Promise? |Luffy x Reader|

Chapter 13

"No Luffy!" Y/n begged. "This whole situation happened because of me, you should have to get hurt anymore than you already have! Just...J-Just let me-" Luffy cut her off. "Y/n." He turned his back to her, a small smile formed on his face. "I won't let him hurt you again." Y/n felt the world around her slow to stop with just those simple words. It was then it really hit her. Just how long, had Luffy been protecting her?

Luffy had been protecting her this whole time. Luffy was...he was so, wonderful. Y/n held her hands tightly against her chest, they began to shake slightly as tears pooled in her eyes. "Luffy..." She said quietly.

"Thank you."

Luffy's grin widened. However it was quick to fall when he heard Woodward speak again. "Strawhat. I thought you wouldn't be so easy to get rid of." He smirked. "There's no point in trying to stop me, or save that girl. She signed her death warrant the moment she decided to betray you. It's only fair don't you think? I'd kill one of my own men if they betrayed me as well."

"Shut up!" Luffy yelled. "Y/n didn't betray me. You forced her to do what she did! And I'm gonna make you pay for it!" Woodward laughed. "Make me pay for it? Fine! If you're so sure..." The veins on Woodward's arm began to pulse and throb as he used his powers. "Then come make me pay for it!" Before Luffy accepted that challenge, he turned to Y/n again. "Y/n." His tone low and more serious. He took off his hat and handed it to her. "Keep it safe for me alright?"

Y/n's lower lip trembled slightly, she held it close to her chest and nodded. "The others aren't far away from here, go find them. I'll catch up with you later."

"You promise?" Y/n asked. Luffy nods. "I promise. Now hurry." With that, he turned back to Woodward, cracking his knuckles. Y/n hurried and ran out of the temple. Luffy's eyes dead set on his foe, they were full of intensity. Flaring with rage as he thought about how many times he must have laid his filthy hands on Y/n. He grit his teeth before reeling back his arm, just as he did that, Woodward shot up multiple large wood from the trees that fell from before.

Then, swiftly, shot towards Luffy at a neck breaking speed. The ends of the wood pointed and sharp as a blade. As fast as the roots were, Luffy was faster. He dodged them before reeling both of his arms back and launching them forwards with a yell. Woodward made a thick wall of wood. Only this time, the wood were spiked with wooden stakes. Unfazed, Luffy didn't pull back, instead driving more force behind his punches.

To Woodward's shock, his fists went through the wall, not without the punctures and scratches, and landed hard into Woodward's gut. Woodward groaned in pain, before swiftly grabbing onto Luffy's arms. Thick wood wrapped around Luffy's arms, he flinched as he felt them become tighter, before feeling his body shoot up into the air. Woodward pulled down harshly, sending Luffy crashing down onto the ground, before pulling up and slinging him over his head.

Luffy was sent flying into the nearest wall, knocking the wind from his lungs. He could feel his wound reopening, but he ignored it. Y/n came first, he had to kick this guy's ass and take her back.

He stood up and took his position.

• • •

Y/n made it out of the temple, running, she saw the figures of her friends approaching. A smile formed on her face as she waved a hand in the air. "Guys!" She called. Noticing her, the crew all hurried to meet her half way. "Y/n!" They all called back.

"You're ok!" Nami hugged her tightly. "We knew you wouldn't leave us behind!" Y/n felt a pang of guilt. "But I was though..." She muttered. "It was for the best, at least, I thought it was. I was going to leave for your sake. But, I know better now."

"Luffy's back there fighting Woodward." Y/n tells them. "If it weren't for him, I still would have been in Woodward's clutches."

"That's out captain. Never leaving anyone behind." Chopper smiled. "Yeah." Y/n smiled weakly. "I just feel terrible for what I've done. I should have never left you guys, it was stupid of me."

"It was stupid." Zoro confirmed. He blocked a kick from Sanji before growling. "Let me finish!"

"It was stupid of you to leave us, knowing damn well we'd just come right back to save you. Luffy and the rest of us, would never leave a friend behind. But what's important right now, is that we got you back, and we're all leaving together." Y/n felt tears gather in her eyes at his words. "Right!" She nodded.

"Uhh, guys...we got trouble." Usopp said, pointing towards the group of Woodward's men racing to them. "They just won't quit." Robin shook her head. Y/n looked at the group of men before looking back at the temple. Worry began to overtake her mind.

Luffy was strong, she knew that, but so was Woodward. And she'd feel just awful if Luffy were to get hurt because of her again. "I'm going to go help Luffy." Y/n said firmly. "He was shot, I need to know how he's holding up. Do you think you can handle things here?"

"Is that even a question?" Franky smirked. "Leave it to us Y/n." Brook told her. "You go check on our idiot captain." Said Sanji. Y/n nods before running back to the temple.

• • •

Inside the battle between Luffy and Woodward still raged on, it was hard to tell just who was winning, due to the fast pace of the fight. Neither one of them seemed to have noticed Y/n, which she was thankful for. Maybe this way she could get a sneak attack in on Woodward. She looked to Luffy, who despite standing tall, visible blood was leaking from his vest. 'Oh no! I He must have reopened his wound fighting!' Y/n thought with terror. If she was going to do something, she would have to do it now, before it was too late.

The next attack, was a fatal one...

Woodward had shot a sharp wooden stake out to Luffy, and due to the pain and weakness, he couldn't find the strength to dodge it in time.

Y/n found her legs moving on their own.

What happened next, was a blur. All Y/n could feel in that moment was the sharp sting in her chest. All she could see was Luffy, who look up at her, eyes filled with disbelief and horror. The stake was pulled swiftly from her body, causing her to cry out in pain before collapsing.

"Y/n!" Luffy caught her before her body hit the ground. "Y/n!" He called her name again, shaking her slightly to keep her conscious. Y/n winced, her eyes fluttering open. "Y/n, why?" Luffy asked, voice trembling. "I...I couldn't let him hurt you again." Y/n said in a raspy tone. "You were shot already b-because of me...I couldn't let you be killed because of me too."

"But Y/n! Now you're...Now you might..." Luffy couldn't even say it. It made him sick to think about it, about Y/n possibly dying. Dying, just to protect him. "It's ok..." Y/n placed her hand on his cheek. "I don't mind...I would do it again, if it meant you'd be ok..." Y/n's breathing was getting slower by the second. "Y/n, why do this for me? Why would you do this? Just for me?" Luffy's voice cracked. "Because...I know you'd do the same for me. I care about you so much Luffy...with my whole heart and soul. So please..."

"Go take him down."

Luffy put his own hand on top of hers, through his tears, he gave her a nod and said with determination.

"Right!"