JSB: Hey, I apologize for all you waiting on Sail Away! and Luffy Can't Speak, I'm seriously working on them and I believe you should be seeing them soon enough, but in the meantime, I've written a little one shot for you all! Its wierd for me, but anyways, I hope you enjoy!
Gray and Black Winged
By JadeStarBoo
The Going Merry was docked, on the shores of a small port, not far from the last island of the Grand Line. And the port is part a town. A small, decent, kind town. And in that town is a bar. And in that bar is the crew. A small, quaint crew made of a fighting cook, a money-tangerine lover navigator, a blue nosed reindeer as the doctor, a long nosed sharpshooter, and lastly a mysterious archaeologist. That was all, no captain, no first mate. Just the five of them around a quiet table, two seats left open, as if two people were to come in and sit on them. But, they never did.
Nami was the first to speak, hating the awkward, unwelcome silence clouding them. She smiled weakly, "Um...anyone want more...tea?"
Her voice was raspy and rough, signs that she was crying before. Sanji shook his head and took a long drag of the nearly burnt out cigarette. Chopper remained silent, Usopp, for once wasn't making a single noise. Robin, as always, didn't look at her; she continued to stare at her lap. Nami sighed in weary defeat. Too much was happening, and before they know it, they might as well die the next day. Actually, they were dead, dead in spirit, soul...happiness, laughter…
The navigator stared out the window just past Usopp's head. The sun was setting on the other side of the island. But it still poured its majestic colors of magenta, purple, orange, yellow and brilliant red. It lifted Nami's spirit just a little as the red shirt her captain always wore, flashed in her mind. But it was gone in an instant. At that moment Robin lifted her head, her face clam, but empty.
"Swordsman-san...he's...where is he?" Nami, Usopp, and Chopper murmured, in question also.
Sanji turned a half-lidded gaze on her and took another drag, "The cliff..."
"Oh..." Was all the crew said.
---- --- ----
Zoro sat on the cliff, on the other side of the island. A small beach resided beside the cliff as a companion, and the ocean lapped lazily beneath it. He gazed intensely at the sun setting beyond the horizon. His two swords were stuck into the ground, one on each side of him, while Wadou was on the crook of his elbow. But that wasn't important. The swordsman sighed but didn't tear his vision off the horizon, and darkness slowly crept in.
Then the sun was finally set, no longer in his sight. The moon was out, not covered by night clouds, and the stars sprinkled in the sky.
---- --- ----
Portgas D. Ace was crouched down at the waters of the beach when Zoro's night time ritual started. The pyro-man was doing a small funeral of his own, making a ball of fire then sticking his hand into the water to douse it into smoke. Smoke...
His eyes softened from anger to sadness, as he watched the white clouds drift around the air. The smell of cigarettes stuck to his mind, the annoyed scowl implanted in his memories, the memories of many precious moments, one by one came floating back. Some were passionate, raw, and heat. Some were careless, teasing, laughter. And the best were those rare moments when he would stroke his face and murmur stuff, and Ace would understand it as another way of saying, "I love you."
The smoke disappeared and Ace did it again, and again, and again...remembering the man he had loved despite their ranking. Remembering Smoker. He looked over up at the cliff, catching the glimpse of the private ritual. After moments of deep thought stares at the cliff where a man was lost, he turned back and continued. This time remembering both of them. Smoker...and Luffy. The smoke floated away.
---- --- ----
The first mate ignored the on and off fire on the beach as he prepared the...what should he call it? A ritual? Ceremony? Funeral? Zoro pushed aside the thought as he started whatever it is.
First. He clapped his hands three times. The loudest and hardest he can.
Second. He nodded his head five times. Making sure he let his head reach their limits both up and down.
Third. He shouted out Luffy's name. He made sure that his voice echoed across the ocean.
Fourth. He waited a six seconds pause. The quietest, six seconds he managed.
And Fifth. He screamed. He screamed I love you. Making sure that the boy in the heavens would hear his call.
The man repeated the five steps, tears slipping silently as every "I love you" was screamed.
---- --- ----
Flashback
"Hey, Zoro!" Zoro pretended to sleep as his captain's light and bouncy footing stopped beside him.
"Heeeeey! Zooroooo! Zooorooo! Wake uuup!" A hand was smacking him in the face.
And Zoro, being the annoyed man he was, sat up viciously, "What the hell? Luffy! What!"
Luffy just laughed merrily at the other man's comical facial expression. "N-nothing..." he wiped at the tears at the corner of his eyes, "Just wanna tell you something, it's not long and it isn't about...meat..." He drooled at the word.
The first mate sighed, but smiled still, "So what is it that you want to tell me besides meat?"
Luffy smiled widely, "You told me you love me, right? And I said I loved you too. And now we're lovers, right? Right?" He nodded excitingly.
Zoro laid back down, drawling slightly, "Yeah...so, what about it?"
The seventeen year old hopped onto the nineteen year old stomach, "I want you to show that you love me!"
Zoro raised an eyebrow, "Show? How? Is kissing not a way to you?"
"Weellll, actually, I want you to do a dance!"
"Hell no, Luffy."
"Awww, but Zoro, pleaseee! It's REALLY QUICK! I PROMISE!" He emphasized the promise.
Zoro sighed, "Does it involve standing up?"
"Nope! So can you do it!"
"Ugh...sure..."
Luffy laughed, "Great! So this is how you do it!" He sat cross-legged and cleared his throat, "Ahem, first, you clap your hands THREE times, okay?" Luffy demonstrated, clapping his hands three times.
Zoro flinched at the loud claps, "Geez, Luffy, not so loud! You'll give me a hell of a headache!"
The boy just pouted, "But Zoro! The louder the better! Now, the next step is to nod your head FIVE times, like this!" He nodded his head exaggeratedly. Zoro swore he would snap his neck that way. "Then, you will shout my name! REALLLLY LOOUUUD! Like this!"
Zoro's face scrunched up as he prepared for the loud blow.
"LUUUUFFYYYYYYYY!"
The man's ears rang, and he swore the ground shook. He came back to his senses as shouts were heard up deck. Luffy scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "Eh, expect only when you are outside. Kay? So then, you wait six seconds. But you have to be veeery silent." his finger pressed against his lips, and then he broke into a grin, "And lastly, you'll shout VERY loud, MUCH louder than the one before, so loud that your ears ring! And you have to say this!" He heaved in his chest to show Zoro.
The green hair man quickly grabbed the black haired in a chaste, sweet kiss to silence him. The boy smiled widely, staring into the other's eyes, "Whoops. Sorry."
Zoro shifted and closed his eyes, "Just TELL me what you need to shout."
Luffy laid down, hair tucked underneath his chin, snuggling up his chest. He sighed, "I love you."
The first mate looked down at his captain, who was also staring up at him. Zoro let a smile crack through, "Maaa, I should have guessed...okay fine then, I'll do it."
"Yeah! Let's go up deck and shout to the ocean!"
Zoro could only smile as they both climbed up the stairs to the deck. It was already night time and stars were out, the moon wasn't covered by clouds this time. Luffy grabbed his nakama's hand smiling wider, "This is gonna be fun! Let's dance!"
They both danced it about six times before their throats were sore. Zoro sighed, yeah, headache tomorrow.
The captain giggled in bliss, "Maaaa, that was sooo much fun Zoro! Let's do it again tomorrow!" Zoro responded with a nod, his throat was stinging badly. There was a brief moment of silence before Zoro had a Luffy suddenly wrapped around his waist. The skinny arms tightened and he buried his face in his chest. Another moment of silence, "Na, Zoro?"
"Hm?" He wrapped his arms around the younger boy.
"That...that dance, it's our secret, okay?"
"Hm."
"And, we will only do it at night when stars are out, and the moon is there okay?"
"...Hm."
"And you do know why I want you to do it right?"
"..."
"It's to show how much we love each other. We love each other so much that we'll clap our hands until they rip and tear, we'll nod our heads until we can't see, we'll shout out to each other just to hear each other's voices. We'll wait forever for one of us to return..."
He felt a small smile against his shirt.
"And...And we'll scream I love you until, until the gods up in the heavens can't hear anymore, until out throats bleeds, until the words can't express how we feel."
Zoro didn't say anything, letting the words sink in. His own arms tightening. A small gray and black butterfly about the size of two thumbs landed on the railing next to them. Zoro stared at it until it fluttered off. He placed a kiss on Luffy's forehead, "And so we will...Luffy, and so we will."
Luffy was killed the next day.
---- --- ----
Ace was there when Smoker was executed. He didn't see it, just...heard it. He only saw a glimpse of the familiar white, short hair. But he heard so many things. The sound when sea stone shackle chains bump into each other. The sound of heavy footsteps going up a platform. The sound of testimony results. The sound of a knife being sharpened. And then the snick. And then the thump of the head.
The fire wielder, couldn't handle it anymore and took off running, he tripped a couple of times, stumbled many times and fell fifteen times. He ran to his schooner, wailing, sobbing, and wanting someone to hold him. It was too much to handle at once. All the information of the surprise attack from the 25th Marine Fleet on Luffy's crew, and Smoker being caught trying to help him was too much to handle. But Smoker, he was caught fighting his own side, siding with the enemy. A Marine Captain fighting his own Marine. But soon enough Luffy was stabbed from the behind and Smoker was soon chained up and sent to trial. All fields were found guilty. And now two of his loved ones are dead.
Ace made bigger and bigger fires, dousing them all at once. Watching the smoke drift up into the clear night sky. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine. Imagine Luffy with his crew, happily eating meat. Smoker and him snuggled under the sheets, all warm and comfy. Along with that gray and black butterfly about the size of two thumbs, who seemed to hang around them so much.
But no matter how much he tried to imagine, it didn't work. Instead clouds of smoke curled around him, and each time it touched him, it reminded him of Smoker's touches and Luffy's laughter. Every time it did that, Ace burst into tears.
---- --- ----
There was silence until a familiar laugh sounded in the death quiet room, "Hey! Nami! Why are you so sad?" Luffy took a look around, "Hey! Why is everyone sad?" Nami looked up as the boy entered, smiling merrily. It was a moment of silence until Chopper and Usopp was all over him, Zoro was back from the cliff and kissing the eyes out of him. Robin was a bit far away but smiling. Sanji draped an arm over her shoulders, "See, everything's all right." Nami wiped tears that formed in the corner of her eyes, "Yeah...everything's all-"
Harsh reality slapped her from her dream as she woke up suddenly. Her pillow was wet, actually wet from tears. And it seems at that moment it seemed that reality decided to give her another slap when faint sounds were coming through the window. She walked over, opening it, careful not to wake the others. Realizing what it was she pulled up a chair, and sat at the window sill, staring out at the full moon. She rested her chin on her palm as three claps, five seconds of silence, a shout, six seconds of silence and a scream whispered into the room.
She laid her head on her arms, closing her eyes. Tears leaked out as the lullaby continued on.
---- --- ----
Zoro's throat was on fire, his hands were blistered, his head hurts, and his eyes stung from tears. Rocks clattered from behind him, but he continued to stare out at the sea, when he raised his hands to clap again, but then the older D brother plopped down next to Zoro. Zoro put down his hands, and instead looked up at the horizon. Ace's fingers fiddled with the strings on his hat. The straw hat rested on Zoro's thigh.
An odd silence fell upon them.
A small butterfly about the size of two thumbs landed on Ace's finger, as he held it up to it. Ace smiled as he sniffed a little and lifted the small fragile, beautiful creature to his face, watching its wings flitter slightly. Zoro leaned over to look. The silence broke as Zoro spoke first,
"You know..." His voice was cracked terrible due to sobbing and screaming in anguish at the same time, "It kinda looks like Luffy..." Ace smirked and silently added And Smoker too. Zoro seemed to read his mind as he said with a laugh, "And that Smoker dude too..."
The pyro-man nodded in agreement as the younger man spoke again, "You know what?"
"Hm?"
"I think Smoker saw your signal." His hand lazily gestured to the large amount of smoke on the beach. Ace laughed and the butterfly's wings fluttered in response.
Ace looked at Zoro, "Ah and I think Luffy heard you."
With that the gray and black winged butterfly took off.
---- --- ----
The Going Merry was docked, on the shores of a small port, not far from the last island of the Grand Line. And the port is part a town. A small, decent, kind, town. And in that town is a bar. And in that bar is the crew. A small, quaint crew made of a green haired swordsman as the first mate, a fighting cook, a money-tangerine lover navigator, a blue nosed reindeer as the doctor, a long nosed sharpshooter, and lastly a mysterious archaeologist. That was all, no captain. Just the six of them around a quiet table, one seat left open, as if he were to come in and sit on them. But, he never did.
Nami was the first to speak, hating the awkward, unwelcome silence clouding them. She smiled, "Does anyone want more tea?"
Her voice was sweet and calm. Sanji smiled and nodded head taking a long drag of a new cigarette. Chopper remained laughed with Usopp, who was making a racket. Robin smiled and nodded. Nami happily poured some tea. Too much had happened, and before they knew it, they were lost of a captain. But their spirit, soul...happiness and laughter slowly weaved its way back through.
The navigator stared out the window just past Usopp's head. The sun was rising on the other side of the island. But it still poured its majestic colors of magenta, purple, orange, yellow and brilliant red. It lifted Nami's spirit just a little as the red shirt her captain always wore, flashed in her mind. But it was gone in an instant. At that moment Robin lifted her head, her face clam, but flicker of hope passed through.
"So, Navigator-san, where are we headed next?"
And the healing progress…begins.
---- --- ---
Smoker woke up, his bed sheets rumpled around him; he looked down at a sleeping pyro-man. He grabbed a smoke from the bedside, chewing on the end for awhile, he thought. Sheesh, what a weird dream.
He paused and took a look at the paper at his desk, it said, "The 25th Marine Fleet has left port in pursue of the Straw Hat Crew."
Smoker scoffed, but he picked up his coat, slipping it on and stepped outside, and as expected, Tashigi stepped out from her room.
"Sir!" She saluted.
He waved her down, "Ah, tell the messenger to send a message to the 25th Marine Fleet Captain, that they are reported back to the port, or I'll personally wring his neck."
Tashigi gulped but saluted and scampered away. He returned to the room, shutting and locking the door behind him, he sat on the bedside, "Oi, Portgas, get your ass up! Or I'll throw it overboard!"
A freckled face looked up at him, his eyes half lidded, still a bit sleepy, "Eh? Oh...love ya..." Snore.
Smoker felt a vein pop but muttered under his breath, "Yeah, love ya too...shitty pirate."
Ace smiled under the sheets.
---- --- ----
Meanwhile Zoro was sleeping in the hammock, snoring away until the bump in the sheets beside him moved. Zoro roused from his sleep and yawn quite dramatically. "Hey, oi!" He poked at the bundle. It moved and mumbled something. "Hmm...Hmm...hm! Hm!"
Zoro rolled his eyes and pulled the sheets off. The bundle squealed as kissed were bestowed upon his face. "Hahaha! Zoro! Stop!" He squeaked. The first mate leaned down and kissed him one more time, "Sorry, time to get up." Luffy giggled and nodded, kissing him back.
Later on that night, they danced the dance for the first time. And you know what?
It wasn't their last.
End
It wasn't suppose to end like that...got crappy in the end...sigh...
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