The first thing Ren noticed when he woke up was the noise.
Not danger. Not alarms.
Just life.
Footsteps thudded across the deck overhead. Someone shouted—probably Usopp. Metal clanged. A pan hit the floor, followed by Sanji's unmistakable string of curses. The Thousand Sunny creaked and swayed beneath him, steady and familiar in a way that still felt strange.
Ren stared at the ceiling for a moment longer than necessary.
So this is what the day after feels like, he thought.
When he climbed onto the deck, the morning was already in full swing.
Luffy was hanging upside down from a rope for reasons known only to himself. Usopp was attempting to "improve" one of Franky's inventions with rope, tape, and misplaced confidence. Zoro sat nearby, half-awake, polishing a sword while pointedly ignoring all of it.
Ren stepped aside just in time as something small and mechanical exploded harmlessly near the mast.
"IT WAS SUPPOSED TO DO THAT!" Usopp yelled.
Franky stared at the smoking wreckage. "…No it wasn't."
Sanji emerged from the galley with a plate in one hand and murder in his eyes. "IF ANY OF YOU IDIOTS BLEW A HOLE IN MY KITCHEN—"
"Morning," Ren offered.
Sanji paused, looked at him, then shoved a plate into his hands without ceremony. "Eat."
Ren blinked. "Uh—thanks."
"It's breakfast," Sanji said sharply. "You're on this ship now. You eat."
Ren accepted it automatically, sitting on a crate near the rail. The food was hot. Real. He hadn't realized how used he was to eating alone until now.
Luffy dropped from the rope and landed beside him, peering at the plate. "Oh, you got the good eggs."
Ren raised an eyebrow. "There are bad eggs?"
"Yeah," Luffy said cheerfully. "Mine."
He stole half of Ren's food anyway.
Ren didn't stop him.
The day unfolded without ceremony.
Ren learned quickly that the Sunny had its own rhythm—unspoken rules everyone followed without realizing they were rules. Where not to stand when Franky worked. Which lines not to touch unless Nami said so. When to move quietly because Robin was reading or Zoro was pretending not to nap.
Ren didn't ask many questions.
He watched.
When the wind shifted suddenly, he moved instinctively to secure a loose sail before it snapped. Nami noticed from across the deck, eyes narrowing—not in suspicion, but in calculation. She gave a short nod.
Later, Usopp tried to rope Ren into an elaborate lie involving a Sea King and a haunted island.
Ren listened patiently.
"…And then I fought it off. Barehanded."
Ren considered that. "How big was it?"
Usopp hesitated. "Bigger than the ship."
Ren nodded solemnly. "Impressive."
Usopp beamed.
Zoro snorted.
At some point, Zoro stood and walked past Ren, pausing just long enough to say, "You got decent balance."
Ren glanced at him. "You sleep like you're ready to fight."
Zoro smirked. "Habit."
They didn't say more.
By midday, Ren realized something else.
No one was watching him.
Not to judge. Not to test.
They'd already decided he belonged—or at least that he would, if he chose to stay.
That trust sat heavier on him than suspicion ever had.
He found Nami near the helm later, adjusting course. Ren stayed a step back, hands loose at his sides.
"Current's stronger here," he said after a moment. "It'll pull us east if we don't correct early."
Nami glanced at him, then at the sea. She adjusted the wheel slightly.
"…Good catch," she said.
Ren nodded once and stepped away.
That night, they ate together again.
The table was loud. Chaotic. Full.
Ren listened more than he spoke, laughing when something caught him off guard—real laughter, not the reflexive kind. At some point, he realized he hadn't checked the horizon in hours.
No exits.
No routes.
Just faces.
Luffy leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head. "This was a good day," he declared.
Usopp nodded enthusiastically. "No one died!"
Sanji kicked him.
Ren smiled quietly.
After dinner, as the ship sailed on under a darkening sky, Ren stood at the rail again. The sea stretched endlessly ahead, familiar and unknowable.
Footsteps approached.
Luffy stopped beside him, staring out at the water.
"You still glad you stayed?" Luffy asked.
Ren didn't answer right away.
Then, "Yeah."
Luffy grinned. "Good."
That was all that needed saying.
End of Chapter Seven
The Thousand Sunny sailed on, carrying laughter, arguments, and something quieter in between.
Ren D. Vale no longer felt like a guest waking up in someone else's world.
He felt like tomorrow was already his too.
Author's Note:
This chapter marks the start of the slice-of-life integration arc. No big fights, no power jumps — just everyday moments that turn a crew into family. If you're enjoying this slower pace and want daily or more frequent updates, please leave a comment and drop some Power Stones. Your support really helps keep this journey going.