Here we are with the last chapter! I think this ending is much more satisfying than the first story's final chapter. There will be no third part of the series, so I hope this ending is satisfying and liked. I'm sad it's over! I have so many fanfics going on right now but once I reach 20,000 - 30,000 words it dies on me! I hope you really liked this fic! Enjoy~
Three days later and Luffy was still in a great mood. It was like his whole couple days of depression hadn't happened. Luffy had been talking to Robin more than before. It wasn't the deep talks he had with Zoro that involved cuddling, but they talked about Luffy's old family. Robin had told Luffy that, when he was ready, Robin would have some of her and Zoro's relatives come over, but only when Luffy was ready.
Robin had to assure him that her family was nothing like Luffy's was. That they supported her being a foster mother and would bring presents for the kids on Christmas, which Luffy was looking forward to, even if it was a couple months away.
Luffy had been told his last name was going to change and he couldn't have been happier, though he hadn't cried. He was working on being happy without crying because he felt embarrassed every time he cried in front of Robin, though she assured him she didn't look down at him for it.
Overall, the house had a happier aura. Luffy was socializing more, like he had before the kidnapping and attack. But still, he needed breaks with Zoro like he always had.
The kids still doing well with not staring at Luffy's scabbing wounds. He still had them dressed and covered from the outside air. He was becoming irritated with the scab on his face. He was glad it was the smallest road rash compared to his legs. It wasn't as bad as when he was afraid of seeing his eye, but he felt bad that Zoro had to see it up close all the time. But he assured Luffy it didn't bother him too much. He said it was hard to see him injured, but he had gotten used to it.
It was bedtime and Zoro was already in bed waiting for Luffy, who was taking a while in the bathroom. Zoro wondered what he was doing since the door was open. But he waited for him to finish whatever he was doing.
Luffy was using small scissors so cut the sleeves of his pyjama shirt off. He felt more confident again and he was tired of being hot at night. He knew Zoro had seen him with his shirt off many times, so showing his arms wouldn't be a big deal, right?
But when he walked out, his heart was still beating fast and he didn't look at Zoro's face when he headed to the bed, blushing. Zoro made no move that anything was different and got in a comfortable position with him to go to bed, though he was smiling warmly at Luffy, who couldn't see his face. Zoro pulled his against him a bit tighter, absentmindedly running his fingers over Luffy's bare arms. Luffy's skin had always been soft, and he could feel the slightly raised lines and bumps across the arms. Luffy shivered at his touches and scooched himself even closer to Zoro's body. They both fell asleep easily.
Luffy woke up first in the morning, deciding whether he was ready to do what he had thought about doing last night, when he was getting rid of the long sleeves. He stared at his arms for a while, looking at the ugly scars the criss crossed the limbs. He was upset that now he had no limb that was undamaged by his dad. Granted, he was the one who chose to jump out of the car window, but he had to because of his dad.
Luffy knew the kids had heard Luffy say "take me back" when explaining the kidnapping, so they had to know something bad had happened before. And maybe, if they saw the scars, they'd understand him more. Why he was like he was. He knew Nami had always wanted to know why he was so broken. He just didn't want to see pity. He'd seen it before and he didn't like it.
But, if they others saw the scars, maybe the pity would only happen once and then things could go back to normal. He would finally be able to not be so hot a lot of the time. If… if this was going to be his home and official family, then he can't lie to himself or the others anymore. He didn't know what to do and was at war with himself while Zoro continued to sleep with his arm over Luffy.
By the time Zoro woke up, Luffy had made his decision.
"Luffy, what are you doing to your shirt? Isn't that your favorite?" Zoro asked as Luffy worked on it. He was going to do this all at once. He cut off all of the sleeves until it was basically a tank top with a tight collar.
"Luffy, are you sure about this?" Zoro asked seriously after Luffy turned around, wearing one of his shirts but showing all of his arms. "Are you sure you're ready to show them? Think hard about this. You can't take this back if you show them."
"I'm ready. I know I can't take it back. Maybe after showing them… I'll feel like I've broken out of my cage. I don't want to hide it anymore. I'm sick of feeling hot and itchy. I - I'm never gonna move forward unless I try and let my past go. Right? I'm having a new future and family. I…" Luffy trailed off, looking uncertain. But Zoro grinned.
He swooped down on Luffy and kissed him passionately, surprising the smaller teen, but not upsetting him. Luffy wrapped his arms around Zoro's neck and when they separated, he was breathing heavily, his cheeks red.
"Wh- what was that for?" Luffy asked, somewhat breathless.
"Just proud. Now let's go down there and break you out of your cage," Zoro said and grasped Luffy's hand. The two left their room and walked down the stairs, assuming everyone was down there.
They were right since three of the kids were at the kitchen table and Usopp was on the couch playing his handheld game. Luffy was hiding behind Zoro, already having doubts. But he'd come this far. He could do this. No one looked up when the two reached the table, the three talking to each other. Luffy took a deep breath and stepped out from behind Zoro, his face bright red. He was planning on talking too if they asked any questions. Might as well take care of his problems all at once.
Robin walked in behind the couple and got everyone's attention.
"Luffy. What are you doing?" she asked, shocked that he was sleeveless, baring all of his scars on his arms to anyone and everyone. Sanji, Nami and Nojiko all gasped. Usopp heard this and got up from the couch to see what was going on, seeing Luffy's long since healed injuries from the back.
"Holy crap," Sanji said. Luffy was shaking as he sat down at the table and looked at his hands. Nami had gasped.
"Luffy… what happened to you?" she asked in horror. Luffy gulped and took a deep breath.
"I-" he started, stopping before he confessed. Luffy drew comfort and strength from Zoro when he put his hand on his shoulder. He started again. "I was tortured for three years by my dad," he said, his voice surprisingly strong. "That's why… I was so scared. And why I jumped out of the car to get away. I… didn't want to be tortured again. Ever again…" he trailed off. Robin smiled behind him, proud, like Zoro.
"I was so messed up before because of the trauma. I have scars all over my body, but I don't want to show all of them…" It actually felt good to get all of this off of his chest, to his surprise. So he continued. "I wasn't not talking just because I didn't like my voice. I got hit or cut or burned… when I made any noise. And I can't feel pain from the- the drugs he gave me." As he spoke, his voice got stronger, though he tripped over a few words. Thankfully, no one interrupted him.
Nojiko hadn't interrupted because she could tell it was an important moment, but she didn't know what torture meant. She assumed it was bad if Luffy was so messed up and scarred from it. She didn't want to be insensitive and ask what the word meant with Luffy there, so she decided she'd ask someone later.
"Thank you for telling us," Nami said gently, being the first to break the dark silence. Luffy nodded to her. No one else spoke about what they'd just heard, though they thought about it as everyone ate. Poor Luffy.
Luffy ate cereal, holding Zoro's hand as he ate next to him. Luffy had never felt so proud of himself, even after he had defeated his dad. He felt… free. Like he'd finally put down the heavy weight on his shoulders he'd been carrying for all these years. He couldn't help but smile as he ate.
No one was very surprised that Luffy left the room after he finished eating, Zoro following immediately, and the two walked up the stairs. Luffy no longer wore soft socks because his feet were healed. He only had to wear the giant bandages for a little while longer before he had to go back to the doctor to see how well they were healing.
The minute the two entered the room and Zoro locked one of the two locks, he picked up Luffy and threw him playfully to the bed, like he had not long ago. This time he crawled on top of Luffy, making the smaller teen feel warm and cozy underneath his lover and best friend.
"I am so proud of you," he said, running his fingers through Luffy's hair as he was propped up by his forearms. "You told them the truth and talked out loud. How do you feel?" Zoro asked softly.
"Good," Luffy answered simply. "Sorta like when I told you everything. Lighter. Do you think they're talking about me downstairs?" he asked. He assumed so.
"Probably, but you can't blame them," Zoro replied. "They just heard something very tragic. I would not be surprised if they were talking about what you said. I bet mom is telling them to not bug you or pity you."
Zoro sat up more and ran his hands along Luffy's exposed skin, making Luffy shiver from the goosebumps it gave him. He watched Zoro trace the pink lines across his soft arms and around his skinny wrists, holding one and bringing it up to his lips to kiss around the ring, making Luffy blush.
"I love you so much," he said, kissing his other wrist. Luffy gave a wide smile.
"Love you, too," he replied, leaning up and kissing Zoro's forehead.
The days following Luffy's confession were comfortable for everyone. No one stared at Luffy or showed any pity, and not because Robin had told them not to. They just knew by now that Luffy wouldn't handle such things well.
Luffy spoke out loud to them, not even considering using the whiteboard. He also cut the sleeves off of another shirt to wear. It was nice to not be so hot. Robin told him she'd go to the store and get him some short sleeved shirts, which he was thankful for.
He socialized more, taking less breaks with Zoro because he wasn't as easily overwhelmed. He smiled more and listened to the others talk about their lives before they became foster children. They werent all chipper stories, but for foster kids, they rarely are. They felt that they owed Luffy to talk about themselves. Luffy had told them they didn't have to if they didn't want to, but they did anyway. None were as tragic as Luffy's, thankfully for them.
The now happy teen even spoke with Robin about Luffy's very private scars. It just felt right to finally tell her. He wasn't at all surprised or even bothered when she was visibly livid. He knew his mom would feel that way. He finally addressed her as mom, and it felt great as the word left his lips.
Luffy had over all become a happier person. He had felt even better when the family was notified that Luffy's biological mother had finally been caught in a town over. Luffy had felt such relief. It was finally over and the bars on the windows can go away. Now that only needed to happen was his wounds to heal, which he was told they were healing nicely when Robin took him and Zoro to the doctors'. Luffy was still very uncomfortable with being in public, but still, not everything would be perfect all at once. Luffy still had things to work on.
When Luffy became more comfortable wearing short sleeved shirts at home, he went even further and walked around his and Zoro's bedroom shirtless sometimes. Secretly, Zoro really liked this. Luffy wasn't muscular or anything, but he had a flat stomach and his torso was smooth.
Luffy didn't feel the same feeling that Zoro did while he was shirtless. The small teen was a bit clueless when it came to things like this. Zoro was good at hiding his staring when Luffy wasn't looking at him. Luffy still sat in his lap and liked when Zoro ran his hands up and down Luffy's back. He'd never felt Zoro's skin while doing this, since he'd always had his shirt on.
Eventually, due to Luffy's embarrassment, Zoro would go shirtless as well. Luffy was embarrassed being the only one showing so much skin. The two made sure to put their shirts back on when someone knocked on their door.
"Zoro? Why do you trace my scars so much?" Luffy asked one day, in Zoro's lap.
"I don't know. I don't really notice it when I start to do it. Do you not like it?" he questioned, worried it had been bothering his partner without him knowing.
"No," he replied. "I wish they weren't there and the scars were from something else, but it doesn't bother me when you touch them," Luffy said with a small smile directed at his lover.
"I'll give you a love mark. Is that okay?" Zoro asked nervously. Luffy furrowed his brows but nodded. It would be nice to have a mark from someone he loved, not an abuser.
Zoro moved his face to Luffy's collar bone and made Luffy shiver when he started to suck on the soft skin and left a hickey. Luffy looked down and saw the smallish red mark.
"Will it last long?" Luffy asked, thankfully not at all bothered by what Zoro had done.
"No, but we will," he said, grinning. Luffy laughed. "What?" Zoro asked curiously.
"That was kinda cheesy. Nami told me what that word meant yesterday."
"Cheesy, but true, and you know it," Zoro said giving Luffy the neck kisses without Luffy asking.
"Yeah," Luffy agreed happily, closing his eyes and enjoying Zoro's closeness.
The End~
Tah da! Please review!