[Voice]

[meatthefuture]

[there is quiet for a very long time. And it's almost as if the journal isn't open at all except for the quiet murmur of the ocean lapping at a still ship. They are anchored somewhere. It feels like they should be. Then Luffy says in a flat voice]

They've gone. A-Ace [his voice breaks a little but he swallows and says in a darker tone] and S-Sanji.

[It sounds like it hurts to say, and it does.

In any case, he leaves the book open on his lap, gripping it with his fingers and staring at nothing over the ocean as he sits on the figurehead. Nakama can find him there. But he won't be very talkative]

Comments

[thetruehistorian]

[Robin sits with her back against Luffy's.]

You know Sanji will be alright.

[It's not really comforting though, is it?]

[meatthefuture]

[he knew. Sort of. Sanji was facing off against someone pretty big back home and Luffy didn't know how it would turn out. He was mostly sure that Sanji would be alright but now he knew that sometimes it didn't. That wasn't what bothered him though. It was like the nightmare. People could leave and maybe everyone could leave...

And Ace...]

I wanted him to... come find me back then... I thought he would...

[even on the island with Rayleigh he had hoped for a while that maybe someone had saved him like Law had saved Luffy. That Ace would come and hit him and then they would have a feast. But it never happened]

[yourotherleft]

[It's a while before Zoro comes to talk to him. Or not talk, as the case may be. He's been even more quiet than usual, but at the same time, going about his business like nothing's wrong.

The denial is very strong with this one. Or maybe he's squashed his feelings so deep down inside that even he doesn't know how to find them.

But losing Ace, he knows that's gotta hurt. So eventually he sees the journal, and wanders over to lean on the railing, clearly within earshot in case of talking but not about to start talking if Luffy doesn't want it. Zoro doesn't want it either.]

[meatthefuture]

[he can be in denial if he wants to, but Luffy knows that some part of Zoro hurts a lot and is hurting and missing Sanji--even if they'll see him again. It might not be the same and they might not even remember.

As for himself--

Ace was gone again in the way Sabo had been the first time. He didn't see him go. Didn't know how he went. But he knew for sure that he was dead. Even if Sabo wasn't now, Ace really was. And it felt like the hole in his heart was starting to get ripped wider again. He hadn't had a chance to do anything. Marco hadn't had a chance to take him anywhere. He was just gone and Luffy hated it.

But there was nothing he could do and no one he could punch.

But he wasn't going to get knocked down by this. Not again. He had to be strong for everyone even if he was all alone in doing it. And strong for Zoro, too, who didn't know he needed it.]

You gotta keep drinking so he won't be annoyed if he comes back.

[his voice is strained and wavering a bit because it's hard to talk but he manages to sound strong enough he hopes]

[yourotherleft]

[it doesn't hurt right now. Give him a day or two and the ache will become clearer.

Zoro raises an eyebrow at him. Poor Luffy.]

Why do I need to keep drinking for that?

[if he were the super-fluffy type, he'd already be hugging Luffy. As it is, he wants to do something. They weren't there, last time, but he's here now.]

[meatthefuture]

Because you like it! You have to keep doing what you like even if it hurts!

[and that's the hardest thing of all because when it hurts this bad he doesn't want to do anything. He wants to punch something or break something and he's not happy and he hates it so so much. But there is only the sea and his nakama and Merrily and he won't hurt the ship because Merrily isn't as strong as Sunny is.]

[yourotherleft]

Luffy...

[he breathes a quiet sigh. He can tell, this has nothing to do with him and everything to do with Ace. Zoro just sort of rubs his face tiredly.]

What makes you think I woulda stopped?

[meatthefuture]

Because it hurts, stupid!

[he didn't mean to yell but he did and now he wants to-- But he won't because he's going to be strong this time. He needs to learn how to be strong no matter what. So he just hunches his shoulders and pushes his hat down, annoyed and frustrated]

voice;

[cherrybombpie]

Oh no . . .

[She liked Sanji well enough, but Ace was a friend. Her voice trembled slightly.]

voice;

[meatthefuture]

Sanji's gonna be okay. [he doesn't really know about her and Ace. Anyway, he can't say the same thing]

[Voice]

[song_princess]

[Luffy.... Ace's little brother.... Moreso than ever is her role in her life is more important.]

Would you like a song, Luffy?

[Voice]

[meatthefuture]

Sure.

[it sounds more blunt than he's usually given to talking. Only it's really hard to talk... and hearing Leanne's voice-- knowing that she was on that crew-- it just made it all the harder.]

[Voice]

[song_princess]

As you wish.

[She goes to take a deep breath and goes to sing a semi-sad song, pouring her entire soul into the song.]


[ooc; the song is most likely May it Be by the Celtic Women.]

[Voice]

[meatthefuture]

[shut up. He's not crying! You're crying! He's grateful but it hurts and he doesn't know how to make it stop]

It's too sad, damnit!

[Voice]

[song_princess]

[She hears that crying and continues to sing. When he speaks, she stops singing and just goes to coo gently and warmly at him.

She doesn't speak quite yet, just giving him the opportunity to vent it all out if he wishes to.]

voice

[trafalgar]

[Talk about deja vu.]

Leaving here isn't a bad thing.

[Because that's what it sounds like happened here, rather than anything too..serious. Could be worse. Yeah.]

voice

[meatthefuture]

[his eyes widen at the voice] Torao? You're here?! Oi, Torao! Where are you?! Hey come here! You're supposed to be here! Oi!

voice

[trafalgar]

[SUCH AN IMPRESSIVE RECOVERY......]

Where's that? I wasn't told anything.

[This sounds urgent, maybe.]

voice

[meatthefuture]

You gotta go to the shop and use the Nav thingy. We're on the Million Merrily. Come on. Hurry up! I can't come the other way.

Re: voice

[trafalgar]

...Can't come the other way?

[THOSE DESCRIPTORS. Luffy needs more adjectives in his life. The Nav thingy...

Being rushed with such terrible directions, he's just gonna linger in place until he sorts this out..!!]

Are you talking about Backwater Brig?

[crankyshark]

[somebdoy's been ignoring the journals for a few days. It's nice to get a break from the chatter okay? But when he comes across this entry he kinda wishes he hadn't]

Ace...he was your brother, right? And the cook, Sanji.... [thash might not have met him in person, but he had a reputation, apparently]

I'm sorry, man. That sucks...

[meatthefuture]

Mm. [it does. A lot. And it hurts alot. So much that he feels like he's suffocating under it]

We'll be okay. [somehow]

[crankyshark]

[wow, he feels even more terrible after hearing Luffy's voice in his reply. It doesn't sound like the regular upbeat rubber man he knows at all]

Well... Let me know if there's anything I can do for you. Even if it's just lending an ear.

[actually, he knows something he can do...] maybe sometime I can nav over and catch a bunch of fish for you [he likes eating right? Maybe that would cheer him up]

[meatthefuture]

Mm. Okay. [he's not really hungry for fish or anything at all really] Tell me something exciting.

[he wants to take his mind off stuff]

[crankyshark]

Something exciting? Hmmm...

[what was exciting.... Fighting]

Some woman that calls herself Cat says she's going to try to give us foreigners something to help us fight the corpse king...then tell is where he is so we can kick his tail.