keeping you in place. Throwing their head back, the fortune teller looks at you with glowing green eyes. "Cursed!" They shriek, making you jolt and your eyes widen. "Round and round you go, meeting with your old friend Death. What a cursed fate!"
The cold from their hand seeps into your skin and crawls up your arm. You couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't even hear Usopp and Chopper. You're left standing there, their eyes putting you in a trance. Then, you're yanked backwards, falling to the ground.
"Ouch," Usopp hisses from behind you, his hand on your shoulder. "You okay?"
"Huh?" You blink, released from the fortune teller's spell.
"What were you doing to her!?" Chopper stands in front of you, gritting his teeth and his eyebrows furrowed together.
The fortune teller cackles, the sound haunting. Your curl inwards, gripping Usopp's hand. "Do you know how many times it's been?" They ask, a gleeful smile on their face.
A strong gust of wind comes by and in a blink of an eye, the fortune teller vanishes. Her laughter still echoes in the air, chilling you to the bone. You're trembling and your breaths are short and shallow. There's a pressure that builds and builds inside your chest and you're scared it's going to explode. You're right at the tipping point, grasping for something, anything, when you feel your hand being squeezed and a comforting touch on your leg. The touch reels you back from the cliff, grounding you. Your breathing slows, closing your eyes.
"Hey, it's okay. The fortune teller's gone." Usopp's voice soothes you, drowning out the haunting laugh.
"Do you feel pain anywhere?" Chopper inquires.
You shake your head.
"I'll still give you a checkup once we're back on the ship to make sure nothing is wrong."
Cursed. Cursed. Cursed.
It repeats inside your head like a ringing bell.
"Don't listen to what that fortune teller said."
"You're not cursed," Chopper reassures.
You feel two pairs of arms wrap around you, almost as if they were cocooning you in a bubble of warmth. You take in a shaky breath. "Can we stay here for a bit? I'm not ready to go back to the ship yet."
They respond by tightening their grip.
You can't sleep. Every time you close your eyes, you see the fortune teller's vibrant eyes.
Cursed. Cursed. Cursed.
Lifting your hands up to your face, you examine the callouses and scars littered across your skin. You don't feel cursed. Would there be a feeling? It's not like you had a malicious aura surrounding you. How did you get cursed in the first place? Were their words true? Were they just trying to scare you? You're running in circles. So many questions, but no one to ask them to.
And what was that question? How many times what?
A frustrated noise leaves your lips. Thinking about that fortune teller is giving you a headache.
The sheets rustle next to you and the mattress creaks. An arm and a leg is thrown over your body. Luffy sleeps on his stomach with his limbs outstretched. He faces you, mumbling 'meat' under his breath. Shifting on your side, you reach your hand out to cup his cheek, your thumb gently moving back and forth across his skin. Unconsciously, he leans into your touch. It makes you smile, but then it falters.
There is still a lingering sense of unease. The fortune teller planted the seeds in your mind, grown into vines that ensnared you. You made Usopp and Chopper promise not to tell anyone about the fortune teller despite their protests. You didn't want to make the rest of the crew worry, though maybe it was cruel for those two to harbor a secret from everyone else. You feel especially guilty for keeping this from Luffy.
Trailing your hand down his back, your eyes catch something moving and you freeze, holding your breath. Eyes darting around the room, all you see are shadows. Now you're seeing things that weren't there. You gulp. You're okay. You're fine.
All of a sudden, the air shifts and Luffy's body grows hotter under your touch. You watch, gobsmacked, as your captain's black strands turn white. His eyelids snap open, revealing his ruby eyes that glows in the darkness. This time, you're definitely not seeing things. Luffy activated gear 5 in his sleep.
"Wha-Luffy!? You...You...," You couldn't even form a coherent sentence. Eating in his sleep is one thing. This is a whole different story.
He responds to your shock by laughing. A deep, bellowing laugh that warms you from the inside. With a bounce he rolls over, caging you underneath him. Hovering above you, his hands are on either side of your head. He lowers his head until his nose brushes against yours. "Yeah?" He wears an easy smile on his face, so casual as if he didn't do anything crazy.
"Why are you in gear 5?" You manage to ask, still reeling from his transformation. You've seen gear 5 a handful of times, but never this close.
"Felt like it."
"Felt like it?" You repeat, dumbfounded.
"You're scared." Luffy points out. You turn your head to avoid his gaze. Was it that obvious? Your captain moves his head to the side, refusing to let you hide from him. "What are you scared of?"
You keep your mouth shut. Pouting at your silence, he dips his head down and noses along the column of your neck, his hair tickling your cheek. He whines your name into your skin, tugging at your heart.
"What would you...," you speak slowly, your hands roaming up his chest. "What would you do if I was cursed?"
"You're not cursed," was his immediate answer, pulling back from your neck.
"But what if I was?"
"But you're not."
You groan. "Humor me, Luffy."
He gives you a look, but finally answers your question. "I'll beat up the guy who cursed you so you wouldn't be cursed anymore."
It's such a Luffy answer. He'll protect you, fight for you. There's no doubt about his devotion to you. With half lidded eyes, your hands move up to cup his face. For as wild and reckless as he can, his eyes are so...soft. You've seen them hardened with rage, you've seen them wide and clueless when he doesn't understand something, you've seen them blank and menacing, but here and now, his eyes hold so much affection for you, unwavering in his love for you, that you feel your heart clench.
"You're my Luffy," you murmur.
He shows a large grin, teeth on full display. "All yours!"
Laying underneath him, as if hidden from the rest of world, as if you're a precious treasure for his eyes only, you feel as though you're the farthest thing from being cursed.
Luffy lays on his stomach a few feet away from you, battered and bruised. You're no better, body aching all over and blood trickling down the side of your head. But you force yourself to move, lifting your head and placing your weight on your forearm despite the sharp, jolts of pain running throughout your limbs. The enemy looms over your captain, holding up his sword, readying for the final blow, the blade glinting in the sunlight.
Your body reacts, charging towards the enemy and tackling him to the ground. You try to disarm him, but cry out in pain when you feel the blade slice your arm. And then, the sword goes straight through your stomach. You cough up blood.
There's a loud, terrified scream of your name. Once the blade was taken out, you fall backwards, your head lolling to the side. You can see Luffy's horrified expression on his face. His mouth is moving, but you can't hear what he says. He digs his chin into the ground to inch himself forward to you.
"Lu...ffy...," you weakly call to him.
Your trembling hand brushes over your stomach, feeling warm and sticky. There's laughter. The blade appears over your neck, nicking the skin so a small streak of blood slides down your skin.
"I might cut off her head for a souvenir."
"Stop!" Luffy yells out, heaving
The enemy chuckles, attention shifting to your captain. "Though, the head of an Emperor of the Sea sounds much more appealing to have on display."
You weakly kick at the man, bringing his focus back to you. "Still wanna fight?" He sneers, plunging the sword into your thigh and twisting it around. You shriek, body writhing. You're barely holding on. Your vision becomes blurry. Your eyes flutter close.
"Keep your eyes open!" Luffy's pleads, raw and desperate. His voice sounds so far away. "Stay awake!"
"Oi, wake up."
Your eyes fly open, heart thundering inside your chest. Zoro is in front of you, a hand on your shoulder, presumably to shake you, and a stern look on his face.
"You fell asleep while you were on night watch."
"Shit," you curse under your breath. How could you have been so careless? "I'm sorry, I'll make sure this won't happen again." you promise, guilt sinking to your stomach like a stone.
The swordsman narrows his eye at you, crossing his arms over his chest. "It better not. If you're too tired for your shift, swap with someone."
"I will." The thought of the crew being attacked at night because you didn't alert them makes you feel worse. You've got off lucky this time. Standing up, you move past Zoro to let him take over for the next shift.
"You looked like you were having a bad dream."
His words stop you in your tracks. Your hand covers your stomach, Luffy's horrified expression fresh in your mind. Breathing deeply, you say, "I'm fine. It was just a dream."
You can feel Zoro staring at your back, but he says nothing more. You climb down the crow's nest, the cold air caressing your cheeks.
Was it really a dream? It felt so...real. An omen, maybe? A sign of your upcoming death? You shake your head. You're thinking too much. You're still alive, that's what matters.
You taste the blood in your mouth and it hurts to breathe, but you still have enough energy to glare at the Vice Admiral looking down at you. He looks at you as if you were some bothersome chore like taking out the trash. His sword skims over your leg and up your stomach, stopping at your chest.
"Aren't you going to beg your life?" The Vice Admiral mocks you. Turning your head, you spit out blood before locking gazes with him again. Smug bastard. You still have your pride and dignity as a pirate. He sighs, lifting the sword. "It was nice meeting you, but I'm going to kill you now."
When you see him ready to plunge to the sword straight into your heart, your nerves ignite and your hands grab the blade which cuts into your skin. Blood oozes from your wound and you hiss, but you don't let go. The sword struggles in your grip as you fight against the Vice Admiral. Surging forward, you push him back and deliver a precise kick to his ankle which makes his knee buckle. Adrenaline masks the pain and gives you a burst of strength which allows you to rip the sword from his hands. Before he could retaliate, you use the sword to stab him in the stomach. He howls in pain, collapsing to the ground in a growing pool of his own blood. He doesn't move. Tossing the sword aside, you start running. You have to find your crew. They're plenty strong, you all are, but this marine base was a force to reckon with.
Please let them be okay.
You change course when you hear the sound of swords clashing. Up ahead, you spot Zoro holding a Vice Admiral back, his body acting as wall to keep him from reaching Luffy behind him. Your captain is flat on his back, breathing slowly. He must have used up his haki. As you come closer, Zoro looks over his shoulder.
"Take Luffy and go!" He commands.
Without wasting any time, you throw Luffy over your shoulder and continue running. Raspy syllables of your name fall from his lips, but you shush him. "Save your breath. I'll keep you safe." However, the adrenaline starts to wear off and the pain seizes your limbs. You feel how heavy your body is with each step, your pace slowing. Tripping over your feet, you crash into the ground. Clenching your jaw, you push yourself up and notice how the dirt is stained red from your blood. You can't afford to slow down. You have to keep moving.
Once Luffy is back over your shoulders, you stumble forwards on shaky legs. Ideally, you need to find a place to hide for a bit until Luffy recovers his haki. What you find instead is a cliff. The sea roars from below, waves crawling up the cliffside and carving into the rock. In a daze, you watch the ocean swallow a couple of small rocks as they tumble down the cliff.
Fuck.
"Found you."
Fuck.
Whipping your head around, your eyes widen when you see the Vice Admiral you stabbed leaning against his sword. His other hand presses against his side which is covered in crimson. Instinctively, you take a step back and tighten your grip on Luffy, eyeing the sea below.
"I'm going to pay you back for what you did," the Vice Admiral growls, low and angry.
Your mind races. Considering the circumstances, neither you or the marine can afford a long, drawn out battle. The battle will end by one, decisive move. If you die, the Vice Admiral would kill Luffy. If you jump into the ocean, you wouldn't be able to swim and hold up Luffy. Zoro is occupied with his own battle. You don't know where the rest of your crew is. The only person standing in the way of the Vice Admiral is you. The only person who can protect Luffy is you.
You glance over to Luffy when he calls your name weakly. You've made your decision.
Setting him on the ground next to you and away from the edge, you face the Vice Admiral had on, your gaze unwavering. There's no fear in your eyes. Letting out a determined yell, he lunges towards you with the sword aimed at your stomach. You let the blade impale you and release a shrill scream, blood spurting past your lips. As he pulls back his sword, your trembling hands grip his own, keeping the sword inside you and halting his movement.
"What are you-"
"You're coming with me," you spit out.
Fueled by nothing but the need to protect Luffy, you hurl yourself backwards over the cliff, your grip tight around the Vice Admiral's. The wind rushes past both of you, but you could hear the distinct screech of your name echoing in the air. Plunging into the cold depths, your hands loosen. The Vice Admiral tries to swim, but he's too weak. The both of you sink into the awaiting abyss where no one will be able to find you. Though your consciousness fades and your heart slows, your soul yearns for the one who has a smile that overshadows the brightness of the sun.
Luffy...
You close your eyes.
Groaning, you open your eyes slowly and blink a couple of times to focus your vision. A thick, heavy fog surrounds you. Sitting up, you wonder where you are. You don't recognize this place. And yet there's a sense of familiarity, like meeting an old friend you haven't seen in a while.
"Welcome back."
Turning in the direction of the voice, you gasp and crawl backwards. A hooded figure with empty eye sockets looks at you. Your eyes trail over to their bony hand holding a scythe that was taller than them. Your mouth open and closes, but nothing comes out. The fog grows thicker, shielding him from your view. Suddenly you feel drowsy, your eyes drooping.
"Till we meet again."
You're abruptly thrust into the waking world when your body hits something hard. Grunting at the impact, you take a moment to get your bearings. One, you're in Luffy's arms, his limbs coiled around you like vines. Two, the sheets are half on the bed and half twisted around your legs. Three, you're both on the floor. Luffy must have rolled over the edge of the bed in his sleep. Not the first time it has happened, but it doesn't mean you like exchanging your comfortable mattress for the floorboards.
"Luffy...," you grumble, hint of annoyance in your tone.
He continues to sleep, unbothered from falling off the bed. Your features soften. You can't be mad at him for too long, not when he wants to be even closer to you in his sleep with how he nuzzles into your neck, squeezing your body unconsciously. Your hand reaches up to comb through his hair which earns you a soft sigh warming your skin. Smiling, you rest your chin on top of his head.
Ah well. Laying on the floor wrapped up in Luffy's arms is not the worst thing. You'll endure far worse for him.
You let out a heavy sigh as you sink into the tub, the warm water relieving your sore muscles. After training with Zoro, this was just what you needed. There's also the sweet aroma of vanilla in the air thanks to the scented candles. Your ears pick up on footsteps, glancing up to see Nami and Robin. The water ripples as they both get in, the tub large enough for all three you with room to spare thanks to Franky.
"Mhmm...this feels good," Nami hums, stretching out her legs and briefly shutting her eyes.
"It's been a while since you bathed with us," Robin notes.
"That's because Luffy hogs you all to himself." Nami cracks open one eye to look at you.
She's not wrong. Luffy's not one for bathing or showering, but he'll happily join you. You enjoy the company and it works to everyone's benefis since Luffy won't stink on a regular basis. You like to care for him, washing his hair and scrubbing his body. He would do the same to you, albeit a little uncoordinated but no less heartfelt. Sometimes he'll drag you to the shower himself if he got dirty from exploring. He likes molding shapes with bubbles if you have a bubble bath and more than anything else, he likes to touch you. Not necessarily sexual touches, but touching just to feel you. He's always has to be touching you in some way in public and behind closed doors. He's never been shy about it and you've never shied away from him.
When you told him you would be bathing with the girls today because you haven't in a while just like Robin said, he was the under the assumption that he would still join you regardless ("Sure, sounds fun!"). This resulted in a swift kick to his head by Sanji and a scolding from Nami.
The archaeologist chuckles. "He adores you."
"I can say the same thing about Franky adoring you. What was that 'special item' he said he was going to finish for you?" You tease.
There's a twinkle in her eyes, holding up a finger to her lips. "That's a secret."
The orange haired navigator scrunches up her face. Catching her expression, you snicker. "Someone's mind is in the gutter."
"Care to share what you're thinking?" Robin eggs her on further, smiling.
You two-!"
You dissolve into a fit of laughter, the other two joining in shortly after. You converse a little longer before washing each other's hair, you washing Nami's hair and Robin doing yours. Nami and Robin were done with washing their bodies first and you let them know you'll come join them in the library later. Once you were satisfied with soaking in the tub, you stand up, the water cascading down your skin. Getting out of the tub, you pass by the full length mirror. You stop, your gaze trailing over the scars on your body. An x shaped scar on your shoulder, a jagged line curving from the back of your left thigh to the front. Smaller scars litter your arms. You haven't really taken the time to examine them. They were proof of your survival. Each scar was a chapter with its own story.
Your hand traces the scar on your thigh in quiet contemplation before moving up your body. Your eyebrows knit together when you feel several uneven lines on your stomach. Pausing and glancing at the mirror, you see no physical markers. Thinking that you imagined it, you hone your attention onto your stomach as your fingers brush over skin once more. It feels as though there were several cuts overlapping with each other, like a jumbled mess of wires where you don't know where one begins or ends. Your hand roams further, up your chest and collarbone to your face, charting known territory and discovering new landmarks. There's a slash across your chest, a line around your neck, a rougher groove on your cheek, a smaller cut underneath your right eye...you keep finding more. Your gaze constantly switches back and forth between the mirror and your body, reconfirming that there was nothing there visually, but you feel it, all of it. There's history etched into your skin, but you can't remember any of it.
Your hands fall limply by your side. Gazing into the mirror, someone different stares back at you.
Somehow, you pulled a Zoro and got lost in the forest, unable to find your way back to the ship.
You were exploring the forest just fine with Luffy. He held your hand and tugged you along while his free hand swiped strange looking fruits off the trees and ate them without hesitation. It was a little concerning, but Luffy can eat just about anything. You were intrigued by the carvings on some tree trunks and decided to study them when something caught Luffy's attention and he launched himself in the direction of whatever interested him. You didn't mind, Luffy was a free spirit after all. Always moving, always looking forward.
Unfortunately for you, you can't find the right path. You can usually find your way back since you mentally map the route you take. When you think you took the right turn, it leads you somewhere else. It feels like you're going in circles because of how everything looks the same. Maybe you memorized the path wrong. Another part of you wonders if the path itself is changing. You wouldn't be surprised if it was. You've experienced weirder things. Question is, how do you escape?
As you walk aimlessly, a fog rolls in. A living maze plus reduced visibility, just great. Your steps become slow and cautious. The atmosphere becomes unsettling, causing your stomach to churn. No rustling leaves, no birds singing, nothing. It was so quiet the only thing you can hear is your heart pounding in your ears.
All of a sudden, your foot trips over something and you fall forward. Palms slamming to the ground, you prevent yourself from faceplanting into the dirt. Craning your neck so you could look behind you, you inhale sharply and your eyes widen at the sight.
Abdomen soaked in blood, eyes half open and cloudy, a body lays on the ground. Your dead body. For a moment you're frozen. This...this has to be some sort of trick right? Someone's devil fruit conjured this image in front of you, your mind rationalizes. But, morbid curiosity gets the better of you. Crawling over to the body, your hand slowly reaches out to touch it. It was solid and cold and real.
The realization shocks you to the core, falling backwards onto your ass and scrambling away from the body until your hand makes contact with another solid object. Behind you was another body, your body, with a gaping hole in your chest. You screech, your body shooting up like a spring. As you run, the fog recedes to reveal more bodies. They are the stones lining the bloody path you're on. Some of the bodies were burned, others were missing a limb or multiple, a few filled with bullet holes. You pass by one without a head and you nearly tripped again. Your heart batters against your ribcage, trying to break free. There's no end to the bodies.
Do you know how many times it's been?
Do you know how many times it's been?
Do you know-
"Shut up!" You come to a stop, shutting your eyes and grabbing a fistful of your hair. "Just shut up! Get out of my head!"
The voice vanishes. You take deep breaths. In. Out. In. Out. You open your eyes slowly, anxiety coursing through your veins. You find yourself in a clearing, the dead bodies absent. The change in scenery does little to quell your nerves. You still don't know where you are.
"Luffy!" Cupping your hands around your mouth, you turn in different directions and frantically call for him. "Luffy! Luffy, where are you?" You need him. You need him to hold you, comfort you, ground you-
Your eyes land on your captain who stands a few meters away from you. Your shoulders sag, arms resting by your sides. "Thank god," you sigh and walk towards him. "We need to get out of here. This forest-"
His blank stare stop you in your tracks. Luffy doesn't move, doesn't even blink. He's a statue, rooted to his spot. "Luffy?" There's a tinge of hesitation in your tone.
His eyes widen in recognition. Like thunder, the sound of your name booms in the air. You didn't have any time to react as Luffy launches himself towards you, colliding with your body full force. Falling backwards onto the ground, you barely registered the pain because of how Luffy clings to you so tightly, his arms and legs stretched around your torso.
"It's you," Luffy chokes out, nose pressed into your hair. His nose slides down your cheek before nestling his face into your neck, his shoulders shaking. "It's really you." His wavering voice makes your heart ache.
Seeing Luffy so shaken up worries you. He holds onto you like you were going to disappear if he doesn't hold onto you tight enough. Did the forest show him something horrifying too? It's the only thing you can think of that would warrant this kind of reaction.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm here," you reassure, pushing yourself up in a sitting position. Embracing him, you cup the back of his head and lean your head against his. He shudders, his fingers clawing at your back. You bite back a hiss, focusing on comforting your captain.
The sound of rapid footsteps reaches your ear. The rest of the crew arrive and just like Luffy, they freeze in their spots. A mixture of shock and disbelief paint their expressions as if they just saw a ghost.
"It can't be...," Nami covers her mouth as she sinks to the ground.
"Is that really...," Sanji cuts himself off, mouth open and closing.
"T-There's no way...," Usopp stutters.
Your eyebrows furrow together. "What's wrong?" You ask.
"Sounds just like her," Franky notes, but looks at you warily.. What did that mean? Of course you sound like yourself.
"Doesn't mean that it is her. That thing can't be her," Zoro's voice is hard. He's the only one who looks angry, his gaze piercing and deadly. His hand rests on the hilt of his sword. "That thing's an imposter," venom drips from his words.
"Woah woah," you hold your hands up. The hell is going on? "It's me, you know me!"
"Don't play dumb," the swordsman growls, radiating a murderous aura. "You put Luffy under your spell, but that shit won't work on me."
"Spell!?" You sputter. "I don't know what you're talking about! I'd never do anything to hurt Luffy!"
"Zoro, wait-"
"Don't tell me you're falling for it to too," Zoro snaps at Nami, his jaw clenched. "You've seen what happened to her, we all did!" The navigator looks away. Chopper hiccups, tears in his eyes.
"Lay off her," Sanji retorts, squaring his shoulders. "Being pissed off isn't helping anyone right now."
"Why shouldn't I be pissed off? That thing took on the appearance of our dead friend to trick us!"
You blink. The gears in your head slowly turn. Dead friend? You? Your mind flashes with the dead bodies in the forest.
"Stop it." Luffy's low, serious tone capture everyone's attention. His head dips down, burying his face into your chest. "It's (y/n)." He's the first and only one to address you by name.
"We buried her, Luffy." Zoro reminds him.
Luffy squeezes your body. "I know it's her." Final words. He says it with such conviction, believes in you with every fiber of his being. The swordsman remains unconvinced, but keeps his mouth shut. No one else talks back.
Meanwhile, your mind spirals. They buried you. You're supposed to be dead. Dead.
"You don't understand what's going on, do you?" Robin finally speaks after observing you the entire time.
You vigorously shake your head. "No, I don't."
She takes a moment to think, eyebrows drawn together and her thumb under her chin. "The townsfolk refer to this forest as 'The Passageway.' A passageway implies a connection between two places. Perhaps...," She trails off, collecting the words she needs.
"What is it, Robin-san?" Brook inquires.
The archaeologist looks you dead in the eye. "You're from another timeline."
"Eeeh!?" Usopp and Chopper yell in unison.
"Wait, are you saying that there's multiple worlds like ours?" Franky says, shocked.
Robin nods. "The forest acts as a bridge between different worlds. Our (y/n) is dead, but this (y/n), from another world, crossed over."
"You really think that's what's going on here?" Zoro crossed his arms over his chest.
"Considering our location and the townsfolk sighting what they thought were their clones here, I'm positive."
Each piece of new information was a wave that crashes into you, constantly battering you and dragging you to the depths below. The puzzle pieces reveal a picture you want to deny, but there's no other way to arrange them.
Feeling Luffy shift against you, you glance down at the same time he lifts his head, your noses touching. If you're from one world and he's from another, and the you from his world is dead, then that means he's not your Luffy. No, that doesn't sound right. Even if this is another timeline, this Luffy looks at you the same way your Luffy does: Full of warmth, affection, and utter devotion. You were loved in this world just as you are in your world.
One way or another, he's still your Luffy.
"I don't care where you came from," your captain simply says. "You're here now."
His words would have made you melt if it weren't for the fact that you can't stay here. The rest of the crew must be thinking the same thing, but they say nothing. They watch you and Luffy with sad expressions on their faces, knowing that this was but a fleeting moment. You distract yourself by cupping his face in your hands, mustering a smile for him.
"I love you Luffy," you whisper for his ears alone. His breath hitches, eyes turning glassy.
Right after you said that, the dreaded fog returns. It swirls around your body, forcibly removing Luffy from you and dragging you away from him.
"No!" He jumps to his feet and runs after you. "Don't go!" He begs, voice strained. He stretches his arm, desperate to reach you. Anguish and despair color his face, your heart breaking. He disappears from your view, but you hear him clearly.
"Don't leave me again!"
The fog tosses you outside the forest with a thud. You look up at the sky in a daze, a storm brewing inside you. It builds and builds, all sorts of emotions twisting around and smashing into each other. You're holding on by a single thread, swinging dangerously over the edge. Out of nowhere, Luffy pops into your vision. Your throat tightens, hot tears welling up behind your eyes.
"There you are!"
The thread snaps and you fall.
A sob bursts from your lips. Sitting up, you fling your arms around his neck and burrow your face in his chest. Deep, heaving cries echo in the air, tears wetting his skin. No amount of screaming or wailing will drain the ocean of sorrow that dwells inside you.
"What's wrong!? Are you hurt?" Luffy asks, panic stricken. "I'll go get Chop-
"Stay, please stay," you plead in a broken, scratchy voice. He's the only one who can keep you steady in the rough seas, the only one who can pull you safely back to shore. Curled up in his arms, you make yourself small to hide from the world, but you can't hide from your own thoughts. Your dead bodies lining the pathway. Being ripped away from Luffy from another world who already mourned you once. The occasional nightmares about you dying, the invisible lines inscribed onto your skin.
You're fated to die over and over again, never to stand by Luffy's side for long.
The rest of the crew worries about you. With your sudden withdrawn demeanor, you're not surprised. Zoro and Robin express their concern quietly. Gazing at you from afar, never pushing you for an answer, but always there if you need them. Brook always has an extra cup out when he's drinking tea, a silent invitation. Chopper and Nami want to help you, but they don't know how. Usopp and Franky try cheering you up with cool stories and inventions respectively. Sanji cooks your favorite meals which you know are delicious, but can't bring yourself to finish.
Then there was Luffy.
He asks you straight what was wrong, but you don't give a straight answer back. It frustrates him, but he doesn't bring it up again. Instead, he sticks close by you, never letting you leave his sight. Even when you're somewhere on the ship in the middle of the night because you're restless, Luffy sleepwalks to you. Conscious or unconscious, night or day, rain or shine, his compass points towards you. He'll carve his own path to reach you if he has to.
But he can't reach you if you're dead.
Thoughts about Death flood your mind. You wonder how many times you've died. You wonder how you'll die next. You wonder if you'll be buried or if your body won't be found. Death defined you. It was your shadow, it's presence lingering behind you at all times. You can't ignore it, can't hide from it, can't run from it.
You can't even listen to Luffy's heartbeat in peace because these thoughts drown out the steady, strong beat of his heart. Nestled in his arms with your cheek pressed against his chest, you and Luffy sit on top of the lion figurehead. The ocean gleams in the early morning light. You and Luffy are up earlier than usual. Normally, only Sanji would be up around this time in order to prepare breakfast for everyone. You couldn't sleep. Either Luffy sensed your turmoil or just happen to wake up early, you don't know. Regardless, he took you by the hand and led you to his special spot.
He's quiet, content to watch the ocean. You wish you could follow his example. You try distracting yourself by playing with his fingers. When that doesn't work, you heavily sigh. Your eyes flicker to the vast ocean, stretching beyond what your eyes can see.
"What do you want to do after becoming Pirate King?" you ask, tilting your head up to look at him.
"I wanna keep sailing and have more adventures with everyone," He responds, meeting your gaze. "Do you wanna do something different?"
Your heart clenches. All you ever want is to be with him and create more memories with the rest of the crew, but that won't happen. His sincerity chips away at your armor forged from fear and sorrow. Looking away, you say, "No, I plan on going wherever you go."
You wonder how many times you've lied to him like this.
He smiles at you, rubbing his cheek against yours. "I'll go wherever you want to go too. I wanna be with you, always."
You want to cry. Swallowing the lump in your throat, you shut your eyes. "I always want to be with you too, Luffy," you murmur, knowing damn well you're going to leave him behind.
The crew was keeping something from you. Communicating through shared looks. Choosing their words carefully when they're speaking with you. When you stared at Usopp thinking he would crack under pressure, he let out a nervous laugh, claiming there was something he needed to before scurrying away. On more than one occasion, Nami slapped a hand over Luffy's mouth and dragged away, hissing at him the entire time, most likely to keep him from spilling the secret they were all desperately trying to keep from you.
You don't pry. You're hiding something from them too.
When Brook asked you to accompany him in town, you obliged. Or rather, the crew encouraged you to go shopping. They try to be nice, but you could tell they wanted you gone from the ship for a secret purpose you're not privy to. You let them have their privacy and walk side by side with the musician into town. It seemed like he didn't need to purchase anything, so you deduced he was trying to buy time by keeping you occupied. There wasn't anything you wanted either, but you visited the shops with him anyway. What was the point when you're going to leave this world and get thrown into another.
It was hard not to notice the gloomy air around you. It stands in stark contrast to the bustling market life with vendors calling out their prices and deals, people chatting with each other, kids playing and laughing on the streets.
"Something troubles you," Brook starts off.
You keep your head down. "I have a problem I need to deal with on my own." You keep it as vague as possible.
"You don't have to shoulder everything on your own. You have us. We're here for you." A hidden plea. Please don't shut us out. Let us carry your burden with you.
You know that, but you couldn't bring yourself to tell them the truth. It's not about whether they would believe you or not because you know they would. The thing is, you're not even sure if anything can be done. More than that, you don't want them to know about your countless deaths. That knowledge would destroy them.
"Thanks Brook, but I can handle it on my own."
He says nothing more. You continue following him around until he decided to head back to the ship. Except, he tells you that he needs to blindfold you which makes you arch an eyebrow.
"Can I ask why?"
"That I cannot say. I can only ask you to trust me."
Despite being suspicious, you sigh. "Just don't make me trip or bump into anything."
"I will look out for any obstacles and guide you safely. Ah, but I don't have any eyes! Yoohoo!"
Your lips twitch at his skull joke. He covers your eyes with a piece of cloth, ensuring the knot was secure, but not too tight. Standing behind you, he rests his hands on your shoulders and gently maneuvers you around. Without your eyesight, you're completely dependent on Brook and you're fine with that. You know he won't let any harm come to you. Still, the use of a blindfold makes you curious. Maybe he wants to make sure you couldn't see what the others were doing on the ship and keep their secret intact.
When your ears pick up the familiar squeak of floorboards, you know you're stepping onto the deck of the Thousand Sunny. Oddly enough, you don't hear your crewmates. You expected to hear Luffy at least. Brook turns you, pushing you forward. Stopping for a moment, you hear the click of a doorknob, a door opening in front of you. Moving you inside, Brook unties the blindfold around your eyes.
"Happy birthday!!"
The loud cheers were accentuated with the party poppers Usopp and Chopper used. Streamers and balloons of your favorite colors around the kitchen. A collection of your favorite dishes surrounds the three tiered cake on the table. Everyone looks at you with bright eyes and joyful smiles.
You blink, stunned. You forgot about your birthday. This is what they've been planning?
"Sorry for being all weird, we wanted it to be a surprise," Usopp explains.
"We got lots of presents for you." Franky grins.
"C'mon, let's eat the cake!" Luffy stretches his arm around your waist and yanks you next to him. He's about to dig his fingers into the cake and take out a chunk, but Nami slaps his hand away first.
"Not yet, idiot," Nami huffs. "She has to blow out the candles first."
"Yeah, make a wish!" Chopper beams.
You stare at the perfectly frosted cake before switching your gaze to your crew. They did all of this for you. Going all out for parties, especially birthday parties, wasn't anything new, but something dawns on you, something important, something you should have never forgotten, when you see them so happy to celebrate your birthday. They nurture the spark inside your heart that was on the verge of being snuffed out. A few tears slip down your cheeks.
"What's wrong?" Sanji asks, worried.
You shake your head, sniffling and rubbing your eyes. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just...really happy to be here with you guys."
Focusing you attention back on the cake, you close your eyes.
I'm going to stay by Luffy's side and see him become Pirate King. I'm going to continue sailing with everyone.
It's not a wish, but rather reaffirming your resolve that you lost but found again. Opening your eyes, you blow out the candles, wisps of smoke disappearing into the air. The kitchen erupts in cheers and applause and you find yourself grinning wide, the warmth from your heart traveling all over your body. Turning to Luffy, you squish his cheeks in your hands and capture his lips in a deep kiss. He smiles into the kiss, pulling your body onto his lap and squeezing your hips. Breaking apart, you rub your nose against his and giggle, Luffy joining in.
"Let's eat!" He announces.
The food was delicious, as expected. Sanji kept the dishes coming seeing as Luffy had a bottomless stomach. Whenever you had bits of food clinging to the corner of your mouth, Luffy would lick it off. Brook plays an upbeat tune, perfect for dancing. You and Nami dance together before Robin whisks you away with her devil fruit ability and twirls you around. Franky, Chopper, and Usopp were eager for you to open the presents. The presents were thoughtful and suited your needs, melting your heart. You gave everyone a hug, even grumpy Zoro, who for once looked softer around the edges today.
It was fun, it was lively, and more than anything else, you feel happy.
Here on the Thousand Sunny with your crew, this was your home.
"Chopper! Chopper!"
You can barely make out anything with your blurry vision, but you do feel pressure being applied to your stomach. Wet drops fall onto your forehead. The pool of blood grows larger and larger. You're dying. Chopper won't make it in time. There's nothing anyone can do.
"You can't go," Luffy hiccups, pressing harder into your stomach, but it's no use.
He's nothing but a blur, but you attempt to smile anyways. You want him to remember you smiling.
"I'm glad I'm yours," you mumble. You don't use the past tense. You may be dying (and have died countless times), but you're always going to be his, no matter what.
Head lolling to the side, your eyelids close. If he said anything else, you don't hear him.
You die over and over again, playing the same song and dance in each world. You retain memories of your past lives while your crew remain blissfully unaware. You come back every time, but you're captured in a web spun by Fate's thread, keeping you from staying by Luffy's side. It was a constant, a universal law you're aiming to break.
Though, you'd be lying if you said you weren't a little irritated in your long quest to defy Fate.
When you wake up with the familiar fog surrounding you, you sit up and narrow your eyes. "I'm getting tired of seeing you," you say, annoyed.
"Now that's a harsh thing to say," Death responds.
Rolling your eyes, you hug your knees to your chest. Death stands next to you like a looming tower, scythe firmly in his grasp. He never lets go of it. He stares off into the distance while you stew in your thoughts.
"How many more times do you think I'll die?" You ask. You've stopped counting, but you think you died at least a hundred times by now.
"I don't know." Death hums. "You're the first being I've met who refuses to stay dead."
You shrug. "I'm stubborn."
"Or foolish."
You lay down on your back, your arms and legs stretched out. "Yeah, I guess you could say that about me."
"Have you considered doing something different when you arrive in another world?"
You shake your head as if the idea itself was absurd. "I have no intention of changing what I want to do."
"Why is that?" Death looks down, empty eye sockets boring into you.
Your let out an airy laugh, the answer coming to you as easily as stating the sky was blue. "Because I choose Luffy. I choose him every single time."
This island was a graveyard.
There was a not a single living soul around. No humans or animals were present. The only indication of life, or past life, were bones scattered around. However, there were abandoned, run down buildings. Based on the equipment inside, Chopper posits that these were research facilities. Researching what, who knows.
Luffy and Franky were surveying the area outside while you looked around inside one of the buildings. Interestingly, it was made out of sea stone. Devil fruit users used to be here then and they needed to be weakened. The implications of that leads you to unpleasant thoughts, your eyes darting to Luffy outside. Running your hand across the wall, you hand dips into a groove and you hear a click.
Suddenly, the door to the building slams down. You whirl around, eyes wide. The systems were online? How?
That was the least of your worries. A green gas materializes, floating towards you. Heart pounding, you try to break through the door to no avail. You try to find another exit and call your crewmates, all while the gas comes closer. You hear your name on the other side, Luffy trying to punch his way in and Franky throwing his entire body at the door.
You grow woozy, leaning against the door and sliding down. A series of violent coughs overtake you, splattering blood on your hands and floor. The calls of your name becomes desperate. The door won't budge. Dark spots appear in your vision, your consciousness fading.
No...I can't...I can't...
The steady beeping of the heart monitor fills the air. It's the only sign that tells Luffy you're alive. Barely. Hooked up to various tubes and wires, you lay motionless on the cot in the infirmary. It's been a week and a half. You've yet to open your eyes. Luffy hardly leaves your side. He stations himself next to your cot, sitting criss cross on the chair and gripping his ankles. At night, he sleeps on the floor and holds your hand, hoping that you would squeeze his hand back.
He trusts you to keep fighting and he trusts Chopper to cure you, but the ache in his heart doesn't go away. He wants to hear you laughing. He wants to see you smiling. He wants to feel you cuddling against him. He knows Chopper is doing the best he can. Pouring over his medical textbooks, scribbling notes in his notebook, trying out different medications. The reindeer stays up late into the night, both to monitor you and continue researching. Luffy stays out of his way, though his eyes never leave your form. And if he has to leave the room, then he sits outside by the door, unmoving. He tries to fill the silence, talking about anything that comes to his mind. Only the heart monitor answers him.
Sometimes, Brook plays a song that you would hum to. It was a peaceful, sweet melody. He likes it when he hears your heartbeat and feels your chest vibrate with your hums at the same time. Luffy half expects the music to rouse you from your unconscious state, but there's no movement.
Sanji has to come by and provide meals for him and Chopper. Not even the smell of meat can lure Luffy out. Instead of vacuuming the food straight into his mouth, he chews slowly. Sanji's food was tasty, but he would enjoy it more when you were eating with him. Sanji doesn't comment on his reduced appetite. He just watches you with a faraway look in his eyes, reeking of nicotine.
Usopp comes by often, asking Chopper about your status and also filling the silence with what he did for the today like what sort of cool fish he reeled in. The sniper laughs but it's strained, the smile not reaching his eyes. His voice would grow quiet and his shoulders would slump, the light in his eyes dim.
Nami has to physically drag him out of the infirmary to get him to shower. Luffy hates showering alone. He misses the feeling of your hands in his hair and body, treating him with care. He would've stayed where he was if it wasn't for his navigator looking at him with red rimmed eyes and tear stains on her cheeks.
They were all hurting. As the captain, it was his job to raise morale, but Luffy has nothing to offer to his crew.
Luffy wakes up with a jolt, gasping.
"Are you okay?"
Tilting his head forward, he spots Chopper by his desk, the lamp still on. Under his eyes were dark crescents, but there's concern in his gaze. Sitting up, Luffy uses his free hand to rub his eyes.
" 'M fine," he says. Chopper doesn't say anything else, just continues to observe him.
Luffy shifts his attention to you. Still unmoving, still unconscious. He couldn't save you in time and his mind repeatedly reminds him of that fact in his nightmares. He keeps running and running to reach you, but you're just out of reach, swallowed by the shadows. His free hand closes into a fist. He's stronger now, much stronger than before, but he can't do anything to help you. Leaning forward, he rests his cheek on the cot, looking at your face.
Unlike in his nightmares, he could touch you. You're still here.
"She's been stable for the past few days which is a good sign," Chopper speaks up.
The strawhat captain hums in acknowledgement. He squeezes your hand.
"Keep fighting," he murmurs into the quiet air.
The crew waits with bated breath as Chopper checks the heartbeat of the survivor they just rescued. His eyebrows were furrowed, listening intently. Then, Chopper breathes a sigh of relief and pulls away from the survivor to look at the crew.
"They have a good pulse."
The crew relaxes. Chopper continues, his eyes scanning their body. "I don't see many external wounds, just some minor cuts, but I need to check if they have internal injur-
He's cut off by a groan, the survivor rolling their head from side to side. They reveal their green eyes, clouded with confusion.
"It's okay, we rescued you. I'm going to treat any injuries you have. Can you tell me your name?" Chopper questions, his voice firm and calm.
They mumble out a name before losing consciousness. After transferring them to the infirmary, Chopper gives them a full checkup. Thankfully, the survivor had no internal injuries. He cleaned the cuts and provided them with fluids. A while later, they regained consciousness. Once Chopper deemed that they were okay, he lets them leave the infirmary. They were hungry, understandably, and so Chopper brings them to the kitchen where Sanji whips up a simple meal. The rest of the crew were there as well, including Luffy, though his hand is stretched all the way to the infirmary so he could continue holding your hand.
"Thank you for rescuing me," they express their gratitude. Their eyes drift to Chopper, smiling. "I'm glad to have such a wonderful doctor look after me."
"Complimenting me doesn't make me happy, you jerk!" The reindeer sways from side to side, obviously pleased and happy.
"What led to you being out at sea?" Nami asks.
"Oh some townsfolk weren't happy with their fortune so they chased me out of their island," they answer casually, shrugging. "My ship got caught in a pretty bad storm, but I didn't drown at least."
"Fortune?" Robin arches an eyebrow.
"I'm a traveling fortune teller," they clarify, green eyes shining.
"So you can tell anyone's fortune?" Franky leans forward, interested.
"For a price of course. But because you saved me, this fortune reading is free." Their smile drops and the air grows cold. Usopp audibly gulps. "There's a cursed presence on this ship." They say in a low voice.
"C-Cursed? One of us is cursed?" Usopp squeaks out.
The fortune teller nods. "The girl in the infirmary."
"(y/n)?" Brook says your name in disbelief.
"She should be dead."
Zoro's eye narrows. In the middle of washing dishes, Sanji pauses. Chopper's eyes dart to Luffy. The strawhat captain wears a blank look on his face.
"What do you mean?" Robin dares to ask.
"There was an event that was supposed to kill her."
Luffy becomes rigid like a plank.
"Isn't it a good thing that she's a alive?"
The fortune teller looks at the orange haired navigator. "She is cursed, she must die. That is her fate. Frankly, I don't understand how she is even alive."
"Watch what you're sayin'," Zoro snarls, glaring at them.
"Got some nerve talking about our crewmate like that when we saved you." Frank crosses his arms over his chest.
The fortune teller holds their hand up. "I am simply stating her fortune. I understand it is difficult to stomach the fortune of someone close to you."
"It's also possible you're lying to us," Sanji remarks, turning around to face them. "You claim you're a fortune teller, expecting us to believe you easily." His expression hardens. "Telling us that our beloved (y/n) is cursed and needs to die...I cannot forgive you for that."
They're unfazed by the animosity directed towards them. "You're not the first to deny my fortune reading. Did you think a fortune reading involves only good things?"
A few of them wanted to retort, but their captain beat them to it.
"Your fortune reading is dumb."
The fortune teller blinks at the strawhat captain. "Excuse me?"
He stands up, the brim of his hat casting a shadow over his expression. "(Y/n)'s not cursed." He says it with a tone of finality that the fortune teller couldn't bring themselves to talk back to him. Luffy exits the kitchen, leaving the crew with the fortune teller.
"I suggest you keep quiet until we arrive at the next island." Robin's eyes were cold. "That is, if you would like to keep yourself intact. I don't think you need your fortune reading to know what I mean by that, do you?"
Two hands sprout on the fortune teller's shoulders, hovering over their neck.
Wisely, they kept their mouth shut.
It feels like someone was pounding your skull with a hammer. A beeping sound further aggravates your headache. Every part of your body hurts. It takes all your strength to lift your eyelids. You blink a couple of times to clear away the fuzzy vision. You can't tell where you are. You can't really get up, but you could wiggle your fingers. Something warm encased your hand.
Your first thought was whether this was a new world you were thrown into.
All of a sudden, Luffy shoves his face close to yours, his eyes wide. "She's awake! Chopper, she's awake!"
Wincing at his loud voice, Chopper soon shows up in your view. He gasps, but quickly recovers and wears a serious expression on his face. "Can you tell me your name?"
Your voice sounds hoarse to your own ears as you tell him your name. "Do you know who we are?"
"Lu..ffy...Chop..er...," you mumble out in broken syllables. At the sound of his name, Luffy surges forward and presses his face into the crook of your neck, breathing shakily. You want to run your fingers through his hair to comfort him, but you can't lift your arms.
Chopper breathes a sigh of relief. "That's good."
"Where..."
"You're in the infirmary on the Thousand Sunny. You've been out for three weeks." Chopper answers.
Three weeks?
"Just focus on recovering for now," He says as if he could read your mind which was full of questions.
You glance down at Luffy who stays glued to your neck, like he wants to burrow under your skin. You give his hand a weak squeeze. He squeezes back.
You regain your strength bit by bit.
You find out that the poisonous gas you inhaled at that graveyard island nearly killed you. According to Chopper, it ravaged your body, but by some miracle, you held out. You held out long enough for him to create a drug to combat the poison.
You survived.
You weren't in another world. You didn't die. You were here, alive.
You cried. You cried so much your tears could fill a lake. And when your crew barreled into the room and cried with you, the air filled with hiccupping sobs and blubbering words, you were convinced that everyone's tears combined could fill an ocean. You didn't even care about the pain when Luffy pulled everyone into a group hug, his rubbery arms stretched around his nakama.
You felt at home, safe and warm and cherished.
For the most part, you're still in the infirmary so Chopper could track your recovery progress. You can move around, but you feel more on the weaker side. The poison did a lot of damage, so it's going to take some time to fully recover as Chopper explained to you. You weren't that bored since your crewmates drop by all the time, Robin brining books to read or Usopp bringing his art supplies so you and him could draw together or chatting with Brook over a cup of tea, but you didn't like being confined to one place. When you get antsy, Luffy carries you out onto the deck even though you could just lean against him. Chopper informed you that Luffy rarely left your side and if he did, he always held your hand regardless of where he was. It still holds true now, though it looks as though a weight was lifted off his shoulders.
Once he promised Chopper that he wouldn't hug you too tight, he quickly slid in next to you, his arms and legs wrapping around your body. You sigh happily, nuzzling into his chest. You feel his lips brush against your forehead.
"You're my (y/n)," he murmurs into your hair.
You smile, all warm and fuzzy inside. "All yours, Luffy."