ONE PIECE - ONE SHOTS

Smoldering Embers (White Beard Pirates)

Story by Knif_Knight

(Y/n)'s heart clenched in her chest. Tears stung at the corners of her eyes. This was something she had brought upon herself. (Y/n)'s body was finally giving up on her. The familiar rocking of the ship that once welcomed her with open arms. Where (Y/n) used to be considered family. Now was the last thing she would ever see. Being regarded as anything but part of the family. It made her think of the unfortunate string of events that led her to where she is now.

Maybe if she had chosen to share her dilemma with the captain things would have gone differently. (Y/n) had picked the worst time to make her departure. On the same night, they left the Moby Dick a crewmate was murdered. The culprit fled into the darkness a few hours after (Y/n) had made her escape. Which left the crew to infer that (Y/n) had a hand in the murder of Thatch. Something which brought a different kind of pain into their heart. (Y/n)'s head lulled to the side at the sound of the door opening. Numbly staring at the figure who entered. Her mind was so muddled she did not register who it was that had entered.

———————

Bay's eyes were wide when she heard the news, "Wait!! What!!"

"You must not have heard. (Y/n) betrayed us and fled the Moby Dick."

"When was this?!"

"About a month ago."

Bay's eyes narrowed as she demanded to see (Y/n) for herself. With some reluctance, she was allowed into the room (Y/n) was being held. Bay was left alone in the room with her. (Y/n) had her back turned to her. Bay could tell that she was suppressing her pain from where she stood. (Y/n)'s head shifted to glance unseeingly in Bay's direction.

"(Y/n)," Bay said softly crouching down a little ways away from her. (Y/n) faintly recognized her voice, eyes flitting to her figure. Bay's heart clenched at the limp form before her. Trails of blood smeared across (Y/n)'s lip and chin.

"...Bay...," (Y/n)'s voice cracked as she forced words out of her throat. Bay quickly shooshed them. Moving closer so she could cradle (Y/n)'s head on her lap.

"Stupid... why did you not just tell them?"

"I thought it might be easier if they thought I left..." (Y/n) muttered eyes glazing over slightly, "Guess that did not work out..."

Bay ran her fingers through (Y/n)'s matted hair. Soothing the younger as the life drained from her sickly form. With one final breath (Y/n) let out their final words. Bay being the only one to hear the last thing to be uttered from her mouth. Tears clouded her vision as she held (Y/n) closer muttering incoherent words of apology.

———————

The crew was confused at Bay's distraughtness as she stumbled out of the "cell." Her eyes were red and puffy, she had obviously been crying during her time with (Y/n). Bay had been in the room for quite some time before she finally exited. She was fighting back tears as she took notice of the crew's staring. This was one of the rare moments that they had seen Bay cry. Her face hardened at the sight of her crewmates staring at her.

"The hell are you looking at?"

"What happened in there?" Marco inquired, glancing over at the door Bay had just excited.

Something deep inside of Bay snapped at his words, even though she knew he did not know he could not help but yell at him, "She's fucking dead are you happy?!"

"What?!"

"Instead of her living out her final moments free you had her caged up like an animal."

"But she—"

"—There is no universe where (Y/n) would have tried to kill Thatch. You knuckleheads were too fucking dense to see beyond what was right in front of you!"

One of the other crewmembers piped up, "Why did she leave then?"

Bay let out a deep sigh, "She —was sick, it was terminal and there is no cure."

"What—what was her last words?" "

Say goodbye for me..."

Name of another: Knif_Knight
Name of platform: archiveofourown