To Raise a Vampire

Nurturing Sadness and Doubt

No pirate was in a good mood for the next couple of days after setting sail. They all wanted away from this island. Teach was still alive, starving down there. The ship was getting as far from an island as they could so Teach had no possible way of swimming to an island. They were planning on dropping him into the ocean after baiting some sea kings to come over with bloody fish.

The commanders had taken a vote on what to do, a dark vote, and it was decided death by sea king. It would be gruesome, and Luffy most definitely wasn't going to be there to watch. He cringed every time he heard Teach's name, and cried a few times after being reminded of the scary thing that had happened to him. So, no one talked about the betrayal in front of the child. Something that showed progress with Luffy's powers were that he had nightmares, but it never was projected outside of his mind. There was no traitor Teach during the day, showing up after occupying a nightmare by the boy.

With many of the crew feeling depressed and like they'd been living a lie with Teach as a brother, people started to hang out with Luffy. It was like they didn't even notice it. It just made them happy to be around Lu. And he liked the attention a lot. Even more attention than usual! After all, people had been gravitating towards him for over a week. They'd been on the ship a little over three weeks now, and the time flew by for Luffy. And for some of the Spades. Well, most of them.

Everyone noticed that Ace was in a much better mood, and was more open with everyone after Teach's betrayal. This confused many, and some were a bit irked by it, because they didn't know why he was so happy. It had nothing to do with Teach or any of the pirates, really. It was after his crew told him they'd follow him anywhere.

He trusted the others more, that they weren't going to steal away his family, and smiled more often with people besides Luffy. Nobody asked him for awhile, not wanting to hear what they thought he'd say and ruin their image of him, but eventually, Izo asked a breakfast a couple days after the incident. Luffy was completely healed, and Sabo only had faint bruising and could speak again.

"Ace, why are you so happy now?" Izo questioned at the bar counter. The few commanders at the table behind them listened in, including Marco. Whitebeard was sleeping, emotionally drained from the betrayal. Well, Teach's execution was tomorrow. He was still down there, starving and dehydrated, but kept alive just barely.

Ace blushed a bit, something he hadn't done that much anymore. Not even around Marco, as he wasn't embarrassed around him, and Marco seemed to do his best to not encourage the blushes and attraction, even if Ace still had a more subtle crush on the vampire.

"My crew told me they'd always stick with us," Ace answered vaguely. Izo asked for clarification. Ace blushed even deeper, though the vampires could tell it wasn't attraction, but probably shyness. "I asked them if they would choose to stay here or come with us."

"They said they'd come with us!" Luffy chirped between bites.

Izo smiled. It was cute, and made Ace look away in embarrassment. "And would you stay here?" Izo asked. Ace's face fell, and Izo was worried he'd said something that would have been better left unsaid. The commanders at the table behind listened quietly, wanting to know the answer. They all knew they wanted the Spades to join.

Ace just shrugged and said he wasn't sure. Izo didn't turn to Luffy and ask him, not wanting to risk upsetting Ace. But, Luffy spoke anyways. "I want my room to be here. I have a nice room," he said, and began to speak fondly about his favorite place.

"Well, I'm sure we could remodel a storage room to match yours, Luffy, if you all stay," Marco said from the table. Luffy's jaw dropped, like he hadn't had that thought before. He was only thinking he wanted to magically move his room to this ship. "I don't know if we stay yet." The others smiled, as this meant that the Spades were considering. They had all worried so unnecessarily about them taking Teach's attack personally. Thankfully, they were wrong.