Chapter Text
Edited by Fox_of_Magic
“Dragon, this is your brother. His name is Wyvern."
It was a hot and sunny day when Dragon's dad walked up to him with a child in his arms. Garp gently placed his youngest son in the elder’s arms. The baby cooed happily; his big, round eyes shone as if he knew something and a soft hand touched his chin gently as if in greeting, Dragon raised his head and asked his dad.
“What kind of mark is this?” Dragon asked, pointing at the red crescent-shaped mark under Wyvern's right eye. There was also a large cross-shaped red streak in the center of his chest, almost like a scar.
"It's a birthmark, he was born with it."
“What about Mom? Why didn’t you come together?”
“...” Garp closed his eyes and was surprisingly quiet.
“Father…?” Dragon asked again when his father refused to answer.
“...She passed away during the journey here. Unfortunately, she met pirates after a big storm happened. She didn’t survive even though I rushed to help, I’m sorry…”
“You're lying!”
“Dragon…”
“Earlier, you guys said everything would be fine! Mom said she would leave the marines to live with me! If mom had left before, she wouldn't have died!”
Dragon felt regret and anger. He hugged his brother tightly and ran out of the house.
Before entering the Marines, his mom was a doctor in the Goa kingdom where she found love with his dad. A skilled young marine from the same island hometown as Monkey D. Garp, she had a bright smile, an optimistic look, with a charming voice. When his mom told the story of her meeting his dad, she often looked flustered and embarrassed, her face turning red. Being pregnant with her second child made her want to leave the Marines, and she had gone to bid farewell to her former colleagues. Mom went to the Marine headquarters herself at Marineford, saying that it was okay to travel and that they would all be together from now on. But then…Mom didn't come back.
“It will be difficult to come to terms with the loss of Delinia for you Dragon. But as she always said... No matter what happens, we have to move on. The memories of your mom will remain with you, Vernie and me. If you want to keep remembering her, you can pass on wonderful stories about her to your brother.”
Garp, who was following behind, spoke gently to Dragon, hugging his son once he got close. He had rarely returned to his hometown after the pirate attacks against civilians had intensified. Until today, when something important was taken from them, the person that connected the father to his two sons. But at least he was able to keep the other important thing she had safe and would protect them with his life.
“...I will tell my brother about our mom and… Dad, will you go back to work again?”
“I have asked for a leave! How could I let Drani take care of Vernie alone without an adult to help take care of him!”
“The village headman will take better care of us than you.”
"What! I think you forgot the Fist of Love!”
“Ouch, stop hitting me on the head, idiot Dad!”
…
Luffy has known since the Summit War at Marineford that he probably won't live long, since he traded in his lifespan to help him heal when he was poisoned in Impel Down. So, he tried not to leave any regrets behind. He fought hard, ate hard, and partied hard. The only unexpected thing in his life was finding love. (Whether you met a dead brother, saw many strange islands, fought two emperors, or became the Pirate king, finding love is another thing altogether.) Finding love was something Luffy never expected that he, stupid, cheerful, naive and reckless Luffy, would be able to feel that way with anyone. It was a very special feeling and… one that took awhile for him to realize what exactly he was feeling.
A sadistic smile, a dark expression, and tattoos all over his body. This made him seem cold and his friends worried that he would betray them. But he was overwhelmed when he first met him. He also provided a cool excuse for starting a war with the emperors.
A lonely aura that screamed not to get close, almost as self-destructive as Ace had been. Until he saw him in a different light on their way to defeat Mingo. But Torao was a good person! Torao had saved his life before. He won't let Torao die! He tried to tease him in a way that made the other man laugh or smile. Law didn’t even twitch in the slightest when being called Torao. (Did he think Luffy really couldn’t remember the name of someone so special to him?) He looked serious, but when he yelled that he hated bread, it was so cute!
They traveled together and fought together as if they had done it countless times. Unlike with Zoro or Sanji, who sometimes clash; it was fluid, natural, fun, and sincere, as if they could read each other's minds. They knew each other's patterns without saying anything. They were equal, they were both Captains. Law provided ideas and prepared plans (but it depended on Luffy’s mood whether he wanted to follow them or not.)
At night, they cried in private together.
They both lost important people in their lives that they would never forget. They hugged each other until they calmed down, to lessen their suffering. Until they finally could talk about their important people without tears, and smile when thinking of them.
When they woke up again, they held hands consistently. Trusting each other to protect the others back. They had exchanged their hearts with each other. The heart that beats in their chest beats with the rhythm of the other person's life. They did split up but they kept meeting up again and again until they just turned around and stayed together. When people saw a pirate ship with a flag showing the Straw Hat Jolly Roger, there would always be a yellow submarine by their side.
Luffy and Law never had a formal wedding. Their commitment was shown in the way the unused Captain's room in the Sunny had both of their belongings, in how sometimes Luffy went to stay in the Polar Tank. In the way they listen to each other’s heartbeats and the lullaby of the waves. Listening to the two doctors talk about things Luffy didn’t understand. At meal times, he would always keep snatching the bread he knew Law hated and would share his meat with the other, even though Luffy usually ate a lot. They hugged each other before going to bed for the night. Telling stories about themselves to each other. They went on adventures together until...
“...You can only live one more year.”
The diagnosis was from one of the world's best doctors delivered with a trembling voice. Luffy showed no symptoms, until one day, at the age of 41, when he collapsed without any warning. He wasn't sick. He had just… expired. His body, internal organs, and strength were sufficient for him to live for only another year. Nothing... nothing would help, except... eternal surgery.
“Get that thought out of your head, Law! I won't be staying here any longer. There will never be a day to be alone forever. The only thing worse than death is loneliness!”
That made them go back to their friends and make proper arrangements for leaving. Drank in front of his grandfather's grave; ate a big meal in front of Ace's grave; and Sabo joined after. None of Luffy’s friends got off the ship despite announcing the dissolution of the Straw Hats Pirates. More and more people boarded the ship. It was so warm and it would be unbearable to feel regrets if he died now.
But his only regret was that he still didn't feel it was enough. He knew so little about Law and didn’t stay longer with him. He saw too little of the other person's smile. He wanted to hear more laughter from him. Why did he not get to know him until it was too late? When he asked for his heart back from the other, Law said...
"No! You gave it to me! It's mine!”
“But I'm dying! I don't want you to die with me!”
“And how long do you think I have left to live?!”
“...What do you mean, Law?”
“I don't have much time left, Lu. I... cheated death a lot since I was a child. I'm also a D too. When I exerted my power beyond my limit, it resulted in a shortening of my life expectancy. I won’t live much longer than you. Oh, sea! You are an idiot! I'm 7 years older than you, you know?”
“How much time is left?”
“...No more than half a year longer than you.”
When Law said that, his crew had overheard him; there was an uproar and weeping. They hugged their Captain. Even his crew couldn't take it. They saw them both as co-captains for a long time. And now...they have no guiding light left, they have no one left.
After a long time, their ship arrived at the peaceful village of Foosha, which was rebuilt after the Buster Call. Fortunately, his grandfather was able to help the villagers and Dadan immediately. But the Goa Kingdom did not keep its status any longer. They also said to remove the island from the map. But in reality, when the island was instructed to be destroyed, only a few surrounding islands were sunk and the actual island was just... removed from the map with no geographic area, but the land remains.
They spent their last peaceful years here. The island where Luffy grew up. On an island with many good and bad memories. His starting point was this island. On the island that shaped him into the Monkey D. Luffy he is today, he had a lot of things to do. There were so many things to say, past memories, about love, feelings. As the clock ticks backward, more stories were told.
Those who heard it were familiar with their faces or youths with hearts full of free spirits; whose dreams were no longer a crime. No matter what kind of dream, as long as it doesn't hurt others, it will grow with no barrier. There is no such thing as can't do it, but what they need to do. Is this the feeling of passing on ambitions from generation to generation? Did Roger ever feel this way when he said them?
They didn’t know the actual time limit. But something told him that he wouldn’t survive the night. Law's hand still held his own. On the finger tattoo, the word death was so warm. It was as if Law knew too, because he was adjusting his heartbeat to match his. The hearts that beat at the same pace. They touched their foreheads together on the bed with their legs crossed perpendicular to each other. They were waiting for the time to come in peace. Because he knew that they would leave together. Wherever they go, they will meet again. Get to know each other again, love again, and be together again...
"See you later...Tsuki (Moon)"
“See you later…Nika. (Sun)"
And then two hearts stopped beating at the same time...
…
He thought that death meant there would no longer be pain. But when he woke up again, he felt strange. His point of view was strange. Everything he knew around him was strange. Surprisingly, a former pirate king like him was born at Marineford. Strange that he was born to become the non-existent uncle, as far as he could remember. Did he have an uncle or just that his grandfather never told him? As for his father, there was no way to ask him. They rarely met face-to-face.
Dragon was more like Sabo's father than his father. (He did not regret that his father was able to raise Sabo in the Revolutionary Army. But he didn't visit Luffy once (except that time in Loguetown). Dragon was his father by blood. But his actual father was Shanks and has always been Shanks.) He didn't know much about his own family. Whether he had a mother or not, he didn’t know. (Everyone has parents, but he was different or something.)
His grandfather; or now should he say his father, Garp, still had black hair and looked strong. Carried him happily. His mother laughed softly after giving birth. She looked kind with a bright smile despite being tired. She had warm arms. A melodious voice lulled him into the night. Was this the feeling of having a mother?
Surprisingly, this time, he was a baby who remembers the past (or the future?) and had the memories of an adult as a child. But if life gives you lemons, you just have to make the best lemonade. He was able to learn to grow up again as Monkey D. Wyvern, Monkey D. Garp's second son and Monkey D. Dragon's younger brother. He could easily act like a child.
...
“Vernie, my Vernie, you need to be quiet, I'll be back soon. Everything will be alright.”
His mother placed him in a wooden cradle in the cabin of the Marine Corps ship, with a gentle kiss on his forehead. Previously, she swayed him back and forth to comfort him while in the storm. The weather of the Grand Line is often unpredictable, but... this time she left because of the sound of fighting. He didn't want her to go, but the sound he made was incomprehensible. His body was still soft, his Haki was still too weak. He couldn't do anything to help her.
Her gentle voice was clashing with a harsh, rude, and violent one. A voice of courage and fierceness is coming, but the gentle voice fell quiet too quickly. Until the roar of sorrow was heard. The roar was so loud that he couldn't help but cry. He was safe. His fierce and brave voice protected him but not enough to defend that gentle voice. Why did that gentle voice stay with him for such a short time?
Fate or will you write your own destiny?
The sound of the sea asking made him still. He didn't think that in this rebirth, he would have the Voice of All Things again. It was too funny...
He stopped crying as his father gently picked him up. Although his father's body smelled of blood and tears, this was the man who had provided him security for over two generations, who was always protecting him. He trusted this man and put his head against his chest, where his heart pounded miserably. He was too young to do anything. He hoped this would comfort the grieving man.
“Sorry, Vernie. Dad should have come sooner. Dad should have stayed with your mom. Dad should be here; Dad should have been here…”