𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 ➳ 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐚 (one piece fanfic)

Chapter 80 🌞🌞

"I'm going back to the Revolutionary Army," Sky bid her farewell the next day. "It's been nice traveling with you but duty calls." That was the decision Sky had made after being with them for a while, going on adventures was nice, it truly was but she never could forgot that there were still people like her, stuck in cells left to rot. And as long as that thought festered in her mind, she could never truly enjoy her freedom.

As for Konan, she also left a little after.

Luffy was clinging onto her with all his strength but despite her injuries, she easily escaped. "Let's meet again when you're stronger, continue growing Luffy. I'm proud of you." She smoothed out his hair one last time before dispersing with the wind.

Staying longer sounded nice, but in reality she knew that a lot of people were after her now, including Marines. And if Garp was nice enough to let her go, she knew the next time they met it probably wouldn't be the case. Plus she had spotted an admiral not very far from Enies Lobby and staying any longer would be detrimental to Luffy. His bounty wasn't high enough to warrant an admiral attacking him but hers now was.

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A quiet ceremony was organized at the Marine Headquarters to honor the fallen of the Enies Lobby battle. The higher-ups had decided to quietly bury the case to avoid any more shame, thus no one was truly punished except for Spandam who caused the whole mess.

Nanko stood, bandaged, straight, in front of the fire lit in honor of the dead. No one could decipher his somber face but they didn't dare approach him. Ever since he had come back he had been oddly silent. They simply thought he was mourning. He stayed for a long time in front of the fire, till most people had left.

Hina silently stood by his side, offering her presence.

Nanko watched the ember flicker with vigor. He wanted to put his hand in the flame, to feel the warmth, to feel his hand melt slowly, excruciatingly. To feel something. But something in him was turned off that day.

He wanted to mourn those people whose name he barely knew, but it wouldn't be sincere nor wanted. No victim would want their murderer to mourn them. Because mourning would mean moving on, forgetting, living on.

He wanted to scream, to punch something, to hurt himself, anything to reassure himself, to know that he was still human, but he stood still. No tears came, no anger, no frustration, he was simply still. His emotions had faded to a quiet sizzle as he watched on.

He didn't deserve to be angry, not at himself nor at the world.

At that moment all he could think about was how nice sleeping would be, to not hear all those voices in his head, to not have to think again. Just eternal silence and rest. To not have to live through his mess of a life any longer.

But that would be too nice, he didn't deserve such a sweet ending. Not when he was the one who created such a mess in the first place.

He would die buried in the cords of his lies, strangled by his creation. That would be a more fitting ending for a liar with bloody hands.

He had to keep living on, tiredness etched to his bones, dragging the skeletons caused by his mistakes, till a hero came along and ended his life.

"Your hand is bleeding, Nanko," Hina gently uncurled his hand, rubbing the wounds caused by his fingernails. "Nanko..." her voice was pained as she looked at him, she saw his eye bags, the small wounds on his face, his sunken cheeks. He tried to smile when he looked at her, but she shook her head. He could fool anyone else but not her, she had been by his side for too long. And it hurt her to see him so lost, without his usual spark, without his cheeky arrogance.

"Come with me." She quietly led him away from the crowd, glancing at him once in a while.

They were temporarily stopped by Smoker who put a hand on Nanko's. He was quiet as he looked at Nanko straight in the eyes. "They knew what they were getting into, we all do. It's part of the deal. " He patted his shoulder before walking away, "Don't beat yourself up too much, this is the life they choose. They died an honorable death."

Honorable. That word seemed so risible to Nanko's ears.

"He's right you know," Hina added as an afterthought before dragging him into their dorm, one they hadn't used in a while.

As she closed the door behind her, she was surprised as Nanko tightly hugged her. Hina didn't resist, she brought her arms around his chest, careful to not worsen his injuries.

"You're my best friend you know, you'll always be someone I care a lot about," she whispered to him, bringing her hands up to gently caress his hair. "Doesn't matter what you do, I'll always be there for you." She couldn't see his face but she felt him move slightly.

"You'll be disappointed, and hurt," he spoke hoarsely, his voice cracking. He buried his face in her neck. "You'll regret it." That sounded oddly like a promise.

Hina shook her head, her chest throbbing painfully. She knew he was trying to push her away but she couldn't accept it, not when his arms were tightening around her begging her not to agree. "I won't leave you alone. Without someone by your side, you'll sink."

It didn't matter if it wasn't her, but someone had to anchor him. She had seen it, the way he closed onto himself and put on a mask, coming back the next day, smiling and joking around, like he wasn't falling apart every second. Like she couldn't hear him wake up with muffled screams, twisting and turning in his sleep. Like she didn't know, he only hugged her when he wanted to hide his face.

She didn't know if she would ever be enough to share his burden but he couldn't continue carrying it alone. And for as long as he allowed her to, she wanted to help ease his pain. Even if it tore her apart to be so helpless while watching him suffer silently. Even if she knew she would never fully understand what he was going through.

"I think we should go on a vacation once all of this is settled," she spoke, rubbing his back. Nanko tightened his grip, like he was afraid she would disappear the moment he let go.

When he didn't answer, she continued, "I'll ask our superiors." A vacation sounded nice to take their minds off of things.

Perhaps it sounded too nice, because in the end, they never went on that vacation.

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after watching one piece red, i really want to try my hand at a kind soul turned corrupted villain XD won't do it though (or will I?) jk