𝔸 ℂ𝕠𝕝𝕕 ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟

Chapter 10

Methias continued to list of various options for Luffy's punishment they became more and more gruesome as he went on, but none of them would kill him, all of them designed to bring Luffy the greatest of pain. He found himself angry yet also relieved as he realised that he was glad it was him in this position and not anyone else from his crew, just the thought of them going through what Methias described left his stomach in knots.

By the time Saint Charlos finished eating, Methias had already decided on the first torture method, Luffy put up a small fight as he was dragged away but he was quickly doused in seawater which stopped his struggling in its tracks. As they arrived Luffy's wrists were quickly secured to a sturdy wooden post with a metal ring at the top, he heard Methias' shoes click against the marble flooring as he walked up behind Luffy.

"I thought we should start with a good old fashioned whipping," Methias said in a tone that conveyed his excitement, Luffy looked back at him with a steely glare and spotted to instrument he was planning to use, it was a long black whip and towards the end of it were small almost crescent moon shaped blades. "Ah, this?" He asked Luffy even though he showed no interest or fear whatsoever, "I asked the men who keep the slaves for their recommendations and they all spoke of this kind of whip with high praise, please don't hesitate to tell me your thoughts on it, by the end of your time here you'll surely become an expert on them."

Luffy stared at his face taking in even the most minor detail, he'd decided then and there that no matter where Methias ran to, he would find him and return the favour.
———
Nami couldn't sit still, if she sat still she thought about him, and if she though about him she couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, couldn't even think beyond, where he might be and how he was doing. So she preoccupied herself by checking in on everyone else, which had started to bother some members of the crew, particularly Zoro as her constant babbling had distracted him enough that he'd dropped enough weights on his head to break even Laboon's skull.

After that Robin had taken her to sit down with her to have cake and sweets prepared by a swooning Sanji, even then Nami couldn't stop fidgeting, she tapped her fingers and bounced her legs incessantly, shaking the table, which was horribly distracting to Robin whose nose was stuck in a book.

She closed her book with a sigh and set it gently on the table, "what seems to be the problem Nami?" Robin asked with a tentative smile on her face Nami looked up at her with worried eyes.

"what if they've already killed him?" She blurted "He punched a celestial dragon in the face, why wouldn't they? What if they've destroyed him beyond recognition, What are we meant to do then, how can we save him from a body that can no longer function?" Robin stared at Nami as she trembled in her chair, near tears, she reached over and placed her hands over Nami's. The orange haired girl finally focused on Robin

"breathe Nami, it's going to be ok" she reassured in that ever-healing ,mother-like tone "the captain is strong, you know this perhaps better than anyone, he may be trapped with all odds against him but even then I can't imagine them ever being able to break him." Robin rubbed circles over the top of Nami's hand with her thump, her words and touch slightly soothing her anxiety, "and don't worry, celestial dragons are highly vengeful beings, I doubt they would kill him so quickly, even if they could." She added wistfully. Tears peeked out of the corner of Nami's eyes as she flipped her hands over and took Robins in hers.

"thanks Robin, I needed that" Robin gave two tight squeezes to Nami's hands in reassurance.

———

Luffy heard Methias' foot slide across the marble as he prepared his stance, he grunted as he flung the whip a large cracking resounded as it collided with Luffy's bare back he clenched his teeth almost to breaking point as the small blades embedded themselves within his skin and tore through both skin and muscle within milliseconds.

his hands formed fists high above his head his nails dug into his palm drawing blood, Luffy didn't allow himself to grunt or breathe differently, he would not give them the satisfaction. Methias Laughed excitedly behind him, " I can see why they like it so much!" he exclaimed in a proud yet, bewildered voice "what do you think Straw hat, does it live up to your expectations?"

"feels like a cat scratch" Luffy spat

"aww really?" Methias pouted "lets try it a few more times jut so you can get used to it, then tell me what you think." He reeled his arm back but this time he didn't hit just once, his arm flew from side to side cracking with each sudden changed in direction and collision with Luffy. Luffy's blood pooled at his feet and was spattered across the white marble, but he didn't move an inch, nor did he let out a peep.

even as his back was torn asunder he continued to hold his head high and stare at Saint Charlos who watched on from a glassed-off balcony, his chilling stare made the celestial dragon sweat uncontrollably, he felt rage at the fact that an insect lower than the filthy dirt dared make him tremble, "you're not hitting him hard enough, he hasn't learned his lesson at all, are you seeing how he dares stare at me!" his words laced with anger induced by his own fear echoed through the marble room as it resonated from a transponder snail that sat on a table that held various other torture devices.

"Yes my lord." Methias replied as he put more strength into his arm. Luffy's back was a stinging, red-hot pain, he felt sick for the first time in his life, he was dizzy and his legs felt like jelly beneath him. He didn't even want to imagine what it looked like, he kept her in his thoughts as his strength, to stabilise his legs, to sharpen his mind and to keep him from throwing up whatever was left in his stomach, there was no way he would falter in front of these people especially when he had so much to go back to, he had her to go back to.

He thought of her when she was smiling and laughing, the way her eyes shined when she counted money or when she'd gotten a discount, the way she rubbed her temples when she was thinking and how she scrunched her nose when she was focusing on her maps, how when he stood close to her she smelled as fresh as the tangerines she grew.

Methias slowed to a stop as he took ragged breaths between broken yet joyful chuckles "you really are something else Straw hat" he commented, sounding awestruck. Luffy's eyelids shook with effort as he attempted to keep them open, his head bobbed forward and his knees buckled, he hung heavily on his wrists. Luffy fought to keep his breath steady, he would not, could not allow them to think they had power over him.

Luffy struggled to tug together the sections of his pain-fractured mind. Those tendrils of black over his vision turned orange, a beautiful vibrant orange, fluttering on the crisp ocean breeze. He reached out his hand in an attempt to filter that silky, sunset-orange hair through his fingers. Even in his anaemic hallucinations she was all he could think of, and he couldn't help but think that old man Orcus was right. He was completely, and utterly head over heels for his navigator.

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cya next time!