Hey
sorry for not updating earlier and for the wait. I will explain some more in the Author's notes at the end of the chapter so please read them. Also, this update was later on fanfiction dot net due to reasons of me not knowing my PW and being too "lazy" to reset.

As the title says, it is a filler and it happens a lot earlier.

~Filler 4 - Wall meetings~

The young boy was a bit nervous. After all, he didn't know for sure what the others would say about his playmate. But it should be fine.

Otherwise, they wouldn't let him go off on his own and would instead keep him on the ship where it is safe.

He arrived at the wall and slightly hit the loose wood to make himself noticeable to the person who should be on the other side.

"You came!", the cheerful voice of a child could be heard from the other side and a smile appeared on his face. "I said that I would come, didn't I?" He laughed. But it was a nice feeling to have someone waiting for him.

"You took too long. I started to get hungry. And if I get hungry, I would have to leave to get food and then I would have missed you or left you waiting."

"You really love food, yoi." "Of course, food is important. Jii-chan also says it is important to always eat enough because you don't know when the next meal will be served."

He leaned himself against the wall and looked up to the bubble that surrounded Fishman Island.

It was nice to talk with someone around his age. Even if that person was two to three years younger than him. But it didn't matter.

The other boy had a sound in his voice and a way with his words that made him smile. It also helped him relax and just enjoy himself in the moment.

It had become a routine just to sit here and talk with the other. Even if it was like now that the other one rambled on the thing that was on his mind and he just listened.

He didn't really look at the time when he suddenly heard the child saying:

"Ne, can we go somewhere together to get food? It would be fun to eat together."

The boy sighed. "We spoke about it… As long as you are traveling with a marine, even if it is a nice one, we can't be seen together. Otherwise, they would turn crazy. But didn't we also promise each other to not make eye contact until we are both over sixteen, yoi"

"But waiting until sixteen is too long… I like to be able to play with you more. Or have fun while eating."

"I know… I know. But wouldn't it be nice to be sure if we are soulmates? Because it is strange that we seem to click that well without really seeing each other."

"If you say it like that. We are soulmates. So why should we wait? I can kind feel it. Even without seeing you."

These words sounded hopeful to him. But he knew better. "It's not that I don't trust your feelings… it's just that I want to have the feeling of confirmation on my own, you know. And the only way I can think of is hearing the words when I either present or meet you when we are both over sixteen, yoi."

"Okay. But I only wait so that you can be sure. Also then we can really play together. When I am seventeen. I will start my own journey to find the one piece."

"Don't think that will be easy. I make sure that you will get a challenge before you find it, yoi."

"Bring it on. I will win everything or die trying! But I will become the pirate king!"

He frowned. He didn't like that statement on bit.

"Promise me something, yoi."

Carefully he lifted the loose wood and pushed his hand through the hole.

"Promise me that you won't die until we meet again and then can die together if needed, yoi."

"I pinky promised."

He felt a smaller finger than his own wrapped himself around his pinky. It felt comforting. A nice feeling.

"And you promise that you will wait and look for me. Because I'm not good at remembering people… especially when they can still change in appearance and such."

He blinked. That would be a hard promise if he didn't have much clue to go off. "I will try. But without seeing you… it will be hard. But I don't want to know because…"

"It's fine if you cover my eyes right? We just aren't allowed to look into each other's eyes. That is what you said. So it's fine if we go to the end of the wall, you keep your eyes close and give me your hand. I cover my eyes with your hand and then you can look. It will work."

The voice sounded so optimistic that he wanted to believe it worked. Why was he questioning it? It should work.

"Okay."

Carefully he pulled his hand back and started moving along the wall.

"You're leaving tomorrow, yoi?"

"Yeah, early morning. So… can I hug you goodbye before I cover my eyes with your hand?"

He felt a blush creep on his cheeks. That felt a little too intimate but it felt also alright. Must be the feeling which made them click that easily.

"Fine, yoi."

He stopped shortly before the corner and closed his eyes. Carefully with his hand touching the wall, he took the last steps.

"You're taller than me. But that's fine, it makes hugging easier." The voice of his friend sounded happy. Then he felt small arms warp themselves around him and hair tickling his chin.

He didn't expect the other to be that much smaller than him. Despite knowing he was two to three years older than the other boy.

But he didn't really think about that more. He lifted his arms to hug him back. Because a few seconds should be fine. They wouldn't see each other anymore after today. At least for a while. And he did want to hug him as well. Carefully he lifted one hand and caressed the smaller one's head.

"It feels nice. You're warm. Don't want to let go", the boy mumbled against his shoulder. He felt the slight blush on his cheek again and hugged the smaller one a little tighter. "To be honest, I don't want to let you go as well. But if we won't part, we can't grow stronger and meet again, yoi."

This seemed to motivate the younger one. Because he felt a distance growing between them. Small hands took his hand and led him to cover the other's eyes. He tapped his fingers slightly and carefully to be sure before he opened his eyes.

The boy in front of him had messy black hair. The grin on the face was just like imagined it. To big for the face but it fit. Especially with the way it sounded in the other's voice.

"I think I can easily promise you that I will find you. Especially if you don't forget to smile, yoi."

"Good then it's a promise."

"It's a promise."

Like I said, I will do some explaining. First of all, this filler was written quickly, because I don't feel that I would get the next chapter ready any time soon and I kinda hate update chapters that are only author notes. Yes, I understand why people do it. But I kinda always feel disappointed when I'm reading something and then the next chapter is an author's note. So yeah, this chapter was written in a little bit of haste to give you at least something.

Now I don't have as much time as I used to have. Also, it became a bit harder for me to focus and then write longer texts in English (remember it's not my native language). It has led to me dumping the first version of the next chapter in my 'cut out'-scenes document and starting to rewrite it. I'm also not sure at the moment how to connect everything that needs to be done to finish this story. Therefore, I decided that this will be the last update in a while.

I plan to take the time I need to map everything out and then finish the story completely. If that is done, I will update this fanfic again and will have a regular update schedule. That's the plan and I hope it's fine for you, too. I might upload some small one-shots during the time to give me something else to focus on and to stay in the flow by writing in English, but that is something only time can tell.

And with that
have a nice day and again sorry for the wait