One Piece; Book Of One Shots!

Donquixote Rosinante // We're Family

[ featuring the reader as an undercover marine commander paired up for work with rosi, the previous user of the Mera Mera no mi (Ace's DF), and a sweet, caring woman, very motherly towards those she cares about - yet perfectly capable of being a brave and efficient marine when need be ]

~~angst warning babes~~

•

You met him when you were only children; no older than 10 years old, to be precise. A kind and rather clumsy boy, whose blond hair was a bit curly and covered both of his eyes.

Naturally, he was quiet and reserved at first, even quite distant. After all, he had suddenly been taken in by a high ranking Marine, and essentially raised by him. Sometimes you wondered why he was all alone outside when you had found him. His parents were nowhere to be seen, nor was any other living being. It was strange.

He eventually saw the one who saved him as a father figure, and you couldn't be happier.

"Uncle is the best, isn't he?" you'd told him, "He's strong and arrests bad guys, so we can all be safe. I'm training to be like him sometime, do you wanna join us?"

Hesitantly, he agreed; and after that day, he began to train with you and your uncle Sengoku, who some referred to as Buddha, or other variations of that epithet due to the power the Devil Fruit he had eaten granted him. You were certain he would make it big someday, earn a greater rank than his current. He was one of the strongest Marines after all. He and 'Garp, Hero of the Marines', who also bore the infamous 'D.' in his name.

One day, inevitably, he asked the rather dreaded question - but you knew it was coming, so you tried your best not to react negatively.

"Do you have a family other than him?" he timidly asked, "Parents, or siblings...?"

"I had, yeah. But..." you paused and sighed, keeping your gaze low for a moment before finally managing to speak up again; "They were Marines, my mom and dad. My mom was actually a Vice Admiral, too! But, um, they died on duty one day... So Uncle took me in. Do you mind telling me about yours?"

He shrugged, though stayed quiet after saying a quiet "I'm sorry."

You brought your hands up and shook them from side to side, "It's okay if you don't want to! Take your time. I'll always be here, got it?"

A smile made its way on Rosinante's lips at that comment, and the shy boy nodded in agreement. He remained quiet for quite a while, as did you, but the silence wasn't awkward whatsoever. If anything, it was comforting and greatly needed after a rather dark topic came up - death. Of a loved one, too.

That was your quite simple but admittedly tragic story this far. Marine parents who had died too soon while trying to keep the world safe for everyone, leaving a young child behind to be raised by another relative. But you didn't quite mind being taken in by your uncle; as strict as he was sometimes, his intentions were always good. He knew that you wanted to become a great Marine someday, and he began to train you as soon as you asked him to do so, despite you being so young.

One day, you had gone out shopping, being old enough to go on your own, and known well enough due to your uncle, to let people know better than try anything funny. Who would want to mess with Sengoku's niece, after all, knowing how severe the consequences would be? You had managed go convince Rosinante to join you, since the timid boy eventually had to learn how to communicate with others, too. Someone who wasn't you, your uncle, or someone from the base.