Work Text:
As Helmeppo sat in the infirmary inside of what remained of the Marine Headquarters, thoughts wouldn’t stop spinning in his head.
The world as they knew it was over. Portgas and the rest of the Whitebeard pirates—those still alive at least—may have managed to escape in the end, but that didn’t change the result. This era was over; Whitebeard clearly didn’t have long to live, Blackbeard was set loose on the world, Marineford was in ruins, and countless lives were lost… for what?
Helmeppo didn’t understand.
He didn’t understand what the top brass had expected or wanted to achieve.
Maybe, he was too stupid, but it simply didn’t feel like the risk—and real loss—was worth whatever the hell they might have possibly gained.
Pirates wouldn’t stop pirating just because some big shots died. Honestly, if he were a pirate, he would probably want to go out to the sea in hopes of snatching that Emperor seat, but what did he know? He barely had any rank here. He barely got here.
“Helmeppo?” someone asked weakly, ripping Helmeppo out of his thoughts.
“Coby?!” he cried, jumping out of his chair to rush to his… friend’s side. “You’re awake! Thank god, I was so worried! How are you feeling? Are you hurt anywhere? The doc said you should be fine after getting some sleep but—”
Helmeppo couldn’t stop talking. He knew he should let Coby rest, but he was just so relieved. As he fired one question after the other, not waiting for an answer to any one of them, he suddenly felt tears welling in his eyes. Ah, how pathetic.
His father would berate him for ‘being a little girl’ for crying… but no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t keep the tears from pouring down his face.
“Helmeppo…” Coby said, a small, weak chuckle passing through his lips. “Hey, I’m okay. I don’t think I got hurt at all.”
Helmeppo gulped heavily, studying Coby’s face for any sign of lying but finding none. As if Coby knew how to lie in the first place. Bastard; making Helmeppo feel all these things while not even being injured!
Helmeppo took a deep breath, holding it for a second, before letting it go. He was already being vulnerable; what was the point keeping it all inside anymore? Inhaling deeply one more time, Helmeppo braced himself before quickly leaning forward, pressing his lips against Coby’s in a… very clumsy, very uncomfortable, very awkward kiss. He cursed internally; curse his lack of experience! If this was going to be his only chance to kiss Coby—
But then, Helmeppo’s thoughts came to a screeching halt when he realised that Coby was kissing him back. And a new wave of relief and warmth and sobs washed over him.
Ah, this was going to take some getting used to. Hopefully, there was going to be time to do so now.