Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Is Luffy here, Naruto?”

Ace’s words echoed in the quiet chambers of his cell but Naruto saw the burning curiosity, the unspoken grief in his eyes. Water dripped down from the ceiling; rats scrambled away from them and into the hidden cracks on the prison walls. It was only the two of them. The other prisoners were asleep; their snores filled the corridors. But all her eyes could focus were the bruises on him. They bloomed with purples and blues. On the green sea stone cuffs on his arms. The cuts on his cheek, fresh if the scent was any indication.

She took another step forward, legs steady as the male turned his head away from her. The air felt colder here, almost like the same temperatures of the Drum Kingdom, like the Land of Snow. Her body threatened to shiver but she willed herself to take another step forward. Her fingers brushed against the sharp cut on his cheek, just below the freckles. He flinched at her touch. Her throat tightened.

“Luffy doesn’t know you’ve been captured,” she muttered. “He doesn’t read newspaper and Nami didn’t notice the news, I noticed it because it was you. I tossed away the newspaper before he saw the photo, with how overprotective you are and how reckless he can be…I knew it would be better for him not to see it. He didn’t give much thought to why your card was starting to burn.” She pulled out the paper from her pocket. The beginning of the end. “This told me that you were in trouble but…the paper confirmed it. Made an excuse to him about needing to do something, the others should be in Sabaody. Will meet up with them once you’re out of here.”

His eyes refused to meet her own. There was a quiet tremor in his chest, almost unspoken emotions, but she didn’t dare to vocalize her words. Only waited for him to speak, to just look at her. “You left him to save me, why? He’s your captain. You don’t just abandon your captain, Naruto! Not for someone like—”

She slapped her hand over his lips. “We can argue about your self-worth issues later,” she hissed. “And I didn’t abandon Luffy, it isn’t abandoning if I’m going back to him. What I don’t want is for your baby brother to think that you don’t care about your life.” The male lowered his head, body trembling but was it from weakness? Or shame. She tugged on the chain around his legs. “And why the fuck wouldn’t I come for you? I met you first, only joined Luffy ‘cuz I was curious to know about the baby brother you were always boasting about. It was one of the cute things about ya.”

He jerked his head at her and she slipped her hand away from him, weightless. The air began to tremble with unspoken emotions while his eyes fixated on her, at her hair and then to her own lips. For a moment, her mind wandered back to the first weeks of their meeting. When they had been 18, when he stumbled into her village with that reckless desire in him to challenge her to a fight. Sasuke hadn’t been around; she had snorted and handed him his ass.

Idiot still hadn’t learnt his lesson and that was why he was in this mess from the beginning.

“I’m surprised you never told Luffy about how we know each other,” his voice carried hints of his humour, but it felt so wrong with the bruises blooming around him. The chain on his leg crashed to the ground with her final tug. It was almost as if those bastards knew someone was going to save him. “Didn’t really ask how you knew me when I met up with you guys in Alabasta, didn’t ask why you hugged me like that. The cook did though, did not like it.”

She licked her lips as her fingers curled against the chains on his other leg. Grime filled her nose, a reminder of his time here, alongside how the male had a problem when it came to showering. The coldness of the chains slipped into the palm of her hand; the heavy weight of the chain pressed her hands. “Sanji can be nosy but he knows how to read between the lines,” she flickered her eyes at him. “And it wasn’t like he didn’t like it, Sanji just knew I wouldn’t hug you like that if I didn’t know you for a while.”

Physical affection came easily to her, she clung and hugged like a little monkey but with Ace, she lingered until his heat threatened to overwhelm her. She didn’t know when it started, not when he demanded for a fight but when he laughed and ran his hand through his curls, admitting that she deserved the title. When he asked questions about her home, when he ate ramen with her. The nights when she sat on her father’s head, her eyes focused on the twinkling stars.

“He flirted even harder with you when I was with you guys,” he mumbled as she leaned forward to touch the chains on his wrists. “And if he was that smart, does he know that you went on this side quest to rescue me? If he was smart, he would stop you from coming here. I don’t want you here either, the fact you became a pirate instead remaining in your village and being the hero of your land is something I still don’t understand. You have the love of everyone in your home.”

Rats squeaked in the background as her hand tugged on the other chain, this one crashed to the ground. She brushed her fingers against his cheeks, rubbed the blood dripping down the side of his face. “It isn’t real love. Only ones who really loved me are Konohamaru, Hinata and maybe the other members of Konoha 9,” she dropped her hand as his eyes flickered to her lips once more. More heated than the last glance. “You never asked why I hated their words, didn’t I? Why they looked ashamed whenever I glanced at them.”

He shrugged and turned his head. “I was more obsessed with the fact that there was a whole village of shinobi, a whole island filled with them,” his laughter became quieter and almost bitter. “Remember when you beat me, I asked you to help me defeat Kaido and free Wano.” Her heart dropped at the reminder while his eyes focused on the sleeping snails, the ones she covered with seals of genjutsu. “If I die, I think I would regret—”

“—You ain’t dying any time soon,” she said sharply. “Tama is still waiting for you, she talks about you constantly so if you’re going to live then live for the little girl waiting for you to bring her to sea.” He jerked his head, and she whistled. “I did visit Wano; you kept talking about it like it was better than my island and that annoyed me. By the way, you should’ve told me that Tama was a little girl.”

His lips twitched. “What? You got jealous of a little girl.”

Her cheeks threatened to burn at his words, a desire to laugh louder at those words. It wasn’t funny, it was ridiculous because she stormed into Wano with a desire to meet Tama. She expected to meet someone like Ino, like Sakura, but it turned out that the future kunoichi was just a tiny, skinny girl that lacked any real meat. Ace had mentioned about the lack of food, about the rotten food, and she came to their home with scrolls that contained food.

“Deuce made me think a lot,” she mumbled. When the final chain crumbled to the ground, Ace nearly stumbled, and Naruto cradled him against her shoulders.  “He made it seem like Tama was the love of your life, knew it was stupid ‘cuz you don’t even seem to care about women.” He jerked his head, his eyes almost dripped with annoyance, and she mumbled. “I kissed you a few times, no reaction…no care and Deuce mentioned about that marine woman, who kept chasing after ya.”

The air became heavier at her words, the temperature dropped while the rats scrambled back into their lair. It was stupid to mention women. They weren’t together. A few kisses here and there, heated or not, did not mean he was hers. Nor she was his. Rayleigh came when I needed to be rescued, the man you want? If he wants ya, he will swallow his pride and come after ya was what Shakky had told her. She never mentioned love to her, but old women always seemed to have a sense. The Old Hag even noticed her stupid behaviour.

“No reaction? I was trying to be a damn gentleman around ya,” he growled but his voice lacked any heat or bite. Just pure frustration and Naruto stared at him for a moment. Throat tightening as he turned his own head away from her. “Did you keep flirting with that cook because I wouldn’t say a thing! You’re a hero, you’re also a member of Luffy’s crew and…” his voice trailed off when her eyes burned a hole at him. “You deserve better, Naruto. You know that—”

“—Portgas D. Ace, you don’t dare tell me about who I deserve!” She snarled at him as she made her way towards the open bars of his cell. “I get to decide who I love, who deserves it…and that person is you. Of course, I was going to flirt with Sanji because Sanji shows he likes me! You? You keep making me feel like—”

He swallowed and tore himself away from her. “—Because I want you to be with someone that deserves your love! Me? I’m the son of the devil! When I was in Konoha, I heard whispers of you being the hero.” His voice began to crack. “Of your Dad being some bigshot and you expect me to believe that someone as good as you can love someone like me?”

“How many times must I show you before you realise that I love you despite everything? That I don’t give a damn about those things because it isn’t like I was treated like some kind of princess in Konoha! I choose you, you iditot!”

She wondered how she’d ended up here, staking her heart on a man too stubborn to believe he deserved it. She’d left her friends behind, her captain, chasing after someone chasing death. She’d loved him for two years and would probably love him longer...but only if he just let her love him.

Chapter Text

(2 years ago)

Months passed since the war ended, and yet it still felt strange for her fingers to grasp the soft orange silk blankets of her bed. The world was still a blur in her eyes, still barely tangible as the lively voices echoed from the streets of Konoha. The beginning of a new life, yet Naruto only felt a brush of coldness inside of her. A growing numbness from the end of the war. No, she acknowledged, from after Pein’s attack. With Sasuke’s actions, with the Akatsuki, it was easier to ignore the numbness and embrace the warmth of the sun. To just keep going. That was her mantra: to keep going, to chase after the next goal, and never stay still.

People asked her, friends and strangers, about why she never sat still and just breathed the morning air. At one point, Ino stood beside her as Kakashi-sensei spoke for those that fallen during the war, sobbing over her father. It was, perhaps, the first time the young woman did not wear her lush pink lip-gloss. The first time she didn’t have an eyeshadow on her. No hint of powder on her face. A clear sign of her grief, she knew. There had been dark clouds over them, almost like the heavens grieved with them. It was the first time Ino asked her about how she lived with a hole in her heart, of missing the person that named them. She had been silent as a ghost, mumbling that she never knew her parents.

Only their memories lived in her, and even then…it was her mother’s memories. Their shared laughter, cries and even their own heated arguments. She watched those memories like a passenger, never really holding it in her grasp and always a lurker. She…hated being their lurker. Wished that this apartment carried the warmth of the sun that her parents had been. She heaved another sigh, kicked away the light blanket, and dragged her feet straight to the window.

Sunlight danced along the ledge of her window, brought hints of warmth but the moment she opened the window with the creaky latch, the warmth disappeared. Cold winds blew straight at her, brought her hair out like a pirate’s sail for the whole world to see. From below, villagers glanced up, flashed her a smile of warmth, and she only smiled back: fake as the clown she used to be. Funny how much her heart was lighter when she had been a child. It used to bleed whenever parents smiled at their children, their hands wrapped around their little hands, but now it threaten to spill out when they smiled. Now they loved her when she proved herself.

Why? Why did she need to prove herself to be loved? When she wandered through the streets, arm entertained with Hinata or when Konohamaru had his hand around her arm as he dragged her through the crowded streets to show off a new jutsu to show off, those cold looks were now phantoms of a memory…yet she still expected it. When would she be free? When would she think she deserve to live freely and for herself? Without a need for validation? Naruto let out one breath, then two before leaning over the ledge of the window. Her eyes focused on the monument, to the stern eyes of her father. They were rocks for eyes; it should be cold water instead.

“You look more like your mother every day,” were her father’s words when he saw her for the first time. He had a nervous smile, his eyes had been a little bit shy, and she was just…blank. No thought. Nothing. She had just stared at him, still processing at the man with the pearl white cloak. In her rage and grief at the knowledge of what he did to her, she smashed her fist at him. It should have liberated her, unchain her but…nothing. It wasn’t satisfying like it was whenever she ate ramen. No goodness in her.

Her eyes wandered to the photo of Konoha 9, the last one taken before the war. She had been smiling, forced like a clown, while her friends had their arms around each other. A group photo but it felt alienated. In the past, it would be her cut off from the group like a black rose that didn’t match the other roses in the garden. Now it was Sasuke in this position. As a child, she wished for the switch, and now…she wished they were both the same roses. He would leave once his sentence was over, he declared it to her in the dark cell.

There had been no plea from her for him to remain in this prison that was their village. He wished to see the world for what it was, perhaps to find a land where he belonged. An island. Kakashi was still unaware of this plan, he was blissfully unaware of Sasuke’s desires…and Sakura? Well, her teammate had her head in the clouds, eyes coloured and filled with hope of a future that would never be. She…didn’t wish to rip her heart apart and say that Sasuke had decided to wash his hands clean from them. Love, she learnt, was not enough to chain someone by your side.

“I want you to live your life Naruto, never caring about what people think,” were her mother’s words to her in their brief meeting. She had her arms around her, hugging her as if a hug could erase a lifetime of loneliness. It could not. The winds pressed against her cheeks, a gentle kiss on her cheek…a parent’s love, and yet it still felt far from her grasp. Even her hands could not touch the warmth of the wind. No one, she knew, could hold the wind. They could chase it but never contain it.

She brushed her hands against the rusty latch, shivered at the coldness, and then shut the windows just as the winds cut her cheeks. The moment she shut the blind was when she allowed herself to collapse to the floor, legs spread out and eyes just staring at the photo of her parents. Kakashi-sensei gave it to her when he found out that she knew about her parents. Her heart didn’t flutter; all her mind could do was conjure up the images of a life that would never be her.

Sometimes, she imagined of a childhood where she ran through the door and screamed that she was home. That her home would reek of homecooked food that carried aroma of umami, that her mother would hug her with the same bear-like hug. Maybe a sibling or two. She swallowed the musky air, stared at the crashed silk blankets, and laid on the ground. Soon, she would need to sweep through the dusty floors, walk through the streets with that forced smile, and…do work. Not just any work but shadow work with Kakashi. In 9 years, it would be her turn to wear the hat.

To accomplish this dream of hers.

She stared at the wooden table, with the four seats that were never really filled. Sometimes the boys came into her home at night, hands filled with card, and they would play a game of poker. For Shikamaru, it was to get away from the home that carried the ghost of his father. For Choji, he just wanted to be where the food was at, and Kiba? Well, she supposed it was to forget the fact he caught sight of his deadbeat father with his new family. They carried wounds, and yet somehow her home became a revolving door for guests.

Guests that never stayed longer than a few hours, just gave her scraps…and she had no choice but to accept. Naruto heaved another sigh, knee creaking as the walls banged with the moans of the couple next door. She should move out, she could afford to live in the better part of town now and yet…it felt wrong. Her clothes weren’t fancy, just a plain cotton track suit. A kimono dress should be worn, own her femineity as Ino and Sakura tried to persuade her, but she would always feel like a tomboy.

“Change Naruto doesn’t start until one decides for themselves to change their lives, don’t want ya thinking that you can change some man,” was Jiraiya’s words to her whenever he caught a glimpse of her soaking in some cheesy romantic novel. The ones where the girl changed the missing shinobi with love. His eyes never twinkled, just a grave look, and she just grumbled that it was research. Research for her to understand love. She wasn’t going to chase it like a dog, but she wanted to watch like those movie-goers.

To live a life that would never be hers. Those epic love stories belong in books, belong to her parents, but it would never be hers. She came to decide, long ago, that her heart would carry love for children, for her friends but…never romantic love.  She breathed out. Then, in. Right, it was time for her to start the day. Once she was done with her work, she should visit her parents’ grave. Tidy it up. Her father’s grave would always have flowers, beloved hero he was, but her mother’s grave needed to be honoured in ways beyond her father.

She lived because of them, because her mother wanted her…and she should honor the life she had.

When he came to the Elemental Isle, it was for the sake of seeking the beloved treasure of Whitebeard. His crew had smiled and cheered at his declaration, though he knew from Deuce’s eyes that he knew his desire to seek the island had nothing to do with treasure. Gold, he came to realise, meant nothing to him. They flashed and glittered, but his heart didn’t sing at the sight. His blood never hummed like it did when he fought. When he heard the cheers of those around him. The moment they landed in their port, he saw the resemblance in Wano but where children were skeleton, the children here were plump dolls. Their bellies full of food.

Tama should be just like them, not shivering and crying at the sight of food. The people smiled at the sight of him, they didn’t tremble when they saw the pirate flag…then again, he saw Whitebeard flag stuck on the top of the Daimyo’s home. He asked the people about it, only an old man answered him. 18 years ago, Whitebeard claimed this land as his first territory as a Yonko, when the Pirate King announced his treasure was real was when the New World fell to chaos was what the man had said. His eyes carried mirth and weariness, it lingered on his face, and then the man prattled about the new history of this island.

Most of them just went out of his mind, only chain of words jumbled together, but when the spoke of the girl was when his mind had been clear, sharp and alert just like he drank a cup of freshly brewed coffee. The people spoke of a woman called Naruto like a myth. A mystical figure, though she was just a kunoichi. Tama wanted to be a kunoichi, she wanted to join him…and he wondered what the difference was between the kunoichi of this island and Wano. They also spoke of her beauty, hair like the sun and eyes like the jewels found in caves. He didn’t care much about her looks.

So he asked the old man if Naruto was in the port but the man laughed like an old sailor of the sea before telling him that shinobi lived hidden. They are like ghosts for some of these people, you see…and no one knows to tell the difference between a skilled shinobi from a fake ‘cuz their jobs might need them to act like the normal folk was what the old man whispered in the chaos of the port. His eyes had wander to the men and women, richly dressed with fine garments and those with ragged clothes. They were a lot like his own clothes, ripped holes everywhere. Shinobi uses kids, each generation seems to start older…peace makes them willing to let their children be children was what the man mused when a child collided with them.

The child’s eyes carried freedom, the same energy as Luffy, and his heart ached for the brother he left behind. It was temporary he knew, Luffy would set sail in two years. His little brother would do far better than him, his dream was going to be accomplish as insane as it was. Sabo and him used to whisper about it, wondering about the insanity and yet they both knew only someone like Luffy could accomplish it. He steadied the child, apologised and then blinked when the boy bobbed his head before dashing behind his two brothers. One dark-haired and one blond like Sabo.

All three of them wore clothes of the street, grime clung to them and no hint of their social class.

The old man had laugh and told him that those three were troublemakers in the port, his eyes carried fondness and then he prattled about how the greatest of people were troublemakers. He tuned him out until the old man offered to take him and the crew to where Naruto lived. Pirates had come in the past to seek the shinobi villages, years ago…they say the Pirate King took a member of the Sanin to be a member of his crew was what the old man whispered. His voice carried fondness as if the Pirate King was good, not the devil himself. A member of his crew pointed out with curious smiles, and the old man just gazed at him with knowing eyes.

“Pirate King is just a title given by the government, when you live as long as me…you know such titles never existed,” was the old man response before he impatiently asked him if they wanted to follow him to Konoha. To where the mystical legend of Naruto was. He smiled and nodded, only to laugh even harder when the old man promptly told them that he had no carriage and that they would their land legs. No complaining you hear, the shinobis will laugh at ya for complaining about your luxuries was what the man had declared when Deuce cried about walking for three days.

And so, they walked through the forest, a blur of trees that carried no hints of difference—the same forest scent, the same lush greenness, and the same darkness of the tree bark. With each step, he wondered how the shinobis and the people knew the path to the village. Deuce wondered the same, had asked the old man with a feverish voice as he wrote in his notebook of stories. The other members of the crew teased his first mate, mumbling about his crappy novel, and he promptly laughed and told them to not tease him. His friend looked ready to throttle them for the insults.

In the nights with the old man, he would tell them about his life. About the wars inflicted due to the shinobi. The corpses of children, of men, and women on the grass and how the air used to burn with the scent of blood. Skull called them barbarians but the old man just curled a strand end of his beard before telling them the stories about how Konoha came to be. Shinobis are people too, you can bet if their great-grandfathers or grandfathers are alive…they will remember a time when they fought amongst themselves instead of being united was the old man’s musing. He didn’t care much for it but the thought of a village being created so kids could be kids…brought a strange pang in his heart.

Garp gave Luffy and him a childhood, just not one that he wanted. Not one Luffy deserved. His little brother was lonely, used to follow him despite his harsh words. Sometimes, he regretted it. More and more with each year that passed. Luffy would always stare at him with pride, with awe and would wave his fist as he declared that he would be better than him. Would find a crew far better than his. He would, he knew. His little brother had a charm to him…even if he was a handful. That future crew of his would need to guard their food with one eye open. Just the thought brought a smile to his face.

It was on their third day when they reached the gates of Konoha, towering over them and where the buildings seemed to be both towering and crumbled. The guards had given him a look, their lips pressed into a thin line, only to tense when the old man told them about their desire. About his desire to meet Naruto. They exchanged glances and their eyes carried fondness for the myth of a woman. Everyone that sees the former tomboy of Konoha seems to end up falling for her, she has already taken Lady Tsunade’s title of being the most beautiful was what one of them had declared. They had given them entry just like that.

As soon as they were out of earshot, the old man turned to him and the crew. “With how strong Naruto has become, Konoha has become laxed because they relay on her to keep the peace,” the old man mused as people glanced at them. The women in particular eyed him. The man chuckled when he frowned at them. “Don’t ya worry about the girls here, most of ‘em won’t bite unless you try to be grabby with ‘em. Last time I was here, most of ‘em were chasing Jiraiya away ‘cuz he dared to peek at them in the hot springs,” he shook his head. “Now I doubt I would find such lively entertainment again.”

There was a longing in his voice, tears in his eyes, and Ace just scratched his neck. He carried no handkerchief with him, most of the time he wiped his mouth or hands with the apron of some barmaid. He always apologised, always tried to remind himself to buy one…then promptly forget when it came to adventure. He glanced at the Monument looming over the village, five faces and another face being made. Deuce noticed it too because he pointed to the half-sculptured face. “Are they adding Naruto to that mountain too?”

The old man blinked and glanced at the Monument, his eyes lingered on the fourth face—a stern-faced young man. Their faces were made of stone yet the fourth one looked the youngest among them. “Those faces are the Hokages,” the man explained with his hands behind his back. “Frist face you see? Senju Hashirama. Second one? His brother Tobirama. The Third Hokage?” He pointed to the third face. “Sarutobi Hiruzen—longest reigning Hokage. The Fourth Hokage was apparently Naruto’s father,” the man paused. “I say apparently because no one in Konoha knew until the war. When I look at her, I didn’t think she was his child—carried his colouring no doubt, foreign blood and all…but her grandfather never claimed her.”

He frowned. “Her grandfather?”

“Aye, I know her grandfather though he hasn’t step a foot in this island since his boy’s death,” the old man lowered his voice and darted his eyes at the civilians glancing at them. Their eyes carried the burning curiosity of brown-nosing, and he wondered if privacy existed in this village. “I know ‘cuz I was there when the Fourth Hokage’s parents met: real romantic if ya asked me. A pirate with a merchant’s daughter, he wished to marry her but her father denied it. Pirates you see was a no-go for Minato’s grandfather, with how beautiful his daughter had been…he thought he could bargain her for a Daimyo. Personally with what I knew of Naruto’s grandmother, she probably slept with the man both out of love for him and spite for her father. Bargaining his child to gain more wealth—either way the woman was kicked out. Got killed not long before Minato stumbled here. Ah but you better not let Naruto know, legend she might be but such tragedies best be hidden.”

Mihar nodded. His sniper was older than him, a teacher by trade until he roped him to come to the seas. In Wano, it was Mihar who brought books out and sat with Tama to teach her how to read and write alongside the other children. He could never take the teacher out of the pirate. The older man glanced at the children running around. “If Naruto is such a legend, wouldn’t they have made a monument for her already?”

Their question must have been loud because the chatter in the village had stop. Time halted until a boy with a long scarf took a step forward. He looked to be around the same age as Luffy, had a similar childish gleam in his eyes but there was intelligence in his eyes. Not that Luffy wasn’t smart, his brother was…a different type of smart. Around his neck was a dark blue scarf. “Because Naruto-neechan hates it,” the teen declared with a firm voice. “Besides Naruto-neechan is going to become the Hokage after Kakashi when that happens…her face is going to be carved right next to Kakashi.”

The pride in the boy’s voice reminded him of Luffy when he talked about him. His whole demeanour said that Naruto could do no wrong in his eyes, that she was a saint…and he wondered what the girl had done to inspire such loyalty. Such love. Why would she not want a monument? If it was him, he would want proof that he was beloved. He chuckled and scratched his cheek. “Now why would she hate it? You would think someone like her would love the fame.”

The boy just blinked and tugged on his scarf, wrapped it even firmer against his neck while the whole village grew quiet. Few of the villagers had their heads turn away, their eyes spoke of some guilt, and the air pressed down on them like unspoken weight. “Don’t know. Naruto-neechan used to love it when we were younger,” he shrugged. “Now it feels like…she isn’t Naruto-neechana. Think it might be because of Sasuke, she always acts mopey whenever someone brings him up…or maybe it’s ‘cuz Hokage-sama is making her do more work. She hates paperwork.”

Deuce snorted and nudged at him. “Sounds like you whenever I try to talk about supplies and budget with you.”

The brown-haired boy studied them, his eyes carried curiosity, and for the first time he noticed there was a strange headband around his forehead. The boy just looked at the third face, a face he noticed that carried some resemblance to the boy before him. “Gramps used to hate paperwork when he was alive,” the boy mumbled. “He used to mumble about how Naruto-neechan just wanted attention, I think he would be surprised how Naruto-neechan has decided to act like a hermit.”

The boy’s voice carried frustration and grief, two emotions he knew all too well. When Sabo died, he had been furious with the world. Still was. His little brother died with his hat floating in the water, all because his ship had been in the way of some Celestial Dragon. Normal people were forgotten but people like his father? They were remembered. He…he wanted to be remembered too but for himself.  To be far greater than the man that cursed him with his existence. He knew he resembled him, Garp told him as much throughout his younger years. Most of the time, it was frustration at his stubbornness.

“Where do you think we can find her?” Deuce asked. “Ace here wants to meet her, he’s pretty good at drawing people out.”

The winds picked up while he kept his smile, though in his heart he wanted to state that he wanted to fight her.  She was supposed to be the strongest in this island, she should be stronger than Kaido…and if he wished to liberate Wano, he would need to test himself against the strongest. The boy eyed him, lips pressed into a thin line, before he turned his head away. “Knowing Naruto-neechan, she will be shadowing Hokage-sama…then she will go and visit her mother’s grave. You always find her there but that’s her time with her dead mother,” his eyes levelled with him. “She deserves that time with her! You don’t know what it is like to be denied the chance to mourn someone you never met.”

He did know. When he set out to sea, he took on his mother’s name to honour her. She didn’t raise him, she died to bring him into this world, but he wanted to go to the South Blue at some point. Garp buried her there, he knew. It was her home. The winds carried her scent there or maybe it was his longing. Maybe, he wanted to imagine what life would have been like if his parents lived. If they had been normal. Why did his mother risk everything to have him?

Maybe one day, he would understand but right now he just…wanted to know why he should live.