crusty-chronicles

[crusty-chronicles]

A Mistake

Ch 2: Was That A First Date?

Ch 1

Synopsis: In the aftermath of meeting your son, you reminisce on what may have been your first date with Ging.

Out of all the things you were expecting, coming face to face with your son after 11 years was not one of them. You thought you'd swing by and say hello to Kite. Maybe catch up and see what he was doing. Not be stuck in a staring contest with your own kid.

You could see the gears turn in his head before he landed on one singular word.

“Mom?”

Gon recognized you. It shouldn't have caught you as off guard as it did. You weren't exactly ambiguous about who you were. Having gave out your information in every letter sent. He probably looked you up at some point. It only made you even more nervous to see how you measured up to his expectations. You figured you'd see him when he was a little older. That is, if he ever sought you out.

Was he…?

You didn't want to risk it by stepping forward.

Though if he was hanging around Kite, there was a good chance he was. Still, you kept your distance. It must've looked odd. To have your own mother be afraid of coming near you. It didn't help he was the splitting image of his father. Somehow you knew that idiot would be proud his genes had cancelled yours out.

You weren't prepared to handle this. You didn't think you ever would be. But you'd been staring for a while now. And it wasn't like you could run away and hide in shame. No. You wouldn't be able to forgive yourself if you wasted this opportunity. Besides, this was your son. You had absolutely nothing to be afraid of.

“Oh wow. Um. Hi?” You awkwardly greeted.

His head perked up at the sound of your voice.

Scratch that. You were terrified. Looking frantically over at Kite for any information possible.

“Why didn't you warn me he was here!?!?” You whispered.

Right. Warn you the kid who teleported to him out of nowhere was here. Warn you, who he had no idea was coming, that your son, who he had no idea you had, was here.

“I didn't know. He just kind of showed up.” Kite responded.

You rubbed a hand to your temple.

“This is not how I wanted it to happen.”

“Wanted what to happen?” Gon questioned.

Shit, he'd heard you. He probably thought you hated him. Which was far from the truth.

“Uhhhh…” You figured you looked like a gaping fish.

His eyes bore into yours. Curious and bright. You found it hard to look him in the face for very long. Dammit, why did he have to look so much like him.

“Okay we're really doing this.” you mumbled under your breath before continuing.

“Hi Gon. I'm your mom.” The phrase felt strange on your tongue, but you pushed it down and continued.

“I've uh, got something for you. But it's not here. It's back at my place,” you explained.

You realized it sounded like you were trying to bribe him. The confused silence sure as hell didn't do you any favors.

“I'm not trying to buy your affection or anything! I just thought you'd like it. Maybe?” You couldn't help but cringe at your frazzled tone.

“Boys like dinosaurs and monsters right?” You asked Kite before quickly turning around.

“You like dinosaurs and monsters, right?”

And Gon couldn't help but laugh at your awkwardness. You were the furthest thing from the serious pro hunter he was expecting. Not at all disinterested like Ging seemed to be. You were more nervous to meet him than he was to meet you.

“Yeah. I still think they're cool.” He responded.

You gave a small fist pump.

“Sublime!”

You were goofy. Your demeanor was reminiscent of his. (And absolutely nothing like his father's) All of a sudden, you'd straightened up. The grin wiped off your face.

“Uh, I've got one question though.”

“Sure.”

“You're a hunter now, aren't you?” You asked.

Please please please.

“Yup. Passed my first time too!”

“Oh thank God,” you breathed out.

He eyed you curiously.

“Not that I would have been disappointed otherwise. Or that I wanted you to become one. I wasn't opposed to it either. I just-” you cut yourself off before you could ramble.

“It's a really long, complicated story.”

That you didn't want to get into right now. Or ever. But you knew you'd have to tell some of it eventually. This was your kid, and he deserved to know why you weren't there for him.

“Maybe you two should reconnect elsewhere.” Kite's voice snapped you from your thoughts.

He didn't want to cut your reunion short, but he was in the middle of work. He wouldn't have minded if it was just you. You would have been able to help out and speed things up. Yet Ging just had to go and send his kid over. Knowing him, it was some sort of test for Gon. Unfortunately that meant Kite would have his hands full. You being here would just distract the kid further.

“Right. Sorry for interrupting whatever this is. I'll just be around. Umm, nice meeting you.” You said before catching sight of the other boy next to him.

“And your friend too. Hi!”

Yeah, make a bigger fool of yourself.

The white haired boy offered you a small wave.

You turned to leave, but stopped at a call from Gon.

“Mom, we can catch up. Right?”

He looked at you with a nervous expression. Like you'd brush him off and say no. It nearly broke your heart. Somehow you knew it connected back to Ging. Who knows what kind of goose chase he sent Gon on. (Or in Ging’s words: a hunt.)

“Sure. Kite can give you my address when you finish up here. You can do that right?” You questioned the silver haired hunter.

“Bye Y/n.” He waved off.

You ducked your head down and muttered out a ‘sorry.’ Leaving back the way you came. You'd get Kite to fill you in on the details later.

“She's a little cooky isn't she?” Killua commented once you were out of ear shot.

“She's just nervous. It's the first time seeing her son in ten years.” Kite explained.

Something about that made Gon want to chase after you. You were worried about making a good first impression on him? Looks like you were every bit as wonderful as you were in your letters. He promised to find you once this was over. Maybe you could teach him and Killua something useful, too.

—-------------------------------------------

You couldn't help but bang your head against the steering wheel. Eleven years and all you could say was hey? You imagined how this scenario would go a thousand times. You just weren't expecting it so soon. You made a complete fool of yourself.

He'd want answers, you were sure. Why you left. If you and Ging were still together. Everything that happened. And you owed it to Gon to tell him. It was hard for you to think about despite how much time passed. It was hard to think about Ging. You'd left that relationship behind you and you sincerely hoped it stayed there.

Where to start?

Where to gather your thoughts and prepare for whatever he asked you. You could only hope it would be about you. But you knew better. He'd ask about Ging.

Everyone always did.

What was he like?

You grew up with him, was he always talented?

Do you know where he is? What he's doing?

And you'd say: Ging was a pain. He's selfish and acts purely out of self-interest. Yes, he always had a knack for standing out. His determination drives him forward as a hunter. No you didn't know where he was. No you didn't know what he was doing, nor did you care.

How would you answer if Gon asked why he left?

You didn't know. You figured Ging didn't want the responsibility of raising a kid.

And then he'd go chasing after Ging like he'd always planned. You were sure you were an afterthought in the situation. Always right behind Ging. Even when it came to your own son.

You wish you could've been bitter about it. Let it be the final push to fully despise him. But then you remember why you grew such a soft spot for the ruins hunter. The sweeter parts of the relationship that reminded you it wasn't all bad.

The beginning though?

It was rocky for sure.

—---------------------------------------------

1 5 Y E A R S A G O

You didn't think you'd ever been this happy in your life. With the small team you had and the minimal experience you'd gained, you managed to recover a sunken vessel from an undated time period. Pieces of history nobody had known about.

It managed to catch the eyes of potential investors, along with the association. It earned you your first star as a hunter. (Something Ging wouldn't have been able to hold over your head anymore.) At the moment, you and your team were reaping in your newfound success. Having hunkered down at your place to celebrate.

A knock at the door had you getting up from your spot. You were handed flowers with a letter attached to the vase. It was addressed solely to you with the return address being the Hunter Association headquarters.

“Congratulations on your recent discovery! You’ve proven yourself as a capable and fascinating member of the association. I'd love to have you work under me and see what else you can accomplish with a proper team. There's also a variety of resources at your disposal. That is, if you're interested. Feel free to contact me anytime.

Best wishes, Pariston Hill ⁠♡”

Pariston? Wasn't he one of the zodiacs? You didn't have to think on it too long before there was another knock on your door. This time one of your coworkers went to answer it, bringing back yet another envelope.

“Another one?” You questioned.

“Yeah! We've become pretty popular as of late,” they joked.

Unlike the previous letter, this one was unmarked, save for your address.

“Long time no see (or talk haha), I heard you're moving on up in the world. It's about time. Let's catch up, yeah?

-Ging”

He reached out.

Ging never reached out.

Not to Mito or his grandmother.

Yet here he was writing you. Here he was giving you an address to meet up at. You wanted to be mad at him. A whole year of radio silence and he expects you to drop everything for him. The audacity. However despite his unpredictable behavior, Ging only came to you when it was important. You had no reason to think otherwise this time.

The contrast between the letters were day and night. Whereas Pariston’s had actual thought behind his, Ging’s was written in messy handwriting. One was filled with elegant wording and sweet promises. The other one was short and to the point. One came with flowers, the other with not even a number to call. And for whatever reason, you found yourself getting ready for Ging's.

The same man who earlier, unbeknownst to you, almost had a meltdown upon walking into the Hunter Association building.

Having been newly appointed a Zodiac, it was only natural he'd be called into a meeting. As expected, it droned on and the Rat was doing his best to throw it off track. Why Netero appointed him vice chairman, he'd never know. But as soon as the meeting was over, Ging caught sight of all the temp hunters downstairs.

Pariston's own little building.

He'd already made his disdain for the rat zodiac known. And it looked like the feeling was mutual. So he walked right in and watched as Pariston scribbled something down. A vase of flowers next to him.

“What's that for? Got a hot date?” Ging questioned.

He could feel a brief glint of malice from the rat zodiac. It dissipated as quickly as it came. Pariston turned to him with a grin that sent an uneasy feeling down his spine.

“Oh this? I'm writing out an offer to a new rising star. I believe her name was Y/n. Sixteen and she's already recovered never before seen ruins.”

Ging could feel his blood run cold. He heard about your discovery. Of course he would. And there'd been nothing but pride when he found out. But it never crossed his mind that your discovery would catch the attention of ‘unsavory’ investors. Least of all Pariston's.

“I hear she's from the same island as you. Isn't that just the coincidence?”

This was a play to get under Ging’s skin. And unfortunately, it would work. He couldn't act disinterested at the possibility of your talents being taken advantage of. He couldn't ignore you potentially getting sent on a suicide mission for Pariston's gain.

It wasn't like Ging to meddle in your affairs. In fact, he preferred to watch you fail and learn from your mistakes. But this was different. You'd be a pawn in someone else's game.

“Don't drag her into this.” He warned, a spark of protectiveness seeping from his aura.

A shit eating grin spread out across the rat zodiac’s face.

“Into what? A better paying position with extraordinary benefits?” He feigned innocence.

At the feeling of Ging’s protectiveness shifting into bloodlust, he continued on.

“You know her? Or…. Maybe you two used to be close?”

Ging reeled himself back in with a huff. Reminding himself to know his place. He had a reputation to uphold. And causing a scene would only make Pariston retaliate worse.

“She doesn't mean a damn thing to me. I'm just warning you not to waste your time. She isn't the type to work for someone like you.”

His declaration earned him an eyebrow raise, but he ignored it. Leaving the small building with the intent to get Pariston off your back. In what may have been the most impulsive decision of his life, he wrote you a letter.

—------------------------------------

You were going to murder Ging Freecs.

Sure, you were the clown who decided to take him up on his offer. Booking a flight to meet up at a fancy restaurant. And maybe you should have known better after the first thirty minutes he didn't show. But you wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. He could've been late.

An hour in and there was a sinking feeling in your chest. You know what it must've looked like. You were all by yourself in a nice restaurant. Like you'd been stood up for a date. You should've left then, but you wanted to see this through. To prove to yourself what everyone had been saying about Ging more than anything.

That he was a good-for-nothing who only cared about himself.

An hour and a half and your insecurities were skyrocketing. Was this just some prank? A test to see if you'd actually show? A bet with someone to see how long you'd wait? Was he outside somewhere watching and laughing at you?

Almost two hours and you'd made up your mind.

You didn't want anything to do with Ging after this.

Ten minutes before you left, he finally showed up. Ging stared wide eyed as you sat by yourself in a booth. Truthfully he'd forgotten about the letter he sent. Not forgotten the offer, but forgotten when. He nearly had a heart attack when he saw it was today. But by then, the first hour had already passed.

You wouldn't have showed up anyway, and if you did, you were gone already. Although there was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that said otherwise. The first and last time he ignored his instincts. When he got to the restaurant he couldn't help but stare in shock.

You were here, dressed up with a disappointed expression. You got up at the two hour mark, making your way towards the exit. He froze as your gaze met his. He expected screaming, for you to cuss him out. Any kind of outburst really.

There was nothing but dead silence.

You scowled. Shaking your head before pushing past him. Ging fumbled for a response, reaching out and grabbing your arm. You snatched it back harshly.

“Wait! Look I know I messed up but-!” he tried to explain.

“I get it, Ging. You hate me. Now leave me alone.”

Your tone was measured despite the hurt radiating from your aura. If he'd have known how bad not showing up affected you, he would've tried harder to be here.

“It's not what it looks like.”

You turned away from Ging, continuing to walk away.

“I don't care anymore. You had your laugh, right? I hope it was worth it.”

But he was persistent. Following stubbornly behind you, pleading for you to let him explain. It had an ugly feeling clutching at your heart. Why should you listen to him? He wasted your time. He didn't bother to cancel the plans he made. He made you humiliate yourself in public. Hell, he watched you sit alone.

“I know we always mess with each other, but this was just too far. I'm not your free amusement when you're bored!” You snapped.

He took your anger head on, letting you take your frustrations out on him. Unlike your usual arguments, he didn't raise his tone to match yours. He couldn't, not unless he wanted you to hate him forever.

”I wasn't messing with you. I swear.”

You tried to find deceit in his aura. Anything that would have tipped you off to ulterior motives. All the fight left your body when you didn't. Ging took the opportunity to push his luck.

“I know I don't deserve it, but can we please have a redo? Just let me make it up to you.”

You didn't trust yourself to respond. The last thing you wanted was to be near him after you made a fool of yourself. But the sheer guilt in his eyes was wearing you down.

“I promise I didn't stand you up on purpose.”

Had Ging been anyone else, you would've left and never looked back. The fact of the matter was you cared about him. You came all this way to see him. The man who no one could find unless he wanted them to. You must've been the biggest idiot to exist.

—-----------------------------------

Ging thinks he likes this setting more. A busted up burger joint with the two of you eating messily. You'd chosen the location, of course. He doesn't know why he wanted to go somewhere more formal. It would've put a dent in his wallet anyways. Maybe as a subconscious way to show off? It wasn't like he had the clothes for it either. Or class.

He didn't stick out like a sore thumb here. Not at all like sitting alone for two hours would have. He cringes slightly at the thought. How you withstood all the judgemental stares, he'd never know. It wasn't like Ging ever really felt self-conscious. Except under your scrutinizing gaze.

He couldn't be any more grateful for the second chance.

You calmed down somewhat since then. Although the tension between you two was very much present. An awkward atmosphere as you tried to move on and make idle chit chat. It was hard for Ging to respond normally. His usual taunts nowhere to be found. Instead taking the time to choose his words carefully.

Something you picked up on immediately. It was like he was walking on eggshells around you. Afraid you'd get up and leave for good. A side of him you'd never seen before. You'd actually sensed panic in his aura when you walked away. Did your resentment really affect him that much?

The man who couldn't care less about anyone's opinion, was suddenly vying for your good graces?

It didn't make any sense. But his guilty expression every time he looked up at you was cementing the idea.

Ging always hated it when you were mad at him. You didn't look mad this time. Just hurt. He decides he hates this look more. The lack of warmth and familiarity in your expression. You still look hurt. Maybe a little more disappointed now. A feeling of shame courses through him.

“I really wasn't trying to mess with you,” he repeats for the upteenth time. As if you still didn't believe him.

“I just didn't think you would show. Figured I show up late and if you weren't there, then I wouldn't embarrass myself.”

Your brow furrows at the explanation. He invited you out thinking you wouldn't come? Did he think that little of you? Or was it something else?

“Why would you think I wouldn't show?” You asked.

“Because I wouldn't have. I keep forgetting you don't think like me. You're a softie.”

You're always there for him when it matters. Even when you were kids, you always came through when he was too proud to ask for help.

“So if I had invited you instead, you wouldn't have come?”

Maybe it did hurt a little to know the same invitation coming from you would have meant nothing to him.

“That's not what I meant!” Ging was quick to correct.

“If someone like me had asked me, I wouldn't have bothered. Because I'm lazy and I do things on a whim. But you? You're too honest. I would have felt bad for not coming.” He explained, although it did little to help his case.

“So you would have pitied me instead? Great to know I'm a charity case.”

“C'mon. You know what I mean. You waited. I would have left after five minutes. You stayed for two hours. And you never ask me for anything. I would've come because it was probably important.”

The admission is more honest than you were expecting from Ging. More vulnerable. Any lingering tension fades. You're not upset anymore, just confused.

“Why did you invite me?” You question.

“Why did you wait?” He counters.

“Probably because I'm stupid…And I wanted to see you.”

It's said quietly, like you weren't really sure if you wanted to say it. But it's out in the open now. You expect him to mock you like he always does. Something along the lines of “It hasn't been that long. Can't get enough of me or something?” Instead, Ging completely throws all expectations out the window.

“Pariston sent you flowers.”

Ging’s tone is venomous, practically spitting out the words. As if the very mention of the rat zodiac brings him unbridled anger. Or perhaps it was what he did that got under Ging's skin.

“What about it?”

“I don't like him.”

Oh? This was the first you ever heard of Ging hating someone. Something about Pariston must’ve really rubbed him the wrong way. However, it didn't explain what that had to do with you. Whatever feud was going on between them, it didn't involve you.

“You can't choose who I make friends with.” You try to brush off. But Ging won't let it go that easily.

“Just trust me. He's trying to manipulate you to get what he wants. He doesn't see you as anything other than a pawn. I don't want him anywhere near you.”

You figured as much. Pariston came off as pretentious in his letter. Discounting the rest on your team in favor of trying to flatter you. You weren't naive just because you were young. Although you did appreciate Ging looking out for you.

“He told me he was sending you something to get under my skin. I guess it worked. I wanted to stop him from getting to you.” He continued on.

“So you invited me to dinner, in a really nice and expensive restaurant, just to warn me about Pariston?”

If anything, it sounded like…like he was jealous.

“It was a heat of the moment thing!” Ging rushed out, face bright red with embarrassment radiating off him.

“I wanted to prove that despite all our arguments, our differences, that I was still your friend. A real friend who actually gives a shit about you.”

“But you thought I wouldn't show?” You asked once more to tease him.

“I don't know. I told you it was heat of the moment.” His face burned brighter at your laughter.

“I don't think I'll ever understand you. If it makes you feel any better, I didn't like him anyways.”

Ging relaxed at your words. Leaning back into the booth with something that sounded like a sigh of relief.

“Good.”

The rest of the night went by smoothly. You told him about the ship you recovered. All the documents that needed to be transcribed and artifacts that needed to be identified. And he made some joke about your sub being controlled by a game remote. He told you about the tomb he excavated along with successfully bringing back a wolf species from endangerment. You commented that he probably released the Curse of Raw onto the world.

It was getting late. You'd need to book a hotel for the night. But just before you could bid your farewells, Ging spoke up.

“Hey, can I show you something?” He asked.

Almost like he was nervous.

“What is it?”

“It's what I've been working on for the past year. Pretty impressive if I do say so.” He tried to come off as confident, but you saw right through it.

“Well, I'll be the judge of that.”

A quick trip to where Ging was staying, and you found yourself teleported inside of a game. Your vision went white as you appeared in a futuristic room. The light from inside it was practically blinding you.

“Here is where we'll station someone to check in players and explain the rules. Make sure their inventory is all sorted before entering. There's gonna be a similar one when people log out.” He explained.

He continued to tell you about the game as you made your way out into an open area. It was created solely for hunters and only a limited amount would be made for the public. The game itself was card based. Players would have to use and improve their nen to successfully beat it.

“This is our starting area. Feel any different?”

The world didn't look any different from the real one. If it was even fake in the first place. Save for the ring on your pointer, nothing changed.

“Surprisingly no.” You answered.

“Yeah? Well check this out. Book!”

A book with empty slots appeared in front of him. His aura radiated excitement, gesturing for you to get closer to see.

“This is where the player’s cards will go. There's 100 specified card slots ranging from monsters to spells. There's about 45 unspecified slots for copies or tools.”

Your head was buzzing from the information. You could tell there was so much thought put in this already. And from the way Ging was talking about it, he looked like a little kid on Christmas day.

“And look here. This tells you the people you've met. With the right spell, you can either contact or teleport to them.”

Right where he was pointing to was your name. You wondered if your book held the same. Preparing to summon it before Ging perked up once more.

“Everything's still in the testing phase, so things might not work the way they're supposed to. I'm sure we could find something around here to show you.”

He grabs your hand without thinking, preparing to drag you off somewhere in his enthusiasm. You don't think you've ever seen him like this. Not even when he was on his way to take his hunter exam. It's beginning to rub off on you. Your eyes taking everything in with wonder.

It quickly cut short, however. A burst of nen surges from behind you. Ging doesn't react in the slightest. As if whatever snuck up on the two of you wasn't a threat. Although he does make a move to pull you behind him.

The debris settled and you were able to make out what had flown towards you. It was four people. There were others here besides you and Ging?

“Told ya Accompany would work. It's my spell afterall,” a man with messy curly hair bragged.

His gaze landed on Ging and his expression immediately soured. Pointing an accusing finger in his direction.

“And you! YOU NEVER TELL US WHEN YOU'RE COMING! HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BETA TEST WITHOUT THE FREAKING CREATOR!!!”

But Ging completely ignored him. Turning around to face you instead.

“Y/n, these are my friends. The other game masters,” he explained.

“You have friends?” You teased.

“Hey!”

Not a fan of being brushed off, the curly haired man approached the two of you. He seemed to be sizing you up, as if trying to see if you'd be a trouble maker like the ruins hunter.

“And who are you supposed to be? Ging's girlfriend?” He looked to where Ging’s hand was still intertwined with yours.

The two of you practically jumped away from each other.

“Hell no!”

“I’d rather drop dead!”

The small group was stared in shock at their friend. Ging Freecs, actually flustered? Not only that, but being physical with someone. It was quickly disrupted when the guy from before cleared his throat.

“So what I'm hearing is… you're single?” He asked, lightly wrapping an arm around your shoulder.

“Leave her alone, Wdwune,” the blonde haired boy scolded.

“What? I'm just making sure our guest feels welcomed….And maybe inviting her to dinner if she's interested.”

You couldn't help but laugh a little at his attempt to flirt. Ging however, didn't see the humor in it. Throwing off Wdwune’s arm with a glare. More huffy than usual.

“Me and Y/n grew up together. I'm just showing her how much cooler I am.” He explained.

“Cooler? You blew your money on an island just to recreate Pokémon with extra steps.” You argued, not about to let him get away with insulting you.

“How dare you! If anything it's digimon!”

“And I'm saying if you were really cooler, you would have done it by yourself instead of piggybacking off these poor people.”

You and Ging continued to argue, much to everyone's dismay. Although it was a little cathartic to see someone finally put Ging in his place.

“So he gets on her nerves too?” The woman with red eyes questioned.

“Maybe Ging just naturally has that effect on people?” Her twin with blue eyes responded.

Having enough of you two screaming at each other, the blonde boy put himself between both of you. He offered a hand for you to shake.

“Allow me to introduce myself. I'm List.”

You shook his hand, embarrassed to have lost your cool in public.

“The twins are Eta and Elena,” he gestures towards the white haired women.

“And Wdwune’s already made himself acquainted.” The man in question sent you a wink.

“Sorry to butt in on you and Ging catching up. If we’d known ahead of time,” List flashed Ging a small glare.

“We would have had something fun prepared for you.”

“Thanks. It's nice to meet you all.” You greeted.

You were surprised Ging managed to surround himself with decent friends. They must've been good to have put up with him. You supposed your line of work always led to new and interesting people.

And interesting they were.

You were shown around the island. Different areas had different climates. The dessert was your least favorite. You were shown empty shops and the framework for villages. All while the five of them conversed about what new features to implement next.

“I think hiding another quest here would be a good idea. We don't want just anyone winning the game.” List suggested.

“Making it a puzzle is also a good idea. If the solution is too easy, it won't be fun.” Ging added.

They were feeding off of each other's ideas. Occasionally asking for your input as an unbiased source. Feedback was taken in stride, sparking conversations that had them practically buzzing.

They were all in this together.

So engrossed in their own little world that you started to feel like you were intruding on something. They were working on something no one's ever done before, and you were just along for the ride. You could tell Ging’s friends were strong nen users. They had to be in order to make this game a reality. You almost felt small in their presence. In Ging's presence.

Ging created a whole world just for the fun of it. When had you fallen so far behind him? When had the gaps in your strength become so vast? What training did he undergo to have this much control of his nen? Or perhaps it was his carefree personality and pursuit of fun that pushed him this far.

You used to be in synch with each other. Perfectly matched.

But that wasn't the case anymore.

Ging was talented. Probably the best hunter of your generation. And you were just average. No special abilities or heightened senses. Even when you succeed, it was only in the shadow of what Ging already done. You felt out of place here. Not really speaking as much anymore.

Of course he'd stood you up. He was busy with this. Something so far beyond you. You were an insignificant blip compared to this next chapter of his life.

“You okay?” Ging asked, his voice snapping you from your thoughts.

You realized you were lagging behind the small group. And Ging had taken notice. He stayed with you while the others went ahead.

“I'm fine.” You responded.

“Are you sure? You're not still mad at me, are you?” For a second he feared you were having second thoughts. That he couldn't rectify the situation after all.

And why would it? A cheap restaurant and taking you to some island to play cards? He wouldn't have forgiven himself either. This was obviously a mistake. God, why did he have to fuck up every time it came to you? (He would have done anything at this point if it meant you wouldn't hate him after.)

“No, I'm not mad. I'm just ready to go is all.”

He released a breath he didn't know he was holding. A moment of relief before he observed you again. He didn't buy your excuse. If you really wanted to leave, you wouldn't have been so downcast. The flicker of insecurity wouldn't be there. There was something else on your mind. You always got distant when something was bothering you.

“You know you can't hide anything from me. You never could. So just tell me what's wrong.” He tried again.

You seemed to curl into yourself before responding.

“It's just…You're doing all these great and amazing things. You've surrounded yourself with hunters who are just as ambitious as you. I mean, take a look at what you created here. What you're still creating.” You gestured to the space around you.

“I feel like I don't fit in your world anymore.”

Your admission makes him freeze. You've been a permanent fixture in his life for the last 17 years. It never occurred to him you wouldn't be there someday. That his life would be so fantastical he'd forget about you. Yeah he's not always around, and yeah he's a dick to you most of the time. But if he ever falls, he knows you'll be there to catch him.

You clearly think differently. Like you're a temporary place holder until he moves on to the next thing. He's been a bad friend. (Were you even friends?) He doesn't know what to say without it coming off as disingenuous. He's never been good with feelings, least of all yours.

So he tells you the honest truth.

“I don't care about anyone's opinion. I just care about yours. For what it's worth, I really respect you.”

If you told him what he was doing was stupid, he'd stop in a heartbeat. If you said someone was untrustworthy, he'd never even blink in their direction. For whatever reason, he holds you to the highest regard. He admires your ambition and endless pursuit of your dream. Hell, your job was way riskier than his. Being submerged hundreds of feet underwater, isolated from the rest of the world, wasn't for the faint of heart. He doesn't understand why you're putting yourself down.

“You're honest with me…I don't want to lose that. Everything's better when you're around,” he admitted quietly.

It makes your heart flutter. Someone like him wanting approval from someone like you. No, not someone. It's Ging exactly that has you feeling a little more confident in yourself. It wouldn't have meant as much coming from someone else.

“You should stop vanishing off the face of the earth then. I don't like it when you go radio silent on me. It reminds me of your dad.” When his father disappeared on a hunt and never came back.

Despite not liking the topic of his dad, Ging doesn't let it bother him. Instead, choosing to focus on making you feel better.

“Well you can't tie a stallion like me down.” He joked.

You snort, shaking your head before giving him a light shove.

“Stallion? More like mule.”

—------------------------------------------

A F E W D A Y S L A T E R

“YOU CHANGED MY NAME!!!” A very angry Wdwune, now Dwun shrieked at Ging.

“Well yeah. We needed to call the game something. And I didn't change your name, I fixed it.” He explained nonchalanty.

Totally not out of spite for him flirting with you. Not at all. It didn't make him feel all weird and fidgety to see his friend call you pretty and ask you on a date. He wasn't bothered when he'd wrapped an arm around you, either. Or when you giggled and his advances and Ging felt frustration course through him. That's crazy talk.

—------------------------------------------

P R E S E N T

You barely arrived at your small home. The one you'd brought after everything went to shit and your ex had sold the original one. You did your best to clean up. Putting away maps and logs of your work so they wouldn't get ruined. The fossil of a deep sea dinosaur you'd hopefully be giving to your son soon. You wanted your space to look presentable just in case Gon decided to visit you.

Although realistically you knew you’d probably miss him if he came by. Your work didn't really allow for a lot of days off. Especially not when it came to contracted deals. It'd been a miracle to get a full week. You wished you could've stalled for more time, but your team was counting on you.

All that was left to do now was wait and hope there'd be a knock on your door soon.

---------------------------------------

Tags: @ml3czqo

--------------------

An: a shorter chapter because my computer charger decided to unalive itself and I had to order a new one. Hope y'all enjoyed and remember ☝️☝️☝️ if you'd like to be tagged please let me know!!!

[crusty-chronicles]

Hiii, I was wondering if chp 2 of gon's mom is gonna be released soon?? I've been dying to read the next chapter :33 take your time if you're busy tho!!

Most likely today 😈😈😈 I just gotta edit it and we're good to go.

[crusty-chronicles]

You Have to Treat a Car How You Treat A Woman

Synopsis: A pathetic virgin law oneshot where he's an absolute mess trying to flirt with women. The catch? You feed off it and encourage his catastrophic blunders.

Trafalgar Law was undeniably pathetic and awkward around women. He couldn't flirt for the life of him, choosing instead to bury himself in work. The result is having absolutely zero dating experience. He's so touch starved he doesn't know whether to run away or lean into physical affection.

But then you practically bulldoze your way into his life, unfazed by his distant and dismissive behavior. You follow him around throughout his alliance with Strawhat. And like the hopeless fool he was, he begins to yearn for your presence.

It's constant and warm. He seeks you out when he can't sleep. Being stuck with you in his quarters when you were sick didn't help his case. He starts to notice all your little quirks. The way your eye twitches when you're frustrated, or how you take a lap around the deck when you're excited. The subtle way you lean towards him when you're tired. The smile you get when you're planning something mischievous.

All of it has him falling a little deeper every time.

It's a complete shock to his system when you seem to return his ‘advances’. Or much to the terror of those around to witness it, his poor excuse of an attempt to flirt. There's no tact in his pursuit of your affection. Often times saying or doing things that would have given anyone pause to process what was happening.

“Would you mind if I ripped off all your clothes with my teeth?”

It doesn't come out seductive like he wanted. No teasing smirk or flirtatious lead up when he blurts it out. His expression is deadpan and his tone is flat. Save for the red spreading to his ears, his face is unreadable.

His crew shrieks in horror and second hand embarrassment from afar. Hands over their mouths in shock and shaking their heads in disbelief. So sure that Law managed to scare you off. Even a few members of the Strawhats stopped to gape at the situation. 

But you're a little freak. You lean towards him with a lovesick grin that spells out danger.

“God I'd be honored.”

More chaos erupts on deck, with Sanji screeching out “IT SHOULD'VE BEEN ME!!!” You don't react with repulsion or disgust. You didn't even hesitate. And Law can't believe how unaffected you were by his lackluster delivery.  

He doesn't know why he expected any different. You'd most likely heard worse from the cook and musician on the Sunny. But that's besides the point because leading up to the incident, you'd started treating him differently. Sweeter. It's what makes him a little less skeptical of your response. 

You like talking to him while you work on projects for the crew. Letting him spout medical jargon as you fiddle with new cannon blasters. Then there's the fact you'd make him replicas of whatever caught your eye from a Sora comic. Displaying it proudly and asking him if there were any inaccuracies. (They were always perfect.)

You've been showing blatant interest in him.

He just hadn't been picking up on it.

His favorite way of flirting is taking out your organs and showing them to you. Something that should highly be considered a red flag and absolutely insane to anyone unfamiliar with his devil fruit. But his brain is wired different. The human body is fascinating. 

Why wouldn't you wanna see how your most vital parts work? How, when he removes your heart, it beats a certain rhythm against the room it's contained in. Or watch the way your lungs inflate with each breath and deflate with each exhale. 

Most people expect their partners to give out sweet compliments. “Your eyes are pretty.” “I love your smile.” “Your laugh is like music to my ears.” 

Law's are always almost borderline deranged.

Bepo walks in once to see your liver laying flat on the table. A prideful smile on Law's face as you look on in fascination. 

“It's surprisingly healthy for a pirate considering how much you drink,” he praises.

And you take the compliment???

In fact, you go a step further and encourage it. Making him take out his own heart to compare it with yours. Asking him if it beats only for you. You poke and prod at your lungs. Joking about how Sanji's must be blackened and shriveled up. 

Law took your brain out once. Surely this isn't normal. Surely you're a little off put by his display of affection. This has got to be at least ten red flags combined. But you aren't the slightest but fazed. Looking utterly enamored by him as he holds the very pinnacle of your being with reverence. 

“Your brain is the most beautiful part about you.” He said softly.

He adores the interesting ways your mind works. How you're so open and trusting with him. How you take his inexperience with stride and let him learn with you. And of course, the way you match his crazy with your own.

“I wanna see yours,” you ask.

He's smitten.

There are times Law gets insecure. He doesn't know what he could possibly offer you besides his appearance. Everything he could give you, you already had on Strawhat's ship. He's seen the way you interact with the other members of your crew. The way you laugh unabashedly at their antics and take on a more relaxed state.

He knows his personality wasn't the best, often standoffish and cold. He's also busy most of the time you're around, so sure you feel neglected by him. It's hard to believe you actually wanted him.

But when he starts geeking out over Sanji in his Stealth Black costume, the words slip past your lips. 

“I kinda wanna have your babies.”

You were so in love with how excited he was to see something from his comics come to life. The awe in his expression watching Sanji fight. His fanboying endeared him greatly to your heart. A swell of affection coursing through your entire being. 

Law’s face immediately flushed and he has to do a double take.

“I- What!?!”

And your poor crewmates who'd unfortunately been forced to hear you, don't let you get away with it.

“That's SUPER freaky, bro.” Franky comments while Sanji is once again shrieking in the background.

It's not as raunchy as straight up saying you want him intimately. It's still up there, make no mistake, but there's a note of sweetness to it that has Law’s heart racing. You found his nerdiness endearing enough to want kids with him. You love every side of him. Even his most embarrassing.

In a rare moment of privacy, you found yourself in his cabin. Basking in each other's presence after such a taxing day. It's sudden, the way you grab his hand as he's listing off what he still has to do. You bring it close to your lips, kissing over the inked lettering on his knuckles.

It's a foreign feeling, having spent most of his childhood devoid of touch. Especially not as reverent and soft as yours. It's soothing. And when you look up at him with a sweet expression, he freezes.

“You should've got 'love' tattooed instead,” you coo out before reaching to press kisses against his other hand.

“Because that's what you deserve.”

He's freaking out internally, once again blurting out the first thing that comes to mind.

“Love’s four letters not five.”

He feels like the biggest dumbass in the world. You're trying to be romantic and he ruined it. Unintentionally pushing the affection he craves away. It feels like he's always messing up when it comes to you. But then you laugh. Not mockingly, but teasingly.

“How about adore?” You question, lips trailing up his arm. Skimming over the inked pattern. His body feels like it's on fire. Searing with warmth everywhere you place kisses. His heart beats in overdrive and his head is nothing but mush.

“That works,” he breathes out.

He can't help but dwell on your loving onslaught. Kissing him on his face he was expecting. Everywhere else? Not so much. Tracing his tattoos tenderly with your lips. Maybe you're the weird one. It's not like he hated the sensation, quite the opposite in fact. He's just not used to this. So he asks his crew the next day.

“Is it normal for your partner to kiss you in places besides your face?”

The usual suspects burst into laughter. Taking the opportunity to rag on their captain because what kind of question is that?

“Waiter! Waiter! My steak is too juicy and my lobster is too buttery!” Penguin teases.

“My partner loves me, should I be concerned?” Shachi adds on.

Law pulls his hat further down his face in embarrassment and walks off. 

It's not his fault love is so foreign. How was he supposed to navigate what he'd never experienced before? By now, he's accepted he's pathetic for you. Knowing he's committing blunder after blunder, only for you to encourage it with your own brand of hectic. 

You’re definitely the one for him.

----------------------------------------------------

An: I'm a fiend for this man and I saw that one weird Al interview which inspired this semi crack fic and spawned it into existence.

[crusty-chronicles]

As a little treat for being halfway done with chapter two of A Mistake, I've got a Law oneshot coming up.

(I'm severely addicted one piece rn)

[crusty-chronicles]

IM CRYING WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND BANNER

Margret from Meatcanyon

Grotesque warning because the full view of my beloved queen might be too hard on the eyes.

I've got a little girl crush on her 😍😍😍

(This is a sign of mental illness)

[crusty-chronicles]

Rhymes with Grug (I have Severe Brainrot)

"Luffy with a Jack Sparrow reader. Luffy with a Jack Sparrow reader! LUFFY WITH A JACK SPARROW READER!!!!!!!"

I chant as I'm forcibly dragged back into my hole

Dressrosa

“Block A!” The announcer calls out.

One by one, the fighters make their way towards the arena. Each name earning ear shatteringly cheers. When they finally get to yours, the announcer nearly keels over in surprise. He takes multiple breaths of air, as if fighting to keep the oxygen in his lungs.

“Ladies and gentlemen….We have-we have a never before seen pirate! We have the marines’ very own boogeyman! We have….”

The audience goes silent in anticipation.

“WE HAVE SPARROW D. Y/N!!!!!!”

The crowd erupts in absolute pandemonium. Screaming so loud you can barely hear yourself think. You begin to walk the bridge towards the area and people are practically throwing themselves into the murky waters below for a better look. 

There's a scowl on your face as you reach the center.

“They always forget the ‘captain,’” you mutter.

-------------------------------------------------------------

End of Wano

Luffy wasn't much of a drinker. Yet here he was passing the bottle back and forth with you. A dopey smile on his face as he listened to you talk. Actually listened.

Luffy flocks to you. It's not infatuation. It's admiration. You are the very definition of freedom. You march to the beat of your own drum. And it calls to him. He wants you to keep following him around. To be what your compass always points towards.

He likes the challenge you bring. Knowing you're not permanently his, but that he has to earn your attention. You keep him on his toes.

“If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was flirting.”Sanji comments. 

Luffy take a second to process his words. When he finally does, he practically lights up. 

“Hmmm, yeah!”

“HUH!?!” the entire crew gapes at him in shock. 

“I guess I am flirting.”

“Well aren't you just sweet? You want to be mine?” You question. 

He nods drunkenly against you. He hangs onto your every word and it makes your heart thud. You lean your face closer to his, watching him eagerly follow suit. His forehead rests against yours softly. Right as he's about to close the gap, you put your hat on his face with a light shove.

“Work for it then.”

Luffy adjusts your feathered hat so it sits properly on his head. His cheeks darkened in a flush. Pressing closer to you.

“I will. M’ gonna be king of the pirates. So just join my crew already.”

------------------------------------

an: we WILL be coming back to this

[crusty-chronicles]

People asking Gon's mom about Ging is like that's your man tiktok audio.

No because when they first start dating, everyone in their close circle is asking Reader if Ging's blackmailing her 💀💀💀💀 (Theoretically of course, and y'all will see why soon.)

Ging's this hobbit-esque creature and Reader is a respected and dignified woman.

Dwune: Seriously!?!? Ging!?!? You chose Ging!?! Did you get brain damage???

Y/N: What's wrong with Ging? Yeah we argue sometimes, but he can be sweet when he wants to. He's a hard worker, and I know he'll be there when I really need him.

Dwune: But he's Ging.

Mini spoilers with Mito

“WHY YOU!?! WHY WOULD SHE PICK YOU!?!?”

He needed this. Someone to be mad at him. The only other person besides you he'd let chew him out.

“I don't know, okay?!? I don't know why she loved me. After everything I put her through. I picked on her, I stood her up… It took someone else congratulating her for me to get my head out of my ass and invite her out. I made a bet that almost killed her. I don't know why. I'll never understand why. But she did. And she trusted me to make the right decisions for that kid. You can hate me, I encourage it, but don't take it out on our son. Don't take it out on her.”

[crusty-chronicles]

Just a random scenario

From the Ging Fic

Just imagine that Y/N's interaction with Hisoka in there would end up /w him wanting to fight Gon's mother or smth cuz she's strong & he can see in both of them resemblance

And like Gon is shitting mentally his pants

his child's imagination thinking of how Hisoka could be his evil step father or smth

It is ooc A LOT or something you had not even in mind

But just imagine how funny the idea is

If I'm being honest, they'd never really interact in this story since it's more centered on Ging's and the reader's past. In terms of strength, I kinda went in the opposite direction with it to add more drama. Ging is this powerful top star hunter with endless talent, and reader's just average. Physically, there's no resemblance between Gon and his mom just to give different readers more creative liberties. Like no one knows who his mom is. Only people who have been around both can make the connection strictly because their personalities are so similar.

But the slim chance Hisoka saw Reader and made the connection, he'd be a nasty little freak. Gon has absolutely nothing to worry about though because from the stories he's told his mother, she'd want Hisoka dead. "You told my son WHAT!?!" "You stared WHERE!?!"

Visual representation of Gon's mom if she saw Hisoka.

The only one who'd be worried is Ging because he has caveman brain and cannot handle anyone showing interest in his ex-wife. No matter how unreciprocated it may be.

[crusty-chronicles]

Sick and Tired (Of You)

Synopsis: In which our reader falls ill at the worst possible time. Unfortunately for Law, it's up to him to take care of you. Or alternatively: Trauma dumping with The Surgeon of Death. Can be read separately from Part 1, but it adds context.

--------------------------------------------------------------

You stare in utter disbelief at the sight in front of you. Your eye twitches just a little because what the hell??? Luffy, on the other hand, is thrilled. He’s pointing excitedly while saying it's ‘so cool’ and ‘it’s the best thing he's ever seen.’ He's of course talking about Bartolomeo’s ship. A ship that had him as its figurehead and scattered mementos of the crew on deck.

It's almost scary how much effort was put into it. If Bartolomeo hadn't proven himself to be a trustworthy ally, you would've assumed he was five seconds away from kidnapping your brother. You still wouldn't have put it past him. 

You think you and Franky could have built something half decent to sail on instead. But you have no time and honestly, you don't have the materials for that either. Even if you did, the cyborg was more than impressed by the craftsmanship to be convinced otherwise.

You're snapped out of your thoughts when Luffy starts pulling on your arm.

“C'mon! Let's go explore!”

You give in despite the fatigue coursing through your veins. Somehow you find yourselves in some kind of shrine room. (As if the obsession couldn't get any weirder.) Every single one of the crew’s wanted posters were on display. To your surprise, so was the first one you'd gotten after Fishman Island.

Your scythe is poised to attack. The top half of your face is shrouded in darkness from the cloak you'd worn. A red glint reflects off your pupils. You figured Garp must've had a heart attack when he saw it. Officially, all his grandkids had grown up to spite the world government.

A shame considering he'd had the highest hopes for you.

Just as you were about to leave the room, someone came in with new posters. All your bounties had been upgraded. You took yours from the stack.

The Reaper Y/n

300 Million Berries. 

You'd almost say you were proud. Except for the fact your face was clearly visible this time. Bloodied and strained, but yours all the same. You glance towards your bounty once more. 300 million felt a little overkill for the small part you played in Dressrosa. 

“Why's mine so high?” You ask aloud, failing to notice the presence peeking over your shoulder.

“You were up there with us fighting Doflamingo. I'm surprised it's not higher.” Law answers.

You supposed he had a point. Though you didn't appreciate your bounty skyrocketing the second your face was revealed. It only gave people an incentive to recognize you. 

You were about to respond but stopped noticing his attention was elsewhere. Law was staring out longingly towards Dressrosa. As if he was leaving something behind. Perhaps he was. The burden of what had been weighing him down. 

“You doing okay?” You asked.

He tenses. You're far too observant for your own good. He wants to tell you to leave it alone. Leave him alone. But things are different now. He knows you're not trying to pry into what happened. You just wanted to know how he was doing mentally. 

Not great if he was being honest. The true battle had only just begun. But he doesn't want to get into it right now. 

“It's personal,” he settles on.

You give a small hum, not pushing any further. 

“I see. Did you accomplish what you wanted in Dressrosa?”

You're careful with your words. Choosing them in a way that opens the door if he wants to talk. He’s not sure he trusts you that much yet. But he's getting there. 

He'd succeeded in carrying out his plan, sure. The factory was destroyed, the production of SMILE had ceased, and Doflamingo was defeated. He'd gotten his revenge, but what came next was still unclear. 

“Yeah. Did you get closure?” He asked in reference to you and Sabo.

The revolutionary left in good spirits while you and Luffy were sleeping. Tearing off a piece of his vivre card before mussing up your hair. Law assumed you two were on better terms now. 

“Yeah. We're good. It's nice to know I still have someone to depend on,” you admit.

You always talk about your brothers with such fondness. So when the opportunity presents itself to take Strawhat down a peg, he goes for it. 

“Strawhat’s not dependable?” 

You feign a glare before giving his shoulder a light shove. A smile tugs at the corner of his lips. He likes this. Ragging on someone who'd been the bane of his existence for months. It was short-lived, however, as you answer the question honestly.

“He's my little brother. I’d never ask him for favors like that. It's kinda like passing a baton. I carry Luffy’s baggage and Sabo carries mine.”

For whatever reason, it intrigues him. The dynamic you'd set up all those years ago was similar yet different to his own.

“Who carries his?” 

“Don't know. Perks of not being the oldest anymore.” You shrug off.

He looks at you with a baffled expression. He never pegged you as the type to be crass. Your grin quickly lets him know you're joking.

“But we're there for him if he needs us,” you reiterate.

“It's just some weird kind of obligation, you know? Not to let the younger ones deal with the oldest’s problems.”

“I get that.” He said quietly.

Because he'd had a little sister too. Law remembers trying to do what was best for her. To reassure her that everything was going to be okay. Even when he knew it wasn't.

Talking to you was validating somewhat. He wishes he could've done more for his family. Warn them somehow. But he knows there's just some things out of people's control. Flevance, Cora, things he couldn't have done anything about. It's easier to see when someone like you is constantly reminding him.

Someone who knows it's okay to falter as long as you can get back up. 

—---------------------------------

You do your best to get comfortable in the women's quarters. The only other ones here were Robin and Baby 5. It's no different than rooming on the Sunny. But you can't sleep. Your head is pounding, and you can feel yourself more exhausted than ever. 

Perhaps the new setting has you feeling uneasy. A part of you knows that isn't the case. You'd slept just fine at the Revolutionaries’ hideout. Something else has you restless. You remember your first nights on the Sunny being similar. 

When you joined Luffy's crew, you weren't too fond of sleeping in a room with strangers. Nami and Robin were as welcoming as they could be, but you weren't comfortable sharing a space with them yet. So you sought out Luffy. The first week or two you’d slept together like when you were kids. 

Was it the most comfortable? 

Hell no. The hammock screamed in protests at the weight of two people. And more often than not, Luffy ended up smothering you. 

But you'd grown up with all the snoring and drooling. You'd grown up fighting over blankets and pillows. The little kicks and shoves for space. It was familiar.

It was home.

You debate heading into the men's quarters for that reason. Luffy wouldn't mind, but you didn't want to scare anyone in the morning. Your comfort or the rest of the crewmates’? You knew you'd regret it in the morning, nevertheless you decide to get some fresh air instead. 

The ship’s a lot more quiet without Bartolomeo and his crew fanboying over Luffy. It does wonders to soothe the throbbing of your head. Your eyes trail up towards the stars. You should've brought your scythe out to fiddle with. Tonight would have been a good night to work on something until your hands were sore and purple. 

You never could sit still for long.

You return your attention back to the deck. There's someone by the railing. The hat on their head clues you in on who it is. It's almost funny how often you find yourself in this situation. You figured he must've been tired of your presence. Yet he's never outwardly expressed genuine disdain for it.

“Couldn't sleep either?” You ask once you're close enough.

“How can I? Have you seen this ship?” Law grumbles out.

You laugh at his bitterness. It couldn't have been easy seeing reminders of Luffy everywhere. Unable to escape him after putting up with the Strawhats for months. Although he does have a point.

“And I thought I was Luffy's biggest fan,” you agreed.

It was a little unnerving to be one upped by some pirate. A whole goddamn ship dedicated to him? The most you did was have his wanted poster up in your room. Though you supposed your affection was on the saner side of things.

“So did I.” Law comments.

Blunt as ever. But you can see a flicker of amusement in his eyes. 

“Hey! I don't talk about him that much.” You defended.

“You were actively praising him during his fight with Fujitora.”

So maybe you did coo a little when Luffy started announcing his hits before he attacked. Wanting the fairest fight he could get from the vice admiral. That didn't mean you couldn't shut up about him. 

“Because he's a good person. Am I not allowed to be proud of my own brother?”

“Not around me you're not.”

Your eyes narrow in mock animosity. You didn't think you were that annoying about Luffy. Not more annoying than Ace had been. Though you know not to take anything too personally with Law. You're starting to get better at reading his true emotions. You supposed growing up with an emotionally constipated Ace had helped.

“You act tough, but I know he's growing on you.” You point out.

Law scoffs, but he doesn't deny it. At least not out loud. Fond of the idiot who constantly ruined his plans? Absolutely not. Luffy was trustworthy is all. Nothing more.

“You shouldn't lean too close to the railing. I can swim, but not in stormy waters,” you warn. 

“I won't fall in.” Nevertheless, Law steps back closer to where you are.

You noticed he did that a lot. Pretending to be disinterested and distant to those around him, when really he was paying attention and taking everything in. He's the type that doesn't like asking for help. Even when he obviously needs it. Guarded to a fault. 

“You can't sleep?” He asks.

“I've been trying for the past few hours. Guess my thoughts are too active. Why do you ask?”

“Well, if you're gonna be making something with the Cyborg tomorrow, I'd rather it not blow up because you weren't focused.”

“Aww, you care?” You teased.

He looked away from you, muttering out curses as he tried to hide the heat creeping up his neck. 

“You're such a pain.”

The smile on your face is playful. It only makes his face burn brighter. Your head feels a little better now. Although you could still feel something was off with you. Your eyes catch sight of the couch in the center of the deck.

It's tempting. 

Given the week you've had, it doesn't take much convincing for you to approach it.

“You wanna sit and talk?” You offer.

“I don't have a choice. You're gonna nag me either way.”

There he goes again. Acting like you were holding him hostage when he was already following behind you. It'd be frustrating if it weren't so familiar to you.

“Careful. I might think you mean that and go bother someone else. I'm sure Barto will love my attention.” 

For the first time in a while, Law gave a genuine scowl. Adjusting the hat on his head with a soured expression. 

“You wouldn't last five seconds with that idiot.”

You wondered what sparked his change in mood. You knew Bartolomeo could be a lot, but he wasn't that bad. Surely the mere mention of his name wouldn't have set Law off. There was something else you said that made him uncomfortable. 

“Got me there. He's a nice guy, but I couldn't handle someone kissing my ass every time I spoke. I like a little disagreement every now and then,” you said before plopping down on the couch.

The cushions are comfortable against your back. You think it might be enough to lull you to sleep. But the presence next to you encourages you to stay awake. He’s still keeping a sizable distance away from you. Despite it, Law's usually stiff posture is lax. 

You take a second to observe him. The circles under his eyes rival yours. From what you gathered, he tended to overwork himself. It couldn't have been easy to be both the doctor and captain of your own ship. (Luffy barely acted like the captain of his own ship)

You catch sight of his hat next. Spotted and plush. Although time had made it less fuzzy and more matted. Almost like the texture of an old stuffed animal. It's aged. 

“Your hat looks well loved,” you blurt out before you can stop it.

He raises a brow at you.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing bad. Just means you've been holding onto it for a while. Is it a reminder?” You ask. 

You used to be so jealous of Sabo and Luffy's hats. Then Ace became a little traitor and got himself one too. They all had something special from home. Something that meant an awful lot to them. Luffy's strawhat was significantly more worn down than Law’s. No thanks to him getting it stabbed over and over. You remember forcing yourself to learn how to weave just to keep it together.

You wonder if that spotted hat went through similar treatment. Stitching up any holes made. Hand washing it to prevent further wear and tear. Taking great care to preserve it throughout the years. 

Reflexively, Law reaches up towards his hat. Gripping the top in thought. His mind is flooded by bitter memories. A time he cannot return to no matter how much he wanted to. He thinks you're too observant for your own good.

But you know when to leave things alone.

It's…easier talking to you. He doesn't have to elaborate on one worded answers. And you talk. A lot. He probably knows more about you than your entire crew. You're so open that it's disarming. 

He wanted to dislike you just like the rest of the Strawhats. Find you annoying and overwhelming. But he couldn't. He hates how he notices the little things about you. How your smile is so bright. How like all the rest of your friends you have some quirk. Eyes spacing apart when you're getting scolded. And maybe he does find it a little funny when you do that to make Luffy behave. 

“I've got my eye on you.”

He hates that you're so goddamn nice without meaning to. How hard you tried to make him comfortable on the Sunny. Making sure the cook made food he could actually eat. Borrowing some of Robin’s books so he wouldn't be bored. Making fun of Caesar just to get him to smirk. 

Then there was Dressrosa.

You fought so hard for him and he doesn't understand why. When he was trying to terminate the alliance after he'd gotten caught, you'd snapped at him. Swiping the key to his cuffs from Luffy's shaking hands.

“Oh shut up! You don't get to quit now when our whole crew is doing whatever they can to help! So suck it up or I swear I'll rip those piercings right out of your ears!”

Looking back on it now, he was grateful. 

He doesn't know why, but just this once he'd return your openness. (To get you off his back if nothing else.)

“It’s the last thing I have from my hometown. There's been some alterations over the years, but nothing major.” He explains.

You give a hum of acknowledgement.

A comfortable silence settles between you before you disrupt it.

“Where did you grow up?”

It's a dreaded question that has him tensing. Repeating what happened is reliving it. The despair. The helplessness. The all consuming fire that left nothing behind. And still Law debates telling you. 

You're more patient than he gives you credit for. Through all the snide remarks, you stayed. You waited and took the time to get to know him through this short-lived alliance. 

It’s what ultimately gets him to tell you.

“North Blue. Our town was called Flevance.”

What were the chances you heard of it? Pretty damn high judging by the brief look of recognition on your face. It wasn't for the reasons he might think. You weren't somebody interested in history. You sure as hell weren't old enough to know what was going on during that time either. No, it was much simpler than that. 

You remember looking for possible materials for your scythe when you were younger. In your search, you stumbled upon the town of Flevance. It was known for being an ethereal shade of white and produced a special mineral called Amber Lead. A mineral so gorgeous and versatile, it became the town's main export.

You thought the metal would have made for a beautiful blade. But when you tried to acquire some, you learned about what happened to the town.

Of course the world government was involved somehow. 

You know Law doesn't want your pity, so you won't give it. That doesn't mean you can't be bitter about your own situation.

“The navy sucks ass. Why fix things when you can just get rid of them?” You say sarcastically.

Get rid of people like they were nothing. Enslave them, burn them, starve them. It didn't matter in the end. Lives were trash when they didn't serve a purpose in the World Government's eyes.

Law shares in your sentiment somewhat. But then he remembers people like Corazon exist. People who try to do the right thing. It wasn't so much the people who were corrupt, but the system they served under.

“Not all of them are bad.” He disagreed, more relaxed now that he knew you wouldn't push for answers. You never did.

“No, not all of them.” You conceded.

Garp had saved you. He was supposed to turn a blind eye and return you where you belonged. Instead he took you in. He gave you a home. A second chance. You'd never forget everything he did for you.

You can feel your eyes start to droop. It looks like sleep might find you after all. You shift a little closer to Law. Knees lightly touching. He doesn't move away. 

You notice he'd brought his sword out with him. You reach for it, thoughts too sluggish to catch up to your actions. You grab the hilt, and besides a baffled expression, he doesn't make a move to stop you. 

You trace the blade with your finger once it's been unsheathed. Pushing down slightly to test its sharpness. He lets you. You're a weapons master. A damn good one if that scythe of yours was anything to go by. So he trusts you with Kikoku. You were more than qualified to observe it.

Your eyes scan analytically for any imperfections. Something that might potentially hinder its attack potential. He's seen you do similar to Zoro's swords. Making sure the blades weren't dull before testing out their weight. 

With Kikoku, you shift your attention down to the leather wrapped around the hilt. Your thumb soothes over the worn down material. You frown in disapproval.

“You're gonna need to re-wrap this. If it continues to flake off in pieces it won't have any grip left.”

Your hands were always busy, he noticed. If you weren't bothering him, you were with the cyborg making something. Fixing up the sniper’s slingshot, adjusting cannons for the ship, even testing out new additions for your own weapon. Rarely were your hands idle.

He thinks you could rival Vegapunk if you tried hard enough.

He'd never seen anything like your scythe before. A detachable blade that magnetized and repelled itself from the hilt. The hilt itself parted halfway down, allowing the top to shoot forward on a sea prism stone chain. 

A shame your talents were wasted on Strawhat's crew.

You continue to fiddle with Kikoku. Your touch is careful yet firm. You know exactly what you're doing. He moves closer to you. The silence is comfortable, but it begins to make him think. 

He wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Luffy. For the entire Strawhat crew. You all were about to enter a war with an Emperor, and still Luffy didn't ask for anything in return. 

You're both infuriating.

He doesn't want to feel like he owes you anything…so he breaks the silence.

“You wanted to know why I chose Doflamingo right?” 

It was something you asked when he first came on board the Sunny. He doesn't want to second guess his decision, so he forces himself to continue speaking. Not waiting to see your reaction.

“He killed someone very important to me. I wanted to avenge him.”

He won't go into specifics. He wasn't ready for that. But you deserved to know why he dragged your little brother down with him. 

“I won't lie, I was using Strawhat at first. He was supposed to be a diversion so I could carry out my mission.”

Being honest wouldn’t do him any favors. He can feel the way you tense up. Your hands rigid on his sword. 

“But I wasn't strong enough by myself. It's only thanks to his intervention that we won,” Law admits.

Then more quietly he adds-

“I am grateful for his help…Yours too.”

The look in your eyes is soft. Encouraging. It has his face burning. He realizes you're closer than before. He can feel the warmth radiate from your skin. Shoulders almost touching so you can tease and prod at him. 

“I'm glad. Alliances should be built on trust. There's nobody more true to his world than Luffy. You really lucked out.”

It was clear to anyone with eyes you loved Luffy more than anything. A fact that does annoy him from time to time,

“There you go praising him again.”

You further invade his personal space with a tired grin.

“Jealous? Fine then, I'll give you your props too. I think you're a good guy. You say a lot of things you don't mean, but you're dependable.” It's genuine, but because you're you, you take the opportunity to mess with him.

“You only let me get shot once.”

Law’s quick to defend himself with a scowl.

“I wasn't expecting you to throw yourself on top of me!”

“Because you had a plan?” You say teasingly.

“I did and you being a selfless idiot wasn't a part of it.”

You do your best to stifle your laughter.

“The hell are you smiling for?”

“Was selfless supposed to be an insult?”

He doesn't like the way you're making him feel right now. It's foreign. Like his heart is hammering away in his chest. Your smirk is evil. And it makes his face burn. 

“Shut up!”

You're so close that you're practically leaning on him. A tired smile on your face. It's as if you don't understand the definition of personal space. Then you go to rest your head on his shoulder. 

He should push you off. He'd only end up in another compromising position with you. Probably get laughed at in the morning by everybody else. He should've Shambled you back to your cabin. 

But your eyes have already closed and your breathing had slowed. You're curled up into his side, and he wonders when you got so close in the first place. Why he let you get that close. 

His expression softens slightly, though the red on his face doesn't disappear.

“Get some rest Y/n-ya.”

It slips out without him noticing. The tell that shows he's fond of someone. He'd never admit it aloud, but you'd been just lucid enough to hear it. As long as one of you got some sleep, he supposed things could've been worse.

But you can't stay out like this. His pride would never allow it. So he picks you up in his arms. A familiar sight. When you don't stir, he begins the dreaded walk of shame towards your cabin. (Carrying you to bed in a room where people could see him.) He's praying the other two women are asleep.

He should know by now that things never go the way he plans. 

As he pushes the door open, both women shoot up and stare at him. This is the second time you put him in this position. (The second time he allowed himself to walk right into it.) 

Robin has a knowing look on her face. A flicker of amusement in her eyes.

“Oh? So that's where she went.”

Law wants the ground to swallow him whole. He really should've used Shambles.

“Awww, she needs you!” Baby 5 coos.

“Shut up!”

The heat on his face spreads to his ears and neck. He stiffens when you adjust yourself in his arms. Both women giggle at the sight. He forces himself to commit to what he started. Rushing as quick as he can to get out of there. It's less than coordinated when he half drops you, half places you onto the bed.

He swears this is the last time he'll let you fall asleep on him. 

But then it happens again. And again. Every night on Bartolomeo’s accursed ship until the last of the other crews have departed. You sit, you talk, and it's nice. He'd go as far as to say he enjoyed your company. 

He gets sloppy one night. Falling asleep right alongside you. He woke up warm and disoriented to a familiar ‘shishishishi!’ He did in fact Shamble the both of you away when he was cognizant enough. He was just glad Luffy was more focused on making fun of you rather than him. 

It wasn't long before the ship reached Zou. The fatigue you'd been feeling amplified ten-fold along the way. The pounding of your head becoming unbearable.  Your chest started to feel tight, too. You tell yourself it's fine. You can hold off until Chopper checks it out. Though realistically you should've asked the doctor right next to you.

You reunite with the rest of the crew, minus Sanji. A plan is made to get him back from Whole Cake Island, one you could barely keep up with. Everything's getting hazy again. You would've asked Chopper for help like you planned, but he was too busy taking care of the minks. You didn't want to add anything else on to his plate. Especially when he was in charge of taking care of the two rulers. 

So you force your discomfort down. Even when the Minks throw a feast in the Strawhats’ honor, you don't indulge. The loud cheers and whoops reverberate through your skull. Your smile very much forced. You figured you looked okay enough if nobody had questioned your strained expression. (If you were being honest with yourself, they were probably all drunk off their asses.)

You do get a small burst of energy upon seeing CatViper, your love for fluffy animals temporarily overriding your fatigue.

“COME HERE SWEET BOI!!!”

You practically tackle down the cat mink. Squishing his cheeks and ruffling his fur to your heart's content. 

“Aren't you just a big sweetie?” You cooed.

And much to everyone's surprise, he starts purring. You pepper kisses across his face, unabashedly nuzzling your cheek against his.

“Yes you are! You're just a little sweetheart. Mwuah!”

“Y/n! That's one of the rulers! Let him go!” Nami scolded.

“Hmm? Oh my bad.” You begrudgingly release him, offering up a small 'sorry.'

“It's fine. You're just filled with energy, aren't you-gara?” CatViper waves off.

“Runs in the family.” You gesture to behind you where Luffy's stuffing his face with whatever he can get his hands on.

The next day is torturous. You struggle to just get on your feet. Following sluggishly behind towards the Road ponyglyph. Apparently, there were four in total, and it just so happened Big Mom’s territory had one.

You'd be able to kill two birds with one stone.

Or at least, that was the plan. But as you prepared to depart for the rescue mission, it hits you full force. Everything comes crashing down and your legs can't hold you anymore. Your head feels like it's underwater. Searing to the touch. You can't make out what anyone is saying as your body hits the floor.

You were sure people were crowding around you. A faint call of your name before you lose consciousness. 

Law would deny the concern he felt seeing you collapse on the ground. How Strawhat reacted immediately and rushed to your side. Picking you up on his lap and trying to get a response from you. Your breathing was labored. Skin flushed and sweaty with fever. 

And maybe he did notice how something was off with you last night. How you didn't seem to be drinking as much as you had after Dressrosa. How your smiles seemed a little more forced. How you'd been lagging behind all morning.

You were sick at the worst possible time. 

He could tell Luffy knew that as well. Brow furrowed in thought about what to do. Chopper would be able to treat you just fine on the ship. But that wasn't the issue. Your sickly state made you an easy target. The rescue team needed to be completely focused in Big Mom's territory. Bringing you would be a risk they could not afford to take. 

The next qualified person to look after you was Law.  But before he could suggest it, Luffy's bowing down his head.

“Please. Could you take care of Y/n for me? You're a doctor right? You'll be able to make her better.”

He wasn't asking as a concerned captain. And this went further than what the terms of their alliance dictated. He was asking as your brother for Law’s help. 

Law would have done it anyway. But something about the respect Strawhat showed made him want to prove himself. His unwavering trust.

“She'll be fine with me. Just focus on rescuing Blackleg.” He assured.

It’d been a few days since then. And while Law didn't appreciate being treated as an escort by the Samurai and half of Strawhat's crew, he'd deal with it. The sooner they made it to Wano, the better. At least the more sane members had stayed behind. 

You shifted slightly on your bed. In order to minimize the spread of your illness, you'd been quarantined from the others. Key word: others. While it would have been wise to set you up in the med bay, he needed to monitor your condition closely. See if your state improved or if he needed to make stronger medicine. Thus, you ended up in his quarters. 

You were still out cold. All of your medication being administered in the form of a vaccine. It was easier than having to worry about you choking on a serum. If one of your crewmates wanted to see you, he made them wear a mask before entering. (Funnily enough, the swordsman was the one who visited you the most.)

Law stepped out for a moment to check in with his crew. It was just his luck that was when you finally woke up. You struggled to focus your vision. You were in an unfamiliar room. It was too clean to be on the Sunny. Too organized. Slowly, you forced yourself up for a better look.

There was a desk in the corner, messy papers scattered on top of it. You could faintly see vials of something as well. Flush against the wall was a small bookshelf. Although it looked like it mostly held comics. 

Next to the bed was a nightstand. There was a fresh glass of water and today's news. Maybe there was something about Luffy in there. You didn't know how long you'd been out for. Anything could've happened.

So you reached for the newspaper, eyes scanning for anything on him. Your curious expression dropped into one of terror. 

No.

This couldn't be happening.

You refused to believe it.

You pushed yourself as hard as you could to stand. Barely taking two steps before your legs gave out once more. You cursed your sickly state. With no other choice, you forced yourself to crawl towards the door.

“Luffy….I gotta…He needs to know.” You weakly called out. 

Your entire body felt like it was made of lead. It screamed out in protests against the strain you were putting it through. Heart hammering away in a frantic fear. 

You tried calling out again, but the person you were looking for was different.

“Law….I need you.”

Your voice was too quiet for anyone to hear. Yet still you persisted. Your vision going in and out. You'd barely reached the door before it swung open. A familiar pair of shoes entered your spotty sight.

Law gaped down at you in surprise. Sputtering over himself before lecturing you.

“You idiot! Why the hell did you try to get up!?!”

You feel a spark of relief. He was here. But then that feeling of dread consumes you once more. Your breathing turns erratic. Trying to wheeze out a response.

Law picks you up carefully. Placing you down on your bed before going to check your vitals. You clutch his arm tightly, effectively stopping his movements. Your grip is weak. Feeble. He could easily shrug you off. Instead he stays by your side to hear what you say.

“I have to…tell…Luffy.” You manage to get out.

“Tell him what?”

In your other hand is the crumpled up newspaper. He takes it from you and reads the headline.

Revolutionary Headquarters Found And Destroyed.

Oh. He looks back to your hyperventilating state. He double checks the paper again to make sure he didn’t miss anything. When he doesn’t find what he’s looking for, his body relaxes slightly.

“You’re worried about your brother, right? He’s okay. There weren’t any casualties listed.”

It does little to soothe you. You fight him to sit up.

“I have to-”

“You need to rest or you won’t get better.” He cuts off. Using one hand to shove you back down. Still, you struggle.

He thinks of what could possibly calm you down. An idea shrikes him, though it's not a very good one. He leaves the room for brief moment. Returning with a transponder snail in hand.

“Here. I don’t know if he’s reached Big Mom’s territory yet, but you can try to give him a call.”

You take the snail from him with shaky hands. 

He doesn't know why he's trying so hard to soothe your nerves. He was sure he'd never gone out of his way like this before. He thinks should have knocked you out with anesthesia instead. 

You wait with baited breath as the transponder snail rings. Luffy's voice quickly fills the room.

“Hey Traffy!!!!!” He greets. 

“Not Trafalgar,” you correct.

“Y/n? You're awake!?!”

“Mhm.”

You'd become less frantic talking to Luffy. His voice calming you down in an instant. (Maybe Law did feel a little bitter at the fact.)

“Did…Did you see the paper this morning?” You struggled to get out.

“Yeah. Is that why you're calling?”

The lack of worry in his tone soothed the rapid beating of your heart. You were able to have some clarity through your muddled mind. Perhaps you'd been overreacting. You just didn't want to believe you'd lost Sabo after getting him back. 

“I got scared,” you admit.

There's a beat of silence as Luffy processes your words. Then the snail jumps to life once more. 

“You know Sabo. He's fine. He better be fine. Besides, his name wasn't even listed. You think the World Government would've passed up on an opportunity like that?”

You sink back down onto the bed beneath you. A relieved sigh escaping your lips. Since when was Luffy the one comforting you?

“No. It'd probably be their cover page.”

You can hear him let out a laugh. The sound relaxing you completely.

“See? Nothing to worry about. You just focus on getting better.” 

“I will. Please take care of yourself.”

“Don't worry about me. Love you!”

The transponder snail’s *Cluh-ick* rang out. 

A warm grin spread out across your face. Your eyes once again weighed down by fatigue. You know it's far too late for him to hear you. Nevertheless, you repeat those three words back.

“Love you too.”

You offer up the snail back to Law before you adjust yourself back into the mattress. You offer up a quiet ��Thanks,’ burying yourself under the blankets. You fall into an easy sleep.

Law observes you with a small frown. You're stubborn. Sick with who knows what, yet you force yourself to crawl towards your brother. Even if you know you won't get far. It would've been easier to say he didn't know where you were coming from. To deny sympathizing with you somewhat. 

But he can't.

You and Strawhat are attached by the hip. It must've been difficult to send him off into enemy territory by himself. Up until a few weeks ago, he'd been your entire life. ‘He’s all I have left,’ you'd said. Despite that not being true anymore, you'd still be on edge until he came back safely. 

Law remembered the first time he saw you. It'd been for Luffy’s benefit then, too. It was a few minutes after he'd had a total meltdown and went on a rampage. A ship was approaching the island.

Red Hair’s ship.

Law was immediately on edge alongside the lingering Kuja pirates. The ship stopped just outside of their reach. Then a small boat departed and Red Hair's ship began to retreat. The figure drew closer and closer until they could make out details.

Your hood was draped around your shoulders. You wore a determined expression, undeterred by a potential scuffle. 

“A woman?” One of the Kuja commented. 

“Should we still shoot?” Another asked.

“Let's let her pass.”

You were either familiar with their customs or warned about them. Allowing them to see you were a woman was a smart choice. They were less likely to stop you. And you didn't appear to be a marine either.

You made land, walking with measured steps. Your hands raised to show you mean no harm. The Kuja still have their spears raised in apprehension. You open your mouth to speak, but it snaps shut at a shrill wail. 

Luffy's still on his rampage. Kicking, punching, screaming. All things that would reopen his wounds and lead to his death. The color drains from your face, a horrified expression overtaking it.

You waste no time running as fast as you can towards him. 

“LUFFY!”

Law assumed you were one of his crew mates. Perhaps a new one. But something about your cry felt more primal. More emotional. 

The forest went quiet. 

No further tantrum from Strawhat.

Law wouldn't see you again for another two years. Until Punk Hazard. You were by Luffy's side, watching curiously at the chaos around you. There was a protective air around you. Holding a hand out to stop Luffy from moving forward.

But there's immediate recognition when Strawhat sees him. Walking over and greeting him like they were friends. (Which Law is quick to correct.) You looked back and forth between the two. Your expression shifting from cautious to relieved. Then it was grateful. 

It wasn't long before Luffy took off with Zoro and Robin in tow. But you lagged behind. A warm smile spread across your face. Bright and welcoming. Before Law could process what was happening, you bowed your head down.

“Thank you for taking care of my br- my captain.” you corrected yourself.

You stood straight up, meeting his eyes this time.

“I'm forever grateful for your help.”

And that was it. You turned around to follow after Luffy once more. You'd stunned him. He was a pirate. He didn't help Strawhat out of the goodness of his heart.

So why did you look at him like he did? 

Like he'd just saved your entire world.

In hindsight, he kinda did. You tried to keep you and Luffy's familial ties a secret in the beginning. It was a good call after what happened to Fire-Fist. But you let it slip anyways.

Having the knowledge now that you'd been crying out in anguish to your brother, it puts into perspective your impulsive behavior. So just this once…Law decides to excuse your recklessness. 

He makes a move to leave, and as if sensing it, your peaceful expression sours. You're not too far asleep to disregard his presence. Yet you're too sick to see through the clouded haze. Completely unaware of the words slurring from your mouth.

“Ace, please don't leave me.”

It makes him freeze. Maybe there was something about his presence that reminded you of Ace. Or you'd just wanted your brother when you were at your lowest. Perhaps he was the one who took care of you when you were sick. It made sense. If the other one was out of the picture and Luffy was busy being Luffy, that only left one other person. 

He wants to correct you. 

He should correct you.

But you're not all there. His words would just fall on deaf ears. And in spite of himself, Law's pulling up a chair to sit next to your bed. He doesn't think he's ever spoken so softly towards someone. 

“I'm not going anywhere. Just get your rest.”

The way a dopey smile spread across your face has his heart beating. He's heard you talk about Ace before. And every time it was like you were singing his praises. Like everything he'd ever touched turned to gold. 

You tried to keep everything down, but there were cracks in your facade. The way you clung onto Luffy, your screaming match with the Revolutionary, and the way you subconsciously yearned for Ace’s presence. You still missed your brother. Still mourned for him. No matter how much time passed.

And Law understood. 

Some nights….he missed Corazon’s comfort.

—---------------------------------------

You got somewhat better a few days later. However, you entered what Sabo and Ace had called your ‘loopy’ state. Where you acted like a distressed toddler and refused to cooperate on anything. Whining and complaining just because you could. 

Like now, rejecting any and all food you knew wasn't Sanji’s.  

“C’mon! You need to eat!”

“No! I don't want it! Sanji makes his food with love.”

And poor Law was the one who had to put up with it. Getting increasingly irritated the more difficult you made his job. For what felt like the hundredth time, he lifted a spoonful of soup towards your mouth.

“I don't care what he makes his food with! Eat or else!”

The soup was green in appearance. It was filled with things that would get your immune system back on track. Unfortunately, that didn't make it the most appetizing meal. The smell certainly didn't help either.

Unable to handle confrontation in this state, you forced your eyes in different directions to avoid Law’s gaze.

“Stop yelling at me!!!”

He sputtered in complete disbelief, almost dropping the bowl he was holding. You were acting like a pissy toddler, and he was not a fan.

“You look at me with both eyes when I'm talking to you!” Law angrily scolded. 

You ignore him, stubbornly keeping your eyes in different directions. And as soon as he tries to move into your line of sight, you switch them around. It continues to go on for a few minutes, neither of you aware the door had been left open.

“Well, what do we have here?” A voice called out.

Zoro stood in the doorway with a smirk. You stopped your struggle with Law to focus your eyes on him. You flashed him a pleading look.

“Your crewmate is acting like a child. And mask, Swordsman.” Law instructs. 

Zoro lets out a scoff, grumbling about his ‘strong immune system.’ Nevertheless, he makes sure his face is covered before pressing forward.

“Am not! You want me to put GREEN soup in my body! It looks like some witch's brew!” You argued.

“Because it has herbs that are supposed to make you better!”

It was an unspoken rule that when Luffy was gone, it was Zoro's responsibility as first mate to step up. In turn, that meant looking after you (Which was discussed between them when you first joined). Your health and safety were entrusted to him, along with the rest of the crew’s. You wanted to be stubborn? Fine. Have it your way. 

He pushed himself between you and Law, grabbing the bowl with scary enthusiasm. 

“Don't worry, I got this. Captain wants you to get better, so you're gonna get better!”

There's no time for you to react before he's prying your mouth open with one hand and tipping the bowl back into your throat with the other. The result? Your sputter, practically drowning from the sudden intake of liquid. You give feeble pushes against his chest.

“Quit struggling! You're being a big baby!” He chastises while forcing the soup down your throat.

It's instinctive really. How Law lifts his hand up and quickly Shambles you into his arms. He's carrying you in one arm like you're some frightened dog.

“Stop badgering my patient!”

Zoro points an accusing finger at him.

“You're too soft. You gotta force her or she won't go for it.”

Before Law can argue, yet another one of your crewmates enters. Your eyes light up upon seeing Robin. Scrambling out of Law's grip and hiding behind her with surprising agility. 

“ROBIN!!!!!!! THEY'RE BEING SO MEAN TO ME!!!!” You tattle like a child.

“Is that so?” She coos.

You nod your head frantically.

“Law's trying to make me eat poison and Zoro’s trying to drown me!”

“We can't have that now can we.” There's a gentle smile on her face as she gives your head a pat.

And for a moment you think you're saved. Until Robin is using her powers to hold you down and pry your mouth open.

“Now Zoro!” 

Law thinks he must be going crazy. You're flailing your arms wildly, doing your best to form words. Then there's Zoro, an almost evil glint in his eye as he approaches you with the bowl once more. 

The commotion catches the attention of both crews and the samurai. Usopp and Franky are near the front, preparing to step in if the other two needed it. Law's own crew looks on in fascination at your stubborn display. Having never seen someone on board refuse treatment.

“Quit spitting it out!!! Swallow all of it or else!”

You give a feeble reach towards the sky before giving up. Falling completely limp while Zoro continues to pour the soup until it's all gone. 

“You sure you didn't kill her? She looks kinda lifeless.” Usopp commented.

A twitch of your finger has him screaming.

It's times like this that really show you and Luffy are cut from the same cloth.

All this damn trouble…And Law still needs to administer your vaccine. As soon as you see the needle, you manage to wrangle your way out of Robin's grip and make a dash for the door. Your antics are wearing him thin. (If he didn't like you so much, he would've cut off your legs to keep you still.)

“Shambles!”

You plop right back into the room. You scramble to get up again, but Zoro tackles you down. Followed by Franky and Usopp. Robin uses her devil fruit to add on to the weight.

“NOOOO! NO! I REFUSE!” 

All four of them are on top of you, and still you have some leeway. Moving inch by inch. The only way to get you complacent is to distract you. So, the cyborg takes it upon himself to try first. 

“Look it's a ninja!” He releases an arm to point at Raizo.

You stop your movements, glancing towards the ninja. A blank look overtakes your face. Head tilting to the side.

“He's so lame.”

“EXCUSE YOU!!!!” Franky exclaims in disbelief.

“HOW DARE YOU!!! NINJAS ARE WAY COOL!” Usopp backs up.

“His head isn't proportional to his body.” You sniffle.

Raizo’s head snaps up at that, glaring at you from your place on the floor.

“WHY YOU!!!!!”

And just when they thought you might stop struggling, you start up again. You managed to get another inch. 

“Look at the cool robot!” Zoro prompts, gesturing for Franky to do something.

“Yeah, look at the robot.” Robin directs your head to the left.

Being put in the spot, Franky clicks his nose. His hair changes from one style to the next. You watch in silence, face progressively getting more distraught. 

“That’s not a cool robot. That's Franky.”

He collapsed onto the ground in despair.

“I'm...not cool?”

Noticing one less person on top of you, you take the opportunity to free yourself. Starting up a sprint back out the door. Law had to think fast on his feet. His eyes met Bepo’s and he remembered your love for animals. He didn't want to throw one of his crewmates under the bus, but he had no choice.

“Look, it's Bepo!” He points out.

All at once you stopped. Turning around eerily slow. In an instant, you were on the mink. Arms wrapping around his neck while you pressed your cheek against his.

“MY SWEET ANGEL!!!!!”

“CAPTAIN!” He shrieks.

You're thoroughly distracted now. Scrunching up the fur on Bepo’s face and squishing his cheeks with a coo. He looks hopefully at Law as he approaches. The hope soon dies when he sees Law take one of your arms. Dabbing a spot with alcohol before positioning the needle.

You don't even react as it goes in. Giving your full attention to the polar bear mink. Your crew high fives each other in the background. You’re all insane, he decides. When the last of the medication has exited the syringe, he lets you go. 

You're still snuggling with poor Bepo, who looks like he's a second away from passing out. Law Shambles you into his arm again, and you're surprisingly docile.

“Good…Now everyone out!”

The next day is less chaotic, but you still refuse to eat. Your head turning away as soon as the spoon meets your lips. 

“Don't start,” Law warns.

“You can't just shovel scalding soup into my mouth. It burns, Trafalgar.” You defend.

He rolled his eyes.

“You’re infuriating,” he mumbled.

Against his better judgement, he scoops up a spoonful and blows on it. Just when he thinks you can't humiliate him further, you manage to lower the bar. It's a good thing the door to his cabin is locked.

“Happy now?”

You take a sip and pull away with a scowl on your face.

“It tastes like shit.”

“You better eat it or I'll get Zoro!”

“NOOOO! I'M SORRY! I'LL BE GOOD I PROMISE!”

He continued to feed you until it was all gone. He doesn't like the way it makes him feel. The domesticity of it. He was just fulfilling his duties as your doctor was all. Strawhat trusted him to make you better, so you were gonna get better. There was nothing else to it. You were his patient, and he needed to see it through.

—-----------------------------------------------

A day or two goes by and you start to feel more like yourself. Your loopy phase gone for the time being. Your body still feels like lead, but it's manageable. Your nose is thankfully less stuffy. Though the pounding of your head doesn't cease.

You're snapped from your thoughts by a quiet snoring. Law’s knocked out on his desk. Body slumped forward at an awkward angle with a pen still in his hand. You realize you must've been staying in his room all this time.

You couldn't help but feel bad for taking up his bed. He already didn't have the best sleep schedule. Putting up with you sure as hell wasn't doing any favors. You wish you could make things easier for him, but you're the furthest thing from a doctor.

You push yourself up from the bed, not taking a second to think about what you're doing. You make your way towards the front of the room, stopping right next to the desk. You use what little strength you have to lift up Law. 

He doesn't stir as you half carry, half drag him over to the bed. He must've worked himself out cold. You put him down, taking the hat off his head and placing it on the nightstand. At the very least, you could make sure he got one decent night of sleep.

You sit on the floor next to him, taking a breather from the strain you put yourself through. You catch sight of the shelf you noticed on your first day. If you were gonna be up, might as well entertain yourself. 

—-------------------------------

Law awoke in a surprisingly comfortable position. The ache in his back wasn't as prominent as before. He could have sworn he passed out on his desk, but the surface he was resting on wasn't the familiar wood. This was his bed.

He shoots up despite his body's protests. Scanning the room for you and fearing the worst (that you'd snuck away to avoid treatment again). He lets out a small sigh of relief seeing you next to the bed. 

You're crouched over reading. It's not just any book though. It's a Sora comic. Law feels his heart drop. He practically fights the covers to get to you. Falling face first onto the floor. His face burns as he tries to snatch the comic from you. 

“Sora the Sea Warrior, huh?” You comment while holding it out of his reach.

He makes another grab towards you, fingers skimming the pages before you pull it back.

“You can't just go through my stuff because you're sick.” He scolds.

You pay it no mind though, continuing to read where you left off. 

“I think it's pretty interesting. We didn't really grow up with comics in Foosha Village. We were more of the outdoorsy kind of kids. And Luffy and Ace hated using their brains.”

Law places a hand on his temple in exasperation. Not only had you touched his stuff (which he wouldn't have minded under different circumstances), you'd forced yourself out of bed again. He can see the circles under your eyes. Who knows how long you'd been up.

“You shouldn't be out of bed yet.” He relents, giving up on retrieving the comic from you.

“C'mon, I'm getting to a really good part. It's giving me ideas for new weapons. I mean, the tech is pretty advanced for something that came out years ago. You expect me not to attempt gravity boots?”

“I expect you to do what you're told. Get back to bed.”

You wave him off.

“It's fine. You need it more than me. Besides, I gotta know what happens next. I'm rooting for Germa by the way.”

“Bed. Now.” He ordered.

You look up with a pout.

“Then we have to share. I don't want you developing scoliosis in that chair.”

He flashes you an unimpressed look.

“I'm being serious. I'm not gonna let you sleep in a chair.”

He disregards your concern, lifting you up and placing you down on the bed. He takes his beloved comic, putting it right next to his hat. You make grabby gestures at him when he straightens up. He's immediately reminded of a spoiled brat. 

“Cuddle me? You know high body temperature helps fight sickness.” You teased, although there's some sincerity in your tone. 

“You're delusional.”

Law's too tired to argue with you. What are the chances he gives in and things go wrong? (High given your track record). You've already fallen asleep on him dozens of times by now. This wasn’t any different, right?

“Will you behave if I sleep on the bed?” He questions.

“Define ‘behave’.”

“Y/n-ya!”

“Fine! I won't get up anymore.”

You offer up your pinkie to seal the promise. He swats your hand down and goes to the opposite side of the bed. He lays down, giving into the drowsiness coursing through his body.

“Keep to your side. My immune system is strong, but if you cough directly into my lungs I might catch your disease.” He warns.

You let out a laugh that borders on a cough.

“Sure Germa boy.”

Against all odds, and what must be the universe's impression of a joke, Law woke up with your face against his chest. Arms wrapped tightly around you as his heart steadily picked up pace. 

—-------------------------------------------

You're finally well enough to be out of Law’s supervision. It was perfect timing too. Any day now you’d reach Wano. In the meantime, you put all your attention into perfecting your weapons.

“Palpitations!”

Pressurized air shot out from your glove. The force of the blast spearing through the ocean’s surface. Waves rose up on each side before crashing back down. You pulled at your scalp and let out a cry of frustration.

“Ugh!!! Not far enough!”

Some of Law’s crew had gathered to watch you. You were the first one up on deck when the sub surfaced. Their interest was effectively piqued seeing you progressively get more and more disheveled after each attempt. Your latest one doing the most damage, but seemingly making you the most agitated. 

“What do you mean not far enough!?! You practically parted the ocean!” Penguin argued. 

“And I'm saying it's still not good enough. It's supposed to reach that boulder.”

You pointed out in the distance to a huge mountain-like rock. You continued to mutter out curses about how the blast wasn't even close.

“Not just reach, but completely obliterate it and then some. Instead I get a puny blast of air that feels more like a gentle breeze. It sucks.”

You threw off your gloves in frustration, mussing up your hair to calm yourself. Another Heart Pirate, Shachi, looked over your shoulder at your discarded gloves. 

“You can't bottle up that much pressure in such a confined space.” He tried to explain, but you were a stubborn one. 

“Wanna bet?” You asked, a cruel grin spreading across your face. 

None the wiser to your plotting, he took you up on it. Figuring you didn't stand a chance. 

“I bet your freaky scythe.”

The grin on your face widened. Hook line and sinker.

“I bet your hat.”

The two of you shook on it. Having an incentive now, you got right back to work. You bothered Franky for any tools he might have. Shachi was feeling confident until Usopp approached him.

“You're done for.” The sniper informed.

“Says who?”

“Because Franky bet Y/n once she couldn't walk on water.”

Okay? Surely you weren't able to manage that, right? 

“What she'd do?”

“Made boots with a sea prism stone heel that repealed water. She added a little blaster for extra propulsion. Franky lost his favorite shirt that day.” Usopp said, putting a hand over his heart for dramatic effect.

This did not bode well for him.

“So there's a chance?”

“A good one, yes.”

It took you six hours. You came back on deck with bulkier gloves. Two circular mechanisms on each palm. There was a triumphant glint in your eye as you approached the railing. The boulder you were aiming for was barely visible now, but you weren't phased by it. If anything, you seemed more confident. 

“Palpitations!”

The sub rocked slightly from the force of the blast. The sea parted a sizable distance, gigantic waves spiking towards the sky. The boulder you'd been aiming for was demolished. Debris and ocean spray raining down.

“WOOHOO! LET'S GOOOOO!” You cheered, taking a lap around the deck.

You returned to your spot and held out your hand expectantly.

“Pay up!”

Begrudgingly, Shachi handed over his hat. More impressed than upset at the situation. You put it on your head and continued with your day, much to Penguin and Bepo’s delight. They took every opportunity to tease their friend.

You returned the orca hat about an hour later.

“Here you go.”

Shachi stared at you in utter bewilderment.

“What?!? That's it!?!”

“Yeah? I'm not evil. I just wanted to teach you a lesson.” You said nonchalantly.

“Wrong! You are evil. Unspeakably so.” He clutched his hat close to his chest with a glare.

You wondered how someone as high strung as Law ended up with crewmates the exact opposite of him. Playful and not always the brightest. But they supported each other no matter what.

—-------------------------------

You end up bunking with Robin and the only other woman on board: Ikkaku. You felt more comfortable than when you'd been on Bartolomeo's ship. The setting wasn't as chaotic. 

Save for the teasing they were both putting you through.

It started off as a playful question from Ikkaku. ‘How was it being captain’s favorite for three weeks?’ To which you adamantly denied. It would've been left at that had Robin not spoken up.

“I’m sure it wasn't much different from being on Bartolomeo's ship. They talked and fell asleep together every night.” 

Your jaw dropped in horror while the woman next to you let out a laugh.

“No way!”

“ROBIN!” You shrieked.

“And he always carried her into the cabin. It was so sweet how he tucked her in bed.” She elaborated.

You tried and failed to suffocate yourself with a pillow. Wanting to get out of this conversation any way you could. Ikkaku nudged your shoulder lightly.

“I thought it was strange how he quarantined her in his cabin. But knowing they spent so much time together, it makes sense. He probably got used to her company at night.”

You wanted the earth to swallow you whole.

“You don't have to sleep here if you don't want to. I'm sure Traffy’s waiting for you.” Robin added.

“Thank god Nami’s not here.” You said while burying your face in your hands.

Your torment didn't last long, thankfully. It had gotten late. Your companions for the night falling into a peaceful slumber. A quiet settled over the sub. You strained your ears for footsteps, voices, anything that would've meant another person was up.

There was nothing.

You get up slowly from your bed. You slip out of the cabin quietly and make your way towards the kitchen. You’d almost forgotten what today was. Being in and out of consciousness had warped your sense of time. 

You find what you're looking for in one of the top cabinets. A bottle of sake and two cups. You hold the bottle firmly in your hand, searching for a secluded place. You didn't want to bother anyone should they wake up. 

Tonight was special, after all.

You ended up in the library. It was decently away from the men and women’s quarters. You wouldn't disturb anyone from here. It was way bigger than the one on the Sunny. Filled with medical textbooks, you're sure. The Polar Tang was organized and neat. Whereas the Sunny was cluttered and chaotic. A representation of the two captains. 

You sat down and poured out two cups of sake. One you took in your hand. The other you left untouched. You took a deep breath before speaking.

“Happy birthday Ace. Here's to a short but merry life.”

You clinked your cup against the other one.

“Luffy's doing okay. I'm sure he probably told you already, but I thought I should too.”

You figured Luffy was up to the same thing as you right now. He'd kept up with this tradition even after you all separated, much to your surprise. He wasn't a fan of drinking, but this was always the exception.

“We met Sabo again…I, uh, I got really mad at him. The same way I got mad at you,” you admitted. 

You'd managed to calm Luffy down enough for him to rest. He'd put too much strain on his body. You couldn't blame him though. You were doing the same thing.

“LIAR!” You punched down onto the forest floor as hard as you could.

“YOU LIAR! YOU LIED! YOU LIED! YOU LIED!” You began pounding into the ground, knuckles becoming bloody. 

“HOW COULD YOU JUST LEAVE US! YOU SAID YOU'D NEVER DIE!” Your wail echoed throughout the clearing. Desperate, hurt, and betrayed.

You willed the painful memory to disappear, forcing yourself to talk through it. 

“But he's here now, and I'm so grateful for it. You don't have to worry about us anymore.”

You and Luffy weren't alone anymore. 

“I miss you everyday. I wish I could say I'm doing fine too, but I'm not. Not yet at least.”

Luffy held onto you like a lifeline, sobbing hysterically into your chest. It was all he could do besides hurting himself. He wanted you to shield him from the awful truth. That he'd lost both his crew and brother in less than a week. 

“We're gonna be okay, Luffy.” you said, hugging him tighter.

He shook against you.

“How do you know?”

“I'll make things okay. Don't worry baby brother, I've got you.” 

You'd be strong enough for the both of you.

“Not until this Wano business is over and I know nothing can stop Luffy.” You assured.

“I'll be able to smile then and say ‘Screw a normal life, my brother's gonna be King of the Pirates.’ Like we always knew he could do.”

You lifted up your cup of sake.

“But for now, here's to you. The man who lived with no regrets.”

You downed it, feeling a familiar burn slide down your throat. You failed to notice the approaching footsteps. It was almost funny how often you found each other. 

“Sake? This late? You just got better, you shouldn't be drinking,” Law chastised.

You wondered if he ever slept. Then again, you stayed up just as often. 

“I wasn't drinking. I was just… it's a tradition we do. Me and Luffy,” you explained. 

He gave you an expectant look, prompting you to elaborate.

“After the three of us thought Sabo was gone, I suggested we still celebrate his birthday. We'd exchange cups of sake like when we first became siblings.”

Dadan was always pissed when a bottle of her sake went missing. But she never stopped you guys. If you didn't know better, you would've thought she left the bottles within your reach on purpose. 

“Then Ace set sail, so me and Luffy celebrated his birthday too. We figured we might not all be together anymore, but that didn't mean we had to let distance keep us apart.”

It didn't mean you had to stop loving each other.

“I kept up with the tradition after Luffy left too. I didn't know he still did it until we were stuck on Amazon Lilly.”

Law looked between you and the full cup on the floor, connecting the dots as you spoke.

“Today is Ace’s birthday,” you said softly. 

As your doctor, he wanted to tell you not to drink. That you needed a few more days for the virus to completely leave your system. But on a human level, he couldn't ask that of you. You were in an incredibly vulnerable state. This tradition meant a lot to you. It was personal. He could, however, make sure you didn't overdo it. 

“I’ll give you your privacy. Just limit yourself, okay?”

A playful smirk broke out across your face. 

“I'm not mourning a death. I'm celebrating his life.”

And to his surprise, you patted the spot next to you.

“C’mon, sit down with me.” You encouraged.

It seemed all his nights since joining Strawhat consisted of your presence. Mostly due to your insistence. And like a fool he let you get close everytime. He’d become used to you. To your openness. 

“You won't leave me alone if I don't.” He gave in. 

He was acting like you'd go chasing him down if he said no. Though the lack of hesitance responding to you said otherwise. He sat down next to you as if he belonged there. So sure and relaxed in his actions.

“Like you aren't looking for an excuse to take a break,” you teased.

Law didn't deny it, watching as you refilled your cup of sake. He couldn't help but freeze. He'd never done this before. There were no remains from Flevance to grieve, and he had to get a grip on his emotions the night Corazon died. Was there supposed to be a moment of silence? Or was he expected to say something? 

“You know, Ace spat on Luffy when they first met.” You said unprompted.

“Huh???” Law let out a noise of complete and utter confusion.

You laughed at the bewildered expression on his face before continuing on. 

“He was such a little stinker. Tried to plan his death with Sabo too.”

You never failed to catch him off guard. He supposed you and Luffy were alike in that regard. Saying what was on your mind without a second thought. It always worked in your favor though. 

“Fire-Fist? The one you talk about like he's some saint?” Law questioned skeptically.

“I never said he was a saint. I said he was a good big brother. But he had to grow into that role. He was such a standoffish kid.” You explained.

You remember him being guarded when you first met. Luffy had won him over already, but you -you were still new. He never went as far as spitting on you (he wouldn't dare knowing that Garp had an especially soft spot for you), but he tried his hardest to shoo you away. 

When you fixed up the trap door to their treasure, he'd made some comment about how they didn't need your help. You didn't pay it any mind at the time. You hadn't fixed the door because you wanted to help. You fixed it because you were bored. 

But then Luffy began to follow you around. And neither Sabo nor Ace could stop him from seeking you out. It was inevitable you'd be integrated into their circle. Sabo had been the one to warm up quicker. Asking you to fix up old pistols and jewelry to trade in. All the while Ace made snide remarks about how you'd be better off in the kitchen with Dadan. 

He knocked it off when he realized how hard you were working yourself. Hands swollen and bordering on purple. Yet you never complained. Working well into the night and bringing back a sizeable amount of money the next day. He never apologized, but he stopped treating you like a burden. 

You never let him live it down. Not even death would save him from the second hand embarrassment of his past actions. 

“Hear me! I'm still not over you saying a woman's job was to cook and clean! Beat that attitude out of you, didn't I?” You said while shaking a fist up to the sky. 

“It's not like he can hear you.” It slipped out before Law could stop it. 

He stiffened, worrying he said the wrong thing for a second. But then you tilted your head back with a mischievous smirk. 

“No, but I hope I disturb his peace wherever he is.”

You offer him the cup of sake in your hand, beckoning him to join in on whatever this was. He takes a second to process it. What were you doing to him? Making him second guess himself on the smallest of things. Making him yearn.

He accepts the cup from you. You reach out and grab the other one on the floor. He sends you a questioning look. You meet it head on with a blank expression. 

“Dead men tell no tales. They also can't drink.”

It almost makes him laugh, whereas you giggle openly. Once again, you somehow end up closer. You clink your cup against his and down a second shot. The atmosphere is surprisingly light. A much needed breather for what was to come. But then you go and say something that has his heart dropping. 

“Is there someone you want to celebrate tonight? I'm sure Ace wouldn't mind sharing the spotlight.”

His hand tightens around the cup. You always did this. Tried your best to make him comfortable in your presence. And now you were trying to make him feel welcomed on his own ship. Your presence warm and encouraging.

The words fell so casually from your lips. As if he hadn't intruded on something precious to you. You were mourning, despite what you said. And being as observant as you were, you wanted to give him the opportunity to mourn with you. To talk about what had weighed him down since childhood. 

“You don't have to say anything. Just remembering is enough.” You add.

You don't have to talk, but if you need a moment, take it. 

He closes his eyes in thought. You observe him from the corner of your eye. His posture is stiff. Like he's holding back. Wanting to say something but stopping himself. Then he downs the cup of sake in one go. 

You don't know what baggage he's carrying, but you know trying to keep it down just makes it worse. Being vulnerable was scary…But facing everything alone was worse.  

It was why your tradition meant so much to you. You didn't have to suffer alone just because Ace was gone. As long as you remembered, you'd forever carry a part of him with you. You'd carried that same sentiment when you thought you lost Sabo, too. 

Live a life of freedom.

Live with no regrets. 

Maybe Law doesn't want to relive those memories. But if it helped, you'd share yours. The most vulnerable part of you for the most vulnerable part of him.

“If I show you something, you promise you won't tell anybody?” You ask.

He raises a brow at the question. 

“Not even Strawhat-ya?”

There it goes again, that small term of endearment. The silent hope that doofus would make it back from Whole Cake Island. You don't comment on it.

“Not even Luffy,” you affirm.

Something not even Strawhat was supposed to know about. What in the world could you possibly be hiding from him? What made you decide to tell Law instead? Why did your trust suddenly mean so much to him?

“I promise.”

With that confirmation, you turn so your back is facing him. You reach down and pull your shirt over your head. On your left shoulder were three heart tattoos clumped together. One broken down the middle. There's faint scarring between the spaces of the ink.

“For the longest time, I didn't know how to cover it up…The mark of the celestial dragon.” You said softly. Not angrily or bitterly, but accepting of what happened.

It feels like the air was sucked from his lungs. 

“I got the idea from Ace when he came back to visit. I remember telling him he was starting to look like a thug with all his tattoos.” You continued, this time with fondness. 

—------------------------------------

You hadn't seen Ace for over a year. Suffice to say you were not happy with him. You'd seen the papers. ‘Portgas D. Ace: 2nd Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates.’ And you'd seen the new tattoos he’d gotten. Specifically the ASCE one. So you jumped on his back when he made port. Doing your best to get him into a headlock.

He nearly toppled over from surprise before trying to pry your arm off his neck.

“You're gonna kill me,” he choked out.

You only tightened your grip, unfazed when he used his devil fruit to slip away. He reappeared as a mass of flames next to you. It did nothing to deter you from scolding him.

“You set out to sea for two years, and you come back looking like a degenerate.”

“Whitebeard's mark is a right of passage.” He defended. 

You grabbed his arm and pointed at the inked lettering.

“You misspelled your own name, you idiot.”

“I had a good reason.”

“Being drunk isn't a good reason.” you chastised.

He pulled his arm from you with a glare. 

“The letters stand for something,” he explained.

“A is obviously for me. S was for Sabo. C is for Luffy, because he's always been a little crybaby. And E is for Whitebeard because he's given me so much.”

It’s surprisingly sweet. You thought about calling him a sap to tease him, but you realized there was no marking for you. No reminder representing your importance in his life. You'd be lying if you said it didn't bother you. Though not enough to believe you mattered any less. Still, you make it a point to hold the fact over his head. 

“So what I'm hearing is you don't love me?”

Ace lets out an offended noise, trailing close behind you as you start walking away. 

“That’s not true! Everything you've ever given me I show off with pride. Those are my reminders of you. Striker? My knife? I take them everywhere I go. They're as much a part of me as my tattoos.”

You stop, turning around with an unimpressed expression.

“Not enough. You've gotta tattoo my name across your forehead.”

“You wish!”

“Big bold letters!” You shout behind you as you continue to walk away.

“You think I don't love you? Really? Well how's this for love!?!”

You let out a shriek as you feel his arms wrap around you. He picks you up to swing and you began kicking your legs. 

“NOOOO! LET GO OF ME!!! YOU'RE ALL SWEATY AND GROSS!”

All you get is an evil laugh in return, squirming feebly in his grasp. 

“Only if you take it back.”

You pause in your movements. For a moment he thinks you'll relent. But you've always been petty. So you start up your struggling once more.

“NEVER!!!”

Eventually you both settle down, opting to catch up on all of Ace’s adventures while you ate. Meeting Shanks, challenging Whitebeard, Wano. All of it had you on the edge of your seat. You couldn't have been happier for the life he'd made for himself. 

“You’ve gotta grab me a slab of sea prism stone when you go back to Wano.” You pleaded.

“You're asking a devil fruit user to bring you sea prism stone?” Ace questioned.

“And? Are you saying you can't power through it? Didn't know Fire-Fist Ace was so weak.”

You put extra emphasis on his new title. He pinched your cheek in retaliation, returning the favor.

“Very funny Reaper.”

The title you used in the black market to sell your weapons. You could feel the atmosphere shift after he said it. Becoming more somber. 

“You know this isn't exactly the life I wanted for you.” Ace nudged your shoulder playfully, though his words were sincere.

“Is that so?” You didn't know how to properly respond to his confession. 

“You already know how I feel about you selling weapons on the black market. I can't control your choices. But that's not what I wanna talk about.”

You started your business because it was the safer alternative. You could remain anonymous, avoiding direct contact with pirates and marines alike. After everything you went through, you wanted quiet. You didn't want the branding on your back to ruin your life further.

“I know you're smart. I know you're always careful. I trust you. But you know a peaceful life doesn't mean an isolated one.”

Ace understood why you wanted to remain in the shadows, but that didn't mean you had to go through life alone. You deserved more than that. 

“I want you to surround yourself with people you trust. To have good friends. I want you to go out and love your life. Not stay cooped up in your workshop.”

“Ace?” You called out. 

“You don't have to join Whitebeard's crew. Just promise me you'll let yourself be happy.”

He gave you an encouraging smile, reaching over to muss up your hair. Your heart swells at the action. His words make the weight on your shoulders a little more bearable. You don't know what you'd do without his support. Who you'd be if he hadn't stepped up for you and Luffy. 

You catch sight of Whitebeard's mark on his back. It stands out against his skin. Big and prominent. It gives you an idea.

“Could I ask you a favor?”

“Always.” He responded without hesitation.

“I want….I want to cover up the branding. Have something else scar over.”

Use Ace’s powers to scorch a new mark on your skin. He's not too keen on the idea. He had good control over his devil fruit, but there was always a chance something went wrong. He'd never be able to forgive himself if something happened to you.

“I don't wanna hurt you.”

“I'll finally be free. I won't have to hide anymore.” You reason. 

“What if I mess up?”

“If it destroys the government’s claim on me, I'll love it no matter what. Your mistake will be my greatest treasure.” 

He should've been the one assuring you. But like always, you make things better for everyone else. You take what's broken and fix it. 

“Yeah? No regrets?” He double checks. 

You shook your head.

“Alright then. Let's set you free.”

It's funny in a way, how all the tension vanished from you at once. You turned around and lifted up your shirt. He's immediately reminded of the first time you showed him. The way his stomach twisted upon seeing it. His reaction is no different now. Your voice snaps him from his thoughts.

“I'm trusting you with the design. You better make sure your handwriting isn't ugly or I'll kick your ass.” You tried to lighten the mood.

It works, if only for a moment.

“Keep being mean to me and I'll draw a dick on your back.”

“You'd die, and I'd make it painful.”

Flowers would've been a safe bet, but he wanted the mark to be special. For it to mean something to you when you looked at it. A skull was his second guess, but he wanted you to be sure before he did anything. 

“At least give me an idea of what you want.” He prompted.

“I want something that reminds me of the three of you. Kinda like the one you have on your arm,” you suggest. 

He took a second to think about it. All the while he's glaring at the branding on your shoulder. It makes him sick to think about what you'd gone through. What those bastards did not only to civilians, but to children. You weren't somebody's property to be disposed of on a whim. 

You were a person. Living, breathing, and feeling. Despite everything, you never lost your spirit. You never let them take your good heart. You pushed forward and proved them wrong by thriving. 

He's able to settle on the design. 

“It's gonna hurt really bad for a second, but it'll be worth it.” He warned.

“You've got something in mind?”

“Yeah. I think you'll like it.”

He raises the temperature on his pointer. It's hot enough that it's glowing red, but not searing enough to spark a flame. He presses it down against your shoulder lightly. The bulk of the branding he covers up first. You both grow nauseous at the sizzling of your flesh.

One mark for Luffy.

Ace makes another one just above it. You grit your teeth at the pain, becoming lightheaded. 

One for him.

Right next to his, he puts one more mark, breaking it down the middle.

One for Sabo.

“You good?” He questions once he's done. 

“I feel like I'm gonna faint.” You responded.

He wants to give your shoulder a reassuring squeeze, but he knows better. Any more strain and you probably would pass out. He opts for verbally comforting you instead. 

“It's all right. It's over now. You wanna see it?” He offers.

You find it in you to nod. 

He searches your workbench for a mirror. Shouting triumphantly once he's found it. He angles it to show you his handy work. 

Three hearts with one broken down the middle. It makes you want to cry. No longer the branding of a slave. No longer tainted by the worst the world had to offer. You were free. 

“You can get it inked up after it heals.” Ace informs. 

You don't say anything and it has him second guessing his choice. But then you turn to him with a shaky smile. You don't bother to wipe to tears from your eyes. 

“Thank you.” It was quiet, then you repeated it louder.

“Thank you for being born. Thank you for being in my life! Thank you for being my brother!”

Each iteration becoming more and more like a sob. Yet you're still smiling. Your eyes are filled with unwavering affection and gratitude for him. He can think of nothing else to say except-

“Love you too.”

—------------------------------

“Ace was the only one who knew. I never told Luffy because I figured he shouldn't have to see the worst in people. I didn't tell Sabo either because he was a noble. He'd probably feel like I should hate him.” You explained as you pulled down your shirt.

Law could do nothing but sit in silence, trying to process the situation. The rawness of it.

Who did you think you were? Being so trusting and vulnerable just because? Like being Luffy's ally made you friends all of a sudden. You and that damn brother of yours, acting like this alliance was more than just a means to an end. What were you trying to gain from this? There has to be a reason. 

“Why are you trusting me with this? I don't understand.” He questioned skeptically.

“I trust you because you look like you need it.” There was no hesitation when you spoke.

“You're always by yourself. Like there's a weight on your shoulders. You keep everything in because being vulnerable means reliving the hurt. But maybe knowing someone's there to listen makes it hurt less.”

He didn't want your pity, going to argue but realizing that's not what you're trying to give.

“Your person? The one you've been fighting so hard for? They wouldn't have wanted you to be alone.”

“Law's finally free now!”

Fuck it.

You were here.

You were safe.

You were offering to lighten his burdens.

He takes the bottle from you with shaky hands. Looking down at the empty cup of sake with a somber expression. He decides to take a swig from the bottle before offering it back to you. 

“The man who I owe everything to…His name was Donquixote Rosinante.”

The alcohol helps, but he thinks it's who you are as a whole that makes him open up. You bared the most tender parts of you. It's only fair he do the same. Your trust comforts him more than it should. 

He recounts stories from his childhood. The good and bad. He confides in the hopelessness he felt. How everyone except Corazon turned their backs on him. And you listen. You don't cower in fear or repulsion when he mentions Amber Lead Disease. You don't change the way you look at him. With soft reassurance.

He tells you about Corazon and his kindness. The man who gave up his life so Law could live his. He apologizes for his selfishness in getting Luffy involved with Dressrosa. Promising after Wano they'd be done. You don't want the alliance to be done.

The bottle of sake is passed between you two. You reward his openness with stories of your own childhood. Everything you could remember from before Garp made the decision to take you with him. The blind obedience you'd been forced to unlearn. The long sleepless nights filled with screams and pleas from the other slaves. 

And you talk about the after.

Your new life with Ace, Sabo, and Luffy. Your brothers who you loved more than anything, along with the mountain bandits who raised you. 

Law does the same. He tells you about how he cured himself. The way he steadily built himself up again and found a new family. His crew. All the trials and tribulations it took to get this far. 

It's not long before the bottle of sake is empty. You’ve both become drunk messes. Neither of you can see straight, but the atmosphere feels much lighter. By now, you're trading the sweeter sides of your childhoods. A game of sorts to make the other laugh. 

“Corazon couldn't go a day without lighting himself on fire.”

“Me and Luffy acted like children of a divorce when Ace and Sabo argued.”

The two of you look at each other, drunken grins breaking out on your faces as you fight back laughter. You break first. Giggling so hard there's tears. Law’s laugh is more silent, hiding behind his hand so you wouldn't see. 

All at once, you stand up on wobbly legs. You gesture for him to follow as you stumble out the door. In a similar state of intoxication, Law trails after you in confusion.

“Y/n-ya, where are you going,” he slurred out.

You cackle as you bump into a wall. Waiting for Law to catch up to you.

“I'm gonna make me a PBJ sandwich.” The look in your eyes is so pure, it makes his heart ache. 

He realizes you were standing in front of the kitchen’s entrance. A scowl makes its way to his face. 

“I hate bread.”

You look cartoonishly shocked by the information. 

“You hate bread????? So like, just peanut butter and jam on a plate then???”

“Why the fuck would I eat peanut butter and jelly on a plate?”

“I don't know. There's not a simple midnight snack I can make without bread!” Your eyes threaten to go in different directions.

“Just make me some rice balls.” He suggests.

“Do I look like Sanji?” you ask sarcastically.

Law drags a hand down his face in frustration. 

“You're such a pain. Fine, I'll do it.”

You watch as he begins to gather the ingredients. He keeps tripping over his feet, making more noise than usual. He lines everything up on the counter before starting to put the ingredients together. You peer over his shoulder with scrutiny. 

“You gotta make them with love or they'll taste bad.” You warn. 

He nudges you away. His movements are haphazard and clumsy. Rushing through the process out of spite. 

“NO! You're making them with hate!!!!” You shriek. 

“Because you keep annoying me!!! Quit breathing down my neck!”

You push him back, stealing the cup of rice and holding it out of reach. 

“Move! Just tell me what to do and I'll make them.”

“So now someone wants to cook?”

“Because you're making them with hate!!!!! Watch, there's gonna be a huge difference.”

He grumbles, but there's no further protest. You move as carefully as someone drunk off their ass could, listening to Law's instructions. When it comes time to shape the rice balls, you make them into hearts. There's extra care when you display them.

“Made with love,” you coo. 

He takes one from you with a roll of his eyes. There was in fact a huge difference compared to what they usually tasted like. Somehow more flavorful. But he'd never tell you. Not even with the hopeful expression on your face. 

“They still taste like they're made with ‘hate’ Y/n-ya,” he teased. 

You don't remember when it changed. How he went from calling you Reaper, to Y/n. If saying your name meant respect or fondness. And now he added the extra -ya at the end. You're sure Law didn't realize it either. Or rather, he didn't think it was worth acknowledging. 

You realize he's smiling at you. Not the usual one he gave where it looked like he was plotting a murder. This one is genuine. It's warm. You can feel your face heat up at the sight.

Happiness looked good on him.

Your eyes trail to his lips while he talks. You can feel your heart hammer away in your chest. And when he looks at you with affection, you want. 

“Can I kiss you?” You slur out without thinking. 

His cheeks go a bright red. Looking down at you with an expression that's scared and unsure.

“Why?” he asks in complete disbelief. 

“You make my heart do things.” You try to explain.

“You make mine do worse things.” He counters.

You make him feel wanted. Loved. All the sweet things he never thought he'd get to experience. It's scary because he truly can't fathom why you think he's someone worth having feelings for. What about him was there to love?

You notice the storm going on inside his head. So you cup his cheeks, guiding his eyes to meet yours. His breath catches in his lungs. Your touch is intimate, sparking up that feeling of yearning he tried to squash down. 

“Will you let me kiss you?” Your tone is impossibly soft. 

You're just making the alliance more complicated, he tries to reason. Law should say no with the little clarity he has left. Put a stop to what had just barely begun. 

“Yes.”

You move slowly, giving him time to back out in case he didn't truly want this. But he leans towards you instead, trying to meet halfway. You press your lips softly to his. The yearning in his chest swells. He presses back into you, reaching up to cradle your head. It's addicting. Consequence be damned, you both deserved a moment of happiness. 

Near the entrance to the kitchen, a horrified Bepo puts a paw to his mouth in shock. He backs away slowly from the sight.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

An: I can't help but write lore in my stories 😔. Y'all aren't ready for Wano. (It's just crack. Reader and Kid will be beefing for comedic relief) But for now☝️☝️☝️ I return to my HxH hole. 

If y'all wanna be tagged, just let me know. Although, this will probably only be one chapter longer when i get to it. Unless 🤔🤔🤔

TAGS: @historygeekqueen

[crusty-chronicles]

I feel like I've been neglecting my Hxh fans. What would y'all like me to work on next after this one piece one shot?

[crusty-chronicles]

When u will do part 2 of ging fic can u @me... Please it's so good

Hopefully soon??? I've been One Piece brainrotted for a while now, so I've kinda been neglecting HxH. I'm coming back to it though ☝️☝️☝️Let me put a poll up to have y'all vote for which HxH story chapter you want out next. I'll start working on it after I finish up with what I'm currently writing. (And of course I'll tag you for the next chapter of the Ging story💕💕)

[crusty-chronicles]

What It Takes To Move Forward

Synopsis: Coming to terms with the fact that Sabo wasn't dead.

Disclaimers: Fem reader 😔 apologies to all my gn and male readers. Reader is an ASL sibling, one year older than Luffy. Mini series?????? Law is a love interest because I said so. Reader's weapon of choice is a scythe 👁️👁️ Cannon is what I say it is🫵🫵🫵 for plot purposes of course

Part 2

---------------------------------------------------

It feels like you're stuck in time. Your body paralyzed with so many different feelings. You can tell Sabo’s the same way, waiting with bated breath for your reaction. He's searching your eyes for a glimpse of what you might be feeling. You realize he looks so much older. The boy you thought would never get the chance to grow up was truly here in front of you.

You're not Luffy. He knows you two couldn't be any more different. But a part of him still hopes. He hopes you'll forgive him for not being there. He hopes you'll throw your arms around him and cry the happiest tears you can muster. All he can do is hope.

He takes the first step towards you, calling out your name softly. It's been so long since he's seen you. You're not a little kid anymore. It almost breaks his heart to see his baby sister all grown up. He'd seen Luffy plenty of times in the newspaper. (Albeit he didn't remember who he was at the time.) Hell, he has his wanted poster up in his room. But he has nothing of you. He didn't even know you'd become a pirate.

He remembers you being adamantly against it when you were kids. Not wanting a target on your back and instead choosing a normal carefree life. You'd planned to make a living selling and fixing weapons. Never was there a moment when you weren't tinkering with tools and creating spare parts out of scraps. 

And now you were here. Running around with Luffy causing a commotion. Gone was your dream of a peaceful life. He wonders what could've made you give it up. 

It wasn't until Doflomingo projected your image did he see you. And it filled him with dread. The title besides your name nearly gave him a heart attack. The Reaper Y/n. You'd actually had your own bounty. But he didn't have the time to sit back and wonder what you were doing here. He couldn't ask Robin if she'd known about you. So he leaves it alone. Or he left it alone.

Fate has a fucked up way of playing out sometimes. You and Luffy needed a place to recoup. Somewhere safe from the Marines after Doflamingo’s defeat. He promised himself he'd come running if either of you ever needed something. It goes without saying he offered you and Luffy's crew to camp out with the revolutionaries. 

But now that you're here…It makes him second guess himself.

You're staring at him now, and he flinches at the look in your eyes. It's not the uncontainable joyful one that Luffy had. It's hurt. He's close enough to put a hand on your shoulder. As soon as he does, you're punching the side of his jaw as hard as you can. The sound of impact catches everybody's attention. 

The hideout goes completely silent. From the corner of his eye, he can see Luffy rushing over. Wanting to separate a potential scuffle. But Sabo holds a hand up to stop him.

You're strong.

He's never been more proud.

He looks back over to you, ignoring the stinging of his jaw. His heart drops when he sees you crying. There's a scowl on your face and your hands are clenched.

“I hate you.” It's said quietly. 

Then you're screaming it out, hitting at his chest feebly.

“I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!”

He can do nothing but take it. He was expecting one of you to hit him. But the thought never crossed his mind you'd resent him. You're so angry you're crying. 

“HOW DARE YOU!!!”

He forced himself to believe this was good. That this was what he wanted. Hearing someone else verbalize what he'd been thinking all along. Not the usual ‘it’s not your fault. You couldn't have done anything.’ 

But if this was truly what he wanted, then why did it hurt so much? Like daggers piercing through his very soul.

“YOU DON'T GET TO JUST COME BACK!!! WE GRIEVED FOR YOU!!! WE THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!!!”

He stumbles back when you shove him away from you. You don't want answers, and he knows that. 

“ALL THIS TIME!?!? YOU NEVER SAID ANYTHING?!?! I HATE YOU!!!”

And that's the cry that breaks him. He would have reached out sooner. He would've been there. But he wasn't. He knows what it looks like. That he vanished without a trace and was doing just fine. That he left all three of you behind. 

Somehow, he knows you know that's not true. 

“HOW COULD YOU LET ACE DIE THINKING YOU WERE ON THE OTHER SIDE WAITING FOR HIM!?!”

He doesn't know what to say. He can't possibly find the right words to soothe you. How could he when you were right? He doesn't know how he's keeping it together right now. How he's not crying and begging for your forgiveness. He offers up the only thing he can. An apology.

“I'm sorry.”

The fight leaves you and he's temporarily relieved. Though the silence that follows after has his worry coming back full force. It's almost suffocating. He observes you quietly. Despite the tears running down your face, he can tell you're thinking. Processing the situation before you.

You look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. Perhaps you do. Looking after Luffy for the past two years since Ace’s death. He wonders…So he asks the question without thinking. 

“You're a part of Luffy’s crew? You never wanted to be a pirate.”

He wonders if so much time has passed that you changed your mind. There's so many things he wants to ask you. So many things he wants to tell you. But he doesn't know it's all been too much for you. That one question had pushed you over the edge.

All damn day since Luffy told you he was alive, you've been suppressing your emotions. In denial of the news and putting all your focus into stopping Doflamingo. You could pretend it wasn't real. 

Then his damn face was projected across the entire country. A face so much older than you remember. The scar running down the side of his head had let you know it was real. It almost made you slip up. Made you cry and scream about how unfair it was.

Thankfully, Luffy had wasted no time taking off in the direction of the castle. You were able to force everything back down to follow suit. Your desire to protect him outweighing everything else. But now?

Now that you'd been forced to confront Sabo? Now that you were face to face? Now that he was talking to you like no time had passed?

You want to run away. To escape from everything. You can't handle him prodding for answers on your decision. It'd only end up with you screaming at him more. Make it look like you were the one who was acting irrational after everything you've been through. 

So you walk away from him.

You turn your back and leave. Your name dies on his tongue. He can't call you back. It hurts, but he understands. He lets you go, watching as you place yourself the furthest you can within the camp. You want nothing to do with him, and he can respect it. For your peace of mind at least. He feels a hand on his shoulder as he watches you go.

“I'll go talk to her.”

He's grateful for Koala’s kindness, but he knows you. If you want to be left alone, you'll be left alone. Yet he doesn't stop her, hoping you might just listen this time. You don't, of course. And he can't help but grimace as he watches it go down.

You feel a presence approach you, not bothering to lift your head. 

“Hey, mind if I sit here?” A soft voice calls out.

You recognize it as the girl who'd been working with Sabo. Koala. If you remembered correctly, she traveled with the Sun Pirates when she was a kid. You would have given her Jimbe’s regards had you been in your right mind. 

But you're not. Everything is murky. Thoughts swarming with both anger and relief. Betrayal and melancholy. She doesn't wait for you to respond before sitting next to you. 

You say nothing. Your legs folded in with your arms around them. You don't address her when she speaks.

“It's not his fault, you know? He didn't-”

You get up wordlessly and leave. Koala gapes at you in shock as you once again situate yourself further away. You don't let her finish speaking. (Something Sabo always did.) You just wanted a moment to clear your head. A break from everything. You don't care about the why's or the how's. 

Didn't you have the right to be upset?

Were you just supposed to pretend everything was okay?

The last attempt to get anything out of you comes from Luffy. He sits next to you quietly. If anyone could get through to you, it was him. Just as the two older brothers had a soft spot for you, you had one for Luffy. Especially when it had just been the two of you.

He knows you're mad. He knows why. It was something he'd felt earlier. Getting unbelievably upset at you for the stunt you pulled. Throwing yourself in front of Law in a last ditch effort to stop Doflamingo from killing him. All the while, Luffy was forced to watch and do nothing behind the bars of the coliseum. 

He could only watch as you were kicked around. Refusing to give up on protecting his alliance partner. And then you'd gone and done it again. He hadn't seen exactly what happened. But he saw the aftermath.

A bullet hole through your back while you laid protectively on top of the surgeon of death. 

Luffy couldn't help but get angry at you. You were gonna throw your life away. You would have left him by himself.

He gets it.

All the same, you gained back a brother you thought you'd lost. You shouldn't hold it against Sabo. But he gets why you do. It's not the first time you'd been angry at someone for dying. He remembers you cursing Sabo out the first time you all thought he was dead. He remembers you calling Ace stupid for letting his pride get the best of him. Crying that it wasn't fair he left you and Luffy alone.

But it was first for you to be upset at them for living.

He doesn't think you're being fair. Would you have been mad if it were Ace? He’s sure no one would've been happier than you. Then again, he hadn't been ‘dead’ for nine years. (And he'd raised you and Luffy by himself.)

“He didn't remember. He hit his head when he got attacked that day.” Luffy tells you the truth, although he knows it won't make a big difference.

Not now at least.

“He's sorry he couldn't be there for Ace. But he's here now. That counts for something, right?”

Sabo’s here. You and Luffy aren't alone anymore. He knows that's the reason you're really upset. He knows you gave up on your dream to protect him. He didn't ask you to. He could never have asked that of you. But you did it anyways because you loved him too much to lose. All you had was each other. 

So to find out it was all for nothing… That you gave up on your dream for nothing…

It doesn't help quiet your mind. Everything only gets more fuzzy. But it pushes you to a decision you should've made a long time ago. Luffy didn't need you here anymore.

“I'm resigning from your crew.” Your voice is quiet, yet firm.

“What?” And it feels like his world is ending. How did he end up digging an even bigger hole for himself?

“Why?!? We beat Doflamingo, didn't we!? Why do you wanna quit all of a sudden?”

But you don't offer him an explanation. You just get up and leave. That's both brothers you've hurt today. But you can't take it anymore. Any of this. You're so damn tired of looking over your shoulder. So damn tired of being on the run. So tired of worrying if your brother was gonna die. 

As selfish as it was, you didn't want to be involved anymore. Not when everything was so hazy. Thoughts muddled with grief, anger, and everything in between. 

It's not like with Usopp when he quit. An argument gone too far. And it's not like with Robin either. You're not being forced to do something you don't want to. Luffy can't stop you from quitting. He can't refuse your resignation either like with the rest of the Strawhats. You're his big sister. He doesn't hold the same authority over you. 

And if Luffy can't talk you out of it, then you're truly a lost cause.

You thought you'd finally gotten your silence, until you heard footsteps once again. You curled in tighter on yourself. You had no more fight in you to argue.

“Please just leave me alone.” You said quietly.

“Not a chance. You were a pain in my ass when I wanted you gone, now I get to be a pain in yours.”

You looked up in shock at Law. Out of everyone you were expecting, he was the last one. You blamed yourself, really. You'd been so damn persistent ever since Punk Hazard. Going out of your way to make sure he didn't feel like the odd one out. 

You figured it must've been taxing to be on a ship full of strangers. You knew your first days on the Sunny were awkward. So you made it a point to bother Law. Approaching him when he sat by himself to watch Caeser.

“You're gonna get scoliosis slumped over like that. And here I thought you were a doctor.” You teased, blanket in your arms.

He looked up at you with a small glare.

“I'll be fine.” He dismissed.

But you wouldn't be swayed so easily. You were no stranger to stubbornness. Having dealt with it throughout your childhood. His abrasiveness didn't bother you one bit. Though you supposed he might've had enough of you for the day.

You didn't exactly trust him after he'd formed an alliance with Luffy. And it wasn't your place to tell Luffy what to do. This was his crew, after all. So you followed after Law to keep an eye on him instead. You were sure he didn't appreciate it when you screamed your head off after decapitating Vergo.

“GROSS! GROSS! GROSS! I CHOPPED HIS FREAKING HEAD OFF!!!!”

Despite it, you crouched down next to him. Offering the blanket you'd brought.

“You're sitting like a shrimp.” You pointed out his slumped over posture.

Law straightened up immediately. A noticeable red tinge spread across his cheeks. He ignored your outstretched hands.

“You can relax, you know? Caesar’s not going anywhere.” You tried to sway.

“With your crew? I wouldn't be surprised if he escapes in five minutes.”

Now, your crew didn't exactly have the best track record with hostages. Or any record for that matter. You'd admit defeat. Just this once.

“Fair enough. How about I keep you company instead?”

“I don't need any distractions,” he rejected. 

But you wouldn't be deterred that easily. Before he could react, you draped the blanket over his shoulders. His body stiffened in shock. Glaring up at you soon after. 

“Take it. Or you'll get sick, Doctor.” The emphasis on the word doctor wasn't lost on him.

As if he would be a fool to get sick given his title. He refused to be chastised. Especially by a Strawhat. Although he noticed the small shiver you gave.

“You're the one who's gonna get sick.” He argued.

“Worried about me?”

“Worried you'll spread your disease.”

You gave a laugh and sat next to him.

Oh yes, how stubborn you'd been. Your previous positions now reversed. You supposed karma was a bitch. You’d also run out of places to storm off to. If Law decided to prod for answers, you’d turn yourself into Fujitoru and get it over with.

Instead he chastises you.

“I guess stupid runs in the family. What do you think will happen if you just quit being a pirate?”

It has to do with Luffy. Of course it did. The last two years of your life had centered around him. Joining his crew was forever attached to you now. It's bitter to think like that. You know it is. But your headspace is incredibly messed up right now. You can’t think rationally.

You sit in silence as Law continues speaking. 

“You think you can just go back to being a random civilian? You're wanted. Someone will spot you and cash in on your bounty. Given your relationship to Strawhat, you'll probably be executed if you’re caught.”

You wish you could've said you weren't listening, but you were. They were all points you hadn't been thinking of when you ‘quit.’ Your emotions clouding your judgment. Your emotions were still clouding your judgment. 

“And who the hell is gonna drop you off back to your home? Me and Luffy have business in Wano. I doubt the revolutionaries will take you back either.”

You hate that he's right. Not even Garp could take you in at this point. If you really did quit, getting off of Dressrosa would be a hassle. The Marines swarming the island didn't help your case either.

“Think it through first.” It's said softer this time.

Crude in every sense of the word, but it was what you needed right now. Someone to tell you to quit acting like a child throwing a tantrum. 

It reminded you of Ace. 

He doesn't ask you to stay. He doesn't question your outbursts. And he doesn't try to make excuses for Sabo. But he doesn't let you stew in your thoughts either. He looks at you from the corner of his eye. His posture is very much stiff. Awkward. Like he doesn't know what to say or how to say it. 

The noise in the hideout picks up once more. Though you can still feel worried eyes on you. Your crying has stopped. That's at least one positive. 

“Why'd you do it?” Law asked at last.

You knew what he was referring to. Getting in Doflamingo's way to protect him. You wish you could've had an answer for him. You didn't owe him anything through Luffy's alliance. You were sure Law didn't consider the two of you friends. Your actions were just as baffling to you as they were to him. 

You shrug your shoulders. 

“I don't know.”

“What do you mean you don't know?”

“I guess it was just force of habit. I used to protect Luffy like that when he'd get himself into trouble. I didn't have my weapon, so I'd use my body as a shield.”

It doesn't answer his question. If anything, it leaves him more confused. Why would you go out of your way like that? Getting shot, kicked, and sliced… And for what? You couldn't have been that selfless. No one was.

Then again, Luffy had freed an entire country because a girl fed him. 

“It's gonna get you killed one day.” He warns.

“Yeah but not today.”

For a split second, a ghost of a smile graces your face. You seemed to have calmed down. Though Law couldn't be so sure. You'd turned away Luffy of all people. Still, you weren't curled into yourself anymore. 

And a few minutes later, you'd leaned your head on his shoulder. Eyes fighting to stay open. Fatigue claiming you after what had to be the worst day of your life. He freezes. 

You passed out on his shoulder and he's scared. What the hell was he supposed to do? You were emotionally exhausted, so definitely not wake you up. He didn't need you drooling all over him, so definitely not let you stay there. You're so vexing he thinks he should just use his power to move you to a bed. 

But he doesn't.

Instead he chooses to pick you up, carrying you towards your brothers. They look up at him. One in confusion and the other with apprehension.

“She cried herself out. Here.” He extends your slumbering body forward, hoping one of them would take you. That one of them would know what to do. 

But it's Luffy. So of course he throws all expectations out the window.

“You should keep her. She fell asleep with you, so I think she wants you around. She'd probably get mad if me or Sabo were there when she woke up.”

He really should have just left you alone. He wouldn't have been put in this position if he did. 

“You've gotta be kidding me.” He muttered.

Law waits for the other one to respond. The revolutionary. But he doesn't. He looks like he wants to, but he's holding himself back. The whole family is infuriating. For putting him in this position specifically. (Though the blame is mostly on himself for approaching you in the first place.)

With no other option, he brings you to one of the spare beds the revolutionaries had prepared. You'd need water when you woke up. You probably dehydrated yourself with all your crying. 

He shouldn't care.

There's a glass of water next to your bedside when you wake. 

The morning is significantly less tense. No sign of the Marines so far. Everyone can rest for now. You linger in the small space you'd been placed in last night. Not yet ready to face the day. Or rather, not ready to face either one of your brothers. 

Luffy had kept his distance from you. Though you could see it in his face that he wanted to reach out to you. You couldn't help but feel guilty. You never were good at being upset at him. Something he'd unintentionally exploited. But your mind was still a little fuzzy. You needed more space before you'd be ready to talk.

You isolated yourself once again to think. And like yesterday, Law decided to sit next to you. The only one who pushed his luck to be next to you after you'd lashed out. 

Usopp was terrified to say the least. Franky figured it wasn't his place to get involved with you and Luffy's affairs. Zoro was indifferent but understood you needed space. And Robin wasn't the type to push people. 

You didn't miss the rowdiness much. Not when everything had been so hectic. Your brain equated the quietness to peace. It was easier on your cluttered thoughts. There weren't many words exchanged between you and Law. And once again you were grateful.

His presence there but not pushing.

You supposed you granted him a similar kindness before this mess started. Finding him on the Sunny by his lonesome once more. You’d decided to ask the question that had been weighing heavily on your mind. 

The target of this pirate alliance. 

You were only asking for your little brother's benefit. Always about Luffy. Always for his safety. Because it was just the two of you now. You were just one year older than him, but that was enough.

“Why Doflamingo of all people?”

Law had looked at you with a scowl. You knew better than to take it to heart. If he was really upset at you, then he would've used his powers to teleport you somewhere else. 

“It's none of your business,” he said almost defensively. 

You’d let out a tired sigh. His moodiness was familiar, however, it was still draining to deal with. You understood why he kept his guard up. Still, you just wanted to know what he was getting Luffy into. Why he was dragging him into it, no matter how petty the reason.

“If it's personal, you can just say so.”

Your words seemed to catch him by surprise. Nevertheless, you gestured behind you to where most of the crew was messing around.

“We've all got baggage here. It's not my place to tell you everyone's story, but I can tell you mine if you'd like.”

You let your offer hang in the air for a moment. Watching the tension slightly dissipate from him. 

“Besides, Luffy already decided you're his friend now. Nothing's gonna change his mind from helping you.”

Law grumbled out a ‘we’re not friends’ under his breath before addressing you fully. 

“It is personal. Way more than you could imagine.”

You offered up a smile.

“That settles that. You think Sanji has anything good ready yet?”

You'd left it. You supposed he was returning the favor now. Or at the very least pitying you. It didn't really matter anyways. You could still feel eyes on you. You didn't have to look to know it was Sabo. He'd let you and Luffy stay here and you were throwing it back in his face. He was probably looking for the best time to approach you. Wanting to fix the ever growing rift.

You weren't ready yet.

That didn't mean you weren't starting to feel like shit for yelling at him.

“Am I a bad person?” You asked after a while.

“We're pirates. We're all bad people,” Law answered. 

You'd argue going against a shitty government didn't make you evil, but you didn't want to get into that. 

“Maybe that wasn't the best phrasing. I mean, am I being selfish?”

Selfish for being angry at something that was out of Sabo’s control. Selfish for wasting what little time you had with your whole family again. 

“I should be happy he's back. There's gotta be something wrong with me.” You verbalize your scattered thoughts as best you could.

This time Law was the one letting out a tired sigh. As if he was about to explain something to a child. 

“You can't control the way you feel. No matter how stupid you're being.”

It does make you feel marginally better to know your feelings are valid. The haze in your mind clears some more. You find it in yourself to tease. Though it comes out more mockingly than you would've liked.

“Is that your diagnosis, Doc?”

He doesn't take it personally.

“Being a doctor doesn't mean I'm a therapist. Still, you should talk to him. You might find some closure.”

Closure huh? Something you never got with Ace after he died. You were too late to be there for him. Never got to tell him that yes, he was worth a war. He was worth much more than that. Sabo was a different story. He was your brother, and yet so much time had passed he was practically a stranger. 

Maybe that was why it was so much easier to be mad at him. 

But you were warming up to the idea of talking. Not forgiving him, but talking.

“I'll think about it.” At last your anger had simmered down. Left in its wake was a somber bitterness. 

“How's the arm?” You changed the subject.

Law looked down at his bandaged arm. 

“Better than not having one at all. You were an even bigger fool for that stunt.”

This time you did smile.

Luffy had been busy fighting Bellamy when you heard Law shout. You trusted your brother enough to finish things. You had faith he'd find a way to win. Without a second thought, you'd jumped back up to the rooftop.

It took you all but a second to assess the situation. Seeing Law writhing on the ground in pain. His arm a few feet away from him. Your reaction was instantaneous. Giving a swing with your scythe before charging forward. No Haki or devil fruit to protect you. 

Doflamingo, the bastard he was, laughed at your attempts to strike him. 

“You really think you can beat me?”

You sliced through his string last second. However, more quickly materialized. You blocked a kick with the hilt of your scythe, skittering a few feet back. You rebounded as fast as you could, moving once more to strike. Your attempt was thwarted as soon as it started.

He'd grabbed both ends of your weapon with the silent threat of destroying it. But when he tried to use his awakening to turn it to string, the smirk vanished from his face.

“Sea prism stone!?!”

You thought on your feet. Letting go of your beloved weapon with a shove.

“Merry Christmas asshat!”

You were a firm believer in fighting dirty, especially when you were at a complete disadvantage. If he thought he could one up you, he'd better think again. Being disarmed didn't mean you were incapable of fighting back. You kicked him where the sun didn't shine as hard as you could. 

There was disbelief in his expression before he doubled over in pain. Cursing you out as you rushed over to Law. You did your best to get him up and away from the battle despite his protests. Of course you had your ass handed to you a few moments later. 

You'd say it was worth it. Law on the other hand clearly thought differently.

“He chopped your arm off and shot you. Forgive me for having a conscience,” You justified.

“Don't do it again.” 

You were surprised by the seriousness of his tone. Trying to mask the unknown feeling settling in your gut with another tease.

“Worried about me?”

It didn't alleviate the tension like you were hoping.

“If something happens to you, Strawhat will lose it. He needs to be focused when we fight Kaido. So don't be so careless with your life.”

Another valid point. Although, you could see through his aloofness. He was genuinely concerned about you. You didn't know how to feel about that. 

“I'll think about it.”

—-----------------------------------

It’s day three and Luffy decides he can't take it anymore. The tension between you and Sabo he could let go. You two were more than capable of patching things up yourselves. But you being mad at him? He can't stand it. The thought of you quitting his crew might actually kill him. 

He can't force you to stay. He can try to convince you, but he knows how stubborn you can be. All of you were stubborn in your own ways. Even if you do decide to leave, he doesn't want it to be on bad terms. 

He's half grateful, half pissy that Law was keeping you company. Out of everyone, he was the one you let be close to you? To be fair, no one else had tried. He wishes he could peek inside your head to see what's going on. See if you still wanted space. 

Luffy decides to take his chances. Approaching you like a kicked puppy. When you were little, you were always the one comforting him when Ace and Sabo got a little rough. He remembers fake crying to you just to get them in trouble. 

But then you'd hug him and tell him he just needed to push himself harder. You'd reassure him he was just as strong. His frustrations became a little more real everytime. 

He sought you out over the other two when he was upset. He knows Ace and Sabo did too. Confiding in you because you were softer. You didn't poke fun or tease when it was serious. 

Luffy’s older now, and still your comfort means everything to him. He knows you give him more leeway than anyone else. More of a chance to talk to you. 

He feels like a child again, pressing his face to your back while hugging you tightly. You tense up. For a second, he thinks you'll get up and move away from him. 

“Are you mad at me?” He asks quietly.

It nearly breaks your heart. You give in immediately. Luffy didn't do anything wrong, and you know that. He just didn't want to see his siblings fighting. You can't stay mad at him. You never could.

“...No. I'm not mad,” you responded.

“Then don't quit.” It's pleading.

Like he was scared he'd never see you again. You wouldn't have gone through with it anyway. Law having thankfully talked some sense into you. Even if that wasn't the case, Luffy's plea would have been the thing to change your mind. 

“I won't. I was just upset. I still am. But not at you, okay?” You reassure.

He nods against your back, using his devil fruit to wrap his arms around you several times. 

“Okay.”

There's a beat of silence before he speaks again.

“I love you.”

Your response came immediately.

“Love you too, you goof.”

—--------------------------------

Day four is when you finally talk to Sabo. It wasn't in the way you expected. Or wanted for that matter. He had been keeping an eye on you since day one. Wanting to approach yet hesitating. 

You said you hated him.

He knows you didn't mean it. Hoped you didn't mean it.

It still stung though.

“She's stubborn.” Koala commented.

He would've laughed had he not felt like shit.

“She probably gets it from Ace.” 

He'd always been the one with the worst temper out of you four. Makes sense you'd pick up on it. Although you were petty enough on your own.

“I remember she got really mad at us one time because Luffy got hurt. She didn't talk to me or Ace for weeks.” The memory feels so distant now.

“What fixed it?”

“We blew a bunch of the money we saved up on a new work bench for her. Of course she was the one who made most of it anyway,” he explained.

Whereas the boys had traded off scraps, you repaired weapons. Making them look brand new when you sold them off. You were crafty for an eight year old. He wonders how much you've improved over the years.

“Don't suppose there's something in Dressrosa she wants?” 

Sabo shook his head.

Unless he could bring Ace back from the dead, he was unfortunately stuck with your ire. (He tells himself that isn't true. He's being dramatic because he's upset too.)

He could see you calmed down somewhat. You weren't isolating yourself anymore. The Surgeon of Death by your side. You were smiling at him. He remembers your smile being as big as Luffy's. Toothy to the point of showing gums. It's smaller now. Weighed down. 

A part of him is still protective over you. Watching carefully at the interaction you shared. He still remembers what him and Ace said to you when you were smaller. They'd been such children back then.

“If anyone wants to marry you, they have to beat me in a fight.” Ace declared after a boy tried to give you flowers.

Though it felt like it was coming out of nowhere for you. Your baffled expression showing as much.

“Wha? You're just gonna beat them up!” You argued.

“Not true. If they're strong, they'll win. You can't marry someone weak. We need to know you'll be in good hands.” Sabo explained.

Your frown deepened. Cheeks puffing out in a pout.

“I can take care of myself!!!” 

“You and Luffy played chicken with a beehive and bet whoever moved away first lost.” Ace pointed out. 

“I would've won if he wasn't made of rubber!”

“Our point still stands. There's nothing wrong with looking after our little sister.” Sabo have your head a pat, all the fight effectively leaving you.

“I should've been born a boy,” you mumbled.

It wasn't so much as doubting your strength, rather, they were worried someone would take advantage of yours. But they'd been too young to properly articulate it into words. 

The memory leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. You'd all changed so much. Things were so much simpler back then. You were all grown up now. More than capable enough to make your own decisions. Although you didn't have to pick one of the worst generation captains to buddy up to. 

You get up from your spot, preparing to make your way outside. You probably wanted to tinker with your scythe in private. It was one of the ways you cleared your head. 

Now was his chance. 

He was proven right in thinking you wanted to mess with your weapon. You were running your finger over the blade. It was a beautiful piece. The blade pure white with no serrated edges. Like it was a finely sharpened slab of sea prism stone. Knowing you, it probably was. You honed in your skills after all. He takes a deep breath before speaking.

“Can we please talk?”

You freeze. Hands tightening on the hilt of your scythe for a brief second. You won't swing on him. You'd never go that far. The both of you know that. You're just scared. Then it's frustration as you set your weapon down.

You can't avoid him forever. And he'd been respectful of your boundaries so far. You knew if you told him you didn't want to talk that he'd leave it. But you aren't that cruel. 

Closure, huh? It didn't sound so bad right now.

“I don't want you to leave hating me.” He admits quietly.

It makes your frustrations faulter. Your hands tremble ever so slightly.

“Maybe it's selfish, but I want to try and fix things. I want to be able to be there for both of you.”

For you and Luffy. 

He does something that shocks you next. He lifts up his pointer finger between you. Steadily, a flame builds up. The sight is so familiar it physically hurts. He'd won the devil fruit. Ace's fruit. You stop yourself from reaching towards your back. Where new scar tissue had covered up the original branding. No one else knew besides him. 

The flame disperses and you’re left missing its warmth. 

“I'm not Ace. I know you'd rather it be him that was here. I can't take his place. And I don't want to.” Another quiet admission.

Your bottom lip wobbles because that's not true. You loved Ace, yes, but you'd never trade one brother for the other. No matter how upset you were at one of them. 

“I don't know what the three of you went through after I left. I can't begin to imagine the pain you and Luffy went through after Ace's death. But I'm trying to be what you need right now. I can't make things better if you don't let me.”

The reason you'd been so upset in the first place resurfaces. The betrayal, the hurt, all of it. It takes everything in you to hold back that first tear.

“I wish I could have been at Marineford. I wish I could have remembered sooner. But I can't change what happened. I'm sorry.” 

You break. Everything spills out at once. You're back to screaming. Snot and tears running down your face. You couldn't keep everything in anymore.

“I know it's not your fault that you didn't remember! I know it wasn't Ace's fault that he died! But you still left us!!!!”

You're going into hysterics. Going to shove him but stopping. Choosing to fist at his jacket. He lets you despite his surprise.

“You promised you'd always be there to look after us!” It comes out as a screech. Accusing and broken at the same time.

Because you and Luffy were the babies. The ones to be protected. When the two of them were absent from your lives, you had to be the one to grow up next.

He understands now. Why you joined Luffy's crew. Your anger at his reappearance. All of it. He didn't know what happened after he was gone, but he knew enough from your reaction. 

Four. 

Then three. 

Then just you and Luffy.

Ace had been your rock growing up. You'd formed alliances like the little shits you were. Luffy clung to Sabo and you'd clung to Ace. It was no secret he'd hated you at first. Said all you'd do was hold them back. So you were surprised when you got hurt and he was the one taking care of you. Scolding and lecturing you for being so careless.

When the secret of his father got out, you were the first one to tell him it didn't matter what was in his blood. The first one to comfort him after he'd lashed out at Sabo and Luffy. 

He tried his hardest to shoo you away. Told you that you shouldn't be friends with a demon like him. That the blood in his veins was cursed. He was less standoffish with you than the other two. To be fair, you didn't say Rodger’s name. You'd only asked him why he was so upset. And when you got your answer, you did what you always did.

Make things better.

“You're not evil because of what's in your blood. I've seen the worst in people before.” You tried your best to soothe.

You swore the mark on your back still hurt. Though you knew all that was there now was scar tissue and a symbol that meant you were nothing. You smile at Ace all the same. 

“I'm not ready to talk about it yet, but you aren't anything like that. You're a good person Ace. You're not a demon or a monster. You're my brother.”

You didn't think you'd ever seen him cry before. He tried to hide it, but his sniffles gave it away. He acted much older than he was. You forgot he was still a kid like you sometimes. He needed reassurance just like anybody else. 

“I love you.” You added.

He went quiet for a second. Processing those three words over and over. It was like a shock to his system. When he finally looked at you, his expression was nothing but relieved.

“...Thank you for loving me.”

You never fully understood the weight on his shoulders after Sabo's death. Ace was a kid taking care of kids. He had to grow up in order to make sure you two didn't. And he didn't always get it right. Luffy let him know plenty of times when he was being too mean. But he did the best he could.

And when he left, he practically pleaded with you to follow suit. Your dream had always been different from theirs. You didn't want a life of grand adventure. ‘Freedom’ as they called it. You just wanted peace. To live in the quiet and get all old. 

He wanted more than that for you. He wanted you laughing and smiling everyday. Out in the open enjoying yourself instead of being cooped up in your workshop.

But you didn't take him up on his offer. So when you'd finally turned 17, he tried again. This time making it his priority to convince you to join Whitebeard’s crew. 

“It's not too late to change your mind. I'm sure Pops wouldn't mind having someone like you around. C’mon Y/n, let's set sail before Luffy gets back.”

You were undeniably happy he was doing well as a pirate. That he found himself a family out on the sea. But it wasn't the life for you, or so you tried to convince yourself. You laughed at his enthusiasm. Turning him down like you did the first time. 

Being the gremlin you knew him as, he called you lame before asking you for a favor. 

“Make me a ship powered by my devil fruit.”

And so you did. Something he made sure to brag about when he returned to the Moby Dick. You figured it was only a matter of time before he came back with another excuse to bother you. You were right.

Ace was persistent. Stubborn. Stopping by every now and again under the guise of needing the ship's weapons checked out. Making it a point to get you familiar with the crew. Introducing you as the best weapons master in the East Blue. And every time without fail, you said no. 

He left the offer up anyways. 

“You'll always be welcomed if you decide to join. All you have to do is ask, and I'll come get you.”

Luffy wasn't any different in that regard. He begged you to go with him before he left. Pulling you to the shore where he was preparing to take off.

“Come on! You can be my first crew member! It'll be so fun! Please!”

It was hard to say no to him. However, just this once you stood your ground. Besides, Ace was out there with him. And he'd probably throw a fit if he found out you set sail with Luffy instead.

“Maybe when you finally become the king of the pirates.” You hoped he would take the bait.

He did…Just not in the way you were expecting.

“I will! So why don't you just join right now?”

“That's cheating.”

“What? You don't believe in me?” He accused.

“Of course I do. I'm just giving you an incentive to do it sooner. Okay?”

He huffed and puffed about it, but he gave in.

“Fine.”

You understood Ace’s position it now that it was just you and Luffy. When it was just the two of you. You had to be the protector. Be the adult forced to make the hard decisions.

But you didn't have to anymore. And the realization that you can finally be weak again has you shaking with relief instead of anger and frustration.

You didn't want it to just be you and Luffy again.

You don't fight it when Sabo hesitantly wraps his arms around you. If there was one thing you missed most about being little, it was being engulfed in your older brothers’ hugs. A silent promise that you'd be okay. That there was always someone keeping an eye on you.

You were sobbing hysterically into his shirt. Clutching and grabbing onto whatever you could. He held you close, chin resting on your head. If Sabo’s being honest, he doesn't know how he's not crying with you. 

Maybe because you needed him to be strong right now. 

“I'm sorry. I promise you I'll be here from now on. No matter what.” He swears.

And you believe him. Sobbing out the fears and doubts you'd had for the past two years.

“I didn't know what to do! I was so scared!” You feel like a baby with how much you're blubbering. 

You missed being the smaller one. Having someone else look after you. You miss being comforted instead of being the one to comfort. 

His warmth is familiar. It feels like home. Like when the four of you were still together. It's as if everything muddling your mind has finally disappeared. His words of comfort at last reaching you. 

“I know. I'm so sorry Y/n. I'm here now.” He'll apologize as many times as you need to hear it. Letting you cry out everything you'd been bottling up. 

“I love you, okay?” He says softly. 

He fears you won't say it back. But he can live with that. He lived with it the first time.

“I love you too.” You responded once you calmed down enough.

It's enough. More than enough if he was being honest. He lets himself cry with you. He missed the three of you more than anything. And now that Ace had left you and Luffy as his legacy, he swore he'd protect the two of you from anything and everything. 

It was the first step in moving forward.

--------------------------------------------------

An: I've got the worst one piece brainrot right now y'all. I should be studying for my final tomorrow but fuck it, we ball.

[crusty-chronicles]

WOOOHOOOO NEW POST ILY!!!!!

[crusty-chronicles]

BONUS AIRHEADED S/O HEADCANNONS: Law (One Piece)

You remind him so much of Corazon it hurts. 

Yes you get on his nerves. And yes it's a pain to have to replace all the equipment you damaged. 

But everytime you come into his office with a bloody nose because you tripped, he can't help but feel a little nostalgic. 

You lit the kitchen on fire trying to cook?

You're never allowed in there without supervision. But as he's patting out the flames on your body, he's fighting the urge to smile.

You slipped preparing to fight a marine?

He almost forgets to ‘shamble’ you out of the way watching you flail your arms for balance. 

You made him coffee?

He's making you drink it first and hiding his laugh behind his hand as you spit it out. 

“Too salty!!!!” You said while clutching your throat at the taste.

Sometimes he just wants to pick your brain to see what's really going on there.

“Can you smell what purple tastes like?” You asked him once.

His response: “You're an idiot.”

He's a lot more gentle with you than he'd like to admit.

Dabbing alcohol on a scrape you got and actually stopping when you wince.

Resetting any bones you dislocated and muttering a ‘sorry’ when you react negatively.

His words are somehow less crass when he's scolding you.

“What happened this time?” He questioned as you stumbled your way to his office.

“I slammed my head through a wall.”

A dark bruise forming in the center of your forehead.

He gives a grumble, but nevertheless, he's putting some ointment over the mark to soothe the sting.

The lecture he'd have prepared for any of the crew gone. 

In its place is something teasing.

“Is the wall okay?” There's a smile tugging his lips as he finishes bandaging your head. 

“....”

You actively avoid his gaze and it makes him panic.

“Hey! You didn't-!”

“CAPTAIN WE'VE SPRUNG A LEAK!”

He should find it exasperating, really. At this point, treating your small injuries has become a daily occurrence. 

 Instead, he looks forward to it. It's cathartic. 

Applying small bandages, wrapping what was sprained, hell even plucking out the splinters from your fingers.

Despite all the paperwork he has to fill out, he makes time to treat you because he knows you're bound to come to him with something else.

The crew starts making bets on either what you'll destroy next or where you'll get hurt. 

(He occasionally joins in and always ends up winning.)

Snfjrkjf Sachi and Penguin making you a #1 Best Patient Award.

He should find your never ending rambling annoying. 

But he enjoys how you always manage to fill the silence. 

You catch him off guard every time with some of the things you say. 

More often than not you're calling him Doctor instead of Captain.

Something he'd get after anyone but you for.

He just can't find it in him to correct you.

Not even Bepo gets away with as much as you. 

He'd deny babying you. He knows you're strong. 

He's seen you take out fleets. 

He's seen you get stabbed and continue trucking on.

If you've got devil fruit powers, he's seen you level towns by accident with it.

But he's so impossibly soft on you that he can't help it.

He can't help always having you in his line of sight 

He can't help carrying around a few extra stones just in case you get into trouble 

He can't help scanning you with his ability to see if you're hiding something from him.

He realizes he likes you way more than he should've when you get sick 

You'd contracted something from an island the Tang had docked on. 

And because you're you, you don't know what caused it.

He hates your naivety when it comes to times like these. But he hates seeing your frail state even more.

Never had he seen you so weak.

It scared him.

You're bedridden and it has him worried.

He should be able to cure whatever you had. 

But a few weeks go by and your condition doesn't seem to get any better.

He feels like a failure.

And every time he comes to give you a new treatment, you muster up the energy to smile so softly at him.

You could be dying, and still you find some damn reason to be happy, simple minded as you are.

It only spurs him on harder to make a cure.

All he can think of is your stupid smile. 

It's all too reminiscent of that night. Of Corazon.

Trying to put the best version of yourself forward before you died.

Wanting to be remembered full of life.

It's all so painfully familiar. 

So when he checks on you the next day and you beam up at him, he asks you.

“Why? Why do you smile everytime you see me? I've failed you as your doctor and captain to find a cure. So why?”

He half expects you to say it's because you don't want him to feel bad. But he should know by now to expect the opposite from you.

“Because I know you're gonna take care of me. I know you're gonna figure out what's wrong with me, so I have nothing to worry about. Really it just feels like I get to spend extra time with you.”

Your words have his heart stopping. And that damn smile of yours is somehow ten times bigger.

His face feels like it's burning.

You really trusted him that much? To the point where dying didn't even cross your mind when the thought had haunted his mind for weeks?

But what ultimately does him in is how you don't see his failures as failures. You take his inability to create a cure as an opportunity to talk to him.

What was wrong with you?

What was wrong with him for wanting to pursue you when you got better?

When, not if, because he was gonna make sure he had that damn cure by the end of the week.

You have not a singular thought behind your eyes and it makes him want to bang his head against the wall until he's on your level mentally.

You have his entire heart in the palm of your hand and you don't even know it.

It doesn't help he's so awkward when it comes to romance.

He can't approach you in the normal sense because you won't pick up on it.

Flirting? The Trafalgar Law trying to flirt with a moron who would probably think he was being nice? He'd rather toss himself into the ocean than embarrass himself like that.

Confess his feelings????

And completely stutter over his words because how can he possibly convey the fuzzy feeling in his chest when you're near?

Let the crew try to set you two up when his aloof behavior is finally noticed?

He's shambling his way out of the room the second he figures out what's going on.

He doesn't tell you he loves you. He probably never will.

But he goes out of his way to show it.

He doesn't let you go off by yourself when it's time to explore a new island.

Grasping your hand when no one else is looking and hoping you don't feel the clamminess of it.

If he's the one cooking, it's always your favorite dishes served.

Watching from the corner of his eye to gauge your reaction and mentally cheering when you start scarfing it down.

He lets you into his office when he's working. Anybody else would have been shooed off if it weren't important.

Half listening to your excited rambling about a really cool fish you saw through the sub’s window. 

That is until you ask him about what he's writing. And he'll explain everything to you no matter how long it takes for you to understand.

He's okay with you not knowing about his feelings.

Until he forms an Alliance with Strawhat and you get along a little too well with him. 

Maybe it does hurt his ego a little when you compliment Luffy's devil fruit. Asking him to sling-shot you across the Sunny.

Maybe it is jealousy churning in his gut seeing how hard you laugh at Luffy's jokes. (Sure Law didn't joke around much, but he made you laugh too didn't he?)

Maybe it infuriates him to see you hanging off of the other captain drunkenly. 

But maybe, just maybe he realizes he has nothing to worry about when you turn to him with a smile. 

Stumbling over and pulling him into a hug. Cheek nuzzling against his own.

And maybe he doesn't mean it when he tells you to get off of him. Complaining that you're annoying despite the rapid beating of his heart.

---------------------------------------

An: What better way to celebrate this day of fools than with Airhead Headcannons. I really gotta get the Yoko headcannons out there 😞 As you can probably tell, I've been binging one piece. I didn't expect to like Law as much as I did. Perchance look forward to a one shot 👉👈

MASTERLIST

[crusty-chronicles]

I'm at a loss for words 💀

I feel like I'm going crazy, also if you find this comment please don't send any hate 🛑🛑🛑🛑 we're lovers not fighters here. 🫶🫶🫶

Like?????

Let me ask the audience 🎤

Chat, did, would any of y'all misconstrue Moon and Sun as a ROMANTIC relationship after reading these tags?

Also ☝️☝️☝️ Do I come across as a hater????

[crusty-chronicles]

Law from one piece should let me hit fr

Fic in the works mayhaps 👀👀👀

[crusty-chronicles]

The Moon and Sun (Big Sib Reader X Gon/Killua)

Ch 18: For Whom The Bell Tolls: It Tolls For Thee

Synopsis: And then everything just fell apart.

Trigger warning: Extreme Violence

-----------------------------------

"You worked with the phantom troupe!!!”

You quickly covered Gon’s mouth with your hand. Looking around to see if anyone besides the two boys had heard.

“Shhh! Not so loud! And kinda.”

Ever since you'd first opened up, they wanted know everything. Down to the last detail. Of course there were parts of your childhood you'd never really be ready to discuss. But you could share the smaller things. You could talk about the games you'd play, the types of people who were in your clan, the missions you'd go on.

It was..nice. Memories you thought you'd never look back on fondly. You thought you'd never get a chance to reminisce like this. It was also the least you could do to take their minds off of things for a while. 

For the inevitable fight. 

Currently, everyone on the extermination team was heading towards East Gorteau. You and the boys included. So for however long this train ride lasted, you'd make the most of it.

“It was a way of testing me. See how well I'd get along with others given my track record. The only rule was that I couldn't talk to them.”

Oh yes. How could you forget the many lectures before you left? Ones that included your banishment if you were to fail. Though realistically, you probably would have been killed instead. 

You noticed the boys’ curious stares. You figured their friend Kurapika would have filled them in. Maybe he didn't know as much as you did. Albeit you didn't really have a choice, but still.

“It was for good reason. I heard the leader takes people's abilities. In hindsight it makes sense. He kept asking me questions.” You explained.

‘And what can you do little one?’

‘Is that your ability? How does it work?’

It was so painfully obvious looking back. They probably thought you'd be easy since you were a kid. But you were nothing if not true to your word. So you'd said absolutely nothing.

“Is that where you got the idea from?” Killua asked in reference to your new ability.

“Nah. Mines more of a substitution. I don't need to know anything about the person to take theirs.”

It was easier to toss away half your nen into the puppets you conjured. The condition was simpler. So long as you could switch last minute for a direct hit, you'd be able to mimic what they did. 

“That makes it a bigger gamble.” Gon said with a small frown. Remembering what Kite had said about his own ability. How chance made it stronger.

“C’mon. When has my speed ever failed me?” You tried to reassure.

“I guess. But just be careful.”

He'd been more clingy towards you. More protective. They both were. But the way Gon went about it felt more intense. He hardly let you go outside by yourself. Sticking stubbornly by your side. And he'd started enforcing a bedtime on you. Using those damn puppy eyes every time you refused. You felt like a fool having a kid parent you. Although the circles under your eyes did lessen.

But you reminded yourself he was just scared. He didn't want to lose anybody else. A strong desire to keep you safe after what happened with Kite. A mentality so similar to yours that you just couldn't get after him for it. If clinging onto you was what kept that dark aura at bay, then you’d just have to suck it up.

“I'm the one who's supposed to be telling you that. You're ten times as reckless.” You pointed out.

He pouted up at you, mouth opening for a rebuttal before you cut him off.

“And I better not catch you saying it's okay when you get hurt. Got it?”

He deflated. Wanting to add something but knowing you'd shut him down again. Luckily Killua was there to back him up. The fact that there were two of them always being used against you.

“But it's okay when you get hurt?” He questioned.

You scrambled for an answer. It was unfair how they ganged up on you sometimes. 

“None of us should be getting hurt if we can help it.” You settled on.

They seemed satisfied with your response, temporarily dropping the subject. It was only a matter of time before Gon perked up once more.

“Hey. Could you teach us that game you were talking about earlier?” He asked.

“I don't know. You've gotta have pretty sharp eyes to play.” You teased.

“Not too sharp considering you've got bags puffing up yours.” Killua joked.

“Hey!”

You dealt out the box of cards they'd brought. Using the opportunity to check in on them. Gon's aura was calm. Eerily so. You were worried the murkiness of his aura would rise to the surface any second. That it would consume him. You had a bad feeling about it. 

Killua’s was nervous, but determined. You'd never know he was tense by just looking at him, but his aura was plain as day. You hated to admit it, but his was the normal reaction you were expecting from both.

You briefly glanced over to the left. The men in front of you were apprehensive. About who, you couldn't really tell. The boys for both being ready? Not being strong enough? Or you being mentally unstable? Cracking under pressure because of a little blood? You'd all just have to wait and see.

You always hated the waiting game.

At least Knuckle and Shoot weren't scared of you anymore. Thanks to Morel putting in a good word for you. You’d almost say you enjoyed that old man’s company. It was nice to talk about everything for a change. Talk without fear of being judged. He didn't spill the secret of your identity to the rest, and you were immensely grateful. 

If things ended up working out after all, maybe you'd take him up on his offer to get some counseling. God knows you needed it after everything you've been through. For now, you would relish in the few hours you still had with your boys.

—---------------------------

You'd reached the city within two hours, stopping at a restaurant to stock up on food. It just so happened that a broadcast was playing. One that stated the ruler wanted everyone in Peijing to make their way to the palace. You didn't have a good feeling about it.

All those people in one place…it left plenty of room for disaster. Morel only confirmed your suspicions.

“Colt has a theory. He believes that the celebration will be used to sort the population.”

What was it that damn cat had called you? A Rare? The chimera ants seemed to be obsessed with those who possessed nen. They would most likely be eaten by the king or worse. You had a pretty good idea of what ‘worse’ was after seeing the state Kite was in. 

You didn't think ten days would be enough to save all those people. And unfortunately for them, they weren't a top priority. Everyone's focus would be on the king and his lackeys.  

There was also the issue of Netero’s whereabouts. He'd gone off on his own in East Gorteau without any backup. Telling Knov if he didn't respond today, he was most likely dead. Now while you weren't fond of the old man, you didn't want him dead. But knowing him, he was perfectly fine out there.

Ping

Right on schedule. Knov read the text on his phone before showing everyone else. His plan was to lure the royal guards away from the king starting at midnight. Great. Just great. Let your kids deal with one of those monsters. Though you knew they'd made enough progress to keep up. Netero made sure to include the ‘satellite ears’ comment from Morel as well.

“That old bastard scares the crap out of me.” He mumbled.

“Yeah? Well he irritates the hell out of me. Damn geezer always has something up his sleeve.” You added.

You beamed as the waiter served you a slice of cake. The duo next to trying to stifle their laughter at your reaction. The rest of the men at the table, however, eyed the tall pile of sweets on your plate with concern.

“That much can't be good for you.” Knuckle said, watching you scarf down another sweet.

You looked up for a brief moment. 

“Mind your business.” 

“Okay then.” He put his hands up in defense.

The hard ass who made a deal of being guarded, eating like a little kid with no dietary restrictions. It was baffling. Downing apple juice after apple juice. Cookie after cookie.

“Remember what we said. At least one real piece of food.” Gon scolded.

Giving out a small grumble, you took a bite out of your sandwich before continuing on.

—---------------------------------

All you could do was wait. You hated it. The rapid beating of your heart in anticipation. Bated breath as the seconds ticked down. Any moment now, Gon’s nen would return to him. He had done surprisingly well during training. The question now was how well he'd apply what he learned.

You could feel it, the exact moment the curse had been lifted. All at once his nen had surged through him. The little cat hovering over his shoulder was finally gone. He looked down at himself to confirm the aura around him.

“Well alright. It looks like you can use nen again. Go on, try it out.” Knuckle encouraged him.

Before he could try anything, Morel called out to him.

“Gon…”

The boy in green gave his full attention.

“Sorry, but I'm not convinced we should keep you around.”

A small feeling of protectiveness came over you. They make these kids train like hell only to go back on their word? You didn't think so. Although you hadn't wanted them here in the first place. But it was too late to turn back now.

“Show me your resolve,” He continued on, discarding his shirt to prepare for an attack.

“Pretend I'm the enemy who did all that to Kite.”

You could feel Gon’s aura shift into something darker. He really shouldn't have said that. The dark murkiness you've been trying to help keep at bay was slowly rising to the surface.

“If your attack isn't powerful enough, I'll call for a replacement hunter.” Morel was only adding fuel to the fire.

“A real attack?” Gon questioned.

You didn't have a good feeling about this. Kite was a sensitive subject. To use that as a means to provoke Gon… You knew damn well that kid could do damage just fine without nen. You didn't know what he was capable of with it. And it worried you. For his sake more than his opponent’s.

“Yes dammit! Give me everything you've got or you're off the team.” 

A steady anger, and then it was gone. Once again Gon's aura had been eerily calm. Approaching Morel slowly before responding.

“Got it.”

He stood still for a moment, then all at once a feeling of bloodlust consumed him. The intent to kill evident as the aura built in his fist. From the others, you could sense their shock. Their fear. You were in a similar boat.

For a split second, you were afraid. Trembling at the force of his power. For a second, you were reminded of him. The onslaught of ren that poured out. The malice. 

“Show me rock!”

It felt like you couldn't breathe. Killua, taking notice of your panicked state, went to calm down Gon. He was overdoing it, especially if it was scaring you. So he put a hand on Gon’s shoulder. The aura in his fist disappearing almost instantly.

“Gon, that's enough.”

You could breathe again. That was exactly what you were worried about. He was just a kid. You didn't want him to do something he'd regret. To have blood on his hands at such a young age. But there was only so much you could do.

“Am I right, old man?” Killua asked Morel.

The older man took a few deep breaths. Trying to calm the racing of his own heart. If that was Gon’s raw strength, there was no telling what he could do with your training. Good. They really needed an ace in their hole.

“...Yeah ..” He answered at last.

Gon seemed to snap out of the daze he was in. Jumping up in shock with his own actions. He turned around and offered Killua a ‘thanks’ for stopping him. He turned back to Morel and clasped his hands together in an apology.

“Sorry Mr. Morel! I really was just about to kill you!”

It felt like all the air in your body escaped from your lungs. That wasn't right. But Morel just laughed him off.

“You got me real good there kid!”

It felt all too similar to the way you grew up. Being praised for having no limits. You couldn't have been the only one who was worried. The only one who was scared he'd cross a line he couldn't come back from. You felt like you were going insane. 

Gon looked back over at you expecting your usual praise. Instead he was met with your somber expression. It was too close to the way you'd looked the last time you were in the NGL. He wonders if he scared you. The thought makes him feel icky inside.

He approaches you and hugs you as tight as he can. It's the only thing he can think to do. Whether it's to reassure him or you, he can't tell. 

“I didn't mean to. I know I'm not supposed to get that worked up. Not yet at least. I'm sorry.”

It takes you a second to respond. Trying to collect your thoughts after the intensity of that moment. Of what was surely to come.

“You're fine. Just, don't get too carried away.” You reassured. 

He relaxes at the feeling of you hugging him back.

But you didn't believe the words tumbling out of your mouth.

—---------------------------------

It wasn't hard for the three of you to infiltrate East Gorteau. In fact, it was almost too easy. Still, none of you could risk being caught. It didn't help there were so many people on the lookout for intruders.

You continued on to the meeting point, listening as Killua explained the situation to Gon. How the people here were just itching to rat each other out for some money.

“My older brother told me everything, and he probably heard it from grandpa.”

Killua didn't talk about his family often, and you couldn't blame him. But he seemed to respect his Grandfather. He spoke about him with something just shy of fondness. You were glad he had some family he could rely on. 

You stopped short near the ledge of a cliff. The three of you ducking down quickly.

“A town?” Gon questioned.

“Yeah a tiny one.” Killua confirmed.

You used your eyes to focus on the nearest homes. Empty. You used your en to scan for people next. Nothing. The town was completely abandoned.

“So what now?” Gon looked between you and Killua for a plan.

“We sneak in.” 

“No need. Everyone's gone.” You informed.

They knew better than to question your assessment. Your eyes were never wrong. So it was on to the next step of the plan: finding out just what the hell happened. 

“Stay here then. We'll investigate. You don't need to see anything you don't have to.” Killua instructed.

You gave a small nod. Freaking out over potential corpses was the last thing you needed. If you could stall seeing anything too gruesome, you'd have a better chance during the big fight. Or any fight for that matter.

You watched as the two of them disappeared into the town. Tracking their auras as they went. Gon peeked his head out and gestured for you to come over. You took cautious steps towards them. Knowing your luck you'd probably slip. 

“They've already begun sorting. Most of the people were already buried, and not very deep either. It was a good thing you hung back.” Killua explained.

Good to know you're original ten days was just wishful thinking. You couldn't help but feel bad for these people. No technology and no way to know what was going on in their country.

“They can't even call for help.” You said softly. 

“It's not all bad news,” Killua tried to comfort.

“If my theory is correct, it'll be easy to stop them. We just cause a commotion and the selection will totally stop.”

“In theory it'll be easy. But we have to be prepared for anything.” You warned.

Like counter measures for said commotions. If Pitou could control people, chances are the leader was under control too. His word was law here. There'd be no resistance if he suggested something under the ants' influence.

“Yeah but considering the amount of people the ants have to sort, there's no way they sent nen users to do it. It's most likely Pitou's ability. And if that's the case, this'll all be a sitch.” Killua explained.

“We just have to pop up, take out whoever's being controlled, and cause a panic. And after that. We'll encourage the people who escaped to go off and check on other nearby towns.”

It was a decent plan. The only issue was…Right as you were thinking it, the small assassin already had it covered.

“The problem is they'll detect us quickly. Once we make our move, they'll know. If we wanna go through with the old man’s plan, we should keep as low a profile as we possibly can.” 

You'd almost forgotten he was used to be stealthy. That he was in his element here in the dark and unsuspecting.

“It's your call.” He addressed you and Gon.

The boy in green agreeing almost immediately. Determination radiating off him. 

“Let's do it. If the selection has already begun, we can't just simply ignore it.”

The looked up at you for your answer. A damn shame how much you've changed in just one year. If this was still when you were on Greed Island, you would've told them to stick to the mission at hand. Lives at stake be damned. But you were different now. Softer. And the thoughts of self preservation you were used to having weren't present. Instead was the rational that you couldn't exactly let people die.

“If we go through with this, we've gotta be careful.” You responded at last.

“Alright, let's go!” Killua instructed before stopping in his tracks. He took a breath before facing you and Gon.

“But I'm gonna do it alone. You two stay hidden.”

“Stay hidden!!? But wouldn't it be better if we-” Gon started, but Killua had cut him off.

“Don't forget our primary mission. We have to take Pitou down. That should be your focus.” It had come out more defensive than he wanted. He swore he could feel your eyes focus in on him as the words left his mouth.

“You let me handle everything else, alright? I'll stir things up,” he said softer.

“And uh no offense, but this'll be a lot easier to do alone.”

“Like hell you'll do this alone!” You argued.

The last thing you wanted was to split up. It made it easier for the enemies to pick off one by one. Yet Killua wasn't budging on the subject. Resolve strong in his eyes when he spoke.

“Look I know you're used to doing this, but I'm sure there's more villages like the first one. The moment you freak out is the moment we lose a fighter. Maybe if you weren't…” He stopped himself, trying to phrase what he was gonna say right.

If you weren't so traumatized by blood, you'd be more useful. He'd never say something like that to you again. Or, he'd try his damn best not to.

“If things were different you'd be able to help me fully. But you're our best bet at scouting and Gon’s our strongest fighter. So… just sit this one out. The both of you.” 

You could sense his worry. It made you faulter for a second.

“Yeah, I get it.” Gon said, knowing you and him would just get in Killua’s way. 

“Do you?” The small assassin questioned.

“Huh?” He did a double take at his best friend's words.

“Do you really think you get it?”

“Killua?”

“Then promise me something!” It was a plea. Looking between you and Gon quickly.

“Both of you! Don't make a move! Even if people are killed right in front of you! Promise me!”

He remembered the way you two had reacted at the factory. You'd both lunged forward when those people were killed. Only being stopped by Kite’s quick thinking. He didn't want the same thing happening again. 

You could sense his panic rise. A desperation to keep you two safe at all costs. He was almost begging for you two not to do anything. What the hell was the association putting these kids through? What would they go through before the end of the ten days?

Gon didn't answer. You didn't think he could. As much as he loved Killua, he had his morals. He was a stubborn kid who wouldn't go back on them either. So you answered instead. You could abide by Killua’s conditions if he could abide by yours.

“Sure I'll promise you. As long as you promise me you'll come back no matter what. If there's an enemy stronger than you, you'll run.” 

It was like you were in a standoff. His resolve waivered in the presence of yours. He was tired of running away from fights, and you knew that. Then there was the matter of him coming back. He didn't know what to expect out there. He couldn't promise you what he couldn't guarantee. And he couldn't force you and Gon to do the same. 

His resolve crumbled, giving in to yours. 

“I'll text you okay? Our cell phones should still work in the area.” He tried to diffuse, but you wouldn't let him off the hook that easily.

“You can't just change the subject.”

There was a small amount of guilt radiating off him. But there was still the worry from earlier. 

“I know. I'm Sorry. Don't worry about it. I'm just a little on edge.” He explained.

The mission was already taking its toll on both boys. They shouldn't have the weight of the world on their shoulders at such a young age. You'd curse the association to your dying breath. When this was over, you'd all need some counseling. 

You offered up what you hoped was a reassuring smile.

“It's okay to be scared and worried. I know I am. But we help each other. It's the only way we can get through this. You know that right?”

You could feel him start to relax, steadily gaining back his resolve.

“I know.” He responded.

Gon put his hand on his shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze.

“If anything goes wrong, we'll be there to help you.” He added. 

It felt like Killua was engulfed in warmth. Like you all weren't about to march to your potential deaths. It was why he was so scared of losing you both. But he had to have faith in your abilities. Trust that you could get the job done and make it back. 

“Right. I've got your backs too!”

The three of you continued to walk for a while, but something felt off. It felt like something was watching you. The unmistakable sensation of eyes on your back. Then for a split second, you sensed a presence.

Someone was following you. The aura wasn't malicious from what you could tell. Just cautious. Like they were scoping you out. The presence would appear and disappear at one minute intervals. It was probably some sort of nen ability. 

You didn't want to leave the boys by themselves, but you couldn't risk either of them getting hurt right now. You had to be smart about this. 

“Hey, you two go on ahead.” You called out.

“Is something wrong?” Gon asked.

You made sure to keep talking while you signed slowly.

‘Enemy behind.’

“I just need to check something out. It won't take me long.”

The duo nodded in understanding. Never had you been prouder to see them sign ‘safe.’ Slow and meticulous, but the word all the same. You were glad you were able to teach them something useful. 

They took off without you, leaving you to deal with who was following. He'd show himself every minute. All you had to do was wait him out.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

You summoned a strand of nen and shot it straight behind you. There was a noise of surprise as it wrapped completely around the enemy. You tugged them close to you, turning around to face your stalker.

“You know I'm too fond of being followed.”

Your tone was cold as you stared down the chameleon chimera ant. He shook in your presence. Eyes wide at the fact you'd caught him. He'd wanted to continue following one of the boys. This was not good.

“You better have a damn good reason or you're dead.”

He tried to formulate a sentence. Tried to speak, but your resolve was suffocating. Your eyes looked at him like he was nothing. All that came out of his mouth was-

“How did you-!”

But you'd cut him off by tightening your nen around his neck.

“The next words out of your mouth better be an answer. I don't have time for games.”

He panicked, blurting out the first thing he could think of to get him out of trouble.

“I want to defeat the king!”

Your intimidating expression changing into one of confusion.

“What?”

He could feel your nen weaken around him. That was a good sign. He continued to talk, believing more in his chances of convincing you.

“He's a monster. He killed and ate his own men when he was born. He needs to be stopped.” Meleleron explained.

“I thought I'd watch the three of you. See if you were strong enough for the task before I asked for help. I wasn't trying to attack you.”

Your eyes scanned him for any deceit. There was none. All you could sense was determination and fear. Scared of you, yet still wanting to complete his goal. You let him go, releasing your nen.

“Okay.”

“Okay!?! Just like that? You're not gonna interrogate me?” He pushed, unbelieving it was that easy.

“I can see when someone's lying to me. Don't worry, I'd know if you were trying to lure me into a trap.”

It was a thinly veiled threat. One that promised his death if he betrayed you. He'd take it. If you could see when he was being genuine, it only worked in his favor.

“Okay. Where to begin…”

He explained to the situation at hand. How his father figure was eaten by the king. How few ants stayed by the king’s side while the rest left to create their own castles. His plan for catching him off guard. Using his ability to become invisible before attacking. How he needed someone strong enough to carry out the plan. 

“Your best bet is Gon. He's most likely to listen to you. Killua would kill you on the spot.” You said.

“Why can't you help me? You're fast. We'd be able to take the king completely off guard.”

You shook your head. Despite how it looked like, you knew you weren't the best person for the job. Call it a hunch.

“I'm not a fighter. And I've got a personal fight I need to be ready for. I also choke up. Can't stand the sight of blood. Gon’s your best bet. I'm sure he's stronger than me now anyways.”

And Killua was faster. They'd done well in their respective categories. You just hoped it'd be enough. You looked Meleoron head on. 

“Test him if you want…but if you go too far I'll make you suffer.” You warned.

You cared about those boys. It was easy for him to see. As long as you were vouching for the boy in green, he'd take up the offer, and he'd do his damn best not to rough him up too much.

“Right. I'll get going. Thank you for trusting me.”

He took off without a second glance. You were once again on your own. You decided to try and make your way towards the palace. If nothing else, you could take out a few of Pitou's puppets. 

You set a steady pace. Slowing your heart rate little by little. If the ants sensed you now, you'd come off as nothing more than a small animal. They wouldn't recognize you as human. For all the shit your clan put you through, they taught you some pretty helpful tricks. 

Things seemed to be going well before you sensed it. Another presence following you. They weren't concealing themselves either. In fact, they were right above you. You looked up and we're met with a familiar ant. The same one that tried to ambush you the night everything went to shit.

It seemed to recognize you too. Owlish eyes widening before it tried to fly away. So much for going undetected. You gave chase, following directly under it.

“I'm not gonna let you get away!” You shouted, preparing to restrain it.

Right as you were about to summon your nen, a fist made harsh contact on your face. You skidded to the side from the force.

You'd been so distracted, you didn't sense the other ant. You'd fallen for that damn owl’s trap. You braced your legs, looking up at your assailant. A cheetah ant. It beamed at you, sharp teeth on full display.

“I was looking for a meal. Thank you for volunteering!” 

You were really starting to hate cats. You watched the owl ant make its escape. It was most likely gathering information on everybody's abilities. How you all fought. He was a problem. You didn't have time to deal with this new ant.

Judging by his cocky aura, he wouldn't be much of a challenge anyways. He was weak. The only reason he got a hit on you was because you weren't paying attention. 

“You're a Rare, aren't you? This'll be so much fun! Try not to die too early, okay?”

You dodged as he went to strike again, claws fully outstretched. He glared at you. It was then you noticed the small being floating by his side. That was Knuckle’s ability. So this was the ant that got away? You could see why he'd give the others trouble.

But he wouldn't be able to beat you.

“Lucky guess, but you won't be able to dodge my next attack. You humans have got nothing on my speed!”

He rushed towards you once more. Right before he could make contact, you grabbed his wrist. A cruel grin on your face.

“Fast?” You questioned.

He tried to pull back, but your grip was unrelenting. 

“Let go of me!”

He used his free hand to try and slash your face. You caught it too, applying pressure to his wrist. He caught your eyes and froze. You almost looked amused. It made him feel something he'd never felt before. Fear. 

You looked at Cheetu like you knew something he didn't. You weren't afraid of dying. No… You didn't think he could kill you. And then you spoke. Something in your voice had a shiver running down his spine.

“You're so pathetic I might just laugh. Oh you poor creature. You don't even know what speed is. Here, let me show you!”

The grip on his wrist vanished, as did you. His eyes unable to track where you went. He could smell it on you now. The blood imbedded in your scent. You were like them. A monster like the royal guards. 

He shook the thought from his head. A strong Rare? Yeah right. You were nothing compared to him. A slow weakling. He had no reason to be so shaken up by you. It was just an empty threat made to make him lose his cool. He'd kill you in no time.

“Henry, attack!”

It happened so suddenly. One minute he was standing, about to track your scent and put an end to you. The next, his head was rolling on the ground. On his shoulders was a small jester marionette. Its hand morphed into a blade.

Your shoes came into his vision. His eyes trailed up to meet yours in disbelief.

“It can't be! What the hell are you!?!” He shouted.

You couldn't have been that fast. You were a human! 

“Someone who doesn't have time for your insolence. I'm done wasting time on you,” you answered.

You snapped your fingers, signaling for your puppet to finish the job. You looked away as it jumped up, using as much force as possible to slam into the ant’s skull. You could feel the blood splatter onto your clothes. You thought you would have grown used to the sight of blue blood. 

You were wrong. 

Shaking as the warmth seeped into your clothes. The feeling of vile scratching at your throat. You shook your head, preparing to make your way to the meeting point once more.

When you got there, you waited for Knov to open up the portal. You fell into the small room, still trembling from earlier. Everyone was here except Gon and Killua. Your heart beat even faster in your chest.

“You okay?” Morel asked, noticing your dazed state.

“Change of clothes. Now.” You ordered.

You don't remember who tossed you your bag of clothes, but you were grateful all the same. Throwing your bloodied clothes the furthest you could from you as you changed. You hugged yourself to try and calm down. Taking in shaky breaths.

There was no blood on you, and still you felt dirty. You hated being so weak in front of others. But all you could think about was your boys. Killua running from town to town and Gon doing who knows what out there.

“You good kid?” Morel asked once more.

You nodded your head slowly.

“I'll be fine. I just need a minute. I managed to get rid of the ant Knuckle fought.” You informed.

“You got rid of Cheetu? That's awesome! Thanks a lot!” Knuckle said, patting you on the back.

“Mhm.”

You flinched slightly at the gesture, which was immediately picked up by the older man in the room. 

“Give them some space for a while.” He instructed Knuckle before addressing you.

“We still have plenty of time before the selection. You can recoup for a while.”

You gave a small nod. You just hoped your boys were okay.

—---------------------------------

Gon stared down the chameleon ant before him. Its hands were raised in defense as it spoke.

“I've been watching you for a while now. I didn't plan on showing myself so soon, but things changed. Safe to say, you surpassed my expectations.” He explained.

Gon was about to let his guard down when he remembers something. You said somebody was following the three of you. And you'd gone to check it out. This thing was capable of concealing its presence. 

It was the same ant.

He released an angry ten in an instant. Summoning as much nen as he could into his fist.

“What did you do to Y/n!”

Meleoron couldn't help but freeze. Twice now his life had been threatened. And you'd said this kid would be more likely to hear him out. Look how that was turning out.

“Nothing! I swear!” He pleaded. 

Gon glared at him, unbelieving that he hadn't done something to you.

“If you hurt them, I'll kill you!”

He was more quick to aggression here. More on edge than he'd ever been. Especially when it concerned you and Killua. Right as he was about to strike, the ant blurted out the first thing he could think of.

“We're friends! They caught me following them, and I explained myself. They gave me the go ahead to ask for your help. If you think I could take them in a fight, you're severely overstimulating my abilities!”

All at once Gon’s aura dissipated. His guard was still up, but he was less hostile.

“You promise they're fine?” He asked.

“Swear on my life. You can call them.”

He relaxed completely at the confirmation.

“I believe you.”

“Just like that!?!?” The ant exclaimed, once again caught by surprise at how easy it was to convince one of you.

Now that Gon was thinking about it, he may have overreacted. You weren't weak. And you were quick enough to get out of any trouble. You were fine, he was sure of it. 

“Well yeah. Y/n would never be beaten by you. And if you did hurt them…Then I won't have to show you any mercy. I could just kill you, you know?” He responded.

The look in his eye was very reminiscent of yours. Cold with the intent to follow through. But it quickly softened up.

“I just worry about them. I know they're strong, but it's different here.” 

Pitou’s here. 

He didn't want to lose you the same way he'd lost Kite. He promised himself he'd do anything to stop that from happening.

“Man. You two are scary when you're mad.” Meleleron mumbled under his breath.

—-----------------------------------

Your head perked up at the sound of someone entering the room. You weren't as frazzled as before. Directing your attention to the person in the hopes it was one of the boys.

Your eyes landed on Gon first, then on Meleoron. You let out a sigh of relief.

“Oh? You met the lizard guy. Good.”

“Mhm. He told me you two were friends. I'm so proud of you!” Gon praised.

You weren't the best around people. So to see you made a friend on your own, he was happy for you. But you looked confused by the statement. Face scrunching up.

“Easy. I told him I trusted him. The friends thing is an overstatement.” You explained.

“Well he was gonna kill me if I didn't say I knew you!” Meleoron argued.

“It's your fault for following him.”

“You told me to!!!! Gah! I don't like you at all.” He pointed an accusing finger at you. 

Against your better judgement, you almost laughed. But then you remembered you were still missing your other kid. 

“Killua isn't with you?” You asked.

Gon shook his head.

“We spit up after you left.”

Damn. You didn't have a good feeling about this. Especially with that scout ant still out there. The entire room seemed to go quiet at the information. Killua was the only one missing. And he usually stuck very closely to the plan.

“Do you think…?” Shoot started.

An uncomfortable feeling churned in your gut.

“Let's give him another hour. Besides, we still have a few days left. We can afford to give him that much time.” Morel tried to comfort.

Sensing your distress, Gon sat next to you. He put his head on your shoulder. You could feel worry in his aura, try as he might not to show it. Yet you could tell he was still hopeful Killua would be back.

“Killua will be fine. He won't be beaten so easily.” He assured.

You wanted to believe him, but you couldn't just sit back and do nothing. You summoned half of your nen into your palm. Conjuring a small figure. The ballerina marionette looked up at you, awaiting its orders.

“Find Killua. Return to me in two days if you can't.”

It gave a salute before taking off. 

Your lucky day. 

More waiting.

—--------------------------

Killua felt his body giving out. He'd lost too much blood. He knew he did, collapsing into a puddle of it. A small smile made its way to his face. You probably would have passed out seeing this much. Probably scold him for getting hurt too. He was just glad it was him instead of you.

‘Promise me you'll come back no matter what.’

He blinked slowly. Imagine if he'd made that promise? He would have broken it, and you were never supposed to break a promise to a friend. 

“Sorry, Y/n. I know how you feel about losing another kid. But it's not your fault this time.”

He spoke out into the abyss with the last of his strength. He knew you'd put this on your shoulders. You always did when something went wrong. So much guilt on your conscience.

“It wasn't your fault the first time either.”

He didn't want to add into your trauma, but he could feel himself fading. He wished you could've met Alluka. She would've loved you. And he knows you would've loved to have a little sister again.

He was so grateful he got to meet you. To have someone like you who saw his worth past his assassin potential. He wanted you to be happy. He wanted you to heal. 

“I love you.” 

He thinks he might've traded his own mother and father if it meant he'd get to bask in your warmth again.

He was grateful for Gon too. For him always being on his side. Seeing nothing but the good in him. His first real friend. He didn't want to leave him either.

“Gon…Please take care of them. They're gonna need you. I'm sorry…I wasn't…any help.”

His body felt cold. He didn't have any strength to push himself up. You wouldn't miss him that much anyways. As long as you had Gon, you'd be fine. You seemed to love him more anyways. He tried to console himself with the thought. Although a part of him knew it wasn't true.

He saw a pair of small feet enter his spotty vision. He heard a piercing shriek. And then darkness.

He awoke to the feeling of something on his chest. He was surprised to wake up at all. He opened his eyes slowly, adjusting to the sudden brightness. He made out the small figure sitting on him.

What was your puppet doing here? 

“Hey Shika. Y/n sent you after me, huh?” He greeted with a smile.

It nodded. 

He doesn't know why it made him so happy. That you cared.

“The little thing didn't leave your side the entire time you were out.” A familiar voice spoke. 

He directed his vision to the side. It was that octopus ant. Ikalgo? He must've been the one that saved him. Now that he thinks about it, he faintly remembered the feeling of being carried.

“How long was I out for?” he asked.

“Three days.”

“TWO DAYS! THEY'RE GONNA KILL ME!”

He took out the IVs from his arms. Getting up as fast as he could to make his way over to you and Gon. You were gonna be so pissed at him.

—--------------------------------------

Shika was still gone. That was a good thing, it meant she found Killua. It meant he was alive out there. It was the only thing that brought you comfort while you waited. 

You glanced over at Knov. He was…well he was mentally fucked. He fell apart at just a glimpse of Pitou's en. You didn't blame him. You'd freaked out too the first time you felt it. But now was not the time. It was one fighter down. 

And then there was Palm. You hadn't heard a word from her. She should've said something by now. Despite getting off on the wrong foot, you'd grown fond of her. You couldn't imagine the weight on her shoulders right now. They'd thrown her right into the lion’s den.

Then there was the matter of how she'd take Knov’s breakdown. The man she loved was physically aging from his fear. Chances are it wouldn't go over well. 

You felt Gon tug on your sleeve. You redirected your attention to him, watching as he pointed up. The portal opened and in finally came Killua.

Thank god.

“Killua!” Gon called out before tackling him in a hug.

He gave out a noise of surprise as he stumbled back. He rebounded quickly, however, and returned the boy in green’s enthusiasm.

“See? I made it out just fine.”

Fine? He was covered in bandages. Just what the hell happened to him. Did you really want to know? You decided it didn't matter, walking towards him slowly.

You were close enough for him to try and make out your expression. You looked drained.

“Are you mad at me?” He asked.

He was caught off guard when you crouched down and pulled him into a hug, cradling his head tightly.

“Don't you ever do that again.”

He could feel you shaking. He didn't mean to make you worry. But despite everything, he couldn't help but smile. You really did care about him. And it's not like peaceful moments like these would last. So he took it all in. Hugging you back tightly.

“I promise I won't. I've got you to protect me, remember?” He tried to lighten the mood, yet you hugged him tighter.

“My precious baby. I was so scared.”

Was it weird he felt like crying? Being loved was such a strange feeling. He thinks his mom would've blown a fuse seeing you coddle him. He doesn't care. Not one bit as you continued to hug him.

You looked over his shoulder, catching the gaze of another chimera ant. This one being an octopus.

“You made a friend?” You asked, hesitantly releasing him.

He couldn't hide his embarrassment when you let him go. Not wanting the other hunters to see him being soft.

“Yeah. He's pretty cool. Just don't call him an octopus.” He responded.

You stood up to your full height, staring down this new ant with scrutiny.

“You give my kid any problems, Squidward?”

He gaped at you. Eyes wide in shock 

“Did…did you just call me squid!?!!”

He turned towards Killua with stars in his eyes.

“Killua I love your big sibling!”

That was unexpected.

Killua stood in front of you protectively.

“You better not! They already have a partner!”

You slapped a hand to your forehead.

“You're such a gremlin. Now you,” you pointed towards the octopus ant.

“Answer the question.”

He stood unwavering in your presence. You were surprised to see a surge of loyalty in his aura.

“I would die if it meant helping Killua out.”

His resolve was strong. 

Geez, these kids had a habit for picking up strange friends. Although you couldn't complain. You needed all the help you could get.

“Well that settles it.” You approved.

Killua high fived him, introducing Ikalgo to Gon while he introduced Meleoron. It filled you with warmth to see your boys back together again. Yet you couldn't get past this gnawing feeling in your gut. The one you always got when something was about to happen. 

It was foreboding.

Over the next three days, you went over the plan. You, Killua, and Gon would take on Pitou. Knuckle, Meleoron, and Shoot would take Youpi. Morel would have to deal with Pouf by himself. Ikalgo was tasked with finding Palm. Something you wouldn't admit had you letting out a sigh of relief.

Waiting, waiting, waiting.

It was all you could do while the others plotted for what could go wrong. You don't remember if you've ever been this anxious, your leg bouncing up and down. 

Pitou had healing abilities, or at least you think they did. But what if that wasn't enough to fix Kite? What if he was beyond fixing? Was there any other way you could bring him back? 

You hated how everything was building up. This feeling of dread. Moving from one location to the other. Getting closer and closer to the castle. To your potential doom. It had you chewing on your lip next. Biting at the skin there until it was raw.

Five minutes until midnight.

You decided to ask what was weighing so heavily on your mind.

“What are the other two guards’ abilities?”

Meleoron and Ikalgo looked at each other in thought. The octopus spoke first.

“Pouf has this weird ability. He can give someone a completely different nen type. If there's a specific ability they want, he can grant it.” He explained.

Not good. Was that why there were still so many ants loyal to the king? The chance of becoming more powerful calling to them like a moth to the flame. 

“That's not all. The way he goes about it…It's like the ant was reborn,” Meleoron added.

“He wraps them in a cocoon. Depending on how much was changed, it could take a few hours or a few days before the ant emerges again. It's how they plan to make soldiers out of all the people sorted.”

You felt a flicker of hope. Maybe…Maybe you could substitute it. You just had to be quick. One wrong move and you were dead. You'd be at half power, but it would be worth a shot.

Okay. You had a back up. It helped soothe your nerves a bit. Not enough to get rid of the dread you were feeling.

What was in store for you?

“One minute!” Morel called out.

You tensed as you got up. Everyone around you prepared for battle. You could feel everyone's nerves. Their resolve. Whatever happened now, it would be out of your control. You spared a glance towards Gon and Killua one last time.

You'd protect them no matter what. Even if you had to break your promise to Kari. 

You waited as the last ten seconds ticked down. It was then you finally realized what was wrong. You started shaking. The malicious aura buried so deep inside Gon had consumed him completely. 

“GO!!!!” Morel shouted.

At his command, all of you made a break for it out the door. There was nothing you could do right now. You had to get through this first hurdle first.

What was this power?

Never mind the red beasts on the steps. What was this raw power? No intent to kill, but so overpowering you almost faltered. The building shook from the force. 

Youpi, you presumed, morphed his body to attack. So much happened in just one second. Morel’s smoke screen. The building caving away to golden streaks of nen. Knuckle getting in the first hit. 

You continued running, going right in front of the boys as a precaution. ‘Get past the steps.’ you repeated in your head. Keep going. You could look back later. 

You were fighting with yourself not to let your en scan around you. You couldn't risk letting it clash with another royal guard’s. If you did, you were all screwed. You couldn't even check to see if the boys were still behind you.

All at once, Youpi smashed the steps behind you. You could feel the ground give way slightly, yet still you pushed on. The stairs didn't matter. As long as the boys were okay. 

You relaxed slightly hearing their footfalls behind you. Two pairs of footsteps. Then one. You froze, watching Gon breeze past you without a second thought. You looked back to see Killua running in the opposite direction. Your eyes catching Ikalgo’s aura.

Thinking on your feet, you sent one of your puppets after Killua. You didn't waste a second chasing after Gon. He needed you more right now. He wasn't thinking rationally. If there was one thing you knew about Killua, it was that he kept a level head. Half of your nen should be enough to help him. 

You continued to make your way outside. Eyes widening seeing Morel’s ability. If he was there, then the king was somewhere else entirely. Gon, having noticed the same thing, took off in another direction. And just before you could enter another building, he stopped short. Body tensing.

You followed his gaze.

You didn't believe what you were seeing. The amount of power swirling around some sort of ant. No, it wasn't just some ant. It had to be the king. His aura radiated acceptance. He wasn't angry or malicious. Not a trace of bloodlust. He held himself high without any worry.

Even if you were at full power, even if you were in your prime…You could never take him on. No one from your former clan could. For the first time since you were seven, you felt lesser. Insignificant in this thing’s presence. 

Was that Netero?

He saw you and Gon, gesturing behind himself with a grin. One that said they're all yours. 

That stupid old bastard!

That fucking idiot!

You were swept away in a surge of furious, vengeful aura. So incredibly dark and full of malintent you had to take a step away. The feeling was suffocating. Undeniably, it felt evil.

You wanted to snap him out of it. You wanted to see her in his eyes. But he was getting closer and closer to the edge of no return. That old geezer shouldn't have goaded him on. Morel shouldn't have pushed him earlier. 

What could you do? 

You couldn't tell him not to fight. This was personal. And he'd only double down if you tried. Knock him out maybe? He'd never forgive you for it, but you were running out of options. All you knew was as of right now, Pitou couldn't be killed.

They needed to be alive to fix Kite. 

“Gon! Y/n!” Killua called out.

You forced yourself to turn around, seeing Henry sitting on his shoulder before he transferred back to you. Your nen whole once again.

He frowned seeing your shaken up state. Then his eyes landed on his grandfather. He took in the situation fully. Netero and his grandfather had the King. Which meant…Pitou was in the tower.

He wanted to open his mouth to scold you for using your ability. Tell you not to waste it on making sure he was okay. But the sound of Gon’s voice made him freeze. Like you, he could feel something wasn't right. 

“Pitou is right over there.” Never had Gon’s tone been this cold.

How could the sun be hiding so much darkness?

“Let's go,” He ordered.

Killua stayed behind as Gon continued on his way. He could feel his eyes watering. His lip trembling. He wanted to ask why. What exactly was Gon asking of him? He didn't want to believe that he…

“It's gonna be okay, Killua. I promise you.” Your voice snapped him from his thoughts.

You reached down to swipe away his tears. He allowed himself to break in front of you, if only for a moment.

“But he's never… he's never spoken like that before. Like we weren't friends. How am I supposed to ignore that?” He sobbed, wrapping his arms around you in an attempt to seek out comfort.

He didn't know what you could do, but he wanted you to do something. He wanted you to get Gon back to normal. He always listened to you. 

“You don't. I don't want to tell you to push your feelings down, but we have to wait until this is over to talk to him.” You tried to reassure.

“He's hurting real bad right now. Whether he knows it or not, he needs our support right now.”

You pulled back to stare him in the eye.

“Please, stay strong a little longer for me.”

He nodded feebly, wiping at the snot and tears on his face. If you said things would be okay, he believed you. He composed himself the best he could. Grabbing at your hand like a child as you followed after Gon.

He was surprised to see his Grandfather still there.

“Hey there.” The old man greeted.

Your protective aura immediately wrapped around both boys. Zeno raised a brow at that. His eyes trailing down to where Killua was still clasping your hand tightly. He got it now.

So that was why he changed so much. Why he stood a little taller now. It should've made the boy weak, your care towards him. Instead, it'd made him stronger. No use dwelling on it. He did what he came here to do.

“If you'll excuse me, my job here is done. I know nothing beyond the mission I was given.”

The words were ominous. The feeling of dread only amplifying. 

“Killua, when you get inside, you make the call.” The old man prompted. 

“Make the call?” Killua said, confused by the implications of his grandfather’s words. 

He said nothing else, leaving the three of you alone. 

You didn't know what you were expecting. Perhaps for the manic aura you'd encountered that night to be full force. You couldn't possibly have predicted the sight in front of you. You didn't want to believe it either. After everything that cat ant put you through…After what they put Kite through…

Pitou was healing a girl. 

All their aura gone and placed into the nurse-like creature next to them. Putting all their focus into making sure the girl was okay. It made your stomach churn uncomfortably. You could see it in their aura. Pitou had changed. You didn't think the bloodthirsty creature could. Couldn't fathom the newfound humanity they'd gained.

They deserved to suffer.

They tried to kill you.

And yet you were willing to reach a compromise.

Something must've been fucked in your head to feel a shred of sympathy for this thing. Pitou turned around slowly to face the three of you. A protective fear radiating off them. It was ironic. So many people had died at the hands of this creature, and yet it was putting everything on the line for one girl. What could've caused this?

Gon's malicious aura spiked. It had you trembling.

“Do you remember who I am.” He said lowly.

His demeanor reminded you of Father. You didn't know how to bring him back in. You were scared to try.

“My name is Gon Freecs! And I came here for one reason! To make you restore Kite!” 

His voice felt like it was rumbling off the walls. Pitou kneeled protectively in front of the girl. It looked like…A bear protecting its cub.

You hated this thing. Hated how the situation reminded you of your own. So much going on at once, you struggled to find one thing to focus on. You couldn't think with the outpour of Gon’s menacing aura. 

His eyes looked between Pitou and the girl. Hands clenching in a searing anger. His output increasing that much more.

“Get away from her. Now.” He demanded.

Pitou was still. The panic in their aura rising. Gon stalked towards them. You tried to force your feet after him, but you couldn't move. 

“I said step away from her. And take that monster with you.” He glared at Pitou's ability.

He probably thought they were hurting the girl. But the more rational part of your brain new better. He didn't want the girl getting in his way. This wasn't the Gon you knew and loved. This wasn't the same kid who thought with his heart first. 

“I came here so I could make Kite whole again! So come and fight me!” He shouted.

Pitou immediately placed their hands on the floor. Palms up as a show of submission. It temporarily shocked Gon into letting up on his ren. You were in a similar state of disbelief.

How the hell could so much change in such a short time? 

“Please. Just wait a while.” Their voice was shaky. Pleading for the chance to fix that girl.

But the anger that had been bottled up for months needed an outlet. Gon needed to lash out. Anything that would alleviate the grief and guilt in his chest. He was blind to anything else. Murky aura amplifying tenfold by the humanity Pitou displayed.

“ARE YOU KIDDING! WHY THE HELL SHOULD I WAIT FOR YOU!?! GET UP! WE'RE GOING OUTSIDE!”

He planned on killing them. You couldn't let him. No matter how upset he was. If Pitou died, the plan was over. Kite would be gone forever. So why the hell weren't you speaking up? Why was your voice caught in your throat? 

Gon approached closer to Pitou. 

“I'LL DO ANYTHING!” They pleaded in a last ditch effort to keep him away.

“I'll do anything you want me to do! But you have to wait. Because I…I have to save this person no matter the cost!”

Never had you felt so sick to your stomach. If only this change had come to Pitou sooner. Or perhaps it'd been better if it didn't happen at all.

“Save? What do you mean by save, huh?” Gon questioned.

One wrong word and he'd snap. Killua quickly tried to take over the situation.

“Anything? You say that you'll do anything?” He asked the ant, knowing this might've been your in to save Kite.

But Gon was too far gone by now.

“Killua. I'm asking the questions here.” He snapped.

You could feel his heart break at Gon's words. See the wobble of his lip as he tried to formulate a response. You'd had enough of this.

“You're acting like a brute!” At last you had found your voice. 

Your feet felt like lead as you walked forward. Gon tensed slightly at your voice.

“They don't want to fight. For whatever reason, they're taking care of that girl. If you can't think with a level head, then you need to leave.” You were at your limit.

You hoped he'd find some clarity in your words. But it felt as if he'd directed his anger towards you. 

“I… I remember you.” Pitou spoke up.

They remember you shoving the other human away to save him. They remembered you moving fast. How you ran off with two smaller humans. The feeling of slicing through your flesh. 

“I'm sorry for what I did.” they apologized.

If anything, they were grateful for your presence now. The boy was listening to you. He was letting you speak. Pitou opted for appealing to your humanity instead. Their best bet at keeping Komugi safe was you.

“This girl is…precious to someone I really care about. More than you could possibly know,” they began to explain.

“Because of her, the king became who he is today. If she ceases to exist, the king will cease to be who he is. She means that much.” They searched your eyes for a glimmer of sympathy.

When they found it, they pleaded harder. Doing their best to ignore the ever darkening aura of the boy next to you.

“So all I want…Is for her to live. I beg you to let me heal her. And then I'll do anything you ask of me. So please just wait!” 

Despite their words being directed at you, they were out in the open for the wrong person to hear. Gon took a step forward, and Pitou started to tremble once more.

“You want to save her life?” The question hung in the air, disbelief evident in his tone.

“You're telling me that you really want to save this girl's life?”

Everything poured out all at once. Gon started hyperventilating, pointing an accusing finger in their direction.

“HOW DARE YOU!”

Your senses were swarmed by anger and hate. Grief and malice. Denial and vengeance. You took a step back. You wanted it to stop. Arms wrapping around yourself in an attempt to protect yourself from everything negative combined.

“DAMN IT! WHY YOU! WHY SHOULD I WAIT!?! WHY SHOULD I DO ANYTHING YOU SAY!?!” 

He stalked forward with the intent to kill. You couldn't stop him. 

“Gon, just wait a second!” Killua called out.

“Look. That girl's really hurt. Probably because of us and grandpa's Dragon Dive.”

He stopped walking. Never had he sounded so cruel. So uncaring about another life.

“And?” Like he didn't see the problem with advancing forward.

“And? Pitou's likely healing her. Well, that's what it looks like anyway. So hold off. Wait until it's done.” It was the last attempt to get him to come to his senses.

“Likely? Probably?” Gon said the words like they were poison in his mouth.

“You want me to wait because of that!?! Even if we did wait, there's no way we can guarantee Pitou will follow through on that promise!” 

He'd completely snapped. Aura unrelenting as it poured out in an endless fountain.

“Probably!?! Likely!?! For real!?? The hell with that!”

He turned around to berate his best friend.

“QUIT MESSING AROUND! WHAT THE HELL'S THE MATTER WITH YOU!?!”

Your fingers dug into your skin before releasing. Your hands clenching by your side. Shaking from the pressure. This wasn't your kid.

He needed to stop.

You needed to protect yourself from him.

“YOU WANT- YOU WANT ME TO TRUST THIS THING!?! SERIOUSLY!?! BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY IN HELL-!”

SLAP

The sound of your palm hitting him reverberated throughout the room. The force of it sending him to the floor. Gon looked up at you in shock. 

You realized your mistake too late. Disgust consuming your entire being. You didn't mean- You didn't want to do that! How could you ever hit your own kid? You deserved to die. Your eyes were burning with tears. Entire body shaking in repulsion.

He looked up at you heartbroken. The expression mixing in with betrayal. 

You just wanted him to stop.

You didn't want to hurt him.

You'd been pushed to a breaking point you didn't think you could come back from. The tension on your shoulders making you double down. He'd been behaving like them. But so had you.

“HOW DARE YOU SPEAK LIKE THAT IN MY PRESENCE! WE HAVE A JOB TO DO! DON'T LET YOUR UNCHECKED EMOTIONS RUIN IT! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!”

You were a monster. How far would you descend into madness by the end of the night? How far would you keep going? 

You were breathing heavily, trying to keep your composure. But seeing the red swell on his cheek made you want to grovel for forgiveness. 

You could feel his hurt increase. Watching him lift a hand to his cheek and wince at the sting. A scowl overtook his features. Angry tears beginning to run down his face.

“IT’S NOT FAIR! WHY?!? WHY ARE YOU TAKING THEIR SIDE!?! AFTER EVERYTHING THEY DID TO KITE!?! AND YOU WANT TO LET THEM LIVE!?! WHY!?! DAMNIT TELL ME!!!!”

“IF YOU WOULD STOP BEING SELFISH FOR ONE SECOND, YOU'D SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE!” You shouted back.

“IF WE KILL PITOU, WE'D NEVER BE ABLE TO BRING KITE BACK! YOU'D THROW AWAY OUR ONLY OPPORTUNITY! QUIT ACTING LIKE A LITTLE KID!”

He went silent. His murky aura retreating back to him. Yet his anger was still very much present. It gave you hope, of only for a moment. Then he spoke, voice unwavering and cold.

“I hate you. You're nothing but a pathetic coward who can't even hold their own.”

And then he said something he hoped hurt you. Not caring about the repercussions it would bring.

“It's no wonder your sister died.”

Your hands clenched. Your own angry aura lashing out. Don't do it. You disgrace. Don't do it. You knew he wanted a reaction from you. You weren't about to give it to him.

You slammed your fist into the wall, crumbling it completely. You didn't want to do something else you'd regret.

“Gon that's enough!” Killua reprimanded. 

He didn't seem to hear him, walking until he was directly in front of Pitou.

He didn't mean it.

Gon would never mean something like that. 

But you didn't think you could forgive him for saying that. Using the secret you'd confided in him to hurt you. You sacrificed so much of yourself for these kids. You didn't ask for much in return. Just the understanding that you were doing your best. You didn't know how you'd get through this one.

You supposed he'd never forgive you either for raising a hand at him. 

“For how long? How long should we wait?” He interrogated the cat ant.

You could feel relief radiate from them.

“I estimate it'll take three to four hours to heal her completely.” They answered.

You knew Pitou was lying to you. You knew they were trying to buy time. And dammit you knew you shouldn't have a shred of sympathy for this thing. But…

But Gon was going too far. He needed a buffer. Anything that might give him time to cool off. You couldn't guarantee the full three hours, but you'd try your best.

“Sorry. Too long.” Gon denied.

You spoke up before Pitou could try to plead for more time.

“Give them a little over an hour.”

He was about to snap at you again, but you didn't give him the opportunity to.

“You said you'd owe me any favor from Greed Island, remember? I'm calling it in right now. Let them heal the girl for an hour.”

You directed your attention to Pitou next.

“And once you're done, you're gonna fix our friend. The off chance you can't…You'll take your own life as payment. Do we have a deal?”

They bowed down their head to you. Truthfully, their priority was the king. They needed to protect him at all costs. If they couldn't fix the human you wanted, then they would leave back to the king's side. But you didn't need to know that.

“I promise.”

A beat of silence. And then your eyes were piercing through theirs. They were unforgiving and knowing.

“Mean it.” You said.

“What?”

“I said mean it when you promise me.” You repeated.

You wouldn't let them get out of this that easily. It was fine. As long as they kept you and that boy away from the king, they could die willingly.

“I swear.” They affirmed, deceit no longer in their aura.

You took a step back, watching as Gon sat himself right in front of Pitou.

“I'll wait right here for one hour.” He conceded.

Neither of you noticed when Killua slipped out of the room. He couldn't handle the tension. Gon had spoken down to him, like he was nothing. Friends weren't supposed to do that. You said he was hurting. That wasn't an excuse to lash out. 

Killua couldn't believe his ears when he'd brought up your past against you. It'd made him mad. Gon was gonna end up making you leave again. And then what? How were they supposed to do this without you?

You'd hit Gon too. He doesn't think he's ever seen that side of you. Even when Killua had been provoking you, never in a million years did he think you would hit him. So what exactly was it that made you slap Gon?

It scared him straight. He knows if he was in the same position he would have broken. 

There were signs, weren't there? Your frantic state. Scared and terrified of the power engulfing you. You pushed yourself to be here. 

He couldn't stand what the NGL had brought out in the two of you. For his sake, he needed space. He needed something to get out all these pent up emotions. The hurt. The anger. The worry. So he left.

You'd been too focused on making sure Gon kept his word to notice. Pitou looked between the two of you. They felt better with you here, leaning closer to your side. As if seeking out protection from Gon’s hateful gaze.

You didn't know how long it'd been. You were sure Gon was keeping track though. Without much thought, you let your en back out. Your 100 meter radius down to 70 from your stress. You felt around for anything heading your way. Faintly you could sense Morel and Knuckle's aura. They were on the cusp of being out of your reach. They were fighting another beastly aura. 

They were struggling. 

You should help them. You shouldn't be sitting here doing nothing. But you just couldn't risk Gon snapping and killing Pitou. You shifted slightly, preparing to make your decision. 

A flicker of life was heading towards you. So small you almost missed it. Two smidges of life floated above you. The aura was disingenuous. It shifted into curiosity after a while. Someone was watching you.

You didn't spare them a glance, concealing the nen in your palm. It slithered like a snake right under the small blimps of life. Little by little one of your puppets formed. Right before you could command it to strike, the aura receded. 

But it wasn't gone. 

More of it started to gather outside the room. Combining until it made up a full being. They seemed unbothered by the situation. As if on cue, a pair of footsteps echoed throughout the hall. Pitou looked out the door in fear.

“Just stay back. Don't come any closer, alright?” They pleaded with the unknown party.

The footsteps picked back up.

“Pouf please!”

You got up slowly. If this was another royal guard, you'd take care of it. You needed an outlet right now. Before they could speak, you met the new ant's eye. 

A butterfly? 

“I don't think so. Let's go.” You gestured back out the door.

He returned your gaze with a glare. Uninterested composure slipping.

“I've got an ass kicking with your name on it.”

A disgusted expression crossed his face. Aura brimming with hostility.

“Excuse me? And what gives you the impression you can give orders to me?” 

A strand of nen wrapped tightly around his neck. He didn't even sense it. Unbeknownst to Pouf, your abilities were somewhat similar. You could read emotions just as he could. Tell what the enemy was thinking. But yours was more practiced. It had him outclassed in a way he was unaware of.

“I wasn't asking.” You said, heading towards the door.

He spared a look over your shoulder at Pitou. Mischief littering his aura before he trailed after you.

“Very well then.”

The grin soon wiped off his face. You reached out and grabbed the particle he released. Crushing it in your hands before speaking. 

“I don't think you understand the position you're in. I'm not gonna let your bullshitery enter this room. Get out or I'll drag you out.”

Your top priority was making sure Gon waited the full hour. Any threat to that needed to be stopped. The ant scowled at you. A petty hatred radiating off him. Still, he followed obediently behind you.

Knowing they were about to be left alone with Gon, Pitou called out to you. 

“Wait! Please don't leave!” They begged. 

“Shut up. Just let them go.” Gon silenced.

It was the last thing you heard before exiting completely. Your en was fully activated to catch any tricks Pouf might throw at you. He faced you without worry, believing you weren't a threat at all.

If anything, he thought you were a fool. Attempting to do what Pitou successfully had.

“May I ask you something?”

But you saw right through it. This thing didn't have a shred of humanity. An animal in every sense of the word. 

“Go to hell.” You responded.

His scowl deepened. He needed to get rid of you. That boy was a problem. And you were the obstacle getting in the way of dealing with him. He tried to gauge your emotional state. There was nothing but an unshakable resolve. 

“Very well then. Have it your way.”

Subduing you should be more than enough. He could always come back and kill you later. Mind made up, he spread his wings and threw his scales at you in mass. 

Even if you tried to get away, you'd be breathing them in. He had you. But as the dust settled, there was a little ballerina in your place. He felt something slam into his artificial body. Another puppet had attacked him.

You were nowhere to be seen.

What the hell?

“I don't have time for this. I must see the King at once.” He grumbled.

“Over here!” You called out.

A foolish mistake. He would not let you get away again. He spit into smaller segments. A few hundred of them charging at you while the others made a beeline away. His core spared a glance back, smiling triumphantly to see his segments holding down their target.

Only to realize it wasn't you. That same ballerina beamed up at the segments with hollow eyes.

“Strike two!” It cheered.

Pouf let out a frustrated noise before deciding to scamper away. Core flying away as fast as he could.

“Fuck! He's getting away!”

You needed one more. One more hit…. One more aura sample. Your eyes scanned for the real him. Spotting it, you used your speed to grab him from the air. 

He gave out a choked sound. 

“Let me go!” He screamed.

You were falling fast back down. Having scaled the side of the building to catch him. He was at your mercy. You could kill him right now. You should kill him. You could feel a mass form next to you. Looking up just in time to see his fake body lunge towards you. 

Bingo!

It's fist making contact with a metallic surface.

“Strike three! Yippee! Game over.” Shika cheered.

Confused, Pouf flew away. 

You landed on your feet. Shika summoned besides you. You couldn't unsummon her or you'd lose Pouf’s ability. You might be able to risk going after him. But your power was cut in half. Realistically you had no chance if the other guard was with him.

A damn shame.

You made your way back to where Pouf and Gon were, stopping at the call of your name.

 “Y/n. What happened to you? Where's Pouf?” Knuckle questioned. 

He thought he saw the butterfly and go this way.

“I dealt with most of him.” You answered.

“Most?”

“A little piece of him got away.”

“His damn segments,” he mumbled before addressing you again.

“That bastard is still out there.” 

“It's okay. I got what I needed from him. If I see him again, I can go all out.” You assured.

He finally noticed the smaller being by your side. He decided not to bring it up. Instead gesturing towards the door behind you.

“How’s Gon doing?”

You let out a drained sigh.

“I wouldn't go in there. He's not himself. He won't listen to anyone right now. Not even me. One wrong word and it's all over. He'll kill Pitou if he's pushed. It's best to leave him alone.” You explained.

“Are you sure?”

You nodded.

“Positive. Please, tell the others not to disturb him.”

Right as the words left your mouth, someone else called out to you.

“Y/n?” It was Killua.

Behind him was Ikalgo and a new ant. You scanned her with your eyes and froze and the familiarity of it. 

“Palm?”

She smiled at you. 

Without thinking, you went up to her and pulled her into a hug.

“Oh Palm, what did they do to you?” You said softly.

You could feel her embarrassment from the contact. Yet she hugged you back all the same.

“They turned me into an ant. I died. But they brought me back. Am I…Do you think Knov will still love me?” She asked shyly.

You pulled back from her with a small smile.

“He better. I was so worried about you. I'm glad to see you're okay.”

Killua cleared his throat, effectively catching your attention.

“I thought if Gon saw Palm was okay, he'd calm down a little.”

Your expression turned somber, shaking your head no.

“He's too far gone. We can't push him right now. It's better if we leave him alone. I'm the only one fast enough to save Pitou if he changes his mind.”

With no other choice but to wait, you all stood by the doorway. It felt like an eternity before they emerged. You were engulfed in the volatile aura once more. 

Pitou hesitated by the exit, turning around to try and comfort the girl. They stopped immediately hearing Gon’s threat. He'd actually threatened to kill Komugi.

You were helpless to do anything. The others in equal shock at his brutal display. Knuckle offered to keep Pitou at bay if they tried anything. But Gon brushed him off. His mind already made up.

“For some reason…I trust Pitou.” He justified, though it sounded like the complete opposite.

You could feel Pitou plotting something in desperation. Their eyes met yours. Silently begging you with their eyes to come along. The hope in them vanishing completely at Gon’s next choice of words.

“Take care of that girl for us until we save Kite.” He ordered.

“Once Pitou heals Kite, we'll release her. I promise you that.” His tone almost mocking as he addressed the cat ant.

“So guess that means for now, you're just gonna have to trust me too. Right, Pitou?” 

They nodded slowly. Following closely behind Gon as he made his way back to Peijing. The icky feeling you've had all night consumed you. You wanted to go after him, something in your gut told you to go. But just this once, you ignored it.

You convinced yourself things would be okay.

“You should've gone with him,” Knuckle said.

“Why didn't you?”

You didn't know how to answer. You didn't know what kept you rooted on the spot. It could've been the familiarity of such malice that kept you away. It could've been not wanting Pitou to use you as a way to get to him. Or it could've done with those three little words.

‘I hate you.’

“It's fine. Now that I've laid my eyes on Gon, I'd know if something happened to him,” Palm intervened.

The subject was soon dropped. Your group of six deciding what to do next when Palm let out a gasp of surprise.

“What is it?” Knuckle asked.

“It's the king! He's coming this way!”

The air felt like it was sucked from your lungs.

“The king? Netero was supposed to take care of him! What do you mean he's on his way!?!” Your tone frantic.

Shit. 

Everybody was working with less than optimal power.

“What do we do? What can we do?” Ikalgo said hopelessly.

You needed a minute to think. A minute you didn't have as a familiar aura approached. Thousands of little blimps scattering along and heading right towards your group.

“Pouf’s segments are here! We gotta get Komugi out of here now! As for the king, if you can't fight, find a place to hide! It's the only choice we have! I'll stall him as long as I can!” You did your best to control the situation.

“Are you crazy?!? No way in hell are you fighting the King alone!” Killua argued, grabbing your arm to make sure you listened.

“He's right! We're not gonna hide like a bunch of cowards while you're being killed!” Knuckle backed up.

You didn't have time for arguments. Pouf was getting closer. Every second standing around was a second the king was getting closer. Yet the resolve of those around you was strong. 

“Then we'll deal with him when he gets here! For now, we gotta get the girl out of here!”

Right as you said it, dozens of Poufs flew into the area. He set his sights on Komugi and flew towards her. You used your ren to give them some push back. 

“Scatter! The more of these things we destroy, the weaker he'll be!”

Killua reacted first, picking up Komugi and using his God Speed to get out of there. You would have cheered him on of the situation hadn't been so dire. Knuckle and Meleoron took off next. Last was Palm and Ikalgo, who decided to help the women still trapped underground.

You were confused to see Pouf's segments only go after Killua. Flying straight at him with the intent to kill. You rushed in front, much to the ant’s dismay.

“Remember me?”

All of the segments frowned, looking over your shoulder. The ones closest to you smashed to dust.

“I'll catch and destroy every part of you!” You threatened.

His expression became manic. The segments mumbling out curses. You could faintly pick up on the muttering of one.

“First that damn girl distracts the king. Then me and Pitou's project defects to the other side. Now I gotta find some way around this human to kill Komugi!”

Everything clicked for you in that moment. Eyes widening in realization. You were frozen on the spot as a few of Pouf’s segments went last you.

‘Me and Pitou's project.’

‘I was killed...They brought me back.’

Your body shook, standing in horror at the revelation. Unawares Pouf had once again changed his course upon being unable to beat Killua. The small assassin took notice of your shell-shocked state.

“Y/n!?! What's wrong!?!” He called out.

“I've gotta…I need to…” 

You willed your body to move. Head filled with a fuzzy static. If that was the case…

“Damn!” You shouted in frustration. 

You were sure it sounded like you were crazy. Hurriedly getting the words out in an attempt to express how dire the situation really was.

“They're abilities work in tandem with each other! Pitou fixes the external damage and Pouf brings them back! If we want to save Kite, we need Pouf's ability! But I can't just leave you to the king!”

Killua’s blood went cold. Realizing the same thing as you. When Pitou couldn't fix Kite by themselves, Gon would lose it completely.

“Yes you can! Gon needs you right now! You have to tell him before it's too late! We're screwed if he kills Pitou after we've figured it out!” He urged you to leave. 

“I can't leave you!” You doubled down.

You didn't want to lose another kid. But Killua wasn't going to budge. He couldn't knowing what was on the line.

“I won't die on you! I promise you I'll get out of here alive!”

Damn it all.

You took off in the direction Kite was being held. Pushing your legs the fastest they could go. Still it wasn't fast enough. Gliding through the terrain with ease and it still wasn't enough for you. You used as much energy as you could spare to summon your en. Sensing around for Gon and Pitou. 

You thought you found him when there was an explosion of nen. Dark. So incredibly dark and filled with everything negative. Hate, Sadness, Guilt, Resignation.

You pushed yourself that much faster, suffocating the deeper you got to the center of that aura. Time seemed to freeze.

DANGER

DANGER

DANGER

Who was that!?!

The source of the heinous aura made a lunge for Pitou. The attack very much familiar to you. You pushed yourself as hard as you could and tackled Pitou out of the way.

It felt like your back was on fire. The blast of nen missing you by a centimeter. Still its power overwhelmed you. You rolled with the cat ant a few times. Righting yourself up to see this new enemy.

No.

It can't be.

Your expression morphed into one of terror. Hand covering your mouth and willing the vile to go down. Your body heaving and shaking. 

“Gon?”

There were parts of his aura that were similar. His clothes were similar. But everything else made you want to cry. His eyes, the ones you always found a piece of her still in, had darkened to the point of unrecognition. His body was not his own. 

What did he do to himself?

What curse did he place on himself to physically age himself up?

This had to be a nightmare.

He stood looming in front of you. Like a predator zoning in on its prey. You extended your arms out in defense of Pitou. 

“You stopped me. Why did you stop me?”

You didn't even recognize his voice. You were scared of him. Frightened at what he might do.

“You keep defending them. Does their life really mean that much to you? More than I mean to you? After everything we've been through…” He hands clenched at his side. Unimaginable power coursing through his veins.

He was looking at you like you were less than nothing. But you couldn't back down.

“Gon, you have to trust me. You're not the only one who's hurting. You're not the only one who's angry.”

You loved Kite too. 

“And it would be so easy to kill Pitou, to get this over with and say it's justice. But it's not. If you kill them, it's a path you can't come back from. You don't want this blood on your hands!”

He took a step forward.

“Please, you have to listen to me. There's another way to bring him back. Just calm down.”

You thought you'd gotten through to him. But he truly was too far gone to listen to reason.

"You're in the way. Move or I'll kill you both."

You hadn't been this scared since Father. Since your entire clan turned on you. There was no deceit in his aura. He really meant it.

You flicked your hand to the side, commanding the puppet on your shoulder to move.

“GO! GET PITOU OUT OF HERE NOW!”

You used your other puppet to block Gon’s next attack.

Your ballerina marionette’s hand morphing into a blade against Pitou's neck.

“This way now.” It instructed.

Pitou owed you a favor for saving their life. For saving Komugi’s. They let the puppet guide them back into the safehouse.

Gon’s attention was fully on you. His rage was directed towards you. And he made it known.

“Show me rock!”

You barely had enough time to dodge. With both of your puppets summoned, you were at his complete mercy.

You made a dash for the trees, hiding yourself in the foliage. Everytime he punched though one, you'd substitute with Henry last second. You didn't know how to snap him out of this.

“I know what you're going through! I've been there before! Hell, I'm still there! I know you Gon! You're not like me!”

Your energy was draining fast, yet his seemed endless. Attacking you without restraint.

“COME OUT AND FIGHT ME INSTEAD OF RELYING ON CHEAP TRICKS!”

You were crying, pleading for this kid to hear you through his pain. But your pleas continued to fall on deaf ears.

“I know this is hard! I know you've been strong for too long! Everything you've been carrying on your shoulders! But you need to hold off! You have to be willing to let Pitou live!”

He sent a surge of energy through the treetops. You evaded down…Right into his trap. His jan-ken poised and ready to crack open your skull. 

You didn't have any time to substitute.

It was a miracle you slipped. The blow only barley missing your head. You were about to rebound up when a hand wrapped around your neck. You felt yourself hanging in the air.

Your lungs denied of the oxygen they desperately needed. He stared you down with unforgiving eyes. 

You thought of Kari. How you were in the same position she'd been in 13 years prior. Your vision was blanking out. Mind running a thousand thoughts a minute. He was going to kill you. 

He was here to kill you.

Your tears ran down your cheeks and onto his hand. The sensation miraculously catching Gon’s attention.

You were…crying?

He made you cry?

For a moment the fog cleared in his mind. He saw you. He realized what he was doing. His rageful expression at last softening. The grip around your neck went lax. He was about to let you go completely when a heavy body knocked onto his side.

You fell with a thud. A murky purple haze around your eyes. Your body curled into a defensive ball. 

It was your puppet. But it was different. It's entire being surged with power. Manic, ruthless power. Its body growing and expanding to fit. It smiled with jagged teeth. 

“New game: start!”

It lunged forward. Gon tried to dodge it, but it wasn't aiming for a direct hit. It made a faint slash to his side. Bouncing around with an agility that shouldn't be possible with its size to continue slashing around. 

He summoned his nen into his palm once more. Shooting off a successful blast of aura at the jester. It only puffed out its chest to disperse the energy. Rebounding forward once again to continue its onslaught.

He met it with a punch, finally making contact. The jester only tutted at him. He realized his mistake too late. It clung to his arm, flashing a smile full of nothing but deranged madness. Try as he may to pry his arm free, this thing wouldn't let him go.

“We'll start out way up top and slit you right on down the spine!”

It's hand morphing into a saw blade, circling around his arm and sawing through the flesh. He could feel the warmth of his blood leaving his body.

“And then I'll sink my little fingers in to help slough off that rind!”

Articulated hands digging into the cut it made and yanking off the limb from his body. This thing was gonna kill him. And maybe a part of him wanted it to. He'd broken his promise to Kite. He'd hurt you.

But the onslaught only grew more violent.

The puppet punched its own monstrous arm through the gushing stub, preventing Gon from being able to pull back. It took a familiar stance that had his eyes widening.

“Jan-ken-rock!” It mimicked.

It was more concentrated than anything he'd ever been able to produce. Shattering every bone in his body, despite the aura protecting it.

You were a monster in every sense of the word. This was what you'd been holding back. This madness. Pure killer instinct to be the last one standing.

And still it wasn't done with him as he collapsed on the ground.

“You’re going to di-ie~ And then I'll wear your skin as a suit. It's a promise ~” It sang out.

Once again it charged up his ability, but there was less power this time.

“Nighty night little sun~”

It was toying with his body. Torturing him just enough to keep him alive. But he deserved it. He bet his life on saving Kite. It was only right he lost it for failing. At least it was you. If he had to be killed, he'd rather it be you that did it. 

Funny how the one supposed to be protecting him was his undoing. 

—---------------------------

Killua rushed through the forest as fast as he could. He had to warn you and Gon. Pitou could betray you two at any second. He had to get there. 

His ears picked up on a thudding sound. It came again. And again. Growing louder the closer he got. He didn't know what it was. He couldn't have predicted it either.

He got to a clearing. A surge of nen lighting up the area before it was released. He ran straight ahead, freezing in horror at the sight before him. 

On the ground, body broken to the point of being unrecognizable, was Gon.

On top of him was a bigger version of your puppet.

It charged up aura into its fist before slamming down. The cause of the repetitive noise.

And curled up under a tree was you.

“Y/N!” He screamed out your name.

Running towards you and shaking you. Begging you to stop. Feeling like he was in a horrible dream.

“Y/N! STOP! YOU'RE KILLING HIM!” He shrieked.

But at the feeling of something touching you, you broke out into a hysterically sob.

“NO!!!! DON'T TOUCH ME! DON'T TOUCH ME!”

The last of your energy going into your cry. Body giving out completely. As soon as you'd gone comatose, the puppet disappeared. All traces of your nen did.

Killua ran over to Gon next, not bothering to hold back his cries. He was alive, but barely. His body was mangled beyond anything he'd ever seen.

What happened here?

What was he supposed to do?

The weight of his next move hung heavily on his shoulders.

Only one. 

He could only save one. 

He was sobbing hysterically at this point. How could you both put him in this position? How could you make him choose between you two? Who mattered more?

“...I'm so sorry Y/n. Please forgive me.” He picked up Gon, casting one last glance back.

He caught sight of a dark handprint across your neck. The indentations of fingers. 

“Please forgive me. I won't be able to go on if you don't.”

Gon needed more help right now. He'd send someone to get you as soon as possible. 

—------------------------

Pitou finished up the last of Kite's stitches, making sure the skin looked normal. When your puppet first led them here, they didn't understand what was wanted of them. Already having told Gon there was no use.

But your puppet was persistent. Gesturing towards the body and hissing out a ‘fix, you must fix.’

It wasn't until it said memory that Pitou understood. Fix the body so Pouf’s ability could take care of the rest. They did their best to get it done quickly. Giving out a sigh of relief when it was over.

“My job is finished here. I need to make my way back to the king.”

They took a few steps towards the exit, unable to process what happened as their vision turned upside down. The floor becoming closer and closer to their line of vision.

“We…are not merciful.” Your puppet said quietly. Little feet entering Pitou's line of sight.

“And you broke your promise…We were never going to let you live.”

It raised its foot up, completely stomping the cat ant’s head in. Putting an end to the creature that had caused so much pain.

It picked up Pitou's mangled skull, leaving it right beside the cocoon. 

“For you.”

Then it disappeared along with the rest of your nen. Never to return again.

—----------------------------------------------------------

Fun Fact: There are no Fun Facts for this one.

Tags: @fandomhoe101 @justxiao @bekataylorgriggs @zellwa @rainbowpr1sm @shun-nie @snake-in-a-flower-crown

MASTERLIST

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An: Oh boy. Oh no. Those are my comfort characters doomed to the narrative. So uhhhh, let's talk about the slap and how the cycle of abuse is a hard one to break. Let's talk about lashing out in fear the same way Y/n was hurt because it's the only way they know how to make it stop. The only way they were taught to enact discipline. Let's talk about Gon feeling so hurt and betrayed because Y/n said they'd never hit either of them. How he never thought they'd raise their hand at him.

Oh boy, let's talk about that fight. Ah yes, my biggest inspirations: Tangled the Series’ Nothing Left to Lose, Steven Universe’s Change, specifically this cover, and Puppet History’s Pieces of You.

Let's talk about how utterly traumatizing it was for Killua to have to pick between the two people he loves the most. Let's talk him watching Y/n about to kill his best friend. Let's talk about him seeing their crushed wind wipe and knowing Gon tried to kill them too. 

Let's talk about the consequences of our actions ladies and gentlemen. Let's theorize the aftermath and how things are about to get worse before they can get better.