Protect

"If you had been hurt... what would I have done?"

XOXO

Because protecting and fighting are two different things.

Because she hadn't realized the risks of losing her most precious treasure before Alabasta was threatened, after Pell...

And his clothes were fine and loose, comfortable even in the staggering desert heat. His arms around her shoulders and his voice, low and... scared? His voice in her ear, apologetic, her ear against his chest, cheek still stinging. His heart, pounding, and she was sure it was up in his throat, because whenever she sounded like that, felt like that, her chest would constrict and it felt as though her heart had jumped up and would make it hard to breathe. She was covered in gunpowder. There was a minor burn on her arm, the flesh a little red and swollen, but she wouldn't tell anyone. People would only worry more and the gunpowder obscured it quite nicely.

Because with the princess, he wasn't the Captain.

Because he cared.

And his feathers were soft and warm, the wind blew her hair back, the excitement of doing something not allowed with a dearly beloved friend ringing in her mind and heart. She grasped a handful of feathers in each hand, teased and teasing back, laughing and smiling, the feeling of being up in the air and about to fall at any moment even though she knew Pell would never let that happen. And those days had been the happiest days of her life.

Because she could feel the wind from his wings.

Because he was the protecting god of the country.

He never looked back, never said goodbye. Just complained about her to her face, smiled and then saved the country. It shouldn't happen like this. Why? She'd never gotten to say... say so many things. Thank you. I love you. I wish you could stick around more. All those times you protected me and I didn't even know... thank you. Thankyou. Thankyouthankyouthankyou... Ohgod I wish you could hear me right now. Just so you know I haven't resented you all my life, I know I did a lot of stuff to make you worry and I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry...

This is something that I'm proud of from the very bottom of my heart.

Because the smoke was clearing and everything was fine.

Because the sounds of swords and guns hadn't stopped.

No. Not here. Not after... why? This was wrong... so wrong, they'd finally done it and the fighting hadn't stopped. They weren't protecting anything, there was nothing to protect the kingdom from, why were they still fighting!

Please!

Everyone, stop fighting!

Because everything was all right but nothing would be the same again.

Because Luffy was here, and laughing like nothing had happened.

And they were walking away, walking to their ship, to go on without her. They would go where they had to and Luffy, she thought with more conviction than ever, would become the pirate king, his nakama right there beside him. Because the X made her laugh and cry at the same time, and the Going Merry, a ship she'd gotten to know very, very well, was sailing off onto the horizon and it was a heart-breakingly beautiful sight. Not at dusk, but with the sun high up in the air and the sea glittering more brightly for her than it ever had.

Because the tears on her pillow had dried within seconds.

Because the moon shining in from the window reminded her of all those precious moments that will never be forgotten.

XOXO

... after the Straw-hat crew leaves and before Pell comes back...