Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“I didn’t do it!”

Ace and Sabo share an exasperated look before turning a deadpan stare on their little brother. Luffy is staring off to the side, whistling innocently (at least, in his mind, Ace thinks exasperatedly).

He says, “So you didn’t, while Sabo and I were getting water, eat the entire three bears that we had brought to eat? The three bears that were supposed to feed us plus Dadan’s crew?”

Luffy starts whistling louder (Ace wonders, seriously, why does he think that works) and nods rapidly. Sabo walks up to him, crouching next to him and pokes his comically distended stomach. “Then, I guess, this is from some other completely random food source?”

“Mmm!” Luffy smiles sunnily at them, evidently thinking he had fooled them. Ace sighs (fondly, despite himself), walking up to him and punching him in the head, drawing a whine from his little brother as he falls backwards.

“As if we’d believe that!” Ace scoffs, and Luffy pouts, clutching at his swollen head. Sabo snickers before dragging Luffy up and taking Ace’s hand, dragging them towards the forest. Ace staggers a bit before catching up to Sabo while Luffy stumbles behind them for a while. “Where are we going, Sabo?!”

Sabo sends Ace a deadpan stare before glancing at the skeletons behind them. “Well, unless we want to face Dadan complaining about us not bringing food, we’d better get some more.” Ace scoffs at the thought of caring what Dadan thinks of them, but still picks up his feet and directs them towards where he knows the best hunting grounds are.

Sabo gives him a knowing look.

Ace elbows him.

Sabo snickers and matches pace with him as Luffy finally catches up, his insane metabolism causing his figure to finally appear as normal.

“Yay!” Luffy smiles brightly, coming up between the two brothers and grabbing their hands, swinging them between him.

Ace and Sabo share a baffled look before Ace turns away, blushing slightly at the contact and Sabo smiles softly at the younger, saying, “You’re that excited to go hunting again, Luffy?”

“Nope!” Luffy shakes his head, still smiling widely. “But any time with Ace and Sabo is the best time, and this means I get more time with you!” He hums gleefully, letting go of their hands to run after a butterfly. Ace blushes, and Sabo grins happily as he nudges Ace, giving him a smile.

“Luffy’s really good at making us feel good about ourselves, huh?” Ace grins slightly and nods. Disbelief still hits him sometimes when Luffy says stuff like that, but his little brother really is good at making him feel wanted (making him feel loved). He and Sabo walk casually after Luffy before Ace freezes, causing Sabo to look back at him in concern.

Ace gulps before saying, pointing a shaking finger in the direction Luffy ran to, “That’s where that giant hornet nest is, isn’t it?” Sabo freezes as well, slowly turning to face that direction as well. A yell sounds in that direction, and a loud crash echoes soon after. Ace and Sabo share an exasperated look before sprinting in that direction.

“LUFFY! GET BACK HERE!”

Chapter Text

“Just jump, Sabo!”

Sabo gulps, looking down from where he stands on the branch of a tree, clutching the trunk next to him. The forest floor looks so far away, his little brother on the ground much smaller than he’s ever been (though Luffy has always been small).

Ace sighs, leaning against the trunk casually as he sends a deadpan look at Sabo. “It’s not even that far, Sabo. We’ve fallen from distances higher than this before!”

Sabo knows, he knows that they’ve done stuff like this before, but-

(“You must never do that again, Sabo,” his father scolds, looking down at him imperiously. Sabo sniffles, remembering his terrifying fall from the balcony. His cheek hurts from the fall, his eyes teary as he holds an ice pack up to the bump.

“What will the people think if my heir is climbing all over things, like a barbarian?” He spits out, and Sabo tears up just a little bit more at the confirmation that he never cared about his injury in the first place, just about their precious image.)

Sabo remembers a time where he couldn’t do anything dangerous, anything exploratory because of his parents’ image; his only purpose to look pretty and smart and regal, like a good son would.

Ace and Luffy – they’ve never had that problem. Ace, wild and free, has been climbing and jumping all around the forest since he could walk. Luffy, bright and carefree, bounces around the forest (and, before, the village), with no reservations stopping him.

Sabo tries to do that, tries being as wild as Ace; as carefree as Luffy, and for the most part, he succeeds. He runs with his brothers, climbs trees, flies and falls and laughs and cries, but-

You must never do that again, Sabo.

His memories stops him from making that final leap of faith.

And then-

“Don’t worry, Sabo! I’ll catch you! You won’t get hurt!”

Luffy, his baby brother, sunshine and joy, rips all of that fear away from him. That’s right, he thinks, I’m not there anymore. He’s with his brothers, who will never let him get hurt; never make him give up his freedom for the sake of their image.

Sabo smiles, “Alright, Luffy, I’m trusting you!” He steadies his stance, bends his knees, and-

And Ace pushes him off the branch.

Ace, Sabo promises while screaming at the sudden fall, I am going to murder you.

But, even though the “jump” was a surprise, Luffy makes good on his promise, expanding into his balloon form and catching Sabo, who lands on his back and lands a few feet over, a large grin on his face.

“Ace, I’m going to kill you!” Sabo yells out cheerfully. Ace scoffs and jumps himself, and Sabo launches himself at his brother as he lands.

He remembers a time where no one would be there to catch him, and compares it to now. He wonders how he ever thought it would be the same situation.

After all, his brothers will always catch him. They’d never let him fall.

(…Except if you’re Ace, pushing Sabo off of a branch.)

Chapter Text

“Come on, come on, we’re gonna miss it!”

Ace and Sabo share a fond look as their brother runs up ahead of them, dragging them forward (or attempting to – really, all he’s accomplishing is stretching his arms out as he runs).

Sabo calls out, “Luffy, calm down, it won’t start until after sunset and the sun’s barely started setting!”

“Don’t care, we need to hurry!”

Ace sighs, but starts running alongside his brother, Sabo letting out a little laugh as he joins them. They can’t really blame Luffy for being this excited, after all, this was the one time of year that this sort of event happens.

Today is Children’s Day, but more importantly, it is Luffy’s eighth birthday. He’s bouncing for joy as they run through the forest towards Foosha Village, intent on meeting up with Makino and the rest of the villagers. Of course, he isn’t just excited for his party and cake (and meat) that is sure to be waiting there for him, though Ace knows that’s a huge part of it.

Every year, on Children’s Day, Goa Kingdom has a huge festival, with food and festivities. Ace and his brothers don’t care about that, though – they couldn’t access that stuff even if they wanted to. The thing they are most excited about – the thing that has Luffy literally bouncing for joy as they enter the village, is the show that happens after.

Makino looks up as they burst into the bar, and a wide smile greets them as she says, “Welcome, boys. Happy Birthday, Luffy!”

“Shishishishi!” Luffy sits down at the bar, and Ace and Sabo join him as Makino brings out the food Luffy has been awaiting eagerly all day. Ace smiles softly behind Luffy’s back as he joyfully sets upon devouring the food that Makino gives. It’s always nice to see his little brother so happy, and Sabo seems to agree as he chuckles, taking a seat beside Luffy and joining in on eating all the food.

Soon, the village realizes they’re there, and fills the bar with laughter and cheering for Luffy. Luffy is laughing and eating anything he can get his hands on, and even the mayor is just watching fondly as Luffy tells a story to him, arms gesturing wildly as he speaks.

Ace is surprised to be drawn into conversation multiple times with villagers around him, them actually caring about what he says as he tells them haltingly about their day. Sabo snickers at his hesitance, and Ace gives him the finger behind the villagers’ backs next chance he gets. All he gets in response is a cheeky grin.

The sun sets as the party continues, and once dark has fully fallen Luffy drags them all outside, and the three brothers climb onto the roof of Party’s bar. They sit side by side, legs tangled and giggling as they watch above the mountain in front of them, warmth filling them.

A loud boom erupts, and Luffy shouts with joy as the first fireworks light up the sky behind Mount Corvo. A whole flood of fireworks follows, and Luffy’s face lights up with joy as the sky erupts in color. Luffy laughs, a bright sound that causes Ace to smile softly at his brother. He glances at Sabo, who has that same fondness shining in his eyes as he looks at their little brother.

Ace turns back towards the fireworks, but keeps his eyes on his brother, enraptured with joy next to him.

The fireworks may light up the sky in front of them, but Ace doesn’t think he’ll ever see anything brighter than his brother’s smile.

Chapter Text

“We should make a flag! For our treehouse!”

Luffy looks up from his meat (which is really good! Crocodile meat is the best!) to see Ace standing, looking between Luffy and Sabo with a bright grin on his face. Luffy then processes what Ace said, and excitement fills him.

With a bright grin, he says, “A flag? Like a pirate flag?!” That would be so cool! Luffy bounces in glee as Ace nods, and Sabo hums, a contemplative look on his face.

“We’d have to find some black cloth…and paint…and figure out what our design could be…” He mutters, and Luffy laughs joyfully. Those are easy, this can actually happen! For once, Ace seems as excited as Luffy is, waving his hands excitedly as he talks.

“There’s black cloth everywhere in Grey Terminal, we’d just have to clean it! And there’s paint buckets everywhere there also, plus I’m sure we could just steal some if we have to!” Sabo nods in agreement. Ace then mutters, “I actually don’t know what our design could be…well, we can figure that out later.” He nods decisively, but Luffy pipes in, because isn’t it obvious what their design could be?

“It should be our…ilitials…initinals…the first letter of our names!” It’s perfect! It’s a representation of all of them, and it’s fair because it doesn’t require them coming up with their own designs and arguing over which one is better!

“Initials, Luffy,” Sabo corrects idly. “That’s actually a good idea, though!” Luffy pouts at the surprise in Sabo’s voice, but grins at the way Ace ruffles his hair proudly.

Ace says, “Good job, Luffy! Now all we need is the materials!”

The next few days, they scavenge Grey Terminal for supplies, striking gold when a worker comes out to paint something in Edge Town. They mug him, snickering at the shock on his face as they run away with their proudly-won paint. The cloth was the easiest to find, and soon enough, they’re gathered in their treehouse, ready to paint.

Luffy reaches for the paint, but Sabo slaps his hand away. “You are not painting, Luffy. I’ve seen your “art”,” Sabo uses air quotes to emphasize his point, and Ace snickers even as Luffy pouts. “Unless we want to scare people away with abstract art, I’m going to be doing the painting.”

Luffy nods dejectedly, but brightens almost immediately as Sabo starts painting the crossbones onto the cloth. They’re going to have a pirate flag! They’re basically pirates already! He bounces as Sabo continues painting, and Ace, smiling brightly, throws an arm around his shoulder as they watch.

Soon, Sabo finishes with the crossbones, and Luffy frowns as he stops painting. Ace agrees, saying, “Why’d you stop, Sabo?”

Sabo hums and says, “Did we ever decide who’s initial was going to be first?”

“Mine!” Luffy raises his hand, grinning brightly, and Ace immediately turns on him, scowling.

“No, it should be mine!”

Luffy pouts. “Why?! I’m the one who came up with it!”

“I’m oldest!”

“I’m strongest!”

“Hah, you wish, you baby!” That’s the last straw for Luffy, who launches himself at Ace. Unfortunately, Ace easily brings Luffy into a headlock, and Sabo sighs, starting to paint on the outlines for Ace’s letter.

Ace crows in victory, ending the vicious noogie he had been giving Luffy, and Luffy pouts at his loss. Ace demands Sabo paint his letter red, and Sabo agrees, painting it on carefully.

Luffy’s foul mood doesn’t last long, and he grins brighter and brighter as the flag gets closer and closer to being finished. He cheers as Sabo paints on the last yellow stripe in Luffy’s letter, finishing with a flourish and throwing the brush away.

Ace grins wildly, holding up the finished flag. “Now, the ASL Pirates…are born!” Luffy cheers and Sabo grins. The sense of belonging, of home Luffy had felt when they swore brotherhood grows even stronger, and he laughs and drags both his brothers into a hug.

I’m so lucky, Luffy thinks giddily as Ace grunts and Sabo laughs at being dragged into the hug. I have the best brothers in the world!

(Ten years later, the flag still flies. One brother is gone, one is lost, and one is guilt-ridden – yet their flag still flies, representing the bond that will never be broken.)

Chapter Text

“Ooooh, a beetle!”

“Wait, Luffy, we-!” Ace sighs as Luffy ignores him and runs off in the direction of the beetle. Sabo laughs beside him, and Ace sends him a look.

“You know, it’s gonna suck if we can’t get food before sundown,” Ace warns, glancing at the setting sun. They probably have about a half-hour left of full light, and hunting after sundown is much harder than if they have the light on their side.

Sabo scoffs out a laugh, saying, “Ace, relax. Luffy’s having fun.” Ace scowls, crossing his arms over his chest and pouting. Yeah, he knows Luffy is having fun, but they have stuff to do! Sabo, noticing his mulish look, sighs and says, “We still have time, Ace. Don’t worry about it.”

Ace sighs, “Yeah, I guess so.”

“Plus,” Sabo adds with a small smile, “isn’t it nice seeing Luffy so happy?” He gestures over to where Luffy is crouching, playing with two stag beetles with a bright smile on his face. Ace finds himself unconsciously mirroring Sabo’s soft smile, and Sabo laughs at his victory.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Ace admits, dropping his arms and leaning against a nearby tree. His little brother is always somewhat happy, laughing and joyful throughout all their activities, but it still brightens Ace’s day to see him so genuinely gleeful.

(When Luffy’s like this, it’s easy to forget what it was like to be lonely, and forgotten, and cold. He had Sabo, he knows, but it wasn’t the same type of companionship. Sabo has been jaded from the beginning, having to hide his true feelings from his parents originally. He never lost that caution.

Luffy, on the other hand, doesn’t know what it’s like to not be joyful; to have fun with every single thing he does. Ace knows he’s had struggles, but it’s hard to tell, with the ever-present laugh and smile covering his face. His bright personality makes it hard for Ace to feel the loneliness and darkness that had been the only thing he could feel for most of his life.

He makes Ace’s life brighter; happier than it has ever been before.)

He jerks himself from his thoughts as he notices Sabo staring at him contemplatively. He is about to snap at him about why Sabo’s staring at him, but then Sabo gets a mischievous look, and Ace suddenly realizes that he must have been staring at Luffy with a really soft look.

“Hey, Luffy!” Sabo calls out, and Ace has the sudden urge to shut his brother up. He desperately reaches to cover Sabo’s mouth, but doesn’t manage to do so before Sabo gets out, “I think Ace could use a hug!”

Luffy immediately jerks his head over, and you could sooner divert a river from its course than divert Luffy once he has any inkling a hug will be accepted. Luffy stretches his arms over and grabs Ace, and Ace yelps as he is dragged into one of Luffy’s multi-wrap around hugs.

Ignoring the warmth blooming in his chest, Ace fights against the hug. Luffy doesn’t give in, though, (Ace wonders, how is Luffy so strong now but so weak when we fight?) clinging onto Ace with a passion. Ace accepts his destiny, sighing and hugging his little brother back. An idea occurs to Ace, and he smirks as he whispers, “Hey, Luffy, I bet Sabo’s feeling awfully lonely right about now.”

Luffy gasps as if that’s the worst thing that could happen (which, for him, it is), and immediately stretches an arm out to Sabo, drawing him in. Sabo yelps but accepts his fate much faster than Ace did, laughing and wrapping an arm around both of them.

Ace struggles to hold his scowl on his face, and at the sound of Luffy’s joyful laughter, gives up the ghost and lets a true smile bloom on his face.

“I’m so glad we’re brothers,” he mumbles into Luffy’s shoulder unconsciously, and blushes as Luffy grins before exclaiming how happy he is. Sabo smiles softly and agrees, and Ace smiles even wider, burying his face in his brothers’ shoulders.

He still can’t believe he has this – has brothers that accept him, love him, for who he is.

He’s never going to let them go.

Chapter Text

“Just try it, Sabo!”

Ace and Luffy snicker behind their brother’s back as he looks suspiciously at the food Ace had innocently put in front of him. They had used the fact that his birthday had just passed to excuse it (even though they had already celebrated Sabo, so it’s a surprise that Sabo seemed to have accepted it in the first place).

Sabo stares at it, trying to discern why Ace had decided so kindly to give it to him. Ace isn’t in the habit of giving food freely – Ace knows Sabo is fully aware of that – and he isn’t doing it for a…charitable reason now.

You see, Ace and Luffy had, while getting separated from Sabo for a bit in Edge Town, found a bottle of unopened hot sauce. It was the strongest type (or so the label said) and so they had decided to test it on their unsuspecting brother to see how strong it is.

(Ace made sure to test it on a mouse just to make sure it wasn’t poisonous – after all, he wouldn’t want to poison his brother on accident.)

They had made (well, stolen from Dadan, but it’s the same thing, really) some rice and mixed it in, desperately hoping Sabo wouldn’t notice the slightly off-color tint to it. Their normal rice is slightly off-color anyway, so they’re hoping their smart brother won’t realize.

Given the suspicious look still on his face, though, Ace is skeptical that they’ll succeed. In hindsight, it definitely would have been better to hide it, save it until Luffy forgets about it, and then test it on him. But, alas, they had decided to try this.

Shockingly, though, Sabo starts lifting the spoon to the rice, before digging in and stuffing a mouthful of rice into his mouth. Ace gapes at him, before hastily hiding the expression as Luffy smiles with glee. Sabo chews thoughtfully, and Ace is shocked to see that Sabo is smiling, brighter than he has since they met up and Ace presented the food.

“This is really good! Thank you guys for making this for me, I love it!” Sabo gives a bright smile, and Ace narrows his eyes at him, standing up and pointing at Sabo.

“Isn’t that like, really spicy?! Why do you like it?!”

Sabo laughs before responding, “I knew you guys were trying to prank me! Luffy, I love you, but you cannot hold a poker face to save your life.”

Ace mutters, “Literally,” under his breath, remembering the Porchemy incident, and Sabo continues.

“Also, I grew up with biological parents that love spicy food, so I grew immune to it really quickly.”

Ace grumbles, “Of course the one way we try to prank you ends up not working.” Sabo laughs at him, and reaches to take another bite of the food. The spoon hits nothing, though, and Ace snickers as he realizes what happened to the food.

“Luffy!” Sabo says exasperatedly, turning to face their momentarily-forgotten little brother. Luffy is smiling innocently at them, chewing on the food. He then swallows, and grins at them.

“That was good!” Sabo and Ace stare at Luffy, and Ace laughs as Sabo sighs, slapping a hand onto his forehead.

Honestly, I’m kind of surprised it took that long for Luffy to steal the food, Ace thinks amusedly.

He watches as Sabo scolds Luffy, snickering as Luffy ignores absolutely everything Sabo is saying in favor of chasing a butterfly across the clearing. Ace steps up to Sabo and says, still laughing, “I don’t know what you expected. It is Luffy, after all.” Sabo sighs in agreement, and Ace laughs yet again at the tired look on his face.

“Well,” Ace continues, grabbing Sabo, “Time to get some actual food. Hey, Luffy, lets get some actual food for us!” Luffy sprints over, grabbing onto their hands and swinging them, smiling brightly.

Ace grins, leading them in the direction of their normal hunting grounds.

It’s really nice having brothers – having Luffy’s smile and Sabo’s laugh to brighten up his day.

He is really lucky.

Chapter Text

“And then, this HUGE whale blocked our way into the Grand Line, but it’s okay because he’s our friend now – that’s actually where we met Vivi too, isn’t that cool?! And, Zoro sleeps so much, and-”

Ace cuts off his brother’s story with a burst of laughter, clutching his stomach as it starts aching from how hard he’s laughing. He knew his brother’s journey was bound to be crazy, but running into a giant whale right off that bat? And becoming its friend? That’s definitely not what Ace was expecting to hear when he met up with his little brother once again.

That’s Luffy crazy for ya, Ace thinks, hiccupping slightly as he regains his breath, taking a sip of his drink while doing so. He refocuses his attention on his brother, and cocks his head slightly in confusion as he sees a soft smile on his brother’s face.

Luffy evidently reads the confusion off of his face (it still surprises Ace sometimes how easily Luffy is able to read people, even though it really shouldn’t after all these years), and says softly, “You’re laughing a lot more, now.”

Ace pauses in putting down his drink, considering how he’s been acting since reuniting with his brother. I guess I have been a lot more free with my reactions, Ace realizes. Those seven years with his brother had been the best of his life – Luffy had caused him to become more free; more light than he ever had been before.

But, something about finding his crew; about finding his Pops has caused a weight to be lifted off his shoulders.

(It’s not just Luffy that finds that he’s worth knowing; worth loving.

That means more to him than his crew will ever know.)

Luffy smiles brightly. “I like it when you laugh more!” Ace laughs, ruffling his brother’s hair, causing Luffy to giggle and lean into him.

“I guess I’ll just have to laugh around you more, huh?” Ace says, grinning. Luffy nods rapidly, a massive smile covering his face.

“Yeah!” Luffy says, and promptly glomps Ace. Ace, used to his brother’s spontaneous hugs, catches him with ease, his grin softening into a soft smile.

He had really missed his brother. It’s a shame Ace has to leave soon; he’d love to spend more time with Luffy.

He shakes that thought away, and contents himself with hugging Luffy close as he continues the story that Ace’s laugh had cut off earlier. They’ll have all the time in the world in the future to catch up.

After all, they are brothers.

No matter how far they go, their bond will never be broken.

Chapter Text

He’s chained.

There’s no way out for him – he knows it’s impossible to escape – yet he still tries, straining against his restraints with all he has. He can’t give up.

He refuses to give up.

Eventually, though, his energy runs out, and he slumps, accepting his fate as restrained for life.

“Shishishishi! I win!”

Ace grins, finally wrapping his arms around his brother in turn, giving up on ‘trying’ to escape. Luffy laughs brightly, bringing Ace in even closer (Ace boggles at how that’s even possible – he’s already pretty damn plastered to his little brother).

“I had to try,” Ace says, pulling one of his arms out and ruffling Luffy’s hair, drawing yet another sunshine-filled giggle from his baby brother. “I can’t let you win at wrestling that easily, after all. Plus,” Ace continues, grin shifting to a smirk, “I still say you cheated by wrapping around me more than two times.”

Luffy responds cheekily, “It’s not my fault my devil fruit helps me with wrestling!” Ace laughs, before yanking his other arm out and bringing Luffy into a headlock, giving him a fierce noogie.

“It’s still cheating if you have access to stuff I don’t!” Luffy cries out, fighting against Ace’s iron-clad hold as he continues his assault.

“Is not!”

“Is too.”

“Is not!” Ace laughs at the petulant tone of voice Luffy’s adopted – it’s eerily similar to his attitude as a kid, and Ace can’t hold in a grin at the thought.

Ace finally releases his brother, laughing as he pouts, rubbing the top of his head before bringing his hat up over it, tugging it down as if it would prevent Ace from messing with him further.

(Ace snorts internally at the thought. Nothing will ever stop him from messing with his brother whenever he gets the opportunity.)

Ace grins, throwing an arm around his brother, who immediately loses his pout, leaning into him with a giggle. Ace has to leave soon, he knows, but this moment, right here with his brother, feels like it could last for forever.

“So, what’s this about having a princess on your crew?”

Luffy gasps in delight and immediately launches into telling his tale, and Ace smiles, contentment fills him as he soaks in the presence of Luffy – of the most important person in his life.

Chapter Text

“Come on, where the hell is it?”

Sabo paces through the hallways of the colosseum, cursing as he hits yet another dead end – the third in five minutes. The basement should not be this hard to find, Sabo thinks furiously as he turns violently on his heel and storms towards where he came from.

Not for the first time, Sabo wishes he could just punch through the floors to get to the basement – it would be a hell of a lot faster, that’s for sure.

(He then remembers Koala’s famous temper and her strict instructions to not cause a fuss, so he reluctantly releases the Haki on his hands and moves to search the more socially acceptable way.)

(They’re revolutionaries. By definition, they’re not socially acceptable. Why the hell does he have to act like it?!)

He wanders the hallways for a while longer, catching glimpses of the fighting that’s taking place (Block C is going at the moment, he remembers). There seems to be someone going absolutely wild, riding a bull of all things, and Sabo grins and laughs before turning to move on.

(Hack lost. Ace’s devil fruit is the prize, and now there’s nothing preventing some stranger from taking Ace’s fruit.

He needs to get it.

He will never be able to forgive himself if he doesn’t.)

(Luffy would never forgive him, either.)

(If he could forgive him in the first place.)

He turns from the balcony, intending to find someone to mug and take the place of in Group D, when a laugh rings above everything else, and he freezes.

“Shishishishishi!”

A D-shaped grin. A well-worn Straw Hat. Laughter, tears, joy, sorrow – all wrapped into one package. One little boy who smiled like the sun and laughed like joy was the only thing he ever knew. The laugh that brightened up his day without even trying. The laugh that made the boy who he is.

The laugh that he now hears echoing up from the colosseum.

He walks up towards the balcony again, not even daring to hope, and peaks out over, watching as this…old man? No, he looks younger, Sabo thinks as whoever it is takes down a giant in one punch. Sabo watches intently as the man turns slightly, and gasps as he sees his face.

Oh.

That’s his scar.

That’s him.

That’s Luffy.

Sabo watches in shock as Luffy continues fighting, not as joyful as he was earlier, but still free and wild (just like when they were growing up). He’s grown so strong, Sabo thinks with a bittersweet smile, pride rushing through him even as the years he’s missed prick at him.

“I guess our weak little brother isn’t all that weak anymore, huh, Ace?” Sabo murmurs, watching as Don Chinjao and Luffy launch themselves at each other, shaking the colosseum with the force of their willpower.

He doesn’t need them anymore, Sabo realizes as he watches his little brother hold his ground against a legend; as he watches his little brother shout back in annoyance as Chinjao goes on yet another monologue; as he watches his little brother launch himself into the sky and send Chinjao through the stage – with a newly-pointed head, Sabo notes with amusement.

Pride surges through him as Luffy celebrates, and he turns, a smile on his face. He heads back towards the basements, and feels some part of him relax.

Ace’s fruit will be in good hands. Luffy will see to that.

Luffy doesn’t need to be protected anymore. He’s strong now.

Luffy’s got everything under control.

(He really needs to find the basements quickly, though – he would really like to reunite with his brother before everything goes to shit.)

(He suddenly snorts at the thought of all the chaos he and Luffy could cause together.

Doflamingo doesn’t stand a chance.)

Chapter Text

“…Ace?”

Ace slowly returns to wakefulness, cracking his eyes open and blinking blearily at his little brother. Luffy’s not looking at him, remaining cradled under one of Ace’s arms, tucked firmly against Ace’s side. They don’t always fall asleep like this, but always, without fail, when Ace wakes up, it’s to his little brother either sprawled over him or tucked under Ace’s chin, head resting over Ace’s heart.

(Ace didn’t used to like cuddling – physical contact was weird and foreign to Ace, his only experiences with it being his grandfather’s harsh punches and some rough slaps on the back or hair-ruffles from the bandits.

He hadn’t known the pure happiness and joy that encompasses every single hug and touch that Luffy so freely gives. He hadn’t trusted it, at first.

Now he knows, though, that it’s all borne from love.)

Ace tightens his grip ever so slightly around his brother’s shoulders, and murmurs, “What’s up, Lu?”

Luffy’s quiet for a moment, small hand curling and gripping at Ace’s shirt. “…D’you think Sabo’s happy?”

Ace freezes, an uncomfortable lump forming in his throat at the mention of their blonde brother.

(Even four years later, every mention of Sabo sends pain shooting through Ace’s heart.)

“What made you think of that?” Ace finally asks, instead of answering the question.

Luffy bites his lip, worrying it between his teeth, and whispers, “I saw someone with Sabo’s hat in High Town today. I thought…” Luffy closes his eyes, and Ace pulls him closer at the minute trembling in his shoulders. “I thought it might’ve been him, for a second.”

Luffy shakes his head against Ace’s shoulder, and bursts out, “I know he’s gone, I know, but I still-”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Ace cuts off, and Luffy quiets, burying his face further in Ace’s chest. Ace rubs circles into Luffy’s shoulder with his thumb, a small comfort as Luffy shakes in his arms, tears soaking into Ace’s shirt.

(When they’d first lost him, when the grief was still raw and Ace was more than a little broken inside, he snapped at every sight of someone who looked even a little bit like Sabo, snapped at Luffy whenever he asked if that might’ve been him; or if Sabo would’ve liked this toy, or food, or story.

Because Ace’d known that it wasn’t him. It never will be him, and nothing else mattered to Ace, because he’s dead.

But, now, Ace understands just a little bit more his little brother, and understands that seeing their brother in others, in the things they do every day – it isn’t bad.

They’ll never forget about him, after all.

Some measly fire isn’t enough to sever their bond.)

“…Yeah,” Ace finally says, staring up at the ceiling. Luffy looks up at him, and Ace glances down and meets his eyes, saying, quietly confident, “Yeah, he’s happy.”

It isn’t a lie. Ace knows that wherever their brother is, Sabo’d always been happiest when Ace was smiling and Luffy was laughing.

And Ace has never been happier than he has been, these past few years, even with the gaping hole in his heart, with Luffy laughing by his side at every hour of the day.

Luffy lets out a soft giggle, then, accepting Ace’s answer. Ace ignores how wet-sounding it is as Luffy throws another arm around Ace’s waist and hugs him close. Before Ace knows it, Luffy’s breathing has evened out, and he’s sound asleep, as if he’d never woken up in the first place.

Ace chuckles quietly, years’-old grief fading and heart easing, and pulls the lone blanket up around his little brother’s shoulders.

For a moment, Ace just lies there, listening to his brother’s breathing and watching the moon’s light reflect off the roof.

Luffy snuggles just a little closer to Ace, nuzzling into Ace’s chest and letting out a little sigh of satisfaction, and Ace brings a hand to the back of his head, smoothing down the hair there, feeling impossibly soft.

The fact that Luffy finds comfort in him, trusts in him, (loves him), even knowing Ace’s cursed destiny, still has Ace in awe, sometimes. Luffy chose him, he loves him, despite everything, and Ace’s not sure he’ll ever understand why.

Luffy sniffs slightly, and, as gratitude floods Ace’s chest, he supposes it doesn’t matter.

Ace smiles, heart utterly full, and presses a kiss to the crown of Luffy’s head.

(He is so, so, incredibly lucky, to have found a brother (found brothers) like this.)

He falls asleep then, warm and happy, and sleeps more peacefully than he has in ages.

(An endless sea away, another brother smiles just a little bit brighter, and feels just a little warmer and at peace than before.)

Chapter Text

Luffy has nightmares, sometimes.

He never used to. Not really. He never knew fear; never knew anything more than happiness flooding him and freedom singing in his veins and love – from Makino, from Shanks, from all the villagers and his grandpa.

From the sea.

But, then, he swallowed his devil fruit, and fears he didn’t realize he had suddenly became reality.

After that one, fateful, painful bite, Luffy’s had nightmares. Not every night – Luffy lives too much in the present, for that. But, when he does, they hit, and they hurt.

He has nightmares of the sea, which he loves so, so much, swallowing him up and destroying him and rejecting him, all that he is. Of the sea not loving him anymore because of that stupid, stupid fruit.

(He doesn’t blame Shanks. Not really. But, sometimes, he can’t help but picture what would have happened if he’d never eaten the fruit that cursed him to never be loved by the sea again.)

(It hurts.)

The nightmares remained, through meeting bandits and getting tortured and swearing brotherhood with Ace and Sabo. They got better, for a while, after that – the void in his heart wasn’t quite so large, with the love of his brothers – who carried him and rubbed his back when he coughed up blood and didn’t care if he stained their clothes with blood – filling him and warming him and bringing him home.

To a home he hadn’t felt since he lost the love of the sea, pure and strong.

But then, Sabo got stolen from them, and they restarted.

The subsequent fire and Sabo’s death just made them worse.

Luffy’s tried shoving them down, tried hiding them, but sometimes, all he can do is gasp awake and cry.

And on those nights, Ace is there. He rubs Luffy’s back. He holds him close. He pets his hair until his tears have run dry and he can breathe again and he’s finally fallen back asleep. He makes Luffy feel whole again.

(Ace makes him feel loved.

Luffy’s loved by many, he knows that, but nothing will ever compare to the pure feeling of safety and home he gets from his older brothers.)

One of those nights, Luffy wakes up, tears streaming and throat clogged, unable to breathe.

He coughs, throat burning, and just like always, Ace is there.

Silent and steady, Ace draws Luffy close, helping him sit up and rubbing his back gently. Luffy leans into his big brother, coughing flowers and blood into Ace’s lap, and Ace (wonderful, loving) doesn’t care, and keeps rubbing.

Slowly, Luffy’s able to breathe again.

Ace says softly, continuing to rub Luffy’s back even though Luffy hasn’t coughed anything up for a little while, “You okay now, Lu?”

And, like that’s the straw that broke the camel’s back, Luffy’s eyes start streaming, and something more than flower petals is knotting in his throat.

(Tonight’s nightmare had been about the ocean.

The ocean, and Sabo, being swallowed up by it.)

Ace’s arm around Luffy’s shoulders tightens as Luffy gasps out a sob, and he buries his face into Ace’s chest, sobbing.

“Hey, hey, Lu, I've got you, I've got you, shh, shh.” Ace murmurs sweet nothings at Luffy for a while, as Luffy soaks his shirt with something more than blood. Ace never says it’s okay, and Luffy appreciates that more than Ace will probably ever know.

(Because it isn’t okay.

The ocean doesn’t love Luffy anymore. Sabo’s gone.

And that hurts.

Luffy hates empty promises.

Ace never gives empty promises. Any promise he makes, he keeps.

Luffy loves him so, so much.)

After a while, Luffy’s sobs ebb, and he just keeps leaning into his big brother, drawing from Ace his strength and the feeling of home.

“I miss Sabo,” Luffy mumbles into Ace’s chest, and Luffy isn’t the imagining the slight hitch in his older brother’s breath as he finishes breathing out their third brother’s name. Ace is silent for a while, thumb rubbing comforting circles into the top of Luffy’s bicep.

Finally, Ace says, “I miss him too.” Then, though, Ace leans back slightly and gently tips Luffy’s chin up, so Luffy’s teary eyes meet Ace’s calm, soothing greys. “You know what, though?” Ace says, placing his other hand on Luffy’s knee, mirroring the circling motion with his thumb.

Ace continues, voice growing soft, “He’s still here with us.” Before Luffy can question it (Sabo’s dead, dead, dead), Ace breathes, “He’s in the stories we tell, and the way we fight, and in the memories we made with each other.”

Ace pokes Luffy in the forehead, then, drawing a wet giggle. “He’s in here,” Ace says, and then moves his hand down to Luffy’s heart. Ace adds, softer, “And here, too.”

Luffy lays his head over Ace’s heart, too, and echoes him. “He’s here, too.” Ace nods, small smile tugging at his lips as he brings a hand to Luffy’s, gripping it in his own.

“Yeah. He is.”

They’re quiet, for a moment, and then Luffy leans slightly into Ace.

“Where’d you learn that?” Luffy asks quietly, and Ace’s smile gains a wry, faintly longing tint.

He says, “Makino. She told me after Sabo died, and…it stuck with me.”

“Makino’s super smart,” Luffy mumbles, burrowing deeper into Ace’s side, and Ace chuckles softly, hand resuming its slow, soothing circling of Luffy’s back.

“Yeah, she is.”

Luffy’s eyes drift closed, then, suddenly heavy, and he mumbles, “G’night, Ace. G’night, Sabo.”

(Luffy can’t see the way Ace’s smile grows utterly fond upon him saying that, or feel how another brother, a world away, suddenly feels warmer and more at home than he has since losing his memories.

All he can feel is the soft, gentle brushing of his hair away from his forehead, and the way Ace hums gently, easing Luffy into a deep, warm, nightmare-free sleep.

Ace continues rubbing his back until he, too, falls asleep, and there’s no more waking up due to clogged throats, either.

All that’s there is love, love, love.)

-

When Ace dies, the void in his heart becomes a black hole, and he’s never felt more alone.

(There’s no big brother to rub his back, to hold him close, to make him feel loved.

All that’s there is loneliness.)

The nightmares are worse than ever, then.

And when Luffy wakes up, the wrong hands are rubbing his back, and Luffy cries.

-

When Luffy’s in Sabo’s arms again, two years later, he’s never felt more at home.

(The big brother’s back, and he’s rubbing Luffy’s back, and holding him close, and making him feel loved.

Luffy loves his crew, but he’d missed the home that is his big brothers’ arms.)

He doesn’t have nightmares again, after that night.

(He’s home.)

Chapter Text

Sabo finds him at the cliff.

“Y’know, if you’re gonna try to hide, this really isn’t the place to do it.” Ace shoots Sabo a glare over his shoulder.

“Shut up.” Sabo sighs and makes his way over to his brother, sitting on the grass next to him. Ace shoots him a glance and just as quickly looks away, but not before Sabo can notice the fresh black eye and blood crusted on his cheeks. Something painful curls in Sabo’s gut. Of course that’s what Ace ran off to do. He wants to yell, wants to scream at his brother for looking for people he knows will hate him instead of staying with his brothers, but doesn’t.

Instead, he breathes out slowly. “Luffy’s been moping all afternoon since you ran off, you know,” he says. Ace’s frown deepens.

“I don’t care.”

Sabo rolls his eyes. “Sure you don’t.” He nudges Ace in the shoulder. “Why do you keep doing this? You know their opinions don’t mean shit.” Ace tightens his grip on his knees and doesn’t respond. “All it does is hurt you.”

“I don’t care.”

“You should,” Sabo snaps back. Ace just glares at him once again. Sabo takes a deep breath, lets it out slowly. “Whatever. Let’s go back to the treehouse, you need dinner.”

“I don’t want it.”

“I don’t give a shit what you want. Come on.” Sabo grabs onto Ace’s arm, tugging at him.

Ace scowls at him and rips his arm out of Sabo’s grasp. “Just go without me.” Sabo scowls back.

“No. If I come back without you, Luffy will be sad, and then he’ll run away to hunt you down and probably get eaten by a crocodile or something. And then we’ll have to save him, and it’ll be a whole mess, so stop being fucking stubborn and come with me.”

Ace glares at him for a moment longer, but finally lets out a huff and stands. “Fine,” he snaps. He turns to start stalking in the direction of the treehouse, but Sabo catches his arm before he can go.

“Hey,” he says, ignoring Ace’s scowl and pulling Ace’s present out of his pocket. “Happy birthday, Ace.”

Ace looks at his present with an unreadable expression. “It’s a miniature ship-building kit I found in Grey Terminal. There’s more for you back at the treehouse, but-” Sabo gives Ace a crooked grin, “Here’s something for you, big brother to big brother.”

Ace stares at the gift for a moment longer. He reaches out, brushing his fingers against it before finally taking hold of it.

He doesn’t thank him, but the tension in his shoulders has loosened as they start walking back toward the treehouse. And when they get back, and Luffy shouts in joy and launches himself at Ace, and they eat cake and Luffy gives Ace a messy homemade card they’d made, that last bit of tightness washes away.

Ace falls asleep smiling, and Luffy and Sabo share a grin before following suit.

Chapter Text

"Hey, Sabo. Long time no see."

"I brought you some flowers. I can tell you're laughing at me- but Luffy insisted. They're your color, and we so rarely see blue flowers around here, so, well. Y'know."

"I'm leaving tomorrow. Me 'n Luffy made a promise to leave on our seventeenth birthdays. Our way of honoring you, I guess. I'm gonna go to sea, see the world, be the very best pirate out there."

"I'm gonna be free."

...

"Seven years, huh. Even after all this time, I can still sometimes swear I hear you- laughing at me like you always did, or making some smartass comment, or giving Luffy advice."

"He really grown up, you know. He can finally hit what he's aiming at most of the time, and he's only been eaten by a crocodile once this month. He still eats like a bear, too- I had to hunt a whole extra tiger for him earlier today. High-maintenance little brother."

"Don't you dare tell him, but I'm proud of him. I know you would be too. He's gonna be king one day. I can't wait to see it."

"...Still feels weird doing this without you. You were always so much better with him. I'm- well, I'm me. I'm not meant for this, he's more than I ever deserved, but- I'm trying. And he still clings to me like the monkey he is, so I think- I think I'm doing okay."

…

"Well, uh- I gotta go back and finish packing. Luffy wants to have a banquet with the bandits and then go watch the stars, so I gotta make sure I'm ready before all that."

"Don't tell him this either, but I'm really gonna miss that kid."

...

"I wish you were here- that we were setting out together like we promised."

"I miss you."

...

"Alright, well...I guess I'll see you later, then, Sabo."

...

"Watch me, Sabo. Watch me."