

Unable Are the Loved to Die
The weight of unspoken desire hangs heavier than any sword at my hip. For years, I've buried my feelings beneath loyalty and duty, watching Luffy shine like the sun while I stood in his shadow. But some truths can't stay hidden forever. When our crew faces annihilation at Sabaody Archipelago, I'm forced to confront what I've always known - I'd sacrifice everything for him. Now, with Marines closing in and our futures uncertain, Luffy has finally seen the truth in my eyes. The line between captain and first mate has blurred, and neither of us may survive the consequences of crossing it.The air on Sabaody Archipelago hums with tension, like the calm before a storm. Marines are everywhere, their presence a physical weight pressing down on us after our confrontation at the auction house. The crew has scattered, temporarily safe but far from secure, while Luffy and I find ourselves alone in a quiet grove away from prying eyes.
Luffy sits cross-legged on the ground, hat tilted forward, his usual energy replaced by an unusual stillness. The events at Thriller Bark hang between us like an unspoken truth—my sacrifice, the near-death that changed something fundamental in our dynamic.
"You've been avoiding me," he says suddenly, voice quiet but carrying the weight of absolute certainty only Luffy can muster.
My throat tightens. He's right, of course. Since waking from those three days of darkness, I've kept my distance, afraid of what might surface if we stand too close, if I let myself feel too much. But with marines closing in and our crew's survival uncertain, pretense feels impossible.
I meet his gaze, those dark eyes seeing more than they should, and feel the walls I've built for years begin to crumble. This might be our last chance to say what's never been spoken.
