Third person POV
It was an ordinary day for Fenrir. Well, as ordinary as life could be when you were a giant of a man with wolf ears who could turn into a beast whenever you wanted. He had grown into his strength over the years, training relentlessly. The kind old man who had taken him in had shown him how to channel his power, how to control it. But it wasn't easy. Most days,
He swung a massive wooden club like it was nothing, practicing his strikes in the clearing by the sea. His muscles rippled with each movement, his senses sharp as ever. He could smell the salt in the air, hear the birds miles away, and feel the slightest breeze on his skin. The island he called home was quiet, peaceful. The man who had taken him in passed away years ago, and since then, Fenrir had lived alone again. But this time, it was by choice. He didn't need anyone.
The day was hot, the sun beating down mercilessly on the small island where Fenrir had been living in solitude for the past few years. Sweat dripped from his brow as he swung the massive club.
But today, something was different. As Fenrir wiped the sweat from his brow, his sharp ears twitched. The sound of soft waves, the rustling of leaves… and something else. A distant creaking of wood. A ship? Fenrir's green eyes narrowed as he listened closer. Ships rarely docked here, and when they did, it was usually trouble. Pirates, bounty hunters, or worse—people looking for him.
Setting the club down, he moved toward the shoreline, staying hidden within the treeline. Sure enough, a small boat was approaching. Unlike the grand, heavily armed ships of bounty hunters or the ragtag vessels of pirates, this one was… well, it looked like it was barely held together. A single boy stood at the helm, a wide grin on his face, wearing nothing but a red vest and a straw hat.
Fenrir frowned. What the hell?
The boy's boat drifted closer until it scraped against the sand. With a hop, the kid jumped onto the beach, stretching like he hadn't a care in the world. Fenrir watched from the shadows, trying to figure out who this kid was and why he looked so damn happy to be here.
"Ahh, this island looks nice!" the boy shouted to no one in particular. His voice was bright, carefree. "Maybe I'll find my first crewmate here!"
Fenrir raised an eyebrow. First crewmate? This kid was alone? He had no crew? No shipmates? The idea of some lone idiot thinking he could sail the seas by himself was ridiculous. This world wasn't kind to dreamers.
The boy in the straw hat continued wandering along the shore, seemingly without a purpose, but every so often, he would stop and look around, as if sensing something was nearby. And then, suddenly, he stopped.
His gaze turned toward the treeline, right where Fenrir was standing.
"Hey! I know you're there!" the boy shouted with a grin, waving his hand as if inviting Fenrir out of hiding. "Come on out!"
Fenrir's eyes widened. How the hell did he know I was here? He hadn't made a sound, hadn't moved an inch, yet this kid knew exactly where he was. Reluctantly, Fenrir stepped out from the shadows, his towering 8'8" frame casting a long shadow across the sand. His glowing green eyes locked onto the boy, wolf ears twitching as he approached.
The kid's face lit up even more, if that was even possible. "Woah, you're huge! And cool ears!"
Fenrir frowned, trying to make sense of the boy's reaction. Most people ran in terror when they saw him, or at least prepared to fight. But this kid? He just smiled.
"What do you want, kid?" Fenrir growled, his voice deep and threatening. "You lost or something?"
"Nope!" the boy chirped. "I'm Monkey D Luffy, and I'm gonna be King of the Pirates!"
Fenrir stared at him, utterly baffled. "You? King of the Pirates?" He crossed his arms, towering over the boy. "You're a scrawny little kid without a crew or even a real ship. What makes you think you can do that?"
Luffy's grin never faltered. "Because I decided I would! I'm gonna find the best crewmates and sail the Grand Line!"
Fenrir scoffed. "You're gonna die before you even get a crew, kid."
"Not if I find strong people like you to join me," Luffy said, his tone as casual as ever. "Hey, why don't you join my crew? You look strong!"
Fenrir blinked, caught off guard. "What?"
"Yeah! You'd be the first crewmate! My right hand man, We could have lots of adventures!" Luffy said enthusiastically, bouncing on his feet.
The sheer absurdity of it made Fenrir laugh bitterly. "You're serious? You want me to join your crew? A guy like me?"
Luffy nodded without hesitation. "Yep! You seem strong, and you've got cool ears! I think you'd be perfect."
Fenrir stared down at him, half-amused, half-annoyed. "You don't know anything about me, kid. I'm not someone you want on your crew. I'm a monster."
Luffy tilted his head. "You're not a monster. You're just you."
Fenrir's jaw clenched. He'd been called a monster for most of his life. The villagers, his parents, the bounty hunters who came after him. But here was this idiot, standing there like it didn't matter at all.
"You think I'm just gonna say yes? You think this world's that simple?" Fenrir snarled, taking a threatening step forward. "You think you can just smile and get people to follow you?"
Luffy's grin didn't waver. "Yeah, pretty much."
Fenrir stared at him, dumbfounded. This kid was out of his mind. But… there was something about him. Something in his eyes that was different. There wasn't fear, there wasn't doubt. Just belief. Pure, unshakable belief. And something inside Fenrir shifted.
For years, he had lived in isolation. No trust, no companionship. The old man who had taken him in had been the only one to show him kindness, and after he died, Fenrir had gone back to being alone. He had trained, he had survived, but he had never really lived.
"Come on," Luffy said, his voice softer now. "You've been alone long enough, right?"
Fenrir flinched. The words hit harder than he expected. How did this kid know?
"I'm not gonna lie," Luffy continued, "the sea's dangerous. But that's what makes it fun. And if we've got each other's backs, we'll be fine!"
Fenrir let out a slow breath. Part of him wanted to tell the kid to get lost, to go back to his boat and leave him the hell alone. But another part of him… the part that had been alone for so long… wanted to believe him.
"Fine," Fenrir muttered, surprising even himself. "But if I join you, don't expect me to be all smiles and sunshine."
Luffy's grin widened, if that was even possible. "Deal!"
And just like that, Fenrir's life changed. He didn't know what was ahead, didn't know what kind of trouble this kid would get him into. But for the first time in a long while, Fenrir felt something other than the cold emptiness of survival.
He felt hope.
The next few days were strange. Fenrir, the lone wolf, suddenly found himself traveling with Luffy, who never stopped smiling, never stopped talking about being King of the Pirates. They didn't have a proper ship yet, just Luffy's small boat, but that didn't seem to bother him. Every night they camped out on the island, eating whatever they could find.
Fenrir didn't understand how someone could be so damn happy all the time. Luffy didn't even seem to know where he was going, but he didn't care. Every day was an adventure to him, whether they were hunting for food or practicing combat.
Fenrir, on the other hand, kept to himself. He wasn't used to being around someone so… cheerful. But slowly, he started to warm up to the idea. Luffy didn't judge him, didn't care about his past or his monstrous appearance. For once, Fenrir didn't feel like a freak.
They trained together, and it didn't take long for Fenrir to realize Luffy wasn't just a talker—he was strong. His punches could stretch, and Fenrir quickly learned that this kid had also eaten a Devil Fruit. The two of them sparred, testing each other's limits, pushing each other harder every day. And as much as Fenrir hated to admit it, he was starting to enjoy the kid's company.
One night, as they sat by the fire, Luffy stared up at the stars, his straw hat tipped back on his head. "We're gonna need a bigger boat soon," he said thoughtfully. "Once we get more crewmates."
Fenrir glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "You really think more people are gonna join you?"
Luffy nodded confidently. "Yep. We'll find 'em. Just like I found you."
Fenrir chuckled, shaking his head. "You're a crazy bastard, you know that?"
Luffy grinned. "I've been told."
Fenrir stared into the fire, wondering what the hell he had gotten himself into.