Chapter Text
Wyn wakes up, no grogginess in their mind, just up and fully alert. It’s late, or early, still being night. Wyn doesn’t know what room they’re in so they can’t really gauge what’s around them beyond they’re in a bed in a room with simple wood paneling to imitate the inside of a ship bunker, although much more spacious than that.
Wyn’s bandages are clean, the film of grime and soot that was all over their body washed off, with new clothes on. A Galley-La branded shirt and their normal jeans. They feel out their limbs, stretching what they can while sitting in a bed. Nothing broke during their fight, just flesh wounds, Wyn guesses they can call them that. They swing their legs over the bed, testing the feeling in their limbs. It takes a bit but after a small bout of dizziness and blacking out from the blood rushing away from their head, Wyn declares themself good to go.
“Wyn.” A shift of fabric and the small squeak of a chair moving. Kaku sits up and stretches, clearly sitting in a chair the entire time, waiting for Wyn to wake up.
“Kaku, isn’t that uncomfortable?” Wyn whispers, they sit back on the bed and pat the spot next to them.
Kaku moves from the chair to sit next to Wyn on the edge of the bed, “No, I just wanted to be here when you woke up.”
Wyn rests their head on his shoulder, “How long have I been asleep?”
“About 20ish hours. It’s going to be morning soon, I think.” Kaku rests his head on top of Wyn’s.
“Where are we? How did we get back?”
Kaku interlaces his fingers with Wyn’s, “Galley-La’s temporary headquarters. The Merry Go broke in half. I think it was the klabauterman that held her together and rescued us. Iceberg took the company ship to come pick us up.”
“She must have really loved her crew to sail through Aqua Lagoona for them.” Wyn studies Kaku’s fingers. A bit longer than Wyn remembers with callouses from ropes and hammers, 5 years of craftsmanship.
Kaku hums in agreement, “The Straw Hats have their own room together in this building, too. A few of them are already back up and moving around.”
Wyn stands, pulling their blanket along with them, “I’m going for a walk, are you going back to sleep?”
Kaku follows behind, “No, I’ll stay with you.”
They wrap their blanket around their shoulders and pull Kaku along by his hand as they leave.
“Did you get taller?” Wyn looks up, definitely not remembering having to tilt that far up to look at him.
“Yeah, after I first transformed with my devil fruit and turned back I became taller. I guess that’s a side effect of being a giraffe now.”
Wyn laughs lightly, “I can’t believe I almost forgot you’re a giraffe now!”
Kaku pouts a bit, “It’s cool.”
“I know it’s cool, silly.” Wyn swings their joined hands, “I thought you were really cool, saving me.”
Wyn pushes open the front entrance of the temporary Galley-La headquarters to find the remaining rubble of the burnt down previous Galley-La building surrounding them. They look down to find they don’t have any shoes on. They must have been taken off when they were unconscious.
“I think you actually saved me, Wyn.” Kaku bundles Wyn in their blanket properly before picking them up like a cocoon.
They giggle, “Are you like, my personal carriage now?”
Kaku tilts his head to the side, “I can be if you’d like. Where would you like to go?”
“Hmm, well morning is happening soon. I think I want to watch the sunrise today.” Wyn is never awake early enough to view it.
“Of course.” Kaku walks out of Dock 1 to the walls that surround Shipbuilding Island, He jumps, seemingly on thin air, to make his way to the top and sets Wyn down to sit atop the wall.
“That seems really handy. You have to teach me that sometime.” Wyn tugs on Kaku’s pant leg to get him to sit down next to them.
He wraps an arm around their shoulder as they sit, staring out over the island, barely visible under the quiet moonlight.
“It took a lot of training for me to do it properly. High expectations with rigorous training left me bloody and unable to move sometimes. I don’t want that for you, Wyn.”
“I have to get stronger.” Wyn whispers, a little scared, “The government probably isn’t going to be happy that I stole you. I have to protect you and Galley-La.”
“I’m going to protect you too, Wyn. Galley-La also isn’t going to sit idly by.” Kaku turns to them, resting his face into their hair. “You don’t have to do everything alone. I mean, the government is definitely not going to be happy that I defected either.”
“Then we both have to get stronger, I’m not going to let them take anybody else away from me.” Wyn chokes out, anxiousness swirling in their gut. They swipe at their eyes with the blanket, not wanting anything to spill.
“Of course.” Kaku kisses their forehead, smoothing Wyn’s hair back.
Wyn grasps his jacket, pulling him down to their level to leave a kiss on his cheek. Then another on the side of his nose and another on his eyebrow ridge. Wyn doesn’t want to let him go again.
They hold each other as they watch the sunlight slowly creep over the horizon line, pinks and oranges swimming through the ocean as it makes its way to light the island. The far reaches of the island are rocky and Wyn can see the debris littering the coastline. Aqua Lagoona was a harsh mistress this year.
Wyn curses, “I forgot to lock up the store, if it’s even still standing.” Their shop sits on the outskirts of town, very close to where the waves would hit the hardest.
“We should check on it later today.” Kaku runs his hand through Wyn’s hair, even if it’s shorter and still crunchy in some places from the fire.
Wyn looks up to see Kaku, that strained edge to his down turned mouth.
“Hey, what are you thinking about?”
“I let this happen to you.” Kaku threads his finger through the rest of Wyn’s hair and touches along the bandages on their face down to their neck. He grasps their hand that is peeking out of the blanket, covered in bandages and cooling cream, and places one hand over where their chest should be, “I did this to you.”
“Hmmm, you’re right. You’ve been really mean to me recently.” Wyn teases, “I guess you just have to make it up to me.”
Kaku relaxes the tension on his face, letting his hand hold onto whatever he can of Wyn as he whispers, “Of course. How should I do so?”
“Take me out to eat whenever I want.”
“I can do that.” Kaku laughs a bit.
“Don’t leave me.”
“Never.”
“And take care of me until I’m better.”
“I would do that without you even asking me.” Kaku takes Wyn’s hand and cups their face, kissing them carefully, over and around their bandages, “I’ll stay with you, for as long as you’ll have me.”
“No.” Wyn pulls away and frowns at Kaku. They grab his face in their hands, blanket falling away over their shoulders, “Forever. You’re not allowed to leave.”
Kaku laughs again, and it sounds free, it sounds open like it’s the first time he has allowed himself to really laugh. It sounds like the rising morning sun, a light hidden behind the horizon line that Wyn just knows will keep growing till it’s a blazing sun. “Ok. I’ll stay forever.” He hugs them close again, chin resting over their head as they settle back in to watch the sky.
~*~
The island is awash with the morning sun as it warms everything it touches. The water rolls softly over the rubble and aftermath of Aqua Lagoona, almost like it isn’t the exact same waters that caused such destruction only one night ago. The island never rests for long thought and there’s work to be done. Wyn lifts their head from resting on Kaku’s chest and can feel the joints in their spine pop from not moving for a while. They stretch out their legs, dangling over the ledge of the wall they sit on. Their body is sore all over, a slight ache in the areas where their skin was punctured and a constant burning where fire ate at their skin. Wyn swings their legs over to turn on the wall and drops down.
“Wyn!” Kaku calls out and follows right after, “You can’t just drop down like that. You’re still injured.”
Wyn stretches, bending left and right for what feels right, “I’m not going to die from jumping down, silly.”
“Are you ok to walk?” Kaku readjusts the blanket on their shoulders.
Wyn nods and takes one of his hands, “Yeah, let's go back.”
They lead Kaku back to Galley-La, fingers interlaced. When they return, groups of shipwrights move about, Paulie at the front shouting orders as he organizes them.
Wyn walks up as Kaku looks about frantically like he wants to hide, “Paulie, what’s going on?”
Paulie gives Kaku a stink eye and glances down at their linked hands, “Rallying everyone up for repairs.”
Wyn looks up and notices the guilty look on Kaku’s as he averts his eyes from Paulie, “That sounds like fun. Can I help?”
“Absolutley not.” Both Paulie and Kaku protest, “You’re still very injured.” “Don’t even think about it, idiot.”
“Hmmm,” Wyn pretends to think about it, “then why don’t you take my spot, Kaku?”
“What?! Why him.” Paulie looks like he would punch Wyn for that suggestion if they weren’t currently wrapped like a mummy, “What if he, I don't know, sabotages us?”
Wyn has no such qualms and smacks him over the head, “Stop being ridiculous.” They look up at Kaku, expectantly.
“Of course,” he easily agrees, already wanting to help but unsure how to, “will you be ok by yourself?
“Yes I’ll be fine.” Wyn turns to Paulie and gives the sternest look they can. “Play nice, Paulie.”
“Fine, but I'm keeping an eye on you.” Paulie bosses Kaku around and makes him pick up tools and join one of the already formed groups.
Wyn walks through to get back to the main building, everyone greeting them, happy they’re awake after the chaos of the night before. They smile and hug everyone who comes up to them.
“You’re all ok. Did everyone make it?”
Lulu reports, “Everyone who returned from Enies Lobby is ok, but a few workers might not have made it out of the fire on the main building. We’re still checking through the rubble and counting everyone. The medical stations are also full of workers recovering. None confirmed dead.”
Wyn bites at the peeling skin on their lower lip, “How many are missing?”
“Wyn,” Tilestone places a large hand on Wyn’s shoulder, a comforting weight but Wyn needs to know, “I’m not sure if-”
“Where’s Wyn, have you seen them?” Iceberg shouts as he sees where everyone is gathered in front of the shipyard.
The crowd parts to let him pass to where Wyn stands in the middle.
“There you are. You just disappeared from your bed!” Franky follows behind.
Iceberg stumbles a bit as he runs up to them, Wyn catching him and immediately wrapping their arms around him in a hug. Iceberg hugs them back, hunching over to rest his head on theirs. Wyn holds tight against his torso and reaches out an arm to pull Franky in, placing his large clanky arms awkwardly around the both of them. Wyn stands there for a moment, letting Franky and Iceberg just hold them instead of having to stand for themself before they release and step back.
“How many are missing?” They repeat, hands clenched.
Iceberg sighs, “Rufus, Nina, Calli, Olander, Dall, and R.” He already knows they wouldn’t appreciate being shielded from that information.
“Why? Why risk themselves like that?” Wyn’s voice cracks at the end.
Tilestone speaks probably the softest Wyn has ever heard him speak, in a serious tone, “Because that was the choice they made – we all made. To protect you and Iceberg-san.”
“But you shouldn’t. They can’t just die so I can live. I don’t want that for anyone.” Wyn runs their hands through their hair, nails catching on the gauze wrapped around their head.
“We know,” Lulu pulls Wyn’s hands away, “but we also know you would do the same for us. Iceberg-san and you have done so much for us, it is only natural for us to wish to return the favor.”
“Because we respect you, boss.” Someone from the crowd around them adds, a chorus of agreements following.
Wyn can’t hold their tears back any more at that, shaking hands held steady by Lulu. Their eyesight is blurred from the tears but someone initiated a group hug, causing a cascade of people throughout the group around them to join. Wyn giggles, a little stuffed from their tears, as they stand in the center of the largest group hug they’ve ever been in. More than a dozen shipwrights and workers of Galley-La all coming together, an eclectic bunch, but a family Wyn and Iceberg has collected over the years.
~*~
Wyn is loading what they can salvage from the rubble of their home into a floating trailer, digging through crumbling walls. There’s things in chests that are just waterlogged and can probably be dried out. Their dresser was completely destroyed and all their clothes are gone, which really sucks because Wyn really liked their closet of t-shirts and baggy jeans. The loose items that were hanging around were all washed away and Cowabunga is gone. Wyn was a little heartbroken when they realized their snail companion and fellow music listener was gone.
While dragging another bag of tools out, Wyn sees Zoro’s familiar head of green hair.
“Yo, what’s up.” Wyn tosses the bag into the trailer.
Zoro squints at them, “What are you doing here?”
Wyn raises an eyebrow, “At my house?”
Zoro looks almost offended at the fact that Wyn’s house is where he somehow ended up in his lost wanderings around the island.
“Well, I wanted to talk to you anyways so I can just do it now.” Wyn tosses a rucksack that Zoro catches. “I have a bunch of inventory in the store that survived. I already cleared my living space.”
“You wanted to talk to me to get my free labor?” He sounds annoyed but complies anyways, tossing anything that looks usable into the bag.
“No, I want to talk about swords with you. Yours got…” Wyn pauses, trying to find the right words, “fucked.” They eloquently land on.
Zoro snorts, “Yeah.”
“I’d offer to fix that for you but it would take months to create a proper sword and my stock is currently,” Wyn gestures to the remains around them. “Fortunately for you though, my mother was the best blacksmith I knew and I kept her stuff in storage, which is where I’m going next.”
They haul the last of what they could find into the floating trailer and Wyn calls for Sweetie to hook the load onto her harness. It’s a lot of weight so Wyn elects to walk along the sidewalks with Zoro until they have to use the water elevator to get to the center shipwright island.
“Thank you, Sweetie.” Wyn gives her a quick kiss on the nose before unhooking her and pulling the trailer up a ramp that dipped down into the water.
They pull the trailer just past the threshold into the shipyard before leaving it, trusting that it can be left alone for the time being. There are a few shipwrights still in the yard while the other half is out helping with repairing the city, but the way they still are filled with energy and enthusiasm for what they do fills Wyn with pride. They’re all hard workers and passionate about ship building, and just like Wyn and Iceberg, love this island and its people. Wyn greets people as they work, with Zoro trailing behind them like a surly teenager being forced on a family outing when they’d rather just stay home.
Despite all the destruction to the main Galley-La headquarters, the shipyards stayed intact and the fire didn’t reach the basement that held mostly storage, including Wyn’s storage that held their mother’s personal effects. They never had the heart to sell them, or the need, but couldn’t just keep them out to display at home or in the shop, no matter how beautiful Wyn thought they were, it was just too painful. But Wyn thinks it’s finally time to let go. The threat of the blueprints are no longer hanging over their head and guilt of Tom’s and Ferna’s death that hung like a noose around Wyn’s neck has finally loosened. The secrets all over and out with.
Wyn grabs a torch as they descend into the basement. They point for Zoro to cut down the storage door, having lost the key along with all their other items in Aqua Lagoona, and he complies. Wyn pushes down the sliced remains and makes Zoro hold the torch as they dig through boxes and chests, searching for one very specific box. They reach out, swiping dust off the cover as they run their hands over the polished cherry wood. When standing, the long wooden case shows the carved portrait of a running waterfall as it cascades over the tall standing mountain, clouds floating past to show its immense height.
Taking the torch from Zoro, Wyn kneels as they lay the case down before him, waiting so he can open it himself. He only takes a cursory look at the art carved with intricate swirling lines before unlatching it to open to a katana resting in its velvet bed. Zoro runs his hand along the deep blue lacquered sheath, tracing along the metal engravings of lily pads with lotuses in the middle. He lifts with both hands and turns the sword to see kois engraved on the tsuba, encircling the blade.
Zoro unsheathes the blade, the metal singing as it’s freed from its home for the first time in years.
“It's been a long time since anyone has held him. His name is Mizuwokakeru. I’ll have to do maintenance on him before you leave but it’s still good quality.”
“He feels different from others. He’s a good sword but has a real different feel from Kitetsu and Wado.” Zoro takes a few experimental swipes, the wind parting beneath his blade.
“Swords depend on those who make them and those who use them. Kitetsu has a long history and its origins are not exactly pleasant. My mother was strong, but not bloodthirsty. She wasn’t one to vye for power like most people who work with weapons.” Wyn points to Wado, “And that one has been with you for a long time. She likes you and wants to protect you.”
Zoro pauses in his movements, “What do you mean?”
Wyn holds their hands out and Zoro hesitates for a moment before unlatching the two remaining katanas at his sides for Wyn. They slowly turn Wado Ichimonji in their hands, unsheathing her to hear how she sings.
“You should listen more carefully. I know you can do it, you can cut steel. Listen and talk to your swords, they can help you with a lot more than just cutting.” Wyn returns Wado and inspects Kitetsu next.
“You take good care of your swords. You’re a good swordsman but they’re more than just tools.” Wyn unsheathes him as well and Zoro is almost surprised when they don’t get cut on his blade.
“They’re your partners. You live with them, fight with them, eat with them. They’re never far from you because you want to make sure they’re safe. You care for them. Let them do the same for you.”
Zoro seems to properly take in what Wyn has to say, considering their words and looking at his swords with a new light.
Wyn smiles, happy that Zoro listened to them. They pull out the sageo, a deep persian blue, the cord matching the same color of the same-kawa that’s wrapped around the hilt from within the box. They hand it over to Zoro and he unravels it to tie properly around the saya so he can properly attach it to his hip.
“Now place him back in the box so I can freshen him up for you. Being stuck in a box for so long isn’t good for any blade, no matter how well crafted it is.”
~*~
“Ack, fuuck.” Wyn groans as they attempt to pat themself down after a very difficult shower of washing burn wounds and doing their best not to scratch at anything.
A knock sounds at the bathroom door as Wyn sits on the edge of the bath in misery, dripping water splashing onto the bathroom tiles as they slide down to the drain in the middle of the shower room. “Wyn, are you ok? Can I help?” Kaku’s voice comes through the sliding door.
“Yeah.” Wyn’s voice almost cracks when they respond. They’re so tired, they don’t even care if they're still naked. They just want to dress their wounds and go to sleep.
To Kaku’s credit, he doesn’t make any reaction. He just takes one look at Wyn, elbows on their knees, hunched, with a towel just sitting on their head with what must be the most pathetic expression ever and just washes his hands before walking over to help Wyn dry off.
“Kakuuuu, it hurts.” Sleepiness tinges their voice into a whine.
“I know, I know.” Kaku pulls Wyn up and lets them finish drying themself off as he leaves to grab something, returning with rolls of gauze and cream.
He starts at their face, combing the now damp hair out of their face, thumb dragging over Wyn’s cheekbone as they sag into his touch. Carefully he starts swiping dollops of soothing burn cream against the irritated healing skin. Wyn holds the gauze patiently as they wait. They trade items and Kaku wraps the gauze around the affected areas. They keep doing this, trading cream for gauze, gauze for cream, as Kaku helps Wyn dress the burns that decorate their torso and arms. After he places the gauze on Wyn’s face he takes their cheek gently, placing kisses along the edge of the patch. After wrapping Wyn’s arms he takes their hands, placing kisses along each finger and knuckle, as if mapping every crevice and bump with his lips. After wrapping Wyn’s torso he kisses along their shoulder. Wyn tilts their head, letting him kiss along the length of their throat as he makes his way up, along their cheek and up their nose.
“Kaku,” Wyn looks up to him with a pout on their lips and he can’t help but smile as he tilts his head to finally kiss the pout away.
Wyn reaches up, wrapping their arms around his neck as he bends forward to brace himself against the edge of the tub, bracketing Wyn between his arms. They touch against his neck, his bare arms, the skin on his cheek, desperate to hold against any possible skin contact. Kaku chuckles and this close Wyn can feel the rumble in his chest. He sweeps them into his arms and Wyn tucks their face into his neck as he carries them to their bed.
He lays them next to pajamas that lay on the covers and grabs underwear for them to dress. Leggings and a skin tight long sleeve shirt help with compression to keep pressure on everything beneath sweatpants and a baggy shirt. Then fuzzy knit socks and gloves to stop Wyn from scratching themself in their sleep. It’s warm and presses down against all the skin on their body and belays the itching sensation that chases all of their wounds. Wyn pulls the thick cotton blanket over themself, pulling, rolling, and tucking the edges beneath their body and feet but leaving one side open for Kaku to slip in. He flips the light off before doing so and wraps his arms around Wyn as they pull him in, deeper into the nest of blankets and pillows that makes their bed. Kaku hooks his leg into Wyn’s ankle and they slot thighs between thighs. Wyn tucks their face into Kaku’s neck, mouth resting against the beating pulse of his artery. They can feel it slow and steady as Kaku’s breathing mellows out, his muscles un-spooling in the comfort of sleep as he lets himself rest. Wyn breathes in time with his pulse, the beat lulling them into sleep right along with Kaku.
~*~
The pool area at Galley-La is filled to the brim with people, days of hard work restoring the town after Aqua Lagoona culminating into an impromptu party with water meat and drinks being passed around as everyone takes their fill. A group of people had pulled out their instruments and started a jam-sesh and someone found a drum set somewhere, somehow. Shrieks of laughter peel through the chatter as someone gets tossed into the pool, splashing everyone around them. The deep rumble of the two giants, recently recruited from Enies Lobby, is easily heard over the partying.
“Hey, Nami!” Luffy vaults over a group of people to land next to where she’s sunbathing.
Nami sighs as she lowers her sunglasses to look at her captain. “Yes, Luffy?”
“Where’s Wyn?” he hops to land on her sun umbrella to search over the crowd.
“No clue, haven’t seen them all day.” she settles back down into her lounge chair.
Chopper waddles up to them, pool floatie around his waist as he reaches for a drink on the table besides Nami. “I think I saw them go out this morning.”
Name leans out of her chair to squint her eyes at Luffy, like she’s judging him. He just hangs off the umbrella, looking back at her.
“Ask Zoro, he saw them yesterday.”
Luffy grins at her and bounces off the umbrella, launching himself across the pool to where he thinks Zoro is.
He yells as he slams into someone drinking more than enough to incapacitate anybody else. “Zoroooooooo.”
“Luffy!” he almost chokes on his drink, catching his captain as he hurtles himself into Zoro’s arms.
“Where’s Wyn?”
Zoro properly secures Luffy in his lap, “Huh? You want both of them?”
Luffy just rolls his eyes as if to say Duh .
“Wyn and that giraffe guy are probably a package deal.” Zoro snorts.
“But I don’t want Long-nose. He made Robin sad.”
Zoro just shrugs, “He makes Wyn happy.”
And he’s right. That’s that. But he’s also a big stinky stupid head who hurt Wyn, even if they still love him, and even if it hurt him as well. Because he’s stupid.
“Try checking the forge.” Zoro chugs another cup of grog.
“Ok thanks Zoro. See you.” Luffy runs off as Zoro waves him off.
The sounds of partying melts behind him and even if Luffy loves partying and having fun, he really wants Wyn to join him. They’re nakama now, they’ve fought and eaten together, which means they’re nakama and should come with him. Having a blacksmith on his crew would be awesome, even if he’s not a hundred percent sure what a blacksmith does, and they’re a great fighter as well. Luffy isn’t really sure where the forge is but it’s somewhere in the shipyard and is probably making a lot of noise so he decides to make a lot of noise as well.
“Wyyynnnn!” he runs through the shipyard, “Wyyynnn!!”
Luffy thinks he can hear the clanging of metal so he turns to that direction. “Wyynnn!”
Someone curses but the sounds don’t stop, “Luffy?”
“WYYNN!” Luffy sprints to the voice.
“Shit! Luffy, I’m holding hot metal!” Wyn turns away from him as they hold something up with a pair of metal tongs, leather gloves protecting themself.
Luffy stops himself by planting face first into the floor just outside the range of the forge work area.
Trying to stop themself from laughing, Wyn places what they’re holding down and walks over to pick Luffy up off the floor. The moment he’s upright, he wraps his limbs around Wyn’s torso like a koala
“Wyynnn.” he smiles at them, a grin that shows all his teeth and squishes his eyes.
They can’t resist and gently pinch Luffy’s cheeks and squish them, the softness of his slowly fading baby fat giving way beneath their fingers. “Hello Luffy. What’s up?”
“Come party with us.” Luffy’s whining a bit muffled by the way Wyn is squishing his cheeks and mouth.
“Eh? A party? And no one invited me?” Wyn smiles, not truly bothered by that, “Maybe in a moment. I’m still working.”
“But I want you to join us.”
“Ok, but let me finish this. I’m almost done.” Wyn carefully begins pulling Luffy’s arms off their torso.
“No, I want you to join my crew.” he demands.
Wyn just stares at him, jaw dropped , and no longer trying to pry Luffy off. “I- you want what? But-...”
“We can have a lot of fun and more adventures sailing together.”
“What about Franky?”
“Oh yeah, he’s coming too.”
“I can’t go.”
“I refuse.”
“No, Luffy, Water 7 needs me, Iceberg needs me. We want to fix Water 7 and I love this island. I have to be here to protect Galley-La and Kaku, and it’s not fair to ask you to let Kaku come with me.”
“Hmmm.” Luffy does his best to think and find a way to get Wyn to come with. But what they’re saying is true. Luffy really doesn’t care for Long-nose coming with but doesn’t see Wyn parting with him anytime soon. And Galley-La is like Wyn’s nakama so they have to be strong to protect their nakama.
“We’re nakama, ok?” Luffy declares in what seems like an obvious statement but seems to just make Wyn confused.
“Yes? If you say so.”
“We’re nakama and we’ll always be nakama so I’ll see you again on the seas someday.”
Wyn smiles and hugs Luffy who’s still wrapped around their torso. “Ok Luffy. I’ll see you again someday. You’re not a very easy person to forget anyways.”
“Ok!” Luffy laughs and grins at them, “Now come party with us.”
“Okay, you’ve convinced me. I’ll come with.”
Luffy lets them shut down the forge and put things away to make sure nothing will catch fire while gone. Reaching the limits of his patience he pulls them by the hand to the Galley-La pool where everyone is still having fun at. As they draw closer the cheers of everyone shouting Wyn’s name drowns out the yelling and music and Luffy can see the smile that lights up Wyn’s face at seeing their people. He watches them let go of his hand as they rush forward to their nakama and Luffy knows that leaving them with their home is the right choice. They’ll become stronger for their nakama just like Luffy will become stronger for his. And they’ll meet again someday.
~*~
“Come on. Hurry up!” Paulie yells out from ahead, sounding gruff as usual but clearly excited for something.
Kaku pulls Wyn along the streets, blindfold obscuring their vision, their laughter following behind as they blindly trail after Kaku. “Maybe if you let me see I would be able to just run there faster.”
“No cheating.” Wyn can hear Paulie already running off ahead of them.
Kaku chuckles and guides Wyn down a step, “I promise it’s worth it.”
He gently tugs a little more insistently this time as they get closer and Wyn grasps his hand a little tighter, other hand latching to his forearm as they stumble a bit over a crack. Wyn can hear sounds up ahead, unable to discern what is what though, and resists the urge to rip off the blindfold and run ahead, curiosity nagging insistently at their brain. But soon they’re standing in front of the source of all the noise and Kaku slips the cloth keeping Wyn blind off and they gasp at the scene before them. A newly built smithy next to a building with a mural painted on its wall, their bright colors standing out on one side, a shiny new forge with bricks yet to be stained with soot, and their store and house reconstructed with more room than their previous just a single bedroom, bath, and living room.
The shipwrights and neighbors gathered around cheer as Wyn’s face splits into a smile, taking everything in. Someone shoots a popper, making paper confetti explode into the air, and another person whoops. The entire block is decorated and the usual night time food stalls are already set up, the smell of cooked water meat and the sound of a sizzling gridle comes through everyone’s chatter.
Wyn turns to Kaku in questioning, eyes bouncing around as every new detail catches their attention.
He smiles and leans in so they can hear him over everybody, “It’s a block party to celebrate everything getting reconstructed and to surprise you with your new house.”
Tipping up onto their toes, Wyn pecks Kaku on his cheek and pulls him forward to explore everything that was prepared. He goes easily and ready to Wyn’s commands. He always went with Wyn but this time, as they pull him through the crowd and talk to anyone that stops them, Wyn thinks the hand they’re pulling feels lighter now. Like Kaku has finally let go of his walls, like the weight of his guilt and secrets that held him and never let him get too close to anyone is finally gone. His smiles come more easily, the small quirk of his lips turning into chuckles, snickers turning into laughter, and laughter turning into full body shakes that prick the corner of his eyes with tears. He lets people get close, lets people sling their arms over his shoulders or bump his elbows. It’s no longer just Wyn he lets into his bubble, he’s letting himself be enveloped in Wyn’s family and they smile.
Kaku looks down at them, his eyes crinkled in mirth, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I’m just happy that you’re happy.” Wyn admits cheerily without hesitation.
Now they can see the embarrassed flush on his cheeks, tugging on his cap a bit as he looks away.
Wyn tugs on his arm to stop him from hiding his face, liking the way his face reddens and how pleased his smile looks.
“C’mon, let me show you our new home.” Kaku interlaces their hands as he pulls them along.
Wyn giggles at that word, ours. Giddy at the idea that this home was theirs now, that they would live in it together. Earlier Kaku had asked them if they wanted to live together, after everything settled down, and reconstruction was done on the island. Wyn had agreed easily, thinking it was a question for something farther along in the future, what with being busy everyday with reconstruction efforts.
Kaku decides to show the bottom shop floor first, new shelves and bins set up very similarly to how their shop used to look like. All their projects that used to be on display before Aqua Lagoona got swept away in the storm, but someone pulled out their old projects that were put in storage and polished them up. It’s not as cluttered as it used to be, empty spaces still apparent on the walls and shelves, but not as bare as Wyn thought it would be.
This time, instead of the second story stairs being on the outside, it’s now connected by a staircase tucked into an actual backroom that wasn’t in Wyn’s old store. Whether as a storage or break room, Wyn isn’t complaining about the extra space, a mini fridge and sitting area already set up in the corner. They’re excited to see the new living space already but allows Kaku to lead them up the stairs, interlaced hands swinging between them.
The stairwell opens up to a living room with a similar kitchen and eating nook from before, either Kaku or Paulie making sure the eating nook with its windows and booth seats stayed the same. There isn’t a lot in the space, but what’s there looks carefully selected. They notice a bookshelf that’s probably Iceberg’s choice with that flourish that Iceberg thinks looks professional. When Wyn steps closer they notice how it perfectly fits in its space, how it’s hand-carved, with a gerbil carving of Tyrannasourus and Wyn knows he made the bookshelf for them. They smile and ghost their fingers along its edges and curves as they follow Kaku into the hallway.
One laundry area, machines already installed, one bedroom, one bathroom, one master bedroom and bath, and one office space even though Wyn has never in their life used a proper office space for their business. But there’s a bookshelf signed by Mozu and Kiwi, a desk signed by Paulie, a closet signed by Tilestone, and Wyn is sure if they keep looking around they’ll find signatures of other shipwrights etched into corners of their walls and furniture. It’s all so much that they can feel the burn of tears that want to spill and when Kaku looks at them, eyes softened in affection, lips placed in a gentle smile, Wyn finally breaks.
Fat globs that don’t go away even after they’re wiped away by caring fingers, and Wyn doesn’t know when was the last time they cried, probably when their Mama and Tom were executed. But this overwhelming feeling of love and relief that makes their chest shudder under that almost crushing weight is what does them in. Kaku falls to his knees with Wyn when they feel like their legs can’t hold them up anymore, placing soft kisses along their hairline and whispering soft remarks of ‘I’m here’ and ‘It’s ok’. Wyn clutches onto his arms like a lifeline, feeling like a child again, overwhelmed with emotion. The stress of everything with Cipher Pol 9, then working nonstop on rebuilding everything, not letting themself rest despite their injuries, then sitting here with the man they love and can finally be with in a house built with love by people who love them, and Wyn just lets themself cry.
It’s ugly and gross. Snot, tears, face reddened from shortness of breath, features contorted by almost painful heaving. But Kaku doesn’t flinch, just lets Wyn cry on him, brings them to the bathroom to wash everything away, and gets a cup of water that they eagerly drink.
It’s only almost a month later when Wyn and Kaku have finally settled into the house and a routine properly that everything settles in. All their belongings finally have their place, sorted into drawers and onto shelves. Kaku is using a pan he was excited to buy so that he could cook proper food for the both of them, they had gone shopping to fill in anything they were missing from their home together, tossing it to flip an egg over, the oil hissing as it makes contact with the raw side of the egg. It’s when he’s sliding it onto toast with a slice of ham, onto the sage green ceramic plate they picked out together, fiddling with one of the drawers that’s on Kaku’s list to fix up tonight to pull out a butter knife Wyn had bought because they thought Kaku would like it. It’s when Wyn looks out the window that encompasses their eating nook, watching the rolling waves backdrop the morning routine of the island inhabitants. Wyn and Kaku’s ankles hooked together, legs pressed against each other, as they eat breakfast next to each other that it finally settles for them. This is theirs . This is their life together.
When Kaku finishes eating he’ll take his bag and go out through the back shop door and make his way to Gallye-La for another day of work. Wyn will take their dishes and wash them before opening shop and setting up for whatever project they need to work on next. Later in the day Kaku will finish working and stop to buy a snack or something quick to eat as he walks or runs home to Wyn. He’ll come home and find Wyn still working away, give a greeting in a kiss or a hug or both, share some of his snack, then cook dinner for the both of them. They’ll do their nightly routine and Kaku might help Wyn close up shop and Wyn knows all this. Has the privilege to know the intimate details of Kaku’s routine. Like how he likes to brush his teeth with his left hand even though he’s right handed. Like how he has a specific way he likes to store his pots and pans, because let’s be real, those aren’t Wyn’s pans, they’re not allowed to use them.
After reaching out for five years, constantly meeting that space that Kaku always left between the two of them, they’ve finally grasped him, finally managed to grab his hands and pull him out of that self-imposed isolation driven by guilt and fear. Wyn places their breakfast down for a moment to loop an arm around Kaku’s waist and rest their head against his shoulder. He got taller after getting his devil fruit, making it easier to lean into his space and tuck themself under his chin. He easily accommodates the touch, encircling Wyn to hook a thumb through the belt loop of their jeans, hand resting against their hip.
“You okay?” he whispers into their hair.
Wyn simply nods and hums, relishing in the space that’s no longer between the two of them.