Okay so I just read the Manga and, won't spoil it for anyone but this thought popped into my head. Not my best but thought it might get me back into the groove of writeing again. I've been down in the dumps and haven't felt much like writing anything so I hope it's not horrible.
Luffy rolled over in his bed, the feeling of emptiness still there, it had happened so quickly he was never even given the chance to react, to do anything in response to the shock... But maybe that was a good thing, if he had been able to, what would he have done? Sighing Luffy sat up and looked out the small port window of the room he was in. The old man was talking to a few of the crew, his face and body covered in bandages. Shanks was there too, giving his condolences. What would they do for him? What kind of burial would they preform? The shock and pain still kept him at bay with doing much so he sat back down on the bed and began to let his thoughts wonder. Back to the cliff where they used to sit all the time and talk, back to the times when they would wrestle and fight together, meeting up on the grand line and hearing stories of the adventures he had gone through. One memory stuck out in particular to the Strawhate Captian.
'You know, it was just a fight. Nothing big. Why are you so paranoid Luffy?"
"I don't want to lose you! Who knows what would have happened, what if you had died?!"
"Listen! I won't die, not ever so you might as well go ahead and forget that trace of thought right here and now. I'll never die!"
But he had lied, he was dead and now Luffy wasn't sure what to do, he still had no idea where his crew was, he was alone...he had no one now, besides Shanks, and he would leave soon as well to go back to his own crew. So what was he supposed to do now? He had recently lost the most precious person in his life and he had no idea what he was supposed to do now... Curling up he rolled on his side, his back facing the window, why wasn't he crying? Isn't that what your supposed to do when someone you love dies? So why? Why was it that he was laying there without the tears? He felt the pain, he hadn't spoken a word to anyone since it happened. Not even meat had helped, and he barely ate anything at the moment for it to help even if it would have. Closeing his eyes he drowned out the world around him and let his mind waunder.
"Has he still not spoken to anyone yet?"
"No, we've been trying to give him some time to greive but he hasn't shed a singal tear either."
"It must be hard...Luffy and him were extremely close, as far back as I can remember he was all the kid would talk about for the longest time. He was Luffy's hero in a way."
"I don't know how our world will be with this devestating blow hanging over us like this. He was a very unique person."
"It must be hard for you as well he was like a-"
"No, he was. Maybe not by blood but he was...I just wish I could do more for him than this."
"We're pirates Whitebeard...we really don't have any other choice, mostly after what just happened."
"And it was all in vain...we didn't do a single thing we set out to do."
"Yeah we did, we made it clear we aren't just gonna vanish without a trace, Luffy helped with that more than he'll ever know. And so did-"
"Yes well...I think we should just leave it at that for now Shanks. I have to get things ready."
The red head nodded solemly and walked away from the giant of a man back to his own ship. Luffy, bright, happy Luffy hadn't eatten, spoken, or moved from that room since it happened. Whitebeard looked like a shell of the man he was famous for being on the open sea, and Shanks himself felt as if a hole had been punched through him at the loss. He looked up and saw that a thunderhead was rolling in and ducked into his own cabin as the first few drops of rain fell like tears over their falled comerade.
"Luffy...it's time..."
Hearing the words made his stomach twist and made him feel funny, he just wanted to stay here and never say goodbye, but the memory of his dieing words, the blood on Luffy's hands and his weight as he fell lifeless into his arms were still fresh in his mind. Luffy slowly rolled off the bed, dressed in a black suit that even Sanji would no doubt appreciate he followed Hancock out and onto the giant deck of Whitebeards ship where everyone stood waiting, all in black suits or dresses for the woman off of Hancock's ship, they were all paying repects to the person in the coffin that sat in the middle. It was now, looking upon this small confermation that he was indeed never coming back did Luffy feel the prick of tears sting his eyes and decided he had help them back long enough. Gritting his teeth and shutting his eyes closed as tight as he could he fell to his knees beside the coffin and sobbed onto the top of the wooden prison. It was so stupid how this had happened, it never should have...he wasn't supposed to die like this...Luffy stood and rubbed his eyes on his sleeve and bit his lip, placing his hand on the top of the coffin he pushed it open and looked down at the lifeless form of his precious person.
"Ace...you promised me you wouldn't die...so why? Why are you the one in this stupid thing and not someone else! I went to save you, to have you live not die."
He fell to his knees once again, reaching inside and grasping Ace's hand he let the tears flow more freely now, the pain finally sinking it, the truth that his brother was never coming back, never showing up out of no where to smile and joke around with him, he felt so alone...it was unlike anything he had ever experienced in his life. It was worse than being seperated from his crew. The only family he had that understood him was gone, what was he supposed to do now? How was he supposed to be a pirate? He felt helpless...he had gone to sace Ace and he had still been killed...and he felt like it was his fault. He didn't know what to do now, Ace was gone and his desire to search for One Piece seemed to have diminished. But as he stood back up and looekd down upon the lifeless form of Ace he wanted to find it for him, he wanted to live for Ace. Live both of their lives for the sake of his brother. Just like Zoro had done for Kuina. Taking a deep breath he leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Ace's forehead. The pain was still there, he still let the tears flow freely as he closed the top of the coffin and placed the red rose Hancock had given him on the top. He was going to miss his brother dearly. The world would be less brighter with Fire Fist Ace gone and as Luffy helped push his brother's coffin into the sea he loved so dearly he felt the wind pick up as if to remind them just how much warmth the fire user brought into their lives.