"I don't want to be a hero...say there was feast, a hero would share the meat. I WANT TO EAT ALL THE MEAT!"

Luffy was selfish.

He'd been told that a lot. Selfish Captain, selfish idiot, selfish, selfish, selfish.

Luffy knew he was selfish, he had always been. It had never been a problem for him, he was fine with being selfish, that's how human's were, that was how Luffy was.

When there was food, he wanted to eat it all. He loved food, so of course he wanted it all to himself. What rational person wouldn't want something they loved all to themselves? His desire for food made others label him as selfish. He didn't share. He'd never really shared much, now that he thought about it.

He only shared a few things.

He didn't share a lot of others.

Because Luffy was selfish, he kept his memories and past to himself. He took lots and lots of food for himself. He greedily took people as his. Because once Luffy was interested, you never escaped him.

Luffy was selfish because he wanted things. He wanted freedom, he wanted Nakama, he wanted love. He didn't like loneliness, he didn't like pain. But he never told anyone these thoughts because, he was selfish. His mind was selfish. He hid so much from everyone because he wanted to keep it all to himself. His mind, past, memories, beliefs, they were his and no one else's.

His decisions always were obeyed. When he wanted a nakama he got one. He was selfish that way. He demanded a lot, attention, food, affection, loyalty. But the thing was, they gave it to him, easily. He knew the way his nakama looked at him. They said he was an idiot, the laughed at him, hit him. But they loved him, trusted him, and would listen to every word he said. They were his, and only his and that's how he wanted it.

If he asked them to die with him, they would. Not that he would ever want that. His nakama were his, nothing could take them away, especially death. What was his was his.

Not death's, not the governments. No one's. No one's but his.

He was selfish like that.

His brothers were his. They were.

In his mind, they would always be his. His brothers. His Ace. His Sabo. In his mind, even if they weren't with him anymore, they would never leave Luffy.

No one really could leave him, anyway.

Luffy was selfish. When he met Ace and Sabo, he decided, selfishly, that they were his. Forever.

When Luffy met Zoro, he saw a man with a dream. A man who's dream would leave if he stayed there. Luffy knew that. So, even against Zoro's will, Luffy claimed Zoro. Zoro was his now. His first mate, his swordsman, his nakama. Because Luffy was selfish, he didn't want to let Zoro go, he kept getting stronger and strong and made sure he was always better than all his nakama. Because they couldn't leave.

He refused to give Nami up. She was his, he had already decided. His navigator. His nakama. There was no way he would let her go back to Arlong. Nami belonged on Luffy's crew because Luffy said so.

Usopp was Luffy's, too. Usopp was his sharpshooter. His nakama. Usopp was brave, even if Usopp himself couldn't see it. Luffy decided Usopp was his. So he took Usopp with him, added the sharpshooter to his crew. And when Usopp was angered over Merry, and Luffy was sad because he knew he couldn't save Merry, even if, in all his selfishness, he didn't want to let her go, Luffy didn't give up Usopp. Usopp wouldn't leave. Luffy knew. He believed. Usopp was his, so he would always come back. So he let Usopp grieve, apologize, then come back.

Sanji was always Luffy's. Luffy knew, because Luffy was selfish. Sanji had a dream much like Luffy's, an impossible dream. Luffy liked that, liked people like him. Sanji was a fantastic cook, and Luffy knew it was meant to be. Sanji was quickly labeled as Property of Luffy. His cook, his Nakama. No one would take Sanji, not now that he was on Luffy's ship.

Chopper was strange. But Luffy liked strange. He wanted strange, he wanted to have everything. He was selfish. Such an amazing creature would not pass from Luffy's clutches. Chopper was quickly his, Luffy didn't care if he had to steal the reindeer from the crazy doctor lady himself. Luffy had already decided Chopper was his doctor, his nakama, so Chopper's place was now with Luffy.

Robin was an unusual cause. Luffy had, at first, not liked Robin. Luffy was selfish, he wanted things done his way. How dare she try to tell him how to get somewhere? And then finding that she was in fact an enemy. But you see, that's were Luffy's selfishness came in once again. Robin was strange. Luffy was suddenly interested. She had a devil fruit, and was mysterious. He had decided, quite instantly, that she would not die. He would save her because she was now his. And once her past caught up with her, he saved her again, because she wasn't allowed to leave. Ever. Luffy was to selfish to ever let anyone go.

Franky was also his. Luffy was angry at first, because how dare the cyborg lay a hand on what was Luffy's? Then it simmered down. Franky was exotic. He had a strange personality, body, and powers. Luffy was hooked immediately. Franky was actually a nice guy, and Luffy found it in his heart to forgive him, at the cost of becoming Luffy's. Luffy claimed Franky. Franky was his. His shipwright.

Brook was amazing. A walking skeleton? Immediately he was Luffy's. Brook came along easily, but then Moria interrupted. How dare Moria take Brook's shadow? That shadow belonged to Brook, and, technically, Luffy. So Luffy beat him. It took a lot, but it was worth it. No one was allowed to take what was Luffy's.

He saved all his Nakama. Now they could never leave him. It was selfish. It was.

But then again, his Nakama were selfish too. Luffy was their's. They had wants, desires, dreams. They were all selfish in their own way. They were humans.

They were Pirates.

"I'm no hero, I'm a Pirate!"