Chapter Text
“Listen, all I’m trying to say is—”
“Ace, will you shut the fuck up for two seconds? I’m not turning the car around and that’s the last I’m gonna say about it.”
“Ughhh!” Ace growls, obviously frustrated. He crosses his arms and glares out the passenger side window like a petulant child. “I just don’t see the point is all, Sabo. He’s gone. Nothing you or I can do will ever bring him back, you do know that, right?”
Sabo’s grip on the steering wheel tightens, but he never takes his eyes off the road. “Yeah. I know it, dammit. I’m not an idiot.”
God, does Sabo know. He’s screamed. He’s cried. Begged and pleaded, even, for it to not be true. For Grandpa Garp to come back and tell him that it was all just a stupid lie. A cruel, elaborate prank to scare the shit out of them. That it had all been Luffy’s idea, and here he is now, see? He’s just fine!
But... No. It hadn’t been a lie. It was all real and Luffy was really...
Fuck.
He won't cry again. He won't cry. At least not right now with Ace grumbling in the seat next to him.
Their little brother. The snaggle-toothed kid that chased after them no matter where they went and wormed his way into their lives and into their hearts, only to die so fucking unexpectedly.
They didn’t... They never even got to say goodbye to him. And that might be what hurts the most.
But that, at least, they can change. Kind of. Maybe.
It’s not like Sabo even needs Ace’s help. He can do this alone if Ace wants to keep being a little bitch about it.
Sabo is going to have his chance to say goodbye to Luffy no matter what. End of story.
“I’m only riding out here with you because this is my car,” Ace pipes up again as he glances at Sabo out of the corner of his eye. “So, you know. Don’t expect me to take part in whatever weird shit it is you’re trying to pull here.”
“Yeah, Ace. I’d picked up on that. Thanks.”
Sabo isn’t really angry at Ace. Annoyed? Yes. Disappointed? Maybe. But not angry.
They've been bickering like this ever since Luffy passed. More so than what's normal for brothers, and it's been painful for them both. Excruciating, actually. And they usually get along so well.
Ace just has a different way of dealing with his grief than Sabo does. That's the main issue. Ace wants to shut it all out. To bottle his emotions up and pretend it didn’t happen. To forget that he would never hear Luffy’s laughter or see his smile again.
Sabo, on the other hand, has let himself feel everything. He's shaken hands with his grief and allowed it to stay for as long as it needs. Luffy deserves nothing less.
That doesn’t mean Ace isn’t grieving, though, and Sabo can’t really blame him for not wanting to go find the place his little brother died.
But Sabo needs this. He needs to see it. He needs to feel the atmosphere and take in the surroundings of that place, the sights and smells. It'll help him feel closer to Luffy, even in death. He just knows it will.
And if Sabo just so happens to have brought candles and a ouija board with him, so what? If Luffy is... still around , it’s not like his spirit would hurt his own brothers or anything. Probably. He’ll have his chance to say goodbye and tell Luffy that he’ll always love him. He can finally get some fucking closure.
And if Luffy isn’t there? If he's gone for good? Well, then that’s fine too. Just knowing he’s already moved on to his next great adventure will be enough for Sabo.
-*-*-*-
Luffy awakens to singing. Which is kinda weird. Ace and Sabo don't sing, not like that at least. He wishes they did though. Musicians are cool as hell.
"Yo ho and up she rises, yo ho and up she rises~"
Sooo yeah, definitely not Ace or Sabo. And... he's definitely not at home, either. So, where—?
"Yo, ho and up she rises early in the morning~"
The singing is slow but lively at the same time. Kinda creepy but, like, in a good way? Whatever, Luffy’s into it either way. He thinks he recognizes the song from somewhere but he isn't completely sure.
"What shall we do with a drunken sailor? What shall we do with a drunken sailor?~"
Luffy's eyes scan the room, but he can't see much. Just brick, cement, and more brick. For real, though, what is this place?
The singing man is drawing closer and closer now. Luffy's heart is racing in his chest, not really from fear, but definitely from excitement. He really wants to meet this musical guy. Maybe they can talk and he can teach Luffy the song and—
"Chuck him in a scupper with a hosepipe bottom, chuck him in a—"
The singing voice suddenly stops.
"Why, good morning to you, sir. It seems you’ve decided to join us after all."
Luffy spins around to get a good look at the stranger and is shocked, intrigued and altogether very pleased to find an actual skeleton standing… uh, floating… uh… whatever, existing right in front of him.
A freaking skeleton. Siiiiiick.
"Ah, I do apologize if I've given you a fright. Not much one can do about his appearance these days, yohohoho ."
The skeleton laughs like a pirate. The skeleton laughs like a pirate, holy shit this is so freaking cool! And is that an afro?!
"My name is Brook, good sir, and I am honored to be your humble servant," skull guy — Brook — says with a low bow where he bends himself almost completely in half, hat and hair touching the ground.
Wait, what was that? Servant? Hold up, Luffy doesn't want one of those. He's about to let Brook know he's off the hook, but the skeleton seems to have already picked up on Luffy's confusion.
"Ah, but folks these days never exchange such pleasantries, do they?" Brook scratches his skull as he thinks for a moment.
"Allow me to begin anew," he says, holding out his hand. "Hello. I'm Brook and it's a pleasure to meet you. What might your name be?"
“Name’s Luffy,” he says, grinning, and grips at the bones of Brook’s hand the best that he can.
“So, uhh, before we talk about the whole skeleton situation you got going on there, where am I and how did I get here?” Luffy asks. “Oh! Also, if you’re a ghost — I’m just gonna say you are — how come I can touch you?”