Kotodama

Fandom: One Piece

Rating: T (still work-safe, I guess)

Genre: Romance-Drama-Piece of Life

Pairing: Ace x Luffy

Disclaimer: If I owned One Piece, every hot boy in this fandom would become gay

Warning: shounen ai (AceLuff, mentioning ShanksLuff), semi-AU, foul language

Summary: Words are the only wave in human's body that can affect people's fate directly with their power...

A/N: Set in Fruschia Village ten years ago, after Shanks rescued Luffy, but before he left the village. Then there are spoilers to chapter 556 setting as well. This story is inspired by a doujinshi "Boys be Ambitious" circled by Imada Makoto (I recommend this wonderful AceLuff doujinshi for whoever has never read it. It's very deep, meaningful and beautiful XD)

Well, I just want to make something new for this pairing XP. Enjoy~

Kotodama

Sometimes, people didn't realize that their words have powers.

They didn't realize that a single word coming from someone precious to another can affect them in a way that leads their destiny into destruction or salvation.

Ace and Luffy were no exception. Even though they didn't realize it, they were affected a lot and they led their life because of the power of those words coming from people dear to them.

"Ace, do you really want to become a pirate?" An eight year old Luffy asked his older brother when they were walking along the shoreline.

"You want to become one too, right?" Ace asked back, not answering yet.

"Yeah, pirates are cool! Shanks told me a lot about them and they're great!" Luffy beamed with sparkling eyes.

A vein popped up on the freckled boy's head when he heard the name of the infamous Red Hair Pirate. "Why does our conversation subject always end up on that abnormal pedophile bastard?" He muttered lowly in annoyance at that.

"What's pedophile?" Luffy asked, unintentionally hearing the mumble.

"They're bad people." Ace said sharply, as if his words had become the thorn itself.

"Shanks isn't bad!" Luffy protested. "He's a pirate, but he isn't bad!" the younger Monkey D. continued while pouting angrily at Ace. "He saved my life...."

That's right... Ace realized that fully. The one who saved Luffy that day was Shanks, and wasn't him.

Luffy had been fond of that Red Hair for a long time and Ace realized that his baby brother idolized the man very much, but still, Ace didn't like it, not one bit. Might be Shanks was not as bad as he thought, but he still gave a hive of a man who could do harm to Luffy, not physically maybe, but mentally, YES!

His action sacrificing his own life, saving Luffy and losing his right limb had scarred the younger boy in a way that Luffy would owe him his life. Whatever Shanks told the boy to do, Luffy would definitely do it without hesitation or a second thought. That was what Ace was afraid of.

If that red hair has a slightest interest in Luffy in that way... Ace grimaced as his imagination began to run wild. He swore he would kill the bastard himself it that ever happened.

"Don't get too familiar with him, Luff. He's still dangerous in a certain way," Ace said finally, giving his baby brother a warning.

"In what way are you talking about?" Luffy asked again.

Ace didn't know how to answer this. He had never witnessed such things and he didn't plan to witness anything. He just knew it was a bad thing and Ace didn't want his Luffy to get hurt because of it. "He's still an outlaw," he gave his general answer.

"Shanks will not do anything bad to our village," Luffy defended his hero.

"I don't care about the village. I care more about you," Ace said again, now feeling a bit tired at the long boring conversation about that red-head. Ace stopped walking and sat down on the sand.

"Shanks will not hurt me," Luffy followed his brother, sitting beside him while staring at Ace's tired face innocently.

"You don't know that," Ace said slowly and ruffled Luffy's hair. "He might someday," he spoke again while looking at Luffy's cute face caringly.

"You don't know that too," Luffy pouted at Ace again.

Ace laughed slightly at that. "But I know...," he whispered silently while taking Luffy's smaller body to his lap and kissed his forehead, "-and I don't want to see Luffy crying again," he continued and hugged him lovingly.

"I won't cry anymore," Luffy said while grasping Ace's longer hair lightly.

"Liar, you're a crybaby," Ace grinned teasingly.

"I am not!" Luffy denied that, trying to look angry, but turning out to look like sulking.

Ace giggled at Luffy's cute expression. "Then promise me. Don't go off by yourself and get hurt in the process. I will always be by your side," Ace put his forehead on Luffy's and smiled at the younger tenderly.

Ace words had a nice ring in Luffy's ears. The smaller boy smiled at him as well. "I'll become stronger and then become the Pirate King!" Luffy exclaimed happily.

"Pirate King... sounds fun. I will become one too, I guess," Ace grinned more at that.

"Hey!" Luffy protested again in a pouty expression and Ace couldn't help laughing at him.

Aah, Luffy was just so much fun to tease.

"Can we become Pirate King together then?" Luffy asked Ace then, with a hopeful gaze and expression.

"Let's wish it out loud together," Ace said while standing up again and offering his hand to Luffy's to help the younger boy stand.

"Shanks said there are so many things out there to look for and to behold," Luffy said again as he stood, his hand on Ace's.

"What kind of things?" Ace asked while starting his walk again.

"I told him I dreamed about dinosaurs, giants and islands beyond the sky and under the sea, and he said they were real!" Luffy grinned widely at that.

"Then you shall see them with your own eyes someday," Ace smiled fondly at the dreamy expression Luffy made. Pirates are dreamers, huh?

"Ace will see them too, right?" Luffy said cheerily.

Ace was surprised at first, but then he grinned as well. "Definitely!" he responded with the same enthusiasm as Luffy's. "And I'll make sure to make the giants my friends!" Ace added for a good measure.

"I will make a lot of friends too, not just the giants, but also the mermaids and the mermen!" Luffy didn't want to lose.

They talked out their dreams; they wished it seriously from the bottom of their hearts. Their words became a powerful strength for each other to pursue their dreams.

Ace smiled small in the middle of the chaos of the battlefield at the piece of memory that entered his head conveniently.

Our dreams...are still being carried out.... I never expected that I would be the one who're tripped on the way...

Ace set his gaze at the battle of Sichibukai and Marine troops with Shirohige and their allies.

"Never expected that I would be the reason of this era ending," Ace spoke lowly while reflecting on his own stupidity.

Dreams... we still haven't reached it yet. I am sorry... Luffy....

"AAAAAAACE!"

A familiar shouting was heard from afar. Ace couldn't help widening his eyes as he heard it. It must have been his imagination. He wouldn't be in that place...

Ace looked up at the sky and there he was, his baby brother, flying down to his direction.

"Luf—!?"

Ace hadn't even said his name as the younger boy (and some people ha didn't know) fell on the execution ground.

Ace was dumbfounded when Luffy stood and grinned at him despite the uproar of the marines and the pirates.

"We made it in time! Ace! You're still alive!" Luffy shouted joyfully as he hugged the handcuffed confused older brother. "We're getting out of here! We'll become the Pirate King together! We can do it!"

The waves of power from Luffy's words got in Ace's mind and heart.

Luffy was totally right. They hadn't lost yet. The dreams...were still alive.

"Get someone to get rid of this cuff. I'll burn this place down with our dreams!" Ace grinned at Luffy as well, despite his horrible state.

Luffy gomu-gomu kicks and punches were flying around, trying to clear the marines that noticed his appearance and attempted to catch him.

"We will WIN this war!" Ace and Luffy now stood back to back without fear.

They would win. They would definitely win; because they had the power of conviction on their backs; because they had the power of those words and resolution inside their hearts.

They were the pirates of this era and the men who would become the Pirate Kings.

The End

Note:

Kotodama: literally means that word also has its own power to bind people. It's one of the believes existing in Japan.

A/N: I really wanted to make this after I read the manga last chapter and that doujinshi. XD Aah, Ace and Luffy are so compatible! They're the best! XD The idea actually perked up when I read one very deep sentence by Shanks in the doujinshi 'Boys be Ambitious':

"What I do understand is human...are the only species that can kill with only words."

When I thought deeply about the meaning behind those words, I got this electricity running down my spine. It's a very beautiful yet terrifying line. The words hooked me so much that made me reflect on my own life. "How many times have I killed people with my words alone?" That question or something in that line keeps popping up in my mind after that.

Anyway, I had fun when I made this fic. I had fun reading the doujin too. This fic is not as deep as the doujin, but I hope it will become a contribution to AceLuff pairing. ^__^ I really-really love them, indeed.