Desires of Men ~SEQUEL TO THE LIFE I LIVE~

Not All It May Seem

"This is it, right? Caelum?" Blake asked, peering at the approaching island on the horizon.

"That's what Captain says." Shashi scratched his head, leaning against the railing. The few men on the top deck had to squint to see the small black mass, as the sunset cast a deep orange light across the ocean. A gentle wind blew from behind the yellow sub, guiding them towards their destination.

The waves lapped against the metal hull, sending the vessel rocking back and forth with each push. Shachi, Penguin, Blake, and Parker all stood watching the slow approach to Caelum. Not a word passed between them, only the shared relief that they were making visible progress in the search for Summer.

The door behind them opened, and they turned to see their captain push through the metal door. He gave a curt nod in greeting before walking up to the railing and leaning against it as well. As they watched him, he gave a loud sigh.

"We should arrive in the next half hour." He stated, gazing out at the water below. Penguin and Shachi nodded, but Parker sighed in return.

"I just hope we find what we're looking for. I'm tired of running around in circles."

Law directed his soft gaze towards his nakama, remaining silent. Parker's expression was set in frustration, not looking at anything in particular, probably lost in his own thoughts. Hunched shoulders, fingers tangled in themselves in a tight grip, he certainly wasn't optimistic about anything. Coincidentally, the Supernova's thoughts mirrored that of his companions.

"We will." Law said softly in an effort to remain the voice of unwavering confidence, causing his crew to look up in surprise. With a slight grin, he shook his head. "I haven't continued looking for her for nothing, you know. I swear, we'll find her."

"Damn right we will." Blake replied, a grin of his own growing across his face. The others seemed just as enthusiastic.

"Whoever took her is gonna feel hell when we find them." Penguin assured, fist bumping Shachi who agreed with him.

Law looked over the few men, marveling at how close the crew of pirates had become in the few years they'd been sailing together. They'd come from all around North Blue and across the Grand Line, from poverty and wealth, the strong and the brave. No one except Bepo even knew the real reason behind their creation in the first place, yet here they were sticking it out through the worst for the life of one of their own.

He shifted his gaze back to the ocean, remembering what it had looked like so many years ago with Corazon: it looked the same as it always had. He hadn't really thought of it as beautiful, but seeing it now made him realize that, truly, it was. His anger and rage in his youth had clouded his way of looking at the world, not that it had changed much. Though he could see now that a few things had.

On the brink of death and sailing with a man he thought he hated, only to discover that he was the only one he could really put his faith in...never knowing where his true home lay. Hell, he'd never thought back then that he'd ever make it to this point, but that clumsy fool who's death he mourned was the only thing even close to such a concept of home. Or love.

Now though, watching his nakama pick each other up from the dirt and stand even stronger than before, laughing in the face of death, defying minimal odds, putting their absolute trust into their Captain and friend all for the sake of living out their dreams, putting their lives on the line for the sake of one...

He realized he'd found his home a long time ago, he had just failed to notice until then.

~~~

"...Law?" Summer mused, frozen in place with shock.