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There's a buzz of excitement on the Sunny as they head for the next island, Luffy can already feel the call of adventure under his skin as he takes a deep breath of the salty air. The ship bobs with the waves underneath him and the sun is low on the horizon as he looks out at the ocean from the figurehead, trusting Jinbe's steering even as the waves start to get rougher.
He can smell the wafts of food coming from the kitchen and hears some of the crew already making their way into the dining room, but he doesn't move. Since awakening his fruit and tapping into his Voice of All Things, the ocean sometimes liked to talk to him. Her siren song to come into her depths, to return to the home that once was, had long since faded since he had repeatedly dismissed her.
It took some time and many moments of Nami sending him to Chopper to get his head checked out, but eventually she came around. The ocean never stopped her song completely but Luffy could tell that she was lonely too and liked having someone to talk to.
Today though, today she was quiet. Restless. There was something she wanted to say but she was fighting with herself on whether she should. The ocean didn't play favorites. She wasn't supposed to chose sides, but she hadn't had friend for a long time either.
"Luffy…"
Luffy looks up at the whisper of his name, the hoarse voice of the ocean sending shivers down his spine like he'd fallen overboard, "What."
"You are a… friend to me… yes?"
"When you're not trying to drown me," Luffy mutters, rolling his eyes when the ocean sways the Sunny violently to the side. "Yes, we're friends, what do you want now? Do you want Brook to play another song? I'm not giving you that giant shark back, Sanji already cooked him."
"No… I only wish to tell you… since we are friends… your moon is in danger… he is in my depths… I shall have him soon…"
"My what? What are you talking about?" Luffy asks, digging his finger into his ear as he becomes bored with this conversation. The ocean never liked to give clear advice, fickle even when she thought she was being helpful.
The ocean gives a low laugh, swirling her current around the ship as its painted red by the sun, "I shall let you hear him then… maybe you'll understand… he doesn't have much time…"
Luffy opens his mouth but stops, Law's voice is in his head. A gargled, breathless plea for someone to help his crew. He's being swallowed by the ocean and Luffy can hear every choked breath as he tries to swim to the surface.
He doesn't think, he doesn't yell, and he doesn't hear the screams behind him. Luffy dives off the Sunny's figurehead, transforming into his Gear 5 form before he can hit the water and soars towards the source of the cries.
The ocean laughs in his ear, Law's Voice getting closer the faster the flies but it's getting softer too. He's dying.
"Are you going to make it little god? Shall I help you?"
Luffy ignores her as he makes himself go faster, gripping pieces of the ocean to launch himself across the surface until he can see a white figure in the distance and hears the splashing water around him. He grows himself in size, the ocean sighing in disappointment as he dips his hand into her depths and scoops Law into the palm of his hand. He reaches over and picks Bepo up as well, placing the Mink onto his shoulder as Law vomits the water out of his lungs.
Law pants as he tries to catch his breath, falling limp in Luffy's hand before completely passing out.
"Captain!" Bepo shouts, his paws tightening on Luffy's vest. "Straw Hat we need to…!"
"We need to get back to the Sunny," Luffy says, bringing his hand close to his chest and turning back towards the wide ocean, a trail of clouds marking his flight across them. "I don't have much energy left."
"But the crew…"
"We'll come back for them, but we're going to be in trouble if I don't head back now, so hold on." Luffy barks, placing his other hand around Law before taking off across the sky in search of the Sunny.
Luffy can feel himself wavering as his feet drag across the waves, he can feel the ocean's temptation to drag him down into her depths along with his passengers but he fights against the silent call with all his might. In this form her influence is merely a whisper in his mind but his hunger is starting to grow. Law's labored breath against his skin is the only thing keeping him moving, keeping him fighting against the hunger and maintaining his form as he slowly sees his ship appear on the horizon.
There's yelling across the lawn, Nami's voice above everyone else's as the Sunny starts to turn in his direction. He gives himself one solid kick against the water that brings him soaring through the air right up to the side of the ship.
"Luffy!"
The crew run to him as he lays Law down onto the desk then shifts his shoulders to let Bepo jump down next to him before slowly shrinking down to his normal size, his power receding as he flops onto the grass.
"Do you care to explain yourself?" Nami demands, standing above him as he pants. "What the fuck happened?!"
Luffy can hear Chopper moving to help Law, Bepo explaining everything to the little doctor as he carries him to the medical bay, he gives a sigh of relief before meeting Nami's furious gaze. "Torao was in trouble, I went to help him."
"And why didn't you tell us!?" Nami shouts, waving her fist as Robin comes over to him and starts checking him over.
"Too slow," Luffy mutters, his stomach giving a loud grumble. "I'm hungry."
Nami makes a noise of annoyance and marches away, Robin laughs softly before crossing her arms over her chest and brings him a plate of food.
"What happened Luffy? Everyone was worried when Jinbe told us you jumped off the ship," Robin says gently, another plate being brought by her blooming hands as he devours the first.
"S'ry," Luffy says through a mouthful of food, he swallows and picks up the hunk of meat. "The ocean told me that Torao was in trouble so I went to him, he was drowning."
"I see," Robin says slowly, her hands bringing him a cup of juice and smiling when Sanji sticks his head out of the kitchen to tell her to stop grabbing food. "And did you think we wouldn't want to help Law as well? The alliance may have ended but we still consider him a friend."
Luffy shrugs, "Torao was in trouble."
Robin nods, she looks over at Zoro and shares a knowing smile with him, "Well, I'm just glad you were able to come back safely with them. I would have hated to hear that you two had drowned before making it back to the ship."
Zoro chuckles, moving away from the railing and offering his hand to her to help her stand up, "You interrupted our dinner, Captain, Law must be pretty damn important for you to skip that."
"Is there any shark left?" Luffy asks, jumping to his feet and running to the kitchen before he can answer.
"Is he awake yet, Chopper?" Luffy asks as he steps into the medical bay, his eyes going straight to Law's back on the bed at the end of the room.
"He's resting Luffy," Chopper says, spinning his chair to him, his hoof trailing on the medical book he had been reading. "Bepo said…"
"I want to hear it from him," Luffy says firmly, taking his straw hat off his head and placing it down on the table. "Have you eaten yet?"
"Ah no, Jinbe yelled that you jumped off the ship before I could…"
"Go to the kitchen, Chopper," Luffy says, shooting the little reindeer a wide smile. "Sanji is still cooking, go get something to eat. I'll watch him."
Chopper hesitates before nodding and hopping down from his chair, his hooves click against the wood as he leaves the room, the door closing softly behind him.
"I know you're awake, Torao," Luffy says softly, walking slowly to the bed and watching as the shoulders tense before relaxing and turning over. He feels a pang in his heart at the sight of tears running down Law's face. "Do you want to be alone?"
Law nods at once, biting his lip as his golden eyes flicker over to him.
Luffy tilts his head to the side, "Don't lie to me, Torao, I'm not going to leave you in pain just because you want to be in pain. We'll get your crew back, I already have Nami with the bear to take us back to where I found you."
Law sits up swiftly, opening his mouth but only a croak comes out, he holds a hand to his throat, trying to clear it but still no words can leave his lips.
"She got you good," Luffy mutters, sitting down on the edge of the bed, Law looks at him in confusion. He taps his forehead, "Voice of All Things, Momo can talk to that giant elephant, I can talk the ocean."
Law raises his brow, Luffy shrugs, rolling his eyes, "She's annoying, never gives me a straight answer and always sings about she's gonna drown me. But she did tell me that you were in trouble, so I guess she's not so bad."
Law gives a weak hoarse laugh then he sighs and falls back against the pillows as the sadness returns to his eyes.
Luffy reaches over and places his hand on his shoulder, "We'll get them back, Torao. No matter who has them, we'll get them back."
Law nods slowly as he takes a shaky breath, he scrubs a hand down his face and gives an irritated look at the port window next to his bed. Luffy looks out and sees the moon shining brightly in the starry sky, it's shaky reflection in the rolling waves.
"It's not just your crew that you're upset about, is it?" Luffy says gently, turning to see Law shake his head slowly as he stares out the window. Luffy tilts his head as he looks at Law's side profile, the sorrow in his face is a familiar one, "Your ship is gone, isn't?"
Law nods slowly, biting his lip as more tears run down his cheeks. Luffy doesn't hesitate to climb up the bed behind him and wrap his arms around his shoulders. Law tenses for a moment before relaxing and placing one of his hands on Luffy's arm.
"Sunny wasn't our first ship," Luffy whispers, leaning his head down against the back of Law's. "We got our first ship from Usopp's rich girlfriend, it was just me, Zoro, and Nami. Her name was Merry and she… she died after we rescued Robin."
Law makes a low confused noise in the back of his throat, he turns in Luffy's arms and he can tell from the look in his eyes that he needs more information to understand.
Luffy takes a deep breath, pulling them down to lay across the bed, "Merry took us everywhere in the beginning, she brought us into the Grand Line, got eaten by this giant whale called Laboon, Brook's friend, and she took us the the sky islands. I think it was then that she got really hurt."
Law lays his head down on the pillow next to Luffy's, his eyes curious as he listens.
Luffy turns his head to meet his gaze, "We took her to Water 7 to get fixed but… but they couldn't fix her. Her keel was broken, it must have happened when we fell from the sky or all the other times I messed up steering her. Didn't have a helmsmen then."
Luffy gives a small sniff as Law lays his arm across his chest, Luffy clings to it for comfort, "Robin was taken by the government so we had to go save her. Merry came for us and got us out but that was… that was the last adventure she could handle. She broke in two right there in the middle of the ocean as soon as we were all safe. Ice Pops helped us burn her and she's… she's buried there."
Luffy takes a deep breath, a slight burn in the back of his throat, "One day I'm going to take Sunny there, I want her to see where her sister came from. I tell her all about her when I have night watch and I want to take her everywhere that Merry went. She can't be Franky's ship of dreams without going to the sky at least once and she's… she's strong enough to come back without a scratch on her."
Luffy turns to look into Law's understanding eyes, "Shanks used to say that a Captain should go down with his ship but I think that only happens when there's no crew left to save. I still had my crew after Merry and your crew is still out there, Torao. Your ship is gone but you can get them back and rebuild."
Law nods slowly, he opens his mouth but closes it quickly as his throat bobs.
Luffy understands at once, he gives a small laugh making Law look at him sharply, he just smiles, used to Law's sharp looks that hide the soft heart he held. "Franky could build you a pretty cool sub, Torao. Big enough for Bart to fit. I don't think your crew would like a normal ship. You don't have to ask, he probably already has plans made up for you."
Law looks away, a red tint coming to his cheeks.
Luffy gives another laugh, he stretches his arm to pull the blanket over them, "You can complain about us not being allies anymore when you get your voice back Torao, but that's not going to stop me from helping you."
Luffy can feel Law's huff against his hair but his body relaxes across his. "You know, you're a lot more fun when you can talk back, Torao."
Luffy can hear a low grumble in his ear before they get replaced by hoarse snores, he turns his head to see Law's relaxed face close to his. The moonlight shines across the sharp angles of his jaw and cheeks, his black hair looking almost a dark blue in the light.
Luffy makes a silent promise to himself as he closes his eyes, he'll get Law's crew back, no matter what. Whoever took them had hell to pay for taking Law's smile away from him just when Luffy had given it back.