A heavy silence hung over the Thousand Sunny in the wake of Usopp's dramatic departure. The sniper's angry shouts still seemed to echo across the deck and the sight of the fight that had ensued as the remaining crew members exchanged uneasy glances. Their captain remained seated upon the figurehead, unmoving, with his treasured straw hat pulled low over his eyes.
Luffy had not spoken a single word or even budged from his perch since Usopp declared he was leaving the Straw Hat Pirates. The absolute authority and conviction in Luffy's voice as he ordered none of the crew to go after their ex crew mate still sent shivers down their spines. None of them had ever seen Luffy take such a hard stance, especially against a friend.
As the day wore on, Sanji emerged from the galley to call everyone for dinner. But Luffy did not come barreling in with his usual enthusiasm. The captain remained in place on the figurehead, not even twitching at the cook's calls as he busied himself with wrapping his bruised chest.
Sanji frowned around his cigarette. "That's not like him to miss a meal. Oi, Luffy! Food's ready!"
When Luffy still did not respond, the crew began to grow worried.
"Luffy, you really should eat," Nami urged annoyedly.
Nami approached the figurehead and reached out to touch Luffy's arm. "Come on, Luffy. You need to keep up your strength."
Before she made contact, Zoro clasped her wrist, stopping her. The first mate shook his head solemnly.
"Let him be. The captain needs time to process everything that happened." Though his face was stoic, pain reflected in the swordsman's eye. Zoro understood better than anyone the intense emotions Luffy was grappling with after watching his friend betray him.
Sanji scowled. "Don't be stupid, moss-head. Luffy needs to eat no matter what happened."
Zoro rounded on the cook with a growl. "Shut it, dartboard brow! If Luffy doesn't want to eat at the moment, then we respect that." He turned his gaze to the rest of the crew while he ushered them back to the galley and away from the brooding captain. "We will stay anchored here tonight. Everyone should get some rest, Luffy will eat when he's hungry. He's an idiot, but he's not stupid enough to starve himself."
Though reluctant, the crew obeyed their first mate's directive and turned in for the night. But an air of melancholy lingered in the bunkroom at the thought of their captain sitting alone and heartbroken on the dark deck.
Morning dawned grey and foggy, matching the mood aboard the Sunny. Everyone filtered out anxiously, hoping to see Luffy snoring away in his usual spot. Instead, they found the captain exactly as they had left him, though he was laying down on the figurehead now, it's couldn't have been comfortable.
Luffy did not react as Sanji called everyone for breakfast, nor when Chopper timidly tried to push a plate of meat into his hands. The rubber boy remained silent and unmoving like a statue, his face still obscured beneath the brim of his hat.
The caring reindeer doctor left the plate on the side of the boat, hoping the captain would eat it at some point.
As midday came and went without Luffy budging for lunch either, the crew grew truly alarmed.
"Luffy has to eat something!" Nami insisted, wringing her hands. "This isn't healthy!"
"Perhaps if we all try together, we can get him to respond," Robin suggested calmly, though her brows were pinched with worry.
The whole crew surrounded the figurehead, voicing pleas and encouragement for Luffy to join them for a meal. But it was like shouting at a stone wall. Their captain did not so much as tilt his head in acknowledgement.
