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Nika peeled his eyes open slowly, blinking against the onslaught of light and nausea. His limbs felt heavy and his head pounded with each pulse of his heart. He couldn’t quite remember what happened to bring him to this condition, his memory hazy and it made him wary. The last time he felt this way was just after the war that ended his father.
He pushed himself up slightly, pain racking against his ribs and making his breath short. There were bandages around his torso, arms, and he felt more binding across his forehead. The bed he was on rocked constantly, and after looking out the window across the room, he found that he was on a ship.
How did he end up here? What had beaten him? Who had saved him? Probably just humans wanting his blessings, Nika thought. Either way, they saved him and hadn’t tried to kill him.
Nika looked down at his hands, seeing tanned skin with a soft, almost unnoticeable glow. He frowned slightly, but looked around the room he was in. It looked like a healer’s room; medicine and charts lined the walls. Law would like this place, he mused, smiling slightly, maybe he should bring some of this back to his lover.
The door opened quickly, and a reindeer walked in. Upon seeing Nika, the animal gasped and looked slightly panicked.
“What are you doing up!? Did you pull any stitches, are you in any pain!? Oh no, lay down, lay down!”
Nika blinked, bemused. The only person who wasn’t a God that dared to scold him was Law, everyone else was too afraid. Nika slowly moved his legs to dangle off the bed, and the reindeer looked a bit annoyed at it.
“Where am I?” Nika said, tilting his head when the reindeer did.
“What? Luffy, what are you talking about?” the reindeer questioned, hesitant.
“Who is Luffy?” Nika squinted.
Did this reindeer perhaps not know him? The Mink tribe did worship him like any other, but it is possible this one just didn’t know his name? Is it possible this Mink didn’t know what he was?
The possibility left him breathless, but he knew better than to assume. He was Nika, the God of the Sun. Everyone knew the tales of his glowing skin and fiery hair. Only Law didn’t care about it, only Law looked at him and smiled, and scolded, and loved him genuinely.
Realization morphed the Mink’s features a moment later, and he looked shocked, worried. “What’s the last thing you remember?” he asked timidly.
Nika thought back, his head hurting when he tried to focus. His memory was a bit foggy, and he couldn’t focus. “I...I believe I was coming back from Ohara.” he said, and yes, that was right.
He had headed there to retrieve a book for Law – one about medicine. He knows how much Law enjoyed studying medicine, and even if Nika didn’t understand the appeal, he was happy to retrieve things about medicine. All he wanted was to make his human smile.
“We’re coming back from a fight from the marines,” the reindeer tells him, wringing his hands together nervously.
“Marines?” Nika questioned, leaning forward and into the Mink’s face. The reindeer yelped, darting back a few steps. Nika smiled widely, tilting his head to the side. “Who are the Marines?”
The reindeer’s jaw opened and closed several times before he stammered, “I-It’s the government.”
“Shishishishi,” Nika chuckled. “You’re amusing, Mink.”
Maybe Law would like a Mink companion? Nika didn’t like leaving him alone when he went to do his duties; he knew Law got lonely. Maybe this reindeer would make good company...
“Um, I, thank you?” the Mink stammered. He looked to the door nervously, before sending Nika a small smile. “I’m going to tell the others you’re awake...?”
“Very well,” Nika said, nodding to himself.
Maybe Law would like a whole ship of Minks. Oh, but no, that wouldn’t work. Law’s home couldn’t have more than a handful of people, and Nika didn’t want to have the all the space taken up. Law only needed one companion that Nika could trust, anyhow.
Nika brought a leg up to his chest, looking out of the port hole curiously. He hasn’t been on many boats without a fight going on, it was rather nice. Maybe he should take Law on one; Law hasn’t left the Great Kingdom before. Maybe they could go see the world.
Oh, yes, Nika liked that very much. He wondered if Law would, too.
Footsteps reached his ears, and he looked over to the door as the Mink and a few humans walked through the door. The one with green hair walked forward with a wary look in his eye before he stopped in front of Nika. Nika ran his eyes up his form, smile slipping slightly when he felt the power rumbling under the human’s skin.
Perhaps the human was a half-god? Rayleigh had a similar feel to this human, Nika noted. But a demi-god would know who he is, and this one didn’t seem to understand he was staring at the Lord. The only people who weren’t Gods that could have a power signature like this human is the D clan or half gods. Maybe he was a D?
“Luffy,” the human said slowly.
Nika frowned, “Who is Luffy?” he asked, irritated.
The human exchanged looks with the woman and man behind him. The Mink shuffled nervously.
“I think he has amnesia.” the Mink said.
“The shitty captain doesn’t remember us?” the blond man asked.
“If he doesn’t know the name Luffy,” the woman said, “I would assume he is Nika.”
Intelligence sparkled in the blue eyes that met Nika’s gaze, and Nika hummed.
“Wait, you mean he doesn’t even know his name!?”
“Yes.”
“Fuck, that means...”
“One of you go call Law.” the green haired human ordered.
Nika’s eyes snapped to him. He dropped his leg from his chest, and scowled. “Who do you think you are?” he sneered.
They knew of Law. He was fine with the banter around him, he was fine with the humans seemingly not knowing how others acted around him. But they knew Law, and they told him this boldly.
“Are you threatening me?” Nika demanded, standing fully. “Shishishi, do you think you would win? Against me?”
“No,” the man said calmly. “We are friends with Law. He’ll want to see you, won’t he?”
Law had never mentioned having sailors as friends. But Nika saw no hostility, sensed no hostility. But if this human could use the inner powers that gods could, he could also even out his voice. Nika needed to be smart about dealing with this – Law could be in danger.
“I wish to see him.” he said, lifting his head up. “Take me to him.”
“Follow me, Captain.” the man said.
Captain. Such a funny way to be addressed.
Nika followed the swordsman, suspiciously looking at their surroundings and the others following behind him. Eventually, they made it to the deck of the ship, and he gazed at the flags billowing in the wind. He didn’t recognize the symbols, nor did he understand the meaning behind them.
They walked up the stairs and into another room, one that smelled of freshly cooked food. The table was set with platers of different meals. The people in the room stared at him in relief yet seemed wary.
Nika squinted. “Law isn’t here.”
The black-haired woman walked past him and to a snail sitting to the side. She gave him a smile as she pressed a few buttons on its shell, and then it started to purr. Nika watched the snail, transfixed.
“Hello?” the snail said after making a noise. The voice was familiar, yet not. “Who is this?”
“Torao,” the woman said pleasantly.
“Oh. Robin, is something going on?” the snail questioned. “Is Luffy okay, I just got the paper. Did he get injured?”
“Yes, about that,” Robin paused for a moment. “Luffy...is now Nika. He has no memory of us, nor his name, but he remembers you.”
The snail was silent for a moment.
“I’m heading to you now. Give me your location.”
⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰
“Do you honestly believe I would fall for your tricks?” Nika questioned, unimpressed as the pirate crew looked damn near helpless. “You think I would lose my memory?”
That was honestly insulting.
“I understand this is difficult–”
“You understand nothing.” Nika cut in sharply, “I am not a human. I don’t simply lose my memory, no matter what has happened to me.”
“Luffy--”
“I have an idea,” Robin proclaimed, and Nika stared at her. “You wait here until Law arrives, and you can decide if you believe us or not.”
Nika squinted at her. “You’re trying to make a deal with me?” he asked doubtfully.
“I am,” Robin smirked at him. “What do you say, Nika?”
She had guts, Nika would admit that. He liked that in a person. In a human.
“Shishishishi,” Nika laughed lowly – one of the humans jumped in fear. “I like you. Okay, I’ll wait here and see this Law of yours.”
⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰
A ship pulled itself from the ocean’s grip two days later. In that timeline, Nika learned much about the crew he had been traveling with. The Straw Hat Pirates, they had introduced, named after him and his signature straw hat. Nika had laughed at them, but they had stood their ground.
When a straw hat had been handed to him, Nika had dropped it as though it burned.
(A man with blood as hair smiled down at him, planting a hat atop his head, a promise binding them together.)
Nika watched the yellow ship dispassionately. It was an odd thing – he’s never seen anything like it. A ship shouldn’t be able to dive under the current and stay intact, but this one did just that. The door was thrown open after a few seconds, and a man stepped out.
Nika snarled. The man looked very similar to Law; he would admit that. But there were not patches of light skin, no long hair tied back in a tangled, curly mess, no green, green, green eyes staring over to him and no soft smile twisting his full lips. Instead this Law imposter stared at him with deep gold eyes, short hair that curled against the base of his neck, clear tan skin, and a look of what could only be shock and a brief flash of horror.
Law had never stared at him in horror.
“Luffy,” Not-Law said, voice thick. His voice sang of grief and shock and fear, yet it also spoke of nostalgia and love and recognition.
Nika stared at him, face blank despite the rage that gnawed at his veins.
“Who are you people.” He said, and it was not a question. It was a demand.
He has humored these people for long enough. They were getting bothersome, like an itch in his side or a bug buzzing around his head. He wanted to go back to Law, wanted to sink these people to the bottom of the ocean, wanted to hug Law closely and apologize for being gone for so long and never tell him of this. Never tell him of the fear that had flashed the moment he saw Not-Law, or the grief that had assaulted him when those gold eyes met his own.
Not-Law stopped walking the moment he got onto the deck of the ship – the Sunny – and stared at him with wide eyes. Nika frowned, and after a moment Not-Law let out a breath.
“We met when I called you to my island. The Great Kingdom.” He said, and Nika squinted at him. “You said you would end the war, and you did. All you wanted from me was my food. But you kept coming around, never left me alone for long.”
Apprehension turned into fear. Nika’s nerves started to waver; irritated confidence becoming wariness.
“When my brother died, you stayed with me for months on end. Do you remember, Nika?” Not-Law questioned, tilting his head with a hopeful glint in his eyes.
“How do you know this.” Nika asked, voice weak.
And why was he wary of this human? Why was his voice soft and hesitant? Why was he making himself seem weak? He wasn’t weak. He was Nika, the God of the Sun.
“Because I lived it. I lived with you. I loved it with you.” Not-Law walked forward a step and Nika took a step back.
If it was true, Nika did lose his memories. If it was true, and he was in the future…Law would not look at him with golden eyes, nor would his skin be clear of the white patches that had dotted his skin. He would look the same as always, would have been there when Nika woke.
“No, it’s. This can’t happen.” Nika said, taking another step back when Law – fuck he was Law – took another step forward.
“Nika,” he said quietly and Nika jerked.
The way Law said his name was one of the things Nika loved most. The way he said it softly and lovingly, tenderly with care dripping from his words.
It made Nika feel as though he wasn’t the monster he was. As though his hands weren’t stained with so much blood.
Law walked forward, this time with more confidence. He raised his hand, offering it to Nika, and the God stared at it for a long moment before he accepted it. Law smiled at him, slow and soft, and that was Law’s smile.
His eyes were gold.
“No.” Nika said, and his vision blurred.
He cupped Law’s cheek, running his thumb under those gold, gold, gold eyes. Law leaned into his palm, like he had so many times before, but instead of overwhelming affection making his stomach sink, it was grief.
“I killed you.” He wept.
“You didn’t.” Law pressed his hand against Nika’s, keeping the god from moving. “You didn’t kill me, you saved me.”
Nika found that hard to believe. Giggles slipped from his lips as gold leaked from his eyes. Law would only have gold eyes if Nika had tampered with him. Eyes like those…they were born of Gods.
Law had died, and he had been reborn.
Nika curled in on himself and a harsh noise ripped from his throat. His eyes burned and gold dotted the grassy deck of the Sunny, his knees weak. Law fell to his knees alongside him, his hands pulling Nika into an embrace and it was all wrong. It was all wrong, but it was Law, so it was right.
But Law had died. Luffy had forced him back to life.
(He knew, in that moment, he would have done the same thing as his past self.)
“Nika,” Law murmured, holding him closer. “You saved me. You saved me.”
Nika couldn’t say the words he desperately wanted to, too busy fighting for breath around the harsh sobs that wracked his body.
“I didn’t – I didn’t,” he babbled. “You died. I let you die. How could I have let that happen?”
How had he lived without Law? What had the humans done – what had the Gods done, in his time of weakness? What had happened to Rayleigh?
Nika clutched the back of Law’s cloak, fingertips ripping the material easily. He shook his head as if trying to shake the thoughts, but they clung to him without mercy.
Law was the one damn person in this entire world that knew Nika and looked at him without fear or pity or sympathy or looked at him and didn’t see him. Law was the only person to hold him and smile, to kiss his hands as though they weren’t stained with blood, to pinch his cheeks and sigh in that exasperated, loving way of his.
And Nika had left him to die. Had pulled him back from death and forced him into another life.
“I’m sorry, ‘m sorry, ‘m sorry,” Nika rambled, gasping and sobbing. “I’m sorry.”
Fingertips carded through his hair and Law pressed kisses to his forehead and cheeks, wiping at the tears that no doubt burned his fingertips.
“You have nothing to apologize for, I love you.” Law said, and it sounded like a promise. “I love you so much, Luffy.”
Luffy, Nika thought, and he didn’t hate the name this time. It was said in that loving tone that Law always used with him.
And Luffy sobbed, “Torao, Torao, Torao,”
⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰
When Luffy woke up, his head was throbbing, and his eyes were dry. By his side, Law rested, half buried under too many blankets and pressed against Luffy with a tight grip around Luffy’s waist.
Law’s eyes peaked open and Luffy saw a sliver of gold.
His eyes prickled, but he smiled. “Sorry for worrying you, Torao.” He said.
Law smiled, soft and gentle and pressed a kiss against his lips. “Welcome back, Luffy.”