Zoro stomped off into the crow's nest, and soon the faint clanking of weights echoed down to the deck. Meanwhile, everyone else had convened on the lawn to wonder about who Hashimo was. A Marine? A bounty hunter? Or maybe just a psychopathic weirdo? It could have been any of the three going after Luffy's bounty. Even Robin, with her extensive knowledge on criminals that she had gained from staying with the Revolutionaries, had never heard of the Life Life fruit. But then again, there were many strange things to be found in the New World.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in uneasy quiet. The people on the ship went about various tasks, occasionally sneaking a glance toward the front of the ship. Meanwhile, Luffy silently sat on the figurehead, staring across the ocean. He didn't move a muscle, despite the babbling coaxes from some, and the worried glances of others. It wasn't until Sanji called everyone for dinner that he was forcibly dragged from the figurehead and into the galley.


Any other day, it would have been a perfect idea, Sanji later thought. As the crew trickled into the galley, he served up Luffy's favorite kind of dinner: steak with herbed mashed potatoes and salad on the side. He gave an extra-large helping to Luffy, even bigger than usual. The boy didn't move to eat, though. He didn't spear the large piece of meat with a fork and shove it in his face like usual. He just sat there with a blank expression. Chopper worriedly waved a hoof in front of him, wondering out loud if it was shock. The rest of the crew wanted to say something, felt like they needed to say something, but didn't know how to start.

Meanwhile, Luffy kept staring at his plate, slowly making a horrified expression. Because all of a sudden, this wasn't the meat his loved to eat. This was previously an animal that had been killed and seared and the smell of flesh (was filling his nostrils and mixed with the blood and the smoke and gunpowder and why did it smell like searing flesh was coming from the body in front of him and his hand oh God his hands were covered in that person's blood and-)

Luffy suddenly put a hand up his mouth, jumping up and running out the door, knocking Usopp off his seat in the process, before he leaned over the railings and threw up.

Everyone quickly followed him outside. Sanji's eyebrow shot up, and he quickly glanced at the food behind him before roughly cursing. "…Shit, Luffy. I wasn't thinking-"

"It's not your fault," he heard the small, almost defeated voice coming from his Captain, wiping off his mouth with his sleeve.

Zoro stepped forward. "Neither is it yours, Captain."

Luffy said nothing. He walked toward the lawn, one hand leaning against the railing for support.

"Say something." Zoro urgently presses. "Talk to me, dammit."

"I'm ok. Really. I just…need a little time." He pushed himself off the railing, staggered a couple steps then stopped. "It just feels like…like I lost him…all over again."

It was a chance. A chance for his brother. But it just slipped away. Luffy looked around. The lawn and mast turned into jungle, and the people close to him disappeared. He was covered in bandages. He looked at his hands, and he knew, deep down inside, that they were still soaked in blood. "He's dead, isn't he?"

"Yes."

"…"

"But it's ok." Luffy quickly looked up, like he was noticing Zoro for the first time. "I wasn't there the first time, but I'm here now."

Zoro stepped forward, placing his hands solidly on Luffy's shoulders. He paused, only to trap Luffy in an awkward embrace, ignoring Luffy's sudden flinch.

Usopp followed by tightly grasping Luffy's left shoulder, Brook delicately placing a bony arm on Luffy's right.

Chopper jumped up and wrapped his arms around Luffy's neck.

Robin placed a hand on what was still visible of Luffy's back, pressing her forehead against the back of his head.

Sanji placed a hand solidly on top of Luffy's head.

Nami delicate cupped a hand against Luffy's cheek. Franky wrapped everyone in a huge but surprisingly gentle hug.

Luffy did nothing at first, standing there like a statue. Then his shoulders started to slump. His collapsed onto his knees as the rest of his family followed him awkwardly toward the ground. He started to sniffle, then sob, then finally –at long last- he grabbed Zoro's shirt, letting out an earsplitting cry.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAACE!"

He continued to sob, slurring words like "why" and "fault" and "should've" and "miss him" that they could barely catch.

At every new sob, they felt their hearts break a little. A new rip to join the multitude of cuts and scars gained over the years. But it was fine. If for every new scar they could somehow take one away from Luffy's heart, then they would have crouched here for as long as it took. Because he needed it. Because he deserved it.

They didn't know how long they stayed there. But after what felt like hours of hair tousling and gentle caresses and back rubs and whispered reassurances, their Captain succumbed to a peaceful sleep. Robin wiped the tears from his cheeks, and Franky picked him up to carry him to bed.