Chapter Text
“Will you keep still?!”
“Will you stop?!”
“Not while your brain is showing!”
There are many things, Law regrets in life. He didn’t really think he’d regret taking Firefist Ace from that Vice Admiral. Seemed like a solid way to build raport with one of the strongest pirates out there, even if he didn’t ask for anything in return. It was a, solid starting point. For future favours. Like killing Doffy. So, no, Law didn’t think much of that even when his entire crew was yelling at him for letting the Navy on the sub.
Currently, he is regretting that decision. Why? Because somehow, those fuckers found him again, this time, heavily injured with Firefist’s brother while Firefist was awake and Law didn’t have much of a fucking choice but to agree to the Firelogia’s demands of taking care of three heavily injured marines. Two of which, were unconscious and perfect patients. The conscious one, refusing sedation and making Law regret asking, and hence, letting the man become wary of any IV Law brings near him, was being a pain in the fucking ass.
The unconscious ones also kept dying and needed so many fucking organs but. That was beside the point. The awake one was getting on Laws nerves.
The brothers, three of them because there were those two revolutionaries that were on his Sub but, fucked off somewhere he hadn’t actually cared where so long as they didn’t touch shit, were having a very teary, heartfelt, lovey, shitty reunion in his operating theatre, because the former (?) Marine one refused to leave the other three Marines and Law would like to kick them out. Except they’re currently under the sea and last time he tried Ace, the utter fucking genius the idiot is, fired himself up, and Law doesn’t even want to think about what Ace being on fire for an extended period of time in the sub would do. He doesn’t. It wouldn’t be good. Is the short answer. He doesn’t want to consider the long one.
Eventually, the awake one does keep still enough for Law to get his fucking head closed. When it wasn’t in danger, of anything, Law just slaps a bandage on it and gives up. The man was clearly done with him as much as Law was with him.
“Oh. Hey. Aokiji.”
Law walks away from the admiral, free to do as he pleased, to check on the other two, who were, temporarily, stable.
“Hm?” The Admiral walks over to the brothers, sitting a few feet away from them on the ground.
“Do you know what happened? I don’t really know what was going on after Ace got shot, Sabo’s not sure either.” The Former Admiral, Hahato? Law is pretty sure he’s that one. He’s also been photographed like, once. So. He really’s not sure. But, he thinks he’s overheard the other two say something about that?
“Not entirely. But. Sengoku called for an evacuation, declared a neutral point, with a ten minute deadline. So, everyone rushed to the nearest ships, marine or pirate, they were just, put on them, and when the ship was full, it was shipped out.” Law, is pretty sure Hahato, as an Admiral, should know this just as Aokiji does. Although, when he looks over from checking one of the Marines, he realizes the other two, definitely don’t. So. Fair. “The ships will have an open call out, the ones that departed first will find a good rendezvous point, be it an island or just, middle of the ocean, and marines will be swapped onto marine ships, pirates onto pirate ships, once everyone has been evacuated and gotten to the rendezvous point which would be communicated out over that open call for all ships to hear.”
“Huh. I didn’t know the Navy could do that.” The blond one, Sabo, Law thinks, says, clearly surprised.
“It’s not common. It’s typically only done if the island itself is in danger of exploding, or, a volcano is erupting and will cover the entire island. Technically, anytime a Neutral Point is declared, the situation has to be reviewed by the Elders to see if it was truly warranted, and if they don’t think so, whoever ordered it can get into a lot of trouble.”
“But not now?” Sabo asks. “Cause of Luffy? Did they already have an agreement in place for that?”
“Um. No. Cause Sengoku’s dead, so. He can’t get into trouble.”
“Oh.”
Law stills, where he was checking over one of the Marines. He didn’t, know the man. Didn’t, really care about him. But. He was, he was his last connection to Cora-san. Last person who could, answer any questions he might’ve had. Law, checks, once more, that neither of them were at risk of suddenly dying before, walking out of the operating theatre. He sends one of his crew in to make sure no one fucks with anything but. He.
He doesn’t get why he’s suddenly emotional and he hates it. But he can’t do anything but hide in his room until it goes away. He didn’t even know the Fleet Admiral. Didn’t care about the man. What the fuck is wrong with him?
“I’m still kind of surprised, that, everyone stopped fighting to evacuate.” Sabo says, ignoring the surgeon that just walked out. He’s not sure why, but, maybe they were annoying him? Or he had something else to do? Could be a million things.
Aokiji arches an eyebrow, and it still feels weird to just be talking to an Admiral that definitely wanted him dead like a month ago but, “Do you know what a Class 10 Natural Disaster is?”
Sabo glances at Ace, who shrugs, and promptly shakes his head. He assumes bad? He’s never actually heard of any natural disaster ranking. Didn’t know it went up to ten.
“A Class 10 means the island and surrounding area are in danger of being destroyed permanently.” Luffy says, sounding amused. Both Sabo and Ace stick their tongues out at him. So what if they don’t know that? It never comes up! “It’s rare for it to actually be a natural disaster. But if it is, it might be a severe seaquake, volacano, tsunami, that sort of thing. It’s more common, for it to be a devil fruit user going ballistic, not regular ballistic, like. Whitebeard nearly destroying Marineford ballistic. But worse. A Class 10 is the worst natural disaster the Navy can call. It literally means if you stay, you’ll die.”
“Oh. That’s.” Sabo blinks, not, entirely sure how to process that. He saw the waves, he saw what Whitebeards fruit almost did to Marineford. So. Um. Bad. That’s bad.
“If someone is calling a Class 10, and is giving you a time limit? That’s a blessing. Most of the time, you just get a Class 10 and get the fuck out ASAP. A Class 10 is also, typically, an automatic neutral point, or an unofficial one even if one isn’t said, because no one is caring at that point.” Aokiji shrugs. And, that does make sense. Survival overriding everything. Who gives a fuck about sides?
“So, we evacuated. What happened after that?” Ace asks, glancing at the two unconscious marines. Yeah, that. Was a good question. Sabo, had been avoiding it. Cause, one of those was the one Luffy seemed to like. Beyond, any reason Sabo could see. Luffy did like him. And, well, he did bring them here. Even if he was an asshole.
“I don’t have the full story, I went to help with the evacuation. What I know, is, Sengoku started off fighting Nika, died at some point, and Borsalino took over on his own. And during that, Akainu called me to demand how much longer I was going to be and hurry the fuck up so I could join the fight.” Aokiji huffs, seeming tired.
Sabo, glances at the two men again, at Luffy, then at Aokiji, “Do they know each other?” All their intelligence on Akainu does not paint the man as someone who would care about some Vice Admiral getting himself killed. At all. Akainu was the sort to sacrifice people for the Greater Good. Or just, kill an underling because they pissed him off.
“I dunno.” Aokiji shrugs, “We don’t talk about that stuff. They seemed to.”
“I mean, they’re, kind of similar.” Luffy says, cringing away when everyone looks at him. “Uh. This’ll sound mean. They’re kind of, the same type of asshole?” Aokiji snorts, before covering his mouth with his hand. “But, only when they’re being nice?” Aokiji was fully laughing now, trying to not make noise, but, definitely laughing. “Maybe it’s just a coincide but, I dunno. They act the same with that.”
“I believe you, but also, please tell them that. Because I doubt they know.” Aokiji says, once he stops laughing, still clearly amused.
“I want more details with that.” Ace demands, looking at the unconscious pair.
“Yeah, so do I.” Sabo agrees, looking at Luffy. He knows someone can be an asshole but nice. Cause. Ace. But. They were still brothers. So.
Luffy gives them both a flat look, and sighs loudly, “I dunno. It’s like, they act like they don’t care. Give no indication they do care, verbally, or even to me with their actions. But then, they’re like. Overly protective? Like Borsalino apparently murdered my last commander for overdosing my drugs, and definitely meant to never tell me about that.” Alright. Vice Admiral was okay. “He got himself under my command even though it’s, highly improper for a Vice Admiral to serve that position, because he was so pissed about the lack of regulation around the drugs, again didn’t tell me, never knew this, he yelled at Sengoku about this. He does, that stuff, but, no indication to me he’s doing any of it or even gives a fuck.”
Vice Admiral was, maybe okay. Both Sabo and Ace were giving the man heavy side eye. It was good he didn’t want Luffy’s, whatever, for caring or doing that stuff. But. He could at least show he actually cared about Luffy. Just a little.
“Akainu, when I started, or, when I started with him, very much treated me like any other marine, didn’t care. No special treatment. I didn’t think he even paid attention to me much.” Aokiji, for some reason, snorts. Both Ace and Sabo glare at the Admiral, who just raises an eyebrow. “According to Gramps, he was very proud of me. And very much paid attention to me. And talked about my accomplishments a lot.” Luffy, slowly started blushing with that, seeming uncomfortable. Which, made Ace and Sabo look at the unconscious Admiral, and try to remember if it was announced when Luffy started under him. How old.
“I can attest to that too. He talked about you with the same pride Garp would, about all of you.” Aokiji gestures to the three of them and. Ace and Sabo don’t know how to feel about that. Sabo knew Garp was proud of them but. There was calling Dragon to talk, and then. Talking to a Navy Admiral about them. “Confused the shit out of me, only reason I listened to him for so long, honestly. He’d talk about something you did, where if it was anyone else, he’d be yelling the roof off about it in anger. He talked about you more than Garp did.”
“I think, that’s the most impressive thing.” Sabo mumbles, giving the man a silent point. Ok. Maybe he just, more or less, adopted Luffy. Like Whitebeard did with Ace. And Dragon him. Fine. They didn’t need to be suspicious.
“Yeah. Especially considering I hung out with Garp willingly and was only around Akainu when I had to be.”
“...Very impressive.” Sabo amends.
“He also, deliberately kept Luffy away from anything he didn’t think he needed to actually be at. Like, any meetings or whatnot, the Elders decided he should be at that Luffy can’t refuse attendance, Akainu just, sent Luffy out on a recon mission, and somehow. The ship would get attacked by pirates, and, with repairs, Luffy just, missed the meeting. Nothing to be done.”
“That was purposeful?!” Luffy exclaims. “I called Sengoku about that so much! He kept having to tell me if I couldn’t physically get there, there was literally nothing I could do, and they couldn’t get mad at me.” Luffy looks at the beds, pouting, “That’s so mean. Those repairs always took so long.”
Aokiji snorts, looking very amused. “I think that was the point.”
Luffy just keeps pouting, crossing his arms, “It was annoying.”
“Uh huh.” Aokiji hums, and then moves on. “Anyways. I was almost done, so, I just rushed what I was doing and joined Borsalino. He was holding up pretty well, so, I dunno what Akainu was worried about. We fought for a while, then Akainu joined us and, it just turned into a big fight.” Aokiji shrugs, “There’s not much details to give there. It was us against Nika, for a really long time.”
“How about, if Luffy likes them more, why are you the least injured?” Ace asks, not politely. Not even nicely. Sabo sighs, but, doesn’t say anything. It was, kind of what they were curious about most. Luffy, even with the wince, did seem curious too.
Aokiji gives them a flat look. “Borsalino was doing okay, but he was still fighting the longest. And of us, he was already injured when the fight started. Akainu started covering for him as the days went on, when he started lagging. I tried to cover for both of them, but, it wouldn’t always work. Beyond that, Nika seemed to start going after Borsalino specifically after a while, and Akainu tried to protect him in really stupid ways that he didn’t think through.”
“But, why would he do that? Nika.” Sabo asks, looking at Luffy then the Admirals. The, whole devil fruit thing with Luffy was, still kind of confusing but. Calling them separate people was, easy. Especially since Luffy didn’t remember anything. It did seem like they were separate and, how that worked was, confusing. But.
Aokiji sighs, “I couldn’t say specifically but. Borsalino kept talking to him. And Nika talked back, which. Didn’t happen before. Nika taunts, or laughs, or mocks, he doesn’t really hold conversation. But,” Aokiji shrugs, “he didn’t seem to like what Borsalino was saying either. And Borsalino talking definitely made Nika go after him more. To the point we were telling him to shut up.”
“Oh.” Luffy blinks, perking up. Then shrinks down when everyone looks at him, “No, I don’t, remember that.” He clarifies, but looks at Aokiji, because, it was kind of his business? “Um. Crocodile mentioned Nico Robin was on Marineford. But, she wouldn’t have been with any of the crews.” Or, Aokiji would know what was up with her. He tended to keep track of her.
“Nico Robin?” Sabo repeats blinking, “Why? That’s, so out of left field.”
Ace shrugs when Sabo’s attention turns to him, “We didn’t bring her. Whitebeard or Impel Down.”
“Mm. No, I brought her.” Aokiji refutes, making all three of them stare at him with wide eyes. Aokiji just blinks tiredly at them. “Her and a few others, to help with the collar. I dunno when she talked to Crocodile.”
...Ok. Maybe Aokiji was also ok. Sabo and Ace could agree the man was, at least ok. To want to get Luffy out of that horrible collar.
Luffy, on the other hand, just stared in complete betrayal, and horror. “Why.” He demands. “I don’t, I can’t control Nika. If Borsalino didn’t have refills on him, I would’ve broken the contract. They would’ve, Dawn Island-” Luffy chokes off, tears spilling out of his eyes even if he didn’t let himself sob. Not yet.
Aokiji’s brow furrows slightly, sympathy clear, but, no apology came, no regret or remorse. Instead, “When’s the last time you went to Dawn Island? Any of you?”
“Um, Ace?” Sabo asks, turning to the other, since, he would’ve been the last off the island.
“I didn’t go back after I left. I called Dadan up until I got into the Grandline, but then I couldn’t. Almost, nine years ago?” Ace shrugs, he didn’t have a snail that reached. And, he never really thought about it. Honestly. She just told him to call him until he reached the Grand Line, nothing else. He figured she’d keep track by his bounties.
“Seven years ago, the Navy bustered Dawn Island. The Elders gave the order, and then another order that forbade everyone from telling you.” Aokiji states softly. Looking away from the horror on all three of their faces. “They waited until Ace left, presuming you would follow him more closely than the island, keep a better eye on him, but they could still use the idea of Dawn Island to control without actually having to expend resources on it or deal with having to destroy it should you break the contract.”
“But. Gramps?” Luffy’s voice cracks. He couldn’t have known. He wouldn’t have lied. Not to Luffy’s face. Not about. Not about that.
“He wasn’t told either. He was forbidden from visiting. It was, implied he wasn’t trusted not to move people you cared about off the island, making it a worthless bargaining tool. He was watched closely, to make sure he never drifted too close.”
Tears fall from Luffy’s eyes, but, nothing else happens. Nothing concerning. Luffy takes a few shallow breathes, trying for deeper but unable to, and, keeps talking, asking, “Sengoku?”
Aokiji shrugs a shoulder, “I’m. I’m not sure. Me and Akainu got the order from the Commander in Chief, were told to get Vices that wouldn’t tell Garp or you, which. Means they also wouldn’t have told Sengoku. I think, I don’t think he knew.” Aokiji admits, looking at the ground. “He’d, mention Dawn Island, when you weren’t around. When Garp wasn’t. Acted like it was still at risk. I think, I figured, it was just easier to lie if you never stopped but.”
“Sengoku would’ve told Gramps.” Luffy says quietly, “He would’ve. I wasn’t supposed to know about Sabo, but he still told me.” More tears spring up and fall, and Luffy covers his face as he silently cries. Sengoku was good. He always tried to help, however he could. He didn’t want Luffy there anymore than Gramps or Nika did. He tried to talk the Elders out of some things, he never punished Akainu for stranding Luffy in the New World- and he would’ve known that was intentional. He did what he could. He tried to make Luffy’s life easier. He stayed, to try and curb whatever horrors the Elders might try, where a different Fleet Admiral wouldn’t try at all. Even though it killed him as much as Gramps to see Luffy like that. He was there.
And now he’s dead, by Luffy’s hand.
“What about Borsalino?” Sabo asks, letting Luffy cry. He wasn’t, sure how much comfort he could offer. Ace, had a whole lot less conflictions over comforting Luffy. But, still, the Vice Admiral, he would’ve known, right?
Aokiji shrugs, “Borsalino was on a, long assignment at the time. He had a few of those, before he was put under Luffy’s command. I’m not sure if he was ever told, or, if he ever found out.” Well. That wasn’t as helpful as Sabo hoped, but. Luffy also seemed to not be crying anymore. He doesn’t shake off Ace’s hug, he doesn’t seem comfortable but, he doesn’t shake Ace off.
“He wouldn’t have said anything if he knew.” Luffy says quietly. “He would’ve acted normal.”
Silence follows for a while. No one daring to break it. It was uncomfortable, but breaking it seemed daunting. To follow that tragedy, what could be said? No one wanted to speak, no one wanted to be responsible for turning an uncomfortable silence into an awkward one. Except Luffy, choosing to ask a dangerously hopeful question to Aokiji, “Can we still go on that vacation?”