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Reunited In Grief
The weeks pass in an agonizing blur. After returning to Sabaody, you had taken to checking in on Luffy as he grieved the loss of his brother. Pushing your own grief aside to aid him might have been your way of avoiding your feelings.
After Luffy’s rage had been temporarily quelled, you set off on your own journey. When asked, you had responded with a false confidence you were desperately clinging to.
“I’m not sure, but I’m sure I’ll find somewhere to stay for a while, maybe I’ll even find a teacher and get stronger that way!” You were only half lying, as you didn’t have any intentions of finding a teacher at the moment. You just wanted to separate yourself from everyone and wallow in your sorrow.
After a bit more convincing that you would be safe and would return to Sabaody like everyone else, you set off. A small boat with the basic essentials was all you could motivate yourself to take, not having the energy to care for anything not absolutely needed.
A few pit stops made quickly as possible were taxing, but necessary. Keeping a low profile was easy enough, covering yourself to blend in and keeping conversations with shop owners as short as possible without putting a target on your back. Drifting around wasn’t wise, but you weren’t in the right headspace to be concerned about that at the moment.
After another pit stop, you left the New World and sailed back to the east blue. With no conscience destination in mind, you let the sea take you where it wanted to go. You briefly thought about how getting back to the red line would be inconvenient, but as quickly as the thought appeared in your mind, it vanished into the darkness of your mind once more.
As you sailed, you recalled your adventures in the east blue with your crew. After reuniting with your younger brother Luffy at Cocoyashi Village, you honored your promise to officially join his crew. You had shocked the rookie pirates with your reveal of your shared past, and the difference in your abilities. After a bit of being poked and prodded for information, the crew readily accepted you into their rag tag group.
Eventually, you docked at a familiar island. Securing your boat to a small port that only you and a few others knew about, you make your way through the forest and up the mountain. Your heart feels heavy in your chest as you continue your trek.
The climb is not new to you as you walk, if anything it’s the easiest and hardest thing you’ve done for weeks. Your mind swims with memories of the past, and you choke down any noise that might escape.
Finally, you stand at the wooden door atop Mount Colubo. You debate turning around and leaving, but find yourself unable to move your legs to turn away. Taking a deep breath, you raise your arm and knock. You hear rummaging as you stand at the door.
If not for the noise, you might have thought no one was home.
Slowly, the door creaks open, just barely, and a voice speaks.
“Who are you and what the hell do you want?” Being unable to keep silent, you respond.
“Dadan, it’s me.”
The door slams open with force you recognize, and the face of the voice appears.
Dadan’s eyes widen as the takes in the sight of you. Your clothing is crumpled, your shoes are muddy and your face - oh your face - sunken and full of pain as you stand there, eye swirling with emotions she wishes she’d never seen on your face.
All the anger and hostility drains from her body and she pulls you inside, closing the door before pulling you into an embrace that could rival Luffys.
The feeling of being held breaks the last bit of restraint you have as you start to cry, holding onto your mother figure with a strength you thought you had lost. Your cries turn into sobs as she cradles the back of your head with one hand and holds onto your back with the other. The feeling of her body shaking and the sound of her own tears falling is not lost on you as you both grieve together.
Not a word is said as you stand in the wooden house where you grew up, mourning the loss you share.
The sobs have been reduced to silent tears and small hiccups, and slowly, as if it were the last thing you want to do, the two of you separate just enough to look at each other.
Both of your faces are red and puffy, tears both dried and wet stick to your faces and shirts. There may be a wet patch on Dadan’s shirt where you face was, and there may be some snot dripping down her nose, who knows, that a secret you’ll take to your graves.
I’M BACK AND READY TO WRITE! Sorry I’ve been gone for like a year, my body is trying to kill me and no one can figure out why. I’m alive though! I’ll write part two of my straw hat cuddling/sleeping habits soon, but if thought of this first and wanted to write it before I lost motivation or forgot.