* 1 *
Usopp gives it to him the day after the Davy Back Fight, the day after his winning match against that foxy split-head - after his loss against that ice bastard - in the morning, when Robin is still too exhausted to leave the warmth of her makeshift pallet and even he feels sluggish, his rubbery limbs thawed but lead weights.
Their nakama are the only reason they're not still frozen, or shattered to bits; they haven't left the lounge, either, not the whole night, not the whole morning. Zoro's put Luffy's abandoned pallet to good use, Nami's curled beside Robin, sharing blankets and books; Chopper's sitting at the table, organizing sharp-smelling leaves, and Sanji's cooking up something that smells so hot and savory his mouth waters.
Usopp's tinkering at his workshop, and Luffy recognizes the funny-shaped and many-colored shells from their adventure in the sky.
He shuffles over to investigate, dragging four blankets with him because he can't seem to shake the chill from his body, and without them his muscles shake and his teeth chatter.
"Neh, Usopp, whatcha doin'," he asks, bouncing down beside his long-nosed friend.
"Trying to organize this lot," Usopp says, gesturing to the pile of Skypiean dials laid out before them. "I've got more than I know what to do with, thanks to my amazing~ negotiation skills."
"Didn't you just swindle them," Luffy says, pawing through the dozens of dials.
"I-I-I certainly did not," he gasps, clapping a hand to his chest. "I'll have you know that rubber bands are the most crucial tool for survival, they have infinite uses - "
"Hey, can I have one," Luffy says, picking up a round flat dial. He raises a finger to press the button at its apex - but Usopp slaps his wrist, and though it only stings a little, he drops the dial and pouts.
"Be careful," Usopp says, "that's an impact dial, you remember those, right? You could really hurt yourself."
He remembers them, all right - the force of it, penetrating even his rubbery body, the blow vibrating through every muscle and bone. He shifts, rubs his chest, which isn't bruised from an impact dial but aches just the same. "How can you tell?" he asks. "They all look the same."
"They do not," Usopp says. Luffy opens his mouth to protest but Usopp lifts a finger, touches his long nose, and points across the room. He follows his gaze - Nami has fallen asleep, nestled against Robin's side, their heads together in a pool of orange and raven.
"Here, you can have this one, okay?"
Usopp shoves a rectangular dial into his hand and then sweeps all the other dials away into his bag before hurrying out of the lounge, mumbling about using the water closet.
Well. Luffy shuffles over to his pallet and flops down next to Zoro's snoring form. The dial is really pretty small and thin, and it doesn't look like a shell at all, except for the little circular lens in the center on one side, and an even littler one towards the top on the back.
It's familiar and Luffy hums to himself and leans against Zoro's side, chewing his lip. Zoro grunts and shifts, so they're back-to-back, but he snores on and Luffy is warmer than ever.
Robin's fallen asleep now, too, one slim hand saving her spot in her book. She and Nami snore, too, but it's a different kind of snore than Zoro's, soft and quiet but just as comforting.
"Luffy," Sanji says. He looks up. The cook is watching him watching them. "You want some stew? It's almost done."
Luffy grins and his mouth waters again. "Yeah," he says, and he moves to get up.
"Hold your damn horses, Luffy," Sanji says. "Almost done isn't done! I'll get you a bowl, just stay put."
The cook turns back to the stove and pulls down seven deep bowls.
"Sanji," Chopper says, "could you boil some water, too? I want Luffy and Robin to have some of this tea."
"Sure thing, doctor," Sanji says, filling the kettle without moving away from the stew, which smells like heaven, it must be full of juicy meat, and if Sanji would just step away for a moment, he could -
"Don't even think about it, Luffy," the cook says without even looking.
"Just one taste?"
"No! Are you a damn animal or can you wait one shitty minute?"
Luffy slouches lower against Zoro's back and pouts, turning the little rectangular dial over and over in his hands. He's found the button already, small and circular in the upper righthand corner, but what's the damn thing for?
He lifts the dial to his face and looks into the tiny hole on the back.
He sees Nami's face, slack with dreams, tucked against Robin's shoulder, blankets and comforters pulled up to their chins. Robin's face is soft - not peaceful, not deeply asleep, like she's ready to jump awake at the slightest hint of danger - but the shadow from yesterday, the wide-eyed terror, is gone.
A knot in his chest eases, a knot he hadn't even noticed until the relief shudders through his body. Looking through the dial, he remembers - the old lady at Heaven's Gate, snapping pictures that were later used to identify them at Angel Island.
Watching them, he doesn't think he'll forget this moment - but just in case, he presses the button on the upper righthand corner, and the dial shudders and clicks.
Chopper twitches in his seat, and Luffy isn't sure why but - before the little reindeer can turn, he pulls his arms into the folds of his blankets and shoves the dial into his pocket.
Even if he forgets, something will remember - even if it is just a shell.