Chapter 7: Free as the Pirate King [4]
That same day, the boys moved to the tree house, despite the protests from the bandits. Luffy wanted to spend as much time outside as possible, and Ace indulged him. And while nights were plagued by recurring nightmares and night terrors, fresh air, the ability to always see the sky, and, most importantly, Ace's presence and the straw hat always helped Luffy to calm down and come back from whatever hell he had been stuck in.
Sometimes those demons followed Luffy from his dreams and haunted his reality, so the two brothers made a habit of watching the sunrise together. Most of the time, they stayed in the tree house, but sometimes walked to their favorite cliff and sat there until Luffy smiled, then laughed, and in the end, tackled Ace into a hug.
Ace always had a hard time expressing emotions other than anger, never being one to express his affection through touch nor accepting such shows of affection from his brothers. Now he had to learn to do both. Luffy ambushed him with hugs several times per day without any apparent reason and let go only when Ace gulped down his embarrassment and ruffled his hair.
He even got used to sleeping with his little brother curled beside him or tucked protectively into his embrace, hoping against all hope that he would become a titanium wall between his baby brother and the demons, at least for a single night.
And just like that, three weeks passed by.
Luffy's physical wounds healed, leaving only the scars marrying his young body as a harrowing reminder of his past. However, under the watchful care of Ace and the bandits, his mental health also started to improve. The road to healing was long and arduous, but it was a start.
The two of them were sitting on the cliff after yet another restless night when Ace noticed Luffy absentmindedly scratching at his neck again. His stomach flipped at seeing that terrible persisting tic, acid burning at the back of his throat.
Luffy had been shackled and collared for years.
Ace simply could not wrap his head around how someone could do such a thing to his little brother. Or any kid. Or anyone, really.
This was probably the best time for the small gift Ace had prepared. He pulled something out of his shorts pocket. Luffy didn't notice, too absorbed in admiring the sunrise, so the teen took a moment to ponder if he wanted to proceed with this idea. His brother might have an unexpected, perhaps even violent, reaction to his gift—it was, after all, a bandana to tie around his neck. Like a collar. But Ace only wanted to cover the scar on the left side, which seemed to bother Luffy every time he caught sight of it, and hopefully prevent him from hurting himself.
"I got something for you, Luffy," Ace said before he changed his mind.
Luffy turned, eyes flicking down a moment later to see what his brother had in his hands.
"It's, um," Ace hesitated, but then just shoved it to him, "a bandana to tie around your neck."
Luffy picked up the bandana, unfolded it. Holding it up against the sun, he stared at it. It was completely black, sewn from the soft though sturdy material. Ace made sure that Dogra picked the best one.
"You can paint a Jolly Roger on it, and it'll look like a pirate flag," Ace pointed out.
Luffy tilted his head as he continued to stare at the bandana. Perhaps trying to imagine the Jolly Roger painted on it. Gradually, his mouth stretched into a grin. "So cool!" he exclaimed, tying it around his neck. "Thanks, Ace!"
Ace grinned back at him. With relief warming his heart and the sun warming his skin, he started getting sleepy.
Then the trees behind them exploded. Both boys were up on their feet and ready for a fight in a blink of an eye. They expected a beast to come crashing through the trees, but it was their grandfather who suddenly came bursting out from the forest.
Both sides stared at each other for a few seconds, momentarily stunned.
"Luffy…" The name from Garp's mouth flowed out with a worn-out softness, smooth with tiredness. "You've returned."
Luffy took a step back.
It set Ace on high alert. They were too close to the cliff's edge, the image of his brother flinging himself toward that edge still too fresh in his memory. One look and Ace's heart twisted.
Luffy was shaking, pale and small and absolutely terrified.
Ace's blood boiled in fury. A slow, burning, volcanic fury that would level everything in sight when it finally erupted. He positioned himself between Luffy and Garp, teeth bared and eyes blazing. "Don't get any closer, you damn geezer!"
But Garp didn't try to come closer. He stood there, staring. Not moving and not saying a word. Just staring.
Ace felt Luffy's fingers fisting into the fabric of his t-shirt, and a second later, he asked, "Are you gonna take me back there, Grandpa?"
Garp reeled back as if those soft-spoken words physically hurt him. "No, Luffy, that's not it. I—" He paused, straining to find a combination of words that could even begin to express his feelings.
"No one's taking you anywhere, Luffy," Ace growled.
Garp rubbed at his eyes, looking so, so tired now. "I just wanted to see you."
Luffy's fist tightened around the handful of Ace's t-shirt. Not letting it go, he stepped from behind the older boy. Straightening his spine, he drew himself up, pinning his grandfather with a cold glare. "I'm not going back there," he hissed. Defiant, if not provocative in his refusal. "I'd rather die than go back there!" Sheer resolve resonated in his declaration, Luffy's posture and expression almost daring the old man to try and force him.
"I'd never force you back into that place," Garp murmured, weighted down with all the emotions welling inside him. There was no small amount of shame in his voice. "No, Luffy… You think I'd do that to my own grandson?"
Luffy studied the man with sharp, pensive eyes. The moment seemed to stretch into eternity before Luffy's grip on Ace's shirt eased up. After another moment, just as long, he let go entirely and pushed his straw hat more securely on his head. "I believe you," he said, looking back at his grandfather. Previous hostility and fear were gone, though some of the weariness remained. "I missed you, Grandpa."
"I missed you too, Luffy," Garp responded quietly. Truthfully. "Give me a moment while I speak with Ace, alright?" He motioned to the teen to follow, but didn't wait for him and walked into the forest.
Ace scowled after him. With a sigh, he let the tension bleed out of his posture. There were a few things he wanted to ask Garp as well. Turning to his brother, he squeezed the latter's shoulders. "You alright?"
Luffy nodded.
"I'll be just beyond those trees, okay?"
Another nod.
"Stay here, I'll be right back." With a pat on Luffy's head, Ace spun around and walked into the forest.
He stopped behind Garp who was sitting on the stump, facing the other direction. All the teen could see was the man's back.
Ace crossed his arms. "You know who did this to Luffy." It wasn't even a question, but a statement that sounded almost accusatory.
Instead of answering, Garp asked, "How's he doing?"
Ace tapped his feet. "You're not going to tell me who's responsible, are you, geezer? Just like with Sabo." He tsked when only silence met his words. "I'll find out eventually." He sneered. "I'll make sure to find out."
Garp didn't answer.
A minute passed in silence.
"Physically, he's fine now. Despite the scars all over his body," Ace said eventually, voice clipped. "He has nightmares every night. Some are rather violent." No response. His jaw tightened. "Luffy's strong, he'll be alright. But I won't forgive those who did this to him. And I won't forgive you," he snarled. "I'll find out who, and I—"
A barely audible sniffle reached his ears.
Ace paused in his blind fury, and his eyes widened when the realization hit him like a punch to his guts—Garp was crying. It immediately took the wind out of his sails, and he sighed, scrubbing his face with both hands.
He gave the old man a few minutes to collect himself.
"How did you know that Luffy was back?"
Garp made a dismissing wave. "Don't worry about it."
Ace narrowed his eyes. "Is he safe here?"
"Yeah." There was no doubt in Garp's reply. He stood up. "Ace, you'll look after your younger brother, right?"
"You don't need to tell me that, old geezer!" Ace snapped. "Better tell me who did this to Luffy!"
Garp clasped Ace's shoulder, staring toward the cliff where he could see Luffy waiting for them. "You'll find out someday," he murmured, "but all I can tell you right now is that this world has a dark side that no one can breach."
Ace's lips thinned, and he glared at nothing in particular. He couldn't forgive Garp for not telling, but in some part of his mind, he understood why the man kept it away from him. He followed Garp back to the cliff, slipping past him and to Luffy's side as soon as they left the forest.
"I'm really glad you're back safe, Luffy." Garp reached to pat his grandson's head, but the boy flinched away before he could as much as touch him. The old man's expression crumbled, his arm dropping back to his side. He forced out an uncertain smile. "If I'd known, I would have done something. I hope you can believe that."
Luffy stared into his face, searching, judging. Whatever he was looking for, he must have found it. He responded with a nod.
Garp's smile widened. "I'll be going now, have something to take care of," he said. "But I'll visit again soon."
Ace grimaced. "Please, don't."
"What did you say, you brat?!"
Ace yelped when Garp suddenly yanked him off his feet and into a chokehold before ruffling his hair. "Wh-wha-what are you doing, you shitty old man?!" He flailed his arms and kicked out with his legs to no avail. "Let me go!"
"Bwahahaha!"
"Grandpa."
Garp froze. Ace used that opportunity and wrestled himself out of the man's hold, immediately retreating to a safe distance.
"I'll become the Pirate King," Luffy declared, peering at his grandfather with eyes that spoke volumes of what they had seen. The eyes that had the darkness of this world seared into them forever. "The freest person in the world."
And for once, Garp couldn't do more than nod.