As the Son of Mihawk in One Piece

Consciousness returned slowly, like wading through thick fog.

Leon first became aware of pain - a dull, persistent throbbing across his torso and shoulder.

Then came the sensation of rough fabric beneath his fingertips, the smell of medicinal herbs, and finally, sound - a gentle snoring nearby.

He opened his golden eyes to an unfamiliar wooden ceiling. Morning light filtered through a small window. Attempting to sit up sent a sharp pain lancing through his side, forcing a hiss between his teeth.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," came a calm voice.

Leon turned his head to see an older man with spectacles approaching - the village doctor. Behind him, slumped in a chair and snoring softly, was Luffy, bandaged but looking far better than when Leon had last seen him.

"How long?" Leon asked, his voice raspy from disuse.

"Two days," the doctor replied, checking Leon's bandages with practiced hands. "You lost a dangerous amount of blood. Those wounds should have been treated immediately, not after you'd walked miles through the forest."

Leon winced as the doctor prodded a particularly sensitive spot. "Luffy needed help first."

"So I gathered." The doctor's expression softened slightly. "Your brother hasn't left that chair since you collapsed. The other two only left to get food."

Brother. The word struck Leon oddly. He'd used it himself before, but hearing it from someone else made it seem more real.

"The damage was extensive," the doctor continued. "Multiple puncture wounds from some kind of spiked weapon, torn muscle tissue, significant blood loss. You're lucky to be alive, young man."

Leon nodded slightly. "When can I move?"

The doctor raised an eyebrow. "Eager to undo my work? Not for several days at least. Those wounds will reopen if you push yourself."

A soft snort from the chair interrupted them as Luffy stirred, rubbing his eyes. When he spotted Leon awake, his face lit up like the sun breaking through clouds.

"LEON!" he shouted, launching himself from the chair. "You're awake! Ace! Sabo! He's awake!"

The doctor barely managed to intercept Luffy before he could tackle Leon's injured body. "Careful! What did I tell you about jumping on patients?"

Luffy squirmed in the doctor's grasp. "But he's been sleeping forever! I was worried!"

The door burst open as Ace and Sabo rushed in, clearly having heard Luffy's shout from outside. Both boys looked unusually disheveled, with dark circles under their eyes suggesting they hadn't slept much.

"You're finally up," Ace said, trying to sound casual despite the obvious relief in his voice.

Sabo stepped forward, his top hat missing and blonde hair sticking up at odd angles. "How do you feel?"

"Like I was stabbed multiple times and lost half my blood," Leon replied dryly.

Luffy, having escaped the doctor's grasp, carefully approached the bed. "You saved me," he said, uncharacteristically serious. "You beat up all those bad guys by yourself."

Leon's eyes flicked briefly to Ace, noting the emotions crossing the older boy's face -shame, gratitude, and something harder to define.

"That's what family does," Leon said simply.

The moment was interrupted by the arrival of Makino, who entered carrying a tray of food. Her kind face brightened when she saw Leon awake.

"Thank goodness," she said, setting the tray down. "We've all been so worried."

The doctor excused himself to check on other patients, leaving the four boys with Makino. She helped Leon sit up, supporting him with pillows as he winced through the movement.

"You boys have been very mysterious about what happened," she commented, pouring water for Leon. "Something about 'bad men' in Gray Terminal?"

"Just some pirates who thought they could push us around," Sabo answered smoothly. "Nothing to worry about now."

Makino looked unconvinced but didn't press further. "Well, you need to eat to regain your strength," she said, placing a bowl of rice porridge before Leon.

As they ate, Leon observed the others. Something had changed in his absence. Ace was quieter, Sabo acted as a mediator, keeping Luffy from getting too excited while maintaining conversation.

And Luffy - despite his bandages and obvious discomfort - seemed happier than Leon had ever seen him.

"The whole village is talking about the fire in Gray Terminal," Makino mentioned casually. "They say someone burned down an old tannery with several men inside."

Leon continued eating without reaction, though he felt Ace and Sabo's eyes on him.

"Really scary," Luffy commented through a mouthful of food, seemingly oblivious to the tension. "Good thing we weren't there!"

Makino smiled indulgently at Luffy's poor attempt at deception. "Of course. Just be careful out there, all of you. There are dangerous people in this world."

After she left, Sabo turned to Leon. "People are saying a demon with golden eyes did it," he said quietly. "They're calling you the 'golden-eyed devil' in Gray Terminal."

Leon allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. "Kind of over the top, but good. It's exactly what I wanted."

"You're crazy," Ace muttered, but there was a hint of admiration in his voice.

"Crazy awesome!" Luffy declared, punching the air and immediately wincing at the movement.

-----------------------

The next few days passed in a pattern.

The doctor would check Leon's wounds each morning, noting with some surprise his unusually rapid healing.

Makino brought food and fresh clothes. Luffy remained a constant presence, chattering endlessly about everything.

Sabo read aloud from books he'd borrowed, mostly about navigation and the wider world.

Ace was the most unpredictable, sometimes sitting in silence, other times awkwardly attempting to help with water or adjustments to Leon's pillows.

When alone, Leon tested his limits, performing small exercises to maintain some strength without reopening his wounds.

He knew from the doctor's assessment that the damage was significant - torn muscle tissue would take time to knit back together properly.

On the sixth day, the doctor finally relented to Leon's persistent requests.

"You can return to wherever you call home," he said, applying fresh bandages. "But no training, no fighting, no heavy lifting for at least another week. Understand?"

Leon nodded, already calculating how to modify his routine to work around these restrictions.

"I mean it," the doctor insisted, recognizing the look in Leon's eyes. "Those wounds were deep. Push too hard, and you'll be right back here - or worse."

"I understand," Leon replied. "Thank you for your care."

Outside the doctor's house, Leon squinted against the bright sunlight. After nearly a week indoors, the open air felt strange against his skin. He took a tentative step, then another, testing his body.

"You okay?" Sabo asked, hovering nearby with Ace, both clearly ready to catch him if necessary.

"Fine," Leon responded, straightening his posture despite the pull of pain across his torso.

Luffy bounced around them excitedly. "Let's go home! Dadan probably thinks we're dead or something!"

"She doesn't," Ace countered simply. "I went back and told her a bit of what happened. She's gonna bring up a storm though when we go back. I ran away before I could take the brunt of it."

"You went back?" Leon asked, surprised.

'It seems he actually took my words about asking for help, and giving others a heads up to heart... Good.'

Ace shrugged, avoiding eye contact. "Someone had to. She sent Dogra to look for us when we didn't come back that night. Found him searching near Gray Terminal."

"Did you tell her everything?" Sabo asked, concern in his voice.

"Enough," Ace replied. "That Luffy got hurt, that both were staying at the doctor's in Foosha. Not about... the rest."

The walk through Foosha Village drew curious stares from villagers who had heard rumors about the boys' injuries.

Leon maintained a steady pace, refusing to show weakness despite the growing fatigue in his muscles.

Ace and Sabo flanked him like guards, while Luffy ran ahead, occasionally doubling back when he got too far.

The forest path stretched before them, seeming much longer than usual.

What would normally be an easy journey became a test of his endurance.

Leon carefully managed his breathing, focusing on each step rather than the distance remaining.

"We can rest if you need to," Sabo offered quietly after they'd been walking for an hour.

Leon shook his head. "I'm fine."

"You're pale," Ace observed bluntly.

Before Leon could respond, Luffy shouted from up ahead. "Hey! Look at this weird bug I found! It's got super long legs!"

The convenient distraction allowed Leon to pause without admitting weakness. These "discoveries" happened a suspicious amount of times throughout their journey, always when Leon's breathing had become more labored or his steps less steady.

"Dadan sent Magra yesterday too," Ace mentioned during one such break, watching Leon's taking control of his breathing. "Wanted to know when you'd be coming back. She's been... different since I told her what happened."

"Different how?" Sabo asked.

Ace's expression was difficult to read. "Quieter. Kept looking at your empty spot during meals. Had Dogra air out your sleeping mat every day."

By the time they approached Dadan's hideout, the sun was setting, painting the forest in gold and amber.

Leon's shirt clung to his back with sweat, and each step required a decent amount of effort, but he'd made it without collapsing or reopening his wounds.

The door of the hideout flew open before they reached it, revealing Dadan's imposing figure.

"FINALLY!" she roared, though her voice held more relief than anger. "Do you have ANY IDEA what it's been like waiting for you brats to show up?"

"Sorry, Dadan-san," Luffy chirped, not sounding sorry at all. "We were at the doctor's because Leon got hurt saving me from the bad pirates!"

Dadan's eyes narrowed as she took in Leon's appearance - the careful way he held himself, the pallor of his skin.

"Ace wasn't exaggerating for once," she muttered, then louder: "Get in here," she ordered, stepping aside. "Magra! The blonde brat's back and he looks like death!"

Inside, the bandits were working fast.

Dogra quickly arranged a comfortable spot with extra blankets. Magra appeared with water and food. Even the other bandits seemed concerned, offering awkward words of welcome.

"We've been keeping your spot ready," Dogra said, unnecessarily fluffing a pillow. "Dadan made us clean it every day."

"I did not!" Dadan protested too loudly. "It was just getting moldy! Can't have the brat getting sicker!"

"We heard rumors," Dogra explained quietly to Sabo while the others settled Leon. "About what happened in Gray Terminal. About what he did."

Sabo nodded slightly. "Most of them are probably true."

That evening, as they ate around the fire, Leon observed the subtle changes. The bandits treated him with a new respect tinged with wariness.

Ace kept glancing at him when he thought Leon wasn't looking. Luffy had positioned himself closer than usual, as if worried Leon might disappear.

Dadan herself kept finding excuses to walk past all of them, each time pausing to roughly adjust Leon's blanket or push more food toward him and Luffy with gruff comments about "needing to put some meat back on those bones."

After dinner, as the others prepared for sleep, Luffy suddenly stood up his expression serious.

"I've been thinking," he announced, drawing everyone's attention. "We should become real brothers!"

Ace raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"I heard Dadan talking about it once!" Luffy continued excitedly. "People who share sake become brothers for life!"

Sabo looked intrigued. "You're talking about a brotherhood ceremony?"

"Yeah! We need special cups and the special drink and we say special words and then we're brothers forever and ever!" Luffy's eyes shone with enthusiasm.

"Where exactly would we get sake?" Ace asked practically.

Luffy's grin turned mischievous. "Dadan has lots hidden behind the big barrel in the storage room. I've seen her get it!"

Leon watched this exchange with mild amusement. It seems this time around, it is Luffy who brings up the idea instead of Sabo.

"What do you think, Leon?" Sabo asked.

"It could be meaningful," Leon replied carefully. "Though I don't particularly enjoy alcohol."

He's always disliked the thought of losing control.

Luffy bounced over to Leon's side. "But we have to! All of us! To be real brothers!"

"I'm not sure-" Leon began.

Luffy immediately deployed his secret weapon - wide, pleading eyes that somehow managed to look impossibly sad and hopeful simultaneously. "Pleeeeease? It won't be right without you!"

Leon sighed, recognizing defeat. "Fine. One cup. No more."

"YES!" Luffy cheered, punching the air. "Tomorrow at sunset! It has to be sunset because that's more... more..."

"Ceremonial?" Sabo suggested.

"Yeah! That!"

--------------------------

The next day they made secret preparations. Ace and Sabo slipped away to find the perfect location, eventually selecting a cliff overlooking the ocean.

Luffy appointed himself distraction coordinator, keeping Dadan busy with endless questions while the others located her sake stash.

Leon, still limited by his injuries, focused on crafting cups from small pieces of wood. His first attempts were clumsy, his hands not yet steady enough for fine work.

Frustration built as he discarded the third misshapen attempt.

"Need help?" Sabo asked, returning from his scouting mission.

Leon shook his head. "I'll manage."

By mid-afternoon, he had finally produced four roughly matching cups, each carved with a simple symbol: an ace of spades, a top hat, a straw hat, and a sword.

Simple, but it fit.

As sunset approached, the four boys slipped away from the hideout, Ace carefully carrying the "borrowed" sake bottle wrapped in cloth.

They followed Sabo's lead through the forest to the cliff he and Ace had selected.

The view that greeted them was breathtaking. The ocean stretched endlessly before them, reflecting the setting sun in shimmering gold and crimson.

A gentle breeze carried the salt scent of the sea, and distant birds called as they returned to their nests.

"It's perfect," Sabo said quietly.

Luffy had gathered wildflowers, which he now arranged in a circle on the ground. "For the ceremony," he explained seriously.

They seated themselves cross-legged around Luffy's flower circle. Ace, assuming the role of eldest, uncorked the sake bottle and held it reverently.

"When men drink sake together," he began, his voice unusually formal, "they become brothers. Not by blood, but by choice - which is stronger."

Leon placed the four wooden cups in the center of their circle. "I made these for us. Each one is marked for its owner."

The others picked up their respective cups, examining the simple carvings - liking them.

"This is a pledge," Sabo continued, taking up the explanation. "That we share each other's joy and pain. That no matter where life takes us, we remain connected."

"That we'll always be together!" Luffy added enthusiastically. "No matter what!"

Ace carefully poured sake into each cup, the clear liquid catching the sunset's light. When he reached Leon, there was a moment of hesitation.

"Just one cup," Leon reminded him, to which Ace nodded.

With all cups filled, they raised them toward the center of their circle.

"From this day," Ace declared, "we are brothers!"

"Brothers!" the others echoed.

Luffy drank his immediately, then made a face at the bitter taste. "Bleh! It's gross!"

Sabo sipped his more cautiously, but still grimaced. "That's... strong."

Leon took the smallest possible sip, maintaining his promise while fulfilling the ritual. The liquid burned down his throat, spreading warmth through his chest that had little to do with alcohol and more to do with the moment itself.

Ace drained his cup completely, watching the others with unusual softness in his expression.

As the sun disappeared below the horizon, they remained on the cliff, talking about dreams and adventures.

Luffy's endless energy gradually diminished as the small amount of alcohol affected his system. Sabo became philosophical, discussing freedom and the meaning of family.

"The ocean's so big," Luffy murmured sleepily, lying back on the grass. "We're gonna see it all someday..."

Within an hour, both Luffy and Sabo had succumbed to sleep, their soft breathing joining the rhythm of waves below. The stars emerged, painting the sky with brilliant pinpoints of light.

Leon and Ace remained awake, sitting in comfortable silence as night fully claimed the world around them. The sake bottle sat between them, still half-full.

After several minutes, Ace reached for it. "Another?" he offered, holding it toward Leon's cup.

Leon hesitated, then extended his cup. "Just one more."

Ace filled both their cups, a slight smile playing at his lips. "Never thought I'd see the day when perfect Leon breaks his word."

"I'm not perfect, and I didn't promise anything," Leon replied, taking a sip. The second cup went down easier than the first, spreading warmth through his limbs.

They drank in silence for a while, watching the stars. The alcohol gradually loosened something in both of them - tension draining from shoulders, expressions becoming less guarded.

"Why did you do it?" Ace finally asked, his voice quiet in the darkness. "Save Luffy like that. You could have died."

Leon considered the question, "He's mine to protect now," he answered simply. "You all are."

Ace studied him for a long moment before pouring a third round. The alcohol was definitely affecting them now.

"Can I ask you something?" Ace said, staring into his cup.

"You just did," Leon replied with uncharacteristic humor.

Ace snorted, then grew serious again. "What would you do..." he began, then paused, gathering courage. "What would you do if Gold Roger had a son?"

Leon kept his expression neutral, though internally he'd been expecting this moment. "Depends on the son, I suppose."

"What if..." Ace's voice dropped even lower. "What if it was me?"

The question hung in the night air between them. Leon took another sip before answering.

"Then you'd still be you, Ace," he said simply. "The same annoying, stubborn brother who's sitting here now. After all, it is part of who you are."

Ace's head snapped up, eyes wide with shock. "You're not surprised."

Leon shrugged slightly. "I figured it out a while ago."

"How?"

'I watched your backstory in my past life as an anime,' thought Leon to himself, but he wasn't about to say that.

"You're not exactly subtle," Leon replied. "Going into bars and asking what people think about Roger having a son, then getting upset when they insult this hypothetical child? Plus, it explains why Garp took you in. He wouldn't blame an innocent child for his father's actions."

Ace stared at him in disbelief. "You knew all this time? And you never said anything? Never treated me differently?"

"Why would I?" Leon asked genuinely. "You're not Roger. You're Ace."

Something in Ace's expression cracked for a moment. He quickly drained his cup, using the motion to hide his face.

"What about you?" he asked after composing himself. "What did you mean when you said you understood what it's like to be hated? To feel like the whole world is against you?"

Leon gazed up at the stars, and thought.

He thought about his true heritage as Mihawk's son and Imu's grandson, the blood of the world's greatest oppressor flowing through his veins.

He thought about Luffy, carrying the Will of D, the inherited will of Joyboy and Nika.

What did that exactly mean for someone like him - Imu's blood?

He was the grandson of this world's devil, and generations of people, inherited each others will to go against his grandfather, and the celestials. 

Would the world, the D Clan - everyone, desire his death if they knew?

What does 'inherited will' even mean? Is it simply having similar desires to one's predecessors? Or is Luffy literally Joyboy and Nika's reincarnation? If so, would this mean that one day, Luffy would want him dead?

The thought sounded in a sense, stupid, since its freaking Luffy, we're talking about here, but when Nika, and Joyboy are thrown into the mix... 

There isn't much known about them. This world is already an alternate universe by the very fact of his existence. There are things he simply couldn't be sure of till he found the answers himself.

'This is why I would need, Nico Robin. I need to find out the truth about the void century, and grandfather and Joyboy's history...' 

"Everyone has their secrets, Ace," Leon said finally, his voice soft in the darkness.

Ace leaned forward, the alcohol making him more persistent than usual. "But I told you mine! It's only fair you tell me yours!"

"You didn't tell me," Leon corrected with a smirk. "I figured it out myself."

"That's - that doesn't-" Ace sputtered indignantly. "It's the thought that counts! I still shared it with you!"

"Did you now?" Leon raised an eyebrow, amused by Ace's frustrated expression.

"Yes! And now you have to tell me!" Ace insisted, gesturing so much he nearly spilled his drink. "It's brother code or something!"

"Brother code?" Leon repeated, unable to suppress a chuckle.

"Yeah! Brothers don't keep secrets!" Ace declared with drunken certainty.

"You kept yours for years," Leon pointed out.

"That's different! I'm telling you now!"

"After I already knew."

"LEON!" Ace's exasperation was comical, his face flushed from alcohol and frustration.

Leon laughed softly, surprising even himself with the genuine sound. He looked into his cup, swirling the remaining liquid before drinking it in one go.

"Fine," he conceded. "Gramps told me my father is a powerful swordsman with many enemies. If they found out about me, they'd either try to use me or kill me. That's why I'm here, under Garp's protection."

Ace absorbed this information with exaggerated seriousness, nodding repeatedly. Then, with the sudden decisiveness of the drunk, he stood up - swaying slightly as he found his balance.

"Well!" he declared loudly, pointing at Leon. "As your older brother, I'll protect you from them! No one's gonna hurt my brother!"

The words, so honest despite the fact Ace didn't know even how limited what he knew was, created a warm feeling in Leon's chest that wasn't entirely due to the sake.

"You'll need to get stronger than me first," he teased.

Ace's expression shifted to indignation. "I'm already as strong as you!"

"We both know that's not true," Leon replied with a shrug. "I've been holding back."

"What?!" Ace's outrage was immediate. "You have NOT!"

"Have too," Leon countered, unable to resist the childish exchange.

With a growl sound of challenge, Ace launched himself at Leon, tackling him to the ground. Despite his injuries, Leon found himself laughing as they wrestled in the grass, Ace trying to pin him while Leon easily evaded.

The commotion woke Luffy, who immediately joined the fray with an excited whoop. "Fighting! I wanna play too!"

Without hesitation, Luffy threw himself into the wrestling match, automatically aligning himself with Leon against Ace.

"Hey! Two against one isn't fair!" Ace protested, trying to fend off both brothers.

"Sabo!" he called to the still-groggy blonde. "Help me out here!"

Sabo blinked sleepily, observing the tangled mass of limbs with confusion. For a moment, he seemed inclined to return to sleep, but then shrugged and dove into the pile.

"Ace and Sabo versus Leon and Luffy!" he declared, grabbing Leon in a headlock.

The four brothers wrestled under the starlight, their laughter echoing across the cliff and out over the ocean.

Leon, despite the pain from his wounds, found himself genuinely enjoying the moment - this simple, happy moment.

For now, secrets and every other big shit in this world could wait. Tonight, they were simply brothers, family.

And that, Leon decided as Luffy's elbow accidentally caught him in the ribs, was worth a little pain.

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(Author note: Hello everyone, I hope you all liked the chapter.

Do tell me how you found it.

I hope to see you all later,

Bye!)