How Does Luffy React To Ace'S Death In Fanfiction?

Fanfiction really dives deep into Luffy's grief after Ace's death, and I've seen some incredible takes that explore his emotional fallout in ways the original series only hinted at. One common thread is Luffy's numbness—how he shuts down completely, staring blankly at the ocean or Ace's vivre card turning to ashes. Some stories focus on his guilt, like 'What if I’d been stronger?' spirals, where he trains obsessively to avoid losing anyone else. Others weave in the crew’s reactions, like Nami quietly sitting with him during sleepless nights or Zoro dragging him into sparring just to feel something. The best fics don’t rush his healing; they let him break first, showing tiny moments—like him finally crying while chopping onions for Sanji’s soup, or laughing at Usopp’s jokes again but with a quieter edge. It’s those raw, human details that stick with me.

Another angle I love is how fanfiction reimagines Luffy’s 'I still have my friends!' epiphany. Some writers stretch that moment into a longer struggle, where he clings to the crew like a lifeline but still wakes up screaming from nightmares. There’s this one fic where he starts wearing Ace’s old gloves and refuses to talk about it, until Jinbe finds him on the Sunny’s deck at 3 AM and they finally have that conversation about 'carrying the dead forward.' It’s heartbreaking but so true to his character—Luffy wouldn’t wallow, but the loss would reshape him quietly, like scars under his vest. Bonus points for fics that bring in Sabo earlier, because those reunion scenes? Waterworks every time.