#[ and then roger goes ahead and dies leaving rayleigh to suffer that!

[pirateborn-a]

     Honestly the only thing that could push Roger over the point of no return in terms is Rayleigh’s death              in anyone else's death, no matter how much he’s grieving or how ready to burn the world he is, Roger would still be willing to listen to Rayleigh          but if Rayleigh dies?            That’s not something he could ever recover from nor ever will, he’d become a being of pure rage and grief and nobody could pull him back from that entirely        some like Shanks, Buggy, Gaban, and so forth might be able to convince him to calm himself for a bit, but it’d always be temporary and short-lived before he runs off again.

[rumandflamingo]

Come Along - CONCEPT

New AU idea because I can. ‬

‪Concept: alive Roger and Rouge; Rayleigh raising Luffy. ‬

‪Okay. So. I imagine that Roger probably hid his illness from everyone but Crocus, so when Rayleigh catches him coughing up half a lung he is beyond pissed. Like. He knocks out half the crew because he couldn’t restrain his Haki, he’s so angry. ‬

‪During one of his and Marco’s regular weekly talks (because the younger was so lost on how to be a good first mate and looks up to Rayleigh so they ended up having regular talks), Rayleigh reveals a little bit about the fact that Roger’s sick. Marco just pretends to ignore it. ‬

‪But after their conversation, Marco realizes that there is something he can do. Phoenix feathers have the ability to heal large amounts of damage to the body when applied to the wounds. If ingested, the feathers can cure sickness. He is 100% on board for giving up a feather or two,‬ ‪and when Marco asks, Whitebeard is also on board.  

Marco is shocked. When he asks his father why he isn’t rejecting, or at least protesting, his idea, Whitebeard responds that he owes Rayleigh much more than he will ever be able to repay him. It was the Dark King who brought Marco to the Yonko, who gave him the Phoenix fruit to save the young boy, who gave the other his first son. Rayleigh gave him his family; Whitebeard would never do anything to destroy Rayleigh’s.

Marco immediately calls the Oro Jackson and Rayleigh readily agrees. The Zoan is in the air the next morning. The entire flight he is worried about the reception he’s going to get when he arrives on the Oro, but instead of glares and threats, he’s greeted with food and cheers.

It takes some time for Roger and Rayleigh to come in the deck, and most of the time for Marco is spent answering questions of a young red haired boy. Roger is confused at seeing Marco but Rayleigh says he had invited him over.

Marco and Roger are soon ushered into Crocus’s office, where Rayleigh explains that they have a way to cure Roger. To Marco’s surprise, Rayleigh doesn’t mention the deal that he had made on Roger’s behalf. Just says that Whitebeard owed him a favor. When the blonde gets a raised eyebrow from the first mate of the Oro, Marco realizes that he must have talked to Pops after they had hung up.

It’s quick and painless, healing Roger. Marco’s spare feathers are ground up and made into a drink that Roger just takes like a shot. Crocus does a complete checkup and declares that, for now, Roger is doing better.

Once Crocus departs, as apparently Shanks, the redhead, and Buggy had gotten into a fight, Rayleigh explains that things are going to be a bit tricky from here on out. Neither of them mind Marco, so the young blonde sits and listens.

Rayleigh explains that Roger can not reveal that he’s healthy. He’s been spotted coughing in public by multiple marines, so they have begun to think something is wrong with him. (Marco wonders how the other blonde knows Marine intel, but doesn’t ask.)

Rayleigh gets weird looks from Roger and Marco, but the blonde ignores them and carries on. He explains that once they find the final island, which blows Marco away at the man’s complete faith that they will, he needs to turn himself in to the marines, like he had originally planned.

Marco falls to the ground in shock. Roger had planned to turn himself in? Rayleigh continues that they have a contingency plan to fake his execution (he doesn’t say the other players involved, or how it will be done), and doesn’t continue from there. Marco is trying to not feel offended when he sees the pout on Roger’s face; Rayleigh is purposely not telling his captain his plan.

The conversation fades off from there and Roger goes to call Rouge. Marco is left with the first mate, who smiles warmly and tells Marco that Whitebeard told him to take a few days off and that he is welcome to stay aboard the Jackson.

And he does. He spends the next three days with the older man, avoiding the red haired menace known as Shanks and his captain as well. (He is so tired of being called Pretty Birdy.)

A few hours before he sets off, a woman shows up on the Oro, long strawberry blonde hair trailing behind her and a hibiscus tucked behind her ear. Roger immediately turns into a puddle, crying over his beautiful Rouge.

Portgas D Rouge, Roger’s very pregnant wife.

Marco feels like he isn’t going to leave the Oro without suffering a heart attack. Roger would have died before his child was born. He would have never met his child. Marco turned to stare at Rayleigh, but the older man just shakes his head. A small party is thrown and Marco leaves at sunset. Before he takes off, Rouge stops him and hugs him, thanking him for saving her husband and for not leaving her child fatherless.

It’s three months before Marco hears anything about the Roger Pirates and when he does, it’s because they have discovered Raftel.  Almost immediately, Roger turns himself in and the slander starts.  

Whitebeard says nothing, just goes under the deck with the den den that’s always at arm’s length.

A week later, the date for Roger’s execution is set. The Whitebeard Pirates do not attend, instead setting sail for the Blues, particularly the East Blue.

Roger is executed, and they all mourn. Whitebeard says nothing, just keeps eyeing the snail with a little black crown.

They land several days later on a small tropical island named Dawn Island and Marco, Whitebeard and several others begin the long trek inland. Half a day later they arrive at the outskirts a small town, where a grinning (alive) Roger is holding a small baby boy.

He runs around and introduces his son, Portgas (Gol) D Ace. Whitebeard is ecstatic, especially when Roger lets him hold the baby. Rouge is smiling in the doorway, Rayleigh at her side.

The Pirate King is alive, happy, with his family.

Rayleigh invites them in, and they have a small feast. After the meal, all but Marco and Whitebeard leave. Curious as to why, Marco soon finds out that the other half of the deal is about to be told to Roger. It takes Rayleigh a few times to start, but he does explain the deal he made to save Roger’s life.

Roger can never sail again under the name Gol D Roger, or under the Roger Pirates flag. He will be known under a different name of his choice, but he must part with Gol D Roger. He is free to do whatever he wants, but if he chooses to set sail again, it will be under the eye of Whitebeard, so that they can keep him safe. Rouge nor Ace will owe any allegiance to Whitebeard, they are free to choose to serve under any command they like, if they want. Roger’s appearance will also need to be changed, but that can be however he likes. If he desires to leave the island, it cannot be without Rayleigh, Whitebeard, or someone trusted from Whitebeard’s crew.

Roger is still for a moment, before turning to look fully at Rayleigh. Rayleigh fears this man will lash out at him, yell at him for taking away everything he held dear, but the man instead hugs him. The blonde is confused, until Roger explains that Rayleigh, ever thoughtful Rayleigh, didn’t take away his ability to sail, to be free. Even if he doesn’t go by his name, he can still be free to sail as he wishes.

They work out a few details, but Roger is determined to spend most of his time from now on with Rouge and Ace. Whitebeard and Marco depart, but not without Rouge asking for Whitebeard to be Ace’s other godfather. Whitebeard accepts and cries over tiny baby Ace.

Rayleigh goes with Marco and Whitebeard to the shore, Marco walking ahead of the two older men. It’s hard to hear what they are saying, but Marco is able to get the gist of it.

Rayleigh won’t be going with them. He has decided to stay with Roger and Rouge, to keep them safe. Early retirement, he tells Whitebeard.

Whitebeard is angry, Marco can tell, but says nothing. The rest of the walk is in silence, and soon enough Whitebeard and Marco are back on the Moby, but not before Whitebeard gives Rayleigh part of his Vivre Card. The Dark King hands him part of his as well, then disappears beck into the thick forest.

Years pass, Marco and Whitebeard having weekly talks with Roger, Rouge, and Rayleigh. Ace constantly likes to interrupt and ramble on and on about what he learned or did that day. He is 100% a mama’s boy, much to Roger’s dismay. He refused to wear hats like Roger, instead choosing to wear flowers in his hair.

Ten years pass, before something shakes the well balanced life that the four of them have on Dawn Island.

Out of the blue, Vice Admiral Garp arrives at the small shack of Roger and Rouge, carrying with him his seven year old grandson, Monkey D. Luffy.

Roger is terrified that Garp is at his door, standing to block the man’s view of Rouge and Ace, hoping they take the hint to leave and go seek Rayleigh. He knows that without a doubt, this man would turn him into the marines. Garp simply asks for tea, moving into the shack. Ace is not happy that there is a strange man with a strange kid (as he wants nothing to harm his family), and glares at him from Rouge’s lap. Garp simply laughs and tell the trio that he needs someone to look after his grandson, because his son is quite the idiot. He figures that since Roger was very good at hiding, he’d be good for Luffy. Both adults are shocked that Garp was made aware of their location, as well as that the execution had been faked.

Roger starts to protest, when Rayleigh appears, dropping off items he had picked up from the village that day. He’s somewhat put off at seeing Garp, but says nothing. He goes about his business, shelving items, until he realizes that he has a little follower.

The three adults in the room quiet as the Dark King turns and see young Luffy following him, large eyes staring up at him in awe. He exclaims that Rayleigh has the coolest beard he has ever seen, before trying to climb up his jacket to grab at it.

Roger gets up to grab the kid, but Rayleigh stops him, hefting the kid up and placing him on his shoulders. The kid is content to sit there and be tall, talking on and on about pirates and treasure.

Rouge and Roger let out hesitant laughs, Ace keeps glaring at the kid, while Rayleigh just nods along to the kids wild stories. Some point during Luffy’s babbles, Rayleigh pulls a gold coin from his pocket and asks the kid if he has any treasure, since he claims to be a great pirate in training.

Luffy grins and pats his hat, something that all of the adults had failed to notice. There, sitting on Luffy’s head, is Roger’s straw hat. Luffy exclaims that it’s a promise to his friend, Shanks, to someday beat him and become King of the Pirates. Roger promptly falls out of his seat, speechless. Garp glares between the kid and Roger, while Rouge’s soft laugh fills the room.

Rayleigh says nothing, simply smiles and pats the kid’s head. This kid is something special, he can tell.

Without pomp and circumstance, he tells Garp that he will take care of Luffy. He says nothing else, just simply grabs the bag that Garp carried in with him and leaves, starting a tale about an adventure that he and Roger had gotten into when they first started sailing.

The room echoes with the marines loud laughs as Rouge and Roger chase after the graying blonde and his small charge.