One Piece AU Luffy Charlotte
By: FunahoMisaki
(AN: I own nothing and read last chapter)
What would usually be a half a day's journey was a quick trip through the mirroworld, something which had Luffy's eyes wide as he bounced around with glee and pressed his face against several mirrors, and Brulee currently had a very excited and amazed little boy holding onto her arm and dangling from it. What was usually a quick trip through the mirroworld was taking far longer than it should because they kept having to corral the excited and adventurous boy.
"And your scar is really cool! I got a scar too see! But mine's not as cool! How'd you get it?" Luffy asked making Katakuri and Brulee both stop dead in their tracks for a moment as memories surged against their wishes.
"I got it when I was little, no older than you. Some older boys were saying mean things about my brother so I yelled at them. They cut me cause they couldn't hurt him." Brulee said softly as she glanced up at Katakuri and Luffy stared up at her with bright innocent eyes.
"Well that's stupid. A bunch of cowards like that…I hate guys like that." Luffy said frowning slightly but nodding and making Smoothie nod her agreement.
"Some people are too strong so their enemies go after the weaker family." Brulee said shaking her head slightly as she thought about it, agreeing with the boy about the cowards.
"Like when Bluejam beat me with the knives on his gloves cause he couldn't get Ace-nii or Sabo-nii." Luffy said nodding his agreement and the older pirates all felt their breath hitch in their throats. The boy had been tortured before? Because of his brothers?
"Is that how you got your scar?" Brulee asked in sympathy and Luffy looked confused, making Brulee touch the scar under his eye gently.
"Oh! Not that one! I got one on my side from him but nah! I did this one!" Luffy said grinning up at her as if there was nothing wrong with what he just said.
"You did it?" Smoothie asked raising an eyebrow at the boy who nodded with a grin.
"Yeah! I wanted to prove that I was brave and strong so I stabbed myself! I wanted to prove I was brave enough to be a pirate!" Luffy said with a beaming grin and the three siblings were silent for a moment before Katakuri pinched the bridge of his nose while Brulee shook her head in disbelief.
"Wow." Pudding was wide eyed as she stared at him from Smoothie's arms.
"But your scar is even cooler. You got it cause you yelled at them for making fun of your brother. You stood up for your brother against bigger and older guys. You're really brave!" Luffy said giving Brulee a bright smile that nearly blinded her while she stared at him in wide eyed shock. Most children, even her own siblings until they were used to her, were scared of her because of her looks. Half of the blame was laid on her scar giving her an even more terrifying appearance than normal.
She hated this scar because of the pain she knew it caused Katakuri but…the boy had a point. She had gotten it because she had stood up for her brother against older and bigger kids. She…they had cut her up and for so long she hated the scar because she knew it hurt her beloved older brother to see it. But…it was also a badge right? A badge that she had known she'd be hurt but still stood her ground and stood up for her favorite brother. A badge of bravery.
"Wiwiwiwi. You're right. I guess it is kind of cool then huh?" Brulee asked laughing slightly and there were tears stinging her eyes as she smiled back at the boy who nodded his head.
"Yeah! Sabo-nii said scars are like tattoos but with better stories! Cause they have memories attached. Ace-nii said that not all memories are good but all memories make you stronger than you were before." Luffy said brightly and Brulee smiled softly at the boy. Stronger than she was before? Yeah…yeah she was a lot stronger than she had been as a child. Memories? Memories of standing up for her big brother. Memories of her and Broye having both shouted at the mean kids and Brulee shoving her sister and telling her to run and get their brothers when the guys brought out knives.
"Yeah. Memories make us stronger." Brulee agreed with a smile and Katakuri and Smoothie were staring at her surprised but that quickly shifted to happiness. They knew how much her scar had bothered her, although for different reasons, and to see her suddenly relaxing so much about it…
"Chu~" Everyone was surprised when Luffy kissed part of Brulee's scar on her forehead.
"There! Whenever I feel bad cause of my scars Makino, Ace-nii, Sabo-nii and sometimes Dadan when she thinks we're asleep will kiss it better. Did it work?" Luffy asked staring at Brulee with wide sparkling eyes that were a bit hopeful, hoping he had helped her.
"Wiwiwiwiwiwi!" Brulee laughed and was beaming brightly, smiling brighter than her siblings had seen in a long time, as she tightened her grip on the boy.
"Yes. It made it lots better. Thank you little one." Brulee said making the boy grin up at her and laugh happily.
"Shishishishi! Good!" Luffy said and he didn't even try to get down or anything anymore as he let Brulee carry him as they started moving towards some more mirrors, Smoothie and Katakuri noting that Brulee was moving as if a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.
"I think my sisters and brothers are going to like you. I have lots of siblings and they like kids." Brulee said talking with Luffy happily as she led the way through the mirroworld towards a mirror in her mothers castle, near the entrance where she knew Perospero-onii-san would be waiting.
"Cool! I only have Ace-nii now…" Luffy said and his smile dimmed a bit while Brulee's smile dropped.
"What happened to the Sabo-nii you mentioned?" Brulee asked gently and Katakuri winced, hearing the boys answer before he said it.
"His mean parents burnt down our home and when he had to set sail early to get away from them he was shot down by some stupid dragon guy. Sabo-nii didn't make it, so now all I have is Ace-nii and Jiji but I don't like Jiji. He keeps trying to train me to be a marine and I don't like marines…and his fists hurt!" Luffy said whining at the end as his hands covered the top of his head, recalling his grandpa's 'Fist of Love' that managed to hurt him despite him being rubber.
Brulee's eyes flashed darkly and Smoothie scowled slightly at those words. So an abusive grandfather who knew and used Haki on an eight year old to try and force him into being a marine?
Well. The two Charlotte sisters would have quite a few things to say about that. For now Brulee adjusted her hold on the boy a bit as she tightened her grip, as if the boy would be taken as soon as she let him go.
"Don't worry little one. We're all really strong. Your mean jiji won't be able to make you be a marine or hit you anymore."