It took a long time for them to settle down.
They hadn't been out on the ocean too long even– maybe a handful of hours, judging by where the sun was. Yet in that time the boys had only settled enough to finally lapse into silence. Running about the deck had turned to standing by the front of the ship, watching the waves, which turned to sitting and watching the waves, all in slowly lengthening quiet. Even Luffy was still; he was plenty content to watch as seawater hit the side of their little vessel and sent spray up into his face until he stunk of salt.
Ryū admittedly had been right beside them, at least for the first few hours. So many months on land, even distracted with the dream of his long-lost brothers in front of him, had left his body to ache for the sea. It was like a bruise under his clothes. Like running on a bad leg and yet never noticing until the race was over– pulling just the same, unnoticed and quiet until caught.
The open ocean was always soothing in a way that, coupled with the unimpeded sky, never failed to soothe his nerves. The boys had taken to the sentiment as if having been born and raised on the tides. Seeing Dawn Island so far in the distance… it flicked an invisible switch in all of them. If Ryū didn't already expect their reaction he might have almost been alarmed. Seeing the boys so calm, content to sit and just observe– seeing such a soft expression even on someone as perpetually prickly as Ace– was both pleasing and unnerving. Unperturbed, even Sabo had been smiling openly since they set off. All previous animosity at Ryū for lying had evaporated into the atmosphere like all the salt in the ocean without a trace.
They were lucky enough to relax, for now. Ryū had honestly forgotten just how advantageous it was to sail in the world's weakest sea.
It couldn't last.
(not when people like Garp came from such unassuming little islands in such unassuming little seas. People like Dragon, like Portgas D. Ace, like Monkey D. Luffy and Revolutionary Sabo–)
"Okay," he said. Standing with a clap to get the boys' attention, he pointed towards the hatch leading below deck. "Time for all of you to head down." The boys frowned, tilting their heads in near-perfect synchronization that would have been hilarious if Ryū didn't need to put his foot down.
"For what?" Sabo asked. Barely a second passed before the smaller blond was narrowing his eyes in suspicion, already glancing over the eldest with a critical eye. "Is something wrong?"
Now all of the boys were staring. Even Luffy looked alert, expression becoming more and more intense the longer Ryū failed to immediately respond. "It's nothing serious," He eventually continued, waving a hand dismissively. Neither of the older siblings even twitched, for all that Luffy instantly relaxed. Sabo in particular looked… less than comforted– which was fair, at that point. Ryū raised both hands in surrender, chuckling beside himself. "Really, it's nothing huge. No one is going to die." Well, he paused, considering, unless Garp… actually does catch us. They didn't know when Garp was next going to visit, just that it was bound to happen eventually, with how many months had passed on Dawn. So far they had gotten lucky, but he be anywhere in East Blue. It would be so easy to accidentally cross paths, to be recognized–
Ryū swallowed thickly, hoping he didn't look as faint as he abruptly felt. "...but we really should get a headstart," he continued quickly.
While none of them looked reassured, the glaring was more confused now than anything.
Ryū could see the exact moment that Luffy understood what he meant. His youngest brother's eyes were practically sparkling when he turned them on him. "You're gonna rocket us?!" He squealed excitedly.
The alarmed look Sabo shot him over Luffy's head almost made Ryū choke.
"I'm going to use my devil fruit to give us a bit of a boost," he elaborated quickly, just as Ace jumped to his feet. "Just enough to get farther from Dawn, before they send someone. Or before Garp comes to visit." They all shuddered, taking a moment to consider the consequences named Garp. Even Luffy looked a little pallid.
Snapping out of their collective quiet, Ace frowned. "Why do we gotta go below deck though?" It made perfect sense why they'd want a head start. There was no reason they couldn't watch, was there? "Luffy looks fine."
Their smallest brother was bouncing in place, almost knocking himself off his own feet with the force of it. "It was so cool," he whispered, "Ryū-nii put his hands up, an' then it was like Fwoosh! Bang! And we were flying, Ace! All the way across the ocean!"
"...he's more than fine."
Ryū sighed. He doubted Ace nor Sabo would take the truth anywhere as well as Luffy did— if they accepted it at all. It took most of his energy just pacing the boys' sensitivity training as it was. Neither of them allowed a single day to go by without arguing they could do more than they were ready, and he doubted this would be an exception.
It would still be better than lying, though. He'd already done enough of that today. "It takes a lot of firepower to move a ship," he explained, occupying himself with lowering the sails to avoid staring them down. "This isn't a huge ship, but I'm still going to have to throw a lot more flames than either of you are ready for just yet." Despite all his efforts, predictably neither of them looked pleased. He held up a hand before Ace could even start. "No. It's really too much. And don't tell me Luffy did it, because he was on the other side of the ship and wasn't looking." He doubted even Luffy, little courageous and headstrong Luffy, was quite prepared to deal with a literal long term explosion right in front of him— and he was the best off of them so far, trauma wise.
It barely gave the boys pause. "So why can't we do that?" Sabo protested. Ryū frowned but his younger brother wasn't ready to give up just yet. "We shouldn't have to go below deck! We can go to the head of the ship n' everything!" Ace nodded frantically in agreement, lips tightly pressed together. "We can handle a little fire," Sabo declared, "we won't even— we just won't look." His voice trailed off a little uncertainly at the end, but a glance at Ace had him fired right back up.
Ryū leaned on his new pipe, humming quietly. Why did I have to have such stubborn brothers? He mourned internally. A voice that sounded suspiciously like Koala's called him a hypocrite in the back of his head— a voice he dutifully ignored. Luckily, the boys all went silent when he scrutinized them closely.
"...if I let you stay outside," he started, voice quiet and serious, "you will listen to me." He held up a hand to halt any protest before it could begin, unsure if the new offense was over being told to listen or from Ryū knowing they wouldn't. Not that it mattered. They just needed to follow directions, this once. "We're on the open ocean, now— and until you three catch your sea legs, it's for all of our safety that you follow what I say. If I let you all stay above deck, right now, I don't want to hear any sass."
He eyed the boys carefully, a mixture of mortified and relieved to see them shrink in acquiescence. I can't believe this is actually working. I'm starting to think it would stop being surreal to be acting like the biggest sibling. I'm going to get major whiplash, the next time I visit Ace's grave. The usual pain at thinking of Ace was sudden and quick, almost ripping the air from his chest.
Outwardly, his only tell was the aborted twitch of his hand towards his chest. Quiet, contained, and unnoticed.
When I wake up, Ryū reminded himself, quiet and heated, I'm going to lose all of this. I can't let myself drift off just because I have a good dream– even if it's a really, really long one.
Still, unease rippled through him like cold blood in his veins. The worry from before hadn't done more than shrink back into the background– like a pulsing headache threatening to turn into a migraine. He had never been good at quantifying his actions. Koala was also there to keep him in line when he couldn't do it himself. Always curbed, always caught. But Koala wasn't here, and neither was Dragon– or even his actual Luffy, who could always give it straight to him.
Ryū was on his own. That was starting to become more and more terrifying, the longer the worry persisted– and he didn't know why.
Three pairs of wide eyes looked up at him. I don't have time to be thinking about this right now, he snarled internally, forcefully slamming the door on his thoughts. I can have a crisis later, when I'm not in the middle of a goddamn conversation. "Luffy," he said, and the boys all slapped to attention even when only one of them was addressed, "Do you remember where I threw that rope earlier?"
"Yea, by the mast, I think…"
"Grab it for me, will you? Without stretching, I don't want you to go overboard." With their youngest off to grab said rope, Ryū carefully sat down to better face Ace and Sabo evenly. "I'm going to have to tie you all to the ship," he warned. "If I don't, there's a good chance at least one of you will fly overboard– and I won't be able to get you out without drowning us both." Both boys nodded, expressions smoothing into seriousness that was far too cute on his hot-headed brothers' faces.
Luffy trotted back to his side, passing him the rope and Ryū softened when ruffling his hair in thanks gifted him a sunny little giggle. All three of them followed after him as he stood to walk to the front of the ship. "Where d'ya want to be anchored?" he asked, directing the question towards Ace first. His eldest-little brother hummed in thought even as he obediently stepped closer to allow Ryū to tie the rope securely around him, looping from his middle and over his shoulders tightly.
"The mast," Sabo blurted out.
"Hey, he asked me! What if I want the railing?"
Sabo shot his brother an incredulous look. "What if it breaks?" He countered. "I bet'cha Luffy could snap these if he hit 'em right, an' you're bigger than him." Ryū snickered, not even bothering to try to stop when Ace glared at him. "See, Even Ryū-nii agrees with me!"
"He's got a point," Ryū allowed. Not that Ace didn't know that– he'd had enough moments of stupid actions that could have been prevented if he just listened to Sabo. It was a little harder to be stubborn over it, with an actual adult here to back his brother up.
Still scowling half-heartedly, Ace turned and stomped over to the mast just to hide the blush he could feel heating his ears. "Fine." Ryū just laughed at him, the bastard.
Luckily, there was enough rope to loop the mast several times. Ryū tucked and knotted it firmly, testing the ends carefully. Without him needing to ask, three pairs of eyes were pinned to his hands and he slowed his movements to allow them to follow better. "Sailing is a thousand little things," He commented idly. "First-hand experience is all that will really give you everything you need. Lucky for you, we won't be leaving East Blue for a while yet." Luffy groaned loudly at that. "Don't give me that, It's a weak sea, but a weak sea for a baby pirate!"
"Only Luffy is a baby," Ace argued. Luffy turned on him with all the intent of an upset puppy and Ryū had to lunge to snag him before he could throw himself at his older brother and likely knock both of them, if not also Sabo, straight overboard. Ace only looked on with the most obnoxiously smug expression Ryū had ever seen. He didn't even twitch to defend himself.
Both my biggest saving grace and my worst nightmare, Ryū realized with despair, Is Luffy's inability to aim.
"Hey now," was he sweating? He was definitely sweating. His heart was going to leap out of his chest if he had to spend all his time corralling his three feisty little brothers away from the ocean. "Let's not do a whole lot of 'sparring' at least for the first weeks sailing, yeah?" With Luffy still tucked into his arms, it was easy work to anchor him the same way he did Ace. If he had a free hand to help Sabo with his make-do vest too, he'd have three of the world's most troublesome ducklings on a lead. As it was, Sabo just primly trotted after them with the most self-satisfied look on his face.
Thank God we have so much rope… I wonder if Outlook would see it, if I sent a thank you letter back to whoever we stole this from. They had lengths and lengths of it– more than enough to double, triple, quadruple loop the ends of each boys' rope around the mast. "I don't think this will snap," He reassured, tugging on the makeshift anchor. They had life rafts right? I doubt any of the sailors in Goa were users, but… "But if it does, yell for me and I'll cut the power immediately." Three little affirmative nods, firm and determined, hands white-knuckled on their leads, and Ryū stepped back towards the tail-end of the ship.
A passing glance back showed all three of them watching him intently. Goddammit, I knew it. "Sabo! Ace!" He called, and both of them startled as they were caught. "Watch the front of the ship, I need you to tell me where I'm going." He got a scowl for it, but neither complained, thankfully. Luffy was more excited by the thought of watching them fly again to bother staring at him anymore– which really should have prickled less, honestly, what was he doing?
Shaking the thoughts off, he slid below deck and made for the first map he could see, mounted carefully on the far wall. I haven't been to East Blue in a while now, he reminded himself, skimming the islands carefully, and everything could very well be completely different right now. Both because I'm dreaming of the past and because anything could change in a dream. Which was a terrifying thought, actually– he had been stationed in the upper half of the Grandline for the past half of a decade now. His subconscious could easily slip in some Grandline weather they absolutely were not ready for. I really gotta find a life-saver. They've gotta be somewhere, even if this is a weak sea…!
If not, it'd be the very first thing I buy. After food, and water. He paused. ...And a log pose. Blasting ourselves across the ocean is not exactly navigation. I should really get some new clothes too– ones not so obviously Goa's noble-garb. He missed his old coat and vest, and boots, and– well, everything. It had been a lot more frustrating than clothes ever had a right to be, the first time he bought some new garments to replace his explosion-ripped fraying outfit.
The silence in the cabin was stifling. There's…. A lot to do, actually.
But it wasn't the time to worry about it, not just yet. He needed to take a page out of Luffy's book, sometimes– the Revolutionary Army had really fine-tuned the need to be careful and precise as best they could in him.
Sabo was already holding his hands out even before he was even fully back on deck. "Can't argue with that," Ryū teased. "Think you're up for it?" He got a glare for it, but the question was genuine– if Sabo needed to pause to breath, or started to panic, they'd both lose the map and he wouldn't have a free hand to anchor himself properly. Regardless, Sabo only nodded, determinedly hooking an arm around Ace's for the older to better secure him. Luffy had practically become one with the mast. Did I even need ropes? Ryū wondered, raising an eyebrow at just how many times Luffy managed to tangle his own limbs around the mast. With his wrists so tied up, he doubted even a particularly hard jerk would dislodge him– especially not with how Ace's free hand was white-tight in his shirt.
They'll be fine. That's never changed, whether I'm here or not.
"All ready?" From where they stood on the other side of the ship, it was hard to get a good glimpse of his oldest brother. They were all pinned pretty tightly by the mast- not that they honestly minded as much as they probably should have. The pressure of the ropes along was calming, when it only reminded them they were safe rather than bound.
It didn't hurt that this far away from Ryū, all they could feel was ocean spray and salty wind. Not a hint of orange or red, not a flash of expanding hot air or searing pain. It was just them and the ocean. That could never be a bad thing.
"We're good!" Ace shouted. "Hurry up! We're gonna miss lunch!"
Sabo snickered at the distant grumbled "'gonna miss lunch,' he says…" and looked down at the map in his hands. Even slightly crinkled at the edges from his grip, the words and images were clear and crisp. "Start by the far… right?" He ordered, eyebrows scrunching. "The next island is fairly close, but we need to turn!"
"Gotcha!" Almost immediately, Sabo nearly lost the map at the boat jerked. "Hold on!"
"To what?!" Sabo shrieked, voice pitching as the floor seemed to lurch under his feet. Ace tugged him back until he was firmly pressed against the mast, the seriousness in his brother's eyes freezing the air in his lungs before it could escape too fast. Neither of them said a thing– even Luffy's whoop of excitement was lost to the wind as their ship began to rocket forward. But at least like this, crowded up close to his brothers, it was easier to dissociate from the familiar roar of flames just behind them. To pretend he wasn't so– so close to what had taken everything from him. `
The constant pressure at his side tightened to a point of pain. Sabo gasped, mind reeling as he was jerked out of his mind in time for water to slap him right across the jaw. His mouth was full of salt– hair wet and clothes uncomfortably clinging– but he was more aware to feel it. Ace's grip loosened and Sabo mustered up the energy to manage a smile despite himself. "T-thanks," he croaked. He was sure Ace couldn't have heard it. The wind was far too much, screaming by both their ears, louder than even the fire he had sworn was so loud– but Ace smiled back and squeezed his arm as if he had heard it all the same.
"I can see it!" Luffy suddenly was shrieking, right in his ears– "I see land!" Against Sabo's back, his arms were practically vibrating with excitement. "Ryū! Go faster, There's land–!" They could tell the moment the words reached Ryū, with how the boat went from skipping waves to just bustling forward. "Aw, come on!"
Sabo exhaled shakily. It took him a moment to get his limbs to respond, as pale and lightheaded as he was, but Ace wordlessly pushed him upright and he stumbled up to the railing all the same. Without the heat and pressure of Ryū's firepower– or, at least, the worst of it– the glide across the water was rather peaceful. From the nose of the ship, Sabo could see blue in every direction. Could hear the birds and the breeze again, the baby splashes of waves against the ship's hull. Every pull of air he managed, deeper and deeper, tasted like salt.
The constant stench of High Town, of the Grey Terminal– every heady perfume and artificial cologne, every overpoweringly flowery smell of flowers, and trash, and disgusting people– was washed away in the face of the ocean.
"Wow…" Ace whispered. They had lapsed into silence so easily, for all of their excitement and panic otherwise. Even Luffy had fallen quiet, his eyes pinned to the horizon.
"This is the first time you guys have left Dawn." Ryū walked to the rail beside them, absentmindedly shaking his hands out as if to cool them down. When he smiled down at them, it was full of unbridled glee, giddy with contentment. "Feels good, doesn't it?" His eyes were so distant, where he swept them across the world. "You have the entire ocean to explore," He said quietly, pressing an ungloved hand to Sabo's shoulder. "To do whatever you will." A pained expression crossed his face and for a moment and Sabo was nearly breathless with the weight of it. At his side, Ace's hand twisted painfully tight into his coat.
"Wouldn't that be nice?" Ryū murmured, and when he walked away to set up an anchor Sabo took several minutes to breathe properly.
"Look, they have a whole town here!" Luffy pointed out, almost tripping flat on his face in his rush to scramble onto the tiny port Ryū had saddled their boat up against. "Can we go explore?!"
Ryū glanced up from where he was carefully tying their ship to the walkway, keeping a careful eye on Luffy as he bounced about the wharf. "Yeah," He said, and chuckled when Ace and Sabo both turned on him in shock. "What? This isn't Dawn, you don't have a reputation here for being the troublemakers you are. No one here should bother you, as long as you don't bother them– don't pick fights, and you probably won't find one."
Not that Ryū actually believed that for a second– he was sure they'd figure out some way to get in trouble. He just couldn't guarantee the inevitable would be because of other people, rather than Luffy bouncing off a cliff, or Ace picking a fight with an animal too big, or Sabo stealing eggs from some giant bird and nearly getting them all carried off. "Just let me know when you're going somewhere far, and meet me back here when it's dark or you need help."
The boys exchanged an excited grin and Ryū wondered if he should be worried.
"Thank you for using our service!" The appraiser called after him, waving pleasantly.
Ryū only smiled back, carefully folding cash into his pockets as he stepped out of the shop. So far, he had had easy luck. It was a surprise to find any sort of exchange system available for such a small town– but for once Goa gave him an advantage of supporting surrounding islands in its trade routes.
I have enough money to restock, and to get a decent log pose to replace Koala's. It was a little frustrating, knowing Koala's log pose didn't follow him into his dreams– took him forever just to properly clear all the little half-melted shards of glass and wood splinters from his inner pocket. Not that he was all too worried about prices. Though the Revolutionary had left a bad taste in his mouth, stealing from normal, average people, he wouldn't have hesitated if it came down to that. No amount of group rhetoric and lessons could ever erase growing up on thievery.
He was worried for nothing, honestly… It wasn't as if he didn't still have all the money left from selling every foragable they could find, back in Goa– and stealing a boat over buying one saved even more. Not even all of their monstrous appetites could cripple them, could they?
Ryū sighed, absent-mindedly scanning the shops. I'm surprised I haven't run into the boys yet, he thought, pausing momentarily, Do I check on them? I should probably check on them, that's what you do with kids right? They were strong enough to handle most problems, but… He closed his eyes and flared his haki wide.
Three bright, unmistakable little auras blipped up on his radar like stars in the distance, rapidly shooting his way.
He was already haphazardly stuffing the last berries into his pockets just as Ace skidded around a corner— Sabo popping out after him hot on his heels. Ryū barely needed haki to warm him when Luffy flew into view, tripping hard enough to bounce against the pavement and into Ryū's legs.
"We gotta go!" Sabo yelled, catching his breath quickest enough to speak. He barely jerked away in time to avoid Ace's fist flying out to cuff him.
"We can take em!"
Luffy wrapped around Ryū's shin tightly. "Ace beat up a buncha people again!" He complained, "I told him the bar wouldn't be fun, but—!"
"Shut up Lu! They're weak—"
"If this is what it's gonna be like every time we hit land we're gonna have a talk," Ryū cut in warningly. All three boys finally went quiet, swallowing nervously.
The mob was closing in, and, cowed, not even Ace protested as Ryū pushed them behind him. "Get back to the ship," he ordered casually, "I'll hear what you three caused when we don't have half the town after us." Two distinctive pairs of feet raced in the direction of the docks, only to stop when they realized Ace hasn't budged. His eyes hadn't moved from the approaching crowd. Ryū couldn't help the exasperated noise that hissed out from between his teeth.
"You know I won't," Ace muttered darkly.
Ryū did know. He also knew it was what took Ace, in the end, before he could ever meet the bastard again.
The mob was getting closer. Ryū didn't doubt Ace actually could fight a bunch of random people and win– but he also didn't care in the slightest. "You're right," he said. Ace's head snapped up to him in shock, glare swallowed by surprise. For once, Ryū didn't care what look might have been on his face. It didn't matter. What did matter, was one stubborn little brother and his stupid, idiot, frustrating need to constantly prove himself– "I think you can take all of them," He said, and Ace went tense.
He had nothing else he could really do but screech when Ryū promptly scooped him up, throwing him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. A squirming one, who threatened to stab him. "However!" He yelled over the screaming, and could hear the mob slowing to a stop in confusion. Perfect. "I also think that it would be a waste of time!"
Ryū shot down the street like a bullet, calmly humming Bink's Sake the entire way just to drown out Ace's yelling.
"I'm serious," Ryū said, gently bopping each of his little brother's over the head to make sure they were listening. "I'm gonna be pissed if even one of you tries to pick a fight again! There's a hundred things to do that don't involve trying to fist-fight some stranger just because you feel like it!"
The last island wasn't hard to leave, nor was the next to find– but the boys took precisely 40 minutes to get into trouble. Ryū didn't even have a chance to ever find a new log pose, or restock them on food. "We're all lucky Luffy stole so much from High Town," He continued in exasperation, "But it's all gone now and we need to restock before one of you can find a reason to start a riot." Luffy was still pouting, annoyed he had to share his "treasure". On the bright side, it was all that was currently making Ace and Sabo feel remotely any remorse, so he'd take his wins where he could.
"We won't pick a fight unless it's necessary," Sabo promised.
"I don't trust what you three might quantify as "necessary"," Ryū pointed out, "If I even think you're starting trouble, I'm going to start making you tag along with me and not run off on your own." It was clearly a good threat– earning him identical disgruntled expressions. He was not about to be deterred with any argument (he carefully did not look at Luffy's puppy eyes, or Ace's pout, or Sabo's rather obnoxiously raised eyebrow). "Yeah, that's right, I catch you three causing an island-wide emergency and you get to hang out with me all day and do gross important stuff like buying things we need and dealing with money!"
"...We'll be good," Ace muttered, eyes darting to the side.
"We'll come find you this time, if something goes wrong," Sabo added on, and Ryū huffed, arms crossed pointedly until they all were nodding in agreement.
Sighing, he allowed his shoulders to slump. "Good." Ace dodged uselessly away from his hand when he leaned forward, ruffling his hair roughly. Despite his frown, grey eyes finally met his and Ace relaxed visibly when Ryū smiled at him. "Don't get caught, this time, and meet me back here before dark if I don't come get you."
The boys nodded, excitement filling them like balloons. Ryū waited until they ran off the docks towards this island's little town before shaking his head ruefully. At least now I know better than to not be worried.
He should have done more than just worry.
Ryū stared incredulously.
"Are you three kidding?" He asked. Sabo and Ace both twitched at the sheer bewilderment in his voice, but Luffy just continued to beam. He couldn't even hear it yet, but Ryū was all too aware of the crowd of auras steadily rampaging towards them. "Marines? Really?" To be fair, he hadn't even known there were marines on this island. There weren't in the real world after all– he wasn't entirely sure if there was even a town on such a tiny island, in the waking world. "What were you trying to even do?"
"He tried to grab Luffy," Ace defended. Sabo nodded, but Ryū wasn't convinced. Luffy was still startlingly radiant, for apparently being assaulted.
Sure enough– "He said we were trasping!" Luffy announced cheerfully. Ryū didn't even have the energy to correct what he was sure Luffy really meant–
"Were you?" He asked imploringly.
"There were no signs," Sabo tried, but quickly backed up with a nervous laugh when Ryū shot him a look. "There weren't!"
Footsteps thundered closer. Luffy laughed as the ground vibrated under them, rocking on his heels as if trying to ride the tremors. Ryū didn't even have to ask just how many guards they managed to piss off– he could feel it. In more way than one. "You didn't just trespass," He said. It wasn't a question in the slightest.
"Ace punched the guy in the big coat."
"Sabo was throwing papers out all the windows."
"I ate all their food!"
A bullet dashed the gravel by Ryū's foot and he cursed a blue streak, scooping all three boys into his arms. "Cover your faces," He hissed, "and I swear to god, if any of you complain–" Ace's jaw snapped shut with an audible click as Ryū gave him a look. "–when I said we were gonna go train against other people, that wasn't a free ticket to go harass random marine bases before you're ready!" Luffy only laughed and Ryū hissed in annoyance when a bullet tore straight through his calf. "Is this what it's going to be like?" He asked mournfully.
"Shishi! Next time, you should come with us!"
Another shot caught Ryū's hair tie, spilling his curls directly into his eyes. He just kept running, ignoring how Sabo reached back to hold his hair out of his face in favor of running faster. He was not awake enough to deal with this for a second time.
"Stop! Those children are–"
"Hey! On account of the government–"
Ryū was so tired.
"Is this what it's going to be like?!"
"Don't give me that look. I wasn't lying last time. Now let's go buy some new clothes, since you three decided to use almost all of yours to make a giant flag we don't even need."
"We're pirates though Ryū-nii! We need a flag!"
"A pirate crew is not one older brother and three children!"
(He was never going to have anything for respect for Old Man Whitebeard after this. He was going to visit his grave and pour one out for him, because knowing his entire crew was at some point him and three children made Ryū want to take a coma of a nap.)
"After what happened last time, I think we're gonna stop on the next island for a bit to do some old-style training. Clearly, all three of you need a touch up on practicing haki if you think you can handle a bullet to the gut."
Sabo groaned loudly, falling to the deck in a dramatic heap. "Are we really still so bad?" He asked mournfully, "Haki training is almost as bad as Gramps' was…" he could hear Luffy and Ace just murmuring in agreement. "I mean, can't we just–" Sabo sat up only to freeze mid-sentence.
Ryū was pale as a sheet, staring at him like a deer in the headlights.
"R-Ryū?" Sabo started, catching both his brother's attention. All three of them sat up, watching as Ryū slowly blinked out of his statuesque haze. "What's wrong?" Sickness churned tight in his gut, cold and violent. What happened? Did we miss something, did he– is he okay–?
"Oh my god," Ryū started, voice hoarse as if his throat had closed around the words, "I haven't called Garp."
The boys all went white.
It had been long enough.
Ryū stared down the snail.
A few weeks on the water had gotten them a decent distance from Dawn island. Stopping to get supplies had been quick and easy with the boys agreeing to stay on the ship for the first run– meaning they got even farther away faster.
All three boys sat on the bed behind him. None of them had said a word since Ryū had first sat down at his desk, but he could feel how tense they all were even without looking. Their stares were practically solid on his back. Sabo, in particular, looked vaguely nauseous even knowing that none of them expected him to say anything.
All of them looked as uncomfortable as Ryū felt.
Ryū stared down the snail.
He reached forward and dialed a familiar number.
"Hello! Vice Admiral Garp speaking!" The booming voice made all of them twitch, Ryū wincing away from the receiver. His ears were ringing, both from the painful volume blasting through the den-den and the memories of when he last heard that voice. A phantom pain tingled through his head and he caught himself before he could raise his free hand to rub at his skull. Oh God. Abruptly frozen with indecision, Ryū just opened and closed his mouth wordlessly.
"Is anyone there? Hey!"
Luffy suddenly threw himself into Ryū's back, forcing the man to scramble to catch his littlest brother before he bounced onto the floor. "Hey, Gramps!" He screamed.
"Luffy?! Is that you?!"
"G-Gramps!" Ace blurted out, flailing to dash over to the desk. He only managed to trip over Sabo, who squawked and nearly toppled off the bed himself. "I-I mean– shit, ow, Sabo!"
"It's not my fault you tried to jump off like that! You nearly broke my nose doing that, idiot!"
"HEY!" Everyone in the room flinched, swinging back to attention with backs ramrod straight.
Except for Luffy, who had quickly rushed to anchor himself, winding his limbs firmly around Ryū in order to reach the snail himself. "Hi Gramps!" He called again cheerfully. "We're calling to say hi–"
"Tell him 'And to say we're fine!'"
"–and to say we're fine!"
The snail scowled in an impressive attempt at Garp's darkest glare. "Luffy," The old marine started slowly, "Would you like to tell your dear old Grandpa where and how you three got a den-den mushi from, and why you're using it?"
"I just told you though!" Luffy pouted as Ryū finally shucked him off, plucking him up and just holding him in his lap like a misbehaving kitten. "Ryū! I was just telling him–"
"Ryū-nii-chan is going to handle the phone calls now, Luffy," Ryū said steadily. He ignored Luffy's whine and gently deposited him into Ace's arms. He knew without even looking, based on the annoyed yelp and squeal behind him, that the elder brother had immediately began fiercely noogying him. Refocusing back on the snail phone, he tried not to curse at the snail's impressive rendition of Garp's pointed scrutinization. Snails don't even have eyebrows. This is frankly unfair.
"So, Ryū," Garp began, and Ryū did not mistake the calm tone for anything resembling real calm. "Would you like to tell me why and where you have my grandsons?"
Ryū was sweating.
It's a dream, it's a dream, it's a dream and I'm hundreds of miles away and he doesn't know where…
"Unfortunately, no," He eventually answered. The snail's face turned furious so quickly Ryū almost choked some the sheer concentrated murderous intent. "But–" he cut in quickly, "I can tell you, and they can tell you, that they are perfectly safe and happy. They'll stay that way too." The cold sweat gathering on his back faded a little as said safe and happy children all loudly agreed behind him. "We're only calling to give you a heads up that they're no longer on Dawn Island; for their own good." The snail frowned, but so much less of it was directed at Ryū that he nearly sighed in relief. "No one will find them for a while yet. I'm going to keep them safe."
"Were gonna get stronger with Ryū-nii, Gramps!" Luffy shouted. He pouted when both his brothers hushed him worriedly. "What? It's true!"
The snail was quiet for a long moment. Ryū startled and nearly crunched his desk to pieces when it abruptly burst out laughing. The "BWAHAHAHA!" near immediately kickstarted his growing headache into a migraine. "Stronger huh?! So your grandpa wasn't enough for you brats?!" He cackled ominously. "We'll see about that!" (Sabo shuddered, nearly confusing himself for his reaction due to not having any clearer memory of Garp's training beyond his body's instinctive reaction to his voice. His head ached with the phantom pain of a fist to the skull.) Ryū was turning more than a little drawn-out and pale.
"Listen here brat," Garp said again, quieter this time, and Ryū started. "I don't know who you are, or how you found out about my kids. Luffy can't lie for his life, so I'll trust you this once, But–!" Ryū blinked, startled by the seemingly easy acceptance. The snail glowered at him. "If I hear you turn out to be another damn criminal like that Shanks brat, if I hear my boys being laid wayside by you," The den-den smiled at him and Ryū carefully kept his hands off any breakable furniture, swallowing thickly, "Then I'll snap you clean in my hands! Bwahahaha!"
Snickering, the snail slid its eyes shut. "Stay safe, boys," It said softly. Ryū instinctively activated armament all the way up to his elbows when the snail shot him a smugly hostile look. "Don't think you're off the hook! I'll be keeping an eye out, of course!"
Click.
For a moment, all four of them just stared blankly at the snail.
Then Ryū sighed, finally collapsing in his chair and slinging an arm over his face. "...Lunch?" He asked, feeling more exhausted than he had in weeks.
The boys still had the energy to cheer yes and swamp him.
This fic is going to hibernate for the winter for a brief handful-of-months hiatus as i wrangle my plot back into place. ive been lagging behind trying to juggle 4 different stories and all my classes, and if i try to make another scheduled update itd be in the middle of my exam season.
so see yall in spring! i promise this fic aint abandoned. check my tumblr, Leviathiane, for future updates or questions! I'm much more active there.
