RT_Strawhat_Ninja: shit, I'm late on the update again and now I have finals, okay enjoy the chapter, Byyyyyyyyyyye!!!

3rd person POV

Luffy was scowling.

Why was Luffy scowling?

Apparently, Aoi had been really sick these past few weeks. She'd been missing movie shoots and her job was hanging in the balance because of it. Ace didn't seem too happy as of lately either. Aisuru could tell that Sabo was worried and it seemed to be putting a small strain on his relationship with Yue.

Oh, yeah. Sabo and Yue are dating now.

"Luffy?" She asked. He hummed in responce.

"Are you okay?" She asked. He sighed and laid back in her lap. She played with his hair.

"Honestly, I'm not. I'm worried about Aoi being so sick, but she just refuses to see a doctor. And Ace is grumpier than normal and I don't get to spend time with him anymore. Ever since this started, Yue has been coming over less and less and Sabo really only leaves for work." He said. Aisuru played with his hair to help him calm down.

"I'm scared that my family is going to fall apart, Ai-chan." He said softly. She grabbed his head and made him look at her.

"They won't. Things will work out in the end. I promise they will." She said. Luffy sighed and rolled over, hugging her waist.

"I hope so." He said softly.

"Is something else bothering you, Luffy?" Aisuru asked. He sighed again and burried his face in her stomach, muffling his voice.

"What was that? I can't hear you."
She said. He moved his head so she could hear him.

"I'm going to miss Usopp, Nami and Zoro." He said. Aisuru rubbed his head gently.

"I'm going to miss them, too, Luffy." She said. He rolled over so he was facing away from her, but still in her lap.

"You don't get it... they were my first friends outside of my family." He said. He didn't realize it, but those words hurt Aisuru. If anyone knew what it was like to miss anyone, it was Aisuru.

"I don't what?" She asked. He scowled up at her.

"You don't get it! I feel so alone with them leaving!" He snapped. Aisuru felt anger and hurt build up inside her. She couldn't tell which was stronger.

"Did you really... just say that to me?" She asked. Luffy opened his mouth to say something again, but stopped when something wet hit his cheek. That's when he realized she was crying. Aisuru lifted his head and slid out from under him, standing up.

"I thought you of all people would have understood, Luffy... I was taken away from everything that I ever knew. I was abused physically and mentally. Don't you even remember what it was like when you first met me? I hated being stared at! I hated people touching me if they weren't my Dad or Ki!" Aisuru fought back a sob.

"I thought... I thought that... I guess I was wrong." She said, trying to wipe away her tears. She walked towards the door.

"Where are you going?!" Luffy asked.

"Home! I'm going home! There's no reason for me to be here anymore!" She cried. With that, she ran out the door, leaving Luffy in shock.

Luffy thought back over the conversation, trying to figure out what he said that made her so upset. Then it hit him. Talking about feeling alone. Aisuru had felt alone from when she was seven years old until the day they met. That's almost ten years. Luffy dropped his head to his hands.

"Damn it." He cursed himself.

Meanwhile, Aisuru stood halfway between Luffy's home and her own. She didn't want to go home in tears because then Shanks would be mad. But she couldn't go back to Luffy after their fight.

She turned and began to head for the park where she and Ki would play as children. That would be the best place to clear her head.

Time skip

Luffy's POV

I laid on my bed, staring at my ceiling listening as Ace and Sabo argued downstairs. I pulled my straw hat down over my eyes.

Today was just getting worse and worse. First I yelled at Aisuru and made her cry. Then I got a call from Yue, telling me that she was going to be gone for three weeks because of an intense competition a few islands away. Now Ace and Sabo are downstairs fighting on if we should take Aoi to a doctor or make a house call.

I heard a whimper and felt Chopper nudge me with his nose. I pushed my hat up and rubbed his head.

"Do you need to go out, boy? You probably need to poop." I said to him. He whimpered and walked over to my nightstand and pawed at the picture of Aisuru that I took of her over summer at the summer home. We were sitting on the balcony and watching the sunset over they lake. She had a bright smile on her face and she looked really pretty.

Chopper whimpered again and looked back at me. I sighed.

"Sorry, buddy... after what I said, I don't think she's gonna want me back." I said. Chopper whimpered and lied down by my chest and stared at me with puppy eyes.

"Why did I say that? I mean, yeah, I was hurt but she's been more alone than I've ever been." I said. I thought back to the look on her face. I hurt her. The one thing I swore I'd never do.

My chest felt weird. It wasn't a good weird either. It hurt. But not the hurt I felt when I first realized that I loved Aisuru. This was a bad hurt and I wanted it to go away. I looked at the picture again and felt like crying.

"I'm an idiot." I muttered to myself. I closed my eyes, whether it was because I was tired or I was trying not to cry, I don't know. My phone suddenly started ringing. I grabbed it and answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Luffy, Aisuru's not answering her phone, could you send her home?" Shanks's voice broke through the phone. I sat up in surprise.

"You mean she's not home?" I asked. Shanks was quiet for a second.

"I thought she was spending the day with you?" Shanks asked. I felt my heart go cold. Aisuru wasn't at home. She wasn't here. She wasn't answering her phone...

"Luffy?" Shanks asked.

"I'll call you back." I said and hung up. I pulled on my shoes. Chopper popped up.

"Go keep Aoi company boy. I'm gonna go find Ai-chan." I said. I opened the door and Chopper ran down the hall I Ace and Aoi's room. I went down the stairs and passed the kitchen where Ace and Sabo were still arguing. I ran out the front door, trying to think.

Where would Aisuru go if she wasn't with me or at home? She did always talk about a nearby park... maybe..

"Ai-chan... please... please be okay. Don't be kidnapped again. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you got kidnapped again because of me." I prayed silently. I wanted to cry, but I had to find her before I could do that.

I heard music playing up ahead. The park Aisuru always talked about had speakers and played music all the time. I ran toward the music and finally came across the park.

It was empty except for a lone figure on the swings. Her back was to me, but I knew it was her. No girl in this entire island had hair as pretty as hers.

I walked up behind her and sat down on the swing beside her. She was slightly swinging, more like rocking on one foot. She was staring at the ground, not looking at me. Her cheeks were red and puffy. I made her cry that hard.

I wanted to say something, but what could I say? A simple apology couldn't fix this. I hurt her. I broke my promise. I stared at the ground, wondering what to do and ended up listening to the song being played on the radio.

"Right from the start
You were a thief, you stole my heart
And I your willing victim
I let you see the parts of me, that weren't all that pretty
And with every touch you fixed them
Now you've been talking in your sleep oh oh
Things you never say to me oh oh
Tell me that you've had enough
Of our love, our love
Just give me a reason, just a little bit's enough
Just a second we're not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again
It's in the stars, it's been written in the scars on our hearts
We're not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again
I'm sorry I don't understand
Where all of this is coming from
I thought that we were fine (Oh we had everything)
Your head is running wild again
My dear we still have everythin'
And it's all in your mind (Yeah but this is happenin')
You've been havin' real bad dreams oh oh
You used to lie so close to me oh oh
There's nothing more than empty sheets between our love, our love
Oh our love, our love
Just give me a reason, just a little bit's enough
Just a second we're not broken just bent and we can learn to love again
I never stop, you're still written in the scars on my heart
You're not broken just bent and we can learn to love again
Oh tear ducts and rust
I'll fix it for us
We're collecting dust, but our love's enough
You're holding it in
You're pouring a drink
No nothing is as bad as it seems
We'll come clean
Just give me a reason just a little bit's enough
Just a second we're not broken just bent and we can learn to love again
It's in the stars, it's been written in the scars on our hearts
That we're not broken just bent and we can learn to love again
Just give me a reason, just a little bit's enough
Just a second we're not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again
It's in the stars, it's been written in the scars on our hearts
That we're not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again
Oh we can learn to love again
Oh we can learn to love again oh oh
Oh that we're not broken just bent and we can learn to love again."

I looked at Aisuru. She was biting her lip, looking like she was about to cry again and she wanted to say something. I drew in a deep breath and spoke.

"I'm sorry." We said at the same time. I looked at her.

"What?" I asked.

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have stormed out like that... you were hurting and I-"

"Stop." I cut her off. She bit her lip and tears started rolling down her cheeks.

"You don't need to apologize for anything, Aisuru. I'm the one that needs to apologize." I stood up and walked in front of her. I rested my hands on top of hers.

"I know what you've been through. I've seen your scars and I know you were tortured. Yet I still said something that I shouldn't have. I know I can't take it back, but..." I closed my eyes, trying not to cry.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Ai-chan. I understand if you don't love me anymore..." I cried. I felt tears slip out of my eyelids and down my cheeks. I heard her stand and I felt her arms wrap around my torso. Her head was against my chest.

I wrapped my arms around her immediately. I held her tight to my chest. I heard her sob. I felt pain stab through my heart. I had made her cry again.

"Please don't leave me!" She cried. I was shocked. She still wanted me? She still loved me. I bowed my head to hers.

"I'm not going anywhere." I said. I held her tight as she cried in to my chest.

"I love you!" She cried. I held her tighter, not wanting her to leave my arms ever again.

"I love you, too." I cried softly. I tilted her chin up and looked in to her eyes that made my chest hurt in a good way,

"Please don't cry anymore." I whispered to her. I dipped my head and kissed her. She kissed me back, raising her hands to my cheek and hair, pulling me deeper.

I decided to take things a bit farther and licked her lip. I felt her lips part and I slid my tongue in to her mouth, exploring her mouth. We pulled away for air.

"When did you get so grown up?" She asked, wiping her eyes. I stroked away the last of her tears.

"Sometimes you just gotta look at the big picture and decide what's most important to you and make your decision based on that." Yue's words from our conversation earlier echoed in my head.

"When I realized how important you are to me." I said and hugged her again. I could heard Ace and Shanks calling out for us, but I didn't care. I just wanted to hold Aisuru a little longer.