𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 ➳ 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐚 (one piece fanfic)

Side-story : a father's excuses

"Father, I want to change things," a bruised teenager shouted, a fire burning brightly in his eyes.

Against everyone's words, he created the Revolution. At first, he was alone against the world. Fighting for a future only he could see. Still, he persevered, remaining firm in his beliefs. And slowly but surely, people started gathering under his flag.

They put their trust in him, they entrusted their lives to a man who announced he would overthrow the government. Thousands gathered. And the burden on his shoulders grew. They believed him, henceforth failing became something that wasn't an option. He had to prove to the world, to those who believed he would fail miserably, to those who chose to follow him, that he didn't make a mistake in following this path.

He doubted countless times, fear gripping him and latching onto him during every second of his life, one wrong move and the entire pyramid would collapse, taking with it all those who chose to believe in him. Despite the crippling doubt, he had to put on a strong front, grin and beam. He was the leader, he couldn't be weak, he had no rights to, not when the world's eyes were driven on him, watching his every move, waiting. Waiting for him to falter, to show weakness.

It was a burden he had to bear alone, he had to bury that doubt and make it his strength, that doubt became what kept him alive. Doubting his every move made him move with caution and care, always watching his back and keeping a wary eye on everything. It kept him awake at night.

Dragon was a strong and confident man, with ambitions for a better world.

Luffy's father was a lonely soul, scarred by a hundred battles, yet preparing for a thousand others.

He could never force this life upon his son. To protect him, he sent him away from his sight, where his enemies could never reach. He entrusted him to his own father whom he failed. He thought that maybe it would be alright if Luffy decided to live an ordinary life, to stay away from troubles and live a carefree life without having to fear for his life every day.

As the years passed, he chose to forget about this son of his. Just like he once discarded his family name, he pushed away his family. Better forgotten than them being a daily reminder of what he couldn't have, a bitter pain he could never erase. And perhaps in some hidden parts of his heart, beside the doubts, he held a tiny yearning for his son, of the one whose name was the only thing he knew about.

When he first saw him, all grown and bright, he felt regret build up.

Luffy didn't even look at him, too focused on saving his brother. He didn't acknowledge him. He had found his own family. Sabo, Ace, and Konan. A family in which Dragon didn't belong, in which there was no place for him. However, it was too late for remorse.

What right did he have to be Luffy's father when he wasn't present for him as he grew up. What kind of father was he to not even know his son's favorite color or what he liked to eat or even what his dream was. He knew nothing about his blood-related son.

"Uncle? I'm hungry, hurry up," Luffy shouted with a bright smile, calling out to Dragon.

Dragon wanted desperately to tell him, to ask him to call him 'father' but he dared not. Guilt crippled him, ate him from inside preventing any word from escaping his mouth. All he could do was smile and indulge the child.

He was a coward who couldn't muster the courage to face his kid. He didn't feel the strength in himself to see the disappointment in his child's eyes. Maybe he would be sad, angry, bitter, and he would have all the rights to. Dragon would accept all the wrath of the son he had abandoned.

But not now, no. He couldn't do it that day. He couldn't bear to watch Luffy's bright smile disappear and fall. Not after he had already suffered from his brother's memory loss.

He knew all too well that these were just excuses to delay his impendent doom, that the fleeting joy he felt would soon come crashing down and that he would once again be left alone. So just for a little while, he thought, it wouldn't be so bad to enjoy the presence of his son.

What he didn't expect was Luffy's reaction when he finally told him a few months later.

Luffy looked at him puzzled, tilting his head, "I already knew that!"

Dragon's mouth dropped open in shock, relief washing over him. "How?"

Luffy only smiled innocently, unaware of his father's plight and the distress it caused him over the course of a few months. "Konan told me a long time ago!"

"Then-" Dragon's mind stopped, before rewinding all the time he thought Luffy wasn't aware before a question naturally came, "Why did you call me uncle all this time?" Every time this word came out of his mouth, it further added to his pain, plunging the knife of guilt deeper and deeper with each passing day. All those times he wanted but couldn't bring up the subject, all those times torturing himself over the matter, all for naught.

Luffy's grin stretched wider, his next words almost making Dragon cough up blood, "Konan told me you should suffer a bit before I can call you dad."

"Then-" Dragon hesitated, a glimmer of hope building up before he looked down at the silence. He didn't deserve it; he was a horrible father.

"Sure!" Luffy grinned, "I always wanted to have a dad but grandpa wouldn't tell me anything about you." He pouted in remembrance before jumping to hug the man he had come to like during his stay, "Dad!"

Dragon walked to the door, Luffy still in his arm, and suddenly opened it, looking down with a hint of laughter at the two kids on the floor who had been spying on them. They looked at the two hugging, a glimmer of yearning in their eyes, yet they didn't open their mouths to voice their thoughts.

Dragon raised an eyebrow before opening his arm silently. And it didn't take long for the two to jump on him, making them all fall on the floor.

While the happy little group rejoiced, elsewhere an old man was cursing and fuming. "Where is my grandson, you unfilial brat!"

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if there's one thing I like doing when writing it's exploring perspectives, dragon's pov was fun to write, hope you enjoyed it too (＾▽＾)