acceptance | Koby X Luffy Story

acceptance

Garp is older, and barks more often than he speaks words. His fists are weapons in their own right, ready to pummel any pirate into the ground at a moment's notice.

If Koby were to peer closer, he could see the cuts that line the man's hand, the callouses that cover his palm and the way his skin is too tight and pale, but he doesn't, feigning ignorance to the thief known as time.

Garp, the Hero of the marines, carries the weight of Marineford on his shoulders, daily, and each day, Koby watches his mentor not break under the weight—and each day, he admires him more for it.

He was there the day Portgas D. Ace died, was witness to the way the man bled red. A gaping hole in his chest, as Luffy, his sworn brother (and Koby's friend), clutched at him desperately; begging for the boy to live. He didn't.

That day, an era was ended—when Portgas D. Ace, Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, and his Captain, Whitebeard, died.

He was witness to it all, as an outsider. He could only stand there, and watch his friend as he lost something with which he fought so hard to save (escaping from Hell itself, beating impossible odds, all in the name of his brother). The body of Ace fell limp to the ground, the thud echoing in the silenced battle (it was the first time Koby had heard silence during the War of The Best). But, Garp had seen it all too; he'd watched as his grandson had fallen to one of his fellow marines, watched as his old friend had died, standing.

He'd seen it all, and came out with a scarred heart—yet he still smiled the same at Koby, still managed to find the strength to train them harder, everyday—as though, the events of that day weren't weighing heavily on his soul.

Koby admired him for that strength, the tenacity to move on from such an event, that left even him traumatized.

However, he might blame that on his Haki awakening—it was one thing to watch as people fell, people he knew, and watched as they bled profusely to their death. But it was another thing, to hear it all in his head, the sound of death potent in his ears, as he despairingly grabbed at his head, reaching to rip out the pleads and cries of desolate people.

He winces at the memory, the voices still haunting his head. He grips at his hair, tugging at it, just to ground himself for the moment. Helmeppo, who stands beside him, spares a worried glance his way; he waves it off, flashing a smile to hide the ache he finds in his heart. It's old, but mostly ignorable.

"You brats better be listening to me!" Garp, standing tall as ever, waves his fist in the air, threateningly.

Koby stands taller, his back as straight as the broom he used to clean with. Beside him, Helmeppo straightens up, offering a salute to Garp. It's unnecessary in the presence of the Vice-Admiral, as the man cares little for the formalities of the World Government (much like Luffy in that way).

Koby, not for the first time, wonders about his life. He thinks back to the day he had made contact with that fateful barrel—made contact with Monkey D. Luffy. His friend, who so happened to be a pirate (quite the famous one at that). It's hindsight that lets him recall his days of (forced) pirating with an almost fond feeling in his heart. Not that he misses Alvida, and her insane ways of pirating (he much preferred Luffy's perspective of pirates), but he does feel a sense of gratitude to those last days on her ship, as they led him to his future, and purpose. Though, he could have done with a little less abuse.

"Vice-Admiral, Sir," Helmeppo greets, quick to stick to the book when greeting an officer of higher ranking. Even if that officer was Garp.