Luffy laughed softly as he brushed his fingers along the soft petals, his eyes glued to the sleeping bumblebee inside. This island was a last minute stop towards their next adventure and he had flung himself to the colourful hill without thought or reason beyond wanting to lay in the colours and watch the bugs.
This small field reminded him of home, of the patches of flowers around spring when the towns around planted for Goa's large flower festival. Oh, his people were treated poor but his village had their own little celebration with flower crowns and potlucks, a celebration for a good harvest.
Footsteps behind him caught his attention briefly but he wasn't concerned. They didn't seem rushed or sneaky, just a steady relaxed pace. It could be a local from the town curious about who he was, plus their haki was just as calm as their steps.
A soft laugh escaped him as a butterfly flew and landed on his nose, a smile tugging at his lips as he heard the person sit by him huff a laugh too, bringing joy to his chest.
"I didn't expect to see you here kid." The voice was familiar, fond with an accent that Luffy knew only two people had.
His head snapped up and around to see his Tio. He was older now, hair pulled up and shaved at the sides, wrinkles around his eyes indicating laughter, his usual staff resting against his shoulder. There was a smile on his face, but Luffy could see the exhaustion in his dark eyes as they roamed over him critically, familiar.
"Tio Hongo." Luffy grinned. "Is Da and Papai on the island too?"
"They are, but on the other side. I had to gather more ingredients that I can only get here for medicines." Hongo explained, watching as his nephew tensed. "Don't worry, if Captain knows you're here he won't come. A promise is a promise remember, not till you're ready Anchor."
"I know, soon maybe. I'm close to the end now." Luffy exclaimed softly, a pulse of haki washing out to wrap around his Tio in a hug. "I miss them, you all."
"We miss you too Anchor, when I saw you fling yourself here I had to come see you. I hope you don't mind an old doctor's worry." Hongo replied with a smile, worry churning in his stomach.
None of them had seen their Anchor since they left Dawn, not properly. The last time Hongo had laid eyes on him was when Buggy was carrying his injured body to Trafalgar Law's submarine. He had of course seen the images in the Coo's, the ones his own network was able to acquire but it didn't give him the full scope of his nephews injuries.
There were so many scars on Anchor's body, much more than he had ever hoped would be. He could see animal wounds, fishmen bites and swipes, blades and burns… the one on his chest was an angry red though several years healed now. Wounds that he wasn't there to heal, to sooth away like he had done when Luffy was younger and had come to him with wide eyes and a trembling lip.
"I don't mind Tio." Luffy hummed, never taking his eyes off him. "I'm okay, Torao made sure I was healed and Chopper looks after me very well."
"Chopper is your doctor right? From Drum?" Hongo asked as he laid back in the flowers beside his nephew.
"Mhmm, the best doctor there is!" Luffy laughed, nudging Tios' side. "He would like to meet you, talk to you about all you know if you can. We'll be here till the logpose resets and we can restock."
"I'd like that Anchor, gives me the ability to brag to the others I got to see you." Hongo laughed and pulled the kid into his side. "We'll be here till I finish restocking but Chief won't mind if that takes a day or so longer."
"Shishishi, Tio Limejuice is looking for you, he's just down there." Luffy chuckled as he felt the worry radiate up at the bottom of the hill, causing Hongo to wince.
"Ah, I left him in town without telling him where I went, you know how your Tio Lime can get about me." Hongo chuckled as he sat up, raising his fingers to his mouth and letting out a low whistle followed by three high ones.
Though he was startled when Luffy let out two chirps, a low and a long high, the very whistle that Limejuice taught him to indicate who he was in case Limejuice needed to find him or vice versa. In a flash Limejuice was before them, eyes wide behind the red tinted glasses and jaw slacked. Hongo could understand, knew what his husband was feeling as he stared at Anchor, it was the same feeling that he had felt seeing the boy now man launch across the open sky with a cheery laugh.
" Brorson…" Limejuice breathed out, slipping into his own language before a smile took over his face.
Laughter spilled from Luffy's lips as he felt the world shift as Limejuice pulled him into a hug, he wrapped his limbs around him several times, pulling Hongo up and into the embrace. He breathed in deep, inhaling the mix of herbs, ocean salt, grease and electricity from his childhood. There had been several times where Luffy had crawled in to nap with Hongo and Limejuice when he was feeling sick and Shanks and Beckman couldn't help settle him. It had been a long time since he was able to hug and be hugged by them.
"It is good to see you Farbror, shishishi." Luffy laughed as he burrowed deeper into the embrace before pulling back.
"Look how big you've grown Anchor!" Limejuice cooed as he took a good look at him. "I remember you barely made it to my knee and now you're shoulder height, if you grow any more you'll be as tall as Captain."
Hongo snorted at that. "The Chief will probably cry."
"Probably? It definitely will be a certainty that his baby is all grown up and taller than him." Limejuice exclaimed with his own huff of laugh, his hands brushing over his nephew and categorizing the wounds he could see and feel under his fingers while shooting his husband a look.
They both knew that neither their captain or first mate would take it well with how big their little anchor has grown. Though Beck would be the more reserved of the two… nor would they take well seeing the hard life written across Anchor's skin like a morbid tapestry. Limejuice certainly hated it and he knew his husband was just the same if the dark pained look in his eyes was of any indication.
"Captain." A rough voice had both Limejuice and Hongo spinning, their weapons raised to protect their nephew from the sudden stranger, only to pause as they saw the man before them.
Roronoa Zoro, First Mate of the Strawhat Pirates, bounty 1,111,000 berri.
They took in the sharp glint in his eye, the way his hand rested ready on the hilt of his sword assessing them if they were a threat to his captain. Both men couldn't help but be pleased and they knew everyone else would be too when they told them all later.
"Shishishi Zoro, no need to worry, it's just my Tios." Luffy laughed and both men watched as the swordman's body language changed completely, his hand dropped from his swords, face melting into a soft smile but his eye never stopped watching them in warning.
"Love cook said it was time for dinner." Zoro stated, tearing his gaze off them to stare at his captain.
"YOSH!" Luffy cheered, fist pumping the air before turning to gaze up at his Tios. "Come to dinner, Sanji makes the best food and there'll be enough, come on, come on! I have to show you Sunny and you need to meet the rest of my crew!"
Limejuice and Hongo laughed as Luffy grabbed their hands and tugged insistently, arms stretching when they didn't budge.
"Alright Anchor, but we need to let the others know or they'll all come, promises be dammed." Hongo explained as Limejuice pulled out his den den with a smirk, dialing in Beck's number with ease.
'Tell me you and Hongo didn't break something again, I thought for sure that Hongo would be the responsible one.' Beckman's tired voice answered, laughter ringing loud in the background. ' You should have been back two hours ago.'
"We're going to be delayed for a while Beck." Hongo hummed as he covered Luffy's mouth to not spoil the surprise. "I am also offended by the statement, but is the Chief close to you?"
There was a pause before Shanks popped up on the line. ' What's happened? Beck has his grumpy done with the world face on.'
"Well Chief, Hongo and I are going to be delayed for a bit." Limejuice stated with a teasing laugh, completely ignoring the groans from the other side because he knew what they assumed. It wouldn't be the first time that he and his husband delayed them to spend some quality time together.
Hongo snorted. "Say about a day or two but I'm sure you wont mind."
'A day? Two? You know perfectly well that I wanted to leave first thing to reach…" Shanks' voice pitched low and Hongo removed his hand from Anchor's mouth who had begun to vibrate in excitement the moment Beck answered the call.
"PAPAI! DA!" Luffy yelled happily cutting off Shanks mid word.
'Anchor?!' Beck and Shanks stated together in shock. 'You're here!?'
Luffy laughed happily as he grabbed the Den Den. "Shishishishi, we just landed! Have to wait for the logpose to set and Tio Hongo found me!"
"We're going back to Anchor's ship to have dinner." Limejuice spoke up with a teasing smirk, watching the way the den den pouted.
"Yes! Sanji makes the best food!" Luffy exclaimed proudly. "Come on, come on, before it gets cold, Sanji will be angry if it does!"
' Anchor wait!' Shanks called out, stilling Luffy. 'Call us later okay? Lime can give you my den den, I want to hear all your stories. I miss you.'
' We,' Beckman corrected. 'We miss you kid.'
"Shishishi, miss you too Da, Pai. You'll have to come and see me tomorrow Da! I want you to meet Zoro, he's the best first mate ever!" Luffy exclaimed with a wide sunny grin, eyes scrunching close and completely missing the slight blush to rise on the green haired swordsman's face.
' I'd like that, and if you allow it, the boys would all love to come and see you too, now go and have dinner. Seas knows that you never hold back a D from food.' Benn chuckled as Shanks began to pout and whine in the background. 'Love you kid.'
"Love you and Pai too!" Luffy replied with warm eyes and a softer smile.
'Oh and Lime, Hongo? Words will be had when you get back, the Captain is pouting and that'll be your problem on return.' Beck stated before hanging up but both men merely shrugged. Normally it would be a task that no man wanted to get, their captain in a full pout was the equivalent to a drunk Yasopp going on and on about Usopp… but if it meant they got to spend more time with Anchor? Well, they didn't care one bit.
"Come on Anchor, let's go eat, I want to see if this chef of yours is better than Lucky Roux." Limejuice exclaimed as he made his way towards the direction Anchor had tried to pull him in before.
Hongo laughed as Anchor cheered and grabbed them all in a tight constrictor hug with one hand while the other stretched out, though that laugh soon died in his throat as he saw the swordsman pale and struggle to free himself.
"WAIT! LUFFY, NO!" Zoro struggled as he saw Luffy grab the mast of Sunny.
Screams rent the air as Luffy let them be tugged fast towards the ship, three in terror and one in laughter.
Tonight was going to be a very good night.
god this is... a mess... and it took FOREVER... forcing words when words don't want to word is blegh...
This didn't end out how I wanted it to be... but ehhhhh
Also if you haven't come join me in my discord server, /Y6Rrmmbqqj