Hey! This is my first fic, go easy on me, and I know it's really long. Please rate and review; I have some ideas for future fics, but nothing solid yet. Thanks again! ^^
Also, this fic is based on the song Not With Haste, by Mumford and Sons
(link to the song, watch?v=Y8E9kso12GU)
Your eyes they tie me down so hard
I'll never learn to put up a guard
It was almost dawn.
He was standing by the railing, The Sunny's lion head to his right, a few feet away. Looking out at the open sea, remembering the things they went through over the past 3 or so years (he'd lost count) was nothing to take for granted. Thinking about what life was like back then brought a small smile to his lips. Things had changed so much, but he supposed that's what life was like. Even though he never read much into books, he supposed his raven haired friend would say, "Every life is a set of stories, and every story has a beginning". And everything has an end, he supposed as well.
He put a hand to his chest, feeling the scar tissue that was there, a memory of things better left unthought. Better because all it brought was regret, and he had made a promise. So he left it alone, for he was not one to break promises, especially those to his brothers. Loneliness was not a new feeling for the boy, but it still hurt nonetheless.
So keep my love
My candle bright
Learn me hard oh learn me right
Nami couldn't sleep.
She woke up early most days anyways, so she supposed she could get out of bed, but she spent the entire night tossing and turning. She would be surprised if she got more than an hour of sleep all morning. Usually after Strawhat parties, everyone was out cold for a good portion of the next morning, and this party was no different, but for some reason Nami just didn't feel right.
A crippling sense of nostalgia, but also a little painful, emotionally, if that made any sense. Yeah she didn't really get it either.
She got dressed, walked out onto the deck, assuming she was the first one up, as it was not even dawn yet. What she saw surprised her, yet it comforted her in a weird way as well.
Her captain was standing on the deck, one hand on the railing, supporting himself, and the other on his own chest, as if feeling for the beating of his own heart. His straw hat hung from his neck, a string looping the hat around it. She smiled at the memory of making that string.
She walked over to her captain, not saying a word, but put her hand on his shoulder. He turned, surprised for a moment, she could tell he was thinking deeply about something, rare for him, she knew. But as he saw who it was, he smiled as wide as ever, and she smiled back. She leaned against the railing herself, joining him in deep thoughts, their shoulders touching.
Anyone else would say there was something else going on, but they both knew the feeling of friendship.
This ain't no sham
I am what I am
They just stood there for a bit, it could have been a few minutes, maybe an hour, neither of them knew, and neither particularly cared.
"So you couldn't sleep either?" Nami asked.
"Yeah."
He was Luffy after all, short and to the point. People didn't give him enough credit sometimes. He was a dumbass, yeah, but there was something about him that could just sense the core of a problem, and he always knew how to fix it. Not only that, but he actually did it. Which was more than she could say for most people.
He could also see to the core of people too. Like he could hear their souls crying out. For help, to quell the loneliness in their lives, whatever a person needed, he was there. And he was rearing to help in any way he could. She admired that about him. More than she'd ever let him know.
Though she supposed he already did know.
Though I may speak some tongue of old
Or even spit out some holy word
A large thump of something hitting the deck was heard by the pair, closely followed by the clank of weights, and moving swords in their sheaths.
That night Zoro had been on watch duty, as was the usual. She never knew why, as he would always be the one first to fall asleep, but she supposed every time there was something going on, he was always the first to know.
He walked over to the other side of Luffy and set himself leaning against the railing as well. They were all looking out to sea, the three of them together. Just like how it once was.
"About this time, wasn't it, huh?" Zoro said, looking at Luffy knowingly, with his one good eye.
"Shishishishishishishi~" Luffy made his trademark laugh "Yeah, yeah it was."
"What are you two numbskulls talking about?" Their unspoken language was always lost on Nami; they could communicate so much in just a glance, though she supposed that's what it was like for the Captain and his first mate. She didn't know what it was like for other crews, but that's always how it's been for the Strawhats, and she supposed they couldn't really compare to other crews anyways.
They both looked at her like she was an imbecile.
"Oh don't give me that look."
"Nami, where were we, years ago today?" It was Zoro this time who tried to make her think, an odd concept for her to take in.
She thought about it for a second though…Where were they…? Obviously it wasn't those two years they were apart, they wouldn't be thinking about that, right? So she supposed it would be before that…right so …hmm
"OH." Nami half squeak-ed.
"There she goes." Zoro sighed, though he knew rolling his good eye was out of the question as long he liked it staying in his head.
Luffy just laughed again.
"Wow…has it been that long?" Nami looked out towards the sea. They all did. It had been quite a journey. She remembered all those years ago, where it all started…it had been just about now. "Those were the days, huh? Just the three of us." She made a soft chuckle in memory.
I have no strength from which to speak
When you sit me down and see I'm weak
There was another undeterminably long pause in their conversation as they sat there in thought. But when Luffy looked down at his hand, which had returned to his chest, Zoro and Nami gave a concerned look to each other. Luffy's face was too dark.
Zoro turned around, his back to the railing, so that he could look at Luffy more face to face, and Nami leaned closer to Luffy's shoulder.
Zoro folded his arms and looked up, closing his eye and smiling at the sky, as Nami began to speak to Luffy.
"Luffy, we're here, right? Don't you dare worry, we're not going anywhere, and you know it. What were those two years for, if not for that?"
He looked up to her face, slightly surprised, and she gave him a reassuring smile, rare for the orange haired girl.
When he looked up to the swordsman's face, he was still looking up to the sky.
"Luffy, do you remember that day?"
We will run and scream
You will dance with me
We'll fulfill our dreams and we'll be free
"Do you remember?" He asked again, looking down at the boy, after he had looked back down, wide eyes in memory and shock.
"Yeah." He said, slightly choked up. "That was the day you joined my crew." He grinned again, a tear or two in the corners of his eyes
"Yeah. Yeah and I was the first. The first of many. I remember the first member you wanted was a musician." He gave one of his rare, deep, throaty laughs. "I thought you were the craziest man I'd ever met." Zoro put his hand on Luffy's shoulder as his face turned a little more serious, though his eye was warmer than the man Nami usually saw. It was hard to believe this was the same man who would slice through enemies without a second thought. The demon hunter, she thought they called him. But that was a long time ago, she supposed.
Zoro continued, "We have gone through a lot, but now we have a whole slew of people who are all capable people. Nami's right, we trained for 2 years for this. We're here to make sure that doesn't happen again, and we're not going anywhere."
And we will be who we are
And they'll heal our scars
Sadness will be far away
From Nami's tattoo, Luffy's chest and under his eye, and Zoro's left eye and his chest, there was enough between them that marked them for their pasts, their dreams, and their dedication to each other.
While some people might look in the mirror and see those marks as a cut in their very being, a mark of their failures or bring them pain, these pirates look in the mirror and see much more. They see pride, love, and those that would support them through anything. Their nakama would take them, scars and all. The fact that they had them was a testament to the people that surrounded them.
They wore their scars with pride, with a smile on their face.
So as we walked
Through fields of green
Was the fairest sun I'd ever seen
Dawn was breaking, and the sun was rising, right in front of them. Zoro turned back around to see it, and copied Nami's act of leaning against Luffy's Shoulder.
It was beautiful, one of the most beautiful Nami had seen. Shining light on the Sunny, many colors that dawn brings were all present in the sky.
They were all silent as they took in the breathtaking moment, Zoro in a calm look of pure peace, Luffy in a knowing smile, like he knew something they didn't, and Nami in a look of pure wonder and joy.
It brought her back to thinking about when she really became part of the crew. At least in her mind.
And I was broke
I was on my knees
You said "Yes"
As I said "Please"
A tear came to her eye as she remembered that day.
He grabbed her blood soaked wrist as she stabbed her tattooed shoulder, stopping her from continuing.
…
"Luffy,
…Help me…"
"DAMN RIGHT!"
A tear came to her eye and she wiped it away with her finger, smiling and giving a soft chuckle. "Damn, I guess a lot has happened, huh?"
This ain't no sham
I am what I am
I leave no ties
For a cynic's mind
"This crew is really crazy, isn't it?" Zoro said after a while.
"Got that right" Nami replied with a smile.
Luffy just laughed and said "Yep!"
"Wouldn't have it any other way." The gruff voice continued.
"Yeah."
"Yeah."
We will run and scream
You will dance with me
We'll fulfill our dreams
And we'll be free
We will be who we are
And they'll heal our scars
Sadness will be far away
Sanji came out of the boys' room; he'd have to get started on breakfast soon. Dawn was already here, and he was still tired from last night's festivities. He supposed there'd have to be coffee out; in addition to eggs in case some people were still suffering from last night's…well he didn't know how to say it any classier in his groggy state, other than in case they had a hangover. Not to forget some kind of meat, as per usual. Ugh that captain of his was so predictable.
Oddly enough though, he was taken aback by just this man, in addition to a few others as he walked towards the deck of the ship.
Robin was already on the balcony of the ship, looking out over the bow, "Why good morning there, Sanji-san." She gave a polite, but warm smile in the cook's direction. "How did you sleep?"
"Good morning yourself, fair Robin-chwann~" He refrained from shouting the lovely lady's name, in hopes to not disturb the party at the front of the boat. "Well you know, slept like a rock. I'm surprised I can still stand after how much that monster of an eater made me cook last night. Sometimes I wonder how I do it." He gave a soft smile to the raven haired woman. "More importantly, what's up with them?" He motioned to the trio at the head of the ship.
"Oh, just three people, talking." She gave a soft chuckle as if she knew something he didn't. A chuckle she gave just a bit more often than most people would.
"Eh, whatever, I'll let them have their chat." He sighed, letting out a puff of smoke from his mouth "I should probably get started on breakfast anyways."
But he didn't move, only leaned against the railing of the balcony in front of the kitchen. Watching the sun rise with the soft worded woman he had known for only half as long as it felt. Eventually the rest of the crew joined them, standing on the balcony in a calm silence. A feeling of solace coming over them all, as they saw the beautiful sunrise.
Do not let my fickle flesh be put to rest
As it keeps my heart and soul in its place
"Promise me this, guys." Luffy finally said to the two companions standing next to him, wrapping his arms around their necks, bringing them closer. "We won't ever get separated again, not until we reach Raftel, and then forever after that."
"Idiot." Zoro replied "Didn't we already go through this? Of course we will."
"Yeah what he said." Nami said slightly agitated, though they all knew she was just bitter that idiot swordsman said it before she could. "You know we will, we have, and we are. Forever, you know that."
He smiled bigger, if that were even possible. "Yeah, but I still like to hear it." He laughed again, and they stood there awkwardly, but they laughed. All of them as happy as possible.
And I will love with urgency with all it takes
Let me know what you thought,
Again, it's my first fic, so R&R, if you please!