A/N: SOOOO. Work is ridiculous busy. Stupid busy. And life is stupid busy. But I'm still working on my stories, I promise! I have a commission lawlu fic in the works, and I plan to (actually) take part in the next OPBB since my partners and I had to postpone the OPRB. I'm gonna be trying to wrap up Kyoudai and get Bonds on regular updates again in the next few months, as soon as the busy season at my job slows down. I'm so sorry for all the delays, you guys. Thank you for your kind reviews, reblogs, and messages. I read every single one and I love you all. You're really helping me through a stressful time.
Small reminder that Bonds is only going to have two romantic pairings in it, they are not going to be a focus, and neither one includes any of the ASL brothers with anyone else.
Thank you Akatsuki Celeste for being my on-call beta who works in unfit beta'ing conditions at my every whim, and thanks so much to Leo-Regulus for helping me fact-check after I crawled out of hibernation to work on this.
Bonds of Sea and Fire
Chapter 25: Skeletons In Our Closets Pt. 2
Thatch really wasn't sure what had prompted him to open his eyes at that exact moment. He was used to rough seas, where the waves crashed against the side of the ship or thunder boomed so close it sounded as if it could be on the other side of his wall. His day had been no different from any other in terms of stress or activity, and his dreams had been quite pleasant up until that point.
Still, his brain was only just registering that something was amiss when he heard the creak of someone else's weight in his bed and he found himself staring into a burning pair of sky blue eyes.
"The 'pine-pine fruit', yoi?"
"MARCO?!" Thatch yelped, scrambling backwards to try and escape. There was nowhere to go - he was already at the headboard and Marco was crouching over him while the blue fire of his wings illuminated the room.
"If you want a head start, I'll give you one. It's more fun to hunt down live prey, yoi." Marco's lips curved into a wicked smirk. "Of course the thrill of the chase might cause me to do something drastic."
"It was just a joke! Just a joke!" Thatch covered his hair and squeezed his eyes shut - which only made Marco's next sentence more terrifying in retrospect. It was like he could feel the phoenix's eyes burning right through him.
"I think I'd like to play a joke now, yoi."
...
"It's too early for anyone to be this loud, isn't it?" Rakuyo groaned, stumbling into the sunlight and trying in vain to shield his eyes. "And why is it so bloody sunny?!"
"Well, you see, lad," Vista answered, clapping him on the back with enough force to nearly topple him. "There's this mysterious contraption known as the 'sun', and-"
"Ha ha ha," Rakuyo griped, shoving at him. "Maybe you should get your sunglasses so it doesn't blind ya."
Vista narrowed his eyes. "You can always join him up there, Rakuyo."
"Pass," Rakuyo hastily pushed forward and out of Vista's line of sight. He made his way to the mast that others had already gathered around, scratching his head with a heavy sigh. "Okay, I'll bite. What did Thatch do this time?"
"I don't know," Lami admitted, tilting her head to the side. "Although, if I had to guess, I'd guess Marco had something to do with it."
"Marco?" Rakuyo strained to get a better look, shielding his eyes with one of his hands and groaning as the light pierced straight to his migraine.
Thatch dangled from the highest crow's nest by one of his ankles, his hair billowing loose from the usual pompadour. It would have been an unusual sight all on its own - but what made it truly memorable was the fact that Thatch was stark naked, and the only thing preserving what little dignity remained happened to be a pineapple clutched in both hands.
"Oh," Rakuyo groaned, covering his face with his hand. "Lass, avert your eyes. Some things just shouldn't be seen."
"The view isn't to your liking?" Izo's teasing voice drew a scowl from Rakuyo. He fumbled for Lami to cover her eyes too, but she easily sidestepped him.
"I'm a doctor," Lami reminded him. "I'm going to be a surgeon. Nudity doesn't bother me."
"Nudity might not, but nudity, Thatch, and a pineapple all in the same sentence should," Rakuyo argued.
Lami shrugged. "Anyway, this is probably because Thatch had Luffy believing Marco's abilities had something to do with pineapples."
"Ah, that'd do it," Rakuyo agreed, doing his best not to look up again.
"Thatch is an idiot," Izo sighed with obvious affection.
"Hey Thatch, might it be cold up there?" Vista called, laughing as Thatch gave a muffled shout and tried swinging back and forth to get himself down.
"Somebody needs to get that fool down," Rakuyo groaned.
"Yar," Lami agreed in a sweet tone.
That had Rakuyo bursting into laughter, something he instantly regretted as splitting pain shot through his head.
"I won't even ask," Izo commented offhand. "Lami, did Bay give you anything else to wear?"
"No, she said she'd have to buy me something to wear next week when we dock again," Lami answered, smiling over at Rakuyo.
"Once this buffoon gets down, if you'd rather have clothes that fit you now, we can go back to my room so I can take your measurements," Izo offered. "I made the trio's clothes in the beginning."
"If it's not too much trouble," Lami mused thoughtfully, placing her hands in her pockets. "Luffy's clothes are a bit short on me."
"It won't take long," Izo promised.
"I appreciate it," Lami murmured, lifting her gaze to the mast again. "Izo, by chance, do you know how to fix jewelry?"
"Some, but that's honestly Vista's department. Do you have something you need repaired?"
"Maybe," Lami clutched the cross in her left hand. "It's my treasure. I broke it when I was sliding down the mountain Luffy found me on."
"I can ask him to come fix it while I take your measurements, then," Izo offered. "That way it won't even leave your sight."
Lami exhaled with relief at the idea, smiling shyly up at him. "I'd appreciate that. It's all I have left from my life before my amnesia."
Izo placed a hand on her shoulder. It was firm, warm, and oddly comforting. Lami wasn't used to comfort from people she'd only just met - and it really did soothe her. "I understand, Lami."
"Just don't let Izo talk you into anything with polka dots on it," Rakuyo teased, helping to lower the tension even more.
"How dare you," Izo swore, shooting him a scathing look. "I would never use polka dots."
"How about pineapple print?" Rakuyo asked, waggling his eyebrows.
Izo snorted, then quickly coughed to try and disguise it as something less crude. At Rakuyo's playful grin and Izo's light blush, Lami couldn't help but giggle.
"Why is Thatchy wearing a pineapple?"
Rakuyo reacted swiftly, yanking Luffy up into his arms and covering half his face with one hand. "Avert your eyes!"
"That sounds painful," Luffy chirped, seemingly content to have his face covered. He settled in and swung his feet a little, treating it as a hug rather than an attempt to save him from a traumatic sight.
"You don't have to cover his eyes," Ace pointed out, coming up beside Rakuyo with a raised eyebrow. "It's just Thatch."
"Is he really wearing a pineapple?" Sabo inquired, coming up on Rakuyo's other side.
"That cannot be comfortable," Haruta mused, looking sympathetic.
"You realize he's up there because Marco found out about the pineapple devil fruit 'misunderstanding', right?" Sabo asked.
Ace grimaced. "Is Marco mad?"
"Marco's fine," Izo answered dismissively, shaking his head. "He'd never be mad over a silly prank."
The tension that had started to build in Ace's shoulders drained, a small smirk appearing. "It was a good prank."
"Well, I don't have all day to deal with this. Clothes don't sew themselves," Izo stated, drawing a pistol from his yukata and taking careful aim. "Show's over, everyone!"
Blenheim came forward as if they'd planned it, and Lami was the only one who jumped when Izo fired two shots. Thatch's panicked yelp echoed, but it was quickly drowned out by clapping and cheers as he dropped like dead weight right into Blenheim's waiting arms.
"Did you have to shoot me down?!" Thatch wailed, still clutching the pineapple to his midsection.
"You're probably going to feel dizzy for a while," Lami commented. "You should lie down."
"The only injury is my pride!" Thatch protested as Blenheim carried him off to the infirmary.
"And his dignity," Rakuyo muttered.
"It was nice seeing Izo shooting Thatch down for once," Bay snorted, making her way over and nudging Izo.
"I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about," Izo responded, placing his pistol back into his yukata and producing a fan to cover the lower half of his face. "Come along, Lami. We should get started."
"You guys going somewhere?" Haruta asked.
"Yes," Izo answered. "Vista!" He called, catching his attention before he could wander off. "Come with us."
"Alright," Vista agreed with a shrug.
"Bring your kit."
"Ah," Vista chuckled. "I shall fetch it and join you at once." He tipped his hat to Lami, then headed off.
"Not even having breakfast, first?" Rakuyo asked, keeping Luffy tucked in his arms - though he'd stopped covering his face.
"I can wait," Lami assured him.
"We can wait too, if you want," Haruta offered in a slightly rushed breath.
"That's okay - go on without me," Lami answered, missing the crestfallen expression on his face at her polite dismissal. She didn't, however, miss the way he shifted his weight and sighed.
"Yeah, let's go get some food!" Luffy cheered, wiggling his way out of Rakuyo's arms.
Haruta quickly smiled again, grabbing Luffy before he could land and slinging him up onto his back.
"I'll catch up with you later," Ace added, looking around. His shoulders drooped when he didn't see the familiar head of pineapple-shaped hair. "I need to talk to Marco."
"Alright," Sabo nodded to him, then turned to Haruta. "Let's get Luffy fed before he ditches us."
"Sounds like a plan," Haruta agreed, starting off in the direction of the galley. Thatch wouldn't have had a hand in the current batch of food, but his division was just as capable. Contrary to the way almost everyone - fourth division included - seemed to think, Thatch did not cook every single meal for every single person.
Lami watched them go with a troubled look, then followed after Izo. He'd snapped his fan shut, carrying it by the braided black cord on the handle.
"May I ask a question?" she inquired after a few moments, keeping pace with him.
"Of course," Izo replied, slipping the fan back into his sleeve. "You can be as straightforward and blunt as you'd like."
"Okay. Does it seem like Haruta is upset with me? I feel like he's constantly disappointed."
"Oh," Izo sighed, shaking his head. "No, you don't need to worry about that."
"Am I imagining it?" Lami asked, biting her lip.
Izo tilted his head to the side, considering her view. He didn't answer, and she didn't push for it. As they reached his room and Izo held the door for her, Lami briefly forgot all about her question, eyes widening.
Unlike the modest quarters she'd seen, Izo's room was a splash of color and comfort. It wasn't necessarily luxurious, but it was clear Izo took great care of himself and his possessions.
Lami made her way to a plush sofa located near the window, touching the fabric with her left hand and tracing the shape of an ornately embroidered koi fish. "The design is beautiful."
Izo's lips quirked in a small grin. "Thank you. I'm very particular about design." He beckoned for Lami to have a seat, moving to his closet and retrieving a container from inside. "Haruta is trying to impress and befriend you. He might have a little crush. I've never seen him act like this."
Lami hesitated, fingers catching on the tail of the koi fish. "A crush?"
"Probably. He acts differently towards you than he does with the trio. Everyone got a kick out of little Haruta getting excited over finally becoming a big brother, but that's not the tone he takes with you."
"So he doesn't see me as a little sister," Lami murmured. "Is that what you're saying?" She fidgeted, rapidly processing that information in a jumble of uncertainties. She thought back to the conversations they'd had and couldn't help wondering if she'd said or done anything to invite that kind of interest.
"Let me be blunt," Izo said, interrupting her thoughts before they could fully form. "It's not your fault or responsibility if he has a crush. You don't owe him anything."
Lami's eyes widened at the abrupt response and she stared at Izo's back. He didn't seem agitated or tense, but his words seemed almost hostile.
"What do you mean?" Lami questioned.
"I mean too many women - especially young women - seem to have the misconception that they need to apologize for attention they receive," Izo bluntly stated, making his way over with a measuring tape in his hands. "What was your first thought when I told you he might have a crush on you?"
Lami blinked, allowing Izo to take her arm and measure it. "I thought… 'I don't want him to feel that way', I guess."
"And what was your decision about it?"
Lami lowered her eyes, unable to hold his gaze. "I wondered if I did something to give him the wrong idea…"
"And that's why I'm being blunt with you. You aren't giving anyone the wrong 'anything'. Any feelings Haruta might have for you are his burden - not yours."
"I really like him," Lami mumbled. "He's kind and funny and doesn't look at me like I'm a freak. I don't want him to be upset with me if I don't like him back. I want him to be my friend."
"Tell him that. If you feel uncomfortable or unsure in any way, tell him. I know Haruta. Unlike some people out there, Haruta will listen and understand. He knows his feelings are his responsibility." Izo motioned for her to turn, taking measurements with the expertise of someone who probably didn't even need a measuring tape to know what size and dimensions he'd need to make her clothes.
"So I should just tell him I only want to be friends? Won't that be awkward?" Lami questioned, lifting her arms when he bade her to do so and holding still while he measured her torso.
"If you'd rather not bring it up, I can talk to him for you. You should never feel uncomfortable here, Lami. If you need anything and you aren't sure who to ask, you have Bay, myself, Marco - Oyaji himself - anyone you feel even remotely comfortable talking to will help."
"It's just a strange concept… trusting, worrying about my own comfort…" Lami trailed off.
"You'll adjust," Izo assured her. It was at that moment they heard a knock on the door, and Izo grinned. "Come in, Vista."
"Just making sure I wasn't interrupting," Vista chuckled as he opened the door and moved to the sit at the table near the couch. He placed a compact box in front of him, opening it to reveal several small tools and compartments filled with various colored wire and fastenings. "Alright, let's have a look at your broken jewelry."
Even though Lami felt comfortable, and it wasn't going to leave her sight, there was still a touch of hesitance as she removed the cross from her pocket and placed it on the table. Her eyes followed every movement as Vista picked up her treasure and examined the break in the chain.
"I'll have to replace a portion of the chain, but I'll solder it so there won't be any openings in the links."
"What does that mean?" Lami asked, scooting closer to get a better look at the tools.
"It means I plan to link your chain to a new length of chain with tiny silver rings that should match the design - and then I'll use a soldering tool in order to close those links so they won't pull open. It's less conspicuous than using a split-ring," Vista answered, motioning to his compartments.
"I appreciate it," Lami answered. She may not have known the technique, but his intention made sense to her.
"The engraving on this - your name," Vista stated. "It looks like it was done twice."
"Twice?" Lami echoed.
"Perhaps the name was spelled wrong the first time - almost like the M was upside down," Vista explained.
Lami grinned at that. "Well, I hope my name wasn't actually Lawi. It sounds weird."
"Lawi is a fine name," Vista assured her with a chuckle, missing the odd look that crossed her face. "But I do prefer Lami."
"Yeah…" she trailed off with a strained smile, fidgeting. "Me too."
...
"You could have given me a hand, you know," Ace grumbled, hoisting himself into the crow's nest with a huff. He landed in an ungraceful heap near one of Marco's feet.
"You made it up here, didn't you, yoi?" Marco chuckled. He didn't even bother opening his eyes as he reclined.
Rather than retort to that comment, Ace scrambled to his feet and steadied himself as the ship swayed, uncertainty flashing in his eyes. "You're not mad, are you?" he blurted out.
Marco opened one eye to look at him, then sat up, crossing his legs in a casual manner. "Something on your mind?" He doubted Ace would be worried about him being mad - especially when Thatch was the guilty party - unless something bigger was worrying him. His suspicions were only confirmed when Ace averted his eyes and began fidgeting with his brace. "Do you want to go flying, yoi?"
"Yeah," Ace hastily answered, meeting his eyes again. "I mean, if you're not busy."
Marco rose to his feet with a chuckle and took a moment to stretch. No one questioned the appearance of the phoenix, or the fact that he was flying off with a tiny passenger, having not even gone to breakfast yet.
They didn't go far - though Caraway Island was long gone, there were smaller islands dotting along the sea. From the sky, Ace thought it looked like a sprinkling of seeds. When they neared one of the larger ones and Ace was sure they'd be landing on it, he jumped off of Marco's back while they were still over the open sea. His feet connected with solid ground a moment before Marco landed, and the stunt earned him a scowl as phoenix feathers vanished and Marco resumed his human form.
"Oh, come on," Ace teased with a playful grin, "I was nowhere near the water! You worry too much."
"Hn," Marco snorted. "So, you wanted to talk to me?"
Ace huffed again, folding his hands behind his head and kicking some sand. "I plan to tell Thatch."
"While he's still nursing pineapple-related injuries, yoi?"
Ace laughed abruptly, the sound carefree and light, as if he hadn't just felt the weight of the world crashing down on his thin shoulders. "No," he snorted once he caught his breath. "When we dock next week."
"In case you want to run," Marco guessed.
"You wouldn't stop me, right?" Ace asked, shooting him a sideways glance.
"I'd try to talk you out of it, yoi," Marco corrected. "But I wouldn't stop you if you wanted to leave. You're free to leave at any time."
Ace glanced away, a small grin forming on his lips at the idea that Marco would still try to convince him to stay. He'd heard it before, but it was hard to hold onto that feeling without a reminder every once in awhile. "Anyway, I talked to Sabo about it and he says it's a good idea."
"As far as people you can trust, Thatch is an excellent choice, yoi. He might say something insensitive, but then, I imagine Luffy was the same way." Marco grinned at Ace, who smiled down at the sand he was still kicking.
"He thought it was so cool, and he pestered me for details even though I never met the man. Thatch won't do that, will he?"
"Nah. He might ask about it a little, but he's better at reading someone's reactions. If you obviously don't want to talk about it, he'll drop it. Maybe talk about food or something instead, yoi."
Ace smiled again at the thought. "Do you think someday, I'll be comfortable enough to tell everyone?" Ace asked.
"I hope so, yoi. But there's no rush. Don't force yourself if you're not comfortable."
"Yeah, I don't plan on telling them all next week or anything," Ace muttered with a snort. "Maybe one or two people I trust a month."
"Sounds like a good starting point," Marco agreed.
"Now I feel silly for making you fly me out here just to tell you that," Ace sighed.
"I needed the exercise, yoi," Marco chuckled.
"You could always refuse, you know. You always seem to know what's going on before I tell you."
"But I already told you - no questions, no judgment. Any time you want to get away, we'll go. Even if it's a five minute trip to ask me a question, yoi." Marco offered a patient smile. Ace hesitated, but when he returned it, Marco's smile widened a little. "Ready to go back now?"
"Yeah," Ace grinned and dug one of his feet into the sand, looking a lot like Luffy in that moment. "Can we do some loops and tricks on the way back? You know, since you need the exercise?"
Marco rolled his eyes, but rather than retort, he simply shifted forms and knelt so Ace could climb on. It was almost unnerving, the lengths he found himself willing to go to in order to keep Ace smiling. Eager hands grasped at his feathers and the sound of Ace's laughter filled him with warmth as the familiar weight settled into place.
Maybe 'unnerving' was the wrong term. Even if it still managed to surprise him from time to time, his brotherly instinct towards Ace never truly unnerved him. The trio had wormed their way to a special place in his heart, and any attempt at denying that was pointless.
...
Haruta nearly jumped out of his skin. He'd seen and experienced many things in his short time as a pirate belonging to the strongest crew in the world - but he could honestly say he'd never been slapped with an actual fish before. He didn't even have time to process the direction his life had taken before Luffy's rubbery fingers grasped the seafood right off of his cheek to shoot it directly into his mouth.
"What…?" he stared at Sabo while Luffy happily munched on his meal, looking for all intents and purposes like the fish had been put there just for him.
Sabo snorted in response. "You keep staring at the door. Looking for Lami again?"
Haruta's cheeks burned as he realized he'd been caught. "I wasn't… I mean-"
"You really want to make sure she doesn't get lost, huh?" Sabo inquired. "You're keeping track of her just like you do with Luffy."
"I'm worried," Haruta blurted out before he could get even more flustered. "I just want to make sure she's happy here. I really like her. I want her to stay."
"I think she'll stay," Sabo said with a shrug. "When we talked last night-"
"You two talked last night?" Haruta interrupted.
Sabo stared at him for a moment; the outburst had caught him off guard and drawn attention from the others at their table. Rakuyo in particular seemed troubled.
"Yeah," Sabo answered after a moment of awkward silence. "Neither of us could sleep."
Haruta's expression was unreadable. "So you bumped into each other?"
Rakuyo held back a groan. The last thing he'd wanted was for the boys to fight, but he had no idea how Haruta would handle jealousy. It was a new situation, and one no one had anticipated. Sabo was hesitant to answer, instead nodding while gauging Haruta's reaction. Rakuyo's expression softened however, when Haruta relaxed and smiled at Sabo in response.
"So you guys talked - and you both feel better?" Haruta asked in a hopeful tone.
"Yeah, especially cause Rakuyo showed up and got Lami to talk like a pirate," Sabo joked, relaxing as well and grinning back. "You should hear it."
"I can't wait," Haruta laughed. "I'm glad you guys get along. It makes sense - you're both smart and stuff."
"Yeah, well, 'and stuff' is what I strive for," Sabo teased. He shoved an entire omelette into his mouth before Luffy could snag it, eliciting a pout and a loud whine of protest.
"Ah, there's plenty of food," Rakuyo tried to soothe Luffy, laughing. "You never walk out of here hungry, do you, lad?"
"No," Luffy mumbled, already stuffing his mouth with pancakes. "But Sabo's food always tastes so good!"
Haruta nudged his plate to the side, and the enticing scent of his omelette - which he'd barely touched - caught Luffy's attention. "I wonder if my food tastes good," he said in an almost sing-song voice. "If only someone could tell me…"
Luffy wasted no time in shoveling the omelette directly from the plate into his mouth, cheeks stretching to make room. "Iff oo!"
Haruta grinned, his smile making him look far more boyish than he'd been acting lately. "Thanks, Luffy!"
"You really are a good big brother," Sabo commented, grinning at Haruta.
Haruta sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "I can always go get another. And Bay said he needs to eat more because of his metabolism anyway."
"Yeah, but we don't always have to give him our food," Sabo reminded him with a teasing grin.
"Says the guy who lets Luffy have just about anything he asks for," Haruta teased. Before Sabo could retort, Haruta caught sight of Izo and Vista coming into the room. He leapt to his feet upon seeing Lami coming in behind them, a brilliant grin lighting his face. His cheeks grew warm as well - Izo had already created one outfit just for Lami - though he probably planned to make more so she wasn't stuck wearing the same thing until they docked again - and there was no denying how cute she looked.
The plain blue t-shirt may have seemed similar to the one she'd borrowed from Luffy, but the cut at the neckline suited her much better and she seemed comfortable. She still wore overalls, but rather than baggy jeans, these were made of a softer and darker material that fell to her ankles instead of cutting off at her shins.
"Oh, Lamby's wearing her treasure again!" Luffy chirped, waving them over. Vista and Izo both waved before heading off - Vista to grab some breakfast and Izo to go soothe Thatch's pride - but Lami smiled and made her way over.
"Vista fixed it for me," Lami explained to Luffy. Instead of taking a seat, she looked to Haruta. "Can we talk for a minute?"
"Sure," Haruta quickly answered, shoving the rest of his food over to Luffy. While Luffy happily accepted this offering - and distraction - Lami and Haruta headed to a less crowded area of the galley.
"I like it here," Lami started, looking up at Haruta. "Everyone has been kind and helpful, and I think I'll be able to learn a lot from the medical staff."
"That's great news-" Haruta started, but Lami reached out and placed a hand on his arm, derailing his thoughts.
"I want to be friends. I don't want you to treat me any differently than you treat Ace, Sabo, and Luffy. I don't…" she trailed off, withdrawing her hand and looking to her feet.
Haruta's eyes widened. He immediately reached out to put his hand on her shoulder, hesitating to see if she wanted him to pull back, and then speaking when she seemed okay with the contact. "Lami… am I making you uncomfortable?"
"No," Lami promised, looking back up. "You aren't. But… I want it to stay that way. Izo said you'd understand."
Haruta absorbed those words, looking at her for several moments before nodding. "I do understand," he admitted, struggling not to let her see how ashamed he felt that his feelings had been so obvious - that she'd picked up on them and had apparently worried about how they might impact their friendship in the future. "I'm sorry, Lami. The truth is, I really do like you, but I didn't want you to know. We barely know each other, and I didn't want you to be uncomfortable around me…" he trailed off with a frustrated sigh. "I'm rambling."
"It's okay," Lami assured him with a soft look. "I'm the one putting you in an awkward situation by bringing it up."
Haruta immediately shook his head. "It's not your fault. I'm glad you told me." He squared his shoulders, pushing aside any developing feelings - and subsequent disappointment - to grin at her. "Friends?" He moved his hand from her shoulder, holding it out in front of her in an offer to shake on it.
Lami studied his expression, then grinned back at him, taking his hand and giving a firm shake. "Friends."
Haruta's grin widened. "So, you really like it here?"
"I do," Lami agreed, taking her hand back and fidgeting. "I'm excited to see the world and learn as much as I can. Izo said the doctors and nurses can start training me today if I wanted. And Vista said if I needed a break from medicine, there are hundreds of other things I can learn here."
Haruta nodded his agreement. "I took a few weeks of basically staring at everyone in excitement before I finally asked anyone to teach me anything. My brothers and sisters are amazing."
Lami perked up, motioning for him to walk with her back to the table. "What was the first thing you wanted to learn?"
"Cooking," Haruta admitted without shame. "Thatch was the first person I trusted. He's kind of my favorite, but don't tell anyone I said that - especially him!"
"The secret dies with me," Lami teased. She noticed Sabo and Rakuyo intently focused on them, and tried to keep her smile bright as they reached the table again.
"Everything okay?" Sabo asked once they were seated.
"Everything's perfect," Haruta told him with a grin.
"No it isn't," Luffy protested. "Not until Ace gets here!"
"Okay, okay, almost perfect," Haruta corrected.
"What did Thatch teach you to cook?" Lami asked, absently filling her plate off an assortment Rakuyo was offering.
"Crepes, first," Haruta blushed at the memory. "They're supposed to be really thin and filled with yummy stuff, right? I tried to make a giant cheese crepe."
"I want one," Luffy drooled, stars in his eyes. "But with meat instead of cheese. And meat instead of crepe!"
"How did it turn out?" Sabo inquired, amused by Luffy's expression.
"Glorious… but not really a crepe… and I had a stomachache for a week after eating it," Haruta admitted with a sheepish laugh. "I can make them the right way now, though."
"You should make me one!" Luffy cheered.
"Nah, Thatch's are better," Haruta informed him.
"Thatchy's are really good," Luffy agreed, a thoughtful look on his face. "Could I learn to cook?"
"You'd eat everything before you could cook it," Sabo snorted.
"Oh," Luffy nodded again. "We have good food here."
"So in theory, if I took a break from studying medicine… could I learn to fight?" Lami asked.
"Yeah," Sabo answered. 'We learn all sorts of stuff. Ace and I take on more than Luffy - and Haruta goes with Luffy when he has free time."
"Like when Ace and Sabo are learning stuff I already know," Haruta elaborated.
"Maybe I'll look into that," Lami mused. "Where's Ace, anyway?" she didn't say it out loud, but she'd noticed Ace tended to stick very close to Luffy in particular.
"Oh, he's with Marco," Sabo supplied. 'They have some kind of deal where Ace is allowed to go flying whenever he wants."
"But Marco is a phoenix, not a pineapple," Luffy added. He contemplated this, then pouted. "A pineapple would be cooler."
Lami hid a giggle in a toasted roll. "Maybe there's a book we can look at to see if the pine-pine fruit is real?"
"Oh!" Haruta snapped his fingers. "Teach has one of those! I can see if he'll let us borrow it!"
Lami's attention had been on Luffy - and she hesitated when she saw his shoulders scrunch. Before she could comment, Luffy shoved another plate's worth of food in his mouth, mood changing so quickly she was unsure if she'd truly seen the initial discomfort or if she'd simply imagined it.
"There's a book like that?" Sabo asked, eyes lighting up.
"I'd be interested in seeing it as well," Lami added, looking away from Luffy to smile at Haruta.
"Lemme see if he can go get it now - we can look at it before we head off for our duties and lessons," Haruta suggested, jumping up and dashing towards the table Teach was currently sitting at.
Lami watched him go, curious to see who Teach was. Haruta came to a stop at a table near the corner where a large man sat, surrounded by cherry pies. He seemed friendly enough, reaching out to ruffle Haruta's hair after a moment of listening to his excited request. When Teach glanced at their table, Lami flashed a friendly smile - she was after all, trying to be more outgoing with the crew - and he returned it.
A moment later, Teach was finishing his pies in one impressive bite and leaving the room. Haruta dashed back over with a grin.
"He said he'll go look for it," Haruta explained. "If he finds it by lunch, wanna go over it with Ace?"
"I thought Ace was already a devil fruit user?" Lami questioned.
"He is," Sabo agreed. "But it'd still be cool to look at. I mean, Luffy's got a fruit too, but he'll probably wanna see it."
"I'm not interested," Luffy stubbornly claimed. "My fruit is the best."
"Says the boy made of rubber," Sabo teased.
"Rubber is cool!" Luffy shouted, drawing a chuckle from Rakuyo. "You're the one who told Ace how cool it is!"
Sabo laughed, reaching over to tug Luffy into his arms. "Rubber is only cool because it's your ability, Luffy."
Luffy seemed satisfied by this statement, twisting his neck at an odd angle so he could look Sabo in the eye. While several people at the table cringed, still adjusting to the odd shapes Luffy could contort into, Lami merely seemed fascinated. Like she wanted to see how much he could twist his head around before it got uncomfortable.
"You promise?" Luffy asked, unaware of all the looks he was getting.
"Of course," Sabo laughed again. "You're one of a kind, Luffy. No one would be able to make rubber as cool as you."
Luffy's eyes positively shone. "That's right! Because I'm gonna be the Pirate King! I'll be stronger than everybody else!"
"Aye, you're one of a kind," Rakuyo agreed, watching them with a sappy smile. "Now hurry up and finish your food - I'm sure you all have better lessons or duties than cleanup planned. If you linger here for too long, someone might try to rope you into deck swabbing and dishwashing."
"Blegh," Haruta made a face at the thought, but even though he was the only one finished with his food, he had no intention of running off before the others were done.
...
"Your room is really cool," Lami commented, looking around as Ace held the door open for her. "I didn't think anyone but the commanders had private rooms."
"They made an exception," Haruta explained, making his way over to the lowest bunk and plopping down on it. "Since they're also the youngest ones on the ship."
"Is that a robot fighting a dinosaur?" Lami asked, staring up at the mural on the ceiling.
"Yeah, Curiel painted it," Ace answered with a wide grin. "It's cool, huh?"
"Really cool," Lami agreed, which had Luffy flailing with excitement and dragging her towards the bunk beds so he could show her everything on the ceiling.
"You're sleeping with the medical staff, right?" Sabo asked once Lami had gotten the entire explanation of the painting from Luffy, complete with sound effects and flailing. It had taken some time, but Luffy had been so excited and animated that no one had had the heart to interrupt.
"Yeah," Lami nodded, moving to sit cross-legged on the floor with Luffy and Ace. Sabo and Haruta joined them, with Haruta pulling out the book and setting it in the middle. "I'm sharing with the nursing staff, I think."
"I'm hanging out with the Fourth Division," Haruta added. "Since we don't get to join a division til we get our marks - that's at sixteen."
"I've heard that a few times," Lami nodded to Haruta. "But Bay told me not to worry about it because the medical staff is different."
"Yeah, she's running the Second Division too, but the medical staff isn't technically part of any divisions…" Haruta rubbed the back of his neck. "It's not confusing, is it?"
"No, the system makes sense," Lami answered, opening the book. "And in any case, I'm glad they don't let anyone under sixteen take the mark. It seems like a huge commitment - it's good that they want to give us younger kids more time to think on it."
"Marco said it's because Whitebeard accepts everyone, but they still need to make the choice for themselves," Ace added in. "That's why they have the mark all over our clothes instead."
"But it's not ownership," Lami clarified, mostly for her own peace of mind.
"Nah, not at all. It's more like… protection," Sabo explained. "No one will mess with us if they see us wearing Oyaji's mark. Not that we can't take care of ourselves or anything."
Lami nodded. "And you've all decided to get the mark when you turn sixteen?"
"Oh my arm or chest," Haruta confirmed.
"I'm thinking maybe my chest or ribs," Sabo murmured thoughtfully, turning the pages of the book.
"I'm not getting it, I have to be the captain," Luffy reminded her. "So I can be the Pirate King!"
"And I'm thinking of my arm or chest, like Haruta," Ace added.
Luffy rolled onto his back, sighing heavily. "Did you find the pine-pine fruit?"
"Not yet," Sabo chuckled. "Don't you want to look at the others? Here's a fruit that makes bubbles."
"Bubbles are b-o-r-i-n-g," Luffy punctuated each sound by stretching his cheeks to abnormal lengths.
Ace rolled his eyes, leaning over the book. "I wonder if they all taste the same."
"What did it taste like?" Lami inquired.
"Like sh-"
"Really, really bad, Lamby," Luffy interrupted Ace, making a face.
Ace shrugged, then simply nodded his agreement to Lami.
"That's interesting. I wonder why they taste so bad," Lami murmured.
"Jozu said it was the worst thing he ever tasted," Haruta recalled. "Marco said he didn't remember very well, but he was sure it was horrible."
"They probably all taste the same, then," Lami surmised. "It's a shame. They look like they'd taste good."
"You know, I think Namur was telling me they taste bad so no one would want to eat two." Sabo lifted his head to look at Lami. "Did you know if you try to eat two, the devils inside the fruits will fight and explode? It's deadly."
"I don't think I knew that… although I do recall hearing that you can never eat more than one," Lami's brow furrowed. "I don't know who told me that."
"I heard it from Makino," Sabo admitted.
"Makino?" Lami echoed.
"She owns a bar back on the island we grew up on," Ace explained. "How did Makino know?"
"I didn't ask how she knew," Sabo shrugged. "But I mean… I thought it would come in handy to know, with the way Luffy eats and the fact that he already had one."
"I already knew that," Luffy retorted, sticking his tongue out. "That was one of the first things Shanks told me." He sighed again, rolling back and forth for a bit. "This is boring."
"You're not even looking at the book," Sabo pointed out.
"I've got this," Ace assured Sabo, getting up and heading over to his trunk. He dug around for a while, then pulled out a bag of candy for Luffy, who immediately rushed over and pounced on it. With Luffy distracted, Ace came back over. "We should have a few minutes before he starts complaining again."
"Look at this," Haruta pointed, stopping Sabo from turning the page. "This fruit makes someone into snow the way Ace is fire."
"I could melt them," Ace boasted.
"What if you ran into another hot-type?" Sabo asked.
"There's only one Mera Mera no Mi," Ace argued.
"But there might be another kind," Lami interjected. "Like steam or smoke."
Ace frowned. "How would fire fight steam or smoke?"
"I'm not sure," Lami admitted. "But I bet there's a way."
Ace kept frowning as they poured over the book for a little longer. It wasn't until Lami stopped them on one of the pages, eyes alight with curiosity, that his scowl softened. "Find a good one?"
"I don't know if you guys would think it's necessarily cool," Lami admitted. "But I noticed the picture before I read what it was… and I think if I were to ever eat one of these, that's the one I'd want."
"Which one?" Haruta leaned in, eyebrows lifting. "The Nagi Nagi no Mi?"
"You want to be… calm?" Sabo ventured.
"No, I am calm, usually," Lami corrected. "But it sounds like this fruit has the ability to calm the environment around you. Like silencing all distractions, or maybe even calming the temperament of a patient who's scared or panicked…"
"Doesn't that seem boring?" Ace asked. "You wouldn't be able to make an attack with like… a wave of quiet."
"No, but it'd be good for stealth," Haruta cut in, eyes lighting up. "Could you imagine if you could make yourself completely quiet? No one would ever hear you coming!"
"I guess that sounds useful…" Ace tilted his head to the side. "Can you fight at all, Lami?"
"Not yet," Lami murmured, looking to the fruit again. "But even if it doesn't help me in combat, I think it's the only devil fruit I'd give up the ability to swim for."
"Well, that's all that really matters, I suppose," Sabo chimed in. "That it's the fruit you want, I mean. Do you wanna see if Oyaji will get it for you?"
"What?" Lami stared at him in confusion, but Haruta grinned.
"Oyaji gave Ace his fruit," Haruta explained. "It was his Children's Day gift."
Ace shifted, ducking his head. "I thought I'd have to do something to earn it," he admitted. "No one seemed surprised or anything - I mean, I asked Jozu if that was how he got his fruit and he said they don't really make a habit of seeking out devil fruits, but since it was important to me…"
"Well, it's not necessarily important to me," Lami murmured, shifting the conversation when she saw how bashful Ace was getting about the subject. "So I guess I'll just see if I can find it on my own. If I can't, I guess I'll be one of the ones who jumps into the water to retrieve you hammers."
"Did you just call us hammers?" Ace looked up with a crooked grin, amused.
Lami smiled back, looking quite pleased. "Rakuyo said I need to work on my teasing. So, yes. I did."
Sabo snickered into his hand. "I like this side of you. You seem way more comfortable and it's only been a day."
"It's hard not to feel comfortable here. Everyone is so nice and welcoming, and they all seem to genuinely care. It's been a long time since I've felt that way." She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and smiled. "Let's try and find a fruit you and Haruta would like."
Sabo shrugged. "I think I'm okay not having one. I mean, maybe I'll change my mind on that someday, but for now, I like being able to pull my brothers out of the water."
"I don't fall in like Luffy does," Ace muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
"I think I'm in the same boat," Haruta added. "I like being able to swim. Thatch says I'm one of the fastest." He glanced to the book again. "I guess we can just give this back?"
"Do you think Teach would let me borrow this book a bit longer?" Lami asked, turning the page before he could close the book.
"I thought you decided on a fruit?" Haruta questioned, cocking his head to the side.
"That's the one I'd want, although I'd have to look at all of them to be sure there isn't one I'd want more," Lami agreed. "But I'm studying to be a surgeon, and some of these fruits might cause damage that I haven't considered. I want to know how to heal any injury. It might help to study a book that has all known devil fruits in it."
"No harm in asking, right?" Sabo asked, turning to Haruta.
"Yeah, I can ask him for you if you want," Haruta offered. He smiled, a little shy. "I mean, I'm sure you can ask for yourself, it's just, I didn't know if you'd feel comfortable asking him since you don't know him."
"That's thoughtful of you," Lami murmured, smiling back. Her cheeks warmed a little, causing her to quickly turn her attention to the book again. "I'm not comfortable asking him yet. I'd appreciate it if you asked for me."
"Sure! I'll ask him at dinner," Haruta offered. "I don't think there are any books like this in the library, so he'll understand."
"I'm bored," Luffy finally interrupted, jumping on Ace and tangling himself around Ace's upper body so he'd be impossible to shake off. "Let's go do something fun!"
"Well, the distraction lasted longer than I thought it would," Sabo chuckled, grinning at Ace. "Wanna go spar?"
"Yeah!" Luffy cheered.
Lami glanced up at Haruta again, then quietly closed the book and scooted it towards him. "Are you going to go spar?"
"Yeah, I mean, I probably should," he answered, accepting the book. "Are you coming?"
"I'll come watch," Lami decided. "Even if I do want to start learning something, I won't be able to start right away or I might hurt myself. You guys won't mind the audience, will you?"
"I can show you all my really cool attacks!" Luffy perked right up. "I'm gonna beat Ace and Sabo today!"
"Psh," Ace scoffed, grinning over his shoulder. "You wish."
"Today's the day! I'm gonna do it!" Luffy insisted. "I have a secret, super powerful, brand new attack!"
"Can't wait to see it," Sabo chuckled, pushing himself up.
"I'll leave the book here. We can always get it back afterwards," Haruta decided, carrying it over to the writing desk and setting it down. He turned and hurried after Ace and Sabo, hesitating only briefly to hold the door open for Lami. The smile he gave her as he did so was nothing more than the same friendly smile he showed his brothers, and it prompted her to return it with one of her own.
He gave no indication that he was upset over their earlier exchange, and this time, he hoped she wouldn't pick up on his feelings at all. His heart still flipped when she smiled at him, but he was determined not to burden her with it. There would be time later when he didn't have to worry about anyone seeing him - that was when he planned to let his heartbreak show.
...
Of course, few things ever seemed to go according to Haruta's plans. After a good sparring match that had drawn quite the crowd, and a dinner where many of his favorite dishes had been featured - as well as Teach outright giving the book to Lami on the claim that he no longer needed it and letting Haruta be the one to deliver this news - he'd snuck off to mope in private.
Naturally, Thatch had either noticed his absence or someone had tipped him off - and Thatch, being Thatch, wouldn't let Haruta cry alone.
"Wanna talk about it, kiddo?" Thatch asked, placing a hand on the back of his head and sitting with him.
"No," Haruta mumbled into his knees. "I want to be alone."
"If that were true, you'd have picked a way better hiding spot," Thatch informed him. "But seriously, one of the lifeboats? You may as well have left a trail of breadcrumbs."
"That doesn't even make sense," Haruta argued. His voice wavered as fresh tears burned his eyes. "Go away, Thatch. Your pompadour sucks."
"My pompadour is amazing, and you're lucky I know you don't mean it," Thatch scolded. "So, is this about Lami?"
Haruta's head snapped up so quickly it made him dizzy. He stared at Thatch for a moment, cheeks flushed and expression stricken. "Does everyone know?"
"Eh… maybe, maybe not," Thatch shrugged. "But you still shouldn't run off to cry alone."
"I'm not crying," Haruta insisted, scrubbing at his eyes with one arm. "I'm a big brother now, and a man. Men don't cry!"
"Pfft. Bullshit they don't," Thatch muttered. "Men cry, Haruta. There's nothing wrong with it, as long as it's worth crying over. I guarantee every single man on this ship has cried before and will cry again. I mean, even Oyaji cries. You gonna tell him he's not a man?"
Haruta bit his lower lip, then shook his head with a barely audible 'no'.
"So tell me what happened. I mean, yeah, you're a big brother now, but you can't forget that you're still my little brother. Let me be the big brother again, and tell me what's wrong," Thatch said in a softer tone, wrapping his arm around Haruta in a sideways hug.
Haruta's shoulders shook, and then he pressed closer and hiccupped, welcoming Thatch's support. "I really like Lami," he admitted. "But she doesn't like me that way!"
Thatch rubbed his upper arm, frowning softly. "How do you know she doesn't like you that way?"
"Sh-she told me," Haruta continued, cringing. "I mean, she said it would make her uncomfortable, and I really don't want that! So she asked if we could be friends, and I said we could because I want to be her friend…" Haruta's voice shook. "But it still made me want to cry!"
"Well…" Thatch exhaled and tucked him closer. "That's okay, Haruta. I mean, she's your first crush, right? This is the first time you've felt like this?" When Haruta gave a miserable nod, Thatch smiled in understanding. "So it's your first heartbreak, too. You guys are still kids, and you have your whole lives to figure this stuff out. The important part is that you're going to be her friend, right?"
Haruta wiped his nose, nodding as a few more tears escaped. "Yeah… I didn't wanna make her uncomfortable, Thatch."
"Well, you won't, if you're going to be her friend," Thatch promised him. "So get it all out now, and then tomorrow it'll hurt a little less. And if you ever need to come talk to me, I won't even tell anyone you cried. In fact, I'll cry too, if you want."
"You don't hafta cry," Haruta mumbled, ducking his head. "Are you sure it'll hurt less tomorrow?"
"You might not notice, but yeah, it will," Thatch murmured with another smile. "The hurt will keep going away a little bit at a time until it doesn't hurt at all anymore."
"It doesn't feel like it's ever going away," Haruta complained, sniffling.
"Well of course not. It never feels like that at first. Take it from me, Haruta - pain fades with time. You're a good kid, and you're gonna be a damn good man when you grow up. You did the right thing by not trying to push her into liking you back. I'm proud of you."
Haruta struggled to keep himself from perking up at Thatch's words. He was trying to act more like an adult, but being praised by one of the brothers he looked up to the most made it difficult. Thatch's validation - even though he knew it was the right thing, and he was genuinely looking forward to being Lami's friend despite the overwhelming urge to cry for a while - helped ease some of the misery. Still, he continued to let his emotions out, knowing if he stubbornly held back, it would only make him cry harder later.
It wasn't until a while later - once he'd finally finished crying and after he was done wiping his face - that he spoke again, sounding tired. "What if she thinks I'm pushing her even if I'm not?"
"I don't think she will, not if you two talked about it," Thatch assured him. "But I'm sure she'll tell you if anything is bothering her."
"Yeah… she's really direct," Haruta agreed, a soft smile touching his lips. "She's really cool, Thatch. And strong, and smart."
"Yep. I noticed that, too." Thatch grinned again. "I'm sure she's going to stick around. If you ever feel like you're starting to let those feelings show and you need help, just flag me down. I'll come distract everyone."
Haruta nodded, smile fading a little. "I just don't want her to know it's upsetting me," he admitted, voice small. "I don't want her to think it's her fault."
"And that, little brother, is why I'm so proud of you," Thatch couldn't help but sigh, his expression softening. "Any time you need someone to talk to…"
"Yeah, yeah, come to you," Haruta mumbled, ducking his head again to hide the blush at being told Thatch was proud of him. "Growing up is complicated, Thatch."
"Mmph…" Thatch slapped his free hand over his mouth in an attempt to muffle his laughter, but he couldn't stop all of it. Haruta responded by scowling up at him with obvious indignance.
"What's so funny?!" Haruta demanded.
"You're like, fourteen!" Thatch laughed, shoulders shaking. "You have years before growing up gets 'complicated'!"
Haruta crossed both arms over his chest, scowling. "I was practically an adult back on my home island, you know. I was already taking care of myself!"
Thatch's laughter subsided, a soft sigh escaping. "Well, yeah… but you shouldn't have been. I hate seeing kids having to grow up too fast, and it happens all the time in this world. Don't you see, that's why we all want you to take your time? Most of us didn't have that option. Some of us were lucky enough to be found by Oyaji early on, but not everyone was that fortunate. You, Lami, the trio - stay kids as long as you can in this world, okay?"
Haruta gave a huffy sigh, then shrugged, face hidden. "I guess it couldn't hurt."
"That's the spirit," Thatch grinned down at him. "This way, we can play more pranks together."
"You sure you don't want us to stay kids so you have someone to play with?" Haruta teased, peering up at Thatch and giving a small smile.
"Ssh," Thatch held a finger up to his lips. "Don't tell anyone, okay?"
"Sure," Haruta hugged him, hiding his face in Thatch's shoulder. "I hope I can be a good big brother like you, Thatch."
"Aw, shucks," Thatch chuckled, flustered. "I think you already are. I'm sure Luffy and the trio think so, too."
Haruta hugged him a little tighter. He never wanted to let his younger siblings down - or his older siblings, for that matter.
...
By the end of the next week, Haruta was feeling much more confident in his ability to squash his romantic interest in Lami and think of her as a friend instead. Though she'd spent most of the week either with Bay or in the library, they'd included her in a couple of pranks and she'd started to completely relax around them. They'd even convinced her to go ashore with them as they reached the next island, despite how wary she was of being around large groups of strangers.
It was impossible not to notice the tension in the air. The excitement of having a new island to explore dimmed when they found themselves staring at the back of Marco's legs. Luffy quickly darted around, with Sabo and Lami sidestepping, but Ace, whose nature indicated caution, and Haruta, who knew Marco had positioned himself in such a way on purpose - both hesitated.
In the next moment, both Ace and Haruta had moved to Luffy's side in case there was danger.
"What's going on, Marco?" Ace asked.
"Nothing big, yoi," Marco answered, arms crossed over his chest. His gaze was on the crowd near Whitebeard's chair.
"Are we under attack?" Haruta asked, suddenly peering at the open sea and struggling to contain his excitement.
Luffy immediately fed into the excitement, perking up. "I'll kick their asses!" he boasted.
"No one's kicking anyone's asses," Marco chuckled, the sound setting Sabo and Lami at ease - they both knew him will enough to know he wouldn't be chuckling if they were in any real danger. "We have guests."
"Guests?" Lami echoed.
"One of our allied captains, yoi," Marco clarified. "Squard and his crew have come to speak with Oyaji. They were supposed to be watching some of our territories in the New World."
"Is something wrong?" Ace ventured, searching Marco's expression.
"Squard's not in a good mood, yoi. Why don't we go ashore? This is a port island - way bigger than Caraway and there's a lot more to do."
"Sounds like a plan," Sabo agreed. "We were planning on asking if we could explore on our own. We even got Lami to wear Oyaji's mark."
Lami blushed, smiling up at Marco when he looked over. The mark was bright and sunny, a splash of yellow on her dark blue shirt. She even gave a small curtsy as if to emphasize her new look. She was of course, the last of the children to accept the mark. It had Marco smiling despite his tense mood.
"Looks good," Marco nodded to her with approval. "Humor me and let me tag along for a bit, yoi?"
"If we must," Haruta sighed, feigning exasperation.
"And don't worry," Thatch said, making his way over. "Squard's having a tough time, but I'm cooking all of his favorites for the memorial feast. He always cheers up at the end."
"Memorial feast?" Lami echoed.
Marco shot Thatch a look. "You should go make sure his tastes haven't changed."
"How dare you. Izo, punish him," Thatch gasped, scandalized at the idea that he wouldn't have noticed someone's tastes changing.
Izo rolled his eyes, moving to join them. "Fight your own battles."
"Actually," Ace blurted out, stepping closer to Thatch and looking up at him. "Before you go, do you have a minute to talk in private?"
"He doesn't - it'd be best if he makes sure the feast is ready on time. We should go, yoi," Marco advised.
"Jeez, Marco. What has your tail feathers in a twist? Upset Ace finally wants to spend some time with me?" Thatch huffed, brushing past him and grinning down at Ace. "You can talk to me anytime, Ace."
"Squard can wait an extra hour for the feast. It won't improve his mood anyway," Izo added.
"Why is squid-guy sad?" Luffy asked, clasping his hands behind his head.
"Thatch said he was having a memorial feast," Sabo reminded him. "So he probably lost someone important to him on this date."
"Yeah," Haruta nodded. "He did this last year too - I think it was around this time, anyway? I was still really new back then. The way everyone talked about it, I think last year was maybe the second time he's done this." He turned to Sabo. "Squard lost his original crew to the Pirate King a long time ago."
Ace stilled - as did Sabo - but Luffy's eyes widened.
"He fought the Pirate King?" Luffy asked.
"And lost," Izo reminded him, hoping to curb Luffy's enthusiasm. They all knew Luffy's tactless nature could be rather insensitive.
"Yeah, he really hates Roger," Thatch cautioned Luffy. "So don't ask him about it."
"We should go on ahead," Sabo interrupted, grabbing onto Luffy's hand. "I'm really excited to explore. You can talk to Thatch later, can't you?"
"Sure," Ace answered, grabbing Luffy's other hand. Thatch faltered, looking to the trio with obvious concern. Even Lami, who'd only known them for a short time, could read the defensive posture and discern their shift in mood. It was an automatic response ingrained in the older siblings - like they were anticipating danger.
"Squard's upset, but he's not dangerous or anything, you know," Thatch tried to soothe them.
"Better not risk getting caught up in one of his rants, yoi," Marco shrugged. "Let's go."
"Are you sure I can't ask about the Pirate King?" Luffy whined.
"You'd just be reminding that guy about a painful experience," Sabo answered, tugging him away from the door. "You don't want to upset him, do you?"
Luffy sagged. "No, I guess not."
Thatch opened his mouth, but Marco silenced him with a sharp look. It wasn't enough to answer his questions, but it was enough to tell him not to push it.
Lami exchanged glances with Haruta, then shrugged and moved to follow the brothers. She didn't know what had passed between them, but she understood their urgency and didn't want to hold them up. She caught her first glance of Squard as Haruta moved to walk alongside her.
He appeared drunk - something that had Lami wrinkling her nose - and he burst into a loud, anguished rant the moment someone tried to console him.
The words themselves were ugly. Accusations and curses directed at Roger - but it was the sheer hatred in his voice that had Lami hugging herself. She almost didn't notice that when Ace came to an abrupt stop during a rant about how Roger should never have existed, his expression dark.
"Ace," Sabo murmured. "Not here."
"Ace?" Haruta ventured, steadying Lami when she stumbled to avoid colliding with Ace.
Marco placed a hand on Ace's shoulder. "Ace."
Ace clenched his jaw, and for one brief moment, pain and vulnerability flashed in his eyes. "Let's just g-"
"Shut up!" Luffy shouted, angry gaze fixed on Squard.
All at once, the deck went quiet, all eyes focused on Luffy's rubbery, angry form.
"Don't say anything else!" Luffy shouted.
"Luffy!" Ace and Sabo both tried to tug him away, but his arms simply stretched.
"Who is this brat?" Squard demanded.
"Don't mind Luffy," Thatch jumped in, shifting closer to them. "He's our youngest member."
"I'm not a member of this crew! I have to be the captain!" Luffy argued.
"Well, 'captain'," Squard mocked. "I'll say whatever I want about Roger! The world would have been better off if he'd never been born!"
"Squard, you're drunk and picking a fight with an eight-year-old, yoi," Marco scowled, fixing him with a steely glare.
"He shouldn't stick his nose in other people's affairs!" Squard retorted. "What does he care if I hate Roger? The man was a plague! A monster! His blood must have been cursed-"
Vista had been seconds away from knocking Squard out to let him sleep off his drunken rage, but Luffy's next words brought everything to a screeching halt.
"Stop saying mean things about Ace's dad!" He shouted, face red and teeth clenched. "His blood is not cursed, and if Ace's dad was never born, then Ace would never have been born, and that's wrong!"
"Luffy!" Ace shouted, disbelief that Luffy had blurted out his secret written all over his face.
Luffy paused, hands snapping back to his sides as Ace and Sabo let go. No one else spoke, and as Luffy uttered a small 'oops' and covered his mouth, the blood drained from Ace's face.
He could see the looks everyone was giving him - the confusion giving way to shock as Luffy's claims sunk in. His own reaction had given away too much. He couldn't even try to dismiss it as one of Luffy's wild stories. His gaze flew to Haruta and Lami next. Lami seemed perplexed, but Haruta's eyes were wide, staring at Ace like he'd seen a ghost.
Ace had to wonder exactly whose ghost they were all seeing when they looked at him.
"Ace," Whitebeard's quiet, booming voice startled him, and he found himself staring across the crowded deck at the man he'd come to view as his father. The thought of Whitebeard's kind smile twisting into the same looks of hatred and disgust he'd seen all his life from the people who believed his very existence was a sin sent him over the edge.
He took several steps backwards, raising one arm in case he needed to defend himself, pulse racing and chest tightening. Marco reached out, and the reaction was automatic despite how much he trusted the first Whitebeard Pirate he'd told his secret to.
"Stay away from me!" Ace shouted, fire erupting along his entire body. He didn't give Marco a chance to say anything else, even though logically, he knew Marco could have stopped him. He couldn't apply that logic - or any logic, for that matter - as the blood rushed to his head and his instincts screamed at him to run. The fire expanded, forcing others to back away. Sabo and Luffy both reached for him, ignoring the flames as they danced harmlessly over their bodies, but Ace was fleeing the ship without looking back.
He distantly heard the shouts of his name, but he didn't stop. He didn't plan on ever stopping, not when he was afraid of losing the family he'd finally started to think of as his own.
...
"Shit," Sabo swore, staring after Ace's retreating form. He knew better than to give chase - it wouldn't do any good if Ace wasn't ready to face them.
"What… just happened?" Thatch asked, staring at Marco with wide eyes. "Is he really…?!"
"I wasn't supposed to tell!" Luffy's voice pitched with distress as Sabo held him back. "Everyone, you have to forget you heard it!"
"That kid," Squard took one step forward, eyes wild. "He's-" Squard took another step towards the brothers, but he didn't make it any farther before Namur had knocked him out.
"Let him sleep it off in the infirmary," Namur grunted, eyes darting back in the direction Ace had gone.
"Marco," Izo's voice was quiet, but his words silenced the shocked murmuring all around them. "You knew?"
"Ace told me, yoi," Marco answered, his gaze unwavering and fixed on the ashen trail Ace had left. Ace was no longer igniting everything around him, but their decision to dock away from the main port had given Ace the perfect cover. Trees clustered around the edges of the island in a crescent moon shape, and now that Ace was no longer leaving a trail of smoke, it would be difficult to find him on foot. He turned his gaze to Izo and Thatch. "He planned on telling Thatch today."
Thatch jolted. "He was going to tell me?"
"Why didn't he tell me?!" Haruta burst out before he could help it, struggling to hold back tears. He was confused, frustrated… worried, for Ace.
"Ace didn't think anyone would accept him," Sabo answered, voice shaking. "He was opening up at his own pace…"
"No wonder he's been so undecided about taking the mark," Bay sighed, leaning against the rail. "You don't seem particularly surprised, Oyaji. Did you know?"
"Hm," Whitebeard took a long sip of his sake. "If I did, I must have forgotten."
Realization flashed in Sabo's eyes, and he looked to Luffy, whose face was scrunched up in an effort not to cry. He looked back at Whitebeard. "This whole time?"
"The sins of the parent should never become the burden of the child, Sabo," Whitebeard spoke, setting down his cup. "Once you make the choice to set sail, you become a child of the sea." Even though his words were directed at Sabo, his gaze was on Squard's unconscious form. "Marco."
"On it, yoi," Marco answered, nodding once and then launching himself into the air, transforming mid-jump.
Sabo swallowed again, then gripped Luffy's shoulders. "So Ace can stay?"
"If Ace can't stay, we won't stay!" Luffy challenged, fists clenched.
"Who said Ace couldn't stay?!" Haruta burst out, composure breaking. "He's our brother!"
Sabo turned to stare at Haruta, eyes wide. "Haruta…"
"Haruta's right," Izo spoke up, approaching them with a soft look. "Nothing about Ace has magically changed by revealing his bloodline. I wish I'd known that was what he was worried about."
"But…" Sabo swallowed, hard. "That Squard guy-"
"Let us worry about Squard. He may hate Roger, and it may take him some time to reconcile this turn of events, but Squard won't hate Ace," Vista added, casting a troubled look towards the island. "I'm not saying everyone will understand right away, but we're a family, lad."
"We can't just leave Marco to do all the searching," Namur muttered. "It's a huge island, and what if he runs into trouble when he hits the town?"
"Now Namur's a mama bird. Fish? Mama fish?" Bay tapped her hip thoughtfully. "Mama fish has a nice ring to it."
Namur shot her a scathing look.
"Oh, don't glare at me," Bay teased. "I'm going to go look with you."
"I'm sticking with Luffy and Sabo!" Haruta insisted. "We have to look, too!"
"I'll take them - and Lami, if she wants to look?" Thatch offered. Lami instantly nodded. "I know Ace can take care of himself, but I don't want him getting it in his head that we just waited around for Marco to bring him home."
"Go," Whitebeard agreed, moving to stand. "One of my sons is out there and he needs to know we intend to bring him home."
Luffy scrubbed at his eyes, face scrunching again. "Sabo… is Ace gonna be mad at me?"
"Probably," Sabo admitted, tugging Luffy into his arms. "But you know he can't stay mad for long." He swallowed, feeling a little choked up. "And once he sees how much everyone wants him to come back, he won't feel like he has to hide anymore."
"Yeah," Haruta added, placing a hand on Luffy's head, his other on Sabo's shoulder. "It's still… I mean, I can't believe it, but it doesn't matter. Ace needs us right now. He's our brother."
Luffy sucked in a deep breath, shoulders shaking. "I'm not gonna cry," he informed them. "I'm not crying because Ace isn't here to tell me not to cry! Just like before! Because, because - because, then Ace will definitely come back!"
Sabo's throat tightened. "Idiot," he admonished gently, hugging Luffy tighter. "Of course Ace is coming back. We just have to find him first."
"Everyone, we're splitting up and swarming the island!" Rakuyo shouted, rallying the others. "Let's go find our brother!"
The answering chorus of cheers and downright battle cries brought tears to Sabo's eyes. He only hoped Ace would be willing to face them - to let them prove once and for all that the Moby Dick was where Ace truly belonged.
...
A/N: Ty all for reading! Hopefully I'll be quicker on my updating soon. And thank you so freaking much for all of the wonderful reviews ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh fuigahdrpfgi9artjg we're almost at a thousand!? WHAT SORCERY IS THIS.