Author's Note: Hey everyone! Thank you for being patient with me (I know its been a little while since my last update haha). This chapter focuses primarily on Jimbei and Lu bonding so I hope you all enjoy :)
To MelodiofHope: Aw thanks so much!
To Greer123: Thank you! I really tried to make it accurate for how he would see what Luffy had done to his slave brand.
To fluffypuppies: Yeah, poor Jimbei, lots of memories of Tiger :( But the list of followers grows, so true! Lu is so great, definitely my favorite character. Though they won't be on Fishman Island for very long, we may see some interactions between familiar characters ;) As always, thank you so much for the review!
To yukino76: You are very welcome!
To too addicted to fiction: Awww thank you so much for your compliments! I'm so pleased you're enjoying my story! Ever since I met Katakuri I knew he could be the father figure Lu was missing :) Teach is so creepy lol, all the time. Thank you so much for the sweet comment and I hope you enjoy the update!
To clipboardfox22: Ya know, I have actually read that story :) It was quite enjoyable!
To Nanashi Samurai: Lol ripping hearts out is what I do best XD Better buckle up for this chapter! Thanks for the review!
WARNINGS:
- Emotions
- Self-harm/mentions of past self-harm
- Hurt/comfort
- Nakedness
- Trauma
The party went long into the night, the White Bread pirates partying hard with their fishmen friends. According to Ace, they'd be leaving the island in a few days, as soon as they'd restocked their supplies. The merman King offered to house them for longer, but if they wanted to make it to the East Blue by Ace's birthday, they couldn't dawdle for very long.
Luffy enjoyed the gathering and spent most of his time snuggled up to Jimbei, his new friend.
When he'd shown the Warlord his burn, the fishman had cried, taking everyone by surprise. But after insisting over and over that he was fine (and scrubbing his tears away), Jimbei laughed, a deep reverberating bass that made Luffy smile.
For whatever reason, Jimbei made him feel safe, like Papa did.
Eventually, the party died down and everyone fell asleep on the hard floor, not bothering to stumble back to their rooms. Even Namur and Ace collapsed in a heap, snoring loudly. The sight made Luffy smile but then pout when he realized he wasn't tired yet since he'd taken a nap before arriving at the party.
"Aren't you tired?" Jimbei asked in a whisper, finishing off his cup of alcohol. Luffy shook his head.
"No, I already had a nap today." He stood up and scanned the room for Sabo, finally locating him leaned against the far wall next to Thatch. "Ne, could you help me take my big brothers back to our room?"
Luffy knew they'd be cranky if he let them sleep on the floor. Plus, he honestly couldn't remember how to get back to their room…the palace was too big!
"Of course."
Grinning at his new friend, he grabbed Ace by the arm and pulled him out from underneath Namur, fluffy ears twitching with the effort. Seeing his struggle, Jimbei stepped in and gently placed Ace on his right shoulder. While the fishman went to collect Sabo, Luffy tip-toed around the many bodies, snickering at some of the familiar faces drawn out into a drunken or unconscious stupor.
Pirates were so funny.
Out on the balcony, Luffy noticed Mr. White Bread talking with the King in hushed whispers, serious eyes revealing their not so jovial conversation. Whatever they were talking about definitely wasn't fun. When Jimbei waved him over, Sabo and Ace snoozing on his shoulder in a clump, Luffy started to make his way across the rest of the room.
Mr. White Bread noticed his movement and flashed him a smile, eyes regaining some of the warmth Luffy had come to love. Luffy waved, tail swishing behind him. He could tell the pirate was concerned that he was alone, so he pointed at Jimbei and grinned widely.
The Captain nodded in understanding before going back to his conversation with the King.
Luffy hummed the tune he'd learned at the party while he worked to keep up with Jimbei. The fishman was big, but he did his best to walk at a pace that was comfortable for both of them. Since both of his brothers were on Jimbei's right shoulder, his left arm was completely free.
So, taking advantage of that, Luffy reached up and slipped his hand into the fishman's webbed one. Jimbei looked down at him with an expression of restrained shock, but he didn't pull away.
"May…I ask you a question, boy?"
"Sure." He chirped, tail swishing back and forth behind him.
"Why did you say I'm a good person?" Jimbei questioned, "We just met today and I'm having difficulty understanding…" He trailed off, making Luffy look up into the older man's eyes. There was turmoil written all over his face. Ever since he'd discovered that Luffy had been a slave and covered his brand, he'd changed the way he looked at him.
At first, it was purely with interest, but then it became warm and familiar. Almost like Luffy was someone else.
"I just know." He replied, flicking his ears. It was difficult to put into words how he knew these things. Papa Kata told him it had to do with his Haki, but he didn't really understand. According to his brothers, he just had good instincts when it came to people.
Jimbei blinked at his response and said nothing, tightening his grip on his hand as they turned a corner.
"I see, and you don't care that I am a fishman, not human."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Luffy asked, genuinely confused. Namur was his friend and he wasn't human. For that matter, with his feline appendages, was he completely human anymore? "I like you and you're a good person, so we're friends."
It was as simple as that.
Jimbei was, in a word, flabbergasted.
This human child viewed the world in such a pure, simple, and innocent way. He saw no need to be suspicious of him despite his status as a Warlord and didn't care about their difference in race like many human children (and adults) did.
It was refreshing, like a breath of fresh air.
'Queen Otohime would've adored him.' Jimbei thought with a soft smile as he took the lead when it became clear that Luffy had no idea where they were going. 'Brother Tiger as well.' Though the two had their differences, he had a sneaking suspicion it wouldn't have mattered when it came to Luffy.
If only they'd lived long enough to meet him…and seen the possibilities to come.
As a former slave, Luffy had seen the darkest parts of the world and survived, coming out of it with that sunny grin of his. Jimbei knew the poor child likely suffered greatly in the dark, away from prying eyes. Trauma didn't just go away overnight, much like prejudices.
He knew there wasn't much he could do to help the boy, but he wanted to do what he could, at least for tonight.
When they arrived at the brothers' guest room, Luffy bounded inside first, releasing his hand in the process. Jimbei looked down at his hand, now missing the warmth the boy constantly exerted. He never thought he'd come to the point where he'd enjoy being familiar with a human of all creatures.
"You can put them there!" Luffy said, pointing to the unmade bed at the center of the room. Nodding to the boy, Jimbei gently put his two passengers down and covered them with blankets. Of the three, he hadn't gotten a chance to speak to the blonde human, Sabo. Though from what he'd gleaned, the two older brothers were a bit more cautious than Luffy and very overprotective.
Ace hadn't relaxed around him until the alcohol and copious amounts of food started to set in.
Luffy crawled up onto the bed and adjusted the blankets, gently petting his brothers' hair. The two elders didn't stir. Suddenly feeling a bit out of place, Jimbei cleared his throat to get the child's attention.
"Well then, I will take my leave-"
"Wait, don't go yet!" Luffy whined, moving to the edge of the bed, "I'm not tired yet…and I don't wanna be alone!" Jimbei recoiled slightly at the kid's impressive doe-eyed and teary look.
"I-I…w-well…" He ran a hand through his hair, unsure what to say. If he stayed in the room with Luffy and his brothers woke up…there could be trouble, but how could he possibly say no the boy? "Okay, what do you want to do?"
He gave in. Some warrior he was.
Luffy, for his part, beamed up at him, obviously pleased.
"Oh, oh, we could play a game like hide-and-seek or-" Jimbei flinched at the boy's loud exclamation and glanced nervously to where the other two brothers slept. For his own peace of mind (and safety) he needed to take Luffy out of the small room.
"H-How about we go somewhere else?" He interrupted, "Your brothers need their rest." Luffy made a small sound of realization and covered his mouth with his hands, his fluffy tail freezing in a position that pointed straight up behind him.
Nodding silently, Luffy padded over to him and took him by the hand once again, quickly leading him out of the room. When the door shut behind them, Jimbei let out a sigh of relief. He didn't want to deal with a pair of overprotective brats in the middle of the night if he could help it.
For all Luffy's raving about doing something fun, they ended up simply wandering around the surprisingly quiet palace. The boy was fascinated by the scenery, fish, and the mere fact that they were under the water at all. For Jimbei, it was nothing special, but then again, he'd grown up with it.
He imagined any fishman child would act the same up on the surface for the first time.
"Woah…what's in there?" Luffy asked, pointing at a doorway with a curtain over the top half.
"That's the bath the soldiers use." Jimbei explained, "Many of them live right here in the palace most of the time so they don't have to open and close the waterway so often." The boy bounced in place, apparently excited by the idea.
"Can we go in? I wanna see!"
"Er…I suppose-"
Before he knew it, Luffy was gone, rushing into the bathhouse without a second thought. Jimbei swiftly followed him, not wanting him to slip into the water by accident. Whitebeard would be most displeased with him if something happened to his youngest son on his watch.
As the boy rambled off questions to him like 'do fish-people really take baths?' or 'since you swim everywhere, does that mean you're always clean?', Luffy ran around the large rectangular pool. Jimbei immediately noted that there were petals in the bath meant to facilitate healing, a common use for the cleansing water other than to keep from smelling.
"It smells so nice!" Luffy said, voice a bit breathy from exertion. He quickly sat down and removed his sandals so he could dangle his feet in the warm water. Jimbei quickly joined him, sitting just to his right. Though the pool wasn't terribly deep (for someone his size anyway), devil fruit eaters (or anyone for that matter…especially children) could easily drown in just a few centimeters of the life giving liquid.
Unless they were fishmen or merfolk that is.
"The pool is set up for a healing session…" Jimbei informed the boy who watched with big eyes as he removed one of the petals and placed it in his waiting hands, "The water has been treated with herbs and special oils that are supposed to make you feel better."
Luffy looked down at the petal for a moment before closing his fist around it. He then moved the petal to his wrist, still covered by the cuff of his red shirt, and began to scratch lightly at the cloth. Jimbei watched, now somewhat concerned at the sudden change in demeanor. The boy stopped swinging his legs and hugged himself, petal still in his fist.
"C-Could…I try it?"
The normally bright boy wasn't looking him in the eye anymore, his gaze stopped at his chin, and yet there was a hopefulness there. Did he have injuries Jimbei couldn't see? He supposed that given his history, there was a good chance for scars.
"Are you sure? It's fairly deep and as a devil fruit user, your strength will be sapped." Luffy smiled, finally looking him in the eye again with those expressive, chocolate orbs. Though he appeared nervous, his tail coming into his lap, there was an incredible amount of trust in the human's gaze.
"I know, but you're here, so I'll be fine. You won't let me drown."
Even as he said it, Jimbei felt his chest tighten with a new sense of responsibility. He knew for a fact that most devil fruit users hated baths because it left them at their most vulnerable. And yet, this boy that he'd just met a few hours before, trusted him enough to put his life in his hands. For anyone else, it would've been an inconceivable notion.
But not for Monkey D. Luffy.
Said boy waited quietly for his reply, hands clenching around the end of his tail for a moment before letting go, a frown on his face. Instead, he began to pet the fur gently, methodically, as if to calm himself down. An old habit he was trying to break, perhaps?
Jimbei thought it through rationally, considering what would happen if he agreed to help Luffy bathe. If something did go wrong…forget the older two brothers, Whitebeard himself would probably kill him. But, watching the kid scratch at his arms as if he wanted something off his skin…he made his decision.
"Very well. Just promise me you won't do anything foolish."
"I promise!" Luffy exclaimed, tail moving back to its normal position behind his back.
While the kid undressed, Jimbei examined the pool, trying to decide where would be best to make sure Luffy didn't drown. After a few seconds of contemplation, he decided on the side closest to the door where the water would come up to approximately his lower abdomen. While deep for the boy, he would be able to hold him comfortably and securely without fear of him slipping into the deeper parts of the bath.
Slipping off his cloak and sandals (but leaving the rest of his clothing on), Jimbei entered the pool and sat with his legs crossed. The water was pleasantly warm, unlike the cold he was used to in the ocean.
He glanced over to Luffy who was almost completely naked at this point. Poseidon help him if someone walked in and got the wrong idea…surely this is what they did on Whitebeard's ship. Most pirates didn't have the luxury of private bathrooms, and with the prevalence of devil fruit eaters, he imagined it was a common occurrence.
The kid bundled his clothing into a corner, not bothering to fold them. When he removed his straw-hat, he placed it on the top of the pile almost reverently, as if he was afraid it would be damaged if it left the safety of his person.
"I'm ready." He said softly, wringing his hands together as he approached the pool, nervousness returning. It was understandable. Jimbei held his webbed arms out to Luffy in encouragement.
"It's all right, I've got you." That was apparently enough for the cat-boy as he threw himself into his arms, creating quite the splash of water. When he felt that he had a good enough hold on the squirming child, Jimbei slowly lowered him into the water, supporting him against his leg. When Luffy was in the water past his stomach, his body went completely limp and his head fell backwards.
Unsure of how far in the kid wanted to go, Jimbei continued until Luffy stopped him.
"P-Please…n-no further." He whimpered, scrambling into his arms when he was brought back out of the water.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you." Jimbei apologized, feeling terrible when he noticed Luffy's trembling.
"Shishishi, it's okay." The cat-boy responded, making himself comfortable as best he could against him with the water at his stomach. It was obvious he couldn't move very well, so Jimbei shifted himself in an attempt to make the process easier.
Once they successfully settled into a comfortable position, Jimbei took a closer look at Luffy's back. The scar was horrid, but he knew it was for the best, recalling Brother Tiger's brand of the sun, an identical one on his own chest. His eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of something freckle-like that ran up and down his spine in an unnatural pattern.
What were those?
Luffy, able to move a little bit, dipped his right arm into the water and held it under for a few seconds before bringing it back up and scrubbing vigorously with his other hand over the strange spots located there. Jimbei noticed they were all over his body, not just on his back. They were at virtually every joint: elbow, wrist, fingers…even his knees.
"Luffy, what-" The boy wasn't listening to him. He bit his lip so tight it almost drew blood as he scrubbed and scrubbed, leaving the skin raw and red. Jimbei stepped in when the kid's nails finally did break the skin on his wrist, leaving bloody lines that turned the nearby water red. "Oi, that's enough!"
Jimbei grabbed Luffy's other arm and stopped him from injuring himself further. With his free hand, he reached to the edge of the tub for a washcloth and gently wrapped the cloth around the injured limb. His webbed hand was so large it completely enclosed the skinny boy's arm and actually made it more difficult to grasp.
"I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry-" Luffy whispered, tears flowing down his cheeks. He didn't resist as Jimbei put pressure on the wound but trembled violently. Thankfully, the treated water would help with the pain. Though he knew it would hurt initially, the fishman lowered the limb back into the water and let it soak, noting the boy barely reacted.
What had gotten into him?
Luffy curled his small body into Jimbei's, tail wrapped tightly around his bare stomach. He was practically sobbing now, clutching at him desperately. Honestly, Jimbei wasn't sure what to do…he'd been so cheerful before.
"T-They hurt." Luffy hiccupped, sniffling, "All the time."
"What hurt?" Jimbei asked as gently as he could, though he had a suspicion as to what the kid was referring to. The cat-boy held up his uninjured wrist to show him the spots, appendage shaking.
"The s-spots…from the n-needles. They ache and hurt and s-sometimes tear…" Luffy barely held in a sob, "…and nothing I do makes it better!"
"I see." He said, hand coming up to the kid's back. Jimbei knew this was likely from some form of torture done while he was a slave, and it made him furious to know someone would do something like this to a child. "Are you taking any medicine now?" The boy shook his head.
"N-Nobody knows…not even my brothers." That came as a shock. He hadn't told anyone about being constantly in pain!?
Luffy huffed and pulled his injured arm out of the water. The cloth was red now, but it appeared the bleeding at stopped. When Jimbei removed the washcloth, he exhaled slowly. The wound wasn't too bad and looked to have been cleansed in the water.
"Why tell me?" Jimbei asked, shifting awkwardly when the young human leaned against him, so his cheek was against his chest. Luffy shrugged, hugging himself tightly until he was tucked into a little ball.
"…needed to…"
The boy said nothing more and didn't uncurl for many minutes. Seeing Luffy wasn't going to say anything more about the topic, Jimbei sighed and began to delicately wash the child's limbs. He cupped the water and let it trickle over the spots, wondering if it would truly help with the pain like the kid desperately wanted (and needed).
He wasn't terribly knowledgeable about this sort of thing, but if the needles had been stabbed deep into his body in the right spots, what Luffy needed was a good surgeon. Someone who could repair the damaged nerves and alleviate the pain he was constantly experiencing.
After a few more minutes of soaking, Luffy moved, uncurling so he could smile tiredly at Jimbei.
"Thank you, for staying with me."
"It's no problem." Jimbei replied, flashing his best toothy grin (though it was difficult when his mind was filled with fury on behalf of the small child before him), "We're friends, right?" Luffy giggled a little at that, some brightness returning to his eyes.
"Shishishi, yeah!"
Not long after that, the boy fell asleep against him, snoring softly. Jimbei placed a hand over his fluffy ears and cradled him close, tears in his own eyes now. To think they lived in a world where someone as young as Luffy had to live with such a thing! The boy in his arms was so innocent and didn't deserve any of it.
'…and I, a Warlord…' He mused, 'Do I have the right to comfort him when I am under the authority of the very people who hurt him?'
Staying his own tears and emotions, Jimbei stood up, dripping water all over the floor. Though the clothes were wrinkled now, he needed to get Luffy dry and properly bandaged.
"Need some help?" Startled at the sudden voice, he turned around and met the sharp eye of Izo, impeccably dressed as always. The man's eyes moved to Luffy and then back to Jimbei, sympathy clear. "I can go get a set of pajamas for him."
"Yes, thank you." Before Izo could leave, Jimbei added, "And perhaps Marco, if he's awake." The kimono clad pirate nodded, leaving him alone with Luffy once again. While he waited for Izo to return, hopefully with Marco, Jimbei wrapped the boy snuggly in a fluffy towel and worked to dry him off, making sure to be careful with the new scratches.
A few minutes later, Izo and Marco appeared with clothes and a first-aid kit in hand.
"What happened, yoi?" Marco whispered, taking Luffy's arm and examining it closely.
"He accidently injured himself trying to clean his arm." Jimbei explained, hoping it was as he said…accidental, "I apologize, though I was right there, I didn't-"
"It's okay, not your fault." Izo put in as Marco dabbed at the wound with a cotton ball. Surrounded by everyone talking, Luffy woke up, eyes blinking slowly as he recognized those around him.
"Hi darling…" Izo cooed, brushing the boy's hair back from his forehead, "What have I told you about being nice to your body, hmmm?" Jimbei's thoughts immediately went to the child clutching his tail earlier, almost twisting it, but managing to stop himself. So, harming himself wasn't completely abnormal.
"Sorry…" He replied, drooping and pulling the towel tighter around him. Jimbei felt sorrow build up inside him as Luffy's ears fell much lower than they normally sat. "I-It just happened…but Jimbei helped me."
"Oh, he did?" Marco asked, flashing a smile to the Warlord as he wrapped the arm in a bandage. Luffy nodded and his tail came up and began to sway a little.
"Yeah, we're friends now."
The two commanders smirked at Jimbei, making him cough awkwardly. They found this situation somewhat amusing. While Izo helped get Luffy dressed, Marco pulled him aside, giving him a moment to dry off and put his cloak back on.
"Thank you for looking after him, yoi." Marco whispered, receiving a grunt from Jimbei, "Did he…say anything? We've been trying to help him heal over the past few months, and he's improved greatly, but we know there are things he's not telling us."
Jimbei closed his eyes, not sure if Luffy would appreciate him relaying the truth to Marco, but it needed to be said. When he finished with his synopsis, the blonde's normally half-lidded eyes blew wide.
"He's been in pain this whole time, yoi!?"
"Yeah, but he hasn't told anyone…"
Marco grit his teeth, not in anger, but in frustration. Jimbei understood how he must feel. He was the ship's doctor and had no idea one of his crewmates was suffering. Before the pirate could continue, Luffy trotted over, looking a lot better than he had before. Now wearing long black pants and a matching black t-shirt with Whitebeard's mark on the back, the boy looked like the fun-loving child he'd met at the party once again.
The straw-hat on his head finished the look, complete with a genuine smile that stretched between Luffy's cheeks.
"Ne, ne Jimbei, guess what? I think the water helped some!"
"It did?"
"Yeah, the aches are not so bad now!"
After a few minutes of chattering about how much he had enjoyed the bath and hanging out with Jimbei, it was clear the kid had tired himself out. Crying was exhausting. Luffy stretched his arms up and pulled himself onto Jimbei's back, making himself comfortable. Izo chuckled behind his hand and motioned with his head for him to follow, probably back to the kid's room.
Hefting the light boy higher on his back, Jimbei and the commanders left the room, dimming the lights as they left.
Luffy yawned, ready to go sleep with his brothers. He hadn't meant to hurt himself, but sometimes the pain got really intense and he just needed to make it go away. He'd kept it to himself for so long, not wanting to add yet another burden to the list. Right now, with Ace's birthday approaching, his big brother was more important.
The boy could hear Jimbei whispering with Marco and Izo, but he didn't care to listen. All things considered, he'd had a great time with his new fishman friend and had made his decision. He'd felt it almost immediately upon meeting the Warlord, a connection.
Luffy wanted Jimbei to join his crew.
Though he didn't have one yet and it would take a while to return to Fishman Island, he wanted the kind and wise fishman by his side.
Smiling at the thought, he snuggled down into the fishman's cloak, prepared to fall back into the abyss of sleep, until something tugged at his consciousness. It felt…incredibly sad. Looking up to try and locate where it was coming from, his eyes fell onto the tall tower he could see out a window they passed.
Was someone up there?
Too tired to probe further, Luffy closed his eyes and was asleep in seconds.