COAST - Luffy x Reader

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

This ones a bit of filler, gonna' try and whip out the next one a little quicker but we'll see. The final stretch of my semester is right around the corner.

It's taking all my self-control not to just dive straight into the relationship, but we need that character development or else it won't be as good. It's coming soon though, and I'm SO excited for the turning point you have no idea!!

We vibing. Impatiently, but we are.

Happy reading, Coast Crew!

---

The four of us moan in unison, slumped over various places in the dingy after Luffy managed to sling us onto the ship and out of harm's way (the harm being the trees as we ricocheted through them). Sanji's torso was hanging over the driver's seat, arms dangling limply as his face was turned downwards. My legs are tangled with Luffy's, laying flat next to him on my stomach. The Captain and Usopp are slung over the sides of the boat, Usopp's face floating halfway in The Milky Road, his words gurgled as he spoke.

"That... hurt so... bad..."

"I will never let you forget this..." Sanji murmured, raising a leg to softly kick Usopp in his spine, who whined at the contact.

"Y'know... I could've stretched my arms and grabbed the boat." Luffy grunted in a weak tone.

"This sucks." I let out a mixture between a whine and a sigh. My skull pounds with a pressure that ebbs, growing and fading every time there's a source of stimulation. Their words, as well as my own, make me want to cover my ears and sob, and my eyes burn with tears. There was no more adrenaline left to protect my body with the after-effects of the damage dealt.

"Look, we're on the boat, and out of the forest... That's all that matters!" Usopp gargles, just in time as the path begins to lead over the treetops, carrying us to the next high-cliff island.

---

Slowly, but surely, everyone comes back to life. It takes a while, and everyone's still in pain; but The Crow chugs along, as does our rescue mission. In order of revival, Luffy was first to sit up, followed shortly by Sanji, who took to steering. Usopp took a bit longer, but he had at least pulled himself from the cloudy-water before opting to fully sit himself upright.

As for me, Usopp had managed to help me lean back against the wooden pole in the center of the boat, sporting the umbrella; but I was not okay in the slightest. My eyes had been closed for who knows how long, trying to stave off the pulsating ache by limiting the sources of my discomfort. I'm sure my eyebrows pinched together every time Usopp or Sanji questioned how I was feeling, but it was getting more frustrating as we progressed. How the hell were they already fine? It's like the fight with the priest had barely phased them, never mind getting smacked between the trees like a tennis match.

And if they did recuperate so quickly, did that mean they were just really strong? Or... did it mean I was just weak? I mean, my own soulmate had insinuated that I wasn't the toughest person on the crew, but I hadn't realized just how different I really was in this group. After all, this world was dangerous, and I was an outsider.

If I really am this much lesser than these guys, who were back to normalcy in the span of thirty minutes while I remained immobile... then what did I have to contribute? Their constant check-ins had me wondering if maybe I was more of a liability on this crew than anything else. What if... Would they kick me off the crew? Would my own soulmate still want me, even if I was useless like this?

"I think you should stay here, since you've been working on the ship with Usopp, you can tell them about all the broken parts. We'll find the bird."