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SHANKS

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🎁 delivery, 12/24

[kobes]

[The gift comes wrapped meticulously in paper that, while not strictly holiday-themed is nevertheless very appropriate, considering who it’s from. The gift is inside, nestled in pale blue tissue paper:

An assortment of candied fruit, nuts and chocolates from the faire, for those of his friends who actually eat. For those who don’t, this portion of the gift is replaced with a simple calendar.

: For Shanks, a somewhat worn, extremely warm leather jacket, with the left sleeve pinned up, of course. In one pocket, rolled up neatly – a map of the East Blue, from memory, as best as Koby could manage a year away from it. In the other, folded safely in a red silk handkerchief, a single red earring.

The note, on thick, cream-colored card stock, is in a somewhat wobbly, but earnest hand:]

Captain -

I thought about pink, but ultimately that’s just another shade of red, isn’t it? A different frequency of light, according to all the books I’ve read, one that slips pretty easily into red. Like old scars, that heal pink, like the one on my hand. Like blood on the snow, back at the river.

There’s another book I read, one that says every decision we make creates another version of reality, splintering over and over. Maybe there’s one where I went with Luffy, all those months ago. Maybe there’s one where he never found me on that ship at all. Maybe there’s one where there’s a boat on a river in the snow, and we’re still by the fire and you’re still telling me stories while I braid Bee’s hair, and I’m looking at you instead of the fire, and I’m tethering myself to your voice and your smile and your warmth and you’re keeping me human and you’re keeping me safe.

Maybe when we go back home again, you’ll remember how the desert tastes and I’ll have a map to another ocean world written in my mind, and maybe you’ll remember that pink and red are almost the same, just a few frequencies apart. Maybe you’ll remember that boat, and know it’s still there, and I’m still there, and that’s where a part of me is always going to be, listening to and loving you.

I hope so.
-Koby