Author: The Dark Crimson Blood
Story Title: The Edge
Chapter Title: They Pushed Him Over The Edge
Genres: Angst, Tragedy
Two-shot with the possibility of an alternate end
Words: 1,590
Summary: Luffy was weak compared to his brothers; and because of it, he was looked down on and treated differently until he reached his breaking point.

Having been out on a four day trip with Ace and Sabo; Garp hadn't expected to come home to a house that was a complete void of noise; he also hadn't expected a crying woman Garp recognized as Makino, to ring on the door minutes after they got home, Garp was tempted to ask what was wrong, but he let her speak on her own.

"A-Ace and S-Sabo need to h-hear this t-too" She had stuttered out in between sobs; and at her request, he called down both his son's and watched as they presented themselves next to him after he let the woman in.

"Is there something wrong, Miss Makino?" Sabo asked, it was obvious that she had been crying for a while now; which was something she didn't usually do.

"L-Luffy" She stuttered again; all three members of the family nearly took a step back, why would she mention Luffy?
"Luffy? What'd he do this time? Useless brat's always causing trouble…" Garp muttered; crossing his arms and nodded in approval when the other two agreed. In reply, Makino gave him the darkest glare she could as she clenched her fists.

"Where the hell were you?" Makino swore; something she rarely did, she had always been an extremely polite woman, so this was new for this family

"The three of us were on a four day trip" Ace replied hesitantly, narrowing his eyes toward the woman; he couldn't pin point what was wrong, why does she suddenly need to know all of this?

"Luffy's dead! He committed suicide four days ago! It was because of comments like that and how you treated him all the time! His funeral already passed! Why didn't you take him with you? Why didn't you treat him nicely?" The words suddenly burst out of her mouth and her tears fell out of her eyes at an even faster pace; dripping down from her cheeks in thick blobs.

"He's…" Ace began,
"Dead?" Sabo finished,

"Why?" Garp suddenly questioned; why would his son kill himself like that?

"Why?" She asked angrily, "Here" she handed the man a notebook that had the name 'Luffy' written on the front. "It was something found on the roof; right where he jumped from. If anything, the reason he died; was you three. You know, I was the only one at his funeral, he didn't have any friends; apparently, he d-didn't have any family either" She spun on her heels and slammed the door behind her, Luffy had been just like her own child; he would come over at least once each week and talk with her, she lived alone; so it was nice having a visitor.

He would tell her everything; he even confessed and said that he saw her as a mother. She had been the happiest person in the world that day, but now that he's gone, she's the saddest. She hated his family, for not being there for him, for treating him the way they did, for ignoring him, for rejecting him.

She hated his family for taking him away from her; they were the ones who pushed him over the edge in the first place.

She knew everything to, since she had been the only person outside of Luffy's house that Luffy considered important.

Now, she was heartbroken and all alone again.

Garp, Ace, and Sabo were still wide eyed and completely shocked at what had just happened; none of them had been expecting this. Ace grabbed the book out of the old man's hands and slowly, opened the book and immediately read the first page;

"7years old- I was cornered by a few kids that were a few grades above me; there were four of them, they were strong! I lost though; Garp was disappointed again. I wish I could be like Ace and Sabo; they're always getting rewards and praise for being so strong… I wish I was praised… Gifts are cool too, though. I asked them to go to our tree house together; but they call me selfish and spoiled… I probably am, they seem to be avoiding me, too; and there's this pain in my chest I can't explain either… I'll write again later."

Ace, Sabo, and Garp exchanged glances; all three were completely unsure of how to react. Did they really make Luffy feel this bad when he was only seven years old…?

"11years old- Garp isn't the only one comparing me to Ace and Sabo anymore; everyone is! All of the adults and the older kids, I wonder if I'll ever make friends like this. I tried training today; too, but I still can't meet everyone's expectations… It makes everyone sad, right? I tried studying too, but I'm not good with sitting down for long periods of time… Did I mention I've been getting sick a lot lately? I don't like being sick, I wonder if I should tell someone… Maybe I shouldn't, I'll probably get yelled at for being so weak if I do… I'm gonna go train again, maybe I'll get as strong as my older brothers if I keep this up."

Ace swallowed dryly, handing the book off to his brother, who took it hesitantly and continued for the other;

"12years old- Why can't I do what I should be able to do? Why am I so weak and useless? I'm so weak no one wants anything to do with me anymore; Ace, Sabo, and I aren't together anymore; it's like we're not friends! Were we ever friends in the first place? Or did they just pity me since I'm weak? They keep ignoring and glaring at me, I wonder what I did. Garp seems to have stopped expecting anything out of me, it's like he gave up on me; and I even saw disappointment in his eyes the other day, I disappointed him and it's my fault… I've accepted that no matter what I do, my strength and hard work will never be appreciated until it's on the same level as Ace and Sabo's."

Another pause and Sabo's breath hitched, no one made a move to take the notebook from him, so he continued.

"13years o-old—I'm thirteen now, but my birthday went un-celebrated again. Garp pushed me into a pool today; I think it's sad I still can't swim… Garp, Ace, and Sabo watched me struggle to get out of the pool, maybe they wanted me to drown? They'd have one less problem on their hands, wouldn't they? Garp seemed to be disappointed when he saw me struggle, and embarrassed… I'm thirteen, damn it! I should be able to swim; I'd have asked someone to teach me… But no one here likes me; and Makino rarely goes swimming."

He handed the book back to Ace, despite how the other was hesitating to take it; he flipped the page and began reading,

"14years old—I'm still getting sick; but I decided to keep training instead of resting, if I kept resting and taking breaks; I'd never get stronger. By the time I went to rest on the roof; my face was completely red, and I was having trouble breathing; my heart was beating faster and faster and my chest felt like it was gonna burst. Is it normal for a person to get sick all the time like this? Maybe it means that I'm dying… If I died; what would happen to everyone? I don't have any friends; so the only person who'd be there at my funeral is Makino. Garp, Sabo, and Ace would probably go to celebrate; they never liked me, anyway. They wouldn't have to be disappointed in me anymore! They'd probably throw the biggest party ever, and I'd finally make everyone happy! If I died, they'd all be happy! They'd all be proud of me for making them happy! Makino, if you're reading this; I'm sorry, but thanks for being my only friend; 'mom'"

The notebook went blank from that point on and it was carelessly handed back to Garp; "He thought… We hated him?" Ace asked, voice shaking as he clenched his fists in an attempt to hold back whatever tears were forming in his eyes.

"He thought we'd celebrate his death?" Sabo continued, repeating Ace's actions.

Garp was silent as his sons continued to question Luffy's words; he silently put the book on the end table. Luffy had been his grandson; his only grandson, and it was because of him he was gone; and that he was never coming back.

'You're wrong, Luffy. We wouldn't celebrate, we'd mourn.' Garp thought guiltily as he left the room; it wasn't just Luffy he had failed; but his own son, Dragon as well.

Ace blamed himself, he had treated Luffy in such a harsh way and completely forgot that his cute little brother was three years younger than them; he had helped drive Luffy off the edge, and Sabo felt the same

But what was done was done, and there was no way they could bring him back and apologize; they'd be living with this guilt for the rest of their lives.

They had pushed him over the edge without a second thought

'We're sorry, Luffy'