Bound by Blood and Sea || Sanji || Zoro

Luffy's Sister

"Because I am his sister."
Sanji looked at me dumbfounded, unable to comprehend the words that came out of my mouth.
"W-what?!"
"Luffy is my big brother."
"Luffy. Has. A. Sister?" He spoke slowly to ensure he understood correctly, still not believing his own ears.

"Yep," I held back a laugh since the man looked at me as if I were a creature from another planet.
His brain finally seemed to be activated again, when he let out an incredulous sigh and ran his fingers through his blonde hair.

"Wow. I can't believe the captain actually has a sister," he locked his eyes with mine as he continued speaking, "and such a beautiful one at that."

"So can you bring me to him?" I blinked my lashes at him pleadingly and full of innocence. Obviously, that was just an act, but that guy could've never resisted such a gaze.

"Of course darling, let's go to the ship immediately." Without further notice, Sanji grabbed my hand and almost dragged me along.

But I supposed it was a good idea of his to hold me since I would've certainly lost him in this chaos. People were everywhere you looked. It was a miracle we were able to move at all. The humans seemed like walls, whose intention was to crush you between them.

Somehow we managed to get out of the city, to the port, where the Going Merry lay. With one look from me, he let go of my hand that was still clutched in his grasp.

"So that's the ship," I muttered more to myself. Sanji nodded in agreement, before asking me if I was ready to go onboard. I reassured him I was and we finally stepped foot on it.

The blonde and I walked onto deck, where a few crew members were. A ginger woman raised an eyebrow as she observed me suspiciously. A man with a really long nose, that kinda reminded me of Pinocchio, nervously glanced at me.

Was that the whole crew? These weren't a lot of people to take care of a pirate ship but I supposed he was still recruiting. My eyes scanned across the Going Merry and I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion when I saw a bunch of tangerine trees on deck. What freak put trees on board a ship? 

Before I got the chance to ask about it, Sanji already called for the captain. "Hey Luffy! Guess who I found?" The rubber man came running out of - what I assumed to be the galley, whilst munching on a sandwich. "What is it? Have you brought more meat for me to eat-"

Luffy stopped in his tracks, almost choking on his food when he saw me standing next to his crewmate. His eyes seemed to bulge out of his head as he looked me up and down. "Wha-" The sandwich dropped out of his mouth and onto the floor as he tried to form words. 

The blonde man grabbed my shoulders and pulled me in front of him. "I believe you know this beautiful lady, right?" My brother blinked a few times, slowly snapping out of his first shock. "You're-" he started again. 

"Yes I am here," I finished his failed attempt at forming a sentence. That asshole probably thought he would never see me again. Well, he guessed wrong.

The captain jumped up and ran toward me, eyes still widened in disbelief. "It's really you?" he questioned in a tone that showed specks of hope and happiness. But that didn't make any sense. Why would Luffy want to see me? After everything that happened... No, I must have misread his attitude. That must be it. He couldn't possibly be excited to see me, but then again the look on his face told me the opposite. But why?

"Yes, it's me. Who else would it be?" I asked in return, in a cold and even voice, not showing the confusion and hurt I felt standing in front of him. 

Completely ignoring my tone, Luffy grabbed my shoulders and shook me to the point I felt dizzy. "I can't believe you are actually here! But why are you here? Why aren't you at home?"

At those words, pure anger flashed through me and I saw red. With one hard shove, Luffy landed on the floor and looked at me incredulously as I yelled at him. "You disgust me! HOW COULD YOU SAY SUCH A THING AFTER WHAT YOU DID?! AFTER EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED-" 

Luffy was taken aback by my sudden ire, slightly startled before he came to his feet again and eyed me in confusion. "Wha- What do you mean?"

"WHAT DO I MEAN?! YOU ABANDONED ME! YOU LEFT ME ON THAT DAMN ISLAND!" I spat at him.
My brother's face showed utter shock. He seemed to be speechless. "I- I never abandoned you. I did leave to become a pirate but I didn't abandon you. I would never do such a thing to my little sister! You- you were in good care-"

"GOOD CARE?!" How cruel could he be to say such a thing? Or perhaps... Did he not know what happened? I tried to swallow down the lump that had formed in my throat but it was of no use. It felt like an invisible force was constricting my neck and cutting off the oxygen that was supposed to fill my lungs. The memories still got to me and I did everything to fight back the tears that were forming in my eyes.

My lip wobbled as I continued in nothing more than a whisper, "It was like hell. After- after you left some pirates attacked the city and took everyone prisoner. They- they forced us to be their slaves. It was horrible." My voice became smaller and smaller as I continued talking until it was barely audible.

"Slaves?" The captain of the ship looked at me with pure horror. "But... how... I- I thought you were safe." I took a step closer toward him, to close the distance between us, and began hitting his chest, whilst tears started to stream out of my eyes. "This is all, all because you left me! If you, if you would've taken me with you none of this would've happened. Or, or if you just st- stayed with me." With those words I slumped against him, shaking from my sobs. 

Luffy wrapped his arms around me and we sank to the ground together. Tightly wrapped in his embrace, I felt him shaking as well. "I- I am so sorry." I felt droplets of water - tears - hit the top of my head as I burrowed my face deeper into his chest. 

"Why did you never come back?" I mumbled into his red shirt. "I-I thought you were safe and I always told you that I'll be the King of the Pirates and well I didn't want to come back without having achieved anything. Wanted to show you just how cool your big brother is. I'm sorry," he spoke in a weak voice. 

"Stupid." A small smile started to form on my lips. All these years I held a grudge against him, for leaving me, and don't get me wrong, I still do, but it wasn't his fault that the pirates attacked. It wasn't his fault, and I should've never blamed him. Just like I should've never believed he would leave me behind on purpose so that I would get hurt. I knew him. I knew he would never do such a thing. But I was blinded by the pain and hurt of being left behind.

He continued to mumble apologies, his voice still breaking with every word, and to cradle me in his arms. I took a few deep breaths before I peeled myself off of him, wiping my nose and eyes, in the process. One glance at his face was enough to prove my earlier assumption about him crying: his eyes were all puffy and red.

Luffy swallowed hard before looking at me pleadingly. "Please stay. Stay with me, Aileen. Join the crew. I swear, I will never leave you again. There is still so much we need to talk about. So much lost time we have to make up for. Please, Aileen."

He was so vulnerable and genuine and offered me what I had dreamed about for years. Tears started to stream down my cheeks again as I nodded. "Okay, I will join your crew."