The sun had just dipped into the horizon, bleeding amber and crimson across the restless sea. The waves lapped gently at the ship's hull, the wood groaning and sighing with every sway.
The salt-kissed breeze tangled Luffy's hair as he reclined in his chair on deck, exhaling a long, tired breath.
For a whole day, he'd pushed the limits of the Moa Moa no Mi, not in a single stretch, but in sharp, precise bursts, each time bending the very wind and current to vault the ship ahead. Each use had cost him a slice of energy, and now the fatigue seeped into his bones like cold mist.
Creak… creak…
The deckboards spoke quietly beneath deliberate steps.
From the corner of his eye, Luffy noticed Gion approaching, her slender figure haloed by the dying sunlight. The marine coat she draped casually over her shoulders fluttered, revealing smooth, powerful legs and the curve of her waist. Her long black hair shimmered like a river of silk.
She stopped beside his recliner, hands on her hips, her gaze softening.
"Ara, ara… our Vice Admiral looks troubled," She teased gently, her voice warm as sake on a winter night. "Shouldn't this be the time to relax and enjoy the view?"
Luffy tilted his head back to look at her, a small, tired grin ghosting over his lips.
"Gion…" He began, his tone unusually candid, "I was just thinking."
He let out a breath, eyes narrowing slightly at the darkening horizon. "Two annoyances might catch up and ruin this little adventure of ours."
Gion's lips twitched. She moved closer and, without waiting for permission, gracefully lowered herself beside him on the edge of the recliner.
The wood groaned softly under the new weight. Her scent was fresh as the sea breeze, faintly floral, drifted around him.
"Oh? Do share, Luffy-kun," She murmured, the corners of her lips lifting as she looked at him sidelong.
Luffy ran a hand through his black hair, frustration flashing briefly across his gaze.
"First, Admiral Kuzan," He began, voice low, almost thoughtful. "He left Marineford to chase us on Sengoku's orders. I've accounted for that, but if he keeps coming, it could still turn into trouble."
He paused, thumb rubbing his jaw. "And the second… the patrol ships and scouts scattered across the seas. Our ship is… eye-catching, to say the least."
A small chuckle escaped him, humorless but resigned. "Every wandering report might help Kuzan track us faster."
Gion listened quietly, her pink hair sliding forward to curtain part of her face. Her gaze, however, stayed sharp, perceptive.
Then, without warning, she giggled softly, a melodious sound that shimmered over the quiet deck.
"Fufufu… Luffy-kun, aren't you overthinking?" She teased, her tone both warm and lightly scolding. She nudged his arm gently with her shoulder, her long hair brushing against his skin.
"You speak as though you're a fugitive," she said, eyes gleaming playfully. "But aren't you an officer of the Marines, Vice Admiral?"
She raised a delicate eyebrow, lips curving in amusement. "And more importantly… even if Kuzan catches up, isn't it more reassuring to let him follow along? Like having a lazy, cold watchdog trailing us?"
Luffy blinked, her words sinking in like warm water over sore muscles.
"Let Kuzan come with us…" He murmured, mulling it over. His lips slowly stretched into a lopsided grin. "That… makes sense."
He leaned back further, the recliner squeaking softly.
"Maybe I was overthinking," He admitted, the heaviness in his voice melting.
Gion's eyes sparkled, pleased, and she straightened a little, planting her palm gently against the swell of her chest.
"Of course you were," She declared, lightly teasing but affectionate. "Leave some of the worrying to us, won't you?"
She paused, her gaze softening, the teasing fading just a little. "You've already done enough to get us this far, Luffy-kun."
For a fleeting heartbeat, Luffy studied her face in the waning light, the faint smudges of tiredness near her lashes, the curve of her lips, the strength in the elegant line of her neck.
The warmth of her presence seeped into him, soothing and steadying.
A rare, genuine smile tugged at his mouth.
"Thanks, Gion," He murmured, voice low, almost private.
She tilted her head, a strand of pink hair slipping over her shoulder, catching the last rays of gold.
"Fufufu… think nothing of it," She purred, her voice dipping into a lower, silkier register. Then she rose gracefully, the hem of her coat swishing around her thighs.
"Rest, my man," She added teasingly, placing a playful stress on the words, "We'll handle the next leg of the journey."
Thud… thud…
Her boots padded softly across the deck as she walked away, hips swaying faintly.
Luffy watched her go, amusement flickering in his eyes.
"Tch… woman knows how to have the last word," He muttered under his breath, but there was no heat in it.
He let his head sink into the recliner, closing his eyes, the sound of the waves and the distant cries of gulls lulling him.
For now, the night was calm, and in that brief peace, even a cunning mind could rest.
------
The sea stretched out endlessly, a vast canvas of shifting blues and foam. Above, seagulls circled lazily, cawing as they danced on warm currents of air.
In the middle of this serene expanse, there was an oddly comical sight.
A lone man, tall and lean, dressed in a Marine coat draped carelessly over his shoulders… slowly pedaling a small, ice-rimmed bicycle across the ocean's surface.
Squeak… squeak… splash… splash…
The tires bit into the thin crust of ice that bloomed under each wheel, the sea cracking and freezing anew with every rotation.
Aokiji hunched slightly over the handlebars, his long limbs folding and unfolding in a slow, almost lazy rhythm.
But there was no hiding the faint crease of annoyance between his brows, or the quiet, drawn-out sigh that slipped from his lips.
"Yare yare da…" He groaned softly, voice raspy from the salty breeze.
"I should have taken my vacation... now I am stuck here..."
His breath misted faintly in the cool air, even under the afternoon sun.
Squeak… squeak…
The old bicycle protested under his weight, the metal frame quivering with each reluctant push.
Kuzan's half-lidded eyes drifted to the horizon, where the warship had long since disappeared from view.
"Chasing that brat for nearly a whole day… and still not catching up…" He muttered, voice low and wry.
He paused, chest rising and falling in another sigh so deep it seemed to come from his bones.
His mind drifted to Luffy, that boy with his signature grin, a soul burning with reckless defiance, just like…
"…Just like that troublesome old man, Garp," Kuzan murmured, lips quirking despite himself.
A faint chuckle rumbled in his chest, reluctant but genuine.
"Free-spirited idiots must run in the family…"
But the amusement faded, replaced by bone-deep weariness.
"Tch… all I wanted… was to lie down under some shady tree…"
He let his head droop forward, chin almost brushing the handlebars, eyes nearly closing. "Maybe take a nap… listen to the waves… feel the breeze… that's all I asked for…"
Splash… squeak… splash…
The bicycle lurched slightly, ice crackling under the tires as he pedaled on autopilot.
A few lazy seagulls swooped closer, curious about the lone man on an ice path that vanished as quickly as it formed.
"Shoo… shoo…" Kuzan mumbled halfheartedly, lifting a hand and waving them off, but barely mustering the effort.
He blew out a breath, watching the vapor curl away.
"Man… this job…" He drawled, voice tired and amused at once. "I swear… it's nothing but headaches…"
But even as he grumbled, there was a sliver of fondness beneath the annoyance, the grudging respect an old wolf feels for a young pup refusing to heel.
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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