Fae POV

Sanosuke and Leon brought all the presents from the shore in to my room.

I was only expecting one gift not a dozen but it made me so happy that I couldn’t stop smiling.

Not that I got all these gifts but that Leon was thinking about me the whole time he was away.

I looked at myself in the stand up mirror Sanosuke put in the corner of my room. It was by far my favorite gift that I have ever received from him.

The chocolate brown wood smelt like milk chocolate and the carving was beautifully hand crafted.

I smiled at my reflection for once, "Leon, thank you." I said happily turning around giving him a big hug.

He just smiled down at me ruffling up my hair.

"Did you have fun with Sanosuke?" Leon asked still playing with my hair.

"Yes, we baked all kinds of delicious desserts and Sanosuke taught me a couple of defensive moves. It took me a while to get them right but I still had a lot of fun. What about you? Did you deliver all the food to that poor village?"

"Yes," He refused to make eye contact with me. When he looks away from me like this, I can’t help but think he’s just being modest or he’s hiding something from me.

I smiled softly at him anyways, "That makes me so happy to know another village was saved by you." I hugged him even tighter.

My brother has the kindest heart going all around the world giving small villages a chance to survive. He’s like a vigilante in the stories I read.

He told me a long time ago that every island has it's own unique qualities whether it's fruit, water, gold, animals, plants, and etc.

That also means some islands lack something important for humans to survive on them and that's where my brother comes in.

He trades between the villages to keep them afloat and all he asked for in return is to keep some of the local items and a small fee.

I want to help but he won't let me saying, 'it's to dangerous' or 'you’ll only slow me down' but, on a more serious note. . I need to ask him.

"Leon, can I speak to you about something?" I asked him seriously.

"I'm all ears," He grinned down at me but I could tell he wasn’t really listening to me.

"You know how I always ask if I could leave the island?"

"Yes." That grab his attention and his smile slowly faded off his face.

"I always ask you, 'can I go with you?' or 'can I leave this island?' but, I think I have been asking you the wrong question." I told Leon who's frown deepened even more.

"Get to the point Fae." he sneered, staring down at me with intensity.

"Why can't I leave this island?" I said seriously not braking eye contact. His eyes widen for a split second before he gained his composure back. “Fae, it's danger-"

"You mean. . I'm dangerous." I cut him off in frustration.

"You won't let me leave because you think I'm some kind of monster! Don't you?!" I cried feeling the tears threatening to spew out.

This wasn't the way the conversation was suppose to go but I couldn't help myself.

"Why in the world would you think that?" Leon whispered looking mortified.

He tried to reach out to touch me but I took a few steps back away from him feeling the tears flowing out of eyes.

"Ever since that day six years ago, you have treated me so differently. Like I’m some kind of freak." I whispered wiping the tears away with the back of my hands.

"Fae," Leon caught me before I could step away from him again. He pulled me into his arms. "I'm so sorry, I never knew you felt that way but I promise you, I do not think of you as a monster. I would never think that way about you no matter what you do. I love you so much, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Leon tighten his hold around me not allowing me to move an inch.

"Then why? Why can't I leave?" I asked locking eyes with him. Leon gazed back into mine without answering but he seemed to be searching for something important in my eyes. He finally closed his eyes and exhaled deeply.

"Fae, it's time for me to be honest," He said seriously, letting me go and sat down on my bed. He patted the bed beside him and I was hesitant at first but I eventually gave in and sat down next to him. We sat in silence for what felt like forever before Leon finally opened his mouth.

"Our mother and father were brilliant scientists. They were strong willed and loved creating inventions that would make our world easier to live in. It was a simple life for them but they were happy with that. Then you came along making them even happier. All you did was laugh and smile all the time, you were such a beautiful happy baby." Leon chuckled looking down at his feet like he was reliving a fond memory.

"Even though you were born sick, you still smiled every single day. Our parents did everything they could to find a cure. They took you to every doctor they could think of but nothing. No one could help. You were just getting weaker by the day and no one knew why." Leon tried to manage a smile but it didn’t happen.

"I had know idea." I whispered under my breath. “I thought our parents abandon us. Every time I tried to bring them up you just avoided the questions, so I just assumed talking about them was to painful for you.” I said feeling all kinds of emotions confusion, guilt, anger.

“Why did you keep this from me?” I asked, feeling my anger grow.

"Because I didn't want you to know. . ." Leon sighed, "before you were born our parents were doing experiments on devil fruits but they didn't have the funds or the equipment to continue the research so they put that aside for a while." Leon ran his fingers through his hair looking distraught.

"They wanted to save you so bad that they presented the research data to the World Government. If the experiment was a success, the government could use it to make the marine soldiers almost unstoppable. So of course they approved of it right away giving our parents anything they needed to finish what they started." Leon said studying me hard. His eyes were burning a hole into the side of my head, waiting to get a reaction from me.

Leon has said a few thinks in the past about the World Government and nothing good has ever came out of his mouth about them.

"I’m only speaking to you right now because I want to know more about our parents and I also want to know what a devil fruit is." I said in a cheeky way, refusing to look at him. I don’t know what this conversation has to do with me leaving the island but, it made me happy to learn something new about our parents.

Leon sighed bitterly, “devil fruits are special fruits that give people extraordinary abilities once they consume one and to answer your next coming up question. Yes, your not the only one that has a gift." Leon smiled while patting my head. It was almost as if he could read my mind but, even if he could read my mind. I was still mad at him. I slapped his hand away from me causing him to frown again.

“There are others. . like me?. . that’s amazing.” I felt giddy, I just wanted to jump up and down with excitement. I wasn’t alone. I wasn’t a freak and even if I was, I wasn’t alone.

"Anyways back to the story, they created a way for someone to have devil fruit powers without having to consume one but, that wasn't all. The person's body that was injected with this chemical would be able to fight off any deadly disease, virus, or even poison. To summon it all up they could heal incredibly fast to anything including cuts, bruises, bullet wounds, poisons, diseases, etc. Almost immortal if they didn't continued to grow that is." Leon gazed at me firmly as he reeled me back into the story.

"That's incredible! I didn't realize something like that was possible." I smiled softly, "I guess our parents were amazing." I giggled at my brother forgetting that I was mad at him and he gave me a small smile.

"Yes, they were however, they never intended to give the World Government their research once it was complete, knowing fully well that if their work got into the wrong hands that it could destroy this world. So they did the only logical thing they could do once they realized the injection worked. They destroyed all of it." Leon said surprising me.

"Who did they injected it in to?" I asked knowing the answer already.

Leon slowly lifted his hand up and pointed his finger at me, "You." He whispered, poking my forehead. I knew it was me but hearing the words coming out Leon’s mouth made it all so real.

"Our parents hid us afterwards, running from the marines for a while before they finally turned themselves in. . . don't ask why they turned themselves in. I still to this day don't know the answer to that." Leon was gritting his teeth together and I could feel the rage oozing out of Leon's body. He pulled out his lucky coin that was made out of Sea prism stone and he carries it around every where’s in his pocket, for luck he says. He fiddled with it between his fingers.

"The only thing I do know for sure was they were executed for treason." Leon whispered and I could hear the pain and anger in his voice as his body trembled with rage.

His jet black hair cast a shadow over his face, "I hate the World Government and anyone who works under them! They were good people who didn’t deserve to die." Leon grumbled with sorrow flowing out of ruby red eyes.

I felt numb as the tears started pouring out of my eyes. I didn't know. . . why didn't he tell me this sooner? Because I didn’t care enough about my parents to keep asking about them.

I felt so guilty, I just wanted to curl into a hole and disappear forever and I want to be angry at Leon but I’m more mad at myself then anyone.

Leon whipped my tears away, "I didn't tell you this to make you cry or to make you feel guilty. Any good parent could sacrifice their life to save their child. I just wanted you to know why I keep you here." Leon muttered, getting closer to me.

"You mean everything to me Fae, so please believe me when I say this. I didn’t want you growing up fearing some corrupt organization, run by greedy old men who have nothing better to do then to make people’s lives miserable. They have nothing to do with you but that wont stop them from wanting you. Well, not exactly you but what’s in you.” He said softly poking my chest where my heart is.

“I know I am asking for a lot by making you stay here but please, I can’t lose you too." Leon pleaded with me, grabbing the sides of my face with his large hands.

"I’m sorry, I know it's hard but you have to stay on this island. It's the only way I can protect you. I promise I'll change this world so you can be free to go where ever you want, just give me more time. Can you do that for me?" Leon asked with his face inches away from mine, staring intensely into my eyes. I nodded my head not trusting myself to speak.

He ran his thumb under my lip, “so. . back to the subject of you believing, I think of you as a monster.” Leon grabbed a hold of my chin, forcing me to look at him.

"I don't know where you came up with that conclusion.” His eyes darkened dangerously, “but, don’t ever put words into my mouth that I never said." He whispered in a frightening voice, staring at my lips and causing an unpleasant shiver to go down my spine.

I nodded my head frantically. Leon has been acting weird since he’s gotten back. I think something actually did happen out at sea. He does tell me all the time that his job is dangerous but he won’t be honest talking to me about it even if I ask him directly.

I sighed, I may be mad at him but I can definitely tell something’s off.

"Is something wrong, brother?" I asked knowing he’ll just lie to me.

"No, nothing’s wrong. I just really missed you and you hurt my feelings by assuming that I think so little of you. If anything I think you're the opposite, you’re an angel that sends my demons running the other way giving my mind tranquility and peace for a while." Leon whispered touching my forehead with his, smiling.

I did my best to not roll my eyes at him. He always says things like this when he's lying but he still manage to get a smile out of me.

"Don't ever call yourself a monster again, do you hear me?" Leon told me sternly and I nodded my head, feeling to exhausted to fight with him.

I crawled into his arms curling close to him, pushing back the awkward feeling in my gut.

I think it's just been a long day for the both of us. I got comfortable in his arms while he continued to play with my hair until I fell asleep in his arms.