this has been sitting in my drafts for a while
somehow instead of going home, to baltigo and his revolution, he finds himself sleeping in the bandit's hut, taking care of four children and avoiding bodily harm from two of them. his so- luffy doesnt seem to understand why his brothers, ace and sabo, are trying to kill him (bear traps, luring a beast of the jungle to him, stringing him up). he thinks that his brothers like him ( 'well they tried the same thing when they met me shishishi').
and the boss isn't much help, she sits and drinks and laughs at the boys, egging them on. 'you started a war with the world government, surely two pre-teen boys arent that much worse.'
he wonders idly if she realizes how similar she and garp are, laughing, drinking, encouraging reckless behavior. he supposes the only difference is she's here and his father is no doubt guarding some celestial dragon or snoring away his days on a warship.
he doesn't ask. none of the boys ever bring up garp, so he doesn't either. they don't know him, is his first thought, the coot hasn't changed much from when he was their age. running around in dangerous areas with only the clothes on his back and whatever stick he could use as defense. he didnt have a dadan. just an empty house and a father who only showed up to 'train' him and leave enough berri for a month.
he has fought for a revolution for two life times and seen the end of one. he wonders if its time to leave it to a new generation, someone who hasnt watched the world end. but he knows, he would crumple if the revolution were not in his vision. he has worked tirelessly, they all have, to get far.
he knows the process. how to get to a place, how to twist politicians, where they need to go to get allies. who to contact for a certain thing. who they need to eliminate. blackbeard was the main component of that destruction.
his thought bursts when the sound of gulls hits his ears. he looks to the sky, watches as two gulls circle around something, following it through the trees. there shouldn't be gulls this far in, there's nothing to eat or scavenge in the jungle.
'oh its garp-san,' corazon comments as he sets up a picnic table patting down the flames that burst from the wood, 'its a little too early for him to return.'
'news of the fire must have reached him. jiji hates fires. especially in the terminal,' luffy bounces over, climbing onto the wooden surface and begins swinging his legs cheerfully.
'what the old man's here!?,' ace calls dragging sabo behind him, pipe clutched in his hand.
dragon idly contemplates taking the shortest route to the ocean and throwing himself in. he hadn't come here to see his father. nor does he wish to see that man. but luffy drags him to the table, fists tight on his cloak and forcibly sits him down. the wind ruffles his hair in displeasure, a scowl returning to his face. this was not in his plans.
magra and dogra begin setting up more tables while the rest of bandits bring out piles of food. dragon draws his eyes away from the potato salad, now isnt the time for that.
laughter spills from luffy's lips when the two seagulls make themselves comfortable on the boy, one nestled in his hair and the other plopped on his lap nipping at his hands. luffy strokes the feathers on its head, nodding as the gull squawks.
'hiro-san says that jiji's fleet got caught in a storm. and that because a lot of ships were lost, sen-oji sent jiji on vacation.'
'i see youre still talking to those birds!!,' garp's laughter echoes through the trees, scattering the wild life nearby.
the lingering stare of his father burns into his skin. he reaches for the potato salad, dumping a generous heap onto his plate and passes it down. he takes his select of the meats and does the same, with the rice and the bread. all while avoiding his father's look.
he distracts himself with the mouth watering taste of the salad, and the spectacle that rosinante and law are making.
'cora-san im old enough to make my own plate!!,' the boy yanks on the plate but his guardian has a hold firm on it.
'youre still recovering what if you hurt yourself!'
an irk mark is visible on law's forehead, 'im not going to collapse a lung from serving myself!'
'just let him serve you,' dragon grunts, 'hes just worried. i was the same with sabo.'
law huffs but plops himself down onto the bench, arms crossed and side eyeing corazon harshly.
his guardian grins, scooping rice, and beans, and salad onto one side while piling meat onto the remaining space. corazon pats law's fur hat and gently places his lunch in front of the boy.
'thank you, cora-san...'
dogra douses the man in water just as his clothes light on fire, a stupid grin beaming at law.
luffy crawls across the table ignoring complaints and stops right beside law, digging into his own plate that didnt get crushed during his move.
'so,' dragon starts, 'i hear your fleet got destroyed.'
'right from under me, didnt even see those dragons coming,' garp laughs, 'thankfully sengoku is covering for me.'
'is it capture or chase this time,' luffy pipes up.
'come on, luffy! its always chase, no way anyone can catch gramps!,' ace says with certainty.
'i'd pay to see someone try to bring in garp the fist!!,' dadan adds.
'why would sengoku be chasing you,' dragon mumbles around a spoon of rice, 'its not like youre a pirate.'
garp's boisterous laugh fills him with regret at making such a comment, he had forgotten how deaf his father had been. never doing anything half ass and not giving a damn if he had burst an ear drum with his laughter.
'a pirate? why would i be anything less.'