Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

You open your eyes for what seems to be the first in a lifetime. The heavens above are weeping down on your frail form. 

The shower of the rain dances around the inside of your mind, lazily synching into background ambience. 

In all honesty, the pain coursing through your body had been antagonizing at best. 

There was no room for you to make such moves, as the second you moved even a muscle it was as though all of hell tried to drag you down into the pits of earth. 

Now you were one prone to panic and being melodramatic, so quietly laying on what seems to be wood while the surroundings shacked violently were a bit of shock. 

Being tired as you were, even though only waking up a mere few minutes ago, unconsciously your eyes had begun to drift off into sleep.

｡ﾟ•┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈•  ｡ﾟ

Feeling a bit light headed, you pull yourself up while grabbing onto the railing as support. 

What you don't expect is to find yourself stranded in the middle of open waters, in fact you had never even been out in the ocean before, if this was the ocean that is. 

You had seen pictures of you as a toddler on a boat, though travelling on lakes and ocean were hugely different. 

For one, there's more chances of you going missing and not being located. 

Well it's not like you were actually an expert or knowledgeable on these things, being that you haven't seen the sea in real life before. 

Currently though the waters were calm and steady, no sight of any dark clouds in the blue summer sky. 

So you had started to panic like a normal deranged person. Goddamn it am i gonna die or what.

The heart in your chest almost busted open from inside, clearly someone failed to keep calm in difficult circumstances.

You had looked around, from left to right, front and back, and there was nothing but the deep blue sea. It was genuinely terrifying for you, but there was no other option than waiting for any sort of help.

Which was stirring up some issues with you, considering you hadn't seen anything other than your belongings on this cartoony cliché raft, the small boat had exactly just enough room for you to lay down and sleep.

Being a short teenager as it is this boat was not comfortable,  the railings were short as hell too. You could just be sitting and if a heavy wave hits, you would basically fly out of the damn boat.

The main concern was food and water… food mostly. The small thing about being alive was that we all needed those stuffs to survive.

You slowly sat down to contemplate the current issues at hand, the frown you wore deepened as you thought about slowly dying of dehydration or starvation.

Unless the ocean wanted to be a cunt and capsize your little dingy boat.

You could not swim.

Where even were you? how did you get here....? These were too disturbing to think about, the unclear mystery sent chills down your spine, making you accidentally scare yourself.

God how you were such an idiot. The rocking of the waves made you feel sick as soon as you stopped thinking and calmed down.

It was nauseating to be sea sick, and you would be experiencing this for a while, hopefully there was land close by so you wouldn't have to die in a slowly agonizing way.

Deciding that sitting on the benches were too uncomfortable you relocate yourself to the floor, sighing, you extend your arm to reach out for the backpack laying on the other side of the bench.

Pulling the backpack safely onto your lap, zipping it open, you saw a few clothes that you loved to wear, stylish and comfortable, it was a win-win situation.

Okay there was your phone! heart skipping a beat you tap on the screen just to find it not turning on.

Fate must be really testing poor old you, eyebrows furrowing with all your might you try to somehow turn the phone on. Maybe it's just turned off? right! You wishfully think to yourself, only to find despair sinking deep into your heart, again.

You don't know if signals worked in the middle of the ocean but damn if you didn't try, at least you could have gotten the cure to the boredom that would surely taunt you. 

There weren't many other things inside the little backpack of yours, nothing too useful and no food either. The waves had sort of calmed down again, you felt more at ease now that your skull wasn't ringing half the time too.

There was a note in the backpack that maybe you should start writing on just in case, maybe someone would find it after you're long gone, and you would be mourned and pitied at least.

Maybe if impending doom wasn't dangling over your head you could enjoy the scenery somewhat, it had seemed the sky bled gold as the sun began to set. Would the nights be colder out in the sea?

You wonder, maybe you could freeze to death rather than starve. You for once look down at your clothes, the sides were covered in blood. Your eyes widened as surprise made its way to your face, honestly how did you not notice sooner? you think 

You're not too freaked out about this as you would have, about all of this... Surely someone like you would have had a heart attack because just what is this situation??

Maybe you really had lost all grip on reality, maybe! It's all just a dream, your very first lucid dream. Hey, you had a dream about being stalked so is it so different?

You shake yourself out of those thoughts, this was a nightmare, one that was too real. You wonder how you got these bloody stains on your clothes, not remembering anything you give out a large heavy sigh, does this mean it was someone else's blood?

Dear, you weren't hurt anything so it had to be, guhh it was all too confusing for you.

By now, golden hues drained from the sky, being alone out at sea at night did not sound too pleasing to you. You prepared a semi bed you could sleep on.

it was more like you were using a jacket as the mattress and the backpack as a pillow, right now it didn't feel that cold so the temperature wouldn't be a problem right?

You lay down on your little creation, even if you did nothing for these past hours besides sit around oh boy were you tired as hell.

Letting your wonderful mind take control you daydream into fantasies as slumber slowly creeps in. You were always so talented at letting the mind wander, it was your specialty if you would say....

.

..

…

It's been days and no ship in sight nor land, this was actually gut wrenching to think about, you needed water urgently.

Things had turned sour quickly, hope had been given up, you weren't a very willful person. 

You missed people, you craved your friends from your heart, family... you had trouble with them sure, but they wouldn't want to see you like this, you wanted your mothers comfort and soft embrace. 

You were going insane, yes people annoyed you and you were content with out talking to them, but this was pure psychological torture.

If you made it out of this by a miracle godsend you were going to yapp about this for days to people, god you were hungry as shit.

The warm softness of the sun had quickly turned into a scorching nuisance that could not be removed over the past couple of days, with no choice but to take off your jacket and use it as shade.

In all honesty you were tempted to drink the sea water, the salty water, but you knew better no matter if this was life or death.

From the glimpse of your eyes, you spot something... something moving! Almost as if you won the lottery, tears suddenly bursted from out from you.

Surprising considering that you desperately needed water asap. But currently you stood up sharply almost capsizing the boat.

Inhaling deeply, you tried to scream for help with your hoarse voice.

"Help! please! hello?!" I yelled at the top of my lungs as much as I could, frantically waving my arms in the air. I see the shadow of what seems to be a ship heading towards my way, this was a small victory for me as my smile grew in size.

Out of exhaustion I slowly fall down on my little boat, I could smell it now! survival and victory. Getting out of this small thing and getting fed was only the first step...!

I patiently waited for my anticipated rescue, slowly but surely each moment felt like bliss. I wouldn't have to die in such a crude way. If I can, I'll be the one who decides my death.

Thank you. And then I felt it, the small bump of the boat bumping into a solid object, err…the rescue ship wouldn't be this small right?

Hopefully whoever this is wasn't a lost survivor like you... if you got too hungry cannibalism wouldn't be off the table even if you had accepted death already.

Heavy footsteps made its way towards your direction and the person had decided to get on your boat, this mysterious person had knelt down on one knee suddenly, that much you could see from your point of view.

"P-please help..." I muttered out while they still kept silent, so with all the strength you had left to spare you tried to muster up power to lift up your head with your gaze meeting this man's he had sharp, terrifying, yellow eyes that could probably kill your pathetic form right this instant.

You could tell he had strength you could never possess,  you tried your best to ask for help again, but your body had decided to give up on you.

Last thing you saw before you fell unconscious was the piercing eyes like hawk.

Chapter Text

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The gentle rocking waves greeted you as you awoke, right, still lost at sea. 

Your mind raced as memories resurfaced. That encounter before you blacked out… A sudden wave of nervousness washed over you. That man.

You stared at him while you sat up cautiously, At first glance, you hadn’t fully realized who he was. But now, the weight of recognition hits you. This was no other than the Shichibukai, Dracule Mihawk. 

No... none of this made sense, he was just a silly anime character while you were real! Oh God, was it true that you had died and went to hell. 

"I see that you have awoken" his voice all of a sudden interjected through your thoughts. Firm but not loud, he demanded respect from his mere presence, truely... coughs 

He was veryy intimidating as a person, he wasn't real though right? You had to be seriously high or something. 

You had to say something right?! Probably manners you guessed, "uh... yes.. Thank you for uhh helping me out!" Pretty sure your voice cracked, great start!

Mihawk raised an eyebrow, "helping you out?" he repeated, as though testing the phrase on his tongue. His tone carried no mockery, but his expression was hard to read.

"yeah..?", rubbing the back of your neck nervously. "I mean, you found me, right? Or, um, onto your ship?"

He folded his arms across his chest, "This is hardly a ship," he said, gesturing to the small, battered craft beneath you. "And I did not 'pull you out.' You drifted into my path."

Well this certainly is not a ship, still it's still quite a bit bigger than that small boat you were on, the infamous coffin boat.

You gulped, his words were sharp and the air around him carried an aura of indifference that made you feel small, smaller than usual given the at hand situation.

"Right," you muttered. "Well, uh, thanks anyway. I’d probably be dead if you hadn’t..." You trailed off, realizing that Mihawk likely didn’t care about your gratitude.

His golden eyes studied you for a moment longer before he finally spoke again. “Where are you from?”

The question made you nervous as hell. Where were you from? You weren’t even sure how you got here, let alone how to explain your home. Should you tell him the truth? Could you?

The thought of trying to explain modern stuff to someone like Mihawk was... daunting, to say the least.

Do not get you started on the prospects of telling someone they were a fictional character, it made you cringe, it was like those fanfics oh dear.

“Well i'm not too sure...,” you said, you felt like lying to him would not go unnoticed but as long as you avoided certain subjects it should go smoothly err probably! you lowered your gaze, “I don’t even know why im out at sea, suddenly i just woke up here.."

For a moment there was silence. The sound of waves lapping against the side of the boat filled the void.

You dared to glance up at Mihawk. His expression hadn’t changed, but his eyes seemed to narrow slightly, as if he were analyzing you.

“Interesting,” he said finally. “You claim ignorance, yet your clothes and demeanor suggest otherwise.”

You blinked,  the fuck was he trying to interrogate you?? 

“Your ignorance of the sea is evident,” he explained, his tone patient yet firm. “And yet you are not a simpleton. There is a story here, whether you are aware of it or not.”

Your heart skipped a beat. What was he getting at...? His piercing gaze felt as though it could see straight through you.

“I wish I knew the story,” you admitted quietly. “All I know is I woke up here, and I...” You paused, looking down at your bloodstained clothes. “And I don’t even know if this is my blood.”

Mihawk’s eyes flicked to the stains, then back to your face. “Fascinating,” he murmured, almost to himself. “You’re either a liar or a fool. Perhaps both.”

Wow and he's already insulting you, both of those were true but it's not fun to be called out.

Before you could respond, your stomach let out a loud growl breaking the tension in the air.

You were mortified, God you're so stupid on the fact that you probably looked like you got out of prison this was too embarrassing, while Mihawk raised an eyebrow again, this time with a hint of amusement.

“When was the last time you ate?” he asked, his tone almost casual.

You hesitated, trying to think. Days? It felt like forever. “I... don’t know, like a couple days...” talking to him was so hard, it felt like you were a frog being dissected.

Mihawk sighed, as though dealing with your predicament was an inconvenience he hadn’t planned for, without a word he turned and he reached out for a bag.

You stood there awkwardly, unsure whether to move or not, standing there awkwardly 

When he returned, he held something that looked like apples and a flask of water. He handed them to you with a stern look.

“Eat slowly,” he instructed. “Too much too quickly will do more harm than good.”

You knew that, having seen people talk about this on social media from time to time, was it called? refeeding syndrome?

"Thank you" you mumbled, You fought the urge to chug the apples down, also it would be too embarrassing to eat like an animal In front of the strongest swordsman..

Taking a bite the sweetness of the apple was almost overwhelming, and the water was so refreshing you nearly cried.

"Drifted into your path... right," you muttered under your breath. "Well, uh, thanks for er not letting me drown, I guess."

His sharp gaze met yours again. "Gratitude is irrelevant. You are alive because it was inconvenient to leave you otherwise."

“I see,” you said, feeling the weight of his gaze pressing down on you. “Still, I’m grateful. If you hadn’t crossed my path, I might have died in a horrible way.” You forced a weak laugh, which felt too embarrassing.

Mihawk didn’t respond immediately, he merely sat, Gratitude is misplaced on fate. “Your survival was a consequence of the ocean’s will, not mine.”

You blinked, what kind of response was that? Typical of the swordsman, sure, but still it wasn’t exactly comforting.

The silence stretched between you two, and you realized that if you didn’t steer the conversation, you might lose what little grip you had on the situation, which in fact wasn't a lot.

Talking wasn't one of your strong suits, you suck at these kinds of things. 

“Err… so, what happens now?” you asked, crossing your arms, it felt more comfortable in this position, “Are you going to… drop me off somewhere?”

Mihawk turned his head slightly, enough for his eyes to meet yours again. “Do you often place your fate in the hands of strangers?”

Well, it’s not like I have much of a choice right now, you thought, “I mean, I’m not exactly in a position to be picky. I’m just trying to live.”

He tilted his head slightly, as if pondering your words. “Survival without purpose is merely delaying of the inevitable. If you wish to live, find a reason worth the effort.”

What was this... some kind of philosophical lecture? You felt irritated, but the last thing you wanted was to antagonize a man who could cut you up into little tiny bits.

“Well, right now, my reason is not dying. I think that’s good enough for now.”

"A pitiful aspiration, but fitting for someone so unprepared."  Was he wrong? Not really.

You glanced down, gripping the fabric of your jacket as though it were the last thread tethering you to sanity.

"Well, excuse me for not being born a world class swordsman," you mumbled, immediately regretting the snark in your tone as the words left your lips, god this was like slamming the door after arguing with your parents.

His eyes snapped back to yours, sharper than the blade hanging at his side. For a long moment, the two of you locked gazes, and you half expected him to unsheath that infamous sword of his and end your pathetic existence right then and there.

But instead, he smirked a small, fleeting curve of his lips that vanished almost as soon as it appeared. "Humor," he remarked dryly. 

“So, uh… where exactly are we?” you changed the subject, trying to sound casual but failing miserably. “I mean, I don’t remember how I got here, and honestly, I’m not even sure this is real."

Mihawk tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. “Whether you believe it or not, you are very much alive. And very much in my way.”

Great. You’d managed to make yourself a nuisance to the literal strongest swordsman in the world. “Sorry,” you said quickly. “I didn’t mean to uhh drift into your path or anything. I was just..”

“Lost,” he interrupted. “That much is obvious.” His gaze flicked briefly to the horizon, where the sun was beginning to dip lower. “The question is what you intend to do now.”

That was a very good question. You had no food, no water, no real survival skills to speak of, and no clue how to handle a situation like this.

The rational part of your brain told you that Mihawk probably wouldn’t let you starve to death on his boat or whatever this was, but you weren’t sure you wanted to test that theory tbh.

“I don’t know,” you admitted, the uncertainty made you furrow your brows. “I guess I was hoping for some kind of rescue, but since that’s not happening… maybe you could point me to land?”

Mihawk regarded you for a long moment, his piercing gaze giving away nothing. Finally, he sighed, “I have no intention of babysitting you,” he said bluntly. “But I also have no interest in watching you perish for lack of basic competence.”

You were going to pass out soon, at least he won't throw you off, oh my god you just realized something major.

This wasn't just a dream anymore… it was real and you were very much in front THE strongest swordsman, oh okay, so awesome. 

Dracule Mihawk... Strongest Swordsman in the World... so One Piece... god what

One piece… the one piece... you need to have a breakdown the next time when you’re alone.

Quickly you managed to break out of your thoughts, “So! Does that mean you’ll help me reach land?" 

Mihawk glanced over his shoulder, “For now, Stay still and don’t fall overboard."

Just like that the whole boat fell into silence, well at least his boat was bigger than the one you woke up on, the trip to the nearest island had been quiet and somber.

Hey look at the bright side you were alive! As much as you liked the idea of death, starvation wasn't on your list of ways to go.

The night had settled soon after, the quiet hum of the sea helped you pass onto sleep.

Sailing with him had been rather short compared to the time you were stranded, not having a watch on your person, you couldn't tell the time.

it might have been morning, as light began to seep into the sky, you had ended up falling asleep that night prior.

What was even the protocol for being stranded with a living legend? Were you supposed to ask for an autograph? Beg for mercy? Burst into song? Probably none of the above.

Mihawk’s piercing gaze remained locked on you, you thought he was debating whether you were worth the effort of continued acknowledgment.

“Compose yourself,” he said, “your thoughts are written plainly across your face.”

“sorry,” you muttered, wringing your hands like a guilty child. You didn’t know what else to say. 

He gestured to the horizon with a slow, deliberate motion. “Land lies a couple hours sail from here. I will take you there, and then we will part ways. Your survival beyond that point is no concern of mine.”

“Right, got it, thanks,” you mumbled, staring at the planks of the boat as if they killed you.

You felt as though you were walking a tightrope, one wrong step away from plunging into the dreadful seas or at least earning yourself a stern lecture from the world’s most intimidating swordsman.

“Hey!” you started again, earning another glance from Mihawk. “Thanks for not letting me die. Even if it was just ‘inconvenient’ for you.”

For a moment, you thought he wouldn’t reply. But then, his lips curved into the faintest hint of a smirk. “It is rare to find someone so keenly aware of their insignificance.”

You blinked, not sure whether to feel insulted or amused. “Wow, thanks. That’s... comforting.”

“Humility suits you,” he said simply, his tone unreadable. “Cling to it. It may be the only thing that keeps you alive.”

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Mihawk had always prided himself on his ability to assess people quickly. Most were predictably motivated by greed, power, or survival. Yet here you were, a peculiar mix of timid gratitude and sharp wit, stumbling through every interaction like a newborn deer on ice.

The fact that you’d survived this long was, frankly, baffling and mildly irritating.

The small vessel carried you, where land promised to swallow you up and remove you from Mihawk’s responsibility. 

He glanced at you again, noting the way your gaze lingered on the water. You looked lost, not in the literal sense more in the depressed kind of way. 

He hated how he noticed.

"Your silence is unnerving," Mihawk said, breaking the calm. 

You startled slightly, looking up at him as though you'd been caught stealing cookies. "Sorry, I was just... thinking."

“Your thoughts must be profound to render you mute.”

You huffed softly, half amused, half mortified. “I’m just trying to figure out what I’m supposed to do? I’ve never been in a situation like this before.”

Mihawk raised an eyebrow. “Few have. But brooding won’t solve anything.”

"Yeah, well, neither will sitting here and waiting to be dropped off like a stray cat."

Mihawk let out a small, humorless laugh, the sound so brief you almost missed it. “A fitting analogy.”

You turned your focus back to the waves, letting the silence stretch again.

The shore came into view far sooner than you expected, Your relief was short lived however.

“You will disembark here" his voice firm. “The nearest village is half an hour away. If you cannot manage that, it's of no concern to me.”

“Wait.” You turned to him, panic bubbling in your chest. “You’re just going to leave me here? What if I die?"

Mihawk tilted his head slightly, studying you with an unreadable expression. “If you are so convinced of your demise, why bother trying to live?”

“Great advice for someone hanging by a thread, i could that literally you know!” You stopped yourself, inhaling sharply. 

“I’m just saying... it feels too cruel to leave a 13 year old girl who clearly has no idea what they’re doing alone."

You were old enough but you still had no idea how the world worked! And you were really trying hard to pull on his heart strings.

Well if those still worked.

He regarded you for a long moment, he sighed, “You are ill-prepared for this world,” Mihawk said,  “But that is not my burden to carry.”

Your heart sank, but before you could respond, he added, “And yet, I find myself hesitant to let you stumble into certain death.”

Your eyes began to sparkle with hope.

“I will take you to the village,” Mihawk interrupted, his tone brooking no argument. 

“And perhaps... I will see to it that you do not perish.”

“...That sounds an awful lot like you have a soft spot,” you mumbled, half-joking.

Mihawk shot you a sharp look. “Do not mistake my actions for sentimentality.”

You were grinning suddenly, maybe it's because you still thought of him as a fictional character but he seemed less threatening.

"Hey! Can we go now?” you wanted to see people that weren't famous for being a criminal.

“I do not tolerate helplessness,” he said “If you wish to survive, you will learn to fend for yourself. I will not coddle you.”

The height difference between you two was rather interesting, it seems like your height had shrunk.

Considering that kids in one piece look like chibi creatures it made sense? The Nami fan girl from Fan Letter was 15 and you were 13 so you guessed this change was fine. 

Nodding quickly, you made a saluting motion. “Got it. Loud and clear.”

The villagers were staring as you entered, their eyes wide with recognition and fear. You realized that traveling with the world’s strongest swordsman might have certain... complications.

“Do not linger,” Mihawk instructed as he handed you a small pouch of coins. “Purchase what you need and move on.”

You stared at the pouch, then back at him. “Wait, you’re just... giving me money? I thought you weren’t going to coddle me.”

“This is not coddling. It is an investment.”

“In what?”

Mihawk’s lips curved into a faint smirk. “Your survival. For now.”

Before you could respond, he turned and began walking away, his cape billowing behind him.

“Wait!” you called after him. “Does this mean we’re... what, partners now? Mentor and student? Travel buddies?”

He paused, glancing back over his shoulder. “It means you are a persistent inconvenience.”

You grinned despite yourself. “I’ll take it.”

And with that, Mihawk disappeared into the horizon, leaving you with nothing but a pouch of coins, a vague sense of purpose, and the realization that somehow, against all odds, you’d been adopted by the world’s most terrifying swordsman.

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Chapter Text

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The village bustled around you, the liveliness that felt foreign after being stranded. It was just a place, stone streets lined with modest wooden buildings, you stood there awkwardly holding the small pouch he had given you, not knowing what to do next.

It wasn’t just the unfamiliar surroundings that left you lost, it was the lingering presence of him. Even though he’d gone off, you swore you could feel the pressure of his gaze, you swore you would dream about them in a nightmare one of these nights.

His presence caused some problems too, the villagers wary stares didn’t help, some quickly averted their eyes as you walked past, while others openly gawked, probably shit talking to each other.

Right, don't freak out, you thought to yourself. Why had god cursed you with anxiety and depression? Stupid Mihawk erghh.

“That’s the kid who came with him, right?”
“Yeah, Dracule Mihawk. The Warlord. What’s a child doing with him?”
“Do you think she’s dangerous?”

Dangerous? You nearly laughed. The only dangerous thing about you was your tendency to trip over your own feet.

You clutched the pouch of berries Mihawk had given you, the leather smooth but heavy in your palm, you appreciated it more than you’d admit aloud, his words echoed in your mind: “This is not coddling. It is an investment.”

An investment in what, exactly? Your survival? Your potential? Your ability to stay out of his way?

You shook your head, trying to focus. Food first, then a plan. You stepped into a small market stall selling bread and fruits. The store owner an elderly woman, eyed you suspiciously.

“You’re not here to cause trouble, are you kid?” she asked, her voice gruff but not unkind.

“No, sir,” you said quickly, offering a nervous smile. “Just... looking to buy some supplies.”

Her gaze lingered on you for a moment before softening. “Alright. Just don’t bring any of his trouble here.”

You nodded, exchanging a few coins for a loaf of bread and some dried fruit. The transaction was quick, but the weight of his words lingered. His trouble. Mihawk’s reputation preceded him everywhere, and now, by association, it followed you too, hopefully not for too long.

Not having much to say to that, so you left the shop, getting your backpack to put the stuff in. The last thing you needed was to embarrass yourself in front of the villagers any more than you already had.

The sun was higher now, casting a warm light over the village. You found a quiet corner by the docks to sit and eat the food you had bought. It wasn’t much, but it was the first real food you’d had in what felt like forever and you ate as you let your mind wander.

Your thoughts wandered back to Mihawk. It was hard to understand. One moment, he was giving you money, the next, he was treating you like an afterthought. Why had he even bothered to help you?

It wasn’t like you mattered in the grand scheme of things., but the world was vast and unfamiliar. Looking back on the backstories of One Piece characters, you could either live the most boring life or I don't know… die at the hands of a nation ruled by tyrants.

There wasn't much you could do in life, being a normal kid and all. You thought you were worse actually, skipping p.e classes and sitting all day.

The gentle hum lingered in the air, waves against the docks, faint laughter from the market stalls, and the occasional screech of a gull overhead.

“Lost in thought again?”

The voice nearly made you choke and there he was, Mihawk, standing with the same stoic presence as ever.

“You’re still here?” you blurted, half in disbelief.

He raised an eyebrow. “I had business to attend to, It seems I return to find you wallowing in self-pity. Consider this... a check-in.”

You stared at him, unsure whether to feel relieved or insulted. “A check-in? I didn’t realize I was a part of your route and I didn’t realize the existential crisis was a crime.”

"You are not, but you are an amusing inconvenience.”

“God, thanks,” you muttered, stuffing the rest of the food into your mouth to avoid saying something regrettable.

He sat down beside you... well not beside you, exactly. More like at a calculated distance, close enough to watch over you but far enough to remind you that you were, at best, a temporary responsibility.

“Have you thought about your next move?” he asked after a moment, his tone as casual as if he were asking about the weather.

You hesitated, the weight of the question pressing down on you. “I'm not gonna go out and become some swordsman or anything but I don’t even know where to start.”

“Then start by surviving,” he said simply. “The rest will follow.”

“Easy for you to say,” you shot back. “You’re literally the strongest swordsman in the world.” Surviving you is enough for me, you wanted to say.

“And yet, you are still alive,” he pointed out, “Do not underestimate the will to survive, It is more important than you realize.”

You knew that too, but he didn't need to keep repeating stuff that you had already knew. You didn't want to die but there wasn't much that could anchor you to keep striving to live.

"Um… I need to ask something, why did you save me? Answer for real." The question of why he did or what plans he had weren't important to you.

You just didn't like being kept in the unknown, that's all.

"Are you still asking that question? If you must know, I have told you it all came down to fate." He threw back casually. You sighed, of course he would never put his heart out on a silver platter like that.

Another thing to note, where were you? If this was the New World then you were not going to let this man go. It was too scary in the New World.... you thought.

"Whatever! What sea is this!?" Mihawk looked exactly how he had always looked in the series, minus the different clothes.

Now he turned to glance towards you. Nervously you giggled, scratching your head.

“Do you mean to tell me,” he said slowly, “that you do not even know which sea you are in?”

You laughed nervously. “Well, I woke up on a boat with no memory of how I got there, so, uh, no. I don’t.”

“This is the East Blue,” he said, his voice heavy with disbelief.

Thank god!! Now you didn't have to force Mihawk to adopt you, you guessed. Even if they're teenagers, children should still have legal guardians, no?

“Thanks for the pep talk,” you sighed, glancing up at the sun that blinded you.

"You still haven’t told me your name," Mihawk said. You hesitated for a second, not that you didn't want to give him your name but more as you didn't want that name to be you.

The name defined you, but it held a sort of heavy feeling of disappointment, dread that made you feel disgusted and at unease. you didn't know how to describe the feeling. It was your legal name but it was so far from you, from who you were.

It was just a name, sure, but you always had this weird obsession with names, meanings and symbolisms and such.

"I guess... " you had prompted to make up a new identity for yourself, it was the new you. And you'd leave the old version of you behind to rot.

There was no need for a surname too, it was just you. so you told him what you were.

“This is for you,” he said simply.

You tilted your head, curiosity sparking, you stood firm, arms crossed. “What is it?”

“A vivre card” Mihawk explained, this simple fact made your jaw drop and eyes widen with shock.

“It is a piece of someone’s essence, imbued with their life force. It will guide you to me if you ever find yourself in true peril.” You reached out your hand and took the vivere card.

You stared at the card in your hand, your heart skipping a beat. A vivre card? For a moment, you thought it was a joke. But there was no amusement in Mihawk’s eyes, only something resembling practicality, the way he handed it over with the ease of someone giving a tool to an apprentice.

Something about the gesture felt… final. Like he was entrusting you with something important.

“So you’re not just ditching me after all,” you muttered under your breath, a hint of a chuckle escaping despite the weight of the moment slipping the card into your pocket. you muttered under your breath, a hint of a chuckle escaping despite the weight of the moment.

You slipped the card into your pocket, the gesture more out of reflex than thought. “I guess I'll keep it, just in case.”

“Thank you,” you said quietly, your voice softer than you intended. It wasn’t just for the vivre card, but for everything. For taking the time, for not just walking away, for seeing you.

Without thinking, you stepped closer to Mihawk, moving to stand in front of him. He didn’t react, he didn’t step back or say anything, but his posture was still, like he was bracing for something.

You didn’t even realize what you were doing until it was too late. Before you could stop yourself, you wrapped your arms around him in a quick, almost frantic hug, your heart pounding in your chest. It wasn’t graceful, but it was genuine. The embrace was tight, but it wasn’t for him, it was for you.

What was he thinking? Had you stepped too far? You were going to kill yourself from the sheer amount of embarrassment.

But to your surprise, his hand slowly came up to rest on your back, not pushing you away but not exactly embracing you either. It was as though he was allowing you the space to express what you felt, even if it was outside his usual realm of interaction.

For the first time, you allowed yourself to be vulnerable. The simple gesture felt like it grounded you, like it connected you to something more than just survival or confusion. He had been the one constant, the one person who had given you something to hold onto.

The weight of your emotions, all the uncertainty, all the fear, all the anger at yourself. Everything you had kept bottled up since arriving, it all came pouring out. You could feel your chest tighten, your breaths coming in shallow gasps as your body shook.

You started sobbing.

It wasn’t loud or dramatic—just soft, quiet sobs that wracked your body, you couldn’t stop it. The tear fell down, and for the first time since you’d arrived in this strange world, you let go of the walls you've built around yourself. You were just so tired. Tired of pretending to be strong, tired of trying to keep up appearances, tired of not knowing where you fit in all of this.

You pulled away slightly, wiping at your eyes, but kept your gaze down, not wanting to look him in the eye. You had already exposed more than you’d intended to.

“Sorry,” you muttered, still feeling the heat of embarrassment creeping up your neck. “I didn’t mean to… ”

You stood there, wiping away the last of your tears, your fingers trembling slightly as you tried to regain some semblance of composure. The quiet words Mihawk had said, in a matter of fact tone. "You're simply a child, that's expected."

God, you were only a child.

Mihawk didn’t offer any further words. His expression remained impassive. "Take the card," he said again, almost as though reminding you. "Keep it close."

"We will go our separate ways from now." He stated, casually, ignoring what just had happened while you were still sniffling.

"Mhmm." you could only nod in agreement.

You didn’t want to be weak, but you didn’t know how to hide it either. You had just allowed yourself to be vulnerable, and now you were being pushed back into the harsh reality where survival was the only thing that mattered. You couldn’t dwell on this moment forever.

"I'll become strong! And I can find freedom for myself." You shot up in a brave facade.

“Spar against me if you do.” he said simply.

You blinked. “Against you? Are you insane?” He was still so hard to deal with, “Take care of yourself,” Mihawk said, his words casual. He wasn’t someone who offered empty words, not unless they meant something.

You felt something shift inside you. A quiet resolve.

Turning away, the sound of your footsteps barely audible on the deck as you walked away. You didn’t know where you were going, but for the first time in a long while, you felt like you might actually survive whatever came next.

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Chapter Text

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A month had gone by fairly quickly.

Rumors about Mihawk traveling with a child had spread, but fortunately, no one knew your identity. so ignoring the rumors was easy enough.

You somehow had managed to leave that small island behind. Sure, stealing berries wasn't the most ethical thing in the world but you needed money. Now you have gotten aboard a fairly large ship! The ship, The Land Mary ,well... it felt massive to you, as all ships did.

The seas were calm, reflecting the pale blue sky above. The sun was high up in the sky, it was already noon.

You leaned against the railing, watching the water ripple lazily. A few men nearby were laughing and hauling a barrel from the sea. It seemed like they were having fun, at least.

All of a sudden, someone shouted out a warning about pirates on the horizon, alerting you and with a sharp turn to the side you saw a pink ship with a figurehead of a goose head? of all things. No... this couldn't be her.

That looked like a certain Alvida’s ship.

This would only lead to trouble. This was your cue to run away, you shouldn't be anywhere near the plot in the first place. You could barely survive p.e, let alone this.

You would be crushed like an ant. Hiding would be the best thing to do, right?!

You darted below deck, before ducking into a room that appeared to be a kitchen. The faint smell of stale bread and alcohol lingered in the air. Men’s voices echoed from above, and you could hear their screams growing louder, their 'war cries' or whatever. Just as you were about to crawl under the table before ducking into a room.

"Agh! Don’t scare me like that!" you hissed, clutching your chest, before noticing who he was, is... is that koby!? erghh.

"Sorry! I didn’t think anyone was in here," the boy stammered nervously.

Jeez, that glow-up of his better come quick, "Hey, kid! Don’t tell anyone I’m here," you whispered, pressing a finger to your lips.

"Uh, okay?" he replied hesitantly. He moved toward a barrel sitting awkwardly by the wall and began rolling it toward the door.

You coughed. That’s Luffy in there, isn’t it...?.

Before you could react, a group of men barged in, berating Koby for slacking off. You froze, hoping they wouldn't notice little old you crouching in the corner.

They were planning on drinking the 'alcohol' that supposedly was in the barrel behind their captain's back.

It was a good thing Koby was a good soul, man he deserved better. Still you couldn't believe that this twerp was a future marine trained under Garp.

One of the men had thought punching through the top was a great idea to open the barrel. As his fist was about to connect with the wood, the barrel burst open, sending him flying with a surprise uppercut!

You had jolted from seeing him, even with the full expectation of the future. Resulting in you smacking your head against the underside of the table.

Out popped a grinning boy wearing a straw hat. He looked completely unfazed. Just as the two other men swung their swords towards strawhat, with a swift motion, he snapped the blades of the men’s swords in half, launching the upper parts of the sword into the ceiling.

You stared in awe at how strong he actually was, "W-who are you?!" one of the men stammered, eyes wide with terror.

"Me? I’m Monkey D. Luffy. Nice to meetcha!" Luffy declared with a wide grin.

Oh my god, it’s really him, you thought while a smile appeared on your face.

The men had bolted while dragging their unconscious friend with them, "What the... What just happened?" Koby asked

"What's with them?" Luffy asked, clearly too oblivious. Koby started to panic, "Run, hurry! If they come back with their friends, you'll be killed!"

"But man, I’m hungry," Luffy replied with a laugh, completely ignoring the urgency. His gaze shifted toward you, pointing you out from under the table. "Hey, why's that kid under the table?"

Abort mission! Abort mission!

You gave a nervous chuckle, inching out from under the table. "Heh…"

The other shorter boy started to scold Luffy for being too carefree, which you weren't going to take sides but it was true. Luffy who was clearly ignoring poor Koby started to go forward only to be held back by Koby who was trying to keep him safe. You decided that you should maybe get out from under the table and follow them.

Luffy had found the storage room they kept the food in. Luffy’s enthusiasm was contagious, even as he repeatedly muttered "food" like a mantra, you sweat dropped at this.

You grabbed an apple from the crate he was raiding and bit into it.

"My name’s Koby. You’re Luffy, right? And you?" Koby asked, turning toward you, "Me?? oh um call me...." You tested out the new name awkwardly.

Koby nodded and returned to chatting with Luffy, his voice tinged with awe. "That was incredible just now! How did you do that?!" Luffy just ignored his question and started talking.

You listened as Koby shared his sad backstory quietly. Serving under a pirate like Alvida, much less 2 years? No way. Pretty sure you would have bolted the first chance you got.

Turns out Luffy had the same idea as you, stating, "If you don't like it, then run away!"

"I... I can't! No way! No way!" He chanted, lord he was mentally scarred you were sure. You couldn’t help but giggle. "If you’re so scared, then just poison her or burn her ship or something and get a new identity."

Koby looked at you like you were insane. "What!? Are you out of your mind?" Koby shouted at you basically, it was fun for you in a way. You poked your tongue out and smiled.

"Just the thought of Alvida finding me.. frightens me and makes me weak in the knees.." This poor kid had really gone through it. "Hey… it’ll be alright," you said softly, patting his back trying to comfort him.

Luffy, as blunt as ever, chimed in while grinning. "Oh, you're a wimp too?. Man, I hate you!".

Koby's face crumpled, and tears began to well up in his eyes. You, leaning against one of the crates, let out an exaggerated sigh.

"Wow, Luffy, ever thought of writing a self-help book? 'How to Crush Dreams and Alienate People' would be a bestseller," you chuckled.

You wondered when Alvida was going to barge in through the ceiling, it's nice to talk to THE Luffy but honestly you would not want to deal with this whole ordeal.

Would he ask you to join his non-existent crew? ergh, he wouldn't! Just look at you, a weak little kid.

They started talking about their dreams, which you knew already but, you'd need to play along! Acting surprised a bit and nonchalantly saying 'that's one big dream, Goodluck!' and you'd be on your merry way!

Koby asked, "U-Umm… What compelled you to set out to sea, Luffy?" he asked.

Luffy glanced back with his trademark grin. "I’m gonna be the King of the Pirates!". A soft smile found its way to your face

However, Koby didn't seem to find it as nice as you did, "Gah…K-King of the Pirates?!" His jaw dropped so fast you half expected it to hit the floor.

"Wow," you said, clapping slowly for effect. "Really aiming low there, huh? Nothing like modest goals to keep life exciting."

Luffy just shrugged off your sarcasm. "Why dream small?"

Meanwhile, Koby spiraled into a nervous meltdown, pacing as he muttered something about the Grand Line and countless powerful pirates. You waved him off with a smirk. "If you die horribly, at least it’ll be the most ambitious failure ever."

Luffy pointed at you, his grin widening. "You’re funny. Join my crew."

You choked on the apple you’d been munching. "What? Me? Oh, no thanks. I like living too much." liar.

Luffy tilted his head, genuinely puzzled. "Why not?" Luffy asked, his tone so hurt you’d think you’d just killed his family.

"Let’s, uh, discuss this later," you said, trying to avoid the hopeful gleam in his eyes. "okay? Over snacks or something?"

That was all Luffy needed to hear apparently, Unfazed, he turned his attention to Koby, who was still flailing. "Wait, you’re a pirate?! What about your crew?"

"Don’t have one yet," Luffy replied casually, as though discussing the weather.

Kobys jaw dropped so low you briefly worried it might dislocate, he was unresponsive as Luffy waves his hand in front of Koby’s face.

You blinked, realizing you might’ve just become his first recruitment attempt.

Koby froze, then launched into a frantic explanation of what being King of the Pirates actually meant, something about wealth, fame, power, and the One Piece or whatever er.

"Yup," Luffy said simply..

"That’s impossible!" Koby cried. "There’s no way!"

Luffy then hit him on the head.

"Ow! Why’d you do that?!" Koby whined, rubbing his head.

Luffy shrugged. "Felt like it."

You snorted. "Wow, self-deprecating jokes are my thing. Don’t steal my traits!."

Luffy ignored both of you. "It’s not about whether I can or not."

Koby blinked. "Huh?" Luffy grabbed into his strawhat before pulling it down to look at it.

"I've decided to be the King of the Pirates, so if I die fighting for that, that’s fine with me!" Luffy stated, he was strangely good at making people feel inspired.

Without another word, Luffy stood, pulling his hat low over his face. "Now that my belly’s full, time to get a boat!" .

You followed him toward the door, the faintest smile at your lips. You thought to yourself, He really thinks it’s that easy, huh?

Koby sat there for a moment, before explaining his goals of becoming a marine, He then asked Luffy if he thought Koby could accomplish his dreams, only for Luffy to question why he would know.

"No! I’ll do it! If I’m gonna be a chore boy for the rest of my life, then I’ll break out of here and catch Alvida-sama… No, Alvida!" Koby yelled.

Just as the words left his mouth, the ceiling above crashed in. This was your cue to hide behind one of the crates.

"You’re gonna team up with him to catch who?! Huh, Koby?!" a shrill, furious voice rang out.

Peeking from behind your hiding spot, you saw her. Alvida. The self-proclaimed "most beautiful woman on these seas." Honestly, this was probably the closest you’d come to real danger. No Mihawk doesn’t count, he wasn’t trying to kill you… you think.

As koby cowered in fear, Alvida assumed that Luffy was The Pirate Hunter, Zoro. It was pretty silly to think about.

Alvida was already ramping up to her favorite question. "Now tell me, Koby!" she bellowed. "Who’s the most beautiful of all these seas?!"

Glancing towards Koby, Luffy pointed towards Aldiva, "Who's this big chunky lady?" And everyone's jaws dropped. Heck, even the random seagull flying overhead probably did a double take. Luffy! You can't just describe people like that...!! you grimaced.

Alvida’s face turned red, and she swung her massive iron mace at Luffy with a roar.

Luffy, of course, dodged. Then, without breaking a sweat, he grabbed Koby and then you from your hiding spot.

"Wha...?! Put me down!" you yelped as he leaped effortlessly toward the deck.

"Relax!" Luffy replied, his voice filled with excitement as if he hadn’t just narrowly avoided being flattened by a mace.

The moment his feet touched the deck, he set you and Koby down like a couple of sacks of potatoes. Before you could even adjust to the ground, a mob of Alvida’s men came charging toward Luffy, weapons drawn.

You crossed your arms, leaning back slightly with a smirk. "Gotta admit, the guy’s got style." Luffy started to beat up all the men alone.

While they all charted at Luffy, he grabbed onto the mast with one of his hands, stretching out his arm. It was so exciting to see this up close! and a bit freaky.

That trick scared off the pirates, sending them running in fear, "Gotcha!" Luffy smiled. Sending one of his infamous punches their way.

Luffy whipped around like a slingshot, scattering pirates like bowling pins.

The shocked Koby asks. "Luffy..., what are you?" Luffy pulls his cheek out with his finger.

"I’m a rubber person!"

Alvida returned, declaring that Luffy’s strange abilities had to be the result of a Devil Fruit. She questioned whether he was a bounty hunter, but Luffy dismissed the idea, proudly announcing he was a pirate

You, however, wisely took a few steps back, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire. You were pretty sure any attacks aimed at Luffy and Koby might accidentally involve you too...

From the safety of your spot on the sidelines, you watched as Koby got over his fear of Alvida and called her ugly and stuff, wow! Saying how he was joining the Marines.

Livid, Alvida swung her mace at him, but Luffy stepped in front, taking the hit for Koby, which, unsurprisingly, didn’t faze him. With a smirk, Luffy unleashed a pistol punch, sending Alvida flying into the sky, disappearing out of sight.

Well normal people would probably be dead after that hit. But Alvida came back... because of course she did.

Luffy grinned even wider, turning to you and Koby. "Hey! Get Koby a small boat! He’s joining the navy!"

And just then, marine ships had came over, firing cannonballs towards the Ships. Luffy jumped onto the boat escaping the marines, so you followed suit.

Why were you following after him again!??!

Maybe it was because of the way Luffy radiated this warmth around him, like the sun itself.

You felt safe with him.

But joining the Strawhats? Yeah, that was definitely not going to happen....

The three of you splashed down into the water.

"Hey, why did you come with us?" Koby asked nervously, glancing at you.

"Oh, me...?" You waved him off nonchalantly. "Just pretend I’m not here....! Simple."

And with that, you leaned back, deciding to just enjoy the ride for now.

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Chapter Text

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The three of you had managed to escape the Marines.

As the boat drifted further from danger, Luffy turned to Koby with his usual energy. “So, about the Zoro guy” he began.

Koby’s face paled instantly. And he said something about Zoro being held by the Navy, and how terrifying he was. You couldn’t help but hope that whatever happened next didn’t involve you getting caught up in the crossfire.

The shorter boy had exclaimed, calling the pirate hunter a terrifying demon, which wasn't too far off. One thing was on Luffy's mind. It was to have Zoro join his crew if he was a good guy.

Koby gasped, scolding Luffy for his recklessness, but the strawhat boy simply laughed it off. You couldn’t help but admire how carefree he was

A short while later, Koby announced that you’d be arriving on land soon. You sighed in relief. “Finally,” you muttered, leaning back against the side of the boat. Sailing was not your favorite thing, especially on a tiny boat like this one. The motion sickness was also horrible, and you were more than ready to be on solid ground again.

Luffy had complimented Koby's navigation skills, but he interjected saying how it was a basic skill every sailor should have! You snorted softly. If Koby thought that was basic, you didn’t even want to imagine what he’d say about your nonexistent sailing knowledge.

You were pretty sure you’d get lost trying to navigate a kiddie pool, let alone the ocean. You just hoped you weren't worse than Luffy.

Koby then launched into yet another rant about Zoro, his voice rising with mention of “bloodthirsty antics.” You tuned him out after a while, glancing at the horizon. You didn’t think Zoro was that bad of a guy, as long as you didn’t get on his bad side, he was just... misunderstood or maybe you were just hopelessly naive. But you could understand Koby’s nerves.

“Hey!” Luffy’s voice snapped you out of your thoughts. “What are you writing?”

“Huh? What is it, Luffy?” you asked, glancing over at him.

“I’m bored! What are you writing?” He leaned over, peeking at the notebook in your hands.

Realizing he was leaning over to peek at your notebook. Your eyes widened in alarm, and you quickly slammed it shut, nearly hitting him in the face “Hey! That’s private!”

Luffy tilted his head, looking confused. “Why? What’s in it?”

“It’s my journal,” you replied, crossing your arms. “And if you want a peek, it’ll cost you 1,000 beri.” You smirked, feeling a little proud of your quick thinking. That was such a Nami thing to say, you thought.

Luffy pouted, looking genuinely disappointed. “Aw, no fair…” You let out a laugh, moments like these made traveling with Luffy surprisingly... fun.

When you finally reached the town near the Marine base, Koby tried once more to talk Luffy out of recruiting Zoro.

Luffy replied, "I still haven’t decided yet. I just wanna see if he’s a good guy." He was really simple, really.

You let your mind wander around, as they bickered, observing the busy streets, solitude your trusted friend. You walked alongside them, hands stuffed in your pockets, pretending not to listen to their back and forth. But then around you, people shrank away at the mere mention of Zoro’s name

Knowing that it was your sole duty to act like a confused child, "What's with them?" You asked, Koby edged closer to guys. “It seems like the name ‘Zoro’ is taboo here,” he whispered.

Continuing forward, The other two still talked, Koby had said the name of the Captain of this Marine base, And just like before, people recoiled in fear. Now this was pretty creepy to see in real life, you were sure these people went through years of abuse of that tyrant.

Luffy laughed at the scene before him, while Koby expressed deep concerns about the strangeness of it all, “Maybe we should, I don’t know, report this base to someone higher up?” you muttered, half jokingly.

Koby gave you a reassuring smile. “I’m sure there’s a perfectly good explanation for all this.” You would have felt it would be true if not for the fact you knew the events that would occur. You were getting hungry again, hopefully they could find Zoro and save him quickly while you looked for food!

At the gates of the Marine base, Koby started to sob in joy, saying farewells to you and Luffy. His gratitude toward Luffy was endearing but Luffy on the other hand started climbing up the walls and had spotted zoro. You sighed knowing how he was. Luffy and Koby peeked above, while you stood besides them, not that you didn't want to see Zoro! But it was more like uh you couldn't climb up the wall.

“Of course,” you sighed, you tried to climb after him, but the wall proved to be more of a challenge than you’d anticipated.

The next best thing to do was for you to lean against the wall, and cross you arms over your chest and hope you looked like you didn't care. You listened to them, Luffy wanting to free Zoro from his binding ropes, while Koby warned him of the dangers that Zoro imposed. Only for Luffy to dissmiss it, resulting in an exasperated Koby.

Then you heard him speak. "Hey, you guys. You’re an eyesore. Get lost." oh my god, oh my god, it was so cool, you were almost near a living half dead legend. You cried internally, because you needed to keep the don't care attitude up. You noticed a little girl a bit shorter than you bringing a ladder and climbing over the wall.

Wow she was maybe only a couple years younger than you, but it seemed like even kid's were much braver than you, shame.

You winced as you heard Zoro bark at her to leave, despite his harsh words, the girl remained determined, saying how she made onigiri's for him. Her kindness was admirable, but it was clear she didn’t fully grasp the danger of the situation.

You thought she was so sweet, personally you would not sneak into a marine base in broad daylight to give some food to a dangerous bounty hunter.

The two at the other side of the wall were bickering, But then Helmeppo arrived, god he was so insufferable the first time, he got better as time went on you guessed.

Koby expressed his relief when Helmeppo arrived, but only if he knew. You didn't think you could even beat up someone like Helmeppo right now, you stood near the same height as Luffy waist! God curse this, why are kids here so freakishly short, do they get a random height boost or what.

By now, the blond had started stomping on the little girl's rice balls. "She’s just trying her best, you stupid jerk," you muttered under your breath. She had worked so hard to make them, and this guy was just... awful. You would eat her sugary rice balls! After calming yourself from anger, you stopped leaning against the wall and shifted your weight on one of your legs.

You should really go comfort the little girl, when she gets thrown over the wall. Who does that?! She's just a little girl, wow and you wanted to kick Helmeppo in between his legs as soon as Luffy beat him up.

The blond had said something about his dad being scary, flexing his influence. This guy truly had been the og nepo baby. You felt bad for the soldiers that worked under Captain Morgan, imagine becoming a marine to help people and getting stuck with that power tripper.

The girl started to scream, as she flung out the other side of the wall. Thankfully, Luffy caught her, his stretchy arm wrapping around her mid air. You exhaled in relief, silently thanking him for being so quick.

You hurried over to them, brushing off the girl’s clothes, “Who throws a kid like that?!” you growled. If this was just the beginning, you were in for a wild ride. Koby ran over and helped you comfort the girl.

Before you knew it, Luffy had run off towards Zoro, leaving you to sigh and shake your head. Typical Luffy.

You guys left the marine base and headed back to town, the tense atmosphere gradually lifting as you walked. Luffy told the little girl, Rika, how Zoro had eaten the rice balls that Helmeppo had stomped on.. questioned if Zoro was truly as monstrous as he’d heard before Rika injected, "Zoro isn’t evil! He let himself get crucified in our place instead!" she cried.

Your brow furrowed as Rika explained what had happened. Apparently... Helmeppo had a rabid dog that terrorized the village. When the dog had gone after Rika, Zoro had stepped in without hesitation, killing the beast. “That guy's starving himself for three whole weeks?” you muttered, the thought making your stomach churn.

You were pretty sure you were stranded for 1 week during your first days here, so 3 weeks without food, the thought made your skin crawl.

Before you could dwell on the thought, Helmeppo’s obnoxious voice cut through the air like nails on a chalkboard, dragging his obnoxious face through the streets. He casually strolled through, his tone dripping with smugness. "That pirate hunter’s execution is in three days! He’ll make a fine example of what happens when you cross me," he boasted, sneering at the villagers who cowered under his gaze.

Your blood boiled at the sight of him, but Luffy, as always, was ahead of you. Without a second’s hesitation, he punched Helmeppo square in the face. The force sent the blonde flying and blood coming out of his nose.

"Well, that’s one way to deal with him," you murmured, trying not to laugh. Koby, meanwhile, was freaking out.

"I’ve made up my mind, Koby! I’m… going to have Zoro join my crew!" He exclaimed.

Koby had to hold Luffy back so he wouldn't go berserk on the blonde, "Luffy! Please stop! Aren't you going to help?!" He pleaded while looking at you.

“I see nothing!” you declared dramatically, putting your hands in front of you in defense, stepping back from the scene. Helmeppo began wailing like a child denied his favorite toy, clutching his reddened face and screaming about how he was going to tell his father abouut this! Running away with two lackeys supporting him on either side as though Luffy’s punch had sent him straight to his deathbed.

You raised an eyebrow. Luffy didn’t look like he’d hit him that hard. Did Helmeppo seriously need two people to escort him?

Rika’s mother rushed over to her daughter, her face twisted in fear. “How many times have I told you not to talk to strangers? Do you want to get executed for being seen with them?” she scolded, pulling Rika close.

You had forgotten this was major plot territory, and it hit you hard. You had told yourself you wouldn’t get involved, wouldn’t meddle in what was already set in stone. Yet here you were! Unbelievable.

Luffy, as carefree as ever, waved goodbye to Rika with that big, cheerful grin of his, completely ignoring the tension in the air then Koby got worried about the marines coming after us.

Sensing your opportunity, you started inching away from the group. If you could just slip out unnoticed, you could…

“Where are you going?” Luffy’s hand latched onto yours like an iron vice, his grin unwavering. Before you could respond, he started dragging you along.

"I'm gonna go talk to Zoro." You pouted, yanking at your arm in a weak attempt to free yourself. “Why are you taking me with you? I would be anywhere else right now!"

Luffy laughed, “Because you’re in my crew!” The guy smiled at you. The bright smile blinded you and made you sweat drop. He can't just go around deciding that, you of all people would be useless to the crew.

You stared at him, half surprised and half mad. “You can’t just decide that! I’d be useless in a crew, I'm weak, i'll get hurt and...”

But Luffy’s laugh cut you off, warm and bright like the sun. “Nah, you’re fine!” You sweat-dropped, letting out a defeated sigh as he carried on dragging you toward the execution platform.

The walk was long, and your complaints about being tired earned you a spot on Luffy’s back. “You’re heavy,” he teased as he carried you piggyback style.

“Well, no one told you to carry me!” you shot back, though you weren’t about to argue with a free ride.

When you finally reached the execution ground, Zoro was still tied to the post, his face a mask of irritation.

“I told you, I don’t wanna be a pirate!” Zoro groaned as soon as he spotted Luffy.

"I'll untie you. so join my crew!" Luffy dismissed Zoro entirely. "I'm looking for people to join my pirate crew, this is...!" He introduced you.

Zoro looked at you, his expression briefly shifting from confusion. “Hi,” you said flatly, waving a hand. “I’m here against my will, apparently.”

Zoro snorted. “I’ve got things to do, and I’m not about to become a bad guy like a pirate.” Luffy tilted his head, clearly not understanding the difference. “But everyone already thinks you’re a bad guy,” he said.

You tapped Luffy on the shoulder, signaling for him to let you down, he helped you off his back.

Zoro's face shifted into what you thought was determination, "People can say whatever they want, but I ain’t done anything I regret." And as he exclaimed how he wasn't going to become a pirate, Luffy had decided that zoro would be joining the crew on his own will.

"I hear you use swords." Luffy crossed his arms, "That bastard son took it. It's something that I treasure the most... other than my life..!!" Zoro explained. The blond freak had taken Zoro's swords, Stating that he'd go get back the swordsman's belongings, and Luffy was going to blackmail Zoro into joining the crew.

Luffy’s eyes gleamed mischievously. “I’ll get them back for you,” he declared, a wide grin spreading across his face. “But only if you join my crew!”

Zoro’s glare could’ve burned a hole through him. “You’re really getting on my nerves,” he said through gritted teeth. But Luffy was already skipping off toward the Marine base, leaving you alone with Zoro in the empty court.

You shifted on your feet, the weight of the silence pressing down. The silence was awkward, but you didn’t know what to say. Finally, you glanced at him. “So… you’re just gonna sit there tied up all day? looking all menacing? Real intimidating stuff.”

Zoro gave you a sideways look, clearly unimpressed. “What else can I do?” You shrugged, leaning against a nearby post. You leaned lazily, crossing your arms. “You could join his crew,” you suggested nonchalantly. “Not like he’s gonna stop bugging you until you do. He’s annoyingly persistent.”

Zoro scoffed, the sound rough and dismissive. “Not interested.”

“Right, because sitting here as a human punching bag is so much better,” you teased, a crooked grin tugging at your lips. “Besides, if Luffy doesn’t come back, guess who gets the honor of untying you?” You jabbed a thumb toward yourself.

That earned a dry chuckle from him. “You? I’d sooner believe pigs can fly.” His tone was mocking, but there was an undeniable glint of amusement in his gaze.

You crossed your arms, feigning offense. “Hey, I’m plenty heroic when I want to be!”

He chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Yeah, sure you are.”

The conversation lulled, but this time, the silence wasn’t so uncomfortable. You watched the sky together, the faint sound of waves in the distance. Somewhere out there, Luffy was undoubtedly causing chaos.

“Guess we’ll see how this plays out,” you muttered. Zoro sighed. “Guess so.”

The calm was shattered by the sound of footsteps, and Koby came rushing in, panting heavily. “I-I’m going to untie you!” he blurted, fumbling with the ropes binding Zoro, he had come to release Zoro seeing as he was unjustly arrested. You stepped closer, to work on the knots around his waist. The coarse fibers bit into your fingers as you struggled to loosen them, silently cursing yourself for not carrying something sharper like a knife.

Just as Zoro and Koby were talking about Luffy's dream of becoming the King of the pirates, all of a sudden a sharp bang rang through the air. Your face morphed into fear as Koby cried out, collapsing to the ground. Blood bloomed against his shirt, staining the fabric a dark red. “Koby!” you shouted.

The blood drained from your face, this was the first time you'd see real violence in such a way. Even with watching Luffy beat up people before it wasn't as brutal. You tried to shake yourself out the trans.

Koby screamed out, his blood seeping into the fabric of his shirt. You clung closer to Zoro, fearing it might be you next, using his broad frame as a shield, he wouldn't mind if you used him as a little human meat shield, you weren’t in the mood to get shot.

"Are you alright..?" Zoro sighed in relief seeing Koby alive, "Run for your lives, they're almost here.." He warned, turning to glance at his side.

Poor Koby's face twisted in pain, he announced that he would set Zoro free as soon as possible, with your hands shaking you started to help by getting the restraint around his waist, quickly trying to set him free. You felt bad as you listened to him explain that they'd promised to free him after one month, Koby cut in, he explained it had been a lie set up by Helmeppo and that he had no intention of freeing Zoro in the first place. Koby went on about how Luffy wouldn't fail them, and his strength.

You patted Zoro, "Just believe in him!" You tightened your grip on the rope, praying that Luffy would show up in time. "That's enough!! The two of you have betrayed Lieutenant Morgan. Die here!!" One of the marines shouted, making the three of you panic even more.

The big shot, Captain Morgan had shown up...

He started to babble about something you weren't actively listening to. With one single command the marines pointed their guns towards you guys in execution style. You decided this was officially the worst day ever, and you were blaming Luffy. Hands and legs trembling you moved back, hiding behind the big pole Zoro was restrained to, the actual thought of being gunned down was easier to digest than experiencing it.

Morgan yelled out, "Fire!!" and the guns went off, you looked to see Luffy just in time had swooped In front of the bullets. A smile had formed on your face, grinning like an idiot. "There you are! Idiot, you got me scared!" Koby ended up fainting and started foaming from the mouth, but it's fine! You hope.

Luffy easily deflected the bullets, sending the bullets back towards the marines, it sent everyone but you into confusion and fear. The freaked out zoro shouted, "What kind of human are you?"

"I am.. The one who will become the king of the pirates!" Luffy answered with a grin. Now that the danger could be handled by Luffy, you hastily started to loosen up the ropes again.

"Look, Which one is your katana?" Luffy asked, holding three swords in front of him.

"All three belong to me, because I use three swords." Zoro explained.

"How do you figure out how to do that?!" I grumbled, now trying to chew off the cope from behind the post. "Now's not the time!" He semi yelled at you.

"Resisting the navy here together with me will make you an outlaw!!" Luffy said, turning towards the marines on the side. "Or maybe you want to die here?"

And while it was funny to think about, Luffy really was leaving no choices for the poor guy. "I always knew you were demanding, but this is just blackmail, Luffy," you mumbled, crossing your arms.

"Are you the offspring of the devil... Forget it, rather than to die here, why don't I just accept your request... And become a Pirate!!" Zoro smirked, his eyes shadowed beneath his bandana

"Luffy! Hurry up and help me get these off! He’s not going to be joining if he’s dead!" you huffed, already feeling the stress spike in your chest. How did you keep ending up in these situations?

Luffy, being the helpful genius he was, yanked at the ropes, somehow making them tighter. "Damn, this knot is so hard to untie…" he muttered, squinting at it like it was an unsolvable math problem.

Truly, hes Luffy. If you were that tall Zoro would've been a free man already. "Guys, watch out!" Koby suddenly shrieked, waking from his little princess nap and pointing at the incoming marines.

"Oh! i untied one side!" luffy said, holding up the loose end of the rope, it was almost like he was trying to show you two his finger paint art. "That's nice honey! What ever makes you happy..."

"Idiot! Hurry get me my swords!" Zoro yelled at Luffy's stupidity, he was going to have to deal with a lot in the future....

The marines charged, only to be stopped by Zoro, who stood like a one man wall, blades gleaming. You stared, wide eyed, at the sheer chaos as he unsheathed all three swords. "This guy is holding swords in his mouth like it’s normal… Such a strange person."

"All of you better not move! You move and I'll kill you!" And with that the marine's cowered in fear.

"I already told you I'd be a pirate with you... eitherway, after this incident with the marines ill be an outlaw too. But it's okay... I still have my own goals!" his voice steady despite holding the equivalent of a cutlery set in his mouth.

"I'm going to become the world's greatest swordsman! I no longer care if my name is clean or not, bad guy, good guy, it no longer matters! As long as my name is known world-wide!" Zoro’s speech about becoming the greatest swordsman was inspiring and cute, sure, but you couldn’t help thinking about the absurd gap between him and Mihawk. I mean, Zoro’s freakishly strong, but Mihawk is… Mihawk.

Well it wouldn't matter for a while, you still had to survive not getting killed by one of the early "weak" villains. right now.

"Good! To Be the worlds #1 Swordsman! Since you wanna be the pirate kings crew member, if you can't even accomplish something that small, then i would be very embarrassed as well!" Luffy had stated.

"Well said!" Zoro affirmed. And with that, the duo had beat up the marine men, Luffy had explained how he was a rubber man. Some of the marines had claimed they wouldnt be able to defeat them, which was spot on. But Morgan didn't even want to have any weak links of something so he ordered the men to kill themselves. You would not let anyone, let alone a man tell you to commit, god how had he stayed in power for so long.

Personally you would have snitched on him a long time ago, or quit, not your job not your problem. "What the hell do these dumb marines think theyre doing...?!" Zoro questioned at the absurdity of following a command that would make you commit. Luffy sprinted towards Morgan, landing a punch.

You trusted Luffy! Well you knew what would come soon, there was no need to worry. But you did anyway. Some random kid like you could never survive with them, you could go settle on a nice tropical island, maybe get a girlfriend if you were in safe accepting environment...

The marines didn’t stand a chance, of course. But as things got more chaotic, you did the smartest thing a 13 year old could do. you bailed. While everyone else was distracted by the violence, you slipped away unnoticed, heading toward the village. Slipping away from the court towards the village, it was a nice thought that Luffy thought of you as his crewmate but it wasn't for you. You'd just be luggage.

From an ear shot you heard the cheers of marines celebrate the victory of Morgan, it was a bit silly that marines were saved by a pirate. As you were asking around about ships that would come through the town, two hands suddenly wrapped around you. Your heart jumped into your throat as you turned, only to see Luffy flying straight at you. "Luffy, NO!"

He crashed into you at full speed, knocking you to the ground. You groaned, rubbing your head. "What do you want, Luffy?!"

"There you are, ____!" He chirped, ever so happily, not even realizing he almost gave you a concussion.

You raised an eyebrow, rubbing the side of your head. "Why’d you run away while we were fighting?" he asked, tilting his head like a confused puppy

"Because, kid, Im running away! It's nice that you invited me over and stuff... but the pirate life isn’t for me." He should stop giving you that look, it screamed 'if you quit my crew im going to find out where you live.'

"Nuh uh!" He grabbed onto your shoulders, staring at you with that big, stupid grin of his. "You're my first crew member!"

"Why do you want me? I said before im weak, i have no ambitions... No desire to go explore!" Heck, Luffy had told Koby he was a loser for not being able to go for his dreams, or something like that. "Besides, you’d probably eat all the food before I got a chance."

"I already decided! You’re my friend, so you’re joined!" God did he leave you speechless, having known of his tendencies to befriend people, it was a shock that he thought of you as a friend.

How does someone even argue with this guy? You stared at him for a moment, and to your horror, felt your resolve crumbling.

"Luffy..." Perhaps, you could give it a try...? He would decline your refusal to join anyway, like before. "Promise me… Promise me you won’t abandon me and that you’ll protect me. If you can do that, fine. My undying soul is yours or whatever." This was in a way embarrassing for you.

His grin somehow grew even wider, and he gave you a thumbs-up. "You got it!"

Oh god, he must be the sun itself.

The others caught up, Zoro looking particularly grumpy. "Hey, Zoro, welcome to being kidnapped!" you said with a smirk.

"I wasn’t kidnapped! I joined by my own will!" he snapped.

"Sure you did, buddy."

Later, at Rika’s place, you all sat down for a meal. Zoro devoured his food like he hadn’t eaten in days,which! to be fair, he hadn’t. Luffy, however, was still eating after Zoro tapped out, plates piling up around him.

"You know, if you weren’t made of rubber, you’d pop like a balloon," you said, eyeing him warily.

"We could always test it out," Zoro added, smirking.

The conversation turned to plans, and Luffy proudly declared his intention to head for the Grand Line. Koby freaked out, which was a whole thing, but eventually the marines showed up.

The marine had formed us that they would not be allowing us to stay much longer, even though they are grateful for saving them. The three of us got up from our seats, leaving Koby behind. Still the marine wouldn't stop questioning about Koby, which resulted in Luffy rage baiting Koby into punching him. Although Luffy went ahead and returned the punch several more time before Zoro pulled him back by his shirt.

The marines told us to get the hell out, basically.

As you approached the dock, you saw it: the boat. The cursed, pitiful excuse for a vessel that would carry you to a certain doom.

"I hate this," you muttered, dragging your feet.

Luffy turned back, beaming at you. "Don’t worry! It’ll be fun!"

Yeah, fun. Sure.

"Nice act! This way, even though he's been a pirate before, it wouldn't be such a big deal!" Zoro said, praising Luffy's smart thinking.

"Hey sometimes this guys pretty reliable other than fighting." you hoped it would be this way.

From behind, you heard Koby shouting his thanks, saluting dramatically. The entire marine base saluted too, a bizarre sight that only solidified how ridiculous your life had become.

And with that, the crew was off. Well, not your crew. You were just… there. For now.