Chapter Text
Luffy stirred, his senses coming to life before his eyes even opened. There was a warmth beside him, a steady presence, and the familiar scent of metal, sake, and sandalwood. Zoro. His brain connected the smell instantly, grounding him in the moment. He wasn’t quite ready to open his eyes yet, still drifting between sleep and wakefulness, but his ears picked up something that made his heart squeeze.
Zoro’s low, quiet voice rumbled beside him.
"And what’s that one?"
A tiny, sweet voice followed, barely a whisper but full of effort.
"Da… da!"
Luffy could almost hear the little fingers jabbing at the page of a book.
Zoro chuckled softly. "That’s right, it’s a dog! Good job, Mavy."
A gentle flip of a page.
"And what about that, huh? Know what that is?"
Mavis made a thoughtful little hum before proudly declaring, "Wah wah!"
"Yup, that’s water, but what’s in the water, hmm? What’s that there?"
There was a pause, then an enthusiastic FFFFFPPP sound, wet and exaggerated.
Luffy could hear the pride in Zoro’s voice as he praised her. "Yes! Good job. It’s a fish, you’re so smart."
Luffy cracked his eyes open, warmth filling his chest at the sight before him. Zoro was sprawled out comfortably on the bed beside him, leaning against the headboard with Mavis nestled in his lap. A children’s book lay flopped open across her little legs, her chubby fingers pressing against the pages as she absorbed every picture with wide, fascinated eyes.
Then she gasped, her whole body vibrating with excitement at whatever she saw next.
The page had turned to a picture of kittens playing with yarn.
Mavis let out a delighted squeal—far too loud for the peaceful room.
Zoro reacted quickly, placing a large, gentle hand over her tiny mouth. "Shh," he whispered, voice full of quiet amusement. "Remember, baby and Mama are resting."
Mavis blinked up at him, taking in his words. Then, to Luffy’s endless delight, she lifted her own little hand and pressed it over her own mouth, mimicking him.
"Shhh," she whispered back, her tiny fingers barely covering her lips. Then, in an even softer whisper, she added, "Be be pe’pn. Mama."
Zoro nodded, his grin small but full of pride. "That’s right. Baby and Mama are sleepin’."
Luffy watched them, heart swelling with love, warmth, and something too deep to put into words.
The soft glow of daylight filtered through the window, casting long shadows across the quiet room. Luffy blinked sluggishly, his gaze drifting to the clock on the wall. Noon.
His brows furrowed as he tried to piece together the timeline. He had been in the gym earlier—9, maybe 9:30? He couldn’t remember exactly when Law brought him to the medical wing, nor how long it had taken to give birth. But judging by how he felt—groggy, sore, and weak—he figured he had been sleeping for at least a couple of hours.
And that meant his newborn still hadn’t eaten since being born.
A deep, instinctual pull twisted inside him, something primal and absolute. He needed to feed his baby.
Ignoring the exhaustion weighing down his limbs, Luffy pushed himself up, immediately noticing the strange numbness lingering below his waist. Pain medicine, probably. It dulled the ache but left a disconnect between his body and mind that felt... weird.
Before he could dwell on it, a sudden movement caught his attention.
Mavis’s golden eyes widened when she saw him sit up. The book in her lap was instantly forgotten as she tossed it to the floor with a dramatic thump. Panic flared in her little face, and she snorted and panted, scrambling forward in frantic urgency.
"Mama! Mama!"
Like a little monkey, she climbed him with surprising strength, clinging onto his neck as if he might disappear if she let go.
Luffy let out a delighted laugh, wrapping his arms around her tiny body and hugging her close. His heart swelled at how much she loved him right now—especially considering there were days when she acted like she could care less about him. He peppered her round cheeks with apologetic kisses, still feeling guilty for accidentally knocking her out with his Haki, even though she seemed completely fine.
Zoro watched them with a small, amused smile. “How you feelin’?”
Luffy shrugged, still grinning. “Alright.”
His gaze flickered to the bassinet, where his newborn son was still swaddled and resting peacefully. He’s really here... It felt unreal. His tiny self, lying there instead of curled up in his belly with his twin. His chest ached at the sight, but he pushed the feeling down.
Luffy had learned his lesson with Mavis—waking a sleeping baby was not a good idea. Even though every fiber of him wanted to pick Mika up and feed him, he knew it was best to wait until the baby woke up on his own. It probably wouldn’t be too much longer.
His eyes wandered the room, and something felt... off. It took him a second to realize what it was.
“Where’s Law?” he asked, glancing at Zoro. “And Nika?”
Zoro stretched his arms behind his head, looking unbothered. “Dunno exactly. Apparently, Nika broke his hand or somethin’. Law’s fixing it. They won’t be gone long.”
Luffy frowned. “Nika broke his hand?” That was weird. His dummy was made of rubber—unless someone with Armament Haki had shattered his bones, it didn’t make sense.
His thoughts flicked back to the birth.
To Nika’s hand in his.
To the snap.
Luffy’s breath hitched. His free hand flew up to cover his mouth as his eyes went wide, tears instantly welling up.
Zoro stiffened. Oh, shit.
Instant regret flashed across his face. He hadn’t thought Luffy would react like this. Law and Chopper had told him not to say anything—just make something up—but Zoro didn’t want to lie. He also hadn’t expected Luffy to get this upset.
“Hey, hey,” Zoro rushed to assure him, shifting forward. “He’s fine, okay? It’s not your fault, Luffy! He’s a tough guy, he’ll be alright.”
But Luffy wasn’t listening, guilt crashing down on him like a tidal wave.
Tears streamed down Luffy’s face as he gasped between sobs, his hands clenched tight around Mavis, who stared up at him in wide-eyed confusion.
"That's why he was being so quiet and weird!" Luffy wailed, shoulders shaking. "I broke his hand, Zoro! I snapped it!"
Zoro flinched, looking around like he wished Law were here to take over before this got worse. "Luffy, seriously, it's—"
But Luffy had already stopped mid-breath, his teary eyes flicking wide open.
A realization struck him hard.
He could talk to Nika.
They hadn’t used their mental link in ages, trying to develop a more organic relationship outside of their shared consciousness. But now? Now, Luffy needed answers.
His presence shot forward like a sharp gust of wind, slicing into Nika’s mind with sharp, demanding urgency.
(NIKA!) Luffy’s voice boomed through the link, rattling with frustration. (Did I break your hand!? Why didn’t you say anything!?)
A warm presence flooded his mind in return, bright and golden like a midday sun, carrying a distinct feeling of surprise and worry.
(Luffy!) Nika’s thoughts bounced back, enthusiastic despite his obvious concern. (Oh, hey! You’re awake! It’s okay, lil mama, don’t freak out! Law just put all my bones back in place, he’s closing up my hand now. We’re gonna put a cast on it, and I’ll be back soon, okay? So don’t worry!)
Luffy’s nostrils flared. His mental voice sharpened into a growl.
(DON’T WORRY!?) His face twisted in a furious pout as he clutched Mavis tighter. (WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY ANYTHING!?)
Nika’s presence pulsed warm and calm. (Because I didn’t wanna stress you out… you ripped your poor sweet little cunny bringing our precious baby in this world… you’ve been through enough.) he admitted.
Luffy fumed. (I’M STRESSED NOW, YOU DUMMY!)
Nika’s golden light flared with amusement. (Well, don’t be stressed, pretty mama. If you’re stressed, your body will make stress milk, and you’ll feed it to our babies, and I can’t let that happen, so I’ll have to suck your tits dry to get rid of all the stress milk—)
Luffy’s entire body went rigid. His face turned beet red, his eye twitching furiously as Nika continues to detail the way he would suckle on Luffy’s tits.
(YOU’RE SO WEIRD!!) He mentally roared, voice crackling like lightning.
Zoro, who had been quietly watching Luffy make strange expressions and small noises, little growls and huffs out his nostrils, finally spoke. “…Luffy?”
Luffy’s head snapped toward him, eyes burning with residual rage.
Zoro blinked at him, expression unreadable. “…Are you talking to Nika in your head or something?”
Luffy growled, crossing his arms. “YES!”
(-- and then lick and squeeze every last drop… maybe spit a little back in your mouth so you can taste it too… or Law’s mouth… wanna watch me spit your milk in Law’s mouth?)
Then, his mental voice shot back at Nika, dripping with frustration. (YOU’RE SUCH A HORNY WEIRDO!!)
Nika’s unorthodox method worked like a charm.
Luffy had been furious—stressed, overwhelmed, guilty beyond belief. But now? Now he was just flustered as hell.
Nika really laid it on thick.
(Pretty mama… you did so well. You’re amazing. My beautiful, sexy, incredible, powerful mama—oh, I’m so in love with you. I wanna worship you, you know that?)
Luffy’s breath hitched. His fingers twitched where they held Mavis close, gripping at her little back as his face steadily deepened in color.
(You create life, Luffy. And you make it look so damn good. Round, plump, and so beautiful… all that baby weight just making you look even juicier.)
Luffy sputtered. (SHUT UP!)
(I can’t! It’s the truth! You don’t even know what you do to me, pretty mama. The more round and plump you get, the hornier I get. You got me barkin’ inside, wanna drop to my knees, collared up, wagging my tail for you. Wanna lick your feet—)
(I JUST HAD A BABY!) Luffy’s thoughts screamed into Nika’s skull, his mental voice cracking with equal parts fury and mortification.
(Exactly,) Nika sighed dreamily, golden and warm in his mind. (So sexy. So amazing. You are incredible, and I wanna pamper you and be your slave, mommy.)
That was it. That was the final straw.
Luffy SLAMMED the mental door shut between them, cutting off their link entirely, his face so hot it could have ignited.
Zoro, who had been watching this entire ordeal unfold—watching Luffy twitch, fidget, make weird faces, and grow progressively redder—was dying to know what the hell was going on.
But when Luffy angrily grumbled, “Nika deserves his broken hand,” voice low and bitter, Zoro lost it.
Loud, boisterous laughter erupted from the swordsman as he threw his head back, shaking so hard that the bed rattled beneath him.
Luffy scowled at him, still steaming, while Mavis clapped her hands excitedly, enjoying the sudden shift in energy.
“Hehehehe!” she mimicked, delighted.
Luffy groaned and buried his burning face into her soft curls, determined to never open that mental link again.
Zoro was still chuckling when a tiny noise from the bassinet made both of them pause.
Little grunts, soft and fussy, came from the newborn bundle. Mika stirred, stretching his tiny arms as his delicate features scrunched up. Luffy’s gaze immediately softened, and before he could even ask, Zoro was already pushing off the bed to get him.
Luffy grinned the entire time, watching Zoro handle the newborn with ease. It was nothing like when Mavis had been born—when Zoro had held her like she was made of glass, stiff and uncertain. Now? Zoro was comfortable. Confident. A daddy.
And he was gonna be one soon.
“Look at you,” Luffy teased, voice filled with warmth. “All natural with babies now, huh?”
Zoro paused, newborn Mika in his arms, and blushed. He scoffed and looked away, but his lips curled into a shy little smile. “Shut up.”
Luffy giggled as he reached out, and Zoro passed Mika over with practiced care, pleased with the praise but too stubborn to admit it. He took a seat near the foot of the bed as Luffy adjusted himself, using the remote to raise the bed into an upright position.
Luffy pulled down the top of his maternity gown, cradling Mika close to his chest. The little one made a few confused, frustrated tries before finally latching on properly.
Mavis, nestled between Luffy’s legs, stared.
Her wide, golden eyes blinked slowly as she took in the absolute insanity before her.
A baby. A weird baby. Eating her food.
Mavis pointed at Mika, babbled nonsense, then scratched her head. She whipped around, staring at Zoro as if demanding an explanation, then back at Luffy, then at Mika again. Her brows furrowed.
Zoro snorted. “I think she’s jealous.”
Luffy laughed. “Yeah, I think so too.”
He tried to lean forward, careful not to jostle Mika, and spoke softly to his daughter. “Mavy, this is your brother. He was in my belly, remember? His name is Mika.”
Mavis scowled.
She shook her head furiously, chubby cheeks wobbling with the force of it. Then she made the sign for food, pointed at herself, then at Luffy’s chest.
“Nom nom? Meee?” she demanded.
Luffy blinked. “Oh… You wanna eat too?”
Mavis nodded, making a little mm sound, her lips pursed in a stubborn pout.
Zoro shook his head. “I just fed her a bottle thirty minutes ago.”
Luffy hummed, shifting Mika slightly so he could use his free hand to adjust his gown. “I think she just wants to see if there’s still food for her.”
Mavis didn’t wait for an invitation. With the practiced ease of a little monkey, she climbed into place, already knowing her favorite spot for feeding time.
Luffy sighed, relaxing into the bed as he held both his babies close. A peaceful silence settled between them.
Then, after a long moment, he looked up at Zoro and deadpanned—
“I feel like a cow.”
Zoro lost it.
Luffy merely stares at him with a deadpan expression while his babies nursed from him. He shakes his head. After a minute more of laughter he scowls and nudges Zoro’s side with his foot.
“Quit laughin’ at me!”
Zoro was still wheezing from laughter when he finally recovered enough to ask, “Okay—okay, but what are you gonna do when the other baby comes? You don’t have three tits. Are you gonna ween Mavis off and put her on formula?”
Luffy’s nose flared as he huffed. “NO WAY we’re weaning Mavy off.”
Zoro raised a brow. “So, what? You’re just gonna—keep going?”
“Duh. Breast milk’s the most important kind of milk! I want Mavis to get big and strong, so I’m gonna feed her the good stuff as long as I can.” Luffy’s lips curled in mild distaste. “I already don’t like that she gets formula sometimes…”
Zoro scratched his chin. “What about the breast pump Franky made for you?”
Luffy grimaced like he’d bitten into something foul. “I hate that thing. It really makes me feel like a cow. I feel like I spend my whole life getting milked cause it takes forever! So nu-uh.”
Zoro hummed, still scratching at his chin in thought. Then his eyes flickered with amusement. “What about Nika?”
Luffy blinked. “Huh?”
Zoro shrugged. “Can’t Nika change his dummy body to produce milk? Sounds like something a god could do. And he is their mother too, right?”
Luffy’s eyes bulged. He gasped, clapping a hand over his mouth. “Why didn’t I think of that!?”
Zoro smirked. “I’m a genius.”
“You are!!” Luffy grinned before immediately opening his mental link again. (Nika! Change your dummy body so you can make milk and help me feed the babies!)
Nika’s presence flared bright and warm in his mind. (I can do that, but you gotta take off your sea stone bracelet for a few minutes and let me be closer to you. Right now, I don’t have any abilities other than existing in this body.)
Luffy immediately slammed the link shut before Nika could say something weird that would make him blush again.
Zoro definitely noticed the twitch of Luffy’s nose and the slight dusting of pink across his cheeks. He smirked but let it go.
Luffy cleared his throat. “So… what all happened while I was asleep? Does anyone know I had one of the babies?”
Zoro exhaled through his nose. “People know something happened, since that big haki blast knocked out about eighty percent of the people in the castle. But Law told just me.”
Luffy winced. “Oh… they probably figure something is going on though.”
“Law and Chopper spread the word that you were having bad fake contractions and that they put you on bed rest. No one’s allowed to disturb you. They’re worried about you stressing out and going into labor before the other baby’s ready.” Zoro leaned back against the bedframe. “Guess that one’s lungs aren’t done cooking yet.”
Luffy frowned. “I see…”
Then he pouted, looking at Zoro with wide, pitiful eyes. “So that means I have to stay in this dumb bed until he’s ready?”
Zoro nodded. “Sounds like it.”
Luffy huffed, tossing his head back into the pillows. “I’m gonna be so bored!”
Zoro grinned and leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. “Nonsense. I can go get Buggy to keep you company.”
Luffy’s entire body stiffened as Zoro acts like he’s gonna get up now and go get the clown.
Zoro barely had time to react before Luffy kicked him in the stomach, sending him reeling.
“YOU BETTER NOT!!” Luffy growled, face scrunched in frustration. “Ever since Shanks knocked him up, Buggy’s more annoying than ever! He acts like he’s handicapped!”
Zoro, groaning as he clutched his stomach, managed a weak laugh. “Damn… should’ve dodged that one…”
Zoro groaned, still rubbing his stomach as he sat back up. “Relax, I was just kidding. I’ll stay with you and keep you company.” He cracked a smirk. “And keep Mavis from driving you crazy.”
Luffy sighed dramatically. “Too late.”
He glanced down at his chest, where Mavis was latched on with the grumpiest face imaginable, aggressively suckling like she was in a full-on competition with her newborn brother. Her little brows were furrowed, her chubby cheeks puffed, and her tiny fingers clawed possessively at Luffy’s skin.
Zoro chuckled. “She’s got that look like she’s about to snatch the other one right out of your son’s mouth.”
Luffy agrees while stroking her springy, messy curls. “She would if she could.”
Zoro leaned back in his chair. “I’ll bring some board games, maybe a few books to help pass the time.”
Luffy stared at him, dead-eyed.
Zoro raised a brow. “What?”
“That sounds like the most boring shit ever.”
Zoro rolled his eyes. “You got any better ideas?”
Luffy sighed, slumping back against his pillows as much as he could without disturbing the two little ones feeding from him. “This is gonna be the most boring two months of my life!”
…
A little while later, Chopper arrived, pushing a cart heaping with food, the delicious smell filling the room. Luffy practically drooled at the sight, his stomach growling in anticipation.
Chopper rolled the cart up to the bed and pulled out the eating tray, but before he could set up Luffy’s meal, he gave him a pointed look. “Before you eat, I need to check you over.”
Luffy groaned loudly. “Choppeeeeer!”
“I know, I know,” Chopper said, unbothered as he adjusted the bed and pulled out his gloves. “But I have to make sure everything’s healing properly.”
Luffy whined, his eyes glued to the steaming plates of food as Chopper mercilessly put him through the ordeal of another exam. He was forced to endure putting his feet back into the stirrups, while the cruel scent of his meal lingered tantalizingly close.
Zoro sat nearby, holding Mavis in the recliner, and she seemed utterly confused about the whole situation. Her big round eyes darted from Luffy’s suffering face to Chopper’s serious one, tiny brows furrowed like she was trying to understand what the hell was going on.
After what felt like forever, Chopper finally sat back and peeled off his gloves. “Everything looks good. Stitches are fine, no bleeding, no inflammation.” He checked the monitor and then gently pressed on Luffy’s abdomen, watching for any pain reactions. “Any weird symptoms since you woke up?”
Luffy huffed. “No.”
Chopper nodded in satisfaction and finally pulled the tray up to the bed, setting up Luffy’s first plate. “Alright. But don’t eat too fast. The medication I’ve got you on to postpone your labor can mess with your stomach.” He gave him a sharp look. “And don’t forget, the Seastone bracelet makes your belly not rubber. You can get a stomachache now.”
Luffy waved him off like he’d heard it a million times before. “Yeah, yeah.”
He picked up his fork and eagerly dug into the meal—Jägerschnitzel with a side of golden, crisp fries. The moment the first bite hit his tongue, his eyes widened in pure realization. The seasoning, the sauce, the perfectly cooked meat—this was Sanji’s cooking.
Tears welled in his eyes.
“Oh my god,” he whispered, overwhelmed with emotion.
Meanwhile, Chopper turned his attention to baby Mika, who was now awake in his bassinet, making tiny newborn grunts and little fussy noises as he stretched his tiny limbs. Chopper carefully lifted him, running gentle checks on his little body. “I’ll give him his shots later,” he informed Luffy as he worked. “And Traffy told me you don’t want him circumcised?”
Luffy, still chewing, nodded without hesitation. “Yeah,” he said around his food. “Me ‘n Traffy aren’t, so why should he be?”
Chopper hummed. “Some people think it’s a sanitation thing—”
“It’s not hard to clean your dick. Probably even easier to clean a baby’s. No baby weenier cutting. That’s final.” Luffy cut in, deadpan.
Chopper blinked. Then shrugged. “Fair enough.” He continued his exam like nothing happened.
Zoro, however, chuckled. “Huh. That’s interesting.”
Luffy looked at him, mouth still full.
Zoro leaned back in his chair. “I’m cut. Never really thought much about it. I don’t know if I’m having a son or daughter yet—Nami wants it to be a surprise—but I never even considered if I’d want that for my kid.”
Luffy shrugged. “You heard my opinion. But you should talk to Sanji and Nami about it since they’re your wife and husband.”
Zoro snorted, shaking his head. “I swear, you make it sound so casual.”
Luffy grinned, taking another bite of his food. “It is casual. It’s a family preference thing, so just ask your family. It’s simple.”
Zoro leaned back in his chair, absently bouncing Mavis on his knee. “I kinda hope I have a girl, honestly,” he admitted.
Luffy paused mid-bite, fries stuffed into his mouth. He blinked at Zoro in surprise before chewing and swallowing. “Really?” He grabbed a few more fries, shoving them in. “I thought you’d want sons.”
Zoro shrugged, glancing down at Mavis, who was playing with his fingers, her tiny hands tracing the callouses curiously. “Used to think that, yeah. But now that I’ve gotten used to her…” He reached up and brushed his fingers over her little curls. “I like the idea of being a girl dad.”
Luffy chuckled, dipping one of his fries into the sauce on his meat. “Law likes being a girl dad too.”
Zoro smirked. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” Luffy said, popping the fry into his mouth. “He gets so upset that Mavis won’t let him style her hair. He wants to do cute things with it, but…” Luffy snorted. “Mavis is Mavis.”
He glanced over at his daughter, who—for once—was sitting still, behaving herself on Zoro’s knee. He wrinkled his nose at her, playful. “Isn’t that right? Aren’t you my little monster?”
Mavis grinned wide, showing off her tiny teeth. She lifted her hands like claws and let out an enthusiastic, “Rawr!”
Luffy snorted, shaking his head. “That’s my girl.”
Chopper clasped his hooves together, eyes shining. “Mavis is so cute, and she’s really smart for her age! She’s talking so well, and she learned to crawl so fast!”
Luffy cut a piece of the breaded meat with the side of his fork, then stabbed it before shoving it into his mouth before answering, “That’s all Traffy. He has this whole… I dunno, plan, like a learning schedule for Mavis.” He shook his head, glancing at his plate. “I don’t really understand it, but I’m trying to. I want her to have more education than I did growing up.”
Chopper tossed his gloves away and leaned over to swaddle Mika, gently lifting the fussy baby into his arms. He swayed on his hooves, rocking the infant soothingly. “I was really impressed when I saw you, Law, and Nika doing sign language with her! That’s so cool! And honestly, surprising! I’ve been so busy in the clinic… it kinda felt like I blinked and suddenly she got so big!”
Luffy groaned. “Right? That’s how I felt when I slept that whole month when I first got pregnant.”
Chopper sighed, ears drooping. “That was so stressful, Luffy. You really worried me back then.”
Luffy arched a brow, smirking. “When aren’t you worried about me?”
Chopper grumbled, “That’s fair.”
The door swung open, and everyone turned to see Law stepping in with Nika following behind him. Both of them were still in their gym clothes, given that they haven’t had a moment of free time since the surprise birth earlier this morning, and then Nika’s hand surgery, now he’s sporting a brand new cast on his right hand.
Mavis’s eyes lit up. “DADA! MAMA!”
And then—to everyone’s shock—she launched herself off Zoro’s lap.
Instead of crawling, her chubby little legs sprinted across the room, her tiny bare feet slapping the floor as she ran straight for Nika, panting excitedly.
Nika’s jaw dropped, his red eyes wide in pure disbelief as he crouched, watching her hurtle toward him. “Holy shit—”
Luffy choked on his last bite of food.
Law sighed and calmly strode over, grabbing Luffy’s tumbler of ice water and handing it to him as he coughed and sputtered. “We’re fucked,” Law muttered dryly.
Luffy smacked his chest, gulping down water before exclaiming, “HOLY CRAP, NO WAAAY!! SHE JUST LEARNED TO CRAWL!”
Mavis giggled, clinging to Nika’s casted arm, her little fingers tracing the weird new texture. She stood up on her wobbly legs, balancing herself, and started doing little excited bounces, her big drooly smile beaming with pride.
Luffy pointed at her, his face still red from choking. “STOP THAT RIGHT NOW! YOU BETTER KEEP CRAWLING FOR A FEW MORE MONTHS, JUST LIKE THE BABY BOOKS SAID!”
Mavis ignored him entirely.
Nika let out a breathless laugh, his expression one of sheer admiration and amusement. He reached out to steady her, grinning ear to ear.
Nika’s red eyes twinkled with mischief as he crouched to Mavis’s level, his expression overly animated, hands fluttering near his face like he was about to tell her the most exciting secret in the world.
“Oh no, Mavy,” he gasped, dramatically widening his eyes. “Mama Lu doesn’t want you walking yet! That means—” He gasped even louder, grabbing his own face in mock horror. “I gotta eat your nummy legs before you walk away forever!”
Mavis squealed in absolute terror, scrambling to turn and run—only for Nika to scoop her up effortlessly, hoisting her into the air.
“Noooo! You can’t escape! I must eat them!” Nika declared, baring his teeth playfully before burying his face against her pudgy little legs and pretend gnawing at them.
Mavis shrieked, kicking and flailing at first, before the giggles started bubbling up from her tiny chest. Her laughter was wild, her drooly grin stretching ear to ear as she flailed in Nika’s grasp, kicking at his face like a giggly little menace.
Meanwhile, Law silently reached for Mika, and Chopper handed the baby over without hesitation. Law is the dad—he didn’t need to ask.
Finally having a moment to breathe, Law took a deep, steadying breath and admired his son properly.
So tiny.
Mika’s little face was still pink and swollen from birth, making it hard to tell exactly who he looked like. But already, Law could see the features forming. He frowned in thought, analyzing the baby’s every detail.
He’s a mix.
Unlike Mavis—who looked like a perfect copy of him—Mika seemed to have gotten a more balanced blend of their features.
The scowl on his tiny face? That was definitely Law’s.
The thick brows? His.
The nose? The chin? Also his.
But those little lips? The round, chubby cheeks?
Luffy.
Law’s gaze softened as his fingers brushed against the tiny heart-shaped birthmark under Mika’s right eye. Adorable. He leaned down and pressed a slow, lingering kiss to it, cradling his son close as he made his way over to Luffy’s bedside. He sat on the edge next to his wife, finally allowing himself to relax.
Luffy, still eating, had been watching him.
Law met his gaze and smiled. “This one looks more like you than the first one.”
Luffy raised his brows high as he chewed, then cast an exaggerated glance toward Mavis, who was currently being zoomed through the air like a tiny airplane by Nika.
Chopper was losing his mind, clutching his head as he yelped, “NIKA! BE CAREFUL! SHE’S STILL A BABY!!”
Zoro, on the other hand, was laughing his ass off.
Luffy snorted, shoving another bite of food into his mouth before nodding in agreement. “Yeah. She’s a little devil just like you too.”
Luffy let out a loud, exasperated groan. “That’s all you!” he insisted, waving his fork dramatically toward Mavis.
Law scoffed, shifting Mika to a more comfortable position in his arms. “No. She’s you.” He gestured toward the giggling menace currently flailing in Nika’s grasp. “That chaotic energy? The stubbornness? The way she does whatever the hell she wants and ignores anything she doesn’t like?” He raised a brow. “That’s definitely you, hun.”
Luffy huffed, shoving another fry into his mouth as if that would help his argument. He pointed aggressively at Mavis, who was now shrieking with laughter as Nika tickled her belly.
“That’s you!” Luffy declared. “She’s grumpy like you! She glares like you! She scowls like you!”
“She also eats like you,” Law countered dryly.
Luffy blinked, then turned his head slightly to glance at Mavis.
She was kind of a little piglet when she ate… and got really mad when anyone tried to take her food…
…But that was beside the point!
Before Luffy could come up with a rebuttal, Nika ended his airplane adventures by plopping Mavis onto the bed by Luffy’s feet. She let out a giggly squeal, scrunching up as Nika attacked her with more tickles.
Chopper took that as his cue to leave.
“Well,” he said, dusting off his hands, “I’ve got stuff to do around the clinic. If you need anything, press your call button. And do not get out of that bed.”
Luffy immediately pouted. “What if I gotta use the bathroom?”
Chopper gave him a flat look. “Get help from Law or press the call button.”
Luffy groaned.
Chopper ignored him, turning toward the door. “Alright then, I’ll check on you later.” With that, he slipped out, shutting the door behind him.
After he left, the room settled into easy chitchat. Luffy, shockingly, got full after his first plate, so the other three helped eat from the food cart while they talked.
The main topic?
The brutal winter storm on Laugh Tale.
“It’s crazy,” Zoro muttered around a mouthful of food. “Eighteen feet of snow. Think it’s like this every year? If it is, Franky might have to rethink the building plans for the settlement to accommodate for it.”
“Hopefully it’ll go away soon and the building can start again. It’s getting pretty crowded in here with faces and personalities I really would rather not entertain on a daily basis…” Nika comments, absently rubbing Mavis’s back as she snoozed over his shoulder. He gets up to go set her down on the soft bench by the window and tucks her in with a blanket over there, then grabs a sandwich from the food cart on his way back to his spot at the foot of the bed and plops down.
Law took a slow bite of his rice and meat bowl, balancing it on his thigh while still holding Mika one-handed. “Depends on how long it lasts. Like Zoro said, Franky might have to do some serious redesigning to plan accordingly for such severe winter storms, so we might be looking at months of delays.”
Luffy groaned, dramatically flopping back onto the pillows. “That’s so annoying. I’m tired of rooster head and Hancock waiting outside our bedroom door every morning.”
“Me too,” Nika agrees with a deadpan tone and look.
Zoro chuckled, but then his expression turned a little more annoyed. “Speaking of annoying…” He glanced at Luffy. “Nami’s pissed at Hancock.”
Luffy furrowed his brows. “Why?”
“Apparently all she does is sob to the girls about you,” Zoro said, rolling his eyes. “She goes on and on about how it’s so unfair, and she really thought you guys were gonna be together.”
Luffy scowled. “Ugh.”
Zoro pointed his chopsticks at him. “What kind of mixed signals did you send this girl?”
“I didn’t!”
“You had to have,” Zoro insisted. “Did you hook up with her?”
Luffy gagged. “No! Never!”
Zoro grins at him playfully and urges him on, “Come on, Luffy… be real.”
“I am! I didn’t fuck her!”
Zoro narrows his eye at him, turning his head to aside to playfully observe him from another angle. He strokes the stubble on his chin, “No need to be shy, Luffy. We’ve all had plenty of bad hook ups with a crazy chick or dude in our time. Law’s told me about some of his, and so has Nika.”
Luffy already knew about Law’s sexual history. They’ve talked about it in the past. But somehow the idea that Nika has had sex with other people is surprising to Luffy and he looks at the sun god with dumbfound.
Nika looks back and nods, he makes a hand motion rolling towards the floor, “If I wrote down the names of everyone I ever fucked, it would be on a scroll that roll on for miles… and it’d… just… keep GOING… even further… could probably wrap around the whole redline, maybe twice.”
Luffy’s eyes bulge, “THAT’S SO MANY!! NIKAAA! I HAD NO IDEA!”
Nika shrugs with a cheesy grin, “You never asked,”
Luffy gawks, an inexplicable spike of something he can’t name and outrage coils in the pit of his stomach, “How did you end up sleeping with so many people?! That’s INSANE!”
Zoro and Law exchange a look across the room. Like they were both noticing something interesting about Luffy and confirming they weren’t the only one seeing it.
Luffy is jealous.
Nika can feel his jealousy and it makes the deity so very happy. And his big grin makes Luffy feel even more irritated and worked up over the matter. To Luffy it felt like that grin was rubbing that massive conquest in his face!
Nika answers him, “How? Luffy, I’m many thousands of years old. I’ve been around a while.”
Luffy pettily mutters, “No kidding you’ve been around.”
Luffy feels an invasive nudge at his mind, Nika’s thoughts break in abruptly, (Careful, Luffy… )
The warning is followed by a sudden image that invades Luffy’s mind, a fantasy. And it’s shocking to Luffy, has his jaw dropping because this is the first time Nika has showed him a fantasy. He had no idea they could do something like that!
The fantasy is invading Luffy’s mind while Zoro is in the middle of talking, of carrying on with the conversation, and its muffled on Luffy’s ears, “See, Luffy? We’ve all screwed around with plenty of wrong people. No shame in that. So be honest, did you hook up with Hancock those two years we were all apart?”
The fantasy Luffy is seeing before his mind’s eye is of himself, in this room, on this very bed, lied all the way back, with one of Nika’s hands between his thighs, two wet, gentle fingers pumping in and out of his ass in a specific way, rolling toying with his prostate in a leisurely massage. Nika’s other hand is holding Luffy, wrapped around him, palm pressed to his back, and Nika is kissing and sucking on his throat where he knows Luffy likes it most.
He could almost feel the whisper of pleasure, a tingle that came with these images, a promise, and hear himself sighing and whimpering Nika’s name again and again, begging please, please, please…
It’s so very distracting, it takes a tremendous effort to refocus in reality, to respond to Zoro’s question. The lapse in conversation is small, a few second pause that Zoro must have assumed was Luffy debating.
Luffy shakes his head as he forces Nika out of his head and shoots him a glare, burning so hot he felt like he could combust. He forces himself to look irritated rather than flustered and firmly tells Zoro, “No. I didn’t sleep with her.”
Zoro raises a brow, smirking devilishly, “Your face is telling another story.”
Luffy didn’t want to confess to what Nika had showed him. So he blurts out something that would get Zoro off this topic and excuse his blush, “IT’S… BECAUSE OF WHAT LAW IS WEARING, OKAY?! I Still have a lot of pregnancy hormones in me! I’m STILL PREGNANT! So EXCUSE ME! I get horny easily by my husband in a little tank top showing off his sexy tattoos if you GOTTA know, mister nosy! SHEESH!”
Zoro can’t stop laughing, “Wow,”
Law drops his fork in his rice bowl and looks at Luffy utterly dumbfounded and shaking his head. Law leveled Luffy with a stare so flat and unimpressed it could have turned him into a pancake. The room was not empty, yet Law spoke as if they were completely alone, as if Zoro and Nika weren’t sitting right there, openly watching with varying degrees of amusement.
“Luffy,” Law began, setting his bowl down with deliberate slowness, “I love you. You know I love you.” His voice was calm, too calm. Dangerous. “But I cannot keep up with you right now.”
Luffy opened his mouth to protest, but Law steamrolled over him.
“I have taken care of every single one of your needs every day since the start of this month when your hormones kicked up your new craving,” He lifted a hand, gesturing vaguely as he continued. “And not just once a day. Multiple times a day. Every day.”
Luffy’s face was already heating up, but Law wasn’t done.
“At first, it was amazing.” Law gave a small nod, as if to acknowledge the good times. “I was more than happy to oblige you. You’re my wife, you’re sexy, I love having sex with you—but Luffy.” His brows furrowed, and his voice took on a sharp edge. “I need a break.”
Luffy’s hands shot up in exasperation. “I wasn’t trying to proposition you—!”
Law ignored him.
“My dick is bruised,” he continued, looking Luffy dead in the eyes, completely unbothered by his own words. “I physically cannot get hard right now. I think I’m developing carpal tunnel in both my wrists.” He lifted his hands, flexing his fingers for emphasis.
Luffy’s mortification grew stronger with every second.
“And my throat—” Law cut himself off, bringing a hand up to rub at his neck. “My throat is bruised, Luffy.”
Luffy gawked, struggling for words.
Law sighed, then, as if this would be the proof Luffy needed, he opened his mouth wide and pointed.
“Look.”
Luffy reeled back. “I’M NOT LOOKING AT THAT!”
“It’s bruised! Because of YOU!” Law insisted, pointing more aggressively.
“I BELIEVE YOU!”
Law clicked his tongue and shut his mouth. “Good.” He leaned back and shook his head. “I’m sorry, I love you, but you’re gonna have to jerk off on your own for a while. If you need the room, just say something and we can step out. But dick play only, alright? Don’t go touching your vagina, it’s in a fragile state right now, you’ll agitate it.”
Luffy, burning from head to toe, made a strangled noise of pure embarrassment, “I don’t need anyone to step out!”
Law raises his brows high to his hairline, “You want to do it in front of all of us?!”
“NO!!! I’M NOT HORNY OKAY? I JUST HAD ONE HORNY THOUGHT! IT’S NOT EVEN MY FAULT?”
Law looks like he’d just been backhanded by Luffy’s words, he points to himself, “So it’s MY fault for the way I’m dressed? I wasn’t trying to dress sexy or anything, I just threw on some clothes for working out this morning!”
“THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEAN, LAW!” Luffy feels like he could cry fire from embarrassment.
Nika was grinning so wide it looked painful. Zoro had one hand clamped over his mouth, his shoulders shaking.
Law sighed again, rubbing his temples. “You know what? I should cover up.” He stood up, put the baby in the basinet, then held his arms over his body as if that would shield him from Luffy’s temptation. “You say you weren’t trying to proposition me, but yeah right.”
Luffy threw up his hands. “I wasn’t!”
Law ignored him again, already rummaging through a drawer. He pulled out a fresh package of scrubs, ripped it open, and threw the top on over his tank top before returning to Luffy’s side, adjusting the fabric as he sat.
“Better,” he muttered, shaking his head.
Luffy groaned and flopped back onto the bed, throwing an arm over his face.
Law let out a long breath, looking to the side in thought before saying, casually, “I’m gonna have to ask Nami where she got all those sex toys and get you some.”
Luffy shot up, scandalized.
“DON’T YOU DARE!”
Zoro, wheezing, completely lost it.
Luffy feels a nudge in his mind, Nika throws another image at him, and it’s so STUPID. It’s a fantasy of NIKA, LAUGHING, rolling on the floor. He narrows his eyes to slits at Nika and shakes his head as Zoro’s laughter occupies the room.
(Stay outta my head! Look at the trouble you got me in!!) Luffy snaps at him mentally.
Nika is shrugging, looking at Luffy with his hands held up in surrender, (Luffy, you put yourself in trouble! You ever THINK before you move that mouth? WAIT, don’t answer that, I already know!) Nika starts giggling.
Luffy kicks him in the ribs with the heel of his foot, only to get scolded by Law, who reaches out and puts a hand on Luffy’s thigh and calls out, “Hey! Don’t be mean, what the heck was that for?”
Nika gasped dramatically, rolling onto his back and clutching his ribs like Luffy had just shattered them with the force of a thousand suns. “Ohhh… ohhh, the agony!” he wailed, kicking his feet weakly, like a wounded deer taking its final breath. “Why, Law? Why do I put up with this treatment? Is this love? Is this what love is supposed to feel like?!”
Law groaned, rubbing his temple. “You’re so full of shit.”
But Nika wasn’t finished. No, no, no.
He sat up slowly, his expression shifting into one of profound sorrow. He rubbed his kicked side like a poor, wretched broken thing, “Law… this is but a small example of Luffy’s cruelty towards me, its nothing.” His voice dropped into something tragic. “Nothing… compared to what I’ve been through.”
Luffy’s face twisted into a scowl. “OH, COME ON—”
Nika sniffled and pressed on.
“Master likes to take his aggression out on me,” he murmured, voice small, wounded. “Sometimes… sometimes he makes me get into a small, cramped cage… and he… pelts me with rocks…”
Law stared, incredulous.
Zoro, who had just managed to calm down, lost it again.
Luffy’s jaw dropped. “I DO NOT!”
Nika winced, gasping in fear, recoiling from Luffy like he expected another blow. “See?? See how he raises his voice at me?? Ohhh, the abuse!”
Luffy threw his hands up. “You’re MAKING IT UP!”
Nika ignored him entirely. He looked at Law with heartbreak in his eyes and exhaled shakily, his lips trembling. “And if… if he’s in a very bad mood…” Slowly, shyly, he raised his casted hand, like a victim too ashamed to speak of their suffering.
Luffy’s face contorted into something between pure rage and disbelief.
Law sighed, leaning back on his hands, expression unreadable as he watched Nika’s theatrical display.
Zoro, at this point, had his head down on his arms, his shoulders shaking violently. He was gone.
Luffy launched forward and grabbed Nika to put him in a headlock, “YOU ARE SO FULL OF SHIT!!”
Nika played up his suffering shamelessly, clinging onto Luffy like a lifeline. “No—please, have mercy, my master,” he whimpered, nuzzling into Luffy’s chest as if seeking comfort from his cruel, heartless tormentor.
Except the bastard was sniffing him.
Luffy stiffened when Nika took a deep inhale, his face practically buried between his tits, rubbing against him slowly, like some kind of cat getting comfortable in a sunbeam. His hands worked their way down from Luffy’s waist, slipping around back to get two massive handfuls of his ass, squeezing with a low, satisfied hum.
Luffy gawked. “HEY! CUT IT OUT!”
Zoro, meanwhile, was observing them, tapping his chin like he was deep in thought. He finally asked, very seriously, “Luffy… you ever think about sleeping with Nika?”
The room froze.
Luffy and Nika both went rigid, caught in the act, hands still on each other. Then Luffy shoved Nika away violently, his face burning as he scowled at Zoro. “Why the hell would you ask that!?”
Zoro shrugged like it was the most natural thing in the world. “I was just thinking about it. If I was in your place, and I had a god in my body who suddenly had his own body that looked like me, I’d probably be into it. It’d be like… a more intense version of masturbation.”
Luffy almost choked. “WHAT—”
“I mean, think about it,” Zoro continued like he was working through a genuine theory. “Nika knows all your thoughts, right? He’s lived your life with you since you were seven. So he’s gotta know everything about you.”
“I do know everything about Luffy!” Nika confirmed proudly.
Zoro gestured toward him, like see? “There you go. He knows what you like. And it sounds like you put miles on Law, so there.” He nodded, like he’d just solved Luffy’s problem. “Sounds like your pregnancy hormones issue is solved.”
Luffy couldn’t breathe. He burned with shame, unable to believe how open Zoro was to this. And what made it worse was that he couldn’t admit Zoro had already nailed it.
“Nah,” Luffy muttered, crossing his arms. “Bad idea.”
Zoro raised a brow. “Why?”
“Because.” Luffy fumbled for a good reason—one that would actually shut this down. “I’m the Pirate King, Zoro. I kinda have to care about my image for what I plan to do with the world. No one’s gonna wanna follow me if they think I’m some pervert. Not a lot of people will understand what Nika is, and they’ll probably assume we’re, like, brothers.” He made a face. “And that’s not what I want people to focus on when I’m rebuilding the world.”
Zoro shrugged. “Your bedroom, your business. Just close the doors and cover the windows.” He gestured to the room. “This castle’s got thick walls. Sound doesn’t travel like it does on a ship.”
Luffy glared, defensive. “Why do you care so much if I sleep with Nika!?” He threw his hands up. “Why are you being so nosy!?”
Zoro grinned at him, like the answer should’ve been obvious. “Because we’re best friends, dumbass.”
Luffy’s whole world paused. He stared at Zoro like he’d just spoken in a language he didn’t understand.
“…We’re best friends?” he echoed, like he was hearing it for the first time.
Zoro blinked, confused by his reaction. “Uh, duh. You idiot.” He smirked. “I can’t think of anyone else I’ve marched straight into hell for dozens of times. Or anyone I’m so close with that I’ve let them watch me fuck my spouses.” He gestured at Luffy. “Or that I’ve seen fuck his spouse.”
Luffy’s lips parted.
Zoro leaned back with a grin. “At this point, we’re basically blood brothers after that shit.”
Luffy let out a wet laugh, covering his face with his hands as his shoulders shook. He laughed so hard he started crying, his voice cracking between sobs and cackles. “Oh my god, Zoro—”
Then, still laugh-sobbing, he wiped his eyes and reminded Zoro, “You shot cum in your face from across the room.”
Zoro snapped his fingers, nodding. “Exactly! And who else would do that to you besides your best friend?”
Luffy wheezed, gripping his stomach. He couldn’t stop. His entire body shook from the force of his laughter.
“What kind of fucking weird friendship do we have?!”
Zoro grinned, completely serious. “The best kind.”
…
Having someone as his best friend meant something to Luffy. It was different than the closeness he had with his spouse, or the closeness he had with Nika. A best friend was someone he could go to with things he didn’t want to or feel like he could talk about with Law or Nika.
Like his feelings about Nika, for example. They were confusing and now incredibly messy. It wasn’t something Luffy felt like was right to go to his husband with.
Luffy knows Law has feelings for Nika, and that Nika reciprocates those feelings. It was simple for them. It wasn’t messy, because they know what they feel. They know that their primary love is Luffy centric, but are aware that they care for one another and don’t mind each other’s company most of the time, despite how they can bicker and get on each other’s nerves.
And they do have sex, off on their own. Sometimes without Luffy. Sometimes with him, and sometimes with him just watching.
Law wasn’t entirely honest about how he got so worn out sexually. Luffy was grateful his blunt and sometimes oblivious husband didn’t blurt out their dirty secrets for Zoro to hear, that Luffy had been getting off on watching his husband be dominated by the sun god.
Luffy loved watching Law get dominated.
It was thrilling—seeing Law beneath someone else, not in control, surrendering completely to Nika’s touch. Law was always the one in charge in bed when it came to Luffy. He dictated the pace, tormented Luffy with teasing, drove him insane with slow, agonizing pleasure until he was a trembling mess, begging for more.
But with Nika, the tables turned.
Nika commanded the room in a way that made Luffy’s skin prickle with excitement. He effortlessly took control, coaxing Law into submission like it was the most natural thing in the world. He could see how much Law enjoyed it, too—how he melted under Nika’s hands, how he learned from him, taking in everything Nika taught about Luffy’s body and his likes.
And it was making their sex life incredible.
Luffy was addicted. To both of them.
He wasn’t sure how it happened—how he had come to crave the way Nika handled Law, the way he trained him, showing him all the little things that made Luffy’s body sing. His husband, already an incredible lover, had become even better under Nika’s guidance, and Luffy couldn’t get enough.
But now?
Now he was stuck in bed.
They had moved a hospital bed into his room, along with medical equipment to monitor him, so he’d be comfortable—or so they said. In reality, Luffy felt like a damn prisoner.
And the worst part?
He had nothing to do.
Either Nika or Law was always the one taking care of the babies, leaving Luffy completely empty-handed since Nika had changed his dummy body to be able to produce milk. Luffy couldn’t even go to the bathroom on his own, for fuck’s sake.
He was bored.
He was restless.
He was horny.
The only things keeping him sane were his imagination and a few of his friends who could be trusted with secrets, coming up to visit him.
Robin had been bringing him books.
Luffy had never been much of a reader, but with nothing else to do, he had actually started reading them. Some were boring, some were interesting, and he had been trying genres he never would have considered before just to entertain himself.
Zoro came up to chat when he could, and Luffy enjoyed their visits. He had even opened up to Zoro about what was really going on between him and Nika, expecting some kind of judgment or reaction.
But Zoro’s advice had been so simple.
“You’re thinking too much,” he had said. “And that’s not like you.”
Luffy had blinked at him, because—well, yeah. That was true.
Zoro shrugged. “Just have fun. If you love him, you’ll realize it later.”
Luffy had gone quiet, mulling that over.
Zoro had used himself as an example—his polyamorous marriage, the way love wasn’t always simple. Sometimes things just were, and there wasn’t always an immediate answer.
Law had been trying to help, too, encouraging Luffy to vent some of his restless energy into creative activities.
Which is how Luffy had ended up drawing.
His hospital bed was positioned by the balcony window so he could look out at the sea, and he had taken to scribbling on paper, pouring his energy into chaotic little sketches. They were messy, wild, sometimes incomprehensible, but they occupied him.
And, more importantly, they gave him an outlet—a way to vent his need for adventure and chaos.
He couldn’t go out into the world.
But he could draw the chaos.
The birth of Mika’s twin could not come soon enough.
Luffy was in the worst mood imaginable—miserable with boredom, stir-crazy, and sick of everything. Sick of being stuck in bed. Sick of wearing the damn sea stone bracelet. Sick of not being able to use his Devil Fruit. Sick of being pregnant.
Every day felt endless, dragging on in an agonizing loop of frustration.
But then, finally, the day came.
The snow had melted. Spring had arrived, bringing with it clear blue skies and crisp, fresh air. The world outside felt alive again, and as Luffy was wheeled down to be induced, he felt a rush of relief—and dread.
Because Mika’s birth had been horrible.
He still remembered the pain, the way it had torn through him like a storm—unrelenting, unbearable. He had sworn he would never go through that again.
But this time was different.
This time, he was medicated.
The epidural numbed him completely, and for the first time in months, they took off his sea stone bracelet, letting his body stretch without the restraint.
And the birth?
It was relaxed.
Luffy was laughing—actually laughing—chatting easily through the entire process. There was no screaming, no agony, no cursing the gods for putting him in this situation. Just an easy, calm experience that felt almost too good to be true.
Then, the baby was here.
And he was identical to Mika.
Absolutely, completely identical.
Same face, same hair, even the same heart-shaped birthmark.
It was uncanny, like Mika had been cloned.
Luffy spent the rest of the day contemplating names, staring down at the tiny, sleeping infant in his arms. Eventually, they settled on Morty.
And then, because the universe had no sense of fairness, later that same day—
Nami went into labor.
And unlike Luffy, Nami had barely looked pregnant. She had never gained much weight, her belly had stayed small, and then she had the audacity to have a labor that lasted five minutes total.
Luffy had blinked, stunned as he was informed that Nami had already delivered.
A red-headed son.
Zoro, Sanji, and Nami named him Jamie.
Luffy, still sore and exhausted, could only gape at the sheer bullshit of it all.
…
The warm sun kissed Luffy’s skin as he stretched his arms high above his head, inhaling deeply. Fresh air. Freedom. Finally.
For months, he’d been cooped up, weighed down, trapped in his own body. Now, standing atop the cliffside, the sea stretching infinitely before him, the world felt huge again, like it had been waiting for him to return.
And best of all? He didn’t feel enormous anymore. His body was his again. He could run, he could move, he could breathe without feeling restricted.
And—he grinned as he glanced down—he could wear his old clothes again.
The picnic was set up near the cliff’s edge, blankets spread over the soft grass, baskets filled with food and drinks. The distant sounds of construction carried on the wind—signs of progress, of the first town rising from the ground. Their town.
Nika sat comfortably on a log, strumming his ukulele, playing a tune that was light, dreamy, and full of warmth—carefree and full of joy.
Law was sitting cross-legged on a blanket, cradling one of the twins in his arms, carefully feeding him a bottle. The other was curled up snugly in a little woven basket, sleeping soundly, his tiny hands tucked beneath his chin.
Near the food, Nami helped Sanji set out dishes, their movements quick and efficient as they bickered about seasoning choices.
A little farther away, Zoro sat with his newborn son in his arms, looking down at him with an expression Luffy had never quite seen before—pure, unfiltered adoration. The proud, glowing face of a man who had just become a father.
And beyond that, their crew—their family—were caught up in an intense game of Capture the Flag, shouting and laughing as they darted through the field, the distant sound of joyous chaos filling the air.
But right now? Luffy had only one opponent.
"RAAAAHHH!!"
Luffy bolted across the tall grass, laughter bursting from his chest as his daughter, Mavis, chased him down, her tiny legs moving shockingly fast for a nine-month-old.
Her wild, dark curls were tamed into little pigtails today, courtesy of Nami, and she was determined to catch him, her chubby arms pumping furiously.
She was wearing matching overalls—just like his.
And Luffy could barely keep ahead of her.
"Faster, Mavis!" he teased, grinning over his shoulder. "You’re never gonna catch—"
A tiny, ferocious shriek cut through the air as she lunged, tackling his leg in a clumsy, giggling attack.
"GOTCHA!"
Luffy crashed dramatically onto his back into the grass, limbs sprawled out like he’d been taken down by a giant.
Mavis roared in victory, scrambling onto his chest and pounding her little fists on him. "MAMA DEFEATED!!"
"UGH!" Luffy groaned, flopping his head to the side like he was taking his last breath. "I—I can’t go on... I’ve been bested... by the strongest warrior...!"
Mavis giggled wildly, bouncing on his chest before suddenly gasping.
Her big, dark eyes went wide as she pointed at something in the grass.
"MAMA, LOOK!! BUG!!!"
Luffy whipped his head up, eyes scanning frantically. "WHERE!? IT IS!? IT’S A BEETLE!!"
Mavis jumped up, fists clenched with excitement. "LET’S GO!! VENTURE!!"
And just like that, she took off toward the forest, her tiny legs carrying her with reckless enthusiasm.
Luffy scrambled to his feet, laughing as he chased after her, heart full, lungs full, the world bright and open before them.
For the first time in so long, he was free.
…
END
…