Of Straw and Steel
Summary: Zoro was always warned of the dangers of falling for the Captain's daughter. He just never imagined the dangers that came with falling for the Captain herself. Oneshot series on people's reaction to the Captain and First Mate's relationship.
Chapter Warnings: GARPS GONNA KILL THE POOR KID
Garp loved his granddaughter, he really did.
She was his little girl. He had Dragon, and Sabo and Ace were as good as family to him, but she was his only baby girl.
He still remembered the first moment he laid eyes on her.
She was less than a year old. Swaddled tightly in blue cloth, she looked up at him with innocent curiosity. There were no tears, just wide eyes staring at the man she had never seen before. He felt his heart ache for the child instantly, knowing how difficult life would be for his precious, precious granddaughter.
No matter how much he wished she didn't, she grew up. Soon she was up and waddling around, testing her legs in the great big world. She babbled too, all the time. Very little was actually coherent, but he could make out certain words.
Her first world was 'sea'. He felt his heart break further.
Garp had always read to her before bed when he had time. He was careful to leave out anything about the ocean, pirates, and even marines. If she could live a normal life, he would have been happy.
A little after she turned three, Luffy had left his side while they were going shopping at the market. Garp had, rightfully, panicked.
Garp remembered finding the child on the coast, staring out at the ocean as a large ship passed by, the Jolly Roger blaring out at him.
"Grandpapa," Luffy said, the words still thick with her babyish way of speaking. Her eyes, wide with wonder, shifted from the ship on the horizon to her grandpa. "Sea is big?"
Garp knelt down before Luffy, feeling his heart ache with each word. He couldn't lie to her, but only prepare he for the world, no matter how young she is.
"Yes, Luffy, it is. But it's also very, very dangerous."
Luffy cocked her head. She still didn't understand this concept, Garp reasoned with himself. Though if she followed in his son's footsteps, she never would. The thought almost made him laugh.
"Dangewos?"
"Yes," Garp said, reaching and putting a hand on her shoulder. "Very dangerous."
The idea of danger didn't seem to sway the girl. He wasn't really surprised. She was just like her father, really. The thought worried him as much as it sent a rush of pride through him. That night when they returned home, Garp told Luffy she would grow up to be a good marine.
Of course she wouldn't listen. To this day, he still blamed Red Hair.
"I was doing all of those things out of love!" Garp yelled at the ungrateful little brat as she held her throbbing head. And he really had. His baby girl had grown up, just like her father before her. She had become a strong child, alienated by the other children. Garp had known he couldn't put it off for long. So he trained her. Living a peaceful life was all he wanted for her. Being a marine, protected from the government by the government was good enough for him. He couldn't stand to lose her, even as the sea called to her and adventure seemed to stick itself to her. "When I threw you in a bottomless ravine, left you in the jungle over night and sent you into the sky with balloons... I was doing it so you could be a good marine!"
The girl pouted, and he knew that look too well. It wouldn't work on him anymore though! "I never wanted to be a marine, gramps!"
Garp almost winced, remembering before that cursed Shanks had appeared, Luffy hadn't minded the idea in the least. She had been excited, wanted to be, 'Just like Gramps!'
The 'touching' reunion passed with only a bit of roughness. His daughter was happy to see Coby again, despite not recognizing him, and despite meeting as enemies... Garp was happy to see his granddaughter again.
She had grown up, and Garp wasn't oblivious to the changes. She was still the carefree, silly and loveable child she had always been. The will within her burned stronger than ever before, however. Garp didn't doubt that was due to the comrades she had discovered, the adventures they shared and the desire to protect each of them.
The morning before both parties were due to leave, Garp returned to finish patching up the wall. Damned crew still refused to do it alone, so he showed up bright and early to help finish it. He walked up, arms full of wood. What he saw caused all of it to fall out of his arms.
On the couch in the room - completely open to peering eyes - Luffy curled into her swordsman's side. There was a blanket slung over their bodies lazily. Garp saw red.
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING TO MY GRAND DAUGHTER? GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF HER, PIRATE HUNTER."
Both of them were awake after the first word. Zoro looked up with dawning horror and an almost 'not again' look. Luffy just looked up sleepily, having had a rude awakening like this more than once. Not quite in this situation before, though.
"Ne? Grandpa? What are you doing here?" Luffy asked, rubbing her eyes tiredly as Zoro looked at her incredulously. "It's too early..."
Garp raised a hand, fist clenched and shaking in complete fury. And for once, it wasn't directed at Luffy, something that puzzled her as she gazed at her Grandpa.
"GOD DAMNED PIRATE HUNTER! IDIOT GRAND DAUGHTER! GET DRESSED!"
For once, both listened without question. The two scrambled with their clothes. Garp ignored the way the Luffy's first mate pulled her shirt over the sleepy girl's head as she barely processed what was going on. When both were proper once more, they looked around blankly. Zoro looked as though making a run for it was high on the list of possible options at this given moment at time.
Garp gave them both a strict glare and Luffy seemed to realize the gravity of the situation. Gramps was really upset, though she really didn't know why. For many moments, there was just a tense silence before Garp barked out,
"I expect to be invited to the wedding."
It was not what either of them were expecting, and Zoro turned red as Luffy cocked her head, "Wedding? We aren't getting married."
Garp's eyes narrowed on her and she gulped as a chill spread down her back. "If you're going to be doing anything like that, you damn well are getting married." Luffy looked at her grandfather wide-eyed. He continued, "And I expect great grandchildren. I'll turn them into good marines."
Zoro choked on air as he heard Garp's words, while Luffy jumped forward with her hands balled in fists.
"We'll get married if we wanna," she shouted at the marine, "I ain't doing anything because you tell me too!"
"It's improper for a young lady to do these things without being married!"
"I'm a pirate, do you really think I'm gonna listen to that bullshit reasoning? I can do what I want!"
"Don't disrespect your grandfather like that!"
As Zoro forced himself to breath, the two continued to bicker. That was... an unexpected twist of events he hadn't imagined possible.
As the rest of the crew arrived, the fight seemed to dwindle into more of a stare down with insults thrown between them.
Later, he found himself chasing his granddaughter. The reunion had been nice, but now he had to remember his job. He was a marine and she a pirate. It was his duty to hunt her.
Still, when he saw her cry, invite the sniper back to her crew, and then laugh and smile... Garp smiled. Enemies or not, he was glad she was happy.
She was, after all, still his precious baby girl.
Garp is traditional. I think. So throwing the "my daughter is a pirate" aside, he wants her to get married and be happy. That's what any grandparent wants... right? Idk. Here you go.
If you guys want to see anyone besides the crews' and Luffy's families' reactions, lemme know and I'll work it in. Already planning on: Garp, Coby, Brooke, Law, Jinbei, Rayleigh, Boa Hancock, Shanks, Sabo, Perona, Ben, Mihawk, Kidd...
Not exactly in that order but yeah.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed, faved, alerted... or even read. I appreicate it! :D
I have some very bad news. I will not be updating probably until... December? I'm not feeling well emotionally right now... I mean, I'm probably not even doing nanowrimo even though I want to. I think it's a winter thing that is throwing me off, but I'm waaaay to emotional to handle too much stress right now. I'm saving money, taking night classes, working 45+ hours a week... So I can't handle updating this right now. I'll be back with it though, maybe post a few in the chistmas season. Thanks for bearing with me.
If, by any chance, I do get around to mumbling ideas on Nanowrimo or something, and you're doing it too, I have a very open Google Docs that anyone can join by taking the spaces out of:
docs. google document/d/1Awaya5Iut8gQDGhJzoDsggAs9DQjMiTDY_NhwNKLDWE/edit?usp=docslist_api