Where was he?
Zoro had woken in the middle of the night to find that their captain wasn't in his bed. He wondered whether the ero-cook had fallen asleep on duty and Luffy was raiding the kitchen. Figuring that was the most logical answer he swept his feet over the side of his hammock and abled towards the door, grumbling about stupid ero-cooks and monkeys.
Upon finding out that the cook indeed was asleep but that their captain wasn't in the kitchen Zoro grew curious. Sanji and he got into an argument (again) about nothing in particular which ended up waking the entire crew. Nami smacked both over the head and asked what they thought they were doing.
Sanji started swooning and apologizing whilst Zoro explained about Luffy. Finding it odd they searched the entire ship. Empty. They grew worried and Robin decided that she would use her devil fruit to see if she could find him on the island.
The search ended up being a success, though what she saw caused her to frown. Opening her eyes to see her friends worried anxious gazes she told them to follow her.
Leading them to a shore a couple of miles away, what the straw-hats saw confused them to no end. Luffy was standing at the end of the shore, barefoot with his feet in the water. His hands were in his short's pockets and his back was to them.
They walked up behind him but he didn't move an inch. Though they knew he knew they were there in the familiar tensing than relaxing of his shoulders.
When they got closer they stood behind him waiting for him to do something. Their feet were getting wet by the shore lapping against them slightly, though not as much as their captain who was up to his ankles. Then Luffy spoke.
"I love the sea. Ever since I was small it's called out to me, even after I lost the ability to swim." They'd never seen this Luffy before. This one was serene and calm; speaking in a tone that held only peace and tranquility.
"When we're on the Sunny and I get thrown off, accidentally or otherwise," he gave a fond chuckle, "it always leaves just enough time for someone to come and get me. It may seem like the sea hates me but," he paused, "look at it now."
They looked down at the water, gently allowing their captain into its domain, caressing his skin with small waves. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back ever so slightly, the moons rays lighting up the content look on his face. He breathed in the salty aroma then let it out.
Opening his eyes again he continued, "The Sea has taken so much from me, and yet, it's given me all that I could ask for." He turned around and looked at them with a small grin and they couldn't help but smile back. He laughed his regular Luffy laugh and they started walking back to the Sunny.
While listening to their captain ramble on in his normal happy-go-lucky way, saying he was hungry and Sanji should make them all a midnight snack, they couldn't help but wonder if they'd meet that Luffy ever again and if they did they just hoped it wasn't at 2 in the morning this time.